Category: Rock

In Focus: Goose Sell Out two nights at Terminal 5
Goose made it look almost all too easy to sell out their second night of Terminal 5 on October 9, 2021. The Connecticut-based quartet undeniably took the audience on a full fledged journey that encompassed the multitude of genres that have influenced the band, thus far. Lucky New Yorkers had a chance to experience the powerhouse that transported us somewhere outside New York City this weekend.

Stage lights dim welcoming Rick, Peter, Trevor, Ben, and Jeff on stage, accompanied with a roar from fans begging “GOOSE”, echoing from all three stories inside the terminal. “Tumble” opened the show where Ben Atkind (drums) did us the favor of pulling us into the groovy funk dictating the addictive dancey beat that defines Goose. Rick Mitarotonda (guitar, vocals) spoke indefinitely through the gorgeous Paul Reed Smith Hollowbody II, putting the audience in a trance with his guitar shredding improv through Bob Don.

Peter Anspach makes his first lead vocal debut of the night with a new song from the band, Life On the Shelf. Clearly an unreleased hit, without knowing any words fans were hooked on the chorus, dancing and swaying to the sincere folk tune, highlighted by Rick and Peter’s buttery harmonies. Followed with “Jive Lee” and “Jive II,” Peter’s funky solos and Trevor Weekz thick bass lines brought the crowd furiously jumping and screaming once again. Without any hesitation the audience was pulled into a surprise cover of “Rock the Casbah” from the Clash shaking the floor until the end of set I.

“Wysteria Lane” kicked off the second set with a smile and Peter’s earnest vocals, with some help from the Luigi plush on one of his three dazzling double casio keyboards. Unbelievable Goosian-shredding kept the crowd mesmerized cheering with each cadence as both Rick and Peter swiftly moved up and up the neck leaving the audience asking if they came to a hard rock concert. Rick guided us through Seekers on the Ride I and II with ease reminding fans of their versatility as artists. The loudest cheers of the night broke when Rick’s eccentric solos pushed to the well known hard twangy intro of “Hot Tea.” Ending with “Dragon Fly I & II,” Rick eased our anxieties with a smile “Don’t worry we have one more set.”

“Get The Funk Out of My Face” was not the only cover of set III, but Goose’s folk rock cover of Foster the People’s “Pumped Up Kicks” made it sound like Goose could’ve written the song. Just when we thought Trevor Weekz might just be too cool for us, being the backbone of Goose with his 5-string bass and sunglasses, the spotlight shined on him as he read a “Acquainted with the Night” by Robert Frost backed by Ben Atkind (drums) and Rick filling some eerie melodies. The band endurance was unrequited through three full set of nonstop music eventually wrapping with an Encore of “Hot Tea.”

Goose – Terminal 5 – Friday, October 8, 2021

Set 1: So Ready, Look Out Cleveland, Honeybee, Indian River, The Whales, All I Need

Set 2: 2021> Old Man’s Boat >2021, Rosewood Heart > Into the Myst, Echo of a Rose > 2021

Encore: Flodown

Goose – Terminal 5 – Saturday, October 9, 2021

Set 1: Tumble, Bob Don, Life on a Shelf*, White Lights > Jive 1 > Jive Lee > Rock the Casbah

Set 2: Wysteria Lane > It Burns Within, Seekers on the Ridge [Part I & II], Hot Tea > Dragonfly [I&II]

Set 3: Get The Funk Out Ma Face, Creatures > Pumped Up Kicks, Madhuvan** > Turn on Your Love Light > Madhuvan

Encore: Teaprise

* first time played
** Trevor poetry read

photos by Matt Shotwell
October 12, 2021
Black Crowes Wrap up “Shake Your Money Maker” Tour at Bethel Woods
Proclaiming the longevity of Shake Your Money Maker, The Black Crowes took to the road this year to celebrate its 31^st anniversary. The Black Crowes tour, originally scheduled for 2020, included 37 dates across the U.S., culminating at Bethel Wo o ds in Upstate NY.

Putting stories of infighting between Chris and Rich Robinson in the rear-view mirror, the two could be seen grinning from ear to ear during this final night of the tour. The show opened with The Texas Gentleman. Dirty Honey had been supporting the Crowes during the run. A switch was made for the closing date. The Dallas based band proved satisfactory as a warmup. With a Jim Carrey styled lead singer/keyboard player at the helm. Paying homage to the Woodstock music scene, they closed out with The Band’s “The Shape I’m In.”

Chris and Rich Robinson

To begin their part of the evening at Bethel Woods, the Black Crowes assembled at a what appeared to be a dive bar situated in the back corner of the stage. Separately, Chris Robinson sat on a drum riser in the dark, hidden by a large umbrella with the Black Crowes logo on it. A woman stepped out from the shadows and headed to an old-fashioned juke box located mid stage. Dropping a coin in and selecting a song, Elmore James’s “Shake Your Money Maker” filled the house and the show was on.

On cue, the band stepped forward, plugged in, and started with “Twice as Hard,” the opening track from Shake Your Money Maker, following the sequence of the album (“Jealous Again”, “Sister Luck”, etc.). At the midway mark, Chris called out praise for “The Big O” (Otis Reading) before the opening beats of “Hard to Handle” was heard.

Chris Robinson had his dancing shoes kicking his heels up and twirling with every number…

You could feel the energy from the band exceeding its limits as if the governor had been ripped off this rock and roll engine. Chris Robinson had his dancing shoes kicking his heels up and twirling with every number leaving no part of the stage untouched. Rich Robinson, offering a somewhat a stoic stance through the night, let his powerful guitar chops show this was not a one-man band

Guitarist Isaiah Mitchell stood out with power solos confirming his supporting role. Backup singers Mackenzie Adams and Leslie Grant along with keyboard player Joel Robinow helped add that little extra something to acknowledge the Money Maker milestone. With the completion of side two of Shake Your Money Maker, the band continued on. Pulling out tunes from their long career including “Thorn In My Side” and “Remedy.”

To close the night out, the encore gave praise to The Velvet Underground with a cover of their song “Rock & Roll.” Was this night a fairy tale? A happy ending for the brothers Robinson? One thing is for sure, it was not grim.

The Black Crowes
The Texas Gentleman
October 10, 2021
Acid Dad Gives Psychedelic Performance New Meaning at Bug Jar in Rochester

Alternative-rock band Acid Dad made a stop in Rochester at Bug Jar on Tuesday, October 5, as part of their Fall 2021 tour. Many avid fans gathered in the well-renowned venue to see the group perform.

Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty

The rock-n’-roll fanatics The Ginger Faye Bakers opened up the show with their head banging tunes. The trio paid homage to heavy metal in their set while incorporating a modern sound. Acid Dad later took over the stage by opening with the song “Drone.” The group consists of singer-guitarists, Vaughn Hunt and Sean Fahey, and drummer Trevor Mustoe. Zoltán Sindhu played alongside them as well. Immediately, the audience transcended into their psychedelic ambience. With the addition of their trippy visuals, they lived up to their enthralling band name.

Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty

The Bushwick natives played several of their most popular hits off their latest album Take It From The Dead, some of which includes “BBQ,” “She Only Eats Organic,” and “Searchin.” The Bug Jar’s kaleidoscopic atmosphere meshed perfectly with Acid Dad’s set. The fresh sound from the group rippled through the underground setting giving fans a great fall show.

Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty

A year ago, Acid Dad spent time independently producing all their own music and art. From building a new studio space to even building their own guitars, this band has continued to fiercely go after their desires. This tour is the start of a new era for Acid Dad.

Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty

Make sure to check out upcoming shows at the Bug Jar. The Four Horsemen perform on October 14 and The Shivas do on October 15. Tickets are available here.

Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty

Acid Dad – Bug Jar, Rochester – October 5, 2021

Setlist: Drone, Bada Bing, RC Driver, BBQ, Searchin’, Living With a Creature, She Only Eats Organic, Dissin’, Get Me, Don’t Get Taken, Die Hard, Mr. Major, Djembe

October 8, 2021
Tedeschi Trucks Band Welcomes Special Guests for Night 5 Of Tenth Beacon Run
The Tedeschi Trucks Band continued their fall residency tour at the Beacon Theater on Wednesday making it their 43rd Show at the historic venue. Special guests Jorma Kaukonen and Marcus King sat in with the full 12-piece band on their material and incredible covers by great blues artists.

TTB opened their set with a spectacular cover of The Lovin Spoonful’s “Darling Be Home Soon.” After that, they performed “Signs, High Times” off their most recent album with Mike Mattison and Susan trading lead vocals. Derek stepped in with an incredible guitar solo that left the crowd awestruck.

Another highlight of the night was a cover of The Allman Brothers Band “Don’t Keep Me Wonderin” with Gabe Dixon on lead vocals. Once again Derek’s guitar playing was masterful and left me with chills. For me it’s a bit nostalgic to see an Allman Brothers tune played at this historic venue where so many legendary ABB shows have taken place.

After the band performed “Hear Me” and “Do I Look Worried” they brought back Jorma to the stage for two more songs. The first was a Bob Dylan cover of “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright” with Derek trading guitar licks with Jorma who I’m sure is one of his heroes based on the expression he had on his face. The next song they performed was another cover, this time of Charles Segar’s “Key to the Highway.” Once again, Mike Mattison stepped up with extraordinary vocals while Jorma and Susan traded licks and Derek closed the tune with his renowned slide guitar. Jorma got a much deserved standing ovation as he left the stage.

Rising star Marcus King made a surprise appearance for a blues heavy performance of Sleepy John Estes’ “Leaving Trunk,” also featuring Mattison on vocals. King also stuck around to perform a cover of Rahsaan Roland Kirk’s “Volunteered Slavery,” a tune originally recorded in 1968. Marcus also received a huge ovation from the sold out crowd at the conclusion of the song.

To end this incredible evening, the band pulled out a cover of George Harrison’s “Isnt It a Pity” and a Derek Trucks Band Cover of “Get What You Deserve.” There are still two more Tedeschi Trucks Band Beacon shows left on this run, but TTB has shows scheduled through 2022. You can see the complete list of upcoming shows here.

Setlist: Darling Be Home Soon (The Lovin Spoonful), Signs, High Times, High and Mighty, It’s So Heavy, I Know (Derek Trucks Band), Right On Time, Don’t Keep Me Wondering (The Allman Brothers Band), Hear Me, Do I Look Worried, Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright (Bob Dylan)(with Jorma), Key to the Highway (Charles Segar)(with Jorma), Midnight in Harlem, Leaving Trunk (Sleepy John Estes)(with Marcus King), Volunteered Slavery (Rahsaan Roland Kirk)(with Marcus King), Bound For Glory, Isn’t It a Pity (George Harrison), Get What You Deserve (Derek Trucks Band)
October 8, 2021
Red Hot Chili Peppers Announce 2022 World Tour

Red Hot Chili Peppers have announced their 2022 World Tour including a stop in East Rutherford, New Jersey on October 7, 2021. The tour will start in Seville, Spain on June 4, 2022 and will wrap up in September 18, in Arlington, Texas.

The tour will include singer Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea and drummer Chad Smith and guitarist John Frusciante, who rejoined the band in 2019 after a 10-year absence. The band made the announcement via a spoof news video featuring Anthony Kiedis, Flea and Chad Smith interviewing Frusciante about the prospect of the tour as news anchors. The tour will include lots of supporting acts including big names like The Strokes, HAIM, A$AP Rocky, and St. Vincent.

Red Hot Chili Peppers have been teasing a new album in the works earlier this year with John Frusciante back on guitar. There hasn’t been any more news on this album but with a world tour announcement there is hope it will drop before the start of a tour.

The band will stop in East Rutherford at Metlife Stadium on August 17, 2021. The Strokes and Thundercat will be opening this stop of the tour.

Tickets will be going on sale at 10 AM on October 15, 2021 and can be purchased here. People with access to the presale after 10 AM will be able to purchase tickets on October 8. People can gain access to the presale by pre-ordering the band’s new album, set for release in 2022, here.

For more information on Red Hot Chili Peppers 2022 tour visit their website.

Red Hot Chili Peppers 2022 World Tour Dates

Europe

Sat Jun 04 – Seville, Spain – Estadio La Cartuja De Sevilla=

Tue Jun 07 – Barcelona, Spain – Estadi Olimpic=

Fri Jun 10 – Nijmegen, Netherlands – Goffertpark=

Wed Jun 15 – Budapest, Hungary – Puskas Stadium=

Sat Jun 18 – Firenze, Italy – Firenze Rocks (festival date)

Wed Jun 22 – Manchester, UK – Emirates Old Trafford=

Sat Jun 25 – London, UK – London Stadium~

Wed Jun 29 – Dublin, Ireland – Marlay Park~

Fri Jul 01 – Glasgow, UK – Bellahouston Park~

Sun Jul 03 – Leuven, Belgium – Rock Werchter (festival date)

Tue Jul 05 – Cologne, Germany – RheinEnergieStadium=

Fri Jul 08 – Paris, France – Stade de France~

Tue Jul 12 – Hamburg, Germany – Volksparkstadion=

North America

Sat Jul 23 – Denver, CO – Empower Field at Mile High*

Wed Jul 27 – San Diego, CA – Petco Park*

Fri Jul 29 – Santa Clara, CA – Levi’s Stadium+

Sun Jul 31 – Los Angeles, CA – SoFi Stadium+

Wed Aug 03 – Seattle, WA – T-Mobile Park^

Sat Aug 06 – Las Vegas, NV – Allegiant Stadium^^

Wed Aug 10 – Atlanta, GA – Truist Park^

Fri Aug 12 – Nashville, TN – Nissan Stadium^

Sun Aug 14 – Detroit, MI – Comerica Park^

Wed Aug 17 – E. Rutherford, NJ – Metlife Stadium^

Fri Aug 19 – Chicago, IL – Soldier Field^

Sun Aug 21 – Toronto, ON – Rogers Centre^

Tue Aug 30 – Miami, FL – Hard Rock Stadium^

Thu Sep 01 – Charlotte, NC – Bank of America Stadium^

Sat Sep 03 – Philadelphia, PA – Citizens Bank Park^

Thu Sep 08 – Washington, DC – Nationals Park^

Sat Sep 10 – Boston, MA – Fenway Park# (on sale date TBA)

Thu Sep 15 – Orlando, FL – Camping World Stadium^

Sun Sep 18 – Arlington, TX – Globe Life Field^

=with special guests A$AP Rocky and Thundercat

~with special guests Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals and Thundercat

*with special guests HAIM and Thundercat

+with special guests Beck and Thundercat

^with special guests The Strokes and Thundercat

^^with special guests The Strokes and King Princess

#with special guests St. Vincent and Thundercat

October 8, 2021
The R Train Band Pull into Arlene’s Grocery on October 9

On October 9, the rock sounds of The R Train Band will perform at Arlene’s Grocery in Brooklyn. Guitarist Jeffery Black splits time between Brooklyn and Florida, with Mike Annese (drums) and Denny-Lee (bass) rounding out the power trio.

Their latest release, “Rock On” has elements of hard rock an an anthem for rock music lovers everywhere, with a message borrowed from Hendrix to simply to live your life the way you want to, go for the big brass ring, and never give up on having fun.

An Ozzy Osbourne-like lead vocalist is supported by a Led Zeppelin-infused guitar, bass and drum style making the ingredients for “Rock On.” The pulse and groove has a modern bullet train feel. The vocal clearly tells us to be ourselves and love who we are. Do it your way and go for it.

The R Train Band will celebrate John Lennon’s birthday on Saturday, October 9 as they make their way to Arlene’s Grocery in Brooklyn. The show will be hosted by Ace Annese of “Ace’s Space Radio & Reality Check TV.” Tickets and more info can be found here.

October 6, 2021
Dead Sara Electrifies Bowery Ballroom
After a three-year touring hiatus, LA-based rock band Dead Sara finally returned to NYC on Friday, October 1st.

The excitement for Dead Sara’s return was palpable at Bowery Ballroom. As the stage got set up, fans watched the process attentively. Their eyes stayed glued to the stage even as the crew performed mundane tasks like taping the setlist down. The moment they saw the crew give a thumbs-up signal to the sound staff, cheers erupted.
Frontwoman Emily Armstrong captivated her audience with her powerful vocals and hypnotizing stage presence. The audience reacted positively, shouting out their approval after each song.

The band performed “Heroes,” “Hypnotic,” and “Good Times” amongst other tracks off of their first full-length album since 2015, Ain’t It Tragic.

What truly made the night memorable was when Armstrong spotted an American flag in the crowd. She began singing the National Anthem as a joke — much to her surprise, the crowd immediately joined in and belted the entirety of the anthem back to Armstrong. She flipped the bird and nailed a massive stage jump as she transitioned back into Dead Sara discography, cementing her as a modern rockstar.
October 4, 2021
LCD Soundsystem announces 20-show Residency at Brooklyn Steel

LCD Soundsystem will return to Brooklyn Steel for a 20 show residency, starting November 23rd. Marking the groups first performances since 2018, the run will extend through December 21, for an unprecedented string of shows.

The residency comes on the July announcement from James Murphy that the group was on a ‘full hiatus,’ while on WTF with Marc Maron. At the time, Murphy said:

Right now, we’re on a full hiatus. Because of the nature of the band, when we’re not touring, we’re just, like, back to normal life completely… Everyone does other stuff. Everyone has their own things going on. So for us to put [a new record] together, we just kind of have to decide to do it.
James Murphy

LCD Soundsystem held their now-legendary farewell concert at Madison Square Garden on April 2, 2011, with a live album of the show, The Long Goodbye, being released shortly after.

Read the story behind LCD Soundsystem’s “New York, I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down”

Murphy spoke to Pitchfork recently on how COVID-19 affected his music:

Not being able to play live was fine because we probably wouldn’t have been able to play live then. And I couldn’t make LCD music. It didn’t seem like the right thing to be doing at that moment for lots of reasons. You know, we’re kind of a party band about a grumpy old guy making songs about music and in the middle of a global pandemic of people dying, and in the middle of Black Lives Matter, it just didn’t seem like, “You know what everybody needs right now? Another snarky LCD Soundsystem record, that’s sort of what the world needs at this moment.”

Tickets for all 20 shows go on general sale Friday, October 8 at 10am ET here, while fan pre-sale will begin on Wednesday, October 6 at 10am ET – learn more here.

LCD Soundsystem 2021 Dates:

November 23-24, 29-30 – Brooklyn Steel

December 1, 3-5, 7-9, 11-13, 15-17, 19-21 – Brooklyn Steel

October 3, 2021
In Focus: Los Lobos at The Egg, September 26, 2021
The Capital District welcomed Los Lobos once again, as the Southern California Chicano rock group performed at The Egg on Sunday, September 26, 2021.

The group, who recently released Native Sons, an album featuring a selection of covers that serve, as Pitchfork puts it, an autobiography told through other people’s words. The album is a tribute to their hometown of Los Angeles, with songs chosen to represent the soul of the city, and the different sounds and cultures that lie within its wide borders.

A tight show of only 80 minutes was all the band needed this evening. A cover of the Beach Boys’ “Sail On Sailor” highlighted the covers from Native Sons, with drummer Louie Pérez noting they hadn’t practiced that one in a while.

The jump/swing with sax of “I Got Loaded” had the audience engaged, singing “Tonight I might get loaded, on a bottle of wine.” To close the night, the band returned to the stage for “Mas Y Mas” and a jam on their classic, “La Bamba.”

Catch Los Lobos this December as they return to New York City for three nights at City Winery. More info and tickets can be found here.

Los Lobos at The Egg, September 26, 2021 – photos by Chris De Cotis
September 30, 2021
Slothrust Announce Additional Tourdates with stop at Hammerstein Ballroom, Share New Music Video

Alt-rock group Slothrust have announced the first leg of their 2022 headlining tour, adding to their Fall 2021 tourdates with Manchester Orchestra. Fans on the West Coast are in luck, as the first seven dates will span across California, Oregon and Washington. The tour kicks off on March 17th at the Soda Bar in San Diego.

The tour announcement comes on the heels of Slothrust’s most recent album Parallel Timeline, released earlier this month through Dangerbird Records. Bandleader Leah Wellbaum’s haunting, breathy alto grounds the dreamy record. Wellbaum said she sought to connect with her inner child through the writing process, centering herself in an ethos of freedom and uncensored catharsis. This vision is apparent through her vocal experimentation and the new, expansive production techniques the band uses. Even the records promotional imagery of bright inverted rainbows, reflects “a gateway to exploring the illusory things we see and experience in everyday life.”

Building on the theme of illusion, Slothrust also dropped a surreal new music video for track “Waiting.” Using the iconography of mandalas, Wellbaum moves through an uncertain and hazy world. Some of the imagery is notably childlike: clear balloons and bushels of fruit. Wellbaum grounds herself in the environment by brushing against plants or holding tight to her guitar.

The refrain calls out “Set me free/ I’ve been waiting passively/ I’m not scared/ I’ve never been so prepared.” In other words, Slothrust and Wellbaum are ready to explore their own musical liminal state. After all, Wellbaum characterizes herself as a “strong believer that nothing is quite as it seems, and that a greater reality exists beyond what the human eye can see.”

Fans too eager to wait (or too broke to make it to California) for their headlining tour need not fret. That is to say, Slothrust have many upcoming shows supporting Manchester Orchestra and Foxing. The band will arrive in the New York area on October 21st, playing the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. After that, they’ll move south for Birmingham and Atlanta shows.

Slothrust 2021 Tour Dates w/Manchester Orchestra:

10/5 – Dallas, TX @ Gas Monkey Bar N’ Grill

10/6 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall

10/8 – Lake Buena Vista, FL @ House of Blues

10/9 – Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution Live

10/10 – St. Petersburg, FL @ Jannus Live

10/12 – Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore Charlotte

10/13 – Richmond, VA @ The National

10/15 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore

10/16 – Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Live!

10/18 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues

10/19 – Portland, ME @ State Theatre

10/21 – New York, NY @ Hammerstein Ballroom

11/16 – Louisville, KY @ Mercury Ballroom

11/17 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium

11/18 – Birmingham, AL @ Alabama Theatre

11/19 – Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theatre

Slothrust 2022 Headline Tour Dates:

3/17 – San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar

3/18 – Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room

3/19 – San Francisco, CA @ Independent

3/20 – Sacramento, CA @ Holy Diver

3/25 – Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall

3/26 – Seattle, WA @ Crocodile

3/27 – Bend, OR @ Volcanic Theatre Pub

September 29, 2021