NYS Music 202​1

Category: Beyond NYS

  • Divided Sky Foundation Completes Purchase of Facility for Vermont Treatment Center

    Update 7/8/21 – The Divided Sky Foundation’s purchase has been approved the rehabilitation center in Ludlow, VT. More than 280 full time Ludlow residents and over 18,000 signatures from across the country, allowing petitioners to attend Development Review Board meetings and represent those in need.

    Update 3/13/21: a few residents of Ludlow, VT have filed a petition, noting concerns about crime and drug use that may result from the arrival of The Divided Sky Foundation substance abuse disorder treatment center. This is despite the fact that drug use and crime are already rampant in the area, and the treatment center would stem these issues, not add to them.

    Support The Divided Sky Foundation via Tiltify and sign a Change.org petition in support of the treatment center here.

    The Divided Sky Foundation, founded by Phish frontman Trey Anastasio, today announced the purchase of a facility in Ludlow, VT that will be developed into a non-profit substance use disorder (SUD) treatment center.

    Launched in 2020, the Divided Sky Foundation is dedicated to delivering quality care and compassionate treatment to those affected by alcoholism and addiction.

    divided sky fund
    The future home of the Divided Sky Fund’s SUD treatment center.

    The as-yet-unnamed center will be managed by Ascension Recovery Services, which has created successful, inclusive treatment programs in 23 states. Acquiring the facility site is the first step in a plan that also includes building renovations and program development. The center is tentatively slated to open by the end of 2021.

    Vermont currently ranks 11th in the nation for overdose rates but only has four state-certified residential treatment facilities for substance use disorder. The proposed Ludlow center would help bridge the gap between need and existing services, with a goal to be a local asset not only for treatment, but for giving back to the community. The non-profit center plans to serve people from all income levels.

    Thanks in great part to funds raised from Anastasio’s The Beacon Jams this past Fall, fans ultimately contributed more than $1.2 million over the eight-week run.

    Anastasio, himself 14 years sober, launched the Divided Sky Foundation to deliver help to those affected by substance use. Vermont, his adopted home state, is a natural place to begin this chapter of his own giving back.

    Like so many people in America and so many in Vermont, I became addicted to opiates. I was extremely lucky to have access to care, and I know how important it is to be part of a recovery community. I’m grateful that we can help provide that opportunity for others.

    Substance use disorders affect people from all walks of life, and the problem is intimately linked with isolation – whether that’s isolation due to the pandemic or for any other reason. The Beacon Jams helped us find a way to connect people and get this project off the ground. To be able to do that together during this difficult year touches my heart.

    Trey Anastasio

    Performed without a live audience, The Beacon Jams saw Anastasio reimagining music from across his three-decade career including new, never-performed songs, Trey Anastasio Band favorites and unexpected versions of classic Phish songs. The Beacon Jams also served as a virtual gathering for fans everywhere, allowing a rare opportunity for personal interaction between Anastasio and his fans. Over the course of eight Fridays, he showcased his compassion, humor, and natural positivity, engaging with fans via Twitch as well as with his fellow musicians on stage.

    The virtual run proved another example of Anastasio’s affirmed commitment to bringing the Phish fan community together during these extraordinary times, from his solo performances on Instagram in the early days of lockdown to Phish’s ongoing Dinner and a Movie live archival video series. That series has raised over $750,000 for Phish’s Waterwheel Foundation, which was distributed to more than two-dozen organizations working on issues such as hunger, health, the environment, and social justice.

    Care services being planned include multiple pathways to entering and maintaining recovery, with plans and programs tailored to individual guests’ needs. In addition, the center plans to offer job training and workforce reintegration. Education opportunities are planned to prepare guests who need them with certification in skills and trades.

    None of this would be possible without the hard work and generosity of so many people. I want to personally thank Madison Square Garden Entertainment for hosting the shows at the Beacon Theatre, and Twitch for sending The Beacon Jams out across the world. I also want to personally thank all the people who supported the Divided Sky Foundation so generously, and the fans who contributed everything from donations to well wishes. It means so much to me, and it’s going to mean so much to the families that will benefit from this treatment center.

    Trey Anastasio

    Watch Anastasio speak with Burlington’s WCAX about the future treatment center.

    If you or someone you know needs help for a substance use disorder, contact SAMHSA.gov or call 800-662-HELP (4357) to find a treatment center near you.

  • Architrave, AliT and more are Featured on this week’s EQXposure

    Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up and coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear new music from Architrave, AliT, Annie Scherer and many more.

    architrave

    WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.

    Kicking off the night is Architrave with their cover of True Widow’s “O.O.T.P.V.” A dark and cool jam, the track is brooding with a huge, electrifying sound. After discussion with members of True Widow, Architrave agreed all proceeds from the sale of the track would be donated to Feed the People Dallas Mutual Aid.

    WEQX will also be matching that donation with a donation to something more local to us, the Free Food Fridge of Albany, a cool project that sets up fridges stocked with food staples, to help tackle food insecurity in the area.

    Next up is AliT with “Sitting Pretty,” featuring a bright pop sound, drum machines, a huge boundless voice, and an all-heart sensibility. AliT is a true singer-songwriter and instrumentalist making pop music with a touch of grit, soul, and emo harmony. Tune in for AliT’s weekly set live on her Facebook page every Friday at 7:30 pm.

    In the vein of Lana Del Ray comes Annie Scherer, a modern pop cinematic journey with images of longing and desire. Open minded listeners will hear the voice of a songwriter opening up her soul, crawling up the walls to find a new plane of existence. “Take Me Places” is a cool tune that transcends the idiom and is treated delicately with plenty of space for the listener to attach their own images to and yet want to listen again to bring those feelings back.

  • Summer Camp Music Festival Reschedules to Late August

    Summer Camp Music Festival will plan to celebrate its 20 year anniversary this summer over August 20-22, and promoters are expecting it to be “truly special.”

    Summer Camp

    2020 was the first year in over 20 years that the festival has taken a long break from their patrons. Jay Goldberg Events & Entertainment created the festival back in 2000. Since their first year, the festival has always held its place at Three Sisters Park. COVID-19 protocols forced the festival to reschedule their original dates, which was Memorial Day weekend.

    We realize that Memorial Day Weekend isn’t going to be
    feasible, but we’re excited to look towards the future and gather once again in late August to celebrate life, love, and music. We are again happy to say that the vast majority of our lineup is able to join us in August for
    our 20th anniversary celebration.

    The festival’s lineup includes three days of moe. and three days of Umphrey’s McGee across various stages. The camp is known for its spacious fields for shows and late night events with eclectic artists and bands. In 2001, the festival was able to bring in around 1,000 fans. Now, they have thousands of attendees who enjoy the welcoming aspect of the camp grounds.

    Through the years, the festival has held performances from big names like The Flaming Lips, Primus, Umphrey’s McGee, Moe. and more. The festival’s website will announce more performing bands and artists over the next coming weeks. Any tickets bought for the previous date will roll over and additional information on new tickets and refunds will be announced soon.

    Moe. performing at Summer Camp Music Festival in 2018.

  • Kyle Tuttle Releases High-Energy Live EP ‘Kyle Tuttle Live in 2020’

    Today, Kyle Tuttle releases his live EP, Kyle Tuttle Live in 2020, almost a year to date when the album was recorded.

    The album features songs recorded live two different nights, at The Mill & Mine in Knoxville, TN on February 26, 2020 and The Hunt House in Atlanta, Georgia on February 28 2020, opening for Railroad Earth.

    At the time of recording, no one knew what the next year would bring. It was Kyle Tuttle Band’s (KTB) first tour of the year, and subsequently also the last before COVID-19 hit.

    kyle tuttle

    The live EP starts with “Mystery Train,” an exhilarating track that exemplifies Kyle Tuttle’s rock and bluegrass influences and first released as a single on February 12th. While a cover of a song originally by Junior Parker, Tuttle and his band make it their own. Tuttle on banjo and fiddler Julian Pinelli each take an incredible solo that flows great with the song and matches its energy.

    “Birdie Strut” is another great track and more laid back compared to the first song, but still grooves. The band is tight throughout the whole EP, but this track is a prime example of their togetherness and chemistry with one another. Julian Pinelli rips another awesome fiddle solo as well.

    Kyle Tuttle is a Berklee College of Music graduate who has toured across New York with a number of bands, including the late Jeff Austin. His band consists of James Kittleman on drums, Julian Pinelli on fiddle, and Ben DeBerry on bass.

    Now that this live EP is out, we can look forward to the days when Kyle Tuttle can get back out on stage and wow the crowds as he and his band did in these performances.

    Key tracks: Mystery Man, Birdie Strut

  • Watch Quiltro perform “Antilla” at Burlington’s Autochrome

    Burlington’s Quiltro has shared the new live video for “Antilla,” filmed at Autochrome, a community studio space in the south end of Burlington. The old industrial building is where some of the world’s first “autochrome” color photographs were produced in the early 1900s.

    The band recently released their debut album, an emotional journey that will set you at ease, wake you up, drive you into a groove and leave you looking to replay the debut immediately after. Peaks and valleys are found throughout the nine-track album, fitting perfectly into the ups and downs of the real world.

    quiltro antilla

    Quiltro brings together a range of sounds, influences, and emotions through band members Mark Taylor (guitar, keyboard), Mike McKinley (bass) and JD Hoffmann (drums), creating a psychedelic wall of sound that brings to mind Neal Casal’s Circles Around the Sun. Quiltro is quite simply excellent modern psych rock.

    While Autochrome was gobbled up by someone looking to lease the entire building, after many years of calling the space home, Quiltro got the boot over the summer. In normal times, they would have had a huge blowout and celebration — live music, collaborative art, and more, but due to COVID-19, they played with no audience and recorded the video.

    Eric Segalstad (Sabi Sound, who engineered and co-produced the album) did the recording, Tony Berry (Psychedelic Soup) did the liquid light show, and Matt Bushlow produced the video. Watch “Antilla” below and visit Quiltro on Bandcamp.

  • Hearing Aide: Reliably Bad ‘Space Girl’

    Eight-piece funk-pop band Reliably Bad is set to release Space Girl, their first full length album, on February 26th.

    Based out of Greensboro, North Carolina, Reliably Bad’s sound draws influences from funk, soul, and R&B greats like Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Michael Jackson, and many others. While Reliably Bad pays tribute to these influences, they bring their own unique, modern sound as well.

    The album starts off with the title track, “Space Girl.” This first track channels that distinct 70’s funk sound that bands like CHIC made famous. A funky, wah-heavy guitar strumming propels Reliably Bad into the first energetic track of the album. Taking after the name of the track, the chorus exemplifies the spacey feel of the composition. But while it is spacey, the band is super tight rhythmically.

    “Phone” is another catchy song that tells a story of miscommunication between two lovers. While all of the songs on the album exemplify lead singer Jessica Schnieder’s vocal capabilities, “Phone” is one track where she really shines. Her smooth vocals carry the laid-back, jazzy vibe of the track.

    The album ends with “All The Time,” a track of epic proportions that features a host of additional musicians and is a perfect finale to the album. It is Stevie Wonder-esque, and culminates with a high-energy chorus that opens up, bringing in additional vocalists, horns, and strings.

    Space Girl features production and mixing from recent Grammy Nominee Gabe Fox-Peck (Young Bull and Harriet), and was partially mixed by Caleb Parker (Vulfpeck, Scary Pockets, and Pomplamoose).

    Key Tracks: Space Girl, Phone, All The Time

  • boys cruise Release Groovy Indie Track “Room for Reason”

    boys cruise has released “Room for Reason” as their first single off of their upcoming self-titled sophomore album.

    boys cruise

    Their new jangly, poppy, but also garage-rock song is the first taste of boys cruise’s music since their acclaimed 2019 debut record Jerry. Mastered by Felix Davis, who worked with artists such as Lana Del Rey, HMLTD, and Swim Deep, added extra flair to boys cruise’s unique, playful sound. Their musical style combines several genres, creating a colorful blend that could make anybody want to dance. Zach Bloomstein produced their upcoming album.

    Drummer and bassist Jack Parker spoke about the newest single: “Johnny Clarke (lead vocals/guitar) and myself, Jack Parker (bass/drums), wrote the main ideas before linking up with Sammy Josh (guitar) to really flesh everything out. I wrote Room for Reason over the span of a few days this past summer when I fell terribly ill with 102 degree fever.”

    He continues that “the song is about how I felt trapped in my mind palace and how I was longing for rest. This past summer was a generally manic and confusing time for all of us in boys cruise, and the lyrics are just sort of a reflection of that confusion and some of the weirdness that was simultaneously going on in my personal relationships.

    Based in Burlington, VT, boys cruise had its genesis in 2018 in the Northeast DIY scene. Their wild stage presence and riveting shows made them a notorious and beloved name in the northeast underground circuit. From cutting the lead singer’s hair mid-set to boxing matches between members on stage, they began selling out Vermont venues.

    Their sound has evolved on their upcoming record in a new artful and noisy direction, compared to the poppier 2019 LP Jerry. boys cruise is Johnny Clarke (lead vocals/guitar), Jack Parker (vocals/bass/drums), and Sammy Josh (vocals/guitar).

    Find out more about boys cruise on Instagram and Facebook.

  • Ferriday, Eoin Noonan and more are Featured on this week’s EQXposure

    Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up and coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear new music from Ferriday, Eion Noonan and many more.

    ferriday

    WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.

    This week’s featured band is Albany’s Ferriday, where Pearson will be playing four in a row off of Everywhere You Go. Ferriday’s tunes are straight forward pure rock and roll indulgence with unique lyrical stories. They stand alone as individual singles yet also work cohesively flowing from one tune and vibe to the next. The playing from all the members is excellent, with note choices, song treatments, guitar tones, down to bass drum use, are very well put together for a well honed sound.

    Also featured is Irish-born Vermont resident, Eoin Noonan, and his beautiful tune, “Lovin’.” Eoin continues to create original and inspiring music that alternates between indie rock, country and folk music.

    Noonan has excellent song crafting and performance, with a great mood set forth in this piece of music. The march tempo and catchy lyrics, make “Lovin’” a creative single that inspires a desire to hear more from this Irish transplant now finding an artistic home in Vermont.

  • Nitty Gritty Dirt Band And All-Star Cast Cover “The Times They Are A-Changin” To Raise Money for Feeding America

    In the fifty-seven years since Bob Dylan released his career-altering folksong, “The Times They Are A-Changin’,” the times he sang of did seem to change.

    But now, in another period of national unrest, a President refusing to concede defeat or peacefully transfer power, and a renewed fire for justice in the long-fought battle for civil rights, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band has a new version of Dylan’s classic sounds more poignant and insistent than ever before.

    Amidst the compounding, pleading verses of Scottish ballad by way of Greenwich Village, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, with distinguished musical guests—Jason Isbell, Rosanne Cash, The War And Treaty, and Steve Earle—each step to the microphone to contribute a verse, with Isbell also adding slide guitar.

    They carry the same tone and energy in their voices as the song’s writer did almost six decades ago; an unfortunate but earnest reaction to the all too evident parallels between now and then.

    “It moved me deeply then and that hasn’t changed,” Nitty Gritty Dirt Band founding member and lead singer Jeff Hanna notes. “The lyrics are as relevant today as they were when Dylan wrote it. Maybe even more so.” 

    The track features NGDB members Jeff Hanna (lead vocals and acoustic guitar), Jimmie Fadden (drums), Bob Carpenter (accordion), Jim Photoglo (electric bass), Jaime Hanna (electric guitar), and Ross Holmes (fiddle and mandolin)—as well as Fred Eltringham (Sheryl Crow, The Wallflowers) on additional drums, and Nashville songwriting legend Matraca Berg on harmonica and harmony vocals.

    “The Time’s They Are A-Changin’” was produced by Ray Kennedy and collectively recorded up and down the east coast.

    John Leventhal recorded his wife, Rosanne Cash’s vocals in their New York City home studio and Steve Earle contributed his verse via the world famous Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village. In Nashville, NGDB and guests joined Kennedy in his Room & Board Studio.

    “The Times They Are A-Changin’” is available for “name your price” purchase on NGDB’s Bandcamp page with proceeds going to Feeding America.

    For more information, please visit Nittygritty.com and Feedingamerica.org.

    The Times They Are A-Changin’ by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Rosanne Cash, Steve Earle, Jason Isbell, The War and Treaty

  • Pop Rock Band Powerlines Announce Debut Album with Lead Single “Sober”

    New Brunswick, NJ based, expressive pop rock band, Powerlines, announced their debut album with the release of their lead single “Sober,” on January 28. Powerlines is composed of Deanna DiLandro as lead vocalist, Tyler Anderson as guitarist, and Nick Winship on bass.

    Powerlines
    Photo Credit: Zoe Nystrom

    The lead single “Sober” delves into the entanglement of multiple fixations and the emotional struggle behind breaking away from them. With the work of deep bass and fuzzy guitar sounds, the track gives a sense of grooviness. In addition, DiLandro’s powerful vocals make an energetic theme in a rather serious subject.

    “Sober” was the first track to be shared off of the band’s upcoming LP, all of this is temporary. Look out for Powerlines new album to be released in due time, on April 9. In today’s climate of constant chaos, it can be difficult to sit back and be appreciative of the small things, especially in terms of life experiences that seem to occur in a blink of an eye. In an optimistic way, all of this is temporary highlights the difficulty, pain, love and acceptance of confronting ephemerality.

    A Deep Dive Into Powerlines Album

    Following “Sober,” the second track, “Outside My Mind,” builds an upbeat anthem. Both of these tracks utilize funk baselines, driving drums, and textual guitars. All of which create a high energy introductions to concepts of growth and never-ending change.

    The album’s emotional center, “Temporary,” is a tribute to DiLandro’s late mother. In contrast to lively opening tracks, Powerlines builds this sentimental piece with the use of a luscious guitar and a string ballad. This serves as a reminder to listeners that although loss and grief are inevitable, the knowledge that everything eventually transforms into something new can hopefully provide some comfort.

    Powerlines
    Artwork Credit: Jacqueline Brockel

    As all of this is temporary moves forward through its various auditory snapshots, a consistent yet electric tone is constructed. This can be heard on the track “Water,” which contains flute and trumpet solos over a blues-rock guitar. Then, the pace begins to slow down again as the build of “Frames” deliberate the past and decay over time. Progressing with a mellow pace, “Being Is Strange” strips everything down to just an acoustic guitar. As the album is coming to a close, “Morris Street” brings the bands roots back with bouncing rock. Powerlines apply ongoing shifts from track to track to exemplify the wariness of the unknown.

    Bringing up the tail end of the album is the liberating climax “Jet Planes” which gives off sounds of 90s alt-rock. This track serves as DiLandro’s acceptance of “opening up to the unknown.” Finally, a piano reprise of “Sober” closes all of this is temporary as it acts as a reiteration of the obstacles dealt with throughout each track. As Powerlines share this collection of stories, listeners can take away feelings of triumph, shared love, and a new embracement to the inevitable changes of life.

    Listen to the lead single “Sober” on various major platforms here.