Category: Niagara Falls

  • In Focus: Grosh brings Funk Night to The Rapids Theater

    This past weekend was a true party at The Rapids Theater in Niagara Falls. Western New York band Grosh had their annual tribute show as this year’s version was “funk night” Everyone had their dancing shoes on with 97 rock DJ Anita West leading off the show.

    grosh
    photo by Mike Miller

    Normally Grosh is a four-piece band but for this event they transformed into a nine-piece with two special guest singers for one song. Grosh band members include Megan Brown (vocals), Grace Lougen (Guitar), Dylan Hund (Bass), Josh English (Drums) Alex McArthur (Vocals), Zak Ward (Guitar), Eric Wozniak (Sax), Tim Clarke (Trumpet), Harry Graser (Keys). The band played many cover songs throughout two sets of music including Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and Earth, Wind and Fire songs.

    Grosh Setlist

    Set 1: September, All Night Long, Soul Man, I Wish, Kiss, Shining Star, Shes a Bad Mama Jama, Baby Be Mine, Just As Long As We’re Together

    Set 2: Give It To Me, Sir Duke, The Crunge, Brick House, I Wanna Hold Your Hand, Stand, Mr. Rogers, Sign Sealed Delivered, I Want To Take You Higher

    Encore: Hold On I’m Coming

    Grosh, The Rapids Theater, Niagara Falls

    Live at Rapids Theater
  • Starset’s Newest Demonstration Hits The Rapids Theatre In Niagara Falls

    On December 3rd, Starset, The Word Alive and Another Day Dawns came together and performed at The Rapids Theatre in Niagara Falls. To say that this performance rocked would be an understatement, as each band provided a set that was not only full of pure talent but captivating as well.

    starset
    A Packed Crowd at The Rapids Theatre in Niagara Falls for Starset, The World Alive and Another Day Dawns. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki.

    Another Day Dawns started off the night. Each song, Dakota’s vocals hit just right and really got things going with a performance filled with so much energy, their bass guitarist, Jerome Betz, jumped right into the pit.

    After that, metalcore band The Word Alive was up and they brought the energy and performance from a 10 to an 11. The power behind their set caused, Tyler Smith, the lead singer, to join the crowd during the last song. Their fans were just as powerful and just had a great time.

    starset
    Dakota Sean of Another Day Dawns. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki.

    Finally, Starset. What they created in their set was something I have never experienced before and probably never will again. They started their performance with a curtain in front of the stage so the audience was left to guess what was going on behind it. A projection graced the curtain, depicting the band creating an army.

    Once the curtain dropped, we were launched into outer space. Everything from then on was a beautiful story. This story was backed by musicality that was out of this world. It was an incredible night of music and proved to the audience that it was not just a concert, this was a demonstration.

    Starset Setlist: The Breach, Where The Skies End, Infected, Carnivore, Let It Die, Trials, Manifest, Echo, Monster, Point of No Return, It Has Begun, Earthrise, Satellite, Devolution, For Whom The Bell Tolls (Originally By Metallica), Ricochet, Die For You, My Demons

  • In Focus: Cold Rocks The House At Rapids Theater in Niagara Falls

    Cold played in the equally cold Niagara Falls on Monday November 22 at The Rapids Theater. Cold, comprised of Scooter Ward (lead vocals, keyboards, rhythm guitar), Sam McCandless (drums, percussion), Lindsay Manfredi (bass, backing vocals), Nick Coyle (lead guitar, backing vocals), and Jonny Nova (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), brought with them Waiting For Eternity and Otherworldly Entity as the opening bands.

    cold rapids theater

    Cold has been on their current tour since September. and are coming to the end of their current tour with only a few shows left. The band performed 12 songs tonight including their hits “End of the World” and “Just Got Wicked.”

    Cold – The Rapids Theater, Niagara Falls, NY – Monday, November 22

    Setlist: Back Home, Happens All the Time, No One, When Angels Fly Away, End of the World, Another Pill, Ocean, A Different Kind of Pain, Just Got Wicked, Suffocate, Remedy, Bleed

  • In Focus: Daughtry and His Dearly Beloved Tour Stop at The Rapids Theatre in Niagara Falls

    It was a night full of incredible music at The Rapids Theatre in Niagara Falls on November 9th as Daughtry, Sevendust, Tremonti and Travis Bracht rocked the stage for the Dearly Beloved tour.

    Daughtry Dearly Beloved
    Daughtry tearing it up at The Rapids Theatre. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki

    The first performance of the night was brought by Travis Bracht with a voice that could pierce right through your heart.

    Following him was the band Tremonti. Their drummer was ill so the audience got to see a totally different side of the band as they performed a totally acoustic set for the first time ever.

    Daughtry Dearly Beloved
    Tremonti at The Rapids Theatre. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki

    The rock show took off with Sevendust, and who has been around since about ’94 and they are still amazing. Their fans knew every single word to every single song.

    Daughtry, lead by American Idol Season 5 contestant Chris Daughtry, nailed their set. Daughtry’s voice is as smooth as ever, plus, his talent and charisma are tough to match, yet the rest of the band was right at his level.

    It was a night filled with refreshing, post-grunge rock that was just what this crowd needed.

    Daughtry Setlist: Desperation, World on Fire, Changes Are Coming, No Surprise, Dearly Beloved, Evil, Home, Waiting for Superman, Break Into My Heart, It’s Not Over, Heavy Is the Crown, The Victim, Lioness, September, Over you, Asylum

  • Wu-Tang Is For (Teaching) The Children

    An old saying — part marketing tool, part observation based on the group’s lyrical content — “Wu Tang is for the Children” is proving itself to be true after all. Throughout their decorated history, the Wu Tang Clan has impacted music, culture, television, fashion and now — nearly 30 years after their debut — the Clan is still impacting today’s school-children.

    Wu Tang is for the children

    As first reported in NYSUT UNITED, the Wu have developed a new legion of followers and they refer to themselves as the “Depew-Tang Clan.” Amidst the pandemic, Depew Middle School teacher, Joe Cena, noticed that less than half of his eight grade students were completing their independent reading requirements. As remote learning conditions prevented teachers from having a hands-on connection with their students, Cena acted desperately. 

    To motivate students, Cena created a prestigious “Wu Wall” where students would earn a spot whenever they completed an assignment or quiz. Cena didn’t stop there, he also ordered a bunch of Wu Tang themed stickers and magnets, took pictures of the children and used an online name generator to give them their official Wu Tang Clan names. 

    As silly as it is, it definitely increased their motivation to read books.

    Joe Cena

    The Wu’s impact on Depew Middle School didn’t end there, as Cena began to explain the art of rhyming to the children using verses from the Clan. As part of the poetry unit, he presented the song “Triumph” with color-coded lyrics to explain the intricacies of rhyme patterns. 

    Although Depew operates inconspicuously as part of the Buffalo-Niagara Falls metropolis, Cena’s innovate and creative efforts to motivate his students did not go unnoticed. 

    As part of an effort to have Cena recognized, student, Aleigha Sharpe, secretly reached out to several members of the Clan. Writing,

     

    As everyone knows, due to COVID-19 school hasn’t been the same. But my English teacher has put so much effort to make this year for his students the best and memorable.

    Aleigha Sharpe

    Unsure if she would get a reply, Sharpe was shocked to receive a personalized message from Method Man himself, shouting out the Depew Middle School and Joe Cena. The Ticallian Stallion even bestowed Cena with his own personalized Wu nickname, labeling him, “Excessive Gallant,” as he congratulated the teacher for his continued efforts towards educating the children. 

    I want to shout out Depew-Tang Clan… and also especially Joe Cena. AKA Excessive Gallant. I love what you are doing over there. You’re keeping learning fun and you’re including Wu – Tang. Salute to you, brother. Hats off!

    Method Man

    Cena’s students presented him with the Method Man response video and the English teacher was visibly touched from the gesture. Holding back a smile and plenty of emotions, Cena was in disbelief to hear Method Man say his name. 

  • Lespecial Announces Fall repeaTOUR with Stops in Niagra and East Durham

    Lespecial, the heavy future groove trio from Kent, CT, is hitting the road for repeaTOUR an extensive run of shows this Fall. Including a show in Niagara Falls, NY and one in East Durham, NY for the Flyday Music Festival.

    lespecial

    Dubbed “2021 Fall RepeaTOUR,” the jaunt is named after “Repeater,” a track on the band’s 2020 release, Ancient Homies. Starting on 10/1, the band will travel to upstate NY for a pair of shows, before heading to Portland, ME to support Pigeons Playing Ping Pong at the State Theatre on 10/8. Mid-October will see lespecial host “Le Getaway Part Deux,” a curated overnight music and camping experience at the beautiful Club Getaway in Kent, CT, with support from West End Blend and Cosmic Dust Bunnies. After a 10/28 play at Suwannee Hulaween in Live Oak, FL, lespecial will spend its’ favorite holiday in Asheville, NC for a Halloween throw-down at Asheville Music Hall.

    November will see a handful of shows in the mid-Atlantic region, followed by a return to colorful Colorado on 12/2, where the band will headline Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom in Denver for the first time. After a visit to Fort Collins (12/3), the band will hole up at Old Town Pub in Steamboat Springs for two nights. Subsequent shows include a string of appearances in the Midwest with special guest Mike Dillon Band, including much-anticipated returns to Chicago, Indianapolis and Columbus. The tour concludes in Ferndale, MI on 12/18 at Otus Supply

    Lespecial repeaTOUR Fall 2021

    10/1 – Niagara Falls, NY – Rapids Theatre

    10/2 – East Durham, NY – Flyday Music Festival

    10/8 – Portland, ME – State Theatre (supporting PPPP)

    10/16 – Kent, CT – Le Getaway  – Club Getaway

    10/28 – Live Oak, FL – Hulaween

    10/31 – Asheville, NC – Asheville Music Hall

    11/3 – Charlotte, NC – Heist Brewery & Barrel Arts

    11/4 – Roanoke, VA – 5 Points Music Sanctuary

    11/5 – Baltimore, MD – The 8×10 (w/ Kick The Cat)

    11/6 – Asbury Park, NJ – Wonder Bar

    11/12 – Ardmore, PA – Ardmore Music Hall (w/ Space Bacon)

    12/2 – Denver, CO – Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom

    12/3 – Fort Collins, CO – Aggie Theatre

    12/4-12/5 – Steamboat Springs, CO – Old Town Pub

    12/8 – Kansas City, MO – recordBar (w/s/g Mike Dillon Band)

    12/10 – Chicago, IL – The Point (w/s/g Mike Dillon Band)

    12/11 – Madison, WI – High Noon Saloon (w/s/g Mike Dillon Band)

    12/12 – Milwaukee, WI – Colectivo (w/s/g Mike Dillon Band)

    12/15 – Indianapolis, IN – The HiFi

    12/16 – Grand Rapids, MI – The Stache

    12/17 – Columbus, OH – The Summit

    12/18 – Ferndale, MI – Otus Supply

    For more information, and to purchase tickets for the Lespecial ReapeaTOUR visit: lespecial.net.

  • So MaNY Roads: The Grateful Dead in New York State

    Few bands have a relationship with the state of New York like the Grateful Dead. Outside of California, the Grateful Dead have performed more shows in New York than any other state.

    With 309 unique shows performed across the Empire State in a 28 year span, beginning at Tompkins Square Park on June 1, 1967, the Grateful Dead made New York a home away from home, with venues of all sizes welcoming them during their career.

    Over the past few years, NYS Music has looked back on some of these shows, whether they be archival releases, or an iconic show worthy of a closer look. In 2020, we began to look intently at the history of the Grateful Dead in the Empire State, and in doing so, discovered some overlooked diamonds in the rough.

    grateful dead new york

    While performances at Madison Square Garden, The Knickerbocker Arena and Barton Hall garner the glory, there are shows that are equally compelling which we took a second look at. Whether the performance was in The Bronx, Alfred State, Oswego, Glens Falls, Lake Placid or Watkins Glen, each show gets a thorough analysis, with first-hand accounts and memorabilia, as well as audio and/or video of each performance.

    We’ve taken all these articles that examine the long history of the Grateful Dead in New York State, as well as Jerry Garcia’s solo and JGB performances, and created an interactive Google Map that allows you to observe the history of the Grateful Dead in New York – So MaNY Roads. You can find info on each of these shows (were you there?), and dive into shows you may or may not have known about.

    With more than 300 shows to include in this series, we so far have looked at more than 50 of these shows, all searchable in the map below. More will be added each month as we continue looking at the Grateful Dead and their history in NY.

    We welcome Section 119 as a sponsor for So MaNY Roads, our Grateful Dead in New York series. Section 119 takes you from beachfront to stage front with the highest quality merchandise celebrating the Grateful Dead. Shop for a variety of officially licensed clothing and accessories including board shorts, polos, button-down shirts and more at Section119.com.

  • The Lone Grateful Dead Show In Niagara Falls: April 17, 1984

    37 years ago today, The Grateful Dead played their one and only show in Niagara Falls, NY. The band was certainly familiar with the state by this time in their touring career, but had never managed to play this section of Western New York before. In traditional fashion, the Dead started the year off with some shows in California and out west before heading east for spring tour. After a show in Rochester the night before, this would be the fourth show of the East Coast run, following two at Hampton Coliseum.

    niagara falls grateful dead

    The Dead do a little extended tuning to rev up the Niagara Falls crowd even further to start and then its off to the races with “Jack Straw.” This one comes out of the gates clean, with Bob Weir leading the way on vocals. It’s later highlighted by a sparkling run on guitar by Jerry Garcia that takes this opener to another level. Garcia then uses “Dire Wolf” as another chance to drop down a pristine solo before the opening licks of “New Minglewood Blues” emerge next. This time, its keyboardist’s Brent Mydland’s time to show off thanks to a rousing organ solo delivered midway through. The traditional first set number builds up in intensity a little before coming to a close thanks to some more Garcia runs that follow and Weir using a pedal steel-like effect on guitar in the brief jam that ensues.

    Dead Niagara Falls

    “Row Jimmy” then slows things down a tad, with Garcia noticeably stumbling early over some of the lyrics. It’s a fairly tame version that still seems like it’s trying to figure itself out. Afterwards, Weir “shadowboxes the Apocalypse” a little in the short-lived “My Brother Esau.” The first set excitement seems to return with “Ramble On Rose” that features a wicked feedback sound at the outset. Garcia has no issue with the lyrics this time and is complemented perfectly by Mydland with a harpsichord-like sound on keys throughout. This classic Dead number gets a loud roar of approval from the Niagara Falls crowd when all is said and done. The fairly short opening set then ends with “Looks Like Rain” > “Deal” with each allotting some time for a few more powerful Garcia-driven guitar solos.

    A very raspy Bob Weir and some fun audio effects begin the second set with everyone’s favorite crowd management game, “Take A Step Back.” With this out of the way, the set then takes off with a sped-up and high octane “Help On The Way” that feels like its shot out of a cannon. Although it may be quick, it begets a powerfully cohesive and psychedelic jam that patiently explores and develops for a while. So much so, in fact, that it seems to completely bypass the beginning and go right to the end of “Slipknot!” After a quick run through the main riff, the Dead quickly shift gears once again and use “Franklin’s Tower” to complete the traditional pairing that starts this second set with a bang.

    After giving the crowd a chance to catch their breath, the Dead are off and running again with “Man Smart, Women Smarter.” This seems to pick up right where the “Frankin’s” jam left off, with another rapid-fire, cohesive effort that sees Garcia leading the way once again. The drummer tag-team of Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart provide the needed rhythmic support on an infectiously bouncy take on this number.

    The drum-heavy outro jam then suddenly yields to Garcia and the opening chords of “Eyes Of The World” begin to be heard, cementing an already impressive second set. Despite some ethereal tones from Mydland on keys, this “Eyes” starts fast and only gets faster as Garcia annihilates one guitar run after another, seemingly getting more powerful as the song progresses.

    Dead Niagara Falls

    In a complete contrast, the band seems to be extra patient and exploratory in the “Space” portion of the evening that follows “Drums.” The Dead take their sweet time noodling around, with Garcia running up and down scales in a variety of tones and effects. As a discernable drum beat emerges from the madness, so too does “Black Peter.” Some noticeable “spacey” effects appear to seep into this one, giving this “Peter” a real jazzy, psychedelic vibe that meshes perfectly with the blues emanating from Garcia.

    To close out tonight’s show at the Niagara Falls Convention Center, the Grateful Dead would mix in a few newer numbers, starting with the Weird-led “Throwing Stones.” A couple of dazzling keyboard fills from Mydland on piano highlight this one which was only premiered a few years prior. At its conclusion, Garcia immediately starts the introductory chords to Buddy Holly’s “Not Fade Away,” a second set Grateful Dead staple. As is tradition by now, some say beginning with the show in Binghamton last year, this keeps this crowd singing and clapping along throughout the encore break. “Touch Of Grey,” another newer song, played rather quickly and unfortunately a little sloppily, then closes out the Dead’s only show in Niagara Falls.

    Niagara Falls grateful dead

    Grateful Dead Niagara Falls Convention Center – Niagara Falls, NY 4/17/84

    Set 1: Jack Straw, Dire Wolf, New Minglewood Blues, Row Jimmy, My Brother Esau, Ramble On Rose, Looks Like Rain-> Deal

    Set 2: Help On The Way-> Slipknot!-> Franklin’s Tower-> Women Are Smarter-> Eyes Of The World-> Drums-> ->Space->Black Peter-> Throwing Stones-> Not Fade Away

    E: Touch Of Gray