Brooklyn duo Fake Dad return with their new EP Old Baby, and its final single “Listen.” The band is previewing the album on March 19th via Baby’s TV, a livestream series presented by Williamsburg venue Baby’s All Right.
Fake Dad, comprised of Andrea de Verona and Josh Ford, formed in early 2018. Their sound is defined by their signature butter-smooth R&B vocals combined with buzzing hip-hop and electro-pop textures that form a dizzying cocktail that always finds its groove. The band has three singles in preparation for their debut, “Summerhill”, “Breakfast in New York”, and their newest single “Listen”.
Brooklyn-based electro-duo Fake Dad bring that same energy to their new single, “Breakfast in New York,” a bite of R&B-tinged bliss guaranteed to make your mouth water for a bacon, egg, and cheese from your bodega or deli of choice (for those of us outside The Big Apple, maybe an Egg McMuffin at the very least).
The All Scene Eye
Other song on the EP include “Pretty/Ugly” which sees the duo imagining themselves among the ranks of famous pop stars. The song “Knit Sweater” offers an innate comfortability, seeing the band reaching for something safe and whole. The newest single, “Listen”, is grounded in silky meditations offering a serene mood. The unique soundscape offered by this EP see the band meld these inflection points together for something both invigorating and comforting. The EP is an exciting a bold move for the promising duo.
Tickets for the March 19th preview livestream are available here.
St. Patrick’s Day is normally for pints of Guinness, Irish music, parades, and indeed in New York City that was the case in 1990, as always before the plague temporarily swept all that away. The Pogues had played a Friday night gig at the Beacon, and were playing Saturday Night Live on this night, the parade happened in Manhattan, the pubs were no doubt full, but in Brooklyn there was nary a tin whistle in sight, only the loud and the heavy. This was a killer triple-bill on St. Patrick’s Day that had naught to do with being Irish: Quebec heavies Voivod, Seattle bruisers Soundgarden and just-achieving-stardom west coasters Faith No More, at L’Amour in Brooklyn – doubtless one of the great gigs ever.
This was the final night of this tour – Voivod and Soundgarden had been on tour together for months, with FNM the opening band on early shows, and then again at the end of the tour. So there was a celebratory air, each of the bands getting on stage during the other bands’ sets, jamming.
Voivod headlined. Soundgarden was in the middle slot. This seemed unthinkable just a year or two later, when FNM and Soundgarden both blew up, but in 1989-90, Voivod was the bigger band, beloved left-field underground metal kings.
Voivod jamming with Soundgarden and Faith No More – Chris Cornell with two beers in hands. Photo by Greg Fasolino
So Faith No More, on ‘The Real Thing’ tour, opened the night – they were certainly the least-known of the bands, but shortly before this gig, MTV started playing the “Epic” video on heavy rotation, and FNM were the trendy new band of the moment. ‘The Real Thing’ started selling bucketloads. Consequently, L’Amour, a Voivod stronghold that would have been full even without the other two bands, was utterly sold out, jam-packed before FNM hit the stage.
The crowd went apeshit. When they played, they were excellent, opening with “From Out of Nowhere,” playing a roaringly-received set of mostly ‘The Real Thing’ songs (plus old chestnut “We Care a Lot”) and closing with Sabbath’s “War Pigs.” Various guys from Soundgarden and Voivod jammed along.
photo by Greg Fasolino
Soundgarden played second, promoting their heavy, killer Louder Than Love record. I’d seen them not long before this, but they were definitely my favorite band in 89-90, so I had to see them (and Voivod) again. They played “Flower,” the pummeling “Gun,” “Loud Love,” “Hands All Over” and a bunch of other sludge-metal classics.
Snake from Voivod – photo by Greg Fasolino
During “Big Dumb Sex” Voivod guys sexually harassed Chris Cornell with an inflatable sex doll, and at one point Chris Cornell crawled out over the crowd hanging from the low ceiling and dropped right in to the packed, swirling pit. Mighty. They finished with Spinal Tap’s “Big Bottom,”,and the creeping, all-consuming doom-metal of “Beyond The Wheel” closed the show.
Photo by Greg Fasolino
Voivod headlined, touring behind that godlike Nothingface record, played almost that whole record, plus a few choice oldies and a cover of ZAPPA’s “What’s The Ugliest Part of Your Body?,” during which song drunken Soundgardeners and Faith No Mores jammed or just undulated around them like 60s bellydancers, with Mike Patton running around with a sex toy strapped to his head. Which was odd. Great night, amazing bands, and this one was up there with the best triple-bills ever.
Setlists
Faith No More: From Out Of Nowhere, Introduce Yourself, The Real Thing, Underwater Love, Zombie Eaters, We Care A Lot, Sweet Dreams, Surprise! You’re Dead!, Epic, Woodpecker From Mars, War Pigs
Soundgarden: Flower, Hands All Over Me-American Woman, Gun, Loud Love, Get On The Snakel Big Dumb Sex, Full On Kevin’s Mom, I Awake, Big Bottom, Beyond the Wheel
Voivod: The Unknown Knows, Nothingface, Tribal Convictions, X-Ray Mirror, Tornado, Pre-Ignition, Missing Sequences, Brain Scan, Into My Hypercube, Astronomy Domine, Inner Combustion, What’s The Ugliest Part of Your Body?
Summer Camp Music Festival has announced the lineup of artists who will join together at Three Sisters Park in Chillicothe, IL over August 20-22, 2021. Sticking closely to the original lineup from May 2020, the majority of artists are all confirmed and ready for the festival’s 20th Anniversary celebration (take four).
Festival management weighed in on the lineup and rescheduled festival:
It’s been an exhausting year, but the excitement of again welcoming an amazing list of artists to join us for our 20th anniversary celebration has our spirits soaring. We are thankful to share the artists that will be moving to our new 20th Anniversary celebration, taking place August 20-22, 2021 at Three Sisters Park in Chillicothe, IL.
We welcome back long time hosts moe. and Umphrey’s McGee plus headliners, Ween, Billy Strings, Three Six Mafia, GRiZ, Rezz, STS9 and Tipper among others. Although we are disappointed that not all previous artists could make it, we are excited to get to share the joy that everyone’s favorite pre Summer Camp ritual brings – new artist announcements!! Stay tuned for additional announcements in the coming weeks.
Together, we’ll make this an unforgettable weekend, SCampers… We are currently working hard to elevate this already stellar lineup by adding new artists & activities.
Jay Goldberg Events
Summer Camp Music Festival started in 2001. Since its beginning, Summer Camp has been known for its spacious, open fields for shows, trademark late-night events, pristine campgrounds, and amazing lineup of eclectic artists and bands.
2020 will mark the 20th anniversary of the festival which has hosted a wide array of talent over the years, including (but not limited to) Umphrey’s McGee, moe., Trey Anastasio Band, Primus, Tom Petty’s Mudcrutch, Phil Lesh & The Terrapin Family Band, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Zac Brown Band, Steve Miller Band, Big Grizmatik, Jane’s Addiction, Diplo , The Roots, Widespread Panic, The Flaming Lips, Cypress Hill, Willie Nelson, STS9, Jason Isbell, Pretty Lights, The Avett Brothers, Excision, George Clinton, Skrillex, Zeds Dead, Violent Femmes, and many, many more!
More details and refund information for those who cannot make the August dates can be found here, with additional information on the festival available at the Summer Camp 2021 festival website.
Umphrey’s McGee, Ween, Three 6 Mafia, GRiZ, Rezz, Billy Strings (2 Sets), STS9, Tipper, Dirty Heads, Subtronics, Shpongle [Simon Posford Live set], The Wood Brothers, Houndmouth, The Floozies, Lettuce, Cherub, Manic Focus, Emancipator, CloZee, Boogie T, Twiddle, ScaryPoolParty, LSDream, Whipped Cream, Spafford, Yonder Mountain String Band, Here Come the Mummies
Andy Frasco & The U.N., Aqueous, Banyan [feat. Stephen Perkins, Willie Waldman, and more], Big Something, Boogie T.rio, BoomBox, Break Science, Cycles, Death Kings [Ryan Stasik, Mike Gantzer and Mikey Carubba], Detox Unit, Doom Flamingo, Dopapod, Everyone Orchestra, Ghost-Note, Horseshoes and Hand Grenades, Karina Rykman, Keller Williams, KellerSquabi, Lawrence, lespecial, Maddy O’Neal, Maggie Rose, Marvel Years, MonoNeon, Monophonics, Mungion, Papadosio, Ryan Montbleau, Saxsquatch, Southern Avenue, Sunsquabi, The Werks
Aaron Kamm & The One Drops, Chicago Farmer & The Field Notes, Chomppa, Cofresi, Consider the Source, DOGMA, Family Groove Company, Fate Nite, Filibusta, Funk You, Goodsex, Hot Buttered Rum, The Jauntee, Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers, Jon Stickley Trio, Kitchen Dwellers, Lee DeWyze, LTX, Marcus Rezak’s Shred is Dead, Mike Dillon and Punkadelic, Mize, Old Shoe, Porn and Chicken, Red Wanting Blue, Rev Jeff Mosier, Sicard Hollow, Steady Flow, Sun Beard, Tropidelic
Alison Hanna Band, The Althea Grace Band, AP010, Audiodacity, Backyard Tire Fire, Badman, Barefuzz, Berth, Biomassive, BluePrint Metro, Bones Jugs, Brainchild, Chemical Safari, D Webb, D’Arcy, Daniel Rodriguez, Dark Moon Hollow, The Dawn, Dizgo, DJ Belly, DJ Tim Williams, EGi, Electric Orange Peel, Fall Classic, Fletcher’s Grove, Float Like a Buffalo, Funkstatik, FUX, Guerrilla Theory, The Iceman Special, IFDAKAR, Jack Cloonan Band, Joslyn and the Sweet Compression, JUULS VERNE, Kadela, KVZ, Levity, Little Stranger, Magnolia Boulevard, Medusa, MK Ultra, MO & WWP
Nicholas Gerlach, The North 41, Positive Vibr8ions, Pushing Daisy’s Band, The Ries Brothers, The Rockstar DJ Tre, Since JulEYE, Still Shine, Stormy Chromer, Sugar Lime Blue, The Textures, Thee Delinquents, Timmy Two Times, Travers Brothership, The Tripp Brothers, Trouble Chasin’, TruFeelz, Undercover Organism, Victoria Canal, Vine, Vintage Pistol, WokeZan, Yam Yam, ZOSKA
The Chautauqua Institution announced a new agreement with resident Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra musicians. The agreement extends the current Collective Bargaining Agreement through September 2021, but makes some important adjustments that provide for flexibility and creativity in planning the ensemble’s 2021 season.
“I am pleased and grateful we have been able to reach an agreement that will serve both our patrons and CSO musicians during the 2021 season as we all look forward to an enriching and soul-nourishing 2021 Summer Assembly,” said Michael E. Hill, president of Chautauqua Institution.
Performances will occur Weeks Three through Seven of Chautauqua’s nine-week Summer Assembly, and will often feature a smaller ensemble, with all musicians distanced and non-wind and -brass players masked. Guest soloists will be limited in 2021, but the repertoire will be designed to showcase the members of the CSO.
“This hope-filled news allows us to immediately work together to create a season that balances safe practices and bold performances,” said Deborah Sunya Moore, interim senior vice president and chief program officer for Chautauqua.
Photo of Rossen Milanov
“While these are not our ideal planning circumstances, this season does offer us an opportunity to experiment and innovate,” said Rossen Milanov, CSO music director. “We’re excited about the opportunities in 2021 to feature the virtuosity within this amazing orchestra. Most of all, we’re grateful to be planning to play together again in front of our beloved Chautauqua audience.”
The limitations presented by health and safety procedures provide an opportunity to highlight a diverse range of composers and compositions, in keeping with a commitment to both tradition and innovation. As an example, the CSO’s opening night will feature Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4 and Gabriela Lena Frank’s Elegía Andina.
CSO member Leslie Linn, trumpet, served as chair of the musicians’ negotiations committee.
“As we prepare for the upcoming season at Chautauqua, we are grateful to have an opportunity to be back together, in-person, to perform for the Chautauqua community, filling the void that has existed for all of us since in-person performing ceased due to the pandemic,” said Linn. “The musicians of the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra are excited to have this agreement in place. We thank the Institution for working with us over many months to reach this agreement and are eager to return to Chautauqua and the audience we love.”
Milanov will share the Amphitheater podium in 2021 with Stuart Chafetz, the CSO’s longtime principal timpanist, who was named the ensemble’s first-ever principal pops conductor in November 2019. With the cancelation of the 2020 season, 2021 will be Chafetz’s first with his new title, though he has long served as a go-to conductor for CSO pops concerts.
Stuart Chafetz leads the The Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra in an Independence Day celebration in 2012.
In addition to the CSO schedule, 2021 patrons will enjoy the Music School Festival Orchestra on Monday evenings Weeks One through Four, with a special additional performance on Saturday, July 3, keeping symphonic music as the centerpiece of Chautauqua’s Independence Day celebration.
The Chautauqua Institution has a rich history of musical variety. With symphony, opera, jazz, theater, dance, visual arts and a renowned music school, Chautauqua produces an “ecstatic mix” of programming that can be found only at major organizations. This mix of arts and culture has defined the Chautauqua Institution for over a decade.
New York City’s post-punk, art-rock ensemble Imaginary People return with an irreverent, amphetamine-fueled new track “Renegade,” lifted from the band’s forthcoming album Alibi due later this year.
Any music worth its salt will reflect the times it’s made in. It’ll absorb the atmosphere of everything around it, hold up a mirror to what’s happening in the lives of the people who made it and also the wider world outside.
That’s exactly what Imaginary People aims to portray in Alibi, the band’s third full-length album. It is, as frontman Dylan Von Wagner, explains, a response to the cultural civil war that he sees unfolding all across the USA. That cultural dystopia bristles through Alibi’s 11 songs.
The band – consisting of Mark Roth (guitar), Justin Repasky (keys/synth), Kolby Wade (drums), Bryan Percivall (bass/synth), and with additional synth work by Grant Zubritsky – have not just perfectly captured the times in which this record was written, but have managed to turn the nightmare of the modern world into something truly exquisite, pitting emotional vulnerability against an almost resigned stoicism.
Just listen to the way that Von Wagner’s voice trembles on the albums opener “It’s Simple,” the tenderly mournful opener written minutes after the singer watched the gun massacre at Stoneman Douglas High School unfold on live television.
Listen to the tentative fragility and dark romanticism of “Bronx Girl” and the jittery “Neon Age” which rails against a world in which people present a different version of their lives to society in order to impress them.
“It’s a giant sh*t on Instagram,” Von Wagner says matter-of-factly. “I have no problem with people using it, but everybody’s just making up their life to be their own little movie, and I think it’s making a lot of people mentally ill.”
While there are glimpses of light throughout the darkness that permeates every aspect of Alibi – one that captures the nature of what humanity has become – and while its songs do reflect the harsh, bleak reality of being alive – it also manages to exist on its own, and in its own terms.
The official video for “Renegade,” directed by Dylan Von Wagner, is out today. Von Wagner says, “After spending two nights in jail for trespassing in an empty warehouse we found the ‘right’ one and performed an exorcism!”
Alibi is being recorded by Phil Weinrobe (Nick Murphy, Pussy Riot, Stolen Jars) at Rivington 66 in the band’s home of New York City, as well as upstate with Eli Crews (Tuneyards, Deerhoof, Xylouris White) at Spillway Sound in the Catskills and mixed by Crews at Figure 8 in Brooklyn.
Imaginary People have created an album that shimmers with a twisted beauty, which feeds off all of that disturbing substance and turns it into something both harrowing and beautiful.
“Renegade” is now on all streaming platforms. The release follows up the album’s two pre-release singles, “Hometown” and “Crazy Eight.”
“Hometown” was described by PopMatters as “landing somewhere between ’80s stadium rock (The Alarm, War-era U2) and latter day saints such as the War on Drugs.” Both songs are available now to listen and share on streaming services.
After a pair of hometown shows this past weekend, Twiddle has announced a pair of socially distant outdoor pod shows in New England in May. On Friday, May 14th, the band will visit Northlands in Swanzey, NH and on Saturday, May 15th they’ll perform at Westville Music Bowl in New Haven, CT. Attendees at both shows will be seated in pre-selected, socially distant pods.
Twiddle visited Northlands (formerly Drive-In Live) in Swanzey last fall while the venue was set up as a Drive-In theatre. The owners have transformed the scenic, mountainside location into a thriving, pod-style concert field. Northlands also expanded the operation, promising food trucks, beer and wine, improved sound and lights, and much more.
Twiddle will also be one of the first few bands to perform at Westville Music Bowl, formerly home of the Pilot Pen Tennis Tournament. Both shows will adhere to all state and local guidelines regarding masks and social distancing.
This past weekend, Vermont jam quartet Twiddle returned to the stage for the first time in 2021 for a pair of special hometown live stream shows from The Double E in Essex, VT.
Hosted in partnership with Fiddlehead Brewing, the virtual events featured carefully curated setlists, highlighting individual chapters of the band’s sixteen-year history. Performing a few short miles from Castleton, the rustic college town where the band started, the shows were a masterful depiction of the evolution of the signature sound Twiddle continues to refine.
photo by Dave Decresente
The band kicked off night one (3/11/21) with a first set comprised of fan-favorite tracks from their 2017 release Plump Chapter One. After weaving together the first four songs of set one with a series of seamless segues, viewers were treated to an acoustic rendition of catalog rarity, “Dusk ’til Dawn,” led by drummer Brook Jordan on acoustic guitar and lead vocals. The opening set was highlighted by the debut of “Lost in the Rain,” a reggae mashup of originals “Lost in the Cold” and “When it Rains it Poors.”
Set two featured fresh takes on deep cuts from Twiddle’s early days, with all of the music coming from the band’s 2007 release, Natural Evolution of Consciousness. The nonstop six-song marathon provided a glimpse at Twiddle’s precise, genre-bending composition, contrasted by their unbridled, exploratory improvisation. The 75+ minute set was performed without a break.
Night two incorporated similar thematic elements to the previous show, with set one focusing on songs from Plump Chapter Two. For the second consecutive set, Twiddle performed without a pause, sandwiching multiple songs between distinct parts of “Orlando’s,” most notably an extended “Nicodemus Portulay,” complete with a “Find Frankenfoote” transmission.
Night two, set two contained some of Twiddle’s most recognizable tunes, focusing on music written for the 2011 release, Somewhere on the Mountain. The improv-heavy set included subtle odes to influential musical counterparts, including Papadosio and Phish teases in “Daydream Farmer” and “Frend’s Theme.” Twiddle closed the hometown run of shows with an extended take on Tears For Fears’ 1982 hit, “Mad World.”
photo by Dave Decresente
Setlist – March 11, 2021
Set One: Syncopated Healing> Every Soul> River Drift> Every Soul, Dusk Til Dawn$, Distance Makes The Heart^, Lost In The Rain&, Zazu’s Flight
Set Two: Frankenfoote > Grandpa Fox > Tiberius> Brown Chicken Brown Cow> Tiberius> Subconscious Prelude
Encore: Caterpillar % > Frankenfoote
$ Brook on Acoustic Guitar ^ Mihali on Acoustic Guitar & Mashup of Lost in The Cold and a reggae version of When It Rains It Poors % With A Go Go by John Scofield teases
Setlist – March 12, 2021
Set One: Enter > Orlando’s > Dinner Fork > Nicodemus Portulay $ > The Fantastic Tale of Ricky Snickle > Slippin’ In the Kitchen > Orlando’s
Set Two: Daydream Farmer ^> Frends Theme & > Apples # > Doinkinbonk> Apples, Earth Mama
Encore: Mad World+
$ With a “find Frankenfoote” Transmission ^ With Find Your Cloud by Papadosio Teases & With Divided Sky Teases # With Ghostbusters Theme tease + Tears for Fears
Our last installment hooked your ears. This one will sink its teeth. New York State bands are in bloom, and you are (still) here to discover. While halftime has come and gone, the tunes are still raging from last week’s round three, where we exposed each bands sound.
Now its time for NYS Music to lay it out for you, see what our Sweet 16 winners have been up to, and play a game of old school, heads-up, one-on-one.
Yet music discovery – the deeply subjective process of sifting through everything out there to find new audio candy – has never been harder. Quite frankly… the process of music discovery really sucks. Since 2015, New York State Music has crafted a March Madness bracket to showcase some of the hardworking, up-and-coming musical talent in the Empire State.
Central New York promoters Creative Concertsbring together fans at venues, stretching from Albany to Rochester and Syracuse to Utica. Lark Hall is the soon to open mid-sized venue in Albany that will host bands of all sizes, events and more. If you need to market your show, event, band or brand, Rochester’s Balbert Marketing has you covered. Need merchandise? Homegrown Eastern New York’s 518 Prints makes quality goods for local, regional and national bands or tours. High Peaks Event Production is a team with years of experience, aiding in all your stage, lighting and sound demands.JamCast proves high quality streams for bands, podcasts and much more. Between these companies, bands will find a great deal of what they need, and support businesses from across New York and the Northeast.
NOTE: Make sure you vote in ALL matchups for each region. And Vote once per device, duplicate votes will not be counted.
One of Rochester NY’s hottest bands blending the Blues with Garage Rock
“The gritty song features staple driving guitar riffs that the Pennies are known and loved for. It’s a more aggressive song…fueled by the times in which we are living. The video gives fans an opportunity to follow along to the lyrics. Learn those words, because when live music resumes and The Dirty Pennies can play live, this is an anthem we’ll want to sing along to.” Video Premiere: ‘I’m Your Man’
(A. you get to discover new music the old fashion way, using your brain and (B. there are all sorts of gems, like this badass music video from Rochester’s own The Dirty Pennies – a little bit of surf rock, a little bit of gritty Americana.
Collectively, we’re a musical representation of the sounds floating around in our heads. We use the instruments of our ancestors, but play music of our time” – Co-founder Eric Munley (mandolin, vocals).
“After harnessing the rawness of traditional bluegrass instrumentation, the band has taken the genre into an entire new dimension. The fast-fingered, high energy, cohesive group explores their live performance with an element of improvisation, gaining energy from their audience.” Blind Owl Band Host a Halloween Bash
https://youtu.be/zijC6QdIomY
Elite 8 Polls are now CLOSED. Final 4 voting will BEGIN on Sunday, March 21 at 8:00am!
“On this classic Black Sabbath tune. Sarah King adds to the field of great artists who have brought a twist on this brilliant anti-war song.Sarah King’s acoustic rendition is chilling, and cuts to core of the song, a treatment so honest and pure that it is as powerful as the original.” Pete Mason on Sarah King
And now you're greeted by a day you knew would come
Staring down everything we both know you done
And I can only be good for so long
You done me so wrong
You're not worth the whisky
Chanda Dewey – drums* – Eddie Hotaling – Guitar* – Jeff Picarazzi – bass* – Greg Pittz – lead guitar* (*vocals)
If you aren’t into songs long songs, Glass Pony might not be the band for you; about half of their songs hit in the 8-10 minute mark and take their time to get in the groove with long intros and outros. Their second song on the album, “Swing That Maximus” has a full two-minute instrumental intro.
With tempo changes up the wazoo throwing the listener from dance beats that make you want to get up and boogie, to slow sections you would barely move your body, they are definitely the type of band you can let loose to live or shamelessly-groove-to on your daily commute. Glass Pony brings you out of the mundane with some chaotic, yet systematic rhythms and beats that make Glass Pony one of a kind.
These four young men, Bryan Davies on tenor banjo, guitar, wash tub, bass, and vocals; Tim Slusarcyzk on upright bass, harp, and vocals; Ben carrier on guitar, mandolin, harp, 5 string banjo, and vocals; and Chris Taylor on Gatling harps, mouth harp, harmonica in a beer can (yes you read that correctly) and vocals bring something unique with their bluegrass, Americana sound.
Playing a mix of original music, such as “Over You Darlin” and “Am I Best” along with some all time favorite covers such as “Stuck In the Middle With You” by Stellars Wheel, they had the crowd wound up and ready for their day long of music and fun. – RSC at Oak Mountain Bluegrass
Joe Bellanti – organ, keys – Corey Kertzie – drums – Dave Ruch – guitar
Organ Fairchild is a musical party that won’t quit. Take your old-school organ trio (organ, guitar and drums), add dance-heavy grooves and adventurous jamming, and shake vigorously. Enjoy all night long.
“Jan. 2021 marks the release of single, “Seepin’,” from long-time Buffalo jam band veterans Organ Fairchild. Members have a history on the jam scene dating back 40 years.” Debut Single”Seepin”
LISTEN to Organ Fairchild’s debut single, from the forthcoming May 2021 album release! Mastered by Alan Evans of Soulive.
Elite 8 Polls are now CLOSED. Final 4 voting will BEGIN on Sunday, March 21 at 8:00am!
Jared Cowen – Guitar/Vox – Scott Reill – Bass/Vox – Jager Soss – Drums/Vox
“An impressive musical and technical feat from start to finish. The opening track, “The Vision That I Can See,” is a jaw-dropping epic that really showcases the prowess of this band” – Baked Shrimp ‘Bubble Suit’
“Pig Hearts and Mechanical Parts” was released March 12, and is the single off of Baked Shrimp’s second studio album Conscious, set for release on March 26th, 2021. The new single features Nick Rufolo on saxophone, trumpet, and keyboards. The track also features Jager Soss on percussion.
“But before you close your eyes and float away, the band changes things up, shaking the listener from the dream state. On “Donye Wump,” Cadley (drums) turns the tempo up and brings everyone along.”
“Cantrips is an old Scot word that basically means a magical spell of any kind” says Jonas Reddy-Nicholson (keyboards, vocals) when asked about the meaning of the name. He goes on to say, “Cantrips is also what they call the type of spells one can cast at any time in the game Dungeons & Dragons.” The band ended up tying the new album thematically to a D&D campaign that they played together.
And play together, they do. Stylistically they fit snugly into the jam genre.
Elite 8 Polls are now CLOSED. Final 4 voting will BEGIN on Sunday, March 21 at 8:00am!
Since 2015, New York State Music has crafted a March Madness bracket delving into the musical harbors of our great state. As fans and musicians ourselves, we spotlight the great talent across New York in friendly competition and discovery. Its furry never looses sight of the underdog, a headliner’s humble beginnings, new musical discovery and rolling with the punches in our ever-changing industry.
The Concerto for Viola and Chamber Orchestra was originally written for Kim Kashkashian. She sent Theofanidis a collection of Navajo poems that were wildly different in character, but had in common a supernatural sense of nature and an extremely evocative vocabulary. Each of the four movements is serious in sentiment, in turns lyrical and dramatic. Theofanidis wrote this work during the tragedy and turmoil of 9/11, starting the piece before and finishing it afterward, and was influenced by being in midtown Manhattan that day.
Portrait of Theofanidis
This is the second GRAMMY win for the Albany Symphony. The first came in 2013 for John Corigliano’s Conjurer with world-famous percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie
For a full list of winners of the 63 Annual GRAMMY Awards visit their website.
Brooklyn based singer and musician Shrines, also known as Carrie Erving, announced her video EP for Our Ship is Readyis set to release on April 16.
Her debut EP titled Release came out in 2019. Our Ship is Ready is inspired by the time Shrines spent in Ireland. Each track is a modern reimagining of traditional Irish folk songs that she learned while she was there. She learned from traditional Irish singers Iarla O Lionaird and Karan Casey. Shrines credits her time in Ireland for having a deep impact on how she sings and writes music. This EP serves as a “snapshot” of her the time she spent creating during the pandemic while living in isolation in nature. She recorded at her home studio vocal producer Rosana Caban from the band Psychic Twin and arranging and mixing with cellist and a longtime collaborator Chris Loxley long distance.
The video EP was created while Shrines and her husband who also played video director, Brody Bernheisel, were quarantining in Maine. The videos remain true to the essence of the songs as it shows the connection between the natural settings and the lyrics. Each track has a recurring theme of starting a journey and getting lost in the excitement of the unknown future. The songs arrangements consist of strings, pianos, synths paying homage to her favorite 60s and 70s folk songs.
With her new EP coming out, Shrines shares a glimpse of what’s to come with the video for the song “Silkie.” Her goal for the visual EP is to give viewers an escape after going through the difficult year since it gave her grounding and solace while making it.
When you think of great funk soul bands that have come out of Buffalo, New York only two names come to mind, Rick James and Soulive. Alan Evans, drummer and founding member of Soulive took time to talk about his musical journey that started in Western New York to around the world with the best.
Buffalo, NY native Alan Evans at “Bowlive”
“It just kind of happened, To be honest I’m surprised I’m actually doing this, some people can point to… “ Oh I saw this, I heard this” Then all of a sudden I wanted to play music , but man music for me is like breathing, like literally ya know?, “ Its always been ingrained”
He has been playing gigs in Buffalo since he was eleven years old.” “For Neal and I it started like one day we were playing music, the next day basketball, then football, maybe skateboarding, then some times all that in the same day” Alan first started out with a band called The Groove and then Moonboot Lover that prompted him to touchdown outside Buffalo in Brooklyn’s pre-developed 1992 Park Slope. “At 7th between 8th and Prospect right at the park “ “Park Slope was a completely different world then ”.
He went on to form Soulive with his brother Neal Evans and Eric Krasno in 1999 that has gone through the past two decades culminating in their own Seven time residency at the historic Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg. Dubbed as “Bowlive”, it brings all of the best musicians on the scene today to collaborate with Alan and his Buddy Miles like vocals and drumming on “Them Changes” for each one over the years.
NYS Music had some time to talk with Alan Evans about his musical experiences over the career, Here is the Conversation:
Matthew Romano: Where was your first collaboration with Sam Kininger who became an instrumental part of Soulive?
Alan Evans: So… Soulive started in 1999 and Sam came and was part of the Lettuce crew at Berklee at the time, So literally all of our early gigs were with Sam, I remember the first time we played with Sam was at House of Blues in Cambridge, Mass in 99’ and Kraz was like “Oh my boy Sam is gonna come through and play” “and we were like all right cool whatever” Then we recorded on from there with two great records in Woodstock with him
Alan Evans, Sam Kininger
MR: Jumping from House of Blues on the East Coast with Sam K to the House of Blues in Los Angeles on the West Coast in 2005 where Stevie Wonder was in the crowd for your set and then joined for the encore on “Jesus Children of America” Did you know he was in attendance and was gonna close the show out with you?
AE: We had no idea he was there that night, we finished our last song and left the stage he was there and wanted to sit in with us, so um when we went to play as usual, the funny thing is at that point and time we played Jesus Children a lot. Especially for an encore ,we played it to get into a groove in the set list on tour so we were probably gonna do that any way. They said his driver had to get his harmonica out of the car, so basically we went on and were just stalling and started playing and I look over and saw him on the side stage and the people gave me the thumbs up and I introduced him, and he came out so yea it was pretty wild.
The funny thing it was the first time I ever saw Stevie Wonder live and they set him up right next to me. I thought he was gonna come on and play harmonica and leave , he’s not gonna sing and split, he comes out and the first thing he does is start to blow the harp, ok just as expected and then we got in to it and were grooving pretty hard, his solo came to and end and then started singing!
MR: In 1972 Stevie Wonder opened for the Rolling Stones, Soulive opened for the Stones on a couple different occasions, In Philadelphia you did for an intimate Tower Theater performance at a three thousand capacity venue . Any cool takeaways from that infamous backstage scene with them?
AE: A lot of funny stuff happened with the Philly show, like some Planes, Trains and Automobiles kind of stuff, So this is pre uber days and we landed at the airport and were cutting it close for soundcheck, a car pulls up that can finally brings us but we had gear and needed a van but couldn’t get one…the catch is that he has like a bag of trash that he ended up strapping to to the hood so we can all fit in and brings us to the venue where we tried to keep a low profile to get dropped off away from the Stones tailgate around the corner
So we got inside and did a soundcheck and hung out downstairs and was used to the typical go back to the hotel to chill before playing, that wasn’t the case the with Stones since it was such a mob scene they couldn’t leave either so we were all just hanging out
Backstage: Soulive and The Rolling Stones
We couldn’t leave, we were just there hanging out in our green room which had catering and a cavernous hallway leading to it. I remember Kraz and I were sitting by the door and ah Neal and I were on the couch too. But anyway Kraz is in this other chair by the door , all of a sudden someone kicks in the door , and the it flies open and BAM! I mean it was loud as hell , I mean what the fuck is going on? And in comes Keith Richards who just kicks the door down and walks in and goes I heard one of you is from Connecticut ?! So Kraz was from CT and Keith lives in Connecticut and they talked for a while and then Keith just splits
So we opened and were just up there doing our thing , some people in the crowd were checking it out, the other were just rolling their eyes and the thing is I looked to my right and all of them were hanging out like listening. All the Stones were posted up the whole set, they were digging the shit out of it, so um that was fine, we came off on time and they were like just like damn we got to work tonight, and i’m like OK cool
MR: After seven Brooklyn Bowl Residencies, is it even possible to pick a stand out moment with all those collaborations with every great artist over the years ?
Bowlive Poster & Setlist
AE: Man that’s a really good question, so much of it is , it seems like every year there is a moment like wow I can’t believe this is happening
I remember the set with Bernie Worrell and we did a like whole P Funk thing, I wasn’t even playing drums on that, it was me Kraz and Shmeeans playing guitar, I remember soundcheck and were running through the tunes with him, and were like damn this is Bernie, and we knew him for years but this is the first time we’ve played him, but it the was also the ideal time to realize this dude is a living legend, that was one experience I remember being insane
I grew up listening to P Funk, our older brother was way in to to them , hes 65, so he literally experienced them in 1977 when they were touring and saw them live landing the Mother Ship
MR: I’ve seen you play at Madison Square Garden, that being every artist’s dream venue in the State to play, are there any other venues in New York you have fond memories of?
AE: Its tough to beat the Garden, but ya know SPAC right? Yea man i have a sweet spot in my heart for that place man, Peter Prince my band mate in Moon Boot Lover back in the day is from from Saratoga Springs, His father is a really great artist, so for Jazz Fest we’d always get his dad’s vendors pass there. I saw some great shows and actually Soulive got to play there one year for the festival. There’s definitely something special about that place and I’d love to perform there again actually
MR: It was last Valentines Day at the Tralf in Buffalo seeing you perform with Soulive, it’s been almost a year since you were able to play live in front of sold out crowds pre pandemic, what is the expectation on live music for yourself in 2021 during these new times?
AE: That was my last run. We did the The Tralf, Pittsburgh ,The Capitol Theater and Boston. We had the most Soulive shows lined up till August for the first time in years. People have hit me up since, but I’m in no rush. I have been doing a lot of recording at my studio in the meantime. But I reflected in the beginning of the pandemic while my wife and I were out for a walk. I thought this would be a thing possibly for a while. I remember saying I don’t know how long this would last but at the end of it when things open back up that I didn’t want to not do anything or wish I did more. During this time I’ve looked at my life if I never would do a live show again. I’m not gonna sit around and be bummed out’ about it
MR: My final question to Alan was drummer to drummer, relating to the same concept , that there is a silver lining to be had during these times, for me I was able to collaborate with musicians that would normally be on the road or with other projects who are now available to jam and Alan’s reply was much obliged.
AE: Exactly man, yea for me you’re so right, it’s just how you look at it. My Father said it the best, its simple there’s two ways to looking at things, you can be positive or be negative, and so of course we all know the negative of the pandemic so we don’t have to talk about it, but its like with in that though I think good. I’ve been really positive. I’ve been making music and can spend time with my family. For me its like a cleanse, to really look at my life, I can’t just do any old gig , I just take everything away and have time to step back and feel what’s really important. What do i want my life to be about? Thats what been a positive for me and I hope it’s like that for a lot of people.
MR: I just scooped Rick James and Stone City Band “Bustin out of L Seven” on Vinyl, are there any recordings from your fellow Buffalo native that stick out?
AE: Man…that’s a really tough one. I mean this really does, you kinda cant go wrong. That’s a dope record
Check Out Soulive’s last home show on Valentines Day in Buffalo, New York on February 14, 2020.
