Author: Heather Occhino

The Dust Devil Band and CNY Musicians To Hold All-Star Benefit at Unity Hall in Barneveld

Unity Hall in Barneveld will host blues-rock Blueprints, roots and country-based The Dust Devil Band, and blues/psychedelic folk-rock Brian Mulkerne Band, plus special guests, at the CNY All-Star Benefit Concert on Sunday, November 20 from 3 to 6 p.m. The concert at the Oneida County venue is to support Nicole Deveny Gaines-Parker, who is battling cancer.

Full Auditorium at Dust Devil Band Show

Proceeds will be for the benefit of Nicole, Malcom and the rest of the Gaines-Parker family.

I am blessed to have made many great musical friends over the years, and many of them will be appearing at the show at historic Unity Hall. Most of the performers have known Nicole since she was a little girl. For them to come to play at this event is very special and meaningful to Nicole and Malcolm and to all our family. Unity Hall is my favorite concert venue – aesthetically beautiful, acoustically perfect, and thoroughly magical! This is going to be a very memorable show for all involved!
George Deveny, Dust Devil Band and NYS Blues Hall of Fame member

Having been formed in 1988, the Blueprints have debuted shows for prominent artists, such as the legendary blues and roots rock band, Nighthawks and the Red Hot Louisiana Band. The group is comprised of vocalist and guitarist George Deveny, vocalist and pianist Dave Liddy, drummer Oscar Crandall and bassist Ken McConnell Jr., who were all inducted in the NY Blues Hall of Fame. The other CNY-based bands also hold remarkable stances, as The Dust Devil Band emerged in popularity during the 1980s, while the Brian Mulkerne Band is known for bringing musical favorites in the Mohawk Valley music scene.

Blueprints Band

The Dust Devil Band consists of members, vocalist, guitarist and harmonicist Ed Rosenburg, pedal steel guitarist George Newton, drummer Darryl Mattison, bassist and vocalist Dane Porter and vocalist and guitarist George Deveny. Having been favored by music fans during the 1980’s, the band has re-established their presence in the Central New York music scene, bringing multiple sold-performances at Unity Hall.

The Dust Devil Band

Brian Mulkerne Band, a prominent band in the music scene of Mohawk Valley, is made up of leading member behind the vocals and guitar, Brian Mulkerne, other vocalist and guitarist Tim Baldwin, drummer Oscar Crandall, bassist Ken McConnell Jr., and slide guitarist Deveny. They have garnered a reputation for delivering what is considered to be musical favorites by fans.

Brian Mulkerne Band

Special guests in the performance include Mal P Entertainment drummer and producer Malcolm Gaines-Parker, harmonicist Skip Murphy from SAMMY Hall of Fame, Out of the Blue and Merry Pranksters, vocalists Rebecca Miner of Rebecca Miner Trio and Fabulous Mojos, Sydney Pinto of Walrus and Paul Case Band, Sharon Allen of Merry Pranksters and Better Than Bowling, drummer Bob Holz of Bob Holz and a Vision Forward, drummer Carl Marucci of Clean Street, vocalist and guitarist John Savage along with producer George Deveny, bassist John Handzel of Drivin’ Sideways and Rebecca Miner Trio and bassist Ari Marucci of Lower Tolpa. Included at the show will be a silent auction and baked goods for sale at the concert.

Tickets to the benefit at Unity Hall in Barneveld are $30 each and can be purchased here.

The Dust Devil Band Performance at Unity Hall in 2020

November 5, 2022
‘Cassette Roulette’ NYC Residency Announced by John Cameron Mitchell and Amber Martin

Prominent actor and screenwriter, John Cameron Mitchell, and 1972 Cabaret film lead actress, Amber Martin, will collaborate together in the premiere of their Cassette Roulette show performances at MassMOCA and BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn. A series of songs, stories and characters will be featured in their performance, which will be backed by Justin Craig and the Hedwig house band Tits of Clay, additionally featuring an introductory set from J. Hoard.

Songs covered will be from notable works directed by John Cameron Mitchell, such as the films Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Big River and The Secret Garden and his musical Anthem: Homunculus. Amber Martin is performing works derived from roles played and paying tribute to some characters part of her casted roles during her acting career.

Their vibrant stage acts are planned to be continued in 90-minute shows, designated for a smaller range of audiences, at Joe’s Pub on Jan. 21, Feb. 4, Feb. 11, Feb. 19, Feb. 26. Each will start at 6:30p.m., with tickets being on sale at The Public Theater, located at 425 Lafayette Street near Astor Place in Manhattan.

Tickets for the Cassette Roulette Residency at Joe’s Pub can be bought on the Public Theater website.

November 1, 2022
Celebration of Hmong Culture at UAlbany Continues with “The Latehomecomer”

From Monday, October 24, to Friday, November 4, 2022, A Celebration of Hmong Culture Through the Arts is being presented through the collaboration of The UAlbany Performing Arts Center and New York State Writers Institute. The multi-series event is focusing on Hmong culture and history, with an emphasis on Kao Kalia Yang’s memoir, The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir.

Gaosung Heu in The Latehomecomer

Through the collaboration of the Hmong Museum in Minnesota with UAlbany, there will be a display of Hmong story/flower clothes, known as Paj ntaub, presented throughout the course of the entire event, from 11am to 4pm, during the weekdays. The material of these intricate textiles are a significant aspect of Hmong culture, particularly the variety and quality of the content integrated on the story clothes, which helps provide a broader understanding of Hmong tradition.

‘Crossing the Mekong River’ Story Clothe

The documentary Being Hmong Means Being Free that was screened on Thurs., Oct. 27, at 4:30pm, which frames a lens of modern-day Hmong life in America through the perspective of program host, Lia Vang, centers around a Hmong immigrant community in Wisconsin. The film further examines concepts rooted in ancient Hmong culture and provides a connection to how these traditions have progressively shaped the Hmong community, and also looks at the challenges in Hmong life during contemporary times.

Secondly, a duo-performance of the Literature to Life stage adaptation of The Latehomecomer is set to happen at the Performing Art Center. On Thurs., Nov. 3, a pre-talk show will be presented at 7pm, prior to the public performance starting at 7:30pm, following a second part of the performance on Fri., Nov. 4 at 10am, which is solely for high school students.

Directed by Elise Thoron, The Latehomecomer this theatre work starts as author Kao Kalia Yang is born in the Ban Vinai Refugee camp in Thailand and eventually arrives in the United States. The book and stage presentation follow her journey from a quiet, reticent student struggling to speak English while facing racial discrimination to a self-empowered young woman claiming her voice to tell the untold story of her people. They tell a universal story of immigration through the specific lens of this ancient culture inextricably bound to the history of the war in Vietnam.

Driven to share her family’s history after her grandmother’s death, The Latehomecomer is an eloquent, firsthand account of a people who have worked hard to make their voices heard. In search of a place to call home, thousands of Hmong families made the journey from the war-torn jungles of Laos to the overcrowded refugee camps of Thailand, finally emigrating to America. Winner of a PEN USA Literary Award for Nonfiction and Readers Choice Award, The Latehomecomer is the first memoir written by a Hmong-American to be published with national distribution. A Hmong written language was not taught or used until the 1950s so the author plays a significant role in bringing the culture into the realm of literature.

The Latehomecomer is performed by Gaosong Heu, a performance artist, musician, vocalist, published writer, educator, arts administrator and entrepreneur based in Saint Paul, MN. She received her B.A. in Theater Arts from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and her Master of Arts in Arts Administration from Columbia University. Gaosong has over 15 years of training in Western Classical music, as well as training in traditional styles of Hmong folk music.

There will be a public performance at the UAlbany Performing Arts Center on Thursday, November 3, 2022 at 7:30pm, preceded by a pre-show talk beginning at 7pm. A second performance will take place on Friday, November 4, 2022 at 10am exclusively for high school student groups.

Advance tickets for the public performance are $15 for the general public and $10 for students, seniors and UAlbany faculty-staff. Tickets purchased on the day of the show (pending availability) are $20 for the general public and $15 for students, seniors and UAlbany faculty-staff. Individual tickets can be purchased on the UAlbany Performing Arts Center’s site at www.albany.edu/pac.

Admission to the morning matinee is free for high school student groups. Reservations are required. Educators wishing to bring groups can contact the UAlbany Performing Arts Center office at (518) 442-3995 or PAC@albany.edu. Home school students and parents are also welcome.

October 31, 2022
Foxhead Record Company and Fredonia Artists Discuss Western New York Music Scene

Bands largely based in Chautauqua and Erie County show up on a bi-weekly basis to take the stage at the Main Street Studios venue in Fredonia. Initially making cassettes for local bands, Foxhead Record Company rented out the building.

Foxhead record company logo

Follow the closure of the North Pole Strip Club (NPSC) house venue on Main Street, Felix Kellogg, Jake King and Liam Powers, the founders of the Foxhead label, talked with the owner of the space about their idea of launching DIY-shows. “Since we got to Fredonia, there was always live music going on”, explained King, “and it was always upperclassmen running it”.

(Credit: foxheadrecordco Instagram)

He pointed out there being a need for people to organize shows and Liam Powers also added in a prior lack of places for shows to happen, following the the North Pole Strip Club closing. The recognition of a need for performance outlets in town led to the transition of the company from focusing on making cassettes for bands to extending their business, bringing live concerts at one of the most popular venues in Fredonia.

Listen to Jake, Liam and Felix discuss more about the formation of their record company, the Fredonia music scene, and more in an exclusive interview below.

Interview with founders of Foxhead Record Company:

https://youtu.be/EG0mNXaG9Hw

A Fredonia-based artist, under the moniker Soup Kale and lead singer of the alternative band Karrot Kake, who performed at Main Street Studios on Saturday, 10/15, commented on the shift in the Fredonia music scene. In an interview below, he described a lot of jam bands being active in the area, along with reggae sounds being notable several years ago, before pop-punk more recently turned into the predominant element integrated in the scene.

Interview with Karrot Kake band musician Soup Kale:

https://youtu.be/t0kZki2MBDI
Interview with musician Soup Kale of Karrot Kake band

SAINT BLIND, real name Aaron, is another artist part of the line-up who performed at Main Street on the night of 10/15. He described working with many people involved in the Fredonia music scene, having joined multiple bands, including one with Jake King of Foxhead when he was in his teenage years, as well as composing a group known as the Blind Orchestra. The alternative/indie rock and synth-pop artist details more of his musical involvement and both upcoming and released works of his in an interview below.

Interview with musical artist SAINT BLIND:

https://youtu.be/RBNFz06i5TI
Interview with artist SAINT BLIND

Make sure to follow Foxhead on Instagram at @foxheadrecordco for updates on when shows are happening at Main Street Studios and original cassette releases. Also, follow Karrot Kake on Instagram @karrotkakemusic and on Spotify @Karrot Kake, and Kaleh @soupkale, as well as SAINT BLIND @saint_blind on Instagram to keep up with the latest news on their musical releases and performances.

October 28, 2022
Buffalo’s The Eaves Release Video for “It’ll Be Okay,” talk New Album, Working with Goo Goo Dolls

The Eaves Band, based in Buffalo, is comprised of Adam Clukey, Chris Couche, and Maurice Halliday. They’ve been friends since childhood and reconnected after a couple of years after, following going to different colleges, according to Couche.

The Eaves Band (Credit: Brett Pallachino Photography)

In late 2018, The Eaves debut record Learning to Live in the Dark was produced by GRAMMY Award-winner, Ted Hunt, whose worked with other bands including The Gaslight Anthem, Lucero, and Dropkick Murphys. Fast forward to 2022, their upcoming album Lately, I Don’t Have a God…and Other Obvious Epiphanies was recorded in collaboration with artist Jay Zubricky and features a production from bassist and vocalist of the Goo Goo Dolls, Robby Takac.

Cover Art for ‘Lately I Don’t Have A God…And Other Obvious Epiphanies’

“‘It’ll Be Okay’ was the last song we wrote for the record”, the band’s Chris Couche said. He explained that the track “is meant to be earnest, reassuring catharsis – direct, unashamed, and unadulterated.” The new video for the track is available for streaming on New Noise and DSPs.

Read more of NYS Music’s interview with The Eaves’ Chris Couche.

Heather Occhino: What made you guys decide to form a band?

Chris Couche: The three of us (Mo, Adam, and I) grew up together. We all had similar musical interests and played in bands together. We sort of went our separate ways during college and reconnected a couple years after. We caught up quick and realized that our shared music taste had evolved similarly, so we decided to start writing together and see if anything came of it.

HO: Are there any artists or bands who inspired you to pursue a career in music?

CC: We’re inspired by a ton of artists, but honestly, the first band that ever inspired to me to pick up a guitar and write was Blink-182. I was 11 or 12. I could barely play (still can’t), but the true power of blink is their accessibility and lack of pretense. As a 12 year old, those three power chords were ACCESSIBLE. They were the way in.

It would take a little longer, but the real revelation I needed to push me over the edge was seeing Bruce Springsteen live for the first time. Totally changed everything for me. My entire perception of music and what it could do was instantly upended. It was a surreal and borderline religious experience on a personal level. I know lately even Bruce himself has been trying to dismantle his mythic stature a little bit, or at least trying to temper unrealistic expectations and create some separation between persona and actual, fallible human being. The persona may be fictitious, but the euphoric result of that group sharing their talent and passion with a crowd of equally passionate participants is very, very real. It was after seeing Bruce that I realized I needed to make music a priority in my life.

HO: After reading an article on your music that was released by Earshot Media on Mad Mimi, I saw that your debut single, “It’ll Be Okay” is part of your upcoming album, Lately, I Don’t Have a God… and Other Obvious Epiphanies. What makes this track stand out from the other songs part of the debut album, despite it being the last song?

CC: “It’ll Be Okay” may be the only truly reassuring song we have. It only talks about the sun exploding ONCE. But really, we were at a point where it was kind of bothering me that even when I would try to write lyrics that were reassuring or positive, I would almost inevitably gravitate toward negative feelings, mostly because I’ve found it’s difficult to write something reassuring that feels like it has any genuine sentiment behind it. That likely says more about me than it does anything else, and uncoincidentally, is sort of thematic through-line that most of the album wrestles with. But “It’ll Be Okay” is our earnest attempt at surrendering to sincerity and opening up to catharsis. Sometimes cheesy is cool, clichés are cliché for a reason, and it’s okay to feel good.

From an instrumental perspective, Kyle Resnick lent his celestial horns for the chorus, which are maybe the most identifiable trait of the song overall, and really set the track aside sonically from some of the other songs on the record. We’re all big fans of The National, so working with Kyle was a surreal experience. He’s also the nicest, most down to earth person you’ll meet, and of course generous with his talent. If I was that good at something, you’d need a draw bridge to get to me.

HO: The recording and production of the album was assisted by established people in the music industry, like Robby Takac of the Goo Goo Dolls and Kyle Resnick, who worked with the band, The National, and also featured on Taylor Swift’s album Folklore. Are you planning on working with these people again for future debut projects?

CC: If they’ll have us after reading this! We’re very fortunate and grateful to have had the opportunity to work with all the people who helped make this record. Jay Zubricky mixed and engineered the album at GCR Audio and helped introduce us to Robby Takac. Having grown up in Buffalo, getting a chance to work with Robby was a pinch me moment. The project started in 2019 with Robby and a couple songs and ended with an album in 2022, with Jay there every step of the way (with the pandemic, logistics prevented us from working with Robby on more of the record). Finally, I have to mention Stu McKillop who mastered the record at Rain City Mastering. He really flipped the switch and brought the creature to life.

HO: I also saw that you guys have shared the stage with other rock bands, such as The Joy Formidable and The Lawrence Arms. Would you be able to share when your group is planning on performing next with other musicians?

CC: Early 2023! Follow The Eaves Band for updates!

“It’ll Be Okay” Music Video

October 27, 2022
Indie-rock band Late Sea share video for War Protest Track “Cover Up”

The Late Sea has shared their latest video for the war protest track, “Cover Up.” Songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Izzy Gliksberg, derived inspiration to make the debut single, “Cover Up”, after seeing conflict between Israeli and Palestinians in the news. Gliksberg grew up in Israel and the war in the Middle East affects him, as he said he was “used to seeing this kind of trauma on TV”.

(Photo credit: Bill Wadman)

The Brooklyn-based band has performed all over New York State and in festivals along the east coast. Late Sea is comprised of members, Izzy Gliksberg, drummer Graham Dobby, bassist Clinton Greene and keyboardist and vocalist, Kalen Lister. Their track list starts with their 2017 release of the debut EP The Writers Trilogy, as well as a cover release of the 1964 “The Sounds of Silence” by Simon and Garfunkel.

(Single art credit: Alex Lorenzo)

The group’s most recent released work is is their EP, Rumor, having came out last year and was produced by Grammy Award-winning, John Davis. Prior, Late Sea shared a video for their track, “Swan Song”, and gained coverage by Audio Fuzz on their Simon and Garfunkel 1964 staple cover.

Music video for “Cover Up” by Late Sea

October 25, 2022
Erie County-based bands perform at annually-held Rockin’ the Commons Event in Fredonia

Several Western New York musical groups performed on the main stage at Barker Commons park in Fredonia on Saturday, September 24 for a yearly event hosted by Fredonia Radio Systems, Rockin’ the Commons. A line-up of local bands including BP & the Oil Spills, Capo II, as well as SUNY Fredonia-based musical groups, such as the all-female acapella group, Some Like It Hot, participated in the day of music.

Rockin’ the Commons flyer

Some Like It Hot, also dubbed “the Hotties”, feature rock, pop, and hip hop songs, coordinated by either a former or current group member, sung in their performances. The acapella perform at many schools across New York during the academic semester.

Some Like It Hot acapella group at Rockin’ the Commons

Another group who took the stage at Rockin’ the Commons was duo, Capo II. Hailing from Buffalo, Augie Bates and Andrew Anable deliver a spectrum of prototypical pieces, consisting of vocalized harmonies, a broad range of instrumentals, tap dance percussion and pedals (sustained notes played and typically held in bass, which serve as a dissonance from the other notes).

Capo II members, Augie Bates and Andrew Anable

Started up in Kaisertown, other Buffalo-based band, BP and the Oil Spills, is comprised of members, song-writer Nathan Kohler, drummer Alex Gennaro, bass Charlie DeRose, and founder Blaise Przybyla.

The group commonly performs at various venues in Buffalo, and has performed at Fredonia for several shows, throughout the past few years. Their most recent singles, “Carpe Diem” and “Unrequited” hold thoughtful lyrics and contain elements of a multitude of genres, spanning from pop, prog, and blues to punk, grunge, and funk, and more.

Cover for BP & the Oil Spills’ single, “Carpe Diem”

The line-up at Rockin’ the Commons also included a few more Buffalo-based bands, Johnny and the Man Kids, Marquee Grand, as well as musicians based in Fredonia, Hals and Pals and all-male acapella group, Much More Chill.

October 19, 2022
The Beach Boys ‘Tis The Season Tour with The Holiday Vibrations Orchestra Making Numerous Stops Across New York This Holiday Season

Highlighting both newly-made holiday songs and traditional Christmas tunes will be the ‘Tis the Season with the Beach Boys tour performance event on Wednesday, Dec. 7. The featured album, Reason for the Season, having been produced by established musicians such as Sam Hollander from Panic! at the Disco and Train, and Steve Greenberg of Hanson and AJR, features artists like Hanson and Beach Boys co-founder Love’s children.

‘Tis The Season with The Beach Boys 2022 Tour Advertisement

The 16-date tour starts on November 26th and takes place in several cities across the country, including at Carnegie Hall in New York on December 5th. Their following performance in New York will be held at The Oncenter Crouse Hinds Theater in Syracuse on December 7th.

Tickets will be on sale on Friday, October 7th and may be purchased online at Ticketmaster or at the Solvay Bank Box Office at The Oncenter Civic Center Theaters.

Tis the Season with the Beach Boys featuring the Holidays Vibrations Orchestra Tour Dates:

10/8 – Syracuse Crunch vs Rochester Americans

10/8-10/9 – Syracuse, NY – The Oncenter Convention Center – RetroGameCon

10/11 – Syracuse, NY – The Oncenter Crouse Hinds Theater – FOCL Presents Yusef Salaam

10/14 – Syracuse, NY – The Oncenter Crouse Hinders Theater Colin Mochrie & Brad Sherwood: Scared Shitless

10/16 – Syracuse, NY – The Oncenter Crouse Hinds Theater – The Princess Bride – An Inconceivable Evening with Cary Elwes

10/18 – Syracuse, NY – The Oncenter Convention Center – The Salvation Army’s 51st Annual Civic Celebration

10/27 – Syracuse, NY – The Oncenter Crouse Hinds Theater – Whose Live Anyway?

10/29 – Syracuse, NY – The Oncenter Crouse Hinds Theater – Zach Williams

10/30 – Syracuse, NY – The Oncenter Crouse Hinders Theater – Kevin James

11/2 – Syracuse, NY – The Oncenter Crouse Hinds Theater – Ray LaMontagne The MONOVISION Tour

11/15 – Syracuse, NY – The Oncenter Crouse Hinds Theater – FOCL Presents Casey McQuinston

11/18 – Syracuse, NY – The Oncenter Crouse Hinds Theater – Ancient Aliens Live

11/18 – Syracuse, NY – Upstate Medical University Arena – Oncenter War Memorial – Trey Anastasio Band & Goose

11/19 – Syracuse, NY – The Oncenter Crouse Hinds Theater – Daryl Hall and the Daryl’s House Band

11/26 – Mashantucket, CT – Premier Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino

11/27 – Medford, MA – Chevalier Theatre

11/30 – Bethlehem, PA – Wind Creek Event Center

12/2 – Pittsburgh, PA – Benedum Center for the Performing Arts

12/2-12/4 – Syracuse City Ballet Presents Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker”

12/3 – Atlantic City, NJ – Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena

12/5 – New York, NY – Carnegie Hall – Isaac Stern Auditorium / Ronald O. Perelman

12/7 – Syracuse, NY – The Oncenter Crouse Hinds Theater

12/7 – ‘Tis the Season with The Beach Boys featuring The Holiday Vibrations Orchestra

12/9 – Buffalo, NY – Shea’s Buffalo Theatre

12/10 – Akron, OH – E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall

12/11 – Louisville, KY – The Louisville Palace

12/11 – Syracuse, NY – The Oncenter Crouse Hinds Theater -Championships of Magic

12/12 – Syracuse, NY – The Oncenter Crouse Hinds Theater -Nutcracker! Magic of Christmas Ballet

12/13 – Indianapolis, IN – Murat Theatre

12/14 – Saint Louis, MO – The Fabulous Fox Theatre

12/15 – Des Moines, IA – Des Moines Civic Center

12/16 – Welch, MN – Treasure Island Resort & Casino

12/17 – Milwaukee, WI – The Riverside Theater

12/18 – Chicago, IL – The Chicago Theatre

1/13/23 – Syracuse, NY – The Oncenter Crouse Hinder Theater – Brian Regan

3/21/23 – Syracuse, NY – The Oncenter Crouse Hinder Theater – FOCL Presents Kate Quinn

4/18/23 – Syracuse, NY – The Oncenter Crouse Hinder Theater – FOCL Presents Garry Trideau

5/9/23 – Syracuse, NY – The Oncenter Crouse Hinder Theater – FOCL Presents Jill Lepore

October 17, 2022
Burger-Joint Spawned Rock Band Shining Faces Release Poignant New Single “Worthless”

Westchester rock trio, Shining Faces, released their debut single, “Worthless” on Wednesday, September 28. The music group with origins in the Upper Westchester County area transitioned their involvement in the rock scene in New York City.

Shining Faces

A unique feature of the band’s start-up counts their spawnage from the upstate-based Pow! Burger joint. The collaboration between the burger restaurant and the rock band helps to carry the representation of the DIY cultural aspect of the Upper Westchester community.

‘Worthless’ debut single cover art

The members comprising the band are vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Clinton Meekel, bass player Kevin Giachetto, drummer Austin Flynn and guitarist Nick Trujillo. The artists opened about their experience working at the independently-established Pow! Burger joint, their music career and the connection between the workplace they were previously employed at and the punk and surf rock performances made in the Metropolitan area that are supported by former co-workers from the Pow! Burger.

Heather Occhino: How did the band meet?

Clinton Meekel: So, Austin, Nick, and I met while working at Pow! Burger. Nick and Austin actually had a project together called “Block Tape”, and the three of us had a project together called “Anklebiterz”. Kevin and I had played drums a lot together growing up with Kevin’s brother, Justin. I had put out some stuff solo during COVID, but I really wanted to be able to play live. I put together a trio with Austin and our other friend, Sean. When we moved to the city, Austin moved over to drums, we added Kevin on bass, and Nick is our newest addition on a second guitar.

HO: What inspired the band members to pursue making music?

CM: I always grew up around music. My dad repairs guitars and collects records and just has a really extensive knowledge on all kinds of eclectic rock and punk music. I started playing when I was five years old and haven’t stopped since.

HO: What was the group’s reason for relocating to New York City?

CM: Basically, I moved here to finish college. It’s new and there’s a lot of awesome stuff happening down here musically. I used to drive down here all the time to go to shows and it’s really cool to be living in the midst of all of it.

HO: What influenced Shining Faces to add more contemporary-based punk-rock influences to traditional songs, such as Joe Cocker’s “The Letter” and Hound Dog Taylor’s “Give Me Back My Wig”?

CM: I had listened to those songs a lot growing up, and I wanted to pay homage to those musicians. There’s something timeless about those songs in particular, and I love being able to take something old and mess around with it and make it fresh. Those songs translate really well live too, because people recognize the songs but maybe have forgotten about them. Then it creates an opportunity to bond with people over those songs too. People come up to us after shows and bring up The Letter, and it’s just really great to get to talk with new people about songs that we all love.

HO: When Pow! Burger was established, did the then-employees plan on choosing a direction toward music?

CM: It was totally by chance that so many of the people who work there, who I now consider very close friends, were also interested in making music. But it definitely became a commonality for all of us there. There aren’t really any venues in Yorktown or record stores, so it’s hard to find any sort of musical community. I’m lucky that all my time at work could be spent with guys who do care about music and have a taste that aligns with mine.

My friend from Pow! Leapfrog Jones actually opened for us a few weeks ago at the Bowery Electric, and I just saw him play the other day at another venue. We all just kind of had bands on the side, but everyone is really supportive. Even the owner Dave, he comes to our shows. And Yorktown isn’t close, but he’s invested in our success. It’s honestly not very often you see a business owner who actually cares about the success and security of their employees beyond the workplace, so we’re all really lucky. And just to have this community of people who have our backs and are rooting for us.

HO: What was the transition like leaving Pow! Burger and moving to the city?

CM: It’s a little bit crazy actually. We’re all friends, so I see the guys from Pow! all the time. They all make their way down to the city for our shows. I think some more of them might even move out here too, and I love having them on bills with us or vice versa. I remember overhearing someone after a show say, “What is this restaurant they all work at?” Because basically the entire staff was in the audience. It’s pretty awesome to see.

HO: As mentioned in the biography about Shining Faces, their aim is to find “authenticity in a world in a world where our lives are becoming increasingly commodified”. In which ways is this sentiment expressed in their musical work/artistic expression?

CM: Punk has always been about rebellion. I’m really inspired by guys like Iggy Pop, the Sex Pistols. Punk has always been a vessel for counterculture. I think we and most other people in our generation feel like we’re getting screwed. We’re losing faith in our institutions. There’s so much pressure, especially with social media to make yourself marketable. To make every bit of yourself something that can become profitable. It’s easy to feel helpless. And we’re angry. So our aim is really just to create and give a raw reaction to what is happening in the world. We’re young and people want to dismiss us but we’re the ones who will grow up in the world that policies being passed right now are shaping.

HO: What ultimate message/(s) does the band want to spread to their listening base?

CM: I think what we wanna get out there, especially with “Worthless” is just to not let the world get you down and cling to your passions. What we kind of pose in this song is am I worthless? In a world where everyone is supposed to be doing a million things at once, how valuable am I beyond what profit I can produce? Or is all of that worthless and the bits of the humanity within us are what is actually significant? We’re kind of grappling with things like “what is all of this for?” It’s a question that only yields more questions, but we’re going to keep asking.

October 2, 2022
NYC Artist Robert Leslie Releases UK Psychedelic Folk-Influenced “Halfway Home” Album

Europe-native and New York City-based musical artist and busker, Robert Leslie, had his alternative folk debut recently released during last month on August 5th. Compiled are 12 tracks produced by Perry Margouleff (who also worked with Maroon 5 and Paul Rogers) that express the beautiful moments captured in day-to-day life through bridging the gap between current changes and a reflection of the past, as phrased by Leslie, speaking about the album.

Album Cover [Credit: Emmanuel Rosario]

The LP features names behind the instrumental elements of the music, who’ve worked with established names in the music industry, such as Tony Garnier behind bass who collaborated with Bob Dylan, Paul Simon and Tom Waits, Jake Sinclair, behind the Wurlitzer, Mellotron piano, who’s worked with Weezer! and Panic at the Disco, and Scarlet Rivera, who played the violin and has worked with Bob Dylan.

Artist Studio Shoot

The record rings of soothing tunes conveyed with slow guitar notes paired with bass booms and overlapping looming synths which carve echoes resonating with the vibration of rings spreading from a rock thrown in still water. Taking an approach using a poetic lens in his lyricism, Robert Leslie divulges on takes about aspects of life and love, carrying emotional overtones of nostalgia blended with wonderance on this debut influenced with sounds from UK psychedelic folk.

Halfway Home Music Video

September 30, 2022

Built in Breakdance