NYS Music 202​2

Author: Pete Mason

  • Live Music and Food Trucks Corral in Glens Falls Every Thursday at The Shirt Factory

    Each week through mid-September, The Shirt Factory in Glens Falls hosts the Thursday Market and Food Truck Corral, bringing together local bands and the largest collection of food trucks between NYC and Montreal.

    The Shirt Factory is located between Lawrence and Cooper Streets and is a cornerstone of the Glens Falls arts and health communities. In the 1930’s after purchasing the Troy Shirt Makers Guild label, they separated the shirt making from dressmaking side of the business; thus, The Shirt Factory is the name given to the property, within which numerous small businesses are housed.

    The Shirt Factory, early 1900s, photo via Chapman Museum

    Inside this more than century-old historic building you’ll find signage, posters, and items including old sewing machines throughout the hallways, as the building pays homage to its own rich history of dress-making that dates to the late 1890s. This effort by the owners preserves the building’s history and honors the local community where the shirt manufacturing business found great success in the early 20th century.

    In 1902, a fire devastated the Joseph-Fowler Shirt Makers building on Glen Street in downtown Glens Falls. Owners Walter and JR each owned part of that business and after the fire they took their portion of the insurance and the shirt making side of the business, while their partner kept the detachable collar portion of the business. They purchased the empty lot where the current building stands in part because the railroad depot that just across the street and were able to get a dedicated railroad spur for deliveries.

    The building was built in 1902, at that time the tavern across the street was a boarding house that was in the Shirt Factory yard, before moving across the street several years later. Consisting of two buildings, one was built in 1902 and the second added on in 1910, with two short hallways on each floor connecting the buildings. In addition, there is an annex that includes Rock Hill Bakehouse, Sweet Side Records, KFancillo Photography, Dakine Cuisine, Freedom Machines and Glens Falls Distilling.

    Purchased in 1999 by the current owner, The Shirt Factory is now nearly 100 creative, talented, and passionate individuals call this building their second home. Among these are a variety of classes, shops offering a wide range of products, professional services, working artists, galleries, three bookstores, and other hidden gems you can find among the three floors. There is a wide range of goods in each shop, including salt lamps, loose leaf tea, pottery, trading cards, locally made food, reclaimed furniture and more.

    The building today

    The Shirt Factory hosts a number of events throughout the year, and summer 2022 sees the return of the Thursday Market & Food Truck Corral, taking place weekly each Thursday from May through September. The spacious property allows plenty of space for food trucks, picnic tables, seating areas, vendors, farmers, and kids activities.

    Sample layout of Food Trucks on Thursdays

    A sampling of the various food trucks that have attended Thursdays at The Shirt Factory include:

    • Coach’s Corner: Sausage, Philly cheese steak, taco fries, quesadilla burger
    • Glens Falls Distilling: Samples and sales, bourbon, whiskey, moonshine
    • Bella Lynn’s Bakery : Cupcakes and baked goods
    • Farmacy: Smoked/BBQ, sides, handmade ice cream
    • Pies on Wheels: Wood-fired personal pizza made to order
    • The Wrap Shak: Wraps, salads, quesadillas, fries, tots
    • Koko’s Chariot: Frozen drinks, funnel cake, key lime pie or cheesecake on a stick
    • Hungry Traveler: Gourmet burgers and fries
    • Mac Factor: Gourmet mac & cheese
    • Cooley’s Ice Cream: Novelty ice creams
    • Vashti’s Kitchen Delights: Caribbean American food, also new items
    • Mean Max: Craft beer
    • Grandma Apple’s Cheesecakes: Mini cheesecakes
    • Alaturco Gyro: Gyros, baklava, more
    • Alchemy Bagel: Macrons
    • Girl Scout Troop 3611: Girl Scout cookies
    • Slavonian European Café: Pierogies, stuffed cabbage, moussaka, more
    • Daily Fresh: Indian food, palak paneer, kadai mushroom, mutter paneer, aloo gobi, chole and more
    • Adirondack Concessions: Kettle corn
    • Yum Yumz: Italian ice and ice cream
    • Smoothie Shoppe: Fresh fruit smoothies
    • Creative Caterers: Hot dogs, sausage, taco salad, more
    • Ty’s Tacoria: Tacos, chips with guac & salsa, iced tea
    • Slyboro Cider (Hicks Orchard): Samples and sales of hard ciders
    • Adirondack Olykoeks: Fresh hot mini-donuts
    • Millers Backyard BBQ: Ribs, brisket, pulled pork, sides
    • Screaming Eagle Concessions: Hot dogs, pulled pork, mac & cheese, lemonade
    • Adirondack Mobile Hibachi: Hibachi, noodles, rice, chicken, shrimp, steak
    • Euro Delicacies: Greek/Mediterranean, spanakopita, stuffed peppers, more
    • Tres Mijas: Enchiladas, tacos, taquitos, burritos, tostadas
    • Say Cheez: Grilled Sandwiches, tater tots, lemonade

    The Shirt Factory is open to the public from 8am to 5pm daily. You can find a full list of events here and learn even more about the history of The Shirt Factory here.

    Thursday Market and Food Truck Corral Music Lineup:

    June 23

    Lawrence Street Stage – Pete Moss
    Rockhill Stage – Keanen Stark & Orion Kribs
    Cooper Street Stage – Dan Mellon

    June 30
    Lawrence Street Stage – Tom Keller
    Rockhill Stage – Drew Wardle & Brian Fitzgerald
    Cooper Street Stage – Mark Rabin

    July 7
    Lawrence Street Stage – Jim Brown
    Rockhill Stage – Terrallite
    Cooper Street Stage – 42nd Draft

    July 14
    Lawrence Street Stage – Jason Irwin
    Rockhill Stage – Chatterbox
    Cooper Street Stage – Chris Cronin

    July 21
    Lawrence Street Stage – iRod+Aux
    Rockhill Stage – Across the Pond
    Cooper Street Stage – Zack Ryan

    July 28
    Lawrence Street Stage – Thom Powers
    Rockhill Stage – Curious Comet
    Cooper Street Stage – SoulSky Duo

    August 4
    Lawrence Street Stage – James Mullen
    Rockhill Stage – Up the River
    Cooper Street Stage – Kelly Rock

    August 11
    Lawrence Street Stage – Drew Wardle
    Rockhill Stage – Kenny T & DC Steve
    Cooper Street Stage – Mikki Bakken

    August 18
    Lawrence Street Stage – PR Project
    Rockhill Stage – The Musicats Duo
    Cooper Street Stage – Brian Fitzgerald

    August 25
    Lawrence Street Stage – Jim McArdle
    Rockhill Stage – The Schmooze
    Cooper Street Stage – Jason Irwin

    September 1
    Lawrence Street Stage – James Mullen
    Rockhill Stage – Margo Macero Band
    Cooper Street Stage – Alan Dunham & Elizabeth Winge

    September 8
    Lawrence Street Stage – Matthew Ames
    Rockhill Stage – The Tradition
    Cooper Street Stage – Mike Grosshander

  • Dead and Company Cancels SPAC show

    Tonight’s Dead and Company show at Saratoga Performing Arts Center has been cancelled. Reportedly, guitarist John Mayer’s father suffered a medical emergency that resulted in him being rushed to a New York City hospital. Mayer is tending to his father there after the cancellation of tonight’s show at SPAC.

    “He is now fairly stable and will continue to undergo some procedures, but as you can understand, I have to stay in (New York City) and can’t play tonight’s show in Saratoga Springs,” 

    John Mayer on Instagram
    dead and company cancels
    Dead and Company at Hershey Stadium, August 28, 2021 – photo by Filip Zalewski

    The band had previously posted a message to social media noting “due to unforeseen circumstances, tonight’s Dead & Company concert at Saratoga Performing Arts Center is canceled.”

    Fans can be refunded from the point of purchase. No word was given on why the band was forced to cancel less than 4 hours before showtime. Other shows this tour will not be affected.

  • Disco Biscuits Announce Pair of September Shows at Saranac Brewery

    The Disco Biscuits will make a few stops in the Northeast this September, including a pair of shows at Saranac Brewery in Utica. The shows will now take place a week later than originally planned, on Friday, September 30 and Saturday, October 1. The shows mark the Disco Biscuits first ever time performing in the Empire State’s ‘Sin City.’

    disco biscuits utica

    Additional shows earlier that month include a show at Grand Opera House in Wilmington, DE on September 8, and two shows at South Side Stage at XL Live in Harrisburg, PA on September 9 and 10.

    A fanclub presale for these shows is now open through Wednesday, July 6 at 5pm ET, with all September shows on sale Friday, July 8 at 10am ET. Disco Biscuits social media included a note to fans, “Plenty more tDB to come this fall! “

  • Rob Derhak Talks moe. Summer Tour, ADK Fest, Chuck and Playing with Nate and Suke

    moe. begins a truncated summer tour this week, taking them across New York State, where they have made their mark for more than 30 years. The moe. lineup – Al Schnier, Rob Derhak, Vinnie Amico and Jim Loughlin – continues to feature Suke Cerulo and Nate Wilson, filling in for Chuck Garvey as he steadily recovers from a stroke he had in November 2021.

    moe chuck garvey walls capitol theatre rob derhak
    Chuck Garvey projected onto the walls of The Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY – photo by Filip Zalewski

    moe. bassist Rob Derhak and the band have spent time over the past two months rehearsing with Cerulo and Wilson at Big Blue North in Utica to prepare the sextet for their first real stretch of shows without Garvey.

    The Chuck shows at The Cap in December with all the guest musicians, those guys (Suke and Nate) were part of the last set of the second night, and the set just really gelled. We had no time to rehearse with anyone beyond soundcheck; Suke had spent his time doing his homework, and Nate has sat in many times and knows a lot of songs, so when it came time to decide, it wasn’t that hard a decision. They can play really well and had a jump on the material, so both factors made it simple.

    We’re very fortunate that those guys put the work in ahead of time and did their homework to learn the material, so it was a good fit and a good call in the end.

    Rob Derhak, on Suke Cerulo and Nate Wilson

    Derhak spoke to NYS Music shortly after Summer Camp Music Festival had wrapped its 21st year, where hosts moe. and Umphrey’s McGee performed 5 sets each over three days at their respective stages in Three Sisters Park. Derhak, along with Schnier, Amico and Loughlin threw Cerulo and Wilson some curveballs that they were still able to hit into play.

    There was a 3-song sandwich – “Rebubula” > “So Long” > “Buster” > “Rebubula” – that was a situation where most people may not understand what’s going on but those guys got it. We talked about it ahead of time but never played through the whole thing with them. It came off without a hitch. Nate added a new keyboard intro for “Rebubula” that was really cool.

    Rob Derhak

    This was of course the first Summer Camp that Garvey had missed in the last two decades, and there was an emotional vibe with the band while they rehearsed and warmed up before the fest. From the Summer Camp Moonshine Stage, Derhak recalled how he felt two separate emotions during the weekend:

    One is I keep looking over where Chuck would be, and he isn’t there, and it makes me feel weird and sad. And doing shots before a set, we would always wait for Chuck, and instinctively it’s kinda sad. I miss him, and it’s still not exactly right without him playing there.

    Having Nate and Suke play at the same time, it’s almost a guilty feeling having this much fun, knowing Chuck would be loving this. Chuck did FaceTime with the band, saying he was jealous. It was bittersweet.

    Rob Derhak

    moe.rons can get a change to see Cerulo and Wilson with moe. a few times in July, as they will perform a free show at the Empire State Plaza on Wednesday, July 6 in Albany from 5:30-8:30 p.m., one that looks to have warm breezy weather for the show.

    They’ll then head west to Buffalo where the band first had their genesis, performing on Thursday, July 7 at Seneca Casinos Outer Harbor Concert Series at the Lakeside Event Lawn, with gates opening at 6pm. Friday, July 8 they’ll be on the shores of Cape Cod for Levitate Music Festival, and Saturday they can be found at Great South Bay Music Festival in Patchogue, performing alongside fellow Buffalonians Aqueous and headliners Joe Russo’s Almost Dead.

    Rob Derhak – photo by Filip Zalewski

    That won’t be all for moe. this summer though – they have a trio of shows in the Northeast over Labor Day weekend, starting at Stateside Amphitheater in Jay, VT on Friday, September 2, then they head down to Lake George for the annual ADK Independence Festival for two nights of two set shows. Labor Day weekend and moe. go hand in hand, given the nearly 20 years of moe.down festivals held in Turin and Mohawk, NY.

    We joked last year it was like a little moe.down and after playing, it really was. I’m looking forward to it because it’s a great three days of music, perfect size and location, the vibe is amazing, and made me think of moe.down quite a bit when we did it.

    Rob Derhak, on ADK Independence Music Festival

    Derhak noted that following the fall shows, moe. will look to start working with Garvey in “sometime in September and getting back to where we gotta go.” With regular check-ins and FaceTime calls, the band hopes to get a better idea of where Garvey is in his recovery and look ahead with new hope for the new year.

    moe. 2022 Summer Tour Dates

    7/6 – Albany, NY
    7/7 – Buffalo, NY
    7/8 – Marshfield, MA (Levitate Music Festival)
    7/9 – Patchogue, NY (Great South Bay Music Festival)
    7/10 – Seaside Heights, NJ
    9/2 – Jay, VT
    9/3-9/4 – Lake George, NY (ADK Fest)
    9/23-24 – St. Helena, CA

  • Youngstown to hold Third Annual Village Music Fest on August 6

    Youngstown, NY, located in Niagara County, will host their 3rd Annual Village Music Fest on August 6, 2022 at Veterans Park. The event runs from 12pm-10:30pm, with Canadian Rock band “The Trews” headlining the night.

    youngstown Village Music Fest

    Youngstown is an historic village in the Town of Porter located 11 miles north of Niagara Falls. Situated at the mouth of the Niagara River where it meets Lake Ontario, residents and visitors to Youngstown enjoy the local shops and restaurants, water activities and amazing sunsets. 

    Don Ames, a village of Youngstown Historian notes that the area was known to Native tribes for hundreds of years before the French explorer La Salle left his mark by building a small fort in 1670, less than a mile north of where the village is now located. The French gained control of the Great Lakes area and by 1727 built the “Castle” which became the centerpiece of Old Fort Niagara.

    youngstown Village Music Fest

    Presented by Barry Entertainment, the 3rd annual Village Music Fest features more than 25 local vendors and artisans, food trucks, drinks, games and much more.

    Live music can be found all day from artists including The Trews, Melissa Barry, Scott Celani, Tonemah, Grub, No Vacancy, Moondog, Busted in Eden and more.

    Tickets will also be available at the gate or can be purchased in advance – $20 for General Admission and $40 for VIP, which includes front of stage viewing.

    Veterans Park is located at 700 Third St. Youngstown, NY 14174

    youngstown Village Music Fest

  • Songs at Mirror Lake Summer Concert Series Begins June 28 in Lake Placid

    Songs at Mirror Lake Returns to Lake Placid for Summer 2022, with a slate of free shows each Tuesday night from 7-9pm in Mid’s Park, a green open space featuring spectacular views of Mirror Lake from Main Street.

    songs at mirror lake
    photo by Shaun Ondak

    Each of the seven nights of music have a different theme, and all shows are held rain or shine. Attendees are encouraged to bring a blanket and enjoy the music in the park, or paddle over in a boat and catch the show from the water.

    songs at mirror lake

    Songs at Mirror Lake finds its roots in Mid’s Park, which is named after Mrs. Henry (Mildred) Uihlein who was instrumental in saving this open space on Main Street in Lake Placid. In the early 1940’s this piece of land was to be sold for development, but Mrs. Uihlein (or Mid as her friends called her), who was active in village concerns and the Garden Club, heard of this news and believed that this piece of property should belong to the village of Lake Placid. SAML notes it was her dream and vision that this land remain open, be beautifully landscaped and be a relaxing place for all to enjoy. Mid, together with a group of very enthusiastic people and with financial support from the village of Lake Placid, raised the money required to purchase the property.

    songs at mirror lake

    On July 4, 2005, the park was dedicated and named Mid’s Park and a brand new bandshell named for Dr. Paul White has been completed.

    songs at mirror lake

    ​Songs at Mirror Lake (SAML) is an all-volunteer, nonprofit community organization whose mission is to introduce residents and visitors to a diverse range of musical offerings and to provide regional artists with a platform for exposure and experience. SAML is made possible by a generous grant from the New York State Council on the Arts Decentralization Program, with support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature and administered by the Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts.

    2022 Line-up

    Tuesday, June 28  – Americana Night: Midnight North

    Tuesday, July 5th – Acoustic Jam Night: Orebolo

    Tuesday, July 12th – Chilean Pop Night: Pascuala Ilabaca & Fauna

    Tuesday, July 19th : Folk Rock Night: Brett Dennen Trio

    Tuesday, July 26th : Electric Blues Night: Shemekia Copeland

    Tuesday, August 2nd – Indie Rock Night: Stephen Clair

    Tuesday, August 9th – Zydeco Night: Terrance Simien

  • This Week’s EQXposure Features Precious Metals, Gordon St., Kristian Montgomery and the Winterkill Band

    Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up and coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear new music from Precious Metals, Gordon St., and Kristian Montgomery and the Winterkill Band, and many more.

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

    Precious Metals – “Jacqueline”

    Precious Metals is a solo endeavor led by Troy singer-songwriter J Lee White, features a rolling cast of contributors. The band’s high energy alt-rock sound pulls from the early 2000s emo explosion and 2010s indie rock revival.

    Gordon St. – ”Hey Dan”

    Schenectady based rock combo Gordon St. is made up of veteran Local 518 musicians Dan Noonan (lead vocals, bass), Ritch Harrigan (vocals, guitar), and Jason Nowak (drums, vocals) and have been recording and performing in New York’s Capital Region for over a decade. On this week’s EQXposure, Gordon St. will preview “Hey Dan,” their next single, due out July 1.

    Kristian Montgomery and the Winterkilll Band – “Family Owned”

    Born in Florida to a Danish immigrant and a blue blooded American girl, Kristain’s family moved to New England where his father worked as a fisherman. He lived with his grandparents and began singing in the church choir where his voice was recognized by his Reverend, a former professional tenor. Kristian realized the impact his voice had upon people once he opened his eyes after singing the Lord’s Prayer and seeing the silent tears fall from faces he had never met. 

    Outside of church Kristian sang shanties,Celtic and Scandanavian songs at local bars and told stories of fisherman coming home from sea. Over time he progressed as a songwriter and ultimately developed a following, He joined several rock bands through the years where he won awards for his voice. While a member of a metal band, Kristian was nominated for the Boston Music Awards for best male vocalist. He however, did not feel like this genre was a good fit for him. He wanted adventure, so he traveled to Nicaragua to perform on television in Managua. While there, he was photographed sitting around a table relaxing in the capital with an AK-47 in his arms; as if this was war torn country was just another place to find stories for his songs. 

    This experience awoke something in Kristian, he found a freedom that only his ancestors had known. He began taking his music back to his father’s homeland, where it was received like a son coming home to his family. Although his intentions were to bring music to the world; after starting a family in the US, it was at the dinner table where he truly found home. A divorce inevitably threw Kristian back into performing. He was jailed after fighting for equal rights for fathers in Massachusetts. Having lost everything, he began to rebuild his life. Upon release from prison he began work on The Gravel Church. He wrote about his experiences in prison, starting over and how he found hope. 

  • CFCU Cortland Main Street Music Series expands for Summer 2022 

    The annual CFCU Cortland Main Street Music Series continues to grow with a 2022 line-up featuring the best local talent from CNY plus world-class bands. The series celebrates 19 years of bringing local, regional and national acts to Downtown Cortland with genres ranging from rock, Americana, folk, country, blues and many points in between. Doors open at 5pm for all shows and music begins at 6pm every Friday in July. 

    Cortland Main Street

    The City of Cortland, home of the Main Street Music Series, is centrally located in the scenic seven valleys of Central New York. Historically known as the Crown City, for its position as the highest elevation city in the state, Cortland is a gateway to the Finger Lakes Region and destination spot for live music and cultural events.

    15 artists will grace the CFCU Community Credit Union stage over the course of five free concerts, all taking place at Rose Hall, at 19 Church Street Cortland.

    Cortland Main Street

    The series kicks off with a triple billing on Friday, July 1st with headliners James Barker Band and supporting acts Taylor Made and Jon Rogalia. James Barker Band have fueled an incredible story over the last six years, largely on their own, from playing opening spots in small Ontario bars to charting multiple No. 1 singles, garnering hundreds of millions of global streams, and headlining some of Canada’s largest country music festivals. Now, with new music on the way, the four-piece is continuing their meteoric ascent in Nashville. In 2017, they sent their single “Chills” straight to the top of Billboard’s Canadian Hot 100 chart. The upbeat anthem also achieved Platinum status, alongside other songs from their introductory LP Game On, earning them numerous national awards. In addition, these best-friends have already amassed another six GOLD-certified and PLATINUM-certified tracks. 

    The second week of the series follows on July 8th with local roots rock band The Unknown Woodsmen and fellow area artists The Rollin’ Rust and Austin MacRae. Music fans across the Northeast are talking about CNY-based band The Unknown Woodsmen, who draw from the classic sounds of rock to create their own blues-reggae flavor of infectious rock grooves. Since its inception in 2011, the band has spent countless hours honing their signature sound and tirelessly performing throughout the Northeast. Whether it is their crafty hooks, old-school grooves, or energetic stage presence, The Unknown Woodsmen captivate crowd after crowd at show after show to a growing base of loyal fans in the Central New York region. 

    The series turns things up a notch in the third week, when The Rods headline the Friday, July 15th show at Rose Hall. They’ll be joined by supporting acts Sydney Irving and the Mojo and local singer songwriter Quona Hudson. The Rods are a series favorite and classic heavy metal band that rocked their way through the 80’s with a powerful, raw energy that led them on tours with some of today’s greatest metal bands—Judas Priest, Ozzy, Motorhead, and Metallica, to name just a few. Listeners will find that The Rods are still a force to be reckoned with today, as they continue on at full-throttle, with a new line-up and a forceful, vintage sound. 

    Friday, July 22nd, the CFCU Cortland Main Street Music Series will drench Rose Hall in the blues, when Joe Louis Walker brings his band to the Cortland stage, with opening sets by regional favorites Mike Powell and Raedwald Howland-Bolton. Joe Louis Walker, a Blues Hall of Fame inductee and four-time Blues Music Award winner celebrates a career that exceeds a half a century. A true powerhouse guitar virtuoso, unique singer and prolific songwriter, he has toured extensively throughout his career, performed at the world’s most renowned music festivals, and earned a legion of dedicated fans. Walker’s 1986 debut album Cold Is the Night on HighTone announced his arrival in stunning fashion, and his subsequent output has only served to further establish Walker as one of the leading bluesmen on the scene. NPR Music has called Walker “a legendary boundary-pushing icon of modern blues,” and he is already being referred to within the blues world as a living legend. 

    Rounding out the last show of the series on Friday, July 29th, Rose Hall will welcome headlining act Upstate along with opening artists Miss Tess Duo and Cloey Tierno.

    The CFCU Cortland Main Street Music Series, presented by CFCU Community Credit Union, is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization with a mission to enrich Cortland’s culture and contribute to a vital downtown by providing an annual series of concerts by local, regional and national artists. Additional sponsorship is provided by the Cortland County Business Development Corporation and the Cortland County Convention and Visitors Bureau to promote “Crown City Rising,” a communications platform aiming to inform downtown stakeholders and the community at large about the ongoing Main Street reconstruction process.

    More information can be found by visiting CrownCityRising.com and more information about the series can be found by following updates on Facebook and Instagram or by visiting their website at MainStreetMusicSeries.com.

  • Flashback: Monsters of Rock Tour Arrives in Orchard Park – June 19, 1988

    The 1980s were the heydey of hair metal and hard rock, and as the genre found its audience, the Monsters of Rock concert tour was formed, bringing together the best international lineup of metal acts the world has ever seen. And for one day in June of 1988, five bands would put on a show for the ages in Western New York.

    Monsters of Rock
    Official T-shirt for the Monsters of Rock 1988 tour – shirts cost $18 to $23, hats $13, bandannas $8 and buttons $3

    Originating in England in 1980, the first Monsters of Rock lineup and one-day festival was promoted by Paul Loasby and Maurice Jones, and included British and international bands for 35,000 fans at Donington Park race track in Leicestershire in the Midlands region of England. Originally conceived as a one-off event, the idea evolved into a touring festival in 1981 for 15 years in a row, only taking a break in 1989 and 1993. Loasby recalled the formation of that first year in England to The Guardian:

    We hoped we would get 50,000 [people]. We wanted to break even at 30,000. However, because it was done the way it was we were not in control of some of the aspects – such as the cost of the police. But also, the “fuck factor” as you’d call it, is the miscellaneous. It rained and it rained and it rained [beforehand], so suddenly your trackway [temporary road] costs and your straw costs rise. We ended up with just under 36,000. A quick piece of maths showed that we’d lost money, but it wasn’t horrible.

    Paul Loasby on the first Monsters of Rock show

    Arriving at Rich Stadium in Orchard Park on June 19, the 1988 Monsters of Rock Tour featured Van Halen, Scorpions, Dokken, Metallica and Kingdom Come, marking the only time the epic international metal concert tour made its way through the Empire State.

    Monsters of Rock
    Van Halen + Metallica = Vantallica

    Headlining the show was Van Halen, who were hot on the heels of promoting their album OU812, and used the Monsters of Rock Tour to form the first section of their OU812 tour. Thus, the name of the festival this year was Van Halen’s Monsters of Rock.

    Monsters of Rock van halen
    Van Halen Summer ’88 Concert Shirt

    The 23-city tour criss-crossed America over May, June and July of 1988, gaining the moniker “the most extravagent rock show ever” with the five bands performing over nine hours of music to more than 2 million fans who were expected across the North American tour.

    “It’s like the NBA playoffs everynight, except we dont use balls, we use guitars,” said bassist Michael Anthony in talking to The Today Show. Sammy Hagar added “NBA playoffs, title fight, every night. there’s so much music its probably really tough on the people the next day,” mimicking the headache they might have the next day, then adding in “a week later, that was the greatest thing I ever did.”

    Being a large scale event with multiple acts, there was a long gap between many dates while the band’s gear was transported and set up. A total of 50 tractor trailers carrying 75 tons of sound equiptment traveled between each venue, adding to tour dates that were spaced out as seen below.

    May 27-29East Troy, WIAlpine Valley Music Theatre
    June 4MiamiOrange Bowl
    June 5TampaTampa Stadium
    June 10Washington D.C.RFK Stadium
    June 11PhiladelphiaJFK Stadium
    June 12BostonSullivan Stadium
    June 15PittsburghThree Rivers Stadium
    June 17-18DetroitPontaic Silverdome
    June 19BuffaloRich Stadium
    June 22-23AkronRubber Bowl
    June 25PortlandOxford Plains Speedway
    June 26-27East RutherfordGiants Stadium
    July 2HoustonRice Stadium
    July 3DallasCotton Bowl
    July 6IndianapolisHoosier Dome
    July 9MemphisMemorial Stadium
    July 10Kansas CityArrowhead Stadium
    July 13MinneapolisMetrodome
    July 16San FranciscoCandlestick Park
    July 20SpokaneJoe Albi Stadium
    July 23-24Los AngelesLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum
    July 27SeattleKingdome
    July 30DenverMile High Stadium

    Monsters of Rock 1988 was the third time then up-and-coming heavy metal band Metallica would tour on the lineup, and the second year in a row. The 1988 shows gave early hype for their eventual classic album …And Justice For All, leading to “Harvester of Sorrow” making appearances in the setlist throughout the tour. This also marked the first tour since bass player Cliff Burton passed away in September 1986. Listen to Audio of their Buffalo set here.

    Dokken was another notable band to join the show, although an attendee notes there were tensions between lead singer Don Dokken and guitarist George Lynch, leading to a short and uninspired set. Veteran German rock band Scorpions were a major European rock artist at the time, and their fans felt the love throughout the show.

    Over time, the Monsters of Rock tour would decline, due in part to two fans dying during a Guns N’ Roses set later in 1988, with crowds that pushed 100,000 and muddy/wet conditions being contributing factors. This led to the festival being cancelled for 1989, with a two day festival, Moscow Music Peace Festival held in Russia, featuring Bon Jovi, Ozzy Osbourne, Mötley Crüe and Scorpions. When Monsters of Rock returns in 1990, the crowd size was limited to 75.000.

    Monsters of Rock

    Kingdom Come setlist: Get It On, What Love Can Be

    Metallica setlist: The Ecstasy of Gold, Creeping Death, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Welcome Home (Sanitarium), Harvester of Sorrow, Whiplash, Fade to Black, Seek & Destroy, Master of Puppets, Last Caress, Am I Evil?, Battery

    Dokken setlist: Without Warning, Tooth and Nail, Just Got Lucky, Burning Like a Flame, Into the Fire, Heaven Sent, It’s Not Love, Guitar Solo, Mr. Scary, Dream Warriors, Alone Again, Turn on the Action

    Scorpions setlist: Blackout, Big City Nights, Rhythm of Love, Bad Boys Running Wild, Make It Real, Coast to Coast, Still Loving You, Don’t Stop at the Top, Can’t Live Without You, Coming Home, The Zoo, No One Like You, Rock You Like a Hurricane, Dynamite

    Van Halen setlist: A.F.U. (Naturally Wired), Summer Nights, There’s Only One Way to Rock, Panama, Bass Solo, Runnin’ With the Devil, Why Can’t This Be Love, Mine All Mine, Drum Solo, You Really Got Me, Sucker in a 3 Piece, When It’s Love, Eagles Fly, I Can’t Drive 55, Best of Both Worlds, Guitar Solo, Black and Blue, Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love, Superstition, Rock and Roll

  • This Week’s EQXposure Features Scotchka, Phantom Suns, Witch Culture

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

    Phantom Suns

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

    Phantom Suns – “Probably Wrong” 

    From Burlington, Phantom Suns perform riffy and melodic Alternative Rock, and released their last album, Cordyceps in July 2021. On EQXposure you’ll hear “Probably Wrong,” a new tune from the group consisting of Seth Gundersen, Chris Mathieu, Chris Knauer, and Tristan Baribeau.

    SCOTCHKA – “Corinthians”

    From Albany, Scotchka is a rock band blending emo, pop punk, and alternative influences for an energetic, introspective style. The band includes Dominick Murdock (Rhythm Guitar, Vocals), Brian Fahey (Drums, Juul Master), Maiya Campbell (Lead Guitar, Backing Aux), and Jacob Hite (Bass, Producer)

    Witch Culture – “You”

    Witch Culture is a rock band based out of Nashville. Their music can best be described as intimate and emotional, yet energetic. “You” was released on released June 10, 2022 and the band includes Dan McGarr (Vocals/ Guitars), Aaron Messina (guitar), Joe Moran (bass), and Ryan Bedlack (drums)