Just days ahead of dropping their latest studio album Dripfield, buzz-worthy psychedelic improv rockers Goose kicked off summer in terrific form over the Memorial Day weekend, playing a pair of well received shows in their home state of Connecticut. Packing the Westville Music Bowl in by the thousands, the former tennis stadium turned live music mecca is quickly becoming a favorite venue for both Goose and fans alike. In the latest chapter, the band raised expectations even higher by capping Night 2 off with two impressive sets of original music.
Goose guitar players Rick Mitarotonda and Peter Anspach duel it out at the Westville Music Bowl on 5/28/22
Taking flight on their turf, the summer of Goose began in New Haven, and in promoting their latest studio effort, Dripfield, the boys came prepared, unveiling a fresh new line of Dripfield themed merch that included a limited-edition beer and their first gig poster by acclaimed artist Miles Tsang. After quick pat down through security, excited fans quickly made a B-line for the venue’s well-run merch both. While an ominous sky still lingered over the Bowl, there seemed to be a minor delay to the advertised start time of 6pm. While waiting, a lot of the conversation was centered on the Tsang diptych print, which appeared to be both polarizing to some collectors, while praised by others. The second most debated topic seemed to be over which state really has the best pizza?
Fresh Merch: The Miles Tsang diptych poster for New Haven was a hot topic of debate on 5/28/22
Taking the stage to a healthy hometown welcome on Saturday, May 28th, OG Goose fans were delighted to hear the opening riff of the song “Drive,” one of the bands earliest songs. Feeling a groovy vibe from the start, the band were all smiles early on. Consisting of guitarist Rick Mitarotonda, keyboardist/guitaristPeter Anspach, drummer Ben Atkind, bassist Trevor Weekz and percussionist Jeff Arevalo — Goose would continue to work their magic with high energy takes on “California Magic” and an excellent version of the ever-evolving “This Old Man’s Boat.” Once looking gloomy, by now the weather had become beautiful and a beach ball party was in full swing, making for a particularly on-point and potent rendition of “Turned Clouds,” the opening track off the bands 2016’s studio debut Moon Cabin.
Goose bassist Trevor Weekz kept his shirt on in New Haven, CT 5/28/22
With his trusty rain stick in hand, the uplifting energy continued as the bands beloved tour manager, Jon “Coach” Lombardi, then pulled up a spot near Trevor to shake things up on “Honey Bee.” Closing the opening set on a high note, Coach would stick around for the irresistible “Empress of Organos,” the same song that launched the band into 2022 during their NYE run. Indeed, this show was a celebration and the hometown homies had come to party.
Jon “Coach” Lombardi helped shake things up via rain stick on Night 2 in New Haven 5/28/22
After a somewhat lengthy intermission, Goose was straight birdn’ upon their return, going deep with the new song “Red Bird.” The party atmosphere picked up some more during “Butter Rum,” which featured some of the loudest cheers and best audience participation of the evening. Showing off a new and improved rig, lighting director Andrew Goedde was simply dazzling during the second half of the show. Vibing perfectly in sync with the band as our musical journey seamlessly shifted from “Echo of a Rose” to a standout version of “Into the Myst,” the latter was played in its entirety for the first time since 11/17/21. Upon its completion, the band members slowly disappeared from the stage in a cloud of, well, mist, triggering an ambient-like loop that would continue through the brief encore break. With subtle teases of “Dripfield” all evening long, when Goose returned for their curtain call, they gave fans the full treatment of their new album’s title track. Jammed all the way until curfew, Goose closed out the second night of their hometown throwdown in top notch form.
Lighting Director Adrew Goeddde showing off his new rig at Westville Music Bowl 5/28/22
A scintillating performance showcasing all original material, stellar musicianship, an impressive light show, fun-loving fans and a charismatic “X” factor that can’t be faked, this is a band worthy of the hype. With a new album and a jam-packed summer officially underway, it’s safe to say Goose are set to soar. For more information on where you can see them, including their debut at Radio City Music Hall and a stop in at Artpark in Lewiston, NY, head to bands website.
Goose | Westville Music Bowl | New Haven, CT | 5/28/2022
Set 1: Drive, California Magic, The Old Man’s Boat, Turned Clouds, Honeybee1, The Empress Of Organos
Set 2: Red Bird, Butter Rum, Echo Of A Rose > Into The Myst2, Dripfield
Encore: Dripfield3
Notes 1. Coach on rain stick 2. First finished Into the Myst since 11/17/21 3. Continued from set-closing rendition
Pre-Goose Peter Anspach project, Great Blue, wrapped up a memorable five-show run of dates through the East Coast over May 14-19. Featuring their first festival appearance of the season, the short-lived mini-tour managed to create a significant buzz amongst the jam scene faithful and included stops in Philadelphia, Rhode Island, DomeFest in Ohio, and a pair of New York shows in Rochester and Saratoga Springs, respectively.
Peter Anspach of Goose performing with Great Blue in Saratoga Springs 5/19/22
While the fun-loving Anspach is mainly known for his work with breakthrough psychedelic improv rockers Goose, these shows shinned the spotlight on a different side of “Handini.” Fully embracing the excessive “rock star” persona that’s partially been suppressed with his main band, it was in these more relaxed club-like environments where Anspach was truly able to get his “ya-ya’s” out. The result was nothing short of live music magic.
Couldn’t make it to any of the shows? No worries! NYS Music caught up with the band for their instant classic performance at Putnum Place on Thursday, May 19, and has all the sights (and some of the sounds) of the what many in attendance could be heard calling “one of the best show they’ve ever seen.”
Kicking off the show with an outstanding opening set from genre bending electronic rockers Escaper, the NYC based band were also joined by special guest Luke Bemand of Lespsecialon bass for the evening. With positive lyrics, danceable grooves and impressive compositions, even their seemingly simple jams morphed into straight-up heaters, particularly when the hard slapping hand of Bemand took the reins. After closing their set with a new, 9 minute sprawling epic called “Spaceship,” Escaper front man Will Hanza humbly took the opportunity to express his sincere gratitude to those in attendance, saying “Thank you guys so much. You know, after all we’ve been through, all of us, it means a lot that we can all gather for these things, so thank you and please keep doing it.”
Will Hanza of Escaper and Lespecial’s Luke Bemand performing at the Putnum Place in Saratoga Springs 5/19/22
After a brief intermission, the Thursday night funk party resumed in full force as our evening’s headliners Great Blue set their controls for the sun and lifted off like a rocket ship from hell, opening up with the songs “Lily’s Tiger” quickly followed by “Willy” from their 2013 album Rewind. While many Goose fans are only just discovering Great Blue, make no mistake, this is anything but a new band. Comprised of four longtime friends, their origins go all the way back to their high school days in the basement. Along with Peter Anspach, Great Blue is also comprised of Ethan Michael on guitars and sometimes keyboards, Seth Suzker on bass, and presumably paying homage to the late Taylor Hawkins by wearing a Foo Fighters shirt, was Nick Hanna on drums.
Together, Great Blue has been performing for more than a decade now and have four studio albums to their credit. With no shortage of songs in their back catalog to choose from, the band would amp things up even more with a high octane rendition of “Together Not The Same” that featured an insane guitar solo from Anspach whole completely lost himself in the music, smiling ear to ear while thrashing about the stage in a pure punk rock fury. After working their way through “Banana Jam” and a cover of Vampire Weekend’s “Sunflower,” Goose fans in attendance became audibly excited as the bass-heavy reggae groove of “Doc Brown” swept over the room. While the “Back to the Future” inspired jam was originally written by Great Blue, in recent years the song has been adopted by Goose and has become a regular staple of their live show, but the surprises wouldn’t end there as the quartet seamlessly sandwiched into another familiar Goose song in the form of “Whales” before eventually returning back to the reggae roots of “Doc Brown.”
Watch fan shot footage of Great Blue performing “Doc Brown” live from the Putnum Place in Saratoga Springs 5/19/22
Following that up with 2014’s “Crossfaded Mammoth,” Great Blue then unveiled their latest neo-psychedelic jam “Blue Marbles.” After “Pancakes,” someone in the audience yelled out “You guys are so fucking good!” to which Anspach enthusiastically replied from the stage, “It’s this band!” pointing over to his mates. “These guys are awesome, I love them.” Shifting gears, Peter would take a moment to reflect on former beloved band mascot Leo, a golden retriever who was with them back in their earliest days in the basement, always sitting in no matter how loud the PA was turned up.
“Lion in the Grass” was then played in memory of Leo and also featured one of the most memorable moments of the evening when Anspach and guitarist Ethan Michael ended up playing a portion of the song while both laying down on the stage. “Jeff Engborg,” both a real person and a real song came next while the main portion of the show wrapped up with an emphatic rendition of “Seeker.” As the clock approached 1am on this Thursday night, Great Blue still had one more surprise up their sleeve. Like a spaceship returning from the great beyond, our fantastic voyage then touched down with a cover of the Red Hot Chili Pepper’s smash hit, “Around the Word.” Suddenly, in what appeared to be a spontaneous last second call, the band then busted into Goose fan favorite, “Yeti,” perhaps the most well-known song originally penned by Great Blue and later adopted by their high flying friends.
Guitarist Ethan Michael performing with Great Blue in Saratoga Springs 5/19/22
As the house lights came on and fans scurried to buy up any and all Great Blue merch, more than one person could be heard calling this “the best show they’ve seen in years” and “the best $15 they’ve ever spent.” Indeed, it was a good one. Full of unbridled energy, youthful exuberance, danceable funk-filled grooves, soaring sonic peaks and over-the-top charisma, Great Blue unleashed an instant classic performance on this night in the Spa City. With their mini-run now in the rearview, all eyes are looking ahead to the Westville Music Bowl this weekend when Peter Anspach rejoins his “other” band, Goose, for their highly anticipated summer tour kick off.
Watch fan shot footage of Great Blue covering RHCP and ‘Yeti” from Saratoga Springs 5/19/22
Great Blue | Putnum Place | Saratoga Springs, NY | 5/19/22
Setlist: Lily’s Tiger, Willy, Together Not The Same, Banana Jam > Sunflower (Vampire Weekend) > Rogue II, Butterflies, Doc Brown >The Whales<Doc Brown, Mammoths, Blue Marbles, Pancakes, Lion in the Grass, Jeff Engborg, Seeker
Encore: Around The World (Red Hot Chili Peppers) > Yeti
Escaper | Putnum Place | Saratoga Springs, NY | 5/19/22
Setlist: Res Magna > No Stings > Breakaway, Cicada, Rare Form, Enjoy the Silence, Spaceship
*This set featured Luke Bemand of Lespecial sitting in on Bass
For more audience recorded video and images from the show, check out the full gallery by NYS Photojournalist Zak Radick below:
Celebrating 518 Day on May 18th, bass-heavy psychedelic prog rock ‘bastards’ Primus made their triumphant return to Albany. Amidst a special 46 date, coast-to-coast tribute tour paying homage to fellow prog-rock legends Rush and drummer Neil Peart, the influential Bay Area trio performed two distinct sets; one of original music and the other, a full cover set of Rush’s seminal 1977 album A Farewell to Kings.
Curated by charismatic Primus front man and bass playing virtuoso, Les Claypool, the only logical venue suited for an occasion of such royal proportions was downtown Albany’s historic Palace Theatre.
Les Claypool of Primus performs at the Palace Theatre in Albany 5/18/22
The man, the myth, the compulsive entertainer, Les Claypool has arguably been one of rock’s most influential players of the last thirty years. Creating a mythical, almost cult-like following through his multitude of side projects, some may know him from his time with Trey Anastasio and Oysterhead , or with Buckethead and The Flying Frog Brigade, or more recently with his “Delirium” collaboration with Sean Lennon, son of Yoko and John. An impressive pedigree to be sure, but make no mistake, Primus has always been the bread and butter for Les and also his most successful.
But what made him want to start playing music in the first place?It all goes back to a single day in 1978 when a young Claypool attended his first ever rock concert. Performing that night was a young Canadian banned named Rush. Mesmerized by what he saw on stage, it was then Claypool decided music was what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. 14 years later and now spearheading a colorful band of his own dubbed “Primus,” things came full circle when they were offered a supporting slot on Rush’s 1992 tour. They say never meet your heroes or you’ll be disappointed, but in the case, the two bands shared an instant connection and would develop a close friendship organically through years of touring together. According to Claypool, paying tribute to Rush is simply a way to say “thank you” for all of their inspiration.
Primus performs at the Palace Theatre in Albany 5/18/22
Bringing the “Tribute to Kings” Tour to the Palace Theater this past Wednesday, fans turned out in droves, but not necessarily to see Primus. With the passing of iconic drummer Neal Peart, Rush played their final show in August of 2015, yet based on the sheer amount of vintage Rush t-shirts and memorabilia that was present at the Palace, it’s fair to say there is still a significant demand for their music. If there is any three-piece unit that has the talent and the chops to fill that void, it would have to be the mighty Primus.
Taking the darked Palace stage as the customary Danny Elfman “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure” theme piped in over the PA, Claypool, along with guitar player Larry “Ler” LaLonde and frummer Tim “Herb” Alexander, wasted no time in letting their intention be known. Playing the type of songs that don’t exactly fit well with the radio format, class was in session early as Primus opening their performance with an “American Life” history lesson. Complete with a massive rear projector high above the stage displaying hypnotic video loops and depicting things like immigrants registering at Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, along with images of Mount Rushmore and Honest Abe, the projections would subtly change to a ‘military marching orders’ theme during classic Primus cuts like the songs “Too Many Puppies” and “Sgt. Baker.
The low-end pulse would beat a little louder (and darker) on the next song, 1989’s repetitive, percussion-heavy trance educing song “The Pressman,” after which Claypool claimed the band had not played in a while. One of the highest highlights of the first set came next with a rare “Professor Nutbutter’s House of Treats” which segued nicely into a “Del Davis Tree Farm” bust-out, played for the first time since 2017. Sensing an opportunity to slip in something new, Primus then unloaded their brand new sprawling and groovy single, the covid-inspired, tongue in cheek eleven minute opus “Conspiranoia.” The opening set concluded with a condensed mash-up of “Welcome to This World” and the always awesome “My Name Is Mud.”
Primus performs at the Palace Theatre in Albany 5/18/22
From there the Rush was on, literally. In an evening billed as a “Tribute to Kings,” Primus would honor their musical heroes by performing the 1977 classic Rush album A Farewell To Kings in its entirety. Other than a minor wardrobe change and Claypool trading in his signature Carl Thompson ‘Rainbow’ bass for a black and white Rickenbacker model, Primus tore through the set with such complete confidence it almost made you forget these were someone else’s songs.
Technically proficient, it was the vocals that proved to be the biggest challenge for Claypool. At one point addressing the audience between songs, acknowledging Geddy Lee’s high pitched (and often polarizing) vocal style isn’t exactly “easy” to mimic and then encouraged those who knew the lyrics to try and help sing the next one, then launching into one of Rush;s biggest radio hits, “Closer to the Heart.” For a brief time during “Xanadu,” both Claypool and Ler could be seen wielding a pair of huge, double necked axes. Allegedly the first to ever play an electric 12 string bass, Geddy Lee claims Rickenbacker specifically built the first one for him.
After witnessing Lee perform with the mammoth instrument at his first ever concert, Claypool confessed he’s wanted one ever since and joked that it took him all these years to finally be able to afford one. Always cracking wise, Claypool would also make several light-hearted jabs at the people in the first few rows who were still inexplicably sitting down, saying “it’s that mutual exchange of energy that [he] feeds off and that if he has to remain standing through the entire performance, everyone else should be up off the asses too.” Les then dove into his favorite Rush song of all time, the set closing “Cygnus x-1.” Just prior to the encore, Claypool would later apologize to anyone who may have been offended by his heckling and then proceeded to drop into the opening notes of Primus Frizzle Fry fan favorite “Groundhog’s Day” from 1990. Still not satisfied, fans begging for “just one more” were treated to a tune Claypool introduced as “a true story about a friend…who was addicted to crack.” His name was Harold.
Primus performs at the Palace Theatre in Albany 5/18/22
Coming to a close a little before midnight, most people stayed all the way to the end as the theme from the original “Charlie and Chocolate Factory” helped send them home with a smile. There was a little something for everyone at this show. Sure, real Primus fans want to hear all Primus all the time and the faithful Rush fans were probably a little overwhelmed by the undeniable heaviness and some of the weirdos the Primus scene tends to attract, perhaps even hoping for another radio hit like “Tom Sawyer” or “Spirit of the Radio.”
The real winners on this night were the scores of young fans in attendance. Similar to the way Les Claypool’s life was forever changed by his first concert, you couldn’t help but notice the abundance of skid fathers who brought their boys with them. Perhaps the sentimental notion of passing the prog-rock crown from Rush to Primus? Or maybe they just couldn’t find a babysitter? Or maybe, just maybe the next great virtuoso bass player was sitting right there in the Palace Theatre all along, absorbing the magic of live music at their very first concert. One thing is for sure, Primus most certainly does not suck.
Primus | May 18th, 2022 | Albany, NY | Palace Theatre
Set 1: American Life, Too Many Puppies(>)Sgt. Baker(> ‘Too Many Puppies’ reprise), The Pressman, Last Salmon Man, Conspiranoia, Professor Nutbutter’s House of Treats, Del Davis Tree Farm (First time live since 2017), Welcome to This World, My Name Is Mud
Set 2: A Farewell to Kings, Xanadu, Closer to the Heart, Cinderella Man, Madrigal, Cygnus X-1
Encore: Groundhog’s Day, Harold of the Rocks, Follow the Fool >Harold of the Rocks Reprise
Finding a rare balance between heavy riffs, southern blues and psychedelic space rock, Nashville, Tennessee’s All Them Witches wowed a packed Westcott Theater crowd on Tuesday, May 10 in Syracuse. Now celebrating ten years as a band and also the birthday of one of their founding members, fans were treated to a career spanning powerhouse performance of unapologetic, in-your-face stoner-rock of the highest caliber – gloomy yet groovy, visceral, thought provoking and loud. Very loud.
All Them Witches performing at the Westcott Theater on May 10, 2022
Garnering a substantial “cult-like” fan base through a decade of relentless touring, All Them Witches (AIW), comprised of birthday boy Ben McLeod on guitar, vocalist Charles Michael Parks Jr. on bass, drummer Robby Staebler, and multi-instrumentalist Allan Van Cleave on keyboards and violin, have firmly established themselves as heavyweights of their genre. The Nashville psych-rock quartet already has an impressive six studio albums and three live albums under their belt. Sidelined by the pandemic for the better part of two years and eager to play in front of people once again, the Witches’ are currently in the midst an extensive spring tour, one that often sees them doing five nights in a row. We caught up with the hard working and harder rocking road dogs as they rolled into the Westcott Theater for a special Tuesday night treat.
With a stage setup that featured a massive backdrop depicting the same “acid face” seen on much of AIW’s merchandise, the show began at 8pm with a blistering opening set from Ocean City, Maryland psyc-metal power trio The Swell Fellas. Their first time hitting the road on a national tour, the band expressed their sincere gratitude to ‘The Witches’ for showing them the ropes and bringing them along. After their impressive and thunderous, percussion heavy performance, the house lights dimmed and it was finally time to see what sort of strangeness our headliners were brewing up.
AIl Them Witches Charles Michael Parks Jr. performing at the Westcott Theater on 5/10/22
As the silhouettes of All Them Witches took their positions on the darkened stage, an eerie and brooding ambiance began funneling in, swelling and building tension in the now mostly full room. Finally, after much anticipation, the thick bass line and steady snare beat of the song “See You Next Fall” kicked in as vocalist Charles Michael Parks Jr. crooned his first words of the evening, “If all is well / I can not tell,” setting the tone for the heavy subject matter still to come. As the layers of sonic distortion, spacey textures and psychedelic fuzz continued to amplify, there was always a type of impending dread under the surface.
The band was always in control, showing a calculated restraint while building the tension to a boiling point before The Witches would finally kick on the overdrive pedals and unleash an all-out sonic assault of the senses. Brilliantly executed throughout the evening, the band was able to ‘craft’ a well-balanced setlist that both kept the listener on their toes and built momentum through the duration of the show. Working their way through AIW staples like “When God Comes Back,” “Diamond,” and “1×1” (which featured the crowd shouting in unison “I can’t wait to be defeated,”) the band flexed their musical might with a cool confidence that never seemed too “over the top.”
Rooted in the blues, but with a propensity for all things heavy, the influences for AIW’s sound are all over the map. While you would never confuse them for the Grateful Dead, it was hard not to notice the huge Steal Your Face slap on guitar player Ben McLeod’s amp, or the Gilmour influence on stand out tracks of the night like “Saturnine & iron Jaw,” which goes from delicate and tasty Pink Floyd-esq licks to suddenly shifting directions to a chugging, meaty crunch reminiscent of bands like Tool and Mastodon. Perhaps the essence of this versatility was best on display during the incredible one-two punch of the bluesy, almost spoken word styled “The Marriage of Coyote Woman” which alligatored nicely with the relentless riffage of “Enemy of My Enemy.” Footage of that can be seen below:
Pausing for a moment to acknowledge The Swell Fellas kicking off the party, Parks would then lead the crowd in a “Happy Birthday” singalong to bandmate Ben, who suddenly found himself on stage alone in the spotlight. Seizing the opportunity, McLeod would noodle his way into a beautiful instrumental called “Everest.” When the rest of the band returned to the stage, Parks claimed the birthday boy had wrote that song when he was just twelve years old.
AIl Them Witches guitarist Ben McLeod celebrates his birthday at the Westcott Theater on 5/10.22
Now trading his bass guitar for an acoustic one, Parks would duet with Allan Van Cleave on electric violin for the song “The Children Of Coyote Woman.” Van Cleave, an original member clad in a ridiculous cat shirt, took a break from the band in 2018 and only has played a handful of shows since rejoining The Witches in 2021. Afterwards, the multi-talented Van Cleave could be seen talking with fans, handing out setlists and taking selfies, clearly happy to be back on the road again.
All Them Witches Allan Van Cleave rejoined the band in 2021
Moving forward, vocalist Charles Michael Parks Jr. then introduced a song the band has “rarely played,” partially because it’s a newer one called “ Fall into Place.” A decade into their career and with six albums to choose from, it was obvious they couldn’t play everything. As fans started to worry they might not hear their favorite AIW song, many of those fears were quelled when The Witches launched into “41” and then closed out the set with a towering rendition of “Blood and Sand / Milk and Endless Waters.” Exiting stage left to a rousing ovation, the boys still had one song left in their back pocket. The one people were calling out for all evening long.
After a brief encore break and some more begging from the thirsty crowd, All Them Witches returned to the stage to send them home happy. Whether they heard their call, or were perhaps playing the audience like a fiddle, the band closed the show with perhaps their most well-known song, “Alabaster” which Parks described as a “dancing song, if you feel comfortable enough.” As the band took their final bow of the evening, Parks then simply said, “Thanks everybody. Get home safe. We love you a lot.” Footage of the band performing “Alabaster” can be seen by clicking on the link below:
Watch All Them Witches perform “Alabaster” live from the Westcott Theater on 5/10/22
An impressive performance from start to finish, the band showcased exactly why they are at the top of their genre. While their name my conjure up some preconceived notions, It was a pleasant surprise to see the vibe wasn’t all doom an gloom. At one point, Parks even stated he “hoped everyone had a good time, maybe talked to some new people, made a new friend. Cause that’s what it’s all about. We’re all in this together, so it’s important to try and love thy neighbor.” Complete with a distinctive sound, attention to arrangements, great vocals and strong visuals, All Them Witches have artfully crafted a presentation full of technical complexity, subtle nuance and mystery. A band worthy of your time.
All Them Witches | 5.10.2022 | Syracuse, NY | Westcott Theater
Setlist: See You Next Fall, 3-5-7, When God Comes Back, Saturnine & Iron Jaw, Diamond, 1×1, Fall Into Place, Everest, The Children of Coyote Woman, The Marriage of Coyote Woman, Enemy of My Enemy, 41, Blood and Sand / Milk and Endless Waters
Encore: Funeral for a Great Drunken Bird, Alabaster
For more photos of this show, check out the full gallery below, courtesy of NYS Music photojournalist Zak Radick.
Holler stompin’ their way back through the Northeast, The Ghost of Paul Revere made a spirited stop at the historic Bearsville Theater in Woodstock on Friday, April 15. It may also have been their last.
Joined by longtime friend and frequent collaborator, Jackson Kincheloe (of Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds) on harmonica for the evening, the band displayed all the hallmarks and charisma that once made mainstream success seem like a “sure thing.” Playing with passion and purpose and like their lives depended on it, you could almost feel there was something more to this performance; something bubbling under the surface that the band already knew but wasn’t ready talk about yet.
They say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and if that’s really true, The Ghost of Paul Revere should be ready for WrestleMania. Indeed, things have never been “easy” for the hard working alt-Americana folk rockers based out of Portland, Maine. Seemingly faced with one set back after another, things came to a literal crossroads this past Februrary in Colorado when their tour van — along with all their instruments, sound gear, swag and merch — was stolen from a hotel parking lot. With everything necessary to make a livelihood suddenly ripped away, the guys had two choices: either head back east with their tails between their legs, or take a chance and travel on into the unknown while relying on the kindness of strangers and fans. With an overwhelming show of support via a GoFundMe page set up for the band, they choose to travel on and were miraculously able to complete the tour without missing a single date. Even more inspiring, after reaching their estimated GoFundMe goal of $20,000 in just two days, GOPR gave back all extra donations, paying them forward to a charity of each band members choosing.
Riding into Bearsville on Friday, it was the first time many fans in attendance were seeing The Ghost of Paul Revere. After being treated to an intimate opening set from singer/songwriter Daniel Rodriguez, one of the founding members of critically acclaimed folk act Elephant Revival, the ‘boys from Buxton’ took the stage shortly after 9pm. Comprised of Griffin Sherry on guitar and vocals, Max Davis on banjo and vocals, Sean McCarthy on bass and vocals and drummer Chuck Gagne, GOPR wasted no time in planting foreshadowing seeds, opening the set with “Love at Your Connivence,” a song about reckoning with the emotions of walking away from someone you love. Up next came the Davis sung “Two Hundred and Twenty-Six Days” before the band welcomed an old friend to the stage, multi-instrumentalist and New York native Jackson Kincheloe. A lanky long-haired cowboy, covered in tattoos and armed with a harmonica, Kincheloe allegedly “just showed up looking like this, knowing all the songs and was ready to go,” immediately making his presence felt on the rocking, up-tempo rendition of the seldom played “Fire in the Sky.”
I lost my will to carry on the day you walked away Now I’m chained to a bottle of whiskey praying the levees goin’ break Just burn my home and take all my things, send me to the lord above Because I know on the day that the judgement comes sure as hell not going up
Lyrics from “Fire in the Sky”
A few songs in and guitar player Griffin Sherry couldn’t help but comment on how well behaved the crowd was, almost daring them to cut loose a little. It was easy for fans to do just that on one of the stand out songs of the night, an extended take on the 2015’s “Two Weeks,” which easily doubled the length of the studio recording and featured the entire band locking in on a groove lead by drummer Chuck Gagne, who appeared to be having an absolute blast playing behind the kit.
After working their way through career spanning staples like “Good at Losing Everything,” “Little Bird,” “San Antone” and “Wild Child,” Ghost of Paul Revere would introduce one of the songs they are most proud of, “Ballad of the 20th Maine” which earned them national attention in 2019 when it was named Maine’s official ballad.
Between songs, banjo player Max Davis took the opportunity to talk about what it felt like playing there that night. That there are certain rooms that have a magic about them, a rich musical history, and that this is one of them and he could feel it, stating “There’s just certain feelings and there’s no lying about it. The people that have been in this space have charted in unknowns and you just hope that you’re also charting in one of those unknowns.” He would then introduce one of his favorite songs to play, “Montreal.”
Well the grass may be greener and the scenery cleaner, but your heart never found a home; Are we growing apart or are we growing up? Are we stuck in a dream or are we waking up?
Lyrics to “Montreal”
One of the things that has helped GOPR gain so many new followers since forming in 2011 has been their tasteful selection of cover choices. Known for putting their unique Holler-folk twist on classics like “Baba O’Riley,” “War Pigs ,”Nothing From Nothing” and even newer songs like Dr. Dogs “Shadow People,” considering we were in Levon Country, a betting man would have probably placed his chips on them doing something like “I Shall Be Released,” a song GOPR has played rather frequently over the years. However, on this night, the band upped the ante and took things in a meta direction, opting to play a cover-of-a- cover in the form of “Atlantic City,” which received one of the biggest ovation of the evening.
Watch video of Ghost of Paul Revere covering “Atlantic City” in Bearsville, NY 4/15/2022
Ghost of Paul Revere would also play “Travel On,” a “yet to be named” new song that featured Sean McCarthy handling the bulk of singing duties before closing out the performance with one final bit of foreshadowing, a powerful and thought provoking song called “This is the End.”
Tell my father it was worth it; Tell my sister not to wait for me
Just don’t ask me if I’m doin’ okay (’cause I’m not okay)
Tell my friends that I love them Oh, my friends, this is the end, this is the end”
Lyrics to “This is the End”
The following day, Ghost of Paul Revere would play a show in Jersey City, NJ before making an announcement on social media Monday that nobody saw coming. “It has been a wild ride filled with an abundance of trials, tribulations and joy. When we first got together eleven years ago, we never could have imagined that we would be given the incredible opportunity to share our music with all of you for this long. Over 1200 shows, 400,000 miles, 46 states, 6 countries and (soon to be) 9 albums later, our journey has finally brought us to the here and now,” the band wrote. “Change is hard, it can be a subtle breeze that pushes you in a specific direction, or a rogue wave appearing without warning from the darkness. For the sake of our own health, our families and you, our fans, we have decided that this year’s Ghostland festival will be our last show – the end to a fantastic journey performing together – as The Ghost of Paul Revere,” the post continued, describing a mix of sadness and gratitude that comes with the decision, and encouraged fans to join them for shows as they finish their final last ride together.
“Although it may seem like it, we want you to know that “This is [not] the end.” The songs and music will always be there to share and enjoy with one another. We are excited to journey into the next chapter of our lives and will continue to keep everyone posted about our future, individual endeavors. We hope to see each and every one of you throughout spring and summer for “The Last Ride,” our final tour, which will include a number of new and exciting announcements and show additions coming soon! We hope to see you there so we can sing the songs we all love and share these final moments with you at least once more.
Love you all and thank you for believing,
Griffin, Sean, Max, & Chuck”
Following the announcement, long time fans flooded the internet with photos and personal memories they’ve shared with the band. Coming from a small town in Maine, it’s clear the Ghost had a far greater reach and meant more to people than they probably realize. Honest songs with beautiful harmonies, the universal appeal of the hard-working everyman and full of untapped potential. With a handful of new dates already announced before their final show in September, you’re encouraged to go see this band while you still can.
NYS Music would like to thank The Ghost of Paul Revere for the music, memories, good times, and for always making time for us over the years. We wish each member the best of luck and success in all their future endeavors.
4/15/22 | Bearsville Theatre | Woodstock, NY
One Set (partial): Love at Your Connivence, Annabelle, Fire in the Sky, Two Weeks, Little Bird, Good at Losing Everything, Travel On, New Song, Ballad of the 20th Maine, Atlantic City, Wild Child, San Antone
Encore: This is the End
For more photos from their final performance in Bearsville, NY, check out the galley below, courtesy of Rock Journalist and NYS Music contributor Zak Radick.
The spirit of the Grateful Dead was alive and well this past weekend as veteran improv rockers Dark Star Orchestra finally played their annual New Year’s Eve celebration in Albany. Held on April 1st and 2nd at the storied Palace Theatre and re-dubbed “Fool Year’s Eve,” the joke was on you if you missed this gratuitous good-time jubilee. Couldn’t make it to the show? No need to worry, our man on the scene, NYS Music photojournalist Zak Radick was there and has a full recap of all the sights and sounds from the memorable occasion.
It all started around 7pm when suddenly out of nowhere, they came out from everywhere. Funneling into the base of Clinton Ave and North Pearl, an apparent make-shift flash mob of “Dead Head’s” made the sidewalk near McGeary’s Irish Pub the weekend’s designated ‘Shakedown Street’ for this trip to Albany. A traveling do-it-yourself marketplace for fans to commerce and socialize with our like-minded folks, these pop-up flea markets AKA Shakedown Street’s, have been a longstanding fixture for fans of the original Grateful Dead community going on decades now and are just one of the many traditions fans still regularly practice. It was a nice thing to see in a town that’s been through so much, yet never lost heart. Vibrant and friendly, chatty and colorful, the pre-game hustle was in full swing outside the historic venue just prior to showtime. Having already been there and done that, the older ‘heads’ soon began filing inside, not wanting to miss a moment of the opening acoustic set from DSO guitar player Jeff Mattson. And they were sure glad they did, as they were serenaded by a delightful opening combo of “Dire Wolfe” and “Deep Elem Blues” while finding their seats. Soon word had reached the street that the show “was on” and before long the lower level of the gorgeous room was packed with people and yes, an overwhelming smell of patchouli, body odor and pot.
The Palace looking as lovely as ever, a simple glance around the theatre revealed a fan base the spanned all ages and backgrounds, but most skewing older. Many wearing tie dye, some with dreadlocks to their knees and flowers in their hair, others covering up in cowboy hats and trucker caps, while other came dressed in their New Year’s best, sporting their finest sparkling dancing pants and glamorous glittering jackets. Still, there were the other ones. The fans who looked like regular Joes you’d pass in a grocery store aisle and never expect they’d know every single word to every single song written by Jerry Garcia and company. The brief but beautiful acoustic set from Mattson also featured Lisa Mackey on harmonica and concluded with a sentimental rendition of “Ripple,” sending fans buzzing to intermission debating if that was a recreation from a Dead set, or a standalone, original set of select Dead covers.
With balloons hanging high over the Palace, the Dark Star Orchestra causally took the stage around 8:30 to a rowdy ovation from eager and attentive fans. Comprised of members Rob Eaton and Jeff Mattson on guitars and vocals, Rob Barraco on keys, Rob Koritz and Dino English on drums and percussion, Skip Vangelas on bass and Lisa Mackey on backing vocals and harmonica, DSO has been a fixture in the jam scene for more than 20 years and have over 3,000 shows under their belts. Bringing the essence of a live Grateful Dead show back to reality for a whole new generation, the band is often seen as one of the top acts of their kind, and now popular enough to fill a place like the Palace. An impressive testament to their consistency and quality of performances.
Perhaps with acknowledgement to GD history, or perhaps in acknowledgement of the heady pre-show Shakedown scene earlier, it seemed fitting when Dark Star Orchestra opened the second set of the night with a rambunctious rendition of the beloved classic “Shakedown Street”. The appreciative audience already spilling out into the aisleways and concession overflow area in full ‘dance-party boogie’ mode. By this point, you just had that old familiar feeling that it was fixing to be a fun night! From there, the band went into a “Me and My Uncle >Mexicali Blues” segment, followed by a lively “Cold Rain and Snow” that saw the crowd showcasing their collective ‘singalong’ voices one of the loudest times of the night. A “blues” heavy set, we also caught “CC Rider,” “It Must Have Been the Roses,” “Beat It On Down The Line,” and a lengthy “Big Boss Man>New Minglewood Blues>Don’t Ease Me In” to send fans to their second set break of the evening.
There was a special moment just prior to the start of the third set when the DSO crew invited legendary Albany promoter Greg Bell of Guthrie Bell Productions out to the stage. Marking thirty years to the day since holding his first show, Bell made a brief but candid toast, thanking the dedicated music fans of the Capital Region for all the support over the years. A mutual moment respect and acknowledgement for a man who’s meant so much to the local music community for the last three decades.
When everyone returned, the rocking second set kicked off with “Iko Iko” and then in one of the musical peaks of the night, a fantastic high energy take on a “Playing in the Band”> “Terrapin Station” > “Playing in the Band” sandwich before things got a little weird with the obligatory “Drums/space”. Things started cooking again with the slow and building crescendo of “The Other One” that seamlessness faded into “Not Fade Away” and “Going Down the Road Feeling Bad.” “Morning Dew” would round out the set with just enough time for another quick break before the midnight shenanigans would ensue.
Honoring the spirit of the original Grateful Dead, the band played well into the evening giving fans exactly what they were hoping for. As the clock now approached midnight, the balloons that had been hanging over head all night finally released and DTO began the famililar chords of the song they took their name from, “Dark Star.” Loving every second of it, fans were quick to bat the balloons around like beach balls, and seemingly keep them afloat for the remainder of the show. A pair of fan favorite “Bertha” and “Good Lovin’” brought the show to an end and the audience to their feet, howling in approval and for just one more. Happy to oblige, DTO returned with Lisa Mackey taking center stage during an encore of “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” before cluing the audience this performance was an originally inspired by the Grateful Dead’s December 311st, 1981 show in Oakland, California.
A great performance made even better by the great crowd, Dark Star Orchestra surpassed expectations. They sounded fantastic, musically tight and with singing voices strong and full of vigor. It was an evening drenched in familiarity and comfort and the result was a near perfect atmosphere for the audience to let themselves get lost in. That indescribable feeling only the live music experience can deliver and on this first night in April, the Palace Theatre in Albany was truly a fool’s paradise.
Dark Star Orchestra | 4.1.2022 | Albany, NY | Palace Theatre
Set 1: (Jeff Mattson Acoustic) Dire Wolf, Deep Elem Blues, Ripple
Set 2: Shakedown Street ; Me And My Uncle > Mexicali Blues ; Cold Rain And Snow ; C.C. Rider* ; It Must Have Been The Roses** ; Beat It On Down The Line ; Big Boss Man* > New Minglewood Blues* > Don’t Ease Me In
Set 3: Iko Iko ; Playing In The Band > Terrapin Station > Playing In The Band > drums > space > The Other One > Not Fade Away > Going Down The Road Feeling Bad > Morning Dew
Set 4: Dark Star > Bertha > Good Lovin’
Encore: It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue**
Filler: My Sisters And Brothers
* with Lisa on harmonica – original had Matt Kelly ** with Lisa on vocals – original had Joan Baez
Dark Star Orchestra | 4.2.2022 | Albany, NY | Palace Theatre
Set 1: Hell In A Bucket > Let It Rock ; When I Paint My Masterpiece ; Loser ; Cumberland Blues ; I’ll Take A Melody > Deal ; Masters of War ; Box Of Rain > One More Saturday Night
Set 2: Here Comes Sunshine > Greatest Story Ever Told ; Revolution > Feel Like A Stranger > drums > space > Corrina > Help On The Way > Slipknot! > Throwing Stones > Days Between > Slipknot! > Franklin’s Tower
Capital Region concert goers were emphatically “ready” Sunday night, answering the question that started it all for enduring alt-metal icons Korn. Turning out in droves to the newly anointed MVP Arena (formerly the Times Union Center), it had been several years since local Albany “freaks” had been able to see the Bakersfield, California metal mainstays in this type of setting. Fresh off the release of their 12th studio album Requiem, the pioneering titans silenced anyone who thought they may have gone soft, bludgeoning fans with a career-spanning selection of angsty anthems, radio hits, and OG favorites. Still here, still volatile and still a draw, on this night Korn reminded everyone exactly why, at one point, they were considered the kings of the genre.
Trading in the JNCO’s for black leather trench coats and hitting the road for 19 dates with fellow hard rockers Chevelle and Code Orange, the two-time Grammy award winning band have an ambitious spring lined up. Comprised of vocalist Jonathan Davis, guitarists James “Munky” Shaffer and Brian “Head” Welch, bassist Reginald “Fieldy” Arvizu, and drummer Ray Luzier, the sheer level of Korn’s reach over the years transcends accolades and platinum certifications. While it’s easy to make fun of their name and the nu-metal scene they largely helped bring to the masses, Korn has shown they are indeed ‘here to stay’ by continuing to push boundaries and finding ways to connect with a whole new generation. You see, in 2022 there is very little left for them to prove. From conquering the ‘boy band’ craze of the late nineties to selling over 40 million albums, at their peak Korn was arguably the biggest band in the world. Many will remember their star-making TRL and SNL appearances, their Family Values Tours and their infamous headlining scorcher during the first night of Woodstock ’99, before Rome went up in flames. These days, however, you can almost count the number of “heavy bands” who survived that era on one hand. A testament to their longevity, on this night in Albany plenty of people still wanted to see Korn throw down.
They came dressed in black, some with tattoos and eye liner, some covered in body piercings, others with neon-colored hair and sexy go-go boots, and yes, a few “freaks” came swimming in their vintage wide-legged JNCO’s. For the most part though, the fans who turned out were just your typical metalheads; the burly, bearded, beer-drinking guy-next-door type who likely has been “following the leader” for close to thirty years. After solid opening sets from Code Orange and Chevelle, it was finally time for what the Korn Kids came for.
As the lights suddenly went black, a brooding piece of orchestral music began piping into the MVP Arena. After a few moments, a large curtain with Korn’s logo became visible on stage, backlit to reveal silhouettes of the band members taking their signature power-stance positions. As the anticipation reached a fever pitch, the veil suddenly pulled away and fell to the floor as Korn launched into “Forgotten,” the first track off their new album. Fans instantly locked into it, erupting in unison while pumping their fists to the songs heavy chugging riff. The band looking fresh and already feeding off the Albany energy, also bouncing to the groove in perfect syncopation, dreadlocks flying in all directions, bent over at the waists as their instruments practically touch the stage; the thunderous and steady hands of drummer Ray Luzier’s anchoring it all down from his massive kit high above the stage. Off to the races, Korn quickly followed that up with one of their biggest radio hits in “Got the Life” allowing fans to “get their boogie on” and show off their voices to the song’s sing-along chorus.
The thick and sludgy hit single “Here to Stay” came next, followed by a new and relatively untested song off their latest album called “Start the Healing.” Front man Jonathan Davis, who admits he feels most at home when he’s hurting, was in fine form here. Sounding as good as he ever has and just as tormented. His unique, guttural, throaty screams filling the arena as he stalked back and forth across the stage like a starving lion that’s just been unleashed. Closing his eyes and clutching onto The Bitch (his custom made H.R. Giger microphone stand), when watching Davis exercise his demons live, there is no denying his sincerity. The unimaginable pain of his past is obviously still there and is still fueling an unbridled rage. Speculation of abuse aside, whatever happened to Mr. Davis in his younger years clearly had a lifelong impact. The type of torment very few overcome and very few can ever truly understand.
Celebrating the twentieth anniversary of their Untouchables album, Korn would dust off a bit a rarity in the form of “No One’s There.” Davis would then pull out the bagpipes for the iconic intro of 1994’s demented nursery rhyme smash “Shoots of Ladders,” at one point even working in a tease of Metallica’s “One” before returning to its usual structure. Sensing an opportunity to slip in another new tune, Korn upped the heavy with “Lost in the Grandeur,” which saw Brian “Head” Welch really getting into it. If dreadlocks could tell a story, Head’s could write novels. Inches longer than the last time we saw him, the man has become something of an inspiration for fans battling the hopelessness of addiction. After stunning the metal world in 2005 by quitting the band and finding faith, it would be years before fans discovered the reality of the situation. After kicking a life-threatening drug addiction and learning to better manage severe bouts of depression, Welch would rejoin his brothers in the band in 2012. Seeing him look healthy, happily headbanging and throwing souvenir guitar picks at fans, you couldn’t help but respect the guy. Let’s admit it, Korn just isn’t Korn without the chemistry between Head and guitarist James “Munkey” Shafer and if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, by now this dynamic dreadlocked duo of 7-string ax slingers could have their own monument. The signature sound they fathered was on full display for the next two songs, a pair of radio hits in “Ya’ll Want a Single” and “Falling Away From Me.”
There was a fun moment during “Coming Undone” when the band did a surprise segue into Queen’s classic arena rock anthem “We Will Rock You.” The main portion of the set then concluded with perhaps Korn’s most well-known song “Freak on a Leash,” the breakdown giving bassist Reginald “Fieldy” Arvizu a prime opportunity in the spotlight to showcase his impressive musical chops, resulting in a raucous and sustained ovation from fans of all ages as the band exited the stage.
After a few minutes of soaking in the cheers, Korn happily returned to play a few more. First was a medley of sorts consisting of the opening track 1998’s Follow the Leader, ‘It’s On!’ mashed up with the songs ‘Trash’ and ‘Did My Time.’ From there, one of the most unique and unimitatable songs in Korn’s discography, the Davis-led snarling beat box style scat-rap of ‘Twist’ which flowed directly into a song that’s been on the shelf in recent years, ‘A.D.I.D.A.S.’ The kinkier side of the Capital Region showing itself during the adolescent acronym hit when the entire arena sang together “I don’t know your fuckin’ name, so what? Let’s fuck!” and then simultaneously shouting out that “all day [they] dream about sex.” A truly memorable and somewhat hilarious moment. After an impressive, yet obligatory drum solo from Luzier, Korn thanked fans for all the years of support, promised they’d be back soon, and then sent the crowd home happy with the song that put them on the map, a celebratory rendition of “Blind,” complete with a cannon blast of confetti and party streamers and a massive applause from the Albany Korn Kids who still deeply appreciate and respect this band.
Like stepping back in time, this “freak show” felt like a nostalgic throwback to the glory days of the late 1990’s. Firing on all cylinders and going balls-to-the-wall the entire performance, Korn clearly still has “it” and are showing no signs of slowing down. With their impressive and physically demanding stage presence, unmatched intensity, energy and rage, it was as if Korn found the fountain of youth on this evening in Albany. Musical trends come and go, but this is still rock n’ roll and there will always be an audience hungry for this type of angry, defiant, and cathartic music. On this memorable mid-March night, metal fans got exactly what they paid for.
Korn | March 20, 2022 | Albany, NY | MVP Arena
Setlist: Forgotten, Got the Life, Here to Stay, Start the Healing, No One’s There, Shoots and Ladders, Lost in the Grandeur, Y’all Want a Single, Falling Away From Me, Worst Is on Its Way, Coming Undone Freak on a Leash
Encore: It’s On / Trash / Did My Time, Twish, A.D.I.D.A.S., Drum Solo, Blind
Brooklyn based alternative buzz band Acid Dad brought their “A” game to Troy on Frida, March 4th, mesmerizing fans at the collar city’s newest live music night spot, No Fun. Conveniently located along River Street, despite the club’s name good times were aplenty as the band dropped a heavy dose of their signature psychedelic shoegaze sound; a sonic assault of fuzz infused feedback, groove-heavy basslines, relevant and catchy lyrics complete with an atmospheric 60’s-style liquid drop lightshow that would have made even a young Syd Barret feel at home.
Acid Dad performs at No Fun in Troy, NY
Consisting of duel singer/guitarist duo Vaughn Hunt and Sean Fahey, drummer Trevor Mustoe, and on this night bassist Zoltán Sindhu, who was performing double duty after opening the show with NYC’s Programmique, Acid Dad have been riding a steady wave of growth since Vaughn first started recording the band’s debut EP in a Bushwick basement in 2016. During the pandemic, the guys made good use of their time by building a new recording space in Queens, while also continuing to independently produce all their own music, art and even build some of their own instruments. The end result was their latest LP, ‘Take It From The Dead,’ which “dropped” last summer on Brooklyn’s Greenway Records and psych powerhouse LEVITATION’s label, The Reverberation Appreciation Society.
Originally scheduled to play “No Fun” in early February, Acid Dad finally made their Troy debut this past Friday, March 4th. Playing to a diverse crowd ranging from college students, hipsters, plane jane’s, punks, drunks, die hards, posers, nerds, frat boys, Dead heads, lo-life’s, sell-outs, some cool dudes and a few people still somehow in between, the multi-generational appeal of Acid Dead was apparent from the start. In contrast to lyrics contained in their song “Searchin’” that claim the band is “still stuck in the 70’s” Acid Dad has clearly ingested a multitude of influences that span all eras of music. With a sound the brings to mind influential “do it yourself” indie bands of the late 90’s like The Brian Jonestown Massacre and The Dandy Warhols, Acid Dad have steadily built on those foundations and steadily developed their own unique, catchier spin on the timeless distorted guitar-based genre.
Sean Fahey & Zoltán Sindhu performing with Acid Dad
Just a block away from Troy’s Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, Acid Dad opened their set Friday night with the single “BBQ.” Featuring an infectious bass-heavy groove matched by a searing twin guitar attack and an utterly hypnotic light show, fans dug it from the get-go. Following that were intoxicating renditions of “Brain Body,” “She Only Eats Organic,” and the aforementioned “Seachin’” By the time Acid Dad reached the opening chords of the thought provoking “Marine,” the band was firing on cylinders so hot, jackets in the once freezing room were no longer needed. Taking a moment to tune up, the slow burn closer of their self-titled debut album “Dissin’ was next, followed in contrast by the opening track of the same album, “Die Hard.”
From there came perhaps the most well received song on the evening, the lead single from their latest release, “RC Driver.” Keeping the energy high with the relentless driving rhythm of “Living with a Creature” here the young guitar slingers really cut loose, letting their hair fly while thrashing about the stage and indulging in their effects pedals. Another highlight on the night followed that in the form of “Djembe,” where the Brian Jonestown Massacre’s influence, circa “Give it Back!” era, could really be heard.
“We lie, We all lie Because mother Russia does not suffer We run, We all run I can’t run, I can’t run Because mother Russia does not suffer Mother Russia will not suffer”
But just wait mister, Mr. Major Well I question your precedence Mister, Mr. Major Well I question your precedence”
lyrics from Mr. Major
Taking a moment to address the audience before the start of the next song, Vaughn Hunt openly talked about the escalating situation in the Ukraine and that despite writing “Mr. Major” five years ago, it’s taken on a whole new relevance in recent weeks. While fans soon realized this might be a moment worth capturing on their phones, the band then launched into a particularly heartfelt version of it, giving it everything they had left in the tank and bringing the set to a close. Despite the diversity within the mixed collar city crowd, the they were unified in their overwhelming approval and in their pleas for one more song. Happy to oblige, the exciting young band came back out for a fitting encore of “Don’t Get Taken.” Afterwards the hardworking and down to earth guys could be seen mingling with fans, both new and old, while selling their wares at the merch table.
Acid Dad’s Vaughn Hunt wrote ‘Mr. Major’ five year ago.
Singing songs about everything from drug addiction and dead friends, explicit sex and failed relationships to corporate greed and communism, don’t be fooled by their bunk name. Acid Dad are for real. Young, passionate, authentic, and believable. With a catchy recipe of heavy garage riffs mixed with a little punk, some post-rock vibes, a dose of new wave and plenty of sprawling sonic distortion, the only thing testing higher than their potential pH levels is their potential to become one of New York’s most relevant bands. With a huge spring on the horizon that includes a national tour with Australia’s Psychedelic Porn Crumpets and a confirmed slot on the ridiculously stacked Shakey Knee’s Music Festival in Atlanta, it would seem the best is yet to come and that Acid Dad is still far from peaking.
Acid Dad | 3-4-2022 Troy, New York | No Fun
Setlist: BBQ, Brain Body, She only Eats Organic, Seachcin’, Marine, High, Dissin’, Die Hard, RC Driver, Living with a Creature, Djembre, Mr. Major
Encore: Don’t Get Taken
Sean Fahey & Zoltán Sindhu performing with Acid DadAcid Dad’s Vaughn Hunt wrote ‘Mr. Major’ five year ago. Acid Dad performs at No Fun in Troy, NYProgrammique opening for Acid Dad in Troy, NYProgrammique opening for Acid Dad in Troy, NYProgrammique opening for Acid Dad in Troy, NYProgrammique opening for Acid Dad in Troy, NYProgrammique opening for Acid Dad in Troy, NYProgrammique opening for Acid Dad in Troy, NYProgrammique opening for Acid Dad in Troy, NYProgrammique opening for Acid Dad in Troy, NYProgrammique opening for Acid Dad in Troy, NY
Critically acclaimed singer/songwriter Sam Beam, better known by the stage name Iron & Wine, made a long overdue visit to the Capital Region Sunday night, bringing the “Back to Basics Tour” to a mostly sold out Swyer Theatre crowd at The Egg. Delivering a masterful set of original music while simultaneously putting on a clinic of “cool”, the thought provoking and soul-searching show was the kind of thing every fan of modern folk music dreams of. Straddling the line, but always finding the balance between intensely personal pain and lighthearted laughter, the stripped-down performance was nothing short of mesmerizing.
The evening began with a brief opening set from female singer/songwriter Hannah Cohen who was marvelous in her own right. Quickly making mention of how nice and clean the venue was, for whatever reason, it made her want to be dirty and curse out loud. “Fuckitdy fuck fuck fuck,” she blurted out, breaking the ice as the audience doubled over in laughter. After playing her first song, she told the crowd “This is not working for me, you guys are just way too quiet. You always hope for an attentive audience, but what do you do when you actually get one?” she pondered. Her beautiful and delicate voice juxtaposed with her raw sense of humor, foul language and a “tongue in cheek” invitation to pass one of her smelly shoes around for the room for anyone who wants a whiff all made for a memorable opening act for an artist worth keeping an eye on.
Hannah Cohen gets a leg up at The Egg
After a brief intermission and the customary dimming of the lights five minute prior to showtime, just a stool, a glass of water and a rack full of Taylor acoustic guitars set the stage for the evening’s headliner. No flashy lights, no fog machines, no video projections. Just a soft-spoken man named Sam and his signature “Rick Rubin-like” beard. Taking the stage to a hearty applause, Iron & Wine surveyed the audience while tuning up, asking where everyone was from and essentially letting them know it was ok to let their hair down a bit and interact. “They say I’m a folk singer, which isn’t exactly true. But I don’t give a shit, if it fits, it fits.”
Papa died Sunday and I understood; All dead white boys say, “God is good” -Sodom South Georgia
After a bit of noodling on the nylon, Iron & Wine opened the set with some heavy subject matter in the form of “Sodom South Georgia,” likely in acknowledgment that it was a Sunday evening during the coldest month of winter. The well-mannered crowd hanging on every word in total silence from the get-go, then unanimously erupting in approval upon the song’s final note, an ovation so loud even Sam seemed surprised. “Oh, it’s gonna be that kind of night. Ok Albany, I see you. As a performer, you have no idea how strong that kind of applause makes us feel,” Beam said. “But no matter how many times I’ve played this next one, all the clapping in the world won’t stop me from messing up.”
Alone and vulnerable on darkened stage Sam did screw up, even stopping mid song at one point and telling us there were just so many chords to remember. “I probably should have practiced.” Charming in his honesty, it’s part of what makes Iron & Wine so endearing and relatable to both new fans and old. “It’s ok Sam, we still love you!” shouted a female voice near the front. “Thanks for coming, Mom” Beam immediately responded with razor-sharp wit. “I’m so glad you could make it out tonight.” A joke that had everyone laughing and one he’d play up for the remainder of the show. Beam’s personality always showing through, despite a set made of mostly melancholy material. “Now I don’t know about you,” he joked, “but when I think about uplifting feel good albums, ones you can throw on at the gym, I think we know who’s right at the top. These little rooms are fun though, yeah? For some people.”
Some call it talking blues (talking blues) Some call it bitter truth Some call it getting even in a song
I can’t read it, didn’t mean it As you would rage how I was wrong Life is too short, and you’d stay too long Let’s be honest, we were strongest till I let you drag me down I was sorry then, I’m not now
You’d better love yourself, ’cause I tried
-Bitter Truth
“What a weird job. You can say bullshit and people will clap. It’s amazing, you guys should try it. Just go to your job and like totally fuck up everything that you try to do, curse, and see what happens. You never know, you might be rewarded like me? It’s fucking crazy.” And with that confession, came perhaps the standout song of the night and also the biggest hit in the brilliant Iron & Wine catalog; a hauntingly unique, vocal only rendition of “Flightless Bird, American Mouth.” Prominently featured in Hollywood’s ultra-successful Twilight saga, the song currently has over 162 million streams on Spotify alone. Claiming vampires have long been a great muse for songwriters, he is very aware of just how pretentious some people view his music. “It’s pretty crazy to write these songs and put them out. You don’t know who it lands on. Sometimes it lands pretty hard though and you have no idea. I just want to say ‘thanks.’”
Watch Iron & Wine perform “Flightless Bird, American Mouth” live at The Egg!
All tallied up, Iron & Wine played a total of 16 songs spanning across 10 albums. Fans were also treated to an as-of-yet unreleased song called “Why Hate Winter.” Other notable highlights included “Grace for Saints and Ramblers,” Each Coming Night, ”Autumn Town Leaves,” “Call it Dreaming,” and the set closing “Waitin’ for a Superman.”
The story the setlist doesn’t show, however, is what the audience brought to the table. While it may have been a one man show mostly consisting of slow and sad songs, the crowd was fully invested and lively the entire night. A mutual back-and-forth- feeding of energy through off the cuff banter, a little beatboxing, and lots of mutual laughter, this was the variable that truly made the show something special. Combined with a carefully crafted setlist chosen specifically for Albany, you won’t get this same show the next time, or in the next city. While Beam’s playing wasn’t aways perfect, he’s a perfect example of personality going a long way and that it’s somehow possible to turn sorrow into success. A special kind of artist capable of changing the way you think and how you feel. I dare say anyone who was at Swyer Theatre on Sunday night left The Egg as a different, more complete person.
Up next for Iron & Wine, a few weeks of rest before returning to the road for the remainder of the Back-to-Basics tour. After that, Beam will join up with his ultra-talented buddy Andrew Bird for the recently announced Outside Problems Tour. The co-headlining jaunt is set to bring the two acclaimed artists to more than 25 cities later this summer, including stops at both Pier 17 in New York as well as Beak & Skiff Apple Orchard in LaFayette, New York. The smart money says you’re not going to want to sleep on this one.
Iron & Wine / February 27, 2022 / Swyer Theatre at The Egg, Albany, NY
Setlist: Sodom South Georgia, Follow the Water, Lion’s Mane, Bitter Truth, Lover’s Revolution, Each Coming Night, Flightless Bird, American Mouth, Autumn town Leaves, Woman King, Resurrection Fern, Rabbit Will Run, Grace for Saints and Ramblers, Why Hate Winter, Call It Dreaming, Waitin’ for a Superman.
The third try was a charm over president’s day weekend, as Buffalo based grove rockers Aqueous made good on their promise to blow the roof off the newly minted Brooklyn Mademusic venue upon their return to the big city. Once a band that appeared to be on a perpetual never-ending tour, dates for these one-time road warriors have been few and far between ever since the emergence of Covid-19 almost two years ago. For long time fans of the band, AKA AQuaintances, these days it feels like any scheduled Aqueous show is something of a “must see.”
Originally set to take place back on November 6th, 2021, then later rescheduled to December 29th, both shows were postponed due to lingering health concerns. Now late February 2022 and with concerts slowly starting to happen again, the timing was ripe for a rager and fortunately for patient music fans, that’s exactly what Aqueous delivered. Complete with surprise sit-in’s, candid moments and teases galore, on this cold Saturday night in Brooklyn, the boys from Buffalo carved out stellar, fiery performance that was well worth the wait.
Opening the show was Philadelphia five piece Chestnut’s Groove. Known for their down ‘n dirty, shake, rattle and rock ‘n roll vibe, this band of best friends were quite impressive in their Brooklyn Made debut. Fighting through excessive stage fog like something out of This Is Spinal Tap and lead by the charismatic “bad girl” energy of singer Dee Gerhart and the powerhouse vocals of drummer James Daniels, it wasn’t long before the band won fans over and had everyone in the place stomping their feet and clapping along too. So much fun in fact, even Aqueous guitar player Mike Gantzer couldn’t resist getting in on it, sitting in with the band on their final song of the high octane set.
After a brief set break all the waiting was over, the stage was set and on this bitterly cold winter night in Brooklyn, it was finally going down. Aqueous, consisting of Mike Gantzer (guitar/vocals), Dave Loss (guitar/keys/vocals),d rummer Rob Houk and bassist Evan McPhaden made their intentions clear from the get go, launching into one of their signature originals “Don’t Do It.” Complete with an extended ‘build up’ intro and a healthy dive into Phish’s “First Tube” territory, the party was already off to a rollicking start. Following it up in the two-hole with one of their more electronic/ hip-hop sounding songs was “Split the Difference” which seamlessly segued into “Skyway”, resulting in one of the bands biggest jams of the night.
“I don’t see any reason to get worked up, already got enough on my plate
in this mess we call life, takin’ it day by day
I don’t see any reason to get worked up when you got nothin’ to say
you never have nothin’ to say”
-Skyway
Following up “Skyway” was another highlight of the evening, a most welcome surprise sit in by the newly formed Horn Section, featuring former Turkuaz members Greg Sanderson on saxophone and Chris Brouwers on trumpet, lending their talents on a cover of the Steely Dan classic “Peg.”
The Horn Section
Turning up the funk now, Aqueous would uncork a monster version of Mosquito Valley, Pt. 1 that stretched so far it reached AC/DC’s “Back in Black” territory, much to the delight of everyone in the room. By this point fans had to be thinking to themselves “is this the longest first set in AQ history or what?” before the band would confirm they want to keep the energy going and therefore play right though set break, then launching into another signature AQ song, The Median. Notable about this particular version was the distinctly heavier vibe it took on, presumably a direct byproduct of Ganzter’s recent time on the road with his new throwback Punk/Metal outfit known as the Death Kings, which also features former Turkuaz drummer Mikey “Ox” Carubba and Umphrey’s McGee bass player Ryan “Little King” Stasik.
Following up “The Median” came another fan favorite in “Second Sight,” a song about human interaction, shedding cynicism and bridging petty gaps.
“Not worth its weight in gold I feel a great divide We’re more alike than different And still we’re picking sides”
The Median
Following a brief pause between songs, some playful stage banter resulted in an impromptu crowd singalong of Greenday’s nostalgic anthem “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life), which was then quickly was rip-corded in favor of one the oldest songs in the Aqueous catalog, Eon Don. About half way into the tune, Aqueous invited their friends in the Horn Section back out once again, this time resulting in a jaw dropping display of musicalty, as Ganzter conducted extended “call and response” type duels with both Sanderson and Brouwers before the song finally reached it’s climactic peak and left the audience howling in approval as the band finally put down their instruments for the first time all night and walked off the stage.
After a few minutes of straight up begging, Aqueous finally obliged and came back out for a single song encore, treating fans to a new tune called “Finding Our Way” which has only been played three other times since debuting at the Peach Festival last summer. With enough space to let each member shine individually and a chorus that sees all of the band singing along in unison, the groove heavy catchy tune, while still new, has all the moxy to become an AQ staple of the future. On a night that featured an absolute bevy of fan favorites, closing the night out like this just seemed to make sense. A most impressive showing for their debut at Brooklyn Made. Despite having to be rescheduled twice and almost never happening, anyone who was there will undoubtedly tell you that “this show was worth the wait.”
Up next for the Aqueous is another highly anticipated makeup date, returning to Buffalo’s Town Ballroom for their belated hometown New Year’s Eve celebration this Friday, February 25th. Fans will want to make sure they get there early to catch the exciting opening act as Connecticut’s Eggy gets the festivities going at 7pm. Aqueous then return to New York on April 8th and 9th for a pair of shows in Saratoga Springs and Syracuse with support from Long Island’s Baked Shrimp.
Aqueous – February 18, 2022, Brooklyn Made, Brooklyn NY
Setlist: Don’t Do It, Split the Difference > Skyway, Peg*, Mosquito Valley Pt 1 > Back in Black > The Median, Second Sight, Eon Don*
