NYS Music 202​2

Category: Photo Gallery

  • Tour Kickoff: Goose Soar into Dripfield Era at Westville Bowl

    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 westville bowl
    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/guitarist Peter 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

    . 

  • The Who Close Out First Leg of 2022 Tour at Bethel Woods

    The Who closed out the first half of its The Who Hits Back! 2022 North American Tour at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts on Saturday May 28.  The tour date coincided with the Memorial Day weekend and the start of Bethel Woods’ pavilion show season.

    The Who Bethel Woods
    Roger Daltrey, Loren Gold, Pete Townshend

    Opening night duties belonged to Willie Nile. Drawing from his extensive catalog of music, Nile and crew offered up a powerful 45-minute set.  Willie shared that he had gone to Woodstock in ’69 specifically to see The Who perform.  His excitement of performing on the same stage with them was quite evident.  A prolific writer whose songs talk to the common man, Nile dedicated a song to those impacted by gun violence, calling out his hometown of Buffalo.  Willie closed with the anthem styled “One Guitar.” As a preamble to the song, he pressed that with one guitar, one voice, we can come together and help the world.

    Backed by a full orchestra, Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend and The Who took the stage.  The night was an evening of essential Who.  With slight vocal variations to support the aging Daltrey’s voice, both he and Townshend did not let the audience of 16,000 down.  The core nine-piece band included Pete’s brother, Simon Townshend, on guitar and Ringo Starr’s son, Zak Starkey, on drums.  The show featured a full orchestra enhancing the night’s experience. The orchestra, which varies location to location, was comprised of tri-state musicians, and was led by conductor Keith Levenson.

    Willie Nile
    Willie Nile

    Mid-set the orchestra left the stage.  Pete and Simon Townshend donned acoustic guitars, shifting the tone a bit, as they started into “Seeker.” The mini set concluded with violinist Katie Jacoby, cellist Audrey Q. Snyder, and Pete Townshend sitting in the round as Roger Daltrey serenaded the audience with “Behind Blue Eyes.” 

    On the return of the orchestra, Pete noted he had fought against using an orchestra for the recording of Tommy. But with Quadrophenia, he realized its value. It was obvious at this point we were experiencing a live rock opera.  The evening came to a close with with a song loosely inspired by Pete’s observations from their time at the original Woodstock Festival, “Baba O’Riley” from Who’s Next.

    The Who Bethel Woods
    The Who

    Were there guitars smashed or drums blown apart?  No.  However, that did not matter.  This night was the about the genius of Pete Townshend, through the vessel that is The Who. For the Hudson Valley this was a trifecta night: Memorial Day weekend, live music, and The Who with an orchestra.  Long Live Rock.

    The Who

    The Who Bethel Woods
    The Who Bethel Woods
    The Who Bethel Woods
    The Who Bethel Woods
    The Who Bethel Woods

    Willie Nile

  • Lumineers Kick Off the Summer Season in Saratoga

    The Lumineers kicked off the 2022 Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) season in Saratoga Springs on Sunday, May 29th with their Brightside World Tour. Upwards of 20,000 fans poured into SPAC on a beautiful May evening that felt more like mid-summer. They played songs spanning their entire catalog, including dusting off one that hadn’t been played in almost a decade.

    SPAC 5/29/22

    After a 2 year delay due to COVID, the Boulder, CO Folk/Rock band made its first stop in Saratoga Springs. While the band hails from Colorado, they are no strangers to upstate New York. Brightside, the new album, was produced by Palenville, NY native and renowned musician Simon Felice, and engineered by David Baron at his Sun Mountain Studios in Ulster County, NY. Currently in the middle of their east coast swing, the group will continue throughout the Northeast and Midwest, before returning to NYC for a two night stand at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens.

    SPAC 5/29/22

    The evening opened up with Ohio based Caamp, an American folk/indie group performing for the eager crowd. After a short break that allowed the audience to mingle and enjoy the picturesque grounds, the Lumineers took stage to thunderous applause. Beginning with “Brightside” from their new album, then followed by well known songs “Cleopatra” and “Ho Hey”.

    At times, the audience started their own sing-alongs with some of their most popular songs. Towards the end of the performance front-man Wesley Shultz was assigning parts to the crowd, which they eagerly belted out. “Big Parade” which the band said hadn’t been played in about 9 years, was met with excitement. Another highlight came at the end of the show when they closed with the song “Stubborn Love” which had the crowd chanting along.  

    As the show ended, I overheard one fan exclaim to her friend “That was so much fun, I can’t wait for the next one” Fans certainly left with their hearts full of excitement, for the next stop on the tour, the next show at SPAC, and the summer season to begin in Saratoga Springs.

    The Lumineers – SPAC, Saratoga Springs, NY – May 29, 2022

    Setlist: Brightside, Cleopatra, Ho Hey, Flowers in Your Hair, Angela, A.M. Radio, Dead Sea, Slow It Down, Charlie Boy, Never Really Mine, Gloria, Sleep on the Floor, Ophelia, Leader of the Landslide, Where We Are, Rollercoaster, Morning Song, Big Parade

    Encore: Donna, Submarines, Birthday, Remington / Reprise, Stubborn Love

  • King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard Return to Rochester, Revive Water Street Music Hall

    Aussie psych-mavens King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard last played in Rochester almost exactly seven years ago, a half-full affair at the Bug Jar. Since then, they have put out an astounding 14 albums. In those same seven years, Water Street Music Hall, their venue of choice on their return to town Tuesday night, has been closed and opened under different names multiple times before finding it’s way back once again to Water Street Music Hall. This show sold out hours after going on sale and anticipation has been building ever since.

    king gizzard and the lizard wizard

    The line to get into the show stretched the full length of Water Street. Once inside, the sold-out crowd was bounding with potential energy, a powder keg waiting to be lit. Every test by every roadie for every instrument and every light and video screen was met with screams of excitement in the lead-up to the band’s arrival. “Gizzard” chants started, stopped, and started again.

    Opening with “The Dripping Tap,” an 18 minute epic off of their just out Omnium Gatherum, the sextet quickly erupted into their frenetic guitar-heavy signature. The fireballs of energy shooting off the stage set the crowd afire. Everyone was bouncing off the floor, bouncing off each other and bouncing off the walls. It was kinetic.

    king gizzard and the lizard wizard

    A screen on stage displayed colorful and glitchy animations that perfectly matched the bonkers activity of the musicians in front of it. The wild off-kilter lyrics, the everything all at once onslaught of sound, spasms of motion and color. Senses were sated, the audience transported.

    King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard smashed jams from no less than nine of their 20 albums into two near non-stop hours of energetic rock. Songs flowed effortlessly in and out of each other. Guitars, bass, harmonica, keys, electronics, flute and whoops and screams wove a thick mesh of sound that blanketed the vast music hall. Drummer Michael Cavanagh inhumanly kept the pace throughout, a gong seeming to serve as a protective shield for most of the night until it was finally crashed in a late set “Straws in the Wind.”

    The band and the crowd running on fumes, King Gizzard slammed on the accelerator one last time, closing out the night with one of their more recognizable and more frantic tunes, “Rattlesnake.” There was still enough left in the tank, the crowd revved the energy back up to a fever pitch one last time.

    Water Street Music Hall has been an important piece of the Rochester live music scene for decades. From the show announcement to the final notes of the show, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard helped revive the venue to it’s former glory. A sellout show that won’t soon be forgotten.

  • Knotfest Roadshow plows through Albany at MVP Arena

    On Tuesday May 24th 2022, MVP arena in Albany hosted Knotfest Roadshow, featuring Slipknot and Cypress Hill with Ho99o9 (Horror) as the opening act. Slipknot is currently on leg two of their roadshow that runs until June 18th in the USA. Slipknot is an American heavy metal band formed in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1995. This show marked 12 years since the passing of their original bassist Paul Grey on May 24th 2010.

    Large welcome sign inside the front doors of MVP Arena. Photo credit- Mike Miller

    Slipknot played many of their hits including Wait and Bleed, Psychosocial, Duality and Spit it out. Throughout the show Slipknot used pyrotechnics, many flame throwers and use of special effect lighting that was blinding at times to people in the front. The crowd in the front rows could feel the heat radiating from the flames bursting in the air. Crowd surfing and mosh pits were expected but their Albany fans brought more energy and raw emotion to the floor than other cities have their singer Corey Taylor said. Security was on point and ready to respond to any issues that arose and escorted any crowd surfers back to the floor section very quickly.

    The fans against the barricade. Photo credit Mike Miller

    To keep their look fresh, Slipknot has new masks this year. Their image is always changing slightly to stay aligned with their new music. They are expected to release their seventh album sometime this year. There was also VIP tickets for sale that included a walk through the Slipknot traveling “Museum”. It featured instruments of band members, and prior masks used, fans could view and interact with. New York hosted Knotfest Roadshow multiple last year in Syracuse and Darien Lake.

    Singer Corey Taylor. Photo Credit- Mike Miller

    Setlist: Disasterpiece, Wait and Bleed, All Our Life, Sulfer. Before O Forget, The Chapeltown Bag, Dead Memories. Unsainted, The Heretic Anthem, Psychosocial, The Devil and I, Snuff, Vermillion, Duality, Spit it out, People = Sh*t, Surfacing.

  • Primus Tributes Prog-Rock Legends at The Cap

    It’s been almost seven long years since Rush played what would become their final NY Metro area shows at Prudential Center in NJ and Madison Square Garden in NYC as part of their 40th anniversary tour. The talent of the trio – Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and the late Neil Peart – has left remarkable influences on many musicians touring today. Primus has been on the road performing their own songs as well as an entire set dedicated to performing Rush’s A Farewell to Kings in its entirety; the tour appropriately billed as “A Tribute To Kings.” A few of those recent stops were in Albany and this past weekend, The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester. Check out our coverage of Primus’ Albany show here.

    NYC-based duo Battles, who formed back in 2002, put on an intriguing opening set as an excellent compliment to the rest of the evening. In some ways, the duo seemed like a live performance of a DJ, minus the turntables. Using samples, they crafted remixes and improvised jams on guitar, synths, and drums, and certainly held the attention of The Cap.

    Primus took to the stage to the immediate delight of the full house crowd (which seemed to be nearly sold out at a quick glance of the room). Les CLaypool’s driving bass sound led a signature role through the first set as the band navigated through their repertoire, including the recently crafted ode to Volodomyr Zelensky, “The Man With The Iron Balls.” Proceeds from sales of that song, when released April 2022 went to benefit non-profit organization Nova Ukraine.

    Donning bit of the spacey glam garb as a nod to 1978, Primus returned for the second set to perform Rush’s A Farewell to Kings in its entirety. The anticipation for this moment of the show was visible even before entering The Cap; the sheer number of Rush album and tour t-shirts in the crowd might make one wonder if they were actually at a Rush fan convention. But in fairness, for the loyal Rush fans it certainly felt that way.

    Claypool noted his experience attending a Rush concert in his younger years, looking up to Geddy Lee as a tremendous influence and dreaming about someday playing bass on stage. Almost note for note, Primus recreated the album with remarkable precision to dynamics, tone and style, although Claypool joked about how difficult it was to mimic Geddy Lee’s high octave range (which he pulled off the few instances where he reached for that range).

    Rounding out the night, Primus returned for an extended encore to dive back into their own songs.

    Primus – The Capitol Theatre – Port Chester – May 20, 2022

    Set 1: Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers, Lacquer Head, Groundhog’s Day, Polka Dot Rose, American Life, HOINFODAMAN, Conspiranoia, Professor Nutbutter’s House of Treats, Hamburger Train, Harold of the Rocks, The Man With the Iron Balls

    Set 2: (A Farewell to Kings): A Farewell to Kings, Xanadu, Closer to the Heart, Cinderella Man, Madrigal, Cygnus X-1

    Encore: On the Tweek Again, Over the Electric Grapevine, Jerry Was a Race Car Driver, Tommy the Cat, Follow the Fool

  • Sound Mind Holds Fourth Annual Music Festival

    On Saturday, Sound Mind Live hosted their fourth annual music Sound Mind Live Music Festival, an event which aims to raise awareness and support for mental health programs.

    Held in Central Park, performers included Outkast’s Big Boi, rock bands Cold War Kids and American Authors, KAMAUU, Wrabel, and Allison Russell.

    Cold War Kids frontman Nathan Willett promoted the event in a CNN interview on Saturday.

    Speakers at the festival included Talinda Bennington, widow of Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington who passed away from suicide in 2017, New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Ann M. Sullivan, Matt Kudish, the Executive Director of NAMI-NYC (National Alliance on Mental Illness NYC), and Chris Bullard, the Executive Director of Sound Mind Live.

    Sound Mind Live Executive Director Chris Bullard speaking during the event.
    Sound Mind Live Executive Director Chris Bullard speaking during the event.

    “Sound Mind is based on the premise that collectively our voices are stronger, and that by amplifying artists who are speaking openly about their mental health, we can elevate the conversation and build a community and culture that breaks the stigma that exists today,” reads the “Our Vision” page on Sound Mind Live’s website.

    Non-profit partners of the organization include The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the American Foundation For Suicide Prevention, the Trevor Project, and several others.

    Big Boi of Outkast fame.
    Cold War Kids performing Saturday.
    American Authors lead man Zac Barnett.
    American Authors performing Saturday.
    Kamau Mbonisi Kwame Agyeman, better known by his stage name, KAMAUU.
    KAMAUU performing Saturday.
    Stephen Wrabel, professionally known by just his last name.
    Wrabel performing Saturday.
    Canadian singer-songwriter Allison Russell.
    Russell performing Saturday.
    Talinda Bennington, widow of Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington.
    Bennington speaking during the festival.
    New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Ann M. Sullivan.
    Matt Kudish, the Executive Director of NAMI-NYC speaking during the festival.
    Chris Bullard speaking during the festival.

  • In Focus: Amy Helm and Mavis Staples shine at Dirt Farmer Festival

    On Saturday, May 21, the Dirt Farmer Festival returned to the Arrowood Farms. The day was beautifully
    clear, hot and picture perfect. This is the second Dirt Farmer Festival to be held at Arrowood Farms.
    This festival has deep roots in the Hudson Valley. The first festival was originally held at the Arrowood
    Farms on August 19, 2018 and for several years prior, the Levon Helm Band played a series of free fall
    concerts at Gill’s Farm, just a few miles up the road, in Stone Ridge, NY.

    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is dirt-farmer-fest-howard-horder-5-21-22-49.jpg

    This concert festival was greatly anticipated and the show was everything anyone could possibly hope it
    would be, and then some. This day, this festival belonged to Amy Helm and it also belongs to Levon
    Helm and his legacy of supporting the local farming community. Amy made the day special. It’s not easy
    to look glamorous when the sun is strong enough that you can overheat just standing in place. How does
    Amy Helm do it? She does it with poise, a warm smile, a love of the music and the musicians, her friends
    and family and everyone in attendance. From the main stage, introducing Oliver Wood, Amy suggested
    that everyone should drink lots of water available at the bar area water station and stay hydrated.

    Arrowood Farms is a huge field with several buildings, hops growing on the west side, a brewery with
    an excellent locally brewed beer selection, an open air bar area and a relaxed easy going
    atmosphere. For this event, there were two concert stages, one is a permanent main stage and the
    second stage, a mobile stage wagon brought in for the event. There were nine scheduled performances
    alternating between the two adjacent stages.

    The performances ranged from full-on electric high energy dancing and boogie music to acoustic relaxed,
    let’s sit down, kick-back, enjoy the beautiful day and the live music. The show highlights, and there were
    a ton of great musical moments, but if one stood out, it was #1 Mavis Staples and #2 Mavis Staples and
    also, make no mistake, it was Mavis Staples. She is loved and adored. Her voice is strong and she played
    to her audience knowing she had full command of the stage. For the final song of her set, the crew and
    all the musicians in attendance piled into the front of the stage area to share the moment. You could
    feel the love, you could see the love. Seeing Mavis perform, everyone knew this was a special moment.

    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is dirt-farmer-fest-howard-horder-5-21-22-25-scaled.jpg

    The load-out and load-in between the Connor Kennedy Band and the final performance of the festival,
    the Midnight Ramble Band, was like watching organized chaos come together in a massive effort to get it
    right and do it on the fly. The musicians and stagehands, the sound crew, were all participating, unwinding cables, plugging-in and checking the sound. When you see Teresa Williams moving her own monitor, you know the division of labor went right out the window and it’s an all hands on deck effort. This was very clearly a local one-off concert and nothing like watching a national tour stage set-up. This one was for friends and family and it all came together for the Midnight Ramble Band’s set.

    The day absolutely belonged to Amy, but of course she could have not have done this all by herself. To
    all of the Levon Helm Studios staff and to everyone that worked diligently to make the Dirt Farmer
    Festival a successful event, thank you. The effort is greatly appreciated. Arrowood Farms,
    let’s do it again next year.

    dirt farmer festival
    OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

  • Jimkata Opens Ithaca Night Bazaar Summer Festival Series

    Ithaca Night Bazaar kicked off their summer festival series on Thursday evening, May 19, with hometown favorite, Jimkata. The captivating trio returned to the stage in Ithaca for the first time in six years. Jimkata fans were engaged and elevated as the 90 minute set of mesmerizing synths included fifteen years of hits plus “Wanna Go” and “Wait for You” from Bonfires, the bands most recent album.

    Jimkata performs at the Ithaca Night Bazaar. Photo by Allison Marie.

    Harmonizing their talents since grade school, Evan Friedell, Aaron Gorsch and Packy Lunn have developed a paradise for their fans to get lost in with a visual and lyrical approach like no other band out there. Their distinctive sound and catchy hooks will be sure to take you on a moving wild ride.

    Evan Friedell of Jimkata. Photo by Allison Marie.

    Learn more about Jimkata on their website.

    Jimkata – Thursday, May 19 – Ithaca

    Setlist: Die Digital, Wild Ride, Wait For You, Wanna Go, Writing On The Wall, Feel In Light, Jumping Out of Airplanes, Blessings in Disguise, Bonfires, Innocence, Ride the Wave, Weight of Paradise, Release. Encore: Won’t Let You Down, Nightshade.

    Packy Lunn of Jimkata. Photo by Allison Marie.

    Jimkata Tour Dates

    May 27 – Pueblo, CO – ARISE Festival 2022
    May 29 – Chillicothe, IL – Summer Camp Music Festival
    June 16 – Asbury Park, NJ – Wonder Bar
    June 17 – Brooklyn, NY – Knitting Factory
    June 18 – Beach Haven, NJ – HopSauce Fest 2022
    Aug 19 – Sherman, NY – Beyond The Blue 2022

  • Great Blue Play Goose Favorites, Cover RHCP in Saratoga Springs

    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 Lespsecial on 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: