John Mayer hit the MVP Arena on Thursday, February 19 for the opening of his much awaited Sob Rock Tour, promoting his most recent album by the same name. The stage design and look of the show gave off the ’80s aesthetic that Mayer has aligned Sob Rock with, invoking the decade of analog, windbreakers and neon.
Chicago-born Alexander 23 opened the show with an incredible 11-song set. Playing a good mix of songs off his just-now released (02/19/22) album Oh No, Not Again! he was an excellent crowd warmer. “Cry Over Boys” and “Brainstorm” were especially fun to dance along to.
When John hit the stage the room filled with cheers of excitement and love for the artist. Opening with “Last Train Home,” the first single from the new album, the legend addressed the audience, “Albany, welcome to the Sob Rock era.” From that moment, the crowd was locked in for a full night of new and classic favorites.
John Mayer has carved himself a place in music history, known for his smooth voice, and blues inspired guitar playing, which was plentiful during the show. His love for playing music is always apparent while he is on stage. The whole show combined the sing-along energy of your favorite popstar’s concerts and the groove of your favorite jam show. Mid-way through the show he told the audience very seriously, “We are prepared to make you move.” And move they did, everyone was on their feet the entire night.
Just as integral to the night was Mayer’s backing band. One highlight includes a jam-battle of John vs. his keys player, Greg Phillinganes, on keytar during a particularly jam-heavy “Helpless.” The audience was also lucky enough to hear perhaps John’s most famous song “Your Body is a Wonderland,” played for the first time with a full band. The song, a classic, was made anew by the full band accompaniment. Even John acknowledged this telling the audience, “Only a band like this could make a song feel that good.” The full arena singing along certainly helped, too.
One fan received a special shout out during the show when John pointed them out saying, “This person understood an assignment that hasn’t even been given yet!” The audience member donned 80’s inspired gear, Walkman attached to them. John was so delighted by this he even took a minute to get the camera on the fan who showed off their look with pride to the audience.
You could sense John was grateful to be there, like many artists who have had their live-touring plans disrupted or delayed these past two years. He even took a minute to share his gratitude with the crowd. “A lot of things have changed in the world, your tastes have changed, but you decided to come back and listen to these songs, and that means the world to me.” Which he followed with an early fan-favorite from his Continuum album, “Gravity,” while audience members held up phone flashlights to make the room sparkle. Even in a full arena, this moment felt intimate and special. The full show ended with an encore, including songs “Born and Raised” and “New Light.”
There was excitement and admiration as the audience left the arena following the show. John Mayer is known for his charisma and ability to make people fall in love with him over and over again. There is no doubt that he had succeeded at this once again during this Thursday night show in Albany.
This was the first stop on the Sob Rock national tour. Mayer heads to NYC for a two-night run at Madison Square Garden on February 20 and 21 and will be back in New York State on March 1 at the UBS Arena in Belmont Park, NY. Check out the full list of dates for the Sob Rock tour here. And if you attend one of the shows – don’t forget your Walkman!
Setlist: Last Train Home, Shot In The Dark, I Don’t Trust Myself With Loving You, Who Says, Love On The Weekend, Moving On And Getting Over, Shouldn’t Matter But It Does, Rosie, I Guess I Just Feel Like, Helpless, Stop This Train, In The Blood, Carry Me Away, The Beautiful Ones @, Slow Dancing In A Burning Room, Your Body Is A Wonderland, Wild Blue, All I Want Is To Be With You, Waiting On The World To Change, Gravity Encore: Born And Raised, New Light
Saranac Lake’s Winter Carnival 2022 is in the books, an event that drew thousands of tourists to the heart of the Adirondacks over February 4-13. Celebrating 125 years since the first Winter Carnival, the event was dialed back compared to past years, but the crowds indicated the event was coming back strong after 2021.
With the annual parade on Saturday, February 12, onlookers and locals took part in the annual spectacle, before heading to The Waterhole for The Big Takeover’s post-parade show. With 10 days of shows, The Waterhole was the place to make a pit stop at during any journey to Saranac Lake, regardless of the season.
West End Blend, no strangers to The Waterhole – having released Live at The Waterhole in 2018 – took the stage following a raucous set from Rochesters The Sideways. When it comes to the Hartford-based West End Blend, you’ll find yourself at a show wondering “Where does the band go wrong?” They hit on every note, take every chance and deliver on opportunities to drive the audience to a frenzy. There are no wrong turns here, simply a fantastic funk band, immersed in a united delivery of a stellar show, every time.
Tonight was no different, with original songs peppered throughout their two sets, with songs by Prince and Paul Simon driving the Totally 80’s theme to new levels. You can catch West End Blend this winter in Portland, ME on February 26, and at The Snow Barn in West Dover, VT on March 19. More info can be found here.
West End Blend – The Waterhole, Saranac Lake – February 12, 2022
Set 1: Dangerous, Controversy, Voodoo, Workout, Mama Said, Sirache, Too Heavy, I’m Time, Reprise, Call Me Al Set 2: 1999, Say Hey, Kane Guru, Day Dreamer, Still About it, WIAA, Attitude, Hard Luck, Sunrise, Burning Down, Smile, Scene Encore: All You Got->Purple Rain
On Monday, February 14, multi platinum Grammy award winning band Imagine Dragons brought their Mercury World Tour to Long Island’s brand new UBS Arena, marking the band’s inaugural performance at the venue.
ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Imagine Dragons perform at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)
Imagine Dragons’ highly anticipated fifth studio album Mercury – Act 1 was released on September 3, 2021. Teaming up with esteemed producer Rick Rubin and with its title drawing inspiration from the word “mercurial,” Mercury – Act 1is a candid album that abandons metaphorically charged lyrics and instead embraces emotional extremities, holding nothing back. It marks the band’s first album since 2018’s ORIGINS.
ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons performs at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)
The band mesmerized fanswith their impressive catalog of hits including songs like “Believer”, “Thunder” and “Whatever It Takes” as well as tracks of their latest record such as “My Life” and “Wrecked”. The Live Nation promoted tour will continue globally across North America and Europe with 48 stops including Los Angeles, Seattle, Montreal, Switzerland, Germany and more. The Mercury World Tour will also feature support from grandson and MØ on select dates.
ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Imagine Dragons perform at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons performs at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons performs at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons performs at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons performs at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Dan Reynolds and Wayne Sermon of Imagine Dragons perform at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Ben McKee, Wayne Sermon, Daniel Platzman, and Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons perform at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons performs at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Imagine Dragons perform at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Dan Reynolds and Wayne Sermon of Imagine Dragons perform at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Dan Reynolds, Wayne Sermon, Daniel Platzman, and Ben McKee of Imagine Dragons performs at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons performs at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Ben McKee, Wayne Sermon, Daniel Platzman, and Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons perform at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Dan Reynolds and Wayne Sermon of Imagine Dragons perform at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons performs at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons performs at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons performs at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons performs at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons performs at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Dan Reynolds and Wayne Sermon of Imagine Dragons perform at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons performs at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Imagine Dragons perform at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Wayne Sermon of Imagine Dragons performs at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons performs at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Imagine Dragons perform at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons performs at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons performs at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons performs at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons performs at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Imagine Dragons perform at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Imagine Dragons perform at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons performs at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Ben McKee, Wayne Sermon, Daniel Platzman, and Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons perform at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons performs at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Imagine Dragons perform at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Imagine Dragons perform at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons performs at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons performs at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons performs at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Dan Reynolds and Wayne Sermon of Imagine Dragons perform at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons performs at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)ELMONT, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Dan Reynolds and Wayne Sermon of Imagine Dragons perform at UBS Arena on February 14, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)
Imagine Dragons Mercury World Tour Dates
Wed Feb 16 – Allentown, PA – PPL Center >
Sat Feb 19 – Pittsburgh, PA – PPG Paints Arena >
Mon Feb 21 – Indianapolis, IN – Gainbridge Fieldhouse >
Wed Feb 23 – St. Louis, MO – Enterprise Center >
Fri Feb 25 – Milwaukee, WI – Fiserv Forum ^
Sun Feb 27 – Minneapolis, MN – Target Center ^
Wed Mar 02 – Boise, ID – ExtraMile Arena ^
Sat Mar 05 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena ^
Mon Mar 07 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena ^
Wed Mar 09 – Portland, OR – Moda Center ^
Sat Mar 12 – Los Angeles, CA – Crypto.com Arena ^
Mon Mar 14 – Phoenix, AZ – Footprint Center ^
Sun Apr 10 – Victoria, BC – Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre
Wed Apr 13 – Edmonton, AB – Rogers Place
Fri Apr 15 – Calgary, AB Scotiabank Saddledome
Sun Apr 17 – Saskatoon, SK – SaskTel Centre
Tue Apr 19 – Winnipeg, MB – Canada Life Centre
Fri Apr 22 – Ottawa, ON – Canadian Tire Centre
Sun Apr 24 – London, ON – Budweiser Gardens
Tue Apr 26 – Quebec City, QC– Centre Videotron
Thu Apr 28 – Moncton, NB – Avenir Centre
Sun May 01 – Quebec City, QC – Centre Videotron
Tue May 03 – Montreal, QC – Centre Bell
Wed May 04 – Montreal, QC – Centre Bell
Sat May 28 – Prague, Czech Republic – Letnany Airport
Mon May 30 – Prague, Czech Republic – Letnany Airport
Wed Jun 01 – Riga, Latvia – Mezaparks
Fri Jun 03 – Kyiv, Ukraine – Olimpiyskyi National Sports Complex
Sun Jun 05 – Moscow, Russia – Luzhniki Stadium
Tue Jun 07 – St. Petersburg, Russia – Gazprom Arena Stadium
Thu Jun 09 – Bern, Switzerland – Stadion Wankdorf
Sat Jun 11 – Milan, Italy – I-DAYS (Festival)
Tue Jun 14 – Hannover, Germany – Expo Plaza
Thu Jun 16 – Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg – Rockhal Open Air (Festival)
Sat Jun 18 – Milton Keynes, UK – Stadium MK Milton Keynes
Sun Jun 19 – Landgraaf, Netherlands – Pinkpop (Festival)
Thu Jun 23 – Vienna, Austria – Ernst-Happel Stadion
Sat Jun 25 – Odense, Denmark – Tinderbox Festival (Festival)
Mon Jun 27 – Koengen, Norway – Berrgenhus Fortress
Wed Jun 29 – Gdynia, Poland – Open’er Festival (Festival)
Fri Jul 01 – Stockholm, Sweden – Lollapalooza Stockholm (Festival)
Sat Jul 02 – Werchter, Belgium – Rock Werchter (Festival)
It wasn’t quite Valentine’s Day, but on the evening of February 11th at The Hollow in Albany, it felt like a holiday nonetheless. For night one of their two-night run, The Seapods made their long-awaited and triumphant return with a rare treat — a reunion show for the hungry masses.
Night One of the Seapods
From beginning to end The Seapods absolutely brought the heat and it was impossible to tell they have only played together a few times over the past two decades. They knew we were hungry too, so this band packaged and delivered three whole sets of delicious and filling music. Each set was a slightly different tone from the last. It was a veritable feast and everybody left feeling full and very satisfied.
Set one started out with Max Verna (guitar, vocals) solo. He was later joined by Tom Pirozzi (bass), Brian Mangini (keyboards), and Ted Marotta (drums) with a special sit-in during set two by guitarist Todd Pasternack.
This was my first time seeing The Seapods perform and I was enchanted immediately by the fact that every single band member up there looked like they were having the time of their lives. These dudes absolutely love what they do from the bottom of their hearts and it’s contagious. Everyone in the crowd had a blast too.
Friday, February 11 Setlist
Set 1 (Acoustic): Stephen O’Rourke She Makes The Journey Millworkers’ Lament Long Black Veil (Lefty Frizzell) Something Like Olivia (John Mayer) It Takes A Lot to Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry (Bob Dylan) Matchmaker Guardian Angels Sunrise Branch’s House Switchblade (Marv Albert) Set 2 (Electric Set 1): Theme For Another Enlightened Rogue > Keep In Mmind Token Time > The Guide To Roadside Ecology Here To Remind You Money To Burn The Pull From Adirondack Blue > Till Then Reelin’ In The Years (Steely Dan) Set 3 (Electric Set 2): Waiting 4 Da Bomb To Drop > Schizophrenic Rain Josephine’s Grand Motion > Jet Smooth Ride John Henry’s Hammer Sneakin’ Sally Through The Alley (Allen Toussaint) Blackberry Brandy Encore: Get Out Of My Life Woman (Allen Toussaint) Can’t You Hear Me Knockin’ (The Rolling Stones)
Night One Photo Gallery
Night Two of the Seapods
On Saturday, February 12, the Seapods came back for night two of their two-night run at The Hollow in Albany. I wouldn’t have thought it possible to impress me more than they did on night one, however, this shockingly talented group of musicians blew me away yet again on night two.
Bluegrass, Rock, and Everything in Between
Set one on night two was a lovely warm-up of our souls with some bluegrass to get us all in the groove. It wasn’t just any old set of bluegrass, though. We had electric banjos and several sit-ins as well. Sam “Zucchini” Brewton sat in on drums; Crick Diefendorf on banjo and guitar; and Josh Himmelsbach on mandolin.
Set two was pretty stacked with some rocking tunes. The high-energy set left everyone wondering where The Seapods could possibly go for set three. Well, set three was absolutely the cherry on the sundae. It was all about the long jam and it could not have been a more perfect ending for a delightful two nights of music.
Saturday, February 12 setlist
Set 1 (Acoustic): John Henry’s Hammer (Max solo banjo) Shady Grove (traditional) Pig In A Pen (traditional) Dire Wolf (Grateful Dead) Galway Girl (Steve Earle) Rocky Top (Osborne Brothers) Oberon And Titania Ruby Red Josephine’s Grand Motion The Pull From Adirondack Blue Set 2 (Electric Set 1): Michael Murphy Rusted Michael Murphy 3 Until I Break That’s How They Got Along Stephen O’Rourke > La Fiesta! If I Had A Smile Cary Suite Anything Is Possible Set 3 (Electric Set 2): Animal > What’s The Buzz? (Jesus Christ Superstar) > Passengers en Route > Gunshot Static > Somedays Leaving The Monopole Jump For Joy (Kingfish) Encore: Ship
The Connecticut-based band Goose ended their two and a half week winter tour in Pittsburgh after spending most of their time on the road out west this time. A cold Saturday night in Pittsburgh at Stage AE seemed like the perfect place to celebrate, the venue was packed with fans new and old and a freestream was even offered to all those who couldn’t make the show.
Wether you were in attendance or not there will be plenty of opportunities to see the band in the coming weeks starting with the rescheduled Goosemas taking place on Saturday February 26th at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.
Goose – 2/12/22 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE
Set 1: Silver Rising, Butter Rum, Turned Clouds, Red Bird, Tumble
Set 2: Rockdale, Seekers On The Ridge Pt. 1 > Pt. 2, American Woman, Empress Of Organos, Slow Ready
This past Friday, February 11, Plush headlined their first show in the Northeast for a sold out Empire Live crowd. The band, led by Capital District native, Moriah Formica, were marking the release of their debut self-titled album. Plush’s lineup also includes Brooke Colucci on drums, Bella Perron on guitar, and Ashley Suppa on bass. The young rock band’s set included 12/13 songs from the album and a fantastic cover of Heart’s Barracuda.
Empire Live’s Underground space was packed from wall to wall, and there were fans of every generation present, from old metal heads all the way down to kids who could have been at their very first shows. Plush’s songs resonate with all types of listeners; their lyrics often touch on the struggles of heartbreak while being driven by heavy instrumentals and powerful harmonies. For their entire set, Plush was cheered on by a high energy crowd that recognized the talent they were witnessing. This talent included a a solo drum intro by Brooke that you can see below.
Plush released their first single ‘Hate’ back in February of 2021, and the song went on to reach as high as number 24 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Chart. You can listen and watch the music video on YouTube. Since releasing ‘Hate,’ Plush has been on the road opening for acts like Evanescence, Halestorm, and SevenDust. For this show though, the band had Vendetta Rose and Alborn opening in front of Moriah’s hometown crowd.
In the coming weeks, Plush will be hitting the road with rock and guitar legend Slash. Their tour currently has Northeastern stops set for New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. You can find Plush’s upcoming tour dates on their website.
Setlist: Athena, Champion, Found A Way, Sober, Sorry, Bring Me Down, Walk Away, Don’t Say That, Better Off Alone, Will Not Win, I Don’t Care, Hate
Bradley Nowell’s spirit is ablaze in the Empire State as February heats up with live music across Central New York in the Big Orange. Original Sublime Bassist Eric Wilson and drummer Bud Gaugh carried Bradley’s spirit on stage at Del Lago Casino this past December. Rome Ramirez fills in the guitar and vocals. “Sublime with Rome” made their debut in 2009 at Cypress Hill’s smoke out festival in San Bernardino, California. And another musical seed from Bradley was planted in Badfish: A Tribute To Sublime that carries the Long Beach sound torch as well.
Badfish: A Tribute to Sublime came to Syracuse’s Westcott Theater on February 3 2022. Joel Hanks, Scott Begin, Pat Downs and Dorian Duffy pass Sublime’s sound nicely around the crowd. Come on down reggae style, wind up your body like a bass line wild, drink and dance and we can turn it out. Chicago’s Dorian Duffy channeled the west coast bass lines to the great lake region of Upstate. The crowd responded with live art sketches and dancing on both floors of the cinema. The Westcott now has a mini mezzanine, “524 VIP Lounge”, on the left stage.
The Badfish band brought Sublime’s 90’s Skunk Records art sound to the crowd. Playing “Badfish” off ‘Jah Won’t Pay the Bills. “Smoke Two Joints” with the Grateful Dead’s “Scarlet Begonias” off 1992’s 40 ounces to Freedom album. My “Ruca” was Down at the “Pawn Shop” on Westcott Street. April 29 (1992) Miami set a tribute for Spring off their 1996 self titled “Sublime” record. Herbie Manns’s “Summer Time” was channeled through the speakers for “Doin Time”. The living’s easy.
Perri Sage Photography
Artist Jon Phillips of Silverback music helped the band from Skunk Records do their self-titled “Sublime” album in 1996. Drummer, producer, and DJ Marshall Goodman mixed the original “Doin’ Time”. He merged reggae, punk, and hip hop together. Then blended the three together with the track. Jon Phillips tells a great story on Reggae TV on how the song made its way in to your hands. Phillips describes the piece as a pinnacle historical moment for music and the band.
It’s a Herbie Mann rendition of Summertime. The way he played it. Just a nice vibe and I drew from that.
It’s Gershwin’s Summertime instrumentally interpreted by Herbie Mann’s vinyl from a Village Vanguard sample by Marshall. He throws in a Beastie Boys sample, his break beat & flavor drums. Gives it to Brad. Brad writes this incredible lyrical and counterpart to it.
Jon Phillips
The Gershwin estate actually told the group that they wouldn’t be allowed to put “Doin Time” out. Phillips started the channels to not allow that and have this music see the light of day. Jon said “It’s worthy of it. To me It’s historical”
The Gershwin Estate happened to be in the same office building as the record label Phillips was working for. He figured he’d knock on the door and see what the connections for clearance could be. The person they introduced him to that would help release it was a familiar face Phillips used to ride the elevator with. The guy happened to be from Jon’s hometown in the Bay area and they had similar musical angles.
This is one of those pieces of music where it takes the history of what a great composer Gershwin did that they represented. It’s sort of a passing it on to Jazz, Hip-Hop, in to this California reggae music that was permeating through the pop and sub culture
The Gershwin estate allowed the song in to your hands and boom box for play in the 90’s as result. The Gershwin’s just didn’t understand the dark sublime twist to it to the classic piece.
Brad’s original lyric was Doin’ Time and the livings easy. The song is about how he relates to a relationship that hes in… is like a penitentiary. Its a love song. Its not this happy Summertime song.
The Gershwin’s most important request was that “Doin Time” be represented as “Summertime”. Miguel’s vocals get spliced in to the track to honor the joint creative. The Gershwin’s estate allowed their publishing to go down in the song’s epic history. Lake Placid’s Lana Del Ray has paid tribute to “Doin’ Time” as well with her take on the track.
Jon Phillips founded Silverback Music in 1998. He works with a lot of New Orleans artists like Tony Hall & Dumpstaphunk. Silverback’s creative vision continues to grow with in the spectrum of genre-bending improvisational rock, dub, reggae, psychedelic blues, punk rock, acoustic, soul, and funk. G Love told NYS Music that he was “to the moon” when Jon Phillips told him that B-Real of Cypress Hill would be featured on his track “Everyday People” collaboration with Slightly Stoopid. Jon Phillips told NYS Music “That Stoopid remix with him and B Real with the headhunters sample is ILL!”
It was a strange serendipitous coincidence it happened to be the case. I’d fight till the very end to see that song reach the masses and thank god it did. Its a really important piece of music in that respect.
Jon Phillips
Badfish: A Tribute To Sublime, Westcott Theater. Syracuse, NY
February 3rd 2022 Setlist:
Garden Grove, Bad Religion, Don’t Push, Smoke Two Joints, Ball N Chain, Scarlet Begonias, Wrong Way, Same in the End, Johnny Butt, DJ’s, Badfish, Lets Go Get Stoned, Jailhouse, Pawn Shop, Acoustic Stuff, Ruca, 40 oz to Freedom, April 29 1992 (Miami), Santeria, Doin’ Time
Encore: Date Rape, Get Ready, Caress Me Down, What I Got
Bad weather be damned, the spirit of rock n’ roll was alive and well this past Friday night in downtown Albany. Snow. Freezing rain. Subzero temperatures. Widespread power outages. Mother Nature threw a little bit of everything at us last weekend, but despite nasty conditions throughout the northeast, live music at The Hollow never missed a beat thanks to Ampevene, Hilltop and Baked Shrimp on Friday, February 4, 2022.
Ampevene performing at The Hollow. Albany,, NY 2/4/22
Known for having a keen ear and an uncanny ability to spot young talent, Guthrie Bell Productions served up yet another winner on February 4th, bringing three of New York’s most buzz-worthy bands together for a triple stacked bill of hip shaking live music, impressive improvisation, psychedelic live art, and a triumphant return home for Albany’s own Ampevene.
Kicking off the icy evening was Capital Region based quartet Hilltop. Coming off a breakout year that saw them play their first festivals and secure opening slots for bands like Midnight North, The Jauntee and Annie in the Water, Hilltop has continued to evolve and only seem to get better and better with each performance. Showcasing their sense of humor and an eagerness to “jam,” the short but sweet set on this night shows a band with all kinds of untapped potential and left us wanting more!
Baked Shrimp outside The Hollow. 2/4/22
Keeping a close eye on conditions outside during set break, the heavy wet slushy snow was just beginning to freeze, but inside the venue things were just starting to heat up as the charismatic Long Island trio Baked Shrimp took the stage. Fresh off a celebratory 21st birthday bash at Nectar’s for drummer Jager Soss, the ambitious young band rode into Albany red hot, firing on all cylinders and kept the party going with a scorching set of high energy funk, blues, and psychedelic rock. Baked Shrimp, which also features Jared Cowen on guitar and vocals and Scott Reill on bass, is quickly earning a reputation for melting faces wherever they play, regardless of what’s on the thermostat.
Baked Shrimp’s Jared Cowen performing at The Hollow. 2/4/22 Albany, NY
It’s been a milestone year for the guys in Baked Shrimp. Now in their fifth year as a band, January saw the release of their third studio album, Pork Etiquette. On tour ever since andwith just two stops left on this Winter tour, it was clear the boys had no intensions of simply phoning it in. Taking the stage armed with confidence and playing every note with passion, for just three dudes, Baked Shrimp create a huge sound and routinely impress. Opening with the one-two punch of “Pig Hearts and Mechanical Parts” and “Penuche Took the Fudge,” Cowen’s blistering PRS guitar work instantly grabbed the attention of everyone in the room and never let go. “Molly Ann,” “Ollie Blue” and “The Narcissist” came next before the boys dusted of “Tail Fin” for the first time in 36 shows. Holding it down on the low end while also engaged in a constant battle to keep the hair out of his eyes, bass player Scoot Reill was in fine form on the evening. Between utilizing his vocal talents and consistently finding a rock solid groove to build on, it was around this point in the set where a glance around the room revealed nearly everyone who was there was finally up on their feet and dancing. The energetic set came to a close with a tune called “Can’t Cut The Mustard.
Baked Shrimp. 2/4/22
A tough act to follow perhaps, but you have to remember this was Albany, and that means it’s Ampevene country. It had been quite some time since the genre blending, prog-rock leaning juggernaut had last headlined The Hollow and even against the cold, rain, and snow, nothing was going to stop them from playing this homecoming throwdown. Typically a four-piece ensemble comprised of Gabe Stallman on guitar and vocals, Mack Hogan on bass, Ava Smith on keys and synth and Brian McKinney Fahey on drums, to help commemorate the occasion on this night however, Ampevene, invited a couple of friends to join in on the fun; recruiting both Adam Siegel and Bob Morris on Saxophone and percussion to help fill out the sound.
Gabe Stallman of Ampevene. 2/4/22
As local artists converged to compare progress of their live paintings, the music of Ampevene surely helped inspire their other worldly results. Opening the show with a pair of songs from their 2018 debut album Ephemagoria was the “Valencia” followed up by “Rometheu.” From there, fans were treated to a taste of some unreleased music with “The Chemistress” and then a song so new that it’s only been given a working title of “Mauve Crown.” A visceral mix of heavy layered riffs, psychedelic noodling, unique time signatures and jaw-dropping falsetto vocals, Ampevene is better heard than described. Purposely designed to trip you up and trip you out, Friday night at the Hollow the band went far out. All the way out until reaching “Dazed and Confused” territory during the song the “Enhancement” as awe struck fans roared in approval for perhaps the biggest crowd pleasing moment of the night. With time left for just one more, a ballsy decision to cover one of the bands biggest influences. The Mars Volta and their 2008 song “Goliath.” While very few would even attempt such a feat, front man and lead guitarist Gabe Stallman completely knocked it out the park, bringing the show to a cathartic and triumphant close.
Ampevene performing at The Hollow. Albany,, NY 2/4/22
While the ice storm of 2022 may have kept some people from coming out, there was something about the vibe on this Friday night that just felt special. Like something hip was starting to happen and you were lucky enough to have a glimpse into the future. From the artistry and creativity displayed on stage and off, to making eyes and sharing smiles with complete strangers; a musical community slowly rediscovering itself after a long hibernation. With so much talent and creativity right here in our backyard, it’s hard not to feel optimistic about how far some of these bands could potentially go, but rest assured dear reader, we here at NYS Music intend on keeping you covered every step of the journey.
Baked Shrimp – 2/4/2022 Albany NY / The Hollow
Pig Hearts and Mechanical Parts, Penuche Took The Fudge, Molly Ann, Ollie Blu, The Narcissist, Tail Fin*, Can’t Cut The Mustard
On Sunday, February 6, Tom Rush made his way down from Vermont to Saratoga Springs to perform at Caffe Lena with Matt Nakoa. The relatively warm weather brought out a packed crowd for the duo’s first of two shows on Sunday. Tom took the stage by himself to open the show with “Best of a Bad Situation’, and he set the tone for what was to come. The show was filled with masterful finger-picking on guitar, witty lyrics, and personal storytelling. And all of that was seamlessly accompanied by Matt Nakoa on the piano.
Rush and Nakoa were operating at exactly the same wavelength all night long. Intricate finger-picking on guitar was combined with beautifully delicate runs on piano. Neither musician stepped on the other’s toes, instead their parts danced in perfect unison. This chemistry was nothing new though, as was pointed out by Tom when he told a story about one of their first shows together. In the story, Tom and Matt arrived at a venue much later than anticipated, and were left with no time to rehearse. Despite this, Matt took the stage and accompanied Tom as though he had been playing his songs for years.
After a few songs, including covers of songs by Joni Mitchell and Sleepy John Estes, Tom left the stage while Matt took over for a few songs by himself. The lefty picked up a guitar and showcased his ability to play and sing beyond his role on piano. Nakoa, standing somewhere well above 6’3″, was exceptionally dexterous, fretting chords using all five fingers with total ease, a task which would cripple most guitarists.
Shortly after leaving the stage, Tom returned and performed his “big hit on YouTube” as he put it: ‘Remember Song.’ As the set drew to a close, the energy rose while Tom and Matt lost themselves in the music. The duo would end the night with songs including ‘Train Song’ by Murray Mclauchlan and Rush’s ‘River Song.’ ‘River Song’ was played as a part of the show’s encore, an encore which was not preceded by a stage exit. Only when you have been performing over the span of seven decades like Tom Rush has, do you get to decide whether or not an encore break is necessary. As the encore drew to a close, and the musicians’ final notes rang out, the crowd rose to their feet to applaud in a standing ovation.
Both Tom and Matt will be traveling the country and performing live in the coming months. You can find Tom’s upcoming shows, accompanied by Matt, on his website here. For Matt’s solo shows, you can find them listed on his own site. The two will be all over the Northeast mostly, with a two show trip out west to California. Be sure to check out their websites to stay up-to-date on all their happenings. And for future shows at Caffe Lena, check out the their website.
The Wood Brothers started 2022 in the Empire State with dates in Rochester’s Kodak Hall at Eastman Theater, Albany’s Palace Theater and Plattsburgh’s Strand Center for the Arts. It marks the Wood Brothers first time at Kodak since Feb 2020, and bassist Chris Wood took some time after the gig for a quick chat with NYS Music.
Matthew Romano: Good to have the Wood Brothers back at Kodak Theater for the first time since Feb 2020. Eastman School of Music Steve Gadd’s quote comes to mind from your performance. “When you get it musically to a level where everyone on the bandstand is having fun and can hear each other and you can trust the audience is hearing it the way you are it gets to a spiritual level. In Japan or wherever you are. That’s the goal.” How did last night’s energy feel at Kodak?
Chris Wood: Yea last night was the first show we had since the holiday break. Combination of excitement to be back and playing with band mates and touring with our crew we love. But also the feeling of being a little bit rusty. Got to get my sound right. Ya know?
MR: Well the vibe you guys gave off on the bandstand looked like a lot of fun. The dynamics alone. You jumping from the Hofner to the stand up. Jano jumping from the kit to shitar. Handheld keyboards. Oliver switched acoustic and electric with rip snorting slide guitar.
CW: We want sonic variety. As well as musical variety and of course dynamics. Some songs are like a rock band and then some stripped down. For us that’s what makes the show interesting. It’s not just one thing all night. There’s a real shape to the set. Different moments that have a completely different vibe. The tone pallet ya know?
MR: Well your going back to The Palace Theater in Albany where MMW in December 2000 had Trey Anastasio come sit in for an improvisational Partido Alto. Then a “We are rolling” second set jam. Any memories of that pallet?
CW: Trey has sat in with us a bunch. I didn’t realize that it was in Albany too. Before we knew Phish was when we were in our downtown New York City music scene. We had no concept of the jam band scene. We lived in a different musical universe. Phish started playing us during their set breaks and then their fans showed up almost overnight in our crowd . But as far as musical memories that go back to 2000…I had no idea that tape was out there (laughter)
MR: MMW’s “Your Name is Snake Anthony” has helped coin the term for the Capital Region for cats on the road, “Shedding up and down the Hudson River”
CW: That’s Bruce. Yea we just sent that track to him and we’re like do something over this and he just improvised that over it. Right. Like “we lived in a shed.” That’s all Bruce.
MR: Seeing “Atlas” get played differently again last night keeps that song with a fun on the road vibe, stopping on a dime. What’s behind the scenes on “Atlas” that keeps it fresh?
CW: It was on our first wood bros record. It was a song that existed before the wood bros in Oliver’s band King Johnson. He wrote it for them in the 90s. The live arrangement is always morphing. It’s gotten really fast and sometimes it’s stripped down with the Rix on shitar and then electric loud and rocking. That’s what’s fun. A song like that can arrange it in completely different ways. Real, versatile and playful.
MR: Hopefully “Snake Anthony” will help you realize that you’re the best on the road in 2022.
Photo Gallery by Brian Ferguson: The Wood Brothers, Richie Stearns and Aaron Lipp from Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, Tuesday, January 25, 2022.
