Grammy-award winner Sara Bareilles performed at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester on Oct. 6 to commemorate three decades of Pace Women’s Justice Center (PWJC) protecting thousands of women and children.
Sara Bareilles, credit Marc Millman
Sara Bareilles recently ran as “The Baker’s Wife” in the hit revival of “Into the Woods” on Broadway. Her music has been self-described as “piano-based pop-soul” and her powerful lyrics give voice to the difficult journey from victim to survivor for PWJC’s clients.
The Pace Women’s Justice Center is a self-funded nonprofit legal center located at Elisabeth Haub School of Law, under the 501(c)(3) status of Pace University. Each year, PWJC provides free legal services to over 3,500 victims and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and elder abuse, as well as conducts or participates in over 140 training and outreach events.
The fundraising event’s title, Raising the Bar Benefit Concert, is a nod to PWJC’s commitment to increasing access to justice and providing free critical legal services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. The money raised will help PWJC to continue helping their clients on their journeys toward empowerment and healing.
Each October the nonprofit honors an individual who has dedicated themselves to supporting the PWJC mission and its clients with a Making a Difference Award. This year the award was given to Pam Kaufman, President, and CEO of International Markets, Global Consumer Products & Experiences at Paramount Global. Legendary music icon Darryl “DMC” McDaniels from Run DMC presented her with the award.
It’s not every day you get the opportunity to be a part of Europe’s largest club festival, but over September 22-25, I traveled to Hamburg, Germany and experienced all that Reeperbahn Festival had to offer. Northern Europe’s version of South by Southwest, Reeperbahn has been going strong for 17 years, highlighting a wide variety of artists from across the European continent, and from around the world. Each year, the festival partners with another country, bringing artists from all over and press from the partner country, to see all that Hamburg has to offer.
Partnering with America in the post-pandemic era meant that the ability to travel overseas had more ease and certainty of flight status than anytime in the past three years. Hamburg reached out to NYS Music for coverage of the festival, and it was an opportunity impossible to pass up.
With 24 combined hours of travel planned, and only 60 hours to spend in Hamburg seeing indie and punk bands in small club settings, the stage for the weekend was quickly set. Add in learning a bit about Hamburg and the role the city plays not just geographically, but also in music history, plus seeing performances at truly marvelous once-in-a-lifetime venues, and this whirlwind trip to a gem of a port on the North Sea made for the perfect return trip to Europe.
Roller Disco
Reeperbahn is the area of Hamburg prime for entertainment and nightlife, with musicals, music venues, restaurants and a red light district that, all combined, offer a little something for everyone. ‘Ropewalk’ in English, the Reeperbahn was where rope was made, being just near the Elbe River that brings you well into the European continent or out to the North Sea, The British Isles and Scandinavia. This makes Hamburg “Das Tor zur Welt” – the Gateway to the World.
The Festival Village has its main grounds in the St. Pauli quarter of Hamburg, with a few stages, a Flatstock poster exhibit, roller skating disco, educational displays including water reclamation efforts and a few pop up band performances. Slightly underwhelming as it was – and intentionally so – the Festival Village is not a single-location music festival, but rather spread out across the Reeperbahn area at dozens of clubs and theaters, as well as outdoor stages in the median of the Reeperbahn. Flanked by the ‘dancing towers’ and the neon lights of the red light district, the nightlife was as vibrant as you’d find in Amsterdam. While not a city-wide festival, Reeperbahn gave a taste of what Hamburg has to offer, and left me wanting to return to see more of the city outside the entertainment center.
For comparison sake, take a psychedelic remix of St. Mark’s Place – multiple blocks worth – and with a paid wristband, you get to hop from club to club, seeing bands from across the country, all with the goal of finding their footing and making it to the next level.
This kind of festival of course does happen in America, with SXSW the inspiration, as co-founder and managing director Alexander Schulz shared during a dinner at Restaurant Nil with press from America, England, Denmark and Germany on Thursday evening. For an hour, Schulz entertained questions that got to the heart of why Reeperbahn is not just a notable festival for Europe, but a destination event that draws an international crowd.
Co-founder and managing director of Reeperbahn Festival, Alexander Schulz, breaks bread with journalists at Restaurant NIL.
Schulz sees Reeperbahn as a way to combine a consumer program with a professional program, with both audiences meeting in the evening. Add in the Reeperbahn ANCHOR awards show on Saturday, showcasing six international finalists, and a strong relationship with the city of Hamburg, and a recipe for success is served up each September.
Navigating the pandemic by partnering in 2020 with Denmark (from which fans could drive) and in 2021 with South Korea (although the festival was mostly virtual), the first year fully back in person brought in the USA and the hope of rekindling the flame that was dimmed for a year or so.
Dr. Carsten Brosda, Minister of Culture and Media for the city of Hamburg, proudly noted that the festival is much bigger than music, and with full capacity allowed and no restrictions, it didn’t take much to get the local and regional governments behind the Reeperbahn Festival. “Whenever something is possible, we do it,” said Brosda. With hundreds working the festival plus more pre and post, the feeling of doing things together has returned, as the culture, concerts and inspiration they provided were not something the city wanted to lose. In 2020, it was the first time seeing artists on a stage all year, following months of lockdown, and some bands didn’t want to leave the stage. Skip ahead to 2021 and a second period of lockdown made it more difficult to hold the 2021 event and was thus virtual.
While global inflation certainly impacted the 2022 event, and the German government maintained a public transportation mask mandate, Reeperbahn Festival served as the gateway to European music, and connected the rest of the world via the United States. This year’s lineup of bands was meant to appeal to the musical tastes of Americans: contemporary, classic rock, techno and electronic, plus German acts that have crossover (including Hamburg duo BOY)
Following dinner, I linked up with Justin and Sam from Aquarium Drunkard, based in Los Angeles. We headed to the Reeperbahn and to Drafthaus to see Afghan-Dutch artist Ferdous, who provided a taste of futuristic R&B, the first music of this 60 hour jaunt. Making the most of the club nature of the festival, we headed over to Molotow where four venues are contained under one roof, including an outdoor ‘Backyard’, the ‘Karatekeller’, the Club and the Skybar, the latter of which we caught the soundcheck and most of the performance of Montreal band Choses Sauvages. Watching the lead singer bust out Ric Ocasek vocals (and fit the look a bit when his sunglasses were on) gave a new wave of new wave, along with animated crowd interaction that commands a second viewing in the near future on this side of the pond.
Choses Sauvages
We headed to the Backyard for a brief taste of HighSchool, a post-punk trio from Melbourne, Australia. An 80s indie vibe resonated, along with a bassist who looked as though he had recently placed second in a Lou Reed look alike contest.
Next stop was Gruenspan – the largest stand-alone venue on the Reeperbahn with a capacity of 850 – for Vancouver-based Destroyer, one of the many recommendations provided to me by Parisian friend Benjo. When I first glanced at the lineup, not a single band was familiar, and this was not the ‘wow I am getting old if I don’t know any of these bands’ first takes. Dozens of unsigned bands and no true headliner of the festival made every band a new discovery, and thankfully some guidance helped line up acts that were well worth venturing to see. Notably, Gruenspan was the first venue that had any third party sponsorship with Rolling Stone banners around the second level, as corporate sponsorship was present at the festival, but not overwhelming as seen at large North American festivals.
Destroyer
Starting promptly at 11:30 pm with strong bass and drums, the groove was no doubt excellent and the performance quite lively, but the catch was the lead singer Dan Bejar. Destroyer itself was a unique offering, with Bejar adding the flair that made this show well worth the recommendation. Performing in the vein of a freak poet, Bejar would take a knee after his portion of the song was complete, the band behind him carrying the tune to completion. Odd for the uninitiated (myself included), the music was at times feedback and a slow grinding for the audience, but they delighted in it nonetheless. Perhaps there is a Western Canadian appeal to the European crowd, or what this westerner presumes to be European influence on a Vancouver export, yet this remained a fantastic band to catch live and an otherwise great discovery.
Friday of Reeperbahn began a little late, as jetlag and exhaustion had finally caught up with me, and the beds at Premier Inn certainly not helping by being so inviting following a long day at school, followed by 12 hours of planes, trains and automobiles, then 6 hours of club-hopping. The German saying ‘Es ist nicht der Alkohol, der den Káter verursacht, sein Aufwachen” (it’s not the alcohol that causes the hangover, its waking up) never rang truer, and one that has always stuck with me since a trip to Bavaria and Austria in 2011. While no one pursues a hangover, travel, time change and revelry were quite the combo to contend with.
Venturing out into the bustling Spielbudenplatz, I found excellent Vietnamese at Com Nieu 21. While pho would have been a good option, a noodle salad and summer rolls with a Vietnamese iced coffee worked nicely to push through the aforementioned Káter. Taking a walk just a few minutes off the main drag, I found the city to be immediately quieter and residential, with kids playing, riding scooters and enjoying the day.
I walked down towards the Elbe River for a boat cruise and tour of the port area along with bloggers from Lithuania, Brazil and England. Drinking Astra beers and eating fried fish sandwiches fresh from the Elbe that day, the boat cruise was accentuated with great music and company amid canals reminiscent of Amsterdam, with twists and turns as we navigated the port. Spectacular views of the city and the Elbphilharmonie, where we would see a live performance that evening, gave a full scope view of the city to all.
The Louisiana Star riverboat and the Elbphilharmonie
Disembarking at the Elbphilharmonie in HafenCity, and part of the Speicherstadt warehouse district (a UNESCO World Heritage site), we could see theaters for Der König Der Löwen (The Lion King) and Eiskönigin (Frozen) across the river, each of which had their own ferry for patrons. Hamburg is, after all, the third largest city in the world for musicals, with Hamilton having opened on October 6.
Located in the Kontorhaus business district with the Chilehaus, the Elbphilharmonie opened on January 11, 2017 and serves as a symbol of the city’s past, present and future. With an old warehouse serving as the foundation, when the Elbphilharmonie was constructed, supports were built into the river to ensure stability for this landmark on the Elbe River.
Mine
More than a concert venue, the building houses a Westin hotel, apartments, restaurants, conference rooms and a spa, plus the original cranes, all at a 866 Million Euro cost; while that price tag was controversial, the venue is a boon to the city and a must visit for anyone seeking acoustically perfect performance spaces. With the full concert hall having seating for 2100 created in a terraced manner so that no seat was more than 30 meters from the stage, the venue itself is decoupled from the rest of the building, ensuring that the sound is pristine with no outside interference.
Acoustics are so acute thanks to 10,000 individually shaped gypsum fiber panels, with a design for classical music in mind that ensures sound is distributed to each and every corner. What’s more, an organ was built inside the walls, and the stage location gives nearly a theater-in-the-round perspective to all in attendance.
Taking a closeup look at the stage before a performance by Mine (Mee-na), I marveled at the arrangement of the seating, the proximity to the stage, and the music that we would be experiencing shortly. Taking a seat alongside Erik, a music critic from Copenhagen, this 75 minute performance, while entirely in German, stands out as one of the most spectacular of the festival, and the calendar year.
Mine
Entering the stage were a 13-piece band, including five strings, three backup singers and Mine, the lead singer who describes her music as “German-language folk with hip hop, jazz and electronic elements” arrived on stage and began a most symphonic performance. Joined by three additional drummers for the second song, not knowing German didn’t help, as Mine spoke to the audience between songs, with laughs and applause at times in a show that got more upbeat as it progressed.
Projections on the stage from overhead were mixed with lighting, with a South Asian flair added to each song via percussion, guitar and theremin. Joined by a New York letter jacket sporting Fatoni, whom Mine dueted with on “ROMCOM” in 2017, this James Corden lookalike (and thankfully not Corden) stayed for a few tunes to freestyle rap, eliciting approval from the audience.
Then the bagpipes began, with a piper coming in from the wings to crush the one song he was there to play. Mine continued into the performance, alternating between melodic solo songs and heavier full band engagements, bringing out a pink-haired vocalist for a song that drew huge applause, and establishing herself as the perfect artist to perform tonight in this monumental venue. A total of 21 musicians performed with Mine over the course of the show, and the audience gave a standing ovation the likes of which are rarely seen at American live music performances. Mine was a highlight of the weekend in a venue that is just as incredible as photos and videos show.
Buffalo jam rock group eberwine has stepped forward with their record debut One Vision, an hourlong escapade of winding guitar riffs, invigorated drumming, and accessible melodies.
Led by vocalist and guitarist Todd Eberwine, his band of the same name is a five-piece featuring drummer Ryan Nogle, bassist Keith Lindner, backing vocalist Aaron Ziolkowski, and keyboardists Evan Laedke and Eric Crittenden.
Album art for eberwine’s One Vision.
The album, which was “six years in the making,” was preceded by single, “Worlds Away” in April, a catchy roots rock track which serves as a proper preview to One Vision.
Opener “Get On” is an eight minute piece that does the same, giving the listener a good idea of what to expect from the record with a couple verses, a couple hooks, and lots of instrumental time. A bouncy song which sticks to a traditional blues rock format, a spacy keyboard solo in the track’s first couple minutes adds an ethereal element.
Songs on the album generally touch topics of romance, such as the title track where Eberwine sings “the stars are complete in their galaxies, when they explode they become more like you and me,” alluding to the cover art’s imagery.
eberwine
While Eberwine’s flashy guitar playing on display nearly every song, and Ryan Nogle’s drumming always keeps pace, and the keyboard section adds a sense of atmosphere, Keith Lindner’s bass playing is right there with them, entertainingly holding up the groove on songs like the instrumental “Real Good” And along with plenty of dazzling musicianship, Eberwine’s polished vocals help push forth songs that are primarily instrumental.
“Lies” is an album highlight, with its high tempo and funky guitar riff working well with an odd and uncomfortable melody. Eberwine’s shrieky vocals complement the moody track, with him singing “life deceived me as I’m falling down again.” This is coupled by one of the most engaging solos of the record, one which goes on for five minutes and reaches speed and intensity unique to the tracklist.
While this album knows when to heat up at the right times, it also knows when to settle down. “Lies” is fittingly followed by the subdued, solo-free “Divided,” with wistful lines such as “so the story goes but no one knows, and so we go on through the great untold.” “Fever,” the only other song under five minutes, follows up the raucous opening track with a nice blend of piano rock and acoustic guitar.
Stretches of subtlety also prove valuable on the 11-minute closer “In Flight Movie,” with Eberwine’s watery lead riff guiding the slow song to its more active moments like its exciting and powerful chorus where he sings “the moment’s okay, the moment’s gone, it makes us blind to what matters, it makes connection impossible.” The song’s nearly six-minute solo hits nicely as well, with dynamics alternating in a way to create a uniquely emotional performance here, giving a fitting end to the album.
While One Vision is eberwine’s first album, it doesn’t come short of displaying the expertise of Todd Eberwine and his band. On top of showing off plenty of mercurial musicianship, the group shows plenty of aptitude for emotional performances and stylistic versatility in a record that fills out its 68-minute runtime.
Information about future eberwine tour dates can be found here.
WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.
grape juice- “ICICLES“
grape juice is an indie-alt band from Saratoga Springs. They make chill and indie music, that centers on sad things. Their new single “ICICLES” came out on Sept. 30 and will be featured on EQXposure.
Haley Moley- “Deep Silence”
Based in Troy, Haley Moley is comprised of house music DJ and dance music producer Jennifer Maher Coleman and features Paul Coleman on guitar, Andrea Kosek on keyboard and guitar, Pat Thorpe on bass, and Mike Broomhead on drums. Their newest single “Deep Silence” will be featured on EQXposure.
New American Cuisine-“Talking”
Five-piece Saratoga Springs indie band New American Cuisine released their new single “Talking” on Sept. 16. The band met in high school, and continues to collab during winter and summer breaks while they are at different colleges.
From sidewalk cafes, Greta Van Fleet songs paved the walk to MVP Arena on Wednesday, October 5th in Albany. T-shirts were being offered “half-price” at each crosswalk. A young glitter-adorned audience was awaiting its idols, having driven as much as 11 hours to see the extremely successful Dreams in Gold show.
It’s been a considerable wait for Albany to witness the one and only Greta van Fleet in town. The band has come a very long way from the days of small clubs and theater shows. Their music developed from mere good tunes into the soundscapes of arena rock in which the public can get immersed.
Josh and Jake Kiszka
While still very young, the band members each distilled their performance styles and have shown an ease about connecting and holding an audience. And the outfits changed! While half the band appear opposed to shoes, their clothes were a beautiful display of stage fashion.
The show opened quite dramatically with the falling of a curtain that obscured the band as they started playing. Jake Kiszka (guitar) holds the musical backbone upon which songs are built. His impeccable phrasing weaved in and out with the rhythm section (Sam Kiszka-bass and Danny Wagner-drums), setting the stage for Josh Kiszka to express his high-register stylings.
Josh Kiszka
The concert was built on seven songs from their very successful album The Battle at the Garden’s Gate that went to #1 on Billboard. Songs from their Grammy winning first EP were still integrated into the performance (“Highway Tune”, “Safari Song”, “Black Smoke Rising”) and now sounded more playful than when they originally hit the airways. The latest hits brought a more ominous, dreamy, and richer sound, and tackled themes of war and the environment. The beautiful “Light My Love” was a highlight of the show, turning the arena into a sea of glittering cellphone lights.
Greta Van Fleet – MVP Arena, Albany, NY – October 5, 2022
Setlist: Built by Nations, Black Smoke Rising, Safari Song, drum solo, Caravel, Heat Above, Light my Love, Broken Bells, Age of Machine, The Weight of Dreams
Celebrating the release of their seventh studio album, The Mars Volta wrapped up two sold out shows at New York City’s Terminal 5 on Friday, September 30th. Their self-titled LP, The Mars Volta, was released by Clouds Hill Records on September 16th, marking a dramatic shift in the band’s sound who traded their frenzied, long-form prog rock styling for a more stripped back and deliberate art-rock. The result of a true collaborative effort, The Mars Volta focuses on Latin jazz fusion while giving Cedric Bixler-Zavala’s vocals plenty of space to ring out as clear as ever.
The Mars Volta, Terminal 5, 9/30/22. Photo by Lindsay Brown
The Mars Volta last played New York City over a decade ago, before their sixth LP Noctourniquet was even recorded. The announcement of the new record and tour was hailed by a fanbase that has not seen the band in 10 years, as well as new found fans who truly thought they would never get the experience of seeing The Mars Volta live. The crowd at Terminal 5 was a mix of both and the excitement was palpable long before doors even opened.
The Mars Volta, Terminal 5, 9/30/22. Photo by Lindsay Brown
Support on this tour comes from Teri Gender Bender; the latest moniker from the supremely talented and genre defying musician Teresa Suárez Cosío. Cosío has fronted many projects over the years, including the garage punk band Le Butcherettes and the psych rock group Bosnian Rainbows, also featuring Omar Rodríguez-López. Teri Gender Bender released a slew of EPs and singles on Clouds Hill Records back in August and the band’s sound and Cosío’s dynamic stage presence were a perfect fit to open the show. Featuring a cryptic and driving psychedelic performance, the music floated somewhere between Björk and classic NYC punk, leaving a clear impression on the Terminal 5 crowd.
Teri Gender Bender, Terminal 5, 9/30/22. Photo by Lindsay Brown
The band’s setlist has been quite consistent throughout the tour so far, including the two lead singles from The Mars Volta, “Blacklight Shine” and “Graveyard Love”. Both songs take on a whole different life on stage, primarily due to the incredible drumming from new band member Linda-Philomène Tsoungui. While the setlist used to feature Amputechture highlight “Viscera Eyes”, it has been dropped from the setlist the past couple of tour dates including New York City. The Mars Volta have been paying homage to their roots on this tour with 7 out of 10 songs from their 2003 classic debut, Deloused In The Comatorium. Find the full setlist below.
The Mars Volta, Terminal 5, 9/30/22. Photo by Lindsay Brown
The Mars Volta has always been the creative output of guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric, with a revolving band that tours behind them. This current iteration of the live show still feels like a collaboration amongst all the artists on stage even if they were not present during the recording of The Mars Volta. Linda-Philomène Tsoungui brings an enormous amount of energy and jazz complexity to the rhythms, while long-time collaborator Marcel Rodríguez-López (a.k.a. Eureka The Butcher) provides keys and Latin percussion. Leo Genovese is the other new multi-instrumentalist, performing lengthy and riveting piano and tenor saxophone solos.
The tour continues throughout October with several stops in the Midwest and the west coast, ending with a three-night run at Los Angeles’ The Hollywood Palladium. Shortly after the tour, The Mars Volta headlines Mexico City’s Hipnosis festival on November 5.
The Mars Volta, Terminal 5, 9/30/22. Photo by Lindsay Brown
This new era feels like a rebirth of the band, with just as much passion and creative energy as ever. While there are no plans after the show in Mexico, the passion on display from Omar, Cedric, and the touring band feels like they will not stop there. Check out more photos from night two at Terminal 5 by Lindsay Brown below.
The Mars Volta – Terminal 5 – September 30, 2022
Setlist: Vicarious Atonement, Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of), Eriatarka, Graveyard Love, L’Via L’Viaquez, Empty Vessels Make The Loudest Sounds, Cygnus…Vismund Cygnus, Blacklight Shine, Drunkship of Lanterns, The Widow, Cicatriz ESP, Televators, Son et Lumiere, Inertiatic ESP
Nearing the end of a 22-date fall reunion tour of North America that kicked off in early September in San Diego, Pavement played the majestic Kings Theatre in Brooklyn this past Sunday, October 2, for the third of four consecutive sell-outs. Often described as one of the most influential bands to emerge from the underground scene in the early-1990s, the indie rockers formed in 1989 in Stockton, California have achieved a cult-like following among its legion of fans.
Stephen Malkmus of Pavement | Photo by Michael Dinger
Arriving just in time for the 6:30 pm doors on a chilly early-October evening, excited concertgoers were spotted congregating in small groups along nearby sidewalks, hastily exiting their Uber beneath the grand marquee or frequenting the bar on the nearby corner of Flatbush Avenue and Duryea Place that doubles as a tattoo parlor. As patrons filed past the security checkpoint, many had a sheer expression of awe on their faces as they witnessed the theater’s ornate, French Baroque style for the first time. The nearly 3,700-seat venue had been restored to its vintage condition and reopened to the public in January 2015, including repairs to the 50,000-square-foot ornamental ceiling.
Kings Theatre marquee | Photo by Michael Dinger
As the minutes ticked down before the night’s opening act would take the Kings Theatre stage promptly at 8:00 pm, Pavement fans continued to pack the lavish and decorative lobby with gilded walls paneled in American walnut. Many of whom checked out the merch tables, grabbed a drink from the array of bars strategically placed on all levels of the venue, or snapped a cell phone picture of the historic venue’s centerpiece, the console of a “Wonder Morton” pipe organ that was installed in the original Loew’s New York City movie theaters.
Kings Theatre lobby | Photo by Michael Dinger
Preceded by openers The Goon Sax and Water From Your Eyes on Friday night, and 75 Dollar Bill on Saturday night, Horsegirl would be providing support for their Matador Records labelmate on this night of the residency. The indie rock trio of Penelope Lowenstein (guitar, vocals), Nora Cheng (guitar, vocals), and Gigi Reece (drums) formed Horsegirl three years ago after meeting in Chicago and eventually bonding over their shared love for acts like Sonic Youth and Stereolab. Cheng would announce to the Kings Theatre audience that “Pavement is one of the reasons we started this band.”
Horsegirl | Photo by Michael Dinger
Backed by a large video screen resembling a hanging piece of abstract art in a museum, Horsegirl walked onstage bathed in soft purple light as the steadily increasing crowd quietly took to their seats. With palpable, undeniable chemistry, Horsegirl performed a 10-song set filled with guitar feedback and hypnotic melodies from their debut album (Versions of Modern Performance) released this past June. Two of their set numbers, “Ballroom Dance Scene” and “Sea Life Sandwich Boy,” can be found on 2021’s limited edition 7” single (Sonic Cathedral Recordings). As their 35-minute set concluded and by gauging the big round of applause given to these teenage girls who even self-produce their own music videos, it’s a safe bet that Horsegirl is on their way to a very bright future.
Horsegirl | Photo by Michael Dinger
After a 30-minute turnover of the stage by Pavement’s crew, the quintet comprised Stephen Malkmus (vocals and guitar), Scott Kannberg (guitar and vocals), Mark Ibold (bass), Steve West (drums) and Bob Nastanovich (percussion and vocals) unassumingly appeared in the dark shadows just a couple of minutes past 9:00 pm. Additionally, for this reunion tour, the band is joined by Rebecca Cole (keyboards and backing vocals), a former member of the Minders and Wild Flag.
Pavement | Photo by Michael Dinger
Completely mixing up their setlist from each of the previous two nights, the first of Pavement’s 25-song collection was “Major Leagues,” from their fifth and final studio album Terror Twilight (1999). With the exception of Nastanovich, each band member would remain in their respective stage location for the majority of the 1-hour and 50-minute show. Nastanovich, on the other hand, served as a second drummer and as lead vocalist on several songs that often required screaming, and which also found him directly engaging with the throng of die-hard fans standing in the small pit section along the stage apron.
Stephen Malkmus of Pavement | Photo by Michael DingerMark Ibold of Pavement | Photo by Michael DingerSteve West of Pavement | Photo by Michael DingerScott Kannberg of Pavement | Photo by Michael DingerBob Nastanovich of Pavement | Photo by Michael DingerRebecca Cole of Pavement | Photo by Michael Dinger
Touring for the first time in 12 years, when they undertook a well-received reunion tour in 2010, Pavement’s third successive Brooklyn show bestowed upon their loyal fans yet another representative sampling of their impressive discography. Accompanied by Malkmus’ humorous and often cryptic lyrical themes, at least three songs were performed from each of their five studio albums released between 1992 and 1999, including “We Dance” (Wowee Zowee, 1995), “Cut Your Hair” (Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, 1994), “The Hexx” (Terror Twilight, 1999), “Stereo” (Brighten the Corners, 1997) and “Here” (Slanted and Enchanted, 1992). Pavement fans were also treated to tracks selected from five of their early- to mid-1990s EP releases, including “Gangsters & Pranksters” (Pacific Trim, 1996).
Pavement | Photo by Michael Dinger
With only a few minor hiccups and far more highlights, all six band members were in prime form. However, with the crowd standing all night long, but still relatively subdued overall, one of several stand-out moments included the raucous crowd sing-a-long during the pre-chorus of “Range Life” – “Don’t worry, we’re in no hurry. Schools out. What did you expect?” – taken from the aforementioned Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain studio album. During the evening, Nastanovich would also praise Horsegirl as a “fantastic band,” while Malkmus later offered thanks to all the people who work at Kings Theatre, “they’ve all been really nice” [during our stay here].
Stephen Malkmus of Pavement | Photo by Michael Dinger
Following an encore break that lasted several minutes, Pavement would not disappoint yet again, performing fan-essential tunes such as “Spit on a Stranger” (Terror Twilight, 1999) and “Summer Babe” (Slanted and Enchanted, 1992). The extraordinary show closed shortly before 11:00 pm with “Stop Breathin” and an epic ‘on his knees’ guitar solo by Malkmus, another track from 1994’s Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain.
The final show of Pavement’s North American reunion tour will be at Austin City Limits Live on October 11. The current leg of the tour will then be immediately followed by an international trek that will take Pavement to the United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Ireland, Japan, and Australia, finishing in early March 2023.
Pavement setlist | Photo by Michael Dinger
Horsegirl Setlist: Electrolocation 2 > World of Pots and Pans > Ballroom Dance Scene > Homage to Birdnoculars > Option 8 > Anti-glory > Live and Ski > Sea Life Sandwich Boy > Beautiful Song > Billy
Pavement Setlist: Major Leagues > In the Mouth a Desert > Two States > We Dance > Harness Your Hopes > Cut Your Hair > Heaven Is a Truck > The Hexx > Frontwards > Home > Stereo > Kennel District > Range Life > Folk Jam > Embassy Row > Fight This Generation > Here > Blue Hawaiian > Motion Suggests > Unfair > Encore: Spizzle Trunk > Spit on a Stranger > Gangsters & Pranksters > Summer Babe > Stop Breathin
Take a disco: dark, sweaty, neon pink and electric blue, speakers so loud you can taste it, glitter makeup dripping down your face, sequins scratching your skin, thick air, your platform pumps sticking to the dance floor. Now rip the black-out curtains off windows, knock down the walls — sunlight streams in, grass tickles your ankles, clothes hang loose, you can breathe deeply, clearly. That’s Say She She’s new album Prism. It’s sunlight at the rave, clear vocals over deep funk. Rhythm you want to spread out to, bass that feels like a cool breeze.
Say She She, a seven-piece band led by three female leads, is reminding Brooklyn how to dance Le Freak. The band’s name is a nod to Nile Rogers’ “C’est chic!” lyric, with a modern feminine twist. Et aussi chic is the kismet meeting of Piya Malik, Nya Gazelle Brown and Sabrina Mileo Cunningham, the singers at the heart of Say She She. From disparate sides of Brooklyn, the three ran into each other at a house party in Harlem, as one does, and realized their musical chemistry into a full project soon after.
Malik, a former backing singer for Chicano Batman, is partisan to Turkish funk and Hindi riffs. Brown’s concentration was in R&B, and she was trained in classical and jazz vocals from childhood. Cunningham is partial to 80s eclectic progressive groups like Rotary Connection and Tom Tom Club. These three distinct backgrounds merged to create the singular sound of Say She She; a sound, though only inaugurated this year with their first single “Forget Me Not,” that already feels assured in their first album, Prism, releasing Oct. 7.
If there’s a female gaze, such as in the way films like “The Virgin Suicides” and “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” depict love, there’s a female sound in how Say She She describes love and loving in Prism. Their voices are tender and earnest, delicate yet serious; in “Don’t Wait,” even a break-up song is full with solace and healing, wondering about and wanting the best for their ex’s next lover. And all this is set to a rhythmic beat on a funky bassline, making the hips shift, the feet move.
With nature imagery and dreamy vocals, every song on the album evokes the divine feminine. But “Fortune Teller” dives deepest, the layered vocals touching on a host of feminine tropes in the chorus:
“I’m not a fortune teller, I can’t read your mind / I’m not a healer, can’t stop you from going blind / I’m not a fortress, but I will try to protect you.”
Tropes aren’t real life. Sometimes these traditionally feminine roles are aspirations – for people of any genders. Ultimately, we can’t tell the future or heal each others’ wounds. But by interspersing the chorus with beautiful imagery of “the space between the midnight sky,” and “stars that whisper in the night” it feels like all those capabilities might just be possible for anybody and everybody, if only here on the dance floor.
“Better Man,” the album’s closing song, also aims to realize that kind of cosmic love. It’s one of the slower songs on the album, employing strings, muted production and voices layered in complex harmonies. Say She She describes finding a “better man” with the natural imagery of waves rolling in and swimming upstream. Paired with the occasional electronic sparkle, it’s a song Mother Nature would want to dance to.
Snail Mail opened up a highly anticipated show at The Brooklyn Mirage on Oct. 3. The band, an indie rock project started by Lindsey Jordan, opened for the trilogy of Baltimore-based acts. The group warmed up the crowd for JPEGMAFIA and the main act, hardcore band Turnstile.
As the remnants of Hurricane Ian descended upon the open-air venue, a sizable crowd huddled together to keep warm. Decked out in ponchos and raincoats, the crowd didn’t let the bad weather deter them from Snail Mail’s set.
In an effort to preserve the equipment on stage, the band was forced to perform under tents. Though the circumstances were far from ideal, they didn’t let the environment affect the quality of the performance.
Snail Mail performed a carefully curated mix of songs, including “Pristine” and “Heat Wave,” two standouts from their first album, Lush. The band mixed in many songs from their critically acclaimed sophomore album, Valentine, most notably performing “Valentine” and “Ben Franklin.:
Valentine is the highly anticipated follow-up to 2018’s Lush, which Jordan released at just 17 years old. Now at 22, Jordan has gained much more life experience. She’s able to dive deeply into life-altering experiences, ranging from navigating life-altering success, a painful breakup, and 6 weeks in treatment.
We look forward to Snail Mail’s continued growth as the band matures and hope that the next time they perform in New York, they’ll be able to do so without the constriction of a tent. Listen to our favorite song off of Valentine, “Ben Franklin” here and enjoy the photo recap of the show below.
On Monday October 3rd, Tedeschi Trucks Band played their landmark 50th show at The Beacon Theatre with Hot Tuna opening as a special surprise guest. Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Cassady also joined the band later in the evening for a performance of Janis Joplin’s “Turtle Blues” as well as Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right.”
There was speculation online by fans earlier in the week as to who the “special guest” was going to be. It remained a well kept secret until the moment it was announced at the start of the show. The crowd erupted as Hot Tuna made their way to the stage as the unannounced opening act for Tedeschi and Trucks. They played an acoustic nine song set filled with covers as well as some original Tuna songs.
The first two songs of their set, “Don’t You Leave Me Here (Dime For Beer)” and “Hesitation Blues” were featured on their debut self-titled live album from 1970. That was followed by Reverend Gary Davis’s “Let Us Get Together Right Down Here” and a Richard M. Jones cover of “Trouble in Mind.” Other songs included a cover of Jefferson Airplane’s “Good Shepherd” and “Day to Day Out the Window Blues” before ending their set with Jesse Fuller’s “San Francisco Bay Blues.”
Tedeschi Trucks took the stage around 8:45 and started their set with “Don’t Let Me Slide” from their 2011 debut album Revelator. This also happens to be the first song they ever played at The Beacon Theatre when they performed their first show there in 2011. The second song of their set was “All That I Need” from the band’s second album Made Up Mind released in 2013. They continued with “Laugh About It” and “Signs” before digging into their I Am the Moon: I. Crescent set.
I Am the Moon is the Tedeschi Trucks Band’s newest project. It is a series of four new albums along with four corresponding films made during the Covid lockdown. They have been working the albums into their shows during this current Beacon run. Thursday’s show featured I Am the Moon: III. The Fall while Friday’s show included I Am the Moon: IV. Farewell. Saturday’s crowd got to hear I Am the Moon: II. Ascension saving I Am the Moon: I. Crescent for their 50th Beacon show on Monday night.
Mike Mattison sang lead vocals on “Fall In” which then led into the title track of the project. After that was “Circles ‘Round the Sun” featuring Kebbi Williams on saxophone. For the final song of the album, “Pasaquan” most of the band left the stage leaving just Derek, keyboardist Gabe Dixon, bassist Brandon Boone and the two drummers Tyler Greenwell and Isaac Eady for this captivating twenty two minute rendition of the song.
Another highlight of the show was a cover of “Keep On Growing” by Derek and the Dominos. It was only fitting that an Allman Brothers song be included in this special Beacon show. Derek and Susan absolutely killed it on a “Whipping Post” before leaving the stage to a standing ovation. The encore featured two songs from I Am the Moon IV. Farewell, “Another Day” and “Soul Sweet Song.” The band then honored Leon Russell ending the show with a cover of “Space Captain” from Matthew Moore.
There are still a few more Beacon shows left. After that, they are doing shows in Denmark, Norway and the UK. You can see the rest of their upcoming tour dates here.
Setlist: Don’t Let Me Slide, All That I Need, Laugh About It, Signs, High Times, Hear My Dear, Fall In, I Am the Moon, Circles ‘Round the Sun, Pasaquan, Turtle Blues, Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right, Made Up Mind, Keep on Growing, The Storm, Whipping Post, Another Day, Soul Sweet Song, Space Captain
