NYS Music 202​2

Category: Features

  • Pigeons Playing Ping Pong and Dogs in a Pile Keep It Heady in Albany

    A flocking good time was had in downtown Albany as two of the jam scenes hottest acts – Pigeons Playing Ping Pong and Dogs in a Pile – teamed up for an unforgettable evening of ‘bird-dogging’ at Empire Live on Friday, December 9th.  Packing out the venue and lighting up the crowd with a healthy dose of high energy funk, top-shelf improvisation, psychedelic dance grooves and plenty of good old-fashioned shredding, the evening also served as birthday celebration for Dogs’ keyboardist Jeremy Kaplan. 

    Pigeons Playing Ping Pong performing at Empire Live in Albany (12/9/22)

    Flanked in tie dye and smothered in patchouli, fans flocked to the venue early enough to catch the opening act Dogs in a Pile. One of the most talked about up-and-coming bands around, 2022 has been a huge year for the young New Jersey quintet. Consisting of Jimmy Law and Brian Murray on guitars, Sam Lucid on bass, Joe Babick on drums and the Jeremy Kaplan on keys, the exciting group wasted no time showing everyone what all the buzz is about.  

    Dogs in a Pile performing at Empire Live in Albany (12/9/22)

    Launching into the song “Look Johnny” and seamlessly transitioning into “Frosty” and “Fenway” before coming up for air, it was clear the Dogs were determined to make the most of their allotted time.  Weaving together a tapestry of colorful sound with an undeniable charisma, Albany fans were then treated to the live debut of “Let U Go.”  Rounding out the short, but impressive set was “G Song” followed by “Bent Strange,” but it wouldn’t be the last time we’d see members of the dog pound on stage this night.

    The dogs were back in town on 12/9/22

    After a brief break in the action, it was finally time for the long-awaited return of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong who had not played in Albany since March of 2019.  Now celebrating 15 years as a band and touring in support of their sixth independent full-length album Perspective, some longtime fans could be heard reminiscing about seeing their first P4 show at the significantly smaller Red Square (now the Public Parish House) just down the block back in 2012. One of the most fan-friendly and hardest working bands going, their continued growth and popularity should come as a surprise to no one. 

    Pigeons Playing Ping Pong performing at Empire Live in Albany (12/9/22)

    Taking the stage and genuinely thanking everyone for coming out before even playing a single note, front man ‘Scrambled’ Greg Ormont was all smiles while giving his customary pre-show p-p-p-pep talk. Reassuring everyone that they were in for some serious fun, the party on North Pearl Street kicked off with “Porcupine” from the band’s 2017 album Pizazz. All warmed up and feeling good, things fell into place nicely when “Fall In Place” landed on a surprise Beatles cover of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” that boasted an absolutely gorgeous guitar solo from ax-man Jeremy Schon and a lengthy “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You” (Led Zeppelin) tease for good measure.

    Jeremy Schon of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong performing at Empire Live in Albany (12/9/22)

    Now calling on a little help from their friends, it was at this point the band invited “the other Jeremy” out, welcoming Dogs in a Pile keyboardist and the birthday boy himself, Jeremy Kaplan back to the stage to sit on “Sunny Day.” Adding a whole new dynamic to an already funky sound, Kaplan’s contributions were huge here and he seemed like a natural fit, finally answering a question that’s been dogging P4 fans for years: “What would they sound like if they added some keys?” Quite the way to ring in your 24th birthday indeed.  Keeping the dance party going strong, the one-two punch of “Move Like That” into “Live It Up” had the crowd worked up into a sweaty frenzy as the band brought the lengthy opening set to a close with “Elephante.”

    Jeremy Kaplan sits in with PPPP on his 24th birthday (12/9/22)

    Back with more positive vibes, Pigeons started the second frame with “Live Life” before going all in on an “Upfunk” sandwich that featured a jaw dropping drum solo from Alex “Gator” Petropoulos smack dab in the middle. Always clever with their setlists, a bit of an aquatic theme seemed to emerge as “Beneath the Surface” gave way to fan favorite “Poseidon” resulting in one of the biggest peaks of the evening courtesy of Schon’s incendiary shredding.

    Ben Carrey of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong keeps it heady in Albany (12/9/22)

    Master of disguise and purveyor of cool, bassist Ben Carrey was keeping it heady all night long, but perhaps his bass bombs were never more physically felt than on the next combination of songs, “Twitch” and “Water.” A scorching “High As Five” would bring the second set to a close and leave fans begging for more. Giving it 100 percent max effort and always happy to please “the flock”, Pigeons would take flight one final time, returning for an encore of” Schwanthem” and sending the hot crowd into the cold night with huge feelings of satisfaction.   A fantastic evening of live music, song and dance, shared joy and vibe that quite simply downtown Albany hasn’t seen since before the pandemic.

    Melting Lights: Pigeons Playing Ping Pong performing at Empire Live (12/9/22)

    Up next for the band, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong will head to Harrisburg, PA next weekend for a pair of shows at XL Live before closing out the year with a two-night New Year’s Eve celebration in Pittsburgh with the Magic Beans.

    Pigeons Playing Ping Pong | 12-9-2022 | Empire Live | Albany, NY

    Set 1: Porcupine, Fall In Place > While My Guitar Gently Weeps* > Sunny Day^, Move Like That > Live It Up, Elephante

    Set 2: Live Life > Upfunk > Drums > Upfunk, Beneath The Surface, Poseidon, Twitch > Water, High As Five

    Encore: Schwanthem

    * w/ “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You” and “25 or 6 to 4” teases
    ^ w/ Jeremy Kaplan (Dogs In A Pile) on keys

    Dogs in a Pile | 12-9-2022 | Empire Live | Albany, NY

    Setlist: Look Johnny, Frosty, Fenway, Let U Go*, G Song, Bent Strange *Live Debut

  • Chris Pellnat Forges His Own Path On “Go”

    When Hudson’s Chris Pellnat released his fifth solo album Go in September, it was yet another mark of a folk musician who simply can’t stick to just folk. While his songwriting stays pretty standard, his playful lyrics and eclectic instrumentation give him a signature mark.

    chris pellnat go

    With a well-filled out personal catalog, Pellnat’s collaborative resume has its marks as well. He’s one half of Brooklyn folk pop duo Teeniest. He’s the lead guitarist of Poughkeepsie group The Warp/The Weft, with whom he shows off his straightforward but technical approach through infectious lead riffs on albums such as 2019’s Dead Reckoning.

    While the grunge and prog-rock tones of The Warp/The Weft and the upbeat folksy approach of Teeniest are relatively consistent, Pellnat likes his solo work a little all over the place. His 2021 record Crossing bounces from odd displays of vibraphone and clarinet to bright jangle pop to garage rock on a track-by-track basis, something which remains the same on Go, a 10-track, 30 minute exploration.

    The opening titular track sets this tone from the get-go, with its wistful verses driven by vibraphone and gurgling synths setting the scene for Pellnat’s personal lyrics. “In my own way, trying to be better, braver wiser, and someday, I leave my burden down at the horizon,” he sings in an untrained tenor.

    Pellnat created music videos for each of the record’s first three songs, each of which are brought together in a manner both amateurish yet endearing. “Go” is accompanied by a crude assembly of footage, including time-lapses of his rural Hudson Valley home, shots of him performing outdoors, and a frog.

    Next is the adventurous and political “What Are We?” with its muted guitar riff and pulsating synth line that set the scene for Pellnat’s barrage of philosophical questions. “What if we are sick of the crazy, endless lies that will not die,” Pellnat sings on the final verse. “What if we are still trying to fight the evil power still inside?” It has an upbeat tension that reminisces of a storm chase or a search for a UFO.

    The video’s combination of odd, color-imbalanced shots of his face juxtaposed with shots of an MRI scan through iMovie-adjacent transitions uphold the song’s mysterious energy, even in this DIY presentation.

    Track three, “Existential Dread,” returns to the personal. It’s an upbeat and melodic dulcimer tune that follows the trope of cheery songwriting contrasted by dejected lyrics, as Pellnat talks about the failure of alleviating pain through vices and the permanence of existential dread. “Drinking won’t do it, weed won’t cut through it, I always knew it,” he sings on the chorus.

    Its music video is easily the most absurd of the three, where Pellnat fights both caffeine and alcohol addiction alongside a vigorous quest to prove he’s not a robot through an endless series of CAPTCHA quizzes and corporate security questions.

    Pellnat describes Go as “a rather positive statement overall” but also “colored by darkness,” with “Existential Dread” serving as an early example on the record. There’s also the sad accordion bluegrass of the following song “What I Want You To Want,” which mires itself in depressed romanticism. “No starry-eyed romantic, I’m talking about overcoming the darkness all around us,” Pellnat sings on the opening verse.

    Later on is “Are We Going To Fly?” which despite being more vague in its brooding, is sonically the darkest point of the album with its uncanny guitar melody and echoing clarinet. “Are we going to find our way?” sings Pellnat. “Thought you said we had all day.” Backed by a skittering drum machine, this song shows Pellnat at his most off-kilter.

    He still gives plenty of attention to the bright, earthy conventions common to Teeniest though, with exhibits such as the self-described jangle-fest “Earth Shaker.” It’s an endearing love song with summery guitars, making for a songwriting highlight. “Tumbling down the walls we made up, everything we will do it’ll last forever,” Pellnat sings on the chorus.

    Then there’s penultimate track “Water Wings,” an acoustic/woodblock tune about climate change. “Typhoons in winter, tornado splinter, now you begin to taste the ocean breeze, it’s how its gonna be,” he sings on the second verse.

    Closer “Suburbs of Paradise” continues with this commentary-oriented angle, as Pellnat sarcastically criticizes the uniformity of suburbia over a dusty slide guitar backdrop. He talks about how “the roads they’re all the same, they all just beat around the bush,” and talks about being trapped “in an endless cul de sac” in a short but sweet 1:52.

    The other prime point of satire on Go is “This Is Not Rock and Roll,” where the salt and peppered musician calls himself “a walking cliché” with his guitar, says he’s “getting too old” to be a rock star over bluesy guitar licks and a warm plucky bassline.

    Go is very personal album from Pellnat. Not in the sense that it’s constantly serious or sappy, but because it’s who he is. It’s vulnerable. It’s goofy. It’s political. It changes when it wants, and stays consistent when it’s comfortable. Chris Pellnat opened this album singing “in my own way” and never stopped, creating a record entirely built on his own endeavor.

  • In Focus: Deer Tick Rock Putnam Place in Saratoga Springs

    Deer Tick made their long awaited return to the Capital Region on Saturday December 10, playing a near sold out show at Putnam Place in Saratoga Springs.  The indie rockers last played the Capital Region in 2018. 

    Deer Tick, from Providence, Rhode Island was originally born as the solo project of singer John McCauley.  McCauley secured the band’s line up early on, adding brothers Dennis (drums) and Christopher (bass).  McCauley would later add Ian O’neil (guitar and vocals) and firmly establish the band’s line up that would continue today.  

    Izzy Heltai kicked off the evening, playing a 35 minute set to an already packed room.  Heltai, from nearby Brookline, MA, boasted proudly of previously playing coffee shops in Saratoga Springs.  He and his band captivated the audience, performing a blend of mellow indie pop.  As the set wound to a close, Heltai’s bandmates left the stage, allowing for one final song, just Heltai and an acoustic guitar.  

    Izzy Heltai performs at Putnam Place on 12/10

    After a brief intermission, Deer Tick took to the stage with a roar of approval from the crowd.  From the opening guitar strums of the party anthem “The Bump,” the crowd was fully engaged, belting out lyrics and dancing along.  The band dazzled with their Impressive harmonies, with McCauley yielding lead vocals to both O’neil and Dennis Ryan at times.  The band’s musical prowess was never more on display then when they performed a cover of the Muddy Waters blues rock classic, “You Shook Me.”  McCauley and O’neill traded guitar solos while the Ryan brothers kept pace. 

    In all, the band would deliver an impressive, nearly two-hour, career spanning set.  “Next year will be twenty years of this,” McCauley proclaimed proudly.   After exiting the stage briefly, the band would return for a three song encore, to the delight of the audience.  The band would end the show with a performance of Ashamed, the opening track on their 2007 debut album War Elephant.  “Sing along if you know it,” McCauley asked of the crowd, and he was not left disapointed.  

    Additional photos by Zak Radick

  • I Prevail “True Power” tour stops at Buffalo Riverworks

    On November 21st, I Prevail brought their True Power tour, named after their latest album, to Buffalo RiverWorks, with Pierce The Veil, and Fit For A King. Stand Atlantic was supposed to be on the bill but due to the lake effect snow that hit Buffalo and other regions, the show was postponed to the 21st from the 20th, and could not make the rescheduled date.

    Fit For A King

    When heading to the venue, you can see why they had to postpone the show, with snow piles all over the city. At first it was a sold out night, but with the reschedule, more tickets opened up but you would not be able to tell as the line to get in was still long. 

    Since Stand Atlantic had to step off this show, Fit For A King opened up the show, though while waiting for things to kick off, suddenly out of nowhere, there were multiple balloons being tossed around in the crowd, after a while, you noticed someone from the upper floor, blowing more to toss down, it was some needed entertainment as the doors opened up at its scheduled time but they didn’t move up the timeline so people had to wait longer for the show to start. 

    Pierce The Veil

    Once things kicked off, it was full blast, with Fit For a King slaying it, everything was going well till suddenly the band stopped playing, it wasn’t clear at first what was happening but EMT’s were needed, come to find out someone had a seizure in the crowd. The EMT’s pulled the person from the crowd and the show continued on. 

    Next to go on stage was Pierce The Veil, who hasn’t had an appearance in the state for a few years now. Again, the show was going great, until people from the crowd were yelling at the band to stop again. This time, it was never clear as to what happened but many people were climbing to get out of the crowd and off to the side, being with a almost sold out show, the floor level was packed, so during the set, it was easier to go to the front. After everyone wanted to get out, the show continued but half a dozen or so people were seen by EMT’s throughout the show. Then on next, last to take the stage, I Prevail. This time, everything seemed to go well with the show not having to stop for medical emergencies.

    Fit For a King

    Pierce the Veil

    I Prevail

  • 20 Years Later: Phish perform on Saturday Night Live

    On December 14, 2002, Phish made their first – and to date – only appearance as the musical guest on NBC’s Saturday Night Live. The band performed two songs and even got involved in one of the sketches. An animated segment also featured the use of their seminal tune “You Enjoy Myself.” Here’s a look back at what transpired on TV 20 years ago today.

    phish saturday night live

    The episode was hosted by Al Gore, who just two years and a day removed from conceding the 2000 election. It was a rare instance of a politician hosting SNL, joining Ralph Nader (1977), Jesse Jackson and George McGovern (both in 1984), Steve Forbes (1996), then-NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani (1997), John McCain (2002), Al Sharpton (2003) and Donald Trump (2015).

    After a couple political sketches/segments featuring Gore – “Hardball” and “Gore Goes Inside ‘The West Wing,’” Phish joined in the fun with Jimmy Fallon and Horatio Sanz on a semi-popular segment called “Jarret’s Room.” Set at Hamphire College in Amherst, MA, Jarret (Fallon) immediately expressed excitement for having acquired two tickets to Phish’s then-upcoming reunion show at Madison Square Garden on December 31, 2002. Gobi (Sanz) joins in, dressed as Santa (and is that Seth Meyers in a gimp outfit?), as does Gore as their professor Dr. Ralph Wormley Curtis, who is there to address their absence from class.

    Another knock at the door reveals the four members of Phish joining in, with Trey Anastasio explaining “We were just driving through on the tour bus, thought we’d stop by, we love the show” but is corrected by Page McConnell that they actually had hit Gobi and came on the show in case he threatened to sue. It then becomes clear that the stoner Gobi mistook Anastasio for Chuck Norris.

    Gore’s Dr. Curtis chimes in, regarding his tenure at UVM, giving them the same advice as before, “Get a job you damn dirty hippies.” Phish then agreed to play a song with Jarret and Gobi, who was introduced as Zamfbeer, master of the beer flute. All seven then joined together singing “Contact” for a moment before signing off.

    Phish would perform the traditional two songs this evening, starting with the then new (and yet to be performed live in concert), “46 Days” off Round Room which was released just four days prior. Only alloted about four minutes for a song, the straight rocker fit well in the moment and best choice from the album. They would perform “Chalkdust Torture” in the second slot, giving a slightly accelerated take on a classic late-in-the-show performance, and at a record clip of three and a half minutes. (watch below)

    The animated portion of the episode titled “TV Funhouse” made prominent use of “You Enjoy Myself” in a spoof of the Charlie Brown Christmas special where waving hands in the air improved everything, including Schroeder playing piano with Pigpen on bass, turning into Phish and segments of “You Enjoy Myself.”

    Watch the full of episode of Saturday Night Live with Al Gore and musical guest Phish on Peacock, Internet Archive, or below.

    phish saturday night live

  • Whitney Brings SPARK to New York City’s Webster Hall

    This past Sunday, Dec. 11, Whitney performed at New York City’s Webster Hall, bringing songs off their third album, SPARK, and many others. Expanding their touring lineup from the original two-piece, lead singer and drummer, Julien Ehrlich, and guitarist, Max Kakacek, were joined by a keyboard player, brass section, bass player, and additional drummer, evolving their sound (much like SPARK) and filling the music hall with their resonant melodies and R&B backbeats.

    Whitney, 2022 Photo by Parker Alexander

    Prior to the night’s headline act, the crowd was welcomed to Boston singer and songwriter Ella Williams, also known Squirrel Flower. She set the tone with songs off her debut album, I Was Born Swimming, and Sophomore album, Planet (i), which released last year.

    Squirrel Flower, 2022 Photo by Parker Alexander

    Whitney began their set with the group’s very first single, “No Matter Where We Go”, followed by Forever Turned Around‘s opener, “Giving Up”. The group seamlessly weaved through both new and old material, providing some with new instrumentals, most notably, “Kansas”, the original version of Forever Turned Around‘s title track.

    Whitney, 2022 Photo by Parker Alexander

    At one point, towards the end of the show, Julian exclaimed, “this has been the best New York show”, to much enthusiasm from the crowd, who had been singing along and raucously applauding after every song.

    Whitney, 2022 Photo by Parker Alexander

    A new, unreleased song, “Rolling Blackout” was performed. The band was joined on stage by Charlie Boss to play the song dating back to 2017.

    The tour has a few dates left, concluding in their hometown of Chicago at the end month.

  • Frozen Fest 2022: State Champs return to Empire Live

    On December 10th, 2022 State Champs brought Frozen Fest back to Albany, NY with a packed lineup of pop-punk and alternative rock bands. For 5+ hours, Save Face, Between You & Me, Young Culture, Hunny, and headliner State Champs kept people on the feet and some surfing over the crowd at Empire Live.

    State Champs dropped their album, Kings of the New Age, back in February 2022. With the resurgence of pop-punk, the demand to see them live kept many of their fans anxious. A highly anticipated return to the stage was met in back in June at Albany’s first show for their 2022 Alive at 5 series. Then in August, State Champs announced their tour for their album for late fall of this year.

    The show opened with gothic rock band Save Face from New Jersey. Lead vocalist, Tyler Povanda, came out a stronger than expected. With the stage illuminated blood red, the entire band in red jump suits, and Povanda’s jerky movements, it gave the feeling more of a death metal concert… at a pop-punk show? Povanda did warm up the crowd eventually and they left with a warm cheer from the crowd.

    Save Face, Frozen Fest 12/10/2022, – Photo by Jarron Childs

    Between You & Me (BYAM) came all the way from Australia to join State Champs on their Kings of the New Age tour. No introduction was needed as they were an instant hit with the crowd. With a style similar to State Champs, the energy could easily be matched between the two. Their set was a rager from start to finish. Towards the end, vocalist Jake Wilson, and Tyler Povanda matched the energy of the crowd when they dragged their wired mics into the mosh pit seemingly against the advice of security.

    Between You & Me Bassist, Frozen Fest 12/10/2022 – Photo by Jarron Childs

    Young Culture opened for State champs for their first 7 shows on tour and had to come back home to end the tour. They brought peace, love, and positivity to every single person in the room. Vocalist, Alex Magan, greeted crowd surfers at the barricade with a warm and infectious smile. Though their set was a bit shorter than expected, the energy felt light enough to float on for long after.

    Hunny was the last opening act for the night. Along with BYAM, they went the whole tour with State Champs. Hailing from the suburbs just outside of LA, their somewhat mellow indie-rock style flattened out the crowd before the main event. They had turned off the lights for the first half of their set which made you really have to just vibe with the music. Things were turned up towards the end with vocalist Jason Yarger strumming his guitar with his foot and laying on the ground out of pure exhaustion.

    Young Culture Vocalist Alex Magan, Frozen Fest 12/10/2022 – Photo by Jarron Childs

    State Champs came out strong and did not let up. The crowd kept up with their energy as they sent a heavy stream of crowd surfers to barricade, over hauling the security for the rest of the night. With special guest appearances from Jake Wilson and their tour manager Colin Lorne, they brought out all the stops for their final show of their tour.

    Their 22-song setlist was mostly songs from their new album, Kings of the New Age, but also had certified bangers for their real fans including “Secrets,” “Elevated,” and “All You Are is History.” Vocalist Derek “Steez” Discanio and Bassist Ryan Scott Graham interacted well with the crowd, having them dancing and head banging for the whole night.

    Ryan Scott Graham of State Champs, Frozen Fest 12/10/2022 – Photo by Jarron Childs

    Things were brought pretty low halfway through to do a 3 song acoustic set; including a solo stunt with Discanio strumming “Our Time To Go.” Hearts were clenched, hands were held, and bodies were swaying along as Steez belted his heart out on stage.

    The music was turned right back up after, making the last three songs feel like a distant memory. Derek Discanio celebrated 13 years of State Champs by releasing balloons onto the crowd. They played their last 5 songs hard and left to the crowd screaming for one more. They came back out and granted Empire Live with a 2-song encore. First their Christmas song “Ordinary Christmas,” then closed the night with their hit off their album, “Everybody But You.”

    Derek Discanio of State Champs, Frozen Fest 12/10/2022 – Photo by Jarron Childs

    Steez and State Champs showed so much love to his home crowd and promised to bring another Frozen Fest next year. State Champs has had themselves a year and it looks like they plan to take a break and enjoy Christmas and the New Year.

    Save Face Setlist: Sharpen Your Teeth, Bad, Bury Me (Tonight!), Weak, A.M. Gothic, Glitter, Another Kill For The Highlight Reel

    Between You & Me Setlist: Butterflies, Supervillain, Overthinking, Goldfish, Go To Hell, Pleased to Meet You, Deadbeat, Dakota

    Young Culture Setlist: Not in Love, Hum, Kinda Over It, Party Girl, Whiskey, Drift, Different Now, Holiday in Vegas

    Hunny Setlist: JFK, Shy, Halloween, Saturday Night, A Slow Death In Pacific Standard Time, Loser, GHS, Vowels (And the Importance of Being Me), Everything Means Everything To Me, Homesick, Televised, Sports With Strangers, Lula, I’m Not Mad

    State Champs Setlist: Just Sound, Mine Is Gold, Eventually, Outta My Head, Criminal, Sundress, Frozen, Elevated, Half Empty, Crying Out Loud, If I’m Lucky, Our Time To Go, Fake it, All You Are Is History, Act Like That, Deadly Conversation, Hurry Up and Wait, Losing Myself, All or Nothing, Breaking Ground, Secrets

    State Champs Encore: Ordinary Christmas, Everybody But You

  • Ween Detonate Depth Charges at The Fillmore to Close 2022

    Ween closed 2022 with a bang on Sunday, December 11 at The Fillmore in Maryland, busting out rare gems and fan favorites to a packed house. The end-cap to a three-show early winter mini-tour, Ween crushed the year like The Hulk, with a couple shows at The Met in their hometown of Philadelphia, ending in the devastation of Silver Spring, with a line over four blocks long to get in.

    Kicking off with their most popular opener, “Buckingham Green,” Ween pulled songs off nearly every album, with hugely popular tracks like “Take Me Away,” “Doctor Rock,” “Spinal Meningitis,” and “Bananas and Blow” deftly delivered into the eager ears of their ardent fans, along a few personal favorites, “The Golden Eel,” “Polka Dot Tail,” and “Ocean Man.” Most of their songs were fierce, with a few mellow trippy interludes, such as “Albino Sunshine Girl” (with heavy phase effects on Gene’s vocals) and “Ice Castles,” with its chilly harpsichord and melodic bass & guitar interweaves. It was abruptly followed by a slamming “Final Alarm,” with Dean delivering sonic whiplash on his Alembic (named “El Cabron”, which he rarely breaks out, except for special shows). They ended their long set with the venge-core anger-fueled ballad, “You Fucked Up,” thanking the audience for their commitment.

    Rarer tracks had more play last night than their last few shows, such as the chainsaw guitar-driven “Mononucleosis” (30 times ever played), “Pollo Asado” (very rare – only 8 times ever played, with Gene sitting on a stool to deliver the drive-in monologue), “Cornbread Red” (only 12 times ever played), and the rarest of the night, “Flies on My Dick,” which has only been played 5 times ever, not played in over 250 shows.

    Brooklyn native Dave Dreiwitz hopped back and forth across stage, often joining Gene and Dean in a tight circle on the same mic, or whispering “yes…” and “no….” at the blissfully quiet audience during “The Mollusk.”

    After sinking a monster set clocking in at nearly 3 hours, Ween resurfaced for a 4-song encore, starting with the raucously speedy “Wavin’ My Dick in the Wind,” a shredtastically intense “Licking the Palm for Guava,” trippy screaming in “Mushroom Festival in Hell” (with Gene on megaphone), ending with an absolutely explosive rendition of Motorhead’s “Ace of Spades” to close out the night and the year in classic Ween fashion.

    Ween is certainly not everyone’s cup of blue tea. They are a special kind of weird, highly accomplished musicians and songwriters with a massive repertoire and a devoted fanbase. Because of the pandemic, Ween only played 14 shows in 2021. However, they’ve played a total of 28 shows in 2022, which along with rare gems suggests they may ramp up in 2023, as one can only hope.

    Download a recording of the show by Alex Leary (24-bit FLAC) and check out videos from Moni Hampton.

    Ween – The Fillmore, Silver Spring, Maryland – Sunday, December 11, 2022

    Setlist via Brownbase.org: Buckingham Green, What Deaner Was Talkin’ About, Light Me Up, Piss Up a Rope, Take Me Away, Gabrielle, Sweet Texas Fire, Mononucleosis, Touch My Tooter, The Golden Eel, Your Party, I Don’t Want It, Sorry Charlie, With My Own Bare Hands, Ice Castles, The Final Alarm, Albino Sunburned Girl, Bananas and Blow, Cornbread Red, Stroker Ace, Doctor Rock, Pollo Asado, Vallejo, You Were the Fool, Spinal Meningitis (Got Me Down), Polka Dot Tail, Flies on My Dick, Roses Are Free, The Mollusk, Loop de Loop, Ocean Man, You Fucked Up
    Encore: Waving My Dick in the Wind, Licking the Palm For Guava> Mushroom Festival in Hell, Ace of Spades

    ween fillmore
    ween fillmore
    ween fillmore
    ween fillmore
    ween fillmore
    ween fillmore
    ween fillmore
    ween fillmore
    ween fillmore
    ween fillmore

  • FRENSHIP Big Boys in Small Rooms Tour Stops at Baby’s All Right

    On Sunday December 11th, the musical duo FRENSHIP sold out Brooklyn’s Baby’s All Right for their “Big Boys in Small Rooms” tour. The members, Brett Hite and James Sunderland, and their lively drummer fortified a comforting atmosphere on stage. With soft synth sounds and lyrics paying an ode to friendship, love, and the sweetness of relaxing on the weekends, the band hosted an electric night full of dancing and new memories.

    FRENSHIP
    Members of FRENSHIP: James Sunderland (left) and Brett Hite (right).

    Before the band formed, Hite and Sunderland met while working at sportswear store Lululemon in Los Angeles, CA. Their friendship developed as they shared their mutual affinity for music. They started producing together and uploading songs to the music platform SoundCloud. Their song “Knives” produced with Matoma in 2015 earned FRENSHIP a large following. Shortly after their growth spurt, they released their hit “Capsize” with singer/songwriter Emily Warren in June 2016. Their EP “Truce” followed suit in September 2016.

    The opener for FRENSHIP, Kate The Dreamer, made a magical first impression on the crowd. Her lyrics spoke to the uncertainty that follows someone throughout their twenties into their thirties. Kate is crafting an insightful conversation with break-ups, career choices, and the youthful creativity she gracefully holds onto.

    FRENSHIP
    Kate The Dreamer.

    Towards the end of the show, Kate came back onto stage to perform an acoustic version of FRENSHIP’s “Capsize” with Hite and Sunderland. Afterwards, Sunderland recalled Kate’s origin as a FRENSHIP fan who shared her work with them after a show she attended, which they took an immediate liking to. Hite then told the crowd to expect a single with Kate The Dreamer to come out during the new year.

    After Kate’s short but dreamy set, FRENSHIP kicked off their performance with one of their eldest hits, “1000 Nights,” released in 2016. A perfect introduction to their sound with powerful percussion and soulful guitar riffs. The setlist rolled through with songs old and new: their newest single “Songs for The Weekend” seemed to be a crowd favorite, for the energy on the floor was contagious. The space was alive with electronic grooving and loving embraces. There was no choice but to dance with strangers, because FRENSHIP’s music undeniably surfaces a kindness within those listening.

    FRENSHIP
    James Sunderland (1:2 of FRENSHIP)

    The band found it hard to leave the stage, as the crowd begged for more songs. Chants requesting their song “Swim,” released in 2019 on their album “Vacation,” echoed amongst the audience. Hite and Sunderland happily deviated from their setlist, and gave the song their all. When it came time for them to conclude the show, it felt like saying goodbye to dear friends. After all, their voice is founded on the intimacy of friendship.

    Setlist: 1000 Nights, Carpet, Alright, Hurricanes and Sugar Highs, GMGB, Wide Open (acoustic), Anywhere but Here, Songs for The Weekend, Capsize, Remind You, How a Man Dies, Meet Again, Swim**

  • “Inside Scofield” Profiles the Long Creative Arc of Jazz Guitar Giant John Scofield

    With his new documentary, INSIDE SCOFIELD, filmmaker Joerg Steineck has crafted one of the truest representations of the compulsively creative lifestyle of a “road dog” jazz master – in this case, the always superlative guitarist John Scofield. 

    INSIDE SCOFIELD

    Steineck makes the incredibly wise decision of letting Scofield tell his story in his own words. This comes via voiceover narration and on-camera interviews captured at his home in Katonah, his old stomping grounds in New York City and on tour in Seattle, Portland, Phoenix and Los Angeles.  The documentary also boasts some wonderful conversations with longtime collaborators like saxman Joe Lovano, bassists Steve Swallow and Dave Holland and guitarists Pat Metheny and Mike Stern. There are also insights from other A-list musos including drummer Dennis Chambers, guitarist Bill Frisell and the Grateful Dead’s Phil Lesh.

    Scofield’s musical journey begins in his still current hometown of Katonah, New York.  For this typical suburban kid, the big treat would be to take the Metro North down to NYC to explore.  As he hit his teens, Scofield come to take in jazz at the Village Vanguard, rock at Fillmore East and blues at Café A Go Go, where he witnesses the blues power of B.B. King.  In the film, Scofield says: “The way B.B. King played guitar, it just blew my mind. The way he could get this vocal sound out of a guitar.  That’s when I really got the bug for music.”

    As for his turn to jazz, we may have Jimi Hendrix to thank.  Scofield recalls: “I heard Hendrix play at a concert and he was so good at blues and rock that I thought I’m going play jazz because I could never do what he could.”

    Jazz becomes his total lifestyle when he attends the Berklee College of Music in Boston. It’s where he meets folks like Lovano and begins collaborating, at the tender age of 20, with bass legend Steve Swallow.  Word of this new guitar hotshot spreads to saxman Gerry Mulligan who invites Scofield to play a gig at Carnegie Hall with him and Chet Baker.  The next month, he is recommended to replace John Abercrombie in drummer Billy Cobham’s band with George Duke and Alphonso Johnson.  Shortly thereafter, he gets to play on an album with jazz icon Charles Mingus. 

    As Scofield tells of his move to the Big Apple in 1975, there are great scenes of him strolling by his old haunts. These include The Blue Note, the former site of “guitar shop row” on 48th Street, a namecheck for the cheap eats at Mamoun’s Falafels and Seventh Avenue South. It was at the latter where Miles Davis would first hear and then enlist Scofield into his band.  After his performance at the club, Miles would say to him: “You sound good.” And when Scofield began effusing about Miles’ immense influence on him, the trumpeter would say: “Shut the fuck up!” 

    “That was the beginning of our relationship,” quips Scofield. “But just to be around him gave me the confidence that I was on the right path, that I should trust my instincts just like Miles did.”

    Much of the action in the film takes place on the road with Scofield and his touring quartet, including keyboardist Gerald Clayton, bassist Vincente Archer and longtime drummer Billy Stewart. We see them traveling in van and airplanes, checking into hotels, sound checking, playing sets and killing time before gigs by visiting local guitar stores. One of the best musical moments in the film has Scofield jamming with bassist Archer on a resonator guitar at a guitar store in the Northwest.

    “Since 1975, I’ve been on tour half the year, every year, so I’m what’s called ‘a road dog,’” says Scofield. “In the old days, guys didn’t have to leave New York to make a living, but we do.” In the film, Scofield laments the loss of America’s circuit of jazz clubs, where a musician could play for a week or longer versus flying and driving between one-nighters.

    Scofield also provides some enlightening observations on the art of improvisation and the creative alchemy of bands.

    “The jazz world is like humanity,” he says. “When your styles match and you can play together, it’s a beautiful thing.  You might be different people, but you get along because the music is happening… It’s my band, but once the band starts to play I’m just another member.”

    Scofield continues: “Improvisation is a natural human thing.  The compositions are meant to be taken apart.  They go hand in hand – composition and improvisation… Some people have huge vocabularies and it sounds good but there’s nothing happening.  I would like to hope that I’m playing less notes but saying more with them.”

    One thing I truly loved about Steineck’s film is that he leaves plenty of time to luxuriate in the fantastic live performances.  Steineck’s clips of Scofield and his quartet playing live demonstrate that John remains one of the most original and hardest swinging guitarists in modern jazz.  There are also great clips of him playing in duets and solo, demonstrating his deep knowledge of harmony and feel, with those bold arpeggiated lyrical solos and his unflagging blues sensibility.  The one thing I did miss was mention of Scofield’s participation in the more mainstream “jam band scene” of the early aughts with his Uberjam band.  

    Steineck’s documentary concludes with Scofield at home in Katonah. Here he enjoys his “nice espresso machine” and does what he loves most of all – playing . “I need to play every day or I don’t play well,” says Scofield. “It’s my favorite part of the day.”

    As Scofield wonders what it would be like if he couldn’t play, the documentary takes a turn, colored by some delightfully weird gong-flavored music.  The film concludes with Scofield self-isolating during the early days of the COVID-19 epidemic.  We see him commiserating with his longtime playing partner Steve Swallow via Zoom saying, “I feel like I’m in a dystopian situation.”

    Luckily for us, Scofield returned to the road as COVID abated.  And some of the works of the ensembles featured in the film, his 2018 quartet and duo work with Steve Swallow, can be enjoyed on Combo 66 (Verve, 2018) and Swallow Tales (ECM, 2020). Also, not to be missed is the 2017 album Hudson, a collection of covers he made with Hudson Valley-based musicians, Jack DeJohnette, Larry Grenadier and John Medeski.

    INSIDE SCOFIELD is available on DVD and video on demand on Vimeo.  It will be coming to other platforms in 2023.