On March 10th, Samantha Fish performed in Utica at the Stanley Theater, one of the first of many shows on her 2022 Tour, sharing the stage with co-headliner Devon Allman.
With opener “The River Kittens,” she and the band created a humorous hype for the crowd. This is not the first Samantha Fish show I’ve seen, but it was one of the best, with a spectacular final act from Devon Allman.
Samantha Fish originally grew up in Kansas City, Missouri, a town known for its jazz/blues heritage and old school rock vibe. In her early teen years, Samantha learned to play guitar and soon rock on to the electric guitar. In 2009 she released her live album Live Bait and since then has collaborated with others on additional releases.
The Stanley Theater performance featured songs from her newest album Faster, released in September 2021. A few standout songs this evening were “Faster,” “Better Be Lonely” and “Kill or be Kind.” The Samanatha Fish Band consists of Ron Johnson on bass, drummer Sarah Tomek, and Matt Wade on keyboard. The band makes their presence known on stage and did an outstanding job bringing the audience to uproar, enthusiasm and a tremendous Thursday Night show.
We are excited to see what Samantha brings for the rest of her 2022 tour.
Samantha Fishw/ Drummer Sarah TomekSpecial GuestRon JohnsonPERRI SAGE PHOTOGRAPHY http://perrisage.com
On March 16th, 2022, Conan Gray performed a sold out show in New York at the Radio City Music Hall. Bülow, born in Germany but now a globe trotter, is accompanying Conan Gray on his North American dates. Megan Bülow opened with “Don’t Break His Heart,” hidden by red light with an LED sign spelling out “Bülow” directly behind her.
After her opening song, the lighting changed, and she become visible. The most memorable part of her performance was during her cover of “Lost,” where the audience held up their phone lights, swaying to the beat of the song, which was undoubtedly a surreal moment for both the audience and Bülow.
Photo by Ambika VermaPhoto by Ambika VermaPhoto by Ambika Verma
30 minutes after Bülow finished her performance with her angsty hit song, “You & Jennifer,” fans eagerly prepared for Conan Gray’s stage entrance. His band members began to play, but he was nowhere in sight until suddenly he appeared at the top of a wall singing “Wish You Were Sober.” After, he came down to the stage, crouching down near fans to touch their hands and interact with the crowd. The crowd sang loudly to every song. Throughout, he made references to “Heather,” teasing the audience. His performance felt intimate despite being in the iconic Radio City Music Hall, and Conan made as much of an effort as possible to stay connected to the audience, not only through his songs but his actions through the performance. He returned for an encore with “Heather,” closing out his incredible performance.
Photo by Ambika VermaPhoto by Ambika VermaPhoto by Ambika VermaPhoto by Ambika VermaPhoto by Ambika VermaPhoto by Ambika VermaPhoto by Ambika Verma
Bülow Setlist: Don’t Break His Heart, Revolver, Lost (Frank Ocean cover), Playing Me Back, Mona’s Daddy, Booty Call, Get Stüpid, Mercedes, You & Jennifer
Jake Scott Setlist: Wish You Were Sober, Telepath, Comfort Crowd, Fight or Flight, Astronomy, the Cut that Always Bleeds, Checkmate, Overdrive, Affluenza, The Story, Lookalike, Little League, Jigsaw, People Watching, Maniac
Today marks the anniversary of the maiden voyage for the Grateful Dead to Utica. Certainly no strangers to New York City and the Hudson Valley by 1973, the Dead would soon begin to make their mark all over the Empire State. The band was still very much in the emotional wake of the recent death of founding member Ron “Pigpen” McKernan who was laid to rest just weeks earlier. The first shows afterwards were three nights at the Nassau Coliseum and now this new iteration of the Dead headed upstate for two more in Oneida County. This first night of music is an impressive showing from start to finish, filled with fan favorites and a whole bunch of new material debuted earlier this year. It’s all gas and very little breaks as the set list will attest, just the latest dose of good music at the Aud with Santana having played here last month and Procol Harum scheduled for a gig next month.
The recording for this show doesn’t start until the tail end of the show-opening “Bertha,” picking up in the middle of a Jerry Garcia-led jam before its closing verse. The audio quality itself is more than passable though and the Dead launch into a first set staple in “Me And My Uncle” next. The opening set also features a “Wave That Flag,” a song that would only be played a handful of times on this spring tour in 1973 before later being formally resurrected as “U.S. Blues” next year. It’s the same melody and general song structure, just with some slightly different lyrics along side some ultra jazzy piano fills from Keith Godchaux.
After some customary post-song tuning, things take a turn for the mellow as Bob Weir takes the helm for the delicate “Looks Like Rain.” It’s a wonderful display of group musicianship as the playing ebbs and flows along with the emotional progression of the song, peaking in a short but explosive jam that the Utica crowd loudly acknowledges. The “Tennessee Jed” that follows gets stretched out even further, with a catchy jam that comes to a slow crescendo, before the Dead reign it back in with a “Box Of Rain” that sees Donna Jean Godchaux backing up bassist Phil Lesh on vocals on the American Beauty classic. Donna then assumes lead vocal duty for a cover of the Loretta Lynn tune, “You Ain’t Woman Enough,” another song only played a handful of times in 1973.
The opening set of music then reenters the “boy’s club,” so to speak, with the next two song selections, one old and one new. A spirited but quick run through of another first set stalwart in “Jack Straw” precedes a still-fledgling “Row Jimmy” that was debuted just last month, but all the same, sees the band tugging at the collective musical heart strings once more. Afterwards, presumably in response to crowd requests for “Saint Stephen,” Phil Lesh loudly affirms they “don’t do that one anymore” with Weir adding, “Because we liked it too much.” It wouldn’t be played live again for more than another three years.
Instead, the Dead run through the old, reliable “Beat It On Down The Line” before treating Utica to another live show newcomer. This time it’s a mesmerizing “Here Comes Sunshine” that sees guitarists Garcia and Weir complementing each other wonderfully on a song that certainly shows the potential to be a fixture for the years to come but, oddly, would be shelved for almost twenty years instead.
An already marathon-like first set then continues with, fittingly, a crisp take of “The Race Is On” with Weir impressing on rhythm guitar before Garcia takes the baton and leads the way through an incredibly emotive “Loser.” After Weir then follows suit with a Western-themed song of his own in “El Paso,” The Dead finally bring the landing gear down on their first ever set at the Memorial Auditorium in Utica with an absolutely flawless run through of “China Cat Sunflower” along with a vintage “blink and you miss it” segue into “I Know You Rider.” Then, for good measure, they tack on a “Playing In The Band” after this that the “core four” of Garcia, Weir, Lesh and drummer Bill Kreutzmann just run circles around. The jam instantly goes dark and deep, taking its sweet time before coming back up for air. It’s one of the show’s true highlights and caps off a lengthy first set that lasts well more than 90 minutes.
There’s no signs of this show slowing down anytime soon as the Dead reemerge for the second set with a feisty “Greatest Story Ever Told” that’s accentuated by Donna Jean’s passionate vocals. The band then introduces another newcomer to the scene, one of the earliest played versions of “They Love Each Other,” in its original faster, shuffle-like tempo that’s laid down smoothly by Kreutzmann. Afterwards, Weir and Garcia go tit-for-tat once more as they trade lead vocal duties on “Mexicali Blues” and “Brown Eyed Women,” respectively, before teaming up on a cover of “Big River” as the band keeps churning out songs.
The tide then turns back to the introspective with the delicate “Brokedown Palace” that follows along with a triumphant take of “Me and Bobby McGee” with some spirited backup vocals from Garcia. After another long tuning break, the Dead come out of the huddle with a fakeout of sorts as they play the airy instrumental “Weather Report Suite Prelude” but then instantly shift gears and drop into one of their signature psychedelic soundscapes, “Dark Star,” which more than ably takes cares of the “Space” portion for this Grateful Dead show.
Emerging from the “Dark Star” haze are the opening chords for another song soon to be a second set fixture for years to come, “Eyes Of The World,” which also made its live debut just last month. The Dead go deep once more here, with another fifteen-plus minute jam highlighted by some pure guitar wizardry from both Garcia and Lesh.
Things slow down one last time with the “Wharf Rat” that follows, a song that happened to make its debut at a legendary show at New York’s Capitol Theatre in Port Chester two years ago. The strides the song has made during this time are evident as a noticeably blues-driven collective jam gets attached to the back end of this one before coming to a standstill. To close out this impressive display of their ever-growing musical catalog, the Dead dole out a few more longtime favorites to the Utica crowd starting with an emphatic “Sugar Magnolia” that Bob and Donna Jean drive home. A set-closing “Casey Jones” then serves as the de facto encore this evening, wrapping up an extensive three-plus hours of music and setting the stage for a repeat performance here the following night.
View this and more Grateful Dead shows from across the years in New York State with our interactive map below
Grateful Dead Utica Memorial Auditorium – Utica, NY 3/21/73
Set 1: Bertha, Me & My Uncle, Wave That Flag, Looks Like Rain, Tennessee Jed, Box Of Rain, You Ain’t Woman Enough, Jack Straw, Row Jimmy, Beat It On Down The Line, Here Comes Sunshine, The Race is On, Loser, El Paso, China Cat Sunflower-> I Know You Rider, Playin’ In The Band
Set 2: Greatest Story Ever Told, They Love Each Other, Mexicali Blues, Brown Eyed Women, Big River, Brokedown Palace, Me And Bobby McGee, Weather Report Suite Prelude-> Dark Star-> Eyes Of The World-> Wharf Rat-> Sugar Magnolia, Casey Jones
On Thursday, March 17th, Saratoga Springs came together for a spectacular night of music at Putnam Place. Everybody was Irish this evening, and all were in for an extra-special treat. Led Zeppelin cover band, the Midnight Sun Project kicked things off, and Prince Bowie headlined, leaving everyone breathless, a little sleepy, and very satisfied.
The Midnight Sun Project
Tonight was the first for many hearing Midnight Sun Project perform. Previously, most had never heard Led Zeppelin sung by a female lead. Once you have, you may not want it any other way. Lead singer Shannon Lynch‘s voice absolutely blew me out of the water from start to finish.
With Vinnie Amico (of moe.) on the drums, Shannon Lynch on lead vocals and tenor sax, Christian deFrancqueville on bass, and Doc Danielson on guitar, the Midnight Sun Project rocked everyone’s socks off and then some.
Setlist: Communication Breakdown, Ramble On, Good Times Bad Times, The Rover, The Ocean, Out on the Tiles, Misty Mountain Hop, Bring it on Home, Immigrant Song, Custard Pie, Black Dog
Prince Bowie & The Horn Section
After an energetic opening set, everyone was more than ready for the main event. Prince Bowie took the stage and did what they do best — glorious glam rock mashups. However, for a St. Paddy’s Day present, we all had an extra special treat: The Horn Section, formerly of Turkuaz.
Whoever it was that decided to put Prince and David Bowie music together was a genius. Having never gotten to see either in concert, this was a close as some of us will ever get to the real thing. But the fact is, this lineup was so good, it doesn’t matter.
The band this evening featured Eric Gould (Pink Talking Fish, bass) Cal Kehoe (Pink Talking Fish, guitar) Michelangelo Carubba (Death Kings; formerly of Turkuaz, drums) Alric Carter (TAUK, keys) Matt Wayne (Bobby Deitch Band, saxophone) and The Horn Section (formerly of Turkuaz) featuring Josh Schwartz, Greg Sanderson and Chris Brouwers. With spot on energetic Bowie covers of “Fame,” “Starman,” and “Let’s Dance,” the group sequed smoothly into “Cream,” “I Wanna Be Your Love” and “I Feel For You.” The set closing finale of Bowie’s “Heroes,”
The crowd was perfectly satisfied with Prince Bowie’s set. However, they leveled things up and brought Shannon Lynch and her incredible pipes back out on stage for an encore of “Purple Rain.” Lynch performed on several songs during the night, singing and playing the sax, to the delight of everyone present.
Setlist: Rebel Rebel, Raspberry Beret, Fame, 1999, Under Pressure*, DMSR*, Starman, Kiss, Let’s Dance > Cream, Changes, I Wanna Be Your Lover, Moonage Daydream, Nothing Compares to You*, Young Americans*, I feel For You, Heroes Encore: Purple Rain *Shannon Lynch on vocals/sax
The Lineup
Prince Bowie doesn’t have a standard lineup. Instead, this group is a rotating cast of some of the top musicians in the northeast and beyond. If you want to catch this lineup, however, don’t fret. Catch them live on April 29th in Norwalk, CT at Wall Street Theater and April 30th in Beverly, MA at The Cabot.
Listen to The St. Patrick’s Day set via Archive.org
And then there were four…. Welcome to the Final Four of NYS Music’s March Madness 2022, featuring up and coming bands from around New York State, all coming to a local music venue near you.
Since 2015, New York State Music has crafted a March Madness friendly competition that spans all the musical harbors of the Empire State. As fans and musicians, the NYS Music team aims to spotlight the great talent found across New York in a friendly contest, bringing broader attention to the next generation of artists and bands on the rise. March Madness 2022 highlights 64 bands and artists you might not know, but should know, as these homegrown talents are making waves through the New York State. Check out Round 4 here.
Enter your email address, get to know the bands, and vote for your favorites below!
Fine Grain, a shoegazy punk band from Albany took both the red and blue pills with a Genny and got banned from Trader Joe’s. The girthy tones of this gritty group will remind you of late nights on a stoop in September, your first beer after work, weird questions about your parents cephalopods, and of course, the crushing weight of capitalism.
Fine Grain is currently in the studio at Brunswick Recording, working on new music, and have been incorporating visual projections that sync up to their music, intensifying the experience for fans.
Gooseberry is a 4-piece band from Brooklyn, born during the Fall of 2019. Their combination of indie rock and soul is a recipe for a unique sound that Gooseberry delivers in each song. The band consists of Asa Daniels (formerly of Baked Goods) on guitar/vocals, Evin Rossington (drums), Sam Rappaport (keys, vocals), and Will Hammond (bass). The band is a genre-bending alchemy of many disparate elements. They are often referred to as having “two bands in one.” This phenomenon can be attributed to the distinctly different approaches of their two chief songwriters—Asa and Sam.
New on the block, Gooseberry has already begun developing a devoted following in and around New York City, running the full gamut of venues from The Bowery Electric to DROM to house shows across the boroughs, quickly staking their claim in the ever-lively Brooklyn music scene. Fans know they’ll be kept on their toes, as the band moves in and out of genres and styles, always keeping the crowd engaged. Upcoming shows include Thursday, March 24 with Grady Spencer & The Work at Hill Country in NYC, then at Bowery Electric on April 14 and at The Knitting Factory on May 21.
Seize Atlantis has a unique, tight sound fueled by punchy bass, hard-driving percussion, melodic lead guitar, and pronounced moody vocals with meaningful lyrics, a truly dynamic range of soft to heavy Alternative Rock. Formed in 2019 out of Glens Falls, Seize Atlantis is a four-piece band most closely influenced by bands such as Red Hot Chili Peppers and Pearl Jam, providing their own spin on a variety of covers from classic rock to modern pop in addition to their own original music.
Catch them on Friday, March 18 at Mean Max Brew Works in Glens Falls, April 10 at Fitzgerald’s in Fort Edward, and on April 22 at Empire Underground with Under the Den, Bad Mothers, and Sydney Worthley. Watch “The Unstoppable Groove” below.
The Helping Friendly Hemp Company Region Winner HANZOLO
HANZOLO won the EQX Battle of the Bands and opened Albany’s annual Pearlpalooza music festival in 2021. They have opened for bands like Lawrence, Wild Belle, and *repeat repeat. The boys released their first album Table Butter in 2019 and followed it up with their second, HANZOLO, in the fall of 2021. Hanzolo’s music has been compared to Table Butter: soft enough to spread yet hard enough to keep its shape.
Upcoming HANZOLO shows include April 8 at Madison Theater in Albany, April 14 at Pauly’s Hotel, April 24 at The Range in Ithaca and April 27 at Lark Hall.
Voting for the Final 4 has closed. Stay tuned for Championship Round starting on Saturday March 26 at 10am, ending Sunday, March 27 at 11:59pm!
NYS Music has partnered with businesses across New York State to highlight these 64 up and coming bands. Regional sponsors include Funk n Waffles, a premiere music venue in Syracuse established in 2007 with a unique take on the culinary and entertainment industries, offering a wide variety of gourmet waffles and breakfast food, as well as offering live music every night! Bearsville Theater in Woodstock is where Americana was born – where Dylan took folk music and married it to Rock & Roll. where folk went electric, and where Janis took a breath and recuperated, before launching her hurricane energy and heart stopping songs out into the world. Renovated in 2019-2020, Bearsville Theater has an impressive calendar of shows for Hudson Valley music lovers.
DSP Showsbased in Ithaca, NY and Northampton, MA, is one of the leading independent concert promoters in America, with shows at venues including State Theatre of Ithaca, Hangar Theatre, The Haunt, Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards, Brewery Ommegang, Asbury Hall, The 9th Ward at Babeville, and Daryl’s House among others. The Helping Friendly Hemp Companyoffers a wide variety of industry leading products including tinctures, soft chews, and hemp flower, using only USA grown hemp extract.
The winners of each region will be rewarded with a collection of prizes worth $3000. Partners for NYS Music’s March Madness 2022 include Mirth Filmsfrom Albany, a music news/entertainment outlet that specializes in original video content and live streaming, with news coverage ranging across the whole country, who will provide a professional multi-camera recording session at The Palace Theatre in Albany for the winning band, premiering exclusively on Mirth Films.
The XPerience Monthly is the greater Capital Region’s alt-monthly newspaper, bringing independent music and thought provoking articles to the area. The XPerience Monthly will feature the winning band in a newspaper profile and interview this summer.
After two years of silence on Rochester’s downtown streets, the 19th edition of the Rochester International Jazz Festival will finally take place June 17-25, 2022. From the 17th through the 25th the streets will literally come alive with music. The entire headliner series will be taken out of Eastman Theater and presented free out on Parcel 5 and also in MLK Park on the final weekend. Add in the free shows on Gibbs, er Jazz, Street, the Fusion Stage and elsewhere, that’s over 130 free shows over nine days.
Of course the festival’s signature Club Series is also back. Both the Little Theater and Innovation Square (née Xerox Auditorium) are back after renovations, along with Kilbourn Hall, Max of Eastman Place, Montage Music Hall, Hatch Recital Hall, Glory House (formerly Lutheran Church), Wilder Room, Temple Theater and the Big Tent. The Hyatt Regency Ballroom will also be added as the newest venue. Club passes are on sale now in both 3- and 9-day varieties. There truly is no better way to enjoy the festival.
“It is with a profound gratitude to all our patrons and sponsors that RIJF has been able to weather the past two years of the global pandemic. It has been an extremely challenging period worldwide for all live event producers. We are beyond excited to bring the Rochester International Jazz Festival back to all of you as global health restrictions ease. From June 17-25, we will stage another amazingly diverse program for all patrons to enjoy in Downtown Rochester. We invite you all to downtown Rochester to enjoy the finest in creative improvised music, and never forget: ‘it’s not who you know, it’s who you don’t know.’
John Nugent, Producer and Artist Director
The full lineup can be found below. See RochesterJazz.com for full schedule and details and stay tuned for our preview in early June. See you on Jazz Street!
3D Jazz Trio In The Spirit Of Ray Brown, Adam Melcho, All In Brass Band, Ana Egge, Andy McKee, Arturo O’farrill Quintet, Bad Sneakers, Big Lazy , Bill Frisell Trio, Bill Tiberio Group, Bob James Quartet, Bob Viavattne, Bobby Rush, Booker T Presents: A Soul Stax Revue, Brockport Big Band, Brubeck Brothers Celebrating Dave Brubeck’s Centennial, California Guitar Trio, Champian Fulton, Champian Fulton Trio, Charlie Lindner & The Pickle Mafia, Chris Botti, Cinnamon Jones, Con Brio, Connie Han, Connie Han Trio, Cy Smith, Danielle Ponder, Davina & The Vagabonds, Dan Wilson, Dayna Kurtz, Devon Allman Project with Special Guests Allman Family Reunion, Dmitry Baevsky Quartet, Drum Battle!! Kenny Washington vs. Joe Farnsworth, Dwayne Dopsie & Zydeco Hellraisers, Emmaline, Eastman School of Music / Eastman Community Music School Group, Eastman School of Music-Rochester International Jazz Festival Jazz Scholarships Performance, G Love & Special Sauce, Gary Versace Trio, Gate Swingers Big Band, Giveton Gelin, Grace Serene & The Superclean, Greece Jazz Band, Grupo Ife, Hans Bilger Group, Harold Danko, Helen Sung, Helen Sung Trio, Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra, Hot Club of Cowtown, Huntertones, Immanuel Wilkins, Itamar Borochov Quartet, Jamie Baum Quintet, Jeremy Beck & The Heavy Duty Horns, Jeremy Pelt Quintet, Jesse Stone, Jimmie Highsmith Jr., Jochen Ruckert Quartet, Joe Locke Group, John Bailey Sextet, Jon Ballantyne, Jonathan Kreisberg Quartet, Jonathan, Scales Fourchestra, Joonas Haavistio Trio, Judah Sealy Band, Kaisa’s Machine, Kenny Werner Trio, Kind Folk, Kurt Elling “Super Blue” W/ Charlie Hunter, Laura Anglade Quintet, Lew Tabackin Trio, Lioness, Majestics, Martin Taylor, Matt Savage Trio, McDonald Labarbera Quintet, Melody Masters Big Band, Michael Weiss, Michael Weiss Trio, Mike Cottone & Friends, Mike Ledonne Trio, Moho Collective, Ms. Lisa Fischer, Music Educators Big Band, Nabate Isles, New Power Generation, Nikki Hill, NYC Chillharmonic, Parker Trio, Paul Beaubrun, Penfield Big Band, Peter Bernstein, Prime Time Brass, Ranky Tanky, Ravi Coltrane Freedom Trio, Red Hot & Blue, Reverend Paytons’s Damn Dig Band, Richie & Rosie, RIJF All Stars, Rina, Robin Mckelle, Robin Thicke, Rochester Metro Jazz Orchestra, Ryan Johnson & The Coexistence, Samantha Fish, Samara Joy, Sammy Miller & The Congregation, Sarah Mckenzie, Scott Mulvahill Trio, Shayna Steele, Sheila E., Sonidos Unidos, Soul Stew, Spyro Gyra, Stephane Wrembel, Sunna Gunnlaugs, Sunna Gunnlaugs Trio, Syndicate Jazz Band, Tessa Souter, The Aquaducks, The Able Bodies, The Bacon Brothers, The Cookers, The Dip, The RT’s, Tiberi & Garzone Quartet, Tivon Pennicott Quartet, Tommy Emmanuel, Tommy Smith, Tuck & Patti, Tuomo & Markus, Under The Surface, Vanessa Collier, Ward Hayden & The Outliers, Wayne Escoffrey Quartet, Wynonna Judd.
There once was a time when marijuana was illegal in New York State, and on March 21, 1976, David Bowie and three associates found themselves arrested for possession in Rochester. How he ended up taking the most iconic mugshot of all time unveils a deeper layer to the story.
David Bowie’s iconic mugshot
On March 20, 1976, David Bowie was in Western New York performing amid his 65 show international Isolar Tour, in support of Station to Station, having performed just once previously in Rochester on June 17, 1974. On this evening, as he was two years prior, Bowie was at the Rochester Veterans War Memorial, and began the evening as he did at each stop this tour – without introduction and showing the 1928 surrealist film Un Chien Andalou by Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dalí, which includes a famous section of a razor blade cutting into a woman’s eyeball. Bowie appeared on stage immediately as the film finished, while the audience was still disoriented.
9,200 fans came out for this Saturday night performance, and although Bowie reportedly had the flu during the concert, he sang without issue. As Bowie closed the show with “Jean Genie,” he said to the audience, “Thank you very much, we’ll see you in about five months from now, thank you.” Seeming to imply a return to Rochester that fall, tonight would be Bowie’s last time ever performing in Rochester.
David Bowie – Rochester War Memorial Auditorium – March 20, 1976
Setlist: Station To Station, Suffragette City, Fame, Word On A Wing, Stay, Waiting For The Man, Queen Bitch, Life On Mars, Five Years, Panic In Detroit, Changes, TVC, Diamond Dogs Encore: Rebel Rebel, The Jean Genie
Bandmates performing with Bowie this tour included music director Carlos Alomar (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Stacy Heydon (lead guitar, backing vocals), George Murray (bass guitar, backing vocals), Dennis Davis (drums, percussion), and Tony Kaye (keyboards). The band became collectively known as Raw Moon.
The next week, the penultimate North American tour performance took place at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, which was recorded by RCA Records with portions broadcast by The King Biscuit Radio Network, later released as Live Nassau Coliseum ’76. It is from this show that Bowie and his entourage would drive back to Rochester for their eventual arraignment on the 25th.
The Arrest of David Bowie
So how did Ziggy Stardust end up getting arrested in Rochester after the show? As detailed by the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle in 1976, and again in 2017 with a first hand account of the arrest, it seems Bowie was set up following the after-party, acting on a tip.
That first hand account comes from Chi Wah Soo, who at the time was a twenty-year-old Rochester local that had moved to Rochester from Hong Kong with her parents when she was eleven. Soo used lyrics from her favorite music to learn English, and attended the concert, catching Bowie’s eye from the front row. Bowie passed a note to her through a third party, saying “Meet me at my party. David”. Obliging him, Soo remarked that he had a “halo around his head” when he arrived at the party, saying “Hello, love” to her.
After the party, Bowie, his bodyguard Dwaine Vaughs, Iggy Pop and Soo went to American Rochester Hotel, at 70 State Street (now a Holiday Inn), and met two girls (undercover cops) at the hotel bar, who were looking to score cocaine. After receiving a seemingly unrelated prank call, and with police listening next door, the party was over for the night as the four were arrested for possession.
At 2:25 am on March 21, three police detectives and a state police officer searched Bowie’s three-room suite, where they found 182 grams of marijuana – a little more than six ounces. It does seem that Bowie mugged for the camera before being taken to jail, with the photo below showing Bowie posing for a photo opp., with Iggy Pop to his right and the arresting officers on either side.
All four were booked at Monroe County Jail on fifth-degree criminal possession, which at the time was punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The four were all released around 7 a.m. on $2,000 bond each, with Bowie covering the cost for everyone.
Upon being brought to jail, Bowie used his real name, David Jones, and an address of 89 Oakley St., London, England. The others he was arrested with were identified as James Osterberg, Jr., 28 (Iggy Pop) of Ypsilanti, Michigan, and Dwaine Vaughs, 22, of Brooklyn, who was Bowie’s karate instructor and bodyguard. Soo was also arrested, and while the three men moved onto the next show in Springfield, MA, it would be a few days before all four were back in court to face the charges.
The Return for Arraignment
On March 25, the first day Bowie had a break from tour to return to Rochester, the Thin White Duke was greeted by a large crowd that included a teen fan who got his autograph as he stepped off an escalator, and “a half-dozen suspected prostitutes,” according to the John Stewart from Democrat and Chronicle.
Bowie wore a gray three-piece leisure suit and pale brown shirt, holding a matching hat, and was represented by Rochester lawyer Anthony F. Leonardo. He was arraigned within 10 minutes, pleading “Not guilty, sir.”
Reportedly at the arraignment, Soo gave Bowie her traditional Chinese wedding blanket, and Soo believes that in the music video for Bowie’s 1983 hit “China Girl,” her blanket appears in the music video. The pair would not speak again after this day.
Bowie and his entourage used stairwells and elevators to avoid the crowds, using a side exit to arrive at Leonardo’s office on the Times Square building’s seventh floor. Although he had remained silent throughout the morning, Bowie granted a five-minute interview to newspaper reporters in Leonardo’s office, although his lawyer would not allow any questions directly concerning the arrest, saying it was the first criminal charge he’d ever faced.
While complimenting the city police, Bowie noted the protection they provided him when he arrived back in Rochester. “They were very courteous and very gentle. They’ve been just super,” said Bowie. His fans efforts were also noted, saying he felt “honored” by fans’ support and insisting that the arrest would not sour him on future concerts in the city. Bowie answered most questions in the brief interview with short answers, shaking hands with reporters as they entered and left Leonardo’s office.
Over the next month, all four were allowed to remain free, and Bowie, being in Europe on tour at the time, was excused from appearing at the next hearing. Perhaps having a sense of humor about the case, Judge Alphonse Cassetti set the preliminary hearing for all parties on April 20, 1976. The charges, however, were effectively dismissed in May when a grand jury declined to indict Bowie or the other three.
Another Look at the Mugshot
The mugshot photo was uncovered in 2007, when auction house employee Gary Hess was clearing out the estate of a retired police officer. Hess gave the print to his brother Todd to sell on eBay, and wanting to garner some publicity for the sale, Todd leaked the photo to The Smoking Gun, which quickly published the photos and helped the image go viral.
The photo ended up selling on eBay in 2007 for over $2,700 to an “uber fan” in the Midwest, who notified the singer of the special purchase; Bowie was reportedly “pleased” at the news.
As you might notice, the mugshot displays March 25 for the date, and while this is not a typo or error, the circumstances are certainly unique given that David Bowie was arrested in the early morning hours of March 21, yet the date displayed is four days later. The reason for this was that Bowie’s lawyer successfully argued to delay arraignment until March 25, given that Bowie was mid-tour – with four stops left in North America – and the penalties for being forced to appear in court on March 21 would be stiff, given that he was due to perform at Springfield Civic Center in Massachusetts that night.
Bowie took the opportunity for a ‘staged’ mugshot photo to look as dapper as possible, posing for one of the most iconic mugshots in rock n roll history. The mugshot has even spawned a documentary, Bowie Goes to Jail, as well as merchandise.
After 10 years, quintet The Cast Before the Break, who began their career tracking at a Connecticut-based studio on Red Cedar Lake is back with their finished album, Where We Are Now.
The five members of the post-rock band, The Cast Before the Break formed in college in Upstate New York back in 2007. Four years later in 2011, the band signed with Deep Elm Records who helped to re-release As Your Shoulders Turn On You.
The 10 year anniversary of their album Still that released in 2011 and the pandemic led to the beginning discussions of the band rekindling to finish the old album.
Experiencing these past few years of collective loss is a lot of what brought us back to each other. While Where We Are Now deals with some of these same topics, it also exhibits a newfound catharsis. It acknowledges the pain we’ve experienced, but also how far we’ve come.
Jordan Stewart, guitarist
The long-awaited third album from The Cast Before the Break will bring back old memories from old listeners and spark the interest of new ones. The album, Where We Are Now brings together the emotions and everything the band had from their first two records, which help create the band’s most dynamic, raw and epic album yet.
Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up and coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear new music from, Planet Kniffen, Hasty Page, Phantom Suns, and many more!
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.
Planet Kniffen – “Peace Journey”
An eclectic, forward-thinking jazz ensemble, Planet Kniffen showcases the writing of drummer and bandleader Darryl Kniffen. The band released their debut effort Dreamlandin April 2018, an album that showcased their cross-pollinated blend of post-bop and electric fusion. Prior to forming the group, Kniffen, an Upstate New York native, studied at Crane School of Music, and embarked on a lucrative freelance and teaching career.
Phantom Suns – “Cordeyceps”
Phantom Suns hail from Burlington, VT and are self-described as performing riffy and melodic Alternative Rock, comprised of Seth Gundersen, Chris Mathieu, Chris Knauer, and Tristan Baribeau.
Hasty Page – “No 1”
Hasty Page is a group of talented musicians from Upstate New York that came together to create an exciting, inspirational alternative rock experience for their fans. Their original music paints a theatrical image through the use of creative lyrics and intricate musicianship. With a mix of popular cover tunes and invigorating original music, their live shows are sure to entertain.
New York City based singer Karine Hannah releases cover of the classic KISS song “I Was Made For Loving You.”
Hannah’s cover of the song turns what was once a rock anthem into a slow, acoustic love ballad. She keeps the same melody throughout but strips the song of its guitar riffs and heavy drums, letting the lyrics do the heavy lifting.
“The sensual nature within the lyrics “I was made for loving you baby, you were made for loving me” steers away from KISS’s theatrical sex energy and instead reveals a more profound passion within these familiar lyrics,” Hannah said. “The gentle instrumentals allow the listener to feel a genuine connection rather than a longing for a one-night stand.”
Even though, Hannah transforms the song its well known melody remains as catchy and memorable as ever. Her crooning voice offers a new interpretation of Paul Stanley’s original performance. Best evidenced, by Hannah’s appealing way of stretching out the vowels in words such as “me” and “you”.
By paring back the song’s rock trappings Hannah aims for sentimentality. It’s a target she nearly hits if it weren’t for the difficulty in separating the song from the transgressive energy so closely associated with KISS’s original version (and their whole careers).
