Spoon opened their second leg of their summer tour at the Town Ballroom in Buffalo on July 7. Touring in support of their recent release Lucifer On the Sofa. Though it was the first show they had played since June, you wouldn’t know it. Opening up the leg with a Smog cover of Held, the show was an eclectic mix of old and new, playing 5 songs from Lucifer on the Sofa, along with an impressive mix of their older catalog. It really highlighted the deep well they can draw from and keep the audience on their toes.
Spoon is a band that serves no bullshit; no stage theatrics, no elaborate light setup or costumes. Britt Daniel (vocals, guitar), Jim Eno (drums), Alex Fischel (keyboards, guitar), Gerardo Larios (guitar, keyboards) and Ben Trokan (bass, keyboards) are just 5 guys on stage who are focused on just playing their music. The band represents their cool Austin roots from the 80’s and 90’s where bands were cool without trying too hard. The show moved along like a locomotive, it didn’t slow and keep chuggin along and gaining momentum. Their 5 song encore started with a cover of John Lennon’s Isolation and ended with their musical nod to The Rolling Stones with 2014’s Rent I Pay. Some people say that rock is dead, but Spoon is proof that it’s alive and well.
Setlist: Held (Smog Cover), The Devil & Mister Jones, Don’t You Eva, Wild, The Beast and Dragon, Adored, The Way We Get By, Don’t Make Me a Target, The Underdog, I Summon You, My Babe, Feels Alright, My Mathematical Mind, Do I Have To Talk You Into It, Inside Out, I Turn My Camera On, Got Nuffin
Encore: Isolation (John Lennon Cover), The Hardest Cut, Do You, Small Stakes, Rent I Pay
Kirsty Rock, a member of the internationally renowned reggae super group Easy Star All-Stars, has announced her debut solo album Slow Burn on Easy Star Records.
Bringing a distinctive, soulful, and earthy reggae sound, Slow Burn coincides with an official video release of the title track, which was a collaboration between acrobatic dancer Julia Baccellier, Rock, and Rock’s long standing collaborator D888.
The visuals and movements are an unveiling in which we accentuate the beauty of that journey – vulnerability, a shedding, and in finality, empowerment. It’s a personal journey with a universal message.
Kirsty Rock
Kirsty Rock came up in the Brooklyn music scene of the 1990s. Her first lead vocal with Easy Star All-Stars was on their 2003 album Dub Side of the Moon, performing “The Great Gig In The Sky,” which earned praise from the original vocalist. In 2003, she joined the tour of Easy Star All-Stars in over 30 countries on 6 continents. She was featured on vocals on their studio albums Radiodread, Easy Star’s Lonely Hearts Dub Band, and Easy Star’s Thrillah, as well as on First Light. Currently Rock is back with ESA after a COVID hiatus.
The first single “The Feeling” may appear to be the most lighthearted song on the album. It was the most difficult and cathartic to write for Rock since it’s a reminder of love and joy that when we release grief, sorrow, pain, and anger.
Her next single, “L.E.O.” is filled with a steady bass groove and slapping drums. Rock wrote and sings the lyrics: “The space between us pulls me in with thoughts darker than your skin. It’s incredible. Burn my solar wings and carry me towards L.E.O.”
Many of the songs on Slow Burn were started on the road with Easy Star All-Stars and with her own long-running band Trumystic. Without the stress and expectations of rushing out products, she just let the songs evolve. Observing diverse relationships and changes in political agendas, Slow Burn had been inspired. After the bones of the songs were recorded in her home in Vermont, Rock began reaching out to her friends to add more into the album.
The first few tracks completed were co-produced and mixed by Grammy-nominated producer Matt Stein while the rest of the album brought in collaborators in Easy Star All-Stars. These fantastic artists including guitarist/vocalist Shelton Garner Jr., keyboardist/vocalist Elenna Canlas, drummers Ivan Katz and Cliff Simpson, and the horn section of Jennifer Hill, Buford O’Sullivan, and Matt Bauder, and other musicians.
Slow Burn is a stunning “debut” for Kirsty Rock. She is already at work on new songs and looking forward to bringing this music on the road with both ESA and on her own in the coming year.
Returning in 2022 to the south shore of Long Island was the Great South Bay Music Festival, featuring four days of artists on multiple stages. Attending on Saturday, July 9, artists included Aqueous, Galactic, Joe Russoâs Almost Dead, Tedeschi Trucks Band, moe. and Escaper, among many others over the long weekend.
Saturday kicked off with Aqueous on the main stage, who are taking a light 2022 to focus on family time, something well deserved for the Buffalo band. Brooklyn’s Escaper played an incredible set at the Clamshell Bandshell featuring Lespecial bassist Luke Bemand. With boats around the shore and some making their way to hear the music via kayak, the New Orleans sound of Galactic proved to be funky as always.
moe. played an outstanding set of music giving way to an evening sunset, on the heels of shows in Albany, Buffalo and at Levitate Music Festival. Joined by Suke Cerulo on guitar and Nate Wilson on keys (both in place of a recovering Chuck Garvey), the band shared their honed sound, including an ode to the Allman Brothers in a set closing “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed.” Listen to the show here.
moe. Setlist: Plane Crash, LL3, Mar De Ma-> Jam->Tailspin, NYC, Skrunk > In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed
JRAD closed up the night with a firey, jam filled set. Russo and his bandmates are back in New York in late August at SPAC, with many more fall tour dates planned in the Northeast.
Great South Bay Music Festival has become a staple of summers in Long Island for the past decade. We look forward to the 2023 installment and all the music in store.
God knows we all love a good gimmick. Especially when it wildly exceeds our expectations and produces something that is profoundly eye-opening, or in this case, ear-opening! Such is the case with Uncaged, an album of much-loved rock covers, rendered in a supremely deep and darkly delicious heavy metal style, by Milwaukee-based lap steel slasher, Sean Williamson, aka Velocihamster.
Album art by Steven Bossler
For those not in the know, the lap steel guitar, also known as Hawaiian guitar, is a steel stringed guitar, sans pedals and frets, that is played with a slide in an open tuning while laid across a player’s lap. It was an outgrowth of Hawaii’s popular slack-key guitar style, which was incredibly popular in the earliest decades of the record industry. Like the traditional guitar, the lap steel would become electrified in the 1930s and eventually be employed in other musical styles – jazz, blues, gospel and especially country and Western swing. While not as popular or utilized as its cousins the traditional pedal steel or dobro, the lap steel has been a standout instrument in the hands of artists of the past like Roy Smeck and modern era ones like L.A. session ace and Jackson Browne sideman David Lindley.
In Williamson’s hands, the lap steel is another animal all together. It’s a roaring, screaming beast, an instrument of melodic assault and chordal crunch that brings to the ears a virtuosity that is way more Van Halen (Sean taps his ass off here too) than Bob Willis and The Texas Playboys.
Williamson has super-charged his lap steel with EMG humbucker-styled pickups, the kind favored by Judas Priest’s K.K Dowling, Primus’ Les Claypool, Metallica’s James Hetfield and dozens of other metal mavens. His sound is thick, lush, layered and fuzzy, with his instrument further empowered with everything from distortion and chorus pedals to wah wah and harmonizer.
Photo by Greg Vorobiov
My favorite tracks are the instrumentals. His mysterioso take on Led Zeppelin’s Middle Eastern-y “In the Evening,” his jam on Edgar Winter’s “Frankenstein” and his uber dirty, nasty interpretation of the Sneaker Pimp’s “6 Underground.” Williamson does the Beastie Boys proud with his wanky, wah wah driven cover of “Gratitude,” one for which he also provides the appropriately juvenile sounding vox (that’s a compliment, Sean!)
Another highlight is the album opener, a super-caffeinated version of Motorhead’s “Ace of Spades,” with a guest vocal by Alice Cooper bassist and Beasto Blanco frontman Chuck Garric. Williamson also admirably covers of classics like Santo & Johnny’s “Sleepwalk” and AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck.” And while a lot of this is shred-centric, Williamson never loses sight of the melodies that have made these songs so memorable.
Uncaged is an album that will delight metal and classic rock lovers by breathing new life into songs you have heard hundreds of times before. But it does something even bigger. It uncages a sleep instrument in music’s arsenal and lets it roar and thrive in new avenues and genres of sound.
The tour, in support of Michael Franti & Spearhead’s latest release Follow Your Heart, will continue through the summer. The night included a short video sharing Michael Franti’s experiences at his home in Bali during the Covid years. Sharing what he encountered, discarded, and is now looking forward to in the future, offering an optimistic tone for evening.
Hip-hop pioneers Arrested Development opened the show. The band offered up a nonstop dance set including songs from the 2021 album For the Fkn Love. Formed as an alternative to gangsta rap, Arrested Development put positivity in the spotlight. They capped their set by reaching back to their beginnings with the iconic “Tennessee.”
Arrested Development
With “Stay Human” emblazoned on his guitar strap and “Don’t Give Up” on his t-shirt, Michael Franti backed by Spearhead took to the stage. Over the course of two- and one-half hours the night resembled a preacher with his flock, engaging everyone in a heartfelt love fest.
On multiple occasions, Franti stepped down from the stage, singing his way through the crowd to one of the two mini stages located in the house. Once there, Michael stood tall and spread his arms wide open, inviting people up to harmonize along with him.
Michael Franti
Spearhead’s four members, including Franti’s longtime collaborator Carl Young on bass, generated a powerful musical backdrop. Throughout the night, the band moved from electric to acoustic and back without missing a beat.
As the night concluded and after taking their bows, Michael and members of the band headed into the crowd to taking selfies and sign autographs. If there was ever a way to say thank you to an audience, this was it.
On June 26, As I Lay Dying brought their Two Decades of Destruction Tour to a brand new venue in Horseheads, The L, which has been on a roll with shows since it opened.
This was a show to get to early as it nearly sold out and you had a bit of a walk from the parking lot. Brand Of Sacrifice opened up and came out swinging, the heavy metal band from Canada taking command of the stage.
Next up was Shadow Of Intent, hailing from Connecticut, who kept the energy going. Originally the band began as a two piece and started off with Halo-themed music, then transitioned to the deathcore sound they have now.
Shadow Of Intent
Rolling up after them was Whitechapel, a band that is a staple in the deathcore community and probably could be considered the heaviest on the tour. Finally, to close out the night was As I Lay Dying, who had been on hiatus since 2014, having formed in 2000 in San Diego, California.
There was a bit of a hiccup before the tour as a few band members stepped down but the show went on and the place was filled, with Ryan Neff from Miss May I stepping in; he’ll be back at The L in September with another stacked lineup.
There have been many great shows at this venue but this one was definitely one for the books and with no signs of slowing down with the lineups that have already been announced, The L is making itself well known in the Northeast music scene.
Seeing the Grateful Dead on a hot summer night is a quintessential live music experience. That not being an option these days, seeing a founding member construct a crack team of musicians to recreate their music on a hot summer night will have to suffice. And at 82 years young, Phil Lesh is still trucking along doing just that.
Seeing a big summer show plopped right in the middle of an apple orchard might not be a quintessential live music experience, but for Central New Yorkers it is quickly becoming one. Beak and Skiff Orchards, booked by Dan Smalls Presents, is a hot destination for some of the areas biggest shows this summer and on this night, Phil Lesh and his Friends, among them his son Grahame Lesh, Stu Allen, Jason Crosby, Cody Dickinson and Amy Helm, brought their lowercase-f friends to the orchard to join in the communion of live Grateful Dead music. The apple trees immediately bordering the concert field were well fumigated at this show. Keep an eye out for a special THC-infused apple variety this fall.
It wasn’t even seven o’clock and the crowd was deep and grooving to “Reuben and Cherise” while the band was showing the tightness of a group that had been together for decades, not days. All 5 members were improvising at a high level and then reined it back in for a tight and tidy finish.
Amy Helm came on from her watching perch just behind the stage a few songs in to lead the band on Bob Dylan’s “When I Paint My Masterpiece.” She was a splash of color breaking through the grays and dark blues, slinking about among the statuesque guitarists. Such a beautiful voice, the only regret from the evening was that she was not utilized more fully. There was a great mix of vocals throughout the night with Stu, Phil, Grahame, Phil, and Amy all taking leads. Still, a bit more from Amy would have been welcome.
After a solid warmup set, the band came out of the gates for part two with a magnificent “Playing in the Band.” All five musicians playing circles in and around each other, listening and reacting, as they carried it through multiple distinct sections, rocking, groovy, spacey. Through it all, a highlight machine emerged from the back, Cody Dickinson on drums. Not typically seen anchoring such free form improvisation, he was a constant flurry of activity, holding the pieces together while maintaining a long leash with which to flourish himself.
“Cassidy” followed and was also an unexpected highlight, going where “Cassidy” is not typically known to go. Crosby moved to the electric piano which got it grooving with some late-70’s Dead energy and behind more stellar drumming and playing from everyone, it just launched into the stratosphere for one hell of a jam.
“Mountains of the Moon” similarly went atypically off the beaten path. Phil and Grahame had a nice father and son catch, passing the ball back and forth, guitar and bass lines playing off each other. Crosby grabbed his fiddle to mix it up further and the whole thing eventually dove into a deep oozing rumble. Phil hit on a nice dub groove and just sat with it for a few minutes and things got pretty groovy and interesting before fizzling right into a fun and bright “China Cat Sunflower”>”I Know You Rider” that had all the Friends on vocals, and friends too, in a big old singalong.
Prior to the “Eyes of the World”, “Brokedown Palace” encore that would send everyone back home with huge smiles, Phil came out to encourage everyone to become organ donors, as he’s been doing for 24 years. 24 extra years we’ve all had to enjoy his incredible music. “You give us the hope and the heart, and we give you the music,” he said.
Phil and Friends – Beak and Skiff, Lafayette, NY – July 8, 2022
Set 1: Dupree’s Diamond Blues, Rubin and Cherise, Minglewood Blues, When I Paint My Masterpiece, Dire Wolf, Casey Jones, Ripple
Set 2: Playing in the Band, Cassidy, St. Stephen > Born Cross-Eyed, Mountains of the Moon, China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider
New York jam icons moe. continued their recent revival on Thursday, July 7 with a headlining gig in their old hometown of Buffalo. As part of the Seneca Casinos Outer Harbor Concert Series, moe. played at the Lakeside Event Lawn in the outer harbor. With founding member Chuck Garvey still on the sidelines, Suke Cerulo filled in on guitar while Nate Wilson was also added on keys for this tour.
moe. kept it fairly old school this evening, in the community in which it grew up as a band. A “Kyle’s Song” > “Seat Of My Pants” got the evening started off right. The first set also offered up the newer composition “Prestige Worldwide” before “Time Ed” later closed out the set.
An even older tune “Johnny Lineup” opened up the second set, followed close behind by other legendary moe. tunes like “Timmy Tucker” and “Sensory Depravation Bank.” A powerhouse combination of “Recreational Chemistry” > “Meat” to close out the set preceded the all too fitting “Skitchin’ Buffalo” encore.
moe. Outer Harbor Drive – Buffalo, NY 7/7/22
Set 1: Kyle’s Song > Seat Of My Pants, Haze, Prestige Worldwide > Rickey Marten > Time Ed
Set 2: Johnny Lineup > Timmy Tucker, Sensory Depravation Bank, Meat > Recreational Chemistry > Meat
I’ve been listening to the Heat Haze EP from NY-based ambient country trio SUSS for about a week. If you’re a fan of ambient music, this EP does not disappoint. It’s five songs of soothing pads articulated with a variety of instruments, mostly string instruments, often played in repetitive loops bringing about a sense of calm and focus. For me, the title track conjures less of an image of haze than that of an old shack overlooking a swamp surrounded by lush green and hanging vines.
SUSS is a NYC-based trio of Pat Irwin, Bob Holmes, and Jonathan Gregg integrate their NYC roots into their music, playing off the similarities and differences between the Southwestern landscape (which influenced Night Suite) and that of New York, and in doing so, stretching the definitions of both “ambient” and “country.”
Reviewing ambient music is a challenge in that it is quite different from most other music. Most musicians want you to focus on the music itself, and hear all the interesting things the artists behind them are doing to draw you in. Ambient music is meant to put you in such a state that you are completely relaxed, not focused on the music at all. Heat Haze pulls that off. I really had to force myself to pay attention to what SUSS was doing. And even then, I would find myself lost in thought and not paying proper attention.
SUSS is credited with creating the ambient country sound, and the one critique, if it is even that, is that I have had a hard time finding the country elements of their music. Sure, there’s some acoustic guitar and even some lap steel, but neither are employed in a particularly “country” fashion. Two songs, “Grace” and “Train” hint a bit at some country roots, the latter perhaps teasing it a bit more than the former, but ultimately, I would bin this squarely in ambient without the country category.
My favorite track is the final one, “Pine,” which I can hear being the backing track behind a Nick Cave spoken word song or possibly in the middle of a Nick Cave & Warren Ellis film soundtrack. The plucked strings of what sounds like a baritone guitar add a nice dynamic element contrasted against the droning and whirling tones that make up the bulk of the song. It’s a haunting track; one that will be part of my nighttime routine, and perhaps present on my hot yoga mix, for years to come.
Real hip-hop was on display at the latest Alive at 5 in Albany on Thursday, July 7. Talib Kweli, one-half of hip-hop duo Black Star, was greeted to a warm reception on Thursday. Kweli’s large audience consisted of many who probably grew up listening to 90s styled hip-hop/rap. Backed by the band, The Whiskey Boys, many were brought to the feet with the versatile range of music on stage.
Not only was hip-hop on the menu this evening, there was also a fair amount of R&B and jazz performed. Kweli made time to demonstrate the complexity of each instrument on stage with solo performances. He also interacted with the crowd by not only playing some of his hits, but in paying tribute to Biz Markie, Ol’ Dirty Bastard and DMX. The show brought a lot of nostalgia and history to a multi-generational audience.
Talib Kweli was preceded by DJ Siroc and DJ TGIF. DJ Siroc played a nice set of songs, ranging with many hits from the 90s and early 2000’s. DJ TGIF was introduced by Mayor Kathy Sheehan, as he is one of Albany’s own. He kept to the unofficial theme with a set consisting of hits from Jay-Z, A Tribe Called Quest, and DMX. A dance battle broke out during the end of DJ TGIF’s set that lead well into the excitement for Talib Kweli.
If you were not able to catch Talib Kweli, his next performance will be at the Blue Note in Manhattan on July 12th.
Alive at Five returns on July 14 with Cassadee Pope featuring Sydney Worthley opening the show.
