After winning female artists of the year at the American Country Music Awards this past month, Carly Pearce headed to Albany to perform at The Egg to give a heartfelt and award-winning performance on Friday, March 18.
Hannah Ellis opened up the show with her guitarist Kevin Monahan where they sang her first hit single “US” and a cover of The Band Perry’s fire starting song, “Better Dig Two” which got the crowd stopping their feet back to their southern roots while singing along. The set list consisted of nine songs with three being covers.
Carly Pearce, left and Hannah Ellis, right
The lights dimmed low while the fog began to emerge out onto the stage and just when Carly’s band finished setting up, she strutted onto the stage in her vibrant red outfit and glitter boots. Without hesitation she opened up her show with the first song off her current album 29: Written In Stone, “Diamondback.”
The songs were uplifting everyone in their own way. As you looked around the venue you could see the hand on the heart swaying motion and the hand in the air emphasizing the heartbreaking words Carly sang that touched the individual. Heading into the fourth song on her 29 album she paused to explain to the crowd the meaning behind her album and how the order of the songs were intentional in order to tell the story of her life.
Halfway through the show it was time for the track named after the album “29” and this was where the crowd began showing its vulnerability and intimacy. As Carly explained the meaning behind the song and how she came from a line of very strong women in her family, so she didn’t want to shy away from the truth and embarrassment she felt during the emotional year of her marriage. A women in the crowd made a cheers to all the women in the room prior to the start of the song and everyone followed her as well as Carly.
There was an instant connection with this shows crowd and Carly Pearce. She brought two girls to the stage who held a sign up about their troubles and Carly didn’t let them go unnoticed or unheard as she talked to them on the stage about the struggles a lot of women face.
As the last song of the show began to be strummed and the cords of “Every Little Thing” began, the crowd stood up and swayed along feeling every soft lyric Carly sang. All a sudden at the half way mark of the heartfelt song they stopped and switch the beat to “Hide The Wine” a song from her first album that led to the crowd to begin jumping up in down at their seats to the all too familiar girl power song.
Waving goodbye to her fans as they stood and cheered for her, Carly left everyone with an adreanline rush. As the fans headed out of the venue the singing didn’t stop, a few women walked down the stairway singing the last song “Hide The Wine” lyrics and cheering.
Arcade Fire wrapped up an invigorating four-night residency at NYC’s, Bowery Ballroom, on Monday night. The shows come as the band is gearing up to release WE, their sixth studio LP and second from Columbia Records. After a one-off show at Toulouse Theatre in New Orleans on March 14th, Arcade Fire released the first single from the new album, Lightning I, II. The two-part song first features an anthemic ballad with singer Win Butler’s signature voice over soothing guitar and piano chords before picking up the pace into a classic Arcade Fire rock song.
Arcade Fire, Bowery Ballroom 3/20/22. Photo by David Reichmann
On Friday, March 18th, Arcade Fire began the day by announcing a surprise show that night at Bowery Ballroom. Wristbands would be given out at the door on a first come, first served basis after making a “pay-what-you-can” donation to the Plus1 Ukraine Relief Fund. Fans flocked over to Delancey Street and within a couple of hours the show was sold-out. On Saturday morning the pattern was repeated for a second show at Bowery Ballroom; again selling out within a couple hours.
On Sunday, in anticipation of a third night (given the empty day on Bowery Ballroom’s calendar) well over 100 people wrapped around the corner waiting for wristbands. However, a mysterious sign appeared on the venue door and Arcade Fire posted an Instagram message saying that “No wristbands will be available at the door tonight. Keep an eye here for pickup locations.” With many fans having driven and flown into Manhattan, there was sudden confusion and furious speculation about potential pickup locations. The drama was fueled even further when the band posted an even more cryptic message on Twitter claiming “It’s a nice day to go to the park.” Suddenly, the geography of lower Manhattan and the path of least resistance to every park within several miles of Bowery Ballroom were being scouted.
Photo on the entrance to Bowery Ballroom, Sunday March 20th.
Fans had begun to scatter around the Lower East Side once it became apparent that waiting at Bowery Ballroom was useless. A few hours later, five locations throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn were revealed on social media: Washington Square Park, Central Park Northwest, McCarren Park, Maria Hernandez Park, and Ft. Greene Park. Hundreds of Arcade Fire fans suddenly hopped in cars, on bikes, the subway, or flat-out sprinted down the streets to get their wristbands. NYS Music contributor David Reichmann and two of his friends drove to Bushwick and ran full speed through Maria Hernandez Park, managing to get the very last three wristbands in that location, also the last location to sell out. All that after 3 hours of scouring Twitter, Instagram, and Reddit trying to find clues and positioning themselves in the best spot for the location announcements.
For fans who made it inside on Sunday night, there was a collective sense of relief and excitement. They had arrived against all odds and were going to see their favorite band play one of the most unique shows of their career in a very intimate room. On every night of the run, Arcade Fire played a career spanning set, including new songs and cult favorites. At one point on Sunday, Win jumped down into the audience with his guitar, expertly catching his microphone tossed from the stage by his bandmates and handed it to a fan to act as his mobile mic stand while he played and sang amongst the crowd.
Later in the evening, Win dedicated “The Suburbs” to his brother and now former band mate Will: “This is for my beautiful brother Will.” After not appearing with the band for the New Orleans show or the first two nights at Bowery Ballroom, Will officially announced his departure from Arcade Fire via his Twitter. For these shows, and presumably the upcoming tour, Will is being replaced by Wolf Parade’s Dan Boeckner.
Win Butler of Arcade Fire, Bowery Ballroom 3/20/22. Photo by David Reichmann
On night one of the residency, fans heard classic Arcade Fire songs “Haiti,” “Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains),” and “Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels).” During the encore, the band played the new singles “Lightning I, II” followed by hit songs “Rebellion (Lies)” and “Wake Up.” Night two featured many of the same classics in a different order with the addition of the title track from their previous LP, “Everything Now.” Night three highlight was the first performance on this cycle of the raging Funeral rager “Neighborhood #3 (Power Out).
On the final night, NYS Music contributor Joseph Buscarello managed to get inside. That night, already spoiled fans were treated to a special setlist. The main set contained the same mix of classics from the previous nights. After a short break, Mike Meyers made a surprise appearance onstage for a speech. After some comedic banter with the audience, the message took on a more serious tone as Meyers addressed the war in Ukraine. Reminiscing about his parents who “fought the fascists in WWII,” Meyers implored the audience to embrace democratic governments that strive for the common good and fight against evil and oppression in the world. Doing so, he explained, is the first step towards repelling the evil the Russian government has brought into Europe today.
Arcade Fire, Bowery Ballroom, 3/21/22 – Photos by Buscar Photo
After a thunderous applause, the encore continued with a monstrous “Wake Up” sing-along followed by the live debut of upcoming WE single “Unconditional I (Lookout Kid).” Before playing the new song for the first time, Win asked the crowd not to record the performance to “preserve the surprise for everyone else.” The crowd obliged and we have not yet seen any clips of the performance online.
To close the show, Win introduced David Byrne onto the stage for the last song of the night. Byrne has performed with the band many times throughout their career, but the buzz in the room skyrocketed when he walked to center stage. Win surrendered the stage to the Talking Heads frontman and joined the marching band on the main floor while Bowery staff began tossing dozens of small tambourines and maracas into the crowd. Armed with voices and instruments of peace, 500 sweaty people turned into a single band for a grand rendition of The Plastic Ono Band anthem “Give Peace A Chance.” Byrne did the scatting and we all sang the chorus over and over for a seemingly endless amount of time. Finally, just as the band did on the first night, the show ended with a musical procession out to the sidewalk and down into the Bowery subway station platform. Photos of the subway performance from night one are below from friend of NYS Music Will Oliver.
As of now, the band is idle with nothing officially on the radar. These four shows were a truly unique experience and NYS Music was so fortunate to be able to attend two of the nights. Arcade Fire will sell out dozens of arenas later this year, and while those shows will be spectacles, the intimate energy and passion on display inside Bowery Ballroom will not be matched. Fans who scoured Manhattan and Brooklyn for wristbands saw once-in-a-lifetime performances from one of the most successful indie rock bands of the last 20 years. Keep your eyes focused on the band’s social media as they gear up for this new album cycle. Check out the gallery below for more photos from night three from David Reichmann.
Railroad Earth’s 2022 tour just made a stop in Albany this past Friday, March 18. This was the their first show at The Egg since 2019, and the Capital District crowd showed just how much they missed Railroad Earth the last two years. The folk-centric jam band put on a dynamic show filled with rowdy choruses, dueling solos, and an atmosphere that felt almost like a celebration. The Egg audience was on its feet from the start of the show as folks were in great spirits. When Railroad Earth took the stage, everyone was immediately put in the mood to dance and move around out of their seats.
Among the high energy peaks, the show was also filled with spacious moments that bordered on serene. Fans enjoyed these calm moments by slowing down with the band as they got lost in the music, creating an ambience that allowed the colorful light show to shine. Fans could breath while appreciating the full experience being created before them, before being pulled right back to their feet to continue dancing along to the very next song. And so the show flowed along like this for an hour and a half, with everyone in The Egg seeming to have been transported somewhere far away from Albany.
Railroad Earth have been working in the studio as well, and recently released a brand new single titled “Come and Go Moon.” Back in January, they released another single titled “Runnin’ Wild,” which was their first newly recorded track since “It’s So Good” was released back in 2019. Two new songs in 2022… One could wonder if there may be a new album on the horizon for Railroad Earth. All we can d is wait and see though, so sense speculating. In the meantime, you should listen to what Railroad Earth has been up to in the YouTube video for their new single below.
If you missed your chance to see Railroad Earth at The Egg, then be sure to check out the bands upcoming tour dates as they travel down the east coast through the end of March. After a few weeks off, the band will be hopping all over the country throughout the summer. To see all of Railroad Earth’s upcoming tour dates, visit railroad.earth/tour.
As Benny the Butcher and his Griselda cohorts further entrench themselves in the music industry and the lines between mixtapes and studio albums continue to blur, the Buffalo-bred rapper returns with another edition of his cult-like mixtape series. The array of Tana Talk mixtapes helped lead Benny’s ascension including his breakout third edition, which featured standout tracks like “Langfield,” and “Rubber Bands & Weight.”
Tana Talk 4 is officially Benny’s third studio album and the intro track serves as a reminder of Benny’s current standing within the industry. The lead single — “Johnny P’s Caddy”– features a strong J. Cole verse, while the rest of the appearances remain close to home in the likes of Stove God Cooks, Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine, 38 Spesh and fellow Griselda signee, Boldy James. While Benny commands that street presence throughout his projects, the Tana talk series has always maintained a more personal feel and has seen the Def Jam signee at his most introspective.
This ain’t my story about rags to riches, more about how I mastered physics.
The records opening line sets the tone for the entire body of work as Benny weaves through street tales and the specific details of the drug game, while giving attention to his growth in the music industry and the supposed dissension between Conway and the rest of Griselda records after his departure from the label. Songs like “Johnny P’s Caddy” sees Benny flex his muscles in the rap game, as he went from making street dollars to legitimate rap money.
In the game, I used to train like Rocky catchin’ chickens. I was nice, but they was right when they told me that rap a business.
While once again flexing his loyalty to the ones he entered the game with.
Besides Con’ and West, tell me, who else I gotta respect?
Benny effortlessly exchanges his street and rap personas. His production is composed of Griselda in-house producer Daringer’s grimy, raw, slowed down beats, combining that with famed hip hop producer Alchemist’s soul-samples. On the 38 Spesh assisted, “Uncle Bun,” Benny is raw and unforgiving about his street dealings.
I sold dope to a fiend while she pregnant, emotionless. I’m not a case worker, that’s not the reason I sold the shit.
While the more soulful “Weekends In The Perry’s” featuring Boldy James, sees the Def Jam signee portray himself as simply an author to his own motion picture, which is the sort of bob-and-weave that is displayed throughout the 12-track, 40-minute long project.
Tana Talk 4 isn’t all drug and industry talk, as Benny also addresses the relationship between him, Westside Gunn and Conway The Machine. On “Tyson vs. Ali” featuring Conway The Machine, he addresses the media and fans attempts to pin the former label-mates against each other, while unbeknownst to them, the trio remain tethered.
So confused when ya’ll compare two n**gas from the same movement. Only for ya’ll amusement is funny to me. Ya’ll do it, truth is, while I’m killing shit Conway is somewhere rootin’.
Conway The Machine responds with his own salute to his cousin,
Ayo, Benny, I remember what we used to do to the fiends. That’s why it feel so good to see you doin’ your thing.
As the entire Griselda empire has grown within the past few years, they’ve maintained their model, even as they’ve ventured with bigger labels and entertainment entities. The making of Tana Talk 4 — a renowned mixtape series — into a studio album exemplifies just that. Benny The Butcher continues to elevate and flexes his industry connections with the J.Cole feature, while remaining true to his core fanbase.
Overall, fans of Benny can be left satisfied with this project, as it has plenty of rugged street talk, but more importantly growth, as fans can see the fruits of Benny’s ascension as he rubs elbows with the hip hop industry’s elite.
Capital Region concert goers were emphatically “ready” Sunday night, answering the question that started it all for enduring alt-metal icons Korn. Turning out in droves to the newly anointed MVP Arena (formerly the Times Union Center), it had been several years since local Albany “freaks” had been able to see the Bakersfield, California metal mainstays in this type of setting. Fresh off the release of their 12th studio album Requiem, the pioneering titans silenced anyone who thought they may have gone soft, bludgeoning fans with a career-spanning selection of angsty anthems, radio hits, and OG favorites. Still here, still volatile and still a draw, on this night Korn reminded everyone exactly why, at one point, they were considered the kings of the genre.
Trading in the JNCO’s for black leather trench coats and hitting the road for 19 dates with fellow hard rockers Chevelle and Code Orange, the two-time Grammy award winning band have an ambitious spring lined up. Comprised of vocalist Jonathan Davis, guitarists James “Munky” Shaffer and Brian “Head” Welch, bassist Reginald “Fieldy” Arvizu, and drummer Ray Luzier, the sheer level of Korn’s reach over the years transcends accolades and platinum certifications. While it’s easy to make fun of their name and the nu-metal scene they largely helped bring to the masses, Korn has shown they are indeed ‘here to stay’ by continuing to push boundaries and finding ways to connect with a whole new generation. You see, in 2022 there is very little left for them to prove. From conquering the ‘boy band’ craze of the late nineties to selling over 40 million albums, at their peak Korn was arguably the biggest band in the world. Many will remember their star-making TRL and SNL appearances, their Family Values Tours and their infamous headlining scorcher during the first night of Woodstock ’99, before Rome went up in flames. These days, however, you can almost count the number of “heavy bands” who survived that era on one hand. A testament to their longevity, on this night in Albany plenty of people still wanted to see Korn throw down.
They came dressed in black, some with tattoos and eye liner, some covered in body piercings, others with neon-colored hair and sexy go-go boots, and yes, a few “freaks” came swimming in their vintage wide-legged JNCO’s. For the most part though, the fans who turned out were just your typical metalheads; the burly, bearded, beer-drinking guy-next-door type who likely has been “following the leader” for close to thirty years. After solid opening sets from Code Orange and Chevelle, it was finally time for what the Korn Kids came for.
As the lights suddenly went black, a brooding piece of orchestral music began piping into the MVP Arena. After a few moments, a large curtain with Korn’s logo became visible on stage, backlit to reveal silhouettes of the band members taking their signature power-stance positions. As the anticipation reached a fever pitch, the veil suddenly pulled away and fell to the floor as Korn launched into “Forgotten,” the first track off their new album. Fans instantly locked into it, erupting in unison while pumping their fists to the songs heavy chugging riff. The band looking fresh and already feeding off the Albany energy, also bouncing to the groove in perfect syncopation, dreadlocks flying in all directions, bent over at the waists as their instruments practically touch the stage; the thunderous and steady hands of drummer Ray Luzier’s anchoring it all down from his massive kit high above the stage. Off to the races, Korn quickly followed that up with one of their biggest radio hits in “Got the Life” allowing fans to “get their boogie on” and show off their voices to the song’s sing-along chorus.
The thick and sludgy hit single “Here to Stay” came next, followed by a new and relatively untested song off their latest album called “Start the Healing.” Front man Jonathan Davis, who admits he feels most at home when he’s hurting, was in fine form here. Sounding as good as he ever has and just as tormented. His unique, guttural, throaty screams filling the arena as he stalked back and forth across the stage like a starving lion that’s just been unleashed. Closing his eyes and clutching onto The Bitch (his custom made H.R. Giger microphone stand), when watching Davis exercise his demons live, there is no denying his sincerity. The unimaginable pain of his past is obviously still there and is still fueling an unbridled rage. Speculation of abuse aside, whatever happened to Mr. Davis in his younger years clearly had a lifelong impact. The type of torment very few overcome and very few can ever truly understand.
Celebrating the twentieth anniversary of their Untouchables album, Korn would dust off a bit a rarity in the form of “No One’s There.” Davis would then pull out the bagpipes for the iconic intro of 1994’s demented nursery rhyme smash “Shoots of Ladders,” at one point even working in a tease of Metallica’s “One” before returning to its usual structure. Sensing an opportunity to slip in another new tune, Korn upped the heavy with “Lost in the Grandeur,” which saw Brian “Head” Welch really getting into it. If dreadlocks could tell a story, Head’s could write novels. Inches longer than the last time we saw him, the man has become something of an inspiration for fans battling the hopelessness of addiction. After stunning the metal world in 2005 by quitting the band and finding faith, it would be years before fans discovered the reality of the situation. After kicking a life-threatening drug addiction and learning to better manage severe bouts of depression, Welch would rejoin his brothers in the band in 2012. Seeing him look healthy, happily headbanging and throwing souvenir guitar picks at fans, you couldn’t help but respect the guy. Let’s admit it, Korn just isn’t Korn without the chemistry between Head and guitarist James “Munkey” Shafer and if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, by now this dynamic dreadlocked duo of 7-string ax slingers could have their own monument. The signature sound they fathered was on full display for the next two songs, a pair of radio hits in “Ya’ll Want a Single” and “Falling Away From Me.”
There was a fun moment during “Coming Undone” when the band did a surprise segue into Queen’s classic arena rock anthem “We Will Rock You.” The main portion of the set then concluded with perhaps Korn’s most well-known song “Freak on a Leash,” the breakdown giving bassist Reginald “Fieldy” Arvizu a prime opportunity in the spotlight to showcase his impressive musical chops, resulting in a raucous and sustained ovation from fans of all ages as the band exited the stage.
After a few minutes of soaking in the cheers, Korn happily returned to play a few more. First was a medley of sorts consisting of the opening track 1998’s Follow the Leader, ‘It’s On!’ mashed up with the songs ‘Trash’ and ‘Did My Time.’ From there, one of the most unique and unimitatable songs in Korn’s discography, the Davis-led snarling beat box style scat-rap of ‘Twist’ which flowed directly into a song that’s been on the shelf in recent years, ‘A.D.I.D.A.S.’ The kinkier side of the Capital Region showing itself during the adolescent acronym hit when the entire arena sang together “I don’t know your fuckin’ name, so what? Let’s fuck!” and then simultaneously shouting out that “all day [they] dream about sex.” A truly memorable and somewhat hilarious moment. After an impressive, yet obligatory drum solo from Luzier, Korn thanked fans for all the years of support, promised they’d be back soon, and then sent the crowd home happy with the song that put them on the map, a celebratory rendition of “Blind,” complete with a cannon blast of confetti and party streamers and a massive applause from the Albany Korn Kids who still deeply appreciate and respect this band.
Like stepping back in time, this “freak show” felt like a nostalgic throwback to the glory days of the late 1990’s. Firing on all cylinders and going balls-to-the-wall the entire performance, Korn clearly still has “it” and are showing no signs of slowing down. With their impressive and physically demanding stage presence, unmatched intensity, energy and rage, it was as if Korn found the fountain of youth on this evening in Albany. Musical trends come and go, but this is still rock n’ roll and there will always be an audience hungry for this type of angry, defiant, and cathartic music. On this memorable mid-March night, metal fans got exactly what they paid for.
Korn | March 20, 2022 | Albany, NY | MVP Arena
Setlist: Forgotten, Got the Life, Here to Stay, Start the Healing, No One’s There, Shoots and Ladders, Lost in the Grandeur, Y’all Want a Single, Falling Away From Me, Worst Is on Its Way, Coming Undone Freak on a Leash
Encore: It’s On / Trash / Did My Time, Twish, A.D.I.D.A.S., Drum Solo, Blind
Tampa, Florida natives and metal-core innovators, Underoath, stopped at Brooklyn Steel on St. Patrick’s Day as part of their Voyeurist North America Tour. Voyeurist, Underoath’s ninth LP and second from Fearless Records, showed the band staying true to the hardcore/screamo sound they helped fashion in the early aughts, while also modernizing the production and adding electronic and futuristic elements. The band refers to this enhanced sound as “high-def violence” and are in peak form on this tour.
Underoath at Brooklyn Steel, 3/17/22. Photo by Buscar Photo
Underoath brought some new and long time favorite heavyweights to Brooklyn Steel to fill out an incredible hardcore quadruple bill. Long Island natives, Stray from the Path, opened the show, playing songs from a nearly 20-year catalog including their 2019 LP, Internal Atomics. Next up was Richmond, Virginia band, Bad Omens, who recently released their third LP, The Death Of Peace Of Mind, this past February on Sumerian Records. The penultimate performers were the incredibly exciting, Spiritbox, who released their debut LP, Eternal Blue, last September. Featuring vocalist Courtney LaPlante and her husband Mike Stringer on guitar, the band creates the perfect blend of etherial and melodic post-rock with crushing waves of heavy screaming hardcore. LaPlante stretches the vocal range with stunning beauty on the live stage.
Courtney LaPlante of Spiritbox. Photo by Buscar Photo
Underoath were thought to be permanently retired after their farewell tour in 2013. Founding drummer and clean vocalist Aaron Gillespie had left the band in 2010 and the remaining members went on to release a record without him, 2010s â (Disambiguation). Gillespie ended up performing with the band on the last show of the farewell tour in Florida in January, 2013 but the band seemed finished at the time. A few years later, they returned with Gillespie in the lineup and have since released two records, including Voyeurist, which has instantly become a staple in the band’s catalog.
Underoath at Brooklyn Steel, 3/17/22. Photo by Buscar Photo
The show at Brooklyn Steel was Underoath’s first time playing in New York since August, 2019 when the band played in Saratoga and Wantagh with Korn and Alice In Chains. The Voyeurist Tour is nearly complete as they are set to close the run with two hometown shows in Florida on March 26th and 27th. Find the remaining show details on the band’s website. Spiritbox on the other hand have gained so much momentum with this new album that their tour schedule is just beginning. After these shows with Underoath, they have numerous festival appearances and a European tour stretching throughout the summer. Head over to their website for the full dates and see our photo galleries from Underoath and Spiritbox below.
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
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.
