Pennsylvania natives Ceramic Animal are gearing up to release their fourth LP, Sweet Unknown, and the band previewed the record at Bushwick’s The Sultan Room this Wednesday, February 16. The show marked the band’s first return to the live stage since the beginning of the pandemic, beginning a short tour with stops in the Northeast, Midwest and South. The show was supported by Brooklyn locals Glom.
Ceramic Animal at The Sultan Room, 2/16/22. Photo by Buscar Photo
Sweet Unknown is the band’s first effort on Easy Eye Sound Records and was produced by The Black Keys front man Dan Auerbach. Prior to signing to the label, Ceramic Animal wrote, produced, and self-released all three of their previous albums. The band has gained a solid footing throughout their young career and they are poised to reach a much wider audience with their major label debut. The title track was released as the lead single along with the music video below.
“Sweet Unknown” by Ceramic Animal. Via YouTube
The five-piece band consists of three brothers and childhood friends; relationships that bleed chemistry, especially on such a small stage. Dressed in all white suits, and surrounded by friends and family in the intimate Sultan Room, Ceramic Animal performed with an overt love for their music. Head over to the band’s website to preorder the record and check out the rest of the tour itinerary. Find our full photo gallery from the show at The Sultan Room below.
John Mayer hit the MVP Arena on Thursday, February 19 for the opening of his much awaited Sob Rock Tour, promoting his most recent album by the same name. The stage design and look of the show gave off the ’80s aesthetic that Mayer has aligned Sob Rock with, invoking the decade of analog, windbreakers and neon.
Chicago-born Alexander 23 opened the show with an incredible 11-song set. Playing a good mix of songs off his just-now released (02/19/22) album Oh No, Not Again! he was an excellent crowd warmer. “Cry Over Boys” and “Brainstorm” were especially fun to dance along to.
When John hit the stage the room filled with cheers of excitement and love for the artist. Opening with “Last Train Home,” the first single from the new album, the legend addressed the audience, “Albany, welcome to the Sob Rock era.” From that moment, the crowd was locked in for a full night of new and classic favorites.
John Mayer has carved himself a place in music history, known for his smooth voice, and blues inspired guitar playing, which was plentiful during the show. His love for playing music is always apparent while he is on stage. The whole show combined the sing-along energy of your favorite popstar’s concerts and the groove of your favorite jam show. Mid-way through the show he told the audience very seriously, “We are prepared to make you move.” And move they did, everyone was on their feet the entire night.
Just as integral to the night was Mayer’s backing band. One highlight includes a jam-battle of John vs. his keys player, Greg Phillinganes, on keytar during a particularly jam-heavy “Helpless.” The audience was also lucky enough to hear perhaps John’s most famous song “Your Body is a Wonderland,” played for the first time with a full band. The song, a classic, was made anew by the full band accompaniment. Even John acknowledged this telling the audience, “Only a band like this could make a song feel that good.” The full arena singing along certainly helped, too.
One fan received a special shout out during the show when John pointed them out saying, “This person understood an assignment that hasn’t even been given yet!” The audience member donned 80’s inspired gear, Walkman attached to them. John was so delighted by this he even took a minute to get the camera on the fan who showed off their look with pride to the audience.
You could sense John was grateful to be there, like many artists who have had their live-touring plans disrupted or delayed these past two years. He even took a minute to share his gratitude with the crowd. “A lot of things have changed in the world, your tastes have changed, but you decided to come back and listen to these songs, and that means the world to me.” Which he followed with an early fan-favorite from his Continuum album, “Gravity,” while audience members held up phone flashlights to make the room sparkle. Even in a full arena, this moment felt intimate and special. The full show ended with an encore, including songs “Born and Raised” and “New Light.”
There was excitement and admiration as the audience left the arena following the show. John Mayer is known for his charisma and ability to make people fall in love with him over and over again. There is no doubt that he had succeeded at this once again during this Thursday night show in Albany.
This was the first stop on the Sob Rock national tour. Mayer heads to NYC for a two-night run at Madison Square Garden on February 20 and 21 and will be back in New York State on March 1 at the UBS Arena in Belmont Park, NY. Check out the full list of dates for the Sob Rock tour here. And if you attend one of the shows – don’t forget your Walkman!
Setlist: Last Train Home, Shot In The Dark, I Don’t Trust Myself With Loving You, Who Says, Love On The Weekend, Moving On And Getting Over, Shouldn’t Matter But It Does, Rosie, I Guess I Just Feel Like, Helpless, Stop This Train, In The Blood, Carry Me Away, The Beautiful Ones @, Slow Dancing In A Burning Room, Your Body Is A Wonderland, Wild Blue, All I Want Is To Be With You, Waiting On The World To Change, Gravity Encore: Born And Raised, New Light
Today marks the anniversary of the start of The Grateful Dead’s fourth and final residency at the Capitol Theater in Port Chester. Affectionately known as “The Cap,” this small theater certainly helped build the legacy of The Dead in New York and beyond. The first show here in 1971 may well be a leading cause of this. Not only does it offer a host of songs from the recently released and acclaimed American Beauty album, it also features a wealth of brand new songs that made their live debut this evening and would become concert regulars in the years to come. Throw in one of the most “beautiful” pieces of collective improvisation that the band has ever played and you’ve got a show for the ages right here.
This legendary run at The Cap starts off with a new song that’s soon to become a Grateful Dead staple, a rip-roaring “Bertha.” It’s only the third one ever played after two live performances in December of 1970 and the first time it’s ever opened a show. It seems a little quicker than its customary tempo, with Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir nailing the harmonized vocals. After a presumable audience request for “Casey Jones,” Jerry Garcia notes the next song “isn’t driving a train, but it’s almost as good” before the Dead launch into “Truckin’.” This American Beauty tune has a little more experience under its belt in the live setting and an extremely crisp and cohesive version ensues, with a short bluesy jam spearheaded by Garcia on the tail end. Batting in the third spot this evening is Pigpen, who steps up to the plate, harmonica in tow, and maintains the early blues vibe with a classic rendition of “It Hurts Me Too.”
After some more post-song extended tuning, a tradition Weir notes is “older than music itself,” Garcia jumps back on the mic and leads the band through another new number. This time it’s “Loser,” the first one ever performed live. It’s a well honed version that’s again a little faster than its successors but played beautifully (a sign of things to come) with a hair-raising guitar solo thrown in by Garcia. A chatty Bob Weir then begs for indulgence from the audience for another brand new song to follow that winds up being “Greatest Story Ever Told.” It’s a quick take that fizzles out shortly but instead of more post-song tuning, the Dead keep it going and immediately segue into a cover of Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode.”
Weir maintains his presence on lead vocals for the cautionary tale of “Mama Tried” that follows before handing the baton back to Pigpen for his signature cover of Otis Redding’s “Hard To Handle.” This yields another significant blues-inspired jam with drummers Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart helping set the pace. What follows this may be one of the most awe inspiring and notable sequences of Grateful Dead music in their storied history. It’s a “Wharf Rat” sandwich with two mesmerizing slices of “Dark Star” serving as the bread. “Dark Star” starts off extremely patient and melodic before Garcia comes in with the opening verse. After petering out into full ambience, Garcia seems to hit the opening note of “St. Stephen,” which often followed “Dark Star” in this era, but instead the Dead collectively turn on a dime and unleash another newcomer with the heartfelt and poignant first ever “Wharf Rat.” As it comes to end, the second serving of “Dark Star” emerges. But before it truly begins, the Dead continue to noodle around and steer the music into a joyous, euphoric piece of improv that’s simply known as the “Beautiful Jam.” This serves as the vessel that carries the music back into “Dark Star,” which completes this awe inspiring section of music that’s included on the Dead’s five-disc So Many Roads the celebrates the band’s entire career.
Many years later, bassist Phil Lesh seems to be brought almost to tears after listening to this heralded piece of music from The Cap thanks to Dead historian David Gans.
Somehow this doesn’t even complete the first set this evening. The Dead throw in a “Me And My Uncle” to close it out and earn themselves a well-deserved set break. The band emerges from this clearly in high spirits, giving some recommendations for the house light settings before starting the second set with an energized “Casey Jones” aka “that train driving” song. This sets the stage for yet another live Dead debut at The Cap that would go on to be an integral part of their history: “Playing In The Band.” It stays pretty close to the vest and doesn’t produce a drawn out, show-defining psychedelic jam like future ones will, but all the signs of a live show staple for years to come are there.
Photo by Peter Corrigan
Weir stays on lead vocals for the cover of “Me And Bobby McGee” that comes next before Garcia takes over for another number from American Beauty with a vintage rendition of “Candyman” that even includes harpsichord-like fills from Pigpen along with some more soulful vocal harmonies.
Pig then gets to take lead one last time and rips through another blues cover, this time it’s Jimmy Reed’s “Big Boss Man.” Then the last Beauty song of the evening emerges in “Sugar Magnolia.” It’s another fairly short yet explosive take that sees Garcia using the wah-effect on electric guitar to its full capabilities. This gets a warm reception from the Cap crowd, surpassed only by the one that the beginning notes of the “Saint Stephen” that follows receives. With the “William Tell Bridge” shelved as of 1969, instead Kreutzmann and Hart lead the percussive-heavy charge into “Not Fade Away” as the second set’s closing sequence begins to unfold.
The Dead offer up one final sandwich to The Cap with a “Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad,” replete with Weir’s wailing vocals, that feeds right back into “Not Fade Away.” And to cap things off (no pun intended), the music then immediately flows into a show closing “Uncle John’s Band” that’s played to perfection. Although there would be another five shows still to come in Port Chester, this one serves as the end of an era of sorts, with drummer Mickey Hart leaving the band the following day for his three-year self-imposed hiatus.
Grateful Dead Capitol Theater – Port Chester, NY 2/18/71
Set 1: Bertha, Truckin’, It Hurts Me Too, Loser, Greatest Story Ever Told > Johnny B. Goode, Mama Tried, Hard To Handle, Dark Star > Wharf Rat > Dark Star > Me And My Uncle
Set 2: Casey Jones, Playing In The Band, Me And Bobby McGee, Candyman, Big Boss Man, Sugar Magnolia, Saint Stephen > Not Fade Away >Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad > Not Fade Away > Uncle John’s Band
The Pine Boys are an electric combination of alternative rock, funk and hip-hop from Albany releasing their new album Vacationland today, February 18th.
These artists provide such a unique musical interpretation with a blend of character-driven storytelling and memorable guitar riffs. The group was founded by multi-instrumentalists, Brett Maney and Andrew Cerone, in 2016. When they started playing live in 2019, they added their longtime friend Sam Lasky on the instrument, the keytar, since they have been together, they have released 6 albums and played all over Upstate NY, anywhere from basements to bars.
The Pine Boys Live
Many of their songs are part of an interconnected universe set in the fictional town of “Vacationland,” this is the groups hometown and place of origin. This is also the mindset that you need to have when you see them live. Seeing a live Pine show should serve as a time to take a vacation from your normal reality and temporarily venture into their world.
The Pine Boys “Vacationland”
Their top song on Spotify, “Electric Minnow,” provide a mixture of funky guitar riffs along with a catchy rhythm throughout the song. By blending a hip hop style of lyrics with indie sounds, the band creates a unique blend of music.
Other songs like “Fat Al” are melancholy but have a funny twist. Throughout listening to the song, the guitar has a shadowy feeling yet satisfying because of how beautiful it is played. “If Walls Could Talk,” “Enter the Sauce,” and “Duneman” have made their top 5 despite being all on different albums. Each provides different genre mash which they include throughout their peruana of “Vacationland.”
Continuing her 2022 North American Tour, Waxahatchee played a sold out night at Brooklyn Steel last week (February 10, 2022) with support from Madi Diaz. Waxahatchee released the critically-acclaimed record, “Saint Cloud” in 2020, topping number 2 on Billboard’s US Folk chart, and number 6 on US Alternative Albums.
Waxahatchee at Brooklyn Steel, Photographed by David Reichmann
Madi Diaz opened the evening to an already-packed venue. She belted out songs from her great 2021 album, “History of a Feeling.” “Crying in Public,” which was recently remixed by MUNA, was a highlight of her performance.
Madi briefly interrupted her set when she noticed a few fans struggling with finding something on the floor, asking if everything was alright. A fan shouted, “I dropped my phone,” which received a big laugh from the audience – and Madi. “Okay, good, so we don’t need a stretcher?” she replied, getting another big laugh before continuing her set.
Waxahatchee’s band mates took the stage to big applause. The lighting was dark and intimate as frontwoman Katie took the stage, and the cheers grew and then hushed once she started her set with “Oxbow” from her last record. Her set included many fan favorites and most of the tracks from her latest record. Madi Diaz joined her onstage to perform the song “Resentment (New Feelings Version),” which they released together in 2021. Waxahatchee closed out the show with fan (and my personal) favorite, her Dolly Parton cover of “Light of a Clear Blue Morning.”
You can listen to Waxahtachee’s 2020 record, Saint Cloud here, follow her ongoing North American tour with support from Madi Diaz here.
This past Friday, February 11, Plush headlined their first show in the Northeast for a sold out Empire Live crowd. The band, led by Capital District native, Moriah Formica, were marking the release of their debut self-titled album. Plush’s lineup also includes Brooke Colucci on drums, Bella Perron on guitar, and Ashley Suppa on bass. The young rock band’s set included 12/13 songs from the album and a fantastic cover of Heart’s Barracuda.
Empire Live’s Underground space was packed from wall to wall, and there were fans of every generation present, from old metal heads all the way down to kids who could have been at their very first shows. Plush’s songs resonate with all types of listeners; their lyrics often touch on the struggles of heartbreak while being driven by heavy instrumentals and powerful harmonies. For their entire set, Plush was cheered on by a high energy crowd that recognized the talent they were witnessing. This talent included a a solo drum intro by Brooke that you can see below.
Plush released their first single ‘Hate’ back in February of 2021, and the song went on to reach as high as number 24 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Chart. You can listen and watch the music video on YouTube. Since releasing ‘Hate,’ Plush has been on the road opening for acts like Evanescence, Halestorm, and SevenDust. For this show though, the band had Vendetta Rose and Alborn opening in front of Moriah’s hometown crowd.
In the coming weeks, Plush will be hitting the road with rock and guitar legend Slash. Their tour currently has Northeastern stops set for New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. You can find Plush’s upcoming tour dates on their website.
Setlist: Athena, Champion, Found A Way, Sober, Sorry, Bring Me Down, Walk Away, Don’t Say That, Better Off Alone, Will Not Win, I Don’t Care, Hate
Composers and instrumentalists Vicente Hansen Atria and Mat Muntz are set to release their new album “The Vex Collection”, releasing on Carrier Records February 18. With a grand combination of jazz, world, contemporary classical, and experimental rock, these two trendsetters have experimented with traditional instruments to devise unforgettable musical experiences.
Atria and Muntz grew straight out of NYC’s The Shed Open Call commissioning program. This establishment is a cultural institution that welcomes and molds 21st century art and ideas. The Shed cultivates creativity in fields ranging from pop to classical music, painting to digital media, theater to literature, and sculpture to dance. Their mutual interest in double reeds, which are by far one of the most ancient musical technologies that produce intense ranging sounds, were intertwined with newly invented technology, known as live electronics that were developed through 3-D-printing.
In addition to the two composers, others joined the musical journey to mesh traditional and new sounds to produce “The Vex Collection”. Gamin, played the Korean double reed instruments the piri and taepyeongso, while Matthew Welch, specialized in the great highland bagpipe. Additionally, musician Neo, plays the carnyx, bombard, and dozaleh.
These instruments were deeply rooted in Korea and Scotland, some being one of the first to have a substantial impact in their respective cultures. Atria and Muntz made sure not to alter the natural sounds of the traditional music, but rather allowed it to clash with the live electronics on one song and flow smoothly on the next. The newer instruments that intertwined with the old, ranged from distorted guitars to aggressive synthesizers and detailed microtonality. Ultimately, the group proved that older music is still apart of today’s culture, just with an advanced technological twist.
“The Vex Collection” has pushed passed the social norms within the music industry, as we know it today. This album is full of improvisations of music between two distinct time periods, that go above and beyond what listeners could have imagined.
To check out their latest single “Fugue”, visit Foxy Digitalis. For more information about Atria and Muntz, as well as “The Vex Collection”, visit these sites: Mat Muntz, Vincent Hansen.
Bradley Nowell’s spirit is ablaze in the Empire State as February heats up with live music across Central New York in the Big Orange. Original Sublime Bassist Eric Wilson and drummer Bud Gaugh carried Bradley’s spirit on stage at Del Lago Casino this past December. Rome Ramirez fills in the guitar and vocals. “Sublime with Rome” made their debut in 2009 at Cypress Hill’s smoke out festival in San Bernardino, California. And another musical seed from Bradley was planted in Badfish: A Tribute To Sublime that carries the Long Beach sound torch as well.
Badfish: A Tribute to Sublime came to Syracuse’s Westcott Theater on February 3 2022. Joel Hanks, Scott Begin, Pat Downs and Dorian Duffy pass Sublime’s sound nicely around the crowd. Come on down reggae style, wind up your body like a bass line wild, drink and dance and we can turn it out. Chicago’s Dorian Duffy channeled the west coast bass lines to the great lake region of Upstate. The crowd responded with live art sketches and dancing on both floors of the cinema. The Westcott now has a mini mezzanine, “524 VIP Lounge”, on the left stage.
The Badfish band brought Sublime’s 90’s Skunk Records art sound to the crowd. Playing “Badfish” off ‘Jah Won’t Pay the Bills. “Smoke Two Joints” with the Grateful Dead’s “Scarlet Begonias” off 1992’s 40 ounces to Freedom album. My “Ruca” was Down at the “Pawn Shop” on Westcott Street. April 29 (1992) Miami set a tribute for Spring off their 1996 self titled “Sublime” record. Herbie Manns’s “Summer Time” was channeled through the speakers for “Doin Time”. The living’s easy.
Perri Sage Photography
Artist Jon Phillips of Silverback music helped the band from Skunk Records do their self-titled “Sublime” album in 1996. Drummer, producer, and DJ Marshall Goodman mixed the original “Doin’ Time”. He merged reggae, punk, and hip hop together. Then blended the three together with the track. Jon Phillips tells a great story on Reggae TV on how the song made its way in to your hands. Phillips describes the piece as a pinnacle historical moment for music and the band.
It’s a Herbie Mann rendition of Summertime. The way he played it. Just a nice vibe and I drew from that.
It’s Gershwin’s Summertime instrumentally interpreted by Herbie Mann’s vinyl from a Village Vanguard sample by Marshall. He throws in a Beastie Boys sample, his break beat & flavor drums. Gives it to Brad. Brad writes this incredible lyrical and counterpart to it.
Jon Phillips
The Gershwin estate actually told the group that they wouldn’t be allowed to put “Doin Time” out. Phillips started the channels to not allow that and have this music see the light of day. Jon said “It’s worthy of it. To me It’s historical”
The Gershwin Estate happened to be in the same office building as the record label Phillips was working for. He figured he’d knock on the door and see what the connections for clearance could be. The person they introduced him to that would help release it was a familiar face Phillips used to ride the elevator with. The guy happened to be from Jon’s hometown in the Bay area and they had similar musical angles.
This is one of those pieces of music where it takes the history of what a great composer Gershwin did that they represented. It’s sort of a passing it on to Jazz, Hip-Hop, in to this California reggae music that was permeating through the pop and sub culture
The Gershwin estate allowed the song in to your hands and boom box for play in the 90’s as result. The Gershwin’s just didn’t understand the dark sublime twist to it to the classic piece.
Brad’s original lyric was Doin’ Time and the livings easy. The song is about how he relates to a relationship that hes in… is like a penitentiary. Its a love song. Its not this happy Summertime song.
The Gershwin’s most important request was that “Doin Time” be represented as “Summertime”. Miguel’s vocals get spliced in to the track to honor the joint creative. The Gershwin’s estate allowed their publishing to go down in the song’s epic history. Lake Placid’s Lana Del Ray has paid tribute to “Doin’ Time” as well with her take on the track.
Jon Phillips founded Silverback Music in 1998. He works with a lot of New Orleans artists like Tony Hall & Dumpstaphunk. Silverback’s creative vision continues to grow with in the spectrum of genre-bending improvisational rock, dub, reggae, psychedelic blues, punk rock, acoustic, soul, and funk. G Love told NYS Music that he was “to the moon” when Jon Phillips told him that B-Real of Cypress Hill would be featured on his track “Everyday People” collaboration with Slightly Stoopid. Jon Phillips told NYS Music “That Stoopid remix with him and B Real with the headhunters sample is ILL!”
It was a strange serendipitous coincidence it happened to be the case. I’d fight till the very end to see that song reach the masses and thank god it did. Its a really important piece of music in that respect.
Jon Phillips
Badfish: A Tribute To Sublime, Westcott Theater. Syracuse, NY
February 3rd 2022 Setlist:
Garden Grove, Bad Religion, Don’t Push, Smoke Two Joints, Ball N Chain, Scarlet Begonias, Wrong Way, Same in the End, Johnny Butt, DJ’s, Badfish, Lets Go Get Stoned, Jailhouse, Pawn Shop, Acoustic Stuff, Ruca, 40 oz to Freedom, April 29 1992 (Miami), Santeria, Doin’ Time
Encore: Date Rape, Get Ready, Caress Me Down, What I Got
Today marks the anniversary of the heralded moe. Tsunami Benefit show at Roseland Ballroom in New York City, which gathered a host of notable to musicians to raise money for a good cause. A terrible earthquake and a resulting tsunami devastated the area near Sumatra, Indonesia as the year 2004 came to a close. moe. decided to do what they do best in order to lend assistance and brought some friends along for the ride. Together with a matching donation from Dave Matthews, nearly $150,000 was raised for the relief cause. Those in attendance this evening certainly got their money’s worth with a show featuring some traditional moe. songs, a whole lot of covers, and a mesmerizing 35-minute jam that nearly brought the house down.
Bassist Rob Derhak greets the crowd at the start of the show and thanks them all for “supporting a great cause.” And then instantly, the familiar pre-“Rebubula” noodling ensues and moe. opens the Roseland show with one of their signature songs, setting a lively tone early. No special guests needed for this one. Those begin with John Medeski and violinist Sam Bush coming out for a spirited take on “Mexico.” Medeski, ever the keys virtuoso, helps drive the pace of this one through the roof with some triumphant fills on organ that helps build a steadily escalating and emotional jam. Bush then exits and Medeski remains on for “Plane Crash,” again providing some extra rich sonic texture to another moe. staple before taking lead on the jam that ensues.
With three standout moe. songs now out of the way, the cover parade begins with a take on the legendary blues song “Got My Mojo Working,” popularized by the great Muddy Waters in the late ’50s. Guitarist Al Schnier deftly replaces “Louisiana” in the lyrics with “New York City” which does not go unnoticed by the crowd. Despite an uptempo, jazzy start the “Mojo” jam quickly devolves into a harrowing, psychedelic journey with Medeski again helping forge the path forward before the song rounds back into form.
Sam Bush then reemerges with a mandolin and has the Roseland stage to himself for a cover of the Lowell George-penned “Sailing Shoes,” a song he recently got to play with Little Feat in Jamaica according to him. By song’s end, he’s got most of the crowd engaged in a back-and-forth singalong. Bush then offers his thanks to both the crowd and moe. before the latter rejoins him on stage for one of his own songs, “Same Old River.” It’s a perky, bluegrass-y number that would fit perfectly in any stringed band show, with Bush ripping off a fierce mandolin solo in the middle.
One more special guest, “who needs no introduction” per Al, enters the first set fray and Trey Anastasio joins everyone on stage for an electric cover of “Crossroads” with both he and Bush handling vocals. An already tight jam doubles in speed about midway through as the first set comes to a rousing finish.
The second set picks up right where the last one left off, except Bush is now replaced by Jennifer Hartswick on vocals and Ray Paczkowski on keys with moe. serving as the backing band for “Night Speaks To A Woman,” an early Trey Anastasio Band staple with which both newcomers are very familiar. There’s not much lost with this version with Trey throwing down a scintillating solo in a jam that starts fiercely, breaks down into some loose improv, and then steadily builds back up to a joyous peak.
Derhak then takes another moment to thank tonight’s patrons and mentions that Dave Matthews has offered to match whatever amount of money is raised this evening. Then it’s back to the moe. catalog with “Spine Of A Dog” with the crowd ably assisting on the opening lyrics. The “Dog” jam then meshes incredibly seamlessly into the opening of “Buster” and moe. and friends take off with another longtime fan favorite.
This opening 1-2 punch gets a well deserved roar of approval from the Roseland crowd before moe. yields the floor for another cover. This time it’s “Boogie On Reggae Woman,” the Stevie Wonder song that is no stranger to a live Phish show with Anastasio handling lead vocals accordingly. Another lively jam ensues, this time with Paczkowski eagerly showing off his chops that helps drive the momentum. Towards the end, the music gets very percussion-heavy before falling out into full fledged “Drums” section, giving Jim Loughlin and drummer Vinnie Amico a chance to do the same.
Afterwards, Trey then reemerges with only himself and an acoustic guitar for a pair of Phish tunes. For Phish heads, this must have been like an oasis in the desert with the band’s forgettable “final” shows at Coventry having taken place about six months earlier and it being years before they would reunite again. The crowd has no problem at all assisting on the “can I live while I’m young” lyric to “Chalkdust Torture” before adding their collective voice to the traditional opening of “Wilson.”
The second set then comes to a gigantic finish with one last banger in “meat.” that sees Medeski, Bush and Trey all lend a hand. What results is a 35-minute plus monster jam where everyone gets a chance to solo and shine. The jam starts out in traditional metal-esque fashion, before breaking down into a definitive bluegrass sequence with Bush leading the charge, before passing the baton to Medeski who helps steer it in another direction entirely. It eventually winds down into a near-ambient section with Loughlin chiming in on vibes and a plethora of effects emanating from Medeski’s rig. It’s a whirlwind cavalcade of sound that serves as the crux of the second set, if not the show itself, and is well worth a listen.
One last pair of covers serves as the encore for this benefit show, starting with Frank Zappa’s “Peaches En Regalia,” another song that’s no stranger to a Phish show with Loughlin on vibes giving this one a proper feel. Anastasio and Hartswick then team up one last time on vocals for “After Midnight.” Extra special attention is given to the “gonna let it all hang out” which moe. and friends certainly did this evening, and for a noble cause no less.
You can listen to and relive this memorable gig here or see below.
moe. Tsunami Relief Benefit Show Roseland Ballroom – New York, NY 2/10/05
Set 1: Rebubula, Mexico*, Plane Crash^, Got My Mojo Working^, Sailing Shoes**, Same Old River^^, Crossroads#
Set 2: Night Speaks To A Woman$%, Spine Of A Dog$ > Buster$, Boogie On Reggae Woman$%>Drums, Chalkdust Torture$$, Wilson$$, meat.*$
E: Peaches En Regalia*$>After Midnight*$%
* with John Medeski on keys, Sam Bush on Violin ^ with John Medeski on keys ** Sam Bush solo ^^ with Sam Bush on mandolin # with Sam Bush on mandolin, Trey Anastasio on guitar $ with Trey Anastasio on guitar $$ Trey Anastasio solo acoustic % with Jennifer Hartswick and Ray Paczowski keyboard most of SET II
Bad weather be damned, the spirit of rock n’ roll was alive and well this past Friday night in downtown Albany. Snow. Freezing rain. Subzero temperatures. Widespread power outages. Mother Nature threw a little bit of everything at us last weekend, but despite nasty conditions throughout the northeast, live music at The Hollow never missed a beat thanks to Ampevene, Hilltop and Baked Shrimp on Friday, February 4, 2022.
Ampevene performing at The Hollow. Albany,, NY 2/4/22
Known for having a keen ear and an uncanny ability to spot young talent, Guthrie Bell Productions served up yet another winner on February 4th, bringing three of New York’s most buzz-worthy bands together for a triple stacked bill of hip shaking live music, impressive improvisation, psychedelic live art, and a triumphant return home for Albany’s own Ampevene.
Kicking off the icy evening was Capital Region based quartet Hilltop. Coming off a breakout year that saw them play their first festivals and secure opening slots for bands like Midnight North, The Jauntee and Annie in the Water, Hilltop has continued to evolve and only seem to get better and better with each performance. Showcasing their sense of humor and an eagerness to “jam,” the short but sweet set on this night shows a band with all kinds of untapped potential and left us wanting more!
Baked Shrimp outside The Hollow. 2/4/22
Keeping a close eye on conditions outside during set break, the heavy wet slushy snow was just beginning to freeze, but inside the venue things were just starting to heat up as the charismatic Long Island trio Baked Shrimp took the stage. Fresh off a celebratory 21st birthday bash at Nectar’s for drummer Jager Soss, the ambitious young band rode into Albany red hot, firing on all cylinders and kept the party going with a scorching set of high energy funk, blues, and psychedelic rock. Baked Shrimp, which also features Jared Cowen on guitar and vocals and Scott Reill on bass, is quickly earning a reputation for melting faces wherever they play, regardless of what’s on the thermostat.
Baked Shrimp’s Jared Cowen performing at The Hollow. 2/4/22 Albany, NY
It’s been a milestone year for the guys in Baked Shrimp. Now in their fifth year as a band, January saw the release of their third studio album, Pork Etiquette. On tour ever since andwith just two stops left on this Winter tour, it was clear the boys had no intensions of simply phoning it in. Taking the stage armed with confidence and playing every note with passion, for just three dudes, Baked Shrimp create a huge sound and routinely impress. Opening with the one-two punch of “Pig Hearts and Mechanical Parts” and “Penuche Took the Fudge,” Cowen’s blistering PRS guitar work instantly grabbed the attention of everyone in the room and never let go. “Molly Ann,” “Ollie Blue” and “The Narcissist” came next before the boys dusted of “Tail Fin” for the first time in 36 shows. Holding it down on the low end while also engaged in a constant battle to keep the hair out of his eyes, bass player Scoot Reill was in fine form on the evening. Between utilizing his vocal talents and consistently finding a rock solid groove to build on, it was around this point in the set where a glance around the room revealed nearly everyone who was there was finally up on their feet and dancing. The energetic set came to a close with a tune called “Can’t Cut The Mustard.
Baked Shrimp. 2/4/22
A tough act to follow perhaps, but you have to remember this was Albany, and that means it’s Ampevene country. It had been quite some time since the genre blending, prog-rock leaning juggernaut had last headlined The Hollow and even against the cold, rain, and snow, nothing was going to stop them from playing this homecoming throwdown. Typically a four-piece ensemble comprised of Gabe Stallman on guitar and vocals, Mack Hogan on bass, Ava Smith on keys and synth and Brian McKinney Fahey on drums, to help commemorate the occasion on this night however, Ampevene, invited a couple of friends to join in on the fun; recruiting both Adam Siegel and Bob Morris on Saxophone and percussion to help fill out the sound.
Gabe Stallman of Ampevene. 2/4/22
As local artists converged to compare progress of their live paintings, the music of Ampevene surely helped inspire their other worldly results. Opening the show with a pair of songs from their 2018 debut album Ephemagoria was the “Valencia” followed up by “Rometheu.” From there, fans were treated to a taste of some unreleased music with “The Chemistress” and then a song so new that it’s only been given a working title of “Mauve Crown.” A visceral mix of heavy layered riffs, psychedelic noodling, unique time signatures and jaw-dropping falsetto vocals, Ampevene is better heard than described. Purposely designed to trip you up and trip you out, Friday night at the Hollow the band went far out. All the way out until reaching “Dazed and Confused” territory during the song the “Enhancement” as awe struck fans roared in approval for perhaps the biggest crowd pleasing moment of the night. With time left for just one more, a ballsy decision to cover one of the bands biggest influences. The Mars Volta and their 2008 song “Goliath.” While very few would even attempt such a feat, front man and lead guitarist Gabe Stallman completely knocked it out the park, bringing the show to a cathartic and triumphant close.
Ampevene performing at The Hollow. Albany,, NY 2/4/22
While the ice storm of 2022 may have kept some people from coming out, there was something about the vibe on this Friday night that just felt special. Like something hip was starting to happen and you were lucky enough to have a glimpse into the future. From the artistry and creativity displayed on stage and off, to making eyes and sharing smiles with complete strangers; a musical community slowly rediscovering itself after a long hibernation. With so much talent and creativity right here in our backyard, it’s hard not to feel optimistic about how far some of these bands could potentially go, but rest assured dear reader, we here at NYS Music intend on keeping you covered every step of the journey.
Baked Shrimp – 2/4/2022 Albany NY / The Hollow
Pig Hearts and Mechanical Parts, Penuche Took The Fudge, Molly Ann, Ollie Blu, The Narcissist, Tail Fin*, Can’t Cut The Mustard
