It’s not without calculated risk that Joe Satriani can take his guitar to places that no other guitar has gone to before. That’s what makes his music and his shows so unique and extraordinary. Sunday October 30th 2022, brought Joe Satriani and his band made a stop at Babeville in Buffalo. The venue is an old church turned into a beautiful concert hall.
Babeville
After two years off the road, and two full length albums released (2020’s Shapeshifting and 2022’s The Elephants Of Mars) , it was time for Satriani to return to the stage. For this tour titled “Earth Tour“, he’s put one of his best bands together. It features legendary session drummer Kenny Aronoff, bassist Bryan Beller (from Steve Vai and Dethklok), and keyboardist and guitarist Rai Thistlethwayte.
Joe Satriani
Most performers play all of their hits and little newer material, but Satriani played almost half of his songs from his past two albums. His new music is just as innovative and made for live performance as his more well-known songs. Given the fact that he’s playing only instrumental music, probably makes the blend a little more transparent.
Visually, Satriani and Aronoff, are both bald and brandishing similar wraparound sunglasses, marked an intriguing contrast to longhairs Beller and Thistlethwayte. Together, they mesh like a band should, with the spotlight mainly on Satriani the whole night, both Aronoff and Thistlethwayte had their own featured solo segments.The drum solo kicked off the second set of music. The bassist Beller consistently rattled the walls with his chunky bass lines.
The performance offered a full overview of Joe Satriani, where he’s been, where he’s at now, and where’s he going next. All of the musicians were at the top of their game and the crowd gave standing ovations many times during the show.
Set 1: Nineteen Eighty, Sahara, The Elephants of Mars, Ice 9, Thunder High on the Mountain, One Big Rush, Blue Foot Groovy, Flying in a Blue Dream, Spirits, Ghosts and Outlaws, Faceless, Crystal Planet, Summer Song
Set 2: Drum Solo, E 104th St NYC 1973, Keyboard Solo, Cool#9, Ali Farka, Dick Dale an Alien and Me, Shapeshifting, Teardrops, Luminous Flesh Giants, If I Could Fly, Always With Me, Always With You, Satch Boogie
In September and October 1980, the Grateful Dead did a brief concert tour of shows with three sets each, one acoustic set followed by two electric sets. The acoustic sets were the first ones the band had performed since the early ’70s aside from a few rare one-offs. The final shows of this legendary Dead tour, which yielded both an audio and video release, took place at New York City’s Radio Music Hall with the last one taking place on none other than Halloween. NYS Music, along with a strong lending hand from YouTube, now presents a look back at this holiday gig at one of America’s premier musical venues.
Bob Weir greets a raucous Radio City Music Hall to start things off and also says hello to all the “folks who are filtering in to the various theaters around the country.” This show was both simulcasted across the country, apparently, and released to the public the following year on video as Dead Ahead. Things get off to a rocky start with Phil Lesh’s amp producing some decidedly spooky feedback. So he is whisked away and the rest of the band opens with a bass-less instrumental in “Heaven Help The Fool.”
With Phil and his bass still on the sidelines, Jerry Garcia leads the ensemble through another rare instrumental. This time it’s “Sage and Spirit,” a song that appears on 1975’s Blues For Allah and was only ever played live twice, with this being the last one.
The Dead keep the rare acoustic hits coming at Radio City with the cover of “Little Sadie” that appears next, with Jerry Garcia on lead vocals. It’s a song that hadn’t appeared live since a show at San Francisco’s Family Dog in 1970 – a dark tale of murder befit for a Halloween show.
Weir then shifts the theme from “tragedy” to “tragedy narrowly averted” with “Monkey and the Engineer,” which finally sees Phil Lesh and his bass return to the fold.
“Boy we’re really having fun now,” notes Weir afterwards. Up next, the Dead grace Radio City with “It Must Have Been The Roses.” A staple of Jerry Garcia solo shows in the ’70s, it would go on to be played for the rest of the Dead’s touring career. Garcia seems to visibly enjoy this one coming to life in the Dead setting.
Up next are two Grateful Dead live staples, starting with a percussion-heavy and crisp “Cassidy.” WIth one small drum kit, Mickey Hart moves over to the congas, after previously utilizing the maracas on “Roses.” This “Cassidy,” which even elicits a bit of a jam, serves as an MTV’s Unplugged-type version of a Dead classic well before the program ever existed.
This is followed up by “Bird Song,” by far the longest and most experimental of all the first set songs. Garcia leads the way once more with a blistering guitar run and the rest of the band now firing on all cylinders.
A very enjoyable opening acoustic set of Grateful Dead music then comes to a close with “Ripple,” much to the delight of the Radio City crowd, with special attention paid to the “let there be songs to fill the air” lyric.
With the acoustic setup gone and the traditional dual drum kits returned, the Dead then go on to play another two sets of electric music at Radio City Music Hall in their typical concert format. The second begins with a vibrant “Jack Straw” that sees Bob Weir bouncing up and down in earnest at one point.
This is followed by a fairly standard run through of “Cold Rain and Snow” that gets a very warm reception from the New York city crowd at first.
Bob Weir then takes lead once more and navigates the band through “Me And My Uncle.” With the drum beat never fully stopping, the Dead then slide seamlessly right into “Mexicali Blues,” completing a popular pairing of songs.
The “first set” vibe of this second set carries right along with “Ramble On Rose.” As expected, Radio City greets the “Just like New York City” line with a massive roar of approval. Garcia graces this version with a pedal steel-esque guitar solo that’s rife with emotion.
As is their custom, Bob Weir on slide guitar then tags in for lead on the next song, a cover of the blues song “Little Red Rooster.” Garcia is playing slide as well and drops another notable solo and Brent Mydland even gets into the action a little as well with some standout organ play.
Afterwards, the Dead rip through a pristine take of “Brown Eyed Women,” with Garcia back on lead vocals and Weir and Mydland ably tending to the harmonies.
From “Women” the music then shifts almost immediately into the ever poignant “Looks Like Rain.”
The Dead then close out the second set of Halloween at Radio City with a rousing “Deal” that’s carried by the strength of two more powerful Garcia guitar solos.
To start the third and final set at Radio City, the Dead kick things off with a short but sweet “Don’t Ease Me In.”
Next, it’s time for another signature pairing of songs, with the Bob Weir-helmed “Lost Sailor” that flows seamlessly right into “Saint Of Circumstance.”
With the third set energy peaking, Garcia initiates the familiar opening chords of “Franklin’s Tower” and the band is off and running once more. Playing his legendary “Tiger” guitar, Garcia obliterates another run up and down its fret board, spearheading a brief jam that reaches a quick peak before mellowing out and devolving into the “Drums” only portion of the evening.
Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be video of the “Drums” > “Space” sequence for this evening, but emerging from the psychedelic mist are the opening notes to “Fire On The Mountain.” While not necessarily jammed out, it’s a clean and pure take of a Dead classic, with Phil Lesh coming in loud and clear now, his bass issues a thing of the past.
The band takes a nice, relaxed approach to the introduction of the “Not Fade Away” that follows. The Grateful Dead deliver their own bluesy take of this Buddy Holly cover, with Radio City singing along in earnest.
Instead of keeping up the pace and stretching it out, however, the tempo slows to a crawl. This sets the stage for Garcia to take lead once more for “Stella Blue” and to unleash one last gorgeous guitar solo.
As the last notes of “Stella” drop, the Dead immediately steer back into the show’s closing sequence with a blistering cover of “Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad.”
Instead of ending the set right then and there, the Dead throw in one last cover for the Radio City faithful. This time it’s The Young Rascals’ “Good Lovin’,” sung by a spirited Bob Weir in the only way he knows how. He even throws in some Pigpen-esque vocal riffing at the end for good measure as the crowd eats every bit of it up.
Weir then wishes both the audience at Radio City and everyone else around the country “good night” and the Grateful Dead encore with “Uncle John’s Band,” closing out quite a memorable three-set show in the heart of the city.
View this and more Grateful Dead shows from across the years in New York State with our interactive map below
Grateful Dead – Radio City Music Hall – New York, NY 10/31/80
Set 1: Heaven Help The Fool, Sage And Spirit, Little Sadie, Monkey And The Engineer, It Must Have Been The Roses, Cassidy, Bird Song > Ripple
Set 2: Jack Straw , Cold Rain And Snow, Me And My Uncle > Mexicali Blues, Ramble On Rose > Little Red Rooster, Brown Eyed Women > Looks Like Rain > Deal
Set 3: Don’t Ease Me In > Lost Sailor > Saint Of Circumstance > Franklin’s Tower > Drums > Space > Fire On The Mountain > Not Fade Away > Stella Blue > Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad > Good Lovin’
Produced by Brandon “Brick” Lohr and Jason “J” Hubert, the inaugural Ramble Festival held at Camp Ramblewood in Darlington, MD from October 7-9, transpired smoothly, as fans enjoyed nearly perfect fall weather near the Susquehanna, mere miles from Pennsylvania. Camp Ramblewood has held other music events, but Ramble Fest hosted a wide variety of bluegrass, brass, indie rock, blues, country, Americana and folk music from Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Indiana, Colorado, California, and many other states, with fans traveling from all over the US and internationally to enjoy fun in the sun with cool nights & campfire jams.
Headlined by Leftover Salmon, Keller Williams, and The Traveling McCoury’s, along with many local and national bands, Ramble Festival had numerous activities, a busking competition, kids’ shows and play areas, yoga, charity auctions & raffles, live art painters, an on-site art gallery, and numerous clothing, food & art vendors. Art Director Lindsay Jamison and her staff of volunteers spent weeks getting the site and the art gallery in the Beer Hall ready for the event. Street Team lead Will Gibbons also ran the instrument raffle, where two fans won a guitar and banjo signed by the headliners, with proceeds donated to Backline and Rage Against Addiction.
Camping was superb. Ramblewood has 200 pristine acres on a rolling hillside, with a lake, fire pits, large cabins, and wide fields, with ample trees & grassy shade. Food & drink vending was plentiful, including local microbrews, and food trucks with typical festival fare such as pizza & burritos, as well as veggie and farm-to-table options. There was onsite parking for the thousand or so attendees (though the lot nearly filled up during the peak on Saturday night). There were a few RV spots (no power & water hook-ups), as well as car camping, but the best camping was near the stages.
Fri. Oct. 7: Abby Bryant & The Echoes, Caleb Stine Band, Kendall Street Company, Rufus Roundtree & Da B’More Brass Factory, Arkansauce, Bella’s Bartok, Big Something, Keller Williams Grateful Grass feat. The Hillbenders, Kendall Street Company & Dirty Grass Players – late-night in the barn.
Friday started off smooth and sunny, with Rufus Roundtreee and his band leading a second line march from the campsites down the hill, where Abby Bryant & The Echoes kicked off the weekend on the Main Stage. Abby is a vocalist & guitarist from Charlotte (since relocated to Asheville), who performed a mix of soul & Americana, with great instrumental work by her band & cohort in songwriting, guitarist Bailey Faulkner.
A quick jaunt up the hill and past the food trucks brought us to the Beer Hall, an indoor stage with standing room for a thousand. Caleb Stine & Band treated us to cool country with a tinge of bluegrass. Kendall Street Company from Charlottesville next played on the Main Stage, with thoughtful and often funny lyrics, great harmonies, and energetic, punk stylings, deft guitarwork, sax, and engaging vocals by lead singer Louis Smith.
Back at the Beer Hall, Rufus Roundtree, who is from Parliament Funkadelic, led his band Da B’More Brass Factory on vocals & trombone, with fiery NOLA-style, Go-go tinged funk, supported by trumpet, sax, tuba, guitar & drums. Arkansauce next tore up the Main Stage with speedy banjo riffing by Adam Collins, Ethan Bush on mando, Zac Archuleta on guitar, and Tom Andersen on upright bass.
The wildness of Bella’s Bartok engaged our feet as we returned to the Beer Hall, with fast, energetic fiendish horns, driven by lead singer Asher Putnam, with Alex Kogut on accordion, synth, and keyboards, Riley Goodemote on trombone, and Julia playing feisty washboard. Mixing sonic styles of Googol Bordello with punk, folk, and klezmer music, an amalgam of genres and theatrical sensibilities. They were a new discovery to me, and fan favorites by the end of their set.
Big Something, a hip hop pop rock fusion jam band from Burlington, NC, heated up the Main Stage at sunset, with Casey Cranford’s signature EWI and sax work driving the melodies along with dueling guitar monstrosities Jesse Hensley and Nick MacDaniels, with Josh Kagel on keys and trumpet, Doug Marshall on bass and Ben Vinograd on drums holding it down. Stylistically chameleons, they drift from tight riffs to expansive jams, sometimes evoking Lettuce, other times Lotus, and at times channeling Umphrey’s McGee, basically all over the place, with aplomb.
The incredible sound and lights apparently challenged the main stage power generator, which failed shortly thereafter, and was not resurrected until the next day. This only major glitch of the weekend was trouble, but thankfully, the production team planned generous stage switchover times, so crews had time to migrate Keller Williams over to the Beer Hall. Stage Manager George Barrick reactivated that stage, which had prepared to close for the night.
Keller and The Hillbenders treated us to his widely-popular Grateful Grass set. The Beer Hall was a bit crowded, so staff asked fans to help move tables and chairs out of the way, which quickly added enough space to get everyone inside – just in time, since the only few raindrops of the weekend fell outside and chilled the night air as temperatures fell into the low 40s. Keller & friends treated us to a fun-filled set of Dead classics, including a killer Scarlet > Stranger, and a trippy They Love Each Other back and forth into and out of Cumberland Blues, followed by a lovely Bird Song > Cassidy [24-bit SBD/Stage Matrix recording by George Barrick].
No proper first day would be complete without a late night set, held in the Ramble Stage, aka “The Barn” (a nice, cozy place to warm up as temps dropped further at night). Kendall Street Company joined The Dirty Grass Players, which was the most musicians jammed onto that tiny stage. The Barn was well-appointed, with brass chandeliers, hanging flower arrangements and festive lighting. There were two late-night picking circles, one at the Hill Camp w/ Bella’s Bartok, and another down at the Lake Camp, with Deer Creek Sharpshooters & Fishing for Hippies to end the night.
Sat. Oct. 8 – Dogs in a Pile, Arkansauce, Armchair Boogie, Dirty Grass Players, Toothless (kids set), Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band, Underground Springhouse, AJ Lee & Blue Summit, Kyle Hollingsworth Band, Leftover Salmon, Neighbor.
After much-needed rest, I arose Saturday morning to the distant sounds of another second line by Naptown Brass Band from Annapolis, MD. I ran up the hill to meet them as they marched down into the main field and kicked off the day for Charm City Junction, towing along recently-rousted dancing campers, led by the Vibe Tribe‘s Holly Reasner.
Arkansauce fired up the Beer Hall next. Saturday Bands played with some overlap, as there were 17 or more performance on Saturday. Dogs in a Pile was another great band that all my friends recommended. They had a great turnout, especially since they started around 1pm, and many campers partied quite late the night before.
Baltimore’s finest, the Dirty Grass Players kicked it up in the Beer Hall, with some overlap with Armchair Boogie on the main stage, another new band I really enjoyed. Toothless played a kids’ set on the small barn stage. Underground Springhouse continued in the Beer Hall, while Caleb Stine returned in the barn.
We kicked our socks off to Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band (a funny name, because it’s only 3 people). Hailing from Indiana, the “Big” is for Jayme Peyton, who is a ginormous human as well as guitarist. They’re a wild country blues band, with heavy guitar shredding and “reckless” washboard by Breezy Peyton. Breezy actually lit her washboard on fire in the middle of a song!!! The band and audience had a good laugh; neither eyebrows nor hair were burnt in the process.
AJ Lee & Blue Summit, a bluegrass/Americana band from Northern California, continued at the Beer Hall, playing towards dinnertime. Heading back to the Main Stage, I wolfed down some tasty mac & cheese from Cosmic Charlie’s Grateful Grill, one of my favorite food trucks conveniently located between the two biggest stages.
Maryland native Kyle Hollingsworth (from String Cheese Incident) and his Band lit up the main stage, with a mix of organ and keyboard-infused jammy rock, tight & funky drums, bass & guitar. They played a variety of originals and classics, rearranged with speed & intensity, sprinkled with riffs & quotes from various well-known songs. Kyle is a killer clavinet and synth player, playing with percussive rhythm, electric piano and effects, his talented band adding fuel to his fire.
Ramble’s resident emcee, Libby Eddy (plays fiddle in The Jakobs Ferry Stragglers), got up to announce Leftover Salmon dressed as a giant avocado. She wrote page-long summaries of each band. As she rattled off superlatives, Vince Herman (in a blue unicorn costume) laughed and told the audience, “first time our band has ever been introduced by an avocado“! Ramble Festival founders Brick and J dressed as a tiger and bumblebee, to fit the costume theme, “furry creatures”.
Another favorite band, Neighbor (founded by Pink Talking Fish’s keyboardist Richard James), capped off Saturday night in the barn, followed by late-night campfire jams by Fishing for Hippies, Caleb Stine, Annie Sellick, and Pat Bergeson.
Sun. Oct. 9 – Travers Brothership, Country Current, AJ Lee & Blue Summit, Woody! kids set, Neighbor, Bella’s Bartok, Busking Competition, Empire Strikes Brass, Armchair Boogie, Pink Talking Fish, The Travelin’ McCourys, AJ Lee & Blue Summit, Arkansauce, & Armchair Boogie – late-night in barn.
Travers Brothership, based near Asheville, started the last day off with searing blues guitar intensity by frontman Kyle Travers, who formed the band with his twin brother and drummer, Eric. They’ve played all over the US & Europe, and are widely praised. Their new album is slated to be released next year, so they played a song or two off their new album.
The bluegrass band, Country Current, is the US Navy’s official band, formed in 1973. They’ve played for Presidents Bush, Clinton, Obama, and have toured nationally as well as overseas. They are all Musician Petty Officers, wearing their uniforms proudly on stage in the Beer Hall, playing guitar, banjo, bass, drums, fiddle, mando, and pedal steel guitar.
AJ Lee and Blue Summit returned to play the main stage, followed by Muskrat Flats in the beer hall, and another special kids’ set by Woody!, who is Jon Wood of Dancing Bears, ELM, Psycho Killers, and other Baltimore-based bands. His 7-yr-old daughter Ella helped her dad set up his mic and danced with her friends and other kids in the barn.
Neighbor treated us again to another tasty set on the main stage in the mid afternoon, followed by another wild dance party by Bella’s Bartok in the Beer Hall. The horn-heavy Empire Strikes Brass hit the main stage in the afternoon, and Armchair Boogie returned to the Beer Hall to close out the afternoon.
Pink Talking Fish brought resounding thunder and intermingling of songs by Pink Floyd, Talking Heads, and Phish to the main stage, as a massive flurry of bubbles filled the air and caught the brilliant light trackers scanning over the field, filling it with geometric patterns and a spectrum of color.
Emcee Libby Eddy introduced The Traveling McCourys as “the best band on the planet!!!” – the final headliner set of the weekend. This long, wonderful weekend of music ended with a joint collaboration between AJ Lee & Blue Summit, Arkansauce, and Armchair Boogie, packed into the barn with as many fans as could still stand or dance, with a couple more campfire jams that lasted until 3 or 4 am.
Few festivals are successful upon inception, but through great planning, Ramble Festival attracted over a thousand people to its first annual event. They sold a hundred tickets at the “steepest discount” to fans on site.
“It takes a village”. I met dozens of staff, volunteers, artists, campers, production crew from Harford Sound, lighting engineers, photographers & videographers, vendors, artists, medical personnel (Bear Care), and vendors. There were zero injuries or problems, nobody got stuck in the mud, the weather was absolutely perfect, and the camping is the best of any music event I’ve attended. Everyone was friendly, helpful, fun, and smiling all weekend.
Brick and J are music lovers first and foremost. They hired a skilled team, adept at multiple roles. They asked their friend Phil Chorney (Charm City Bluegrass) to recruit a wide cast of musicians from all over. Skilled directors & coordinators were carefully chosen for Volunteers, Artists, Hospitality (Sandee Taylor), Marketing (Kelsey Riegger) and Media Coordination (Zach Ubaldini), as well as staff photographers Chris Gamber among many other pros.
Some of these bands I’d heard about, and saw them for the first time at Ramble Festival, a sentiment shared by many fans. I’ve seen all the headliners multiple times, which got me interested when J told me about Ramble at B Chord. I did some research on only a few of the bands I hadn’t seen, which left the rest as pleasant surprises.
Ramble Festival was quite smooth, even though it’s only in its first year. Everyone felt like family, with an atmosphere reminiscent of Catskill Chill, Bear Creek, and High Sierra Music Festival. Brick, J, Phil, and their wonderful cast & crew deserve accolades for making Ramble the best music and art experience of the year.
For many, GWAR has been one of the most consistent heavy metal bands in their lives. On October 22nd, they brought their bloodbath to the Rapids Theatre in Niagara Falls.
GWAR brings a bloody great time to the Rapids Theater in Niagara Falls. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki
If you search the name GWAR, it’s easy to see just on the outside what this band brings when they put on a performance. Big costumes, heavy metal, blood and guts. When you go to see them, however, there is something so much more.
But before we go into the main event, let’s talk about the other groups that GWAR brought along.
The opener was a band from Pottsville, PA named Crobot. With a name like that, I wasn’t too sure what to expect. However, as soon as lead singer Brandon Yeagley popped out of a foam egg, the crowd was immediately enthralled with this group. With groove mixed with a lot of Rock ‘n Roll, you couldn’t help but dance/scream/head bang. The energy they brought was incredible and they are certainly a group to keep your eyes out for.
Brandon Yeagley of Crobot flies high while band mates Chris Bishop, on guitar, and Tim Peugh, on bass, rock out. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki
Immediately following Crobot, we have the melodic death-metal group Nekrogoblikon. They. Killed. It. The audience was absolutely in love with this group, and with John Goblikon. Their sound was totally unique and they definitely rocked the house down.
Nicky Calonne and John Goblikon jamming out together. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki
And finally, we have GWAR. Formed in 1984, this group has been non-stop for more than three decades. Fans of GWAR at Rapids Theater were some of the most dedicated people to a group I’ve ever seen. Normally when you go to a rock show, there is a unspoken dress code of all black all the time. But for this one, fans were dressed in white, in hopes to be part of the carnage that this band brought. Of course there were crowd surfers and mosh pits. What else can you expect? Blothar the Berserker’s vocals are out of this world and the rest of the band are a recipe for success.
This being said, there was also plenty of the blood spewing that the band is known for. From the dismemberment of a ‘GWAR fan’ and a soldier, to the ‘pissing match’ between Blothar’s alter-ego from another universe (which he said was a manifestation of everything that he hates about himself). There was a certain political undertone that was hard to miss and the crowd ate up with the infamous presidential decapitation of Joe Biden, Putin’s demise and even the destruction of Amy Coney Barrett.
Blothar’s alter-ego from another dimension. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki
The ‘so much more’ piece mentioned before about this group? The fans of the GWAR are die-hards, they are all connected in a way that is so much more than just the costumes, guts and gore.
If you ever have the chance to see this band perform, do not miss your opportunity. And if you’re too scared to get a little dirty, stay in the back or stay home. This is not for the lighthearted.
GWAR at Rapids Theater Setlist: The Cutter ft. Lzzy Hale, The Issue of Tissue (Spacecake), Bring Back the Bomb, New Dark Age, Mother Fucking Liar, Rise Again, Bored to Death, Saddam a Go-Go, Ratcatcher, Womb With a View, Black and Huge, Venom of the Platypus, Berserker Mode, U Ain’t Shit, None but the Brave Encore: Sick of You, Fuck This Place.
Gwar decapitates a “fan”. Photo by Samantha RychlickiPustulus Maximus of GWAR. Photo By Samantha RychlickiBlothar the Berserker enjoying a cup of a soldier’s blood. Photo by Samantha RychlickiPutin’s destruction. Photo by Samantha RychlickiBonesnapper surveys the area to make sure there’s no trouble (that they aren’t causing). Photo by Samantha RychlickiBeefcake the Mighty on Bass. Photo by Samantha RychlickiFans of all types enjoy the bloodbath that GWAR brings to their show. Photo by Samantha RychlickiBlothar the Berserker. Photo by Samantha RychlickiBalsac the Jaws O Death on lead guitar. Photo by Samantha RychlickiThe aftermath of the gore. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki
Nearing the end of the 2022 leg of their world tour that commenced six months ago in Croatia, East London heavy metal legends Iron Maiden landed at the Prudential Center (affectionately known as “The Rock,” a reference to the Rock of Gibraltar corporate logo) in Newark, NJ this past Friday night, October 21.
The Rock | Photo by Michael Dinger
Iron Maiden’s Legacy of the Beast Tour, inspired by the 2017 video game of the same name, is an all-encompassing retrospective of their history, complete with a visually stunning stage design featuring jaw-dropping, thematic backdrops and stage props. Dating to the first leg of the tour consisting of European dates in 2018, Iron Maiden have played nearly 150 shows to more than 3 million fans, their biggest world tour since their formation on Christmas Day 1975.
Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden | Photo by Michael Dinger
Taking over support duties from Trivium, who departed the tour at the end of September after opening eleven shows for the heavy metal icons, Within Temptation took the stage promptly at 7:30 pm. Formed in 1996 in the Netherlands, the symphonic metal band are led by vocalist Sharon den Adel and guitarist Robert Westerholt. The Dutch sextet is rounded out by Ruud Jolie (lead guitar), Jeroen van Veen (bass), Mike Coolen (drums), Stefan Helleblad (rhythm guitar) and Martijn Spierenburg (keyboards).
Within Temptation performed three tracks (“Raise Your Banner,” “Supernova” and “The Reckoning”) from the latest of their seven studio albums, 2019’s Resist (Spinefarm Records), which found the band exploring new genres such as industrial and electronic dance music. The remainder of their 8-song set included single offerings from their discography, albeit their 1997 debut album (Enter) and their third studio album, 2004’s The Silent Force. Nearing the end of their set, Within Temptation presented “Don’t Pray for Me,” the fourth and most recent independently-released single in a series that is a precursor to their next studio album – expected for release in 2023.
Sharon den Adel of Within Temptation | Photo by Michael DingerRobert Westerholt of Within Temptation | Photo by Michael DingerRuud Jolie of Within Temptation | Photo by Michael DingerMike Coolen of Within Temptation | Photo by Michael DingerJeroen van Veen of Within Temptation | Photo by Michael DingerMartijn Spierenburg of Within Temptation | Photo by Michael Dinger
At approximately 8:45 pm, as “Doctor Doctor” by UFO played over the house PA, the lights went dark and it was game on! To thunderous applause from the 20,000 capacity crowd, the heavy metal icons appeared before us – the 64-year old Bruce Dickinson known for his legendary, operatic-style vocals, bassist Steve Harris, drummer Nicko McBrain and the trio of guitarists comprised of Adrian Smith, Janick Gers and Dave Murray.
Maiden’s 15-song, nearly two hour set kicked-off with the three lead tracks from their most recent studio album and 17th overall, Senjutsu, including the title track, “Stratego” and “The Writing on the Wall.” The opening trifecta of songs was accompanied by a magnificent stage production that matched the Japanese theme of the record’s visual graphics, including an early appearance by their mascot Eddie as a samurai warrior. Eddie would make another appearance later in the night as “The Trooper” to do battle with Dickinson.
Eddie | Photo by Michael Dinger
The setlist was a retrospective of their voluminous, four decade discography celebrating their biggest hits (“The Trooper,” “Hallowed Be Thy Name,” and “Fear Of The Dark”), while also including some deeper cuts such as “Revelations” (Piece of Mind, 1983), “Blood Brothers” (Brave New World, 2000) and “Sign of the Cross” (The X Factor, 1995). Maiden played two encores consisting of “The Trooper,” “The Clansman,” “Run To The Hills” and the closing number of the night, “Aces High,” as a life-size replica Spitfire plane swayed high overhead.
Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden | Photo by Michael DingerJanick Gers of Iron Maiden | Photo by Michael DingerSteve Harris of Iron Maiden | Photo by Michael DingerDave Murray of Iron Maiden | Photo by Michael DingerAdrian Smith of Iron Maiden | Photo by Michael Dinger
In the closing moments of the show, before Monty Python’s “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life,” Dickinson addressed his audience for the last time of the night:
We’d like to take you home with us, but you won’t fit through the front door. Have a great weekend, have a great week, have a great month, have a great year. In fact, have a great fucking life, because you only get one. Live every fucking day you can of it. We’ll see you again, thank you everybody.
Maiden’s 24-date journey across North America culminates at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida on October 27, followed by a much-needed rest for this band on the cusp of their golden years. Lord knows they sure haven’t wasted any, especially with 2023 dates already announced for The Future Past Tour that will launch at the Sweden Rock Festival in early-June. And hopefully, by then, these metal behemoths will finally be on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s list of new inductees.
Iron Maiden | Photo by Michael Dinger
Within Temptation Setlist: The Reckoning > Paradise (What About Us?) > In the Middle of the Night > What Have You Done > Supernova > Don’t Pray for Me > Raise Your Banner > Mother Earth
Iron Maiden Setlist: Senjutsu > Stratego > The Writing on the Wall > Revelations > Blood Brothers > Sign of the Cross > Flight of Icarus > Fear of the Dark > Hallowed Be Thy Name > The Number of the Beast > Iron Maiden > Encore: The Trooper > The Clansman > Run to the Hills > Encore 2: Aces High
Danielle Ponder returned to Rochester for her first show after her major label debut, Some of Us Are Brave. She was back after crisscrossing the country as Marcus Mumford’s opener along with numerous festival dates. But on this night, she was no opener and she needed no warmup, this night belonged to Danielle Ponder and no one else.
The agnostic daughter of a pastor reached back to her roots and preached from her pulpit to the sold out Water Street Music Hall. Instead of seeing God, with the help of some mushrooms, she had seen herself and her place amongst the trees and oceans and earth. Her speaking quickly turned into singing, her voice exponentially more powerful in song, “What a joy it is to be alive… I feel your love and it gives me power…” Her congregation responded not with Amen’s but melodic lalala’s. The power of music was in the house, and Ponder was delivering.
As always, in shows, in interviews, anytime anywhere, her love for her hometown was effusive. Off the bat she inserted a “Rochester NY!” into the opening song. She followed by explaining how Rochester was involved in a group effort to lift her up to the heights she’s reached in the past year. It prepared her to be a professional, impressing the industry bigwigs she’s been rubbing elbows with as of late. Later in the night, she noted humbly, that if she ever falls back down, she knows she can always come back home.
But it wasn’t just about her homecoming. Nearly every song was dedicated to a group of people that resonates with her. “Some of Us Are Brave,” to black women all over the world. “Someone Like You,” to all the singles, including Ponder herself, who wondered why her DM’s weren’t more active then they were. On the contrary, “Only the Lonely” was dedicated to the people who stayed with someone too long. “Poor Man’s Pain” was dedicated to all the Public Defenders, of which she was one not too long ago. Now as she was following her passion of being a professional musician, “So Long” was dedicated to all the dreamers and artists that know their purpose. Her songs were deeply personal, but for everyone.
And for the old school fans, of which there were many, she reached back into her vault to pull out some old favorites. The bluesy “Working” appropriately reminisced her 9 to 5 days, while a cover of Laurny Hill’s “Doo-Wop (That Thing) got the whole place hopping, her friends and family pouring into the pit much to the chagrin of security.
Ponder presented a couple of more cover in the encore. Though when she sang “Whole Lotta Love,” it wasn’t as much a Led Zeppelin song as it was a Danielle Ponder song with lyrics by Robert Plant (though even then some of those words belong to Willie Dixon). Likewise, when she sang “Creep” to close the show, it wasn’t a Radiohead cover, but a Ponder original, that just happened to be written by Thom Yorke. As a song that band has abandoned, it might as well belong to Ponder now anyway. Like one of her inspirations, Nina Simone, Ponder takes these songs and reinvents them for her own purpose, as she has reinvented herself.
As her star begins to rise and explode, is Danielle Ponder at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester in the not too distant future?
A shining beacon in the Williamsburg neighborhood since it opened in 2017, the 1800-capacity structure originally occupied as a steel manufacturing plant, Brooklyn Steel, welcomed post-punk rockers Viagra Boys and Shame for their only New York show on Tuesday evening, October 18.
Brooklyn Steel | Photo by Michael Dinger
Viagra Boys, who hail from Sweden, are touring in support of their third studio album, Cave World, released by Year0001 this past July. Written during the COVID-19 pandemic and recorded last winter at Silence Studio and RMV Studio, the album was produced by Pelle Gunnerfeldt and DJ Haydn.
Sebastian Murphy of Viagra Boys | Photo by Michael Dinger
Joining Viagra Boys on the bill as a co-headliner was Shame, an English band from South London. Their debut album (Songs of Praise) was released in 2018, followed by Drunk Tank Pink in 2021 – both to critical acclaim via Dead Oceans, an independent record label based in Bloomington, Indiana.
Charlie Steen of Shame | Photo by Michael Dinger
In support of the co-headliners were Kills Birds, a trio of talented young rockers based in Los Angeles who are fronted by Nina Ljeti (born in Bosnia and whose family escaped to Canada soon after the Bosnian War began), along with guitarist Jacob Loeb and bassist Fielder Thomas. Formed in 2017, they released their debut self-titled album in 2019 on KRO Records. Their second album, Married, was recorded at Dave Grohl’s Studio 606 (by invitation from the man himself) and was released last year.
Taking the stage promptly at 7:30 pm, Kills Birds played an unrelenting, electric set for a little more than 30 minutes. Performing songs embodying a hybrid style of new wave punk and grunge – such as “Jesus Did,” Volcano,” “Natalie,” “Cough Up Cherries” and “Offside” – Kills Birds grabbed our collective attention with a visceral intensity spearheaded by Ljet’s energetic stage presence. Combined with Loeb’s scorching riffs and Thomas’ thumping basslines, Kills Birds has an undeniable chemistry that is sure to lead them down the path to a bright future.
Nina Ljeti of Kills Birds | Photo by Michael Dinger
Formed in 2015 and with three studio albums under their collective belt – Street Worms (2018), Welfare Jazz (2021) and the aforementioned Cave World – Viagra Boys have already gained a reputation as being an unapologetically raw live act. Led by frontman Sebastian Murphy (originally from California), whose debauched stage persona has led to comparisons with iconic performers Iggy Pop and Nick Cave, the sextet is rounded out by Henrik Höckert (bass), Tor Sjödén (drums), Oskar Carls (saxophone), Elias Jungqvist (keyboards) and Linus Hillborg (guitar).
With Viagra Boys and Shame flip-flopping their set order each night of the tour, it was the boys from Stockholm who were up first. Possessingan atypical vocal style to that of the everyday punk frontman, with yelling and screaming kept at a minimum, Murphy delivered the night’s first offering (“Ain’t No Thief” from Cave World) in his monotone, deadpan fashion. His lyrics are both cerebral and surreal, often drawing on themes of drug addiction that are laced with satire. Viagra Boys songs often invoke crude imagery, as embodied in the newly christened fan favorites also performed this night from Cave World, including “Troglodyte” and “Punk Rock Loser.”
Viagra Boys | Photo by Michael Dinger
As per usual, Murphy performed most of the hour long set shoeless and shirtless, displaying his tattoo-covered (he is also a tattoo artist by-day) and bloated beer belly. The driving force of the band, Murphy addressed the fervent crowd on more than one humorous occasion:
Listen up folks. It’s fucking beautiful to be up here. I literally felt like I was an olive marinating in some horrible alcohol this morning when I woke up. And I thought that I was gonna cry before the show. I was like, I can’t fucking do this man! I don’t got it in me anymore! But then I come out here, and I see all your beautiful fucking faces, it gives me reason to live one more day and make it back to Switzerland where I’ve got seven beautiful dogs and a fiancé. [I’ve also got] a couple of gerbils. One of them disappeared recently, I’m not gonna say where.
It’s probably a bit confusing for some of you that are here tonight that were at the last show in Brooklyn. Because, back then, I was incredibly good looking [with] the perfect specimen of a body. It was then, on the US tour, where I sampled some deep fried food every now and then, and I had some candy, and the occasional beer. And, I have become somewhat of a big boy. But I am proud of myself.
Viagra Boys’ 12-song set closed with the absurdly hilarious “Sports” and “Shrimp Shack” (a Swedish idiom for someone who hasn’t had to work hard to get where they are), both from their debut release (Street Worms) in 2018. In just a few short years since that time, Viagra Boys have created a brazen palette of heavily intoxicating punk melodies which often feature frantic guitar shredding, hefty drumbeats, meaty basslines, jazz-style keyboards and saxophone solos.
A perfect pairing with Viagra Boys, Shame are the British quintet of Charlie Steen (vocals), Sean Coyle-Smith (guitar), Eddie Green (guitar), Charlie Forbes (drums) and Josh Finerty (bass). Formed in 2014, around the same time as their tour mates, Shame took the stage at approximately 9:45 pm to Zac Brown Band’s “Chicken Fried” playing over the house PA.
Charlie Steen of Shame | Photo by Michael Dinger
In keeping with tradition of his homeland’s post-punk predecessors (the original wave formed in the late-1970s), Steen exudes a magnetic stage presence that demands your attention. Tuesday night, when he was not smoking a cigarette mid-song, instigating the mosh pit or crowd surfing, Steen was lurking along the stage apron with sweat streaked along his cheeks or smirking at bandmate Finerty after he successfully completed another of his signature, one-handed flips (while still holding his bass!).
Shame played their entire, 14-song distortion-filled set with an unbridled emotion that could only be accomplished by a band who has risen to success amid a grueling, relentless tour itinerary. Highlights of Shame’s night included back-to-back presentations of tracks from 2018’s Songs of Praise – “One Rizla” (introduced by Steen as “the first song [they] ever wrote”) and “Angie” for the first time on the current tour. With the emergence of post-punk peers IDLES and Fontaines D.C. in recent memory, it’s now time for Shame to breakthrough with their own brand of loud and abrasive punk anthems.
At the conclusion of their U.S. tour in Dallas, TX at the end of the month, Viagra Boys will head oversees with a slew of dates that will take them to Primarvera Sound in São Paulo, Brazil (November 6), followed by stopovers in Mexico, Germany, Netherlands, France, Italy, England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Denmark and finally, Norway (March 30, 2023). Up next for Shame will be a much-needed break, before embarking on a journey to Mexico City for the Hipnosis Festival on November 5.
Viagra Boys Setlist: Ain’t No Thief > Ain’t Nice > Troglodyte > Punk Rock Loser > Return to Monke > Secret Canine Agent > Slow Learner > Worms > Big Boy > Cold Play > Sports > Shrimp Shack
Shame Setlist: Dust on Trial > Alphabet > Fingers of Steel > Concrete > The Lick > Six Pack > Tasteless > Adderall > Born in Luton > Burning By Design > One Rizla > Angie > Water in the Well > Snow Day
The stage curtain was closed. Behind it, a party was being devised. Or more likely it wasn’t, but once it opened and revealed Australia’s The Babe Rainbow on stage, a party was started nonetheless.
The band had just released their new album, The Organic Band, three days prior, so there was plenty worth celebrating. They appropriately opened their set with the album’s first track, “Inner Space,” though from there it was a healthy mix of new and old, actually skewing toward the old. But it didn’t really matter what was played, every last song exuded dance party vibes. There wasn’t a face without a smile or an ass without a shaking in the comfortably crowded venue. With all due respect to Disney, on Monday October 17, Photo City Music Hall in Rochester was the happiest place on Earth.
The stage sat mere inches off the dance floor which provided ample opportunity for the band and crowd to converge in revelry. Early in the show, lead singer Angus Darling was off the stage dancing and singing from the crowd. “Good dance moves, let’s keep it up!” “Planet Junior” with Jack Crowther’s slinky guitar and unavoidable groove did indeed keep it up, as did “Supermoon,” which had drummer Miles Myjavec bouncing in his seat as he laid down another badass beat.
While there are elements of surf in the music, though not much in there to inspire crowd surfing, but that didn’t stop one woman from cruising above the crowd during the loungy “Peace Blossom Boogy.” More appropriate to the vibe, a dance circle broke out during “Monky Disco,” individuals showing off their moves to the encouraging onlookers while Elliot O’Reilly facilitated with some brilliant bass work.
The party was on stage, in the audience, and backstage. Tour mates seventies tuberide would frequently pop out onto the stage to join in the fun, throwing bananas or paper towels into the crowd (not in a natural-disaster-photo-op kind of way, but more of a this-is-the-most-festive-stuff-we-have-on-hand kind of way), and even, the more usual collaboration of playing together. On “Eureka,” announced as The Babe Rainbow theme song, the bass player and drummer came out to add percussion and extra stage energy, jumping all over the stage. There would be more percussion accompaniment added from members of Maybird as well during the encore performance of Blondie’s “Heart of Glass.”
Local psychedelic band Maybird opened the show. They’ve been a bit quiet lately, even though they put out a new album earlier this year, a trippy song cycle based on Alice in Wonderland. Their set included a few selections from that, like the psych-disco “Lost in Wonderland” with it’s swelling keys, and the ethereal “I’ll Miss You When I Wake Up.” Maybird’s music improves as it thickens, each added layer adds exponential possibilities. For this set, the core trio of Josh and Adam Netsky and Overhand Sam were joined by Cian (sax) and Shane McCarthy (bass) from Mikaela Davis’s band, Sam Hirsh on keys and Greg Maslyn on percussion. They flexed their collective muscle immediately with the set-opening take on “Maybird,” the usual hectic ending going extra heavy and deep with the added power. The set continued to excite with more classic Maybird material like “Don’t Keep Me Around,” “Gonna Lose Your Mind,” and “Turning Into Water,” each benefiting and sounding spectacular with the extra contributions. We can only hope that a quiet 2022 begets a more active year ahead for the band.
California trio seventies tuberide, also touring with a just out new album, played a slow motion punk grunge. Their tube was riding through a river drenched in reverb. Three-part harmonies, guitars, bass and drums all blended into one singular force. Their songs and band name are all intentionally listed in lower case, which perfectly matches their style. “favorite year love letter” and “skin, hair oil” typified their downbeat punk, while a pre-recorded track and sit-ins from Jack Crowther and Miles Myjavec added a little oomph to “completely dry.” Their short 20 minute set closed with Crowther continuing on in support of “sunday,” which had a nice slow and groovy “Walk On the Wild Side“-esque bass line.
The Babe Rainbow at Photo City Music Hall was just about as much fun as could be had on a Monday night. Let’s do it again next week!
On Thursday, October 13, Jeff Beck and Johnny Depp brought their collective talents to the Ulster Performing Arts Center. Musical compadres dating back to 2017, this stop was part of a North American tour offering support for their recently released collaborative album, 18.
Rhonda Smith, Jeff Beck, Anika Nilles
Even though this event was promoted as Beck/Depp, the night belonged to the guitar mastery of Jeff Beck. At 78, this fifty-year musical veteran backed his Rolling Stone magazine ranking of fifth in the list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time” with his performance.
The multiplicity of tones poured freely from Beck’s guitar. Was it with a whammy bar, created by a hammer on, maybe the use of a slide? It did not matter. Each style illuminated this master’s extraordinary style and ability.
Jeff Beck, Johnny Depp
Supporting Jeff in the rhythm section were bassist Rhonda Smith and drummer Anika Nilles. The power behind their playing could be felt as it hit you in your seats. Keyboardist Robert Stevenson added accents to the music in all the right places and completed the trio behind Beck.
Approximately two thirds of the way into the show, Jeff Beck turn to the side of the stage, put his hands in the air, and started bowing. Out from the shadows strutted Johnny Depp. With his rock ‘n roll swagger and electric guitar strapped on you knew he was ready to rock.
Johnny Depp
With Beck being rooted in instrumentals, Depp’s vocals added another dimension to finish out the night. The two collaborated on a mix of tunes including covers of the Beatles and The Velvet Underground. The night wrapped up with a powerful rendition of Killing Joke’s “The Death and Resurrection Show.”
Canadian indie rock collective Broken Social Scene closed out their 2022 North American tour with two sold out nights at Webster Hall in New York City. Near the end of the final show, the band surprised fans by inviting Tracey Ullman and Meryl Streep on stage to sing “Anthems for a Seventeen Year-Old Girl.” The show was a huge hit with fans both nights, and the last-minute addition was the cherry on top.
Jasmyn opened both nights with soothing yet passionate beats and vocals.
Jasmyn Performing at Webster Hall, photograph by David Reichmann
From the moment Broken Social Scene walked onstage until the last moment of the show, the floor was shaking and fans were gleefully sweating and screaming through to the end. The band’s fan interactions are always a treat, and bandmate Kevin Drew took some time to snap a few selfies on a fan’s phone each night.
