On a hot steamy Hudson Valley night, the Dave Matthews Band summer tour 2022 made a stop at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. The pavilion and its extended grass area were filled to the max on July 20 with excited fans who were treated to three glorious hours of DMB.
The band behind Dave included: Tim Reynolds on guitar, drummer Carter Beauford, Jeff Coffin on the saxophone, Rashawn Ross was the trumpet play, Stefan Lessard on the bass and Buddy Strong on keyboards. Beauford demonstrated incredible dexterity with his arm movement while on the cymbals while simultaneously keeping a heavy beat with his double drum pedals. Tim Reynolds demonstrated why he has been part of Dave’s crew for years with his guitar prowess. The horn section of Ross and Collins sprinkled jazz grooves taking previously released records in new directions.
If having a talented band was not enough, Dave Matthews Band audio tech Joe Lawlor joined the band on stage for “Cornbread”. As soon as Lawlor plugged in, he cranked out the opening notes of “The Star Spangled Banner”, ala Jimi Hendrix, to pay homage to the hallowed grounds of the Woodstock festival.
With little to no banter from the stage, Matthews would occasionally speak directly to the crowd offering his humble thanks to everyone for spending the evening with them. The set of 21 songs was filled with DMB staples “Crush,” “Funny the Way it is” and “Stay or Leave.” Throwing in a wild card, Dave pulled out Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer,” which proved to be a crowd pleaser.
For the encore, Matthews came out solo to play “Some Devil.” The band then joined him to close out the night with “Ants Marching.”
Originating from NYC, indie-rock group Guards released “All I Have to Do is Dream,” a cover of The Everly Brothers’ 1958 hit. The revitalized track is the latest release off of the Guards’ upcoming covers album, More Cover Songs, out on August 23 via CGR.
Guards takes the popular hit and makes it into a sound completely their own. Beginning with soft percussion before building with subdued vocals, and differing riffs, the band reimagines the track in a brand new way.
The group formed out of NYC in 2010, and consists of Richie Follin, Loren Humphrey, and Kaylie Church. The trio released their first single, “Resolution of One,” in December of 2010 and their first full-length album, In Guards We Trust, in 2013. Guards have been working on new music throughout the pandemic, including the forthcoming cover album, More Cover Songs.
The Everly Brothers are one of our biggest inspirations for melody and straightforward songwriting. This song always seemed way ahead of its time while somehow being of that exact moment. I think the really special artists are the ones that inspire the artists that inspire even more artists to become artists…they are that kind of special artist. The slow songs are always harder to cover because you can’t hide behind the energy, but this cover felt natural and we were able to do some fun things on it.
-Richie Follin
Guards split time recording the album and their most recent single, “All I Have to Do is Dream,” in NY and LA. Adam Thein mixed the record in Austin, Texas. The upcoming album is sure to be a success if this newest release is any indication.
Previously, Guards opened for acts such as Queens of the Stone Age, MGMT, Two Door Cinema Club, Deertick, and played in festivals such as Coachella, Lollapalooza, and Primavera Sound. Take a listen to more of their music, available below.
Brooklyn‘s Wilder Maker have just released two of their latest singles, “Static” (ft. V.V. Lightbody) and “Against Numbers” (ft. Katie Von Schleicher). The band is also preparing to release their latest album Male Models on July 29, the album tells tales of unrequited love, drunkenness, and desperation, and more.
Following up on previous singles “A Professional” and “Letter of Apology,” “Static” is the third track from their upcoming album. Gabriel Birnbaum says, “it touches on how violence in our culture tends to simmer under the surface in subtle ways that we overlook until they explode into something really horrific. It’s loosely inspired by a friend I had who used to get drunk and bait people into fights that he meant to lose. It features my friend V.V. Lightbody on vocals, an amazing singer and multi-instrumentalist from Chicago whose solo work I’m a huge fan of.”
Photo credit: Ebru Yildiz
We all listen to playlists a lot, even us album diehards. I’ve been keeping an ever-expanding playlist of songs that I never want to skip, with all of these different voices back to back. I wanted to make a record that sounded like a playlist in this way; it became a kind of songwriting challenge for me.
– Gabriel Birnbaum
Male Models can be described as Birnbaum’s tales of unrequited love, drunkenness, and desperation. The album feels almost voyeuristic, as if you were sitting in a crowded cocktail bar, sneaking glances at nearby tables.
Wilder Maker features a dynamic roster of musicians that includes singer-songwriter Gabriel Birnbaum, Nick Jost and Sean Mullins as the core trio. Male Models also features guest lead vocal spots from Adam Duritz (of Counting Crows fame), Katie Von Schleicher, Felicia Douglass (Dirty Projectors, Ava Luna), Alex Schaaf (Yellow Ostrich), V.V. Lightbody, and Mutual Benefit.
Male Models succeeds in truly capturing the energy of a crowded party and its accompanying playlist. Musically, it also changes shape constantly. The album has an electrified soul, featuring heartfelt folk songs, indie rock, and searing barn burners, all of which are expertly tethered by Birnbaum’s sardonic and doom-laden storytelling.
On Thursday, July 21, 2022, Albany’s 6th installment of Alive at 5 kicked off with The E-Block and Souly Had, opening up for headliners, Ballyhoo!. Facing an intense heat wave throughout the week in Albany, the show was moved to the Corning Boat Launch to shield guests from the sun.
Souly Had is an r&b and hip hop artist also from the Capital Region. He went from doing covers of Amy Winehouse songs to signing a deal with Island Records in 2019. Souly Had’s single “Crush” did well on streaming platforms and “Maybe Not” took off on Tiktok. Both The E-Block and Souly Had have a collaborative performance at the Lost & Found on July 23rd.
Left: Guitarist Sebastian Right: Bassist Nick Lucera
The pop reggae rock group Ballyhoo! from Aberdeen, MD seemingly brought the heat with them on stage. With their beach-rock style, they made the middle aged crowd feel like they were on the boardwalk. With temperatures in the mid 90s, it was reasonable to see the crowd spaced out and enjoying the vibe. The vocals were not that great for most of the set, so all the audience had to go off of was the beat. Towards the end of their performance, the vibe shifted from chill beach-rock to pop-punk. There was lots of head banging, standing on amps, and hand waving that really brought excitement for the audience. They left pretty abruptly leaving the crowd confused. There were weak screams for an encore coming from the back that Ballyhoo! did answer.
Ballyhoo! is preparing to go on tour with alternative hip-hop artist, Shwayze, starting August 2nd in Indianapolis. Before that show, they are preforming at Reggae Rise Up festival in Maryland on July 31st.
Ballyhoo! Set List: Cerveza, Destroy Me, Girls, MD Summer, Middle Finger, This Chick is Wack, Social Drinker, Cali King, Front Porch, Message, I Don’t Wanna Go, Dark Sunglasses, The Fool, Cali Girl, Burrito, Struggle, Blaze This Weed, Scarlet Blue, Walk Away, Mind Over Matter, Jameson, Mixtape; Encore: Panama
In what will perhaps go down as the warmest day of 2022, Wednesday, July 20 also proved to be a scorching night of live music in Saratoga Springs, NY for the nearly 15,000 fans who packed SPAC to see the Dropout Boogie Tour. A stellar lineup was headlined by the critically acclaimed blue-collar Blues/Rock duo, The Black Keys. Bolstered by indie rock icons, Band of Horses, along with charismatic up-and-comers Ceramic Animal, the trio of talented bands left it all on stage, giving fans every ounce of sweat they had. Confirming what most of us already know: rock ‘n roll is alive and well in the Capital Region.
Boogie On: The Black Keys made their Capital Region debut at SPAC on Wednesday, July 20, 2022
Kicking off the “boogie” in fine fashion, was Doylestown, Pennsylvania’s Ceramic Animal. A band consisting of three brothers and two of their childhood friends, this genre blending, high energy psychedelic-rock quintet has been around for a while now, having put out three self-funded studio albums, before garnering the attention of Black Keys front man and producer Dan Auerbach. Impressed by their songwriting, big yet down-to-earth personalities, and their DIY work ethic, Auerbach quickly signed Ceramic Animal to his label, Easy Eye Sound. The renowned producer then brought the band to Nashville to record their most recent album, Sweet Unknown (released this past March). Sticking close to their roots while honing their chops, their look and their stage show, Ceramic Animal’s relentless ambition is finally showing dividends. Tapped by Auerbach for a slot on this huge national tour produced by Live Nation, Ceramic Animal quite literally went from playing Albany’s intimate Empire Underground club last month, to making their Red Rocks debut last week, to taking the main stage at SPAC by storm on Wednesday night.
Rapid Rise: Ceramic Animal played a significantly smaller Capital Region venue less than a month ago. (Photo by Zak Radick; 6/30/22 Empire Underground; Albany NY)
Dressed to thrill and ready to make the most of their allotted time, the band came out firing on all cylinders with “Ann Marie” which flowed directly into the hard charging foot stomper “I Can’t Wait.” Taking a brief moment to address fans who showed up early, songwriter Chris Regan lifted the brim of his cowboy hat and acknowledged the significance of collaborating with Auerbach before going into the set’s only “slow” tune, “Forever Song,” which Auerbach originally helped them arrange and record. With stage time at a premium, Ceramic Animal saved perhaps their most impressive and catchiest song of the night for last, uncorking a near 10 minute rendition of “All My Loving,” a hybrid song of sorts that truly showcases what this band can do; seamlessly shifting tempos from rock riffs to a disco-type funk, then slowed to a darkly psychedelic build before reaching it’s climactic end. Successfully cashing in on a huge opportunity to gain new listeners, if people didn’t know who Ceramic Animal was before this show, they certainly did after. At the end of the night, the guys could be seen near the merch both hanging out and taking selfies with scores of new fans.
Ceramic Animal | July 20, 2022 | SPAC | Saratoga Springs, NY | Dropout Boogie Tour
Setlist: Ann Marie, I Can’t Wait, Forever Song, All My Loving
Next on the bill was a different kind of animal in the form of enduring alt rock titans Band of Horses. Led by songwriter Ben Bridwell and featuring a noticeably more “road tested” look than their predecessors, the tattoo covered, flannel wearing rockers from Seattle immediately got the crowd singing along with “Is There A Ghost” from their 2007 album Cease To Begin. With a layered sound full of subtleties and textures thanks to the bands three distinct guitar parts, it wasn’t until Matt Gentling dropped in with his first big bass bomb that the set really took off. Thrashing about the stage with reckless abandon, Gentling’s long haired headbanging was some of the best of the entire night and that’s saying something. Keeping the crowd involved with another sing-along, “The Great Salt Lake” off their debut album was next, followed by my personal highlight of the set, an irresistibly catchy version of ‘The General Specific’ which gave burley and bearded multi-instrumentalist Ryan Monroe a prime opportunity to shine behind the keys. Keeping it old school, another pair of fan favorites, “No One’s Gonna Love You” and “Islands on the Coast” came next. Perhaps taking a que from the audience as you could smell it all night, from there things got a little hazy as The Horses turned SPAC into an all-out “Weed Party” before going into a new tune,“Crutch,” the only song played off their recently released 2022 album Things Are Great. “In a Drawer” and “Laredo” would lead Band of Horses down the home stretch before their final song of the night and easily their most popular, “The Funeral,” which currently has over 300 million streams on Spotify.
Band of Horses | July 20, 2022 | SPAC | Saratoga Springs, NY | Dropout Boogie Tour
Setlist: Is There a Ghost, The Great Salt Lake, The General Specific, No One’s Gonna Love You, Islands on the Coast, Weed Party, Crutch, In a Drawer, Laredo, The Funeral
After an absolutely hilarious ‘Anti-Boogie’ intro video starring comedian David Cross urged Dads Interested in Choosing Our Kids Songs(D.I.C.K.S) to avoid this tour at all costs, it was finally time for the main event. Making their first ever Capital Region appearance and taking the stage around 9:15pm to a rabid applause, The Black Keys came out swinging for the fences with one of their hardest hitting songs, “I got Mine.” Often regarded as one of rock’s most prolific two piece, Dan Auerbach on guitar and vocals and his longtime friend and collaborator Patrick Carney on drums, some first timers in the audience seemed surprised to see a backing band on stage with them. Enlisting two brothers, Zach and Andy Gabbard, along with multi-instrumentalist Chris St. Hilaire to help fill in their live sound, The Black Keys strung together hit after hit. Sing-along songs like “Howlin’ For You,” “Tighten Up,” and “Your Touch” won the crowd over early before the band would really settle in with their signature bread-and butter, groove and blues-based sound. Like following a road map of their musical inspirations, The Keys would go on to pay homage to a number of Blues legends like John Lee Hooker, Junior Kimbrough and RL Burnside and cover songs like “Stay All Night,” “Coal Black Mattie”, “Going’ Down South” and “Crawlin’ Kingsnake” to name a few.
Influential Hitmaker: Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys performing at Saratoga Performing Arts Center on 7/20/22
Armed with a bevy of beautiful guitars and his signature fuzz-heavy pedal effects pallet, Auerbach would get a little extra help from ultra-talented guest guitar player Kenny Brown, who joined in on the fun to play a little slide. All frills and showmanship aside, The Black Keys were mostly all business on this night, only asking the crowd to “sing along if they know they words” once before launching into one of their biggest hits “Gold on the Ceiling.” As one of modern rocks most mimicked voices, Auerbach’s distinct singing was on point all evening, but one song that particularly stood out was a slowed down rendition of “Everlasting Light” in which he absolutely nailed the challenging falsetto parts. Recent ‘Keys songs like “Your Team is Looking Good” and “Wild Child” were met with favorable reactions, but the true highlight for long time TBK fans had to have been the set closing combo of “Ten Cent Pistol” and “She’s Long Gone” from the bands most popular album, 2010’s Brothers. Exiting the stage to a deafening applause, the crowd of about 15,000 simply would not stop cheering until the band came back out for an encore. Happy to oblige, instead of one they got two. First up was the sentimental ‘hold your lighter in the air’ type anthem “Little Black Submarines” which had nearly the entire lawn singing along in unison, a special moment that had all the feels. With the venue curfew now rapidly approaching, The Black Keys brought the show to a close with one final barn burner, the riff heavy stomper now commonly heard at sporting events everywhere, “Lonely Boy.”
With a successful Capital Region debut now in the books, the only real complaint fans may have is the lack of “old school” material played. With a back catalog that currently includes 11 studio albums, The Keys only performed one song that predated their 2008 breakthrough, Attack & Release. That being said, it’s doubtful anyone left the Dropout Boogie Tour feeling cheated. If anything, it’s a testament to the bands uncanny and continued ability to write catchy songs that appeal to a wide range of people of all ages; almost as if they have “too many” good songs to fit into one show. “Always keep them wanting more” they say, well on this hot and humid July night in Saratoga Springs, The Black Keys did exactly that. With this untapped market now fresh on their radar, hopefully it won’t take nearly as long for this dynamic, influential and charismatic duo to find their way back.
The Black Keys | July 20, 2022 | SPAC | Saratoga Springs, NY | Dropout Boogie Tour
Setlist: I Got Mine, Howlin’ For You, Fever, Tighen Up, Your Touch, It Ain’t Over, Gold On The Ceiling, Stay All Night, Coal Black Mattie, Goin’ Down South, Busted, Crawlin’ Kingsnake, Have Love Will Travel, Lo/Hi, Everlasting Light, Next Girl, Your Team Is Looking Good, Wild Child, Ten Cent Pistol, She’s Long Gone
After a two-year COVID hiatus, the 16th Pleasantville Music Festival returned on July 9. The all-day event featured a cornucopia of musical performances with 18 acts between three stages.
We try to check off as many boxes as we can so there is something on our stages that everybody will appreciate.
Festival Director, Bruce Figler
Under a bright blue sky, attendees moved freely between the Chill Tent, Pamnation Party, and main stages. With each location offered its own style of music. Superbcoordination of stage starttimes allowed most fans to catch most if not all of the performances.
Platinum Moon
Pleasantville music festival has prided itself on the promotion of local musicians. Staying true to their mission statement, the opening acts on each of the three stages were winners in the Lagond Music School ‘s 2022 “Battle of the Band” competition, where first place winners, Platinum Moon, were rewarded with opening the main stage. Rounding out the triumvirateof winners was Westchester based Noshows — who appeared on the Pamnation stage — along with Carter Quinn Tanis (hailing from Cromwell-on-Hudson) who performed in the Chill Tent.
The Pamnation stage, set up between the Chill Tent and the main stage, offered a separate dance area. The Narrowbacks from Pearl River took full advantage by getting the crowd up and moving with their Irish rock. Pamnation stage closers, Illiterate Light, raised the bar with a guitar and drum duet from the Virginia natives. The audience roared along with enough liveliness to mimic an arena.
The Narrowbacks
Resembling a circus big top, the Chill Tent offered an oasis for acoustic performers. Located at the back of the festival grounds, the Chill Tent lived up to its name: benefiting from a constant breeze flowing through the performance area. Throughout the day solo, duo, and trios graced the stage. Paula Cole closed out this space backed by a three-piece band. Under a subdued purple glow, Cole and band shared an intimate performance filled with songs and insights from her lengthy career.
Glenn Tilbrook
The main stage was not to be outdone. Highlights included Glenn Tilbrook of Squeeze performing solo. Tilbrook played a host of Squeeze songs including “Take Me I’m Yours” and “Black Coffee in Bed,” to the crowd’s enjoyment. Standing tall with his custom-made red Squire Telecaster, Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears followed, sharing a powerful blues set. Festival headliners, X Ambassadors, closed out the evening with lead singer Sam Harris singing and dancing from one end of the stage to another. Teenage girls lined the front of the stage giving their approval after every song. The Ithaca band presented a dynamic performance of their music, capping a stellar day.
X Ambassadors
With its 16th event in the books, the Pleasantville Music festival has proven itssustainability, offering top-notch performers in a suburban setting while mixing in crafts, food and family-oriented activities.
Main Stage
Platinum MoonClare Maloney & The Great AdventureGlenn TilbrookBlack Joe Lewis & The HoneybearsCrash Test DummiesX Ambassadors
WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.
Jason Wolfman Martin- Test Singles EP
At 7 P.M., the entire Test Signals EP will be played over the air. Jason Wolfman Martin is an artist/musician/curator, active from 1989 to now, with three decades of LPs, CDs, and tapes under his belt. He hasn’t made music in over seven years, and this new EP serves as his comeback.
Shane Guerrette- “Lost Without”
Luminous Crush- “Binary Star”
Luminous Crush is made up of Laura Molinelli and Ben Campbell, who make a wide variety of music spanning multiple genres like bluegrass, country, indie, and psychedelic.
MuMu, from Harlem, is a singer/songwriter who writes songs based on the guidance she received listening to spangled pop stars to feel less alone living in a home rife with addiction and mental illness.
The new single “Wrapped Up” is about the overturning of Roe v. Wade which makes the right to an abortion constitutional. This essential procedure is now illegal for many people across the United States. The song retells the real stories of three women who faced the challenges of unplanned pregnancy and expresses how important the right to choose is, and the detrimental effects of those rights being taken away.
MuMu wrote an essay talking about the single, and how important it is.
Abortions have always existed and always will. They are part of our human herstory. There is written documentation of different abortion methods used all over the world. Archeologists have discovered instruments used to perform abortions that date back hundreds of years. Limiting abortion access does not prevent abortions from happening, it prevents them from being safe. An abortion is not an easy choice to make, but it’s an impossible choice to make for a stranger. And if we take away the right to safe reproductive care, people will suffer. People will die.
MuMu
“Wrapped Up” explains what it feels like to go through an abortion for those who have never gone through it. The song is groovy and slow, and her vocals are reminiscent of Alanis Morissette. There are a lot of emotional and powerful lyrics like “He took her hand/And swore a lie/Until she opened up her thighs/When she went to the doctor/People screamed and rocks were thrown/They wanted a child/To have a child of her own.”
The chorus is fiery and emotional as she sings “All the fear you give/And all the faith you hold Is heavy on her heavy heart of gold/All your virtue and strong beliefs WRAPPED UP in her destiny.” The rest of the song talks about the trauma an abortion can cause and the family struggles that come after it.
Overall, the new single is well thought out, emotional, and backed with groovy guitars and MuMu’s sultry voice to speak about the ongoing struggle with the government handling women’s rights issues.
On July 1, Dogwood Last, Fysics, and Rose Porn – three acts from the Brooklyn area – released their single “Straws” on July 1 via Dogwood Last, Fysics, and Rose Porn
The single was written and produced remotely over the last 12 months and combines the aesthetics of all three Brooklyn acts’ sounds. Dealing with some serious topics such as depression, a lost love, and more, the single combines a feel-good groove with hard-hitting lyricism.
Kory Burrell, a member of the band Dogwood Last, developed “Straws” with signature drum programs and synthesizers as Zach Rosenberg of Rose Porn worked on the production. The outstanding lyrics and many of the vocals come from Josef Lamberti, of the band Fysics.
Long before the groups worked on “Straws,” they were friends first and foremost. Of the track, the group shares, “We spent over a year crafting this song and the production, knowing we were getting at something greater than the sum of our parts. It was the dream quarantine collaboration.”
And a dream quarantine collaboration it was. The “Straws” single will surely draw the attention of fans of popular artists such as Frank Ocean, Jim-E Stack, and Dijon. With a calming opening mixing in tech beats and warped vocals, the song continues to develop into a track meant for indie-pop playlists and your next emotional summer drive.
Fysics
We feel like it’s the summer bangerLil Peep would have made if he were a successful liberal arts undergrad.
– Dogwood Last, Rose Porn, and Fysics on “Straws”
If you are interested in hearing more of this music live, on stage, and right in the moment, catch one of the three acts off of the “Straws” single, Dogwood Last, on August 19 at Pete’s Candy Store in Brooklyn. To hear more music from some of these talents, see below.
Spoon opened their second leg of their summer tour at the Town Ballroom in Buffalo on July 7. Touring in support of their recent release Lucifer On the Sofa. Though it was the first show they had played since June, you wouldn’t know it. Opening up the leg with a Smog cover of Held, the show was an eclectic mix of old and new, playing 5 songs from Lucifer on the Sofa, along with an impressive mix of their older catalog. It really highlighted the deep well they can draw from and keep the audience on their toes.
Spoon is a band that serves no bullshit; no stage theatrics, no elaborate light setup or costumes. Britt Daniel (vocals, guitar), Jim Eno (drums), Alex Fischel (keyboards, guitar), Gerardo Larios (guitar, keyboards) and Ben Trokan (bass, keyboards) are just 5 guys on stage who are focused on just playing their music. The band represents their cool Austin roots from the 80’s and 90’s where bands were cool without trying too hard. The show moved along like a locomotive, it didn’t slow and keep chuggin along and gaining momentum. Their 5 song encore started with a cover of John Lennon’s Isolation and ended with their musical nod to The Rolling Stones with 2014’s Rent I Pay. Some people say that rock is dead, but Spoon is proof that it’s alive and well.
Setlist: Held (Smog Cover), The Devil & Mister Jones, Don’t You Eva, Wild, The Beast and Dragon, Adored, The Way We Get By, Don’t Make Me a Target, The Underdog, I Summon You, My Babe, Feels Alright, My Mathematical Mind, Do I Have To Talk You Into It, Inside Out, I Turn My Camera On, Got Nuffin
Encore: Isolation (John Lennon Cover), The Hardest Cut, Do You, Small Stakes, Rent I Pay
