Borderland Festival returns to Knox Farm State Park in East Aurora, just 30 minutes southeast of Buffalo, over September 17-18, 2022. The unique music experience rooted in community brings headliners The Flaming Lips, Portugal. The Man., Michael Franti and Spearhead and many more for an end to summer gathering in Western New York.
The two-day festival will host more than 20 bands across three stages with a diverse mix of national and regional, rock, country and Americana artists performing at the historic and picturesque Knox Farm.
Additional artists include Keller Williams’ Grateful Gospel – featuring an eight-person Gospel Choir that accompanies Keller as he performs Grateful Dead songs; The Infamous Stringdusters, Grammy Award winners for Best Bluegrass Album in 2018; Donna the Buffalo, Buffalo’s own beloved bluegrass and rock band, Driftwood, the New York-based and female fronted bluegrass band and The Big Easy of Buffalo presenting Dumpstaphunk, a storied funk and jam band from New Orleans.
We went a little out of the box this year with our headliners. This is the 4th year for Borderland and every year we aim to make it better and more memorable for both our loyal fans and newcomers. We know the talent we have lined up will bring an unparalleled energy to the stage, and throw in a few surprises along the way. We are always looking to expand and grow and can’t wait to share this with Western New York. We are so proud to host this festival, supporting local business, local artists and as always environmental awareness.
Jennifer Brazil, festival producer and owner
In addition to live music, you’ll find local artisans, vendors, a Sunday football zone near the Homespun Stage with local bands performing, live painting, local craft beer, food and culinary experiences. A curated kids area with face painting, games and music is free for all kids 10 and under.
Two-Day General Admission tickets for the 2022 Borderland Festival are for $149 with 2-Day & 3-Day VIP tickets available. The 3-Day Trailblazer VIP Ticket includes a Friday Night reception at the Knox Mansion, featuring live music from Borderland artists, culinary experience, and a cash bar featuring local craft beer and spirits. Kids 10 and under are free with a parent or guardian.
The rich music history of the Capital Region was celebrated on Tuesday, June 7 with the Eddies Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Held at Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs. The eight honorees included folk, ambient, rock, and acoustic artists, as well as a promoter, writer/musicians, and an independent radio station founder.
Paul Rapp, a musician and entertainment rights lawyer, as well as a 2020 Eddies Hall of Fame inductee knew them all and gave opening remarks noting such. Rapp, drummer for renowned Albany act Blotto, weighed in on each musician, offering heartfelt thoughts and a few laughs as he discussed his connection and the impact each of the eight left on the Capital Region scene.
Paul Rapp – photo by Erin Reid Coker
Honorees included Joel Ross, a 7-time Grammy Award winner who engineered songs for Broadway musicals and TV shows, and worked with Ray Charles and Tony Bennett among many others.
Joel Ross – photo by Joe Putrock
Brooks Brown, founder of WEQX, an independent radio station, was referred to by Rapp as having “saved the Albany Music scene” by creating a radio station that played local bands that couldn’t be heard elsewhere. Rapp noted that Brown took great joy in telling corporations looking to buy his station to “go fuck themselves.”
Jason Keller and Mimi Brown – photo by Erin Reid Coker
Super 400 from Troy has had an impact felt as far away as Spain, which led to Spanish band Red Apple sharing via prerecorded video how they were looking for bands that were real and similar to them. In discovering Super 400, they found a band on the same wavelength, as well as future friends. Red Apple then performed “Green Grass End” in tribute to Super 400.
Super 400 – photo by Erin Reid Coker
Greg Bell, the promoter who made Albany a jam band mecca and must hit tour stop, has run Guthrie/Bell Productions since the early 1990s. His presence in the Capital District will be profiled in the upcoming documentary from Mirth Films, Grapplin’ Greg. Rapp noted that no one has done more to support local bands than Bell, adding, “Music promoters are like adding kindling to a fire. The good ones make it burn bright.”
Greg Bell – photo by Erin Reid Coker
Rich Ortiz, the “fishin’ musician,” comes from a family rich in music history and plays more than 300 gigs a year and has been featured on the cover of numerous fishing magazines.. If night fishing were a thing, we may not have this legend from the Lake George region. Saratoga Springs guitarist from 80’s band The Morons, Steve Candlen, later performed Ortiz’ “I Love You Everyone.”
Rich Ortiz – photo by Erin Reid Coker
Michael Eck is many things – a painter, arts writer, Caffe Lena board member, and Ramblin Jug Stompers spoke with great emotion in receiving the Eddies Hall of Fame honor. Candlen later performed an Eck original “You’re a Mountain,” with the fitting lyrics “you’re a mountain, you’re a legend, you’re a king.”
Michael Eck – photo by Erin Reid Coker
Sara Ayers, with an eclectic career that includes folk, punk, bubblegum, rock, electronica and especially ambient music, was a crowd favorite as she was honored for her contributions to the scene.
Sara Ayers – photo by Erin Reid Coker
Greg Haymes, a man who did so much for local bands, venues and aspiring writers and photographers, was the final honoree of the night. The late “Sarge” Blotto has a varied career in multiple genres and styles, and in founding local music website Nippertown, he had a connection to nearly the entire room of musicians, journalists and fans. Rapp pointed to one of the many quirks of Haymes, was his mentions in reviews of a musician’s shoes, considering those with good shoes to have ‘made it’, and with that, Rapp pulled out a ruby slipper. The unofficial Jug Stompers theme song, “Jug Band Music,” by the Memphis Jug Band, and performed by Tom Lindsay to honor Haymes.
A young Greg Haymes. Photo by Amy Modesti
While Haymes passed away in 2019, he was fêted by his fellow inductees in a slideshow retrospective. Ayers accepted on behalf of her late husband, noting that he lived an artistic life as a musician, a writer and a website publisher, and it was a life he was proud of. His not too serious approach to preparing himself for a performance on stage (whether with a customized washboard, or a typewriter for a percussion instrument), his experience as a musician made him want to share the passion of local musicians in the Capital District through his writing. In doing so, Haymes gave many writers and photographers a chance to, a tradition we continue at NYS Music.
If you’re searching for the eternal sound of summer, the alternative indie punk-pop outfit the Wrecks might be just the thing you need to remember the season is here. The Wellsville, NY band’s sophomore full-length album Sonder drops on June 10 across all streaming platforms via Big Noise Music Group.
Eleven tracks nod to the quintessential pop/punk sound of the early 2000’s paying homage to the pioneers of the genre. But in Sonder, the Wrecks have developed their own unique 2020’s twist incorporating elements of current pop trends and new wave style synth to the mix.
Lyrics are relatable; the kind of lyrics you can apply to your life without knowing original context or origin story. “I’d say our lyrics have always been honest and vulnerable,” noted Wreck’s vocalist/producer Nick Anderson, “and not only was I able to depend on that narrative compass once again, but I found it taking me to a whole new place this time creatively.” Anderson’s vocals shine. There is a powerful delicate balance to his vocal performance, a beautiful dichotomy that fits the band’s musical vibe – soft and tepid to robust and commanding and back again with a natural ease.
The album’s lead single, “Sonder” is a musical punch. Musically, the tune is sharp and demands attention. The chorus’s unexpected hook warrants a “car windows down, singing at the top of your lungs like no one is next to you at the red light” type of moment. “Where Are You Now” showcases a different side to the band’s sound – acoustic guitar and ethereal vocals create an unexpected ballad early in the track listing. The album’s latest single “Lone Survivor”, a flashy earworm, closes the album with a dance heavy bass groove that justifies using the repeat button for a few listens.
The Wrecks are currently touring in support of Sonder with a 33-show tour this summer. New York stops include dates in Buffalo at the Rec Room (June 29), Albany at the Empire Underground (June 30) and Webster Hall in New York City (Jul 8). Full tour dates can be found here.
Key Tracks: Sonder, Where Are You Now, Lone Survivor, I Love This Part
Rockin’ On The River in Troy, NY, announces the lineup for this summer, happening on July 20, Aug. 3, Aug. 17, and Aug. 31 at The Waterfront featuring Hanzolo, Super 400, and more.
Rockin’ On The River is one of the Capital Region’s best and longest-running outdoor music series. It is a free event, happening from 5:30- 8 P.M. with local artists and familiar favorites taking the stage. Geoff Brault, Executive Director, Downtown Troy Business Improvement District, spoke about the concert series.
We’re tremendously excited for Rockin’ On The River to return with four shows in 2022 at a new location at The Waterfront. Since the event was last held, there’s been so much investment in The Waterfront district, and we can’t wait to show off all the improvements and amenities that this area has to offer. And since it’s such a short walk from one end of the downtown district to the other, it’s easy to enjoy great shopping before the show, and fine food and drink after.
Super 400 is a Troy-based rock trio that is known far and wide for telekinetic jams and big love. They have played at Rockin’ On The River multiple times since its creation. Opening for them is Blue Machine.
Skeeter Creek is a country band who have won the Times Union Reader’s Poll winner for Best Local Band six times. Opening for them is Luggnuts, who play cosmic American music.
Saints & Liars is a five-piece Americana band blending their own variants of country, folk, bluegrass, and rock, and is ranked among the best of the new and upcoming alternative artists. Wild Leek River is a five-piece country band that has strong steel vocals and music you can dance to.
NYS Music March Madness winners Hanzolo are a 7-piece band from Upstate New York, with an explosive and emotional sound that mixes soul, jazz, rock, and funk. IAMDYNAMITE is a fast-paced, anthemic, catchy, chanting rock group.
Hanzolo
Rockin’ On The River’s free concert series will be held at The Waterfront in Troy, NY, throughout July and August.
Sir Paul McCartney returned to Syracuse on Saturday, June 4th to open up the first concert at the JMA Wireless Dome (formerly Carrier Dome). With a near full capacity crowd of over 35,000 in attendance, Paul McCartney was ready to rock Syracuse with a nearly three hour set.
With mounting anticipation, the show began around 8:20 p.m., as Paul McCartney took the stage to a massive roar of applause alongside his backing band which included Brian Ray, Rusty Anderson, Paul Wickens, and Abe Laboriel, Jr. Seeming to really take in the Syracuse welcome, McCartney walked around the stage briefly waving to the crowd and smiling before putting his hand up into the air behind the mic and kicking off the set with The Beatles classic, “Can’t Buy Me Love.”
Throughout the set, fans were treated to his versatility in playing multiple instruments which included piano, bass, guitar, and ukulele. When McCartney wasn’t singing or playing an instrument, he engaged the audience with stories and memories with other members of the Beatles.
The concert featured tons of Beatles hits, including “Lady Madonna”, “You Never Give Me Your Money”, “Blackbird.” The energy of the crowd only grew as the set progressed later into the evening with the audience singing popular tunes, “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” and “Get Back.” Continuing on with some of the biggest hits including “Band on the Run” into a sing along of “Let it Be” followed by a fiery display of pyrotechnics and fireworks during “Live and Let Die.”
The climax of the performance this evening was during “Hey Jude” when the entire audience sung along for several minutes to the “Na na na Na Na Na Na!” This was one of the most amazing experiences to be a part of with just a feeling of unity among everyone, especially given vast struggles currently in the world.
Paul McCartney left the stage saying goodnight, however not many people were so easily convinced that he was done. As if his 30-song set wasn’t enough, the band returned to the stage with thundering applause waving the Ukranian Flag, UK Flag, Pride Flag, and New York Flag.
With a massive 6-song encore that included favorites such as “I’ve Got a Feeling” which McCartney performed essentially a duet with John Lennon. The screens broadcast footage of Lennon performing on a rooftop from Peter Jackson’s “Get Back” documentary, which sounded as if he were on stage performing right there with Paul and synched perfectly. Finishing out the encore with “Helter Skelter”, “Golden Slumbers”, “Carry That Weight”, and ending with the fitting Beatle song “The End.” Paul McCartney delivered what many can consider the greatest concert they have ever seen.
Being able to witness the inspiration for just about all modern music was awe-inspiring. Paul McCartney has a way about him that just commands your attention, and the performance he continues to give over a 60-year career as he pushes 80 years old cements his legacy as an all time great. This was truly a unifying and magical music experience that I would recommend anyone to see if given the chance.
Setlist
Can’t Buy Me Love (The Beatles)>Junior’s Farm (Wings) >Letting Go (Wings)>Got to Get You Into My Life (The Beatles)>Come On to Me>Let Me Roll It (Wings)>Getting Better (The Beatles)>Let ‘Em In (Wings)>My Valentine>Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five (Wings)>Maybe I’m Amazed>I’ve Just Seen a Face (The Beatles)>In Spite of All the Danger (The Quarrymen)>Love Me Do (The Beatles)>Dance Tonight>Blackbird (The Beatles)>Here Today (tribute to John Lennon)>Lady Madonna (The Beatles)>Fuh You>Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite (The Beatles)>Something (The Beatles)>Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (The Beatles)>You Never Give Me Your Money (The Beatles)>She Came in Through the Bathroom Window (The Beatles)>Get Back (The Beatles)>Band on the Run (Wings)>Let It Be (The Beatles)>Live and Let Die (Wings)>Hey Jude (The Beatles)
Encore
I’ve Got a Feeling>Birthday (The Beatles)>Helter Skelter (The Beatles)>Golden Slumbers (The Beatles)>Carry That Weight (The Beatles)>The End (The Beatles)
Brooklyn-based alt-rocker Moon Walker has released his new dark, synthy single “I’m Afraid I’ll Go To Heaven.” He also announced his sophomore album The Attack of Mirrors.
Moon Walker has been described as “Fuzzed-out 70’s rock bliss…politically charged rock music with a sound akin to the White Stripes. Lyrically, the songs are confrontational and sarcastic,” by Westword. He has also been compared to The Talking Heads by New Noise.
Formed during the height of the pandemic, Harry Springer created Moon Walker to pass time and get extra money through selling songs to song libraries. Now, he produces and performs under the name after his first album Truth To Power garnered a fanbase and hundreds of thousands of streams.
The single “I’m Afraid I’ll Go To Heaven” is sarcastic and sincere, with 70s-inspired dark-heavy synths and lyrics commentating on religion and the modern political system. They find humor in darkness as they sing “I’m afraid I’ll go to heaven / That’s why I’m hoping that I’m right / My biggest fear ain’t no red Devil / It’s being near you people all the time.”
Photo credit: Madison McConnell
The music video produced by Madison McConnell is inspired by Kubrick’s The Shining, and the infamous bar scene. Moon Walker gushed about the video in a statement.
This is my favorite music video I’ve ever made. Madi had the idea to base it heavily off of one of my favorite scenes in one of my favorite movies, which I think was brilliant. It also gave me specific references to base my performance off of, which is great if you suck at acting, like me!
His new album TheAttack Of Mirrors, due October 21, will elevate his nostalgic, alternative garage band sounds over ten tracks. He will be using a more experimental approach, expanding on the sounds shown on his first album.
Ithaca Night Bazaar kicked off their summer festival series on Thursday evening, May 19, with hometown favorite, Jimkata. The captivating trio returned to the stage in Ithaca for the first time in six years. Jimkata fans were engaged and elevated as the 90 minute set of mesmerizing synths included fifteen years of hits plus “Wanna Go” and “Wait for You” from Bonfires, the bands most recent album.
Jimkata performs at the Ithaca Night Bazaar. Photo by Allison Marie.
Harmonizing their talents since grade school, Evan Friedell, Aaron Gorsch and Packy Lunn have developed a paradise for their fans to get lost in with a visual and lyrical approach like no other band out there. Their distinctive sound and catchy hooks will be sure to take you on a moving wild ride.
Setlist: Die Digital, Wild Ride, Wait For You, Wanna Go, Writing On The Wall, Feel In Light, Jumping Out of Airplanes, Blessings in Disguise, Bonfires, Innocence, Ride the Wave, Weight of Paradise, Release. Encore: Won’t Let You Down, Nightshade.
Packy Lunn of Jimkata. Photo by Allison Marie.
Jimkata Tour Dates
May 27 – Pueblo, CO – ARISE Festival 2022 May 29 – Chillicothe, IL – Summer Camp Music Festival June 16 – Asbury Park, NJ – Wonder Bar June 17 – Brooklyn, NY – Knitting Factory June 18 – Beach Haven, NJ – HopSauce Fest 2022 Aug 19 – Sherman, NY – Beyond The Blue 2022
Welcome to the fuzzy synth, wet bass and glittery guitar that is Harry’s House. Superstar Harry Styles‘ third album release has some old formulas, new movement, and as always, a lot of falsetto. It shouldn’t surprise any fans that this record is also packed with mushy moments, breakup stories, and rather scandalous dirty talk, as this is Harry’s first record since landing his new lady Olivia Wilde.
Even in the throes of a public relationship, Harry does not fail to bring a variety of influences and ideas into his music to create something that feels truly like home.
Straight away, it is jarring to hear a brass band mixed into Harry’s energetic first track “Music For a Sushi Restaurant”. The masterful blend of disco rhythms and 80s influenced electronic elements creates the whipped cream that tops many songs on the album, including the pop marvel “Daydreaming”. This masterpiece of a track has an engaging hook that samples the Brothers Johnson and earns Quincy Jones a spot on the album’s writing credits. It’s clear that Harry Styles is doing his research into soul music, and songs like the sultry r&b number “Daylight” and the rhythmic “Grapejuice” have a modern, funky foundation to tie the album together seamlessly.
It’s satisfying to see Harry take so many new directions, but what needs trimming are the formulaic songs that round out this album. The acoustic love songs surrounded by waves of harmony or the ambient breakup anthems are very familiar, and it seems the rock and roll energy we’ve seen in Harry’s 2017 title album is missing in Harry’s House. His live shows are a huge affair, and harder rock songs like “Kiwi” and “Only Angel” are the perfect choice for these live performances. As he rightfully progresses into funk, he shouldn’t retire his rock frontman persona just yet. This is a chain of many great albums to come, but let’s hope he dives deeper into the realm of brass funk, leaves behind the old successes, and gives us more of the modern rock and roll we need right now.
Key Tracks: Music For a Sushi Restaurant, Daylight, Daydreaming
New York City-based singer-songwriter Marina Laurendi has released a new single “Gramercy.”
A lush five-minute track, it’s the lead single for her debut EP Stay Mine coming this Friday, which will be accompanied by the release of a music video for the song.
Marina Laurendi performing at The Bitter End in Manhattan. (Photo found on website)
On “Gramercy,” Laurendi croons about an impassioned romance using New York City imagery. Taking an approach reminiscent of Lana Del Rey, a former Lake Placid native, she muses about kissing on the L Train and compares the euphoria of her bout of love to the heights of skyscrapers.
Laurendi always returns to the song’s guiding analogy: the connection between her relationship’s vulnerability and the secrecy of Manhattan’s Gramercy Park. “You got the key to me, treat me like I’m Gramercy,” she sings on the infectious hook.
Her lyrics paint a genuine and intimate picture, and Laurendi’s shaky vocals which never stray from technical peerlessness convey her ideas perfectly.
The same can be said about the song’s musical arrangement which only moves her message forward. The track’s instrumentation varies across its runtime, featuring light chords on acoustic guitar and bright licks on electric, rich keys, pulsating violins, and a noisy organ in the song’s final seconds. “Gramercy” never overplays itself with all these components however, swelling and falling throughout its pop-oriented song structure in a way that stays true to Laurendi’s sentimental subject matter.
No piece of “Gramercy” goes to waste, as Laurendi’s knowledge of her hometown and endearing vocals over a well-crafted musical backdrop contribute to a captivating love song and worthy lead single.
Saturday Night Live closed the books on Season 47 on May 21, with host and native New Yorker Natasha Lyonne with musical guest Japanese Breakfast. The season finale of SNL also brought out a handful of cast departures, including Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, Kyle Mooney and Pete Davidson.
The cold open featured Kate McKinnon as recurring character Colleen Rafferty, recounting an alien abduction alongside Cecily Strong and Lyonne to Pentagon officials. McKinnon took this sketch as her swan song, bidding farewell as she boarded a spaceship, saying “Thanks for letting me stay awhile.”
During Lyonne’s monologue, she mentioned her New York born and bred roots – raised in Great Neck, grew up on the Upper East Side – and mentioning how she has been working with SNL cast and alums for years, including Amy Poehler on Russian Doll. She was joined on stage briefly by SNL alums and friends Fred Armisen and Maya Rudolph who did their impressions of Lyonne, who herself has a Rodney Dangerfield style of delivery.
For Japanese Breakfast’s first song, Michelle Zauner went with the rhythmic single “Be Sweet” off her 2021 album Jubilee, as neon bulbs hung down from the ceiling.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKvj4vs7ftc
Weekend Update featured a pair of farewells, with Aidy Bryant saying goodbye next to her frequent sketch and song partner, Bowen Yang, and Pete Davidson, who reflected on his career at SNL and thanked Lorne for giving him a chance. Unfortunately left out of the sendoff mix was Kyle Mooney, who created numerous digital shorts and memorable characters over his 9-year SNL career.
Davidson was also featured in the cut for time sketch “Forgot About Lorne,” a parody of Dr. Dre’s “Forgot about Dre” with Eminem cutting the pre-recorded sketch short to tell Pete to stop these parodies and not do them again.
“Paprika” was the second song from Japanese Breakfast, with Zauner wearing a multi-layered white dress while she struck a gong encircles with flowers. as yellow lightbulbs hung down from the ceiling.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3mHfQgQY1M
Zauner also appeared in the final sketch of the night, joining McKinnon and Bryant for a singalong of Joni Mitchell’s “The Circle Game” in “Women’s Commercial”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnOGSFV7154
The season finale of SNL was a night of send offs and put a bow on an average season of the NBC franchise. Look back on all our coverage ofSaturday Night Live this season here and share your favorite musical guest and sketches in the comments below.
