Two bands – Karina Rykman and Quiltro – made their debut appearances in the Capital District on Thursday, December 1, performing at Albany’s Lark Hall
Karina Rykman is no stranger to Albany, having played with Marco Benevento numerous times at The Hollow and Cohoes Music Hall. Now touring with her own band, consisting of Adam November (guitar), Chris Corsico (drums), and Rykman on bass, made their first appearance in Albany with a strong crowd welcoming them to town.
Quiltro also had their first performance in Albany, with bassist Mike McKinley returning home for a long overdue hometown show. Quiltro had initially been set to play Albany in May 2020, which was left unannounced as the music industry and world around us shut down for a then indeterminable amount of time. Finally arriving home, the early crowdâs rapt attention to the psychedelic rock put forth by Mark Taylor (guitar), JD Hoffmann (drums) and McKinley.
During their 60 minute first set, Quiltro opened with a spacey jam that worked its way eventually into Hendrix’s “Third Stone From the Sun” amid “Pyxis,” the third track from their self-titled 2020 release. The set drew progressively heavier as the hour wound on, driving home the set with “Knight Riding” and “Field of Cities.” Played an introductory set to the uninitiated crowd, Quiltro warmed up the audience for Rykman, a perfect pairing this evening. McKinley and the crowd thanked all for coming to the show, particular his parents who were seated up front for the show.
Quiltro Setlist: Jam-> Pyxis-> Third Stone From the Sun -> Pyxis, Dark Matter, Apollo -> The Crater, In Reverse, Antilla, Knight Riding, Field of Cities
Rykman arrived to the stage around 930pm, flanked by November to her right and Corsico on her felt. Standing front and center, bass in hand, Rykman lit up the stage, singing “Joyride” to open the show in a soft dream-pop voice.
This power rock trio doubles as a prog rock trio at times, deconstructing songs mid-jam and building them back up again. The far reaching instrumentation of the triumvirate were fully in sync on “Plants,” one of the studio tracks that when heard live helps you fully ‘get’ the band’s sound.
November’s shredding and keys created dissonance while Karina bopped around the stage, establishing her presence as the frontwoman of this unique trio, one that brings more than just jams to the table. Â
Rykman channeled Tina Weymouth on the Talking Heads adjacent tune “City Kids,” which Mike Gordon would join her for two nights later at Nectar’s in Burlington. With a few shows left this tour, Rykman’s brief Northeast Tour is well worth catching, as she sets her sights on wider touring in 2023.
Karina Setlist: Joyride > All That You Wanted > Plants > Arbitrary > Dirty South, Beacon, City Kids, Fever Dream, Atom Dance, No Occasion > Psycho Killer > The Hardest Button to Button, Elevator
WonderFront Music Festival fulfilled a memorable weekend on Day 3, when the multi-genre event was brought back in action. On Sunday, November 20th, WonderFront pulled together an outstanding finale including headliners Cage The Elephant, GRAMMY-award winning artist Gwen Stefani and special guest SchoolBoy Q.
The comeback of WonderFront amped up the lineup since the covid outbreak in 2019 and overall executed a thrilling weekend, living up to high hopes and exceeding festival goer expectations.
Noah Cyrus, an American singer/songwriter began the first show of her 2022-2023 tour at the start of Day 3 of WonderFront. On this sunny Sunday afternoon, Noah, sister of well known Miley Cyrus, performed in San Diego’s very own Seaport Village. Glowing on stage, Cyrus sung from recent 2020 album release THE END OF EVERYTHING tracks “July,” “Lonely” and hit single “Again”(feat. XXXTENTACION).
Electronic dance duo by the stage name of HippieSabotage put on an electric performance at the CoorsLight stage. Brothers Kevin and Jeff Saurer performed one of many shows they’ve done in the SoCal city of San Diego. Best known for appealing dance/electronic music and top releases “Devil Eyes” and featured song “Habits(Stay High)” by indie artist Tove Lo.
To carry through Day 3, ThunderCat took the stage. His groove says it all with his flashy red bass guitar, yellow dreads and sparkling pants suit. Fans went wild when “Funny Thing” was played, one of his many viral hits.
Another memorable show on Sunday was returning DJ trio Cheat Codes. After covering them previously at The Westcott Theatre in Syracuse, Cheat Codes continue to appeal to their crowd, engaging with fans as lead singer Trevor Dahl jumps up on the rail guard shaking hands with show goers. Cheat Codes is well notable for hit singles “Sex” released in 2016, and “No Promises” (feat. Demi Lavato).
Headliner Cage The Elephant held a thrilling show on Sunday evening at the WonderFront Music and Arts Festival. Opening the show with their most well known releases from 2013 album Melophobia, “SpiderHead”. Lead singer of the rock band Matt Shultz makes the crowd go crazy for his erotic jumping, dancing and enthusiasm during his performance. Slamming down on stage with his guitarist, and coming out on stage wearing a memorable outfit of yellow striped pants, bedazzled shoes and leather coat.
Matt Shultz lead the band on quite the wild ride of the show, making it clear he loves what he does and does an outstanding job as lead vocalist for the alternative rock band. As part of their Night Running Tour, Cage The Elephant plays features from the album Social Cues, including the title track and “Black Madonna.” The band left quite the imprint on their fans Sunday evening and an amazing show to remember.
The release of WonderFront’s special guest took show goers by surprise when announced that rapper ScHoolboy Q was taking the stage. As one of raps emerging voices, ScHoolBoy Q began his music career in 2007, his first album Setbacks leading him into the spotlight, gaining a huge rise of attention that launched him into the rap community.
To wrap up the long weekend, Gwen Stefani went bananas for the fans and brought the crowd to a standing uproar, encouraging show goers to sing with her and chants “If I could escape” from fan favorite single “The Sweet Escape.” Stefani began her solo music career back in 2004 when releasing her first solo album “Love.Angel.Music.Baby.” Hit singles “Rich Girl,” “Hollaback Girl” and “The Sweet Escape” proved her to be a commercial success.
Gwen expressed her excitement to perform in San Diego as a solo star, continuing her growth and fame of her music career. Stefani blows her show to full extremes with a team of background dancers, live instruments and a dramatic outfit change from black to a yellow-checkered two-piece set. The pop star carried the energy through her show and sang a well-remembered encore of “HollaBack Girl.” The fans went bananas as they screamed “This shit goes bananas!” to conclude a fulfilling, memorable Day 3 of the notoriously fun WonderFront Music and Arts Festival, leaving show goers ecstatic and in high hopes for what the 2023 lineup will bring to the table.
Each Sunday evening from 7-9 p.m. you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up-and-coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear holiday music from Doctor Baker, The Rough Shapes, and Watch Reggie Run.
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.
Doctor Baker – “Holiday Lights”
Consisting of Ed Schwarzschild (guitar, vocals), Iggy Calabria (guitar, vocals), Chris Gockley (bass), and Danny Goodwin (drums, percussion), Doctor Baker originally started as an acoustic duo before expanding. The complete band brings a strong sound to audiences within the Capitol Region and beyond. Their single “Holiday Lights” off of their album Trespassers will be played on EQXposure.
The Rough Shapes – “Last Christmas” cover
The Rough Shapes are an instrumental trio based in the mid-Hudson Valley. Their sound is shaped by their shared hometown of Saugerties. The group’s sound is underground electric guitar music – the darker side of rockabilly, surf, spy, early rock and roll, and the cinematic mood music of Morricone.
Watch Reggie Run – “Unwrap them all”
Watch Reggie Run is a father-son duo founded in 2017 by Dave and Luke Graham. They started performing as a way to connect with one another, as Luke has autism and his communication skills are limited. Their holiday song “Unwrap them all” will be played on EQXposure.
Twiddle performed for two nights at the legendary Capitol Theatre for their annual Friendsgiving, this time welcoming Dogs In a Pile on Friday and Neighbor on Saturday.
Dogs In a Pile have been quickly gaining fame and have been on tour with Twiddle. Twiddle welcomed a two-piece horn section and members of Dogs in a Pile for multiple sit-ins, notably a “How Sweet It Is” encore featuring both bands, as an homage to Jerry must be paid when playing The Cap.
“Apples” proved to be a lengthy, psychedelic jam. Favorites such as “Orlando’s,” “Syncopated Healing,” and “Lost in the Cold” were great within a jam heavy set list, especially with the added horns section.
Twiddle “Frendsgiving” – The Capitol Theatre, Port Chester – November 25, 2022
Set 1: Every Last Leaf I [1], Beautiful, Stroganoff, Life Back Now, Complacent Race [2], Moments [2], Latin Tang [2], Polluted Beauty [2] > The Box#
Set 2: Syncopated Healing [2], Distance Makes the Heart [3], Enter [2] > Orlandos^ [2], Apples > White Light > Mushrooms of the Sea > Apples, Lost in the Cold [2]
Encore: How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) [4]
[1] First time played. With Adrian Tramontano on guitar [2] With Michael Bafundo and Mike Oehmen (Horns) [3] With Brian Murray and Sam Lucid (Dogs In A Pile) [4] Marvin Gaye (Debut). With Jeremy Kaplan and Jimmy Law (Dogs In A Pile), plus Michael Bafundo and Mike Oehmen (Horns)
# with Mihali Cowbell Jam ^ with Crosseyed and Painless teases
Twiddle “Frendsgiving” – The Capitol Theatre, Port Chester – November 26, 2022
Set 1: Frends Theme, The Devil, Dr Remidis Melodrium [1], Fighting For, Every Soul > Mamunes The Faun [2] > Every Soul
Set 2: Grandpa Fox > The Mission, Beethoven & Greene, Frankenfoote > Grandpa Fox, Slippin in the Kitchen [3]
Encore: Why Canât We Be Frends [4] > When it Rains it Poors > Every Last Leaf II [2]
[1] Apples Vocal Reprise [2] With Scott Hannay [3] With Rick James (Neighbor) & Scott Hannay [4] WAR (Debut)
Earlier this month, Bob Dylan made waves with the publication of his long-awaited critique of 66 of his favorite tunes by other songsmiths, The Philosophy of Modern Song. Now veteran music journalists Marc Myers and Steve Baltin are weighing in with their own fascinating and divergent explorations of this turf, with Anatomy of 55 More Songs (Grove Atlantic Press) and Anthems We Love (Harper Horizon).
Unlike Dylan’s book, which doesn’t delve into the paint-by-numbers makings of the classics, Myers and Baltin’s approaches are straightforward explorations of the creation and lasting impact of some of pop’s most iconic compositions. Where Dylan often employs his selections as jumping off points for impressionistic, very personal essays about the subject matter of his chosen songs (divorce, career crash, gambling, etc.), Myers and Baltin serve up approaches that are far more direct and satisfying, especially for music-makers.
Myers’ newest is the second book culled from his long-running Wall Street Journal column, “Anatomy of A Song.” The first, a critical smash released in 2016, provided oral histories on the making of 45 era-defining hits from interviews with the artists that crafted them, names like Mick Jagger, Jimmy Page, Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell, Rod Stewart and Roger Waters to name a few. Myers’ latest takes on 55 more including Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Bad Moon Rising,” The Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations,” Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid,” Joan Jett’s “Bad Reputation,” The Spinners’ “I’ll Be Around,” Blondie’s “Rapture,” Donovan’s “Sunshine Superman,” The Youngbloods’ “Get Together” and Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.”
In his interviews with the songwriters and collaborators like producers Tony Visconti and Bob Ezrin, Myers brings you backstage for an incredibly detailed view of their inspirations and creations. These are engaging narratives that are dressed up with offbeat trivia that will make you the star conversationalist of any cocktail party.
John Fogerty tells how his “Bad Moon Rising” was a marriage of the short story, “The Devil and Daniel Webster,” and Scotty Moore’s guitar licks on early Elvis records. The secret sonic sauces? He did it with his Les Paul tuned down to D and slapback echo on the vocals that make everyone think his final lyrical couplet may be “there’s a bathroom on the right.” The latter is something Fogerty now periodically deploys in concert to the amusement and delight of his audience. The versatile Todd Rundgren shares how his twice-recorded “Hello It’s Me” may not have come to be if his high school girlfriend’s dad hadn’t turned the garden hose on him for having long hair or if he hadn’t heard jazz organist Jimmy Smith’s version of “Johnny Comes March Home.” Tommy James and the Shondells’ “Crystal Blue Persuasion” was not an “acid song” as many believe. It was something inspired by a poem put in James’ hand after a college gig by a kid who was never heard from again. Bob Weir of The Grateful Dead shares that their “Truckin’” really crossed over largely because of the harmony tricks they had picked up from jazz great Jon Hendricks. As for AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell,” it also was almost not to be when the cassette containing the rough rehearsal demo became unraveled and was nearly destroyed before they could share it with producer Mutt Lange.
Shock rock pioneer Arthur Brown’s hit “Fire” sprang from a poem he had written at 15, while Steve Miller’s “Fly Like An Eagle” only solidified after he added electronic trimmings from “the cheapest, dumbest synthesizer” he could find at his local music store. Steely Dan’s “Peg” only got its finishing touch when they wrestled the perfect guitar solo from session man Jay Graydon, the eighth musician to try his hand at it. Earth, Wind & Fire’s lyric collaborator Allee Willis never knew the significance of the date in their song “September” until years after leader Maurice White’s death (September 21 was the due date of his son as told by his widow to Willis). And even though she begged White 20 times or more, he would not replace the “ba-dee-yah” in the song’s refrain with lyrics “that made sense.”
Myers’ book also provides astute musical analysis that places the songs within the context of their time and meta musical trends. His chapter on Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” begins with a pocket history of power ballads of which this tune is a solid gold example. Myers’ traces the birth of the power ballad to days of movie musicals and Judy Garland’s show-stopper, “Over the Rainbow,” from The Wizard of Oz.
Where Myers is more focused on the big bang of their creation and immediate aftermath, Steve Baltin’s book is more focused on the reverberations – how hit songs with a unique staying power become anthems that connect with generations and have many lives beyond their time on the charts.
Baltin’s book investigates 29 iconic songs that have grown to anthem stature with the passing of time. These include everything from 60s classics like The Temptations’ “My Girl,” The Beach Boys “Good Only Knows” and The Doors “Light My Fire” to more modern rock and pop staples like Linkin Park’s “In the End,” My Chemical Romance’s “Welcome to the Black Parade” and TLC’s “No Scrubs.”
To become an anthem a song needs two things per Baltin – timelessness and universal appeal. Most anthems are “mistakes.” Some like Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule The World” were throwaways that nearly didn’t get finished or recorded (it only was when Roland Orzabal’s late wife insisted that he decided to complete what he called his “rubbish song”). Others like Chic’s “Le Freak” were almost too silly in the minds of their creators, while still more like Graham Nash “Our House” were deemed almost too simple to be really proud of, even with their runaway success.
Baltin’s chapter on “God Only Knows” is a good template for his approach. While Paul McCartney and others called it “the greatest song ever written,” it was buried on a now-classic album that was largely ignored upon its release, Pet Sounds. Beach Boy Al Jardine compares it to “The Nutcracker,” a classical not pop production, something that its writer, Brian Wilson, also admits. He notes the “Tchaikovsky-influence” on his writing at the time. As with most of the entries here, Baltin goes on to note the many cover versions of the song (200 and counting for this one, from the likes of mellow crooner Andy Williams to art rockers Flaming Lips). He also completes many entries with a list of their frequent and very lucrative use in film, television and commercials.
In his chapter on Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline,” Baltin relates how this bit of sunshine pop from 1969 became a sports anthem for The Boston Red Sox and something that helped heal the city when Diamond performed it at Fenway Park five days after the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. Jefferson Airplane’s Grace Slick labels her “White Rabbit” a “rip-off of Ravel’s Bolero and Alice in Wonderland.” She credits its popularity to the “sex build up to climax” of the song’s arrangement. Interestingly, her favorite version of the song is not her own, but the one done by Pink – though she would still love to hear a cover by Barbra Streisand. In the same spirit, the Tears for Fears duo actually now prefers the downtempo electronica version of “Everybody Wants to Rule The World” recorded by Lorde for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire soundtrack. It’s an arrangement they sometimes perform in concert and have considered re-recording.
The only anthem in the book that was conceived as one was KISS’s “Rock and Roll All Nite.” According to guitarist Paul Stanley, the president of their record label, Casablanca, Neil Bogart, said to the band they were still struggling need an anthem to really breakthrough. Stanley went straight to his hotel room and penned the killer chorus which was fused with a partial tune by bassist Gene Simmons, “Drive Me Wild.” The tune did not really take off until it was re-recorded and featured on their 1975 live album, Alive.
The descriptions above just scratch the surface of these fine books, ones which belong on the bookshelf of any diehard music-lover and every music-maker seeking to capture lightning in a bottle.
Never considering myself attracted to post-punk, I was engrossed by the story of both a visual and audio post-punk artist, Blake Sandberg of ALIENS. His story opened me up to a genre I would have not considered to be in my wheelhouse. It is one of a thousand 9/11 attack survival stories and how an artist can dig into his craft to cope with suffering on the way to survival. You can hear the rest of the story in the interview I conducted with Blake on The Long Island Sound Podcast.
EP Release Party in Brooklyn
Blake Sandberg’s New York City post-punk band ALIENS announced the last show of the year and EP release party at Littlefield in Gowanus, Brooklyn. Friday December 2. I was able to sample their songs a few weeks ago.
The AGORAPHONIC EP compiles singles from 2007 to the present. ALIENS new songs were captured in Brooklyn at B.C. Studios, by Martin Bisi. The singles are “Leave Luck to Heaven” and a cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Tower of Song.” The songs feature Blake Sandberg on guitar and vocals with ALIENS new bassist Kevin Jones and George Fiala on drums.
AGORAPHONIC is getting steady radio airplay across the country landing it in the NACC Top 200 and in the Top 20 Alternative Chart – currently at #13. Check out the Brooklyn Release Party at Littlefield’s here.
Blake Sandberg is an accomplished American artist. He creates iconic images and uses words in his paintings to explore meaning and associations with objects in our environments.
The Best Laid Plans
Blake Sandberg battles a rare inner-ear disorder and illnesses from exposure to Ground Zero after 9/11. Blake died in a hospital in 2005 and was resuscitated. He is an artist and has been described as an “idea machine.” His first guitar was given to him by a friend, it became a mission. Words he wrote quickly became songs. Chords bashed out on the guitar to carry them. And his 9/11 story begins with the planned opening of his art exhibit.
BLAKE BY ANDREA BUCCI
… and then 911 happened. And I had an art opening a couple of days before that. And my parents and my brother were in town for it. You know, there were fires a few blocks below me. It was a strange world to be in. So I think it naturally went to painting and writing and things.”
Blake Sandberg
The New EP
ALIENS frontman, Blake Sandberg says “Tower of Song” became important to him during the Covid shutdown.
I thought I might learn the song. I was home playing guitar and looking out the window
Blake Sandberg
Leonard Cohen’s lyrics have similar imagery. One day while walking to get something to eat he found a vinyl copy of Hank Williams Greatest Hits album someone had put out on their steps. He took it as a sign. In the song Cohen says “I said to Hank Williams how lonely does it get?”
Leonard Cohen
Sandberg sped up the song up to a runaway train pace, while managing to cram all the words into the song without ruining it and making something of his own out of it. He also related the current times with political upheaval and division to the lyrics of this song. “I see you standing there on the other side. I don’t know how this river got so wide.” Sandberg takes on the weight of this cover song and his vocal performance is noteworthy. Martin Bisi’s production work keeps the train on the tracks.
“Enjoy Killing Time” was released in the first Covid shutdown in NYC. This track was recorded with guest drummer Hunt Sales, the legendary drummer for Iggy Pop “Lust For Life” and David Bowie’s Tin Machine.
ALIENS are Blake Sandberg, Miguel Vela, and Kevin Jones. Vela has taken over the drums over the last 12 months. As a trio they form a powerful post-punk band capable of scream-along anthems, searing sci-fi guitar riffs, with a heavy dose of Jones’s bass and Vela’s pounding drums.
It’s refreshing to come across an artist who takes his suffering and joys and bangs out raw emotion into his music. Post-punk is a discover, I need to explore, it’s an appropriate megaphone to express what we need to hear. ALIENS deliver!
We’ve got five must-see music suggestions to end your year this December here in Rochester. From the 1st to the 31st, we’ve got you covered. So work off that holiday meal, take a load off your holiday shopping stress, and get down and groovy with these great shows coming to town. Get out and celebrate a full (relatively) unimpeded year of live music!
Right off the bat we’ve got an incredible musician coming to town on the first of the month. You can’t really go wrong with an Honest Folk show, really you shouldn’t miss anyone they’re bringing in, but this show in particular is a bit extra as the kids say. As far as folk music goes, you’re not going to get much better than Charlie Parr these days. A scraggly looking Minnesotan, he’ll finger pick some blues tunes that’ll pierce your soul, up above the lit-up East End streets.
Rochester has been fortunate to be a longtime regular stop for Toronto’s The Sadies. Tragically they lost their founding member Dallas Good earlier this year. Though they are persevering, getting the band back on the road just recently with a tour of Europe. They’re blowing through town with a stop at the hole-in-the-wall Skylark Lounge, where they last played mere days before the pandemic shutdown. This will both rock and roll.
You gotta love a venue with a well-curated show schedule. Danny Deutsch, who both owns and books Abilene, knows good music. So when he books a band multiple times, you should take notice. When he books a band multiple times in the same year, you better go see why. He’s got Angela Perley back at the joint after she played back this August. Time then to get out to see what her “cosmic swirl of alt-country, psychedelic rock, and amplified Americana” is all about.
Water Street Music Hall is closing out the year with an excellent one-two punch of live music. Rochester’s favorite roots rock reggae band Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad opens up the festive weekend with their homecoming blast. They’re bringing Notorious B.I.G. cover band The Frank White Experience and local groovers The Sideways along for the ride as well as other surprise guests. Both sides of the club will be open and rocking so don’t miss out on this night of music and revelry.
One night later, Buffalo jam mavens Aqueous return to Rochester for some more heady goodness. Aqueous has long found a second home here and never let us down. If you’re looking for a New Year’s Eve that stretches and elongates and parties on until 2022 is no longer visible in the rear view, Water Street is the place to be. The Funky Dawgz and The Pickle Mafia round out the evening but as with Giant Panda, there are sure to be more “friends” popping up on stage.
Show starts at 7pm and tickets are $25.
That’s it for this month, see you out at the shows and see you back here next year!
The Weight Band and special guests Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams started off the pre-Thanksgiving festivities at the Bardavon Theater in Poughkeepsie on Saturday, November 19th. With many performing having roots in Woodstock, The Band, and Levon Helm’s Midnight Ramble the night was more than just another show.
Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams proved to be the perfect opening act. The duo employed their roots rock style to originals and covers. A few songs in, Larry and Teresa invited Brian Mitchell of The Weight Band to grab his accordion and join them on stage. Jim Weider (also of The Weight Band) would follow a few songs later. This was an indication of how the night would progress. Close friends joining in at various points celebrating their love of music.
The Weight Band
The Weight Band’s (Jim Weider (guitar, mandolin & vocals), Michael Bram (drums & vocals), Brian Mitchell (keyboards & vocals), Matt Zeiner (keyboard & vocals), Albert Rogers (bass & vocals)) set included numerous Band classics. Crowd favorites “Up on Cripple Creek”, “Life is a Carnival,” bellowed through the house. The band threw in a few covers including The Allman Brothers “Come and Go Blues,” and The Grateful Dead’s “New Speedway Boogie” to round out the setlist.
Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams
Between songs memories of Allen Toussaint, Levon Helm and Bob (yeah, that one) were shared. The intimacy of the evening gave you the feeling that you were sitting around with old friends reminiscing. Song selection directed the activity on stage. Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams joining in at various times. Players switching from electric to acoustic guitar, keyboard to accordion, and fiddle to mandolin and back as the night progressed. It was loose, it was fun.
The Weight Band with Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams
With the clock inching toward midnight, the evening came to an end. Everyone joined in on iconic song “The Weight,” sending off it off into the ethos of the Hudson Valley. From the smiles and glow affixed to those on stage, this proved to be more than just a show. This was a musical homecoming.
And take a load off Fanny Take a load for free Take a load off Fanny And (and, and) you put the load right on me (You put the load right on me)
On Friday November 18, Day 1 of The Wonderfront Music and Arts Festival kicked off for an unbeatable weekend. Located in San Diego’s marina, the forefront of downtown welcomed the return of the multi-genre festival WonderFront, which hit the ground running with Joey Purp as his very first show in Southern California. Purp uplifted the crowd with gratitude for their support and pursuit in his music career. Joey gained attention in 2012 after his first mixtape release “The Purple Tape,” and jumpstarted the feel for the festival and anticipation for the rest of day one.
Darling Greatly a group composed of The Croome Brothers, drummer Brayden Tario and electric Guitarist David Mills. introducing classical rock into modern alternative. The band truly rocks on and their style says it all. David Mills performs with a cig in his mouth and all time classic aviators, as the Croome Brothers rock with a trippy button up and ruby red electric guitar. Paying their respect to the loyalty of the fans, Darling Greatly opened with top hit “Shine” as part of their first album released in 2016.
As the day progressed, Saint Motel, Lainey Wilson, Quinn XCII and Young The Giant enticed the crowd and fan appeal. Saint Motel lead with top hits “My Type” and “Cold Cold Man” as lead singer AJ Jackson ran onto stage wearing a bright red tail coat, knee high boots and a black homburg hat. AJ fascinates the fans with his style and Indie pop music genre.
Lainey Wilson, performing since a young age, brought her country groove to the festival. Singing her top hit “Things A Man Oughta Know”, Wilson engaged with fans and danced among band members. An enticing an interactive show, Lainey continues her funk and groove as a female country artist.
Rising Artist Quinn XCII gave a stunning show at the Coors Light Stage. Fans filming, singing, dancing and pulled up their flashes to light up the main stage. Beginning his career back in 2011, Quinn XCII is best known for top hits “Stacy,” “Flare Guns” and “Straightjacket.” Quinn stands for ‘Quit Unless Your Iinstincts are Never Neglected’ and XCII represents the Roman numeral of Mikael Temrowski birth year 1992.
Another top show from day one had to be Young The Giant and they gave a set to remember. The euphoric lighting, mic stands strung with flowers and erratic dancing were part of lead singer Sameer Gadhia and his unpredictability as he moved across the stage and screamed with fans who floored for intro song “Wake Up.” The strobe lights, euphoric blues and purples made for an outstanding set that concluded with a well remembered hit performance of “Mind Over Matter” released in 2014.
To represent the East Coast, New Jersey-based singer and songwriter Bea Miller led an impressive set at the Tustreams Community Stage located at Ruocco Park. Grasping her career at only the age of 13. Miller is best known for hit album Aurora released in 2018 and her fans were ecstatic to hear “Song Like You,” “Burning Bridges” and “Crash&Burn” live. Bea’s facial expressions and assurance to the loyalty of her fans says it all.
To conclude Day 1 of WonderFront Music and Arts Festival, headliners The Zac Brown Band and EARTHGANG closed the day out with a well-remembered performance at the main stage. The Zac Brown band is most known as an American Country Band based in Atlanta with a classic “Chicken Fried” that captivated the crowd as they sang along ‘Cold Beer on a Friday Night,’ on a Friday night.
Headliner EARTHGANG featured hip-hop duo Johnny Venus and Doctur Dot raised the bar as the duo synced up, fist pumping the air, jumping towards the crowd and engaging their fans. The fans showed their loyalty for EARTHGANG as the duo’s songs have a fascinating range of musical influence. Attempting the notion of the conscious and subconscious of their lyrics and musical output, their closing of Day 1 of The WonderFront Music and Arts Festival of 2022 set the tone for what’s to come on both Saturday and Sunday.
In the early stages of a 24-date North America excursion that kicked-off last week, The Smile (a side project by Radiohead members Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, along with Sons of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner) came to New York City this past weekend for a set of three consecutive shows.
Thom Yorke (Hammerstein Ballroom) | Photo by Michael Dinger
The run began with two nights at the majestic Kings Theatre in Brooklyn (November 18-19) and the third at Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan (November 20), a turn-of-the-century opera house. NYS Music was front and center for The Smile’s opening night at King’s Theatre on Friday evening and the NYC finale at Hammerstein Ballroom Sunday night.
The Smile, who take their name from a collated poem in Ted Hughes’ 1970 literary work Crow: From the Life and Songs of the Crow, are touring in support of their 13-track debut album that was released in May 2022, A Light for Attracting Attention (XL Recordings). Furthering the Radiohead connection, the record was produced by longtime Radiohead collaborator Nigel Godrich. Born during the 2019 COVID lockdown, as many creative endeavors have, The Smile released a string of singles and eventually, the announcement of a world tour.
The current trek marks the first shows on American soil for Yorke and Greenwood since August 2018, when Radiohead wrapped up their world tour in support of 2016’s A Moon Shaped Pool. Yorke was slated to tour North America in 2020 with stops at Kings Theatre behind his excellent solo album Anima, but this tour was ultimately postponed and canceled as a result of the pandemic.
Supporting The Smile for the tour’s duration is Robert Stillman, a multi-instrumentalist and composer born in Maine who has called the United Kingdom his home for the past decade. Like his tour mates (with whom he contributed to their album), Spillman is presenting new material from his eighth studio album What Does It Mean to Be American? (Orindal Records/KIT Records), released in January 22.
Robert Stillman (Hammerstein Ballroom) | Photo by Michael Dinger
Taking the stage at approximately 8:15 pm each night, dressed in white from head to toe, Stillman unassumingly acknowledged the audience for a moment before taking to his synthesizer. For approximately 30 minutes, Stillman mesmerized the audience each night with a deliberate looping process between his synthesizers and a tenor saxophone, curating an eclectic sonic palette drawing on elements of jazz, drone and psychedelia.
Kings Theatre (Friday, November 18)
On Friday night, fans lined up early ahead of doors at Kings Theatre in Flatbush, donning various Radiohead, Thom Yorke, Sons of Kemet and other associated apparel. The recently renovated classical movie theater is an exquisite example of how a modern music venue can be incorporated into a historic space. The cavernous venue, decorated with red velvet and ornate gold accents, boasts a deep sonic experience that continually attracts artists of all genres who want their music experienced in such a gorgeous space.
The show got underway with Yorke, Greenwood and Skinner taking to the front of the stage as they basked in a thunderous ovation, with a return of gratitude to the fans. With Yorke behind a familiar piano, Greenwood on bass guitar and Skinner behind the kit, “Pana-vision” started the festivities. The song begins with a swirling piano arpeggio before a dark, jazzy rhythm kicks in. Yorke drives the song with his signature falsetto as his voice swells and calms for several waves of the song. The band then dove into a tight rendition of “Thin Thing”, a psychedelic Kraut-rock song which highlights The Smile’s style perfectly. The music is “stripped back” in a sense that it is confined to a trio, but the blend of dissonant vocals, driving punk rock infused strings, and jazzy percussions creates a dense palette which overwhelms in a live setting.
In addition to the songs from A Light for Attracting Attention, the band has been playing many unreleased songs on this tour. On Friday at Kings Theatre, Stillman joined the band and contributed his saxophone for two such songs “Colours Fly” and “People on Balconies”. Other new songs performed Friday were “Bending Hectic” and “Read the Room”. The main set ended with the vintage punk sounding “You Will Never Work In Television Again”, which got fans bouncing all over the venue. The final song of the night was surprisingly long-time favorite Thom Yorke solo song “Feeling Pulled Apart By Horses”, self-released back in 2009.
Although doors were more than two hours away, a large (and rapidly growing) contingent of fans already lined the West 34th Street sidewalk in Midtown Manhattan on a near freezing late Sunday afternoon. Mercifully, at 6:30 pm, the shivering fans hoping to get a spot on or near the stage rail were ushered into the warm confines of the Hammerstein Ballroom lobby, housed within the Manhattan Center. Extensively renovated in 1997, elaborate architectural decorations adorn the historic venue which seats 2,500 (all of which would be sold out tonight) – complete with box seats, three balconies, a proscenium arch and a hand-painted ceiling mural 75-feet above depicting an “orchestra of angels on a heavenly stage”.
At approximately 9:20 pm, The Smile took to the stage, with Yorke pausing along the stage apron as the audience’s applause and wild cheers rained down. After assuming their stage positions (Yorke at stage right, Greenwood at center stage and Skinner on his kit at stage left), The Smile commenced their 90-minute set backed by a large video screen displaying broken, horizontal line patterns. Bathed in red stage lighting, the first of ten offerings from A Light for Attracting Attention was “The Same”. With Greenwood seated at the piano, Yorke took up his vintage Guild Starfire II bass and let his haunting, signature falsetto do the rest.
Thom Yorke (Hammerstein Ballroom) | Photo by Michael DingerJonny Greenwood (Hammerstein Ballroom) | Photo by Michael DingerTom Skinner (Hammerstein Ballroom) | Photo by Michael Dinger
Throughout the evening, Yorke and Greenwood seamlessly interchanged their instruments, each playing guitar, bass and piano. Ensuing magnificent presentations of “Thin Thing”, “The Opposite” and “Speech Bubbles”, guided by the loose-limbed Skinner and his punishing rhythmic dialogues, Yorke briefly addressed the audience as he took his seat at the piano for “Pana-vision”. “We’re a new band called The Smile, but I guess you knew that”. Up next was “A Hairdryer”, with Greenwood bowing his Fender Precision bass during the opening refrain of the 8-minute masterpiece.
The night’s only snafu followed approximately one-third into the show, a technical malfunction that led to “Waving a White Flag” being scratched from the set. While two other tracks (“Open the Floodgates” and “Free in the Knowledge”) from The Smile’s debut album were not performed Sunday night, fans were treated to three new, currently unreleased songs – “Bending Hectic”, “Read the Room” and “Bodies Laughing”.
Up next was “Skirting on the Surface”, developed from an unreleased Radiohead song and featuring Greenwood’s guitar arpeggios. As Yorke introduced “People on Balconies”, he acknowledged The Smile fans in attendance a second time. “I very much enjoy being back to New York City. We wish we had another week, or two, at least”. After welcoming Robert Stillman and his sax back to the stage, The Smile gave us “The Smoke” and “You Will Never Work in Television Again”, a banger in every sense of the word. Following an encore break, the last fifteen minutes of the epic show comprised “Just Eyes and Mouth”, “Colours Fly” (with Stillman rejoining the band) and “Feeling Pulled Apart by Horses”.
The Smile will continue their string of U.S. dates until a pair of Los Angeles concerts on December 21 and 22 close out the run for the year. A 2023 show has also already been announced at the Bluebird Theater in Denver on February 16.
Kings Theatre Setlist: Pana-vision > Thin Thing > The Opposite > Speech Bubbles > Free in the Knowledge > A Hairdryer > Waving a White Flag > Colours Fly (with Robert Stillman) > We Don’t Know What Tomorrow Brings > Read the Room > Skrting on the Surface > Just Eyes and Mouth > People on Balconies (with Robert Stillman) > The Smoke (with Robert Stillman) > You Will Never Work in Television Again (with Robert Stillman) > Encore: Open the Floodgates > The Same > Bending Hectic > Encore 2: Feeling Pulled Apart by Horses (Thom Yorke song)
Hammerstein Ballroom Setlist: The Same > Thin Thing > The Opposite > Speech Bubbles > Pana-vision > A Hairdryer > Bending Hectic > We Don’t Know What Tomorrow Brings > Read the Room > Bodies Laughing > Skrting on the Surface > People on Balconies (with Robert Stillman) > The Smoke (with Robert Stillman) > You Will Never Work in Television Again (with Robert Stillman) > Encore: Just Eyes and Mouth > Colours Fly (with Robert Stillman) > Feeling Pulled Apart by Horses (Thom Yorke song)
