NYS Music 202​2

Category: Capital Region

  • Pigeons Playing Ping Pong and Dogs in a Pile Keep It Heady in Albany

    A flocking good time was had in downtown Albany as two of the jam scenes hottest acts – Pigeons Playing Ping Pong and Dogs in a Pile – teamed up for an unforgettable evening of ‘bird-dogging’ at Empire Live on Friday, December 9th.  Packing out the venue and lighting up the crowd with a healthy dose of high energy funk, top-shelf improvisation, psychedelic dance grooves and plenty of good old-fashioned shredding, the evening also served as birthday celebration for Dogs’ keyboardist Jeremy Kaplan. 

    Pigeons Playing Ping Pong performing at Empire Live in Albany (12/9/22)

    Flanked in tie dye and smothered in patchouli, fans flocked to the venue early enough to catch the opening act Dogs in a Pile. One of the most talked about up-and-coming bands around, 2022 has been a huge year for the young New Jersey quintet. Consisting of Jimmy Law and Brian Murray on guitars, Sam Lucid on bass, Joe Babick on drums and the Jeremy Kaplan on keys, the exciting group wasted no time showing everyone what all the buzz is about.  

    Dogs in a Pile performing at Empire Live in Albany (12/9/22)

    Launching into the song “Look Johnny” and seamlessly transitioning into “Frosty” and “Fenway” before coming up for air, it was clear the Dogs were determined to make the most of their allotted time.  Weaving together a tapestry of colorful sound with an undeniable charisma, Albany fans were then treated to the live debut of “Let U Go.”  Rounding out the short, but impressive set was “G Song” followed by “Bent Strange,” but it wouldn’t be the last time we’d see members of the dog pound on stage this night.

    The dogs were back in town on 12/9/22

    After a brief break in the action, it was finally time for the long-awaited return of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong who had not played in Albany since March of 2019.  Now celebrating 15 years as a band and touring in support of their sixth independent full-length album Perspective, some longtime fans could be heard reminiscing about seeing their first P4 show at the significantly smaller Red Square (now the Public Parish House) just down the block back in 2012. One of the most fan-friendly and hardest working bands going, their continued growth and popularity should come as a surprise to no one. 

    Pigeons Playing Ping Pong performing at Empire Live in Albany (12/9/22)

    Taking the stage and genuinely thanking everyone for coming out before even playing a single note, front man ‘Scrambled’ Greg Ormont was all smiles while giving his customary pre-show p-p-p-pep talk. Reassuring everyone that they were in for some serious fun, the party on North Pearl Street kicked off with “Porcupine” from the band’s 2017 album Pizazz. All warmed up and feeling good, things fell into place nicely when “Fall In Place” landed on a surprise Beatles cover of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” that boasted an absolutely gorgeous guitar solo from ax-man Jeremy Schon and a lengthy “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You” (Led Zeppelin) tease for good measure.

    Jeremy Schon of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong performing at Empire Live in Albany (12/9/22)

    Now calling on a little help from their friends, it was at this point the band invited “the other Jeremy” out, welcoming Dogs in a Pile keyboardist and the birthday boy himself, Jeremy Kaplan back to the stage to sit on “Sunny Day.” Adding a whole new dynamic to an already funky sound, Kaplan’s contributions were huge here and he seemed like a natural fit, finally answering a question that’s been dogging P4 fans for years: “What would they sound like if they added some keys?” Quite the way to ring in your 24th birthday indeed.  Keeping the dance party going strong, the one-two punch of “Move Like That” into “Live It Up” had the crowd worked up into a sweaty frenzy as the band brought the lengthy opening set to a close with “Elephante.”

    Jeremy Kaplan sits in with PPPP on his 24th birthday (12/9/22)

    Back with more positive vibes, Pigeons started the second frame with “Live Life” before going all in on an “Upfunk” sandwich that featured a jaw dropping drum solo from Alex “Gator” Petropoulos smack dab in the middle. Always clever with their setlists, a bit of an aquatic theme seemed to emerge as “Beneath the Surface” gave way to fan favorite “Poseidon” resulting in one of the biggest peaks of the evening courtesy of Schon’s incendiary shredding.

    Ben Carrey of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong keeps it heady in Albany (12/9/22)

    Master of disguise and purveyor of cool, bassist Ben Carrey was keeping it heady all night long, but perhaps his bass bombs were never more physically felt than on the next combination of songs, “Twitch” and “Water.” A scorching “High As Five” would bring the second set to a close and leave fans begging for more. Giving it 100 percent max effort and always happy to please “the flock”, Pigeons would take flight one final time, returning for an encore of” Schwanthem” and sending the hot crowd into the cold night with huge feelings of satisfaction.   A fantastic evening of live music, song and dance, shared joy and vibe that quite simply downtown Albany hasn’t seen since before the pandemic.

    Melting Lights: Pigeons Playing Ping Pong performing at Empire Live (12/9/22)

    Up next for the band, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong will head to Harrisburg, PA next weekend for a pair of shows at XL Live before closing out the year with a two-night New Year’s Eve celebration in Pittsburgh with the Magic Beans.

    Pigeons Playing Ping Pong | 12-9-2022 | Empire Live | Albany, NY

    Set 1: Porcupine, Fall In Place > While My Guitar Gently Weeps* > Sunny Day^, Move Like That > Live It Up, Elephante

    Set 2: Live Life > Upfunk > Drums > Upfunk, Beneath The Surface, Poseidon, Twitch > Water, High As Five

    Encore: Schwanthem

    * w/ “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You” and “25 or 6 to 4” teases
    ^ w/ Jeremy Kaplan (Dogs In A Pile) on keys

    Dogs in a Pile | 12-9-2022 | Empire Live | Albany, NY

    Setlist: Look Johnny, Frosty, Fenway, Let U Go*, G Song, Bent Strange *Live Debut

  • In Focus: Deer Tick Rock Putnam Place in Saratoga Springs

    Deer Tick made their long awaited return to the Capital Region on Saturday December 10, playing a near sold out show at Putnam Place in Saratoga Springs.  The indie rockers last played the Capital Region in 2018. 

    Deer Tick, from Providence, Rhode Island was originally born as the solo project of singer John McCauley.  McCauley secured the band’s line up early on, adding brothers Dennis (drums) and Christopher (bass).  McCauley would later add Ian O’neil (guitar and vocals) and firmly establish the band’s line up that would continue today.  

    Izzy Heltai kicked off the evening, playing a 35 minute set to an already packed room.  Heltai, from nearby Brookline, MA, boasted proudly of previously playing coffee shops in Saratoga Springs.  He and his band captivated the audience, performing a blend of mellow indie pop.  As the set wound to a close, Heltai’s bandmates left the stage, allowing for one final song, just Heltai and an acoustic guitar.  

    Izzy Heltai performs at Putnam Place on 12/10

    After a brief intermission, Deer Tick took to the stage with a roar of approval from the crowd.  From the opening guitar strums of the party anthem “The Bump,” the crowd was fully engaged, belting out lyrics and dancing along.  The band dazzled with their Impressive harmonies, with McCauley yielding lead vocals to both O’neil and Dennis Ryan at times.  The band’s musical prowess was never more on display then when they performed a cover of the Muddy Waters blues rock classic, “You Shook Me.”  McCauley and O’neill traded guitar solos while the Ryan brothers kept pace. 

    In all, the band would deliver an impressive, nearly two-hour, career spanning set.  “Next year will be twenty years of this,” McCauley proclaimed proudly.   After exiting the stage briefly, the band would return for a three song encore, to the delight of the audience.  The band would end the show with a performance of Ashamed, the opening track on their 2007 debut album War Elephant.  “Sing along if you know it,” McCauley asked of the crowd, and he was not left disapointed.  

    Additional photos by Zak Radick

  • Frozen Fest 2022: State Champs return to Empire Live

    On December 10th, 2022 State Champs brought Frozen Fest back to Albany, NY with a packed lineup of pop-punk and alternative rock bands. For 5+ hours, Save Face, Between You & Me, Young Culture, Hunny, and headliner State Champs kept people on the feet and some surfing over the crowd at Empire Live.

    State Champs dropped their album, Kings of the New Age, back in February 2022. With the resurgence of pop-punk, the demand to see them live kept many of their fans anxious. A highly anticipated return to the stage was met in back in June at Albany’s first show for their 2022 Alive at 5 series. Then in August, State Champs announced their tour for their album for late fall of this year.

    The show opened with gothic rock band Save Face from New Jersey. Lead vocalist, Tyler Povanda, came out a stronger than expected. With the stage illuminated blood red, the entire band in red jump suits, and Povanda’s jerky movements, it gave the feeling more of a death metal concert… at a pop-punk show? Povanda did warm up the crowd eventually and they left with a warm cheer from the crowd.

    Save Face, Frozen Fest 12/10/2022, – Photo by Jarron Childs

    Between You & Me (BYAM) came all the way from Australia to join State Champs on their Kings of the New Age tour. No introduction was needed as they were an instant hit with the crowd. With a style similar to State Champs, the energy could easily be matched between the two. Their set was a rager from start to finish. Towards the end, vocalist Jake Wilson, and Tyler Povanda matched the energy of the crowd when they dragged their wired mics into the mosh pit seemingly against the advice of security.

    Between You & Me Bassist, Frozen Fest 12/10/2022 – Photo by Jarron Childs

    Young Culture opened for State champs for their first 7 shows on tour and had to come back home to end the tour. They brought peace, love, and positivity to every single person in the room. Vocalist, Alex Magan, greeted crowd surfers at the barricade with a warm and infectious smile. Though their set was a bit shorter than expected, the energy felt light enough to float on for long after.

    Hunny was the last opening act for the night. Along with BYAM, they went the whole tour with State Champs. Hailing from the suburbs just outside of LA, their somewhat mellow indie-rock style flattened out the crowd before the main event. They had turned off the lights for the first half of their set which made you really have to just vibe with the music. Things were turned up towards the end with vocalist Jason Yarger strumming his guitar with his foot and laying on the ground out of pure exhaustion.

    Young Culture Vocalist Alex Magan, Frozen Fest 12/10/2022 – Photo by Jarron Childs

    State Champs came out strong and did not let up. The crowd kept up with their energy as they sent a heavy stream of crowd surfers to barricade, over hauling the security for the rest of the night. With special guest appearances from Jake Wilson and their tour manager Colin Lorne, they brought out all the stops for their final show of their tour.

    Their 22-song setlist was mostly songs from their new album, Kings of the New Age, but also had certified bangers for their real fans including “Secrets,” “Elevated,” and “All You Are is History.” Vocalist Derek “Steez” Discanio and Bassist Ryan Scott Graham interacted well with the crowd, having them dancing and head banging for the whole night.

    Ryan Scott Graham of State Champs, Frozen Fest 12/10/2022 – Photo by Jarron Childs

    Things were brought pretty low halfway through to do a 3 song acoustic set; including a solo stunt with Discanio strumming “Our Time To Go.” Hearts were clenched, hands were held, and bodies were swaying along as Steez belted his heart out on stage.

    The music was turned right back up after, making the last three songs feel like a distant memory. Derek Discanio celebrated 13 years of State Champs by releasing balloons onto the crowd. They played their last 5 songs hard and left to the crowd screaming for one more. They came back out and granted Empire Live with a 2-song encore. First their Christmas song “Ordinary Christmas,” then closed the night with their hit off their album, “Everybody But You.”

    Derek Discanio of State Champs, Frozen Fest 12/10/2022 – Photo by Jarron Childs

    Steez and State Champs showed so much love to his home crowd and promised to bring another Frozen Fest next year. State Champs has had themselves a year and it looks like they plan to take a break and enjoy Christmas and the New Year.

    Save Face Setlist: Sharpen Your Teeth, Bad, Bury Me (Tonight!), Weak, A.M. Gothic, Glitter, Another Kill For The Highlight Reel

    Between You & Me Setlist: Butterflies, Supervillain, Overthinking, Goldfish, Go To Hell, Pleased to Meet You, Deadbeat, Dakota

    Young Culture Setlist: Not in Love, Hum, Kinda Over It, Party Girl, Whiskey, Drift, Different Now, Holiday in Vegas

    Hunny Setlist: JFK, Shy, Halloween, Saturday Night, A Slow Death In Pacific Standard Time, Loser, GHS, Vowels (And the Importance of Being Me), Everything Means Everything To Me, Homesick, Televised, Sports With Strangers, Lula, I’m Not Mad

    State Champs Setlist: Just Sound, Mine Is Gold, Eventually, Outta My Head, Criminal, Sundress, Frozen, Elevated, Half Empty, Crying Out Loud, If I’m Lucky, Our Time To Go, Fake it, All You Are Is History, Act Like That, Deadly Conversation, Hurry Up and Wait, Losing Myself, All or Nothing, Breaking Ground, Secrets

    State Champs Encore: Ordinary Christmas, Everybody But You

  • Live Nation Announces Summer 2023 Lawn Pass For 30 Concert Venues, 3 NY Locations

    On Thursday, Live Nation announced the return of Lawn Pass, a service which guarantees customers special access to concerts at select venues across the country.

    NY locations include the Darien Lake Amphitheater, the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, and Syracuse’s St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview.

    live nation lawn pass

    Services of the Lawn Pass include guaranteed general admission lawn seating all summer long for 30+ shows at specific venues such as the SPAC for $199 in addition to a fee. General sale will begin online this Wednesday at 1 p.m., while previous Lawn Pass holders have had the chance to purchase again since Thursday.

    Citi cardmembers will also have presale access from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Tuesday through the Citi Entertainment program.

    After purchase, Lawn Pass holders will receive a custom personalized credential that will serve as their ticket on each show day. These credentials will be shipped directly to customers this upcoming Spring.

    Full list of venues participating in the Live Nation Lawn Pass program:

    ·       Ak-Chin Pavilion (Phoenix, AZ)

    ·       Blossom Music Center (Cuyahoga Falls, OH)

    ·       Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek (Raleigh, NC)

    ·       Concord Pavilion (Concord, CA)

    ·       Darien Lake Amphitheater (Darien Center, NY)

    ·       Dos Equis Pavilion (Dallas, TX)

    ·       Freedom Mortgage Pavilion (Camden, NJ) 

    ·       Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – Tinley Park (Tinley Park, IL)

    ·       Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – St. Louis (St. Louis, MO)

    ·       Isleta Amphitheater (Albuquerque, NM)

    ·       iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre (West Palm Beach, FL)

    ·       Jiffy Lube Live (Bristow, VA)

    ·       Lakewood Amphitheatre (Atlanta, GA) 

    ·       MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre (Tampa, FL)

    ·       North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre (Chula Vista, CA)

    ·       PNC Bank Arts Center (Holmdel, NJ)

    ·       PNC Music Pavilion (Charlotte, NC)

    ·       Ruoff Music Center (Noblesville, IN)

    ·       RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater (Ridgefield, WA)

    ·       Saratoga Performing Arts Center (Saratoga Springs, NY)

    ·       Shoreline Amphitheatre (Mountain View, CA)

    ·       St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview (Syracuse, NY)

    ·       The Pavilion at Star Lake (Burgettstown, PA)

    ·       Toyota Amphitheatre (Wheatland, CA)

    ·       USANA Amphitheatre (West Valley City, UT)

    ·       Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach (Virginia Beach, VA)

    ·       White River Amphitheatre (Auburn, WA)

    ·       Xfinity Center (Mansfield, MA)

    ·       XFINITY Theatre (Hartford, CT)

  • This Week’s EQXposure Features Sydney Worthley, Shortwave Radio Band, and Rhoseway

    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 new music from Sydney Worthley, ShortWave RadioBand, and Rhoseway.

    Sydney Worthley, ShortWave RadioBand, and Rhoseway.

    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.

    Sydney Worthley –“How Soon Is Now”

    Sydney Worthley is an alternative artist from Albany. In 2017, she released her debut 14-track album titled Strong, followed by performances at Mountain Jam Music Festival, First Night Saratoga, and all over the Capital Region. In 2019, she became an independent artist at the age of 17. Her newest track “How Soon Is Now” is a glittery pop single that will be played on EQXposure.

    ShortWave RadioBand – “So long the Hopeful”

    ShortWave RadioBand resides in Schuylerville. Starting out as a semi-acoustic duo in late 2019, Lonny Eaton and Andy Scullin performed cover songs for a little more than a year before meeting drummer John Woods. They started writing their own songs at the end of Summer 2021 and then added Abby Stone on trumpet and Ryan Shaw on guitar.

    Rhoseway – “Country Sunrise”

    Rhoseway is the solo project of Albany-based songwriter Rob Fleming. All writing, arrangements, performances, and production are done by himself in a DIY fashion.

  • Drive-By Truckers Announce Stops in Woodstock, Albany and NYC on Spring 2023 Tour

    Established country group Drive-By Truckers has newly announced their full set of tour dates for the Spring 2023. The tour makes its way to the Northeast in May, with Drive-By Truckers performing at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, two nights at the Bowery Ballroom in Manhattan, and a show at The Egg in Albany.

    Drive-By Truckers

    The band with its roots stemming from Athens, Georgia starts the tour with an appearance in Indianapolis, Indiana on March 9 at The Vogue, followed by traveling from the end of March to the beginning of April for their annual four-day “Heathens Homecoming” celebration at their hometown’s own beloved 40 Watt Night Club.

    Club XIII by Drive-By Truckers
    Welcome 2 Club XIII

    Following the four-day celebration, a four-part two-night stands series by the band opens at Saxapahaw, NC’s Haw River Ballroom from April 25-26, leading up to premiering at Washington DC’s 9:30 Club from April 29-30, then New York City’s Bowery Ballroom from May 4-5, and lastly The Orange Peel in Asheville, NC. The recently-made announcement of the schedule of the Drive-By Trucker’s full tour is after the the release of the band’s 14th studio album, Welcome 2 Club XIII, which includes new singles like “The Driver”, “Every Single Storied Flameout”, along with the debut’s anthem, “Welcome 2 Club XIII”.

    Drive-By Truckers Spring 2023 Tour

    MARCH

    9 – Indianapolis, IN – The Vogue #

    10 – Detroit, MI – Saint Andrew’s Hall #

    11 – Milwaukee, WI – The Pabst Theater #

    12 – Madison, WI – Barrymore Theatre #

    14 – Iowa City, IA – Englert Theatre #

    15 – Urbana, IL – The Canopy Club #

    17 – Louisville, KY – Old Forester’s Paristown Hall #

    18 – St. Louis, MO – The Pageant #

    19 – Fayetteville, AR – JJ’s Live #

    21 – Oklahoma City, OK – The Jones Assembly #

    23 – Dallas, TX – Granada Theater #

    24 – Austin, TX – Paramount Theatre #

    25 – New Orleans, LA – Joy Theater #

    26 – Birmingham, AL – Iron City #

    29 – Athens, GA – 40 Watt †

    30 – Athens, GA – 40 Watt %

    31 – Athens, GA – 40 Watt ^ 

    APRIL

    1 – Athens, GA – 40 Watt @

    20 – St. Petersburg, FL – Floridian Social Club $

    21 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Culture Room $

    22 –Orlando, FL – Ace Café (Outdoors) $

    23 – Columbia, SC – The Senate $

    25 – Saxapahaw, NC – Haw River Ballroom $

    26 – Saxapahaw, NC – Haw River Ballroom $

    28 – Richmond, VA – Brown’s Island $

    29 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club $

    30 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club $

    MAY

    2 – Woodstock, NY – Levon Helm Studios $

    4 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom $

    5– New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom $

    8 – Albany, NY – The Egg Performing Arts Center

    9 – Munhall, PA – Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall $

    11 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall $

    12 – Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel $

    13 – Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel $

    † HeAthen’s Homecoming w/Model Citizen
    % HeAthen’s Homecoming w/Hayride
    ^ HeAthen’s Homecoming w/Camp Amped & Mercyland
    @ HeAthen’s Homecoming w/Wednesday
    $ w/Lydia Loveless
    * w/ Tyler Childers

    Tickets can be bought here.

    “The Driver” by Drive-By Truckers

  • State Champs Return Home to Albany, talk Authenticity, Capital District Roots and When We Were Young Festival

    Albany’s State Champs spent their Thanksgiving in Las Vegas, holding a family dinner with their crew. The day off from their Fall Tour, one that took them from the East Coast, with an appearance in Brooklyn in November and all the way out west by late November, was a welcome respite from cross-country travel in post-pandemic America. 

    State Champs at Brooklyn Steel – photo by Joe Buscarello

    State Champs return home to Albany to close the tour out at Empire Live on Saturday, December 10, with a sold out show and support from Young Culture, Hunny, Save Face and Between You & Me opening up the night. Dubbed Frozen Fest, the pop-punk scene is alive and well with State Champs leading the way for the next wave. 

    Speaking with guitarist Tyler Szalkowski and drummer Evan Ambrosio via Zoom the night before Thanksgiving before the band’s show at The Union in Salt Lake City, Las Vegas was a jumping off point, given the group having a first hand experience at When We Were Young Festival, held a month prior at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds. High winds forced the cancellation of Day 1 of the festival, leaving a sour taste in many fans mouths, despite safety of fans being paramount, especially in a city like Las Vegas. 

    state champs
    State Champs at Alive at Five – photo by Jarron Childs

    The band was unloading at 10am when the found ou their se was cancelled. “It was a massive bummer, many thought it was too good to be true given the lineup, but the cancellation of Day 1 was needed due to high winds and fan safety,” said Szalkowski. “It’s the last thing you want to do as a promoter, let alone as a band. I can’t see anyone dying from the selfish desire to see music.” This passionate defense of a festival that was at first criticized for canceling the day is on point – this was no ‘emo Fyre Fest’ as Ambrosio best put it. In a town with hundreds of hotel options and nightlife around every corner, the band and fans made due. 

    They attempted to come up with a last minute show, but playing a show just to play a show wasn’t a worthwhile option, especially when all bands on the Friday lineup was looking to put on a show. With options limited and bands they were looking to pair up with for an impromptu show – one booked and announced mere hours before doors – State Champs came up with a better idea. Tweeting out a message to fans to meet them outside O’Shea’s – near The Linq, centrally located on the Vegas Strip – and this meetup turned into a large gathering for about an hour, much to the chagrin of security, despite fans being peaceful and there to hang with their idols in a setting that was a rare opportunity for all parties. Fans from around the world who were bummed about the cancellation were happy to meet a band they traveled far to see. 

    Still in town for the weekend, the band and crew were able to check out the festival and see bands from their formative years, with Evan noting “I was impressed with how it was, walking around saying ‘I know that song, and that song. It also made you feel safe, with more security and scanning an RFID chip to get through access points.”

    State Champs at Empire Live Frozen Fest 2021 – photo by Peter Herrick

    Looking back on their Vans Warped Tour days with the experience of When We Were Young and other festival appearances for State Champs, Szalkowski reflected on the basicness for artists who were appearing at the many Warped side stages. “Warped was like a free for all with a mixed bag of folks and poppy artists nearby, the band playing Super Smash Brothers on a 55” screen TV in our 10×10 tent backstage.” For Evan, “Warped is still to this day my favorite tour,” with the band needing to be compact enough to set up, perform and break down quickly so you can get out to discover bands that were on the same footing. 

    Live performances these days for State Champs are all about keeping the sound, energy and performance steady for each night of the tour. 

    “There’s a lot of integrity in being a band, it has to be authentic and real, One day we said ‘fuck it, let’s be a professional band,’ and you want it to carry over live. At one point we dove into live rhythm tracks to have more control over our performance and the layers that helped us sound more professional. All the touring bands had a similar set up and we’re using tracks and a number of amps on stage. Why limit ourselves when we have all these assets at our disposal? We want it to sound like the biggest and best band, better than the studio.”

    Tyler Szalkowski 

    By 2019, the full band had in-ear monitors, and lost the live cabinets from the stage, and ceded more control to FOH, keeping the rig fully self-contained so that none of our stuff changes from day to day. “We don’t show up with an experimental groove, we bring it all – gear, consoles, mics – to guarantee sonic consistency,” said Ambrosio.

    Factoring in the setlist to the cohesive sound has the band looking steps ahead with each choice to determine ‘What does this song do, and how does the song before and after affect it,” according to Szalkowski. Keeping the setlist consistent this fall tour helps to keep the flow of the show going – although they had a rotating setlist in the summer. 

    “This tour is the favorite one we’ve ever done. We’ve extended some sections and added new arrangements and perform a medley of old songs that satisfies fans looking for earlier work. Having toured with pop acts that did cool things that we wanted to do, we brought in LED screens to make the show more of a live music experience.”

    Evan Ambrosio

    But as they push into their 30s, the angst they shared through their music once before has changed in inspiration, not in message. “We’re still pissed off about stuff. Not borderline teenage angst; bad stuff still happens to us, our hearts get broken by people (and events)” shared Szalkowski. “We always have a bit of an edge, we were the band of ‘something sucks, but it’ll get better, life is worth living.”

    Avoiding being disingenuous or cringe and authentic in performance – as well as songwriting – allows the band to allow fans to create their own interpretation of a song. Ambrosio sums up where State Champs’ mindset is “We focus on life as we experience it, not an event we didn’t have a part in. We write about things that stay true to what we experience, and not try to jump on a trend of ultimate sadness or TikTok videos, so we can maintain authenticity and stay true to what the band has built up.”

    State Champs’ sold out Frozen Fest at Empire Live takes place this Saturday, December 10.

  • Goo Goo Dolls 2023 “Big Night Out Tour” with O.A.R. to make 4 Stops Across New York

    Multi-platinum, four-time GRAMMY-nominated rock band Goo Goo Dolls have revealed the details for their The Big Night Out Tour with O.A.R. The massive summer 2023 tour will kick off on July 24th, 2023 and roll through major outdoor venues in New York including Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, SPAC and St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater.

    Goo Goo Dolls Reveal Details for The Big Night Out Tour Summer 2023

    On the upcoming tour, John Rzeznik shares, “I’m so proud to finally be able to announce our summer tour with a great band and our friends O.A.R. It’s going to be an amazing night of great music for everyone so BE THERE!!!”  

    O.A.R.’s Marc Roberge also added, “After working on separate albums in the same studio all last year, John and I realized pretty quickly how much fun we’d have on tour together.  We’re all band guys, love being musicians, and started planning a special night that all our fans would enjoy.” 

    The first album of their career to be produced by frontman John Rzeznik, Chaos in Bloom finds the band continuing to evolve just as they have for nearly four decades together. Consisting of 10 tracks including singles “Yeah, I Like You” and “You Are The Answer”, Chaos in Bloom is an album of biting sarcasm, stadium-ready choruses, and the type of spear-sharp songwriting that’s led them to becoming one of the most influential alternative rock groups of all time.  

    Formed in Buffalo during 1986 by John Rzeznik and Robby Takac, their newer album Chaos in Bloom finds the band continuing to evolve just as they have for nearly four decades together. Currently, front-man John Rzeznik is gearing up to take the iHeartRadio Theater stage in Los Angeles on December 13th for a special acoustic performance. The show will stream at 7pm PT/10pm ET on YouTube.com/iHeartRadio and broadcasted on iHeartMedia’s Hot AC stations. 

    Along with this, lead vocalist and guitar to the Goo Goo Dolls, John Rzneik’s birthday was just this week on December 5th. Happy Birthday John!

    The Big Night Out Summer 2023 Tour Dates

    Jul 24 – Tampa, FL – Coachman Park 

    Jul 26 – Boca Raton, FL – Mizner Park Amphitheater 

    Jul 27 – Saint Augustine, FL – The Saint Augustine Amphitheatre 

    Jul 29 – Albertville, AL – Sand Mountain Park & Amphitheater 

    Jul 30 – Atlanta, GA – Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park 

    Aug 01 – Simpsonville, SC – CCNB Amphitheatre at Heritage Park 

    Aug 02 – Greensboro, NC – White Oak Amphitheatre 

    Aug 04 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion 

    Aug 05 – Wantagh, NY – Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater 

    Aug 06 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts – The Pavilion 

    Aug 08 – Saratoga Springs, NY – SPAC 

    Aug 09 – Bethlehem, PA – Musikfest 

    Aug 11 – Atlantic City, NJ – The Borgata 

    Aug 12 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center 

    Aug 13 – Bridgeport, CT – Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater 

    Aug 15 – Boston, MA – Leader Bank Pavilion 

    Aug 16 – Syracuse, NY –  St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater 

    Aug 18 – Cincinnati, OH – PNC Pavilion 

    Aug 19 – Sterling Heights, MI – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill 

    Aug 20 – Cleveland, OH – Blossom Music Center 

    Aug 22 – Chicago, IL – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island 

    Aug 23 – Indianapolis, IN – TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park 

    Aug 25 – Franklin, TN – FirstBank Amphitheater 

    Aug 26 – Maryland Heights, MO – Saint Louis Music Park 

    Aug 27 – Kansas City, MO – Starlight Theatre 

    Aug 30 – Denver, CO – Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre 

    Aug 31 – Sandy, UT – Sandy Amphitheater 

    Sep 02 – Seattle, WA – TBD 

    Sep 03 – Seattle, WA – TBD  

    Sep 04 – Bend, OR – Hayden Homes Amphitheater 

    Sep 06 – Irvine, CA – FivePoint Amphitheatre 

    Sep 07 – Highland, CA – Yaamava’ Theater *without O.A.R. 

    Tickets go on-sale Friday, December 9th at 10am local time. To purchase tickets, click the link HERE.  

  • Empire Live to Host Pigeons Playing Ping Pong & Dogs in a Pile on Dec. 9

    On Friday, December 9, Albany’s Empire Live will showcase a concert featuring jam funk group Pigeons Playing Ping Pong and psychedelic jam band Dogs in a Pile. Doors for the 16+ show open at 7 p.m. with music beginning at 8.

    empire live pigeons playing ping pong
    Pigeons Playing Ping Pong members from left to right: Jeremy Schon (guitar, vocals), Ben (bass, vocals), Alex Petropulos (drums, vocals), Greg Ormont (vocals, guitar)

    This Empire Live stop marks a return to upstate NY for Pigeons Playing Ping Pong after headlining at the Adirondack Independence Music Festival in September. The Maryland four-piece has played halftime during a New York Knicks game at Madison Square Garden, they’ve appeared on Adult Swim’s FishCenter Live, and annually headlined their self-produced music and camping festival Domefest. They dropped their sixth studio album Perspective in March, the group’s first studio release since lockdown.

    Dogs in a Pile members from left to right: Brian Murray (guitarist), Jeremy Kaplan (keyboardist), Jimmy Law (guitarist), Sam Lucid (bassist)

    Dogs in a Pile, a five-piece of Asbury Park, NJ origin, was assembled in 2019 and released their debut studio album Not Your Average Beagle in 2021. Their musical approach is inspired by the improvisation of bands such as the Grateful Dead and Phish.

    Information regarding tickets for Friday’s show can be found here.

  • Capital Region Timekeepers with Al Kash

    In the early 80’s, I was an underaged aspiring musician, desperately trying to break out of my high school music scene to be a part of something bigger. I think the drinking age was still 18; but I was far from the cutoff age, and looked even younger, so getting into clubs to see bands was nearly impossible. I was frequently sent home by less than sympathetic doormen and bartenders with the same parting words; “Ya gotta grow up, kid”. Every once in a while, I would get lucky and be able to catch part of a set, sometimes only part of a song, before being discovered and swiftly ejected. Yes, I was that pain in the ass kid.

    One band in particular, The Units, had quite a following in the area, and enjoyed some success before changing their name to Fear of Strangers. They were very popular, and their shows well attended, which provided me with plenty of camouflage. I was able to catch the entire set before being discovered, and as I was firmly escorted out (I weighed about 80 pounds), I was still going through my mental notes of everything that I had just picked up from their drummer, Mr. Al Kash. This was the closest that I had ever been to a legitimate rock star.

    Al Kash
    Al Kash with Fatty Lumpkin

    Al Kash appeared to be ten feet tall, with an additional two feet of hair, with a five-foot reach over his drum set. His playing was inspiring to this impressionable teenager; as he effortlessly conducted the band, while laying down the perfect groove with an ever-present smile. I’ve seen him play dozens of times since then, and he still inspires me. Al has been a staple of the local scene for over 40 years, playing with multiple acts, and is one of the nicest, most talented and humble guys that you’ll ever meet. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Al Kash!

    RRX: How did you get your start on the drums? How old were you, and why the drums?

    AK: My family arrived in Australia in 1964. One of my first friends there happened to be a guitarist. He suggested I take up bass so we could start a band. Next thing we’re auditioning for a band. There was a drum set, but no drummer. The singer’s girlfriend played drums, but they recently split up. For whatever reason, I sat down on the kit and started playing. I ended up buying the drums. I was 15.

    RRX: Who are some of your earliest influences?

    AK: Surf music, The Rolling Stones, Them, The Dave Clark Five.

    RRX: Who influences you today?

    AK: I’m still influenced by all of my favorites. I listen to a lot of stuff from India, Brazil, etc.

    RRX: I’ve seen you play a number of different kits; what’s your favorite? Do you have a “dream kit”?

    AK: I’ve had so many kits, including a 13-piece Rogers kit. But mostly four to six piece kits, the majority of them being USA brands, with an occasional Premier or Yamaha kit. My dream kit would probably be some sort of Terry Bozzio set up.

    RRX: Tell me about some of your favorite gig/playing experiences.

    AK: Opening for The Rolling Stones was a great experience. I’ve also played in opening acts for Roy Orbison, Van Morrison, REM, and Iggy Pop. I’ve toured through Italy, Hawaii, Europe, Brazil, Australia, Tasmania and the USA.

    RRX: The Rolling Stones? What?!? Please, tell me more!

    AK: The Stones gig was great. Seeing Bill Wyman asking our singer if he could bum a smoke (Rollie Drum tobacco) was a crack up! They were great. They seemed to be having a great time. This may have been the last show of their Oz Tour. (Perth Australia, 1973).

    RRX: Amazing! What an experience! Do you play any other instruments?

    AK: Percussion, guitar, recorder and bass

    RRX: Do you read music? Write?

    AK: I do read and write music, and I have two solo albums.

    RRX: Yes! I’ve listened to “Spectrum Bateria”, and it’s great! You have some great videos on your Youtube channel; alkashdrummer. There is an incredible video of you playing high atop a sculpture. How high was that, and who lugged all of the gear up there? Were you prepared for rain? Snow? Any plans to do it again?

    AK: That structure is a look-out tower in Kings Park, Perth, West Australia. I’m sure that it’s three stories or more high. We had a road crew back then, who got my stuff up there. No snow in Perth. I would gladly do it again if someone would lug my drums up there!

    RRX: It’s a great video and seems like a great experience. Tell us a good gig story.

    AK: Back in The Units/Fear of Strangers days, we were playing at Yesterday’s on Fuller Road when a group of bikers came in. All of the sudden there were bottles and glasses flying through the air. We panicked and started to drag our equipment into the kitchen. It all stopped rather quickly when the bartender whipped out a rifle! Another time I was playing the Corporate Run with Playin’ with Fire under the museum on Madison Avenue in Albany. The little side street next to where we were set up had a row of 20 porta-potties. As we finished up our set, a strong wind storm came in, which required a few band members trying to keep one of the porta-potties from wiping our gear out! We watched three or four more of them coasting by, heading down Madison Ave. with the cops in pursuit!

    RRX: That sounds terrible. I hope that they were not in use at the time. What do you play for cymbals?

    AK: Most brands, the drier type preferred. I am always interested in independent cymbal makers; Istanbul’s, K’s, even broken/cracked cymbals.

    RRX: Have you had any formal training?

    AK: Yes, I’ve had a half dozen lessons with Andrew Cyrille, the drummer for Cecil Taylor. I’ve also studied with Rob Taylor from Perth, Australia. I’ve also had reading and technique discussions with Mr. Mark Foster from Albany.

    RRX: We’ve all studied with Mark Foster! Tell me about your current projects.

    AK: I’m currently gigging with Playin’ with Fire, and I have a few recording projects with Axe Iron Suns. I’m also looking forward to a new project with Moses Nagel, bassist from The Magdalens.

    RRX: What is some advice you would give to aspiring drummers?

    AK: Be adventurous and play as much as you can every day.

    RRX: I’ll do my best. Thank you

    Al Kash! Thanks to the rest of you for reading, and check out Al’s YouTube channel, or playing live with Playin’ with Fire. See you next time.

    This interview was originally featured on RadioRadioX