Category: Capital Region

This week’s EQXposure Features Laveda, Architrave, We’re History and more

Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm 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, Laveda, Architrave, We’re History, and many more!

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.

Laveda – “bb”

On their 2020 debut album What Happens After, Laveda draw a post-apocolyptic landscape through layers of colorful sound and ethereal melodies. The band fuses polished pop song clarity with a 90’s guitar driven sound reminiscent of groups like The Sundays or my bloody valentine. Founding members “Jacob Brooks and Ali Genevich explore the great yawning unknown. From the freedom and uncertainty that rests at your fingertips or the distant and possibly desolate future, they capture adolescent restlessness with big walls of sound and a dreamy melodious warble” writes Toronto based blog Ohestee. NYC’s Look At My Records! calls Laveda “a young band with a fully realized voice and perspective, and What Happens After couldn’t feel timelier.”
<a href="https://lavedamusic.bandcamp.com/track/bb">bb by Laveda</a>
Architrave – “Twitch of the Wing”

Architrave have shared “Twitch of the Wing” which is part of compliation of music to support the Ukrainian people. Order here and listen below.
<a href="https://binaural-space.bandcamp.com/album/yellow-and-blue">Yellow and Blue by Architrave</a>
We’re History -”Punk Rock Roots”

Remember when your favorite punk rock songs were always stuck in your head? It seemed like those days were about to fade into history. But we’ve got some news for ya. We’re History is here to save the day.We’re History is a pop punk band bringing you tight, fast-paced, rage-dance your problems away rock music, rounded out with infectious vocal melodies that force you to sing along. Listen on repeat and you will not be disappointed. Add a song to your punk rock playlist and your friends will be impressed. Take a deep dive into the lyrical inspiration of Tim’s soul and you will end up depressed, but that’s just part of the punk experience

March 12, 2022
New Gwar Tour Will Stop In Albany This June

GWAR announce The Black Death Rager World Tour this spring which will include a show in Albany at the Empire Live on June 12.

“Ah, the cruel Spring, when life bursts forth and humans are reminded how dead they are inside! The horrific majesty of GWAR will blow through your town like painted ladies working the block for that rock.”
Lead doom-warbler, The Berserker Blothar

On the tour the band will be joined by opening acts Crowbar, The Native Howl and Nekrogoblikon.

The tour coincides with the release of GWAR’s upcoming album “The New Dark Ages,” scheduled for release on June 3.

In addition, to the tour and album GWAR will also release a graphic novel, “GWAR in the Duoverse of Absurdity”. It tells the story of an epic battle between GWAR and their doppelgangers from an alternate universe. The graphic novel is illustrated by established comic book artist Andy MacDonald, whose previous work includes Wolverine, Dr. Strange, and Wonder Woman.

Tour tickets for fan club members are available Thursday, March 3—a day in advance of general sale tickets. Those tickets will be available Friday, March 4.

Upcoming GWAR Tour Dates

5/24: Grand Junction, CO @ Mesa Theater

5/26: Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades

5/27: Chico, CA @ Senator Theatre

5/28: San Diego, CA @ House of Blues

5/29: Tempe, AZ @ The Marquee

5/31: San Antonio, TX @ Vibes Event Center

6/2: Destin, FL @ Club LA

6/3: Chattanooga, TN @ The Signal

6/4: Charleston, SC @ Music Farm

6/5: Charlotte, NC @ The Underground

6/7: Joliet, IL @ The Forge

6/8: Green Bay, WI @ EPIC Event Center

6/10: Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club

6/11: Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom

6/12: Albany, NY @ Empire Live

6/14: Hampton Beach, NH @ Wally’s

6/15: Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground

6/16: Providence, RI @ The Strand

6/17: Reading, PA @ Reverb

March 10, 2022
New Movie “Holiday Spectacular” Filmed At Radio City And Upstate NY Locations

Hallmark Channel has announced a new Christmas movie, “A Holiday Spectacular” featuring the Radio City Rockettes and filmed in different locations, including Dutchess County, Newburgh, and Albany.

The movie has a cast full of Broadway stars and Academy Award Nominees. The movie stars Ginna Claire Mason (Wicked), Tony Award-nominated Derek Klena (Jagged Little Pill), Academy Award-nominated entertainer Ann-Margret (Carnal Knowledge), and Eve Plumb (“The Brady Bunch”).

Ann-Margret, Eve Plumb, Derek Klena, Ginna Claire Mason.

Jessica Tuttle, Senior Vice President, Productions, Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp., spoke about partnering with Hallmark Channel.

We are thrilled to partner with Hallmark Channel to bring together our two iconic holiday brands, which both create holiday magic for millions of people every year. This heartwarming storyline gives audiences a peek into the passion and dedication that the Rockettes have for this beloved dance company and the incredible sisterhood that is at the core of this legendary line.

The film was shot on location at the Radio City Music Hall, where it features the famous Rockettes doing various performance numbers, with some speaking roles. It was also filmed in Dutchess County, Newburgh, and Albany.

The Rockettes, photo by MSG Entertainment.

“Holiday Spectacular” is set in 1958 when Philadelphia heiress Maggie puts her wedding to a man she doesn’t love on hold as she goes to NYC to make her dream come true of dancing live on stage in the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall. She feels conflicted with going back home, or continuning to live out her dreams.

The all-new original movie will premiere during Hallmark Channel’s annual Countdown to Christmas programming event.

March 10, 2022
Acid Dad Captivates Crowd in Collar City Debut

Brooklyn based alternative buzz band Acid Dad brought their “A” game to Troy on Frida, March 4th, mesmerizing fans at the collar city’s newest live music night spot, No Fun. Conveniently located along River Street, despite the club’s name good times were aplenty as the band dropped a heavy dose of their signature psychedelic shoegaze sound; a sonic assault of fuzz infused feedback, groove-heavy basslines, relevant and catchy lyrics complete with an atmospheric 60’s-style liquid drop lightshow that would have made even a young Syd Barret feel at home.

Acid Dad performs at No Fun in Troy, NY

Consisting of duel singer/guitarist duo Vaughn Hunt and Sean Fahey, drummer Trevor Mustoe, and on this night bassist Zoltán Sindhu, who was performing double duty after opening the show with NYC’s Programmique, Acid Dad have been riding a steady wave of growth since Vaughn first started recording the band’s debut EP in a Bushwick basement in 2016. During the pandemic, the guys made good use of their time by building a new recording space in Queens, while also continuing to independently produce all their own music, art and even build some of their own instruments. The end result was their latest LP, ‘Take It From The Dead,’ which “dropped” last summer on Brooklyn’s Greenway Records and psych powerhouse LEVITATION’s label, The Reverberation Appreciation Society.

Originally scheduled to play “No Fun” in early February, Acid Dad finally made their Troy debut this past Friday, March 4^th. Playing to a diverse crowd ranging from college students, hipsters, plane jane’s, punks, drunks, die hards, posers, nerds, frat boys, Dead heads, lo-life’s, sell-outs, some cool dudes and a few people still somehow in between, the multi-generational appeal of Acid Dead was apparent from the start. In contrast to lyrics contained in their song “Searchin’” that claim the band is “still stuck in the 70’s” Acid Dad has clearly ingested a multitude of influences that span all eras of music. With a sound the brings to mind influential “do it yourself” indie bands of the late 90’s like The Brian Jonestown Massacre and The Dandy Warhols, Acid Dad have steadily built on those foundations and steadily developed their own unique, catchier spin on the timeless distorted guitar-based genre.

Sean Fahey & Zoltán Sindhu performing with Acid Dad

Just a block away from Troy’s Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, Acid Dad opened their set Friday night with the single “BBQ.” Featuring an infectious bass-heavy groove matched by a searing twin guitar attack and an utterly hypnotic light show, fans dug it from the get-go. Following that were intoxicating renditions of “Brain Body,” “She Only Eats Organic,” and the aforementioned “Seachin’” By the time Acid Dad reached the opening chords of the thought provoking “Marine,” the band was firing on cylinders so hot, jackets in the once freezing room were no longer needed. Taking a moment to tune up, the slow burn closer of their self-titled debut album “Dissin’ was next, followed in contrast by the opening track of the same album, “Die Hard.”

From there came perhaps the most well received song on the evening, the lead single from their latest release, “RC Driver.” Keeping the energy high with the relentless driving rhythm of “Living with a Creature” here the young guitar slingers really cut loose, letting their hair fly while thrashing about the stage and indulging in their effects pedals. Another highlight on the night followed that in the form of “Djembe,” where the Brian Jonestown Massacre’s influence, circa “Give it Back!” era, could really be heard.

“We lie, We all lie
Because mother Russia does not suffer
We run, We all run
I can’t run, I can’t run
Because mother Russia does not suffer
Mother Russia will not suffer”
But just wait mister, Mr. Major
Well I question your precedence
Mister, Mr. Major
Well I question your precedence”
lyrics from Mr. Major

Taking a moment to address the audience before the start of the next song, Vaughn Hunt openly talked about the escalating situation in the Ukraine and that despite writing “Mr. Major” five years ago, it’s taken on a whole new relevance in recent weeks. While fans soon realized this might be a moment worth capturing on their phones, the band then launched into a particularly heartfelt version of it, giving it everything they had left in the tank and bringing the set to a close. Despite the diversity within the mixed collar city crowd, the they were unified in their overwhelming approval and in their pleas for one more song. Happy to oblige, the exciting young band came back out for a fitting encore of “Don’t Get Taken.” Afterwards the hardworking and down to earth guys could be seen mingling with fans, both new and old, while selling their wares at the merch table.

Acid Dad’s Vaughn Hunt wrote ‘Mr. Major’ five year ago.

Singing songs about everything from drug addiction and dead friends, explicit sex and failed relationships to corporate greed and communism, don’t be fooled by their bunk name. Acid Dad are for real. Young, passionate, authentic, and believable. With a catchy recipe of heavy garage riffs mixed with a little punk, some post-rock vibes, a dose of new wave and plenty of sprawling sonic distortion, the only thing testing higher than their potential pH levels is their potential to become one of New York’s most relevant bands. With a huge spring on the horizon that includes a national tour with Australia’s Psychedelic Porn Crumpets and a confirmed slot on the ridiculously stacked Shakey Knee’s Music Festival in Atlanta, it would seem the best is yet to come and that Acid Dad is still far from peaking.

Acid Dad | 3-4-2022 Troy, New York | No Fun

Setlist: BBQ, Brain Body, She only Eats Organic, Seachcin’, Marine, High, Dissin’, Die Hard, RC Driver, Living with a Creature, Djembre, Mr. Major

Encore: Don’t Get Taken

Sean Fahey & Zoltán Sindhu performing with Acid Dad

Acid Dad’s Vaughn Hunt wrote ‘Mr. Major’ five year ago.

Acid Dad performs at No Fun in Troy, NY

Programmique opening for Acid Dad in Troy, NY

Programmique opening for Acid Dad in Troy, NY

Programmique opening for Acid Dad in Troy, NY

Programmique opening for Acid Dad in Troy, NY

Programmique opening for Acid Dad in Troy, NY

Programmique opening for Acid Dad in Troy, NY

Programmique opening for Acid Dad in Troy, NY

Programmique opening for Acid Dad in Troy, NY

Programmique opening for Acid Dad in Troy, NY

March 10, 2022
Ladies Night at the Egg: Incredible Voices & Tricky Guitar with Aofie O’Donovan and Yasmin Williams

On Saturday, March 5th, Irish-American singer Aoife O’Donovan brought her glorious voice to The Egg. With special guest Yasmin Williams opening the show, it was all about incredible women in downtown Albany. They both blew me completely out of the water with their amazing voices and surprisingly unique talents.

Artist to Watch: Yasmin Williams

Having never heard of either of these artists, I didn’t have a clue what to expect. So when I walked in and saw Yasmin Williams with a guitar laying string-side up on her lap to say I was shocked would be an understatement. This lady plays guitar in a way I have never seen and didn’t even think possible. She played with both hands and even added other instruments throughout the set. She also used the guitar for percussion as well as a violin bow at one point. If she comes to a town near you, this one-woman show is not to be missed.

Aoife O’Donovan — The Voice of an Angel

Next up was Grammy Award-winning artist Aoife O’Donovan. This lady absolutely has the voice of an angel. She was playing with a four-piece band and although the crowd had to stay in their seats, it was obvious the entire audience was in a trance. The musical accompaniment was simple but it was a perfect backdrop for Aoife’s glorious pipes. She is on tour pretty much all the time and this is one show you shouldn’t miss again. Check out her tour dates here.

March 9, 2022
Lawrence To Play Empire Live on Thursday March 10

Lawrence is coming to Albany to play Empire Live this Thursday, March 10th along with MLLN! If you have not yet heard Lawrence’s music, then just have a listen to their acoustic version of ‘Don’t Lose Sight’ that recently hit 1 million views on YouTube.

For Lawrence fans, the band is doing something really special on this tour with their ListenLive VIP Headphone Experience. A few audience members per show will be able to livestream the concert audio and listen through headphones. And you may be thinking “why on earth would I want to listen headphones at a live concert?” The answer is truly innovative, and will be an incredibly unique experience for Lawrence fans. The VIP headphone listeners will have full control over their audio mix by being able to increase or decrease the levels of specific inputs. So if you want hear more guitar, vocals, or whatever you wish, then you can! To enjoy this brand new experience you can purchase VIP tickets on Lawrence’s website.

If you weren’t sold on needing a ticket after hearing Don’t Lose Sight, then Lawrence’s funky cover of “Get Busy” ought to have done the trick. Their Hotel TV Tour 2 just finished shows in Colorado, Vermont, and New Hampshire, and Lawrence are playing their sole New York show on Thursday before heading all over the country. To see Lawrence’s upcoming tour dates, head on over to their website. For their March 10th, 8pm show at Empire Live with MLLN, purchase your tickets here.

March 8, 2022
In Focus: Annie in the Water Album Release show at The Hollow

On Friday, March 4th, fans gathered at The Hollow in Albany to watch as Annie in the Water celebrated their long-awaited album release with special guests The Pine Hill Trio. From start to finish, it was an incredible night for music lovers. Packed with extraordinary talent, these two bands brought new songs; a ton of surprises; and even some special treats for all of us lucky enough to be there.

Band to Watch: The Pine Hills Trio

To get the party started The Pine Hills Trio took the stage. If you haven’t heard of them yet, you’re going to. This trio of young college students is a brand new band and they are here to play. Ronan Dougherty (guitar/vocals) has a voice far larger and more developed than most musicians twice his age. With Dylan Neiderauer on bass and Chris Arcoleo on drums, it’s impossible to tell they have only been playing together a few months. And if you recognize that last name, Dylan’s brother is well-known guitar wunderkind Brandon ‘Taz’ Neiderauer.

Annie in the Water play an epic Two-Hour Set

Then it was time for the main event — and calling it an event is an understatement. Personally, I have seen this band play dozens of times and never heard them sound better than they did this night. For the first half of their set, they played their new album Sun at Dawn from start to finish.

Annie in the Water – Brad Hester (vocals/lead guitar), Matt Richards (keys/vocals), Brock Kuka (percussion/vocals), Michael Lashomb (guitar/vocals), Chris Meier (bass/vocals), and Ryan Trumball (drums) – stepped up on their jam game in a way that is truly mind-blowing considering the music hiatus of the two years.

For the second half of their set, the boys from Annie in the Water played whatever they felt like. Without a set break these dudes continued to bring the hammer down. They played everything from older Annie tunes to a hard-rocking cover from Rage Against the Machine. They topped off their set with a jam on their popular “Hey I’m on the Way” that transcended time and space.

March 8, 2022
Trey Anastasio releases first solo acoustic album “Mercy”

Trey Anastasio has released his first-ever solo acoustic album, Mercy, on Friday, March 11. The album, produced Bryce Goggin and Robert “rAab” Stevenson was engineered and mixed by Mike Fahey.

Trey Anastasio “Mercy” album cover

Music journalist David Fricke shared in the album’s liner notes, “Mercy is a genuine and surprising first for Trey Anastasio: his studio debut as a solo, acoustic singer-songwriter. The nine songs were all written in the emotional ricochet of recent, pandemic life, then recorded with the absolute purity of one man with a guitar and a microphone. There is nothing like it in Anastasio’s lifetime of albums, even after nearly four decades as the singer, guitarist, and primary composer in Phish, numerous side projects, collaborations, and the long-running Trey Anastasio Band.”

Anastasio shared “I’ve never done anything like this before.”

The past two years of fear, loss, and, at times, devastating quiet have been unlike anything many have ever known. Mercy is Anastasio’s account of that confusion and isolation in unresolved questions and conflicted passions, in a music of quietly gripping force.

Mercy also arrives just weeks after Anastasio recorded it and two years, nearly to the day, since New York City went into lockdown. Anastasio adds, “Mercy is like a bookend. It’s two years since we went into hiding. This is still going on, and it’s an even lonelier trip.” Even with the release of the Phish studio album Sigma Oasis in April 2020; Anastasio’s ‘Beacon Jams’ charity concerts later than fall, and Phish’s return to the road in the summer of 2021, Anastastio still looked inward as he wrote these songs. “Here I was, still at home, playing acoustic guitar. I thought, ‘These songs just want to be one guy with a guitar, singing.’”

The roots of Mercy go back further, to Anastasio’s first tours as a solo, acoustic performer, starting with three shows in 2017, followed by longer runs in 2018 and 2019, highlighted by a sold-out two-night stand at New York’s legendary Carnegie Hall. The setlists were largely made up of Phish songs stripped to their chord progressions, signature licks, and vocal melodies.

But I found this weird thing happening, where “Maze” worked on acoustic guitar. Who would have thought that? It’s about the jam, the organ solo. Turns out it wasn’t. It was about the lyrics and the music.
Trey Anastasio

In June 2021, Anastasio played his first shows for live fans in more than a year, with a week of solo, acoustic gigs in Saratoga Springs, and a pair of shows at the Beacon Theatre. The songs again were mostly from the Phish catalog, but the emotional exchange was, per Anastasio, “like a direct path from my heart to the audience. The honesty and simplicity of those shows – without it, this album would not have happened.”

As noted in the press release, Anastasio plays on Mercy a custom-designed guitar, hand-crafted from century-old wood by a luthier in Burlington, Vermont. McConnell commissioned the instrument as a birthday gift, presenting it to Anastasio last fall during a Phish rehearsal at the Barn. “That was the turning point,” Anastasio declares. Back in New York, “I’d get up early every day, make coffee and write these songs on that guitar.” Then while recording Mercy, “The decision was made very quickly: ‘Let me double the guitar.’ I was listening to the first take on headphones and playing off it. It was like jamming with myself.”

Mercy comes with long, deep echoes: Laurel Canyon’s golden age of woodsmoke and introspection; the confessional streak running through Britain’s folk revival in the late Sixties; the slow-dance spell and modal-guitar inventions of Joni Mitchell. A future waits in here too. “Definitely,” Anastasio replies right away when asked if he can imagine playing these songs with Phish or TAB, improvising in the psychedelic glow of “6 and 1/2 Minutes” or building on the eccentric guitar ride at the end of “Arc.” “Songs are like children,” he says. “They will tell you what to do. But when I was writing these songs, I thought, ‘I have to go direct to the finish line’ – to be able to play these songs on acoustic guitar first.”

He mentions a favorite quote that goes back to Leonardo da Vinci: “Art lives by constraint.” Mercy “is a perfect example,” Anastasio says. “One mic, one stool, one guitar. It’s a new outlet. And I love it.”

March 7, 2022
NYS Music March Madness 2022 Round 2

We have arrived at Round 2 of NYS Music’s March Madness 2022. Below you’ll find 16 matchups between 32 bands and artists from across New York State, from numerous genres, all on the rise and ready to make a name for themselves.

Since 2015, New York State Music has crafted a March Madness competition that spans all the musical harbors of the Empire State. As fans and musicians, the NYS Music team aims to spotlight the great talent found across New York in a friendly contest, bringing broader attention to the next generation of artists and bands on the rise. March Madness 2022 highlights 64 bands and artists you might not know, but should know, as these homegrown talents are making waves through the New York State. Check out Round 1 here.

Enter your email address, meet the bands and artists below, and vote for your favorites!

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Bearsville Theater Region

Jim Gaudet and the Railroad Boys vs Ampevene

Jim Gaudet and the Railroad Boys from Albany perform hard-driving, up-tempo acoustic Americana Roots music from the traditions of country, folk, and bluegrass with creative original story songs from Jim the main focus. Listen to their recent EP Hillbilly Rock n Roll here

Ampevene from Albany are a fresh, experimental fusion of original Progressive Rock, Psychedelic, and other genres. Ampevene’s music represents an amalgam of the mayhem of Mars Volta, the psychedelic sounds of Pink Floyd, the hypnotic trance-like quality of Tool, and the funk of a Frusciante-Chili Pepper jam. Listen to their David Bowie live set from November 2019 here.

Caity Gallagher vs Thanks!

Caity Gallagher is a folk singer songwriter based in Albany, with rootsy compositions and lilting vocal lines serve to showcase intimate lyrics that tell universally relatable stories. Caity has been likened to a modern combination of The Cranberries and Jackson Browne. Listen to her newest single, “Give It All,” here.

Thanks! From Saratoga Springs leave audiences with a show to remember whenever they hit the stage. What started out as three guys in a basement, has continuously built into a theatrical, reflective and dramatic performance that moves fans of all ages. Listen to their new single “I Choose You” here.

GRUB vs Fine Grain

GRUB is an Experimental Rock group based out of Buffalo/Niagara Falls. Their original catalogue can be described as uniquely inventive, adventurous, and welcoming to new listeners. Each song showcases a seamless blend of genres such as funk, psychedelic rock, electronic, hip-hop, metal, and reggae amidst a pop-esque composition, so there are elements on the table for all. Their website has videos and more.

Red pill or blue pill? Fine Grain took both with a Genny and got banned from Trader Joe’s. The girthy tones of this gritty, shoegazy punk band from Albany will remind you of late nights on a stoop in September, your first beer after work, weird questions about your parents cephalopods, and of course, the crushing weight of capitalism. Visit here for a link to all their different streaming options.

Cait Devin vs Frank Palangi

Cait Devin is a 20 year old alt-pop artist from Utica with a diverse range of audiences and experience in many genres of music. Cait is also a lead guitarist alongside being a singer songwriter, and has put together various shred collabs. No stranger to playing live, Cait has been booking frequent shows in Central New York since she was 15, and expanded to NYC and Nashville by age 16. Listen to her song “K9” here.

Frank Palangi is an indie rock artist from Queensbury, with a fuel and passion that makes his deep and gritty rock a must listen. Combine his vibrato voice and charismatic charm, and you’ve got a rock legend in the making. Palangi’s mission statement is “I have no plan B in backing down on my dreams.” Listen to his latest single “Dead Man” here.

Voting for Round 2 has closed. Stay tuned for Round 3 starting on Friday, March 11 at 10am!

Funk n Waffles Region

Glass Pony vs Rich Ortiz

Glass Pony, a jam band out of Albany have developed a unique sound in the past few years, with a wide array of originals with danceable grooves, unique setlists and compelling improv. Check out their most recent single “Daydream”

Rich Ortiz from Lake George has a style that is truly his own and music that is his soul. A product his family’s cultural diversity and strengths, Rich has focused all of his talents and time on his acoustic solo act since age 17. Watch a profile of Rich here.

Samsara vs Sydney Irving and the Mojo

Samsara hail from Long Island, with band members Charlie, Ben and John playing music together at any early age, drawing influence from several styles, including grunge, funk, metal and alternative. They are working on new releases with GRAMMY Award winning Producer Steve Adobbo and have upcoming spring and summer shows, including Rock Stock and Barrels Festival in Rockaway Beach (home of the Ramones) and the Great South Bay Music Festival. Samsara’s alt sound can be heard on their 2021 release Paralyzed in Paradise.

Sydney Irving and the Mojo, based in Syracuse, features 18 year old Sydney Irving, who has been named the 2020 young adult artist of the year by the International Singer Songwriters Assocation, where she will perform this summer in Atlanta, GA. They’ll be performing across New York and three other states this summer. Sydney received the Brian Bourke Award for Best New Artist at the 2022 Syracuse Area Music Awards. Watch “Seasons Change” here.

Gooseberry vs Anthropic

Gooseberry is a 4-piece band from Brooklyn, born during the Fall of 2019. Their combination of blues, R&B, and indie rock is a recipe for a unique sound that Gooseberry delivers in each song. Listen to their recently released single “Sleep” here

Anthropic from Buffalo perform grinding death metal, inspired by1980’s grindcore, crust punk and death metal. They’ll play Doused in Death Fest in Buffalo in March. Listen to their 2020 release Architects of Aggression here.

Logan Whaley Band vs Alliteration

Logan Whaley Band from Long Island is a culmination of the best material & musicians Logan has written & met over the last 8 years since graduating from Music School. His music can be best described as having old-school sensibilities with a new-school vibe. He releases his debut album “On The Cusp” on March 4, 2022.

Alliteration from Poughkeepsie perform self-described weird boi punk rock and have recently released their LP Reject. Formed in February 2015, Alliteration combines the driving riffs of alternative and indie punk, elements of a diverse array of genres, and a fun stage presence that shows the passion they hold for their art. Listen here.

Voting for Round 2 has closed. Stay tuned for Round 3 starting on Friday, March 11 at 10am!

DSP Shows Region

Josh Casano vs E.R.I.E.

Josh Casano is a local acoustic artist who has been performing in the Capital Region for almost 8 years. Along with covers, Josh incorporates his own writing into each performance. He holds a degree in Music Education from The College of Saint Rose focused on classical guitar, voice, and piano. Josh is currently fronting the group Josh Casano & the Fam. Catch him at The Strand Theatre in Hudson Falls on April 21 at 7pm. Listen to “You Said Hi” here.

A band called E.R.I.E. describe themselves as “Four dads from Upstate NY making indie rock” The Albany quartet released their debut project “Don’t Wanna Live, Don’t Wanna Die” just over a year ago on Mint 400 records. Listen to “The Dirt Inside Your Soul” here.

Dodongo vs Seize Atlantis

Dodongo is a funk/fusion band based out of Brooklyn. The group describes themselves as “six friends making it up as we go along.” Listen to their November 2021 performance from Brooklyn Bowl here.

Fueled by punchy bass, hard-driving percussion, melodic lead guitar, and pronounced moody vocals with meaningful lyrics, a truly dynamic range of soft to heavy Alternative Rock defines the unique, tight sound of Seize Atlantis. Formed in 2019 out of Glens Falls in upstate New York, Seize Atlantis is a four-piece band most closely influenced by bands such as Red Hot Chili Peppers and Pearl Jam, providing their own spin on a variety of covers from classic rock to modern pop in addition to their own original music. Listen to “The Unstoppable Groove” here.

Jess Novak vs DF3

Jess Novak takes no prisoners, performing with a fiddle on fire, powerful vocals and a fierce band behind her. The leader of a pop, rock, soul-pumped group from Syracuse brings passion to every performance, with energy, superb musicianship, engaging songwriting and ability to win any crowd. Listen to “The Joke” here.

Donny Frauenhofer Trio, also known as DF3, have been coined as “The Weirdest Music You’ve Never Heard.” Donny’s trio is creatively driven by spontaneity. The group travels through time signatures, styles, and key signatures with ease, making Frauenhofer’s complicated compositions sound like a walk in the park. The group plays a daring brand of original music with unique arrangements of popular tunes tastefully sprinkled in. Listen to “Daylight” here.

All Poets and Heroes vs The Sea The Sea

In the summer of 2015, Rob McCall & Corey Jordan met and founded All Poets & Heroes out of their hometown of Syracuse. That summer, the duo began crafting a sound that explored resonating folk melodies with that of the sensible nostalgia that filled the 90s alternative music scene. Since then, the duo has grown into a full-fledged band developing towards an introspective project that aims to challenge listeners to feel, and to feel deeply. Listen to Occhiolism here.

The Sea The Sea (Chuck E. Costa and Mira Costa) is an Upstate New York based indie folk-pop duo featuring what Bob Boilen (NPR’s All Songs Considered) calls “excellent harmonies” & Huffington Post calls, “Two of the loveliest male-female voices you might ever hear this or any other year.” The group’s 2020 release, Stumbling Home, dubbed “otherworldly” by RollingStone marks the duo’s third full-length album, and the duo’s first primary recording / engineering credits on one of their albums, as well as that of co-producers—teaming up with recent Grammy and Tony award winner Todd Sickafoose (Hadestown, Anais Mitchell, Ani DiFranco, Andrew Bird).

Voting for Round 2 has closed. Stay tuned for Round 3 starting on Friday, March 11 at 10am!

The Helping Friendly Hemp Company Region

Jennie Angel vs The Pine Boys

Jennie Angel is an actress in the Hudson Valley who recently rediscovered her love for music. Started playing the guitar when she was 16 and has been singing she was born, now performing popular country hits! Jennie has most recently been added as a member of the Academy of Country Music and will be attending the awards show in March. She’ll perform on April 9 at Karl Hall in Wilkes-Barre, PA and on June 3 at The Chance Theater in Poughkeepsie. Discover more on her website.

The Pine Boys reside in Albany and consist of three members: Andrew Cerone, Brett Maney and Sam Lasky. Musically, the group is an eclectic brew of Alternative Rock, Hip-Hop and Funk. They blend character driven story telling with memorable riffs and grooves resulting in something truly their own. They recently released their new album Vacationland and will perform at Pauly’s Hotel on St. Patrick’s Day.

Kyngjo vs HANZOLO

Kyngjo is not only about his melodies but he’s about his business and making his family proud. When he’s not working in Albany he’s networking in Atlanta or in the studio making music. As an independent artist, he is funding his dreams and making the sacrifice to reach his goals. Soon to be the go-to artist for hooks. Check out YouTube for an official video for “Calling Me.”

HANZOLO is a 7-piece band from Upstate New York, toting an explosive and emotional sound that mixes soul, jazz, rock, and funk. Their songs are dance-ably fun with thoughtful lyrics, backed up by a bright horn section. The band’s website contains videos and upcoming tour dates.

The Dirty Doves vs METASEQUOIA

You’d be hard pressed to find a more fitting description of Syracuse’s The Dirty Doves than what you’d find as Urban Dictionary’s top definition of a “Dirty Dove”: “Cute and cuddly as a dove, but down and dirty like a city pigeon.” The Dirty Doves – Jamie Cunningham and Anthony Saturno – have created Pure & Simple, an album that’s somehow sweet, sultry, and serene. Hear for yourself on their Spotify page.

METASEQUOIA sprouted in 2007, taking root in Ithaca and is getting set to release their new album In The Redwoods in April and partnered with their label, New Vine Records. Following the release, they will be trekking on an album tour, with dates set from April – August in CNY, Massachusetts, Connecticut and surrounding areas. Tour dates and cities to be announced soon! Check them out at metasequoia-music.com

Annie in the Water vs Big Time Kitty

Annie in the Water’s music is a groovy combination of Reggae, Funk, Rock, Blues and Jamstyle written with a conscious dose of positive vibes, unique melodies and intelligent lyrics. Their Upstate-centric music evokes the feeling of driving down mountain roads with longtime friends. As the sun rises in the rearview, an unwritten story awaits on the road ahead. Their new album Sun At Dawn is available for pre-order now and an upcoming gig is scheduled at The Hollow on March 4th, 2022.

Big Time Kitty (B.T.K.). Is a funky ass two man band based out of the Adirondacks. Their SoundCloud page gives you a taste of both their original hits and cover selections like “2001” and “Tubthumping.”

Voting for Round 2 has closed. Stay tuned for Round 3 starting on Friday, March 11 at 10am!

NYS Music has partnered with businesses across New York State to highlight these 64 up and coming bands. Regional sponsors include Funk n Waffles, a premiere music venue in Syracuse established in 2007 with a unique take on the culinary and entertainment industries, offering a wide variety of gourmet waffles and breakfast food, as well as offering live music every night! Bearsville Theater in Woodstock is where Americana was born – where Dylan took folk music and married it to Rock & Roll. where folk went electric, and where Janis took a breath and recuperated, before launching her hurricane energy and heart stopping songs out into the world. Renovated in 2019-2020, Bearsville Theater has an impressive calendar of shows for Hudson Valley music lovers.

DSP Shows based in Ithaca, NY and Northampton, MA, is one of the leading independent concert promoters in America, with shows at venues including State Theatre of Ithaca, Hangar Theatre, The Haunt, Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards, Brewery Ommegang, Asbury Hall, The 9th Ward at Babeville, and Daryl’s House among others. The Helping Friendly Hemp Company offers a wide variety of industry leading products including tinctures, soft chews, and hemp flower, using only USA grown hemp extract.

The winners of each region will be rewarded with a collection of prizes worth $3000. Partners for NYS Music’s March Madness 2022 include Mirth Films from Albany, a music news/entertainment outlet that specializes in original video content and live streaming, with news coverage ranging across the whole country, who will provide a professional multi-camera recording session at a prestigious venue in Albany for the winning band, premiering exclusively on Mirth Films.

The XPerience Monthly is the greater Capital Region’s alt-monthly newspaper, bringing independent music and thought provoking articles to the area. The XPerience Monthly will feature the winning band in a newspaper profile and interview this summer.

Check out Past Years’ NYS Music March Madness Here

March 6, 2022
Iron & Wine Happy to Play Sad Songs for Intimate Egg Crowd in Albany

Critically acclaimed singer/songwriter Sam Beam, better known by the stage name Iron & Wine, made a long overdue visit to the Capital Region Sunday night, bringing the “Back to Basics Tour” to a mostly sold out Swyer Theatre crowd at The Egg.  Delivering a masterful set of original music while simultaneously putting on a clinic of “cool”, the thought provoking and soul-searching show was the kind of thing every fan of modern folk music dreams of.  Straddling the line, but always finding the balance between intensely personal pain and lighthearted laughter, the stripped-down performance was nothing short of mesmerizing.

The evening began with a brief opening set from female singer/songwriter Hannah Cohen who was marvelous in her own right.   Quickly making mention of how nice and clean the venue was, for whatever reason, it made her want to be dirty and curse out loud.   “Fuckitdy fuck fuck fuck,” she blurted out, breaking the ice as the audience doubled over in laughter. After playing her first song, she told the crowd “This is not working for me, you guys are just way too quiet.  You always hope for an attentive audience, but what do you do when you actually get one?” she pondered.  Her beautiful and delicate voice juxtaposed with her raw sense of humor, foul language and a “tongue in cheek” invitation to pass one of her smelly shoes around for the room for anyone who wants a whiff all made for a memorable opening act for an artist worth keeping an eye on.

Hannah Cohen gets a leg up at The Egg

After a brief intermission and the customary dimming of the lights five minute prior to showtime, just a stool, a glass of water and a rack full of Taylor acoustic guitars set the stage for the evening’s headliner. No flashy lights, no fog machines, no video projections.  Just a soft-spoken man named Sam and his signature “Rick Rubin-like” beard.  Taking the stage to a hearty applause, Iron & Wine surveyed the audience while tuning up, asking where everyone was from and essentially letting them know it was ok to let their hair down a bit and interact. “They say I’m a folk singer, which isn’t exactly true.  But I don’t give a shit, if it fits, it fits.”

Papa died Sunday and I understood; All dead white boys say, “God is good” -Sodom South Georgia

After a bit of noodling on the nylon, Iron & Wine opened the set with some heavy subject matter in the form of “Sodom South Georgia,” likely in acknowledgment that it was a Sunday evening during the coldest month of winter. The well-mannered crowd hanging on every word in total silence from the get-go, then unanimously erupting in approval upon the song’s final note, an ovation so loud even Sam seemed surprised. “Oh, it’s gonna be that kind of night.  Ok Albany, I see you. As a performer, you have no idea how strong that kind of applause makes us feel,” Beam said.  “But no matter how many times I’ve played this next one, all the clapping in the world won’t stop me from messing up.”

Alone and vulnerable on darkened stage Sam did screw up, even stopping mid song at one point and telling us there were just so many chords to remember. “I probably should have practiced.”  Charming in his honesty, it’s part of what makes Iron & Wine so endearing and relatable to both new fans and old.  “It’s ok Sam, we still love you!” shouted a female voice near the front.  “Thanks for coming, Mom” Beam immediately responded with razor-sharp wit. “I’m so glad you could make it out tonight.”  A joke that had everyone laughing and one he’d play up for the remainder of the show.  Beam’s personality always showing through, despite a set made of mostly melancholy material. “Now I don’t know about you,” he joked, “but when I think about uplifting feel good albums, ones you can throw on at the gym, I think we know who’s right at the top. These little rooms are fun though, yeah? For some people.”

Some call it talking blues (talking blues)
Some call it bitter truth
Some call it getting even in a song
I can’t read it, didn’t mean it
As you would rage how I was wrong
Life is too short, and you’d stay too long
Let’s be honest, we were strongest till I let you drag me down
I was sorry then, I’m not now
You’d better love yourself, ’cause I tried
-Bitter Truth

“What a weird job. You can say bullshit and people will clap.  It’s amazing, you guys should try it.  Just go to your job and like totally fuck up everything that you try to do, curse, and see what happens.  You never know, you might be rewarded like me? It’s fucking crazy.” And with that confession, came perhaps the standout song of the night and also the biggest hit in the brilliant Iron & Wine catalog; a hauntingly unique, vocal only rendition of “Flightless Bird, American Mouth.” Prominently featured in Hollywood’s ultra-successful Twilight saga, the song currently has over 162 million streams on Spotify alone.   Claiming vampires have long been a great muse for songwriters, he is very aware of just how pretentious some people view his music. “It’s pretty crazy to write these songs and put them out. You don’t know who it lands on.  Sometimes it lands pretty hard though and you have no idea.    I just want to say ‘thanks.’”

Watch Iron & Wine perform “Flightless Bird, American Mouth” live at The Egg!

All tallied up, Iron & Wine played a total of 16 songs spanning across 10 albums. Fans were also treated to an as-of-yet unreleased song called “Why Hate Winter.” Other notable highlights included “Grace for Saints and Ramblers,” Each Coming Night, ”Autumn Town Leaves,” “Call it Dreaming,” and the set closing “Waitin’ for a Superman.”

The story the setlist doesn’t show, however, is what the audience brought to the table.  While it may have been a one man show mostly consisting of slow and sad songs, the crowd was fully invested and lively the entire night. A mutual back-and-forth- feeding of energy through off the cuff banter, a little beatboxing, and lots of mutual laughter, this was the variable that truly made the show something special. Combined with a carefully crafted setlist chosen specifically for Albany, you won’t get this same show the next time, or in the next city.  While Beam’s playing wasn’t aways perfect, he’s a perfect example of personality going a long way and that it’s somehow possible to turn sorrow into success.  A special kind of artist capable of changing the way you think and how you feel. I dare say anyone who was at Swyer Theatre on Sunday night left The Egg as a different, more complete person.

Up next for Iron & Wine, a few weeks of rest before returning to the road for the remainder of the Back-to-Basics tour. After that, Beam will join up with his ultra-talented buddy Andrew Bird for the recently announced Outside Problems Tour. The co-headlining jaunt is set to bring the two acclaimed artists to more than 25 cities later this summer, including stops at both Pier 17 in New York as well as Beak & Skiff Apple Orchard in LaFayette, New York. The smart money says you’re not going to want to sleep on this one.

Iron & Wine / February 27, 2022 / Swyer Theatre at The Egg, Albany, NY

Setlist: Sodom South Georgia, Follow the Water, Lion’s Mane, Bitter Truth, Lover’s Revolution, Each Coming Night, Flightless Bird, American Mouth, Autumn town Leaves, Woman King, Resurrection Fern, Rabbit Will Run, Grace for Saints and Ramblers, Why Hate Winter, Call It Dreaming, Waitin’ for a Superman.

Encore: Cinder and Smoke

March 5, 2022