In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, which starts on Thursday, September 15th, the UAlbany Performing Arts Center presents Flamenco Rhythms. The show will be held on Wednesday, September 28th, at 7:30pm on the UAlbany campus located at 1400 Washington Avenue. The program features virtuoso guitarist Maria Zemantauski, percussionist Brian Melick, and dancer La Nina.
Guitarist and composer Maria Zemantauski is one of the world’s few heralded female flamenco-style guitarists and one of even fewer female flamenco composers. She is a nylon-string guitarist and composer whose style is influenced by a variety of musical genres, most notably, Spanish classical and flamenco.
She has performed Flamenco Rhythms in Spain, Italy and across the continental United States to great acclaim. By embracing the classical and traditional flamenco repertoire for her foundation, she takes her audience on a musical journey inspired by her flair for experimentation and pure love of the instrument. Zemantauski’s relationship with the UAlbany Performing Arts Center goes back to 2012 when she was involved in the first residency by NYC-based Flamenco Vivo at the venue.
Musician, educator, author and designer Brian Melick has been professionally involved in music since the early age of 13. He is a featured recording artist on over 400 commercially released recordings on independent as well as major labels in addition to his seven solo projects. Melick is a highly active drummer performing locally as well as around the United States and Canada.
Lastly, La Nina is a native of Colombia who studied flamenco in Spain at the Academia de Flamenco de Mariquilla and in New York City with master teachers Jose Molina, Jorge Navarro and Mariano Parra.
Admission to the Flamenco Rhythms performance is free. No reservations or tickets are required. For further information, contact the UAlbany Performing Arts Center’s main office at (518) 442-3995 or click the link here.
Warren Haynes, Don Was and Jamey Johnson will reunite this November for The Last Waltz 2022 Tour, a live celebratory tour that pays homage to The Band’s 1976 farewell concert. The 13-show tour will see these three artists, along with an all-star lineup, to recreate moments from Martin Scorsese’s 1978 film The Last Waltz.
The concert event is presented by Robbie Robertson, his son Sebastian, and Keith Wortman of Blackbirds Presents. The aforementioned all-star lineup joining Haynes, Was, and Johnson includes Anders Osborne, Kathleen Edwards, Dave Malone, John Medeski, Cyril Neville, Terrence Higgins, Bob Margolin, Mark Mullins, along with the Levee Horns, who will play the original arrangements of the late Allen Toussaint.
The tour kicks off with two nights at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester on November 3 and 4, then head up I-87 to Schenectady for a performance at Proctors Theatre. After a stop at The Met in Philadelphia, the tour heads to Huntington, Long Island for a show at The Paramount. The tour will conclude with a performance at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg, Florida on November 20.
Tickets go on sale here Friday, September 16 at 10 am ET.
The Last Waltz Tour 2022 Nov. 3 & 4 — Port Chester, NY @ The Capitol Theatre Nov. 5 — Schenectady, NY @ Proctors Theatre Nov. 6 — Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Philadelphia Nov. 8 — Long Island, NY @ The Paramount Nov. 9 — Wallingford, CT @ Toyota Oakdale Theatre Nov. 11 — Boston, MA @ Orpheum Theatre Nov. 12 — Washington, DC @ Warner Theatre Nov. 13 — Richmond, VA @ Altria Theater Nov. 15 — Atlanta, GA @ Coca-Cola Roxy Nov. 17 — Pompano Beach, FL @ Pompano Beach Amphitheater Nov. 18 — St. Augustine, FL @ The St. Augustine Amphitheatre Nov. 20 — St. Petersburg, FL @ Mahaffey Theater
This theatrical chamber concert will feature a string quartet Cuartetango, comprised of two violins, a viola, a cello, and dancers and the bandoneon. A Q&A with the artists will follow the performance. The event is free for all those who attend, but register for it here.
Led by Artistic Director Leonardo Suarez Paz, Cuartetango is one of the only quartets of its kind to perform Nuevo Tango, a musical style that infuses elements of Jazz and Classical music with traditional Tango music.
Cuartetango will offer attendees the unique experience to hear Nuevo Tango, a style that may sound familiar to many but in a new way. Nuevo Tango was created in New York City and I am very excited to present this music at the Four Freedoms State Park underneath the beautiful backdrop of the city Nuevo Tango calls home.
Leonardo Suarez Paz
Leonardo Suarez Paz has been hailed as the “torchbearer of Argentine Tango and the legacy of its greatest composer, Astor Piazzolla” (All About Jazz, UK). He creates across cultures and genres, continuing a family legacy of over 100 years. At age 16 he became the youngest member of the Orquesta Estable del Teatro Colon, and his work as a soloist includes the most distinguished tango orchestras.
The production features songs from Cuartetango’s two-time Latin Grammy nominated album Masters of Bandoneon. Performers include director, violinist, vocalist and dancer Leonardo Suarez Paz; violinist Omar Falcon; violaist Ron Lawrence; cellist Danny Miller; bandoneonist Rodolfo Zanetti; and dancers Olga Suarez Paz, Carolina aurena and Juan de Argentina.
The Cuartetango Music & Dance event is on Sept. 18 at 4:00 P.M. within “The Room” at 1 FDR Four Freedoms State Park, Roosevelt Island, and is free for everyone attending.
This September, Glenn Tilbrook of the critically lauded and much beloved 80s band Squeeze will embark on his first solo tour of the U.S. in years. While in New York, he’ll perform on September 15th at City Winery Hudson Valley, the beautifully restored factory on the Wallkill river in Montgomery.
Glenn Martin Tilbrook is the lead singer and guitarist of the English band Squeeze, a band formed in the mid-1970s who broke through in the new wave era at the decade’s end. Tilbrook has earned his place at pop’s top table as one of our most cherished singers, guitarists, and songwriters. Not to mention, an in-demand and endlessly endearing live performer.
Squeeze made their recording bow with the Packet Of Three EP in 1977. Those three tracks led to such Tilbrook written pop classics as “Tempted,” “Take Me I’m Yours,” “Pulling Mussels From A Shell,” “Up The Junction,” and “Black Coffee In Bed,” not to mention landmark albums like Argybargy, East Side Story and Some Fantastic Place.
When the band went on pause in 1998 Glenn embarked on a solo career that spawned the albums, The Incomplete Glenn Tilbrook (2001) and Transatlantic Ping-Pong (2004). Thus, showcasing an ever-maturing songwriting talent (his first major works) without the input of lyricist Difford.
Tilbrook then formed his new band, The Fluffers, who recorded Pandemonium Ensues (2009). Armed with ready wit, raucous vibes, and a shedload of grin-inducing great songs, there are few musicians able to connect with their audience on such an immediate and warm level.
The show will be located at City Winery Hudson Valley on the outskirts of the small village of Montgomery. The venue has a lovely atmosphere in an historic and beautifully restored factory on the river. Wooden beams, antiques, wine casks and everything is spotlessly clean. Surrounded by the sights and sounds of the Wallkill River, with good drinks and vibes, enjoy a great performance by Glenn Tilbrook.
Post Malone and Dre London announced that after select tour dates of Malone’s Twelve Carat Tour there will be after parties featuring multiple special guests in some of the hottest cities in North America, including two nights at the Gramercy Theatre in NYC on Oct. 12 and 13.
Post Malone is one of the most successful pop stars of the last decade with 66 entries in the Billboard Hot 100 — including 11 top 10 hits — and is a 9-time Grammy nominee. Malone is from Syracuse and lived in the state until he was ten when he moved to Texas.
In 2019, he became the youngest artist in history to have a total of three diamond-certified singles with the records “Congratulations,” “Rockstar” and “Sunflower” reaching ten million sales. His brand new album Twelve Carat Toothache was released on June, 3 and debuted at number 2 on the Billboard 200.
Post Malone and Dre London have a close relationship, as London is Malone’s manager. The Twelve Carat tour started on Sept. 10 in Omaha, NE, and has been described as emotionally driven, with high energy and a stadium full of fans excited to see Malone. The after-parties happening in select cities are on sale now, and guests must be 21+ to attend, except in Canada where events are 19+ to attend.
Post Malone After Party Dates
Sun Sep 11 – Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theater
Wed Sep 14 – Chicago, IL – House of Blues
Thu Sep 15 – Milwaukee, WI – Potawatomi Club
Tue Sep 20 – Toronto, ON – Private Event
Fri Sep 23 – Boston, MA – Big Night Live
Sat Sep 24 – Boston, MA – The Grand
Wed Sep 28 – Pittsburgh, PA – Roxian Theatre
Tue Oct 04 – Washington, DC – Soundcheck
Wed Oct 12 – New York, NY – The Gramercy Theatre
Thu Oct 13 – New York, NY –The Gramercy Theatre
Sun Oct 16 – Nashville, TN – Brooklyn Bowl
Tue Oct 18 – Atlanta, GA – District Atlanta
Fri Oct 21 – Dallas, TX – HOB – Dallas Foundation Room
Sat Oct 22 – Austin, TX – Don Londres x HWood Official F1 Party*
In a dream double-bill for heavy metal fans, Lamb Of God and Killswitch Engage joined forces for their tour opener on Friday, September 9 at the Ford Amphitheater in Brooklyn. With a chill in the air signaling that the fall season is nearly upon us, the initial throng of what would be nearly 5,000 guests excitedly began to file into the covered, open air venue fronting the Atlantic Ocean at the 5:00 pm doors call. The Spanish Colonial style venue, complete with nautical-themed motifs, is a New York City designated-landmark originally constructed in 1923 that was restored to its former glory in 2016.
Randy Blythe of Lamb Of God | Photo by Michael Dinger
Hailing from Richmond, Virginia and originally formed in 1994 as Burn the Priest, Lamb of God are at the forefront of the new thrash metal movement. Vocalist Randy Blythe and company will be releasing their ninth studio album Omens (Epic Records) on October 7. Described by Blythe as an “extremely pissed-off” record, it is a self-reflective piece of work regarding the fragile state of the world in which we currently reside. Omens was recorded at Henson Recording Studios (formerly A&M Studios) in Los Angeles, California with their longtime collaborator since 2006, Josh Wilbur.
Randy Blythe of Lamb Of God | Photo by Michael Dinger
Although they are not touring in support of a recent release, the last being their eighth studio album Atonement in 2019, metalcore giants Killswitch Engage are the featured special guest on all 28 dates of the current tour. Formed in Westfield, Massachusetts in 1999, Killswitch Engage’s lineup consists of vocalist Jesse Leach, guitarists Joel Stroetzel and Adam Dutkiewicz, bassist Mike D’Antonio and drummer Justin Foley.
Jesse Leach of Killswitch Engage | Photo by Michael Dinger
However, prior to Killswitch Engage taking the stage in a couple more hours, the first band to warm up the crowd would be Suicide Silence, formed in 2002. With a lineup of vocalist Hernan “Eddie” Hermida, dual guitarists Chris Garza and Mark Heylmun, bassist Dan Kenny and touring drummer Ernie Iniguez, the deathcore quintet established in Riverside, California performed a 7-song set showcasing varied speed changes, complex time signatures and plenty of death growls from Hermida. In early-2023, Suicide Silence will be releasing their seventh studio album, Remember… You Must Die.
Hernan Hermida of Suicide Silence | Photo by Michael Dinger
Hitting the stage promptly at 7:00 pm, Baroness followed with their own blistering, 6-song set. For the next 35-minites, these sludge metal heavy hitters from Savanna, Georgia would melt our collective minds with heavy distortion and frontman John Baizley’s harsh and abrasive vocals. Baizley is also an accomplished painter whose artwork has been incorporated into album art for Baroness, amongst many other bands. The rest of the quartet, formed in 2003, is rounded out by Nick Jost on bass, Sebastian Thomson on drums and Gina Gleason on lead guitar. Fans of Baroness will also be happy to learn that they are currently in the writing stages for their sixth studio offering.
John Baizley of Baroness | Photo by Michael Dinger
As the last remaining light of the day peaked through the openings in the venue’s massive canopy, and plenty of fans still lined up at the long merch table positioned at the top level of the amphitheater, Killswitch Engage appeared onstage shortly after 8:00 pm. Leach and his bandmates knocked it out the park on the first pitch, as they launched into “Strength of the Mind” with a ferocious intensity, an offering from their seventh studio album Incarnate (2016).
Band merchandise | Photo by Michael Dinger
Up until this point in the night, fans in attendance had been relatively subdued, but not for much longer. During 2006’s “This Is Absolution,” from their fourth studio album As Daylight Dies, Leach descended into the pit and engaged with several lucky fans in the front rows, sharing his microphone as he made his way along the rail, before climbing his way back up to the stage.
Jesse Leach of Killswitch Engage and fan | Photo by Michael Dinger
The band continued to dig into the early part of their discography, giving us “Rose of Sharyn” from 2004’s The End of Heartache and “To the Sons of Man” from 2002’s Alive or Just Breathing. During the remainder of the eleven songs that followed, an endless stream of crowd surfers seemed to emerge from out of nowhere – each metal head riding the wave of outstretched arms of their brethren to the front rail – where they were safely collected into the waiting arms of a security team member.
Crowd surfer | Photo by Michael Dinger
The surprise of the night was a cover of Dio’s metal classic, “Holy Driver,” released by the metal legends in 1983 as the lead single from their debut album of the same name. Killswitch Engage had originally covered the song as part of compilation for Kerrang!, the British weekly magazine. The Killswitch Engage set would end after a little more than an hour, but not without a few offerings from their most recent studio work, 2019’s Atonement, including “Unleashed,” “The Crownless King” and “Know Your Enemy.” Killswitch Engage closed their hard-hitting set with “The Signal Fire,” the recorded version of which featured guest vocals from Howard Jones, the band’s lead vocalist from 2002 to 2012 when Leach had left the band.
Killswitch Engage set | Photo by Michael Dinger
During the much-needed 30-minute break when the stage was turned over by Lamb Of God’s roadie, most of the fans dripping in sweat hastily exited the General Admission floor as they slipped by one another on their way to the restroom, grabbed a quick bite to eat (hot dogs and Bavarian-style soft pretzels were the only two options that I saw) or bought one last cold beer from the concession areas strategically placed throughout.
As the time approached 9:30 pm, the atmosphere inside Ford Amphitheater was now intense with excitement as fan chatter calmed in anticipation for headliner Lamb of God to appear. Moments later, as the instrumental anthem and introduction to their 2020 self-titled new anthem “Memento Mori” was played over the house PA, bassist John Campbell, guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler and drummer Art Cruz entered stage left. As they took up their instruments, Blythe appeared in his customary stage attire – black running sneakers, long, vintage-style cargo shorts and a Cinemetal t-shirt featuring a mashup logo with a nod to the iconic German film director Werner Herzog and heavy metal titan Danzig. Blythe is also the first performer I have ever noticed wearing knee pads and ankle support braces, and in short time, I would see why. The 51-year old Blythe hardly ever stands still. If he is not pacing furiously from one end of the stage to the other, he is either getting a running start for a giant leap off the top of the drum riser (set to a backdrop of pyrotechnics explosions) or can be spotted perched atop his own center stage riser, windmilling his long dreadlocks at a dizzying speed.
Randy Blythe of Lamb Of God | Photo by Michael Dinger
After breakneck executions of “Walk With Me in Hell” (Sacrament, 2006), “Now You’ve Got Something to Die For” (Ashes of the Wake, 2004) and “Resurrection Man” (Lamb of God, 2020), fans were finally treated to the first of two tracks they would hear tonight from Omens, the thunder-inducing “Nevermore.” Before the thrash metal veterans would tear into “Ruin” (As the Palaces Burn, 2003), “something a little bit older” that Blythe dedicated to “anyone who’s ever been to the club CB f***ing GB,” Blythe addressed the audience at length for the first time. “What the f**k is up motherfuckers? Holy s**t. Look at all you beautiful people gathered here in one of the coolest places, Coney f***ing Island. For those of you who do not know, or for those of you who smoked too much weed on the train on your way over here and cannot remember where you are anymore, we are Lamb Of God. We came to New York together today to do one thing and one thing only, completely f**k this place up. Are you ready? Welcome to the first night of “The Omens Tour.” We got a new record coming out October 7, pick it up if you want.”
It was near the middle portion of Lamb of God’s 80-minute set when not one, but two circle pits formed the number ‘8’ a mere few rows back from the stage. It was an incredible sight to behold firsthand, from the safe confines of the periphery of course, as frenzied tornadoes of souls twirled around and collided heavily into one another, and more than occasionally, falling hard to the ground. However, in keeping with the mosh pit code of etiquette, any fallen mosher was quickly pulled up to safety by the nearest person, before rejoining one of the flowing circles of bodies yet again.
Art Cruz of Lamb Of God | Photo by Michael Dinger
At the conclusion of the title track from Omens, the fans were more vigorous than ever, repeatedly chanting “Lamb Of God,” “Lamb Of God,” “Lamb Of God,”” Lamb Of God,” . . . Blythe, visibly thriving on the adoration, then said “It is always a f***ing pleasure to be back here, give yourself a big round of applause. Make some noise for the other bands that have played here for you this evening, goddamnit. First up, all the way from California, make some noise for Suicide Silence. And from down our way in Georgia, give it up for Baroness. And of course, make some noise for our brothers Killswitch Engage.”
John Campbell of Lamb Of God | Photo by Michael Dinger
The final five songs of Lamb Of God’s set would be their best, including “512” from VII: Sturm und Drang (2015), a song about Blythe’s self-proclaimed “extended European vacation that [he] took a while ago,” referring to his manslaughter court case that stemmed from a 2010 concert in Prague. “Ghost Walking” (Resolution, 2012) highlighted Cruz’s nuclear bomb drum slams and Campbell’s swift and velocious bass picking, while “Vigil” (As the Palaces Burn, 2003) featured intense groove metal shredding by guitarist Morton. The penultimate offering from Lamb Of God, “Laid to Rest” from 2004’s Ashes of the Wake, was the night’s highlight as the crowd went berserk during the chorus, “Smother another failure, lay this to rest. Console yourself, you’re better alone. Destroy yourself, see who gives a fuck. Absorb yourself, you’re better alone. Destroy yourself.”
Mark Morton of Lamb Of God | Photo by Michael Dinger
Blythe acknowledged the packed amphitheater one last time before the band burst into the fan favorite from 2006’s Sacrament. “Do you want one more f***ing song? Let me hear you! I think we can oblige. Before we do this, I need all you to do me a favor. As I said [earlier], tonight is the first night of the f***ing tour. You guys showed up and you showed out as New York City always f***ing does. I need every single mother***er in here to give themselves a big round of applause. Alright, I wanna see a f***ing big circle pit down there, set this mother***er off old school style. No one stands still! No one stands safe! This thing is called Redneck!”
“The Omens Tour” runs through October 20 and will conclude in Irving, Texas at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory.
Killswitch Engage Setlist: Strength of the Mind > This Is Absolution > Rose of Sharyn > To the Sons of Man > Unleashed > The Crownless King > Hate by Design > Know Your Enemy > My Curse > A Bid Farewell > This Fire > The End of Heartache > In Due Time > Holy Diver (Dio cover) > The Signal Fire
Lamb Of God Setlist: Memento Mori > Walk With Me in Hell > Now You’ve Got Something to Die For > Resurrection Man > Nevermore > Ruin > 11th Hour > Contractor > Omerta > Omens > 512 > Ghost Walking > Vigil > Laid to Rest > Redneck
On September 18, 1982, WAMC debuted “The Hudson River Sampler” on Saturday nights. Hosted by Wanda Fischer, the show featured folk and acoustic music from 8-10 PM. Now, after four decades, the show is still running, and with the same host.
To mark the occasion, on Saturday, October 8, The Linda – WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio, will host a show to celebrate the occasion, featuring several prominent national and local folk music acts, including Anne Hills, Reggie Harris, Christine Lavin, Sawyer Fredericks, John Kirk and Trish Miller.
The Linda is pleased to welcome the artists who will be here on October 8. These performers present a cross section of the music Wanda plays every week. This will be a special night.
Peter Hughes, The Linda
With a background that goes back many years, Fischer has been involved in this type of music since her father introduced her to it as a child. She’s also been a singer herself, having appeared at coffeehouses in the Boston area in the 1960s and ‘70s and has recorded an album titled Singing Along with the Radio. She and her husband Bill relocated to the Capital District in 1979. She held full-time jobs in the region while doing “The Hudson River Sampler” on Saturdays until her retirement from full-time work in 2014. During lockdown from the pandemic, she did her show live from the WAMC studio.
Fischer has been a volunteer on several boards of directors in the region, including Old Songs, Caffe Lena and the Eighth Step. She’s also a volunteer reader for the Reading is Fun program in the Schenectady City Schools and has published a novel and several short stories. A competitive local tennis player, she’s served as the captain of a United States Tennis Association team since 1988.
Additionally, the show will be broadcast live during The “Hudson River Sampler’s” normal time slot of 8-10 PM on WAMC’s network and streaming on wamc.org.
Tickets for Wanda Fischer 40th Anniversary Live! Hudson River Sampler live at The Linda: WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio are $25 and on sale now through thelinda.org.
Three of the premier rappers’ from hip hop’s golden age will make their way to Long Island on October 21. Jadakiss, Cam’ron and Ma$e will all perform at UBS Arena at Belmont Park as part of their 3 Headed Monster Tour.
Jadakiss announced the 3 Headed Monster Tour on his official Instagram.
The trio is keeping it short with a 7-stop haul that kicks off in Bridgeport, Connecticut on October 19. Additional stops include Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Elmont, Norfolk, and Augusta, Georgia before making their last stop in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on October 30.
Moreover, The 3 Headed Monster Tour comes on the heels of Cam’ron and Ma$e’s public reconciliation. The former best friends and Harlem natives have had a long-stemming public feud since establishing themselves in the industry. However, the duo began to make amends after Ma$e’s appearance on the Million Dollarz Worth of Game podcast, in which he expressed regret for their feud. Cam’ron shared similar sentiments when he served as a guest on the popular podcast.
https://youtu.be/CDQgd8uHkoE
Ma$e and Jadakiss will undoubtedly perform some of the hits they penned during their days on Bad Boy records. Jadakiss as 1/3 of the LOX and Ma$e as a solo act and both as understudies to the Notorious B.I.G. While Jadakiss and Cam’ron will share the stage again after the historic Verzuz battle between The LOX and Dipset.
By the same token, fans of hip hop’s golden era should be thrilled to watch three of the best from the Mecca perform together. The three grammy-nominated artists have each set their mark in hip hop’s landscape.
About UBS and 3 Headed Monster Tour
Located on the border of Queens and Nassau County, UBS Arena is made for music and built for hockey. New York’s newest premier entertainment, sports venue and home of the NHL’s New York Islanders is designed to accommodate 19,000 people for concerts. The $1.1 billion multi-purpose, state of the art arena opened in November 2021 and has welcomed top artists. The likes which includes Harry Styles, Sebastian Maniscalco, Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, TWICE, Eagles and John Mayer.
Tickets go on sale to the public on Thursday, September 15 at 10 am. Pre-sale is available on Tuesday, September 13 at 10 am by using the pre-sale code: 3HM. Visit the official 3 Headed Monster Tour website for more information.
The Troy Savings Bank Music Hall will welcome Shawn Colvin, Marc Cohn & Sarah Jarosz: Together in Concert, on February 22, 2023. Coming together for this special evening, this is one show you don’t want to miss.
A singular and enduring talent, Grammy winner Shawn Colvin’s songs like “Sunny Came Home” are slow-release works of craft and catharsis that become treasured, lifetime companions for their listeners.
After winning a Grammy for his soulful ballad “Walking in Memphis,” Marc Cohn solidified his place as one of this generation’s most compelling singer-songwriters, combining the precision of a brilliant tunesmith with the passion of a great soul man.
Though just barely in her thirties, Texas native Sarah Jarosz has compiled a remarkable career, winning four Grammy Awards in both the Americana and Folk categories.
With Beak and Skiff Orchards back to their bread and butter of serving up apples and apple-related products and activities, and Brewery Ommegang back to concentrating on brewing great beers, Dan Smalls Presents moves their shows back inside. The 2022-23 season at the State Theater of Ithaca opened on Friday September 9th with a show from rock veterans Dinosaur Jr.
Nearing 40 years of existence, one wonders when they graduate to Dinosaur Sr. Though minutes into their tour-opening show, it was clear the youthful energy, vigor and drive to push their musical boundaries was still alive and well.
Some observations of their show from a late-arriving newcomer.
J. Mascis’ guitar, with the help of six gigantic Marshall stacks, shook the walls of the historical theater. Lou Barlow strummed his bass wildly, filling the space with a vortex that swirled around you, spit you out and sucked you right back in. Murph’s limbs flew every which way, pounding out rock-ready rhythms you felt as much as heard. Yep, Dinosaur Jr. delivers an ear-splitting full-body aural massage. That was no surprise. But behind the bombast, casualness and nuance ruled the day.
Dinosaur Jr. just sauntered onto the stage, beating the house lights, which only went down after they started playing.
The roadies spent the show just hanging out behind the amps, readying the load out about halfway through the show. During “The Wagon” one joined in on guitar while another took over a second drum set. The band’s on-stage demeanor was also more attuned to a hang with pals than a blistering rock show. In between songs, Mascis would often saunter off to the side of the stage to take a shot. Murph at one point walked off stage, returning just in time for the next song.
Amidst the hang, some real inter-song magic came via short tuning jams that frequently popped up. What started as casual noodling could evolve into a three-way improv. After “The Wagon”, Mascis started riffing out some power chords and Murph tossed in some nice rumbling drums. A particularly tasty nugget, with some jazz undertones, nestled between an anthemic and bombastic “Been There All The Time” and monster rocking “Raisans.” Before the encore, Mascis dropped a blink-and-you-miss-it “London Bridges” teaser, a subtle tip of the hat to the Queen perhaps?
The show started and ended similarly. After strolling on stage they came out swinging on a big rocking “Thumb.” 80 minutes later, after a blistering “Gargoyle,” they again just casually walked away, without fanfare, the final notes still crackling though the walls. Sandwiched in there they mixed a variety from the full breadth of their catalog. Melodies pushed through on “Garden” and “Feel the Pain,” funk-tinged wah work highlighted “Little Fury Things” and “Start Chopping” and spine-melting shredding sparked in “Mountain Man.” Is it possible to finally fall for a band already four decades into their career?
By shows end, Barlow’s shirt was fully sweat through, a different shade of grey. Murph’s sweatiness, however, was masked by the black tour tee Ryley Walker provided, just as Walker had advised him it would. Walker’s support wasn’t reserved to wardrobe advice though, he was also the show’s opener.
With his drummer unable to make the show, and his bass player’s instrument lost in transit, Walker called an audible and presented a set of “guitar fuckery” and “type 2 jams” with bassist Andrew Scott Young joining in on second guitar. For 45 minutes without stopping, their guitars danced around each other in beautiful cosmic weirdness. It was spacious and free, but mostly remained accessible. Walker worked his pedals and loops while Young played it straight and unfiltered, at times settling into a bass-like groove. Experimental rhythmic squeaks, eerie textures, droid-like bleeps and bloops… a thrilling opening set.
