NYS Music 202​2

Tag: empire live

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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.

  • Take Two: Beabadoobee and Lowertown take on Albany’s Empire Live

    Indie bedroom-pop musician beabadoobee marked her second-to-last US tour stop at Empire Live last Saturday, Dec. 3, with support from rising alternative duo Lowertown. 

    beabadoobee performing solo at the start of her set / Photo Credit: Sumaiya Nasir

    Empire Live, located on Pearl Street in downtown Albany, is a mid-sized room for bands with a mid-sized following. It boasts a spacious floor with standing-room-only, ideal for dancing. 

    Sandwiched between MVP Arena and the Palace Theatre, Empire Live offers locals a unique taste of both upcoming and well-established musical artists. The intimate venue was packed from the stage barricade to the bar with highschool to late-20s aged fans, plus a few hesitant parents here-and-there, with no shortage of energy.

    Beatrice Kristi Laus, stylistically known as “beabadoobee,” is a Filipino-British musician who came into popularity in 2017 with viral hit “Coffee.” Her most recent album, “Beatopia,” evokes childhood nostalgia with an MS-Paint or restaurant-tablecloth-crayon drawing looking album cover. Stuffed animals were scattered across the amps on stage, one fan even throwing a teddy bear to Bea halfway through the show.

    beabadoobee performing “Coffee” solo during the encore / Photo Credit: Danielle Modica

    Atlanta-based Lowertown started off the night strong with a spirited and punky set. In album sessions, the band has more of a soft, shoegaze sound. Live, they pull out all the stops and are nothing short of a high-energy garage band experience.

    Olivia Osby of Lowertown performing / Photo Credit: Sumaiya Nasir

    The songs were fast and loud with jam interludes by guitarist Avshalom “Avsha” Weinberg. Lead singer Olivia Osby encouraged the audience to go wild, opening a mosh pit, crowd surfing and spitting water into the crowd. Fans followed through, opening a large circle in the center of the already sardine-can-packed venue and going hog wild.

    Olivia Osby of Lowertown crowd surfing / Photo Credit: Danielle Modica

    Songs “No Way,” “All My Friends” and “Best Person You Know” stole the night with the most jumping and chanting.

    Lowertown performing / Photo Credit: Danielle Modica

    beabadoobee began her show after a quick stage reset and suspenseful audio introduction. After performing “10:36” solo, the band joined Bea and only added more flair to her soulful, soft and sweet singing style. Bea’s band kept up a late 90’s grunge/pop punk vibe. Bea’s guitarist and back-up singer, Jacob Bugden, complemented her baby-like pitch with a Billy Corgan-esque tone.

    beabadoobee & her band / Photo Credit: Danielle Modica

    “The Perfect Pair” and “She Plays Bass” stood out with the most energy and crowd engagement. The audience passionately shouted the lyrics back to Bea while she maintained control, coordinating group audience jumps.

    Bea frequently stood towards the back of the stage during instrumental portions, allowing for her band to receive all the attention. She shared her gratitude with the crowd various times, even joking about her inability to pronounce “Albany,” butchered with a subtle British accent.

    beabadoobee jamming on guitar / Photo Credit: Danielle Modica

    Both bands’ sets were thoughtfully planned out, seamlessly transitioned and well-executed, there was never a “when will it end” moment like other drawn out shows. The crowd stayed engaged with electric excitement, loudly chanting the lyrics to the songs they knew – even the venue playlist pre-and-post show. The good vibes seemed to encourage both sets to go a little harder with each song, giving fans a night to remember.

    After an hour-and-a-half-long performance, Bea and her band briskly exited the stage to ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” playing from the venue speakers. Audience members stayed behind to dance along.

    Lowertown Setlist: It’s It’s It’s, Debris, Scum, No Way, At the End, My Friends, Bucktooth, Best Person

    Beabadoobee Setlist: 10:36, Apple Cider, Care, Fairy Song; Yoshimi, Forest, Magdalene; Worth It, Together, Charlie Brown, The Perfect Pair, Sunny Day, Sorry, She Plays Bass, See You Soon, Don’t Get the Deal, Back to Mars, Last Day On Earth, Talk
    Encore: Coffee, Ripples Cologne

  • In Focus: Beabadoobee and Lowertown Stop at Empire Live in Albany

    Beabadoobee with opener Lowertown made a stop at Empire Live on Saturday, December 3rd for her second show in New York during her Beatopia tour. Beabadoobee, with her grungy outfit and electric green guitar, fully embodied the indie-rock age of the early-2000s through her stellar performance. 

    Beabadoobee
    Beabadoobee performing The Perfect Pair

    Filipino-British artist Beabadoobee, also known as Beatrice Laus, previously played at the Brooklyn Steel with guitarist Jacob Bugden, bassist Eliana Sewell, and drummer Luca Caruso. She is having one last US show in Boston before beginning her European tour. Beabadoobee is set to return in 2023 to open for Taylor Swift’s upcoming The Eras Tour. 

    Lowertown, consisting of Atlanta duo Olivia Osby and Avsha Weinberg, has opened for Beabadoobee for the entirety of her Beatopia tour. Invoking music of the indie-rock, electronic, and lo-fi genre, the pair put on an incredible performance with many songs from their new album, I Love To Lie.

    Olivia Osby from Lowertown

    During her song “10:36,” Beabadoobee urged the crowd to “Get down, get down!” before jumping at the drop of the chorus. Guitarist Jacob Bugden dived into the sea of people rocking their “fairy-core grunge” outfits as hundreds of hands allowed him to surf the crowd. Beatrice, with her large collection of red panda stuffed animals on stage, threw one into the crowd for a lucky fan to take home. 

    Finally, Beatrice ended her set with an encore, singing “Coffee“—her first ever original and most-popular song—“Ripples,” and “Cologne.” Her immaculate vocals, incredible energy, and phenomenal guitar-playing with the rest of her band truly wowed the crowd.

    Lowertown Setlist: It’s It’s It’s, Debris, Scum, No Way, At the End, My Friends, Bucktooth, Best Person

    Beabadoobee Setlist: 10:36, Apple Cider, Care, Fairy Song; Yoshimi, Forest, Magdalene; Worth It, Together, Charlie Brown, The Perfect Pair, Sunny Day, Sorry, She Plays Bass, See You Soon, Don’t Get the Deal, Back to Mars, Last Day On Earth, Talk
    Encore: Coffee, Ripples Cologne

    Beabadoobee singing Coffee and Ripples during her encore
    Eliana Sewell on bass
    Jacob Bugden on guitar
    Avsha Weinberg from Lowertown
    Olivia Osby from Lowertown

  • Lotus Announces 2023 Tour, Stops at Empire Live and Town Ballroom; Brooklyn Bowl Shows Thanksgiving Weekend

    Electronic-fusion band Lotus will be on the road has announced a massive 2023 US Tour in support of their new album Bloom & Recede, released in August of 2022. The coast-to-coast tour features nearly 40 shows in the early part of 2023, with stops in the Northeast, Midwest, Southeast, Texas, California, the Pacific Northwest and more.

    They’ll make stops in Albany at Empire Live and Buffalo at Town Ballroom in January, as well as two nights at Brooklyn Bowl over Thanksgiving weekend, November 25-26. Get tickets here.

    lotus tour

    Lotus is a five-piece instrumental band who have been playing music for more than 20 years ago. One of hte first bands to fuse electronic beats with dance, jam, psych-rock, post-rock, disco and jazz. the group have become renowned performer and have built a loyal following wherever they venture.

    Live Lotus shows take listeners on a dance-inducing journey of improvisation that can only be described as a one-of-a-kind experience. They’ve toured actively throughout the U.S., working their way up from dingy basement clubs to world class venues such as Red Rocks. They’ve become festival favorites, performing at Bonnaroo, Outside Lands, Electric Forest, and more. Lotus additionally hosts their own annual Summerdance Festival in Garrettsville, OH with a lineup of various Electronic artists. 

    In 2021, Mike Rempel departed the band he founded, and Tim Palmieri (Kung Fu, The Breakfast) joined Lotus, who forge ahead with Mike Greenfield, Luke Miller, Jesse Miller and Chuck Morris on this national tour.

    LOTUS 2023 TOUR DATES: 

    Nov 25 & 26 – Brooklyn Bowl – Brooklyn, NY 

    Dec 10 – North Beach Music Festival – Miami, FL Dec 30 & 31 – Boulder Theater – Boulder, CO 

    Jan 21 – Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA 

    Jan 25 – Higher Ground – Burlington, VT 

    Jan 26 – Paradise Rock Club – Boston, MA 

    Jan 27 – Empire Live – Albany, NY 

    Jan 28 – Town Ballroom – Buffalo, NY 

    Jan 29 – Beachland Ballroom – Cleveland, OH 

    Feb 2 – The Majestic – Detroit, MI 

    Feb 3 – KEMBA Live! – Columbus, OH 

    Feb 4 – MegaCorp Pavilion – Newport, KY 

    Feb 5 – Mercury Ballroom – Louisville, KY 

    Feb 7 – Goshen Theater – Goshen, IN 

    Feb 8 – The Vogue – Indianapolis, IN 

    Feb 9 – The Intersection – Grand Rapids, MI 

    Feb 10 – Park West – Chicago, IL 

    Feb 11 – Myth Live – Minneapolis, MN 

    Feb 14 – The Majestic – Madison, WI

    Feb 15 – Old Rock House – St Louis, MO 

    Feb 16 – Brooklyn Bowl – Nashville, TN 

    Feb 17 – Salvage Station – Asheville, NC 

    Feb 19 – Music Farm – Charleston, SC 

    Feb 22 – Lincoln Theatre – Raleigh, NC 

    Feb 23 – The National – Richmond, VA 

    Feb 24 – 9:30 Club – Washington, DC 

    Feb 25 – Stage AE – Pittsburgh, PA 

    Apr 14 – Emo’s – Austin, TX 

    Apr 15 – Warehouse Live – Houston, TX 

    Apr 16 – Echo – Dallas, TX 

    Apr 19 – Rialto Theatre – Tucson, AZ 

    Apr 20 – Teragram Ballroom – Los Angeles, CA 

    Apr 21 – The Independent – San Francisco, CA 

    Apr 22 – Crown Room – Crystal Bay, NV 

    Apr 23 – Goldfield Trading Post – Sacramento, CA

    Apr 27 – McDonald Theatre – Eugene, OR 

    Apr 28 – Midtown Ballroom – Bend, OR 

    Apr 29 – Crystal Ballroom – Portland, OR 

    Apr 30 – Nectar Lounge – Seattle, W 

    lotus tour

  • In Focus: Jimmy Eat World at Empire Live

    On Sept. 28 Jimmy Eat World came to Albany to say “Something Loud” to the people at Empire Live Albany.

    Jimmy Eat World is a rock band from Mesa, AZ that formed in 1993. Their most notable album, Bleed American, had jump-started them to fame with their most well-known song “The Middle.” Jimmy Eat World has been all over the alternative rock realm with songs that could be categorized as pop-punk, emo-pop, and punk-rock to just name a few. Their ability to continue to shift across rock has kept them relevant to fans young and old for the last 20+ years.

    The show opened with a last-minute addition rock band, Frankie and his Fingers from Kingston. They formed in 2004 when lead vocalist Frank McGinnis and guitarist Ryan Stoutenburgh found each other in college. Their latest album, Universal Hurt, dropped in March of 2021. They have an upcoming show in Woodstock on October 2nd.

    Frankie and his Fingers opened to a growing crowd of mid-20s-late 30-year-olds. They played their hearts out for about 30 minutes with warm applause from the crowd. Frank McGinnis’ energy on stage was very reflective of how excited the band was to be their opening for such a big name. After their set, the band waited by the merch station to greet fans and answer questions.

    By the time Jimmy Eat World took the stage, there was no standing room left. They opened strong with lead vocalists Jim Adkins taking hold of the mic and singing “Futures.” Throughout the set, the stage was consistently backlit with blinding lights that shined on beat with many of the intricate guitar strums. The crowd, who many probably have been following since 1995, sang the chorus of “Work” with Adkins and many other songs throughout their time on stage.

    Towards the end of an hour and half long set, Adkins prefaced their latest single and tour title “Something Loud” as a song about finding yourself in rock. An idea that has probably fueled Jimmy Eat World to continue to find new sounds in their music.

    They thanked their fans for coming and welcoming them back to New York. They closed with their hit, “The Middle.” The Something Loud tour continues in Ocean City, MD on Oct. 1, and a rescheduled show in Burlington, VT on Oct. 3.

    Jimmy Eat World Setlist: Intro/Futures, Pain, Bleed American, Big Casino, I Will Steal You Back, Praise, Congratulations, Let It Happen, Work, Blister, Sunday, Hear You Me, Sure and Certain, Rockstar, Something Loud, Denver, Sweetness, The Middle

  • Coupons Share New Album “Wasted Intimacy”

    Earlier this summer, Albany-based band Coupons released their 3rd full-length record, Wasted Intimacy, via Counter Intuitive Records.

    Coupons cover art with tan background, drawn city buildings.

    The indie-rock band consists of Dan LaFave, Collin J Reynolds, Shannon Straney, Dylan Depice, and Dan Maddalone. The 11-track album is upbeat, unique, and a great listen with different styles intertwined throughout the project. Wasted Intimacy also showcases the band’s creativity and talent, with various members contributing to vocals, lyrics, and instrumentation.

    The album includes songs for everyone to enjoy, with the first single released, “Waiting,” giving listeners an intense rock track with powerful vocals whereas other singles, such as “Milk,” slow things down. Produced by Scoops Dardaris, Wasted Intimacy highlights Coupons’ range of melodies, rhythms, and beats on this release. 

    Throughout the duration of Wasted Intimacy, listeners are met with catchy lyrics, and songs seemingly perfect for the stage. In the song “Break a Leg,” written by band member Collin Reynolds, the lyrics “do you wanna celebrate, do you even know my name, are you getting home okay, it’s not too late” are relatable and work perfectly to hook listeners in.

    With the snappy guitar on “Mardi Gras,” beautiful vocals from Straney on “Milk,” and the building piano track “Anyone Else,” this album from Coupons shines. Every track holds your attention and leaves you captivated.

    In support of the album release, the band recently played a show at Empire Live Underground in Albany. Joining the group included music from the likes of Oso Oso, Another Michael, and Laveda. Be sure to take a listen to Coupons’ full discography, and stay tuned for their next live show.

    Fans of Coupons music can keep up with them on Instagram and Twitter. The new record is also available to purchase on vinyl as well as to stream across platforms.

  • In Focus: Black Sabbitch at Empire Live

    On Friday, June 24th, a rock themed night kicked off with Battleaxxx and closed out with cover band Black Sabbitch at Empire Live.

    Battleaxxx is an all female rock band originally from the Capital Region. They are a fairly new band emerging from the Capital Region. They have played a few shows in and around Albany, including at The Lost & Found on August 28th, 20221. This show, however, was their first time performing at Empire Live. They released their debut album Adequate in March of 2021. Battleaxxx has upcoming show at Rare Form Brewing Company in Troy on July 5th.

    Keeping on theme with women-lead rock, Black Sabbitch is an all female cover band from Los Angeles. They have been doing covers of Black Sabbith songs since 2011. To validate this band position as the Black Sabbith cover band, they were hand picked by Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne to open Ozzfest. Black Sabbitch was originally supposed to perform at Empire Live back in January 2022. Due to COVID surge, that show was postponed; and their next show in May was postponed due to a band member getting COVID ironically. The road to get to Albany was long, but they made it. Their summer tour ends in NYC on June 25th at the Iridium.

    Battleaxxx kicked off the show with a growing crowd of about 30-40 people. Their opening song did not grab the attention of the audience, but their song “Slut,” did bring smiles and laughter. If the song was meant to be funny, it was, as people of varying ages applauded the band for calling their mom a slut. The lights did go out during their last song, but it did not stop the music. Battleaxxx’s set lasted for about 30 minutes and they received a warm applause as they left the stage.

    The crowd did fill up to maybe about 100 or so people by the time Black Sabbitch took the stage. The audience was filled with a lot of seemingly empty nesters who were probably trying to relive the songs of their youth. A mosh pit of about 3 people did break out at a point, but did not last very long. During the guitar solos, you could see many people in the crowd reach up and out; banging their fist to the beat, resignating which each cord that was struck. A fire alarm did interrupt the set for about 20 mins, as well as a flood both in the dressing room and in the pit to stage left. They came back on stage, brought the crowd down low with Changes, and left on high with the Black Sabbith hit, “Sabbra Cadabra.”

    Black Sabbitch did come back out for a one song encore after pump faking an exit with the dressing room door. If you are not able to catch Black Sabbitch in NYC, you can see them at the Psycho Las Vegas Festival on August 20th before they leave the states for their UK tour.

    Battleaxxx Set List: Aqua, Eyes, Sex Boys, Biz, Slut, Holy, Oh Yeah, SWTB, Head, Discharge, Top Shelf

    Black Sabbitch Set List: War, The Wizard, N.I.B., Sweet Leaf, Tomorrow’s Dream, Lord of the World, Solitude, Supernaut, Into the Void, Cornucopia, Wheels of Confusion, Changes, Snowblind, Sabbra Cadabra; Encore Song: Children of the Grave

  • A Colorful Homecoming for The Clay People: Iconic NY Rockers Debut New Songs & New Comic Book

    Capital Region punk/metal industrial rock legends The Clay People busted out of the underground over the weekend, playing their first hometown gig in years on Friday, June 17th at Albany’s Empire Live. The enduring icons not only gave fans a preview of their forthcoming studio album, Cult Hypnotica, but also used the occasion to debut their very own comic book.

    The Clay People performing at Empire Underground on 6-17-22.

    From modest beginnings in the underground Industrial Darkwave scene, to the breakout release of their self-titled major label debut, it has been a long, strange journey for these Albany rockers.  Born from the unique creative bond of Daniel Dinsmore, Brian McGarvey and Daniel Neet, The Clay People first started making music together in 1989.  In the decades that followed, the band would add guitarist Jared Weed and bass player Eric Braymer and go on to share the stage with internationally known touring acts such as Stained, Static X, Clutch, Rob Zombie, Disturbed, Filter and Stabbing Westward to name a few.  In 2020, the band seemingly rose from the dead and released Demon Hero and Other Extraordinary Phantasmagoric Anomalies & Fables, a bold and massive sounding album that sent a clear message: this band is far from finished. 

    Daniel Neet performing with The Clay People at Empire Underground on 6-17-22.

    In fact, 2022 is shaping up to be one of The Clay People’s most prolific years in quite some time.  Having spent the pandemic unleashing their trapped energy and recording a deep library of new tracks, the band just put the finishing touches on their latest studio album, the highly anticipated Cult Hypnotica, which is set to drop on July 1st with supporting dates expected to be announced shortly thereafter.  To help get the hype train going a bit, The Clay People decided to treat some of their oldest and most dedicated fans to a taste of the new material during a hometown throwdown performance at the new, yet familiar Empire Underground in downtown Albany, a venue highly reminiscent of the former Northern Lights in Clifton Park where TCP played some of their most legendary shows.

    The Clay People debut their very own comic book “Colossus”in Albany, NY 6/17/22.

     Opening the performance with a bit of a mash-up cover of Lo Fidelity Allstars “Battle Flag,” it wasn’t long before the bedlam picked up proper with “Colossus,” the song that inspired the band’s new comic book of the same name.  The comic, which was collaboratively produced by Top Cow Productions, Inc and Epitome Studios, was one sale for the first time at the bands merch table.  After a squealing version of “NoW,” The Clay People then busted out a song everyone in attendance seemed to know, “Plug” off their 1998 breakthrough self-titled album. 

    You can’t give in
    Living in this guilt of sin
    Losing your grip
    What can you make of it?
    Are you a part of it?
    You can’t give in

    Lyrics from “Plug”

    Spending much of the show perched on top of the front row barricade, frontman Daniel Neet’s stage presence was powerful and commanding.  Dressed all in black, wearing sunglasses and resembling the late Layne Staley (Alice in Chains) a bit, Neet’s unique voice effortlessly shifted from gravely baritone, to spoken word, to all out fits of shouting rage. Still sounding great after all these years, Neet poured everything he had into this performance and with enough vigor of a man half his age.

    The Clay People performing at Empire Underground on 6-17-22.

     After “Plug,” The Clay People would then debut a series of songs off their upcoming album, including “Turn Me On,”” Cult Hypnotic,” “Drugs,” She Loves,” and ” Destroy All Humans,” before returning to the TCP staples like “X-Ploding Head” and “Pariah” which had the whole crowd banging their heads in unison and shouting “I don’t want to die here.” After working their way through “Strange Day,” the band would then play the most commercially successful song in their catalog, 1998’s irresistible riff heavy classic anthem, “Awake” and finally bring the performance to a close with one of their oldest songs, “Stone.”

    A little older and wiser, but just as intense.  While their sound has evolved over the years, The Clay People have always stayed true to their heavy punk roots and despite the odds, have managed to stay relevant for more than thirty years. Outlasting most of the bands they came up with and with a new album right around the corner, it almost feels as if The Clay People have found the fountain of youth.  With the type of physically demanding music they play and their equally demanding stage show, you have to wonder how long these guys can perform at this type of level.  When contemplating that very question, vocalist Dan Neet simply grinned and said, “Like a cockroach. You can’t get rid of me. We’ll keep going until we’re dead.” Cult Hypnotica comes out on July 1st.

    The Clay People | June 17, 2022 | Albany, NY | Empire Underground

    Setlist: Battle Flag (intro), Colossus, NoW, Plug, Turn Me On, Cult Hypnotic, Drugs, She Loves, Destroy All Humans, X-ploding Head, Strange Day, Pariah, Awake, Stone

    Check out the full gallery of photos from the show and fan recorded video of “X-ploding Head,” “Awake” and “Stone,” below from NYS Music Photographer Zak Radick