Each Sunday evening from 7-9 pm 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 toriendofstory and B. Chaps/Freedom Stratton.
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.
toriendofstory- “Cool For Now”
toriendofstory is an indie-pop songwriter and singer from Albany. Some of her musical influences include Adele and Maggie Rogers, tying them into her music. She fuses powerful ballads and indie-style production to create a universally loved sound. She takes her listeners on a journey through relatable emotions, bringing people together with her range and strong vocals.
B.Chaps/Freedom Stratton– “Sundaze”
B. Chaps and Freedom Stratton are both MCs, born and raised in Albany. B. Chaps comes from an instrumentalist background with experience as a songwriter, producer, and engineer. Additionally, he has experience working in Albany’s premier studio. Freedom Stratton comes from a performance background. He is a trained actor, dancer, and vocalist with formal education in performing arts schools. Together the two have amassed millions of streams and worked with many reputable labels and artists.
The 2023 Albany Latin Fest was held on Saturday, August 26 in Washington Park, with the day-long family-friendly community event hosting music and fun activities for children and adults alike. All throughout the park, families and friends celebrated Latin American culture while enjoying games, dominoes, food trucks, and live music performances.
Live music and cultural performances were presented by Legacy Women, Son Latino, Lulada Club and Puncho & The Boricua Legends. Sibie LaVoz paid homage to Hip Hopâs 50th Anniversary, being celebrated in 2023. During the live performances, crowds were growing, dancing and grooving to the variety of Latin music on hand this afternoon. Sponsors, Congressman Paul Tonko and Organizers of Latin Fest spoke on Latin Culture and their yearly involvement with Latin Fest, and efforts within the Latin community of the greater Capital District.
For many years, Albany Latin Fest has established itself as a unique platform in the Capital Region, providing the local Hispanic population with deserved recognition as a vital element of the community. At Latin Fest, the showcasing of local, regional and international performing artists provides commercial and non-profit businesses and organizations access to the local Hispanic population and engaging in coalition building efforts to address recent disaster relief efforts. Â All photos by Mabou Riddick for NYS Music.
This year’s annual end-of-the-summer celebration of music in Lake George at the Adirondack Independence Music Festival saw two evenings with moe. and a one evening with Dark Star Orchestra. The three-day festival held over Labor Day Weekend saw day-long music with bands alternating between two main stages.
photo by Allison Marie
The festival is always a smooth event, and as attendees we get to see the machinations of soundchecks and the work of loading and off-loading a stage, thanks to side-by-side stages. Emcee Jeff Morad from WEQX gave hourly hydration reminders as he thanked each band and announced the next act. The organization has it down, and it’s great to be there catching all the jams.
Photo by Derek Java
Day One saw a mix of regional and national acts. Standouts during the day were the always jammy Dogs in a Pile, a super fun band, and if you haven’t seen them, consider New Years Eve at Putnam Place. Keller Williams was blissful as always, starting his set with a great version of “Breathe.” Throughout a great loop-filled set (he is a master at building songs solo using loops), he dropped covers and originals, and standing out was a fun-filled “Freeker by the Speaker.” You can’t count any of the daytime bands out, though, as all day was filled with fun jams, people dancing, and bubbles floating through the air. Other daytime acts included Hilltop, Sophistafunk, Eggy, Lucid.
Photo by Derek Java
Headliners on Friday were the always incredible Dark Star Orchestra (DSO). Bringing an authentic sound to the date they reinterpreted, DSO channeled the Grateful Dead’s show on April 16, 1978 show from Huntington, WV, with clarity and wisdom. The sound was spot-on and the crowd danced and sang along all evening. We know the term “nostalgia act” gets some negative connotations, but for DSO, that is the mission, who make every show fun for spectators to guess the date of the show, and the more knowledgeable in the crowd can guess the direction the show is taking by the equipment being brought out by the players. Super fun evening with a classic Dead show performed by DSO.
Photo by Derek Java
Saturday of Adirondack Independence Music Festival saw more attendees and a continuation of killer music. Star-on-the-rise Karina Rykman brought the jams throughout her set, working off her new album, Joyride.
For listeners at ADK Fest, the first half of her 60 minute set saw only three songs, as she and her two bandmates, Adam November on guitar and Chris Corsico on Drums, set the festival alight, taking risks and diving deep into the jammy sections of her bass-led compositions.
Photo by Derek Java
Saturday also had a particular reggae vibe to it. Roots of Creation brought their fiery dub-ska, blending a mythos of Bob Marley-esque roots with Grateful Dead covers including “Row Jimmy” and “Fire on the Mountain,” lots of fun for all seeing this band.
Mihali brought his reggae vibe, too, bringing out a new tune or two, with Twiddle fans all smiles singing reggae-tinged Twiddle songs and Mihali’s own songs from his album Effection.
Photo by Derek Java
There was also a “foodie” aspect to the daytime bands on Ssaturday, with a blend of rock and jam by Creamery Station, Baked Shrimp, and stretching the metaphor, Melt. Fans of these bands and new listeners alike had a great day of music. Rounding out the daytime acts were Dumpstaphunk.
photo by Chris De Cotis
moe. has made ADK Fest the spiritual successor to moe.down, with a feel of Labor Day weekends spent in Turin at Snow Ridge Ski Resort throughout the weekend. Opening up with a pair of tunes usually played in reverse – “Okayalright” and “Wormwood” – moe. could have opted for “Not Coming Down” to complete the Wormwood trilogy, but shifted to “Downward Facing Dog” before inviting Ivan Neville from Dumpstaphunk to the stage for “Happy Hour Hero.”
photo by Dave Decrescente
Set 2 saw Mihali come to the stage for an intense and exploratory “Recreational Chemistry” (see video below), and moe. breaking out a set nearly full of old school songs, capped off with a classic “Jazz Wank” > “Buster.” For an encore, the addition of Nate Wilson to the lineup has led to the fresh covers making their appearance in the last two years, this evening including Traffic’s “Light Up or Leave Me Alone.”
Set 1: Okayalright > Wormwood > Downward Facing Dog, Happy Hour Hero^, Yellow Tigers -> Mar-Dema > Brent Black Set 2: Recreational Chemistry* > Sensory Deprivation Bank > Seat Of My Pants > Ups And Downs, Jazz Wank > Buster Encore: Light Up Or Leave Me Alone, Spaz Medicine ^ With Ivan Neville on keys. * With Mihali on guitar.
photo by Chris De Cotis
Sunday saw Jimkata keep the crowd swaying in the sunshine and get pumped up for moe. later that evening. What made Jimkata’s performance even more remarkable was the fact that they had performed in Virginia for a late night show the evening before, making the seemingly impossible journey from Virginia to Adirondack Independence Music Festival for a mid-day performance a testament to their commitment to their fans.
photo by Allison Mariephoto by Allison Marie
Neighbor graced the stage and dropped an instrumental cover of The Beatles/Joe Cocker’s “With a Little Help from my Friends. Prince Bowie featured Twiddle/Marble Eyes/Breakfast/Kung Fu drummer extraordinaire Adrian Tramontano on drums along with the Cool Cool Cool horns. Luke Bemand from lespecial joined the all star tribute group for Prince’s “Controversy.”
For moe.’s weekend closing sets, they opened up with “Water” as a nod to Lake George, and closed the set with “Meat” featuring Schleigho guitarist Suke Cerulo joining his one-time bandmates. Set two had no let up, opening with a slow burn of “Tubing the River Styx” > “The Pit”, a cover of Allman Brothers Band’s “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” – featuring Neighbor/Pink Talking Fish keyboardist Ricky James – followed by “Silver Sun” and a solid 1-2 punch of “George” and “Lazarus.” An encore of “Gone” and “Plane Crash” capped a fantastic weekend of music in Lake George, an annual affair made for a band like moe. and live music fans from across the Northeast.
photo by Frankie Cavone
Set 1:Water, ATL, Donâtcha Know, In Stride, Skrunk, Meat^ Set 2:Tubing The River Styx > The Pit, In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed2, Silver Sun, George, Lazarus Encore: Gone, Plane Crash ^ With Suke Cerulo on guitar * With Ricky James on keys
Noah Kahan triumphantly returned to Central New York on Friday for a sold-out performance at Lakeview Amphitheater. It was Kahan’s second sell-out concert in Syracuse this summer, having previously played Beak and Skiff in June. Ruston Kelly opened the show.
Noah Kahan performs at Lakeview Amphitheater
Few in the music industry have seen the rise to success quite like Noah Kahan. The 26 year-old singer-songwriter has seen his popularity explode in recent months, selling out nearly every venue in his path. His successes are never more evident than in Central New York. Less than two years ago, Kahan performed at The Westcott Theater in Syracuse. Three months ago, he performed a sold-out concert at Beak and Skiff, and now, he has again returned with a sold-out performance at the much larger Lakeview Amphitheater.
Noah Kahan performs at Lakeview Amphitheater
As 8pm hit, opening act Ruston Kelly took the stage with his bandmates. The Nashville based singer-songwriter kicked his set off with “Cover My Tracks,” the opening number on his 2018 release Dying Star. The song was a good preview of what was to come during the 45 minute set. Kelly delivered a stream of well-written moderate tempo Americana style tracks, with Kelly showing that he excelled at telling a story while delivering his heart-felt lyrics.
Kelly showcased his ability to hype the crowd as well, performing two well-placed covers during his set. Early on, Kelly led the crowd in his rendition of Wheatus’ “Teenage Dirtbag” which had fans young and old singing along to the familiar chorus. Later in his set, Kelly delivered the Taylor Swift cover “All Too Well,” which had nearly everyone in attendance on their feet and singing along. Kelly would close out his set with “The Weakness,” the opening track on his latest release of the same name. The slow moving track would build in intensity until reaching an impressive crescendo.
Ruston Kelly performs at Lakeview Amphitheater
As the final stage preparations wrapped up between sets, anticipation through out the concert grounds kept building, with palpable anticipation for Noah Kahan’s arrival. Finally, just after 9:20, the house lights went dark and the four members of Kahan’s band took the stage. After a brief instrumental introduction, Kahan strutted to the front of the stage. With a wave and a smile, and a deafening roar from the crowd, the band launched into the high energy “Northern Attitude,” the lead track on Kahan’s 2022 release Stick Season. The opening song served as a preview for what was to transpire over the next 95 minutes. Nearly everyone in attendance sang along, in deafening fashion, to nearly every word. Kahan kept the energy flowing early, moving into “She Calls Me Back,” and “New Perspectives.”
Noah Kahan performs at Lakeview Amphitheater
Early in the set, it was clear Kahan could not contain his excitement. He urged the stage workers to turn on the house lights, so he could catch a glimpse of the crowd in front of him. “This is the largest show we’ve ever played, thank you all so much,” Kahan proclaimed, giddy with excitement. He took turns dancing with his band mates early in the set, skipping across the stage and jumping from the drum riser.
Noah Kahan performs at Lakeview Amphitheater
Through out the evening Kahan’s energy would give way to more serious subject matter. The singer-songwriter spoke of loneliness and isolation at times, and urged those in attendance to seek help when needed. He sang of his journey through therapy on “Growing Sideways,” and sang of a close friend’s similar struggles on “Call Your Mom,” a track Kahan himself said is often too emotional for him to perform live. Through the heavy subject matter, Kahan would lead his listeners back to more up-tempo sing-along tracks, at times urging their participation, to which the crowd feverishly obliged. After a brief encore break, Kahan and his bandmates would close out the evening with three more songs, including perhaps his biggest hit to date, “Stick Season.” It provided those in attendance one final opportunity to showcase their voices, and they too did not disappoint.
On the picturesque summer night of August 31st, Quinn XCII (pronounced Quinn ninety-two) shifted the EDM narrative of Brooklyn Mirage to experimental hip-hop pop. While the Mirage wouldn’t be the typical host for Quinn’s self-established genre of music, the wrap-around screens and pristine sound system served his performance well. Michael Temrowski, stage name Quinn XCII, has been making music since 2011 when he was a student at Michigan State. From college house parties to venues like Red Rocks and the Brooklyn Mirage, Quinn XCII has established a loyal fanbase.
Openers Stay Over and Skizzy Mars, a New York City native, revved up the crowd. It seemed that Quinn wanted to uphold the experimental artists, to pay tribute to their creativity and brave approach to navigating the music industry. Stay Over put on a show blended with rock and hip-hop, two very loud and vocal genres. Skizzy Mars also dabbled in hip-hop with a more indie flair. Both of their sounds were celebrated by the audience.
Photograph by Shauna Hilferty
When 10:30 PM rolled around, the lights dimmed and the bass amplified. As soon as Quinn XCII stepped foot on stage, confetti cannons showered the fans in an endless spill of rainbows. People cheered and through their hands up, letting the paper wash over their faces. His most recent hit single, “Georgia Peach,” got the crowd grooving.
The setlist was a culmination of old and new music, sort of a “best of Quinn XCII” kind of performance. The audience welcomed each phase on stage with nostalgia induced excitement. Songs dating back to 2015 got the audience just as loud as his latest releases. As notes from the past wove through his set, Quinn’s personal sound was never lost. From “Kings Of Summer” by aokay featuring Quinn XCII to “The Lows,” featuring Big Sean, his reggae influenced and rap driven style remained.
Before his song, “My Wife & 2 Dogs,” Quinn stopped the show to give respect to his beloved french bulldog, Nelson, who had to be put to rest that day. Emotions were heavy on stage and respected in the audience. Each word to the song was sung from Quinn’s heart and from the chest of everyone in the audience. Behind him on stage, was a video montage of Nelson and his other pup.
Photograph by Shauna Hilferty
For one of Quinn’s newer releases, “The Lows,” New York City artist Blu DeTiger joined him on stage to play bass. With her blue sparkly bass guitar, mini-skirt, and stomper boots, Blu added a whole other energy to the song. She tossed her lengthy blonde hair back as she headbanged to Quinn’s catchy beat. The crowd received her rock addition with vim.
Quinn XCII has been around for a lot of listeners since their grade school days. To grow up with an artist is a very intimate experience. To listen to Quinn as an adult is like getting a second chance at growing up again in your twenties. His music normalizes the wide spectrum of human emotions felt while in serious relationships, during inevitable change and stagnancy, and even while getting high in the back of your high school girlfriend’s car. The show at Brooklyn Mirage was a celebration of being alive and figuring it out.
Photograph by Shauna Hilferty
As the show came to a close, the audience chanted for an encore before Quinn was able to leave the stage. He exited the stage, but the lights darkened to a deep blue. Before everyone knew it, Quinn was back singing his first encore song, “Always Been You.” The next song, “Another Day In Paradise,” was another crowd favorite from one of Quinn’s most esteemed records, “Change Of Scenery.” Before he started to sing, he spoke sentimentally to the crowd about being present: “The good shit, the bad shit – nothing is permanent, let it pass…”
Photograph by Shauna Hilferty
Quinn XCII wrapped his show with one of his youngest songs, “Candle.” His original fans bounced on their feet and swayed their arms the entire song, almost as a wave goodbye. The confetti went off once more before the show wrapped. Quinn XCII at the mirage was the perfect summer send off. As the confetti settled and Quinn and his band took a bow, the night ended on a good note.
It was rain-soaked double header in Cooperstown on Friday, August 25th, as a near-capacity crowd braved the elements at Brewery Ommegang for a pair of headlining sets from legendary alternative rockers Pixies and Modest Mouse. Along with support from critically acclaimed opening act Cat Power, the powerhouse bill proved to be a home run with fans of all ages, despite some minor curveballs thrown by Mother Nature.
Upon arrival, the ominous sky over Brewery Ommegang felt only fitting. That’s because every time DSP Shows bring Modest Mouse to town, dating back to their first visit in 2014 and again in 2021, the weather seems to head south just prior to showtime. The same was true this year when opening act Cat Power had to abruptly cut their set short when it started raining cats and dogs in an absolutely torrential downpour that sent fans running for cover under the tree line.
Dark Center of the Universe: An ominous sky over Brewery Ommegang felt only fitting on 8/25/23.
Doing little else to detour the remainder of the show, however, the audience was quick to embrace the soggy scene and use the minor rain delay to fill up their beer cups and grab some merch of which there was plenty. A simple glance around the grounds showed that while many fans were already sporting their brand new (and dry) Pixies and Modest Mouse threads, plenty of bands they’ve helped influence were represented as well. Twenty-somethings wearing shirts for bands like Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins and Built to Spill, along with newer acts like King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard and The Strokes, but it was the surprising amount of Deadheads and Ramones fans in the audience that proved just how diverse the appeal of this show was.
Fire It Up: Modest Mouse was “beautifully bold” in their return to Cooperstown on 8/25/23.
Taking the soaking wet stage shortly after 8pm and greeting the audience with his best impersonation of an old-time radio sports announcer, Modest Mouse front-man Isaac Brock immediately connected with the crowd with some playful baseball banter, before ‘leading off’ with “Dark Center of the Universe,” one of the groups oldest and most iconic songs. Comfortably dressed in a sweatshirt depicting magic mushrooms, on deck was the infectious groove of “Tiny City Made of Ashes,” which the band seemed to jam on for a minute before Brock gave his OK to “Fire It Up.” Then came a pair of songs that helped introduce Modest Mouse to the masses back in 1996 with the first two tracks from their debut album This Is a Long Drive For Someone With Nothing to Think About.
A beautiful and always appreciated “Dramamine” would seamlessly segue into “Life Like Weeds,” before the angst-ridden rock of “Breakthrough” would fall just shy of turning the muddy grounds into an all-out mosh pit. Cooling off the aggression with some of Brock’s signature thought provoking lyrics, “Baby Blue Sedan” had sentimental fans singing along to the lyrics of “I am doing the best that I can” in a touching moment of solidarity.
“Sad song, last dance and no one knows who the band was, except this one mattered and I felt it had a spirit.” – Issac Brock
Up next came “Back to the Middle” from Modest Mouse’s most recent album, 2021’s The Golden Casket, before Brock would swap out his guitar for a banjo and deliver a playful backwoods rendition of “This Devil’s Workday.” His intense delivery and ferocious growls often overshadowing the brilliance of his songwriting, Brock’s unique perspective and ability to translate surrealism into words have long made him among this generations most thought-provoking lyricists.
After busting out the beloved B-Side of “King Rat” and then 1997’s “Heart Cooks Brain,” Modest Mouse would then get the crowd singing along with the recent radio hit “We Are Between,” before Brock would really sink his teeth into the performance with a jaw dropping version of “The Ground Walks, with Time in a Box,” which featured Isaac playing the guitar solo behind his head and then with his mouth! Falling just short of going full blown Marty McFly, the kids at Ommegang absolutely loved Brock’s vintage rock-star antics here and would erupt even further when the song seamlessly transitioned into the chart topping “Float On,” the bands breakout hit from 2004’s Good News For People Who Love Bad News.
Following“The Whale Song,” the quick 75 minute, career spanning set would come to a close with another upbeat singalong, “Dashboard.” Fantastic, focused and swinging for the fences, the amount of “good songs” this band still had left in their arsenal is quite a testament to just how deep and diverse their catalogue runs.
Modest Message: “Don’t worry, even if things end up a bit too heavy we’ll all float on.”
With two bonified headliners on the same bill, there was a strong showing of followers for each. Between sets, it was a playful conversation starter to ask which of the two you were really there to see. While the majority didn’t hesitate to say “both,” I was surprised by just how many blamed the Friday night out on their partners, saying “oh, my wife loves the Pixies, she was obsessed with them in high school,” as if there was some kind of wrong answer or guilt for admiring either of these groups and still listening to them.
After a brief “7th inning stretch”, suddenly the lights went dark and the legendary Pixies stepped up to the plate using The Beatles “You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)” as their walk-up music. Stoic, confident and fierce, the band opened up their performance with fan favorite “Gouge Away,” followed by two more songs also from the bands iconic 1989 album Doolittle, “I Bleed,” and “Crackity Jones,” before going all the way back to the beginning with “Isla de Encanta” from their earliest album Come on Pilgrim.
A lot of Doolittle: Pixies performed 9 songs from their iconic album Doolittle on 8/25/23.
With the current lineup consisting of original members Black Francis, Joey Santiago, and drummer David Lovering, the band would name Paz Lenchantin as their permanent bassist in 2016. Providing ample energy on the low end, the crunchy groove of “Planet of Sound” never sounded better as bandleader Black Francis belted out at the near full moon, before “There’s A Moon On” had fans dancing under it. Black Francis, the type of guy that wears sunglasses at night, appeared to be dressed for a funeral, but make no mistake, Pixies are alive and well in 2023. Often imitated, never duplicated, his primal and raw delivery sounded as visceral this night as it did 30 years ago.
With his distinct vocal style ranging from dynamic bloodcurdling shrieks, to melodic, near spoken word nonchalance, his lyrics remain as cryptic and open to interpretation as ever. We’d get a healthy dose of the new stuff next with a “triple play” of songs from their latest album. 2022’s Doggerel, before bringing the audience back to more familiar territory with some of their biggest tunes like “Here Comes Your Man,” “Motorway to Roswell,” and “Caribou,” which the person next to me hailed as their best song.
Here comes your frontman: Black Francis was in fine form at Brewery Ommegang on 8/25/23.
While many romanticize about the Pixies and their obvious influence on 90’s music, you don’t often think of them as a romance band meant for date night. The fans at Ommegang, however, never got that memo as couples all around found great joy in reliving the soundtrack of their youth, stealing kisses in the key moments, savoring every second as one of their all-time favorite groups serenaded them under the misty, cinematic skies. Enchanting and magnetic, Paz Lenchantin, the original bass player of Maynard James Keenan’s A Perfect Circle and Billy Corgan’s Zwan, here now as a Pixie, seemed to be having the most fun out of everyone. Headbanging through the fog and shadows on her beautiful Fender 69 P-bass, picking away on classic tunes like “Hey,” “Cecilia Ann” and the crowd pleasing “Debaser.”
Debasser: Paz Lenchantin picks away on classic Pixies songs on 8/25/23.
Bright, loud, and beautiful, fans knew almost every word to every song for the remainder of the show. From 1987’s “Holiday Song,” to another pair of hits from Doolittle, a surfed-out version of “Wave of Mutilation” and the climate change wakeup call of “Monkey Gone to Heaven” that saw the often experimental Francis take sonic frequencies to the warning track, building a wall of swirling distortion as he shoved his guitar into the amps creating intentional feedback. The career spanning set wouldn’t be complete, though, without the most well-known song in the Pixies catalog, “Where is My Mind?”
Gone to Heaven: Pixies performed a Hall of Fame setlist on 8/25/23.
While playing it every night may feel like a chore for some members of the band, it was quite clear that it still resonates after all these years and that the next generation of kids who only know Pixies from the 1999 David Fincher film Fight Club – were here for it too. Holding their phones up in lieu of lighters, the massive field of cellular fireflies created a stunning visual image and a feeling that you were experiencing an epic moment in time courtesy of one of Rock’s most influential bands. While the show could have ended there and no one would have complained, we were then treated to one final ‘call to the bullpen’ for a cover by one of the original pioneers of Punk. Closing the show with a searing rendition of Neil Young’s “Winterlong” to put an emphatic stamp on a fantastic 26-song set of timeless alternative anthems. Convening at the center of the stage to take their bows, fireworks began illuminating the night as the Pixies slowly faded into it, triumphantly bringing another successful Summer Concert Series at Brewery Ommegang to a close. A bitter-sweet realization, but hey, as they say in baseball, “there’s always next year.” We’re already looking forward to it.
Pixies closed out Brewery Ommegang’s Summer Concert season on 8/25/23.
Pixies | August 25, 2023 | Brewery Ommegang | Cooperstown, NY
Setlist: Gouge Away, I Bleed, Crackity Jones, Isla de Encanta, Planet of Sound, There’s a Moon On, Who’s More Sorry Now?, Get Stimulated, The Lord Has Come Back Today, Mr. Grieves, Death Horizon, Here Comes Your Man, Motorway to Roswell, Snakes, Caribou, Hey, Doggerel, Cecilia Ann*, St. Nazaire, Debaser, Cactus, The Holiday Song, Monkey Gone to Heaven, Wave of Mutilation**, Where is My Mind?, Winterlong***
*The Surfones cover **UK Surf version ***Neil Young cover
Modest Mouse | August 25, 2023 | Brewery Ommegang | Cooperstown, NY
Setlist: Dark Center of the Universe, Tiny City Made of Ashes, Fire It Up, Dramamine > Life Like Weeds, Breakthrough, Breakthrough, Baby Blue Sedan, Back to the Middle, This Devil’s Workday, King Rat, Heart Cooks Brain, We Are Between, The Ground Walks, With Time In a Box > Float On, The Whale Song, Dashboard.
Rhode Island born pop-artist JVKE took the scenic stage at the Rooftop at Pier 17 this past Wednesday, August 30th. Fans from all over – and many of them younger kids with their parents – flocked to see the “golden hour” singer put on his This is What Tour Feels Like show.
JVKE, photographed by Sarah Hyun
JVKE, blowing up in part on TikTok for songs like “this is what falling in love feels like” and “this is what sadness feels like,” previously played at Irving Plaza on January 25th. Crafting songs with his producer-brother Zac truly transformed JVKE’s music into the masterpieces they are today. The body-shaking beats, powerful vocals, and intricate piano accompaniments have created a sound so uniquely him. Aside from the beautiful melodies and productions of each song, JVKE’s lyrics touch on heavy subjects like love, heartbreak, sadness, and acceptance in the most unfiltered and gut-wrenching way.
JVKE, photographed by Sarah Hyun
Before the show began, a robotic-like female voice came on and introduced itself as JVKE’s emotional intelligence. The stage was set up like his bedroom, with JVKE even sporting a pair of plaid pajama pants and a black oversized hoodie. As he journeyed through his this is what ____ feels like album—which is divided into four groups of three songs—he made a point to give a small anecdote for each by detailing his experiences with certain people and emotions. For example, during “this is what heartbreak feels like,” “i’m not okay,” and “ghost town,” JVKE described the betrayal and utter hopelessness he felt after his first breakup. Before singing songs “this is what falling out of love feels like,” “catch me,” and “i can’t help it,” he described his initial struggle but ultimate success in moving on from that past relationship. JVKE is truly a talented storyteller, as emotions were at an all-time high throughout the whole show.
JVKE, photographed by Sarah Hyun
During “golden hour,” JVKE sat down at his bedroom desk and began playing the iconic opening notes on a keyboard that laid there. Children eagerly climbed onto their parents tall shoulders, tweens stood on their tippy-toes with poster in hand, and couples slow-danced in the back of the crowd as golden lights lit up with venue. The performance of this song was truly breathtaking. Fans passionately reached out their hands as they belted lyrics like, “I don’t need no light to see you shine” // “It’s your golden hour” // “You slow down time” // “In your golden hour.”
JVKE ended the night at Rooftop at Pier 17 with an incredible encore and promised to return for another show. He has two more scheduled dates for this run of tour, one in Philadelphia and another in Boston.
What is the Best Show Ever? The answer to that is complicated, and varies from person to person. But comedian Cam Herdt brings that question to the forefront in his new podcast, ‘Best Show Ever.’
‘Best Show Ever’ invites guests to talk about concert-going careers, their first concerts, worst concerts, honorable mentions and the best show the guest ever saw, hitting on the things that made that show the best. This is more than a setlist breakdown, and instead a look into an epic evening through the stories these guests bring with them.
Comedian Cam Herdt loves talking about shows, specifically, the best shows ever. Listen as he invites special guests, musicians and music journalists to reminisce about their concert-going careers and share untold stories from the history of seeing live music.
The first season features podcasters, musicians and people Cam is close as guests, so as to get a variety of perspectives, talking about the jam scene, with many different acts brought up. The first two episodes drop on September 5, featuring Jeff Arevalo and Cam’s Dad, Mark Herdt.
The show is hosted on Osiris Media and available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify & anywhere you can listen to podcasts.
Guests for Season 1 of ‘Best Show Ever’ with Cam Herdt
Dad & Jeff Arevalo 9/5 Megan Glionna & Ryan Storm 9/12 Aaron Schafer & Sam Grisman 9/19 Long Strange Putt & Long Strange Niche 9/26 Brian Murray & Willie Schlosser 10/3 RJ Bee & Leslie Mac 10/10 Tom Marshall 10/17
Each Sunday evening from 7-9 pm 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 Small Ghosts, Architrave, and Bars Homer.
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.
Small Ghosts- “I Might Disappear”
Small Ghosts is a noisey rock band from Troy, formed in 2022, featuring members from a number of well-respected northeast bands. Their first record BLEED was released in June.
Architrave- “Twitch of the Wing”
Architrave is a synth-pop duo from Ballston Spa, made up of Jennifer Maher Coleman and Paul Coleman. Their unique blend of synth and alternative sounds makes listeners really enjoy them, and their new single off of their upcoming album Out of My Mind and Into Yours is out now.
Bars Homer- “Lo”
Bars Homer is a solo project created by multi-instrumentalist Paul Lambert based out of Saratoga Springs in 2023.
The summer of throwback shows at Darien Lake continued on August 20, as The Offspring’s Let the Bad Times Roll tour stopped in Western NY. With the tour carrying the name of their 2021 album, and 10th studio cut, Canadian punkers Simple Plan and Sum 41 tag along and create a little nostalgic tour.
After starting out in the mid 80s, I am sure that Dexter Holland only dreamed of the success he has had with The Offspring. 10 studio albums, nearly 1600 concerts, and a number of punk/alternative hits, these guys found their niche and rolled with, and never really cared what the naysayers were naysaying.
With no shortage of energy and fans, Simple Plan took the stage and shredded it for nearly an hour, hitting the stage to the Star Wars theme music. With that kind of entrance, you know you are in for a killer show.
From Montreal, the wrecking crew of Pierre Bouvier (vocals, bass, percussion) Chuck Comeau (drums, percussion), Sebastien Lefebvre (rhythm guitar, vocal, bass), and Jeff Stinco (guitar, backing vocals) were all in sync from the start, pumping the crowd up, running around the stage in classis 90s alternative/punk fashion. From the opening notes of “I’d Do Anything” to the finishing tunes on “Perfect,” Bouvier had fans jumping bouncing around like a mechanical Tigger toy and giving everyone around them the middle finger, or the Simple Plan salute as he stated. He gratefully thanked fans often as he recalled the last time Simple Plan was in town, back in 2005 for a Warped Tour stop and raved about how he loved Darien Lake and the fans (if he only knew about the parking issues).
With a new album out recently, the band played “Iconic” and dedicated to anyone and everyone who has struggled or is struggling with acceptance. Bouvier urged those individuals to proudly extend their hands and offer up the finger and let others know that they will be Iconic.
As the set was coming to an end, and about halfway through “I’m Just a Kid”, Bouvier took a seat at the drums as Comeau took to crowd surfing, in an attempt to high five as many fans in mosh pit as possible.
Setlist: (entered to Star Wars theme), I’d Do Anything, Shut Up!, Jump, Addicted, Welcome to My Life, Iconic (new song), All Star/Sk8er Boi/Mr. Brightside, What’s New Scooby Doo, Where I belong, Im Just a Kid, Perfect
Following up Simple Plan and preceding The Offspring is no easy task, but Sum 41 came out and absolutely crushed any doubts that anyone had. Another solid entrance, this time to AC/DC’s “T.N.T”, Sum 41, with frontman Deryck Whibley racking up the steps on his Fitbit, was just as motivated at their predecessors and continued to amp up the crowd in preparation for the headliner.
Guitar and bass solos by Dave Brownsound, Tom Thacker, and Cone McCaslin were huge part of this set, with Frank Zummo doing his best Animal impression on the drums. These Ajax, Ontario natives came to play and did just that for the next hour for fans of all ages. Near me was a father, probably in his late 40s, having the time of his life with his young child. The kid was dancing and having just as much fun and was all smiles for the entire set of Sum 41, even more so during their cover or Queen’s “We Will Rock You.” Memories that are sure to last.
Setlist: T.N.T (entrance music), Motivation, The Hell Song, Over My Head (Better Off Dead), We’re All to Blame, Walking Disaster, We Will Rock You (Queen cover), In Too Deep, Fat Lip, Still Waiting.
With the opening acts done for the night, the packed house in Darien was riding a musically induced high that wasn’t going down anytime soon. With some time to kill, the tour had a blimp floating around the seating area with special camera such as ‘kiss cam’, ‘fuck you’ cam, and of course a “headbanging” cam where fans could pose for the camera doing the assigned task. It was the first time I have seen this at a concert, and the crowd absolutely loved it. The “baby got back” cam and the “fuck you” cam seemed to be the most popular as women were shaking their rear ends to the infamous Sir Mix-a-Lot song and giving double middle fingers as the blimp floated by or camera team was nearby. Definitely a great use of dead time as the stage was prepared for the headliner.
Taking the stage around 9:30pm, Dexter Holland and the rest of The Offspring showed Darien Lake why they have been around nearly 40 years, as they helped bring punk rock into the 90s alternative vibes.
With 10 studio albums to pull from, the setlist could have been arranged in any form and fans would have still left smiling and riding that musical high. Tonight, “Come Out and Play” was the first song. Inspired by gang and school violence in the mid 90s, as well as Holland commuting through East LA for grad school, this and many track on 1994s Smash were about what was happening in front of him. Yet 30 years later, this particular track seems to fit to landscape just the same. Regardless, still a fan favorite as displayed on this night.
As the night went on, Holland was reminiscing just as Sum 41 did about playing Darien Lake on the Warped Tour and marveled at the number of fans that poured into the venue. Bills fan, Sabres fans, and music fans alike. According to his calculations and his people, the attendance at this show, which he called the ‘best thing to happen to rock and roll’, was just under 1.48 million people. This, of course would be a new world record for a concert. I would venture a guess that either he counted wrong, or he had people from the Board of Elections tallying the tickets.
Showcasing guitar skills, Noodles and Todd Morse both were demonstrating new tracks they have learned. With opening chords from classics like Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man” and GNR’s “Sweet Child O’Mine”, they both were dueling for bragging rights as Holland went right into his rendition of “Blitzkrieg Pop” from Ramones. This little number, paired with animated show on back drop screen was quite the display of talent from these punk rockers, as the sync was perfectly timed all night.
Let’s talk about that animation screen behind the band. A seizure inducing light show to rival the best, thought provoking animation (think classic 80s music videos, A-Ha, New Radicals artwork), and nonstop beats the entire night. The screen added an element to each set that took you back the first time you heard any of the bands. Truly a memorable show for those hovering around 50, and for those younger fans who are in the punk phase of their musical lives.
Setlist: Come Out and Play, All I Want, Want You Bad (with organ), Let the Bad Times Roll, Staring at the Sun, Original Prankster, Hassan Chop, Hammerhead, Bad Habit, Iron Man/The Trooper/Sweet Child O’ Mine/In the Hall of the Mountain King, Blitzkrieg Pop (Ramones), Gotta Get Away, Gone Away, Why Don’t You Get A Job?, (Can’t Get My) Head Around You, Pretty Fly (for a White Guy), The Kids Aren’t Alright, Encore: You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid, Self Esteem
