Dave Matthews Band recently closed their summer tour, and for a group that’s pretty much been on tour nonstop for the last 20-plus years, they immediately announced their Fall Tour. A very short one that is, with only eight East Coast dates, kicking it off earlier this month on November 7 in Savannah, GA.
As they made their way up the East Coast, the run of shows would come to a close at Madison Square Garden for two sold-out shows.
Highlights from Friday night included guest appearances by Susan Tedeschi on “The Weight”, being joined by Derek Trucks on “All Along The Watchtower” and “Lie In Our Graves”, plus bass from James Genus on “#41”, and trombone and vocals from Trombone Shorty on “Come Together” and trumpet from Jon Faddis on “Jimi Thing” and “Brick House”.
Dave Matthews Band – Madison Square Garden – Friday, November 17
Setlist: Virginia In The Rain, Old Dirt Hill (Bring That Beat Back), Straight Shot, Madman’s Eyes, The Best Of Whats Around, She, Walk Around The Moon, The Weight*, All Along The Watchtower*+, Lie In Our Graves+, Spaceman, #41~, Come Together^, Jimi Thing^$, Brick House^$, Warehouse$, Cry Freedom, Pig, So Damn Lucky Encore: Just Breathe#, Pantala Naga Pampa, Rapunzel
* Susan Tedeschi + Derek Trucks ~ James Genus ^ Trombone Shorty $ Jon Faddis # Dave Solo
Saturday night featured a return appearance from Trombone Shorty on “Smooth Rider” and “Crush”, as well as Cory Wong joining for the last five songs of the set – “Tripping Billies,” “So Much To Say,” “Anyone Seen The Bridge,” “Too Much,” and “Ants Marching”
Dave Matthews Band – Madison Square Garden – Friday, November 18
Setlist: Spoon, You Never Know, Monsters, Hunger For The Great Light, Grey Street, American Baby Intro, Break Free, You Might Die Trying, Captain*, Sledgehammer, Smooth Rider+, Crush+, Rooftop, Fool In The Rain, Tripping Billies~, So Much To Say~, Anyone Seen The Bridge~ , Too Much~, Ants Marching~ +
Encore: Baby Blue#, The Last Stop
* Mark Whitfield + Trombone Shorty ~ Cory Wong # Dave Solo
It’s been five months since Half Moon Run were in New York for their album release show on the Rooftop of the Live Nation headquarters. On Friday, November 17, they returned with the purpose of conquering Brooklyn, headlining The Music Hall of Williamsburg, along with support by Le Ren.
Fresh off a Tour of Europe that ended in October, this current tour started in the US in late October and will be running into their home country of Canada until the end of the year.
Half Moon Run hit the stage around 9pm to a very packed and crowded room. Music Hall of Williamsburg is a very small and intimate room, it allows for a great concert experience both in sound and lighting and overall atmosphere. The band got a massive Brooklyn cheer as they hit the stage and wasted no time by starting off the night with their hit song “You Can Let Go”. the Power Trio of Devon Portielje, Conner Molander, and Dylan Phillips captivated the audience with their skill of rotating instrument changes between them, all pretty much-playing everything on stage at one point or another in the show.
The energy at the show was great, the band leaned heavily on songs from the new release Salt as well as the debut album Dark Eyes. The highlight other than the very strong opening was the Encore which consisted of unforgettable performances of “Favourite Boy,” “Fire Escape,” and the finale “Full Circle” which is always amazing to see live.
Here’s hoping they come back to our area in 2024 and play a much bigger venue next time.
Half Moon Run – The Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn – November 17, 2023
Setlist: You Can Let Go, Hotel in Memphis, Everyone’s Moving Out East, Narrow Margins, 9beat, Razorblade, Heartbeat, Gigafire / New Truth, Call Me in the Afternoon, Grow into Love, Alco, Devil May Care, Goodbye Cali,Drug You, Can’t Figure Out What’s Going On, She Wants to Know, Favourite Boy, Fire Escape, Full Circle
Crossing the train tracks that led up to the concert venue, a stranger stopped me and asked, “Is this the way Heaven?” “No,” I said. “Basilica Hudson.” While my Field of Dreams film reference was undoubtedly missed on the man, music fans could have sworn they were in heaven on Wednesday night, November 8th, when legendary UK space rockers Spiritualized made their spectacular debut in Hudson, NY. Delivering a spellbinding tour-de-force performance that will be remembered for years to come, it was the kind of show that cracked you open, rearranged your insides, and sent you home wanting to be a more productive person.
Making a rare stateside appearance with only six East Coast dates, fans from all over made it a priority to be there. The unique venue known as Basilica Hudson provided the perfect launching pad for such a formidable occasion. Located in the industrial section of town, Basilica Hudson is actually an old, refurbished glue factory that was originally built in the 1880’s. Now a multi-purpose, energy efficient arts center along the city’s “South Bay” riverfront, many consider the spot to be a crown jewel of Hudson Valley concert halls. On this night it would also serve as our Space Station for the highly anticipated sold-out show that was presented by Chosen Family.
The Spaceman Cometh: Jason Pierce AKA J. Spaceman performing with Spiritualized on 11/8/23.
With the stage set against a starfield backdrop, things lifted off shortly after 8pm. The current Spiritualized juggernaut includes 9 band members spearheaded by our flight commander for the evening, Jason Pierce, better known by some as J. Spaceman. A revered songwriter with an almost cult-like following, it’s been no secret Pierce has been battling a number of health issues in recent years. Clinically pronounced dead twice at one point, indeed every show he plays these days is something of a miracle. Performing seated and wearing his trademark sunglasses, the veteran rocker who turns 58 this month, was showered with adoration and encouragement as the countdown to ignition finally commenced.
Spiritualized performed to a sold out crowd at Basilica Hudson on 11/8/2023.
Like most Spiritualized shows in recent years, “Hey Jane” was selected as the opening number. Blasting off with some infectious high-octane psych-rock, the tone was set for the transformative journey ahead. Sounding massive from the very start, “She Kissed Me (It Felt Like a Hit) kept the raw rock energy going as the room had now filled to capacity. Then hitting the rewind button and taking us back to where it all started, next was a song from the bands debut album, “Shine a Light,” from 1992’s Lazer Guided Melodies. Making this one count, the momentum really started building here, as sprawling layers of sonic distortion and cascading crescendos reached a new level intensity, matching the equally intense, pulsating light show. And just when you thought you couldn’t take it anymore, our captain gently brought us back down, effortlessly guiding the band into the chilled-out hypnotic groove of “I’m Coming Home Again” that conjured up some heavy Velvet Underground vibes.
“If you want a rocket ship, I would be a rocket ship for you” – Lyrics from “Always Together With You”
A beautiful rendition of “A Perfect Miracle” proved to be an early highlight of the set, while “Always Together With You” took on an infectious astral-pop quality that saw Pierce’s lyrics playing up the bands outer space imagery. Cloaked in white robes, the minimal 3-girl gospel choir sounded beautiful together, adding intricate layers of harmony and filling in the space with “ohhhs” and “ahhhs” that contributed a great deal to the overall sound. Up next came a trio of songs from the album many, including Pierce himself, thought might be the bands last; 2018’s And Nothing Hurt. Flowing beautifully from fan favorite “I’m Your Man” into the hard charging “The Morning After,” and then capping it off with “Here it Comes (The Road) Let’s Go,” which from my perspective, received some of the loudest cheers of the evening.
“Labored over these words too long and nothing to behold / Wanted it to be special for you, but it’s just a song” – Jason Pierce
The next portion of the night featured material from Spiritualized’s most recent release Everything Was Beautiful. Starting the sequence off with “Best Thing You Never Had (The D Song),” things got a little weird when suddenly a man jumped over the barricade and onto the stage. Basking in the spotlight for a moment, it was unclear if this was part of the act. As the band played on with perplexed looks of plausible concern, it soon became obvious that it was just some inebriated dude looking for attention. Then attempting to stage dive his way out of the awkward situation, fans in the front made zero attempt to catch him. The resulting splat that followed was amusing to some, but a complete mental distraction for others. To their credit, Spiritualized never missed a single note. If nothing else, the incident seemed to be an ice breaker, for as serious as this performance was, fans realized it was okay to let their hair down a bit as it was still a rock n’ roll show.
Idiot bastard, son of a gun Heaven is easy, your living is done Take it down easy, won’t know what you’ve done And we’re gone.
-Lyrics from The A Song (Laid in Your Arms)
Resetting the coordinates now, the deliberately hypnotic buildup of “Let It Bleed (For Iggy) produced massive moments of introspection and then euphoria, while the hard charging angst of “The A Song (Laid in Your Arms)” furthered the momentum into another deafening climax where Pierce seemingly confronts his demons while pondering over his lasting legacy. Looking even deeper within, Pierce confessed he’s “Damaged” while lamenting the lines “I wanna just close my mind / Feel like I’m floating on a ship out of time.” Soaring forward with cathartic, blissed-out beauty, “Soul on Fire” achieved an almost orchestral peak, despite there being no string or horn section. While the crowd sang along to its repeating chorus, the magnitude of the moment was enough to make the hair on your neck stand up. Acknowledging his struggles with addiction once more, “Sail on Through” would bring the main portion of the show to a jaw-dropping close.
Spiritualized performing in Hudson, NY on 11/8/23.
So long you pretty thing, God save your little soul The music that you played so hard ain’t on your radio And all your dreams and diamond rings and all that rock and roll can bring you Sail on, so long.
-Jason Pierce
After a few moments of silence off stage, Spiritualized would sail on with a passionate rendition of their psychedelic space pop manifesto “So Long You Pretty Thing.” The final song of the night was also the loudest. Encoring with the lone track from the bands 1997 undisputed masterpiece Ladies and Gentleman We Are Floating in Space, “Come Together” nearly blew the roof of Basilica Hudson and put an emphatic stamp on a life-affirming performance that simply shook the audience to the core. Standing up and facing them for the first time all night, Pierce would humbly take a bow and gracefully exit to a chorus of both cheers and tears. Mesmerizing and beautiful, heart wrenching, vulnerable and honest, it was the rare type of performance that satisfied all of your senses and filled you with hope. The type of show that made you feel lucky to be alive and grateful for the struggle. A little piece of Heaven right there there in Hudson, NY.
Spiritualized | November 8,2023 | Basilica Hudson | Hudson, NY
Setlist: Hey Jane, She Kissed Me (It Felt Like a Hit), Shine A Light, I’m Coming Home Again, A Perfect Miracle, Always Together With You, I’m Your Man, The Morning After, Here it Comes (The Road) Let’s Go, Best Thing You Never Had (The D Song), Let It Bleed (For Iggy), The A Song (Laid in Your Arms), Damaged, Soul on Fire, Sail on Through
In an exhilarating double-header on November 12th, the vibrant pop trio AJR surprised their New York City fanbase with an extraordinary day of music. The city that shaped their artistic journey witnessed a surprise daytime performance at Madison Square Park, paving the way for an epic night at Irving Plaza to commemorate the release of their latest album, “The Maybe Man.”
From the heart of Chelsea to the iconic Irving Plaza stage, the Met brothers, Adam, Jack, and Ryan, guided their audience through a musical odyssey, unveiling both the fresh creations from their new album and the cherished classics. The unexpected nature of these events added an extra layer of thrill, transforming an ordinary Friday into an extraordinary experience for fans who found themselves captivated by AJR’s distinctive soundscapes and infectious energy.
Hailing from the bustling streets of Chelsea in New York City, AJR is a dynamic pop trio comprised of brothers Adam, Jack, and Ryan Met. Their musical journey began in the living room of their city apartment, where they cultivated a distinctive sound that defies easy categorization, blending pop, indie, and electronic elements. Influenced by the diverse energy of NYC, their breakout single “I’m Ready” showcased their knack for catchy hooks and innovative sampling.
With hits like “Weak” and “Burn the House Down,” AJR has captivated a dedicated fanbase, exploring themes of self-discovery and modern life complexities through their music. Natives of Chelsea, the trio’s artistic DNA is deeply rooted in the city’s diversity and constant buzz, shaping their evolution into one of the most exciting and innovative acts in contemporary music. From the urban landscapes of Chelsea to the global stage, AJR’s journey reflects the enduring spirit of creativity inspired by the heartbeat of New York City.
“The Maybe Man” stands as the latest sonic adventure from the chart-topping trio, AJR. Released on November 10, 2023, this marks their fifth studio album and a notable transition as it becomes the first under their newly inked deal with Mercury Records. The anticipation for the album began to build during their 2022 world tour, where the sneak peek of the unreleased track “I Won’t” served as the catalyst. Fans eagerly speculated on the album’s title, unraveling the mystery on November 12, 2022, as “TMM” was revealed, prompting imaginative guesses like “The Music Men” and “Ten Meter Men.”
Building up to the release, the band strategically dropped singles, including the emotionally charged “God Is Really Real,” a poignant tribute to their father, Gary. The animated teaser video released on August 28, 2023, featuring Jack Met’s journey through various landscapes, culminated in the revelation of the album’s title track, “Maybe Man.” The tour announcement on November 8, which includes 2 shows at Madison Square Garden in April 2024, further underscores the grandeur surrounding this remarkable album release, inviting fans to immerse themselves in the magic of AJR’s musical universe.
The Irving Plaza show itself was a rollercoaster of emotions, pranks, and heartwarming moments that left fans buzzing with excitement. Jack kicked things off with a resolution to be more positive towards Ryan during this album cycle, but true to form, couldn’t resist poking fun at him after the first song, “Maybe Man”. Ryan, on the other hand, shared a humorous anecdote about a dozing-off 10 year old fan during “100 Bad Days,” emphasizing the cyclical enthusiasm whenever eye contact was made.
The band playfully teased the young fan chasing Ryan’s approval and pretended to entertain on fan song requests like “Thirsty” and an impromptu tattoo-drawing session. Jack continued the brotherly teasing, asserting that a young fan was seeking Ryan’s approval, deeming it underrated. Fan interactions included an acapella rendition of “Thirsty” by their photographer Austin, responding to a fan’s sign, and collaboratively drawing a fan’s next tattoo, with Jack humorously criticizing Adam’s addition.
“Steve’s Going to London” became a heartwarming sing-along, and the brothers shared a poignant moment, expressing gratitude for their late father, Gary, whose favorite thing surpassed even pastrami sandwiches (#2) and his sons (#3) — the fans. A Gary chant echoed through the crowd, and Jack revealed their dad heard the new album before his passing.
Drumming up nostalgia, Jack joined in on the drums for “Don’t Throw Out My Legos,” and a production breakdown preceded the track. “Inertia” got its inspiration from a friend’s inertia-laden job at a bank, adding a humorous touch to the performance. The show concluded with a faux farewell, leading into the encore with “Weak” and “2085,” leaving the audience on a high note and cementing AJR’s reputation for unforgettable live performances.
In tandem with the recent album promotion, AJR is making a stop at Rough Trade Records in NYC for an in-store record signing for “The Maybe Man”.
Be sure to also catch the band on their first arena tour this spring when they bring their incredible energy to the stage at Madison Square Garden!
Setlist: Maybe Man, Touchy Feely Fool, Burn the House Down, Sober Up, Yes I’m a Mess, The Dumb Song, 100 Bad Days, DJ is Crying for Help, World’s Smallest Violin, I Won’t, The Good Part, Inertia, Don’t Throw Out My Legos, Steve’s Going to London, Bang Encore: 2085, Weak
A brisk fall night on Lark Street was warm and inviting at The Eleven, celebrating its grand opening with a fitting artist upstairs at Lark Hall, pianist Holly Bowling.
photo by Zak Radick
Much has changed in the past decade since Bowling began playing solo shows, having transcribed and performed Phish jams (not just songs, the improv sections too) and gave fresh takes on the catalog of the Grateful Dead, even having appearances with Phil Lesh as one of his friends.
Bowling now enters her second decade of live performances with an evolving solo career in the jam scene, having branched out into Ghost Light with Tom Hamilton and company, played regularly with Greensky Bluegrass, taken part in the immersive Musical Sojourns in Portugal this past October, and brought to life the ever unique Wilderness Series – performing at beautiful vistas within and around our National Park System.
The past decade has been a whirlwind of growth and opportunities, including giving birth to her and husband Jeffery’s first child. Holly Bowling has been about as busy as one can, and shares how she has worked towards finding balance with it all:
One thing I took away from the pandemic was a new acceptance of how to be creative in touring and that there’s a lot of different ways to play music for people. You have to do what makes sense for the situation you find yourself in at that particular time, whether it’s finding ways to create and play music when all the venues are shut down or finding ways to tour that make sense as a parent of a young child. I’m not sure I’d say I’ve figured out how to balance it all. I think finding balance of any kind is a challenge for most touring musicians. It’s a constantly evolving process, and I have to keep reminding myself to find ways to make it work for what my life is today and that what works today isn’t necessarily going to be what worked before or what’s going to work five years from now. And that’s fine – maybe even good.
Holly Bowling
On this evening, Bowling took the stage and performed as she always has, with focus and attention to detail, showing no signs of slowing down a well-paced musical career. Bowling last played Lark Hall with Ghost Light in October 2022, and sought out owner Jennifer Miller to plan a show in the future, with November 11th – 11/11 – being the best date for a show, adding in a nod to the Grateful Dead in the process.
With tube lighting on either side of the stage, a mirror ball above and four colored spots shining down and moving slowly along with the tempo, the stage was set, a grand piano and bench awaiting Bowling.
The first set featured the entire “Terrapin Station” suite, broken up into two sections, opening up with the first half of the song, “Lady with a Fan” and “Terrapin Station,” deep and layered, neatly falling into Phish’s “Fast Enough For You,” with the addition of looping to give the Rift track a new twist. 30 minutes later, the audience offered rousing applause.
With the use of effects pedals processing the piano sound, Bowling illuminated the improvisation jam that led from “About to Run”, and found its way into the rest of the “Terrapin Station” suite, “At a Siding” and “Terrapin Flyer,” finally ending the set with an ever-gorgeous “Divided Sky.” The emergence of a greater scope of sounds from the piano – whether it be with mallets, e-bows, fishing line or pedals – adds depth to the music. Said Bowling, “The piano has always been the instrument that can be closest to a full orchestra and I just want to play with as many sounds as possible.”
The second set opened with a heavy “St. Stephen” where Bowling explored the most familiar parts of the song using a tribal synth sound via manipulation of the inner piano strings, creating a hypnotic trance (accentuated briefly by a police siren wailing down the street.) “William Tell Bridge” developed out of this trance, Bowling playing the inner strings again, the pair of songs harkening the call of “The Eleven,” which would show up promptly at 10:11 (that’s 11:11 without DST). A song very rarely played by Bowling, “The Eleven” gave way to Phish’s “If I Could,” an emotional composition in its own right, and with light internal plucking and looping, Bowling summoned the intro of “Theme From the Bottom,” which took deep turns and twists, eventually fading into “Morning Dew” to close the set.
“Waste” would fall into the encore slot, with Bowling greeting and talking to fans after the show, everyone filing downstairs through The Eleven where Quantum Cosmic Trio continued on with the celebration of a grand opening, a grand performance and a grand pianist.
Set 1: Terrapin Station Suite -> Fast Enough For You, About to Run -> Terrapin Station Suite -> Divided Sky Set 2: St. Stephen -> William Tell Bridge -> The Eleven -> If I Could, Theme from the Bottom -> Morning Dew Encore: Waste
This past Sunday, November 12, City Winery New York and American Friends of NATAL held a special afternoon of music featuring a rare combination of Omer Avital’s Wilson Live Experience, a group of all-Israeli Jazz musicians who put on live shows mostly from their space on Wilson Avenue in Brooklyn and Israeli Superstar singer David Broza. Concert proceeds went to go to those suffering from PTSD in Israel.
The pair have collaborated before on David Broza’s previous release called TEFILA, where Broza took the traditional Jewish Friday Night Prayers and recomposed them along with the help of Omer Avital, who wrote the orchestration parts. The pair performed the entire piece along with a full choir, string, and horn section at Temple Emanu-El earlier this year.
David Broza & Omer Avital’s Wilson Live Experience at City Winery New York
The last time I saw LP – Laura Pergolizzi – was in 2014, at Carnegie Hall, part of City Winery’s The Music Of Paul Simon. I happened to do a video session with her and was treated to a version of “Slip Slidin’ Away.”
Pergolizzi left quite a mark at the time and every time she came back through it seemed there was always a conflict and I never crossed paths again. That all finally changed last week at New York’s Terminal 5.
Love Lines was released earlier this year by BMG with the first single and video off it being “Golden”. A North American tour was announced starting late October running into November, followed by a few Mexico dates, playing to her sizeable Central and South American followings, then a few dates in Europe that go well into 2024.
LP’s live show is quite mesmerizing, especially for a club show, with a great deal of production, walking out to Frank Sinatra’s “My Way,” quite fitting as from the moment she hits the stage, she commands your attention and comes off as a powerhouse of sound. LP packs some pretty impressive whistling skills, big sing-along moments, and a crowd that seems to adore her every move. For this photographer, the highlight of LP at Terminal 5 was “Lost On You.”
Termial 5, NYC November 9th, 2023 SETLIST:
Golden, Love Song, Burn It Down, Girls Go Wild, One Like You, The One That You Love, Big Time, Dayglow, Wild, Love Lines, Too Much, Hold The Light, Lost on You, Everybody’s Falling in Love, Blow, No Witness, Special, Long Goodbye, Hola, When We’re High, One Last Time
Friends & fans filled the Brooklyn Bowl on Monday, November 6, to celebrate James Casey‘s rich musical legacy by playing songs he loved. His dear friends Louis Cato, Nikki Glaspie, and Trey Anastasio Band led performances, joined by dozens of his musical cohorts to honor his memory and life of music.
Casey wanted a party, not a funeral, so Peter Shapiro obliged his last wishes by hosting his memorial celebration at his Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg. Proceeds from the event benefit the two organizations which helped Casey after he was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2021, the CCAand the ABGH. The 3 hour concert was livestreamed on Fans.Live, and will stay up until Sunday night.
Music Director and multi-instrumentalist Louis Cato led The Late Show Band, showcasing songs from Casey’s favorites from Sly and the Family Stone, along with songs from Casey & Cato’s bands, Animus Rexx, and Six Figures. The Trey Anastasio Band spearheaded a 4-song set which included some of James’ favorite songs. Nikki Glaspie led an all-star lineup that included members of Lettuce, Snarky Puppy, Animus Rexx, TAB, John Brown’s Body, Six Figures, and many others to play songs from Earth Wind & Fire, Sly and the Family Stone, Parliament Funkadelic. At the end of her band’s set, Nikki pulled nearly everyone on stage for a Go-Go medley, setting a new record for the most people on stage at any Brooklyn Bowl. Raydar Ellis DJed during band downtimes, curating selections from James’ favorite songs and artists.
Brooklyn Bowl owner Peter Shapiro introduced the night’s festivities with how important James was to him and his friends & family whose lives James graced. Shapiro smiled as he shared somber words while holding back tears, “Do you guys feel this in the air right now? Because that’s James Casey. And we were fortunate to have James play on this stage many times. And when I think of James here, I look over … it’s right about there (points to bowling lanes), ‘cuz James would come off the stage, maybe sitting in with Soulive at Bowlive, and I’d be right over there. And the feeling of hugging it out with James Casey … right by the stage was probably one of the best feelings I’ve ever had in my life: that strength…that smile. And I’m so glad that tonight James Casey is selling out the Brooklyn Bowl.” as fans applauded, with few dry eyes in the room.
Shapiro continued, “I love that guy and we miss him, but he wanted to party, and the energy in here feels like a party, but a special one. So we want to thank you guys and everyone that’s here, particularly Ayla (his wife)and James’ family to trust us for hosting this night.” Shapiro then introduced the host of the evening, Sirius XM‘s Phish Radio host, Ari Fink, who warmed up the crowd with a resounding, “Let’s GOOOOO!!!” Fink quipped, “I …want to thank Bill Graham…I mean, Pete Shapiro (fans chuckle) for the wonderful introduction, for having us, and to Ayla, PJ, Margaret, Richard, Britten … and the entire crew…” (cheers) Fink told the fans to wave to their friends watching from home. Fink shared philosophy about how we process grief:
“There’s a common misconception about grief. Most people think it’s about letting go, but it’s actually quite the opposite. It’s really more about holding on. And James made that so easy for us. Every note he played had just the right amount of power & precision, placed perfectly into the flow of that moment. And it would enhance it, like noone else. Same thing when you spoke to him. So now, with us here in this moment, we’re holding on to his fierce spirit, wry sense of humor, unmatched musical empathy, and enough swagger to fill an entire venue”
Ari Fink
Fink continued to tell the fans that both he and Casey grew up in Prince George’s County, Maryland, and that he first met Casey back in 2013 when he was launching his new band, Animus Rexx, which was so good (“the greatest ish I’ve ever heard in my entire life”) that Fink was inspired to help them get started. And after that, Fink had Casey as a frequent guest on Sirius XM, where he shared another story with the audience:
“Now over the next decade, James was a frequent guest on Sirius XM, he would come up and kick it, and we would call each other to talk about our latest projects, share guidance, and talk about trials & tribulations of the music industry (by the way, which, there are a lot of). For both of us, you know, we easily were able to get through all of the surface stuff and cut right to the core. He always asked about my family. But the most amazing part about James on Sirius XM… the craziest thing would happen. Every time we sat down, my voice would relax, and..it would naturally start to drop, like almost a full octave at a time, because it was just like (points down)… he was that amazing to talk to. And normally it’s my job to make people feel comfortable on the air, but James had an unmatched ability to do just that for me. And when I listen back to those moments, it’s clear. We were locked in, the flow state was all the way to 100, and it was just real talk, real hangs and lots and lots of laughs. You guys ever heard James laugh? (fans: yeah!) Best laugh of all time!”
Fink’s speech went on for a solid 10 minutes or so, and with fans itching for music, Fink held back a couple of jeers to get to his introduction of the Music Director of the show, and Casey’s dear friend, Louis Cato. (on the livestream, skip ahead to 1:29:36 to jump to when the music starts).
Louis Cato began the music of the evening, saying, “Let’s give it up one time for the man of the hour, James Casey. For all of us that have been, have had had the pleasure of knowing this incredible human being, you know that he’s always been the life of the party, and … as he transitioned into the next phase of his journey, he made it very clear: “I don’t want a funeral, I wanted a party!” I don’t know if I can curse on the stream. (to his keyboard player) can I curse on the stream? (smiles) Jenna …wherever you are, earmuffs! That’s my daughter. Who is also James’ niece. Earmuffs! So, you wanted a party? That’s what the fuck we’re gonna do! C’mon, let’s get it on y’all!!!
The Late Show Band kicked off the music with Sly & the Family Stone’s “Family Affair”, with Cato on guitar & vocals, Reuben Caineron bass, Dave “DJ” Ginyard on bass, Nêgah Santos on percussion & vocals, Randy Runyon on guitar, James Williams on drums, Corey Bernhard on keys, with other friends sitting in and switching various instruments. Cato’s band launched into the night on guitar, calling out solos around the stage, first to his trombonist, followed by a scorching alto sax solo by Louis Fouché, a tasty Hammond B3 solo by Bernhard, then a smoking solo by Runyon, with others soloing in turn until the end of “Family Affair”. Afterwards, Cato then put his guitar down and said:
“So everybody up here on the stage has been.. a friend, and a brother, and a sister, and a bandmate of James, so we had to make sure it goes all the way around (points to sides) so you all get to see the outreach, because we’ve all been changed… by our interactions, our musical relationships, as well as the personal, with this monumental musician. We’re going to do another one, with another iteration .. of a band we used to have together back in the day, called Six Figures. With James is the agreed-upon front man,” as he walked back to sit on the drum kit.
More great solos continued on bass, clavinet, and then the horns left stage, as a film clip from Casey’s band, Animus Rexx was shown (Live from Rockwood Music Hall – Apr. 23, 2014) on the big screen for the audience. In that clip, Casey used his sampler, manipulating & replaying his altered vocal samples, while his bandmates added synth, drums, and bass.
As the side film ended, Cato got back up on the drums and asked the crowd “Are you still with us?” and then Cato’s band with most of Animus Rexx ended the set with their song, “Pleasure” a trippy synth swirl, intriguing, groovy and ethereal. The fans showed their appreciation, though most were hearing it for their first time. Cato’s band ended their set with “The Payback“, with Reuben on sampler, Runyon on guitar, and BigYuki on synth, and Cato filling in on drums for Justin Tyson (who is now with Robert Glasper’s Electric Trio).
After Cato’s set, Ari Fink came back out to give accolades to Animus Rexx, then introduced Casey’s wife, Ayla, who slowly took to the stage, smiling but holding back tears. She said, “Every single person in this room lifted James up in some way, …even right now. And it meant the world to James to live his dream performing and releasing music”. Ayla shared how James kept touring while they fought “the hardest battle of their lives”, and that she was “so grateful for the love that he received.” She said we should know our family history, be our own advocates, arm ourselves with knowledge, and re-emphasize symptoms, get a second opinion if we feel we’re not being heard. Ayla then introduced the President and Co-Founder of the ABGH, Dr. Sophie Balzora, who shared stats on how black people are 20% more likely to get colon cancer and 40% more likely to die from it. She contacted James to ask if he’d help ABGH, which he humbly agreed to. Balzora said that ABGH created a medical education scholarship in his name, to big applause.
Michael Sapienza (CEO of the Colon Cancer Alliance) reminded us that colon cancer is the second-most common cancer in the US, and listed the many ways James Casey helped their cause, and that his own mother died of colon cancer. He said we have to change this, but that (Casey’s devotion) was inspiring.
The next band was either the most anticipated or a complete surprise, depending on who you asked before the show. It was a bit of a mystery, since so few artists were announced before showtime. Fink bantered around who might be on next, but soon enough, fans realized their wishes would come true, as he introduced the Trey Anastasio Band, to huge applause. As the band plugged in, Trey simply said “Thanks, everybody!” as TAB tore into a snappy version of “Mozambique“, ended by tight horns, with Zoidis playing in Casey’s spot.
TAB hopped into “Everything’s Right”, as more horn players slinked onstage, with Alecia Chakour and Jo Lampert adding vocals to Jenn and Natalie. “This world, this world, this crazy world I know / it turns, it turns, long night’s over, and the sun’s coming up.” As Trey repeated this, he raised his arms and the fans erupted into a bubbling soup of dancing heads with hands raised into the air. The lights darkened as the song cooled to make space for a warm Zoidis solo, with Trey popping fills between Zoidis’ riffs, building to the end.
Trey shared his thanks for James playing in TAB for 11 years: “We love James, we love you (holding back tears). It’s incomprehensible how much we love James and how grateful we are for every single second we got to be with him. Our friendship with Ayla and James’ amazing family, mom & dad, everyone. Today/tonight has been really… (makes a heart gesture) heart-filling. All the friends from Boston that James met when he was in college who are here tonight, all the friends and family: thank you for being here and celebrating this incredible human being. And now we will play… James’ used to really like singing this song. So we’re going to do a cover here of a song that…I wish that he was here to sing it for you, so you have to use your imagination. We’ll all try to… fill in the blanks a little bit, but he loves singing this song”.
Trey nodded to Russ to start “Express Yourself”, Alecia added her soulful voice to lift the song up where James could see it. Jenn crafted a trumpet solo, as the band loosened up and dance along with the fans. He introduced their friend, Jo Lambert, they hug, play Rise/Come Together, with TAB’s choral family expanding as Erin Boyd and Elenna Canlas hopped up on vocals, and Snarky Puppy’s Mike Maher added his trumpet, ending TAB’s brief set with hugs as they waved away.
Nikki Glaspie brought her super-band onstage with 25-30 or more musicians playing, setting a new Brooklyn Bowl record. 8-10 percussionists were stacked 4 to 5 rows deep on the right, with 7 or 8 horn players on the left, with Nth Power’s and another Wally’s OG, Nate Edgar on bass, Sean Erick on trumpet, Rene del Fierro on guitar (has a band w/ Carlos Santana’s son), three keyboardists (Nigel Hall, Basil Wajdowicz, Elenna Canlas), Angie Swan on guitar, Chris St. Hilaire on drums (London Souls, Black Keys), Lyric Jones, Matty O and Mike Maher on trumpets, also Andrew Marsh on kit, Khris Royal and Chris Ward on saxes, Natalie on trombone, and other horns, percussionists & vocalists.
Nikki tore into the Gospel classic, singing “I Don’t Know What You Come to Do“, with Jenn responding, “I came to celebrate James!” in traditional call-and-response fashion, with backup singers echoing replies. Strangely, after a ripping solo, Angie Swan hoisted her guitar and its neck abruptly folded. We learned it was a Ciari travel guitar, but still aren’t sure if it was a planned stunt or an accident. She re-attached the next and somehow the guitar was still in tune, and finished the song.
Nigel sang lead on “Remember the Children”, by Earth Wind & Fire, after which, Nikki warned “we’re about to get dirty right now!” and “so James being from DC… the greatest music in the world came from Washington, DC, we call it Go-Go music. And we’re gonna play some!” Nigel replied, “Yeah, DC is in the house right now. Southeast is in the house! to which Nikki said “PG county – the greatest county in the world, goddammit!”
Nikki then slid over to kit. After the song got going, Nigel rose from his keys to sing harder. Total chaos ensued for the Go-Go medley, with little room to fit more musicians on stage. Go-Go morphed into funk as they transitioned into “Bop Gun” by P Funk, then a Parliament’s “Flash Light”, with Josh Dion (Paris Monster) up again on lead vocals, a killer Zoidis sax solo, more Go-Go, then “Give Up the Funk” into “Do That Stuff (reprise)” to end their incredible, wild set.
Louis Cato returned for the last set of the evening, reminding us again about James’ journey & battle, sharing somber words about how he felt about James and all they experienced and did together, the fullness of their relationship, while struggling to speak as he got emotional. Cato warned us not to lose our humanity as we strive with our ambition as artists: “James has always been… and I say to me, but know that I’m aware that it’s for all of us, most of us, it has always been both: he consummate musician dedicated to his craft, committed to putting love into the music, always, always, always. (fans clap) And he always put that same love into his friends and gave it to his family. And the two…it’s a rare thing… it’s the biggest thing … about James Casey. He’s always been that rare breed that can engage in music, and spirit, and craft and vocabulary at the highest level, but also meet you where you are, at the highest level. And, it’s changed the path of my life… eternally. And that is why we’re here.”
At this point, Cato called The Finale Band to the stage, with Nikki on drums, as Cato slaps his P-Bass to kick off “I Want To Take You Higher” with Jenn and Alecia and others on vocals, and mostly The Tonight Show band with a few guests who appeared in other sets throughout the evening, with impeccable horn solos and powerful vocals to end the night on a high note of optimism and warm memories of James Casey’s life and contributions to music, friendships, and family.
On Sunday, November 5 at The L in Horseheads, social media sensation and country singer Alexandra Kay took the stage and just like her song ‘She Stayed,’ she left a lasting impression. The atmosphere was energetic as fans from New York, Pennsylvania and surrounding areas gathered to witness a rising star in the world of country music.
Hailing from Illinois, Alexandra’s journey to stardom is nothing short of inspiring. Her passion for music was evident when she auditioned for American Idol back in 2011, showcasing her remarkable talent and captivating voice to a nationwide audience. Since then, she has continued to chase her dreams, captivating audiences with her heartfelt songwriting.
Alexandra Kay’s soulful vocals and compelling stage presence took the audience on a journey through the heart of country. Her songs and collabs have been streamed millions of times on social media. From heartfelt ballads that tugged at heartstrings to lively, boot-stomping anthems, her versatility as an artist was on full display. Each note held raw emotion, and her storytelling ability was nothing short of remarkable.
Kay’s new album, All I’ve Ever Known was just released in October while she is in the middle of her massive headlining tour across the states. All I’ve Ever Known debuted at #1 on both ITunes Country Album and All Genre Charts.
The L provided the perfect backdrop for this memorable evening, with its intimate setting and top-notch sound quality. As the music filled the venue, it was impossible not to get lost in the magic of the moment. Kay shared personal stories, interacted with the crowd, and made everyone feel like they were apart of something bigger while witnessing her performance.
For those who were fortunate enough to be in the crowd, it was a night they won’t soon forget, and for those who missed it, Alexandra Kay’s star is one to watch in the world of country music.
Alexandra Kay – The L, Horseheads, NY – Sunday, November 5, 2023
Setlist: Painted Him Perfect, Backroad Therapy, Tall Boiz, All I’ve Ever Known, She Stayed, I Hate Airplanes, Happy Once, I Kinda Don’t, More Than You, Everleave, How Do We Go, I Can Do Anything Encore: Best Worst Ex, That’s What Love Is, Skip This Part
On Thursday, October 26, Blues Traveler descended upon The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester.
The band opened with a raucous crowd favorite “Run Around” and from there they had the crowd eating out of their hands with a show filled with sing-alongs and extended jams.
Blues Traveler, no strangers to The Cap, seemed to feel right at home and the crowd that came for a good time were rewarded on this night.
Blues Traveler – The Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY – Thursday, October 26
Setlist: Run-Around, The Wolf is Bumpin, Dropping Some NYC, Groove Me, But Anyway, The Wayward Rambler w/ Jono Manson, Stand, Funky Bitch, The Devil Went Down to Georgia*, Ode to the Aspect, Carolina Blues, Hook, The Mountains Win Again
