At midnight on Thursday, October 12, Ken Carson released his highly anticipated album A Great Chaos. At the same time of the release, Ken performed the new album at Silo in Brooklyn, sponsored by Spotify.
The show was announced just the day before but that did not stop it from being filled to capacity. The rage started with a DJ set around 11pm and continued until Ken got in his car and rolled away from the venue at around 1:30am.
Just a couple of songs into the new album, Ken Carson brought out Destroy Lonely to perform “Singapore” and “Paranoid” off of Ken’s new project as well as some of their old hits like “MDMA” and “money & sex.” Ken and Lonely then left the stage for a couple of minutes, and then Ken came back and hopped on the DJ set. Shortly after, Ken brought out Opium founder Playboi Carti. Carti performed hit after hit, including: “Stop Breathing,” “Rockstar Made,” and “FE!N.”
(Left to Right) Destroy Lonely, Ken Carson, Playboi Carti at Silo, Brooklyn. Photo by: Lucas Kurzweil.
Ken Carson will join Playboi Carti on his Antagonist tour early next year. Until then, you can listen to Ken’s new album A Great Chaos on all platforms.
NYC-based alt-rock group Black Rose Burning released “Ad Astra,” the title track from their brand new album alongside a sci-fi inspired official music video. Following singles, “Fight!”, “Night Terrors,” and “Sing to Me,” the group’s new album released in September, inspired by the Latin phrase “Ad Astra Per Aspera.”
“Ad Astra,” the new record’s title track, sports a sci-fi inspired video, featuring stylized digital graphics showing space travel and all things outer space. The song’s high energy matches well with the graphics, and showcases the group’s growing synergy. Inspired by the Latin phrase “Ad Astra Per Aspera,” meaning “through hardships to the stars,” the song carries themes of reaching beyond Earth towards the stars.
Sonically it’s a major leap forward in the ever-growing sound of Black Rose Burning in every way. Letting experts do what they do has resulted in – a lush soundscape that’s better than I could have ever hoped for. And even though I again wrote all the material, having partners who understand my vision is both invaluable and awe inspiring.
George Grant
Formed in 2018, Black Rose Burning began with instrumentalist, producer, and engineer George Grant, joined by guitarist Frank Morin and drummer Luis Infantas. Ad Astra was recorded in Grant’s own studio, PV Recording Company, where the full band recorded the album alongside Grant’s production skills.
Black Rose Burning released their previous album, The Wheel, in December 2021. Since then, the group released three new singles, “Fight!”, “Night Terrors,” and “Sing to Me,” leading up to their third full length album, Ad Astra. The new album is available on streaming platforms, and available for purchase on BandCamp.
NYC’s celebrated folk singer-songwriter Dan Rauchwerk has released his brand new single, “Only January Knows.” After a decade as part of the folk duo The Lords of Liechtenstein, Rauchwerk has made a name for himself as a solo artist since 2018.
“Only January Knows” is a meditative ballad to the winter months, with Rauchwerk diving deeper into his introspective realms. With skillful guitar picking and his emotive voice, Rauchwerk injects hope into the seeming dreariness of winter in the city.
I live on the Upper West Side near Central Park, so I spend a lot of time in nature. I use my daily runs and walks in the park as a way to recharge my body and mind. It’s so easy to get completely cut off from the natural world in New York City and to get stuck in the “always on” mindset, so it’s helpful for me to see the seasons change in the park and acknowledge and appreciate the passing of time.
“Only January Knows” speaks to the significance of seasonal change and the unexpected joy I find on wintry walks in the park on snowy days when very few people are around.
Dan Rauchwerk
Dan Rauchwerk takes great inspiration from the nature found in the beloved Central Park, which serves as a sanctuary for New Yorkers looking for a quiet moment. His new track both addresses that in vocals, and with it’s slow, swaying tempo which creates that meditative moment itself. “Only January Knows” follows his signature style of strong, clear vocals, and a heartwarmingly familiar folk tune.
Rauchwerk’s new single comes as a follow up to his 2018 debut solo album, We Are More Than What We Leave Behind.
“Only January Knows” is available on all streaming services on October 13.
Metric is one of those bands I had heard so much about over the last 20 years, yet never got to see live, that is until Tuesday, October 10 at New York’s intimate Bowery Ballroom.
Fresh off the Gargage/Noel Gallagher tour this summer, the band has often been comfortable as an opening act, even opening up for Paramore at Madison Square Garden. To Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of their first album Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? they set out on a short run of small intimate clubs.
The Canadian synthpop four-piece (though this night they were nothing short of high energy rock show) really held nothing back last night as they strolled out in style onto the stage at the Bowery. No fluff, not even an opening act booked, just doors at 8pm, Metric at 9pm, as the sign at the door stated. Front woman Emily Haines came out with nothing to prove as the room erupted and the band plowed through a few songs before she addressed the crowd.
It’s hard to keep your eyes off her on stage, the band was really tight and energetic, a crammed stage full of keyboards facing pretty much every direction, rotating between rock, pop and some acoustic numbers. Half the set was of course songs off Old World, followed by 5 off Formentera, a few covers and one song off the new Album out Today, Formentera II.
Metric – Bowery Ballroom, NYC – Tuesday, October 10
Setlist: IOU, The List, False Dichotomy, What Feels Like Eternity, Succexy, Dead Disco, Who Would You Be for Me, Love Is a Place, Formentera, Just the Once, All Comes Crashing, Calculation Theme, On a Slow Night, Anthems for a Seventeen Year-Old Girl, Doomscroller, Hustle Rose, Combat Baby, Nothing Is Perfect
In performances incorporating not only his musicianship, but also his photography, writing and storytelling, Andy Summers performed at the Hart Theatre at the Egg in Albany on Wednesday, October 11. He will also be performing Saturday night, October 14, at the Patchogue Theatre in Patchogue, Long Island, with these marking the only two New York shows during his current Cracked Lens + Missing String Tour.
The tour’s title is a metaphor for vulnerability and life’s imperfections, Summers has explained.
Andy Summers with his band mates in The Police, would make history becoming the best band of their day, with “Every Breath You Take” still being the most played song on radio in history, making Andy Summers the most listened to guitarist of his time.
This tour is a long way from his first time on the East Coast playing with The Police at The Chance in Poughkeepsie with only four people in attendance, their first tour of the U.S. before becoming a phenomenon.
In a phone interview we did last week, he spoke of it fondly, recalling how grateful they all were to get the gig and to be touring America at the time. “What it signified was how we had to maintain our spirit and do a raging show despite a small audience possibly due to a snowstorm at the time.”
With his photography show looming large behind him on stage, the performance is a multi-sensory emotional experience for audience members, taking them along on his creative journey with The Police and as a solo musician having toured the world.
The audience will be treated to a set list that includes both his Police and solo work as one of music’s most prolific artists and the most listened to guitarist.
“I’m matching my ideas – my music and assembled images; you get a broader view of my guitar work, a fuller show than when I started out,” Summers said in the interview. He mentioned some of the songs he incorporates into the shows. “Bring On The Night” will take some back to decades ago upon first hearing the classically inspired guitar arpeggio.
“Roxanne” may not be putting on the red light, refined now in the instrumental way Andy Summers has chosen to portray her: still sprightly, still sultry. His recent flamenco flavored instrumental version of “Roxanne” portrays this classic which fans describe as masterful musical visual storytelling.
“Tea in the Sahara” is a song, he stated in the interview, that he enjoys putting in this show as “it sits very well on the guitar to be played beautifully and I add to it. And I went to the Sahara, took a lot of pictures there and feel very lucky to have done that.”
Andy Summers has stayed with his fans for decades since his history-making time with The Police.
His photography is still being exhibited in galleries world wide; he is still writing fiction and non fiction best selling books. His plans to write The Trouble with Guitars is already in the works, as is a plan to make a film of this tour.
You can see him next here in New York on Saturday night, October 14 at the Patchogue Theatre.
TANSU, a NYC-based singer-songwriter, has released her brand new track titled “Got 2 Me,” sparked from a collaboration with American Authors’ Dave Rublin. “Got 2 Me” is a soul-pop ballad that shines a spotlight on the singer’s talented vocal ability.
TANSU takes her name from the Turkish term for the sun’s radiant touch on ocean waters just before sunrise. With roots in both Turkey and Ireland and a background in fashion, the singer has been based in New York City for 13 years after graduating from Berklee College of Music in Boston.
“Got 2 Me” is a dreamy pop ballad, punctuated by a strong synth bass line. With echoing backtrack vocals and sounds of water flowing, TANSU shows a strong grasp of the path laid by legends like Whitney Houston, from whom she cites her inspiration.
‘Got 2 Me’ is a very vulnerable song about trusting someone to love you the right way. After falling in love the wrong way, it’s all the more difficult to fall in love again, correctly. This song is about that path.
TANSU
Last month, TANSU released “DOWNTOWN,” her first single alongside Dave Rublin of American Authors. The two met in college and formed a strong duo, combining their talents in the musical arts to form hits like “DOWNTOWN” and “Got 2 Me.”
TANSU continues to integrate herself into the New York City scene, having played a residency at Lafolia Restaurant in Manhattan, and lending her vocals to NYC indie hip-hop artist Lars Viola’s 2018 EP The Wash Up. She is co-producing her debut EP, set to release this summer. Stream “Downtown” and “Got 2 Me” on all platforms.
You may know Kat Wright from her big bombastic soul band, which numbered seven to nine members. But in a carryover from the pandemic, when she and a couple of bandmates took to playing in a smaller and “safer” format, they have been playing out as just a trio. Wright, joined by bassist Josh Weinstein and guitarist Bob Wagner, blew through from Vermont to Rochester to play an Honest Folk show at Good Luck on October 8.
A native of Penfield, Kat Wright was coming home again after attending, and playing at, her brother’s wedding just a few weeks prior. But this was her first headlining show in her hometown since before the pandemic, only returning for opening spots for the Wood Brothers just before the world shut down and for Ryan Montbleau Band this past summer.
On a cold and rainy Sunday, the crowd packed into the intimate space at Good Luck. Settled on the stage set between two brick walls that acted as a hearth, the band was like a glimmering flame, keeping the room cozy and warm.
The kindling was sparked with a beautiful cover of CSN’s “You Don’t Have to Cry” that allowed the band to immediately showcase its wonderful three-part harmonies. Then it was on to the original “You Have Problems,” a swinging number about that special someone who bugs you. They stoked the fire, keeping the flames alive and burning, with a mix of old tunes, new tunes from a forthcoming album, and a solid bundle of covers.
The originals rarely carried vestiges from any possible big band arrangement, sounding comfortable wearing the clothing of a three-piece folk band. When given the opportunity, Wagner’s guitar worked in some brilliant lines, while Weinstein held steady and eternally interesting grooves. Wright’s powerful voice could easily carry the music on its own, but when joined by her band mates sparks really flew. One of the new ones, “Mind Games” was described as their version of “Jolene.”
They also sprinkled in plenty of tunes that weren’t just referential to others’ music, but actual covers. Though on the whole, their covers were more like interpretations, throwing their own spin on the material. Recognizing a subtle hint of the Everly Brothers’ “Cathy’s Clown” in Harry Nillson’s “Walk Right Back,” they more overtly mashed the two together, including an ever so slight nod also to Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon,” resulting in what they referred to as a musical turducken.
The second set started up with their take on Big Brother and the Holding Company’s “Piece of My Heart,” reworking it so it sounded more like a Paul Simon song. In the encore they took another instantly recognizable song, Pink Floyd’s “Breathe” and again simmered it down to bare bones folk song, keeping the crow completely rapt. Sometimes a crowd is engaged by singing along at the top of their lungs. Here, though most everyone knew all of the words, the audience sat agape and silent. As the last echoes of sound lifted, the flame of a Sunday night fire turned to smoke and memories.
Acclaimed singer, songwriter, and producer James Blake played two sold out nights at Knockdown Center this weekend, October 5, as part of his Playing Robots Into Heaven Tour. Blake’s longtime bandmate Rob McAndrews opened the show under the stage name Airhead.
James Blake at Knockdown Center, Photograph by David Reichmann (@davidpresspass)
James Blake’s tour concludes October 20th in Los Angeles. Check out his upcoming dates here, and listen to Blake’s latest album here.
James Blake at Knockdown Center, Photograph by David Reichmann (@davidpresspass)
Our full photo gallery by David Reichmann is below.
On October 8th, music fans gathered at the LIMEHOF to celebrate “A Celebration of the Long Island Club Scene” from the 1980s. The evening’s centerpiece was a book signing by Jay Jay French, the iconic guitarist of Twisted Sister, who had recently authored his memoir, Twisted Business: Lessons from My Life in Rock and Roll. However, this evening was much more than just a book signing.
Jay Jay French initiated the event, greeting fans, signing his book, and sharing captivating rock ‘n’ roll anecdotes. Fans had the opportunity to connect with the legendary musician, acquiring signed memorabilia that would serve as treasured mementos.
After the book signing, Joe Rock from WBAB moderated an enlightening Q&A session for the crowd. The panel consisted of luminaries from the Long Island music scene, including Ken Neil and Mark “The Animal” Mendoza, the original and current bassists of Twisted Sister, Joe Franco, one of the original members of The Good Rats, Randy Jackson and Felix Hanneman of Zebra, and Mark Fowler of the Stanton Anderson Band. These musicians, each with their unique stories and experiences, painted a vivid picture of the vibrant Long Island club scene in the 1980s.
An eye-opening revelation of the evening linked Goodfellas mobsters to Speaks, a popular club in Island Park. Panelists shared stories of the mob’s role in the local music scene, illuminating Long Island’s club circuit history rarely discussed.
Jay Jay French recounted a remarkable tale of Twisted Sister’s last show at Hammer Heads, where fans were given the freedom to destroy the venue. Instead of harming their career, it propelled them to fame, with other Long Island clubs eager to host them for more wild performances. The Long Island club scene had a reputation for wild audiences, and Twisted Sister embraced it.
Following the enlightening Q&A, the audience enjoyed a musical extravaganza with all the panelists taking part. Jay Jay French, the charismatic frontman of Twisted Sister, took the lead in performing several hits. The exception was when Randy Jackson of Zebra stepped up to the microphone to deliver a powerful rendition of Zebra’s classic “Tell Me What You Want,” much to the delight of the crowd. The setlist was a dynamic mix of rock classics, including “All the Young Dudes,” “Crosscut Saw,” and captivating covers of Lou Reed‘s “Vicious” and “Walk on the Wild Side.”
The night ended with an exciting performance of Lou Reed’s “Sweet Jane,” making it a fantastic conclusion. The audience at the LIMEHOF marveled at the incredible talent and the captivating history they had just experienced.
Update: Dee Snider, the frontman of Twisted Sister, has just revealed that he will host a book signing for his debut novel, “Frats,” at the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame located at 97 Main Street in Stony Brook. The event is scheduled for October 14th, commencing at 6pm. While the book signing is open to the public without charge, please note that entry to the museum will necessitate the purchase of a general admission ticket
It was now or never. I had not seen a show at The Chance, despite seeing shows in all parts of New York State, and somehow never made it a point to get there for a show. With the recent sale of the building and renovations slated to begin, The Chance’s final slate of shows in September and October meant that years of putting off traveling south to Poughkeepsie for a show had finally crept up to me, so a jaunt down I-87 was in order on a Saturday night, October 7, to see what this historic Hudson Valley venue held within its walls.
With a dive bar aura, cracking ceiling paint and a general ambiance best described as faded glory, The Chance feels like a time-forgotten Cohoes Music Hall, where a dedicated effort could put a shine across the venue and bring back patrons by the hundreds. Cohoes Music Hall, on the other hand, has the support of the city of Cohoes, a variety of acts and shows, active renovation efforts (in a building that is more than 30 years older than The Chance) and history on display from lobby to pit and all points in between. But the charm of The Chance, a 110 year old building that was originally designed for vaudeville, was present and the denseness of the room was palpable, with a light crowd spreading out on the lower level throughout the night.
One of the (likely) original sculptures in The Chance, overlooking the bar at Stage Left.
The Chance feels as if the history has been tucked away, with just a few stained glass windows, a painting or two, and a pair of sarcophagi flanking the stage off to the upper left and right. With the show tonight not sold out, the upstairs was not accessible, although I’m not sure what more could be seen from up above. The view from below did not leave a ton to the imagination – seating upstairs and room for folks to pack in downstairs amounts to a capacity of 900, but with only 200 or so patrons this evening, just the downstairs was rocking.
A view from the pit
On tap for this evening were a trio of tribute bands – Halen (Van Halen, obv.), Wicked Garden (Stone Temple Pilots, immediately piquing my interest) and Faceless (Godsmack). While I’ll always seek out original music before covers, tribute acts for three hard rocking bands from the last 40 years wasn’t a hard sell.
Growing on up in the 80s with equal parts Van Halen and Van Hagar on the radio, catching Halen – hailin’ from Connecticut – would be a rare chance to hear a non-jamband cover “Running with the Devil” and “Hot for Teacher.” And that was all we would catch from Halen this evening, arriving just past 8pm as they wound down their short opening set. Doors at 7pm and music starting on time at 730pm? Never would have expected that, but I would still seek out Halen again, with hope for some deep cuts next time, as well as the hits.
The stage curtain at The Chance Theatre
Having been a Stone Temple Pilots fan since Core, I was ready for a full barrage of STP classics, and Wicked Garden did not disappoint. In a scene where cover bands are plentiful, tribute acts like Wicked Garden stand out for their attention to musical detail and the ability to dive into a catalog with more than just a cursory look at the hits. The fans want those hits no doubt, but the deeper cuts, the tracks that slipped in between the radio play singles on the album, or buried on Side B, those are the money tunes to cash in on as a tribute band.
Matty Ayerz, the frontman (Scott Weiland) of Wicked Garden, had Weiland’s vocals down, his stage presence and microphone/bullhorn volume just perfect, as well as Weiland’s late career look – button down shirt, tie, jacket, with military-style cap – but saved the crowd from going full-Weiland and taking off his shirt. This evening Ayerz was dialed in, as were his bandmates, and while the bassist and guitarist were not brothers, this tribute band was otherwise as close to what you’d hope to get from an STP show, were Weiland still alive and on good terms with the DeLeo brothers.
Highlights of the set included the expected “Wicked Garden,” a refreshing revisit to “Interstate Love Song,” a tune whose excessive radio play in 1994 none could escape from, and “Lady Picture Show” – a tune I hadn’t heard in a decade or more, which settled in a little different this evening, with the vaudeville era theater giving off a glow, as if the song harkened back to the era of silent films of a century ago.
While the setlist below gives you an idea of what the band performs on stage, the actual setlist was a little more varied, slowly working through the band’s numerous hits, and ending with “Creep,” “Sex Type Thing,” “Plush” and “Dead and Bloated.” Looks, sound, energy and presence – Wicked Garden had it all this evening, and no doubt will be in the Hudson Valley again soon.
Faceless: a tribute to Godsmack, would be the final act of the evening, drawing in many fans to the previously vacant pit, prepared to rock out to the sound and live energy that Godsmack is known for.
Veteran musicians Tony, Chad, Rich and Bret crafted a phenomenal set, taking time to pay heed to the venue, recalling the memories made in the venue, bringing up Tommy Terezis (Soundquake, Body Level, Hallow Time, Them) to say kind words for the late Frank Pallet, who booked Terezis, Faceless, and hundreds of other bands in his tenure as owner of The Chance. Kudos were paid to Frank for his years of looking out for bands and booking them, giving them a shot in this intimate room.
With more playback than Wicked Garden, the build up into each Godsmack song took some time, as the band prepped for each tune, the vocals as spot on as you’d expect – close your eyes and you’re hearing Sully Erna – notably on “Voodoo” and “I Stand Alone.”
With only 10 total events (including School of Rock and karaoke, as well as a variety of bands), Hatebreed will be the final artist to perform on The Chance stage, for now. Catch them on Sunday, October 29, with doors opening at 4pm. More info can be found here.
