Adequate Phil, the self-described freak-folk group hailing from Troy, released “Peaches,” their brand new track on August 20. The song is a dreamy, lo-fi tune with a rap verse that takes the group in a new direction.
Credit: Sarah Straight @sarahestraight
“Peaches” features harmonizing, distorted vocals reminiscent of the group’s cited influences from classic psychedelic acts like Animal Collective, The Beatles, Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Radiohead. Synth lines and beats create the backtrack of the song, ensuring a consistent tone and rhythm for listeners to dance and sway to.
Credit: Headless Relatives @headlessrelatives
Adequate Phil is a four-piece group, comprised of L Nino (guitar, vocals, percussion, production), Showerpanther (effects, synths, vocals), Phil (bass, guitar, vocals, mixing, production), and Andrew Golden (drums, percussion).
The group recently participated in the Jive Hive Live Halloween Special, an upcoming mini video releasing on October 31, Halloween Day. Jive Hive Live is an intimate studio facility built for live recordings and livestream productions.
Upcoming Shows
September 27 – No Fun, Troy, NY (supporting Activity)
September 28 – El Dorado, Troy, Ny (supporting Heathmonger)
It was an extraordinary evening as the inaugural jazz concert of the upcoming Canterbury Woods Jazz Series took place at the new Canterbury Woods Performing Arts Center, featuring the magnificent Jane Bunnett and Maqueque. We want to express our immense gratitude to all of you, the jazz enthusiasts, and the JazzBuffalo Community.
We were faced with the formidable challenge of orchestrating a warm and welcoming reception for this award-winning ensemble in less than three weeks. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the nearly full-capacity audience and all the supporters who filled the new Canterbury Woods Performing Arts Center. The inspiration and enthusiastic reception you provided to these five incredibly talented women on stage were truly exceptional and unforgettable. They were filled with joy and were eager to share with others the fantastic JazzBuffalo experience, the incredible supporters, and the enthusiastic audience that our region has to offer.
Jane Bunnett and Maqueque delivered an exceptional performance. Bunnett led the all-female ensemble, drawing from the ten-year journey of Maqueque, encompassing their original self-titled album to their latest release, “Playing With Fire.”
In addition to Jane Bunnett’s enchanting soprano saxophone and flute, the ensemble featured Donae’ Olano’s beautiful piano performance, Tailin Marrero on the powerful bass, Joanna Majoko captivating with her vocals, and the drummer/percussionist extraordinaire, Yissy Garcia.
Read more and discover more photos from JazzBuffalo contributor Jack Zuff at JazzBuffalo.org
Brooklyn-based electropop duo, FIIZ, released their newest single “Phantom Limb” on September 14. “Phantom Limb” skillfully captures the torment of an emotional rupture that is often overlooked, and faced by everyone in today’s society.
This new track forces listeners to contemplate a deeply personal sentiment: the odd feeling of missing someone even if they are physically present. While songs, movies, and literature prepare us for the heartache of romantic love, few artists offer solace for the experience of losing a platonic friend. “Phantom Limb” invites listeners to face these feelings head-on, and normalize this sensation.
“We wanted to write about the aftermath when time has passed and healing has begun, but maybe there will never be closure.”
Isabelle, FIIZ
The band FIIZ is comprised of Fiona (Fi) and Isabelle (Iz). The band sprouted from their profound friendship that grew during the quarantine of the COVID-19 pandemic. As artists, they aim to defy norms as they both fearlessly represent the LGBTQ+ community, and champion the queer community proudly through their music. They continue to break the heteronormative pop culture that’s deeply engraved in the music industry, shattering barriers with their unapologetic artistic expression and empowering presence.
FIIZ’s sound is a canvas where both band members blend their influences, resulting in an electronic-pop sound that incorporates elements of hyperpop and EDM. Their previous single, “Lungs,” stands as a celebration of queer sensuality, capturing the emotions experienced during a woman’s first encounter with another woman.
In an era where music tends to romanticize and idealize heteronormative relationships, FIIZ’s “Phantom Limb” stands as a testament to the complexity of human connections, reaching their listeners on a deeper, more personal level.
Listen to their single on Spotify and follow them on Instagram for future updates.
Willie Nelson brought his Outlaw Music Festival to Saratoga for a late-summer jam session. With a tour that celebrates Willie’s lifelong musical genius and his legacy of hits, this tour seems extra special as Willie turned a remarkable 90 years old this year. The show brings an “Outlaw Village” with it, which is a little village of vendors that travel with the festival. And there is certainly a festival vibe as attendees ate and partied all throughout SPAC’s beautiful grounds.
The evening opened with Waylon Payne playing a solo acoustic set of country and bluegrass. (Particle Kid (Willie’s Nelson’s son’s group) was not there to start the night off.) Highlights from Payne’s set include an excellent cover of Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire,” and Payne’s own classic “Born to Lose.” Payne was genuinely thankful to be performing and expressed that gratitude many times. Payne showed up later in the night as Willie’s right hand man during Willie’s set. A good night for Waylon Payne.
Los Lobos was up next. It’s unfortunate that the festival was held on a week night. Even though it was Friday, it was slow to fill and was still visibly empty when Los Lobos took the stage. They handled it like the classic professionals they are though and put on a hell of a set. Even with attendance low, one could look anywhere in the amphitheater and see people dancing to Los Lobos’ hits. With what had to be a nod to Bobby Weir, they opened with their song “Will the Wolf Survive?”. They followed that up with Three Midniters’ “Love Special Delivery.” The standout for the set was the set closing “La Bomba” segueing into The Olympics’ “Good Lovin’” and then back into “La Bomba.” With the set opening and closing with a nod to Mr. Weir, the crowd was warmed up indeed!
Hitting the stage next was The String Cheese Incident. Having been 20 or so years since this listener last saw SCI, it was special to hear them open with “Smile.” Michael Kang busted out his violin and the jam took off into classic Outlaw territory. With a blend of deep cuts and new tunes, it was good to hear these guys again. The highlight for this listener was the 20ish minutes of “Missing Me” segueing into “Just One Story.” Looking around the venue, one could see many Friends of Cheese dancing to the jams.
Setlist: Smile, Get Tight, Suntan, Barstool, Missin’ Me, Just One Story, Bhangra Saanj, Can’t Stop Now.
While this constant listener is not an old-school Deadhead with hundreds of Grateful Dead shows under his belt, but I have been listening to them for about 40 years now, and they remain in regular rotation at my home and in my car. Having been at this show, and from seeing chatter online, what occurred with the Bobby set this evening was one hell of a Dead set. Bobby Weir and the Wolf Bros Featuring the Wolfpack dropped an incredible set of music on SPAC. The Wolfpack brings horns to jam. Drop a horn section into a “Dark Star”, a slow-building “Dark Star”, and magic happens. Add a “West LA Fade Away”, a “Wharf Rat”, and wrap it up with a “Sugar Magnolia” and you have one incredible set. And all this fails to mention the “El Paso”, the “Greatest Story Ever Told”, and the “New Speedway Boogie”! Listen to this set over Nugs.Net, and don’t you think of skipping that “Lost Sailor” with horns!
Setlist: Bertha, Greatest Story Ever Told, Dark Star, El Paso, Lost Sailor, Saint of Circumstance, West LA Fadeaway, New Speedway Boogie, Wharf Rat, Sugar Magnolia
To cap the evening off, Willie Nelson came on stage and amazed the crowd with his never-ending charisma and charm. His opening number “Whiskey River” segued into “Stay All Night (Stay a Little Longer).” Listening to Willie is always a trip down Nostalgia Lane. He has written so many classic tunes, it’s mind-blowing. Highlights for this listener were “Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys”, “On the Road Again” and that all-time classic “Always on My Mind” (written by Wayne Carson, Johnny Christopher, and Mark James).
The patience shown by die-hard fans waiting for their statesman Willie Nelson paid off that evening. Sitting through the noodle-ly dancing of the Cheese- and Deadheads, fans were now saying they were glad that people were sitting so they could see Willie on stage. Willie was remarkable. At 90 years of age, he came out on stage unassisted, sat and played for an hour, and then left after waving and throwing his bandana into the crowd. Imagine catching Willie Nelson’s bandana? What a keepsake!
Setlist: Whiskey River (Johnny Bush cover), Stay a Little Longer (Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys cover), Still Is Still Moving to Me, Bloody Mary Morning, I Never Cared for You, Workin’ Man Blues (Merle Haggard and The Strangers cover), Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys, Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground, On the Road Again, Always On My Mind, Good Hearted Woman (Waylon Jennings cover), Help Me Make It Through the Night (Kris Kristofferson cover) (Waylon Payne – lead vocals), Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die, Still Not Dead, Georgia (On My Mind) (Hoagy Carmichael and His Orchestra cover), I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train (Billy Joe Shaver cover), Write Your Own Songs (Willie Nelson & Kris Kristofferson cover), Move It on Over (Hank Williams With His Drifting Cowboys cover), Me and Bobby McGee (Kris Kristofferson cover), Will the Circle Be Unbroken? (William MacEwan cover) (with Bob Weir), I’ll Fly Away (Rev. J.M. Gates cover) (with Bob Weir), It’s Hard to Be Humble (Mac Davis cover), Saw the Light
Affectionately dubbed “The BABYKLOK Tour,” the infectious metal tandem of BABYMETAL and Dethklok descended upon the Hammerstein Ballroom this past Friday night (September 15) – a turn-of-the-century opera house located in Midtown Manhattan – for the twelfth stop on their 29-date trek across North America.
Providing opening support on this night, and for the entire tour, was 32-year-old guitar virtuoso Jason Richardson of Manassas, Virginia. Hours before the show, an eclectic recipe of fans lined West 34th Street in eager anticipation of the show, including anime girls in full costume, tattooed death metal fans, and conservative mothers and fathers with their teenage daughters.
BABYMETAL | Photo Credit: Michael Dinger
The evening’s first co-headliner to appear on stage was Dethklok, both a virtual band featured in Adult Swim’s animated, dark comedy program Metalocalpse and a natural melodic death metal band created to perform in front of a live audience. The fictional members of the band, who were featured throughout the 16-song set in numerous dark and macabre animations on a huge monitor that functioned as the stage backdrop, include Nathan Explosion, Toki Wartooth, Pickles, Skwisgaar Skwigelf, and William Murderface.
Dethklok | Photo Credit: Michael Dinger
The actual members of the band are comprised of Brendon Small (a co-creator of both bands along with Tommy Blacha), Gene Hoglan, Bryan Beller, and Mike Keneally. Also joining Dethklok in their live performances for this tour is Nili Brosh, an Israeli-American guitarist who has played with Steve Vai, DragonForce, and The Iron Maidens. Watch Dethklok perform “Bloodlines,” lifted from their 2009 studio album Dethalbum II, below:
Last to take the stage, but certainly not least, was the Japanese kawaii metal band (a musical fusion of heavy metal and J-Pop) known as BABYMETAL who are touring in support of their fourth album The Other One, a concept album released in March 2023. A trio of young women ranging in age from 20 to 25 years old, BABYMETAL formed in 2010 and is comprised of main vocalist Suzuka Nakamoto as “Su-metal,” Moa Kikuchi as “Moametal” and Momoko Okazaki as “Momometal” (the band’s latest addition).
With vocals backed by heavy metal instrumentation performed by a group of session musicians known as the “Kami Band,” BABYMETAL thrilled the sold-out 2,200-capacity crowd with a breathtaking routine filled with their own brand of non-stop, synchronized dancing, while at the same time willing their fans to harness raw, head-bang inducing energy. Watch BABYMETAL perform “PA PA YA!!,” taken from their 2019 studio album titled Metal Resistance Episode VII – Apocrypha – The Chosen Seven, below:
Dethklok Setlist: Deththeme > Briefcase Full of Guts > Birthday Dethday > Awaken > Bloodlines > The Gears > Hatredcopter > Dethsupport > Duncan Hills Coffee Jingle > Aortic Desecration > I Ejaculate Fire > The Duel > Murmaider > Thunderhorse > SOS > Go Into the Water
BABYMETAL Setlist: BABYMETAL DEATH > Gimme Chocolate!! > PA PA YA!! > Distortion > BxMxC > Believing > Monochrome > METALI!! > Megitsune > Headbangeeeeerrrrr!!!!! > Road of Resistance
UPCOMING TOUR DATES
09/20 – Grand Rapids, MI @ GLC Live at 20 Monroe 09/21 – Chicago, IL @ Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom 09/23 – Louisville, KY @ Louder Than Life Festival 09/24 – Milwaukee, MN @ The Rave/Eagles Club 09/25 – Minneapolis, MN @ The Fillmore 09/27 – St. Louis, MO @ Saint Louis Music Park 09/28 – Omaha, NE @ Steelhouse Omaha 09/30 – Denver, CO @ Fillmore Auditorium 10/01 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex 10/03 – Vancouver, BC @ PNE Forum 10/04 – Seattle, WA @ WaMu Theater 10/07 – Sacramento, CA @ Aftershock Festival 10/08 – Las Vegas, NV @ Pearl Theater at Palms Casino Resort 10/10 – Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona Financial Theater 10/11 – Los Angeles, CA @ YouTube Theater
Afropunk returned to Brooklyn for 2 days of music on August 26th & 27th. The festival took place at Brooklyn’s Greenpoint Terminal Market for 2023.
As on brand for Afropunk, the lineup for the festival was all black artists from various genres. Some notable names included Tobe Nwigwe, Baby Tate, and Vince Staples. The lineup also included New York’s own Joey Bada$$, and day 2 headliner, Teyana Taylor.
Unlike last year, this year had a theme, which was Circus of Soul. Motifs of this theme could be seen throughout the event. Both on stage and in the crowd, fans and artists dressed as though they were part of a circus. R&B artist Cleo Reed really leaned into the theme by dressing them selves and other stage performers in clown attire during their set. There were performers on stilts wearing kente cloth patterns walking throughout the crowd. There were also Aerial Ring performers periodically doing stunts throughout the weekend.
This year was truly one to be at, as there were many performances and attractions that festival goers could really interact with all day.
A festival of the Arts
Afropunk is a festival that is bigger than music. Though music may be the highlight, it also features art and artists from all over the globe that center their creativity around the African diaspora. Inside the Spin Thrift Market, there were vendors selling things like clothes, jewelry, books, and weed products. Outside the Market, there were spaces for health and beauty. Festival goers were able to get their hair and makeup done, henna tattoos, and facials. Most of the vendors were also African American owned and operated.
In addition to vendors that were selling merchandise, there were also areas for festival goers to interact. In the center between the two stages, there were tents set up for festival goers to play games and run through a bubble pit. It seems as though they learned from last year as most activities and vendors were set up under large tents to protect against any potential rain.
Nonetheless, as much as there was to do off stage, there was much to watch on stage. There was a two stage setup to accommodate for about 30 performances. In between performances on both stages were DJ SNS and DJ Mohogany. They helped to keep the party going as people awaited some of their favorite artists to take the stage.
Day 1 Highlights
Day 1 had strong performances from Cleo Reed and a collaboration from the Soapbox presents on the 3 Ring Stage. The Soapbox brought together vocalists and musicians to bring a rock, R&B, and gospel like performance. This was one of the many perfect displays of how African American music is has roots in so many different genres that tend to overlap one another. The performance had fans feeling cool in the end of summer heat.
One of day 1’s most notable and electric performances was from Tobe Nwigwe. Originally from Houston, TX, Tobe holds on to his Nigerian roots well as they could be seen in his performances. He is always recognizable with his seafoam green outfits and sets. He brought out his wife, Martica Nwigwe, for a few songs from his set. He also had Olu from Earthgang come out for a song. Olu came out on brand, wearing seafoam green wings to sing “WILDLINGS” with Tobe. The performance was full of energy and surprises that keep the audience screaming for an hour.
Tobe’s performance was evened out by a more mellow from Vince Staples. Vince stared as “Maurice” earlier this year in the Emmy award winning show, Abbott Elementary. His Long Beach, CA vibes really brought the crowd down from their state of choas from before. Though his set did not features as many theatrics like Tobe’s, he still had the attention of the crowd. Vince had the crowd singing along to his hit song, “Norf Norf,” before there was a mass exodus from the event.
An uneventful end to the hype
The first night was headlined by Flying Lotus. He is a producer and DJ who has worked on many projects on TV shows and film. One of the most notable projects was Netflix’sYasuke, an anime centered around the story of Japan’s first black samurai. He makes a lot of EDM and electronic rap songs primarily.
Flying Lotus did not receive much of an introduction which left many fans confused. Though his fans would be familiar with his music and style, this may have been many’s first exposure to him. He could barely be seen from behind his DJ booth and did not say a word for at least the first 20 minutes of his set. About halfway through, he was joined by rapper Smoke DZA, who he is working on a collaborative album with. Smoke DZA did bring some excitement and energy to his performance.
After Smoke DZA’s exit, Flying Lotus played a few more songs and was about to leave. He did not realize that his set was not over and played for about another 15 minutes. Flying Lotus had a pretty anti-climatic exit, as it was a pretty bleak end to day 1 of Afropunk 2023.
A stark turn around from Day 1’s mishaps
Day 2 still featured a full lineup that had Greenpoint full. What was nice about this year’s festival was the scheduling of performances. With the stage schedules pretty staggered, fans were able to see all their artists without really having to miss a performance. This really set Afropunk apart from other festivals as many usually have fans contemplating which artists they wanted to see more. If they wanted to, fans could see just about every artist and take in the full Afropunk experience.
Some notable performances from Day 2 were from Baby Tate and Joey Bada$$. Baby Tate brought a fun energy out of the crowd. With a lot of positive sexual messages infused in her lyrics, her music and performance made Greenpoint a safe space for women to express themselves. In the middle of her set, Baby Tate took a break and her DJ Sky Jetta tapped into a different side of her fans. Though Baby Tate makes rap music, Sky Jetta played alternative rock hits, including “I write sins not tragedies” that absolutely killed.
Baby Tate came back and continued to kill. She played unreleased song “Wig” and ended on her hit “I am” to leave things on a high. Joey Bad$$ proceeded her and continues to bring smiles.
New York showing out for New York artists
Joey Bad$$ was happy to be back in his hometown as he expressed his love for Brooklyn all through out his performance. The theme around his performance was love as he turned the camera toward the audience to celebrate black love. He had a kiss cam going on for a bit before singing “Love is only a feeling.” He dedicated a few songs to fallen black artists including, XXXTentacion, Nipsey Hustle, Pop Smoke, Young Dolph, and more.
Before he left, he expressed his happiness to be playing at an event where he could see so many black faces. He also threw a jab at Afropunk for being a bit unprofessional behind the scenes. He still left things on a high with “Devasated” before handing the stage over to Teyana Taylor.
The energy from day 2 was drastically different than from the previous day. Day 2’s lineup featured so many artist that people knew and loved. They had performances that people wanted to be a part of and sing along with. Day 2 was originally supposed to end with Grammy award winner Jazmine Sullivan. Due to some personal reasons, she could not perform, but Teyana Taylor was passed the torch to close out the weekend.
Rose of Harlem feeling the love
Nicked named the “Rose of Harlem”, Teyana Taylor closed out to packed audience in her city. Teyana had mentioned during her performance that she was nervous to headline a show as she felt as though no one would stay for her. Though some mic issues may have fueled those nerves early on, New York showed her so much love that it brought her to tears.
The sound was getting too much for Teyana as she asked for just the keys to play during one of her songs. She was able to get real close and emotional with the crowd before turning things back up. The crowd screamed “Issues” and ” Gonna Love Me” with Teyana.
She was joined on stage by her daughter ,”Junnie,” and husband Iman Shumphert, for a few songs. Her daughter helped her throw out free t-shirts to the audience. Teyana also had 3 outfit changes that synced up with the many different vibes of her performance.
She exited the stage, but quickly came back for an encore. Teyana ran into the middle column of the pit to slap the hands of her fans before closing out the night. She thanked New York for showing her so much love and making this performance one worth leaving retirement for.
Afropunk continued to bring peace, love, and education about African American culture to one of the biggest melting pots of the world. With Afropunk’s voice continuing to reach millions, it’s only a matter of time before it starts to expand to other cities across the globe.
John Legend, the 12-time Grammy award-winning artist performed at Tanglewood at the Koussevitzky Music Shed in Lenox, MA on Sunday, Sept. 3. This was a highly anticipated and long-awaited performance for local fans as well as those who traveled to the Berkshires during Labor Day weekend.
Fans arrived right on time to find their seats in the covered area of the Shed, while the lawn was filling up fast, finding their perfect spots to enjoy the evening. Everyone was bustling about with preconcert energy. Families gathering, friends visiting, and people exploring the beautiful grounds of Tanglewood.
The show began at 7 pm. Taking the stage, John appeared in a light-colored suit smiling as he made his way to the piano ready to share his story and music.
He started his story from the beginning. Formally introducing himself with his birth name, where he was from, his childhood, and through the years. He played well-known songs such as “All of Me,” “Stay with You,” “Wonder Woman,” and many others during the evening. His stories give an inspiring insight into his life and music.
“An Evening with John Legend” is exactly what this concert experience is – a wonderful evening indeed.
Indie rock singer-songwriter Stephen Artemis Jr. announced his new single, “Pale Blue,” released on September 15. The new track is a classic American murder ballad, as Artemis channels country, rock, and indie veins to fuse his newest release.
“Pale Blue” is a lively Americana track from Artemis, showing his signature harmonica skills and a strong following melody. It has a full, busy arrangement, which is not to it’s detriment, but instead emphasizes the pressure and drama of the murder ballad storyline. With inspiration of dark, true crime media, Stephen Artemis Jr. creates a searing look into Americana folk-rock tunes and steadily marks his place among them.
I really like true-crime podcasts. I watched way too much true-crime TV over the pandemic, so I think that’s how the song’s concept crept into my brain. I wanted to test myself to see if I could write something dark, like a true-crime podcast, but in my preferred medium; music’s version of true-crime is “the murder ballad” and Americana music is particularly rife with that type of song, but I felt that nobody had written a proper murder ballad in a long time.
Stephen Artemis Jr.
No stranger to the New York music scene, Stephen Artemis Jr was born and raised in New York’s Capital Region. In 2006, he moved to New York City and now operates out of Brooklyn. As a former member of Brooklyn-based The Falling Birds, Artemis now leads his own solo project, with two albums under his belt so far. “Pale Blue” marks the beginning of his new project, with more announcements to come.
“Pale Blue” is available on streaming services and for download on BandCamp. Find more information and announcements to come at stephenartemis.com.
Monday, September 11 saw indie-rock legends Pavement perform at Brooklyn Steel for the first of four shows, amid a reunion tour that has stretched on since 2022 and is wrapping up with a performance at The National’s Homecoming Festival.
Drummer Steve West welcomed the crowd, saying, “Hi, we’re the Pavement Band,” setting a tone for the night, kicking off with “Heckler Spray” off 1993’s Westing (By Musket and Sextant). The lengthy first set included “Embassy Row,” “Kennel District,” “Gold Soundz” and “Serpentine Pad,” closing out the show with “Major Leagues.”
Prior to the three-song encore, frontman Stephen Malkmus thanked the audience and the openers for the evening, Kiwi Jr, from Toronto, joking with the fans and thanking them for coming to see ‘some washed up losers.’ The band wrapped up the show with “Father to a Sister of a Thought,” “Cut Your Hair,” and “Stop Breathin.”
Pavement – Brooklyn Steel, Brooklyn – Monday, September 11, 2023
Setlist: Heckler Spray, Feed ‘em to the (Linden) Lions, Embassy Row, Starlings of the Slipstream, Perfume-V, Kennel District, She Believes, Gold Soundz, Black Out, Silence Kid, Serpentine Pad, Folk Jam, Spit on a Stranger, We Dance, Box Elder, The Hexx, Painted Soldiers, Harness Your Hopes, fight This Generation, Shoot the Singer (1 Sick Verse), Debris Slide, Type Slowly, Major Leagues
Encore: Father to a Sister of Thought, Cut Your Hair, Stop Breathin
A sound must have life, be huge, take up space and matter in order to play at Madison Square Garden. On the New York City night of September 12th, Greta Van Fleet’s “Starcatcher World Tour” watered The (sold out) Garden for the very first time. “The world’s most famous arena” is a sort of heaven’s gate for any name in the music industry. The name Greta Van Fleet rolls right off the tongue and has proven their ability to collect a loyal fandom and climb the charts, and the key was handed over indubitably.
Photograph by Emma Dowd
The opener, Surf Curse, a surf-rock band born in Nevada warmed up the ever-filling crowd. After their performance, the Greta Van Fleet curtain was pulled towards the iconic barrelled ceiling of Madison Square Garden. The stage sat idle, out of sight, as the pre-show setlist began to play. An intense elongated intro score played between the sets. Violins and percussion sewed together to form a melody of a sort of Nordic folk music – it was a fail-safe adrenaline amplifier.
Greta Van Fleet is a transcending rock band from Frankenmuth, Michigan. The group was fortified by three brothers, twins Josh Kiszka (lead vocalist) and Jake Kiszka (guitarist), Sam Kiszka (bassist, multi-instrumentalist), and companion Daniel Wagner (drums and percussion). Their love for each other on stage is tangible in their embraces and sweet brotherly admiration. Their journey into stardom intensified their connection and heavily dosed confidence into their production.
Lights overhead shown onto the blue and white silk of the curtain, holding steady focus on Greta’s symbol. All at once the surrounding lights shut off and strobes danced across the curtain. After the hard climax of the introduction song, the curtain dramatically fell to the foot of the stage. On an elevated platform, the four-man band was revealed, posing in formation around Wagner who sat charged behind the drums.
Photograph by Emma Dowd
“The Falling Sky” was their first song of the evening, which proved an excellent introduction to Josh’s prodigious vocal range and the unmatchable aptitude of Jake and Sam on the strings. The song, as does most of their discography, allows for a melodic conversation to happen between the instruments. If one speaks, the other listens and responds.
Photograph by Emma Dowd
As fire shot above the band and sparks spewed to the beat of the percussion, a thick heat could be felt across Madison Square Garden’s vast rows of seating. The atmosphere of the night was spawned tonally and visually, for the stage was alive with hot fashion and literal flames. Josh wore his iconic white jumpsuit with a deep chest plunge – the eccentricity of outfits is something fans look forward to and emulate themselves. The rest of the band wore tight pearly white or black trousers, beaded blazers, glorious capes and a sparkly chainmail crop-top. Josh and Daniel’s faces were painted with elegant make-up that reflected with each stroke of spotlight.
Photograph by Emma Dowd
Observing Greta Van Fleet fans felt like looking into a time capsule; fashion from the sixties and seventies re-surged that evening, as people floated around in shimmering shawls and exaggerated bell-bottoms. They thrusted upon the barricade, extending their hands towards the glimmering band members as if they were reaching for grace. It’s fascinating at concerts, how the crowd reacts physically. It’s as if the sound alone isn’t enough. Their physical bodies need something to touch to hold, because the viscerality of digesting music feels too far out of body at times.
Photograph by Emma Dowd
The stage set-up served as a playground for Greta Van Fleet. The band members ran around shoeless, bounded into the air mid guitar riff, rattled their bodies to the beat of their music. Two catwalks extended into the general admission pit. There Jake and Sam took turns running out towards the edge with their instruments slung precariously over their shoulders. Multiple impressive guitar solos took place all across the stage, for their motion was fluid.
Photograph by Emma Dowd
After their first couple of songs, Josh left the stage for an outfit change. He came back adorned in a navy velvet jumpsuit to match the next few songs of the setlist. The fashionable theatrics complimented their artistry greatly. They performed “Meeting The Master,” “Heat Above,” and Josh’s favorite song on their discography, “Highway Tune.” Madison Square Garden has never been louder than it was during the final chorus of “Highway Tune.” Singing along required guttural yelling of high energy.
Josh Kiszka is a special voice in the current of music. He is the birth of something new while being a timeless looking-glass through the past of rock n’ roll. He has the confidence of Freddie Mercury. He has the celestial coolness of David Bowie. He has the hypnotic stage presence of Stevie Nicks. Most impressively, he has the raw range of Robert Plant. Though, comparing him to anyone feels sinful, for he and his band are carving their own realm of rock. He is the starcatcher, an earth-rocker.
Photograph by Emma Dowd
The transition out of “Highway Tune” turned into a drum solo by Daniel Wagner. He played with speed, edging a climax for five minutes but never finishing out the song. His intensity cooked a sweet tension in the arena, and the audience ate it up. The stamina he displayed informed the genius of their production; none of their songs ever want to end.
Photograph by Emma Dowd
Towards the finish of Wagner’s solo, the rest of the band made their way to the polar side of The Garden and crowded on a small platform with their instruments. Everyone in the standing audience shifted their attention and migrated to huddle at the base of their bare feet. The next two songs, “Waited All Your Life,” and “Black Smoke Rising” were played with the keys, an acoustic guitar, and a ginormous mandolin.
After entertaining the petite B-stage for a short while, the band was escorted by security back to the main stage. A security guard carried Josh on his shoulders while Josh tossed white roses into the understandably feral crowd, while Jake, Sam, and Daniel tossed flowers on the opposite side of the arena.
Photograph by Emma Dowd
Josh reappeared in a new jumpsuit patched with the sun and the moon. As the end of the show neared, the stakes rose. Flames reclaimed the stage, and the lights seared red. Jake took to his guitar with an impressive attack, riffing over his head and behind his back. The songs “Sacred The Thread” and “The Archer” played with the elements on stage, a thick smoke bellowed into the audience. As special as witnessing Greta Van Fleet at Madison Square Garden was, it felt like one should see them in the red dust swells of Utah, or in a spanning field with no end – some place where Earth becomes indistinguishable from the rest of the universe and all that matters is a sound.
Once “The Archer” came to a close, the band briefly waved goodbye and trotted backstage. No encore plea has ever been louder. The audience roared as one collective voice, pleading from their hearts for a return. It wasn’t long before the lights danced back to life, and the band returned in one final outfit change. Josh wore a sun pantsuit with a lavish cloak while the rest of the band seemed to lose articles of clothing, their hair a mess and eyes wild.
The key-in note of “Light My Love,” one of the band’s most successful releases, elicited a collective emote from the audience. When the second chorus blasted through the arena, sparks shot up from the stage once again. The lights stemming from the center-roof projected the colors of the rainbow, and a sea of pride flags popped up above heads in the crowd. It was a glorious moment of peace and celebration.
Photograph by Emma Dowd
Their final song, “Farewell For Now,” was the perfect send-off. It was an ode to The Garden, a praise for the fans. The lyric: “Tonight, it’s all for you,” felt personal and honest, as the members of Greta Van Fleet looked out into the cellular starlights with awe painted blush across their faces. Once the song concluded, they gathered where they started, around Daniel and his drums to take a bow. Unable to contain their thrill, they bounced off each other as they left the stage.
Photograph by Emma Dowd
It was jarring, while fans began to file out of the venue with stunned looks, to remember that Madison Square Garden is in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. While Greta’s performance unfolded and wrapped itself up again, the clamoring chaos of New York City persisted all around. I’m sure the magic could be felt radiating down the avenues.
Photograph by Emma DowdPhotograph by Emma DowdPhotograph by Emma DowdPhotograph by Emma DowdPhotograph by Emma Dowd
