Jam rock band Spafford made a stop in Buffalo for their winter tour on Tuesday, January 31st. The group has traveled all over the country in honor of their latest album release Simple Mysteries. This 4th studio album of theirs was recorded throughout the course of the pandemic and now gets to be played for fans everywhere.
Photo credit: Maddie McCafferty
Firstly Litz opened up the funk filled night at Buffalo Iron Works. Their use of various musical influences allows listeners to sonically transport. The group utilizes funky horn riffs, pounding bass, and progressive rhythms that just make people easily drawn to their energy.
Photo credit: Maddie McCafferty
Spafford then later took the stage and gave the crowd an awe-inspiring performance. The members include Brian Moss (guitar/vocals), Jordan Fairless (bass/vocals), Cory Schechtman (keys/vocals), Nick Tkachyk (drums/vocals). They first played “Funkadelic” followed by “The Remedy.”
Photo credit: Maddie McCafferty
Watching Spafford’s improvisational abilities and ways they create rhythms on stage is astonishing. These festival regulars know exactly how to put on a show and use their extended musical palette to create off-the-cuff extended jams. Their cover of Primitive Radio Gods song, “Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth With Money in My Hand,” exhibited exactly how each of these musicians communicate with one another through a single note to create a journey through their music.
Photo credit: Maddie McCafferty
The quartet played late into the night and ended their set with their song, “The Reprise.” It fully encapsulated the night of groovy tunes and the range of influences that this band uses. Spafford left the venue full of fans impressed and ready for more.
Photo credit: Maddie McCafferty
This February is stacked for shows at Buffalo Iron Works! On Febuary 10 Savage Society Takeover comes and also Dirty Work performs February 11. Tickets can be found here, don’t miss out!
Set 1: Funkadelic, The Remedy, Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth With Money in My Hand, Funkenseven
Set 2: Pursuit of Madness, Windmill, Lovesick Melody, Soil, America
Iconic underground punk-blues rocker Jon Spencer is back and with him is a whole new band of misfits, The HITmakers. Making a stop at Lark Hall in Albany on January 31st, the highly entertaining and outspoken group unleashed an explosive performance that was raucous and loud and hit the Capital Region crowd over the head like a 12-ounce hammer.
Jon Spencer and the HITmakers made their Lark Hall debut on 1/31/23
First bursting on the scene in the mid-‘80s with bands like Pussy Galore and Boss Hog, Spencer found his biggest commercial success in the 1990’s as front man for The Blues Explosion. A forefather to the bass-free, fuzz-heavy garage rock revival that would spawn acts like White Stipes and The Black Keys, after 2015’s Freedom Tower album, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion would quietly disband when guitarist Judah Bauer became too sick to go on tour.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion took off in the 90’s with over-the-top performances like the one seen here
Now back on the road supporting his latest record, 2022’s Spencer Gets It Lit, his new band, The HITmakers, consists of Sam Coomes (Quasi, Heatmiser) on keyboards and Bob Bert (Pussy Galore, Sonic Youth) on percussion with Andy Zammit on drums. Fans hoping for a “best of the Blues Explosion” type set on this cold Tuesday night in January were shit out of luck. Taking the Lark Hall stage and promptly turning his back to the audience until the opening number “Junk Man” fully kicked in, Spencer and the HITmakers played the intimate venue as if it were an arena. Socking it to them with his signature reverbed-out grunts and growls and blistering blues guitar licks, you couldn’t help but snicker at some of the onstage antics. Even at Spencer’s age (he turns 58 on February 5th), he comes off as more believable than men half his age.
Jon Spencer rips into it at Lark Hall on 1/31/23
Working their way through songs like “Push Comes to Shove,” “Primary Baby,” and “Beatle Boots,” it was impossible not to take notice of the clanging and banging coming from percussionist Bob Bert. That’s because his unique kit was made entirely of scrap metal, trash cans and an old gas tank. Trading in drumsticks for a screwdriver and some 12-ounce hammers, “the noise, the noise, the noise” from Bert was particularly felt on “The Wilderness.”
Tools of the Trade: Bob Bert takes out the trash in Albany 1/31/23
Blasting out scuzzy rock anthems like “My Hit Parade,” “Strike 3,” and “Bruise,” keyboard player Sam Coones got way out there, shouting along and adding all kinds of otherworldly synth textures to songs like “Ghost” and “The Worst Facts,” going so far as to tell the crowd that the problem with Albany is that everyone here is too optimistic. “You think you can really do anything you want.”
Sam Coomes lights it up at Lark Hall 1/31/23
Tearing through the 75 minute set, “Love Handle” from 2018’s Spencer Sings the Hits got the crowd moving and grooving before one of the most raucous songs of the night, “Get It Right Now,” where in his charismatic preacher’s-like howl, Spencer proclaimed “Mick Jagger ain’t got nothing on me. Daryl Hall, John Oats, Billy Joel, no! Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Zuckerberg…NOTHING ON ME.” A darker theme then emerged with “Death Ray” followed up by “Just Wanna Die” before “Worm Town,” a song which ponders being in “a dirt nap, six feet under,” would bring the set to a close with Spencer simply putting down his guitar and walking off stage. It took a little convincing from the appreciative Lark Hall crowd, but eventually The HITmakers would return for an appropriate encore of “Trash Can.”
Time ain’t got nothing on Jon Spencer
One-man band and surf rock guitar playing virtuoso Bloodshot Bill opened the show and dazzled with his unique vocal delivery, catchy hooks and hilarious banter. At one point saying he “felt so good he could do about a million pushups,” but since he still had songs to play, he invited anyone from the audience to come up and do them for him. There was only one taker and he maxed out doing less than 10. For a crowd of less than a hundred on a cold Tuesday in Albany, it was yet another memorable night at Lark Hall. Artsy, offbeat and 100% rock n roll.
Bloodshot Bill opening up for The HITmakers on 1/31/23
Jon Spencer & the Hitmakers – January 31, 2023 | Lark Hall | Albany, NY Setlist: Junk Man, Push Comes to Shove, Primary Baby, Beetle Boots, My Hit Parade, Strike 3, Wilderness, Ghost, Bruise, The Worst Facts, Love Handle, Get It Right Now, Death Ray, Just Wanna Die, Worm Town Encore: Trash Can
On Saturday, January 28, the Binghamton Philharmonic celebrated its first “Wallenberg Festival,” a concert of Binghamton’s three orchestras: the Binghamton Community Orchestra (Evan Mecarello, dir.), the Binghamton Youth Symphony (Barry Peters), and the Binghamton Philharmonic (Daniel Hege).
The program was named after Fritz and Marianne Wallenberg, the founders of the Binghamton Symphony in 1955. In his remarks to the audience, Executive Director Paul Cienniwa explained that, while the Wallenbergs did not directly create today’s three orchestras, they were instrumental in sparking substantial interest within a relatively small community.
Each orchestra performed a short set of familiar works. Many of the crowd-pleasers, from von Suppè’s Poet and Peasant to a Brahms Hungarian Dance, are not heard too often these days, and these works were an excellent introduction to the orchestra for many of the concert’s young attendees. “Wallenberg Festival” concluded with a side-by-side performance of the Youth Symphony and the Philharmonic, first playing Rimsky-Korsakov’s Procession of the Nobles under Peters, and then Tchaikovsky’s Marche Slave under Hege.
As expected in a concert of one professional and two amateur orchestras, the playing was mixed. The enthusiasm was not, however–especially during the side-by-side. Even more so, the large audience showed again and again its love for Binghamton and its uncommon tradition.
Coming up this month, on Thursday, February 16 at 6:00 pm, the Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra will present its 8th Annual Mac & Cheese Fest Fundraiser at the Holiday Inn Downtown in Binghamton. Guests should get ready for some cheesy goodness at this all-you-can-eat Mac & Cheese event featuring over sixteen local restaurants. Local chefs will compete for best Mac & Cheese while host Chelsea Cheddar (the Mayor of Macaroni) presides with cheesy proclamations as musicians of the Philharmonic play lively fanfares. Patrons and celebrity judges will determine which restaurant wins the Best Mac & Cheese title for 2023, along with other culinary awards. Tickets are just $25 to support the Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra. For tickets and more information, contact the Binghamton Philharmonic box office at 607-723-3931 or visit www.bingmacfest.com.
On Saturday January 28, electronic jam band Lotus made a stop in Buffalo in honor of their new album Bloom & Recede. The Town Ballroom was packed with Lotus fans for a sold-out show from the Indiana natives.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
The group consists of Jesse Miller (bass/synths), Mike Greenfield (drums), Tim Palmieri (guitar), Luke Miller (guitar/keyboards), and Chuck Morris (percussion). Lotus is known for blending electronic with jam music forging a new musical taste in the jam band landscape. They don’t shy away from any genres. Their influences consist of electronic dance music, funk, post-rock and dance rock.
The long-running quintet opened up the night playing “Tip of the Tongue,” followed by “Contagion” which they hadn’t played live in three years. Lotus brings a nuanced groove to jam band culture. They meticulously build up beats and take the crowd on a journey through their music.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
For their second act they performed a cover of the popular Rufus Du Sol song “Innerbloom.” The use of synths and guitar riffs gave a new spin on this EDM classic which definitely needs to be on Spotify soon.
They ended the night with an even greater crowd pleaser: a cover of Talking Heads, “Once in a Lifetime.” Lotus enhances energy levels and uses psychedelic rock stylings to make their show an experience for all show goers. Not to mention their lighting exhibited the mood of each song and only furthered their effortlessly addicting ambience that they can create.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
Make sure to stay up to date with the latest musicians coming to Town Ballroom. Badfish performs February 2 and Mac Saturn on February 9.
Set 1: Tip of the Tongue, Contagion, Tip of the Tongue, Entangled, Livingston Storm, Bush Pilot, Debris
Recharged and reborn, the “new look” Spafford have been on fire as of late. Have you been paying attention to their FREE live-streams? We have, and that’s why when the band rolled though Fairfield, Connecticut on January 26th and the FOMO became real, we knew we just had to send it across state lines.
Rewarded for the effort, Spafford offered up an absolute whopper of a show at The Warehouse FTC. With jams that went long and strong and deep into the night, the band simultaneously put to bed any lingering fears that fans may have had after saying ‘goodbye’ to one their founding members.
Spafford heats up the FTC Warehouse on a cold Winter night in Connecticut 1/26/23
Opening the performance with the slow buildup of “Gold Glittered Hat,” each member of the band would slowly join in on the groove until forming one rock-solid beast that breathed together as one. Collectively known as Spafford, the band is comprised of guitarist Brian Moss, bassist Jordan Fairless, drummer Nick Thachyk and making his madden tour with the band this winter is keyboardist Corey Schechtman, who was handpicked to take over after Andrew “Red” Johnson left the group at the end of 2022.
Keyboardist Corey Schechtman is playing his first tour with Spafford since joining at the the beginning of the year
Taking the opening tune for a ride, it wasn’t long before Spafford showcased their immense improvisational prowess. As the song dipped deep into the funky end of the waters, the band would patiently and organically morph into even deeper spaces and come out swimming on the sublime side. Going the distance on the opening jam and even teasing a bit of Pink Floyd’s “Young Lust,” the 28 minute ‘Hat’ would seamlessly segue into the much sought after “Dream Jam,” which hadn’t been played since November of last year.
Spafford performs “Dream Jam” on 1/26/23
Another treat came next for the hot Fairfield crowd as Jordan Fairless led the group through an up-tempo cover of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ song “Soul to Squeeze,” you know, the one from the Coneheads soundtrack. Fairless would continue handling vocals and dropping major bass bombs all through parts I and II of “Doghouse,” which bought us to the shows half-way point.
Brian Moss and Jordan Fairless lock in during “All My Friends” 1/26/23
Long-time Spafford fans knew they were in for something special when the band came out with “All My Friends” to start the second set. That’s because you can almost always count on a coveted “Bee Jam” following suite and this night was no exception. A near 17 minute Bee got the “A+” treatment and would eventually lead the band directly into “Fake the Fate” next. After a brief pause in the action to allow the audience to catch their breath, one excited fan screamed out “You guys rip!” which got a nice little chuckle from the four guys on stage.
Broken wing, learn to fly.
Just for a moment,
Please take a ride.
When all that’s left is the desire,
How much higher can we go?
Lyrics from Broken Wing
Up next was “Broken Wing,” a song that originally made it’s live debut on April 20, 2018, but was only recently released on the bands latest studio recording Simple Mysteries that came out late last year. Quickly establishing itself as a major jam vehicle for the band, this rendition was the longest song of the second set, clocking in at just over 22 minutes and allowed to band to show off a bit of their ‘jam-tronica’ influences. The new guy, Schechtman, was right at home here, adding his unique touch with some other-worldly textures and soundscapes before things would end up going in the direction of a full-fledged “untz” dance party that had fans loving it.
spafford fans we’re loving the second set on 1/26/23
Taking a bit of a left turn, the band would surprise everyone next with their upbeat version of the Gary Jules/Tears for Fears classic “Mad World,” before bringing the second set to a close by uncorking a monster version of “Plans” that featured an extra stanky bass solo from Fairless, then a funked-out, shred-heavy peak to match up perfectly with Jason Goers mesmerizing light show.
LD Jason Goers lit it up on 1/26/23 at the Warehouse
Prior to the encore, front man Brian Moss would say how much fun this winter tour has been so far, while also giving a heartfelt shoutout to the road crew and formally introducing everyone to the newest member of the band, Corey. Storytime would continue as Moss reminisced about the bands earliest days when he was living in a 500 sq-ft studio apartment sitting around with friend, actor, and fellow musician Jaryd Smart when the two wrote the final song of the night together, “Levilan Shores.” Jaryd, who happened to be in the warehouse running the merch table, would take a quick break and hop up on stage to deliver the songs reggae verse and exchange hugs with his brothers to bring the evening to a close.
Jaryd Smart sitting in on “Levilan Shores,” a song he helped write many years ago 1/26/23
With the band currently firing on all cylinders and Schechtman already settling in and showing his worth, look for big things ahead for Spafford in 2023. With one more New York date set for Buffalo’s Iron Works on January 31st, the band will then head west for the remainder of winter before returning to Ithaca’s Deep Dive in late March. Be sure to check them out when they come to your city, but in the meantime, you can listen the entire Fairfield show (and all of the band’s recent live streams) by following their Youtube channel.
Spafford | The Warehouse at FTC | Fairfield, CT | 1/26/23
Set 1: Gold Glittered Hat > Dream Jam > Soul To Squeeze [1], Doghouse > Part II Set 2: All My Friends > Bee Jam > Fake The Fate, Broken Wing > Mad World [2], Plans Encore: Levilan Shores [3]
[1]: Red Hot Chili Peppers [2]: Tears for Fears [3]: w/ Jaryd Smart
On Friday, January 27th, indie-pop band Juice delivered a heartfelt and lively performance to their adoring fans at Lark Hall in Albany. This was their last show from their rescheduled Fall Tour.
Ben Stevens, Lead Vocalist of Juice – Photo by Jarron Childs
The sextet band from Brooklyn found each other while attending Boston College. Their unique sound comes from a combination of rock, pop, r&b, and hip-hop. Lead on the vocals by Ben Stevens, he is backed up on vocals by singer/guitarist Kamau Burton and rapper/violinist Christian Rose. Other sounds come from guitarist Daniel Moss, drummer Miles Clyatt, and bassist Rami El-Abidin. Currently, Juice has one album, Boy Story, 4 EPs, and a few singles to their discography. There are plans for more singles to come soon, hopefully before the start of their next tour.
Juice was originally supposed to play in Lark Hall in November of 2022, but had to reschedule due to personal reasons. Nonetheless, they did not disappoint their young fans. Their show opened up with rising indie r&b band, The E-Block.
Luje Pascarella, Lead Vocalist of the E-Block – Photo by Jarron Childs
The band from Albany has been progressing from basement shows at The Laundromat, to bigger stages such as Albany’s Alive at 5 last summer. If you’ve been following them, you can hear that they are really starting to find their sound as a band. From being a jam rock funk band, to really creating a R&B, soul, and funk that they can call their own. The E-Block is really laying down a foundation that could be the start of a good career.
The E-Block opened with their newly released single “Stay.” Their performance was very r&b/soul heavy as lead vocalist/guitarist Luke Pascarella really pushed the limits of his vocals. They really played their hearts out and could’ve even brought the audience to tears at one point. They earned their cheers from the audience. Their set ended on a familiar note of a jam funk session that really had to crowd bouncing. They hosted an after party for their new single at Washington Tavern after the show.
Christian Rose, Violinist/Vocalist of Juice – Photo by Jarron Childs
Juice opened with a single, “DiCaprio,” from 2020. Their performance really went a lot of places because of how many music genres they have been able to incorporate in their style. Christian Rose played a violin solo so hard that it looked as if one of his strings broke, but he did not stop for one beat. The chemistry displayed on stage was undeniable, as their were many laugh shared amongst each other. There was also many moments when the band sat back and watched guitarist Daniel Moss serenade the crowd with powerful guitar solos.
Members of Juice watch a guitar solo performed by Daniel Moss – Photo by Jarron Childs
Vocalist Ben Stevens jumped into the crowd a danced with them which kept the good vibes going. The crowd was jumping, the music was bumping, and you could probably hear hearts thumping as Juice really pulled every ounce of energy from the crowd. There were begs for an encore at the end of their set, and Juice did not ignore them. They came back for a 1 song encore which brought many smiles to those in the crowd.
They will start “The Dip Stick on You” national tour on February 16th. In case you missed them this time, they will return to Lark Hall on February 23rd for another show.
Juice Setlist: DiCaprio, Shoot my Dreams, Peace of Mind, Audrey Tell Me, Stranger, Heartbreak in a Box, River, Workin’ On Loving, Stupidfreak, Make Pretend
Luje Pascarella, Lead Vocalist of the E-Block – Photo by Jarron ChildsThe E-Block at Lark Hall – Photo by Jarron ChildsLuje Pascarella, Lead Vocalist of the E-Block – Photo by Jarron ChildsChristian Rose, Violinist/Vocalist of Juice – Photo by Jarron ChildsChristian Rose, Violinist/Vocalist of Juice – Photo by Jarron ChildsVocalist Kamau Burton of Juice – Photo by Jarron ChildsBen Stevens, Lead Vocalist of Juice – Photo by Jarron ChildsJuice – Photo by Jarron ChildsBen Stevens, Lead Vocalist of Juice – Photo by Jarron ChildsBen Stevens, Lead Vocalist of Juice – Photo by Jarron ChildsGuitarist Daniel Moss of Juice – Photo by Jarron ChildsViolinist/Vocalist Christian Rose of Juice – Photo by Jarron ChildsBen Stevens, Lead Vocalist of Juice – Photo by Jarron ChildsBen Stevens, Lead Vocalist of Juice – Photo by Jarron ChildsBen Stevens, Lead Vocalist of Juice – Photo by Jarron Childs
On the Friday evening of January 27th, Brooklyn Steel hosted a heavenly evening with Gregory Alan Isakov. A sold out crowd strewn in through the doors, waiting patiently at the base of the stage for the show to begin. Gregory and his band have been touring consistently for the past year, though their solo trek began at the start of January. Fans stood shoulder to shoulder, faces illuminated with the anticipation live music ensues. When the velvety lighting dimmed and the smoke poured over the stage, the soft murmurs vibrating throughout the crowd simultaneously hushed into a hungry silence.
Photograph by Emma Dowd
Isakov has been making music since 2005, and his sound remains remarkably particular. He was born in South Africa and moved to the United States at a young age, so his music holds space for a little bit of everywhere. Gregory’s fans are able to depend on him and the band to deliver consistent words of universal consolation and epiphanic life perspectives. His latest release was a single cover of The Lumineers‘ “Salt And The Sea,” in 2021, so his show was set up to be a tasteful selection of his songs from the past decade or so.
Photograph by Emma Dowd
The band members made their way onto the stage to introduce their instruments slowly one at a time until their sounds melded together into song. The violin, the cello, the drums, the guitar, the ukulele, the banjo, the piano, and other complimentary instruments made their appearance throughout the evening, emulating the skeletal archetype of folk music. When Gregory Alan Isakov himself materialized from the smoke, he sang into their first song of the night, “Southern Star.” Isakov’s songs are long works of spoken poetry made to be heard aloud in acoustically sound warehouses like Brooklyn Steel. Each pluck, each percussion, each riff had the respected time to be consumed and digested.
Photograph by Emma Dowd
Gregory spoke to the crowd intimately about his songs, his experiences with songwriting, and live performances. Each song came with a story, and a dose of gratitude for their origins. The band emanated from Colorado, which Gregory paid ode to when he exclaimed “this one has a bit of Colorado in it,” when referencing the song “San Luis.” The rest of the fifteen song setlist flowed brilliantly with musicality and words of appreciation from Isakov. Smiling out to the crowd he rhetorically asked, “How lucky am I to do this?”
“This one has a bit of Colorado in it.” – Gregory Alan Isakov
Fans of Gregory’s music held a poetic stoicism to them. With their respect for esteemed lyricism and intentional instrumentals, the crowd devoted their attention to every filament of sound that came from the stage. The storytelling lore of folk music and the communal effect it curates laid the foundation for a silent conversation between Gregory Alan Isakov and the regardful audience.
Photograph by Emma Dowd
In Between concluding songs, Isakov announced that he and his band have a new record coming out. He did not specify the release date, but the news landed excitedly as cheers ricocheted off the steel walls. Without a ‘goodbye,’ Gregory and the band left the stage, and the crowd didn’t let up until they reappeared. For their first encore, they sang “Dandelion Wine” and “Saint Valentine.” Huddled around the microphone, the band played the songs acoustically. A multitude of laboring instruments like the tambourine, the spoons, and the harmonica made an appearance. These songs seemed to be a couple of the band’s favorites to play, for their high energy was infectious.
Waving to the crowd, Gregory and the band left once again. With a dimly lit waiting period, the crowd’s murmur resurrected in a ponderous curiosity as they wondered if the show would go on. At last, the stage lit up for the final encore. The band gave the crowd one last song, “All Shades of Blue,” with such tangible appreciation for the night everyone in the room had just shared. When the song finished, the band took their bows and thanked New York City for being an unmatched host and embracing their music with artful openness.
Photograph by Emma Dowd
Setlist: Southern Star, Dark, Dark, Dark, San Luis, Master & a Hound, This Empty Northern Hemisphere, Chemicals, Liars, She Always Takes It Back, Virginia May, Amsterdam, The Stable Song, Appaloosa Bones, Big Black Car, Second Chances, Caves Encore (1): Dandelion Wine (acoustic, full band), Saint Valentine (acoustic, full band) Encore (2): All Shades of Blue (acoustic, full band)
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead (JRAD) have wrapped up a weekend that saw the Grateful Dead tribute act celebrate 10 years as a band with a 4 night run, including one at the Brooklyn Bowl & three nights at The Capitol Theatre. Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir even made a surprise guest appearance at the Brooklyn Bowl show.
The first night at The Capitol Theatre run on Friday, January 27, started off with a jam > “Scarlet Begonias”. The first set featured “Six Days on The Road”, “Hell in a Bucket”, “The Eleven”, & concluded with a thorough jammed out “I Know You Rider”.
The second set featured a funky “Cats Under The Stars”, “Feel Like a Stranger”, and dead head favorite “Franklin’s Tower”. The second set was concluded with “Days Between” which was rather slow and somber but well executed. The band encored with “Not Fade Away” & “In the Meantime” a Spacehog cover that left some of the audience a bit confused, but thoroughly delighted nonetheless.
Check out the setlists and videos from JRAD’s 10 years anniversary run below.
Thursday, January 26 – Brooklyn Bowl
Set 1: Tennessee Jed > Till the Morning Comes > Jack Straw* > The Music Never Stopped* > Let It Grow Set 2: Shakedown Street > Truckin’ > Viola Lee Blues > Althea > Ten Years Gone > The Other One > How Many More Times > Breathe > Terrapin Station Encore: Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues * with Bob Weir
Friday, January 27 – The Capitol Theatre, Port Chester
Set 1: Jam > Scarlet Begonias > Six Days On The Road > Hell in a Bucket > Black Peter > The Eleven > I Know You Rider Set 2: Man Smart, Woman Smarter > Cats Under the Stars > Feel Like a Stranger > Franklin’s Tower > Throwing Stones > Days Between Encore: Not Fade Away > In the Meantime
Saturday, January 28 – The Capitol Theatre, Port Chester
Set 1: Foolish Heart > Slipknot! > Casey Jones > Cumberland Blues > My Brother Esau > Box of Rain > Playing in the Band Set 2: Rubin and Cherise > Hard to Handle > Eyes of the World > Brown-Eyed Women > Estimated Prophet > Ramble On Rose > Good Lovin’ > Touch of Grey Encore: Deal
Sunday, January 29 – The Capitol Theatre, Port Chester
Set 1: Lost Sailor > Saint of Circumstance > St. Stephen > Only Daddy That’ll Walk the Line > Dire Wolf > Uncle John’s Band > King Solomon’s Marbles > Uncle John’s Band > It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry > Wharf Rat > Jack-A-Roe Set 2: Fire on the Mountain > Samson and Delilah > Mission in the Rain > Dancing in the Street > New Speedway Boogie > Dancing in the Street > West L.A. Fadeaway > Dear Mr. Fantasy > Going Down the Road Feelin’ Bad Encore: Bertha
On Friday, January 27th, Penelope Scott played a one-off show at the iconic venue Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn. With support from openers Hank and Yot Club, there was a dynamic and vivacious energy as the performances spoke for themselves and the audience participated in their own way.
Photographed by Chinaza Ajuonuma
Penelope Scott is an American singer-songwriter who has produced all of her own music. Scott’s debut album, Public Void, was released on Bandcamp on August 29, 2020, then on streaming services on September 25, 2020. In November 2020, her music found a larger audience on Tik Tok. Her song “Rät” went viral with tens of thousands of videos made with the song. The song expresses disappointment with Silicon Valley and technology billionaires, particularly Elon Musk “Rät” peaked at 29 on Billboard’s Hot Rock & Alternative Songs Chart.
A week after playing at the first annual This is Home benefit show at Racket on Jan 11th, Penelope announced the Jan 27th one-off show on Instagram. Her companions were Yot Club, aka Ryan Kaiser (who also played at the benefit show), and Hank, both of whom played their first ever Baby’s All Right show on the 27th.
Photographed by Chinaza Ajuonuma
Hank performed first, letting the audience know that despite being an NYC local, they had never played at Baby’s All Right. Hank’s music is self-described as “music for truck drivers who wear short jorts and rip juuls” which was evident in their setlist. With a sound that can be described as pop indie tunes with a southern twang, their set kicked the show off with an animated and captivating vibe.
After his last appearance alongside Penelope and friends at the This is Home Benefit show on Jan 11th, Yot Club (Ryan Kaiser) took the stage again right after Hank. Although it was also his first time ever playing a show at Baby’s, he has toured with Penelope before, revealing he loves opening for her fans due to their open and energetic demeanor.
During his set, Kaiser played his signature lo-fi bedroom pop beats with songs like “YKWIM?”, “Japan”, and a Mountain Goats cover of “No Children” for what turned out to be an electric performance with the crowd screaming back lyrics.
Photographed by Chinaza Ajuonuma
By the time Penelope Scott came on stage, the crowd was thoroughly warmed up and buzzing with excitement. She showcased her musical prowess by jumping from her borrowed guitar (courtesy of Kaiser) to the keyboard, to her prerecorded electronic tracks. Throughout the show, her moxie and vivacious spirit infected the crowd as she busted out some dance moves, accepted a fan-made bracelet, and did a bottle flip challenge during an instrumental break. By the time the show came to a close, Scott debuted a couple of half-baked bangers that she affectionately referred to as “campfire time”. After closing her eyes and throwing her setlist into the crowd, she left the crowd with a liveliness that defines a Penelope Scott show.
Photographed by Chinaza Ajuonuma
Be sure to keep up with all these artists on socials, especially since there are some shows that just can’t be missed!
Yot Club can be found opening for Skegss during their US tour dates, and you can catch Hank next month on February 12th. They’ll be performing at The Sultan Room in Brooklyn with friends as part of Cumulonimbus, a collaborative music playlist that Hank is featured on.
Photographed by Chinaza Ajuonuma
Hank Setlist: Call Me Hank, All for You (Baby), Adore You [Miley Cyrus cover], Bugs, Good Guy Hard Life, One True Dear, Your Ex Man
Yot Club Setlist: u dont kno me, Comfort Zone, Dog Song, down bad, No Children [The Mountain Goats cover], YKWIM?, The Bay, Fly Out West, Mardi gras, anything, japan
Penelope Scott Setlist: Pseudophed, Sweet Hibiscus Tea, Feel Better, Bad Advice, Baxter 3rd Is Under Fucking Siege, 7’Oclock, Lavender, American Healthcare, Montreal, Runaway, Cool Girl Shuffle, Cigarette Ahegao, Gross, TOML, Rät, Lotta True Crime, Sineater, Cemetary Pigeons [unreleased], Something Blue [unreleased]
Photograph by Chinaza AjuonumaPhotograph by Chinaza AjuonumaPhotograph by Chinaza AjuonumaPhotograph by Chinaza AjuonumaPhotograph by Chinaza AjuonumaPhotograph by Chinaza AjuonumaPhotograph by Chinaza AjuonumaPhotograph by Chinaza AjuonumaPhotograph by Chinaza AjuonumaPhotograph by Chinaza AjuonumaPhotograph by Chinaza AjuonumaPhotograph by Chinaza AjuonumaPhotograph by Chinaza AjuonumaPhotograph by Chinaza AjuonumaPhotograph by Chinaza Ajuonuma
“Welcome to Hell” shouted Ryan Stasik from the stage as fans marched into Garcia’s directly following the Umphrey’s McGee show on Saturday, January 21st in Port Chester. It was a big night for the bass player. Not only was he celebrating UM’s 25th birthday, he was also throwing the official Death Kings after-party under the moniker ‘Bassik Stasik Presents.’
Ripping into original songs as well as classic 80’s, 90’s and 2000’s punk rock staples, the band obliterated the late-night crowd with an old school no-holds barred throwdown. Featuring guest sit-ins from members of the Trey Anastasio Band and Lespecial, the packed-out pub at Garcia’s was given the royal treatment.
Making a rare appearance, the punk/metal anti-hero trio Death Kings formed during the pandemic to pay homage to all things heavy. Comprised of Ryan “Little King” Stasik, Mike “Muerto” Gantzer of Aqueous on guitar/vocals and ex-Turkuaz drummer Mikey “OX” Carubba, the band debuted early last year and have only played a handful of live shows since, making each time out a special “can’t miss” occasion. Notable by his absence, for this show Carubba was replaced on drums by Jonathan Peace. While it remains unclear if the band will have a revolving cast of characters, what we do know is that every Death Kings performance is unique.
Opening the gig with special guest Jennifer Hartswick on vocals, the band launched into one of their signature tracks and the theme of the evening, “Welcome to Hell.” Hartswick, who had also lent her musical talents to Umphrey’s McGee earlier in the evening, was a pure badass in the role, shouting out lyrics like:
I can’t wait for my turn To ride the rails and send it down below Welcome to Hell Oh my God, it’s been a long time running Ain’t no use when the blood starts coming Feels so good to burn
Lyrics from “Welcome to Hell” by Death Kings
After reveling in the moment and exchanging hugs, Death Kings would continue with another original song “Fight!” before turning back the clock for our first punk cover of the evening, “Cyco Vision” by the legendary Suicidal Tendencies. Perhaps in a nod to an earlier Stasik/Gantzer collaboration dubbed Dookie, a pair of Green Day songs were chosen next. First was “Longview” which had everyone singing along, then despite the shows “Hell” theme, Death Kings flowed directly into “Welcome to Paradise.”
With the whole room feeling the vibe, it was time for another original banger in “March of the Kings.” From punk to metal, everyone was getting down to the cover of System of a Down’s smash hit “Aerials,” which more people seemed familiar with than the next cover choice, Harvey Danger’s “Flagpole Sitta” which fit into the “hell” theme nicely.
I’m not sick but I’m not well And I’m so hot ’cause I’m in Hell I’m not sick but I’m not well And it’s a sin to live this well
Flagpole Sitta Lyrics
Death Kings would channel some Cobain angst next with a sped up rendition of Nirvana’s “Breed,” before throwing it back to one of the original punk rock anthems “I Wanna Be Your Dog” by Iggy Pop and The Stooges.
With the party now hitting a new level of rowdiness, the Kings called upon another special guest, Luke Bemand, bass player of Lespecial, to help out on vocals for the Camp Kill Yourself skate anthem “96 Quite Bitter Beings.” Popping off his shirt to throw on the now infamous “Hot Joel” tee, Bemand and the boys had quite the chuckle over the false start of the CKY song. On the second attempt, the Kings got it right and were clearly having a ball sharing the stage together.
While the after party at Garcia’s was scheduled to start at 11:45pm, when the Umphrey’s McGee show in the next room over ran well past midnight, things on the setlist had to be condensed. The band would joke, “25 years of Umphrey’s, 25 minutes of Death Kings.” With the curfew rapidly approaching, the band couldn’t call it a night without paying homage to one of punk’s original misfits, Glen Danzing, opting to cover the 1988 song “Twist of Cain.” With time for just once more, Death Kings let it all hang out on the final song of the night, the DK penned original “Disembodied,”which featured a huge guitar solo from Ganzter and Pony playing the bass behind his head. Check out fan shot footage of that song below.
A loud, sweaty, high-octane performance that was so much fun that even the devil himself would have got in the pit. With no upcoming Death Kings shows to speak of, those who were lucky enough to score a ticket to this sold-out night in Hell walked away from it feeling most grateful. It was still Garcia’s after all.
Setlist: Death Kings | Garcia’s | Port Chester, NY | 1/21/23
Setlist: Welcome to Hell [1], Fight, Cyco Vision (Suicidal Tendencies), Longview (Green Day), Welcome to Paradise (Green Day), March of the Kings, Aerials (System of a Down), Flagpole Sitta (Harvey Danger), Breed (Nirvana), I Wanna Be Your Dog (The Stooges), 96 Quite Bitter Beings (CKY) [2], Twist of Cain (Danzig), Disembodied
[1] w/ Jennifer Hartswick [2] w/ Luke Bemand of Lespecial
