Transporting Albany to interstellar dimension, it was another hip shaking, foot stomping, groovy good time at Lark Hall on Thursday, March 9th as Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country made their other-worldly debut at the recently revitalized venue.
Unleashing an absolute powerhouse performance, the rapidly rising band from Nashville has been on a freight train to stardom since breaking out at the annual Peach Festival last summer. After the performance on Thursday, March 9, it’s easy to see why and fair to say the Albany faithful are ‘all aboard.’
Taking the stage to a packed house with swagger, wearing vintage seventies garb, cowboy hats and each member having hair down past their shoulders, right away you could tell two things about this band: These guys weren’t from around here and that they came to Albany with intent to impress. Along with Daniel Donato on guitar and vocals, Cosmic Country also features Nathan “Sugar Leg” Aronowitz on keyboards, rhythm guitar and vocals, Will “Mustang” McGee on electric/upright bass, and Noah Winner on drums and percussion. The band was last in town on October 29th, 2022 opening for the Kitchen Dwellers in Saratoga Springs, but for this three hour, two set performance at Lark Hall, there was no opening act.
Coming out of the gates with a “Fourteen Carat Mind” > “Lose Your Mind,” > “Faded Lovin’” trifecta, it didn’t take the Cosmic Country band long to showcase their incredible songwriting and technically proficient chops. Easing the audience in with beautiful harmonies and tasteful melodies, the band effortlessly blended together genres like outlaw country and modern bluegrass with elements of funk, experimental jazz and rockabilly.
By the time the young guitarist virtuoso Donato and his teal-colored telecaster landed on “Sugar Shack,” the whole room was in the palm of his hands and grooving together as one. Seizing the moment and an opportunity to try something new, the band would then stretch their legs a bit on the unreleased song “Gotta Get Southbound.” A tune about departure, exploration and freedom, Donato described it as “encompassing many emotions, but mainly, is for the soul that needs to adventure to awaken and discover a better world and reality.”
Keeping with the positive outlook, bass player ‘Mustang’ McGee would switch out his electric bass for an upright one on “Half Moon Night” which features the lyrics “I’m gonna shine, shine, shine. No matter how dark it may be.” Next, one lucky fan would get their wish as Cosmic Country then played “Fox On The Run” which had verbally been requested several times earlier in the set. Up next was “Darlin’ Cory,” a timeless old murder ballad Danoto first started playing years ago when he was gigging with The Don Kelley Band around Nashville and now appears on his 2021 studio album Cosmic Country & Western Songs Western Songs.
“Arkansas Traveler” and “Rose In a Garden” would follow suit before Donato would lead us into set break with another homage to the Don Kelly Band, this time in the form of “Ghost Riders in the Sky.” Calling it “one of the most heroic songs of the great American Western catalogue of music,” Donato believes “the journey this song takes you on, musically, is a mutually understood and realized feeling that we all possess inside us. The truth of the sincere feelings this song conjures would be the only explanation as to why this vehicle of song has transcended nearly 70 years of cultural and musical change.”
After a brief break in the action, things would get rolling again as “Hi Country” was selected to kick off the second set. Bringing serious early 70’s Dead vibes with it, momentum would continue to build as Cosmic Country then segued their way through a “Luck of the Draw” > “Sugar Leg Rag,” which gave keyboard player and rhythm guitarist Nathan Aronowitz ample time to bask in the spotlight. Slowing the pace up for a bit was another unreleased new one called “Chore” that started off as a bluesy ballad and featured beautiful full-band harmonies before the improvisational section of the song launched the room into the next stratosphere with Donato’s lightning-fast finger work largely to blame.
Feeling the collective storm of energy, it was only fitting that “Weathervane” make in appearance in the set next, though some fans humorously confused it for a cover of “Peaches” by The Presidents of The United States of America at first. They did get a cover next, however, as Wille Nelson’s “Blue Skies” brought many smiles to the older folks in attendance. The outlaw train kept rollin’ next with a smokin’ version of “Mystery Train” followed up by Mustang McGee taking over vocal duties for a rollicking rendition of “Ten Feet of Rope.” Fully vibing off the shared frequencies felt in every corner of the room, “Double Exposure” felt particularly passionate, psychedelic and on point and even featured a dynamic guitar duel exchange between Donato and the multi-talented “Sugar Leg” Aronowitz. “When you find yourself running low on the colors that you need, keep searching through the afterglow for positivity guaranteed!”
Clearly having fun and sharing in the groove, the genre defiance reached a new level as “Dance in the Desert” crossed multiple boundaries and had everyone in the place cutting a rug before reaching its final soaring peak and bringing the second set to a close. Hungry for one more song, the audience was practically begging for an encore. Happy to oblige with a bit of showmanship, Cosmic Country returned to the stage with huge smiles on their faces.
While many songs on the evening felt reminiscent of early 70’s Grateful Dead, there was no mistaking that certain twang on the song chosen for an encore. Uncorking a red-hot version of “Cumberland Blues,” even the hardest Dead Heads in the room were loving it and clearly giving Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country the coveted ‘Albany Seal of Approval.’ After the song, the band’s photographer would take a group wide shot and the guys would hang around meeting their newest fans and signing merchandise.
Reflecting on the show, Donato would later take post to social media “Albany still to this day has essence of a very original spirit, that spirit we all know and love, and search for when the music plays. It’s not my ability to name this sensation, but I do know when the room is feeling this strange, synchronous, and benevolently fleeting frequency. Albany delivered this to us in such a concentrated and positive way, and for that, we love you.”
Up next Cosmic Country will return to Garcia’s in Port Chester and then head to Lewes, De, followed by a pair of dates in Virginia, before they wrap up this winter run in Charleston, SC. Already booked for a number of major music festivals and high profile gigs throughout the summer, it’s easy to predict big things ahead for this band on the rise. Keeping the honky-tonk spirit alive by honoring their heroes like the Don Kelly Band, The Grateful Dead, Rory Gallagher and The Allman Brothers, Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country Band is a special combination of something old and something new married together in a most profound way.
Complete, with great songwriting, a beautiful tone, a never-ending flow of fresh licks and an absolutely badass cast of musicians behind him, we suspect the portal to Danial Donato’s Cosmic Country universe has only just opened and their rocket ship to stardom is right on the cusp of hitting lightspeed.
Cosmic Country | March 9, 2023 | Albany, NY | Lark Hall
Set 1: Fourteen Carat Mind, Lose Your Mind, Faded Lovin’, Sugar Shack, Gotta Get Southbound, Half Moon Night, Fox on the Run, Darlin’ Cory (Don Kelley Band cover), Arkansas Traveler, Rose In a Garden, Ghost Riders in the Sky,
Set 2: Hi-Country, Luck of the Draw > Sugar Leg Rag, Chore, Weathervane > Blue Skies (Willie Nelson cover), Mystery Train, Teen Feet of Rope, Double Exposure, Dance in the Desert
The 2023 Summer Camp Music Festival lineup has been announced, including traditional sets from both host bands moe. and Umphrey’s McGee, taking place May 26-28 in Chillicothe, IL.
The Summer Camp Music Festival first took place in 2001 to about 1,000 patrons with over 15 bands on two stages during the two-day event at Three Sisters Park in Chillicothe, IL. Now, the event is celebrating its 22nd anniversary, typically attracting around 20,000 visitors, of which between 8,000 and 10,000 arrive before the gates open. The festivities take place across Memorial Day Weekend and multiple stages with different genres. On top of all the live music, festival-goers have access to on-site camping, late-night shows, musician workshops, a non-profit village, unique arts & craft vendors and tons of great food and beer.
The current lineup includes Umphrey’s McGee, moe., Willie Nelson & Family, Vulfpeck, Mastodon, Boogie T, Badflower, Keller Williams Trio ft. Tye North & Dave, Watts, Andy Frasco & The U.N., SunSquabi, The Funk Hunters, Buku, Sierra Hull, Maggie Rose, Jennifer Hartswick Band, Bella White, Circles Around The Sun, and Balkan Bump.
moe. cohosts with Umphrey’s McGee.
Other artists scheduled to play include Aqueous, DOGMA, Eggy, Joe Samba, K+ Lab, Leah Marlene, Oh He Dead, Perpetual Groove, Roots Of Creation, Southern Avenue, The Sponges, Super Future, In Alphabetical Order, Chicago Farmer & The Fieldnotes, Cody Lee’s Last Detail, G-Nome Project, Old Shoe, Organ Fairchild, Jack Cloonan, LITZ, Manthom Phenace, Modern Drugs, Squeaky Feet, Still Shine, and Zentik.
A variety of ticketing options are on sale now, including 3-Day GA Passes, Sunday 1-Day GA & VIP, Volunteer Deposits, Thursday Pre-Party Passes, VIP Upgrades, & RV / Car Camping Spots. For more information visit here.
Mike Gordon has announced a new solo album, Flying Games, along with June and July tour dates, bringing him to Webster Hall in Manhattan and Town Ballroom in Buffalo.
Photo Credit: Rene Huemer
Flying Games (ATO Records/Megaplum) will be released on Friday, May 12 and is produced by Gordon, recorded by longtime collaborator Jared Slomoff, and mixed by GRAMMY-winning engineer Shawn Everett (Alabama Shakes, The War on Drugs).
For me Tilting is about being in a situation or a relationship where you don’t know if your footing is solid, but then accepting that and realizing you enjoy the feeling of disorientation. Whether it’s playing music or driving or experiencing something new, I’ve always felt more present when I don’t know where I’m going next.
The eclectic sixth solo LP from Mike Gordon, Flying Games is an album of constant and wildly hypnotic movement, each moment animated by unexpected sounds that morph and expand and spin off into their own strange orbits. Flying Games follows Gordon’s most recent solo works, 2020’s Noon and 2017’s OGOGO. The LP imbues elements of everything from disco and dancehall to psych-folk and funk into Gordon’s unfettered and expansive breed of rock music.
To create Flying Games, the Vermont-based Gordon spent much of 2020’s lockdown and – writing and recording in his makeshift Megaplum home studio, immersing himself in sonic experiments ranging from the playfully spontaneous (constructing beats by banging wrenches against various pieces of farming equipment) to the hyper-specific and technical (programming a keyboard with chords sampled from’50s-era Hawaiian guitar records).
As the songs became more fully formed, Gordon brought in contributions from his bandmates, drummer John Kimock, keyboardist Robert Walter, percussionist Craig Myers, and guitarist/pedal-steel player Scott Murawski, all of whom submitted parts from afar which were then woven by Gordon and Slomoff into the initial tracks. Revealing entirely new dimensions of the kaleidoscopic musicianship Gordon has displayed as Phish’s bassist for the last four decades, the result is a work of both extraordinary vision and daring execution.
As someone who comes from a world of telepathic improvisation, the idea of one person layering sounds alone in a room might seem a bit against the mythos. But with this record I didn’t want to work in that traditional way of going into a studio with a band and recording for two weeks; I wanted to take my time and explore, and really go deep into the fabric of the music to see what we could find.
Mike Gordon
Gordon, bassist for Phish, will celebrate the release of Flying Games with a tour that includes headline shows and performances at Peach, Northlands and Blue Ox festivals. Tickets for all newly announced headline dates go on sale Friday, March 17 with pre-sales underway.
Rochester’s beloved Lilac Festival has announced the 2023 lineup for its 125th-anniversary celebration in Highland Park from May 12-21.
Lilac Festival (News 8 WROC photo/Matt Driffill)
The Lilac Festival brings in over 500,000 people a year from across Western and Upstate NY, the tri-state area, and Canada to Highland Park to see great music and look at the beautiful lilacs that grow in the park, as well as eat and drink amazing food. “One of the highlights of the Rochester Lilac Festival for visitors is the robust lineup of national, regional, and local entertainers and musical acts,” said Don Jeffries, president & CEO, Visit Rochester. “As we look forward to the 125th anniversary of the festival, this lineup of performers is sure to keep the thousands of visitors to Rochester’s Highland Park this May entertained!”
Kicking off the festival on May 12 at 4 p.m. is Personal Blend, a seven-piece reggae/ rock group out of Rochester. Get ready to feel good and dance to their new EP Inhale & Release. Following at 5:30 p.m. is Sneezy, a six-piece fusion rock band from Chicago that draws its innovative sound from Rock, Hip-Hop, and Soul influences.
The special headliner for the evening is the jam/funk quartet Pigeons Playing Ping Pong at 7 p.m. The band includes singer/guitarist “Scrambled Greg” Ormont, guitarist Jeremy Schon, bassist Ben Carrey, and drummer Alex “Gator” Petropulos. The band, through their 1,000 enthusiastic shows, has built a mass following and an ever-expanding fanbase known as “The Flock,” and has been hailed as “musical explorers” by Rolling Stone. PPPP has independently released six studio albums, including their latest record, Perspective, in 2022.
The next day at 3 p.m. four-piece reggae act MoChester performs, consisting of Brandon Sheffer on lead vocals and guitar, Jonathan Sheffer on keys, guitar and backup vocals, Ben Overmyer on bass, and Jimmy Grillo on drums. At 4:30 p.m. the funky soul powerhouse group Shine takes the stage, playing a mix of funk, soul, and pop music, with contemporary hits by the likes of Bruno Mars and Adele, and also classic soul going back to Prince, Michael Jackson, and more. Finishing off the day at 6 p.m. is the Zac Brown Tribute Band, capturing the sound and creativity of the Zac Brown Band by playing hits like “Chicken Fried” to the recent sing-along anthem “Homegrown,” there’s a bit of everything for fans.
Zac Brown Tribute Band
The next day begins with Latin Jazz Quintet, Sofrito, formed in 2009 by flutist Tim Forster and Latin percussionist Tony Padilla at 1 p.m. At 2:30 classic rock and popular rock cover band BB Dang performs, and headliners The Iguanas play at 4. The group has been a fixture of the New Orleans music scene for over two decades, showcasing America’s musical heritage – Tejano and Conjunto sounds from the Texas/Mexico border region, as best exemplified by the accordion and bajo sexto. Closing out the night is Seven Wonders, seven world-class musicians paying homage to the music of Fleetwood Mac.
May 15 features variety group Big Blue House at 4 pm., with Rochester’s premier psychedelic alternative country act Public Water Supply at 5:15. Finishing off the evening at 7 is Hudson-Valley-based musician Mikaela Davis, who has shared the stage with Bob Weir, Christian McBride, Bon Iver, and more. She also performs with her band Southern Star, recently recording at the Relix Studio in New York City, releasing an exclusive Relix Studios vinyl. The following day begins with the four-piece rock cover group Digglers Bridge at 4 p.m., with the three-piece instrumental organ trio/funky jam band Organ Fairchild following at 5:30. Ending the night at 7 is the Sam Grisman Project, paying homage to his father David Grisman and his close friend, Jerry Garcia, music made in the early 90s.
The next day begins at 4 p.m. with the definitive Classic Vinyl 60s band, Inside Out. Headliners include Syracuse-based reggae group Root Shock at 5:30 and Allman Brothers tribute band Blue Sky Brothers, featuring members of Giant Panda Guerrilla Dub Squad, Mikaela Davis & Southern Star, The Moho Collective, and more. May 18 has the Led Zeppelin cover band Mothership at 4 p.m., Rochester-based variety cover band Stunt Double at 5:30, ending the night with Almost Queen at 7.
Almost Queen
Coming up on May 19 is roots rock band Steve Grills & The Roadmasters at 3:45 p.m., with American blues and swing revival band The Founders of Roomful of Blues at 5:30. Ending the night at 7 is Grammy-nominated American rock band The Record Company, comprised of Chris Vos (guitar, lead vocals), Alex Stiff (bass, backing vocals), and Marc Cazorla (drums, backing vocals). May 20 starts early at 2 p.m. with 11 piece band The Medicinals. The group formed in Rochester and has performed with the likes of Julian Marley, The Wailers (4x), Turkuaz, Lettuce, and more. At 3:30 Hello City performs and at 5 headliner Shamarr Allen makes an appearance. Taking influence from the heart of New Orleans, he performs in jazz, hip-hop, rock, funk rhythms, blues, and country categories and is the lead vocalist and trumpeter of his band Shamarr Allen & The Underdawgs. Ending the night at 7 is the only regionally touring full 7-piece Dave Matthews Tribute in the country: Big Eyed Phish.
Ending the festival on May 21 is Head to the Roots at 1 p.m., a passionate music project, led by American singer-songwriter Anthony Siciliano, pulling at the roots of folk, blues, reggae, rockabilly, and jam music. At 2:30, the high-energy group Vintage Pistol performs, Judah performing right after at 4. Headlining at 5:30 is the Grateful Dead cover band Workingman’s Dead. Also headlining and ending the festival is Into the Now, performing whatever they feel like for the past thirty years.
The Rochester Lilac Festival 2023 is a free event with no ticket required to enjoy the music. Those looking for an elevated experience can purchase MGM Associates of Rochester VIP High Spot Party Deck tickets, available here.
2023 Headliners
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong – May 12 Zac Brown Tribute Band – May 13 The Iguanas, The Seven Wonders – May 14 Mikaela Davis – May 15 The Sam Grisman Project – May 16 Blue Sky Brothers – May 17
Almost Queen – May 18 The FOUNDERS of Roomful of Blues, The Record Company – May 19 Shamarr Allen, Big Eyed Phish – May 20 Into the Now – May 21 *Every headliner will have ASL Interpretation
2023 Supporting Talent
Sneezy, Personal Blend – May 12 MoChester, Shine – May 13 Sofrito, BB Dang – May 14 Big Blue House, Public Water Supply – May 15 Organ Fairchild, Digglers Bridge – May 16 Inside Out, Root Shock – May 17
Mothership, Stunt Double – May 18 Steve Grills & The Roadmasters– May 19 Hello City, The Medicinals – May 20 Head to the Roots, Vintage Pistol, Judah, Workingman’s Dead – May 21
Goose and their flock of fans have descended upon Port Chester for five nights of indie jam rock. With three nights down, there have been debuts, fresh covers and a sit-in from none other than Jimmy Fallon.
Goose closed out their five-night stand at the Capitol Theatre on Sunday night with a blazing hot show packed with pockets of dense improvisation.
Opening the night with “Time to Flee,” the quintet wasted absolutely no time and delivered a punchy 17-minute version highlighting guitarist Rick Mitarotonda’s scorching guitar tone and playing. The band next offered up the synth-drenched arrangement of “Indian River” coupled with its usual “Welcome to Delta” jam. The peppy piano-led groove felt more energetic than its normal laid-back vibe, blasting to more incredible peaks as the energy in the crowd seemed to continue rising.
A big trend for the final two nights of the Cap run was pure ENERGY. The 1800-capacity venue was amped from the first note of Wednesday night’s show but the weekend crowd took it to another level.
A deceptive cool-down song in the Peter Anspach-penned “Honeybee” quickly elevated to more soaring guitar licks from Mitarotonda before Goose fired up the dance party of “Jeff Engborg.” Named for Anspach’s old Great Blue bandmate, the fifth Goose performance of this song is a personal favourite of mine due to what I call “Big Clav Energy.” The rhythm section of drummer Ben Atkind, percussionist Jeff Arevalo, and bassist Trevor Weekz locked in as Anspach and Mitarotonda shredded over peak after peak.
Taking a moment to breathe and reflect with the 75-show bustout of “It Burns Within,” the band jumped into a fun “Butter Rum” to close the set. While a concise and energy-filled 8-minute version could have done just fine in this slot, Goose opted to deliver possibly the finest version of the song played to date, stretching just past the 20-minute mark. Anspach’s Prophet and Nord synths got a serious workout in the latter half as Mitarotonda riffed on a theme similar to Kylie Minogue’s “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head.”
The final set of the five-night run began with a lengthy “Arrow,” breaking its longest show gap in three years. Mitarotonda attacked the jam with the same animalistic ferocity he had been displaying all week, and while it stayed relatively within the song’s boundaries, it should NOT be overlooked. A calm and beautiful reading of ballad “A Western Sun” led to another dance party in “Into the Myst.” Atkind propelled the band into a steady jam as Anspach worked his Vintage Vibe electric piano through the segue into “White Lights.”
Looking at the setlist on paper, this relatively short song in the middle of the set may look innocent enough, but it is well worth a listen. One of the biggest peaks of the entire weekend took place as the incredibly positive energy of the band and crowd flowed. Anspach danced like a happy camper within his keyboard rig as all five members became pieces of the same improvisational brain and launched the Cap into orbit.
A patient build on iconic Goose song “Elmeg the Wise” brought the tenth and final set of the run to a close in fine fashion. Anspach took a moment before the encore to thank each and every member of the Goose crew as well as the venue staff for an unforgettable week before the band absolutely tore “The Empress of Organos” to shreds. Weekz got his final bass solo to cap of what was undoubtedly the week of the BASS.
Over the course of five nights, Goose played 64 songs – 60 of which were originals and three of those debuts. The band took new risks in improv, debuted new rigs and tones, a new light rig – the list goes on!
With an extensive spring tour beginning next week in Boston, their first proper “tour” since October, anticipation could not be higher for what is to come in the future!
Goose – Sunday, March 12
Set 1: Time to Flee, Indian River[1], Honeybee[2], Jeff Engborg, It Burns Within, Butter Rum
Set 2: Arrow[3], A Western Sun, Into The Myst[3] > White Lights, Elmeg The Wise
Encore: The Empress Of Organos
[1] 80s synth version. With Welcome to Delta jam. [2] With Coach on rainstick. [3] Unfinished.
Saturday, March 11
For night four of five at the Capitol Theatre, Goose delivered what some have called the best show of the run yet – two dense sets packed with energy, improvisation and incredible playing from all five members.
Opening up the show with an upbeat “Echo of a Rose,” guitarist Rick Mitarotonda quickly led the jam from an airy space into a grimy section propelled by drummer Ben Atkind’s persistent beat. Using that as a launchpad for a modulation into Bob Seger’s “Hollywood Nights,” the band and crowd alike blazed through the rocking cover with great aplomb.
Ripping through a thick “Bob Don” next, Mitarotonda and multi-instrumentalist Peter Anspach locked in on the outro “With” jam as the crowd’s energy continued to climb higher through the band’s return to the ending of “Echo.” The twin parts of “Seekers on the Ridge” offered a bit of a breather before another incendiary Mitarotonda solo blew up the building in Part II.
“Mr. Action” was tapped ahead of a set-closing “Same Old Shenanigans,” a perfect call for the energy-focused first set. Anspach and Mitarotonda shined once again during their respective solos as the rhythm section locked in underneath them on the path to several mountainous peaks that ended the first frame.
Returning with “Hungersite” to open the second set, Goose wasted no time before diving directly into a heavy-hitting space that Mitarotonda peaked massively. Atkind and percussionist Jeff Arevalo’s insistent drumming helped push the blazing improv. Post-peak, bassist Trevor Weekz stepped out as the band led into a thick and grimy motif that has popped up numerous times throughout the Cap run.
“Silver Rising” offered a cool-down after the intensity of the “Hungersite” jam before the band debuted Anspach original “Feel It Now.” This catchy and danceable song is highlighted by a peppy groove and bright guitar lines from Mitarotonda – there is also tremendous jam potential that I am certain will come to fruition as the song gets played more.
Where else to go in the middle of a Saturday night second set than with “Arcadia”? Weekz once again absolutely brought the house down with a deep and funky bass solo before an aggressive theme developed. Picking up the pace and energy once again, Goose blasted the capacity crowd with peak after peak as they shredded through the ending of the song. A heartfelt and tender “726” closed out the second set.
Ripping into “Dripfield” for the encore was a perfect choice, getting the crowd moving in time with the pounding drums as the title track to the band’s most recent album rocked the Cap to close.
Goose – Saturday, March 11
Set 1: Echo Of A Rose[1] -> Hollywood Nights[2] > Bob Don[3] -> Echo Of A Rose, Seekers On The Ridge Pt. 1 > Seekers On The Ridge Pt. 2, Mr. Action, Same Old Shenanigans Set 2: Hungersite, Silver Rising, Feel It Now[4], Arcadia, 726 Encore: Dripfield [1] Fast version [2] Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band [3] With [4] FTP
Friday, March 10
For the third of five nights at the Capitol Theatre, Goose delivered two blazing sets that were lighter on the improv that the first two shows but had possibly the highest energy of the run so far.
Opening up the night with a funky “Animal,” the band jumped into a concise “Flodown” next where multi-instrumentalist Peter Anspach threw in Prophet synth sounds as guitarist Rick Mitarotonda toyed with his delay pedals. Upbeat rocker “Everything Must Go” and Anspach tune “The Whales” continued the set before the energy really got taken up a few notches with “Turbulence & The Night Rays.”
The rocking Vasudo-penned song seems to reach new heights each time it gets played, and Mitarotonda’s emphatic solo had the packed Cap eager for more. Anspach took a second to introduce the next song, debut “Lead Up.” Displaying a rocking vibe similar to the Red Hot Chili Peppers at times, “Lead Up” retained that distinctive Goose song as well as showing off the band’s dual-guitar sound – the last two Goose original debuts with Anspach on guitar were “Butterflies” in June 2022 and “The Whales” in June 2020!
The momentum and energy of the first set came to a peak with crowd and band favourite “Thatch,” which featured its first extended improv and some mind-blowing work from drummer Ben Atkind and percussionist Jeff Arevalo, the latter of whom seemed to be at risk of breaking his cymbals from the sheer force of his hits.
Returning from a lengthy setbreak, Anspach took a stroll into the crowd during the intro to “Creatures.” The dance party song morphed into a gorgeous bliss jam distinctly reminiscent of its counterpart from Legend Valley in 2022. Bassist Trevor Weekz really stepped out in this segment, while Atkind spun a beat that made the jam feel like the beginning of an “Empress of Organos” jam. Slowly returning to earth, Anspach led the band into “Red Bird” as lighting director Andrew Goedde bathed the stage in that colour for the duration of the song.
The bird took flight with a rocking jam led once again by the rhythm section – Atkind’s pounding toms and Weekz’s bursting envelope filter playing propelled the quintet to a series of big peaks ahead of a transition into Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes.” Offering up the finest improvisation of the night, the classic cover tune quickly opened up into a thrashing groove as Mitarotonda took the reins with some serious fretboard fireworks. Building into some darker themes, Goose exploded into an amazing major-key section with strong “SOS” vibes before landing in tender ballad “Arise.”
Most known for its acoustic performances with offshoot group Orebolo, this gorgeous and heartfelt song translated exceptionally well to an electric setting for just the fifth time ever. Arevalo made an inside reference to a well-known acoustic performance with a reminder for the crowd to “zip it” before the song began (note: his instruction was followed by some, but not all). A blazing “Hot Tea” complete with filthy wah guitar from Mitarotonda, crunchy clav from Anspach, and a bass solo from Trevor closed out the set.
Goose welcomed comedian Jimmy Fallon to the stage for an encore of “Mustang Sally” last night that had the crowd eating up every moment of the fun shtick.
Goose – Friday, March 10
Set 1: Animal, Flodown, Everything Must Go, The Whales, Turbulence & The Night Rays, Lead Up[1], Thatch Set 2: Creatures, Red Bird, In Your Eyes[2], Arise, Hot Tea Encore: Mustang Sally[3]
[1] FTP [2] Peter Gabriel [3] Wilson Pickett. With Jimmy Fallon on vocals
Thursday, March 9
Goose threw down another heater on Thursday night at The Capitol Theatre for the second of five shows at the historic venue. While nothing quite reached the improvisational heights of Wednesday’s show, the band but together two well-flowing and complete sets with fantastic moments throughout.
Beginning the night with a hot “Jive I”, guitarist Rick Mitarotonda and multi-instrumentalist Peter Anspach took their usual spotlights on the song with energetic solos as the crowd got warmed up. A jamless “Atlas Dogs” followed before the quintet fired up Anspach tune “Elizabeth.” The first extended jamming of the night, while just barely cracking the 10-minute mark, saw the band get into some nice churning themes.
The slinky vibe of “California Magic” fit the vibe of the first set perfectly before a new double-time arrangement of “Borne” was tapped next. Part of this new take on the song is a much cleaner slide into the jam which the band took full advantage of, developing a spacey theme with reverb-drenched piano at the forefront. Bassist Trevor Weekz led a slow build as the band worked together in a very democratic fashion. Drummer Ben Atkind pounded away at his toms as the jam build to a solid peak.
Anspach stepped out again on the Vintage Vibe outro to “The Old Man’s Boat” before Mitarotonda led Goose into “Rockdale.” Getting into the grime immediately, Anspach’s low clavinet colouring and Weekz’ deep bass accentuated Mitarotonda’s tension-building guitar as the band built to several phenomenal and explosive peaks to close out the first set.
The second set began in fine fashion with a long “Tumble.” The jam began with its classic dual-guitar churn groove as Mitarotonda got the energy of the crowd up. After hitting a first peak, the band took the vibe down and Anspach hit the keyboards. Displaying his impressive interplay with Mitarotonda that we’ve been seeing this week, Goose dove deep into a quieter section within “Tumble” that gave percussionist Jeff Arevalo an opportunity to really step to the sonic forefront of the jam.
Reaching a progression reminiscent of “Love is a Battlefield,” Mitarotonda took back the reins of the improv and built back to a final peak and return to the song. The guitarist then fronted the quintet on the debut of original “Not Alone,” a tender ballad that was received extremely well by the crowd – it acted as the perfect breather between two big second-set jams.
“Rosewood Heart” was tapped next and saw Anspach dialing up percussive loops on his Prophet synthesizer as Goose took a very different route in the jam. Eschewing the normal Type I section, they opted for a funky and percussive groove that had the venue getting down for its duration. A powerful rendition of Nina Simone’s “Sinnerman” came next before Goose ripped out “Madhuvan” to close the set.
Few songs elicit a crowd reaction on the level of this massive jam vehicle, and last night was no different. Beginning in a space not unlike its counterpart from Glens Falls this past November, Anspach laid down low tones on the Vintage Vibe while simultaneously creating feedback from his guitar, lending to the immediate dark and eerie tone of the jam. Patiently exploring every inch of this motif, Weekz dropped massive bombs as synthesizer loops and guitar arpeggios dominated the space. Gradually picking up steam, the improv took on a lighter tone as the band hit on their second “Loose Ends” tease of the week. Continuing the huge build, Mitarotonda led his bandmates into the ending of “Madhuvan” at full tilt, bringing an excellent set and show to a close. A brief encore of “Turned Clouds” sent the crowd home happy.
Goose – Thursday, March 9
Set 1: Jive I, Atlas Dogs, Elizabeth, California Magic, Borne[1], The Old Man’s Boat, Rockdale Set 2: Tumble[2], Not Alone[3], Rosewood, Heart > Sinnerman[4], Madhuvan[5] Encore: Turned Clouds
[1] Double time feel [2] With Pick Up The Pieces tease from Ric [3] FTP [4] Nina Simone [5] With Loose Ends teases
Wednesday, March 8
For the first night of Goose’s Capitol Theatre five night run, starting the run with what they ended Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival with, Eddy Grant’s “Electric Avenue.” Check out video and more photos from Cory Schwartz below.
Set 1: Jam -> Electric Avenue[1], All I Need[2] > Dr. Darkness, Butterflies, Jive II, Earthling or Alien?[3], So Ready Set 2: Wysteria Lane > Doobie Song, Drive[4], Yeti, Your Ocean Encore: Pancakes
[1] Eddy Grant. Ending only, finishing the version from 3/3/23 Okeechobee [2] Slow, melodic version [3] With Jive II teases from Trevor [4] With Loose Ends teases
For many Talking Heads’ fans, their 1980 album, Remain In Light, is the pinnacle. It’s groundbreaking blend of Afrobeat rhythms, synth textures, obtuse lyrics, Brian Eno’s crafty production and the searing “stunt guitar” of Adrian Belew made it a classic – the disc that put the funk into punk and New Wave. It was also the album that propelled this art school educated band of newbie groove nerds into the MTV mainstream. This was a non-stop dance party with cerebral trimmings, a collection of fierce tunes that were always the best parts of a Talking Heads’ live show, something evidenced in the peerless concert film made about their tour to support it, Stop Making Sense.
Last month, the band’s founding keyboardist Jerry Harrison teamed up with Belew and the band Cool Cool Cool to bring a concert celebrating the iconic album to 19 cities coast-to-coast.
If the March 8th performance at Albany’s Empire Live was any indication, they have achieved their stated goal – to recreate the excitement and joy of the Talking Heads’ remarkable 1980 tour.
The evening opened with a strong seven-song set by Cool Cool Cool, a super slick collective of funkateers with tight vocal harmonies, punchy horns, clavinet soul and stage presence to spare. The band is comprised of seven musicians who split – dramatically and en masse – from their former long-running band, the popular festival attraction Turkuaz, a year back. It includes Shira Elias and Sammi Garett (vocalists), Chris Brouwers (trumpet), Josh Schwartz (tenor/baritone sax/vocals), Greg Sanderson (alto/ tenor sax), Michelangelo Carubba (drums) and Craig Brodhead (guitar/keys). For this tour, the group is augmented by master bassist Julie Slick (Adrian Belew Power Trio/The Crimson ProjeKct) and percussionist Yahuba Garcia-Torres.
The Prince/Sly Stone/Tower of Power vibes were in evidence from the opener, “Gotta Give It Away,” sung with bravado and David Byrne-like hand gestures by Josh Schwartz (those would return in the next set too!). Shira Elias distinguished herself with lead vocals on “NAH” and “Tied Up,” while Sammi Garett shined on the ballad ,“With You,” and the baritone sax-driven set closer, “Try.”
Cool Cool Cool is not only a joyful party band but an ensemble of players’ players. In a duo of tunes, saxman Greg Sanderson slowly architected long spiraling solos that brought to mind the great Kenny Garrett in Miles Davis’ late 80s/early 90s band. On “With You,” Chris Brouwers offered up a muted trumpet solo with plenty of spacey echo. It was one that fused his own Milesisms with the prog/ambient leanings of ECM Records’ trumpet great Nils Petter Molvaer.
Harrison and Belew covered 14-songs in their set, most of Remain In Light, along with classics like “I Zimbra,” “Cities” and “Drugs” from their 1979 album, Fear of Music, and “Psycho Killer,” the set opener from their debut disc, Talking Heads: 77.
As he did in King Crimson, Belew handled most of the lead vocals in a style that bears more than a passing resemblance to David Byrne.
As anyone who’s seen him live can attest, Belew has boatloads of charisma. He’s got an amiable everyman vibe that invites everyone into the party, while sometimes obscuring his revolutionary talent as a guitarist. On “Psycho Killer,” he projected the appropriate amount of psycho and slayed with the first of his many animalistic guitar solos on the outro. The following tune, a rendition of “Houses in Motion,” greatly benefited from the backing vocals Shira and Sammi provided to Harrison’s lead. And here, there was another revelatory solo from Belew, who made his guitar sound like the Indian horn instrument heard on another Harrison’s The Beatles tunes, the shehnai.
Cool Cool Cool’s horn section ladled on added heft to many of the songs, especially “Cities” and “Born Under the Punches.” The latter was sung, more so preached with Byrne-like hand gestures, by Schwartz.
Jerry Harrison enjoyed a solo spot on two tunes, “Rev It Up” from his solo disc Casual Gods and “Slippery People” a much-covered song from the Heads’ 1983 album, Speaking in Tongues. The first number left space for an obtuse keyboard solo from Harrison and a nice guitar solo from Cool’s Craig Brodhead, who added some funky wah wah clavinet through both sets. Belew got his solo turn with a high-energy take on “Thela Hun Ginjeet” from King Crimson’s Discipline. More whammy bar guitar solo torment (a very VERY good thing) from Adrian on this track, one which featured a playback of his recounting his mugging in NYC from Crimson’s original recording.
Schwartz was back on lead vox doing his best Byrne for “Once In A Lifetime” and the set reached a peak with “Take Me to the River.” The Harrison/Belew version had even more punch than the Talking Heads’ original, bolstered by a Stax Records/Memphis stew of horns and backing vocal power.
The evening ended with a delightfully off-the-rails spin on “The Great Curve.” On Remain In Light, this tune percolates at 152 beats-per-minute, a hectic pace bettered in this live performance. It is also the song where Belew first got to fully stretch out on record. On record and at this concert, he stopped the show with his uniquely “apeshit” brand of Fender Stratocaster abuse, a step ahead in guitaring and stomp box logic that was the natural extension of Hendrix’s “Star-Spangled Banner” at Woodstock.
As fan well knows, the likelihood of seeing the original Talking Heads reformed in concert is quite dim. And Remain In Light itself is one of the sticking points, with songs that grew out of collective grooves and improvs at rehearsals for which Harrison, drummer Chris Franz and bassist Tina Weymouth may not have gotten their due.
And while he just dropped in to overdub his parts, Belew is another important ingredient without whom this album may not have been quite as iconic and continually relevant to new generations of music-lovers.
The Great South Bay 2023 Music Festival presented by Island Federal Bank announced its back for its 15th anniversary, taking place at Shorefront Park in Patchogue Village, from Thursday, July 20 through Sunday, July 23.
Photo credit Filip Zalewski for NYS Music.
The Great South Bay 2023 Music Festival features over 60 performers on four stages, in classic and contemporary rock, jam, blues, jazz, Americana, ska, reggae, alternative, and funk genres. The festival is known for its eclectic lineup of headliners with four very different days of music.
Kicking off the festival Thursday, July 20, with ten performers on two stages, is the legendary Hot Tuna, returning for their fourth visit to Headline the Main Stage. Classic rock act Dave Mason supports, and Barnburners The Fabulous Thunderbirds featuring Kim Wilson round out the lineup and local guitar legend Kerry Kearney and the Kings of the Psychedelta make an appearance.
Friday brings the annual rock-reggae-ska party, with 15 performers across three stages. Huntington Beach California rock-reggae veterans Dirty Heads return with support from LA ska-punk band Goldfinger, plus Sublime Tribute: Badfish, Maryland rockers Ballyhoo and emerging LI hometown reggae- rockers Oogee Wawa.
The annual Jam-Saturday features 18 performers across four stages. Phil Lesh & Friends, featuring the legendary bassist and original founding member of the Grateful Dead, takes the main stage. Supporting acts include jazz-funksters The Eric Krasno Trio, Neighbor, and local singer-songwriter musician Cassandra House.
Great South Bay 2023 will close out Sunday with guitar legend, Warren Haynes & Govt. Mule, performing “Dark Side of the Mule”, a tribute to the 50th Anniversary of Pink Floyd’s classic album The Dark Side of The Moon, complete a laser light show and over-the-top effects. Immediately supporting is Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening, plus Duane Betts and Palmetto Motel. Returning to the Main Stage is Long Island-born and bred guitarist Brandon “Taz” Niederauer who performed at Great South Bay on the “emerging artist stage” when he was just 12 years old and has since shared the stage with Gregg Allman, Gary Clarke Jr., Lady Gaga, and many more.
Supporting and presenting original emerging artists has always been part of our mission at GSB. For 2023 the festival will present over 30 talented original artists that we are excited to give stage time and lay on our music loving attendees. New talented original artists to keep on your radar this year include: Cassandra House (performing on our Main Stageand opening for Phil Lesh), Jules, Jack & Friends, Dudley Music, Robinson Treacher, MJT, Circus Mind, Miles to Dayton, Foster Europe Band, Baked Shrimp, and more.
Great South Bay supports the Long Island community and will continue to donate $1 from every ticket sold, to the GSB-Stony Brook Cancer Center Fund. To date, the fest has raised well over $250,000 for the cancer center. Additionally, Great South Bay Presenting Sponsor Island Federal Bank will also give $1- $2 worth of food donations for every ticket that’s sold to LI Cares, the Harry Chapin Food bank. The festival will also again donate booth spaces in our “Storyville Tent” to local organizations looking to raise awareness and funds for their cause.
The mission of the Great South Bay Festival is to always support emerging local artists, and are proud present over 30 talented original artists. Some of these not mentioned previously include Jules, Jack & Friends, Dudley Music, Robinson Treacher, MJT, Circus Mind, Miles to Dayton, Foster Europe Band, Baked Shrimp, and more.
Tickets are available to purchase now. Children under 10 are free.
Festival Times: Thursday, July 20: Doors are at 3:00 p.m., fest goes till 10 p.m. Friday, July 21: Doors are at 3:00 p.m., music till 11 p.m., Saturday, July 22.: Doors are at 1:00 p.m., music till 11 p.m., Sunday, July 23: Doors are at 2:00 p.m. with performances till 10 p.m.
Emotions ran high over the weekend as Buffalo jam band Aqueous made their final Albany appearance before setting off on indefinite hiatus. Braving snowy weather and treacherous travel conditions, there was no turning back for the plethora of die-hard AQ fans who made their way to The Hollow on Friday, March 3rd with Litz opening the night.
Selling out the venue one last time, Guthrie-Bell Productions has been bringing the acclaimed band to town for many years, however it was their first time back to this room since a memorable pre-Halloween show with Mungion back in 2018.
Aqueous performing for the final time in Albany before going on hiatus; 3/3/2023
Opening the show with about at much gear on stage as The Hollow could handle was high-octane funk rockers LITZ from Frederick, Maryland. Consisting of brothers Austin (vocals, keyboards, saxophone) and Logan Litz (bass) as well as guitarist Pat Shine and drummer Nick Thrasher, the hybrid party band has been around for almost a decade now.
Prior to their set, they expressed gratitude to the guys in Aqueous for the years of friendship and for having them out on this last run. Building momentum with long, trancey EDM-type grooves on songs like “Sunrise” and “New God”, the colorfully dressed Austin would spend the set going back and forth between his stack of keyboards, talk box and a large saxophone that remained anchored to the center of the stage. Trading off huge sax solos with guitarist Pat Shrine, it was bass player Logan Litz who would garner the biggest cheers of the set with his dynamic slap style bass playing and general sense of “cool.”
After working through a “Fifth Element”> “Straight to the Moon” sandwich, LITZ would play one of their most popular songs, “Morning Dew” off their 2016 album Illusion of Time before hitting us with a “Japanese Love Affair.” Perhaps pulling our fingers a bit, things would get a little weird before playing their final song of the set, announcing to the crowd that someone had spilled beer on Shine’s pedal board and that it had shorted out. As is the nature of improv music, LITZ rolled with the punches and somehow managed to bypass the problem and launch directly into their hip-shaking party anthem “Funkin’ Problem” to close out the fun filled opening set.
Brothers Austin and Logan of LITZ got the crowd fried up early at the Hollow on 3/3/2023.
Packed in like sardines, Aqueous’ most dedicated fans used the set break as an opportunity to push forward and claim a better spot for the main event. Many of these fans have been following the band since their infancy and have organically formed one of the most positive musical communities in the scene. Affectionately known as “AQuaintances,” the hugs were flowing all night long, as anyone “in the know” knew this could perhaps be one of the final shows they’d get to see of their beloved band from Buffalo. If you were an outsider trying to push closer to the stage, forget it. The territoriality here was fierce and it just wasn’t happening.
All tuned up and ready to rock, the band seemed to be in good spirits from the start. Consisting of Dave Loss and Mike Gantzer on guitars and vocals, Evan McPhaden on bass, and drummer Rob Houk, the guys joked they had each picked a song out and were all going to play it at the same time, hoping to be on the same page. They weren’t, at first, but they quickly settled in nicely on “Dave’s Song.” One of the founding members of the band, Dave Loss had taken much of the previous year off to focus on the birth of his first child. Too integral to simply replace, the band opted to recruit a revolving door of high-profile guests to help round out their sound while fulfilling remaining bookings in the beginning. Dubbing themselves AQ and Friends, it just simply wasn’t the same without Dave. Now back and with just the right touch, the contributions from Loss could be heard immediately.
Dave Loss performing with Aqueous in Albany on 3/3/2023
“Weight of the Word” would be played next before fan favorite and one of the biggest jam vehicles of the night, “Triangle,” landed in the three hole. The 2019 pop/punk singalong “Burn It Down” came next, complete with a heady “Shakedown Street” tease for good measure. Aqueous then segued into one of their most popular songs “Kitty Chaser (Explosions)” to bring the show to it’s halfway point.
As the snow continued falling outside, things were just starting to heat up inside. After a brief intermission, the guys returned to the stage as Chatty Cathy’s. Drummer Rob Houk was doing most of the talking as he lobbied his bandmates to cover the 1990’s smash hit “Hunger Strike” from the legendary grunge supergroup Temple of the Dog (Chris Cornell and Eddie Vedder). While Houk even began singing it, the rest of the guys pulled a fast one on him going into a tease of Collective Soul’s “December.”
All joking now aside, things got straight up funky as Aqueous then launched into the fan favorite “Mosquito Valley pt 1” which after about 12 minutes, transitioned into the hard charging “Eon Don” in silky smooth segue. During this standout version of the song, one of the most memorable moments of the night came when the band worked in a well-placed Metallica “Enter Sandman” tease before segueing into another homage to one of their biggest influences in Steely Dan’s “Josi.” The uninterrupted frame of music continued on as the band then landed on “Second Sight” which received a huge pop from the Albany crowd. You can check out fan shot video of that below:
Fan shot footage of Aqueous performing at The Hollow on 3/3/2023
Cooling down for a bit of tuning and some priceless banter, an impromptu cover of “Sweet Home Alabama” emerged, before Gantzer finally pulled the rip cord. What we got next had some fans calling it an “all time” rendition of “They’re Calling For You,“ which went the full distance and would return us back to an “Eon Don” reprise.
Fan shot footage of Aqueous performing at The Hollow on 3/3/2023
Already approaching 2am and the heavy wet snow now 4 inches deep, the band opted to skip the usual encore theatrics of leaving the stage. Perhaps disagreeing with the song choice, Houk would break the fourth wall a bit, peering out from behind his kit to ask the crowd ‘what’s the most depressing song [they] could play?’ An intriguing question that immediately sparked a dozen different responses, it was here when the ‘beginning of the end’ feeling suddenly became too difficult to ignore.
You see, until this point in the evening, there was never really any acknowledgement by the band that we were closing in on an end of Era, at least not during the show. Instead, they let their music do the talking and chose to send us home with “Realize Your Light,” a song that features some of Dave Loss’ most heartfelt crooning and one of Mike Gantzer’s most emotive and expressive guitar solos.
And we can see where this can go
Around the corner still unknown
And we can see where this will go
In chilling snow, the thrill can still grow
And all the time that slips away
Will come back to you someday
Be anything. Not just anything. Realize your light like a spark in the night
Lyrics from ‘Realize Your Light’
As the pseudo-balled reached its epic conclusion, you could just feel the band digging into it with a different level of purpose. They were making a statement. They were going out on their terms and while still at the top of their game. No one ever called this ‘goodbye,’ but looking around the room, you could feel the emotion and see it in peoples eyes. Aqueous was their band. Real, hardworking, blue-collar nice guys with a propensity for dank, groovy improv music, who at one time seemed poised for major mainstream success.
Why it didn’t happen for them we may never know, but it certainly wasn’t for lack of talent. Maybe the masses just weren’t ready for this type of greatness? After all, the biggest whale in the sea got that way by never getting caught. Leaving behind a treasure trove of spectacular soundboards to tide us over until the 2.0 era door optimistically opens, we can only consider ourselves lucky to have been a small part of this amazing journey with Aqueous, one of New York’s best and most underappreciated bands.
Up next before hiatus officially begins, Aqueous will head to Erie, Pa for a gig at Kings Rook on March 11th. After a few weeks off, they’ll be in Baltimore on April 7th and Ardmore, PA on April 8th. The last scheduled Aqueous appearance is set to take place at the Summer Camp Music Festival in late May 2023.
Aqueous | March 3, 2023 | The Hollow | Albany, NY
Set 1: Dave’s Song¹, Weight of the Word > Triangle¹, Burn It Down² > Kitty Chaser (Explosions)
Set 2: Mosquito Valley pt 1 > Eon Don³⁴ > Josie⁵ > Second Sight, Sweet Home Alabama⁶, They’re Calling For You > Eon Don
Encore: Realize Your Light
1) with ending 2) Shakedown Street tease 3) Enter Sandman full band quote 4) Second Sight tease 5) Steely Dan 6) Lynyrd Skynyrd
LITZ | March 3, 2023 | The Hollow | Albany, NY
Setlist: Sunrise > New God, Fifth Element > Straight to the Moon > Fifth Element > Kali, Eye of the Pyramid, Morning Dew, Japanese Love Affair, Funkin’ Problem
Schenectady has hosted the Van Gogh Experience for nearly a year now, and while the exhibit itself is worth a visit, the art of the master painter was brought to new levels with the music of the Grateful Dead. Thanks to Sugar Productions and Exhibition Hub Entertainment, Gratefully Yours performed on Saturday, March 4th at the Schenectady Armory in a room lit up with the art of Vincent Van Gogh.
A packed house of fans experienced a surreal audio/visual delight, as the main room of the Van Gogh Experience – where for over an hour, attendees see a career retrospective of Van Gogh’s most famous paintings, brought to life with 3D animation of his work. Add in a full two hours of Gratefully Yours performing Grateful Dead songs, and the pairing was as perfect as could be.
Hearing the “Sunshine Daydream” portion of “Sugar Magnolia” hitting just as the walls were lit up with images of “View of Arles with Irises” and an added sun rising over the sky made for quite the pairing. While “Dark Star” and “Starry Night” did not sync up, there were moment of pure bliss that could not be anticipated as the walls continued to change and the songs progressed.
Gratefully Yours – Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience – Schenectady Armory – March 4, 2023
Setlist: One More Saturday Night, Casey Jones, China Cat Sunflower> I Know You Rider > The Music Never Stopped>Bird Song> Truckin’> Eyes of the World> Scarlet Begonias> St. Stephen> The Other One> Space> Franklin’s Tower> The End, Sugar Magnolia> St. Stephen> The Wheel> Sunshine Daydream, Shining Star> Not Fade Away
After three years of pandemic cancellations, Jam Cruisers were excited to sail again, and anticipation was high even before we got on board the Divina, as we met friends on land to plan our “must-see” performances while at sea on Jam Cruise.
Sunday Feb 5 – preparty show at the Citadel
The Jam Cruise preparty was at The Citadel the night before, hosted by GMP Live (founded by Gideon Plotnicki of Brooklyn Comes Alive, who recently created the Miami’s North Beach Music Festival). Karina Rykman’s power trio headlined, with Butcher Brown and Tand supporting. Rykman’s unique punk-flavored rock blew the roof off of The Citadel, preparing us for a wild week. Butcher Brown, a 70s style jazz-fusion mixture of funk and hip-hop got the crowd going, with local south Florida favorites Tand opening the night.Â
Monday Feb 6 – Embarkation
Getting on the MSC Divina was fairly easy this year, in spite of pre-boarding concerns about delayed cruise documents. While in line, I asked Reed Mathis about his Electric Beethoven plans, since his long-time cohort Brian Haas was playing his first Jam Cruise. Reed said he invited five different drummers, and was looking forward to the experiment.
On the Pool Deck, it was heart-warming to see Captain Toast, Cloud 9, and fans hoist our glasses in solidarity. Joined by Cloud 9’s Founder Mark Brown and Director of Artist Programming Annabel Lukins Stelling (along with other Cloud 9 top staff), the Sailaway Toast prepared us for the opening band, George Porter Jr. & Runnin’ Pardners. A zesty “Cissy Strut” was launched, as fans dressed up for the Three Years of Sparkles (fan-voted costume theme) erupted. Jam Cruise Lifer extraordinaire, Karl Denson, surprised us on sax for Bill Wither’s “Ain’t No Sunshine”, with an island vibe.
I left to see Jason Crosby play a breathtaking solo piano set in The Atrium (majestic 5-story central lobby of the ship boasting opulent Swarovski crystal staircase). I soaked in Crosby’s fountain of notes, then hopped over to the Black and White Lounge to catch the fun psychedelic Jersey Shore rock band, Dogs in a Pile, a fun, relatively new band.
I caught a sample of the much-talked-about Vulfpeck/Cory Wong offshoot, The Fearless Flyers, in the Pantheon Theatre, including a flawless cover of Steely Dan’s “Reelin’ in the Years”. I went topside to catch our favorite funkmasters, Lettuce, on the Pool Deck, who met gale-force winds head-on with largely old school classics, adding a handful of new masterpieces, like “Vamonos| from Unify. As the wind lashed the stage, techs frenetically gaffed down mic stands, as expert riggers took down the huge speaker banners that were now dangerously flapping in the extreme winds.
Neighbor was another new band I’ve seen recently, another fan favorite on the boat. I caught Neighbor in the Black & White Lounge, then slipped back topside for on the best performances of the week, by Toronto’s finest, The New Deal. Weeks prior, TnD tapped Scotty Zwang, a talented drummer from Dopapod, Ghost Light, & RAQ, who clicked like clockwork with their unique form of livetronica.
I swung back to the Theatre for a little SunSquabi before going topside again for The Word, a superband comprised of John Medeski, Luther & Cody Dickenson, and Robert Randolph. Medeski played fiercely, with Robert & Luther trading off slide solos with southern heat. I ducked into the Jam Room for Cool Cool Cool, with many sit-ins (Kanika Moore and dozens of others – but I could barely see, being completely packed by 3am).
Around 4 am, I took the glass elevator up to the Galaxy Disco for DJ Brownie’s first night, with a surprise sit-in on vocals by Karina Rykman. Brownie thumped the disco until almost 5:30 am, but I wasn’t sleepy, so I wandered the upper decks searching for signs of life. I heard music, where I found a fellow Jam Cruiser, Ethan Alpert, who somehow got his DJ rig on the boat to mix a surprise pop-up set on the balcony above the Pool Deck. That was one of many random pop-ups that happen on Jam Cruise. My first night ended at 7:15am.
Tuesday Feb 7 – Day at Sea – Costume Theme: Decade You Were Born
Pixie & the Partygrass Boys opened the pool deck with their infamous “Appreciate Where You Came From”, as fans yelled, “Go Vaginas!”. Afterwards, The Lil Smokies imported Montana bluegrass to the Pool Deck, who Annabel announced them as “her favorite band”, hugging the band’s dobro player, Andy Dunnigan, then dancing with fans.
Bad Boy Bingo by Little Stranger ensued in La Luna with a hilarious diversion from music. At 4pm, Amy & Dave had their wedding in the Atrium. Having met on a past Jam Cruise, they invited friends and Jam Cruisers, and Annabel announced it over the ship’s intercom. The sound crew delivered a cordless mic to the couple, whose speeches invoked tears and laughter across the Atrium. Laughter & congratulations greeted the newlyweds afterwards on the Pool Deck.
Several friends got their 4th-year Repeat Offender robes, so I joined the robe ceremony happy hours on the back of the pool deck at the Garden Bar (a smaller stage & bar next to an infinity pool). Drinks and appetizers flowed, as old friends and Lifers hugged after years of separation.
The most anticipated band, Cymande, from the UK & founded in 1971, had not played in roughly 30 years. Cymande drove classic 70s pre-hip-hop funk to our eager ears, but their set was cut short by winds, and the pool deck stage closed for the rest of the day & night. Like before, Cloud 9 staff deftly rescheduled & rearranged bands throughout the ship.
The Fearless Flyers’ pool deck set was moved to the Atrium, where fans packed the house, since some of us missed their Theatre set the first night. Doom Flamingo was a blast, another recent band many hadn’t seen until Jam Cruise. They’re fronted by the powerful vocals of Kanika Moore, who deserves the MVP award for most appearances, bringing her intense energy & poise to every performance. Doom’s bassist Ryan Stasik delivered the low end, with fans packing in the B&W Lounge as music schedules realigned.
I caught The Sweet Lillies in the Atrium, who also hosts “The Spot” (a pop-up stage started by Nathan Moore, then handed over to the Sweet Lillies as caretakers, on Promenade Deck 7). The Spot is an acoustic jam circle, assisted by fans who boisterously sing along to popular favorites and occasional originals.
Fruition in the theatre was joined by the legendary Mike Dillon, who’s performed on every Jam Cruise but one, taking every band he plays with into another dimension, with his punkadelic-driven vibraphones and manic energy. Andy Frasco & the UN in the theatre were joined by Kanika Moore on vocals and Richard James on keys from Neighbor, with the band and fans erupting at peak moments, as band members ran all around stage.
Jam Room that night was hosted by Shira Elias and Lamar Williams, Jr, with Nikki Glaspie on drums, D.J. Williams on guitar, with horns from various bands, as well as Adam Deitch on drums, among many others. My night ended with DJ AirWolf in the Disco – another fulfilling day & night of fun!
Wed Feb 8 – Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
I brunched on the ship, then strolled off the docks to check out local port facilities, finding tiki bars, squawking parrots, mischievous monkeys, then wandering further until finding the ginormous pool with swim-up bars. I ran into D.J. Williams, Brownie, and Dan Kelly (bassist for Neighbor), along with other artists and friends.The pool party was lit, and I got invited up to dance w/ Dan & friends in the middle of the pool to cheesy DJ music, partying just enough to not drown in the pool and make it back to the boat in one piece.
The Bamboos, a funk & soul band from Australia fired up the Pool Deck stage as everyone got situated back on the boat, and we sailed away from the DR, bound for Grand Turk. Just before this, Doom Flamingo had their new album preview at the back Garden Bar & pool. I caught Chris Spies on piano in the Atrium, joined by George Porter Jr, and many others.
Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, another one of my all-time favorite bands, fired up the Pool Deck that evening. I caught a little more New Deal in the Theatre, then set camp on the couch right next to Reed Mathis in the Atrium for the most inspiringly creative “planned improv” on the ship, Electric Beethoven. Brian Haas, a friend of Reed’s for thirty years, was elated to be on Jam Cruise for his very first time.
Five masterful drummers, including Nikki Glaspie, Mike Dillon, Dave Watts, and Stanton Moore, all joined Reed on different Beethoven songs. I was lucky to catch the full set, sitting right next to Reed, watching the magic & mystery unfold in front of me. I caught the tail end of lespecial, another recent add to Jam Cruise, and another favorite of mine who I’ve seen a few times, even recently in DC.
Trouble No More is another new superband who tore up the Pool Deck around midnight, with deftly-delivered Allman Brothers classics by the young guitar prodigy Taz & his brother on bass, Daniel Donato on guitar, Jack Ryan and Nikkie Glaspie on drums, Peter Levin on keys, and the masterful pedal steel fury of Roosevelt Collier. They were also one of the favorite bands on the boat and had a big crowd topside.
However, George Porter Jr. & Dumpstaphunk were playing a full Meters set in the Theatre, and Trouble No More also had a Theatre set on Friday, so I cut over to the Pantheon for some Meters magnificence. I zoomed all the way to the back of the ship for a little Delvon Lamarr, but came back to The Theatre for another incredible Lettuce set, with better sound (vs the wind storm topside the first night). I got to the Jam Room very late for Shawn Eckels, but being packed again, I listened from the perimeter and called it an “early” night around 4:30 am.
Thu Feb 9 – Day at Sea – Mardi Gras – Dogs in a Pile, Mihali, Fruition, Everyone Orchestra, Butcher Brown, Dumpstaphunk, Punkadelic, Peter Levin piano, Galactic Pool Deck, The Lil Smokies Theatre, Joe Marcinek’s Dead Funk Summit, Doom Flamingo Pool Deck, Neal Francis Theatre, George Porter Jr. Jam Room, DJ Brownie
Purple, Green and Gold blazed in the wonderful sun for Dogs in a Pile on the Pool Deck to kick off day 4, followed by Mihali’s band’s repertoire of reggae-flavored originals. Matt Butler’s Everyone Orchestra performed an inspired set in the theatre with a wide cast of musicians & singers, while Lebo played acoustic at the back Garden Pool.
Fruition played a lovely set in the afternoon on the pool deck, followed by Butcher Brown, with a sit-in by Nigel Hall. Inside, Eric Benny Bloom treated us to humor and music with his Really Really Tacky Show. Honey Island Swamp Band played their rescheduled “Dark Side of the Swamp” in the Pantheon Theatre during the slot destined for The Broadband (which was unfortunately canceled).
After their smoking set, Dumpstaphunk performed a Mardi Gras style second line march off the pool deck main stage, out into the crowd, then down around back into the cafeteria, much to the delight of diners. Galactic then played, followed by Doom Flamingo on the pool deck, with The Lil Smokies and Neal Francis in the theatre. I strolled over to the Black and White Lounge to catch some of Joe Marcinek’s Dead Funk Summit, with George Porter Jr. on bass & vocals, who then hosted the Jam Room after. It was super packed, so I caught some of it, then headed up to the Galaxy Disco to see DJ Brownie’s 2nd set, who met with a comically ginormous bottle of champagne that was shared by friends.
Fri Feb 10 – Grand Turk – Andy Frasco and the UN, phoffman, Trouble No More, Ivan Neville piano Atrium, Dogs in a Pile Bikini Bottom Jam, Honey Island Swamp Band, Fackin’ A, Oteil & Friends Pool Deck, Cymande Theatre, Umphrey’s McGee Pool Deck, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe Theatre, Taz Jam Room, DJ Yesmann
A jaunt off the dock brought us to pristine beaches in Grand Turk, where we swam with tropical fish 100 yards out. Vendors sold marginally cold beers, playing Biggie Smalls and other hip-hop legends, while catamarans patrolled the shore blaring cheesy dance classics. Some cruisers took taxis to find other bars & food at the Sand Bar and other local hangs, while a family of blue whales swam near the boat.
Back on board, Andy Frasco & The U. N. kicked off more insanity on the pool deck, while another catastrophe hit the Atrium in the form of Dogs in a Pile Bikini Bottom Jam, with a mixture of stunts, songs, and random acts of humor in a spin-the-wheel game show format, with Karina Rykman playing bass on Ween’s “Ocean Man”.
Ivan Neville packed in the Atrium for heartfelt solo piano set, followed by Greensky’s Paul Hoffman and his band on the pool deck. Taz’s superband Trouble No More fired up in the Theatre, while Honey Island performed “Dark Side of the Swamp”, with Pink Floyd classics, reimagined. Lespecial joined forces with Mike Dillon for Facn’ A in the Jazz Lounge.
Oteil and Umphrey’s closed out the pool deck Friday with inspired sets, while Cymande and Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe rocked the Theatre, with Taz hosting the Jam Room, and Little Stranger on the Brews at Sea Stage.
Saturday Feb 11 – day at sea – Neighbor, Karina, Yacht Rock, Dave Watts Super Jam, Umphrey’s McGee, Oteil & Friends, Butcher Brown, Costume Contest w/ Sammi & Shira, Silent Auction, SunSquabi, Galactic, lespecial, Roosevelt Collier Jam Room
Rising at 6 am, I fueled up, strolling to the back of the boat to find Touch of Class hosting the final winner-takes-all Kickball Championship, a yearly fan ritual. The Sports Deck was empty, so I searched the Garden Bar, finding another pop-up jam, Chris Sgammato’sDisplace, a jazzy 4-piece delivering tasty funk to early-risers and up-all-nighters. After Safety gave Displace a half hour notice, we grabbed frozen drinks, heading up to the topmost deck to play kickball.
Neighbor opened the pool deck, debuting Burt Bacharach’s “What the World Needs Now Is Love”, then Karina Rykman played her best set on the final day as we soaked in the last rays of the tropical sun on board. During and after Karina, Paul Hoffman (Greensky Bluegrass) and Mihali played their own acoustic sets by the backside Garden Pool.
Dan Lebowitz’s Yacht Rock was the most fun set, playing Rupert Holmes’ “Pina Colada”, The Doobie Brothers’ “What a Fool Believes” (Jenn Hartswick), “Hey Nineteen” with Joel Cummins on lead vocals, “Somebody’s Baby” (Jackson Browne), Magic (Olivia Newton-John), Ivan Neville & Nigel Hall on George Benson’s “Give Me the Night”, “Lowdown” (Boz Scaggs) w Karl Denson on flute & vocals, with The Horn Section on all songs. Dave Watts Super Jam hosted 46 musicians, possibly a new Jam Cruise record. Judith Hill and Kanika Moore brought their vocal prowess to “Higher Ground”. Midway through, Watts’ super jam covered Led Zeppelin’s “The Ocean” (appropriately) and “Trampled Under Foot”, but “Grease” was the crowd-pleaser, with Shira Elias singing lead vocals, backed up by Sammi & Josh, Mike Dillon on percussion, Adam Deitch and Scotty Zwang, and others.
The last night, Umphrey’s McGee played another two-hour-long set on the pool deck, with irreverent humorous banter and a song for Andy Frasco’s birthday (joking that his body’s ashes we’d line up to smoke later, briefly teasing B.O.C.’s Don’t Fear the Reaper). A pinnacle of their set was Radiohead’s “Creep”, with Kanika Moore adding her mournful voice.
One of the biggest jam conflicts, Oteil and Friends played around the same time as Umphrey’s in the Theatre, treating loyal fans to the ARU staple, “Fixin’ to Die” (Bukka White), with “Blue Sky” into Franklin’s Tower, Allman Brothers covers “Dreams” and “Hot ‘Lanta”, with Vaylor Trucks joining on guitar and Karl D on sax, finishing up with The Peacemakers’ original, “Rooster”. Galactic closed out the Theatre, while SunSquabi played their hottest set to close out the Pool Deck.
Roosevelt Collier hosted the last three-plus-hour-long Jam Room with his talented friends, including Taz, Shawn Eckels, D.J. Williams on guitar, with Adam Deitch on drums & percussion, Nikki Glaspie on drums, who also flexed her rap skills, along with Shira Elias and other vocalists, The Horn Section as well as members of KDTU horns, and many others.
DJ AirWolf closed out the disco, thumping us into dawn. Over-satiated and exhausted from seven days and nights of reckless abandon, we crawled to our rooms to pack and catch a few z’s before rising at 8:30 am to amble back to the vastly overrated land society that we sometimes call “civilization”.
Each year, I exclaim that this Jam Cruise was the “best one yet”, and this year was no exception. From the superb planned performances to the surprise sit-ins and random pop-up jams, there is really nothing like it on land or sea.
