Category: Jam/Progressive

moe. announce 3-night run in May at Brooklyn Bowl

With their eyes set on the State Theatre in Portland, Maine, moe. has just announced they will hold a special 3-night run at Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg over May 18-20, wrapping up their winter/spring tour.

Presented by Relix, the run of shows follows the return of guitarist Chuck Garvey to the road full-time following his stroke in 2021, and the more recent announcement that keyboardist Nate Wilson, who first sat in with the band during Garvey’s recovery last year, is now an official member of the band and will perform at all of moe.’s performances, going forward.

A special artist pre-sale for Brooklyn Bowl is currently underway using password WINDITUP – click here for moe information. Tickets go on sale to the general public this Friday, February 17th at 10amET. For ticketing and show info, visit moe.org/tour

moe.’s Winter 2023 Tour will resume with their 2-night run at the State Theatre this weekend, as well as an additional 2-night run at the Palace Theater in Albany, NY on 2/24-25, coinciding with “moe.day” in Albany on 2/24. Select February performances will include an opening set by Karina Rykman.

moe. 2023 Winter Tour Dates
Friday, February 17^th – State Theatre – Portland, ME*
Saturday, February 18^th – State Theatre – Portland, ME*
Friday, February 24^th – Palace Theater – Albany, NY*
Saturday, February 25^th – Palace Theater – Albany, NY
Thursday, March 9^th – Brooklyn Bowl – Nashville, TN
Friday, March 10^th – Mars Music Hall – Huntsville, AL
Saturday, March 11^th – Minglewood Hall – Memphis, TN
Sunday, March 12^th – Vinyl Music Hall – Pensacola, FL
Wednesday, March 15^th – Music Hall – Charleston, SC
Thursday, March 16^th – The Plaza Live – Orlando, FL
Friday, March 17^th – Culture Room – Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Saturday, March 18^th – Jannus Live – St. Petersburg, FL
Sunday, March 19^th – PV Concert Hall – Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
Tuesday, March 21^st – Lincoln Theatre – Raleigh, NC
Wednesday, March 22^nd – Jefferson Theatre – Charlottesville, VA
Thursday, March 23^rd – The Orange Peel – Asheville, NC
Friday, March 24^th – Variety Playhouse – Atlanta, GA
Saturday, March 25^th – Variety Playhouse – Atlanta, GA
Friday, April 14^th – Higher Ground – Burlington, VT
Saturday, April 15^th – Higher Ground – Burlington, VT
Wednesday, April 26^th – Cain’s Ballroom – Tulsa, OK
Thursday, April 27^th – The Echo Lounge – Dallas, TX
Friday, April 28^th – Paramount Theatre – Austin, TX
Saturday, April 29^th – Tipitina’s – New Orleans, LA
Sunday, April 30^th – Tipitina’s – New Orleans, LA
Tuesday, May 2^nd – JJ’s Live – Fayetteville, AR
Wednesday, May 3^rd – The Truman – Kansas City, MO
Thursday, May 18^th – Brooklyn Bowl – Brooklyn, NY
Friday, May 19^th – Brooklyn Bowl – Brooklyn, NY
Saturday, May 20^th – Brooklyn Bowl – Brooklyn, NY
Thursday, May 25^th-Sunday, May 28^th – Summer Camp Music Festival – Chillicothe, IL
Friday, June 16^th – Red Rock Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO^
Saturday, June 17^th – Red Rock Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO^
Thursday, July 13^th-Saturday, July 15^th – 4848 Festival – Snowshoe, WV

* with Karina Rykman
^ supporting Umphrey’s McGee

February 14, 2023
In Focus: Disco Biscuits at The Palace Theatre

The Disco Biscuits stopped at the Palace Theatre in Albany on Friday Feb. 3rd. This was the third stop of their winter tour, and the coldest night of the year in the Northeast. Those fans who were willing to brave the sub-zero temperatures were treated to a heater of a show. The Disco Biscuits also treated fans with the release of a new studio album Shocked! on the same day.

Snake and Stars opened the show. The electronic duo is comprised of Michael Travis (The String Cheese Incident) and Aaron Johnston (Brazilian Girls, David Byrne’s American Utopia). The band was formed last year between the two long time friends as an improvisational exploration of electronic dance music. Their current tour continues into April.

The Disco Biscuits opened up with the relatively new “Why We Dance,” followed by “Spy” which was an encore for the band at their November 1, 2007 show at The Palace. A nonstop segue of “Times Square > Bombs > Humuhumunukunukuapua’a > Another Plan of Attack” rounded out the rest/majority of the first set. Set two opened with fan favorites “Crickets” and “42”, followed by the Shocked! track “Tourists (Rocket Ship)”, which continued the segue frenzy, leading into “Tempest > Svenghali > 42” with the new “To Be Continued” closing out the second set.

If you missed this show, catch the Disco Biscuits at one of their upcoming tour stops, including three more shows in New York at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester over March 23rd, 24th, and 25th.

Check out the Biscuits’ setlist and full photo gallery below.

The Disco Biscuits – Palace Theatre, Albany – Friday, February 3, 2023

Set 1: Why We Dance, Spy, Times Square > Bombs > Humuhumunukunukuapua’a > Another Plan of Attack
Set 2 Crickets > 42 > Tourists (Rocket Ship) > Tempest> Svenghali > 42, To Be Continued
Encore Frog Legs

February 9, 2023
My First Billy Strings First Show : 1st Bank Center In Broomfield, CO

Sometimes you need to head west in the winter to find some heat, and at 1st Bank Center on Saturday, February 4, that’s just what was found. Amid bitter cold back east, I flew out to Denver for a short weekend and experienced my first Billy Strings show.

This is not to say I’ve never seen Billy Strings perform – I first saw him at WinterWonderGrass in Stratton, VT in December 2018, after years of hearing the buzz about this Michigan bluegrass musician. It took until last summer to catch him a second time, during Outlaw Music Fest when it came to Saratoga Performing Arts Center. But I had never seen him in a regular show setting, and festival sets always give you a different experience than seeing the band for an evening with. Thus, this would be my first Billy Strings show, on the last night of his sold out three-night run in Broomfield, CO, and what a show it was.

Cutting to the chase here, Billy Strings, featuring Mr. Strings (guitar), Billy Failing (banjo), Royal Masat (bass), Jarrod Walker (mandolin), and Alex Hargreaves (fiddle), puts on one hell of a show. There wasn’t a dull moment, an unengaged fan or any feeling I was arriving to the show as an outsider – the crowd was welcoming, one that assured me afterwards that I got a heater at my first Billy show.

With a half an hour before show time (given the 815pm start time the previous two nights), our crew found ourselves on the floor about a third of the way from the front, stage right. With 15 minutes, 10 minutes and 5 minutes before showtime, a brief announcement came on the screens with the voice of god saying “X minutes until Fuzzy Rainbows” – a unique way to get the crowd prepared for the show at the same time the band is getting ready and heading to the stage. With all the shows I’d listened to of Billy Strings’, this was a brand new concept and one of those welcome surprises that did not disappoint.

Kicking off with two substance-tinged tunes, the ever popular “Dust in a Baggie” and “Heartbeat of America,” eyes were drawn to the video screens on either side of the stage. These made Billy and the band seem larger than life (by design), with the band-wide shot above the stage giving a horizontal frame to the band. For those way back in the audience, this was helpful as the five musicians side by side appeared so tiny after looking at the video screens of Giant Billy looking down on the crowd.

The hour long first set had an array of covers, with traditional tunes from Roy Acuff and Larry Sparks complemented by covers from The Moody Blues and John Hartford. Billy Strings’ blending of his own originals and covers that go back through the history of bluegrass, as well as non-bluegrass tunes is a great part of the appeal that makes the music so accessible to so many.

Alongside the video screens were the lights, which were another thing that could not translate to the audio-only experience, let alone festival sets. The lights were on par with the 20th Century Fox intro spotlights, continually shining all around, rotating and occassionally connecting with the disco ball way up in the rafters off stage left. This unexpected element to a bluegrass show gave a never-ending intertwining of lights, something you’d only see at a Greensky Bluegrass show.

After a not too long setbreak, set 2 came out swinging with an Oak Ridge Boys tune, a mellow and delightful “Watch It Fall” and the traditional “Cumberland Reel.” From there, the set picked up speed and never let up, dropping in with the dark as hell “Psycho” that segued smooth as silk into J.J. Cale’s “Ride Me High.” The Bad Livers’ tune “Pretty Daughter” – covered often by Yonder Mountain String Band – jumped up late in the set, with Billy moving from side to side on the stage, hamming it up a bit and watching his bandmates take solos. The closing “Turmoil & Tinfoil” rounded things out with a punch, with an all too brief encore of “Tennessee,” noted as the band’s destination for some recording, and not a sit-in with Phil Lesh and Friends the next day in Denver.

And with that, I checked my first Billy Strings show off the list, with assurance from the show and crowd that this would not be the last.

Billy Strings – 1st Bank Center, Broomfield, CO – Saturday, February 4, 2023

Set 1: Dust In A Baggie, Heartbeat of America, Along The Road (Dan Fogelberg), Streamlined Cannonball (Roy Acuff), The Fire On My Tounge > Know It All, John Deere Tractor (Larry Sparks), The Preacher & The Bear (Arthur Francis Collins), Wargasm, Nights In White Satin (The Moody Blues), This Old World, Bronzeback, All Fall Down (John Hartford), These Old Blues (Traditional)

Set 2: Dig A Little Deeper In The Well (The Oak Ridge Boys), Ice Bridges, Watch It Fall, Slow Train, Cumberland Reel (traditional), Psycho (Eddie Noack) > Ride Me High (J.J. Cale) The Train That Carried My Girl From Town (Doc Watson) > Black Mountain Rag, Love Like Me, Whisper Your Name (New Grass Revival), Pretty Daughter (Bad Livers), Nothing’s Working, Turmoil & TInfoil

Encore: Tennessee (Jimmy Martin)

February 9, 2023
Spafford Bring the Jams to Buffalo Iron Works

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 4^th 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

Encore: The Reprise

February 6, 2023
Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade To Reunite With Tour Stops in Buffalo, Port Chester, and More

Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade announced that they will be reuniting after 20 years for the massive Summer of Green Tour 2023. The tour will stop at Buffalo, Port Chester, Westbury and more than 30 other stops.

Les Claypool.

After a 20-year hiatus, Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade has announced its long-awaited return. Formed in the summer of 2000 by Claypool, the Fearless Flying Frog Brigade debuted at the Mountain Aire Festival, and has since gone on multiple celebrated US tours. The band released two live albums in 2001, as well as a studio album Purple Onion in 2002, with their sound being described by Claypool as a “kind of a King Crimson meets Pink Floyd meets Frank Zappa type thing.” The live band features Les Claypool (bass), Sean Lennon (guitar), Harry Waters (keys), Paulo Baldi (drums), Mike Dillon (percussion), and Skerik (horns).

The last time the group performed was at the House of Blues in Orlando, Florida on May 10, 2003. Claypool has performed in groups like Primus, and he has had a number of wildly successful and influential albums. His unique voice and thumping bass lines are favorites among funk connoisseurs and jam banders alike. “Let’s put it this way … I think, with Primus and without, I’ve played every music festival in the last ten years, except Lilith Fair,” he says. “You could say I’m the guy who doesn’t fit in anywhere, but a little bit everywhere.”

In addition to this new tour, Claypool has had a busy year of touring. He traveled the country with Primus for the band’s wildly popular ‘A Tribute To Kings’ Tour, performed with Bastard Jazz on NYE and throughout winter 2022, and appeared alongside Ween at Comedy Central’s South Park: 25th Anniversary Concert” at Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

Select June performances will include a co-headlining set with Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew’s ‘Remain In Light’ Tour, which will see the Talking Heads members performing music from a monumental moment in the band’s discography. The tour will feature several festival appearances, including the Summer Camp Music Festival, the Mountain Music Festival, the Riverbend Music Festival, and the Peach Music Festival.

The new tour with his Fearless Flying Frog Brigade will have 41 dates, with a show on May 30 at the Town Ballroom in Buffalo, a show on June 23 at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, and a show on June 24 in Westbury at NYCB Theatre [In The Round]. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit here.

LES CLAYPOOL’S FEARLESS FLYING FROG BRIGADE – The Summer of Green Tour 2023
Wednesday, May 17th – Stateline, NV – TBA venue ^
Friday, May 19th – Napa, CA – Blue Note Summer Sessions at TBA venue ^
Saturday, May, 20th – Santa Cruz, CA – Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium ^
Sunday, May 21st – San Diego, CA – Observatory North ^
Tuesday, May 23rd – Salt Lake City, UT – TBA venue ^
Wednesday, May 24th – Denver, CO – Mission Ballroom ^
Friday, May 26th – Kansas City, MO – Grinders KC
Saturday, May 27th – Chillicothe, IL – Summer Camp Music Festival
Sunday, May 28th – Louisville, KY – Iroquois Amphitheater ~
Tuesday, May 30th – Buffalo, NY – Town Ballroom ~
Wednesday, May 31st – Columbus, OH – KEMBA Live! ~
Friday, June 2nd – Detroit, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre ~
Saturday, June 3rd – Oak Hill, WV – Mountain Music Festival
Sunday, June 4th – Chattanooga, TN – TBA venue
Tuesday, June 6th – Richmond, VA – Brown’s Island *
Wednesday, June 7th – Raleigh, NC – Raleigh Memorial Auditorium *
Friday, June 9th – Asheville, NC – Rabbit Rabbit *
Saturday, June 10th – Atlanta, GA – The Eastern *
Sunday, June 11th – Columbia, SC – Township Auditorium *
Tuesday, June 13th – Dallas, TX – Music Hall at Fair Park *
Wednesday, June 14th – Austin, TX – The Moody Amphitheater *
Friday, June 16th – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall Lawn *
Saturday, June 17th – New Orleans, LA – Mardi Gras World *
Monday, June 19th – Mobile, AL – Saenger Theatre *
Tuesday, June 20th – Tampa, FL – Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino *
Thursday, June 22nd – Baltimore, MD – The Lyric %
Friday, June 23rd – Port Chester, NY – Capitol Theatre ~
Saturday, June 24th – Westbury, NY – NYCB Theatre [In The Round] ~
Monday, June 26th – Northampton, MA – The Pines Theater ~
Wednesday, June 28th – Portland, ME – State Theatre #
Thursday, June 29th – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway #
Saturday, July 1st – Scranton, PA – Peach Music Festival
Sunday, July 2nd – Chicago, IL – Salt Shed [Indoor] #
Monday, July 3rd – St. Paul, MN – Palace Theatre #
Friday, July 7th – Bonner, MT – Kettlehouse Amphitheater +
Saturday, July 8th – Redmond, WA – Marymoor Park Live +
Sunday, July 9th – Forest Grove, OR – Grand Lodge +
Tuesday, July 11th – Wheatland, CA – Hard Rock Live +
Thursday, July 13th – San Luis Obispo, CA – Madonna Inn +
Friday, July 14th – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern +
Saturday, July 15th – Phoenix, AZ – Van Buren +

* Jerry Harrison & Adrian Belew Remain In Light
^ Fishbone
~ Neal Francis
# Budos Band
+ Moon Duo
% W.I.T.C.H.

February 3, 2023
Ari Joshua, John Kimock, Andy Hess, and Eden Ladin Release “Eye Just Called, To Soul, I Love You”

Ari Joshua, John Kimock, Andy Hess, and Eden Ladin have collaborated to release supergroup vibe “Eye Just Called, To Soul, I Love You” out on January 26^th. Recorded in Brooklyn, the track is raw, visceral, and tends to be refreshingly honest.

“Eye Just Called to Soul, I Love You” features bassist Andy Hess (Black Crowes, John Scofield, Gov’t Mule), drummer John Morgan Kimock (Mike Gordon Band, Oteil & Friends), internationally acclaimed piano man Eden Ladin. Lat but not least, leading the charge, guitarist Ari Joshua (Big High, Space Owl, Hathead).

“EJCTS ILU” is the debut release from this memorable & inaugural all-star session, giving us another taste from the comet of sound coming from Music Factory Records to start off the new year. The almost 7-minute improv track documents the first time this band has ever played together, period.

2022 was a productive year for Ari Joshua with 12 new releases to share. With a range from classic jazz, to experimental, to drum n bass, to jam band, to classic soul funk, to circus music, to cinematic through composed classical-like compositions, Ari’s creative flow is astonishing.

When asked about this session he shared, “These are players I really admire, I had a vision, & I spoke to John, then Andy, and then Eden, and it sort of just came into fruition. My friends from college Aaron Nevize, and John Davis actually opened up The Bunker Studio in Brooklyn as we were all graduating. It’s just lasted all these years, and I called them up trying to get a date. It’s a miracle everyone was available amongst their busy schedules, and the studio was open. I am very lucky we made it work. The stars aligned and it was a fun and easy hang. We also played some Dead tunes, Eyes of the World, and Help on The Way, but the general focus was on making something new happen.”

On all the music that is on its way, Ari remarks, “Great art is an expression of the soul, and a reflection of one’s life experience. Being a musician is also like being what I would call an ambassador of goodwill. I think great players can sense that, and it becomes a compass of making great art together. I get a lot of joy from sharing these recordings and performing, it’s transformative. It is my mission in this life to give back in any capacity possible, to explore all options, and to honor the legends that came before and what they did for me and for so many. Music is the universal language, it has healing mystical qualities, it has both saved my life, and given me purpose. I am proud of the work I have contributed to music education, and in the woodshed practicing. After a lot of just living life, it is time to shine, and share what light I can with the music.”

To listen to “Eye Just Called to Soul, I Love You,” click the link here.

February 3, 2023
Lotus Sells Out Buffalo’s Town Ballroom

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

Set 2: Cold Facts, Neon Trees, Innerbloom, Neon Tubes, Automatic, Arupa, 128

Encore: Once in a Lifetime

All Photos by Maddie McCafferty

February 1, 2023
Goose to Play SPAC and Stone Pony in July

Adding to their quite packed 2023 tour schedule, Goose will perform two nights at The Stone Pony Summer Stage in Asbury Park, NJ over July 4th weekend, on the heels of their headlining performance at Peach Festival a few days prior. Goose then head north to Saratoga Springs for a debut at Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) on Friday, July 7.

A Seated ticket request lottery for Goose at SPAC and The Stone Pony begins today, January 31, at 12 noon (ET) at www.goosetheband.com/tour and will continue through Wednesday, February 1, at 5 pm (ET). Lottery winners will be notified via email before the start of venue presales, set to run Thursday, February 2 from 10 am-10 pm (ET) – Password: TUMBLE. All remaining tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, February 3 at 10 am (ET).

GOOSE TOUR 2023

MARCH

2-5 – Okeechobee, FL – Okeechobee Music x Arts Festival †

8 – Port Chester, NY – The Capitol Theatre (SOLD OUT)

9 – Port Chester, NY – The Capitol Theatre (SOLD OUT)

10 – Port Chester, NY – The Capitol Theatre (SOLD OUT)

11 – Port Chester, NY – The Capitol Theatre (SOLD OUT)

12- Port Chester, NY – The Capitol Theatre (SOLD OUT)

23 – Boston, MA – Roadrunner (SOLD OUT)

24 – Philadelphia, PA – The Met (SOLD OUT)

25 – Philadelphia, PA – The Met (SOLD OUT)

26 – Cleveland, OH – Agora (SOLD OUT)

31 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium (SOLD OUT)

APRIL

1 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium (SOLD OUT)

2 – Birmingham, AL – Avondale Brewing Co. (SOLD OUT)

13 – Madison, WI – The Sylvee (SOLD OUT)

14 – Chicago, IL – The Salt Shed (SOLD OUT)

15 – Chicago, IL – The Salt Shed (SOLD OUT)

16 – St. Paul, MN – Palace Theatre (SOLD OUT)

18 – Bozeman, MT – The Elm (SOLD OUT)

19 – Bozeman, MT – The Elm (SOLD OUT)

21 – Boise, ID – Knitting Factory (SOLD OUT)

22 – Seattle, WA – The Paramount Theatre (SOLD OUT)

23 – Seattle, WA – The Paramount Theatre (SOLD OUT)

25 – Eugene, OR – The McDonald Theatre (SOLD OUT)

27 – San Francisco, CA – The Warfield (SOLD OUT)

28 – San Francisco, CA – The Warfield (SOLD OUT)

29 – San Diego, CA – CalCoast Credit Union Open Air Theatre

MAY

2 – New Orleans, LA – Daze Between New Orleans †

3 – New Orleans, LA – Daze Between New Orleans †

26-28 – Chillicothe, IL – Summer Camp Music Festival †

JUNE

4 – Lexington, KY – Railbird Music Festival † (SOLD OUT)

22-25 – Rothbury, MI – Electric Forest † (SOLD OUT)

23 – Columbus, OH – KEMBA Live!

29-7/2 – Scranton, PA – Peach Music Festival †

29-7/1 – Garrettsville, OH – Resonance Music and Arts Festival †

JULY

3 – Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony Summer Stage

4 – Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony Summer Stage

7 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Saratoga Performing Arts Center

26-30 – Floyd, VA – FloydFest † (SOLD OUT)

† Festival Appearance

February 1, 2023
Five Can’t Miss Shows in Rochester This February

We can’t predict if there is ever going to be any significant snow in Rochester this winter, but we can predict you’ll have a blast if you follow our recommendations for live music in February. As much as we’d like to have at least some of the white stuff to enjoy, hopefully not enough to impede your access to any of these shows or to cause any weather-related cancellations. Get out there and support your local bands and venues.

February 11: Moving Mountains at Flour City Station

Moving Mountains is a quartet from right here in Rochester. If you like your rock progressive, then these guys will scratch that itch with aplomb. The path from point a to point b is rarely a straight line, and the journey is a wild ride. They’ll be joined by Extended Family and The Ribbon Project. /each band has members with February birthdays, so maybe there will be cake?

Doors are at 7:45p and tickets are $10.

February 13: Ethnic Heritage Ensemble at Bop Shop Records

Drummer Kahil El’Zabar returns to Bop Shop Records with his Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, including Cory Wilkes on trumpet and Alex Harding on saxophone. You will be transported, inspired, moved and touched spiritually, and that will just be the first song. Adventurous mind-expanding jazz doesn’t just come to Rochester for one week in June. Come explore some new sounds.

Show starts at 8pm and tickets are $25/$30 dos.

February 16: The Mountain Goats, Lily Hiatt at Water Street Music Hall

Indie-folk rock stalwarts The Mountain Goats come to Water Street Music Hall as a semi-annual reminder to the music lovers of Rochester that not every big show passes us over for Buffalo, Syracuse, and Ithaca. Touring behind their 2022 release, Bleed Out, they’ll bring those and others from their decades-long career for you to sing along, rhythmically bob your head, and perhaps shuffle your feet. Don’t make the mistake of arriving too late to hear opener Lily Hiatt.

Show starts at 8pm and tickets are $40.

February 18: JD Simo at Fanatics Pub

This one is a short drive out of town down in Lima, but totally worth it. Fanatics is a small bar that hosts good blues bands from near and far. On this night, Nashville guitarist JD Simo comes through on his duo tour with drummer Adam Abrashoff. Simo isn’t a straight blues man, mixing in rock, jazz and soul to concoct a unique sound that eventually lead to face-melting jams. He’s got a new album just out this month, Songs from the House of Grease, that’ll do good to warm you up for the show.

Show starts at 7pm and tickets are $25.

February 25 – The Moho Collective at Three Heads Brewing

Rochester’s The Moho Collective, Kurt Johnson on guitar and pedal steel, Justin Rister on bass, and Ryan Barclay on drums and percussion, “collect” musical styles from across the globe, combining them in new and mystifying ways. On this night they will be joined by The Mighty High and Dry’s Alan Murphy on keys which is an addition with exciting possibilities, fleshing out their material in new and interesting ways.

Doors open at 8pm and tickets are $10.

January 31, 2023
Spafford Brings “Dream” Jams to Fairfield at The Warehouse FTC

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 26^th 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 31^st, 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.

Setlist via Spaffnerds

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

January 31, 2023