Dirty Work – a tribute to Steely Dan, played the main stage at The Town Ballroom in Buffalo on November 17. And play they did! As the energy captured and released upon the crowd was something to see and hear.
As the band took the stage to a grand applause the sounds of the band filled the Ballroom, the crowd was instantly engaged, dancing and singing every word to every song. The ability needed to pull off this night smoothly was quite evident with this group right from the beginning of the night.
The first set of the two-set night was filled with random hits and deep cuts pulled from the catalog of Steely Dan. The beginning of the second set, played in its entirety was Aja. With the remainder of the set being more hits and deep cuts.
Dirty Work is made up of some of Buffalo’s best. Consisting of, Mike Gantzer on Guitar/vocals, David Loss on Guitar/Vocals, Drummer Ryan Nogle, Evan McPhaden on Bass, Harry Graser on Keyboards/vocals, Matthew Hawke on Trombone, Craig Abraham on Saxaphone, John Hasselback on Trombone, and with backing vocalists Tru Journey and Erinn.
Set 1: FM, Haitian Divorce, Kid Charlemagne, Hey 19, Caves of Altamira, Time Out of Mind, Sign In Stranger, Kings, Dirty Work, Babylon Sisters, Barrytown, Reelin’ In the Years, My Old School
Set 2: Black Cow, Aja, Deacon Blues, Peg, Home at Last, I Got The News, Josie, Green Earrings, Do it Again, King of The World, Gaucho
The last time I saw LP – Laura Pergolizzi – was in 2014, at Carnegie Hall, part of City Winery’s The Music Of Paul Simon. I happened to do a video session with her and was treated to a version of “Slip Slidin’ Away.”
Pergolizzi left quite a mark at the time and every time she came back through it seemed there was always a conflict and I never crossed paths again. That all finally changed last week at New York’s Terminal 5.
Love Lines was released earlier this year by BMG with the first single and video off it being “Golden”. A North American tour was announced starting late October running into November, followed by a few Mexico dates, playing to her sizeable Central and South American followings, then a few dates in Europe that go well into 2024.
LP’s live show is quite mesmerizing, especially for a club show, with a great deal of production, walking out to Frank Sinatra’s “My Way,” quite fitting as from the moment she hits the stage, she commands your attention and comes off as a powerhouse of sound. LP packs some pretty impressive whistling skills, big sing-along moments, and a crowd that seems to adore her every move. For this photographer, the highlight of LP at Terminal 5 was “Lost On You.”
Termial 5, NYC November 9th, 2023 SETLIST:
Golden, Love Song, Burn It Down, Girls Go Wild, One Like You, The One That You Love, Big Time, Dayglow, Wild, Love Lines, Too Much, Hold The Light, Lost on You, Everybody’s Falling in Love, Blow, No Witness, Special, Long Goodbye, Hola, When We’re High, One Last Time
John Leventhal will explore his newfound solo career with his upcoming album Rumble Strip to be released on January 26. The six-time Grammy-winner’s debut album will showcase some of the most adventurous work of his career.
Born in New York City, Leventhal began his career in the late 1970’s playing guitar in dozens of NYC area bands including those led by Billy Vera, Steve Forbert and Levon Helm. His impulse to look for unexpected moments of beauty has served as a compass and survival tactic throughout his remarkable career. He’s produced albums for Rosanne Cash, Marc Cohn, Sarah Jarosz, Jim Lauderdale, William Bell, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Joan Osborne and many others. As a guitar player, he has recorded and performed with Jackson Browne, Bruce Hornsby, Willie Nelson, The Tedeschi Trucks Band, Ry Cooder, Elvis Costello, Donald Fagen, and recently, The National (Leventhal co-produced the song “Crumble” from Laugh Track).
Leventhal has been a Grammy winner in five consecutive decades, including as a co-writer and producer on Shawn Colvin’s 1998’s Song of the Year “Sunny Came Home,” Cash’s moody The River and the Thread, and Stax legend William Bell’s sublime 2016 album This Is Where I Live. Presently, he’s collaborating with Cash on a musical version of Norma Rae. His unique approach hasn’t always aligned Leventhal with whatever is reaping the biggest commercial rewards, but he figures that’s probably the only way he could’ve done it– and it worked.
Leventhal has shared two songs from Rumble Strip: “That’s All I Know About Arkansas,” featuring vocals and lyrics by Rosanne Cash, his wife and collaborator of 30 years. The other is the solo guitar piece, “JL’s Hymn No. 2,” written and recorded in the same evening.
“I’ve always had a catalog of ideas that have never found a home,” Leventhal says. “In the back of my mind, I thought that one of these days I should try to harvest some of those ideas and confront the personal gauntlet of making a solo record.” The COVID-19 pandemic made it inevitable.
That willingness to confront his past work pays off handsomely on Rumble Strip, which combines Leventhal’s distinctive, lyrical guitar work, full-band productions with and without vocals, solo guitar pieces that draw on Leventhal’s love for classical music and Anglican hymns, and humid blasts of Southern soul, country twang, and improvisation.
Rumble Strip will be out January 26 on RumbleStrip Records, the label co-founded by Leventhal and Rosanne Cash (distributed by Thirty Tigers).
On Sunday, November 5 at The L in Horseheads, social media sensation and country singer Alexandra Kay took the stage and just like her song ‘She Stayed,’ she left a lasting impression. The atmosphere was energetic as fans from New York, Pennsylvania and surrounding areas gathered to witness a rising star in the world of country music.
Hailing from Illinois, Alexandra’s journey to stardom is nothing short of inspiring. Her passion for music was evident when she auditioned for American Idol back in 2011, showcasing her remarkable talent and captivating voice to a nationwide audience. Since then, she has continued to chase her dreams, captivating audiences with her heartfelt songwriting.
Alexandra Kay’s soulful vocals and compelling stage presence took the audience on a journey through the heart of country. Her songs and collabs have been streamed millions of times on social media. From heartfelt ballads that tugged at heartstrings to lively, boot-stomping anthems, her versatility as an artist was on full display. Each note held raw emotion, and her storytelling ability was nothing short of remarkable.
Kay’s new album, All I’ve Ever Known was just released in October while she is in the middle of her massive headlining tour across the states. All I’ve Ever Known debuted at #1 on both ITunes Country Album and All Genre Charts.
The L provided the perfect backdrop for this memorable evening, with its intimate setting and top-notch sound quality. As the music filled the venue, it was impossible not to get lost in the magic of the moment. Kay shared personal stories, interacted with the crowd, and made everyone feel like they were apart of something bigger while witnessing her performance.
For those who were fortunate enough to be in the crowd, it was a night they won’t soon forget, and for those who missed it, Alexandra Kay’s star is one to watch in the world of country music.
Alexandra Kay – The L, Horseheads, NY – Sunday, November 5, 2023
Setlist: Painted Him Perfect, Backroad Therapy, Tall Boiz, All I’ve Ever Known, She Stayed, I Hate Airplanes, Happy Once, I Kinda Don’t, More Than You, Everleave, How Do We Go, I Can Do Anything Encore: Best Worst Ex, That’s What Love Is, Skip This Part
Organ Fairchild, the Buffalo based improvisational three-piece band of immensely talented musicians brought their A-game for the large crowd at Buffalo Iron Works on Saturday October 7.
Leisure Suit was released in the fall of 2023 in digital, CD and vinyl formats, is the sophomore studio release from Organ Fairchild, recorded, mixed and co-produced by Justin Guip (Hot Tuna, Levon Helm) and mastered by Alan Evans (Soulive).
The night was started off with Wild Knights. Formed in Western New York in 1982, they are known for their great shows covering such acts like the Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers Band, The Band and more. As they played their set, the crowd could be heard hooting and hollering during and between each and every song. The energy was high, and the room was on fire. With all three members of Organ Fairchild making up half of Wild Knight, double duty was pulled for these three.
Wild Knights setlist: Blue Sky (Allman Bros), Ophelia (The Band), Peggy O (Grateful Dead), Playin’ in the Band (Grateful Dead), Can’t You See (Marshall Tucker Band), Eyes of the World (Grateful Dead), Not Fade Away (Buddy Holly)
Organ Fairchild, formed in 2019, took the stage with libations in hand, as they cheer the crowd before setting off on an aural journey of Leisure Suit. This well written, recorded masterpiece was brought to life in grand fashion quickly. The crowd seemed to hang on every note that was played by these three gentlemen all night long. This all-original work filled the room with electricity and cheers as the reception of this band and their new album could not have been any better received. Good things are sure to come from this band.
Organ Fairchild setlist: Chamelonious Monk, Leisure Suit, Morning Coffee, He’s Gone, Bobby Pins, Glad You’re Here, The Woodturner, Over the Handlebar
Touring in support of their new album Intercepted Message, an album that was a bit of a throw back to earlier sounds, and heavy on the synthesizer; the album is what you’d get if you threw John Dwyer and Devo in a blender. Osees have a monster sized catalog to choose from, and they tend to represent the band’s many sounds and eras throughout the show.
John Dwyer and his Osees have gone through many line-up changes and different sounds. The current iteration has a two drummer setup, Dan Rincon and Paul Quattrone are completely locked in and give the show a driving, chugging force. Tim Hellman does a fantastic job holding down the bass and Tomas Dolas adds some color on the keyboards. John Dwyer is the main attraction though, he twists and gyrates and contorts his body to seemly push out the music.
Do not miss a chance to see these guys when they come to your town, but make sure to bring some earplugs.
Upcoming The Osees Shows
9/28 – GONERFEST 9/30 – Hotel Vegas in Austin, TX 10/01 – Hotel Vegas in Austin, TX 10/3 – Albuquerque, NM – Sister Bar
On the heels of 2022’s Brightside album, the The Lumineers have hit the road again. August 22, with James Bay joining the fray, they made their way to Darien Lake Amphitheatre for an evening of Americana music.
After playing small gigs, open mic nights, and struggling to make ends meet under various monikers, The Lumineers were “formed” when an emcee misspoke during an introduction. Although Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites had been playing together since 2002, a working name never really happened until this mishap.
12 years after their first single, “Ho Hey” was released, The Lumineers now have 4 studio albums, 4 headliner tours, and millions of fans worldwide, in addition to a couple Grammy nominations. Of those millions of fans, a plethora of them showed up for the show at Darien Lake and sang their hearts out.
Before they were able to sing along with Jeremiah and Wesley, fans were treated to 40-minute set from English songwriter, James Bay. Very subdued in his own right, Bay had the attention of the fans who were filing into their seats in anticipation of the nights headliner.
With 3 albums and a couple EPs to his name, Bay has been nominated for a montage of music awards and has won a 7 British music awards since 2015, including Best New Act, Breakthrough Solo Artist, and Best British Solo Artist. Around 7:30pm, he let the crowd know why he has won those awards.
Classic Americana style, Bay rocked his guitar as he opened his set with “Best Fake Smile”. A song seemingly about standing up for yourself and having a voice, topics very prevalent in society.
No, you don’t have to wear your best fake smile Don’t have to stand there and burn inside Oh, oh, oh If you don’t like it
Although an opening act, the fans reactions and ability to follow along make it clear that he is a respected musician and very much a headlining act on his own.
After a 45-minute break to reset the stage and get things in order, the stage goes dark. Intermittently, we get some loud drums from the loudspeakers, timed up with stage lights to welcome The Lumineers. This goes on for about a minute or so as anticipation builds for the band make an entrance. Cell phones up high hoping to catch a glimpse or record a video clip, fans were eager.
Finally, a few minutes later, you can see an entourage of silhouettes making their way into position. The time has come to go nuts. Lights go on across the stage set and Wesley Schultz and crew announce their arrival with 2016s “Cleopatra,” “Flowers in Your Hair,” and the big “Ho Hey.”
With a stage full of musicians, there was never a shortage of entertainment to keep an eye on, or at least try to. Jeremiah Fraites ( drums/percussion, piano, mandolin, vocals), Stelth Ulvang (piano, keys, accordion, mandolin, guitar, percussion, vocals), Byron Isaacs (bass, guitar, vocals), Brandon Miller (guitar, mandolin, percussion), and Lauren Jacobsen (strings, piano, vocals). This line up screams excitement, and The Lumineers brought it all night long, with each musician displaying their talents. There wasn’t a single person here that didn’t bring the energy, and they all had a blast on stage.
Covering a good set of shows at Darien Lake this summer, I have heard some loud fans singing along with the acts. But, let me tell you this. The fans for this show blew everyone else away. There was no competition. During at least three songs, the crowd was so loud, it nearly drowned out the act on stage. Songs like “Gloria” and “Ophelia” were echoed right back to Wesley and Jeremiah as they belted out the lyrics.
Combining pop with classic Americana and a little bluegrass may not seem the norm. However, this group of amazing artists have been making it work for several years now, and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight. Wesley as gathered a strong support group around him and Jeremiah and the cohesive chemistry you see on the stage is flawless. While I have heard the music before, I would have never called myself a fan. After seeing the performance with nearly 20 thousand other fans, I am hooked. Stage presence, subtle sounds, and high energy are keys to a good show, and The Lumineers put all of that and then some on display.
Set list: Cleopatra, Flowers in Your Hair, Ho Hey, Angela, WHERE ARE WE, Dead Sea, A.M. Radio, My Cell, Slow it Down, Charlie Boy, BRIGHTSIDE, Gloria, Sleep on The Floor, Ophelia, Leader of the Landslide/You Can’t Always Get What You Want, Salt and Sea, Birthday, Big Parade, Donna, Submarines, Remington, Reprise, Stubborn Love
The Catskill Mountain Jubilee was a blast this past weekend, held from August 10 to August 12 at Upstate New York’s Blackthorne Resort in East Durham. Friday night featured two sets from The Disco Biscuits, Dogs in A Pile, Space Bacon, a solo set by Mihali from Twiddle, and Legion of Melvin with Karl Denson, amongst a slew of other talented artists. Blackthorne Resort offered an ideal setting for the festival, with cabins, a public pool, and many comfortable amenities.
Friday proved to be sunny and hot at first. Bands at the main stage like Beg, Steal, or Borrow and Melvin Seals had to play in direct sunlight, yet still managed to deliver rocking sets. Space Bacon and Dogs In a Pile were at the Hangar Stage which proved to be more shaded, but also more dusty.
Mihali played some interesting originals, a take on “Best Feeling” by Keller Williams, and even a “Free Bird” cover. Dogs in a Pile played an energetic set full of originals, a “Hell in a Bucket” cover, and even a Led Zeppelin cover as their encore. Catskill Mountain Jubilee raged late into the night with two thumping Disco Biscuits sets followed by a variety of late night music.
Released in 2002, Wiretap Scars was the first full-length album for El Paso, Texas punk rock band, Sparta. After a few EPs and side projects, Jim Ward and company went all in to produce this album. While it was not met with the highest praise, the album and its members were applauded for getting this one out after a rough demise of a previous project.
Members have come and gone, passion has come and gone, and then returned again. Two constants have remained with Sparta: lead vocalist Jim Ward and his partner in crime Matt Miller (although not from day one, he has been around long enough). When Wiretap Scars was conjured up, all band members contributed to writing, making it a complete group effort, which is something Ward really wanted.
With the tour coming to an end, Miller and drummer Neil Hennessy made a stop in Rochester on Aug. 5, playing the rustic basement-styled Montage Music Hall. Off the beaten path, Montage seems like a dive bar as you walk by, but once you enter, you are taken into a special place, not like Narnia, but special in its own right. Posters of artists of yesteryear adorn the walls, stickers are plastered on board near the “ticket counter” that promote smaller bands, radio, stations, etc. This little gem of a venue hosts small acts, big acts, loud acts, and quieter ones. It is also a venue used during Rochester International Jazz Festival. A smaller elevated stage, with simpler lighting, this was a perfect landing spot for Sparta.
In fashion, Ward, Miller, and Hennessy played Wiretap Scars in its entirety, without interruption. Being new to the band, I was intrigued by it all. The vocals, Hennessy on drums, and the intimate setting were all perfect and the overall sounds were reminiscent of the late 90s alternative flavors. While they identify as punk rock, there is nothing stopping the alternative feels.
With the high energy “Cut Your Ribbon” starting the show-off, the 150 or so fans were immediately sucked into the time warp of the album and were not slowed any as the songs kept coming. When the final track was completed about 45 minutes later, fans were left wanting more. Young fans and those presumably in their mid-40s cheered on Ward as he talked about tearing up Rochester after the show. With Sunday off, they have some time to see what the city has to offer.
Continuing for another half hour or so, Sparta kept the energy alive, playing tracks from more recent albums including the self-titled album, Trust The River (2020), and Threes (2006). Unlike many other bands, Ward and Sparta do not do encores. He said it in part due to him being lazy, but mainly “just play the whole fucking set.” No need to get dolled up and splash on fresh cologne or chug half of a beer. Alas, there is no encore on this night.
In a recent interview, Ward talked about how he likes that the band, either past or present, isn’t a one-man show. Ideas are bounced off each other, and he trusts the musicians with their feedback. During the pandemic, which sadly coincided with the new album release, Ward would create some music and send it off to Miller and ask him to make some music to go with it as a guitarist. For him, it was easier to do that, because the body language of either party could not be read. He felt that element led to a lot of compromise.
I learned a long time ago to not say never.
Jim Ward, on working with a band together in a studio again
Twenty years later, Sparta has given itself new life. Wiretap Scars is one of those albums that may have gotten lost on you, but lucky for all of us, we have 24/7 access to their music with streaming services. Give them a listen for the first time or pick up where you left off and keep on rocking.
Setlist: (from Wiretap Scars) Cut Your Ribbon, Air, Mye, Collapse, Sans Cosm, Light Burns Clear, Cataract, Red Alibi, Rx Coup, Glasshouse Tarot, Echodyne Harmonic, Assemble the Empire
Breaking the Broken, While Oceana Sleeps, Empty House, Miracle, Atlas
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead (JRAD) played a sold out show at the Pier 17 Rooftop. Packed with Deadheads and Phish phans eager for the upcoming MSG run, the band’s backdrop was the Brooklyn Bridge & Empire State Building. The venue featured a beautiful, panoramic view of Manhattan, quite the site to behold.
The night started off with a bang “Playing in the Band” followed by “Mississippi Half Step”. The set included fan favorites like “Bertha” & “Scarlet Begonias”. They closed the set with “Touch of Grey”.
The second set started off with Scott Metzger shining on “Hard to Handle” followed by a rocking “Here Comes Sunshine”. The second set was incredible and featured songs like “Truckin” & “St. Stephen”.
The band played “Shine on You Crazy Diamond” >”Not Fade Away” but was cut short as the band was instructed to stop playing. This was not due to the amount of faces being melted, but due to lightning in the area. “Shine on” also featured a saxophonist Stuart Bogie.
The band and fans got to enjoy most of the show and quickly scurried out before the rain. This band just keeps getting better and every show is an incredible show. These guys don’t miss!
Set 1: Playing in the Band, Mississippi Half Step, Music Never Stopped, Bertha, Tell Me Mama > Scarlet Begonias, Touch of Grey
Set 2: Hard to Handle, Here Comes Sunshine > Throwing Stones > Wharf Rat > Truckin’, St.Stephen > Shine on You Crazy Diamond
