Due to illness, Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band’s concert at MVP Arena in Albany on Tuesday, March 14 has been postponed.
In a statement, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band said that they “are working on rescheduling the date so please hold on to your tickets as they will be valid for the rescheduled show.” This has been the third show the band has had to postpone due to illness, including March 9 at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH, and March 12 at Mohegan Sun in Montville, CT.
The show has been rescheduled to Sept. 19, and previously bought tickets are valid for the new show. If you cannot make the show, you can request a refund up until April 16.
Sometimes you just need a six-piece band jamming out “Brick House” by the Commodores and a little James Brown. Sometimes you need that when the boss is playing “Ride of the Valkyries” through his overtime demands and you’ve just sank into the comfiest seat at the club. Derek “Doc” Horton and the Jay Street Band are here to give you what you need.
And you need to listen to the Doc and get a shot of Motown and an IV of pop/funk and just let the groove anesthetize and hypnotize.
Derek “Doc” Horton and the Jay Street Band are here to give you what you need. And you need to listen to the Doc and get a shot of Motown and an IV of pop/funk and just let the groove anesthetize and hypnotize.
I sit with Doc Horton and we talk about feeling good.
RRX: You aren’t calling yourself “Doc” Horton like bluegrass performer “Doc” Watson calls himself Doc. You actually have your doctorate, and you teach at SUNY. It’s gotta be a little bit of fun when you’re teaching younger people who have music posters in their rooms and may have no idea you play. Can you connect with your students this way?
DH: Actually, I try to keep my worlds separate. Universities in general tend to be overly static and conservative. I have found it best to confine my music to the community. The community is more appreciative of creatives.
RRX: You got your start with this band at Ambition Café on Jay Street in Schenectady, which you’ve said was kind of an iconic place, and I believe it. There are a lot of places in the area that are almost incubators for bands, and I would mention a few, but for space and not to exclude anybody. So tell us what it is about Ambition that did it for you?
DH: Ambition Cafe has an owner, environment, and clientele that are open to creatives. They are willing to showcase new talent. I absolutely love that place!!
RRX: You have gone through a lot of members in the past number of years. I watched one interview where you said thirty or forty over the years. It’s got to be a strong groove that can keep the band alive when you go through so many musicians. Do you feel that you’ve learned from the past musicians? Do you think their “ghosts” are still with you?
DH: LOL!! Yes, there have been scores of musicians who have come through my band. However, I’d like to think that “Doc Horton and the Jay Street Band” has boosted many of their careers. I foster a professional, respectful, and nurturing environment. For many young musicians I have provided their first professional experience in music.
RRX: Some bands that play covers, you can take a listen and maybe figure why they don’t do originals. But I don’t see that with your band. You’ve probably had the talk at some point about doing originals, and there are pros and cons. It can be rewarding to do originals, but much, much harder to make money. Are there other considerations?
DH: I am a singer/songwriter/producer/entertainer and I have written songs since childhood. In 2023, I will be dropping some original music. Stay tuned!!
RRX: You were nominated for a 2022 Listen Up award, the first of its name, put out by Radioradiox.com. This was very fan-generated, so someone loves ya’. What can you say about your fans, and what have they meant to you over the years? And would you wish to nominate a band for the next award that comes around?
DH: I can’t express enough love for my fans. It is for the fans that I perform. And, I believe that when fans come to one of my performances that they deserve a show!! That’s why whether it’s 1 or 1000 I give it everything I got! My fans deserve it!!
And, I’d like to nominate the Donna Tritico Band. Donna and Mark Tritico are friends of mine and they have a fantastic band!! I’d love for our two bands to tour together in the future.
Lake George Arts Project’s annual Bands n’ Beans is back for its 29th year, set to take place on Sunday, March 26 from 2pm – 7pm at The Fort William Henry Conference Center.
Bands n’ Beans is the perfect event for anyone who loves fantastic food and great music. The festival features over twenty restaurants from all over the region, each offering their own unique dish. Whether you like it hot, mild, classic, or vegetarian, you’re sure to find a new favorite.
In addition to the delicious chili, Bands n’ Beans also features a fantastic lineup of musical acts including Matt Mirable & Alison Jacobs, The Switch, Stony Creek Band, Dirt Cheap, Big Sky Country, Mark and Jill, Juniper, Tim Wechgelaer & Chris Carey, and the Radio Junkies.
The proceeds from this years event benefit the Lake George Arts Project’s free and open to all music and art programs like our year-round Courthouse Gallery exhibitions, our Summer Concert Series and our popular Jazz at the Lake Festival.
The Lake George Arts Project would like to thank this year’s sponsors, Fort William Henry Hotel and Conference Center, Barton, Rock Hill Bakehouse, and the Lake George Beach Club. We would also like to thank our participating restaurants, the bands who will be performing, and all of the volunteers and staff that help make Bands ‘n Beans happen.
John McEuen, founder of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, will make his way across New York this week, stopping at Sportsmen’s Tavern in Buffalo on Thursday, March 16th and The Linda in Albany on Friday, March 17th.
The man behind the legendary album Will the Circle be Unbroken – called one of the most important records to come out of Nashville by Chet Flippo (Rolling Stone), the album features McEuen’s musical mentors Earl Scruggs and Doc Watson, his brother Bill, Mother Maybelle Carter, Jimmy Martin, Roy Acuff, ‘Bashful’ Brother Oswald, Vassar Clements, Merle Travis and more. The now multi-platinum album has been honored both by the Library of Congress and the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Multi-instrumentalist McEuen (banjo, guitar, mandolin, fiddle, dobro, piano, dulcimer) was a member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band for 50 years before departing the group at the end of the 50th year anniversary tour in 2017, the same year he was inducted into the American Banjo Museum Hall of Fame.With McEuen slated to cross the Empire State this week, NYS Music spoke with the legendary singer on his music, advice and an early gig working at Disneyland.
Samantha Rychlicki: Seeing how you’ve been performing for years, is there a song that makes you feel like you’re 18 again and why?
John McEuen: Much of the music I play makes me feel young, as music is like that sometimes – ageless. But “Shelly’s Blues,” “Bojangles,” and “House at Pooh Corner” are top contenders for ‘songs’. Among instrumentals of which I do a lot, there is “Dismal Swamp” and then “John Hardy” but most of the bluegrass gives you that youngster feeling, too! “Will the Circle be Unbroken” well that feels like an old one to me, singing to my long gone mom.
SR: What do you hope people get out of your tour?
JM: Bringing people into that magic space where, for a couple of hours, they forget where they are. They are laughing or singing or listening to something that ‘transport’ them to a ‘better space.’
SR: Is there anything that you are really hoping people think about after your show or is it more of a “Let’s all just get together, play some music and let people enjoy themselves”?
JM: Music, the stories behind how it happened, and the songs will hopefully transport people to a space they will think about days later.
SR: Your career has taken you to so many places and to meet so many people that someone in your shoes may say “Why keep going? What else is there?”, what is the number one thing that keeps you going?
JM: I get to tell people about some o those places, laugh about them, and sing about them. And I feel like they need or want to hear it.
SR: What is the one piece of advice that you would give to an aspiring folk musician?
JM: Do it as good as you can and don’t do drugs. Even David Crosby said they ‘did no good.’
SR: A little off beat but I read in an article that you loved magic and that’s why you went to work at Merlin’s Magic Shop. My question is… do you remember any of the tricks you learned while you were at Disney? Do you still perform them?
JM: I ‘perform’ them because they are fun, not to impress people but to shock and surprise them!
The “Eddies” have previously announced five music artists – Mike Campese, Felicia Collins, George Frayne, Smokey Greene and John Tichy – as well as photographer Martin Benjamin, educator Sister Mary Anne Nelson, CSJ and radio host and folk musician Wanda Fischer, will be inducted during the ceremony.
Confirmed performers for the Capital Region Music Hall of Fame ceremony include Michael Eck, Arlin Green and Scott Greene, Margo Macero, and Graham Tichy.
Michael Eck of Albany is performing a song representing Fischer’s folk career. He has led many musical lives—performing songwriter; roots scholar; multi-instrumentalist working with Aimee Mann, Pete Seeger, Patti Smith and 10,000 Maniacs; serial band member, from the punk of The Plague to the folk of Ramblin Jug Stompers and Lost Radio Rounders; nationally recognized cultural critic and guitar brand editor; concert/radio/album producer; Caffe Lena board member; publicist; painter; bouncer; roadie; record store clerk and more. He was inducted into the Eddies Music Hall of Fame in 2022.
Arlin Greene and Scott Greene, siblings, are performing music representing their father, inductee Smokey Greene. Both got their start playing bluegrass festivals around the Northeast with their dad. Since then, Arlin Greene has played pop, rock and jazz music in East Africa, and folk, rock, country and bluegrass music across the U.S. and Canada. Arlin has worked in bands with such notables as Bill Keith, Dan Tyminski and James “D Train” Williams and has recorded with several artists. He is now the bass player with The McKrells, The Trophy Husbands and the Greene Brothers. Scott Greene has played country, bluegrass, rock and pop music with many local bands including Johnny and the Triumphs, Chip and Chan and Stony Creek. He has toured the country playing bluegrass with Burnt Toast and multi-GrammyTM winner Dan Tyminski.
Margo Macero will perform twice, playing music representing Campese and Collins. The vocalist/guitarist is a country and rock artist from the Glens Falls region. Active as a performing artist since age 12, she attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. She has performed for judges on ABC’s “American Idol” and NBC’s “The Voice” and has worked in the film industry with James Franco, Pete Davidson, Jon Bernthal, Timothy Whidbee and others. Joining her on stage at the Hall of Fame ceremony will be Dave Goldenberg (drums), Jeff Madden (second guitar, harmonies) and Martina Louise (bass, harmonies).
Graham Tichy will perform a medley of two songs–one each representing George Frayne’s and his dad John Tichy’s career in Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airman – with band members Mike Kelley, Don Young and Chris Osborn. An accomplished multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and guitar instructor for over two decades, Tichy has been active with regional artists Doc Scanlon’s Rhythm Boys, the Lustre Kings, Johnny Rabb, Reggie’s Red Hot Feetwarmers and Rocky Velvet, as well as national acts including Los Straitjackets, Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen and two Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees, The Coasters and Wanda Jackson. He currently leads a diverse range of musical projects around the U.S. and Europe including GOONS! (1960s garage/soul/punk), The Swingin’ Palms (Hawaiian) and Beachcombers (early 1960s surf).
The Eddies Music Hall of Fame and UPH are part of Proctors Collaborative.
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
Grammy and Academy Award-nominated rock band Counting Crows are scheduled to tour this summer with Dashboard Confessional, performing at five amphitheaters in New York.
Formed in San Francisco, Counting Crows’ career spans seven studio albums over nearly three decades. The band’s debut studio album, August and Everything After, was released in Sept. 1993 and peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 weekly chart. They found further success when their 1996 second studio album, Recovering the Satellites, peaked at number 1 on the Billboard 200 weekly chart. Their music has been prominently featured in pop culture, including “Colorblind”, from their 1999 third album This Dessert Life, being included in the soundtrack for the 1999 film Cruel Intentions. Their seventh studio album, Somewhere Under Wonderland, was released in 2014, and their newest EP, Butter Miracle, was released in 2021.
Dashboard Confessional
Rock band Dashboard Confessional originated in Boca Raton, Florida, and is led by singer Chris Carrabba. Their debut album, The Swiss Army Romance, was released in March 2000. They released their ninth album, All The Truth That I Can Tell, in 2022, touring with fellow rock band Jimmy Eat World in support of the album on the “Surviving the Truth” tour. The band has a long history with Counting Crows, first meeting in 2003 at the 17th annual Bridge School Benefit Concert. In the nearly 20 years since they have formed both a professional and personal relationship together.
Presale for Counting Crows’ tour with Dashboard confessional, which has five shows at New York amphitheatre venues, begins Tuesday, March 14 in select markets. General on-sale begins Friday, March 17 at 10 a.m. For additional information, follow Counting Crows on Facebook and Instagram.
Counting Crows with Dashboard Confessional ‘Banshee Season’ 2023 Tour Dates
June 13 Omaha, NE Steelhouse Omaha*
June 17 Indianapolis. IN TCU Amphitheater at Winter River State Park
June 18 Cincinnati, OH PNC Pavilion
June 21 Milwaukee, WI Miller High Life Theatre
June 23 Highland Park, IL Ravinia Festival (On-sale May 1)
June 24 Sterling Heights, MI Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill
June 26 Moon Twp, PA UPMC Events Center
June 28 Niagara Falls, ON OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino
June 29 Northfield, OH MGM Northfield Park
July 1 Syracuse, NY St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview
July 2 Canandaigua, NY CMAC
July 5 Saratoga Springs, NY Saratoga Performing Arts Center
July 6 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
July 8 Wantagh, NY Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
July 9 Bethel, NY Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
July 12 Columbia, MD Merriweather Post Pavilion
July 14 Gilford, NH Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion
July 15 Boston, MA Leader Bank Pavilion
July 18 Providence, RI Providence Performing Arts Center
July 19 Bridgeport, CT Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater
July 21 Bethlehem, PA Wind Creek Event Center
July 22 Atlantic City, NJ Borgata Event Center
July 25 Selbyville, DE Freeman Arts Pavilion (On-Sale March 24)
July 26 Doswell, VA The Meadow Event Park
July 28 Virginia Beach, VA Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach
July 29 Raleigh, NC Red Hat Amphitheater
August 1 Charlotte, NC Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre
August 2 Charleston, SC Credit One Stadium
August 4 Fort Myers, FL Suncoast Credit Union Arena
August 5 Fort Lauderdale, FL Hard Rock Live
August 8 St Augustine, FL The St. Augustine Amphitheatre
August 9 Tampa, FL MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre
August 11 Alpharetta, GA Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
August 12 Albertville, AL Sand Mountain Amphitheater
August 14 Nashville, TN Grand Ole Opry
August 18 New Orleans, LA Saenger Theatre
August 19 Sugar Land, TX Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land
August 22 San Antonio, TX Majestic Theatre
August 23 Irving, TX The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
August 25 Norman, OK Riverwind Casino*
August 26 Tulsa, OK The Cove*
August 30 Highland, CA Yaamavaâ Theater** (On- Sale March 20)
August 31 Phoenix, AZ Arizona Financial Theatre**
September 2 Las Vegas, NV Pearl Theater**
September 3 San Diego, CA The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park** (On-Sale May 2)
September 6 Los Angeles, CA YouTube Theater
September 8 Lincoln, CA The Venue at Thunder Valley
September 10 Berkeley, CA The Greek Theatre
September 13 Airway Heights, WA BECU Live Outdoor Venue
September 14 Bend, OR Hayden Homes Amphitheater
September 16 Seattle, WA TBD (On-Sale TBD)
September 17 Seattle, WA TBD (On-Sale TBD)
September 19 Bonner, MT KettleHouse Amphitheater
September 21 Boise, ID Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater
September 22 Salt Lake City, UT USANA Amphitheatre
And here we are at Round 3 of NYS Music’s March Madness 2022. Below you’ll find 8 matchups between 16 bands and artists from across New York State, from numerous genres, all on the rise and ready to make a name for themselves.
For the past 8 years, this annual competition has been shining a spotlight on the talented artists and musicians from across the Empire State. This year’s competition promises to be the biggest and best yet, with a lineup of diverse genres and highly skilled performers. March Madness 2023 highlights 64 bands and artists you might not know, but should know, as these homegrown talents are making waves through the New York State. Check out Round 2 here.
Enter your email address, meet the bands and artists below, and vote for your favorites!
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Yard Amphitheater Region
The Yard Amphitheater is an outdoor music venue nestled in the rolling hills of NY State with BBQ on site, an outdoor bar, space for lawn games, and room to dance! Watching a performance at The Yard is similar to watching a concert in your own backyard, with the exception that this backyard features a fully stocked outdoor bar, mouthwatering BBQ, and nationally touring performers.
eberwine vs. Honey Suckle Vine
Buffalo-based rock and blues quintet eberwine (sic) is known for innovative improvisation, soulful lyrics, and high-energy shows. The band’s music highlights the best of rock and blues with nods to 90s alt-rock and jam. eberwine is the brainchild of frontman and guitarist Todd Eberwine (Dive House Union, Soul Roach, Todd Eberwine Band). What started as a solo project in 2016, is now a touring five-piece pulling seasoned musicians from the Buffalo music scene into a Western New York supergroup featuring Ryan Nogle (Funktional Flow, Aqueous), Evan Laedke (Tim Britt Band), Aaron Ziolkowski (Little Mountain Band), and Jay Race (Dead Alliance Buffalo). While they don’t have any upcoming shows at the moment, check back for any new show announcements on their website.
Honey Suckle Vine (HSV) is a high-energy 4-piece blues-rock band based out of the Capital District of New York State. The songwriting team of Joey Jaquez (vocals, harmonica) and Jeremy Silverman (guitar, vocals) have been creating original material for over 20 years across the USA. Joined in 2017 by long time friends Graham Espe (bass, vocals, recording and production) and David Snediker (drums, vocals), HSV is ready to entertain. Check out their most recent album Painted Nights. On March 24th, they’ll be playing at Putnam Place with Tops Of Trees, Kyla Silk, and House of Saturn.
Mainline vs. An Easy Death
Mainline officially hit the scene at the end of 2019 when Anthony Schettino (Bass), Johnny Iodice (Lead Singer & Guitar), Mason Servedio (Drums), and Devin Reck (Guitar) released their debut single “Open Fire” which eventually led to the self-titled EP that came out in February of 2020. Their album “The Unholy Idol” has garnered up over 80,000+ streams across platforms, and has gotten worldwide attention. The current lineup since 2022 now includes Ryan Hartell on guitar, replacing Devin Reck. As of November 2022, the band released their most recent single “In Nothing We Trust” everywhere on streaming. Their last show was March 10 at Pete’s Saloon in Elmsford, NY. You can find Mainline next on April 22 at Dingbatz in Clifton, NJ, opening for Kore Rozzik!
An Easy Death is a 5-piece Post-Punkcore band based out of the Rochester area drawing influence from bands like Blink-182, Oceans Ate Alaska, Everytime I Die, MxPx, and It Dies Today. The band formed in 2020 and has since been making a name for themselves in the Rochester and Buffalo areas. Check out their most recent release from January, “The Debt That All Men Pay“. Their next appearance will be on March 25 at 7:00 PM with Dark Divine and Catch Your Breath at Rochester’s very own Montage Music Hall.
Voting for Round 3 has ended. Stay tuned for Round 4, starting at 8am on Thursday, March 16
Funk n Waffles Region
Farrow vs. Fine Grain
With thought provoking lyrics, strong melodies, and deep grooves, Farrow brings to life a vibe reminiscent of decades past whilst grounded in a modern sonic landscape. Based in Buffalo and led by producer/bass player Andre Pilette and singer/lyricist Michael Farrow, the band features Tim Webb on drums, Michael Ruopoli on percussion, Cory Clancy on guitar, Rufus “Breexy” Cole Jr. on keps, and Danielle Johnson on backing vocals. Check out the band’s website for show updates, like their past show on March 10. They also have an upcoming show on March 21, 2023 at the Buffalo Sabres vs Nashville Predators hockey game at Key Bank Center in Buffalo.
Fine Grain floats in between shoegaze haze and punk posturing. With prog-inspired riffs, post-punk murk, and the occasional ripping sax solo, fine grain offers up rambunctious reverie fit for hardcore fans of all generations. Fine Grain’s maturation is a testament to the transformative possibility of punk, showing how pulled threads of the past can still stitch together a promising new future. Visit here to listen to their latest release, their album “Missing Adult“.
Jennie Angel vs. The Forest Dwellers
Jennie Angel is an actress who recently rediscovered her love for music. Started playing the guitar when she was 16 and has been singing she was born, now performing popular country hits! Jennie has most recently been added as a member of the Academy of Country Music and will be attending the awards show in March. Music and merch are both available on her website. Check out her most recent single, released on Valentines Day, “You Proof“. Catch her next performance on March 16 at the SXSW Balanced Breakfast Showcase.
The Forest Dwellers are a reggae-infused folk/ indie group based out of Rochester, NY that plays universal medicine music. The band blends melodic music with incredible vocal harmonies. Stemming from different styles and genres, The Forest Dwellers fuse them into a new take on a familiar sound all its own. Listen to their song “Open Road” here.
Voting for Round 3 has ended. Stay tuned for Round 4, starting at 8am on Thursday, March 16
Jane Dough Region
Jane Dough help cannabis entrepreneurs win business licenses, optimize facility design, standardize operation, increase revenue and design their future.
PEAK vs. Murder in Rue Morgue
PEAK’s music, described as Psychedelic Indie Funk, is a mix of poetic, melodic songwriting, moody electrofunk, riffed-out blues-rock, and exploratory danceable improvisations. Some of their many influences include artists such as The Band, The Talking Heads, Phish, The Grateful Dead, Radiohead, James Brown, and Miles Davis, as well as modern songwriters such as Conor Oberst, Mac Demarco, Kurt Vile, and Jack White to name a few. The band’s website has links to their music, including their most recent album, “Choppy Water“. Tour/show information can be found here, like their most recent show on March 10, and their upcoming show on March 25 in Lake Huntington, NY.
Murder in Rue Morgue is CJ Carr, John Wolff, Matt Biss, and Dan Ouimette, hailing from the hometown of Manowar, and Level 7 in Auburn. The band is highly influenced by melodic death metal, such as In Flames, Killswitch Engage, and Times of Grace. The band is a group of hardworking musicians who leave it all up on the stage giving the best show every time. Listen to their 2019 album “Endless Cycles” here.
Whaley vs. Sarah King
Whaley comes from Long Island, and they are a culmination of the best material & musicians Logan has written & met over the last 8 years since graduating from music school. His music can be best described as having old-school sensibilities with a new-school vibe. He released his debut album “Funky Tonight” this past February. Keep up with Whaley at all their shows, the next one being March 16th at Long Island Stage in Riverhead, NY.
Known for her powerhouse voice and “fiery, vulnerable songs,” Sarah King creates thought-provoking, versatile Americana music. Her genuine stories about real-life emotions and situations also draw on classic folk-blues themes, balancing songs about the devil and booze with hard-won moments of reflection and acceptance. Her acclaimed 2021 EP The Hour, produced by Simone Felice and David Baron, earned her recognition as the New England Music Awards Songwriter of the Year and performances at the 2022 Folk Alliance International and Philadelphia Folk festivals, as well as supporting slots for acts including Blues Traveler and The Steel Woods. While Sarah doesn’t have any shows slated in NYS at the time, her next show is March 11 at The Colonial Theatre in Keene, New Hampshire.
Voting for Round 3 has ended. Stay tuned for Round 4, starting at 8am on Thursday, March 16
Strand Theatre Hudson Falls Region
The E-Block vs. Hilltop
The E-Block is a 5-piece indie R&B band based in Upstate New York, blending the acoustic warmth of singer-songwriter music with an ice-cold rhythm section informed by modern R&B. Led by guitarist Luke Pascarella, with the line up of saxophonist James Soren keyboardist Devin Tetlak, bassist Daniel Folds, and drummer Leroy “Rudy” Dalton, the band’s deep bag of influences and free-flowing style have earned them a reputation as a unique live act in the Capital Region scene. Follow their instagram for all the current action, including their new project “Waterfall” releasing this spring. In the meantime, listen to their most recent track “Stay” here. There are currently no upcoming shows, but check back on their website for any announcements.
Hilltop is a four piece jam band from Albany, NY. Over the past four years they’ve made a name for themselves with carefully crafted originals, mind bending improvisation & fun, diverse covers. Each member offers a proficient, unique approach to their instrument that defines the musical experience. This band of young musicians is eager to spread their music and will continue to engage crowds wherever they go. Listen to their newest release, a collection of live performances, titled “Live Rips” here. With an upcoming tour, there are 5 chances to see Hilltop live in NYS. Be sure to catch them at their next show on March 25 at the Monopole in Plattsburgh, as well as at Zen Barn in Waterbury, Vermont on March 23.
Deb Cavanaugh vs. Seize Atlantis
Singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and roots singer Deb Cavanaugh lives in the foothills of the Taconic Mountains, in Upstate New York. In the mid-nineties, Deb focused on traditional folk music such as Old Time, traditional ballads, and Irish dance tunes. She now formed Deb Cavanaugh & Dandelion Wine, playing a variety of styles including blues, rock and traditional folk as well as a variety of instruments. Dandelion Wine’s line-up may vary depending on the venue and availability of musicians. Dandelion Wine is Jared Carrozza on bass and Ben Hart on drums, who also provides vocals and occasional lead guitar. The unique blend of blues, rock & roll, and folk is what gives Dandelion Wine a genre best defined as “psychedelic folk.” Find out more about her incredible story and listen to songs at her website, including their most recent release “Electric Avenue“. Catch their performance at Troy Speakeasy on March 25th with Jared Carrozza, Ben Hart and Mandy Valentine.
Formed in 2019, Seize Atlantis, is an Alternative Rock Band located in Upstate NY that play a variety of genres, including originals and covers. The band consists of James Mullen (Lead Vocals/Guitar), Mike Dardas (Bass/Vocals), Luc Bourgault (Lead Guitar) and Cody Platt (Drums). Listen to their most recent release, “I Need It” here. Catch their performance at Pauly’s Hotel in Albany on March 12th.
Voting for Round 3 has ended. Stay tuned for Round 4, starting at 8am on Thursday, March 16
Voting ends at 11:59pm on Wednesday, March 8th. Winners will be announced on March 9th, with voting in Round 3 running March 11-13. Good luck to all the bands!
NYS Music has partnered with these great businesses across New York State to highlight the 64 up and coming bands and artists of NYS Music March Madness, Round 1 and Round 2.
The finalists of of each region will be rewarded with a collection of prizes worth $3000. Partners for NYS Music’s March Madness 2023 include Mirth Films from Albany, a music news/entertainment outlet that specializes in original video content and live streaming, with news coverage ranging across the whole country, who will provide a professional multi-camera recording session at a prestigious venue in Albany for the winning band, premiering exclusively on Mirth Films.
Additionally, one finalist will earn a spot on the lineup for the Scarsdale Music Festival, held on June 3, 2023
WEQX is a radio station in Manchester, VT. They’re are completely independently owned and operated, always have been, since 1984. This station exists out of a love for music, a love for radio, and the commitment to always giving their listeners the best of the best.
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.
Each Sunday evening from 7-9 p.m. you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up-and-coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear new music from Blur Beside You, Front Biz, and Seize Atlantis.
WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you. There will also be music from artists moving to the next level in NYS Music’s March Madness competition including Sarah King, Fine Grain, Honey Suckle Vine, Black Tongue Reverend, and Elephant Back.
Blur Beside You is a shoegaze indie rock trio from New York and Florida. It features 3 founding members of the South Florida band, Mindlikewater, Jim Wells, Joseph Butera & Joseph Beaty. Their most recent track “Worn Thin” will be playing on EQXposure.
Front Biz is a “shell company for an intergalactic real estate firm primarily focused on laundering money through an Earth-based rock band.” They play neo-funk music and just released their brand new single “The Mack,” but they are not stopping there, they will be releasing new music the rest of the year, so make sure to stay tuned!
Formed in 2019, NYS Music March Madness 2022 Final Four group Seize Atlantis is an Alternative Rock Band located in Upstate NY that plays a variety of genres, including originals and covers. The group is comprised of close friends, including James Mullen (lead vocals/rhythm guitar), Mike Dardas (bass/backing vocals), Luc Bourgault (lead guitar/backing vocals), and Cody Platt (drums). The most recent single frok Seize Atlantis playing on WEQX, “I need it,” was released on March 8.
