Multi-instrumentalist Ben Cuomo has announced his newest solo release “Changed The Way” in collaboration with fellow producer Ben Milstein, released on February 3rd.
While listners may recognize Cuomo from NYC duo MoonTree, this is Cuomo’s first solo release.The ambient single, written while Cuomo and Milstein were improvising in a Suny Purchase practice room, is the first collaboration between the friends.
Ben Cuomo and Ben Milstein are both producers, songwriters and multi-instrumentalists attending the Conservatory of Music at SUNY Purchase. Although they have the same name they have very different musical backgrounds.
Ben Cuomo is a composer, multi instrumentalist, producer, recording engineer, mixing engineer, and overall-creative from Brooklyn who experiments with the indescribable and unorthodox sides of music. He is currently producing for multiple artists, and scoring films at Purchase.
Ben Milstein is a multi-instrumentalist and singer who has been writing music for years. Ben has performed in musicals as roles such as Curly Mclain in Roger and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!, and wrote and produced an EP titled Microchosm. His 9 song debut album will be coming out in March, featuring his first single “Hopelessly Cold” which is out now on all streaming platforms.
Ben Cuomo and Ben Milstein met at SUNY Purchase college. Both are in the music conservatory and are friends, song writers, multi instrumentalists and producers, who wanted to produce songs for each other. “Changed the Way” is their first collaboration.
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.
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead (JRAD) have wrapped up a weekend that saw the Grateful Dead tribute act celebrate 10 years as a band with a 4 night run, including one at the Brooklyn Bowl & three nights at The Capitol Theatre. Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir even made a surprise guest appearance at the Brooklyn Bowl show.
The first night at The Capitol Theatre run on Friday, January 27, started off with a jam > “Scarlet Begonias”. The first set featured “Six Days on The Road”, “Hell in a Bucket”, “The Eleven”, & concluded with a thorough jammed out “I Know You Rider”.
The second set featured a funky “Cats Under The Stars”, “Feel Like a Stranger”, and dead head favorite “Franklin’s Tower”. The second set was concluded with “Days Between” which was rather slow and somber but well executed. The band encored with “Not Fade Away” & “In the Meantime” a Spacehog cover that left some of the audience a bit confused, but thoroughly delighted nonetheless.
Check out the setlists and videos from JRAD’s 10 years anniversary run below.
Thursday, January 26 – Brooklyn Bowl
Set 1: Tennessee Jed > Till the Morning Comes > Jack Straw* > The Music Never Stopped* > Let It Grow Set 2: Shakedown Street > Truckin’ > Viola Lee Blues > Althea > Ten Years Gone > The Other One > How Many More Times > Breathe > Terrapin Station Encore: Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues * with Bob Weir
Friday, January 27 – The Capitol Theatre, Port Chester
Set 1: Jam > Scarlet Begonias > Six Days On The Road > Hell in a Bucket > Black Peter > The Eleven > I Know You Rider Set 2: Man Smart, Woman Smarter > Cats Under the Stars > Feel Like a Stranger > Franklin’s Tower > Throwing Stones > Days Between Encore: Not Fade Away > In the Meantime
Saturday, January 28 – The Capitol Theatre, Port Chester
Set 1: Foolish Heart > Slipknot! > Casey Jones > Cumberland Blues > My Brother Esau > Box of Rain > Playing in the Band Set 2: Rubin and Cherise > Hard to Handle > Eyes of the World > Brown-Eyed Women > Estimated Prophet > Ramble On Rose > Good Lovin’ > Touch of Grey Encore: Deal
Sunday, January 29 – The Capitol Theatre, Port Chester
Set 1: Lost Sailor > Saint of Circumstance > St. Stephen > Only Daddy That’ll Walk the Line > Dire Wolf > Uncle John’s Band > King Solomon’s Marbles > Uncle John’s Band > It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry > Wharf Rat > Jack-A-Roe Set 2: Fire on the Mountain > Samson and Delilah > Mission in the Rain > Dancing in the Street > New Speedway Boogie > Dancing in the Street > West L.A. Fadeaway > Dear Mr. Fantasy > Going Down the Road Feelin’ Bad Encore: Bertha
“Welcome to Hell” shouted Ryan Stasik from the stage as fans marched into Garcia’s directly following the Umphrey’s McGee show on Saturday, January 21st in Port Chester. It was a big night for the bass player. Not only was he celebrating UM’s 25th birthday, he was also throwing the official Death Kings after-party under the moniker ‘Bassik Stasik Presents.’
Ripping into original songs as well as classic 80’s, 90’s and 2000’s punk rock staples, the band obliterated the late-night crowd with an old school no-holds barred throwdown. Featuring guest sit-ins from members of the Trey Anastasio Band and Lespecial, the packed-out pub at Garcia’s was given the royal treatment.
Making a rare appearance, the punk/metal anti-hero trio Death Kings formed during the pandemic to pay homage to all things heavy. Comprised of Ryan “Little King” Stasik, Mike “Muerto” Gantzer of Aqueous on guitar/vocals and ex-Turkuaz drummer Mikey “OX” Carubba, the band debuted early last year and have only played a handful of live shows since, making each time out a special “can’t miss” occasion. Notable by his absence, for this show Carubba was replaced on drums by Jonathan Peace. While it remains unclear if the band will have a revolving cast of characters, what we do know is that every Death Kings performance is unique.
Opening the gig with special guest Jennifer Hartswick on vocals, the band launched into one of their signature tracks and the theme of the evening, “Welcome to Hell.” Hartswick, who had also lent her musical talents to Umphrey’s McGee earlier in the evening, was a pure badass in the role, shouting out lyrics like:
I can’t wait for my turn To ride the rails and send it down below Welcome to Hell Oh my God, it’s been a long time running Ain’t no use when the blood starts coming Feels so good to burn
Lyrics from “Welcome to Hell” by Death Kings
After reveling in the moment and exchanging hugs, Death Kings would continue with another original song “Fight!” before turning back the clock for our first punk cover of the evening, “Cyco Vision” by the legendary Suicidal Tendencies. Perhaps in a nod to an earlier Stasik/Gantzer collaboration dubbed Dookie, a pair of Green Day songs were chosen next. First was “Longview” which had everyone singing along, then despite the shows “Hell” theme, Death Kings flowed directly into “Welcome to Paradise.”
With the whole room feeling the vibe, it was time for another original banger in “March of the Kings.” From punk to metal, everyone was getting down to the cover of System of a Down’s smash hit “Aerials,” which more people seemed familiar with than the next cover choice, Harvey Danger’s “Flagpole Sitta” which fit into the “hell” theme nicely.
I’m not sick but I’m not well And I’m so hot ’cause I’m in Hell I’m not sick but I’m not well And it’s a sin to live this well
Flagpole Sitta Lyrics
Death Kings would channel some Cobain angst next with a sped up rendition of Nirvana’s “Breed,” before throwing it back to one of the original punk rock anthems “I Wanna Be Your Dog” by Iggy Pop and The Stooges.
With the party now hitting a new level of rowdiness, the Kings called upon another special guest, Luke Bemand, bass player of Lespecial, to help out on vocals for the Camp Kill Yourself skate anthem “96 Quite Bitter Beings.” Popping off his shirt to throw on the now infamous “Hot Joel” tee, Bemand and the boys had quite the chuckle over the false start of the CKY song. On the second attempt, the Kings got it right and were clearly having a ball sharing the stage together.
While the after party at Garcia’s was scheduled to start at 11:45pm, when the Umphrey’s McGee show in the next room over ran well past midnight, things on the setlist had to be condensed. The band would joke, “25 years of Umphrey’s, 25 minutes of Death Kings.” With the curfew rapidly approaching, the band couldn’t call it a night without paying homage to one of punk’s original misfits, Glen Danzing, opting to cover the 1988 song “Twist of Cain.” With time for just once more, Death Kings let it all hang out on the final song of the night, the DK penned original “Disembodied,”which featured a huge guitar solo from Ganzter and Pony playing the bass behind his head. Check out fan shot footage of that song below.
A loud, sweaty, high-octane performance that was so much fun that even the devil himself would have got in the pit. With no upcoming Death Kings shows to speak of, those who were lucky enough to score a ticket to this sold-out night in Hell walked away from it feeling most grateful. It was still Garcia’s after all.
Setlist: Death Kings | Garcia’s | Port Chester, NY | 1/21/23
Setlist: Welcome to Hell [1], Fight, Cyco Vision (Suicidal Tendencies), Longview (Green Day), Welcome to Paradise (Green Day), March of the Kings, Aerials (System of a Down), Flagpole Sitta (Harvey Danger), Breed (Nirvana), I Wanna Be Your Dog (The Stooges), 96 Quite Bitter Beings (CKY) [2], Twist of Cain (Danzig), Disembodied
[1] w/ Jennifer Hartswick [2] w/ Luke Bemand of Lespecial
Where does the time go? A lot can happen over the course of 25 years, but for a rock band, sticking together that long isn’t typically one of them. From the beginning, however, Umphrey’s McGee has never been a typical band.
Often considered “too heavy for the hippies,” or “too jammy for the metal heads,” UM has emphatically made a career out of bridging those two musical scenes together; a theme that would unveil itself throughout the final night of their silver anniversary run through New York. Playing their 2,644th show on January 21, 2023 at the Capitol Theatre, exactly 25 years after their first known performance, appreciative fans from all over the country made their way to “the original rock palace” to commemorate this milestone birthday bash.
Consisting of Brendan Bayliss and Jake Cinniger on guitars, Ryan Stasik on bass, percussionist Andy Farag and drummer Kris Myers, improv-heavy prog rockers Umphrey’s McGee have come a long way since forming as students at the University of Notre Dame and the road to this historic night at the Cap hasn’t always been an easy one. Sticking together through untold sacrifice, overcoming tragedy and navigating through an ever-changing musical landscape, Umphrey’s McGee has remained one of the most colorful, innovative, and hardest working live acts in the business for a quarter century now.
After kicking off their birthday weekend with an intimate sold-out show in Williamsburg and then wow’ing The Cap crowd on night one in Port Chester with a plethora of heavy fan favorites like “Front Porch”, “JaJunk” “Higgins,” and an acoustic debut cover of “Helplessly Hoping” in memory of the late David Crosby, when the band members took the stage on Saturday night, you could just feel that something special was about to go down.
Starting the party with a bang, “Bridgeless” had the hyped crowd with their ‘horns up’ and dancing shoes on from the get-go. The band would leave the song unfinished and throw fans their first surprise of the night, shifting gears into “13 Days,” a song which had not been played since before the Covid-19 pandemic. From something old to something new, up next was a song dedicated to UM crew member Rachel who is moving on after sixteen years with band. “Escape Goat,” from the band’s most recent album Asking for a Friend would stretch out for nearly 19 minutes. Revisiting their roots some more, “White Man’s Moccasins” followed suit before Umphrey’s McGee jammed even longer on another new song, the tongue-in-cheek titled “Unevolved.” Played for only the second time since debuting last November, this version clocked in at well over 20 minutes and sent fans to intermission with plenty to smile about and discuss.
Prior to the start of Set Two, Capitol Theatre owner Peter Shapiro would lead the crowd in singing “Happy Birthday” while presenting the band with a cake. In return Umphrey’s McGee then launched into an equally ‘sweet’ rendition of “Wappy Sprayberry” to get things going strong. ”Pure Saturation” came next and provided lighting director Ben Factor a prime opportunity to dazzle the audience with his impressive skills and tasteful color palettes. Following it up with another surprise was “Dear Lord.” An emotional nod to the bands earliest days, the rarely played song was first performed back in January of 1998. Another deep cut was next in the form of “The Other Side of Things,” which has only been play five times this century!
Jake Cinniger would join in on percussion with Andy Farag in a duel with drummer Kris Myers before bassist (and best T-Shirt of the night winner) Ryan Stasik would take over with his distinct riffage of the heavy hitting “Puppet String.” Another tip of the cap to the band’s early history was up next with the UM classic “Divisions” which was also played at their very first show.
Umphrey’s would then unplug for some candid banter as Brendan Bayliss took an opportunity to give proper shout-outs to his bandmates, the crew and the fans for making the last 25 years possible. Claiming he didn’t prepare a speech, so if he was speaking from the heart, it would have probably come out sounding offensive. “And if I did offend you,” Bayliss hypothetically joked, “go fuck yourself.” He then invited out special guest and frequent collaborator Jenifer Hartswick for an acoustic anything-but ‘Hartliss’ rendition of the rarely played “Bullhead City.”
Hartswick would stick around and play trumpet on yet another bust-out, “1,000 Places to See Before You Die,” an instrumental which has only been played 11 times ever. As if that wasn’t special enough, the roof would nearly come off the place next when Hartswick lead the entire theatre in a cathartic sing-along of the Queen and David Bowie’s classic “Under Pressure,” fading out of the set with everyone snapping their fingers in unison. A very neat moment to be a part of.
Now past the witching hour, Umphrey’s McGee returned to the stage one last time, soaking in the cheers with huge smiles before keyboardist Joel Cummins would lead fans into the “Den.” Finally the show would come to it’s high-octane conclusion the same way it began, returning to “Bridgeless” to complete one hell of a celebratory jam-sandwich. Genuinely thanking everyone for “letting them do what they do” for the last 25 years, Bayliss would confirm they’ll “keep doing it as long as you keep coming out.” The band then convened in the middle of stage for a group hug and bow, which received a well-deserved standing and sustained ovation.
Tying the bow on an epic birthday run through New York, Umphrey’s McGee honored their past with a carefully mapped out, career spanning setlist while simultaneously showcasing a glimpse of the greatness yet to come. Combined with an unmatched dedication to their fans and their craft, an astonishing improvisational and technical ability, and a mesmerizing light show, the future for this timeless band is looking bigger and brighter than ever. With the UMXXV Tour officially off and rolling and a number of major festival dates already announced for later this summer, the Umphrey’s McGee train shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon.
Setlist: Umphrey’s McGee | 1/20/2023 | The Capitol Theatre | Port Chester, NY
SetOne: Small Strides, Conduit > Day Nurse[1], FF-> Mail Package[2], It’s Not Your Fault > JaJunk[3] SetTwo: Front Porch > Resolution > Front Porch, The Linear > 2nd Self, Higgins Encore: Helplessly Hoping[4], The Weight Around[5] > The Floor: [1] with Workin’ Day and Night (Michael Jackson) teases [2] with Miss Tinkle’s Overture tease [3] with Top Gun Anthem (Harold Faltermeyer) tease [4] debut, Crosby, Stills, & Nash; just Brendan and Jake on acoustics and vocals, along with Joel on vocals [5] with Brendan on acoustic
Helplessly Hoping played in remembrance of David Crosby, with “Closing Time” (Semisonic) quote from Brendan just before
Setlist: Umphrey’s McGee | 1/21/2023 | The Capitol Theatre | Port Chester, NY
Set 1: Bridgeless > 13 Days, Escape Goat-> White Man’s Moccasins > Unevolved
Set 2: Wappy Sprayberry > Pure Saturation > Dear Lord > The Other Side of Things > Drums[1], Puppet String, Jam[2] > Divisions, Bullhead City[3], 1000 Places to See Before You Die[4], Under Pressure[5]
Encore: Den > Bridgeless
Footnotes: [1] with Jake on percussion [2] just Jake [3] with Jennifer Hartswick on vocals, and Brendan and Jake on acoustics [4] with Jennifer Hartswick on trumpet [5] with Jennifer Hartswick on vocals Show Notes: Before set two, venue owner Pete Shapiro and radio personality Gary Dell’Abate presented the band with a cake and led the crowd in singing “Happy Birthday” for the band
Gorilla River has announced its newest live event with the Catastrophicon Rock’n’Roll Horror Convention debuting July 15, 2023 at Reid Castle in Purchase, NY.
Ari Lehman of “First Jason”
Sponsors Slasher.tv and Horror-tv.com describe Catastrophicon as a collectors show with an edge, and a convention fit for fans of horror, rock & roll, and pop culture in general. The convention will be a great event for people looking to build their collections through the joy of discovery, meet kindred spirits and enjoy a great atmosphere.
“We’re bringing something new to Westchester,” said Event Producer Dave Hoffman, a Mount Kisco resident. “This is a convention that is heavy on atmosphere and jam packed with the kinds of things that pop-culture superfans love.”
Fans will enjoy celebrity autographs from stars of horror movie classic’s at Catastrophicon Ari Lehman (Friday the 13th), Beatrice Beopple (Nightmare on Elm Street), Thomas G Waites (The Warriors), Alvin Alexis (Night of the Demons) , Brett Azar (Terminator) and Erika Anderson (Twin Peaks) with more to be announced soon. A full room of vendors will provide eager fans with the ability to discover new comic books, artwork, and collectibles.
An array of collectibles will be available
Cosplay group Amazing Spiderlings will be in attendance – paving the way for anyone who wants to dress up themselves. Vincent Disanti of Womp Stomp Films (Never Hike Alone) will present on a crowdfunding panel. Fans oftabletop role playing games will also get to try their hand at the independently produced Dungeon Born RPG throughout the day.
Catastrophicon will be held at the historic Reid Castle, located on the campus of Manhattanville College in Purchase, NY. Located just 90 minutes from NYC, the french medieval style castle will be sure to add another layer of fantasy to the day.
Phil Lesh & Friends have announced that they will be performing at The Capitol Theatre to ring in Lesh’s 83rd birthday and celebrate his 100th show at the theatre, since reopening in 2012.
Phil Lesh announced on his Instagram account the set of dates at the theatre, from March 15, 17, 18, and 19. He will be celebrating his 83 birthday on March 15, and also on one of the dates he will be celebrating his 100th show at the venue.
At the shows there will be special guests, composed of industry heavy-hitters and former colleagues of the bandleader. Topping the lineup is Goose’s Rick Mitarontonda, followed by Medeski Martin & Wood mainstay John Medeski. Violinist Katy Jacoby will perform alongside them, as well as Lesh’s son and Midnight North guitarist/vocalist Grahame Lesh.
Other guests include songstress Nicki Bluhm, as well as the beloved members of the Trey Anastasio Band’s horn section: James Casey, Natalie Cressman and Jennifer Hartswick. Percussionist John Molo will also be performing each night.
Lesh announced on his 82nd birthday his Phil-O-Ween run, which occurred last October at The Capitol Theatre. He continues the tradition of having birthday shows at his favored venue. Tickets will go on sale to the general public starting on Jan. 27 at 10 a.m. to learn more, go here.
At the heart of every music town is a guitar shop; Division Street Guitars in Peekskill is no exception. Located right on – you guessed it – North Division Street, the guitar store is a prime attraction in a city bustling with music-goers and artists.
Just a block away from the Paramount Hudson Valley Theater, the small shop, nestled in between a row of restaurants, is a much needed pit stop for traveling musicians looking to add some vintage flair to their collection.
Joe Bonamassa shows off his newly bought ’57 Strat alongside Division Street Guitar employees. From left to right, Paulie Beladino, Joe Bonamassa, owner Paul DeCourcey and Matt Labozza
Over the years, owner Paul DeCourcey has sold his high-end wares to the likes of Joe Bonamassa, Boz Scaggs, Melissa Etheridge, and “that guy who made the coexist bumper sticker,” the shop employees chime in with a humble brag.
An average day is a little less star-studded, but the shop maintains a steady stream of customers from the casual browser to inquisitive sellers and local musicians just stopping by for a chat. No matter the customer, Paul said he brings the same dedication to his craft.
“You’ve got to have a certain knack for it and I’ve had that,” DeCourcey said plain and simple.
DeCourcey’s journey to becoming a luthier (a maker of stringed instruments) started when he was 19 and living in the nearby town of Ossining. There he worked at a local music shop and was mentored by the owner before moving on to become head luthier at Southside Guitars in Brooklyn.
After a few years commuting to the city, DeCourcey decided to settle down a bit closer to home, opening Division Street Guitars in 2014. Initially, he operated the place mainly as a repair shop but gradually transformed the space into a full-fledged guitar store.
Unlike chain guitar stores like Sam Ash or Guitar Center, DeCourcey specializes in buying, refurbishing, and selling vintage guitars. And after 20+ years in the biz, he has a pretty good eye for them
“I just like the older stuff… It’s what I know better,” DeCourcey said. “I think it’s more when you pick it up, you feel right away how it’s made and it kind of speaks to you.”
At any given time the shop is home to 75-100 guitars as well as a colorful array of used pedals, amps and assorted gear. DeCourcey also sells guitars at trade shows as well as online at reverb.com, an online marketplace for musicians.
Currently in stock is a 1979 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe, a 1963 Fender Duo Sonic and a 1947 Martin 00-21, as well as plenty of other models from a range of brands.
Owner Paul DeCourcey keeps Division Street Guitars stocked with anywhere from 75-100 used guitars at any given time
Interestingly enough, DeCourcey said he isn’t a big musician himself, or maybe he’s just being humble. DeCourcey co-wrote Grouplove’s hit song “Colours” when he toured with the band’s frontman Christian Zucconi who also fronted for DeCourcey’s own band Aloke.
Despite the large quantity of guitars in shop, DeCourcey currently only has two bass guitars (his instrument of choice) at home, a shockingly low-number for a musician of any caliber. Still, the modest guitar store owner said he gets more joy working on guitars than from playing them. Indeed, it’s clear by the way his face lights up when he talks about guitar repairs, that being a luthier is where DeCourcey is most at home.
“It’s nice to just get in the zone and work on guitars,” he said.
DeCourcey has also served as an unofficial mentor to aspiring musicians in the community. His shop is currently staffed by two Peekskill locals, who he trained himself. Paulie Beladino, a local musician has worked the front of house at the shop since he was 19, when he asked Paul to take him under his wing. The gig allows Beladino to rehearse and travel with his band while also maintaining a more steady source of income.
“Every part of my day is music related and everything I do to make money has to do with music and that sounds like success to me,” he said. “Just rocking and rolling over here.”
Division Street Guitar’s own Paulie Beladino poses for the shop’s instagram page
While Beladino admits to being more of musician than a repairman, he said he still gets the child-like excitement when a new vintage guitar finds its way to the shop.
“There’s nothing more exciting when you see the case and you know what it could be but you don’t know what it actually is and you open it and it’s like ‘oh my god,’” he said. “Every single one of these guitars has years and years of stories and experiences.”
Another shop employee, Matt Labozza has a similar story to Beladino. He too has been at Division Street since the beginning and learned under the guiding hand of DeCourcey. While audio engineering is his main passion after hours, Division Street Guitars provides a similar safe haven for learning and enjoying music.
“Before I worked here, I brought all of my shit to Paul, even basic restrings,” Labozza says, as he now casually restrings a guitar during the interview. “Pretty much everything you see me doing here is thanks to that man.”
In the eight years the shop has been open, DeCourcey said he hasn’t changed much about the store. From the beginning to now it’s still familiar faces, beautiful guitars and good vibes all around.
Division Street Guitars is located at 36 North Division St, Peekskill, NY 10566 and is open Tuesday-Saturday from 12-6pm and Sundays from 12-4 for the holiday season.
Call them at 914-737-2630 or check out their inventory on Reverb.com
