Finger Lakes musician Jeremy Button of Americana band Growl Bear, has penned a few tunes as of late that celebrate two distinct regions of New York State, the Delaware Valley and the Finger Lakes.
Among them are the comedic tune, with a dash of regional pride, “Fingerlakes Wine,” and the history-infused “The Ballad of Orrin & Squire.”
Growing up in Wayland, NY, Button attended SUNY Fredonia, and currently works for NYSDOT. A guitarist and songwriter in Americana band Growl Bear, Button has learned a variety of instruments, among them fiddle, mandolin, bagpipes, and banjo as well as writing music for both Growl Bear and his solo performances.
Speaking of “Fingerlakes Wine,” Button says, “I just wanted my area to have a song like this. I love Rochester and the Fingerlakes area and I like writing songs about where I live, we don’t have a lot of them and we need more, creating lore, making us feel more in touch with this place we call home.”
Button’s tune “Fingerlakes Wine” comes in both a classy (above, for all ages) and original versions, while “The Ballad of Orrin & Squire” is ripped from the history books and lyrics mention various stops in the Southern Catskills.
Button’s Great-great Grandfather and his brother fought in the Civil War for the Union Army, part of the NY 56th Regiment of Volunteers, also known as the 10th Legion. A tune that comes right out of Button’s family tree, the song tells of their travels from small towns near the New York-Pennslyvania border to New York City before heading south to fight. Button says of the song’s historical accuracy, “95% true. Not many songs about NY regiments going to go kick butt.”
Another tune from Button, “Goodbye Fredonia,” the reluctance that he found in moving onto the next stage of his life, post-college.
You can catch Jeremy Button performing solo and with Growl Bear this fall around the Finger Lakes. Growl Bear plays at Lovin Cup, near Rochester Institute of Technology at 8:30 on Friday, October 6 and the trio version of Growl Bear plays at the B-side in Fairport on October 25. For more info visit the band’s website.
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
Luke Bryan gets his Country On at Darien Lake as his 4 month long tour makes stop in Western NY. Coming off a boisterous and packed house in Syracuse, Bryan coasted into Darien Lake Theme Park with special guests Alana Springsteen (no relation to the famous New Jersey guy), Chayce Beckham, and Tyler Braden.
With over 15 million album sales under his belt, 30 #1 hits, and 20 billion streams, the native of Georgia is no stranger to success and the crowds that come with it. The packed house at this Live Nation venue in Corfu, NY was proof of that as the crowd was on their feet for his entire set, singing along to nearly every word.
Opening the night for Bryan was Alana Springsteen. Newer to the music scene, Springsteen has released a few EPs since her debut in 2019, and in July 2023 will be releasing TWENTY SOMETHING: Figuring It Out. The first single, “When We Were Friends”, was just released this week and of course she belted it out for the crowd at Darien Lake. The song is about hardships among friends which many can and will relate to.
Used to wear each other’s sneakers // Get drunk behind the bleachers // Raise some hell, but we always said amen // I knew who you were kissin’ // What tattoo you were gettin’ // Now I don’t even know how you’ve been // Truth is, I miss when // When we were friends
A little Miranda Lambert, a little Chirstina Aguilera, and a whole lot of fire, Springsteen sang her heart our for about 25 minutes, preparing the fans for who was following her.
Next up to the stage, came Chayce Beckham. Imagine being a forklift operator and deciding to enter a singing competition on national television. Imagine being told by Katy Perry that you “sound like the heart of America”. Imaging singing a song you wrote and having that be the reason you won American Idol. This was the path that led Chayce Beckham to where he is now. He no longer is a forklift operator.
Serenading young and old alike, Beckham confidently kicked some ass on this stage, getting some hand shakes and fist bumps from fans. Sultry voice, with some slicked back hair, thoughts of early Johnny Cash, and maybe some Chris Isaak are sure to enter your mind as this 27 year old belts out lyrics from his song “23”
Following Beckham, Tyler Braden strutted around on the stage for another 25 minute set. The former firefighter has been raising eyebrows for about 7 years as he makes his presence know. Go watch him on stage for one set, and you will be forever hooked. Luke Combs-esque looks and smooth vocals will make Braden a household name very soon.
Where the longnecks don’t get hot in our hands The bar keeps doublin’ down on doubles It ain’t hard to find a little trouble
Neon Grave – Tyler Braden
Released in early 2023, Neon Grave is the latest EP that features the title track along with “Try Losing One”, “Middle Man,” “Wrong Right Now,” and “Choose Me,” Check out more of Tyler Facebook
I first saw Luke Bryan about 10 years ago. I don’t recall much of the night, honestly, but that story isn’t for publication. What I do recall is that Bryan got the crowd jumping, hooting and hollering immediately and never let off the gas. This night was no different in that regard.
From his first notes of “Kick The Dust Up” to his last notes of “Light it Up” Bryan had the entire seated crowd of 6400 and the extras in the lawn up and dancing around. The glow of cell phone screens filled the amphitheater and the subtle smells of vapes, pot, and spilled beer were prevalent as Luke was “Knockin Boots” on stage for close to 2 hours.
Starting around 905, the stage and house lights went dark as the crowd suddenly erupted in massive screams and cheers. We heard a little mash up of Luke Bryan songs as the curtains were pulled back and light filled the stage with light and finally Luke Bryan as he started off his set with a “Kick The Dust Up”
Along with his infamous dance moves and thought-provoking lyrics, Luke Bryan shows also boast quite a picture/light show throughout his performances. Each song is paired perfectly with proper graphics and/or light shows on large screens behind him. “Roller Coaster”, an appropriate theme for this venue, displays large coaster on the backdrop, complete with matching sounds. Other songs like “I Don’t Want This Night to End” show clips from music videos. While “Country On”, Luke’s most recent chart topper, the screen becomes an ode to service people.
With that song coming to an end, Luke called out Shannon from the pit area and brought her up on stage with him has he thanked her husband for his active duty service. Of course, this can’t be done without a surprise, right? Shannon’s husband Jeff came out from back stage and was welcomed by not only Shannon but the rambunctious crowd. Chants of USA were heard throughout the seating area. Very touching moment that brought tear to many eyes.
As Bryan continued playing until nearly 11pm, the fans kept getting louder and more active as they were dancing in all the aisles. As much as the ushers tried, these active fans were not clearing out. Ushers near me eventually gave in and began dancing along to the music.
Having been signed to music labels since 2017, Luke spent time prior to that writing songs for the likes of Travis Tritt and Billy Currington. With this experience, Bryan has nearly 40 musical awards, 10 headliner tours, and has played countless festivals and spring break events. Its no wonder why he has become one of the most famous acts in country music history. Keep up Luke as he continues his current tour and his subsequent ones. Farm Tour 2023 (lukebryan.com)
Setlist: Kick the Dust Up, What Makes You Country, Knockin’ Boots, Roller Coaster, But I Got a Beer in My Hand, Strip it Down, Rain is a Good Thing, Games, Country On, One Margarita, Sunrise/Sunburn/Sunset, Huntin’/Fishin’ and Lovin’ Every Day, I Don’t Want This Night to End, Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye, Buy Dirt (Jordain Davis), Play it Again, What She Wants Tonight, Down to One, I See You, Light It Up, Country Girl (Shake it For Me), That’s My Kind of Night
