Getting people out to a show on a Monday night is a hard sell. Getting people out for a show on the first Monday after our clocks turn back and darkness falls before lunch has even been digested is even tougher. Getting people out to a show on a dark Monday night when Tool is also in town is near impossible. So the impossible was achieved on Monday, November 6, when the Bug Jar had Italian quartet Dumbo Gets Mad on the bill and drew a solid crowd to come check them out.
That crowd was treated to an extremely fun and danceable set. And dance they did! The quartet, guitar, keys, bass and drums, put their own psychedelic spin on a wide swath of genres. Synth-pop, surf, reggae, late night grooves, and heavy rock all reared their heads through the evening in a set that spanned their 10-year catalog.
“Congratulations” gave the Bug Jar’s mirror ball a bit of nostalgia with it’s disco beat, slinky bass and infectious groove. Slow and sexy “Indian Food” gave the dance floor a bit of a breather. “Self Esteem” ratcheted the energy way up through the upside-down roof, bombastic bass blasts met raucous guitar in an absolute rager. The band had an endless bag of catchy synth lines, and “Plumy Tale” ended the set with yet another one.
Dumbo Gets Mad was having as good a time as the crowd, and exhibited their own set of dance moves from the stage. Urged back for “one more song,” the band launched into a guitar and drums workout that had lead Dumbo Luca Bergomi grooving with his guitar through the crowd, the dance party on and off the stage ultimately coalescing in the end.
RootsCollider, the ever-popular EDM dance-rock group from Rochester, have announced their 5th annual Rave Against The Machine, this year sporting the Glitch Hop Edition.
The event will take place on November 24 at Rochester’s Photo City Music Hall with rotating music performances from 7PM until late into the night.
The event hosts six performing groups: Sophistafunk, RootsCollider, Subsoil, Éclat Vibes, Junkyard Theory, and Ampbition, in addition to numerous special guests. Appearances will be made by Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, Gunpoets, Mosaic Foundation, Personal Blend, The Buddhahood, Helium Bubble and more throughout the night.
The six performing groups will rotate on two stages throughout the night, playing multiple sets each. Headlined by Sophistafunk and RootsCollider, the night will feature all flavors of EDM, hip-hop, fusion rock, and more.
RootsCollider
The Rave night is themed and inspired by the recent Barbie movie, so attendees are encouraged to wear all pink, or dress up at their favorite characters from the hit movie.
Rave Against The Machine is an 18+ event. Tickets are general admission and are available here. The event will take place at Photo City Music Hall in Rochester, NY on November 24 at 7PM.
In a mind-blowing spectacle that filled the hallowed Blue Cross Arena in Rochester with an eager crowd of 10,400 fans, the mighty progressive rock maestros Tool proved once again that they can pack any venue in the heart of Western New York. Their popularity in this region is nothing short of legendary, with sold-out shows being the norm.
The Tool faithful are a zealous bunch who ardently believe in the gospel of Maynard James Keenan, Adam Jones, Danny Carey, and Justin Chancellor. They’ll gladly regale you with countless reasons why Tool reigns supreme and why your existence remains incomplete until you’ve bathed in the band’s unparalleled glory. Opening the night was Steel Beans from Everett, WA.
While Tool devotees can be a tad vexing at times, it’s hard to fault their passion. They speak the truth when they beseech others to witness this sonic juggernaut live in all its grandeur. The band’s musical prowess alone warrants pages upon pages of discussion, but if you’re a neophyte to the world of Tool, or simply curious about the enigmatic quartet, here’s a taste of what transpired at their mesmerizing Monday November 6 performance.
The atmosphere within the arena was nothing short of transcendental, much like a religious congregation, albeit one with a penchant for intricate time signatures and cryptic lyrics. Despite Tool’s audience not being a sea of saccharine girls in pink dresses and glitter, the sense of unity was palpable. “Lotta dudes here” a friend texted during intermission, and indeed, the crowd comprised primarily of prog-rock Gen Xers, all donning knowing smiles and exchanging high-fives. However, in stark contrast to other male-dominated events, there was a conspicuous absence of lewd remarks or reckless antics. Beer flowed without incident, and by the end of the evening, the floor was mercifully unmarred by spilled brews.
The absence of cell phones was instrumental in preserving this immersive experience. In a world where every fleeting moment demands digital documentation, Tool remains steadfast in its commitment to a strict no-cell phone policy. After all, who needs grainy concert footage on their phone that will likely languish unwatched in the depths of their gallery? Tool’s discerning guardians diligently enforced the rule, ejecting over three dozen misguided souls during the show. A few lucky souls escaped with warnings after proving their contrition by deleting their videos or images. But for the stubborn second-time offenders, there were no second chances. After the notes of “Invincible” reverberated, Maynard James Keenan, in a rare act of benevolence, granted the audience permission to whip out their phones to capture the ephemeral moment.
Tool may shun technology like cell phones, but they fully embrace cutting-edge light effects. The band’s unwavering commitment to privacy and mystique extends to the live experience as well; they avoid interviews and public appearances to ensure that all eyes remain on the music. Mark “Junior” Jacobson, Tool’s lighting virtuoso, orchestrates a symphony of lights, lasers, and screen images that synchronize seamlessly with every note change. This visual spectacle draws the audience even deeper into Tool’s sonic realm, amplifying the emotional resonance of the music and its profound messages.
The imagery displayed on the screens is nothing short of mind-bending. Volcanoes spew molten lava before transforming into the all-seeing Eye of Sauron, which seamlessly transitions into new, surreal landscapes. Fractal heads pour forth from other heads, while an eyeball twitches its iris over the captivated audience. Tongues spill forth from gaping mouths in an intoxicating loop, and alien-like forms twist and turn in eerie dance. It’s as though the most spine-tingling horror movie has met the soundtrack of your wildest dreams.
Crafting a subpar setlist is an impossibility for Tool, given their extensive catalog of exceptional, heavy songs accompanied by ethereal vocals. The journey began with the iconic “Fear Inoculum,” setting the stage for a mesmerizing odyssey. Favorites like “Jambi,” “Stinkfist,” and “The Pot” enraptured the crowd, intermingling with tracks from newer albums, such as “Culling Voices” and “Pneuma.” But the pièce de résistance came early on when Maynard declared that the band would resurrect a long-dormant song. The ensuing performance of “Rosetta Stoned” was a jaw-dropping revelation – a song not performed with live vocals since 2009, and it sent shockwaves through the enraptured crowd.
In the end, Tool’s concert is more than just a musical performance; it’s a transformative experience. With their strict rules, awe-inspiring visuals, and an undeniably majestic setlist, Tool is not just a band; they’re an otherworldly force of nature that sweeps you into a realm of unparalleled sonic and visual artistry. Tool fans may be a vocal bunch, but when it comes to experiencing their live show, words alone can’t do justice to the transcendental journey they offer.
Tool – Blue Cross Arena, Rochester, NY – Monday, November 6, 2023
Setlist: Third Eye Intro, Fear Inoculum, Jambi, The Pot, Rosetta Stoned, Pneuma, Descending, The Grudge, Intermission, Chocolate Chip Trip, Culling Voices, Invincible, (Ions excerpt) Encore: Stinkfist
Upcoming tour dates:
November 10 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena November 13 – Manchester, NH – SNHU Arena November 15 – Boston, MA – TD Garden November 16 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center November 19 – Montreal, QC – Bell Center November 20 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena November 21 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
moe. has announced that they will ring in the New Year with a special 2-night run at the renowned Kodak Center in Rochester.
With deep roots in nearby Buffalo and an enduring connection to Rochester, these special performances are not just another set of gigs, instead they are a testament to the band’s resilience, in light of guitarist Chuck Garvey’s recent health challenges, triumphant return to the road, and addition of Nate Wilson (keys) to the moe. lineup.
Alongside the announcement of moe.’s NYE run, the band along with several other musical acts and venues, are lending strong support to The American Cancer Society (ACS) through its inaugural “Rock The Pink” campaign. This initiative aims to harness the influence of the music community to combat breast cancer.
To date, the band has already raised more than $4,500, and efforts are ongoing. Having collaborated with the ACS’s breast cancer initiatives for the past two years, this year moe. has combined efforts with Umphrey’s McGee, Goose, the Disco Biscuits, Andy Frasco & the U.N., Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Kitchen Dwellers, and Doom Flamingo, as well as venues like The Capitol Theatre & Garcia’s.
Each participant is contributing in their own unique way, from selling limited-edition merchandise to flaunting pink instruments on stage and wearing pink-themed outfits, all to generate funds and awareness. 100% of the proceeds go directly to ACS, the nation’s premier nonprofit for cancer research funding. For more information and various donation options, fans and supporters can visit moe.org.
A special artist pre-sale kicks off on Wednesday, October 4th @ 10am ET [PW: GOUDA], and the general public begins on Friday, October 6th @ 10am ET. For more information visit moe.org
moe. 2023 Fall Tour Dates Wednesday, October 4th – The Pageant – St. Louis, MO Thursday, October 5th – Bourbon Theatre – Lincoln, NE Friday, October 6th – Hillberry Fest – Eureka Springs, AR Saturday, October 7th – Liberty Hall – Lawrence, KS Friday, October 20th – Ogden Theatre – Denver, CO Saturday, October 21st – Ogden Theatre – Denver, CO Friday, December 8th – Capitol Theatre – Port Chester, NY Saturday, December 9th – Capitol Theatre – Port Chester, NY Saturday, December 30th – Kodak Center – Rochester, NY Sunday, December 31st – Kodak Center – Rochester, NY
BlueStar Radiation and Al & Rob moe.stly acoustic dates
Wednesday, November 15th – The Homestead – Morristown, NJ* Thursday, November 16th – Putnam Place – Saratoga Springs, NY* Friday, November 17th – Metronome – Burlington, VT* Saturday, November 18th – The Met – Pawtucket, RI* Sunday, November 19th – Soundcheck Studios – Pembroke, MA* Thursday, November 30th – Pour House – Charleston, SC^ Friday, December 1st – The Society Garden – Macon, GA^ Saturday, December 2nd – Variety Playhouse – Atlanta, GA^~ Sunday, December 3rd – Visulite Theatre – Charlotte, NC^
moe. 2024 Winter Tour Dates
Thursday, January 18th – The Observatory North Park – San Diego, CA Friday, January 19th – Teragram Ballroom – Los Angeles, CA Saturday, January 20th – Sunday, January 21st – The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA Tuesday, January 23rd – Crystal Bay Club Casino – Crystal Bay, NV Thursday, January 25th – Midtown Ballroom – Bend, OR Friday, January 26th – Crystal Ballroom – Portland, OR Saturday, January 27th – Neptune Theater – Seattle, WA Friday, March 6th-Tuesday, March 10th – Egyptian Theatre – Park City, UT Thursday, March 12th – Mesa Theater – Grand Junction, CO Saturday, March 14th-Sunday, March 15th – Sheridan Opera House – Telluride, CO Monday, March 16th – Vilar PAC – Beaver Creek, CO Tuesday, March 17th – Strings Music Pavilion – Steamboat Springs, CO Thursday, March 19th – Belly Up – Aspen, CO Saturday, March 21st-Sunday, March 22nd – 10 Mile Music Hall – Frisco, CO Monday, March 23rd-Tuesday, March 24th – Washington’s FOCO – Ft. Collins, CO
Folk-inflected rock artist John Mellencamp confirms the continuation of his acclaimed tour “Live and In Person 2024”, performing in 27 cities including Schenectady and kicking off in Rochester on March 8, 2024.
Mellencamp is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a recipient of the John Steinbeck Award, ASCAP Foundation’s Champion Award, The Woody Guthrie Award and Americana Music Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award and more recently, the Founders Award, the top honor assigned by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers and a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
“Beyond being just a rock star, he’s written songs that moved people, American anthems about teenage romance, about coming of age into adulthood, about families suffering through hard times in a trickle-down economy.”
– Pittsburgh Post Gazette
Last year, he released a deluxe edition reissue of his beloved seminal album, Scarecrow, which features a massive collection of bonus tracks, rarities and more never previously shared before. His critically acclaimed studio LP, Strictly A One-Eyed Jack, was released early last year to praise from The New York Times, NPR Music, Associated Press, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes and more.
The tour will kickoff in Rochester on March 8th with stops including Newark, Hartford, Schenectady, Washington D.C. and more with tickets going on sale Friday, November 3rd. The new tour dates will celebrate Mellencamp’s most recent album ‘Orpheus Descending’, recorded as his 25th studio album, exploring political and personal themes that compliment his American rocker artistry. He will continue to perform songs from the LP including standout tracks “The Eyes of Portland” and “Hey God” that highlight social issues Mellencamp continues to passionately advocate for.
JOHN MELLENCAMP LIVE AND IN PERSON 2024 TOUR
March 8—Rochester, NY—West Herr Auditorium Theatre
March 10—Newark, NJ—New Jersey Performing Arts Center
March 11—Worcester, MA—The Hanover Theatre
March 13—Hartford, CT—The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
March 14—Schenectady, NY—Proctors
March 16—Erie, PA—Warner Theatre
March 17—Toledo, OH—Stranahan Theater
March 19—East Lansing, MI—Wharton Center
March 20—Richmond, KY—EKU Center for the Arts
March 22—Muncie, IN—Emens Auditorium
March 23—Springfield, IL—UIS Performing Arts Center
March 25—Green Bay, WI—The Weidner
March 26—Madison, WI—Overture Center for the Arts
March 27—Rockford, IL—Coronado Performing Arts Center
April 4—Duluth, MN—DECC Symphony Hall
April 5—Des Moines, IA—Des Moines Civic Center
April 7—Omaha, NE—Orpheum Theater
April 9—Springfield, MO—Juanita K. Hammons Hall for Performing Arts
April 10—Little Rock, AR—Robinson Center
April 12—Birmingham, AL—BJCC Concert Hall
April 14—Greensboro, NC—Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts
April 15—Chattanooga, TN—Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium
Well, that October was a treat wasn’t it? But, no rest for the weary live music fanatic. November is hot on it’s heels with a concert cornucopia of it’s own. Here are five delectable morsels to feast your ears on in Rochester this month.
The Bug Jar continues its string of pulling in fresh and interesting talent from abroad with this Italian group coming to little old Rochester. Dumbo Gets Mad is a psychedelic pop band that is textured and rhythmic with a patina of that European stangeness. The bill is rounded out by avant-garde drumming wizard Sean Hamilton, Drippers, and Breastfed to Death. Sure to be another fun one.
Tickets are $15 and music should get going around 9pm.
Almost exactly a year after his last Rochester show, at the Arbor Loft, Charlie Parr returns to town for a gig at the much smaller and more intimate space at Bop Shop Records. If you liked him then you’re gonna love him here, and if you missed him then, no better time or place to get to love him. As we said then: “Through finger picks, slides, foot stomps and that ragged voice with unexpected range, there wasn’t empty space wanting for anything more.”
Tickets are $20/$25dos and music will start right around 8pm.
The best set of jazz in Rochester this year may not happen during jazz fest. Vijay Iyer returns to play a hometown show for the first time in almost a decade with his dynamite trio, with Linda May Han Oh on bass and Jeremy Dutton replacing Iyer’s usual drummer Tyshawn Sorey. But no matter, this is going to be a stunning set of piano trio in the stunning confines of Kilbourn Hall.
Tickets range from $32 to $45 and the show will start at 7:30pm.
In the just a singer with a guitar category of folk music, you can’t really do much better than Jake Xerxes Fussell. This Georgian plumbs the depths of traditional folk and blues music and puts his own magical spin on everything he plays. From Philadelphia, stellar songwriter Rosali will open with a special solo set of her own that should make this one hell of an evening at the old saloon.
Tickets are $20 and the music gets started at 7:30pm.
Lukas Nelson, if you didn’t know, is the son of country legend Willie Nelson, who he of course has played with. He and the Promise of the Real were tapped to be Neil Young’s backing band and he also has sung with Lady Gaga. So yeah, pretty good creds. But Lukas Nelson and the Promise of the Real don’t need to impress you with lineage, these guys are carving out their own legendary path.
Grammy Award-winning trio, Nickel Creek—mandolinist Chris Thile, violinist Sara Watkins and guitarist Sean Watkins—will continue their extensive headline tour next year including newly confirmed shows in Rochester, Troy, and Buffalo.
After meeting as young children in California’s That Pizza Place, and subsequently earning the respect of the bluegrass circuit for a decade, the trio signed with venerable label, Sugar Hill Records, in 2000 and quickly broke through with their Grammy-nominated, Alison Krauss-produced self-titled LP. Since that effort, the trio has released three more studio albums to date: 2002’s This Side, which won Best Contemporary Folk Album at the 45th Grammy Awards, 2005’s Why Should the Fire Die? and 2014’s A Dotted Line.
Each member of Nickel Creek has also taken part in many outside projects over the years. Chris Thile is a 2012 recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship and served as the host of the American radio variety show “Live from Here” (formerly “A Prairie Home Companion”) from 2016 to 2020. He has also released collaborative albums with world-renowned musicians like Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Brad Mehldau and Stuart Duncan as well as six studio albums with his Grammy-winning band, Punch Brothers. Sean Watkins is a co-founder of Watkins Family Hour alongside Sara, who has released three albums and maintains a long-running collaborative show in Los Angeles. Sean has also released a string of solo albums, while Sara’s extracurricular projects include the aforementioned Watkins Family Hour, as well as the Grammy-winning roots trio, I’m With Her, which she co-founded alongside Aoife O’Donovan and Sarah Jarosz. Sara Jarosz has released four studio albums and has contributed fiddle to recordings for artists like Phoebe Bridgers, The Killers, and John Mayer.
Even stronger when together, Nickel Creek revolutionized bluegrass and folk in the early 2000s and ushered in a new era of what we now recognize as Americana music. In a 2020 retrospective entitled, “The Year Folk Broke: How Nickel Creek Made Americana The New Indie Rock,” NPR Music praised, “20 years ago this month, an album arrived that seemed to speak all these languages at once: unafraid to push the boundaries of its primary genre, and packing the musical chops to bring such an eclectic vision to life. Behind it were three musicians just barely old enough to vote” and continued, “That makes Nickel Creek and its unofficial debut a critical point along a storied timeline, one whose innovations offer countless connections between the genre’s origins and its future. Once dubbed ‘progressive newgrassers,’ the three musicians now fit firmly within the ranks of Americana music—however nebulous, layered and diverse that realm may be. They have only themselves to thank.”
The upcoming shows add to a landmark year for the group, who released Celebrants—their fifth studio album and first release in nine years—this past spring via Thirty Tigers. Additionally, Nickel Creek recently received the Lifetime Achievement Trailblazer Award at the 2023 Americana Music Association Honors & Awards and performed on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and “CBS Saturday Morning” earlier this year.
Recorded at Nashville’s RCA Studio A, the album was produced by longtime collaborator Eric Valentine (Queens of the Stone Age, Grace Potter, Weezer) and features Mike Elizondo on bass. Reflecting on the project, the band shares, “This is a record about embracing the friction inherent in real human connection. We begin the record yearning for and pursuing harmonious connection. We end the record having realized that truly harmonious connection can only be achieved through the dissonance that we’ve spent our entire adult lives trying to avoid.”
NICKEL CREEK CONFIRMED TOUR DATES
February 6, 2024—Iowa City, IA—Hancher Auditorium
February 7, 2024—Madison, WI—Overture Hall
February 9, 2024—Des Moines, IA—Hoyt Sherman Place
February 10, 2024—Indianapolis, IN—Murat Theatre at Old National Centre
February 12, 2024—Peoria, IL—Peoria Civic Center Theater
February 13, 2024—Kalamazoo, MI—Kalamazoo State Theatre
February 15, 2024—Columbus, OH—Mershon Auditorium
February 16, 2024—Fort Wayne, IN—The Clyde Theatre
February 17, 2024—Louisville, KY—The Louisville Palace
February 19, 2024—Durham, NC—Durham Performing Arts Center
February 20, 2024—Augusta, GA—Miller Theater
February 21, 2024—Jacksonville, FL—Florida Theatre
February 23, 2024—Fort Lauderdale, FL—Broward Center for the Performing Arts
February 24, 2024—Clearwater, FL—Ruth Eckerd Hall
March 12, 2024—Canton, OH—Canton Palace Theatre
March 14, 2024—Bethesda, MD—Music Center at Strathmore
March 15, 2024—Newark, NJ—NJPAC
March 16, 2024—Rochester, NY—Kodak Center
March 17, 2024—Burlington, VT—Flynn Center for the Performing Arts
March 19, 2024—Groton, MA—Groton Hill Music Center Concert Hall
March 21, 2024—Storrs, CT—Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts
March 22, 2024— Troy, NY—Troy Savings Bank Music Hall
March 23, 2024—Buffalo, NY—University at Buffalo Center for the Arts
March 24, 2024— Lancaster, PA—American Music Theatre
April 26, 2024—Knoxville, TN—Tennessee Theatre
April 27, 2024—Savannah, GA—Johnny Mercer Theatre
April 30, 2024—Huntsville, AL—VBC Mark Smith Concert Hall
May 2, 2024—Little Rock, AR—The Hall
Tickets for the 2024 shows are available for pre-sale starting today, October 25, at 10:00am local time with general on-sale following this Friday, October 27 at 10:00am local time. Full details can be found at www.nickelcreek.com/tour.
Honest Folk brought Canadian singer/songwriter Cat Clyde to Rochester’s Skylark Lounge on Saturday night. By the end of the show, or rather not even halfway through, it was a mutual love fest. The crowd, some familiar some not, were eating up every word and every note, while Clyde, recognizing this, was visibly and verbally blown away by the response. It was her first time to town and the cozy bar was essentially sold out, many singing along and most all exuberantly encouraging her between songs.
She, along with her band including guitar, bass and drums, were touring behind her excellent new release Down Rounder. In a little over an hour, they would play nearly every track from that record, while also sprinkling earlier and even newer material, one played for the first time live even, throughout.
Musically songs patched together sounds from grooving rock, surf, honky tonk, 50’s ballads, indie rock, slow blues, outlaw country, 60’s European psychedelia and even a little Middle Eastern influence.
Thematically the songs were grounded in the natural world. Rain, rivers, trees and other elements found around us were referenced liberally. But it as those actually ungrounded in nature that popped up most frequently: the birds, the moon, the sun and the stars.
“Hawk in the Tree” was about her urge to be a bird. An urge that doesn’t seem all that recent, because in “Not Like You” from her earlier release Hunters Trance she sang, “I may be a bird in a cage, but at least I have my wings.” In “The River” there were “birds moving like a school of fish in the sky.” “The Gloom” expressed her love for the moon, and in “All the Black” she “told the moonlight I was scared.” Even her one cover of the night was of Bonnie Guitar’s country croon “Dark Moon.” And in “Papa Took My Totems” she brought them both together, singing “the moon was a loon.”
Instrumentally the music was carried on Clyde’s incredible voice. Her backing band was excellent at fleshing out her tunes but remained a backing band throughout, there to service and highlight the talents of their front woman. Except when she played a couple on her own mid-set. She could drift from husky and deep to soft and soaring from verse to chorus, or jump octaves instantly and effortlessly from one word to the next. At times she would just be singing syllables in a folk-like scat, using her voice solely as an instrument, and an incredible instrument it was. When “Real Love” opened with her singing a capella, it became apparent she could carry an entire song, maybe the whole set, with just her voice.
Clearly Cat Clyde is a star, or bird or moon, on the rise.
Opener Libby DeCamp had played Rochester before, seven years ago, but her memories were fuzzy. She used her honey sweet voice and resonator guitar to present a set of mostly new songs like “Tigers of Wrath,” inspired by a transcendentalism phase she went through, and “Torch.” Her material was sparse and spacious, each note and each word carrying extra weight. Hopefully this memory sticks a little better for her, Rochester would love a quicker return.
But until then, Rochester has another Honest Folk show to look forward to as the great Marty O’Reilly returns to play an intimate gig at the brand new venue, Essex, on November 11.
Cat Clyde Setlist: So Heavy, Mystic Light, Everywhere I Go, Hawk in the Tree, The Gloom, Real Love, Mama Said, Dark Moon (Bonnie Guitar), New Song, Not Like You, The Man I Loved Blues, Where is My Love, Bird Bone, Papa Took My Totems, Eternity, So Cold, All the Black Encore: The River, I Feel It
Modern rock-folk band ‘The Left-Handed 2nd Baseman’ have announced the release of their latest album, The Dogs Race to the Door.
The Left-Handed 2nd Baseman (LH2B) is based in Rochester and became the creation of singer/songwriter/producer Fran Broderick. They fuse diverse musical influences ranging from alt-folk to synth-pop, the result by stirring anthems is anchored by Broderick’s captivating lyrics.
The upcoming release for The Dogs Race to the Door arrived on October 21 and marks the first full album with the LH2B band and the first album since 2018’s Trench Digging During Peacetime. Including 10 new songs while 2 are reworked tunes from 2015’s Eudaimonia. The band includes vocalist/guitarist Fran Broderick, drummer Zak Mendoza, bassist Dan Carter, Shane Kelsen on piano, organ & synth, rhythm guitarist Ben Rossi plus backing vocals and co-producer Brendan Simms.
The Dogs Race to the Door uses a collection of combined acoustic sounds while implementing synthesized elements to create an upbeat soulful mix of alternative folk songs. Their vocals are gruff yet heartfelt and exhibit themes of overcoming hardship, their experience with manhood while articulating these themes through storytelling. This album is sure to get your body grooving, head bobbing and feet moving
Key Tracks: I-90, Branch Collar, A Man Under the Influence
You may know Kat Wright from her big bombastic soul band, which numbered seven to nine members. But in a carryover from the pandemic, when she and a couple of bandmates took to playing in a smaller and “safer” format, they have been playing out as just a trio. Wright, joined by bassist Josh Weinstein and guitarist Bob Wagner, blew through from Vermont to Rochester to play an Honest Folk show at Good Luck on October 8.
A native of Penfield, Kat Wright was coming home again after attending, and playing at, her brother’s wedding just a few weeks prior. But this was her first headlining show in her hometown since before the pandemic, only returning for opening spots for the Wood Brothers just before the world shut down and for Ryan Montbleau Band this past summer.
On a cold and rainy Sunday, the crowd packed into the intimate space at Good Luck. Settled on the stage set between two brick walls that acted as a hearth, the band was like a glimmering flame, keeping the room cozy and warm.
The kindling was sparked with a beautiful cover of CSN’s “You Don’t Have to Cry” that allowed the band to immediately showcase its wonderful three-part harmonies. Then it was on to the original “You Have Problems,” a swinging number about that special someone who bugs you. They stoked the fire, keeping the flames alive and burning, with a mix of old tunes, new tunes from a forthcoming album, and a solid bundle of covers.
The originals rarely carried vestiges from any possible big band arrangement, sounding comfortable wearing the clothing of a three-piece folk band. When given the opportunity, Wagner’s guitar worked in some brilliant lines, while Weinstein held steady and eternally interesting grooves. Wright’s powerful voice could easily carry the music on its own, but when joined by her band mates sparks really flew. One of the new ones, “Mind Games” was described as their version of “Jolene.”
They also sprinkled in plenty of tunes that weren’t just referential to others’ music, but actual covers. Though on the whole, their covers were more like interpretations, throwing their own spin on the material. Recognizing a subtle hint of the Everly Brothers’ “Cathy’s Clown” in Harry Nillson’s “Walk Right Back,” they more overtly mashed the two together, including an ever so slight nod also to Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon,” resulting in what they referred to as a musical turducken.
The second set started up with their take on Big Brother and the Holding Company’s “Piece of My Heart,” reworking it so it sounded more like a Paul Simon song. In the encore they took another instantly recognizable song, Pink Floyd’s “Breathe” and again simmered it down to bare bones folk song, keeping the crow completely rapt. Sometimes a crowd is engaged by singing along at the top of their lungs. Here, though most everyone knew all of the words, the audience sat agape and silent. As the last echoes of sound lifted, the flame of a Sunday night fire turned to smoke and memories.
