On Friday, February 10th, Flipturn played to a sold out crowd at Lark Hall. The show got off to a good start with band, Hotel Fiction, all the way from Athens, GA.
Vocalist, Dillon Basse of Flipturn at Lark Hall – Photo by Jarron Childs
They received a warm reception from the young crowd as their alternative indie style was pretty on par with the style of Flipturn. They are led by two vocalists, Jade Ireland and Jessica Thompson. After graduating college, they have been touring with a number of bands while also releasing their EP, Enjoy Your Stay, just ahead of this tour.
Ireland mentioned that they faced some animosity on the road and it was nice to actually feel welcomed at a show. It could be seen by the way the band interacted with each other how comfortable they felt on stage. Thompson even coming off the stage at points with guitarist, Aaron Daugherty, to either play guitar solos or encourage a sing-a-long from the audience. They played a strong 40 minute set including “Monster” from their recently released EP.
Vocalist, Jade Ireland of Hotel Fiction at Lark Hall – Photo by Jarron Childs
Coming out of Jacksonville, FL, Flipturn has grown a big following since playing in bassist, Madeline Jarman’s, garage in 2015. From playing to maybe 5 people at a local Albany bar, to selling out Lark Hall; they have been catching the attention of young fans at an exponential rate. They released their latest album, Shadowglow, last August and have been on their Shadowglow tour since late August.
They played a pretty long hour and a half set comprised of music from both their albums. The mic went on of the second song of the set, but the fans did not hesitate to sing every word to “The Disco.” Only joy could be felt in that room as fans jumped, cheered, and screamed for the majority of their performance.
Drummer, Devon VonBlason of Flipturn at Lark Hall – Photo by Jarron Childs
At one point the drummer took apart his snare and cymbal and asked a few fans to hold them to be played on. The chemistry both on stage and with the crowd was quite strong for this rock band of young adults. The end of their set fell kind of flat, which left the crowd very unsettled. Demands for an encore were answered with a 2-song encore including on of their hits from their freshman album, “August.”
Fans left quite happy to hear some of their favorite songs from Flipturn. As their tour continues, you can catch them again at Govball in Queens on Saturday June 10th.
Hotel Fiction Set List: Think Twice, Astronaut Kids, FU Jess, Allure, Instead of Us, Out of My Head, Athens, Monster
Flipturn Set List: The Fall, Sad Disco, Chicago, Playground, Whales, Six Below, In Consideration, Halfway, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Hollow, Brooklyn Baby, Burn/Weepy Woman, Goddamn, Space Cowboy Encore: August, Nickel
NY-based indie pop bandDaisy the Great have just released the music video for “I Don’t Wanna Fall” from their new album All You Need Is Time. To celebrate the album release, the band will embark on another nationwide tour as headliners. Daisy the Great’s All You Need Is Time Tour begins April 12th at Brighton Music Hall in Allston, MA, making their final destination at Brooklyn’s Music Hall of Williamsburg.
Daisy the Great is an American indie pop band from Brooklyn led by Kelley Nicole Dugan and Mina Walker. The song “Record Player” from their debut album was released in August 2021, with additional verses and production performed by AJR. It went to number 6 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart.
The band stated, “The “I Don’t Wanna Fall” music video is a compilation of footage from our most recent tour. It follows us on the road, backstage and on stage at the shows. We chose to pair “I Don’t Wanna Fall” with this very sweet docu-style footage because it felt really heartwarming and also heartbreaking to watch us so happy and in our element, tied up with this song about the temporary nature of good things. It feels important to remember to really live in the joyful moment when you’re in it, because everything comes and goes. The song was initially about a romantic relationship, but it brought new importance to the music to recontextualize it using our relationship with our audience and with live music in general. We love touring and we are very lucky to have our first headline tour EVER coming up this spring!!! We’re so excited to play all over the US. We hope you love the video and can’t wait to see you on the road.”
Both Kelley Nicole Dugan and Mina Walker make folk-inflected indie rock together that spans a multitude of moods, capable of being clever, devastating, simultaneous pop to powerhouse balladry. The pair first met as acting majors at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts where they began co-writing a musical about a fictional band before realizing they could make it happen in real life and set out as Daisy the Great.
“Our music is generally pretty introspective, and we are often interested in the complexities or ironies we see within ourselves,” Dugan says. “That’s something we love about writing—you can say something small and delicate and true that maybe feels scary to say, but once you put it out there, it can turn into a comfort for anyone that might also be feeling that way.”
ALL YOU NEED IS TIME Tour Dates:
April 12 – Allston, MA – Brighton Music Hall
April 14 – Columbus, OH – The Basement
April 15 – Chicago, IL – Beat Kitchen
April 17 – Minneapolis, MN – 7th St. Entry
April 18 – Denver, CO – Marquis Theater
April 19 – Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Court
April 21 – Portland, OR – Holocene
April 22 – Seattle, WA – Barboza
April 25 – San Francisco, CA – Café Du Nord
April 28 – Los Angeles, CA – The Echo
April 29 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues San Diego
May 2 – Dallas, TX – Dada Dallas
May 3 – Austin, TX – Antone’s
May 5 – New Orleans, LA – Gasa Gasa
May 6 – Atlanta, GA – Shaky Knees Festival
May 7 – Nashville, TN – The End
May 10 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore Philadelphia
May 11 – Washington, DC – Songbyrd Music House
May 12 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg
For details about the Daisy the Great, the upcoming tour, and ticket availability, please visit the link here.
In the midst of intimate “Special Solo Performance” dates that kicked off in Portland, Maine the day before Valentine’s Day, Brandi Carlile performed back-to-back sold out shows this past week at The Capitol Theatre (affectionately known as “The Cap”) located in the center of downtown Port Chester. I was one of 1,800 lucky participants to attend Friday night’s show on February 17, to witness her multi-genre talents, including folk rock, alternative country and Americana, firsthand.
To say Carlile has been busy lately is an understatement. She played Madison Square Garden this past October, was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live in December and just won her eighth and ninth Grammy Awards (out of 25 total nominations and seven from 2022 alone) for “Broken Horses” (Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song) at the 65th award ceremony in Los Angeles earlier this month, a night on which she also executed a fierce version of said song.
At 6:30 pm sharp, doors to the historic venue constructed in 1926 opened to adoring Carlile fans that had been patiently waiting in a short line, but that could not wait any longer. However, with the show still nearly two hours away, most fans who had arrived early to the village known as the “Gateway to New England” were seen congregating at nearby restaurants. Not only to pass the time, but to escape the frigid temperatures that had dropped by more than 30 degrees from earlier the same afternoon, my wife and I opted for authentic Mexican cuisine right next door to The Cap, enjoying margaritas as Brandi Carlile tunes played over El Tio’s speakers.
Suddenly, as show time neared, throngs of patrons hurriedly began to file through the maze of security fencing outside of the main entrance and into the warm confines of the theatre’s lobby. Many fans headed straight for the merch table to purchase a t-shirt, hoodie or poster commemorating Carlile’s brief two-night residency, while others grabbed a drink before heading to their seat in the orchestra or upper balcony.
Running slightly behind schedule, the moment finally arrived as Carlile took the stage at 8:25 pm, from which she would not depart until more than two hours later. With more than two decades of singer-songwriter experience under her belt, the rural girl from Ravensdale, Washington was about to give her fans a career-spanning glimpse at her discography, performing at least one song from each of her seven studio albums. Sharply dressed as always, tonight in an arctic blue blazer and matching turtleneck with lime green slacks, Carlile “took it all in” for several moments as the crowd erupted before her.
Excitedly, Carlile addressed her adoring fans, “Yes! I knew the crowd was going to be like this! I did this solo tour to recover my artist’s self after the Grammys, which I will never stop being grateful for, or terrified by. But I knew that I was going to need these concerts so that I could come back into myself and come face to face with my lyrics and do something that really scares me, which this does.” Then, as guitar tech Claire Murphy handed Carlile a well-worn, vintage Gibson acoustic (one of four she would play in addition to two custom Collings), the festivities were officially underway.
The first of 20 offerings that Carlile bestowed upon the packed house was her very first song (“Follow”) from her very first self-titled release in 2005. Although the audience would be seated for majority of the show, they rose to their feet triumphantly at the conclusion of each and every song, beginning with this one. On an evening filled with deep cut tracks, the next song (the aforementioned “Broken Horses”) from her most recent studio album (2021’s In These Silent Days) would not be one of them. During the introduction to “Mama Werewolf,” another song from her seventh album, Carlile playfully addressed her two young daughters seated stage left in VIP boxes above. After the third song had ended, and it was now time to head back up the aisle with my camera to a standing room only perch at the rear of the house, I glanced at the beaming faces of fans as I strolled by. The next two songs presented by Carlile were “The Things I Regret” (The Firewatcher’s Daughter, 2015), and speaking of deep cuts, “I Will,” the seventh track from her third studio album (Give Up the Ghost) released in 2009.
Taking a seat at the piano for the first time of the night, which she taught herself to play (along with guitar) after dropping out of high school to pursue her dream of a career in music, Carlile introduced her next song by revealing “I don’t know any other way to do [“The Eye”] without the twins (songwriting brothers Phil and Tim Hanseroth who also reside in the band’s family as bass and guitar players, respectively) and a three-part harmony. Without them, the only thing that I can think to do, is to do it different.” During the course of the next twenty minutes, Carlile beautifully delivered the title track from 2007’s The Story and “The Mother” (By the Way, I Forgive You, 2018), sandwiched by the first of the night’s four covers, Tears for Fears’ “Mad World.” “The Mother” followed, also taken from her sixth studio album released in 2018, before Carlile was joined by wife Catherine for a glorious coupling of fan favorites comprising “I Belong to You” and “You and Me on the Rock.”
Before commencing their final song together, Tracy Chapman’s “The Promise,” Carlile imparted a humorous tale about a recent time when she and Catherine performed the same song during a vow renewal at Ellen DeGeneres’ house (which really looks more like a castle): “Just when I thought the ceremony was at the lesbian tipping point, we were at a campfire a half an hour later with Melissa Etheridge playing to all of us. I was like what the hell, this is amazing! The sun was setting. We drank non-alcoholic beer. A perfect lesbian moment [Catherine adds]. And I was like, I know how we can top this. Right now, we can sing Tracy Chapman. So, we did. We’re going to repeat that moment for you right now.”
As the set rolled on, the crowd continued to display its deep appreciation for Brandy Carlile, vigorously clapping in unison during the chorus to “Raise Hell” (the lone tune performed from Bear Creek) and then cheering wildly for the night’s third cover, Robyn’s “Call Your Girlfriend.” What followed next was the ‘wipe the tears from your eyes’ moment of the show when Carlile moved to the edge of the stage apron to perform an off-microphone, six-minute version of “Cannonball” (The Story, 2007) – a song that was not played the night before – with every audience member remaining dead silent to ensure Carlile’s voice could be heard throughout the entire venue.
As if we had not already witnessed greatness, the final quintet of songs showcased Carlile’s unreal vocal chops as she took to the piano again for a string of recent hits consisting of “Letter to the Past,” “Right on Time,” “The Joke” (with Carlile back on guitar) and “Party of One.” And on a night where love filled the air, the final number (Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You”) of the epic show was a fitting nod to Carlile’s close friend and folk icon.
The final stop on Carlile’s intimate solo tour will be at the Durham Performing Arts Center in North Carolina this upcoming Wednesday, February 22. For those of you who missed her Port Chester shows, you will get another chance when she returns this summer touring in support of P!NK at Citi Field in Queens on August 3.
Brandi Carlile Setlist: Follow > Broken Horses > Mama Werewolf > The Things I Regret > I Will > The Eye > The Story > Mad World (Tears for Fears cover) > The Mother > I Belong to You > You and Me on the Rock > The Promise (Tracy Chapman cover) > Raise Hell > Call Your Girlfriend (Robyn cover) > Cannonball > Letter to the Past > Right on Time > The Joke > Party of One > A Case of You (Joni Mitchell cover)
Singer, songwriter, musician and bluegrass phenom Billy Strings has extended his 2023 headline tour through this summer, adding shows at Midway Lawn at Champlain Valley Expo in Essex Junction, VT on July 22 and 23.
Photo credit Jesse Faatz.
Billy Strings has become recognized as one of acoustic music’s most expressive vocalists. “My goal was just to master expressing myself through bluegrass music and so many of those players just sing how they talk. Then, when I grew up, I learned that I liked Black Sabbath, Jimi Hendrix, and Led Zeppelin, so that influenced me, too,” he says.
Since his 2017 debut, he has been awarded Best Bluegrass Album at the 63rd GRAMMY Awards, Artist of the Year at the 2022 Americana Music Awards, Entertainer of the Year and Song of the Year at the 2022 International Bluegrass Music Awards, and more.
Billy Strings in Broomfield, CO – photo by Zach Culver
His latest record Renewal landed on several year-end “Best of” lists including The Bitter Southerner, No Depression, Glide, The Boot, Folk Alley, and was one of the Top 50 Most Played Albums at Americana Radio last year. The New York Times declared the record, “a premier bluegrass mind for this post-everything era…he has zigged and zagged between the form’s antediluvian traditions and rapid-fire improvisations that hit like hard bop..”
Tickets for Billy Strings’ upcoming tour are on sale now, with several added shows including shows at Midway Lawn at Champlain Valley Expo in Essex Junction, VT on July 22 and 23. To purchase tickets, visit here.
Billy Strings 2023 Tour
February 21—Charlottesville, VA—John Paul Jones Arena February 22—Charlottesville, VA—John Paul Jones Arena February 24—Nashville, TN—Bridgestone Arena (SOLD OUT) February 25—Nashville, TN—Bridgestone Arena (SOLD OUT) February 26—Nashville, TN—Ryman Auditorium (SOLD OUT) March 3—Winston-Salem, NC—Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum – Doc Watson’s 100th Birthday Show March 4—Winston-Salem, NC—Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum March 7—Athens, GA—Georgia Theatre (SOLD OUT) March 10—Atlanta, GA—State Farm Arena (SOLD OUT) March 11—Charleston, SC—North Charleston Coliseum (SOLD OUT) March 12—Charleston, SC—North Charleston Coliseum March 16—Cincinnati, OH—The Andrew J Brady Music Center (SOLD OUT) March 17—Cincinnati, OH—The Andrew J Brady Music Center (SOLD OUT) March 18—Cincinnati, OH—The Andrew J Brady Music Center (SOLD OUT) April 13—Southaven, MS—Landers Center April 14—Mobile, AL—Mobile Civic Center Arena April 15—Mobile, AL—Mobile Civic Center Arena April 18—Tampa, FL—Yuengling Center (SOLD OUT) April 20—St. Augustine, FL—St. Augustine Amphitheatre (SOLD OUT) April 21—St. Augustine, FL—St. Augustine Amphitheatre (SOLD OUT) April 22—St. Augustine, FL—St. Augustine Amphitheatre (SOLD OUT) April 29-30—Los Angeles, CA—Hollywood Bowl – Willie Nelson’s 90 th Birthday (SOLD OUT) May 11—Morrison, CO—Red Rocks Amphitheatre (SOLD OUT) May 12—Morrison, CO—Red Rocks Amphitheatre (SOLD OUT) May 13—Denver, CO—Mission Ballroom May 17—Phoenix, AZ—Arizona Financial Theatre (SOLD OUT) May 19—Los Angeles, CA—Greek Theatre (SOLD OUT) May 20—San Diego, CA—Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre (SOLD OUT) May 21—San Diego, CA—Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre May 24—Las Vegas, NV—Brooklyn Bowl (SOLD OUT) May 26—Napa, CA—BottleRock Napa Valley June 2—Austin, TX—Moody Center June 3—Austin, TX—Moody Center June 7—Tulsa, OK—BOK Center June 9—St. Louis, MO—Chaifetz Arena June 10—Indianapolis, IN—TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park (SOLD OUT) June 11—Indianapolis, IN—TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park (SOLD OUT) June 13—Cleveland, OH—Jacobs Pavilion (SOLD OUT) June 14—Cleveland, OH—Jacobs Pavilion (SOLD OUT) June 16—Clarkston, MI—Pine Knob Music Theatre (SOLD OUT) June 17—Chicago, IL—Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island (SOLD OUT) July 13—Cary, NC—Koka Booth Amphitheatre July 14—Cary, NC—Koka Booth Amphitheatre July 15—Cary, NC—Koka Booth Amphitheatre July 19—Norfolk, VA—Chartway Arena July 21—Bridgeport, CT—Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater July 22—Essex Junction, VT—Midway Lawn at Champlain Valley Expo July 23—Essex Junction, VT—Midway Lawn at Champlain Valley Expo July 25—Boston, MA—Leader Bank Pavilion July 26—Boston, MA—Leader Bank Pavilion July 28—Portland, ME—Thompson’s Point July 29—Portland, ME—Thompson’s Point July 30—Newport, RI—Newport Folk Festival (SOLD OUT) August 7—Frankfurt, Germany—Batschkapp August 8—Berlin, Germany—Huxleys August 9—Hamburg, Germany—Grobe Freiheit 36 August 24—Knoxville, TN—Knoxville Civic Coliseum August 25—Huntsville, AL—The Orion Amphitheater August 26—Huntsville, AL—The Orion Amphitheater
Adore Delano, of RuPaul’s Drag Race fame, brought her tour “Party Your World” to Buffalo Iron Works on February 19th and her performance was just that, a non-stop party.
Adore Delano putting on a show-stopping performance at Buffalo Iron Works. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki
Namely, Buffalo Iron Works is located next to the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, an intimate venue that puts on a variety of shows, making it an ideal spot for Adore’s tour when it came to town.
Delano, 33, is a force when it comes to putting on a show. From belting out her rendition of “Toxic” by Britney Spears to screaming out her “Negative Nancy” her range is untouchable. The energy that she brought to the stage was so forceful, you couldn’t help but feel blown out of your seat (or spot that you were standing), she is the definition of a rockstar. In addition to her talents, her band included Dylan Ewing on the bass, Meghan Herring on the drums and producer Nathan Morrow on the lead guitar. On the whole, they were the perfect match for the singer and brought together a night of fun.
The show was a blast. The audience’s energy felt a notch lower than expected however that may have been because it was a Sunday night. Or, they didn’t know what they were in for and were completely blown away. Either way, it did not impact Delano’s performance because she is a show-stopping performer. Her presence and talent were intoxicating. You could not leave the venue without feeling good afterwards.
Setlist: Butterfly, Dirty Laundry, I Can’t Love You, Toxic (Britney Spears Cover), Negative Nancy, Pretty Boys Cry, I Put A Spell on You (Screamin’ Jay Hawkins Cover), 27 Club, Creep (Radiohead Cover), DTF, I Adore U Encore: My Address Is Hollywood
The 5th annual Cobblestone Live Music & Arts Festival will be held on Friday, July 14th and Saturday, July 15th, 2023 in the heart of the Historic Cobblestone District in downtown Buffalo, NY. Presented by Twenty6 Productions and Buffalo Iron Works, the festival features two outdoor stages located on South Park and Columbia streets, indoor stages at Buffalo Iron Works & Lockhouse Distillery, a vendor village, local artisans, food trucks and multiple bars throughout the site.
Over the last decade, the Historic Cobblestone District has become a breeding ground for live music and entertainment. Cobblestone Live is a single neighborhood of bars, restaurants, and venues coming together to throw a two-day, community-focused festival which will continue to grow to a national sized event in the years to come.
For the 2023 installment of Cobblestone Live, renowned multi-platinum singer/songwriter Andy Grammer, Vermont-based jam titans Twiddle, blues-rock luminaries Andy Frasco & The U.N, and TikTok sensation Cooper Alan will headline this year’s lineup. The diversity defined in this year’s curated lineup is represented by national, regional, and Buffalo’s favorite local acts.
Cobblestone Live 2023 Lineup
Andy Grammer Twiddle Andy Frasco & The U.N. Jukebox The Ghost Cooper Alan Doom Flamingo The Beaches Start Making Sense – Talking Heads Tribute Lespecial Eric Hutchinson Little Stranger Joslyn & The Sweet Compression Funktional Flow Workingman’s Dead Dreamville – Tom Petty Tribute feat: Leroy Townes Band SE2 Silent Disco Fernway Space Junk
In addition to its eclectic roster of over 20 musical artists, this year’s festival will also feature over 50 local artisan vendors, a chicken wing eating contest presented by Wingnutz, craft beverages, mocktails, immersive activities, local food, and more.
It has been our favorite two days of the summer for the last five years and this is slated to be our best year yet. Cobblestone Live is one of the greatest representations of Buffalo culture and what it has to offer. It is a family friendly event that highlights the diversity of our community by featuring our best music, crafters, local businesses and more. There is something for everyone to enjoy.
Grace Vesneske, Festival Co-Director & President
Early Bird Tickets are currently on sale at the following rates and will increase as each tier sells out: Two-Day General Access – $90; Friday General Access – $50; Saturday General Access – $50; Two-Day VIP – $250; Friday VIP – $150; Saturday VIP – $150.
Cobblestone Live is a true reflection of our city, our neighborhood and our people. It’s diverse, vibrant, unique, resilient and full of life. Spending half a decade building such a beautiful event has been nothing short of spectacular and we are beyond excited to share, what we feel, is the best lineup of artists, local food, craft beverages and artisan vendors to date. Cobblestone Live is a vibe this year and we hope that fans from all over the region decide to spend their weekend with us here in Buffalo.
Josh Holtzman, Festival Co-Director & CEO
VIP passes include private VIP-only tented areas, a premium bar with craft beverages & mocktails, lounge area under VIP tent, complimentary hors d’oeuvres and snacks, private bathroom access at each VIP tent, a commemorative laminate, tables and chairs for seating options. Tickets are available here.
NYC-based The Backfires are scheduled to headline a performance at Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn on Wednesday, Feb. 22. Prior to the show, they have released the single “Joyride”, out on Feb. 21. The track follows an alternative rock sound, in line much of the band’s other work.
The Backfires: Alex Gomez (frontman, bottom right) Harry Ruprecht (lead guitar, top left) Max Wanduragala (drums, top right), and Matt Walter (bass, bottom left) Credit: The Backfiress
If the rest of The Backfires’ performance is anything like “Joyride”, fans are in for a treat at their Baby’s All Right Show. The track is the perfect song to open a show and get fans in the concert mood. It’s upbeat, but not in a “bubble gum pop song” way. The title of “Joyride” can have multiple meanings, depending on the fan. A “joyride” can be literal, like a trip you take with close friends, or metaphorical to describe the high you feel around someone significant or important in your life.
Equally British and American, The Backfires formed in 2018 when Alex Gomez was studying in London and met Harry Ruprecht and Max Wanduragala. Matt Walter, a childhood friend of Gomez, joined the band in 2019 ahead of recording their debut EP, Consider the Backfires. They finished recording their debut EP in Jan. 2020, shortly before the world shut down due to COVID-19. Since then, they relocated to New York City at the beginning of 2022. Honoring both their British and American roots, they performed in London on Jan. 12, and are scheduled to perform in New York on Feb. 22.
If anyone understands renewal, it’s Andrew McMahon. Over the last two decades, the veteran indie-pop singer-songwriter has experienced musical rebirth many times, ever since he started entertaining audiences in the ‘00s alt-pop outfit Something Corporate, and he’s consistently arrived on the other side stronger than ever.
After leading Something Corporate to major chart success in the early 2000s, McMahon soon resurfaced with the more personal solo project Jack’s Mannequin, then moved on to release numerous hook-packed albums under his own name using the moniker Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness. In 2006, following his own battle with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL), he launched the Dear Jack Foundation, which provides programming to benefit adolescents and young adults diagnosed with cancer.
Through it all, the East Coast-born, SoCal-based singer and musical collaborator has created a stunning catalog of introspective, impossibly catchy piano pop. His new single, “Stars,” is just the latest example of his immeasurable staying power. McMahon is currently releasing music from his new album Tilt At The Wind No More, out March 31 on Nettwerk Music Group.
In addition to the stellar musical line-up, the Food Truck Battle is Central New York’s largest gathering of food trucks. Fifty plus food trucks will come together for a friendly competition to win the coveted Judge’s Choice & People’s Choice Awards, and a new award this year: the Most Creative/Unique Entry. The festival will offer fun for the whole family with a KidZone featuring live characters, activities, games and more! Craft Beer & Wine Slushie tickets will be available for purchase with valid ID. Over fifty local artists and crafters will be in the Artisan Village located inside the Science & Industry building.
Tickets for Andrew McMahon at the Syracuse Food Truck Battle are on sale now. For more information, please visit the Food Truck Battle Website
Austrian symphonic metal band, Visions of Atlantis, is currently debuting their first-ever US headlining tour, which included a stop at The Montage Music Hall in Rochester on Sunday, Feb. 19. The five-piece group, based out of Styria, Austria, brought a pirate-themed musical journey to Rochester in which many fans in attendance dressed the part.
Having only recently discovered this band through a flyer from The Montage, I decided to give them a listen, as I am always looking for new music and shows to see. Immediately I could detect a Nightwish influence which piqued my attention as I love Nightwish, and I thought this would be a fun show to check out, especially since it is the bands first headlining US tour.
Waiting for Visions of Atlantis to take the stage, cheerful pirate music played throughout the venue as concertgoers filled in, with several having elaborate pirate costumes themselves. The lights dim, fog fills the scene, and the band’s backdrops stand out nicely. The blue lighting with the white lasers gave the feeling that it was nighttime aboard a pirate ship, which was impressive, given how minimal it was.
The band takes to the stage in a roar of applause and immediately jumps into their 15-song set. The sound was clear and complete while not overly produced. Visions of Atlantis features two vocalists, Clémentine Delauneyand Michele Guaitoli, who play very well off each other. Immediately you can feel the band’s passion and that they enjoy what they are doing.
The pirate theme continued throughout their set, with a brief pause between songs as the band recruited the audience onto their ship with the traditional “Arr” chant.
Visions of Atlantis breezed through their set flawlessly, with significant crowd interaction and stage presence. The band sounded just as good live as they do on their studio albums, and it was indeed a great show to witness. The vocals from Delauney and Guaitoli were on point, and the drums of Thomas Caser were fantastic and were the backbone of the performance. Guitarist Christian Douscha and Bassist Herbert Glos played off each other exceptionally well, with friendly banter between all bandmates that made this an entertaining show.
The band thanked everyone continuously throughout the set, and the appreciation was well received, with roars of applause each time. The excitement from the band as they stated that this was their first headlining US tour and how happy they were to be able to do this was wholesome. I always enjoy seeing a band on their first headlining tour, especially when they’re from another country, and Visions of Atlantis did not disappoint.
I highly recommend going to see Visions of Atlantis if given the opportunity. The atmosphere was friendly, the music was fantastic, and the overall experience of seeing them was refreshing. I hope this band continues to gain success and look forward to their next US tour.
Catch them in Brooklyn on Wednesday, Feb. 22 and in Clifton, NJ on the 23rd and Atlantic City, NJ on the 24th.
Setlist: Master the Hurricane > New Dawn > A Life of Our Own > Clocks > The Silent Mutiny > The Deep & the Dark > Freedom > In My World > A Journey to Remember > Mercy > Heroes of the Dawn > Nothing Lasts Forever > Melancholy Angel > Pirate Will Return > Legion of the Seas
Twiddle & Frends announce that they will be returning to Memorial Meltdown this Memorial Weekend in downtown Lake George at the Charles R. Wood Festival Commons on May 27 and 28.
Twiddle is a Vermont-based jam band, comprised of members Mihali Savoulidis [vocals, guitar], Ryan Dempsey [keys, organ, synth], Brook Jordan [drums], and Zdenek Gubb [bass]. They recently celebrated the release of their fifth full-length album Every Last Leaf and they will be going on an indefinite hiatus at the end of 2023. The group has repeatedly sold out some of the most legendary venues in the world, including Red Rocks Amphitheatre and Capitol Theatre. They have played at well-known festivals like Bonnaroo and Electric Forest in addition to launching and headlining their own annual extravaganza Tumble Down Festival.
This is one weekend you will not want to miss as many notable acts from across the state will be performing. On May 27, and May 28, the Memorial Meltdown will feature two sets by Twiddle, along with performances by TAUK, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad and Annie in the Water on Saturday and Dogs in a Pile, Mihali & Friends, and One Time Weekend on Sunday.
The two-day event will also feature a variety of food and craft vendors, with gates opening each day at 1:30 p.m. and music set to begin at 2:30 p.m., running until about 11 p.m. Tickets for this all-ages event are on sale now.
