Women’s Day at the New York State Fair had a local flair this year, as Rochester native Danielle Ponder performed on the Chevy Court Stage. Ponder had been scheduled to perform at the fair last year, however illness forced a cancellation.
Few in the music industry have the inspirational story Danielle Ponder has. Formerly an attorney with the Monroe County Public Defender’s Office, Ponder quit her position one week sky of turning 40 years old to pursue a career in music, full time. The soul/R&B singer-songwriter has toured with George Clinton, Leon Bridges, and Marcus Mumford, performed on numerous late night television programs, and even performed at the historic Newport Folk Festival in 2023. She is currently touring in support of her 2023 release, Some Of Us Are Brave.
It was hard not to notice the grin on Danielle Ponder’s face as she took the stage at Chevy Court on Wednesday at the New York State Fair. Ponder was greeted with a roar from the crowd, many of whom had made the trek from nearby Rochester for the performance. Ponder launched into “Some Of Us Are Brave” and quickly showcased her talents to those unfamiliar with her music. Ponder’s vocals soared through out the fairgrounds, as she displayed her dynamic vocal range.
Between songs, Ponder joked with the audience regarding the serious nature of her music. “Here comes another break up song”, she joked. She told the tale of her inspirational journey to performing music full time, adding “Begin to walk and the path will appear”. And she paid homage to the local venues who supported her rise to stardum, including Funk & Waffles and The Westcott Theater.
Ponder would close the sixty minute set with a stunning rendition of Radiohead’s “Creep”. Ponder’s vocals soared through out the fairgrounds one last time, as she delivered her on take on the classic track.
The New York State Fair continues through Monday. See the remainder of the concert schedule here.
On Thursday, August 29, Brooklyn fans of the psychedelic rock genre were treated to a priceless exhibition. The heat was strong, but so was the enthusiasm of the evenings attendees. Two trio bands from different corners of the world – Balthvs and Free Whenever – were paired together so remarkably that it made one think to compliment whomever was responsible for the matter.
Free Whenever, a Brooklyn based psychedelic rock band, took the stage at 8pm sharp to a size-able crowd, nothing to sneeze at for an opening act on a Wednesday evening. The band consists of Neil Guleria on Guitar, Trevor LaVecchia on Bass, and Brendan Steuart on drums. This is not the first time the trio finds themselves opening for a big name in Brooklyn, having opened for Karina Rykman at Babies All Right late last year.
The chemistry between the gentleman is palpable both in the auditory and visual sense, and it pays off in a huge way. Playing through their entire new self-titled album, they ventured into both old and new songs that demonstrate the essence of their signature sound of psychedelic groove music. Notable highlights were “Camino“, “Sicily“, and “Jonas the Shaman” a song whom they claimed was based off the very man running their merch table in the back. With the unreleased track, “Horizons”, they went out with a thunderous hurrah, the palate was cleansed, and the stage was set.
Balthvs, a psychedelic funk triad from Columbia, graced the stage just after 9pm. Their stop on this leg of their tour not only marks their first performance in New York, but the first time the group has been on the east coast entirely. Touring to promote their new album, “Harvest“, the band consists of Johanna Mercuriana on Bass/Vocals, Santiago Lizano on Drums/Vocals, and Balthazar Aguirre on Guitar/Vocals. Balthvs, with the v pronounced like a u, made their New York debut quite memorable, guiding the evening through a lens the likes of which are quite rare.
The band boasts an impressive catalog of music for just having officially formed less than 5 years ago. 3 full length albums under their belt and 40 singles, many of which have millions of streams. The crowd was fully behind the headliners as dancing was the assignment. Balthazar mentioned in between songs that they were dining at the venues restaurant before showtime, and he saw a “Joe Russos Almost Dead Burger”. Laughs emerged amongst the audience. “I dont know if we have any heads here..hope we dont screw this up!” which was followed by a truly wonderful rendition of Grateful Dead‘s, “Bird Song”, a first for them on this tour.
One could say that their set was a masterclass in defining the root definition of what modern psychedelic music is. A myriad of global influences and style, a kaleidoscope of sound. Funk, Disco, Middle Eastern, Cumbia, Rock and Roll and so much more. The evening concluded with a final encore, long lines at the merch stand could be found for both acts. Free Whenever continues to build momentum locally. Balthvs will go on to play Austin City Limits, and then abroad to Europe and The Middle East continuing support of their new album, Harvest.
The phrase “Creed is back” has dominated music news over the last ten months, as word of the band’s reunion broke last year. On Saturday, August 24, the multi-platinum rockers brought their Summer of ’99 Tour to the Broadview Stage at Saratoga Performing Arts Center. They were joined by old friends and previous tourmates 3 Doors Down and Finger 11 and were greeted with a sold-out crowd.
Creed rose to stardom in the late 90’s following the release of their debut album, My Own Prison. A prolific set at Woodstock ’99 turned the heads of many in the industry, who were seeking an alternative to the grunge scene. The band released their second album (and smash success) Human Clay soon after. The album’s anthemic singles “Higher” and “With Arms Wide Open” dominated radio, leading to the album being certified diamond status. Creed would go on to release one more album, Weathered (2001) before disbanding in 2004. They would reunite for one more album and almost two years of touring before again disbanding in 2012.
Throngs of rock fans descended upon SPAC early to catch opener Finger 11. The Canadian rockers were a fitting opener for the evening, and delivered a high energy thirty-minute set. The audience had their first of many sing-a-longs for the evening, belting the lyrics to the hit “One Thing” back at singer Scott Anderson.
Up next was 3 Doors Down, a band who rose to stardom soon after Creed. The band’s sixty minute set served as a reminder of the many radio successes the band has achieved over the years, as they performed tracks like “Loser”, “Here Without You”, “Away from the Sun”, as well as their biggest hits “Kryptonite” and “When I’m Gone”. Fans had filled the seated portion and lawn to capacity early on in the performance, and delivered powerful sing alongs to the tracks.
Excitement and energy was palpable by the time the house lights dimmed and the Creed logo shown on the video screens which decorated the back of the stage. A deafening roar greeted the band as they took the stage and opened with the 2001 hit “Bullets”. Singer Scott Stapp paced the stage ferociously as he delivered the spoken-word intro to the track, before a wall of flames erupted, and the band launched full force in to one of its heaviest songs. The band would work their way deeper into their catalog next, performing “Torn” and “Are You Ready”.
Early in the set it and through out the entire evening, it was apparent that the capacity crowd was not just there for trendy purposes. The crowd stood on their feet for the duration of the band’s 105 minute set, belting the lyrics to every track in deafening fashion. The crowd became even more frenzied when guitarist Mark Tremonti revealed he would give one of his guitars to the most passionate fan in attendance, a gesture which saw Tremonti and Stapp gift the guitar to a young child and her father on stage.
For the many in attendance, the set served as a trip down memory lane. Each song took listeners back in time to over 20 years ago, as the band performed a seemingly endless stream of hits, including “My Own Prison”, “What If”, “With Arms Wide Open”, and “My Sacrifice”. Between songs, Stapp spoke of a message of perseverance and overcoming the struggles and challenges faced each day (an achievement he himself can attest to) as well as the need to find unity and common ground in such uncertain times. No matter the struggles and uncertainties we face each day, one thing is for certain.
Thursday, August 22 was a night of neon shirts, glow sticks and necklaces, and spandex as New Kids on The Block put quite the performance for fans at Darien Lake Ampitheatre. Joining the adventure were Paula Abdul and DJ Jazzy Jeff, no strangers to the Gen X fans in attendance.
Formed in 1984, the New Kids recently released their eighth album, Still Kids, and have been on tour in support of it.
Getting the party started was DJ Jazzy Jeff. Half of the famed duo DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince, Jazzy Jeff scratched the records while his MC, Dayne Jordan, rocked the mic. Playing samples of classics like “O.P.P.”, “I’m a Believer”, and “Jump”, as well as theme songs from both Cheers and Super Mario Bros., this MC and DJ duo had the crowd of mostly middle-aged fans thinking they were still kids on the playground chillin’ out, maxin’, relaxin’ all cool. As his set ended, I am sure fans were anxious to see if would get tossed off the stage in the same manner Uncle Phil tossed him out of his house (he did not get tossed.)
Following the famed DJ, fans were treated to a former dancer/cheerleader/choreographer turned talent show judge. 62-year-old Paula Abdul took to the stage playing notable hits from the late 80s and early 90s.
Rising up through the stage, Abdul seems to be portraying herself struggling to write “Straight Up”, scribbling notes, before breaking into song as she is whisked off towards the front of the set. Using her amazing dancers as props, she continues on like it was 1988 all over again. This time around was little different, though, as she immediately takes quick breather, some water, and oxygen. “What?” She asks the surprised crowd. “This is 62, folks!” she quips.
Well known for her dancing and choreography, Abdul wastes no more time in continuing the production. “Vibeology” and “Cold Hearted” were performed flawlessly, as if they were making a new video to air during TRL.
With a hand-picked dance troupe surrounding her, Abdul prances around the stage, utilizing the various wardrobe racks for quick changes, many that were replicated from the heyday of music videos, including a bright yellow fedora style hat.
Only playing for about 35 minutes, the former celebrity crush of many 70s and 80s kids doesn’t forget those who have helped her along the way, including her video partner from “Opposites Attract”, MC Skat Kat, who joined her while she performed the song. For someone who recently came back from a 25-year hiatus from touring, Paula Abdul doesn’t seem to have lost her step.
Danny Wood, Jonathan Knight, Jordan Knight, Donnie Wahlberg, and Joey McIntyre were brought together in the mid 80s outside of Boston, MA to create an up-and-coming boy band as counterpart to New Edition. While success wasn’t immediate, it did happen a few short years later after a Florida radio station put “Hangin Tough” on repeat due to listener requests. Fame was on the fast track, and teenage girls buying posters and cassettes, t-shirts and hoodies, and going to shows at malls around the country drove the train on that fast track.
Fast forward to August 22, as many of those young girls are now taking their kids to see the boys who they went nuts for in middle and high school. “Donnie! I love you!”, “Marry me, Joey!”, “Danny is so hot!” were common things heard while among the sparse crowd of around 8500.
Getting the night started with two tracks from their newest release, NKOTB came out with “Magic” and “Summer Love”. Just like 35 years ago, fans were screaming and jumping for joy as they music played. I don’t know if it was because of the songs or because they were seeing childhood idols for the first time. Either way, the crowd was boisterous and enthusiastic from start to finish. Rounding out the first 3 was “My Favorite Girl,” a song they first played in 1989.
It’s the most mature album we’ve ever made
Mark Wahlberg on Still Kids
Cruising through the 28-song set, Wahlberg and company give fans what they want with every song. Nostalgic lyrics, hip thrusts and gyrations that Elvis would be proud of, as well as a little bit where shirts came off and muscle flexes were the show. As teenage heartthrobs of yesteryear, the boys have seemed to take their rizz to new levels now that they are all grown up. I heard zero complaints from the crowd.
Having toured with NKOTB before, DJ Jazzy Jeff once again becomes part of the show, as he appears atop of the huge steps on stage. With a mashup of “Dance With You” and “Love Like This” getting started, each of the singers brings out a ‘selected’ fan and they continue to perform with the guests by their sides. A true moment to remember for these 5 lucky ladies.
Getting Jazzy Jeff more involved, Wahlberg, in roundabout way, demands to play “Summertime”, to wish there is no argument from the DJ. After playing a short clip, Wahlberg stops and asks a young lady on stage who claims to know the song word for word. The 16-year-old made the trip the mid Atlantic region for this show and proceeded to belt out a couple verses from the song made famous by DJ Jazzy Jeff and Fresh Prince. With her mom by her side, the young lady was elated to get the opportunity. Wahlberg continues on to say that they continue to gain fans through generations by parents still listening to the music of their childhood.
With notoriously bad parking rituals at the venue, I left a little early but was able to hear clearly as “Step By Step” and “Hangin Tough” rounded out the night.
While I will admit the New Kids were never my cup of tea 35 years ago, and maybe aren’t now, but they can sure put on a show, I will never argue that at all. They had men and women up and waving their arms and singing word for word. They had teens singing along with their music, and that is exactly what they want. I watched a group of ladies, probably in late 40s, doing the dances they learned 35 years ago. They were all having an amazing time reliving some of their glory years. Life longs fans that pass on their music and memories.
Follow along with the Kids and check out their first new album in 11 years New Kids On The Block
New Kids on The Block setlist: Magic, Summer Love, My Favorite Girl, Cover Girl, Dirty Dancing, You Got It (The Right Stuff), Remix (I Like The), Block Party, Tonight, Where Do I Go From Here?, Treat Me Right, Call It What You Want, Popsicle/Games/This Is How We Do It/ Stay With Me Baby, Baby I Believe in You, Never Gonna Fall In Love Again/Paradise City, Happy Birthday, Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time), Please Don’t Go Girl, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Dance With You/Love Like This, Summertime (DJ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince), Kids, I’ll Be Loving You (Forever), Step by Step, Hanging Tough/We Will Rock You (Queen), These Are The Better Days
Paula Abdul Setlist (partial) Straight Up, Vibeology, Cold Hearted, Opposites Attract, Rush Rush, The Promise of a New Day/Knocked Out/Ain’t Never Gonna Give You Up, Forever Your Girl
DJ Jazzy Jeff setlist (partial): OPP (Naughty by Nature), Jump, Eye of The Tiger (Survivor), Jump Around (House of Pain), Let Me Clear My Throat (DJ Kool), Monkees, Cheers, The Fresh Prince theme, Super Mario Bros Rap, Uptown Funk, Living on a Prayer
Legendary blues rock guitarist and New York native, Joe Bonamassa brought his “Blues Deluxe Summer Tour” to the historic Capitol Theatre in Port Chester. Most recently, Bonamassa released his newest effort Live At The Hollywood Bowl With Orchestraearlier this summer. Friday, Aug. 26 was the first of two back-to-back nights that Bonamassa rocked the “Original Rock Palace.”
With fans finding their seats in the nearly 100-year-old venue, Bonamassa and his band graced the stage and jumped right into “Hope You Realize” off of Bonamassa’s Blues Deluxe Vol. 2record. Since there was no opener this evening, it left the band with more time to play for their fans. From the moment the 11-piece band plugged their instruments in, their sheer power overtook the fans. For a blues band, they were certainly loud, but in the best way possible. The classic blues rock rang like joyful noise during the two-hour performance.
The official music video for Joe Bonamassa’s “I Want To Shout About It”
Bonamassa was firing on all cylinders. From the vocals to the guitar playing to his stage presence, he had it all. From the little he spoke during the night, he made up for it during his guitar masterclass. Watching Bonamassa play took the breath out of some fans’ bodies as they watched in awe. Some people in the crowd were recording on their phones while others air-guitared. Some simply watched stunned by the guitar hero in front of them.
Bonamassa’s backing band consisted of a horn section featuring saxophones and trumpets, three backing singers in addition to the drums, bass, rhythm guitar and keyboards. Within the band, the musicianship was top-notch. They all played their part and had a welcoming sound to them. At one point in the show, Bonamassa called his band family and that he respects them the most. To see a leader like Bonamassa praise the band behind him was amazing to see.
Within the band, the musicians as individuals were spectacular. The horn section added a uniqueness to the band while the backup singers added more beefiness to the vocals. At one point in the show, singer Jade MacRae had a solo during “Self Inflicted Wounds.” Listening to her vocals sent chills up and down the spines of the audience who cheered and applauded at the end.
For those who don’t know all the individual members of Bonamassa’s band, on percussion, to his left sat Reese Wynans. Wynans is a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer with Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble. When he was introduced, the audience all rose to their feet to pay respects to the legendary keyboardist. But, throughout the night, Wynans was spinning back and forth on the keyboard giving the performance of a lifetime.
The show flowed effortlessly as each song slowly transitioned into the next. With each new song, came an even flashier guitar from Bonamassa who changed guitars for what seemed like every song. During a few songs, he would sport a beautiful Les Paul while other times it would be a classic telecaster or a gorgeous red Gibson. It did not matter which guitar was on stage because, by the end of the song, Bonamassa delivered an emotionally beautiful solo.
While the band was setting up for the next song, Bonamassa took the time to say a proper hello to the audience and clarify that he is a New York native which brought a cheer from the audience. Bonamassa then proceeded to thank everyone for showing up to a homecoming show. It seemed that once he acknowledged he was in front of his home state’s audience, then the show got even better. There was a sense of the audience also acknowledging that the legendary guitarist was playing in a legendary venue and it made for a spectacular rest of the evening.
The entire night of Joe Bonamassa and his band at the Capitol Theatre was one of the best ways to close out the summer concert season.
Of the seven shows that remain on Bonamassa’s schedule, four are in New York. On Saturday, Aug. 24 he’ll be right back at the Capitol Theatre which is followed by a date in Rochester on Aug. 25 and Albany on Aug. 27. If you are a fan of blues rock and roll then you have to go see Bonamassa. It was a magical night of nothing but essential blues music.
Joe Bonamassa Setlist: Hope You Realize, You Upset Me, 24 Hour Blues, Done Got Over It, Self Inflicted Wounds, I Want To Shout About It, Last Matador of Bayonne, Breaking Up Someone’s Home, Heart That Never Waits, Is It Safe To Go Home, See See Baby, Humming Bird, Hard But It’s Fair, Mountain Time
Opening day of the Great NYS Fair was full of nostaglia. Earlier in the day Chubby Checker took the stage and all the headliners from the I Love the 90’s tour paid homage to him as they each left the stage, Young Hump of Digital Underground said “I’m gonna have to call my grandparents”.
The lineup for the evening was Digital Underground, Color Me Badd & Tone Loc. The weather cleared just before start time and made for a wonderful evening of music.
Opening up the night was Digital Underground with their hit “Same Song” as they moved back and forth across the stage. As their set continued the remembered Shock-G and dedicated “Doowutchyalike” to him. They continued their set with “Kiss you Back” and then performed Tupac’s “I Get Around” and ending the night the “Humpty Dance” with Young Hump out doing his dance. It was a great set from Digital Underground that got the audience up on their feet to start out the evening.
Next up was Color Me Badd with the sole original member lead vocalist Mark Calderon. They started their set off with their hit “All 4 One” and got the audience singing with them. They continued on with “I Adore Mi Amor” and covered Michael Jackson’s “Rock With You”. As they continued on with their walk through their 90’s hit “I Wanna Sex You Up”. At times it was hard to hear Mark Calderon’s vocals during their 20 minute set. The audince enjoyed the performance and could be heard singing along toeir favorite old school jams.
Tone Loc came out with DJ M. Walk to perform his hit “Funky Cold Medina”, Tone in a throwback blue sweat suit with his gravelly voice that just brought the crowd to their feet. They continued on with a cover of Snoop Dogg’s “Gin and Juice” with Tone Loc doing a little crip walk. He continued on with a call and response of “Hey, What’s Up”. Giving the audience a little time he asked what decade the audience members were born, and the biggest responses were the 60’s & 70’s. He then called a group of ladies to come up on the stage as he closed out with “Wild Thing”. The ladies on stage danced and laughed as if they were back in the 90’s.
I love the 90s was a great night of nostalgic music at the NYS Fair that took you back in time. It almost was like we were back in the 90’s again.
Digital Underground Setlist: Same Song, Doowhatchya Like, Kiss You Back, I Get Around (TuPac), The Humpty Dance
Color Me Badd Setlist: All for Love, I Adore Mi Amor, Rock With You (Michael Jackson), I Wanna Sex You Up
Tone Loc Setlist: Funky Cold Medina, Gin & Juice (Snoop Dogg), Hey, What’s Up, Wild Thing
Rising country music star Warren Zeiders performed on the Suburban Park Stage at the New York State Fair in Syracuse on Thursday, August 22. The Hershey, Pennsylvania native was celebrating the release of his second full length album, Relapse (released on August 23).
Anticipation built as the minutes clicked down to Zeiders’ arrival. The barricaded area around the stage was filled to capacity well in advance of showtime, and a sprawling crowd stretched back into the fields which separated the Suburban Park stage from the hustle and bustle of the fair’s midway.
At promptly 8pm, Zeiders burst on to stage and wasted no time getting the party started. Zeiders opened with the unreleased track “Take it to the Grave” which showcased his gritty vocals and high energy stage presence. Zeiders worked each side of the stage, often pausing to wave and greet the fans up front. Early in the set, Zeiders pushed his new material, performing several tracks off the Relapse album.
At just 24 years old, Warren Zeiders is proving to be a master in his craft. New tracks like “Intoxicated” and “Betrayal” proved to hold just strong as the rest of his growing catalog. Those in attendance were already familiar with the lyrics to the new tracks and sang along to every word. However, the biggest sing along this evening was when Zeiders performed “Pretty Little Poison”, a track which spent several weeks at the top of Billboard’s Country Music Airplay chart earlier this year. The crowed belted back the song’s anthemic chorus and waved lighters and cellphone lights in the air, illuminating the area and giving perspective to the sea of fans that had gathered.
After a sixty minute set and a brief break, Zeiders and his band returned to the stage for an encore, which saw the band cover the Alice in Chains classic, “Man in the Box”. The song may sound like a surprising choice to hear at a country concert, but it fit in well with Zeiders’ sound.
The New York State Fair continues through September 2. See a list of upcoming concerts here.
Dead & Co’s residency at the Sphere in Vegas may be over for now, but the music of the Grateful Dead most certainly hasn’t faded away from concert stages across the country as myriad tribute, cover, and legacy acts continue to perform in the final weeks of summer.
Dark Star Orchestra may well be the best Dead-music band that is currently touring, and the 1,500-plus dancing heads at Schenectady’s Frog Alley on Thursday, August 22 seemed to be in agreement that DSO are venerable interpreters of the genre.
DSO’s faithful and sequential recreations of notable Grateful Dead setlists and their dedication to performing with period-authentic instruments and equipment set them far apart from typical tribute acts. This is as close as you’re going to get to a late-70s Dead set, short of a time machine.
Thursday’s DSO show featured The Grateful Dead’s 5-5-78 setlist, originally performed in Thompson Arena at Dartmouth College. The two sets were relatively typical of the era, as the Dead balanced Chuck Berry rock with pastoral psychedelia, Americana, jazz-rock, balladry, and an occasional disco groove in the rhythm section.
DSO also played a 1978 show at the Adirondack Independence Music Festival last year up in Lake George. I was hip to the fact that Thursday’s show was going to mine late-70s territory as soon as Jeff Mattson (who plays the Jerry Garcia role in DSO) strapped on his Travis Bean guitar – the same model Jerry played in 1976 and 1977 (he was playing Wolf by ‘78). Mattson was in fine form all night, faithfully modeling his tone and soloing techniques on Garcia’s.
The show opened with “Promised Land”, which featured the outstanding vocals of Rob Eaton, who just embodies the bandleader and rhythm guitar rocker Bob Weir became in the later 70s and throughout the 80s for the Dead. It’s also delightful to hear that vintage Ibanez rhythm guitar tone. I love Ace, but I’m not crazy about the wild trebly, metallic guitar tone he uses in Dead & Co.
“Dire Wolf” may have been the biggest singalong number of the night and “Cassidy” was the first where the band’s slinky contrapuntal interplay was on full display. DSO, much like the original Dead is a true ensemble, and the collective improvisation of Mattson, Eaton, and keyboardist Rob Barraco stood out on this Weir/Barlow classic.
Other highlights of the first set included “Candyman” from American Beauty, and a top-notch “They Love Each Other” that featured solos by both Mattson and Barraco. And while this reviewer might prefer “Brown-Eyed Women” to “Lazy Lightnin’/Supplication” it was this latter medley that ended the first set with one of the best jams of the entire night.
The second set kicked off with a duo of good-time rockers (“Bertha” and “Good Lovin’”) and then the first of two second-set Jerry ballads, a faithful rendition of “Ship of Fools”.
It was the Estimated > Eyes, though, that was the hightlight of the entire show. Eaton nailed the Weir vocals on “Estimated Prophet” while Mattson dialed up the Mu-Tron to great effect. “Eyes of the World” remains one of the superlative Dead vehicles in terms of the song’s jam possibilities and also in the way that the elegantly jazz-leaning chord progression matches the beauty of the lyrics. Mattson seems to be at his best when he really leans into the jazzy elements of Garcia’s playing. Bassist Skip Vangelas (who was excellent, clear, and loud all night in his Phil-role) was also featured in “Eyes” and took a melodic solo.
I’ll admit that these days I’m all-in on the Dead & Co “Drums/Space” in large part because of Mickey Hart’s beam and use of electronics. For me, it’s never a bathroom break opportunity. DSO drummers Dino English and Rob Koritz reminded me that a more analog version of drums isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Koritz’s use of steel drum and a crew of roadies on various percussion instruments coupled nicely with English’s kit playing. Mattson and Barraco then took the stage for a very short “Space” that left me wanting more. While John Meyer certainly might have more “chops” than Mattson, I’ll take the ole Zen Trickster Mattson over Meyer on “Space” any day of the week. Mattson wore a rad purple John Coltrane t-shirt at the show, and his otherworldly “Close-Encounters”-tease into “space-jazz-rock” certainly paid homage to Coltrane’s later free era. Give me 10 more minutes of that next time, Jeff!
“Not Fade Away” was a great reminder that bands like DSO are carrying the torch so that new generations will hear this very vital and living music, and “Stella Blue” featured some of Mattson’s finest vocals of the evening on one of the Dead’s most sensitive ballads. The set closed with a rockin’ “Around and Around” which put Eaton back in the role of showman extraordinaire.
The encores were particularly fun covers. Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves of London” had what remained of the weeknight crowd howling at the moon. The Dead set was complete, but DSO had a few more minutes until curfew, so the band went off-script and launched into The Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit” finally giving backing vocalist Lisa Mackey a chance to take the lead. Mackey is in many ways the heart and soul of DSO. Her dancing, energy, and excellent harmony vocals are always a pleasure to watch, so it was particularly uplifting to hear her crush the Grace Slick part. Let Lisa sing!
Summer may be coming to a close, but that just means that it’s time to start planning for fall and winter indoor shows. Dark Star Orchestra has many shows planned around the state this fall and just announced that they are returning to the legendary Capitol Theatre in Port Chester for a New Year’s run on December 30 and December 31. They’re sure to keep the Dead alive in 2025 too.
A word or two about the Frog Alley venue, since this is still a relatively new Capital Region venue. The place has great beer (I tried a Kolsch that paired nicely with a cool summer night), they have a wealth of food truck options, and the raised stage means most vantage points are good ones. There’s also a VIP option which gives you deluxe bathroom access, tent access, and balcony options, which looked particularly nice if you got there early to grab seating. The sound was also stellar (and I give some of the credit to DSO’s own board operator because the mix was superb). My only gripe at all is that GA concertgoers had to wait in relatively long lines for the porta potties and hopefully more can be added to future events of this capacity. Parking wasn’t bad if you got there early enough and I was on the road and out of town in a jiffy. Definitely looking forward to getting back to Frog Alley for Band of Horses/City + Colour on Friday, September 13.
Finally, I have to give an honorable mention to the dude in front of me who had the best shirt of the night. His maroon and white “Stealie’s Shops” shirt in Stewart’s Shop typography has to be about the best Capital Region-specific Shakedown shirts I’ve ever seen. I want one!
Dark Star Orchestra | August 22, 2024 | Frog Alley Summer Stage | Schenectady, NY
Set I: Promised Land, Dire Wolf, Cassidy, Candyman, El Paso, They Love Each Other, Passenger, Brown Eyed Women, Lazy Lightnin’, Supplication.
Set II: Bertha, Good Lovin’, Ship of Fools, Estimated Prophet, Eyes of the World, Drums > Space, Not Fade Away, Stella Blue, Around and Around.
Encore: Werewolves of London, White Rabbit *
* Not part of the original Grateful Dead show on 5-5-78.
Avril Lavigne and opening acts girlfriends and Simple Plan put on an electrifying show at Darien Lake Amphitheater this past Tuesday, August 20 for old and new fans showing that the emo genre is here to stay wasn’t just a phase.
Kicking off the night were girlfriends who brought an intense and energetic performance with Travis, Nick, and the rest of the band maintaining a high level of energy from start to finish.
Performing hits such as “Shut Up and Kiss Me,” “I Thought About You While I Was Taking a Shower,” and ” California” from their recent albums (e)motion sickness (2022) as well as self-titled debut album girlfriends (2020), the band was in true warm up form, channeling the headliner in their angst.
Following girlfriends was the pop-punk legend Simple Plan. They continued the high energy set by girlfriends and took it to the next level. Pierre Bouvier’s crowd interaction was outstanding, and the band’s attention to detail in engaging the crowd was truly remarkable.
Throughout their set, the audience enthusiastically sang along with the band, creating an unforgettable atmosphere. The night was filled with iconic songs such as “I’d Do Anything,” “Welcome to My Life,” “Summer Paradise.” They also sang favorites like the Scooby-Doo theme song, during which they invited fans dressed as Scooby-Doo to join them on stage, and the timeless anthem “I’m Just a Kid.”
At last the iconic princess, or rather the queen of the early 2000s pop-punk era, Avril Lavigne, took the stage. Her entrance featured her past album covers, early interviews, and clips from her early career, all leading up to her grand appearance on stage. When she emerged, the crowd went wild, and she kicked off with the song “Girlfriend.”
Throughout the night, Avril had the audience in the palm of her hand, taking them on the ride of their lives. Her audience was one of the loudest of my concert season, and you could truly feel the love that her fans have for her, as well as her gratitude for every single one of them that night.
She followed up with the songs “What the Hell” and “Complicated.” During her set, she brought out Simple Plan, and they sang Simple Plan’s “Addicted” together. Avril ended the night with the iconic song “I’m With You,” and she had everyone singing along with her. She’ll be back in New York on August 27 in Wantagh at Jones Beach Theater.
Avril Lavigne Setlist: Girlfriend, What the Hell, Complicated, Here’s to Never Growing Up, Smile, My Happy Ending, Addicted (with Simple Plan), Losing Grip, Hot, Bite Me, Love It When You Hate Me, When You’re Gone, Don’t Tell Me, He Wasn’t, Sk8er Boi
On Friday, August 16 Emanuel Casablanca took to the Park Theater stage and offered the crowd a night of classic blues. Park Theater, located in Hudson, consistently offers a place for musicians to share their work in an intimate setting.
Emanuel Casablanca is a Brooklyn based guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Casablanca so far has two albums including Blood on My Hands and Strung Out on Thrills. He shared songs from both albums and even some unreleased songs dedicated to his wife. Casablanca wore a hat which stated, “I breathe the blues”; he is also nicknamed “Badboyoftheblues.”
After seeing him perform live you are able to see that these statements ring true Casablanca uses his vocal and guitar skills to create traditional blues music with his own twist you can also feel his passion for what he creates as he performs.
Park Theater is the perfect place when you’re in search for a night of music. Upcoming shows at Park Theater include Dual Record Release Party Anterra & Peter Stone on Thursday, August 22, Beccs, Glenn Echo, and Slow Packer on Friday August 23 and PORCHFEST Presents: Tommy Stinson’s Cowboys in the Campfire on Saturday, August 24.
