The two-piece rock band, AM Gold, just released their long awaited, self-titled album on all streaming platforms.
Today, Aaron Magram and Dana Fasano make up the rock band. When the project first started, AM Gold was Magram’s solo work. Between 2017 and 2020 he released three albums, Fuckin’ A, Love Pharmaceuticals & Smooth Jazz and SuperUltraMegaMediocre along with their two EPs, Xanax and Aww Yeah!
In late 2022, the project was re-born and Magram and Fasano started to perform together. Originally, the two wanted to find other bandmates to fill out their sound more, but with the help of music technology, they no longer have that need.
With octave and vocal pedals along with guitar looping, AM Gold sounded like a full band. Recordings for this new album started in early 2024 at Magram’s home studio with the help of Bob Hershberger, who professionally mastered the album.
In preparation for the new album they’ve released three singles, “Unto You,” “Use Your Delusions I” and “Tell Me.”
Listening to AM Gold is like taking a journey through rock history. You can find the resemblance to 80’s hair rock with the opening track “Word of God” as well as “About Me.” Their intense guitar instrumentations and harsh vocals speak to the inspiration. “Sleight of Hand” is a more easy-going carefree 70’s style song.
Although this grunge punk album has clear inspiration, it is original and unique to AM Gold’s style. Their mixing and instrumentation is exactly the modern touch rock music needs in 2024.
AM Gold also has some performance dates in the Hudson Valley and you can find more information about it on their website.
Sarah McLachlan brought her Fumbling Towards Ecstasy 30th Anniversary Tour to a sold-out show at Radio City Music Hall on Monday, June 24.
Opening for her was Feist, who will also be joining McLachlan for additional North American tour dates this summer. Fumbling Towards Ecstasy received critical acclaim at the time of its release and has garnered a cult following in the years since. The crowd at Radio City was filled with a buzzing energy: equal parts nostalgic and anticipation.
Throughout her career, McLachlan has provided foundational support to the communities she has been a part of. For each ticket sale on this tour, $1 goes towards Sarah McLachlan School of Music, a non-profit started by McLachlan in 2002. With locations around Canada, the schools provide free music education and mentorship to students in under-served communities.
There was also Lilith Fair, the revolutionary all-female traveling music festival founded by McLachlan. Lilith Fair made stops in New York at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh every year it ran- 1997, 1997, and 1999. Fumbling Towards Ecstasy was released just a few years prior and helped bring McLachlan’s music to further international audiences.
McLachlan entered the Radio City stage to a roar of applause before the spotlight even had its chance to shine on her. She opened the show with a few songs off of her other albums before diving into the Fumbling setlist. 30 years later, the songs of Fumbling Towards Ecstasy have proven to be both a time capsule and present day cache. A reminder of the difficulties life can present us at unaccepted moments and a celebration of making it through it. The album is a timeless classic that prevails decades, the audience’s enchantment throughout the evening was proof of that.
Currently working on a new album, McLachlan has performed a new song, “Gravity,” on a few stops of this tour. McLachlan will be playing next in Columbia, Maryland at Merriweather Post Pavilion on June 27. The Fumbling Towards Ecstasy Tour will be making additional stops in North America through the end of the year.
Sarah McLachlan – Radio City Music Hall – Monday, June 24, 2024
Set One – Greatest Hits: Sweet Surrender, Building a Mystery, I Will Remember You, Drifting, Song for My Father, World on Fire, Adia, Beautiful Girl, Answer, Witness
Set Two – Fumbling Towards Ecstasy: Possession, Wait, Plenty, Good Enough, Mary, Elsewhere, Circle, Ice, Hold On, Ice Cream, Fear, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy
Encore: Gravity, Angel
Feist playing at Radio City on June 24Sarah McLachlan playing Radio City on June 24
A destination venue for industry veterans and rising stars, Brooklyn Paramount hosted The Church and The Afghan Whigs for their second co-headlining show on a 19-date tour this past Thursday evening, June 20.
Originally opened in 1928 and dubbed ‘America’s first movie theater built for sound,’ Brooklyn Paramount reopened its famed doors in the heart of downtown this past March, and since doing so, has seen a constant stream of genre-spanning musical talent – with a full slate of artists scheduled well into December. The night’s festivities were presented by WFUV, a non-commercial radio station owned by Fordham University, located on its Bronx campus, and nationally recognized for its alternative music format.
Fans wait in line ahead of entering Brooklyn Paramount | Photo Credit: Michael Dinger
Providing opening support was Kristin Hersh, who in addition to her solo work which often features emotional vocals delivered in raw, visceral manner, is best known for her singing and songwriting in the alternative rock band Throwing Muses. Taking a lone seat at center stage promptly at 7:30 pm, Hersh warmed up the large swarm of fans who arrived early to see her 30 minute set, which comprised three Throwing Muses offerings and four tracks selected from her eleven solo albums – Hips and Makers (1994), Sunny Border Blue (2001), Crooked (2010) and Clear Pond Road (2023).
At 8:10 pm, The Afghan Whigs appeared onstage and immediately launched into a 15-song set spanning a nearly four decade career. Hailing from Cincinnati, Ohio, the duo of frontman Greg Dulli and bassist John Curley – who started it all way back in 1986 – are cited as having influenced several musicians of high esteem in their own right, including fellow Ohio natives The National, Interpol, and The Gaslight Anthem, to name but a few.
Greg Dulli of The Afghan Whigs | Photo Credit: Michael Dinger
An eclectic blend of alternative and indie rock, post-punk, grunge, and for good measure, R&B, the hour-long set kicked off with “Pantomima,” the lead single from Dulli’s 2020 solo album Random Desire. Apart from an astounding cover of English singer-songwriter Martina Topley‐Bird’s “Too Tough to Die” midway through, The Afghan Whigs gifted its fans several of what are considered the best tunes from their nine studio album catalog.
Standout numbers from the night included the moody and atmospheric “Debonair” (Gentlemen, 1993), fan favorite “Algiers” and “Matamoros” (Do to the Beast, 2014), the introspective “Oriole” (In Spades, 2017), and “Somethin’ Hot” (1965, 1998), featuring a driving rhythm accompanied by a sound palette of power guitar riffs and energetic percussion.
John Curley of The Afghan Whigs | Photo Credit: Michael Dinger
The Church are touring off the strength of their most recent two albums, the universally hailed album The Hypnogogue, and its companion science fiction concept album Eros Zeta and the Perfumed Guitars, released in 2023 and 2024, respectively. The Aussie psych-rock quintet of founder Steve Kilbey (lead vocals, bass), long-time collaborator Tim Powles (drummer), Ian Haug (guitarist formerly of Australian rock icons Powderfinger, who joined the band in 2013), Jeffrey Cain (multi-instrumentalist who has been a full-time member since early-2020), and Ashley Nalor (touring guitarist and backing vocalist for The Church since February 2020, best known for fronting the Melbourne-based band named Even) silently slithered onstage under the cover of darkness at approximately 9:45 pm.
As The Hypnogogue’s title track played over the house PA, the crowd waited in eager anticipation as the slow burning introduction, with its multiple sonic layers, continued to build momentum. At long last, the cinematic extravaganza was underway.
Steve Kilbey of The Church | Photo Credit: Michael Dinger
With selections presented from six LPs spread across their massive discography (25 studio albums in total), The Church’s dreamy psychedelia experience continued with “Myrrh” (Heyday, 1985), but not before Kilbey first greeted the more than 2,000 souls in attendance. “Good evening ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much. We are so happy to be here tonight. What a wonderful – the word splendid comes to my mind – what a splendid, old theater. Thanks so much for coming along.”
Kilbey introduced the next song, “Metropolis” (Gold Afternoon Fix, 1990), as “the last time we ever darkened the doorstep of commercial radio, 34 years ago, you may remember this one.” The proceeding mystical journey that he and his bandmates brought all of us on was filled with indelible highlights, with too many to list in this review. However, the goosebump-inducing moment that tops that list, for me at least, would have to be The Church’s performance of “No Other You” (The Hypnogogue), a heartfelt love song showcasing Kilbey’s voice filled with a yearning for a woman who cannot be replaced.
The Church | Photo Credit: Michael Dinger
Outside of their psychedelic-tinged, instant classics appearing on 1988’s Starfish, “Under The Milky Way” and “Reptile,” the album that put Kilbey and company on my radar as a 16-year old entranced by their anthemic songs filled with melody and orchestration, it was another track from The Hypnogogue that filled the venue with an overall sense of reflection. The operatic “Flickering Lights,” which found Haug taking up the mandolin, was appropriately rendered by The Church to a backdrop of bright white flashing stage lights and multicolored strobes.
The stellar live show culminated with two tracks collected from opposite ends of their storied career – “Last Melody” (Eros Zeta and the Perfumed Guitars, 2024) and “You Took” (The Blurred Crusade, 1982) – a trippy, cosmic jam filled with epic, swirling guitar.
Watch The Church perform two hit songs from their aforementioned fifth studio album Starfish, “Under The Milky Way” and “Reptile,” below:
Following the current run of North American tour dates which ends in Los Angeles on July 13, our favorite mates have cleared their calendar for the duration of the summer. However, if at the end of the year you find yourself in the Land Down Under, The Church have a series of six shows beginning at the Enmore Theatre in Newton on November 23, culminating at Hindley Street Music Hall in Adelaide on December 7. Dates sandwiched between include stops in St Kilda, Brisbane, Hobart and Perth.
Kristin Hersh Setlist: Eyeshine > Kay Catherine (Throwing Muses song) > Mississippi Kite > Your Ghost > City of the Dead (Throwing Muses song) > Bywater (Throwing Muses song) > Your Dirty Answer
The Afghan Whigs Setlist: Pantomima (Greg Dulli song) > Debonair > Catch a Colt > Algiers > 66 > Matamoros > What Jail Is Like > Too Tough to Die (Martina Topley‐Bird cover) > Light as a Feather > Oriole > It Kills > Demon in Profile > Going to Town > Somethin’ Hot > Summer’s Kiss
The Church Setlist: The Hypnogogue > Myrrh > Metropolis > C’est la vie > No Other You > Under the Milky Way > An Interlude > Flickering Lights > Reptile > Realm of Minor Angels > Grind > Last Melody > You Took
UPCOMING TOUR DATES
June 24 – Toronto, ON @ The Danforth Music Hall
June 25 – Detroit, MI @ The Majestic Theatre
June 27 – Indianapolis, IN @ Hi-Fi
June 28 – Chicago, IL @ The Vic Theatre
June 29 – Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest 2024
June 30 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
July 2 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
July 3 – Bellvue, CO @ The Mishawaka
July 5 – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
July 6 – Portland, OR @ McMenamins Crystal Ballroom
July 8 – Sacramento, CA @ The Sofia
July 9 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
July 11 – San Diego, CA @ The Observatory North Park
July 12 – Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues Anaheim
July 13 – Los Angeles, CA @ The United Theater on Broadway
I Don’t Want To Go Home, The Oral History of the Stone Pony, was released in early June. New Jersey native Nick Corasaniti explores the history of the venue and the surrounding community. Complete with a foreword from Bruce Springsteen, Oral History of the Stone Pony documents the community’s resilience in the face of ruin.
In 1974, Asbury Park’s future was uncertain. Recovering from a riot and facing ruin, the Stone Pony offered the gleam of hope the town needed. Bouncers Jack Roig and Butch Pielka, underprepared and minimally funded, were determined to own their own venue. Soon, Bruce Springsteen called the Stone Pony Home. Despite success in attracting notable artists like Stevie Van Zandt, “Southside” Johnny Lyon, and Springsteen, the Stone Pony struggled to get by.
The history of the Stone Pony is emblematic of American life: dogged resistance and big reams, all in the face of decline and neglect. Corasaniti’s insight as a lifelong New Jersian is boosted by his experience as the New York Times’ Jersey correspondent. Bruce Springsteen, Steve Van Zandt, Southside Johnny, members of the E Street Band and Asbury Jukes, the Ramones, the Jonas Brothers, Pearl Jam, the Kinks, Tom Morello, Kenny Chesney, Jack Antonoff, The Gaslight Anthem, the Bouncing Souls, the Lumineers, Russell Crowe and other legendary musicians have featured interviews. Non-musicians associated with the history of the Stone Pony, including bouncers, bartenders, local bon vivants and politicos, including Govs. Chris Christie and Phil Murphy, are also featured.
The book has already received critical praise: Kirkus Reviews described it as a work with, “charming bits of Springsteen-iana… [with the] theme of a community stubbornly determined to survive amid adversity.” Booklist says the book promises a, “stirring tale of rock ‘n’ roll survival.”
Umphrey’s McGee at The Stone Pony, 2018 – photo by Capacity Images, Chris Capaci
It is difficult to overstate The Stone Pony’s role in rock ‘n’ roll history. During the 70s, Ocean Grove resident Johnny Lyon and Middletown’s Steve Van Zandt named their band for the Pony. With soulful, classic, and horn driven R&B music, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes played the Stone Pony three nights a week. Van Zandt would leave the group to play with Bruce Springsteen and the new version of the E Street Band. Salty Dog, Stir Crazy, Winfield, Holme, Salvation, Mad Dog and the Shakes (featuring local legend and former E Street drummer Vini Lopez), The Shots, Cold Blast & Steel, Cahoots and Acme Boogie Company all played the Stone Pony during the 70s.
The 80s brought a new wave of rock and dance music to the Pony. Legendary performances included stars on the way up such as Stevie Ray Vaughn, Elvis Costello, The Ramones, Cheap Trick, Skid Row, Blondie, The Stray Cats and Winger. Other artists who took to the Pony stage included Meatloaf, Todd Rundgren, Jimmy Cliff, Joan Jett, Blue Oyster Cult, Gregg Allman, Dickie Betts, Ace Frehley of Kiss, Levon Helm, Robert Gordon, Johnny Winter, Vanilla Fudge, David Johansen (a.k.a. Buster Poindexter), Mink DeVille, Dion, Ronnie Spector and Mountain. Van Morrison used the club for the shooting of a music video because of its “cool atmosphere.”
The Stone Pony hit a slump in the late 80s and early 90s. With insurance prices and other expenses rising, the Stone Pony came close to ruin. Steven Nasar bought the venue in bankruptcy court, and planned to make it into a dance club. In 2000, Jersey City restaurant owner Domenic Santana promised the Pony would be open by Memorial Day in a press conference.
Credit: Michael Dinger; The Pretenders playing at the Stone Pony
Santana renovated the Stone Pony, adding a permanent exhibition of art and artifacts from the history of the city and the venue itself. With a new state of the art lighting and sound equipment, redesign of the outside Stone Pony Landing area, tenting and a small food facility, the venue was ready to retake its rightful place in popular culture.
Artists did not abandon the Stone Pony: The Pretenders, The Strokes, Interpol, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Patti Smith, Jason Mraz, Third Eye Blind, Sean Ono Lennon, Clarence Clemons, The Wailers, The Backseat Lovers, Indigo Girls, and Ziggy Marley among many others have continued to play at the Stone Pony. New Jersey native musicians continue to play the Stone Pony, and pay tribute to their roots, including Grateful Dead Tribute Band JRAD. The community’s resilience in the face of difficulty is remarkable, and a testament to the strength of music.
In celebration of their 50th anniversary, The Stone Pony is hosting a summer series, more information is available here.
The book is available for purchase here, and a CNN report on a the Stone Pony’s history is below.
Mr. Jive has cooked up a 12 song showcase worthy of a glance from a wider audience, titled, Hurry Up Please It’s Time”
Opening with “Monsters Write Pretty Songs,” Buggy immediately announces “Good luck,” with a thickly stacked vocal on top of the meandering rhythm guitar that jolts and grabs attention. The crispy blend of gospel and Doobie-esque backing vocals weave a soft takeoff before eventually punching the opening notes of “Scheherazade of Schenectady.” The first single off the record is appropriately verbose, as it touches on principles of fiction writing and brings up the heat after the smooth opener.
Relaxedly defiant, “Don’t Quit Your Day Job,” hints of the prog influence to come later in both “The Music is Beside the Point,” and “The Calendar is a Liar.” Distorted and stanky, the song that garnered the NPR shoutout from Bob Boilen and Bobby Carter somehow still gives front porch rocking chair vibes while hiding a middle finger attitude behind a content and fulfilled smile.
In “Another Song I Ain’t Allowed to Sing,” Buggy Jive offers reminders of his emotional range and musical intent while slowing down the pace, but featuring right-up-front lead vocals and an ocean of harmonies that keep the energy flowing. This range and intent returns in spades on “Autumn Is Burning.” The mid-album walking groove breaks out major key on a bridge change that feels like a full breath after the intentionally dark verse progression. While “Old Man Screams at Sky,” hits more like a barnhouse dance party than gospel groove, those dynamic controls and natural chord voicings remain steady and present.
“Ignore Them Fools,” and “Alpha the Beta,” both ooze confidence, with the former feeling like a class in session and the latter like a player on the field in action. “Alien Robot Love Song About Love,” and “Hurry Up Please It’s Time,” the final two tracks of the album, lay heavy wet grooves that drag the listener deep into the songwriters’ pocket lyrically and musically.
The entire work displays an adventurous attitude as a musician and a deep sensibility surrounding vocals that act as an homage to his influences, both perceived and expressed. Buggy Jive took a big swing on this record, and his dedication and emotion are both easily seen and felt throughout.
Only You Know and I Know is not only the name of one of his biggest hits, but it is also now the title of Dave Mason’s forthcoming autobiography. It’s a freewheeling testament proving that Dave was one of the most Zelig of rockers. He’s a “quiet giant” who had his fingerprints all over the work of not only the famous group he co-founded, Traffic, but defining tracks by pals like Jimi Hendrix, George Harrison, Derek and the Dominoes, The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Delaney & Bonnie, Joe Cocker, Graham Nash, Fleetwood Mac and many more.
Raised on a farm and saddled with a hip condition that kept him bedridden for a year as a child, Dave discovered music at 12, when he plucked a ukulele out of a trash can while visiting his sister in San Diego. His first axe didn’t last long; his mother summarily used it to fix a stopped-up toilet! The would-be songwriter’s love of melody and harmony came from listening to The Platters while his still-underrated guitar chops were seeded by coping the solos of Hank Marvin and The Shadows and the Ventures, ones which he played in his early band, The Jaguars. He would see The Beatles, Stones and Dylan in concert and even meet Little Richard before he struck out on a professional career.
But it was the all-nighters at clubs in Birmingham where he would make his big connection, first with drummer Jim Capaldi in The Hellions then teenage Steve Winwood, when he was the star attraction in the Spencer Davis Group. Mason would contribute to the group’s latter-day hits, “Gimme Some Lovin’” and “I’m A Man,” before joining forces with Winwood, Capaldi and flautist Chris Wood in Traffic.
Dave Mason – photo by Chris Jensen
Mason’s star-crossed, on-again/off-again history with Traffic is a thread that runs through the entire book. After “getting it together” at their little country cottage in Berkshire, just like Dylan and The Band at Big Pink, they would record Mr. Fantasy, their hit debut disc. But it’s Dave’s song that the rest of the band hated, “Hole In My Shoe,” which was the biggest hit (#2). The tension within the band would lead Dave to quit on the eve of their first U.S. tour. But because the trio was lacking in original songs, Mason and his songs are welcomed back for the second album, 1968’s Traffic. He contributes “All Join In,” a tune penned on a caffeine jag in an Athens café and “Feelin’ Alright,” written on the Greek island of Hydra that would achieve classic status in its cover by Joe Cocker. Before the album was released, Dave would be fired from Traffic. He would be back for a couple of gigs captured on the album, Welcome to the Canteen, before a final split. At their 2006 induction into the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame, Dave was not invited to play with the band.
Dave’s move to the U.S. in 1971 puts him in the circle of Cass Elliot and the CS&N crew, along with Delaney & Bonnie. He becomes a part of the L.A. music scene bringing in A-list stars and session legends to record his truly great debut disc, Alone Together, closely followed by a duet album with Cass Elliot. He also becomes a part of the LaLa social whirl: partying with Sharon Tate and Abigail Folger shortly before the Manson murders, romancing actress Leigh Taylor Young and establishing close friendships with Dan Haggerty (TV’s Grizzly Adams) and Patrick Swayze.
Dave Mason must be a really great hang because many of the true icons of rock are pals who call upon his talents in the recording studio. He is featured on Jimi Hendrix’s “All Along the Watch Tower,” The Rolling Stones’ “Street Fighting Man,” Paul McCartney & Wings’ “Listen to What the Man Said” and George Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass.” It is Harrison who gives him a sitar which Mason plays on early Traffic tunes. It’s also Mason who purportedly shows George how to play slide during a break in a Delaney & Bonnie tour date. Through Delaney & Bonnie and the Harrison sessions, Dave is enlisted into an early version of Derek and The Dominoes. He leaves after a little recording and one live performance when the drug use in the band proves too much even for him. Though it’s seldom discussed, Dave was also a member of a post-Rumors Fleetwood Mac, touring from 1994-1995 and recording the album, Time.
While charmed in many places, Only You Know and I Know demonstrates Dave’s life has not been a complete bed of roses. He is honest here about his battles with addiction (mostly cocaine), his broken romances, the loss of his son and shortcomings as a father and his faulty business acumen (bankruptcies, bad management and recording contracts). There’s also talk of aborted music projects with Ginger Baker, Bob Dylan during his Desire album sessions and his trio with Leon Russell and Gary Wright. There is also his decision to move to St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands… a few days before Hurricane Hugo decimates it.
Mason is priming his fans for the release of his new memoir with 40-concert running through mid-October. The book and this latest tour prove that Dave is one of the true rock-n-roll survivors, someone for whom music is a salve and salvation which has helped him and his generations of fans cope with life’s inevitable hurdles.
Dave Mason tour Info can be found here, pre-order Only You Know and I Know, co-authored by Chris Epting, here
On Friday, June 21, Buffalo-based alt-folk artist Evan Anstey released his latest EP, Alternates II. As the second installment of Anstey’s “Alternates” series, this EP explores a wide range of genres and musical styles. With Alternates II, audiences can expect an awesome mix of hard rock, techno, and of course, a bit of bluegrass.
Debuting in 2016 with his EP Recent Time, Evan Anstey has played a role in the Western New York music scene. Born and raised in the area, Anstey began playing music at the age of 8. As he grew older, he began writing and performing his own music, both as a solo and group artist. Anstey co-founded, played guitar, and sang with rock bands Arrowdrive and The Moon Hunters. Since he was 17, Evan has served as a vocalist, guitarist, and occasional bassist in the indie-prog outfit Meat Raffle.
Evan Anstey’s alt-folk sound draws inspiration ranging from classic artists like Flatt & Scruggs to the progressive bluegrass of Nickel Creek and modern folk stylings of Aoife O’Donovan, John Paul White and Declan O’Rourke. His last EP, Alternates I, stayed true to his inspirations in folk and indie music. The instrumentation of the EP was mostly acoustic. However, its sequel is quite different.
For years, Evan Anstey gained traction as a folk artist. But with this EP, Anstey explored elements of other genres like hard rock and techno. The blend of these genres may come as a surprise to some, but the experimentation had been expertly handled. Like his last album, however, each track was a creative retelling of past songs he had performed live or co-wrote with his other groups. Anstey had the help of guest musicians to fully compose his vision.
Anstey played various instruments on Alternates II, including guitar, violin, bass, mandolin, keyboards, and ukulele. Guests artists Darryl Tonemah, LP Tonemah, Kris Brayley, Ernest “E.C.” Palmer, Alex Feig, and James Robert Kibby all feature on the six-track EP, each providing their own instrumentation and elements to the work.
I wanted to step out of the box on this one. Plans changed along the way, but that’s one of my favorite parts about making a record — the fluidity of art.
Evan Anstey
Alternates II is available on all streaming and download platforms. For more information on Evan Anstey, visit here.
Buffalo based band Organ Fairchild officially released their third studio record, Songs We Didn’t Write on June 7th. The 44 minute, 9 track collection of instrumental covers follows the 2023 release of Leisure Suit.
The trio is made up of Joe Bellanti on organ and keyboards, Corey Kertzie on drums and percussion, and Dave Ruch on guitar. According to Ruch, it was his son’s idea for the band to record and release an entire album of covers. He says “being a completely instrumental band, we’ve always loved the challenge of rearranging some of our favorite music in the organ trio format, and since our live shows always include some choice covers, this felt like a super fun project and a bit of a no-brainer!”
Left to Right: Kertzie, Ruch, Bellanti (Photo by Joe Cascio)
Songs We Didn’t Write was recorded and mixed by grammy award winning Justin Guip at Milan Hill Studios, and mastered by Alan Evans of Soulive. The record notably features grammy award winning and rock & roll hall-of-famer Jorma Kaukonen (Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna) on guitar for Otis Redding’s “Hard to Handle” and The Brass Machine’s horn section on Stevie Wonder’s “I Wish”. The album features a wide variety of artists and influences, from Harry Styles to Bob Marley and Grateful Dead.
“Hard to Handle” features electric (pun intended) guitar work by both Jorma and Ruch. The guitar-led track explodes into solos, before coming to a peak with both Jorma and Ruch trading solos with each other. The rhythm section of Bellanti and Kertzie hold it down together so well here and across the entire record.
“I Wish”, which features The Brass Machine, is a high-energy, freshly arranged take on the classic Stevie Wonder tune. The trombone, trumpet and saxophone additions elevate the song to new heights, and their solos end the song with a bang.
Photo by Matt Shotwell
The band goes back to their roots with songs like “Lazy River Road” and “Lost Sailor.” They were all members of “Wild Knights”, a Grateful Dead tribute based in Buffalo where they first met in 1983. The influence the Dead has in their playing and style is apparent, noticeably in Ruch’s guitar playing and his phrasing. The band does an excellent job at making these songs their own while paying their respect to the originals. Their arrangements are fresh, and they give these covers the space that allows for the song to breathe and come to life in their unique organ trio instrumentation.
Songs We Didn’t Write is currently available on all streaming services [here].
Tracklist:
Them Belly Full (Bob Marley)
Lost Sailor (Grateful Dead)
Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen)
Canyon Moon (Harry Styles)
Hard to Handle (Otis Redding)
Eleanor Rigby (The Beatles)
Lazy River Road (Grateful Dead)
I Wish (Stevie Wonder)
Redemption Song (Bob Marley)
Organ Fairchild 2024 New York Tour Dates:
July 13th – ADK Brew & Chew – Peru, NY
July 18th-21st – Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival – Trumansburg, NY
July 31st – Center for the Arts of Homer – Homer, NY
August 3rd – Cobblestoned Vibes – Buffalo, NY
September 5th – Party on the Patio – Saranac Lake, NY
November 6th – Foothills Performing Arts Center – Oneonta, NY
It was a hometown throwdown with an added twist for Spafford Saturday night. Playing the third show of their summer tour at The Colony in Woodstock on June 15, it notably featured Mike Gantzer of Aqueous filling in for Spafford guitarist Brian Moss as he continues dealing with the effects of a brutal crash the band was involved in earlier this spring. More than the sum of its parts, the show must go on and it did, yielding a most memorable and unique night of improvisational jams.
Mike Gantzer of Aqueous filled in for Spafford guitarist Brian Moss during the Woodstock performance on 6/15/24.
The quaint counterculture community of Woodstock was bustling with activity in the hours leading up to the show. Colorful, vibrant and welcoming, the main drag was covered in pride flags and business was booming at the numerous mom-and-pop gift shops, galleries, and gastropubs around town. The energy in the air felt like a throwback in time, reminding me of the neighborhood block parties when I was young and everything felt safe. Prior to showtime, early attendees at The Colony were treated to the delightful Americana sounds of The Jack Grace Band on the back patio stage. It was inside on the Ballroom stage, however, where the real magic was about to take place.
Spafford performing at The Colony in Woodstock, NY 6/15/24.
Fresh off their first gigs together in Rochester and the Northlands Music Festival, this incarnation of Spafford hit the ground running hard. With a schedule that includes 10 shows in 11 days, don’t let anyone tell you touring life is easy. Consisting of bassist Jordan Fairless, drummer Nick Tkachyk and keyboardist Cory Schechtman, the Spafford members humbly welcomed and thanked guitarist Mike Gantzer for joining them on this run of shows. Easing into things with an opening improvisational groove, it was around 17 minutes in when the band landed on the first actual Spafford song of the night, the explosive fan favorite “It’s a Bunch.”
Performing with man down, Spafford looked to Mike Ganzter to man up on 6/15/24.
Playing with a man down, it was here when Gantzer really stepped up and cut loose first the time, announcing his presence with swagger and authority, showcasing his undeniable ability as a player. Emoting with passion and simultaneously shredding his sparkling blue Gibson axe with the best of them, let’s be clear, no one can “replace” Brian Moss, but it was around this part of the show when you realized this was an unprecedented kind of Spafford experience. That we were witnessing something special and not only were things going to be just fine, they were going to be absolute fire.
Leaning heavily on bassist Jordan Fairless to handle the majority of vocal duties on this run, Saturday night at The Colony took on extra special significance for him. After celebrating his wedding anniversary two days prior, it was not only a homecoming for Jordan, but a full-on family reunion as well. With his beautiful wife and daughter in attendance, every time the local Woodstock resident stepped up to the mic you could see the sparkle in his eyes as he sang out to them. Touching and beautiful, the first time we’d hear it was on “Lonely,” a song written years ago and has emerged as one of the bands biggest jam vehicles.
It was a hometown throwdown for Spafford’s bassist Jordan Fairless who lives in Woodstock.
Clocking in just shy of the 20-minute mark, it was the clear standout of the first set and just seemed to hit a little harder given the circumstances of this particular night. Jordan’s soothing vocals carried over into the bluesy come down of “Shake You Loose” from 2022’s Simple Mysteries and would send the audience burning straight through intermission.
Met a man in New York and he had no time for me.
His New York minutes, they were ticking away.
But I’m not gonna give up, no I’ll just keep on standing here.
Waiting for that day…when we all say.
You don’t have to be lonely. Look no further, you can hold me.
And I will hold you till you’re not lonely.
We’ve got each other, and I’ll be on your side till the morning comes.
-Lyrics from “Lonely”
Prior to the start of the second set, the unofficial fifth member and band namesake, Chuck “Spafford” Johnson who would treat the audience to a reading of his poem “Would Etal.” A privilege to hear one of “Chuck’s Dreams” in person, his purpose with the band cannot be overstated. Aside from being a published poet, Johnson has also penned the lyrics for several of the bands most beloved songs, including “My Road, My Road,” “The Postman,” and “Slip and Squander.” He’s also the man primarily responsible for running the free Spafford live streams on YouTube and doing what some might call “God’s work.” Fans can’t thank him enough.
Chuck’s Dream: Lyricist Chuck “Spafford” Johnson read his poem “Would Etal” during set break on 6/15/2024.
Returning to the stage for round two, Spafford wasted no time putting the pedal to the metal by opening with “Diesel Driver,” a song that many fans have now come to associate with the aforementioned crash in March that still lingers over the band. It’s exploratory jam would segue nicely into the new and highly danceable Corey Schectman space-funk instrumental “Machine Elves” that had the entire room moving and grooving. Another sentimental moment came next as Fairless sang the blues based “Home (One Place I’ll Never Be). Dedicating the song to his wife two days prior, here he was able to sing it to her in person and just down the street from where they now live.
Spafford performing at The Colony in Woodstock, NY 6/15/24.
Playing up the novelty of Jordan’s homecoming, the undisputed jam of the night evolved next in the form of a near 30 minute version of “Leave the Light On,” a song first played by the band in 2012. This time, however, it seemed to take on a whole new level of maturity. Listening intently to each other and exchanging glances, the creativity flowed between the four musicians on stage. Largely anchored by the handiwork of drummer Nick Tkachyk, you would never know this lineup has only played a few shows together.
Mike Gantzer performing with Spafford at The Colony on 6/15/24.
Finding some limits and pushing through them, the playing was relentless and the improv was intense. With Gantzer pouring every ounce his of passion and spirit into the performance, you know somewhere out there Brian Moss is smiling knowing he made the right call. Feeling more comfortable with each passing show, you can see the healthy respect these guys have for each other and the budding friendship that’s blooming.
It’s so cold at night, and I pretend that it’s all right.
But I keep your candle burning in the window.
Leave the light on for me lady.
So in the darkness I can find my way home.
Leave the light on for me lady.
Let me know that I’m not alone
-Lyrics from “Leave the Light On”
Holding court near the merch stand with a small group of people listening intently, Gantzer opened up about the challenges of learning such intricate material in such a short time. While comparisons to Moss are inevitable and both players are among the scene’s elite, it’s not quite as turn-key when it comes to the type of improvisation Spafford is known for. Making it clear that he was honored to get the call and that he’s feeling a bit of pressure to deliver the goods, he humbly noted he “can’t play the songs like Brian does, that he can only play like himself.” Feeding off the crowd’s energy and hoping to send it all the way back to his friend, it’s fair to say Uncle Mike met all expectations and exceeded them in Woodstock.
Mike Gantzer performing with Spafford at The Colony on 6/15/24.
Returning to the stage for a brief encore, Jordan would address the crowd once again, thanking them for coming out to the show and thanking Gantzer for his incredible job filling in. After planting the homecoming seeds all night long, Spafford would finally spit them out with the lone cover and final song of the evening, a tasty take on Herbe Hancock’s “Watermelon Man.”
Mike Gantzer will remain with the Spafford through the remainder of the month before the band reevaluates. Following a scheduled run through Colorado and an appearance at the 4848 Festival in July, East Coast fans won’t need to wait long to see Spafford again. They’ve just announced a number of new tour dates in August that includes a stop at Lincoln Hill Farms in Canandaigua, linking up with red-hot New York jammers Annie in the Water. As for the future of guitarist Brian Moss, no one seems quite sure when he’ll return to the fold. Requesting privacy at this time, we here at NYS Music wish him all the best and hope the healing power of music starts working its magic soon.
Spafford | June 15, 2024 | The Colony | Woodstock, NY
Set1: Jam > It’s a Bunch > Lonely, Shake You Loose.
Set 2: Diesel Driver > Machine Elves, Home (One Place I’ll Never Be) < Leave the Light On.
In June 2004, the “end” was nigh for Phish as a band. The thought-to-be career-ending Coventry festival was slated for mid-August and all indications at this time was that there was no turning back and to savor every last performance. Before Phish would hang it up though, they graced SPAC with a two-day run over Father’s Day Weekend that featured moments of sheer brilliance, musical flubs that were all too common to this era and a surprise dad of their own that evoked memories of a happier time in the band’s history.
This particular SPAC run, only the fourth and fifth times that the band has ever played here, starts off with a bit of a surprise in the form of a “Reba” opener. Phish breezes through the composed sections of this intricate arrangement with ease before a relatively brief but euphoric improvised jam that follows. Alas, there would be no whistle-led ending to this one. Instead the band immediately pivots to a much more traditional show opener in “Runaway Jim.” Trey Anastasio leads the way on this one with some driving guitar fills which continually increase the tempo and depth of the ensuing jam until it comes to a head.
Tonight’s show maintains a relatively old school feel to it early on with the “NICU” that comes next with the “looked back on those days when my life was a haze” and the “Play it, Leo” lines both getting a hearty round of applause from the SPAC faithful. Phish then finally dives into their newer material with “Scents and Subtle Sounds” from their Undermind album which was just officially released last week. There would be no slow introduction for this one though as heard on the album. Instead Phish immediately jumps into the lyrical portion of the song, the first time they would ever do this. “Scents” yields another brief but truly uplifting outro jam with keyboardist Page McConnell pounding away on the piano while he and bassist Mike Gordon bookend it with harmonized lyrics.
Phish 2004 SPAC poster by Louis Arzonico
There’s a noticeable break between songs afterwards, perhaps with Phish trying decide how to end this first set at SPAC. It begins with a very slow, almost plodding “Wolfman’s Brother” that the band really takes their time with and certainly doesn’t suffer from a lack of funk. The “Walls of the Cave” that follows provides some of the best moments of the first set. After its typical thunderous outro jam, Phish takes it around the block and then some, going into a full Type II ambient/melodic jam that includes guitar riffs from Anastasio that would reappear in tomorrow night’s second set. As the jam slowly peters out, drummer Jon Fishman starts up the signature high-hat intro to “David Bowie” which closes out the first set in grand fashion.
Phish jumps right back into the deep end to begin the second set with the second ever performance of “A Song I Heard The Ocean Sing,” another new selection from Undermind which debuted days earlier in Brooklyn. It showcases the band’s true colors with a rollicking early jam that stays true to the song’s original structure before veering off into another exploratory Type II vehicle that elicits authentic aquatic vibes in its early stages before a slow and gradual reshape back to form.
poster by Jason Lees
This sets for the stage for “Piper,” a legendary version that phish.net properly describes as “a multi-section improvisational super heavyweight.” There’s no slow build in this 30-minute plus rendition that some argue is the best one of all time. Phish gets right down to business immediately, ripping through the brief lyrical section before leaping into a ferocious jam that starts off at an incredible pace and doesn’t let up for a while. At one point, the jam starts to ascend in a true “Tweezer Reprise”-like fashion without the song ever actually being played, with Anastasio going full rock god mode and vamping maniacally. It’s all adds up to a “Piper” that rivals the one played at Camp Oswego in 1999 and one that certainly belongs in any “Best Of” discussion.
The groove that develops on the back end of “Piper” eventually rounds cleanly into the beginning of “Gotta Jibboo.” Anastasio has the digital delay loop ready to go and this yields another joyous albeit brief jam that never rounds back into the end of “Jibboo.” Phish instead pivots to “Limb By Limb” with a standout version that features a series of patiently crafted, blissful peaks. “Cavern” then brings the second set to a close, marred a little bit by Anastasio completely spacing on some of the lyrics. Phish ends the first show at SPAC this weekend with a tame and relatively nondescript “Wading In the Velvet Sea.” Unfortunately, the same couldn’t be said about their “last” one of these at Coventry later this summer.
June 19 review by Tim O’Shea
Phish – Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) – Saratoga Springs, NY – Saturday, June 19, 2004
Set 1: Reba, Runaway Jim>NICU>Scents and Subtle Sounds, Wolfman’s Brother, Walls of the Cave->David Bowie
Set 2: A Song I Heard The Ocean Sing>Piper->Gotta Jibboo>Limb by Limb, Cavern
E: Wading in the Velvet Sea
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UIBFR2eVVs
In 2009, fans returned to SPAC for what would be a five-years and two month gap between Phish shows in Saratoga Springs, but no one at the time knew this, let alone the band. Having only played SPAC five times between 1994 and 2004, the band found new affinity for the (originally) summer home of the New York City Ballet and Philadelphia Orchestra. With Anastasio spending time from 2007-08 living in Saratoga Springs while serving probation, return trips to SPAC have been frequent, almost annual events, marking 19 shows since 2009 alone.
But this 2.0 era show stands out (as does the night before) with jam highlights throughout, erasing even if briefly the specter of the band’s ‘final’ shows coming up less than two months later. Never has the phrase “never miss a Sunday show” been more ominous, as for some, this would be the last time they would see the band perform live for many years.
Phish SPAC 2004 poster by Ryan Kerrigan
Opening up the first set with an energetic “Rift” that lit the audience up, segueing into “Julius” during which Trey broke a guitar string. Following the repair, the band was joined by Dr. Jack McConnell, the father of Page “Chairman of the Boards” McConnell, who performed “Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please Come Home” for the first time since 1999, even donning his tap shoes to soft shoe on this Father’s Day. This sit-in followed Jay-Z joining Phish just two days later in Coney Island on “99 Problems” and “Big Pimpin’.’
Shirt design by Tripp
The “Waves” that followed had a heavier flow to it, pushing past the composed section and keeping the song upbeat and lively until the end. A funky ‘Gumbo” gave way to a trio of shorter songs – “Water in the Sky,” “Horn” and “Poor Heart,” which offered a break in the action, before delivering a 22+ minute version of The Who’s “Drowned.” You could lump “Drowned” in with the second set jamming that followed, and rightly so – this version of “Drowned” is often overlooked because of the lore that has followed the second set of 6/20/2004, but should not be. Anastasio is in the zone throughout, shredding and leading the way, even working in a tease of Deep Purple’s “Lazy.”
Set two began with RoundRoom track “Seven Below” that showed early promise on December 31, 2002, and delivered in each appearance until that point. Starting out dark and working the tempo up, “-7” found its way into a rocking version of “Ghost.” This pairing would be found that November in Albany as another substantial “Seven Below” > “Ghost.’
An all-time great jam followed, with the rocking funk of “Twist” getting the balcony bouncing. At 21 minutes long, this deserves a few listens. By 7:00, the first Type II jam has lifted off, and as you listen, every two minutes, there is a fresh section of improv dissimilar from the previous two minutes. The jam from 7:00-17:00 just keeps evolving and developing, with Anastasio once again leading the way, while Fishman and Gordon lay down the rhythm to keep the pace. Locked in, after 17:00, “Twist” shreds until Anastasio pulls out the ‘hose’ and winds the song towards conclusion.
shirt design by Dylan Levene
“You Enjoy Myself” would follow and close the set, offering thunderous approval from fans and giving SPAC the ever rare, and coveted, four song set. An encore of “Good Times Bad Times” was bittersweet and is served as a mantra for that summer’s fateful tour, one that would put the band on hold for four and a half years, but bring them back stronger than ever in 2009.
Phish – Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC), Saratoga Springs, NY – Sunday, June 20, 2004
Set 1: Rift > Julius, Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please Come Home?[1], Waves, Gumbo, Water in the Sky, Horn, Poor Heart > Drowned Set 2: Seven Below > Ghost -> Twist, You Enjoy Myself Encore: Good Times Bad Times [1] Dr. Jack McConnell on vocals and tap shoes
