- Published on
Hi again. We’re back with a huge week of live music events, and it’s late, so I’m just gonna get right to it. The big show, for me, as I mentioned last week, is DAVE ALVIN and LOS STRAITJACKETS at Club Helsinki in Hudson. This show is a perfect storm of music – great venue and 2 of the hottest bands out there. It’s Sunday night, June 19. This is the capo di tutti capi of rock n roll shows, the show of all shows! Pick of the Week! Just go!
Now to the rest of the pack. Last week the paper came out on Tuesday, so I’m starting with Wednesday night, June 15, which is the first night of JOSEPH ARTHUR’s week long stand at The Living Room in Manhattan. Now I don’t know much about Joseph Arthur, except that he’s in a band with Dani Harrison (George’s son) and Ben Harper. That’s pretty good company! He finishes up here on June 21.
Friday night, June 17, we’ve got one of the great reggae vocal groups coming into the Bearsville Theater, THE MIGHTY DIAMONDS. These guys are one of the originals of reggae and should definitely be worth the price of admission. Also on Friday, June 17, if you’re more in the mood for something rockin’, check out LARA HOPE and THE CHAMPTONES, one of the best rockabilly bands out there, appearing at Market Market in Rosendale.
Saturday, June 18, is the first day of the CLEARWATER FESTIVAL. Always a great, fun, and educational event, the incredible musical line up this year includes over 60 acts each day, plus crafts booths, good food, information, and the entire event is powered by sustainable energy. That’s right folks, 100% of the power needed to run this massive event is produced by wind, solar, or geo-thermal energy sources. So when they try to tell you that sustainable energy can’t work, they’re lyin’ to you! The festival continues on Sunday, June 19. This is an all day, daytime event.
If you make it down to the festival on Saturday, you might want to think about checking out LOS LONELY BOYS at the Tarrytown Music Hall that night. These guys are great, and you’ll be nearby anyway, if you go to the Clearwater Festival. If you’re downstate, they’re at the Beacon Theater in Manhattan on Wednesday, June 22.
What do Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Keith Richards, Dave Edmunds, and Elvis Costello have in common? They’re all fans of NRBQ, 2 of which former members will be returning to the Bearsville Theater on Saturday night, June 18. THE SPAMPINATO BROTHERS return triumphantly to Woodstock, and you should be there!
Monday, June 20, KD LANG brings her powerful voice to the Beacon Theater in Manhattan. Tuesday and Wednesday, June 21 and 22, EDDIE VEDDER from PEARL JAM pulls in to the Beacon, and closing out the week on Thursday, June 23, is former Woodstock resident and local fave, TODD RUNDGREN at The Bearsville Theater.
That’s some week, huh? Have a great week and don’t forget to put the Reservoir Music 5th Anniversary Party on your calendars for July 15 with Pitchfork Militia, The Cheating Hearts, Green House Funk Band, The Whateverly Brothers, and TJ and The Manchilds.
Now to the rest of the pack. Last week the paper came out on Tuesday, so I’m starting with Wednesday night, June 15, which is the first night of JOSEPH ARTHUR’s week long stand at The Living Room in Manhattan. Now I don’t know much about Joseph Arthur, except that he’s in a band with Dani Harrison (George’s son) and Ben Harper. That’s pretty good company! He finishes up here on June 21.
Friday night, June 17, we’ve got one of the great reggae vocal groups coming into the Bearsville Theater, THE MIGHTY DIAMONDS. These guys are one of the originals of reggae and should definitely be worth the price of admission. Also on Friday, June 17, if you’re more in the mood for something rockin’, check out LARA HOPE and THE CHAMPTONES, one of the best rockabilly bands out there, appearing at Market Market in Rosendale.
Saturday, June 18, is the first day of the CLEARWATER FESTIVAL. Always a great, fun, and educational event, the incredible musical line up this year includes over 60 acts each day, plus crafts booths, good food, information, and the entire event is powered by sustainable energy. That’s right folks, 100% of the power needed to run this massive event is produced by wind, solar, or geo-thermal energy sources. So when they try to tell you that sustainable energy can’t work, they’re lyin’ to you! The festival continues on Sunday, June 19. This is an all day, daytime event.
If you make it down to the festival on Saturday, you might want to think about checking out LOS LONELY BOYS at the Tarrytown Music Hall that night. These guys are great, and you’ll be nearby anyway, if you go to the Clearwater Festival. If you’re downstate, they’re at the Beacon Theater in Manhattan on Wednesday, June 22.
What do Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Keith Richards, Dave Edmunds, and Elvis Costello have in common? They’re all fans of NRBQ, 2 of which former members will be returning to the Bearsville Theater on Saturday night, June 18. THE SPAMPINATO BROTHERS return triumphantly to Woodstock, and you should be there!
Monday, June 20, KD LANG brings her powerful voice to the Beacon Theater in Manhattan. Tuesday and Wednesday, June 21 and 22, EDDIE VEDDER from PEARL JAM pulls in to the Beacon, and closing out the week on Thursday, June 23, is former Woodstock resident and local fave, TODD RUNDGREN at The Bearsville Theater.
That’s some week, huh? Have a great week and don’t forget to put the Reservoir Music 5th Anniversary Party on your calendars for July 15 with Pitchfork Militia, The Cheating Hearts, Green House Funk Band, The Whateverly Brothers, and TJ and The Manchilds.
- Published on
Howdy folks, and welcome to this week’s Reservoir Music Notes. Well, last week was Memorial Day, so I took a holiday, but now I’m back with a vengeance.
The big announcement I promised you 2 weeks ago about the Reservoir Music 5th Anniversary Party can now be made! The date and location, as I already told you, is July 15 at The Bearsville Theater. Doors will open at 7PM, and the music will start at 8. The headliner will be Pitchfork Militia, whom, as regular readers of this column already know, is, IMHO (that’s In My Humble Opinion, for you non-tech savvy readers), the best band in the Hudson Valley (apologies to The Reddan Brothers Band, The Organiks, Kristin Capolino, et al.). So I’m extremely happy to have them on board.
There will be a total of 5 acts playing that night. Opening up will be TJ, with or without his band, The Manchilds. That will be a game day decision. But either way you’re in for a treat because both acts have been ensconced at the #1 position on the Reverb Nation charts for the Hudson Valley for over a year now. (By the way, if you haven’t visited Reverb Nation on the web, you should. It’s a great site for musicians to get their music out on, and also a great place for music fans to find new music that you probably won’t find anywhere else.) TJ is a songwriter in the vein of John Hyatt, Bob Dylan, and Leonard Cohen, but he’s also a great guitar player, who will rock the house, especially if The Manchilds show up with him.
Following TJ’s set will be a short set by a new acoustic/electric duo called The Whateverly Brothers. These guys are masters of picking material and also write great original songs, and I’m sure they’ll have a handful of each at The Bearsville Theater. Like great rock n roll artists have always done, these guys are sure to teach you a song or two that you’ll love, that you’d never heard before.
After The Whateverly Brothers, we’ll have an Americana set from The Cheating Hearts featuring Just James, Jimmy Eppard, Chuck Cornelis and yours truly. Again, as my regular readers know, Jimmy Eppard is my favorite local guitarist, and we’re very lucky to have him with us for this show. I guarantee you’ll hear some guitar solos that will have you smiling and shaking your head in amazement.
Next up will be The Green House Funk Band, who are well known to many Hudson Valley inhabitants. Based around the guitar and bass playing of Gary and Allan Phifer, these guys do a mix of old and new school R n B and Rock, so, watch out!
And Then, Pitchfork Militia will close out the show.
Special guests have been invited, and some of them even said they’d show up!
It’s gonna be a late night, so if you’re sitting home at 10 o’clock, and you suddenly remember it’s July 15, not to worry. You’ll still have time to catch a couple of the bands. Throw some clothes on and come on over!
Back to this week’s reality, I only noticed a couple of good shows this week, but who cares! We need a rest after the last 2 weeks, and next week has the best show of the summer, so far, which I’ll tell you about in a minute.
Coming up this week though, on June 9, at The Tarrytown Music Hall, we have the great Eric Burden, voice of the Brit-rock Invasion band, The Animals, and later on, War. This guy’s one of the greatest singers ever. Like most his age, he may have lost a step or two, but he can still knock the wind out of most singers.
On June 10, we have local faves, The Paper Planets appearing at Market, Market in Rosendale. Five years from now, you’ll be bragging that you saw them in a place that held a hundred people.
And get yerselves ready, because next week is the hottest show yet this summer. It’s Dave Alvin and Los Straitjackets at Club Helsinki in Hudson, on June 19. Both of these acts are amongst my favorites anywhere, anytime! Dave is the brains behind The Blasters, one of the top 5 rockabilly rock n roll bands of the last 30 or 40 years. I’m not kidding. Check them out. He’s still rockin as hard as ever, and to quote my good friend, Tommy Hill, said at a Blasters concert, “It doesn’t get any better than this”.
But it can get pretty damn close, and the opening act that night does. They’re Los Straitjackets, and they are all amazing musicians who also have an ear for comedy, songwriting, and song selection. Their style of music varies, but it’s mostly psycho-surf and rock n roll. Do Not Miss These Guys! Do Not Arrive Late For This Show! I’ll remind you again next week, but put it on your calendars NOW!
Alright, gotta run. I’m late for a gig!
The big announcement I promised you 2 weeks ago about the Reservoir Music 5th Anniversary Party can now be made! The date and location, as I already told you, is July 15 at The Bearsville Theater. Doors will open at 7PM, and the music will start at 8. The headliner will be Pitchfork Militia, whom, as regular readers of this column already know, is, IMHO (that’s In My Humble Opinion, for you non-tech savvy readers), the best band in the Hudson Valley (apologies to The Reddan Brothers Band, The Organiks, Kristin Capolino, et al.). So I’m extremely happy to have them on board.
There will be a total of 5 acts playing that night. Opening up will be TJ, with or without his band, The Manchilds. That will be a game day decision. But either way you’re in for a treat because both acts have been ensconced at the #1 position on the Reverb Nation charts for the Hudson Valley for over a year now. (By the way, if you haven’t visited Reverb Nation on the web, you should. It’s a great site for musicians to get their music out on, and also a great place for music fans to find new music that you probably won’t find anywhere else.) TJ is a songwriter in the vein of John Hyatt, Bob Dylan, and Leonard Cohen, but he’s also a great guitar player, who will rock the house, especially if The Manchilds show up with him.
Following TJ’s set will be a short set by a new acoustic/electric duo called The Whateverly Brothers. These guys are masters of picking material and also write great original songs, and I’m sure they’ll have a handful of each at The Bearsville Theater. Like great rock n roll artists have always done, these guys are sure to teach you a song or two that you’ll love, that you’d never heard before.
After The Whateverly Brothers, we’ll have an Americana set from The Cheating Hearts featuring Just James, Jimmy Eppard, Chuck Cornelis and yours truly. Again, as my regular readers know, Jimmy Eppard is my favorite local guitarist, and we’re very lucky to have him with us for this show. I guarantee you’ll hear some guitar solos that will have you smiling and shaking your head in amazement.
Next up will be The Green House Funk Band, who are well known to many Hudson Valley inhabitants. Based around the guitar and bass playing of Gary and Allan Phifer, these guys do a mix of old and new school R n B and Rock, so, watch out!
And Then, Pitchfork Militia will close out the show.
Special guests have been invited, and some of them even said they’d show up!
It’s gonna be a late night, so if you’re sitting home at 10 o’clock, and you suddenly remember it’s July 15, not to worry. You’ll still have time to catch a couple of the bands. Throw some clothes on and come on over!
Back to this week’s reality, I only noticed a couple of good shows this week, but who cares! We need a rest after the last 2 weeks, and next week has the best show of the summer, so far, which I’ll tell you about in a minute.
Coming up this week though, on June 9, at The Tarrytown Music Hall, we have the great Eric Burden, voice of the Brit-rock Invasion band, The Animals, and later on, War. This guy’s one of the greatest singers ever. Like most his age, he may have lost a step or two, but he can still knock the wind out of most singers.
On June 10, we have local faves, The Paper Planets appearing at Market, Market in Rosendale. Five years from now, you’ll be bragging that you saw them in a place that held a hundred people.
And get yerselves ready, because next week is the hottest show yet this summer. It’s Dave Alvin and Los Straitjackets at Club Helsinki in Hudson, on June 19. Both of these acts are amongst my favorites anywhere, anytime! Dave is the brains behind The Blasters, one of the top 5 rockabilly rock n roll bands of the last 30 or 40 years. I’m not kidding. Check them out. He’s still rockin as hard as ever, and to quote my good friend, Tommy Hill, said at a Blasters concert, “It doesn’t get any better than this”.
But it can get pretty damn close, and the opening act that night does. They’re Los Straitjackets, and they are all amazing musicians who also have an ear for comedy, songwriting, and song selection. Their style of music varies, but it’s mostly psycho-surf and rock n roll. Do Not Miss These Guys! Do Not Arrive Late For This Show! I’ll remind you again next week, but put it on your calendars NOW!
Alright, gotta run. I’m late for a gig!
- Published on
To paraphrase the old Dunkin’ Doughnuts commercial, “Time to write the column”. I’m not sure if anybody is reading this (or writing it, for that matter), but I do put a lot of care, time, and research into creating this column, and I haven’t heard anything from anyone in the way of feedback since the first week, when I did hear from about 3 people. But since then? Nothing! So, I repeat, does anybody read this column and find it useful? If yes, why don’t you let me know? I can be reached at The Townsman, at my store, which is Reservoir Music Center on Route 28 in Shokan at Winchell’s Corner, or online at Facebook, where I and the store both have a page. You can also email me at reservoirmusic@gmail.com.
Unfortunately, I missed a once in a lifetime opportunity to have an “End of the World” sale last week, but I am in the mood to deal anyway, so if anybody needs any instruments or gear of any sort, come see me and I will still honor the “End of the World” prices!
As long as we’re on the subject of shameless self-promotion, please go to www.reverbnation.com/ brooklyncowboys and check out my band’s page. While you’re there, stop by my friend TJ Colatrella’s page and our band page, The Manchilds. TJ is a great songwriter and The Brooklyn Cowboys, TJ, and The Manchilds have owned the #1 spot on the Reverb Nation charts in The Hudson Valley for the past year in our respective categories, country, folk, and blues. If you like what you hear, please become a fan.
Wow, what a great week of music we had last week, and this week’s pretty great too! Starting tonight, Thursday, May 26, there’s no better way to start the weekend than by going to see a band who were just voted the #1 band in the Hudson Valley, THE REDDAN BROTHERS BAND (www.reddanbrothers.com or on MySpace at www.myspace.com/johnreddan) at The Falcon in Marlborough, where there’s usually no cover charge. There is no other band more worthy of this distinction. These guys are great! They’ve played about ten shows for me over the past few years, and, in fact, I was the first person to book the Brothers in Ulster County. I’ve seen them grow as a band and I strongly recommend this show. John and Chris Reddan are both masters of their instruments and it’s rare that you see this level of musicianship at such a young age. Neither one is out of the 20’s, but they’ve got about two decades of roadworthy experience between them, John with The Bill Perry Band and Chris with Popa Chubby. You can’t go wrong here folks!
On Friday, May 27, we’ve got some kind of day! No matter where you are, there’s some great music. Upstate, downstate, eastside, westside, all around the town. Starting with hometown favorite LEVON HELM, who will be celebrating his birthday with his adoring fans at UPAC in Kingston, along with special guests, Donald Fagen, Natalie Merchant, and Marc Cohen. The show is sold out, but if you can snag a ticket somehow, it will be worth it! If you’re left out in the cold for that one, there are numerous ways to console yourself. ROSEANNE CASH brings her bad self to the Paramount in Peekskill for a night of Americana and rockin’ country. If country ain’t your bag, PHISH starts a 3 night run at Bethel Center for the Arts and if you’re in the city, tonight is WAVY GRAVY’S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION at The Beacon Theater in Manhattan. The line up at The Beacon is pretty awesome, and a testimonial to the good will Wavy has created in the musical community over the last 45 years. The man who was the MC at the 1969 Woodstock Music and Art Fair has gotten Crosby and Nash, Jackson Browne, Ani DiFranco, Steve Earle, Allison Moorer, Dr. John, Bruce Hornsby, Jorma Kaukonen, Steve Kimock, and Buffy Saint-Marie to come to his birthday party, which is a benefit for Seva Foundation, a very worthy cause. Look it up!
Saturday, May 28, PURPLE K’NIF returns to Market Market in Rosendale. These guys rock and are the best surf band in the Hudson Valley, as they proved so aptly when they opened for Roy Loney here last winter.
Sunday, May 29, THE BEARSVILLE SESSIONS continue with the third in the series. This week, the focus is on The Rolling Stones. The house band is kickass, and this promises to be a great night, especially if you’re a Stones fan.
In closing, I’d like to welcome my friend, Charlie Blumstein to The Townsman and announce the date of The Reservoir Music Fifth Anniversary Party at The Bearsville Theater. Charlie will definitely give you a POV outside the mainstream, and as such, should be presenting some interesting issues in his column, which I recommend you read. As for the celebration, the date is July 15, 2011. I’ve already booked some impressive talent, but am still working on adding more, so I hope to be able to tell you who exactly will be playing by next week. Stay tuned and keep those cards and letters coming!
Unfortunately, I missed a once in a lifetime opportunity to have an “End of the World” sale last week, but I am in the mood to deal anyway, so if anybody needs any instruments or gear of any sort, come see me and I will still honor the “End of the World” prices!
As long as we’re on the subject of shameless self-promotion, please go to www.reverbnation.com/ brooklyncowboys and check out my band’s page. While you’re there, stop by my friend TJ Colatrella’s page and our band page, The Manchilds. TJ is a great songwriter and The Brooklyn Cowboys, TJ, and The Manchilds have owned the #1 spot on the Reverb Nation charts in The Hudson Valley for the past year in our respective categories, country, folk, and blues. If you like what you hear, please become a fan.
Wow, what a great week of music we had last week, and this week’s pretty great too! Starting tonight, Thursday, May 26, there’s no better way to start the weekend than by going to see a band who were just voted the #1 band in the Hudson Valley, THE REDDAN BROTHERS BAND (www.reddanbrothers.com or on MySpace at www.myspace.com/johnreddan) at The Falcon in Marlborough, where there’s usually no cover charge. There is no other band more worthy of this distinction. These guys are great! They’ve played about ten shows for me over the past few years, and, in fact, I was the first person to book the Brothers in Ulster County. I’ve seen them grow as a band and I strongly recommend this show. John and Chris Reddan are both masters of their instruments and it’s rare that you see this level of musicianship at such a young age. Neither one is out of the 20’s, but they’ve got about two decades of roadworthy experience between them, John with The Bill Perry Band and Chris with Popa Chubby. You can’t go wrong here folks!
On Friday, May 27, we’ve got some kind of day! No matter where you are, there’s some great music. Upstate, downstate, eastside, westside, all around the town. Starting with hometown favorite LEVON HELM, who will be celebrating his birthday with his adoring fans at UPAC in Kingston, along with special guests, Donald Fagen, Natalie Merchant, and Marc Cohen. The show is sold out, but if you can snag a ticket somehow, it will be worth it! If you’re left out in the cold for that one, there are numerous ways to console yourself. ROSEANNE CASH brings her bad self to the Paramount in Peekskill for a night of Americana and rockin’ country. If country ain’t your bag, PHISH starts a 3 night run at Bethel Center for the Arts and if you’re in the city, tonight is WAVY GRAVY’S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION at The Beacon Theater in Manhattan. The line up at The Beacon is pretty awesome, and a testimonial to the good will Wavy has created in the musical community over the last 45 years. The man who was the MC at the 1969 Woodstock Music and Art Fair has gotten Crosby and Nash, Jackson Browne, Ani DiFranco, Steve Earle, Allison Moorer, Dr. John, Bruce Hornsby, Jorma Kaukonen, Steve Kimock, and Buffy Saint-Marie to come to his birthday party, which is a benefit for Seva Foundation, a very worthy cause. Look it up!
Saturday, May 28, PURPLE K’NIF returns to Market Market in Rosendale. These guys rock and are the best surf band in the Hudson Valley, as they proved so aptly when they opened for Roy Loney here last winter.
Sunday, May 29, THE BEARSVILLE SESSIONS continue with the third in the series. This week, the focus is on The Rolling Stones. The house band is kickass, and this promises to be a great night, especially if you’re a Stones fan.
In closing, I’d like to welcome my friend, Charlie Blumstein to The Townsman and announce the date of The Reservoir Music Fifth Anniversary Party at The Bearsville Theater. Charlie will definitely give you a POV outside the mainstream, and as such, should be presenting some interesting issues in his column, which I recommend you read. As for the celebration, the date is July 15, 2011. I’ve already booked some impressive talent, but am still working on adding more, so I hope to be able to tell you who exactly will be playing by next week. Stay tuned and keep those cards and letters coming!
- Published on
All right people. Strap yourselves in and hold on to your hats, because the summer concert season has begun! This week, there is more live music within 50 miles of your home than you can shake a stick at! The weather is beautiful so now’s the time to support the arts! I know gas is $4 and you have no money anyway, but if you can budget a night out with your honey to rock out, trust me, it will be worth it!
It was for me last night, as I had a thoroughly enjoyable evening at Levon’s Ramble, followed by a nightcap at Harmony in Woodstock, where I got to see some friends and wind down from the work week. Unfortunately, I forgot that my week ends on Sunday and I still had one day to go before my weekend actually began! I really did not feel like going to work this morning, but, trooper that I am, I arrived only 10 minutes late.
Anyway, it was worth it, because I got to hear some of the best music I’ve heard in Woodstock in a dog’s age! It was two- thirds of EGO (Joey Eppard, Alana Orr, and Chris Gartman). (Hope I got the spelling right, Chris. Apologies if not). It was Joey and Chris, as Alana just had an adorable baby and is kind of busy right now. I think I only caught the last song, so I can’t say anything about the whole set, but that last song was freakin’ fantastic! Not to take anything away from Joey, but Chris stole that song. The drum groove he laid down was captivatingly rockin! I’ve heard a few songs from this group before, but nothing ever caught my ear like this song. So, that’s it!They’ve got it! Now they’ve gotta reproduce it.
Levon’s was a treat, as always. Kinky Friedman opened the show, and he was hilarious and musical, as always. Levon’s band ran through a selection of chestnuts from The Band catalog and rock n roll history, and a splendid time was had by all. (By the way, I define the term, “rock n roll” to mean any country, rockabilly, blues, rhythm and blues, rock and roll, or other kind of music that rocks!). Y’all should do it once (or more). Like a night out with your honey, it’s worth it!
The date for the Reservoir Music Fifth Anniversary Party at The Bearsville Theater has been finalized. I’ll announce it here next week. I don’t want to keep you in suspense, I just want to line up some of the talent first. But I will tell you this. It will be in mid-July.
Enough rambling. There’s so much going on this week that I better get to it.
Thursday, May 19
Well, the top event tonight is the Joey Ramone Birthday Party at Irving Plaza in Manhattan. I told you about it last week. It’s been going on forever and is always great. It’s always good to remember the man who, along with the rest od The Ramones, is what, according to Little Steven, the entire Underground Garage radio show is based on. By way of explanation, Little Steven says that everything he plays either influenced The Ramones, is influenced by The Ramones, or is by The Ramones, and I think that sums it up pretty well. BTW, Little Steven’s Underground Garage is broadcast on WDST Radio Woodstock,100.1FM, every Sunday night from 8-10pm, and on Sirius/XM satellite radio 24 hours a day, and is the best radio show on the planet. Or as Steve might say, the coolest radio show in the world. Check it out!
If you drive all the way to the city, only to find that Joey’s party is sold out, you can console yourself at the Robert Randolph and the Family Band show at The Brooklyn Bowl, a former, bowling alley in Brooklyn that’s been converted to rock club. Randolph plays pedal steel guitar like Jimi, if Jimi had played pedal steel guitar instead of the Stratocaster. He comes out of the ‘sacred steel’ tradition, which came from African-American churches that couldn’t afford an organ, so they bought what they could afford, and used it in the service of The Lord. In this case, they could afford a pedal steel guitar. If you can’t get in to Joey’s party, you’ll still be a happy camper if you wind up here. Randolph will also be here on Friday.
Friday, May 20
In addition to the previously mentioned 2nd night of Robert Randolph at The Brooklyn Bowl, tonight also offers another chance to catch the Levon spinoff group, Blue Chicken, at The Towne Crier in Pauling. I’ve written about Blue Chicken before. It’s a side project for Levon Helm band members Jimmy Weider, Brian Mitchell, and Byron Isaacs with Randy Ciarlante, former Band drummer, and sometimes, Sid Maginnes, guitar player from The Letterman Band. Sounds good to me.
Saturday, May 21
ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd at The Times-Union Center in Albany. Does anything need to be said about this program of first class Southern Rock? I’ll tell you this. You will never go wrong with ZZ Top, whom I liken to The Rolling Stones, if The Stones were from Texas.
Another great night of music will be Bill Kirchen at Club Helsinki. The former Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen lead guitarist has kept his career vibrant and lively, and boy, can he play that Telecaster!
It’s also Bob Dylan Birthday Night at The Woodstock Byrdcliffe Guild with an all-star cast of local musician’s and Popa Chubby is at The Towne Crier in Pauling.
Sunday, May 22
Sunday night is a good night to spend with Eric Anderson at The Towne Crier. The veteran folkie was one of the best of that genre and he also wrote “Violets of Dawn” for The Blues Project, one of their best records.
Tonight is also the first night of Elvis Costello’s 3 night run at The Beacon Theater in Manhattan. Always interesting, at worst. He’s there through Tuesday.
Wednesday, May 25
Former Doors keyboardist, Ray Manzarek at The Ridgefield Playhouse in Connecticut sounds interesting to me for some reason. Manzarek was one of the two stars of the band, in some ways even eclipsing Jim Morrison. He’s kept his integrity since Jim died, and I’ll bet he’s got something to say still. I’d really like to see this show.
There were no picks of the week this week because everything is great this week. I’d have to pick them all. You really can’t go wrong this week, and it doesn’t slow down next week. Get ready, because we’ve got Levon at UPAC, Roseanne Cash, Wavy Gravy’s birthday party, and Phish, all coming up next week. Start working out because we’ve got a lot of rockin’ to do!
See you next week.
It was for me last night, as I had a thoroughly enjoyable evening at Levon’s Ramble, followed by a nightcap at Harmony in Woodstock, where I got to see some friends and wind down from the work week. Unfortunately, I forgot that my week ends on Sunday and I still had one day to go before my weekend actually began! I really did not feel like going to work this morning, but, trooper that I am, I arrived only 10 minutes late.
Anyway, it was worth it, because I got to hear some of the best music I’ve heard in Woodstock in a dog’s age! It was two- thirds of EGO (Joey Eppard, Alana Orr, and Chris Gartman). (Hope I got the spelling right, Chris. Apologies if not). It was Joey and Chris, as Alana just had an adorable baby and is kind of busy right now. I think I only caught the last song, so I can’t say anything about the whole set, but that last song was freakin’ fantastic! Not to take anything away from Joey, but Chris stole that song. The drum groove he laid down was captivatingly rockin! I’ve heard a few songs from this group before, but nothing ever caught my ear like this song. So, that’s it!They’ve got it! Now they’ve gotta reproduce it.
Levon’s was a treat, as always. Kinky Friedman opened the show, and he was hilarious and musical, as always. Levon’s band ran through a selection of chestnuts from The Band catalog and rock n roll history, and a splendid time was had by all. (By the way, I define the term, “rock n roll” to mean any country, rockabilly, blues, rhythm and blues, rock and roll, or other kind of music that rocks!). Y’all should do it once (or more). Like a night out with your honey, it’s worth it!
The date for the Reservoir Music Fifth Anniversary Party at The Bearsville Theater has been finalized. I’ll announce it here next week. I don’t want to keep you in suspense, I just want to line up some of the talent first. But I will tell you this. It will be in mid-July.
Enough rambling. There’s so much going on this week that I better get to it.
Thursday, May 19
Well, the top event tonight is the Joey Ramone Birthday Party at Irving Plaza in Manhattan. I told you about it last week. It’s been going on forever and is always great. It’s always good to remember the man who, along with the rest od The Ramones, is what, according to Little Steven, the entire Underground Garage radio show is based on. By way of explanation, Little Steven says that everything he plays either influenced The Ramones, is influenced by The Ramones, or is by The Ramones, and I think that sums it up pretty well. BTW, Little Steven’s Underground Garage is broadcast on WDST Radio Woodstock,100.1FM, every Sunday night from 8-10pm, and on Sirius/XM satellite radio 24 hours a day, and is the best radio show on the planet. Or as Steve might say, the coolest radio show in the world. Check it out!
If you drive all the way to the city, only to find that Joey’s party is sold out, you can console yourself at the Robert Randolph and the Family Band show at The Brooklyn Bowl, a former, bowling alley in Brooklyn that’s been converted to rock club. Randolph plays pedal steel guitar like Jimi, if Jimi had played pedal steel guitar instead of the Stratocaster. He comes out of the ‘sacred steel’ tradition, which came from African-American churches that couldn’t afford an organ, so they bought what they could afford, and used it in the service of The Lord. In this case, they could afford a pedal steel guitar. If you can’t get in to Joey’s party, you’ll still be a happy camper if you wind up here. Randolph will also be here on Friday.
Friday, May 20
In addition to the previously mentioned 2nd night of Robert Randolph at The Brooklyn Bowl, tonight also offers another chance to catch the Levon spinoff group, Blue Chicken, at The Towne Crier in Pauling. I’ve written about Blue Chicken before. It’s a side project for Levon Helm band members Jimmy Weider, Brian Mitchell, and Byron Isaacs with Randy Ciarlante, former Band drummer, and sometimes, Sid Maginnes, guitar player from The Letterman Band. Sounds good to me.
Saturday, May 21
ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd at The Times-Union Center in Albany. Does anything need to be said about this program of first class Southern Rock? I’ll tell you this. You will never go wrong with ZZ Top, whom I liken to The Rolling Stones, if The Stones were from Texas.
Another great night of music will be Bill Kirchen at Club Helsinki. The former Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen lead guitarist has kept his career vibrant and lively, and boy, can he play that Telecaster!
It’s also Bob Dylan Birthday Night at The Woodstock Byrdcliffe Guild with an all-star cast of local musician’s and Popa Chubby is at The Towne Crier in Pauling.
Sunday, May 22
Sunday night is a good night to spend with Eric Anderson at The Towne Crier. The veteran folkie was one of the best of that genre and he also wrote “Violets of Dawn” for The Blues Project, one of their best records.
Tonight is also the first night of Elvis Costello’s 3 night run at The Beacon Theater in Manhattan. Always interesting, at worst. He’s there through Tuesday.
Wednesday, May 25
Former Doors keyboardist, Ray Manzarek at The Ridgefield Playhouse in Connecticut sounds interesting to me for some reason. Manzarek was one of the two stars of the band, in some ways even eclipsing Jim Morrison. He’s kept his integrity since Jim died, and I’ll bet he’s got something to say still. I’d really like to see this show.
There were no picks of the week this week because everything is great this week. I’d have to pick them all. You really can’t go wrong this week, and it doesn’t slow down next week. Get ready, because we’ve got Levon at UPAC, Roseanne Cash, Wavy Gravy’s birthday party, and Phish, all coming up next week. Start working out because we’ve got a lot of rockin’ to do!
See you next week.
- Published on
Well, the draught is over, and I’m not talking about the weather. Thankfully, we are back to a full calendar of music this week, so that should make everyone happy.
At the last minute, I changed my mind about going to see Ralph Stanley last Friday, opting to stay closer to home and taking a chance on Jackie Greene at The Bearsville Theater, and I was not disappointed. Jackie rocked pretty good, and even though half his set was Grateful Dead songs (not a bad thing), he made them all his own, playing “Sugaree”, “Deal” and others with an aggressiveness that The Dead rarely did. The guitar playing was tasty and inventive, and all in all, I would now highly recommend Jackie, especially if you’re a Grateful Dead fan.
My store, Reservoir Music Center, just celebrated it’s 5th anniversary, and I’m planning a party sometime in July to thank the community for their support. Details will be announced here as they become available.
Since we have such a full calendar this week, let’s get right to it.
TONIGHT, Thursday, May 12
NEKO CASE AT The Bearsville Theater. Neko is one of the Americana Queens-in-Waiting, along with Elizabeth Cook, Allison Moorer, Joy Lynn White, and quite a few others. Of course, the reigning Queen of the genre is Lucinda Williams, but that’s another story. Neko’s got good songs, sings great, and contributed heavily to the last Jakob Dylan album, so her bona fides are firmly in place. She’s appeared on Leno, Letterman, Conan, Fallon, and Elvis Costello’s TV shows, and has sung with (other than Dylan) Roseanne Cash, Nick Cave, and Costello. I probably shouldn’t even mention this, but she was also voted the sexiest babe in indie rock by the readers of Playboy.com, and was invited to pose for the magazine, but, to her credit, declined.
ROSS RICE at Market Market in Rosendale. Best known for his keyboard playing with local faves, Voodelic, this transplanted Memphian (that is, Memphis native) seems to be everywhere and plays every style equally well. Don’t know if this is a Very Sexy Trio gig, solo, or what, but whatever it is, you will be entertained.
Friday, May 13
RHETT MILLER at Market Market. Rhett is the man behind the Old 97’s, a really good Americana group, and I believe he lives in New Paltz, which is probably why he’s playing this tiny venue instead of the larger clubs and theaters he usually plays. A great opportunity to catch him in a very intimate venue. This has to be one of my Weekly Picks.
LEVON HELM BAND with ARLO GUTHRIE at Ommegang Brewery in Cooperstown. Nobody here needs an introduction. This is an anti-fracking benefit, and if you don’t know what fracking is, check out the movie, “Gasland” for more info.
SHEMEKIA COPELAND at Club Helsinki in Hudson. Shemekia, daughter of the late, great Texas guitarslinger, Johnny Clyde Copeland, is crown princess of the blues, following in the footsteps of Koko Taylor and Etta James. If you dig the blues, you’ll dig Shemekia.
Saturday, May 14
MIDNIGHT RAMBLE with KINKY FRIEDMAN. Kinky was a fixture at the old Lone Star Café in Manhattan when I used to hang out there. The former head of Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys, he’s now best known for his mystery novels and his campaign for Texas governor, which was unsuccessful, but was endorsed by Willie Nelson and just about every other Texas musician. Kinky’s music combines great songs with comedy, with titles like, “They Ain’t Makin’ Jews like Jesus Anymore”, “Asshole from El Paso”, and “Waitret, Please Waitret (come sit on my face)”. He ain’t been around for a while, so I’m really looking forward to this. Might even bring him a cigar, if I can fit it into the budget.
Tuesday, May 17
TONY TRISCHKA at The Linda in Albany. In keeping with this week’s royalty theme, let’s call Tony one of the Kings of Banjo. More traditional than Bela Fleck, but equally talented, he’s been all over the bluegrass world for 40 years. Pick of the Week.
Thursday, May 19
JOEY RAMONE BIRTHDAY PARTY at Irving Plaza, NYC. Technically, this belongs to next week, but since it’s not nearby, I thought I’d give you a heads up this week, in case you needed to get a babysitter or something. This annual event, a tribute to the dearly departed lead singer of The Ramones, is always great, always rockin’, and always has a great line up with special guests the norm. If you like rock n roll, make the trip.
Have a great week.
At the last minute, I changed my mind about going to see Ralph Stanley last Friday, opting to stay closer to home and taking a chance on Jackie Greene at The Bearsville Theater, and I was not disappointed. Jackie rocked pretty good, and even though half his set was Grateful Dead songs (not a bad thing), he made them all his own, playing “Sugaree”, “Deal” and others with an aggressiveness that The Dead rarely did. The guitar playing was tasty and inventive, and all in all, I would now highly recommend Jackie, especially if you’re a Grateful Dead fan.
My store, Reservoir Music Center, just celebrated it’s 5th anniversary, and I’m planning a party sometime in July to thank the community for their support. Details will be announced here as they become available.
Since we have such a full calendar this week, let’s get right to it.
TONIGHT, Thursday, May 12
NEKO CASE AT The Bearsville Theater. Neko is one of the Americana Queens-in-Waiting, along with Elizabeth Cook, Allison Moorer, Joy Lynn White, and quite a few others. Of course, the reigning Queen of the genre is Lucinda Williams, but that’s another story. Neko’s got good songs, sings great, and contributed heavily to the last Jakob Dylan album, so her bona fides are firmly in place. She’s appeared on Leno, Letterman, Conan, Fallon, and Elvis Costello’s TV shows, and has sung with (other than Dylan) Roseanne Cash, Nick Cave, and Costello. I probably shouldn’t even mention this, but she was also voted the sexiest babe in indie rock by the readers of Playboy.com, and was invited to pose for the magazine, but, to her credit, declined.
ROSS RICE at Market Market in Rosendale. Best known for his keyboard playing with local faves, Voodelic, this transplanted Memphian (that is, Memphis native) seems to be everywhere and plays every style equally well. Don’t know if this is a Very Sexy Trio gig, solo, or what, but whatever it is, you will be entertained.
Friday, May 13
RHETT MILLER at Market Market. Rhett is the man behind the Old 97’s, a really good Americana group, and I believe he lives in New Paltz, which is probably why he’s playing this tiny venue instead of the larger clubs and theaters he usually plays. A great opportunity to catch him in a very intimate venue. This has to be one of my Weekly Picks.
LEVON HELM BAND with ARLO GUTHRIE at Ommegang Brewery in Cooperstown. Nobody here needs an introduction. This is an anti-fracking benefit, and if you don’t know what fracking is, check out the movie, “Gasland” for more info.
SHEMEKIA COPELAND at Club Helsinki in Hudson. Shemekia, daughter of the late, great Texas guitarslinger, Johnny Clyde Copeland, is crown princess of the blues, following in the footsteps of Koko Taylor and Etta James. If you dig the blues, you’ll dig Shemekia.
Saturday, May 14
MIDNIGHT RAMBLE with KINKY FRIEDMAN. Kinky was a fixture at the old Lone Star Café in Manhattan when I used to hang out there. The former head of Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys, he’s now best known for his mystery novels and his campaign for Texas governor, which was unsuccessful, but was endorsed by Willie Nelson and just about every other Texas musician. Kinky’s music combines great songs with comedy, with titles like, “They Ain’t Makin’ Jews like Jesus Anymore”, “Asshole from El Paso”, and “Waitret, Please Waitret (come sit on my face)”. He ain’t been around for a while, so I’m really looking forward to this. Might even bring him a cigar, if I can fit it into the budget.
Tuesday, May 17
TONY TRISCHKA at The Linda in Albany. In keeping with this week’s royalty theme, let’s call Tony one of the Kings of Banjo. More traditional than Bela Fleck, but equally talented, he’s been all over the bluegrass world for 40 years. Pick of the Week.
Thursday, May 19
JOEY RAMONE BIRTHDAY PARTY at Irving Plaza, NYC. Technically, this belongs to next week, but since it’s not nearby, I thought I’d give you a heads up this week, in case you needed to get a babysitter or something. This annual event, a tribute to the dearly departed lead singer of The Ramones, is always great, always rockin’, and always has a great line up with special guests the norm. If you like rock n roll, make the trip.
Have a great week.
- Published on
Hi everybody and welcome to this week’s Reservoir Music Notes. This is going to be a short column because for the second week in a row, there’s almost nothing going on musically in our local area. If you want to drive to Brooklyn or Bethelwoods or Manhattan or Irvington or Ridgefield, Connecticut or Peekskill or Pawling, there’s plenty of live music, but in our neck of the woods…. Nada.
The only noteworthy events this week for us are JACKIE GREENE at The Bearsville Theater on Friday and The Midnight Ramble at Levon Helm Studios on Saturday, which is where I am going to be on Saturday night. On Friday however, I will probably forego Jackie to take the drive to Peekskill for a show of monumental historical proportion. That show will be DOCTOR RALPH STANLEY AND THE CLINCH MOUNTAIN BOYS. Now, not to take anything away from Jackie Greene. That should be a great show too, but Dr. Ralph Stanley is the last living picker from the golden days of bluegrass, and his career has enjoyed a resurgence in the last ten years. This could be the last opportunity to see this living legend perform in our area, and I do not want to miss it. The show is at The Paramount Performing Arts Center, and is my Pick of the Week.
Now about Jackie Greene. Jackie made his bones playing guitar with Phil Lesh of The Grateful Dead. The other guitarist with Phil at that time was our own Larry Campbell, and for my money, that was the best group Phil’s had since Jerry Garcia died. Jackie and Larry’s guitar pyrotechnics together were on par with The Dead’s Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir, and in some ways, even surpassed those two legends, because both Jackie and Larry could play lead guitar, so the fretwork interplay was amazing. Jackie’s own music is more folky and Americana style, so don’t expect a hard rockin’ show, but it will be good, especially if Larry drops by to jam, which is highly likely.
We lost a great singer this week in Phoebe Snow. Phoebe performed in Woodstock often and was a frequent guest at Levon’s Rambles. She will be missed.
As I sat down to write this column, it came over the TV that United States forces in Pakistan had killed Osama Bin Laden. Even though I usually leave the political commentary to my friend Frank Commando, I couldn’t let a story of that magnitude pass without comment. Hopefully the terrorism era that started with 9-11 can now be brought to an end, and please remember, George Bush had 8 years to get Osama and failed. Obama succeeded in 2 years.
Have a great week.
The only noteworthy events this week for us are JACKIE GREENE at The Bearsville Theater on Friday and The Midnight Ramble at Levon Helm Studios on Saturday, which is where I am going to be on Saturday night. On Friday however, I will probably forego Jackie to take the drive to Peekskill for a show of monumental historical proportion. That show will be DOCTOR RALPH STANLEY AND THE CLINCH MOUNTAIN BOYS. Now, not to take anything away from Jackie Greene. That should be a great show too, but Dr. Ralph Stanley is the last living picker from the golden days of bluegrass, and his career has enjoyed a resurgence in the last ten years. This could be the last opportunity to see this living legend perform in our area, and I do not want to miss it. The show is at The Paramount Performing Arts Center, and is my Pick of the Week.
Now about Jackie Greene. Jackie made his bones playing guitar with Phil Lesh of The Grateful Dead. The other guitarist with Phil at that time was our own Larry Campbell, and for my money, that was the best group Phil’s had since Jerry Garcia died. Jackie and Larry’s guitar pyrotechnics together were on par with The Dead’s Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir, and in some ways, even surpassed those two legends, because both Jackie and Larry could play lead guitar, so the fretwork interplay was amazing. Jackie’s own music is more folky and Americana style, so don’t expect a hard rockin’ show, but it will be good, especially if Larry drops by to jam, which is highly likely.
We lost a great singer this week in Phoebe Snow. Phoebe performed in Woodstock often and was a frequent guest at Levon’s Rambles. She will be missed.
As I sat down to write this column, it came over the TV that United States forces in Pakistan had killed Osama Bin Laden. Even though I usually leave the political commentary to my friend Frank Commando, I couldn’t let a story of that magnitude pass without comment. Hopefully the terrorism era that started with 9-11 can now be brought to an end, and please remember, George Bush had 8 years to get Osama and failed. Obama succeeded in 2 years.
Have a great week.
- Published on
This week’s Reservoir Music Notes column will not appear due to the Easter and Passover holidays…and the fact that there’s not a single musical event of note that I can recommend this week, unless you feel like driving to Brooklyn on Friday for STEVE WYNN’S BASEBALL PROJECT at The Bell House. Opening this show will be Wynn’s other project, THE MIRACLE 3, who I strongly recommend. Wynn is the former leader of The Dream Syndicate (not to be confused with the British prog-metal band, Dream Theater). I caught The Miracle 3 a couple of years ago at a large private party, and, I gotta say, it was one of the most intense musical tours-de-force I have ever witnessed. According to the blog, Now I’ve Heard Everything, The Miracle 3 are “The best live rock band in America, and probably the world”. I may be forced to agree. Guitarist Jason Victor’s performance at the show I attended was equal to Jimi at Monterey, Jeff Beck at The Fillmore East, Jimmy Page at The Village Theater, or Jerry Garcia back in the day. I’m not kidding!
The Baseball Project is a tribute band to America’s Favorite Pastime with Peter Buck from REM. They’ve been touring and have recorded a couple of albums, so they’re gonna be good, but for me, the act not to miss is The Miracle 3!
And if you’re going to brave the drive to Brooklyn, you might as well hang around overnight and stay for ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO’S show the next night at the same venue. Make it a Brooklyn weekend! Alejandro’s been around forever, and is part of the Latino-Rock royalty family, The Escovedo’s, whose members include Sheila E and Coke Escovedo from Santana. I remember Alejandro from the San Francisco punk scene in the late 70’s and early 80’s, when he fronted The Nuns and later went on to found one of the first and best cowpunk bands, Rank and File. After moving to Austin, Texas in the 80’s, Alejandro formed The True Believers, before embarking on his solo career in the 90’s. He’s now managed by Bruce Springsteen’s manager, Jon Landau, so expect an upswing in his career very soon.
You know, it’s really sad that, for a town that’s world famous for music, there is so little actual music in Woodstock, as evidenced by this week’s dearth of shows locally. Could someone please step up to the plate before I’m forced to do it myself? Actually, Woodstock never was a music town, which is why the precursors to the original 1969 festival, the Soundouts, had to be held in Saugerties. The powers that were, and still are, in Woodstock, hate music, and would prefer that town residents be composed of lawyers, doctors, and stockbrokers who spend their weeks working in NYC and come up here for occasional weekends. Yeah, I said it. Woodstock is a fraud! There’s very little actual music to be found there. Very little, with the exception of The Bearsville Theater (not actually in Woodstock), and Harmony, what is there, really? Which is why I’m working with a couple of new venues in Kingston to bring some world class musical acts to our area. Stay tuned for further details.
Have a great week.
The Baseball Project is a tribute band to America’s Favorite Pastime with Peter Buck from REM. They’ve been touring and have recorded a couple of albums, so they’re gonna be good, but for me, the act not to miss is The Miracle 3!
And if you’re going to brave the drive to Brooklyn, you might as well hang around overnight and stay for ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO’S show the next night at the same venue. Make it a Brooklyn weekend! Alejandro’s been around forever, and is part of the Latino-Rock royalty family, The Escovedo’s, whose members include Sheila E and Coke Escovedo from Santana. I remember Alejandro from the San Francisco punk scene in the late 70’s and early 80’s, when he fronted The Nuns and later went on to found one of the first and best cowpunk bands, Rank and File. After moving to Austin, Texas in the 80’s, Alejandro formed The True Believers, before embarking on his solo career in the 90’s. He’s now managed by Bruce Springsteen’s manager, Jon Landau, so expect an upswing in his career very soon.
You know, it’s really sad that, for a town that’s world famous for music, there is so little actual music in Woodstock, as evidenced by this week’s dearth of shows locally. Could someone please step up to the plate before I’m forced to do it myself? Actually, Woodstock never was a music town, which is why the precursors to the original 1969 festival, the Soundouts, had to be held in Saugerties. The powers that were, and still are, in Woodstock, hate music, and would prefer that town residents be composed of lawyers, doctors, and stockbrokers who spend their weeks working in NYC and come up here for occasional weekends. Yeah, I said it. Woodstock is a fraud! There’s very little actual music to be found there. Very little, with the exception of The Bearsville Theater (not actually in Woodstock), and Harmony, what is there, really? Which is why I’m working with a couple of new venues in Kingston to bring some world class musical acts to our area. Stay tuned for further details.
Have a great week.
- Published on
Howdy folks, and welcome to another Reservoir Music Notes column. This week, I’m profiling the hardest working band in Ulster County, The Ben Rounds Band. Ben is a serious musician who plays, guitar, bass, mandolin, harmonica, and lap steel, but is also one of the most conscientious bookers I know of. His band is booked almost every weekend, sometimes with 2 or 3 gigs in a single weekend, so there’s ample opportunities to catch these guys somewhere near you. They’re not afraid to travel, so The Ben Rounds Band might show up anywhere within a hundred miles of here at any time, but the easiest gig to remember is their Monday night residency at The Catamount Restaurant in Mount Tremper (which, by the way, also has great food, and Monday is their 35 cent wing night). The BRB will be at The Catamount every Monday night from May 23 until August 29.
Rising from the ashes of The Famous Lees of Krumville, The Ben Rounds Band have existed in their own right for just over 3 years, with greater success each year. Their first year, they played around 40 shows. The second year they upped that figure to 60, and this year, they’re on track for 100 shows, showing remarkably steady growth in a tough economy and when most bands are bemoaning the lack of places to play, these guys are out there doing it.
The band consists of Ben, of course, on guitar and vocals, longtime drummer, Bob Schnitzer, who also sings, and newest member, Jim Wegrzyn on bass and vocals (with a tip of the hat to recently departed bassist, Dennis Swauger). The new configuration gives the band more versatility, as everyone sings and there are ample opportunities to display their lovely 3 part harmonies, something that IMHO, separates the men from the boys musically.
The band’s roots are in rock n roll and old school country with an emphasis on danceability. Their set lists are an eclectic mix of those genres, drawing from obscure and well known covers and original songs. Amazingly, Ben is also a square dance caller, which gives this band a diversity not found in many modern bands. Their shows are a 3 hour vacation from the troubles of life, while you listen to the troubles of others, forgetting your own for a time.
The Ben Rounds Band is currently recording a CD of original songs which will draw from the driving energy of Chuck Berry and the emotional intensity of Hank Williams, Sr. More info at www.benrounds.com.
This week’s live music picks are as follows:
Tonight, Thursday, April 21, 2 original members of THE FLAMING GROOVIES, ROY LONEY and CYRIL JORDAN, bring their brand of high energy rock n roll to The Bell House in Brooklyn. I know it’s a drive, but this is their only US gig this year, and it will be worth it, as anyone who was at Roy’s sold out gig at Market Market in Rosendale knows. The Groovies combined the energy of punk with the roots of 50’s rock n roll and 60’s British pop, were way ahead of their time, and have become a most legendary band. There are also 3 other bands on the bill who look promising, and admission is only $15. This is easily my PICK OF THE WEEK.
Friday, April 22, you’ve got a difficult choice. At the beautiful Club Helsinki in Hudson, we’ve got the hottest local reggae band, THE BIG TAKEOVER. These guys are authentic and have been steadily increasing their visibility for the past year. Definitely worth checking out. But, the same night, we’ve got THE ALEXIS P. SUTER BAND, at The Falcon in Marlboro, which, I’ve heard, is also a beautiful spot for music, and with no cover (donation requested however). Alexis and her great band are veterans of countless Midnight Rambles, so that should give you an idea of their credibility and talent. However, Alexis brings her band into Club Helsinki the following night, Saturday, April 23, so it might be fun to make it a CLUB HELSINKI weekend, with The Big Takeover Friday and Alexis Suter Saturday. Hudson’s a beautiful town, and it’s not far, so get there early and do some shopping and sight seeing.
For those of you who want to stay closer to home, The Bearsville Theater presents SHAWN MULLINS on Saturday, April 23rd. Shawn writes catchy, melodic songs that, I have to admit, are infectious and hard to get out of your head once you’ve heard them. They just keep growing on you. If you like Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, you’ll like Shawn.
Also on Saturday, April 23rd, The AVONDALE AIRFORCE appears at Market Market in Rosendale. Now, I have not heard this band, but I know their singer, Peter Aaron, and I respect his taste in music, so they’re probably gonna be good. Peter seems to show up at most of the events I go to. Don’t know if that’s because he’s a music writer for just about every publication in Ulster County, or we just like the same bands, but either way, Avondale Airforce is probably worth checking out.
Closing out the week on Wednesday, April 27, is my second PICK OF THE WEEK, JOHN PRINE at UPAC in Kingston. John is one of America’s (and the world’s) finest songwriters and has not appeared in the Hudson Valley for a long time. Highly recommended!
Enjoy your week and the warm weather that’s been rolling in. See you here next week.
Rising from the ashes of The Famous Lees of Krumville, The Ben Rounds Band have existed in their own right for just over 3 years, with greater success each year. Their first year, they played around 40 shows. The second year they upped that figure to 60, and this year, they’re on track for 100 shows, showing remarkably steady growth in a tough economy and when most bands are bemoaning the lack of places to play, these guys are out there doing it.
The band consists of Ben, of course, on guitar and vocals, longtime drummer, Bob Schnitzer, who also sings, and newest member, Jim Wegrzyn on bass and vocals (with a tip of the hat to recently departed bassist, Dennis Swauger). The new configuration gives the band more versatility, as everyone sings and there are ample opportunities to display their lovely 3 part harmonies, something that IMHO, separates the men from the boys musically.
The band’s roots are in rock n roll and old school country with an emphasis on danceability. Their set lists are an eclectic mix of those genres, drawing from obscure and well known covers and original songs. Amazingly, Ben is also a square dance caller, which gives this band a diversity not found in many modern bands. Their shows are a 3 hour vacation from the troubles of life, while you listen to the troubles of others, forgetting your own for a time.
The Ben Rounds Band is currently recording a CD of original songs which will draw from the driving energy of Chuck Berry and the emotional intensity of Hank Williams, Sr. More info at www.benrounds.com.
This week’s live music picks are as follows:
Tonight, Thursday, April 21, 2 original members of THE FLAMING GROOVIES, ROY LONEY and CYRIL JORDAN, bring their brand of high energy rock n roll to The Bell House in Brooklyn. I know it’s a drive, but this is their only US gig this year, and it will be worth it, as anyone who was at Roy’s sold out gig at Market Market in Rosendale knows. The Groovies combined the energy of punk with the roots of 50’s rock n roll and 60’s British pop, were way ahead of their time, and have become a most legendary band. There are also 3 other bands on the bill who look promising, and admission is only $15. This is easily my PICK OF THE WEEK.
Friday, April 22, you’ve got a difficult choice. At the beautiful Club Helsinki in Hudson, we’ve got the hottest local reggae band, THE BIG TAKEOVER. These guys are authentic and have been steadily increasing their visibility for the past year. Definitely worth checking out. But, the same night, we’ve got THE ALEXIS P. SUTER BAND, at The Falcon in Marlboro, which, I’ve heard, is also a beautiful spot for music, and with no cover (donation requested however). Alexis and her great band are veterans of countless Midnight Rambles, so that should give you an idea of their credibility and talent. However, Alexis brings her band into Club Helsinki the following night, Saturday, April 23, so it might be fun to make it a CLUB HELSINKI weekend, with The Big Takeover Friday and Alexis Suter Saturday. Hudson’s a beautiful town, and it’s not far, so get there early and do some shopping and sight seeing.
For those of you who want to stay closer to home, The Bearsville Theater presents SHAWN MULLINS on Saturday, April 23rd. Shawn writes catchy, melodic songs that, I have to admit, are infectious and hard to get out of your head once you’ve heard them. They just keep growing on you. If you like Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, you’ll like Shawn.
Also on Saturday, April 23rd, The AVONDALE AIRFORCE appears at Market Market in Rosendale. Now, I have not heard this band, but I know their singer, Peter Aaron, and I respect his taste in music, so they’re probably gonna be good. Peter seems to show up at most of the events I go to. Don’t know if that’s because he’s a music writer for just about every publication in Ulster County, or we just like the same bands, but either way, Avondale Airforce is probably worth checking out.
Closing out the week on Wednesday, April 27, is my second PICK OF THE WEEK, JOHN PRINE at UPAC in Kingston. John is one of America’s (and the world’s) finest songwriters and has not appeared in the Hudson Valley for a long time. Highly recommended!
Enjoy your week and the warm weather that’s been rolling in. See you here next week.
- Published on
The weather is warming up, and the musical faire is a bit limited this week (although, don’t get me wrong, there is still some worthwhile stuff going on), so why not take advantage of that and go to a MIDNIGHT RAMBLE at LEVON HELM’s this week? Or next week or the week after that? For the next 8 weeks, Levon will be home at The Barn every weekend, including a special Friday night Ramble on April 22 and Levon’s Birthday Bash on May 21, and tickets are still available for all but 2 of those nights. This is the time to gather up your pennies and buy some memories before the summer festival season starts and Levon is on the road most weekends. Visit www.levonhelm.com for more information and to buy tickets. A splendid time is guaranteed for all.
Other than that, here’s what else is going on this week.
Friday, April 8 – LUCKY PETERSON at The Bearsville Theater. Lucky was discovered at the age of 5 by the immortal Willie Dixon and had a very nice career going until personal problems caused his fall from grace. However, in the last 2 years, he’s made a comeback, and his most recent album, produced by Woodstock’s own Doug Yoel, and featuring local all-stars Gary Burke and Scott Petito, and international multi-instrumentalist par extraordinare Larry Campbell (also part of our local community), was greeted with critical and popular success, and nominated for a 2011 Blues Music Award for Acoustic Album of the Year. I’ve seen some clips of Lucky’s recent shows at The Iridium in NYC, and it was anything but acoustic. In fact it was rockin’, and many of the guests from the album sat in that night. There is a Ramble the next night, and Larry’s got to be here to play with Levon, so who knows, maybe he’ll reprise his appearance from The Iridium, and folks, you do not want to miss that, which is why this is one of my 2 PICKS OF THE WEEK. Lucky’s producer, Doug Yoel will be opening the show with Doug Yoel and Friends.
Also of Friday, April 8, is my good friend JAY COLLINS AND THE KINGS COUNTY BAND at The Falcon in Marlboro. If you’re short on cash but have gas in the car, it’s only a short drive to The Falcon, where there is never an admission charge. Jay is Levon’s son-in-law, and often appears with The Levon Helm Band, but he didn’t get that job by being the boss’s son (in-law). Jay is a regular with The Gregg Allman Band and The Organiks (profiled here a few weeks ago), has toured with James Hunter, and man, can he blow the saxophone!. He’ll be leading the Kings County Band through a rockin’ set of blues, r n b, and jazz tunes, and is definitely worth the ride.
On Saturday, April 9, there’s a smorgasbord of fine musical faire, starting with my second PICK OF THE WEEK. They’re calling this outfit the CHARLES JAMES BLUES BAND, but any band that features JIMMY EPPARD, RANDY CIARLANTE, and CHARLIE KNICELY can’t be anything but great. Jimmy and Randy are my two local favorites on their respective instruments, as regular readers of my column know, and Charlie’s no slouch either. The music starts at The High Falls Café at 9PM, so be there!
Also on Saturday, April 9, is a show of historical import, if nothing else, but will also probably be pretty great in the world of the present. BERNARD PURDIE was a top level New York session drummer and played on literally thousands of hit records over a half century in the music business. His work crossed all genres and he’s even rumored to have played on some Beatles records. BERNARD “PRETTY” PURDIE and FRIENDS at The Falcon will take you to school. Old school!
Finally, on Saturday, April 9, there’s a show at The Bearsville Theater with 2 bands that I’m not really familiar with, but they look eclectic and unusual, and might be worth a listen. The bands are The Caravan of Thieves with opening act Ragbird. Caravan plays a kind of gypsy-jazz with acoustic instruments and from what I’ve been able to determine, Ragbird is kind of similar. Can’t give this one an unreserved recommendation since I don’t really know the bands, but it caught my eye and looked interesting, so I thought I’d pass it along.
Have a great week, and don’t forget about Miss Angie’s Karaoke every Thursday night at The Bearsville Theater. It’s not your father’s karaoke!
Other than that, here’s what else is going on this week.
Friday, April 8 – LUCKY PETERSON at The Bearsville Theater. Lucky was discovered at the age of 5 by the immortal Willie Dixon and had a very nice career going until personal problems caused his fall from grace. However, in the last 2 years, he’s made a comeback, and his most recent album, produced by Woodstock’s own Doug Yoel, and featuring local all-stars Gary Burke and Scott Petito, and international multi-instrumentalist par extraordinare Larry Campbell (also part of our local community), was greeted with critical and popular success, and nominated for a 2011 Blues Music Award for Acoustic Album of the Year. I’ve seen some clips of Lucky’s recent shows at The Iridium in NYC, and it was anything but acoustic. In fact it was rockin’, and many of the guests from the album sat in that night. There is a Ramble the next night, and Larry’s got to be here to play with Levon, so who knows, maybe he’ll reprise his appearance from The Iridium, and folks, you do not want to miss that, which is why this is one of my 2 PICKS OF THE WEEK. Lucky’s producer, Doug Yoel will be opening the show with Doug Yoel and Friends.
Also of Friday, April 8, is my good friend JAY COLLINS AND THE KINGS COUNTY BAND at The Falcon in Marlboro. If you’re short on cash but have gas in the car, it’s only a short drive to The Falcon, where there is never an admission charge. Jay is Levon’s son-in-law, and often appears with The Levon Helm Band, but he didn’t get that job by being the boss’s son (in-law). Jay is a regular with The Gregg Allman Band and The Organiks (profiled here a few weeks ago), has toured with James Hunter, and man, can he blow the saxophone!. He’ll be leading the Kings County Band through a rockin’ set of blues, r n b, and jazz tunes, and is definitely worth the ride.
On Saturday, April 9, there’s a smorgasbord of fine musical faire, starting with my second PICK OF THE WEEK. They’re calling this outfit the CHARLES JAMES BLUES BAND, but any band that features JIMMY EPPARD, RANDY CIARLANTE, and CHARLIE KNICELY can’t be anything but great. Jimmy and Randy are my two local favorites on their respective instruments, as regular readers of my column know, and Charlie’s no slouch either. The music starts at The High Falls Café at 9PM, so be there!
Also on Saturday, April 9, is a show of historical import, if nothing else, but will also probably be pretty great in the world of the present. BERNARD PURDIE was a top level New York session drummer and played on literally thousands of hit records over a half century in the music business. His work crossed all genres and he’s even rumored to have played on some Beatles records. BERNARD “PRETTY” PURDIE and FRIENDS at The Falcon will take you to school. Old school!
Finally, on Saturday, April 9, there’s a show at The Bearsville Theater with 2 bands that I’m not really familiar with, but they look eclectic and unusual, and might be worth a listen. The bands are The Caravan of Thieves with opening act Ragbird. Caravan plays a kind of gypsy-jazz with acoustic instruments and from what I’ve been able to determine, Ragbird is kind of similar. Can’t give this one an unreserved recommendation since I don’t really know the bands, but it caught my eye and looked interesting, so I thought I’d pass it along.
Have a great week, and don’t forget about Miss Angie’s Karaoke every Thursday night at The Bearsville Theater. It’s not your father’s karaoke!
- Published on
Hi everybody. I just returned from new York City, where I went for the weekend to see some shows and spend some time with my family, and I hereby warn anyone who travels to Manhattan to see one of the shows that I recommend, WATCH OUT! For the army of meter maids and men that Mayor Mike Bloomberg has unleashed on the helpless population. There’s 3 or 4 on every block, they’re giving out tickets even when you’re parked legally, and they now park cars in the middle of the street in Manhattan, so if you’re a normal person who has always been taught that cars belong on the side of the road, you’re getting a ticket for blocking the bike lane. There’s a turning lane on every street, and parking spaces have been reduced to 3 per block, and I’m not kidding. They’re parking the cars right in the middle of the street. Because of this insanity that the billionaire mayor who has no idea what it’s like to live on a budget has created, I will be very hesitant to recommend any music events in Manhattan from now on. That’s not to say that I never will. Just that I will think twice before I do, and all who decide to go there, be forewarned!
Having said all that, there is one show in Manhattan this week that should be worth seeing, and that’s THE STROKES at Madison Square Garden on April 1st. These guys are one of the few bands that have carried the torch for rock n roll for the last decade, and if they haven’t all become drug addicts and/or alcoholics, this should be a good one.
For those of you wishing to stay closer to home, the Hudson Valley offers some awesome music this week too. Tonight, March 31, ASSEMBLY OF DUST bring their jam flavored show to The Bearsville Theater. I’ve never seen these guys, but I’ve heard a few live tracks that really blew my mind, and I’ve heard great things about their live shows. Opening act is local favorites, THE TRAPPS.
On April 2nd, TERRY ADAMS and the new NRBQ stop in to The Bearsville Theater. Apparently, NRBQ founder and keyboard player Terry has gotten the rights to the name of his former band, as they are now billed as the new NRBQ. This should be a great night of rootsy rock n roll, and would normally be my pick of the week if it wasn’t for BOZ SCAGGS playing at the Tarrytown Music Hall on April 3rd. Boz is playing better than ever, and his collection of vintage instruments and amplifiers should have you recalling the glory days of the 60’s, which is why he’s this week’s PICK OF THE WEEK.
With Spring returning this week and warmer weather right around the corner, there’s sure to be an uptick in musical events worth seeing. Stay tuned and you’ll read it here first.
Having said all that, there is one show in Manhattan this week that should be worth seeing, and that’s THE STROKES at Madison Square Garden on April 1st. These guys are one of the few bands that have carried the torch for rock n roll for the last decade, and if they haven’t all become drug addicts and/or alcoholics, this should be a good one.
For those of you wishing to stay closer to home, the Hudson Valley offers some awesome music this week too. Tonight, March 31, ASSEMBLY OF DUST bring their jam flavored show to The Bearsville Theater. I’ve never seen these guys, but I’ve heard a few live tracks that really blew my mind, and I’ve heard great things about their live shows. Opening act is local favorites, THE TRAPPS.
On April 2nd, TERRY ADAMS and the new NRBQ stop in to The Bearsville Theater. Apparently, NRBQ founder and keyboard player Terry has gotten the rights to the name of his former band, as they are now billed as the new NRBQ. This should be a great night of rootsy rock n roll, and would normally be my pick of the week if it wasn’t for BOZ SCAGGS playing at the Tarrytown Music Hall on April 3rd. Boz is playing better than ever, and his collection of vintage instruments and amplifiers should have you recalling the glory days of the 60’s, which is why he’s this week’s PICK OF THE WEEK.
With Spring returning this week and warmer weather right around the corner, there’s sure to be an uptick in musical events worth seeing. Stay tuned and you’ll read it here first.