BEST YOUNG FARMER: Eric Houppert of Deep Root Farm There are myriad categories featuring food in the Best of Rochester awards, but nothing about the people growing (and supplying) local ingredients behind the scenes. Several years ago, Macedon resident Eric Houppert made the jump from graphic designer to farmhand at Mud Creek Farms in Victor. […]
Katie Preston
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INDIE SINGER-SONGWRITER| Josh Netsky
Josh Netsky has been a staple of the Rochester music scene for the better part of a decade. With the widespread success of his band Maybird, Netsky has been industriously writing, recording and touring, splitting time between Upstate NY and Brooklyn. As well as being the lead singer and primary songwriter of Maybird, Netsky has […]
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INDIE ROCK| Stolen Jars
The Brooklyn indie rockers of Stolen Jars are as meditative as they are catchy. It’s no wonder their music has wandered its way into iPad ads and Disney movies. Beyond their commercial success, Stolen Jars — made up of guitars, bass, drums and keys, as well as two lead singers — is still working hard […]
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FOLK | The Franklin County Sweethearts
The Franklin County Sweethearts makes its maiden voyage to Rochester from its hometown of Greenfield, Massachusetts. Taking inspiration from classic country and Americana, this relatively new band is comprised of old souls. Front people Lexi Weege and Rosie Porter sing Beatles-esque harmonies while the rest of the band combines elements of blues and honkey-tonk to […]
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ROCK | Shellshag
Sleigh bell-laden, hook-driven, guitar riffin’ Shellshag has been grinding out hits for over 20 years now and it’s no wonder it has a cult following. The punk rock duo from Brooklyn got their start in San Francisco, running the infamous DIY venue, Starcleaners. Shellshag’s commitment to touring in order to support its art and constant […]
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Album review: ‘Fat Ol’ Rat’
Folkfaces ‘Fat Ol’ Rat’ Self-released folkfacesmusic.com Somewhere along the Erie Canal, a bit west of here, there lives a quartet of musical ruffians who call themselves Folkfaces. Comprised of guitar, saxophone, washboard, upright bass, and other stringed things, this Buffalo band of eight years has mastered old-time jazz with a progressive twist, and has a […]
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FOLK | Maria Gillard Trio
Maria Gillard comes in peace. The songs she carefully writes reach across boundaries and realms, holding the light up to dark truths and finding beauty in the stories we tell. How Gillard manages to capture life’s pain and sorrow, yet stay so delightfully high-spirited is something to behold. Maria brings with her a talented cast […]
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BLUES | Joe Beard with David Michael Miller
Rochester blues legend Joe Beard is back at it again, this time joined by Buffalo’s southern soul icon David Michael Miller. Since 1956, Joe Beard has been shaking up big clubs, national festivals and, lucky for us, intimate venues here in Rochester. At 81 years old, Beard can still rock harder than some of his […]
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Album review: ‘It’s Enough / Anyway’
Boy Jr. ‘It’s Enough’ / ‘Anyway’ Self-released boyjr.bandcamp.com There’s something infectious about Boy Jr: One-woman band Erica Allen-Lubman is all style, with no aimless filler. She has been making her mark on the Rochester music scene for over four years, and has recently released two singles that complement each other like salty and sweet. The […]
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Album review: ‘Spellbound’
Jackson Cavalier ‘Spellbound’ Self-released jacksoncavalier.bandcamp.com Anyone who’s heard a live performance by Jackson Cavalier knows that iconic, riotous sound: the booming, makeshift suitcase-kick drum contraption; the unwieldy and battered acoustic guitar that riffs on blues and alt-folk themes; and Cavalier’s distinct howls and bellows that shape word for every introspective word. Recently released, “Spellbound” takes […]
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Album review: ‘Peachy Keen’
Roselove ‘Peachy Keen’ Self-released roselove.bandcamp.com If art were supposed to be perfect and polished, the young and inspired would hit snooze instead of making it, and beautiful albums like Roselove’s “Peachy Keen” would never exist. Rose Love, a rising voice in Rochester music, will release the collection on October 13, and it’s an unbending work […]
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Interview: ‘Overhand Sam’ Snyder
Sam Snyder — commonly known as “Overhand Sam,” for his unorthodox guitar-playing style — never tries to set expectations. He just imagines that each show, in its own way, will be a great time. The multifaceted, Rochester-based musician is on a roll right now: fronting his own band Overhand Sam (OHS) and working on the […]
