It’s the 50th anniversary of Woodstock. Rochester commemorates with a concert featuring renowned regional musicians, paying homage to the music performed at the original, culture-shifting event in 1969. The lineup reads like a Who’s Who? of notable local artists: Eli Flynn of Giant Panda Guerrilla Dub Squad; Dee Ponder and Avis Reese of Danielle Ponder […]
Music
Posted inMusic
FUNK ROCK | Galactic
New Orleans-based funk collective Galactic performs at such a pace, you’ll be tripping over yourself to keep up. Crossing electronic textures with punchy horns and overdriven guitar, Galactic originally formed as an octet and now averages six players, ranging in instrumentation from Hammond organ to saxophone. The band can switch from anthemic ballads to high-energy […]
Posted inMusic
ALTERNATIVE PUNK | Off With Their Heads
An outlet for those who feel lost in life, Minneapolis-based quartet Off with Their Heads has been sharing grief with its audiences since forming in 2003. Consisting of frontman Ryan Young, guitarist John Polydoros, bassist Robbie Swartwood, and drummer Kyle Manning, Off With Their Heads is about to release its third studio album, “Be Good,” […]
Posted inMusic
POP-ROCK | Hootie & the Blowfish
Known for 90’s hits such as “Hold My Hand” and “Only Wanna Be with You,” Hootie & the Blowfish is still captivating audiences decades later. Based in Columbia, South Carolina, in 1994 the band released its debut album, “Cracked Rear View,” which went platinum sixteen times. Reuniting after a hiatus, Hootie & the Blowfish is […]
Posted inMusic
INDIE FOLK | Will Henriksen
BLOOM: The Rochester Poetry Project is back with another installment of The Flytrap Series. The event features a bill of spoken-word artists supported by music performances. Philadelphia-based singer-songwriter Will Henriksen will be there, sharing his gently melodic songs. His discography has a rustic sensibility, with sincere musings on existential quandaries. This emotional tone evokes shades […]
Posted inMusic
Album review: ‘Lemon Sucker’
Whirlin’ Jack Dervy ‘Lemon Sucker’ Self-released whirlinjackdervy.bandcamp.com Local singer-guitarist Nick Schaefer, better known as Whirlin’ Jack Dervy, has been fixated on songwriting since learning to play guitar at age 11. With a deep curiosity for the cohesion between lyrics and chord structures, he’s released four solo EP’s since 2015. Schaefer now performs with his backing […]
Posted inMusic
Album review: ‘I Hate Me’
Taking Meds ‘I Hate Me’ Near Mint Records takingmeds.bandcamp.com A hardcore-emo quartet originally formed in Rochester in 2012 and now based in Brooklyn, Taking Meds offers relief for the angst-ridden soul. Featuring singer-guitarist Skylar Sarkis, screamer-guitarist Ben Kotin, bassist Jon Markson, and drummer Dan Abzug, the band recently unleashed its sixth release, "I Hate Me." […]
Posted inMusic
Gateways brings black classical musicians together
Attend virtually any orchestral concert in the country, and you’re likely to see a similar picture onstage: a sea of white performers, with very little racial diversity. The perception that classical music is predominantly a Caucasian pursuit has endured for several centuries, but that idea doesn’t reflect the current reality, as demonstrated by the Gateways Music Festival.
Posted inMusic
GARAGE POP | Frankie Valet
Frankie Valet combines classic new wave instrumentation with current shoegaze songwriting, forming a cohesive mix of acoustic and electronic textures. Hailing from Saint Louis, Missouri, the quartet released its debut album, “Stop Apologizing,” in 2018 via It Takes Time Records. The band delivers a spacey mix of slowcore, garage rock, and lo-fi indie pop containing […]
Posted inMusic
COUNTRY| Dale Watson & His Lone Stars
Austin-based singer-guitarist Dale Watson is a well-traveled musician, maintaining a rigorous touring schedule of more than 300 gigs per year. He’s had dozens of studio releases since 1995, including his newest album, “Call Me Lucky.” With a low baritone voice and southern drawl like that of fellow Texan Willie Nelson, Watson performs with his straight-shootin’ […]
Posted inMusic
OPERA | Finger Lakes Opera presents ‘La Bohème’
Conductor Gerard Floriano recalls that Puccini’s “La Bohème” was the first opera he ever saw. He finds it an ideal introduction to the art form, as well as one “that even opera fans never get tired of,” he says. So Puccini’s romantic masterpiece is an ideal cornerstone for the summer 2019 season of Finger Lakes […]
Posted inMusic
CLASSICAL | Skaneateles Festival
In its 40 years celebrating chamber music, the Skaneateles Festival in the small town southwest of Syracuse has become a source of “world-class music by the lake,” to quote the festival’s motto. This year’s season kicks off in high style, with the up-and-coming, Grammy-nominated Aizuri Quartet (pictured) performing on August 1 and 2. The string […]
