Fiona Apple 6/19/12 State Theater – Ithaca, NY
First off, let me just say that Fiona Apple puts on one amazing show, and Dan Smalls Presents did a fantastic job getting this booking in Ithaca, NY!
Now, allow me to tell you that if you didn’t make it, or were anywhere air-conditioned, you may have been better off… It was oppressively hot in the venue. The fact that State Theater, as I came to find out firsthand and by the cute stage manager who works there, had no A.C. and only two fans for an almost sold out show, made for a sweaty, sticky evening. Seriously… You’d have thought hat/shirt/paper flapping was an Olympic event… It was a clambake in there… More like a basement punk show by comparison. I found myself spending a lot of time outside and in the lobby to “cool off.” If any independently wealthy and charitable types want to make an awesome venue more comfortable in the summer months, to the tune of half a million, call them up and ask for Carolyn… She’d really appreciate it!
Polar Bear Club Interview with Erik “Goose” Henning
Perhaps I missed the boat a bit, but Polar Bear Club seemed to go from regional punk act to international sensation virtually overnight. Looking further into it, the 5-piece from Rochester/Syracuse, NY have pounded pavement harder than some truck drivers, and continue to do so with their constant touring.
“Respect the DJ” with JRRBLL from The Sound and The Fury
Radio is dying a slow, painful death. Though it may appear to be thriving, alive, and well, the new musical stratosphere has been blown wide open in terms of delivery, accessibility to content, and changing listening patterns by end users. There is no greater victim in this change than the modern radio DJ… The guy (or girl) who spins the latest hits, hypes the newest contest, and delivers to the listener news, stories, and gossip that they once waited anxiously to hear.
If you are reading this in Syracuse or surrounding areas, you are probably familiar with a little show called “The Sound and The Fury,” brought to you every Saturday evening from Midnight until 6am on 100.9, 106.5, and 94.9 fm, better known as K-Rock. While you listen, a soft, subtle voice will occasionally fill the airwaves, giving you a dose of song titles, news about Metal happenings, and the occasional introspective quote to spark the brain. On January 28 and February 5, 2012, I sat for (2) 6-hour sessions with the one and only JRRBLL, long time voice of the show. Not only did I receive a warm welcome and musical education, but a chance to witness a master of his craft who has blessed the airwaves for an astounding 27 years (September, 1985 was his first broadcast,) longer than some of you have been alive.
Dream Theater 6/15/12 – Main Street Armory – Rochester, NY
If there was ever any need to verify an artist’s previous visit to a particular town, none was more convincing than Dream Theater’s James LaBrie when speaking about the group’s first time in Rochester, NY in 1992. Snowed in and unable to leave, he spoke of eating lots of chicken wings and drinking too much vodka… Has he been here before, or what? Someone get that man a Garbage Plate!
20 years later, Western NY was privy to a rare treat on June 15th, as the progressive rock legends, for some reason, selected Rochester for their Summer Tour Opener. Not something we see too often around our parts, the group was in fine form as they celebrated their latest, absolutely epic release, “A Dramatic Turn Of Events.” If you haven’t heard it yet, you’re doing yourself a musical disservice.
Download – Kitty Pryde “haha i’m sorry” EP (FREE Media Fire link)
Cute, young white girl rapping over some very intriguing, highly captivating beats. Scoop it HERE.
Scroll down a touch to link to the Free Media Fire link.
Nothing like scooping some free jams on a Friday morning!
