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Choice Concerts
David Yockel Jr. on February 7th, 2012
Pennsylvania-based bluegrass band Cabinet brings its simple and soulful "string theory" to Rochester on Friday in the midst of an extensive East Coast swing. The band's stripped-down sound is a jarring juxtaposition to its usually cacophonous crowd of followers. The group formed in 2006 and in-so-doing brought together multi-talented
Choice Concerts
David Yockel Jr. on February 7th, 2012
Bug Jar's Annual Valentine's Day Massacre returns this Saturday with an impressive line-up of local rock, punk, prog, and pop. Rochester quintet The Veins, which showcases a metallic, yet melodic take on heavy rock, is the night's headlining act. But The Emersons, known affectionately as Rochester's Sweatiest Band, should
Choice Concerts
David Yockel Jr. on February 7th, 2012
This fearsome Philadelphia foursome fuses reggae, rock, and hip-hop into a pulse-pounding stage presence. The band has undergone some line-up changes over the years, but has solidified its spot near the top of a competitive genre. Claiming influences as disparate as The Pixies and Norah Jones, The Movement has
Choice Concerts
David Yockel Jr. on January 31st, 2012
Earl Pickens and Family is an über-infectious roots-rock ourfit with bluegrass in its bloodstream. After garnering critical acclaim for its alt-country/bluegrass interpretation of U2's classic album, "The Joshua Tree," Pickens and Family shot to the forefront of the Americana revivalist scene. The group's second album, "Gathering," was released in
Choice Concerts
David Yockel Jr. on January 31st, 2012
Metal continues to grow exponentially, with many acts finding an affinity for dropped tuning and guttural vocals. Mercia may exhibit these tendencies, but the group's songwriting ability and musicianship has started to set the band apart. The visceral sound is emphatically translated into Mercia's live performances, and the band
Choice Concerts
David Yockel Jr. on January 24th, 2012
The Eastman School of Music has cooked up 13 more exceedingly talented musicians that have come together to form Bitchin' Kitchen. This soulful store of funk and R&B aficionados, consisting of four vocalists (Tamar Greene and the Sue Chefs), a four-piece rhythm section, and five horn players (The Spice
Choice Concerts
David Yockel Jr. on January 24th, 2012
These modern rockers first burst on to the scene by winning the Heineken Unsigned Talent Competition in Rochester in 2006. Cry to the Blind followed an auspicious inaugural year by being named XM Satellite Radio's Artist of the Week in August 2007. Since then the band has turned its
Choice Concerts
David Yockel Jr. on January 24th, 2012
This young, up-and-coming indie outfit from Pittsburgh creates an expansive alternative soundscape. Since its formation in the winter of 2008, Instead of Sleeping has independently released two EP's, one full-length album, and is currently working on a second LP. The catalog includes everything from three-minute, minimalistic, emo melodies to
Choice Concerts
David Yockel Jr. on December 21st, 2011
Featuring a couple of members from the extremely successful and influential Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad Band, the psychedelic-reggae cosmonauts in Thunder Body have been storming the small club scene of late. And the group has been rewarded with a chance to show off its sweet, soul experience on
Choice Concerts
David Yockel Jr. on December 13th, 2011
This Syracuse outfit has definitely paid its dues. Brand New Sin has been recording and touring internationally since 2002, and has been able to sidle up to major acts like Motorhead and The Cult. The group has had a couple of shaky years with problems in securing a permanent
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David Yockel Jr. on October 13th, 2011
Indie-folk hero Andrew Bird filled the Harro East Ballroom with his gloriously global sound on Wednesday night. The Chicagoland singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist is an undeniable musical genius. In 1996 Bird received a bachelor's degree in violin performance from Northwestern University, and ever since he has been writing and performing a diverse
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David Yockel Jr. on September 26th, 2011
The fall may be making our days slowly get shorter, but Okkervil River and Wye Oak made Saturday night exceedingly luminous at the Club at Water Street Music Hall.
Wye Oak, the impressive young duo from Baltimore, includes ambidextrous Andy Stack, who plays drums with his right hand and bass
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David Yockel Jr. on September 12th, 2011
The end of summer signals the school bell for thousands on the RIT campus, and The Filthy McNastys came to Lovin' Cup on Friday, September 9, prepared to hand out a lesson plan of its own. This blue-collar blues band has been bringing the heat to Rochester radio recently,
Music Blog
David Yockel Jr. on August 11th, 2011
Tim Kasher has been an innovative force in indie rock since the mid-90's through his work with bands Cursive and The Good Life. Last winter he released his first solo album, "The Game of Monogamy," and on Monday, August 22, he will bring this new material to Rochester for
Music Blog
David Yockel Jr. on August 1st, 2011
The gates for The Zone 94.1's Bonzai Music Festival at Monroe County Fairgrounds opened early on Sunday, July 31, and fans that were there from the start were treated to a short set by Sleeper Agent, an exciting pop-rock group from Bowling Green, Kentucky. Bonzai gave the band a
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David Yockel Jr. on June 27th, 2011
Grace Potter was barely old enough to order a drink when she first began blowing away crowded bars with her bluesy vocals. Since her debut album in 2004, the Vermont native continued to grow as both a singer and songwriter. She brought her wide range of talents and her
Music Blog
David Yockel Jr. on June 5th, 2011
I could say many things about the Ray LaMontagne show at CMAC last night. But the music was so wonderful I won't ruin it by focusing on trite negatives. The first of three acts, The Secret Sisters -- two actual sisters from Muscle Shoals, Alabama -- delighted the listeners
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David Yockel Jr. on August 2nd, 2010
Kings of Leon supported its enormously successful album "Only by the Night" with a stop at Darien Lake last Friday night. The Stills opened the bill with a short but impressive set. The songs had an enticing and ephemeral flavor --- that Pacific Northwest, under-the-bridge, emo feel. The collection
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David Yockel Jr. on July 26th, 2010
*Updated on 7/27/10 to correct Black Keys line-up.*
CMAC continued its impressive summer 2010 concert line-up by bringing in The Flaming Lips Friday, July 23. Indie band Fang Island opened the show with a short set full of heavy guitars and melodic vocals, but it seemed that everyone I talked to
Music Blog
David Yockel Jr. on March 31st, 2010
A band that has been piercing ear drums and enlightening minds for 20 years sent its most prominent songwriter to Lovin' Cup this past weekend. Aaron Freeman -- I mean, Gene Ween -- along with local opening act The Niche, filled the small coffee shop/beer bar with some rock that
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