concert

September 29, 2010 - 9:09pm
Step through their legendary dance-punk discography before heading to the show at Hamilton College.

Never before has a middle-aged man in a white shirt commanded so much attention, but this is exactly what James Murphy, frontman and mastermind of LCD Soundsystem, does night after night. Armed with a six-piece band, James Murphy goes out with his smooth, deep voice and creates havoc on the dancefloor.

September 29, 2010 - 8:35pm
Indie rock veterans will bring their characteristic sound to the Westcott on Thursday.

Matt Pond PA are not the same band they were when they started. In the 12 years since their formation, the band found a new homebase, altered their line-up many times and released albums on several different record labels. Yet throughout all these changes, Matt Pond PA has managed to keep a consistent sound thanks to the architect and one permanent fixture of the band – Matt Pond himself.

Pond and company will bring that sound to Syracuse this Thursday when they perform at the Westcott Theater.

September 28, 2010 - 10:29pm
The upstate heroes played a lighthearted, often nostalgic show at the OnCenter Tuesday night.

John Rzeznik pointed to a girl in the crowd as the music died down and the lights dimmed. He waved his hand toward his chest, brushing his large golden necklace, signaling for the girl to pass up her big, blinking sign. “Let me see that,” he said. The crowd parted and formed an assembly line across the rows, sending the white sign Rzeznik’s way. It read “biggest fan” in large, blue letters with a row of blinking white swirls underneath. “This is a technological marvel,” he said, gawking at the flashing poster. “Do you want it back?”

September 23, 2010 - 10:51am
The Canadian indie rock giants kicked off their fall tour with a powerful live show.

Stars frontman Torquil Campbell raised his plastic cup to the crowd with a smirk as he sauntered onto the stage at Rochester’s Water Street Music Hall Wednesday night. Someone needs to find out what was in that cup.

September 21, 2010 - 1:02am
Review: One-time stars rocked an uncomfortably screamo sound at their Lost Horizon show.

Ronnie Winter has the voice, lyrics and hair of a radio rock god. However, his band’s screamo-filled performance at The Lost Horizon Sunday night  proved that The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus won’t make it back on the airwaves anytime soon.

September 16, 2010 - 6:55am
Review: The iconic indie pop duo inspired singing, dancing and crowd adoration at their second Syracuse show.

Brooklyn-based dance punks Matt & Kim know how to draw a crowd — and make them happy. Before the doors opened at the Westcott Theater on Wednesday night, youngsters sat along the sidewalk waiting to get in.

September 12, 2010 - 11:08pm
Review: Super Mash Bros. and Passion Pit stole the show from two much more deserving acts.

Lupe Fiasco was technically the headlining act of Juice Jam 2010, but when he finally took the stage after Passion Pit’s fanatically received performance, a quarter of the audience hightailed it to the exit. A few minutes later, when the rain began to pour, the audience that jumped along to Passion Pit’s bouncing beats dropped by half, leaving only dripping, diehard fans behind.

September 12, 2010 - 11:07pm
After seven years and several near misses, Juice Jam sells out once again.

At noon, a buzzing mob of 80 students, some sharing headphones, some giddily squealing for Passion Pit and Lupe Fiasco, crowded onto two well-worn yellow school buses at the College Place bus stop. The most aggressive ones pushed and shoved their way into seats – the rest were left behind in the early afternoon drizzle, wondering if the semester’s biggest campus concert was about to start without them.

August 5, 2010 - 9:21am
Review: Spectacular sets from Arcade Fire and Pavement top Montreal music festival.

Montreal’s Osheaga Festival is so quintessentially Canadian. 

The crowds are respectful and polite, the surroundings are calm and peaceful, and the lineup is filled with Canadian musicians.

Staged in Parc Jean-Drapeau on Saint Helen's Island, the festival effectively mixes the urban and natural world. I was only able to attend one day (Saturday) of the two-day weekend festival, but the homeyness and simple charm of Osheaga made the trek up north well worth it

Stumbling out of the gates

July 24, 2010 - 10:22am
Review: The talented multi-instrumentalist creates a blend of authentic jazz, soul and rock.

Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews was clearly born to play music.

Master of three instruments – the trombone, trumpet and his voice – Trombone Shorty and his band Orleans Avenue used all his talents at the Westcott Theater on Tuesday to create a blend of authentic New Orleans jazz, soul and rock.