The Official Argue About Where Upstate NY Is Thread

**Brownski** · 01-15-2021, 02:48 PM

Originally Posted by BmillsSkier

Wow, I had no idea.

A substantial side benefit of this journey we're all on in this thread is the information you inadvertently stumble upon in here.

I’m learning a lot. Goo goo dolls, eh?

**wooley12** · 01-15-2021, 03:12 PM

I'd wager that the Upstate band that has been heard by more people than any other is............Orleans

**RShea** · 01-15-2021, 03:23 PM

Speaking of up state Bands and all- 10,000 Maniacs and Natalie Merchant of course is another.

**gravitylover** · 01-15-2021, 03:36 PM

NY in general has been a music hotspot for decades. Some of the live shows have been epic. There have been all sorts of off the cuff, on the spot things that have gone down as artists were traversing the region and crossed paths. Some of the shows that happened on college campuses were over the top, Long Island had this insane scene for the longest time and still has these little things that happen that you wouldn't know about it if you weren't really close to this or that bar or theater. Did you know that the shortest ever Doors show happened in Island Park at a 100 seat (often had 200+ in there) venue? It was a 2 night stand, the first night the show lasted about 30 minutes before they had to drag Jim off the stage and then he melted down that night. The second night he came out so fucked up he fell over and they carried him off the stage less than a minute after he stumbled out. That was 8 minutes from my house, too bad I was 3. A couple of weeks later the Dead and Allmans played an all night show with bagels and the NY Times served at sunrise in the lot on the water outside the back door. I delivered the newspaper to one of the guys in Vanilla Fudge when I did the newspaper boy gig. Upstate had all this great rowdy stuff happening as referenced the last page or so and once you include NYC fuggedaboudit

I posit that NY's influence on music over the last 3/4 century has been at least as big as California's if not bigger with everyone else playing second fiddle to those two.

**riser4** · 01-15-2021, 03:42 PM

Shit. Monsters of Mosh lineup looks awesome. DRI and Gang Green!

**gravitylover** · 01-15-2021, 03:43 PM

Have we explored the Upstate wine, beer and distilled spirits scene yet? Holy fuck there's some wonderful goodies being created now. Hudson Valley Bourbons and Ryes are getting pretty fucking awesome and there are a few distilleries run by the Mennonites in the Fingerlakes that kick ass. The beer, woof, the Porters and dark beers coming out of Upstate are phantasmagorical and yeah the oldest winery in the country is here too. Even something as unexpected as the new Irish Coffee Cream Ale from Saranac is amazing, too bad you can only get 3 at a time in a mixed 12 pack. I'm going to have to drive up to Utica to go get a few growlers. Fuckin' 3 hours each way for beer... Yeah Upstate serves it up.

**Skidog** · 01-15-2021, 03:47 PM

Originally Posted by gravitylover

Have we explored the Upstate wine, beer and distilled spirits scene yet? Holy fuck there's some wonderful goodies being created now. Hudson Valley Bourbons and Ryes are getting pretty fucking awesome and there are a few distilleries run by the Mennonites in the Fingerlakes that kick ass. The beer, woof, the Porters and dark beers coming out of Upstate are phantasmagorical and yeah the oldest winery in the country is here too. Even something as unexpected as the new Irish Coffee Cream Ale from Saranac is amazing, too bad you can only get 3 at a time in a mixed 12 pack. I'm going to have to drive up to Utica to go get a few growlers. Fuckin' 3 hours each way for beer... Yeah Upstate serves it up.

Hudson valley bourbons are nice. I'm partial to the baby bourbon.

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**Flounder** · 01-15-2021, 04:15 PM

Originally Posted by gravitylover

I posit that NY's influence on music over the last 3/4 century has been at least as big as California's if not bigger with everyone else playing second fiddle to those two.

Your ideas are intriguing and I'd like to subscribe to your newsletter.

To support your hypothesis I submit the following. Masters of Reality was a Syracuse band that I saw quite a few times. Googe used to hang with the punk crowd now and then. Learned a few years ago that the leader/singer, Chris Goss, went on to become the "godfather of desert rock". Produced records for Queens of the Stone Age and Kyuss. So there you go, a quintessential California sound heavily influenced by a NY band.

**half-fast** · 01-15-2021, 05:25 PM

Bassist from moe is a ski patroller. In upstate NY

**BmillsSkier** · 01-15-2021, 05:43 PM

Originally Posted by half-fast

Bassist from moe is a ski patroller. In upstate NY

These are the kind of dots we’re connecting here.

Excellent stuff.

**huckbucket** · 01-15-2021, 08:11 PM

Standing in the rain, with his head hung low
Couldn't get a ticket, it was a sold out show
Heard the roar of the crowd, he could picture the scene
Put his ear to the wall, then like a distant scream
He heard one guitar, just blew him away
He saw stars in his eyes, and the very next day

Lou Gramm. ROC's own.

**huckbucket** · 01-15-2021, 08:14 PM

So is this hip cat.

**rideit** · 01-15-2021, 08:42 PM

Originally Posted by RShea

Speaking of up state Bands and all- 10,000 Maniacs and Natalie Merchant of course is another.

Got to see them in the early days in a number of super-shitty bars and clubs. Lost Horizon, anyone?
She was mind-blowing.

**wooley12** · 01-15-2021, 08:58 PM

OK. Steve Gadd has played with every NAME in the business. He was a senior and I was a freshman in the same HS.

**half-fast** · 01-15-2021, 09:33 PM

Originally Posted by rideit

Got to see them in the early days in a number of super-shitty bars and clubs. Lost Horizon, anyone?
She was mind-blowing.

Wicked Wanda’s, the Yellow Balloon?

**rideit** · 01-15-2021, 10:17 PM

So many sticky-floored, stinky clubs, with troughs and shit in the bathrooms...I used to order well booze Long Island Iced Teas...god help me

**rideit** · 01-15-2021, 10:19 PM

I saw Phish at Hungry Charlie’s, we went with John Fishman’s parents. His dad was a riot. My sister is good friends with him, but from VT. He grew up in Jamesville.

**ötzi** · 01-15-2021, 10:19 PM

oof

re: well ice teas

**half-fast** · 01-15-2021, 10:43 PM

There were a ton of clubs with live music in Syracuse before the drinking age went to 21. Probably the same all over

**gravitylover** · 01-15-2021, 10:51 PM

Originally Posted by wooley12

OK. Steve Gadd has played with every NAME in the business. He was a senior and I was a freshman in the same HS.

Yes! That guy is (was?) awesome.

**EWG** · 01-15-2021, 11:01 PM

Originally Posted by half-fast

Bassist from moe is a ski patroller. In upstate NY

There is a reason that they do a winter tour each year with stops in Jackson, Aspen, Silverthorne, Boulder, Telluride, etc. They were good ole 600 foot vert boys growing up.

Also, I can’t imagine cutting a rope and having Rob growl at me in that voice of his. Would be like getting yelled at by a combo of Morgan Freeman and God.

But he’d probably have a pack filled with beers so maybe it’s all good.

**Brownski** · 01-15-2021, 11:19 PM

Originally Posted by rideit

So many sticky-floored, stinky clubs, with troughs and shit in the bathrooms...I used to order well booze Long Island Iced Teas...god help me

Yup. Sticky concrete reminds me of my youth. A friend of mine used to drink Long Island iced teas. One night as I was leaving the bar I saw him and another guy in the pizza place so I went in and sat down with them. He was so drunk he was no longer speaking. He was just pointing at the garlic shaker when he wanted it, pointing at me and smiling when I said something funny. He was completely blotto. The next morning I went to check on him. He came to his door in the same clothes of course, including his jacket. Halfway through recapping the night before, he got a funny look on his face, reached inside his jacket and pulled out an uneaten, perfectly folded slice of pizza. I died

**Flounder** · 01-16-2021, 09:19 AM

Originally Posted by rideit

I saw Phish at Hungry Charlie’s, we went with John Fishman’s parents. His dad was a riot. My sister is good friends with him, but from VT. He grew up in Jamesville.

Holy shit, we were at the same show. I was with the group smoking hash off those nice beat up wooden tables. Chucks was my go to bar while at SU.

Also so many good shows at Lost Horizons; black flag, circle jerks, exploited, cro mags, replacements (actually a good night for them), Iggy, and so many more.

**Aldo** · 01-16-2021, 05:43 PM

Yeah , uh rail all day!
I don’t recall ever ordering any special instructions along with the li ice teas. Do 10 of those it was always a Special kind of blackout!

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**EWG** · 01-16-2021, 06:05 PM

Originally Posted by Aldo

Yeah , uh rail all day!
I don’t recall ever ordering any special instructions along with the li ice teas. Do 10 of those it was always a Special kind of blackout!

Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

If my bartending days taught me anything, it was that Long Island Iced Teas and Electric Lemonades were amazingly dangerous drinks. Almost all alcohol, almost no task of alcohol. Instant drunk people.

Well, actually, now that I think about it bartending taught me a lot of other stuff. Most of it was more important. But that one was funny.

Till the puking started.