Jocelyn and Chris returned to rock Syracuse with a show at the King of Clubs on Saturday, October 8. The show, which served as a launch party for Syracuse’s new streaming radio station, SGNL, also featured All Poets & Heroes.
Born in nearby Fort Plain, NY, Jocelyn & Chris have become favorites across the Upstate New York music scene. The band recently returned home from an extensive cross-country tour, which included notable stops at the NYS Blues Festival, as well as the Bourbon & Beyond Festival in Louisville, Kentucky. The band features siblings Jocelyn (vocals) and Chris (guitar) Arndt, along with Dan Zavadil (bass guitar) and Dave Bourgeois (percussion).
The event served as the official launch party for Syracuse’s new web-based streaming radio station, SGNL. SGNL, which started broadcasting in late August, features a mixture of both national indie rock artists as well as local Central New York talent. Advertised as “radio without the radio,” the station can be found online or through the SGNL app.
Syracuse’s own All Poets & Heroes appropriately opened the evening. The band, who recently released the Colorful Lungs, Pt. 2 EP, played a 45 minute set made of up tracks off their previous releases as well as a few unreleased songs. The dark, blue lit stage was a perfect scene for the bands dreamy, psychedelic rock. The band have already built a passionate following in the Syracuse music scene, and that following is sure to grow as more people see them play.
Up next was Jocelyn & Chris. The set opened with an instrumental jam before Jocelyn took to the stage and the band launched into Outta My Head. The energetic, blues-rock track set the tone for the remainder of the first portion of the set. Rocking tunes, dominated by Jocelyn’s fierce and passionate vocals, which blended in synch with Chris’ powerful and dynamic guitar riffs. The band’s set leaned heavily on tracks off their latest release, Favorite Ghosts, and they were visibly excited to share these tracks with the audience. With strong lyrics and catchy melodies, such as on songs like Popcorn and So Far To Fly, it is easy to see why.
On an evening of many highlights, perhaps the pinnacle occurred about midway though the set, when the band took a seat on a bright orange couch to perform a mini, acoustic set. Their weekly “Couch Concerts” where a tradition during the Covid pandemic, where the band would live stream acoustic concerts from their basement. The acoustic set on this night featured covers of songs by Duran Duran, Captain & Tennille, and Jewel. This collection of covers, paired with the bands stripped back acoustic accompaniments, allowed Jocelyn’s vocals to soar.
If you missed Jocelyn & Chris in Syracuse, don’t fret! The band will perform at Lark Hall in Albany, NY on December 30.
Setlist: Outta My Head, Make a Move, Jagged, So Far To Fly, Kill in the Cure, Popcorn, Save a Prayer (Duran Duran), The Western, Love Will Keep Us Together (Captain & Tennille), Who Will Save Your Soul (Jewel), Witness, Run Away, Sugar & Spice, Skeleton Key
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