Author

Darren Kemp 154 posts 0 comments

I have worked in the IT/Internet industry for 20 years. I live in the culturally rich and flower laden Park Ave neighborhood in Rochester NY with my son. In the past few years I have written for several music based publications and run a fan blog for the Buffalo based band Aqueous. (@unclephilsblog). Also I like long walks on the beach....

Show Reviews

Futurebirds Take Flight At Three Heads Brewing for Rochester Residency

Darren Kemp Oct 27, 2019

In the case of the Futurebirds, it's a whoa-eliciting moment. Two electric guitars, one acoustic, pedal steel, bass and drums round out this band from Athens, Georgia. They're so tight, and the sounds intermingle so well. As a listener you…

Show Reviews

Umph Gets Extra Oomph with Joshua Redman in Rochester

Darren Kemp Jan 31, 2017

On a quiet and cold late January Sunday night, one beacon of activity in Rochester was drawing in warm bodies from all over Western New York. The line wrapped from Anthology's doors, down the tour bus-filled alley and around the corner as…

Jam/Progressive

Visuals: Phish at Saratoga Performing Arts Center, July 2016

Darren Kemp Jul 15, 2016

Phish took their "en Fuego" summer tour to the beautiful park-set and spring fed Saratoga Performing Arts Center over Fourth of July weekend 2016. And while the overall set list selections may have not been everyone's "AC/DC Bag" (Are they…

Funk/Soul/R&B

Rochester Jazzfest Visuals: Erykah Badu at Kodak Theater

Darren Kemp Jun 27, 2016

Fans of legendary R&B artist Erykah Badu got to spend an extra hour and a half getting to know each other outside Rochester's picturesque Kodak Hall at Eastman Center as the 8:00 p.m. scheduled show was delayed due to flight issues. As…

The Northeast

Exclusive Interview: Ryan Dempsey of Twiddle

Darren Kemp Apr 27, 2016

Tim Merrill of Sugar Foot Photography sat down with Ryan Dempsey, keys player for Vermont's hottest "three dimensional" rock band, to talk Twiddle tour, influences, favorite bands, and even a bit of politics. Check out the video interview…

News

Aqueous Pushes New Live Release ‘From the ArQives’

Darren Kemp Apr 15, 2016

If there's anything the fervent fans of Buffalo's Aqueous have had to complain about the past few years it's the lack of released live material. This all changed recently with a slew of high quality recordings including last years fantastic…

News

Water Street Music Hall is Back

Darren Kemp Apr 2, 2016

Rochester's Water Street Music Hall is back has been awarded a conditional entertainment license allowing the historical venue to re-open. Water Street, as previously reported, was not given a renewal for their entertainment license due to…

News

Tool Planning Winter Tour

Darren Kemp Nov 13, 2015

Tool fans that have been waiting forever for good news can finally get pumped, as it appears the reclusive foursome will be planning a winter tour this January. The prog-metal group's last studio album 10,000 Days dropped close to ten…

News

Borg Supergroup Poised to Assimilate Western New York this Christmas

Darren Kemp Nov 9, 2015

Christmas just got a whole lot more interesting in Western New York. A brand-new supergroup of New York-based musicians coined Borg Party will be playing a two-night stint this December at Buffalo Iron Works (Dec. 22) and Flour City Station…

News

Floodwood Announces Lineup Change

Darren Kemp Oct 21, 2015

Floodwood has announced via Facebook that Al Schnier and Zachary Fleitz have left the band. Floodwood, commonly known as a bluegrass side project for New York's jam champions moe., will carry on without Schnier, with fellow moe.ron Vinnie…

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