Be sure to check out the first show of the tour!!

5 Killer Bands
Only $5 To enter
Crazy Drink Specials All Night Long
Did We Mention 5 Great Bands!!!
Check out The Web-Site
www.rockademiatour.com  & Listen To All Bands Music

                                             ***SSF Fans***
We'll be opening this one so come early and hang out late with us!!!

                                       ***College Students***
Come check out the show and if you dig it suggest booking the Rockademia Tour to your Activities board. Your referral could help bring  the greatest  College Rock Tour in NY to your campus!!!

Hope to see you!
Sincerely, SSF

Here's a Little Info About The Tour.........

With increasing pressure on major labels to minimize losses and maximize profitability, mainstream music has lost much of its edge and appeal to active listeners.  The rock genre in particular has suffered from a lack of new blood due to the industry’s reluctance to invest in undiscovered talent.

But there is still a considerable audience out there, hungry as ever for just a taste of the energy that only pure, undiluted rock music can provide.

Rockademia satisfies that hunger by taking the best underground rock bands in central NY and bringing them straight to your campus, hassle-free.  We’ll supply full production with sound and lights, along with your choice of three to five bands, to give you a complete concert package at a fraction of the cost you’d pay for even minor national acts.  We’ll also work with your campus and local media to get the word out and help ensure that the show is a success.

College students are always eager to discover new music that exists outside the mainstream.  Now your students can experience firsthand the energy and conviction of true musicians who live and breathe their art every day.  Welcome to Rockademia!
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Hosted By:
UpstateLIVE Music Guide

When:
Saturday, December 13, 2008

Where:
The Lost Horizon
5863 Thompson Rd
Syracuse
13214

Description:
5 of Upstate NY's top original rock bands on one stage!!

Click Here To View Event

........

........By Dave Edick • dedick@gannett.com • Staff Writer • January 22, 2009 Binghamton's Voodoo Lounge keeps easing the pain of losing Magic City Music Hall. When the Rockademia Tour hits the Lounge stage Saturday, it'llspotlight a quintet of fast-rising Southern Tier bands - hailing fromBinghamton to Auburn - that'll certify regional rock/metal alive andwell. Pick your headliner. There's Ithaca's Ayurveda, GreaterBinghamton's Try.Fail.Repeat., Corning-Ithaca's Armageddon Monks andSelf Made Self, and Auburn's Stone Soul Foundation. The tourunites "pretty much the cream of the crop in unsigned hard rock forcentral New York," said TFR singer Mike Hunter. "It's a fairly unusualthing for rock bands to band together like this on their own, but themusic industry is pretty tough these days, so we figured we stood abetter chance if we stuck together." After a pair ofStaind-echoing EPs, TFR's closing in on a new studio outing - as isAyurveda, with plans to package more of their spiritual alloy on discamid "hectic" touring. Self Made Self's new CD,a concept album, will be out by the fall. The metal-crunching Monks areworking on a "two-fer" - one acoustic, one plugged in. And Stone SoulFoundation also has a disc in the pipeline. All that new workoffers an extra draw for the fan bases Saturday. And for newbies, thebands' standards are reason enough to not be late. Newest first Oldest first ..gsl.commentSortOrder= "";..  {staffMark} {authorIcon} {authorHandle} wrote: {commentBody} {commentTimestamp} {commentBody} {authorNameHandle} ........ .... {recommendLink} {newpostLink} {replylink} {reportAbuseLink} Report item as: (required) X Obscenity/vulgarity Hate speech Personal attack Advertising/Spam Copyright/Plagiarism Other Comment: (optional) Missing input fields. You must fill out the comment body in order to submit a comment. Comment too long. The comment you have entered is too long. Please limit your post to {maxchars} characters or less.

* What: Rockademia Tour, featuring Armageddon Monks, Ayurveda, Self Made Self, Stone Soul Foundation and Try.Fail.Repeat. * When: 9 p.m. Saturday * Where: Voodoo Lounge, 15 Charlotte St., Binghamton * Admission: $5 * Details: www.myspace.com/voodoolounge607 ...................... ..

CNY BAND PROFILE
STONE SOUL FOUNDATION
An interview with Jeff Wiggins and sean Muldoon

Auburn's Stone Soul Foundation is a self proclaimed "blues, funk, and soul injected hard rock quintet". Formed in 2002, its hard to tell whether this 5 member band has crossed many genre lines, or created their own unique sound. With influences representing the past 4 decades, Soul Stone Foundation has created quite a buzz around CNY, and are now taking aim at the rest of Upstate NY and the northeast. I recently had the chance to track them down at a few of their shows this past summer, and ask them a few questions about the band.


CNYLIVE: How did the band meet and form originally???


Jeff Wiggins: Sean our (singer) and myself (guitarist) met through friends from school. I was 14 at the time and Sean about 16. We got together one day after school and started writing songs together. Before we new it one day turned into 15 years! We've been good friends the whole time. We formed a few groups over the years, "Shepherd" which our current guitarist Dan was in for while, and "Smoke Stack". After those bands fizzled out we came up with the idea for Stone Soul Foundation, a Heavy Rock band with elements of Blues, Funk, and Metal. We wanted our music to come across with the soul of a great RNB singer or a gospel preacher. You could say that's why the name Stone Soul Foundation seemed so fitting. Then we set out to form the band. Sean met Shane Stillman at a local pub in Auburn, and through casual conversation found he was a drummer looking for a band. We auditioned Shane and he became a full fledged member of the band that day. Then we called upon our good friend Dan Dennis to fill the spot for additional guitar duties. Our original bass player wasn't working out so we recruited Doug Paradise from Seneca Falls. He was in a cover band at the time called "Shmae" and was very stoked to be part of an original band. We all have been writing and performing together as Stone Soul Foundation for several years now.


CNYLIVE: After seeing you live last month, I realized you are one of those bands that really crosses genre lines and musical time periods. How would you describe the band's music to the casual CNY fan???


Sean Muldoon: To put it quite simply we are a blues influenced hard rock band. To be more specific we are a bluesfunkboogieacidmetalrockband!


CNYLIVE: The new song 'Christian' on your myspace is great, when will we see it on a full length release??? Jeff: We'll be releasing 2 more songs on the internet,"Window" and "Ain't no Mystery" available for free download on our web-site and Myspace page. We recommend our web-site www.stonesoulfoundation.com for a higher quality Mp3. These three songs, and several others, will be on our new "to be titled record" slated for an early 2009 release.

Stone Soul Foundation
Stone Soul Foundation is kicking ass and taking names! This great Auburn / Syracuse based band is one of the quiet storms on the Upstate music scene. The Foundation is a funky, soulful, blues injected hard rock band that resembles many bands that you may catch on an Ozzfest stage. When first hearing their wonderful new track, "Christian," the first band I thought of was Zakk Wylde's Black Label Society. I also can hear the AC-DC influence, and everything else remotely late 80's that was in that boogie woogie hard rock shuffle mode. The band, consisting of the insanely talented Sean Muldoon on vocals, Jeff Wiggins and Dan Dennis on guitar, Shane Stillman on drums, and Seneca Falls native Doug Paradise on bass, have been hitting up the Finger Lakes music scene for years. They are ready to bust right on out of this place, like several other bands that have been toiling around here for way too long. The band is currently working on new material for a new album. If it is as good as their current single "Christian" (which is available as a free download at their my space page) it could help them ink a well deserved record contract. You can also download the band's amazing 2006 release, "Into The Flames", which helped earn the band a Sammy Award for Best Rock Band in CNY last year. The band is playing several shows in Upstate over the next couple of months. Check out www.myspace.com/stonesoulfoundation for complete show and band information.

THE NETWORKING BEGINS...THE BUZZ HAS BEGUN...
THE HOTTEST AND MOST HAPPENING EVENT IS COMING...
THE 12TH ANNUAL MILLENNIUM MUSIC CONFERENCE

Stone Soul Foundation
Remembers MMC11 and can't wait for MMC12 to begin!


The twelfth annual Millennium Music Conference will be held once again at the Radisson Penn Harris Hotel & Convention Center, on February 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th. The MMC 12 provides ample opportunities for independent and unsigned music artists to network with each other, along with industry insiders. It is also a place where musicians everywhere can come to better understand the current industry climate through seminars with radio promoters, booking agents, entertainment attorney's and other such integral aspects of the music industry. Then, of course, there are the live performances.
Many artist involved with the conference vie for a chance to perform at venues around the Harrisburg area. Such performances are promoted by the MMC12 itself. Some artists actually perform at the Convention Center which hosts the conference. Long term involvement with the MMC12 and successful networking will secure an artist or a group of artist, either one or both of these opportunities to access hundreds of live music fans.
One example of such a group of artist is the Syracuse NY area's STONE SOUL FOUNDATION, A five piece blues based hard rock outfit. Upon learning about the conference they decided it would be foolish not to attend. Some might say they were foolish to head to Pennsylvania in the midst of a brutal snow storm. Interstate 81 was closed at the time. Although they did not make the performance roster, they packed all their stage gear, and they also brought along some acoustic instruments. STONE SOUL FOUNDATION let the organizers know that they would be available at a moments notice to perform in the event of any last minute cancellations.
And, so the band departed from CNY to Harrisburg along an alternate route. Assaulted by the impeding chunks of flying snow and wind gusts that threatened to hurl their van of the road, as they approached the PA line, amazingly the snow ceased, and sunshine welcomed them to the great Keystone State.
Each of the members arrived at the conference clad in matching mechanic shirts embroidered with their names and the band logo. Such apparel made them easy to notice among the throngs of musicians at the conference. They were not shy or withdrawn. They took full advantage of the networking opportunities at the Conference.
Singer Sean Muldoon and guitarist Dan Dennis along with Jeff Wiggins gave an acoustic performance to a generous handful of people during an on site recording workshop provided by Racetrack Recording, Fanteez and the PA Musician Magazine. Drummer Shane Stillman and bassist Doug Paradise looked on, undoubtedly imagining the group in its entirety impressing everybody with their electrifying hard rock set. "Maybe next year" they thought. Their minor acoustic debut was enough to get people talking.
With no last minute performance slot offered to the band, STONE SOUL FOUNDATION continued enjoying the conference. They presented their first full length CD "Into the Flames" at the demo listening parties, swapped CD's with other bands, handed out glossy business cards to anyone they made eye contact with, and watched live bands perform at the convention center.
One of the bands performing was the "Anthony Lattanze Band", a very danceable, horn driven rock band fronted by charismatic singer guitarist Anthony Lattanze. S.S.F. introduced themselves to the Philadelphia based group, as they did with other artists during the conference.
Since then, the two bands have swapped shows between both of their respective areas of New York and Pennsylvania. That is the very least one can expect from the conference given a respectable amount of networking.
All of this ensued roughly one year ago today, and as the twelfth annual Millennium Music Conference fast approaches on February 14th, STONE SOUL FOUNDATION will once again attend. They will be armed with their full electric gear, and this time will get to unload it out of their van and onto the stage at the Jackson's Junction, 844 Fishing Creek Rd., New Cumberland, PA. Their high energy set will kick off at 12 midnight. Jackson's Junction is just one of the many live venues hosting participants of the conference. It goes to show that perseverance and networking pays off. STONE SOUL FOUNDATION is honored to be one of the bands included in the MMC showcase performances this year. They hope they will be invited to play the convention center itself next year, if all goes well.
STONE SOUL FOUNDATION would like to invite you to experience a rock show you won't soon forget, if ever. So, get down to JACKSON'S JUNCTION on Saturday, February 16th at midnight. Let's hope the weather holds up this time and they get to take that straight shot down Interstate 81.
For more info about STONE SOUL FOUNDATION go to: www.stonesoulfoundation.com
For more info about the MMC go to: www.MMC12.com
2008 Millenium Music Conference
Radisson Penn Harris Hotel and Convention Center
1150 Camp Hill Bypass • Camp Hill, PA 17011
717.763.7117

Balancing Business and Art

By Sean Muldoon

 

            I will admit right off the bat that I am not particularly inclined toward the business aspect of being in a professional rock band.  I enjoy writing press releases, bios and cover letters.  I also enjoy writing the occasional newsletter and designing an eye catching logo here and there, but telephone class and money negotiations seem to go against my grain.  I must add that this is a fault of mine. 

            Many of us have entertained the adolescent fantasy of becoming a rich and famous rock star.  I know I did.  I am the lead vocalist and primary lyricist of an independent rock band.  Lofty dreams of fame and fortune not withstanding.  When you've been in the game long enough you initial perception of what it takes to be a successful musician becomes somewhat irrelevant. 

            Yes, you have to write awesome songs and perform live as much as possible, but if one thinks that is all it takes then he or she better learn songs like Mustang Sally and Freebird.  Get used to playing in dive bars for a hundred bucks a week.

            "Making It" as an original recording and performance artist is indeed a business venture.  Often times the music can suffer from having to take a back seat to all of the energy sapping tasks that are, in many cases, necessary.  Life isn't easy.  You have to pave your own road to paradise, or so it has been said.

            Let's discuss the aforementioned term "Making It."  Different people have different definitions of the term "Making It" in relation to becoming a rich and famous, it is almost impossible feat, especially considering the climate of today's music industry.

            An artist(s) must tour as much as possible to gain any substantial amount of exposure.  This may be easier for younger musicians who haven't quite put their roots down.  However, it is a slippery slope for those of use with houses, families, car payments, etc…  In the latter case there are many tough decisions to be made.  One factor a home owner must consider is, "How the hell am I gonna pay for my house when I'm out on the road not making any money?"  You better put your thinking cap on buddy.  How bad do you want to become a successful musician?  There are sacrifices that must be made.

            Perhaps if you think outside of the box you just might find a way to have your cake and eat it too.  It takes a lot of mental fortitude to maintain such a balance.

            This business of "Making It" is not for the soft of heart either.  One must be prepared to fight.  If you are passive by nature you will have to learn how to stand firm against the forces that conspire against your dream.  You're not a telephone or e-mail person?  You better become one.  Not a social butterfly?  Time to emerge from your cocoon.  Is your town or city not exactly the hotbed of live music?  Maybe it's time to pull your takes and move. 

            We are in the midst of an industrial revolution concerning music.  The "Record Deal" is not the Holy Grail it once was.  The advent of illegal downloads and file sharing has obliterated the paradigm that has existed since the 1920's.  No one can hope to be successful on the strength of live shows and c.d. sales alone.  No more big advances from the major record companies.  No more maverick A&R execs looking for fresh and exciting music.  They are scared shitless when it comes to deviating from proven formulaic components such as image and the ability to ape the "Current Sound."  Incidentally, the current sound becomes passé as soon as it's referred to as such.

            In most cases, the label's bottom line is their main concern.  They are not your new surrogate family. If they do not profit from your blood, sweat and tears, they will leave you sobbing and bleeding to death in a steamy, garbage infested alley way.  Pretty much right where they found you.

            Many artists on major labels find themselves hawking designer jeans, fragrances, goofy looking sneakers, and acting on horrible films and T.V. shows just to pay their taxes.  Very disconcerting for the true artist.  Of course art for some is just a means to becoming a successful entrepreneur.  Some people just love the art of making money, often at the expense of their integrity and spirit.

            Maybe the money isn't as important to you as exposing as many people to your art as possible.  Well, offer your music on the net for free.  That's about as complicated as such a noble intention can be (I must add that copywriting and publishing your music is always advised).  Sweep floors and scrub toilets for a living, knowing the entire world has unhindered access to your music. They just might want to use your tune for some crappy reality show on MTV without your consent so be careful.  Who knows, you just might find someone banging on your door instead of blooding your knuckles banging on someone else's.  If your true desire is to "Make It", then I cannot whole heartedly endorse this idea.

            What about independent labels?  In most cases, if you have half a brain between you and your fellow band members you can do most, if not all of the things that an independent label does anyway.

            You can promote yourself successfully without the aid of a label.  Here are some suggestions.  First of all, whatever money you and your band makes from gigs must be reinvested back into the band's cause.  That's business rule number one, as a daydreaming artist type, even I know that.  Take into account flyers, gas, food, lodging, etc.  For these basic needs, you might actually find yourself digging in your own pockets.  Ouch!  It's all about sacrifice.  If your venture is recognized by the government on paper, as actual business, then you will be able to write many of these expenses off your tax bill.  You could also be eligible for grants.  There are so many things to consider.

            Other ideas that should be considered are: hiring a lawyer, trade marking your product(s), starting your own music publishing company, soliciting investments, hiring a distribution company, press campaigns, radio campaigns, booking agencies, street teams, my-space, anything you can do to cut out the middle man, the middle man being the label.

            If all of these things work to your advantage then you could start a major label bidding war due to your outstanding success as an independent artist. Then the ball would be in your court.  Why not start your own independent record label?  With boundless enthusiasm and hard work many things are possible.  Enthusiasm is key! 

            What if you just want to "Make a Living" playing your original music.  Are you sure that's all you would be content with?  The things that are required of an original artist to simply make a living are just as daunting as the obstacles that must be met to "Make it Big".  After all, you are still trying to maintain a business.  Do you have a family?  What good is being able to just pay the bills for a house you rarely sleep in and a spouse and children you hardly ever see?  Are you a loner in life?  Do they call you the breeze?  Then music is the life for you. 

            Emotional stability is also key.  Musicians are inherently selfish to a degree.  Sometimes they don't realize how much strain their aspirations can be on their loved ones.  Some serious soul searching and self evaluation always comes into play.

            I must revert to the topic at hand.  Balancing business and art.  You must know in your heart what you truly want out of your life as an artist.  There is not enough time to follow someone else's dream.  Follow yours alone.  If you are fortunate enough share the same dream with like minded artists such as yourself, then band together and play on each other's strengths and weaknesses and venture forth together toward success. 

            Always remember why you fell in love with creating music in the first place.  Was it just to get laid?  Was it so you could afford that big house on the hill?  Or, was it so you could feel at one with the enigmatic and wonderful forces of the universe while singing in the choir that glorifies the miracle of life simultaneously rocking thousands of fucking faces off. 

            Whatever you choose know that whatever the end, the means must be justified.  If you are not happy then you must open your mind to achieve happiness.  If you are passionate enough about what you want to achieve through your art then you must embrace these necessary evils with enthusiasm.  If trying to market you art does not seem to make you happy or especially if it makes you downright miserable, then you must re-evaluate your personal concept of happiness.  Shit or get off of the pot!  Now get down to business.

Local rock band up for Sammy award

By Erica Geller / Special to The Citizen
Sunday, May 27, 2007 10:41 PM EDT

It's no wonder that the best rock category nominees up for a Sammy Award (Syracuse Area Music Award) include Auburn-based band Stone Soul Foundation. The group rips open the first track on its "Into the Flames" album with lyrics "Feeling like I know what to do/ I ain't doubting myself no more."

The five-man Auburn sensation is a mix of blues, funk, metal and rock, and they're not about to back down from the challenge of living the undefined musical life.

That first track, called "Walk Tall," opens with some finger snaps and "Ah ah ahs" that mimic some of that funky old wah-wah '70s soul. Although the lyrics are expected as a culmination of the band's five-year journey as musicians, nobody expects the driving lead and rhythm guitars to pulse through that sassy beginning. That kind of much-welcomed surprise is a sign that the band known as Stone Soul Foundation is not the same five men that made the first album, "Scenic Route," in 2003, but a whole new band with cohesion and a lot to prove.

One part of Stone Soul's foundation is lead vocalist and percussion expert Sean Muldoon, who looks as though he is raging into battle on stage with his dreadlocks and full beard. Muldoon is known for "flailing around on stage like a crazed witch doctor," according to his bandmates and his vocal influences are heavily spiked by Wilson Pickett of "Mustang Sally" fame and James Hetfield of Metallica.

Jeff Wiggins is part of the band's two-guitar assault along with Dan Dennis. Whether it's one playing the solo or the two trying to melt the audience's faces off, the players are inseparable in sound on the new album.

Holding up the band's insistent rhythm is the irreplaceable Doug Paradise on bass. With Stillman serving as the organizing beat of the band, Paradise is known as the machine that drives it along. The band's complicated rhythms on "Into the Flames" would not be possible without Paradise's insistent, full bass sound.

..> ..>

From "Scenic Route," the track "Midnight Lady" opens with higher-than-metal male vocals in a style close to that of Foreigner's Lou Gramm and with the same intensity. Listeners can already hear at this point that there is something worth listening for as well with the showy front guitar solo.

"Scenic Route's" third track, "Heaven," opens with Pink Floyd-esque stylings on vocals and guitar. A softer mood infuses the song, but it lacks the heat and personality of the later tracks on "Into the Flames" such as the primal "Get Up." With a primal drum beat rivaling most modern rock bands, drummer Shane Stillman opens "Get Up" with a technique he learned from a producer who told him, "drum like a caveman." The riff pierces the soul with its insistent rhythm and relents shortly to two guitars who feed on the bridge-like section that follows. It is clear, before the listener even gets to the funk-infused, saxxed up tracks "Now" (featuring Brian Dobbie of Ruby Shooz fame) and "Funk #50" that this is a band who have taken five elements and made them into one stone soul sound.

The SAMMY executive board has selected 13 bands to perform during the show, which will be held at Galaxy Communication's Taste of Syracuse event in Armory Square. The bands are chosen to represent the most contemporary talent in the Syracuse area and will perform on Friday, June 1, between noon and 11 p.m., with seven bands performing before the awards ceremony and six performing during. All performances will take place on the main stage.

The schedule will include Dan Elliott and the Monterays at noon, gospel group The Bells of Harmony at 1 p.m., hip-hop group DooWiTTle at 2 p.m., country band Conan and the Showdogs at 3 p.m., alternative-rock group Merit at 4 p.m., pop performers Letizia and the Z-Band at 5 p.m., alternative new-rock group Candid at 6 p.m. and the awards ceremony at 7 p.m. Playing the ceremony will be Joanne Shenandoah, Bob Halligan, Stroke, the Paul Case Band, Joe Whiting and Mark Doyle. After the awards ceremony, local ska band Razbari Sumthing will headline for the post-awards ceremony party.