Syracuse Ska Forum

Thursday, July 29th

Chris Murray (Los Angeles CA ska-reggae-acoustic)
Vic Ruggiero (Slackers of NYC lead singer solo tour)
The Forthrights (Brooklyn NY reggae)
Thunder Body (Rochester NY reggae-dub featuring former members of Giant Panda)

@ Funk'n Waffles in Syracuse NY.
All ages, $10 cover, doors 6pm, show 6:30-10:30pm.

For more information call 315-863-6013.
Presented by Kingston Beat Productions.

PLEASE NOTE ADDITIONAL DETAILS:

Just got the update exactly how this is going to work. Former members of Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, Thunder Body, will open the show with a 45 minute set starting at 6:30pm. Then Vic Ruggiero of the Slackers will do a 30 minute solo set, followed by Chris Murray doing a 30 minute solo set. Then they will get on stage together, with The Forthrights acting as their backing band and Vic and Chris alternating lead vocals for almost 2 hours. This will be a full band including keyboards, harmonica and banjo. They will be doing a mixture of favorites and obscure songs they normally don't get to play and the goal will be to wrap it up about 10:30pm, as we know quite a few people are driving long distances for this show.

This will be a very memorable evening and we hope you can join us!

I WOULD NEED A LOBOTOMY IF I MISSED THIS SHOW.

Seriously, that's simply insanity. 2 hours worth of backed vic/chris - If you chumps out there miss this show you have passed up a real treat at a rock bottom price that YOU WILL EVER WITNESS AGAIN ON THE EAST COAST FOR AT LEAST SOME TIME AND PROBABLY NOT IN THIS INTIMATE SETTING WITH A FULL BACKING BAND.

Chris never comes here..he just doesn't.

They killed it here in Chicago last week. Seriously, it was amazing. You guys are in for a good show. Enjoy!

All I can say is ... WOW.

At the risk of insulting all the other bands we've hosted this past year, this was THE best show in quite awhile, hands down.

Thunder Body is just sick, sick roots reggae. Forget the panda, these guys are way, way better. I'm never going to miss any more shows they do in Syracuse and in fact, we're going to try to collaborate on future shows.

I'll try to explain how it worked after them ... Chris Murray came up and did an awesome solo set. Basically his acoustic ska, minus stuff he saved for later. I'm just glad the blisters on my feet had healed enough that I could dance to it.

Then Vic Ruggiero came up and did this awesome one-man-band deal. He played guitar, harmonica, drums and tambourine all at the same time. Like an early roots Americana set, ending with a very extended version of "Animales" where he encouraged the audience to make various animal noises along with him. Classic stuff.

Next up was a set by The Forthrights. THIS WAS AMAZING. The tightest trad ska and roots reggae you ever heard. Jimmy Doyle (formerly of The Fad) sings and rips it up completely. He was meant for this music, seriously. Adam Gold was going absolutely nuts and dancing with us like crazy, along with the members of Thunder Body. He wants them to play in Syracuse at least monthly and we're definitely going to see about making that happen. I'd heard they were really good, but that doesn't begin to explain it.

Then Vic came back and joined them for awhile on stage, then The Forthrights did another set, then Chris came up with Vic and they all rocked out for quite awhile. The show ran until 11:10pm, but almost everyone stayed, because it was just that mindblowing.

Much, much thanks to everyone that came out tonight and to Funk'n Waffles for being so supportive of this music. They want all these artists back anytime they're available, in any combination, so hopefully we can work that out.

Lastly, I had to laugh that several people after the show were competing over who could put Vic up for the night. Hilarious.

Let me share some of Danny's sentiments --

Thunderbody, the night's local opener, honestly felt a bit reminiscent of the Upsetters, with a nice early reggae feel, coupled with some turntablism, roots sounds, and great singing. I wish the had a disc for sale because I would have been grabbing it up. These guys blow Panda away...so be sure to see them soon if you are able.

Folks, Chris Murray brought his full bodied one man and a guitar sound to the stage of Funk N' Waffles with 300% heart that doesn't come from playing an early show..in an early spot. It was like Chris Murray request line out there..and we were asking for all the classic tunes: ex-darling, Michael and Ann, F-train, promise. He was a delight to meet personally..always humble and danced in the crowd along side us all the rest of the evening until his set later with the Forthrights.

As for Vic Ruggiero -- many remember his solo performance in Syracuse at the Wescott, where he hammered away on the old piano and sang his ditties. Thursday's performance was a set chock full of tunes from a variety of his efforts and featured him in his one-man-band element, strumming away on the guitar, playing the hi hats and blowing down the harmonica. Some of the fine gentleman of the forthrights found themselves out on stage with vic on bass and drums to fill in on some full band versions of vic tunes.

As for the Forthrights, just great ska music with some new twists. These guys are fun and refreshing and their material sounds great! They provided solid backing for Chris, who played tunes like 'Love Flame' 'Time is the Master' 'I Need Water', and 'Shades of the Same Color', the latter from his recent compilation of tunes, 'Yard Sale'. We were also headed for quite the treat on the Ruggiero end of the spectrum, as most of the songs that were featured hail from his full band effort with Victor Rice, 'Age of Insects'. As a Ruggiero fan, it was great to hear tunes like 'Columbus, TX', 'Sunday Malady', 'California', and 'Love You Mama'...played as intended with a full band!

The value of this show, which was only witnessed by about 40 impressively smart and 'hip to it' folk, far exceeds the price of entry of $10....and was a priceless and intimate music experience.

Said short - ya'll missed out.