UpState Productions Blog: #New York

Digital Dharma is a four piece electro-jamband from Albany (and a lil Brooklyn) with Aaron on Drums, Eli on the Synth, Jesse on the guitar, and Steve on bass. I got to talk to the latter, Steve, on who Digital Dharma is and what they hope to bring to the EDM community.

Cannedass: How do you make all of those wild sounds with your conventional (non-computer) instruments? Steve: Yeah, it kinda sounds like a DJ, right?

Cannedass: It really does. Without revealing too much, how do exactly do you guys do that?

Steve: Well it’s ahh… talent, I guess. Haha

Cannedass: Haha. Talent. Works for me, I believe it!

Steve: I don’t know, I’m not hating on DJ’s, but everybody’s a DJ’s now and anyone can push a button. Not many people are playing in bands. We’re just trying to make an actual live electronica experience with instruments. A lot of people these days are doing a lot of computers. But right now we have no computers, no beat or drum machines, nothing electronic besides our synthesizer. Right now we’re more organic. Not putting much more into it. We have what we have and we make music with it.

Cannedass: And how long have you guys been playing together? Did you know each other before then? Steve: Actually it will be a year this March. Our drummer and our synth player have known each other for a few years, they got to SUNY Albany right now. They found me on Craigslist…

Cannedass: Oh wow, and you didn’t kill them… that’s a good start.

Steve: No, what I do kill is the bass! Haha I murder the bass!

Cannedass: The Craigslist Bass Murderer!

Steve: We found our guitar player on Craigslist as well. He was a good find, a key find. We really got lucky it doesn’t happen very often to find that kinda talent on Craigslist.

Cannedass: When you guys came together did you all have the same idea to make organic Electronic music? Steve: Yeah. We all came together for the same reasons.

Cannedass: Who are you influences?

Steve: We all have different backgrounds so we all have different input on everything. It’s a lot of genres put together. Live electronica dub fusion. But we’re into like, The Disco Biscuits, STS9, The New Deal, and The Guerillas. We’re trying to get a more Shpongle like sound kind of tribal. We put a lot of things together and make it work. It’s always a good time.

Cannedass:You play a lot of live shows I noticed.

Steve: Yeah, we’re working on getting in the studio, getting some stuff out, the sooner the better. We’re really looking forward to playing some festivals this season.

Cannedass: What can we expect Tonight at the Dry Dock?

Steve: A lot of energy. We bring a lot of energy and I like to dance so I’m pretty much dancing while I play. I may be in the crowd at some point just dancing with everyone while I play. We’re a good time. Hopefully everyone’s drinking and loosened up a bit nice and early. We’re going on at 8:30 so we’re getting it started!!

Cannedass: Do you have any shout outs upcoming shows?

Steve: ‘Yo Mom! What it is?!’… haha Um ...We’ve been working with Greg Bell out in Albany, he’s a big promoter and booking agent. He hooked us up with Biodiesel and that was a huge success! They’re a great band to play with just because they’re so developed and world renowned. I’m happy that Greg hooked us up with that. Also Deathwaltz Media Group from Philly hooked us up with a sweet 420 show at Triumph Brewery and we’re playing March 15th, next Thursday, with Psychedelphia.

Cannedass: Well that’s it folks. If you’re in the PA area check out one of the upcoming shows, If you’re Upstate get you’re ass out to Digital Friday at The Dry Dock in Newburgh! Check out the fb. Watch the blog. And as always…

Feel Free to be Free!
<3Cannedass

Upstate Productions Presents: Electric Fridays

Where: Dry Dock 90 Broadway Newburgh NY 12550

When: March 9,2012 Time: 8:00pm-4:00am

18 TO ENTER (BEFORE 12am) YOU CAN STAY AFTER 12…

21 TO DRINK MUST HAVE ID!

Lineup: -Chris Bale- http://soundcloud.com/Livinthedream-records https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1453921075

-Digital Dharma- http://digitaldharmalive.bandcamp.com/ https://www.facebook.com/ddddharma www.soundcloud.com/digitaldharma

-J. Demonic- www.facebook.com/jasondemonic

-Digital Hot Sauce- http://soundcloud.com/search?q%5Bfulltext%5D=digital+hot+sauce

-M?M?- http://soundcloud.com/tim-sullivan-2 www.facebook.com/tonethedon www.twitter.com/timsullivan13

-R.P.M.- www.soundcloud.com/RPMMUSIC http://www.facebook.com/rpmhypnosis

-DJ Dueces- http://www.facebook.com/pages/DJ-Dueces/278686542185527?ref=ts https://twitter.com/#!/DaveyDefinition

-Heat Generator- http://soundcloud.com/dj-bronzejaker

Body Paining will be there!!! Fore more info go to..... https://www.facebook.com/events/317878448270420/

Partners/Sponsors -Dry Dock-

http://www.facebook.com/drydocknightclub

If you’re not from Upstate NY you may not be familiar with the city of Newburgh, New York. Nestled along the scenic Hudson River, it was also the location of Washington’s Headquarters for much of the Revolutionary war. While Historic and beautiful, Newburgh was just last year hailed ‘The Murder Capital of New York”, by Patrick Radden Keef, of New York Magazine.

Newburgh is a community that’s worth fighting for, and that many are fighting for. The Newburgh Armory Unity Center is one of the community’s big saves. Originally built in 1931, when the Armory was finally decommissioned it was sold to the city of Newburgh by the State of New York for $1.00... On a check that would read, ‘one-dollar’…In 2010 a three day event called “Unity of the Community” brought together a number of not for profit organizations, concerned citizens, and public educators who realized the need for such a positive establishment.

What brought these people together, and what will ultimately save the city of Newburgh and the World at large, is what Upstate Productions next music Festival is all about. We’re Joining with 845 Entertainment to bring an array of artists and DJ’s for two full days of music that is The Peace and Harmony Music Festival, to be held at The Newburgh Armory Unity Center!!! Unfortunately, this is where I note that there will be no camping; however, I’m searching the area for nearby campsites and other convenient lodging. I’ll be sure to blog about area accommodations as the festival approaches.

Peace and Harmony is not just for Hippies! That’s an old wives tale told by angry Nom vets. Mahatma Gandhi, not a vet, said, “Each one has to find his peace from within. And peace, to be real must be unaffected by outside circumstances.” I don’t want to be the person to disagree with Gandhi... and really, I’m not completely disagreeing with him. But, I feel that our inner peace can affect outside circumstances. It’s something I saw about water molecules that makes me believe this. Masaru Emoto in 1994 began freezing water and looking at it through a microscope. He eventually discovered that by subjecting the water to an outside influence, written word, spoken word, music, that was fueled either negatively or positively, effected the appearance of the frozen water molecule under a microscope, as seen in the picture below.

So, check out the line up below. Bring your most peaceful, harmonious inner personal wishes and thoughts for the city of Newburgh, for your family, the stranger next to you. It's going to be an amazing time. Let's face it spring is practically here. I'm itchin' for festival season and this one is just around the corner! Check back for band and vendor spotlights! Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to be doubly 'bout it!

As Always,

Feel Free to be Free

<3 Cannedass

THIS IS AN ALL AGES EVENT

Saturday, May 26 at 12:30pm

Price TBA

Lineup

Don Stone

J.Demonic

Tell A Tall Tale

Digital Hot Sauce

Brown Bread And Von-Holt

Greek

A.R. Dash