Category: News

Fare Thee Well Setbreak Music to be Released as ‘Interludes for the Dead’
Those lucky enough to have attended or watched a stream of the Fare Thee Well concerts this summer, celebrating 50 years of the Grateful Dead, will remember the psychedelic jams played during the intermissions. The band behind the music is called Circles Around the Sun, and they have compiled those songs into an album to be released on Rhino as Interludes for the Dead.

Neal Casal, lead guitarist and co-songwriter for the Chris Robinson Brotherhood and part-time member of Phil Lesh & Friends, convened a group of musicians as Circles Around the Sun specifically for creation of music for the Fare Thee Well intermissions. The new band composed and recorded the songs over the course of a two-day jam session.

According to a press release announcing the forthcoming album:

The project began when Casal was asked by video director Justin Kreutzmann to compose and record more than five hours of original music to be played along with the visuals Kreutzmann was preparing for the Fare Thee Well intermissions. “The idea was to not only show reverence for the past but to ultimately, move it forward. If there’s anything to be learned from the Grateful Dead, it is to dissolve your boundaries, push your limits, and discover your own voice in this world,” explains Casal.

Circles Around the Sun consists of Casal on guitar, Adam MacDougall (Chris Robinson Brotherhood, Phil Lesh & Friends) on keyboards, Dan Horne (Beachwood Sparks, Jonathan Wilson) on bass and Mark Levy (The Congress) on drums. All the music was written collectively with nothing prepared prior to the band’s formation.

Interludes for the Dead will be available on Nov. 27. It will be released digitally as well as in a two-CD package. Additionally, a 180-gram vinyl version will be available on the same day in a limited edition of 5,000 as part of Record Store Day’s Black Friday event.

Interludes for the Dead track listing:

Disc One
1. Hallucinate A Solution
2. Gilbert’s Groove
3. Kasey’s Bones
4. Space Wheel
Disc Two
1. Ginger Says
2. Farewell Franklins
3. Saturday’s Children
4. Scarlotta’s Magnolias
5. Hate And Cane
6. Mountains Of The Moon
October 26, 2015
Grunge Legends Unite to Form Ten Commandos Project
Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron and bassist Ben Shepard have collaborated with Queens of the Stone Age guitarist Alain Johannes and Screaming Trees singer Mark Lanegan to form Ten Commandos, a hard-rock grunge group whose self-titled debut album will be released in late November.

The 10-song album features rock musician Peter Frampton and soul musician Nikka Costa. Frampton will perform on the track “Sketch 9,” while Costa sings on “Come.”

The record’s opening track “Staring Down the Dust” was released as a single on Oct. 9, featuring Lanegan’s raspy vocals over dirty guitar parts and heavy drumming with enough angst to teleport you back to 1990s Seattle.

Ten Commandos is available to be purchased on pre-sale at PearlJam.com. CDs are on sale for $11.99, while vinyls cost $22.99.

This most recent project is just the latest of Cameron and Shepard collaboration projects. The two played together in the band Hater, founded in 1993. Hater released two albums, the self-titled album released in 1993 and The 2nd, released in 2005.

Cameron and Shepard also paired up in the group Wellwood Conspiracy, which released four studio albums between 1997 and 2003.

Soundgarden is currently recording their seventh studio album, to be released in 2016.

Ten Commandos song list
- Staring Down the Dust
- War on the Peace
- Outermost Sky
- Come
- You Might Forget
- Sketch 9
- Sporthalle
- Four on the Floor
- Aware
- Invisibility
October 22, 2015
Floodwood Announces Lineup Change

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 Amico remaining in the band. They are currently seeking new members.

While not an audition (or is it?), Floodwood also announced they would be performing a Dec. 5 Holiday concert at the Kirkland Arts Center in Clinton NY with special guest bassist Tony Markellis (Trey Anastasio Band). Ticketing information has yet to be released.

Check out the full announcement below:

Hi Folks,

We know things have been quiet for the last couple of months and there some big changes we want to share with you…

Due to shifts in various life circumstances, both Al and Zach have made the decision to move on from Floodwood. This is a huge change and we will certainly miss their presence on and off stage. Our hope is that occasionally when they have time that one or both of them will be able to make appearances with us.

That said, Vin, Jay and Nick have decided to carry on Floodwood in some fashion or another. You may be wondering what the new band will look like, who will be involved, what it will sound like, etc….. So do we. We have started the process/brainstorming but it may take a little time. What we do know is that we absolutely love to play, love to have fun and of course we love the interaction with our amazing fans. In the upcoming months, we will be making decisions about who we want to be in the band. We are going to be trying some different combinations of musicians/friends until we get that “fit” we are looking for. We hope that you all will come see some of these shows as we try out different things… Please get involved! Let us know what you think about what you hear; we want your input!

To get it all going, we are going to start with a holiday concert at the Kirkland Arts Center in Clinton, NY. We’re excited to have special guest, Tony Markellis from Trey Anastasio Band on bass! Show is December 5, more details to follow!

Thank you all for your incredible support of the band for these past 5 yrs. We’ve had so many great times with you all and look forward to many, many more.

Thanks!
Vin, Jay & Nick

October 21, 2015
Phil Lesh Diagnosed with Bladder Cancer

Shockwaves rippled through the jam world last night as Phil Lesh released a statement announcing he is battling bladder cancer, and has been forced to cancel the Phil and Friends shows with Chris Robinson scheduled for the 24th and 25th of this month.

The statement reads as follows:

Dear Friends,

I am sorry to let you know that I will need to cancel the October 24th and 25th Phil & Friends shows with Chris Robinson.

I was diagnosed with bladder cancer in early October, and have spent the last few weeks at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale doing tests and eventually surgery to remove the tumors. I am very fortunate to have the pathology reports show that the tumors are all non aggressive, and that there is no indication that they have spread.

So thanks to my local doctor Cliff Sewell, and the incredible team at the Mayo Clinic, all is well and I can return to normal activities in two weeks from my surgery. Unfortunately, that means I will have to cancel the PLF shows scheduled for Oct 24/25. We will reschedule these shows as soon as we can, but in the meantime, keep a lookout for a free Grate Room show before I leave for the East Coast shows. I also plan to pop in and jam in the bar before we leave, so I hope to see you there at Terrapin.

Love Will See You Through….
-Phil

PS Ticket refund info will be posted soon

While nothing is known about Lesh’s prognosis beyond the statement, the general consensus is that while the news is worrisome, the non-aggressive nature of the tumors that were removed and the quick turnaround from surgery indicate some reason for optimism about the Grateful Dead founding member’s well being.

Lesh’s run of shows at The Capitol Theatre scheduled for Oct. 30 and 31, and November 6 and 7 are still on at this point in time.

The whole team at NYS Music wishes Phil Lesh the best of luck with future testing and a speedy recovery from cancer following his recent surgery.

October 17, 2015
Bob Weir Hints at More Performances with Fare Thee Well Lineup

With Dead & Company hitting the road later this month, starting at The Times Union Center in Albany, Bob Weir shed some light on the the upcoming tour as well as the potential for more shows with the Fare Thee Well “Core Four” in the future.

Weir had high praise for John Mayer, filling in for lead guitar with this modified FTW lineup. “John’s enthusiasm for this is amazing — I couldn’t believe it. He learned the songs, has great enthusiasm, and he’s a great guitar player. So he fits in perfectly.” Mayer addressed his role in a humble manner, referring to his role by saying, “I don’t feel the pressure, but I would say I feel a responsibility.”

For those looking to see the Core Four perform together again, Weir offered hope to Deadheads hoping for more shows with bassist Phil Lesh. “Phil doesn’t want to hit the road. He’s 75 now. It’s kind of not an option for him, the way he puts it. And so, you know, that’s still where we are; that’s still where we’re going to live, at least I am. And so, if we’re going to see him, we’re going to see him around here or around someplace where he is.”

Suffice it to say, if there were to be shows, they would be similar to the two and three-day events held in Santa Clara, California, and Chicago this past summer, and not a full-blown tour.

October 11, 2015
Holly Bowling Announces 2015 Fall Tour

Classical pianist Holly Bowling has announced that she plans to hit the road for a tour in the fall of 2015 to support her current album, Distillation Of A Dream: The Music Of Phish Reimagined For Solo Piano. The tour will feature some headlining dates in between opening shows for Pink Talking Fish.

Holly will start the tour opening a pair of shows for Pink Talking Fish in Denver, Colorado, at Quixote’s True Blue, while ending the 13-date run with a two-day stay at the Pittsburgh Winery in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Bowling will also play two shows in New York, first appearing at The College of Saint Rose’s Massry Center for the Performing Arts in Albany on Oct. 28 and Rockwood Music Hall in New York City on Nov. 8.

Fans can also catch Bowling sail off on Jan. 6-11 on Jam Cruise 14, and she’ll appear at the AURA Music and Arts Festival on March 3-5.

Bowling’s album Distillation Of A Dream: The Music Of Phish Reimagined For Solo Piano has been released on Royal Potato. Fans can also snatch up a vinyl version of Bowling’s arrangement of Tahoe Tweezer, also on the Royal Potato Family.

Touring Cycle:

10-16-2015 – Quixote’s True Blue – Denver, CO

10-17-2015 – Quixote’s True Blue – Denver, CO

10-18-2015 – Owsley’s Golden Road – Boulder, CO^

10-28-2015 – Massry Center for the Arts – Albany, NY^

10-29-2015 – Higher Ground – Burlington, VT

11-03-2015 – The Lilypad – Cambridge, MA^

11-05-2015 – 8×10 Club – Baltimore, MD

11-06-2015 – Gypsy Sally’s – Washington, D.C.

11-07-2015 – Underground Arts – Philadelphia, PA

11-08-2015 – Rockwood Music Hall – New York, NY^

11-10-2015 – Woodlands Tavern – Columbus, OH^

11-11-2015 – Pittsburgh Winery – Pittsburgh, PA^

11-12-2015 – Pittsburgh Winery – Pittsburgh PA^ **

01-06-11-2016 Jam Cruise 14 – Miami, FL

03-03-05-2016 AURA Music and Arts Festival – Live Oak, FL

^ headlining dates

**featuring music of Phish and the Grateful Dead

October 9, 2015
UPDATE: The Cure Add Third NYC Date at MSG in 2016

The Cure‘s first announcement of a single performance at Madison Square Garden sparked such a demand that a second show was added. Now, the demand was such that a third (and final) MSG show with The Cure has been announced for Monday June 20, 2016 (in addition to the 18th and 19th). A presale will happen Thursday Oct. 22 at 9am EST on Ticketmaster with password DISINTEGRATION. Regular on-sale will happen Friday Oct. 22 at 9am EST on the same site.

Original Article:

The Cure will hit North America next year with a 25-show tour. The announcement comes with a tease – only three of those dates have so far been announced while the rest will be released in January.

On June 18, 2016, The Cure will play Madison Square Garden. A special pre-sale will take place Thursday, Oct. 8, starting at 10 a.m. and tickets will be available to the public Friday, Oct. 9, at 10 a.m.

Check out the tour announcement posting on The Cure’s website here for full details on the pre-sale and public on sale.

The other two dates announced so far are May 22 at Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles and June 10 at UIC Pavilion in Chicago. While The Cure have played several shows (namely, festivals) in the past handful of years, this will be the band’s first major tour in North America since 2008.

Joining The Cure at these MSG shows in 2016 will be The Twilight Sad, a post-punk outfit from Scotland with four studio albums under their belt.

October 7, 2015
Cattle Decapitation and Phish Meet as Garbage Dick

Recently at Club Metronome in Burlington, musical worlds collided when Phish drummer Jon Fishman collaborated with members of Cattle Decapitation, King Parrot, Black Crown Initiate and Dark Sermon, merging for a performance under the name Garbage Dick.

Cattle Decapitation bassist Derek Engemann posted this picture with Phish drummer Jon Fishman.

Played a random set for GARBAGE DICK with Mr. Jon Fishman from Phish #cattledecapitation #phish #garbagedick #quitplayin

A photo posted by Derek Engemann (@derekfuneral) on Oct 2, 2015 at 10:13am PDT

While we await video of this odd performance, go see Cattle Decapitation on tour with Cannibal Corpse as they play several shows across New York state this month including:

Oct 14 @ Emporium Patchogue, NY

Oct 16 @ The Chance Poughkeepsie, NY

Oct 17 @ Lost Horizon Syracuse, NY

October 6, 2015
Perpetual Groove Returns to New York After their Two Year Hiatus

NYS Music would like to welcome back Perpetual Groove, a name that jammers sadly said their goodbyes to after an indefinite hiatus began following their April 5, 2013 show. They head to Brooklyn Bowl on their reunion tour.

Their 2015 comeback shows in at the State Theatre in Petersburg, FL on July 31 and Aug. 1 have only been followed by an Aug. 29 show at the Pisgah Brewery in North Carolina and a two-day set at the Resonance Arts and Music Festival in Ohio on Sept. 25 and Sept. 26.

The Brooklyn Bowl shows on Friday Oct. 9 and Saturday Oct. 10 are their only northeast shows scheduled for 2015, so make sure you purchase your tickets in advance. And if you needed another twist of your arm, the McLovins will be opening Friday night’s show and The Hip Abduction will be opening Saturday.

Tickets: $17 advance / $20 day of show. Doors: 6 p.m. Show: 8 p.m. 21+

October 6, 2015
Update: Battle of the NYC Festivals: Panorama Gains Political Support, Poses Rivalry to Governors Ball, Madison Square Garden Festival Uncertain

In the ongoing development of NYC Festivals news, it was announced recently that key Queens leaders have joined together in support of the proposed Panorama Music Festival, slated to take place a few weeks after Governors Ball. Taking place at the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park (site of the 1939 and 1964 World’s Fairs), the festival is promising to be a big boost for the local community.

Congressman Joseph Crowley (Jackson Heights), and City Councilmembers Julissa Ferreras (Corona), Karen Koslowitz (Forest Hills) and Petter Koo (Flushing) have all made statements favoring the Panorama festival, citing its potential for an economic boost. “The Panorama Music Festival will provide a fantastic opportunity for Queens to take its rightful place as a New York City showcase,” Crowley stated in a press release from Goldenvoice, the festival promoter.

The press release issued by Goldenvoice, a plan is outlined for its commitment to being a sustainable partner for the park with Panorama. The festival plans to offer a three-day medical clinic for local residents (with a capacity of 1,500). Portions of ticket sales will be donated to a newly formed Flushing Meadows-Corona Park Alliance, and the local businesses expect to fair well with the influx of festival goers.

No official date for Panorama has been set yet, although rumors point to mid-June, just a few weeks after and only about seven miles from Governors Ball.

UPDATE 11/3/2015

The New York City summer festival situation is starting to look more like the Triwizard Tournament from Harry Potter. This week the New York Post reported that Madison Square Garden is now seeking permission for a major festival in Queens around the same time as AEG Live has proposed their Panorama festival NYS Music first reported below. Unlike AEG Live’s festival, MSG would keep their festival planning in NY hands. However, this would still pose a risk to the independently-run Governors Ball festival, whose organizers have launched a petition for Mayor DiBlasio to reconsider AEG’s proposal. Founders Entertainment, the NYC-based organizers of Governors Ball and Farmborough on Randall’s Island have not yet commented on MSG’s entry into the festival circuit.

Original posting:

New York City has seen a rise in the music festival scene in recent years, most notably with the Electric Zoo festival and the increasingly popular Governors Ball festival held on Randall’s Island.

Recently the promoters of Coachella, AEG Live, have been eyeing a location for a major festival opposite the East River from Manhattan in Flushing Meadows, Queens – Corona Park to be more specific. It would be one of the borough’s largest events since the 1964 World’s Fair. The organizers of the festival are showing they are ambitious, already in preliminary talks with artists who could be on the lineup.

A second major alternative festival in NYC would be a welcome addition. Governors Ball has been sold out in advance of the festival for the past few years, showing that the interest and demand for a weekend of live music is strong and even growing. As most major events do, the new festival would likely help the local economy out but could come with concerns for short-term headaches arising from festival traffic and other municipal demands.

Governors Ball, which has only been around since 2011, has claimed a stronghold in the festival scene with solid lineups spanning alternative and indie genres. Ticket demand for GovBall show that it shouldn’t be competing with what would be a similar festival taking place not too far away on the western end of Long Island. The only problem: This new festival, tentatively dubbed Panorama, may occur two weeks after Governors Ball (which has taken root to the first weekend in June) and could draw attendance away from the independently-run festival.

Founders Entertainment, which runs Governors Ball and the newer FarmBorough festival, is an independent music and brand promoter based out of NYC. AEG Live is a global sporting and music entertainment promoter based out of Los Angeles, second in scale to Live Nation.

(Some details taken from the New York Daily News.)

October 2, 2015