Category: News Desk

  • Saratoga Performing Arts Center 50th Summer Lineup

    The state’s premier outdoor concert venue is celebrating its 50th anniversary this summer as Saratoga Performing Arts Center kicks off its golden anniversary concert season with the fourth running of the SPAC Rock and Run, which offers 5k, 10k and half marathon distances, on May 15. Albany-area siblings Jocelyn and Chris Arndt, who were breakout artists at last fall’s Utica Music and Arts Festival, will perform as part of the SPAC Rock and Run Races.

    Once the music takes over, highlights this season include a three-night run from Phish July 1 to 3 and a double bill of Dave Matthews Band July 15 and 16. Dead and Company pay a visit to SPAC June 21 with John Mayer laying down Jerry’s licks, and Mumford and Sons bring their electric brand of folk to a sold-out show on June 15.

    The annual Freihofers Saratoga Jazz Festival, featuring headliner Smokey Robinson in addition to three 2016 Grammy Award winners, Jon Cleary, Christian McBride, and Eliane Elias, takes place June 25 and 26.

    SPAC’s long-time resident the Philadelphia Orchestra takes up its annual residency beginning Aug. 3, and the New York City Ballet brings 16 ballet performances throughout July.

    Saratoga Performing Arts Center 2016 Pop/Rock Schedule:

    June 11 – Dixie Chicks
    June 15 – Mumford and Sons
    June 21 – Dead and Company
    July 1 – Phish
    July 2 – Phish
    July 3 – Phish
    July 5 – Journey, The Doobie Brothers, Dave Mason
    July 10 – Steely Dan with Steve Winwood
    July 12 – Disturbed and Breaking Benjamin with Alter Bridge and Saint Asonia
    July 13 – Tedeschi Trucks Band with Los Lobos and North Mississippi Allstars
    July 15 – Dave Matthews Band
    July 16 – Dave Matthews Band
    July 24 – Slipknot with Marilyn Manson and Of Mice and Men
    July 25 – Josh Groban with Sarah McLachlan
    July 26 – Janet Jackson
    Sept. 3 – Zac Brown Band with Drake White and the Big Fire
    Sept. 8 – Heart with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and Cheap Trick

    https://youtu.be/pJ9Hmy3fPK8

  • The Country Music Community Mourns One of Their Most Beloved As Joey Feek Passes

    It is with a heavy heart that NYS Music reports Joey Feek has passed away today from cervical cancer.  In her husband Rory’s personal blog dedicated to his wife and their life, he shares with family, friends, and fans, that “My wife’s greatest dream came true today. She is in Heaven.”

    …some birthdays are more than just birthdays. They’re dreams coming true and prayers being answered.

    A photo posted by Joey+Rory (@roryandjoey) on

    Joey Feek, one half of county duo Joey & Rory, was diagnosed in June of 2014 with cervical cancer, following the birth of her daughter, Indiana.  In 2015, after unsuccessfully undergoing treatments, Joey & Rory announced that they had decided to forgo further treatments and spend the rest of their time together with those she loved around her.  Setting her sights on making it through the holidays, the Grammy’s (for which they were a nominee this year), daughter Indiana’s second birthday celebration, and Valentine’s Day with her husband, Joey and Rory shared each personal moment with all of us as we cheered them on and prayed each day for them.  Gathering strength from her faith, and those around her, Joey’s fight was momentous and her courage beyond inspiring. For all that followed this country and bluegrass musical duo, you could tell the love they shared in their music, each other, and everything they did.

    Joey & Rory came to the attention of Nashville and the country music world when they came in third in 2008 on CMT’s Can You Duet. With Joey singing lead vocals, and Rory background vocals and playing guitar, they recorded eight studio albums, were nominated and won multiple ACM, CMA, and Grammy Awards, and were well respected members of the country music community family.

    We close with a song recorded many years prior to Joey’s illness, as she sings a message to inspire each of us after she’s gone.

  • Slightly Stoopid Stopping in Utica this Summer

    California reggae-fusion act Slightly Stoopid has announced their ninth annual cross-country summer tour, bringing them to Saranac Brewery in Utica on July 22.

    The Return Of The Red Eye Summer Tour will criss-cross the country, hitting amphitheaters and pavilions throughout North America, with supporting act SOJA announced as direct support for most dates. Zion I, the Grouch & Eligh and Fortunate Youth will also perform on select portions of the tour, with all acts aside from Fortunate Youth performing at Saranac Brewery on July 22.

    Return of the Red Eye Summer Tour Dates:
    6/15 Redmond, WA – Marymoor Park # *
    6/17 Eugene, OR – Cuthbert Amphitheater # *
    6/24 Berkeley, CA – Greek Theatre # *
    6/25 Irvine, CA – Irvine Meadows # *
    6/26 Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Bowl # *
    6/30 Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex # *
    7/01 Las Vegas, NV – TBA # *
    7/02 Stateline, NV – Harvey’s Outdoor Arena # *
    7/03 San Luis Obispo, CA – Avila Beach Resort # *
    7/09 San Diego, CA – Sleep Train Amphitheatre # *
    7/15 Houston, TX – The Lawn at White Oak Music Hall # *
    7/16 Corpus Christi, TX – Concrete Street Amphitheater Pavilion # *
    7/17 New Braunfels, TX – Whitewater Amphitheater # *
    7/21 Portland, ME – Maine State Pier # *
    7/22 Utica, NY – Saranac Brewery # *
    7/24 Simsbury, CT – Simsbury Performing Arts Center # *
    7/29 Portsmouth, VA – Portsmouth Pavilion # *
    7/30 Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater # *
    7/31 North Charleston, SC – Riverfront Park # *
    8/03 Des Moines, IA – Brenton Skate Plaza # *
    8/04 Kansas City, MO – Crossroads # *
    8/06 Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre # *
    8/07 Council Bluffs, IA – Stir Cove # *
    8/11 St. Augustine, FL – St. Augustine Amphitheatre # !
    8/12 Cocoa, FL – Riverfront Park # !
    8/14 St. Petersburg, FL – Vinoy Park # !
    8/18 Boston, MA – Blue Hills Bank Pavilion # !
    8/19 Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony Summer Stage # !
    8/20 Philadelphia, PA – Festival Pier # !
    8/21 Baltimore, MD – Pier Six Pavilion !
    8/25 Minneapolis, MN – Cabooze Outdoors # !
    8/27 Cleveland, OH – Jacobs Pavilion # !

    # with SOJA
    * with Zion I, The Grouch & Eligh
    ! with Fortunate Youth

  • Def Leppard Announce Extensive 2016 North American Summer Tour

    Def Leppard will embark on a 55-city 2016 North American tour, which will include three New York dates, starting with the Moonstone Festival in Orlando, Florida, on May 1.  The tour will extend all the way to the beginning of the fall season, ending at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Oct. 10.

    Joining the boys from England for the extensive tour will be REO Speedwagon and Tesla. STYX will appear on select dates near the beginning of the tour, replacing REO Speedwagon on some dates.

    Def Leppard will make three stops in New York. The first will take place on June 27 at the Lakeview Amphitheater in Syracuse, then on July 11 they’ll play Nikon at Jones Beach in Wantagh and Darien Lake Aug. 31.

    Def Leppard was formed in 1977. The band’s third studio album, Pyromania, and their fourth studio album, Hysteria, are both certified Diamond with more than 10 million copies sold. With smash hits like “Pour Some Sugar On Me,” “Love Bites,” the title track “Hysteria,” “Animal,” “Rocket” and “Armageddon It,” it’s not wonder that the Hysteria album alone has sold more than 25 million copies worldwide.

    Def Leppard has released 11 studio albums and sold more than 100 million records worldwide. Def Leppard also holds the honor of being one of five rock bands to have two studio albums released in the United States to reach diamond certification.

    Def Leppard, Reo Speedwagon, Tesla tour dates:

    05-01 – Moonstone Festival – Orlando, FL
    05-04 – Cajundome – Lafayette, LA*
    05-05 – American Bank Center – Corpus Christi, TX*
    05-07 – State Farms Arena – Hidalgo, TX*
    05-10 – Century Link Center – Bossier City, LA
    05-11 – Verizon Arena – Little Rock, AR
    05-13 – Greensboro Coliseum – Greensboro, NC
    05-15 – Mohegan Sun Arena – Uncasville, CT
    05-17 – PPL Center – Allentown, PA
    05-18 – Big Sandy Arena – Huntington, WV
    05-20 – Amway Center – Orlando, FL**
    06-22 – Xfinity Center – Boston, MA
    06-24 – Darling’s Waterfront -Bangor, ME
    06-25 – Videotron Centre – Quebec City, QC
    06-27 – Lakeview Amphitheater- Syracuse, NY
    06-29 – Hershey Park Stadium – Hershey, PA
    07-01 – Klipsch Music Center – Indianapolis, IN
    07-02 – Hollywood Casino – Chicago, IL
    07-05 – Riverbend Music Center – Cincinnati, OH
    07-06 – Summerfest – Milwaukee, WI
    07-08 – First Niagara Pavillion – Pittsburgh, PA
    07-09 – Van Andel Arena – Grand Rapids, MI
    07-11 – Nikon at Jones Beach – Wantagh, NY
    07-13 – PNC Bank Arts Center – Holmdel, NJ
    07-15 – DTE Music Theatre -Detroit, MI
    07-16 – Molson Canadian Amphitheater -Toronto, ON
    08-06 – Alliant Energy Center -Madison, WI
    08-08 – Ford Center – Evansville, IN
    08-10 – Jiffy Lube Center – Bristow, VA
    08-12 – Aaron’s Amphitheater – Atlanta, GA
    08-13 – Walnut Creek Amphitheater -Raleigh, NC
    08-17 – Oak Mountain Amphitheater -Birmingham, AL
    08-19 – Austin 360 – Austin, TX
    08-22 – Cynthia Woods Pavilion -Houston, TX
    08-24 – Gexa Energy Pavilion – Dallas, TX
    08-26 – Sprint Center – Kansas City, MO
    08-27 – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater – St. Louis, MO
    08-29 – Blossom Music Center – Cleveland, OH
    08-31 – Darien Lake Performing Arts Center – Darien Center, NY
    09-14 – Metra Park – Billings, MT
    09-16 – USANA Amphitheater – Salt Lake City, UT
    09-17 – Pepsi Center -Denver, CO
    09-19 – Isleta Amphitheater – Albuquerque, NM
    09-20 – Ak-Chin Pavilion -Phoenix, AZ
    09-22 – Irvine Meadows Amphitheater – Irvine, CA
    09-24 – Toyota Amphitheater – Sacramento, CA***
    09-25 – Shoreline Amphitheater – Mountain View, CA
    09-28 – Taco Bell Arena – Boise, ID
    09-30 – Matthew Knight Arena – Eugene, OR
    10-01 – Tacoma Dome – Tacoma, WA
    10-04 – CenturyLink Center – Omaha, NE
    10-05 – Xcel Energy Center – Minneapolis, MN
    10-07 – La Crosse Center Arena – La Crosse, WI
    10-08 – Huntington Center – Toledo, OH
    10-10 – U.S. Cellular Center – Cedar Rapids, IA

    *STYX to appear / No REO Speedwagon
    **No REO Speedwagon
    ***No Tesla

  • Saturday Nights in March at Funk n Waffles Presented by NYS Music

    Spring has sprung, and the funk is deep at Funk n Waffles in Syracuse. NYS Music is proud to present these great shows on Saturday nights throughout March at the popular downtown Syracuse venue.

    March 5 – Gigantosaurus Rex with Baked Potatoes

    Gigantosaurus Rex is angular, obtuse, and dynamic and while they are not a jamband, they bring a crushing sound created by three musicians.

    Baked Potatoes is a 7 piece reggae band from Oneonta who love to put smiles on people’s faces. The Potatoes have been mastering their live performance with countless Upstate NY concerts playing with Sammy Adams, HR, The Sheds, The Fat Piece & many more. Having just released their debut EP, Waiting For The Weekend, Baked Potatoes is a band that will keep you dancing & wanting more.

    March 12 – Our Friends Band with Folk Faces and Primo Ganso

    Grooverockers Our Friend Band brings blues and funk and push musical boundaries through live improvisation and fresh takes on pre-existing material.

    Folkfaces out of Buffalo play a rowdy blend of rootsy folk, jazz, and blues, fusing classic forms with contemporary feelings and irresistibly danceable energy. Their inspiration comes from the mountains of Appalachia to the deltas of Mississippi, the swamps of Louisiana to the Concrete Jungle of the Rustbelt. Specializing in merriment and sticking it to the system, Folkfaces make the crowd dance and the hierarchy shatter.

    March 19 – Root SHOCK with Mosaic Foundation

    Root SHOCK blends roots reggae, dancehall, heavy drum & bass, and soulful vocals with conscious lyrics into positive dance music will make you want to move. The band has been surprising and delighting crowds across the Central New York region and beyond, bringing their unique high-energy style spearheaded by the stunning vocals of Jessica Brown to a wide range of settings. The band’s dedication to spreading music with a positive message has paid off in entertaining, elevating, and energizing music lovers of all walks of life! 2016 promises to be an explosive year for Root Shock, as they’ve finally made time to record their first studio album, are anchoring a monthly Syracuse reggae night designed to bring the best and most diverse acts that modern reggae has to offer to the area. They’re not stopping there though; the band is set to hit the road to spread their uplifting message and vibes and take their renowned live performances to the masses!

    With a style as unique as its members are diverse, Mosaic Foundation is forward thinking reggae that stays true to the roots. Formed in 2009 and based in the Finger Lakes region of New York, the band has grown a loyal following, thanks to electric live performances and three studio releases. Blending roots, ska, dub, dance-hall and beyond, Mosaic is an exploration in reggae that is pushed to the limits and sometimes spills over. With lyrics that inspire dancing in the moment, and activate the mind in reflection, the songs encourage positivity, sustainable living and community.

    March 26 – Big Mean Sound Machine

    A thunderous dance party that fuses Afrobeat, Jazz, Funk,and Psychedelia, Big Mean Sound Machine is charting new musical territory with it’s latest release Contraband, recorded live in summer and winter of 2013. Big Mean continually re-defines the boundaries of dance music; meditation meets party time.

    All shows start at 8pm each night. Visit Funk n Waffles for more info.

  • Jimkata Goes Panda in New Music Video

    Ithaca-based band Jimkata got the Nerdist nod this week. The band used the website to release its first music video, for the single “Wild Ride,” from their latest album In Motion. The video features the members of Jimkata dressed in panda costumes, riding on scooters, and partaking in an animal dance party.

    Aaron Gorsch, Evan Friedell & Packy Lunn- Jimkata- Copyright Pat Tellier

    The video is currently exclusively only available through the Nerdist wesbite.

    After a brief hiatus this past fall, the three piece of Evan Friedell, Aaron Gorsch and Packy Lunn returned with the release of their second fan-funded album. The band is currently touring in support of the record.

    Jimkata returns to the Aura Music Festival this weekend before jumping back on the road. Their current tour is making several stops in New York state including Buffalo, Rochester, New York City and the band’s hometown of Ithaca.

    JIMKATA TOUR DATES

    Mar 03 — Live Oak, FL — Aura Music Festival
    Mar 05 — Savannah, GA — Barrelhouse South
    Mar 17 — Washington, DC — Gypsy Sallys
    Mar 18 — Asbury Park, NJ — The Saint
    Mar 19 — Hamden, CT — The Outer Space
    Mar 24 — Pittsburgh, PA — Club Cafe
    Mar 25 — Harrisburg, PA — Abbey Bar
    Mar 26 — Buffalo, NY — Iron Works
    Apr 01 — Rochester, NY — Flour City Station
    Apr 02 — Oneonta, NY — Oneonta Theatre
    Apr 07 — Boston, MA — Middle East Upstairs
    Apr 08 — Ithaca, NY — The Haunt
    Apr 09 — Brooklyn, NY — Rough Trade
    Apr 13 — Cleveland, OH — Beachland Tavern
    Apr 14 — Columbus, OH — Woodlands Tavern
    Apr 15 — Kalamazoo, MI — Shakespeare’s
    Apr 16 — Chicago, IL — Tonic Room
    Apr 21 — Fort Collins, CO — Hodi’s Half Note
    Apr 22 — Denver, CO — Larimer Lounge
    Apr 23 — Boulder, CO — The Lazy Dog
    Apr 25 — Lawrence, KS — The Bottleneck
    Apr 27 — Iowa City, IA — Yacht Club
    Apr 28 — Grand Rapids, MI — Founders
    Apr 29 — Lansing, MI — The Loft
    Apr 30 — Erie, PA — Kings Rook Club

  • Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds Returning to Brooklyn Bowl

    Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds make you feel like you’ve stumbled upon the real deal. Like eight vibrant, youthful individuals arrayed across the stage who would be your friends if they only knew your name, but in lieu of that, simply pour their hearts out musically just to see you smile. Almost a year to the day since their last appearance at Brooklyn Bowl, vocalist Arleigh Kincheloe and crew will once again be giving New Yorkers something to shake their tail feathers to on Saturday, March 4. Following recent appearances around Colorado, this Brooklyn gig lies just after the start of a 9-date East Coast tour running through the month of March.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJcFr4Vygeo

    The Dirty Birds are a soul-blues-gospel-rock band supporting a singer-songwriter vocal powerhouse whose songs ride the line between inwardly self-aware and personal and outwardly party oriented. The band’s current LP, The Weather Below, released last year, was recorded at the famous Bear Creek Studio near Seattle with producer Ryan Hadlock (Brandi Carlile, The Lumineers), who brought Kincheloe’s latest material to life with the greatest feeling of directness and transparency thus far achieved on any Dirty Birds recording. Several of the songs on this album are autobiographical in terms of Kincheloe and her band and have been staples of their live sets in recent years.

    Attendees of this show can expect to see ebullient original horn arrangements and soloing, the electronically processed harmonica virtuosity of Jackson Kincheloe, potential covers of Michael Jackson and Led Zeppelin or the like and a whole lot of original rock music in a range of styles and moods generally catered to the dance floor.

    Albany-based power trio Wild Adriatic and one-man gritty blues band The Suitcase Junket will open the show. Doors open at 6 pm and the music starts at 8 pm.

  • Twiddle Announces Show at Capitol Theatre

    Vermont quartet Twiddle announced they will headline Port Chester’s Capitol Theatre on May 7. The announcement happened in front of a sold-out crowd Saturday night at the Irving Plaza in New York City.

    NYC’s instrumental rock-fusion band Tauk will open the Cap show.

    twidcap

    Although the band has played larger venues in support of other artists, headlining the historic Capitol Theater is just another indication that the band’s rising popularity is backed by growing crowds and bookings into larger venues. Saturday night’s Twiddle show at Irving Plaza sold out days before the event. All indicators point to the show at the Capitol Theater to do the same.

    Twiddle celebrated the big news by debuting a fan-inspired song called “Collective Pulse.” Guitarist Mihali Savoulidis posted an acoustic debut of the song via his Facebook page on Feb. 13. Fans that missed the announcement and the song’s full band debut can check out this fan-shot video that highlights both:

    Twiddle continues to announces big shows and festivals that have the band touring late into the summer including a slot at the Lockn’ Music Festival and opening for the Disco Biscuits at Red Rocks on June 4. The band has also announced that they will host Tumble Down July 29- 30, a two-day music event in Burlington, VT.

    Twiddle heads to Florida for the Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival on March 4-6 before finishing up the last leg of their Plumperdump Winter Tour.

  • Frost Ridge returns! WNY campground can host concerts again

    After nearly two years, Frost Ridge, a popular outdoor venue in Le Roy has been cleared to host concerts again.

    Nestled deep within the farmlands and orchards of Western New York, Frost Ridge Campground lends to an intimate, outdoor venue for live music while also being accessible to the cities of Buffalo and Rochester, each about 40 miles away.

    frost ridge jam

    The Le Roy Zoning Board of Appeals reached a decision Wednesday, Feb. 17,  that will end years of disputes over the Frost Ridge Campground’s use of hosting outdoor concerts with amplified music.

    “We appreciate the diligent efforts of everyone involved to work through the obstacles presented during this process,” David and Greg Luetticke-Archbell, the campground’s owners, posted on their Facebook page last week, “and [we] are thankful to have this resolved so our lives may return to normal. Frost Ridge will continue to operate within the boundaries of the law, while bringing fun for the whole family to Our Little Slice Of Heaven at Exit 47.”

    maxresdefault2This week, the Luetticke-Archbells are entertaining a shortlist of potential acts: Charlie Daniels Band, Kenny Rogers, Oak Ridge Boys or Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.
    frostridgetop

    The drama has been earnestly reported by The Batavian, an online news source for the local community. Through its investigation, the crux of the matter seems to lie on how the land was being used in 1967.

    Ownership of the grounds has changed hands a few times over the years. David and Greg Luetticke-Archbell bought the grounds in 2008. At the time, there was no confusion over how the land could be used; as the land was being sold nearly 20 years ago, its owner asked the zoning board to clarify how it was zoned. The ZBA supposedly responded in 1998 that the land was “pre-existing, non-conforming,” as the campground and existing land uses were established before the town devised its master plan in 1967.

    Starting in 2012, the Luetticke-Archbell have been throwing a robust summer music festival called Jam at the Ridge, luring music talents from across the country. According to the campground’s website, music has been played there since the days when it was known primarily as a ski lodge. The campgrounds, according to the two brothers, were established in 1963.

    In 2013, the ZBA had approved live music at the grounds, addressing complaints from local residents. The complaints, however, escalated through the threat of litigation. The town subsequently challenged its own ZBA’s ruling.

    The town, citing from their records, see only the ski lodge as being grandfathered into their zoning plans. Everything else, after 1967, would require a use variance, which would go through the ZBA.

    In summer 2014, the grounds’ owners were ultimately ordered to cease outdoor music by a New York State Supreme Court judge as both town and residents pursued litigation. More than a year later, the Daily News out of Batavia reported that another supreme court judge ordered the ZBA to host a public hearing on the topic.

    At the December 2015 public hearing, Town Attorney Reid Whiting said the town would not challenge the ZBA’s decision.

    The board’s decision appears to hinge on the campground owners’ argument that any issue residents have with outdoor concerts should be addressed through the town’s sound ordinance, and not land use. David Roach, the grounds’ attorney, argued this point in the December public hearing.

    Western New York is no stranger to disputes over sound ordinance. In neighboring Newstead, residents successfully shut down an outdoor venue in 2014 by means of the town’s sound ordinance.

  • Weird Al’s Mandatory World Tour Continues With Newly Announced NY Shows

    Last year, “Weird Al” Yankovic toured extensively in support of his latest album, Mandatory Fun. Recently he announced that he will be back at it again — this time with 78 shows between June and September.

    Mandatory World TourReleased in July 2014, Mandatory Fun marked Weird Al’s first number one album. He also took home a Grammy Award in the Best Comedy Album category for it. The album was well received by critics, and the virality of its music videos helped place it atop the Billboard Top 200 shortly after it was released. As NYS Music’s Michael Hallisey said, “Mandatory Fun is Al’s 14th release, and by far his masterpiece.  Like Warner Brothers through Looney Tunes, Yankovic is able to tie in current events with references to the past, allowing listeners from multiple generations to enjoy.” Mandatory Fun is likely Yankovic’s last normal length album as he shifts to releasing songs through EPs and singles over the internet.

    S Harris - Weird Al - Capitol Theatre-1

    Most of the 78 shows are now on sale to the general public, including his three New York stops:

    Sept. 4  The Budweiser Summer Stage at TAG’s, Big Flats, NY
    Sept. 17 Proctors Theater, Schenectady NY
    Sept. 24 Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY

    For a full list of Weird Al’s tour stops, check out his website. Weird Al’s tour begins June 3 and wraps up Sept. 24.