NYS Music 20​16

Category: Upcoming Shows

  • Aoife O’Donovan Coming to Geneva Friday Night

    As a part of the Smith Opera House’s Club Series, Dan Smalls Presents brings Aoife O’Donovan to Ravines Wine Cellars this Friday night. O’Donovan is touring behind her sophomore solo effort “In the Magic Hour” released early this year, of which the New York Times wrote: “Sweetness and sadness find a tenuous balance in [her] voice — and in the songs on her second album…evokes the reverberant chamber pop observations of Grizzly Bear…[and] the lush austerity of Alison Krauss.” This week she also released a live album, “Man in a Neon Coat: Live from Cambridge,” which was recorded on one night this April at The Sinclair.

    Singer/songwriter Aoife O’Donovan is best known for her work in the Boston progressive folk band Crooked Still. She has also been featured with Yo Yo Ma’s The Goat Rodeo Sessions and has made multiple appearances on Prairie Home Companion. At the top of picturesque Seneca Lake, at a beautifully sloping vineyard, amongst award-winning wines, there might not be a better setting to hear O’Donovan‘s sweet as honey vocals and airy harmonies.

    Pittsburgh’s Brooke Annibale will open the evening showcasing her own evocative and timeless song craft. The music will get going around 8pm. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the Smith Opera House’s web site. Ravines Wine Cellars is located at 400 Barracks Road in Geneva.

  • Kinky Boots – Don’t Miss this Must-See Musical

    Central New York theater-goers are in for a spectacular treat. Kinky Boots is a wonderful Broadway experience with performances at the Stanley Theater in Utica on September 6-8, 2016. This upbeat and popular musical won the coveted Tony Award in 2013 for Best Musical.

    kinky bootsKicking off this three day extravaganza, patrons who take in the first night of the event will help to raise money for the Q Center, a safe haven for the LGBTQ community, providing case management, after school hours, education awards, leadership and advocacy training.

    Kinky Boots is an uplifting story inspired by true events written in a book by Tony winner Harvey Fierstein. It is a story that conveys a valuable message about friendship and acceptance. The main character is Charlie Price. His family run shoe factory is going bust and he comes up with an idea to make and sell thigh high red boots. Together with a drag queen named Lola, they conceive a plan to make these ladies’ shoes marketed for men that are referred to as “kinky boots.” In the process, these two men from very different backgrounds forge a strong friendship.

    Tony and Grammy award winning pop star, Cyndi Lauper, wrote the show’s music, winning her best original score at the 2013 Tony Awards.  Lauper is most famous for the ’80’s hit “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” and brings that same energetic style of music to this production. Many shows have the audience dancing in the aisles.

    So, pull on your boots and head to the Stanley Theatre this week. This production has proven to have plenty of humor and entertainment for everyone.

  • Cortland’s First Porchfest Arrives on August 28

    Nestled within seven beautiful valleys lies Cortland County, known mostly for their top-tier college and booming agriculture. But for those outside of Cortland, it is often just a city to pass through on their way to Ithaca or Syracuse. Molly Andrejko (of Molly and the Badly Bent Bluegrass Boys) and several other key community members and neighbors are trying to change that.

    Molly and the Badly Bent Bluegrass Boys

    The first Cortland Porchfest will be held Sunday, August 28 from Noon to 5pm on Van Hoesen between Chestnut and Harrison Streets in Cortland.  Attendees will be able to visit 13 porches throughout the day, with activities and music running continuously. Organizers of the event encourage people to bring their kids, family members and friends to an event in which they hope to see grow in years to come.

    The idea of a Porchfest isn’t new. Ithaca started their own years ago, spawning into a thriving day of local music and community activities. Cortland has even had their own share of success with local festival Seedstock, which this year had grown from one to three days with camping, local food vendors and artists. Cortland Porchfest is trying to do something different, however; a free event, focusing on giving the younger generation access to an audience they may otherwise not have is just one of the goals in which Andrejko and others are aiming for.

    porchfest logo

    Organizers will be taking donations to give to the Cortland City Youth Bureau’s music program, in hopes of giving children access to instruments and music. It is important to keep the youth interested in activities that could, in the long run, substantially benefit the community. Donations will also be going toward a yet-to-be-determined local parks initiative in an effort to lend a hand to the beautification and safety of local parks.

    The Local Farmers Union
    The Local Farmers Union

    In a celebration of past and future, Porchfest hopes to show the community exactly how lucky they are to have an abundance of talent in their backyard. Many participants had parents who grew up in the neighborhood, and on any night of the week you could take a walk around the block and hear a band practicing. It’s just the way it has always been. Cortland is a musical hot spot, and maybe with the help of Porchfest, younger bands and artists can get the exposure they deserve but don’t normally get.

    “I chose to come back here,” says Andrejko. “I want to raise my children in a community that continues to give back and inspire the youth.” And she isn’t the only one. Cortland Junior High music teacher Jen Rafferty has been giving her all to give children access to information and music that they may otherwise not have. In addition to starting a rock guitar class, she is constantly seeking ways to keep kids energized and interested.  A few high school bands will be performing at Porchfest, including the band Epoch. In a world where children are exposed to the arts less and less, it is a blessing that there are people trying to change that.

    Austin MacRae and Casey Widger

    In addition to many musicians donating their time to the event, there will also be a handful of children’s activities including face painting, crafts and storytelling. Nate the Great will be showcasing his juggling skills, Lime Hollow Nature Center will be tie-dying, and Uncorked Creations will also be in the mix. Studio Z Dance Troupe will also be showcasing their talent. To say there is a little something for everyone is an understatement.

    sched

    Performers: Molly and the Badly Bent Bluegrass Boys, Horsepurse, Jimmy Lawler, Clint Bush, Rachel Beverly, Sanderson Swingtet, Rosie & Mary, Colleen Kattau, The Purple Valley, ForkWad, Homer Brass Ensemble, Steve Morgan, Dana Twigg & Stephen Bradley, Rocky Bottom Trio, Amanda Nauseef, Dry Glaize Creek, Austin & Casey, The Unknown Woodsmen, jazzhappensband, The Local Farmers Union, and Ben & Jen.

  • Plattsburgh Blues Presents Three Shows in Late August

    Plattsburgh Blues and Jazz has three big shows coming up to end August in the North Country. Among them are some fantastic award-winning blues artists and singer-songwriters.

    On Tuesday, August 23 at Naked Turtle in Plattsburgh, Curtis Salgado, a nationally known award-winning soul, blues and R&B vocalist/harmonica and songwriter will take the stage. The winner of the Blues Music Award for Soul Blues Artist of the year, Soul Blues Album of the Year and BB King Entertainer of the Year, Salgado performs joyful, blues-soaked R&B.

    Sugaray Rayford Band performs on Friday, August 26 at Olive Ridley’s. Rayford, the former singer for the Mannish Boys, and recent winner of Best Blues Album, will be bringing a 7-piece band with horns and vocal dynamite with funk, soul and pure energy.

    Brad Cole, Matt Nakoa and Robinson Treacher perform on Wednesday, August 31 at Champlain Wine Company. This young Americana trio of soulful and engaging singer/songwriters today create music that weaves sound, lyricism and inspiration for a unique and powerful live show.

    All shows start at 8pm. Tickets info for all shows can be found here.

  • Pre/Post-Phish Shows at Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas

    Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas has a series of shows from the Disco Biscuits, Greensky Bluegrass and Twiddle lined up around Phish’s four-night Halloween run at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

    brooklyn bowl las vegasThe Disco Biscuits play three nights Oct. 27 to 29. They’ll be joined by the New Deal on Oct. 27. Doors for the Oct. 27 show open at 7:30 p.m. with the show starting at 8:30 p.m. The shows on Oct. 28 and 29 are late night with doors opening at 11 p.m. with the show starting at 12:30 a.m. Tickets for all three nights are on sale now for $39.50. Three-night passes are also available for $118.50 for general admission or $180 for club level admission. Those interested in the club level must purchase a three-day pass.

    brooklyn bowl las vegasGreensky Bluegrass will play a late night show on Oct. 30 with doors opening at 11 p.m. with the show starting at 12:30 a.m. They will also play a special matinee show on Halloween to benefit the Waterwheel Foundation. Doors for that show open at noon with the show starting at 2 p.m. Tickets for both shows are on sale now. Tickets for the Oct. 30 show are $27.50 while tickets for the Waterwheel Foundation benefit are $22.50. Two-day passes are also available for $50.

    brooklyn bowl las vegasFor those looking to continue the party following Phish’s Halloween show, Twiddle will play a late night. Doors for their show open at 11 p.m. with the show starting at 12:30 a.m. Tickets are on sale now for $20.

  • Cousin Earth to make Brooklyn Bowl Debut Friday, August 12

    This Friday, August 12, Brooklyn’s Cousin Earth will make their Brooklyn Bowl debut at 8:30 p.m. The five-piece band is rich in diversity, performing with ukulele, melodica, Ubass, kazoo; play a variety of originals and covers, with a style spanning genres and drawing in fans with anything from bluegrass to electronica with just about everything covered in between.

    When NYSMusic first encountered Cousin Earth at Rock n Roll Resort 2015, Neil Benjamin had this to say:

    “Cousin Earth, a five-piece, is about as far from a gimmick as possible. Calfa plays an electric ukulele, tuned GCEA, Corey J. Feldman plucks a four-string U-Bass, which is essentially an electric bass the size of, you guessed it, a ukulele. On lead vocals and melodica is Tara Lawton, a trained theater actor, who fits perfectly with Terry Brennan, another actor. Together, the pair added a Broadway-style flair to the hour-long set. On the backbeat is Nate Searing.

    The group’s sound is so rich and full. I heard everything from calypso, to jam rock to hip-hop, reggae and even video game themes. Cousin Earth opened with a riveting cover of Phish’s ‘Possum,’ which featured Calfa’s technical, but fun, chops. Out of all the acts I witnessed for the first time this weekend, Cousin Earth gets my recommendation for band you absolutely need to experience.”

    Cousin Earth opens for Love Canon, performing bluegrass covers of your favorite ’80s hits. More info here.

  • Chenango Blues Festival 24th Annual set for August 19-20 in Norwich

    On January 29, Chenango Blues Festival organizers were presented with the “Keeping the Blues Alive” Award during this year’s International Blues Challenge. The award is in recognition of their twenty-four years of all-volunteer festivals presented “by blues fans, for blues fans.” They have consistently presented both fan favorites and the very best new talent they can find in a relaxed setting, with many fans stating that this is their favorite blues festival every year. A look at this year’s 24th annual Preferred Mutual Chenango Blues Festival lineup reveals another astounding collection of musical talent.

    Frontier Communications – Free Friday night show, August 19th
    6:00 – 6:45 p.m. – Funky Blu Roots  The Chenango Blues Festival kicks off with a Central New York based band with a diverse catalog of styles. Veteran blues fans will recognize singer, harmonica player, and all-around blues ambassador Tom Townsley contributing his talents.

    7:15 – 8:30 p.m. – Englishman Laurence Jones, just 24 years old, has already had 3 record releases on the prestigious Ruf Records label. His newest, Take Me High, was released on July 22. He has led his eponymous power trio since the age of 17 and does so while living with Crohn’s disease, requiring a daily regimen of diet and medication and monthly two-hour treatments. While studying at Birmingham University, he was faced with a decision – stay and take his final exams or go on tour with Johnny Winter and Walter Trout. There are some things that simply can’t be learned in the classroom.

    9:00 – 10:30 p.m. – “For blues fans, by blues fans” is the Chenango Blues Festival’s guiding principle. They respond to fans by routinely bringing back crowd favorites. Davina and the Vagabonds were a huge hit on the main stage in 2012, and return to headline Friday’s free show at the Chenango County Fairgrounds. Their sound encompasses the New Orleans style reminiscent of Professor Longhair, gospel, soul, Tin Pan Alley songs and beyond.  Davina Sowers is an entrancing presence backed by a rhythm section featuring a stand-up bass and the deft drumming of Conrad McRae Hammergen while rounded out with a trumpet and trombone. DATV released their latest recording, the live album Nicollet and Tenth in March of this year.

    Saturday, August 20th

    The Saturday schedule lists over ten hours of music, alternating between the Sheffield Bio-Science Infield Stage and the Nelson & Flanagan/Grouse Ridge Kennel Tent Stage

    Infield Stage
    12:00 – 1:00 p.m. – Noah Wotherspoon Last year, Wotherspoon and his band mates placed second in the finals at the International Blues Challenge with Wotherspoon receiving the Best Guitarist Award. Those achievements have had him in demand at festivals and venues from coast to coast. Earlier this year, the band saw its debut release entitled Mystic Mud.

    1:45 – 3:00 p.m.- Southern Avenue In a town renowned for premier musical talent, Memphis-based Southern Avenue is generating a lot of buzz for its live performances. Israeli born Ori Naftaly on guitar, Daniel McKee on bass, and sisters Tierinii Jackson on vocals and drummer Tikyra Jackson make up this dynamic band that is sure to catch fans’ ears and turn their heads.

    4:00 – 5:15 p.m. –  Curtis Salgado  One of the world’s very best blues and soul vocalists, Portland, Oregon’s Curtis Salgado, makes an infrequent swing to the East Coast and fans will come from near and far to hear him. In 2013, Salgado was the Blues Music Award Winner for B.B. King Entertainer of the Year, Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year and also won Soul Blues Album of the Year. An extraordinary harmonica player as well, Salgado’s latest Alligator Records recording, The Beautiful Lowdown, was released in April of this year.

    6:15 – 7:30 p.m.- Canned Heat The legendary blues band still features the rhythm section of Adolfo “Fito” de la Parra on drums and bassist Larry “The Mole” Taylor. The group took its name from a Tommy Johnson tune referring to the habit of straining inexpensive Sterno through cloth and drinking the alcohol. Best known for their hits “On The Road Again,” “Let’s Work Together” and the unofficial theme song to the movie Woodstock, “Going Up The Country,” they also were credited with rediscovering numerous blues men and reviving their recording and performing careers.

    8:45 until ?? Anders Osborne A triple threat as a vocalist, guitarist and songwriter, Osborne’s relentless touring has won him thousands of dedicated fans throughout the world. He has written hit songs for pop, blues, and country artists and performed with reggae, blues, funk, swamp rock, jazz, and jam bands. His brand new recording, Flower Box, was released July 22.

    Tent Stage

    1:00 – 1:45 p.m. – Vanessa Collier Band Led by the Berklee School of Music trained vocalist, saxophonist, and songwriter Collier, this group looks to be yet another in a long list of outstanding emerging artists identified and brought to Norwich by Chenango Blues Festival organizers.

    3:00 – 4:00 p.m. – Ben Hunter and Joe Seamons At the 2016 IBC Awards, Hunter and Seamons won first place in the solo/duo category. A unique approach has the pair focusing primarily on pre-World War II music including jazz, Appalachian folk music, field hollers and work songs, and jug band favorites. Respectful musical historians as well as first class musicians, Hunter and Seamons are an opportunity to hear songs and sounds not always presented at festivals.

    5:15 – 6:15 p.m. – Duke Robillard No less an expert than Jerry Portnoy, who once held the harmonica slot in Muddy Waters’ band, has said of Robillard, “Believe me, I’ve played with all of them, and Duke is the man.” He played the main stage in 2012 with his full electrified band and returns this year for an acoustic set, highlighting his 2016 Blues Music Award winning album, The Acoustic Blues & Roots of Duke Robillard, on Stony Plain records.

    7:30 – 8:45 p.m. – Carolyn Wonderland With a raspy edge and a powerful delivery, Carolyn Wonderland’s voice surrounds the listener, grabs hold and doesn’t let go. Add to that her impressive attacking style of playing guitar without a pick and you have an artist that easily attracts fans throughout the U.S. and Europe. Her appreciation of those fans was never more evident than following a recent incident in which her tour money and personal belongings, including cell phone, wallet and passport, were stolen while she was on stage in the Canary Islands. Fearing she might have to end her European tour, fans rallied behind a gofundme effort and raised a significant amount of funds in ten hours. The U.S. Embassy in Madrid was able to provide her with a replacement passport and, following the conclusion of her European tour, she will return to the U.S. and blow the roof off the tent stage. Do not miss this blues woman!

    Ticket Prices: Friday night show is free! Tickets for Saturday – $25.00 in advance; $35.00 on the day of the show. See the festival website for more info.

  • Eastbound Throwdown Music Festival Coming to Salem, NY in September

    Eastbound Jesus has announced the 2016 Eastbound Throwdown music festival in Salem, NY. Featuring a lineup of Americana, Bluegrass and Northern Rock bands from around the state, the first year of this festival looks to be a hollerin’ good time.

    Eastbound Jesus, complete with shredding banjo, sweet vocal harmonies, ballads and fast paced rocking tunes, comes home grown from the small town of Greenwich, NY. The EBJ sound is well known to the Upstate region with their distinctive “Northern Rock” sound.

    Alt-country rockers the Mallett Brothers Band, Saranac Lake’s Blind Owl Band, folk rockers Driftwood, the North & South Dakotas and the Spectacular Average Boys round out the two day event held just during a gorgeous close to the summer.

    Tickets can be purchased online at Eventbrite and at Thruway Beverage and the Argyle Brewing Company in Greenwich, NY. Visit the official Eastbound Throwdown Facebook page for complete details on the festival lineup and ticket information.

  • Dopapod and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Plan Huge Fall Tour

    Dopapod and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong announced today a co-headline tour kicking off October 5 in Jacksonville, FL and ends December 17 in Indianapolis, IN.  The more than 30 shows will cover much of the eastern half of the country, making stops in Saratoga Springs, Buffalo, Syracuse and New York City along the way. The two bands bring an incredible dose of funk with them, and have become staples on the festival circuit for many years.

    Rochester native and Dopapod vocalist/guitarist Rob Compa shared his thoughts on the tour. “Pairing up made too much sense not to do!  We’re always crossing paths, whether it be barely missing each other along tour or at festivals.  After a while it became clear that we ought to do something cool together.  I’m happy that this finally came together.”

    Pigeons Playing Ping Pong’s frontman Greg Ormont added jokingly, “We’ve always wanted to tour with a band whose name is a palindrome but ABBA and Emily’s Sassy Lime are always too busy, so we ended up with Dopapod. Fortunately, they’re great friends and even better musicians, so it should be an epic few months on the road.”

    Both groups recently shared the stage in Philadelphia, PA at The TLA where Dopapod keyboardist Eli Winderman sat in with Pigeons on their original song, “F.U.”

    Dopapod & Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Fall 2016 Tour Dates:

    10/05 Jacksonville, FL: 1904
    10/06 Gainesville, FL: High Dive
    10/07 St. Petersburg, FL: State Theatre
    10/08 Ft. Lauderdale, FL: Culture Room
    10/09 Orlando, FL: Venue 578
    10/11 Macon, GA: Cox Capitol Theatre
    10/12 Columbia, SC: Music Farm
    10/14 Darlington, MD: Luna Light Music Festival
    10/26 Saratoga Springs, NY: Putnam Den
    10/27 New Haven, CT: Toad’s Place
    10/29 Northampton, MA: Pearl Street
    11/02 Syracuse, NY: Westcott Theater
    11/03 Buffalo, NY: Iron Works
    11/04 TBA
    11/10 TBA
    11/11 Charlottesville, VA: Jefferson Theatre
    11/12 TBA
    11/17 TBA
    11/18 New York, NY: Irving Plaza
    11/30 Asheville, NC: The Orange Peel
    12/01 Atlanta, GA: Terminal West
    12/02 Charleston, SC: Pour House
    12/03 Raleigh, NC: Lincoln Theatre
    12/06 Chattanooga, TN: Revelry Room
    12/07 Nashville, TN: Exit In
    12/08 St. Louis, MO: Old Rock House
    12/09 Iowa City, IA: Gabe’s
    12/10 Chicago, IL: Bottom Lounge
    12/14 Ann Arbor, MI: The Blind Pig
    12/15 Kalamazoo, MI: Bell’s Brewery
    12/16 Milwaukee, WI: Mirimar Theatre
    12/17 Indianapolis, IN: The Vogue Theatre

  • The Werk Out 2016 Looks to Pack a Punch

    Nestled inside the Legend Valley Concert Venue and Campground, the Werk Out looks to be  the sleeper festival of Summer 2016.  With a jam packed lineup and the intimacy of a smaller venue, this year’s festival features a variety of musical acts, vendors, craftspeople and activities. Now in it’s seventh year, the festival returns to Thornville, Ohio, August 4 through 6.

    werk out

    Headliners and host band The Werks will perform all three nights, while Twiddle and Dopapod will hit the stages for two nights.  STS9 tops the lineup with two sets while funk masters Lettuce and The Motet lead the festival’s late night efforts.

    The Werk Out will also play host to several tribute sets including the highly anticipated Twerkapod “Tribute to the 90s” featuring members of The Werks, Dopapod and Twiddle as well as Daft Phunk – a Daft Punk tribute performed by Earphunk.

    Bluegrass sensation Greensky Bluegrass, rock/funk fusion band Kung Fu,  hip-hop funktronica Manic Focus, NYC Funk outfit Turkuaz, and the Everyone Orchestra featuring Todd Stoops round out the already diverse, funky and fun weekend of music.

    The festival is also packed with many of Ohio’s finest up and coming festival artists including Broccoli Samauri, reggae rock fusion Tropidelic, and Ghost Gardens.

    Other must see non native Ohio see include North Carolina based rock jam fusion Big Something, Maryland-based band Litz, and New York state based bands Mister F and Teddy Midnight.

    “Don’t miss the Glostik Willy late night set on Saturday Night/Sunday morning,” noted Grand Haven, MI, native Zachary Burns,  a three-year vet of the Werk Out. He also suggests getting to the venue early to take advantage of wooded shady camping, as space in these areas is limited.

    “Definitely don’t skip out in the Disc-O-Pizza vendor,” Burns also suggested. “ Some of the best/fairly priced festi food you can get.”

    Columbus, Ohio native Jake Ashworth agrees with Burns.  “When in need of food, seek out Disc-O-Pizza.  And Gilligan’s has the best smoothies.”

    Ashworth also mentioned taking advantage of the showers near the stage to stay cool and suggest if you want to post up in your hammock, to get there early because “the trees fill up fast.”

    Music begins on Thursday at 4 p.m.  Saturday day passes are available at the gate for $80.  Weekend passes are still available and can be purchased in advance or at the gate.  Camping is included.  No alcohol is sold during the festival, however, according to the festival website, “Please bring your own alcohol for the weekend. And some to share.”