NYS Music 20​17

Author: Jason Jones

  • Gorillaz Announce Demon Dayz Festival

    Gorillaz, the Grammy-winning virtual band co-created by multi-instrumentalist Damon Albarn and comic book artist Jamie Hewlett in 1998, has laid plans for its own festival, which is to be called Demon Dayz Festival, after its second album. While the lineup has yet to be released, this is slated to be Gorillaz’ first live performance since the conclusion of 2010’s Escape to Plastic Beach Tour in Auckland, New Zealand.

    demon days festivalAt that show Albarn warned fans that it might be the last ever for Gorillaz, so today’s news comes as a sigh of relief for Gorillaz fans worldwide, who, for several years now, have been inundated with rumours of Albarn and Hewlett’s falling-out, delayed releases, and other speculation.

    The announcement comes following an increase in social media activity by the band, which has included biographies for the band’s four virtual members—2D, Murdoc Niccals, Russell Hobbs, and Noodle—a revised timeline of the band’s history, and the January release of “Hallelujah Money,” a single featuring Benjamin Clementine. While an album of new material has been in the works for a couple of years, a 2017 release now appears to be imminent. Check out the video for “Hallelujah Money” here.

    The single-day Demon Dayz Festival is scheduled for June 10 in Margate, England at the Dreamland amusement park. Tickets are now available starting at £60.00, with priority entry tickets for £70.00. Tickets include full access to the park’s rides. RedBull TV will also live stream the festival. Click here to visit the Demon Dayz website for tickets and more information.

  • Phish Announces 13-Night Summer Run at MSG

    Rumors of Phish breaking with summer tour tradition and taking an extended stay at Madison Square Garden have been circulating all winter, and today the band announced that they will indeed be taking up residence at MSG for a 13-night run.Phish 13-Night MSG

    The famed New York City venue has played host to Phish 39 times since their sold-out debut there in 1994, while the Baker’s Dozen shows will bring them up to 52 performances at the Garden by summer’s end.

    The run will start on Friday, July 21 and conclude on Sunday, August 6, with scheduled days off on the Mondays and Thursdays between. Tickets will be sold as the whole Baker’s Dozen package (13 shows for the price of 12) or as individual shows. Travel packages are available and pre-sale tickets are available now through Sunday, February 17 at Phish’s website. All floor tickets will be general admission.

    Phish 13-Night MSGAlong with the Baker’s Dozen announcement, came news that Phish will not be touring this fall, so it’s MSG or bust, Phans!

    Phish – The Baker’s Dozen, a 13-night run at MSG

    Friday, July 21
    Saturday, July 22
    Sunday, July 23
    Tuesday, July 25
    Wednesday, July 26
    Friday, July 28
    Saturday, July 29
    Sunday, July 30
    Tuesday, August 1
    Wednesday, August 2
    Friday, August 4
    Saturday, August 5
    Sunday, August 6

    Watch the announcement video below.

  • Butch Trucks, Founding Member of the Allman Brothers Band, Dead at 69

    Butch Trucks, founding member of the Allman Brothers Band, died on the evening of Tuesday, January 24 in West Palm Beach, Florida. He was 69 years old.

    Butch Trucks
    Jason Merritt/Getty Images

    Born Claude Hudson Trucks on May 11, 1947 in Jacksonville, Florida, Butch refined his craft playing in several ensembles at Florida State University and in the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra before cutting his rock ‘n roll teeth in local bands such as the Vikings, the Echoes, and the Bitter Ind.

    It was the suggestion of Jai “Jaimoe” Johnny Johanson that led Duane Allman to recruit Trucks into the fold back in 1964 as he was forming the original Allman Brothers Band. Jaimoe and Trucks would go on to play drums alongside one another on and off for 46 years as members of the Brothers. Trucks is the third member of the original ABB lineup to pass away, joining Duane Allman, who died in 1971, and Berry Oakley, who died the next year. Trucks was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Allman Brothers Band in 1994.

    The cause of death is unknown and comes as a surprise, as Trucks had remained active on the music scene of late. Upon the Allman Brothers Band breakup in 2014, Trucks founded Les Brers with fellow former Allmans Jaimoe, Marc Quiñones, Oteil Burbridge, and Jack Pearson in an effort to keep the ABB catalog alive. His latest act, Butch Trucks and the Freight Train Band, had recently been touring in the southeast.

    Trucks is survived by his wife Melinda, four children, and four grandchildren, plus a number of family members who are active musicians in their own right, nephews Derek and Duane Trucks, the guitarist of Tedeschi-Trucks Band and drummer of Widespread Panic/Hard Working Americans respectively, and his son Vaylor Trucks, who plays with the Yeti Trio.

    At this time the Trucks and Allman Brothers Band families request “friends and fans to please respect our privacy at this time of sadness for our loss. Butch will play on in our hearts forever.”

    Check out footage of Butch discussing the early days of the Allman Brothers Band below.

  • Marco Benevento Kickstarts the New Year with Album and Show Announcements

    Marco Benevento is set to blastoff in 2017 with a new album and tour on tap. The multi-instrumentalist dubbed the Mad Hatter will start the year spinning forty-fives for an intimate hometown get down at the Catskill Mountain Pizza Company in Woodstock, NY on January 7. Teaming up with music journalist Brian Turk, the event is called Brian Turk and Mr. D present “I’m a DJ Too,” and will feature tasty pizza and beer from the Catskill Brewery, not to mention a set of fresh cuts straight from Marco’s head to the floor. But only 75 tickets will be available. Click here to get yours.

    Later in the month, Benevento will launch a tour in support of the Feb. 17 release of The Woodstock Sessions, a new live album recorded last September at Applehead Studios. The first show will take place on Jan. 30 at Funk ‘n Waffles Downtown in Syracuse. Local Grateful Dead tribute act, Pearly Baker’s Best, will open. Tickets are $20 at the door and $15 in advance. Tickets are available through Ticketfly for the Syracuse show.

    Other New York stops for the Woodstock resident include Buffalo, at The Iron Works on Jan. 31, Ithaca, at The Rongo on Feb. 1, The Brooklyn Bowl on Feb. 2, and at The Hollow in Albany on Feb. 3. See below for full tour information.

    With a full schedule ahead of him, Marco Benevento has gone ahead with a Pledge Music campaign that will put fans at the forefront of his new album and musical adventures throughout his 2017 tour stops. Packages include a chance to pre-order The Woodstock Sessions, opportunities to receive show tickets, signed setlists, a bookshelf made from Marco’s grand piano, a band lesson, or even the chance to record with Marco at Fred Short Studios in Woodstock, NY; plus, Marco is making himself available to spin vinyl or play a solo piano concert at a lucky fan’s private party. More information is available here.

    Tour Dates:

    Jan. 30 – Syracuse, NY – Funk ‘N Waffles
    Jan.31 – Buffalo, NY – Iron Works ^
    Feb. 1 – Ithaca, NY – The Rongo
    Feb. 2 – Brooklyn NY – Brooklyn Bowl  *
    Feb. 3 – Albany NY – The Hollow  ^^
    Feb. 4 – Burlington VT – Higher Ground
    Feb. 6 – Portland, ME – One Longfellow Square
    Feb. 7 – Hamden, CT – The Ballroom at The Outer Space  ***
    Feb. 8 – Holyoke, MA – Gateway Arts
    Feb. 9 – Boston MA – The Sinclair  *
    Feb. 10 – Ardmore, PA – Ardmore Music Hall  *
    Feb. 11 – Baltimore, MD – Ram’s Head Live  **
    March 25-26 – Boise, ID – Treefort Music Festival
    March 31 – Denver, CO – Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom
    April 1 – Boulder, CO – Fox Theatre
    April 2 – Avon, CO – Agave
    April 4 – Salt Lake City, UT – The State Room
    April 5 – Bozeman, MT – The Filling Station
    April 6 – Spokane, WA – The Bartlett
    April 7 – Seattle, WA – Tractor Tavern
    April 8 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom
    April 9 – Eugene, OR – Hi Fi Music Hall
    April 11 – Bend, OR – The Capitol
    April 12 – Sacramento, CA – Harlow’s
    April 13 – Petaluma, CA – The Mystic Theatre
    April 14 – San Francisco, CA – Independent
    April 15 – Los Angeles, CA – The Bootleg

    * w/WOLF!
    ** w/Psycho Killers
    *** w/Superhuman Happiness
    ^ w/Mayabird
    ^^ w/Mayabird + Band of Ghosts