NYS Music 20​18

Author: Katie Bogardus

  • Pop-Fest 518 Showcases Original Local Talent

    Pop-Fest 518 takes place at The Linda on Saturday, Dec 1 from 7-10 pm. Featured in this evening of eclectic musicians are Blockhouses, Sydney Worthley, Pop-Clique, Sarah Kohrs & Coyote, and Daniel Conley. While students can get a $10 ticket at the door with ID, all-ages $15 tickets can be purchased through The Linda’s Pop Fest 518 event page. This one-night show not only showcases original work by performers native to the 518 area, but admission goes towards the upstate arts community fostered by the Columbia Arts Team.

    Blockhouses

    The pop trio Blockhouses will groove the audience followed by festival-seasoned, 16 year old Sydney Worthley, who takes the stage to build on that energy with her country/rock infused lyrics. Expect a blast to the past as the internationally recognized Pop-Clique takes concert-goers back with a ’60s flavored vibe. A new face joins the stage with them as notorious singer/songwriter Liv Cummins makes her Pop-Clique debut on Dec. 1 at Pop-Fest 518.

    The mood changes yet again as Sarah Kohrs & Coyote deliver their take on blues and jazz; the influence of iconic female vocalists Joni Mitchell and Amy Winehouse comes through in Sara Kohrs’s performance. To cap of a great night of 518 artists, Daniel Conley has a large body of work to pull his Americana offerings from as he has launched two albums in the last year.

    The Columbia Arts Team is a non-profit performing arts company that promotes local arts efforts and has partnered with The Linda to make this performance possible. The Linda is committed to growing the arts in New York as it serves as the performing arts studio for Albany-based public broadcast radio station WAMC. There is growing community interest in the cultivation of original, local, musical talent. Pop-Fest 518 gives these unique voices a stage where they can truly shine.

    There aren’t a lot of options for purely original local artists to perform in a concert format…This is music that belongs in a ‘listening’ venue, not a bar. This is music that needs to be heard.

    – Andy Gregory, WEXT Radio’s Local 518 program host.

  • Joe Perry Cancels Remaining 2018 Shows due to Health Scare

    Earlier this month, legendary Aerosmith and Hollywood Vampires guitarist Joe Perry was taken to the hospital after his guest appearance during Billy Joel’s Madison Square Garden show. The emergency involved breathing complications that resulted in Perry’s overnight stay at the hospital. Despite previous assumptions that Perry would resume his schedule once he was clear, the seasoned artist has decided to take a well deserved rest for the remainder of 2018.

    Joe Perry

    Joe Perry sent his apologies to fans who were looking forward to the events, but realizes he needs to put his health first. Fans of the rock legend will be seeing him soon though as Perry states that he is looking forward to further touring to come in 2019. Refunds for the cancelled shows can be obtained at the point of purchase.

    Perry released a new solo album earlier this year titled Sweetzerland Manifesto that the tour was going to feature. His band was to include former Extreme vocalist and brief member of Van Halen, Gary Cherone and Perry’s Aerosmith partner Brad Whitford.

  • The Egg announces five diverse spring shows

    The Egg recently announced five great musical acts visiting the Capital Region for shows this coming spring. The first is  Americana, rock, and improvisational group Railroad Earth. The group self identifies with rock-and-roll, but their distinct bluegrass influence is undeniable. Who says you can’t have the best of both worlds? You can see this incredible fusion of musical genres yourself Feb. 14.

    Railroad Earth

    Next in the line up is local talent who hail from Albany, the folk group Dannybrook Fair. The three original members recently celebrated a successful summer tour. You can catch the trio during St. Patrick’s Day celebrations on March 14.

    March’s offerings continue at the performing arts venue as Pat Metheny’s recent jazz project Side Eye makes an appearance on March 30. Universally recognized as one of the best guitarists in jazz history, Metheny is joined by pianist James Francies and drummer Nate Smith for this musical experiment. You will not want to miss a performance from the unmatched Pat Mentheny.

    Last, but not least, Candlebox comes to Capital region audiences on Thursday, April 25. The Seattle rock group, who rose to fame in the ’90s grunge scene will be showcasing songs from their sixth album Disappearing in Airports.

    You can find ticket info by visiting the Egg Events Page.

  • Mike Gordon Announces East Coast Spring Tour

    Mike Gordon and his band released plans for Spring appearances around the east coast. The rapid-fire March tour will bring Phish bassist Mike Gordon and company to several venues in up and down the east coast, beginning in Atlanta and finishing up with a four night run in Cambridge, MA. General Admission tickets went on sale on Friday.

    New York fans of the rock group will be excited to see that Mike Gordon will be performing in Buffalo at the Town Ballroom during the March Tour. For more info regarding the tour and ticket purchases visit Mike Gordon’s website. Current tour dates are below.

    Mike Gordon Tour Dates:

    March 8 – Variety Playhouse – Atlanta, GA
    March 9 – The Orange Peel – Asheville, NC
    March 10 – The Basement East – Nashville, TN
    March 12 – Charleston Music Hall – Charleston, SC
    March 13 – Harvester Performance Center – Rocky Mount, VA
    March 15 – 9:30 Club – Washington, DC
    March 16 – Asbury Lanes – Asbury Park, NJ
    March 17 – White Eagle Hall – Jersey City, NJ
    March 19 – Town Ballroom – Buffalo, NY
    March 21-24 – The Sinclair – Cambridge, MA

  • Vermont’s first WinterWonderGrass hosts Grass After Dark series

    A favorite feature of the Colorado version of the winter music celebration, WinterWonderGrass Stratton has finally introduced its own iteration of the Grass After Dark Series with one month until the event kicks off.

    Grass After Dark

    Bluegrass fans new to the festival should be aware that festival tickets are not required for the Grass After Dark series. All of the late night shows are 21+ and are a separate purchase from the WWG day festival tickets. Grass After Dark tickets are limited and expected to sell out quickly. You can secure your spot at the event by purchasing your tickets at the WWG website.

    The night series opens on the eve of WWG Stratton day festivities, with An Evening with the Infamous Stringdusters on Dec. 13 at Grizzly’s. The GAD series is hosted between two intimate mountainous locations for four nights of bluegrass in the village. Dec.r 15 is the only night attendees will have to choose between Grizzly’s and the Green Mountain Room in Black Bear Lodge at the Stratton Mountain Resort. The full GAD late night show schedule is down below:

    GRIZZLY’S:

    Thursday, Dec. 13 – An Evening with the Infamous Stringdusters
    Saturday, Dec. 15 – Keller Williams and Fruition
    Sunday, Dec. 16 – Billy Strings and Lindsay Lou

    BLACK BEAR LODGE:

    Friday, Dec. 14 – Horseshoes & Hand Grenades and Saints & Liars
    Saturday, Dec. 15 – The Kitchen Dwellers and Rumpke Mountain Boys

    Tickets are still available for those interested in the full WinterWonderGrass community experience. Single day prices are currently $59 for Friday, $79 for Saturday, and $59 for Sunday. For the complete festival schedule and all ticket packages, visit the WinterWondergrass website for more information.

  • Joni Mitchell featured in special Morrison Hotel gallery – JONI

    Beloved singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell is featured in an upcoming Morrison Hotel Gallery entitled JONI. The exhibition is a collection of over a dozen photographers’ work who have captured her essence as a folk pioneer in addition to cultivating her artistic relationships of mutual respect and admiration.

    The opening date for the photography exhibition and sale is Friday, Nov. 16. The event is being held at various locations: the Sunset Marquis Hotel location in Los Angeles, at the New York City gallery on Prince Street in SoHo and the gallery in Maui at Mick Fleetwood’s General Store and restaurant.

    Morrison Hotel Gallery is proud to represent the world-class talents of a group of photographers who together have taken some of the most beautiful and timeless images of Joni Mitchell – an artist who many consider to be one of the greatest songwriters of the 20th century. — Morrison Hotel Gallery co-owner Peter Blachley

    The photos range from Joel Bernstein’s gatefold Hijira album to Amalie R. Rothschild’s concert action shots to Norman Seef’s cover art and various sessions with Joni. Other photographers featuring Joni Mitchell include: Henry Diltz, Graham Nash, Baron Wolman, Bonnie Schiffman, Rowland Scherman, Ken Regan, Jay Blakesburg, David Gahr, and Guido Harari. These priceless images give life to Joni’s musical career from as earlier as 1967 at the Newport Folk Festival, through the late ’90s.

    Aside from being the good friend of a great many gifted photographers, Joni Mitchell is remembered as one of the greatest musical artists of the late 20th century. Mitchell is well-known for her blues and jazz-infused style present in some of her long-praised folk tunes. She recently celebrated her 75th birthday earlier this month so this exhibition could not be more perfectly timed for fans to look back and honor the great Joni Mitchell.

  • Twiddle’s Mihali makes solo debut with ‘Fading State’

    Twiddle frontman Mihali recently released politically charged single “Fading State” for his upcoming album. The album is yet to be titled and fans are eagerly anticipating a release date. The new single features vocals from Nahko (Nahko and Medicine for the People) and Trevor Hall who support Mihali in this advocacy-driven single. Produced by Johnny Cosmic of Stick Figure, Mihali’s reggae single focuses on protecting the environment and putting aside political agendas for the greater good.

    The issue is continuously met with opposition motivated by greed. It’s up to all of us as individuals to do what we can…to do our part to make a positive change in the world. With our current political climate, I think now is the perfect time for this single to be released.

    Mihali refers to “Fading State” as the spark that influenced most of his newest musical creations. While the debut album is yet to be announced, glimpses of the anticipated album will show up throughout the course of Mihali’s solo December tour of the Northeast. There are four New York shows lined up in the rapid fire schedule below.

    Mihali Tour Schedule:

    Dec. 5 – Mercury Lounge –  New York, NY 
    Dec. 6 – Spcae Ballroom – Hamden, CT
    Dec. 7 – Putnam Place – Saratoga Springs, NY
    Dec. 8 – Funk ‘n Waffles – Syracuse, NY
    Dec. 9 – Portland House of Music – Portland, ME
    Dec. 11 – Wonder Bar – Asbury Park, NJ
    Dec. 12 – 8 x 10 – Baltimore, MD
    Dec. 13 – BSP-3 – Kingston, NY
    Dec. 14 – Jewel – Manchester, NH
    Dec. 15 – Gateway City Arts – Holyoke, MA

    Watch Mihali’s “Fading State” music video down below and get a feel for what to expect on his premier solo album.

    Editor’s Note: This article was edited to correct the title of the song. 

  • Lettuce Announces Busy January Tour

    Lettuce launches the far-reaching and fast-paced Vibe Up 2019 tour in Rochester on Jan.10. The funk group will return to New York later for performances at the Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park on Jan. 12 and at Brooklyn Steel on Jan. 19.

    The band’s legendary career spans two decades. Their sound has matured and “stewed” to perfection over time as evidenced on their latest album Witches Stew. The new album is contemporary jazz fusion inspired by and in tribute to Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew. It would be an oversight to ignore that music like Davis’ was what influenced and initially drew the group together at Boston’s Berklee College of Music in 1992.

    Out-of-state, the tour will bring Lettuce to major cities like Boston, Nashville, Philadelphia, Detroit, Atlanta, Cleveland, and more over the course of one month. Tickets are on sale now. For more information, visit the Lettuce website here.

    [Witches Stew] “…groundbreaking release, the effort allows Lettuce to do justice to their influences, while still retaining their own collective persona.” – All About Jazz

    Affectionately referred to as “Everybody’s favorite funk band” by Red Bull Music, Lettuce only has one performance left for 2018. Currently touring Witches Stew now, the last opportunity to see Lettuce live in 2018 is a special one-night only show with the Colorado Symphony in Denver on Nov. 10. See below for the full January 2019 Vibe Up Tour schedule.

    Lettuce January Dates:

    Jan. 10 – Anthology Live – Rochester, NY*
    Jan. 11 – House of Blues – Boston, MA*
    Jan. 12 – Upstate Concert Hall – Clifton Park, NY*
    Jan. 13 – Higher Ground Ballroom – South Burlington, VT*
    Jan. 15 – The Vogue – Indianapolis, IN*
    Jan. 16 – St. Andrew’s Hall – Detroit, MI*
    Jan. 17 – Rex Theater – Pittsburgh, PA*
    Jan. 18 – Infinity Music Hall & Bistro – Hartford, CT*
    Jan. 19 – Brooklyn Steel – Brooklyn, NY
    Jan. 22 – Whitaker Center – Harrisburg, PA
    Jan. 23 – House of Blues – Cleveland, OH
    Jan. 24 – Madison Theater -Covington, KY
    Jan. 25 – Marathon Music Works – Nashville, TN
    Jan. 26 – Center Stage – Atlanta, GA

    * with Ghost Note

  • WinterWonderGrass comes to Vermont in December

    WinterWonderGrass arrives this weekend at Stratton Mountain Resort from December 14-16 in Stratton Vermont. Locals introduced to this traditionally Colorado music festival can expect craft beers, tasty treats, outdoor winter fun, and the intimate family atmosphere that WWG is famous for fostering. At the popular mountain resort located just a short drive from both Boston and New York City, concert attendees can enjoy a perfect winter backdrop for WWG’s inaugural New England appearance.

    Here’s this weekend’s schedule including ‘Grass after Dark’ shows held nightly.

    WinterWonderGrass vermont Single day tickets are currently $59 for Friday and Sunday, while Saturday tickets are $79.  The best priced ticket package is the three-day ticket ($149). On top of three days for WWG musical offerings, three-day tickets include three hours of beer, cider, tea and Switchel samplings each day.

    After each day’s main headliner, fans are welcome to attend special performances at the Soapbox featuring Pickin on the Dead on Friday, Rumpke Mountain Boys on Saturday, and the Jon Stickley Trio to wrap up on Sunday. Committed to community engagement, WWG is also hosting free afternoon meetings for WWG artists and local musicians interaction. Bring your own instrument, refreshments will be provided.

    Be on the lookout for more bluegrass events at the festival, more is still to come for the evening.  WWG is preparing to announce ‘Grass after Dark’ late night shows on Nov. 13. The late shows will bring guests to more intimate peaks and settle the concert into a more casual vibe. Connecting artists with the local community, these events bring you up close and personal with bluegrass icons as they improvise musical conversations with ease.

    WinterWonderGrass is a low-impact event with music throughout the day. Get to know the lay of the land, what beers will be available for sampling (daily from 2-5p), what food trucks will be on hand, where the Kids Zone is and more.

    If you still need lodging options, WinterWonderGrass has partnered up with a few local options to ensure maximum comfort during your visit. Shuttles will run from select properties in Manchester as well.

    In 2018 alone, WinterWonderGrass diverted more than 23,000 lbs of waste from landfills due to their composting, recycling and food donation program. WWG has long been a partner with Waste-Free Earth out of Burlington. Get to know their company and how big of an impact they’ve made on our festival community.

    Check out the dining options around the resort outside of the festival grounds and for more info, check out WWG’s additional FAQs with anything and everything you need to know to have the best possible WWG experience. From what to wear, what not to bring, what’s allowed and so on. See you in Stratton!

  • Ariana Grande Begins Her Sweetener World Tour in Albany

    Singer-songwriter Ariana Grande will return to the Capital Region for the first time since her Honeymoon Avenue World Tour in 2015, and kicks off her 4th World Tour, featuring her new album Sweetener, at the Times Union Center in Albany, NY on March 18, 2019. Ticket pre-sale for the Sweetener World Tour begins November 1st through November 3rd via American Express.

    The pop princess revealed on Wednesday October 24 via Twitter that she would soon announce the world tour dates for her latest album, released in August earlier this year. Not one to disappoint, the next day Grande shared her initial U.S. performances on arianagrande.com as well as posting them on her Twitter. The singer has promised that fans abroad can expect international tour dates to be announced.

    Former Victorious actress is also planning on making three other appearances in New York during the course of her tour, one in Western NY followed up by hitting two major performance venues in NYC. Falling soon after her Albany concert, Grande’s third Sweetener performance brings her to the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY on March 22, 2019. The last two dates announced for the U.S.-portion of the Sweetener tour are June 14 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and the famous Madison Square Garden on June 18, 2019.

    All other U.S. tour dates are listed below