NYS Music 20​19

Category: Special

  • Update: Woodstock 50 Capped at 75,000? Permitting Cited as Hold-Up for Ticket Sales

    Updated 4:15: Bloomberg quotes promoter Michael Lang saying weekend passes for Woodstock 50 will cost “around $450.” Lang is also exploring expanding the festival to an annual event, taking place at locations around the world.

    Tickets for the 50th anniversary celebration of the Woodstock Music and Arts Fair were supposed to have gone on sale this past Monday, April 22. On Saturday the Woodstock website revealed that tickets would be “on sale soon” with no reason given for the delay.

    On Monday, the Poughkeepsie Journal reported that Schuyler County Administrator Tim O’Hearn thinks the Aug. 16-18 festival at Watkins Glen International Speedway could be looking at a maximum capacity of 75,000 attendees rather than the 100,000 organizers had originally anticipated.

    When asked if the county had placed an attendance cap, the county administrator stated:

    We have maintained the position that the attendance number would be set at whatever number the production team and promoter could demonstrate they could support with adequate infrastructure and security. That number has been determined to be 75,000…

    Tim O’Hearn, Schuyler County Administrator
    Pougkeepsie Journal

    In order to begin promoting and selling tickets for the event, organizers are required to obtain a temporary mass gathering permit from the New York State Department of Health. According to Rochester TV station WHEC, the state received the permit application on April 15 and is currently reviewing the paperwork.

    Michael Lang, Woodstock Promoter

    The Department of Health’s website states, “Application for a permit to promote or hold a mass gathering shall be made at least 15 days before the first day of advertising and at least 45 days before the first day of the gathering,” making April 30 the earliest possible date organizers could begin advertising the event.

    Promoter Michael Lang announced the performers for the 50th Anniversary event last month. Headliners include Jay-Z, The Raconteurs, Miley Cyrus, Dead & Co, Santana and Robert Plant.

    Rumors about the stability of the event began circulating when another headliner, The Black Keys, announced they would not be performing due to a scheduling conflict. Flames were then further fanned with the delay of ticket sales.

    Woodstock 50 is scheduled to take place Aug. 16-18 at the Watkins Glen International Speedway in the Finger Lakes region of New York.

    Woodstock 50 Lineup:

    Aug. 16: The Killers, Miley Cyrus, Santana, The Lumineers, The Raconteurs, Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, John Fogerty, Run the Jewels, The Head and the Heart, Maggie Rogers, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Bishop Briggs, Anderson East, Akon, Princess Nokia, John Sebastian, Melanie, Grandson, Fever 333, Dorothy, Flora Cash, Larkin Poe, Brian Cadd and Ninet Tayeb.

    Aug. 17: Dead & Company, Chance the Rapper, Sturgill Simpson, Greta Van Fleet, Portugal, The Man, Leon Bridges, Gary Clark Jr., Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, David Crosby and Friends, Dawes, Margo Price, Nahko and Medicine for the People, India.Arie, Jade Bird, Country Joe McDonald, Rival Sons, Emily King, Soccer Mommy, Sir, Taylor Bennett, Amy Helm, Courtney Hadwin, Pearl, John-Robert and IAMDDB,

    Aug. 18: Jay-Z, Imagine Dragons, Halsey, Cage the Elephant, Brandi Carlile, Janelle Monae, Young the Giant, Courtney Barnett, Common, Vince Staples, Judah and the Lion, Earl Sweatshirt, Boygenius, Reignwolf, The Zombies, Canned Heat, Hot Tuna, Pussy Riot, Cherry Glazerr, Leven Kali, The Marcus King Band, Victory, Hollis Brown, John Craigie, Amigo the Devil and Liz Brasher.

  • Woodstock Ticket Sales Delayed

    Hold on to your ticket money, folks. You won’t be able to buy passes for Woodstock this Monday. The sale date was scheduled to coincide with Earth Day, April 22. But for undisclosed reasons, that date is being delayed.

    Woodstock Ticket Sales

    Everyone is waiting on an official public announcement, but Billboard reports that an email went out to agents on Friday, April 19 alerting them of the postponement.

    Earlier today, talent manager Amanda Phelan with Woodstock 50 talent-buyer Danny Wimmer Presents sent an email to agents representing acts at the concert in Watkins Glen, New York, explaining, “There is currently a hold on the Woodstock 50 on-sale date. We are waiting on an official press statement from Woodstock 50 regarding updated announce, ticket pricing, and overall festival information. We will get this information to you as soon as we receive it.”

    – from Billboard

    The event is scheduled for August 16-18 at Watkins Glen. Top-name acts are slated to play. The Killers, Imagine Dragons, Jay-Z, Robert Plant, Dead and Company, John Fogerty and Santana are among an impressive array of headliners.

    Information about Woodstock 50 is available on their website, or you can follow on Facebook and Twitter for updates. NYS Music will continue to provide ongoing coverage of Woodstock 50 as events unfold.

  • Losers Club Launches with Catchy Debut Song, Music Video

    New pop rock outfit Losers Club have released their first song “Emerald Eyes” this week. The song is a rallying call for those for whom everything seems to be going wrong, but who never lose sight of hope.

    “At the time I wrote this song, I had no idea Losers Club would even exist. It was just another personal demo I wrote to get my feelings out of my head for a while,” says frontman Nate Blasdell. “I’m currently working full time as a middle school teacher, so my schedule had been super busy. There was an unexpected snow day in late February, so I took advantage of it with the intention of writing a song about things I had been feeling recently. I can’t remember the last time I wrote a song in full and recorded it in a single day, but once I got started on this song, it just took off on it’s own. The lyrics came so easy because it was all stuff I had been felt for so long the previous year. I had just gotten off a Europe tour in December that was the most emotionally tolling tour I had ever done and my mental health just hit rock bottom. That particular tour had numerous obstacles on top of so many things going on back home that I wasn’t there to deal with at the same time. This song was really just putting that whole thing into perspective. “

    The Rochester-based band includes Andy Champion on bass, Aidan Snyder on guitar and vocals, Cody Wagner on drums, and Blasdell on lead vocals and guitar. Active in the music industry since the age of 16, Blasdell has been a member of several bands, including The Bunny The Bear and I Set My Friends on Fire. He’s also got songwriting credits for bands like
    MKTO, The Vamps, and Big Time Rush.

    “Losers Club is kind of a collective of every idea I’ve ever wanted to do but wasn’t confident enough to pull the trigger,” Blasdell says about the project. “Even though most of my platform and social media branding had been built in the metal scene, my heart has always been in Pop-Rock. I’ll openly admit, I was afraid to sacrifice giving up what I had, what I had worked for, and the opportunities in front of me, to ‘start over’ in a different scene that I had been out of for so long and there was a lot of self-doubt.”

    Blasdell continues, “To be honest, I’ve lived a pretty great life and it took me a while to realize that I had my mental health was not nearly as strong as I thought it was. I needed an outlet, so I started writing basement demos for myself with the intention of never showing anyone. It was a new perspective and the first time I was ever really able to be fully honest with the state my mental health was in. Soon after writing the songs, I realized it wasn’t about being ‘good enough’ or what other people thought, and I didn’t have to give anything up. Everything was so ‘all or nothing’ in my head. I could still play metal. I could still tour. I could still be a teacher, but I could do everything I was afraid to do as well. Somehow, I managed to find three best friends that I could relate to on a personal basis but were all incredible musicians as well. None of us cared about ‘being good enough’ or ‘fitting in’ to the industry’s stand point. We’re all goofy guys. We’re all weird. And we’re all fucking losers, but we’re embracing it head on and learning to let go of the things that aren’t Important in the process. These are songs that have helped us and we can only hope they help you too.”

    Follow Losers Club on Facebook and Instagram to keep up to date on this exciting new venture.

  • And the Winner of NYS Music’s March Madness is…

    Talking Heads! The band that inspired dozens of artists from Vampire Weekend to Phish take the crown as the winner of this year’s NYS Music March Madness! The band of RISD graduates who moved to New York City and got their start at CBGB in Manhattan’s East Village have had a profound impact on generations of musicians who have followed.

    march madness winner
    via Rockhall.com

    It does however seem likely that the group will never reunite, and Byrne made it clear to Rolling Stone a year ago that a reunion would overshadow his own personal accomplishments:

    “There’s a lot to that. I see what happens with other people when they do their reunions – and then it turns into a second reunion and a third reunion. With someone like the Pixies, it’s different – they’re getting the audience now that they deserved ages ago. But with a lot of them, it just seems like you don’t have anything new to say, and you go, “OK, this is just some kind of nostalgia exercise.” And I’m not interested in that.”

    Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz defer to Bryne, and seem to be on board with a reunion. As Tina told Rolling Stone in 2013:

    “You’ll have to ask David Byrne about that. We never ended Talking Heads ourselves. That’s entirely in his court. We never had a fight. I don’t see why there shouldn’t be a reunion. On the other hand, I’m not going to hold my breath because life goes on. Life is too short to sit around moaning about what could have been or what was. We are in touch with the band and we all would love to do it, but we can’t do it without David.”

    Frantz referred to the situation as ‘hopeless’ in a 2009 interview with SPIN:

    “The rest of the band would love to do something but our singer doesn’t see it that way. He prefers to play “Burning Down the House” with a Talking Heads cover band while wearing a tutu and then tell us that to go out would make us a parody of ourselves.”

    So there’s that. In the meantime, there’s always Start Making Sense, if you’re looking for an ‘as close as you’ll ever come’ to a Talking Heads experience.

    We would like to thank our sponsors Buffalo Iron Works, Anthology, TIP the Band and Funk n Waffles for being a part of this year’s March Madness. Support your local bands and venues so that they can be a part of New York State’s continued legacy of music for decades to come!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRKvgy39hn0

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDfz3oHAlJ8

  • Vote in the Finals of NYS Music’s March Madness!

    Two groups who got their start in New York City, who both have been inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame and who are both immensely influential round out the finals of this year’s NYS March Madness. Vote below to decide who the greatest artist is to come out of New York State.

    Growing out of the 1970s punk scene in New York City, Talking Heads became an immensely popular band by the early 80s, influencing the likes of Vampire Weekend, Phish and many more. The new wave genre can be traced back to Talking Heads and their songs have become an irrevocable part of classic rock n roll from the 80s. “Once in a Lifetime,” “This Must be the Place (Naive Melody),” “Burning Down the House,” “Girlfriend is Better,” “Slippery People,” “Cities,” and “Road to Nowhere” are the tip of the iceberg of the hits that defined their career.

    Talking Heads only had a brief tenure as a band (1977-1991), but their impact has lasted more than twice the length of their career. While their tenure was shorter than fans new and old would have liked, the intense period from 1977-1983 is remarkable for their albums and touring history, a spawn of the CBGB scene. Collaborations with producer Brian Eno netted More Songs about Buildings and Food, Fear of Music, and arguably their greatest album, Remain in the Light. 1984’s Stop Making Sense continues to be heralded as one of the greatest concert films ever, and the Jonathan Demme film won a National Society of Film Critics Award for best non-fiction film that year. Although David Bryne, Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz and Jerry Harrison may never perform together again, their music is timeless and the legacy continues to grow.

    So listen up, ‘cause you can’t say no to the Beastie Boys. One of the biggest names in hip-hop can be summed up into one hyphenated word:  influential-chaos. It’s impossible to capture all of the audio-idiocracies in tracks like “Girls” or “Triple Trouble,” that mimic the chaos of New York City streets. As pre-teens growing up in 80’s pop-culture, the ‘Boys Entering Anarchistic States Towards Inner Excellence’ collapsed a mass of influence, and basically every musical genre, into one acronym. From the whitful inception of “Cookie Puss,” about a Carvel cake recorded overnight in a friends home studio, to their collaboration with Rick Rubin and rocking entirety of Woodstock ‘99 in a 200,000 person titlewave, the Beastie Boys dominate.

    Seven of the nine albums went platinum, in addition to selling over 50 million records across the globe makes them more influential than the five boroughs would have ever imagined. When they weren’t fusing  jazz and metal loops with their punk roots, the group popularised the appeal of rap music beyond black culture with anthems like “Fight For Your Right.” Moreover, Beastie Boys influenced well beyond music speaking out on culture, politics and human rights issues in such a potent time in America. Issues we are still battling, thirty years later. Licensed to Ill is the most influential album of all time. It broke into Billboard’s top 100 as the first rap album. It was number one. Their music was potent, so potent riots broke out mid-set. They were influenced and then influenced the world. Beastie boys, and their music, stand toe-to-toe with relevant artists today, despite their disband in 2014.

    https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX46YR1jKxz8o

    Vote now for who you think is the greatest artist to come out of New York State. You can vote on Twitter too! The winner will be announced on Monday, April 8.

    [forminator_poll id=”307869″]

  • The Final Four of NYS Music’s March Madness

    Two weeks ago, we started with 64 artists from New York State, representing all genres and corners of the state. Now we have reached the Final Four of NYS Music’s March Madness and these four remaining artists represent four different genres – folk, rock, rap and jam – an eclectic mix of what makes New York State a breeding ground for all types of music. 

    The winner of the Buffalo Iron Works region is legendary singer-songwriter and Forest Hills native Paul Simon. He’ll face Talking Heads, winners of the Anthology region.

    Beastie Boys bested Billy Joel to take the crown in the TIP the Band region, and they will face off against the lone Upstate victor in the Final Four, moe., fittingly, out of the Funk n Waffles region.

    Vote below for who you think is the best artist from New York State in the past century! The finals will start this Thursday, April 4. You can also vote on Twitter!

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  • This week in Woodstock History: Harvesting Land for ‘Art’ Festival

    In early 1969, Michael Lang made multiple trips to the mid-Hudson Valley to find a place for Woodstock Ventures to hold their festival. As Lang mentions in his 2009 book The Road to Woodstock, he contacted a real estate agent about renting the Winston Farm, but the price of $40,000 for 12 weeks was far beyond the budget for Woodstock Ventures. 

    Barefoot in Babylon by Bob Spitz offers more detail on this potential property. It was owned by a frankfurter magnate named Shaler, in the town of Saugerties. With trees lining the property, permanent buildings, drainage, plumbing, wells, electric power, and a convenient exit right off the New York State Thruway, all of Woodstock Ventures partners – Lang, Artie Kornfeld, Joel Rosenman and John Roberts – rented motorcycles and drove to Shaler’s property on March 29. Although there was an initial agreement to the terms – $40,000 for 12 weeks, plus posting bond for damages and returning the land to its original state – a meeting with Shaler’s lawyer which lasted less than half an hour was ‘abrupt and cataclysmic,’ with Shaler opting to not rent the land to anyone, leaving it for his sons.

    This week in Woodstock History

    At that time, word got out about the festival. A call from Woodstock town supervisor Bill Ward, as well as an official from the county health department, made it clear that they did not want an event of this size in the area. The county had a population of 140,000 in 1970, and the festival would end up selling 100,000 tickets on presale alone. Nearly 400,000 would attend the festival, which clogged roads in rural Sullivan County, but in Ulster County it surely would have overwhelmed public services and caused even more headaches, especially along I-87.

    So the search continued for a place to hold “An Aquarian Exposition: The Woodstock Music and Art Fair.” On March 30, 1969, Lang and his partners the came across an industrial park in the town of Wallkill, near Middletown. The developer was Howard Mills, interested in leasing the property to Woodstock Ventures before showing it to industries for further development. Discussing with Mills about the event, in terms of an ‘art fair,’ to appeal to the broader community, with the addition of “small concerts, featuring a few of the area’s finer musicians.” They had assumed Mills, a country farmer, would never got for a rock festival on his property. he was inclined to work with Woodstock Ventures, even if Lang and his partners had their reservations. But time was running short and they needed a venue; after much discussion, they warmed to the idea of holding their festival in Woodstock. A planning board meeting in mid-April would set the wheels in motion for everything that would come next.

  • It’s the Elite 8 of NYS Music’s March Madness – Vote Now!

    We’ve made it to the 4th Round of NYS Music’s March Madness, featuring 8 elite artists who call New York home or got their start in the Empire State, as voted on by our readers. We have 8 incredible artists to consider to determine who is the greatest musician to come out of New York State in the past century.

    elite 8 NYS

    In the Buffalo Iron Works region, will it be Paul Simon (Forest Hills) or Blue Oyster Cult (Stony Brook)? In the Anthology region who is a more historic band, Aqueous (Buffalo) or Talking Heads (NYC)?

    Who wins the crown in the TIP the Band region – Billy Joel (Hicksville) or Beastie Boys (NYC)? And in the Funk n Waffles region, moe. (Buffalo/Albany) or Lou Reed (Brooklyn)?

    Vote below through Sunday night at midnight, and cast your vote on Twitter as well!

  • Lineup Announced For Tulip Fest 2019

    Albany’s signature spring event, the Tulip Festival, is set to take place in Washington Park on Mother’s Day Weekend, May 11 and 12, 2019.  The 71st annual festival aims to celebrate the Dutch Heritage of the region as well as provide the opportunity for artisans to sell handmade crafts, the park to showcase more than 140,000 tulips in 150 varieties, and musicians to entertain large crowds with world-class live entertainment. Additionally, KIDZONE is available to entertain the whole family.

    The live performances on the 518 Stage begin on Saturday, May 11,  following the Tulip Queen Coronation at 12 p.m. The first performance is by Hasty Page at 1 p.m. The young members of this group embody an exciting new sound full of inspiration, while creative lyricism paints a theatrical image for their original music. Next up is CK & The Rising Tide at 2 p.m. This alternative/country/folk rock band chooses to record in the solitude of an upstate log cabin. Their songs are rooted in folk-rock, oftentimes exploring the indie/country rock side of things. At 3:30 p.m., alt-rock, folk, pop singer Sydney Worthley takes the stage. This young singer/songwriter debuted her album, Strong, as a 14 song blend of strength, courage, and perseverance. Capping off the day is Wild Planes at 4:45 p.m.This rock/pop trio is labeled as a “wild” group with unmatched energy and immense personality.

    Sunday, May 12, kicks off with the 21st Annual Mother of the Year Award at 12 p.m. This award seeks to recognize the Capital Region’s most outstanding moms. Following this touching tradition, Mike Grutka, an acoustic based singer/songwriter will perform at 1 p.m. His ability to blend funky-modern-roots with rock has established his name on more than 400 radio stations between the U.S. and Canada. Honey Slider comes next at 2:15 p.m. This folk rock/pop duo based in Albany has roots in musical theater. This background shines through in their classic rock and folk influences, mainly during live performances. Following Honey Slider is Bird Streets at 3:30 p.m. An array of introspective indie rock and power pop draws on music of the decades’ past without promoting an overly nostalgic vibe. The music is credited as being “both fresh and familiar.” Last but not least will be a performance by Lets Be Leonard at 4:45 p.m. This group of rockers is fresh out of Saratoga Springs and well-known for putting on an exciting show.

    KIDZONE, is open both Saturday and Sunday. Pony rides, rock climbing, inflatables, face painting, music, and games will all be available to enjoy. Furthermore, the KIDZONE stage will be filled with performances. On Saturday and Sunday, Park Playhouse will be putting on two shows, at 12:15 p.m. and 2 p.m. This beloved theater group will be offering sneak peeks of their upcoming musical productions! At 1 p.m. on Sunday, Artpartners, a -community-based dance training program, will be presenting a performance bridging classic music and modern styles. Melvin the Magnificent, a professional magician, will be wowing the crowd with his action packed, interactive tricks at both 1:45 and 4 p.m. Next, Andy “The Music Man” Morse will be performing his well-versed children’s music at 2:45 and 4:45 p.m. This includes sing-a-longs, dancing, storytelling, and play-acting. Closing the show is Ruth Pelham. At 3:30 and 5:30 p.m., Ruth will be promoting her mission to build peace within communities through her original songs spanning all age groups.

    The Main Stage on Saturdaybegins with El Modernist at 1:30 p.m.This band dives into a new take on Indie-rock, showcasing fantastic hooks and melodies that embody psychedelia. Overall, the group gives off a very catchy garage-rock sound with a taste of modern alternative hip-hop. Next to take the stage is the Greeting Committee at 3 p.m.This Kansas City-based band gives originality that feels as intimate as a basement recording, but surprises you with intricate textures and sophisticated melodies. 4:30 p.m. kicks off KONGOS performance. This four-brother rock band popped up on the map with their song Come With Me Now, popular all around the world. This track went RIAA double-platinum for sales in excess of 2 million, and occupied the number one spot on alternative radio for five weeks, historically marking the quickest rise to the top by a new band.

    Sunday starts with Girl Blue at 1:30 p.m. Known for her powerful vocals, viewers can expect for the room to be silenced by her and her guitar alone. In collaboration with Just Pretend Records, she tours regularly and records her own music. At 3 p.m. is Moriah Formica, a top 20 contestant on Season 13 of The Voice. The coaches had this to say: “So much talent, it’s almost unfair to the rest of the world. You are a born rockstar” (Blake Shelton).” Marshall Charloff & The Purple Xperience are finishing off the weekend at 4:30 p.m. This five-person group from Minneapolis, MN has been bringing authentic productions of Prince and The Revolution on tour with them. Band leader Marshall Charloff recorded with Prince on the album 94 East, where Marshall plays both, keyboards and bass guitar and Prince is on lead vocals.

    Additionally, a free CDTA shuttle runs to Washington Park from three designated locations:

    • Elk Street Parking Lot: Located behind the State Education Building – the pick-up location will be Elk and Hawk at the stop sign.
    • Eagle Street Parking Lot: Located at the corner of Eagle Street and Madison Avenue.
    • Albany Medical Center Parking Lot: Located off Robin Street, for customers needing extra assistance or in a wheelchair. This particular shuttle will drop passengers off at the Madison Avenue/New Scotland entrance to the park.

    Shuttles will run every 20 to 25 minutes depending on traffic. All parking lots are free to use the weekend of Tulip Festival.

  • Woodstock Co-Creator Michael Lang Addresses Opposition to Modern Lineup

    In a recent interview with TMZ, Woodstock co-creator Michael Lang spoke about some of the backlash received over the announcement of the lineup for this summer’s Woodstock 50 festival taking place in August at Watkins Glen International Speedway.

    The festival is marking the 50th anniversary of the iconic 1969 Woodstock Music and Arts festival held in Bethel, NY which Lang co-created along with Artie Kornfeld and others at Woodstock Ventures.

    The announcement of the lineup of the 50th anniversary festival came with some dissent from Woodstock 1969 “purists” who saw names like Miley Cyrus, Jay-Z, and Chance the Rapper in the lineup. When asked, Lang told TMZ that he “wanted to make it a contemporary show for the audience we are expecting (which is young), and make it a show that touches all genres…This is a contemporary Woodstock for today.”

    Each of the three days of Woodstock 50 includes several of the original 1969 performers and nods to those original acts including Dead and Company (of Grateful Dead fame), Carlos Santana, John Fogerty (Creedance Clearwater Revival), John Sebastian, Melanie, Amy Helm (daughter of Levon Helm from The Band), David Crosby (of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young), Canned Heat, and Hot Tuna.

    woodstock co-creator Michael Lang

    Back in November 2018 at the Long Island Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony, in which Melanie and Woodstock co-creators Lang and Kornfeld were inducted, Lang skirted around discussing details about the who, when, and where of a 50th anniversary event as plans were in progress at the time. However, Melanie wasn’t shy about suggesting her interest in being part of a reunion or anniversary event during a recollection of her part in the 1969 festival.

    Melanie sharing some stories and laughs at the November 2018 Long Island Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony

    Woodstock 50 is happening at Watkins Glen August 16 – 18; visit woodstock.com for full lineup and more information.

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