NYS Music 20​19

Category: Pop

  • Best of NYS Music 2019: Music Festivals

    Our annual recap of the Best of 2019 has arrived at music festivals. Just like when fans arrive at these ever-popular weekend extravaganzas, we’re bright-eyed and bushy-tailed looking forward to what surprises lay around the corner. Our staff has been to dozens of festivals around the country, and of course, across New York State, where we have the most music festivals of any state! Whether it’s the original Woodstock, Summer Jam at Watkins, The Clifford Ball, Mountain Jam or Jazz Fests, New York is home to some of the most historic music festivals in American music history.

    If you missed our earlier selections for 2019’s best “under the radar” bands, and our albums of the year, go here and catch up. What festivals had the kids dancing and shaking their bones? Let’s take a look at the best festivals in New York State.

    Best New York State Festivals

    best of 2019 music festivals

    Adirondack Music Festival

    In only it’s fifth year, Adirondack (aka, ADK Fest) Music Festival has established itself as the Labor Day weekend event in Lake George, with fans pouring in from across the Northeast to see Twiddle, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Pink Talking Fish, Everyone Orchestra, G. Love and Special Sauce, and many more. For two days and two crazy late nights, Charles R. Wood Park, just a stones throw from the shores of Lake George attracted thousands of live music fans in one of the most intimate settings you’ll find for a music festival. Miles Hurley said of the festival:

    All of this top-notch live music was met resolutely throughout the weekend with a positive and welcoming vibe, upheld via a sense of strong community and creativity. For mid-size festivals Adirondack Music Festival is one of the best you can experience in the ever-musically-fertile land of upstate NY—yet here’s to a steady growth from mid-size to who knows how big.

    Here’s to another fantastic year of ADK Fest in 2020!

    Governors Ball

    Despite most of Sunday’s performances being cancelled due to intense storms in the area, Governors Ball was a rousing success, with performances by Tyler the Creator, Florence and The Machine, Nas, Lily Allen, Lil Wayne, and The 1975 among others. The 2020 edition will return to Randall’s Island June 5-7, although the festival has been looking into relocating to the Bronx for future installments.

    CGI Rochester International Jazz Fest

    Now in it’s 18th year, one of the most well known annual festivals in New York, CGI Rochester International Jazz Fest, brings together musicians and jazz luminaries from across the country and the world. The eight day-long festival will introduce you to new artists, hard to catch acts and significant musicians who should be on your radar.

    Eli Stein profiled 10 artists that caught his eye (and ear) at the 2019 installment, including Girls in Airports, Enemy, Paris Monster and Spaga, to name a few. Read more about these acts and get ready for the 2020 edition, to be held July 19-27.

    Night Lights Music Festival

    A staple of Western New York, Night Lights Music Festival once again brought a diverse lineup to the Heron Farm and Event Center in Sherman, NY. Staples such as Aqueous, !!!, Big Something, and Girl Talk headlined the affair, but the visual thrill is a major draw year after year.

    Kat Horton, Night Lights Marketing and Artist Relations specialist said to NYS Music, “While creating the lineup for the festival each year it is always a priority to make sure to share new music. We want to be your gateway festival, we want you to trust us and trust that we will blow your mind.” She also explained that while curating the lineup, the focus is to tell a story. “We try to create an ebb and flow to the layout of each daily schedule, we want the weekend to create a story.”

    Check out some of the action from this year’s installment from Strawberry Island Dweller here.

    Best Out of State Festival

    Peach Fest was the runaway winner this year, and for good reason. The lineup for this year was stacked top to bottom with a who’s who of jambands, classic rock acts and up and coming groups, including Goose, who put on a memorable set that burst them out into as of the strongest and most exciting new acts. Writer Jared Lindquist said of the festival, “This weekend was full of great music and rarely ever had a lull in things to do. Spirits were high and the weather was great until the yearly rain on Sunday night. Peach is an event not to miss.” His detailed take on the festival, covering sets from Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Trey Anastasio Band, Mungion and more can be found here.

    The 2020 edition of Peach already is a contender for lineup of the year, with Oysterhead, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, String Cheese Incident, moe., Umphrey’s McGee, Twiddle, Turkuaz, and dozens more. Find out more info on Peach Fest 2020 here.

  • Governors Ball anticipates move to the Bronx

    Governors Ball may be moving to the Bronx in the future, relocating from Randall’s Island to Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx. While the festival has been denied a permit to move locations in 2020, the company behind the festival made a pitch to members of Bronx Communty Board 8 last week.

    governors ball bronx

    Concerns over the event’s size and duration were part of turning down the move in the past, but organizers are now appealing that decision. With 50,000 people expected to attend the June 5-7 festival each day, a relocation would need to factor in the strain on local infrastructure caused by the arrival of the GovBall crowd.

    Recently, a new age policy was revealed, as well as an updated VIP experience. The festival says regarding raising the minimum age from 18 to 21, “In a change from previous years, for the 2020 festival all persons 18 and over are welcome at the festival, but a valid proof of ID is required for entry. All persons aged 17 and under MUST attend with an adult who is 21 or older. Each adult must have a valid form of ID and may accompany up to TWO ticket holders aged 17 or younger.”

    Governor’s Ball also unveiled an updated VIP experience, offering access to special viewing areas, as well as air-conditioned, flushable bathrooms; a private wi-fi network; a separate lane at ferry docks and shuttle pick-up points; free water at VIP areas and more.

  • Manic Kat Records Celebrates 5th Anniversary with Festival

    Along the banks of the Hudson River, new music is flourishing. New York towns like Beacon, Kingston and Woodstock are emerging as musical meccas. Last weekend, Nyack joined this burgeoning trend when it served as the location for Manic Kat Records’ 5th anniversary festival. This two-day event, held at Olive’s, served as an opportunity for Manic Kat to showcase their stable of artists.  With a mantra of “Real Punk. Real Attitude,” the music ran the gamut from Metal to Ska, Pop Punk to Rock and Roll.

    Cult Classic

    The spectrum of talent possessed by the label was on full display over the two days. Local favorites Cult Classic and Philly’s A Likely Story joined Bay Area pop punkers Neverlyn and Central California’s For the Record as part of a 15-act smorgasbord of music. Keeping things running smoothly, Suicide Girl, Paijee Suicide, presided as host of the festival lending her charm to the merriment.

    Neverlyn

    Rockland County-based, location hasn’t limited Manic Kat’s reach when searching for talent to fit their brand. Having acts now hitting Billboard Magazine’s Hard Rock Album Sales and Heatseekers Album charts, be looking for bigger and better things to come from this Pomona, NY label as their roster grows. The tide on the Hudson may ebb and flow, but one constant is that Manic Kat Records is Real Punk, Real Attitude and Real Music. 

    A Likely Story

  • Maroon 5’s Announces Expansive 2020 Tour – Three NY Dates on Tap

    Maroon 5 has announced 2020 North American summer tour dates scheduled to start on May 30 in Chula Vista, California. The tour will include Meghan Trainor and Leon Bridges for selected shows and will make three different stops in New York before wrapping up on Sept. 17 in Tampa, Florida.

    They will be performing all across North America and performing at some of the largest venues in their career. Their three New York shows are in Flushing at Citi Field on June 25, Darien Center at Darien Lake Amphitheater on June 27, and Saratoga Springs at Saratoga Performing Arts Center on Sept. 6. 

    Tickets go on sale to the public on Friday, Dec. 13 at 12:00 p.m.via Ticketmaster. For more information on the tour visit Maroon 5’s website.

    Find the full tour lineup below including previously scheduled shows:

    Feb. 23 —  Foro Sol – Mexico City, MX 

    Feb. 28 —  Estadio Bicentenario de la Florida – Santiago, CL 

    March 1 —  Allinaz Parque – Sao Paulo, BR 

    March 3 —  Estadio Mane Garrincha – Brasilia, BR

    March 5 — Classic Hall –  Recife, BR 

    March 7 —  Estacionamento da Jeunesse – Rio de Janeiro, BR 

    March 10 —  Estadio Centenario – Montevideo, UY 

    March 12 —  Campo Argentino de Polo – Buenos Aires, AR

    March 14 —  Parque Salitre Magico – Bogota, CO 

    May 30 —  North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre – Chula Vista, CA 

    May 31 —  Ak-Chin Pavilion – Phoenix, AZ #

    June 3 —  Isleta Amphitheater – Alburquerque, NM #

    June 5 —  Pepsi Center – Denver, CO  #

    June 7 —  Austin360 Amphitheater – Austin, TX #

    June 8 —  The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion – Houston, TX #

    June 10 —  Dos Equis Pavilion – Dallas, TX #

    June 13 —  Wrigley Field – Chicago, IL # %

    June 14 —  Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center – Noblesville, IN #

    June 16 —  DTE Energy Music Theatre – Clarkston, MI #

    June 18 —  Blossom Music Center – Cuyahoga Falls, OH #

    June 19 —  KeyBank Pavilion – Burgettstown, PA  #

    June 24 —  Fenway Park – Boston, MA # %

    June 25 —  Citi Field – Flushing, NY # %

    June 27 —  Darien Lake Amphitheater – Darien Center, NY  #

    June 28 —  Budweiser Stage – Toronto, ON #

    Aug. 2 —  Simmons Bank Arena – North Little Rock, AR #

    Aug. 4 —  Chesapeake Energy Arena – Oklahoma City, OK  #

    Aug. 6 —  Pinnacle Bank Arena – Lincoln, NE #

    Aug. 8 —  Fargodome – Fargo, ND #

    Aug. 9 —  Xcel Energy Center – St. Paul, MN #

    Aug. 12 —  Rogers Place – Edmonton, AB #

    Aug. 14 —  Rogers Arena – Vancouver, BC #

    Aug. 15 —  White River Amphitheatre – Auburn, WA  #

    Aug. 17 —  Moda Center – Portland, OR  #

    Aug. 19 —  Shoreline Amphitheatre – Mountain View, CA  #

    Aug. 21 —  Banc of California Stadium – Los Angeles, CA  # %

    Aug. 24 —  USANA Amphitheatre – Salt Lake City, UT #

    Aug. 27 —  Sprint Center – Kansas City, MO #

    Aug. 29 —  Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – Maryland Heights, MO  #

    Aug. 30 —  American Family Insurance Amphitheater – Milwaukee, WI #

    Sept. 1 —  Riverbend Music Center – Cincinnati, OH #

    Sept. 3 —  BB&T Pavilion – Camden, NJ #

    Sept. 5 — Hersheypark Stadium –  Hershey, PA #

    Sept. 6 —  Saratoga Performing Arts Center – Saratoga Springs, NY  #

    Sept. 9 —  XFINITY Theatre – Hartford, CT  #

    Sept. 11 —  Jiffy Lube Live – Bristow, VA  #

    Sept. 12 —  Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek – Raleigh, NC  #

    Sept. 14 —  PNC Music Pavilion – Charlotte, NC  #

    Sept. 16 —  Coral Sky Amphitheatre – West Palm Beach, FL #

    Sept. 17 —  MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre –  Tampa, FL #

    # = w/ Meghan Trainor

    % = w/ Leon Bridges

  • Karolina Rose adds noir alt-pop twist to Shakira’s “Objection”

    Emerging NYC alt-pop artist Karolina Rose has followed up her well-received single “Greytopia” with a dark spin on Shakira’s legendary “Objection.” The Shakira classic is a sexy yet playful story of a tortured love triangle, and is mirrored here in the indulgent production of Karolina’s high-class offering helmed by Elliot Jacobson (VÉRITÉ, Allie X, Elle King).

    Speaking about her take on “Objection,” Karolina explains: “She’s such a global, iconic superstar and I have loved her songs all my life. I randomly started belting out ‘Objection’ in between a session with my producer Elliot – he then encouraged me to cover the song while putting our own twist on it. We filmed with my friend’s baby to represent motherhood and the Divine Feminine strength. This decision was also intended to be an ode to Shakira, given that she posed with a baby on the iconic artwork for her Oral Fixation, Vol. 1 album.” 

    Compared to the glittery upbeat rhythms in “Greytopia”, the dusky groove of “Objection” perfectly exhibits Karolina’s versatile, unique brand of ‘noir rose pop’: alluring, seductive and layered, with a prick of danger.

    Often focusing on deeper perspectives in her music, the quickly-rising indie singer’s compelling twist on “Objection” sounds gloomier than the original, while still brilliantly channeling its sass, empowerment and frustration.  

    “Objection” is step two in Karolina’s upcoming visual EP project, which will witness the AWAL artist tell a tale of love, loss and healing through four spectacular video experiences. The future is clearly bright for Karolina Rose, a sensational artist unfolding who has the potential to reach the upper echelons of the pop sphere with several more enthralling anthems to come.

  • Degenerates Crowd for A Day To Remember in Syracuse

    Fans braved frigid temperatures and snow at the Oncenter War Memorial Arena in Syracuse, NY on Tuesday, November 12, 2019 for A Day to Remember.

    A Day to Remember is headlining The Degenerates Tour, which began its
    2-month tour on September 6, 2019, spanning until November 23, 2019.
    The show had three opening acts. Can’t Swim, based out of Keansburg, NJ, Beartooth, hailing from Columbus, OH, leading up to I Prevail, from Southfield, MI, who all seemed to be eligible headliners on their own.

    Jeremy McKinnon – lead vocals- A Day To Remember

    The band is touring to support their new single “Degenerates” while preparing for the release of their seventh studio album; You’re Welcome,  on November 15, 2019. The album is their follow-up to their 2016 release of, Bad Vibrations.

    The show was non-stop energy from the moment Can’t Swim took the stage.
    Can’t Swim is: Chris LoPorto (lead vocals), Mike Sanchez (guitar), Danny Rico (guitar), Greg McDevitt (bass), Michael Sichel (drums). They are an EMO / Post-Punk group hailing from Keansburg, New Jersey. They certainly set the pace for the remaining show.

    Chris LoPorto-lead vocals-Can’t Swim

    When Can’t Swim left the stage, they were quickly replaced by Beartooth. The crowd started to expand, they shouted and jumped with intensity as Beartooth ripped the stage in true metalcore/punk rock style with heavy beats and strong riffs.

    The band was named after the Bear Tooth Court, where their original bassist Nick Reed grew up. Shomo has stated that Beartooth was supposed to be a mere distraction while he was still a member of Attack Attack! having no intentions to record or play live music; however, after his departure, he focused on Beartooth, which has surpassed his wildest expectations. He recruited guitarist Taylor Lumley, bassist Nick Reed, and drummer Brandon Mullins for live performances.

    Caleb Shomo -lead vocals- Beartooth

    After a long break to set up the stage for I-Prevail, the crowd had really loosened up. The security unit in front of the stage was heavily present, as the crowd surfing, mosh pit and wall of death activities began. At one point, someone dressed as a shark, crowd surfed into the guards.

    I-Prevail was strong enough to be the headliner. The band—Brian Burkheiser, Eric Vanlerberghe, Steve Menoian, and Dylan Bowman — easily toss and turn between heavy metal, alternative, hip-hop, and electronic moods without warning, boundaries, or rules. They were hard-driving and loud, and the fans took in every note with electricity.

    Brian Burkheiser -lead vocals- I Prevail

    Finally, after a long night of hard-hitting music, A Day To Remeber took the stage. The crowd got silent, as the curtain rose to reveal the headliners. Formed in 2003 and known for their fusion of pop-punk and metalcore, the band provided the soundtrack for millennial teen angst with their fourth album, Homesick, about a decade ago. Their fans — now adults —arrived to relive their emo days.

    The music got into your chest and became the heartbeat within you, pulsating through every nerve. The five-man band showcased some new material and pulled out all the stops to do so. Beach balls bounced off the stage and into the mosh pit below during the performance of “Rescue Me,”  A t-shirt gun fired into the audience while the band presented their newly released single “Degenerates,” which is the first single off their upcoming album You’re Welcome, released on November 15, 2019

    Setlists:

    Beartooth: The Lines, Hated, Aggressive, You Never Know, Bad Listener, Disease, In Between.

    I Prevail: Bow Down, Gasoline, Rise Above, Scars, Paranoid, Hurricane, Breaking Down, Deadweight, Come and Get It.

    A Day To Remember (ADTR): The Downfall of us All, All I want, Mr. Highway’s Thinking About the End, Paranoid, Sticks & Bricks, My Own Worst Enemy (Lit Cover), Better Off Ths Way, Right Back at it Again, Rescue Me, Have Faith in Me, Degenerates, Bullfight, Sometimes You;re the Hammer, Sometimes, You’re the Nail, End of Me, 2nd Sucks, I’m Made of Wax, What are You Made of?


    ADTR Encore: If It Means A Lot To you, All Signs Point to Lauderdale, The Plot to Bomb, the Panhandle.

  • Aria Wunderland brings the nostalgia with her music video for “In My Head”

    Alternative-pop singer/songwriter Aria Wunderland has released the music video to her newest single, “In My Head.” The track embodies the feeling of a first love with the music video providing an appropriate teenage atmosphere to go along with the tones of the song.

    The music video was filmed along the Coney Island boardwalk as well as in Luna Park, formerly known as Astroland, a staple of many New Yorker’s childhoods. The classic setting provides the viewer with a nostalgic ambiance to add to the feeling of young love represented. The juxtaposition of the location mixed with Aria’s wistful vocals generates the full message behind the single. 

    Aria Wunderland

    The Washington Heights born Wunderland now calls Brooklyn home, and Aria has been making her mark by releasing her own music, which has received high-profile placements on Keeping Up With The Kardashians and Oxygen’s Bad Girls Club. Regarding what she hopes fans get out of her music, she told Beyond the Stage magazine in 2018:

    “I hope my fans feel liberated and a sense that they’re not alone in their feelings. I was a lot younger than my siblings and the only girl. I spent a lot of time alone listening to music and would always identify with the lyrics. I hope my music and my overall themes in my artistry can do the same.”

    Watch Aria Wunderland’s recent music video for “Risk it All.”

  • Stefan Alexander covers Tweet/Missy Elliot classic “Oops (Oh My)”

    NYC-based queer pop artist Stefan Alexander, whose promising initial surge began three years ago with his debut single “Skeleton,” has released a video for his cover of Tweet’s “Oops (Oh My)” feat. Missy Elliot.

    “Back when I was a kid, the song (and the iconic music video) felt so scandalous in the best way possible,” says Alexander. “Now, from an adult perspective, I understand the lyrics to be about self-pleasure and independence, especially for women and femme-identifying folks, who are too often stigmatized for their sexual desire. The message is timeless!”

    Stefan grew up in an artistic household in Northampton, MA playing multiple instruments including cello, piano, guitar and mandolin. While attending NYU’s Clive Davis program, he formed a folk band opposite pop singer Phoebe Ryan. In the NYC folk clubs, Stefan honed his songwriting and vocals, realizing his strengths as a pop musician. Stefan soon began collaborating with producers Elliot Jacobson (Verité, Elle King) and Andrew Horowitz (John Legend, Janelle Monae) to discover his sound.

    With his smooth as silk vocals laid over a very stylized R&B bed, Stefan switches up the perspective, tackles the track, and posits it in a very modern take, while maintaining all of the flavor. Replacing the sparse Timbaland production with a more synth-driven texture, he embraces all of Tweet’s sensual delivery and turns up the heat, making the song more intimate and seductive.  

    Tackling such an iconic song is no easy feat, and Stefan told Stitched Sound, “I tried to modernize the song with some more current production, but I wanted to stay true to the original as much as possible. The most important thing was to keep the sensuality of the original, so hopefully that comes through.”

    Although his career trajectory was cut short when he succumbed to a mysterious pain disorder (Central Sensitization Syndrome) that made it impossible for him to perform music, much less most physical activity, Stefan has picked up where he left off. He is using his platform to speak honestly about his chronic illness and hopes his story can inspire others to overcome whatever challenges they may be facing in their lives.

    Back in the ring, Alexander released the much-lauded EP Thunderclap earlier this summer, signaling his return to form, of which The New Nine said, “An emotional pop masterpiece that will get stuck in your head but also make you cry if you let it sneak up on you.”

    Stefan plans to release his second EP in early 2020, with more music coming throughout the spring and summer.

  • Alanis Morissette to perform ‘Jagged Little Pill’ at The Apollo Theater on December 2

    Alanis Morissette will perform her seminal 1995 album Jagged Little Pill at the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem on Monday, December 2. The fully acoustic performance will be followed by a Q&A with Alan Light, co-host of SiriusXM Pandora show Debatable. The one-night only event celebrates the opening week of Jagged Little Pill the Musical at the Broadhurst Theater, with the first performance on Friday, December 5.

    Jagged Little Pill won five Grammys including album of the year. The Broadway version of the album features an original story by Diablo Cody.

    Pre-sale tickets go on sale Thursday, November 7 at 10am – make sure to sign up for the mailing list by Wednesday, November 6 at 5pm to receive a pre-sale code. 

  • Voodoo Music And Arts Experience 2019

    This past weekend, October 25-27, saw the annual Voodoo Music and Arts Experience took place in the city of New Orleans. The festival, in its tenth edition, boasted a genre spanning lineup that included Guns N’ Roses, Beck, Post Malone, Brandi Carlile, The National, Interpol, Big Gigantic, and Young the Giant. The three-day weekend married the close of the 2019 festival season and featured some creepy crawly Halloween festivities.

    In what seemed to be a Voodoo tradition the first day was plagued by a great deal of rain, leaving the grounds of the beautiful City Park under water and a swampy mess. The dismal weather did not deter the voodoo faithful from kicking off the weekend festivities costumes and all. Sets from up and coming artist Hobo Johnson & The Love Makers, and the amazing Bishop Briggs paved the way for a rainy serenade from Brandi Carlile, and an absolute heater from Guns N’ Roses. The world-famous rockers treated a wet and rowdy crowd to a three-hour career spanning set culminating with a perfectly timed November Rain as the light mist turned back into a steady rain shower.

    As day two arrived so did the sunshine as if summer was peaking in one more time before the winter months took over, allowing festival attendees to dawn their best costumes. This was a full music day that included sets from Young the Giant, The National, and Bassnectar with the ever-talented Beck closing out day 2 with his unique dance party sound. He paid homage to hometown favorites The Meters with a soulful version of Cissy Strut showing just how much love so many musicians have for the city of New Orleans.

    The final day of the festival featured an array of new bands and artists that certainly should be on any music fan’s radar. Temples, a psych rock band from England, proved that British rock is still alive and thriving, blending multiple different styles to create a unique hard rock sound. Minnesota native Hippo Campus brought their billowy melodies and concisely written songs for an amazing afternoon performance on the main stage. The array of great music culminated with a powerful performance from Post Malone. The 24 year old rap star closed this amazing weekend with such stage presence and cockiness. Closing the festival with his hit song “Congratulations” exclaiming to the NOLA faithful “Live your life, live your dream, live your truth, be what you want to be, don’t ever let anyone fuckin’ stop you.” A perfect motto for the attitude that the gritty city of New Orleans exudes everyday.