NYS Music 20​19

Category: Ithaca

  • They Might Be Giants Add New ‘Flood’ Shows

    Brooklyn’s “Ambassadors of Love,” They Might Be Giants,  due to popular demand, have added new shows to their 2020 tour. New stops will include  Boston, New Haven, Pittsburgh, Minneapolis and many more. They also have added additional shows in Chicago, Detroit and New York City at the Bowery Ballroom, all of which are now sold out. New Yorkers can still catch TMBG at the State Theater in Ithaca (May 5) and Buffalo at the Town Ballroom (May 6). 

    The 2020 tour is in celebration of the 30th anniversary of their third album, Flood, which catapulted them into international stardom upon its release. Dubbed as an “evening with” show, fans can expect for TMBG to play Flood in its entirety along with favorites and some brand new tracks thrown into the lineup. Find a full list of the shows below and visit the band’s website for ticketing.

    They Might Be Giants 2020 Tour Dates

    Jan.10 – Daryl’s House Club – Pawling, NY

    Jan.11 – Bowery Ballroom – New York, NY

    Feb.6 – College Street Music Hall – New Haven, CT

    Feb.7 – Columbus Theatre – Providence, RI

    Feb.8 – Bowery Ballroom – New York, NY

    Mar.5 – Pabst Theater – Milwaukee, WI

    Mar.6 – Vic Theatre – Chicago, IL

    Mar.7 – Geek Bowl XIV – Chicago, IL

    Mar.8-9  – The Majestic – Detroit,MI

    Mar.13 – Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA

    Mar.14 – Bowery Ballroom – New York, NY

    Apr.8-9  – Lincoln Theatre – Washington, DC

    Apr.10 – 930 Club – Washington, DC

    Apr.11 – Bowery Ballroom – New York, NY

    Apr.30 – May 1 – Royale – Boston, MA

    May 2 – Higher Ground – South Burlington, VT

    May 3 – Academy of Music Theatre – Northampton, MA

    May 5 – State Theater – Ithaca, NY

    May 6 – Town Ballroom – Buffalo, NY

    May 7-8 – Mr. Smalls Theatre – Millvale, PA

    May 9 – Bowery Ballroom – New York, NY

    May 12-13 – Beachland Ballroom & Tavern – Cleveland, OH

    May 14 – Vic Theatre- Chicago, IL

    May 15 – First Avenue – Minneapolis, MN

    May 16 – Fitzgerald Theater – St.Paul, MN

    May 17 – The Pageant – St.Louis, MO

  • Cornell professor discovers tape of unreleased Lou Reed music at Andy Warhol Musuem

    A Cornell professor of music has discovered a dozen rare, unreleased songs by Lou Reed. Found on one side of a cassette tape from 1975, the songs are based on Andy Warhol’s book, “The Philosophy of Andy Warhol (From A to B and Back Again).”

    While conducting archival research at the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, Judith Peraino of the College of Arts and Sciences said of the finding, “It sounds like he recorded them in his apartment with an open air microphone, just voice and acoustic guitar.”

    Lou Reed music

    As reported by Cornell, Periano wrote a paper announcing her discovery, titled, “I’ll Be Your Mixtape: Lou Reed, Andy Warhol, and the Queer Intimacies of Cassettes,” published on October 30 in the Journal of Musicology. Five short segments are shared with permission from Lou Reed’s estate, and the music can be found here.

    Syracuse alumnus Reed had labeled Side 2 of the tape “The Philosophy Songs (from A to B and Back).” Side 1 of the cassette consists of songs dubbed from soundboard recordings of Reed’s 1975 concerts. Peraino said her first reaction to discovering the cassette was “disbelief and uncertainty.”

    “The sound of Reed’s voice on ‘The Philosophy Songs’ is very different from his live concert performances on Side 1,” she said. But when one Warhol Museum staffer commented that Peraino had found an unreleased Lou Reed album, “that’s when the excitement really hit. Such a discovery is rare, and it is certainly a highlight of my career.”

    The “Philosophy Songs” cassette is one of almost 3,500 audio tapes at the Warhol Museum, part of the extensive collection Warhol assembled of the sounds of his life. A critical source for Peraino’s research was Bruce Yaw, a bass player who toured with Reed from 1975-76. Although he passed away in September at age 73, Yaw lived near Ithaca in the village of Sempronius. Extensive interviews and personal archive were shared with Peraino, which includes demo and soundboard tapes that she used to put the newly discovered cassette in context.

    Peraino said that while demo tapes and soundboard recordings are not particularly rare finds, this is different.

    “What makes this rare is the gift aspect of the tape,” she said, “that Lou Reed intentionally created both a curated set of songs and a composed set of songs on tape meant only for Warhol. This is a harbinger of the mixtape culture and gift-giving that flourished in the 1980s and 1990s.”

    Peraino also unearthed a partial recording of the “Philosophy Songs” at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

    Peraino’s extensive research into Warhol’s archive and Reed’s music has illuminated the story behind the unreleased songs. The tape, she writes, records “the entangled passions and psychologies of [Warhol and Reed’s] decadelong relationship.” Reed and Warhol famously collaborated in the mid-1960s, resulting in the multimedia Exploding Plastic Inevitable events and the album The Velvet Underground and Nico.

    Their multiple attempts to start another musical collaboration in the mid-1970s is not widely known. Warhol first approached Reed to create a Broadway musical based on Reed’s Berlin album. After that idea fizzled, Reed created the just-discovered tape of songs based on Warhol’s latest book and his own latest songs and performances.

    As such, the tape functions as an audio double portrait: One side is Lou Reed; the other side is Andy Warhol.

    “Reed brought an experimental and literary sensibility to his songs, composing vivid and sometimes brutal portraits of complex characters in sound and words,” Peraino said. “This tape from 1975 reveals an intimate side of Reed’s musical portrait-making through a story that is his own, touching on his ongoing involvement with Andy Warhol and exploring the expressive potential of the medium of the cassette tape.”

  • Hearing Aide: Noon Fifteen ‘At the Festival’

    Ithaca, NY based progressive soul band, Noon Fifteen is set to release its epic prog-pop suite, At the Festival, Halloween weekend. Packing a punch in its 22 minute run-time, the album is a brilliantly-efficient storyteller.

    The members here are key to its delivery, starting with Mandy Goldman on vocals, whose dynamic range and myriad styles power this piece. Rounding out Noon Fifteen are: Samuel B. Lupowitz (keyboards & vocals), Joe Massa (guitars), Harry Nichols (bass, percussion, & vocals), and Phil Shay (drums & vocals).  Joining the band on this outing is Chris Ploss, not only on percussion and vocals, but he also recorded and mixed the album at Sunwood Recording in Trumansburg, NY.

    At the Festival explores the mood of Hero, the protagonist of the piece, as he contemplates the state of his life – past and present. Wondering where the time has gone and trying to truly feel his emotions, Hero conversely numbs himself with liquor and pills. It is this internal struggle that underlies the entire mini-rock opera.

    The alternate musical styles of At the Festival drive the narrative through the album. The band shines here moving effortlessly between pop soul sounds, prog rock riffs and sonically soaring movements. The free, yet vocally stunning “Wandering” showcases the beautiful harmonies this group can deliver, and simultaneously offers a small respite to Hero. As the story works to conclusion, it is apparent that Hero’s struggle is not over as he is battered by mourning and lost love in “Rock Bottom” and he defiantly disavows everyone in “My Ghost.”

    Well-crafted and performed, At the Festival is a testament to Noon Fifteen’s willingness to explore and grow musically. This is an effort to be cheered.

    Key Tracks:  Time for Me, Rock Bottom, My Ghost

    Join Noon Fifteen for their album release party at The Range in Ithaca on Saturday, November 2.

  • Premiere: Noon Fifteen “Time For Me,” from mini-rock opera “At The Festival”

    Ithaca’s progressive soul band, Noon Fifteen, today premieres “Time For Me,” off their upcoming album At the Festival. They’ll celebrate the album release at The Range in Ithaca on Friday, November 2.

    “Time for Me” introduces the suite’s protagonist, sung by bassist Harry Nichols, and sets up musical ideas which are revisited, twisted, and elaborated on throughout the piece. The song serves as the jumping off point for the album and was the first part written, having been inspired by a trip to festival during where Nichols witnessed a grieving friend experience renewal.

    A small town band with a big imagination, Noon Fifteen’s first release, Volume One, showcases the band’s vintage soul roots and hinted at its progressive tendencies. With At the Festival, the band dives head first into that prog propensity. The record is a seamless 22 minute suite, a mini rock opera that tells a tale of grief, and questions how far we should go to remember those we have lost. 

    Noon Fifteen Time For Me

    Based in Ithaca, the five-piece is influenced by 1960s California and Liverpool, 1970s Memphis and New Orleans, and the DIY ethos of the internet-powered independent music scene. Fronted by Mandy Goldman (vocals), Noon Fifteen is Samuel B. Lupowitz (keyboards & vocals), Joe Massa (guitars), Harry Nichols (bass, percussion, & vocals), Phil Shay (drums & vocals), and are joined by Chris Ploss for the album (percussion & vocals).

    At The Festival was recorded & mixed by Chris Ploss at Sunwood Recording in Trumansburg, NY, with additional recording by Samuel B. Lupowitz, and was mastered by Matt Saccuccimorano at Scaramanga Industries.

  • The Bad Plus Activates Infinity at Hangar Theater in Ithaca

    Finishing up their second year with Orrin Evans at the piano (replacing founding member Ethan Iverson), and on the eve of the release of their second album with the new lineup, The Bad Plus made a stop at the Hangar Theater in Ithaca. Previously declaring themselves the band that will Never Stop, they were now ready to Activate Infinity.

    And why not? The music emerging from the trio, even after the change, and after almost two decades as an entity, is as potent and timeless as ever. Their healthy mix of rock, classical, pop, and yes, of course, some jazz as well, has a bit of something for anyone willing to listen. Hearing it performed live in an intimate setting with an appreciative and attentive audience, such as the case on this evening in Ithaca, is truly the ideal environment for such an endeavor.

    The stage was warmed up with an opening set from The Long Now Trio, a local Ithaca band featuring guitarist Ryan Vanderhoof (founding member of the psychedelic rock band Akron/Family), Matthew Saccuccimorano on drums and Brian Dozoretz on bass, playing only their fourth performance together. It sounded more like four years together as they went on an improvisational adventure of their own, tangling cosmic guitar sounds with flourishing drum work in a quick but exciting 30-minute set.

    The main course of The Bad Plus started innocently enough, with some soft and sparse piano. Gentle bursts of bass and brushes dancing along a bevy of cymbals soon joined the fray. The three disparate sounds slowly built in intensity, eventually climaxing in a complex three-part fit of triumphant chaos. The gentle easing into the set was a ruse, indeed the audience had just found itself caught up in an indescribably beautiful ten-minute whirlwind of sound. It was uplifting and exhilarating and worth the journey out on a Thursday night and the price of admission all on its own. It was Reid Anderson’s composition “Seams” and everything else was essentially on the house.

    But the band still had over an hour more of tricks up their sleeves. They followed with Evans’ “Commitment” which ditched the subtle shifts in dynamics, choosing instead sudden shifts and jerks in a very dramatic and theatrical piece that had a bit of Broadway flair, with thematic characters and narratives shining through in the music.

    Next was “Anthem for the Earnest,” a highly melodic energetic rocker that was go-go-go from the start and hardly let up for a breath. These three selections showcased all three members’ songwriting and the range and skills of their musicianship. It seemed they laid all the cards on the table so soon into the show, but each next piece was an adventure all its own.

    The set mostly drew from last year’s Never Stop II record but also featured a few tracks from their new release, Activate Infinity, in the second half. “The Red Door” trended on the jazzier side of things, playing like a hyped up Thelonius Monk tune. On “Undersea Reflection,” each member took the task of rhythm and melody simultaneously and separately.

    In its infancy, The Bad Plus made waves with their unusual cover choices and sprinkled them generously into shows and albums alike. But more recently, and on this night as well, it took until they were coaxed out for an encore, for a presentation of their classic cover of Aphex Twin’s “Flim” that turned into a Dave King drum workout and a the perfect cap to a wonderful night of adventurous instrumental music.

    The Bad Plus don’t sound like anything from the past. They don’t really sound like they’re from the future, or even a representation of the present. There is a timeless quality to the music that just is. Their melodies feel like they will Never Stop being relevant.

    Setlist: Seams (Anderson), Commitment (Evans), Anthem for the Earnest (King), Salvages (Anderson), Safe Passage (Anderson), 1983 Regional All-Star (King), The Red Door (Evans), Boffadem (Evans), Undersea Reflection (Anderson), Dovetail Nicely (King)
    E: Flim (Aphex Twin)

  • Greensky Bluegrass announce Winter Tour, with stops in Ithaca, NYC and Albany

    Greensky Bluegrass has announced an expansive Winter Tour to kick off 2020 with stops in Ithaca, NYC and Albany.

    With the first show in St. Louis, MO at The Pageant on January 15, the tour winds through the Midwest and East Coast, and finishing with a two-night stand at The Tabernacle in Atlanta. Ghost Light will joining Greensky as the opener for a majority of the dates, with another act being announced in the near future. General on-sale begins on Friday, October 18.

    greensky ithaca nyc

    Ahead for Greensky Bluegrass this fall include appearances at Hulaween & Hangtown festivals, then an epic Midwestern Halloween weekend run kicking off in Chicago at the Chicago Theatre on Halloween, then off to Kansas City and St. Paul. The band will appear at ‘What The Night Brings’ tribute to Jeff Austin on November 4 then a duo of shows in their hometown of Kalamazoo, MI Nov. 29 & 30. Greensky will debut at Denver’s new Mission Ballroom on Dec. 6 & 7 before heading to Mexico for Cloud 9 Adventure’s Strings & Sol. The band will ring in 2020 with a three-night stand at The Riverside in Milwaukee, WI – with support from Horseshoes & Hand Grenades on 12/29 and 12/30, and a three-set Greensky NYE event to close out the year.

    The band’s third incarnation of its Camp Greensky Music Festival is the latest confirmed 2020 date, happening June 4 to 6 in Wellston, MI, tickets are available now. 

    Greensky Bluegrass Winter Tour dates

    1/15 – The Pageant, St. Louis, MO

    1/16 – Old Forester’s Paristown Hall, Louisville, KY

    1/17 – Agora Theatre, Cleveland, OH

    1/18 – The Met, Philadelphia, PA

    1/19 – Roxian Theatre, McKees Rock, PA

    1/22 – State Theater, Ithaca, NY*

    1/23 – State Theatre, Portland, ME*

    1/24 – Beacon Theatre, NYC

    1/25 – House of Blues, Boston, MA*

    1/28 – Flynn Center, Burlington, VT*

    1/29 – The Egg, Albany, NY*

    1/30 – Penn’s Peak, Jim Thorpe, PA*

    1/31-2/1 – The Anthem, Washington, D.C.*

    2/4 – Madison Theater, Covington, KY*

    2/5 – Mill and Mine, Knoxville, TN*

    2/6 – The Fillmore, Charlotte, NC*

    2/7-8 The Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA*

  • Bob Dylan Announces Beacon Residency to Finish the Year

    Bob Dylan returns to Beacon Theatre in New York City from Nov. 23 to Dec. 6, with a 10-night run. The historic venue has a longstanding tradition of multi-night runs with acts like the Allman Brothers Band, Steely Dan and, most recently, Tedeschi Trucks Band.

    The shows will come at the end of the famed songwriter’s mostly college/university fall tour. Dylan first played at Beacon Theatre back in 1989 and continues to establish a tradition of end-of-the-year performances at the Upper West Side venue. He previously played the Beacon 33 times including a seven-concert residency in 2018.

    A stop in Central New York will also be on the schedule. Bob Dylan & His Band will perform at the Ithaca College Athletic and Events Center on Sunday, Nov. 17 as part of his upcoming tour dates.

    The fall tour kicks off Oct.11 in Irvine, CA. Tickets are currently available for purchase through Ticketmaster.

    Bob Dylan Tour Dates:
    Oct. 11 – UC Irvine – Irvine, CA
    Oct. 12 – Santa Barbara Bowl – Santa Barbara, CA
    Oct. 14 – Stanford University – Palo Alto, CA
    Oct. 17 – The Mission Ballroom – Denver, CO
    Oct. 19 – Pinnacle Bank Arena – Lincoln, NB

    Oct. 20 – Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland – Kansas City, MO
    Oct. 22 – Stifel Theatre – St. Louis, MO
    Oct. 23 – Iowa State University – Ames, IA
    Oct. 24 – Mankato Civic Center – Mankato, MN
    Oct. 26 – Eagles Ballroom – Milwaukee, WI

    Oct. 27 – Indiana University – Bloomington, IN
    Oct. 29 – Illinois State University – Normal, IL
    Oct. 30 – Credit Union 1 Arena at UIC – Chicago, IL
    Nov. 1 – Morris Performing Arts Center – South Bend, IN
    Nov. 2 – Ball State University – Muncie, IN
    Nov. 4 – Ohio State University – Columbus, OH
    Nov. 5 – Michigan State University – East Lansing, MI
    Nov. 6 – University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, MI
    Nov. 8 – Northern Kentucky University – Highland Heights, KY
    Nov. 9 – University of Akron – Akron, OH
    Nov. 10 – Robert Morris University – Moon Township, PA
    Nov. 12 – University of Maryland Baltimore County – Baltimore, MD
    Nov. 13 – Virginia State University – Petersburg, VA
    Nov.15 – Penn State University – University Park, PA

    Nov. 17 – Ithaca College – Ithaca, NY
    Nov. 19 – University of Massachusetts – Lowell, MA
    Nov. 20 – Providence Performing Arts Center – Providence, RI
    Nov. 23 – Beacon Theatre – NYC
    Nov. 24 – Beacon Theatre – NYC
    Nov. 26 – Beacon Theatre – NYC
    Nov. 27 – Beacon Theatre – NYC  
    Nov. 29 – Beacon Theatre – NYC
    Nov. 30 – Beacon Theatre – NYC

    Dec. 2  – Beacon Theatre – NYC
    Dec. 3 – Beacon Theatre – NYC

    Dec. 5 – Beacon Theatre – NYC

    Dec. 6 – Beacon Theatre – NYC

  • Marco Benevento releases latest single off ‘Let it Slide,’ announces fall tour with 5 stops in New York

    Marco Benevento has released “Send It On A Rocket,” his self-proclaimed “end of summer anthem” and third single ahead of new album Let It Slide, due out September 20th on Royal Potato Family. In between references to reefer and Topo Chico, deep pockets of bass and spaced-out synths, the cascading composition reveals that behind Marco the bandleader – who covers his piano strings in gaffers tape and enjoys walking his pet goats and peacocks through the Catskill woods – there are patches of sorrow he’s now ready to contemplate more seriously than ever.

    The sounds of “Send It On A Rocket” preview the new territory charted between Benevento and Let It Slide producer Leon Michels, a partnership marking the first time Benevento relinquished studio control of his own music. As evident on the new single, that surrender led to his deepest inward exploration, and spontaneous impulses like taping those piano strings. Read Benevento’s introduction to the song via Talkhouse.

    Introduced via dear friend Richard Swift (who was set to mix the LP before passing), Marco made Let It Slide with Michels (Sharon Jones, Adele, Lana Del Rey, Lady Gaga) and an unexpected, Upstate NY bromance ensued, and Marco’s trust in Leon ultimately informed the album’s core: free yourself to be yourself. Citing influence in Can, ESG, Childish Gambino, and Mulatu Astatke, he dug deep into his lyrics, exploring acceptance, desire, and regret, while embracing the moment – an impulse to cover piano strings in gaffers tape created the LP’s main muted sound (along with the Binson Echorec, the tape machine behind 1970s Pink Floyd).

    This fall, Marco Benevento and his band – including Karina Rykman (bass) and Andy Borger (drums) will make 30 stops from coast to coast, with 5 shows in New York over two weeks in October.

    MARCO BENVENTO
    Tour Dates

    10/10 – Buffalo, NY – Iron Works
    10/11 – Ithaca, NY – The Haunt
    10/12 – Albany, NY – Cohoes Music Hall **
    10/13 – Woodstock, NY – The Colony *
    10/17 – Portland, ME – Port City Music Hall ^
    10/19 – Burlington, VT – Higher Ground ^
    10/20 – Holyoke, MA – Gateway City Arts ^
    10/23 – Fairfield, CT – FTC StageOne ^
    10/24 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg ^
    10/25 – Philadelphia, PA – Underground Arts ^
    10/26 – Washington, DC – Pearl Street Warehouse ^
    11/2 – Shizuoka, Japan – Frue Festival
    11/6 – Pittsburgh, PA – Club Cafe ^
    11/7 – Grand Rapids, MI – Founders Brewing ^
    11/8 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall ^
    11/9 – St. Paul, MN – Turf Club ^
    11/10 – Milwaukee, WI – The Back Room @ Colectivo ^
    11/11 – Davenport, IA – Raccoon Motel ^
    11/12 – Indianapolis, IN – HiFi ^
    11/13 – St. Louis, MO – Old Rock House ^
    11/14 – Nashville, TN – Basement East ^
    11/15 – Louisville, KY – Zanzabar ^
    11/16 – Cleveland, OH – Beachland Tavern ^
    12/5 – San Diego, CA – Casbah San Diego
    12/6 – Los Angeles, CA – The Teragram Ballroom ^
    12/7 – San Francisco, CA – The Independent ^
    12/8 – Felton, CA – Felton Music Hall
    12/9 – Mill Valley, CA – Sweetwater Music Hall ^
    12/10 – Arcata, CA – Humbrews / Humboldt Brews ^
    12/11 – Eugene, OR – WildCraft Cider Works ^
    12/12 – Bend, OR – Volcanic Theatre Pub ^
    12/13 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge ^
    12/14 – Seattle, WA – The Crocodile ^

    ** w/ Mikaela Davis
    ^ w/ The Mattson 2

  • Mike Gordon announces 2020 Winter Tour

    Phish bassist Mike Gordon will hit the road with his band in early winter 2020, kicking off with their first ever show at The State Theatre in Ithaca, NY. The tour includes shows in Toronto, Chicago, St. Louis, Salt Lake City, Portland and wraps up in Seattle on February 1.

    Tickets are now available for pre-sale, ending Thursday, September 12 at 5PM EST). Visit mike-gordon.com/tour for more info. Mike Gordon band is Scott Murawski (guitar), John Kimock (drums), Craig Myers (percussion) and Robert Walter (organ). Check out photos and review from his show in Jersey City in March.

    Jan 17 State Theatre Ithaca, NY
    Jan 18 Danforth Music Hall Toronto, Ontario
    Jan 19 Mr. Smalls Theatre Millvale, PA
    Jan 20 Newport Music Hall Columbus, OH
    Jan 22 Thalia Hall Chicago, IL
    Jan 23 20th Century Theater Cincinnati, OH
    Jan 24 Delmar Hall St. Louis, MO
    Jan 25 Majestic Theatre Madison, WI
    Jan 26 Varsity Theater Minneapolis, MN
    Jan 28 Boulder Theater Boulder, CO
    Jan 29 The Commonwealth Room Salt Lake City, UT
    Jan 31 Crystal Ballroom Portland, OR
    Feb 01 The Showbox Seattle, WA

  • Video Premiere: Noon Fifteen “The Tick” in 360°

    Ithaca prog soul outfit Noon Fifteen has emerged from the studio, where they just finished recording their sophomore album Finish What You Started. The first single “The Tick” was filmed in 360° video during their recording session in the studio at Cornell University.

    “We’d experimented with Vulfpeck-inspired session videos for Volume 1, and I was looking for a way to develop that concept and make it our own,” keyboard player Sam Lupowitz told NYS Music. “The 360 camera let us really show what everyone’s playing on the track in a way that’s interactive, rather than passive entertainment. I loved the idea of really putting the viewer in the studio with us.”

    As the into explains, if you’re seeing stationary photos, try using a different browser or device. Toggling around on the video will allow you to view the entire recording studio – from the acoustic ceiling tile to the guitar pedals on the floor and everything in between.

    The music video for “The Tick” is just the beginning. Noon Fifteen announced they will drop three new songs, play three free shows, and release three podcasts this month. They’ve nicknamed this month “Julyfecta” in honor of this trio of trios. Follow this linktree to access content (videos, podcasts, and music streaming). And if you’re in the Finger Lakes area this month, save the date for these performances:

    July 4 Sunset Bash at Six Mile Creek Vineyard in Ithaca

    July 12 at Hopshire Farms and Brewery in Freeville

    July 25 CFCU Summer Concert Series in downtown Ithaca