NYS Music 20​19

Category: NYC Metro

  • Nashville pop-up record store, curated by Grimey’s, hits NYC

    A slice of Nashville can be found in the Big Apple this fall with a pop-up vinyl store, Spin On: Nashville’s Vinyl Collection, having opened on October 1 at SHOWFIELDS in NoHo. Curated by Nashville’s world-renowned record store, Grimey’s, in celebration of its 20-year anniversary, Spin On will offer a curated selection of vinyl records by artists who live in Nashville or albums that were recorded in Nashville.

    “The Music City brand is at the heart of Nashville’s tourism success and the city’s overall success,” says Butch Spyridon, President and CEO of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. “We think this is a creative way to showcase and reinforce the strength and diversity of the music that’s created, written and recorded in Nashville.”

    Grimey’s is Nashville’s independent record store since 1999, specializing in new and preowned vinyl, CDs, cassettes, DVDs, books, magazines, turntables, and other tangible artifacts. The Nashville trademark regularly hosts live performances, record release parties, book signings and interviews.

    Grimey's

    SHOWFIELDS’ flagship store premiered in December 2018 at 11 Bond Street in New York and has since grown into a revolving array of art, food, drink and community programming bridging art and retail in the heart of NOHO.

    Spin On will be open October 1-January 15 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday and noon to 8 p.m. on Monday.

    In addition to the incredible selection of vinyl, the unique pop-up at SHOWFIELDS will host intimate performances, signings and more.

    Current Lineup of In-Store Appearances:

    October 9, 6-7pm: Kalie Shorr

    October 10, 5-5:30pm: John Hiatt

    October 15, 1-3pm: Jessy Wilson

    November 5, 6-7pm: Andrew Combs

    November 10, 3-4pm: Trent Dabbs

  • Widespread Panic announce 5 nights at The Beacon Theatre

    Widespread Panic will return to New York City for the first time in seven years, with five nights planned in early 2020. The Athens, GA band will hold a five-night residency at the legendary Beacon Theatre, February 27, 28, 29th and March 1 & 2nd. Tickets are on sale Friday, October 11th at 11am ET. Click here for more info.

    Check out our coverage of Panic’s last performance in NYC, at Madison Square Garden Theater in November 2013.

  • In Focus: Ty Segall invades The Bowery

    Ty Segall & The Freedom Band are playing extended residencies in cities all around the world. They are playing his new album First Taste in full as well as many of the eccentric artist’s older albums. After a five-night stay at The Bowery Ballroom, the word is out on the amazing double drum, guitar-less new album that fans are boasting is his best yet.

    The performance of First Taste really makes the most of the two-drummer setup, with Ty moving back and forth from a kit positioned at the front of the stage at least once every song. It is his great connection with The Freedom Band that blends so many different styles of music, leaving no trouble in making a crazed, heavy and loud as hell rock n’ roll experience.

  • Hearing Aide: Willem debuts EP

    Willem takes the modern languid sounds of Post Malone, Mac Miller and combines it with the mellow tones of WIlco and Neutral Milk Hotel. He hails from Albany but is currently a musical engineering student at Purchase College.  His debut EP uses the elements of his previous collaborations with NRV and SIMONEAR (Tomorrow, Mrs. Rebound) and blends them into a moment leaving you wanting more.  

    “Hit the Floor” was released as a teaser for the EP in the spring: it’s joyful, flirtatious lyrics are combined with a soft but driving beat that ends with the listener yearning for summer.  “November” reminds you of rainy, bittersweet days in bed with a partner and recognizing that winter is coming just like the end of a relationship. 

    The interlude between the tracks provides the emotional space for one to consider the next song title. 

    “We Could Be Friends” brings about the renewal and inner maturity needed to release the listener from grappling with the previous tracks themes. With “Lately,” Willem’s voice reaches a place unexplored earlier; he takes it down a step and explores a level a loneliness that resonates with the rest of the EP but holds the potential for more to come.  

    What more is there to say?  It’s short but not in a way that punk, grindcore, or any other genre priding itself in brevity could hope to muster. Willem achieves something that many young artists want but rarely earn: writing a debut worth listening to on repeat and being able to do so if you have more than 10 mins to spare–it’s like Reign in Blood for the digital era, but without the physical sensation of flipping a cassette to hear the same good time again.

    Key Tracks: Hit the Floor, November

  • SPAGA announces afternoon NYC show during the Disco Biscuits’ New Year’s run

    Aron Magner will bring his new jazz-focused side project, SPAGA, to DROM in NYC for an afternoon performance on Sunday, December 29th. The show will take place on the day-off, between the second and third nights of the Biscuits’ four-night run at Playstation Theater, offering fans a unique show to see.

    SPAGA NYC

    The “mostly acoustic” trio, rounded out by string bassist Jason Fraticelli and drummer Matt Scarano, eschews the jam-rock/electronica fusion of the Biscuits for a more classic sound that harkens back to Magner’s jazz background. After many years focused on the exploration of improvisational jam rock with the Biscuits, Magner has returned to his Jazz roots with SPAGA. The band released a self-titled debut album over the summer which featured five original songs and a re-imagined version of The Disco Biscuits’ “Resurrection.” SPAGA played their first-ever NYC show in September at (Le) poisson rouge – check out NYS Music’s review of the show here.

    Tickets are now on sale. Visit DROM for more information.

  • The Comet is Coming: Cataclysmic Jazz Crashes in Brooklyn

    London-based trio The Comet is Coming present a dark and earthshaking sound with their blend of jazz, electronica and psychedelia. Shabaka Hutchings (also of Sons of Kemet and Shabaka and the Ancestors) plays a frenetic and chaotic saxophone over haunting and pulsing percussion from drummer Max Hallett. Swirling, psychedelic synths by Dan Leavers drown the mix, making the listener feel as if they are trapped in a jazz apocalypse dream.

    Dan Leavers of The Comet is Coming – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

    Fresh off their new LP, The Afterlife, released in September on Impulse! Records, the band began a short October tour on Tuesday night at Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn. A simple stage set-up, with a lone, dim red light illuminating the drum kit center-stage awaited fans as the doors opened. With no opener, Comet quietly took the stage and began playing some lighter jazz progressions as the band was seemingly just loosening up. Then, with a loud crescendo, the band dove right into their heavy jazz rock.

    Max Hallett of The Comet is Coming – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

    The sound of The Comet is Coming stands distinctly apart from Shabaka’s other projects, and most of the modern jazz scene. The Afterlife can easily be the soundtrack for any number of cosmic apocalypse movies. It’s a raw mix of Sun Ra’s spacey sound with dance-floor ready techno percussions.

    For roughly an hour and a half, the band flew in and out of tracks from all of their releases, but relying heavily on The Afterlife. There was no lull to speak of – as one song was coming to an end, one of the musicians was already looping the next track to keep a continuous flow. Each band member took their turn with a solo, which seamlessly integrated into the setlist. A simple back-lit stage cast the band in silhouette – giving the music that extra bit of ominous mystery.

    Shabaka Hutchings of The Comet is Coming. Photo by Buscar Photo

    The Comet is Coming have cemented their status as one of the more exciting and intriguing modern jazz bands out there. Their live show is a visceral, cathartic experience and each new release sees the band pushing their music further down the rabbit hole of underground jazz. They continue on a short run of dates in early October, ending with a stop at Austin City Limits on October 11 before heading over to Europe.

  • Downtown Brooklyn Arts Festival Returns this Weekend

    The annual Downtown Brooklyn Arts Festival (DBAF) is making its way back to town this weekend from Friday, Oct. 4 until Sunday, Oct. 6. The festivities—brought to you by not-for-profit organization, the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership—will be showcasing artists and art institutions that call the Brooklyn Cultural District their home. The Plaza at Ashland is the host for the event, located at Flatbush and Lafayette avenue—downtown Brooklyn’s newest public space in the heart of the Brooklyn cultural district. Artists and art organizations will be offering free classes, tours, and other free outdoor programming, with performances and showings also scheduled.

    Each day of the festival contains specific activities for the public to enjoy. The itinerary is as follows:

    • On Friday, the festivities kick-off at 5:00 p.m., with a dance party with DJ collective Soul Summit Music and a performance by Soul Tigers Marching Band.
    • The following day, officially recognized as DBAF Community Day, festivities will run from 11:00 a.m. until 6:55 p.m. Activities will range from a drum circle, dance classes, workshops with instrumentalists, conversation with DBAF leaders and to end the night, there will be a showing of the Spike Lee semi-autobiographical cult-classic, Crooklyn.
    • To cap off the festival weekend on Sunday, activities will run from 12-5 p.m. With live dance, hip-hop and story-telling performances and to end this year’s BDAF festivities, Brooklyn’s own and hip-hop legend, Talib Kweli sets the backdrop for the Downtown Brooklyn Arts Festival Finale. Along with a pop-up of Nkiru Books, Brooklyn’s oldest African-American bookstore.

    For more information on the Brooklyn Downtown Arts Festival visit their website.

  • Umphrey’s McGee Adds New Deal, Billy Strings to 20/20 Tour Dates

    Umphrey’s McGee has released the first batch of tour dates for next year for their ‘Hindsight 20/20’ Tour, including two-night runs in New York City, Detroit and Asheville, which will all have umVIP packages available. The tour will also be making a stop in Pellham, TN at The Caverns, where UM will perform in a gorgeous underground amphitheater.

    The Caverns in Pelham, TN

    The tour kicks off with a two-night run at Beacon Theatre in New York City on January 17 & 18, and then the band will stick around to play Brooklyn Bowl in Brooklyn. The tour will then make its way through PA, stopping at Stage AE, and the month of January ends with a two-night run at The Filmore in Detroit, MI. The tour continues into Tennessee, where UM will make a stop at The Carverns on February 13.

    Additionally, Umphrey’s will welcome The New Deal for a handful of dates, as well as Billy Strings and Empire Strikes Brass. The Toronto-based live electronic trio returns with new drummer Davide Di Renzo, joining Jamie Shields (keyboards) and Dan Kurtz (bass) to create the third incarnation of the dance party powerhouse, The New Deal. Singer, songwriter, and guitarist, Billy Strings takes the stage in Asheville with his unique take on psychedelic Americana, after Asheville’s own Empire Strikes Brass opens the two-night run with their blend of high energy brass, funk, and rock.

    See the full list of Hindsight 20/20 Tour dates below, tickets are on sale now.

    Umphrey’s McGee Tour Dates

    Jan. 17 – Beacon Theatre – New York, NY
    Jan. 18 – Beacon Theatre – New York, NY
    Jan. 19 – Brooklyn Bowl – Brooklyn, NY
    Jan. 23 – Penn’s Peak – Jim Thorpe, PA*
    Jan. 24 – Stage AE – Pittsburgh, PA*
    Jan. 25 – Express Live – Columbus, OH *
    Jan. 29 – Clyde Theatre – Fort Wayne, IN*
    Jan. 30 – MGM Northfield Park – Northfield, OH*
    Jan. 31 – The Fillmore – Detroit, MI*
    Feb. 1 – The Fillmore – Detroit, MI *
    Feb. 12 – Soundstage at Graceland – Memphis, TN
    Feb. 13 – The Caverns – Pelham, TN
    Feb. 14 – ExploreAsheville.com Arena – Asheville, NC^
    Feb. 15 – ExploreAsheville.com Arena – Asheville, NC^

    * with The New Deal

    ^ with Billy Strings and Empire Strikes Brass

    Umphrey’s has also just announced Hall of Fame: Class of 2018, a robust collection of the best of the best live tracks performed by the band in 2018 as voted on by the fans. Available in a limited edition, double LP set featuring splattered three-color vinyl, this year’s HOF collection contains four-and-a-half hours of music and enough improv to confuse pop fans everywhere.

  • NYC indie diva Karolina Rose drops energetic single ‘Greytopia’

    On her latest single, “Greytopia,” Karolina Rose is a bright and rhythmic indie-pop track, full of energy and passion. Serving as step one to Karolina’s upcoming visual EP project, “Greytopia” is the start of a tale of love, loss and healing through four video experiences.

    Combining an upbeat pop rhythm with shimmering guitar strums, the Elliot Jacobson (VÉRITÉ, Allie X, Elle King) produced track imagines an idealistic world where its inhabitants can reach their highest self and live out their dreams, despite life not being perfect.

    karolina rose greytopia

    Speaking about “Greytopia,” Karolina explains: 

    “This song refers to taking in all the nuances of life on the spectrum of white to grey to black and accepting it, meanwhile enjoying life in your most productive, idealistic manner. It’s in another world where things aren’t jaded and morals and ethics are high. We have all the amenities of Earth but use them in a positive, productive way. Just do your best with what you have and create your own perfection within something that isn’t. You can lounge; you can work; feel happy; feel sad. It’s all okay. It’s a fairytale land. We’re in another world – another planet.”

    The new music comes after Karolina’s Polish primetime television debut and an exclusive deal with Universal Music Poland. A Polish-American singer based in Brooklyn, Karolina was born and raised in Philadelphia to Polish parents and graduated from the Wharton School. She worked on Wall Street, before making the decision to quit her career in the investment industry in order to commit to making music her full-time profession. Karolina released her first single “Move With Me” in February 2017 and her debut EP INVICTA on February 1, 2019.

  • Yung Gravy Delivers Rotisserie Chicken to Terminal 5

    Yung Gravy brought the love to Terminal 5 on Saturday in the form of rotisserie chicken. A 23 year old rapper out of Minnesota, Yung Gravy’s music is inseparable from its humor, defined by its positive quality and littered with charismatic moments such as that of gassing up Mrs. Butterworth.

    His live performance radiates the same spirit, hand delivering water and scraps of rotisserie chicken. All this while still maintaining an exceptional energy with moments like parting the crowd down the entire venue and backflipping out of crowd-surfs.

    Later in the show, bbno$ joined the stage and closed the show performing “1 Thot 2 Thot Red Thot Blue Thot” along side SavageRealm in a giant thrifted doll mask.

    Yung Gravy
    Yung Gravy
    Yung Gravy
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