NYS Music 20​19

Tag: brooklyn

  • Vevo and Fabolous Present Live Performance of “B.O.M.B.S.”

    Vevo announced rapper, Fabolous, as the next artist in their Ctrl series, with a performance of “B.O.M.B.S.”

    Vevo’s Ctrl series highlights the work of hard-hitting, cutting-edge musicians, both emerging and established, making an impact on today’s music scene. These artists demand attention and Vevo’s Ctrl shines a deserving spotlight. Shot in Vevo’s Brooklyn studio, Fabolous’ performance of  “B.O.M.B.S.” follows sessions from Rick Ross, Common, Rapsody, Jeezy, Jadakiss, A$AP Ferg and more, according to their official website.

    The record is the second track from his latest project, Summertime Shootout 3: Coldest Summer Ever. It is a sample of “Sirius,” the opening composition of British rock-band — The Alan Parsons Project, and their 1982 LP — Eye in the Sky. While it samples a rock-band, the song is undoubtedly an ode to Michael Jordan and the 1990’s Chicago Bulls (with the title serving as acronymic reference), who used “Sirius” as part of their entrance music, making it synonymous with Jordan and their 1990’s dynasty.

    Fabolous spends roughly three-minutes delivering one punchline after the other, with plenty of NBA and other pop culture references alike. Reminding the listener that his relevancy in hip-hop is everlasting. Similarly, to how the Chicago Bulls have been a mainstay of pop and sports culture, despite their run happening over two decades ago.

    A veteran of the hip-hop scene, The Grammy-nominated emcee has been a force since the early 2000’s. With his first big hit, “Can’t Deny It,” coming in 2001. His mix of lyricism, pop-friendly records, and implementation of nostalgic references has kept him in demand, nearly twenty-years after his debut.

    Despite taking a step-back from commercial releases he has managed to stay relevant, and in “B.O.M.B.,” he signals a return to his dominant status in the rap game, rapping “I feel like Michael in ’95, back on my bull sh*t this summer ya’ll.”

  • Runaway Gin – a Tribute to Phish – adds 2020 Winter Tour Dates, perform at Knitting Factory on December 26

    Runaway Gin – a Tribute to Phish – has announced their ‘Ophishal YEMSG pre-party’ in New York City on Thursday, December 26. Hosted by Facebook groups Phish Chicks, PHISH TOUR 2014, and GrooveSafe, the event will feature two sets of “Evil Phish” starting at 8:00 pm. Kicking off the night will be special guests Space Junk is Forever. Peak Builders Network will host a meet-up at 7:00pm and hold a raffle to benefit the non-profit GrooveSafe, who also receive a portion of each ticket sale.

    runaway gin 2020 winter

    The Charleston, SC based quartet Runaway Gin has also announced that they will now be extending to a 19-date 2020 Winter Tour. The tour begins Friday, January 10th at the Masquerade in Atlanta, GA and then returns the band to Nashville, TN for a debut at the Mercy Lounge the following night. The following weekend Gin will make their long awaited Colorado debut with a 2 night-run in Steamboat Springs Thursday and Friday nights followed by a Saturday show in Denver at Cervantes.

    Saturday, February 8th returns the band to their home venue: the Charleston Pour House. At the end of February the band will return to the Orpheum in Tampa, FL as well as Revolution Live in Ft, Lauderdale, FL. The first weekend in March brings the Charleston based tribute up to Portland, ME for a debut show at PHOME, a Boston debut at Brighton Music Hall, and a Hartford, CT debut at Arch Street Tavern. 

    The end of March brings the band north again for a return to the Ardmore Music Hall just outside of Philadelphia, PA and a Pittsburgh debut at Thunderbird Music Hall. Returns to the Pour House Music Hall in Raleigh, NC and the Broadberry in Richmond, VA close out this tour. 

    The band has also just released full show soundboards from their Norva debut November 29th containing both a 30 plus minute “You Enjoy My Frankenstein” and a 24 minute “Runaway Jim” on the anniversary of Phish’s longest jam, the ‘Worcester Centrum Jim.’

    

    Ashes and Diamonds (Full) from Justin Jones on Vimeo.
    




    Having just released his debut single, “Ashes and Diamonds,” Jones also is releasing a short film based around the track, as well as a music video. Having played on stage with John “Twink” Alder from Santa Barbara Machine Head, in groups such as Tomorrow, The Pretty Things and The Pink Fairies, and recorded in The Clash’s studio, Jones is a rare remnant of artistic integrity with a story to be told.
    




    “Ashes and Diamonds” is Diamond Jones’ return to the rock n’ roll and film scene after a period of solitude and devise. Jones solely shines this feat himself: all instruments are played, recorded and produced on his own. Likewise, the film is written, directed, and stars Jones.
    




    Born in Toronto, Ontario, Justin “Diamond” Jones as a young adult was involved with a group of semi-professional skateboarders during a time that rock n’ roll was seeing a revival, stemming from the skateboarding community. At that time he stumbled upon Bob Dylan’s Bringing It All Back Home and shortly after disappeared off the grid to develop his craft as an artist. 
    




    Years later, Jones found himself in London, and quickly began performing around the city on guitar and piano. Jones has spent the past three years in Canada, isolating himself to refine his skills and prepare for his prolific return to the music & film scene.

  • Gramatik Formulates Electronic Wizardry in Brooklyn

    Electronic wizard and free music advocate Gramatik made people dance into the early morning hours with his digital weave of urban and funky beats at the premiere EDM venue in Brooklyn, Avant Gardner. He was supported by incredibly talented colleagues Opiou and Balkan Bump for a night of organic, hip-hop-infused electronica.

    Balkan Bump is an electronic artist who mixes live instruments, world music and digital production. Trumpeter, producer and enthomusicoligist Will Magid is the brain child behind this band. A tapestry of funky beats, stellar trumpeting and dance hall vibes was cleverly woven throughout the set. At one point, Magid announced that he was playing a one word song, and everyone should sing along. That song was “Tequilla” by The Champs, and it was a huge hit with the crowd.

    Opiou, a producer and artist from New Zealand, was up next, and brought his Kiwi electronic heat. Also known as Oscar Davey-Wraight, this DJ is known for funky beats and deep bass grooves, as well as a penchant for keeping the dance floor alive well into the late night. Will Magid joined Opiou during the middle of his set on trumpet, creating a refreshing organic synergy. His signature buildups and drops continued throughout the set, framed with an engaging LED light display and plenty of fog.

    Gramatik took the stage to a packed crowd that was ready to dance. And dance they did. Denis Jašarević is Gramatik, hailing from Slovenia, and is known for his mind numbing hip-hop beats and fresh remixes. He played with guitarist Adam Stehr, adding an organic feel to his live performance. His stage setup included several LED panels that displayed colorful graphics, a healthy dose of fog, and a stacked lighting rig that fostered an elevated visual experience.

    This evening’s stellar performance included samplings of “No Sleep Til Brooklyn” by NYC’s own Beastie Boys and “Can’t Get Enough” by Gramatik’s frequent cohort Griz. Will Magid joined the party on trumpet for a tune, and the crowd was loving every second of this vibrant collaboration. Gramatik noted that this was his last show of 2019 and he sure went out with a bang.

  • Mungion and the Magic Beans Drop Fall Tour Heat at the Knitting Factory

    Chicago’s Mungion, a funk/rock jam band, and the Magic Beans, another impressive jam band from Boulder, Co, delivered funky fall tour heat at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, NY. Both bands wrapped up an exciting fall tour on the East Coast together, alternating closing duties nightly. Mungion did the honors at the Knitting Factory. The Bushicks, a local Brooklyn band, opened the evening for these talented bands.

    John Adamski of the Busicks

    The Brooklyn native Bushicks are a power trio hailing around the tri-state region. The band consists of Jonny Patrizio (Vocals/Guitar), Jessica Bogwicz (Bass) and John Adamski (Drums/Vocals). The trio was joined by a saxophonist this evening for most of the set. They delivered their signature rock, including a sweet cover of “Axilla” by Phish.

    Casey Russell, Scott Hachey and Chris Duffy from the Magic Beans are feeling it.

    The Magic Beans wove their tasty funk/soul/rock sounds next. The Bean band members include Scott Hachey (guitar/vocals), Casey Russell (keyboards/vocals), Chris Duffy (bass/vocals), and Cody Wales (drums/vocals). The band began by immediately dropping into a deep jam, showcasing their exceptional improvisational skills, and never looked back. This band specializes in space jam funk, and did not disappoint.

    Mungion

    Mungion picked up the jam vehicle where the Magic Beans left off, and dove into a rocking jam of intricate riffs. This band is made up of Justin Reckamp (guitar), Joe Re (keys), Sean Carolan (bass), and Matt Kellen (drums). The exciting directions, stellar compositions and expressive improvisation were apparent from the first note.

    Scott Hachey of the Magic Beans

    Both the Magic Beans and Mungion are firing on all cylinders after their 2019 fall tour through the East Coast. Mungion is closing out 2019 by playing December 29-31 at Martyr’s in Chicago, Ill. The Magic Beans are playing one night at the Goat in Keystone, Co on December 28. They resume touring with Snowstalk, their own winter festival in Frisco, Co on January 24-25, 2020. The Colorado based lineup includes Kyle Hollingsworth from String Cheese Incident, as well as skiing at Copper Mountain, and is certain to be a special event.

  • Hearing Aide: Acidhead ‘Distractions’

    Distractions, the debut album from the Brooklyn-based Acidhead coming out on November 15, is a moving opening statement. It’s an honest delivery of feelings and emotions that are often the very essence of being distracted.

    The brainchild of multi instrumentalist Patrick McGee, Acidhead doesn’t say outright that it’s about a breakup but the cues from Kanye West’s 808’s & Heartbreak combined with song titles like the opening narration “Everything Got So Distant” and the album’s single “Throw Away The Time” are obvious hints.

    Distractions lead single “Throw Away The Time.”

    Throughout the album, distorted auto-tuned vocals and 808 beats put McGee’s influence on full display. The second single, “Love Has Me Keep On Dying,” is chock full of the aforementioned effects while the lyrical content drives the emotion forward – “Everyone’s lonely, hearing her voice late in the morning.”

    While each track has strength in their own right, showcasing instrumental fluency and pulling from a variety of styles, the entire track list is cohesive and, ironically, not distracted at all. Each song sits just where it should and even as they are different in their composition, they feel like they all belong together on this album. On the fourth track, “Marciac Doney,” there’s a steadily building and lighthearted instrumental that crescendos into a hard-hitting drum and synth pad jam. Then, track five, “Hanover Rains,” features a straight up piano ballad. It’s nicely even-keeled

    Lending a hand throughout the album are Andrew Forman of Goodfight, Lou Rogai of Lewis & Clarke, and the Rat Trap Pack, McGee’s avant-garde horn ensemble. The closing track “Wrongright” brings the set to it’s conclusion with a manic, guitar-duo-solo but settles down as if to say, “That was a whirlwind. I’m tired, Time to relax”

    Key tracks: Hanover Rains, Throw Away The Time

    You can catch Acidhead on tour in New York and Pennsylvania through mid-December. Be sure to check out Distractions when it drops on November 15.

    11/22/19 – Wilkes-Barre, PA – Karl Hall – w/ Lou Rogai, Chukwu

    11/27/19 – Brooklyn, NY – Knitting Factory w/ Jesse and Forever

    11/30/19 – Easton, PA – Connexions Gallery w/Chukwu

    12/7/19 – Beacon, NY – Quinn’s w Jesse and Forever

    12/8/19 – Cambridge, MA -The Lilypad w/ Mario Fabrizio/Phillip Gollub, Wendy Eisenberg, Crylophone

    12/14/19 – New York, NY – Con Artist Collective – w/Amani Fela

    12/15/19 – Ruba Club – Philadelphia, PA w/ Flanafi, Cheeky

  • Hearing Aide: Citris ‘Delusions of Glamour’

    Brooklyn’s Citris has an animated energy synonymous with an experienced on the L-Train, when some bare chested entrepreneurs decided to bust into a dance routine. It’s a flash of joy when the rest of the day remains unsurprising; it’s that sort of spontaneity and uncertainty that Delusions of Glamour inspires.

    Citris has grunge rock principles, but remind listeners of experimental metal. While they’ve been described as a ‘pop grunge act,’ “Hell is a Place on Earth” vibrated with metal nuances, instantly. It’s Gwar infused with System of a Down’s political and social angst.

    Cirtis’ Angelina Torreano experiments with vocal passages, vocoder layering, and finds a way to lyrically loop varying emotional moods within a single song.

    Delusions of Glamour will also appeal to fans of Fleetwood Mac’s Rumors. It has solid, intricate drumming, lyrical themes of toxic relationships and societal disagreements, and incredible instrumentation throughout. They’re never scared to have intricate harmonies, with little bass lines like in the song “Genetic Makeup” that keep your ears glued to the track. Citris is a group to stream and enjoy during the remaining bitter sweet days of autumn.

    Key Tracks: Genetic Makeup, Hell is a Place on Earth

  • BRIC Jazz Fest Marathon Runs Through Brooklyn

    Louis Cole created a jazz-trance dance celebration in the Ballroom, while Tia Fuller brought a more traditional jazz approach with horns to the Stoop. These are just two of the artists from the third night of the 2019 BRIC JazzFest Marathon. This year’s festival led up to a three-day music marathon, with simultaneous performances over three stages, held at the BRIC House in downtown Brooklyn.

    Antonio Sanchez and his band

    Night three featured many jazz musicians from around the globe: Kassa Overall, Louis Cole, Antonio Sanchez, Myra Melford’s Snowy Egret, Claudia Acuña, Tia Fuller, and Boyfriends, featuring Joe Russo, Ben Perowsky, Josh Kaufman and Stuart Bogie.

    Tia Fuller

    Louis Cole was a one man jazz band, playing drums and synthesizer while looping his drum and bass heavy trance beats with pedals and a laptop. He also provided outstanding vocals and had a guest saxophone sit in during the encore.

    Louis Cole

    Boyfriends is an ambient rhythm exploration with Joe Russo (Joe Russo’s Almost Dead) and Ben Perowsky (John Scofield, John Medeski) on drums and percussion, multi-instrumentalist and producer Josh Kaufman (The National, Bob Weir), and Stuart Bogie (Arcade Fire, Iron and Wine, Antibalas) on woodwinds/keyboards. Both Russo and Perowsky showed off their subtle yet incredible drum and percussion skills.

    Joe Russo

    This year’s JazzFest might be over, but BRIC puts on awesome jazz programming throughout the year at this delightful venue. Head on over to their website for details about future events.

  • Phantom Planet Returns to Brooklyn After 11 Year Hiatus

    It had been 11 years since Phantom Planet had played a live show. Many wondered if the group was ever going to end their hiatus and get back together, even after releasing their new track “Balisong” earlier this year.

    Phantom Planet Hiatus
    Phantom Planet performed an intimate show on September 18 at Elsewhere in Brooklyn, NY.

    On September 18, members Alex Greenwald, Sam Farrar, Darren Robinson, and Jeff Conrad performed to a sold-out show on the rooftop of Elsewhere in Brooklyn. It truly felt like a homecoming for the band.

    “We feel like we’re returning home,” Greenwald said in a statement. “The boys in Phantom Planet are my brothers, and we figured it was time for a full-fledged reunion.”

    The venue was packed with fans who either have been following the band since the members were teens or those who are just discovering them for the first time through their latest singles “Balisong” and “Party Animal.”

    The guys performed the new singles along with hits like “California” and “Big Brat.” But for the first time during a live show they also included “Local Black and Red” from their first record, Phantom Planet is Missing. The crowd had a chance to choose which song should be sung at certain moments during the set. One of the many reasons why Phantom Planet has always been one of the most engaging bands out there.

    Even though official tour plans have not been announced, the band has confirmed that more music will be coming out and official tour dates are in the making.

    In the meantime, fans will be happy to hear that they will be opening for Maroon 5 for a New Year’s Eve show in Las Vegas for two shows on December 30 and December 31. Read our recent interview with Phantom Planet here and catch up with the band in 2020.