NYS Music 202​0

Author: Nora Hones

  • South Farms in Connecticut to Host Socially Distanced Concerts

    South Farms in Connecticut plans to host socially distanced concerts and Comedy shows starting in late August and running through October. These socially distancing shows included upcoming performances from Grace Potter and comedian Nikki Glaser and are a beacon of hope for live music on a regular basis in these trying times. 

    The Farm will operate in the safest ways possible. People attending will be met by a staff member once inside and they will escort people to their grid placement. People will be required to wear a mask at all times they aren’t in their grid.  Tickets will be sold using a “grid” system, with 250 marked-out 8-foot squares available, each square holds two people, for purchase between $100-$160. Each square is surrounded by an additional grid for social distancing and flanked by aisle spacing. Grids can’t be combined with adjacent spaces. to create larger areas. 

    South Farms will include food trucks, a full bar serving alcohol, water and soft drinks and several satellite stands with ground markers indicating where patrons should stand while waiting in line. People can bring lawn chairs and blankets to make their grids more cozy. 

    Keith Mahler, president and CEO of Premier Concerts, spoke about the concerts saying, “Our primary concern is the safety and comfort of our audience.” This concern for safety will be taken seriously by staff members. They will enforce safety protocols, such as the use of masks and social distancing, using a “one strike and then you’re out” system, similar to if you were spotted smoking a cigarette. Hand sanitizing stations will be located throughout the venue.

    These concerts are being launched by Premier Concerts/Manic Presents and the Paletsky family which owns the 150-acre family-run South Farms and event space in Morris, Connecticut.  The upcoming concerts will represent a new model of low-capacity, all-outdoor venues, designed specifically to host concerts in the pandemic era. This model can be emulated all over the world to bring back live music. Hopefully New York can follow the lead of South Farms and bring back some live local music. 

    Several outdoor concerts are already scheduled to take place in August in Ridgefield, including two Grace Potter solo performances at Ballard Park on August 15 and back-to-back nights featuring Nick Fradiani and Javier Colon in the field next to the Ridgefield Playhouse on August 28-29. Tickets can be bought here.

    For more information can be found on South Farms website here.

  • Jam Master Jay Killers Finally Charged After 18 Years

    Jam Master Jay, best known as the DJ for Run DMC, was murdered in 2002 and his murders have finally been arrested after 18 years. Two men who had long been suspects in the case were arrested and charged on August 17.

    Jam Master Jay
    Run-DMC

    Jam Master Jay’s (legal name Jason Mizell) was murdered in his studio in Queens. His murder became notorious in the rap community as being one of the world’s coldest cases. One of the main questions asked by his fans was why this happened, to Jay of all people. Jam Master Jay was known for being a peaceful, old-school DJ whose group rapped mostly about sneakers, girls, basketball and their hometown of Hollis. His murder was baffling to the rap community and finally, after 18 years, there are some answers from New York City and Federal authorities.

    https://www.facebook.com/ABC11/videos/759256228169465/

    According to The New York Times’ article, New York City and Federal authorities blamed the fatal shooting of Jam Master Jay on a cocaine deal gone wrong. The suspects charged with the murder are Ronald Washington and Karl Jordan Jr., who were also charged with engaging in drug trafficking in a 10-count indictment unsealed on Monday in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn. Jordan had his arraignment on August 17 and pleaded not guilty. Washington is expected to be arraigned later in the week. Both Jordan and Washington face minimum sentences of 20 years in prison if convicted. Washington is currently serving a federal prison sentence for six robberies. Mr. Jordan was taken into custody on August 16, 2020.

    Seth D. DuCharme, the acting U.S. attorney in Brooklyn spoke on the matter saying,

    “This is a case about a murder that for nearly two decades has gone unanswered. Today we begin to answer that question of who killed Jason Mizell and why.”

    According to court papers, Mr. Washington and Mr. Jordan are both suspected of breaking into Jam Master Jay’s studio on Merrick Boulevard in Jamaica, Queens, at about 7:30 p.m on Oct. 30, 2002. Both were armed. Mr. Washington forced someone inside the studio to the ground at gunpoint, the papers say, Mr. Jordan fired a bullet into Mr. Mizell’s head, killing him almost instantly, according to The New York Times. 

  • Inclusion Festival Announces First Sensory-Friendly Music Festival

    Inclusion Festival announced its plan to be the nation’s first and only sensory-friendly music and wellness festival. The three day festival will broadcast virtually on the Inclusion Festival’s website and will run from August 21-23, 2020. 

    The festival will be designed to accommodate and include people of all abilities. Believing the concepts of inclusion are fundamental to all experiences and communities. The festival’s fundamentals have grown to spread inclusion as a state of mind past just the festival experience. The festival will have year-round events, experiences, consultation and training, as well as an online magazine.

    The festival will host many incredible musicians on top of featuring people of all abilities. In the spirit of inclusion, Matt Butler will conduct Everyone Orchestra with participants Al Schnier (moe.), Aron Magner (The Disco Biscuits), James Casey and Jennifer Hartswick (Trey Anastasio Band), Brandon “Taz” Niederauer, Bridget Law, Kai Eckhardt (Garaj Mahal) and Weedie Braimah. There will also be a very special performance from Paul Hoffman (Greensky Bluegrass) with collaborators Holly Bowling, Lindsay Lou, and Jay Cobb Anderson (Fruition). New sets will be aired from Hayley Jane, Zach Gill (ALO), TIKYRA (Southern Avenue), Peck and Penn (Midnight North), Karina Rykman, Tash Neal (London Souls), and many more.

    The festival aims to showcase best practices in online accessibility including continuous closed captioning, American Sign Language Interpretation, and accessibility tools embedded on the streaming site. Inclusion Festival ONLINE will also offer a wide variety of workshops, diverse conversations including an interview with award-winning author and autism advocate Dr. Temple Grandin, and live nightly dance parties. Viewers can log into Zoom rooms to participate and connect from home.

    The Festival can be viewed on theInclusion Festival’s website. The event will also be streaming on CashOrTrade Streams. All donations received from the live-stream event will directly benefit the non-profit organization Accessible Festivals, dedicated to ensuring that music and recreation are accessible to all people, in addition to supporting the participating musicians and presenters.


    For more information visit the Inclusion Festival’s website.

  • Jimkata Debuts New Single Reflecting on Sensation of Hanging in Limbo

    Jimkata, to the excitement of their fans, debuted their new single “Wait For You” on August 13, 2020. The band recently came out of the woodworks last month dropping their single “Wanna Go” after the band went on an indefinite hiatus back in 2017. 

    The new single focuses on the feeling of being in limbo. It narrates the feeling of sitting around waiting and feeling restless while navigating uncertainty which is a feeling many can relate to during the pandemic era. The music video accompanying the song was created by animator Ben Clarkson. His animation brings further depth and dimension to the notion of waiting and being in limbo. “Wait For You” isn’t just a heartbreak inspired pop song, it is also a commentary on helplessly waiting and hoping for the world to get itself together.

    Frontman of Jimkata Evan Friedell shared some of his insights behind the new single saying, “I didn’t realize at the time I wrote it how prescient and universal that feeling would become as we experience a global pandemic and a world in chaos.”   

    The band Jimkata is a three-piece anthemic, synth-washed, electro-rock band that is based out of Ithaca, NY and Los Angeles, CA. Jimkata is known for their swirling analog synths, infectious pop hooks and candid lyrics. The band has built a distinct sound which has been resonating with listeners across the country. The band has a strong and loyal grassroots fanbase created by their relentless performing across the country before their Hiatus. 

    For more information on Jimkata and to check out “Wait For You” visit their website.

  • “Christmas Spectacular” Cancelled in the Midst of Massive Layoffs at MSG Entertainment

    “Christmas Spectacular” was cancelled this year for the first time ever since the show was introduced in 1933. The cancellation comes on the coattails of MSG Entertainment (Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corporation) who runs “Christmas Spectacular,” announcing plans to lay off 350 people due to the COVID-19.

    The “Christmas Spectacular” stars the well known Radio City Rockettes who are an American precision dance company. The show takes place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City which is owned by MSG Entertainment and runs November 6 through January 3. MSG Entertainment decided to cancel the popular show this year due to the uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic still raging throughout the world and the United States. The show hopes to be back for the 2021 production, which is on sale now.  All tickets for the 2020 production will be automatically refunded at the point of purchase. 

    MSG Entertainment announced their plans to lay off 350 people, which is around a third of their workforce, due to the economic impact the coronavirus has had on their company.  The sister company, MSG Sports, which owns the New York Knicks and the New York Rangers is laying off people as well. They announced plans to lay off 50 people which is about 15 percent of its corporate staff.

    A representative of MSG Entertainment and MSG Sports elaborated on the situation saying, “This was a difficult decision for both companies, as we know that our success rests on the strength of our people, who consistently set the industry standard for excellence and professionalism. While we believe this is a necessary step to protect the long-term future of our businesses, we continue to actively pursue solutions that will allow us to safely reopen our doors, so we’re able to bring as many employees back as quickly as we can, once a return date for live events is established.”

    According to the New York Post’s article Laid-off employees for MSG Entertainment will receive severance and benefits packages, outplacement support, to help with their transition to being unemployed. MSG Entertainment had prior efforts before it’s layoffs of 350 employees. These attempts though included other layoffs of part time employees which included the layoffs of 4,000 employees of the MSG arena, home of the Knicks and Rangers, who averaged under 20 hours at the end of March. At the end of May, 1,900 MSG venue employees who averaged over 20 hours of work were also cut.  

    For more information on the cancellation of “Christmas Spectacular” and the MSG Entertainment layoffs read the New York Post’s article here

  • MTV Moves VMA Performances Outdoors Due to COVID-19

    MTV announced plans to move the Video Music Awards(VMA) outdoors instead of indoors as per its original plan due to COVID-19.  The VMA’s will be spread throughout New York City on August 30 instead of Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. 

    Governor Andrew Cuomo announced back in June that VMA’s would take place despite COVID-19 sweeping across the country. He had announced they would take place at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center in hopes the city’s turnaround in its fight against the virus would make it possible to be held indoors by August. Unfortunately, holding a show indoors currently wouldn’t be difficult to do safely so MTV opted to follow the guidance of state and local officials urging them to move the VMA’s outside.

    The VMA shows plan to return to Brooklyn’s Barclays Center for its 2021 edition. Until then MTV and the Barclays Center promised the show would “pay homage to the incredible resiliency of New York with several outdoor performances around the City with limited or no audience” within their statement.

    The 2020 VMA’s will be hosted by Keke Palmer. The VMA’s will host performances by BTS, Doja Cat and J Balvin among others. Nominated music videos Billie Eilish’s “Everything I Wanted,” Eminem and Juice WRLD’s “Godzilla,” Future and Drake’s “Life Is Good,” Gaga and Grande’s “Rain on Me,” Taylor Swift’s “The Man,” and The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights.” Nominated artists for the year DaBaby, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Megan Thee Stallion, Post Malone, and The Weeknd. Nominated for PUSH Best New Artist are Doja Cat, Jack Harlow, Lewis Capaldi, Roddy Ricch, Tate McRae, and Yungblud. Song of the Year nominations are Billie Eilish: “Everything I Wanted,” Doja Cat: “Say So,” Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande: “Rain On Me,” Megan Thee Stallion: “Savage,” Post Malone: “Circles,” and Roddy Ricch: “The Box.” The rest of the categories and nominations can be found on MTV’s website.

    For more information on the VMA’s visit MTV’s website.

  • Zappa Documentary is Coming to Magnolia Pictures

    Zappa, the new documentary on the life of Frank Zappa is coming to Magnolia Pictures. The film will be available to the public for Thanksgiving weekend on November 27, 2020 in select theaters, as long as theater viewings are available by then, and on demand.

    Zappa will be an intimate and expansive look into the life of the iconic — and iconoclastic — musician and artist Frank Zappa.  The documentary was made with access to the Zappa family trust and all archival footage. The film will explore the private life behind Zappa’s career including his knack for being involved in political turbulence at the time. The documentary is directed by Alex Winter known best for playing Bill S. Preston in Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. 

    Magnolia Pictures’ President Eamonn Bowles spoke on the film saying, “Alex Winter has created an amazing documentary. Zappa is an incredibly nuanced and compelling look at the visionary iconoclast and the environment that formed him.”

    The documentary will feature appearances from Frank Zappa’s widow Gail Zappa and several of his musical collaborators.  People on the docket include Mike Keneally, Ian Underwood, Steve Vai, Pamela Des Barres, Bunk Gardner, David Harrington, Scott Thunes, Ruth Underwood, Ray White and others.

    Alex Winter spoke on the documentary saying, “This is the most ambitious project I’ve ever worked on, with a couple years of archival preservation in addition to several years to make the film itself. This isn’t your typical music doc but rather a multi-faceted narrative that aims to bring this complex artist to life. Magnolia, with its long and distinguished history of platforming great cinema, is the perfect home for Zappa.”

    For more information on the documentary visit Alex Winter’s website.

  • The Native American Music Awards Postponed Indefinitely

    The Native American Music Awards (NAMA) announced the postponement of their 20th annual awards show indefinitely. The show was scheduled to take place in late November but due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic are postponing due to safety and finical concerns. The NAMA intends to plan, present virtual events, and enhanced online activities in 2021.

    The NAMA requires a lot of preparation, travel and pre-production work. Presenting their annual awards program, coupled by the industry’s uncertainty, The Native American Music Awards Association felt the need to cancel this year’s festivities. As an all volunteer organization, they do not qualify for available emergency funding such as; the Paycheck Protection Program and because of this they don’t have the funding to prepare, travel and pre-production work right now. However, they will continue to rely on the support of their members and sponsors for their upcoming programs. Currently there is no official date for the postponement but the association hopes to be back in 2021.

    All music submissions for the 2020 award show have been postponed until further notice. The host of the event, Seneca Niagara Casino Entertainment, informed The NAMA Association that they are not rescheduling their events for the remainder of 2020 despite their best efforts to reopen in New York which leaves the association in an indefinite postponement until further notice. 

    For more information visit The Native American Music Awards’ website.

  • The Who Launches Weekly Streaming Series,“Join Together @ Home”

    The Who announced their “Join Together @ Home” streaming event featuring archived footage of their 1982 Shea Stadium performances. The series starts on Saturday, Aug. 8 at 1PM EST and will run for six weeks. Donations made will benefit Teenage Cancer Trust and Teen Cancer America.

    The Who Join Together

    The series will kick off with an exclusive ‘red carpet’ premiere clip from Roger Daltrey. The seies will feature five live clips from The Who’s 1982 Shea Stadium show in New York City. The weekly series will feature some of the band’s most memorable performances, including previously unseen footage. “Join Together @ Home” is working as part of YouTube’s #StayHome campaign to encourage people to stay home to help save lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. The series will stream on The Who’s official YouTube channel and will be free to the public with donations encouraged. 

    COVID-19 has significantly impacted Teenage Cancer Trust and Teenage Cancer America’s income due to fundraising events being cancelled. Lead singer Roger Daltrey has worked with both charities in the past to bring awareness and help raise funds both in the UK and the US. Daltrey. The Who hopes people will take the time to donate to these organization while enjoying their music from the safety of their homes.

    “If you can’t donate to both charities just choose the one that’s closest to your heart. But whatever you do please make sure you donate.”

    Roger Daltrey

    To donate, people can text WHO to 70500 to donate £10 in support of Teenage Cancer Trust will receive 100% of every texted donation or they can text TCA to 56512 to donate $10 in support of Teenage Cancer America. Donations can also be made online here.

    For more information on the “Join Together @ Home” series visit The Who’s website.

  • Follow The Light Virtual Music Festival Announced in Celebration of Irish Traditions

    Follow The Light virtual music festival was announced by We Banjo 3 in celebration of Irish traditions. The festival will take place on August 29, 2020 at 5PM EST. Festival Tickets, Artist Meet & Greets and Exclusive Festival Merchandise are on Sale Now at We Banjo 3’s website.

    Follow The Light  virtual music festival will work as an ode to the We Banjo 3’s Irish heritage. The festival will feature an evening of musical performances by Gaelic Storm, Sharon Shannon, Nathan Carter and The East Pointers, on top of We Banjo 3. The festival will also host non-music features throughout the evening.

    We Banjo 3 debuted in the U.S. in 2012 and are Billboard Bluegrass chart-toppers. We Banjo 3 create a fusion of shared and varied traditions of Americana, Bluegrass, and Celtic music with pop-sensible songcraft to create a unique signature sound. The quartet is made up of Ireland and Nashville sounds and is composed of two sets of brothers Enda & Fergal Scahill and Martin & David Howley. 

    We Banjo 3 has deep-dived into exploring alternatives to physically taking the stage due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They find connecting with fans through various online performances, fan Q&A’s, live interviews, poetry and book excerpt readings, general banter about topics of interest, and more, gives them a personalized approach to creating fan experiences. Their hope with Follow The Light is to create this immersive experience to a wider audience while shedding the light to the rich Irish culture that they were founded upon. 

    https://youtu.be/qc9GvnGR3wc

    General Admission Tickets, Artist Meet & Greets Upgrades, and Festival Ticket/Exclusive Merchandise bundles are available now on We Banjo 3’s website. The ticket purchase will give the buyer access to the stream for the festival. The stream will be supported on Chromecast,  Apple TV, Amazon Fire Stick. 

    https://youtu.be/YzdNABunUvk

    For more information on the Follow The Light Virtual Music Festival visit We Banjo 3’s website.