NYS Music 202​0

Author: Rhiannon Browning

  • Radio Woodstock Presents Virtual Tribute Festival to the Summer of 1969

    Radio Woodstock is celebrating its 40-year anniversary of broadcasting by commemorating “The Greatest Festival of All Time.”

    Radio Woodstock

    From Aug. 14 to Aug. 16, fans of the station can virtually experience a series of live concerts performed over the years.

    Radio Woodstock asked listeners to submit some of their favorite concerts to the station that they will feature throughout the weekend.

    The town of Woodstock gained its notoriety in the summer of 1969, when they held “three days of peace and music.” The festival showcased a mesh of famous artists like Janis Joplin and Jefferson Airplane.

    woodstock
    Original poster for Woodstock Festival 1969.

    Greg Gattine, Radio Woodstock’s Director of Programming, said that they wanted to provide the “Greatest Festival Ever,” in 2020.

    “As we celebrate our 40th anniversary in 2020 we decided to put together the Greatest Festival Ever.  A one of a kind virtual live experience from our vast archive. Although we won’t be able to celebrate together we can remember the times we stood shoulder to shoulder at some of the greatest concerts of all time and relive that experience for a few days in the middle of August in upstate New York.”

    Greg Gattine

    Members of the music-radio industry calls Radio Woodstock “the coolest radio station on the planet”. They are on of the most unique and eclectic radio stations in the world today, according to supporters.

    The Greatest Festival of All Time goes live on 100.1 or their website at 5 p.m. Aug. 14.

    “This is the kind of innovative programming that makes Radio Woodstock the greatest rock station in the world today.  We will continue to be the torchbearer for independent radio,” said President of Radio Woodstock Greg Chetkof.

    https://youtu.be/OzHBr0ndKus
    Jefferson Airplane live, Woodstock 1969.

  • Red Lights Flood UK Music Venues in Support of Music Industry Workers

    Music venues and theaters throughout the UK turned their lights red to support the many music industry workers who lost their jobs due to the pandemic. Similar to America’s #SaveOurStages campaign, the UK has #WeMakeEvents to call upon support for the music industry across the pond.

    Red Lights
    Red lights shown at the Tate Modern and Millennium Bridge.

    As a part of the Red Alert movement, a march in Manchester, England on Aug. 11 took place dubbed #WeMakeEvents. Among famous musicians who showed support for the movement were Leona Lewis, Doves and New Order.

    Both the Red Alert movement and #WeMakeEvents focus on raising awareness to the live music industry falling apart. This was due to not having live shows during the pandemic. Although artists were hurt from the concert losses, so were the crew members.

    According to BBC, “Producers, engineers, tour managers, security staff, truck drivers and cleaners also marched past some of Manchester’s closed venues.”

    The Royal Albert Hall joined the Red Alert movement and tweeted about their support as well.

  • Patti Smith Announces One-Time Live Reading and Musical Performance

    Patti Smith announced her only 2020 performance, An Evening of Words & Music, broadcasting from Murmrr Theater in Brooklyn.

    Patti Smith
    Patti Smith is set to perform a live Broadcast at Murmrr Theater.

    The event is a celebration of her latest memoir, Year of the Monkey. Fans from all over the world will be able to watch her perform the live reading.

    Smith’s long-time band mate, Tony Shanahan, will be joining her for some of the show, while renowned Matthew Shroeder films the performance.

    The event includes a mixture of reading and both Smith and Shanahan performing music together.

    In a press release, “Year of the Monkey is a profound, beautifully realized memoir in which dreams and reality are vividly woven into a tapestry of one transformative year.”

    The event is set to broadcast Sept. 4 at 9:00 p.m. Tickets are on sale now for $30.

    Patti Smith reads from one of her books, Just Kids, for PBS.

  • Flashback: Garth Brooks Holds the Largest Concert in Central Park history on this day in 1997

    It’s been 23 years since Garth Brooks rocked the Big Apple with a powerful concert dubbed “Garthstock” in Central Park, and people are still talking about it.

    Garth Brooks Central Park
    An estimated 980,000 people attended the 1997 Garth Brooks concert.

    On August 7, 1997, Brooks decided to perform on the grounds that so many acclaimed musicians had as well. Among the stars to play there were Diana Ross, Elton John and Paul Simon, to name a few. Could Brooks pull off the same notoriety as the past shows?

    Brooks tweets about the 20 year anniversary of the Central Park Concert.

    The pop-country musician started making headlines in the late 1980s, so by 1997, the crowd for his show was expected to reach thousands. Brooks won Country Music Award ‘Entertainer of the Year’ seven times, a first for any artist.

    The significance of this concert came from admittance being free and was broadcast live on HBO. He also had a couple famous special guests by the name of Billy Joel and Don McLean.

    The largest concert held in Central Park.

    The New York City Fire Department said that 980,000 people attended the concert, making it the biggest concert ever. Although there’s debate to whether that number was true, the crowd’s size surpassed all of the past artists.

    https://youtu.be/_ACGXBcA2XI?list=PL4nHA4cnNtyjU2VKrHMIoNt2R4URgrQjt

    On the 20 year anniversary of the Central Park concert, Garth Brooks sat down with ET.

    “I never seen so many people in my life. Try to remember, in my hometown, when I grew up, [there were] probably 17,000 people. So, to look out and see 40 times your hometown out there, it’s like — it was crazy. It was so beautiful.”

    Garth Brooks

  • Rave Party at Kosciuszko Bridge leads to National Distress

    Not too long after parts of the nation started reopening, did many individuals start to ignore the CDC’s recommendations to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

    Rave Party NYC
    A picture of the secret rave held under Kosciuszko Bridge.

    Footage of a secret rave at Kosciuszko Bridge in Brooklyn showed people gathered without participating in social distancing. Regardless of the global pandemic, hundreds of guests attended and many didn’t wear masks.

    This happened not too long after a Chainsmokers concert had the same outcome. Governor Andrew Cuomo expressed his anger with large gatherings.

    “Huge parties whether on land or boat are: Illegal, Disrespectful, violate constant decency, rude,” Cuomo tweeted.

    Renegade, the rave organizers, told Gothamist that there’s no stopping people from gathering. One organizer said, “people need a release,” referring to quarantine.

    This was not the first time Renegade held a group gathering during the pandemic. On July 4, they organized a rave supposedly for the Black Lives Matter Movement.

    Among artists asked to play was DJ and producer Mike Simonetti. According to Guest of a Guest, Simonetti declined. He felt the event was disrespectful after his father died alone from COVID-19.

    Although many attended the rave, some guests felt uncomfortable once they arrived.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CDblAYOjKJC/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
    Footage taken from attendees shows no social distancing among the rave.

    An attendee told Gothamist that him and his friends stayed on the outside and stating, “I would not do that again….It was too soon for too many people in one spot.”

    Renegade continues to defend the cause of the rave, but said it got out of hand.

    “I don’t want people to go back to putting their heads in the sand. We need to stay on top of this and keep marching and keep protesting,” said one organizer.

  • Council Release Internally Charged EP “Haunts Me”

    A trio of brothers came together to form the band, Council. Now, they have a powerful new EP under their belt, Haunts Me.

    Council
    Cover art for Council’s new EP Haunts Me.

    From Farm Life to Musical Talent

    Pat, Doug and Andy Reeves hail from Baldwinsville, just outside of Syracuse, where they worked the fields on their family farm. While they worked during the day, they had time to practice at night.

    The three musically educated themselves by listening to their father’s record collection. They say they were athletes growing up, so they never performed as kids. They decided to perform together nine years ago at a local library.

    “We were so nervous we asked them to not record us, as we were expecting the worst,” says the band.

    Council band members Pat, Doug and Andy Reeves.

    Family Knows Best

    The idea of working and playing music with family might mean fun all the time, but that’s not what the guys say. In their experience it could be very difficult at times.

    “We have 3 different opinions about everything and have no issue with arguing over everything. We often times find two of us huddled together creating secret pacts against the third so an idea gets passed or someone catches more of the blame than the others,” They say.

    That doesn’t mean a family band is bad, though. The trust between the three of them is strong and they all grew up with the same musical past. They say if anyone tries to join the trio, it never ends up well.

    The First Council Release was a Success

    The Reeves brothers continued to work on their musical career over the years, with their first release of, “Rust to Gold,” that both American Idol and the Winter Olympics featured.

    Haunts Me Empowers Internal Battles

    While “Rust to Gold,” symbolized an introduction to their band, they say Haunts Me is “internally based”. One of the tracks, “Born Ready,” came out of their personal struggles they were dealing with at the time. It embodies the idea of being able to handle whatever life throws at you because you are born ready.

    The current state of the world made many feel a bit detached from society. Haunts Me guides not only the listener, but also the mind to a more powerful outlook on how life has become.

    Council expanded their live streaming from their website to BOSE, Twitch and Sessionslive. Because of the global pandemic they are currently on tour, so live streaming will be their outlet to perform and connect with fans. Haunts Me is set to release on Aug. 4.

    https://youtu.be/6e_k5w6V5OE
    Get Numb is on Council’s latest EP, Haunts Me.

  • Folk Legend Arlo Guthrie Encourages Equality with Release of “Hard Times Again No More”

    Protest-folk music icon of the sixties, Arlo Guthrie, collaborated with Solo Pianist, Jim Wilson, to release, “Hard Times Come Again No More.”

    arlo guthrie Jim Wilson
    Arlo Guthrie, Jim Wilson and Vanessa Bryan create a stunning, folk rendition of, “Hard Times No More.”

    The single is a rendition of the Stephen Collins Foster Song, which originated in 1854. The original was Foster’s, “empathetic look at the increasingly dire, pre-Civil War world around him,” according to Rolling Stone.

    Guthrie has been a staple for the political movement in music since the 1960s. His idea came from the current state of the world. The global pandemic and the Black Lives Matter Movement inspired him to create this rendition. He wanted to remind everyone to pay attention and to help everyone to be equal as one.

    “I grew up in a family that cared about the hardships of others. My father was well known for writing and performing songs to offer hope. ‘Hard Times Come Again No More’ resonates with me, and I know it did as well with Woody. Though it was first released around 1900, the message endures with the calamities of today being utterly unjustifiable. We must come together not only as a country, but all across the globe in this dire moment.”

    Arlo Guthrie

    Guthrie and Wilson collaborated remotely due to COVID-19. They have never met. but this didn’t stop them from creating a beautiful tune.

    Along with Guthrie and Wilson, many musicians, like Vanessa Bryan and Stanley Clarke came together for this rendition.

    Together, the musicians composed a touching outlook on why everyone needs to unite in hard times, such as these.

  • Video Footage of Chainsmokers Concert Leads to NYSDOH Investigation

    The Hamptons in Long Island hosted a charity “drive-in,” concert that proved to be a public health threat after video footage revealed a mass crowd of people.

    To the left, the Chainsmokers perform in front of a large crowd. On the right, they rep the tequila brand Ja Ja Tequila, which presented the concert.

    The concert, Safe and Sound, went under investigation after the footage was posted. As a result, it created an uproar on social media.

    Safe and Sound featured DJ performances from the Chainsmokers and Goldman Sachs‘ CEO, David M. Solomon. The tickets ranged from $1250 to $25,000 which went to charities including, No Kid Hungry and Children’s Medical Fund of NY.

    A spokesperson for Goldman Sachs told CBS MoneyWatch that Solomon hadn’t witnessed any violations.

    “David agreed to participate in an event for charity in which the organizers worked closely with the local government and put strict health protocols in place. He performed early and left before the show ended. The vast majority of the audience appeared to follow the rules, but he’s troubled that some violated them and put themselves and others at risk.”

    – Goldman Sachs’ Spokesperson

    Alongside the DJ’s, Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman played with his band, but never witnessed any violations. He stated in a news conference in Southampton that guests gathered later. Because of this, the town cited the Chainsmokers concert.

    The event organizers, In The Know Experiences and Invisible Noise, made a statement to Billboard. They insisted they always enforced social distancing regulations and instead, blamed the angle of the video for not portraying how well they followed CDC guidelines.

    According to the CDC website, everyone should stand at least 6 ft. apart in crowds and wear face coverings. The footage showed a cluster of guests less than 6 ft. apart. It is unclear whether any of them were wearing face-coverings.

    Not only were civilians all over the U.S. angered by the concert, but also Governor Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo took to Twitter with his rage about the footage.

    “Videos from a concert held in Southampton on Saturday show egregious social distancing violations. I am appalled. The Department of Health will conduct an investigation. We have no tolerance for the illegal and reckless endangerment of public health.”

    -Governor Andrew Cuomo
    Governor Andrew Cuomo tweets about his dissatisfaction towards the video footage of the charity concert, Safe and Sound.

    At this time, the concert is still under investigation but not coincidentally has led to the cancellation of moe.’s Miracle Mile in Vernon and Twiddle’s Drive-In, Jam Out trio of shows in Lake George, all slated for the weekend of July 31-August 2.

  • Flushing Town Hall Celebrates Global Unity with Virtual Jazz Jam

    FTH at Home! will be presenting, Virtual Jazz Jam: Celebrating the Legacy of Louis Armstrong, Aug. 12 at 7:00 p.m. Astoria resident, Carol Sudhalter, leads the monthly jam, along with Flushing Town Hall’s house band. Their theme for August is to celebrate, “unity in mind, spirit and action.”

    Flushing Town Hall
    Jazz musicians from around the world connect with their audience in virtual jam session.

    The free online series is Flushing Town Hall’s attempt to keep the public safe from the spread of CODIV-19. As a result of it being completely virtual, their mission is to bring global arts to global people.

    Hundreds of artists flock to the jam ever since its formation four months ago. Participants span from New York to Italy and Germany. It has also become a showcase of the global arts institution.

    The Jazz Jam invites all members of the public to watch the live stream through Facebook or Zoom.

    Flushing Town Hall’s website directs anyone interested in participating to email a three to four minute tune to education@flushingtownhall.org. 20 musicians will be selected to play along with the theme of the month.

    The website states, “the mission of Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts (FCCA) is to present multi-disciplinary global arts that engage and educate the global communities of Queens, New York and New York City, New York, in order to foster mutual appreciation.”

  • Hallie Spoor Releases Inspirational New Music Video for “City Angels”

    Brooklyn based folk/rock singer-songwriter, Hallie Spoor releases her newest music video which inspires joy, youthfulness and unity despite the global shutdown.

    Cover art for Spoor’s newest album, “New Ground.”

    Spoor’s song “City Angels,” promotes a feel good attitude, during a time that many of us are struggling emotionally because of the pandemic.

    “The idea I had was that during this time of isolation and separation, I thought we could use more joy,” Spoor said.

    Growing up in Denver, the young musician is now based out of Brooklyn. She has played at several famous music venues like, Sunny’s Bar in Red Hook and Rockwood Music Hall.

    Spoor completed her first national tour last fall through playing small performances in unique locations with the well known music events start-up, Sofar Sounds.

    Spoor’s website describes her as an “old soul,” who possesses similar sounds to Joni Mitchell. That part of her personality comes out in the music video where she created a collage of pictures and video clips sent to her by friends and family. The collage promotes memories and a cheerful outlook on life in the city.

    According to her Youtube page, Spoor wrote “City Angels,” after experiencing a lonely day in NYC. Her mood changed after running into a few, “New York characters.”

    “All these very human moments made me feel like I might belong after all. So, this video is dedicated to them- the city angels that make us feel like we’re home in this exciting, scary, beautiful place called New York,” Spoor wrote.

    Hallie Spoor asked her friends and family to send her nostalgic pictures and video clips.