WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to a ever-expanding listening audience. Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm on 102.7 FM, you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up and coming artists. NYS Music will bring you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.
Luminous Crush from Jamaica, VT has shared the stage with Amy Helm, opening for her band at the Paramount Theater in Rutland, VT. Their first album was produced along with Grammy-winning Nashville songwriter and producer Felix McTeigue, and their newest LP Lumina is now available at Bandcamp. This is a new song not found on either of their previous releases.
Check out this Ballston Spa band’s new album This Perfect Day at Bandcamp and Spotify. The Daily Gazette of Schenectady called it the “perfect pandemic album”. This song was inspired by a dream that singer Jen Coleman’s daughter had.
Danish punk band Twin Dive have released a new track in remembrance of George Floyd, a recent victim of police brutality whos death has sparked protest and outrage worldwide. The energy and pure anger that shine through on this track perfectly captivate the strong emotions behind the Black Lives Matter movement.
“Say His Name” is riddled with lyrics that target the systematic racism and oppression perpetuated by the American upper class. Much like the protests themselves, this song is a screaming demand for justice. In further support of the Black Lives Matter movement, Twin Dives will be donating 100% of the proceeds and royalties made from this release to the cause.
Twin Dive is a duo from Denmark who, although formed only in 2018, have been grabbing attention in their respective music scenes. Blending the braggadocious nature of front men from the 70s punk scene with all the contained noise and distortion of the low-fi grunge era, Twin Dive are no stranger to taking political stances in their music.
To find out more on the band make sure to follow them on Facebook and Instagram to keep updated with their shenanigans.
WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to a ever-expanding listening audience. Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm on 102.7 FM, you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music to discover from up and coming artists. NYS Music will bring you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.
No More Death Stars is an indie/punk band from Glens Falls. They are Kevin Cardinale, Gina DiNardo, Eric Rothstein, and Kevin Stephenson. However, singer Kevin C plays all the instruments on this song which he recorded over a 12 hour period while in quarantine. This video features friends who were asked to send in funny videos of themselves listening to the song and all the best clips were selected for the final product.
Jesse is from Schenectady and this represents another side of what he’s been doing. The song features Tim “The Witchdoctor” Brosnan from The 7th Squeeze and Stellar Young on drums, Colin Abele, former bassist of Black Mountain Symphony, on bass. It also showcases the vocal styling of Jesse’s old roommate’s dog, The Dude. And that Dude’s got some pipes.
While the public celebrates Juneteenth in what is now the halfway point of a roller coaster year, it is important to note the true history behind why we celebrate. The day’s significance isn’t to recognize the end of slavery. Rather, June 19, 1865 is the day that federal orders for the emancipation of enslaved Africans were announced. Only, the declaration had been made official nearly two-and-a-half years prior.
With the holiday gaining traction throughout the country, and now a Federal holiday, in 2020 New York City mayor Bill DeBlasio announcing an executive order that recognizes “Juneteenth” as an official city and school holiday. People of African ancestry celebrate our forefathers, yet we remember their pain, endurance and suffering and do not take it for granted.
Black history is American history. Proud to announce that beginning next year, Juneteenth will be an official city and school holiday.
In the same vein, Hip Hop has served as a diary for Black struggle. With a 400-year head start to make up for, many rappers have recognized the need for unity, as well as establishing our own financial footprint in the United States (the same way other races have been allowed to).
So, here is a playlist of songs that motivates us to become the proprietors of our own destiny.
Brooklyn-based duo Drug Couple return with two new tracks, “No Outside” and “Alone 2gether,” a pairing of B-Sides released via Papercup Music. The prescient tracks were written and named before the pandemic, and offer a meditation on bunkering down with someone special while the world outside burns
The two tracks find Miles singing and playing guitar, keyboard, and chimes, with Becca on bass and vocals. Their music attempts to showcase a dialogue between genders, as opposed to the one-sided soliloquies that define so much of popular music. The two singles precede the release of their sophomore EP Choose Your Own Apocalypse, due out August 2020 on PaperCup Music.
Choose Your Own Apocalypse stands to be a collection of songs about finding someone special to share the end-times alongside. The music is not fresh from the effects of the pandemic, but find their roots in the summer of 2016. As events lead up to the election of Donald Trump, it already seemed certain that, one way or the other, Armageddon was right around the corner. Drug Couple decided to make a record based around the concept of falling in love mid-apocalypse without fully realizing that’s exactly what they were doing.
As of Friday, June 12, the self-titled debut album from Mariah Carey is 30 years old. With four consecutive #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 including “Vision of Love” and “Someday,” it instantly shot the Long Island-born diva into superstardom and an elite class of vocal legends including Whitney Houston. While Mariah’s legacy has been watered down to that of a washed-up Christmas singer in recent years, this unfair revisionist history ignores the impact she’s had on virtually every pop and R&B act after her.
When Mariah Carey released “Vision of Love” in 1990, the French-German duo Milli Vanilli had just been busted for lip-syncing and artists like Madonna made up for subpar vocal talent with shock value and spectacle. On the contrary, Carey demonstrated she was capable of belting, runs, melisma, and whistle tones in less than four minutes, swinging the pop pendulum the other way and reintroducing the concept of pop stars as vocalists with few gimmicks besides their own voices. More of these rose to fame throughout the 90s, from Brandy to Usher to Destiny’s Child, and the explosion of reality talent shows in the 2000s only intensified the phenomenon. Mariah’s power ballads like “Vision of Love” and “Hero” have been American Idol since its inception, a show she eventually judged.
Throughout the 90s and 2000s, Carey achieved 18 #1 hit singles on the Billboard Hot 100. She wrote and produced 17 of them, the sole exception being a cover of the Jackson 5’s “I’ll Be There” for her MTV Unplugged EP. She also shared the record for the chart’s longest-running #1 with Boyz II Men for their 1995 single “One Sweet Day,” which spent 16 weeks at the top and had yet to be surpassed until Lil Nas X’s 2019 hit “Old Town Road” beat it with 19 weeks atop. Late last year, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” finally hit #1 on its 25th anniversary, giving Carey her 19th #1 overall and the first in 12 years.
Despite her immense success, Mariah’s career hasn’t been without its setbacks. She made bizarre guest appearances on MTV’s TRL and Cribs in the early 2000s that she later attributed to bipolar disorder, and she was the subject of public ridicule when critics panned her 2001 film and album Glitter. However, she returned to form with her 2005 comeback single “We Belong Together” and its accompanying albumThe Emancipation of Mimi, winning three Grammy Awards. And although her 2016 New Year’s Eve fiasco temporarily made her the butt of the joke again, she set it right with a pitch-perfect performance the following year.
Mariah Carey with her three wins for The Emancipation of Mimi at the 2006 Grammy Awards.
Carey is also no stranger to engaging in public feuds with other singers. Interestingly, a short glance at the long list of artists Carey has feuded with shows that they’ve all been influenced by her in one way or another: Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Lopez, Demi Lovato, Ariana Grande, and Nicki Minaj, to name just a few. They might not like her, but they still respect her achievements and emulate her in their music, style, and personas. With the Ol’ Dirty Bastard remix of “Fantasy” in 1995, Mariah became one of the first mainstream pop singers to feature a rapper on a song’s verses while singing the hook—now a common crossover recipe for top 40 artists.
Even Canadian electropop artist Grimes defended her love of Mariah Carey to Pitchfork, saying, “I know very few adult males who consider themselves serious ‘music guys’ who don’t laugh when I say I like Mariah Carey. Why? Because she’s beautiful and people like her. Therefore she must be selling sex, right? So obviously her music is terrible, right? Ugh. The first time I heard Mariah Carey, it shattered the fabric of my existence.”
Let’s head north on I-87 to Glens Falls for the May 5, 1981 Grateful Dead show at Glens Falls Civic Center. This is a high energy show, especially Set 2.
The opening set goes back and forth on Jerry and Bobby tunes until “Althea” breaks out for 10 minutes, and the set-closing pair of “The Music Never Stopped” -> “Don’t Ease Me In” is worth a listen. Set 2 stands out on paper, and for good reason. The transition from “Scarlet Begonias” into “Fire on the Mountain” is as musically tight as one could ask for, with melodic solos throughout each.
backstage pass via Larry St.Pierre
“Estimated Prophet” gets dark quick and leads into the uplifting “Eyes of the World.” A Spanish jam that develops from “Truckin’” leads into “Alabama Getaway,” and closes a set with “Johnny B. Goode.” This show is a hidden gem among Dead shows in Upstate New York. Listen below.
Grateful Dead – Glens Falls Civic Center – May 5, 1981
Set 1: Feel Like A Stranger, Peggy-O-> El Paso, Ramble On Rose, CC Rider, Althea, Passenger, Brown Eyed Women, The Music Never Stopped-> Don’t Ease Me In
Set 2: Scarlet Begonias-> Fire On The Mountain, Estimated Prophet-> Eyes Of The World-> Drums-> Uncle John’s Band-> Truckin’-> Alabama Getaway-> Johnny B. Goode
The latest from Albany’s Wavy Cunningham is a track for the times. “All We Need is Love” captures the raw emotion from recent protests over the police killings of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville. Cunningham brought his emotion to the studio to channel his thoughts:
I’ve been struggling to come up with the words to express my emotions during this time. I felt like the best route was education.”
Produced by Phil Dreisin, “All We Need is Love” precedes the upcoming release of Cunningham’s next album, Club Wavy.
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, venues across New York State have closed their doors and cancelled live performances. Since then, various artists have moved their concerts to online. NYS Music is introducing Stream and Support, from across New York! This continually updated series will help you locate all your favorite New York artists’ livestreams and virtual events. Now more than ever it is important during these uncertain times to come together in supporting artists from across New York State!
You’ll find a continually updated list of what you can look forward to throughout the week!
Monday
Virtual Concert Series at WAMC’s The Linda: Tune in on April 5th at 8:00 p.m. – April 6 at 11:59 p.m. from musicians of Ma’alwyck, with guest artists mezzo-soprano Tess McCarthy and baritone Charles F. Schwartz, perform a program of music celebrating the great tradition of memorable tunes of old Scotland. Stream and Support HERE
SOFI TUKKER: New York based musical duo, SUFI TUKKER perform live from home everyday on Twitch. Tune in at 1:00 p.m. EST. Stream and Support HERE.
Jess Novak: Join Jess Novak on Twitch every Monday at 1:00 p.m. EST for live music! Stream and Support HERE.
Join Novak seven days a week on Twitch!
Tuesday
The Disco Biscuits: Tune in to stream from The Disco Biscuits, never-before-seen 60+ minute set streaming on Sessions on April 20th at 9:00 p.m. ET. Stream and Support HERE
DJead Night: The music of the Grateful Dead was meant to be enjoyed in the company of friends! Tune in on April 20th at 10 p. m. ET. Stream and Support HERE
4/20 HARVEST PARTY: Free concert live stream from Pigeons Playing Ping Pong on April 20th at 8:00 p.m. ET. on the Relix channel Stream and Support HERE.
Jazzonia: the Marriage of Poetry and Jazz: Tune in to streams from National Jazz Museum in Harlem featuring John Reddick, Shanelle Gabriel, Andre “Chez” Lewis and many more on April 20th, May 4th and 18th at 7:00 p.m. Stream and Support HERE
Jazz, House Music and the Underground Dance Revolution: Tune in to streams from National Jazz Museum in Harlem featuring DJ Ali Coleman and Sheila Ford on April 13th at 7:00 p.m. Stream and Support HERE
Distrokid: Tune in to streams from Distrokid, presenting “Isolation: Concerts For No One” featuring Andy Frasco & Shawn Eckels, Kitchen Dwellers, Mihali on March 30th, April 6,13+20th at 9:00 p.m. ET. Stream and Support HERE
Jess Novak: Join Jess Novak on Twitch every Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. EST for live music! Stream and Support HERE.
SOFI TUKKER: New York based musical duo, SUFI TUKKER perform live from home everyday on Twitch. Tune in at 1:00 p.m. EST. Stream and Support HERE.
Helsinki Hudson: Every Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m. Club Helsinki hosts a virtual open mic night. Stream and Support HERE.
Wednesday
The Palace Sessions: The Palace Theatre, City of Albany, and Mirth Films Present “The Palace Sessions” featuring Let’s Be Leonard duo & Canella on April 28th at 7:00 p.m. ET. Stream and Support HERE
JazzBuffalo: Tune in every Wednesday at 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. for the Jay/Sharp-tet weekly live streams. Enjoy a collection of original compositions and arrangements of jazz standards. Stream and Support HERE
MasterVoices’ 79th Season: Let’s celebrate the power of the human voice to unite, inspire, and connect. From January 13th to May 26th, MasterVoices will be a virtual rollout of award-winning composer Adam Guettel’s theatrical song cycle, “Myths and Hymns,” conceived by Ted Sperling. Stream and Support HERE
Jess Novak: Join Jess Novak on Twitch every Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. EST for live music! Stream and Support HERE.
SOFI TUKKER: New York based musical duo, SUFI TUKKER perform live from home everyday on Twitch. Tune in at 1:00 p.m. EST. Stream and Support HERE.
Thursday
Azure Wolf: LAUNCH presents The Chris Ruben Band on April 29th, at 7:00 p.m. ET. Stream and Support HERE
Chelsea Music Festival: Join us on April 29th at 7:30 p.m. ET. for the second episode of Love Walked In featuring Opus Illuminate. Stream and Support HERE
30th b’Earthday: Join eTown’s virtual 30th b’Earthday Celebration featuring Black Pumas, Bob Weir, Nathaniel Rateliff, and more on Earth Day April 22nd at 6:30 p.m. MST. Stream and Support HERE
KEEN x Garcia: FANS and KEEN x Garcia Present Rainforest Benefit Concert— Protect The Tongass on April 22nd at 8:00 p.m. ET. Stream and Support HERE
CWTV LIVESTREAM: Tune in to stream on April 15th at 8:00 p.m. ET. Michael Dorf presents THE BEST OF “THE MUSIC OF” from 2004 – 2020 featuring over 20 artists! Stream and Support HERE
Who Was: Nat “King” Cole: Tune in to streams from National Jazz Museum in Harlem featuring Jon Thomas on April 15th at 2:00 p.m. Stream and Support HERE
Radio Woodstock Sofa Sessions: Every Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. EST, three New York artists will each play a twenty-minute set from home. Stream and Support HERE
Joe Bonamassa: Tune in on April 1st at 9:00 p.m. ET for a spectacular rare performance in blues history from guitar hero Joe Bonamassa! Stream and Support HERE
Jess Novak: Join Jess Novak on Twitch every Thursday at 9:30 a.m. EST for live music! Stream and Support HERE.
SOFI TUKKER: New York based musical duo, SUFI TUKKER perform live from home everyday on Twitch. Tune in at 1:00 p.m. EST. Stream and Support HERE.
Friday
Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month: Flushing Town Hall is presenting a special concert honoring the victims of recent anti-Asian hate crimes. The Jihye Lee Quintet will perform LIVE on stage on May 21st at 7:00 p.m. Stream and Support HERE
Belle-Skinner: Tune in on April 23rd at 7:00 p.m. for the world premiere of Belle-Skinner’s new song “It Must Be Spring.” Then click over to Zoom for an interactive after-party discussion with Belle-Skinner. Stream and Support HERE.
CATS in Space: An interstellar livestream with Circles Around The Sun featuring Scott Metzger, Adam MacDougall, Mark Levy, and Dan Horne on April 16th at 9:00 p.m. ET. Stream and Support HERE
Standing Against Asian Hate Crimes: Tune in and support New York Youth Symphony Musicians give live concert in support of AAPI Community today at 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. Stream and Support HERE
St. Paul & The Broken Bones: FANS and St. Paul & The Broken Bones present a special performance of ‘Young Sick Camellia’ in its entirety at The Alabama Theatre on April 16 at 9:00 p.m. ET. Stream and Support HERE
Brandon ‘Taz’ Niederauer: Join for a Live Webcast from Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, NY on April 2nd at 8:00 p.m. ET featuring Levon Helm for this special event! Stream and Support HERE
Jess Novak: Join Jess Novak on Twitch every Friday at 1:00 p.m. EST for live music! Stream and Support HERE.
SOFI TUKKER: New York based musical duo, SUFI TUKKER perform live from home everyday on Twitch. Tune in at 1:00 p.m. EST. Stream and Support HERE.
Saturday
Wish You Were Hear: Join us on May 15th, 8:00 p.m. for some gothic cheer at the Flower Power Summer Break Show, featuring guest band Sirsy hosted by the Dust Bowl Faeries dark carnival duet. Stream and Support HERE
Pink Talking Fish Play Dead: Tune in to stream from Pink Talking Fish, live from State Theatre of Ithaca on May 8th at 7:00 p.m. EST to honor one of the most iconic moments in Grateful Dead history. Stream and Support HERE
Bob Weir and Wolf Bros: FANS featuring Bob Weir, Don Was, and Jay Lane, playing LIVE from TRI Studios with Jeff Chimenti, Greg Leisz, and special guests The Wolf Pack. Tune in on April 24th at 9:00 p.m. ET. Stream and Support HERE
Drone At Home: Tune in to streams April 24-25th from Basilica Hudson on Twitch local and global. Stream and Support HERE
Azure Wolf: LAUNCH presents Azure Wolf on April 24th at 7:00 p.m. ET. Stream and Support HERE
Hola!: The Relix Channel presents Hola! Featuring Avi Bortnick, Andy Hess, Scott Metzger, and Joe Russo on April 17th at 9:00 p.m. ET. Stream and Support HERE
Wanaragua: Tune in to stream on April 10th at 3:00 p.m. for a live performance from the Bronx Music Heritage Center, honoring the Garifuna Heritage month. Stream and Support HERE
I Wanna Dance With Somebody: Tune in for I Wanna Dance With Somebody Easter + Passover Sacred Greetings Dance Party! featuring Andy Frasco and DJ Sleepy on April 3rd at 10:00 p.m. ET. Stream and Support HERE
SOFI TUKKER: New York based musical duo, SUFI TUKKER perform live from home everyday on Twitch. Tune in at 1:00 p.m. EST. Stream and Support HERE.
Sunday
An Evening To Be Grateful: Tune in for live webcast on April 25th at 7:00 p.m. ET. featuring: Amy Helm, Marco Benevento, Connor Kennedy, Zach Djanikian, Tony Leone, and Jeff Hill. Stream and Support HERE
Music On The Inside: Tune in for a free virtual concert from Music While We’re Inside, on April 25th at 6:00 p.m. Featuring Vanessa Falabella, Rubem Farias, along many talented musicians! Stream and Support HERE
Sarah Elizabeth Charles: Tune in for a virtual concert from New York Youth Symphony featuring Sarah Elizabeth Charles on April 25th at 6:00 p.m. ET. Stream and Support HERE
Fueling Musicians: Second annual Stream-A-Thon hosted by Joe Bonamassa on April 18th at 3:00 p.m. ET. Featuring over 35 talented musicians. Stream and Support HERE
SOFI TUKKER: New York based musical duo, SUFI TUKKER perform live from home everyday on Twitch. Tune in at 1:00 p.m. EST. Stream and Support HERE.
The third and final time the Grateful Dead performed at the Carrier Dome was on October 20, 1984 and featured one of the most blistering “Jack Straw” versions ever.
The October 20 show was smack dab in the middle of their 1984 fall tour, and the final show on the East Coast before heading to San Francisco for the remainder of the year.
A first set opening with “Bertha” -> “Greatest Story Ever Told” found a great groove in “Ramble on Rose,” which was followed by the first of a few requests from Bob Weir for the audience to ‘take a step back,’ heard quite often during this era of the Dead. The “Bird Song” clocks in at just over 11 minutes, and is followed by the aforementioned powerful “Jack Straw.”
The energetic show features resounding versions of “Shakedown Street” to open Set 2, which led to non-stop dancin’ in the rafters. During “Turn on Your Lovelight,” fencing on stage right fell, leading to fans spilling down onto the Carrier Dome field.
Leaving the show on the mantra of “Revolution” (‘You know its gonna be, alright’) set the crowd out on a high note, for it would be the last Dead on the East Coast until March, 1985 in Hampton, VA. Of course, leaving the Carrier Dome (up until recent renovation began) meant the wind would push on the backs of fans as they egressed, which can be either cathartic or unsettling, depending on your mindset at the time.
Check out photos of the Grateful Dead at the Carrier Dome pre and post-show from James R Anderson here and check out an extended breakdown of the show from Visions of Dylan.
Set 1: Bertha-> Greatest Story Ever Told, West L.A. Fadeaway, CC Rider, Ramble On Rose, My Brother Esau, Bird Song, Jack Straw
Set 2: Shakedown Street-> Samson & Delilah, He’s Gone-> Smokestack Lightning-> Drums-> The Wheel-> The Other One-> Black Peter-> Turn On Your Love Light
