The penultimate SNL episode for 2020 brought Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band together in Studio 8H for the first time, and their first public performance in four years. This SNL episode also featured Tonight Show musical director Questlove in a sketch on classic versus modern rap.
This week’s episode was hosted by NYC born and raised Timothée Chalamet, who gave a shout out to his mom, who was featured in the 90s sketch Massive Headwound Harry. Chalamet gave a musical interlude during his monologue, talking about his love for New York City, and was joined by Pete Davidson to talk about a Staten Island Christmas.
“Ghosts” was the first song of the night, a track off the recently released Letter To You. For Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band’s second song, a Christmas lit SNL stage framed an energetic performance of “I’ll See You in my Dreams.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYW-DIG-CV4
Rolling Stone reports E Street Band founding bassist Garry Tallent and violinist Soozie Tyrell had to skip the SNL performance due to COVID-19 protocols. Springsteen tweeted earlier in the week, “Garry and his family are fine as is Soozie, but we thank Jack Daley of the Disciples of Soul for sitting in.”
Despite having a career starting in the 1970s, Springsteen did not appear on Saturday Night Live until 1992, on an episode hosted by Tom Hanks.
Bruce Springsteen last appeared on Saturday Night Live on the 2015 Christmas episode, performing “Meet Me in the City” and “The Ties That Bind.” SNL returns next week with Kristen Wiig and musical guest Dua Lipa.
Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up and coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear new music from NXNES, Sarah King and many more!
WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you..
This week’s featured artist is NXNES (pronounced ‘Nuns’), from whom you’ll find brilliant song crafting, with each piece of music is clever and well thought out, as it intricatley weaves heavy emotional content across an addictive and appealing set of sounds.
NXNES’ music resonates deep, and is sonically wide, using rumbling low end frequencies and steady beats to leave sonic space for the listener to acclimate to balance of message and entertainment.
The brainchild of Jo-Jo Rose originally from New Bedford, MA who now calls Albany, New York home. Striving to corral the culture’s hearts and minds into logical, self affirming, wellness by way of truth; holding a mirror to society and himself in order to gain a sober perspective of all things. His goal is to magnify and celebrate the greatness of blackness and black culture in an honestly unapologetic way.
For WEQX’s Pearson, “every once in a while an artist comes across that is does something different enough to turn us on our ears, NXNES is that artist. While straddling pop, ambient, and free form, the music is so appealing and then there is the rich story telling, each piece of music tells a clear and concise story, which is exactly what songwriting is all about.”
On this classic Black Sabbath tune. Sarah King adds to the field of great artists who have brought a twist on this brilliant anti-war song. Gov’t Mule, Cake, Ween, and Faith No More come to mind, but none of those bands stripped it down and gave us such a haunting glimpse into exactly what disgust was buried in the fury of the lyrics and harmony.
Sarah King’s acoustic rendition is chilling, and cuts to core of the song, a treatment so honest and pure that it is as powerful as the original.
Brother Kody debuts today with “This is Right,” the first solo original music from Eddie Hotaling, guitarist and vocals for Albany’s Glass Pony. With a talented group of musicians lined up on the album, the solo indie-folk/rock project provides an outlet for music written and released as a result of quarantining this year.
Included on “This is Right” are Scott Apicelli (drums), Drew Costa (rhodes) and Ominous Seapods‘ Tom Pirozzi (bass) who help bring this song to life. A song about the day Hotaling’s sister got engaged, his (now) brother-in-law invited the family and friends down to Queens to be there for the surprise. “I am grateful that my sister married somebody who cares about her the way she deserves and I was inspired to write this song about that day.”
The name Brother Kody comes from Hotaling’s family dog, a Siberian Husky that he raised from a puppy when he was younger. The pup grew to be a part of the family, and the moniker Brother Kody stuck. Hotaling shares his thoughts on the release of “This is Right”:
I decided to lead off with this song just because it was recorded first. Originally, I had planned on doing a full album instead of just a single. This is one of the songs that was going to be on the album but I wanted to give it to my sister and her husband as a wedding gift so as the wedding got closer I decided to go into the studio to get it down first with the intention of starting the rest after. Things got busy and I kept pushing working on the album back but I had this song pretty much done so I decided to just release singles as I finished them instead of trying to get them all done before putting anything out.
“This is Right” was originally recorded at Blue Sky Recording in Delmar, NY in the fall of 2018, and free time in 2020 gave Hotaling a chance to add pieces to the arrangement and finish it up.
Artwork for the album is by talented Irish artist Mairéad Hannon, who Hotaling met on a trip to Galway, Ireland in 2018. “She has a very interesting style and I’m very grateful to her for letting me use this piece to go along with the song.”
Hotaling handles vocals on “This is Right,” as well as acoustic guitar, electric guitar, lap steel, percussion, and handled recording, production, mix and mastering of the track. For more info visit Brother Kody’s website.
A surprise for anyone who caught any of the eight weeks of The Beacon Jams – “What Calls You Home” – a 17-minute short documentary featuring interviews and behind the scenes footage was released on Thursday, December 10. .
Created by the MSG Entertainment team, “Whatt Calls You Home” features exclusive performance highlights and in-depth conversations with Trey Anastasio and members of the production who helped bring the virtual residency to life.
The Beacon Jams was an overwhelming success – held at the historic Beacon Theatre, Trey along with his band and several special guests performed 151 original songs (with no repeats) and more than 20-hours of live music. Over eight weeks, hundreds of thousands of fans tuned in for the live streams, and in turn helped raise $1 million in donations for the Divided Sky Fund, part of Phish’s WaterWheel Foundation, which will help fund a drug treatment center in Vermont.
“What Calls You Home” is a fascinated look at how this unique residency came together at such a critical time in the music industry and across the nation and world, a true tribute to the power of live music.
Read NYS Music’s reviews of each weekend of The Beacon Jams here.
Back in June, photographers working with NYS Music, with no live music to shoot, began looking at the venues we hold so dear. These independent music venues across New York State are in a battle for survival with the COVID-19 pandemic still not waning and relief held up in Congress.
Over the summer and fall we saw venues closed for the foreseeable future, including The Jazz Standard in Manhattan. Venues are rallying their supporters to help as best they can at this time, including The Palace Theatre in Albany offering up a stream of moe. on Friday, December 11.
Venues in New York and beyond are stuck in limbo, but they aren’t gone – not for good – so long as we can find resolution and relief at the state and national levels. The Heroes Act has passed in the House of Representatives, and there is still a chance for a relief bill to be passed before the end of December.
With the winter setting in, venues will continue to go virtual for live performances, waiting for the time that we can bid this great pause farewell and welcome crowds back.
We start this month’s photo gallery series in Central New York at The Stanley Theatre. Visit NIVA to find out how you can help venues across New York, and the country. We need to #saveourstages and preserve live music for when this is over.
Frank Gallagher, host of the podcast Soundman Confidential, is on a mission to keep the magic of live music in the public’s imagination. He hosts conversations with some of the biggest players and artists in the music business, opening up about their careers performing live, and how they see the future of live music, post-pandemic.
Season One commenced on November 12, finding Gallagher (as he’s most commonly known) conversing with all four Talking Heads, Jim Kerr of Simple Minds and Kate Pierson of the B-52’s.
In 1977, Frank drove from London to Zurich in a truck filled with sound gear to meet up with two American bands flying in for a European tour – The Ramones and Talking Heads. Post-show, Frank went backstage and told Talking Heads he wanted to be their sound guy. The band gladly accepted his offer. In 1982, he met Scottish band, Simple Minds, rapidly becoming an important band in the UK’s post-punk scene. Frank encouraged the band to work hard, play each gig if it was to be their last, and to stay connected to their fans who showed up to see the shows.
Frank Gallagher was still touring in his seventies before COVID-19 pulled the plug on a B-52’s tour. The B-52’s are a part of the legacy act touring business, and Frank commands their iconic sound with his punchy, energetic mix, much to the delight of their legions of fans. Based in Arizona and California, Frank awaits the call to get back on the road with the band.
Saturday Night Live returned on December fifth after a few well deserved weeks off. The 46th season began with six consecutive shows, an SNL first, with the return episode featuring host Jason Bateman and musical guest Morgan Wallen.
Morgan Wallen, Jason Bateman and Heidi Gardner
Wallen had originally planned to be the musical guest for the October 10th episide, but after he was seen partying with fans in Tuscaloosa, AL the week before, and as a result his performance was canceled. The country singer thus missed out on his SNL debut out of an abundance of caution in COVID-19 pandemic.
Replacing Wallen was Jack White, who paid tribute to Eddie Van Halen that night.
Before taking the Studio 8H stage, Wallen appeared in a sketch poking fun at his going out to bars and hanging with fans. Future versions of himself – each from one month farther into the future – appeared to warn him of the consequences of that night.
The first song of the night from Wallen was “7 Summers,” a ballad written with Josh Osborne and Shane McAnally from Wallen’s upcoming album Dangerous: The Double Album, due out January 8, 2021. Wallen’s band featured Luke “Cowboy” Rice, Mark “Taco” Annino, Dominic Frost and Tyler Tomlinson who performed under broad lighting in the shape of an M,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLhRaSP-DJs
With the M display now resembling Christmas trees, Wallen returned later in the night with “Still Goin’ Down,” also off the upcoming Dangerous: The Double Album.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khCbT8AGveI&
One sketch spoofed Eminem’s “Stan” and even got the rap icon to appear in a cameo. Staten Island’s Pete Davidson appeared as the Stan character, Stu, writing letter after letter to Santa, asking for a PlayStation 5. The Christmas-spin on “Stan” follows Stu down an obsessive path in search of a response from Santa. At the end, Eminem opens Stu’s gift, saying “That’s crazy, a PS5? I didn’t even ask for this. I guess Shady must’ve been a good boy this year. Sorry, Stu. You fucked up.”
Saturday Night Live returns on December 12 with host Timothée Chalamet and musical guest Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.
The final two solo recordings from the late Neal Casal – “Everything Is Moving” and “Green Moon” – have been released across all digital music platforms. The accompanying video for “Everything Is Moving,” directed by Ray Foley, features footage of Casal from throughout his career, has also been released.
The songs were initially written as early as 2013, but Casal, never completed them prior to his passing in August 2019. Over the course of 2020, Casal’s close friends and longtime musical collaborators Jeff Hill, Jon Graboff, John Ginty, George Sluppick, Jena Kraus, JP Hesser and Jim Scott came together to add additional parts and complete mixing on the tracks.
Working on these songs has been truly cathartic for me as I continue to process the loss of my dear friend. Neal writes in ‘Everything Is Moving,’ ‘I am just a shadow on the wall, you won’t even think of me at all.’ As much as Neal’s lyrics can be eerily prophetic of the tragedy to come, he was wrong. So many of us will be thinking of Neal for decades to come
Jeff Hill
The two songs are also featured on a limited edition 7-inch vinyl that will be released on February 26, 2020, by the Neal Casal Music Foundation (NCMF) in collaboration with Royal Potato Family, who released Casal’s final solo album, ‘Sweeten the Distance,’ in 2012. Pre-order for the vinyl edition is available now.
All proceeds from the sale of the album will benefit the non-profit formed in Casal’s name, which will provide instruments and lessons to students in New Jersey and New York state schools, where Neal was born and raised, and will also make donations to much needed mental health organizations that support musicians in need.
NCMF is being spearheaded by Casal’s longtime manager Gary Waldman and a team of the late musician’s friends. A first round of funding for the foundation was raised through a Kickstarter campaign earlier this summer comprised by two primary packages: a coffee table photography book, ‘Tomorrow’s Sky: Photographs by Neal Casal’ produced by Jay Blakesberg and edited by his daughter Ricki Blakesberg, along with a 30-plus song tribute album, ‘Highway Butterfly: The Songs of Neal Casal,’ tentatively planned for release in Spring 2021.
Casal began recording “Everything Is Moving,” which in hindsight hints at some of the struggles he was facing, at The Stable at Studio G in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, around February 2013. The band on these initial sessions featured Casal on acoustic guitar and vocals, Jon Graboff on acoustic guitar, Jeff Hill on bass and Joe Russo on drums. Additional parts were cut in July 2020 w/ Graboff returning to play pedal steel and electric guitar, John Ginty adding piano and Hammond B-3 organ and harmony vocals contributed by Hill and Jena Kraus.
With Casal beginning to envision a new album of solo songs, he started work on “Green Moon” at Castaway 7 Studios near his home in Ventura, CA in the summer of 2016, laying down lead and background vocals, acoustic and electric guitars and piano. Jeff Hill and George Sluppick would add bass and drum tracks respectively to the original recording in October 2020 to complete the song.
Neal Casal was a songwriter, singer, guitarist, record producer, photographer, surfer and friend. Over the course of a 30-plus year career, he appeared on multiple recordings as a member of bands like Circles Around the Sun, Ryan Adams & The Cardinals, Chris Robinson Brotherhood, Beachwood Sparks, The Skiffle Players and Hard Working Americans.
With the formation of the Neal Casal Music Foundation, the body of work he left behind, including an extensive archive of unreleased material, will be reimagined to further shine a light on his artistry, while providing resources to raise money for positive change. Neal Casal brought joy to so many and, in his absence, the foundation created in his name will further that purpose. It also hopes to reflect back to Casal the beauty he brought to this world in pursuit of a life dedicated to music and art.
Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up and coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear new music from Elder Orange, Fine Grain and many more!
WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.
Vermont’s Elder Orange has released a new recording titled, “Brick’s in the Bathwater.” This release is a fascinating sonic journey, evocative and head bobbing, full of emotional voices, brilliant guitar playing, melody weaving, and genre bending. The album is a series of connected tunes that all work as one piece of music, one that is very inventive and unique in a world of singles that occupy the popular music format. This bold step of creativity is worthy of far more attention. Available for streaming on Bandcamp.
Kicking off the show will be two new songs from Fine Grain. The first is a world premiere release of “Calculate,” available on Thursday, December 10, followed up by “Strings Attached.” Fine Grain is a weird punk/post-punk outfit out of the Capital District that doesn’t quite stick to genres. Their live shows feature antics, copious beer consumption and a lot of hair with a lot energy put into the music that even on record, they sound as though they’re playing in your living room.
EQXposure will also be featuring more music from Upstate Mixtape, Vol 1., a compilations of 518 artists, committed to amplifying Black voices and suppressing racism. One hundred percent of the sales of the release, will be distributed to black artists. Pick up a copy here.
Upstate Mixtape Vol 1. is part of antiracist grassroots fundraising efforts, spearheaded by Jammella Anderson. Among songs contributed to Vol 1. include demos, B-sides, album loose ends and more from a group that showcases the multifaceted nature of musicians in the 518. This week you’ll hear JB and Victory Soul Orchestra‘s “God Self Icon,” NXNS “Motherbrain,” The Age “Take a Dive,” and Wurliday “Clyde.”
Wu Tang Clan released “Hi,” a new single alongside Texas, on Tuesday, December 1.
Recognized as one of the pioneers of the grimy, raw, hard-nosed sound, Wu Tang Clan’s status as international stars is not to be underestimated. They were synonymous with New York for almost three-decades. Their reputation as one of the most influential factions in Hip Hop history has seen their popularity soar in nations throughout the world, one being Scotland.
It was February 9, 1998, when Clan members Method Man and RZA joined Scottish pop-rock outfit, Texas, on stage at the Brit Awards in London. The two factions were performing the remix to the latter’s top 10 UK charting single, “Say What you Want.” Now, over twenty years later, the two groups have collaborated on another trans-cultural record, “Hi.”
Featuring RZA, Ghostface Killah and with vocals from Sharleen Spiteri, the record came about during RZA’s time in Glasgow. Whilst the Clan head honcho was filming a documentary, he connected with Spiteri and subsequently contributed a verse the Wu Tang Clan track, “Hi.”
A fast-paced alternative record, the music video opens up with Top Boy actor, Kadeem Ramsay, watching footage of their iconic performance at the Brit Awards. The television then segues into a more recent interview between RZA and Spiteri in which they discuss their yearn to work together again. Ramsay’s character is a super-fan of the two groups, as his room is filled with posters, memorabilia, as well as a shirt with a picture from the 1998 Brit Awards plastered on it.
Throughout the Wu Tang Clan “Hi” music video, he is seen performing routine tasks such as; picking out an outfit, driving his car and getting a tattoo. It is revealed that he kidnapped Spiteri in an attempt to get the two groups to collaborate once again. Spiteri responds by facetiming RZA, and after a short conversation, he obliges to the request. Spiteri and Ramsay then share a smoke, as she lightly ridicules his poor attempt at tying her up.
