Category: Genres

  • The King of Corona: Paul Simon says goodbye at Flushing Meadows

    On September 22, 2018, at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens, Paul Simon said goodbye.

    Paul was introduced by Queens Borough President Melinda Katz and NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio. He started the 2 and 1/2 hour show with Simon & Garfunkel classic “America.” His setlist pretty much remained the same as it was the rest of the tour.

    paul simon goodbye

    “This is like, two miles from where I used to play high school baseball,” he said after the first song. He then took out a baseball and glove and started playing catch with the massive audience. You can hear the sound of passing planes from above. “I was worried about that” he said. “Well, Welcome to New York” he joked as the plane can be seen landing in nearby LaGuardia Airport.

    The show continued with more classics like “50 Ways To Leave Your Lover” “Boy in the Bubble” and “Mother and Child Reunion.” During the Goodbye Rosie part in “Me and Julio,” the crowd went crazy when he said “Queen of Corona” Paul’s wife Edie Brickell joined him on stage for the whistling solo. After the song, he said to the crowd “How much fun is it to sing a song about Corona, in Corona?!” Looking back, that was pretty cool moment.

    Even though this was his farewell concert, Paul still sprinkled in some songs from his new album “In the Blue Light.” Although this is his fourteenth solo studio album, the album consists of re-recordings of lesser known Simon songs like “Can’t Run But” And “Rene and Georgette Magritte with Their Dog after the War,” which were both performed.

    Paul then started talking about a song he had an “interesting relationship” with. He talked about writing this song and “giving it away” to someone, but being able to reclaim it for his final tour. The song he was referring to was “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” After performing it with a slightly different arrangement with YMusic, who Paul worked with on his new album, he thanked Aretha Franklin who covered the song in 1971.

    The show ended with two encores. The first encore started with “Late in the Evening” but the highlight was “Still Crazy After All These Years.” The second encore started with “Homeward Bound” followed by “Kodachrome,” “The Boxer” and “American Tune.” The show ended with Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Sounds of Silence” performed by Paul with just an acoustic guitar. He then thanked the crowd and walked off stage and just like that, the last show of the final tour ended, and Paul Simon said goodbye.

    paul simon goodbye

    Out of the 26 song set, only five were Simon & Garfunkel songs. Not one mention of Garfunkel was made during the entire show other than a picture of the duo that flashed briefly during a video montage during “Homeward Bound.”

    Although this was his final “tour,” Paul has stated that he may still do an occasional performance.

    Setlist: America, 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover, The Boy in the Bubble, Dazzling Blue, That Was Your Mother, Rewrite, Mother and Child Reunion, Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard, Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War, Can’t Run But, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Wristband, Spirit Voices, The Obvious Child, Questions for the Angels, The Cool, Cool River, Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, You Can Call Me Al

    Encore: Late in the Evening, Still Crazy After All These Years, Graceland

    Encore 2: Homeward Bound, Kodachrome, The Boxer, American Tune, The Sound of Silence

  • In Focus: Pink Talking Fish gets Dazed and Confused at Jericho Drive-In

    On a chilly September night, the first where autumn made its presence known, Jericho Drive-In in Glenmont, NY hosted a socially distant crowd of a few hundred for a double feature – Pink Talking Fish and Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused.

    With cars lined up 10 rows deep, Pink Talking Fish gave the Capital District‘s jam scene something they had long been waiting for – a chance to get down and dance with close friends in a safe environment. Fans were smart and followed the rules we’ve all been aware of for six months – wearing masks when leaving your car area, and small clusters of live music fans staying within their bubbles. After 6 months of little to no live music, it’s fair to say that fans weren’t screwing this up (heads up here Gov. Cuomo).

    Pink Talking Fish Drive-In

    The performance from Pink Talking Fish was as invigorating as it was cathartic. Their blend of Phish, Talking Heads and Pink Floyd was overdue for many in the crowd, with a show opening “Simple” with a “Third Stone from the Sun” tease on the 50th anniversary of Jimi Hendrix’s death.

    One of many highlights of the evening, “Theme From The Bottom” > “Us And Them” > “Any Colour You Like” > “Theme From The Bottom,” featured a subtle tease of “Waste” and jumped feet first into show-stopper “Crosseyed and Painless.” To close out the night and give a nod to the second feature, Led Zeppelin’s “Dazed and Confused” was deftly intertwined within Phish’s “David Bowie,” bringing back the feel of exploratory “Bowie”‘s from the mid-90s.

    Next up for Pink Talking Fish, they’ll play two shows in Burlington, VT at The Backyard at Nectar’s on Friday, October 16! More info and tickets here.

    Jericho Drive-In, Glenmont, NY, Friday, September 18, 2020

    Setlist: Simple* > Happiest Days Of Our Lives > Another Brick In The Wall Part 2 > This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody), Rift, Have A Cigar > And She Was, Reba, Wish You Were Here > Moon Rocks, Theme From The Bottom > Us And Them** > Any Colour You Like > Theme From The Bottom > Crosseyed And Painless > David Bowie% > Dazed And Confused > David Bowie%%

    *w/ Third Stone From The Sun tease
    **w/ Waste tease
    % w/ Purple Haze tease
    %% w/ Dazed And Confused teases Pink Talking Fish Drive-In

  • TEST and Roy Campbell: A throwback to a fantastic night at Brooklyn’s Hinton House

    Indie Jazz label 577 records has just released the new TEST and Roy Campbell Jr. album, recorded live at the Hinton House. The live recording of the performance took place in April, 1999.

    According to Jazz Times, Roy Campbell Jr. was considered a favored player among the free jazz aficionados. He was praised for his adventurous approach and mixing of genres including world music, hip-hop, and reggae. Unfortunately, Roy Campbell Jr had passed away on January 9th, 2014, at 61 years old.

    Campbell was joined by bassist Matt Heyner, drummer Tom Bruno, and saxophonist Daniel Carter, with Sabir Mateen also playing saxophone alongside the group. According the album notes, this performance was a benefit gig to repair the No Neck Blues Band’s van. John Fahey, Lee Ranaldo, and No Neck Blues Band joined the stacked lineup at their loft, The Hinton House, and raised the ‘bread’ to fix the van. Spirits were lit with a listening and enthusiastic audience. The cathartic energy rising.

    The performance and energy were frantic and steadily increasing as the show went on. Listeners tuned in to the live performance clearly enjoyed the free-jazz and the atmosphere Roy Campbell Jr. and company provided.


    TEST occupied the public space of New York City. TEST’s typical audience was a passerby on a subway platform, a curious security guard on a smoke break in midtown, or the most ‘in the know’ subset of gig-goers. TEST, distinctly honed their working band approach, by actively gigging multiple times a week across the NYC subway map.

    When TEST performed at a venue, listeners would witness the bullseye acumen of a working band. This ethos of the band choosing to ‘play anywhere/all the time’ separated TEST from other groups.

    One of the hardest working musicians in the scene, Campbell lived at the north end of the Bronx, but nightly could be found downtown, uptown, or somewhere in the middle playing weekly at venues such as Lenox Lounge, The Pink Pony, Brecht Forum, Tonic, Knitting Factory and CBGB’s Gallery.

    The free-jazz album has left listeners feeling nostalgic for the time. The Test and Roy Campbell album has given jazz aficionados the opportunity to live in that moment of free-jazz history. The album is now on Bandcamp.


  • ‘Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President’ Documentary now Streaming

    Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President documentary hit theaters across the United States and the virtual cinema stage on September 9, 2020. The documentary covers how Jimmy Carter relied on musicians’ support during the Democratic primaries to build up his name recognition and support from the general public.  

    Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President

    The documentary focuses on how youth culture and politics join forces in Jimmy Carter being elected as the 39th President of the United States. Jimmy Carter’s love of music was crucial to who he was and he made that known throughout his presidency and his campaign. His love of music affected who he was as a father, a citizen, a man of the South, and as a leader and he made that known to everyone and anyone he could. 

    The documentary includes interviews with big names like Bob Dylan, Bono, Willie Nelson, Paul Simon, Gregg Allman, Garth Brooks, and many others. There will also be interviews included with former President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Jimmy Carter.

    The film is directed by Mary Wharton and written by Bill Flanagan. It is produced by Chris Farrell and Dave Kirkpatrick. The executive producers include Dan Braun, Mary Wharton, Peter David Conlon, David Crawford. Peter Afterman and Tracy Falco are the consulting producers on the film. The film is edited by Mari Keiko Gonzalez and has Tom Beard, Jim Free, Frank Moore as consultants on it. The production coordinator is Linzy Hayes. The drone photography is done by Brad McColl and James Fideler worked as the director of photography on the documentary. All the original music is composed by Bradley Cole Smith and Bill Wharton (The Sauce Boss). 

    People interested in seeing the film have two options for viewing it. They can see it in select theaters across the United States or on the virtual cinema stage. All the theatrical listings and locations can be found on here. The virtual cinema tickets can be bought here for $9.99 and will be available  for 14 days once the viewer unlocks the film. Once the viewer begins the film, they will have 72 hours to finish watching it. 

    For more information on Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President documentary visit the films’ website.

  • On this day in 2001, stars unite for “America: A Tribute to Heroes”

    Ten days after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, living legends and new artists came together for a primetime benefit concert, “America: A Tribute to Heroes.” The star-studded lineup included Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, U2, Billy Joel, Céline Dion, and Willie Nelson.

    Executive produced by Tenth Planet Productions’ Joel Gallen, “A Tribute to Heroes” was simulcast across all major networks commercial-free. The September 21 concert won the 2002 Primetime Emmy Award for an Outstanding Variety Special, with many artists channeling the somber energy into the best performances of their careers. The telethon portion of “A Tribute to Heroes” raised over $150 million for 9/11 victims and their families, specifically police officers and firefighters. Years later, networks repeated the concert-telethon model for Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy and the 2010 Haiti Earthquake.

    America A Tribute to Heroes

    The concert was filmed live in New York, Los Angeles, and London, with British and Canadian artists supporting their American peers. At each venue, the stage was decorated with hundreds of candles. Bruce Springsteen opened the show with the then-unreleased song “My City of Ruins,” playing guitar and harmonica. With the E Street Band, he introduced it as “a prayer for our fallen brothers and sisters.” The following year, the five-minute track closed out Springsteen’s 9/11-inspired album The Rising.

    Stevie Wonder then performed “Love’s in Need of Love Today,” the opening track of Songs in the Key of Life, with gospel sextet Take 6.

    U2 performed “Peace on Earth” and “Walk On” from London with Natalie Imbruglia and Dave Stewart. “Peace on Earth” was inspired by the 1998 Omagh car bombing, but took on new meaning after 9/11. For the performance, Bono changed the original lyrics from “I’m sick of hearing again and again that there’s gonna be peace on Earth” to “I’m sick of hearing again and again that there’s never gonna be peace on Earth.”

    Billy Joel had the most hopeful performance of the night, singing and playing “New York State of Mind.” Rather than dwelling on tragedy, he expressed New Yorker pride and even smiled throughout his performance. Joel never officially released “New York State of Mind” as a single, but due to its popularity with fans it’s often mistaken as one.

    In addition to the night’s abundance of established acts, then-new artists Alicia Keys and Enrique Iglesias took the stage. Keys performed a cover of “Someday We’ll All Be Free” by Donny Hathaway, beginning with a piano riff reminiscent of her future 2003 song “Diary.”

    Enrique Iglesias had just broken out two years earlier in 1999 with “Bailamos,” but his signature hit would go on to become “Hero,” which he publicly performed for the first time that night. Radio DJs later mixed the song with audio from police, firefighters, and civilians, adding to the song’s popularity.

    Iglesias wasn’t the only artist to sing a song called “Hero.” A few numbers later, Mariah Carey sang the just-as-famous song of the same name off her 1993 album Music Box. A New Yorker herself, Carey’s performance was more subdued than past renditions but characteristic of the night’s solemn energy.

    The event also included some country artists. Faith Hill performed “There Will Come a Day” from her 2001 album Breathe with a backing gospel choir, and the Dixie Chicks (now The Chicks) performed the poignant “I Believe In Love.”

    “America A Tribute to Heroes” ended on a patriotic note, with Céline Dion singing “God Bless America” and Willie Nelson leading the Los Angeles performers and speakers in a grand finale of “America the Beautiful.” Dion later released her cover as a single, and performed it again at the Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003. Céline Dion and Neil Young were the night’s only Canadian performers.

    Other performers included Neil Young, Tom Petty, Sheryl Crow, Bon Jovi, Sting, Dave Matthews, and Paul Simon. Most major genres were well-represented: multiple pop, rock, country, folk, and soul artists were on the setlist, and despite their thematic similarities for the occasion, they were diverse in sound.

    The success of “America: A Tribute to Heroes” prompted two more 9/11 tribute concerts a month later: the similarly diverse “Concert For New York City” in Madison Square Garden, and the pop-focused Michael Jackson-led “United We Stand.” In 2004, Rolling Stone named the 9/11 concerts “one of the 50 moments that changed rock,” and it’s easy to see why—despite the tragic circumstances that brought the artists together, many were on top of their game.

  • Martin Sexton Performs at Fingerlakes Drive-In

    Martin Sexton brought his “Outdoor Shows” Tour to the Fingerlakes Drive-In movie theater in Auburn, NY Saturday evening. With all the restrictions in place due to COVID-19, concert goers were limited to their vehicles and were required to practice social distancing.

    Martin Sexton

    It was a brisk night for a concert with temperatures around 40 degrees F. Martin Sexton takes the miniature stage that was set up and greets the crowd telling them “This is the first time I’ve had to wear a jacket while performing.”

    The moment he began playing the notes on his guitar brought an overwhelming since of joy as this was the first time most, if not all of the people in attendance have heard live music in at least 6 months. The crowd was cheering him on from their vehicles, shouting “I love you Marty!” and many other words of encouragement. Sexton continued “I was wondering if I was going to still be able to perform these shows because it has been so long, but turns out it’s just like riding a bike.”

    Video from Sexton’s performance at Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield, CT

    Sexton standing on the stage by himself with no crowd directly around him and a large projection of him performing on the movie screen brought a bittersweet feeling – concerts have changed so much from what we remember them being, but at least they are starting to slowly happen.

    Overall the safety precautions were followed very well, the staff all did a great job keeping everyone informed of the regulations in place, and every single person there was following them. This is a great sign, and hopefully one that can continue to allow more concerts to be happening in innovative ways.

  • In Focus: Goose play sold out Drive-In shows at South Farms CT

    Goose wrapped up a run of Drive-Ins around the Northeast with two nights at South Farms in Morris, CT. Over September 16 and 17, fans spaced out on individual grids to properly socially distance during the show. The remote location in Western Connecticut is conducive to limiting a large amount of fans from descending on the show, as we slowly recover from the industry wide live music shutdown.

    With this past June’s Bingo Tour the last fresh Goose for hungry fans, they played two shows in Cape Cod at Yarmouth Drive-In prior to South Farms, and next plays Drive-In shows at Essex Junction, VT on October 2 and Swanzey, NH on October 3.

    goose south farms ct

    Having added percussionist Jeffrey Arevalo to the lineup in recent months, the five-piece group kicked off a funky night one with “Me and My Uncle,” a John Phillips tune popularized by the Grateful Dead.

    Night two featured a handful of notable covers, include Rick Mitarotonda singing Jim James level vocals on My Morning Jacket’s “State of the Art (A.E.I.O.U.) to close the first set. The second set kicked off with 25+ minutes of original “Indian River” -> “Crosseyed and Painless” by Talking Heads.

    Setlist South Farms, CT, September 16, 2020

    Set 1: Me and My Uncle (1), Flodown, Western Sun > Tumble, Jive II -> Jive Lee, Electric Avenue (2), Echo of a Rose (3)

    Set 2: Travelers > White Lights > Bob Don > Madhuvan

    Encore: Disco Inferno (4)

    (1) John Phillips
    (2) Eddy Grant
    (3) W/ Vocal Ending
    (4) The Trammps

    Setlist South Farms, CT, September 17, 2020

    Set 1: Switchin’ (1) > Doc Brown, Wild Night (2), Elizabeth, Rosewood Heart, This Old Sea, State of the Art (3)

    Set 2: Indian River -> Crosseyed and Painless (4), Lead The Way, So Ready, Arrow

    Encore: Arcadia

    (1) Wes Montgomery
    (2) Van Morrison
    (3) Jim James, FTP
    (4) Talking Heads Goose South Farms CT

  • Jerry Sunday: The Grateful Dead at MSG, September 20, 1982

    By 1982, The Grateful Dead’s relationship with the State of New York had been firmly established. It began with a free show at Tompkins Square Park in 1967. Now, the band had graduated to regular gigs at Madison Square Garden, The World’s Most Famous Arena. Monday, September 20, 1982 would be part of their third run at The Garden, after playing there initially in 1979 and a brief two-show stay in 1981. The Brent Mydland era was now in full swing and this show from 38 years ago sees the band relaxed and fully cohesive as the Grateful Dead at MSG deliver another knockout New York performance.

    A spunky “Shakedown Street” gets things started off on the right foot. The band wastes no time getting into a nice groove and Mydland’s backing vocals spice this one up nicely.

    Guitarists Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir take turns leading the way on vocals through pristine versions of “Candyman” and “El Paso,” respectively, with the rest of the band sounding fully engaged. Afterwards, the recent revival of “Dupree’s Diamond Blues” continued. A month earlier, the Dead dusted off this oldie but goodie after a four-year layoff. Garcia’s vocals seem to have an almost echo-y feel to them on this one before he nails the corresponding guitar solos.

    Mydland’s signature raspy vocals accompany more beautiful Garcia-supplied guitar licks on the bluesy “Never Trust A Woman” that follows. The first set later ends with a couple of new tunes. Weir quickly mentions something about “remembering all the words this time” before they launch into “Throwin’ Stones.” This would be only the third one ever played after making its debut earlier in the fall tour. It’s an aggressive rendition as Weir certainly remembers the words and then some. But instead of the traditional outro jam the Dead would later develop for it, they pivot immediately to a rousing “Keep Your Day Job” that closes the set.

    Grateful Dead at MSG

    Things rev back up immediately with the “Scarlet Begonias” that opens up the second set. It features some delightful interplay between Garcia and Mydland on keys. With a pounding rhythm generated from bassist Phil Lesh, the jam eventually meanders a little bit before the familiar tones of “Fire On The Mountain” come through.

    The mid-set “Terrapin Station” that later follows has a very mellow feel to it early on. The composed section drifts off into near silence before eventually picking back up. Later in the set, emerging from the confines of “Space,” is another Dead specialty – the “Spanish Jam.” It’s a brief but infectious instrumental section that’s influenced by the theme to Miles Davis’ “Solea” from his Sketches Of Spain album. This more than aptly serves as the bridge to “Truckin’.”

    There would be no “Truckin’” jam tonight though. Instead, the band does another collective pivot of sorts and hurls into “The Other One.” It’s a quick but powerful version that sees Weir almost toying with the lyrics.

    After a customary joyous run through of “Sugar Magnolia” to close out the second set, the Dead decide to end things with yet another new number. This is also only the third ever performance of “Touch Of Grey,” a song that would later become synonymous with the band and their lone commercial “hit.” One more show at The Garden would follow the next evening as the Dead continue to make their presence felt in The Empire State.

    Grateful Dead at MSG

    Grateful Dead – Madison Square Garden 9/20/82

    Set 1: Shakedown Street > New Minglewood Blues, Candyman > El Paso, Dupree’s Diamond Blues, It’s All Over Now, Never Trust A Woman, Row Jimmy, Throwing Stones > Keep Your Day Job

    Set 2: Scarlet Begonias > Fire On The Mountain, Women Are Smarter, Terrapin Station > Drums > Space > Spanish Jam > Truckin’ > The Other One > Stella Blue > Sugar Magnolia

    Encore: Touch Of Grey

  • Belle-Skinner, TIP, Architrave and more featured on this week’s EQXposure

    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. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear music from Belle-Skinner, TIP, Architrave, and many more!

    EQXposure Belle-Skinner

    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. 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.

    Belle-Skinner – “Tapestry”

    Skinner was named one of “8 Female Musicians From Upstate New York You Should Be Listening To Right Now” by Saratoga Living and in 2015 was a finalist at the Telluride Troubadour Competition, a showcasing songwriter on the main-stage at Rocky Mountain Folks Festival in Lyons, CO. This Upstate artist has a nostalgic sense to her haunting voice that is nuanced with influences ranging from Joni Mitchel, Jeff Buckley, and Lana Del Ray. Her music elevates the modern folk song, rich in harmony, contrapuntal melodic phrasing, and wonderful song crafting.

    Architrave – “Blissed Out”

    Ballston Spa duo Architrave features programmed grooves, hearty classic synth sounds, with real guitars and bass. They have just released a new single, “Blissed Out,” which continues on their catalogue of moody electronic pulsating melodies. The New Wave movement of The Cure, Portishead, The XX has new momentum with Architrave.

    TIP – “Canadian Coins”

    TIP features Very clever and intricate song crafting and musicianship describes this quartet of college friends. The music is unique, evocative, and layered. Performing on recent live streams during quarantine for WEQX at HIGHPEAKS Sound. Think of guitar driven riff bands, each musician in this band plays with equal conviction as if these players were pre-destined to be in the same band today, they each play as an extension of the next player. There is a freshness to their sound, something bands strive for but these guys are out of the gate with that. Check their live stream show at High Peaks Sound a few weeks ago.

  • Borderland Festival Announces The Borderland Broadcast

    Borderland Music & Arts Festival announces their The Borderland Broadcast event. The broadcast will stream audio from former Borderland Festivals and will take place for two days in September on the 19 and 20 on Buffalo.FM. 

    The Borderland Broadcast will be taking place on the same weekend the Borderland Festival was originally supposed to take place this year. The festival itself had to be postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions taking place across the country. The festival generally takes place at Knox Farm State Park just outside of Buffalo, New York. 

    Since the festival can’t take place this year it’s organizers along with their friends at Buffalo.FM created The Borderland Broadcast. They curated a weekend of music with streaming audio from previous festivals, featuring live sets from Gov’t Mule, Keller WIlliams Grateful Grass, The Infamous Stringdusters, Oteil & Friends, Sam Roberts Band, The Sheepdogs and many more.

    Jennifer Brazill who is the owner of Borderland Festival elaborates on the reasonings behind The Borderland Broadcast saying,  “We wanted to be able to give our fans a way to connect to Borderland this weekend, to take us back to the feeling you have when you’re watching live music. Myself and my team feel a huge void in our lives and in our hearts without the festival happening this weekend, and we know that music is a great healer. We hope that fans of Borderland tune in with us for some very special live sets from the last two years.” 

    On Saturday the day will kick off with Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds from 2PM-3PM, The Sheepdogs from 3PM-4PM, The Infamous Stringdusters from 4PM-5PM, Sam Roberts Band from 5PM-6PM, Gov’t Mule from 6PM- 7:30PM, and Oteil + Friends wrapping the day up from 7:30PM – 9PM.

    On Sunday the day will kick off with Fruition from 2PM -3PM, Ghost Light from 3PM -4PM, Sam Bush Band from 4PM-5PM, The Wood Brothers from 5PM-6PM, Keller William’s Grateful Grass featuring The Infamous Stringdusters and Oteil Burbridge from 6PM-7PM, and Greensky Bluegrass wrapping things up from 7PM-9:30PM.

    People interested in tuning in can go to Buffalo.FM on September 19 and 20 at 2PM EST each day when the music starts or can catch the replay of the day at 10PM EST. 

    People interested in attending the 2021 Borderland Festival on September 18 and 19 can visit the festivals website: www.borderlandfestival.com for information on  2-day GA and VIP Tickets which are currently on sale. 

    For more information visit the Borderland Festival’s website and Buffalo.FM’s website