New York has settled into its Phase 4 stage of reopening. This means that museums, zoos, botanical gardens, and “Low-risk entertainment services” such as live music are all returning to the empire state. Nobody is bringing live music back quite like the Smith Center for the Arts.
In partnership with Supernatural Lake, a stunningly beautiful outdoor seasonal wine bar located in Interlaken, this series will feature a series of renowned artists in the coming weeks. Each Friday and Saturday night show will begin at 6:30 pm, with Sunday shows beginning at 12:00 pm.
A top NYC wine bar is opening a pop-up in the Finger Lakes
The next featured artist this coming Fri, Aug 7 is Bobby Henrie and Friends. Bobby is a self-described “Rockabilly, Swing, Jazz, Old-time country and Fiddle music, Bluegrass and Flat-pick guitar music” artist.
Performing Fri, Aug 14 and Sat., Aug 15 is author, professor, and critically acclaimed jazz artist Mark Adams with Jazzical. In addition to performing around the world, Mark Adams has played with jazz greats such as Roy Ayers, Ron Carter, Ronnie Laws, Hugh Masekela, Bobbi Humphrey, Dave Valentin, Wayne Henderson, and Tap-Dancer Savion Glover. Tickets are available now!
The following weekend on Sun, August 23, will feature Matt Venuti. While not only being an award-wining recording/music video and soundtrack composer/editor Matt Venuti is also a talented multi-instrumentalist/singer-songwriter.
Slated for Sat., Aug 29 is Maddie Walsh and The Blind Spots. This female-fronted moxy rock band from Ithaca features a solid-as-a-rock rhythm section, eclectic library of vintage keyboard sounds, bold and inventive electric guitar stylings, and electrifying lead vocals.
Hanna and the Blue Hearts will perform Sat., Sep. 5. Hanna PK is a 2019 International Blues-Challenge semifinalist, solid pianist, soulful vocalist, vibrant performer, and resident of Rochester!
Artists and performance dates will be added to fill up weekends from now through the end of September. To keep track of currently scheduled performances and see what is coming up next for the Smiths Supernatural Lake Series, follow the Smith Center for the Arts event calendar.
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 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.
Albany Symphony subgroup Dogs of Desire announces their “Hot, w/Mustard,” 10 week series featuring 10 emerging composers. The series will start on August 2 and run through October 4 and the series will be available on the Albany Symphony’s website.
Albany Symphony’s Dogs of Desire Photo Provided by Albany Symphony.
The Dogs of Desire are made up of 18-members of Albany Symphony and will feature genre-bending new music. The emerging composers highlighted are: Alexis Lamb, Carlos Bandera, Annika Socolofsky, Andre Myers, Nina Shekhar, Jack Frerer, Clarice Assad, Gala Flagello, Paul Mortilla, and Derrick Spiva. The works of “Hot, w/Mustard” will cover a wide range of subjects, including an anthem paying tribute to nurses on the front-lines, Thoreau’s thoughts about the miracle of seeing the world through another person’s eyes;,the hope embodied in Dolly Parton’s music, bedtime stories, and a feminist look at Dear Abby.
Artistic Director David Alan Miller explained the reasoning behind the creation of the “Hot, w/Mustard,” series saying, “During difficult times, music is a source of inspiration, hope and comfort. We asked some of our favorite composers to create works to showcase the uniqueness of Dogs of Desire during a summer in which it is much more difficult than usual for listeners to experience exciting new art. We hope this new series will provide both our ardent fans and those who have never heard the Dogs [of Desire] the chance to enjoy our brilliant ensemble in all its glory through the rest of the summer. So, we hope you’ll kick back, relax and enjoy this one-of-a-kind experience each Sunday.”
https://youtu.be/bRr6EIxu9os
The series will start up on August second featuring Alexis Lamb on “Look Through” inspired by a quote from Henry David Thoreau’s Walden. On August 9th the series will host Carlos Bandera with The Vast Hour. On August 16 will host Annika Socolofsky with an arrangement of Dolly Parton’s “Light of a Clear Blue Morning.” On August 23 Andre Myers will step up to the plate with “Pulp Anthem: Reflected Glory” which is an anthem for nurses. On August 30 Nina Shekhar will present “Dear Abby” focusing on the 1956, Dear Abby is a newspaper column in which readers ask for advice on a variety of topics, including etiquette, relationships, sex, health, and career guidance. On September 6 Jack Frerer will be featured with “Getting Better.” On September 13 Clarice Assad will feature “Treta.” On September 20 Gala Flagello will present “Persist” after a poem Flagello wrote earlier this year. On September 27 Mortilla will present “Transmuting Ether // Quarantine-Dreams.” And on October 4 Derrick Spiva will wrap up the series with “From Embers” mimicus ideas of meditation, beginning small, then growing and unfolding with compound meters, mimicking the uneven beats of a pumping heart.
The series will be available on Albany Symphony’s website and on Albany Symphony social media channels. Each new work will be unveiled on Sunday. There will also be features, including interviews with the performers and composers and festive menu ideas, accompanying each release.
For more information visit Albany Symphony’s website.
Watch the first performance in the series by composer Alexis Lamb below.
Malik B., a founding member of legendary Philadelphia outfit The Roots has passed away. Born Malik Abdul Basit, he was a recognized member of the iconic hip hop band — which includes Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter — for their first four albums, with his last appearance as a member of the group on 1999’s Grammy-winning Things Fall Apart.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uROfXQML7NY
Malik went on to release a solo album in 2005 titled, Street Assault, and a subsequent album in 2015 titled Unpredictable, with record producer Mr. Green. After several years apart, Malik B. was featured on two additional Roots album, including three tracks on 2006’s Game Theory, as well as two tracks from their 2008 album Rising Down.
The Roots, who currently serve as the house band for Jimmy Fallon’s “Tonight Show,” shared Malik B’s passing through a social media post that reads:
“We regretfully inform you of the passing of our beloved brother and longtime Roots member Malik Abdul Basit,” the group said on Twitter. “May he be remembered for his devotion to Islam and innovation as one of the most gifted MCs of all time. We ask that you please respect his family in our time of mourning.”
We regretfully inform you of the passing of our beloved brother and long time Roots member Malik Abdul Basit. May he be remembered for his devotion to Islam and innovation as one of the most gifted MCs of all time. We ask that you please respect his family in our time of mourning pic.twitter.com/NVHtb2CFWP
On the heels of his 38th birthday, Buffalo rapper Westside Gunn — along with the rest of his Griselda Records cohorts — have been on quite the roll. And fresh off of his critically-acclaimed EP Pray for Paris and the much recently released mixtape Flygod Is an Awesome God 2, the Shady Records rapper looks to keep the momentum on his side with his third project of the year. On Wednesday evening, the one known as the “FLYGOD,” made a lengthy Instagram post describing what exactly this latest project means to him, as well as the journey and the conviction he had in his artistry that led him to this point. Accompanied by what can be assumed as the album cover, the caption read:
“Everything I’ve done thus far has led up to this moment, when I said FLYGOD was a classic ppl didn’t see it at that moment, then I dropped Supreme Blientele and made ppl to start believing, then I dropped PRAY FOR PARIS and I knew I had my formula together and I was ready for my first major release album and now it’s officially here “WHO MADE THE SUNSHINE” every project has been painted diff and with purpose, I know soon I’ll be done rapping but I have to give u WSG on a diff level this project I swear is my best work to date and I know it’s great bc it took me a week to make and not 2 days lol… but this is what HIP HOP is ALL about I feel young on this Album and I can’t wait until I give u this offering, I promise u You never heard ANYTHING like this on @shadyrecords this is ALL BUFFALO BEAUTIFUL ART PIECE by WS POOTIE thank u so much Baby Daddy Loves YOU “ WHO MADE THE SUNSHINE” 8/28 on WESTSIDEGUNN DAY #CLASSIC#MASTERPIECE#CULTURE#ART#FLYGOD#GXFR#ICON this cant be compared to anything I’ve done beforE it’s IF “FLYGOD” and “SUPREME BLIENTELE” has a baby @shadyrecords@griseldarecords@interscope”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CCNDANVHqT8/
With his latest release only a few weeks old (July 3), and Pray for Paris the ripe age of 3 months old, his classification of this impending project as his “first major release album,” has caused some confusion. While signed to their own Griselda Records label, the trio of Westside Gunn, Benny the Butcher and Conway the Machine, have also inked paperwork with Eminem’s Shady Records, a subsidiary of the West coast based Interscope records. The trio have combined to release WWCD, under Shady but no individual albums.
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.
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
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 & reckless endangerment of public health.https://t.co/gf9kggdo8w
— Archive: Governor Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) July 28, 2020
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.
Summerstage Anywhere announced its plan to put on Global Performances. Summerstage Anywhere is being put on by Capital One City Parks Foundation and is hosting a variety of performances, DJ sets, conversations and more from the global sector of the digital series. The global series took off on July 21. The shows will be available on the SummerStage YouTube channel.
Summerstage Anywhere has been presenting nearly daily content since July with Mondays hosting Contemporary Dance, Tuesdays with Global content, Wednesdays Indie Rock with content, Thursdays with Latin content, Fridays with Hip Hop content and Saturdays with Jazz content. Their global content includes Brazilian Drag Queen, Pabllo Vittar and Brazilian singer/songwriter, Duda Beat on Tuesday, August 4at 8PM EST on SummerStage’s Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram. Tunisian singer-songwriter Emel Mathlouthi on Tuesday, August 11 at 8PM EST on to be announced platforms. There are more shows in the works with details to be announced in the near future.
SummerStage Anywhere Global Series has some content available to watch in full now on the SummerStage YouTube channel now. These include a Culture Talk with legacy SummerStage artist and Grammy award winner, Angelique Kidjo and veteran entertainment journalist and Executive Director of the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA), Amy Andrieux. There will also be a session with the iconic Femi Kuti, who performed live exclusively for SummerStage Anywhere from the New Afrika Shrine in Nigeria.
Summerstage Anywhere is also hosting a variety of performances on their website for free daily. To check out the schedule visit their website. These free shows intend on providing exclusive content easily available to the public all summer long.
For more information on Summerstage Anywhere’s global performances visit their website.
The moe. Miracle Mile Drive-In concert was cancelled days before it’s shows on July 31 and Aug. 1. by venue management on July 29 due to safety concerns. Vernon Downs Casino Hotel was scheduled to host the performances but abruptly changed their minds with continuing concerns revolving around the COVID-19 pandemic.
Organizers of the event stated that, “Despite putting a comprehensive health and safety plan in place for the events, Vernon Downs management made the preemptive decision to not allow the concerts to be held on-site due to the continuing health and safety concerns surrounding the global COVID-19 pandemic,” according to the article in Observer-Dispatch.
The band announced via their Facebook that their moe. Miracle Mile Drive-In would have to be canceled due to the short notice given to them by Vernon Downs Casino Hotel. They also stated that refunds will be automatically issued by Ticketmaster to all original ticket purchasers.
The promoter of the show, Creative Concerts Inc, states in their Facebook post that Vernon Downs Casino Hotel breached their contract and forced the show to be canceled. “We’re devastated by this turn of events and are still committed to bringing safe socially distanced events to upstate and central NY….Thank you for being so supportive of our efforts hopefully we can find a new venue in the near future that will honor their promises and commitment,” stated Chuck Chao, President of Creative Concerts Inc.
moe. also announced that, “While [we] can no longer play for you in a live concert setting, we will still perform for you live via webcast. We have been rehearsing in an historic church-turned-recording studio and will broadcast two full moe. shows from this setting, starting at 7pm on Friday and Saturday evenings. We hope you can join us virtually. For tickets and more information, please visit tourgigs.com/shows”
Buffalo’s Intrepid Travelers welcome two new members to the band, saxophonist Ellen Pieroni (Folkfaces) and bassist Zak Beutel, who join the already stellar IT lineup of Donny Frauenhofer (keys, vocals), Brian Calisto (guitar, vocals) and Jon Fohl (drums, vocals).
photo by Sam Murray
Pieroni shared her thoughts on joining Intrepid Travelers:
I’ve considered myself to be IT fam for the better half of the 5+ years Donny and I have been dating. Over the years, I’ve attended a bunch of shows, sat in on countless tunes, worked the merch table, and volunteered for IT fest. I’ve jokingly said for years “you should just let me join the band!” Well, recently they decided to finally listen and let me try IT out. It’s been a blast so far, immersing myself in new experiences like deep improvisation, exploring and building my pedal rig, composing new music, and taking on a larger role vocally than I have in any band before. It feels really good to be creative in new ways and be thrown into a band where folks are just as excited for the next chapter. The group chat is constantly lighting up with new ideas and I’m super happy to be a part of it.
Beutel looks as his joining IT and the long journey from fan to band member
One night in September 2014, I went to EBC, a staple in the town of Fredonia where I was attending college, to check out this band that all my upperclassman friends had exclaimed to be THE band to see in Fredonia. Upon entering, I was overtaken by the range of blissful sounds, to downright funk, and all the spaces in between. It was Intrepid Travelers, and immediately I was taken aback by their dynamic musicianship, inspired improvisation, and creative songwriting ability, as it had far exceeded any local acts I had previously seen. I bought a CD, and the Have You Seen My Rainbow Monkey EP was a mainstay in my old car that only took CDs and is now what I consider to be one of the ‘soundtracks’ to my first year at Fredonia.
Years later in late 2019, my buddy and I needed a drummer for a charity gig, and Jon (Fohl)n was the first person that came to mind, so we reached out and he joined us for a fun show. A few months later, I saw a post of his on Facebook that he was looking for some gigs, to which I reached out and suggested a side project, and let him know I was available if he needed bass for anything. In a somewhat serendipitous way, he let me know that he had been thinking about reaching out to me as Intrepid Travelers had taken a hiatus and weren’t sure what the steps would be moving forward, but that he thought I would be a welcome fit in the group and that we should give it a go. A few months after quarantine, and after many jam sessions with Jon and Brian, I headed over to Donny’s for the first practice with Intrepid Travelers as a whole, where we warmed up with the classic “Photobooth Youth” and launched into a 15-minute jam segment out of it, and the rest is history. It feels full circle in a way, as I can still remember watching these guys on stage in Fredonia and wishing I was up there with them, and to say I’m honored and excited to be in this band would be an understatement. Everything fell into place, and it’s only up from here. I can’t wait to see what the coming years hold for the band, and I’m so grateful to be along for the ride.
Naturally, keyboardist Donny Frauenhofer is excited for the band to return with two new members:
Intrepid Travelers is back with new songs, new members and new energy! I know its a strange time to be “back” as a band that primarily existed as a live act considering what has happened to the live music industry, but it really ended up being the perfect time to get the wheels turning again in a low pressure environment. We had already been talking since the fall about going hard on making content, and just having a greater focus on creating rather than just playing shows constantly.
Taking a break in the past year was both timely and necessary for Intrepid Travelers to get the creative juices flowing again:
In our time off, we were able to focus better on what we wanted Intrepid Travelers to be as both an entity and for each of us personally. The band being a living, breathing thing that evolves has been at our foundation since Day 1 (one of our earliest songs was called “Always Evolving”). The nice thing is theres very little pressure, so we’re just having fun – and our longtime fans, friends, and supporters seem to be really enjoying it. We played an outdoor show on a neighbors porch and the turnout was incredible.
We have some new, but familiar faces in the band. Zak Beutel, who I actually collaborated with over quarantine a few times, but I’ve just met recently, is taking over the bass and vocals role. Additionally, Ellen Pieroni of Folkfaces is joining on vocals/saxophone/mandolin/whatever other instrument she picks up. We also have a team for the first time since 2016 – Brandon Keller, who had put on Woodhenge Sustainability, Music, and Art Festival is helping manage and book for us, and we also have Tim Merrill who had worked as Witty Tarbox’s manager for a while is joining us to help in a more creative role.
Intrepid Travelers have also announced IT Fest IV to be held in Hannibal, NY for August 28-29, with very limited capacity. More information coming soon.
First opened in 1874, Cohoes Music Hall is the fourth oldest operational music venue in the country.
An independent review committee was presented with proposals from six companies including the Music Hall’s former management company, Music Hall Arts Alliance before Park Playhouse’s bid was accepted last week by Cohoes Mayor Bill Keeler. The other four proposals included Guthrie/Bell Productions from Albany; the Hall, from Niskayuna; Lopolito, from Monroe; and Just Imagine, from Rensselaer.
“It is our goal to bring a variety of entertainment to the stage, while making the theater accessible for everyone in the community” said Park Playhouse Producing Artistic Director Owen Smith.
Management change became necessary as the City of Cohoes was forced to slash funding in the budget as the city still reels from the COVID-19 pandemic. The new contract will save taxpayers between $200,000 and $300,000 annually.
“Through this agreement we are able to save Cohoes taxpayers around a quarter of a million dollars annually while sustaining the arts and the vibrancy of our business district” said Mayor Bill Keeler. “This implements a business model that is fiscally prudent for the City of Cohoes for years to come, thus assuring the viability of the Music Hall over the long term.”
According to a press release from the city, Cohoes paid out more than $285,000 in Music Hall management costs and show support in 2019, receiving back just $90,326 in ticket and other revenue. Under the new agreement, the City will pay out nothing for management or show support, and receive $2 per ticket sold.
For the past four years The Playhouse has brought plays and musicals to the Music Hall stage. While maintaining the same caliber of showmanship, plans are in the works to incorporate other standards to the Music Hall including stand-up comedy, musicians, and variety acts.
