NYS Music 202​0

Category: News

  • Mavis 80, A Newport Folk Revival Screening on the SPAC Grounds

    A Screening of ‘Mavis 80, A Newport Folk Revival’ was announced by “Caffè Lena @ SPAC.” The screening will take place on the SPAC (Saratoga Performing Arts Center) grounds on July 31, 2020 at 8PM EST in Saratoga Springs, NY.

    The film was originally recorded live in Los Angeles at The Theatre At Ace Hotel on May 22, 2019 will be premiering as the only place where the concert will be streamed in person is on the SPAC grounds. The grounds will be open with a limited capacity of only 50 people, and with carefully mapped out, socially-distanced seating and rigorous COVID protocols for the screening. 

    The broadcast of  ‘Mavis 80, A Newport Folk Revival,’ is the premiere of Mavis Staples’ 80th birthday celebration in Los Angeles, following shows in New York and Nashville. Staples was joined by big names like Jason Isbell, Phoebe Bridgers, Brandi Carlile, M. Ward, Talking Heads’ Jerry Harrison, Dawes’ Griffin and Taylor Goldsmith, Benjamin Booker, Ben Harper, Lucius, Trombone Shorty, Joe Henry, Son Little, the War & Treaty, and more. The show was produced by Newport Festivals Foundation, Inc. and proceeds from the “Caffè Lena @ SPAC” screening will support the Foundation’s music education programs.

    The screening will take place rain or shine around SPAC’s new concession building. There are designated 10X10 lawn spaces will be allocated and reserved for ticket buyers. Tickets are available to purchase for $25 as a box, which can seat up to two people. All guests are required to purchase tickets in advance here; tickets will not be available for purchase at the door. Guests are permitted to bring chairs, blankets, factory sealed water bottles and essential personal items.  Food and alcohol are not permitted on the grounds, however Mazzone Hospitality will be on site to provide food and beverage options

    Everyone attending the event will need to enter through the Hall of Springs Gate and are required to complete a health screening questionnaire upon entry. Guests are required to wear a face mask at all times unless situated in their reserved box. Restrooms will be available with social distancing and enhanced cleaning and sanitation protocols in place in accordance with recommended guidelines. 

    For those unable to attend in person, the event will be streaming on Fans website at 8:30 PM EST. Tickets went on sale on Tuesday, July 14 for this viewing experience. The proceeds are going to support the Newport Festival Foundation’s educational initiatives that celebrate innovation while preserving the deep traditions inherent in Jazz and Folk music.

    For more information please visit SPAC’s website and Fans’ website.

  • CashorTrade Announces New Streaming Platform to Support Artists, Venues, and Festivals

    CashorTrade announces it’s new streaming service CashorTrade Streams​ which will be a platform to help support artists, venues, and festivals. The new streaming platform will focus on generating revenue online for venues, festivals and artists prevented from conducting normal business by the COVID-19 pandemic. The streaming service was launched on July 21. 

    CashorTrade is a site that sells resale tickets at face value. Their pivot into the live-streaming continues the brand’s mission to democratize live music. CashorTrade’s innovative platform covers both live streams and archival footage, delivering curated content to their dedicated community of music lovers directly from artists, venues and festivals. People can follow channels to get notified of upcoming streams and participate in the stream via live chat. Performers and promoters can choose to include a very clear call-to-action to donate alongside each stream, making CashorTrade Streams into a powerful tool for live streamed fundraising events as well. The platform includes free promotional tools and a finance manager to arrange splits and guarantees between performers and promoters, just like a traditional booking setup.

    Prior to its formal launch CahorTrade launched several hundred streams on the platform, including a simulcast of the live stream benefit called Hug Your Farmer, featuring performances from Dave Matthews, Grace Potter, Martin Sexton and Chadwick Stokes from Dispatch that generated over 20,000 for farms and food security in Vermont. They also simulcasted Justice Comes Alive, a virtual festival for equality that generated over $55,000 and saw performances from Phil Lesh, Umphey’s McGee, Antibalas, Lettuce, and over 3 dozen other bands. 

    “Everyone and everything we love in music needs our support: individual performers, touring bands, our beloved venues, and really festival culture itself,” says Brando Rich, Founder and CEO of CashorTrade. “The pandemic has put up unprecedented roadblocks between fans and live music. Our streaming platform supports artists while bringing music straight to the people again.” The new streaming services creates the possibility for bands to easily ask for donations from viewers right during the stream which isn’t as doable on platforms like Facebook.  

    For more information visit CashorTrade’s website.

  • “Daze Between” Announced in Celebration of the Life and Music from Jerry Garcia

    “Daze Between” was announced by The Jerry Garcia Family and The Rex Foundation in celebration of the life and music created by Jerry Garcia. The event will include exclusive musical performance and storytelling for nine days of fun. The event’s live stream will be free but open for donations and run August 1-9.

    “Daze Between” will will feature performances by: Grateful Dead, Dead & Company, Bob Weir & The Campfire Band, The Jerry Garcia 75th Birthday Band, The Jerry Garcia 75th Birthday Acoustic Band,featuring Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Jeff Chimenti, Donna Jean Godchaux, Neal Casal, Joe Russo, Jon Graboff, Mike Gordon, Jim Lauderdale, Adam McDougall, Jason Roberts, Harper Simon, Josh Kaufman, Sam Cohen, Jonathan Wilson, Cass McCombs, Chris Tomson, Craig Finn, and Tad Kubler.  The event will also be screening the film Move Me Brightly. 

    The event will feature new and archival performances as well as storytelling from artists including: ALO, Andy Thorn, Amigo the Devil, Amos Lee, Circles Around The Sun, Dark Star Orchestra, David Grisman, Del McCoury Band, Della Mae, From Good Homes, Fruition, Giant Panda Guerrilla Dub Squad, Graham Nash, Greensky Bluegrass, Greg Errico, Hiss Golden Messenger, Hot Tuna, Jackie Greene, Jason Crosby, Katie Skene, Keller Williams, Kitchen Dwellers, Leslie Mendelson, Lettuce ft. Melvin Seals, Marco Benevento, Midnight North, Molly Tuttle, Nicki Bluhm, Peter Rowan, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Railroad Earth, Roots of Creation, Ross James, Sandy Rothman, Seth Walker, Scott Law, Tejon Street Corner Thieves, The Infamous Stringdusters, The Record Company, Travelin’ McCourys, Twiddle, Tyler Grant & Lindsay Lou, Yonder Mountain String Band with more to be announced.

    “Daze Between” is partnering with Live From Out There/11E1even Group, DayGlo Ventures, Relix, Jerry Garcia Estate, Activist Management, Nugs.net, level, KEEN and Teton Gravity Research to bring this community-wide celebration to life. 

    “Daze Between” will be streamed live across Nugs.net, Fans.com, Facebook, Youtube, and other channels, with a home base on www.dazebetween.com. Throughout the week, people will have the option to donate to the Rex Foundation using text-to-give or payment options embedded within each streaming platform. There will also be a signed guitar by Bob Weir, copies of Jay Blakesberg’s books of photography, a complete set of Jerry Garcia-inspired posters by Chuck Sperry and more up for auction. 

    The daily lineup has been announced. Check below to see who you can stream starting August 1!

    daze between

    For more information visit Daze Between’s website.

  • Billionaire John Malone Approved to Take Over Control of iHeartMedia

    John Malone has been approved by the Justice Department to expand its shares of iHeartMedia by up to 50 percent and in doing so take over control of iHeartMedia on July 15. Malone’s company Liberty Media Corporation was approved to do this and expand its domination of the music industry via radio, streaming, concerts, festivals, and ticketing.

    john malone
    John Malone Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images

    Liberty Media is a mass media company that was formed in 1991 and is owned by Malone and Greg Maffei is it’s CEO. The company currently controls 850 AM and FM radio stations and the streaming service iHeartRadio. It also already owns and operates Sirius XM and Pandora. Liberty Media has controlling stakes in concert behemoths Live Nation and Ticketmaster.  Liberty Media holds a 33 percent stake in Live Nation Entertainment which effectively gives it a seat at the head of the table.

    Liberty Media would increase their current 5% of shares in iHeartMedia up to 50% of its shares per the Justice Department’s ruling. This ability to buy this amount of shares in iHeartMedia could be catastrophic for the radio market. It would make it so there were fewer options in stations, less diversity between stations and their programming, and increased prices. Both the coalition of consumer and anti-monopoly groups opposed this deal including the Open Markets Institute, Public Citizen and the Center for Digital Democracy. With Liberty Media already owning the controlling stake in SiriusXM, the U.S.’s biggest satellite radio provider, owning that amount of shares at iHeartMedia would make them able to control an overwhelming amount of radio broadcasts according to Politco’s article: 

    WEQX

    102.7 fm EQX is an independently owned radio station. Their slogan is that they are “the real alternative.” Jeff Morad, the Program Director of EQX, indulged in his thoughts on the buyout via email saying,

    “It comes as no surprise that one person, who has probably not been to a concert or purchased an album in 50 years, is currently the only person in control of the vast majority of concerts and music in this country.  As one of the only independently owned and operated stations in the country, we choose not to be disappointed by this, but rather inspired to continue to give independent artists and independent minded listeners an outlet. The only thing that can shut us down is if people choose to support corporate radio and their advertisers as opposed to supporting independent, local radio and their small business advertisers.  We can’t control who controls the media (except for by voting) but we can control what we listen to.  A friendly reminder that you can listen throughout our 4-state area at 102.7FM or on our free apps for iPhone and Androids or on our free 24/7 stream at weqx.com” All though much of our media is run through mega corporations there is always the option to find independent outlets that aren’t filtered through the mega corporations ideals.

    For more information please visit Liberty Media Corporations website.

  • J. Cole Drops Two New Singles And Announces New Album

    J. Cole dropped two singles following a string of Instagram Story posts hinting towards an upcoming release. The singles are the first confirmed tracks on the southern rappers upcoming album, The Fall Off.

    On Wednesday night, J. Cole made an Instagram post announcing the upcoming release of “The Climb Back“, produced by Cole, and “Lion King On Ice“, production arranged again by Cole aided by T-Minus and Jetson. The Fall Off will be Coles first solo project since 2018’s KOD.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CC6mFLeFC02/?utm_source=ig_embed

    The first of the two singles, “The Climb Back” has J. Cole performing in his pocket, spitting bar after bar over a sparkling piano melody and a high-pitched vocal sample leaving plenty of room for Cole to switch up his flow which he finds himself doing several times. The song is missing a strong hook however, the understated vocals Cole croons out serve towards the emotional potency of the track.

    The second track released, “Lion King on Ice” is a J. Cole track by the numbers. Cole is again operating in his comfort zone; with an stripped back trap instrumental beat featuring similar pitched vocal sampling present in “The Climb Back”, Cole is able to ride the beat comfortably verse after verse.

    Cole has made it clear that he has an album coming on the way. However, he is seemingly under little pressure to release the album because he has also made it clear he has no planned release date for the album.

    For more information visit J. Cole’s website.

  • Joe Bonamassa Releases Revamped Classic “Colour and Shape”

    With a dramatic entry into the world of blues opening for B.B. King in Rochester at the age of 12, Joe Bonamassa has carved out a place in blues history for himself which spans a decades-long career that has produced 15 solo albums, 11 of which reached #1 on the Billboard Blues Charts.

    Twenty years ago the first of those albums A New Day Yesterday was released and the fan-favorite track “Colour and Shape” was introduced to the world. Now with a more evolved style listeners can experience Joe Bonamassa’s artistry all over again with the 2020 release of “Colour and Shape”.

    Coming August 7 via J&R Adventures, Bonamassa will be releasing a revamped version of his debut album A New Day Yesterday with both new vocals and mixing remastered by long-time producer Kevin Shirley. Listeners can pre-order the album now.

    This revamped album will include not only six of Bonamassa’s original tracks but also six cover songs from historically renowned blues and rock artists. The cherry on top is that three never before heard bonus songs will be added, produced by Stevie Van Zandt for Bonamassa.

    To get live updates of Bonamassa’s new exploits be sure to visit his website, Youtube channel, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, as well as checking out Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation, a charity established to support musicians and the musical arts.

  • Taylor Swift Announces Surprise New Album “Folklore”

    Taylor Swift announced her new album, Folklore, to be released at midnight on July 24. This comes as a surprise to virtually everyone: no one, including her fanbase (the Swifties) who are known for their outlandish conspiracy theories, expected the move, and nothing leaked ahead of time. Folklore is arriving less than a year after Taylor Swift’s last album Lover, breaking her schedule of releasing an album every two to three years.

    Although her last three efforts have been fully pop, Folklore appears to be taking a more acoustic direction. Whereas Lover’s color scheme was pastel pink and blue with fantastical Wonka-esque music videos, all of Folklore’s visuals are black-and-white. The album’s only featured artist is Bon Iver on the song “Exile,” and Aaron Dessner of The National co-wrote 11 out of 16 songs.

    Taylor Swift previously explored a stripped-back folk sound on “Safe and Sound,” her single with The Civil Wars for the first Hunger Games soundtrack in 2012, as well as on her album Red released later that year. Fans have begged for a Stevie Nicks or Joni Mitchell-inspired album for years, and they may have finally gotten their wish. While not a New York native, Taylor Swift moved to the city before the release of 1989 in 2014. That album’s opening song was “Welcome To New York,” and she revisited the city on Lover’s “Cornelia Street” and “Daylight.”

    While Folklore hasn’t had an accompanying lead single announcement, Taylor Swift is releasing a music video for the song “Cardigan” alongside the album. There are eight collectible CD and vinyl covers in total, reminiscent of the four different diaries she released alongside Lover last year.

    Taylor Swifts’s last six albums, including Red and 1989, all debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart. This time around, she’s facing competition from longtime rival Kanye West, who’s also releasing an album this week called Donda: With Child. Folklore has already sold 250,000 copies in China, and time will tell if she continues her #1 streak in the U.S.

    For more information visit Taylor Swift’s website.

  • “Save Our Stages” Act Introduced by Senators to Help Struggling Venues During COVID-19

    Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota introduced a relief bill known as “Save Our Stages” on July 22. The bill will support struggling venues during COVID-19 pandemic. If approved, the bill will provide six months of financial support to small independent music venues through the Small Business Administration.

    The bill was announced via a press release from Klobuchar. The proposed bill would help keep these venues afloat so they can pay their employees and help preserve the critical economic sector they provide for communities across America. The proposed plan would provide small venues with amounts less than 45% of a business’ operation costs from 2019 or $12 million depending on the venue’s revenue. The bill states estimates of $9 billion in losses if ticket sales can not resume until 2021 in the music industry. “Small live music and entertainment venues have been hard-hit during the coronavirus pandemic, with 90 percent of venue owners, promoters, and bookers reporting they are at risk of closing without additional financial assistance” the press release states. This program would be similar to the previous small Business Administration grants through the Paycheck Protection Plan but focus on small independent venues. The proposed funding could be used by recipients for rent, utilities, mortgage obligations, PPE procurement, payments to contractors, regular maintenance, administrative costs, taxes, operating leases, and capital expenditures related to meeting state, local, or federal social distancing guidelines. The bill is trying to get $10 billion in SBA grants.

    The bill comes on the coattails of the “Restart Act” which focused on businesses with high overhead and no revenue during the pandemic which included venues but wasn’t specifically about them. Senators Cornyn and Klobuchar felt the need for a bill that focused on venues in particular. “Minnesota’s concert halls, theatres and places of entertainment, like First Avenue in Minneapolis, where Prince famously performed, have inspired generations with the best of local music, art and education,” Senator Klobuchar said in a statement.  She explained that, “This legislation would help ensure that small entertainment venues can continue to operate and serve our communities for generations to come.” Senator Cornyn echoched these feelings saying that, “Texas is home to a number of historic and world-class small entertainment venues, many of which remain shuttered after being the first businesses to close. The culture around Texas dance halls and live music has shaped generations, and this legislation would give them the resources to reopen their doors and continue educating and inspiring Texans beyond the coronavirus pandemic.”

    The “Save Our Stages” act is supported by the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA). NIVA has an action campaign with a prewritten letter to legislators that people can fill out supporting the “Save Our Stages Act.” The prewritten letter explained the need for the bill saying, “Venues are experiencing upwards of 90% revenue loss and will be closed well into 2021 due to safety concerns posed by large gatherings. Without support from Congress, 90% of NIVA’s independent venues across America say they will be forced to close their doors forever.This would also take a toll on our local economy. Independent music venues are economic multipliers, community builders, and beloved institutions.” The letter can be found here.

    For more information visit the Save Our Stages website and read the press release here.

  • Alondra Galopa Release Cover of Simon and Garfunkel’s “Sound of Silence”

    Alondra Galopa dropped their cover of “Sound of Silence” originally by Simon and Garfunkel. The cover comes from a place of unrest and gives the song a new meaning in 2020. 

    Alondra Galopa is an alternative indie band that originates from Granada, Spain. The band has worked with Linier Discos and The Borderline Music record labels producing one of a kind sounds. Some of their biggest songs include, “no hay marcha atrás,” “héroe,” and “a ninguna parte.” The band is made up of Juan A Salinas, Monica Navarro, Antonio “Lopez” y Manuel Marín.

    Before the worldwide pandemic, Alondra Galopa, was in full production work for their next record release. The album production process had to stop due to the group’s inability to reunite. Band members Mónica Navarro and Juan A. Salinas have adapted “Sound of Silence” by Simon & Garfunkel to Spanish during their unexpected downtime. They have turned the sound into a dark pop terrain, with the essence of post rock and dark noise that characterizes some of their productions. Between Monica Navarro’s vocals and the eerie sound it’s an original version of  “Sound of Silence.” The cover is really something special that takes a classic song and changes to the sound while still keeping the essence of the song intact which isn’t an easy thing to do. 

    The song is definitely worth giving a listen to if you are a Alondra Galopa or Simon and Garfunkel fan. The song is out now and available on most streaming services.  


    For more information on Alondra Galopa visit their Facebook Page.

  • Universal Preservation Hall to Reopen July 26 with Interactive Exhibit “Part of the Machine: Rock and Pinball”

    Saratoga Springs, home of the new Universal Preservation Hall, will open the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame exhibit “Part of the Machine: Rock & Pinball.” This interactive exhibit, presented by the Adirondack Trust Company, will have a two-month run showcasing rock-themed pinball machines paired with merchandise and rock & roll artifacts displaying the artistic expression of the featured artists.

    A partner in the Proctors Collaborative, UPH has made advance tickets available at universalpreservationhall.org, rates are currently $20 for adults and $10 for students, with day of tickets being $25 for adults and $15 for students. Your purchased ticket will buy you a 90-minute block of time in the exhibit, with blocks starting at 10 a.m., 2 p.m., and 4 p.m. each day. Hours will be extended to include two additional blocks at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. The capacity for each time block will initially be set to 20 guests and the event will conclude on Saturday, Sept. 26. 

    “It wasn’t clear when COVID-19 came along that we could hold the event but now that museums are reopening in the state we are proceeding with our plans,” said Teddy Foster, director at UPH. 

    In compliance with CDC and New York State guidelines each visitor, staff person, and volunteer will be required to bring and wear a face mask as well as wear provided gloves while playing the pinball machines. All individuals will also be required to maintain proper social distancing. UPH staff will also take and record each individual’s temperature and procure proper tracing information. Before and after each time block all surfaces including handrails, light switches, elevators, exhibit pieces, restrooms, and common surfaces will be sanitized.

    pinball machine exhibit

    “Rock and roll and pinball have a lot in common. Loud, colorful and rebellious, it was inevitable that the two would combine to celebrate rock’s icons,” said Karen Herman, Vice President of Collections and Curatorial Affairs, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. “A number of artists and bands have been immortalized in pinball games. It gives fans another way to experience the energy and power of rock and uniquely connect with their favorite artists.”

    Making its debut as part of the exhibit is Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductee and shock rock pioneer Alice Cooper’s newest pinball machine – Alice Cooper’s Nightmare Castle. The classic horror adventure game is narrated by Cooper himself and features a number of songs spanning Cooper’s career and a working guillotine set piece. 

    Fans can also view pioneering pinball machines of their favorite musicians such as Captain Fantastic (1976), based on the album by Elton John and his character in Tommy, and Beat Time (1967), one of the oldest rock and roll tables, which capitalizes on Beatlemania, featuring several mop-topped musicians and a drumhead emblazoned with “The Bootles.”

    Other rare and sought-after playable machines in the exhibit pay tribute to the Rolling Stones, Dolly Parton, Guns N’ Roses, Elvis, Metallica, KISS, and AC/DC. From Peter Criss of KISS’ drum set to Dolly Parton’s dress that inspired the backglass for the DollyParton pinball machine, fans will find other artifacts on display as they learn more about the popular pinball and rock subculture.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFrDpx7zLtA