NYS Music 202​0

Category: News

  • The Relix Roadie Lounge Announces a New Digital Hub for the Music Industry Community

    The Relix Roadie Lounge has announced a new digital hub that will help support people in the music industry during these trying times. The hub was created in partnership with LD Systems, Robe Lighting, Backline, and Fender.  The Relix Roadie Lounge was first implemented at Newport Folk Festival, Austin City Limits, SXSW and LOCKN’ Festival in 2019.

    The digital hub will supply news, special offers, resources in a broader terms, and mental health resources for artists, crew members, and other industry professionals. The Relix Roadie Lounge is hoping that this digital hub will be able to give these hard-working people opportunities to win premier gear and exclusive product opportunities on top of connecting people with reliable outlets.

    Josh Rowe who is the director of Relix’s Roadie Lounge program explained the reasons behind this hub creation saying, “With the current status of the music industry, we realize things are tough. We’ve banded together with our partners to bring the Roadie Lounge to you. We’ve put together a collection of useful information, resources, product specials, and contests for your time off the road.”  

    There’s a lot of news about musicians being out of work but there hasn’t been a lot of resources put out there that’s focusing on the behind the scenes workers. This hub tries to recognize how crew members and artists are the foundation of the live music industry. Festivals, concerts, and live music wouldn’t be possible without the endless work done behind the scenes.

    For more information please visit The Relix Roadie Lounge’s website.

  • PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE, LIVE! Podcast Announced

    Osiris Media announced their PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE, LIVE! podcast revolving around the artist’s journey through interviews and live performances. The podcast will debut on June 9 across streaming platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and etc.  

    The podcast will explore artists’ first music lesson to the first paid gig. It will investigate their early inspirations, creative process, what’s driving them towards the future, and everything in between. Executive Producer Adam Caplan said, “We wanted to create a show that taps into the power and spontaneity of musical discovery beyond a typical interview.”

    The first season will drop new episodes every Tuesday. They will also release a video of each live performance which will be available on the Osiris website and YouTube. An accompanying curated playlist chronicling the music and artists mentioned in each episode will also be available on the Osiris site and on Spotify.

    The podcast will include guest appearances from Eric Krasno, Rhett Miller, Marco Benevento, Ted Leo, and many more. The first episode will feature Eric Krasno, the second will feature  Rhett Miller, the third will feature Marco Benevento, and the fourth will feature Ted Leo and more episodes and their guests will be announced later on. 

    For more information on the PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE, LIVE! podcast visit Osiris’s website.

  • Venues Open up Doors for Racial Justice Protesters

    Recently, music venues in New York City have been opening their doors, the first time for most, since the pandemic swept in. However, the doors are not opened up to ticket holders; instead, venues are opening their doors for racial justice protesters in need of break from their marches.

    Since the death of George Floyd, the music and arts communities have been brainstorming different ways to show solidarity. This past Tuesday, June 2, the music industry orchestrated a #BlackOutTuesday which led many to post black squares on their social medias as a way to show support to the black community.

    racial justice

    A resource platform taking a timely reaction to the venues in New York City, Open Your Lobby, has been gaining steam on social media. With posts urging theaters and venues to open their lobbies as a safe haven for protesters. The organization also shares information and the locations of venues who will be open on days of marches. With #OpenYourLobby challenging theaters to open their doors, many venues are taking action in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. Venues so far who have taken part include Off Broadway venues such as The Public Theater and Playwrights Horizons.

    racial justice

    To find out more be sure to follow @openyourlobby on Twitter or search the hashtag #OpenYourLobby to find out more information.

  • Joe Bonamassa Releases Epic Rock Ballad, “When One Door Opens” Recorded at Historic Abby Road Studios

    Joe Bonamassa shares perhaps his most monumental rock opus to date, “When One Door Opens,” recorded in the famous Abbey Road recording studio in London, England.

    When One Door Opens

    Released in tandem with a music video and co-Written by longtime collaborators, Kevin Shirley and songwriter Pete Brown, this brand new track harkens back to the glory days of Rock & Roll. Harkening back to the 60s/ 70s, ” When One Door Opens” celebrates Abbey Roads iconic history justly. This single marks the second of so far two surprise releases from Bonamassas Abbey Road studio session. Last month, he shared “A Conversation With Alice,” which was a follows in pursuit of Bonomassa instrumental side project, The Sleep Eazys.

    Bonomassa is telling fans to keep their eyes peeled, hinting towards future releases. In the meantime, the Non-for-profit, Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation continues to gain support for the recently announced, Fueling Musicians program which has been raising profits for musicians who are feeling the effects of COVID-19s constraints around the music industry.

    Visit the Fueling Musicians website to find out more.

  • The Residents Release New Single “DIE! DIE! DIE!” from Upcoming Album ‘METAL, MEAT & BONE’

    Legendary art-rock group The Residents has released their latest single “DIE! DIE! DIE!” featuring Black Francis of the Pixies. Their upcoming album, METAL, MEAT & BONE is based on newly discovered recordings of Alvin Snow (a.k.a. Dyin’ Dog) and includes 10 Dyin’ Dog Demos, 10 interpretations of the demos by The Residents, and six new works inspired by Dyin’ Dog. 

    The Residents have been regarded as icons in the world of experimental music for almost fifty years. In addition to their groundbreaking work in the areas of trance, world fusion, electronica, punk, industrial and lounge music, the group has also been credited with being among the originators of performance art and music video, with their videos included in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art. 

    To know the story of Alvin Snow a.k.a. Dyin’ Dog, one must enter the world of an outsider turned bluesman. Born on Friday, January 13, 1939, Alvin Snow was abandoned on the steps of an orphanage. Snow created his own reality from the fragments of life drifting through his consciousness. He endured thoughts that were lined with the feeling life’s out to get him. This explains Snow’s unspoken rage and overpowering air of entitlement that allowed him to evade lawyers, angry victims, and the police. Lurking in the dark creases of his mind was a beast that haunted his every being. 

    The penetrating sounds of a jukebox pouring out of a small Mississippi town’s bar suddenly stopped him dead in his tracks one day. “Who’s Been Talking” sung by Howlin’ Wolf left Snow mesmerized and an overwhelming epiphany came over him. He began to devour every song recorded by Howlin’ Wolf and became interested in The Blues ever since. 

    Alvin Snow needed to come up with a stage name and everyone agreed Alvin Snow just wasn’t it. It took some thinking on his part to match the perfect name to his ruffled voice, and even more blemished character. A hospital bed fell on and crushed his dog which give him the inspiration to come up with the name Dyin’ Dog. Before the debut performance of his 10-recorded demos on January 13, 1976, Snow vanished and was never to be heard from again. In September 2019, the Dyin’ Dog Demos were extraordinarily released as a Box Set. The Residents bring these long-lost songs to fans worldwide with the release of METAL, MEAT & BONE on July 10, 2020. 

  • Aqueous to Perform at “LIVE AT THE DRIVE” Concert Series in Buffalo

    Buffalo Iron Works, in partnership with The Transit Drive-In in Lockport are bringing the “LIVE AT THE DRIVE” concert series to life. The concert series will be featuring many artists starting with Aqueous on Friday and Saturday, June 19 & 20. 

    The socially distanced concert series will be held at The Transit Drive-In and will feature two concerts a week through August. Future artists performing will be announced in the weeks to come. The concert series aims to have 16 shows in total. Thursday nights will feature a concert and movie combo night while Saturdays will host concerts in the afternoons between 2PM-5PM. 

    Aqueous will be starting off the concert series on June 19 & 20. They are a groove rock band that hails from Buffalo, NY. Aqueous is a locally famous band to the Buffalo area and have been involved in many live-stream shows since the halt on live shows due to COVID-19. 

    Tickets will be available for purchase though the Transit Drive-In website. Gates for the concert series will open at 1pm both days with the show starting at 2pm. GA tickets are $40 per person and VIP are $80 per person. VIP tickets will include a ticket to the show, a vehicle spot in the front two rows, and a limited edition poster. All ticketing will be through internet pre-sale only, and tickets need to be purchased for all occupants of each vehicle under one transaction. A minimum of two people per vehicle must be purchased, with a maximum of six people. 

    For more information visit Buffalo Iron Works website and The Transit Drive-In website.

  • The Mockingbird Foundation Starts Emergency Grant Program to Protect Music Education

    The Mockingbird Foundation has announced its plans to start an emergency grant program that will help protect music education amidst the COVID-19 crisis. The fund will run off of donations from The Mockingbird Foundation and donations from the public. 

    The Mockingbird Foundation logo.

    The music industry has been extremely affected by this pandemic particularly music education. Music education programs across the United States have been experiencing significant negative impacts from the economic fallout of the pandemic. The foundation aims to use this collected emergency grant fund to help music educators and their students who have been affected by COVID-19.

    The fund will start with an initial $25,000 provided by The foundation. The foundation will then match an additional $25,000 in donations made from the general public between now and July 31st, 2020. The foundation hopes to collect enough to make $75,000 available to music education by the end of it’s donation period. 

    The Mockingbird Foundation is a non-for-profit that is volunteer based. It has existed since 1996 and works to raise money for music education for children. It has donated more than $1.6M in grants to 450 grantees covering all 50 states. For more information or to donate visit Mockingbird’s website.

  • Hamilton Movie Theater Announces Hamilton Unity Concerts Part II

    Hamilton Movie Theater has announced that they will continue Hamilton Unity Concerts starting Sunday, May 31 and running through the end of June.

    Concerts will be live streamed at 7PM on their Facebook page.  Hamilton Unity Concerts Part II will support a variety of non-profit organizations. A link will be provided on their Facebook page for people to donate to the organizations and offer tips to the artists. 

    The concerts will kick off with Vermont-based indie-rock band Jesse Taylor on May 31. Other artists who will perform include: Liz Fiddle, Jeffrey Monty, Sam Herbert, and Blaine Holcolmb. Check out more details below.

    Hamilton Movie Theater

  • Wu-Tang Clan Wants You to ‘Protect Ya Hands’

    Iconic hip hop group, Wu-Tang Clan are no strangers to good marketing. The Grammy-nominated outfit is partially known for their extremely popular “Wu Wear” clothing brand — founded by Wu-Tang Clan affiliate Oliver “Power” Grant. The Wu has always been able to find the perfect middle ground between good marketing tactics and staying authentic to their brand. Like when the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard began ranting during the 1998 Grammy awards and proclaimed that “Wu-Tang is for the children.” He was upset that the group had been overlooked for best rap album and unintentionally came up with a popular catchphrase, one that the Wu has always stood by.

    In light of the current COVID-10 crisis, the hip hop veterans continue to stay ahead of the curve, as the group announced their “Protect Ya Hands” collaboration with the plant-based brand Jusu. The sanitizer is one item in a campaign launched by the group and Ottawa, Canada, Mayor Jim Watson. 

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CAaQf9BnFTM/

    In addition to the sanitizer, they have released the “A Better Tomorrow” collection (named after their 2014 studio album), which includes a T-shirt emblazoned with the famous logo of Wu-Tang Clan and a reusable food bowl. For every bottle purchased, another will be donated to The Ottawa Mission, a homeless shelter in Canada.

    Additionally, the collection benefits the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, with the group’s official website stating “CHEO combines excellence in clinical care, research and education with a commitment to working with our partners to advance seamless care that’s provided where, when and how it’s needed.”

    The sanitizer can be yours for $20. The T-shirt goes for $40, while the Pure Kitchen reusable bowl costs $21. “The purpose of 36 Chambers and Wu-Tang is to always see a better tomorrow,” says the official website. You can help Wu-Tang Clan on their mission by clicking here.

  • This week’s Dinner and a Movie to feature 2018 Phish show at MSG

    For the tenth installment of Phish’s Dinner and a Movie, Phish will stream full show video from their December 29, 2018 performance at MSG, and the second in the series from ‘The World’s Most Famous Arena.’

    The show was the second night of Phish’s annual New Years Eve run, held at Madison Square Garden every year since 2010 (except 2014) and the 63rd time the Vermont group has played MSG.

    dinner 2018 phish MSG

    Mike Gordon shares a Vegetable Shoyu Ramen recipe with fans, and the Afya Foundation will serve as the non-profit beneficiary for Tuesday’s stream. From their website, Afya Foundation states as their primary mission to improve global health by rescuing surplus medical supplies and delivering them to underserved health systems around the world. During the COVID-19 crisis, Afya has turned their focus and is delivering PPE to New York healthcare workers, with a special focus on healthcare systems supporting vulnerable populations.

    To stream Dinner and a Movie, tune into Live Phish or the band’s Facebook page on Tuesday, May 26 at 830 pm ET for the free stream of the December 29, 2018 show at MSG. Read the NYS Music recap from the first night of the 2018 run here.

    Setlist courtesy of Phish.net

    Set 1: Buried Alive, Blaze On, Turtle in the Clouds, The Sloth, 46 Days > Cities, Corinna, Ya Mar, Wolfman’s Brother

    Set 2: Carini -> Tweezer > Death Don’t Hurt Very Long -> Tweezer > No Quarter > Also Sprach Zarathustra > First Tube

    Encore: Shine a Light, Tweezer Reprise

    Notes: Wolfman’s Brother contained Party Time quotes. Trey teased Can’t Always Listen in the first Tweezer. Tweezer Reprise contained a Death Don’t Hurt Very Long quote.