NYS Music 202​0

Category: News

  • Facebook Shares Confusing Guidelines for Live Streaming Performances

    The pandemic brought a powerhouse of talented artists, sharing their music and performances through live streaming and virtual concerts. Last week, confusing new guidelines regarding Facebook live streaming performances, effective Oct. 1, have the potential to limit streaming of concerts.

    facebook live streaming
    Owner of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg

    Facebook’s new guidelines say:

    You may not use videos on our Products to create a music listening experience. We want you to be able to enjoy videos posted by family and friends. However, if you use videos on our Products to create a music listening experience for yourself or for others, your videos will be blocked and your page, profile or group may be deleted. This includes Live.

    Representatives for Facebook

    They have since clarified their rules by saying that they want to continue letting artists express their talent, but still protect them through agreements by rights holders.

    We want to encourage musical expression on our platforms while also ensuring that we uphold our agreements with rights holders. These agreements help protect the artists, songwriters, and partners who are the cornerstone of the music community — and we’re grateful for how they’ve enabled the amazing creativity we’ve seen in this time.

    Our partnerships with rights holders have brought people together around music on our platforms. As part of our licensing agreements, there are limitations around the amount of recorded music that can be included in Live broadcasts or videos. While the specifics of our licensing agreements are confidential, today we’re sharing some general guidelines to help you plan your videos better:

    Music in stories and traditional live music performances (e.g., filming an artist or band performing live) are permitted.

    The greater the number of full-length recorded tracks in a video, the more likely it may be limited (more below on what we mean by “limited”).

    Shorter clips of music are recommended.

    There should always be a visual component to your video; recorded audio should not be the primary purpose of the video.

    These guidelines are consistent across live and recorded video on both Facebook and Instagram, and for all types of accounts — i.e. pages, profiles, verified and unverified accounts. And although music is launched on our platforms in more than 90 countries, there are places where it is not yet available. So if your video includes recorded music, it may not be available for use in those locations.

    Facebook

    Over the course of this year, live streaming concerts have been popular to say the least, it has and still is a necessity for most parts of the world. Popular musicians like Miley Cyrus and Katy Perry have used this platform, but most importantly, new upcoming artists used this method to promote their music.

    What’s interesting is that although they claim they want to “encourage musical performances on [their] platform,” they still shut down live streaming accounts.

    Facebook owns Instagram, as well, but no new rules have been added to their live streaming.

    For right now, don’t fret about Facebook not sharing your favorite live performances. LAUNCH is a website independent from social networks that is here to provide support for the live music community. The team offers anyone to join in on Sept. 17 for an introduction meeting to the new platform. Together, they hope to promote and encourage the struggling scene of live music.

  • New Drive-In Music Set to Roll On In to Lee, MA

    These days, large outdoor spaces are pretty much the only way to get your live music fix. Well there soon will be one more venue option available for bands and concert goers like. Local business Canna Provisions Presents, based in Lee, MA, will be sponsoring Roll On In – a pop-up venue that now inhabits a meadow located in town.

    Roll On In is committed to providing socially distanced entertainment, in a world where live music and music culture came to a complete stand still back in March. It boasts festival-level production on stage and large LED screens and line arrays in an effort to deliver the visuals and harmonics that are both so missed in these socially distant days.

    Roll On In

    This weekend will mark the opening weekend with three nights of live music currently scheduled. Friday, September 18, will feature Rice: An American Band and Rev Tour’s Steal Your Peach Band – an all-star collective of Northeast musicians playing Allman Brothers and Grateful Dead tunes.

    Saturday night sees two Massachusetts-based bands take the stage in Trailer Trash and Whiskey City. And Sunday, Beau Sasser’s Escape Plan will headline and be accompanied by Uppercut – another ensemble of musicians collected from bands like RAQ (Todd Stoops), Turkuaz (Mikey Carrubba) and Star Kitchen (Danny Meyer).

    Patrons can arrive each night at 5 pm and enjoy a full night of music with great food options also on site. Music begins at 6 pm and runs until approximately 10 pm each night. Cars with anywhere from two to six people will be allowed entrance with a cost of $25 per head. For more information and tickets, please visit rolloninshows.com.

    Roll On In

    Canna Provisions is responsible for the one recreational marijuana shop that has been nothing short of a cash cow for the town of Lee, MA. They are a committed community oriented company that clearly recognizes the importance and vitality of the live music industry. More concerts are expected to take place at this new pop-up venue until November.

  • U.S. Homeland Security Increases Foreign Artist Touring Visa Fees by 50%

    This past week, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced a considerable fee increase to the touring visa for artists by the end of 2020.

    touring visa

    DHS proposed the fee increase last November and it takes effect in October. There are two types of visas involved in this increase. According to NME, O visas are for “individuals with extraordinary ability or achievement,” while P visas can be used by family of those individuals.

    The O visa rate will increase by 53%, going from $460 to $705. On the other hand, the P visa will decrease by 51%, making it $695.

    To Matthew Covey, an immigration attorney for the nonprofit Tamizat, this fee increase is extremely damaging for most arts institutions.

    “The bigger problem is that [Immigration and Naturalization] and later USCIS adjudication of the O and P regulations has become so arbitrary and onerous, that most arts institutions have been forced to hire attorneys to manage the process for them. As such, presenting performing artists in the U.S. now comes with massive legal costs which are — in our opinion — a catastrophic financial impediment to cultural exchange.”

    Matthew Covey to NPR

    The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration service said that “the current fees do not recover the full cost of providing adjudication and naturalization services.”

    Because of all regulations on a foreign artist touring visa, many music groups have been deported or denied. This, in turn, can be very problematic for future groups abroad that hope to tour the U.S.

  • Springsteen Divulges intimate single off upcoming album ‘Letter To You’

    Music icon Bruce Springsteen is set to release Letter To You October 23 with his E Street Band. His 20th studio album is a harmonious fusion of all things Springsteen. At this level it’s hard to push the envelope further, instead Bruce steps back and opens up his heart.

    The 12-track album is a micro-burst of Springsteen’s life in real-time, recorded in a mere five days at his home studio. “I love the emotional nature of Letter To You,” says Springsteen in the official press release. “And I love the sound of the E Street Band playing completely live in the studio, in a way we’ve never done before, and with no overdubs…it turned out to be one of the greatest recording experiences I’ve ever had.”

    With that first snare-pickup we are catapulted in Bruce’s world, soaring effortless. The songwriting is flawless, opening mid-emotion. It paints distinct imagery only found deep in someones heart -“‘Neath a crown of mongrel trees, I pulled that bothersome thread.”

    There is something to be said for the natural beauty and lack of refinement, to expose a new side of Springsteen. Likewise, the album features nine newly written songs and three unreleased tracks from the 1970’s – “Janey Needs a Shooter,” “If I Was the Priest,” and “Song for Orphans.”

    Letter To You is Springsteen’s first time performing with the E Street Band since The River 2016 tour, which both Billboard and Pollstar both named as that year’s top global tour.

    Letter to You

    Tracklist:
    1. One Minute You’re Here
    2. Letter To You
    3. Burnin’ Train
    4. Janey Needs A Shooter
    5. Last Man Standing
    6. The Power Of Prayer
    7. House Of A Thousand Guitars
    8. Rainmaker
    9. If I Was The Priest
    10. Ghosts
    11. Song For Orphans
    12. I’ll See You In My Dreams

  • moe. Announces Additional Drive-In shows in late October

    moe. has announced additional shows to go along with their two nights at Yarmouth Drive-In in Yarmouth, MA later this month. They’ll hit Chesire Fairgrounds in Swanzey, NH on October 22 and South Farms in Morris, CT on October 25, in addition to the Cape Cod shows held in between on October 23 and 24. 

    moe. Drive-In

    moe. is a well known and loved jam band that formed at the University at Buffalo in 1989. Made up of band members Rob Derhak, Al Schnier, Chuck Garvey, Vinnie Amico, and Jim Loughlin, the band has been around for three decades and is known for their “mind-bending” sound that gives them an edge in creating mesmerizing musical synergy, unfettered showmanship, and smart, resonant songcraft that makes them unique to the jam band scene. Some of their most well known songs are “Nebraska,” “Silver Sun,” and “Okayalright.” 

    Tickets for the just announced New Hampshire and Connecticut shows are on sale now. moe. Yarmouth Drive-in exclusive pre-sale tickets went on sale on September 10 via the Yarmouth Drive-In’s website.

    Yarmouth Drive-in near Cape Code will be following safety procedures to keep guests safe. People will be required to park in spots with 10ft between them and other vehicles and there is marked out 6ft distancing in anywhere there will be queue of people. Any time people leave their vehicle they will be required to wear a mask and there will be contactless entry where tickets will be scannable on guests phones at the entrance. Concessions will also be available to order via an app telling purchasers when their food is ready making it so crowds aren’t waiting for food. There will be backstage testing and temperature checks for all of the staff as well. The full list of safety guidelines can be found here.

    After the moe. Miracle Mile Drive-In concert was cancelled by venue management on July 29 due to safety concerns just days before the event was supposed to take place. There were many concerns with out of control shows in NY like the Chainsmokers performance which created this need for extensive safety guidelines. The extensive safety guidelines Yarmouth Drive-in have implemented will hopefully keep the show going. 

    For more information visit moe.’s website.

  • Billy Joel in Light of COVID-19 Pushes His Shows to late 2021 and Early 2022

    Billy Joel has decided to push his shows to late 2021 and 2022 at Madison Square Garden in the light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. He was originally supposed to take the stage in March of 2020 but like many shows he had to postpone to later dates. 

    Billy Joel’s Madison Square Garden shows were originally supposed to take place between March 19, 2020 and Monday, August 3, 2020. It was then initially rescheduled to take place between September 26, 2020 and February 3, 2021. They have now been pushed back and are taking place between November 5, 2021 and February 12, 2022. Pretty much all 2020 shows have been pushed but few have been pushed back as far as Billy Joel has pushed his shows. The longer the world deals with the coronavirus it seems less and less likely that we will be back to normal in 2021 particularly in the live entertainment industry. 

    In a message posted on Billy Joel’s website it asks fans to, “Please be advised that the six Billy Joel concerts which were originally scheduled to take place at Madison Square Garden between March and August 2020, and were subsequently postponed to September 2020 through February 2021, have been rescheduled to take place between November 2021 and April 2022. All original dates, along with their corresponding initial rescheduled dates and the new rescheduled dates are outlined below. Tickets for the original show dates and initial rescheduled show dates will be valid for the corresponding new rescheduled dates in 2021 and 2022.” Those outlined dates can be found here.

    Ticket holders who aren’t able to attend the new dates can request a refund before October 5, 2020. If a refund is not requested during the allotted time, tickets will automatically be transferred to the new rescheduled show date and no action is needed by the ticket holder. People interested in a refund for tickets purchased through Ticketmaster, visit my.ticketmaster.com/account. For refunds on tickets purchased through the Madison Square Garden Box Office, call the MSG Guest Relations department at 212-465-6225.

    The New Rescheduled Show Dates are the following: Friday, November 5, 2021 Monday, December 20, 2021 Friday, January 14, 2022 Saturday, February 12, 2022 Thursday, March 24, 2022 Friday, and April 8, 2022. 

    For more information please visit Billy Joel’s Website.

  • JUST VOTE Campaign Announced by HeadCount and Global Citizen

    JUST VOTE Campaign was announced by HeadCount and Global Citizen on September 8, in hopes to mobilize young voters for the upcoming presidential election. The campaign will reward voters for checking their registration by entering them in for a chance to win exclusive experiences, performances, and memorabilia from big names like Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, DJ Khaled, and more. 

    The non-partisan campaign hopes to reach one million young voters and get 50,000 young people registered to vote ahead of the 2020 elections. It also offers the option for people who won’t be 18 by the 2020 elections can still enter the campaign for a chance to win prizes by pledging to become a voter when they turn 18. The cangain is focusing on young people because research shows that more than a third of eligible voters are Gen Z or Millennials. 83% of people between the ages of 18-29 believe they have the power to change the country and the world but dishearteningly only 60% of people in that age range are planning to vote. Unsurprisingly voter registration numbers are also down this year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The hope of this campaign is to close that gap and get more young people to register and vote in the upcoming presidential election. 

    Artists supporting the campaign include a Billie Eilish who is supplying a signed vinyl, hoodie, and t-shirt, Billy Porter who is supplying a replica ‘Kinky Boot’, DJ Khaled who is supplying a virtual meet & greet, FINNEAS who is supplying a signed vinyl, hoodie, and t-shirt, Julianne Hough who is supplying a private virtual dance class, Loren Gray who is supplying virtual front row seats, Nicky Jam who is supplying a private, virtual concert, Quavo who is supplying a private happy hour, Taylor Swift who is supplying a guitar signed by Taylor Swift, and Usher who is supplying a virtual dance lesson with Usher and his choreographer. Once people check their voter registration status they can choose which experience they want to be entered into. A winner will be chosen at random on October 7, 2020. Voter registration not required for entering drawing. Full contest rules can be found here.

    Hugh Evans, co-founder and CEO of Global Citizen spoke on the campaign saying, “We are proud to launch the ‘Just Vote’ campaign to encourage more young people to check their status and register to vote. For years, we have been activating global citizens to be part of the solution to key issues like extreme poverty, climate change, and now pandemic relief. Voting is a vital way to exercise that power. We are excited about ‘Just Vote’s’ potential to drive young voter turnout in November and beyond.”

    For information on  the JUST VOTE Campaign and to enter in to win the exclusive experiences, performances, and memorabilia visit Global Citizen’s website.

  • Uptown Theatre in Utica Added to National Register of Historic Places

    Uptown Theatre for Creative Arts (UTCA) is a historic venue in Utica, NY that was recently approved last week to be added to the National Register of Historic Places. 

    Uptown Theatre photo from Uptown Theatre’s website.

    The process of a building being added to the National Register of Historic Places is a lengthy one. To be added to the list, a building has to be submitted, reviewed, and approved by the state before the state makes a recommendation for said building to be added to the National Register. The New York State approval for Uptown Theatre took more than a year.

    Uptown Theater has been showing films at its location on Genesee Street since December 29, 1927 when it opened but was unused for several years after shutting its doors in 2013. Then in May of 2017, Devin Mahoney, who was from South Utica decided to form a small team and formed UTCA to take ownership of the Uptown Theater in hopes of restoring and reintroducing the building as an entertainment destination for the Utica community. It’s now known for featuring live music performances, comedy acts like The Uptown Improv Company, classes, and much more.

    According to the 315 Music, the venue being included in the National Register makes, “commercial properties or historic homes eligible for such funding as state and national grants, state and federal historic rehabilitation tax credits, preservation programs, and civic charities that promote local history, culture and arts.” The Uptown Theatre will now be available theoretically for such funding. 

    There are currently extensive renovations already taking place at the Uptown Theatre. They hope as venues come back amidst the COVID-19 restrictions they plan to add live music and comedy to their schedule when it becomes safe to do so. They are also offering online events and classes while they remain closed in consideration of New York State COVID-19 prevention guidelines and occupancy restrictions.

    People interested in learning more about Uptown Theatre can visit its website.

  • Blue Oyster Cult Release Videos ahead of first Album in over two decades, ‘The Symbol Remains’

    Do you need more cowbell? Blue Oyster Cult thinks you do because they’re released music videos for “Box in My Head,” “That Was Me” and most recently, “Tainted Blood” off the Long Island classic rock group’s first album in over two decades, The Symbol Remains.

    The early days of the Blue Oyster Cult.

    “That Was Me” is one of the many singles being featured on their upcoming album, The Symbol Remains. Their new album comes out Oct. 9 and embodies the well-known saying, “Good things come to those who wait.”

    Music video for new song, That Was Me.

    Blue Oyster Cult started producing the album in 2019 and thinks it represents the where the band is ‘here and now.’ The album is a mix of music they worked on years prior and brand new tracks.

    “With the song demos emerging for this record, we realized there was as much if not more variety in style and content on this record as any in our history. We embraced this and the thing tying all the disparate elements together is the band’s sound and performance,” said Eric Bloom, vocals/guitarist.

    Blue Oyster Cult formed in Long Island, NY at Stony Brook University in the late 1960’s. There, Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser and his friends created sounds of psychedelia and acid rock. Through a jam session, rock critic Sandy Pearlman overheard the band and decided they were worth it.

    Over the years, they created a melody of rock tunes that would captivate the world. One of their most famous, “(Don’t Fear) the Reaper,” reached 12 on the Billboard charts and became a rock classic.

    Roeser talked about the band’s goals in creating this new album saying, “The goal was for the new music to stand up to the quality and vitality of our legacy recordings, and I believe we have successfully done that. Other than that, the sound of our voices and style of our writing and playing can’t help but sound familiar to fans of our work.”

    BOC has recently released the video for “Box in My Head,” the second single off The Symbol Remains, due out on October 9. For more information visit Blue Oyster Cult’s website.

    The most recent premiered video for the single “Tainted Blood” was written by Eric Bloom and Richie Castellano, featuring lead vocals by guitarist Richie Castellano. The Symbol Remains will be released on Friday, October 9.

  • Venues Across New York File Federal Lawsuit Against State Restrictions on Live Music

    New York music venues decided to file a Federal lawsuit against State restrictions on live music on September 6, 2020 in the U.S. District Court in Manhattan. The lawsuit involves ten establishments across New York who believe the live music restrictions are unworkable and unconstitutional.

    The Federal lawsuit challenges both the ad ban and the rule against charging for shows as being arbitrary since there is no evidence those actions have any effect on the slowing coronavirus spread.

    Lark Hall lit up in red demanding the passage of The Restart Act.
    Photo by Zach Culver.

    Last week New York state announced rules that aimed to contain the spread of the coronavirus according to state officials but many venues feel they have been disproportionately singled out in this new ruling. The rules allow only what the state calls “incidental” music to be performed at venues making it impossible to promote performances and therefore making it difficult for venues, bars, and restaurants to intrigue an audience to attend their establishment. 

    The ten establishments involved in the lawsuit are establishments that serve liquor and host or promote live music or entertainment. These venues come from all across New York state including four in New York City. The others are located throughout upstate New York in Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Clifton Park. The plaintiffs in the case are Turks Group, LLC, operating as The Sultan Room & The Turk’s Inn in Brooklyn, 49 Illinois Restaurant, LLC, operating as Buffalo Iron Works in Buffalo, The New York Independent Venue Association, a trade association, Columbus Ale House, Inc., operating as The Graham, in Brooklyn, Upstate Shows, Inc., operating as Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park, Jayarvee, Inc., operating as Birdland Jazz Club in Manhattan, Capitol Enterprises, Inc., operating as The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, Jukimoo, LLC, operating as Littlefield in Brooklyn, nfinity on Main, Inc., operating as Tralf Music Hall in Buffalo, and Rapid Theater Niagara Falls USA, Inc., operating as The Rapids Theater in Niagara Falls.

    Times Union Center lit up in red demanding the passage of The Restart Act.
    Photo by Zach Culver.

    The defendant named in the lawsuit is the State Liquor Authority Chairman Vincent Bradley. The State Liquor Authority has been the leading charge in enforcing Governor Andrew Cuomo’s coronavirus orders. They do this by having the ability to suspend liquor licenses and impose fines on establishments not following the rules.

    According to syracuse.com, “The lawsuit asks the court to halt the state’s enforcement of the orders. It also seeks payment for the cost of the lawsuit and lawyer’s fees, but does not specify monetary damages.” The state’s coronavirus rules are simple and easy to follow for most of these establishments. People being required to wear a mask, social distance, use hand sanitizer, having employee health checks, and ect would be very doable for establishments who host live music and yet they are being singled out from being able to promote their businesses. 

    The Federal lawsuit says, “The advertising and ticketing of shows would allow establishments to maintain better control over their limited capacity, allowing them to tell patrons in advance that an evening is sold out and thus avoiding the gathering of crowds trying to gain admission (and the increased risk of transmission that comes along with such gatherings).”

    For more information on the New York’s new guidelines for establishments and how they effect the establishments and musicians read NYS Music’s article on the guidelines.