NYS Music 202​0

Category: News Desk

  • 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.

  • Dopapod digs into the vault, releases ‘Some Demos’

    Dopapod has released a collection of demos from over their decade-plus career, aptly titled Some Demos. The demos are mastered by Luke Stratton, and with a demo of “Turning Knobs” streaming now and the entire album available download at Bandcamp.

    dopapod demos

    These are the tracks I sent to Rob, Chuck, and Neal before we started to learn and rehearse the songs. You can hear how much some of them changed once everyone gave their input and influence. Many of these were written in the van on my laptop as we traveled between shows.

    Eli Winderman, keys, Dopapod

    SOME DEMOS is now available for download on Bandcamp – name your own price. Tracklist below:

    1. Trickery (Demo)
    2. Bubblebrain (Demo)
    3. Live in the Dream (Demo)
    4. Turnin’ Knobs (Demo)
    5. FABA (Demo)
    6. Like a Ball (Demo)
    7. My Elephant vs. Your Elephant (Demo)
    8. Mucho (Demo)
    9. Bluetooth (Demo)
    10. Blast (Demo)
    11. Piazole (Demo)
    12. Psycho Nature (Demo)
    13. Weedie (Demo)
    14. Present Ghosts (Demo)
    15. STADA (Demo)

  • 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.

  • The Capitol Theatre Virtual Celebration Set for Sept. 12

    The Capitol Theatre, located in Port Chester, NY, will celebrate its eighth anniversary with a virtual livestream on Sept. 12 at 1:00 p.m., according to Jambands.com  

    Capitol Theatre
    photo by Chad Anderson

    The livestream will celebrate The Capitol Theatre’s eighth anniversary since reopening in 2012. FANS will host the daylong musical event. In a partnership with Lagunitas Brewing Company, the stream will include archival sets, live performances, staff and artist interactions, and words from the community about the importance of The Capitol Theatre involvement in New York’s music scene. More information about the lineup will be released in the coming days.

    Donations to The Capitol Theatre are encouraged to help support the present and future of live music. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the National Independent Venue Association, whose mission is to preserve independent live music venues and promoters in the U.S.

    The Capitol Theatre’s eighth anniversary Livestream Contest provides fans a chance to win the ultimate Cap experience. The grand prize includes a tour of the Capitol Theatre with Peter Shapiro, a copy of The Capitol Theatre Volume 1 forwarded by Phil Lesh and signed by Cap staff, and a Cap merch package. To enter the contest, fans can purchase a $5.00 minimum raffle ticket. Not only does a raffle ticket support The Capitol Theatre but also increases the chances of winning the grand prize. The winner will be awarded on Monday, Sept. 14.

    Capitol Theatre and Conscious Alliance, a nonprofit dedicated to feeding those in need with their “Art that Feeds” drive, have collaborated to create a commemorative poster fans are eligible to receive if they make a donation during the livestream.

    Fans can also email a video or write up about their favorite Cap memories for a chance to be featured in the stream. Send submissions to Memories@TheCapitolTheatre.com – the deadline for submissions is Monday, Sept. 7 at 12:00 p.m.

    Click here to view the upcoming livestream and click here to buy raffle tickets for The Capitol Theatre’s Livestream contest.

    The lineup for the 8th-anniversary livestream on Saturday, September 12, features performances by Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Billy Strings, Bob Weir, David Crosby & The Lighthouse Band, Deep Banana Blackout, Foreigner, Galactic, God Street Wine, Hot Tuna, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Lake Street Dive, Mac DeMarco, moe., My Morning Jacket, O.A.R., Phil Lesh & Friends, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Portugal. The Man, Robert Plant & The Sensational Space Shifters, Taj Mahal Trio, Tedeschi Trucks Band, The Black Crowes, The Marcus King Band, The Revivalists, The String Cheese Incident, Trey Anastasio Band, Umphrey’s McGee, and Widespread Panic.  

    As well as special appearances by Brendan Bayliss, Chris “Coach” Rodriguez of 107.1 The Peak, Gary Lambert of Tales from the Golden Road, James “Fuzz” Sangiovanni of Deep Banana Blackout, Jason Crosby of Phil & Friends, Terrapin Family Band, Jessie’s Girl, Jimmy Fink of 107.1 The Peak, Joe Russo of Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Joel Cummins of Umphrey’s McGee, Marc Roberge of O.A.R., Peter Shapiro, Richard “Fritz” Falanka (Mayor of Port Chester), Rita Houston of WFUV, Rob Barraco of Phil Lesh & Friends, The Phil Lesh Quintet, Dark Star Orchestra, Rob Derhak of moe., Ross James of Terrapin Family Band, and Warren Haynes of Gov’t Mule and Allman Brothers Band.  

    The free livestream will encourage donations to support our temporarily shuttered venue so that we may continue to bring musical experiences to the Westchester community long into the future. A portion of proceeds will benefit the National Independent Venue Association and its mission to preserve and nurture the ecosystem of independent live music venues and promoters throughout the United States.  

    Grab a limited-edition poster commemorating the 8th-anniversary to help feed families in need! This weekend, Conscious Alliance is hosting a Virtual ‘Art That Feeds’ Food Drive—fans are encouraged to participate by making a cash donation for the poster created by Pete Schaw.  

  • New Jersey Governor Signs Executive Order to Reopen Music Venues

    New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced on Monday, August 31 that indoor performance venues would be allowed to reopen, with reduced capacity, starting Sept. 4.

    new jersey
    New Jersey Performing Arts Center pre-COVID.

    Included in the executive order are music venues, performance centers and movie theaters.

    Murphy’s rules are simple: continue to follow CDC recommended guidelines, and along with the recommendations, a capacity limit is in place at 25% or 150 people.

    Although for many artists this is good news, travel restrictions and capacity limits are still a concern as far as profiting off of the shows go.

    Around 40 clubs and venues in New Jersey are members of the National Independent Venues Association, which made headlines last month when they started the #SaveOurStages Act. They continue to petition for nationwide financial aid to struggling music venues.

    According to nj.com, some industry workers believe there will be a huge turn out with large-scale events, while others don’t think the country is even close to going back to any normalcy.

  • PearlPalooza Music Festival Goes Virtual for Their 2020 Celebration

    PearlPalooza Music Festival will go virtual for their 2020 celebration on September 19. It will feature exclusive performances, interviews, and more. PearlPalooza will be free and available to everyone via live-stream. 

    PearlPalooza

    PearlPalooza generally takes place on Pearl Street in downtown Albany. The festival hosts musical performances, food, and more and organizers calculated that in 2019 over 10,000 people attended the festivities. This year’s Virtual PearlPalooza is presented by 102.7 WEQX – The REAL Alternative, Sugar Productions, Downtown Albany, New York BID, The Hollow Bar + Kitchen, High Peaks Event Production, and media sponsor Albany.com. 

    Although this year is being presented on the virtual cloud it will still bring that community feeling by being live streamed in restaurants throughout downtown Albany. People can enjoy the music and PearlPalooza specials while enjoying a drink or meal at The City Beer Hall which opens at 4:00 PM, Dawn’s Victory Sports Cafe which open at 4:00 PM, The Excelsior Pub, Far Shot Albany, The Hollow Bar + Kitchen, Loch & Quay, Parish Public House, Pearl Street Pub, and The Yard Hatchet House & Bar which opens at 4:00 PM. For those looking to stay home it will also stream it on live on 102.7 WEQX Facebook page.

    This year’s Virtual PearlPalooza will feature performances from some of Albany’s favorite musicians. The performances will start with a performance from MIRK at 1:00 PM. Then Victory Soul Orchestra will take the virtual stage at 2:15PM. The Wild Adriatic will then perform at 3:30PM. Then wrapping up the live performances Eastbound Jesus will take the stage 4:45PM.

    PearlPalooza is teaming up with MVP Health Care to present YogaPalooza 2020 on September 19, 2020 at 11AM. People can join for a free, socially-distanced outdoor yoga class celebrating wellness and community at two Downtown locations. On the lawn at the SUNY System Administration Building at 353 Broadway and at Tricentennial Park at Broadway & Columbia Street.

    For more information on the virtual 2020 PearlPalooza Music Festival visit Downtown Albany’s website.