NYS Music 202​0

Category: News Desk

  • MTV Moves VMA Performances Outdoors Due to COVID-19

    MTV announced plans to move the Video Music Awards(VMA) outdoors instead of indoors as per its original plan due to COVID-19.  The VMA’s will be spread throughout New York City on August 30 instead of Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. 

    Governor Andrew Cuomo announced back in June that VMA’s would take place despite COVID-19 sweeping across the country. He had announced they would take place at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center in hopes the city’s turnaround in its fight against the virus would make it possible to be held indoors by August. Unfortunately, holding a show indoors currently wouldn’t be difficult to do safely so MTV opted to follow the guidance of state and local officials urging them to move the VMA’s outside.

    The VMA shows plan to return to Brooklyn’s Barclays Center for its 2021 edition. Until then MTV and the Barclays Center promised the show would “pay homage to the incredible resiliency of New York with several outdoor performances around the City with limited or no audience” within their statement.

    The 2020 VMA’s will be hosted by Keke Palmer. The VMA’s will host performances by BTS, Doja Cat and J Balvin among others. Nominated music videos Billie Eilish’s “Everything I Wanted,” Eminem and Juice WRLD’s “Godzilla,” Future and Drake’s “Life Is Good,” Gaga and Grande’s “Rain on Me,” Taylor Swift’s “The Man,” and The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights.” Nominated artists for the year DaBaby, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Megan Thee Stallion, Post Malone, and The Weeknd. Nominated for PUSH Best New Artist are Doja Cat, Jack Harlow, Lewis Capaldi, Roddy Ricch, Tate McRae, and Yungblud. Song of the Year nominations are Billie Eilish: “Everything I Wanted,” Doja Cat: “Say So,” Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande: “Rain On Me,” Megan Thee Stallion: “Savage,” Post Malone: “Circles,” and Roddy Ricch: “The Box.” The rest of the categories and nominations can be found on MTV’s website.

    For more information on the VMA’s visit MTV’s website.

  • Update: Eastbound Jesus Joins “The Palace Sessions”

    The Palace Theatre, the City of Albany and Mirth Films have announced that folk group Eastbound Jesus will be featured on the next episode of “The Palace Sessions”. Eastbound Jesus’s performance will live stream for free on August 19 at 7 p.m. on The Palace Theatre’s Youtube channel.

    Hailing from Greenwich, NY, Eastbound Jesus is a six piece “Northern Rock” band whose members are Adam Brockway, Carl and Luke Anderson, Dave Wright, Dylan Robinson and Zack Infante whose music is a melding pot of styles. Full Moon Over Salem is Eastbound Jesus’s latest project, released just this past February.

    Story Updated: 8/9/2020

    The Palace Theatre along with the City of Albany and Mirth Films have announced that Saratoga Springs natives Wild Adriatic will be featured on the next edition of “The Palace Sessions”. Taking place on August 19 at 7p.m. in a undisclosed unique location within the historic theatre, the performance will stream live on the Palace Theatre’s Youtube page.

    Executive Director of the Palace Billy Piskutz notes:

    “We are thrilled to be able to welcome live music back to the hallowed halls of the Palace Theatre. This historic building exists to entertain and create memories and after a nearly four-month absence due to COVID-19, it is a thrill to know that it will again. We hope that our patrons will enjoy these performances as much as we do!”  

    The series kicked off on July 15 with a special performance by Albany locals Wurliday. Additional shows are slated for September 16 and October 21. Those performers have yet to be announced at this time.


    “Summer in Albany is synonymous with music and entertainment and it is wonderful to have the Palace Theater hosting local musicians albeit in a different way this year. I applaud the ingenuity of the Palace Theater, the Office of Cultural Affairs, and Mirth Films in bringing entertainment to people during COVID-19.  I continue to be impressed with how our community has risen to the challenge of keeping the arts alive during this time and look forward to tuning in to the Palace Sessions.”  

    Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan

    During the performances donations are being accepted which will assist the Palace Theatre in continuing its mission to bring world-class arts and entertainment to New York’s Capital Region.  Donations can be made HERE or directly through the Palace Theatre’s Text To Give program, by texting Palace2020 to 44321.

  • Practice Share New Video for Snappy Single “Sleep in My Clothes”

    NYC-based dance-pop artist Michael Tapper has released the video for his debut single “Sleep In My Clothes” from his new project Practice. The song and video were both made pre-2020 madness, and yet the themes of isolation and self-quarantine root it (maybe too much) into current reality. 

    Practice Michael Tapper

    As an accomplished drummer and indie rock lifer (Tapper was previously the drummer of We Are Scientists, BishopAllen, Fool’s Gold and Yellow Ostrich), Tapper’s point of self-discovery that led to the creation of his album Not a Game took place in 2013, when he headed out on a 28-day sailing trip from Mexico to Hawaii with his brother-in-law. The album Not a Game represents an exciting new chapter in his career as well as the beginning of something else entirely — a fresh start, sonically and perspective-wise.

    The moniker of Practice itself was borne out of this constant, self-exploratory toil, along with a connection to the practice of meditation itself. NBA legend Allen Iverson’s infamous “practice” speech was another inspiration for the project’s name, and the speech itself is showcased over the rippling synths and hissing snares of album centerpiece “Practice.”

    Speaking about “Sleep In My Clothes” Tapper explains the song’s message on the struggles he’s encountered during this global pandemic:

    Like everyone, coronavirus has upended my life and consumed probably the majority of my waking energy for the past month or so. My wife is a doctor in Manhattan, so we started quarantining before most people (when she’s not at work), concerned that she might bring it home from the hospital and not wanting to spread it to our friends or neighborhood. Our fears were founded because we did get it early, but thankfully our symptoms were mild. During this quarantine time, I was able to finish up preparing this music video for release. As I showed it to a few people, one friend mentioned that it embodies things we’re feeling during this isolation period. As one friend put it: “the vibe of the “Sleep In My Clothes” video is how I feel on a bad day during this quarantine — crying my mascara off (if I even had the will to put any on).”

    The video starts very literally with me waking up in all of my clothes and walking out the door, which is the first verse of the song, but then takes it a step further by diving into a pool fully clothed. Later, the character experiences a sort of baptismal rebirth transformation, ending up completely naked, which is a literal reference to the lyrics but also a metaphor for honesty and vulnerability, which is what’s happening lyrically at the same time.

  • Zappa Documentary is Coming to Magnolia Pictures

    Zappa, the new documentary on the life of Frank Zappa is coming to Magnolia Pictures. The film will be available to the public for Thanksgiving weekend on November 27, 2020 in select theaters, as long as theater viewings are available by then, and on demand.

    Zappa will be an intimate and expansive look into the life of the iconic — and iconoclastic — musician and artist Frank Zappa.  The documentary was made with access to the Zappa family trust and all archival footage. The film will explore the private life behind Zappa’s career including his knack for being involved in political turbulence at the time. The documentary is directed by Alex Winter known best for playing Bill S. Preston in Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. 

    Magnolia Pictures’ President Eamonn Bowles spoke on the film saying, “Alex Winter has created an amazing documentary. Zappa is an incredibly nuanced and compelling look at the visionary iconoclast and the environment that formed him.”

    The documentary will feature appearances from Frank Zappa’s widow Gail Zappa and several of his musical collaborators.  People on the docket include Mike Keneally, Ian Underwood, Steve Vai, Pamela Des Barres, Bunk Gardner, David Harrington, Scott Thunes, Ruth Underwood, Ray White and others.

    Alex Winter spoke on the documentary saying, “This is the most ambitious project I’ve ever worked on, with a couple years of archival preservation in addition to several years to make the film itself. This isn’t your typical music doc but rather a multi-faceted narrative that aims to bring this complex artist to life. Magnolia, with its long and distinguished history of platforming great cinema, is the perfect home for Zappa.”

    For more information on the documentary visit Alex Winter’s website.

  • The Native American Music Awards Postponed Indefinitely

    The Native American Music Awards (NAMA) announced the postponement of their 20th annual awards show indefinitely. The show was scheduled to take place in late November but due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic are postponing due to safety and finical concerns. The NAMA intends to plan, present virtual events, and enhanced online activities in 2021.

    The NAMA requires a lot of preparation, travel and pre-production work. Presenting their annual awards program, coupled by the industry’s uncertainty, The Native American Music Awards Association felt the need to cancel this year’s festivities. As an all volunteer organization, they do not qualify for available emergency funding such as; the Paycheck Protection Program and because of this they don’t have the funding to prepare, travel and pre-production work right now. However, they will continue to rely on the support of their members and sponsors for their upcoming programs. Currently there is no official date for the postponement but the association hopes to be back in 2021.

    All music submissions for the 2020 award show have been postponed until further notice. The host of the event, Seneca Niagara Casino Entertainment, informed The NAMA Association that they are not rescheduling their events for the remainder of 2020 despite their best efforts to reopen in New York which leaves the association in an indefinite postponement until further notice. 

    For more information visit The Native American Music Awards’ website.

  • Patti Smith Announces One-Time Live Reading and Musical Performance

    Patti Smith announced her only 2020 performance, An Evening of Words & Music, broadcasting from Murmrr Theater in Brooklyn.

    Patti Smith
    Patti Smith is set to perform a live Broadcast at Murmrr Theater.

    The event is a celebration of her latest memoir, Year of the Monkey. Fans from all over the world will be able to watch her perform the live reading.

    Smith’s long-time band mate, Tony Shanahan, will be joining her for some of the show, while renowned Matthew Shroeder films the performance.

    The event includes a mixture of reading and both Smith and Shanahan performing music together.

    In a press release, “Year of the Monkey is a profound, beautifully realized memoir in which dreams and reality are vividly woven into a tapestry of one transformative year.”

    The event is set to broadcast Sept. 4 at 9:00 p.m. Tickets are on sale now for $30.

    Patti Smith reads from one of her books, Just Kids, for PBS.

  • The Who Launches Weekly Streaming Series,“Join Together @ Home”

    The Who announced their “Join Together @ Home” streaming event featuring archived footage of their 1982 Shea Stadium performances. The series starts on Saturday, Aug. 8 at 1PM EST and will run for six weeks. Donations made will benefit Teenage Cancer Trust and Teen Cancer America.

    The Who Join Together

    The series will kick off with an exclusive ‘red carpet’ premiere clip from Roger Daltrey. The seies will feature five live clips from The Who’s 1982 Shea Stadium show in New York City. The weekly series will feature some of the band’s most memorable performances, including previously unseen footage. “Join Together @ Home” is working as part of YouTube’s #StayHome campaign to encourage people to stay home to help save lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. The series will stream on The Who’s official YouTube channel and will be free to the public with donations encouraged. 

    COVID-19 has significantly impacted Teenage Cancer Trust and Teenage Cancer America’s income due to fundraising events being cancelled. Lead singer Roger Daltrey has worked with both charities in the past to bring awareness and help raise funds both in the UK and the US. Daltrey. The Who hopes people will take the time to donate to these organization while enjoying their music from the safety of their homes.

    “If you can’t donate to both charities just choose the one that’s closest to your heart. But whatever you do please make sure you donate.”

    Roger Daltrey

    To donate, people can text WHO to 70500 to donate £10 in support of Teenage Cancer Trust will receive 100% of every texted donation or they can text TCA to 56512 to donate $10 in support of Teenage Cancer America. Donations can also be made online here.

    For more information on the “Join Together @ Home” series visit The Who’s website.

  • The Greyboy Allstars Re- Release “West Coast Boogaloo” and Present their Surprise New Album “Como De Allstars”

    The Greyboy Allstars have re-released their 1994 debut album, West Coast Boogaloo and their surprise new album Como De AllStars. West Coast Boogaloo features Fred Wesley will be reissued on vinyl Friday, Aug. 7. The recording will also appear for the first time digitally on all streaming and download platforms.

    Greyboy Allstars

    The band was quickly embraced by the Grateful Dead and Phish audiences before there even was an actual “jam scene.” The Greyboy Allstars have paved the way for a new generation of bands to play jazz-based improvisation as dance music in rock venues.  The Greyboy Allstars consists of saxophonist Karl Denson, guitarist Elgin Park, keyboardist Robert Walter, bassist Chris Stillwell and drummer Aaron Redfield. They are known as some of the most revered players on the modern funk and soul jazz scenes.

    When The Greyboy Allstars self-released West Coast Boogaloo in 1994, its eight tunes felt both anachronistic and urgent. But their song, “Fried Grease” centered on an irrepressible new horn riff, bejeweled by wild organ runs and strutting guitar. Built with commanding drum breaks, an itchy bassline, and pensive keys, the song “Gravee” felt like a state of mind that could last forever.

    The quintet’s latest album, Como De AllStars is their first in seven years and was released on July 3. It’s 25 years later, and the band is still at it—all while individual members have their own successful careers. Karl Denson plays in The Rolling Stones and his own Tiny Universe, Mike Andrews scores films, most recently The King Of Staten Island, Robert Walter leads his own 20th Congress and plays keys in Phish bassist Mike Gordon’s solo band and Chris Stillwell and Aaron Redfield are an in demand rhythm section with credits stretching from Elton John to Charli XCX. Como De Allstars is a stirring and timely testament to the revolutionary origins and powers of jazz, funk, and their boogaloo blend—and the Greyboy Allstars’ continual ability to deliver them. 

  • Follow The Light Virtual Music Festival Announced in Celebration of Irish Traditions

    Follow The Light virtual music festival was announced by We Banjo 3 in celebration of Irish traditions. The festival will take place on August 29, 2020 at 5PM EST. Festival Tickets, Artist Meet & Greets and Exclusive Festival Merchandise are on Sale Now at We Banjo 3’s website.

    Follow The Light  virtual music festival will work as an ode to the We Banjo 3’s Irish heritage. The festival will feature an evening of musical performances by Gaelic Storm, Sharon Shannon, Nathan Carter and The East Pointers, on top of We Banjo 3. The festival will also host non-music features throughout the evening.

    We Banjo 3 debuted in the U.S. in 2012 and are Billboard Bluegrass chart-toppers. We Banjo 3 create a fusion of shared and varied traditions of Americana, Bluegrass, and Celtic music with pop-sensible songcraft to create a unique signature sound. The quartet is made up of Ireland and Nashville sounds and is composed of two sets of brothers Enda & Fergal Scahill and Martin & David Howley. 

    We Banjo 3 has deep-dived into exploring alternatives to physically taking the stage due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They find connecting with fans through various online performances, fan Q&A’s, live interviews, poetry and book excerpt readings, general banter about topics of interest, and more, gives them a personalized approach to creating fan experiences. Their hope with Follow The Light is to create this immersive experience to a wider audience while shedding the light to the rich Irish culture that they were founded upon. 

    https://youtu.be/qc9GvnGR3wc

    General Admission Tickets, Artist Meet & Greets Upgrades, and Festival Ticket/Exclusive Merchandise bundles are available now on We Banjo 3’s website. The ticket purchase will give the buyer access to the stream for the festival. The stream will be supported on Chromecast,  Apple TV, Amazon Fire Stick. 

    https://youtu.be/YzdNABunUvk

    For more information on the Follow The Light Virtual Music Festival visit We Banjo 3’s website. 

  • Rave Party at Kosciuszko Bridge leads to National Distress

    Not too long after parts of the nation started reopening, did many individuals start to ignore the CDC’s recommendations to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

    Rave Party NYC
    A picture of the secret rave held under Kosciuszko Bridge.

    Footage of a secret rave at Kosciuszko Bridge in Brooklyn showed people gathered without participating in social distancing. Regardless of the global pandemic, hundreds of guests attended and many didn’t wear masks.

    This happened not too long after a Chainsmokers concert had the same outcome. Governor Andrew Cuomo expressed his anger with large gatherings.

    “Huge parties whether on land or boat are: Illegal, Disrespectful, violate constant decency, rude,” Cuomo tweeted.

    Renegade, the rave organizers, told Gothamist that there’s no stopping people from gathering. One organizer said, “people need a release,” referring to quarantine.

    This was not the first time Renegade held a group gathering during the pandemic. On July 4, they organized a rave supposedly for the Black Lives Matter Movement.

    Among artists asked to play was DJ and producer Mike Simonetti. According to Guest of a Guest, Simonetti declined. He felt the event was disrespectful after his father died alone from COVID-19.

    Although many attended the rave, some guests felt uncomfortable once they arrived.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CDblAYOjKJC/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
    Footage taken from attendees shows no social distancing among the rave.

    An attendee told Gothamist that him and his friends stayed on the outside and stating, “I would not do that again….It was too soon for too many people in one spot.”

    Renegade continues to defend the cause of the rave, but said it got out of hand.

    “I don’t want people to go back to putting their heads in the sand. We need to stay on top of this and keep marching and keep protesting,” said one organizer.