NYS Music 202​0

Category: News Desk

  • Bethel Woods Center for the Arts Annual Summer Concerts Cancelled Due to COVID-19

    Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, a non-profit organization which works to provide all with rich and diverse art through performances as well as education, has announced it has cancelled its annual Pavilion season.

    bethel woods cancelled
    Photo courtesy of Bethel Woods Center for the Arts.

    Since 2004, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts has been holding Summer concerts at its outdoor pavilion. The performances would continue even under horrible circumstances: through “torrential rain, lightning, and squalls of wind,” Chief executive Eric Frances says.  However, due to the continued threat of the Coronavirus pandemic, the Pavillion stage would not open this year. This year’s set was supposed to include artists such as Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Norah Jones, and the Black Crowes.

    Although not all concert dates have been rescheduled yet, some have announced plans to perform in 2021. Frances announces that Bethel Woods is still “[looking] to provide alternative programming throughout this year” by “utilizing [their] amazing venue in a responsible manner” even in this time of uncertainty. Bethel Woods is looking forward to being able to open their museum exhibits, the event gallery, and their outdoor augmented reality tour as soon as it is safe to do so. 

    Photo courtesy of Bethel Woods Center for the Arts.

    As Bethel Woods Center for the Arts is a 501(3)c non-profit organization, all of their revenue comes though ticket sales and donations. Because their Summer sets are cancelled, Bethel Woods could be in financial trouble. To encourage otters to participate, its Board of Trustees has graciously offered to match each each donation which is given to Bethel to increase finances. 

    In the video in which Frances announces this unhappy news, he delivers and important message to the public: with the upcoming 51st anniversary of Woodstock, its original message of the “strength in unifying for peace” is crucial for everyone to remember right now. It is more important than ever to remember that “we are one.”

  • New York Rock N Roots Festival Acquires New Looks with CHAUVET Professional

    Roger Sharp, owner of High Peaks Event Production has launched New York Rock N Roots Festival to highlight talent in Saratoga Springs. The festival is livestreamed Sunday nights on the Rock N Roots Facebook page.

    New York Rock N Roots

    Sharp has always entertained the idea of putting on a summer festival in his hometown. His Upstate New York stomping grounds have nurtured a wealth of talent in virtually every genre, from Lana Del Rey the Goo Goo Dolls, and Ani Di Franco to moe., Rick James, Lou Gramm, 10,000 Maniacs, and Chuck Mangione. But keeping up with the demands of his growing business prevented him from getting around to realizing this dream. He finally found the time though after the COVID-19 lockdown put all events on hold. Roger Sharp expresses his thoughts on the livestream festival: 

    Since we can no longer do mass gatherings, we’re focusing on another way of reaching people, This isn’t a money-making deal, it’s a way to keep ourselves and bands busy, while providing our community with an entertainment option, all while following strict safety standards. Our goal is to create excitement around the bands without distracting from them. 

    Looking to give viewers something as close as possible to an engaging festival experience, Sharp and his wife LD Christine Sharp along with their associates decided to support each musical act with a full production light show that reflected the music. Helping Sharp and his team achieve these looks is CHAUVET Professional. CHAUVET Professional offers innovative professional lighting fixtures for the production and touring market as well as permanent installation in theaters, hospitality venues, cruise ships, clubs, television and architainment applications. 

    Varying which upstage fixtures are turned on at different times allows the team to create distinctly different looks for each band, while gobo patterns from the beam and spot units add depth to the stage. Additionally, the wide zoom range of the downstage fixtures increases the variety of looks during the two-hour stream by allowing the design team to change the coverage area of their front lighting.

    New York Rock N Roots

    Although, he is happy with how the livestreams have gone, Sharp admits he “can’t wait to get back to live events” once the lockdown is over. When that happens, he’s going to have a lot of great music to light, given the rich tradition of his Upstate New York market. For now, there’s New York Rock n Roots.

  • Higher Ground Announces New Drive-In Series

    Higher Ground announced this week that a large stage is being constructed at the Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Junction, VT. It will be home to a new series called ‘Higher Ground Drive-In Experience.’ All proceeds will go to benefit the Vermont Arts Council providing much needed relief to the arts community across Vermont. 

    The HG Drive-In Experience officially opens this weekend on June 13 with three area High School graduation ceremonies for Champlain Valley Union High School, Essex High School and South Burlington High School. 

    Higher Ground Drive-in

    A few days later on Tuesday June 16, the archival special Phish: Dinner & A Movie will be available to enjoy on the big screen. Gates open at 6 p.m. est with the show starting at 7 p.m. est. Tickets are on sale now for $25.

    In a press release Higher Ground cofounder Alex Crothers confirmed that the drive-in will be used for a variety of events in the future, including “religious worship, charity bingo nights (for which we have a Blackout Bingo promo code for), live streaming of concert events, chamber orchestras, live plays, weddings, political rallies, etc.”

    Keeping with a true drive-in experience, 27-foot LED video walls mounted 40 feet high will be erected next to the stage to boost visibility. Cars must be spaced six feet apart and you will be able to sit outside your vehicles in lawn chairs or on blankets.The experience can accommodate up to 250 vehicles, ticketing will be per vehicle and are available online. Visit highergroundmusic.com for an updated calendar of Higher Ground Drive-In Experience events. 

  • Adirondack Theatre Festival & Bloomington Playwrights Project Bring “In the Box” Virtual Experiences

    Adirondack Theatre Festival (ATF) & Bloomington Playwrights Project (BPP) have announced a brand new interactive virtual experience named ‘In The Box Entertainment’.  Beginning this September and running through February 2021, these from-your-couch experiences will include a cruise, hands-on-insane magic shows, a holiday talent show with live voting, an interactive hunt for a criminal, a film festival, and a “wine and canvas” night gone wrong. 

    Chad Rabinovitz, the Producing Artistic Director for ATF and BPP will create and direct the entire series. Also on the stellar team is; playwright Hank Greene (Knights of the Sales Office) and Jeffrey Small as the consulting producer. From Saratoga Springs, Mills Entertainment will ensure that these online experiences perform at high levels, taking Zoom from ‘a video chat to an interactive television experience’.

    “Our goal from the start was to create entertainment that isn’t a consolation prize for not having live theatre, but instead to develop an iteration of live theatre that benefits specifically from being digital.  We’re not putting our art form on Zoom, we’re creating an art form for Zoom,” states Chad Rabinovitz. 

    Shows will be live ticketed performances experienced within the comforts of your home.  Rounding out the unique experience will be a themed box mailed to the ticket holder prior to the show of their choosing.

    More information and ticketing can be found at the BPP, ATF or at www.intheboxentertainment.com.  Tickets may also be purchased by calling the Wood Theater Box Office at (518) 480-4878.

     In The Box Entertainment Lineup:

    Sep. 10-12 – Magic in a Box: Remote Control with Max Major A Virtual Mind Reading Experiment

    Sep. 15-19 – Magic in a Box: Glitches in Reality with Simon Coronel

    Oct. 15-18 – Film Festival in a Box: 5th Annual Adirondack Film Festival

    Nov. 3-14 – Cruise In a Box: Living Room Cruise Lines

    Dec .10 – Bloomington, IN – Talent in a Box: Holiday Family Talent Show

    Dec. 17 – Glens Falls, NY – Talent in a Box: Holiday Family Talent Show

    Jan. 12-23 – Mystery in a Box: Manhunt

    Feb. 9 -20 – Paint in a Box: Painting for One

  • The Bronx Music Heritage Center Presents Bronx Music at Home Concerts and Percussion Discussion

    The Bronx Music Heritage Center has announced that they will continue their concert series through their online programs: Bronx Music @ Home Concerts and Percussion Discussion. This week’s topic will feature Puerto Rican cultural themes, as this would normally be the week of activities that culminate with the National Puerto Rican Day Parade.

    Bronx Music @ Home Concerts will be held Fridays at 8PM EST on Bronx Music Heritage Center’s Facebook page. The concerts will kick off with singer, actor, and poet Rachel Kara Perez on June 5. Other artists set to perform include: Yalisza Suren on June 12, Luz Soliz on June 19, and Valerie Capers on June 26. 

    Bronx Music Heritage Center’s weekly percussion program will feature mini-clinics, talks, and lessons from noted Bronx drummers and percussionists, led by the BMHC Co-Artistic Director, 8 time Grammy nominated bandleader drummer percussionist and educator Bobby Sanabria. Each episode will premiere on Bronx Music Heritage Center’s Facebook page on Wednesdays at 8PM EST.

    The percussionist featured that week will be available through the comment section of the video post to reply to any questions or comments. The percussion program will include performances from Norka Nadal Hernandez, director and founder of the Afro Puerto Rican group Bámbula on June 10, Lucianna Padmore on June 17, and Bobby Sanabria on June 24. 

  • A new virtual age for the Village Vanguard begins

    New York City’s legendary Village Vanguard invites you to join them Saturdays starting June 13 at 7 p.m. EDT for a 75 minute live streaming concert. A matinee will follow the next day at 2 p.m. EDT. Admission for each performance will be $7.

    First up on the lineup will be The Billy Hart Quartet featuring  drummer Billy Hart joined by a phenomenal group of artists including tenor saxophonist Mark Turner, pianist Ethan Iverson and bassist Ben Street. 

    After closing its doors on March 16 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, just three weeks after the club’s 85th birthday, many were left wondering how indefinite the closure would be. Virtual concerts have become the revival answer for many and now The Vanguard is back with four weekends currently slated with performances. Please continue to check the website and follow the club on Instagram @vanguardjazz and Facebook for updates on upcoming shows. 

    Village Vanguard

    Livestream schedule:

    June 13-14 – Billy Hart Quartet featuring Mark Turner, Ethan Iverson and Ben Street

    June 20 – 21 –  Vijay Iyer Trio featuring Nick Dunston and Jeremy Dutton   

    June 27 – 28 – Joe Martin Quartet featuring Mark Turner, Kevin Hays and Nasheet Waits

    July 4 – 5 – Joe Lovano Trio Fascination featuring Ben Street and Andrew Cyrille

  • Billy Strings Announces Streaming Strings 2020 Tour

    Known for his flat-picking guitar technique and intense, confessional songwriting bluegrass musician Billy Strings has announced an ambitious live streaming/virtual touring project. The shows are set to kick off on July 16, 2020 in Billy’s adopted hometown of Nashville, Tennessee.

    The Streaming Strings 2020 Tour is an innovative approach to touring for post-shelter in place times. All nine shows on this livestream-only tour will be performed in crowdless venues throughout Nashville. Both audio and video will be streamed via various partners.  Digital “tickets” will go on sale June 16, 2020 at 12:00 pm EDT and can be purchased at Streamingstrings.com.

    Streaming Strings

    Nashville has long been a hub for innovation and creativity, from the earliest days of the Grand Ole Opry breaking ground by broadcasting their live show nationwide to the television era. Nashville is home to a plethora of record labels, music publishers, songwriters, and entertainment executives, all of which contribute to the ever-expanding creative community that initially established Nashville as “Music City.” And of course, Nashville is also known for its tight-knit, generous, and supportive community that places tremendous value on collaboration and shared experiences. Billy Strings aims to create a shared experience for fans around the world with the Streaming Strings 2020 Tour, and hopes that the joys of music, community, and connection will continue to thrive, even amid difficult times.

    A portion of all proceeds will be equally divided and donated to several charity partners: ACLU, Backline, and NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. Check out the dates of Billy String’s Streaming Strings 2020 Tour below.

    STREAMING STRINGS 2020 TOUR DATES

    Thu – 7/16/20 Brooklyn Bowl (Streamed live via FANS)

    Fri – 7/17/20 Brooklyn Bowl (Streamed live via FANS)

    Sat – 7/18/20 Station Inn (Streamed live via Station Inn TV)

    Sun – 7/19/20 Station Inn (Streamed live via Station Inn TV)

    Wed – 7/22/20 City Winery (Streamed live via Nugs TV)

    Thu – 7/23/20 City Winery (Streamed live via Nugs TV)

    Fri – 7/24/20 Exit/In (Streamed live via TourGigs)

    Sat – 7/25/20 Exit/In (Streamed live via TourGigs)

    Sun -7/26/20 3rd & Lindsley (Streamed live via Nugs TV)

    The dates listed may change based upon the status of the COVID-19 virus. Contingency plans (and dates) are in place three times over. For safety’s sake, all necessary precautions will be taken.

  • CMAC Cancels 2020 Summer Concert Season

    CMAC (Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center) announces the cancellation of their 2020 summer concert season due to COVID-19. This decision was not made lightly but the safety of their staff, patrons, performers, and community is the priority. They are working to reschedule most of their summer 2020 performances currently. 

    Lynyrd Skynyrd performing Free Bird at CMAC in 2019.

    The performing arts center was founded in 1983 by Marvin Sands. He believed it was needed in the Canandaigua community because of the important role that arts and culture play in the quality of the community. CMAC still lives up to that role today providing arts and culture to the community. This year is just a pause, not the end of anything for CMAC. 

    CMAC is working to have their cancelled and postponed 2020 dates moved to the 2021 season. Cancelled shows include: Trey Anastasio Band, Old Domino, Brandi Carlile, Collective Soul, Tim McCraw, Norah Jones, Steve Martin and Martin Short. Postponed shows include: RATT, Luke Combs, and The Final Tour Ever with Kiss. They have already rescheduled two shows for 2021. Tedeschi Trucks Band was rescheduled for June 30, 2021 and Thomas Rhett for August 22, 2021. 

    For more information on CMAC and their events visit their website. For more information and to purchase tickets for Tedeschi Trucks Band click here or Thomas Rhett click here.

  • City of Cohoes to Review Managment Proposals for Historic Cohoes Music Hall

    The city of Cohoes is in process of reviewing management proposals for the historic Cohoes Music Hall. The closure of the concert hall this past April cost the city a financial loss of nearly $200,000, led to a cancelation in contracts with previous managers, Holly Brown and her Music Hall Arts Alliance; they were in charge of management and organization, including the Playhouse Stage Company and show production, ran by Owen Smith.

    city of cohoes
    Lotus performes at Cohoes Music Hall, Nov. 2019.

    Since canceling the contracts with the previous management companies, the city of Cohoes has been accepting new management proposals from potential applicants. A committee of “independent experts” that formed following the substantial revenue loss the city suffered in April has been organized and will be reviewing the proposals in search of a best fit. Mayor of Cohoes, Bill Keeler, announced the six proposals received via a Facebook post. Of the six proposals the committee faces, two are from previous managers Holly Brown and Owen Smith. The other four proposals listed in Mayor Keelers post include Guthrie/Bell productions from Albany; the Hall, from Niskayuna; Lopolito, from Monroe; and Just Imagine, from Rensselaer.

    “All of these proposals would achieve the goal of continuing the high caliber of entertainment we have seen in the Music Hall in recent years while achieving six figure annual savings for the taxpayers,” said mayor Keeler in a statement, reassuring that those involved in the committee “have deep connections to our community and are experts in their respective fields.”

    Previous contract holder Owen Smith remains hopeful, stating in an email that he feels “really good about the proposal we submitted and are staying hopeful! We really hope we have the opportunity to keep building momentum at the Hall.”

    After reviewing, the committee will be conducting interviews to further aide in their decisions of who will pick up the contract in the coming months. According to the Facebook post made by mayor Keeler, a new management contract is anticipated by late July.

    For updates and announcements, follow The Cohoes Music Hall on Facebook and Twitter

  • James Casey launches Aux Chord, an online music venue

    Despite the pandemic, the show must go on for live musicians. James Casey, longtime touring member of the Trey Anastasio Band, is launching Aux Chord, an online music venue offering ticketed livestream events to soften the blow of canceled gigs for artists and fans alike.

    Aux Chord
    James Casey is performing at Aux Chord’s inaugural event on Thursday, June 11.

    Back in February, Casey foresaw the pandemic’s potential to erase an entire year’s worth of concert dates for himself and other artists. He began brainstorming with his partner Ayla Cobb while quarantined in New York City, and with the help of web developer Stephen Small, they created Aux Chord: A Live Streaming Venue.

    “The goal of Aux Chord is to supply a place for the music community to continue to grow and thrive, and supply a place for music fans to be able to see great live music with great picture and sound,” Casey explains. “I doubt we’re the first to do this, and we definitely won’t be the last, but hopefully this can be a positive thing for the artists at large.”

    Aux Chord’s first event, a live showcase starring Casey, is Thursday, June 11 at 9 p.m. ET. Upcoming performers on the service include Jennifer Hartswick and Nick Cassarino, Natalie Cressman and Ian Faquini, Louis Cato and Erin Boyd. Tickets are available now at auxchord.live.

    The site’s performances are behind a paywall, and musicians set their own prices and receive the majority of ticket revenues. The fees are nominal and transparent, allowing fans to support artists without fear of gouging or high overhead.

    “Hopefully this can be a resource for musicians, especially independent artists, in a time where we honestly aren’t able to perform and do what we’ve been working towards our whole lives. But what we can do is these live streams and create art for people to consume, especially considering that everyone is going through a whole lot right now,” Casey said. “This isn’t like going live on Facebook or Instagram and busking. The platform is about elevating that experience and really performing for the people. We’re putting on a show.”