Category: News Desk

  • Robert Plant’s Band Saving Grace Announces 2020 North American Tour, Including Stops in New York

    Robert Plant, Led Zeppelin’s lead singer, announced a 2020 North American tour with his band Saving Grace. The tour will include two stops in New York, one in New York City and the other in Port Chester.

    The tour will start on May 12 in Minneapolis, MN at the Pantages Theatre and ends in Washington, D.C. on May 23 at the Lincoln Theatre. It will stop in Port Chester, NY on May 19 at The Capitol Theatre and in New York, NY on May 20 at The Town Hall. The tour will consist of seven shows in all and will include Catfish Keith as their opener.

    Robert Plant and Saving Grace. Photo by Ian Burgess.

    Saving Grace is made up of  Suzi Dian on vocals; Oli Jefferson on percussion; Tony Kelsey on mandolin, baritone and acoustic guitars; Robert Plant on vocals; and Matt Worley on banjo, acoustic and baritone guitars.  The band made its debut back in early 2019 with a number of surprise gigs in small venues across England, Wales and Ireland, and later, a trio of UK dates supporting Fairport Convention. This tour will be its North American debut. 

    Most tickets will go on sale on Friday, March 6 at 10am. For more information and ticket availability, visit Robert Plant’s website: www.robertplant.com.

    Full Lineup for Saving Grace 2020 tour:

    May 12th – Minneapolis, MN – Pantages Theatre*

    May 13th – Milwaukee, WI – Turner Hall Ballroom*

    May 15th – Chicago, IL – Old Town School of Folk Music**

    May 17th – Charleston, WV – Mountain Stage at The Clay Center*

    May 19th – Port Chester, NY – The Capitol Theatre*

    May 20th – New York, NY – The Town Hall*

    May 23rd – Washington, DC – Lincoln Theatre*

    * Catfish Keith supporting

    ** General On Sale Monday, March 16

  • Trey Anastasio announces additional Summer Symphony shows

    Trey Anastasio adds to an already busy summer of Oysterhead and Phish with three additional orchestra performances in June. In addition to the previously announced performance on June 20 at Tanglewood with the Boston Pops, Anastasio joins the National Symphony Orchestra on June 17 in Washington D.C., the Philadelphia Orchestra on June 23, and the North Carolina Symphony on June 26 in Raleigh.

    Tickets are now on sale at Trey.com

  • Laid Back Festival Returns in 2020

    Laid Back Festival will be making its return this summer after a two-year hiatus, highlighted by an all-star slate of performers. Named after Greg Allman’s 1973 solo debut album, it was first held in 2015 in Wantagh, NY’s Nikon at Jones Beach Theater. The event continued in 2016 — expanding to five cities — and in 2017 saw the likes of Steve Winwood and Sheryl Crow headline. The festivities will return to Wantagh this year on Saturday, August 8 at the Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater and will be continuing the next day in Holmdel, NJ at the PNC Bank Arts Center.

     Presented in partnership by Gregg Allman’s longtime manager Michael Lehman and Live Nation, Laid Back will be headlined by Steve Miller Band and will feature the likes of Brian Wilson (with Al Jardine and Blonde Chaplin), Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives, Taj Mahal Quartet, Gary Mule Deer, and Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe. 

    A celebration of American music and food, the Laid Back Festival serves as a showcase for all of the great cuisine and music upstate New York has to offer. It will feature regional restaurants, food tricks, breweries and wineries. 

    Live Nation presales begin Thursday, February 20 at 10 am ET; all remaining tickets go on sale Friday, February 21 at 10 a.m. eastern time. For complete information and details please visit, www.laidbackfestival.com.

  • Landmark Theatre in Syracuse to close this summer for renovations

    With its 100th anniversary coming up later this decade, the iconic Landmark Theatre in downtown Syracuse will close this summer for renovations and upgrades. The marquee will be repaired and auditorium seating will be replaced, said executive director of the theater Mike Intaglietta. Events are still scheduled through mid-May, but for the following 15 weeks, the venue will be closed. 

    Landmark Theatre renovations

    The marquee as it is now is more than 30 years old and has been damaged in recent years. The new marquee will be a replica of the original with LED displays, era specific decor, and programmable lighting. The façade window will also be restored, including exterior lighting that will highlight the venue’s location on Salina Street.

    The original seats are still present from the 1928 opening of the Loew’s State Theater, and while they have been reupholstered over the years, the lack of legroom and accessibility for those with disabilities make the need for upgrades even more important. 

    “The new seats will feature contemporary, supportive materials, configured appropriately for our auditorium and with an ergonomic design to enhance patron comfort,” Intaglietta said.

    Intalgietta will continue fundraising for the theatre “to make all of these improvements as impactful and enduring as they can be” and encouraged supporters to become a member, dedicate one of the new seats, or donate.

    “Whether you’ve been a patron, a volunteer, a member, a donor, or all of the above, we would not be where we are without you,” he added. “Thank you for your support, and remember—it’s not just a Landmark, it’s your Landmark.”

  • Saratoga Springs Welcomes New Venue: Universal Preservation Hall

    Saratoga Springs’s new venue, Universal Preservation Hall, will have its first full month of shows in March, ranging from jazz to comedy to an evening with the celebrity housewives. The venue is a former 1871 Methodist church which has been renovated into a state-of-the-art performance facility.

    universal preservation hall
    Universal Preservation Hall Press Photo.

    The March lineup will start on the 4th with Sounds of the Hall  which will be an evening of jazz music from Chuck Lamb and Friends and the Dylan Perrillo Orchestra. The schedule will wrap up on the 27th with Joey Alexander who is the youngest musician to ever be nominated for a Grammy Award® in a jazz category. There will be performances from a family circus, the Capital Region Thomas Edison Music Hall of Fame Ceremony, an award winning Broadway actress, and many more acts. 

    universal preservation hall
    Universal Preservation Hall Press Photo.

    For more information or tickets visit the Universal Preservation Hall’s website. Tickets are also available by phone at 518- 881- 4500 or at the Box Office at 25 Washington Street, Saratoga Springs.

    Full venue lineup bellow: 

    Sounds of the Hall

    7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 4. The Great Hall at UPH, $20.

    Sounds of the Hall opens the month with an evening of jazz music from Chuck Lamb and Friends and the Dylan Perrillo Orchestra.

    Louie Anderson Live!

    8 p.m. Thursday, March 5. The Great Hall at UPH, $29.50 – $69.50.

    Stand-up comedian and star of the show Baskets, Louie Anderson, will bring many laughs to The Great Hall at UPH.

    An Evening with Chris Botti

    7:30 p.m. Friday, March 6. The Great Hall at UPH, $79.50 – $179.50.

    Grammy Award® winner for Best Pop Instrumental Album, Chris Botti will enchant UPH patrons with his trumpet playing.

    An Evening with the Celebrity Housewives

    7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 7. The Great Hall at UPH, $30 – $109.50.

    Don’t miss Brandy Glanville, Carole Manzo and Caroline Radziwill as they discuss their sensational personal lives, cherished families, amazing businesses and how fame changed their lives forever.

    The Marvelous Marquise Family Circus

    2 p.m. Sunday, March 8. The Great Hall at UPH, $10.

    Think you know circus? Think Again! The Contemporary Circus & Immersive Arts Center presents a unique family unlike you’ve met before.

    Capital Region Thomas Edison Music Hall of Fame Ceremony

    6 p.m. Monday, March 9. The Great Hall at UPH, $50.

    A member of the Grand Ole Opry, a woman who founded an iconic American coffeehouse and two local connections to MTV are among the six 2020 inductees.

    Megan Hilty

    7:30 p.m. Friday, March 13. The Great Hall at UPH, $32.50 – $109.50.

    Known for her role as Ivy Lynn on NBC’s Smash, Megan Hilty brings her Tony-Award® nominated talent to the Saratoga.

    Howard Jones Acoustic Trio presented by Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady

    7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 14. The Great Hall at UPH, $29.50 – $69.50.

    This show will provide the opportunity for the audience to hear first-hand about the inspiration behind Howard Jones’ beloved material as well as stories from his touring career.

    Irish Hooley with the Screaming Orphans

    7:30 p.m. Sunday, March 15. The Great Hall at UPH, $25.

    These four sisters from County Donegal, Ireland are bringing the party to Saratoga on St. Patrick’s Weekend with a good old-fashioned Irish Hooley.

    Rochmon Record Club presents: Paul Simon’s “Graceland”

    7 p.m. Tuesday, March 17. The Great Hall at UPH, $25.

    The Rochmon Record Club will converge to listen and learn about Paul Simon’s 7th solo album “Graceland” which feature some of Simon’s most beloved songs.

    One Night in Memphis

    7:30 p.m. Friday, March 20. The Great Hall at UPH, $30 – $65.

    This rocking concert tribute pays homage to legendary Sun Records recording artists Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley.

    Journeyman

    7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 21. The Great Hall at UPH, $19.50 – $39.50.

    Fronted by Shaun Hague, Journeyman is the only nationally touring tribute to Eric Clapton.

    Joey Alexander

    7:30 p.m. Friday, March 27. The Great Hall at UPH, $39.50 – $89.50.

    Don’t miss the youngest musician to ever be nominated for a Grammy Award® in a jazz category.

  • Primus Announces Rush Tribute Tour

    Primus is hitting the road this summer and will honor Rush with “A Tribute to Kings,” a full recreation of Rush’s 1977 album A Farewell To Kings, at each tour stop.

    The tour comes in the wake of the death of Rush drummer Neal Peart, although Primus’ Les Claypool noted that the tribute was originally scheduled to be performed in the fall of 2019, but plans were pushed into 2020 when Slayer invited Primus on the road last year. Now, the tour holds more meaning with a plan to honor Rush in more ways than one.

    Primus Rush

    The Tribute To Kings Tour will run for 40 shows, from late May until early August, with stops in New York at the Beacon Theatre in NYC on June 17, and on July 2 in Lafayette at Beak and Skiff Apple Orchards.

    Claypool says of Rush, “Geddy, Alex and Neil had been superheroes to Larry, Herb and I in our teens, so when we all became pals while touring together in the early ’90s, we were pretty delighted; partially because of the musical geek-out factor but mostly because the three guys whom we had admired so much from afar, turned out to be truly great, down-to-earth humans, and like us, a tad eccentric. The ‘Tribute to Kings’ tour will be just as it is implied, a respectful and loving tribute to three spectacular musicians, songwriters, legends and friends.”

    For more information visit Primus’ official website.

    Primus: A Tribute To Kings Tour Dates

    May 26: Irving, TX: The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory *^

    May 27 Houston, TX: Revention Music Center *^

    May 29 Austin, TX: ACL Live at the Moody Theater *^

    May 30 New Orleans, LA: Saenger Theater *^

    June 1 Asheville, NC: ExploreAsheville.com Arena *^

    June 3 Orlando, FL: Hard Rock Live Orlando *^

    June 5 Atlanta, GA: Coca-Cola Roxy *^

    June 6 Charlotte, NC: Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre *^

    June 7 Raleigh, NC: Red Hat Amphitheater *^

    June 9 Cincinnati, OH: PNC Pavilion *^

    June 10 Columbus, OH: Express Live! – Outdoor *^

    June 12 Manchester, TN: Bonnaroo Arts And Music Festival

    June 15 Richmond, VA: Virginia Credit Union LIVE! *^

    June 16 Baltimore, MD: MECU Pavilion *^

    June 17 New York, NY: Beacon Theatre *^

    June 19 Philadelphia, PA: The Met Philadelphia *^

    June 20 Asbury Park, NJ: The Stone Pony Summer Stage *^

    June 21 Essex Junction, VT: Midway Lawn at Champlain Valley Exposition ^

    June 23 Boston, MA: Rockland Trust Bank Pavilion *^

    June 24 Wallingford, CT: Toyota Oakdale Theatre *^

    June 26 Sterling Heights, MI: Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill *^

    June 27 Cleveland, OH: Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica *^

    June 28 Pittsburgh, PA: Stage AE – Outdoor *^

    June 30 Toronto, ON: RBC Echo Beach *^

    July 2 Lafayette, NY: Beak and Skiff Apple Orchards *

    July 3 Westbrook ME: Main Savings Pavilion at Rock Row *

    July 6 Indianapolis, IN: The Amphitheater at White River State Park *+

    July 7 Milwaukee, WI: BMO Harris Pavilion *+

    July 8 Minneapolis, MN: The Armory *+

    July 10 Chicago, IL: The Chicago Theatre *+

    July 11 St Louis, MO: Saint Louis Music Park *+

    July 12 Kansas City, MO: CrossroadsKC *+

    July 14 Denver, CO: The Mission Ballroom *+

    July 15 Salt Lake City, UT: The Complex *+

    July 17 Berkeley, CA: Greek Theater *+

    July 18 Los Angeles, CA: Greek Theatre *+

    July 19 Las Vegas, NV: Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort *+

    July 21 Boise, ID: Outlaw Field at Idaho Botanical Garden *+

    July 23 Bonner, MT: KettleHouse Amphitheater *+

    July 24 Redmond, WA: Marymoor Park *+

    July 25 Troutdale, OR: Edgefield *+

    July 28 Spokane, WA: Riverfront Park Amphitheater *+

    July 29 Bend, OR: Les Schwab Amphitheater *+

    July 31 Paso Robles, CA: Vina Robles Amphitheatre *+

    Aug. 1 San Diego, CA: Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre at SDSU *+

    Aug. 2 Phoenix, AZ: Arizona Federal Theatre *+

    * w/ Wolfmother

    ^ w/ The Sword

    + w/ Battles

  • Pink Talking Fish to commemorate Cornell ‘77 on Spring Tour

    Pink Talking Fish will continue their busy 2020 and bring their unique fusion of Pink Floyd, Talking Heads and Phish from coast to coast between April and June, after a winter tour that has brought Pink Talking Fish through the Midwest and heads into the Northeast in early March, with a tribute to Cornell ’77 on tap.

    Spring tour includes sets at early music festivals, including Skull & Roses in California, Wanee Block Party in Florida, Some Kind Of Jam 15 in Pennsylvania and a return to Strange Creek Campout in Massachusetts. The performance at Wanee will include a ‘PTF is Allmans’ concept where the band will add The Allman Brothers catalog into the mix. Skull & Roses will see the band adding the Grateful Dead as a ‘4th Band’ for a ‘PTF Are Dead’ concept. 

    In May, Pink Talking Fish will celebrate one of the most famous shows in Grateful Dead history – ‘Cornell ’77,’ aka the famous Barton Hall show from May 8, 1977. This year, the State Theatre in Ithaca will host a very special ‘PTF Are Dead’ concept by blending 5/8/77-inspired Grateful Dead material into the mix of the night.

    Joining PTF along the way are The Dire Wolves opening the show in Boulder, CO; Space Bacon (Friday) and Neighbor (Saturday) opening the Brooklyn Bowl shows in April, the latter of which features PTF keyboardist Richard James, and very special guests Strange Machines supporting PTF’s hometown celebration in Boston. The spring tour finale also features a co-headlining bill with Star Kitchen at Ardmore Music Hall in Ardmore PA. 

    Pink Talking Fish Winter Tour 2020

    3/05: Indianapolis IN at The Vogue Theatre 

    3/06: Chicago IL at Park West 

    3/07: Columbus OH at Woodlands Tavern 

    3/13: Plymouth NH at The Flying Monkey 

    3/14: Saratoga Springs NY at Putnam Place w/s/g Eggy 

    3/15: Norfolk CT at Infinity Hall 

    Pink Talking Fish Spring Tour 2020

    4/03: Ventura CA at Skull & Roses – Pink Talking Fish Are Dead 

    4/04: Boulder CO at The Fox Theatre w/s/g Dire Wolves 

    4/09: Asbury Park NJ at The Stone Pony – Jams In The Sand Release Party 

    4/10: Brooklyn NY at Brooklyn Bowl w/s/g Space Bacon 

    4/11: Brooklyn NY at Brooklyn Bowl w/s/g Neighbor 

    4/24: Fort Lauderdale FL at Wanee Block Party – Pink Talking Fish Are Allmans 

    4/25: Schuylkill Haven PA at Some Kind Of Jam 15 

    5/08: Ithaca NY at The State Theatre – 5/8/77 Anniversary Party featuring Pink Talking Fish Are Dead inspired by “Cornell ‘77” 

    5/09: Fairfield CT at FTC Warehouse 

    5/15: Boston MA at Paradise Rock Club w/v/s/g Strange Machines 

    5/22: Greenfield MA at Strange Creek Campout 

    5/28: Roanoke VA at 5 Points Music Sanctuary 

    5/29: Richmond VA at The National 

    5/30: Norfolk VA at The NorVa 

    6/05-06: Ardmore PA at Ardmore Music Hall – 2 Night Double-Bill with Star Kitchen

  • Leap Day at Bowery Electric brings together PEAK, The Phryg and Space Junk is Forever

    Hot Clips Volume 2 is now available on Bandcamp. PEAK brings their own brand of psychedelic-indie funk to Bowery Electric on Saturday, February 29 for a Leap Day show featuring The Phryg and Space Junk is Forever. Tickets can be picked up here.

    NYC’s Peak are off to a hot start in 2020 and in full gear during their winter tour. Following the release of full set video from their Brooklyn Bowl show in October, they recently released Hot Clips Volume 2, the second installment in our live series with selected tracks from fall and early winter tours, featuring new songs and some of their hand-picked favorite jams from the road. 

    PEAK Winter Tour 2020 remaining dates:

    2/26 House of Independents, Asbury Park, NJ*

    2/27 Thunder Road, Boston, MA%

    2/28 The Acoustic, Bridgeport, CT@

    2/29 Leap Day at Bowery Electric, New York, NY**

    3/13 Tellus 360 Lancaster, PA

    3/20 Fete Music Hall, Providence, RI

    3/21 Olives, Nyack, NY

    3/26 Rochester, NY Flour City Station

    3/27 Frankfurt, NY The Bank

    3/28 Albany, NY Parish Public House

    *supporting Rob Garza of Thievery Corporation

    ^ w/ Cold Engines

    # w/ Kluster Phunk

    @w/ Zillawatt

    % w/ Mount Pleasant

    **w/ the Phryg and Space Junk is Forever– 

    leap day bowery electric
  • Norah Jones, Lake Street Dive and Beck to Headline Beach Road Weekend 2020

    Back for its second year, Beach Road Weekend has announced the initial lineup for 2020. Taking place July 24 to July 26 at Veterans Memorial Park in Vineyard Haven, the festival will have three full days of music spread across two stages instead of one. Headlining this year will be Norah JonesLake Street Dive and Beck.

    Included in the eclectic lineup will be New Orleans rock band The Revivalists, indie folk band The Head and The Heart, Boston band Guster and many more. A series of local acts are also set to perform on the main stage for the first time, all of which will be announced at later dates.

    “As we searched for artists for Beach Road Weekend 2020 we were so happy to find many musicians had a special connection with, or memory of Martha’s Vineyard. This is truly a place that artists want to play, and we are excited to bring them to the fans,”  said Adam Epstein, CEO of Innovation Arts & Entertainment. “This year is all about building off the success we had in 2019 with more music and a better experience for all fans.”

    – Adam Epstein, CEO of Innovation Arts & Entertainment and inspiration behind Beach Road Weekend

    Single day tickets for Beach Road Weekend will be available at a later date. Three-day VIP, GA and GA+ ticket packages are on sale now at Beachroadweekend.com.

    Beach Road Weekend
  • Spiritual Rez Summer Tour brings Reggae Funk group to NY in June

    Boston’s Spiritual Rez has announced nine summer tour dates for 2020. The band will embark on a run of shows that will take them from the Mid-Atlantic and into the Northeast, with three stops in New York, including the North Country River Jam in Champlain, The Colony in Woodstock and Knitting Factory in Brooklyn. They’ll also make stops in their hometown of Boston, and kick things off on June 4 at Mountain Music Festival in Minden, WV.

    Tour dates and more information can be found at spiritualrez.com

    Spiritual Rez 2020 Summer Tour

    June 04 Minden WV – Mountain Music Festival

    June 05 Harrisburg, PA – The Abbey Bar at Appalachian Brewing Co.

    June 06 Champlain, NY – North Country River Jam

    June 07 Woodstock, NY – The Colony

    June 10 Portsmouth, NH – The Press Room

    June 11 Brattleboro, NH – The Stone Church

    June 12 Cambridge, MA – The Sinclair

    June 13 Wakefield, RI – Ocean Mist

    June 14 Brooklyn, NY – Knitting Factory