The State Theatre of Ithaca, in partnership with DSP has announced a free live-stream in honor of Bob Dylan’s birthday on Sunday, May 24 at 8 PM. The live-stream will feature a bunch of different artists from Central New York and even some largely well known artists. All proceeds from The Bob Dylan Birthday Salute will go to supporting the participating local and national touring artists that have lost their income and livelihood during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bob Dylan’s birthday is on May 24 and he’ll be turning 79. Dylan is one of America’s top all time artists and is considered one of the most original and influential voices in music history. He is a legendary singer-songwriter that has won Grammy, Golden Globe and Academy awards, as well as the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Nobel Prize for Literature. Although he won’t be performing himself, the show will be in the spirit of Bob Dylan.
The birthday celebration will feature performances from Joan Baez, Sam Harris from the X Ambassadors, Billy Strings, Sarah Jarosz, Eilen Jewell, Aoife O’Donovan w/ Eric and Colin Jacobsen, Chris Smither, Tommy Siegel from Jukebox The Ghost, Steve Forbert, Miss Tess & Thomas Bryan Eaton from Miss Tess & The Talkbacks, Maddy Walsh & Mike Suave from Maddy Walsh & The Blindspots, Joe Crookston, and Jim Miller from Western Centuries.
The State Theater of Ithaca is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization who relies on donations from the community on top of it’s ticket sales to keep its doors open. Donations will go to the artists as well as covering the production expenses that go into creating the live-stream. DSP Shows also known as Dan Smalls Productions, is a staple promoter who largely works out of central New York. Dan Smalls played a significant role earlier this month in organizing the John Prine live-stream tribute with The State Theatre.
People can view the live-stream on the State Theatre of Ithaca’s Facebook page as well as their YouTube channel starting at 8:00 PM EST on Sunday, May 24. For more information visit the State Theater’s website or DSP website.
Prince’s estate, sitting on a trove of unreleased Paisley Park studio recordings as well as video footage, will stream the March 30, 1985 ‘Purple Rain’ show from Syracuse at The Carrier Dome which will be livestreamed on Prince’s YouTube channel from Thursday, May 14 until Sunday, May 17.
The album from the show will be available for purchase digitally for the first time on Friday. Donations will benefit the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund and Google will match donations up to $5 million.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRa8ZH_iOXo
“Hello Syracuse and the World,” Prince says to open the show. “My name is Prince, and I’m here to play with you.”
A Thursday pre-party kicks off at 6pm with Prince & the Revolution drummer Bobby Z with a live Q&A with the Current’s Andrea Swensson.
The Carrier Dome concert also aired live to more than 12 million viewers in Europe through Eurovision and became a hot bootleg shortly after.
Setlist: Let’s Go Crazy, Delirious, 1999, Little Red Corvette, Take Me With U, Do Me, Baby, Irresistible Bitch, Possessed, How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore?, Let’s Pretend We’re Married, International Lover, God, Computer Blue, Darling Nikki, The Beautiful Ones, When Doves Cry, I Would Die 4 U, Baby I’m A Star, Purple Rain
Happy 44th Birthday to Joe Bonamassa! As New Hartford, New York’s very own blues master, Bonamassa is an example of a modern-day artist who is keeping all the soul in blues alive. Born in 1977, Bonamassa began his career at the age of 12 opening for no other than blues legend B.B King at the Rochester Lilac Festival in 1989.
Making a name for himself playing small clubs around Upstate NY, Smokin’ Joe Bonamassa has transcended the dreams of a small-town boy wishing to be a Rockstar. Although still relatively young, Bonamassa has left a legacy behind including over a dozen studio albums, two Grammy nominations and at least 20 #1 songs on the Billboard Blues chart. Collaborating with musicians along the likes of Les Paul and Beth Hart, Bonamassa has proved his prowess to write hit songs. Also, an avid vintage guitar and amplifier collector, Bonamassa has proved his devotion to authenticity.
In addition to touring various world stages, Bonamassa has also launched a cruise, bringing blues to people at sea. Most recently, Bonamassa has announced the start of his new music label, Keeping Blues Alive Records in an effort to raise awareness for his charity, the Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation, started in 2011. Most recently, The Keeping Blues Alive Foundation has launched their charitable Fueling Musicians Program which aims to support musicians globally who are struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Photo Credit: Robert Sutton
Bonamassa went live on Facebook with a heartfelt message urging for fans and musicians to make donations to support struggling musicians. The program has received overwhelming support from fans as well as big name brands such as Gibson, Normans Rare Guitars, and the Chicago Music Exchange. With the goal of $250,000, Bonamassa and the Fueling Musicians Program aim to raise as many donations as possible to lend a hand to the music industry which has been hit hard by the global pandemic.
To make a donation or to find out more about the Fueling Musicians Program visit Keeping Blues Alive.
Be on the lookout for Smokin’ Joe in 2020 for the continuation of his Keeping Blues Alive at Sea cruise and new music, hinted to be coming later this year. Happy Birthday Joe Bonamassa!
The progressive quartet Mipso has released dates for a 2020 spring tour shortly after ending a very successful Living Room Tour this past January. Canadian folk artist Taylor Ashton is set to join the group on select dates to support his debut album The Romantic that was released just last week.
Out of the 14 stops across North America, Mipso is set to perform three nights in New York. First, with back to back shows at the Rockwood in New York City on April 13 and 14 where they will be joined both nights by special guests Taylor Ashton, Steph Coleman and Alec Spiegleman. Then they will continue the journey northwest to Ithaca were they are slated to play at The Haunt on April 18.
Hailing from North Carolina, Mipso is said to be the new rising force in Americana music, combining historic roots with a new music edge. In addition to touring, Mipso announced they will be releasing a remixed follow up album to their 2018 release Edges Run. The album had put the group at the top of the bluegrass charts when released with the single “People Change,” receiving over 45 million streams on Spotify. Currently in the works is a new full length LP which will be released later in 2020 under Rounder Records.
Tickets for all shows are now on sale and can be purchased here. Below is a list shows with additional spring/summer dates still to be announced.
Mipso 2020 Tour
Apr. 10 – Roy’s Hall – Blairstown, NJ*
Apr. 11 – Arden Gild Hall – Arden, DE*
Apr. 13&14 – Rockwood – New York, NY +
Apr. 15 – The Katherine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center – Old Saybrook, CT
Apr. 16 – Shea Theatre Arts Center – Turner Falls, MA
Apr. 17 – UVM – Burlington, VT
Apr. 18 – The Haunt – Ithaca, NY
Apr. 19 – Hopewell Theatre – Hopewell, NJ
*with Taylor Ashton
+ with Taylor Ashton and guest Steph Coleman and Alec Spiegleman
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.
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.”
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.
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.”
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
Rome Ramirez, lead singer and guitarist from Sublime with Rome and Duddy, vocalist and guitarist of Dirty Heads, have joined together to form the duo Rome & Duddy. They have announced a winter 2020 tour called ‘The Friends and Family Tour,’ set to kick off in Albuquerque, New Mexico February 26. Among the 15 stops will be a performance at the Showroom at Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona on March 14. Opening for them on select dates will be Micah Brown, vocalist and guitarist of the sunshine reggae group Iration.
In celebration of the tour, the duo released their version of the Van Morrison song “And It Stoned Me” on Valentine’s Day to give the fans a taste of what is to come on.
Rome & Duddy’s newly released single “And It Stoned Me”
For the intimate and acoustic show, fans will not only hear raw versions of previously recorded material, including fan-favorites from Sublime with Rome and Dirty Heads, but also material that has spawned from the Rome & Duddy project.
After Rome and Dirty Heads released “Lay Me Down” in 2008 the Rome & Duddy project was born. “Lay Me Down” went on the make history as it reached #1 on Billboard’s Rock Songs Chart, the first time a song from a independent label would hold this spot. It remained on the alternative charts for 11 weeks and earned a gold record RIAA certification.
The Dirty Heads with Rome “Lay Me Down”
“The friends and family tour is to celebrate me and Duddy knowing each other for over 10 years. We both got our starts performing with the acoustic guitar and our voice. That’s it. We just wanted to get together and bring it to the fans. Really broken down and will play some new stuff we have cooking up. Hopefully, we’ll be able to expand on this and bring other singers from bands who may want to come out on the road and do this every year with us,” comments Rome.
Tickets are on sale now with entry VIP packages to include early entry to the show, exclusive show t-shirts, posters, and up-graded VIP packages will also include meet and greets with Rome and Duddy, and collectible VIP laminate. VIP packages are on-sale now, available here.
ROME & DUDDY TOUR DATES
Feb. 26 – Sister Bar – Albuquerque, NM
Feb. 28 – Voodoo Lounge – Kansas City, MO
Feb. 29 – Tower Theatre – Oklahoma City, OK
March 2 – Pub Station – Billings, MT*
March 3 – Fargo Theatre – Fargo, ND*
March 6 – Palace Theatre – Greensburg, PA*
March 8 – The VETS – Providence, RI*
March 10 – Rams Head Live – Annapolis, MD*
March 12 – Cabot – Beverly, MA*
March 13 – Bergen PAC – Englewood, NJ*
March 14 – Showroom at Turning Stone Resort & Casino – Verona, NY*
Whirling dervish Andy Frasco has announced his upcoming LP Keep On Keepin’ On will be due out in April on SideOneDummy Records. With a therapeutic helping of rock ‘n roll with pop and Americana roots influence, the album is a powerful musical snapshot of what’s going on with Andy, his band and his fans. A special “Wellness” video trailer for the album has been released, geared towards encouraging fans not to suppress feelings that may be uncomfortable to talk about, and share the good as well as bad things in life.
“We all have things that make us who we are. Some things are just uncomfortable to talk about, so we tend to suppress those feelings because we don’t want our friends and social media followers to look at us as weak. It’s time to speak up about not just the good things in our life but the bad as well. This is who I am.”
“We’re going through a mental health crisis right now,” says Andy Frasco. “Loneliness, depression, suicide, it’s all on the rise. When you’re struggling in the moment, it can feel like you’re the only one, but that’s just not the truth. I wanted to make a record to remind you that you’re not alone.”
The title track combines soul, funk and pop, and empowers the listener through a danceable and catchy track focusing on overcoming negative thoughts and embracing love. Honest, thought-provoking and rhythmically infectious, Frasco’s upcoming project has important conversations while showcasing his talent as a songwriter and performer.
Produced by Widespread Panic’s Dave Schools and by former AWOLNATION keyboardist Kenny Carkeet, the LP finds Frasco digging deeper than he’s ever dug before, fusing ecstatic rock and soul with infectious pop and funk as he grapples with the kind of demons he’s spent the better part of his adult life running from. The songs here are blunt in their honesty and unsparing in their self-examination, but they remain, at their core, works of great hope and promise. They’re the work of a man who’s been through the darkest part of the night and, now that dawn is finally breaking, is ready to share his story.
“Making this record helped me accept that I needed therapy in my life,” Frasco explains. “I always used to think I was too proud or too strong to have a therapist, but I realized that was all bullshit. I’m not always the fun, wild guy people see onstage, and it felt like time to talk about who I really am.”
Frasco is also in the midst of his Spring Tour, supporting Big Something, Umphrey’s McGee and Twiddle, as well as standalone shows. Catch him in Ithaca on February 11, Brooklyn February 15 and Buffalo February 18. Full tour dates are below.
Andy Frasco and the U.N. Spring Tour
2/05 – 1904 Music Hall – Jacksonville, FL (with Big Something)
2/06 – The Charleston Pour House – Charleston, SC (with Big Something)
2/07 – The Charleston Pour House – Charleston, SC (with Big Something)
2/08 – Neighborhood Theatre – Charlotte, NC (with Big Something)
2/09 – The Broadberry – Richmond, VA (with Big Something)
2/11 – The Haunt – Ithaca, NY (with Big Something)
2/12 – The Rex Theater – Pittsburgh, PA (with Big Something)
2/13 – 9:30 Club – Washington, DC (with Big Something)
2/14 – Brighton Music Hall – Boston, MA (with Big Something)
2/15 – Brooklyn Bowl – Brooklyn, NY (with Big Something)
2/18 – Buffalo Iron Works – Buffalo, NY (with Big Something)
2/19 – The Magic Bag – Ferndale, MI (with Big Something)
2/20 – Woodlands Tavern – Columbus, OH (with Big Something)
2/21 – The Stache – Grand Rapids, MI (with Big Something)
2/22 – Lincoln Hall – Chicago, IL
2/25 – Neurolux – Boise, ID
2/26 – Midtown Ballroom – Bend, OR (supporting Umphrey’s McGee)
2/27 – McDonald Theatre – Eugene, OR (supporting Umphrey’s McGee)
2/28 – Crystal Ballroom – Portland, OR (supporting Umphrey’s McGee)
2/29 – Showbox SoDo – Seattle, WA (supporting Umphrey’s McGee)
3/03 – Humboldt Brews – Arcata, CA
3/04 – The Saint – Reno, NV
3/05 – Crazy Horse Saloon – Nevada City, CA
3/06 – Lost on Main – Chico, CA
3/07 – The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA (supporting Twiddle)
3/19 – Schmiggity’s – Steamboat Springs, CO
3/20 – Boogie at The Broadmoor – Colorado Springs, CO
3/21 – Agave – Avon, CO
4/18 – Bluebird Theater – Denver, CO
4/20 – Fox Theatre – Boulder, CO
4/24 – Sweetwater 420 Festival – Atlanta, GA
4/25 – Winstons – San Diego, CA
5/22 – Summer Camp Music Festival – Chillicothe, IL
5/23 – Summer Camp Music Festival – Chillicothe, IL
5/24 – Summer Camp Music Festival – Chillicothe, IL
6/07 – Backwoods at Mulberry Mountain – Ozark, AR
6/11 – Bonnaroo – Manchester, TN
7/04 – Peach Music Festival – Scranton, PA
July 2 – July 5 – High Sierra Music Festival – Quincy, CA
Galactic and Southern Avenue pleased many fans at The Westcott Theater in Syracuse, NY. Writer Brian Cornish was there to capture the night.
The unmistakable charisma of Tierinii Jackson supplemented by the guitar and keyboard prowess of Ori Nafataly and Jeremy Powell, with background vocals and a steady beat from Tikyra Jackson, make this a great young band with a bright future.
“With Keep On, Southern Avenue reaches out to a new generation of soulsters while preserving the tradition of Stax and Memphis soul. These songs flow deep down into our hearts and bones, moving us in ways we never expected to be moved (or perhaps we refused to let ourselves be moved), the way that all great soul music continues to move us. Like many great soul songs, too, these songs urge us to see the glimmers of hope in our darkness and to embrace those around us in the arms of love.” – NO DEPRESSION
That message of hope is best exemplified in “Keep On” and the closing number, “Don’t Give Up,” from their eponymous debut album, which induced an audience sing along.
Galactic is a band that is difficult to quantify. They cover soul, funk, jazz, dub, and multiple other genres, always being influenced by what ever they hear in their hometown of New Orleans, or through their relentless world-wide touring. The band has put their money where their heart is, purchasing the legendary nightclub, Tipitina’s.
Galactic and Southern Avenue often relies on a rotating cast of vocalists, with this performance featuring Anjelika Jelly Joseph & rapper Charles Stewart, AKA Chali 2na.
Unfortunately, the sound mix was a bit muddled and indistinct, which is definitely not typical of the Westcott Theater. One of the telltale signs of a good show is how many musicians and fans “in the know” show up. To that end, this show was extremely popular.
