NYS Music 202​0

Category: Regions

  • Goosemas to Livestream from Rockefeller Center on Dec. 11

    Connecticut-based Goose have announced plans for their seventh annual Goosemas holiday celebration, this time with a live stream concert from Rockefeller Center in New York City. On Friday December 11 at 7pm ET, Goose will offer an exclusive Twitch stream on the new Relix Channel, with proceeds benefiting Save Our Stages and Conscious Alliance.

    goosemas rockefeller center

    A first of its kind livestream, Goose will perform more than seven stories high in the Manhattan skyline. Goosemas is an annual year end celebration, having grown from small clubs to the Wall Street Theater in Norwalk, CT over the past six years. Peter Anspatch recalls his first show with the band:

    Goosemas 4 was my first gig playing with Goose so the annual show has a big place in my heart. I’m bummed we can’t be with our family and friends in person for this one, but the location is going to make it that much more exciting to stream. I’m beyond stoked we were able to pull that together in such a chaotic year. Big shout out to our whole team for always crushing it, Peter Shapiro, and thanks to Rockefeller Center for hosting what will be a very special night. 

    As with annual tradition, Goosemas will also include a charitable aspect during 2020’s most important giving month. Proceeds from the benefit will go to two separate organizations; NIVA’s Save our Stages — a national charity that provides support to independent live event venues and promoters throughout the United States in these trying times; and Conscious Alliance — a nonprofit that connects a network of creatives to collect large-scale donations in order to combat hunger in historically underserved communities.

    goosemas wall street theater rockefeller center
    photo by Scott Harris

    Donations from Goosemas at Rockefeller Center will help keep Conscious Alliance on the road this winter delivering 200,000 meals to kids and families in need. Every $1 donation = 2 meals to someone going without food this holiday season.

    Goose has amazing momentum right now and we are so excited to be working with them on this incredibly special performance at Rockefeller Center– one of the most iconic locations in the world. There isn’t a more epic way to ring in the holidays than with a rock show in the sky.

    Peter Shapiro, Publisher of Relix Magazine and Twitch Relix Channel. 

    Donations are now being accepted at GOOSEMAS.com. Those who make donations through the Goosemas website will receive early access to the Goosemas Merch Store on Wednesday, December 9th at 10 am ET, and opening to the general public at 1pm ET. For more information, visit GOOSEMAS.com.

  • Bob Dylan Sells Entire Songwriting Catalog to the Universal Music Publishing Group

    Bob Dylan has sold his entire songwriting catalog to the Universal Music Publishing Group. The catalog includes over 600 songs including the classics “Blowin’ in the Wind,” “The Times They Are A-Changin’” and “Like a Rolling Stone.”

    At the age of 79, Bob Dylan is one of the most well known folk singers in the world and selling the catalog of his music, which the rights have been held by him for most of his career, is huge news, not only in the music realms but in the world as a whole. It has been a trend for musicians to sell their catalogs of music during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

    Just last week another big name, Stevie Nicks, sold a majority stake in her songwriting catalog for an estimated $80 million to Primary Wave Music which is an independent publisher and marketing company. It’s unclear if these buyouts are directly influenced by the ongoing pandemic but it’s hard to believe they aren’t connected. 

    It’s unclear how much Bob Dylan received in compensation for his songwriting catalog but according to The New York Times, it is estimated at more than $300 million.

    The deal covers the entirety of Bob Dylan’s long career. All the way back to his earliest work right up to his latest album, Rough and Rowdy Ways. This deal was struck directly with Bob Dylan by Universal Music Publishing Group.

    Bob Dylan at the Civil Rights March on Washington.

    The deal leaves Dylan with 100 percent of rights for all the songs of his catalog. What this means is that he will still collect the income he receives as a songwriter and will still be in control individual song copyrights. So what is Universal Music Publishing Group getting out of it?  Universal Music Publishing Group’s division of the French media conglomerate Vivendi, will collect all future income from the songs. 

    Dylan has made no public comment on the deal. 

  • EPAC Virtual Christmas Show Starts December 17

    The EPAC Virtual Christmas Show will be available on EPAC Digital, a new online platform granting digital access to EPAC Productions, from December 17th through January 3rd, 2021.

    EPAC

    Endicott Performing Arts Center has put together a spectacular variety show of great holiday classics, as well as some newer contemporary songs to brighten your holiday season. You can watch local talent perform your signature holiday songs, that you can’t have Christmas without, including performances of “Happy Christmas… War is Over,” “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” and “White Christmas,” among many others. There will be performances from different locations, including people singing and dancing from home, from the EPAC Recording Stage, and out and about in the local landscape of the Southern Tier.

    A short holiday themed puppet show presented by the EPAC Puppet Tree Theater Group is also a part of the series, as well as archival footage of shows from Christmas’ past. Don’t miss this experience, with amazing local talent performing virtually for the safety and entertainment of the entire community.

    Visit the Endicott Performing Arts Center website for more details and how to register for on-demand tickets to this Virtual Event.

    EPAC

    The Endicott Performing Arts Center is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide an affordable and high quality venue to local, regional and touring performing artists, enabling them to present, develop, & improve their artistic efforts.

    Over the past 23 years, EPAC has: Renovated and Operated out of the 104 year old “Lyric Theater” in Endicott, NY. To provide a means for thousands of community members to gain education about all aspects of the performing arts, while presenting a diverse array of affordable high quality performing arts events to our community. EPAC typically attracts over 20,000 people to the Arts Center every year, as well as hundreds of people to the outdoor “Stage at Little Italy” with its annual Shakespeare in the Park event at the George W. Johnson Park.

  • Ok Cowgirl shares “Don’t Go” through Under the Radar

    Brooklyn-based Ok Cowgirl shared their second track of the fall, “Don’t Go.” This is the project of the multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Leah Lavigne. It serves as an explosively dreamy testament to shedding insecurities and carving your own path in a world that craves conformity. 

    OK Cowgirl
    Photo Credit: Nina Jang

    Driven to pursue a louder, equally introspective sound, Lavinge stepped away from the piano and taught herself electric guitar. In the summer of 2018, she joined long-time collaborator and percussionist Matt Birkenholz, bassist Jase Hottenroth, and lead guitarist Jake Sabinsky. They were Leah and the Lowkeys, but later changed their name to Ok Cowgirl.

    The dreamy, synth-laden track was inspired by being in the moment, those days when life feels electric. “It’s a wispy optimistic take on watching time drip by through rose colored glasses,” says Lavigne. “Don’t Go” interweaves still-overdriven Fenders with dulcet vintage keyboards. It maintains the core sounds of the group’s arsenal while arguing the opposite attitude of “Get Gone.” 

    “Don’t Go” looks to good days to treasure the moments of emotional reprieve, seeking inspiration in the energy around us. On the other hand, “Get Gone” serves as a reaction against superficiality and the desire to abandon it.

    The “Get Gone” / “Don’t Go” double single release is now out everywhere.

  • Jazz Standard in New York City Closes Doors for Good

    Jazz Standard announced on December 2 that it would be permanently closing its New York City venue. In their Instagram announcement, the venue shared a heartfelt message thanking their team members, guests, and New York City for embracing and supporting the jazz venue throughout its tenure. 

    Jazz Standard is one of many independent and local music venues that faced immense economic hardship from a lack of revenue because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is the first major jazz club in New York City to permanently shut down.

    Jazz Standard

    According to an NPR article about the recent news of their closing, Jazz Standard first opened its doors in 1997 and then reopened in 2002, with the basement club along with the new edition of a barbecue restaurant upstairs called Blue Smoke Flatiron. Danny Meyer owns the club and restaurant.

    The venue is well known for the variety of musical talent at their venue, including artists’ recordings that eventually tuned into albums from Maria Schneider Orchestra, the Mingus Big Band, trumpeter Dave Douglas, drummer Dafnis Prieto, and pianist Fred Hersch. In addition to professional performances, Jazz Standard also hosted different programs to promote growth in the jazz community among all generations of jazz musicians, young and old including “Mingus Mondays,” “Jazz For Kids,” and “Jazz Standard Discovery Program.”

    Their farewell post stated,

    While our physical doors may be shut, our passion to serve and entertain lives on and we are optimistic about the future and writing the next chapter of Jazz Standard. In the meantime, the club is hosting exclusive artist conversations and performances virtually.

    Five “Virtual Talk Series” from the venue are all available to watch on their YouTube page, with the latest video “Wayne’s World: A Discussion on Wayne Shorter with Danilo Perez, John Patitucci, and Brian Blade,” uploaded this past week.

  • Watch Morgan Wallen on Saturday Night Live

    Saturday Night Live returned on December fifth after a few well deserved weeks off. The 46th season began with six consecutive shows, an SNL first, with the return episode featuring host Jason Bateman and musical guest Morgan Wallen.

    morgan wallen SNL
    Morgan Wallen, Jason Bateman and Heidi Gardner

    Wallen had originally planned to be the musical guest for the October 10th episide, but after he was seen partying with fans in Tuscaloosa, AL the week before, and as a result his performance was canceled. The country singer thus missed out on his SNL debut out of an abundance of caution in COVID-19 pandemic.

    Replacing Wallen was Jack White, who paid tribute to Eddie Van Halen that night.

    Before taking the Studio 8H stage, Wallen appeared in a sketch poking fun at his going out to bars and hanging with fans. Future versions of himself – each from one month farther into the future – appeared to warn him of the consequences of that night.

    The first song of the night from Wallen was “7 Summers,” a ballad written with Josh Osborne and Shane McAnally from Wallen’s upcoming album Dangerous: The Double Album, due out January 8, 2021. Wallen’s band featured Luke “Cowboy” Rice, Mark “Taco” Annino, Dominic Frost and Tyler Tomlinson who performed under broad lighting in the shape of an M,

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLhRaSP-DJs

    With the M display now resembling Christmas trees, Wallen returned later in the night with “Still Goin’ Down,” also off the upcoming Dangerous: The Double Album.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khCbT8AGveI&

    One sketch spoofed Eminem’s “Stan” and even got the rap icon to appear in a cameo. Staten Island’s Pete Davidson appeared as the Stan character, Stu, writing letter after letter to Santa, asking for a PlayStation 5. The Christmas-spin on “Stan” follows Stu down an obsessive path in search of a response from Santa. At the end, Eminem opens Stu’s gift, saying “That’s crazy, a PS5? I didn’t even ask for this. I guess Shady must’ve been a good boy this year. Sorry, Stu. You fucked up.”

    Saturday Night Live returns on December 12 with host Timothée Chalamet and musical guest Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.

  • Elder Orange, Fine Grain and more featured on this week’s EQXposure

    Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up and coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear new music from Elder Orange, Fine Grain and many more!

    elder orange

    WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.

    Vermont’s Elder Orange has released a new recording titled, “Brick’s in the Bathwater.” This release is a fascinating sonic journey, evocative and head bobbing, full of emotional voices, brilliant guitar playing, melody weaving, and genre bending. The album is a series of connected tunes that all work as one piece of music, one that is very inventive and unique in a world of singles that occupy the popular music format. This bold step of creativity is worthy of far more attention. Available for streaming on Bandcamp.

    Kicking off the show will be two new songs from Fine Grain. The first is a world premiere release of “Calculate,” available on Thursday, December 10, followed up by “Strings Attached.” Fine Grain is a weird punk/post-punk outfit out of the Capital District that doesn’t quite stick to genres. Their live shows feature antics, copious beer consumption and a lot of hair with a lot energy put into the music that even on record, they sound as though they’re playing in your living room. 

    EQXposure will also be featuring more music from Upstate Mixtape, Vol 1., a compilations of 518 artists, committed to amplifying Black voices and suppressing racism. One hundred percent of the sales of the release, will be distributed to black artists. Pick up a copy here.

    Upstate Mixtape Vol 1. is part of antiracist grassroots fundraising efforts, spearheaded by Jammella Anderson. Among songs contributed to Vol 1. include demos, B-sides, album loose ends and more from a group that showcases the multifaceted nature of musicians in the 518. This week you’ll hear JB and Victory Soul Orchestra‘s “God Self Icon,” NXNS “Motherbrain,” The Age “Take a Dive,” and Wurliday “Clyde.”

  • ESYO Musicians in Virtual Tutti! Festival

    The Empire State Youth Orchestra (ESYO) musicians will perform in the virtual Tutti! Festival over two weekends in December. It will feature twelve ensembles in eight live recorded concerts. All concerts will be streamed online to virtual audiences through ESYO’s Virtual Concert Hall.

    ESYO

    The festival begins on December 3 with Beethoven’s First Symphony performed by the ESYO Symphony Classical Orchestra. The advanced Symphony Orchestra will perform works by Mozart including the Marriage of Figaro and The Magic Flute. ESYO Symphony Orchestra will also rediscover Dance in the Old Style by Hollywood composer Erich Korngold, The Serenade for Strings by Irish-American composer, Victor Herbert and Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos’ homage to Mozart Sinfonietta No. 1. On Saturday, December 12, members of the ESYO Jazz Orchestra will take the stage with Milestones by jazz legend Miles Davis and a jazzy take on the holiday favorite “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”

    A full list of concerts and repertoire is available online on their website.

    The organization is excited to be able to provide incredible musical opportunities to ESYO students who are from throughout the Capital Region and beyond. This past fall, leaders at the organization developed creative and innovative ways the student musicians could come together, in person, to practice music, all while adhering to strict COVID-19 safe regulations.  They have been practicing in small groups throughout the season. 

    “The pandemic forced us to use many tools that we didn’t realize we had and forced us to think out of the box in the way we design our programs, orchestras, rehearsals and concerts. For example, the chance to break up our big orchestra into chamber orchestras allows for a lot of repertoire opportunities that we would not have before. The fact that we are challenged by the schedule having to rehearse half of the orchestra in one room and the other half in another room forced us to engage with assistant conductors and instrument coaches that tremendously increased the personalized educational attention that our musicians would not receive otherwise,” said ESYO Music Director, Carlos Ágreda. 

    ESYO

    Georgia Burtt, a violinist in Symphony Orchestra who is homeschooled in Berne, also believes ESYO has shined during this time. “I think that the music instruction is great. When we were first quarantined back in March, ESYO continued online. We had some speakers talk to us about college, performance, and what life is like working as a professional musician. I thought that those were incredible. Now, with the in-person rehearsals, we can directly work with our conductors and sectional coaches. We are also live-streaming the rehearsals so those who are quarantined are able to still learn and participate in the rehearsals. Overall, I think ESYO has done an incredible job modifying in accordance with these new restrictions while still giving us students opportunities to learn and improve.”

    ESYO has also kept its free, afterschool program called CHIME going strong, in the virtual world.  CHIME musicians are engaging in a private lesson, a group practice and a music appreciation class each week. The cuts in NY State arts education funding have presented a significant challenge, but ESYO remains committed to providing enriched musical experiences for its youth. They are so grateful to all who have made generous contributions this fall, and are hoping that the community will continue to step up to help ensure that the CHIME students are able to keep making music through the winter.  

    Virtual Concert Schedule:

    December 3 at 7:00pm: Symphony Classical

    December 4 at 7:00pm: Repertory Romantic and String Orchestra

    December 5 at 7:00pm: Repertory Strings and Youth Percussion

    December 6 at 3:00pm: ESYO Wind Orchestra & Concertino Strings

    December 10 at 7:00pm: ESYO Repertory Classical and String Orchestra 

    December 11 at 7:00pm: Symphony Strings 

    December 12 at 7:00pm: ESYO Youth Jazz

    December 13 at 3:00pm: Symphony Romantic 

    Tickets to the event can be found here.

  • Darlene Love To Live Stream “Love For the Holidays” on Dec. 5

    Darlene Love is set to live stream a holiday concert on Saturday, December 5. The Christmas icon’s holiday set starts at 8 p.m. ET, including her hit “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).”

    Tickets are available for $35, and once purchased the performance is available to access until Christmas Day. A portion of the proceeds supports the Empire State Plaza Perfoming Arts Center.

    Darlene Love Stream

    Love is a Grammy Award Winner and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, recognized as “one of the greatest singers of all-time” by Rolling Stone Magazine. Through the years, Darlene has continued to captivate audiences worldwide with her warm, gracious stage presence and sensational performances. Dozens of hits including “He’s a Rebel,” “(Today I Met) The Boy I’m Gonna Marry,” “Marshmallow World” and her signature song, “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” are featured (along with many others) in this one-night-only holiday performance. 

    From 1986 to 2014, Love performed “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” on almost every single pre-Christmas episode of David Letterman’s talk shows, Late Night and eventually The Late Show. The sole exception was in 2007, due to the writer’s strike.

    After Letterman’s 2015 retirement from late night, Love moved her annual performance to The View and has continued the tradition there. On The View she’s often sung the song as a duet: partners have included Patti Labelle, Fantasia, Bryan Adams and Jason Derulo. Other artists to cover the song are U2, Joey Ramone, Cher, and fellow Christmas royalty Michael Bublé and Mariah Carey.

    Love’s discography also extends beyond Christmas. With her 1960s girl group The Blossoms, she sang The Crystals’ “He’s a Rebel.” The group was touring and unable to make it to the studio, so producer Phil Spector had The Blossoms perform it under The Crystals’ name. Love’s other high-charting songs include “He’s Sure the Boy I Love,” also credited to The Crystals, and “Wait ‘Til My Bobby Gets Home.”  In 2013, Love appeared in 20 Feet From Stardom, an Oscar-winning documentary about the lives and careers of backup singers. Along with her co-stars and crew, Love took home the 2015 Grammy for Best Music Film.

    In 2011, Love was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She performed “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” with Bruce Springsteen, and Bette Midler, who also appeared in 20 Feet From Stardom, honored her with a speech. Love has also acted, playing the wife of Danny Glover’s character in all four Lethal Weapon films.

    For more information on Darlene Love and her live stream of “Love for the Holidays,” see The Egg’s website.

  • The State Theatre of Ithaca Wraps up their ‘Save Your Seat’ Campaign

    The State Theatre of Ithaca announced it’s ‘Save Your Seat’ campaign as a way for the community to help keep the Ithaca staple afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ‘Save Your Seat’ campaign was announced on November 10, 2020 and will continue to run until all 16,000 seats are sold which happened on January 5, 2021. 

    The State Theatre of Ithaca was built back in 1915 and has been an entertainment staple of Ithaca, NY since 1928 and has served as one of the most significant venues for performing arts in the Finger Lakes region. Their  mission is to enhance the cultural life of Ithaca and the Finger Lakes by preserving, operating and promoting the historic State Theatre as an active venue for national, international and community performances and programming according to their website. 

    How the ‘Save Your Seat’ campaign worked is that people donated $100 per seat and will get a personalized plaque affixed to a seat in their honor. This campaign will offer a visible way to commemorate their support of this vital arts venue.  

    Executive Director Doug Levine of the State Theatre explains that, “Without show revenue to help sustain this facility, we are looking at a deficit close to $160,000 for this fiscal year. The State Theatre of Ithaca seats 1,600 people. If 1,600 of our amazing supporters and patrons bought at least 1 seat for $100 each, that would help us close the gap that the pandemic has created.  Our goal is to sell out the Theatre, just like we have so many times in the past.”   

    All proceeds raised from the ‘Save Your Seat fundraising campaign and benefit concert will help sustain the not-for-profit State Theatre of Ithaca. The aide will help the theatre remain at the center of Central New York’s performing arts scene while their doors remain closed. For more information visit the the State Theater’s website here.

    Updates made on 1/7/2021: The State Theatre of Ithaca announced on 1/5/2021 that all 1,600 seats within the Theatre have been “saved,” as part of their “Save Your Seat” campaign. The campaign has helped close the budget gap the Coronavirus shutdown has created for the Ithaca staple.