Governors Ball Music Festival announced it’s 2021 dates tentatively scheduling its 2021 edition for September 24-26. The festival generally takes place in June but is optimistically hoping by September that COVID-19 will be under wraps enough for the festival to take place.
The Governors Ball is a widely known and loved festival that takes place in Randall’s Island in New York City. Usually it has an attendance of sound 150,000 people and takes across four stages and over 70 acts. There is also a food program that is part of the festivities and it features the City’s best eats and highlights its incredible culinary diversity. It also hosts visual art, beverages, art installations, statues, high flying inflatables, and pop up performances.
Organizers of the festival released a statement saying that, “We’ve decided to move the 2021 show to a time of year that is both more realistic and safer for all and while there are still question marks and unknowns in the World, rest assured that we are working closely with City and State authorities to ensure that the next Gov Ball will be a safe and amazing experience. We’ll be back to our regular June dates starting in 2022.”
There isn’t a lot of information on the 2021 version of Governors Ball but there is some on their website. The lineup will not be the same lineup as the cancelled 2020 festival lineup. They haven’t announced who is on the lineup yet but have dropped a hint saying, “The lineup will be brand new! (Note: this is not a hint).” They are also saying the festival will return to it;s normal June dates in 2022. People who I held onto their tickets from the 2020 festival, but I can no longer make the new 2021 dates. Can I get a refund by requesting a refund for their ticket purchase but they must do so by Wednesday, January 27th at 11:59:59pm EST. If the festival doesn’t end up being feasible because of COVID-19 all tickets will be available for a refund.
The hope is with vaccines rolling out and many experts predicting a return to live music events in the Fall the festival will be able to take place in September. For more information on the Governors Ball and it’s new dates visit their website.
Many bands have found it difficult to find ways to connect with fans in new and interesting ways during the COVID-19 pandemic but the alt-rock band PVRIS has found a way to do with it’s live performances of it’s albums in their entirety. They took to the virtual stage to perform AWKOHAWNOH on January 9, 2021 in its entirety for the first time including performing two songs off the album that had never been performed live before broadcasting live from Arizona.
PVRIS is an alternative rock band from Lowell, Massachusetts. The band formed back in 2012 under the name to Paris and eventually changed it to PVRIS for legal reasons. They got their big start in Warped Tour’s battle of the bands finalists in 2013 and have since grown into the the band that’s known today.
Before this virtual concert I personally have seen PVRIS perform twice in person and once virtually for their previous album White Noise. Every time they have killed it. As a big fan of listening to full albums in their entirety the bands decision to perform all of their albums in their live was extremely exciting and intriguing for me and the performances have lived up to the hype.
AWKOHAWNOH, also known as ‘All We Know Of Heaven, All We Need Of Hell’ is PVRIS second album and was originally released on August 25, 2017 and included 10 tracks. The live-stream series is being presented by Pillar which is the platform that is hosting the series. PVRIS is selling tickets either for $15 for a one time ticket or a monthly subscription for $10 a month which gives special insights and allows the viewer to re-watch the live-streams. They are also selling merchandise specialize for each album and meet and greets with the band for each show. A part of the proceeds from the AWKOHAWNOH live-stream went to The Ally Coalition to benefit mutual aid organizations in the US.
The performance featured original members Lyndsey Gunnulfsen or more commonly known as Lynn Gunn and Brain McDonald and newcomer Denny Agosto Vega. Lynn Gunn is the powerhouse behind the band and is it’s lead singer, guitarist and is also known for playing keys, bass and being the main writer behind the bands discography. Brain McDonald is the bassist and is also known for his photography as well as his guitar and keys skills. Denny Agosto Vega has been standing in as the drummer and also performed with the band during their live version of their White Noise album back in November of 2020. The noticeably missing member was EX-guitarist Alex Babinski who parted ways with the band earlier this year after Sexual Misconduct Allegations were made against him and the band made a statement saying he would no longer be associated with the band.
The show was supposed to start at 8PM EST but as people waited on the stream to start as 8PM came and went. The anticipation grew in the group chat that accompanied the stream. Music videos from PVRIS’ newest album Use Me played and then eventually everything went dark. The stage appeared with a floor full of fog and iridescent lights. Lynn Gunn on Keys, Brain McDonald on Bass, and Denny Agosto Vega on drums opened with “Heaven, the first song on AWKOHAWNOH. It opened with Lynn’s Voice and keys for the first half of the first verse and then the rest of the band came in. Although it was just streaming onto my TV it felt just as strong of an entrance at any live show I have been to and brought the same adrenaline and excitement.
Throughout the album Lynn Gunn and Brain McDonald continually switched playing bass and guitar taking turns and highlighting their musical abilities. With Alex Babinski no longer playing lead Brian McDonald filled in that position for some of the songs which was different than the last stream. On the White Noise live stream Brian McDonald stuck to bass the entire time as well as playing on the keys occasionally with Lynn Gunn playing keys and guitar. Most of the lead guitar parts were pre recorded in the last live stream though so having a fuller live sound was great during this performance.
One of my favorite moments was when they performed “No Mercy” which is a fan favorite and Lynn Gunn introduced the song saying, “We got a one-way ticket to shred-ville, this is your captain speaking.” The band were really in their element with this song and just having a good time jumping around and playing and dancing together. Denny Agosto Vega was even standing while playing drums and Lynn Shredded on the guitar like her life depended on it.
Another one I really enjoyed was when Lynn Gunn performed “Separate” stripped with just her vocals and keys. Coming after all the hyper-ness of “No Mercy” it was the perfect way to follow up a song that would be hard to follow with another upbeat song. It slows everything down and brings the focus back to Lynn Gunn’s unique and powerful lyrics.
Maybe one of the biggest high points of the show was when they performed “Walk Alone” and “Nola 1” for the first time ever. Both songs have been heavily anticipated by the PVRIS fandom known as the CVLT. Both songs lived up to the hype of being performed live for the first time. “Walk Alone” was one of my favorite’s off the album so hearing it live was a dream come true. “Nola 1” closing out the show was perfectly fitting somehow being one of the most widely anticipated songs to be performed live to wrap up a great night. After the show the band came and “sniffed” everyone watching in their goofy joking way of trying to connect to the audience and said to stay safe and that they loved them. It was a great way to spend a night during COVID-19.
The last album Use Me’s live stream performance is yet to be announced but when it is will also be available to stream on Pillar. For more information visit PVRIS website or their Pillar page.
Harlem Gospel Choir is known for their contemporary gospel sound with a touch of jazz and blues They announced their upcoming performance at Sony Hall in New York City, right around the corner from Times Square. The show will broadcast via live-stream from Sony Hall on January 18, 2021 at 3PM.
The Harlem Gospel Choir has been performing for over two decades and are known for being one of America’s premier gospel choirs. They are deeply rooted in the history of the African-American slave trade. It’s widely known that black gospel music can be traced back to the 1700’s, when African slaves were brought to America against their will. Eventually their unique African musical heritage was combined with Christianity to create the gospel sound that is widely known today. The Harlem Gospel Choir presents the modern gospel classics as performed in the black churches of Harlem today.
Sony Hall is a multi-genre live venue located in the heart of New York City. It’s known as a one-of-a-kind concert hall which is enhanced by Sony technology to provide people with an one of a kind entertainment experience. The venue was established in 2018 and is owned and operated by Blue Note Entertainment Group. It has standing room for 1,000 people or seating capacity for 500 people and a full service restaurant and bar. Sony technology 360 Reality Audio, 4K Remote Cameras, and Headphones that support the 360 Reality Audio.
This special performance is being done in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. and according to the Choir, “It will be a very special show with new material, and a few surprises.” The performance will take place live on January 18, 2021 at 3PM and will be available with the access code until January 25, 2021 at 11:59PM EST. Access to the virtual stream code is $25. People interested in purchasing a ticket can do so here.
For more information the Harlem Gospel Choir and their Sony Hall performance, visit their website.
“Beat of the Boroughs: NYC Online” received a $33K grant to extend the series through the Spring of 2021. The series is presented by the Center for Traditional Music and Dance (CTMD) and it highlights the artistry of New York City’s leading immigrant performers from around the world. The grant came from the Howard Gilman Foundation.
The 33K grant will allow CTMD to spotlight 100 New York City-based immigrant and folk artists with their series with the help of the previous funding CTMD received from the Scherman Foundation and the NYC COVID-19 Response & Impact Fund.
The Howard Gilman Foundation supports a cross-section of New York City-based performing arts organizations of varying structure, style, and budget size. The organization is committed to serving geographically and culturally diverse organizations devoted to excellence in both artistic achievement and audience experience.
The artists being featured in the “Beat of the Boroughs: NYC Online” include several National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship Award winners—represent the strength and diversity of the cultural sector in the City’s five boroughs, with traditions hailing from Bulgaria, China, Colombia, Gambia, Haiti, Iraq, Japan, Mongolia, Ukraine, and West Africa, among other areas.
Immigrant artists have suffered hardships due to COVID- 19, particularly in New York City, with many unable to support themselves due to venues shutting down, the lack of endowments, and government aid. A recent report by the Center for an Urban Future found that many immigrant-led and immigrant-serving arts organizations are facing fiscal catastrophe, reporting revenue losses amounting to 50 percent or more of their annual budgets. This grant to showcase immigrant performances could make a huge difference for these severely impacted performers.
Peter Rushefsky, Executive Director of CTMD spoke on the pandemic and its effects on CTMD saying, “New York City’s traditional and folk artists have been particularly impacted by both the pandemic and the anti-immigrant political climate in our country. Amid the pandemic, many of these artists have structural impediments including the digital divide and language barriers to access federal relief funds or private sources of funding. Now more than ever we need to support these artists, who have suffered losses because of canceled concerts, performances, exhibitions, and other events. It is imperative that we come together as a city to support and celebrate our immigrant communities.”
For more information on the Center for Traditional Music and Dance and their “Beat of the Boroughs: NYC Online” visit their website.
Flushing Town Hall announced it’s jazz inspired “Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration.” The performance will be a live virtual performance led by band leader Carol Sudhalter on January 13, 2021.
The performance will be part of their Jazz Jams series hosted by Flushing Town Hall. The series premieres monthly and features artists from across the globe. Jazz musicians come together to play their tunes reflecting each month’s theme. This month’s theme is Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration. The performance will take place on Wednesday, January 13, 2021 at 7PM EST and will feature jazz musicians from New York City and across the world will play tunes reflecting the pursuit of racial justice in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s deep appreciation of music as an “instrument of change” is one of the main inspirations for it being the muse of January’s Jazz Jams. As The International Musician once noted that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr considered jazz to be “triumphant music” and had once written that, “Jazz speaks for life. The blues tell the story of life’s difficulties, and if you think for a moment, you will realize that they take the hardest realities of life and put them into music, only to come out with some new hope or sense of triumph.”
The interesting thing about the Jazz Jams programming is that Flushing Town Hall opens it up to the public for performance slots. Musicians interested in participating on January 13, 2021 should email education@flushingtownhall.org with their suggested three- to four-minute tune they intend to play. The performance can be live or a pre-recorded audio or video (but not a professional, edited recording such as a CD or YouTube video). Musicians who previously performed are now welcome to return. Each month, up to five returning musicians and up to 15 new musicians can participate. Selection is on a first-come, first-served basis.
The performance will be free to the public and available to watch live on Flushing Town Hall’s Facebook or Zoom.
