Author: Nora Hones

  • Caffe Lena Announces December 2021 Events

    Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs has announced their December 2021 lineup of shows. The venue will close out the year in style with tons of performances throughout the month starting on December 2, 2021. 

    Caffe Lena December 2021
    caffe_lena_explore_saratoga_

    Caffe Lena was opened in 1960 and became a staple of Saratoga Springs launching many of America’s best loved and well known songwriters, ranging from big names like Bob Dylan in 1961 to Sawyer Fredericks in 2014. After the passing of its founder Lena Nargi Spencer in 1989, Caffè Lena was converted to a non-profit institution supported by concert revenue, private and corporate donors, grants and bequests, and an ever-evolving team of volunteers. The venue recently went through renovations in 2016. It began a $2 million renovation of their 19th century building in Saratoga’s historic downtown. It wrapped up in 2017, guarantees a home for Lena’s celebrated programming for decades to come, creates 100% handicap-accessibility to our second floor performance space, and brings the listener and artist experience in line with the club’s international reputation.

    The schedule will start with Scott Sharrard on Thursday, December 2nd at 7pm and Friday, December 3rd at 8pm. He is a lead guitarist and music director of the Gregg Allman Band from 2008 to 2017 and Guitarist/ Vocalist for Little Feat since 2019. 

    Caffe Lena December 2021
    Scott Sharrard photo provided by Caffe Lena.

    Planet Light will take place on Saturday, December 4th at  8pm featuring Jonathan Greene (woodwinds), Bobby Kendall (bass), Brian Melick (drums), Zorkie Nelson (drums), Mitsuko Suzuki (violin), Elizabeth Woodbury Kasius (piano), Garland Nelson (vocals) and Kelly Bird (vocals) for an evening of seasonal arrangements and original material. 

    Dirty Grass Players with Kendall Street Company will take place on  Friday, December 10th at 8pm. These two bands redefine what it means to play bluegrass as they combine elements of psycadelic jam music with jazz, rock and more. 

    Street Corner Symphony on Saturday, December 11th at 8pm. Runners up in NBC’s all-vocal competition, The Sing-Off, this contemporary acapella group can bounce between all genres of music.

    Caffe Lena December 2021
    Street Corner Symphony photo provided by Caffe Lena.

    Kimberly Hawkey’s: A New Noel will take place on Sunday, December 12th at 7pm.This concert will be a celebration of Hawkey’s newest record, A New Noel, an original holiday album that was created in collaboration with songwriters Justin K. Rivers and Lecco Morris. 

    Kohler and Kelly will take place on Thursday, December 16th at 7pm.Fiddler Gretchen Koehler and jazz pianist Daniel Kelly blend traditional dance fiddling with jazz. 

    Sirsy will take place on Friday, December 17th at 8pm. They are an indie pop-rock duo bring a special stripped-down acoustic storyteller set to the Lena stage.

    Caffe Lena’s Annual Holiday Folk Show will take place on Saturday, December 18th at 4pm & 8pm. The show will feature Trish Miller, John Kirk, Sara Milonovich, David Kiputh and Addie and Olin return to the stage for two shows to celebrate the holiday season.

    The Fretless will take place on Sunday, December 19th at 7pm. A Juno Award winning Canadian quartet that transforms fiddle tunes and folk melodies into intricate, high-energy arrangements.

    A Very Leonard Christmas with Let’s Be Leonard will take place on Thursday, December 23rd at 7pm featuring a jazzy five-piece rock and roll jam band presenting their annual holiday show.

    Let’s Be Leonard photo provided by Caffe Lena.

    Amy Helm will take place on Wednesday, December 29th and Thursday, December 30th at 7pm.Amy Helm is the daughter of Levon Helm and former member of Olabelle, Amy Helm is blessed with a powerful voice and an uncanny songwriting skill rooted in American tradition

    Both In-Person and Live Stream tickets will be available. To purchase tickets and collect more information visit Caffe Lena’s website.

  • The 64th Grammy Awards Announces 2022 Nominees; Lady Gaga, Joe Bonamassa, Alicia Keys and Steve Gadd among Nominated New Yorkers

    The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences announced on November 23rd the 2022 nominees for the 64th Grammy Awards, including a great deal of artists from across New York State. From jazz, to pop, to blues, to rap, to classical artists and engineering, artists from the Empire State racked up nominations nominees this year.

    Grammy nominees
    GRAPHIC BY THE RECORDING ACADEMY

    Some of the biggest recipients of nominations across the Grammy Awards were Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga who topped across six different categories for their work together on their album Love for Sale and single I Get a Kick Out of You. Tony Bennett hails from Long Island City while Lady Gaga is from New York City. The two together are representing New York in the nominations for Record of the year, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, Album of the Year, Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album, Best Music Video, and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.

    Some other artists who snagged multiple nominations including Alicia Keys, from Hell’s Kitchen, for Song of the Year for her song “A Beautiful Noise” she made with Brandi Carlile and for Best Immersive Audio Album for her album Alicia. Another artist who snagged multiple nominations is Nas, from Crown Heights, was nominated for Best Rap Album for his album King’s Disease II and for his work on the song Bath Salts by DMX which features Jay-Z & Nas which was nominated for Best Rap Song. The whole song represents some New York skill with DMX from Mount Vernon and Jay-Z from Brooklyn.

    There were many artists from New York who received a nomination for their work across all the categories. Listed below are the nominated categories, artists and their work,  and where in New York each artist is from. 

    Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

    Norah Jones – ’Til We Meet Again (Live) – Manhattan

    Best Contemporary Instrumental Album

    Steve Gadd Band – At Blue Note Tokyo – Irondequoit

    Best Progressive R&B Album

    Cory Henry – Something to Say – Brooklyn

    Best Rap Performance

    Cardi B – Up – Washington Heights

    Best Jazz Vocal Album

    The Baylor Project – Generations – New York City 

    Best Latin Jazz Album

    Carlos Henriquez – The South Bronx Story – The Bronx

    Best Traditional Blues Album

    Guy Davis – Be Ready When I Call You – New York City

    Best Contemporary Blues Album

    Joe Bonamassa – Royal Tea – New Hartford

    Shemekia Copeland – Uncivil War – Harlem

    Best Reggae Album

    Gramps Morgan – Positive Vibration – Brooklyn

    Best Bluegrass Album

    The Infamous Stringdusters – A Tribute to Bill Monroe (Guitarist Andy Falco) – Long Island

    Best Song Written for Visual Media

    Leslie Odom, Jr. – Speak Now – Queens

    Best Instrumental Composition

    Brandee Younger – Beautiful Is Black – Hempstead

    Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella

    Bill O’Connell – Chopsticks – New York City

    Producer of the Year, Classical

    Steven Epstein  – Queens Village

    Elaine Martone  – Rochester

    Best Classical Instrumental Solo

    Simone Dinnerstein – An American Mosaic  – Brooklyn

    Best Classical Compendium

    Amy Andersson – Women Warriors – The Voices of Change – Founder of Orchestra Moderne NYC

    Another honorable mention goes out to Jon Batiste with his many of his works including his 2021 album We Are. Batiste is actually from Metairie, Louisiana but has had a huge impact on New York. He is known widely for his work with Stay Human on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert which films in Manhattan. Batiste was nominated in eleven categories, including Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Best Traditional R&B Performance, Best R&B Album, Best Improvised Jazz Solo, Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Best American Roots Performance, Best American Roots Song, Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media, Best Contemporary Classical Composition, and Best Music Video.

    The 64th Annual Grammy Awards will take place on Monday, January 31, 2022. For more information on the 64th Grammy Awards 2022 nominees visit their website.

  • Albany’s Times Union Center will Be Renamed MVP Arena

    Albany’s Times Union Center will be renamed MVP Arena after Albany County Legislature approved the name change on November 23, 2021.

    MVP Arena
    Photo of Times Union Center by Zach Culver

    The Albany County Legislature approved the change of Albany’s Times Union Center to MVP Arena unanimously. The name change comes as part of the five year deal with MVP Healthcare which was approved by the Public Works Committee. MVP Healthcare will be paying $2 million a year for the naming rights of the entertainment venue.

    The majority of the money will be going to an innovation fund which works to support community projects within Albany. The other $600,000 is a cash payment just for the arena naming rights. This new name won’t happen right away with the new deal not being set to begin on January 1, 2022.

    MVP Arena
    MVP Healthcare logo

    Albany County Executive Dan McCoy spoke on the decision to choose MVP Healthcare and the name the arena saying, “When we announced the arena naming rights RFP, I said I wanted more than just a company’s name and logo on our facility. I wanted a partner that was committed to the success of the arena and the surrounding community. I’m thrilled to say that we have found that partner in MVP, which has a long history of successful collaborations of this kind.” 

    MVP Arena
    Photo of Times Union Center by Zach Culver

    ​MVP will be pushing some initiatives forward with the venue. Some of the proposed initiatives include a neighborhood farmer’s market in the atrium of the new MVP Arena, MVP Arena shuttle for seniors, individuals with disabilities and others attending games and events, and a year-round youth sports and coaching clinics. These initiatives will highlight MVP Arena as being a destination to visit in Albany and surrounding regions. 

    The arena originally opened back in 1990, It is owned by Albany County and managed by ASM Global. The facility has hosted a variety of events, including concerts, family shows and sporting events and averages around 145 events each year including concerts and sports events according to this WTEN news article.

    For more information on MVP Arena renaming process check out the WTEN article on it titled, “Committee approves MVP Arena naming rights.”

  • Irish Arts Center Announces Opening of New Building with Camille O’Sullivan’s “Where Are We Now?”

    Irish Arts Center has announced the opening of their new building with Camille O’Sullivan’s “Where Are We Now?” on December 4, 2021.

    Photo by Mac Smith

    Irish Arts Center (IAC), which was founded in 1972, is based in New York City and is known for presenting dynamic, inspiring, collaborative experiences of the evolving arts and culture of Ireland and Irish America in an environment of warm Irish hospitality. The new center will be opening its doors to its long-heralded new home, a 21,700 square foot hub for the arts at 726 11th Avenue, with a monumental inaugural season of programming. The season of programming will run from December 4, 2021 to December of 2022. 

    Irish Arts Center Executive Director Aidan Connolly spoke on the new building saying, “The new Irish Arts Center is a dream realized and a tribute to the broad coalition of people in New York and Ireland who have brought it to life, at a time when we so eagerly need a place to come together with inspiration and hope. But it’s only the beginning. Our opening season is a statement of promise and possibility. We invite artists and audiences of all backgrounds to see themselves in this welcoming new home.” 

    Photo by Mac Smith

    The new building was designed by New York-based architects Davis Brody Bond who is known for his work on the National September 11 Museum and The Ronald O. Perelman Performing Arts Center. Davis Brody Bond designed the building with consultation and support from Ireland’s Office of Public Works, the new Irish Arts Center is an historic collaboration between the people of Ireland and New York, signifying a new era in the cultural life of the global Irish diaspora, and providing an important new canvas for the development and presentation of the performing arts in New York City. 

    Irish Arts Center has operated for decades within New York’s Off-Off Broadway theatre landscape from the humble three-story tenement at 553 West 51st Street in Hell’s Kitchen originally. As part of the evolution of the neighborhood, in 2006 the organization was given an opportunity to potentially acquire the site of Cybert Tire, on a city-owned property on 11th Avenue, adjacent to Irish Arts Center’s current home. From this, the Irish Arts Center undertook an ambitious transformation into a vital, inclusive multidisciplinary institution deeply integrated into the cultural ecosystems of Ireland and New York.

    Back in 2020, when construction was in the works COVID-19 struck and construction of the long-awaited landmark’s new facility was forced to pause with the rest of the world. Luckily with the support of its board, staff, and project team, government partners, and community of stakeholders, Irish Arts Center rose to the tumultuous moment of the pandemic, and its ensuing shutdown of construction and the arts in New York, with grace and grit. The Center’s staff, teachers, and artists quickly adapted its approximately 40 classes-per-season and multidisciplinary program to an online format like many other institutions.

    Online classes and programs provided modes of engagement and joy from home, and commissioned a groundbreaking series of new works—Grásta: Grace in Uncertainty—to be experienced virtually, reaching more than 400,000 people in 49 states and 123 countries. The building was able to resume construction in July of  2020 and the building was completed within its $60MM budget, ensuring the successful opening of a magnificent new cultural amenity for New Yorkers, as the cultural soul of Ireland and New York is restored and enlivened with the receding of the pandemic.

    Irish Arts Center

    The premiere event for the inaugural season is Camille O’Sullivan’s “Where Are We Now?” Which will be running December 4, 2021-December 31, 2021. The building will be officially opening on December 8. Camille O’Sullivan captures the madness of our world, and the redemption in our coming together again, with an unforgettable musical and emotional journey to mark this extraordinary moment.

    Backed by a world-class ensemble of musicians, including longtime collaborator Feargal Murray on piano, Camille’s rhapsodic interpretations of an eclectic assembly of songs from iconic New York and Irish songwriters asks—as we turn the page on a new chapter—Where Are We Now?

    For more information on the Irish Arts Center and it’s upcoming season visit its website here.

  • The Ritualists Announce Album Release Party for Baroque & Bleeding in NYC

    The Ritualists announced their album release party for their sophomore album Baroque & Bleeding taking place in NYC. The release party will take place on December 3, 2021 at 6:30PM at the Berlin venue in NYC.

    The Ritualist are a NYC based band that had their debut album drop back in 2019 titled, Painted People. The band is lead by Lead vocalist/songwriter Christian Dryden who is massively influenced by the scene of the Lower East Side of Manhattan in the 80’s. The band has an alt-rock and post-punk sound that plays off of 19th Century Romance poetry and musical arrangements.

    https://youtu.be/MJ5kH4BJy0E

    The band’s sophomore album Baroque & Bleeding dropped it’s title track “Baroque & Bleeding” on July 10, 2021 and it takes the best elements of Acid Rock, Brit-Pop and Electronica and serves it with a dash of ‘90s cynicism. The album was produced by Ed Buller who is known for his work on Pulp, White Lies, Suede

    The album release show took place on Friday, December 3, 2021at Berlin located at 25 Avenue A, New York, NY 10009. The show is a 21+ event and is being promoted as, “A night of rock-n-roll in the heart of the East Village.” The show is being supported by NY based Deep Sea Peach Tree and Chicago Based North by North. Ticket can be purchased for $11 here.

    For more information on The Ritualists and their upcoming album Baroque & Bleeding visit their website.

  • SAMMYS Announces 2022 SAMMYS Hall of Fame Dinner and Award Show Dates

    SAMMYS announced the 2022 SAMMYS Hall of Fame Dinner on March 3, 2022 and award show on March 4, 2022. 

    Syracuse Area Music Awards or more commonly known as the SAMMYS is an awards show that celebrates the work created by people in the music industry from the Syracuse Area. 

    The SAMMYS Hall of Fame Dinner will be held on Thursday, March 3, 2022, upstairs at the Dinosaur. The 2022 Award Show will take place on Friday, March 4, 2022. The awards show will be returning to the Palace Theatre on James Street. Tickets will be available for either theatre seats or Live Stream from The Palace Theatre. The Show will include musical performances by area artists/bands. Awards will be presented in 12 recording categories, in addition to the People’s Choice awards in four categories, Brian Bourke Award for Best New Artist, Jack O Bocchino Spirit of the Sammys Award, and our Community Spirit Award. 

    On Thursday, SAMMYS 2022 Hall of Fame will induct Robert “Bobby T” Tousignant, Russ Tarby, Los Blancos, Music Educator: J. Avery Headd, and Lifetime Achievement: Tom Kenny of Sponge Bob Square Pants.

    Friday night the SAMMYS 2022 Awards Show at the Crouse Hinds Theater will announce numerous categories, including winning local musicians, bands, and artists who submitted their 2021 recordings, and winners of the People’s Choice categories. This year the general public cast over 168,000 online votes. The Founder’s Award will go to The Blacklites Performances, Jon Rogalia & The Swamp Boys, Letizia, The Real Raw Breed, and Tom Kenny & The Hi-Seas.

    Once again the SAMMYS are looking for the public to submit their Work. This year, all artist recorded submissions will be online only. Recorded submissions will begin December 1, 2021. Each artist must select one category they wish to be judged in. Only commercially released albums or EPs, released between January 1 – December 31, 2021 by artists in the Central NY area are eligible. All entries must be available on Apple Music, Spotify or Tidal. No physical recordings will be accepted. Categories subject to change at the discretion of the judges. Entry form will be available here and must be submitted by January 6, 2022.

    Supporting Sponsors of the 2022 SAMMYS include: The Rebel Rocks, Bridge Street, SubCat Music Studios, CNY Alive!, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, KMASE Productions, Joshua Johnson Design, Skinner & Associates Realty, American Vintage Productions, NYS Music, News Channel 9, 95X, 93Q, and 92.1 The WOLF.

    For more information on the SAMMYS 2022 Award Show visit the SAMMYS website.

  • Marco Benevento, TAUK, Karina Rykman, Aqueous and More Featured at North Beach Music Festival

    North Beach Music Festival announced dates and lineup including Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Spafford, and The Motet. The festivities will take place on December 10-11, 2021 in Miami, Florida. 

    North Beach Music Festival

    The festival is being presented by GMP Live which is a concert promoter, festival producer, and talent curator based in Miami. North Beach Music Festival will take place at Miami Beach’s historic open-air art deco amphitheater, the North Beach Bandshell. The North Beach Bandshell is an open-air amphitheater in the heart of Miami Beach’s North Beach neighborhood. It has been managed by the Rhythm Foundation – a Miami Beach-based nonprofit cultural organization – for the City of Miami Beach since 2015 and was built back in1961. The festival will feature some improvisational rock bands, jam bands and funk bands will descend upon the Bandshell, and the adjacent Bandshell Park, for performances over two stages. 

    The festival has three well known New York based artists coming to perform. Marco Benevento, Aqueous, TAUK, and Karina Rykman will all be performing sets at North Beach Music Festival. 

    The lineup for Friday, December 10, 2021 features a headlining performance from Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, as well as performances from The Motet, TAUK, Karina Rykman, The Heavy Pets, Electric Kif and Tand.

    he lineup for Saturday, December 11, 2021 promises two headlining sets from Spafford—one entirely improvised and another titled “Spafford & Friends”—in addition to performances from Marco Benevento, Aqueous, Ghost-Note, Eric Krasno & The Assembly, Brandon “Taz” Niederaure, the special Brendan Bayliss & Jennifer Hartswick collaboration, as well as Holly Bowling and JUke

    Tickets are on sale now with single day GA tickets for $80 for Friday and $90 for Saturday. VIP tickets are $130 for Friday and $140 for Saturday. More information on ticketing and travel packages can be found here.

    For information on North Beach Music Festival visit their website here.

  • GEMS Announces Open Gates Project With Three Concerts Featuring Women of Color

    Gotham Early Music Scene also known as GEMS announced their Open Gates Project launching with three concerts featuring women of color. The concerts will take place November 12-14, 2021 across three boroughs of New York City. 

    Open Gates Project inaugural concert series is The Divine Feminine: Centering Women of Color in Early Music. This concert series is focusing on the 17th–century works celebrating the animating feminine spirit featuring an ensemble composed of women of color.

    The 17th–century female composers it will be focusing on are Chiara Margarita Cozzolani, Barbara Strozzi, and Francesca Caccini. The concerts will be performed by outstanding rising and established American and international artists, with careers encompassing early, chamber, and Classical music, opera, jazz, and musical theater. The program is bookended with works devoted to the Virgin Mary. It opens with Madre, de los primores by New World visionary Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz who is considered the first great Latin American poet and recognized for her influential perspectives on women and scholarship. Pergolesi’s glorious and sublime Stabat Mater closes the program.

    The Open Gates Project and GEMS as a bigger entity is committed to helping make significant efforts to make early music performance opportunities more equitable for artists of color and more accessible to historically excluded communities of color. Over the coming year, the Project will offer a rich variety of music performed by distinguished artists for diverse audiences throughout New York City.

    The three performances will take place starting on Friday, November 12, 2021 at 7 PM at the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Manhattan. Then on Saturday, November 13, 2021 at 7 PM at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center in Queens. And will wrap up on Sunday, November 14, 2021 at 4 PM at the Pregones Theater in the Bronx. All audience members must have proof of vaccination and wear a mask. Check the GEMS website closer to the opening dates for full COVID-19 protocols and any updates.

    The lineup includes Nicole Besa singing soprano, Aine Hakamatsuka singing soprano, Heather Hill singing soprano, Amaranta Viera singing soprano, Tanisha Anderson singing mezzo-soprano, Guadalupe Peraza singing mezzo-soprano, AnnMarie Sandy singing mezzo-soprano, Hai-Ting Chinn singing alto, Jessica Park on violin, Maria Romero Ramos on violin, Amelia Sie on violin, Patricia Ann Neely on viola da gamba, and Duangkamon “Wan” Wattanasak on harpsichord.

    The program includes performances of: Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz: Madre, de los primores, Chiara Margarita Cozzolani: O dulcis Jesu, Barbara Strozzi: I baci, Francesca Caccini: O vive rose, Alessandro Stradella: Sinfonia No. 22 in D minor, and Giovanni Battista Pergolesi: Stabat Mater.

    Tickets are available for $15–$30 ($5 for students, ID required at venue) are all General Admission seating and are available online by calling 212-866-0468, or at the door depending on availability.. 

    For more information on the GEMS Open Gates Project and its upcoming events visit their website

  • Bard College Alumnus Chevy Chase Plots Christmas Vacation Screenings in Utica, Albany, Binghamton

    Bard College alumnus Chevy Chase will appear at a series of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation screenings in Utica, Albany and Binghamton in December. The events will include Chevy Chase performing live on stage plus an audience Q&A following the screenings.

    Chevy Chase is an original member of NBC’s Saturday Night Live and over the years became a household name for his blockbuster movies like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, National Lampoon’s Vacation, Caddyshack, Fletch, Three Amigos, and many more. 

    The screenings are taking place in different cities across the United States with three stops in New York currently. More screenings in New York could be announced in time though. The tour announces dates as they go, being precautious of COVID-19 spikes across the country.

    The three stops in New York start in Utica on December 13, 2021 at the Stanley Performing Arts Center at 7:30PM. The second stop in New York will be on December 15, 2021 at the Palace Theatre in Albany at 7:30PM. And the last stop in New York currently will be on December 19, 2021 at the Visions Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton at 7:30PM. 

    Tickets to all three  Chevy Chase National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation screenings in New York and to the other stops on the tour can be purchased here.

    For more information on Chevy Chase and his upcoming tour visit his website.

  • moe. Travels to Iceland in 2022 for “Midnight Sun” with Dopapod and Aqueous

    moe.’s Midnight Sun 2022 event will take place in Iceland. The event was announced across moe’s social media and  will take place August 5-7, 2022 in Reykjavik, Iceland supported by Dopapod and Aqueous.

    Moe Midnight Sun

    Midnight Sun will consist of moe. playing six sets over three nights at Reykjavik’s Eldborg Hall in the Harpa Center. Dopapod and Aqueous will be there as supporting acts. with additional late night performances set to take place at venues near Harpa, with more details and specifics will be announced in the near future. Part of the draw of Iceland for the moe.’s Midnight Sun festivities is the fact it will be taking place in summer which will provide daylight that stretches long into the evening.

    moe. recently celebrated 30 years together as a band, having formed in 1989 at University of Buffalo. A true New York band, guitarists Al Schnier and Chuck Garvey hail from Oneida County, while drummer Vinnie Amico calls Saratoga County home.

    Dopapod formed at Berklee College Of Music back in 2007, with Eli Winderman, Rob Compa, Chuck Jones, and Neal “Fro” Evans filling out the original and current lineups. Aqueous is an indie-jam rock group that formed in Buffalo back in 2007, composed of Mike Gantzer, David Loss and Evan McPhaden and Rob Houk.

    VIP tickets will go on sale on November 8, 2021 at 12 PM EST and the general on-sale goes on sale on November 11, 2021 at 10 AM EST. The VIP packages will include prime seating, access to an acoustic brunch set and more to be announced. Tickets can be purchased here once they are available.

    For more information on Moe’s Midnight Sun 2022 visit their website.