NYS Music 202​1

Author: Pete Mason

  • The Capitol Sessions: Songs from a Rock Palace That Impacted the World, Announced for December 17 in Port Chester

    From the producers of the annual Love Rocks NYC benefit concert comes The Capitol Sessions: Songs from a Rock Palace That Impacted the World. Featuring Jackson Browne and Jorma Kaukonen leading an all-star jam benefiting HeadCount, the star-studded event will take place on Friday, December 17 at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester.

    Also featured in the show will be Marco Benevento, James Casey, Lisa Fischer, Amy Helm, Connor Kennedy, Eric Krasno, Tony Leone, Grahame Lesh, Adam Minkoff, Karina Rykman, and TheWar and Treaty.

    The Capitol Sessions

    Curating the evening is legendary producer, arranger, songwriter, singer, and multi-instrumentalist Larry Campbell, alongside his musical partner and wife Teresa Williams. Universally respected by his peers and fans as a master of music, the three-time Grammy-winning producer/musical director for Levon Helm was a member of Bob Dylan’s Never Ending Tour band, as well as a session and touring musician for artists including Keith Richards, Jackson Browne, Phil Lesh and Bob Weir, Cyndi Lauper, Paul Simon and Emmylou Harris, and a recipient of the Americana Music Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award as Instrumentalist.

    The Capitol Sessions celebrates the groundbreaking songs played at The Capitol Theatre by rock royalty like Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead, Bonnie Raitt, Jefferson Airplane, The Chambers Brothers, Mountain, Joe Cocker, the Rolling Stones, Traffic, and Eric Clapton.

    The Capitol Theatre is one of rock ‘n’ roll’s last remaining rock palaces. A place where many of rock’s most beloved legends performed — the Rolling Stones, the Grateful Dead, David Bowie, Janis Joplin, to name a few. We can’t wait to celebrate the iconic songs that have been played over the years at The Cap. It will be very cool for The Capitol Sessions to happen on the same stage where these songs were originally performed. It’s going to be an epic night!

    Peter Shapiro, DayGlo President and HeadCount board member

    The show benefits HeadCount, a non-partisan voter registration advocacy organization that stages voter registration drives at more than 1,000 live events each year and collaborates with cultural leaders to promote civic engagement on a national scale. Since 2004, HeadCount has signed up over 1,000,000 voters through its work with Ariana Grande, Dead & Company and Beyoncé, as well as events like Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Pride Festivals, and RuPaul’s DragCon.

    The Capitol Sessions is the latest in a lineup of standout events by RWE, the company founded by Greg Williamson and Nicole Rechter to bring people together around music, culture, and philanthropy. RWE has realized its vision through charity concerts such as Love Rocks NYC, the Play On CBS primetime TV special, and the annual Tipping Point concert for Tulane University and the city of New Orleans.  

    In addition to honoring some of the most influential artists who played the Capitol during its heyday, we’re proud to highlight the importance of voting rights and democracy. We’d like to extend our thanks to Peter Shapiro, Larry Campbell, and all of the talented artists who agreed to be a part of this benefit concert.

    RWE founder Greg Williamson

    Tickets go on sale Friday, November 19 at 12 p.m. EST at thecapitoltheatre.com. Fans are encouraged to make a donation to benefit voter registration and HeadCount. Tune in on Fans.Live on December 17.

  • The Allman Betts Band announce ‘Trippin Into Spring 2022’ tour, with Stops in Buffalo, Utica and Albany

    The Allman Betts Band has announced their ‘Trippin’ into Spring 2022′ tour dates. The run will begin on March 1 in Milwaukee, WI, and will make stops across the country and Hawaii.

    Allman Betts Spring Tour

    Ahead of the Spring tour, the Allman Betts Band will be on the road as part of The Allman Family Revival tour – a 19 date, star-studded celebration of the life, spirit, and music of Gregg Allman.

    When The Allman Betts Band released Down to the River in June of 2019, the debut album represented not only the first time the group had recorded together, but, in fact, the first time the seven-piece ensemble had ever played together. If Down to the River was the sound of the band’s combustible sparks igniting, then Bless Your Heart is their bonfire, built for the summer of 2020 and beyond; a double-album follow-up fueled by road-forged camaraderie and telepathic musical intensity, vibrantly reflecting the individual and collective experiences of these seven, all drawing inspiration from the band’s symbolic hometown- a place Devon Allman calls “the United States of Americana.” 

    Allman Betts Spring Tour

    All up to date news and tour information can be found at allmanbettsband.com.

    The Allman Betts Band ‘Trippin’ Into Spring’ 2022 Tour Dates

    3/1 @ Turner Hall Ballroom | Milwaukee, WI
    3/2 @ Kalamazoo State Theatre | Kalamazoo, MI
    3/3 @ Kent State University | Kent, OH
    3/4 @ Riverfront Live | Cincinnati, OH
    3/5 @ Robins Theatre | Warren, OH
    3/6 @ EXPRESS LIVE! | Columbus, OH
    3/9 @ Town Ballroom | Buffalo, NY
    3/10 @ The Stanley Theatre | Utica, NY
    3/12 @ Garde Arts Center | New London, CT
    3/16 @ Lebanon Opera House | Lebanon, NH
    3/18 @ Loos Center for the Arts | Woodstock, CT
    3/24 @ Hart Theatre at The Egg | Albany, NY
    3/27 @ Whitaker Center | Harrisburg, PA
    4/1 @ Hawaii Theatre | Honolulu, HI
    4/2 @ Maui Arts & Cultural Center | Kahului, HI

  • Sam Rappaport Drops Second Single, “Journeyman’s Ballet”

    Brooklyn-based songwriter Sam Rappaport has released his second single, “Journeyman’s Ballet,” A founding member of Brooklyn indie R&B/blues rock band Gooseberry, the solo effort was led by his debut single “Till the Morning Comes”.

    The song follows a traveler’s decent into isolation and contemplates that which provides him company. Silky, melancholic vocals in the vein of John Mayer hang delicately above a buoyant groove. Sam worked with Toledo‘s Daniel Alvarez and Jordan Dunn-Pilz to produce the track, showcasing the duo’s talent for warm, layered arrangements. 

    Sam spent most of his life believing that he was headed for the NBA. When that didn’t work out, he’s been searching for purpose ever since, traveling the country, taking jobs as a case manager at a welfare office, a reporter for local newspapers, a bartender at a Sichuan restaurant, among others. However, he’s never strayed too far from a piano and a healthy stack of yellow legal pads. 

    As noted by Eclectic Music Lover, “the song has a pleasing jazzy soft-rock vibe reminiscent of late 70s/early 80s Steely Dan. Rappaport’s keys are well complemented by Daniel and Jordan’s lilting guitar notes and gentle percussion that enhance, rather than overpower, allowing his lovely piano to really shine.”

    Give a listen to Sam Rappaport and his underrated vocals that fit the melody of “Journeyman’s Ballet” superbly.

  • Watch Taylor Swift Perform 10-minute “All Too Well” on SNL

    For the sixth episode of Season 47 of Saturday Night Live, actor Jonathan Majors was joined by four-time musical guest Taylor Swift, fresh off the release of Red (Taylor’s Version) on Friday.

    taylor swift all too well

    Swift made her first appearance of the night in a digital short from Please Don’t Destroy, a New York-based comedy trio featuring Ben Marshall, John Higgins, and Martin Herlihy, the latter the son of former SNL writer and Adam Sandler collaborator Tim Herlihy. What seemed to be a music video on a day in the lift of Pete Davidson suddenly turned into “Three Sad Virgins,” with Davidson mocking Marshall, Higgins and Herlihy, joined by Swift partway through.

    Swift would only perform one song this evening, the first time in seven years – Prince performed a single tune in 2014 – with the ‘new’ “All Too Well,” an extended update of the same song from Taylor Swift’s Red, released in 2012. The new take on the album was rerecorded to circumvent a dispute with her former label, and received immediate praise in scope and execution.

    “All Too Well” featured Swift performing in front of a screen that shows clips from the short film of the same name, which was also released on Friday. Starring Sadie Sink (Stranger Things) and Dylan O’Brien (Teen Wolf) as “Her” and “Him,” the couple moves from romance to break up, due to uncaring behavior from “Him.” “Love is so short, forgetting is so long,” a quote from Pablo Neruda, references Swift’s brief three-month relationship with actor Jake Gyllenhaal.

    Clad all in black with a red guitar, Swift performed, “All Too Well” and live scoring the film clips behind her. A rose petal filled stage, with alternating blue and red lighting, lasting an impressive 10 minutes. Swift put her guitar down towards the end, singing passionately for a build up that drifted into falling snow as the performance came to a close.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2uxc01fUXU&list=PLS_gQd8UB-hIsVnV1d2tS26Q1vDUp4FWh&index=15

    Jonathan Majors was underutlized this evening, but shone particularly well on “Broadway Benefit,” a Broadway musical spoof where he flexed his singing chops alongside Bowen Yang and Cecily Strong.

    Swift and Majors would joyfully bump chests (while wearing masks) during the show closing goodbyes. Next week Shang Chi star Simu Liu with musical guest Saweetie for the Thanksgiving episode of Saturday Night Live.

  • The Jauntee Head East for shows in Albany and Buffalo

    The Jauntee have announced a Fall Tour that brings the Colorado band back to the East Coast for the first time since 2019. They’ll make a stop in Albany on Thursday, November 18 and close the tour out in Buffalo on Sunday, November 21.

    The band was poised to take the live scene by storm in 2020, with numerous support runs at some of the country’s most renowned venues along with a number of summer festival appearances. Then, complications arose from the virus which led the band to hunker down and provide their fans with a long series of full set live-streams with zero repeats they coined at “JaunTV.” Picking up where they left off, this tour will likely see many new fans introduced to the magic of their new-age improvisation.

    the jauntee

    This summer, the band was able to venture to Texas and the Midwest for appearances around Summer Camp Music Festival. This Fall tour will find The Jauntee heading back to the Southeast with shows at Smith’s Olde Bar in Atlanta and Charleston Pour House. They’ll venture into the DC and New Jersey region before heading up to their home turf in the Northeast, playing Albany, Boston, Burlington and Buffalo. The band heads back to Colorado where they will play the anniversary party for Beyond The Mountain Brewing in Boulder in December. 

    The Jauntee was recently added to the Nugs.net catalog, featuring 1000s of live performance recordings from dozens of bands. All shows from this Fall Tour will be posted on Nugs shortly after each show here.

    Stay up to date with announcements and more at www.thejauntee.com.

    The Jauntee Fall 2021 Tour Dates

    11/5 – Smith’s Olde Bar – Atlanta, GA
    11/6 – Charleston Pour House – Charleston, SC
    11/10 – Pearl Street Warehouse – Washington, DC
    11/11 – Elevation 27 – Virginia Beach, VA
    11/12 – The Saint – Asbury Park, NJ
    11/13 – Reading Distilling Guild – Reading, PA
    11/18 – Parish Public House – Albany, NY
    11/19 – Orlando’s – Burlington, VT
    11/20 – Soundcheck Studios – Boston, MA
    11/21 – Buffalo Iron Works – Buffalo, NY
    12/11 – Beyond The Mountain Brewing – Boulder, CO

  • Michele Rosewoman Brings “A Function at the Junction: Ancestral Bridge, Musical Strings” to Flamboyan Theater on November 11

    On Thursday, November 11, pianist, composer and ensemble leader Michele Rosewoman will present “A Function at the Junction: Ancestral Bridge, Musical Streams” / “Una Función en el Cruce: Puente Ancestral, Corrientes Musicales,” a collaborative, multimedia event that will bring together Rosewoman’s New Yor-Uba ensemble, Francisco Mora Catlett’s Afro Horn and Román Díaz’s Rumba Ensemble in live performance with video documentation, a subsequent HotHouseGlobal broadcast and Habana/Harlem panels.  

    Michele Rosewoman

    The program will take place at the Clemente Soto Velez Center, Flamboyan Theater in New York City at 107 Suffolk St, as part of Arts for Art’s three-day festival, Jazz Libre. Tickets are available here, with a cost of $15/set, $25/night in-erson, and $5 for a livestream. View the full schedule here.

    On December 18, the event will be broadcast on Cuban national television (and beyond) as part of a 2-night event  (Dec 18/19) through the HotHouseGlobal streaming platforms on Twitch, YouTube, HotHouse’s website, and Facebook Live. A recipient of the prestigious Southarts Jazz Road Creative Residency grant, Rosewoman has created a night that gives broader space and voice to the inspirations and traditions that have shaped and nurtured her. 

    With New Yor-Uba, we pay homage to the journey of centuries-old Yoruba traditions from Nigeria through Cuba to present-day New York, reflecting its contemporary manifestations. 

    Michele Rosewoman

    The ensemble’s distinctive repertoire features Ms. Rosewoman’s original compositions and visionary arrangements that incorporate a large spectrum of Cuban spiritually-based musical traditions including, Yoruba (Nigeria), Arará (Dahomey), Abakuá (Calabar) and rumba/guaguanco, a uniquely Cuban musical form.    

    Rosewoman’s vision is that of a unique community of musicians in NYC with deep ties to both spiritually-based Cuban folkloric traditions and contemporary jazz, Rosewoman, Román Díaz and Francisco Mora Catlett share conceptual, artistic and spiritual intersections. Rosewoman sees this residency as an opportunity to “incorporate and stage the work of treasured co-creators who also highlight these traditions in unique contemporary contexts, while building bridges between artists and cultural voices based in NY and also those artificially separated by Cuba/U.S. policies.”   

    Master folklorist Román Díaz, a member of all three ensembles (leader of one), as well as a former member of Yoruba Andabo  (Cuba) has been a featured and foundational member of her New Yor-Uba ensemble since 2008. Fulfilling a desire to further share her music (deeply informed by traditions born of Cuba) with Cuban audiences through her partnership with HotHouseGlobal, especially gratifying for Ms.Rosewoman is the fact that Mr. Diaz is featured in all 3 ensembles.   

    Michele Rosewoman | Credit: Chris Drukker     

    Michele Roswoman’s New Yor-Uba lineup includes: Michele Rosewoman– piano/vocals. Alex Norris–trumpet. Mike Thomas- alto & soprano saxophone,  Isaiah Collier-tenor saxophone. Chris Washburne–trombone/bass trombone/tuba. Gregg August–bass. Robby Ameen–drums. Román Díaz – percussion/vocals. Rafael Monteagudo–percussion. Mauricio Herrera-percussion/vocals,  Abraham Rodriguez-  lead vocals.

    This project enables us to share Mr. Díaz with the Cuban communities he is born of but separated from, as they experience his impact on the jazz community here in the U.S,” says Rosewoman. “And by ‘taking’ this music to Cuba, we all return to the source and pay homage to the roots of our inspiration, nurturing this junction.

    Francisco Mora Catlett’s Afro Horn, an avant-garde ensemble that highlights the African presence in the Americas through an assemblage of prime musicians and a repertoire of written and improvised jazz expressions and Cuban folkloric influences, will also perform. Mora is especially known for his work with Motown, Sun Ra and Max Roach and as co-founder of the Oyu Oro Afro-Cuban Experimental Dance Company (2000) with his wife Danys Perez Prades, performing dance and music from the African Diaspora. Lineup: Francisco Mora Catlett–drums. Sam Newsome–soprano saxophone. Román Díaz –percussion.  James Weidman–piano.  Rashaan Carter–bass. Alex Harding–baritone saxophone.  

    Francisco Mora Catlett’s Afro Horn

    Also performing is Román Díaz, a scholar of religious and folkloric music, composer & performer of folklore and contemporary jazz. Considered both a pillar of the New York City jazz avant-garde and one of Afro Cuban music’s great innovators, his Rumba Ensemble displays his vision of the confluence of New York City’s tradition of music of the African diaspora.  He has performed and recorded with Merceditas Valdes, Raices Profundas, Paquito D’Rivera, Michele Rosewoman, Henry Threadgill, David Virelles, Jane Bunnett, Juan Carlos Formell, Orlando “Puntilla” Rios, Oriente Lopez, Afro Horn& Danilo Perez among many others. 

    Román Díaz ‘s Rumba Ensemble: Román Díaz -percussion/vocals.  TBA-percussion. Clemente Medina-percussion.  Rafael Monteagudo-percussion. Abraham Rodriguez-vocals, TBA- vocals. Onel Mulet-saxophone/flute.

  • Greensky Bluegrass announce Winter Tour Dates with Infamous Stringdusters, New single “Grow Together”

    Greensky Bluegrass continues their rigorous touring schedule this November on the West Coast, and have their sights set on the East Coast in January – they’ll make their way to the Northeast with The Infamous Stringdusters in January.

    greensky bluegrass infamous stringdusters

    The Colorado group has just released their newest song, “Grow Together,” written by Paul Hoffman upon the arrival of his daughter.  “I wrote this with my 5-week-old daughter at my feet. She laid there and listened, so content. I hoped this was the first of many experiences like this for her and I,” Hoffman told The Boot. “I reflected on the amazing gift her mother had given me and ‘Grow Together’ just fell out of my heart,” Hoffman continues. “It’s a testament to a new chapter in my life and a love song for the woman who made me a father.” 

    Accompanying the song is a documentary-style music video that offers intimate and behind the scenes content.  A perfect visual companion for such a powerful song. 

    For the past century, bluegrass music has traditionally relayed real tales of American life, struggle, tragedy, and triumph. It gives a voice to the quiet, yet colorful stories woven into the fabric of the country itself. Greensky Bluegrass live these stories through their records and performances. 

    When touring ceased in 2020 in the face of the global pandemic, the band hunkered down and compiled demos individually at first, sharing emails and voice notes. In July 2020, they got together for the first time in four months, dedicating rehearsals to the development of the new material. Once circumstances safely permitted, they recorded what would become Stress Dreams during a session in Guilford, VT and two sessions in Asheville, NC with frequent collaborator “and old friend” Dominic John Davis as producer and “wizard engineer” Glenn Brown mixing. They preserved the hallmarks of their sound while widening its expanse.

    “Greensky is and always has been very unique in our world,” says Paul Hoffman. “We put our love, energy, and focus into what we appreciate about our music. We come together as a band in a way that’s organic. We take a lot of pride in how we grow and challenge each other too. We’re maturing together. I think we get more Greensky all of the time.”

    All up to date news tour info can be found at greenskybluegrass.com.

    Greensky Bluegrass Tour Dates

    Nov 11 @ The Observatory | San Diego, CA
    Nov 12 @ The Fonda | Los Angeles, CA
    Nov 13 @ The Fox | Oakland, CA
    Nov 14 @ Crystal Bay | Stateline, NV
    Nov 17 @ Midtown Ballroom | Bend, OR
    Nov 18 @ Crystal Ballroom | Portland, OR
    Nov 19-20 @ The Showbox | Seattle, WA
    Nov 26-27 @ Kalamazoo State Theatre
    Dec 9 – 13 @ Strings & Sol | Puerto Morelos, Mexico
    Dec 30-31 @ The Factor | St. Louis, MO
    Jan 7-8 @ The Mission Ballroom | Denver, CO

    Greensky Bluegrass featuring very Special Guests The Infamous Stringdusters

    Jan 20 @ The Palace Theatre | Albany, NY
    Jan 21 @ The Met Philadelphia | Philadelphia, PA
    Jan 22 @ The Capitol Theatre | Port Chester, NY
    Jan 26 @ Flynn Theatre | Burlington, VT
    Jan 27 @ The State Theatre | Portland, ME
    Jan 28-29 @ House of Blues | Boston, MA
    Feb 2 @ Stage AE | Pittsburgh, PA
    Feb 3 @ Agora Theatre & Ballroom | Cleveland, OH
    Feb 4-5 @ The Anthem | Washington, DC
    Feb 17 @ The Pavilion at Pan AM | Indianapolis, IN
    Feb 18 @ Fillmore Detroit | Detroit, MI
    Feb 19 @ Riverside Theatre | Milwaukee, WI
    Feb 20 @ The Palace | St. Paul, MN
    Feb 23 @ Old Forester’s Paristown Hall | Louisville, KY
    Feb 24 @ Iron City | Birmingham, AL
    Feb 25-26 @ The Tabernacle | Atlanta, GA

    Hot on the heels of the new record announcement (Toward the Fray releasing Feb. 18) made last month by Grammy and IBMA award-winners The Infamous Stringdusters, Infamous Stringdusters have announced a January through April tour of the same name. Truly coast to coast, the band will kick off on Jan. 20 in Albany, NY with good friends Greensky Bluegrass, touring through most of the east coast and into parts of the midwest and southeast.

    Dustbowl Revival will hop on towards the end of March to make several stops in California, wrapping the 4 month tour in Seattle, Washington on April 9th. Pre-sales are, as of today, on-sale for headlining dates. General on-sale starts Thursday, Nov. 4 at 10 am PT. Please visit thestringdusters.com/tour for more information and to purchase tickets. 

    greensky bluegrass infamous stringdusters

    Toward the Fray, the band’s first release of original music since 2019’s Rise Sun, will be released on February 18th, 2022 on Americana Vibes via Regime Music Group. Fans can now listen to the first single, “Toward The Fray” below.

  • Ed Sheeran Bounces back from COVID, Performs on Saturday Night Live with host Kieran Culkin

    Ed Sheeran performed as musical guest and Succession’s Kieran Culkin returned to Saturday Night Live on Saturday, November 6. The hosting duties for Culkin occured almost 30 years to the day since his brother Macaulay hosted in November 1991.

    This past week, Kieran shared a memory on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon from his time hanging around Studio 8H while his brother held hosting duties:


    I remember during rehearsal day, being on the stage and I was with my mom, and Kevin Nealon walks by, and she grabs him and she goes, ‘Oh hey, you’re great. By the way, you’re my son’s favorite.’ And he goes, ‘Oh, thank you very much, that’s nice to hear.’ And I went, ‘Mom’ — cuz I’m 9, kids don’t have a filter — ‘I told you, he’s my second favorite, Dana Carvey’s my favorite.’

    Kieran Culkin, November 1991

    Kieran appeared in three sketches that night – “Bill Swerski’s Super Fans,” “Medieval Scalders” and as Froggy, in a flashback during the “Richmeister” sketch, seen below.

    kieran culkin ed sheeran

    Sheeran made his first appearance of the night as a guest on the Dionne Warwick Talk Show, with the talented Ego Nwodim playing the legendary pop singer who recently discovered Twitter. As a surprise, the Warwick appeared, just as Nwodim’s Warwick suggested she interview a true icon. After sharing “I’m not perfect, I’m just very good,” the two sang a duet of Burt Bacharach’s “What the World Needs Now.”

    Sheeran was announced as musical guest for this episode back on October 23, and the next day shared a diagnosis of COVID-19 for he and his daughter, despite he being vaccinated. Sheeran was able to finish his isolation period and was cleared to perform, although he did not appear in the traditional SNL promos with Culkin.

    For the first song of the night, Sheeran played “Shivers,” the second single off his new album = (pronounced “equals”), which was released just last week. There were no signs he had just been under the weather, as Sheeran didn’t miss a beat on this dance pop number.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ItgpYfAT14

    Sheeran returned later in the show to sing the folksy “Overpass Graffiti,” fist-bumping members of his band at the end.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGiVv_iFaGI

    During the goodbyes, fulfilling his monologue wish, Culkin was hoisted by cast members Chris Redd and Keenan Thompson, flexing as he did nearly 30 years ago.


    Next week, Saturday Night Life welcomes host Jonathan Majors (Lovecraft Country, Loki) with musical guest Taylor Swift.

  • NYS Music in Motion Season 3 Features John Hall, Kristen Capolino, Dan Smalls and more

    On Friday, November 5, John Hall of 1970s pop band Orleans (“Stay With Me,” “Still the One”) will kick off NYS Music in Motion Season 3, as he sits down with our host, rocker Frank Palangi.

    Sponsored by Helping Friendly Hemp Company, the series brings together seasoned musicians who hail from the Empire State or have made New York their home, alongside Palangi, a Warren County native.

    Music in Motion Season 3

    Guests for Season 3 of NYS Music in Motion include Hudson Valley guitarist Kristen Capolino, Lake George multi-instrumentalist Rich Ortiz, PEAK guitarist and front man Jeremy Hilliard, Glass Pony drummer Chanda Dewey, and Ithaca-based promoter Dan Smalls.

    Tune in starting on Friday, November 5 for each installment of Music in Motion on the NYS Music YouTube and Facebook page.

    Palangi will have a sit down conversation with each artist, with a lineup of musicians from across New York State. A homegrown indie rock recording artist, singer, songwriter, and guitarist, Palangi fuels his positive ambition naturally by serving up a feeding frenzy of edge heavy guitars, with a side of deep, gritty vocals. With a no-quit mentality, Palangi draws on influences from 80s & 90s rock, including post-grunge and heavy metal.

    NYS Music in Motion Season 3 Schedule

    November 5 – John Hall
    November 12 – Kristen Capolino
    November 19 – Rich Ortiz
    December 1 – Jeremy Hilliard
    December 8 – Chanda Dewey
    December 15 – Dan Smalls

  • Phish Travel Backwards Down the Number Line in Las Vegas Opener

    Rolling into Las Vegas on a tour chock full of surprises and jaw-dropping jams, Phish took a stroll “Backwards Down the Number Line,” playing a series of numerical songs throughout the night.

    Opening with “2001” (Strauss’ “Also Sprach Zarathustra”) for a spacy intro to the night, and the first such opening slot for “2001” since 1999, appropriately segued into Prince’s “1999.” Two songs in, both with numbers, might not give away the gag, but when “555” and “46 Days” followed, it became apparant to some what was unfolding on night one of Phish’s four night run.

    phish number

    An additional bustout of “Strawberry Letter 23” by Shuggie Otis followed, with “Twenty Years Later” wrapping up the set with an exclamation point. With setbreak upon the crowd, discussion revolved around “Seven Below” and “Character Zero” which ended up bookending the set – the songs in between were remarkable in their choice and execution.

    Hendrix’s “If 6 Was 9” featured Trey Anastasio strapping on a Koa2 guitar, and as one Twitter user pointed out, detuned his guitar, in pure Hendrix style. If a spacy psychedelic bustout wasn’t enough, David Bowie’s “Five Years” followed, performed for only the second time, the first being performed in the same room, five years prior (almost to the day).

    A jammed out “Two Versions of Me” fell into “NO2,” with its trippy dentist chair narration from Mike Gordon. A handful of “1” songs followed, with “Army of One,” “My Sweet One” and “First Tube,” followed by the expected and regular set closer, “Character Zero.”

    phish number

    To cap the set off, “Backwards Down the Number Line” was properly played, with Phish walking to stage right to sing a capella to sing “Grind,” but instead of adding up their age in days, they added up the song numbers, leading to the sum 4680. A mysterious tweet from Phish followed, leading fans to speculate what it means, if anything, leading into Sunday’s Halloween show, where speculation is both a trick and a treat.

    Setlist via Phish.net

    Phish – MGM Grand Garden Arena – Las Vegas, NV 10/28/21

    Set 1: Also Sprach Zarathustra, 1999 > 555 > 46 Days, Strawberry Letter 23 > Twenty Years Later

    Set 2: Seven Below > If 6 Was 9 > Five Years > Two Versions of Me->NO2, Army Of One, My Sweet One, First Tube > Character Zero

    Encore: Backwards Down The Number Line, Grind