On Saturday, June 19, the Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra will present a concert of 18th-century baroque music for strings and harpsichord at the Broome County Forum Theatre.
The concert, titled “Back to Baroque,” will be the orchestra’s first performance at the Forum since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of concerts over a year ago. The program, conducted by the Philharmonic’s Music Director Daniel Hege, will include Bach’s “Brandenburg Concerto No. 3,” Corelli’s “Christmas Concerto,” Vivaldi Sinfonias, and more. After a year spent performing socially distanced concerts and online events, the Binghamton Philharmonic’s first live showing will be a breath of fresh air for everyone.
Daniel Hege is widely recognized as one of America’s finest conductors, earning critical acclaim for his fresh interpretations of the standard repertoire and for his commitment to creative programming. He was appointed to the position of Music Director of the Binghamton Philharmonic in May 2018.
“We are so thrilled to present live, orchestral music again, especially after such a difficult year,” says Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra’s Executive Director Paul Cienniwa. “While we have to follow certain limitations of COVID-19 safety measures, such as smaller audience and ensemble size, we are still very pleased to end our season with live music in our beloved concert hall. Baroque music has many musical fireworks to offer, so I am happy to end our season with a bang!”
The concert, lasting an hour, will take place at both 6 pm and 8 pm. In order to follow COVID safety protocols, seating is limited to 250 patrons per performance of The Broome County Forum Theatre which is a 1,500-seat performing arts theatre. Because of the unique seating arrangement for this concert, all tickets must be pre-purchased by phone. For more information, contact the Binghamton Philharmonic at 607-723-3931 or visit the Binghamton Philharmonic website.
Tanglewood, the home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, has announced a significant increase in capacity from the previously announced attendance cap of 25% to 50% for the 2021 Tanglewood Season this July 9 – Aug 16.
The decision is in response to recent health and safety issuances by the Centers for Disease Control, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and Berkshires’ Tri-Town Health Department, as well as feedback from the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s own team of experts – including 9Foundations.
In support of regulations set by the Tri-Town Health Department and the Lenox and Stockbridge health boards, Tanglewood will limit attendance capacity to 9,000—50% of its usual capacity of 18,000. With this significant increase in capacity, they will now be able to welcome up to 2,400 patrons inside the Shed and 6,600 patrons on the lawn. While physical distancing will no longer be enforced on the lawn, the approximate 50% capacity will ensure ample space for voluntary physical distancing should patrons choose that option.
Tanglewood will now maintain three-feet physical distancing between patron parties seated in the Koussevitzky music shed for all Boston Symphony Orchestra related performances, from July 9 through Aug 16. In addition, they will no longer require patrons to wear masks, though it is recommend masking and physical distancing for people who are unvaccinated based on Center for Disease Control guidelines.
The new 9,000 overall capacity limit also applies to the new 2021 Popular Artists schedule, though there will be no capacity restrictions in the Koussevitzky Music Shed. Performances that have been rescheduled for later this summer include:
Brandi Carlile, with opening artist Mavis Staples, originally scheduled for July 27, will now perform on Aug 21, with ticket sales resuming on Monday, June 21.
Judy Collins, Richard Thompson, and Jesse Colin Young, originally scheduled for June 20, will now perform on Aug 22, with ticket sales resuming on Monday, June 21.
Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me will take place on the originally scheduled date of Aug 26,with tickets on sale now.
Performances by James Taylor, Ringo Starr, and The Mavericks & Los Lobos, originally scheduled to take place on June 17, June 27 and Aug 31, respectively, have been rescheduled for the 2022 Tanglewood Season. The Trey Anastasio concert Scheduled on June 19 and the John Legend concert on August 28 have been canceled.
Additional tickets affected by the 50% capacity change will go on sale to the public on Monday, June 21. Existing ticket inventory remains on sale now. To stay up to date on shows, see highlights from the season, and acquire tickets visit the BSO website.
For more information about safety guidelines and protocol visit the Safe and Sound section on the BSO website.
The 2021 New York Guitar Festival(NYGF) will pay tribute to the iconic classical guitarist Julian Bream with an online series of concerts beginning July 14 and continuing until July 20. This year’s series “Remembering Julian Bream,” will include commissions by a group of stellar classical guitarists, lutenists and composers in honor of the late Grammy Award-winning concert artist.
Julian Bream was a trained pianist and cellist but found his love of music in the guitar. Bream died at his home in Wiltshire, England on August 14, 2020, at the age of 87. As John Schaefer wrote “He might have been the original Guitar God; he certainly was a trailblazer, a seeker, and a rebel.” He championed many contemporary composers while also discovering music like the Elizabeth composer John Dowland which led him to buy a lute.
Six composers will perform their own works dedicated to Bream: Laura Snowden from the UK, Jiji from Korea, Leo Brouwer from Cuba, Jozef van Wissem from Holland, Derek Gripper from South Africa, and Gyan Riley from the USA. In addition to these world premieres, “Remembering Julian Bream” will include performances of the classical guitar music that Bream became known for, dating from the 16th through the 20th century. Composers will include John Dowland, Anthony Holborne, Benjamin Britten, Francisco Tarrega, Mauro Giulliani, Enrique Granados, Heitor Villa-Lobos, and more.
In his New York Times obituary, Allan Kozinn wrote that Bream “pushed the guitar beyond its Spanish roots and expanded its range by commissioning dozens of works from major composers, and who also played a crucial role in reviving the lute as a modern concert instrument.”
WNYC’s John Schaefer explained, “I can understand why so many people think the classical guitar really begins with Andres Segovia. But it didn’t end there – otherwise we’d all just be playing Spanish music and Bach. Bream put the guitar on a wider, global, musical map, and the explosion of interest in and compositions for the guitar really starts with him. Also I hurt myself trying to learn how to play Aguado’s “Adagio” from one of Bream’s publications.”
“Listening to, and sharing, music has been a lifeline for so many people during this year of social isolation.” New York Guitar Festival’s Artistic Director David Spelman spoke of the project, “We hope this project will spread the joy of music, and shine a light on the remarkable contributions of Julian Bream, whose life stands as a testament to a life totally dedicated to music.”
Performer Bios for “Remembering Julian Bream“
Gyan Riley is a virtuoso guitarist and composer who plays classical, steel-string, and electric guitars. His repertoire includes his own music and that of his father, the influential composer Terry Riley. He has most recently written music for the PBS documentary series Hemingway.
Laura Snowden was a student of Julian Bream, and was entrusted with the premieres of several pieces that Bream commissioned. The London-based guitarist is also a member of the folk band Tir Eolas. Her compositions include choral music as well as works for guitar.
Jozef Van Wissem is a lute player who does not play traditional lute music. Performing on a remarkable swan-necked instrument, he performs his own works and has collaborated regularly with filmmaker and electric guitarist Jim Jarmusch.
Jiji was born in South Korea but now lives in the States, where she has become an ardent champion of contemporary music for guitar. A composer herself, she has long been interested in electronic music, and has premiered works for electric as well as classical guitar.
Derek Gripper is a South African musician and composer who has, somewhat improbably, brought the music of the West African lute-harp, or kora, into the classical guitar world. His extensive repertoire ranges from works by Bach to collaborations with South African steel-string player Guy Buttery.
Pepe Romero was not born with a guitar in his hands – it just seems like it. Son of the great Celedonio Romero, he has had a long solo career in addition to performing with his father and two brothers as Los Romeros. He has played for popes, princes, and presidents. And he’s a NYGF regular.
Sharon Isbin was Musical America’s 2020 Instrumentalist of the Year, the first time that award has ever gone to a guitarist. The multiple Grammy winner is one of the most popular classical guitarists in the world, and has recorded with everyone from film composer Howard Shore to Indian classical master Amjad Ali Khan.
Isbin said “I will always be grateful to the legendary Julian Bream for his impassioned, heartfelt performances and recordings; his dedication to expanding the literature by commissioning outstanding contemporary composers; and for the generous private lesson he gave me at age fourteen which changed my life!”
Grammy winner Jason Vieaux takes a wide-angled view of what the word “classical” can mean. For him, it includes Bach, as well as Pat Metheny and South American tangos. A popular teacher at the Curtis and Cleveland institutes of music, he is also the founder of The Jason Vieaux School of Classical Guitar.
Vieaux commented that: “Bream was the ideal classical musician and artist for me, regardless of instrument. He was a primary role model for me and for so many in our field. Bream not only was sophisticated, refined, hip and earthy, all at once… he was pointing the way toward a possible future. The number and scope of his contributions are staggering.”
William Kanengiser has had two parallel careers: one as an award-winning solo guitarist, and another as a founding member of the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet. In both cases he has extended the classical repertoire by championing new works and arranging old ones. He does a spot-on Julian Bream imitation.
The Amadeus Guitar Duo, based in Germany, consists of Canada’s Dale Kavanagh and her German partner Thomas Kirchhoff. They have almost single-handedly (double-handedly?) created a new body of works for classical guitar duo, and for guitar duo and orchestra, with more than thirty composers writing for them.
Eliot Fisk was the last direct pupil of Andres Segovia, and the founder of the guitar department at the Yale School of Music. This means his long, prolific career is a bridge between the guitar’s most iconic figure and the generations of gifted musicians coming from that program today. His collaborators have included Bill Frisell and Paco Pena, among many others.
Tengyue Zhang has won many of the classical guitar world’s most important competitions. The Chinese-born musician has studied with Sharon Isbin, and now with William Kanengiser. He is a stunning virtuoso and a reasonable man: you can just call him TY.
Paul O’Dette was an electric guitarist in a high school rock band when he heard Julian Bream playing the lute. He went on to become one of the prime movers in the first flowering of the Early Music scene in America, and is one of the leading researchers and performers of Renaissance and early Baroque music.
Benjamin Verdery is the Kevin Bacon of the guitar world – everyone seems to know him. In 1985, he became chair of the guitar department that Eliot Fisk founded at Yale, turning it into a formidable source of great musicians, from Jiji to rock guitarist/composer Bryce Dessner. His repertoire goes from Bach to Hendrix to his own works.
Hopkinson Smith is an American-born, Swiss-based lutenist and teacher. In the 1970s he helped Jordi Savall in putting together the essential early music group Hesperion XX (now Hesperion XXI). He also plays early guitar-like instruments including the vihuela and theorbo.
Smith commented that “Bream was an extraordinary communicator with a seemingly unstoppable energy. His voracious technique well served his deep lyric sense and his eyes understood all that was going on around him. He was a truly charismatic figure with an adventurous spirit and an inquisitive mind.” Lutenist and composer Jozef van Wissem adds that Bream: “single-handedly put the lute back on the map.”
Marija Temo plays, and teaches, both classical and flamenco guitar. She is also a flamenco singer and a retired flamenco dancer; her own music owes much to that style. But she’s appeared in some unusual places – a major festival of Dominican bachata music, for example, or onstage with the Zac Brown Band.
Alberta Khoury is an Australian guitarist who has studied with Sharon Isbin at Juilliard, with whom she made her NY Guitar Festival debut in 2017. She is a composer, often working with actors and dancers; and while she is mostly a soloist, she has done duo performances with TY (Tengyue Zhang).
Adam Del Monte has written two concertos for flamenco guitar and orchestra, and he recorded the featured flamenco guitar part in Osvaldo Golijov’s opera Ainadamar. His music fuses classical and flamenco, and he teaches both styles at USC.
David Leisner is the guitarist who almost wasn’t. A promising career was derailed by focal dystonia in the 1980s, but Leisner discovered ways to regain the use of his hand. He now teaches both guitar and muscle training for musicians. A composer and virtuoso player, he is co-chair of the guitar department at Manhattan School of Music.
The Newman & Oltman Guitar Duo has a long track record of innovative programming, both as an ensemble and as founders of the Raritan River Music Festival in New Jersey. They have commissioned dozens of works for two guitars and have collaborated with a number of string quartets, including ETHEL and the Turtle Island Quartet.
Pablo Sainz Villegas has played guitar concertos with most of the world’s leading orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic and the Berlin Philharmonic. As a soloist, he has performed for the Spanish royal family and recorded a duo album with Placido Domingo
Wed, July 14: Sharon Isbin at 3pm EDT, Pepe Romero at 4pm EDT, Pablo Sáinz Villegas at 5pm EDT
Thurs, July 15: Jason Vieaux at 3pm EDT, David Leisner at 4pm EDT, William Kanengiser at 5pm EDT
Fri, July 16: Derek Gripper at 3pm EDT, Amadeus Guitar Duo at 4pm EDT, Paul Odette at 5pm EDT
Sat, July 17: Eliot Fisk at 3pm EDT, Hopkinson Smith at 4pm EDT, Marija Temo at 5pm EDT
Sun, July 18: Jozef van Wissem at 3pm EDT, Alberta Khoury at 4pm EDT, Tengue Zhang at 5pm EDT
Mon, July 19: Benjamin Verdery at 3pm EDT, Jiji at 4pm EDT, Gyan Riley at 5pm EDT
Tues, July 20: Adam Del Monte at 3pm EDT, Newman & Oltman Guitar Duo at 4pm EDT, Laura Snowden at 5pm EDT
“Remembering Julian Bream” will premier three video performances each day, from July 14 – July 20 at 3pm, 4pm, and 5pm EDT via the New York Guitar Festival YouTube channel.
WNYC Radio’s “New Sounds,” in partnership with the New York Guitar Festival, will debut audio recordings of the newly commissioned works at 93.9FM or at the New Sounds website.
Access to “Remembering Julian Bream” is free. The NYGF and performing artists are asking viewers to make donations to MusiCares. Learn more about charitable foundation of The Recording Academy’s MusicCares COVID-19 Relief Fund, and donate to help the music community affected by the Coronavirus pandemic, here.
The Levitt AMP Utica Music Series announced this year’s concerts will take place on Monday nights from 6 to 9 pm, July 5 – Aug 30 with a final tenth concert taking place on Friday, Sept 3 to Kick Off Labor Day Weekend. With a lineup of New York State-based artists, they’ll perform at Kopernik Park in Downtown Utica this summer. Ten weeks of free, family-friendly outdoor concerts will return this summer!
The 2021 season is themed “New York State Originals” and will feature headlining artists from all over the state, along with local and regional opening acts and youth intermission acts, all performing original music. The diverse lineup of high-caliber talent spans genres like jazz, pop, soul, country, R&B, hip hop and more.
The public is invited to bring their own blankets and lawn chairs to the concerts. The park will have physically distanced rectangular “pods” sprayed in the grass that will hold up to six people each.
Pods will be spaced 6’ apart and will help guide guests for seating as we work together bringing back community events. The series will also offer art activities for young concert-goers and food trucks will be on site.
“As we begin to transition back to normal, we are excited to enjoy local venues and great entertainment such as the Levitt AMP series,” Mayor Robert Palmieri shared, “This concert series is a tremendous quality of life asset that we have been able to secure for our residents due to the generosity of the Levitt Foundation, local businesses and community organizations, as well as through the hard work and coordination of Michelle Truett and the Utica Monday Nite board..”
“We are so thrilled to have the Levitt AMP Utica series back for the 2021 season,” said Alicia Dicks, president/CEO of the Community Foundation. “This event brings our community together in so many ways and after the long-awaited return of live music and gatherings, this season is sure to be one of the best yet!”
The Utica Music Series are sponsored in part by the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, a national funder of creative placemaking that empowers communities to inject new life into underused public spaces through free, outdoor concerts. The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties is a presenting sponsor for the fifth season of concerts. Partners in the series include Rust 2 Green Utica, DeSales Center, the City of Utica and Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute. Season sponsors include Empire Recycling and the M&T Bank/Partners Trust Bank Charitable Fund.
In December of 2019, Utica was named one of 20 small to mid-sized towns and cities across America to win a Levitt AMP [Your City] Grant Award of $25K in matching funds to present a free concert series at Kopernik Park in 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 series was postponed and the funding applied to the 2021 season. A 2-hour “AMP the House” TV special was produced in 2020 with a Bridge Grant from the Levitt Foundation to bring our community together when we had to be apart.
Utica Monday Nite submitted the Levitt AMP proposal and is presenting the Utica Music Series. In an effort to inspire and engage communities across the country around the power of creative placemaking, the Levitt Foundation invited the public to choose the Top 25 finalists through online voting. Learn more about the winners and the 180 free Levitt AMP concerts across America at Levitt AMP’s wesite.
Kopernik Park is located at 317 Genesee Street at the corner of Eagle Street and Park Avenue near DeSales. Admission is free and all are welcome. Seating will be limited due to state guidelines, so getting to the park early is encouraged.
For anyone who is not quite ready for crowds and events, the Utica music series concerts will also be streamed via multiple platforms to be enjoyed at home/offsite.
THE 2021 LEVITT AMP UTICA MUSIC SERIES LINE UP
July 5 – Carolina Gents from Brooklyn, NY
Bluegrass, Americana, and country musicians in the New York area, pure, sweet sounds of Appalachia, then southern twang and effortless production. The band sets itself apart with their stylistic versatility, classy-vintage dress.
Opener: Isaac French – singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is originally from Vermont and now calls Rome, NY home. His debut album, “Human Being” has been received with acclaim throughout the region and beyond.
Deep, powerful soul. In addition, she has also been awarded Teen Empowerment’s PeaceMaker in Action Award. Beyond Danielle’s musical talent, she is a former Public Defender and Tedx speaker.
Opener: Count Blastula – Founded by Adam Fisher in Central New York, CB features eclectic music combined with visual expression. CB has been compared to classic artists such as Phish, The Allman Brothers and The Grateful Dead.
July 19 – Alex Torres & His Latin Orchestra from Amsterdam, NY
This 12 piece orchestra has been the recipient of numerous awards including the New England Cultural Arts Preservation Award, the New York State Music Achievement Award and The Governor’s Excellence in Arts Award.
Opener: Grupo Pagan –a SAMMY Award winning Latin-American band based in Syracuse, NY. Their diverse backgrounds combine into a high energy brew of sound, with influences including Santana, Shakira and Enrique Iglesias.
July 26 – Samara Joy & Pasquale Grasso Duo from Bronx, NY
Following her winning the 2019 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, Samara is currently recording her debut recording, featuring one of the most strikingly unique artists of his generation, Pasquale Grasso.
Opener: Sydney Irving – Syracuse, NY rising star has already been nominated for three major regional songwriting awards. Irving juggles attendance at high school with gigs at high profile spots like Binghamton’s Spiedie Fest (supporting Starship featuring Mickey Thomas) and Turning Stone Resort & Casino on evenings and weekends.
Aug 2 – Sammy Rae & The Friends from Brooklyn, NY
Sammy Rae & The Friends was born from a collection of talented musicians and peers. The band rocks a jazz-pop sound and sold-out every show in NYC in 2019, enjoyed several tours in the USA and South America and acquired over 10 million streams on Spotify and Apple Music.
Opener: The Reuben James – Utica, NY based folk-rock outfit that was a staple of the regional live music scene for almost a decade. During that time, the group released 3 full-length albums. Their original sound draws from influences such as Wilco, Dylan, Tom Waits, Ani DiFranco, Springsteen, and Counting Crows. The group is incredibly excited to reunite at Levitt AMP after a decade-long hiatus.
Aug 9 – Shayna Steele from New York City
Shayna has supremely soulful energy, as well as mind blowing vocal artistry and songwriting skills. She has performed with the likes of Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson, Bette Midler and Steely Dan as a sought after background vocalist. It was the release of Shayna’s first full-length album I’ll Be Anything that put her on the map as a legitimate solo artist.
Opener: Haynesville Road – This Rock Band with Earth Lyrics consists of Bob ‘’BD’’ Dziedzic, from New York Mills, NY, Stan ‘’Stik’’ Slabicki,from Whitesboro, NY and Rob Aguilera, originally from Chicago, now living in Oneida, NY.
Aug 16 – Tom Nitti from Utica, NY
Born and raised in Central New York, Tom Nitti, your traditional country music artist, will be performing Levitt AMP with his full band. Tom joined the United States Army as a 19D Airborne Cavalry Scout. While deployed in Afghanistan, Tom earned the Purple Heart Award for sustaining a traumatic brain injury while taking mortar fire.
Opener: Jess Novak Band – With a fiddle on fire, powerful vocals and a fierce band behind her, this pop, rock, soul-pumped group is from Syracuse, New York. Known for their energy, superb musicianship, engaging songwriting and ability to win any crowd, this is a band on the rise.
Aug 23 – Joanne Shenandoah in Oneida, NY
GRAMMY award-winning, cross-cultural singer-songwriter with 24 albums, singles, collaborations and film soundtracks earning her more than 40 music awards, including a GRAMMY and 14 Native American Music Awards, an induction into the NAMMY Hall of Fame, and an EMMY nomination.
Opener: Fritz’s Polka Band – everything from modern-style polka to country to rock and even blues. They are not the stereotypical “polka” band –they were the first polka band to perform at a Woodstock Festival (Woodstock ’99)! In 2010, FPB was inducted into the Syracuse Area Music Hall of Fame.
Aug 30 – Paul Beaubrun from New York City
A Haitian singer and multi-instrumentalist, Paul weaves together Haitian roots music with rock and roll and reggae, delivering lyrics in English, French and Creole.
Opener: Tree of Life – A band that debuted at 2020’s AMP the House TV Show, they will now grace the Levitt AMP stage live this summer. Decades of experience in funk, rock, blues, metal and more.
Sept 3 – Sophistafunk from Syracuse, NY
Sophistafunk has gained international notoriety with their unique, positive blend of hip hop, funk, and jam music that boasts a touch of spoken word and an overflow of energy. Sophistafunk played the Levitt AMP Utica stage in 2017 and 2018 and they’re back to round out our 2021 season with our first ever Friday night concert to close out the series and kick off Labor Day weekend.
Opener: Leeky XIV – Malik Johnson, better known as Leeky XIV, is an independent rapper and entertainer who uses his art to promote the importance of living a positive lifestyle.
Brooklyn Made, a brand-new music venue in Bushwick, will open this fall. Former Live Nation New York President Anthony Makes announced the launch of Brooklyn Made Presents, a concert promotion company, in the summer of 2020. This new addition of the company, a 500-capacity club, will see its first show September 30, with a performance by Jeff Tweedy.
Located at 428 Troutman Street in the heart of Bushwick, Brooklyn Made will be a state-of-the-art music venue with lighting design by Jeremy Roth (whose credits include work with Wilco, Nathaniel Rateliff, and Mazzy Star) and sound by D&B Audiotechnik, including the Soundscape 3D object-mixing and room emulation platform.
This venue is truly the headquarters for Brooklyn Made Presents. Myself and my partner Kelly Winrich wanted to create the most amazing club and I know we’ve accomplished this with Brooklyn Made. The bells and whistles with this place are so far ahead of anything we’ve ever seen and we know – every single artist and fan that comes here – is going to be blown away by the experience.
Anthony Makes
Connected to the music room is a bar called Connie’s which features a horseshoe-shaped bar along with a pool table. The bar is sure to be not only the pre but the post hang spot for fans coming to Brooklyn Made. Connie’s also has access to an outdoor courtyard along with a second level roof deck for taking your food and drinks outside. The bar will be open until 4 am, even on non-show days.
Right next door to the venue will be a café called Standing Room which will open at 7 am as a coffee house/café with pastries and breakfast and then turn into a cocktail/wine/tapas bar with a full kitchen in the afternoon until late into the evening. Outdoor seating will be available here as well.
Performers at Brooklyn Made will have exclusive access to a myriad of amenities, including a second level carriage house, private outdoor swimming pool, and multiple roof decks offering unobstructed panoramic views of the Manhattan skyline. There is also a lower level VIP area has a private bar and pool table.
Having played venues and festivals of all sizes across the world, there are a handful that really stick out. Our aim is to make sure all artists that come through our rooms have an unforgettable experience. From hospitality, to sound, to lights – we want it all to be next level.
Kelly Winrich, Delta Spirit band member
Jeff Tweedy will open the club with a special two-night run of shows on Sept 30and Oct 1followed by Greg Dulli on Oct 2and Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue on Oct 4and 5. Tickets for all of these shows will go on sale at noon on June 11.
Brooklyn Made has partnered with the mobile ticketing platform DICE for the club’s events. Along with purchasing tickets, the waitlist technology allows fans who were unable to get tickets during the initial on sale with another shot at it. If a fan can’t attend a show after purchasing their ticket, they can request a full refund which allows the tickets to go on sale for the next person in the waitlist line.
Brooklyn’s alternative rock band Superbloom has dropped Live at Studio G, a 3 song live EP made up of tracks off their upcoming studio LP ‘Pollen’ out June 1st. The EP includes the live version of a new single, in fact, the title track, off the upcoming LP Pollen.
Superbloom: Live at Studio G was recorded at Studio G in Brooklyn, engineered by Jack Counce, and mixed & mastered by Brian DiMeglio. The EP contains three songs off the new album Pollen including the title track itself, “Mary on a Chain,” and “Whatever.”
Superbloom’s recent singles “Muzzle,” “Whatever” and “Mary on a Chain,” needed a good follow-up considering those landed on Spotify’s All New Rock, Alternative Noise playlists and more. They definitely lived up to the hype with both Pollen the single and the album.
Recording at Studio G was a dream. We’re huge fans of live studio recordings like Audiotree, KEXP and Live at Studio 4 and we sort of threw ourselves at the idea with our own resources. The studio itself is unreal and Jack is a longtime friend of the band. We spent the day hanging out, messing with tones, playing through the songs and eating pizza. Can’t imagine a better day for a band.
Their debut album, Pollen is a 12-track love-letter to heavy alternative music. A mixture of old and new make up every song, if you’re looking for something fresh that somehow still sparks nostalgia Pollen has got it. Perfect for road trips or hangs by the water.
With all the vibes of Seattle moved to the east coast this Brooklyn based band brought grunge into 2021 in a great way. If you have any sort of Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Soundgarden, or Pearl Jam shaped hole in your heart Superbloom is the sound to fix that. Most of the album is face paced but if you want to slow it down Muzzle or Twig are the songs for you.
The album was mastered by Will Yip (whose credits include projects with The Menzingers, Turnstile, Quicksand, Mannequin Pussy, Code Orange), mixed by Joe Reinhart (Beach Bunny, Remo Drive, Joyce Manor, Hop Along), artwork by Patrick Turk Collage Art, and produced by Superbloom.
While the album’s feedback-laced instrumentation is hard-hitting at every turn, the band’s sonic signature is embedded in the vocal performance that fills each track with complex layering, earworm melodies and lush harmonies that deliver discoveries of nuanced detail with each listen. The sounds span from infectiously bouncy hard rock, instantly nostalgic acoustic songs, sing-along choruses, and undeniable hooks.
Pollen released on all streaming services on June 1, and is available for digital and pre-orders for the 180 gram blue with white marble vinyl, on June 14.
Slipknot has announced the resuming of the Knotfest Roadshow, with stops in Darien Lake and Syracuse. The 2021 edition of the tour will start on Sept 28 in Illinois. The 24-night trek will criss-cross the United States and artists such as Killswitch Engage, Fever 333, and Code Orange are all confirmed to join the run.
Following the exciting news of Knotfest Iowa, their massive production planned for September, as well as the confirmation from the band that they are in the studio working on the follow-up to We Are Not Your Kind, the masked nine will return to their caravan of chaos. Tour dates include two shows in New York, one at the Darien Lake Amphitheater in Darien Center on Oct 3 and one at the Lakeview Amphitheater in Syracuse on Oct 5.
Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor weighed in on the kind of anticipation that is now building ahead of Slipknot getting back to the business of decimating stages again. “With the world opening up, it’s time to get excited about life again. To get back to life again. This tour is a long time coming and we hope you’re as excited to see it as we are to play it. Stay safe, stay (sic) and we’ll see you soon.”
As for the band’s announcement of recording new music in the studio. Just last week, the band’s artistic architect and percussionist M.Shawn ‘Clown’ Crahan confirmed to the U.K. media that the band was in fact, in the studio and in the thick of working on “God music” in the follow up to the universally-lauded 2019 release of We Are Not Your Kind.
Fan can to get an exclusive glimpse at ‘behind the scenes’ footage of the band at work by subscribing over at knotfest.com. Subscribers are also eligible to pre-order both Knotfest Roadshow and Knotfest Iowa tickets before the on-sale date to the general public.
Tickets will be available on pre-sale to Knotfest subscribers from 10am local time on June 2nd, with a general on-sale from 10am local on June 4th, over at the official Knotfest Roadshow website.
Slipknot 2021 “Knotfest Roadshow” Tour Dates with Killswitch Engage, Fever 333, and Code Orange: 09/25 – Indianola, IA @ National Balloon Classic Field * 09/28 – Tinley Park, IL @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre 09/29 – Milwaukee, WI @ American Family Insurance Amphitheater 10/01 – Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center 10/02 – Clarkston, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre 10/03 – Darien Center, NY @ Darien Lake Amphitheater 10/05 – Syracuse, NY @ Lakeview Amphitheater – Syracuse 10/08 – Mansfield, MA @ Xfinity Center 10/09 – Hartford, CT @ XFINITY Theatre 10/10 – Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center 10/12 – Camden, NJ @ BB&T Pavilion 10/13 – Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live 10/15 – Burgettstown, PA @ S&T Bank Music Park 10/17 – Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion 10/19 – Tampa, FL @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre 10/20 – West Palm Beach, FL @ iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre 10/22 – Raleigh, NC @ Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek 10/23 – Alpharetta, GA @ Ameris Bank Amphitheatre 10/24 – Pelham, AL @ Oak Mountain Amphitheatre 10/26 – Rogers, AR @ Walmart AMP 10/28 – Del Valle, TX @ Germania Insurance Amphitheater 10/29 – The Woodlands, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion ** 10/30 – Dallas, TX @ Dos Equis Pavilion 11/01 – Albuquerque, NM @ Isleta Amphitheater 11/02 – Phoenix, AZ @ Ak-Chin Pavilion
* = Knotfest Iowa Festival (no Killswitch Engage or Code Orange) ** = no Code Orange
NYC-based Colombian producer, singer-songwriter, and sound engineer Otto Botté unleashed his vibrant new single, “Dancing Company,” featuring Emma Claye. The song is accompanied by a Pablo Morelo-directed lyric video and news that the rising artist will release his debut EP, Dancing Company Vol. I, on July 16.
On the title offering of his forthcoming debut EP, Botté delivers a genre-defying track about passionate nights on the dancefloor while highlighting Claye’s dreamy vocals with an array of live instrumentation and house-leaning synths.
With “Dancing Company,” the self-taught, multi-faceted sound engineer and artist demonstrates his ability to infuse traditional Colombian roots music and Latin pop with elements of house music. The dance influences he’s absorbed from a decade of immersing himself in NYC’s nightlife and music scene by working with a spectrum of rising and prominent musicians shine on this single.
The lyric video, which premiered via Bands Do Brooklyn, starred Botte himself and Emma Claye and displays both the Spanish and English translations of the song. The colorful background interposed with the black and white filtered shots highlights how well the video was color-graded. The high-energy cuts and continuous dancing replicate the clubbable vibe of the track.
This song has freed me to express my unfiltered version through flirtiness and sensuality looking to portray the beauty in human connection, whether it’s instant and led by sounds or when it’s intimate and sensed through smells. I see God reflected in our ability to connect in community. There’s a line in the song that says, ‘I feel you watching me like if I got no clothes on’ and this takes place on the dance floor when I’m doing my thing, feeling watched by somebody else, desired, and vulnerable, yet comfortable in my skin.
“This thought immediately made me draw a parallel in my relationship with God and how comfortable I can be when I feel naked or mess-up, when I dance or sing, just being my true self before God, knowing that he looks over and meets me no matter how lonely or fulfilled I may feel. It’s refreshing to feel his presence in my daily life, in and outside of music, on and off the dance floor,” he added.
“Dancing Company” the third single released off of Botté’s debut EP after “Humbara,” which recently surpassed 100K global streams, received its first radio spin Wednesday on Los Angeles’s 88.5FM LatinAlt HD3. So far, this time around Botté has received support from Indie Criollo and EDM Nations. Previous support has come from NPR Music’s World Cafe, Acid Stag, Medium, Urban Latino, The Fox Magazine, and Kick Kick Snare, just to name a few.
Tracklist for Otto’s debut EP, including unreleased remixes by Jacuzzi Jefferson:
Since arriving in NYC as a teenager from Bogotá, Botté has acquired a Best Remixed Recording – Non-Classical Grammy nomination in 2015 for his co-mastering of “Waves” by Mr. Probz, a remix of Robin Schulz. Credits on multi-platinum projects of Enrique Iglesias, Joey Bada$$, Trey Songz, Fedez, and more. Botté is also a member of the NYC-based electronic trio Pool Cosby, which most recently released its Day Breaks album in 2020 and has been featured on Billboard, Earmilk, GRUNGECAKE, and more.
Free outdoor concerts are coming to Utica on Thursday nights in June as Bagg’s Square Association presents Performers in the Park at Handshake.City.
The weekly series will feature live music, art demonstrations, spoken word, outdoor activities, food trucks and locally-made goods for sale, 6-8pm every Thursday from June 3rd to July 1st.
Kicking off the series on June 3rd is blues, rock and jam group Uncle Charlie and the Meatballs with mural creation by Tony Thompson. June 10th features Handsome Bob, a new band to the Utica music scene playing rock, pop and punk tunes.
June 17th brings electronic instrumental musician Zalatan to the stage and spoken word by Téa Parker. Progressive rock group Copper Vein Clones plays on June 24th. Closing out the series on July 1st is an American Car Show with music by singer/songwriter J. Schnitt.
Performers in the Park is a great event to start off the summer right. Get the family out of the house for an evening or four and enjoy the nice weather and music. Every week visits another genre of Utica jams to discover. Don’t forget to support your local businesses and get some snacks and goodies while you’re at it. There are sure to be activities everyone will appreciate at Performers in the Park.
The Performers in the Park series is made possible by the Bagg’s Square Association, a non-profit organization of businesses and community members dedicated to generating and sustaining new life and activity in the Bagg’s Square neighborhood.
The events will take place at Handshake.City in the heart of Bagg’s Square at 26 Whitesboro Street in Utica near Union Station. Handshake.City is a collaboration of green space, art gallery, urban marketplace, and event venue from community group Made In Utica. It offers a family and pet friendly outdoor experience.
On June 19, The Robert Randolph Foundation will present the Juneteenth Unityfest, featuring musical performances, inspiring remarks, films, comedy, storytelling, and appearances by civic leaders and influencers. An event to celebrate the multicultural experiences that unites people of all backgrounds while amplifying the many narratives of the Black experience in America.
The multi-city, globally live streamed event will showcase the breadth and depth of Black culture and Juneteenth as a uniquely American experience. Grammy-nominated African-American artist Robert Randolph, has given life to the first-ever national event that provides a platform to unite a coalition of charitable grassroots organizations bringing together diverse voices in commemoration and celebration.
Actress and author Amanda Seales and comedian JB Smoove will serve as hosts for the inaugural Juneteenth Unityfest. The program will include musical performances by Robert Randolph, Aloe Blacc, Bebe Winans, Black Pumas, Darius Rucker, Earth, Wind & Fire, Judith Hill, Phony Ppl, Khruangbin, Michael Franti, Dave Matthews and Carter Beauford, Jimmie Allen, Keb’ Mo’ and Nile Rodgers & CHIC among many others.
Celebrities will appear live from across the country, streaming from various hubs of Black culture and creativity, including New York, New Orleans, Nashville and Los Angeles. With appearances by Phylicia Rashad, Billy Porter, Jon Hamm, Van Jones, Wayne Brady, Aisha Tyler, Craig Robinson, Zach Galifianakis and more.
Randolph, The Robert Randolph Foundation, and the Juneteenth Unityfest team recognized the importance of bringing awareness to Juneteenth as a holiday and helping people understand its significance in American history. When the last of the country’s enslaved people were made aware of the Emancipation Proclamation on June 19, 1865, it signaled a changing tide. This nationwide event hopes to serve as a reflection and celebratory catalyst to continue to drive inclusive cultures that strengthen the social fabric of America.
“While Juneteenth, the holiday, marks the symbolic end of slavery in America, our goal is for Juneteenth Unityfest to represent the accomplishments of Black people in the United States,” says Robert Randolph, founder of the Robert Randolph Foundation. “Through this celebration, our mission is for Juneteenth to serve as an occasion to remember the past, acknowledge our progression and take collective action towards creating a ‘more perfect union’ for all Americans.”
“The Juneteenth Unityfest is bringing a diverse group of people together to commemorate this significant day and the importance of Black culture and Black history,” said Antong Lucky, co-chair of Heal America and president of Urban Specialists. “This is much more than a celebration – it’s an opportunity to educate and learn. It is a time to come together, heal, grow and embrace the bright future we will have if we focus on what unites us rather than what divides us. That’s what it means to heal America, and everyone has a role to play.”
This live streamed event will air on June 19 starting at 5 p.m. EST to approximately 9 p.m. EST, via LiveXLive’s distribution platform on STIRR, SLING, AppleTV, and its social media channels including YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Twitch, and TikTok.
For more information on Juneteenth Unityfest, presented by the Robert Randolph Foundation, visit the Juneteenth Unityfest website, or follow them on social media, including Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
