Tech N9ne brought his Strange New World Tour to Empire Live in Albany, NY on Wednesday, November 11. Opening the show were rappers Jhery Robinson, King ISO and Rittz.
After King Iso seemlingly died on stage from rapping too hard, Tech N9ne took the stage to a roaring crowd. Donning a crown or clown mask, he mixed old with new, finally ending the night with a heavy slew of classics. He spoke afterwards of recently turning 50 and gave a surprisingly elliquent speech about just being yourself and always moving forward.
TechN9ne takes this tour south before heading out midwest to end in Kansas City, MO at the beginning of December.
Empire Live has become quite the up and coming venue in 2021 and what better place to host an up and coming band in Ripe, with The Heavy Hours and Max Muscato opening the show on Friday, November 12th.
The Boston based Ripe rolled through Albany in the midst of a long tour taking them through a lot of the Northeast, into Canada, and finishing out the year with two shows for New Years Eve at Irving Plaza on December 30th and 31st. After taking off the month of January their winter tour kicks off in Knoxville and runs through the deep south before heading out to the Midwest.
Set List: Flipside, Downward > Stanky, Escape, Beta Male, Queen of the City, Pretty Dirty > Passerby, Noise in the Forest > First Time Feeling, Bennie and the Jets, 5am, Talk to the Moon > Follow Through > Little Lighter
Tucked away in the hills of Coeyman’s Hollow, NY at Magic Forest Farm, artists, vendors, and fans alike came together for the first ever Diggin’ Roots Festival. Sugar Productions, Lyons Den Productions, and co-founder Koryn Shear put in countless hours, days, and months making this cozy little farm with a name to match a haven for the few hundred fans who would descend upon it.
The two-day festival started Friday evening with solo artist Matt Cosgrove covering plenty of 90’s rock hits and some amazing originals. Local Favorites, Raisinhead, were the first to grace the main stage with a few sit-ins from harmonica extraordinaire, Junebug. Ted Grey of Raisinhead stayed on stage for the next set as Quantum Cosmic came on, comprised of him and members of Annie in the Water, The Switch and the Reflexions. Last but surely not least, the Deadbeats rounded out the night with two hour long sets.
Saturday, music began at the crack of noon with the Token Locals. And no, not the heads just waking up from the night before. The wonderful Laura Leigh Band was on next. Laura and companions put on and amazingly whimsical and beautiful performance, setting a light mood for the remainder of the afternoon for Hilltop and the Lousy Slaughters.
As the day grew dark, local legends, the Wheel rolled out a classic set of Grateful Dead tunes before stepping aside for Dr. Jah and the Love Prophets. These two Captiol Region favorites have been playing here for many years, Dr. Jah looking at close to 30 years of incredible Reggae.
Hailing all the way from Harrisburg, PA, you might remember Yam Yam from their recent set at Alive at Five, Albany’s free summer concert series. Shane Spillinger of Sugar Productions noted how well they were received that night, making sure to bring them back for this festival. As the band came on stage the crowd chanted “Yam Yam! Yam Yam!” continuing, whether they liked it or not, after every song.
Long Island’s Baked Shrimp was the last band of the night, playing a quick hour set before giving way to Danish DJ David Maros who played deep into the night.
Their inaugural year was an absolute success and we at NYS Music hope there will be plenty more in the years to come as the new festival continues Diggin’ Roots.
The Brooklyn Mirage played host to the 2021 Brooklyn Comes Alive on Sunday, September 26th. The massive outdoor complex was the perfect venue for such an occasion.
Break Science: Live Band
The day started off with a quick introduction from none other than Sirius XM’s Ari Fink, getting right into a set from Karina Rykman. The trio started the day off strong, with Karina’s heavy bass lines pumping up the growing crowd. Marlo Shankweiler of Melt came out for a couple songs, not surprisingly as she was a part of Karina’s band during quarantine. After her set, Karina dove into her role as DJ in between sets for the remainder of the evening.
Karina Rykman Band
Brooklyn Comes Alive at Brooklyn Mirage would not be the same without a set of full improvisation from a super group of incredible musicians. Joe Russo, John Medeski, and Dave Harrington combined for an incredibly eclectic and outlandish set. Russo was pulling out every conceivable instrument to rattle, bang, and drum along to Medeski’s organ while Harrington switched back and forth between bass and guitar.
Medeski/Russo/Harrington Trio
Denver, CO was presented well this night with two heavy-hitters taking the stage. First was Break Science: Live Band. Most of Lettuce usually rounds out the “Live” portion of this group, but this time around they changed it up. Eric “Benny” Bloom was in attendance, with Chris Karns and Hunter Roberts making up the rest of the band. Karns and Roberts brought a wonderfully jazzy change of pace, letting Borham Lee and Adam Deitch just groove along and keep things flowing.
Break Science: Live Band
Second up from the Mile High city was funk-masters, The Motet. Special guests Shira Elias (Turkuaz), Jeremy Schon (Pigeons Playing Ping Pong), and Benny Bloom were more than welcome on stage as the band put on a mostly instrumental set, as Lyle is no longer with them. Shira more than made up for the vocals, coming out for “Highly Compatible” and “The Beat Goes On,” with everyone coming back out for “Death and Devotion and last, but not least, “Get it Right.”
The Motet
After having both shows in New Haven canceled, fans of the Disco Biscuits knew they were in for a treat. Ari Fink once again introduced the Philly jamtronica pioneers who kicked off their set with “Helicopters” -> “Running Into the Night.” The bass line of Blondie’s “Rapture” rose from “Running,” and the band invited Shira Elias back to the stage to add vocals to “Rapture,” marking the first time the group has gone beyond an instrumental version of the 1980 new wave song, with “42” closing the set.
Set 2 started strong with the rare-these-days “Pilin’ it Higher” that took a jam spin before slowly morphing into “I-Man,” which led into the fresh Biscuits tune “M1,” highlighted by Aron Magner’s synth work that played off Jon “The Barber” Gutwillig’s masterful guitar playing. “M1” found its way back to “I-Man” then headed into more new territory with “Evolve,” which continues to evoke some of the most enthusiastic interaction between crowd and fans, giving off a ’90s club vibe in the process. To close the set, the Disco Biscuits moved back into the end of “Helicopters,” closing out an incredible day of music at Brooklyn Comes Alive at Brooklyn Mirage.
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In March of 2020, Brooklyn Comes Alive was set to be a masterpiece at the new Avant Gardner in, you guessed it, Brooklyn. Just days before the event would take place the governor put New York in lockdown due to COVID-19. It was one of the first events cancelled due to the pandemic, but it would not be the last.
Multiple online off-shoots of the event have sprung up over the last year and a half. Justice Comes Alive and Georgia Comes Alive, for example, were highly successful online festivals, meant as a way to spread the word about, and fight injustice and bring our country closer to salvation. After a year and half away, the “6th” inaugural Brooklyn Comes Alive will take place at the Brooklyn Mirage, the massive outdoor venue of Avant Gardner on Sunday, September 26th, 2021.
The lineup includes two sets of The Disco Biscuits who, coming off a cancelled weekend in New Haven, will have plenty up their sleeve for the event. The night is rounded off by sets from Karina Rykman, Break Science: Live Band, The Motet, and a trio made up of Joe Russo, John Medeski, and Dave Harrington. It wouldn’t be Brooklyn Comes Alive without at least one super-group. The night will also be hosted by none other than Sirius Jam On’s, Ari Fink.
Instead of the normal event with multiple stages and venues, this year they decided to keep it simple and safe. The outdoor venue will provide ample room and fresh air for fans, with the King’s Hall being open as well for bathrooms, full bar, and a place to relax in between sets. This will also ensure fans don’t miss a second of music.
Tickets for Brooklyn Comes Alive 2021 are available here.
In a year light on music festivals, the season has been extended into October in Upstate NY. Over October 8-9, Magic Forest Farm in Coeymans Hollow – just 30 minutes south of Albany – will play host to the first annual Diggin Roots Festival.
Diggin Roots features an amazing lineup of bands, kid friendly activities, food vendors, local craftsman and more. Magic Forest Farm also has multiple hiking and walking trails to explore and animals to meet.
The great minds behind the Festival, Koryn Shear and Sugar Productions, bring a fantastic lineup over two days, featuring Yam Yam, Wild Adriatic, Baked Shrimp, and many more.
Diggin Roots came to fruition from Shear’s longtime family friend Joan Mahony and her partner Jason Ball. Mahony’s family has owned the 200 acre property since the 1970s, in an effort to have an escape from their home in Brooklyn. The idea for a music festival came together in the last few years, with Jason building the stage. Jason and Joan brought Koryn to the farm and she fell in love with the space and vision to bring music and people to the venue.
The Schedule for Diggin’ Roots Festival
Shear used her connections in the Albany music scene to find those who would be able to bring her vision to life. Among those was Shane Spillinger of Sugar Productions, and once he saw the property and potential for a late fall event, he was on board. Kirk Lyons of Lyons Den Productions will handle lights and sound at Diggin Roots.
In its first year, Shear hopes to connect the community to the location, have a successful event and make this the beginning of something that can grow over time, bringing music and people together. Over time, larger acts are on the horizon, making this an annual gathering with long term potential, especially given the location of the space in Coeymans Hollow, which has its own deep history.
The name for the festival came as Shear and Spillinger discussed names along with Joan, the property owner. Given the festival is slated for October, and there is a good deal of harvesting at that time, Diggin Roots was decided upon, especially as they aim to dig in and make this a regular community event.
Over two fall nights in October, live music lovers will capture the last flicker of festival season with Diggin Roots, which also has camping and limited RV passes. Tickets are available here and are $90 for the weekend. Day passes will also be available. Check out exclusive photos of the grounds of the farm via Shear, and stay tuned for updates on this inaugural event.
On August 16, 2021, Lindsey Stirling graced Saratoga Performing Arts Center with an incredible performance. From daredevil aerial spinning to intricate choreography, her show is one for the ages. Sterling said during her set that she always imagined herself becoming what she is today, a badass playing violin and dancing to dubstep, wearing the most fantastical costumes.
Photo by Zach Culver
Lindsey’s Artemis Tour, named after her latest album release, is just as outrageously out of this world as any of her work. Every few songs a video would come up on the massive LED screen behind her playing a fable of sorts, usually incredibly strong and uplifting, inner beauty and strength being a key point in all her messages. She dives deep into each genre of… well, everything she gets into. Her music ranges from heavy dubstep to classical and back to pop, and her stage performances always have incredible themes.
Artemis is very much an album based in ancient fantasy. The videos between songs showed Lindsey Stirling in full costume in the middle of the woods, bow in hand, among her clan of pre/post-apocalyptic hunters. As she dove into her other albums, her costumes and themes changed with them. A Choose Your Own Pirate Adventure got the crowd cheering as the fair maiden and her crew acted out insanely hilarious and amazing choreography.
The Artemis Tour takes Lindsey out west for a handful of shows before a five-month hiatus. In late February 2022, she begins her World Tour of the same name beginning in Sydney, Australia and ending in Kiev, Ukraine.
Setlist: Artemis, Til the Lights Goes Out, Darkside, Shatter Me, Masquerade, Master of Tides, Love Goes On and On, Crystallize, Married Life > Once Upon a Dream > A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes / You’ve Got a Friend in Me, Between Twilight, Sleepwalking, The Arena / Underground, Roundtable Rival / Don’t Let This Feeling Fade, First Light, Mirage
Rescheduled from 2020, Daryl Hall and John Oates had been waiting to get their tour on the road for almost as long as we’ve been waiting to see them again. On Sunday, August 15th, they arrived with some 13,000 fans at Saratoga Performing Arts Center, one of the biggest crowds this venue has seen in some time. English band Squeeze opened the show.
Photo by Zach Culver
The duo came out, clad in their best rocker gear, followed by their band. Starting out with the classic “Maneater” the crowd was in from the start. They ripped through a few of their oldies before Daryl moved over to his grand piano for “Sara’s Smile.” After tearing up the crowd’s heartstrings he moved back over to center stage with his counter-part. The whole band came in strong for “Back Together Again,” surely being a very meaningful track for them after this past year.
30 minutes before their slotted end time they left the stage, leaving the crowd hungry for more. Little did they know what they were in for. Hall and Oates came back on stage for a four song encore, starting with “Rich Girl” and flowing into “Kiss on My List,” “Private Eyes,” and lastly, “You Make My Dreams.”
The duo headed west after Saratoga and the next time they will be near New York State will be September 18th at the Merriweather Pavilion in Columbia, MD and Foxwoods Casino in Mashantucket, CT to close their tour on December 3rd and 4th.
Setlist: Maneater, Out Of Touch, Method of Modern Love, Say It Isn’t So, You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ (Barry Mann cover), She’s Gone, Sara Smile, Is It a Star, Back Together Again, I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do),
Encore: Rich Girl, Kiss On My List, Private Eyes, You Make My Dreams
There was one overall concensus from Sunday’s show at Lark Hall on August 1st, and that is Sammy Rae is going to be big. The energy that this young woman brings to the stage is really unmatched at her level. Sammy’s voice and the band’s energetic soul would have been given a warm welcome at the Copacabana in the 50’s.
Lark Hall played host to one of its biggest crowds to date as hungry fans filled the great hall. Sammy Rae had them roaring on their feet from before she even came on stage and with every note and gesture they sang her praises. The band itself was exceptionally tight with a pair of backup singers who were actually front and center, and a duo of saxophones with a full band behind them. Sammy moved around the stage like a conductor, feeding off of the crowd and the band.
If you missed out then fret not as they have an extensive tour ahead of them and this was only show number three. After finishing up their summer tour and festival season at Green River Festival in Greenfield, MA, the band moves it’s way to a few shows in the southeast and then a massive run in the Northeast including stops in Brooklyn and Syracuse. Keep this young lady on your radar, because she is coming in hot.
On July 23rd, The Palace Theater in Albany played host to A Midsummer Slay. This drag show was originally to be hosted by Lady Bunny, but a sudden illness meant that none other than Mrs. Kasha Davis (RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 7) would need to strap on her high heels and come warm up the crowd as this was a spectacular not seen in the Capitol Region for some time. The stage was set for an incredible night of dancing and booty-shaking and the crowd was ready and roaring.
Midsummer Slay – Mrs. Kasha Davis / Photo by Zach Culver
Morgan McMichaels (RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 5, and All-stars Season 2) was the first dancer to grace her stage with almost nothing but a reinstoned jacket and nipple pasties. In her best ‘Pink’ wig she got the fans moving as she rocked the stage to the Diva’s “Call Your Girlfriend” When the crowd was fully charged, Morgan kicked it up a notch as she jumped out into the crowd and gave one lucky fan a vigorous lap dance.
Midsummer Slay – Morgan McMichaels / Photo by Zach Culver
Mrs. Davis came back out, (after a quick costume change of course), and kept the energy up, cracking jokes at everyone’s expense, including herself. A’Keria Davenport was introduced next, coming out to Cardi B’s “Up” in a technicolor outfit that would have made the Drag Race judges gasp. Stripping down to her fishnets and equally excellent undergarments, she strutted that stage like the queen she is, before coming out into the crowd and showing the screaming crowd what her mama gave her, (and maybe paid for). You couldn’t tell that she had just been voted off RuPaul’s Drag Race All-stars the night before as she was in her element.
Midsummer Slay – A’Keria C. Davenport / Photo by Zach Culver
Coco Montrese (RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 5, All-stars Season 2) strolled out in a sparkly red number showing a lot of leg. TikTok sensation Doja Cat’s “Say So” played as fans rushed the stage to dole out singles like a strip club to the more than willing Coco.
As Coco was finishing talking with Kasha Davis, a stage director ran out with a powerful fan which could only mean one thing, it was time to introduce the TikTok and Instagram superstar, Plastique Tiara (RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 11). Plastique can only be described as drop dead gorgeous and that’s all she needs. No dancing was necessary as she simply stood in front of the fan and listened as the crowd went wild.
Midsummer Slay – Plastique Tiara / Photo by Zach Culver
The night would have an entire second set with even more dancing, twerking, and cash being thrown from every direction. Midsummer Slay, like all drag shows, celebrated our right to do whatever the hell we want, looking however we want. You can still see A’keria on the current season of RuPaul’s Drag Race All-stars Season 5. She was just voted off but there is a “Game within a game” the audience is still waiting for.
