Gear up for a night of music, dance, and community on a rooftop in Brooklyn! “Rooftop Rock,” a live-music fundraiser event for local artists, will be held at the Bogart House in Bushwick on Sunday, August 15.
Starting at 11 a.m., various Brooklyn-based bands will take the stage at the Bogart House’s roof-deck in hopes to bring the Bushwick community together by sharing and promoting local music. New York City visual artists will also have some pieces on display and for sale. All proceeds from the event will be evenly distributed amongst all performers.
By giving back to the artist community, we give to the community as a whole. The fundamentals of creativity are essential to the well-being of every New Yorker and the city’s vibrancy at its core.
Alyssa Martin, Founder of Chelsea Records NY
Hosted by non-profit organization Chelsea Records, Rooftop Rock seeks to uplift new musical acts by relieving the pressures and financial burdens of booking shows. This more lighthearted approach allows for a concert experience where artists can express themselves without hesitation and the art can speak for itself. Especially after a year of isolation, collaboration and networking is essential to bring life into local music scenes again.
We began using a personal roster of musicians to book full line-up shows at local venues and used our own individual contacts to fill the room. (Musicians) were also exposed to a brand new audience that soaked in all of their incredible work.
Alyssa Martin, Founder of Chelsea Records NY
A full bar will be available on site and more artists are to be announced. Tickets are on sale now for $25 each on Humbler.
Rooftop Rock Details
Date: Sunday, August 15th, 2021
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location: Bogart House – 230 Bogart Street Brooklyn, NY (Rooftop)
Dopapod has announced a set of Fall 2021 tour dates including the first three shows in Brooklyn, Saratoga Springs, and Ithaca.
Dopapod has been composed of Eli Winderman (keys and vocals), Rob Compa (guitar and vocals), Chuck Jones (bass), and Neal “Fro” Evans (drums) since its formation in 2007 at Berklee College Of Music. The band’s accomplishments include a flourishing fanbase across the country, yearly show counts tallying into the hundreds, and high-profile appearances at festivals like Bonnaroo, Electric Forest, Summer Camp, High Sierra, and more. Most recently, in fall of 2017, the group released Megagem, the band’s fifth studio album, which Glide Magazine called “simultaneously their most focused and thematically ambitious affair to date.”
The band and each of its seven albums sports a palindromic name, meaning it can be read the same forward as backward. More than that, balance has become the band’s modus operandi, with the group consciously juggling the darker tones of heavy rock with lighthearted humor; synthesizing tastes of funk, jazz, bluegrass, electronica, and more within their complex improvisational compositions. During live shows, Dopapod is known for taking fans on a full-out journey, guiding attendees through periods of frenzied dance contrasted with moments of thoughtful contemplation.
After a successful decade together, Dopapod went on a planned hiatus in 2018 with the goal of restoring balance to the band. Eli Winderman explained, “We have a fresh perspective on the whole thing—a different outlook on the band and on life. There’s a lot of renewed energy we’re feeling around it all.”
The time and space allowed each member to rekindle their passion for the project and bring their long-standing friendships with one another back to the forefront. With this time gifted to themseblves, the group has also intentionally reflected on their music, working together to breathe new life into old songs and revitalize live performances. “We’re excited to come back and play these songs together again, to see if they can take on a new life,” Chuck Jones added. “After this year off, we’re not just going to be playing the same songs the same way we were five years ago.”
Fair Visions, a Brooklyn-based pop-punk act led by songwriter Ryan Work, has announced their sophomore EP. The Modern Kids EP comes out September 1 but in the meantime, fans can listen to their title track and lead single, “Modern Kids.”
Photo by Rita Iovine
“Modern Kids” has received praise from critics like Under the Radar and Indie 88. The track certainly evokes an 80s sensibility, complete with synths and pulsing rhythms. Fair Visions brings a new wave sound into a new era, inspired by icons like Bowie, New Order and Depeche Mode.
Fair Visions’ last project was their 2020 EP, A Way Out. The upcoming Modern Kids EP will bring a darker, more melancholic sound with new sonic textures. Work and the band have stated that their forthcoming LP, slated for release in 2022, thematically addresses “family issues and apocalypse feelings”.
Work came to New York by way of his Tennessee hometown. In 2018, Fair Visions opened for fellow post-punk revivalists Nation of Language, which led Work to align with studio collaborator Abe Seiferth (LCD Soundsystem, Guerilla Toss, Car Seat Headrest). Seiferth had a large role in the studio production of Modern Kids.
“Modern Kids” is available to stream now while the titles of the five other EP tracks have been released. In advance of September 1, be sure to connect with Fair Visions on Facebook and Instagram and listen to “Modern Kids” below.
Editor’s Note/Update: Due to concerns over Covid-19 Delta Variant, theSound Waves concert with Sxip Shirey at White Feather Farm is being rescheduled from August 5 to September 9.
Sound Waves at White Feather Farm is a new global music series that will be held Thursdays, from August 5 – September 23, at Broken Wing Barn in Saugerties. The open-minded line-up will present world-class artists in genres ranging from Gypsy jazz and Afropop to Latin Boleros and Native and African-American folk, soul and gospel.
The Sound Waves series is being produced by Saugerties-based Isabel Soffer of Live Sounds and globalFEST and Olivier Conan of Barbés Brooklyn, in partnership with White Feather Farm, the site of the acoustically-resonant, 280 year-old Broken Wing Barn. The Sound Waves line-up includes:
August 5 – The World of Sxip Shirey
Sxip Shirey tests the edge of music using his vast imagination to create playful and mischievous songs using familiar objects, mutant instruments and reconfigured sounds. he acoustic beauty. “Sxip Shirey’s imagination for sounds, sound combinations and textural color makes him one of the most curious combinations of composer-sound designer-performer meets storyteller-curator.” — CD Baby “Eclectic and original” – NPR’s Fresh Air.
August 19 – West Africa Dance: Mandingo Ambassadors
The Mandingo Ambassadors was founded by griot-guitarist Mamady Kouyaté in 2005. A veteran of the great orchestras of the golden age of Guinean dance bands in West Africa, Mamady is a living library of musical science inherited from his ancestors and from a half century of experience as an arranger, band leader, accompanist and soloist. Representing a musical tradition that stretches back hundreds of years, Mamady plays with a melodic virtuosity that pulls in listeners. “Dazzling vocal and guitar patterns over a rhythm section that is like a perfect system” – NYTIMES.
August 26 – Martha Redbone: Native American and African American Soul, Blues and Gospel Martha Redbone is a Cherokee-Choctaw and African-American singer-songwriter, composer and educator known for her unique gumbo of folk, blues, and gospel fused with elements of traditional Native American music from her childhood in Harlan County, Kentucky and infused with the eclectic grit of pre-gentrified Brooklyn. “Americana’s next superstar”– Village Voice.
Wrembel may be the foremost interpreter of Django Reinhardt in North America. Whether sticking to the French master’s arrangements or taking the music into new territory, Wrembel has always treated Django like a classical composer rather the cliché paragon of swing and speed the master guitarist has often been portrayed as. In addition to Wrembel’s work as a film composer and performer (he wrote the theme song to Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris and scored Allen’s last movie) Wrembel has delved into the study of Django’s “Improvisations” – the solo pieces that Django recorded throughout his life which were precisely scripted and more akin to classical preludes than jazz improv. Wrembel painstakingly transcribed and memorized the entire cycle, highlighting the influence of Ravel and Debussy on the music, as well as the original compositional approach. Wrembel released the album Django L’impressionniste back in October 2019 – a stunning work, which he premiered at the prestigious Lyon Opera house, in France. “A revelation” – Rolling Stone Magazine.
Sept 23 – Miramar: The Golden Age of Latin American Boleros
Miramar draws its inspiration from the golden age of romantic music, primarily that of the Latin American genre known as the bolero which was made popular by Mexican, Cuban and Puerto Rican combos of the 1950’s. Also referred to as “trio music,” the term bolero became synonymous with various slow to medium grooved Latin American dance rhythms. As the popularity of the bolero thrived, it also expanded and fused with other musical styles to create sub-genres of bolero-rock, jazz and disco. Miramar simply furthers expands the tradition through their own interpretations and exploration through new compositions with hopes to enrich a new audience that may be previously unaware of the genre. “Turn the lights down low, clear out the living-room carpet and find your dance partner for this one”—NPR Music
Limited tickets are available for Sound Waves. Please consider carpooling as parking is limited. Doors open at 7, show at 8, hang out with us after the show! Ticket buyers must show a vaccination card or negative covid test within 72 hours to attend without a mask, otherwise a mask is required.
Grace Yurchuk, a lifelong musician and current NYU student, released her first EP, Footsteps On the Moon, on July 23rd. After her first two professional releases “Need Me” and “Good Together” hit all major streaming services in the spring, Grace Yurchuk has announced a follow up EP called Footsteps On the Moon. A true labor of love, this collection was conceived as dorm room pop during a pandemic.
With influences you can hear in every note, the musical storyteller has made five indie/pop hits with a little something everyone can enjoy. All written, composed, performed, and produced by herself, Grace spent many nights with the cool glow of a Mac screen illuminating her face as she tinkered with her latest creation. Her mission is to inspire other girls to discover the producer pathway, which can be just as meaningful as other “more glamorous” musical pursuits. There are so few female producers in the studio system, Grace is determined to raise that number, at least by one.
You’re Cute When You’re Mad
The opening track deals with asking for positive attention despite the other party only contributing unhealthy things to the relationship. The backing is interspersed with electric guitar riffs that add a deep robust sound to an otherwise light pop song. Following the story, it tells of a know-it-all, teasing boy who thinks it’s cute to be rude to a potential partner. Fitting for the soundtrack to the culminating prom scene in a show when the protagonist finally realizes the popular boy isn’t worth the trouble.
Good Together
The second release from the album, a hopeful look at two young people hanging out and enjoying their time together, has been filling playlists since its debut in May. With the strong synth and beautifully layered vocals, this is the perfect feel good song.
Need Me
The first ever professional release from Grace, “Need Me” slows down the EP. A melodic track that breaks up the dance hits and allows the listener to breathe for a second. Sticking to the title of the album, it feels like slow dancing in the moonlight or on the moon itself. By the third song on the EP, this is where the story of love gained and lost (or not reciprocated) really cements itself.
Walk In the Rain
With a tad more folk influence on this track, the guitar instrumentation is the star of this lamenting of unbalanced love. The build of the music into deep vocals filled with emotion pairs immaculately with the added piano. This is the song to listen to if you’re looking for a nice ballad.
Supernova
The closing track, aptly named for its otherworldly opening, feels almost ethereal. A lyric that could describe the running motif throughout the whole release is this line from the song “If I’d have known my heart would break I would do it again with a smile on my face.” A great bittersweet track to close out the EP that also leaves a feeling of wanting to keep repeating the music to find more meanings to the words.
Overall this EP lived up to the expectations leading from the two first releases. A wonderful end of summer listen and a magnificent start to a career. To follow Grace in her future projects check out her social media, website, and Spotify.
Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up and coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear new music fromthe Grandstand Jockeys, Timbre Coup and many more!
WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.
The Grandstand Jockeys
The Grandstand Jockeys’ debut EP, Win, arrives on June 18. Its first single, “Better Days,” is a nostalgic call to long-past good times, holding out hope for their eventual return. The song is especially timely in the wake of many COVID-19 restrictions being lifted: “Time to begin, the time is now / Get yourself off the ground.” The Grandstand Jockeys’ Facebook page describes their sound as a mix of Tom Petty, Nirvana and QOTSA, but “Better Days” has the former written all over it.
Timbre Coup
Timbre Coup’s latest single, “Running Always,” is an indie rock piece that occasionally delves into prog and funk. The song’s scarce lyrics contrast its vast, sometimes trippy soundscape, replete with a sweeping electric guitar that wouldn’t sound out of place on OK Computer. The four-piece band from Albany will release their fourth studio album, Sudden Urge, on June 25.
Ciarra Fragale
Indie-pop singer-songwriter Ciarra Fragale’s self-titled EP is out on July 2. Described by Fragale as “a love letter to my anxiety (and yours),” single “It’s Only Raining” isn’t concerned with the weather so much as the stressful hypothetical situations our brains create for us. Fragale’s vocals are effortless yet passionate, and the staccatoed keys will stay with you long after listening.
D’Arcy is a fresh alternative musician hailing straight from New York City. Her first single, “Crush,” was released in October of 2020 and has recently been remixed by Bubblegum. She just released a brand new creative lyric video for the remixed “Crush.”
D’Arcy is known for her dark and dramatic alternative flair. Her first single “Crush” was released in October 2020 followed by “Bad Girls” in December and “Bad Girls” remix by Morgothbeatz (Juice WRLD, Lil Xan). D’Arcy is the first musical act launched from DRØME, a media company that previously published a multi-issue print magazine featuring Billie Eilish, Sofi Tukker, LPX, OSHUN, Girlpool, Nakaya and more.
If you like Billie Eilish or Lorde, you’re bound to like NYC-based indie act D’Arcy. Coming in with her dark and alternative pop sounds, she’s making her presence known and offering a unique take on the genre that’s setting her apart from the aforementioned artists.– EARMILK
“Crush” is one of her upbeat tracks, illustrating the first feelings of realizing you have a crush on a special somebody. It is both cute and hard-hitting at the same time, showing off D’Arcy’s unique talent of being an astounding female punk artist. The Bubblegum remix slightly speeds up the original track, making it more pop rather than rock. The new lyric video features youthful graphics that make the heart of the song come to life.
D’Arcy’s musical career is off to an insanely promised start, and fans can only be expecting more great sounds coming from her in the future.
After a successful return to the stage at Peach Music Festival, TAUK is set to hit the road and headline their own shows for the Chaos Companion Tour, harnassed by the release of their newest single and accompanying music video, for “Moon Dub,” out now.
With new music and new energy, the band can’t wait to return to live shows like never before. “We’ve been missing live music just like everybody else and are itching to get back on the road,” shares guitarist Matt Jalbert. “This whole experience gave us some time to step back and really gain a whole new perspective on just how lucky we are to do what we do and share it all with unreal fans.”
This first part of the country long tour kicks off with Resonance Music & Arts Festival in Masontown, WV over September 16th & 17th, followed by a performance at Borderland Music & Arts Festival in East Aurora on September 18th. TAUK will then hop along the east coast, hitting Pawtucket, RI, New Haven, CT, and Brooklyn, (the latter with Paris_Monster), before heading down south for plays in Asheville, NC, Atlanta, GA, Indianapolis, IN, Covington, KY and more. The band will then make their State Theatre debut on Halloween in Falls.
Don’t miss out on TAUK on tour. An all-instrumental combination of progressive rock, hip-hop and jazz offers a unique blend and sound to their listeners. Inspired by classic sci-fi like Blade Runner and Ex Machina, TAUK’s ability to combine melodic fusion with pop sounds is sonically adventurous, and emotional. A full list of dates can be found below. Keep up with the band on their official Facebook & Instagram, and listen now on Spotify & Apple Music.
Their most recent studio album ShapeshifterII:Outbreak, offered an interesting look at artificial intelligence and its potential to upend our world. Containing a sense of tension and cinematic mood, it proved to be an album that’s both thought provoking and soothing.
Longtime friends and TAUK members Charlie Dolan, Matt Jalbert, and A.C. Carter formed their first band in seventh grade. After playing together in various projects, the three added Issac Teel to the band, creating the final lineup. Since then, TAUK has appeared at festivals like Electric Forest and Bonnaroo, and earned acclaim from major outlets like the Washington Post, who praised TAUK for “creating a hard-charging, often melodic fusion that—thanks to a penchant for improv—offers limitless possibilities.”
Earlier this month, TAUK shared “Moon Dub,” their first studio release since March 2020. On July 21, the New York-bred ensemble shared the track’s extraterrestrial-inspired video, directed by Dani Barbieri. Accompanying the fully instrumental track, listeners can join TAUK on a journey from Earth to outer space, with infectious beats and expansive sonic exploration. The vintage-tinged video chronicles the four-piece as they suit up, prepare for a space expedition and fly to the moon for a gravity-defying performance.
Of the video’s concept, guitarist Matt Jalbert says:
The floating, spacey nature of the song coupled with Dani’s excellent creative input and execution brought us to Volvox Labs where we were able to make it feel like we are playing on the moon and do the shoot on their high-tech screens and come away with an amazing looking video. It was then that we actually landed on the song title. It was damn hot in those space suits, but worth it in the end.
Matt Jalbert, TAUK
The video was captured over a single, hot summer day in New York City, in a studio without air conditioning. Despite this minor set back, Barbieri reflects upon the shoot for “Moon Dub,” saying “the men in TAUK brought 100% energy to every single take. They are true heroes and it was a gift and a dream to take them to the moon!”
TAUKChaos Companion Tour Dates
Aug. 13 – Atlantic City, NJ – Sound Waves @ Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, featuring special guest Robert Randolph for a Beatles vs Hendrix set with BoomBox Sept. 16 & Sept. 17 – Masontown, WV – Resonance Music & Arts Festival Sept. 18 – East Aurora, NY – Borderland Music & Arts Festival Sept. 30 – Pawtucket, RI – The Met Oct. 1 – New Haven, CT – Toad’s Place Oct. 2 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Bowl (with Paris_Monster) Oct. 8 – Martinsville, VA – Rooster Walk Reunion Music Festival Oct. 9 – Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel Oct. 12 – Oxford, MS – The Lyric Oxford Oct. 13 – Little Rock, AR – Rev Room Oct. 19 – Jackson, MS – Duling Hall Oct. 20 – Huntsville, AL – Sidetracks Music Hall Oct. 21 – Birmingham, AL – Saturn Oct. 22 – Tuscaloosa, AL – Druid City Music Hall Oct. 23 – Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse Oct. 26 – Indianapolis, IN – HI-FI Oct. 27 – Covington, KY – Madison Theater Oct. 28 – Memphis, TN – Railgarten Oct. 29 – Nashville, TN – The Basement East Oct. 30 – Charlottesville, VA – Jefferson Theater Oct. 31 – Falls Church, VA – The State Theatre
Directed by Sophia Conger and shot at the Brooklyn Bowl, TAUK’s video for “Make Your Move” opens with the band quietly sitting at a bar, before suddenly shifting into a vibrant and playful competition sequence. The video mirrors TAUK’s signature instrumental sound, which begins delicately and expands into complex textures and beats, brilliantly blending the old school with the futuristic. The visuals in “Make Your Move” perfectly match this: a calm and unassuming beginning, which then bursts into a layered, intricate melody, shown with Nerf gun fights, Mario Kart-style tricycle races and more.
On Wednesday, July 14th, Albany’s Alive at 5 concert series featured two acts native to upstate New York, indie folk-pop duo, The Sea The Sea, and Folk-rock, multi instrumentalist Amy Helm.
For the third week in a row, the concert was held at the Rain location under the 787 overpass. Despite the uncooperative weather, attendance was near capacity. Check out the setlists and photo gallery below.
Alive at 5 returns this week, Wednesday, July 21, with Hartley’s Encore and YAM YAM.
Setlists from Alive at 5 with Amy Helm and The Sea The Sea
The Sea The Sea: I’ll be loving you, Rainstorm, A thousand years, Broken, In the altogether, Back to the wild, Not the same as goodbye, The meaning of love, This is the way, Love we are we love, Let our Kites Fly, Nothing Brighter, The Art of Feeling, I’m so Lonesome, Stumbling Home, Everybody, Fall before the climb
Amy Helm: This Too Shall Light, Heat Lightning, Breathing, Rescue Me, Roll The Stone, Carry It Alone, Calling Home, Cotton On The Cane, Running Out Of Love, Wait For The Rain, Terminal B, He Called Me Baby, Atlantic City, Didn’t It rain, Sweet Mama
Caveman has announced nine brand new tour dates in September. The tour will be kicking off in Buffalo at The 9th Ward at Babeville on Sept 9.
Caveman previously shared “River,” alongside a visualizer, the latest single off their upcoming LP, Smash, out Aug 13 via Fortune Tellers. On the track, Matt Iwanusa of Caveman says “’River’ is mostly about how you survive when you have suffered a big loss; how to look at yourself and your actions moving forward.
This song is about my cousin Ashley “smash” who we lost about 4 years ago. She was one of my best friends and sidekick in trouble-making all around NYC. She was one of the only people in the world who never judged me. Since she was my youngest cousin I felt like I had to protect her, but in the end, we protected each other. I miss her every day and this song coming out makes me think about the process it’s been to continue life without her and have the good memories continue to help me when I get down.
Matt Iwanusa, Caveman
Smashis the first new Caveman record since 2016’s “Otero War.” Much of it was composed just after the passing of Iwanusa’s cousin – her nickname Smash becoming the album title and much of the music inspired by her.
On a whim early last year, they connected with old friend Peter Matthew Bauer of the Walkmen and his label Fortune Tellers to quickly release “New Sides” a series of recordings they had freed up the rights to while waiting for what would become “Smash” to return to their control. Basically dropping the EP five days after it was mastered, it was an early step to just get out into the world again a little with the song “You Got A Feeling” getting picked up on several major playlists and radio stations. “It was just great for people to hear something from us,” said Iwanusa. “It feels like it’s been forever and now we’re sitting on so much new music that’s finally able to get out into the world.”
Since Caveman began in 2010, they’ve released 3 full length records, toured endlessly (sharing stages with The War on Drugs, Jeff Tweedy, and Weezer, and playing festivals including Coachella, Bonnaroo, and Austin City Limits), and received accolades from everyone from Pitchfork to the New York Times.
Nowadays, they’ve grown from young punk kids into statesmen of sorts for New York indie music. Jimmy’s Brooklyn shop The Guitar Shop NYC is a city institution as well as a clubhouse for the band. Practicing and working out of Williamsburg nightclub Baby’s Alright during its down hours, the band is just beginning to recreate the momentum of their early career after a period of false starts, legal issues, and frustrating delays that slowed the release of their new record for several years.
