Category: Alternative/Indie

  • 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

  • The Antlers Return With First Show in Over 2 Years, Play Entire New Album

    Live from the legendary Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, critically acclaimed Brooklyn band The Antlers recently emerged from hibernation for their first show in over two years. Playing their latest studio album, Green to Gold, in its entirety followed by a second set of career spanning material, the enthralling, emotional, and dream-like performance on October 22, 2021 was nothing short of awe-inspiring. The road to get there, however, was a long time coming. 

    The Antlers

    Rising to prominence in 2009 with their breakthrough masterpiece Hospice, a semi-autobiographical concept album that tells the story of a hospice worker falling in love with a terminal cancer patient, The Antlers had not released any new music since 2014’s Familiars. It was later revealed in 2017 that primary songwriter and bandleader Peter Silberman had quietly stepped away from the band after being diagnosed with permanent, career threatening tinnitus and vocal lesions. The Antlers would remain silent until October 2020 when seemingly out of the blue, they released a single for “Wheels Roll Home” and officially announced their first album in seven years, Green to Gold would be released in March of 2021 via Anti Records/Transgressive.

    While no touring plans were made in support of the album, the band confirmed a special one-time only performance of Green to Gold would soon take place at the most storied barn in the Catskill Mountains. For diehard fans, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more perfect setting than Levon Helm Studios.

    For those who didn’t already know, some free advice: arriving late to a show at Levon’s is like being late to church on communion Sunday; there’s simply no way to enter without being disruptive. The ‘last minute Larry’s’ on this particular night found that out the hard way when classically trained jazz minimalist David Moore of Bing & Ruth kicked off the evening with a beautifully subdued piano recital. The acoustics in the room so clear, every footstep and whisper of the late arrivals was heard. Unphased by any of it, Moore’s focused, cinematic set was but a precursor to the splendor yet to come. 

    After a brief intermission, it was finally time for a performance that was years in the making: The return of The Antlers. A must-see bucket list band for some, one person I spoke with at set break confessed they traveled all the way from Minnesota to Woodstock for this one-time-only, once in a lifetime show. Spoiler: the band did not disappoint.

    Bathed in lavender light and taking the stage to a chorus of cheers and smiling faces, the mood gradually turned dead serious as a chorus of cicadas and crickets soon engulfed the room.  Just like on the studio album, The Antlers opened with the first track off Green to Gold, a dreamy, ethereal, post-rock styled instrumental called “Strawflower.” Each of the four members adding a new layer of sound and texture while joining in one by one, it wasn’t until “Wheels Roll Home” that we would hear the instrument most vital to The Antlers signature sound, Peter Silberman’s remarkable voice.  

    The Antlers

    Showcasing his impressive vocal range through half-sung/half-whispered melodies that often guide the listener to an astonishing falsetto peak, when you hear Silberman sing in person, you know you are witnessing a special talent. A vulnerable, rare kind of performer who can effortlessly send shivers up your spine or tears down your face on any given song; an artist willing risk it all for the sake of his craft, defying doctors’ orders after being told he may never perform again. Sounding magnificent on this cool autumn night at the barn, hearing Silberman pour his heart out to a live audience felt like nothing short of a blessing.   

    Describing “Wheels Roll Home” as “a simple song about the hopeful promise of reunion after a long time gone, the experience of waiting out tumultuous times and longing for stability,” Silberman touches on a theme most can relate to, particularly in the wake of the global pandemic. Never a band to shy away from difficult, dark and emotional subject matter, their bread and butter since the beginning, just two songs into the set and you could feel a sense of renewed optimism from The Antlers, something rarely heard on their previous albums.   

    Up next came a beautiful song called “Solstice”, co-written with long time Antlers drummer Michael Lerner (who opted to play on Levon’s vintage red kit instead of his own), the band describes the tune as a “flashback to the infinite days of peak childhood summer, innocent barefoot hikes, staying outside all afternoon and late into the evening, well past it being too dark to see. But it’s remembered from the vantage of a present day that feels unbearably long rather than joyously endless. It’s an invocation of those simpler times, an attempt to conjure the lightness of youth, before life got so damn complicated.”    

    Building on the soul-searching mood, the introspective journey continued with “Stubborn Man” before fading out into a sea of ethereal ambience that left the mesmerized crowd in stunned silence. As the emotional weight and integrity of the band’s performance grew with each successive song, up next came one of the biggest standouts of the evening “Just One Sec,” a song that noticeably left several people in tears. 

    “I’ll free you from the person I was sure I knew
    I’ll free you from a reputation you outgrew
    I’ll free you from behavior I’d expect to see
    And my interpretation of history
    ‘Cause I boxed you in unconsciously
    And I saw you and I thought you ought to be
    But by loving you imperfectly
    For just one sec, I’ll free you from me”

    “Just One Sec”

    Segueing perfectly into another song about hindsight came “It Is What It Is.” Also written by Silberman and Lerner, the richly textured song tackles the topic of learning from your mistakes, asking the listener to ponder “what might have changed had you handled things differently back then, and the reluctant acceptance that it’s too late for all that now.” The Antlers then seamlessly worked their way into “Volunteer” before transitioning to the hypnotic title track of their latest album, “Green to Gold,” a song that contemplates the inevitability of life and it’s ever-changing seasons.  The gentle soul-searching sway of “Porchlight” lead us to the album closer, bookending the set with another languid, post-rock influenced instrumental called “Equinox.” The relaxing, layered groove would simply dither out and conclude the Green to Gold portion of the show the same way it began, in chorus of crickets and cicadas.

    After a short brake, the emotionally elated audience welcomed The Antlers back for round two. There was no mystery during the opening set, but now it was anyone’s guess. Opting to go with the opening track from 2014’s Familiars was the beautifully brilliant song “Palace.” From there we were treated to back-to-back songs from the bands critically acclaimed album Hospice,  first was “Atrophy,” then perhaps the most well-known song of the evening, just down the road from Bearville, came “Bear.”

    “We’ll play charades up in the Chelsea
    Drink champagne although you shouldn’t be
    We’ll be blind and dumb until we fall asleep
    None of our friends will come
    They dodge our calls
    And they have for quite a while now
    It’s not a shock
    You don’t seem to mind and I just can’t see how”

    “Bear”
    The Antlers

    After the stellar rendition of “Bear” was the bittersweet anthem “Parade.” Taking a moment between songs to clear his throat with a large drink of water, you just knew whatever was next, Silberman was going to give it everything he had left. As the richly textured, dream-like melody of “Corsicana” began, a tangible “hairs-on-the-back of your neck, get your cell phone out and record this” feeling swept over the audience. The only song to be played from 2011’s Burst Apart, it was then that Silberman uncorked one of the most unbelievable, heartfelt falsetto croons these ears have ever heard; one that still gives me shivers just thinking about it. Following an extended well-deserved applause, we were treated to one final thought-provoking number, a little-known song written by Silberman, but never released by The Antlers called “Ahimsa.”  

    “Time is all we have, I hope I have enough

    Enough to show you love before my time is up

    Before you wake the dead, take a pause

    Instead of deafening nonsense, share silence

    No violence today

    No violence, no violence, no violence today”

    “Ahimsa”

    With an extraordinary end to an extraordinary evening, the band members then took center stage and hugged it out with each other first before bowing to the standing ovation. Not just a special night for fans who thought they’d never live to see an Antlers performance, but a special night for the band themselves. Coming full circle and finding perspective by letting nature run its course, time has been good to The Antlers.  From writing somber songs in a Brooklyn bedroom, to playing Green to Gold in a legendary barn surrounded by friends, family, and some of their biggest fans, those who were lucky enough to be at Levon Helm Studios on this night will never forget it.

    As the season for “best of the year” lists rapidly approaches, be skeptical of any that does not include The Antlers and 2021’s Green to Gold.  Seven years in the making, this is an album that will stand the test of time.

    The Antlers – Levon Helm Studios – Woodstock, NY – 10/22/2021

    Set 1: Strawflower, Wheels Roll Home, Solstice, Stubborn Man, Just One Sec, It Is What It Is, Volunteer, Green to Gold, Porchlight, Equinox

    Set 2: Palace, Atrophy, Bear, Parade, Corsicana, Ahimsa

  • Brooklyn’s Nation of Language to celebrate Album Release nov. 4 at Market Hotel, discuss new music

    Early birds at this year’s tenth-annual Governors Ball Music Festival were treated to a high-energy performance to kick off the festival’s second day. That band, Brooklyn trio Nation of Language, deliver a fresh take on the synth-pop sounds that emerged in the late 1970s/early 1980s that is fun to listen to at home and even more of an experience to dance and groove to in a live show.

    Nation of Language

    Tonight, November 4, Nation of Language are returning to their hometown for a show to celebrate the release of their second full-length album A Way Forward due out November 5. The show is taking place at Market Hotel starting at 8pm with special guest Cutouts. (Tickets and more information are here).

    While NYS Music was at Governors Ball, we had an opportunity to talk to Ian Devaney (vocals), Aidan Noel (synths), and Michael Sui-Poi (guitar) of Nation of Language about their experience at GovBall and creating new music during the pandemic.

    Steve Malinski: Starting off, how did you guys come together as a band and start making music in your current form?

    Ian Devaney:  I started kind of as like a, just like a personal writing experiment. I’ve been like making guitar music for a number of years and had this sort of like an epiphany moment when the song “Electricity” by OMD [Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark] came on. And I was like, it’s so simple, like, it’s synth music, but it’s so simple, and it’s direct and feels like urgent. And it was just like, very exciting. So I was like, let me switch and like, see how I could make synthesizer music. And then, Mike came on and, like, helps me record the first sort of demos that we put together. And then we got some friends together and started playing around, and then the lineup changed a couple of times. And when all of our synth players suddenly moved to Los Angeles, Aiden stepped up. And she learned to play since she never, she never played music before. So she heroically saved us from my doom and gloom.

    Nation of Language
    Ian Devaney

    MichaelSue-Poi: Yeah, Ian and I used to be in a band together. So it was a familiar experience to do demos together. Yeah.

    SM: I want to talk a bit about your newer music and some new music you have coming out. So what was that like – releasing an album at the start of the pandemic?

    Ian: We were initially quite pessimistic about it. Traditionally, it felt like the live show was really how we kind of, you know, like, really would get ourselves in front of people and kind of bring people on board with what we were trying to do. And so we were three days into a tour when everything closed down. And we were like, that’s it… see all these years of hard work and like, no one’s ever gonna hear it because we can’t play shows.

    Aidan Noel: But thankfully that’s not how it turned out at all. We had people at blogs that were writing about it, and at radio stations that were playing the singles. And we ended up making so many new fans over the pandemic, people that were just stuck at home listening to music. And it meant a lot to learn of  fans who found that was their soundtrack throughout those difficult times, and for us to know that it wasn’t all or nothing, and that it wasn’t the end of the road. Also in fact, you know, here we are, at GovBall, playing those songs. And even newer singles turned out ok!

    Nation of Language
    Aidan Noell

    SM: Was today at GovBall your first chance to play a lot of those songs out live?

    AN: No, we’ve actually had a couple of shows leading up to [GovBall] locally. And we played a show in Boston and Philly. So this is our fifth show back in action.

    ID: Yeah. Two New York shows and then this…

    AN: …getting back into the groove of live shows, it’s been really fun.

    ID: It’s also kind of crazy, because we’re getting back into kind of a different groove. Since so many of our fans basically found us during the pandemic, we haven’t met any of them, which is like a strange phenomenon. So going from kind of playing smaller rooms and not selling them out to playing like a sold out show at Bowery Ballroom I was like, isn’t there supposed to be something in between these two things? Just like with our set here at GovBall it’s like, it’s very bizarre.

    SM: So how does it feel to play one of these big festivals in New York City’s backyard, your hometown?

    MSP: I mean, it’s amazing to finally be playing at GovBall.

    Nation of Language
    Mike Sue-Poi

    AN: I’ve only come to GovBall once before and it was two years ago (as a fan) and got rained out. It was like a torrential storm. They had to evacuate the grounds… it was wild. So it’s cool to be here as an audience member and as a band playing this time. I would not have predicted that at that rainy show two years ago.

    IN: Yeah. And like, it’s beautiful. And like yeah, we came yesterday to see Future Islands and Billie Eilish and there’s like a whole bunch of people that we’re really excited to see today. So, yeah, it’s crazy being on, like on that stage, knowing who else is gonna come on to it. And it’s like, super humbling, really awesome.

    SM: Awesome. So your new album coming out this fall – did you write that in the middle of the pandemic? Or was it intended to be released earlier?

    IN: Yeah, it’s kind of a mix. There are a few songs that have been around for a little longer. And then some songs were like, start to finish written in the pandemic. And other ones were, you know, finding old fragments of things and piecing them together. So it was a fun, kind of a fun way of bringing together ideas from right now and trying to curate them together.

    Nation of Language at Governors Ball 2021
  • Midlake Announce “For the Sake of Bethel Woods,” First Album Since 2013

    Midlake has announced their fifth studio album, For The Sake of Bethel Woods, and shared the first single, titled “Meanwhile…” The Texas-based band has not released new music since 2013’s Antiphon. 

    Photo by Barbara FG

    Midlake’s brand of folk-rock evokes the brooding, funk-influenced sound of groups like TV on The Radio. After the departure of original frontman Tim Smith, they threw out their past recordings and restarted as a new quintet, hurriedly releasing a new album. On Antiphon, Midlake leaned into their rock side with distorted electric guitar riffs and newly-minted frontman Eric Pulido’s Bowie-protege vocals. 

    Almost a decade later, on “Meanwhile…” the band finds a lighter touch. A swoon-worthy 60’s rhythm carved out by drummer McKenzie Smith allows the steady acoustic guitar and wavering metronome to absolutely float. Pulido’s vocals, though mournful, are softer and more whimsical than ever. 

    Pulido said the track speaks to two key points in Midlake’s history: when the band decided to go on hiatus in 2014, and when they were inspired to reconvene in 2020. 

    “Everyone had their respective experience during the uncertain time apart,” he said, “culminating in a confident and celebratory return to form.”

    Available for preorder now, For The Sake of Bethel Woods will be released on March 18th of next year. For their first time working with an outside producer, Midlake brought in the big guns, recruiting Grammy-award-winning producer John Congleton. Congleton, whose previous credits include St. Vincent and Sharon Van Etten, produced, engineered, and mixed the album at Elmwood Recording Studio in Midlake’s native Texas. 

    Though the project marks a homecoming of sorts for Midlake, the reunion is bittersweet. For The Sake of Bethel Woods’ cover art pays homage to keyboardists Jesse Chandler’s father, who passed away in 2018. 

    “For me, the picture of that kid, my dad, forever frozen in time, encapsulates what it means to be in the throes of impressionable and fleeting youth,” Chandler said,  “and all that the magic of music, peace, love, and communion bring to it, whether one knows it at the time or not. 

    Midlake has unveiled an exclusive live performance of “Bethel Woods” filmed at Dallas, TX’s Modern Electric Sound Recorders by director Rett Rogers and co-director Barbara FG and marks the second in a new multi-part series of exclusive live sessions, “Meanwhile In Texas,” with additional installments set to premiere in the coming weeks.

    Promoting For The Sake Of Bethel Woods, Midlake has also announced a series of North American Tour Dates,

    Midlake 2022 Tour Dates

    MARCH
    9 – Denton, TX – Dan’s Silverleaf
    10 – Denton, TX – Dan’s Silverleaf
    16 – Gothenburg, SW – Pustervik
    17 – Oslo, NO – Vulkan Arena
    18 – Stockholm, SW – Nalen
    20 – Copenhagen, DK – Pumpehuset
    21 – Berlin, DE – Columbia Theater
    22 – Munich, DE – Freiheizhalle
    23 – Vienna, AU – Flex
    25 – St. Gallen, CH – Palace
    26 – Maastricht, NL – Muziekgieterij
    27 – Utrecht, NL – Ronda
    29 – Hamburg, DE – Mojo Club
    31 – Groningen, NL – De Oosterpoort

    APRIL
    1 – Cologne, DE – Bürgerhaus Stollwerck
    2 – Antwerp, BE = Trix
    3 – Paris, FR – Alhambra
    5 – Brighton, UK – Chalk
    6 – London, UK – Roundhouse
    8 – Newcastle, UK – University Student’s Union
    9 – Edinburgh, UK – Assembly Rooms
    10 – Manchester, UK – Albert Hall
    11 – Dublin, IR – Vicar Street

    MAY
    8 – Nashville, TN – 3rd & Lindsley
    10 – Washington, DC – Union Stage
    11 – Philadelphia, PA – World Cafe Live (Downstairs)
    13 – Woodstock, NY – Levon Helm Studios
    14 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
    16 – Pittsburgh, PA – Thunderbird Cafe & Music Hall
    17 – Louisville, KY – Headliners Music Hall
    19 – St. Louis, MO – Off Broadway
    20 – Kansas City, MO – recordBar
    21 – Oklahoma City, OK – Beer City Music Hall

  • Hearing Aide: “All Souls Day” by The Forms

    Queens duo, The Forms, known for their experimental indie sound, have returned with another new single, the eerie-sounding, “All Souls Day,” an ode to the celebratory day of remembrance of the same name.

    The band released their first two albums with legendary producer Steve Albini, who had previously worked with lighting rods like, Nirvana and PJ Harvey. “All Souls Day,” is the third release from The Forms this year after over a decade without any new music. Their last full-length, The Forms, was released in 2007. 

    “All Souls Day” centers on a hypnotizing riff played on a bass steel pan. The echoey and percussive instrument, as played masterfully by Matt Walsh, creates an ominous sound. It’s perfect for their psychedelic brand of indie rock, as the steel pan feels otherworldly like a synth yet as painfully human as a banjo. Vocalist, Alex Tweens’, high and whispery vocals balance the instrument with an alien quality. Tweens described the track as

    a strange dark meditative soundscape of a quiet apocalypse. 

    The music video for the track, shot in a remote field in The Catskills, is eerie and sensory. Cattails brush up against the camera lens, and pollen disperses like gold flecks in the wind. When night falls and a thick mist settles over the set, you can almost feel the chill. The atmospheric video matches the track so perfectly the creeping plants even flutter in time with Tweens’ delicate tack piano. 

    As Tweens also pointed out, the track is a “wild mood swing” from their other recent releases. Their exultant comeback single, “Southern Ocean,” made apathy sound fun over a bouncy, summery beat. Their latest release “Head Underwater” leans hard into the coveted late 2000s indie-pop formula of classic 90s riffs plus synths. Tween described the track as

    the most purely joyful song The Forms have ever done.

    The fun, upbeat nature of both records is a far cry from the barren soundscape of “All Souls Day.” But, then again, summer is over and existentialism no longer feels like a beach game.

    All Souls Day, celebrated annually on November 2nd, is a day of prayer and remembrance for the faithful departed, observed mainly by Roman Catholics and other Christian denominations.

    On the song, Tweens sings of spending the day floating in a river:

    Now I’ve come here/ In a state of mind/ One I’ll never forget.

    The meditative lyrics over the ever-echoing steel pan transport you right to that floating, questioning state. The effect is sonically beautiful and emotionally resonant, letting you know that this will be an All Souls Day you won’t forget anytime soon. 

  • Jukebox The Ghost Celebrate HalloQueen at Brooklyn Steel

    Jukebox The Ghost brought their HalloQueen special to Bushwick’s Brooklyn Steel on Saturday October 30, 2021 for the bands largest headlining show to date. The show featured a Halloween costume competition, musical standup comedy, a full Jukebox The Ghost set, as well as a full set of 14 Queen cover songs. Jukebox has been around since the college indie boom of the mid 2000s, but vocalist Ben Thornewill thanked the crowd multiple times for making it the bands biggest show of their career.

    jukebox the ghost halloqueen brooklyn steel
    Jukebox The Ghost at Brooklyn Steel, 10/30/2021. Photo by BuscarPhoto

    Opening the show was former SNL cast member Luke Null, who delivered a set of musical stand up comedy dressed as a French Mime, complete with Gene Simmons face paint. Strapped with an acoustic guitar, Null engaged with the crowd while singing and telling mildly inappropriate short stories. He made another appearance after Jukebox’s main set to officiate the costume competition. Members of the band’s crew handed out vouchers to the best dressed fans around the venue, allowing them on stage during the set break. Crowd reaction was the metric for the competition, who settled on the Jurassic Park themed Nedry and dinosaur costume as the winner.

    jukebox the ghost halloqueen brooklyn steel
    Luke Null, officiating the costume competition. Photo by BuscarPhoto

    Jukebox The Ghost took the stage again after the costume competition, all dressed as members of the band Queen. The HalloQueen celebration commenced, and would continue for a 14 song set of Queen cover songs, all performed superbly true to form. Thornewill fully embraced the role of Freddie Mercury, mimicking the body language and posture perfectly, and there was even an handkerchief hanging from the neck of Brian May’s guitar. The crowd fully embraced the moment, belting out a rendition of “Bohemian Rhapsody” which culminated in an epic balloon drop.

    jukebox the ghost halloqueen brooklyn steel
    Jukebox The Ghost at Brooklyn Steel, 10/30/2021. Photo by BuscarPhoto

    The show at Brooklyn Steel was the last on the tour for Jukebox The Ghost, who have no more dates scheduled at the moment. The band played their latest single “Cheers!” as well as one other new song, so be on the lookout for new music in the future.

  • Marco Benevento Releases Single “At The End Or The Beginning”

    “At The End Or The Beginning” was released by Marco Benevento October 27, 2021 just before playing a two night run at Levon Helm Studio in Woodstock. The track opens with a satisfying bass hook and at first listen felt anthemic, yet atmospheric; much like stepping into the sun after a week of rain.

    Single cover for Marco Benevento’s “At The End Or The Beginning”


    It was only natural to want to listen to the song again and again. Repeatability is where the magic happened somewhere between the end or the beginning. After a few listens, the depth of the song began to present itself. While it would have been easy to write about all of the pain and suffering human kind has endured together, Marco chose a path less travelled.

    Link to In Depth Interview below


    “At The End Or The Beginning” presented an optimistic mindset for how to approach the world we are in today without ever touching a level of toxicity. It could be asserted that listening to a song like this could have real benefits to the mindset for anyone struggling to see tomorrow. The catchy groove that does not bombard could easily be on for quite a few cycles without noticing. 


    Marco Benevento has continuously demonstrated what it means to be an artist, not just a musician. His music, though seemingly fun, and out there, has never consisted of one layer in meaning. Zen master? Could be…

    Does a photograph mark the end or the begining?


    For more on Marco Benevento’s creative process, studio tour and thoughts on the Hudson Valley, check out NYSMusic exclusive in-depth interview by clicking here!

    marco benevento

    Marco Benevento Upcoming Tour Dates

    November 11 – Portsmouth, NH – The Press Room (Sold Out)
    November 12 – Portsmouth, NH – The Press Room (Sold Out)
    November 13 – Portsmouth, NH – The Press Room (Sold Out)
    November 27 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Bowl
    December 11 – Miami, FL – North Beach Music Festival
    February 25 – Ardmore, PA – Ardmore Music Hall
    February 26 – Washington, DC – Union Stage
    April 7 – Cambridge, MA – The Sinclair
    April 8 – Burlington, VT – Higher Ground
    April 9 – Fairfield, CT – Stage One

  • Yves Tumor Plays Two Sold-Out Shows At Webster Hall

    Yves Tumor and It’s Band performed in New York City this past week for two sold-out shows at Webster Hall. Fresh off the heels of a new EP, The Asymptotical World, the band brought along 4 openers for both shows, presenting musical styles ranging from industrial techno to future pop. Opening artists included the enigmatic future-pop star ECCO2K, industrial and deep house duos Deli Girls and Club Eat and experimental electronic artist, No Bra.

    yves tumor webster hall buscar photo
    Yves Tumor at Webster Hall, 10/28/2021. Photo by BuscarPhoto

    Yves Tumor debuted in 2015 with the highly experimental and self-released album, When Man Fails You. The record is a kaleidoscopic journey through different passages of distorted, ambient electronics and bits of futuristic pop. The sophomore release, Serpent Music, saw Yves Tumor starting to mix in soul and Motown elements into the distorted haze of electronic elements. This style became a launching point for the band’s two major label releases on Warp Records: the breakthrough, Safe In The Hands of Love, in 2018 followed by, Heaven To A Tortured Mind in 2020.

    yves tumor webster hall buscar photo
    Yves Tumor at Webster Hall, 10/28/2021. Photo by BuscarPhoto

    Apart from the varying musical styles, The setup for the performance was also one-of-a-kind. The drummer and keyboardist were on very high elevated platforms in the back corners of the stage, situated right in line with the house lights in the rafters, creating interesting shadowy silhouettes that stood out within the light. Yves Tumor, along with guitarist Chris Greatti graced the front of the stage, as their energy and engagement with the fans remain unmatched. Venue personnel also added several platforms within the security pit, allowing Tumor and Greatti to maneuver in and out of the crowd, since Tumor spent a portion of each song singing along with the crowd, rather than singing to them from the stage. At one point, Greatti even made his way to the VIP balcony and played a guitar solo while hanging over the railing.

    yves tumor webster hall buscar photo
    Yves Tumor at Webster Hall, 10/28/2021. Photo by BuscarPhoto

    The setlist for both nights were similar, but featured essential tracks “Kerosene!” and “Dream Palette” from Heaven To A Tortured Mind, “Noid” and “Licking an Orchid” from Safe In The Hands Of Love, and “Jackie” and “Crushed Velvet” from the recent EP The Asymptotical World.

    yves tumor webster hall buscar photo
    Yves Tumor at Webster Hall, 10/28/2021. Photo by BuscarPhoto

    Yves Tumor will continue touring, with west coast dates scheduled throughout November and a European leg kicking off in February. This live show is not to be missed; with well written albums, intoxicating music and dedicated performers, as the band feeds off of the crowd’s energy.

  • This Week’s EQXposure Features Belle-Skinner, grape juice! And More

    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 from Belle-Skinner, grape juice! 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.

    Belle-Skinner

    Just in time for Halloween, singer-songwriter Belle-Skinner has released her love magic-themed EP, Love Spell. Each song is equal parts spooky and seductive, with siren-esque vocals and lyrics that charm and bewitch. Skinner created the concept after hearing similar songs written by her friends, and penned her own to accompany the covers. “Spellbound” follows Skinner as the target of a love spell, while the psychedelic “Love Witch” sees her as the perpetrator. Instruments like the organ and theremin set the mood perfectly, creating a haunting atmosphere.

    grape juice!

    Albany alternative rock band grape juice! released their newest single “sad songs” in July. Despite the title and some of its lyrics like “Disappointment is my forte,” it’s an upbeat power pop song in the vein of Weezer and Fountains of Wayne.

  • The Wood Brothers Announce 2022 Tour Dates, Tour Begins at Kodak Center

    The Wood Brothers have announced their first shows in 2022. The Grammy Award-nominated, Nashville-based trio will head out on 19-date tour that begins January 25 at The Kodak Center in Rochester. They’ll also make stops in Albany, Plattsburgh and NYC before heading out west.

    wood brothers 2022
    ©Jay Blakesberg

    The first leg of dates—featuring support from singer/songwriter Steve Poltz—extends into February and stretches across the Northeast. Highlights include performances at 9:30 Club in Washington, DC, The Fillmore in Philadelphia, House of Blues in Boston and a return to Webster Hall in New York City to close out the run. After a brief pause, the second leg picks up on February 22 at The Rialto Theatre in Tucson and proceeds to blanket the Mountain states into March, including appearances at The Mission Ballroom in Denver, Center For The Arts in Jackson and Knitting Factory in Boise before concluding with two nights in Montana. Rounder Records’ recording artist Katie Pruitt performs an opening set each evening. 

    The Wood Brothers most recent album, Kingdom In My Mind, was released in January 2020. The pandemic forced the band to cut short touring plans in support of the collection thus many of the upcoming dates represent the first time fans will have an opportunity to witness the band performing material from the recording.While on hiatus in 2020, The Wood Brothers remained active, reissuing their landmark 2013 album The Muse on 2-LP vinyl and playing a series of livestreams. Additionally, Oliver Wood would record his first solo album, Always Smilin’. Released in May 2021 on The Wood Brothers’ imprint Honey Jar Records, the 12-track collection was warmly received by critics and fans alike.

    wood brothers 2022

    Tickets for the upcoming tour go on-sale on Friday, October 29 at 10am local. All shows will be available for purchase at thewoodbros.com

    The Wood Brothers Winter/Spring 2022 Tour

    1/25 – Rochester, NY – Kodak Center *
    1/26 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club *
    1/28 – Albany, NY – Palace Theater *
    1/29 – Portland, ME – State Theatre *
    1/30 – Plattsburgh, NY – Strand Center for the Arts * 
    1/31 – Providence, RI – The Strand *
    2/2 – New Haven, CT – College Street Music Hall *
    2/3 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore *
    2/4 – Boston, MA – House of Blues *
    2/5 – New York, NY – Webster Hall *
    2/22 – Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theatre **
    2/23 – Scottsdale, AZ – Virginia G. Piper Theater **
    2/25 – Denver, CO – Mission Ballroom **
    2/26 – Crested Butte, CO – Center for the Arts **
    2/28 – Jackson, WY – Center for the Arts **
    3/1 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Commonwealth Room **
    3/ 3 – Boise, ID – Knitting Factory **
    3/ 4 – Bozeman, MT – The ELM **
    3/ 5 – Missoula, MT – The Wilma **

    * w/ Steve Poltz
    ** w/ Katie Pruitt