On October 8th, Jake Miller, Fly By Midnight and Just Seconds Apart packed a crowd at Buffalo Iron Works for the “hi, i missed you tour.”
Just Seconds Apart, a trio of triplets from Arizona, opened the show with an incredible performance. Followed by the duo Fly By Midnight, who brought the energy and kept it going through their entire set. Lastly was Jake Miller and the crowd was absolutely nuts over him.
Before he stepped on stage, I talked to a few people who were in the crowd because I had never really listened to his music before. I stood next to a young woman who told me this was her tenth time seeing him. She told me that his music saved her life. This felt fitting as soon as Jake came out singing his song “Saved Me.” This made me a little teary-eyed.
Just Seconds Apart. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki
This wasn’t Miller’s first performance in Buffalo as he performed at the Kissmas Bash at the Key Bank Arena “I remember that performance,” Jake said “It was my first real time singing in an arena and I was nervous that not a lot of people would know my music. Then I stopped singing and the whole arena kept it going. It’s a memory that I will never forget.”
Jake Miller, Fly By Midnight and Just Seconds Apart provided a fun, high energy concert. The talent of each performer made it hard for you not to become a fan of each group, if you weren’t already.
Jake Miller. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki
Slavo of Fly By Midnight. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki
Ari of Just Seconds Apart. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki
Alex of Just Seconds Apart. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki
Justin of Fly By Midnight. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki
Justin (left) and Slavo (right) of Fly By Midnight. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki.
Fly By Midnight. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki
Sela of Just Seconds Apart. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki
Halsey performed two songs on last night’s episode ofSaturday Night Live, with influencer and reality star Kim Kardashian West as host.
The episode’s cold open depicted the Facebook whistleblower hearing, with an appearance from Pete Davidson as Tom from Myspace. Last week, former Facebook employee Frances Haugen alleged that the company’s properties “harm children, stoke division and weaken our democracy.”
Kim Kardashian West’s opening monologue came next, and it exceeded everyone’s expectations. Fully conscious of the backlash to her hosting, she roasted her equally polarizing family to appeal to her critics. Between her sisters, Kanye West, and Kris and Caitlyn Jenner, no one was safe. Kardashian West appeared in many skits throughout the night, such as Princess Jasmine in a parody of Disney’s Aladdin, and a Freaky Friday-inspired sketch with Aidy Bryant.
Other celebrity guests included Chace Crawford, Tyler Cameron, Blake Griffin, SNL alum Chris Rock, Jesse Williams, John Cena and Amy Schumer, all as Kardashian’s potential suitors in a The-Bachelorette-meets-Squid-Game reality show sketch.
Around the episode’s halfway point, Halsey performed her first song. “I Am Not a Woman, I’m a God” is the lead single from her latest album, If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power. While Halsey’s music has always had a dark bent, her latest effort is a major step up. It’s far more experimental and risky than her past work, with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross on production duty. “I Am Not a Woman, I’m a God” in particular is a dead ringer for Nine Inch Nails’ “Closer.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwiasA-IGCs
Weekend Update was less eventful than in last week’s premiere, but Michael Che managed to get in a good dig at the evening’s host.“This week Instagram was down for an entire day, forcing many Instagram addicts to fill their time with Twitter, TikTok or hosting SNL.”
Halsey concluded the episode with “Darling,” one of If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power’s warmer and quieter moments. Accompanying her was surprise guest Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac, and she deliberately styled herself to resemble Stevie Nicks. “Darling” is dedicated to Halsey’s first child, born last July.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H099BjA6FKk
No Time To Die star Rami Malek is hosting next week, with rapper Young Thug joining him as the musical guest.
Fans of the legendary rock photographer Jim Marshall will soon be able to view highlights of his storied career on film, thanks to an upcoming free screening of Show Me Picture: The Story of Jim Marshall hosted by The National Arts Club. The screening will take place on Tuesday, October 19 at the NAC and will be followed by a panel discussion on the infamous photographer’s life and work.
A child of immigrants living a life battling inner demons, Jim Marshall fought his way to become one of the most trusted mavericks behind a lens throughout the 1960s. His passion for capturing the decisive moment resulted in some of the most iconic images in music history from Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones to Johnny Cash, Janis Joplin and Miles Davis. Throughout his groundbreaking career, Marshall has crossed boundaries to document many of the extraordinary social movements of the time.
After the film screening, Amelia Davis photographer, executive producer and owner of Jim Marshall Photography LLC; Jeff L. Rosenheim, the Joyce F. Menschel Curator in Charge in the Department of Photographs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art; and Michelle Margetts, journalist and narrator of the film, will discuss Marshall and his work.
Founded in 1898, The National Arts Club is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a mission to stimulate, foster, and promote public interest in the arts and to educate the American people in the fine arts. Annually, the Club offers more than 150 free programs to the public, including exhibitions, theatrical and musical performances, lectures and readings, attracting an audience of over 25,000 members and guests.
Registration for this free screening can be done at the event website here.
WHEN
Tuesday, October 19, 6:00 PM
WHERE
The National Arts Club, 15 Gramercy Park South, New York, NY
SNL has returned for its 47th season, with Owen Wilson hosting and Kacey Musgraves as the musical guest.
The episode began with a cold open featuring prominent Democrats and what they’ve been up to in the offseason, including President Joe Biden and former Governor Andrew Cuomo. Cecily Strong stole the show as Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema, as did Melissa Villaseñor as a post-Met-Gala AOC. In his opening monologue, Owen Wilson poked fun at the negative reviews he’s received from critics over the years.
One of the night’s strongest sketches was of a school board meeting derailed by conspiracy theories and critical race theory outrage. Alex Moffat and Ego Nwodim took on nearly the entire cast of SNL as unhinged parents and townspeople, each more absurd than the last.
Later, Kacey Musgraves took to the stage with new single “Justified.” The song kicks off the second act of her fourth studio album, star-crossed, which she conceived as a three-act Greek tragedy in album form. Every song references her 2020 divorce from fellow country singer Ruston Kelly, trading in her signature sass for sentimentality.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0z7GH78oGo
Then, continuing their Weekend Update tenure, Michael Che and Colin Jost cracked jokes about missing white woman syndrome and R. Kelly. At the end of their set, Jost commended late SNL alum Norm MacDonald for inspiring him to do Weekend Update, leading into a montage of MacDonald’s best moments on the show. On September 14, 2021, MacDonald passed away from acute leukemia after privately battling the disease for nine years.
Finally, Kacey Musgraves closed out the episode with star-crossed’s biggest tearjerker, “Camera Roll.” Lyrically, the song is about looking back on a relationship with rose-tinted glasses after only preserving the good memories.
Kim Kardashian-West will be hosting next Saturday, with Halsey serving as the musical guest.
It wouldn’t quite be a complete outdoor music season in New York City without an installment of The Governors Ball Music Festival. After some difficulties with weather cancellations in 2019, GovBall had been looking forward to celebrating its 10th Anniversary in 2020, going as far as announcing their lineup in January 2020. Barred by the heat of the pandemic, that occasion had to be put on hold but GovBall made a triumphant return (this time to Citi Field) to celebrate its big anniversary with yet another sold-out crowd.
Three perfect sunny days of weather set the stage for the packed lineup consisting of several of the artists originally slated for 2020, some new additions, and plenty of New York heart and soul.
Early birds who made it to Citi Field for the festival’s noon-hour start were treated to some excellent up-and-coming acts, several with local connections. A few of the artists representing the five boroughs were Laundry Day, Drew Lucas + Livia O, King Princess, and Harlem-born A$AP Rocky. Nearby, New Jersey made its mark on GovBall with the band ARIZONA and an incredible R&B/country/soul styling from Breland.
Governors Ball made a move this year from its usual home on Randall’s Island in Manhattan to Citi Field in Queens, adopting a similar stage setup to Founders Entertainment’s The Meadows Music & Arts Festival which used to be held in the same location. Although maneuvering through the packed crowds as the evenings was a bit slow, the arrangement of the stages ensured that there was always an act to treat the ears while making the trek to the next stage.
Billie Eilish closed out the first night with several new tracks from her latest album release, Happier Than Ever, as well as several fan favorites from her catalogue. The crowd sang along with Billie through every song, which she reacted by saying that “GovBall is her favorite festival ever” and that she was so happy to be there again after her 2018 performance, this time as a headliner. The highlight of her performance was when she took to the sky on a moving platform, which lifted her up above and passed her several times over the crowd. Despite her huge set and 50,000 screaming fans, her performance felt intimate and personal.
The second night ended with a band as A$AP Rocky came onto the stage after crowd surfing on an inflatable car. His body men were running through the crowd dressed in head scarves to hide their faces. A$AP had been walking through the crowd before his set in disguise, and once his set began and he was on stage he revealed his face to a huge swell of cheers. Once on stage, he immediately told the crowd to open up the mosh pits, and the audience did so with enthusiasm. His set included some of his biggest tracks, and the crowd couldn’t get enough of his performance.
Post Malone played the final set of the festival, beginning from atop a massive catwalk rigged with lighting and pyrotechnics. Every time he took a sip from his big red party cup, the crowd egged him on to chug his drink. They did this at least four times, but rumor has it that there was only water in the cup. That didn’t stop him from making a moment out of it, and the crowd ate (or drank) it up. He opened with his hit song, Wow, and played most of the top singles from his catalog. He was joined briefly by Young Thug and the two shared the stage for one track.
Throughout the show the pyrotechnics were hot and huge, with Post even joking that it was “hot as f**k up here.” During his performance the crowd offered to help with his vocals by singing along, and he even joked, “Ya’ll know I’d sound like s**t without auto tune” which got a big laugh and huge applause. His set and the festival ended with a big splash of fireworks, with Post thanking the crowd for their energy.
New Orleans bounce artist, Big Freedia, performed with her usual thunderous energy at Brooklyn Steel on Monday, September 27th. Bounce music is known to be raucous and high energy and Big Freedia did not disappoint, as she showed up with her signature aplomb.
As with my other musicians, Big Freedia’s touring schedule had been on hiatus for the better part of two years. Many in the crowd mentioned that they had been looking forward to this show for quite some time and it reflected in the crowd’s atmosphere, as their eagerness to witness the pioneer of bounce music was palpable.
A 20-year veteran of the bounce music scene in New Orleans, Big Freedia rose to mainstream prominence with vocal cameos on Beyonce’s “Formation” and Drake’s “Nice For What“, two massive hits that exposed her to a wider audience. But, unbeknownst to many is that Post-Hurricane Katrina, Freedia has been known as one of the biggest voices in the regional bounce music scene and maintains and extremely devoted fanbase.
Despite not performing regularly for almost two years, her stage presence has not waned. Right after getting on stage Freedia immediately began flying through several tracks across her several EPs & albums at bone-rattling volume, as she performed nonstop for several records. All the more astounding as she, along with five backup dancers, frenetically went though their choreography. It’s rare to see a performer with such intensity across any genre, but Big Freedia exemplified the spirit and movement of bounce music for a hungry audience. She didn’t let up and neither did the crowd.
Big Freedia is undoubtedly tied to her home state and her success only means more exposure for the region. What was once considered to be a niche regional sound is now being performed for large audiences in major markets. And Big Freedia displayed why it deserves its recognition, and why New Orleans is still a city to be reckoned with musically.
This was not a one-off show for Big Freedia, she will continue touring throughout United States, with more information on her upcoming tour dates available here. Be sure to take a look at the full photo gallery down below!
Comedian and singer-songwriter Ian Lockwood will release his second EP, Not Like Other Girls, on October 22. The title track, also the lead single, pokes fun at the “I’m not like other girls” phenomenon, which depicts young women acting excessively quirky or unique in order to set themselves apart from the rest of their gender, often for male attention or due to internalized misogyny. Famous examples include P!nk and Avril Lavigne’s mid-2000s output, as well as the majority of love interests in John Green novels. The meme has entire Reddit subs dedicated to it, and now a pop anthem:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaiRqv3jD7s
Lockwood follows a long tradition of comedians crossing over into musical territory, including “Weird” Al Yankovic, Flight of the Conchords, and most recently, Bo Burnham. However, he has bigger aspirations than novelty fodder. In September, he told PASTE Magazine of his goal to challenge the notion of comedy songs as dance floor clearers.
I want people to be able to throw [my music] on at a party and not everybody goes, ‘What the hell is this? Turn this off, next.’ I think if you’re a fan of comedy music, and you’ve ever hosted a party and tried to sneak a comedy song onto a playlist, you know the pain of people getting upset and asking to change the song. So the philosophy is good comedy and good music at the same time.
Ian Lockwood to PASTE Magazine, September 2021
Lockwood released the EP’s second single, “No Homo,” on October 1. Lyrically, the song is about two straight “bros” who accidentally-on-purpose keep finding themselves in steamy predicaments. To add insult to injury, it’s backed by a flamboyant nu-disco beat that makes it hard to believe the narrator’s insistence that everything is straight and narrow. The second half of the song goes on an entertaining tangent, where the narrator and his subject time-travel to the 1800s as star-crossed besties.
On October 22, Ian Lockwood is having a release show for Not Like Other Girls at Union Hall in Brooklyn. Listeners can also expect third single “Your Dad” to drop on the same day.
Hugo Pierre Leclercq, a.k.a. Madeon wrapped up a two-night run at Terminal 5 on Friday, September 24th in support of 2019’s excellent LP Good Faith. The album was released back in November 2019, just a couple of months before COVID would force the music industry into lockdown. Madeon had completed a short first leg of the tour around the time of the release, and a planned second leg was never announced until earlier this spring when live music started to make a comeback.
Madeon at Terminal 5, 9/24/21 – Photo by BuscarPhoto
Good Faith is a lively mix of electropop and deep house elements, presented with very colorful collage-style visuals. Madeon is alone on stage, positioned on a small platform in the center of the stage and backed by a large LED screen. Flanked by two DJ tables on the sides, Madeon is in full-view and the perfectly symmetrical presentation is visually stunning and focuses the crowd’s attention towards center-stage the whole time. Even though the production was not overly large on stage, the lighting had no problem filling the cavernous Terminal 5.
Madeon at Terminal 5, 9/24/21 – Photo by BuscarPhoto
The tour continues on the east coast with a show in New Haven on Tuesday, 9/28 before heading out west for the remainder of the dates through October. See a full list of the tour dates HERE. Next up at Terminal 5 is Tinashé this Thursday, 9/30 followed by a stop on Dr. Dog’s final tour on October 2 – full list of shows at the venue can be found HERE.
Cheers filled the room as the lights dimmed at Webster Hall on Friday, September 24th as Mild High Club sauntered onto the stage to greet their fans for the first time since late 2019.
Formed in 2012, Mild High Club is the solo project of Alex Brettin. Influenced by jazz and AOR, Brettin tours with a talented supporting band to bring his music to life.
With roughly half of the crowd covering their faces in masks, the room felt friendly but tense as everyone eased back into being shoulder-to-shoulder with strangers. Once the band played a few tracks off of their first album in four years, Going Going Gone, the tension eased as the crowd sang along.
Brettin mixed in crowd favorites such as “Windowpane” and “Skiptracing” which got the crowd waving their hands in the air and dancing. The pure joy of being back at a concert was palpable as one front-row attendee gushed to his friend, “Dude, I am so happy we made it out to this show…it’s been so long since I’ve seen live music.”
Update – September 17, 2021: Elton John is postponing his 2021 European dates on his world tour until 2023 so that he can have an operation on an injured hip. Elton John said of the injury and postponement:
Despite intensive physio and specialist treatment, the pain has continued to get worse and is leading to increasing difficulties moving. I have been advised to have an operation as soon as possible to get me back to full fitness and make sure there are no long-term complications.
With great sadness and a heavy heart that I am forced to reschedule the 2021 dates of my Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour in Europe and the UK to 2023.
Elton John
Elton has promised fans that “the shows will return to the road next year and I will make sure they are more than worth the wait.”
REcently, Lil Nas X and Elton John have teamed up for “One of Me,” the pair’s first collaboration, appearing Lil Nas X’s debut album, Montero, which released on Friday, September 17.
Original article follows below
The final dates for Elton John’s “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour have been announced. This final tour for Elton John will take him around Europe, America and New Zealand, with dates into 2023.
Elton John released a statement regarding his new tour dates, and the return to his ‘final’ tour:
Hello, all you wonderful fans out there. I’m coming to you today with an announcement I’ve been working towards for, well, all my life: the shows that I announce today will be my final tour dates ever in North America and Europe. I’m going to go out in the biggest possible way, performing at my very best, with the most spectacular production I’ve ever had, playing in places that have meant so much to me throughout my career.
Elton John
photo by JTGPhoto
Elton John made his way through New York in February 2019 with a stop at the Times Union Center. Check out photos and our review of the evening for a taste of what’s in store when The Rocket Man returns to the road.
Elton John ‘Farewell Yellow Brick Road” World Tour
2021 (European dates postponed until 2023)
Sept. 01 – Berlin, DE – Mercedes Benz Arena Sept. 03 – Berlin, DE – Mercedes Benz Arena Sept. 04 – Berlin, DE 2 Mercedes Benz Arena Sept. 07 – Cologne, DE – Lanxness Arena Sept. 08 – Cologne, DE – Lanxness Arena Sept. 11 – Hamburg, DE – Barclaycard Arena Sept. 12 – Hamburg, DE – Barclaycard Arena Sept. 14 – Hamburg, DE – Barclaycard Arena Sept. 17 – Stockholm, SE – Tele2 Arena Sept. 18 – Stockholm, SE – Tele2 Arena Sept. 21 – Helsinki, FI – Hartwell Arena Sept. 22 – Helsinki, FI – Hartwell Arena Sept. 25 – Oslo, NO – Telenor Arena Sept. 26 – Oslo, NO – Telenor Arena Sept. 30 – Cologne, DE – Lanxness Arena Oct. 05 – Zurich, CH – Hallenstadion Oct. 06 – Zurich, CH – Hallenstadion Oct. 10 – Paris, FR – Accor Hotels Arena Oct. 12 – Paris, FR – Accor Hotels Arena Oct. 13 – Paris, FR – Accor Hotels Arena Oct. 16 – Antwerp, BE – Sportpaleis Oct. 17 – Antwerp, BE – Sportpaleis Oct. 22 – Barcelona, ES – Palau Sant Jordi Oct. 23 – Barcelona, ES – Palau Sant Joride Oct. 30 – Manchester, UK – Manchester Arena Nov. 02 – London, UK – O2 Arena Nov. 03 – London, UK – O2 Arena Nov. 05 – Leeds, UK – First Direct Arena Nov. 07 – London, UK – O2 Arena Nov. 09 – London, UK – O2 Arena Nov. 10 – London, UK – O2 Arena Nov. 12 – London, UK – O2 Arena Nov. 14 – London, UK – O2 Arena Nov. 16 – London, UK – O2 Arena Nov. 17 – London, UK – O2 Arena Nov. 19 – Manchester, UK – Arena Nov. 21 – Birmingham, UK – Resorts World Arena Nov. 23 – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena Nov. 24 – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena Nov. 27 – Liverpool, UK – M&S Bank Arena Nov. 28 – Liverpool, UK – M&S Bank Arena Dec. 01 – Manchester, UK – Manchester Arena Dec. 03 – Dublin, UK – 3Arena Dec. 04 – Dublin, UK – 3Arena Dec. 06 – Belfast, UK – SSE Arena Belfast Dec. 09 – Aberdeen, UK – P&J Live Dec. 10 – Aberdeen, UK – P&J Live Dec. 13 – Glasgow, UK – SSE Hydro Dec. 14 – Glasgow, UK – SSE Hydro
2022
Jan. 19 – New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Center Jan. 21 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center Jan. 22 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center Jan. 25 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center Jan. 26 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center Jan. 29 – N. Little Rock, AR – Simmons Bank Arena Jan. 30 – Oklahoma City, OK – Chesapeake Energy Arena Feb. 01 – Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center Feb. 04 – Chicago, IL – United Center Feb. 05 – Chicago, IL – United Center Feb. 08 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena Feb. 09 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena Feb. 14 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena Feb. 15 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena Feb. 18 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre Feb. 19 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre Feb. 22 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden Feb. 23 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden Feb. 25 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center March 01 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center March 02 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center March 05 – Long Island, NY – Nassau Coliseum March 06 – Long Island, NY – Nassau Coliseum March 19 – Fargo, ND – FARGODOME March 22 – St. Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center March 23 – St. Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center March 26 – Des Moines, IA – Wells Fargo Center March 27 – Lincoln, NE – Pinnacle Bank Arena March 30 – St. Louis, MO – Enterprise Center April 01 – Indianapolis, IN – Bankers Life Fieldhouse April 02 – Milwaukee, WI – Fiserv Forum April 05 – Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena April 08 – Knoxville, TN – Thompson-Boling Arena April 09 – Lexington, KY – Rupp Arena April 12 – Columbus, OH – Schottenstein Center April 13 – Hershey, PA – Giant Center April 16 – Louisville, KY – KFC Yum! Center April 19 – Greensboro, NC – Greensboro Coliseum April 20 – Columbia, SC – Colonial Life Arena April 23 – Jacksonville, FL – Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena April 24 – Tampa, FL – Amalie Arena April 27 – Orlando, FL – Amway Arena April 28 – Miami, FL – American Airlines Arena May 22 – Frankfurt, DE – Deutsche Bank Park May 29 – Leipzig, DE – Red Bull Arena June 04 – Milan, IT – San Siro Stadium June 07 – Horsens, DK – CASA Arena Horsens June 09 – Arnhem, NL – GelreDome June 11 – Paris, FR – La Defense Arena June 15 – Norwich, UK – Carrow Road June 17 – Liverpool, UK – Anfield June 19 – Sunderland, UK – Stadium of Light June 22 – Bristol, UK – Ashton Gate Stadium June 29 – Swansea, UK – Liberty Stadium July 15 – Philadelphia, PA – Citizens Bank Park July 18 – Detroit, MI – Comerica Park July 23 – East Rutherford, NJ – MetLife Stadium July 28 – Foxboro, MA – Gillette Stadium July 30 – Cleveland, OH – Progressive Field Aug. 5 – Chicago, IL – Soldier Field Sept. 7 – Toronto, ON – Rogers Centre Sept. 10 – Syracuse, NY – Carrier Dome Sept. 16 – Pittsburgh, PA – PNC Park Sept. 18 – Charlotte, NC – Bank of America Stadium Sept. 22 – Atlanta, GA – Mercedes-Benz Stadium Sept. 24 – Washington, DC – Nationals Park Sept. 30 – Arlington, TX – Globe Life Field Oct. 2 – Nashville, TN – Nissan Stadium Oct. 21 – Vancouver, BC – BC Place Oct. 29 – San Antonio, TX – Alamodome Nov. 4 – Houston, TX – Minute Maid Park Nov. 12 – Phoenix, AZ – Chase Field Nov. 19 – Los Angeles, CA – Dodgers Stadium Nov. 20 – Los Angeles, CA – Dodgers Stadium
