NYS Music 202​1

Category: Upcoming Shows

  • The State Theatre of Ithaca Announces First Ever Virtual Concert

    Amidst the ongoing pandemic, ‘virtual concerts’ have come to be a familiar set of words. Fortunately, The State Theatre of Ithaca is joining in on the trend with its first virtual concert, “Boogie for the State – A Virtual Shakedown.”

    State Theatre Virtual Concert
    Poster art for “Boogie for the State – A Virtual Shakedown.”

    On Feb. 28, The State Theatre of Ithaca will live stream their show on both their Facebook page and YouTube channel. Over a dozen local artists will perform for the concert.

    “The Boogie Shakedown” is a backyard party that local musicians organize and perform for their friends and family. From 1998 all the way up until 2020, there’s been an annual “Shakedown” that attendees are always excited about.

    “I still vividly remember attending my first Boogie Shakedown back in the late 90’s. It was the first time that I ever saw the Sim Redmond Band perform!  We were all just a bunch of kids, getting together, having fun and making incredible music.  Twenty-plus years later, I think our children look forward to The Boogie even more than the adults,” said Executive Director Doug Levine.

    Levine also states that he intends to start this year off with something people “could look forward to” after an extremely tough year.

    Much like the past “Boogies,” this virtual show will consist of seasoned artists who have performed for it in the past as well as talented new-comers. Some of the artists confirmed are Plastic Nebraska, Sim Redmond Band, Johnny Dowd, Maddy & Suave (Maddy Walsh & The Blind Spots), Mary Lorson & Billy Cote (Madder Rose), Common Railers, The Small Kings, The Rungs, Janet Batch, The Sutras, Don Bazley and The Moles.

    The State Theatre of Ithaca is a nonprofit organization that owns and operates the last remaining historic theatre in Tompkin’s County. The community annually donates contributions to keep the site alive and well. Their purpose is to preserve history and promote live music, community and performances. Just last month, they reached their goal for “Save Our Seat,” a fundraiser to help with budget concerns during these unprecedented times.

    We are excited to partner with The State Theatre to bring the Boogie back to life in 2021. Not being able to hold the Boogie last year, for the first time in 21 years, was unfortunate, and I am really looking forward to helping organize this event, even if it’s being done virtually.  The Boogie Shakedown always signified the beginning of summer, of live music festivals, outdoor gatherings with friends and family.

    said Brian Fiorello, founding organizer and host of The Boogie Shakedown.

    The State Theatre Virtual Concert starts at 7:00 p.m. and is free to anyone wishing to experience a Virtual Shakedown. The theatre promotes the show to “stay home. Tune in and boogie down.”

  • Harlem Gospel Choir Announces Performance at Sony Hall

    Harlem Gospel Choir is known for their contemporary gospel sound with a touch of jazz and blues They announced their upcoming performance at Sony Hall in New York City, right around the corner from Times Square. The show will broadcast via live-stream from Sony Hall on January 18, 2021 at 3PM. 

    Harlem Gospel Choir

    The Harlem Gospel Choir has been performing for over two decades and are known for being one of America’s premier gospel choirs. They are deeply rooted in the history of the African-American slave trade. It’s widely known that black gospel music can be traced back to the 1700’s, when African slaves were brought to America against their will. Eventually their unique African musical heritage was combined with Christianity to create the gospel sound that is widely known today. The Harlem Gospel Choir presents the modern gospel classics as performed in the black churches of Harlem today.

    Sony Hall is a multi-genre live venue located in the heart of New York City. It’s known as a one-of-a-kind concert hall which is enhanced by Sony technology to provide people with an one of a kind entertainment experience. The venue was established in 2018 and is owned and operated by Blue Note Entertainment Group. It has standing room for 1,000 people or seating capacity for 500 people and a full service restaurant and bar. Sony technology 360 Reality Audio, 4K Remote Cameras, and Headphones that support the 360 Reality Audio.

    This special performance is being done in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. and according to the Choir, “It will be a very special show with new material, and a few surprises.” The performance will take place live on January 18, 2021 at 3PM and will be available with the access code until January  25, 2021 at 11:59PM EST. Access to the virtual stream code is $25. People interested in purchasing a ticket can do so here.

    For more information the Harlem Gospel Choir and their Sony Hall performance, visit their website.

  • Palace Sessions return with Moriah Formica, Sawyer Fredericks & Madison Vandenburg

    The Palace Sessions return with a trio of young talent that have each found a national audience. Moriah Formica, Sawyer Fredericks and Madison Vandenburg will be stream performances from Albany’s Palace Theatre on January 13 at 7pm on the Palace Theatre’s

    Formica, Fredericks and Vandenburg have each found fame through nationally broadcast music competition shows The Voice (Formica and Fredericks) and American Idol (Vandenburg). Through their performances and runs into the finals of their respective shows, they have each amassed a large following, bringing a focus to the Capital Region of New York.

    The Palace Sessions is a monthly live music series featuring some of our favorite regional acts performing in unique spaces within the historic performing arts center. Watch previous episodes of The Palace Sessions below.

    During the stream, donations can be made to benefit the Palace Performing Arts Center, Inc. – the 501(c)3 non-profit organization that owns and operates the historic Palace Theatre. Donations can be made or directly through the Palace Theatre’s Text To Give program, by texting Palace2020 to 44321.

    The Palace has been Albany’s iconic downtown landmark for the past eight decades, bringing  the biggest names in entertainment to the Capital Region. The history and programming of the  Palace is a unique and often untold story with roots dating back to the period of the Great  Depression. The Palace Theatre, built in 1931, originally presented vaudeville acts, feature films  and became a civic auditorium before closing its doors in 1969. The theatre maintains its original  beauty and design and is a historical landmark in the City of Albany.

    The Palace Performing Arts  Center was established in 1984 and incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 1989, created to  operate the Palace Theatre. The mission of the Palace is to bring world-class arts and  entertainment to New York’s Capital Region, greatly enhancing the area’s cultural and economic  development. Our mission is carried out through core programming and community initiatives  that include performing arts entertainment, free arts education, family-friendly performances,  free summer movies and a classic movie program series. The Palace has a significant economic  footprint with over $3.5 million in ticket sales and 180,000 patrons. 

    Palace Sessions is presented by the Palace Theatre, the City of Albany and Mirth Films.

  • Flushing Town Hall Announces Jazz Inspired “Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration”

    Flushing Town Hall announced it’s jazz inspired “Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration.” The performance will be a live virtual performance led by band leader Carol Sudhalter on January 13, 2021. 

    The performance will be part of their Jazz Jams series hosted by Flushing Town Hall. The series premieres monthly and features artists from across the globe. Jazz musicians come together to play their tunes reflecting each month’s theme. This month’s theme is Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration. The performance will take place on Wednesday, January 13, 2021 at 7PM EST and will feature jazz musicians from New York City and across the world will play tunes reflecting the pursuit of racial justice in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.

    Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s deep appreciation of music as an “instrument of change” is one of the main inspirations for it being the muse of January’s Jazz Jams. As The International Musician once noted that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr considered jazz to be “triumphant music” and had once written that, “Jazz speaks for life. The blues tell the story of life’s difficulties, and if you think for a moment, you will realize that they take the hardest realities of life and put them into music, only to come out with some new hope or sense of triumph.”

    The interesting thing about the Jazz Jams programming is that Flushing Town Hall opens it up to the public for performance slots. Musicians interested in participating on January 13, 2021 should email education@flushingtownhall.org with their suggested three- to four-minute tune they intend to play. The performance can be live or a pre-recorded audio or video (but not a professional, edited recording such as a CD or YouTube video). Musicians who previously performed are now welcome to return. Each month, up to five returning musicians and up to 15 new musicians can participate. Selection is on a first-come, first-served basis.

    The performance will be free to the public and available to watch live on Flushing Town Hall’s Facebook or Zoom.