National Geographic is hosting a virtual celebration for Earth Day Eve with performances from several artists in efforts to unite and inspire people to take action to save the planet.
Art Credit: Cachetejack
The virtual celebration is one of the multiple ways that National Geographic is offering to honor Earth Day. The Earth Day Eve celebration is the first event and has a star-studded lineup of musical guests ranging from different genres. Performers include, Angélique Kidjo, AURORA, José González, Yo-Yo Ma, Ziggy Marley and more. My Morning Jacket is going to premiere their new music video as well. These artists will be joining from places that are important to them to raise awareness and take viewers on a virtual journey.
Earth Day Eve 2021 is hosted by Jessica Nabongo who is a travel writer, entrepreneur and more notably the first documented Black woman to travel every country in the world. Viewers joining the virtual festivities will be introduced to some National Geographic explorers. There will be appearances from renowned ethologist and conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall, Dr. Rae Wynn Grant, Lillygol Sedaghat and Dr. Lucy Hawkes. National Geographic explorer and marine photographer Brian Skerry will preview the new Disney + series Secrets of the Whales. The Earth Day activities ends when Secrets of the Whales premieres on April 22 at midnight. Filmmaker and National Geographic explorer James Cameron is the executive producer and Sigourney Weaver is the narrator of the four-part series.
Along with performances from multiple musicians, there will be many announcements made and a virtual after party on National Geographic’s TikTok at 10 p.m. EDT. House music DJ/producer and environmental scientist Jayda G will be playing a set with visuals from the new Disney + series Earth Moods. National Geographic has a new playlist on Spotify to embrace the Earth month.
Earth Day Eve airs exclusively on National Geographic’s YouTube channel and on their website on April 21 at 8:30 p.m. EDT. The celebration revolves around music’s ability to unite everyone for the cause of protecting the environment.
moe. will head out on the road for Memorial Day 2021, with performances slated for North Carolina and Virginia. They’ve also announced their first Drive-In shows for mid-June in Maryland.
On May 27, moe. will perform in North Carolina at Maggie Valley Festival Grounds, roughly 40 minutes west of Asheville. For moe.morial Day, they’ll head north to Martinsville, VA for “A Rooster Walk Family Gathering” at Pop’s Farm, the site of Rooster Walk.
Normally the date of the Rooster Walk Music & Arts Festival, social distancing guidelines have Pop’s Farm improvising with moe. and a few bands on hand for the Memorial Day weekend.
In addition to two nights of moe., the weekend at Pop’s Farm will see performances by Cris Jacobs Band and Isaac Hadden Project on May 28, and on May 29 will feature Kendall Street Company, Neal Francis, South Hill Banks and Disco Risque’.
moe.morial Day Weekend will have on-site camping, drink and food vendors, with no outside alcohol allowed. While not a POD show, there will be social distancing and mask wearing required for all in attendance. For a complete rundown of the COVID-19 Safety Plan, click here.
All ages are welcome, but all are required to have a ticket to attend the shows, so kids will not get in for free.
Finally, moe. will perform at Showtime at the Drive-In in Frederick, MD. Tickets for all shows are on sale Friday, April 9 at 10AM at moe.org. Memorial Day weekend tickets are also available here.
moe. Summer Tour 2021 dates
May 27 – Maggie Valley Festival Grounds – Maggie Valley, NC May 28 & 29 – moe.morial Day: A Rooster Walk Family Gathering – Pop’s Farm – Martinsville, VA June 18 & 19 – Showtime at the Drive-In – Frederick, MD
Phish keyboardist Page McConnell today announced the release of his new solo album, Maybe We’re the Visitors, arriving Friday, April 9 via Keyed Records. Written and recorded in Reykjavik, Iceland and Burlington, VT, the album’s first song “Radio Silence,” was released today with a visualizer. Rolling Stone writer David Fricke called in his album notes “an overture of slowly dawning arpeggios that dot the void like hopeful transmissions.”
David Fricke’s liner notes include the following details on the album:
In January 2020, shortly before the coronavirus shut down modern life, including travel, McConnell took a road trip that had nothing to do with his normal touring itinerary as the keyboard player in Phish: a holiday in Iceland. Inevitably, music got made there. But it was unlike anything McConnell had recorded before as a solo artist, for side projects or within the collaborative energies of Phish: fully electronic pieces created on location, in response to the epic landscapes, dramatic weather, and geologic fury that he experienced in Iceland. He also came back energized and determined to keep going amid, indeed despite, lockdown.MAYBE WE’RE THE VISITORS is the result: an imaginary voyage charged with eyewitness awe and intense, solitary reflection; expressed without lyrics, vocals or any sign of piano, organ or clavinet, McConnell’s signature armory with Phish.
The album is his third solo outing – following 2007’s song-based Page McConnell and a 2013 instrumental release, Unsung Cities and Movies Never Made – and a genuine breakthrough: the first McConnell has conceived and performed entirely with synthesizers. Maybe We’re the Visitors is also the most personal record he has ever made because it is an album that has been on his mind for a long time.
The narrative flow of MAYBE WE’RE THE VISITORS – exploration, colony and, finally warning; that, as Icelanders already know, we are only stewards here and nature always has the last word – did not present itself “until I was close to the end,” McConnell confesses. “But I always knew there was something alien about these pieces…”
McConnell’s side-project Vida Blue released Analog Delay in late 2019. Read an interview with McConnell with Relix.
The eventful festival dedicated to Bluegrass music, DelFest, has announced the lineup for their 14th annual festival taking place later on this year.
DelFest usually takes place over Memorial Day weekend but this year it takes place from September 23-26 to ensure safety from COVID-19. While the dates have changed, the location remains the same in the city of Cumberland, Maryland along the Potomac River. The venue is at the Allegany County Fairgrounds, personally chosen by Del McCoury, leader of the Del McCoury band and legendary bluegrass musician.
DelFest organizers are working with both local and state health officials to adhere to safety mandates for attendees, staff and musicians. COVID-19 protocols will be made known closer to the festival. More information about DelFest can be found on the website.
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 for EQXposure to hear new music from Fine Grain, Sarah King, 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.
Fine Grain is tonight’s featured band for EQXposure. Pearson will be playing a collection of songs from their latest release, Missing Adult, now streaming all over the world and available for purchase on Bandcamp. Tune in to hear the tunes and join the discussion of this awesome bands incredibly creative and unique full length release, that is a genre bending and deeply interesting work of art to listen to.
Other artists featured tonight include Sarah King, who celebrates the release of her latest EP The Hour. Read our review of her new album here.
And stayed tuned for Jade Relics, a Vermont-based production group made up of Rico James, Elder Orange, and IAME and their latest tunes “Start Over” and “With You.” Plus check out Laveda, a genre blending dream pop/rock outfit who set nostalgic and cinematic moods with a 90’s-esque sound reminiscent of The Sundays and My Bloody Valentine.
In a move sending shockwaves through the Empire State, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has annexed the entire state of Vermont. The move makes Vermont’s maple syrup industry, ski towns, and the entirety of Lake Champlain, all a part of New York.
A map showing the borders of New York with the addition of Vermont. Source: Gov. Andrew Cuomo
Despite the recent accusations and calls to step down, the Governor seems emboldened, ordering National Guard Troops to stand back and stand by, hinting that more than the Green Mountain State may become part of New York.
Cuomo said in a brief statement on the takeover of Vermont, “I just felt that we needed to get Allthe great music scenes together, and since New York has so many, we should add in Burlington. So Allthe great music scenes are here now. Then I thought we have great skiing, so let’s get All the great skiing in the Northeast here in New York. So now we have All the best ski areas here.
Vermonters can deal with it. Go enjoy your Twiddling or whatever it is you do there. Welcome to New York.”
Governor Cuomo, arriving to see Twiddle in their new homestate of New York
With this statement, the Governor continues to give no indication he will resign, despite numerous allegations of bullying, sexual harassment and unwanted touching. See the whole list of accusers here.
Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival announces it’s 2021 lineup including big names like Megan Thee Stallion, Foo Fighters, Lizzo and many more. The festival will take place September 2nd through 5th in Manchester, Tennessee.
The Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival has been around and kicking since 2002. The festival takes place on the Bonnaroo Farm sprawling across seven acres, located just 60 miles southeast of Nashville in Manchester, TN. The festivities sprawl out across 10 stages over four days and over 100 performances.
Some of the big names include Andy Frasco, Larkin Poe, Nubya Garcia, Foo Fighters, Megan Thee Stallion, Run The Jewels, Glass Animals, Deftones, Young Thug, Tipper, Lizzo, Tame Impala, My Morning Jacket, G-EAZY, Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit, Phoebe Bridgers, Incubus, Seven Lions, Tyler, The Creator, Lil Baby, DEADMAU5, Leon Bridges, Young The Giant, Britanny Howard and more.
Festivals are slowly starting to creep back into existence. One of the main and real concerns with festivals coming back to life though is how they will handle the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival’s website they, “will continue to update Bonnaroovians with the important information needed to plan your[their] trip to The Farm, including any changes to policies and procedures you need to know before entering the festival and campgrounds. Updates will be shared on this page, through our social media channels and via our email list. If you haven’t already, sign up for our E-mail list to have the most current information sent directly to your[their] inbox.”
Any public space where people are present has an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19. COVID-19 is an extremely contagious disease that can lead to severe illness and death. According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, senior citizens and guests with underlying media conditions are especially vulnerable. They state very clearly that by attending Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, people voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19. In time the festival will release more information on the safety precautions people should expect.
Tickets for Bonnaroo went on sale on March 31, 2021 and can be found here. Options for tickets include General Admission (4-Day), GA+ (4-Day), VIP (4-Day), Platinum (4-Day), General Admission Camping & Parking, VIP Camping, Platinum Camping, and more. Bonnaroo is presenting an array of affordable options, with tickets starting at $35 down and accommodations available for as low as $99 per night. Car Camping Passes are priced at only $60 (plus fees) per car, not per person, allowing fans to both save money and reduce their carbon footprint by carpooling.
On July 28, Bonnaroo 2021 announced the lineup for its famed Campgrounds and Plazas, once again promising the most inclusive and original camping experience of any festival, anywhere in the world.
Strategically located and well-lit public places throughout the campgrounds, Bonnaroo’s communal areas, known as Plazas, include shade, free public Wi-Fi, showers, activities, charging stations, Clean Vibes Trading Post redemption centers, cooling stations, medical, safety stations, information, and portable restrooms. The 2021 Campground Plazas lineup features several returning favorites along with several all-new experiences:
CENTEROO For the first time ever, Bonnaroovians can say “I roo” at the House of MatROOmony. Produced by iamsound, Bonnaroo’s new House of Love will host romantic activities like Lovesick Karaoke Happy Hour, interactive photo booth installations, and daily wedding ceremonies where attendees can get hitched by very special guests. Registration is available now HERE.
PLAZAS & CAMPGROUNDS “Sanctuary Of Self Love,” curated by Hayley Williams in collaboration with iamsound and Conscious City Guide, will be back and better than ever. Bonnaroovians can relax and rejuvenate themselves through the weekend with mindful movement practices (including a newly expanded meditation forest, tea ceremony gazebo, and yoga space), hairstyling by the new Good Dye Young on-site Hair Salon, deep sound bath rituals, talks, and panel sessions offering powerful tools for mental clarity and personal transformation, and, for the first time ever, a healers village offering pre-booked one-on-one sessions spanning massage to aura photography and reiki.
Presented by BACARDÍ, the totally re-imagined and re-oriented “Where In The Woods” stage will feature DJs and surprise headliners in a new magical treehouse environment where Bonnaroovians can chill during the day and party all night on a spectacular dance floor that comes to life after dark with kaleidoscopic lights and sounds. New additions also include immersive cabanas and a massive conga line hosted by NPI and Puzzle.
Plaza 3: House of Yes and Little Cinema return in 2021, bringing Brooklyn magic to Bonnaroo with epic spectacles, immersive movie screenings, circus shows galore, and of course all-night dance parties for the weird, wild, and wonderful. In addition, House of Yes will host Bonnaroo’s second annual Pride Parade, a rainbow celebration of diversity, sexuality, and humanity this year presented by Tito’s Handmade Vodka.
Plaza 5: The all-new Groop’s Galactic Giddy-Up is where interstellar vibes meet rhinestone-ridiculous. Located inside the Groop Camping area in the GA Campground and presented by iamsound, Galactic Giddy-Up is the space cowboy dive-bar built to empower the awesome and wonderfully weird Bonnaroovian community via groop and community-oriented games, activities, parties, mixers, and more, including catch competitions judged by celebrity guests, talent shows, Bonnaroovian battles of the bands, line dancing and more. In addition, Galactic Giddy-Up will bring all the usual plaza amenities to Groop Camping, including bathrooms, showers, shade and chill spaces, fans and misters, food and beverage vendors, charging stations, info booth, medical, security, and more.
Plaza 6:Killer Mike’s Swag Shop will showcase a cool, casual, and artistic approach to self-care, offering good music, casual conversation, and a great haircut.
Plaza 7:The Grove is a fantastical wooded oasis, filled with mythical creatures by Brett Douglas Hunter and live harp performances by Yomí That Harpist.
Plaza 9:VEEPS House – Exclusive intimate performances from some of Bonnaroo 2021’s artist streamed live from the farm to the world.
The new Rootanical Garden invites fans to see the world through the lens of a bug as they wander into a spectacular maze garden, produced by iamsound.
Last, but very definitely not least, the newly revamped VIP Campground Plaza will feature air-conditioning, private bars, complimentary Wi-Fi, daily yoga classes, games, live video feeds of the festival performances, and some special surprises. The VIP Campground Plaza is available exclusively to VIP patrons.
For more information on the 2021 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival visit their website.
The Complete Bonnaroo 2021 Lineup:
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2
Grand Ole Opry Featuring Special Guests 99 Neighbors Andy Frasco Big Something Briston Maroney Dabin Devon Gilfillian The Funk Hunters HE$H Joy Oladokun Larkin Poe Liz Cooper & The Stampede MIZE Nubya Garcia Scarypoolparty Spock Sweet Crude Taska Black Too Many Zooz ZiA
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
Foo Fighters Megan Thee Stallion Run The Jewels Glass Animals Deftones Young Thug Tipper Jack Harlow Grace Potter Primus Nelly The Disco Biscuits Dashboard Confessional Big Wild TroyBoi Marcus King Band Lennon Stella Orville Peck Kim Petras Turkuaz w/Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew: Remain In Light SVDDEN DEATH Omar Apollo Lucii Waxahatchee The Weather Station Resistance Revival Chorus LP Giobbi ATLiens Mija Detox Unit Rome In Silver Jac Ross Mdou Moctar Tripp St. NotLö
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
Lizzo Tame Impala My Morning Jacket G-Eazy Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit Phoebe Bridgers Incubus Seven Lions Superjam: Sylvan Esso Presents “WITH” Kevin Gates Marc Rebillet Goose Subtronics Surfaces JID Jon Batiste The Band Camino Ashnikko Yaeji Ekali Tate McRae Pinegrove Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats Remi Wolf Wooli Dr. Fresch William Black Christone “Kingfish” Ingram Flamingosis Hero The Band Level Up DJ Mel Almost Monday Lick
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5
Tyler, The Creator Lil Baby deadmau5 Leon Bridges Young the Giant Brittany Howard Flogging Molly Boombox Cartel Greensky Bluegrass The Struts CAAMP Oliver Tree PEEKABOO Julien Baker LSDREAM Colony House Flo Milli Breland Niko Moon Jamila Woods Bill Frisell: Harmony featuring Petra Haden, Hank Roberts & Luke Bergman LUZCID Elderbrook Makaya McCraven
Singer-songwriter Sarah King has released her debut EP, The Hour, a splendid, soulful voyage to the darkest corners of Americana. It’s the perfect showcase for her show-stopping vocals and gothic bluesy story songs, something made all the better by the smartly minimalist arrangements conjured by co-producers, Simone Felice and David Baron (The Lumineers, Bat for Lashes, Jade Bird, Felice Brothers).
photo by Arielle Thomas
The tune that will likely command the most attention is her reinvention of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs.” This take is as slow and minimal and softly acoustic as its gets – a thumb strummed solo guitar riding an E minor drone (sorry, Spinal Tap, this and not the D minor, is the saddest of keys/chords). Even though this guitar and voice spotlight is swaddled in a cathedral’s worth of cavernous reverb, it retains a crispness and clarity, like all the tracks on this impeccably engineered collection. This cover is further distinguished by the ghostly alternative melodies King conjures, she’s like a bebopper of acid folk. There’s shades of Nick Drake, Alexi Murdoch and Blue-era Joni Mitchell in the quietude and Dolly Parton, one of her inspirations along with Adele and White Stripes, in the controlled country crack in King’s voice.
The track “Poison” has a churchy gospel vibe. Here Sarah King responds justifiably likewise to a cruel lover who can’t take what he dishes out (“I’m not bent, I’m not broken by your crimes. I gave you a taste of your medicine and you say I poisoned you”). Like many tunes on the album, there’s great texture here – tiny sonic delights barely audible in the mix like the ghostly roto-speaker electric guitar in this tune.
My personal favorite, “Nightstand,” hammers home the spooky soulful vibe. It’s a murder ballad driven by a swirly Rhodes piano, guitar crunch, Hammond organ wail, rich background vocals and gut-punch lyrics. Case in point, the chorus:
I was born with the cord wrapped around my neck It’s not something I could ever forget The world’s been trying to take me out since the day I first arrived There’s a darkness a-reaching for my hand I keep a gun in my nightstand Waiting for music to bury a body by
The funereal shuffle of “Cold Hard Ground” brings to mind the artsy country blues of Wrecking Ball-era Emma Lou Harris. It’s a minor blues articulated with a slurry snare-brushed beat, honey toned organ and minimalist piano. Co-producer David Baron, proprietor of Sun Mountain Studios in the Hudson Valley where the EP was recorded, is an analog synth collector. He adds some very outta-space keyboard swirl and ambience here, along with (possibly) a mellotron-treated vocal chorus. He’s a master of the less is more approach.
photo by Christian James
“Not Worthy the Whiskey” is a swaggering stomp-and-holler about making peace with your dark past. The tune is propelled by percussive handclaps and stomps and boasts a whistling-down-the-alley intro ala Billy Joel’s “The Stranger.” It’s another deep blue lament, ones that floats in and out like a dream.
Like much great music, King’s debut EP was born of loss. In the press notes she says: “My dog died, my ex-husband died and my mama died too. Life is too fucking short, I’d just spent almost a year traveling in a tent away from my instruments and facing so much loss, I realized I never wanted to be away from music again.”
King’s partnership with Felice came about when she sent him a shot-in-the-dark email containing a performance video of “Nightstand,” which to an invitation to record that tune and four more. We are lucky that King found the strength to put her loss into such fresh, emotionally revealing, brave music. And she’s lucky to have found, in Felice and Baron, producers who could bring her art to life is such a beautifully restrained and achingly gorgeous way.
Key Tracks: Nightstand, War Pigs, Not Worth the Whiskey
March – it comes in like a lion and out like it’s been trampled by lambs and pecked by the dove. For Phish’s next installment of Dinner and a Movie, they’ll feature a show from the band’s famed April 1998 “Island Tour,” specifically April 4, 1998.
The show at Providence Civic Center is a perfect sample of how the cow funk from Fall 1997 continued four months later in a fan favorite run of shows. Reportedly the hardest ticket of the run, this show features must hear versions of “2001,” “Brother,” and “Ghost,” not to mention the “Tweezer” show opener.
For the dinner portion of the evening, Chef Sara Bradley, the chef and proprietor at Louisville, KY’s The Freight House, has prepared a menu for the evening. She has recently received runner-up honors on Season 16 of Top Chef, and is also a Phish fan. Sara offers up recipes for Melty Grilled Cheese with Piquillo Pepper and Tomato Soup, and Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies for dessert. Find full recipes here.
While the webcast is free, fans are encouraged to make donations through Phish’s The Waterwheel Foundation. The evening’s beneficiary will be Northeast Organic Farming Association, with donations being split between the New York and Rhode Island chapters. The Northeast Organic Farming Association an organization of farmers, consumers, gardeners and environmentalists working together to promote organic farming and organic land care practices resulting in a sustainable regional food system that’s ecologically sound, economically viable and socially just. For more information visit NOFA.org.
Dinner and a Movie will air on Tuesday, March 30 at 8:30pm ET at webcast.livephish.com.
Island Tour Setlist courtesy of Phish.net
April 4, 1998, Providence Civic Center, Providence, RI
Soundcheck: Jam, Shafty, Roggae
Set 1: Tweezer > Taste, Bouncing Around the Room, Funky Bitch, Ginseng Sullivan, Limb By Limb, Lawn Boy, Character Zero
Set 2: Birds of a Feather > Also Sprach Zarathustra[1] > Brother[2], Ghost -> The Lizards, David Bowie
Encore: Harry Hood
[1] Unfinished. [2] With short instrumental reprise.
2001 contained a Long Train Runnin’ tease from Trey and was unfinished. Brother included a brief Dave’s Energy Guide tease and was followed by a short instrumental reprise, which was announced as the “radio-friendly version.” Trey contrasted this with the normal version, which was deemed un-radio-friendly due to its length. Ghost, which Trey jokingly remarked was also not radio-friendly because it is long and slow, included an I Can’t Turn You Loose tease. This show is available as an archival release on LivePhish.com.
The Disco Biscuits’ upcoming Orlando performances from Dr. Phillips Center’s Frontyard Festival will be livestreamed on Couchtour.tv on Thursday, March 25 and Friday, March 26, starting at 7:30pm ET.
Couchtour.tv is a new concert streaming platform that gives artists the ability to create the highest quality concert livestreams available on the internet; filmed and delivered in 6k video and high def audio from anywhere on Earth – and all without the artist having to know a thing about livestreaming.
The Couchtour.tv team brings insight from many different facets of both the entertainment and tech industries. The senior team comes from leadership roles at companies The Disco Biscuits, JamBase, Splice, Gracenote, Full Circle Music Productions, Oracle and IBM. Still in it’s infant stages, fans and artists can expect to see advanced features and new artists, shows and festivals announced in the coming months.
Disco Biscuits founding member and lead guitarist, Jon Barber, is the founder of Couchtour.tv. Thus, it made perfect sense for his band to perform on the startup platform when it launched in October, 2020.
Couchtour.tv wasn’t a new idea, but time that would have otherwise been spent on the road opened up the space to finally bring Couchtour.tv to fruition. We’ve got a great team working on this, but it’s still gonna’ be a few months before we can roll this out in its complete form – bells, whistles and all – then it’ll be available wherever fans go to get their apps.
Jon Barber, Disco Biscuits guitarist and founder of CouchTour.Tv
Tickets for the Disco Biscuits Orlando streams are on sale now and available at Couchtour.tv.
