Umphrey’s McGee 2022 winter tour will start with 5 tour dates across New York State. The world tour will have 26 stops and will start on January 14, 2022 in New York City.
Umphrey’s McGee is an American Jam band that is originally from South Bend, Indiana. The band started back in 1997 and are known for their experiments with many musical styles, including rock, metal, funk, jazz, blues, reggae, electronic, folk and more. Some of their most well known songs include “Ocean Billy,” “Puppet String,” and “Nothing too Fancy.”
The band’s winter tour will start on January 14, 2022 at Terminal 5 in NYC and will Wrap up on May 27, 2022 at the Rockjavik in Reykjavik, Iceland. The band’s second stop will also be at Terminal 5 in NYC on January 15, 2022. The third stop will be at Town Ballroom in Buffalo on January 20, 2022. The fourth stop will be at the Landmark Theatre in Syracuse on January 21, 2022. The last stop in New York will be at Palace Theatre in Albany on January 22, 2022.
People can snag presale tickets for all shows and umVIP packages for select dates starting on Wednesday, November 3rd at 12PM EST. General on sale will begin Friday, November 5th at 12PM EST.
For more information on Umphrey’s McGee 2022 Winter tour visit their website.
8 members of Turkuaz have announced their “difficult decision” to leave the band. The Brooklyn funk group shared the announcement via their social media. Just days ago they released a new single “Shakin In My Sheets,” ahead of upcoming Fall Tour dates.
Greg Sanderson and Chris Brouwers perform at Resonance Festival in West Virginia. Photo by Em Walis.
In a jointly signed message addressed to “fans, family, and friends,” nearly the entire band announced their departure after over a decade. Craig Brodhead, Chris Brouwers, Michael Carubba, Shira Elias, Sammi Garett, Greg Sanderson, Josh Schwartz, and Zach Fichter all left. Only frontman/guitarist Dave Brandwein and bassist Taylor Shell did not sign the message. Sound engineer Zach Fichter is also departing. The band formed at Berklee College of Music in 2008, eventually moving to New York City together to pursue music.
“We have spent the last several years traveling the world together with the intention of spreading love and joy through our music,” the statement read. “During that time, we have grown together as a family, and we’ve learned how to love and support each other through the best and worst of times.”
The statement also thanked fans for their dedication and support. “We are eternally grateful to have had the opportunity to perform for all of you, and even more grateful to have become close friends with so many of you along the way,” it read.
Dave Brandwein shared this statement as well:
Dave here: With a heavy heart, we regret to say that the future of Turkuaz is uncertain. Today’s news is probably a shock to many of you. And unfortunately, this means any upcoming Turkuaz dates will not be happening as planned. Taylor and I respect the decision of our former bandmates to pursue their individual artistic endeavors. We love and appreciate all of our fans so much. Because of the positive moments, we enjoyed many years on the road playing the music we love to our fans across the country, and even globally. This is not the end of our artistic journeys. There is more to come. In the meantime, thank you for your support and the respect of our privacy as we navigate this new phase of our lives.
The reasoning behind the decision remains unclear, and the departing members requested their privacy be respected in this matter. However, their fall has been turbulent. Though last week Turkuaz performed two dates at NYC’s Webster Hall, they canceled much of their fall tour earlier this month, citing health and safety risks.
In response to the announcement, fans expressed sadness, especially over the cancellation of the remaining fall tour dates. The Brooklyn Bowl’s Instagram account wished them the best, commenting “Thank you for so many great nights.”
Turkuaz at the Brooklyn Bowl in 2016. Photo by Thomas McKenna
Though Turkuaz as we knew it may be over, the departing members said they are each hard at work on their own projects.
“There are some truly amazing things to come,” the message concluded. “We love you and thank you all from the bottom of our hearts.”
Indie rock favorites, The Strokes, have confirmed a New Year’s Eve show at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center along with IDLES and Hinds. This will be their first New Years show in two years with this one coming on the heels of they latest Grammy-award. Tickets will be available and
The concert will be produced by leading touring entityLive Nation, the world’s preeminant live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Sponsorship.
At this time, under a current New York City mandate, ticket holders are required to have at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose to attend an event at Barclays Center. Concertgoers can visit the arena’s health and safety page for any updates to this mandate, along with a list of other safety measures and protocols.
The Strokes released news of their upcoming NYE concert after recently headlining at Miami music festival, III Points and Atlanta’s Shaky Knees as well as their highly anticipated sold out show at The Forum in Los Angeles. Most recently, they made an appearance this past Halloween weekend at Outside Lands in San Francisco. Those that won’t be able to catch the NYE performance can rest easy, as the group have released numerous dates performing at festivals and select stadium dates along with Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2022.
After releasing, The New Abnormal, their first album in seven years, the anticipation skyrocketed the album to chart topping status in 2020. Their latest Grammy is one in a long list of achievements as 2021 marks the twentieth anniversary of their record-shattering and universally beloved debut album, Is This It.
THE STROKES LIVE
2021
December 31 Barclays Center Brooklyn, NY
2022
May 21 Corona Capital Guadalajara, Mexico
June 3 Primavera Sound Sant Adrià de Besòs, Spain
June 10 Primavera Sound Sant Adria de Besos, Spain
June 12 Tempelhof Sounds Berlin, Germany
July 6 NOS Alive Lisbon, Portugal
July 8 Lytham Festival Lytham, U.K.
July 9 TRNSMT Glasgow, Scotland
July 22 Splendour in the Grass Yelgun, Australia
August 3 T-Mobile Park Seattle, WA*
August 6 Allegiant Stadium Las Vegas, NV*
August 10 Suntrust Park Atlanta, GA*
August 12 Nissan Stadium Nashville, TN*
August 14 Comerica Park Detroit, MI*
August 17 MetLife Stadium East Rutherford, NJ*
August 19 Soldier Field Chicago, IL*
August 21 Rogers Centre Toronto, ON*
August 30 Hard Rock Stadium Miami, FL*
September 1 Bank of America Stadium Charlotte, NC*
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.
New-York based pop & alt R&B singer Hunter Blair Ambrose has shared two new singles ahead of her upcoming album Scorpio Season. After graduating from Boston’s Berklee College of Music in 2019, Ambrose released her debut EP, Scorpio Rising, in April 2020. Luxuriating in the melancholy approach of “cuffing season,” the latest singles “Right Now” and “Psycho Summer” fit the chilly moment perfectly.
Right Now
“Right Now,” released on October 22, 2021 is a true dance banger. The luxe percussion on “Right Now” may overpower another artist, but Ambrose’s powerful soul vocals anchor the music. Though at times the production on the vocals dims their shine, Ambrose’s raw vocal talent is clear. One can’t help but wonder how she’d sound on a less synthy track.
The lyrics find Ambrose looking for love; or maybe just a good time? Either way, she just wants to spend the present moment with her lover, no matter what tomorrow may look like. She sings: “Right now it’s just you and me/ No other place I’d rather be/ Maybe it’s not meant to be/ Hard to care with your hands on me.” Though the rhyme scheme begs for some variety, Ambrose’s emotion comes through. After all, sometimes love and lust take the words right out of your mouth.
Psycho Summer
Ambrose sounds uncannily like The-Fame-Monster-era Lady Gaga on “Psycho Summer,” the standout of the two tracks. Gaga is a clear inspiration to Ambrose; on her track “November,” she even repurposed the hummed hook from Gaga’s 2010 single “Alejandro.”
Released on October 29, 2021, “Psycho Summer” could be the next chapter in the heady, lustful love story of “Right Now.” Now that summer’s over and her lover has disappeared, Ambrose feels crazy; was the passion they shared even real? A sparer, more streamlined beat allows her voice to stand out, and the eerie production evokes the end of summer perfectly.
With mainstream pop music growing more experimental each day, it can be hard for a more traditional track to gain traction. However, Ambrose’s tracks paired together reflect an emotional candor in her work that draws you in. She’s no stranger to lust, and no stranger to loneliness; the duality bridges the songs perfectly. Listeners can only hope her upcoming album, slated for release on November 5, 2021 will further dive into bad romance; if anything, she’d make Gaga proud.
Staten Island native, Michael Vincent Waller’s latest release — The Lex Luger assisted, CLASSIC$— has re-engineered the way we look at the compatibility between genres, opening new possibilities of unforeseen musical collaborations. A hip-hop album with trap drums and classical symphonies, with trap artists rhyming over it. Two separate worlds coming together, for a harmonious result.
Yet, MVW has always been a hip-hop fan, admittedly listening to the genre “exclusively” during his adolescent years. However, his musical palate broadened when he began to receive piano lessons from his grandmother, establishing a foundation for future endeavors.
His foray into instrumentation did not leave an immediate impact though, as he didn’t develop the urge for playing the piano until his time at NYU.
I didn’t think about music as something I wanted to do, I just loved listening to music. And then when I went to NYU, I saw it was a really artistic place and I was like, I want to play piano.
From there, he switched gears as his musical choices became varied. Indie Rock, Classical and Jazz became the new norm for a budding MVW. As a composer, he’s studied under, La Monte Young, worked with Phill Niblock and has had his music fill venues such as Carnegie Hall, ISSUE Project Room, Roulette and Palais de Tokyo Museum. At the same time, he often listened to Biggie and Wu Tang for inspiration while composing.
MVW’s Evolution
One might wonder what would cause an inherently successful classical composer to switch lanes and produce a hip-hop album, but like the rest of the world, life took a halt for MVW beginning in the spring of 2020. After the cancellation of annual music and film festival, South by Southwest, and being forced to record and produce remotely, Waller began to coordinate his excursion into the world of hip-hop.
After honing his skills remixing electronic records, he sought out platinum-selling producer, Lex Luger (known for his distinct trap drums and use of orchestral sounds) to assist on a remix of his own. The end-product pleased MVW enough to where he thought something bigger could come of it.
CLASSIC$ saw hip-hop and classical worlds combine.
I realized this is more than just a remix, this is something I could actually put to the next level.
Despite the lack of familiarity between the duo, their chemistry wasn’t that of complete strangers but, rather two accomplished musicians looking to expand their repertoire.
I reached out to him, he said he liked the music and I started sending him certain samples that I thought would be perfect for beats and everything he sent back to me was perfect. It wasn’t forced, we didn’t have to overthink it. Everything was organic.
Debut Album
Serving as the executive producer to his own project, MVW had to learn the ins-and-outs of putting together a hip-hop album. Which includes, recruiting artists for features, clearing them with labels (which is a meticulous process of its own) and hiring lawyers to make sure contracts were standard. As MVW stepped away from the role of musical composer for this venture, he picked up the duty of musical conductor, working hard to study chords and song structures to figure out how to turn compositions into convincing trap records.
I worked on the album for 18 months. I would work with the material for long periods of time. I had to arrange it, because I was given feature material, but I had to transform it into a convincing song, given what I had. That was the really creative part for me that I started to enjoy, tapping into the composer side of me.
Despite this being his first and an independently funded rap album, CLASSIC$ features a host of well-known trap artists, who best complimented the minimal drums and snares (Valee, LilGotit, Duke Deuce). While giving important, tone-setting roles to lesser-known artists (Jaydonclover, Shanique Marie).
Valee is the missing link that connects everything, featuring throughout the album
I got everybody who I wanted cleared. But I set practical goals, I didn’t try to get 15 people on the album.
His extensive work in putting the project together gained him an appreciation for the hip hop community, their accepting nature and for staying true to the music.
I was happy to know that people would appreciate my skills, because it can be nerdy. In hip hop if you have a good sound, that’s what they evaluate you on, ‘is it good?’ which is great.
On account of how much time, effort and persistence required to make this album a possibility, MVW does intend to gauge the public’s response. But while many artists refer to streams, charts and general statistics to determine success, he refuses to get bogued down by numbers. And as a hip-hop debutant, he has yet to be tainted by the commercial side of the music business. Instead, relying on the tastemakers of the hip-hop community to glean insight on where CLASSIC$ stands as a body of work.
Putting it out and making it happen, it already feels like a success to me because of how much effort it took and how much it makes it happy. I do it really for me, so I would say on that level it’s a success. The other thing that I’m interested in, is understanding how people respond. To me it’s not about charting, especially as an independent artist. But the fact that people who like and know music respond positively, and frames it to give me something to learn. Even if it’s just for people in the community of hip-hop, that means more to me than one song having a million plays. It’s definitely not trying to be commercial, it’s about art. As long as I can see the art is out in the world, influencing and inspiring people, then that’s a success for me.
MasterVoices has announced its 2021-22 season celebrating the chorus’ 80th season. The 2021-22 season opens on December 6, 2021 and will wrap up in June of 2022.
The First event will take place on December 6, 2021 at Carnegie Hall with A Joyful Noise,a return to performing before an audience after a two-year absence, featuring music to mark the holiday season as well as the perseverance of the human spirit after a long hiatus. Featured works include Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, Thomas A. Dorsey’s If We Ever Needed the Lord Before (We Sure Do Need Him Now), traditional songs, and music by Adam Guettel, John Rutter and Randall Thompson. Joining MasterVoices are soprano Mikaela Bennett, the Northwell Health Nurse Choir and Take 6. MasterVoices will also provide some free tickets to a few hundred essential and frontline workers to this concert to thank them for their personal sacrifices during the Covid-19 pandemic during this event.
The second concert of the season will take place on March 10, 2022 at Carnegie Hall. The performance will be a semi-staged production of the cult-favorite musical,Stephen Sondheim’s and Arthur Laurents’ Anyone Can Whistle, starring Vanessa Williams. Written in 1964, the ahead-of-its-time satire shows early signs of Sondheim’s rebel genius as it skewers many targets, revealing what can happen when a community puts its faith in an unreliable leader. It has not been seen in New York since 2010, when it was presented by the Encores! series at City Center.
The season will wrap up in June with an outdoor concert, Songs for a Summer Night. The exact date and venue of the event haven’t been determined yet. All of the pieces chosen for this program evoke the sounds, smells and emotions of summer, in their own fashion. It will feature several new arrangements conceived for the program. The concert includes the world premiere of a newly commissioned piece by Tariq Al-Sabir, inspired by the sounds of a New York City summer, as well as music by Barber, Berlioz, Gordon, Mendelssohn, Schwartz and Sondheim, among others. Joining MasterVoices are guests Shereen Pimentel, Tariq Al-Sabir, and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s.
The central project of MasterVoices’ 2020-2021 season was the virtual rollout of award-winning composer Adam Guettel’s 1998 theatrical song cycle, Myths and Hymns, in an online staging conceived by Ted Sperling. The concert will be reprised this fall in a full-length broadcast version distributed by ALL ARTS, which will premiere nationwide on November 10 at 8 PM EST on the free ALL ARTS app and allarts.org, and in the New York metro area on the ALL ARTS TV channel. The ALL ARTS special will include an introduction by Ted Sperling.
For more information on the upcoming season on MasterVoices’s website.
Wavves played a killer set for hardcore fans last week (Sunday October 24, 2021) at Bowery Ballroom with support from 95 Bulls and Harmless. A crowded venue moshed, screamed, and raged as each band increased the frenetic energy in the room.
95 Bulls opened up the show with a selection of hard-hitting rock/metal bangers. Having formed during summer 2020 in lockdown, you would never have known the band was so new. The five band members all come from their own bands (Ashjesus, The Mystery Lights, Smock, Bipolar, and Jelly Kelly), so it’s no wonder that they were able to perform with such obvious chemisty. Their debut album is scheduled for release later this year. You can listen to their catalog here.
95 Bulls at Bowery Ballroom, Photographed by David Reichmann
Next up, Harmless brought a more soulful and mellow atmosphere to their performance. Between songs, the lead singer Nacho Cano helped return a few lost phones back to their owners, each time to big applause and laughter. The drummer drenched himself with his water bottle onstage to the pleased cheers of the crowd. Their latest single “Nacho’s” is available on streaming services now.
Harmless at Bowery Ballroom, Photographed by David Reichmann
Wavves took the stage to an already-wild audience, practically chomping at the bit to hear them begin their set. They wasted no time at all playing hit after hit from their catalog, including a few tracks from their newest album, “Hideaway.” In the middle of their set, lead singer Nathan Williams invited the crowd to open the center of the dance floor briefly to allow for a mosh pit. By the end of the night everyone including the band was wearing a thick sheen of sweat and a wide smile. You can listen to Wavves’ latest record here and follow their continuing North American tour here.
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 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.
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 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.
Legendary punk rockers Bad Religion stopped by the Hammerstein Ballroom Friday October 29, 2021 as part of their 40th Anniversary tour. The tour was originally scheduled for last year but was postponed due to Covid-19. The supporting acts include co-headliners Alkaline Trio and openers War On Women.
War On Women is a feminist harcore-punk band from Baltimore. After being inspired by the riot grrl bands that started in the nineties, Shawna Potter and Brooks Harlan formed War On Women in 2010. Their debut album was a six-song EP titled Improvised Weapons released in 2012. Their newest album Wonderful Hell was released last year on Bridge Nine Records. The bands current lineup includes Shawna Potter (lead vocals), Brooks Harlan (guitar), Jennifer Vito (guitar), Suzanne Werner (bass) and Dave Cavalier (drums).
Alkaline Trio has been described as pop punk, punk rock, emo and harcore punk. Since 2001, the band has consisted of Matt Skiba (vocals, guitar), Dan Andriano (vocals, bass) and Derek Grant (drums, vocals). They started their eighteen song set Friday night with “Private Eye” from their 2011 album FromHere to Infirmary. The crowd was amped as the trio got into some even older songs like “We’ve Had Enough” and “Nose Over Tail.” They also did a few songs from their newest album Is This Thing Cursed? released in 2018. The set ended with “Radio” from their second album Maybe I’ll Catch Fire released in 2000. The crowd was now well primed for the anticipated headliners.
Bad Religion came out and played a 22 song set that spanned their entire 40 year career from their first LP How Could Hell Be Any Worse? all the way to their latest album Age of Unreason. They started with “New Dark Ages” but quickly got into older classics like “Modern Man” and “Recipe For Hate”. As soon as they started playing I felt like it was twenty years ago and I was back at Roseland Ballroom. They sound exactly the same as did then and the mosh pit was just as rough as I remember it. You can definitely feel more energy during certain songs, especially the older ones like “I Want To Conquer The World,” and “Better Off Dead” which was the first time they played it live. I was very excited to finally see BR post covid and they did not disappoint. The band is the same, Greg Graffin (lead vocals), Jay Bentley (bass), Brian Baker (guitar), Mike Dimkich (guitar), and Jamie Miller (drums). This tour ends on November 27th in Hollywood, CA. You can see the rest of the dates here.
War On Women Setlist: YDTMHTL, Divisive Shit, White Lies, Lone Wolves, Big Words, Aqua Tofana, Predator In Chief, Silence Is the Gift, The Ash Is Not the End
Alkaline Trio Setlist: Private Eye, We’ve Had Enough, Blackbird, Is This Thing Cursed?, I Wanna Be Warhol, Nose Over Tail, Every Thug Needs A Lady, Cringe, Clavicle, Armageddon, Mercy Me, Emma, In Vein, Continental, Warbrain, Fine, This Could Be Love, Radio
Bad Religion Setlist: New Dark Ages, Modern Man, Recipe For Hate, Los Angeles Is Burning, Fuck You, Chaos From Within, Epiphany, I Want To Conquer The World, 21st Century (Digital Boy), Damned To Be Free, Man With A Mission, Murder, Better Off Dead, Candidate, Do What You Want, No Control, Generator, You, Infected, Sorrow, American Jesus Encore: We’re Only Gonna Die
