Video game covers and dark medieval Prog-Rock were on hand for Friday, October 8 as Comic Con came to a close, ShwizZ, You Bred Raptors?, and Bonus Level treated New York City to a night of technically sound musicians, nostalgic video game inspired covers, and a lot of booty shaking at The Loft at City Winery.
Tetracube, aka Chris Gironda, played DJ sets between the bands throughout the night. The night kicked off with ShwizZ; any combination of musicians including Andy Boxer on drums and Ryan Liatsis on guitar is an all-time great lineup to witness. With the new additions of Scott Hogan on bass and Will Burgaleta on keys, ShwizZ continues to deliver that powerhouse flavor with a couple of new spices to give it zest.
Following ShwizZ was a band that was well worth the wait. From the first second You Bred Raptors? started playing, you felt as if you had been teleported into an orchestra conducted by Tim Burton, as if Jack Skeleton was the inspiration behind their twists and turns of their demonic symphony.
To close the Comic Con night, Bonus Level, a new project consisting of Corey J. Feldman and Nate Searing of Brooklyn-based band Cousin Earth, along with Tom Tompkins on guitar and Darren Denman on keys took us through a journey of classic video game covers and improvisational Easter eggs. The crowd was extremely impressed with how well they created different paths of spontaneity, while also staying true to the original soundtracks. Their Type II video game jams made for a fun combination of musical prowess and nostalgia at its finest.
The phrase ‘this darkness has got to give’ originates in the Robert Hunter penned Grateful Dead song “New Speedway Boogie,” a line that speaks of hope and aspirations of a brighter future ahead.
In June 2020, NYS Music started the series “This Darkness Has Got to Give,” amid uncertain times where we did not know what the next few weeks or months would provide for the musicians, venues, music industry staff and employees, as well as patrons across New York State. We hoped for the best, and while the era of streaming sufficed for a time and is permanently ingrained with bands and venus, live music has returned.
Sort of, at least. We have had some false starts, with tours cancelled shortly after they are announced, tours scaled back, and artists opting to require patrons to show proof of vaccination, as well as wear a mask inside venues. All of these are not major asks for patrons who have been deprived of live music, just as musicians have been deprived of audiences in the last year and a half. Given the tight COVID-19 protocols in place for touring musicians and at music venues, especially here in New York State, the result has been the return of live music to many venues, the arrival of crowds to outdoor and indoor events alike, and a feeling of normalcy, even if things don’t seem all the way normal just yet.
We are still not out of the woods yet. So long as mask policies are abided by and those eligible to be vaccinated do so, the full live music experience – at venues, music festivals, on cruise ships or in basements of college houses – can return in all parts of the state and country.
This edition of “This Darkness Has Got to Give” has a different angle to it. While we are looking at the music venues that dot the landscape all across the Empire State, we take a look this time not just at the venues, but at the crowds of fans who have flocked back to support their favorite artist and venue, and recharge ourselves through the power of live music. We begin where we started the series in June 2020, in Western New York, courtesy of Contributing Photographer Samantha Rychlicki.
An iconic venue located on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, known for being a hotbed for indie talent since the early-1990s, the Mercury Lounge welcomed country singer-songwriter sensation Maggie Rose on Tuesday, October 5. An emerging star based in Nashville by way of Potomac, Maryland, Maggie Rose has created her own original recipe of the rock, pop, blues and soul genres.
No stranger to the road or to the stage, Maggie Rose is approaching the century mark for appearances at the legendary Grand Ole Opry, while also touring extensively over the past few years with the likes of Sheryl Crow, Kelly Clarkson, Heart, Joan Jett, Emmylou Harris and Jason Isbell, just to name a few. Having honed her power-packed vocal talent since getting her first start in 2009, Maggie Rose is currently in the midst of a headlining tour in support of her third album titled Have a Seat(Starstruck Records), released this past August and recorded at the legendary FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. On this early autumn night, her frequent touring collaborator Them Vibes (a sextet formed in 2013 and also hailing from Music City) would once again be backing her.
The night’s proceedings were kicked-off by Dylan Hartigan, the “Jersey Boy” who calls home only a short distance away, when he casually walked onto the stage with the confidence of a seasoned veteran. Dylan Hartigan was officially introduced to the music industry in 2018, as a contestant on “The Voice,”where he impressed many. One of those who praised Dylan’s musical talents was Maggie Rose herself, who would go on to co-produce his brand new album out this week, titled The Way My Bones Creak.
In the short time that it took for Dylan Hartigan to remove his sneakers, adjust the height of his microphone and grab his acoustic guitar, the patrons I navigated around the bar entrance to the stage minutes earlier had seamlessly appeared around me, drinks in hand. I was now a witness to the exhilarating scene of Dylan’s friends, family and loyal fans of his Americana music, jam-packed from wall-to-wall, joyfully singing along to his lyrics. One highlight of Dylan’s 30-minute set was a song called “Tucson, Arizona,” introduced by him revealing to us that he wrote the lyrics based entirely on someone telling him that “it gets so hot there that you can fry an egg on the sidewalk.”
With the opening set nearing its completion, and while standing on the edge of the stage sans guitar, Hatigan acknowledged the crowd for their support. In near darkness behind him, the band members of Them Vibes were quietly taking to their instruments. Suddenly, the stage lights exploded back to life, fully revealing Them Vibes at their respective stage positions. Dylan Hartigan once again collected his guitar and closed out his thrilling and emotional set.
After a brief intermission, Them Vibes reappeared for the middle set of the night. Only a few moments after their frontman Larry “Brother Love” Florman lit an incense stick and its smoke began to bellow across the front of the stage, this rock and funk band pounced into their first song with an inspired and electric fervor. As he navigated around the intimate stage, Brother Love’s uniquely raw and intense energy was immediately apparent, with sweat quickly running down each side of his face as he twirled around the stage. Maggie Rose delighted her fans by appearing onstage for Them Vibes’ last song of their set, “Right On,” taken from their 2017 EP titled Electric Fever, which also featured Maggie’s passionate vocals.
With the moment we had all been waiting for now upon us, Maggie Rose took to the stage for her second turn, greeted warmly once again with applause and whistling. The first seven offerings from her 16-song set were taken from 2021’s Have a Seat, including the show opener and first single “Do It,” along with the gospel-powered “Saint.” After performing “Smooth” from her second album released in 2018 (Change the Whole Thing), the apex of the evening was capped by Maggie’s performance of “Crazy” with Dylan Harrington, who thrilled the “hometown” crowd with his reappearance and newest single. The final song of the night, “The Letter” (a 1967 cover by The Box Tops), left everyone in attendance still wanting more.
If you want to see more of Maggie Rose, you still have the chance as she continues her North American tour with several more shows over the next few months, commencing on December 18 in Chicago. Tickets are available here.
Setlist: Do It > Telephone > What Makes You Tick > For Your Consideration > Are We There Yet > Now and Then > Saint > Smooth > You Got Today > Best In Me > Crazy (with Dylan Hartigan) > Help Myself > Pull You Through > What Are We Fighting For > It’s You > The Letter (The Box Tops cover)
The San Gennaro festival may be over, but The Center For Italian Modern Art will continue to embrace Italian culture with “Schifano and Jazz,” a concert dedicated to Mario Schifano’s passion for American Jazz, on Wednesday, October 20th at 6:30 pm ET.
Since 2013, CIMA has dedicated themselves to showcasing contemporary Italian art to a global audience. The public non-profit has presented many critically acclaimed exhibitions in efforts to showcase even new art never before seen in the United States. Not only are they providing a variety of public programs, they also have partnered with their international fellowship program to support a new scholarship that situates Italian modern art in an expansive historic and cultural context in efforts to preserve Italian culture, providing a sort of incubator for larger cultural institutions. They invite those who also share the same passion for modern Italian art, open to fresh new perspectives. Your visit begins with complimentary espresso before an informal exhibition tour with a resident fellows.
To continue honoring Mario Schifano after CIMA’s current exhibition “Facing America: Mario Schifano, 1960-65,” they will host live acoustic performances from multi-instrumentalists Stefan Zeniuk (Vampire Weekend), Ari Folman-Cohen (Grammy Award-winning guitarist Stephane Wrembel), and violinist Cody Geil. These artists will feature music from those who inspired Mario Schifano the most like Miles Davis, Bud Powell, and Freddie Hubbard.
Before the music starts CIMA will raise a toast to another engaging season of modern Italian art in NYC. This special program will have discounted tickets for CIMA members and students. Registration, masking, and proof of vaccination are required. More info here
For as many shows in New York that the Grateful Dead have played, it’s almost amazing that there are only three of them that took place in Queens. Today marks the anniversary of the third and final one. The Grateful Dead treated a ravenous crowd at Colden Auditorium on the campus of Queens College to a show featuring songs from, perhaps, two of their most iconic albums of all time. In just a few weeks, the band would release American Beauty, taking them to an entire new level of national popularity. And with Workingman’s Dead still fresh from earlier in the year, this shows falls in a time period where the band is simply rife with creativity as they continue to from their own unique version of country-folk blended with West Coast psychedelia.
Colden Auditorum
It begins with some extended tuning, during which guitarist Bob Weir tells the crowd that “Marmaduke stayed home,” a reference to their friend from New Riders of the Purple Sage – a band that often tagged along with the Dead for New York City shows. Weir chides that, “This is the economy package.” Elements of “Truckin’” and “Deep Elem Blues” can be heard in the pre show fine-tuning and that’s exactly how the show begins. Weir leads the band on vocals for the Dead’s brand new hit “Truckin’,” a song only months old at the time. Then, after some lighting and monitor directions, Jerry Garcia takes over for a modern take on a traditional blues tune, “Deep Elem Blues.” Weir throws in some well placed harmonies at song’s end before the Dead hand the proverbial baton off to Pigpen for a typically rousing cover of Otis Redding’s “Hard to Handle.” Pig’s bluesy vocal efforts bookend a winding, exploratory jam spearheaded by Garcia on guitar.
This opening sequence of Grateful Dead music has the Colden Auditorium crowd clamoring for more. The band responds in kind with “Sugar Magnolia,” another eventual classic still very much in its early stages. This is the ninth one ever performed. Garcia has the wah-effect in full gear for this one as the band rips into another brief, explosive jam after Weir deftly navigates the lyrics. The “Candyman” that follows may slow the tempo down a bit, but still serves as a first set highlight anyway with a sublime and harrowing Garcia guitar solo placed between more delicate vocal harmonies.
This clears the way for a dynamic closing sequence to the opening set, starting with “Cryptical Envelopment,” which gets an instant vote of approval from the crowd. At its conclusion, a “Drums” immediately emerges, shining the spotlight on drummers Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart who take the rapt audience on a percussive ride, in the first set no less. This immediately segues into the explosive opening of “The Other One,” with all of Colden Auditorium now clapping along in time earnestly. It winds up producing perhaps the best jam of the evening, a searing, psychedelic journey that varies in intensity before rounding back into form. The opening set then closes with another rousing cover, this time Buddy Holly’s “Not Fade Away.” The jam briefly dips its toe into “Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad” but no lyrics are actually sung before “Not Fade Away” resumes and caps off a whirlwind ending sequence that would later finds its place closing out second sets instead.
The Dead’s second set at Colden Auditorium, after a false start of sorts, resumes with “Casey Jones,” along with more full-fledged audience participation via clapping. They follow this with a familiar cover of “Cold Rain and Snow” that gets considerable support from Pigpen on organ and Phil Lesh on bass. Bob Weir then resumes vocal lead for the dark, country western-themed “Me And My Uncle.”
Unfortunately, there’s a significant gap in the recording due to a tape flip issue that cuts out the portion of the second set that follows. And it’s likely another one of the more memorable parts of the show as it features “Good Lovin’,” sung with natural flair from Pigpen as always, sandwiching yet another “Drums” sequence that surely went deeper than its first set predecessor.
The recording picks up at the tail end of the “Cumberland Blues” that follows all of this. One last pre-song tuning session finally gives way to “Uncle John’s Band,” the last song of the evening. It’s fitting selection to end with another cut from their iconic Workingman’s Dead album as they, and the world, prepare themselves for the American Beauty era.
Grateful Dead – Colden Auditorium – Queens, NY 10/10/70
Set 1: Truckin’, Deep Elem Blues, Hard To Handle, Sugar Magnolia, Candyman, Cryptical Envelopment-> Drums-> The Other One-> Not Fade Away-> Goin’ Down The Road Feelin’ Bad-> Not Fade Away
Set 2: Casey Jones, Cold Rain & Snow, Me & My Uncle, Good Lovin’-> Drums-> Good Lovin’, Minglewood Blues, Cumberland Blues, Uncle John’s Band
Spirit Of The Beehive made their way to Brooklyn’s newest live music venue, Brooklyn Made, on Thursday night in support of their outrageously creative 2021 LP ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH. The five-piece Philadelphia based band drew a sold out crowd to the week-old venue, stretching out the legs of the new PA with their heavily distorted and layered backing tracks.
Spirit Of The Beehive at Brooklyn Made, 10/7/21. Photo by BuscarPhoto
One can always expect growing pains in a new space, and Brooklyn Made was no exception. The group was forced into a brief delay after running through the opening track of ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH as the backing distortion tracks were not coming through the main speakers. The sound techs resolved the issue, and the band fell right back into step much to the delight of an extremely patient and understanding audience.
Spirit Of The Beehive at Brooklyn Made, 10/7/21. Photo by BuscarPhoto
Brooklyn Made is a sprawling space with several different areas, but the performance space is quite intimate and very unique in presentation. A super-wide, crescent shaped stage lines the back wall (similar in style to The Sultan Room) with a very shallow, sunken dance floor that allows for even late-comers in the back row to be rather close to the stage. Off the back doors is a separated bar area equipped with a pool table and direct sound feed from the live show. There is a courtyard, with a staircase up to a large rooftop space overlooking the many Bushwick Collective street murals and offering views of the Manhattan skyline.
Spirit Of The Beehive at Brooklyn Made, 10/7/21. Photo by BuscarPhoto
ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH is a continuous, artistic expression of the themes suggested in the title. Different songs cyclically build into ferocious rhythms and fade into distorted ambience over and over again across the 37 minute runtime. Motifs and instrumental pieces do not repeat themselves, even with the confines of a single track, and the listener reaches the end of the record with a strong desire to play the album back. On first listen, the record seems more of an unfinished collection of demos, but the more you listen, the more you discover a meticulously crafted artistic experience the delivers a new perspective with each listen.
Spirit Of The Beehive at Brooklyn Made, 10/7/21. Photo by BuscarPhoto
Spirit Of The Beehive have one more scheduled show on this run, which takes place Friday, October 8th in Washington DC. The band will also open for a couple shows on the Japanese Breakfast residency at Union Transfer in Philly next August. Check out a full concert calendar for the new venue Brooklyn Made HERE. More photos from the Brooklyn Made show below.
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.
Miles Francis captivated their late-night audience on Wednesday, October 6, at Baby’s All Right. Originally set to perform at 10 p.m., scheduling delays led to a slightly later start to the already late-night show. Despite the wait, the audience at Baby’s All Right was buzzing.
The New York City native lived up to their reputation as one of the best-kept secrets of the local music scene. The show began with Francis walking through the crowd and jumping on stage enveloped in a silver morph suit. An intrigued audience watched as Francis acted out hurriedly ending a phone call.
After quickly unzipping their morph suit, Francis and their supporting band jumped into an energetic opening number. Francis performed a carefully curated mix of their discography, making sure to perform their two latest releases, “Service” and “Popular.” With their effortless dancing and humorous stories rounding out the set, it’s clear that the stage is a second home for Francis.
Miles Francis is currently working on their debut album, set to release in late 2021. Listen to his latest single, “Popular” here.
The Tedeschi Trucks Band continued their fall residency tour at the Beacon Theater on Wednesday making it their 43rd Show at the historic venue. Special guests Jorma Kaukonen and Marcus King sat in with the full 12-piece band on their material and incredible covers by great blues artists.
TTB opened their set with a spectacular cover of The Lovin Spoonful’s “Darling Be Home Soon.” After that, they performed “Signs, High Times” off their most recent album with Mike Mattison and Susan trading lead vocals. Derek stepped in with an incredible guitar solo that left the crowd awestruck.
Another highlight of the night was a cover of The Allman Brothers Band “Don’t Keep Me Wonderin” with Gabe Dixon on lead vocals. Once again Derek’s guitar playing was masterful and left me with chills. For me it’s a bit nostalgic to see an Allman Brothers tune played at this historic venue where so many legendary ABB shows have taken place.
After the band performed “Hear Me” and “Do I Look Worried” they brought back Jorma to the stage for two more songs. The first was a Bob Dylan cover of “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright” with Derek trading guitar licks with Jorma who I’m sure is one of his heroes based on the expression he had on his face. The next song they performed was another cover, this time of Charles Segar’s “Key to the Highway.” Once again, Mike Mattison stepped up with extraordinary vocals while Jorma and Susan traded licks and Derek closed the tune with his renowned slide guitar. Jorma got a much deserved standing ovation as he left the stage.
Rising star Marcus King made a surprise appearance for a blues heavy performance of Sleepy John Estes’ “Leaving Trunk,” also featuring Mattison on vocals. King also stuck around to perform a cover of Rahsaan Roland Kirk’s “Volunteered Slavery,” a tune originally recorded in 1968. Marcus also received a huge ovation from the sold out crowd at the conclusion of the song.
To end this incredible evening, the band pulled out a cover of George Harrison’s “Isnt It a Pity” and a Derek Trucks Band Cover of “Get What You Deserve.” There are still two more Tedeschi Trucks Band Beacon shows left on this run, but TTB has shows scheduled through 2022. You can see the complete list of upcoming shows here.
Setlist: Darling Be Home Soon (The Lovin Spoonful), Signs, High Times, High and Mighty, It’s So Heavy, I Know (Derek Trucks Band), Right On Time, Don’t Keep Me Wondering (The Allman Brothers Band), Hear Me, Do I Look Worried, Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright (Bob Dylan)(with Jorma), Key to the Highway (Charles Segar)(with Jorma), Midnight in Harlem, Leaving Trunk (Sleepy John Estes)(with Marcus King), Volunteered Slavery (Rahsaan Roland Kirk)(with Marcus King), Bound For Glory, Isn’t It a Pity (George Harrison), Get What You Deserve (Derek Trucks Band)
Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue put on two soul crushing shows at the brand new 500-person capacity Brooklyn Made stage to start this week. The club just opened on September 30 and this was the band’s third and most intimate New York show this year, having performed in Rochester at Manhattan Square Park in August and Brooklyn’s Prospect Park in September.
photo by Russell Mangicaro III
New Orleans legend Tony Hall told NYS Music in August about Troy Andrews. “We have known Shorty since he was young. Coming up he’s always been extremely bad ass. In the beginning he used to do some shows with us and then did his own shit. Then blew up. He’s the man and puts on a hell of a show. Phenomenal player on the trumpet and trombone. It’s like nobody can touch him. But he also plays everything else like drums, keyboards and sings.”
The Orleans Avenue Band – guitarists Pete Murano and Joshua Connelly, sax-men Dan Osteicher and BK Jackson, drummer Joey Peebles and bassist Mike Ballard, and vocalist Tracci Lee – all took center stage at Brooklyn Made on top of the speakers throughout the show. They made the new Bushwick club feel like the historic Tipitinas in New Orleans.
Shorty opened the show asking for assistance in getting his heart back on “Where it At?” “I tried to find you, baby, did my best, But love don’t come with any GPS.” They brought it from the East River to the Mississippi with a Meters cover of “It Ain’t No Use” and Allen Toussaint’s “On Your Way Down.” Trust me when I tell you their approach on these tunes was truly an explosive expression on funk classics. The Shorty original “The Craziest Thing” is another call out to the lovers in the crowd. “Ask me to bring you the moon, I’ll put the sky in your room, I’ll die trying.” The highlight of the night occurred during the Ernie K. Doe New Orleans classic “Here Come the Girls.”
photo by Russell Mangicaro III
Mid-groove on “Uncle Potato Chip,” sax player Dan O took the song to another galaxy and back on baritone before the closing verse. “Fire on the Bayou” helped keep the Cajun sounds sizzling.
Trombone Shorty first took the stage at four years old with Bo Diddley at the 1990 New Orleans Jazzfest. 31 years later he was bouncing his solos off all the other band members like a true front man. It also came as no surprise that sax player BK Jackson used to play with Prince. Joey Peebles took his only break of neo soul drum beats for the night, with Mike Ballard and Shorty sharing syncopated bass and trumpet solos on stage that took you back to Birdland.
Vocalist Tracci Lee’s backing soul helped bring every song full circle exchanging tambourines throughout. Guitarists Joshua Connelly and Pete Murano electricity was directly plugged into your head on the Brooklyn Made stage. Tuesday night’s show had a Red Hot Chili Peppers musical intro as a nod to his tour with the group in 2016 opening for them at Madison Square Garden and Buffalo’s KeyBank Center. He brought the crowd back to his first record Backatown with the track “Suburbia.”
Ray Charles’ classic “I Got A Woman” on Tuesday night was a standout as well. In true New Orleans fashion, they closed both nights with Shorty’s “Hurricane Season” mixed with “When the Saints Go Marching In” that sent the crowd strutting back into the Bushwick scene.
A Monday and Tuesday night with Trombone Shorty at Brooklyn Made like this really made his tune “Long Weekend” resonate – “Cause you never know what could happen on a long weekеnd…” Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue head back to New Orleans on Monday, October 11 for his first ever “Shorty Fest.”
