Denver-based guitarist Marcus Rezak just announced an album release tour to celebrate his newest EP, ‘Truth in Sound.’ He will begin the string of performances in New York City at Cafe Wha? and will conclude the tour in South Carolina.
Known as a master of jazz improvisation, Marcus is a frequent preference for bands and musicians looking for an excellent performing guitarist. He has a distinguished guitar style and an admirable stage presence that makes audience members craving an encore. He treats each show as if it were a live recording session, which is apparent because of the euphoric energy he radiates.
Marcus Rezak wrote, recorded, and produced ‘Truth in Sound’ over the course of 2020 in the hopes of healing listeners through music and lyrics. The EP features four epic tracks that showcase his talent as a writer as well as a guitarist. Shred is Dead & members of Mike Gordon, Nth Power, Kung Fu, Raq, and more will join Marcus on his tour. Members of Trey Anastasio Band collaborated with Marcus throughout the process of creating the sophomore EP and are featured on percussion and tabla.
Full Tour Schedule
6/27 – Cafe Wha? – New York, NY
6/30 – 118 North – Philadelphia, PA
7/1 – Cafe 611 – Frederick, MD
7/2 – The Camel – Richmond, VA
7/3 – 5 Points Music Sanctuary – Roanoke, VA
7/4 – Charleston Pour House – Charleston, SC
7/6 – Nectar’s – Burlington, VT
7/7 – Zenbarn – Waterbury, VT
7/8 – Stone Church – Brattleboro, VT
7/9 – T-Rex Theater – Essex, VT
7/15 – Levitt Pavilion Denver – Denver, CO
7/24 – Rancho Relaxo – Austin, TX
7/31 – Empire Control Room – Austin, TX
8/7 – The Lodge at Woods Boss Brewing – Denver, CO
8/13 – La Boca – Middleton, CT
8/14 – The Stone Church Music Club – Newmarket, NH
8/20-8/22 – Summer Camp Music Festival – Chillicothe, IL
9/18 – Deadwood Jam – Deadwood, SC
Tickets for the tour are currently on sale here. Additional dates will be announced throughout the summer. Rezak’s vinyl record via Color Red will be available in the coming weeks. You can pre-order it here.
Standing at only a mere 4 days old, “Chaos! Chaos! Chaos!” the new single from Arthur Moon has already amassed thousands of streams and landed on playlists alongside huge artists like The Japanese House, Sufjan Stevens, and St. Vincent. Before the mark of their one year anniversary, they earned themselves an NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert.
It’s clear this band is praised for their excellence, and their new single hits the mark the very same.
The Brooklyn avant-pop group, led by composer and singer Lora-Faye Åshuvud with collaborators Cale Hawkins, Martin D. Fowler, Dave Palazola and Aviva Jaye, released the single while announcing their new album to be released in the fall under the same name: “Chaos! Chaos! Chaos!“
And that’s just what the single is: a beautiful and haunting chaotic musical masterpiece. Boarding on the genres of indie and electropop with elements from jazz and a choral influence, Arthur Moon is able to seamlessly meld these opposing musical soundscapes in a captivating and genius way.
“Avant-pop group Arthur Moon are more than happy to deconstruct the conventions of typical pop music”
-Billboard Music
Not a single time during my first time listening through to the single did I know where the next note would land. Against dissonant to resolving vocals and piano vamping that explored multiple keys sometimes within the same measures, there was a sense of peace in the chaos. The droning electronic sounds complimented rather than clashed with the more organic instruments.
The vocals evolved from melodic singing to speak-singing with a metallic overlay, creating chaos in the mix. But never did the chaos not resolve, paving the way for a beautiful jazz piano solo overtop the synth drone.
Rather than staying in the confines of one genre, Arthur Moon seems to reconceptualize boxing artists into one genre over another. They explore so many different soundscapes that at one point, I scrapped the idea of attempting to label them as alt or pop, instead praising their ability to operate outside of anything I’ve ever heard before.
“Dump the heteronormativity and get on Arthur Moon’s wavelength instead”
-Refinery 29
“Chaos! Chaos! Chaos!,” sung by lead Ashuvud who identifies as queer, was released for Pride Month. The music video captures two queer women dancing alone together in the purple light, expressing themselves and their love unequivocally. Their music shows the same queering of pop, electronic, and experimental music. Ashuvud is not afraid to defy traditionalism, bringing a unique approach to timbre, melody, and rhythm throughout all of her pieces.
The unpredictable nature of Arthur Moon’s music alludes to a rejection of heteronormativity within music and a huge step towards the acceptance of queer music which is so very crucially important, particularly in a month honoring our LBGTQIA ancestors. Following the accolades from monumental influences in the music industry, including Billboard and NPR Music, it’s clear Arthur Moon is on the verge of blowing up. If you want to secure bragging rights of knowing their name and following their music before they’re the household name they’re bound to become, stream their new song asap!
Prolific singer-songwriter Carly Simon celebrates a very happy 76th birthday today, June 25. The quintessential 70s songwriter now lives in Martha’s Vineyard, but has many ties to the state of New York throughout her career.
Born in the Bronx in 1943, Simon was raised surrounded by music. Her father, Richard, was the founder of publishing company Simon & Schuster and an avid classical pianist. Her mother, Andrea, was a singer and civil rights activist.
Music and arts talent definitely runs through the Simon family. Carly Simon has two sisters and a brother. Both sisters, Joanna and Lucy, spent time in the music industry. Joanna had a brief stint as an opera singer in the New York City Opera, while Lucy had her own folk-rock career and became a Tony Award-winning Broadway score writer. Her brother, Peter, is a photojournalist.
Simon entered the music scene in the mid-1960s as a duo act with her older sister Lucy Simon. The pair released three albums, including popular songs “It Rains in My Heart” and “Wynkin’, Blynkin’, and Nod,” and toured until Lucy took a break from the music scene in 1967.
“Older Sister,” a song released in her 1974 album Hotcakes, is about Lucy and their sibling relationship.
The Simon Sisters Credit: Peter Simon
Simon’s self-titled debut album was shared in 1971 and found immediate success. From Carly Simon, she won her first Grammy Award for “Best New Artist” and a Top-10 Single from the song “That’s the Way I Always Heard it Should Be.”
Even Art Garfunkel and George Harrison showed up so support Carly Simon!
Simon married folk-rocker James Taylor in 1972, shortly after her solo career began. The pair moved into a New York City apartment on the Upper West Side and had two children.
Taylor and Simon often performed duets during their marriage and released multiple tracks together. “Devoted to You” and “Mockingbird” were two popular duets of theirs on Simon’s albums Boys in the Trees and Hotcakes, respectively. The pair got divorced in 1981.
Carly and James singing “You Can Close Your Eyes”
Simon reached peak success in 1973 with her breakthrough album No Secrets. Standout single “You’re so Vain” is on this release, which propelled Simon into the #1 spot on American, Australian, Canadian, and New Zealand charts. “You’re so Vain” is #92 on Billboard’s “Greatest Songs of All Time” and even includes lyrics connected to her New York roots, mentioning upstate staple Saratoga Race Course.
Well I hear you went up to Saratoga… And your horse naturally won
I wanted to be discreet to a certain level…I ended up not being terribly discreet.
Carly Simon on USA Today
Besides being a 70’s pop-folk icon, Simon is responsible for many television and film scores, including 2003’s Piglet’s Big Movie, 1977 James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me, as well as Working Girl in 1988, which she won a Grammy, Golden Globe, and an Oscar Award for.
Singer-songwriter Carly Simon photographed in June 1971. Credit: Jack Mitchell/Getty Images
Simon’s voice has matured beautifully over the decades, always having a soulful and deep register, but now holding a jazzy, raspier tone. Her most recent album, 2015’s Songs from the Trees, is a “musical memoir” of sorts. The album shares remasters of fifteen songs, including “You’re so Vain,” “Boys in the Trees” and “Mockingbird.”
More recently, Simon shared on Billboard Magazine that she is preparing to release a remastered version of her iconic 1995 concert at Grand Central Station. She also had a digital performance at the Rock ‘n’ Relief Concert, supporting Coronavirus pandemic recovery this past March.
Happy birthday and here’s to another fruitful year of music, Carly Simon! “Nobody Does It Better” than you.
Pop star turned jazz artist Senri Oe has announced the release of his new official music video for “Out of Chaos.” The song is the first track out of his forthcoming seventh studio jazz album, Letter To N.Y.
As a pop Japanese superstar for two decades during the 80s and 90s, Senri Oe did a complete turnabout on his career after deciding to focus on what was important in his life. It was his first love: jazz. Senri left Japan and his legion of pop fans and headed to New York to study at the School of Jazz at The New School. He proceeded to launch his recording career with his debut album Boys Mature Slow via PND Records in 2012.
Letter to N.Y. is very impressionistic in its portrayal of New York music and culture through the lens of the pandemic but heard together, the songs reveal a unique narrative story. It’s about the brokenness and collapse of the old way of life, yet with the hope that as we move into the new normal, restoration and renewal are also possible. The former world is over, so now we have to open a new door and take everything to a brave new level moving forward.
Senri Oe on Letter to N.Y.
Composed and produced by Senri completely during quarantine, the 11-track album, Letter to N.Y., is a special homage expressing Senri’s sincere love for New York City. The album captures the eclectic array of the Big Apple’s musical energies.
Senri, who first started on classical piano, and whose influences are both bebop and Miles Davis’ electronic jazz fusion of the 70s and 80s, was inspired by the same electric keyboard and organ sounds on Letter to N.Y. It follows Senri’s 2020 album Hmmm, and a trio session with drummer Ari Hoenig and bassist Matt Clohesy which hit the Top 40 on JazzWeek and reached number 24 on the Roots Radio Jazz’ Top 50 chart.
Senri’s other albums include the full big band with Spooky Hotel (2013), Collective Scribble (2015), and Answer July (2016), which featured jazz vocal greats Sheila Jordan, Theo Bleckmann, Becca Stevens, and Lauren Kinhan of the Grammy-winning vocal ensemble New York Voices.
Oe’s love for New York is simply contagious. It is not only apparent in his latest album, but also in messages he has given to his fans. Through musical synergies of jazz melodies, riffs, and rhythms, Oe further expresses his passion for the New York music scene with others. Both his story and his songs are inspiring for those with similar ambitions and drive.
When you wake up in the morning, you can hear the voice of birds, and when you open the window, the sound of the wind is soothing. They all turn into music in this room where I live now.
At the beginning of the pandemic, I was at a loss in a tremendously dark tunnel. But after I learned how to live day by day, mindfully, I started to find the birth of soul-shaking events which I have never experienced each day.
Music is at every corner of the street. Honesty, a sense of humor, and the no-pretense kindness fill everywhere.
I am in love with New York more than ever.
Senri Oe’s Letter To N.Y.
Senri Oe’s official music video for “Out of Chaos” is featured onLetter To N.Y. and releases via PND/Sony Masterworks on July 21. Watch “Out of Chaos” now below
The power duo Elyssa Samsel and Kate Anderson are the songwriters behind all of the hilarious and character-revealing songs from the hit Apple TV series Central Park. With the first two episodes of the second season premiering on June 25th, they have had to overcome challenges that are brought about by making a TV show during COVID-19. The pair however are used to overcoming adversity by being two successful women in the entertainment business.
The show is a musical about a family who lives in Central Park because the father (Owen) is the park manager. It follows their untraditional NYC life and their attempt in saving Central Park from getting turned into condos.
Making the show during COVID-19 presented obvious challenges not being able to work together in person or in a studio. But as Kate Anderson explained “the music team really pulled off a miracle and got everybody set up at home. All the actors were sent mics and equipment and walked through how exactly to set it up. They would drop off music and all kinds of stuff at their homes. It just became this real team effort to get it going and to keep it going and to keep everybody employed and to keep the show on track.” Anderson then continued how “there were additional challenges after that, It took an incredible amount of patience on the actor’s side and also on the music team side.”
When Samsel and Anderson were writing songs, they are given the script and would “find these little gems,” Elyssa Samsel was saying, “and for example, Elwood had a pet worm named Diane and we were so tickled by that, that we sort of took that and ran with it and it made it into more than one song. And it’s so fun. Now we see fans of the show and they mentioned Diana the worm. And I’m like damn.”
Making these songs was a lot more than just a job during COVID-19, “it was still all over zoom and a lot of times it was the highlight of our day because it was a way to be connecting with people. Working hard on something and having fun and making each other laugh during such a dark time was really a lifeline for us” Kate Anderson said.
“It was love at first write”
Kate Anderson remembering on the first time they had met.
The pair who are now living on the West Coast wasn’t always the prominent team they are now. They had met at a New York City writers’ workshop, being part of the women minority of the class that first day, they were paired together and were wearing the same outfit. They had also figured out that they were practically neighbors “It was just the beginning of the best collaboration and the best friendship that we’ve ever could have hoped for,” Elyssa Samsel recalled.
Elyssa Samsel on left and Kate Anderson on right
But even with all of their success and projects throughout the years “there’s definitely times where we feel not trusted or underestimated because of maybe our gender or our age or both,” Anderson said. But regardless of that, she continued that they “figured out that the best way to collaborate is to be extremely respectful and treat others the way that you want to be treated, so we always try to enter the room and treat everybody like they know what they’re doing, and we are so grateful to be working with them, and I think in that situation it’s helped us to get through some murky water.”
“We want to be that for other women you know and maybe we’re not there yet, but hopefully we will be someday. “
Elyssa Samsel on wanting to be a role model for other women after reflecting on women who have helped them.
Elyssa Samsel then talked about how they’re “so lucky because we had other women to look up to who were crushing it in their field. Women like Jodi Picoult was such a guide for us and always encouraged us in those situations where we might have felt that we were outnumbered or not being taken seriously.”
Trey Anastasio headed south from Saratoga Springs for two nights of shows at the Beacon Theatre on Tuesday, June 22. The performances mimicked his Beacon Jams shows of Fall 2020, but now with the addition of a vaccinated crowd.
With a crowd hanging on every note, Anastasio repeated some songs from the Saratoga Shows, as well as played some tunes for the first time on this run, including “AC/DC Bag.” Highlights from SPAC were found with the Rescue Squad Strings and Jeff Tanski joining for “Fluffhead,” “Mercury,” “The Lizards,” “What’s The Use?,” and “Harry Hood,” among other compositions that left few dry eyes in the house.
Anastasio and crew return to the Upper West Side and the Beacon Theatre for one more show on Wednesday, June 23, with the show starting at 8pm.
Setlist: Trey Anastasio, Beacon Theatre, NYC – June 22, 2021
Set 1: Everything’s Right, AC/DC Bag > Backwards Down the Number Line, Fluffhead*, Brian and Robert*, Stash*, Ghost, Shade#, Mercury*, The Lizards*, Dirt#, Sand#, Wolfman’s Brother*, Blaze On, What’s the Use*, If I Could*, Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.*, Pebbles and Marbles*, Harry Hood*
Encore: More, First Tube*
* – with Rescue Squad Strings and Jeff Tanski # – with Jeff Tanski
For the final performance of this five show run, Anastasio continued to do what he does best, wow audiences with acoustic renditions of classic Phish and TAB hits, with string arrangements. Check out the setlist and photo gallery below! Setlist via Phish.net
Setlist: Trey Anastasio, Beacon Theatre, NYC – June 23, 2021
Set 1: Theme From the Bottom [1], Sample in a Jar[1], Divided Sky [2], I Never Needed You Like This Before [3], Free[1], The Wedge[3], Water in the Sky[2], The Inlaw Josie Wales[2], Twist[1], Bouncing Around the Room[3], Drift While You’re Sleeping[2], 46 Days[1] > Steam[1], A Life Beyond The Dream[2], Split Open and Melt[3], Joy[2], Farmhouse[1], Chalk Dust Torture[1] -> Back on the Train[1] > Chalk Dust Torture[1], Slave to the Traffic Light[2], You Enjoy Myself[2]
[1] Trey on acoustic guitar. [2] Trey on acoustic guitar; with the Rescue Squad Strings and Jeff Tanski on piano. [3] Trey on acoustic guitar; with Jeff Tanski on piano.
R&B genius and four-time Grammy winner Robert Glasper celebrates the epic return of live music by performing at the legendary Blue Note Jazz Club in NYC. The celebrity-packed grand reopening ran until 2:30am on Friday, June 18th. You can watch a recap of the night here.
Glasper was joined onstage by comedic icons Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle. Musicians included Questlove, Common, Keyon Harrold, and Talib Kweli. You can watch the performance of these artists here. Many celebrities were spotted in the audience, such as Zoe Kravitz, Jon Hamm, Susan Sarandon, Lupita Nyong’o, Don Cheadle, Maurice Brown and poet Amir Sulaiman.
The Blue Note Jazz Club opened in 1981 and has been one of the most premier jazz clubs in the world ever since. It is a gathering place for listeners to enjoy some of America’s best music. The club fosters innovation and progression while preserving the history and traditions of jazz. Clubs like Blue Note have been an integral part of NYC entertainment for years, and the coronavirus pandemic led them to shut down for months. The recent reopening of the clubs has been incredibly exciting for both performers and jazz fans across the state.
Blue Note is celebrating the grand reopening of NYC jazz clubs by presenting the Blue Note Jazz Festival that will run throughout the summer. Many up-and-coming jazz, soul, hip-hop, R&B, and funk artists will be featured. The energy between the walls of Blue Note this summer will remind attendees of the gaping hole that was left this year when jazz clubs were forced to close. The electric performances will be something you surely don’t want to miss.
Bryant Park Picnic Performances has more than 20 upcoming events this summer. All performances are free and beginning June 25, first-come, first-served seating, and advance ticket registration will no longer be required.
Entry is now open to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis for all audience members who present either digital or physical proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or an immediately recent negative COVID-19 test, along with government issued photo ID.
Bryant Park Picnic Performances Schedule (All Shows Start at 7 pm, Doors at 5:30)
New York City Opera’s annual LGBTQ Pride concert will feature a diverse program of selections from opera and musical theater sung by a quartet of stars from City Opera’s Pride Series. We will close this performance with a special new arrangement of the finale from Stonewall, Iain Bell and Mark Campbell’s opera which was commissioned by NYCO and given its world premiere in 2019.
Presented by professional performers and teaching artists of New York Chinese Cultural Center, this program is designed to engage a wide range of audiences for a taste of authentic Chinese culture and art. Signature performances include Dance China NY, Chinese Yo-Yo from artist Graham Lo, Kung Fu master David Fung, a demonstration of an array of Chinese instruments including the Erhu, Guzheng, and Dizi, plus colorful costumed classical and folk dance from different regions in China.
Mykal Kilgore’s artistry cuts through traditional barriers and represents the hope of gospel, the soul of R&B, and the vulnerability of country. His debut release, A Man Born Black, which earned him an NAACP Image Awards nomination for Outstanding New Artist, is an exploration of faith, loss, the stumble and spills on the way to maturity, and the beauty of hope and love. His multi-octave ability is powerful and elegant – and stretches across music genres, while his lyrics color the outlines of each of our personal experiences.
The innkeeper Lillas Pastia narrates the tempestuous story of the irresistible seductress Carmen and her hapless lover Don José in this fully staged, hour-long adaptation of Bizet’s opera, providing a perfect introduction to opera for newcomers of any age. This will also be City Opera’s first fully staged, hour-long adaptation performed this year. The performance features music direction and piano from Kathryn Olander, stage and choreography from Sarah Doudna, and a cast including Lisa Chavez (Carmen), Jason Karn (Don José), Joshua Jeremiah (Escamillo), Kristin Sampson (Micaëla), Stacy Dove (Frasquita), Kristee Haney (Mercédès), and Bill Van Horn (Lillas Pastia).
Described by Vibe as “one helluva rock’n’roller-coaster ride” and by PopMatters as “a treasure waiting to be found,” Toshi Reagon is a one-woman celebration of all that’s dynamic, progressive and uplifting in American music. Since first taking to the stage at age seventeen, this versatile singer-songwriter-guitarist has moved audiences of all kinds with her big-hearted, hold-nothing-back approach to rock, blues, R&B, country, folk, spirituals and funk. The New York Times described her blend as “… a love of mixing things up … [her] vocal style ranges from a dirty blues moan to a gospel shout to an ethereal croon.” Her live performances, in particular, aren’t just accessible; they’re irresistible.
Spanish Harlem Orchestra, the three-time Grammy-winning Salsa and Latin Jazz band, sets the gold standard for excellence in authentic, New York style, hard core salsa. Whether in a concert hall or at an outdoor jazz festival, there is no easing you in, they come at you full force, from start to finish. Their energy on stage and their rich sound and musical precision leave audiences mesmerized until the last note is played. With an unwavering respect for the music’s storied history, the ensemble’s thirteen world-class musicians and vocalists come together to create an unparalleled musical experience. Their latest release and 6th album, Anniversary, won the 2019 Grammy Award for Best Tropical Album.
The Knights are a collective of adventurous musicians dedicated to transforming the orchestral experience and eliminating barriers between audiences and music. Driven by an open-minded spirit of camaraderie and exploration, they inspire listeners with vibrant programs that encompass their roots in the classical tradition and passion for artistic discovery. The orchestra has toured and recorded with renowned soloists including Yo-Yo Ma, Dawn Upshaw, Béla Fleck, and Gil Shaham, and has performed at Carnegie Hall, Tanglewood, and the Vienna Musikverein.
Adrienne Warren made her West End debut in the World Premiere of Tina – The Tina Turner Musical in the title role of Tina Turner (Olivier, Evening Standard & WhatsOnStage Award Nominations). She was last seen on Broadway in Shuffle Along as Gertrude Saunders / Florence Mills, for which she received a Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical. She originated the role of Danielle in the Tony-nominated Bring It On: The Musical on Broadway. She was also seen at the Apollo Theater as Lorrell in Dreamgirls, followed by the national tour. She has toured and recorded with the multi-platinum selling Trans-Siberian Orchestra and is currently working on her solo debut album. Hosted by Broadway vet Mauricio Martinez.
Saturday, July 31: Greenwich House Music School – Riley Mulherkar and Ella Bric
Carnegie Hall Citywide: Terence Blanchard & the ECollective with Turtle Island Quartet
Since top-tier jazz and multiple Grammy-winning trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard embarked on his solo recording career with his eponymous Columbia Records album in 1991, the New Orleans-born-and-based artist has traveled many paths musically, including delivering adventurous and provocative acoustic jazz outings of original material, composing over 50 soundtracks and even, in 2013, debuting Champion: An Opera in Jazz. He has also, in the spirit of his one-time membership in the jazz school of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, mentored several musicians in his bands who have gone on to have significant recording careers of their own including Lionel Loueke, Aaron Parks, Kendrick Scott and one of his current band members Fabian Almazan). As a leader and co-leader, Blanchard has recorded more than 30 albums that often defied genres, yet were still critically acclaimed. For his latest Blue Note Records album, Breathless, Blanchard powerfully and playfully journeys into another jazz realm with his new quintet, The ECollective – an exciting zone of grooved fusion teeming with funk, R&B and blues colors.
Aug 12: Harlem Stage – Craig Harris’s Nocturnal Nubian Ball…: A Tribute to Sun Ra
Aug 13: Jazz at Lincoln Center – Dizzy’s Club: Young Stars of Jazz
Aug 14: Jazz at Lincoln Center – Dizzy’s Club: Camille Thurman and the Darrell Green Quintet
Aug 16: Limón Dance Company and Music from the Sole
Aug 20: Paul Taylor Dance Company and Elisa Monte Dance
Aug 21: New York City Opera – Now That’s What I Call Opera!
Aug 27: Save the Date – Dance Performance TBA
Sept 3: New York City Opera – Rigoletto
Sept 10: Classical Theatre of Harlem
Sept 17: National Sawdust – Allison Loggins-Hull premieres Diametrically Composed
Sept 20: The Town Hall – Centennial Concert featuring Chris Thile and special guests
In line with city and state safety protocols, Bryant Park Picnic Performances will host approximately 2,000 vaccinated or negative-tested audience members live at each of our performances. Attendance requirements for all audience members include a government issued photo ID and on-site proof of full vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test. Food and beverage is available for purchase from vendors in the park before taking a seat on the lawn. All event attendees are invited to bring food and drink. There are two sections for seating: vaccinated and tested.
Vaccinated audience members will be offered open seating on the world-famous Bryant Park Lawn with ample space to distance from others at their own discretion. it is highly encouraged attendees wear masks during the check-in process. Masks may be removed at their own discretion once within the fully vaccinated areas of the lawn. Attendees can bring a blanket or use a park chair; no outside chairs allowed.
For tested seating, attendees presenting a negative COVID-19 test will be seated in a separate, socially distanced section (six feet from other parties at all times) with masks required. No outside blankets or chairs allowed.
For the most current guidelines, program updates, additional venue details, safety requirements, information, and restrictions, visit bryantpark.org/picnics.
Foo Fighters performed the first show back at Madison Square Garden (MSG) and made New York and music history as they welcomed vaccinated fans back to the iconic venue on June 20 for the first 100% capacity concert in a New York arena since March 2020.
The three hour long, sold out show with no opening act marked Madison Square Garden’s first concert in more than 460 days in yet another resounding endorsement of the return of live music. The last full capacity show at MSG was The Brothers, which celebrated the Allman Brothers Band music on March 10, 2020. Since then, limited capacity events like Knicks games have taken place at the arena.
Despite anti-vax protests, MSG required a vaccination check for entry at the show, mainly the Excelsior Pass, the NYC-only digital “passport” that provides proof of vaccination. The venue allowed attendees to mask up at their own discretion. For children under 16, a negative COVID-19 test paired with an ID could, and can, suffice in place of a vaccine passport.
“We’ve been waiting for this day for over a year,” said Dave Grohl. “And Madison Square Garden is going to feel that HARD. New York, get ready for a long ass night of screaming our heads off together to 26 years of Foos.”
AMAZING. First concert in almost two years, and it's the FOO FIGHTERS. Threw my voice out singing almost every song. Possibly one of the BEST concerts I've ever been to. Feels great to be back at concerts again. Also, Dave Chappelle is GREAT. #FooFighters#MSG#GetVaccinatedpic.twitter.com/zqlXTngkbt
Dave Chapelle joined the band to sing a cover of “Creep” by Radiohead. Other covers of the night include “Somebody to Love” by Queen and as a sneak peek for the new Foo Fighters Record Store Day album, they offered a cover of “You Should Be Dancing” off Hail Satin, due on July 17, a satirical take on The Bee Gees.
The 12 time Grammy Award-winning band, sold tens of millions of records and created anthems, their globally anticipated 10th album, Medicine at Midnight, was released February 5, preceded by the chart-topping groove of “Shame Shame,” the brain-rattling “No Son of Mine,” and the epic swell of “Waiting on a War.” Since 1995, the Foo Fighters, Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, Pat Smear, and Rami Jaffee have held the title of the last great American arena/stadium rock band.
Foo Fighters first headlined a sold-out Garden in February 2008 on their “Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace” tour, returning to rock the venue for another sell-out show in November 2011 on the “Wasting Light” tour. Most recently, the band sold-out two nights at The World’s Most Famous Arena in July 2018, on their “Concrete and Gold” tour. The announcement of the June 20 MSG show follows the news of Foo Fighters’ first six U.S. dates on their “25th 26th Anniversary” tour taking place later this summer.
The June 20 Foo Fighters show, along with other recently announced shows across MSG Entertainment’s venues, are part of the company’s efforts to restart New York, which also include two sold-out events this month – the closing night of Tribeca Festival featuring “Untitled: Dave Chappelle Documentary” at Radio City Music Hall on June 19 and “Two Evenings With Trey Anastasio” at the Beacon Theatre on June 22-23.
Foo Fighters – Madison Square Garden (MSG) – June 20, 2021
Setlist: Times Like These, The Pretender, Learn to Fly, No Son of Mine, The Sky Is a Neighborhood, Shame Shame, Rope, Run, My Hero, These Days, Medicine at Midnight, Walk, Somebody to Love (Queen cover with Taylor Hawkins on lead), Monkey Wrench, Arlandria, Breakout, Creep (Radiohead cover with Dave Chappelle), All My Life, Aurora, This Is A Call, Best of You
Encore: Making a Fire, You Should Be Dancing (Bee Gees cover), Everlong
Grammy-winning guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela are back on the road starting on September 1, their first US shows in over two years.
Their plans to tour their 2019 studio album METTAVOLUTION were cut-short early by the pandemic. The “By Request Tour” will be a completely new and exciting experience for both fans and the band.
To make this tour extra special, Rodrigo y Gabriela have elected to hand over setlist selection to their fans.
On the Mettavolution tour in 2019, we played the whole of that album. Here we are, two years later, and we have decided to let the fans choose what songs they want to hear from us on the ‘By Request’ tour.
Rodrigo Sánchez
A long ballot of songs are now posted on rodgab.com and Rod y Gab’s social media platforms, covering their unique repertoire of over 20 years of fiery acoustic rock together. Fans are invited to select the songs they want to hear played live.
The “By Request” tour starts in Boulder, CO on September 1, runs through to October 16 in Minneapolis, MN and will make a stop in NYC at Pier 17 on October 10. More information and ticket links are available on their website.
Check out the full tour schedule below:
RODRIGO Y GABRIELA TOUR 2021 SEPTEMBER
1 – Boulder, CO – Chautauqua Auditorium *
3 – Vail, CO – Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater *
4 – Colorado Springs, CO – Pikes Peak Center *
8 – Troutdale, OR – Edgefield *
10 – Sacramento, CA – Crest Theater *
11 – Napa, CA – Oxbow Riverstage Concert Series *
12 – San Diego, CA – Humphrey’s Concerts By The Bay *
14 – Santa Barbara, CA – Arlington Theater *
15 – Anaheim, CA – House of Blues *
26 – Austin, TX – ACL Live at Moody Theater
28 – San Antonio, TX – Tobin Center for Performing Arts **
OCTOBER
1 – Atlanta, GA – Buckhead Theater
2 – Charleston, SC – Charleston Music Hall **
3 – Wilmington, NC – Greenfield Lake Amphitheatre **
5 – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore Charlotte **
6 – Washington, DC – Anthem
8 – Hershey, PA – Harrisburg University at Hershey Theatre **
