NYS Music 202​1

Category: Regions

  • Westcott Community Center and Joe Driscoll Announce their Vantastic Fundraiser

    Westcott Community Center announced a fundraiser for a new van that they call the Vantastic Fundraiser. The fundraiser is being put on by Joe Driscoll and will host a variety of performances via Facebook live on February 11, 2021 from 7 pm to 9 pm EST. 

    Vantastic Fundraiser

    The Westcott Community Center is a non-profit organization based in Syracuse, New York. Their mission statement is “Investing in their community by offering essential services and engaging programming to embrace the diverse needs of all.” The center is open 9am-4:30pm Monday through Friday for various programs and activities seven days a week.

    Westcott Community Center provides over 5,000 rides every year to older adults on Syracuse’s East Side and access to services necessary to lead full and healthy lives. People are dependent on “Westcott Community Center’s United We Ride Transportation Program” which makes it so they have access to  medical appointments, pharmacies, grocery stores, banks, and the Westcott Community Center congregate meals and Basic Needs Pantry services. All this would not all be possible without reliable transportation.

    Unfortunately, it has come time for the Westcott Community Center’s 14-passenger van, which was purchased in 2003, to be replaced. The new van will cost $45,000 in total. The online music event is an attempt to help the organization raise funds to purchase a new van. The fundraiser throughout their #WestcottCCRides initiative first kicked off August 15, 2020.

    Vantastic Fundraiser

    The Vantastic Fundraiser will host performances from Joe Driscoll, William Nicholson, Billy Harrison, Jess Novak, Steve Scuteri, Riley Mahan, Larry Hoyt, Major Player, Benjamin Ellis, Colin Aberdeen, and Chris Chiesa. It can be viewed on Facebook live on both Joe Driscoll’s and Westcott Community Center’s pages on February 11, 2021 from 7 pm to 9 pm EST. Although the event is technically free, any donations to support the van would be greatly appreciated. 

    For more information on the Westcott Community Center visit their website.

  • Long Island’s Card Reader Takes First Place at Interstate Music Awards

    Long Island pop-punk band Card Reader won first place at the Interstate Music Awards, an underground artist competition created by the CEO of Interstate Music, Jeff Peterson.

    card reader
    Long Island Pop-Punk Band Card Reader

    Card Reader, won the Interstate Music Awards out of hundreds of submissions. Their first place prized earned them $5000 in gift cards, as well as the opportunity to perform live on the Interstate Music stage in Wisconsin later this year. 

    In a year of uncertainty and lockdown, Card Reader continued to put out music, their bright sound illuminating days spent inside. This spring they will be releasing an acoustic EP set to release on Friday, March 26th. It will contain new versions of previously released tracks, stripped down and engineered by their very own Matt Sullivan. They will also be recording their sophomore EP this April with veteran producer, Nik Bruzzese, at Gradwell House in Haddon Heights, New Jersey. 

    Guitarist and vocalist, Tom Petito, spoke about Card Reader’s big win and the road ahead. “We’re fired up right now. Starting 2021 off on the right foot is crucial for any band. I think we did just that. We received a big wave of support in this competition and winning it all has been an unreal experience. Our family, friends, & fans had our back in a big way.

    We’ll use this momentum to help fuel the fire as we prepare to record our new EP in the spring. Nik reached out to us after the contest win and expressed his desire to take our sound to the next level. We couldn’t agree more. It’s our move now and our opportunity to show the music world that Card Reader is for real.

    Stream their music on Spotify, Apple Music, or Bandcamp and find Card Reader on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.

    Watch their studio documentary for their 2020 EP Mental Scars here.

  • Vast Aire and COSMIQ deliver some “Good Fuel”

    In anticipation of a new album, Vast Aire of Cannibal Ox, has released a brand-new record in collaboration with producer COSMIQ. With the duo’s collaborative effort set to be released soon, the hip hop veterans are hoping “Good Fuel,” will be just the song to give the album a push. 

    A gritty old-school New York record, “Good Fuel” sees Vast Aire continue a trend that has defined hip hop itself. In “Good Fuel” he descriptively conveys a proper image of the tough inner-city neighborhoods that Black people have inhabited for decades. The record begins with Vast Aire shouting out where he is from (Washington Heights, Harlem, New York City), with these locations also representing the setting for the story-like “Good Fuel.”

    Vast Aire COSMIQ

    “Good Fuel” resembles other inner-city themed rap songs. Humble beginning, “we used to be shoulder to shoulder like ‘someone push me.’ Holes in your sucks, you got no p****.”  To taking an interest in the street life in search of a better life for self and family, “I’m talking sky pagers with the fly beepers, all the drug dealers had the fly sneakers.” To eventual questioning of the political regime whose job it is to help the disenfranchised, “my commander-in-chief is running amuck. These right-winged lobbyists could care less, it’s settle for this evil or settle for less.” 

    “This track is important for our times right now,” says Vast Aire.  “We all are coping with the chaos of COVID-19 and also the shock and trauma of Trump’s political coup. ‘Good Fuel’ reminds the youth and elders to remain righteous, while standing up in the face of oppression.” 

     “This song represents what Hip-Hop has always stood for, being the voice of the streets; from the lost criminal to the struggling and hard-working blue-collar workers. My late parents are those very people– and so am I!”

  • Albany’s Rock-Outlaws Son Of A Gun Turn To Dust Friday

    New York capital region Rock-trio, Son Of A Gun, is on the run with the release of their second EP, Turn To Dust, to be released Friday, Feb. 12.

    While the band probably isn’t smuggling shine in their petina post-war Buick Roadmaster down the Hudson Valley, their stone-cold rock jams will take you on a wild ride. The proof: Turn To Dust corrodes Son Of A Gun and their Rock and Roll sheen with a wild-side, proving more raw than their former effort.

    Son Of A Gun Turn to Dust

    The title track to this EP, “Turn To Dust,” kicks up a washy hi-hat drum intro, instantaneously energising the band. The pages turn, like a storyline from their lyrics to musical motifs. The textured drum beat tightens up for the band’s versus and solo, but remains the driving constant. Son Of A Gun, leaves us trailing behind, right on their coattails. They throw you into a groove immediately, fronting as that under-assuming opener you never saw coming.

    Their concise burst of talent, in the forum of yearly releases keeps us intrigued. Their familiar tones reminisce of The Black Keys “Tighten Up” on tracks like “Watch and Wait,” yet keep you dancing with the song’s moving bass-lines. The solos scream, each and every time.

    Turn To Dust will feature their hip lick “Find the Seam,” as featured live at Albany’s Low Beat in Dec. 2019. These guys have claimed their spot in New York’s Rock arena. They are fuelled to roll through energising live performances as their fanbase multiplies, and venues re-open. As the band burst at the seams, hang on for the ride.

    “Find the Seam,” live at Albany’s Low Beat in Dec. 2019.

    Son Of A Gun formed late 2018 “bringing a jam sensibility to straight-ahead Rock & Roll.” Their 2020 self-titled debut aids to classic rock fans with a stout major chord mentality. Gritty guitars and loose-mix drums keep a humble garage-rock edge and live feel. The trio has a hearty sound that could fit the bill on any headline stage. Their tracks soar like a hand in the wind as you cruise down the HRE – a floating momentum that kicks off with momentum solos on “Down The Highway.”

    “…the band’s musicality and their compositions were tight and developed. They were songs that you could certainly rock out to. What was interesting was that their sound didn’t specifically fit into any musical genre. Sometimes it would sound more like Pearl Jam (heard through the vocals of “Winds of Change”), or you could hear the country-rock vibe of “Hope & Heartache.” Listening to both “Down the Highway” and “Call of Days Past,” you can tell that it centered around blues-rock, even including little hints of “Call Me the Breeze” in the guitar & bass riffs and hearing the vocals one could listen from Sly Fox and The Hustlers.”

    – Amy Modesti on Radioradiox

    Check out Son Of A Gun on their Website and Facebook.

  • Celebrate Valentine’s Day Weekend with Albany Symphony and Composer Tyson Davis

    Composer Tyson Davis’ commissioned orchestral work, Distances, will be Performed by the Albany Symphony on its Valentine’s Weekend “Romantic Brahms” Concert on February 13, 7:30 pm EST.

    Tyson Davis
    20-year-old Composer, Tyson Davis.

    The Albany Symphony will be performing the orchestral work titled Distances by Tyson Davis. This 20-year-old composer has been writing music since age eight and currently attends the Juilliard School of Music. Tyson Davis has composed many pieces for small ensembles and solo instruments. As a child, Davis created works as he learned the piano. The instrument awoke the creativity within him, and he knew that music would be his one and only passionate path. His love for he process of seeing things grow propelled him into the world of composition. 

    In addition to Distances, music by composers Sir William Walton and Johannes Brahms will be performed by the Albany Symphony. The event will be streamed live from Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs. There will be a pre-concert talk at 7:00 pm and a post-concert question and answer session with the artists for season subscribers.

    “I am so excited to share this program with our community, featuring three extraordinary composers just starting out on their glorious careers. We are very proud to introduce Tyson Davis and his wonderful new work. He is an immensely gifted composer. In addition, we are thrilled to present a virtually unknown major early work by Johannes Brahms, the original version of his First Serenade, in a version that simply may never have been played or heard before!  And Walton’s wildly charming, witty, surreal narrated work, “Facade,” is one of my very favorite works from the early 20th Century,“ said Music Director David Alan Miller. 

    Tyson Davis
    Composer Tyson Davis

    The Albany Symphony was founded in 1930 and is now highly acclaimed with many ASCAP and Grammy awards. David Miller, the director for 27 seasons, fostered a community of diverse musical compositions. With numerous education programs, the Albany Symphony empowers youth to tackle issues of diversity and self-expression through songwriting, improvisation, and teamwork.

    The 2020-2021 season continues through the American Music Festival in June. Concerts will be live and virtual, with the ability to purchase access online or by calling the Albany Symphony Box Office at 518-694-3300. Subscribers are also invited to attend a pre-concert chat and a post-concert, real-time “talk-back” session with guest composers, soloists, and Maestro Miller.

  • PEAK Announces Parts 3 and 4 of their ‘Live From The Studio’ Series

    PEAK announces parts 3 and 4 of their ‘Live From The Studio’ series. The series features full sets from the band and will be free and open to the public. 

    PEAK part 3 and 4

    PEAK is a Brooklyn based band that formed in 2016 with frontman and guitarist, Jeremy Hilliard, who originally went under the name before members Kito Bovenschulte (Particle) on drums, Josh T. Carter (Hayley Jane and The Primates) on bass, and newcomer-extraordinaire Johnny Young on keys joined in 2019. PEAK released their critically acclaimed debut album Electric Bouquet, produced by Dave Brandwein (Turkuaz) in 2018. The band has spent a decent amount of 2020  writing, rehearsing and recording an album in their Brooklyn studio, with hints of their sophomore album being in the works. 

    The first of PEAK’s ‘Live From The Studio Series’ started back on November 14, 2020. The second session took place on December 5, 2020. Both sessions were available on their YouTube Channel and on Jamcast. Each of the performances was a little over an hour in length and featured lots of original music from fan favorites to some straight jams. 

    The third session will take place on February 27, at 8 pm. The fourth session will take place on March 20, at 8 pm. The sets will be streamed live and for free on PEAK’s YouTube Channel and their Facebook.

    They will be accepting donations though to their virtual tip jar through Venmo @jeremy-hilliard1. People can also support the band and their efforts by visiting their Bandcamp page and checking out their audio releases. Head to their online store and pick out some PEAK merch, including new pins and T-shirts designed by the formidable Dave Vertino. 

    The shows are being supported by MKDevo, Michelle Young, and Matt Calabrese who are going to be bringing the audience a pro-shot video, multitrack audio, and light shows. 

    For more information on PEAK and their upcoming parts 3 and 4 of their ‘Live From The Studio’ series visit their website.

  • Peter Matthew Bauer Drops “Mountains on Mountains,” Hints to Future 2021 Releases

    Peter Matthew Bauer, solo alternative/indie recording artist and founder of New York art-rock band, the Walkmen, shared his newest track “Mountains On Mountains” with Brooklyn Vegan to hype up and premiere. Also known for his solo tracks “Liberation! (Mexican Summer)” and “Mount Qaf (Divine Love),” Bauer founded his own record label/artist management company, Fortune Tellers, representing names such as Starcrawler, Liily, Matt Costa, Lushlife, Caveman, and Caroline Kingsbury.

    This is the first track of my own that I’ve recorded and decided to release in a long time. I’m not entirely sure how to explain it: it’s a pretty dark song about certain types of people and memories fading away. But it also has this feeling of no expectations, so it leaves me with a sense of optimism and presence in the end. Nick Stumpf and I started recording it for a fundraiser for Fairfight around the elections. Later we decided to take this barebones live recording and make it into something more proper and special.

    Peter Matthew Bauer on “Mountains on Mountains”

    The track draws inspiration from his unconventional upbringing in a yoga cult. Also, it captures elements of Sufi mysticism and ideologies of western phenomenologist and Islamic scholar Henry Corbin, while simultaneously crediting nostalgia of the late 90s and early 00’s music age in New York City. This song is the first of many singles anticipated from Bauer. Originally it was written and organized to perform at festivals benefitting Fairfight, an organization that works to promote voting rights and equality in Georgia.

    Peter Matthew Bauer

    Stripped-back but also cinematic, perhaps referencing the mid-’00s NYC scene and where it stands now.

    Brooklyn Vegan on “Mountains On Mountains”

  • Pop Rock Band Powerlines Announce Debut Album with Lead Single “Sober”

    New Brunswick, NJ based, expressive pop rock band, Powerlines, announced their debut album with the release of their lead single “Sober,” on January 28. Powerlines is composed of Deanna DiLandro as lead vocalist, Tyler Anderson as guitarist, and Nick Winship on bass.

    Powerlines
    Photo Credit: Zoe Nystrom

    The lead single “Sober” delves into the entanglement of multiple fixations and the emotional struggle behind breaking away from them. With the work of deep bass and fuzzy guitar sounds, the track gives a sense of grooviness. In addition, DiLandro’s powerful vocals make an energetic theme in a rather serious subject.

    “Sober” was the first track to be shared off of the band’s upcoming LP, all of this is temporary. Look out for Powerlines new album to be released in due time, on April 9. In today’s climate of constant chaos, it can be difficult to sit back and be appreciative of the small things, especially in terms of life experiences that seem to occur in a blink of an eye. In an optimistic way, all of this is temporary highlights the difficulty, pain, love and acceptance of confronting ephemerality.

    A Deep Dive Into Powerlines Album

    Following “Sober,” the second track, “Outside My Mind,” builds an upbeat anthem. Both of these tracks utilize funk baselines, driving drums, and textual guitars. All of which create a high energy introductions to concepts of growth and never-ending change.

    The album’s emotional center, “Temporary,” is a tribute to DiLandro’s late mother. In contrast to lively opening tracks, Powerlines builds this sentimental piece with the use of a luscious guitar and a string ballad. This serves as a reminder to listeners that although loss and grief are inevitable, the knowledge that everything eventually transforms into something new can hopefully provide some comfort.

    Powerlines
    Artwork Credit: Jacqueline Brockel

    As all of this is temporary moves forward through its various auditory snapshots, a consistent yet electric tone is constructed. This can be heard on the track “Water,” which contains flute and trumpet solos over a blues-rock guitar. Then, the pace begins to slow down again as the build of “Frames” deliberate the past and decay over time. Progressing with a mellow pace, “Being Is Strange” strips everything down to just an acoustic guitar. As the album is coming to a close, “Morris Street” brings the bands roots back with bouncing rock. Powerlines apply ongoing shifts from track to track to exemplify the wariness of the unknown.

    Bringing up the tail end of the album is the liberating climax “Jet Planes” which gives off sounds of 90s alt-rock. This track serves as DiLandro’s acceptance of “opening up to the unknown.” Finally, a piano reprise of “Sober” closes all of this is temporary as it acts as a reiteration of the obstacles dealt with throughout each track. As Powerlines share this collection of stories, listeners can take away feelings of triumph, shared love, and a new embracement to the inevitable changes of life.

    Listen to the lead single “Sober” on various major platforms here.

  • A Look at Shuttered Music Venues Across New York State

    We’re coming up on one year without live music. Venues across New York State, and the country, are shuttered with no option for music beyond streaming. Our venues are the lifeblood of so many towns and cities across this great state, and these independent music venues still need our help, as they struggle to stay afloat until we’re in the clear.

    In June, NYS Music photographers, having no live music to shoot, began looking at these music venues across the state. Over the summer and fall we saw venues closed for the foreseeable future, including The Jazz Standard in Manhattan. Venues are rallying their supporters to help as best they can at this time, including Arlene’s Grocery on February 9.

    Music Venues New York State
    Paramount Hudson Valley Theater, Peekskill, NY – photo by Steve Malinski

    Venues in New York and beyond are stuck in limbo, but they aren’t gone – not for good – so long as we can find resolution and relief at the state and national levels. The Heroes Act has passed in the House of Representatives, and the upcoming relief bill looks poised to jump-start the economy and provide a much needed lifeline to venues.

    Winter has arrived, and across the state, venues still shine through the snowy nights. We start this month’s photo series of music venues across New York State in New York City, courtesy of Joseph Buscarello.

    Visit NIVA to find out how you can help venues across New York, and the country. We need to #saveourstages and preserve live music now, for when this is over.

    New York City – photos by Joseph Buscarello

    • Music Venues New York State
    • Music Venues New York State
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    • Music Venues New York State
    • Music Venues New York State
    • Music Venues New York State
    • Music Venues New York State
    • Music Venues New York State

    Ithaca – photo by Casey Martin

    Manhattan and Hudson Valley – photos by Steve Malinski

    • Music Venues New York State
    • Music Venues New York State
    • Music Venues New York State
    • Music Venues New York State
    • Music Venues New York State

    Geneva – photos by Joseph Booth

    • Music Venues New York State
    • Music Venues New York State

    Saranac Lake – photo by Neil Sedlak

    Music Venues New York State

    Buffalo – photos by Derek Hosken

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    Plattsburgh – photos by Jerry Cadieux

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    • Music Venues New York State
    • Music Venues New York State

    Albany – photos by Zach Culver

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    • Music Venues New York State
    • Music Venues New York State

    Long Island – photos by Rob Tellerman

    The Hudson Valley – photos by Mickey Deneher

    • Music Venues New York State

    Utica – photo courtesy of The Stanley Theatre

    Music Venues New York State

  • Judy Collins to Recreate 1964 Town Hall show

    Judy Collins will perform at The Town Hall in New York City, on Friday, February 12. She is recreating her debut 1964 show from the very same stage, featuring music by Bob Dylan, Tom Paxton, and Billy Ed Wheeler, among others.

    judy collins

    Collins, an award-winning singer-songwriter is known for her versions of traditional and contemporary folk standards, as well as her own poetically poignant original compositions. Her rendition of Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” from her 1967 album, Wildflowers, has been entered into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Judy’s intimate version of “Send in the Clowns” won “Song of the Year” at the 1975 Grammy Awards, and she has garnered multiple top-ten hits and platinum-selling albums.

    Judy began her music career at 13 as a piano prodigy, but hard luck tales of folk revival music by artists such as Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger drew her away from a life as a concert pianist. This path led her towards a lifelong love affair with the guitar and pursuit of emotional truth in lyrics.

    Recently, Collins released the 2020 album Winter Stories, featuring critically-acclaimed Norwegian folk artist Jonas Fjeld, and masterful Americana band Chatham County Line. Collins was fêted by contemporary and classic artists, among them Rufus Wainwright, Shawn Colvin, Dolly Parton, Joan Baez, and Leonard Cohen, on the album Born to the Breed: A Tribute to Judy Collins.

    Speaking about her concert performance on February 12 at The Town Hall, Collins said:

    It was such a tumultuous time in the world. The Vietnam War was just rolling along, breaking into thunder and lightning and anxiety and pain. People were burning their draft boards cards, trying to get to Canada and facing up to going to Vietnam where many of them would die. Making this album and concert at The Town Hall – my very first solo appearance at one of the great concert stages in New York – was a relief and joyous event. It feels right to go back to the material and time period now with the knowledge and life lessons learned in 2020.

    Judy Collins, recalling her debut performance at The Town Hall

    Tickets are $40 and on sale now via Judy’s website.