Nine musical performing artists and bands will be playing live in Elmira, New York at the Brand Park 2021 Summer Concert Series.
Come and join the Brand Park Beautification Committee in Brand Park from 3 to 5 PM every Sunday through the end of August. Don’t forget your lawn chair and enjoy the live music (the concert will be handicap accessible). The Dean Goble Band and Classic Too have already made their debut for the series earlier this month. However, seven more groups are set to perform: Loren V. & The Heart Beats, Blue Eyed Soul, Detour, Aunt Millie’s Biscuits, White River Band, Sgro Brothers, and Doc Cavallaro and the Doc Possum Band. View the announcement visual with exact dates and times at the end of this page.
Brand Park
For more information on the Elmira 2021 Summer Concert Series, future events and gatherings, or just the park itself, visit the Brand Park Beautification website and check out their Events Schedule. Also note, because of restrictions due to COVID-19, attendees are required to wear masks, practice social distancing, and follow all instructions from volunteers.
Also, be sure to visit the upcoming performers’ Facebook pages and websites below:
Caveman has announced nine brand new tour dates in September. The tour will be kicking off in Buffalo at The 9th Ward at Babeville on Sept 9.
Caveman previously shared “River,” alongside a visualizer, the latest single off their upcoming LP, Smash, out Aug 13 via Fortune Tellers. On the track, Matt Iwanusa of Caveman says “’River’ is mostly about how you survive when you have suffered a big loss; how to look at yourself and your actions moving forward.
This song is about my cousin Ashley “smash” who we lost about 4 years ago. She was one of my best friends and sidekick in trouble-making all around NYC. She was one of the only people in the world who never judged me. Since she was my youngest cousin I felt like I had to protect her, but in the end, we protected each other. I miss her every day and this song coming out makes me think about the process it’s been to continue life without her and have the good memories continue to help me when I get down.
Matt Iwanusa, Caveman
Smashis the first new Caveman record since 2016’s “Otero War.” Much of it was composed just after the passing of Iwanusa’s cousin – her nickname Smash becoming the album title and much of the music inspired by her.
On a whim early last year, they connected with old friend Peter Matthew Bauer of the Walkmen and his label Fortune Tellers to quickly release “New Sides” a series of recordings they had freed up the rights to while waiting for what would become “Smash” to return to their control. Basically dropping the EP five days after it was mastered, it was an early step to just get out into the world again a little with the song “You Got A Feeling” getting picked up on several major playlists and radio stations. “It was just great for people to hear something from us,” said Iwanusa. “It feels like it’s been forever and now we’re sitting on so much new music that’s finally able to get out into the world.”
Since Caveman began in 2010, they’ve released 3 full length records, toured endlessly (sharing stages with The War on Drugs, Jeff Tweedy, and Weezer, and playing festivals including Coachella, Bonnaroo, and Austin City Limits), and received accolades from everyone from Pitchfork to the New York Times.
Nowadays, they’ve grown from young punk kids into statesmen of sorts for New York indie music. Jimmy’s Brooklyn shop The Guitar Shop NYC is a city institution as well as a clubhouse for the band. Practicing and working out of Williamsburg nightclub Baby’s Alright during its down hours, the band is just beginning to recreate the momentum of their early career after a period of false starts, legal issues, and frustrating delays that slowed the release of their new record for several years.
Intrepid Travelers are all about creating fun and eclectic musical journeys for audiences to enjoy. In exciting news, the Buffalo based sextet has announced new summer shows, including the fifth annual edition of IT Fest.
(L-R): Jon Fohl, Brian Calisto, Zak Beutel, Ellen Pieroni, Adam Bronstein, Donny Frauenhofer
As in previous years, IT Fest V will be held at The “G” Lodge in Hannibal, NY, near Oswego. Last year’s IT Fest was luckily able to proceed with a very limited audience due to COVID-19 restrictions. This year, the two day festival runs on August 6 and 7 and is sure to be a great time, complete with overnight camping and plenty of food options. Tickets are available for purchase here.
Throughout the pandemic, IT have been live streaming performances on Facebook for the first three Tuesdays of each month in a series called “Funnel Down Stream”. These streams have been a great way for the band to share new music and connect with fans, something they undeniably hold dear.
Treating each live show as a journey with the audience rather than a performance, Intrepid Travelers pride themselves on a form of focused, collective expression that showcases a medium where cerebral musicianship meets heartfelt, soulful songwriting.
Intrepid Travelers Bio
IT’s latest releases were two new singles, “You Gotta Work” and “Up To You”, both of which pair jazzy instrumentation with a jam band feel. They also shared a submission to the NPR Tiny Desk Contest last month.
The rest of the summer will certainly be busy for IT as they make several stops around New York. A full list of the band’s summer shows is below, including links to their respective Facebook event pages.
New York, they’re comin home again. moe. will head out on their 2021 Fall Tour in October, making stops at four venues across their home state of New York.
After stopping Upstate at Apple Valley in early August, moe. heads out to Summer Camp Music Festival in Chillicothe, IL. They’ll headline ADK Independence Festival over Labor Day weekend, and the head to the rescheduled New Orleans Jazz Fest in early October.
Town Ballroom hosts moe. for three nights in the town where they started, followed by a three night run in Chicago. moe. performs on Long Island at The Paramount in Huntington in late October, with a Halloween-Eve show at The Fillmore in Philadelphia the next night.
In December, moe. will stop at Brooklyn Bowl for an intimate show, followed by two nights at The Capitol Theatre and four nights at The Sinclair in Boston.
Tickets go on sale Friday, July 16 at 10 AM ET – get tickets here.
moe. Fall Tour 2021
Oct. 8-9 – The Civic Theatre – New Orleans, LA
Oct. 14 -16 – Town Ballroom – Buffalo, NY
Oct. 21-23 – Thalia Hall – Chicago, IL
Oct. 28 – College Street Music Hall – New Haven, CT
Oct. 29 – The Paramount – Huntington, NY
Oct. 30 – The Fillmore – Philadelphia, PA
Dec. 9 – Brooklyn Bowl – Brooklyn, NY
Dec. 10-11 – The Capitol Theatre – Port Chester, NY
After a successful return to the stage at Peach Music Festival, TAUK is set to hit the road and headline their own shows for the Chaos Companion Tour, as the world starts to open up again. Starting with the Resonance Fest, and BorderlandFest in September, fans can listen to the band’s new and old releases, including their newest single “Moon Dub,” out now.
With new music and new energy, the band can’t wait to return to live shows like never before. “We’ve been missing live music just like everybody else and are itching to get back on the road,” shares guitarist Matt Jalbert. “This whole experience gave us some time to step back and really gain a whole new perspective on just how lucky we are to do what we do and share it all with unreal fans.”
This first part of the country long tour kicks off with Resonance Music & Arts Festival in Masontown, WV over September 16th & 17th, followed by a performance at Borderland Music & Arts Festival in East Aurora on September 18th. TAUK will then hop along the east coast, hitting Pawtucket, RI, New Haven, CT, and Brooklyn, (the latter with Paris_Monster), before heading down south for plays in Asheville, NC, Atlanta, GA, Indianapolis, IN, Covington, KY and more. The band will then make their State Theatre debut on Halloween in Falls.
Don’t miss out on TAUK on tour. An all-instrumental combination of progressive rock, hip-hop and jazz offers a unique blend and sound to their listeners. Inspired by classic sci-fi like Blade Runner and Ex Machina, TAUK’s ability to combine melodic fusion with pop sounds is sonically adventurous, and emotional. A full list of dates can be found below. Keep up with the band on their official Facebook & Instagram, and listen now on Spotify & Apple Music.
Their most recent studio album ShapeshifterII:Outbreak, offered an interesting look at artificial intelligence and its potential to upend our world. Containing a sense of tension and cinematic mood, it proved to be an album that’s both thought provoking and soothing.
Longtime friends and TAUK members Charlie Dolan, Matt Jalbert, and A.C. Carter formed their first band in seventh grade. After playing together in various projects, the three added Issac Teel to the band, creating the final lineup. Since then, TAUK has appeared at festivals like Electric Forest and Bonnaroo, and earned acclaim from major outlets like the Washington Post, who praised TAUK for “creating a hard-charging, often melodic fusion that—thanks to a penchant for improv—offers limitless possibilities.”
TAUKChaos Companion Tour Dates
Aug. 13 – Atlantic City, NJ – Sound Waves @ Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, featuring special guest Robert Randolph for a Beatles vs Hendrix set with BoomBox Sept. 16 & Sept. 17 – Masontown, WV – Resonance Music & Arts Festival Sept. 18 – East Aurora, NY – Borderland Music & Arts Festival Sept. 30 – Pawtucket, RI – The Met Oct. 1 – New Haven, CT – Toad’s Place Oct. 2 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Bowl (with Paris_Monster) Oct. 8 – Martinsville, VA – Rooster Walk Reunion Music Festival Oct. 9 – Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel Oct. 12 – Oxford, MS – The Lyric Oxford Oct. 13 – Little Rock, AR – Rev Room Oct. 19 – Jackson, MS – Duling Hall Oct. 20 – Huntsville, AL – Sidetracks Music Hall Oct. 21 – Birmingham, AL – Saturn Oct. 22 – Tuscaloosa, AL – Druid City Music Hall Oct. 23 – Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse Oct. 26 – Indianapolis, IN – HI-FI Oct. 27 – Covington, KY – Madison Theater Oct. 28 – Memphis, TN – Railgarten Oct. 29 – Nashville, TN – The Basement East Oct. 30 – Charlottesville, VA – Jefferson Theater Oct. 31 – Falls Church, VA – The State Theatre
Live at MLK! is closing up their summer concert season in Rochester with big-name performances by Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue and Gov’t Mule.
The show will be held on September 4 at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park at Manhattan Square. Along with the killer performances, there will be a craft beer garden complete with IPAs, ciders, and seltzers, a “bubbly bar” with prosecco and mimosas, and a VIP Ultra Lounge. The extensive VIP perks include access to a private lounge area, preferred entry, full cash bar, private A/C restrooms, front stage access, chair massage, complimentary chips and salsa (and private food vendor access) courtesy of Bay Vista Tacqueria, and a commemorative lanyard.
Photo Courtesy of RochesterFirst
Trombone Shorty (born Troy Andrews) is an American musician, producer, actor and philanthropist from New Orleans, Louisiana. He is best known as a trombone and trumpet player but also plays drums, organ, and tuba. He has worked with some of the biggest names in rock, pop, jazz, funk, and hip hop. Andrews began playing trombone at age four, and since 2009 has toured with his own band, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue.
Trombone Shorty
Gov’t Mule is an American Southern rock jam band, formed in 1994 as a side project of The Allman Brothers Band by guitarist Warren Haynes and bassist Allen Woody. The band released their debut album, Gov’t Mule, in 1995, and have since released an additional nine studio albums, plus numerous EPs and live releases. Gov’t Mule has become a staple act at music festivals across North America, with both its members and frequent guests boasting members from other notable bands, adding various funk and blues rock elements to the band’s sound.
Gov’t Mule
Organizers Rochester Events is thrilled to bring these beloved artists to the Live At MLK! series.
To get both of these groups on stage is going to be a night full of music magic. There is no better way to celebrate the return of live music than with rock legends and a jazz phenom!
Jeff Springut, CEO/Producer, Rochester Events
Presale starts 7/14 and tickets go on sale to the general public this Friday (7/16) at 12PM ET. Tickets must be purchased online in advance on RochesterEvents.com. Pricing is $99.50 for VIP, $59.50 for GA advance, and $66 day of show (if available, fees apply). Shows are rain or shine with no refunds.
Patrons may bring blankets and one sealed bottle of water into the park. Lawn chairs, bicycles, skateboards, in-line skates and pets will not be allowed in. Parking is available at nearby parking garages including the Midtown Parking Garage; 110 S. Clinton Avenue, Washington Square Garage, 111 Woodbury Blvd.; the Court Street Garage, 194 Court St. and at the East End Garage, 475 E. Main St. Parking will also be available at The Strong Museum, 1 Manhattan Square.
Multi-platinum artists Fitz and The Tantrums made a summer tour stop at Artpark in Lewiston on July 6.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
Alternative band Colony House kicked off the night in an upbeat fashion. The opening act consisted of Caleb Chapman, Will Chapman, Scott Mills, and Parke Cottrell. Popular singles “Silhouettes” and “You Know It” brought the energy to everyone at Artpark.
Fitz and the Tantrums later took the stage and steamrolled the crowd instantly. Their liveliness and distinct stage presence made everyone get up on their feet. They opened their set with the throwback song “Don’t Gotta Work It Out” from their 2010 album.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
The LA-based band is composed of Michael “Fitz” Fitzpatrick (vocals), Noelle Scaggs (vocals), James King (saxophone, flute), Jeremy Ruzumna (keyboards), Joseph Karnes (bass), and John Wicks (drums, percussion). This dynamic group is able to match each other’s intensity on the stage while also keeping the crowd engaged.
The band played songs from their recently released, fourth full length album ALL THE FEELS. This included their well-known hits “123456” and “I Just Wanna Shine.” Additionally, other songs that proved to be crowd favorites were “Out of My League,” and “Fool.” Throughout the night Fitz shared how excited he was to be back singing with a crowd again. Everyone from those on stage, to the crew, to the folks on the lawn, were absorbed in this feeling so many have missed. As Fitz has said, “It’s great to be back!”
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
With a roaring crowd, Fitz and the Tantrums performed their RIAA-certified 2x Platinum single “HandClap” for the encore. After, they finished off the performance with songs “All the Feels” and “The Walker.” Many left the show dancing down the streets as everyone was ready for more.
Artpark has much more in store for the rest of the summer with Lettuce performing on July 14 and a Bright Eyes show on July 27.
In normal times, music fans in Rochester would be finishing off another Jazz Festival, a nine-day smorgasbord of musical delights. However, for the second straight year, the city is bereft their biggest live music week and all the discoveries that come with it.
Despite the shutdowns, artists still managed to put out some incredible music last year, the Rochester International Jazz Festival alumni among them. So while we sit and wait until the festival returns in 2022, let’s take a look at what ten of our favorite RIJF discoveries released in 2020.
The Made in UK Series brought this trio across the pond in 2016 and we’ve been digging them ever since. With Captured Spirits, saxophonist Jordan Smart, pianist Nick Smart and drummer and percussionist Jesse Barrett build on the sound they’ve been evolving with each release, adding in more electronic influence.
Kat Edmonson enchanted us at the festival both in 2013 and 2015 and she ratchets up the magic in her latest release, Dreamers Do, which reimagines music from the Disney canon to incredible effect. You’ll never want to hear the originals again. Watch out for a guest spot from fest-alum Bill Frisell.
Another trio brought in by the Made In U.K. series, Gogo Penguin made their stateside debut at the festival in 2015 and then returned to wow us again in 2018. The mostly acoustic piano trio has always injected some electronic influence, increasing it with each release. It comes even more to the fore on last year’s self-titled release, though the wordless melodies are still as catchy as ever.
In the last festival staged, back in 2019, no band wowed us quite like Girls in Airports. The Danish quintet moved through “ethereal soundscapes, intense evil marches and organ-rich spacey grooves, mixing in infectious rhythms and melodies,” and it’s more of the same on 2020’s Dive, a must-listen.
Sometimes the much-beloved International aspect of the festival brings otherworldly sounds. Other times it shows off the inescapable influence of American music. Another fest-alum out of Denmark, Ibrahim Electric exemplifies the latter, exploring the organ-trio oeuvre (and well beyond) with aplomb on the aptly-named Time Machine.
Ukrainian quartet DakhaBrakha had the Big Tent venue in awe during their 2017 appearance. A blend of traditional ethnic folk music with varied and at times avant-garde influences, the music complemented their colorful quasi-traditional garb. It was an expansion of most of the audience’s musical universe for sure. Alambari touches on almost everything that made their performance so thrilling, minus the visuals of course.
Every Rochester International Jazz Festival boasts at least a handful of badass funk outfits that invigorate the generally staid crowd into a dancing frenzy. Seattle’s Polyrhythmics were just one band and with their latest, Man from the Future, they have us hoping for a return visit soon. This thing cooks!
One of the most frequent visitors to the festival, NYC-based drummer Matt Wilson always brings something a little different. When we last caught him in 2018 it was pure joy mixed in with some serious statements on politics and humanity. Likewise on last year’s Hug, you might not find a happier jazz track than the title cut, while “Space Force March/Interplanetary Music” takes an overt but fun political turn.
A decade ago the young Swedish guitarist, Samuel Hallkvist, really caught our attention. And with last year’s Epik, Didaktik, Pastoral he proved he’s only improved with age. It’s impressive and compelling set of adventurous avant-garde jams.
We’ll close this out highlighting another artist from England. More than any of the previous in the list, saxophonist Nubya Garcia has shapeshifted the most. When we saw her in 2019 she blew us away with her fiery playing and mind-expanding jazz compositions. With SOURCE she has broken free from the jazz shell to produce something uniquely brilliant that has been met with widespread critical acclaim and commercial success. If you haven’t already, definitely give this one a listen.
On Saturday July 6, 1974, Rich Stadium in Orchard Park, NY held the first ever concert in its history. Eric Clapton and his band would serve as headliners, with The Band serving as a warm up for Slowhand. Tickets for the show were $8.50 each ($46 in 2021 dollars) and caught one of rock’s biggest legends upon the release of his classic 461 Ocean Boulevard.
The show was held one year after opening as the new home of the Buffalo Bills, going 9-5 in their inaugural season. More affectionately known as ‘The Ralph’ in the late 90s, the Buffalo-based multi-national food company Rich Products gave the stadium its original name, signing a 25-year, $1.5 million dollar deal, one of the first sales of naming rights in American sports.
Following a sellout show at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh the night before, the Buffalo show would not be Clapton’s finest hour by any means. July 5 was Robbie Robertson’s 31st birthday, and with The Band guitarist on the road with the hard-partying Eric Clapton, its possible that Clapton indulged too much the night prior, affecting his performance the next day. Clapton reportedly said “It’s Robbie’s birthday today and … there’s gonna be some bovver tonight.”
Not much is known about The Band’s set beyond their final song, which may have been the most pivotal part of the evening. Joining the opening band for a song is not unnatural for a headliner, but rarer still, as the impact of the main act’s arrival is lessened. When Clapton joined The Band on July 6 for an encore of “Chest Fever” in the support slot, the performance was disjointed and led to the drunken Clapton needing to be carried off stage.
photo by Watt Casey, Jr.
The Band setlist via Setlist.FM
Hard Times the Slop (Noble “Thin Man” Watts cover), Just Another Whistle Stop, Stage Fright, The Weight, The Shape I’m In, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, Across the Great Divide, Endless Highway, Up on Cripple Creek, The Unfaithful Servant, Smoke Signal, The Genetic Method, Chest Fever (with Eric Clapton)
Clapton’s band included George Terry (guitar), Dicks Sims (keyboards), Carl Radle (bass), Jamie Oldaker (drums), and Yvonne Elliman (backing vocals). Also joining the lineup was Freddie King, who was flown in specially for these shows.
Geetarz shares insight on Clapton’s performance, which is widely reported as the worst show of the 1974 tour, and a low point for sure. Eric was reportedly massively, incoherently drunk, and unintelligible at times. As the show begins with Clapton giving an outro to emcee “Legs” Larry Smith, a member of the crowd would shout “Clean Up Yer Act!,” a sign of the times indeed.
photo by Watt Casey, Jr.
Drunk and stoned, Clapton would start playing songs without getting the band on the same page, starting the show with a rambling “Last Train to Brownsville”, where he seemed to start engaging with the audience who had apparently been throwing fireworks at the Clapton, saying “To be serious … one more of them, I’ll tell you, and you’re out of here! One more of them silly fucking fireworks and you are out of here! Behavior!”
After “Let it Grow,” Clapton shouted “I am drunk and I am ready for fuckin’ trouble!,” and then brought up Freddie King, but Eric was far from ready and was outshone by King. Clapton even gave a drunken intro for King: “He’s strapping on his guitar, moving to the guest spot, and if you haven’t heard of him, you don’t fucking deserve him! His name is Freddy.”
photo by Watt Casey, Jr.
You would think that bringing on stage a blues guitarist he looked up to would keep Clapton on his toes, but he was outshined in Buffalo and reportedly unable to keep up during this performance of “Have You Ever Loved a Woman?” Doubling down, when King sang the line ‘It’s a shame and a sin’, Clapton weighed in unnecessarily: “Don’t believe them! There’s no shame, there’s no sin…” a revealing moment for Clapton who was at the time secretly in love with Patti Boyd, then married to his friend George Harrison.
Capping off the show with “Little Queenie,” Clapton was now more incoherent and ready to end the night. Rambling during the Chuck Berry song, and apparently triggered by the repeat mentions of the Queen, Clapton said “Meanwhile, in Birmingham …. England, that is, not here, in Alabama …. they’re making Persian carpets … at 19,000 quid apiece … there’s only 10 Pakistanis here! They can’t be bad – who am I?”
photo by Watt Casey, Jr.
The next night in Jersey City was reportedly a somewhat better show for Eric Clapton, and likely The Band as well, with a recording available below that offers an idea of what the July 6 show sounded like. Rich Stadium has seen many more shows over the years, with Clapton setting the bar low for all to exceed in the years that followed.
Going To Brownsville*, Smile, Let It Grow, Hideaway**, Have You Ever Loved A Woman**, Tell The Truth, Willie And The Hand Jive, Get Ready, Steam Rollin’ Man, Little Wing, Blues Power, Presence of The Lord, Little Queenie, Crossroads * with Legs Larry Smith ** with Freddie King
Photos below are by Watt Casey Jr., who was working for Showco, this being his first show.
The 5th Annual Beau Fleuve Music & Arts Celebration will take place this summer at Buffalo Central Terminal. The diverse event will celebrate an array of artists while also conducting numerous exhibits.
The festivity will consist of performances on multiple stages, installations, the popular silent disco, food trucks, vendors village, backyard games, a family fun area, and much more. The acts in this year’s lineup go beyond Buffalo/WNY. They also include individuals from Rochester, NYC, Baltimore-DC, and Florida to name a few.
Music Performances By: Jae Skeese ( DrumWork Music & National Touring Artist Closing Out the Night),Danielle Ponder, Miller And The Other Sinners, Mom Said No, Deadwolf, Billie Essco, FREAK THE MIIGHTY, A.I The Anomaly, Herbal Tonics, Roy G Biv, Mile High, Source Academy & Dark Skin Jermaine, Velvet Bethany, 14 trapdoors, Chango4 & way2wavybaby, Maegan The Singer, Brother Tomsos, Sir Michael Prince, Money Set, Wakefield , Sugar Tea, Saranaide, Outwest, Underrated Evolution
On Stage DJ Sets By: Farenheight Crew, DJ Flow, DJ Onyx , DJ P-Nasty
Silent Disco Sets By: DJ Lil Gabby, DJ T, Deejay Ransum, DJ Jetta, DJ Yama Mama, Backpack Mafia Battle
Art Exhibitors: kidwitthewings, Deja Marie, Xojoita, Neese Rich, RozPaintedIt, Peter Ponce, Hooly & Syd, Cashis Green, Laike Palmero, Shantelle Patterson & more
Art Installations: SKATE PARK by Quincy Kosczka, WEARABLE ART by Buffalo State Fashion & Textile Dept & UB Arts Collaboratory, SIT & THINK CHAIRS by A.J. Smith, Ken Newton, Emeka Wajed, RozPaintedIt
Curated Talks: Creative Mornings Buffalo, Outside The Influence, The Poorman Show
Beau Fleuve Music & Arts Celebration takes place on August 29. Tickets are on sale now.
