Across New York State, 13 venues will play host to Jam for Tots shows, bringing music venues and patrons together in an effort to support those most in need across the Empire State during the 2021 Holiday Season.
Patrons are encouraged to see live music at any of the shows below, and bring with them a new, unwrapped toy for a child. Each venue will have a box for toys to be dropped off in, All toys will be donated to local charities to each venue, keeping the community effort benefitting those in the immediate area.
Thursday 12/2 – The Deadbeats, Nanola, Malta Thursday 12/2 – Open Mic hosted by Jon Pinder, Stewart House, Athens Thursday 12/9- Tato and Friends, Funk n Waffles, Syracuse Saturday 12/11 – Mihali, Bearsville Theater, Woodstock Saturday 12/11 – Mikaela Davis with Girl Blue, The Hollow, Albany Friday 12/17 – The Samples with Rich Ortiz, Putnam Place, Saratoga Springs Saturday 12/18 – Hollis Brown, The Falcon, Marlboro Saturday 12/18 – Sydney Worthley, El Modernist and Josh Morris, Lark Hall, Albany Saturday 12/18 – El Nac: A Christmas Special, The Waterhole, Saranac Lake Sunday 12/19 – The Nutcracker, The State Theatre, Ithaca Sunday 12/19 – 11th Anniversary Party, The Strand Theater, Hudson Falls Saturday 12/25 – Televisionaries & Awful Kanawful, The Bug Jar, Rochester Friday 12/31 – Pasadena w/Joint Operation, Buffalo Iron Works, Buffalo
We thank the venues, artists and fans who support Jam for Tots each year, and make the holidays a little brighter for those most in need.
Scottish synth-pop trio Chvrches returned to New York this weekend with two sold out shows at Manhattan’s Terminal 5. The band is in the midst of a North American tour in support of Screen Violence, their fourth LP and first on Glassnote records. NYS Music was there to catch the first night on Friday, November 26th.
Lauren Mayberry of Chvrches at Terminal 5, 11/26/21 – Photo by Buscar Photo
One week before Chvrches’ opening night at Terminal 5, the band announced that multi-instrumentalist Iain Cook tested positive for COVID-19. Instead of postponing any shows, the band was poised to have touring and studio tech Dave Simpson as well as Lo Moon guitarist Sam Stewart step in and fill Iain’s shoes for the shows in Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburg and Columbus. Iain was able to make his comeback to Chvrches for the New York shows, receiving copious “We Miss You Iain!” chants from the crowd throughout the night.
Screen Violence single “How Not To Drown,” featured The Cure’s Robert Smith. Via YouTube
Screen Violence was released back in August but the band recently issued the expanded Screen Violence: Director’s Cut last month featuring three bonus tracks. The tour continues with a handful of east coast dates before heading west, including a show at Las Vegas’ Brooklyn Bowl on December 11th. The tour concludes a week later with a final show at the Hollywood Palladium.
The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences announced on November 23rd the 2022 nominees for the 64th Grammy Awards, including a great deal of artists from across New York State. From jazz, to pop, to blues, to rap, to classical artists and engineering, artists from the Empire State racked up nominations nominees this year.
GRAPHIC BY THE RECORDING ACADEMY
Some of the biggest recipients of nominations across the Grammy Awards were Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga who topped across six different categories for their work together on their album Love for Sale and single I Get a Kick Out of You. Tony Bennett hails from Long Island City while Lady Gaga is from New York City. The two together are representing New York in the nominations for Record of the year, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, Album of the Year, Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album, Best Music Video, and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.
Some other artists who snagged multiple nominations including Alicia Keys, from Hell’s Kitchen, for Song of the Year for her song “A Beautiful Noise” she made with Brandi Carlile and for Best Immersive Audio Album for her album Alicia. Another artist who snagged multiple nominations is Nas, from Crown Heights, was nominated for Best Rap Album for his album King’s Disease II and for his work on the song Bath Salts by DMX which features Jay-Z & Nas which was nominated for Best Rap Song. The whole song represents some New York skill with DMX from Mount Vernon and Jay-Z from Brooklyn.
There were many artists from New York who received a nomination for their work across all the categories. Listed below are the nominated categories, artists and their work, and where in New York each artist is from.
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Norah Jones – ’Til We Meet Again (Live) – Manhattan
Best Contemporary Instrumental Album
Steve Gadd Band – At Blue Note Tokyo – Irondequoit
Best Progressive R&B Album
Cory Henry – Something to Say – Brooklyn
Best Rap Performance
Cardi B – Up – Washington Heights
Best Jazz Vocal Album
The Baylor Project – Generations – New York City
Best Latin Jazz Album
Carlos Henriquez – The South Bronx Story – The Bronx
Best Traditional Blues Album
Guy Davis – Be Ready When I Call You – New York City
The Infamous Stringdusters – A Tribute to Bill Monroe (Guitarist Andy Falco) – Long Island
Best Song Written for Visual Media
Leslie Odom, Jr. – Speak Now – Queens
Best Instrumental Composition
Brandee Younger – Beautiful Is Black – Hempstead
Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella
Bill O’Connell – Chopsticks – New York City
Producer of the Year, Classical
Steven Epstein – Queens Village
Elaine Martone – Rochester
Best Classical Instrumental Solo
Simone Dinnerstein – An American Mosaic – Brooklyn
Best Classical Compendium
Amy Andersson – Women Warriors – The Voices of Change – Founder of Orchestra Moderne NYC
Another honorable mention goes out to Jon Batiste with his many of his works including his 2021 album We Are. Batiste is actually from Metairie, Louisiana but has had a huge impact on New York. He is known widely for his work with Stay Human on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert which films in Manhattan. Batiste was nominated in eleven categories, including Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Best Traditional R&B Performance, Best R&B Album, Best Improvised Jazz Solo, Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Best American Roots Performance, Best American Roots Song, Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media, Best Contemporary Classical Composition, and Best Music Video.
The 64th Annual Grammy Awards will take place on Monday, January 31, 2022. For more information on the 64th Grammy Awards 2022 nominees visit their website.
On Friday, November 26th, 2021, Vermont jam act Twiddle celebrated “Frendsgiving” (the day after Thanksgiving) with a rich and impressive display of their patented hi-def shredding for a nearly sold-out Capitol Theatre venue in Port Chester, New York.
photo by Filip Zalewski
Formed in 2005, the quartet of Brook Jordan (drums), Zdenek Gubb (bass), Ryan Dempsey (Norb) (keys) and Mihali Savoulidis (guitar/vocals) have quickly ascending the ranks as one of the most buzzed about bands in the jam scene with the most popularity this side of Phish and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. With an infusion of jazz, classical, bluegrass, funk and a heavy dose of reggae-tinged jams, Twiddle is a unique experience. It may seem an impossibility that one state would be the home of two of the greatest jam bands in the country, but Vermont can currently boast just that. Twiddle fans are very active on the “iTwiddle” Facebook Group page, which serves as a gateway for information, tickets, discussion and show details. Twiddle is seemingly always touring and pleasing their fans with a massive summer festival circuit.
photo by Filip Zalewski
Since 2004, Mihali Savoulidis has consistently elevated Twiddle to unparalleled heights on the winds of his articulately nimble six-string sorcery, genre-bending essence, and soulful vocal eloquence. The Vermont band has headlined hallowed stages in front of sold-out audiences at Red Rocks Amphitheatre and Capitol Theatre in addition to making show-stopping performances at Bonnaroo and Electric Forest and hosting their own annual Tumble Down Festival. Twiddle treats their fans with gratis live show recordings on archive.org. The band has released eight records thus far and specific critical acclaim was directed towards 2017’s Plump. The boys are also well-respected for their involvement in raising funds for their philanthropic White Lights Foundation. One can find info and merch at www.twiddlemusic.com including the most recent musical releases 10/28/21 Eugene and 10/24/21 Santa Clara!
The band has embarked on an ambitious tour this fall season with two stops at The Cap. A virtuoso, constantly showing off his songwriting prowess, Mihali has a refreshing and inspirational outlook on life and coined the phrase “relax and dream.” Having often been labeled by many as “the next Phish” for years, the band delivers a vastly different experience. The Vermont-based quartet held the last three Frendsgiving runs at the Port Chester, New York venue from 2017-2019, and each year has been chock full of surprises and epic sit-ins.
photo by Filip Zalewski
The show Friday night contained many highlights including at 8:08pm when noted troubadour and looping master, Keller Williams, took the stage for a subtle yet electrifying set which culminated with a spicy “Scarlet Begonias.’ Twiddle faced an eager and enthusiastic crowd at 9:34 and delved right into a racous “Zazu’s Flight.” The New Jersey-raised Mihali, dressed in a red tie-dyed outfit complete with tie-dyed sneakers, led the way with long and complex improvisational jams. He was like a knight in shining armor wearing a white hat. The fifteen minute high energy opener showcased each of the band member’s talents with numerous solos.
The music was buoyed by Dempsey’s intense fills and Jordan’s heavy hitting behind the kit. The crowd responded with adulation at the line “Damn I smoke a lot of weed!” The song segued into a tight “Doinkinbonk” and it was danceable until the music turned heavier with the offering of the fun, “Too Many Puppies” where Gubb took over the lead in a rare show of vocal force. There was an intense light show with lasers shooting out into the crowd at various angles and speeds. The crowd plowed through the old ditty “Amydst the Mydst” with authority playing like grizzled veterans as a cohesive unit. At times, Mihali proves to be the master of the axe and he explores new worlds using crescendo to create an effective musical peak. Keller walked out with his acoutisic, creating a fine mix with the band, for an intricate set closer of “Best Feeling.”
photo by Filip Zalewski
The classic song “Apples” opened the second set and delivered just the right tone as an impetus to get the crowd involved for another set of music. It was a lengthy inspired take on the band staple complete with a riff that was reminiscent of Phish’s “Contact.” One of the best songs on Plump is “Every Soul” and this crowd-pleasing version shared here didn’t disappoint. With Norb, adorning a hockey jersey, pounding hard on his five keyboards to lead the intense underlying groove of the tune. The crowd was in a frenzy at this point with the danceable interludes in full effect. Fan favorite and regarded by casual fans as their best song, “Lost in the Cold” ended the second set in a special way. One time child-prodigy, Brandon “Taz” Neiderauer, joined the fray on stage, trading guitar licks with Mihali as only he can adding an adrenaline rush to the proceedings. The reggae-soaked song hit a bouncing level of ecstasy for those in attendance and the band meshed well with Taz. He rejoined the boys for an electric “All Along the Watchtower” encore that would have made Hendrix proud. It was an apropos choice considering Dylan had just played the Cap 2 days before.
When asked about playing someday at the Cap in in 2014, Mihali told me, “The ultimate goal is to get the band to the next level and headline the Capitol Theatre. To get a chance to play at the Cap at some point is insane. It’s a legendary club.” Mihali had dreams and now he can relax knowing he has reached such a lofty goal. They have come a long way since 2004 when Mihali and Ryan were collaborating in their freshmen dorms at Castleton State College and then playing bars and people coming out to hear “Jamflowman” over a decade ago. Now they are bonafide superstars. Don’t forget to catch their New Years show in Worcester!
Twiddle ‘Frendsgiving’ – The Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY – November 26, 2021
Set 1: Zazu’s Flight, Doinkinbonk!>Too Many Puppies>Keep Going, Amydst the Myst, Best Feeling1
Set 2: Apples > Every Soul > Apples, River Drift, The Box, Slippin’ In The Kitchen, Lost In The Cold2
Encore: All Along The Watchtower2
1 w/ Keller Williams 2 w/ Brandon “Taz” Niederauer
Twiddle ‘Frendsgiving’ – The Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY – November 27, 2021 Set 1: Blueberry Tumble, GooBerry Jelly, Blueberry Tumble, Hattie’s Jam, When It Rains It Pours, Daydream Farmer1, Earned To Keep, Mildew Man, Stroganoff
Set 2: Complacent Race, Collective Pulse, The FRENDS Theme, Latin Tang, Tiny Dancer2, Brown Chicken Brown Cow3
Encore: Beethoven and Greene
1 Find Your Cloud tease 2 w/ Scott Hannay & Jake Brownstein (Eggy) 3 w/ Zazu’s Flight Reprise
Brian Fallon is filled with a lot his plate and he’s ready to share helpings all around North America. A 37 date trek will be spread across the continent for a full-band headline run starting in January 2022.
That is, Brian Fallon followed by his almighty longtime live band, The Howling Weather, they’ll kick off the tour January 11, 2022 at Portland, ME’s State Theatre and then travels through an eagerly awaited homecoming show set for March 4, 2022 at the famed Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, NJ.
Fallon will pick up some special guest along the way you’ll see The Dirty Nil (January 11-February 16), Worriers (January 11-March 4), and Hurry (February 18-March 4).
Fallon is sure to include tracks from his recently released holiday album, Night Divine thanks to Lesser Known Records/Thirty Tiger. Produced and recorded by yours truly, Fallon, the album brings new renditions of classic hymns and spirituals. Listen for yourself recently premiered “Virgin Mary Had One Son” and “Amazing Grace,”
Fallon keeps ‘Virgin Mary Had One Son’ close to its folk-standard origins, adding some shaken percussion and low, sustained piano notes to compliment his acoustic guitar arpeggions. Fallon sings with a mixture of awe and solemnity that fits a retelling of the Christian savior’s birth
Rolling Stone
Fallon ends the year with what he does best, selling out venues. The night holiday residency at Garwood, NJ’s Crossroads is set for December 4, 16, 17, 18, and 23. In addition, next spring will see Fallon and The Howling Weather crossing the Atlantic for a wide-ranging tour of the UK and Europe, including already sold-out shows in Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Scotland, and England; support throughout comes from special guests Chris Farren and Jesse Malin. Tickets can be purchased here.
BRIAN FALLON
2021 US TOUR DATES
DECEMBER 2021
4 – Garwood, NJ – Crossroads (SOLD OUT)
16 – Garwood, NJ – Crossroads (SOLD OUT)
17 – Garwood, NJ – Crossroads (SOLD OUT)
18 – Garwood, NJ – Crossroads (SOLD OUT)
23 – Garwood, NJ – Crossroads (SOLD OUT)
BRIAN FALLON AND THE HOWLING WEATHER
2022 TOUR DATES – NORTH AMERICA/EU/UK
JANUARY 2022
11 – Portland, ME – State Theatre *
12 – Holyoke, MA – Gateway City Arts *
14 – Montreal, QC – L’Astral *
15 – Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall *
16 – Buffalo, NY – Babeville/Asbury Hall *
18 – Munhall, PA – Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall *
19 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues*
21 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall *
22 – Indianapolis, IN – Deluxe at Old National Centre *
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram brought his 662: Juke Joint Live (XXIX) tour to the Homer Center for the Arts on Tuesday, November 2. The 62nd annual Grammy awards just nominated the 662 from Alligator Records for Best Traditional Blues Album. Kingfish was in the Southern Tier over the summer with Robert Randolph who spoke with NYS Music at Jus Sum Jazz Lounge in Syracuse. Robert Randolph, who played the New York State Blues fest and Chenango Blues Fest with Kingfish, called the lounge a “Modern Day Juke Joint.”
Kingfish, Niagara Falls
The 22 year old natural blues man from Mississippi reminded everyone in the Empire State what his name is with “She Calls me Kingfish.” He then played his cut that has been dominating the B.B King’s blues satellite radio channel with “Fresh Out.” The studio track features Buddy Guy who has played The Experience Hendrix Tour at the Landmark Theater and the New York State Blues Fest. Kingfish has been interviewed by Sir Elton John during his Rocket Hour podcast. His music even got caught creeping with legendary funkadelic artist Bootsy Collins.
The highlight of the evening’s live performance occurred when Kingfish took his solo during “Too Young to Remember” from the stage into the center’s aisles up through the 2nd floor balcony and back to the bandstand for a 20-minute spectacle. He also quieted the room down with his acoustic play. “I don’t know where I came from or how i got this way, Well I can still hear Grandma saying child you’ve been here…here before.“
The songs off 662 are an homage to where Kingfish grew up. The area code in Northern Mississippi is 662 and Kingfish tells you that there is a church on every corner. Let’s prey that 662 makes its way into the 62nd Grammy awards. The 150 year old Baptist church turned music venue really was a perfect fit for his ensemble to play in rural Homer, New York.
The Hendrix tune appeared out of thin air during the encore of “Long Distance Woman” from the Grammy-nominated 662 album. Fish sang about life’s distance on the road from the lady that’s always too far apart. “My job keeps me rolling. I never stay in one city too long, being apart and missing your touch, it’s hard to keep a good thing strong.” Kingfish crosses the pond to Europe in 2022.
NYC-based Nicotine Dolls shared their new single “Upset the Neighbors,” the latest from the group that formed in 2017 after lead vocalist Sam Cieri and lead guitarist John Hays decided to form a band after meeting on tour. Bassist John Merritt and drummer Abel Tabares joined quickly after.
The band has spent the past 4 years recording and releasing music (produced by Eric Sanderson) as well as producing their own videos. DIY touring and hometown NYC shows are always left shaking from the bands emotional raw and energetic performances. Balancing genre fluidity between alt-rock, pop, and some bits between, the band’s music is always rooted in honesty and the simple complexities of being a person.
This song is two people keeping veering away and distracting themselves from the issues inherent between them. I brought this one to the band feeling like it was right up our alley, big exhilarating sounds tied onto the inevitable weight of the topic. We went in wanting to chase the distraction part of the story, the fun and the show. So, we take that grounding and then thought, what if “I believe in a thing called love” by The Darkness was covered by a 2007 pop punk band? It’s always a good sign if these are the questions you are asking.
Sam Cieri
Nicotine Dolls have three shows planned at Rockwood Music Hall in NYC, with more information available here.
Nicotine Dolls Tour Dates
Jan 13 – New York, NY – Rockwood Music Hall Feb 17 – New York, NY – Rockwood Music Hall Mar 17 – New York, NY – Rockwood Music Hall
On December 10, the band released the music video for “Upset the Neighbors” which can be seen below.
Our videos are the other half of what we do and we have a lot of fun making them ourselves. The goal for this was to double down on the fun and make something that didn’t take itself too seriously (like those great Foo Fighters videos). We spent two days creating and filming chaos in our friends apartments and it will go down as the most fun we have had making a video so far. This video is meant to make you smile and laugh and feel good because after the year and a half we have all had that’s what we all (including this band) need.
Stephen Sondheim, one of the most iconic figures in musical theatre history, has died in his home at the age of 91. Lawyer and friend F. Richard Pappas confirmed his passing to the New York Times on Friday, November 26. Sondheim was both a composer and lyricist for Broadway plays including Sweeney Todd and Into the Woods, and also wrote the lyrics for West Side Story and Gypsy.
Stephen Sondheim | CREDIT: DOUGLAS ELBINGER/GETTY IMAGES
Sondheim won many awards throughout his career, including nine Tonys, eight Grammys, an Oscar and a Pulitzer Prize. In 2015, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama. For his 90th birthday in 2020, a virtual concert titled Take Me to the World streamed on the Broadway.com YouTube channel in his honor. The title song comes from Evening Primrose, a musical film Sondheim wrote the lyrics and music for in 1966.
As a composer and lyricist, Sondheim was in a league of his own. Most major composers don’t write the lyrics to their scores, and vice versa; others on the list include Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Frank Loesser, Jerry Herman and Noël Coward. While many of Sondheim’s plays have gone down in theatre history, they were often more successful critically than commercially. They had a reputation for being dark, serious and experimental, a sharp contrast to Andrew Lloyd Webber and Disney’s later crowd-pleasers.
Several of Sondheim’s plays have received Hollywood film adaptations, with the most recent one, a West Side Story remake helmed by Steven Spielberg, out this December. His 1970 musical Company is also returning to Broadway in December. It was set to open on Sondheim’s 90th birthday in March 2020, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Before his passing, Sondheim was able to attend the November 15 preview.
Many actors and musicians have paid their respects on social media, sharing stories of how Sondheim’s work has inspired them. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who previously worked with Sondheim, compared him to William Shakespeare:
Future historians: Stephen Sondheim was real. Yes, he wrote Tony & Maria AND Sweeney Todd AND Bobby AND George & Dot AND Fosca AND countless more. Some may theorize Shakespeare's works were by committee but Steve was real & he was here & he laughed SO loud at shows & we loved him
Like rock music itself, the rock concert has very humble, homegrown origins. It started way back in the later 40s/early 50s when radio DJs and record store owners saw them as a way to generate more bucks from the racy new musical style that was igniting the passions of a new, monied class of teenagers. Over time, rock concerts would explode in size, scope and cultural and revenue impact. They evolved from quaint “hops” at high school gyms to a circuit of psychedelicized theatres, then onto sports arenas, stadiums and, ultimately, multiday outdoor festivals. In 2019, before COVID-19 blew it to smithereens, the live music business was a $136 billion-a-year global juggernaut.
With his new book Rock Concert(Grove/Atlantic Press), veteran journalist Marc Myers has marshalled an army to tell the free-wheeling story of the growth of this entertainment staple. Like Legs McNeil’s punk history classic, Please Kill Me and Frank Mastropolo’s recent, Fillmore East: The Venue That Changed Rock History, Myers’ book is a well ordered oral history weaving through decades of fascinating facts and anecdotes. It is told by some of rock’s most iconic stars including Alice Cooper, Ian Anderson, Steve Miller, Roger Walters, Angus Young, Hall & Oates and Bob Weir, as well as an A-list of promoters, managers, songwriters, producers, photographers, sound and lighting techs, filmmakers, fashion designers, roadies and fans. These are the people who witnessed many watershed concerts firsthand, from the days of L.A.’s proto-rock R&B scene through to 1985’s Live Aid, the final event before the era of corporate sponsorship and out of sight ticket prices took hold.
Myers goes back 3,400 years to set the stage for his story. In the book’s preamble, he introduces The Hurrian Songs. This is the world’s oldest known sheet music, tablets from ancient Syria containing tunings and tablature for lyre music meant to be performed before a live audience – the first historical evidence of what would become today’s concert spectaculars. Also noted in the deep history are two Big Band-era pop concert events – Paul Whiteman’s 1924 performance of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue at NYC’s Aeolian Hall and 1938’s Carnival of Swing on Randall’s Island, the first outdoor jazz fest headlined by Benny “King of Swing” Goodman which drew over 20,000 white and black fans.
As stated earlier, the real genesis of the first era of rock concerts is credited to radio DJs. In late 1940s Los Angeles, musician/radio host Johnny Otis commenced his Barrelhouse Club shows in Watts featuring R&B stars of the day. This was followed by shows at additional sites on Central Avenue, many headlined by the original “honking” sax man, Big Jay McNeely, including Hunter Hancock’s popular Midnight Concerts.
The true “rock concert” commenced in Cleveland when Rendezvous Record Store owner Leo Mintz partnered with radio DJ Alan Freed, the man who coined the term rock ‘n’ roll, for events like his Moondog Coronation Ball. With Freed’s move to NYC and radio giant WINS in 1954, he introduced the big concert concept to the Big Apple, with huge shows that ultimately settled at Brooklyn’s Paramount Theater. Myers also quotes the recollections of rockabilly great Wanda Jackson to bring to life the frenzy around Elvis Presley’s early barnstorming tours of the South.
The modern-day rock festival is traced back to George Wein, who inaugurated his annual Newport Jazz Festival in 1954, which included a performance by bluesman-turned-rocker Chuck Berry in its 1958 edition. Wein followed this with the inaugural Newport Folk Festival in 1959, whose headliners like John Baez and Peter Paul and Mary recall performing at what truly might have been the forerunner of Woodstock, the March of Washington. This event which attracted over 250,000 to D.C. in 1964 to hear the political folkies and, more importantly, civil rights leader Martin Luther King.
The Beatles and their manager Brian Epstein are given their due for pioneering the modern stadium tour, beginning with their August 1964 cross country swing to the Hollywood Bowl and their famed Shea Stadium concert in 1965. Of the latter, photographer Henry Diltz relates anecdote about him and Lovin’ Spoonful having to be whisked into the dressing room with the Beatles at the frenzied show. This was when the Spoonful’s lead singer, John Sebastian, was mistaken for Beatle John as they sat in the audience of 50,000 plus. With the help of folks like stage manager-turned-record producer Joe Boyd and folk star Peter Yarrow, Myers clarifies some of the erroneous beliefs around Dylan’s famed, audience inflaming “going electric” set at the Newport Folk Fest in 1965.
Myers then takes readers through the era of the rock theater. This section chronicles the rise of Fillmore’s West and East, the Boston Tea Party, The Avalon, Detroit’s Grande Ballroom, Philly’s Electric Factory and more, and the many innovations they brought in lighting and stage craft and the role emerging FM radio played in their success. There are more great details about how the Bay Area’s Beat poets and their “Happenings” helped usher in the hippies, leading to events like the Human Be-In and the first modern rock festival in 1967, Monterey Pop, another offshoot of a jazz fest inaugurated in 1958. This comes with some great insights from both Monterey Pop filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker and Steve Miller, who was inspired by Hendrix’s musicality but turned off by his and The Who’s guitar bashing antics.
Monterey Pop then led to 1968’s Miami Pop Festival, where we meet Michael Lang, a failed headshop entrepreneur who later play a key role in Woodstock. Myers also relates info about some fests you may have never heard of including Washington’s Skyriver Festival, one promoted by dropping a piano out of a helicopter, along with Atlantic City Pop, which featured 29 acts over three days and drew an audience of 120,000, with no advertising, two weeks before Woodstock ‘69. The author spends a good deal of time clarifying the history of the Woodstock Fest and some legends about how the crowd narrowly escaped mass electrocution during the torrential rain and the importance of the 1970 film to cementing it in history about all other rock fests. There are some great firsthand memories from Blondie-to-be Chris Stein about his experiences at Woodstock. There is also eye-opening details from Abbey Road cover photographer Ethan Russell about his time with the Rolling Stones’ at their disastrous attempt at a Woodstock knockoff, Altamont in December 1969.
After Woodstock, everything changed and escalated and somehow gets more formulaic – less fun but way more profitable. Myers then traces the move to sporting arenas and stadiums. There is a great discussion here on band branding with Nick Fasciano, the man who created the Coca-Cola inspired logo and album cover art for rock/jazzers Chicago and with the Rolling Stones’ famed “lips logo” creator John Pasche. Now technology and spectacle come to the fore, with stars like Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson, Alice Cooper, Roger Waters and Bob Weir going into their need for dazzling props, lasers, confetti canons, wireless guitar packs and having to create and truck their own custom staging, lighting and sound systems – all to have an impact on audiences that could now be a football field away.
Fashionistas will enjoy the recollections of famed designer Norma Kamali. She is the woman who outfitted everyone from Robert Plant, Keith Richards, Sly Stone and The New York Dolls in their glam looks. Also notable is the discussion of the charity rock concert, with intriguing backstory on George Harrison’s 1971 Concert for Bangladesh, No Nukes in 1979, the various Farm Aid events and 1985’s Live Aid.
Deadheads will enjoy the chapter titled “Concert Maximus.” In this, Myers chronicles the true rock concert superfans, those of the Grateful Dead. These all-in devotees would follow the band to all sites on their tours, including July 1973’s Watkins Glen, which attracted over 600,000 to hear the Dead, The Allman Brothers and The Band. Also included is a discussion of Wattstax, the August 1972 concert/movie/album created by the Memphis-based soul label which drew an audience of 90,000 to the Los Angeles Colosseum. Former label chief Al Bell describes the many obstacles overcome and how this massive event came off peacefully, without a police presence, with a security crew headed by none other than actor Melvin Van Peebles. The author also touches on the mega-sized ABC-TV broadcast event California Jam, with Deep Purple, ELP and Black Sabbath.
The death knell to this era of rock came with a few final factors. First is the rise of solitary listening with the introduction of the Sony Walkman in 1979. This was followed by the rise of MTV and the accent on visuals. Lastly is computerized ticketing which only served to rapidly increase the price of entry for music fans. As mentioned earlier, Myers wraps it all up with Live Aid, the August 1985 event spanning stages in London and Philadelphia, with a TV audience of 1.5 billion. It was the final event where ticket prices were within the reach of everyone ($35.00), before everything was scaled up with the help (or harm?) of massive corporate sponsorship. It’s an event famed artist manager and Live Aid eyewitness Shep Gordon called “the end of innocence.”
As you can see from this review, Myers is a music journalist who digs deep and tells a tale clearly. If you enjoy this book, check out his regular contributions on music and culture at The Wall Street Journal and his award-winning site, JazzWax.com.
Albany’s Times Union Center will be renamed MVP Arena after Albany County Legislature approved the name change on November 23, 2021.
Photo of Times Union Center by Zach Culver
The Albany County Legislature approved the change of Albany’s Times Union Center to MVP Arena unanimously. The name change comes as part of the five year deal with MVP Healthcare which was approved by the Public Works Committee. MVP Healthcare will be paying $2 million a year for the naming rights of the entertainment venue.
The majority of the money will be going to an innovation fund which works to support community projects within Albany. The other $600,000 is a cash payment just for the arena naming rights. This new name won’t happen right away with the new deal not being set to begin on January 1, 2022.
MVP Healthcare logo
Albany County Executive Dan McCoy spoke on the decision to choose MVP Healthcare and the name the arena saying, “When we announced the arena naming rights RFP, I said I wanted more than just a company’s name and logo on our facility. I wanted a partner that was committed to the success of the arena and the surrounding community. I’m thrilled to say that we have found that partner in MVP, which has a long history of successful collaborations of this kind.”
Photo of Times Union Center by Zach Culver
MVP will be pushing some initiatives forward with the venue. Some of the proposed initiatives include a neighborhood farmer’s market in the atrium of the new MVP Arena, MVP Arena shuttle for seniors, individuals with disabilities and others attending games and events, and a year-round youth sports and coaching clinics. These initiatives will highlight MVP Arena as being a destination to visit in Albany and surrounding regions.
The arena originally opened back in 1990, It is owned by Albany County and managed by ASM Global. The facility has hosted a variety of events, including concerts, family shows and sporting events and averages around 145 events each year including concerts and sports events according to this WTEN news article.
