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  • Joshua Crumbly Shares New Video For “Kolkata”

    Genre-blurring NYC artist Joshua Crumbly has shared a new video for his nostalgic and moody track “Kolkata.” Crumbly first shared “Kolkata” on his sophomore full-length, ForEver, which he released last month.

    Crumbly’s gift lies in emotionally evocative and masterful bass guitar. He made his debut at age 10, performing with his saxophonist father, and eventually pursued his passion at Julliard. His unique style has led him to record and tour with everyone from Leon Bridges to Kamasi Washington. He performed alongside Bob Dylan in Dylan’s 2021 concert film, Shadow Kingdom. He released his debut solo album, Rise, in 2020.

    joshua crumbly

    The windswept video for “Kolkata” features crumbly as a cowboy wandering a dusty open road. Carefully stepping along the dotted yellow line, Crumbly walks towards a hazy mountain range in the distance. As the camera approaches him slowly from behind, he sets down his guitar case, removed his hat, and turns to face the audience. 

    Crumbly is half African-American and half Indian-American, and frequently visits his mother’s family in Kolkata. It was there he experienced something beautiful while looking over the city, sparking the inspiration for “Kolkata.” 

    “It was a blissful moment filled with gratitude and optimism,” Crumbly said. “I didn’t bring any instruments with me on this trip but I did have my laptop computer to sonically document this moment I was grateful to have experienced.” 

    Joshua Crumbly

    Featuring guests like Shahzad Ismaily, Sam Gendel, and Jay Bellerose, ForEver has received praise from outlets like Hypebeast and Under the Radar. NPR Music highlighted the record on their New Music Friday podcast. 

    The album’s haunting 11 tracks never hit you over the head with their meaning. But Crumbly’s ability to evoke nostalgia and deja vu through a simple, wavering bassline keeps you mesmerized. In ForEver’s lo-fi environment, each song blends into the next while still setting a unique scene. “Family” is heartbreakingly simple and bittersweet, while “C.S.C.” with Jay Bellerose builds on an ominous, hazy funk. Title track and standout “ForEver” takes hints from midwest emo, but remains hauntingly spare throughout. The soft, undulating melody worms its way into your brain and stays. 

  • Ripe Cover Elton John at Empire Live in Albany

    Empire Live has become quite the up and coming venue in 2021 and what better place to host an up and coming band in Ripe, with The Heavy Hours and Max Muscato opening the show on Friday, November 12th.

    ripe

    The Boston based Ripe rolled through Albany in the midst of a long tour taking them through a lot of the Northeast, into Canada, and finishing out the year with two shows for New Years Eve at Irving Plaza on December 30th and 31st. After taking off the month of January their winter tour kicks off in Knoxville and runs through the deep south before heading out to the Midwest.

    ripe

    Set List: Flipside, Downward > Stanky, Escape, Beta Male, Queen of the City, Pretty Dirty > Passerby, Noise in the Forest > First Time Feeling, Bennie and the Jets, 5am, Talk to the Moon > Follow Through > Little Lighter

    Encore: Goon Squad

  • The Capitol Sessions: Songs from a Rock Palace That Impacted the World, Announced for December 17 in Port Chester

    From the producers of the annual Love Rocks NYC benefit concert comes The Capitol Sessions: Songs from a Rock Palace That Impacted the World. Featuring Jackson Browne and Jorma Kaukonen leading an all-star jam benefiting HeadCount, the star-studded event will take place on Friday, December 17 at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester.

    Also featured in the show will be Marco Benevento, James Casey, Lisa Fischer, Amy Helm, Connor Kennedy, Eric Krasno, Tony Leone, Grahame Lesh, Adam Minkoff, Karina Rykman, and TheWar and Treaty.

    The Capitol Sessions

    Curating the evening is legendary producer, arranger, songwriter, singer, and multi-instrumentalist Larry Campbell, alongside his musical partner and wife Teresa Williams. Universally respected by his peers and fans as a master of music, the three-time Grammy-winning producer/musical director for Levon Helm was a member of Bob Dylan’s Never Ending Tour band, as well as a session and touring musician for artists including Keith Richards, Jackson Browne, Phil Lesh and Bob Weir, Cyndi Lauper, Paul Simon and Emmylou Harris, and a recipient of the Americana Music Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award as Instrumentalist.

    The Capitol Sessions celebrates the groundbreaking songs played at The Capitol Theatre by rock royalty like Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead, Bonnie Raitt, Jefferson Airplane, The Chambers Brothers, Mountain, Joe Cocker, the Rolling Stones, Traffic, and Eric Clapton.

    The Capitol Theatre is one of rock ‘n’ roll’s last remaining rock palaces. A place where many of rock’s most beloved legends performed — the Rolling Stones, the Grateful Dead, David Bowie, Janis Joplin, to name a few. We can’t wait to celebrate the iconic songs that have been played over the years at The Cap. It will be very cool for The Capitol Sessions to happen on the same stage where these songs were originally performed. It’s going to be an epic night!

    Peter Shapiro, DayGlo President and HeadCount board member

    The show benefits HeadCount, a non-partisan voter registration advocacy organization that stages voter registration drives at more than 1,000 live events each year and collaborates with cultural leaders to promote civic engagement on a national scale. Since 2004, HeadCount has signed up over 1,000,000 voters through its work with Ariana Grande, Dead & Company and Beyoncé, as well as events like Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Pride Festivals, and RuPaul’s DragCon.

    The Capitol Sessions is the latest in a lineup of standout events by RWE, the company founded by Greg Williamson and Nicole Rechter to bring people together around music, culture, and philanthropy. RWE has realized its vision through charity concerts such as Love Rocks NYC, the Play On CBS primetime TV special, and the annual Tipping Point concert for Tulane University and the city of New Orleans.  

    In addition to honoring some of the most influential artists who played the Capitol during its heyday, we’re proud to highlight the importance of voting rights and democracy. We’d like to extend our thanks to Peter Shapiro, Larry Campbell, and all of the talented artists who agreed to be a part of this benefit concert.

    RWE founder Greg Williamson

    Tickets go on sale Friday, November 19 at 12 p.m. EST at thecapitoltheatre.com. Fans are encouraged to make a donation to benefit voter registration and HeadCount. Tune in on Fans.Live on December 17.

  • Zedd Unleashes Euphoric Set Selling Out NYC Club, Nebula

    Flying straight from Orlando’s EDC concert, Zedd moved the party to New York City on Saturday, November 13 in the heart of Times Square, selling out Nebula’s second official opening weekend. Entrancing the crowd with his signature electro house drops and mesmerizing psychedelic LED screens, Zedd’s very presence atop the stage paralleled that of a higher power. 

    Worshipping crowdgoers welcomed the well decorated German-Russian DJ that has paved the electronic scene for over a decade. Almost on command Zedd wielded his powers, sending chills down several hundred spines starting with the all so notable eerie Squid Game introduction to unleashing the intoxicating beat of Do it Do it from Cherish. His edit of Squid Game x Do it Do it swallowed us into a two hour rave marathon of his GRAMMY winning catalogue.

    Certainly a renowned powerhouse EDM DJ virtuoso, he reminded us how he single handedly shaped the soundscape of the early 2010s era starting his set with Stay the Night (feat. Hayley Williams) and The Middle. Immediately working the crowd with nostalgia of the good ‘ol days, Zedd was just as excited to see fans memorize his every lyric. The DJ, songwriter, and record producer found himself infected with his own rhythms jumping relentlessly with one proud fist in the air. Sampling Lil Nas X’s “Industry Baby” we were lured away from Zedd’s originals, unlocking edits of Drake’s “Way 2 Sexy” and Daft Punk’s “One More Time”. 

    Palms open and looking to the sky Zedd was able to contact his fellow EDM gods for countless thick heavy bass drops thrumming the dance floor to fuel ceaselessy dancing fans.

    Zedd made full use of New York City’s newest club. The all encompassing LED screens put on acclaimed painted visuals taking club goers soaring through space, inside futuristic tunnels, and swimming through vortexes. Combined with synchronized strobe lights pointed every which way, Zedd provided a full sensory performance. A true connoisseur, prolonging each beat drop gearing us for the high intensity ultimate of euphoric choruses from “Spectrum” even singing along to Ariana Grande’s “Break Free” with the rest of us. 

    The sheer intimacy of the soldout 700 person max venue aided in creating a closer bond to the almost untouchable DJ. His charisma could be felt all the way in the back depths of the club. In a sly attempt to hide his celebrity, he occasionally appeared as a mere shadow letting his LED lightshow dictate the concert along while waving just one finger in the air, complete with a drink in the other. His limited check-ins with the crowd and bright let us know was enjoying it all as much as we were, basking in the glory of the name he has made for himself. 

    The EDM scene is often believed to be crafted around drugs that claim to fully encapture each performance, yet the community projects carefree and accepting energy builds families on the dance floor. He made it almost impossible not to become best friends with strangers entranced by his music. when erupting countless climax of euphoric woes with every bass drop. Each inevitable buildup releasing to well crafted high intensity drops cooked up an addicting recipe that fans could not get enough of.

    To pull in the rails of the night, Zedd cranked his signature “Clarity” with one last remark, “New York! My name is Zedd and I f****** love you! Put your hands up if you had a great time.” One last drop erupted the climax of the night matched with bursts of confetti and fog covering roaring fans and blaring kick drums. His first GRAMMY winning song made way for ubiquitous dancing closing the night with unbelievable insanity. Classic Zedd. 

  • moe. Guitarist Chuck Garvey Hospitalized For Stroke, Fans Set up GoFundMe, Most December Shows Cancelled

    moe. announced today via social media that Chuck Garvey, a co-founding member of the band, suffered a stroke at his home on Saturday, November 6. The 53-year-old guitarist has been hospitalized and remains in stable condition, according to the band. A GoFundMe has been set up to help Garvey and his family during this time.

    moe. Chuck Garvey
    Chuck Garvey performing with moe. at Apple Valley in Lafayette. Photo by Joshua Davis

    “We remain hopeful for a full and speedy recovery,” moe. shared via their Instagram. “Please keep [Chuck] in your hearts, thoughts and prayers.” 

    The announcement received an outpouring of heartfelt comments from fellow artists. The String Cheese Incident, Umphrey’s McGee, and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong were among the groups sending love and positivity.  Even oft frequented venue the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester wished Garvey well.

    The day before the announcement, moe. postponed ticket sales for their planned 2022 Midnight Sun Festival, hosted in Reykavik. Currently, moe. has not made any further comments on how Garvey’s hospitalization will affect their upcoming tour dates. moe. has December dates lined up, including a show at the Brooklyn Bowl on December 9th and multiple shows at The Capitol Theatre.

    Read the full statement from moe. below: 

    “We are sad to share that on early Saturday morning Chuck suffered a stroke while at home. He is currently hospitalized and in stable condition. We remain hopeful for a full and speedy recovery. Please keep him in your hearts, thoughts and prayers. We appreciate everyone’s concern, but ask that you respect the privacy of his friends and family at this time. Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts.”

    An update was shared on November 10 from moe. bassist Rob Derhak:

    On Tuesday, November 15, moe. shared an update on their December shows, noting that all shows, including New Years Eve in Las Vegas, will be cancelled. The exceptions are the shows at The Capitol Theatre on December 10 and 11, which will feature special guests joining that evening. Read more from moe. below:

    After much thought and discussion, we’ve decided to cancel our December appearances while Chuck starts his road to recovery.  To that exception, we will still play the shows at The Capitol Theater on Dec. 10th and 11th.  This venue means a lot to us all and feels like the right place for us to play at this time.  We plan to have some special guests join us throughout the night and hope you can join us.  More details to come regarding special merch, fundraising & more to benefit Chuck & his family. Thank you for your continued positive vibes, thoughts and prayers.  They help Chuck get stronger each day.

  • Will Smith Talks Through His Journey at Kings Theatre

    Will Smith, the world-famous actor, musician, and producer, stopped by Kings Theatre in Brooklyn on November 9th for his book tour to promote his self-titled memoir “Will”. Moderated by legendary film director Spike Lee, Smith elaborated on parts of his unusual path to super-stardom for a sold-out audience. What makes Will Smith such a compelling actor and public figure was on full display that night.

    will smith
    Will Smith & Spike Lee at Kings Theatre, 11/09/21. Photo by Kunal Khunger

    Will Smith is a legendary figure in Hollywood, having been only actor to have starred in eight consecutive films which grossed over $100 million in the United States box office. He’s a blockbuster legend and a huge cultural figure for a wide variety of age groups. The sold-out crowd was filled with people from various ages and backgrounds, just showing how wide of a reach Will Smith’s films have had on all of us, which doesn’t even include his big break, the hugely popular 90’s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

    will smith
    Will Smith & Spike Lee at Kings Theatre, 11/09/21. Photo by Kunal Khunger

    Accompanied by a massive visual board, Will and Spike walked through some of his biggest moments, ranging from Will’s impromptu audition for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air for producer Quincy Jones to the recent death of his father. Will’s father, Will Smith Sr., casts a shadow over the whole book and the conversations he had on stage. Will has referred to his father in the book as “his biggest ally and his biggest enemy”, which only sheds a little light on how complex their relationship was. While Will spoke about how grateful he was for the lessons his father bestowed on him about hard work, there was still intense resentment due to Will Smith Sr. having been an alcoholic abuser for most of Will’s childhood. Watching the famously guarded Will Smith work through his traumatic experiences on stage was fascinating.

    will smith
    Will Smith & Spike Lee at Kings Theatre, 11/09/21. Photo by Kunal Khunger

    In spite of the dark subject matter, Will really showed why he is who he is. I’ve rarely ever seen anybody so charming and naturally humorous. Even as an audience member, his charisma was too bright to ignore. You couldn’t help but fall under his spell, which is a testament to Will Smith’s ability as both a showman and a storyteller.

    After having spoken to the audience about his life, Will unveiled a surprise and brought out DJ Jazzy Jeff, his old partner during his rapper days, to perform some of the old hits they were both famous for. They ran through classics like “Summertime,” “Switch,” and even the famous “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” theme song. I would not have guessed that in 2021 I’d see Will Smith perform these hits live, which was quite the experience.

    will smith
    Will Smith & Spike Lee at Kings Theatre, 11/09/21. Photo by Kunal Khunger

    Will Smith has one last stop of his book tour in London on Thursday, November 18th. You can see more details here. Be sure to check out the full photo gallery below!

  • Lettuce Blaze Buffalo Native Rick James’ ‘Mary Jane’ At Town Ballroom

    Lettuce blazed back to Buffalo during their Fall run of their 2021 Bring Back The Love Tour. This past July they crushed Lake George and Western New York’s Art Park. The group played the fully renovated historic Buffalo Town Ballroom on Main Street. The three floor club is an infamous hometown venue to funk artists Rick James and Soulive.

    Lettuce Buffalo

    Lettuce founding member Sam Kininger joined for one just gig this summer at the Lake George Adirondack stage. This fall, he has been on tour with Lettuce for every club date and has helped fill out a three-piece brass section with Benny Bloom and Ryan Zoidis. Like Drummer Adam Deitch told NYS music, “Sam’s the godfather of Lettuce”

    Lettuce Buffalo

    The November 11 performance went from 8:15 till 10:15 with Lettuce crushing all the way through without leaving the stage for the encore. The current Lettuce hybrid batch is also made up of Erick “Jesus” Coombs on bass, Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff on guitar and Nigel Hall on keyboards and vocals.

    Lettuce Buffalo

    They treated the Buffalo audience to “Break Out” from their infamous 2004 Live in Tokyo Album. Legendary artist Steve Gadd told NYS music the secret to any live gig. “When you get it musically to a level where everyone on the bandstand is having fun and can hear each other and you can trust the audience is hearing it the way you are, it gets to a spiritual level. In Japan or wherever you are. That’s the goal.”

    The spirit of Buffalo legend Rick James could be felt in the house on Wednesday. To pay homage to the city of Buffalo’s funk artist, Lettuce burnt “Mary Jane” from his debut album Come Get It. Like Buffalo native Alan Evans told NYS Music about James’ music, “Its hard to choose…Bustin out of L Seven on vinyl, you kinda can’t go wrong with. That’s a dope record.”

    Come catch Lettuce bust out more funk on the road in America with dates leading up to a New Years Eve show at Miami’s North Beach Band Shell. The first week of the new year Lettuce Drummer Adam Deitch will join DJ Logic & a world-class line-up of Friends including Karl Denson on saxophone and MonoNeon on bass at New York’s Blue Note. Lettuce kicks off 2022 with a European tour starting 2/22 for two months.


    Lettuce – Town Ballroom – Buffalo, NY, November 11, 2021

    Setlist: Purple Highness, Dump, Breakout, Suppit, Mary Jane, Sly>Silence is Golden-> Mr Yancey, Central Nyack, Pep n Step, Move on Up, Don’t Change for Me

  • The Allman Betts Band announce ‘Trippin Into Spring 2022’ tour, with Stops in Buffalo, Utica and Albany

    The Allman Betts Band has announced their ‘Trippin’ into Spring 2022′ tour dates. The run will begin on March 1 in Milwaukee, WI, and will make stops across the country and Hawaii.

    Allman Betts Spring Tour

    Ahead of the Spring tour, the Allman Betts Band will be on the road as part of The Allman Family Revival tour – a 19 date, star-studded celebration of the life, spirit, and music of Gregg Allman.

    When The Allman Betts Band released Down to the River in June of 2019, the debut album represented not only the first time the group had recorded together, but, in fact, the first time the seven-piece ensemble had ever played together. If Down to the River was the sound of the band’s combustible sparks igniting, then Bless Your Heart is their bonfire, built for the summer of 2020 and beyond; a double-album follow-up fueled by road-forged camaraderie and telepathic musical intensity, vibrantly reflecting the individual and collective experiences of these seven, all drawing inspiration from the band’s symbolic hometown- a place Devon Allman calls “the United States of Americana.” 

    Allman Betts Spring Tour

    All up to date news and tour information can be found at allmanbettsband.com.

    The Allman Betts Band ‘Trippin’ Into Spring’ 2022 Tour Dates

    3/1 @ Turner Hall Ballroom | Milwaukee, WI
    3/2 @ Kalamazoo State Theatre | Kalamazoo, MI
    3/3 @ Kent State University | Kent, OH
    3/4 @ Riverfront Live | Cincinnati, OH
    3/5 @ Robins Theatre | Warren, OH
    3/6 @ EXPRESS LIVE! | Columbus, OH
    3/9 @ Town Ballroom | Buffalo, NY
    3/10 @ The Stanley Theatre | Utica, NY
    3/12 @ Garde Arts Center | New London, CT
    3/16 @ Lebanon Opera House | Lebanon, NH
    3/18 @ Loos Center for the Arts | Woodstock, CT
    3/24 @ Hart Theatre at The Egg | Albany, NY
    3/27 @ Whitaker Center | Harrisburg, PA
    4/1 @ Hawaii Theatre | Honolulu, HI
    4/2 @ Maui Arts & Cultural Center | Kahului, HI

  • SAMMYS Announces 2022 SAMMYS Hall of Fame Dinner and Award Show Dates

    SAMMYS announced the 2022 SAMMYS Hall of Fame Dinner on March 3, 2022 and award show on March 4, 2022. 

    Syracuse Area Music Awards or more commonly known as the SAMMYS is an awards show that celebrates the work created by people in the music industry from the Syracuse Area. 

    The SAMMYS Hall of Fame Dinner will be held on Thursday, March 3, 2022, upstairs at the Dinosaur. The 2022 Award Show will take place on Friday, March 4, 2022. The awards show will be returning to the Palace Theatre on James Street. Tickets will be available for either theatre seats or Live Stream from The Palace Theatre. The Show will include musical performances by area artists/bands. Awards will be presented in 12 recording categories, in addition to the People’s Choice awards in four categories, Brian Bourke Award for Best New Artist, Jack O Bocchino Spirit of the Sammys Award, and our Community Spirit Award. 

    On Thursday, SAMMYS 2022 Hall of Fame will induct Robert “Bobby T” Tousignant, Russ Tarby, Los Blancos, Music Educator: J. Avery Headd, and Lifetime Achievement: Tom Kenny of Sponge Bob Square Pants.

    Friday night the SAMMYS 2022 Awards Show at the Crouse Hinds Theater will announce numerous categories, including winning local musicians, bands, and artists who submitted their 2021 recordings, and winners of the People’s Choice categories. This year the general public cast over 168,000 online votes. The Founder’s Award will go to The Blacklites Performances, Jon Rogalia & The Swamp Boys, Letizia, The Real Raw Breed, and Tom Kenny & The Hi-Seas.

    Once again the SAMMYS are looking for the public to submit their Work. This year, all artist recorded submissions will be online only. Recorded submissions will begin December 1, 2021. Each artist must select one category they wish to be judged in. Only commercially released albums or EPs, released between January 1 – December 31, 2021 by artists in the Central NY area are eligible. All entries must be available on Apple Music, Spotify or Tidal. No physical recordings will be accepted. Categories subject to change at the discretion of the judges. Entry form will be available here and must be submitted by January 6, 2022.

    Supporting Sponsors of the 2022 SAMMYS include: The Rebel Rocks, Bridge Street, SubCat Music Studios, CNY Alive!, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, KMASE Productions, Joshua Johnson Design, Skinner & Associates Realty, American Vintage Productions, NYS Music, News Channel 9, 95X, 93Q, and 92.1 The WOLF.

    For more information on the SAMMYS 2022 Award Show visit the SAMMYS website.

  • Dave Matthews Band and Dumpstaphunk Funk up The Garden on 2021 tour closer

    Prior to the tour closing performance of Dave Matthews Band at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, November 13, frontman Dave Matthews introduced Dumpstaphunk, who would open the evening’s festivities. Sharing with the sold out New York City audience that he was so damn lucky,

    I got to listen to sound check yesterday with Dumpstaphunk and then I got to listen to them last night, then at sound check again today. So you guys only got two, by the end of this set I’ll have four. This is one of my favorite bands in the world. This band also saved my life but that’s a different story anyway have a good time with my friends Dumpstaphunk

    dave matthews band dumpstaphunk
    Photo by Joseph Buscarello

    Matthews’ story was referring to his sold out Labor Day weekend shows at The Gorge where Tony Hall of Dumpstaphunk and company helped sit in to perform three nights of Dave’s music on the spot. DMB keyboardist Buddy Strong sat behind the drums and Tony Hall held the low end down on bass & backing vocals. It was as an alternate format to help the shows go on without Carter Beauford and Stefan Lessard’s rhythm section for the first time in thirty years.

    A similar situation of musical chairs unfolded at Madison Square Garden as saxophonist Jeff Coffin was forced to sit out the two-night run. Rashawn Ross opened Leroi Moore’s original brass section to Ben Golder-Novick, Alex Wasily and Ashlin Parker to the 7th Avenue stage. The Dumpstaphunk horns sat in on “Cornbread” and a “Jimi Thing” that led to a cover of Sly Stone’s “I Want To Take You Higher.”

    Ben Golder-Novick, who was only a guest at New York’s Irving Plaza for a Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds acoustic set in January of 2018, was on saxophone for every song. Dave kept the big door open by calling him a day before the weekend shows to send the invite.

    dave matthews band dumpstaphunk
    Photo by Joseph Buscarello

    Tim Reynolds sat in during Dumpstaphunk’s MSG debut set for their cover of Buddy Miles “United Nations Stomp” on Friday night. The song has been considered for the 2022 Best American Roots Performance Grammy. Saturday night’s set included a special guest spot by Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds for Led Zeppelin’s “Ramble On.” Tony and Dave traded howls on Robert Plant’s words…I gotta keep on searching for my baby.

    It marked the first time Tim, Dave, and Tony played the Empire State together since they encored with Led Zeppelin’s “Fool in the Rain” at Rochester’s Blue Cross Arena for the Dave Matthews and Friends Some Devil Tour in December 2003. It was reminiscent of Dave sitting in with the Funky Meters in Albany in 2000 as well. Tony Hall told NYS music, “What’s so bad ass about Dave is that he sounds like nobody but himself, it’s like no other shit.”

    Dave Matthews Band celebrated their 25th anniversary at Madison Square Garden this November. It was the last stop of their 2021 tour that included shows in Syracuse and Saratoga Springs. They performed 23 songs each night, filled with originals, covers, and tour debuts.

    Friday night’s show that was broadcast live on Sirius XM channel 30 included the debut of “Mad Man’s Eyes” which Dave simply said is about a crazy man. “So Damn Lucky,” off Dave’s 2003 Some Devil record, resonated so right for all those who’ve had close calls in the crowd. The crowd replied singing in unison to Sly Stone’s “Thank You Falletinme Be Mice Elf Again.”

    Tony Hall told NYS Music about his recording experience on Some Devil. “I had a lot of fun with that record. some of my favorite songs were So Damn Lucky and the end jam on Too High is killing”

    dave matthews band dumpstaphunk
    Photo by Joseph Buscarello

    Dave goes to the city with the car horns, corners and the gritty during “Proudest Monkey.” Buddy Strong and Tim Reynolds stretched out great jams during “Typical Situation” and “Lie in Our Graves.” Friday night’s encore included a “Two Step” left unfinished by the band as they launched into a chilling version of “Halloween.” It turned back the clocks, buried the past, and sent the crowd trick or treating into the Manhattan night.


    Saturday night’s tour closing show at the world’s most famous arena was a celebration with DMB family, friends, and their legendary crew. Dave made sure to thank all of his on road family that made this crazy year’s tour possible each night. “After this year to be in New York City and Madison Square Garden is overwhelming. Its like damn how did I get here?”

    dave matthews band dumpstaphunk
    Dave Matthews Tour Bus

    They wasted no time encouraging all at the Garden party to eat, drink, and be merry with a “Tripping Billies” opener. Matthews played his deepest cut “Stay or Leave,” off the Some Devil album as well. The rare “Water in to Wine” made its way round and round again for the first time in 2021.


    Tim Reynolds told NYS Music about an experience he had at Madison Square Garden during a Sting & Peter Gabriel performance. “When Peter did The Rhythm of the Heat with both bands I screamed like a woman and I only have one vocal chord.” Tim was able to feed in the rhythm from the stage at MSG with Dave Matthews treating the New York crowd to a killing version of Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer.”


    The band welcomed the Dumpstaphunk horns to the world’s most famous stage for “Cornbread.” During the improvisational classic “Jimi Thing,” the brass section helped launch Dave to sing on Sly Stone’s classic “ I Want To Take You Higher.” It helped solidify the funk vibe that was in the air both nights.

    dave matthews band dumpstaphunk

    During Saturday night’s encore Matthews performed his moving “Christmas Song” that helped flicker some holiday lighting inside the Garden. Before these crowded streets of DMB’s 43-city tour came “The Last Stop.” This fitting jam during the final encore was left unfinished as it segued into Carter Beauford’s iconic snare drum hit to kick into “Ants Marching” to end the performance.

    dave matthews band dumpstaphunk

    Dumpstaphunk and Dave Matthews Band made this another two-night run of legendary entertainment history at the World’s Most Famous Arena. The custom basketball jerseys helped count it in.

    New Yorker Carrie Band-Leshin told NYS music at MSG, “I’ve been seeing him since he played the Wetlands club in Tribeca until now, its like the same shirt on a different day though. I’ve never seen him play any song the same way twice this whole time.” Dave Matthews told the Garden, “I remember coming here when I was a little kid for the Barnum and Bailey three ring Circus. Just to tell you how old I am.”

    Dumpstaphunk Setlists

    November 12, 2021 – Dancin to the Truth, I Wish You Would, Let’s Get At It, Where Do We Go, Justice, United Nation Stomp*

    *Buddy Miles cover with Tim Reynolds

    November 13, 2021 – Meanwhile…., Do You, Make it After All, Street Parade, Ramble On**

    **Led Zeppelin cover with Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds

    Photo by: Buscar Photo (www.buscarphoto.com)

    Dave Matthews Band Setlists

    November 12, 2021 – That Girl is You, Best of whats Around, Crush, Sweet, Funny the Way it is, Don’t Drink the Water, Again & Again, So Damn Lucky, Why I Am, Proudest Monkey, Satellite, Madmans Eyes, What Would You Say?, Lie in Our Graves, So Much to Say, Too Much, Everyday, Grey Street
    Encore: Two Step >Halloween

    November 13, 2021 – Tripping Billies, Dancing Nancies, Warehouse, Stay or Leave, You Might Die Trying, Lying in the Hands of God, You & Me, She. Grace is Gone, Song That (bridget) Jane Likes-> Water in to Wine, Pantala Naga Pampa->Rapunzel, Sledgehammer*, #41, Cornbread**, Jimi Thing**, Where are You Going?, What You Are, Stay
    Encore: Christmas Song, The Last Stop >Ants Marching

    *Peter Gabriel Cover ** Ashlin Parker & Alex Wasily trombone & trumpet