Billy Joel will head to Western New York in August for a performance at the home of the Buffalo Bills, Highmark Stadium. The Piano Man’s show has been rescheduled for August 14, 2021 after being canceled last year due to COVID-19.
Highmark Stadium will be open at full capacity thanks to the state reaching 70% partial vaccination threshold in mid-June. Any unvaccinated fans will be required to wear masks. These follow the same masking policies as there are for Bills games.
All original ticket purchases will be honored. For those looking to see Billy Joel at Highmark Stadium, tickets are on sale at 10am Friday morning.
Pop star turned jazz artist Senri Oe has announced the release of his new official music video for “Out of Chaos.” The song is the first track out of his forthcoming seventh studio jazz album, Letter To N.Y.
As a pop Japanese superstar for two decades during the 80s and 90s, Senri Oe did a complete turnabout on his career after deciding to focus on what was important in his life. It was his first love: jazz. Senri left Japan and his legion of pop fans and headed to New York to study at the School of Jazz at The New School. He proceeded to launch his recording career with his debut album Boys Mature Slow via PND Records in 2012.
Letter to N.Y. is very impressionistic in its portrayal of New York music and culture through the lens of the pandemic but heard together, the songs reveal a unique narrative story. It’s about the brokenness and collapse of the old way of life, yet with the hope that as we move into the new normal, restoration and renewal are also possible. The former world is over, so now we have to open a new door and take everything to a brave new level moving forward.
Senri Oe on Letter to N.Y.
Composed and produced by Senri completely during quarantine, the 11-track album, Letter to N.Y., is a special homage expressing Senri’s sincere love for New York City. The album captures the eclectic array of the Big Apple’s musical energies.
Senri, who first started on classical piano, and whose influences are both bebop and Miles Davis’ electronic jazz fusion of the 70s and 80s, was inspired by the same electric keyboard and organ sounds on Letter to N.Y. It follows Senri’s 2020 album Hmmm, and a trio session with drummer Ari Hoenig and bassist Matt Clohesy which hit the Top 40 on JazzWeek and reached number 24 on the Roots Radio Jazz’ Top 50 chart.
Senri’s other albums include the full big band with Spooky Hotel (2013), Collective Scribble (2015), and Answer July (2016), which featured jazz vocal greats Sheila Jordan, Theo Bleckmann, Becca Stevens, and Lauren Kinhan of the Grammy-winning vocal ensemble New York Voices.
Oe’s love for New York is simply contagious. It is not only apparent in his latest album, but also in messages he has given to his fans. Through musical synergies of jazz melodies, riffs, and rhythms, Oe further expresses his passion for the New York music scene with others. Both his story and his songs are inspiring for those with similar ambitions and drive.
When you wake up in the morning, you can hear the voice of birds, and when you open the window, the sound of the wind is soothing. They all turn into music in this room where I live now.
At the beginning of the pandemic, I was at a loss in a tremendously dark tunnel. But after I learned how to live day by day, mindfully, I started to find the birth of soul-shaking events which I have never experienced each day.
Music is at every corner of the street. Honesty, a sense of humor, and the no-pretense kindness fill everywhere.
I am in love with New York more than ever.
Senri Oe’s Letter To N.Y.
Senri Oe’s official music video for “Out of Chaos” is featured onLetter To N.Y. and releases via PND/Sony Masterworks on July 21. Watch “Out of Chaos” now below
Alternative/indie rock super trio, Hasty Page, will release their latest single “The Wire” on Friday, June 25. The song is the Hasty Page’s first single of 2021 and fans’ first glimpse into the band’s upcoming EP. With a fresh song to fuel the summer, the trio continues to add to their arsenal of punchy, creative, and inspirational music releases.
Formed in 2015 in Glens Falls, NY, Hasty Page has previously released one EP and two albums. Alt alternative/indie rock trip has built up a solid standing among popular groups with similar genres. They have opened for bands such as Smash Mouth, Colony House, Moriah Formica, and Madison Vandenburg. Hasty Page’s audience is no small feat as well, performing shows for upwards of 40,000 people at Schenectady Summer night, 20,000 at the Albany Tulip Festival, and 10,000 at the Times Union Center.
The boys of Hasty Page – Josh Morris, Zane Agnew, and James Paolano –spent the past year recording the five tracks for their upcoming EP. The EP was recorded at Left Hand Studios in upstate New York, produced by Hasty Page themselves, and finally mixed and mastered by Scoops Dardaris (Prince Daddy, The Clay People, Girl Blue). Notably, Hasty Page has not only spent the past year recording new music, but they have also recently signed a sync licensing deal with Spirit Production Music.
“The Wire” is a fan favorite and highly anticipated, while the rest of the EP are new songs written over the past few years. The song’s instrumental track seamlessly fuses gritty yet clean guitar tracks and melodies, polished by bright, eclectic riffs and modulation. The vocals are warm yet powerful, espousing heartfelt momentum in a lyrical journey on the verge of bursting with pure emotion. Hasty Page has delivered a song to remember.
The music video for “The Wire” will drops one week after the single’s release on June 25, followed by the release of the full EP late summer of 2021. Until then, stream some of Hasty Page‘s earlier album releases on Spotify, YouTube, and below.
With their return to in-person shows earlier this month in Colorado, Michael Franti & Spearhead continue to thrill fans around the globe with the announcement of the Good Day For A Good Day World Tour, kicking off this summer in the U.S.
“After an emotional weekend playing our first shows back since the pandemic began, the wait is finally over! We are kicking off our Good Day For A Good Day World Tour this August with over 20 U.S. dates this November and 13 dates overseas in 2022,” shares Franti. “My heart is full. I’m energized and ready to hit the road again!”
Along with the band’s traditional touring, Michael Franti & Spearhead will alsoheadline their own cruise in a new partnership with Sixthman, Soulshine at Sea, Nov. 3-7, 2021.
After supporting over ten cruises in his career, Franti will begin his first ever hosted cruise which includes a very diverse musical lineup including Fitz and The Tantrums, Allen Stone, Niko Moon and more, with a heavy dose of health and wellness included.
“We are stoked to be announcing the lineup for Soulshine at Sea because we believe in the power of music; the connection of community; taking time to focus on health and wellness; and that in these challenging times, it’s important to have fun and rock out too,” Franti expresses.
Michael Franti & Spearhead released their 11th studio album Work Hard And Be Nicenearly one year ago, and was also featured on NPR’s mid-year and end-year “Heavy Rotation: Public Radio’s Most Popular Songs of 2020,” sharing, “Michael Franti’s infectious groove is unmistakable. From the opening chords to the percolating rhythm, it’s easy to get caught up in the positivity he exudes.”
Michael Franti & Spearhead “Good Day For A Good Day” 2021 World Tour dates:
August 18 Roanoke Island Festival Park+ Manteo, N.C. August 19 North Carolina Azalea Festival~ Wilmington, N.C. August 21 Palace Theatre+ Albany, N.Y. August 22 The Ridgefield Playhouse*+ Ridgefield, Conn. August 24 Wolf Trap**+ Vienna, Va. August 25 Seacrets+ Ocean City, Md. August 26 Seacrets+ Ocean City, Md. August 27 The Coves Amphitheater at Smith Mountain Lake+ Union Hall, Va. August 29 Salvage Station+ Asheville, N.C. Sept. 4 Pavilion at Point of the Bluff Vineyard Hammondsport, N.Y. Sept. 5 Arrowood Farm Brewery*+ Accord, N.Y. Sept. 10 Marymoor Park+ Redmond, Wash. Sept. 11 McMenamins Edgefield Amphitheater+ Troutdale, Ore. Sept. 14 Clear Summer Nights Concert Series Bend, Ore. Sept. 15 Revolution Concert House+ Garden City, Idaho Sept. 16 Red Butte Garden+ Salt Lake City, Utah Sept. 17 MontBleu Resort Casino and Spa Lake Tahoe+ Stateline, Nev. Sept. 18 Santa Cruz Mountain Sol Festival~ Felton, Calif. Sept. 19 Whale Rock Music & Arts Festival~ Templeton, Calif. Sept. 20 Humphreys Concerts by the bay+~ San Diego, Calif Nov. 3-7 Soulshine at Sea Miami, Fla.
Michael Franti & Spearhead “Good Day For A Good Day” 2022 World Tour dates:
Jan. 27 Paradiso+ Amsterdam, Netherlands Jan. 28 Doornroosje+ Nijmegen, Netherlands Jan. 29 De Oosterpoort+ Groningen, Netherlands Jan. 30 Maassilo+ Rotterdam, Netherlands Feb. 1 Ancienne Belgique+ Brussels, Belgium Feb. 2 Club Bahnhof Ehrenfeld+ Cologne, Germany Feb. 3 Gretchen+ Berlin, Germany Feb. 5 Circolo Magnolia+ Milan, Italy Feb. 6 Bierhübeli+ Bern, Switzerland Feb. 7 New Morning+ Paris, France Feb. 9 St. Luke’s Music & Arts Venue+ Glasgow, UK Feb. 10 Academy 2+ Manchester, UK Feb. 11 O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire+ London, UK
+ VIP Experience Offered ~ Previously Announced; On Sale Now * Trio Format ** Co-headlining with Trombone Shorty (pre-sale/on-sale TBA)
Personal instruments, rock memorabilia, and music-inspired items from Woodstock Festival, Van Halen, Eric Clapton, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Beatles, and many more will hit the block in a mostly unreserved online auction. The “A Century of Music” auction hosted by Guernsey’s will be held over June 23-24
Fans will have the chance to bid on guitars owned by Eddie Van Halen, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Bo Diddley, and Allen Collins, as well as a Daisy Rock Guitar autographed at the 2006 Grammys by Paul McCartney, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban.
Other instruments that will hit the block include Bill Clinton’s saxophone that he played at his Inaugural Ball, which is signed, Paul Butterfield and James Cotton’s harmonicas, and Chick Corea and Elton John’s pianos.
There is also a rare 18th century harp and the remarkable Meisel Collection, with more than 500 vintage violins and bows, banjos, ukuleles, mandolins and autoharps up for grabs. Other personal items include Billie Holiday’s gown, Buddy Holly’s performance jacket, original art work by John Lennon, the only known test pressing of Miles Davis playing “Meaning of the Blues” at Carnegie Hall, original Robert Freeman Beatles’ photos, memorabilia from the Fontaine Collection, the front doors from the Chelsea Hotel, and more available for the first time at this very special, music-inspired auction.
The most famed concert in history – Woodstock – also plays a big part in this auction. Guernsey’s will offer a variety of one of a kind memorabilia and art from the 1969 festival, including a hand painted directional map, sections of the stage, and photos from the official photographer. Many of the hand-painted panels by famed artists including Robert Indiana created during the 25th anniversary Woodstock Concert to restrain the 500,000 attendees will also be up for bid.
There are a pair of control room monitor speakers from Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Lady Studios on West 8th Street in New York. They were given to the original designer, who then loaned them to the Experienced Music Project, created by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, which is now known as the Museum of Pop Culture (or MoPOP). These will be sold side-by-side with Paul Butterfield’s Blues Band speakers that were on the stage at Woodstock, and the stage speakers used by Lynyrd Skynyrd prior to the band’s tragic 1970s plane crash.
Jason Becker, a virtuoso musician, songwriter and composer who is the world’s longest living survivor of amyotrophic literal sclerosis (ALS), is selling his guitars to raise funds to battle this debilitating disease, including his much-beloved “Numbers” guitar that has been played by several noted musicians, including KISS’ Paul Stanley, and Jason and Eddie Van Halen.
Borderland Festival is returning to Knox Farm State Park, September 18th-19th for two days of music, food, beer, crafts, and more. The festival was canceled in 2020 and will be making its grand return to celebrate summer, community, and of course music. Borderland will host more than 20 bands on three stages with a diverse mix of national and regional, rock, country, Americana, and roots artists.
Headlining the 2021 festival is Jason Isbell and the 400 Units and The Revivalists. Also being featured are Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, The Infamous Stringdusters, Moon Taxi, Hiss Golden Messenger, Cam, TAUK, Molly Tuttle, Neal Francis, Ghost Of Paul Revere, TK & The Holy, Know Nothings, Adia Victoria, John Papa Gros Band, Workingman’s Dea, Organ Fairchild, GRUB, Uncle Ben’s Remedy, Cole Gallagher, A Girl Named Genny, Mom Said No, Never Ben, The Brass Machine, Folk Faces.
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong are on the rise in the jam scene, they have sold out two nights at Town Ballroom in past years. Then Cam began her career as a songwriter, composing material for several artists including Sam Smith and Miley Cyrus. She has also made her way to national festivals such as Austin City Limits, Lollapalooza, and Outside Lands in San Francisco and is rising on the country charts.
Adding to the talent, the virtuosic, award-winning guitarist with a gift for insightful songwriting, Molly Tuttle was the first woman to win the Bluegrass Music Association’s Guitar Player of the Year award. Also adding to the bluegrass vibe, The Infamous Stringdusters are grammy award winners for Best Bluegrass Album in 2018. The festival also collaborated with The Big Easy of Buffalo to bring New Orleans legend John “Papa” Gros from Papa Gros Funk.
Two-Day General Admission tickets are on sale now. Kids 10 and under are free with a parent or guardian.
June 19 Setlist: Bad For You, Fortress, Porcupine, Penguins > Funkijam > Groove Is In The Heart > Steal The Shade*, Avalanche, Landing > Jam > Zydeko, Move Like That > Weightless > White Night, Doc, Fade Fast, Horizon > Fool In The Rain^ > Horizon
Encore: Water
* Original debut ^ w/ D’yer Mak’er tease 2.5 hr set, played through setbreak
Jocelyn & Chris return to touring along with a new single, Sugar and Spice, their first release since the world health crisis took hold last year. This is a taste of their forthcoming eighth studio album.
Siblings Jocelyn & Chris, who balanced their careers while finishing their degrees at Harvard University, first formed their band in middle school. Along the way the duo, originally from Upstate NY, have released eight albums and collaborated with some of alt-rock’s biggest names, including Cory Wong (Vulfpeck), G. Love, Byron Isaacs (Lumineers), and Gov’t Mule’s Danny Louis.
Eight albums and continual touring has earned Jocelyn & Chris three consecutive commercial radio singles in the Billboard AAA Top 40 and two #1 records on the Relix Jambands Top 30 Album Chart. Their 2019 album The Fun in the Fight landed them their national TV debut with The TODAY Show. This past May the siblings won three major awards at the second annual Eddies Music Awards, those being Album of the Year, Video of the Year and Solo / Duo Artist of the Year.
To celebrate “Sugar and Spice,” Jocelyn & Chris have teamed up with a couple of great product partners for a series of exciting collaborations, including a Sugar and Spice Rock and Roll BBQ Sauce collaboration with Coal Creek Smokehouse in Rocky Top, TN. The limited-run sauce will be available through the smokehouse website and at their restaurants.
A family of avid homebrewers, Jocelyn & Chris have also teamed up with boutique craft brewery Peacemaker Brewing in Canandaigua, NY, to brew Sugar and Spice Passion Fruit Milkshake IPA. This IPA is available at Peacemaker Brewing’s flagship location, Wegmans Supermarkets, and select Jocelyn & Chris performances this summer and fall.
Upcoming Tour Dates:
June 18 – Sugar & Spice Release Party (virtual)
June 21 – Playlist Live: FATHERS (virtual)
June 24 – Peacemaker Brewing: Couch Concert – Canandaigua, NY
June 28 – Playlist Live: LETTERS (virtual)
July 9 – The Bend – West Best, WI
July 10 – Barnato! – Omaha, NE
July 12 – City Winery – Chicago, IL
July 13 – Couch Concert On Location at The Bur Oak – Madison, WI
July 14 – Marshfield Insurance’s 4th Annual Fore Roger Fundraiser – Marshfield, WI
July 15 – Levitt at the Falls – Sioux Falls, SD
July 16 – Fridays on the Plaza – Cheyenne, WY
July 17 – Big Stars Bright Lights Concert Series – Park City, UT
July 18 – Concerts on the Commons – Teton Village, WY
July 21 – Marathon Center for the Performing Arts – Findlay, OH
July 22 – Rumba Cafe – Columbus, OH
July 23 – The Auricle – Canton, OH
July 24 – Purple Fiddle – Thomas, WV
July 25 – The Crafthouse Stage & Grill – Pittsburgh, PA
July 29 – Grain’s Rocking the Docks Series – Lewes, DE
Aug. 7 – Caroga Lake Music Festival – Caroga Lake, NY
Aug. 12 – Musikfest – Bethlehem, PA
Aug. 28 – Live Under the Arch – Portsmouth, NH
Sept. 3 – Rams Head on Stage – Annapolis, MD
Sept. 26 – Maine Craft Distilling Sunday Concert Series – Portland, ME
The power duo Elyssa Samsel and Kate Anderson are the songwriters behind all of the hilarious and character-revealing songs from the hit Apple TV series Central Park. With the first two episodes of the second season premiering on June 25th, they have had to overcome challenges that are brought about by making a TV show during COVID-19. The pair however are used to overcoming adversity by being two successful women in the entertainment business.
The show is a musical about a family who lives in Central Park because the father (Owen) is the park manager. It follows their untraditional NYC life and their attempt in saving Central Park from getting turned into condos.
Making the show during COVID-19 presented obvious challenges not being able to work together in person or in a studio. But as Kate Anderson explained “the music team really pulled off a miracle and got everybody set up at home. All the actors were sent mics and equipment and walked through how exactly to set it up. They would drop off music and all kinds of stuff at their homes. It just became this real team effort to get it going and to keep it going and to keep everybody employed and to keep the show on track.” Anderson then continued how “there were additional challenges after that, It took an incredible amount of patience on the actor’s side and also on the music team side.”
When Samsel and Anderson were writing songs, they are given the script and would “find these little gems,” Elyssa Samsel was saying, “and for example, Elwood had a pet worm named Diane and we were so tickled by that, that we sort of took that and ran with it and it made it into more than one song. And it’s so fun. Now we see fans of the show and they mentioned Diana the worm. And I’m like damn.”
Making these songs was a lot more than just a job during COVID-19, “it was still all over zoom and a lot of times it was the highlight of our day because it was a way to be connecting with people. Working hard on something and having fun and making each other laugh during such a dark time was really a lifeline for us” Kate Anderson said.
“It was love at first write”
Kate Anderson remembering on the first time they had met.
The pair who are now living on the West Coast wasn’t always the prominent team they are now. They had met at a New York City writers’ workshop, being part of the women minority of the class that first day, they were paired together and were wearing the same outfit. They had also figured out that they were practically neighbors “It was just the beginning of the best collaboration and the best friendship that we’ve ever could have hoped for,” Elyssa Samsel recalled.
Elyssa Samsel on left and Kate Anderson on right
But even with all of their success and projects throughout the years “there’s definitely times where we feel not trusted or underestimated because of maybe our gender or our age or both,” Anderson said. But regardless of that, she continued that they “figured out that the best way to collaborate is to be extremely respectful and treat others the way that you want to be treated, so we always try to enter the room and treat everybody like they know what they’re doing, and we are so grateful to be working with them, and I think in that situation it’s helped us to get through some murky water.”
“We want to be that for other women you know and maybe we’re not there yet, but hopefully we will be someday. “
Elyssa Samsel on wanting to be a role model for other women after reflecting on women who have helped them.
Elyssa Samsel then talked about how they’re “so lucky because we had other women to look up to who were crushing it in their field. Women like Jodi Picoult was such a guide for us and always encouraged us in those situations where we might have felt that we were outnumbered or not being taken seriously.”
Trey Anastasio headed south from Saratoga Springs for two nights of shows at the Beacon Theatre on Tuesday, June 22. The performances mimicked his Beacon Jams shows of Fall 2020, but now with the addition of a vaccinated crowd.
With a crowd hanging on every note, Anastasio repeated some songs from the Saratoga Shows, as well as played some tunes for the first time on this run, including “AC/DC Bag.” Highlights from SPAC were found with the Rescue Squad Strings and Jeff Tanski joining for “Fluffhead,” “Mercury,” “The Lizards,” “What’s The Use?,” and “Harry Hood,” among other compositions that left few dry eyes in the house.
Anastasio and crew return to the Upper West Side and the Beacon Theatre for one more show on Wednesday, June 23, with the show starting at 8pm.
Setlist: Trey Anastasio, Beacon Theatre, NYC – June 22, 2021
Set 1: Everything’s Right, AC/DC Bag > Backwards Down the Number Line, Fluffhead*, Brian and Robert*, Stash*, Ghost, Shade#, Mercury*, The Lizards*, Dirt#, Sand#, Wolfman’s Brother*, Blaze On, What’s the Use*, If I Could*, Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.*, Pebbles and Marbles*, Harry Hood*
Encore: More, First Tube*
* – with Rescue Squad Strings and Jeff Tanski # – with Jeff Tanski
For the final performance of this five show run, Anastasio continued to do what he does best, wow audiences with acoustic renditions of classic Phish and TAB hits, with string arrangements. Check out the setlist and photo gallery below! Setlist via Phish.net
Setlist: Trey Anastasio, Beacon Theatre, NYC – June 23, 2021
Set 1: Theme From the Bottom [1], Sample in a Jar[1], Divided Sky [2], I Never Needed You Like This Before [3], Free[1], The Wedge[3], Water in the Sky[2], The Inlaw Josie Wales[2], Twist[1], Bouncing Around the Room[3], Drift While You’re Sleeping[2], 46 Days[1] > Steam[1], A Life Beyond The Dream[2], Split Open and Melt[3], Joy[2], Farmhouse[1], Chalk Dust Torture[1] -> Back on the Train[1] > Chalk Dust Torture[1], Slave to the Traffic Light[2], You Enjoy Myself[2]
[1] Trey on acoustic guitar. [2] Trey on acoustic guitar; with the Rescue Squad Strings and Jeff Tanski on piano. [3] Trey on acoustic guitar; with Jeff Tanski on piano.
