Pioneering new wave band Devo will mark their return to the stage on September 21 and headline Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan.
The Ohio-based band, founded by brothers Mark and Robert Mothersbaugh and Gerald and the late Robert Casale, catapulted to global stardom back in the 80s with their electronic rock sound, quirky live performances and iconic music videos, including MTV hit “Whip It”.
Devo’s central concept of “devolution,” the premise that the human race has finished evolving and is now regressing into a less civilized state — was first developed by Casale and Lewis in the late 60s, while both were students at Kent State University. This concept expanded after the pair met the Mothersbaugh brothers, and took on a new level of seriousness in the wake of the Kent State shooting of four unarmed student protesters on May 4, 1970. This event would serve as a key moment in the band’s formation.
Devo’s Radio City show will be the band’s first performance in many years and one of only two headlining North American concerts. The other show will take place at the Performance Venue at Hollywood Park in Los Angeles on September 25.
We look forward to performing live again. It’s been quite a while since we’ve performed live and we’re excited to be able to bring our music to our fans in New York and Los Angeles this fall.
Devo
Tickets for the New York and Los Angeles shows go on sale June 11 on Ticketmaster.
The Eagles have added six new concert dates to their upcoming 2021 tour, produced by Live Nation. The tour will now kick off in New York on August 22 at Madison Square Garden. After two shows at the Garden, Eagles will travel to Boston’s TD Garden and Washington D.C.’s Capital One Arena.
These new dates are especially exciting because the Eagles will be performing the entirety of their iconic Hotel California album–the third best selling U.S. album in history. Founding members Don Henley, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmidt will be joined on tour by Deacon Frey (son of the late Glenn Frey) and Vince Gill.
The album playthrough will feature accompaniment by an orchestra and choir. The rest of the show will finish out with a full set of greatest hits, a must-see considering the band’s album, Their Greatest Hits: (1971-1975), narrowly beats out Hotel California and stands as the number one best selling U.S. album in history.
Photo by George Holz
Tickets for the tour go on sale to the general public on Friday, June 18 at 10 AM local time. American Express cardholders have early access to tickets from June 14 at 10 AM to June 17 at 10 PM. All new dates are listed below and the full list of dates can be found here.
Sunday, August 22: New York, NY, Madison Square Garden
Tuesday, August 24: New York, NY, Madison Square Garden
Friday, August 27: Boston, MA, TD Garden
Saturday, August 28: Boston, MA, TD Garden
Tuesday, August 31: Washington, D.C., Capital One Arena
Wednesday, September 1: Washington, D.C., Capital One Arena
The 2021 New York Guitar Festival(NYGF) will pay tribute to the iconic classical guitarist Julian Bream with an online series of concerts beginning July 14 and continuing until July 20. This year’s series “Remembering Julian Bream,” will include commissions by a group of stellar classical guitarists, lutenists and composers in honor of the late Grammy Award-winning concert artist.
Julian Bream was a trained pianist and cellist but found his love of music in the guitar. Bream died at his home in Wiltshire, England on August 14, 2020, at the age of 87. As John Schaefer wrote “He might have been the original Guitar God; he certainly was a trailblazer, a seeker, and a rebel.” He championed many contemporary composers while also discovering music like the Elizabeth composer John Dowland which led him to buy a lute.
Six composers will perform their own works dedicated to Bream: Laura Snowden from the UK, Jiji from Korea, Leo Brouwer from Cuba, Jozef van Wissem from Holland, Derek Gripper from South Africa, and Gyan Riley from the USA. In addition to these world premieres, “Remembering Julian Bream” will include performances of the classical guitar music that Bream became known for, dating from the 16th through the 20th century. Composers will include John Dowland, Anthony Holborne, Benjamin Britten, Francisco Tarrega, Mauro Giulliani, Enrique Granados, Heitor Villa-Lobos, and more.
In his New York Times obituary, Allan Kozinn wrote that Bream “pushed the guitar beyond its Spanish roots and expanded its range by commissioning dozens of works from major composers, and who also played a crucial role in reviving the lute as a modern concert instrument.”
WNYC’s John Schaefer explained, “I can understand why so many people think the classical guitar really begins with Andres Segovia. But it didn’t end there – otherwise we’d all just be playing Spanish music and Bach. Bream put the guitar on a wider, global, musical map, and the explosion of interest in and compositions for the guitar really starts with him. Also I hurt myself trying to learn how to play Aguado’s “Adagio” from one of Bream’s publications.”
“Listening to, and sharing, music has been a lifeline for so many people during this year of social isolation.” New York Guitar Festival’s Artistic Director David Spelman spoke of the project, “We hope this project will spread the joy of music, and shine a light on the remarkable contributions of Julian Bream, whose life stands as a testament to a life totally dedicated to music.”
Performer Bios for “Remembering Julian Bream“
Gyan Riley is a virtuoso guitarist and composer who plays classical, steel-string, and electric guitars. His repertoire includes his own music and that of his father, the influential composer Terry Riley. He has most recently written music for the PBS documentary series Hemingway.
Laura Snowden was a student of Julian Bream, and was entrusted with the premieres of several pieces that Bream commissioned. The London-based guitarist is also a member of the folk band Tir Eolas. Her compositions include choral music as well as works for guitar.
Jozef Van Wissem is a lute player who does not play traditional lute music. Performing on a remarkable swan-necked instrument, he performs his own works and has collaborated regularly with filmmaker and electric guitarist Jim Jarmusch.
Jiji was born in South Korea but now lives in the States, where she has become an ardent champion of contemporary music for guitar. A composer herself, she has long been interested in electronic music, and has premiered works for electric as well as classical guitar.
Derek Gripper is a South African musician and composer who has, somewhat improbably, brought the music of the West African lute-harp, or kora, into the classical guitar world. His extensive repertoire ranges from works by Bach to collaborations with South African steel-string player Guy Buttery.
Pepe Romero was not born with a guitar in his hands – it just seems like it. Son of the great Celedonio Romero, he has had a long solo career in addition to performing with his father and two brothers as Los Romeros. He has played for popes, princes, and presidents. And he’s a NYGF regular.
Sharon Isbin was Musical America’s 2020 Instrumentalist of the Year, the first time that award has ever gone to a guitarist. The multiple Grammy winner is one of the most popular classical guitarists in the world, and has recorded with everyone from film composer Howard Shore to Indian classical master Amjad Ali Khan.
Isbin said “I will always be grateful to the legendary Julian Bream for his impassioned, heartfelt performances and recordings; his dedication to expanding the literature by commissioning outstanding contemporary composers; and for the generous private lesson he gave me at age fourteen which changed my life!”
Grammy winner Jason Vieaux takes a wide-angled view of what the word “classical” can mean. For him, it includes Bach, as well as Pat Metheny and South American tangos. A popular teacher at the Curtis and Cleveland institutes of music, he is also the founder of The Jason Vieaux School of Classical Guitar.
Vieaux commented that: “Bream was the ideal classical musician and artist for me, regardless of instrument. He was a primary role model for me and for so many in our field. Bream not only was sophisticated, refined, hip and earthy, all at once… he was pointing the way toward a possible future. The number and scope of his contributions are staggering.”
William Kanengiser has had two parallel careers: one as an award-winning solo guitarist, and another as a founding member of the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet. In both cases he has extended the classical repertoire by championing new works and arranging old ones. He does a spot-on Julian Bream imitation.
The Amadeus Guitar Duo, based in Germany, consists of Canada’s Dale Kavanagh and her German partner Thomas Kirchhoff. They have almost single-handedly (double-handedly?) created a new body of works for classical guitar duo, and for guitar duo and orchestra, with more than thirty composers writing for them.
Eliot Fisk was the last direct pupil of Andres Segovia, and the founder of the guitar department at the Yale School of Music. This means his long, prolific career is a bridge between the guitar’s most iconic figure and the generations of gifted musicians coming from that program today. His collaborators have included Bill Frisell and Paco Pena, among many others.
Tengyue Zhang has won many of the classical guitar world’s most important competitions. The Chinese-born musician has studied with Sharon Isbin, and now with William Kanengiser. He is a stunning virtuoso and a reasonable man: you can just call him TY.
Paul O’Dette was an electric guitarist in a high school rock band when he heard Julian Bream playing the lute. He went on to become one of the prime movers in the first flowering of the Early Music scene in America, and is one of the leading researchers and performers of Renaissance and early Baroque music.
Benjamin Verdery is the Kevin Bacon of the guitar world – everyone seems to know him. In 1985, he became chair of the guitar department that Eliot Fisk founded at Yale, turning it into a formidable source of great musicians, from Jiji to rock guitarist/composer Bryce Dessner. His repertoire goes from Bach to Hendrix to his own works.
Hopkinson Smith is an American-born, Swiss-based lutenist and teacher. In the 1970s he helped Jordi Savall in putting together the essential early music group Hesperion XX (now Hesperion XXI). He also plays early guitar-like instruments including the vihuela and theorbo.
Smith commented that “Bream was an extraordinary communicator with a seemingly unstoppable energy. His voracious technique well served his deep lyric sense and his eyes understood all that was going on around him. He was a truly charismatic figure with an adventurous spirit and an inquisitive mind.” Lutenist and composer Jozef van Wissem adds that Bream: “single-handedly put the lute back on the map.”
Marija Temo plays, and teaches, both classical and flamenco guitar. She is also a flamenco singer and a retired flamenco dancer; her own music owes much to that style. But she’s appeared in some unusual places – a major festival of Dominican bachata music, for example, or onstage with the Zac Brown Band.
Alberta Khoury is an Australian guitarist who has studied with Sharon Isbin at Juilliard, with whom she made her NY Guitar Festival debut in 2017. She is a composer, often working with actors and dancers; and while she is mostly a soloist, she has done duo performances with TY (Tengyue Zhang).
Adam Del Monte has written two concertos for flamenco guitar and orchestra, and he recorded the featured flamenco guitar part in Osvaldo Golijov’s opera Ainadamar. His music fuses classical and flamenco, and he teaches both styles at USC.
David Leisner is the guitarist who almost wasn’t. A promising career was derailed by focal dystonia in the 1980s, but Leisner discovered ways to regain the use of his hand. He now teaches both guitar and muscle training for musicians. A composer and virtuoso player, he is co-chair of the guitar department at Manhattan School of Music.
The Newman & Oltman Guitar Duo has a long track record of innovative programming, both as an ensemble and as founders of the Raritan River Music Festival in New Jersey. They have commissioned dozens of works for two guitars and have collaborated with a number of string quartets, including ETHEL and the Turtle Island Quartet.
Pablo Sainz Villegas has played guitar concertos with most of the world’s leading orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic and the Berlin Philharmonic. As a soloist, he has performed for the Spanish royal family and recorded a duo album with Placido Domingo
Wed, July 14: Sharon Isbin at 3pm EDT, Pepe Romero at 4pm EDT, Pablo Sáinz Villegas at 5pm EDT
Thurs, July 15: Jason Vieaux at 3pm EDT, David Leisner at 4pm EDT, William Kanengiser at 5pm EDT
Fri, July 16: Derek Gripper at 3pm EDT, Amadeus Guitar Duo at 4pm EDT, Paul Odette at 5pm EDT
Sat, July 17: Eliot Fisk at 3pm EDT, Hopkinson Smith at 4pm EDT, Marija Temo at 5pm EDT
Sun, July 18: Jozef van Wissem at 3pm EDT, Alberta Khoury at 4pm EDT, Tengue Zhang at 5pm EDT
Mon, July 19: Benjamin Verdery at 3pm EDT, Jiji at 4pm EDT, Gyan Riley at 5pm EDT
Tues, July 20: Adam Del Monte at 3pm EDT, Newman & Oltman Guitar Duo at 4pm EDT, Laura Snowden at 5pm EDT
“Remembering Julian Bream” will premier three video performances each day, from July 14 – July 20 at 3pm, 4pm, and 5pm EDT via the New York Guitar Festival YouTube channel.
WNYC Radio’s “New Sounds,” in partnership with the New York Guitar Festival, will debut audio recordings of the newly commissioned works at 93.9FM or at the New Sounds website.
Access to “Remembering Julian Bream” is free. The NYGF and performing artists are asking viewers to make donations to MusiCares. Learn more about charitable foundation of The Recording Academy’s MusicCares COVID-19 Relief Fund, and donate to help the music community affected by the Coronavirus pandemic, here.
Spring is here and the Empire State Youth Orchestra (ESYO) is back in action. Known regionally and nationally for empowering leadership among youth musicians from communities in New York’s Capital Region and the Berkshires, The 2021 SpringUP Festival features street performances, an immersive Soundwalk in Albany’s Washington Park, and virtual mainstage performances in ESYO’s new Virtual Concert Hall.
The festival, which runs through Sunday, June 13, allows ESYO to showcase their work in the community for the first time in 15 months.
“Youth leaders are found in every ensemble and at all levels of ESYO. Their passion, resiliency, and commitment inspired ESYO to meet the challenges created by the pandemic and keep making music together.
– Carlos Ágreda, ESYO Music Director
In-person audiences are welcome to bring a lawn chair and picnic lunch to Washington Park. There is also a spot to donate perishable food items to benefit the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern NY.
Outdoor events are FREE and open to the general public. Tickets to ESYO’s virtual mainstage stage concerts are on sale now and start at $1 with ACCESS ESYO membership. For a complete list of festival concerts and events or to donate, visit esyo.org/springup.
Of particular interest is the immersive Soundwalk around Washington Park Leks. It was envisioned by Emma Edgar, a senior at Bethlehem High School and executed by herself and an entire team of ESYO student musicians. the Soundwalk will be accessible to the community during the summer months.
SPRINGUP FESTIVAL EVENTS
ESYO SpringUP at Troy Waterfront Farmers Market | FREE
Saturday, May 22, 2021
Time: 10AM – 1PM Venue: Troy Riverfront Park
ESYO Young Leaders Presents: ESYO Soundwalk | FREE
Jazz Orchestra, String Orchestra- GE Theatre & Repertory Classical Orchestra at the SpringUP Festival
The Levitt AMP Utica Music Series announced this year’s concerts will take place on Monday nights from 6 to 9 pm, July 5 – Aug 30 with a final tenth concert taking place on Friday, Sept 3 to Kick Off Labor Day Weekend. With a lineup of New York State-based artists, they’ll perform at Kopernik Park in Downtown Utica this summer. Ten weeks of free, family-friendly outdoor concerts will return this summer!
The 2021 season is themed “New York State Originals” and will feature headlining artists from all over the state, along with local and regional opening acts and youth intermission acts, all performing original music. The diverse lineup of high-caliber talent spans genres like jazz, pop, soul, country, R&B, hip hop and more.
The public is invited to bring their own blankets and lawn chairs to the concerts. The park will have physically distanced rectangular “pods” sprayed in the grass that will hold up to six people each.
Pods will be spaced 6’ apart and will help guide guests for seating as we work together bringing back community events. The series will also offer art activities for young concert-goers and food trucks will be on site.
“As we begin to transition back to normal, we are excited to enjoy local venues and great entertainment such as the Levitt AMP series,” Mayor Robert Palmieri shared, “This concert series is a tremendous quality of life asset that we have been able to secure for our residents due to the generosity of the Levitt Foundation, local businesses and community organizations, as well as through the hard work and coordination of Michelle Truett and the Utica Monday Nite board..”
“We are so thrilled to have the Levitt AMP Utica series back for the 2021 season,” said Alicia Dicks, president/CEO of the Community Foundation. “This event brings our community together in so many ways and after the long-awaited return of live music and gatherings, this season is sure to be one of the best yet!”
The Utica Music Series are sponsored in part by the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, a national funder of creative placemaking that empowers communities to inject new life into underused public spaces through free, outdoor concerts. The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties is a presenting sponsor for the fifth season of concerts. Partners in the series include Rust 2 Green Utica, DeSales Center, the City of Utica and Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute. Season sponsors include Empire Recycling and the M&T Bank/Partners Trust Bank Charitable Fund.
In December of 2019, Utica was named one of 20 small to mid-sized towns and cities across America to win a Levitt AMP [Your City] Grant Award of $25K in matching funds to present a free concert series at Kopernik Park in 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 series was postponed and the funding applied to the 2021 season. A 2-hour “AMP the House” TV special was produced in 2020 with a Bridge Grant from the Levitt Foundation to bring our community together when we had to be apart.
Utica Monday Nite submitted the Levitt AMP proposal and is presenting the Utica Music Series. In an effort to inspire and engage communities across the country around the power of creative placemaking, the Levitt Foundation invited the public to choose the Top 25 finalists through online voting. Learn more about the winners and the 180 free Levitt AMP concerts across America at Levitt AMP’s wesite.
Kopernik Park is located at 317 Genesee Street at the corner of Eagle Street and Park Avenue near DeSales. Admission is free and all are welcome. Seating will be limited due to state guidelines, so getting to the park early is encouraged.
For anyone who is not quite ready for crowds and events, the Utica music series concerts will also be streamed via multiple platforms to be enjoyed at home/offsite.
THE 2021 LEVITT AMP UTICA MUSIC SERIES LINE UP
July 5 – Carolina Gents from Brooklyn, NY
Bluegrass, Americana, and country musicians in the New York area, pure, sweet sounds of Appalachia, then southern twang and effortless production. The band sets itself apart with their stylistic versatility, classy-vintage dress.
Opener: Isaac French – singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is originally from Vermont and now calls Rome, NY home. His debut album, “Human Being” has been received with acclaim throughout the region and beyond.
Deep, powerful soul. In addition, she has also been awarded Teen Empowerment’s PeaceMaker in Action Award. Beyond Danielle’s musical talent, she is a former Public Defender and Tedx speaker.
Opener: Count Blastula – Founded by Adam Fisher in Central New York, CB features eclectic music combined with visual expression. CB has been compared to classic artists such as Phish, The Allman Brothers and The Grateful Dead.
July 19 – Alex Torres & His Latin Orchestra from Amsterdam, NY
This 12 piece orchestra has been the recipient of numerous awards including the New England Cultural Arts Preservation Award, the New York State Music Achievement Award and The Governor’s Excellence in Arts Award.
Opener: Grupo Pagan –a SAMMY Award winning Latin-American band based in Syracuse, NY. Their diverse backgrounds combine into a high energy brew of sound, with influences including Santana, Shakira and Enrique Iglesias.
July 26 – Samara Joy & Pasquale Grasso Duo from Bronx, NY
Following her winning the 2019 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, Samara is currently recording her debut recording, featuring one of the most strikingly unique artists of his generation, Pasquale Grasso.
Opener: Sydney Irving – Syracuse, NY rising star has already been nominated for three major regional songwriting awards. Irving juggles attendance at high school with gigs at high profile spots like Binghamton’s Spiedie Fest (supporting Starship featuring Mickey Thomas) and Turning Stone Resort & Casino on evenings and weekends.
Aug 2 – Sammy Rae & The Friends from Brooklyn, NY
Sammy Rae & The Friends was born from a collection of talented musicians and peers. The band rocks a jazz-pop sound and sold-out every show in NYC in 2019, enjoyed several tours in the USA and South America and acquired over 10 million streams on Spotify and Apple Music.
Opener: The Reuben James – Utica, NY based folk-rock outfit that was a staple of the regional live music scene for almost a decade. During that time, the group released 3 full-length albums. Their original sound draws from influences such as Wilco, Dylan, Tom Waits, Ani DiFranco, Springsteen, and Counting Crows. The group is incredibly excited to reunite at Levitt AMP after a decade-long hiatus.
Aug 9 – Shayna Steele from New York City
Shayna has supremely soulful energy, as well as mind blowing vocal artistry and songwriting skills. She has performed with the likes of Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson, Bette Midler and Steely Dan as a sought after background vocalist. It was the release of Shayna’s first full-length album I’ll Be Anything that put her on the map as a legitimate solo artist.
Opener: Haynesville Road – This Rock Band with Earth Lyrics consists of Bob ‘’BD’’ Dziedzic, from New York Mills, NY, Stan ‘’Stik’’ Slabicki,from Whitesboro, NY and Rob Aguilera, originally from Chicago, now living in Oneida, NY.
Aug 16 – Tom Nitti from Utica, NY
Born and raised in Central New York, Tom Nitti, your traditional country music artist, will be performing Levitt AMP with his full band. Tom joined the United States Army as a 19D Airborne Cavalry Scout. While deployed in Afghanistan, Tom earned the Purple Heart Award for sustaining a traumatic brain injury while taking mortar fire.
Opener: Jess Novak Band – With a fiddle on fire, powerful vocals and a fierce band behind her, this pop, rock, soul-pumped group is from Syracuse, New York. Known for their energy, superb musicianship, engaging songwriting and ability to win any crowd, this is a band on the rise.
Aug 23 – Joanne Shenandoah in Oneida, NY
GRAMMY award-winning, cross-cultural singer-songwriter with 24 albums, singles, collaborations and film soundtracks earning her more than 40 music awards, including a GRAMMY and 14 Native American Music Awards, an induction into the NAMMY Hall of Fame, and an EMMY nomination.
Opener: Fritz’s Polka Band – everything from modern-style polka to country to rock and even blues. They are not the stereotypical “polka” band –they were the first polka band to perform at a Woodstock Festival (Woodstock ’99)! In 2010, FPB was inducted into the Syracuse Area Music Hall of Fame.
Aug 30 – Paul Beaubrun from New York City
A Haitian singer and multi-instrumentalist, Paul weaves together Haitian roots music with rock and roll and reggae, delivering lyrics in English, French and Creole.
Opener: Tree of Life – A band that debuted at 2020’s AMP the House TV Show, they will now grace the Levitt AMP stage live this summer. Decades of experience in funk, rock, blues, metal and more.
Sept 3 – Sophistafunk from Syracuse, NY
Sophistafunk has gained international notoriety with their unique, positive blend of hip hop, funk, and jam music that boasts a touch of spoken word and an overflow of energy. Sophistafunk played the Levitt AMP Utica stage in 2017 and 2018 and they’re back to round out our 2021 season with our first ever Friday night concert to close out the series and kick off Labor Day weekend.
Opener: Leeky XIV – Malik Johnson, better known as Leeky XIV, is an independent rapper and entertainer who uses his art to promote the importance of living a positive lifestyle.
On July 31st, heavy metal vocalist Dee Snider will release his fifth full-length album, Leave a Scar, via Napalm Records. He recently released his first single on the album, “I Gotta Rock (Again)” along with a new music video.
Hailing from Queens, Dee Snider has become one of the most respected vocalists in the heavy metal world. The release of this album is incredibly exciting for him and his fans, especially because he recently shared that at the end of 2019, he didn’t see his career continuing. The state of the world in 2020, however, led him to find himself through his music again and come out with Leave a Scar.
Leave a Scar expresses the pain and anger that Dee felt while in lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He describes how this time of solitude made him more in-tune with the writing process than ever before. He felt a deep need to fill the album with messages to and for listeners that need to speak up, but don’t feel that they can. This experience was a catalyst for him to make his best music yet, proving how his career is far from over.
“I Gotta Rock (Again)” is a strong start to the album and will have listeners head banging from the get-go. Another track that will leave listeners in awe is “Time to Choose,” which features a vocal attack by Cannibal Corpse’s George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher. “The Reckoning” is a classic heavy metal assault, and track “All or Nothing More” showcases Snider’s harmonic talent. Melodic, metalcore inspired “In For The Kill” is also highly anticipated, as well as “Down But Never Out” and its strong drums. “Before I Go” has a mesmerizingly catchy chorus and chilling lyrics. The last track on the album is a ballad titled “Stand.” This song fulfills Dee’s purpose of ensuring that listeners feel their own struggles are being heard. Leave a Scar pushes Dee’s music boundaries and sets him into a new era of genius.
Jamey Jasta, Dee’s producer, boasts about the artist, revealing how powerful his range and vocals are. Jasta mentions how unique and original his sound is and confidently states that Dee is an American leader of the rock and metal community.
Former Twisted Sister frontman and Long Island native Dee Snider is coming back to Long Island to film an upcoming concert film. It will take place on June 11th at Stereo Garden in Patchogue. The show is in support of his new solo album “Leave A Scar” which is to be released July 30th.
Tickets to the show can be found here. The 7 p.m. show will be limited to 200 attendees who must be vaccinated or have a recent Covid-19 test. You can see the tracklist and video for the first single”I Gotta Rock (Again)” from the new album below.
LOCKN’ has announced dates and lineups for three mini fests in 2021 across the month of August. The mini festivals will include live music, food, activities, and camping and will help reduce capacity for smaller and safer concert experiences. The festivities will be taking place on August 13 – 15, August 20 – 22, and August 27 – 29, at LOCKN’ Farm (formerly known as Infinity Downs Farm).
The LOCKN’ festival has been taking place since 2013 and takes place at the LOCKN’s 387-acre property located at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Arrington, VA known as the LOCKN’ Farm. The festival generally hosts Jam bands. During its mini festivals, each weekend will be special in its own way, with a different band headlining the lineups celebrating the past, present, and future of LOCKN’. Of course, all three weekends will also feature an array of activities to enrich the summer days and nights while creating lifelong memories for all who attend.
The first weekend of fun will take place on Friday, August 13 to Sunday, August 15 with headliners Joe Russo’s Almost Dead performing six sets over three days, joined by special guests The Slip each night. In addition, Friday and Saturday night will see late-night jams and camaraderie thanks to Garcia’s Forest Improv Sessions Hosted by John Medeski and Billy Martin.
Admission tickets are available now via Front Gate Tickets HERE; camping passes are available HERE.
The second weekend of fun will take place on Friday, August 20 to Sunday, August 22 will feature “Goose Presents FRED the Festival,” a historic three-day event headlined by Goose. Guests include Dawes performing Black Sabbath’s Paranoid plus a full set of original songs, Dr. Dog, Hiss Golden Messenger, Cory Wong, Grateful Shred, and Sammy Rae & The Friends. After an eight-year hiatus, Vasudo will also be featured at FRED the Festival. Regarded as Goose’s musical predecessor, Vasudo’s feel-good sound can be described as Jamaica meets Nashville. Admission tickets are available now via Front Gate Tickets HERE; camping passes are available HERE.
The third and last weekend will take place on Friday, August 27 to Sunday, August 29 will feature a weekend of collaborative magic headlined by Tedeschi Trucks (performing Saturday and Sunday). Guests include Academy Award-winning musician Jon Batiste with his first-ever visit to the Farm on Sunday, longtime LOCKN’ favorites The Marcus King Band (performing Friday and Saturday), Lettuce, and Gabe Dixon Band. Admission tickets are available now via Front Gate Tickets HERE; camping passes are available HERE.
LOCKN’ Farm Summer 2021 will follow CDC guidelines, as well as any additional guidelines set by local and state authorities. Full details of health and safety measures and policies will be communicated to patrons in advance of attending shows at LOCKN’ Farm. The LOCKN’ Farm Summer 2021 will update as new information becomes available.
For fans who purchased tickets to the 2020 LOCKN’ Music Festival and did not previously request a refund, all purchase orders are currently in the process of being refunded in full, including all service fees, by LOCKN’ ticketing partner, Front Gate Tickets. Funds will be credited back to the original purchaser in the original form of payment. Ticket buyers in the middle of a payment plan will be refunded for the full amount paid thus far, including all service fees. No cancellation fees will be charged. Please allow 7-10 business days for refunds or credit to clear. For additional ticketing, order, or refund assistance, please contact order-support@frontgatetickets.com.
For more information on the LOCKN’ mini fests visit their website.
As Phish was putting the finishing touches on their acclaimed Billy Breathes album in 1996, they also honored a fun Bearsville, NY tradition. It had become commonplace for bands to play at a very small club called Joyous Lake whenever they were finished with their business at Bearsville Studios. Billed as ‘Third Ball’, the last “stealth” Phish gig made available for public consumption went down 25 years ago today.
Joyous Lake and its 200-person capacity were a far cry from the arenas and amphitheaters that Phish played regularly by now. Thankfully, sound engineer Paul Languedoc provided soundboard patches to those in the know who showed up with recording gear. As a result, this show has all the feel of a small, intimate affair from the late ’80s combined with the raw power and energy Phish had infused their music with by 1996. Approximately two months before there was a Clifford Ball, there was Third Ball.
Bearsville Studios, June 1996 credit: Danny Clinch
Since this was no typical Phish concert at this point in time, why not open it with a “Split Open and Melt?” Drummer Jon Fishman starts up the signature opening drum beat and, much to the small crowd’s delight, the show begins. Although the jam has a few “clunky” early moments, in no time a full-fledged “Melt” jam is underway, with any other discernible signs of rust now clearly removed. With most of the year devoted to work on Billy Breathes so far, this was only the second live show played in 1996.
The “Runaway Jim” that comes later seems to have all of the Joyous Lake crowd signing along at the outset. They soon give way to a beautifully escalating, driving jam that’s steered by Trey Anastasio and Page McConnell on guitar and piano, respectively. The band also fools around a bit with the “Funky Bitch” that follows, continuing to drop some early gems on the Bearsville crowd.
The double-edged sword that is a small venue gig rears its head in the beginning of “Theme From The Bottom.” A crowd that’s getting energized by some intimate Phish, as well as more “hydrated” by the minute, can be heard very easily in some of the quieter opening segments. Although quiet moments wouldn’t be an issue for much of the remainder of the first set, starting with the “Big Black Furry Creature From Mars” that follows where Trey allegedly fashioned an empty beer bottle into a guitar slide. “Scent Of A Mule” features its customary ‘Mule Duel’ as well as a full-on teases of “Sunshine Of Your Love” and “Cocaine.” And the set comes to a whirlwind of a close with a cover of “Highway To Hell” that has the full band toying around with the vocals.
The second set of this “secret” gig at Joyous Lake features a blend of live Phish staples and brand new debuts. “AC/DC Bag” revs things back up as the set opener, with some intense guitar play from Anastasio on the back end of it. Next, somewhat surprisingly, a sublime “You Enjoy Myself” is played, undoubtedly in front of the smallest crowd in years. The band treats this one no differently though as its played to perfection, with all the bells, whistles and customarily eerie vocal jam included.
Phish keeps the old school vibe in effect with a “Chalkdust Torture” that emerges the instant said vocal jam concludes. It’s not a particularly extended version, but it packs a punch. “Sparkle” then follows in the same vein before “Stash” gives the band another chance to spread their wings and soar.
The second set also contains a pair of Phish debuts that are now firmly embedded in their live show repertoire. “Waste” and “Character Zero,” two songs prominently featured on the upcoming Billy Breathes release, are played back-to-back, both for the first time ever. “Waste” is still so raw at this time that it stops somewhat abruptly with Trey noting “we don’t have an ending for it yet.”
The remainder of the show is vintage Phish, beginning with the monstrous “David Bowie” that follows the debuts. Trey stumbles over some of the lyrics in “Fee” before getting redemption via another dazzling run on guitar on the “Sample in a Jar” that closes out the set. The “Ya Mar” that starts the encore has a rough spot or two before rounding into form before an incendiary cover Jimi Hendrix’s “Fire” closes the book on Third Ball.
Listen to the show in its entirety below, or selected songs at PhishTracks.
Phish Joyous Lake – Bearsville, NY 6/6/96
Set 1: Split Open and Melt, Poor Heart, Runaway Jim, Funky Bitch, Theme From the Bottom, Big Black Furry Creature From Mars, Scent of a Mule, Highway to Hell
Set 2: AC/DC Bag, You Enjoy Myself, Chalkdust Torture, Sparkle, Stash, Waste, Character Zero, David Bowie, Fee > Sample in a Jar
E: Ya Mar, Fire
This unannounced show was performed under the name “Third Ball.” BBFCFM featured Trey using a Rolling Rock beer bottle as a slide. Scent of a Mule included a Sunshine of Your Love tease and saw Trey on keys for portions. Waste and Character Zero debuted at this show. The opening act was Juan Hung Low.
After a 15 year hiatus following her acclaimed album Where the Mangoes Are, Albany-area folk singer Kate McDonnell is back with her fifth studio album, Ballad of a Bad Girl.
For this latest project, McDonnell collaborated with drummer Jerry Marotta, bassist Tony Levin and co-writer Anne Lindley. Recorded at Dreamland Studios in Hurley, NY last summer, Ballad of a Bad Girl features 11 tracks. McDonnell’s poignant songwriting is showcased, as well as her raw, acoustic instrumentals. It is easy to be reminded of classic Joni Mitchell or Joan Baez tracks when listening.
The opening title track “Ballad of a Bad Girl” begins with plucky, yet rich guitar. Through the context of a sisterly relationship, McDonnell sings about femininity and being misunderstood : Folks call us those bad, bad girls/We’re just misunderstood. Complex family dynamics are a major theme of the record. On the track “Father and Son”, McDonnell addresses masculinity and rage: Father and son, father and son/Two angry hearts beating as one.
McDonnell also explores topics of travel, imagination and romance. She sings about faraway places in “Berlin” and “Malibu” and tells dreamlike stories of meeting and losing loved ones and the harsh realities of broken promises.
McDonnell in the studio.
Along with 9 original tracks, Ballad of a Bad Girl features 2 covers: “Dimming of the Day” by Richard Thompson and “Long As I Can See The Light” by John Fogerty. McDonnell’s vocal and instrumental interpretations of these 70s tracks are unique and pleasant. Her voice conveys strong emotion and her fingerstyle guitar playing feels artful and personal.
Ballad of a Bad Girl is set for official release on July 1. In the meantime, tracks are currently available for listening on YouTube. You can find more about Kate McDonnell on her website.
Key Tracks: Ballad of a Bad Girl, Malibu, Sweet Virginia
With live music returning to Capital Region venues, Saratoga’s historic Caffe Lena is in a position to assist a popular jazz festival in a part of the world that is still restricted by COVID-19. With American musicians unable to cross the border for their gigs at Quebec Jazz In June, Caffè Lena will instead be producing the shows at its location in Saratoga and making it available to the Quebec Audience via livestream.
Quebec Jazz in June, a ten day festival that ushers jazz music to the streets of Quebec City has pivoted to a hybrid online, and in-person model as Canada keeps its southern border closed.
“This legendary venue has stepped up to ensure that world class American musicians will once again be a part of our annual festivities – this time through the magic of live streaming.” Says Simon Couillard, the Festival’s General Manager.
Three nights of the festivals headline artists will be live streamed from Caffe Lena to the Festival’s social media platforms. Capital Region audiences can also attend the concerts in-person, in the intimate listening room located in downtown Saratoga Springs.
“Standing in as Quebec’s USA Stage is a win-win-win. The artists get to play for the festival’s audience; Quebec Jazz can hang onto their American line-up; and Saratoga gets to experience the festival’s mainstage musicians in person,” says Caffe Lena’s Executive Director Sarah Craig.
The collaboration between Caffe Lena and Quebec Jazz in June is one to look forward to, and is a positive thing as a result of the pandemic. The historic venue has been regularly sharing their stage and live stream capabilities with a number of venues and organizations from around the region, including 2020’s Freihoffer’s Jazz Festival.
Producing more than 200 shows during 2020, the venue’s audience has expanded far beyond its 110-seat listening room, while providing more than $100,000 in income to musicians who were not able to play live shows in over a year.
“This event is a perfect example of the growth of the independent music world that happened over the past year. There was pain while it was happening, but the end result–greater access for all–is exciting for artists and audiences. This international collaboration with Quebec Jazz In June is truly exhilarating,” says Craig.
The American artists performing at Caffe Lena for this series will include Manuel Valera New Cuban Express on Thursday, June 17th, Sheila Jordan on Friday, June 18th, and the Chuck Lamb Trio featuring Chuck Lamb, Jay Anderson and Harvey Sorgen on Sunday, June 20th.
Grammy-nominated pianist and composer Valera, who has played with Paquito D’Rivera and Arturo Sandoval, begins a three-night run with a scaled-down version of his New Cuban Express Big Band. Inspired by famed Cuban writer and independence hero José Martí, Valera has created a song cycle using traditional Cuban styles merged with contemporary Latin jazz. Valera, who lost his wife in 2020, repurposed Martí’s powerful poems as a personal cry for freedom, justice and passion for life. Valera will be joined by Felipe Lamoglia on saxophone, Ricky Rodriquez on bass and Jimmy McBride on drums.
National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Sheila Jordan follows the next night. Widely regarded as one of the great jazz vocalists, she remains innovative and passionate, at the youthful of 92. Always eager to forge new connections, Jordan will be accompanied by Capital Region jazz artists Dylan Perrillo on bass, Nick Anderson on drums, and Tyler Giroux on piano.
Saratoga’s own Chuck Lamb closes out the festivities on Sunday with a trio featuring Harvey Sorgen on drums and Jay Anderson on bass. Lamb, best known as the pianist for the Brubeck Brothers Quartet, is the artist-in-residence for the acclaimed monthly “Jazz at Caffe Lena” music series. Each musician brings a wealth of talent and experience to the stage ranging from all corners of jazz music.
Caffe Lena offers a state of the art live stream experience with professional sound engineering and a multi-camera broadcasting system. Throughout the COVID-19 shutdown, the Caffe’s live stream capabilities became a lifeline for the organization as they shifted their programming to an entirely virtual experience. Now they are open for limited capacity live audiences, while also continuing to stream its nightly performances as a way to stay connected with music lovers far and wide.
Founded in 1960, Caffè Lena is a premiere concert venue located in Saratoga Springs, NY. Known around the world for fostering the preservation and growth of independent music rooted in tradition, Caffè Lena is the oldest continually running coffee house in the United States.
In person or virtually, Caffe Lena provides an unparalleled listening experience for renowned artists and breakout bands nearly every night of the week. The Caffe offers homemade desserts, locally sourced light fare, coffee, wine and beer to enjoy during the show. To buy tickets, live stream a concert and view our schedule please visit www.caffelena.org
Summary of Events Thursday, June 17, 7 PM – Manuel Valera New Cuban Express Friday, June 18, 8 PM – Sheila Jordan Trio Sunday, June 20, 7 PM – Lamb-Sorgen-Anderson
