Tag: Covid-19

Pride 2021: Where to Celebrate Throughout New York State

Wondering where and how you can get your 2021 Pride on throughout New York this summer? With COVID-19 ever looming in the background, NYS Music has you covered. Between in person events and virtual celebrations, celebrating Pride with live music in 2021 will be a highlight of the summer across the State of New York.

New York City and Long Island

New York City Pride will be kicking off with 50 events across the 30 days of June, known as Pride month throughout the LGBTQ+ community. Between the NYC Pride march, Pridefest, and Pride Island. The NYC Pride March broadcast special will return for its fifth consecutive year.

Featuring live performances, on-air interviews, and exciting street-side marching activity, the broadcast will air on ABC-7 from 12PM to 3PM EST on Sunday, June 27 as well on ABC7NY.com and ABC7 New York’s Connected TV Apps on streaming platforms Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV and Roku. All in-person elements will be produced in accordance with the most current guidelines for public events in the city. DJ Lina Bradford will be performing at the online virtual Pride Island party. Details on the event can be found on their website. Musical performances across NYC Pride are waiting to be announced.

Long Island Pride is taking place on June 13, 2021 at Eisenhower Park’s landmark Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre from 12PM-4PM. The festivities will take place in person and will follow New York State Department of Health and CDC guidance, all attendees will be required to present proof of full COVID-19 vaccination, or 72-hour negative PCR test. This year’s Long Island Pride is a pre-ticketed event only and there will be no same day entry. The event may sell out quickly with sponsorships, VIP tickets and a limited number of general admission tickets now on sale due to COVID-19. Almost Queen, The Lesbian and Gay Big Apple Corps, and DJ Disco 2 House will all be performing. Details on the event can be found on their website.

Capital District

In Albany the Pride activities will span out across the month with plenty of events. People can catch local artists performing on the Virtual Alive at 5 event. It can be found on Albany Events on YouTube and the Pride Center of the Capital region YouTube. Join the online party for the Virtual Pride Alive at 5 on Thursday, June 10, 2021 at 11AM to 12PM. Details on the event can be found on their website.

Schenectady Pride will be hosting a ‘Day of Visibility’ event at the Gateway Plaza. The event will host DJ RVMBA at 3PM, Community Stage (special guests including SLOC Musical group, Planned Parenthood at 4PM, and Drag Spectacular starring the Legends of Drag at 5pm on Saturday, June 5, 2021. Details on the event can be found on their website.

Buffalo

Buffalo won’t be having an official live pride event this year due to COVID-19 but is promoting different events throughout Buffalo in celebration of Pride. The R&B and Hip-Hop Pride Event is taking place on June 5 from 9PM to 1AM at 522 Elmwood Ave Buffalo. The event is $7 and focuses on Recording Artists of the LGBTIAQ+ Community that dwell in the genres of R&B and Hip-Hop music. Hosted by an Actress/R&B and Hip-Hop Artist named Aqueira Oshun. Loncé thee Starr, Disprettymofo, Incense, Paris Glenn, Charlie Bae, C4W2, and Jay Aquarious will all be performing. The music for the show will be spun by a DJ named Trav1sTw1n. The maximum capacity is 40 people and please be asked to wear a mask at the event. Details on the event can be found on their website.

Rochester

Rochester Pride isn’t taking place until September 25, 2021 at Mayo Park from 12-5 PM and hasn’t released information yet.

CNY

Central New York Pride will be taking place on June 26, 2021 for CNY Pride’s “Virtual Edition” Pride Festival, presented by Equitable. The festival will be featuring performances by Deviant Dance Tribe, Jason Ngo, Felipe Panama, Kitschy Scoflow, Koy Adams, Frita Lay, Sparkle Royale, Rea Listic, Tayler Mayde, and Natalie Taylor, and hosted live by the fabulous Samantha Vega, this digital festival will be streaming online June 26 and will be free and open to the public. Details on the event can be found on their Facebook page.

Keep checking back for more updates on when and where to get your Pride and dance moves on in 2021 throughout New York State.

June 1, 2021
Flushing Town Hall Virtual Jazz Jam Celebrates LGBTQ+ Pride Month

Flushing Town Hall announced their Virtual Jazz Jam for the month of June in celebration of Pride month and the LGBTQ+ community. The celebration will highlight works for LGBTQ composers and performers and will take place on Wednesday, June 9 at 7PM EST.

Flushing Town Hall’s monthly Jazz Jam is supported by the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation and has been led since 2016 by Astoria resident Carol Sudhalter. The house band members include illustrious musicians Joe Vincent Tranchina, Scott Neumann, and Eric Lemon. Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the Jazz Jams have taken place virtually. On the second Wednesday of each month, the Jazz Jams embrace a theme, and this June will be no exception. The Jazz Jams will bring together both novice and professional jazz artists from near and far to celebrate the diversity and breadth of LGBTQ performing artists.

Carol Sudhalter who is Flushing Town Hall’s Jazz Band leader spoke on this upcoming month’s celebration saying, “The LGBTQ communities have had a strong influence in the history of jazz. This month’s Jazz Jam is a moment to celebrate the works of artists and composers who broke barriers in ways big and small, who were leaders in the fight for equality, and who have inspired – and continue to inspire – us to become a more accepting and compassionate global community.”

Musicians interested in participating in the celebration on June 9 should email education@flushingtownhall.org with a suggested three- to four-minute tune they intend to play in line with this month’s theme. The performance can be live or a pre-recorded audio or video (but not a professional, edited recording such as a CD or YouTube video). Musicians who performed in 2020 are now welcome to return. Each month, up to five returning musicians and up to 15 new musicians can participate. Selection is on a first-come, first-served basis.

The LGBTQ+ celebration will be streamed for free on Flushing Town Hall’s Facebook page or Zoom on Wednesday, June 9 at 7PM EST. For more information on Flushing Town Hall and the event visit their website.

May 26, 2021
A Lovely Time Festival Announces 2021 Dates and Lineup

A Lovely Time Festival announced their 2021 dates and lineup for the upcoming festivities. The festival will take place on July 9th and 10th and will be hosted in Snow Ridge Ski Resort in Turin, New York.

This will be the third annual rendition of this festival and as always the festival’s mission is focused on creating an accessible and inclusive environment. This environment is meant to cultivate community through an Adirondack adventure filled with music and diverse activities – where any and everyone can have A Lovely Time. The festival first took place back in 2018 and was founded by Nick Feeley, Charlie Giancola, and Drew Shoup.

The festival hosts everything from vendors to live music to a DIY skatepark built in the woods. It also features art, disc golf competitions, workshops and escape rooms. There will be live music across two stages The addition of a mountain bike trail, and finishing construction on a new 18 hole disc golf course (Ridge Runner,) are also being added to the list of available activities. The 18 hole disc golf course is being done in collaboration with Snow Ridge Ski Resort and will be the only one in the Western Adirondack area. Crowd-funding for the course is currently underway for those looking to support its completion. In celebration a disc golf tournament, The Lovely Open, will be held the Saturday morning of the event (registration required).

The line up includes Petite League, Vaporeyes, Buggin Out, Johnny & The Man Kids, Dirk Green, CAKE EATER, Breakfast for Dinner, The Salinas, OTB, Omgimjoe, and Starjuice on the main stage. There will also be artists performing on the Acoustic Lounge Stage. There will be local vendors like Gannon’s Ice Cream, Cup of Rahman, Mangata Candle Co, Flower Skate Shop, Humble Glass, Boho Hobo, Forum Barber Shop and more at the festivities. Some of the workshops include rare tea brewing, yoga, guided meditation, photo composition, mystery rooms, and even ninja training.

At the heart of the festival’s mission is to be accessible and inclusive and that aligns with how the festival structures its ticket pricing. Due to current restrictions on live music events due to COVID-19 , there is a 500 guest limit. The first round of $40 blind-faith tickets have sold out. Without inflating the price and in order to break down barriers to entry, Friday/Saturday two-day tickets start at just $50 for an Early Bird special, prices then incrementally increase by $10 as capacities are reached. Tickets will be $80 at the door. All music, parking, and camping are included in ticket purchase. To open the doors even wider to all those looking to attend, A Lovely Time offers the ability to “Earn Your Ticket” to volunteers helping out during the event and leading up to the festival weekend.

For additional information about A Lovely Time or to purchase a ticket visit their website.

May 24, 2021
The Peach Music Festival Announces Jam-Packed 2021 Lineup, Daily Schedules and Streams

The Peach Music Festival has confirmed 2021 dates, taking place July 1-4, 2021 at The Pavilion at Montage Mountain in Scranton, PA. The lineup this year is jam packed, with a lineup reminiscent of early Bonnaroos.

Headlining Peach Fest will be supergroup Oysterhead, as well as Joe Russo’s Almost Dead (with special guest Oteil Burbridge) and String Cheese Incident, whom will each perform two sets.

Warren Haynes will also bring some new flair – and Allman Brothers cred – to the 2021 lineup, whereas bluegrass phenom Billy Strings and rising stars Goose did not carry over from 2020’s roster.

Also on the Peach Fest 2021 lineup are Umphrey’s McGee, moe., Dark Star Orchestra, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Twiddle, Oteil & Friends, Spafford, Dopapod, Ghost Light, Blackberry Smoke, Doom Flamingo, Keller Williams, Neal Francis, Scott Sharrard & Friends, Andy Frasco & The U.N., TAUK, Aqueous, Nicole Atkins, Brandon “Taz” Niederauer, Cordovas, The Nth Power featuring Jennifer Hartswick, Kitchen Dwellers, Mikaela Davis, Magic Beans, Karina Rykman, Blind Boys Of Alabama and more.

Daily lineups have just been announced as well, with headliners including two sets of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong on Thursday, July 1, two sets of Joe Russo’s Almost Dead on Friday, July 2, Oysterhead on Saturday, July 3, and two sets of The String Cheese Incident on Sunday, July 4.

Peach Fest’s Allman Brothers Band roots will be on full display for a celebration of the 50th anniversary of At Fillmore East. Burbridge, Warren Haynes, Jaimoe, Devon Allman and The Allman Betts Band are set to play as well. Turkuaz will bring their Talking Heads Remain In Light performance, originally slated for 2020, featuring Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads and Adrian Belew.

The initial FANS livestream lineup features festival headliners each night. Thursday’s stream features Pigeons Playing Ping Pong and Dark Star Orchestra; Friday FANS will air Umphrey’s McGee; Saturday’s stream will be Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, a finale on Sunday with two sets of The String Cheese Incident.

The Peach Music Festival started back in 2012 and has become a beloved annual festival in Northeastern Pennsylvania. It takes place every year at The Pavilion at Montage Mountain, a ski area in Scranton, PA. The festival unfortunately wasn’t able to take place like many other festivals in 2020 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The festival will take place in 2021 as long as reopening plans in Pennsylvania continue according to plan. According to the New York Times, Pennsylvania is set to be fully opened by May 31. The festival includes camping, vendors, live music, and much much more. The announcement did not include information on what the festival would look like in terms of COVID-19 guidelines or other social distancing measures, but it can be assumed it will at least follow state and local guidelines.

Tickets for the festivities are on sale already. There are 2 types of non-VIP passes: a 4-Day Reserved Pass and a 4-Day GA Pass. The 4-Day Reserved Passes provide you a reserved seat in the Pavilion 100 level during headlining acts & the artist directly before the headlining acts.

Prior to those performances, everyone will have access to the 100 level except for a small portion that is reserved for a VIP viewing area. During the headlining performances, a 4-Day GA Pass will get you access to all remaining areas of the concert venue except for the 100 level and VIP areas. 2021 Wristbands will be shipped out approximately 3 weeks prior to the event. People who want to camp are required to purchase a Festival Pass + Camping Bundle. Currently there are 4 Day General Admission Passes available.

For more information on the 2021 Peach Music Festival visit their website.

May 14, 2021
Small Business Administration Reopens Shuttered Venues Operators Grant Application

The Small Business Administration has reopened its shuttered venues operators grant application to help allocated aid to affected venues from COVID-19. The application on the portals reopened on April 24, 2021.

This news comes from the National Independent Venue Association or more commonly known as NIVA has been one of the forerunners in trying to aid venues during these trying times. NIVA formed at the onset of the COVID-19 shutdown and it now represents more than 3,000 venues, promoters, and festivals in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. The organization is, a 501(c)6 an it is known for creating and leading the #SaveOurStages campaign, resulting in landmark legislation establishing the “Shuttered Venue Operators” grant program which will be administered by the Small Business Administration.

The decision to reopen the grant application comes from the fact that thousands of small businesses that have had no revenue for 13 months and cannot wait any longer for emergency relief. The grant application is able to be completed by this application is to be completed by Live Venue Operators or Promoters, Theatrical Producers and Live Performing Arts Organization Operators, Museum Operators, Motion Picture Theatre Operators (including owners), and Talent Representatives, who are applying for a Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG).

People who are eligible can receive up to $10,000,000 who meet certain qualifications. Entities that receive a grant will not be required to repay grant funds unless the funds were used for purposes other than for authorized purposes or unless the grantee did not use all funds within 1 year of the disbursement of the grant (18 months after disbursement if received supplemental).

Audrey Fix Schaefer who is a NIVA board member and the communications director spoke on this saying, “Simply put, this is emergency relief that can’t come too soon. Every single day that passes small businesses are receiving eviction notices, all the while $16 billion has been waiting for them. This is a lifeline for thousands of independent venues and promoters in big towns and in small communities across the nation. When you’ve had revenue losses of more than 90 percent and are in fear of going under, having the opportunity to apply for the grant is a relief, no matter what day of the week it is. We’re thankful our members won’t have to wait much longer.”

For more information on the application process for the Shuttered Venues Operators Grant and eligibility view the SVOG Application Form and SVOG User’s Guide.

April 28, 2021
Lake George Music Festival Announces New Venue for 2021 Season

Lake George Music Festival has announced a new venue for their 2021 season at the Carriage House on the grounds of Fort William Henry. The season will follow state and local COVID-19 guidelines while bringing back some much needed live music to the Lake George area.

The Carriage House on the grounds of Fort William Henry was a popular venue for years ago for the Lake George Music Festival and its resurgence into the spotlight recently. A big part of this resurgence has been part of a broader effort between the music festival, the Village of Lake George, and a small group of community minded individuals who wish to see Lake George become a cultural tourism destination.

Alexander Lombard who is the festival’s founder spoke about this decision in the venue in the festival’s official press release saying,

The Carriage House is absolutely the perfect indoor performance space for us. It boasts a large floor plan, easy parking, climate control, and a multitude of other amenities in a prime Lake George location; not to mention the best view of Lake George! It has a beautiful hotel, restaurants, and attractions a short walk away. I truly hope other arts groups will take advantage of this venue in the coming years, making Lake George a year-round cultural tourism destination.

One of the big reasons the festival is so excited for this venue is the venue’s capacity to handle COVID-19 safety precautions. The venue’s spacious interior allows for significant audience distancing and because of that it gives the festival the confidence it needs to rehearse and perform safety and at the highest levels. The festival will meticulously comply with required New York State mandates including limited capacity, distancing, and face coverings. They learned a great deal from hosting our live Drive-In Series last September and will use this acquired knowledge to help the Lake George Music Festival be as safe as possible.

The ten year anniversary season will be celebrated from August 18-25, 2021. The season tickets go on sale on May 1, 2021 and the single tickets will go on sale on July 1, 2021.

For more information on the Festival visit their website here.

April 22, 2021
Broadway Workers Eligible for Vaccination in Hopes of Broadway Fall Season

Broadway workers will be able to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in hopes of opening Broadway by Fall for in-person performances, according to Mayor Bill de Blasio. There will be mobile vaccination sights set up specifically for Broadway theater workers.

Photo by Kate Glicksberg

Broadway is a staple of New York City and has been unfortunately shut down since mid-March 2020. Mayor Bill de Blasio “We have to get the theater community ready for the fall,” de Blasio said. “By the time we get there, the world will be better.”

Current guidelines allow theaters to be technically allowed to be open at 33% capacity, with a maximum of 150 people who’ve tested negative for COVID-19 before the performance. The mayor plans to set up testing sites near the theaters to help facilitate and promote the testing. They will also set more detailed guidelines for handling crowds before and after performances.

According to the Office of the New York State Comptroller back in 2019, “New York City’s arts, entertainment and recreation sector employed 93,500 people in 6,250 establishments. These jobs had an average salary of $79,300 and generated $7.4 billion in total wages.” This type of revenue hasn’t been present in the last year due to the closers of the entertainment industry in the wake of COVID. Broadway reopening would bring back part of this revenue.

Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Employment by Subsector graph.

Mary McColl, executive director of Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), spoke on this new development supporting theaters by vaccinating it’s workers in a press conference saying, “Mayor de Blasio clearly understands that we cannot socially distance in our work, making the availability of vaccines and testing critical for maintaining a safe workplace.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybIzM_XKos4

Reopening Broadway is still in the planning stages but the access to vaccines for Broadway works would start the ball rolling. The reopening process would involve rehearsals but also costume fittings, marketing campaigns, ticket promotions, and so on that in reality aren’t possible without vaccinations being available to Broadways workers.

For more articles on Broadway during COVID-19 by NYS Music click here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGMt7H6e164

March 29, 2021
Bike Tour Fundraiser to Support Watertown’s Stage Notes

With venues and small businesses facing financial strain due to the COVID-19 pandemic, innovative ideas have been keeping the lights. One such idea comes from lighting designer and electrician Chris Stowell, who has announced plans for an East Coast bike tour to help raise money for Stage Notes theatre company in Watertown, NY.

An original member of Stage Notes, Stowell’s appreciation for theatre turned into a profession. Founded in 2009 and a staple of Watertown, Stage Notes has produced fourteen musicals and donated $50,000 to local organizations. Knowing what they have done for the community, it was an easy decision for Stowell to do the tour down the East Coast to ensure that Stage Notes can continue to harbor young thespians.

The bike tour was something Stowell had always wanted to do but Stage Notes gave him a reason and a purpose to do it. With so many theatres losing money due to the pandemic, he realized this would be a perfect opportunity to raise money. The local theatre company provides an enriching, non-competitive environment in which students can further develop an appreciation for musical theatre.

The fundraiser bike tour will run for 3,000 miles and kicks off on April 1, 2021. Stowell will be taking donations for the theatre company and is happy to accept any amount. For every $1 donated Stowell will let the person give him a song recommendation for him to add to his playlist. He’ll be listening to this playlist throughout the tour. People who donate $5 can send him 6 songs.

Chris Stowell

People can follow Chris Stowell’s tour and donate here on his website or follow his other socials on Instagram and Twitter at chrisonbiketour. People can also make donations directly to Stage Notes on their website and get more information on their past performances.

March 20, 2021
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Announce Five Summer Dates, Starting in Lafayette, NY

Pigeons Playing Ping Pong announces a five show summer tour running through both June and July across multiple states. The tour will start on June 18, 2021 in New York and end on July 16, 2021 in New Hampshire.

Pigeons Playing Ping Pong are a funk band from Baltimore, Maryland that started back in 2009. The lineup is currently made up of Greg Ormont on vocals and guitar, Jeremy Schon on guitar and vocals, Ben Carrey on bass and vocals and Alex Petropulos on drums. They released their first album back in 2010 titled Funk E P. They currently have five studio albums with their most recent album titled Presto was released in 2020.

The tour will start in Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards in Lafayette, New York and will host shows on both June 18 and 19. The band will make it’s next stop on June 26 for a show at Westville Music Bowl in New Haven, Connecticut. They will move on with the tour and on July 10th they will stop at Devils Backbone Brewing Company in Roseland, Virginia. The five show tour will wrap up on July 16 in Northlands in Swanzey, New Hampshire.

Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Livel (L-R): Jeremy Schon (Guitar), Alex Petropulos (Drums) “Scrambled Greg” Ormont (Vocals/Guitar), Ben Carrey (Bass). Photo: Kendall McCargo

All the events will require attendees to be seated in socially distant pods. All shows will adhere to all state and local guidelines regarding masks and social distancing. They will be one of the first few bands to perform at the recently constructed Westville Music Bowl which is the fourth stop on their tour which was formerly home of the Pilot Pen Tennis Tournament. Their last stop on the tour at Northlands (Formerly Drive-In Live) in Swanzey was originally a drive-in theatre. The owners transformed the scenic, mountainside location into a thriving, pod-style concert field. Northlands also expanded the operation, promising “food trucks, beer and wine, improved sound and lights, and much more…”.

An artist pre-sale will commence on Wednesday, March 17th at 12 PM ET, followed by a public on sale on Friday, March 19th at 12 PM ET here.

With live music being halted for so long due to COVID-19, the news of live summer tours taking place this summer is exciting and gives hope that soon regular live music can become a reality again. For more information on Pigeons Playing Ping Pong and their upcoming summer tour visit their website.

March 18, 2021
Club Helsinki Hudson Announces Virtual Open Mic Best of EXTRAVAGANZA

Club Helsinki Hudson announces it’s virtual open mic best of EXTRAVAGANZA night highlighting a full evening of curated performances of favorite video submissions from this last “pandemic year” on March 16, 2021 at 7PM. This will be the one year anniversary ‘virtual-style’ for the open mic night.

Photo courtesy of Club Helsinki Hudson’s website.

Club Helsinki Hudson, located in Hudson, NY and closed back in March of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic along with The Restaurant at Helsinki Hudson and their event space. The open mic night has been a tradition since the creation of the venue more than 20 years ago.

Cameron Melville, co-owner of Helsinki has been the host for the open mic night for many years. He has found a way over the years to keep the well known and loved weekly event a good experience for both performers and online audiences. A whole year later and the Helsinki virtual open-mic has become a vital, well attended weekly offering, about to celebrate one year of virtual streaming— 52 shows hosting nearly 800 performances with an audience of thousands.

Filmmaker Randall Martin of Martin’s Digital Media, has leant his hand as producer on the project. Melville speaks on the project in the press release saying, “The authenticity of our submissions really blows my mind. As well as our wonderful regulars, we now get submissions from all over the country, all over the world.”

This best of EXTRAVAGANZA will host some of the best performances that have come in over the year. The open mic night will feature poetry, performance art, music, interview, pandemic journaling and On-the-Street videos, political marches and celebrations from an extraordinary year. People can stream the event live on Helsinki Open Mic Facebook page as well as the clubhelsinki.live website on Tuesday, March 16, at 7 pm EST.

For more information on the Open Mic, visit Club Helsinki Hudson’s website .

March 5, 2021