NYS Music 202​1

Tag: live shows

  • Burna Boy Announces One-Night Only Show at Madison Square Garden: One Night in Space

    Grammy-winning Afrobeats artist, Burna Boy, is on the verge of making history with the announcement of his one-night only show at the world’s most famous arena, Madison Square Garden. Set for April 28, 2022, the performance will see the “African Giant” singer become the first Nigerian artist the headline the iconic venue. 

    Burna Boy

    One Night in Space Follows several sold-out performances by Burna Boy at some of the world’s most renowned arenas and music festivals. As part of his 2021 Space Drift tour, Burna Boy has performed in front sold-out crowds at LA’s The Hollywood Bowl, he delivered electrifying performances at the 2021 Global Citizen Festival and The Governor’s Ball, as well as sold out international shows at London’s O2 Arena, Paris’ Accor Arena, Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome and more venues around the globe. 

    Burna Boy is also on a musical high as his last two projects, 2019’s Grammy-nominated African Giant and 2020’s Grammy-winning Twice as Tall, have seen him go from a star within the afrobeats community to a legitimate mainstream headliner. While he hasn’t released a body of work in 2021 after releasing projects in consecutive years, he has kept his sound in circulation, collaborating with several diverse and well-known artists. 2021 saw him on the records “I Feel It” with Jon Bellion; “Want It All” featuring Polo G, “Question” ft Don Jazzy, and “Rotate” with Becky G, which featured in Pepsi’s global football campaign “Music Keeps Us Fizzing.” The African Giant also allied with Justin Bieber on the 8x Grammy-nominated album, Justice, and with 9-time Grammy-nominee Sia for “Hey Boy.” 

    Tickets for One Night in Space will go on sale to the general public at 12pm ET on Friday, December 17th at Ticketmaster.com.  

  • Keller Williams and Upstate New York Through the years

    Keller Williams has been flowing through the Southern Tier for nearly twenty years. His first Ithaca appearance at The Haunt in April, 2002 included all the elements that has seen him earn the nickname “the one-man jam-band.” Some first heard of “K Dubb” on, K-Rock’s Sunday Night Jam Session, as an on air winner for entry to his various Central New York shows. When he played inside Ithaca College in November, 2004 while running late from Oswego, we had to rely on a Savoy Truffle ninja inside the lecture hall. She was stealth enough to provide some bracelets to gain entry to Williams performance.

    I can silently sneak through your halls…I’m a ninja.

    His November, 2021 performance at, Homer Center for the Arts, in Homer, New York saw everything come full-circle as Keller laid down two sets of blended covers. The semi seated audience cheered on as Keller brought a Rodney Dangerfield “Back to School” humor to the room. Keller also did a cover of “Back of the Bus” off of G Love’s 2004 alternative hip-hop record, The Hustle. Rhyming,

    Get your ass out of bed, Cause you know the bus is coming, If you miss the damn bus well you better start running.

    When The Grateful Dead bus came by to a teenage Keller Williams in 1987 he jumped on board for every tour with them until 1993. Bob Weirs words must have resonated in Keller…

    It trembled and exploded, left a bus stop in its place. The bus came by and I got on, that’s when it all began.

    From 1993 until 2002 Keller crafted an original song book that he weaves in to his sets today. His performances in now defunct rooms like, The Haunt and Terrapin Crossroads have now closed become legendary. His vitality and all-around quality shows inspired Central New York’s John McConnell to add a full looping rig to his acoustic one man show after seeing his 2004 Ithaca performance.

    Peach Fest 2015

    Not to worry Keller still shared the same “Cumberland Blues” the ‘Dead had in his 2002 set at the Haunt. The Homer Center for The Arts was no different as he treated the crowd to a magical rendition of “Terrapin Station” on the grand piano. Further south down route 81 in Scranton Keller’s, Grateful Grass, project shared the Peach Festival stage with Bob Weir in 2015. In similar fashion Keller invited Floodwood’s mandolinist Jason Barady to the stage for a Grateful Dead classic that really is truer than you think, The duo educated the crowd that “The Women Are Smarter” to close the show at the Center in 2021.

    One of the most exciting things about witnessing Williams perform his magic live is the way the audience gets a “backstage” view of the musical production process. While seasoned fans may know right off the bat which song he has begun to piece together, the rest of the crowd can enjoy the pleasure of listening to the slow build-up of the song as he plays, records, and loops live on stage. Waiting for that moment of recognition as he drops a familiar beat or lyric.

    If you are a fan of live music, dancing, feeling like you are a part of a live show, or rugs that really tie the stage together, man, do yourself a favor and buy a ticket next time Keller Williams graces Little Rock with his presence. Little Rock? Wait that’s farther south than the Southern tier. The past two paragraphs are credited to Central New York’s Erin Holland’s show review of Keller Williams at Revolution Music Room in Little Rock for The Arkansas Times in 2013. That’s right the women are smarter. The women are smarter, that’s right.

    Keller Williams Set List Notes 11/4/21, Homer, NY


  • The Strokes Announce NYE Show At Barclays Center

    Indie rock favorites, The Strokes, have confirmed a New Year’s Eve show at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center along with IDLES and Hinds. This will be their first New Years show in two years with this one coming on the heels of they latest Grammy-award. Tickets will be available and

    The concert will be produced by leading touring entityLive Nation, the world’s preeminant live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Sponsorship.

    At this time, under a current New York City mandate, ticket holders are required to have at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose to attend an event at Barclays Center. Concertgoers can visit the arena’s health and safety page for any updates to this mandate, along with a list of other safety measures and protocols.

    The Strokes released news of their upcoming NYE concert after recently headlining at Miami music festival, III Points and Atlanta’s Shaky Knees as well as their highly anticipated sold out show at The Forum in Los Angeles. Most recently, they made an appearance this past Halloween weekend at Outside Lands in San Francisco. Those that won’t be able to catch the NYE performance can rest easy, as the group have released numerous dates performing at festivals and select stadium dates along with Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2022.

    After releasing, The New Abnormal, their first album in seven years, the anticipation skyrocketed the album to chart topping status in 2020. Their latest Grammy is one in a long list of achievements as 2021 marks the twentieth anniversary of their record-shattering and universally beloved debut album, Is This It.

    THE STROKES LIVE

    2021

    December 31 Barclays Center Brooklyn, NY

    2022

    May 21 Corona Capital Guadalajara, Mexico

    June 3 Primavera Sound Sant Adrià de Besòs, Spain

    June 10 Primavera Sound Sant Adria de Besos, Spain

    June 12 Tempelhof Sounds Berlin, Germany

    July 6 NOS Alive Lisbon, Portugal

    July 8 Lytham Festival Lytham, U.K.

    July 9 TRNSMT Glasgow, Scotland

    July 22 Splendour in the Grass Yelgun, Australia

    August 3 T-Mobile Park Seattle, WA*

    August 6 Allegiant Stadium Las Vegas, NV*

    August 10 Suntrust Park Atlanta, GA*

    August 12 Nissan Stadium Nashville, TN*

    August 14 Comerica Park Detroit, MI*

    August 17 MetLife Stadium East Rutherford, NJ*

    August 19 Soldier Field Chicago, IL*

    August 21 Rogers Centre Toronto, ON*

    August 30 Hard Rock Stadium Miami, FL*

    September 1 Bank of America Stadium Charlotte, NC*

    September 3 Citizens Bank Park Philadelphia, PA*

    September 8 Nationals Park Washington, D.C.*

    September 15 Camping World Stadium Orlando, FL*

    September 18 Globe Life Field Arlington, TX*

    *with Red Hot Chili Peppers

  • Big Freedia Brings High Energy to Brooklyn Steel

    New Orleans bounce artist, Big Freedia, performed with her usual thunderous energy at Brooklyn Steel on Monday, September 27th. Bounce music is known to be raucous and high energy and Big Freedia did not disappoint, as she showed up with her signature aplomb.

    Big Freedia

    As with my other musicians, Big Freedia’s touring schedule had been on hiatus for the better part of two years. Many in the crowd mentioned that they had been looking forward to this show for quite some time and it reflected in the crowd’s atmosphere, as their eagerness to witness the pioneer of bounce music was palpable.

    Big Freedia

    A 20-year veteran of the bounce music scene in New Orleans, Big Freedia rose to mainstream prominence with vocal cameos on Beyonce’s “Formation” and Drake’s “Nice For What“, two massive hits that exposed her to a wider audience. But, unbeknownst to many is that Post-Hurricane Katrina, Freedia has been known as one of the biggest voices in the regional bounce music scene and maintains and extremely devoted fanbase.

    Big Freedia

    Despite not performing regularly for almost two years, her stage presence has not waned. Right after getting on stage Freedia immediately began flying through several tracks across her several EPs & albums at bone-rattling volume, as she performed nonstop for several records. All the more astounding as she, along with five backup dancers, frenetically went though their choreography. It’s rare to see a performer with such intensity across any genre, but Big Freedia exemplified the spirit and movement of bounce music for a hungry audience. She didn’t let up and neither did the crowd.

    Big Freedia is undoubtedly tied to her home state and her success only means more exposure for the region. What was once considered to be a niche regional sound is now being performed for large audiences in major markets. And Big Freedia displayed why it deserves its recognition, and why New Orleans is still a city to be reckoned with musically.

    This was not a one-off show for Big Freedia, she will continue touring throughout United States, with more information on her upcoming tour dates available here. Be sure to take a look at the full photo gallery down below!

  • California Party: Super Bowl 56 Halftime Show Announced, Eminem, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige to perform

    As they say, California knows how to party and Super Bowl 56 in the Los Angeles Rams SoFi stadium will be bringing the city its largest festivities to date. Jay – Z and Roc Nation’s partnership with the NFL to handle all the league’s most important music events — including the halftime show — has resulted in what is possibly the most star-studded halftime presentation ever.  

    super bowl 56

    In unprecedented fashion, Roc Nation and the NFL have announced five headliners for the annual extravaganza. The show will feature iconic producer Dr. Dre, the highest-selling rapper of all-time in Eminem, The Doggfather, Snoop Dogg, one of the most influential rappers of his generation in Kendrick Lamar and the queen of R &B, Mary J. Blige. 

    In a statement released with the news, Jay – Z echoed the sentiments. 

    On February 13, 2022, at the Super Bowl, Dr. Dre, a musical visionary from Compton; Snoop Dogg, an icon from Long Beach; and Kendrick Lamar, a young musical pioneer in his own right, also from Compton; will take center field for a performance of a lifetime. They will be joined by the lyrical genius, Eminem; and the timeless Queen, Mary J. Blige … This is history in the making.

    The quintet of legendary acts have amassed 43 Grammy wins and 154 nominations amongst them and with their close association (Dr. Dre has worked extensively worked with Mary J. Blige and mentored Eminem, Snoop Dogg and Kendrick Lamar musically, along with the Death Row ties between Mary J., Snoop and Dre) there should be plenty of chemistry on stage. They will be able to seamlessly perform each other’s songs and have enough Billboard charting records to keep the crowd hanging on to every word. 

    The opportunity to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show, and to do it in my own backyard, will be one of the biggest thrills of my career,

    Dr Dre said in a statement

    I’m grateful to Jay-Z, Roc Nation, the NFL, and Pepsi as well as Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar for joining me in what will be an unforgettable cultural moment.

    Super Bowl 56 will be held on Sunday, February 13, 2022, and will feature the winners of the AFC and NFC championships, with the hosting team a serious contender to appear in the big game. 

  • Freddie Gibbs Returns to Live Performances at Schimanski

    In an exciting prelude to his performance on the first day of the Governors Ball, Freddie Gibbs made an appearance at Schimanski nightclub on Thursday, September 23rd for the “Gov Ball After Dark” series.

    Freddie Gibbs

    A veteran of the rap game, Gibbs has established himself as a strong force within hip-hop’s landscape, while enjoying a cult following since his days as a member of Young Jeezy’s camp. Always considered a strong lyricist with great street tales, Gibbs’ star trajectory began to shift after his first collaborative album, Piñata, alongside legendary hip hop producer Madlib.

    After a string of quality projects (including another album with Madlib) and two projects with producer, The Alchemist, he broke into the mainstream consciousness with a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album in 2020 with, Alfredo. From there, it’s only been an upward trend in popularity.

    Freddie Gibbs

    Like many artists post-pandemic, Gibbs had taken a long hiatus from touring. Based on his performance, it looked like any rust was quickly shaken off. In front of an adoring crowd, he ran through his most popular records from recent projects in quick succession as he was all smiles during the entire performance, seemingly basking in the glory of being afforded a chance to once again entertain the fans.

    While his performance was fairly brief, Freddie displayed his obvious mastery of live performance, as he’s a veteran of the hip-hop game. While Freddie does not have any upcoming tours or projects announced, whatever he does next will be eagerly anticipated by both his fanbase and the hip-hop community at large.

    Check out the full photo gallery from the show below.

  • Gov. Cuomo Plans to Bring Back Live Music with Reopening Large Venues and “NY Pops Up”

    Governor Andrew Cuomo announced his plans for reopening large sized venues throughout the state on February 10, 2021. This will help bring live music back to the state in combination with the “NY Pops Up” program which is bringing 300 live performances for free. 

    NY Pops Up MSG
    Empty Madison Square Garden in NYC. Photo by Steve Malinski

    Cuomo plans to use a testing- based program, which was used by the Buffalo Bills, to bring live performances back to any large stadium or arena later this month. How the testing- based program would work is the people who provide a negative PCR test within 72 hours of the live event in question would be able to attend live entertainment like musical events. The program would also be able to be made into person for sport events like baseball, soccer, football and basketball games possible. Arenas can open to the public on February 23, 2021. 

    According to NBC New York though there will be certain rules and restrictions in place to make this possible. Some of the restrictions include a, “strict 10 percent capacity limit in arenas and stadiums with more than 10,000-person total capacity. Venues have to submit their plans to the State Department of Health for approval. Core mitigation efforts like mask-wearing, temperature checks and mandatory assigned seating to ensure social distancing will also be required.”

    cuomo regulations NY Pops Up
    NYS Governor Andrew Cuomo conducts press briefing and makes a presentation at the 3rd Avenue office in New York on July 23, 2020. Governor, announced that President Trump will not send federal agents into New York City. He again pleaded to young people to be responsible, keep social distances and wear masks. (Photo by Lev Radin/Sipa USA)(Sipa via AP Images)

    On top of this excitement of the prospect of live music in person in venues there is also the announcement of  the “NY Pops Up” program starting on February 20 through Labor Day bringing over 300 live performances. Cuomo announced that the first performance will happen on February 20 in New York City with a free performance especially for healthcare workers featuring big names like  Jon Batiste, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Cecile McLorin Salvant and Ayodele Casel. The ‘pop up’ will be traveling across the city’s five boroughs to perform in different parks, on street corners, and outside hospitals. 

    With COVID-19 still raging on throughout the world the prospect of some sense of normalcy is extremely intriguing and exciting. People across NY can be attending live events again before the beginning of March with these new programs.