Tag: NYC

Patti Smith Awarded Key to NYC by Mayor Bill de Blasio

Patti Smith was awarded the key to NYC by Mayor Bill de Blasio just weeks before the end of his term on December 27, 2021.

Patti Smith at Central Park Summerstage 10 by S. Malinski

The Key resembles the large skeleton key that opens the back door of City Hall, but is purely symbolic and it does not open any locks or doors in reality. It is a symbol of civic recognition and gratitude reserved for individuals whose service to the public and the common good rises to the highest level of achievement.

Although Patti Smith was actually born in Chicago, Illinois she has considered NYC as her adoptive city having grown up in South Jersey. Her love for the city is known wide and far so her receiving this symbol of civic recognition was obviously a big deal for her. Her reaction to this honor was saying,“I wish I could give New York City the key to me, because that’s how I feel about our city. With all its challenges and difficulties, it remains—and I’m quite a traveler—the most diverse city in the world. To receive this at 75, it makes me look even more forward to the next 25 years.”

De Blasio spoke of his decision to bestow the key to Patti Smith,”To me, Patti Smith has an authenticity that you just didn’t find… in that many places,” noting that she’s been called the “godmother of punk.”

De Blasio has been bestowing keys to a number of public figures apart from the legendary Patti Smith. Some of the public figures include legendary music producer Clive Davis (who helped stage the ultimately Mother Nature-interrupted “Homecoming” concert in Central Park), and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for his indefatigable support for the city.

Watch the full video of Patti Smith receiving this key bellow:

For more information on this Patti Smith being awarded a Key to NYC by Mayor Bill de Blasio read Pitchfork’s article on it here.

December 31, 2021
Make Music Winter Will be Back on December 21 Throughout New York City

Make Music Winter is back this holiday season, showcasing free music parades across NYC. The celebration will take place on December 21, 2021 starting at 9AM and running through 8PM.

This free, annual, outdoor music-making celebration Make Music Winter features participatory parades representing a variety of cultures and genres. These mobile outdoor events are both joyous and safe, a testament to the vitality and resolve of NYC’s music makers.

All the parades celebrating throughout the day will be also celebrating the winter solstice and longest night of the year, December 21st. The parades will showcase professionals, amateurs, and the curious and all are welcomed and encouraged to share their love of music and transform the cityscape by joining one or more of the programs listed below. The parades will feature an array of folk, world music, and pop gatherings, classical/new music events.The performances will include Bach to Beatles: Winter Solstice Waltz, Standing Still/Tilted Axes, Mutant Toy Parade, Bell by Bell, Pilgrimage, and The Mobile Hallelujah.

Here for your reference are some of this season’s highlights in chronological order bellow:

9 – 11 am – “Bach to Beatles: Winter Solstice Waltz” at The Oculus in the Financial District.

10:45 am – 11:15 am – “Standing Still” presented by Tilted Axes: Music for Mobile Electric Guitars at Herald Square and the surrounding neighborhood. As the sun “stands still” above at precisely 10:59am EST, the music parade will mark the occasion by the ringing of a bell and a special performative minute to the surprise of all onlookers. Interested participants are requested to send an email to tiltedaxes@peppergreenmedia.com by December 15th to receive further information on how to register; you must register ahead of time to perform with this program.

4 – 7:30 pm – “Flatfoot Flatbush” along North Flatbush Avenue between Park Place and Dean Street in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn.

5 – 6 pm – “Bronx Samba” at Bronx Stadium Gardens, E 161 St. between Gerard & Walton in Concourse, Bronx. Presented with the 161st Street Business Improvement District.

5:15 – 5:45 pm – “Mutant Toy Parade” at Uptown Grand Central in East Harlem.

5:30 – 7:30 pm – “Harlem Solstice Jam” at Uptown Grand Central and all along E 125 Street shopfronts in East Harlem.

5:30 – 7:30 pm – HONK NYC’s fourth annual Winter Solstice procession is a collective release through music and dance after two years of COVID-19.

6 – 7 pm – “Bell by Bell” at Elizabeth Street Garden at Elizabeth St. between Prince St. & Spring St. in Soho.

6 – 7 pm – “Melrose Parranda” starting at the Bronx Music Hall, 428 E 163rd Street at the corner of Washington Avenue in Melrose, the Bronx.

6 – 8 pm – “The Mobile Hallelujah” at seven outdoor midtown Manhattan locations including the main branch of the New York Public Library, One Vanderbilt, Rockefeller Plaza, Times Square, Carnegie Hall, Columbus Circle and Lincoln Center.

6:30 – 8 pm – “Queens Solstice Soiree” at Travers Park in Jackson Heights, Queens. Presented in partnership with Queensboro Dance Festival.

6:30 – 7:30 pm – “Tambor Tuesday Street Jam” from Astor Place Plaza to club Drom in the East Village. Presented in partnership with the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance.

For more information on Make Music Winter 2021 visit their website.

December 20, 2021
The Ritualists Announce Album Release Party for Baroque & Bleeding in NYC

The Ritualists announced their album release party for their sophomore album Baroque & Bleeding taking place in NYC. The release party will take place on December 3, 2021 at 6:30PM at the Berlin venue in NYC.

The Ritualist are a NYC based band that had their debut album drop back in 2019 titled, Painted People. The band is lead by Lead vocalist/songwriter Christian Dryden who is massively influenced by the scene of the Lower East Side of Manhattan in the 80’s. The band has an alt-rock and post-punk sound that plays off of 19th Century Romance poetry and musical arrangements.

https://youtu.be/MJ5kH4BJy0E

The band’s sophomore album Baroque & Bleeding dropped it’s title track “Baroque & Bleeding” on July 10, 2021 and it takes the best elements of Acid Rock, Brit-Pop and Electronica and serves it with a dash of ‘90s cynicism. The album was produced by Ed Buller who is known for his work on Pulp, White Lies, Suede.

The album release show took place on Friday, December 3, 2021at Berlin located at 25 Avenue A, New York, NY 10009. The show is a 21+ event and is being promoted as, “A night of rock-n-roll in the heart of the East Village.” The show is being supported by NY based Deep Sea Peach Tree and Chicago Based North by North. Ticket can be purchased for $11 here.

For more information on The Ritualists and their upcoming album Baroque & Bleeding visit their website.

November 22, 2021
GEMS Announces Open Gates Project With Three Concerts Featuring Women of Color

Gotham Early Music Scene also known as GEMS announced their Open Gates Project launching with three concerts featuring women of color. The concerts will take place November 12-14, 2021 across three boroughs of New York City.

Open Gates Project inaugural concert series is The Divine Feminine: Centering Women of Color in Early Music. This concert series is focusing on the 17th–century works celebrating the animating feminine spirit featuring an ensemble composed of women of color.

The 17th–century female composers it will be focusing on are Chiara Margarita Cozzolani, Barbara Strozzi, and Francesca Caccini. The concerts will be performed by outstanding rising and established American and international artists, with careers encompassing early, chamber, and Classical music, opera, jazz, and musical theater. The program is bookended with works devoted to the Virgin Mary. It opens with Madre, de los primores by New World visionary Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz who is considered the first great Latin American poet and recognized for her influential perspectives on women and scholarship. Pergolesi’s glorious and sublime Stabat Mater closes the program.

The Open Gates Project and GEMS as a bigger entity is committed to helping make significant efforts to make early music performance opportunities more equitable for artists of color and more accessible to historically excluded communities of color. Over the coming year, the Project will offer a rich variety of music performed by distinguished artists for diverse audiences throughout New York City.

The three performances will take place starting on Friday, November 12, 2021 at 7 PM at the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Manhattan. Then on Saturday, November 13, 2021 at 7 PM at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center in Queens. And will wrap up on Sunday, November 14, 2021 at 4 PM at the Pregones Theater in the Bronx. All audience members must have proof of vaccination and wear a mask. Check the GEMS website closer to the opening dates for full COVID-19 protocols and any updates.

The lineup includes Nicole Besa singing soprano, Aine Hakamatsuka singing soprano, Heather Hill singing soprano, Amaranta Viera singing soprano, Tanisha Anderson singing mezzo-soprano, Guadalupe Peraza singing mezzo-soprano, AnnMarie Sandy singing mezzo-soprano, Hai-Ting Chinn singing alto, Jessica Park on violin, Maria Romero Ramos on violin, Amelia Sie on violin, Patricia Ann Neely on viola da gamba, and Duangkamon “Wan” Wattanasak on harpsichord.

The program includes performances of: Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz: Madre, de los primores, Chiara Margarita Cozzolani: O dulcis Jesu, Barbara Strozzi: I baci, Francesca Caccini: O vive rose, Alessandro Stradella: Sinfonia No. 22 in D minor, and Giovanni Battista Pergolesi: Stabat Mater.

Tickets are available for $15–$30 ($5 for students, ID required at venue) are all General Admission seating and are available online by calling 212-866-0468, or at the door depending on availability..

For more information on the GEMS Open Gates Project and its upcoming events visit their website.

November 9, 2021
Talib Kweli Returns to Brooklyn Bowl

Brooklyn native and rap legend, Talib Kweli performed at Brooklyn Bowl on October 15th for the second consecutive night. Backed by a live band, Kweli performed a number of songs off his newest album Gotham, which was made in collaboration with Diamond D. He also performed classics like Raw Shit, Get By, and payed tribute to the late, great MF DOOM and Biz Markie.

The night was opened by the incredibly talented Dudley Music, who alternated between keys, guitar, saxophone, drum machine, and flute while rapping and singing through his set. Proceeding was a DJ set by Niara Sterling, including hits, remixes, and deep cuts alike, that kept the vibe in the room until it was time for Kweli. DJ Spinelect fired the crowd up with Simon Says to finally bring out Talib Kweli to the Brooklyn Bowl stage.

The live band cannot get enough credit for this amazing show. With Brady Watts on bass, Camau Bernstine on drums, Chris Rob on keys, and Matthias Loescher on guitar, their incredible passion was apparent well beyond just their playing ability. Every artist got their time to shine with consecutive solos, with Watts and Rob even getting a chance to flex their freestyling abilities.

October 20, 2021
Béla Fleck Announces My Bluegrass Heart Album Celebration show at Carnegie Hall

Béla Fleck has announced the My Bluegrass Heart album celebration show at Carnegie Hall in NYC. The show will take place on January 9, 2022 and will feature big names in Chris Thile and Billy Strings, Jerry Douglas, and many more.

My Bluegrass Heart is the third album in Béla Fleck’s trilogy that began with 1988’s Drive and continued in 1999 with The Bluegrass Sessions. Produced and written by Fleck, My Bluegrass Heart continues the tradition of sharing music between generations. The album debuted at number one on the Bluegrass Album Chart and number three on the American / Folk Album Chart.

Béla Fleck who was born and raised in New York City spoke on the upcoming concert saying, “Calling something the ‘concert of a lifetime’ sure sounds like hype, and in many cases it would be. But not this time! At least for my world and my music, this is an unprecedented opportunity to bring some of the brightest instrumental lights in bluegrass—or any other music for that matter—to the incredible Carnegie Hall stage.”

The show will feature artists like Chris Thile and Billy Strings, the legendary Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush, Edgar Meyer and Stuart Duncan, as well as members of the next wave of virtuoso players, Sierra Hull, Molly Tuttle and Michael Cleveland.

The show is part of the Béla Fleck: My Bluegrass Heart Tour. Tickets are on sale now for the show and can be purchased here .

For more information on Béla Fleck and his new album My Bluegrass Heart celebration show at Carnegie Hall, visit his website.

Full Béla Fleck: My Bluegrass Heart Tour Lineup bellow:

11.27 Grand Rapids, MI // DeVos Performance Hall

11.28 Fort Wayne, IN // Clyde Theatre

11.29 Milwaukee, WI // Riverside Theater

12.01 St. Louis, MO // The Sheldon Concert Hall

12.02 Des Moines, IA // Hoyt Sherman Place

12.03 Salina, KS // The Stiefel Theatre

12.04 Denver, CO // Paramount Theatre*

12.05 Jackson, WY // Center For The Arts

12.07 Portland, OR // Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall

12.08 Seattle, WA // Paramount Theatre*

12.09 Eugene, OR // Jaqua Concert Hall – 2 shows!

12.10 Redding, CA // The Cascade Theatre*

12.11 Reno, NV // Silver Legacy Resort Casino

12.12 Berkeley, CA // The UC Theatre

12.13 Carmel, CA // Sunset Cultural Center

12.14 Costa Mesa, CA // Segerstrom Center for the Arts

12.16 San Diego, CA // Balboa Theatre

12.17 Los Angeles, CA // Theater at the ACE Hotel

12.18 Tempe, AZ // Tempe Center for the Arts

12.19 Tucson, AZ // Fox Tucson Theatre

1.7.22 Ryman Auditorium // Nashville, TN – SOLD OUT

1.9.22 Carnegie Hall, NYC

Featuring Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer, & Bryan Sutton

* = Béla Fleck, Sam Bush, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer, Bryan Sutton

October 15, 2021
HR (of Bad Brains), Aliens and Public Nature at The Kingsland in Brooklyn
On Sunday, October 10th, HR (who is best known as the frontman for the iconic punk band Bad Brains) performed at The Kingsland in Brooklyn. Opening acts included local punk bands Aliens and Public Nature.

Bad Brains formed in Washington D.C. in 1977. They are regarded as the pioneers of harcore punk although the bands members have objected to the term to describe their music. They also feature elements of other genres of music like reggae, funk, heavy metal, hip hop and soul. The band has had several members over the years, but the classic line up includes singer HR, guitarist Dr Know, bassist Darryl Jenifer and drummer Earl Hudson.

In more recent years, HR’s performances have become more mellow focusing on primarily reggae and rasta. His current backing band includes guitarist Ezekiel Zagar, bassist jfreshi and drummer Adam Williams. HR’s distinct voice still sounded the same as he performed songs from his solo career as well as some new ones that will be featured on his new album coming soon.

Public Nature opened the show on Sunday night. The band consists of lead singer/guitarist and founder Oscar Canas, bass player Robbie Harrison and drummer Scott Lehman. They sounded terrific as they ripped through songs from their catalogue such as “Old Bus”, “My Friend”, “Find My Baby” and “Summer Rain.” The band has a very Nirvana esque sound with heavy rips and melodic melodies. Oscar came to New York via MedellÃn, Colombia in 2014 with songs he had written over the years and released his first single under the band name Tender Beats. You can check out more of his music here.

Next was New York hardcore punk band Aliens. The band consists of frontman Blake Sandberg on guitar/vocals, Kevin Jones on bass and Miguel Vela on drums. They also put on a tremendous performance with songs from their inventory such as “Committed to Wind”, “Neversleep”, “Reflex Motor” and “The In Side. This band has played historic NYC venues such as CBGB, The Knitting Factory, Bowery Electric and has toured the US. Blake has also recorded with Hunt Sales (Iggy Pop/David Bowie) and The Rammellzee. You can find Alien’s music here.

Setlists:

Public Nature: Old Bus, My Friend, Play Love, Elephant Man, Find My Baby, Every Day Saturday, Summer Rain, Sentimental, Boo, She Said, Hey You

Aliens: Committed to Wind, Moving Parts, Neversleep, Shape Shifter, Guinea Pig, Enjoy Killing Time, Stow Away, Reflex Motor, Leave Luck To Heaven, Storage Space, Watch and Learn, The In Side

HR: Psalm 100, Easy, Attitude, Everything You Do, Peace and Love II, Let Luv Lead the Way, Married Again, Mighty Comforter, Sovereignty Prayer, I And I Survive, I Luv I Jah, Shame In Dem Game, Rasta
October 13, 2021
Dead Sara Electrifies Bowery Ballroom
After a three-year touring hiatus, LA-based rock band Dead Sara finally returned to NYC on Friday, October 1st.

The excitement for Dead Sara’s return was palpable at Bowery Ballroom. As the stage got set up, fans watched the process attentively. Their eyes stayed glued to the stage even as the crew performed mundane tasks like taping the setlist down. The moment they saw the crew give a thumbs-up signal to the sound staff, cheers erupted.
Frontwoman Emily Armstrong captivated her audience with her powerful vocals and hypnotizing stage presence. The audience reacted positively, shouting out their approval after each song.

The band performed “Heroes,” “Hypnotic,” and “Good Times” amongst other tracks off of their first full-length album since 2015, Ain’t It Tragic.

What truly made the night memorable was when Armstrong spotted an American flag in the crowd. She began singing the National Anthem as a joke — much to her surprise, the crowd immediately joined in and belted the entirety of the anthem back to Armstrong. She flipped the bird and nailed a massive stage jump as she transitioned back into Dead Sara discography, cementing her as a modern rockstar.
October 4, 2021
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.

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.

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.

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!
October 2, 2021
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.

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.

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.
October 1, 2021