Forever Honey, a Brooklyn-based Indie Rock group is once again expanding their discography with the release of their newest single “Number One Fan.”
Forever Honey is composed of Liv Price (lead vocals, guitar), Aida Mekonnen (lead guitar, vocals), Steve Vannelli (drums, keys), and Jack McLoughlin (bass, production). They are known to blend different sounds, stories and emotions to relate to their fans.
Their newest song came to be from personal experiences and the title of it is meant to be literal. Forever Honey created a song that expresses the point of view of social media users scrolling through the various platform. The group focused on the everyday thoughts, anxieties, and pressures from using social media.
“Number One Fan,” in particular, is our least abstract/most literal song, lyrically. The entire thing is about scrolling through instagram and seeing the highlights reel from everyone’s life. You know people, deeply, in the least meaningful ways; you fall in love with the least accurate version of someone.
Forever Honey
The group also discussed, during the beginning of the pandemic everyone was focused on TikTok and Instagram, which is where the lyrics from “Number One Fan” originated from.
Despite enduring obstacles, as a result of the pandemic during the debut of their first EP Pre-Mortem High, Forever Honey still managed to grasp an audience and make a name for themselves within the music industry. Their first live show took place in the Summer of 2021, following the release of their single “Satellite” and ever since Forever Honey has continuously elevated their skill set.
To learn more about the band and their upcoming work visit their official website.
As a cultural institution that provides young musicians with the education and experience to achieve excellence, the Empire State Youth Orchestra, is moving its efforts to Schenectady.
The multi-year project will transform the property, at 45 MacArthur Drive in Scotia-Glenville, formerly known as St. Joseph’s Parish School, into an establishment centered around progressive learning, leading to high-level performance opportunities within the music industry.
The former St. Joseph’s Parish School, new home of the ESYO
The goal is to establish an ensemble rehearsal academy and a permanent home for ESYO, rather than utilizing other temporary facilities. Since EYSO already provides the youth, specifically over 500 musicians with an unparalleled musical sanctuary, a place to call it home was all that was left to do.
For years, ESYO has operated out of school gyms and auditoriums throughout the Capital Region. We’ve always dreamed of having a permanent home that will best support our young musicians as they grow and develop. We are thrilled to have acquired this property and look forward to transforming it into a center for musical youth.
Omar Williams, ESYO’s new Board Chair
This organization provides opportunities for those who are selected after the audition process in all twelve counties in New York’s Capital Region, the Hudson Valley, Western Massachusetts, and Southern Vermont. This program has 13 distinct ensembles and orchestras for all performance levels.
Members are given high-class training from well qualified conductors, coaches, and extraordinary guest artists. Furthermore, the organization’s alumni include GRAMMY-nominated Vibraphonist Stefan Harris, Bang on a Can All-Star Ashley Bathgate, Ian Antonio the co-founder of the experimental piano and percussion ensemble YarnWire, and Chicago Symphony’s Associate Principal Cellist Ken Olson.
According to Schenectady County Legislator Cathy Gatta, who is also the President of the Discover Schenectady Board of Directors, this change in location for ESYO will provide major benefits for Schenectady, specifically benefiting local businesses and the community as whole.
Since 1979, ESYO has built up its reputation as a strong force within the music community and as a result of its efforts has received three American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) awards. For more information, about the organization visit the ESYO website.
Electronic pioneers of the last 50 plus years, Kraftwerk, are set for their 2022 North American Tour beginning this May. Not only is the group stopping at Radio City Music Hall on June 17, but they recently added three dates, including June 14 at State Theatre in New Brunswick, NJ.
Considering Kraftwerk has been around since 1970 and they have had to put their shows on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the group is excited to share their next best thing. With a combination of electronic music, 3-D visuals and performance art, Kraftwerk is certain they will wow their fans on tour.
Kraftwerk is known for their influence on music culture in regards to clubs and DJs, techno, as well as all forms of electronic dance music. Therefore, there’s no surprise their Remixes compilation album showcases what the group represents. This album will be available on vinyl and CD on April 8 in the U.S. Furthermore, the album consists of Kraftwerk’s original remixes from 1991-2021, as well as contributions from some of the world’s biggest DJs and producers. These prominent voices in the music industry include François Kervorkian, William Orbit, Étienne de Crécy, Orbital, Underground Resistance, DJ Rolando and Hot Chip.
Since the 1970s, Kraftwerk has set the tone for innovative techniques, synthetic voices, and computerized rhythms in regards to electronic music. The group who first began as a duo with Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider, influenced other genres of music, one being synth-pop. By the mid-1970s, the group had international recognition for their accomplishments and efforts to produce new sounds to the world of music from their experimentation with robotics and other technological innovations.
In recent years beginning in 2012, Kraftwerk changed their 3-D visuals to resemble the art scene of Düsseldorf, Germany from the late 1960s. In fact, this theme switch was first showcased at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Following the MOMA’s exhibition, this series continued in London, Tokyo, Los Angelos, Berlin and more.
Due to Kraftwerk’s impact, they have been honored with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 and were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2021.
Tickets are currently available, but to learn more information visit the Kraftwerk website.
The Cobblestone Live Music & Arts Festival is preparing for its 4th annual event with over 16 artists in Buffalo’s Historic Cobblestone District on July 15 and 16.
For this event there will be four stages: the main outdoor stage will be located on the corner of South Park Ave & Illinois Street, the second will be on Columbia Street, the third is located inside of Buffalo Iron Works, and the fourth stage is inside Lockhouse Distillery & Bar.
For the past 10 years the Historic Cobblestone District has been a neighborhood full of live music, entertainment and has paved the foundation of Cobblestone Live bars, restaurants and venues; with the goal being to grow each year until this festival is national-sized.
Following the events of the last two years, we are thrilled to announce that we are coming back bigger and better than ever this year. With the birth of Twenty6 Productions in 2020, we have resources that we haven’t had in previous years – which shows in the lineup and will certainly be evident at the festival itself for years to come.
Festival Director and Twenty6 Productions CEO Josh Holtzman
Advanced tickets are discounted: the two-day general access is $40, while the single-day general access is $25. There are also VIP tickets: the two-day access is $175 and the single-day access is $100. However, the day of the festival tickets are $50 for both days and $30 for one. Additionally, the VIP ticket for both days is $200 while the single-day ticket is $125. VIP passes consist of extra amenities such as private areas, front-of-stage viewing, a premium bar with craft beverages, lounge area and more.
Misterwives Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Andy Frasco & The UN The Hip Abduction Doom Flamingo Mihali of Twiddle Alanis Morissette Tribute ft. former members of Turkuaz Dirty Work [Steely Dan Tribute] ft. members of Aqueous & The Sideways Funktional Flow SE2 Silent Disco [Alt, Hip Hop, 2K Pop] Workingman’s Dead Grub Canetis Mom Said No The Sideways Grace Greenan
Considering April is Jazz Appreciation Month, Flushing Town Hall has announced their celebration of this monumental genre with performances from Bill Charlap Trio, Louis Armstrong Legacy Monthly Jazz Jam, Alicia Lieu, and last but not least, Mark Wade.
Flushing Town Hall is a cultural nonprofit that is known for being a sanctuary for jazz music. In fact for over 40 years, the organization has held numerous jazz music programs, in addition to events with jazz legends like Jimmy Owens, Barry Harris, Sheila Jordan, Akua Allrich, and many more. Considering Queens has been home to a variety of legendary jazz musicians, Flushing Town Hall is a creative space to keep jazz alive and discover more musical talent.
The Bill Charlap Trio, consisting of pianist Bill Charlap, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Kenny Washington, was formed in 1997 and have been a notoriety group ever since. In fact the group has been Grammy nominated numerous times for Uptown Downtown (Impulse!/Verve), Somewhere: The Songs of Leonard Bernstein, and The Bill Charlap Trio: Live at the Village Vanguard.
The Grammy Award-nominated Bill Charlap Trio is set to perform on April 8 at 8:00 P.M. During this performance the group will play some of the songs from their latest jazz album Street of Dreams. In person general tickets are $25 and $20 for members; while virtual viewing is free.
The next event at Flushing Town Hall will be held on April 13 at 7 P.M., with the Louis Armstrong Legacy Monthly Jazz Jam. This organization invites jazz students, musicians, and music educators to Flushing Town Hall to join together as one with the sole purpose of creating new music in a comfortable setting. Furthermore, the house band led by saxophonist Carol Sudhalter always begins a performance with the work of Louis Armstrong, a true pioneer of jazz. For this event, in person tickets are $10, while it is free for members, students, and jamming musicians. However, virtual viewing is free.
New Music Horizons will make an appearance at Flushing Town Hall to present classical composer Alicia Lieu and jazz composer Mark Wade on April 24 at 2 P.M. Alicia Lieu is not only a composer, but is also the founder of the Composers Collective, Pitches Brew, and New York Con-ducting Institute. At the Flushing Town Hall, she will perform new material from her opera in progress, “Unwrapping Fortune”. This work of art demonstrates the culture behind Chinese food, in addition to love.
Mark Wade is known to be one of the best bassists of this era and has played with other noteworthy jazz artists, like James Spaulding and Jimmy Heath. In fact, Downbeat Magazine Readers Poll voted him as one of the top bassists five of the last six years. The Flushing Town Hall is inviting the Mark Wade Trio, known for their improvisation to perform next month. In-person tickets are $10, while for seniors, students, and members the event is free; as well as virtual viewing.
Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) will partnering with Skidmore College this upcoming April 14 at 7:30 p.m. for a night of music with Lara Downes at the Arthur Zankel Music Center. During this time Downes, will play homage to underrepresented American composers, including Florence Price, Scott Joplin, and Billie Holiday. She will also tap into the honorary George Gershwin and Morton Gould to bring to life their music from the 1900s.
Coming from a civil rights background, Downes is not only a high demand performer, but also hosts her own series on NPR called “Amplify”. On her show she discusses with BIPOC artist what it is like to be in the music industry, with focuses on shaping the identity of a new era with bold vision, powerful mission and the inspiring energy of a transformative time. However, her work does not end there. In fact, Downes is a Billboard Chart-topping recording artist, producer, curator, activist, and arts advocate.
Furthermore, her work with Skidmore College will begin on April 13 during her piano masterclass for music majors at 5:30 p.m.
What a thrill for our students to witness Lara’s great artistry and experience a one-of-kind program in our beautiful performance space. And, how lucky for them to also participate in a masterclass with her.
Evan Mack, professor of music at Skidmore College
Tickets for Downes’ performance at the Arthur Zankel Music Center will be $30 for general admission and $10 for all collegiate students and faculty with a valid school ID. However, Skidmore students enrolled in the music program will have free admission. Skidmore College plans to follow COVID-19 protocol and strongly encourages guests to be fully vaccinated and masked at the performance. For tickets or more information click here or visit Spac.
Downes’ following visit to Saratoga will be towards the end of the Summer on August 4. She will perform two premieres: The Strayhorn Concerto and Price’s Piano Concerto in One Movement, during her Saratoga Performing Arts Center debut. For more information visit SPAC.
More Music Less Violence will partnering with C.R.E.A.T.E. Community Studios on Sunday March, 27 from 4 pm to 8 pm at the S.E.A.T. Center in Schenectady.
C.R.E.A.T.E. is known to assist in the pursuit of social change, personal growth and communication. Therefore, they are collaborating with More Music Less Violence which is an organization focused on building up a new era of musicians through non violent expressions. To start the night off, Billy Floyd, host of “Who’s On The News” podcast will be in attendance to speak. Subsequently, there will be a night full of music from Sibie Lavoz, Dev Rosario, ‘92, Quav13, Shanyia Monaee, Aari, Mandella Eskia, Bez Aloha and Rell Dolo.
Photo Credit: Eddie Quinn Photography
Those in attendance will get the opportunity to create tie dye fabric squares, which will eventually be put together for a community quilt that supports the purpose of the event. To further advocate for human rights and equality, Rae Frasier, creator of the Art Mon3y brand, will construct a live painting session in accordance with the message of the event.
Jennifer Lawrence, S.E.A.T. CEO and founder, and Emmanuel McCall, S.E.A.T. recruitment coordinator, will share the mission of their organization, their efforts to provide hope for the youth and connect them to employment opportunities.
Mfalme (Don X) Sikivu, CEO and Founder of UFD (Ujamaa Fraternal Dynasty) will also be in attendance to discuss his own successes and failures throughout his life. Although Sikivu was once incarcerated, he managed to come back stronger and create his own organization for people aged 15 to 22 who wish to better themselves and the community.
To learn more about More Music Less Violence and this weekend’s upcoming event visit their instagram page.
Blues Rock trendsetter, three-time Grammy nominee, Emmy nominee and 25x Billboard chart topper, Joe Bonamassa, is set for a 2022 U.S. Summer tour, beginning in August for his latest album, Time Clocks.
Bonamassa’s tour will begin August 2 in Nashville, TN at Ryman Auditorium and will come to an end in Wantagh, NY at Jones Beach on August 19. During the last show, Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band will be included as a special guest performer, as well as others who have yet to be announced.
Bonamassa has been hailed to be one of the greatest guitar players of his time, not only within the U.S., but worldwide. In fact, Guitar World Magazine recognizes him as “the world’s biggest blues guitarist.” Bonamassa does more than just perform and make music for his ever growing fan base, but he brings every word to life, especially with the help of his guitar. Ultimately, he combined and established the Blues Rock genre to a high enough degree that it is now considered mainstream music.
Time Clocks, was made within the Big Apple at Germano Studios/The Hit Factory, with Kevin Shirley as the producer andRoy Weismanas executive producer. This heartfelt album allowed Bonamassa to rediscover himself during a new chapter in his life. Time Clocks is a true testament to the skill set he acquired over the years as he mastered Blues Rock music.
What started out with the intentions of being a trio record turned into probably my most adventurous and involved record to date.
Joe Bonamassa
For more information about tour dates and to buy tickets for the Time Clocks Tour, as well as his current U.S. and European Spring Tours visit Bonamassa’s website.
Joe Bonamassa’s Time Clocks 2022 Summer Tour Dates Aug. 2 Ryman Auditorium Nashville, TN Aug. 3 Fraze Pavilion Kettering, OH Aug. 5 Orpheum Theatre Omaha, NE Aug. 7 Red Rocks Amphitheatre Morrison, CO Aug. 8 Red Rocks Amphitheatre Morrison, CO Aug. 11 Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom Hampton Beach, NH Aug. 12 Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom Hampton Beach, NH Aug. 13 Leader Bank Pavilion Boston, MA Aug. 16 Flynn Center for the Performing Arts Burlington, VT Aug. 18 Merrill Auditorium Portland, ME Aug. 19 Northwell Health at at Jones Beach Theater Wantagh, NY
Critically acclaimed rap group, Cypress Hill, has a busy year ahead of them, not only having just released their tenth studio album, Back In Black, but a new video for album highlight “Certified” and months of touring ahead.
Cypress Hill is a rap group from South Gate, California that have been active since the late 1980’s. They have paved the way for the rappers that followed, especially considering their desire to use Spanish lyrics in songs. This group stood their ground during a time when rappers had trouble getting booked to perform live. Cypress Hill shifted the culture of the music industry and for that their accomplishments did not go unnoticed. In fact, they earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, sold more than 9 million albums, and were nominated for three Grammy Awards.
Considering, Back In Black is their first full-length album since Elephants on Acid in 2018, Cypress Hill had to adapt to today’s culture and were pushed creatively as artists. Their newest work has reconnected the group with Black Milk (Slum Village, Lloyd Banks, Pharoahe Monch), who produced the entire album.
Within Back In Black, the group raps about cannabis but in an educational way. Knowing the impact it has had on people of color, as well as where it stands with the federal government, Cypress Hill believes it is a significant conversation to have and what better way for them to vocalize that than through their lyrics.
We can talk about smoking, but there’s still a lot of people out there that need to be educated. As the scene has progressed and evolved into what it is now, there still are some road bumps out there. It’s not federally legal across the United States. It’s legal here in California and other states, but we still face a lot of obstacles in terms of the federal government. A lot of us are pushing to finally get it recognized federally. There’s still a whole lot of work to be done, so we just keep pushing along.
B-Real
Furthermore, their video for “Certified” was directed by Tillavision, who have a great reputation for creating 3D, augmented reality and virtual reality content for well-known artists such as Swae Lee, Pop Smoke, JuiceWRLD and Young Dolph.
However, Cypress Hill’s agenda for 2022 does not end there. The rap group has plans to embark on a massive slate of touring including performances at Slipknot’s Knotfest Roadshow 2022.
With the visionary photographer and director Estevan Oriol, Cypress Hill has developed a documentary titled Insane In The Brain: Cypress Hill. It will debut as part of Showtime’s HIP HOP 50 banner on April 20 at 8pm ET/PT. This film will take viewers on a cannabis filled journey of the lives of the rap group, highlighting their relevancy for 30 years, unique sounds, and genre-shifting sonic tapestry. With never before seen footage, Insane In The Brain: Cypress Hill, will most importantly reflect the group’s everlasting brotherhood.
Tickets and VIP Packages for Cypress Hill’s tour are now available. For more information visit the Cypress Hill website.
CYPRESS HILL LIVE 2022 3/18 – Kings Of The West – Rio Rancho, NM %
On April 25th the Indie Collaborative (IC) will host an Earth Day Celebration, a night of blended music including jazz, rock, classical, Americana, and theatrical, at the Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall.
This show was to first take place in April of 2020, but unfortunately it has been rescheduled twice to accommodate the safety and health requirements during an ongoing pandemic. Therefore, the performers are truly excited to show off their talents and make this Earth Day Celebration an unforgettable one.
This performance will be broken down into two acts, the first presents the possibilities and newness of “The Beginning” and the second follows with the “Reality” of the situations. There’s only one way to discover what happens in the end, which is why The Indie Collaborative have worked hard to establish such an event with amazing artists.
This show is produced by Eileen Sherman, along with emcee Grant Maloy Smith. Lastly these are the following performers: Alan Storeygard, Alex Otey, Amy Otey, The Bluestone Sisters, Benjamin Lerner, David S. Goldman, Elaine Romanelli, Helen O’Shea, Grant Maloy Smith, Jerome Brooks Jr., Leti Garza, Mike Greenly, Mowgli Giannitti, Noshir Mody (with his band, Benjamin Hankle, Campbell Charshee, Yuka Tadano, Ronen Itzik), Ricky Persaud, Jr. (with his brother, LilNicky Persaud), Ryan VanDenBoom, Sophia Agranovich, Thomas Hutchings, and Yocontalie Jackson.
The Earth Day Celebration will be at 8PM come the day of the performance, but the doors will open at 7;30PM. Standard tickets are $60, student/senior tickets are $40, and Indie Collaborative members are $36 each. The IC discount code can be found in the members chat upon request for it. Additionally, full vaccination and masking is required, including at least one booster shot. For more information and to acquire tickets visit the Carnegie Hall website.
