Governors Ball Music Festival 2022 is less than a month away, and festival organizers have announced the stage layout and daily schedule. Initially available in the Gov Ball app for the first 24 hours, fans can now start putting together and sharing their own custom schedules.
The schedule this year does an excellent job of avoiding any major conflicts and the layout of the venue allows fans to move easily between stages. Some notable overlaps include JPEGMAFIA vs. Channel Tres on Friday, YG vs. Diesel or Flume vs. Halsey on Saturday, and Kaytranada vs. J. Cole on Sunday.
Post Malone at Gov Ball 2021. Photo by David Reichmann
Last year’s Governors Ball lineup included massive headliners such as Billie Eilish, A$AP Rocky, and Post Malone. The festival’s first year at Citi Field was a massive success, despite their departure from the traditional Randall’s Island venue, with over 150,000 people in attendance reported. The more centrally located venue in the heart of Flushing boasts easy access to the subway, bus, and pedestrian throughways giving fans much easier accessibility.
Governors Ball 2022 Schedule
Returning to Citi Field from June 10th to June 12th, 2022, the stacked lineup features headliners Halsey, Kid Cudi, and J. Cole along with a slew of up and coming and long-standing artists. Governors Ball has always showcased local New York artists on the bill, and this year is no different.
Singer and songwriter Gus Dapperton was born and raised in Warwick, and ska-punk band Millington hail from Albany. Plastic Picnic features two duos from the Pacific Northwest who met in Brooklyn after moving to the city and formed a new band. The overall lineup represents a melting pot of musical tastes, styles, and regions, but that’s a story as old as New York itself.
Billie Eilish at Gov Ball 2021. Photo by David Reichmann
Governors Ball also successfully mimics New York’s long history of dive bar concerts with their Bud Light Seltzer Sessions. Embedded into the festival layout, this small stage features some of the names on the lineup who will perform a more intimate set at the casual dive bar style stage. The magic of a festival happens when you round a corner and bump into something unexpected, and these more casual performances provide just that.
Outside of the music, the star of the weekend will certainly be the food. Queens County is one of the most diverse municipalities anywhere in the world and a festival that calls Queens home must have the food to prove it. There will be classic NYC staples such as Roberta’s Pizza, Doughnuttery donuts, and Williamsburg’s finest fried chicken with Sweet Chick.
Choose between Destination Dumplings and Disos’ Italian sandwiches, Gordos Cantina tacos or Empanada Papas. And it wouldn’t be Queens without the largest Greek community outside of Greece represented with Efes Greek Kitchen and Souvlaki GR. Check out the entire food lineup below.
With the festival rapidly approaching, tickets are still available. Third and final tier 3-Day GA tickets are still on sale as well as single day tickets to all three days and the VIP and Platinum ticket packages. Full ticket details can be found HERE.
Read more about the official Governors Ball After Dark late night shows that take place after the estival HERE. NYS Music will be on the ground again this year at Governors Ball, so stay tuned for full artist photo galleries from this year’s festival. In the meantime, check out some highlights from the 2021 festival by David Reichmann and Steve Malinski.
Founders Entertainment have announced the lineup for the Governors Ball After Dark shows this June. The shows take place at intimate venues across NYC in the late night hours after the festival at Citi Field ends.
On Thursday, June 9th, the night before the start of Gov Ball, fans have a choice of three excellent shows at longstanding small venues in Brooklyn and Manhattan. Tove Lo headlines Irving Plaza, Beabadoobee is at Warsaw, and Ultra Q play Mercury Lounge.
On Friday, Soccer Mommy returns to NYC after their incredibly successful 2021 tour for a headlining show at Bowery Ballroom and Benee plays further uptown at Irving Plaza.
Saturday night is stacked six shows but standout performances include Kaytranada (DJ Set) at Elsewhere and a mysterious “Gov Ball Hall of Fame w/ Bucket Listers” performance at the Fotografiska photography museum in Gramercy. The full schedule and ticket links can be found below.
There is a Citi cardmember presale happening right now for Governors Ball After Dark shows, with a general on-sale this Friday, May 6th at 10AM ET. More information and ticket links can be found here.
Stay tuned for the daily schedule announcements in the coming weeks.
Thursday, June 9th Tove Lo @ Irving Plaza (Tickets) beabadoobee @ Warsaw (Tickets) Ultra Q @ Mercury Lounge (Tickets)
Friday, June 10th Benee @ Irving Plaza (Tickets) Soccer Mommy @ Bowery Ballroom (Tickets)
Saturday, June 11th Kaytranda (DJ Set) @ Elsewhere (Tickets) The Teskey Brothers @ Irving Plaza (Tickets) Surf Curse @ Bowery Ballroom (Tickets) Plastic Picnic @ Mercury Lounge (Tickets) Gov Ball Hall of Fame w/ Bucket Listers @ Fotografiska Ping Pong Dance Party w/ Bucket Listers @ SPIN
Monday, June 13th Almost Monday @ Mercury Lounge (Tickets)
English indie rockers Alt-J made their way to Madison Square Garden on Monday, April 11 as part of The Dream tour. The show is Alt-J’s first New York show in four years since the band’s performance at the 2018 Mountain Jam Festival at Hunter Mountain. These shows come in support of their fourth studio album The Dream, released back in February on Infectious Records.
Support across the tour is coming from Alaskan indie veterans Portugal. The Man and this second leg of the run also features Cherry Glazerr. Portugal. The Man have been at it since 2005 and are gearing up to release their ninth studio LP. The as-of-yet untitled album features the lead single, “What, Me Worry?” and is out this June. As they always do, Portugal. The Man opened the show by inviting members from indigenous people groups that represent the land they are playing on. After this intorduction, the band kicked off their set with a thrash metal medley of Metallica, Pantera, and Slayer before playing one of their own songs. PTM typically plays their live sets as giant medleys, showcasing a really cool moment when the played “Another Brick In The Wall (pt. 2)” into their classic hit “Purple Yellow Red and Blue.”
Portugal. The Man at MSG, 4/11/22. Photo by Buscar Photo
It has been a quiet 5-years since Alt-J put out their last album, 2017s Relaxer. The band came out of hiding late last year with the announcement of The Dream along with lead single “U&ME.” The song starts off with a wandering guitar and vocal melody, dreaming of summer nostalgia and hot dogs off the grill. The song picks up the pace halfway through and crescendos into a psychedelic summer ballad. On Monday night, Alt-J also played the highly experimental The Dream songs “Chicago” and “Philadelphia.” Alt-J’s stage set-up for this tour is quite remarkable. The three band members are on elevated platforms, surrounded by a semi-transparent screen that they project visuals onto, completely immersing the band into the visual presentation.
With only four LPs, the band played many songs from each of their releases but weaved them together in such a compelling way that they could have been playing a complete album in full. Alt-J have been incredibly consistent over the years, and created quite a unique sound in the oversaturated indie rock scene. As a trio from the start, Alt-J never try to make their music too dense with many layers. Instead, the three members allow the instruments they are playing to shine through as clear as possible while moving in and out of subtle movements within their songs. They are uniquely able to create the illusion of a five-piece band without adding too much at any given point.
The US leg of the tour is nearing the end, with three more shows in Boston, Montreal, and Toronto. The band then heads over to the UK for a run of shows in May and then a larger European run in Novemeber. Head over the the band’s website for more info and check out our full photo gallery of Alt-J at Madison Square Garden below.
Pop-punk mainstays The Maine celebrated their 15th anniversary as a band this past Monday, April 4th at Webster Hall. The band last played in NYC back in August 2021 as part of the Sad Summer Festival, but the show at Webster Hall was The Maine’s first NYC headline in over four years. Overjoyed to be playing a club in the city again, singer John O’Callaghan thanked the fans for their longstanding support and treated them to a career spanning setlist.
The Maine at Webster Hall, 4/4/22. Photo by Buscar Photo
As the house lights went down, archetypal party song “Sweet Caroline” played over the PA as The Maine filed onto the Webster Hall stage. The song provides a perfect segway into the opening track from their 2021 LP XOXO: From Love & Anxiety In Real Time, “Sticky,” which references the Neil Diamond anthem. Staying true to their Southwest roots, light-up cowboy hats were on sale at the merch table, and have been a crucial part of the band’s merch package for many years. Looking around Webster Hall you found dozens of these hats as well as fan-made versions lighting up the room. Going along with the passion of The Maine’s fan community known as “8123,” the crowd exploded with energy as the band played the first notes of “We All Roll Along” from their debut Can’t Stop Won’t Stop.
The Maine at Webster Hall, 4/4/22. Photo by Buscar Photo
The Maine’s latest record was released last summer, and the band spent the second half of 2021 on tour supporting All Time Low; a tour that stopped at NYC’s Pier 17 for the Sad Summer Fest back in August. The current headlining tour (which began in January) is the first time the band is able to fully flesh out the new songs and mix them into their classics. Mixing nostalgia and with the reality of today, John told an anecdote of losing his wallet at The Knitting Factory while asking the audience to pay tribute to his baby who was in attendance clad in earmuffs at the sound table.
The Maine at Webster Hall, 4/4/22. Photo by Buscar Photo
The band cruised through a 16-song setlist that touched on all of their albums and various singles. In the last leg of the show, The Maine introduced Taking Back Sunday frontman Adam Lazzara as well as opening artist Charlotte Sands onto stage to perform their latest collaborative single “Loved You A Little.” Released back in January the song is a classic emo/pop-punk anthem featuring vocals from the three singers. Adam, Charlotte, and John from The Maine are all individually powerful vocalists that command a room, but on “Loved You A Little” the three are mixed so well and create a unified sound as if they were all in the same band.
The Maine with Adam Lazzara and Charlotte Sands at Webster Hall, 4/4/22. Photo by Buscar Photo
“Loved You A Little” by The Maine, Taking Back Sunday, and Charlotte Sands. Via YouTube
The Maine maintain a busy tour schedule through the month of April and ending on a somewhat hometown show in Prescott, AZ on April 30th. The band also has two festival appearances at SO WHAT!? as well as the meme-famous When We Were Young Festival in Las Vegas. Head over to The Maine’s website for the full itinerary and check out NYS Music’s photo gallery from the Webster Hall show below.
Parquet Courts, the New York City based post-punk band, finished up a two-night stand at Bushwick’s Brooklyn Steel on Saturday, April 2nd. The band is on tour supporting their seventh LP Sympathy for Life; released last October via Rough Trade Records. The album features the infectiously groovy lead single “Walking at a Downtown Pace” and the psychedelic jam “Plant Life.”
Parquet Courts at Brooklyn Steel, 4/2/22. Photo by Buscar Photo
NYS Music was at night two, which featured a rather unique intro to the show. After the stage crew finished the change over between sets, a woman lit a sage bundle and immersed the stage in the smoke. She stepped to the mic and announced onto the stage, “Clown.” After expecting Parquet Courts to walk onto the Brooklyn Steel stage, the crowd was indeed perplexed, but intrigued as to what was happening. Two people walked on stage, one apparently the Clown in full face paint and a clown suit accompanied by a saxophone player. The two then played a gorgeous cover of Parquet Courts song and Sympathy for Life closer “Pulcinella.” The ambient balled swelled into a mix of sax and guitar loops, coming to a climax as Clown then introduced Parquet Courts to the stage.
Clown at Brooklyn Steel, 4/2/22. Photo by Buscar Photo
Once Parquet Courts took the stage, the crowd burst into joyous energy and never let up until the end of the show. The band played a career spanning set, and embellished much of the songs into lengthy live versions with extended jams and improvised movements. The band transforms their energetic post-punk style into a multifaceted live show that keeps even the most devout listener on their toes. Highlights of the show included the aforementioned Sympathy of Life singles as well as “Freebird II” and “Mardi Gras Beads” off the excellent 2018 LP Wide Awake!.
Parquet Courts at Brooklyn Steel, 4/2/22. Photo by Buscar Photo
Parquet Courts continue on tour through April, ending the month on the west coast before heading to Europe for a run of dates in May and June. The band sprinkles in a couple of shows in Australia later in the summer. Check out the full tour schedule HERE and see our photo gallery from the show at Brooklyn Steel on April 2nd below.
After a pandemic-induced two-year hiatus, the BUKU Music and Art Project made it’s triumphant return to New Orleans this past weekend. The 2-day music festival and art project took place at it’s usual location outside of Mardi Gras World on the banks of the Mississippi river. The project’s 10th anniversary featured a stacked lineup of EDM and bass music, rap, hip-hop, and indie rock. Back in March of 2020, as the stages and grounds were being built, project organizer Winter Circle Productions made the tough decision to cancel BUKU Project just over a week out. Being the first cancelled festival in 2020, it was only fitting that in 2022, a few weeks after Mardi Gras celebrations returned to New Orleans, that BUKU would be the first festival to kick off the season.
The 2022 lineup featured several hold over names from the cancelled 2020 edition including headliner Tyler, the Creator, Glass Animals, Alison Wonderland, Taking Back Sunday, and 100 Gecs. Over the years BUKU has grown into a 20,000 attendees per day festival and the location has proven ideal. A 100 year old power plant with graffiti covered smoke stacks and a vintage riverboat anchored on the Mississippi overshadow the project, reflecting the rich history of New Orleans’ warehouse district.
BUKU Project attendees were treated to a perfect sunny 75 degrees in New Orleans, a city that was eager to welcome music lovers back into their arms. New Orleans’ famous culture center of Bourbon Street is once again buzzing with music and activity and this was mirrored into the design of BUKU. Organizers weaved the experience of discovering local music into the fabric of the project.
As you walk around the grounds, you find pop-up musical performances, many which were not featured on the lineup. In the fields of the main stage area, there is a small vendor market with bands playing DIY style shows in the center of the market. A mobile rickshaw draped in hundreds of Mardi Gras beads was seen riding around the festival with massive speakers and a DJ playing music off the back. Outside of the ‘Ballroom’ stage, there was a boxing ring where rappers, bands, and interpretative performers played intensely experimental music.
Rickshaw and Boxing Ring “Stages”
Aside from the music, BUKU is also an Art Project that celebrates New Orleans artists. Art installations were scattered around the festival grounds and vendors were selling art and custom clothing. Modern sculptures and lighting pieces were found around every corner of the grounds, provided interesting backdrops to the music and for photos. There were also “live art” areas where graffiti and mural artists spent the two days creating beautiful pieces in the shadows of the music stages. Some of these were sold or auctioned for charity, but many fans just spent time watching the art being created while listening to the music in the distance.
Live Art Gallery
Bass Music and Underground Rap
The backbone of the BUKU Project lineup are the dubstep and bass music artists, with the ‘Wharf’ stage dedicated entirely to the genre for both days. The stage production was top notch and all of the performers took full advantage of the system’s power. Lasers from the stage were projected onto the nearby warehouse and the Louis Armstrong riverboat anchored in the river, creating the feeling of an intimate outdoor club while still housing thousands of fans. Liquid Stranger and Lane 8 headlined the stage on Friday and Saturday respectively, with Svdden Death, Mersiv, Clozee, and Wreckno filling in the days.
The Wharf Stage at BUKU Music and Art Project
“Multimedia aggregate” Lab Group also played the Wharf stage, only three months after the tragic death of member and producer Charlesthefirst. The 25 year old’s death shocked the community, but surviving members Potions and Supertask are keeping the aggregate alive and still performing the music that the group created together. At one point in their set Lab Group paid tribute by playing “Old Ways” which features rap verses from Charlesthefirst.
Lab Group Performs on The Wharf Stage. Photo by Buscar Photo
Underground rap and hip-hop played a large role in the 2022 edition of the BUKU Project in New Orleans. Odd Future founding member and now international superstar and fashion designer Tyler, the Creator headlined the project on Saturday. Ever since his solo debut Goblin back in 2011, Tyler, the Creator has been putting a fresh spin on his sound with each new release. 2019’s IGOR was an ambitious blend of rap and experimental R&B which debuted at No. 1 on the charts. Tyler, the Creator followed this up with Call Me If You Get Lost in 2021 which continued to propel his commercial success.
Tyler, the Creator at the BUKU Music and Art Project. Photo by Buscar Photo
Aside from the big name headliner, the rap lineup for both days of BUKU was stacked with rising stars and veteran artists. Friday featured ShyGirl and Tierra Whack in the Ballroom with Trippie Redd delivering a fiery set mid-day on the main Skyline stage. On Saturday, fans were treated to a full day of Flo Milli, Vince Staples, Baby Keem, Maxo Kream, and Tyler, the Creator. Another major success of the BUKU Project was that these individual genre lineups had no conflicts and fans who were there for the rap did not have to make any hard decisions.
Flo Milli at the BUKU Music and Art Project. Photo by Buscar Photo
Indie Rock and The Undefined
What festival would be complete these days without the indie kids? The best thing about music today is that anyone can listen to anything at any time. This has cultivated a generation of music lovers with a very wide palate. This was on clear display when Taking Back Sunday took the Skyline stage for their mid-day set. The band is on tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of their seminal 2002 LP Tell All Your Friends and they split their set between newer material and classic songs “Cute Without the ‘E’” and “MakeDamnSure.” The band drew a large crowd for an early festival set and the injection of nostalgia was a beautiful way to kick off the weekend.
Taking Back Sunday at the BUKU Music and Art Project. Photo by Buscar Photo
Friday headliners and Australian psych-rock titans Tame Impala were the highlight of the indie side of the festival. The band is on the second leg of The Slow Rush Tour which was partially postponed due to the pandemic but is back on the road in full force. Featuring a massive lighting rig suspended from the stage, the band’s live production overwhelms any audience they host. The lighting gives the unsettling yet beautiful feeling of coming face to face with a UFO.
Tame Impala at the BUKU Music and Art Project. Photo by Buscar Photo
The band cruised through reworked live versions of The Slow Rush songs “Breath Deeper” and “Borderline” while playing a driving, laser fueled rendition of fan favorite “Elephant.” Two extended releases of confetti during the last two songs “Let It Happen” and “New Person, Same Old Mistakes” felt like a celebration not only of Tame Impala or BUKU, but more of the return to live music in one of the richest musical cities in the world.
Tame Impala at the BUKU Music and Art Project. Photo by Buscar Photo
Given the seemingly endless creative outlets that exist today, there are so many artists out there that defy categorization and cannot fit within the typical genre classifications. 100 Gecs were an early highlight of the day on Friday. Described as “hyperpop,” the duo performs an aggressive and in your face punk-like pop music. Their chaotic style is a great show to see in a small club, but their gigantic sound reverberated across the main stage grounds as if that was their natural setting. Porter Robinson performed his Nurture live show and British indie rockers Glass Animals brought their iconic summer pool staging to same time slot on the main stage on Friday and Saturday respectively.
Glass Animals at the BUKU Music and Art Project. Photo by Buscar Photo
Our Impression
All in all, the return of the BUKU Music and Art Project to New Orleans was a major success. Organizers brought back some of the big names from the cancelled 2020 lineup and designed grounds that were well laid out and easy to navigate. Lines for food and drinks were never too long and there was plenty of free water and “BUKU Budz” throughout the festival supporting attendees. Most festivals with bass heavy electronic music suffer from sound bleed issues, but none of the stages interfered with each other at BUKU. The food lineup featured local mainstays and highlighted the signature creole cuisine of New Orleans.
NYS Music had a great time at the festival and we caught sets from so any different artists and styles throughout the weekend. We enjoyed seeing big names like Tame Impala in their prime, but also discovering new music that will become part of our rotation. Nothing is better than discovering new music live, looking over at your head-banging friends and asking “what song is this?” Moments like this are what we missed most during the pandemic and we are so happy to have back again.
Check out our artist galleries from the 10th edition of the BUKU Music and Art Project below, photographed by NYS Music photographer Buscar Photo.
Arcade Fire wrapped up an invigorating four-night residency at NYC’s, Bowery Ballroom, on Monday night. The shows come as the band is gearing up to release WE, their sixth studio LP and second from Columbia Records. After a one-off show at Toulouse Theatre in New Orleans on March 14th, Arcade Fire released the first single from the new album, Lightning I, II. The two-part song first features an anthemic ballad with singer Win Butler’s signature voice over soothing guitar and piano chords before picking up the pace into a classic Arcade Fire rock song.
Arcade Fire, Bowery Ballroom 3/20/22. Photo by David Reichmann
On Friday, March 18th, Arcade Fire began the day by announcing a surprise show that night at Bowery Ballroom. Wristbands would be given out at the door on a first come, first served basis after making a “pay-what-you-can” donation to the Plus1 Ukraine Relief Fund. Fans flocked over to Delancey Street and within a couple of hours the show was sold-out. On Saturday morning the pattern was repeated for a second show at Bowery Ballroom; again selling out within a couple hours.
On Sunday, in anticipation of a third night (given the empty day on Bowery Ballroom’s calendar) well over 100 people wrapped around the corner waiting for wristbands. However, a mysterious sign appeared on the venue door and Arcade Fire posted an Instagram message saying that “No wristbands will be available at the door tonight. Keep an eye here for pickup locations.” With many fans having driven and flown into Manhattan, there was sudden confusion and furious speculation about potential pickup locations. The drama was fueled even further when the band posted an even more cryptic message on Twitter claiming “It’s a nice day to go to the park.” Suddenly, the geography of lower Manhattan and the path of least resistance to every park within several miles of Bowery Ballroom were being scouted.
Photo on the entrance to Bowery Ballroom, Sunday March 20th.
Fans had begun to scatter around the Lower East Side once it became apparent that waiting at Bowery Ballroom was useless. A few hours later, five locations throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn were revealed on social media: Washington Square Park, Central Park Northwest, McCarren Park, Maria Hernandez Park, and Ft. Greene Park. Hundreds of Arcade Fire fans suddenly hopped in cars, on bikes, the subway, or flat-out sprinted down the streets to get their wristbands. NYS Music contributor David Reichmann and two of his friends drove to Bushwick and ran full speed through Maria Hernandez Park, managing to get the very last three wristbands in that location, also the last location to sell out. All that after 3 hours of scouring Twitter, Instagram, and Reddit trying to find clues and positioning themselves in the best spot for the location announcements.
For fans who made it inside on Sunday night, there was a collective sense of relief and excitement. They had arrived against all odds and were going to see their favorite band play one of the most unique shows of their career in a very intimate room. On every night of the run, Arcade Fire played a career spanning set, including new songs and cult favorites. At one point on Sunday, Win jumped down into the audience with his guitar, expertly catching his microphone tossed from the stage by his bandmates and handed it to a fan to act as his mobile mic stand while he played and sang amongst the crowd.
Later in the evening, Win dedicated “The Suburbs” to his brother and now former band mate Will: “This is for my beautiful brother Will.” After not appearing with the band for the New Orleans show or the first two nights at Bowery Ballroom, Will officially announced his departure from Arcade Fire via his Twitter. For these shows, and presumably the upcoming tour, Will is being replaced by Wolf Parade’s Dan Boeckner.
Win Butler of Arcade Fire, Bowery Ballroom 3/20/22. Photo by David Reichmann
On night one of the residency, fans heard classic Arcade Fire songs “Haiti,” “Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains),” and “Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels).” During the encore, the band played the new singles “Lightning I, II” followed by hit songs “Rebellion (Lies)” and “Wake Up.” Night two featured many of the same classics in a different order with the addition of the title track from their previous LP, “Everything Now.” Night three highlight was the first performance on this cycle of the raging Funeral rager “Neighborhood #3 (Power Out).
On the final night, NYS Music contributor Joseph Buscarello managed to get inside. That night, already spoiled fans were treated to a special setlist. The main set contained the same mix of classics from the previous nights. After a short break, Mike Meyers made a surprise appearance onstage for a speech. After some comedic banter with the audience, the message took on a more serious tone as Meyers addressed the war in Ukraine. Reminiscing about his parents who “fought the fascists in WWII,” Meyers implored the audience to embrace democratic governments that strive for the common good and fight against evil and oppression in the world. Doing so, he explained, is the first step towards repelling the evil the Russian government has brought into Europe today.
Arcade Fire, Bowery Ballroom, 3/21/22 – Photos by Buscar Photo
After a thunderous applause, the encore continued with a monstrous “Wake Up” sing-along followed by the live debut of upcoming WE single “Unconditional I (Lookout Kid).” Before playing the new song for the first time, Win asked the crowd not to record the performance to “preserve the surprise for everyone else.” The crowd obliged and we have not yet seen any clips of the performance online.
To close the show, Win introduced David Byrne onto the stage for the last song of the night. Byrne has performed with the band many times throughout their career, but the buzz in the room skyrocketed when he walked to center stage. Win surrendered the stage to the Talking Heads frontman and joined the marching band on the main floor while Bowery staff began tossing dozens of small tambourines and maracas into the crowd. Armed with voices and instruments of peace, 500 sweaty people turned into a single band for a grand rendition of The Plastic Ono Band anthem “Give Peace A Chance.” Byrne did the scatting and we all sang the chorus over and over for a seemingly endless amount of time. Finally, just as the band did on the first night, the show ended with a musical procession out to the sidewalk and down into the Bowery subway station platform. Photos of the subway performance from night one are below from friend of NYS Music Will Oliver.
As of now, the band is idle with nothing officially on the radar. These four shows were a truly unique experience and NYS Music was so fortunate to be able to attend two of the nights. Arcade Fire will sell out dozens of arenas later this year, and while those shows will be spectacles, the intimate energy and passion on display inside Bowery Ballroom will not be matched. Fans who scoured Manhattan and Brooklyn for wristbands saw once-in-a-lifetime performances from one of the most successful indie rock bands of the last 20 years. Keep your eyes focused on the band’s social media as they gear up for this new album cycle. Check out the gallery below for more photos from night three from David Reichmann.
Tampa, Florida natives and metal-core innovators, Underoath, stopped at Brooklyn Steel on St. Patrick’s Day as part of their Voyeurist North America Tour. Voyeurist, Underoath’s ninth LP and second from Fearless Records, showed the band staying true to the hardcore/screamo sound they helped fashion in the early aughts, while also modernizing the production and adding electronic and futuristic elements. The band refers to this enhanced sound as “high-def violence” and are in peak form on this tour.
Underoath at Brooklyn Steel, 3/17/22. Photo by Buscar Photo
Underoath brought some new and long time favorite heavyweights to Brooklyn Steel to fill out an incredible hardcore quadruple bill. Long Island natives, Stray from the Path, opened the show, playing songs from a nearly 20-year catalog including their 2019 LP, Internal Atomics. Next up was Richmond, Virginia band, Bad Omens, who recently released their third LP, The Death Of Peace Of Mind, this past February on Sumerian Records. The penultimate performers were the incredibly exciting, Spiritbox, who released their debut LP, Eternal Blue, last September. Featuring vocalist Courtney LaPlante and her husband Mike Stringer on guitar, the band creates the perfect blend of etherial and melodic post-rock with crushing waves of heavy screaming hardcore. LaPlante stretches the vocal range with stunning beauty on the live stage.
Courtney LaPlante of Spiritbox. Photo by Buscar Photo
Underoath were thought to be permanently retired after their farewell tour in 2013. Founding drummer and clean vocalist Aaron Gillespie had left the band in 2010 and the remaining members went on to release a record without him, 2010s â (Disambiguation). Gillespie ended up performing with the band on the last show of the farewell tour in Florida in January, 2013 but the band seemed finished at the time. A few years later, they returned with Gillespie in the lineup and have since released two records, including Voyeurist, which has instantly become a staple in the band’s catalog.
Underoath at Brooklyn Steel, 3/17/22. Photo by Buscar Photo
The show at Brooklyn Steel was Underoath’s first time playing in New York since August, 2019 when the band played in Saratoga and Wantagh with Korn and Alice In Chains. The Voyeurist Tour is nearly complete as they are set to close the run with two hometown shows in Florida on March 26th and 27th. Find the remaining show details on the band’s website. Spiritbox on the other hand have gained so much momentum with this new album that their tour schedule is just beginning. After these shows with Underoath, they have numerous festival appearances and a European tour stretching throughout the summer. Head over to their website for the full dates and see our photo galleries from Underoath and Spiritbox below.
Psychedelic mainstays Animal Collective brought their mind-bending live show to Brooklyn Steel this past weekend in support of their eleventh studio album Time Skiffs. “A thousand wasted Brooklyners, all depressed” sold out the Bushwick venue to see a band that has been on the forefront of modern psychedelic music for more than 20 years. Fans lined up early as the merch booth was transformed into a pop-up record store, selling nearly every Animal Collective album on vinyl including the Merriweather Post Pavilion special edition.
Animal Collective at Brooklyn Steel, 3/12/22. Photo by Buscar Photo
Animal Collective play a different set every night, but like every show, Saturday night in Brooklyn featured new tracks and a host of favorites and deep cuts. Time Skiffs featured with tracks “Strung With Everything” and “Cherokee” while Strawberry Jam hit “For Reverend Green” closed out the encore. For this tour the band dusted off deep cuts “Chores” and “Applesauce,” both of which have not been played live in 10 years.
Animal Collective at Brooklyn Steel, 3/12/22. Photo by Buscar Photo
Animal Collective are just beginning a very bust tour schedule for the rest of 2022. The US tour is two legs, with March in the east and midwest and May on the west coast. Then the band heads to Europe for two legs in June and November. Head over to their website to see the full schedule and see NYS Music’s photo gallery from the Brooklyn Steel show below, and check out our coverage from their 2016 appearance in NYC.
BUKU Music and Art Project returns to New Orleans for the 10th edition on the banks of the Mississippi River later this month. Taking place in the shadow of a 100 year old power plant, the festival boasts industrial art installations mixed with traditional New Orleans subculture to create a “playground with an edge.”
NYS Music will be covering the 2-day festival which takes place on March 25th and 26th. Headliners include Tame Impala (Friday) and Tyler, the Creator (Saturday) but the lineup also features a deep mix of underground and experimental bass, techno, rap, and hip-hop artists. Head over to the festival’s website for the full lineup and ticket information.
With a 2-day general admission ticket coming in at $120 before fees and a lineup full of up and coming artists, BUKU created a modern music festival focused on growing the underground music culture. Of course there are headliners and big names on the bill to grow the festival to a certain size, but even these artists fit the vibe of BUKU. A founding member of the underground rap group Odd Future, Tyler, the Creator has been on the cutting edge of rap with every bit of new music he releases, including his incredibly successful two album run of Igor and Call Me If You Get Lost. Tame Impala’s fresh take on classic 1960’s psychedelia inspired a massive new scene of Australian bands that are creating the best psych-rock in a generation. Every aspect of the 2022 BUKU lineup stays true to the mission of the festival.
BUKU has now released the daily schedules, creating some tough conflicts. Porter Robinson or Dom Dolla? Tame Impala or Liquid Stranger? Glass Animals or Maxo Kream? There are odd standouts on every festival lineup, and for BUKU 2022 it has to be Taking Back Sunday. We will certainly be front and center for their set, but the classic emo rock band from the early aughts certainly is the black sheep of the festival. In our experience however, these legacy bands with mid-day sets can sometimes draw the largest crowd and loudest sing-alongs of the weekend.
BUKU has also just announced the BUKU Late series of after parties taking place at various New Orleans venues. The night before the festival there is a kickoff party featuring GG Magree B2B Mija taking place at Republic NOLA. Friday night parties include Troyboi and Tokimonsta at Republic NOLA as well as a BUKU x Wakaan show headlined by Liquid Stranger at The Orpheum Theater. Saturday night has three options with Alison Wonderland (house set) at Republic NOLA, BUKU x BASSIK featuring Svdden Death B2B Sullivan King at Joy Theater, and a BUKU x Lab Group party featuring a “special closing Lab Group family B2B” at The Orpheum Theater. Tickets for all of the BUKU Late parties range from $25-$35 and are currently on presale for festival ticket holders.
NYS Music photographer Joseph Buscarello will be down in New Orleans covering the festival. Stay tuned for our daily recap and artist photo galleries from BUKU.
