NYS Music 202​2

Author: Paolo Confino

  • Taylor Hawkins, Foo Fighters Drummer, Dies Suddenly at 50

    Taylor Hawkins, the drummer for the Foo Fighters, died unexpectedly at 50 years old. A statement released on the band’s Twitter confirmed his death shortly before they were scheduled to perform in Bogotá, Colombia.

    Taylor hawkins
    Photo by Michael Dinger, MSG June 20, 2021

    Hawkins, known for his signature long blond hair and technically proficient drumming, joined the band in 1997. Foo Fighters founder Dave Grohl first met Hawkins backstage at a concert in the ‘90s. After playing drums himself on the band’s first two albums he decided to call Hawkins to see if he would be willing to step in. As soon as he, got the call Hawkins accepted.

    At the time he was on tour with Alanis Morrissette with her record setting album, Jagged Little Pill. Once the tour was over, he joined the Foo Fighters for their third album There is Nothing Left to Lose.

    Hawkins grew up in Southern California after moving there from Fort Worth with his family. He started playing drums at 10 years old. At home he cites his mother as his biggest supporter.

    Taylor hawkins
    Taylor Hawkins at Madison Square Garden, June 20, 2021 – photo by Michael Dinger

    “When I first got drums, she was the one who would watch me play,” Hawkins said in an interview with the New York Times last year. ”She was a big supporter and told me I’d make it.”

    His most important influence musically was Queen. In particular, a show he attended as a 10 year, having recently started to play drums.

    “It changed everything, and I was never the same because of it,” he said in the same New York Times interview. “It was the beginning of my obsession with rock ’n’ roll, and I knew that I wanted to be in a huge rock band.”

    Taylor hawkins
    Taylor Hawkins at Sonic Temple Festival, May 2019 – photo by Joshua Davis

    His career started in his native Southern California where he would end up playing in the band for the singer Sass Jordan. His big break came when he landed the tour gig on Alanis Morrissette’s drummer.

    Ultimately, it was his personal relationship with Grohl that would convince him to leave her band and join the Foo Fighters. Hawkins would later contribute songwriting and, even, did some vocals on a few songs. As a member of the Foo Fighters he was nominated for 29 Grammy Awards, winning 12. The most recent a 2018 win for Best Rock Song for their song “Run”.

    A cause of death has not been announced, although Variety has reported that various drugs were found in Hawkins’ system by Colombian authorities. He is survived by his wife Alison and their three children.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4j0wVOcyd3g

  • Garden of Dreams Talent Show Returns This Year

    The Garden of Dreams Talent Show will return to Radio City Music Hall after a two-year hiatus on April 13. The event was previously cancelled in 2020 and 2021 because of COVID-19.

    architecture of sound
    Radio City Music Hall reopened for vaccinated audiences in May of 2021.

    Young people from the tri-state area will take the stage and perform a variety of different acts. This year’s show will feature acts from the cancelled shows in 2020 and 2021.

    The creative director of the Garden of Dreams Talent Show is rap icon and pioneer Darryl McDaniels of RUN DMC.  

    “I am thrilled that these exceptional kids will finally get the chance to bring their talents to Radio City Music Hall,” said McDaniels, who is also a member of the foundation’s board. “April 13 will be a night to remember, filled with joy, laughter, tears, and hope in the resiliency and spirit of the next generation – you won’t want to miss it!”

    The Garden of Dreams Foundation is the charity foundation of Madison Square Garden Entertainment—the company that owns Madison Square Garden, the New York Knicks, the New York Rangers, and the Westchester Knicks. The Garden of Dreams Foundation provides educational opportunities and mentorship programs for kids in the New York area.

    The talent show is free but requires ticket reservations.

  • Listen to Karine Hannah Cover KISS’s “I Was Made For Loving You”

    New York City based singer Karine Hannah releases cover of the classic KISS song “I Was Made For Loving You.”

    Karine Hannah

    Hannah’s cover of the song turns what was once a rock anthem into a slow, acoustic love ballad. She keeps the same melody throughout but strips the song of its guitar riffs and heavy drums, letting the lyrics do the heavy lifting.

    “The sensual nature within the lyrics “I was made for loving you baby, you were made for loving me” steers away from KISS’s theatrical sex energy and instead reveals a more profound passion within these familiar lyrics,” Hannah said. “The gentle instrumentals allow the listener to feel a genuine connection rather than a longing for a one-night stand.”

    Even though, Hannah transforms the song its well known melody remains as catchy and memorable as ever. Her crooning voice offers a new interpretation of Paul Stanley’s original performance. Best evidenced, by Hannah’s appealing way of stretching out the vowels in words such as “me” and “you”.

    By paring back the song’s rock trappings Hannah aims for sentimentality. It’s a target she nearly hits if it weren’t for the difficulty in separating the song from the transgressive energy so closely associated with KISS’s original version (and their whole careers).

  • Alice in Chains Tour To Stop in Syracuse and Jones Beach

    Alice in Chains announce new tour this summer. Joining them on the tour will be Breaking Benjamin and special guest Bush.

    Alice in Chains Tour

    The tour will make two stops in New York. The first on August 13 at the St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater in Syracuse and the second, a day later, on August 14 at Jones Beach Theater.

    This will be Alice in Chains’ first tour in over three years. The band will play songs from both its newest releases, “Rainier Fog” and “Black Gives Way To Blue”, and its classic albums “Dirt” and “Facelift”.

    “We’re looking forward to finally hitting the road again this summer,” said Sean Kinney, the band’s drummer. “It’s been too long and we can’t wait to get outdoors and share a night of music with our fans again.”

    Breaking Benjamin will be touring with Alice in Chains for the first time when they head out this summer.

    breaking benjamin

    “We are so extremely excited to be hitting the road with Alice In Chains and Bush,” said, Breaking Benjamin frontman, Ben Burley. It’s such an honor to share the stage with such amazing bands that we grew up listening to and have influenced us so very much! We can’t wait to see you all out there!!”

    Tickets for the tour go on sale Friday, March 11.

    Tour Dates

    Wed Aug 10 – Burgettstown, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake

    Thu Aug 11 – Camden, NJ – Waterfront Music Pavilion

    Sat Aug 13 – Syracuse, NY – St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview

    Sun Aug 14 – Wantagh, NY – Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater

    Tue Aug 16 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre

    Wed Aug 17 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center

    Sat Aug 20 – Council Bluffs, IA – Westfair Amphitheater^^

    Mon Aug 22 – Milwaukee, WI – American Family Insurance Amphitheater

    Wed Aug 24 – Tinley Park, IL – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – Chicago, IL

    Sat Aug 27 – Englewood, CO – Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre^^

    Mon Aug 29 – Salt Lake City, UT – USANA Amphitheatre

    Wed Aug 31 – Bend, OR – Hayden Homes Amphitheater

    Fri Sep 2 – Ridgefield, WA – RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater

    Mon Sep 5 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre

    Wed Sep 7 – Wheatland, CA – Toyota Amphitheatre

    Thu Sep 8 – Irvine, CA – FivePoint Amphitheatre

    Sat Sep 10 – Phoenix, AZ – Ak-Chin Pavilion

    Sun Sep 11 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater

    Wed Sep 14 – Del Valle, TX – Germania Insurance Amphitheater

    Fri Sep 16 – Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion**

    Sat Sep 17 – Houston, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion presented by Huntsman**

    Tue Sep 20 – Rogers, AR – Walmart AMP

    Wed Sep 21 – Maryland Heights, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – St. Louis, MO

    Tue Sep 27 – Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek

    Wed Sep 28 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre

    Fri Sep 30 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre at the FL State Fairgrounds

    Sat Oct 1 – West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre

    Tue Oct 4 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion

    Wed Oct 5 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live

    Sat Oct 8 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center

  • Saturday Night at the Waterhole Returns March 19

    The long running concert series Saturday Night at the Waterhole returns to Saranac Lake this month. Starting March 19 and running until May 14, the Upstairs Music Lounge in Saranac Lake will hold special performances every Saturday night (except on 4/16).

    the waterhole
    photo by Neil Sedlak

    Several notable acts will be making their Saturday Night at the Waterhole performances.

    Toubab Krewe w/s/g The Pickle Mafia – March 26th

    Toubab Krewe, a band from North Carolina that mixes jam band rock and international folk music, will perform on March 26. They are joined by The Pickle Mafia, featuring Charlie Lindner (Keys), Ben Chilbert (Bass), and Marco Cirigliano (Drums) performing original, cutting edge, high energy jazz music, with influences from modern and latin jazz as well. To truly experience the Mafia, you MUST attend a live show, where they will create a unique, interactive show, and leave you with a one of a kind Pickle Mafia experience! Get tickets here.

    The Asheville, NC based group Toubab Krewe is known for fusing rock and world music.

    Blue Star Radiation – April 2

    Later on in the series, newly formed group Blue Star Radiation will perform. The group consists of Vinnie Amico on drums (Moe.), Rob Derhak (Moe.) on bass, Tim Palmieri on guitar (Lotus, Kung Fu) and Nate Wilson (Assembly of Dust) on B3 Hammond keys and flute. Blue Star Radiation’s show will feature both original compositions and covers.

    The newly formed super group is comprised of Vinnie Amico on drums (Moe.), Rob Derhak (Moe.) on bass, Tim Palmieri on guitar (Lotus, Kung Fu, The Breakfast) and Nate Wilson (Assembly of Dust, Percy Hill, Ghosts of Jupiter) on B3 Hammond keys and flute.

    The show will feature songs from all of the members’ primary projects in addition to original compositions and select covers. 

    When renowned keyboardist Nate Wilson came to Rob Derhak with the idea to form a band on those principles, the band Blue Star took its first breath. Enlisting the drumming prowess of Vinnie Amico, and legendary guitarist/vocalist Tim Palmieri, the genesis of Blue Star came to be.

    A band of improvisational, jam band musicians that all share an affinity for the classic rock we all love and know. The ditties, the anthems, and the deep cuts that remind us of a different time. They simply write the songs and play the covers that give the audience goosebumps.

    Pretend Collective – April 9

    One of the more admirable newcomers is Pretend Collective. The band recently released a self-titled LP with indie label The Giving Groove, which donates half of all album proceeds to Nuci’s Space, an organization that helps musicians struggling with mental health.

    Tickets for each show can be found at the Waterhole’s website.

    Series Schedule

    March 19 – Raisinhead

    March 26 – Toubab Krewe and Pickle Mafia

    April 2 – Blue Star Radiation featuring members of Moe, Lotus, Kung Fu and Assembly of Dust

    April 9 – Pretend Collective and Sean Hoots

    April 23 – Bella’s Bartok and Organ Transplant featuring Bella’s Horns

    April 30 – Shira Elias

    May 7 – Annie in the Water and One Time Weekend

    May 14 – Gratefully Yours (Grateful Dead Tribute)

    Saturday Night at the Waterhole 2022 Lineup

  • ESYO appoint new Music Director, Etienne Abelin

    The Empire State Youth Orchestra has appointed Etienne Abelin as new Music Director. Abelin is from Basel, Switzerland and was described as a “post-classical pioneer” by BBC Music Magazine.

    Etienne Abelin Music Director ESYO
    Etienne Abelin was appointed the new Music Director of the ESYO on March 7, 2022.

    “Etienne possesses that rare combination of brilliant vision and compassionate empathy,” said Rebecca Calos, Executive Director of the ESYO. “Our students were captivated from his first moment in rehearsal and since then they have been abuzz about his creative energy and passion.”

    Prior to joining the ESYO, Abelin worked with renowned, Italian composer Claudio Abaddo. During his tenure with Abaddo he was selected as a founding member of the Lucerne Festival Orchestra.

    Holding numerous degrees Abelin brings a breadth of experiences to his new role. He is a classically trained violinist, who studied at the Musik-Akademie Basel, Indiana University, and at Oberlin College. He also studied conducting at the Eastman School of Music at the University of Delaware. Finally, he also holds an Executive MBA from the University of St Gallen in Switzerland.

    His latest venture was, Music-Eyes, a non-profit that created an educational tech platform that helped teach music animation. That same innovative spirit will serve him well as ESYO looks to open a new chapter after that difficulties it faced during the pandemic.

    “There are many fascinating developments in music and music education today, and I’m especially looking towards integrating with other music genres and art forms, particularly through technology. I’m excited to help position ESYO as an incubator for new collaborations and for new ways of connecting our young musicians with local communities,” said Abelin.

  • New Gwar Tour Will Stop In Albany This June

    GWAR announce The Black Death Rager World Tour this spring which will include a show in Albany at the Empire Live on June 12.

    “Ah, the cruel Spring, when life bursts forth and humans are reminded how dead they are inside! The horrific majesty of GWAR will blow through your town like painted ladies working the block for that rock.”

    Lead doom-warbler, The Berserker Blothar

    On the tour the band will be joined by opening acts Crowbar, The Native Howl and Nekrogoblikon.

    The tour coincides with the release of GWAR’s upcoming album “The New Dark Ages,” scheduled for release on June 3.

    GWAR “THE BLACK DEATH RAGER WORLD TOUR”

    In addition, to the tour and album GWAR will also release a graphic novel, “GWAR in the Duoverse of Absurdity”. It tells the story of an epic battle between GWAR and their doppelgangers from an alternate universe. The graphic novel is illustrated by established comic book artist Andy MacDonald, whose previous work includes Wolverine, Dr. Strange, and Wonder Woman.

    Tour tickets for fan club members are available Thursday, March 3—a day in advance of general sale tickets. Those tickets will be available Friday, March 4.

    Upcoming GWAR Tour Dates

    5/24: Grand Junction, CO @ Mesa Theater

    5/26: Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades

    5/27: Chico, CA @ Senator Theatre

    5/28: San Diego, CA @ House of Blues

    5/29: Tempe, AZ @ The Marquee

    5/31: San Antonio, TX @ Vibes Event Center

    6/2: Destin, FL @ Club LA

    6/3: Chattanooga, TN @ The Signal

    6/4: Charleston, SC @ Music Farm

    6/5: Charlotte, NC @ The Underground

    6/7: Joliet, IL @ The Forge

    6/8: Green Bay, WI @ EPIC Event Center

    6/10: Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club

    6/11: Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom

    6/12: Albany, NY @ Empire Live

    6/14: Hampton Beach, NH @ Wally’s

    6/15: Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground

    6/16: Providence, RI @ The Strand

    6/17: Reading, PA @ Reverb

  • The Stereo Release Music For First Time in 20 Years

    Indie rock band The Stereo release new music for the first time in 20 years on Wednesday. “Kings of No Hope” is the first single from their upcoming album Thirteen, scheduled for release on May 13.

    Along with the single and album announcement the band will also release five part podcast series about the band’s history. Also called “Kings of No Hope,” the podcast series details the band’s founding in 1999, it’s multiple dissolutions in 2001 and 2004, and subsequent reassembly in 2011. The podcast features interviews with the band members and notable music industry figures including Chris Carrabba (Dashboard Confessional) and Patrick Stump (Fall Out Boy).

    The Stereo Kings of No Hope Single

    The current iteration of The Stereo original members Jamie Woolford and Rory Phillips along with bassist Chris Serafini, and drummer Sam Hardwig.

    While never receiving widespread critical or fan acclaim The Stereo was always well respected by other indie rock musicians. “I think that there’s about 600 to 1,000 bands currently that owe their career to The Stereo,” said Jack Antonoff, the lead singer of Bleachers.

    As part of the album’s announcement The Stereo launched a Kickstarter campaign to support a vinyl production of both “Thirteen” and “The Kings of No Hope” podcast series.

  • Indie Band El Modernist Release Music Video for “New Waves”

    The Albany based indie band, El Modernist, released a new single, “New Waves” on Friday, February 25. Their release also features an accompanying music video, a first for the band.

    El Modernist

    El Modernist’s single release arrives as they prepare for NYS Music’s March Madness 2022 Tournament. The competition will begin on March 1.

    The new single address a theme common to many musicians: the struggle to fit in.

    “New Waves” is a song about never fitting in but loving yourself regardless,” El Modernist said in a press release. “We have all felt alienated at some point in life, but it is important to remember that there is no “right” way to live, and all you can really do is try and be happy as you are.”

    Despite its potentially heavy subject matter the music video for “New Waves” is more of a romp than a meditation on individuality.

    In the video for “New Waves” a mysterious masked man chases the band’s members. Killing them one by one. The assassin’s goals remain unclear. He might be a symbol for how a boring life can kill you, or for how you’re not really alive unless you’re true to yourself, or it could just be an entertaining narrative spun into a music video. Either way, the light-hearted tone and comical ways the killer takes out the band members make for an enjoyable watch.

    El Modernist defines its music as featuring “pulsating hooks and lush melodic waves of psychedelia” combined with “upbeat, catchy garage-rock” that is fused “with a modern alternative hip-hop sound”.

    Their website elaborates by explaining “[which] is a fancy way of saying they sing and play guitars and sometimes raps happen and it’s fun”, displaying the sense of humor and self-awareness displayed in the “New Waves” video.

  • Sam Kogon Releases Music Video for “Barbed Wire”

    Singer-songwriter Sam Kogon released a music video for his single “Barbed Wire” today. The track is the first single from his upcoming EP “Sam Kogon” releasing on April 1.

    Sam Kogon

    The music video for “Barbed Wire” was shot in Kingston at Kogon’s family’s pawn shop, “Sam’s Swap Shot.” In the video, a middle-aged man see’s a guitar on sale at the pawn shop that reminds him of fond memories from his youth. The video then alternates between a current and past timeline as the guitar causes the main character to reminisce.

    My grandpa Lonnie gave me my first guitar from the store, so naturally I wanted the story to focus around a guitar, in this case it’s a 1963 Danelectro Convertible that came from Sam’s. The guitar represents lost love, regret, but also a fresh start.

    Sam Kogon

    Director Jeff Mertz said the decision to shoot in Kogon’s pawn shop was intentional and part of the narrative he wanted to tell with “Barbed Wire”.

    The shop itself was also charged with nostalgia,” Mertz said. “So the story kind of naturally evolved into being about an older Sam Kogon (played by Lou, Sam’s dad) who’s reflecting on missed opportunities and regret, but is ultimately given a second chance, which he proudly takes.”

    To add another personal touch to the video Kogon’s father plays the music video’s main character. Who is supposed to be a semi-fictional version of Kogon (the songwriter) himself.