NYS Music 202​2

Category: Features

  • Arcade Fire Join the Five-Timers Club on SNL

    Arcade Fire returned to Saturday Night Live for the fifth time, and first since 2018, alongside host and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness star Benedict Cumberbatch.

    arcade fire SNL

    With their fifth performance, Arcade Fire joins a Five-Timers Club of their own, alongside Miley Cyrus, James Taylor, Kanye West, Rihanna, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. (Arcade Fire had also served as backing band for Mick Jagger’s performance on SNL in 2012)

    Following their memorable 2013 appearance, Arcade Fire aired a 30-minute concert special directed by Roman Coppola, and featuring cameos from Bono, Ben Stiller, James Franco, Michael Cera, Zach Galifianakis, and more. During the special, the band performed new songs “Here Comes the Night Time,” “Normal Person” and “We Exist.” Watch the unique performance below.

    The band released their latest album WE on Friday, May 6, as well as announcing a world tour that finds them back in the Big Apple in November.

    For tonight’s Saturday Night Live, the show stayed in step with the week’s news as the cold open mocked the root centuries-old argument Justice Alito references in his leaked Dobbs v. Jackson draft. This is SNL at its best, mocking the establishment and bringing to light the modern morality of social issues.

    Cumberbatch celebrated mothers in his monologue, including his mom as well as his wife, but no overt Dr. Strange references were found tonight. Although, Cumberbatch was joined later in the show with a surprise appearance by Multiverse of Madness co-star Elizabeth Olson in “The Understudy.“

    Noting two of his favorite words are “Arcade Fire”, Cumberbatch introduced the musical guest, who dove into “Unconditional I (Lookout Kid)” off WE. With wacky waving inflatable tube men in front of the stage, Win Butler and Régine Chassagne led the band through the enchanting number, ending with Butler saying “I Love you Mom.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ownPVvCY5Us

    On Weekend Update, Kate McKinnon made an appearance as Justice Amy Coney Barrett to discuss the apparent intention to overturn Roe v. Wade (against public opinion) citing laws from the 1600s.

    Arcade Fire’s second songs, “The Lightning I,” and its album counterpart “The Lightning II,” were accommpanied by a purple backdrop projecting shadows of the 9-piece band. The uptempo “The Lightning II” raised the vibe on a dime, building a froth while pouring everything into “A day a week a month a year, every second brings me here,” cresting with repitition, and closing with “Waiting on the lightning, waiting on the light, what will the light bring?”

    In keeping with the Mother’s Day episode theme, Butler had “Call Your Mom” written onto his guitar during these songs, saying at the end ““A woman’s right to choose forever and ever and ever. Amen.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEHTTp20gz0

    To close the show, Cumberbatch and a half dozen cast members wore shirts bearing 1973, a nod to the year of Roe v. Wade. Arcade Fire then took the SNL stage for a third and final song, “End of the Empire I-IV,” as the credits rolled.

    Saturday Night Live returns on May 14 with host Selena Gomez and musical guest Post Malone.

  • Folk Artist Ryan Leddick Releases New Single “State of Mind”

    Capital District queer folk/rock artist Ryan Leddick released a new single, “State of Mind,” on Thursday, May 5.

    “State of Mind” fuses the acoustic folk-rock sound that Leddick regularly employed in his previous releases with synth-ladened overtures. The single marries his penchant for the simple and driving melodies of folk music with the complexities of synth-80/90’s pop.

    When I was creating this song all I could think about were sold geometric shapes from the 80’s and 90’s and cutting acoustic guitar rhythms and how they balanced each other.

    Ryan Leddick

    Leddick calls his single a fusion of folk and synth pop but upon listening to it you might find that his booming voice and imposing percussion sound more like a rock ballad. Or we discovered that rock music is actually what you get when you combine folk and synth pop.

    Ryan Leddick
    Photo: Mike De Socio //Design: Courtney Mann

    This expansion of Leddick’s sound came after her reconnected with his guitar during the pandemic. The synth sequences were in an effort to recreate what he called the “geometric shapes” of 80s and 90s pop music. “This mixture of acoustic guitar, electric drums, and synths always seemed to paint a geometric landscape in my mind,” Leddick explained.

    It might just be modesty on Leddick’s part but the most notable part of “State of Mind” is Leddick’s careening voice which when it first surges onto the track appears Adele-esque in its depth and control. His voice often quavers as if he’s getting choked up sharing something personal with us, giving his music an emotional introspection.

    The hook repeats the lyrics “this is my state of my mind”. It might be slightly heavy-handed, but you certainly can’t say Leddick didn’t put his heart into it.

    “State of Mind” marks his second collaboration with producer and musician Carl Blackwood of the band Bendt and Mastering Engineer Carl Staff. Blackwood also received instrumental and mixing credits on the single.

    As of now, the single is expected to be part of a larger body of work Leddick plans to release either this year or in early 2023.

  • This Week’s EQXposure Features Karl Bertrand, Mike del Vecchio, Black Tongue Reverend and more

    Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up and coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear new music from, Karl Bertrand, Mike del Vecchio, Black Tongue Reverend and many more!

    Karl Bertrand

    WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.

    Karl Bertand – “Natalia”

    Karl Bertrand is a songwriter, guitarist, and producer living in Glens Falls, NY. He’s performed on festival stages as a member of rock band Let’s Be Leonard, and has released a handful of records that are accessible on all streaming platforms. Karl is continuously recording and releasing new material and performing his original songs around the Upstate New York area. 

    Black Tongue Reverend – “Northern Burden”

    Black Tongue Reverend is a heavy psych blues rock band from Northern New York featuring Eric Tulip (bass & vocals), Mike Errichetto (guitar) and Geoff Gorman (drums). Their debut album is Northern Burden.

    Mike del Vecchio – “Meet (esophagus)”

    From his April 2022 release My Bionic Life, with all music and lyrics written, performed, recorded by Mike Del Vecchio, comes “Meet (esophagus)”.

  • Elsewhere Brooklyn Announces 2022 Lineup

    Elsewhere, the multi-room live music venue and nightclub in Bushwick, Brooklyn is back this summer and they have announced a huge lineup. Throughout the summer, the venue will be hosting over 40 events ranging from intimate shows with up-and-coming artists to full-blown parties.

    Elsewhere Brooklyn
    Elsewhere, The Hall

    Since 2017, Elsewhere has served as one of Brooklyn’s epicenters for unique indie artists to showcase their talents. For example, in February we covered Magdalena Bay’s performance at the venue. The duo magnificently blends hyperpop and synthwave in their music, and similar sounds will be found when the venue hosts 8485 and blackwinterwell’s hyperpop performance this July.

    Elsewhere’s 5,000-square-foot rooftop venue will open on Thursday, May 26th. The venue has three floors, making the best usage of the city’s necessity for vertical urbanization. The venue has two stages, The Hall and Zone One. The Hall is reserved for larger performances and large DJ sets. Contrarily, Zone One is where those intimate performances radiating hipster that peculiar Brooklyn charm happen.

    Elsewhere Brooklyn
    Elsewhere, Zone One

    In preparation for the summer season, Elsewhere will be opening its rooftop. Here is the perfect place to grab a drink and enjoy an excellent view. Additionally, live entertainment is also performed here occasionally.

    Elsewhere Brooklyn
    Elsewhere, The Rooftop

    Lastly, the venue boasts two lounges, one public and one private. At The Loft, the public lounge nestled into the second floor of the building, you can take a seat, relax, and enjoy a small food menu and drinks. The Skybridge Lounge, on the other hand, is the new private lounge at Elsewhere. Here, private parties can enjoy private table service and sound piped in from performances around the venue.

    The full schedule for Elsewhere’s Summer 2022 lineup is available at elsewherebrooklyn.com.

  • Upstate Indie Artist awfultune Releases New Album “Eden”

    Indie artist awfultune has released her newest album, Eden, along with a trio of singles including ‘Sweet Talk’, ‘Wild Tune’ and ‘Sad Love Song’. Eden is the artist’s fifth studio album. 

    PC : Shervin Lainez

    Released on April 29th, Eden is a project that dives deep into awfultune’s personal life and past heartbreaks in a way that many can relate to. The low-key, but engaging composition of songs like ‘picking up’ and ‘sweet talk’ makes listeners reminisce on the shy excitement that comes from a new love interest while ‘shut up!!!’ and ‘soda’ deal with the fall out of a relationship as well as underlying trauma and complications.

    Along with an album, awfultune also released an accompanying illustrated storybook. Showcased on her Instagram, each chapter focuses on a different song from the album. The bright and bold illustrations perfectly depict each individual message. 

    PC : Shervin Lainez

    Awfultune, also known as Layla Eden, is an indie pop artist from Upstate NY. As a trans woman, her music is heavily intertwined with her personal journey and adapting identity. She stands as an advocate for anyone who has ever felt alone or at odds with themselves. 

    Eden is available on all streaming platforms.

  • Fivio Foreign’s Coronation: B.I.B.L.E. Review

    The coronation of Fivio Foreign has long been in the works. Since the death  Pop Smoke over two-years ago, there has been a void within the New York music landscape and it seems as though Fivio Foreign has been handpicked to carry the torch.

    This spring, his debut studio-album, B.I.B.LE., was delivered to the public as an inauguration of sorts. Executive produced by Kanye West, the album’s lead single — the West and Alicia Keys assisted — “City of Gods” attempts to create a moment in New York time. Similar to Jay Z’s “Empire State of Mind,” also featuring Keys. Despite the records contrived feel, it charted at number 46 on the Billboard charts. However “Magic City,” the second single featuring Quavo, failed to do so.

    Since the release of his viral hit — Big Drip— in 2019, Fivio has maintained cultural and musical relevance and is the latest bridge in the inevitable marriage between the drill music sub-culture and mainstream hip hop. His debut EP — 800 B.C.— was released in 2020 with features from Meek Mill, Lil Baby and Quavo. There was his guest-spot on Drake’s 2020 hit “Demons,” which charted at number 34 on the Billboard Hot 100. Later that summer, he teamed with Lil Tjay for the anthemic “Zoo York,” peaking at number 65 on the Hot 100. A year later, he was heralded as having the best feature on Kanye West’s star-studded, Donda, album.

    While not the most technically proficient rapper, Fivio has gotten to this point by wholeheartedly personifying New York. His charisma, flow and contagious dialect have made him the preeminent representative of New York hip hop culture.

    The results? Well, it depends on what scale is being used. B.I.B.L.E. reportedly sold 29 thousand equivalent album units its first week. Not bad, but low enough for Fivi to remind detractors of his humble beginnings.

    Nonetheless, it’s easy to see why he was next up on the mantle for New York supremacy. With Pop Smoke gone and Kay Flock in prison, he remains one of the few pioneers and recognizable faces of the drill scene and can steer the genre through its makeover.

    This watered down version of drill that is B.I.B.L.E. shows upside as “What’s My Name” and “World Watching” are inviting records but leaves the project lacking an overall grimy-ness. Fivio’s captivating flow is enough to carry him on most songs (“Whoever,” “For Nothin“) but, his lack of variance in his lyrics leave him badly exposed on others (“On God,” “Through the Fire”). Did DJ Khaled need a nearly 2-minute interlude?

    With the New York hip hop landscape lacking a leading-man, is Fivio Foreign was tasked with leading the charge for hip hop’s mecca? Are there now reservations after his heavily backed debut failed to make a dent on the Billboard charts?

    Despite all of this, B.I.B.L.E. remains a personal success for Fivio. If the King of New York goes to the city’s most visible rapper, then Fivio holds the crown. With features from some of the music indsutry’s biggest names, he has now completed a shedding of the skin. While B.I.B.L.E. will be recognized as a drill album for those not familiar with the sound, Fivio has managed to outgrow that label and has become more of a gatekeeper than an active participant. If a rapper wants to get that New York City drill co-sign, they can go through Fivio.

    Remove all context and this is a fine debut. But, just two years ago, Pop Smoke took over the world with the Woo movement. Prior to that, Tekashi 6ix9ine ran riot throughout the industry. There are certain expectations of grandeur that come with being King of New York that Fivio has yet to meet and if he wants that respect then it starts with the music.

  • DROM Celebrates 15th Anniversary With Special Series of 15 Shows

    The acclaimed home for Global Music, the DROM celebrates their 15th anniversary with a special series of 15 shows in 2022.

    DROM is a music venue that celebrates diverse and intersecting cultures with hundreds of performances over the last 15 years from international, national, to New York-based artists. Numerous music fans and thousands of artists have ventured to the venue to experience the live music.

    Our goal from the beginning was to bring cultures from different regions into one room. We created a scene with contemporary world music and Jazz sounds

    Serdar

    Together, Sedar IIhan as the owner and director and Mehmet Dede as programming director bring DROM to life as the home for musicians and passionate listeners to live music and performances. Jazz-based artists like Robert Glasper, Snarky Puppy and Gregory Porter have performed at DROM along with a sold out show from pop singer Sammy Rae just before the start of the pandemic.

    DROM 15th Anniversary Series – More shows to be announced throughout the year:

    Drom 15th Anniversary Series – More shows to be announced throughout the year

    Fri and Sat, May 6 and 7 – Mor ve Otesi – Night one tickets / Night two tickets

    Fri, May 20 – Spanish Harlem Orchestra “Imágenes Latinas” Album Release Concert – tickets

    Sat, June 4 – Mike Stern – tickets

    Thu June 9 and Fri June 10 – Django New Orleans” featuring Stéphane Wrembel – tickets

    Wed, June 15 – Yiddish New York’s Summer Klezmer Extravaganza –tickets

    Tue, June 28 – Ara Dinkjian with NY Gypsy All Stars play the Ara Dinkjian Songbook – tickets

    Fri, July 1 – Sexmob –tickets

    Wed, July 14 – Pedrito Martinez presents Echoes of Africa –tickets

    Fri, July 22 – NY Gypsy All Stars with special guest Ibrahim Maalouf – tickets

    Sat July 30 – Summer for the City at Damrosch Park, globalFEST at Summer for the City, Presented in collaboration with Drom NYC and Barbès Brooklyn – free

    Sun, November 6 – Pierre Bensusan –tickets

    Wed, December 14 – BronX BandA featuring Arturo O’Farrill – tickets

  • Big Apple Bike Messenger Turned Street Music Star Sammy Buttons Makes National TV Debut on Rachael Ray

    Before Covid-19 closed down NYC in March 2020, Sam Pritchard had spent nearly 30 years running a successful bike messenger company. But when the pandemic shuttered every business that might need his service, Pritchard decided to close up shop. But he didn’t leave the streets; he just took to them with a new name and a new passion.

    sammy buttons
    photo by Laylah Amatullah Barrayn for The New York Times

    Sam Pritchard pivoted and became Sammy Buttons – New York’s funkiest, keyboard-wielding pop-up jam session/dance party host.  Together with a wide array of guesting singers, drummers, horn and guitar players, The Sammy Buttons Experience has been spreading the gift of groove heavy funk music to this shutdown weary city of 8 million for over two years, and often seven days a week. Sam and his rotating cast of collaborators have been serving it up on street corners, in parks and transit stations – attracting large, happy crowds from Wall Street to Harlem. And he’s been making a pretty good living at it too, one he says is far better than many musicians playing in NYC ‘s clubs.

    I have known Sam since the early 1990s, when his messenger company began serving my Manhattan-based PR firm. I knew his Covid career reinvention was an interesting one, something I had the chance to relate in a story I wrote for the New York Times. But it was not Covid alone that drove him to music. Like many of us, Sam had been a lifelong player in his off-hours, someone who always dreamed of playing music fulltime, just like his idols Sly Stone and Stevie Wonder.  He finally took to the street with his music, not only because Covid interrupted his business, but because of a promise made to one of his closest musician friends, the late bass player Tony Russell.  Russell was someone with whom he played with briefly on the streets who passed tragically at the beginning of the pandemic. You can find out more about this and Sam’s life story by reading the New York Times profile here.

    Watch Sammy Buttons performing in Sheridan Square

    There’s a saying in the world of PR that “publicity begats publicity.” And that has certainly been the case for Sammy Buttons. 

    As a result of his newfound fame,  Sammy has received some great opportunities to be a part of events that take place indoors.  He and his most frequent collaborator, saxman Bernell Jones II, enjoyed a two-week residency performing at the luxurious Soundview Inn in Greenport in February, one they will reprise this coming summer. This past month, Sammy was invited to begin hosting periodic Sunday Jam sessions at Sid Gold’s Request Room, the popular piano and karaoke bar co-founded by Loser’s Lounge piano man Joe McGinty.  Sam’s legend will soon spread to Australia when a segment shot this past month airs on SBS Television, that country’s equivalent of PBS.

    On March 3rd, New York’s new street music star made his national TV debut on the much-watched Rachael Ray Show.  Though host Ray was out on a Covid quarantine and not in the studio during the taping, she and her 2 million viewers across America got to hear Sammy’s story and experience his uniquely uplifting music and personality.  Check it out here.

    To keep up on the latest, follow The Sammy Buttons Experience on Instagram.

  • Lil Nas X To Perform Back-to-Back Nights At Radio City Music Hall

    Lil Nas X, two-time GRAMMY winner, will be touring his debut self-titled album MONTERO, this year. The acclaimed artist will be performing two back-to-back nights at Radio City Music Hall, on September 20th and 21st.

    Lil Nas X
    (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

    The 23-year-old rapper from Atlanta quickly rose to popularity in 2019, after the release and successful marketing campaign of his country-rap song “Old Town Road.” Critics were quick to judge the song, however, arguing that the song was not country enough to deserve its #16 spot on Billboards Hot Country Songs Chart, and it was quickly moved to the Hot Rap Songs Chart the following week. This controversy shot Lil Nas X to notoriety and the song eventually shot to number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

    This quick fame would even land him a featured remix of the song with country-pop star Billy Ray Cyrus, which would become the longest-running #1 single in Billboard Hot 100 history after 19 weeks atop the chart.

    Lil Nas X Long Live Montero North American Tour Dates:

    Tue Sep 06 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore

    Sat Sep 10 – Chicago, IL – Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom

    Thu Sep 15 – Toronto, ON – HISTORY

    Sun Sep 18 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway

    Tue Sep 20 – New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall

    Wed Sep 21 – New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall

    Thu Sep 22 – Philadelphia, PA – The Met

    Sun Sep 25 – Washington, DC – The Anthem

    Tue Sep 27 – Atlanta, GA – Coca-Cola Roxy

    Sat Oct 01 – Nashville, TN – Nashville Municipal Auditorium

    Mon Oct 03 – Orlando, FL – Hard Rock Live

    Tue Oct 04 – Miami, FL – James L Knight Center

    Tue Oct 18 – Los Angeles, CA – YouTube Theater 

    Fri Oct 21 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Federal Theatre

    Sun Oct 23 – San Francisco, CA – Bill Graham Civic Auditorium

    Tickets for the Long Live Montero Tour are available at https://www.longlivemontero.com/.

  • Grammy Winner Angélique Kidjo Release “Choose Love” Remix

    Grammy winner Angélique Kidjo released a remix and music video of her song “Choose Love”. The “Choose Love” remix comes on the back of her Grammy Award win for Best Global Music Album for her album Mother Nature in April.

    Kidjo at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 1, 2017 in New York City. Credit: Taylor Hill

    Mother Nature was released in June of 2021. The album, met with career-best raves, tackles major issues like the climate crisis and the struggle for freedom. The album continues to reinforce her status as a true icon of African music as she was joined by a host of young African stars which she influenced, including Burna Boy, Mr. Eazi, Yemi Alade and Sampa The Great.  

    Kidjo is a 12-time GRAMMY nominee and 5-time winner. In addition to her win for Best Global Music Album she was also nominated twice in the Best Global Music Performance category. Once as a lead artist on “Do Yourself” from Mother Nature, featuring Burna Boy, and again as a featured artist for the recording of “Blewu” by Yo-Yo Ma.

    In 2021 Kidjo was named to TIME’s 100 Most Influential People list, where Alicia Keys wrote her introduction. She also had several notable performances including at the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony and a sold out Carnegie Hall in November. She was also cast in a film alongside Viola Davis. 

    The “Choose Love” remix was produced by Grammy nominee Synematik. The music video for the “Choose Love” remix was shot by famed British photographer Platon, who was recently the subject of a Netflix documentary.

    “Angélique shows us the true meaning of leadership today,” Platon said. “With this song, ‘Choose Love’ she inspires us with her extraordinary music talent, her compassion, optimism, and hope.

    This is Platon’s first collaboration with Kidjo.

    “I love Platon’s passion for Art and people,” Kidjo said. “He has photographed the leaders of these world but also people from all over the World, from all social classes and all origins. He has shown us through his art the common humanity we all share.”

    This summer Kidjo will embark on her first foray into musical theater with Yemandja. Named for Yoruban deity, the musical is a work of magical realism set against the backdrop of slavery in 19th-century West Africa. It is a parable about gods and humans that illuminates through song what can happen when people are robbed of their culture.

    Global Tour Dates

    Saturday, May 6, 2022: The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. (Yemandja)

    Sunday, May 7, 2022: The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. (Yemandja)

    Tuesday, May 10, 2022: McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, NJ

    Thursday, May 12, 2022: Bass Concert Hall in Austin, TX

    Thursday, May 26, 2022: Africa Festival in Würzburg, Germany

    Wednesday, June 1, 2022: Bergen International Festival in Bergen, Germany

    Friday, June 3 – Saturday June 4, 2022: Holland Festival in Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Thursday, June 9, 2022: Dresden Music Festival in Dresden, Germany

    Saturday, June 11, 2022: Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris France

    Sunday, June 12, 2022: Meltdown Festival at Southbank Centre in London, United Kingdom

    Thursday, June 16 – Saturday June 18, 2022: Holland Festival in Amsterdam, The Netherlands (Yemandja)

    Wednesday, June 22, 2022: Klangvokal Festival in Dortmund, Germany

    Friday, June 24, 2022: Holland Festival in Amsterdam, The Netherlands (Symphonic)

    Wednesday, June 22 – Sunday June 26, 2022: Glastonbury Festival in Glastonbury, England

    Friday, July 1, 2022: Jazz a Vienne in Vienne, France

    Friday, July 8, 2022: Festival dei due mondi in Spoleto, Italy

    Friday, July 22, 2022: Molde Jazz Festival in Molde, Norway

    Friday, July 29, 2022: WOMAD UK festival in Malmesbury, United Kingdom

    Sunday July 31, 2022: Newport Jazz Festival in Newport, RI

    Wednesday August 3, 2022: Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA

    Saturday, August 6, 2022: Caramoor in Katonah, NY

    Friday, August 19, 2022: H2U Open Air in Uster, Switzerland

    Sunday, October 23, 2022: Palladium Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel, IN

    Saturday, January 28, 2023: Chateau Rogue in Annemasse, France

    Thursday, March 30, 2023: Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Built in Breakdance