Six shows in three nights ladies and gentlemen!” Danielle exclaimed, addressing the crowd in-between songs. “Amazing crowds, amazing people. This has just been really a great moment and it actually has been very surreal, but I’m going to get into these songs. Hope you enjoy them!
Danielle Ponder at the McKittrick Hotel’s Manderley Bar
The Rochester-based singer confidently radiated her powerful voice throughout The McKittrick Hotel’s moody Manderley Bar. This performance was the last of Ponder’s three-night run in New York City before joining St. Paul and the Broken Bones on tour later this month. Before exiting, Ponder concluded the set with an inspiring personal anecdote.
I quit my successful job as an attorney to be a broke musician because I absolutely love you, and I absolutely love this stage. I completely live for it. I truly believe in following your purpose, I think that when God gives you a gift, a way you can show gratitude is committing to that thing. Amen, amen, amen! You all feel me? So a lot has happened in the past year that has really changed my life, even to be here with this audience in New York City listening has been so affirming for me and lets me know I made the right decision. I really feel like I’m a living testimony of that and that’s the only reason I’m telling you I’m 40! Because I want you to know my knees hurt, I’m old, but I’m here! So this next song is called “So Long.”
“So Long” is Ponder’s latest single, released on March 11, an anthem about letting go of fear and being the best person you can possibly be.
You can learn more about singer-songwriter Danielle Ponder on her website and listen to her Tiny Desk Contest submission, a recording of her song Poor Man’s Pain,here.
St. Paul and the Broken Bones with Danielle Ponder Tour Dates
April 23 – Dallas, Texas – The Granada Theater April 24 – Austin, Texas – Stubb’s April 26 – Tulsa, Okla. – Cain’s Ballroom April 28 – Denver, Colo. – Mission Ballroom April 29 – Aspen, Colo. – Belly Up April 30 – Salt Lake City, Utah – Commonwealth Room May 3 – Seattle, Wash. – The Neptune May 5 – Portland, Ore. – Crystal Ballroom May 6 – San Francisco, Calif./Oakland, Calif. – Fox Theater May 7 – San Diego, Calif. – Humphreys Concerts By The Bay May 10 – Los Angeles, Calif. – The Theatre at Ace Hotel May 11 – Pioneertown, Calif. – Pappy & Harriet’s May 12 – Phoenix, Ariz. – The Van Buren
Rising Star from East Village, Breaker, releases an instant classic rock song and video titled “People Change.” From performing for strangers to charming his friends with his confidence and wit, Breaker has a magnetic personality that goes beyond his musical talents.
Growing up with six siblings in New York City, Breaker has been performing for his family and all around Manhattan since he was young. Nowadays, he plays shows across the country with his love of songwriting and creating music. Beyond his 21 years, Breaker has made a name for himself as an alternative/indie artist.
Though written entirely in New York City, “People Change” and the upcoming EP were recorded in Virginia. While only taking a mere two days of studio time to record, the energy was buzzing from the first moment the small team entered the magical space. Escaping the East Village, he fled to a scenic farm for the birth of this upcoming album. With the help of his best friends and collaborators, Breaker had brought the vision of his new album to life.
Despite being a natural lead singer, what shines through most on the new song and Breaker’s upcoming EP is his ability to work with other creative minds. Thus, inspiring the people around him to make the best music and have the most fun possible. This project has led to the formation of The Live Show, which is a team of solo artists consisting of Jacob Lourie, Chris Murphy, and Breaker. Breaker has the ability to get any room dancing.
A second single, followed by Breaker’s upcoming debut EP, We’re Not Lovers Anymore, is coming later this Spring. Lookout for Breaker and The Live Show in and around NYC performing live now through the Summer.
To watch or listen to “People Change,” click the link here.
Twiddle and Andy Frasco and the U.N. came to The Town Ballroom in Buffalo on April 7. You can tell both bands on tour are having a ton of fun because all three sets featured various members and friends sitting in, giving a vibe that you were seeing a collective of friends and musicians versus two seperate bands doing their thing.
The show started with a set by Mihali and a few friends which was a mellow open to get the night started. Andy Frasco & The U.N. was next. Half show and half house party on stage, Andy Frasco and his band ramped up the energy, whether swigging from a bottle of Jim Beam, jumping on the piano or pulling various friends and musicians onstage, Andy Frasco is all about having a good time onstage and the Buffalo crowd ate it up.
Twiddle rode the energy from Andy Frasco and the U.N. and kept the crowd dancing all night. An encore of Baba O’Riley brought all of the musicians throughout the night back together onstage for a finale that left the crowd walking out with smiles.
Setlist: Collective Pulse > Be There, Play, The FRENDS Theme, Apples > White Light > Apples > Lost in the Cold, Milk*, Juggernaut Encore: Baba O’Riley^
* with Mike Gantzer ^ with Andy Frasco & The U.N., Mike Gantzer, and Scott Hannay
Heartbeat Opera’s QUANDO brought a one-of-a-kind film and theatrical performance at The McKittrick Hotel, home of Sleep No More, April 7-9.
Presented by The McKittrick Hotel, QUANDO is Directed and Edited by Tee Vaden, produced and conceptualized by Associate Artistic Director, Derrell Acon, with Photography Direction by Kathryn Boyd-Batstone and Production Design by Yuki Izumihara.
Mx. Oww and Jessie Cox live performance alongside the film, QUANDO.
The film stars Lauren Michelle, Brian Vu, and Shelley Washington. Musical director Daniel Schlosberg arranged the film score for a mix of instruments and electronics. The live performance features Mx. Oww and Jessie Cox.
The 75-minute experience took place in the McKittrick’s upstairs theater, the Club Car. The evening kicked off with the short film, challenging viewers with “…issues of representation, inequity, and self-serving actions that plague so many industries and movements, not by simply calling out the problem but by showing what is possible, while asking viewers to interrogate themselves and their motivations, which is one of my favorite sorts of call to action,” said Director & Editor, Tee Vaden. After the screening, the film played once more with a theatrical performance by Mx. Oww and Jessie Cox actively disrupting the music throughout, creating a mesmerizing experience for the audience.
QUANDO team taking the stage after the performance concluded.
QUANDOis the latest production by Heartbeat Opera whose mission is to create “incisive adaptations and revelatory arrangements of classics, reimagining them for the here and now.” Previous productions by Heartbeat Opera include FIDELIO, which toured earlier this year including performances at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and The Broad Stage in California, and Messy Messiah, Heartbeat Opera’s 7th annual Drag Extravaganza, at Roulette in Brooklyn. Learn more about QUANDO by viewing the trailer and visiting Heartbeat Opera’s website. You can also visit The McKittrick Hotel to experience Sleep No More and Speakeasy Magick at 530 West 27th Street in Manhattan. Special thank you to Stephanie Geyer and the McKittrick Hotel staff for welcoming NYS Music to their beautiful venue.
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.
On his website J. Schnitt, a singer songwriter from Utica, references a quote from an unnamed review that refers to him as “the Bob Dylan of Central New York”. An ambitious claim, a flattering compliment and, as of now, only half true.
Dylan’s greatness was his uncompromising ability to craft songs that made his Nobel Prize winning songwriting its focal point no matter what else surrounded it. In a 2016 profile Rolling Stone said, “what set Bob Dylan apart from everybody was how he wielded language.” Depending on who you ask he either never could or never cared about making the voice that wielded that language sound “good”. But with Dylan it didn’t matter how he sang rather what he sang about.
On his newest release, Winter Gospel, J. Schnitt, delivers complex, lyrics in the best tradition of folk singer-songwriters but he does it with someone else’s voice. The album’s weakest moments are when he masks his true voice and, in turn, his true self. To be like Dylan you have to give your full self over to the music, flaws included. Only then can your virtues shine.
J. Schnitt’s virtues are his nimble guitar playing which offer up a variety of melodies that, while still keeping the album firmly ensconced in the easy listening subgenre, avoid repetitiveness and thus boredom. From the dramatic strumming of “High Crimes” to the subdued melancholy of the legato chords in “The Art of Giving Up” J. Schnitt composes songs that match his undeniable songwriting talent. And when his actual singing doesn’t, he shouldn’t run from it. He should embrace it.
In the album’s standout track, “Skipping Stone”, J. Schnitt sings “I was your skipping stone/thrown across the water/and as I sank below you picked up and grabbed another”. An analogy striking for its originality and descriptiveness. The emotional desolation of being callously replaced by a former lover told through the simplicity of a childhood pastime. It’s a feat of songwriting that should be lauded for its unique depiction of lost love. But it’s a feat that’s dampened by the contrived falsetto J. Schnitt uses when he repeatedly strains the word “thrown” to affect the sentimentality expected from the dulcet tones of singer-songwriters performing acoustic love songs. In fact, the song’s best vocals are the appealing way he coaxes “water” and “another” into rhyming. The soothing naturalness of his voice as he does so leaves you wondering what a full album of J. Schnitt’s moving lyrics sung in his real voice would sound like.
It matters that the voice he uses is entirely his own because the songwriting deserves it. In an interview with 315 Music J. Schnitt said, “it was time for me to get back to writing something from a more personal space. To look inward.” It’s a promise J. Schnitt delivers on throughout Winter Gospel.
On the introspective and crooning “What You Can’t Let Go” he isn’t just insecure but concerned he might always be. “I’m still looking for a way to shake this feeling I’ll always be wrong,” he pleads with himself. And on the album’s closer, the story song, “Rabbit in the Road” he recounts the story of his parents’ enduring relationship. Still, he continues to use the facsimile of another singer’s pitch perfect, choir boy harmonies instead of his own voice. In a well written, evocative song about the frustrating nature of insecurity or an ode to parental love and affection it’s better to communicate through the rasps, yelps, bleats, and caws of your own imperfect voice than by simply trying to sound “good”. That’s the difference between being a great singer and a great vocalist, like Dylan was.
If folk music is the language of Americana and authenticity its currency, then you can’t say anything authentic if you’re faking an accent. The people came for J. Schnitt so give them J. Schnitt.
J. Schnitt’s ballad about folk and rock legend Bob Dylan and his decision to go electric in 1965.
On Monday April 11th 2022, The Trinity of Terror Tour made a stop in Buffalo at RiverWorks. This is a triple headlining tour featuring Ice Nine Kills, Black Veil Brides and Motionless in White. The Buffalo show was a sell out with 5,000 people singing along to every song. Buffalo RiverWorks is the city’s newest premier waterfront, boating, sports, music, dining and entertainment destination located along the banks of the Buffalo River.
Buffalo RiverWorks crowd- Photo credit- Mike Miller
There are three guarantees in life; death, taxes and waiting in long lines at a sell out concert. Many concert attendees did not head the advice of the venue to arrive early. Traffic was as expected and one of those meandering snake single file lines to enter the venue in the parking lot. Some fans waited over an hour to enter the concert in the rain. But once fans passed through security, they were greeting with a huge two floor, standing room only, 50,000 sq. ft space, filling up with music lovers alike. The stage had a large drum riser with 2 LED video screens. One in front of the drum riser and a larger one behind it that would play music videos in between sets. Along the edge of the stage were remote light bars that are blinding if you look at them directly.
Motionless in White
Motionless in White is an American heavy metal band from Scranton, Pennsylvania. Formed in 2005, the band has stated that their band name is derived from the Eighteen Visions song “Motionless and White”. Their set was nine songs in length featuring songs like, “Disguise” and “Another Life”. During “Cyberhex”, the song was stopped at the last chorus because of a fan injury. Security and medical professionals were able to attend to the fan and the show continued on. Their second last song was a Killers cover, “Somebody Told Me” where almost every fan was singing along to the lyrics, because who does not like The Killers? It was announced that the bassist Justin was not there because he was at home expecting a new born child in Rochester.
Motionless in White- Photo credit- Mike Miller
Band members: Chris “Motionless” Cerulli (lead vocals), Ryan Sitkowski (lead guitar), Ricky “Horror” Olson (rhythm guitar), Vinny Mauro (drums), and Justin Morrow (bass).
Setlist: Disquise, Reincarnate, Necessary Evil, Voices, Thoughts & Prayers, Cyberhex, Another Life, Sombody Told Me, and Eternally Yours.
Black Veil Brides
Black Veil Brides is an American rock band based in Hollywood, California formed in 2006. Their style has constantly been changing ever since the group was formed in 2006. They were originally described as metalcore when they were formed but now resemble glam metal/shock rock like Kiss or Motley Crue. Singer Andy Biersack was recently diagnosed with Covid-19 and had to drop from their current tour for a few shows. He was recently cleared and they have rejoined the tour.
Black Veil Brides- Photo credit- Mike Miller
Band members: Andy Biersack– lead vocals, keyboards; Jinxx– rhythm guitar, violin, backing vocals; Jake Pitts– lead guitar; Christian “CC” Coma – drums; Lonny Eagleton – bass, backing vocals
Setlist: Faithless, Coffin, Crimson Skies, Shadows Die, Wake Up, Scarlet Cross, Knives and Pens, The Legacy, Fallen Angels, and In the End.
Ice Nine Kills
Ice Nine Kills (sometimes stylized in all capital letters or abbreviated to INK, and formerly known as Ice Nine) is an American heavy metal band from Boston, Massachusetts who are signed to Fearless Records. Best known for its horror-inspired lyrics, Ice Nine Kills formed in its earliest incarnation in 2000 by high school friends Spencer Charnas and Jeremy Schwartz. Charnas is currently the only remaining founding member.
Ice Nine Kills- Photo Credit- Mike Miller
Throughout their set, they used props like axes, drills and chainsaws for imagery to remind fans of horror movies as each band member was a separate character. Some of their inspiration was from movies like American Psycho, Hostel, Psycho and The Evil Dead. Their 13 song set featured songs like: “Welcome to Horrorwood”, “Hip to be Scared” and “Wurst Vacation”. During their third song, a fan appeared to be injured and security signaled to pause the show again. Security was overhead saying that the fan just dropped their phone and were struggling to get back up. Shortly after this the show resumed.
Band members: Spencer Charnas – lead vocals; Ricky Armellino – backing vocals, rhythm guitar; Joseph Occhiuti – backing vocals, bass, keyboards; Dan Sugarman – backing vocals, lead guitar; Patrick Galante – drums.
Setlist: Opening Night, Welcome to Horrorwood, Wurst Vacation, Hip to be Scared, Stabbing in the Dark, Rainy Day, IT is the End, Communication of the Cursed, Take Your Pick, Ex-Martis, The Shower Scene, Funeral Derangements, and The American Nightmare.
This tour will be stopping in Huntington NY at The Paramount on Friday April 15th for another sold out show. Ice Nine Kills will be back in Buffalo opening for Metallica on August 11th at Highmark Stadium (Home of the Buffalo Bills!)
Motionless in White
photo credit- mike millerphoto credit- mike millerphoto credit- mike miller
Black Veil Bride
photo credit- Mike Millerphoto credit- Mike Millerphoto credit- Mike Miller
Brooklyn-based PEAK has released their second official live release in the band’s Hot Clips series. They’ll be in Manhattan this on Saturday, April 16, supporting Lespecial at Gramercy Theatre.
PEAK culled together Hot Clips 2 from some of their favorite jams from Summer and Fall 2021, including unreleased songs, songs from previous albums and a cover of Mac Demarco’s “Freaking out the Neighborhood.” The bookends to the album – “Path Paved with Roses” and groovy earworm “Starlight Child” – create a digestible sample of PEAK’s live experience, with a sound that harkens back to 90’s roots of the Northeast jam scene.
The PEAK quartet features songwriter and guitarist Jeremy Hilliard (Turbine), Kito Bovenshulte (Particle) on drums, Josh T. Carter (Haley Jane and The Primates) on bass, and Johnny Young on keys (Mick Taylor Band). The self-described pychedelic indie funk band can be found jamming extensively during live shows, and allow the songs on the album to speak for themselves.
The group released their sophomore studio album, Choppy Water, in October of last year, chocking the album full with groove-based psychedelic rock and plenty of funk, electro-pop, prog, and Americana. The deep, polished grooves from Carter and Bovenshulte complement Hilliard’s and Young’s solos, wailing with searing intensity. Check out their recent show at Brooklyn Bowl on November 30, 2021.
For more live PEAK, stream Hot Clips 2 below and check out their Youtube Channel and Bandcamp pages.
PEAK is currently in the midst of a their Spring Tour and will perform in Middletown, CT, and Stanhope, NJ this Thursday and Friday, then they’ll open up for Lespecial at Gramercy Theatre in Manhattan.
PEAK Tour Dates
4.14 La Boca, Middletown, CT 4.15 Stanhope House, NJ * 4.16 Gramercy Theatre, New York, NY # 4.23 Aeronaut Brewery, Boston, MA% 4.28 Park City Music Hall, Bridgeport, CT** 4.30 Main Pub, Manchester, CT 6.30 Camp Jam, Brunswick ME
On Friday, April 9th, all the old school rockers of Albany came back together at The Hollow in Albany for a once-in-a-lifetime reunion of two of the local’s favorite bands from back in the day – The Sharks and Johnny Rabb with his Jailhouse Rockers. This was the third installment of shows celebrating the 30th anniversary of local promoter and rock legend Greg Bell of Guthrie Bell Productions. This epic show at the Hollow proved that even after several decades in the business, Greg Bell still knows what the people want, and consistently gives it to them.
Johnny Rabb & The Jailhouse Rockers
First up was Johnny Rabb & The Jailhouse Rockers. Unlike most of the other bands we have seen recently, these guys didn’t take a little pandemic break — for some of them, it had been decades since they rocked out together. Their set was packed full of well-known and loved oldies ranging from the 50s to the 70s, and it was impossible to tell they hadn’t been on tour.
The Sharks
The Sharks reunited for the first time in 19 years as part of the celebration, bringing with them a following that sold out The Hollow and a captive audience. With an early R&B sound ranging across the 50s to early 80s, the band member (short one) had a party in Albany, thrilling with “Everybody Wants to Know” and two well tuned covers – “Baba O’Riley” by The Who and “Downtown” by Petula Clark.
Setlist: Too Late to go back, I’ll Follow you, Change Your Tune, Take What You Get, Please Say Yes, Pay Day Blues, Bien Vendido, She Never Feels the Same, Too Good for Words, Baby Don’t Know It, How Can I Give You, With Your Love, Moving to America, Baba O’Riley, Little Yeeti, Rehabilitation Blues, Everybody Wants to Know, Good Old Days, Arm in Arm, Down Town, I Won’t Be Happy
Emerging from Connecticut, the Funky Dawgz Brass Band is back after years of silence. Harnessing the soulful spirit of New Orleans R&B, the seven-man act delivers a level of bounce and warmth that can only be found along the sidewalks and plazas of bustling city nightlife.
The Funky Dawgz Brass Band
“Love Don’t Cost a Thing” showcases this feeling. Over six minutes, the track bursts with vibrancy and energy that can only be found walking down the streets of New Orleans on a Friday night. The feeling of funk, jazz, and celebration are intoxicating for any soul connoisseur. For those interested in groove, bounce, and the nuances in between, this single is not one to miss.
Alongside this release, the band is releasing a new studio album titled Vertical. The album is set to release on June 17th. The album is arriving in celebration of the band’s formation ten years ago at the University of Connecticut. Colin Walters of the band, the alto saxophonist, speaks on the album:
The music from this album definitely highlights the growth we have made as a band, individuals, and musicians over the last 10 years. We each have different musical tastes and that made the recording process exciting as we worked through various melodic and harmonic ideas.
Colin Walters
Since then, the horn players have played at venues all across the country, including Madison Square Garden. For more information on the Funky Dawgz Brass Band, visit funkydawgzbrassband.com.
