British indie rock sensation Wet Leg played to a sold out audience at Brooklyn Steel on Thursday (March 10, 2022) with support from Lowertown. Originally scheduled for Music Hall of Williamsburg, the band was forced to change to a larger venue when the show sold out almost immediately. Their meteoric rise in popularity came through their viral hit “Chaise Lounge” released in 2021, which garnered millions of views (and sparked endless memes).
The Atlanta based alternative duo Lowertown opened the evening with an animated and hard hitting set. They whipped the crowd into a frenzy leading up to Wet Leg’s set, and despite this being Lowertown’s first time on tour, they were a highlight in an action packed evening.
With their debut album still on the way, Wet Leg played several unreleased tracks during their nonstop set, as well as crowd favorites “On No,” “Wet Dream,” “Angelica,” and their breakout hit “Chaise Longue.” Throughout the set frontwomen Rhian and Hester interacted with the crowd and each other with genuine charisma and charm. The band played straight through with no encore, ending on their viral hit, “Chaise Longue.” This sold out show of 1800 people marks their biggest North American show to date.
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.
Indie legends The Microphones played a late night set last Tuesday (March 8, 2022) at St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Church. The venue is known for having hosted other indie favorites such as Nick Cave and Sonic Youth throughout the years.
Emily Sprague at St. Ann’s and the Holy Trinity Church by David Reichmann
Emily Sprague opened the show with a warm acoustic set consisting of five songs. Her songs’ themes of death and darkness contrasted with the bright personality that came through when she briefly thanked the audience in the middle and end of her set.
The Microphones at St. Ann’s and the Holy Trinity Church by David Reichmann
Microphones’ Phil Elverum and Jay Blackinton took the stage to applause from the crowded pews, the dim lighting and quiet atmosphere lulling the audience into a quiet state. You could hear shifting seats and the creak of the historic church flooring before they began their set. They laughed and thanked the crowd before beginning their set, commenting on the awkwardness of standing on stage before the songs begin playing.
The Microphones at St. Ann’s and the Holy Trinity Church by David Reichmann
They played just one song, their 45 minute track “Microphones in 2020,” a semi-biographical two-chord meditation on their career which released in 2020 after a near 17 year absence for the band. By the time their set finished, the crowd almost looked dazed. It took a minute for the audience to realize the show had ended, and they gave a standing ovation and hearty cheers as Phil and Jay exited the stage.
You can listen to The Microphone’s catalog here. And you can find Emily Sprague’s music here.
On the March 13 episode of Last Week Tonight, host John Oliver broke down a myriad of issues with concert tickets, namely, Ticketmaster and its near monopoly on ticket sales for major artists and bands.
While some information presented in the episode is public knowledge, the writers at Last Week Tonight deftly threaded the details together, offering a clear path from fan frustration when faced with exorbitant prices and a lack of tickets (not to mention insanely long wait times to acquire tickets), to the root causes, namely Ticketmaster.
Ticketmaster, while disliked by the public, serves as the main platform for ticket sales around the country, accounting for 80% of ticket sales prior to their merger with Live Nation in 2010. Since the merger, there have been complaints, as noted in the New York Times regarding Live Nation pressuring venues into contracting with its subsidiary, Ticketmaster.
Following the merger, Ticketmaster acquired Front Gate Tickets, which handles ticket sales for music festivals including Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits, and that same year, acquired a DIY ticketing platform, Universe. TicketWeb, the self-service ticketing platform owned by Ticketmaster, acquired the marketing platform Strobe Labs, building a social media network in the process. Most recently, Ticketmaster has looked to convert physical tickets into digital ones using blockchain technology, and did so by acquiring UPGRADED in 2018.
John Oliver pointed out that Ticketmaster absorbs much of the hatred for ticket sales, while artists, promoters, and venues all have a hand in raising ticket sales. This is where drawbacks to boycotting Ticketmaster begin, despite being popularized by Pearl Jam in the 1990s. Oliver noted that when Pearl Jam sought to perform at non-Ticketmaster venues, their manager at the time said the band would need “to play at weird places like a ski resort in Lake Tahoe and a fairground in San Diego.” If Pearl Jam can’t walk away from Ticketmaster, how can other bands, especially smaller artists with no leverage and limited options for venues, expect to avoid Ticketmaster?
The answer is – they can’t, and now it is even more difficult to do so.
Where do the tickets go?
You’ve likely been there – logging in early, watching the clock for the on-sale time, then waiting in the virtual Ticketmaster queue (with 2000 other people in front of you) waiting for your turn to purchase tickets. Then you get to the end of the line, and if the show isn’t sold out already, the seats left available are typically not the best – behind the stage, upper levels, if any at all.
Using the example of a pair of 2012 Justin Bieber concerts at Madison Square Garden, both of which sold out in 30 seconds, John Oliver points out the details of where the 20,000 tickets for that show went. Noting a NY Attorney General report, fewer that 2,000 tickets (10%) to each show were on sale.
Where are the rest of the tickets sold? Some are given to credit card companies who partner with Ticketmaster for pre-sale on-sales and private passes that exclusive to credit card holders.
Then there are the ticket brokers (a rebranded name) who buy them in advance. Even the ‘Are you a robot tests’ are still circumvented by bots via the ticket broker. These brokers/resellers include SeatGeek, StubHub and Ticketmaster itself (Platinum seating) who represent a majority or overwhelming majority of ticket sales, per a 2018 GAO study. They then mark up tickets by 49% on average, and sometimes as high as 1000%.
The average music fan can login to one account at a time, per device, with a phone number attached to the account to prevent multiple accounts vying for the same tickets. While this seems to present itself as leveling the playing field, John Oliver notes that some brokers have 200 accounts, and Ticketmaster does not make any effort to restrict these ticket brokers.
Showing video from the Ticket Summit conference in Las Vegas in 2018, undercover reporters discovered via a Ticketmaster representative that ‘damn near every one of them’ is using multiple accounts.
The system of ticket brokers/resellers is designed to be opaque, providing brokers with anonymity. Resell sites have additional fees built in too, with John Oliver citing a ticket for a January 21, 2022 Adele performing in Las Vegas, resold on SeatGeek, at a cost of $1690 for the tickets, with $538 in SeatGeek fees (a 32% markup), for a total of $2,228. For a single ticket to see Adele.
Blame is shared among Ticketmaster and ticket brokers – some artists are to blame as well. Justin Bieber’s tour resold tickets on resale sites, with an entire row that had gone to the tour, resold on the secondary market instead of direct to fans at on sale. Metallica did this as well, along with many other artists as well. Restricted resale has been experimented by Pearl Jam without extra fees or profit, but this effort was postponed in 2020 by COVID-19.
What can live music fans do?
Typically, Last Week Tonight offers a call to action for the audience, something that has made the Peabody Award winning show stand head and shoulders above their competition (with 23 Emmy Awards, including 8 consecutive Emmys for Outstanding Variety Talk Show, beating out The Daily Show, where Oliver got his start). In past episodes, Oliver has encouraged the use of the FCC public comments website during a Net Neutrality episode, to motivating viewers in taking to the streets to protest the killing of unarmed African-Americans by police.
This week, however, there was no call to action, simply because beyond a trust-buster in the vein of Teddy Roosevelt taking Ticketmaster and other ticket brokers to task, there is not much that can be done by fans.
There is one alternative for live music fans in the short term – avoid resale sites by using CashorTrade. Since 2009, CashorTrade has been the only website dedicated to helping face value tickets get into the hands of fans, devoid of the ticket brokers and scammers, and offering protection on purchases. This healthy alternative to Ticketmaster continues to build a base of users that allows a great deal of tickets to be resold at face value, or traded amongst fanbases. If there is one solution fans seek after watching this week’s episode of Last Week Tonight, CashorTrade is that solution, providing anti-reseller technology allowing real fans with a profile and trusted reviews to trade with one another.
Jon Middleton and Sierra Lundy took a trip from their home in Victoria, British Columbia to Rochester New York. Their first time to the US as a married couple, or at least their first as the couple making up the band Ocie Eliot, 2022 Juno Award nominees for Breakthrough Group of the Year. It was also their first show of 2022.
The sparse but beautiful space in the Arbor Loft was the perfect environment to take in Ocie Eliot’s likewise sparse and beautiful music. Middleton led the way with a captivating picked guitar melody, or rhythmic strums. Lundy coaxed gently shifting organ tones or at times short melodic piano lines out of her small Mellotron keyboard. Occasionally dual harmonicas or amplified foot stomps added depth and texture. But throughout, their voices, particularly in harmony, highlighted each song, punctuated with poignant and familiar lyrics.
When you haven’t played much in two years time, even old songs can seem new. Ocie Eliot spent much of the pandemic writing and recording, releasing four EP’s in that time. Songs like “Take Me Home” felt fresh to introduce, but as noted by Lundy, it isn’t really all that new anymore. And songs written in the before-times, like “Alive and All,” though released during the pandemic, felt more like a reaction to it: “And I want to yell from a hill, I’m alive / and I want to cry out until, I am fine.”
Interspersed with their originals, they worked in some more familiar material, to this American audience at least. Covers of some of the best songwriters around in Gillian Welch’s “Miss Ohio” and Simon and Garfunkel‘s “The Boxer”, provided a bit of grounding. A more obscure cover of Youth Lagoon’s “17” provided some late show sparks however, as they took a more ownership with their own spin.
Still, the highlights came in their own songwriting. Their strengths all collided gloriously in “Coming Home,” complete with a dual harmonica interlude, and again midway through the second set on “Run To You,” with its syncopated piano and guitar elevated the vocal harmonies. Long walks on an abandoned rail line inspired “Tracks,” which worked repetitive lyrics into a near round, building to a familiar train-themed harmonica finish. An emotional Lundy explained how she sang “Forest Floor,” her father’s favorite song, to him recently on his death bed. A slow-grooving rocker that again, felt more like it would have been inspired by his passing: “Through the light softly the colours storm / And we both come to falling / Let me down easy, baby /Lay me down on the forest floor.”
A portion of proceeds from all Honest Folk shows benefit the Center for Youth in Rochester, but for this show, 100% was donated. There’s a promoter in it for all the right reasons. And they continue to bring in great folk shows to town, next up being Dead Tongues at Good Luck on on May 15. Get your tickets!
On Thursday, March 10, 2022, The Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation is presented the sixth annual Love Rocks NYC benefit concert for God’s Love We Deliver, live from the historic Beacon Theatre. Executive produced by iconic international fashion designer John Varvatos, NYC real estate broker and prominent concert producer Greg Williamson and esteemed concert/events producer Nicole Rechter, the concert was hosted by Mario Cantone, Kiefer Sutherland, Gina Gershon, Steve Schirripa and Michelle Buteau, supporting and honoring the work of the New York-based not-for-profit organization.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: (L-R)John Varvatos, Greg Williamson, Warren Haynes, Ivan Neville, Jimmy Vivino, and Anders Osborne attend the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )
The 2022 edition of Love Rocks NYC This year’s concert event will also celebrate an extraordinary milestone for God’s Love We Deliver with the delivery of their 30 millionth meal this spring. The organization, which was founded during the AIDS pandemic in 1985, has been an essential services provider during the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, the organization cooked and delivered more than 2.6 million medically tailored meals to nearly 10,000 New Yorkers living with and affected by severe illness, and its staff and volunteers continue to work tirelessly to meet the ever-growing demand for its services.
Building off of the smaller Love Rocks NYC affair in 2021, the announced lineup included Keith Richards & The X-Pensive Winos, Mavis Staples, Hozier, Warren Haynes, Melissa Etheridge, Allison Russell, Larkin Poe, Tyler Bryant, David Shaw (of The Revivalists), Anders Osborne, Celisse, Jimmy Vivino, Maggie Rose, Connor Kennedy (of Steely Dan), and left many surprises in store for all in attendance.
At 8:15pm, Ben Harper opened the show with an instrumental tribute to his friend and long time bassist Juan Nelson. Then Harper took the crowd from the Hudson River down the Mississippi for Led Zeppelin’s “When the Levee Breaks” with Danny Clinch on swamp harp.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Danny Clinch and Ben Harper perform onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )
Bill Murray took David Letterman’s role 2021 as the surprise MC and introduced the first round of artists and God’s Love We Deliver founder Karen Pearl. He also helped organize a special farewell to the audience members that were seated below the Beacons infamous spike. “That thing is gonna come down mid show tonight and just take out that section, say goodbye to these people.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Bill Murray speaks onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )
Murray then introduced Connor Kennedy for a performance of Tom Petty’s “Learning to Fly.” Aside from this song, all other artists performed three song sets over the three hours of music.
Celisse Henderson, who was part of Trey Anastasio’s Beacon Jams, returned to the stage with her guitar in hand to make her voice heard to a fully seated Beacon. She also howled like Robert Plant & wrote a letter to Jimmy Page on guitar for Zeppelin’s “Rock & Roll”.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Celisse performs onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )
Mavis Staples’ family has been gracing the world with their music for 74 years and her rendition of David Byrne’s “Slippery People” created a Start Making Sense vibe at Love Rocks.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Mavis Staples performs onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )
New York Yankee Bernie Williams traded his bat for a guitar axe at the event, joining Staples on the classic “I’ll Take You There.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Mavis Staples and Bernie Williams perform onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )
Maggie Rose set a tone for the Upper West Side at Love Rocks for her version of “Lonely Town, Lonely Street,” perhaps a nod to the former unlit Beacon marquee in the past two years.
Allison Russell acknowledged the moment immediately on how it was full circle for them to be standing where Mavis just performed, performing a special version of “Stop Dragging My Heart Around” with Hozier.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Allison Russell performs onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )
Larkin Poe, who performed at the return of the New York State Bluesfest last June at the Syracuse State Fairgrounds, killed “Rock & Roll Hootchie Koo” with Tyler Bryant.
A taste of New Orleans arrived around 10pm with Lafayette’s Anders Osborne with Danny Clinch for Little Feat’s “Dixie Chicken.” The Beacon stage took on an old juke joint vibe as Laurence Fishburne came to tell stories about his favorite winos & introduce the band.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Laurence Fishburne speaks onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )
Fishburne introduced Keith Richards, Ivan Neville, Steve Jordan, Waddy Wachtel, and CBS Orchestra bassist Will Lee to the stage. The three song set included “999,” “You Got the Silver” & Keith’s killer “Before They Make Me Run.”
Steve Schirripa from The Sopranos kept the fun going on stage after the X-Pensive Winos set, needing to take a minute on the stage as the smoke cleared from the winos set before carrying the show along.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Steve Schirripa performs onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )
The next hour of music was a tribute to artists including David Bowie, John Lennon and Gregg Allman. Hozier sang on “Changes” & Melissa Etheridge performed “Come Together,” while Devon Allman, Warren Haynes and a full horn section performed on “Just Another Rider,” off Gregg’s final solo album. All yet another direct spark of inspiration off the Beacon Theatre’s historic stage.
Jackson Browne returned to the Beacon for the first time since March 2020 and joined Haynes for a special “Running on Empty” to close the show.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Warren Haynes and Jackson Browne perform onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )
Prior to the encore, Varvatos, Williamson and Rechter set the date for next years 7th annual Love Rocks NYC for March 9, 2023, and announced that a portion of the proceeds with go to those in need in Ukraine.
For the encore, the entire cast joined in unison for Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone” to send everybody with smiles from the theatre to the reception.
Love Rocks was once again a source of light & inspiration for those in the crowd, serving a worthy cause for those in the greater NYC community.
Love Rocks Benefit Concert – Beacon Theatre, NYC – March 10, 2022
Setlist: Inland Empire, When The Levee Breaks, Learning To Fly, Get There. Rock & Roll, In The Midnight Hour, Lonely Town, Lonely Street, Slippery People, I’ll Take You There, Nightflyer, Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around, She’s A Self Made Man, Rock & Roll Hoochie Koo, Dixie Chicken, 999, You Got The Silver, Before They Make Me Run, Work Song, Come Together, I’m The Only One, Ooh La La, Baba O’Riley, Just Another Rider, I’ve Been Loving You Too Long, Running On Empty Encore: Like A Rolling Stone
Photos via Getty Images by Kevin Mazur and Jamie McCarthy
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: (L-R) Bill Murray, Danny Clinch, and Ben Harper speak onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Celisse performs onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Keith Richards & The X-Pensive Winos perform onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Warren Haynes performs onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Anders Osborne performs onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Keith Richards & The X-Pensive Winos perform onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Connor Kennedy performs onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Keith Richards & The X-Pensive Winos perform onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Jackson Browne performs onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Maggie Rose performs onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Allison Russell performs onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: David Shaw performs onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Bill Murray speaks onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Keith Richards & The X-Pensive Winos perform onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Melissa Etheridge performs onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: (L-R) Tyler Bryant, Rebecca Lovell, and Megan Lovell perform onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Melissa Etheridge performs onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Will Lee and Bill Murray perform onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Celisse performs onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Keith Richards & The X-Pensive Winos perform onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Mario Cantone performs onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Ivan Neville performs onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Keith Richards & The X-Pensive Winos perform onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Keith Richards & The X-Pensive Winos perform onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Bernie Williams performs onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Neal Coomer and Mavis Staples perform onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Keith Richards & The X-Pensive Winos perform onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Melissa Etheridge performs onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Jimmy Vivino and Bill Murray perform onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Keith Richards & The X-Pensive Winos perform onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Jackson Browne performs onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Bill Murray speaks onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Artists perform “Like A Rolling Stone” onstage for the big group finale of the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Jimmy Vivino performs onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Keith Richards & The X-Pensive Winos perform onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Monique Ross and Chauntee Ross of SistaStrings and Allison Russell perform onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Celisse and Hozier perform onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: A view of the marquee during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Danny Clinch, Connor Kennedy, and Anders Osborne perform onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Monique Ross and Chauntee Ross of SistaStrings and Allison Russell perform onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: (L-R) Celisse, Warren Haynes, and Mavis Staples pose backstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: (L-R) Greg Williamson, Karen Pearl, Keith Richards, Nicole Rechter, and John Varvatos attend the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Bill Murray speaks onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Bernie Williams and Jimmy Vivino perform onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: (L-R) Tyler Bryant, Rebecca Lovell, and Megan Lovell perform onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Warren Haynes and Jackson Browne perform onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Bill Murray speaks onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Bernie Williams and Jimmy Vivino perform onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Bill Murray performs onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Mario Cantone and Celisse pose backstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Keith Richards & The X-Pensive Winos perform onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Mavis Staples performs onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Artists perform “Like A Rolling Stone” onstage for the big group finale of the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Laurence Fishburne poses backstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Keith Richards & The X-Pensive Winos perform onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Keith Richards backstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Keith Richards poses backstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Steve Jordan of Keith Richards & The X-Pensive Winos performs onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Melissa Etheridge performs onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Artists perform “Like A Rolling Stone” onstage for the big group finale of the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Artists perform “Like A Rolling Stone” onstage for the big group finale of the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Mavis Staples performs onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Artists perform “Like A Rolling Stone” onstage for the big group finale of the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Steve Jordan (L) and Connor Kennedy pose backstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: (L-R) Robert “Waddy” Wachtel, Keith Richards, Laurence Fishburne, and Steve Jordan pose backstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Warren Haynes performs onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 10: Connor Kennedy performs onstage during the Sixth Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert For God’s Love We Deliver at Beacon Theatre on March 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LOVE ROCKS NYC/God’s Love We Deliver )
Two years ago, in March of 2020, bands were cancelling shows and tours left and right. Such was the case for Lawrence’s Hotel TV Tour, but the band has picked up right where they left off in 2022 with the Hotel TV Tour 2. Lawrence just stopped in Albany to perform at Empire Live, and the brother-sister-led soul group put on a show that was as advertised. The set was full of positive energy, funk, soul, and the crowd loved every minute of it. Lawrence opened the show on a high note, playing ‘Casualty’ and ‘It’s Not All About You,’ two songs off their 2021 album Hotel TV.
Fans of the show may recognize Clyde’s Arrested Development shirt in the photo above. This is one of many TV related shirts that he’ll be wearing as a nod to the tour’s theme: Hotel TV. Lawrence’s set had references throughout the night as they covered some classic theme songs from shows and movies like Hey Arnold!, The Office, and The Little Orphan Annie. Grace likened the idea of hotel TV to being a home away from home, which for kids raised in the 90’s and beyond this is often the case. And so for a chunk of the set, Lawrence bounced between nostalgic covers and originals, including ‘Probably Up,’ ‘The Heartburn Song,’ and ‘Jet Lag.’
After hitting the Cha Cha Slide, Lawrence moved into another string of originals including: ‘Shot,’ ‘More,’ and ‘Freckles.’ ‘Freckles’ is a standout song from the band’s newest album, and is a perfect representation of Lawrence’s music. The band’s music features lyrics with optimistic spins on relatable topics layered over upbeat, groovy tracks that are a joy to perform and witness live. After ‘Freckles’, Lawerence stayed loose with another cover, their funky version of Sean Paul’s ‘Get Busy.’
After ‘Get Busy,’ Lawrence slowed things down with their ballad: ‘The Weather.’ The crowd got what would be a timely, quiet moment, before an upbeat end to the night. Lawrence ended the show on a particularly high note with a string of hits including: ‘Make A Move,’ ‘Do You Wanna Do Nothing with Me?,’ and ‘Don’t Lose Sight.’ The crowd loved the set Lawrence crafted and they jumped, screamed, and sang at the tops of their lungs all night long. The crowd eventually waited for and welcomed an encore that featured ‘It’s Gonna Be Me’ and then faded out with Gracie singing ‘Tomorrow’ from Annie.
Lawrence are wrapping up the east coast leg of their Hotel TV 2 Tour in Pennsylvania. After two shows at the end of March, the band will be making their way through the midwest and the south. You can view all of their upcoming tour dates and purchase tickets on their website. In the meantime, be sure to follow and subscribe to Lawrence on Instagram, YouTube and Spotify. For all upcoming shows at Empire Live, you can view their website here.
Setlist: Casualty, It’s Not All About You, Office Theme Song, Probably Up, Hey Arnold! Theme Song, The Heartburn Song, Jet Lag, Cha Cha Slide (Mr C the Slide Man), Shot, More, Freckles, Get Busy (Sean Paul), The Weather, Make A Move, Do You Wanna Do Nothing with Me?, Don’t Lose Sight
Spanish singer Rosalía served as musical guest for this week’s episode of Saturday Night Live, hosted by The Batman star Zoë Kravitz.
Following a TikTok influencers-meet-President Biden cold open, Kravitz was joined by various Cat Women and Katt Williams (Chris Redd) in her monologue.
Rosalía began singing at age eight, graduated from Barcelona’s Catalonia College of Music with a degree in the Flamenco arts (with studio album Los Ángeles serving as her graduate project) she has appeared in Pedro Almodóvar’s Pain & Glory. Shortly after, Rosalía and her sister Pili launched a brand, gained a massive following in Spain and in 2018 was signed to Sony Music.
The evening’s performance marked Rosalía’s solo debut on SNL, having performed in 2021 alongside Bad Bunny for a duet of their romantic collaboration “La Noche De Anoche.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EEyiB9NtVg
The 28 year old Flamenco singer first performed the Latin trap song “Chicken Teriyaki” off the upcoming release Motomami, a track that is prime for TikTok at a run time of only 2:02.
The lyrics reference various parts of New York City: “De azúcar la mami, todo sin recibo/Leo pentagrama’, pero no lo’ escribo./Desde Queens hasta Tribeca/Un ramo de flore’ azule’ no se seca.” Translated to English the lyrics read: “The mami made of sugar with no receipts/I read pentagrams but don’t write them./From Queens to Tribeca/a bouquet of blue flowers that doesn’t die.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAtUnqdTz2g
Her second song of the night “La Fama,” is a collaboration with The Weeknd (who did not make an appearance on the Studio 8H stage this evening.) Wearing a large comforter, Rosalía resembled Baymax from Big Hero 6, before ditching the puffy outer layer to reveal a white dress and shawl.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnItVv1EsXw
Both songs performed his evening will be featured on the upcoming Motomami, the follow up to her 2018 album, El Mal Querer. The Latin GRAMMY-winner told Rolling Stone in an interview that the new album would include both experimental and vulnerable material, with a big emphasis on the theme of feminism.
Metalcore titans Killswitch Engage brought their Atonement Tour to Rochester at the Main Street Armory with August Burns Red and Light The Torch. With only a couple shows left to go on their U.S. run, all the bands still gave it their all and the crowd was singing along to every song.
Opening the night was Light The Torch, fronted by Howard Jones who was Killswitch Engage’s previous singer before Jesse Leach came back. Both Howard and Jesse contributed some of the best Killswitch material they have released, and it is always a great pleasure to see when there’s no bad blood between artists and they tour together. Immediately starting their set, Howard Jones takes to the dim it stage to a roar of applause from the crowd. Not holding back, Light The Torch goes right into “More Than Dreaming”, which showcases Howard’s vocals in both his cleans and screams.
After listening to Killswitch Engage for so long, and not being too familiar with Light The Torch’s work, it is difficult to not compare this band with the sound Howard brought with his time in Killswitch. There are some similarities, however that is mostly due to Howard having a fantastic voice that just carries to whatever project he is working on. Light The Torch had a 10 song set that was basically nonstop from start to finish. Some of their hard hitting songs such as “Calm Before The Storm”, “Death of Me”, and “Become the Martyr” really set the mood for the evening and did a great job of energizing the audience. Closing out their set with “Die Alone” Howard told the crowd how much it means to him to be able to still perform after experiencing a dark time, and how fortunate he is to have his band members with him. “I fucking love this so much, thank you, thank you, thank you!” he says before giving the crowd the metal horns and ending their set.
August Burns Red wasted no time coming out swinging with “The Truth of a Liar”. Immediately, it’s like a switch is hit, going from Light The Torch’s dimly lit set to a full blown lightshow and fog machines. August Burns Red didn’t slow down at all for their set, feeding off of the crowds energy as mosh pits emerged and crowd surfers started flowing. The bands vocalist, Jake Luhrs, commanded the crowd with his stage presence as he moved around swinging the microphone and jumping up onto their platforms. Highlights of their set included a very surprising cover of the “Legend of Zelda” theme song right into “Mariana’s Trench”. Performing for just under an hour, August Burns Red really delivered a great performance. This was many of the attendees first time seeing them live, as shown by a raise of hands when asked by Jake Luhrs who’s first time it was, and it was clear they won over many new fans.
After a quick teardown of the August Burns Red set, Killswitch Engage is ready to take the stage. Opening with “Unleashed” off their latest album, was the perfect introduction. Since this was one of the final shows of the tour, you would expect the band to be a little worn out, however this was not the case. Jesse Leach ran around the stage full of energy, singing and screaming the songs with as much enthusiasm as you’d expect on the opening night.
Killswitch Engage always puts on a fantastic show, and this night was no different. The banter between guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz and the crowd provided a comedic value that is almost expected at a Killswitch show. With fan favorites to sing along to such as “My Last Serenade”, “Daylight Dies”, and “My Curse” it was a pleasure to hear a combination of their older material as well as their new stuff. The highlight of their set was definitely when Killswitch brought Howard Jones on stage to sing two of their most well-known songs, “The End of Heartache” and “Rose of Sharyn”. This set the crowd into a massive sing along which was so much fun. Ending their set with a duet of “The Signal Fire”, Killswitch Engage delivered one of the best metal tours so far this year.
Setlist: Unleashed > Hate by Design > Know Your Enemy > My Last Serenade > I Am Broken Too > Reckoning > In Due Time > Daylight Dies > This Fire > As Sure as the Sun Will Rise > The Crownless King > Irreversal > Always > My Curse > Strength of the Mind > Rose of Sharyn(with Howard Jones) > The End of Heartache(with Howard Jones) > The Signal Fire(with Howard Jones)
Southern soul rockers St. Paul and The Broken Bones made their debut at NYC’s famed Beacon Theatre this past Friday, March 11th. The band is still fresh off the release the excellent new album The Alien Coast; their fourth LP and first on ATO Records.
St. Paul and The Broken Bones at The Beacon Theatre, 3/11/22. Photo by Buscar Photo
Their most experimental record to date, The Alien Coast features psychedelic transitions and textures backed by singer Paul Janeway’s signature, soulful voice. The Beacon Theatre is known for it’s beauty and near magical acoustics; features Paul took full advantage of by climbing to the balcony during “Sanctify” and belting out the lyrics into the packed sold-out room.
St. Paul and The Broken Bones played a career spanning set at The Beacon Theatre. The band opened the show with three straight tracks off The Alien Coast, including hit single “The Last Dance,” and the night ended with a loud sing-along to Half The City favorite “Call Me.” St. Paul relished in the appreciation received from the Beacon crowd and returned the favor with such an extensive set.
Paul Janeway of St. Paul and The Broken Bones. Photo by Buscar Photo
St. Paul and The Broken Bones have a lengthy tour schedule ahead. The solo headline dates continue into mid-May before beginning a co-headline run with Fitz & The Tantrums. Those shows take place in June and then St. Paul head over the Europe for a short run of shows. Head over to the band’s website to see the full itinerary and check out NYS Music’s full photo gallery from The Beacon Theatre below.
