NYS Music 202​2

Category: Profiles

  • Live Music and Food Trucks Corral in Glens Falls Every Thursday at The Shirt Factory

    Each week through mid-September, The Shirt Factory in Glens Falls hosts the Thursday Market and Food Truck Corral, bringing together local bands and the largest collection of food trucks between NYC and Montreal.

    The Shirt Factory is located between Lawrence and Cooper Streets and is a cornerstone of the Glens Falls arts and health communities. In the 1930’s after purchasing the Troy Shirt Makers Guild label, they separated the shirt making from dressmaking side of the business; thus, The Shirt Factory is the name given to the property, within which numerous small businesses are housed.

    The Shirt Factory, early 1900s, photo via Chapman Museum

    Inside this more than century-old historic building you’ll find signage, posters, and items including old sewing machines throughout the hallways, as the building pays homage to its own rich history of dress-making that dates to the late 1890s. This effort by the owners preserves the building’s history and honors the local community where the shirt manufacturing business found great success in the early 20th century.

    In 1902, a fire devastated the Joseph-Fowler Shirt Makers building on Glen Street in downtown Glens Falls. Owners Walter and JR each owned part of that business and after the fire they took their portion of the insurance and the shirt making side of the business, while their partner kept the detachable collar portion of the business. They purchased the empty lot where the current building stands in part because the railroad depot that just across the street and were able to get a dedicated railroad spur for deliveries.

    The building was built in 1902, at that time the tavern across the street was a boarding house that was in the Shirt Factory yard, before moving across the street several years later. Consisting of two buildings, one was built in 1902 and the second added on in 1910, with two short hallways on each floor connecting the buildings. In addition, there is an annex that includes Rock Hill Bakehouse, Sweet Side Records, KFancillo Photography, Dakine Cuisine, Freedom Machines and Glens Falls Distilling.

    Purchased in 1999 by the current owner, The Shirt Factory is now nearly 100 creative, talented, and passionate individuals call this building their second home. Among these are a variety of classes, shops offering a wide range of products, professional services, working artists, galleries, three bookstores, and other hidden gems you can find among the three floors. There is a wide range of goods in each shop, including salt lamps, loose leaf tea, pottery, trading cards, locally made food, reclaimed furniture and more.

    The building today

    The Shirt Factory hosts a number of events throughout the year, and summer 2022 sees the return of the Thursday Market & Food Truck Corral, taking place weekly each Thursday from May through September. The spacious property allows plenty of space for food trucks, picnic tables, seating areas, vendors, farmers, and kids activities.

    Sample layout of Food Trucks on Thursdays

    A sampling of the various food trucks that have attended Thursdays at The Shirt Factory include:

    • Coach’s Corner: Sausage, Philly cheese steak, taco fries, quesadilla burger
    • Glens Falls Distilling: Samples and sales, bourbon, whiskey, moonshine
    • Bella Lynn’s Bakery : Cupcakes and baked goods
    • Farmacy: Smoked/BBQ, sides, handmade ice cream
    • Pies on Wheels: Wood-fired personal pizza made to order
    • The Wrap Shak: Wraps, salads, quesadillas, fries, tots
    • Koko’s Chariot: Frozen drinks, funnel cake, key lime pie or cheesecake on a stick
    • Hungry Traveler: Gourmet burgers and fries
    • Mac Factor: Gourmet mac & cheese
    • Cooley’s Ice Cream: Novelty ice creams
    • Vashti’s Kitchen Delights: Caribbean American food, also new items
    • Mean Max: Craft beer
    • Grandma Apple’s Cheesecakes: Mini cheesecakes
    • Alaturco Gyro: Gyros, baklava, more
    • Alchemy Bagel: Macrons
    • Girl Scout Troop 3611: Girl Scout cookies
    • Slavonian European Café: Pierogies, stuffed cabbage, moussaka, more
    • Daily Fresh: Indian food, palak paneer, kadai mushroom, mutter paneer, aloo gobi, chole and more
    • Adirondack Concessions: Kettle corn
    • Yum Yumz: Italian ice and ice cream
    • Smoothie Shoppe: Fresh fruit smoothies
    • Creative Caterers: Hot dogs, sausage, taco salad, more
    • Ty’s Tacoria: Tacos, chips with guac & salsa, iced tea
    • Slyboro Cider (Hicks Orchard): Samples and sales of hard ciders
    • Adirondack Olykoeks: Fresh hot mini-donuts
    • Millers Backyard BBQ: Ribs, brisket, pulled pork, sides
    • Screaming Eagle Concessions: Hot dogs, pulled pork, mac & cheese, lemonade
    • Adirondack Mobile Hibachi: Hibachi, noodles, rice, chicken, shrimp, steak
    • Euro Delicacies: Greek/Mediterranean, spanakopita, stuffed peppers, more
    • Tres Mijas: Enchiladas, tacos, taquitos, burritos, tostadas
    • Say Cheez: Grilled Sandwiches, tater tots, lemonade

    The Shirt Factory is open to the public from 8am to 5pm daily. You can find a full list of events here and learn even more about the history of The Shirt Factory here.

    Thursday Market and Food Truck Corral Music Lineup:

    June 23

    Lawrence Street Stage – Pete Moss
    Rockhill Stage – Keanen Stark & Orion Kribs
    Cooper Street Stage – Dan Mellon

    June 30
    Lawrence Street Stage – Tom Keller
    Rockhill Stage – Drew Wardle & Brian Fitzgerald
    Cooper Street Stage – Mark Rabin

    July 7
    Lawrence Street Stage – Jim Brown
    Rockhill Stage – Terrallite
    Cooper Street Stage – 42nd Draft

    July 14
    Lawrence Street Stage – Jason Irwin
    Rockhill Stage – Chatterbox
    Cooper Street Stage – Chris Cronin

    July 21
    Lawrence Street Stage – iRod+Aux
    Rockhill Stage – Across the Pond
    Cooper Street Stage – Zack Ryan

    July 28
    Lawrence Street Stage – Thom Powers
    Rockhill Stage – Curious Comet
    Cooper Street Stage – SoulSky Duo

    August 4
    Lawrence Street Stage – James Mullen
    Rockhill Stage – Up the River
    Cooper Street Stage – Kelly Rock

    August 11
    Lawrence Street Stage – Drew Wardle
    Rockhill Stage – Kenny T & DC Steve
    Cooper Street Stage – Mikki Bakken

    August 18
    Lawrence Street Stage – PR Project
    Rockhill Stage – The Musicats Duo
    Cooper Street Stage – Brian Fitzgerald

    August 25
    Lawrence Street Stage – Jim McArdle
    Rockhill Stage – The Schmooze
    Cooper Street Stage – Jason Irwin

    September 1
    Lawrence Street Stage – James Mullen
    Rockhill Stage – Margo Macero Band
    Cooper Street Stage – Alan Dunham & Elizabeth Winge

    September 8
    Lawrence Street Stage – Matthew Ames
    Rockhill Stage – The Tradition
    Cooper Street Stage – Mike Grosshander

  • Dimension 70: Distinct Background and Distinct Practice on the LES

    Stained glass colors the environment of Dimension 70, a unique studio space in Manhattan’s Lower East Side.

    Founded by Berklee-educated engineer and musician Fern Souza in late 2019, D70 is a space defined by aspiration on each floor, with two craftily designed recording spaces, useful non-musical amenities, and plans & ideas that put artists first.

    A spherical ceiling stained glass display of a solar system.
    A stained glass display within the D70 building.

    Assembled by Francis Manzella, a studio designer whose work spans nearly 40 years, the studio’s intrigue is fittingly matched by the space’s history. The building was originally a synagogue in the early 1900s, with prayer book pages being discovered between the bricks during construction. It also saw intriguing use during prohibition, when the space housed a whisky still.

    D70’s adherence to this unique background can be found in Studio One, their “flagship tracking room.” 20 feet tall and 730 sq. ft wide, this space is comprised of a control room, live room (315 sq. ft), and isolation booth, which are arranged with a collective line of sight between all three areas. Studio One has a wide range of audio equipment and instruments available, and the live room is decorated by a custom stained glass window and a mural by Florida graphic artist Marlon Pruz.

    Wide shot of Studio One.

    Dimension 70’s other recording space, the 10′ by 11′ Studio Two, is the domain of mixing and mastering engineer Joshua Pleeter. Pleeter has engineered on records by artists such as Topaz Jones, Gabriel Garzón-Montano, Princess Nokia, with marks of his D70 residency including work on records by Felly, Carrtoons, and Masego. While obviously not on the same physical scale of its companion recording space, Studio Two does have its own collection of audio equipment and instruments for artist use.

    Wide shot of Studio Two.

    Aside from the two recording areas, Dimension 70’s building includes a lounge room with assortments of vinyl records and gaming consoles, a workplace with a meeting table and flatscreen, and a kitchen.

    In their quest to make a space as artist-accommodating as possible, in October 2020, D70 launched their Time & Space program. Time & Space offers musicians 10 hours of free recording time and 10 hours to gift to another creator of their choice. To apply for this limited opportunity, artists have to share one story and one post to Instagram. The last winner of free studio time was Orrin, a now LA-based rapper back in March 2021.

    Photo of Orrin.

    In just under three years, Dimension 70 has managed to build itself a strong network. Over 90 different artists have worked on projects at the studio, with big names such as Camila Cabello, 88rising, and Magdalena Bay leaving their mark in the building.

    With plenty of distance covered as a business, a thoughtfully arranged studio, and business policy, there is likely much more to come from Dimension 70.

  • Le Poisson Rouge Celebrates 14 years with Blonde Redhead

    This month, Le Poisson Rouge celebrates 14 years as an underground live music sanctuary in the heart of Greenwich Village. To celebrate, LPR will hold a pair of 14th anniversary shows featuring Blonde Redhead, over June 14-15.

    Le Poisson Rouge

    Shoegaze/art-rock trio Blonde Redhead serves as the perfect band for the occasion, with two uniquely curated shows planned, planned to be unlike any performances they have done before, and reportedly a welcome challenge to the band as they celebrate Le Poisson Rouge.

    blonde redhead

    June 14th will feature a career-spanning “Best Of Blonde Redhead” setlist, highlighting the greatest of the band’s 25 year discography and even premiering some unreleased music. June 15th will have a “Choose Your Own Adventure” setlist will be determined by fans, who will be given the chance to vote on what they’d love to hear. This is a great chance for fans to hear B-sides and rarities Blonde Redhead rarely plays.

    Le Poisson Rouge
    Medeski, Martin and Wood at Le Poisson Rouge – photo by Brian Ferguson

    Originally known as the Village Gate, where artists like Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and more performed, Le Poisson Rouge was founded by musicians in 2008. The location in historic Greenwich Village highlights indie rock, contemporary classical, electronica, metal, jazz, world music, and everything in-between. Late shows at LPR transform the cutting-edge music venue into a premier nightlife destination. An eclectic independent venue, Le Poisson Rouge includes Gallery Bar, which hosts art exhibitions, stand-up comedy, and drag queen bingo.

    Le Poisson Rouge
    Sign for The Village Gate on the wall of 160 Bleecker Street, at the corner of Thompson Street.

    In 2015, LPR Presents transformed the venue into a full-fledged events production company expanding into rooms such as Town Hall, Brooklyn Bazaar, Warsaw, Baby’s All Right, Murmrr Theatre, with a footprint that now spans three boroughs.

    SPAGA at Le Poisson Rouge – photo by Jamie Huenefeld

    Additional residencies coming up at Le Poisson Rouge include Kamaal Williams (June 26, July 10, July 30, August 14), Jawbox (July 20, July 21, July 22), and William Basinski (September 18 and 19). Tickets for Blonde Redhead are available here. 7:00PM Doors, 8:00PM Show

  • Ricky Persaud Jr.’s Journey: From Music Prodigy To Award-Winning Artist

    Ricky Persaud Jr.’s discography is stellar, to say the least, and is ever-growing as his versatility continues to elevate his status. Although, the multi-instrumentalist is a recent graduate from the prestigious Berklee College Of Music in Boston, his professional music career has been years in the making. The talented musician is known to cover a multitude of genres ranging from pop, rock, reggae, funk and more, while providing fans with a unique experience.

    Ricky Persaud Jr.
    Michael D. Spencer

    At two-years-old Persaud Jr., began his musical journey with the banjo. Since music was his main priority, he became a child prodigy within a short period. By four-years-old, Persaud Jr. had begun playing percussion and while attending the Newark School of the Arts, studied the drums.

    At the tender age of 9, he played the guitar for the first time and realized there were no limits to how he could express himself. After receiving professional training, he was not only a proficient guitar player, but was able to add the bass, as well as the piano to his repertoire.

    Ricky Persaud Jr.

    Thanks to his mother, Valerie Persaud, there were no limits to Persaud Jr.’s ambitions as she encouraged him to excel at each instrument. She dreamt of playing the piano herself, but was denied the opportunity, so she ensured her children would not have the same experience. Besides, music ran in the family.

    Persaud Jr.’s father, Ricky Sr., engineered Caribbean albums and often played Bob Marley, The Wailers, and Third World, which quickly influenced his infant son. Contrarily, his mother favored classic-rock music, particularly the Beatles, who are Persaud Jr.’s favorite musicians along with Michael Jackson, Nirvana, and Bob Marley.

    I never paid attention to music until I heard the Beatles. With them it’s not just about the sound of the instruments, but the message being relayed. Their music is all about love and inspiration.

    Ricky Persaud Jr.

    While his love of instrumentation was fostered at home, his songwriting exploits were a way to escape the outside world. As a victim of bullying, Persaud Jr. was encouraged by his mother to express himself through songwriting. Soon enough he realized this was a powerful way to overcome the social adversity he dealt with. In the end, songwriting became his main coping mechanism, which only made him a better musician.

    When you bottle up everything inside you are hurting yourself. Therefore, I truly believe people should use platforms like music and sports to release their emotions and express themselves. Songwriting was like a diary for me.

    Ricky Persaud Jr.
    Valerie Persaud

    Having built a great amount of mental fortitude over the years, his self-belief even applies to his music. While on quarantine during the pandemic, he was faced with the obstacle of connecting with other musicians without physical touch. It was during this time that an already tight familial bond continued to grow. He connected with his mother and brother to continue their musical work as a band, by the name of Ricky Persaud Jr and Crossroads.

    Outside of his immediate family, the Indie Collaborative (IC), an organization for independent musicians and professionals to come together as one, has been essential in Persaud Jr.’s development. On April 25, he performed alongside other IC artists at Carnegie Hall.

    The Indie Collaborative helped me as far as my artistry, confidence, networking, and exposure to other talented artists. I will always be grateful for them and the opportunities they presented me with.

    At such a young age, Persaud Jr. has been awarded a 2016 Governor’s Award for Excellence in Music, the Artist of The Year in Pop award at the 2019 Josie Music Independent Awards, a 2020 Global Music Award, he was named 2020 Best Male Artist in Pop at the Indie Music Channel Awards and is a Grammy voter. However, according to him, his most heartfelt achievement was not only being accepted into the reputable Berklee College of Music, but being awarded a full four-year scholarship.

    The people who selected me for the full four-year scholarship, said they chose me because of how active I was with my work on social media. If I was to give others advice, it would be to take pride in their work, show off their craft, and post professionally.

    Ricky Persaud Jr.
    Persaud

    Persaud Jr.’s most recent album, Enlightenment, relays the message of “shining some positivity into the world.” Meanwhile the featured song “Cease Fire”, sheds light on racism, Black Lives Matter and police brutality.

    If there is any advice I would give other musicians of color, it’s that there will be a lot of discrimination along the way, but no matter what believe in yourself and use what God instilled in you.

    Although Persaud Jr. has proven himself within the music industry, he feels that he has only scratched the surface of his potential. With plans on becoming a Grammy-award winner and having a “musical connection worldwide,” Persaud Jr.’s future is nothing short of promising.

  • There’s No Laundry at Albany’s Newest Laundromat

    Albany’s DIY music scene has been thriving in the wake of 2020’s lockdowns. Basement and house venues are popping up left and right, and bands have been eager to get back on stage and perform in front of live audiences. The Laundromat is one of the newest underground music venues in Albany and it just wrapped up a busy spring semester. The hidden basement spent the last five months promoting pop-up shows at Pauly’s Hotel, hosting their own basement shows, and contributing to Albany’s flourishing music and arts community.

    The venue started back in September of 2021 and is run by two U Albany students Ari Spielman and Samantha Mehrkens. The duo runs their venue on Instagram (@the.laun.dro.mat) and have grown their page beyond 1,500 followers in the past few months and have put on over a dozen shows. Ari and Samantha have built, from the ground up, a popular space for musicians, painters, photographers, and artists of all kinds to work and enjoy each other’s art. The two can always be spotted up front at their shows, enjoying the music, addressing technical difficulties, and even keeping their fans cool and comfortable.

    The Laundromat
    Glue Head @ The Laundromat – 3.11.22. Ari Spielman and Samantha Mehrkens (right)

    The Laundromat was recently one of a handful of DIY venues in the Albany area that was part of Byrdhouse Records‘ Phoenix Fest. The week-long festival consisted of six consecutive shows all over Albany, Troy, and New Paltz. The Laundromat’s show took place on 4/20 and featured five local acts: Floral Arrangements, Ricky Bandana, Prom Sex, Rhakimali, and The E-Block. The packed lineup, along with the holiday festivities, brought out a big crowd for the Wednesday night show that ran late into the early hours of the morning.

    The surprise highlight of the night was the third act of the night: Prom Sex. The newly formed band played their first show ever at The Laundromat and they received a warm welcome from Albany’s DIY community. The band played their own version of musical chairs, or rather musical instruments, as everyone rotated from guitar to bass to drums. The young band played on for a full 45-minute set with a crowd-demanded encore.

    The Laundromat
    Prom Sex @ The Laundromat – 4.20.22

    The Laundromat also features local bands time and time again, like Ladybyrd. The WCDB Rising Artist of the Year is a regular at The Laundromat, and performed at the last show of the semester on May 6. Ladybyrd had also performed at The Laundromat as recently as April 8th, along with Chaz Kiss, and Sam Legenbauer. This April 8th show was promoted as the Femme Fatale Feature Friday, as it featured acts fronted by women. The Laundromat doesn’t always host shows with an overarching theme, but when they do, they always tend to draw out their biggest and most energetic crowds.

    The Laundromat
    Ladybyrd @ The Laundromat – 5.6.22

    The Laundromat has often featured a broad range of music on any given night, one could hear everything from hip-hop to punk or shoegaze to funk. One of these genre bending shows was on February 18th, featured acts included: Free Spiritu, Cloud 18, Dork!, and Alliteration. Alliteration closed out the show and have been seen all over the 518 in the past few months. It feels like the Poughkeepsie-based punk band brings their unique sound to the area every other weekend and they have fans traveling regularly from as far as Long Island to catch every single one of their shows.

    Alliteration’s success is well deserved and has been a direct result of the band’s collective work ethic, attitude, and fun music. Xayvier, Ryan, and Mike are loved throughout the music community and can be found in the crowd or the merch table at every show they play. They arrive early, enjoy the sets of other acts, and are eager to mingle with fans. It’s this type of approachability and friendliness from the band members though that has helped make them a true crowd favorite in New York’s DIY music scene. Basement show-goers may even find themselves challenged to a game of Super Smash by Xayvier for the chance to win a t-shirt discount. Good luck beating him though.

    Alliteration’s Next show will be at The Bundy Museum on May 28th, for the Bing X Punk Festival . The day’s music starts at 3pm and is slated to run until 9:30. The show will feature three other bands who have been seen in the Albany area as of late: Stay Off The Fence , Senior Living, and DiRTYBANDAiD. All of these bands rock, hard, and will be accompanied by a number of other acts who won’t disappoint: The Droogz, Pons, The War Lovers, Pleasure Dome, and Tom Jolu.

    The Laundromat
    Alliteration @ The Laundromat – 2.18.22

    Like the Bing X Punk Festival shows, Albany’s DIY scene is not an island. It is, instead, a part of a much larger community of music lovers all around the state. There are vibrant underground scenes in cities like Oneonta, Binghamton, and Troy and bands are constantly playing together and traveling from city to city as often as they can. The Laundromat’s final show of the semester on May 6, 2022 featured Crash Test Auto from Oneonta. The upbeat rock band put the community’s connectedness on display by featuring Adam Henkel on bass. Adam is a SUNY Oneonta student who currently runs the 607 Music Scene Instagram page.

    Adam has found himself playing for a number of bands and is now focused on building his Instagram following through 607 in order to aggregate event and artist news from around New York’s DIY music scene beyond. Adam’s efforts are all in the name of his love for music and for the members of the underground community. 607 Music Scene is the go-to page to follow if you are interested in keep up-to-date with upcoming shows, photography galleries from past shows, and new music from local acts.

    The Laundromat
    Crash Test Auto @ The Laundromat 5.6.22

    In addition to hosting shows in their basement, The Laundromat has also promoted a number of shows at Pauly’s Hotel in Albany. The Laundromat kicked off the 2022 spring semester with their Wild N’ Out rap show on February 5. The show featured nine of Albany’s up and coming rappers to allow the crowd to decide who their favorite rapper of the night was. The show’s winner and runner-up were awarded to Lil Baby Suplex, and Rhakimali. The grand prize was awarded to Suplex and earned him free studio time in New York City.

    The Laundromat’s Pauly’s Hotel shows have also included lineups with some local regulars like Treasure Cove, The E-Block, and Safety Meeting. Those who frequent DIY shows in the area are more than likely quite familiar with all three of these acts, as they have all been regularly performing around the area and at other Laundromat shows. Safety Meeting also played shows at The Byrdhouse and WCDB this semester. In April they performed at WCDB Fest and were nominated for Best Alt Rock/Indie Artist for their fun style of rock that incorporates sounds from different genres spanning from punk to country. Safety Meeting has a show coming up on May 28 at Blueberry Field in New Paltz.

    The Laundromat
    Safety Meeting @ Pauly’s Hotel – 2.17.22

    As you can see, The Laundromat plays their own important role in a much larger community. Samantha and Ari have grown their own musical node in the network in a very short amount of time. The space they have created creates opportunities for so many artists to put their work on display. The nature of the community inspires crowd members, promotes new acts and venues alike, and makes the whole of New York’s DIY scene stronger.

    So whether you are young or old, love hip-hop or punk, or just have $5 in your pocket, then you should consider following The Laundromat on Instagram and keeping your eyes out for the next show they have. It could be this summer, or it could be next summer, but either way you ought to be ready to send them a DM and get the address to what will likely be one of the best shows in Albany happening that night. Albany’s basements are dark and dirty, but the artists and fans are kind and welcoming to all. There is no doubt that a night spent at The Laundromat will be one filled with good music and good vibes.

    The Field Service
    The Laundromat
    Midnight Driver
    Midnight Driver
    Ricky Bandana & Cirred
    Cirred
    Treasure Cove
    Treasure Cove
    The E-Block
    The Laundromat
    The E-Block
    The Laundromat
    Safety Meeting
    The Laundromat
    Dork!
    Alliteration
    Michael Rodriguez – Alliteration
    Alliteration
    Souly Had
    Moss Tongue
    Moss Tongue
    Glue Head
    Glue Head, Ari & Samantha
    Gluehead
    Glue Head
    Glue Head
    Sam Legenbauer
    The Laundromat
    Ladybyrd
    The Laundromat
    Chaz Kiss
    David Stingle – Chaz Kiss
    Evan Randall – Ladybyrd
    Prom Sex
    Ladybyrd
    Crash Test Auto
    Adam Henkel Crash Test Auto / 607 Music Scene

  • Lawrence Edelson To Step Down From Opera Saratoga

    Opera Saratoga’s Artistic and General Director Lawrence Edelson has announced that he will step down from Opera Saratoga after the 2022 Summer Season. A member of the company since 2014, Edleson will be taking his talents to The University of Houston as Professor of Practice and Artistic Director of The Moores Opera Center.

    Lawrence Edelson
    Lawrence Edelson

    The Moores Opera Center is considered one of the most prestigious programs for opera training in the country. The institution regularly brings home National Opera Association awards. Lawrence Edelson will also continue in his role as Artistic and General Director of American Lyric Theater in New York City. Here, he mentors emerging opera composers and oversees the development of new works.

    As expected, Opera Saratoga is sad to see Edelson go. That being said, the company wishes him the best of luck in his future endeavors. Edelson’s final remarks are as follows:

    When I first came to Saratoga Springs as a guest director in 2013, I fell in love with this community and when I had the opportunity to join Opera Saratoga as Artistic and General Director the following year, I knew that I was about to embark on a very exciting journey. I truly could not have imagined how rewarding my time at Opera Saratoga would be. I have had some of the most meaningful experiences of my life during my time with the company, and I am deeply grateful to the artists, our entire staff, and our committed and generous supporters who make it possible for Opera Saratoga to contribute so vibrantly to the region year-round.

    Lawrence Edelson

  • DiscOasis Will Open On June 16th In Central Park

    On Thursday, June 16th, DiscOasis, presented by Nile Rodgers, will open at the Wollman Rink in Central Park. The event will offer exciting evening skate times & programs featuring theatrical performances with an array of live DJs, artists, and special guests. It will also be open throughout the day for daytime skating.

    DiscOasis

    Nighttime performances at the DiscOasis will have music curated by the Grammy-award-winning “Groovemaster,” Nile Rodgers. The experience will include unique art, tantalizing lights, exceptional music and dance, and occasional live performances. DiscOasis hopes that its theatrical experience will promote inclusiveness and positivity in the community.

    When DiscOasis was in Los Angeles last year, The Los Angeles Times had this to say:

    The DiscOasis is a pop-up roller-skating experience like no other. The second you step onto the grounds… the energy of the party envelops you

    Siena Giljum

    Tickets are on sale beginning May 10th at 11 AM. Skating sessions will be available from 10 AM to 10 PM on Wednesdays through Sundays from June 16th till October 1st. Skates will cost ten dollars to rent. However, those who already own a pair of skates are welcome to bring them, free of charge. For tickets and more information, visit thediscoasis.com.

  • 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.

  • 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.