Beginning at 2 P.M. and ending at 9 P.M., the festival is a one-day event but will hold various activities to enjoy in the days leading up to the annual fest on the 28. Known as one of Buffalo’s most diverse festivals, the event hosts multiple genres of music, art, and culture for attendees to enjoy.
The Beau Fleuve Music & Arts celebration will bring international musical acts across multiple stages including Stove God Cooks, DNTWATCHTV, Q Brock, Lindsay Niccs, Grace Greenan, and many more. Audiences can expect the festival to represent multiple genres throughout the day.
Festivalgoers can also enjoy art installations, a silent disco, poetry-spoken word, speaker events, fashion, backyard games, street art, and a family-fun area. Food and drink will also be available with a beer and wine garden and food trucks.
In addition to the traditional Beau Fleuve Music & Arts Festival on Aug. 28, there will be fun events for attendees to enjoy leading up to the event in Buffalo. Entertainment includes a comedy show on Aug. 25, a happy hour on Aug. 26, and a field day with a softball game on Aug. 27.
For more information about additional music performances, art curators, and ticket purchasing, visit the Beau Fleuve Music & Arts Festival’s website. Single and group general admission tickets are now on sale.
NYC-based LGBTQ dance-pop artist J-LINE is dropping his instantly catchy new dance pop hit “If I Don’t Have You” on August 19. The song is an upbeat yet lyrically haunting track about letting go of an ex, right before the end of the summer. Thus, allowing listeners to dance out their own feelings of loss and loneliness
Using elements of 80’s synth-pop and modern dance music, the track “If I Don’t Have You” brilliantly captures that post-breakup feeling without falling into despair. Because of it’s upbeat tempo and memorable lines like, “I sit and wait for you at a table set for two” and “I know I sound desperate but I’m crazy and I can’t forget about you.”
J-LINE has described his newest hit as “seeing your ex as an ethereal being/ghost that haunts you every minute of your life. As you walk downtown, as you sleep, when you feel the summer breeze on your face. Every second brings back a memory until you get to such a fragile emotional space you’re someone who’s ‘haunted’. It’s about that desperate attempt to reconcile, ignore all the issues in the relationship and plead with your ex to ‘come back’ to you.”
– J-LINE
J-LINE has gathered over 1 million streams, 2 million youtube views and fans all over the globe with his unique sound. Using a synth electro-pop sound that mirrors the brightness of the late 80’s/early 90s, J-LINE makes the underground music scene feel alive again with an electrifying-80’s twist. “If I Don’t Have You” captures the best of what J-LINE offers, emotionally complex dance music from a queer perspective mixed with a retro yet modern twist.
J-LINE will continue to release more music throughout 2022, as well as dazzle crowds with his live show. More recently, including a recent breakout performance to a crowd of well-over 5000 people at the first-ever Montclair Pride.
Currently, J-LINE is touring with his “Dirty pop party” concert, where he performs alongside LGBTQ artists (including Myylo, Peppermint, and Dillon Burnside) in major US cities, highlighting what the diverse future of music looks and sounds like. His live set is an energetic blend of choreography, vocals and music that leave audiences electrified.
To listen to “If I Don’t Have You,” click the link here.
Buffalo-based Timothy Alice & the Dead Star Band is back with another excellent music release. The band released “Winning Number,” on Aug. 12 as the first single off of their upcoming album, Used Cars.
Formed in 2018, the band consists of longtime friends Timothy Patrick Henderson, Matt DiStasio (drums), and Bub Crumlish on bass. The trio released their debut album, SpaceStation AM500, in 2019, and is set to release their sophomore record, Used Cars, later this season.
As a single, “Winning Number,” showcases the passion, talent, and promise of what is to come from the upcoming Timothy Alice & the Dead Star Band release. With Alice’s raspy vocals, guitar riffs, and settled drums, the classic rock single shines.
Alice’s lyricism intricately molds the story of a relationship through the eyes of a partner who wants more for both of them. The melody gets one singing along as Alice heads into the chorus, “I swear you’re gonna see what I mean, ‘cause I bought a winning number and they’re gonna call it out tonight.” Alice’s vocals and lyrics make it easy to imagine the vivid scene he paints as the instrumentation contributes to the longing feeling.
Timothy Alice & the Dead Star Band recorded the single and upcoming album in the middle of a Buffalo snowstorm during the pandemic. The area has always impacted the group’s music, but Timothy Alice described this record as “distinctly Buffalo” with its tone, sound, and concept.
With catchy hooks, a unique combination of sound, and authentic lyricism, “Winning Number,” shines and Used Cars is sure to as well. Stay tuned for when the full album releases later this year for more and keep up to date with the Buffalo-based band on Instagram, Tik Tok, and Bandcamp.
The 10th annual Summer Hoot Festival will return to Olivebridge, NY, from Aug. 26-28 for three days of music, food, nature, and community. The festival will feature nearly two dozen musical performances in a family-friendly environment.
Folk-roots musicians Mike Merenda and Ruth Ungar Merenda of The Mammals together produce and host the event. The duo started the Hoot Festival back in 2013 with friends and hold the event twice a year in the winter and summer to celebrate music and nature.
This year’s lineup features the talents of NY-based Naiika Sings, Catalan instrumentalist Lau Noah, Hudson Valley’s What?, dancers City Stompers, The Mammals, and many more. The Hoot has long attracted some amazing acts, including previous performances from Pete Seeger, David Bromberg, Natalie Merchant, Ani DiFranco, and Amy Helm, among others.
The Summer Hoot Festival promotes environmental sustainability alongside its intention to spread a love of music. The festival is completely powered by solar energy and uses reusable pint cups to reduce waste. Additionally, festival proceeds will benefit the year-round cultural and environmental education programs at the Ashokan Center.
It’s not every day that people of all ages can safely explore nature and enjoy new music together, but here at the Hoot that’s just the beginning. This festival lets us share the joy and freedom I was privileged to experience in my own childhood at Ashokan, and keep the party going for generations to come.
– Ruth Ungar Merenda, Hoot Event Producer and Director of Community Outreach for the Ashokan Center
The Summer Hoot Festival musical acts will take place across two stages with speakers in between sets offering talks on nature, nutrition, fitness, and more. Guided hikes to the Ashokan Center’s Cathedral Gorge and historic Covered Bridge will also be made available.
Information about ticket prices, additional programming, camping, and more, can be found on the festival’s website. The Summer Hoot Festival will take place at the Ashokan Center, located at 477 Beaverkill Road in Olivebridge, New York.
Zannie Owens, a Brooklyn-based artist, has released their title track “get that star” ahead of their upcoming debut album, out Aug. 19 via Kill Rock Stars. Under the moniker, zannie, the artist has crafted a space-inspired single with a captivating music video to accompany it.
zannie crafted their new single based on the inspiration from the Voyager One Golden Record which Carl Sagan and Lynn Margulis sent into outer space in 1977. The Brooklyn singer-songwriter lyrically explores an alien who is trying to return home, and intertwines that story with a message of hope about human connection.
With warm guitars, layered vocals, and whimsical instrumentation, “get that star” carries over hard-hitting but hopeful truths and lyrics of the human experience. zannie’s beginning vocals and dictation slowly draw you in before the melody takes off as the song builds. Despite being recorded in zannie’s bedroom, the video’s unique lighting effects, and focus on zannie, transform listeners into another space as they ponder over the song’s message.
The single is just a glimpse at what may be to come off of zannie’s upcoming album, How Do I Get That Star. Written over the course of four years, zannie explores the unknown, the mystical, and more. During the process, they listened to artists such as Judee Still and Prince, and the album reflects some of those inspirations.
If the single is any hint for what is to come on How Do I Get That Star, then listeners are in for some great new music to add to playlists on Aug. 19. To keep up with zannie as an artist, follow them on social media here. Listen to another single, “for a while,” off of the artist’s upcoming album, available below.
New York city-based punk band, Baby Got Back Talk, has released a single and music video, “Season Premiere,” off of their upcoming full-album, Existential Shred, out on Sept. 9.
Photo: Kate Hoos
The band’s previously released single, “Model Minority,” debuted back in June, and paid homage to the My Chemical Romance hit “I’m Not Okay (I Promise).” Baby Got Back Talk consists of four members: vocalist/bassist G’Ra Asim, synth op/vocalist Rhiana Hernandez, lead guitarist/vocalist Jake Lazaroff, and drummer Wes Ruiz and has been bringing listeners great music since 2017.
Vocalist and bassist G’Ra Asim began working on the new single, “Season Premiere,” during his office hours as an English professor. Some of the lyrics, “I was searching for a guide/in the pages of poets/But I’m still not bonafide/as a sage or a stoic” describe the idea that we must accept we cannot always find the answers. One must feel free to pursue them on their own.
I’d spent so much time studying literature in the hopes that the bards of old held the wisdom I could use to orient my own journey. Students were looking to me to share that wisdom, yet I was keenly aware that I had so much left to figure out myself. The eureka moment we sometimes think we’re pursuing doesn’t necessarily deliver. The closest you can actually get is accepting that there’s no grand design to uncover, which means you’re free to make your own. ‘Season Premiere’ is the sound of four weary but still wide-eyed weirdos doing exactly that, and inviting the listener to do so in their own right.
– Vocalist and bassist G’Ra Asim
“Season Premiere” highlights Baby Got Back Talk’s pop-punk sound, similar to the rhythms and electric guitars of the early 2000s. In the music video, catch the band jamming out with a full set of drums, electric guitar, and more, in addition to them exploring the streets and landmarks of the city. Fans of the band can keep up with them across all platforms with the username @babygotbacktalk.
The Northern Current Music Festival in Saranac Lake returns for Labor Day weekend, featuring local and international artists representing contemporary music’s past, present, and future.
The festival’s mission is to enrich Saranac Lake’s cultural diversity by celebrating various musical heritages. The event is free, and family-friendly, with various activities for kids and adults. The daylong celebration will happen in Riverside Park in Saranac Lake on September 4.
TEKE is a female-fronted Montreal-based Japanese psych-rock group that features traditional Japanese instruments, flute, and trombone alongside raging guitars and a pulsing rhythm section. They create a sound reminiscent of the 1960s and 1970s era psychedelic Japanese soundtracks.
Leading The Big Takeover is Jamaican-born singer and songwriter NeeNee Rushie, creating a horn-powered global blend of reggae and world music, with hints of soul and Motown, and their infectious brand of pop classicism.
Hailing from Brooklyn, Ghost Funk Orchestra is the brainchild of producer and multi-instrumentalist Seth Applebaum. The band has evolved from a one-man band to a ten-piece powerhouse live band that draws heavy influence from the worlds of soul, psych rock, salsa, and beyond.
Rooted in southern dance tradition and the addition of soft vocal harmonies, Rose & The Bros from Ithaca will serve with their Lousiana sound and reggae undertone.
The Outcrops are from the woods of Northern New Jersey, presenting original blues-infused rock and roll. The four-piece was formed in 2016 by lead vocalist Cassidy Rain and lead guitarist Bryan Schroder.
Crackin’ Foxy is a ukulele-driven ensemble, featuring tight instrumental arrangements and close vocal harmonies inspired by 30s swing, Hawaiian, and NOLA jazz.
For more information about the Northern Current Music Festival happening in Saranac Lake on September 4, go here.
The annual Chenango Blues Festival will return for its 29th year on August 19 and August 20. The festival features Blues Hall of Fame inductee and multiple Grammy-winning guitarist Jimmie Vaughan, who returns after last year’s cancellation.
The Chenango Blues Festival is a family-friendly event open to all at the County Fairgrounds in Norwich. The Friday performances will kick off with the Rock N’ Roll band the Hi-Jivers from 5:30 pm to 6:45 pm. Canadian singer Angel Forrest takes the stage next, with an impressive career spanning over three decades. To close out the first day of the festival, blues rocker Popa Chubby will perform. The parking gate opens at 4 pm and the festival gate at 5 pm with music starting at 5:30 pm.
On Saturday, at the Infield Stage, festival gates open at 11:00 am with Massachusetts-based Misty Blues playing at 11:30 am. Duo Annika Chambers band will be performing next bringing blues fused with influences of gospel music. Altered Five will follow from 2:45 pm to 4:00 pm and then fest favorite Nick Moss returns from 5:00 pm to 6:15 pm. To close out Saturday’s Infield Stage performances, Jimmie Vaughan will perform an exciting set of songs from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm.
The Chenango Blues Festival’s Tier Pet Tent Stage also includes even more performances on Saturday. The first act, Corey Harris and Cajun fiddler Cedric Watson, will open the stage from 1:45 pm to 2: 45 pm. Americana and blues band EG Kight Trio will play next followed by Los Angeles-based Teresa James & the Rhythm Tramps. The tent stage, and the entire festival, will be closed out in style by the returning Grammy-nominated band Southern Avenue, who average 150 shows in a typical year.
Attendees of the festival can enjoy food from different vendors, and on-site camping in addition to the great live music. The Chenango Blues Association also presents a series of free shows in East Park every Thursday in July and August and will feature the Mike Zito Big Band on August 18. This show is the unofficial kickoff to Blues Fest weekend. Attendees of the Blues Fest can spend the day exploring the area before heading to the fairgrounds for the concert and the official start on August 19.
For further information on tickets, camping, vendors, and artists you can visit the Chenango Blues Festival website at here.
On Friday, July 29, indie and alternative R&B artist Charlie Burg released his newest single, “Ohh! Sumthin’ New” from his upcoming debut album, Infinitely Tall, out on August 19.
Photo credit: Dannah Gottlieb
The artist was born in Detroit, Michigan but previously studied at Syracuse University’s Setnor School of Music, and is now based out of Brooklyn. His upcoming album, Infinitely Tall, takes place across three spaces: Burg’s childhood home in Detroit, his beloved college house in Syracuse, and finally his experiences in NYC.
In the single, “Ohh! Sumthin’ New,” Burg explores the story of a character yearning for fresh and authentic experiences. With upbeat instrumentation and lyrics which critically examine the world around him, the track entices while simultaneously offering deeper meaning.
Of the track, Burg shares that it “celebrates and laments the rootlessness of youth … the world of social media makes the protagonist feel like a poser and a fraud, mostly because of how much they subscribe to and partake in its evils. The protagonist desperately wants a change of pace, which is ironic in the face of their desire for solid ground to stand on.”
Painting: Charlie Burg / Editing: Corinne Ferman
With soft vocals and acoustic guitar suddenly transformed by the sounds of electric guitar,”Ohh! Sumthin’ New” takes listeners through a whirlwind. Burg incorporates unexpected backing vocals, sounds, and lyrics to keep you guessing and embodies the phrase “a change of pace.”
Burg’s previous releases, including “Channel Orange in Your Living Room” and “I Don’t Wanna Be Okay Without You,” garnered him much attention, but his upcoming release marks a new shift in sound and ambition for the artist. The young 25-year-old expands on his previous works and leaves nothing behind in this new record.
Burg will hit the road this fall across the EU, UK, and North America in support of the upcoming release from September through November. Get tickets now via charlieburg.world. To see the complete list of U.S. tour dates, see below.
Hailing from the Finger Lakes region, rock & roll band the Sweats is set to release their upcoming single, “Whiskey Thursday,” out on streaming services on July 28. The single is the first off of their album, Summer Nights Begin, which will drop later this year.
“Whiskey Thursday” is built on the foundation of dynamic drums, a great bass line, wonderful guitars, and synths, with a relatable storyline lyrically. Similar in sound to the Foo Fighters, Ted Leo, or Deer Tick, the track is the perfect hint at what to expect for the rest of the album.
The song deals with the struggles of untruthful relationships and confronting dark times. Vocalist Travis Durfee sings passionately on the track, describing the confusion of a relationship as backing vocals and engaging beats carry you through the five-minute song. The rhythm, lyrics, and catchy beats keep you hooked and wanting more.
Sweats, consisting of Travis Durfee (vocals, guitar), JM Sincock (drums), Rob Kurcoba (bass), Tony DeLuca (keys), and Nick D’Aloisio (guitar), released their first full-length album, Caught in Wave, in 2020. The album was well-received, but the band is looking forward to continuing to expand their live performances with this upcoming album, Summer Nights Begin.
Audiences can find Sweats often playing at the wineries and breweries outside of Ithaca where they are committed to playing original music for fans to enjoy. Creating art and making their own tunes is how Sweats rolls, and “Whiskey Thursday,” is a prime example of this.
It is like an underground network of sorts, this rural collective of DIY festivals and promoters. There are groups like Uncle Uku and the Guise and Technicolor Trailer Park and indie rockers like Jesse Bloodgood, punks like The Rooster, all supporting each other, playing shows together, and trying to make it work, pulling together festivals, such as Togetherness and Wonderland, bringing people out into the woods to hear the heartbeat of original music in rural Upstate New York. It takes a minute to find that heartbeat, but we’re on the pulse and the beat is pretty steady.
-Travis Durfee on the Ithaca music scene
Be sure to be on the lookout for when “Whiskey Thursday” drops on July 28. The single will not disappoint and stay tuned for the upcoming album, Summer Nights Begin, which was mixed by sound engineer Mike Capporizzo. Take a listen to more of Sweats’ music available below.
