NYS Music 202​2

Category: Alternative/Indie

  • Khruangbin Add Brooklyn and Lewiston Dates To National Tour

    Three-piece band Khruangbin from Houston, Texas, has added Brooklyn and Lewiston dates to their Space Walk Tour 2022, with supports including Toro Y Moi, Men I Trust, Vieux Farka Touré, Genesis Owusu, Pachyman.

    Khruangbin Space Walk Tour poster.

    Khruangbin was formed in 2009 with Laura Lee on bass, Mark Speer on guitar, and Donald Johnson on drums. They take their influence from 1960s Thai funk with their name translating to “Engine Fly” in Thai. The group has toured across the world, with praise from the NY Times, Billboard, and more. The trio recently joined Leon Bridges to create the EP Texas Moon, which landed in the Top 25 of the Billboard Top 200, as well as the Top 5 on Billboard’s Album Sales, Vinyl, Alternative Albums, and Rock Albums charts.

    The Space Walk Tour with Khruangbin is touring now, with a newly added Brooklyn date. Tickets are on sale now.

    KHRUANGBIN 2022 TOUR DATES:

    **notes newly added 

    Fri April 29th – Cincinnati, OH – Andrew J Brady Music Center w/ Toro y Moi

    Sat April 30th – Asheville, NC – ExploreAsheville.com Arena (fka Asheville Civic Center) w/ Toro y Moi

    Tue May 3rd – Charlotte, NC – Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheater w/ Toro y Moi

    Wed May 4th – Richmond, VA – Virginia Credit Union LIVE! w/ Toro y Moi

    Thur May 5th – North Charleston, SC – Firefly Distillery w/ Toro y Moi

    Sat May 7th – Miami Beach, FL – Fillmore Miami Beach At Jackie Gleason Theater w/ Toro y Moi

    Sun May 8th – Miami Beach, FL – Fillmore Miami Beach At Jackie Gleason Theater w/ Toro y Moi

    Wed May 11th – Houston, TX – 713 Music Hall w/ Toro y Moi

    Thurs July 7th – Bend, OR – Hayden Homes Amphitheater w/ Men I Trust

    Fri July 8th – Vancouver, BC – PNE Amphitheater w/ Men I Trust

    Sat July 9th – Troutdale, OR – McMenamins Edgefield w/ Men I Trust

    Sun July 10th – Redmond, WA – Marymoor Park Concerts w/ Men I Trust

    Tues July 12th – Bonner, MT – Kettlehouse Amphitheater w/ Men I Trust

    Wed July 13th – Boise, ID – Outlaw Field at the Idaho Botanical Garden w/ Men I Trust

    Sat July 16th – Berkeley, CA – The Greek Theatre at UC Berkeley w/ Men I Trust

    Sun July 17th – Berkeley, CA – The Greek Theatre at UC Berkeley w/ Men I Trust

    Sat July 30th – Montreal, QC – Osheaga Festival

    Sun July 31st – Detroit, MI – Mo Pop Festival

    **Mon August 1st – Lewiston, NY – Artpark Amphitheater w/ Men I Trust

    **Tues August 2nd – Toronto, ON – RBC Echo Beach w/ Men I Trust

    **Thurs August 4th – Brooklyn, NY – BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! at Prospect Park w/ Vieux Farka Touré

    **Fri August 5th – Portland, ME – Thompson’s Point w/ Men I Trust

    **Sat August 6th – New Haven, CT – Westville Music Bowl w/ Men I Trust

    August 26th-August 28th – Vineyard Haven, MA – Beach Road Weekend

    August 26th-August 28th – Bridgeview, IL – Sacred Rose

    Sat September 17th – Los Angeles, CA – Primavera Sound LA

    **Thurs September 29th – Las Vegas, NV – Brooklyn Bowl w/ Genesis Owusu

    **Sat October 1st – Mesa, AZ – Mesa Amphitheater w/ Genesis Owusu

    **Sun October 2nd – Santa Fe, NM – Santa Fe Opera w/ Genesis Owusu

    **Fri October 28th – Mexico City, MX – Pepsi Center WTC w/ Pachyman

  • Alt-J Brought ‘The Dream’ Tour to Madison Square Garden

    English indie rockers Alt-J made their way to Madison Square Garden on Monday, April 11 as part of The Dream tour. The show is Alt-J’s first New York show in four years since the band’s performance at the 2018 Mountain Jam Festival at Hunter Mountain. These shows come in support of their fourth studio album The Dream, released back in February on Infectious Records.

    alt-j madison square garden
    Alt-J at MSG, 4/11/22. Photo by Buscar Photo

    Support across the tour is coming from Alaskan indie veterans Portugal. The Man and this second leg of the run also features Cherry Glazerr. Portugal. The Man have been at it since 2005 and are gearing up to release their ninth studio LP. The as-of-yet untitled album features the lead single, “What, Me Worry?” and is out this June. As they always do, Portugal. The Man opened the show by inviting members from indigenous people groups that represent the land they are playing on. After this intorduction, the band kicked off their set with a thrash metal medley of Metallica, Pantera, and Slayer before playing one of their own songs. PTM typically plays their live sets as giant medleys, showcasing a really cool moment when the played “Another Brick In The Wall (pt. 2)” into their classic hit “Purple Yellow Red and Blue.”

    Portugal. The Man at MSG, 4/11/22. Photo by Buscar Photo

    It has been a quiet 5-years since Alt-J put out their last album, 2017s Relaxer. The band came out of hiding late last year with the announcement of The Dream along with lead single “U&ME.” The song starts off with a wandering guitar and vocal melody, dreaming of summer nostalgia and hot dogs off the grill. The song picks up the pace halfway through and crescendos into a psychedelic summer ballad. On Monday night, Alt-J also played the highly experimental The Dream songs “Chicago” and “Philadelphia.” Alt-J’s stage set-up for this tour is quite remarkable. The three band members are on elevated platforms, surrounded by a semi-transparent screen that they project visuals onto, completely immersing the band into the visual presentation.

    alt-j madison square garden
    Alt-J at MSG, 4/11/22. Photo by Buscar Photo

    With only four LPs, the band played many songs from each of their releases but weaved them together in such a compelling way that they could have been playing a complete album in full. Alt-J have been incredibly consistent over the years, and created quite a unique sound in the oversaturated indie rock scene. As a trio from the start, Alt-J never try to make their music too dense with many layers. Instead, the three members allow the instruments they are playing to shine through as clear as possible while moving in and out of subtle movements within their songs. They are uniquely able to create the illusion of a five-piece band without adding too much at any given point.

    alt-j madison square garden
    Alt-J at MSG, 4/11/22. Photo by Buscar Photo

    The US leg of the tour is nearing the end, with three more shows in Boston, Montreal, and Toronto. The band then heads over to the UK for a run of shows in May and then a larger European run in Novemeber. Head over the the band’s website for more info and check out our full photo gallery of Alt-J at Madison Square Garden below.

    alt-j madison square garden
    alt-j madison square garden
    alt-j madison square garden
    alt-j madison square garden
    alt-j madison square garden
    alt-j madison square garden
    alt-j madison square garden
    alt-j madison square garden
    alt-j madison square garden

  • Marco Benevento Catskills Fest “Follow the Arrow” This Weekend, Schedule Released

    Woodstock-based artist Marco Benevento has announced his one day festival, Follow the Arrow, hosted at Arrowood Farm in Accord, NY, just 20 minutes west of New Paltz. On June 18, Benevento will be joined by The Slip, Antibalas, Ratboy Jr. and many more. 

    The festival line up is full of up and coming NY artists including Mikaela Davis & Southern Star, Karina Rykman, Jayla Kai, Alecia Chakour and Stuart Bogie.

    Benevento will also have a number of collaborations during the festival including Surprise Me, Mr.Davis, 40 Love with Alecia Chakour, and the Benevento Family Band, with his wife and daughters.

    The event will close with a Marco Benevento & Friends set featuring special guests Scott Metzger, Stuart Bogie, Cochemea Gastelum, Sam Evian and Burnell Pines.

    Follow the Arrow
    PC : Seth Olenick

    Benevento will also be celebrating the release of his 6/10 album, Benevento. Created in his home studio, the psychedelic project is composed of eleven low-key tracks. The latest single ‘Marco & Mimo’ can be listened to here.

    I love where I live. Every morning I wake up and think to myself how beautiful life is in the Catskills and what a cool community of folks I’m surrounded by, so to have the opportunity to throw a big party with some of my favorite bands and closest friends right in my own backyard is a dream come true.

    Marco Benevento

    Follow the Arrow will have local food artisans from around the Hudson Valley serving meals throughout the festival. Tent and RV camping will be available at the Rondout Valley Campground, along with hotel and lodging options.

    Tickets are on sale now.

  • Ontario’s Texas King Release Acoustic Version of “You”, Announce NY Tour Dates

    Texas King has recently released an acoustic version of their song ‘You’, which was previously featured on their Chances EP. Fans will be able to see this song, and many others, performed live in Buffalo, Manhattan and at Rochester’s Lilac Festival.

    The original recording of ‘You’, featured on the band’s latest EP, shared playtime with five other anthemic tracks focused on themes of growth and self discovery. Fans will have the chance to hear all of these songs along with their older material during their 16-date tour, featuring Motherfolk and Loviet.

    “When we started, I played an acoustic and that’s how I wrote most of the early tunes that Texas King played. I wanted to get back to that,”

    Jordan Macdonald

    Formed in Ontario in 2013, Texas King is comprised of Jordan Macdonald (vocals, guitar), Phil Spina (bass), Colin Gray (guitar) and Melvin Murray (drums). The group worked hard to create the hooks and high hats for what would eventually become their 2017 debut album, Circles and the work paid off as they garnered fan acclaim around Canada. 

    Texas King has continued to gain the public’s attention as their performances have expanded into the US, with the group touring for four months through the US and Canada at the end of 2019. A number of singles have charted on the rock radio charts and racked in nearly half a million streams on Spotify. 

    Tour Dates

    April 8 – St. Louis, MO – Blueberry Hill*

    April 9 – Chicago, IL – Subterranean*

    April 10 – Davenport, IA – Raccoon Motel*

    April 13 – Philadelphia, PA – World Café Live*

    April 14 – Boston, MA – Middle East: Upstairs*

    April 15 – Washington, D.C. – Pearl Street Warehouse*

    April 16 – Bethlehem, PA – Musikfest Café*

    April 17 – New York, NY – Mercury Lounge*

    May 5 – Toronto, ON – Monarch Tavern*^

    May 6 – Peterborough, ON – Red Dog*^

    May 8 – Cambridge, ON – Rhythm & Brews*^

    May 12 – Rochester, NY – Lilac Festival

    May 13 – Buffalo, NY – Buffalo Iron Works*

    May 14 – Springfield, OH – Indiecraft Festival

    June 17 – Burlington, ON – Burlington Sound Of Music 

    July 23 – Sarnia, ON – Revelree Festival

    *with Motherfolk

    ^with Loviet

  • PEAK release Live Album “Hot Clips 2”, Play Gramercy Theatre this Saturday with Lespecial

    Brooklyn-based PEAK has released their second official live release in the band’s Hot Clips series. They’ll be in Manhattan this on Saturday, April 16, supporting Lespecial at Gramercy Theatre.

    PEAK culled together Hot Clips 2 from some of their favorite jams from Summer and Fall 2021, including unreleased songs, songs from previous albums and a cover of Mac Demarco’s “Freaking out the Neighborhood.” The bookends to the album – “Path Paved with Roses” and groovy earworm “Starlight Child” – create a digestible sample of PEAK’s live experience, with a sound that harkens back to 90’s roots of the Northeast jam scene.

    peak hot clips volume 2

    The PEAK quartet features songwriter and guitarist Jeremy Hilliard (Turbine), Kito Bovenshulte (Particle) on drums, Josh T. Carter (Haley Jane and The Primates) on bass, and Johnny Young on keys (Mick Taylor Band).  The self-described pychedelic indie funk band can be found jamming extensively during live shows, and allow the songs on the album to speak for themselves.

    The group released their sophomore studio album, Choppy Water, in October of last year, chocking the album full with groove-based psychedelic rock and plenty of funk, electro-pop, prog, and Americana.  The deep, polished grooves from Carter and Bovenshulte complement Hilliard’s and Young’s solos, wailing with searing intensity. Check out their recent show at Brooklyn Bowl on November 30, 2021.

    For more live PEAK, stream Hot Clips 2 below and check out their Youtube Channel and Bandcamp pages.

    PEAK is currently in the midst of a their Spring Tour and will perform in Middletown, CT, and Stanhope, NJ this Thursday and Friday, then they’ll open up for Lespecial at Gramercy Theatre in Manhattan.

    PEAK Tour Dates

    4.14 La Boca, Middletown, CT
    4.15 Stanhope House, NJ *
    4.16 Gramercy Theatre, New York, NY #
    4.23 Aeronaut Brewery, Boston, MA%
    4.28 Park City Music Hall, Bridgeport, CT**
    4.30 Main Pub, Manchester, CT
    6.30 Camp Jam, Brunswick ME

    * co-bill w/ Uncle Stump
    # supporting Lespecial
    % w/ Lush Honey
    ** supporting Evanoff

  • A Beacon School Share First Single In Three Years

    New York City-based A Beacon School is back with his first single in three years, “Dot,” an immersive multi-instrumentalist dreampop track. In addition to the songs’ release, A Beacon School is having a release show at The Sultan in Brooklyn, featuring Creature of Doom and S.C.A.B on April 9th.

    A Beacon School
    Photo Cred: Max Mellman

    Songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Patrick J. Smith is the mastermind behind this dream pop project. Smith began making music as A Beacon School in 2009, releasing a home-recorded demo single was released in 2011, and a self-titled EP by a full-band lineup appeared near the end of 2012. He has played with bands such as Modern Rivals and Bluffing, additionally working with Parquet Courts’ Max Savage as part of Maxband.

    In 2018, A Beacon School’s Cola was released by Grind Select. After receiving positive press and slowly gaining a worldwide following, an expanded vinyl edition of Cola was released in 2019 in conjunction with Fat Possum’s House Arrest imprint, amassing over 40 million streams.

    Smith adds layers of soothing guitars and vocals with ease, reaching a build-up that feels natural, without ever fully peaking.

    The Fader 

    “Dot” marks the first A Beacon School release in three years and coincides with a headlining performance at The Sultan Room in Brooklyn, signaling a long-awaited new full-length is on the horizon. On the track, A Beacon School says, “‘Dot’ is a song about seeing patterns in your life emerge but feeling helpless to change them. The song oscillates between these moments of unfiltered wonder and inspiration, and the immediate skepticism that follows them.” 

    “What he (Smith) shares is wisdom ahead of its time – acceptance of the inequities of 

    life as a path toward redemption. Destiny is preached as a set-in-stone limitation, but 

    soft tones and enchanting melody highlight our ability to adjust our sails in intractable 

    winds, holding that former philosophy to the fire with heavenly optimism.” 

    – PopMatters

    Listen to A Beacon School’s new single “Dot” here.

    Tickets to the release show at The Sultan can be purchased here.

  • This Week’s EQXposure Features Vermont Artists Super Stash Bros and My Own Sweet

    Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up and coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear new music from two rising Vermont bands, Super Stash Bros and My Own Sweet.

    Super Stash Bros

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

    Super Stash Bros – “Everytime”

    The Super Stash Bros are a band out of Killington, VT featuring Josh Jakab (Guitar), Nick Vittone (Bass), Josh Morse (Vocals), Vince FitzGerald (Guitar) and Blake Gowan (Drums). Their eclectic mix of genres has confused, disappointed and annoyed listeners for years.

    My Own Sweet – “Snowfences”

    MOS is Tim Lauben, Chris Kelly, Kurt Herrmann and Dave Mersch. Prior to the release of their latest, “Snowfences,” the band created the EP Ghosts I Knew. The bands recalls that on Easter Sunday 2020 someone texted them, “Could we try to write a song?” Over the next two years, MOS used Garageband and zoom/googlemeet to collaborate and whittle down more than 20 songs to a four song collection of demos called “Ghosts I Knew” that serves as the answer.

  • VRSTY Share “Hush” Video

    New York City based band VRSTY (pronounced “Varsity”) have shared their newest music video for their song “Hush.”

    VRSTY
    VRSTY consists of Joey Varela [vocals], Javy Dorrejo [bass], Chris Cody [drums], and Paul Gregory [guitar].

    The vocals of Joey Varela and sound from Javy Dorrejo [bass], Chris Cody [drums], and Paul Gregory [guitar] provide the bands one of a kind musical genre, a unique fusion of R&B with vocal elements of post-hardcore sound. The new video “Hush” does the band justice showing these different musical elements.

    Welcome Home is the band’s debut album, which has accumulated six million streams in less than a year and yielded the head-turning singles “Shameless” and “Massive.” 

    “‘Hush’ is definitely one of my favorite songs on the entire record,” says Varela. “It’s also one of the most different songs simply because it’s more uplifting and fun rather than dark and moody —my usual mood! Writing this song was incredibly therapeutic for me yet also super scary. Because it was so different, I wasn’t sure if anybody was gonna like it. However when Welcome Home dropped, it ended up becoming a fan-favorite. I just hope it makes people feel the way it made me feel when I first wrote it.”

    “Welcome Home is an incredibly personal album to me,” Varela shares. “I know everybody says that, and hey, maybe they’re not lying when they do. I sure as hell am not. It was definitely a task, at first, trying to figure out how to phrase or sing something without getting too personal. But somewhere along the way, I threw that idea out the window and decided to say exactly what I felt. You won’t find me trying to sound cool or using any fancy wordplay. It’s just me in my rawest form, saying exactly what I’ve felt or experienced over the years, which is what has made me who I am today. I think if anybody ever wants to get to know me, this record will give you everything you need to know. No secrets. Just me.”

  • Upstate Locals Joywave Throw It Back to Where it All Began in Buffalo

    Western New York natives Joywave came back to their local roots in Buffalo on April 3. 

    In the spirit of a local show, Buffalo’s very own Humble Braggers opened up the night at the Town Ballroom. This synth pop band played hits off of their new EP Love & Fear. Following up, joe p took the stage with his signature basement-produced songs that wowed the crowd. Especially when performing his popular song, “Off My Mind.” 

    Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty

    Fans of Joywave packed in throughout the night with excitement as its been many years since this indie rock group toured. The Cleanse tour showcased many songs off of their latest album release in February while still playing the classics.  

    Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty

    Joywave is no stranger to the music scene in Buffalo. The born and raised Rochester group has been made all too familiar with the back and forth drives between the two cities to see all their favorite artists growing up. So, getting to perform at a venue they spent their youth going to was a full circle moment.  

    Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty

    The group consists of Daniel Armbruster (vocals), Joseph Morinelli (guitar), Paul Brenner (drums), Kevin Mahoney (bass guitar), and Connor Ehman (keyboard). The band took over the stage with their matching mechanic outfits and innovative production design. They began the night with a more recently released song “Cyn City 2000.” They even paid tribute to their pandemic album Possession by playing a couple of songs they hadn’t got to perform live. The intricate synth usage and unique sound structure made even unfamiliar listeners be awed.     

    As excited as the crowd was to have such high energy, it doesn’t exceed the excitement that the band had to return home and finally sleep in their own beds again. The night ended with an absolute bang with heavily praised songs “Tongues” and “Dangerous” finishing up the set. Nothing compared though to the rage worthy crowd that went crazy after heavy beats dropped off of the classic “Destruction.” 

    Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty

    No one wanted the night to end and luckily for that Joywave is making their way back to their actual hometown in Rochester. If you unfortunately missed out on these energetic guys, don’t worry. They’re performing at the Anthology both April 8 and April 9. 

    Also check out upcoming shows at the Town Ballroom. Peach Pit performs April 9 and The Airborne Toxic Event takes the stage on April 10.     

    Setlist: Cyn City 2000, Buy American, It’s a Trip!, Obsession, After Coffee, Every Window Is A Mirror, Coming Apart, Half Your Age, Traveling at the Speed of Light, The Inversion, F.E.A.R., True Grit, Somebody New, Ugly Ending, Goodbye Tommy, We Are All We Need, Tongues, Dangerous, Destruction 

  • Brooklyn-Based Band Forever Honey Drops Newest Single “Number One Fan”

    Forever Honey, a Brooklyn-based Indie Rock group is once again expanding their discography with the release of their newest single “Number One Fan.”

    Forever Honey

    Forever Honey is composed of Liv Price (lead vocals, guitar), Aida Mekonnen (lead guitar, vocals), Steve Vannelli (drums, keys), and Jack McLoughlin (bass, production). They are known to blend different sounds, stories and emotions to relate to their fans.

    Their newest song came to be from personal experiences and the title of it is meant to be literal. Forever Honey created a song that expresses the point of view of social media users scrolling through the various platform. The group focused on the everyday thoughts, anxieties, and pressures from using social media.

    “Number One Fan,” in particular, is our least abstract/most literal song, lyrically. The entire thing is about scrolling through instagram and seeing the highlights reel from everyone’s life. You know people, deeply, in the least meaningful ways; you fall in love with the least accurate version of someone.

    Forever Honey

    The group also discussed, during the beginning of the pandemic everyone was focused on TikTok and Instagram, which is where the lyrics from “Number One Fan” originated from.

    Despite enduring obstacles, as a result of the pandemic during the debut of their first EP Pre-Mortem High, Forever Honey still managed to grasp an audience and make a name for themselves within the music industry. Their first live show took place in the Summer of 2021, following the release of their single “Satellite” and ever since Forever Honey has continuously elevated their skill set.

    To learn more about the band and their upcoming work visit their official website.