On July 23, Chautauqua Institution began its fifth week of the nine-week 2022 Summer Assembly season. With weekday lectures and popular entertainment, the entire season examines various themes and invites an impressive lineup over the course of the summer.
Chautauqua Institution Ampitheater
Each week of the Chautauqua Institution’s Summer Assembly has a specific theme, and Week Five is “The Vote and Democracy.” The week includes famed musician Lyle Lovett whose 14-album career spans elements of genres such as folk, country, jazz, swing, gospel, blues, and more. The Grammy award winner is a legendary performer and artist beloved in popular music today and will play on July 29 at 8:15 pm.
Other special guests joining the institution’s week five program include New Yorker staff writer Jelani Cobb, president of the Campaign Legal Center Trevor Potter, former CEO of the Partnership for American Democracy Diana Aviv, acclaimed author Wajahat Ali, and the family of comedy legend Carl Reiner.
Other upcoming popular acts to look forward to coming to Chautauqua include NYO Jazz on August 1, country music star Brett Eldredge on August 5, British vocal ensemble VOCES8 on August 9, and many more.
Week Four of the Summer Assembly included singer-songwriter Gina Chavez and a combined performance of the professional Chautauqua Symphony and pre-professional Music School Festival orchestras. The week’s theme, “The Future of History,” also included other entertainment such as historians Jon Meacham and Annette Gordon-Reed, and comedian Jay Leno.
Chautauqua Institution was founded in 1874 and was originally known as the Chautauqua Lake Sunday School Assembly. The not-for-profit has expanded its community reach immensely, hosting 7,500 people in residence daily during a nine-week season, and hosting many public events.
For the full list of Popular Artists coming to the Chautauqua Summer Assembly for the summer, see below. For ticket information, visit the Chautauqua Institution website, here.
July 29 – Lyle Lovett
August 1 – NYO Jazz
August 5 – Brett Eldredge
August 9 – VOCES8
August 17 – Matthew Whitaker
August 19 – Girl Named Tom
August 20 – Hiss Golden Messenger & Aoife O’Donovan
August 21 – Nathan & The Zydeco Cha Chas
August 22 – Deeper Than The Skin
August 22 – Punch Brothers
August 23 – Rhiannon Giddens
August 24 – The Avett Brothers
August 25 – Emmylou Harris and Mary Chapin Carpenter
Kitchen Dwellers and Daniel Donato announced their ‘Galaxy Grass x Cosmic Country Fall Tour’ which will stop at Putnam Place in Saratoga Springs on October 29th. This marks the only New York date of the 22-date tour, which kicks off in St. Louis, MO on October 5 and will continue throughout the Midwest, Southeast and Northeast, wrapping up on November 5 in St. Paul, MN.
Kitchen Dwellers twist bluegrass, folk, and rock through homegrown stories, rich mythology, American west wanderlust, and psychedelic hues. The Montana quartet consists of Shawn Swain [Mandolin], Torrin Daniels [banjo], Joe Funk [upright bass], and Max Davies [acoustic guitar]. They have captivated audiences in a few festivals including Northwest String Summit and performed alongside bands such as Railroad Earth and more. They’ve released two albums and a live record and came back with their third full-length album, Wise Rive.
Kitchen Dwellers by Ed Coyle
Daniel Donato is a Nashville based American country music guitarist. Involving a creative energy, he distilled his life lessons into his debut album, A Young Man’s Country. Incubated to the sounds of the Dead, educated by some of Nashville’s finest players, and having more than 2,000 shows under his belt and a social media presence, Daniel Donato is a millennial creative fire. He’s been dabbling in professional music since the age of 14 and yet he’s just getting started.
Daniel Donato
Daniel’s playing immediately struck me as something unique and special, and his band as a whole is a full-blown psychedelic hoss. Besides the obvious stylistic musical connections between ‘galaxy-grass’ and ‘cosmic country’, it was immediately apparent that our bands and fans have similar ideals and core values when it comes to life and playing music. Some people you just instantly click with, and this is one of those times. And now we’re taking the whole damn circus on the road. Come see us this fall.
Torrin Daniels (Kitchen Dwellers)
Tour Dates
Oct 5 @ Old Rock House | St. Louis, MO
Oct 6 @ Ludlow Garage | Cincinnati, OH
Oct 7 @ Beechland Ballroom | Cleveland, OH
Oct 11 @ Barley’s Tap Room | Knoxville, TN
Oct 12 @ The Ramkat | Winston-Salem, NC
Oct 13 @ Salvage Station | Asheville, NC
Oct 14 @ Terminal West | Atlanta, GA
Oct 18 @ Lincoln Theater | Raleigh, NC
Oct 19 @ The Southern | Charlottesville, VA
Oct 20 @ 5 Points Music Sanctuary | Roanoke, VA
Oct 21 @ Ardmore Music Hall | Ardmore, PA
Oct 22 @ Union Craft Brewery | Baltimore, MD
Oct 23 @ Park City Music Hall | Bridgeport, CT
Oct 26 @ Higher Ground | Burlington, VT
Oct 27 @ The Sinclair | Cambridge, MA
Oct 28 @ State Theater | Portland, ME
Oct 29 @ Putnam Place | Saratoga Springs, NY
Oct 31 @ Woodlands Tavern | Columbus, OH
Nov 2 @ Kenny’s | Peoria, IL
Nov 3 @ The Stache at the Intersection | Grand Rapids, MI
After a two-year COVID hiatus, the 16th Pleasantville Music Festival returned on July 9. The all-day event featured a cornucopia of musical performances with 18 acts between three stages.
We try to check off as many boxes as we can so there is something on our stages that everybody will appreciate.
Festival Director, Bruce Figler
Under a bright blue sky, attendees moved freely between the Chill Tent, Pamnation Party, and main stages. With each location offered its own style of music. Superbcoordination of stage starttimes allowed most fans to catch most if not all of the performances.
Platinum Moon
Pleasantville music festival has prided itself on the promotion of local musicians. Staying true to their mission statement, the opening acts on each of the three stages were winners in the Lagond Music School ‘s 2022 “Battle of the Band” competition, where first place winners, Platinum Moon, were rewarded with opening the main stage. Rounding out the triumvirateof winners was Westchester based Noshows — who appeared on the Pamnation stage — along with Carter Quinn Tanis (hailing from Cromwell-on-Hudson) who performed in the Chill Tent.
The Pamnation stage, set up between the Chill Tent and the main stage, offered a separate dance area. The Narrowbacks from Pearl River took full advantage by getting the crowd up and moving with their Irish rock. Pamnation stage closers, Illiterate Light, raised the bar with a guitar and drum duet from the Virginia natives. The audience roared along with enough liveliness to mimic an arena.
The Narrowbacks
Resembling a circus big top, the Chill Tent offered an oasis for acoustic performers. Located at the back of the festival grounds, the Chill Tent lived up to its name: benefiting from a constant breeze flowing through the performance area. Throughout the day solo, duo, and trios graced the stage. Paula Cole closed out this space backed by a three-piece band. Under a subdued purple glow, Cole and band shared an intimate performance filled with songs and insights from her lengthy career.
Glenn Tilbrook
The main stage was not to be outdone. Highlights included Glenn Tilbrook of Squeeze performing solo. Tilbrook played a host of Squeeze songs including “Take Me I’m Yours” and “Black Coffee in Bed,” to the crowd’s enjoyment. Standing tall with his custom-made red Squire Telecaster, Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears followed, sharing a powerful blues set. Festival headliners, X Ambassadors, closed out the evening with lead singer Sam Harris singing and dancing from one end of the stage to another. Teenage girls lined the front of the stage giving their approval after every song. The Ithaca band presented a dynamic performance of their music, capping a stellar day.
X Ambassadors
With its 16th event in the books, the Pleasantville Music festival has proven itssustainability, offering top-notch performers in a suburban setting while mixing in crafts, food and family-oriented activities.
Main Stage
Platinum MoonClare Maloney & The Great AdventureGlenn TilbrookBlack Joe Lewis & The HoneybearsCrash Test DummiesX Ambassadors
Critically acclaimed singer-songwriter John Moreland will grace audiences with his mesmerizing country sound this July. On July 23, the Oklahoma singer will promote his upcoming album, Birds in the Ceiling, at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock before traveling to Buffalo Iron Works on the 24. The Dead Tongues will join Moreland for both performances.
The singer’s upcoming album will be released on July 22, just a day before the show at Levon Helm Studios. Bird’s in the Ceiling is John Moreland’s sixth studio album, and some of his previous works, including LP5, and High on Tulsa Heat, garnered much positive attention from fans and critics alike. The pandemic prevented Moreland from touring for LP5, so his live performances are highly-anticipated and a long time coming.
The imminent Birds in the Ceiling album, via Old Omens/Thirty Tigers, combines folk, retro-pop, rock, and roots with the foundations of Moreland’s strong sense of lyrical story-telling. The nine-track album gives listeners a glimpse into Moreland’s most recent thoughts and experiences. Singles off of the upcoming album were released earlier this year, including “Ugly Faces,” “Claim Your Prize,” and “Cheap Idols Dressed in Expensive Garbage,” all of which you can listen to below.
An artist known for his lyrics, much of Moreland’s music cuts deep. The reflective lyrics “does it even matter? does it ever last? / I didn’t want the answer to the question that I asked / Can I kill a monster? can I be a man? / I can’t afford to give a damn if you don’t understand” off of “Ugly Faces” lend a lonesome and introspective perspective.
With Moreland’s talented and accomplished guitar playing, emotional vocals, and combination of instrumentation, the live performances in NY this summer are sure to be memorable and captivating. For the Levon Helm Studio performance, tickets cost $30 or $45, and gates open at 6:30. The Buffalo Iron Works show begins at 8:00 pm with doors open at 7:00 pm and tickets cost $25.
Tickets for the upcoming shows at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock and Iron Works in Buffalo can be found with the link available here. To listen to some more of John Moreland’s work, see below.
On Wednesday, July 20 at Joe’s Pub in New York City, Tony Trischka will pay tribute to the music of Earl Scruggs. Earl Scruggs, pioneer of the three-finger banjo style and one of the two most important musicians in bluegrass.
Tony Trischka credit to ArtistWorks
Born in Syracuse in 1949 and raised in a home filled with music, Tony Trischka is now a renowned musician. Trischka fell in love with the banjo by way of the Kingston Trio’s 1959 recording of “M.T.A.,” and was able to experience the New York-centered folk revival by trekking to the Newport Folk Festival in the early to mid-’60s. His latest album Shall We Hope is an exploration of the Civil War, and features Michael Daves, Maura O’Connell, the Violent Femmes, Catherine Russell, Guy Davis and John Lithgow.
Joe’s Pub, a program of the Public Theater, is an independent, non-profit music venue, dedicated to supporting performing artists at every stage of their careers. They fulfilled the Public’s mission to serve audiences and artists alike, as an active member of New York City’s creative community while they pair vibrant culture with genuine hospitality every evening.
“Earl is my North Star, a lifetime pathway. And I’m not alone. Through his music, this shy kid from Flint Hill, North Carolina went on to enrich countless thousands of lives. At the age of 13, when I first heard 16 notes of Scruggs style banjo playing, I put down my folk guitar and mercilessly pestered my parents to buy me a banjo. Once in my hands, that 5-string became my obsession and has been for close to 60 years. The depth of his genius becomes ever more apparent when I transcribe his solos, which I’ve been doing my entire musical life and with renewed vigor. Discovering new twists and turns in his playing is pure joy and in fact the inspiration for this tribute show.”
Tony Trischka
Together with his band—Michael Daves on vocals and guitar, bassist Jared Engel, fiddler Alex Hargreaves (from Billy Strings’ band), and mandolinist Maddie Witler— Tony Trischka will trace the story of Scruggs from his childhood to his final years. He is recently possessed with the recordings of jam sessions with Scruggs and John Hartford, some of which will be debuted at Joe’s Pub.
Live After 5 is the local Friday night Summer music series in the Finger Lakes town of Geneva. On select Fridays, listen to music while sitting in a lawn chair on the beautiful waterfront at the Geneva Wyndham.
Geneva has been settled by Americans since the late 18th century, being inhabited previously by the Algonquin, Senaca Nation who were members of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. The shores of Seneca Lake served as a military outpost for British Loyalists, with settlers moving in after 1792, bringing in others from New England, Maryland, Virginia, eastern New York and Pennsylvania for farming. Geneva itself was incorporated as a village in 1806 and a city in 1897.
One of the largest music events in the Finger Lakes, music for Live After 5 begins at 5:30pm and ends at 9:30pm, with performances held rain or shine.
The NBT Summer Concert Series is back in Norwich’s East Park, featuring artists hailing from all corners of the country, every Thursday night this summer.
Besides the fabulous music, East Park is the perfect place to set up some chairs and blankets, relax, and eat some good food.
The summer concert series kicked off July 7 with Fruition from Portland, Oregon. They fuse acoustic, bluegrass, and rock and roll music, and just released their newest album Broken at the Break of Day.
The McCoury brothers- Ronnie (mandolin) and Rob (banjo) -were born into the bluegrass tradition, with their father Del McCoury being one of the most successful musicians in the history of the genre. The group became the only group to have each member recognized with an International Bluegrass Music Association Award for their instrument at least once.
Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes first achieved prominence in the mid-1970s, emerging from the same New Jersey area as his friend Bruce Springsteen. Their song “I Don’t Want To Go Home” became their signature song, a mix of horn-based melodic riffs and sentimental lyrics. Rolling Stone voted their album Hearts of Stone among the top 100 albums of the 70s and 80s.
Shinyribs is a band based out of Texas, that blends Texas blues, New Orleans R&B, Memphis soul, and more. The nine-piece supergroup is led by Kevin Russell, who continuously swaps out an electric guitar for a ukelele. They were named Best Austin Band at the Austin Chronicle’s Austin Music Awards (2017, 2018), awarded Album of the Year for I Got Your Medicine (2017), and Best 2020-Themed Song for “Stay Home” (2020).
The Garcia Project’s performances are recreations of full, classic Jerry Garcia Band set lists from 1976-1995, using thoughtful arrangements and proper instrumentation. Maria Muldaur is best known worldwide for her 1974 mega-hit “Midnight at the Oasis,” which received several Grammy nominations. She has worked closely with Jerry Garcia and joined the band officially from the fall of 1977 through 1978.
Blair Crimmins began his music career in Atlanta, Georgia, with the determination to bring Ragtime and 1920s-style Dixieland Jazz to new audiences. He has toured the country playing large venues and has opened for acts such as Mumford & Sons and Preservation Hall Jazz Band.
Mike Zito is an American guitarist, singer, record producer, and songwriter from St. Louis, Missouri. He is regarded as one of the most lauded artists in the contemporary blues genre today, he has won BMAs in the categories of Blues Rock Artist as well as Blues Rock Album of the Year.
Trigger Hippy’s music has roots in country, Delta blues, R&B, gospel, and Southern rock. Made up of Steve Gorman and Nick Govrik, the group hit it off when they first met, and have been unstoppable since.
The 30th annual Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival in Trumansburg is back with over 80 performers on five stages during July 21-24 at the Trumansburg Fairgrounds.
The festival is held at the Trumansburg Fairgrounds in Trumansburg which is located about 10 miles north of Ithaca on the west side of Cayuga Lake in the Finger Lakes region of Central New York. Since the birth of the festival, the guiding quote has always been “to create joy in the midst of crisis is a powerful thing and brings magic to the table.”
Grassroots was founded by Donna the Buffalo, and is a mission-based organization that focuses on nurturing local artists and talent while reaching around the globe to bring world music and culture to new audiences to inspire creativity and foster community building. Four days before the festival there is a Culture Camp, which helps community building by having attendees going to four days of music and dance workshops led by regional and national artists.
Grandstand of Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance.
The festival is a one-day celebration of music featuring folk, psychedelic, experimental, jazz, and indie music, with local artists and more.
From The Ground Brewery is a New York State Farm Brewery that is committed to using New York State grown ingredients. It will be a beautiful backdrop for the day of music.
The lineup features a lot local and national artists. There are also a wide variety of genres going to be played during the day. Dominick & the Family Band will bring their country rock music to the stage while Joseph Allred will have a blend of soulful bluegrass and fingerpicked folk songs.
Artists like Elkhorn will play deep psychedelic folk anthems, and Ashley Paul brings a mix of free jazz and shoegaze. The show will find Chris Forsyth pairing in a one-time trio with percussionist and perennial collaborator Ryan Jewell, and experimental luminary Bill Nace.
To end the show, Wet Tuna brings their dubstep tunes contrasted with Jeffrey Alexander and The Heavy Lidders’ wiry psychedelic Americana and experimental blues. The legendary Laraaji will bring the show to a close with a sunset set.
For more information about the Deep In The Valley Festival and to buy tickets, go here.
The 10th anniversary of Peach Music Festival took place at Montage Mountain in Scranton, PA over July 4th weekend. The festival began in 2012 by the Allman Brothers and Live Nation. Throughout the years, the music of the Allman Brothers has remained a focus with the evolving cast of musicians. The Montage Mountain Ski resort transforms into a water park in the summer months, and the Pavilion hosts concerts. The water park is a unique aspect to a music festival that makes this festival appealing to a wide range of guests.
Day 1: Billy Strings Closes Out the Opening Day
While some people began arriving on Wednesday, most guests arrived on Thursday, June 30. It was a beautiful day to set up camp and get ready for the music to begin in the late afternoon. Billy Strings, Keller Williams, Samantha Fish, Midnight North, Yam-Yam, Consider the Source were among the acts kicking off the festival.
There was a noticeable air of excitement for Billy Strings, with a consistently long line at his merch tent. Keller Williams delivered a late afternoon set full of classics with the aid of an array of pedals, but mostly just his trusty acoustic. Samantha Fish was a delightful surprise. Beginning the day unaware of her music, her set filled with powerful vocals, rocking guitars, and a striking stage presence. I became a fan. The evening headliner, Billy Strings, played to a packed pavilion and lawn. A full day of anticipation exploded into a sea of fans swaying and singing along to his blend of Bluegrass and Jam. Speaking with fans over the course of the weekend, Billy’s set was constantly a fan favorite. Consider the Source, the New York City trio, closed out the Grove Stage for Thursday with their unique blend of Sci-Fi Fusion. Steeped in Middle Eastern influences, their cosmic sound set the perfect tone to bookend a truly great day of music.
Day 2: Weather Doesn’t Dampen Spirits
Friday, day two of the festival, included another full day of music and enjoying the venue. Before the music began, the fans enjoyed the art displays in the lodge and utilized the water park. A sober group of music fans also held their morning meeting at the lodge, making the Peach Festival at Montage Mountain a welcome place for all fans.
Music began mid-day with Eggy, The Jauntee, Marco Benevento, Eric Krasno, The Kitchen Dwellers, The Motet, Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening, Andy Frasco & The U.N., Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. The late afternoon sets were affected by a severe weather event that had fans sheltering under the spacious pavilion. The house speakers kept fans happy while heavy rains descended on the grounds. The event staff were extremely helpful and efficient about keeping people safe.
Once the all clear was given, Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening brought fans to their feet transporting the crowd to another time and place. The blend of voices and instruments was eerily close to the CDs on which I grew up.
Andy Frasco & The U.N. put on one of the most kinetic performances I’ve ever witnessed. Frasco’s shows are legendary for the band’s energy and crowd interaction. Entering the stage with a baby carriage that was home to an opossum, and raising it to the crowd like Raffiki did with Simba set the wheels in motion for his memorable set. Performing a mix of songs from his new album, Wash, Rinse, Repeat, the crowd was singing along with their favorites. One of several highlights from this set was when Andy had the entire crowd doing the Horah dance with the crew quickly adding extensions to his microphone wire as he waded to the center of the whirling crowd.
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong closed out the night with a late night set to a packed pavilion. The rollicking set was cut short with another severe weather event that caused the festival to cancel the rest of their set, out of an abundance of caution for everyone’s safety.
Day 3: Trey Anastasio and Goose
Day three of the festival began with some residual rain, which quickly gave way to a perfectly sunny sky. Karina Rykman, Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country, Jaimoe & Friends, Pixie & The Partygrass Boys, Neighbor, Rayland Baxter, Celisse, The Revivalists, Cordovas, Trey Anastasio Band, Brandon “Taz” Niederauer & Friends, and Goose filled the day with music.
A new artist known to those that attended the festival last year was Celisse. She played the festival on the Grove Stage in 2021 and had Trey Anastasio sit in with her. This year she owned the Peach Stage, belting out songs filled with power and emotion.
The Revivalists were up next on the main stage. David Shaw, the lead singer, brought his voice even closer to the crowd venturing off the stage to stand atop the large speakers. Singing directly to those lucky fans at the rail, Shaw sang crowd favorites with those in the pavilion singing along. As darkness descended on the festival grounds, light-up outfits, hula-hoops, and totems could be seen under the pavilion. The Trey Anastasio Band delivered a packed set which included several Phish covers including “Blaze On,” “Everything’s Right,” and “Gotta Jibboo.” One of the many highlights came towards the end when, in a twist of fortunes, Celisse sat in with Trey. Together they performed three songs: “The Moma Dance, “A Life Beyond The Dream,” and “Rise/Come Together.”
Brandon “Taz” Niederauer closed out the Mushroom Stage, while Cycles closed out the Grove Stage. Goose was the final act of the night with a special late night set. Anticipated all day by fans, Goose did not disappoint. With their ever upward trajectory, the band has amassed a following that is staggering when you consider their brief time together.
Day 4: Black Crowes Close Out Peach
Like all good things, even the Peach Music Festival must come to an end. The fourth day represented the last day of the 10th Anniversary of Peach Music Festival at Montage Mountain. The day began with a sense of melancholy, until the music started. Then fans rejoiced in the waning hours together.
Duane Betts, Daniel Donato & Friends, Maggie Rose, Dogs in a Pile, The Wailers, G. Love & The Juice, TAUK, and The Black Crowes were among the acts rounding out the weekend. Daniel Donato Brought a little county to the festival with Allman roots. At the Mushroom Stage, Dogs in a Pile are with fans enjoying their energetic set of psychedelic fusion. G. Love & The Juice, a band put together by Philly-based G. Love, and, as he describes them, the most exceptional musicians he’s played with. The hip-hop and blues influenced music was perfect companion to the jam-centric sets, which got fans to their feet.
Long Island-based TAUK brought their instrumental, EDM influenced beats to the Mushroom Stage. Their unique sound filled in a void of electronic funk music. The wordless instrumental music gave fans an opportunity to shake the cobwebs off of the weekend and become lost in the beats. To fill in your own emotions and experiences to a song is a special trait of instrumental music.
The final act of the Peach Festival was The Black Crowes. The Rock band fronted by Chris Robinson has been at it for over 30 years. They have continued to be a true rock band that fans flock to. They were a fitting bookend to a truly great weekend of music.
A Grateful Finale
At a special place, like the Peach Festival on Montage Mountain, you can look around at the sea of gyrating bodies, moving together and appreciate the collective experience you’ve just gone through. Smile at the friends that ventured to the festival with you, or the new ones made over the weekend. Having the space to be grateful for the music, the comradery, for all that awaits once we pack up and head home is an incredibly precious gift. As life becomes more entangled and busy, a music festival is truly just what the doctor ordered.
