Category: Metal/Hard Rock/Punk

  • I Prevail “True Power” Tour Will Hit New York this Fall

    Platinum-certified Michigan rock powerhouse I Prevail have announced their first North American headline tour in support of their new album True Power. The tour will come to New York City with a show at The Rooftop at Pier 17 on October 2 and to Buffalo Riverworks on November 20.

    I prevail true power

    Consisting of Brian Burkheiser (vocals), Eric Vanlerberghe (vocals), Steve Menoian (guitars/bass), Dylan Bowman (guitars), and Gabe Helguera (drums), I Prevail have racked up more than 1.5 billion streams in the United States, drawn upwards of 334 million YouTube views. Their new album, True Power, produced by Tyler Smith, features stadium-sized riffs and supremely catchy melodies and is unforgettable.

    The band will embark on the “True Power” tour this fall with Pierce The Veil and Fit For a King supporting, as well as Yours Truly who will appear on the first leg, while Stand Atlantic will appear on the second leg. The first leg kicks off in Asbury Park, NJ, on September 9 and also includes an appearance at the Rooftop at Pier 17 in New York City on October 2. The second leg picks up in Las Vegas, NV, on October 22 with an appearance at the When We Were Young Festival.

    All dates are below. Tickets go on sale on Friday, June 24 at 10 am. Get tickets from iprevailband.com/#tour.

    I Prevail “True Power” Tour

    LEG 1:

    WITH PIERCE THE VEIL, FIT FOR A KING, + YOURS TRULY:

    9/9 — Asbury Park, NJ — Stone Pony Summer Stage

    9/10 — Danville, VA — Blue Ridge Rock Fest*#

    9/11 — Pittsburgh, PA — UPMC Events Center

    9/13 — Indianapolis, IN — Egyptian Room at Old National Centre

    9/14 — Oshkosh, WI — Oshkosh Arena#

    9/16 — St. Paul, MN — Myth Live

    9/17 — Ralston, NE — Liberty First Credit Union Arena#

    9/18 — Wichita, KS — Wave#

    9/20 — Oklahoma City, OK — The Criterion

    9/21 — San Antonio, TX — Tech Port Center#

    9/23 — Lubbock, TX — Lonestar Amphitheater#

    9/24 — Dallas, TX — South Side Ballroom

    9/25 — Houston, TX — White Oak Music Hall#

    9/27 — St. Petersburg, FL — Jannus Live

    9/28 — Atlanta, GA — Tabernacle

    9/29 — Lake Buena Vista, FL — House of Blues

    10/1 — Silvers Spring, MD — The Fillmore Silver Spring

    10/2 — New York, NY — The Rooftop at Pier 17

    10/4 — Montreal, QC — L’Olympia#

    10/5 — Toronto, ON — Rebel

    10/7 — Ft. Wayne, IN — The Clyde Theatre

    10/8 — Grand Rapids, MI — GLC Live at 20 Monroe

    10/9 — Chicago, IL — Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom

    *I Prevail & Pierce The Veil Only // Festival Date

    LEG 2:

    WITH PIERCE THE VEIL, FIT FOR A KING, + STAND ATLANTIC:

    10/22 — Las Vegas, NV — When We Were Young Fest*

    10/23 — Las Vegas, NV — When We Were Young Fest*

    10/24 — Los Angeles, CA — The Wiltern

    10/26 — San Jose, CA — San Jose Civic

    10/28 — Phoenix, AZ — The Van Buren

    10/29 — Las Vegas, NV — When We Were Young Fest*

    10/31 — Reno, NV — Grand Sierra Resort & Casino

    11/1 — Boise, ID — Revolution Concert House and Event Center

    11/2 — Salt Lake City, UT — The Complex

    11/4 — Denver, CO — Fillmore Auditorium

    11/6 — Kansas City, MO — Uptown Theater

    11/8 — Milwaukee, WI — The Rave#

    11/9 — St. Louis, MO — The Factory

    11/11 — Cleveland, OH — Agora Theatre

    11/12 — Cincinnati, OH — The Andrew J Brady Music Center

    11/13 — Nashville, TN — Marathon Music Works

    11/15 — Myrtle Beach, SC — House of Blues

    11/18 — Philadelphia, PA — The Fillmore Philadelphia

    11/19 — Cambridge, MA — MGM Music Hall at Fenway

    11/20 — Buffalo, NY — Buffalo Riverworks#

    11/22 — Detroit, MI — The Fillmore

    *I Prevail & Pierce The Veil Only // Festival Date

  • Judas Priest Stops at MVP Arena and Nassau Coliseum this Fall

    Grammy-award-winning heavy metal band, Judas Priest, has announced their North American tour that will see them perform at Albany’s MVP Arena on October 15.

    Judas Priest
    Photo by Brandon Nagy via Shutterstock

    Beginning in Connecticut on October 13, the tour is in celebration of the iconic band’s 50th anniversary. Queensrÿche will join the group as openers for the 29-date tour over the course of October and November.

    Other stops across North America include Boston, Detroit, Tucson, Baton Rouge, and Cincinnati among others.

    ‘50 Heavy Metal Years Tour’ comes off of Judas Priests’ highest-charting album, Firepower, which peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200. The 14-track album was released in 2018 and produced by Andy Sneap and Tom Allom. 

    Originally forming as a band in Birmingham, England in 1970, Judas Priest helped form heavy metal, with records like “Sad Wings of Destiny” (1982), “Sin After Sin” (1977) and “Unleashed in the East (1979). The group has previously performed in some of the biggest concerts, including Monsters of Rock, US Festival, and Live Aid in the 1980s.

    Over the course of the group’s long career, they have received and been nominated for a long list of awards, including receiving a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance for “Dissident Aggressor” in 2010. 

    Judas Priest
    Photo by Debby Wong via Shutterstock

    Judas Priest is celebrated for their heavy metal music and for embracing the iconic leather and stud fashion. In 2022, band members Rob Halford, Glenn Tipton, Ian Hill, and Scott Travis are soon to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

    After the horrific last few years of restrictions we’ve all had to endure, what better place to break free, than the land of the free – the USA!

    – Ian Hill

    Most dates for this legendary group’s upcoming tour are available on June 24, 10 a.m. local time via https://www.livenation.com.

    FALL 2022 U.S Tour dates: 

    October 13 in Wallingford, CT @ Toyota Oakdale 

    October 15th in Albany, NY @ MVP Arena 

    October 16 in Boston, MA @ MGM Music Hall Fenway 

    October 18 in Uniondale, NY at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum

    October 19 in Wikes Barre, PA @ Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza 

    October 21 in Kalamazoo, MI at Wings Event Center 

    October 22 in Detroit, MI at Masonic Temple Theatre 

    October 24 in Cincinnati, OH @ The Andrew J Brady Music Center 

    October 25 in Waukegan, IL @ Genesee Theatre 

    October 27 in Green Bay, WI @ Resch Center Theater 

    October 29 in Moline, IL @ TaxSlayer Center Moline 

    October 30 in Mankato, MN @ Mayo Clinic Event Center 

    November 1 in Sioux City, IA @ Tyson Events Center 

    November 2 in Rapid City, SD @ The Monument 

    November 7 in Ontario, CA @ Toyota Center 

    November 8 in Tucson, AZ @ TCC Arena 

    November 10 in Loveland, CO @ Budweiser Events Center 

    November 12 in Park City (Wichita), KS @Hartman Arena 

    November 13 in St. Charles, MO @ The Family Arena 

    November 15 in Corbin, KY @ The Corbin Arena 

    November 17 in Southaven, MS @ Landers Center 

    November 18 in Baton Rouge, LA @ Raising Canes River Center 

    November 20 in Oklahoma City, OK @ Paycom Center 

    November 22 & 23 in San Antonio, TX @ Tech Port Center & Arena 

    November 25 in Dallas, TX @ The Factory in Deep Ellum 

    November 26 in Corpus Christi, TX @ Concrete Street 

    November 28 in Edinburg, TX @ Burt Ogden Arena 

    November 29 in Houston, TX @ 713 Music Hall 

  • Flashback: Monsters of Rock Tour Arrives in Orchard Park – June 19, 1988

    The 1980s were the heydey of hair metal and hard rock, and as the genre found its audience, the Monsters of Rock concert tour was formed, bringing together the best international lineup of metal acts the world has ever seen. And for one day in June of 1988, five bands would put on a show for the ages in Western New York.

    Monsters of Rock
    Official T-shirt for the Monsters of Rock 1988 tour – shirts cost $18 to $23, hats $13, bandannas $8 and buttons $3

    Originating in England in 1980, the first Monsters of Rock lineup and one-day festival was promoted by Paul Loasby and Maurice Jones, and included British and international bands for 35,000 fans at Donington Park race track in Leicestershire in the Midlands region of England. Originally conceived as a one-off event, the idea evolved into a touring festival in 1981 for 15 years in a row, only taking a break in 1989 and 1993. Loasby recalled the formation of that first year in England to The Guardian:

    We hoped we would get 50,000 [people]. We wanted to break even at 30,000. However, because it was done the way it was we were not in control of some of the aspects – such as the cost of the police. But also, the “fuck factor” as you’d call it, is the miscellaneous. It rained and it rained and it rained [beforehand], so suddenly your trackway [temporary road] costs and your straw costs rise. We ended up with just under 36,000. A quick piece of maths showed that we’d lost money, but it wasn’t horrible.

    Paul Loasby on the first Monsters of Rock show

    Arriving at Rich Stadium in Orchard Park on June 19, the 1988 Monsters of Rock Tour featured Van Halen, Scorpions, Dokken, Metallica and Kingdom Come, marking the only time the epic international metal concert tour made its way through the Empire State.

    Monsters of Rock
    Van Halen + Metallica = Vantallica

    Headlining the show was Van Halen, who were hot on the heels of promoting their album OU812, and used the Monsters of Rock Tour to form the first section of their OU812 tour. Thus, the name of the festival this year was Van Halen’s Monsters of Rock.

    Monsters of Rock van halen
    Van Halen Summer ’88 Concert Shirt

    The 23-city tour criss-crossed America over May, June and July of 1988, gaining the moniker “the most extravagent rock show ever” with the five bands performing over nine hours of music to more than 2 million fans who were expected across the North American tour.

    “It’s like the NBA playoffs everynight, except we dont use balls, we use guitars,” said bassist Michael Anthony in talking to The Today Show. Sammy Hagar added “NBA playoffs, title fight, every night. there’s so much music its probably really tough on the people the next day,” mimicking the headache they might have the next day, then adding in “a week later, that was the greatest thing I ever did.”

    Being a large scale event with multiple acts, there was a long gap between many dates while the band’s gear was transported and set up. A total of 50 tractor trailers carrying 75 tons of sound equiptment traveled between each venue, adding to tour dates that were spaced out as seen below.

    May 27-29East Troy, WIAlpine Valley Music Theatre
    June 4MiamiOrange Bowl
    June 5TampaTampa Stadium
    June 10Washington D.C.RFK Stadium
    June 11PhiladelphiaJFK Stadium
    June 12BostonSullivan Stadium
    June 15PittsburghThree Rivers Stadium
    June 17-18DetroitPontaic Silverdome
    June 19BuffaloRich Stadium
    June 22-23AkronRubber Bowl
    June 25PortlandOxford Plains Speedway
    June 26-27East RutherfordGiants Stadium
    July 2HoustonRice Stadium
    July 3DallasCotton Bowl
    July 6IndianapolisHoosier Dome
    July 9MemphisMemorial Stadium
    July 10Kansas CityArrowhead Stadium
    July 13MinneapolisMetrodome
    July 16San FranciscoCandlestick Park
    July 20SpokaneJoe Albi Stadium
    July 23-24Los AngelesLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum
    July 27SeattleKingdome
    July 30DenverMile High Stadium

    Monsters of Rock 1988 was the third time then up-and-coming heavy metal band Metallica would tour on the lineup, and the second year in a row. The 1988 shows gave early hype for their eventual classic album …And Justice For All, leading to “Harvester of Sorrow” making appearances in the setlist throughout the tour. This also marked the first tour since bass player Cliff Burton passed away in September 1986. Listen to Audio of their Buffalo set here.

    Dokken was another notable band to join the show, although an attendee notes there were tensions between lead singer Don Dokken and guitarist George Lynch, leading to a short and uninspired set. Veteran German rock band Scorpions were a major European rock artist at the time, and their fans felt the love throughout the show.

    Over time, the Monsters of Rock tour would decline, due in part to two fans dying during a Guns N’ Roses set later in 1988, with crowds that pushed 100,000 and muddy/wet conditions being contributing factors. This led to the festival being cancelled for 1989, with a two day festival, Moscow Music Peace Festival held in Russia, featuring Bon Jovi, Ozzy Osbourne, Mötley Crüe and Scorpions. When Monsters of Rock returns in 1990, the crowd size was limited to 75.000.

    Monsters of Rock

    Kingdom Come setlist: Get It On, What Love Can Be

    Metallica setlist: The Ecstasy of Gold, Creeping Death, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Welcome Home (Sanitarium), Harvester of Sorrow, Whiplash, Fade to Black, Seek & Destroy, Master of Puppets, Last Caress, Am I Evil?, Battery

    Dokken setlist: Without Warning, Tooth and Nail, Just Got Lucky, Burning Like a Flame, Into the Fire, Heaven Sent, It’s Not Love, Guitar Solo, Mr. Scary, Dream Warriors, Alone Again, Turn on the Action

    Scorpions setlist: Blackout, Big City Nights, Rhythm of Love, Bad Boys Running Wild, Make It Real, Coast to Coast, Still Loving You, Don’t Stop at the Top, Can’t Live Without You, Coming Home, The Zoo, No One Like You, Rock You Like a Hurricane, Dynamite

    Van Halen setlist: A.F.U. (Naturally Wired), Summer Nights, There’s Only One Way to Rock, Panama, Bass Solo, Runnin’ With the Devil, Why Can’t This Be Love, Mine All Mine, Drum Solo, You Really Got Me, Sucker in a 3 Piece, When It’s Love, Eagles Fly, I Can’t Drive 55, Best of Both Worlds, Guitar Solo, Black and Blue, Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love, Superstition, Rock and Roll

  • Fozzy Announces Dates For Save The World Fall Tour

    Atlanta metal band Fozzy has announced dates for their Save The World tour this fall across the U.S. and Canada.

    The tour, which features No Resolve and GFM as guest acts, begins September 8 in Columbus, OH and finishes October 10 in Virginia Beach. It includes two New York dates, with stops at the Lost Horizon in Syracuse on October 2 and October 8 at Empire Live in Albany. Tickets will go on sale Thursday.

    Fozzy frontman Chris Jericho waves to the crowd during a show.
    Chris Jericho, Fozzy frontman and famed pro wrestler. (Credit: David A. Smith/Getty Images)

    The tour is in promotion of Fozzy’s new record Boombox, released on the 6th. Their eighth studio album in a 20+ year career, Boombox entered the Neilson Current Hard Music Albums chart at #5 and the Current Rock Albums and Current Digital Albums charts at #19, having amassed nearly 14 million streams.

    The record also features three top 20 singles on Nielsen’s Mainstream Rock National Airplay chart, “I Still Burn,” “Nowhere to Run,” and “Sane.”

    Tour Dates:

    Thursday, September 8          Columbus, OH @ The King of Clubs

    Friday, September 9                Louisville, KY @ Mercury Ballroom

    Saturday, September 10         Flint, MI @ Machine Shop

    Sunday, September 11             Pittsburgh, PA @ Jergels

    Monday, September 12           Grand Rapids, MI @ Intersection

    Thursday, September 15        Bloomington, IL @ Castle Theater

    Friday, September 16              Hobart, IN @ The Art Theater

    Saturday, September 17         Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave

    Sunday, September 18            Cincinnati, OH @ Bogarts

    Monday, September 19           Charlottesville, VA @ Jefferson Theater

    Thursday, September 29        Charlotte, NC @ Underground

    Friday, September 30              Richmond, VA @ Canal Club

    Saturday, October 1                 Baltimore, MD @ Soundstage

    Sunday, October 2                    Syracuse, NY @ Lost Horizon

    Monday, October 3                   New Bedford, MA @ The Vault

    Thursday, October 6                Montreal, QC @ Foufounes Electriques

    Friday, October 7                      Toronto, ON @ Opera House

    Saturday, October 8                 Albany, NY @ Empire Live

    Sunday, October 9                    Philadelphia, PA @ Brooklyn Bowl

    Monday, October 10                Virginia Beach, VA @ Elevation 27

  • Eddies Hall of Fame Celebrates Capital Region’s Music Scene at UPH

    The rich music history of the Capital Region was celebrated on Tuesday, June 7 with the Eddies Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Held at Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs. The eight honorees included folk, ambient, rock, and acoustic artists, as well as a promoter, writer/musicians, and an independent radio station founder.

    Paul Rapp, a musician and entertainment rights lawyer, as well as a 2020 Eddies Hall of Fame inductee knew them all and gave opening remarks noting such. Rapp, drummer for renowned Albany act Blotto, weighed in on each musician, offering heartfelt thoughts and a few laughs as he discussed his connection and the impact each of the eight left on the Capital Region scene.

    Eddies Hall of Fame
    Paul Rapp – photo by Erin Reid Coker

    Honorees included Joel Ross, a 7-time Grammy Award winner who engineered songs for Broadway musicals and TV shows, and worked with Ray Charles and Tony Bennett among many others.

    Joel Ross – photo by Joe Putrock

    Brooks Brown, founder of WEQX, an independent radio station, was referred to by Rapp as having “saved the Albany Music scene” by creating a radio station that played local bands that couldn’t be heard elsewhere. Rapp noted that Brown took great joy in telling corporations looking to buy his station to “go fuck themselves.”

    Jason Keller and Mimi Brown – photo by Erin Reid Coker

    Super 400 from Troy has had an impact felt as far away as Spain, which led to Spanish band Red Apple sharing via prerecorded video how they were looking for bands that were real and similar to them. In discovering Super 400, they found a band on the same wavelength, as well as future friends. Red Apple then performed “Green Grass End” in tribute to Super 400.

    Eddies Hall of Fame
    Super 400 – photo by Erin Reid Coker

    Greg Bell, the promoter who made Albany a jam band mecca and must hit tour stop, has run Guthrie/Bell Productions since the early 1990s. His presence in the Capital District will be profiled in the upcoming documentary from Mirth Films, Grapplin’ Greg. Rapp noted that no one has done more to support local bands than Bell, adding, “Music promoters are like adding kindling to a fire. The good ones make it burn bright.”

    Eddies Hall of Fame
    Greg Bell – photo by Erin Reid Coker

    Rich Ortiz, the “fishin’ musician,” comes from a family rich in music history and plays more than 300 gigs a year and has been featured on the cover of numerous fishing magazines.. If night fishing were a thing, we may not have this legend from the Lake George region. Saratoga Springs guitarist from 80’s band The Morons, Steve Candlen, later performed Ortiz’ “I Love You Everyone.”

    Eddies Hall of Fame
    Rich Ortiz – photo by Erin Reid Coker

    Michael Eck is many things – a painter, arts writer, Caffe Lena board member, and Ramblin Jug Stompers spoke with great emotion in receiving the Eddies Hall of Fame honor. Candlen later performed an Eck original “You’re a Mountain,” with the fitting lyrics “you’re a mountain, you’re a legend, you’re a king.”

    Michael Eck – photo by Erin Reid Coker

    Sara Ayers, with an eclectic career that includes folk, punk, bubblegum, rock, electronica and especially ambient music, was a crowd favorite as she was honored for her contributions to the scene.

    Sara Ayers – photo by Erin Reid Coker

    Greg Haymes, a man who did so much for local bands, venues and aspiring writers and photographers, was the final honoree of the night. The late “Sarge” Blotto has a varied career in multiple genres and styles, and in founding local music website Nippertown, he had a connection to nearly the entire room of musicians, journalists and fans. Rapp pointed to one of the many quirks of Haymes, was his mentions in reviews of a musician’s shoes, considering those with good shoes to have ‘made it’, and with that, Rapp pulled out a ruby slipper. The unofficial Jug Stompers theme song, “Jug Band Music,” by the Memphis Jug Band, and performed by Tom Lindsay to honor Haymes.

    A young Greg Haymes. Photo by Amy Modesti

    While Haymes passed away in 2019, he was fêted by his fellow inductees in a slideshow retrospective. Ayers accepted on behalf of her late husband, noting that he lived an artistic life as a musician, a writer and a website publisher, and it was a life he was proud of. His not too serious approach to preparing himself for a performance on stage (whether with a customized washboard, or a typewriter for a percussion instrument), his experience as a musician made him want to share the passion of local musicians in the Capital District through his writing. In doing so, Haymes gave many writers and photographers a chance to, a tradition we continue at NYS Music.

    Photos by Erin Reid Coker

  • Hearing Aide: The Wrecks ‘Sonder’

    If you’re searching for the eternal sound of summer, the alternative indie punk-pop outfit the Wrecks might be just the thing you need to remember the season is here. The Wellsville, NY band’s sophomore full-length album Sonder drops on June 10 across all streaming platforms via Big Noise Music Group.

    Eleven tracks nod to the quintessential pop/punk sound of the early 2000’s paying homage to the pioneers of the genre. But in Sonder, the Wrecks have developed their own unique 2020’s twist incorporating elements of current pop trends and new wave style synth to the mix. 

    the wrecks sonder

    Lyrics are relatable; the kind of lyrics you can apply to your life without knowing original context or origin story. “I’d say our lyrics have always been honest and vulnerable,” noted Wreck’s vocalist/producer Nick Anderson, “and not only was I able to depend on that narrative compass once again, but I found it taking me to a whole new place this time creatively.” Anderson’s vocals shine.  There is a powerful delicate balance to his vocal performance, a beautiful dichotomy that fits the band’s musical vibe – soft and tepid to robust and commanding and back again with a natural ease. 

    The album’s lead single, “Sonder” is a musical punch. Musically, the tune is sharp and demands attention.  The chorus’s unexpected hook warrants a “car windows down, singing at the top of your lungs like no one is next to you at the red light” type of moment. “Where Are You Now” showcases a different side to the band’s sound – acoustic guitar and ethereal vocals create an unexpected ballad early in the track listing. The album’s latest single “Lone Survivor”, a flashy earworm, closes the album with a dance heavy bass groove that justifies using the repeat button for a few listens. 

    The Wrecks are currently touring in support of Sonder with a 33-show tour this summer.  New York stops include dates in Buffalo at the Rec Room (June 29), Albany at the Empire Underground (June 30) and Webster Hall in New York City (Jul 8). Full tour dates can be found here.

    Key Tracks: Sonder, Where Are You Now, Lone Survivor, I Love This Part

  • St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater 2022 Summer Lineup Features The Doobie Brothers, Machine Gun Kelly and more

    The St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater (previously known as Lakeview Amphitheater) 2022 Summer Concert lineup has been announced, which features The Doobie Brothers, Machine Gun Kelly, and many more.

    St. Josephs Health Amphitheater

    The St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater is located in Syracuse, NY, and has a 17,500-person capacity. This summer, a wide variety of artists are coming to the venue of many different genres.

    St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater Lineup

    June 19- The Doobie Brothers & Michael McDonald

    The Doobie Brothers are a four-time Grammy-award-winning root-based and harmony-laden rock band formed in the 1970s. They have three multi-platinum, seven platinum, and 14 Gold albums. Their album Best of the Doobies has sold more than 12 million copies and is considered a rare “diamond record.” Michael McDonald is an American musician, singer-songwriter, keyboardist, and record producer known for being a member of The Doobie Brothers and his successful solo career.

    St. Joseph's Health Amphitheater

    July 5- Machine Gun Kelly

    Machine Gun Kelly is an American rapper, singer, musician, and actor. He is known for his blending of hip hop and alternative rock music. His album Tickets to My Downfall was his first pop-punk album, and it debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, the only rock album to do so that year.

    St. Joseph's Health Amphitheater

    July 8- Morgan Wallen

    Morgan Wallen is an American country music singer and songwriter. He competed in the sixth season of The Voice and won a Country Music Award. He has nine billion on-demand streams, multi-platinum certifications, and four consecutive chart-toppers.

    St. Joseph's Health Amphitheater

    July 9- Lynyrd Skynyrd

    Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band formed in the 1960s. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked them No. 95 on their list of the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time,” and they have sold more than 28 million records in the United States.

    St. Joseph's Health Amphitheater

    Aug. 11- Kenny Chesney & Carly Pearce

    Kenny Chesney is an American country music singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He has recorded more than 20 albums and has produced more than 40 Top 10 singles on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts, 32 of which have reached number one. Carly Pearce is a country music singer and songwriter who received a number one spot on the Billboard country charts with her single “Every Little Thing” and won a CMA and AMA.

    Aug. 13- Alice in Chains & Breaking Benjamin

    Alice in Chains is an 11-time Grammy-nominated rock band that has sold over 30 million records worldwide. They gained international fame during the 1990s grunge movement, and the band has had 18 Top 10 songs on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Chart. Breaking Benjamin is a certified multi-platinum rock band who have sold seven million units in the United States. They have also produced one number one record on the Billboard Top 200.

    Aug. 25- Brad Paisley

    Brad Paisley is a Grammy-award-winning country music star whose albums are certified Gold or above. He has won multiple CMA awards, and earned country music’s crowning achievement, becoming a member of the Grand Ole Opry. He set a new record in 2009 for the most consecutive singles (10) reaching the top spot on that chart.

    Sep. 6- Sting

    Sting is a 17-time Grammy-award-winner who was apart of the new wave rock band The Police from 1977-1984. With the band and his solo career, he has sold over 100 million records. He won the BMI award for “Every Breath You Take” becoming the most-played song in radio history. He has won a number of other awards, including a Lifetime Achievement award and was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

    Sep. 15- Jason Aldean

    Jason Aldean is an American country music singer, songwriter, and record producer. His albums are all certified platinum, and his 2010 album, My Kinda Party, is certified quadruple-platinum. He has also received five Grammy Award nominations throughout his career.

    Also Performing This Summer

    June 23- Steely Dan & Steve Winwood

    June 29- The Chicks & Patty Griffin

    July 13- CHEER Live

    July 27- Halestorm, The Pretty Reckless, The Warning & Lilith Czar

    Aug. 2- Incubus & Sublime With Rome

    Aug. 17- Santana & Earth, Wind, and Fire

    Sep. 9- REO Speedwagon, Styx & Loverboy

    Sep. 17- Shinedown & Jelly Roll

    Sep. 20- Five Finger Death Punch, Megadeth & The Hu

    More information on the St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater’s 2022 summer concert lineup and links to purchase tickets can be found here.

  • New York Guitar Festival Announces 2022 Lineup Featuring Bill Frisell, Vernon Reid, and More

    The New York Guitar Festival is back with in-person performances after two years of being streamed online. The shows will be held in The Greene Space, WNYC’s multimedia performance venue in Soho from June 14 to 17. Featured performers include Bill Frisell, Vernon Reid, and more.

    New York Guitar Festival

    The festival was founded in 1999 by  David Spelman, the Artistic Director of the festival, and WNYC’s John Schaefer, host of the “New Sounds” radio series. The main focus of the festival is the use of the guitar, and how it is in many different genres of music.

    New York Guitar Festival Lineup

    June 14 at 7:30 P.M.- Glenn Jones and Vieux Farka Toure

    Glenn Jones has a background in rock and experimental music but is best known for keeping the flame of “American Primitive” music alive, which is a folk-based style. Jones’s music is full of unexpected textures through his uses of capos, half-capos, and a variety of tunings. Vieux Farka Toure is known as “the Hendrix of the Sahara,” with roots in playing West African music. He has released five solo albums rooted in the sounds and rhythms of West African blues.

    June 15 at 7:30 P.M.- Gyan Riley, Bill Frisell, & Luke Bergman.

    Gyan Riley started his career playing with his father’s band Terry Riley and The All-Stars. Now, he works with Grammy-award-winning artists and plays different genres, from classical to spacey electric guitar excursions. Bill Frisell is regarded as one of the best guitarists of our time, and he is the subject of a new biography called Bill Frisell: Beautiful Dreamer. Luke Bergman is part of Bill Frisell’s Harmony Quartet and is a bassist, guitarist, and pedal steel player.

    June 16 at 7:30 P.M.- Badi Assad, Vernon Reid, & Laraaji

    Badi Assad is a guitarist, singer, and percussionist who also uses the guitar as a percussion instrument. She was the co-curator of the 2014 edition of the New York Guitar Festival. Badi is also the younger sister of the great Brazilian guitar duo of Sergio & Odair Assad. Vernon Reid is one of Rolling Stone magazine’s 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. He gained fame as the main songwriter for the rock band Living Colour, and as a founder of the Black Rock Coalition. Laraaji has recently performed as a duo with Vernon Reid and is an ambient zither player,

    June 17 at 7:30 P.M.- Marta Pereira da Costa and William Tyler

    Marta Pereira da Costa plays Portuguese fado music and writes her own music and collaborates with other musicians. She is among the few women playing this type of music, as it is mostly dominated by men. William Tyler is a folk, indie, country, and electronic music artist. His work offers a gothic, often celestial take on American roots music.

    For more information about the festival, go here.

  • Knotfest Roadshow plows through Albany at MVP Arena

    On Tuesday May 24th 2022, MVP arena in Albany hosted Knotfest Roadshow, featuring Slipknot and Cypress Hill with Ho99o9 (Horror) as the opening act. Slipknot is currently on leg two of their roadshow that runs until June 18th in the USA. Slipknot is an American heavy metal band formed in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1995. This show marked 12 years since the passing of their original bassist Paul Grey on May 24th 2010.

    Large welcome sign inside the front doors of MVP Arena. Photo credit- Mike Miller

    Slipknot played many of their hits including Wait and Bleed, Psychosocial, Duality and Spit it out. Throughout the show Slipknot used pyrotechnics, many flame throwers and use of special effect lighting that was blinding at times to people in the front. The crowd in the front rows could feel the heat radiating from the flames bursting in the air. Crowd surfing and mosh pits were expected but their Albany fans brought more energy and raw emotion to the floor than other cities have their singer Corey Taylor said. Security was on point and ready to respond to any issues that arose and escorted any crowd surfers back to the floor section very quickly.

    The fans against the barricade. Photo credit Mike Miller

    To keep their look fresh, Slipknot has new masks this year. Their image is always changing slightly to stay aligned with their new music. They are expected to release their seventh album sometime this year. There was also VIP tickets for sale that included a walk through the Slipknot traveling “Museum”. It featured instruments of band members, and prior masks used, fans could view and interact with. New York hosted Knotfest Roadshow multiple last year in Syracuse and Darien Lake.

    Singer Corey Taylor. Photo Credit- Mike Miller

    Setlist: Disasterpiece, Wait and Bleed, All Our Life, Sulfer. Before O Forget, The Chapeltown Bag, Dead Memories. Unsainted, The Heretic Anthem, Psychosocial, The Devil and I, Snuff, Vermillion, Duality, Spit it out, People = Sh*t, Surfacing.

  • Primus Tributes Prog-Rock Legends at The Cap

    It’s been almost seven long years since Rush played what would become their final NY Metro area shows at Prudential Center in NJ and Madison Square Garden in NYC as part of their 40th anniversary tour. The talent of the trio – Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and the late Neil Peart – has left remarkable influences on many musicians touring today. Primus has been on the road performing their own songs as well as an entire set dedicated to performing Rush’s A Farewell to Kings in its entirety; the tour appropriately billed as “A Tribute To Kings.” A few of those recent stops were in Albany and this past weekend, The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester. Check out our coverage of Primus’ Albany show here.

    NYC-based duo Battles, who formed back in 2002, put on an intriguing opening set as an excellent compliment to the rest of the evening. In some ways, the duo seemed like a live performance of a DJ, minus the turntables. Using samples, they crafted remixes and improvised jams on guitar, synths, and drums, and certainly held the attention of The Cap.

    Primus took to the stage to the immediate delight of the full house crowd (which seemed to be nearly sold out at a quick glance of the room). Les CLaypool’s driving bass sound led a signature role through the first set as the band navigated through their repertoire, including the recently crafted ode to Volodomyr Zelensky, “The Man With The Iron Balls.” Proceeds from sales of that song, when released April 2022 went to benefit non-profit organization Nova Ukraine.

    Donning bit of the spacey glam garb as a nod to 1978, Primus returned for the second set to perform Rush’s A Farewell to Kings in its entirety. The anticipation for this moment of the show was visible even before entering The Cap; the sheer number of Rush album and tour t-shirts in the crowd might make one wonder if they were actually at a Rush fan convention. But in fairness, for the loyal Rush fans it certainly felt that way.

    Claypool noted his experience attending a Rush concert in his younger years, looking up to Geddy Lee as a tremendous influence and dreaming about someday playing bass on stage. Almost note for note, Primus recreated the album with remarkable precision to dynamics, tone and style, although Claypool joked about how difficult it was to mimic Geddy Lee’s high octave range (which he pulled off the few instances where he reached for that range).

    Rounding out the night, Primus returned for an extended encore to dive back into their own songs.

    Primus – The Capitol Theatre – Port Chester – May 20, 2022

    Set 1: Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers, Lacquer Head, Groundhog’s Day, Polka Dot Rose, American Life, HOINFODAMAN, Conspiranoia, Professor Nutbutter’s House of Treats, Hamburger Train, Harold of the Rocks, The Man With the Iron Balls

    Set 2: (A Farewell to Kings): A Farewell to Kings, Xanadu, Closer to the Heart, Cinderella Man, Madrigal, Cygnus X-1

    Encore: On the Tweek Again, Over the Electric Grapevine, Jerry Was a Race Car Driver, Tommy the Cat, Follow the Fool