Queens native Action Bronson put on a free show for Summerstage at Flushing Meadows Corona Park on Saturday, June 25th. The show was part of Queens Live thrown by the City Parks Foundation and also featured Karen Y Los Remedios, Statik Selektah and host Ralph McDaniels. Queens Borough President Donovan Richards was also in attendance. Richards said “Queens Live! isn’t just back for a second year, but it’s coming back bigger and better. I couldn’t be more excited to partner with the Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage team to bring Queen’s own Action Bronson to his home borough in what should be a fantastic free afternoon of music.”
Action Bronson at Flushing Meadows Park
Ralph McDaniels is the founder and curator of Video Music Box, the first tv show to feature hip-hop videos primarily. McDaniels has also produced over 400 videos for some of the biggest names in hip-hop including Wu-Tang Clan, Nas and Roxanne Shante. He has also produced several documentaries.
Ralph McDaniels at Flushing Meadows Park
Karen Y Los Remedios is a group from Mexico and features singer Ana Karen Barajas, producer jiony and guitarist Z.am.pa. Their latest EP, Recuerdos de Expiacion was released last year and features the songs “Resistencia” and “Permanencia.” In an interview with katacult.com, Ana and jiony said “We have been working through a lot of years together making collaborations. However, when we started the project of “Karen y Los Remedios”, the idea of making music with Latin roots, especially cumbia was the main goal.”
Karen Y Los Remedios at Flushing Meadows Park
Chef, actor, tv host, artist and rapper Action Bronson headlined the concert and performed with pure energy. His setlist was mostly songs from his latest album Cocodrillo Turbo. Griselda producer Daringer was Action’s DJ. The two have also collaborated many times in the past as well. Special guests included Alchemist, Hologram and Yung Mehico on sax. Action’s 2 year old son even made an appearance during the last song “Actin Crazy.”
Seekers and travelers, both aquatic and avian, endured a nauseating sense of moral conflict while making their way to see Goose on June 24th and 25th for the sold out Radio City Music Hall shows. News of the Dobbs Supreme Court ruling was fresh; strong introspective notes of guilt and grieving rang in battle with the plans for a most jovial gathering. Hurdles of planning jumped for months to make those nights happen. Travel high jumps cleared in the last hour. All of this legwork to prepare for two nights when we thought we could finally be animals and move our abdominals for a night, instead receiving news that life for women just got a whole lot scarier.
Good news brought to you by Goose and Trey by Em Walis
Goose’s cover of “Mad World” from the South Farms Halloween show played on repeat the whole drive down. A song which leaned into the darkness in the throws of pod-era guilt stricken live music attendance. It also was a song Doom Flamingo played later that night with powerhouse feminist badass Kanika Moore appropriately addressing this particular moment of darkness.
During moments of self-preservation and protection, the mind for some went to a strange place where the value of innocuous thoughts skyrocketed. Distraction in the form of social anxiety, primal desire to hunt for big game in the form of a limited release poster, and theories of potential setlists and sit-ins began to swarm the mind, blocking out any space for all-out panic about women living in those states.
Empresses by Em Walis
SOS
Shock-driven imagination created a surreal mental image worthy of the “Weird Goose Dreams” facebook group. The line outside of Radio City before Connecticut Indie Groove band Goose played back to back sold out shows at Radio City Music Hall painted the sidewalks like the signs that once were held up only a few blocks away outside of MTVs TRL. Memories of pop-punk fandom long ago trailed while approaching. Opening conversations were mentally rehearsed. Would Dripfield have been hitting #1 on the hit music video countdown show if it were still airing today?
So ready by Em Walis
Why the rehearsals? The typical over-thinker would estimate that of the 6,000 guests, a core group of, say, 10% would be in attendance for every show. Another 20% will go to every run within a day’s driving distance. 30% will see every show where they can return home the same night. 20% could be first-timers and the remainder… It was complicated.
100% Sold by Em Walis
In a landscape of ever-changing risk, evolving life circumstance and financial whirlwinds, that percentage unaccounted for above could be dedicated fans, unable to attend for a solid chunk of time. Thankfully, they were able to continue to follow the band, only from the VIP view of the livestream and rode the rails of the coffee table with company of an active group chat. The poster line was more like reflexes with a Nintendo game, instead of the running of the bulls (or in this case, geese). The importance of a historic night for band and community might have inspired months of preparation in order to attend. The emotions of the prodigal children ran high.
The time they left Scarf the Redeemer in charge of the pit at RCMH – Georgiana Platt
Before crossing the street over to the line, all thoughts were immediately interrupted when a man standing with arms outstretched and body language that shouted, “Welcome!” and “I’m so glad you made it to the show!” Golden light poured over the massive Radio City Music Hall and line as far as the eye could see weaving behind. Scarf draped over the outstretched arms, the bit of fabric which has become a rock relic illuminated with vibrancy from the sun as it set behind.
The scarf danced and waved tirelessly during those early streams where the pods were spaced such that only two people from the crowd could be seen when Marta Goedde switched the cameras to the front of house viewpoint. A symbol of giving it all you’ve got to both thank the band for taking a risk during a dark time and to honor those that were not in a position to safely attend. A symbol of hope when we needed it most. A man whose outstretched arms and scarf draped, larger than life in front of the epic Radio City Music hall could only be described as “Scarf the Redeemer” washed away all doubts with a single hug. Radio City. Goose. Good News. Mood Boosted. Game on.
Start and end with glizzy sacrament by Em Walis
Seekers
Familiar faces full from streams and memes were assembled at the front of the line, taking part in the sacrament known as the eucharist of glizzies. Why show up so early when there are assigned seats? The group up front at Radio City absolutely wanted a poster, but more importantly, value the time waiting on line for doors as part of the community experience. Hours of sharing and connecting before as well as mutual experience up front for every show has created an unbreakable bond and ritual that could not be forgotten, even if their ticket put them somewhere up in the three Mezzanines.
Shine on by Em Walis
Stickers, baklava and pogs were passed around from arms draped in glistening sequin capes to ones with vibrant colors of one specific tie dye maker. Typically a sign on regional representation, these dyes transcend the regions and have been worn by community members hailing from an area much larger than their origins of Western New York.
The patterns on the dyes both thoughtful and ornate, evoked an unconscious mood boost because the coloring seemed to look exactly like the big looks from some most cherished moments from Goose shows past. The Blue Sky Dyes have been worn by members of Goose over the years which have been featured on streams played at home time and time again. Another mood boost.
Travel MVPs by Em Walis
Travelers
Seven missed flights, one broken truck and a marriage proposal later, one couple finally made it to Radio City for the show. Another seated monk figure had converted his van to follow Goose. Coast to coast, Midwest to Southeast. Representations from across the country were assembled together. The mood was cohesive and upbeat.
The Rockdale by Em Walis
Goin Down To The Rockdale
Arriving inside Radio City Music Hall felt like time travel. Lounges, not bathrooms, all had unique mirrored constructions. Water fountains made with artistry that could not look like anything further than the industrial robot fill stations of today. The merch line spiraled down an oval staircase. The surreal feeling seemed to never end as memories of the Resonance set from a few years ago kept appearing when chatter began to spread about what potential this band had. Familiar faces, big long hugs and selfies galore could be witnessed throughout the halls as thousands of people poured into the venue. This was a powerful feeling at a powerful time.
Peter remembering who is important by Em Walis
Gonna Lay It All Down For You
Before Goose began their first song during the biggest night of their careers, Peter took a moment to address the crowd about the devastating news. He stated the value for women’s rights among the band and tears were falling before the first note commenced.
Arms up, or not. You decide. By Em Walis
Leave Your Coat At The Hotel, We’ll Be Hanging In The Old Barroom
The atmosphere differed tremendously depending on location of seating. Each quadrant held a distinctive personality. Under typical circumstance, a Goose crowd would often resemble that of a high school cafeteria. Same people riding the front rails. Tamara, Crepes and Val on Trevor side, Phil, John and Noah in the middle. Binky between Rick and Peter alongside the Carusos forever dedicated to “Pete side, sweet side.” At Radio City Music Hall, everyone was scattered throughout. Some were able to experience the light show for the first time, despite countless shows attended.
Ryan Stasik believes in shenanigans by Em Walis
Orchestra: Elmegs and Empresses
In the Orchestra seating, there appeared to be a near checkerboard pattern of longtime family and friends mixed with first timers and socializers. Similarly dispersed were those that danced hard with those who would fall under a still, hypnotic trance. In the center of it all, fittingly, was the Goblin King. The “George Washington of hot guys in the jam scene,” according to Andy Frasco. Ryan Stasik was in attendance. “So hot right now,” someone whispered from nearby.
Escaped animal by Em Walis
First Level Mezzanine: Animals
The first mezzanine was a different story. These bunch of animals danced hard and could be called rowdy. The view of the stage from the back rows could have been better, but it didn’t matter. Every person of every age sang each word as if it were a church hymn. It was discovered here that amidst a tumultuous emotional experience, it can be extremely healing to let all of that angst out with dance and shouting the words. Catharsis comes in the form of the silly and leaving egos at the door. Appropriately, this quadrant of the venue went all out bananas when Animals came on. Little did they know the amount of banana jokes that would be made after the following night.
A game the animals played was called “Guess When Goedde is in Charge!” The critters up in mezz 1 would try to spot moments when the lights matched what was happening musically and participants in the game would try to guess what they thought Goedde would say through the monitors to the band like a circus ring leader. “Again!” was the most common guess.
Feed the creatures. They will grow. By Em Walis
Second Level Mezzanine: Creatures
The second level was where true entrancement happened. A sensory experience where holding a prism, balloon while adorning 3D Glasses was common ground. The visceral reactions and empathy held by all. The bigger meaning was felt here. The growth of the band and its fanbase. The creature which grows when nourished and loved. When Trey came on, all bets were off and everyone beamed with excitement in celebration of the good news we all finally needed. Conversations afterword consisted of repeatedly exchanging the question “what the actual f?” back and forth to each other for the remainder of the night.
Mezzanine 3: Red Birds
Perched up above, the full view of the light show was quietly enjoyed by those that dedicated their night to doing everything possible to appreciate the small moments of beauty in life. The colorful moments viewed from a safe distance created a space for the Red Birds to begin to heal. In the most heartfelt performance of the new song “Red Bird,” dedication to all of the women struggling with the supreme court ruling. Caring, judgement free words were sang to the Red Birds up in Mezz 3, reminding the rest of the crowd of Peter’s assertion at the start of the run. Attendee Tony Vasile put it best,
“Red Bird was a necessary anthem for women’s rights tonight.”
Leave your coat at the hotel by Em Walis
Going Down To The Rock Dale
All in all, the two night of Goose at Radio City Music Hall were memorable because of the good news it brought. Everyone seemed to get exactly what they needed out of it and left feeling better than when they arrived. For good reason. Fans both streaming from home and in attendance were able to witness their favorite band live out their childhood fantasy. It does not get more proud mother goose than that. One proud parent in the crowd recalled an early rendition of Goose practicing every Friday night for three hours over the course of seven years before they all left for college. With the occasional Saturday and Sunday jam session peppered in, it is remarkable to see the result of dedication as well as a coming of age tale converging during two beautiful nights.
Media team and long time friends Adam Berta and Bryan Murphy perched by Em Walis
One Life To Live For
The spirit of the night was impactful for more than just bands and fans. The crew behind the scenes have all been friends with Goose for years. The amount of tears shed could fill buckets. It was not only a dream come true for the band to collaborate with Trey, or play this venue. Aspiring audio engineers, lighting designers and photographers dream of working Radio City Music Hall. To ice the cake with both musical and photographic heroes sent it over the edge into something that could once only be joked about as a “Weird Goose Dream” facebook group fantasy.
Not The First Time by Em Walis
And The Sun Will Be Rising Soon
Beneath the brightly illuminated city lights and glowing marquee reading the words “Sold Out” and “Goose” common ground established between birds of a feather and fish in the sea. It turns out, they were all just animals. It was phenomenal. Finding an exit path through the boisterous carnival and second consumption of the eucharist of glizzies outside Radio City Music Hall, chirps of praise volleyed between friends old and new.
Glancing upward, the bright white points of St. Patricks cathedral glowed brightly as they peeked out from behind Rockefeller center. Like a scene from a movie, it all clicked. We have been here before. The face tingling sensation from Arcadia was felt this intensely only one other time during the Goosemas livestream performed atop Rockefeller Center amidst the throes of shutdown.
Its a new light creeping out…
This band seems to have made it a habit of there for us when we need it most.
Goose – Friday, June 24 – Radio City Music Hall, NYC
Set One: California Magic, Elizabeth, Jack-a-Roe (1), Turned Clouds, This Old Sea, All I Need
Set Two: Tumble, Borne, The Whales, A Western Sun, Pancakes
Set Three: Madhuvan, Hot Tea (2), Arrow (2)
Encore: Animal
(1) Grateful Dead cover, Goose debut (2) Studio arrangement with Stuart Bogie on saxophone, D. James Goodwin on guitar, Dave Nelson on Trombone
Goose – Saturday, June 25 – Radio City Music Hall, NYC
Set 1: Atlas Dogs, Moonrise, Wake Up(1), Atlantic City(2), Flowdown, Elmeg the Wise
Set 2: Rockdale, Seekers On the Ridge (Part 1)>Seekers on the Ridge (Part 2), Redbird >I’m Writing a Novel(3), Creatures
Set 3: Silver Rising, Hungersite (4), Arcadia(4), Dripfield(4)>Loose Ends(4), Empress of Organos (4)
Encore: Tomorrow Never Knows(5)
(1) “Wake Up” by Arcade Fire (2) “Atlantic City” by The Boss (3) “I’m Writing a Novel” by Father John Misty WITH FATHER JOHN MISTY!!!!! (4) Trey Anastasio Playing with the boys! (5) Jeff on Guitar w/FJM on Drums, Trey has returned) “Tomorrow Never Knows” by The Beatles
The American Classical Orchestra announced their upcoming 2022-2023 season made up of four orchestral performances conducted by Founder and Artistic Director Thomas Crawford. The season will begin on September 22, 2022 and continue until May 18, 2023.
The three of the four performances will be at Alice Tully Hall, and one will be held at the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer. The opening concert at Alice Tully Hall will feature Beethoven’s third piano concerto with Hungarian virtuoso Petra Somlai on the fortepiano.
Other guest artists for this season also include Soprano Yulan Piao, Mezzo-Soprano Heather Petrie, Tenor Lawrence Jones, Bass Joseph Charles Beutel, and Violinist Rachell Ellen Wong. The orchestra draws talent from all over, and the players are the foremost in their fields.
https://youtu.be/Ua_GHVEDCdI
The American Classical Orchestra is New York City’s leading period-instrument orchestra and established a permanent home there in 2005. The organization is dedicated to performing the music of 17th, 18th, and 19th-century performers – using historic performance techniques and original instruments to replicate the sound as it would have been heard at the time.
The American Classical Orchestra’s musicians are masters of the period-instrument, performing classics anew— with zeal and authenticity. This season will offer a wonderful opportunity for our audiences to experience Baroque and Classical masterworks on the very instruments heard in concert halls when they were first performed and will also reveal how the sound and nuances of these original instruments can bring the music of great Romantic composers to life in different ways.
– ACO Artistic Director & Founder Thomas Crawford
Some of this year’s season highlights include Mozart’s Requiem coupled with the world premiere of Thomas Crawford’s Elegy, which was composed in memory of ACO violinist Judson Griffin on October 28. On March 2, there will be an all-Bach program of cantatas offering audience favorites and on May 18, a romantic evening of music featuring works by Schumann, Sarasate, and Grieg.
Tickets for individual performances are priced at $75, $55, and $35 and are available at aconyc.org.
Read the full 2022-2023 American Classical Orchestra season below:
Opening Concert: Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 – Thursday, September 22, at 8 pm, Alice Tully Hall
Petra Somlai, fortepiano
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor
Schubert: Symphony No. 5 in B-flat Major
C.P.E Bach: Symphony in F Major, H665
Remember – Friday, October 28, 2022, at 8 pm, Alice Tully Hall
Yulan Piao, soprano
Heather Petrie, mezzo-soprano
Lawrence Jones, tenor
Joseph Charles Beutel, bass
ACO Chorus
Mozart: Requiem in D Minor, K. 626
Thomas Crawford: Elegy (World Premiere in honor of ACO violinist Judson Griffin)
Healing Bach – Thursday, March 2, 2023, at 8 pm, Church of St. Vincent Ferrer, Lexington Avenue at 66thStreet
J.S. Bach:
An Abend aber desselbigen Sabbats, BWV 42
Gleichwie der Regen und Schnee vom Himmel fällt, BWV 18
Schwingt freudig euch empor, BWV 36
*Soloists to be announced at a later date
Romantic Fantasy – Thursday, May 18, 2023, at 8 pm, Alice Tully Hall
The Grateful Dead played SPAC only four times in their career and today marks the anniversary of the third show which, for better or worse, may be the most memorable one of them all. Unfortunately, the show is remembered more for being responsible for getting the Dead banned from SPAC for the next three years. Reportedly, more than 40,000 fans attended this show, with Deadheads traveling from all over, creating Woodstock-like traffic conditions in Upstate New York and the Saratoga area.
This crowd size might be suitable for a stadium show, but instead created a venue that was 17,000 people over capacity, producing a chain reaction of safety issues that could have easily endangered the massive crowd. The SPAC balcony for this show was a veritable zoo, packed beyond belief as a result of people rushing in and passes reportedly being dropped down from above. Things are so out of hand a first set PSA urging people to stop hanging from there needs to be done. The band would serve its time and return in grand fashion three years later, but not before one more rowdy show that features a bevy of live Dead standards and traditional blues covers.
The show kicks off in a rather atypical fashion with a cover of the recently revived “In The Midnight Hour.” The Dead had dusted off this Wilson Pickett cover and refashioned it into an opener for a brief span in 1985. After some quick vocal sparring between Bob Weir and Brent Mydland, the band quickly launches into a much more familiar first set sight in “Bertha.” Jerry Garcia rips off the first of many effortless guitar solos and SPAC is officially all systems go.
“Little Red Rooster” follows and produces a sturdy blues jam, this time with Mydland going back and forth with Garcia on organ and guitar, respectively, that does a nice slow build in intensity. Afterwards, both Weir and bassist Phil Lesh essentially stop the show to admonish some fans who are hanging from the balcony railings and urge them to get back into their seats. Fittingly, the Dead then waste no time and jump right into a cover about an outlaw of another kind in “Stagger Lee.”
A pristine “El Paso” with some truly dulcet tones provided from Mydland’s electric piano then follows before Garcia begins to strum the opening chords to “Crazy Fingers.” A spirited Jerry powers through the vocals and delivers a string of delicate runs on the guitar with even more blissful background soundscapes emanating from Mydland’s rig. After a brief, exploratory jam the music then finds itself turning into a full-fledged “Supplication” jam, although no lyrics are ever sung. For some reason, the song was no longer paired with its traditional tag-team partner in “Lazy Lightnin’,” which the band stopped playing in 1984, and would only be a played a handful of times more in their career. The jam eventually loses steam and eventually dissolves seamlessly into “High Time.”
The Dead then wrap up the first set at SPAC with one of their newer live staples in a rousing “Hell In A Bucket” replete with more aggressive guitar play from Garcia and the boisterous vocal stylings of Bob Weir. The set then closes with a cover from way back when in a short and sweet “Don’t Ease Me In.”
The second set starts on a high note right from the gates and literally doesn’t come to a stop with a set full of nothing but segues. It begins with a “Feel Like A Stranger” that produces a riveting jam that seems to be picking up steam before Garcia seems to shift gears a little quicker than the rest of the band and steers it right into the beginning of “Eyes Of The World.” This lays down the foundation for another series of instrumental jams, spearheaded by Garcia’s frenetic runs up and down the fretboard.
The music then somehow finds its way to an early second set “Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad” that’s supercharged and seemingly played at a quicker than normal pace. After some brief indecision, and a possible nudge into “Not Fade Away,” the Dead instead veer into the ever prescient “Women Are Smarter.”
The band then yields the floor to the Rhythm Devils, drummers Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart, for some percussive and psychedelic relief with the traditional “Drums” > “Space” sequence. From the depths of “Space,” some familiar chords begin to emerge and the Dead launch into a “Truckin’” with the “New York’s got the ways and means line” getting a serious round of applause from the SPAC faithful. Instead of stretching this out a bit, the night’s ongoing theme of blues covers then carries on with a take of Howlin’ Wolf’s “Spoonful” with Weir ably manning the vocals.
The short, bluesy jam lends itself perfectly to the intro to “Black Peter” as the Grateful Dead keep the second set’s train of songs going without nary a stop. The Dead then unleash the last three covers from their musical holster to wrap up the evening’s festivities, starting with a set closing “Turn On Your Lovelight” that produces one more brief, boisterous jam with Weir singing the vocals that the legendary Pigpen used to make his own in a different time.
The encore selections could very well serve as a subliminal message to the overflowing crowd that helped make this the last Grateful Dead show at SPAC for three years as well as a nod to the upcoming ban. Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” was the first choice, perhaps an indirect message for the Dead faithful to respect the rules and capacity figures for venues going forward. A fitting closer in Bob Dylan’s “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” then closes out this show and begins the three-year wait for the Dead’s return to Saratoga.
Grateful Dead Saratoga Performing Arts Center – Saratoga, NY 6/27/85
Set 1: In The Midnight Hour, Bertha, Little Red Rooster, Stagger Lee, El Paso, Crazy Fingers > Supplication Jam > High Time, Hell In A Bucket > Don’t Ease Me In
Set 2: Feel Like A Stranger > Eyes Of The World > Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad > Man Smart (Woman Smarter) > Drums > Space > Truckin’ > Spoonful > Black Peter > Turn On Your Lovelight
The NYC-based funk and rock collective Specialists are set to perform across New York as they kick off their summer tour on July 1. The band completed a Southeast US tour in January of 2022 and returns to the Northeast with 6 shows across NY and PA.
The summer performance schedule coincides with the band’s release of their upcoming full-length record. Other Specialists releases include Too Easy (2020), Specialists (2019), and No Need to Explode (2018). With irresistible groove, crafty arrangement, witty lyrics, and catchy hooks, the band’s sound will get any audience up on their feet.
Specialists initially consisted of duo Billy Harden (guitar) and Mikey Rotunno (bass) before adding Christian Hickey (drums) and Pete Harden (keys) to the mix. Their newest single, “I Got You,” released in March of 2022, gives listeners a taste of their newest sound.
After the band’s Brooklyn Made performance on July 1, they will head off to Syracuse’s Funk N Waffles on July 2. The Specialists will then take their sound to the Sterling Stage Ameribeat on July 3 before eventually finishing their tour in Peekskill. To listen before their upcoming tour dates, the band’s music is available on Apple Music or Spotify.
Specialists Summer Tour Dates
July 1 – Brooklyn Made – Brooklyn, NY
July 2 – Funk N Waffles – Syracuse, NY
July 3 – Sterling Stage Ameribeat (4pm – 5:10pm) – Sterling, NY
July 22 – Deutschtown Music Festival – Pittsburgh, PA
Count the New York Yankees as one of the many entities lined up to celebrate the late Jerry Garcia’s upcoming birthday. August 1 will mark what would have been the legendary artist’s 80th birthday and to celebrate, the Yankees are breaking out the bobbleheads. The first 1,000 fans to purchase a special event ticket for that night’s game against the Seattle Mariners will receive the collectible Garcia bobblehead figurine, adorned in a Yankees jersey, pinstripes and all. Portions of the ticket sales will also benefit the Grateful Dead’s longtime non-profit, Rex Foundation.
The Yankees’ Garcia Bobblehead Night is just one of the events that are slated to celebrate his birthday that day. The Jerry Garcia Foundation, in partnership with Starchive, will also host a benefit concert on August 1 at Blue Note Napa in Sonoma County, CA with music performed by Garcia’s fellow New Rider of the Purple Sage in David Nelson and his band. The event will benefit the Jerry Garcia Foundation who, along with its technology partner in Starchive, have announced an upcoming archival project to help preserve the historical and artistic contributions of Jerry Garcia.
Like the Garcia bobblehead, tickets for this show are limited and can be purchased here. Yankees tickets can be purchased directly though mlb.com.
The Festival celebrates the music of legendary gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt, who teamed up with jazz violinist Stephane Grappelli to create the Quintet of the Hot club de France which went on to become one of the most important jazz partnerships in history. Jimi Hendrix named his “big band of gypsies” in tribute, and Willie Nelson adopted his influence in “country-swing.”
Django Reinhardt.
Described by Downbeat Magazine as “sensational… standout performance… hardest swinging band at the Newport Jazz Festival,” the All Star Band, with top players from Europe combined with America’s great jazz stars, will play swing music as a tribute to Reinhardt.
On Friday, June 24th, a rock themed night kicked off with Battleaxxx and closed out with cover band Black Sabbitch at Empire Live.
Battleaxxx is an all female rock band originally from the Capital Region. They are a fairly new band emerging from the Capital Region. They have played a few shows in and around Albany, including at The Lost & Found on August 28th, 20221. This show, however, was their first time performing at Empire Live. They released their debut album Adequate in March of 2021. Battleaxxx has upcoming show at Rare Form Brewing Company in Troy on July 5th.
Keeping on theme with women-lead rock, Black Sabbitch is an all female cover band from Los Angeles. They have been doing covers of Black Sabbith songs since 2011. To validate this band position as the Black Sabbith cover band, they were hand picked by Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne to open Ozzfest. Black Sabbitch was originally supposed to perform at Empire Live back in January 2022. Due to COVID surge, that show was postponed; and their next show in May was postponed due to a band member getting COVID ironically. The road to get to Albany was long, but they made it. Their summer tour ends in NYC on June 25th at the Iridium.
Battleaxxx kicked off the show with a growing crowd of about 30-40 people. Their opening song did not grab the attention of the audience, but their song “Slut,” did bring smiles and laughter. If the song was meant to be funny, it was, as people of varying ages applauded the band for calling their mom a slut. The lights did go out during their last song, but it did not stop the music. Battleaxxx’s set lasted for about 30 minutes and they received a warm applause as they left the stage.
The crowd did fill up to maybe about 100 or so people by the time Black Sabbitch took the stage. The audience was filled with a lot of seemingly empty nesters who were probably trying to relive the songs of their youth. A mosh pit of about 3 people did break out at a point, but did not last very long. During the guitar solos, you could see many people in the crowd reach up and out; banging their fist to the beat, resignating which each cord that was struck. A fire alarm did interrupt the set for about 20 mins, as well as a flood both in the dressing room and in the pit to stage left. They came back on stage, brought the crowd down low with Changes, and left on high with the Black Sabbith hit, “Sabbra Cadabra.”
Black Sabbitch did come back out for a one song encore after pump faking an exit with the dressing room door. If you are not able to catch Black Sabbitch in NYC, you can see them at the Psycho Las Vegas Festival on August 20th before they leave the states for their UK tour.
Battleaxxx Set List: Aqua, Eyes, Sex Boys, Biz, Slut, Holy, Oh Yeah, SWTB, Head, Discharge, Top Shelf
Black Sabbitch Set List: War, The Wizard, N.I.B., Sweet Leaf, Tomorrow’s Dream, Lord of the World, Solitude, Supernaut, Into the Void, Cornucopia, Wheels of Confusion, Changes, Snowblind, Sabbra Cadabra; Encore Song: Children of the Grave
Alternative rock pioneers, the Pixies, have announced an intimate 4-date U.S. tour set to kick-off on October, 1. After being benched for nearly two years due to COVID, this set of performances will come on the heels of a massive global tour that begins in June. During that time, the Pixies will perform at a number of festivals throughout Europe, Asia and South America. Their return will be quickly followed by the September 30 release of their 8th studio album, Doggerel (BMG).
Their October run will see them perform at four intimate venues between California and New York. Beginning on October, 1 at SOMA and concluding on October, 5 at New York City’s Terminal 5 venue. As is the Pixies’ “standard,” the band will draw from their extensive catalogue to perform a different set every night. Attendees can expect the band to perform not only some of the most beloved Pixies songs, but also, new tracks from Doggerel.
Doggerel album cover
Pixies have been acclaimed as the most influential, pioneering band of the late 80s alternative rock movement, having served as a major influence for bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Radiohead, the Strokes, Weezer, and many more. The group has released seven studio albums including the Gold- certified Surfer Rosa, and the iconic Platinum, Doolittle.
Dates for the Pixies October slate can be found below, while tickets are on sale here.
Pixies October Tour dates
Sat. October, 1 – San Diego, CA – SOMA Sun. October, 2 – Anaheim, CA – House of Blues
Buffalo-based indie singer-songwriter Marina Laurendi has released her second single “Neighborhood Kids” of her Stay Mine EP releasing this August.
Neighborhood Kids – Mariana Laurendi
“Neighborhood Kids” is a sweet and summertime hometown ballad. It starts with simple acoustic guitar, piano and light synth until it culminates with the bluesy electric guitar solo ending. The folksy Americana vibe reminiscent of Brandi Carlile, melancholic indie pop evoking Lana Del Rey, and an edgier blues sound with notes of Gary Clark Jr. could be sensed from this song. The lyric video of “Neighborhood Kids” will be released on Monday, June 27th.
Marina Laurendi is a unique singer-songwriter who fuses elements of cinematic pop, alternative rock, and singer-songwriter lyricism. She was also a theatre performer and moved to NYC shortly after college to perform Off-Broadway and around the East Coast. However, as she returned to her hometown of Buffalo during the pandemic, she explored her roots with the “everything happens for a reason” attitude. Her music is heavily influenced by the pulse of the city along with the quiet nostalgia of her roots
I wrote “Neighborhood Kids” after coming back home after years of living away. Seeing and re-experiencing my hometown in the summertime as an adult hit me with a wave of nostalgia-driving down the neighborhood streets at sunset, reconnecting with people I hung out with in high school- all of it brought back this youthful sense of rebellion, curiosity, and a sense of suburban restlessness that summed up my entire youth pretty well.
Marina Laurendi
She sums it up perfectly at the end of the song when she croons, “Bittersweet baby, I got nothing to chase it. The music’s been here but we don’t wanna face it. Nothing feels different when I’m hanging with the neighborhood kids.”
Marina will be performing this summer at Griffon Gastropub in Lewiston on July 9, and at Gallo Coal Fire Kitchin in Lewiston on August 7. For more info visit her webpage.
