Queens based band, The Forms, released a cover of “Latch” the popular Disclosure song featuring Sam Smith.
Photo by Noah Kalina
“The core composition is so strong that the song would probably work in any format, but hopefully our un-electronic version will highlight what Disclosure and Sam Smith accomplished with their remarkable work,” said Alex Tween.
In The Forms cover they swapped out the electronic production for the physical instruments featured in the song.
Apart from Sam Smith’s voice and Disclosure’s harmonies, the original song was entirely composed of synthetic elements seemingly, so for our take we used all physical instruments (rhodes, hammond organ, piano, drums).”
The group tried to reverse engineer the song and draw out its “weirdness”.
“’Latch’ is definitely one of the weirdest and most complex songs ever to break through to the mainstream,” Tween said. “The chords are so strange and unique, the slow triplet rhythms virtually unheard of for a dance track, and the lyrics are so subtly subversive that it is truly an astonishing achievement that it made the Top 10.”
Photo by Noah Kalina
The Forms is a two-person band composed of Tween, who plays piano, guitar, and provides vocals, and Matt Walsh. The two have known each other since high school. They released their debut album together back in Feb. 2003. The Forms are currently work on an album that will be released in 2022 with Steve Albini of Electrical Audio.
Ruel, born in London and raised is Sydney, has already become an international superstar with over 1.5 million followers on Instagram and with three sold-out world tours already complete. His most recent “GROWING UP IS _” tour, ahead of his newest debut album arriving soon, brought him to Brooklyn on Sunday, March 27th after kicking off his tour in Los Angeles.
Ruel kicked off the show with his back facing the audience, and then after finishing his introduction of “Real Thing,” turned around to face the screaming audience.
Photo by Ambika Verma
Ruel ran across the stage during the set, from one side of the audience towards the other, often reaching down to greet fans. The crowd was no doubt composed of eager fans, as they were screaming each song loudly back towards the stage. He performed a range of songs, from his upbeat hits to slower and newer songs, eventually closing his set with his newest hit, “GROWING UP IS _” before returning for a 2-song encore. Ruel’s newest song “GROWING UP IS_,” similar to one of his other hit songs, “Younger,” resonated with a lot of the audience; this coming-of-age song highlights how feelings of growing up can bring up moments of self-reflection and nostalgia.
Ruel will continue his tour in Europe for a few dates; you can listen to his newest hit single here.
Setlist: Real Thing, Dazed & Confused, Face to Face, as long as you care, distance, Hard Sometimes, Don’t Tell Me, LET THE GRASS GROW, too many feelings, Free Time, Flames (SG Lewis), Younger, GROWING UP IS _ Encore: Painkiller and Japanese Whiskey
Photo by Ambika VermaPhoto by Ambika VermaPhoto by Ambika VermaPhoto by Ambika VermaPhoto by Ambika VermaPhoto by Ambika Verma
The Cobblestone Live Music & Arts Festival is preparing for its 4th annual event with over 16 artists in Buffalo’s Historic Cobblestone District on July 15 and 16.
For this event there will be four stages: the main outdoor stage will be located on the corner of South Park Ave & Illinois Street, the second will be on Columbia Street, the third is located inside of Buffalo Iron Works, and the fourth stage is inside Lockhouse Distillery & Bar.
For the past 10 years the Historic Cobblestone District has been a neighborhood full of live music, entertainment and has paved the foundation of Cobblestone Live bars, restaurants and venues; with the goal being to grow each year until this festival is national-sized.
Following the events of the last two years, we are thrilled to announce that we are coming back bigger and better than ever this year. With the birth of Twenty6 Productions in 2020, we have resources that we haven’t had in previous years – which shows in the lineup and will certainly be evident at the festival itself for years to come.
Festival Director and Twenty6 Productions CEO Josh Holtzman
Advanced tickets are discounted: the two-day general access is $40, while the single-day general access is $25. There are also VIP tickets: the two-day access is $175 and the single-day access is $100. However, the day of the festival tickets are $50 for both days and $30 for one. Additionally, the VIP ticket for both days is $200 while the single-day ticket is $125. VIP passes consist of extra amenities such as private areas, front-of-stage viewing, a premium bar with craft beverages, lounge area and more.
Misterwives Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Andy Frasco & The UN The Hip Abduction Doom Flamingo Mihali of Twiddle Alanis Morissette Tribute ft. former members of Turkuaz Dirty Work [Steely Dan Tribute] ft. members of Aqueous & The Sideways Funktional Flow SE2 Silent Disco [Alt, Hip Hop, 2K Pop] Workingman’s Dead Grub Canetis Mom Said No The Sideways Grace Greenan
New York’s entirely independent alt-pop, King Vagabond released their debut single on a platform that helps to build a kingdom for the queerdos with their brand new single “Rule The World” along with music video which premiered on March 27th.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic while the world seemed to be falling apart, King Vagabond looked thoroughly for a long time into a different path that could help them to create a natural flow of creative subconscious which led to the creation of their debut single.
“That’s what ‘Rule the World’ is all about. It asks listeners to unsheathe their swords—the ‘weapons’ they keep hidden—and lean into them hard. Only after you face, love, and own every part of yourself can you become the ruler of your world.”
-Joey Dean
The duo behind King Vagabond are familiar with the NY area since Joey Dean (vocalist) is from Hudson Valley and Niko Vaude (producer and guitarist) is from Queens. The inspiration to create the duo came after their previous band of seven years that ended at the start of the pandemic which as a result created King Vagabond. King Vagabond mission is to help build a kingdom for those wandering the shadows, searching for light. Before the creation of the group, they have performed with massive pop artists like Shawn Mendes, Charli XCX, and Todrick Hall, and festivals such as Vans Warped Tour.
The single, “Rule The World” comes from 80s-inspired synths with gritty guitar leads. A queer misfit and a catholic Egyptian-American became a turned rockstar tells a tale of poetic triumph with their songs to create an alternative sound introduced into pop and electronic.
In an effort to expose up-and-coming UK artists to American audiences, GREAT Campaign partnered with SoFar Sounds for the week of March 21, 2022 to put on numerous performances across New York City featuring some of the biggest names on the rise.
In an interesting way to gain access to the show, one had to pick up a ringing telephone within a classic English-looking telephone booth (many of which were spread across Manhattan). The phone would relay a message detailing the shows for the week and their locations.
Priya Ragu at Great Jones Distillery Co.
The purpose for this campaign was due to the UK still considered underrated, in terms of being a cultural musical hotspot. Massive current artists, like Harry Styles, Dua Lipa, and Ed Sheeran all hail from the UK, showing its constant relevance in the global music scene. There are many artists in the UK that are starting to rise and are nearly about to break into the mainstream American industry.
become incredibly popular in the past year, with the prestigious BBC Sound of Music giving her a nomination in 2021 and Vogue India listing her as one of the 6 artists that are going to blow up in 2021. On the other hand, Dan Croll (hailing from Liverpool) graduated from the Paul McCartney-founded Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts and has been on the scene since 2011. Both of them put on an intimate show for an adoring crowd, wowing them with Dan Croll’s indie-pop crooning and Priya Ragu’s energetic pop performance.
Dan Croll at Great Jones Distilling Co.
Many of performances occurred that week, ranging from Penelope Isles to Rose Betts. All of which showcased these rising stars and their immense talents.
Riya Ragu at Great Jones Distilling Co.
Some of the UK’s most talented singers Anaiis and Obii showed their skills in a Red Hook ice cream factory on Friday, March 25. As you walk in the door behind the ice cream shop counter, you go into a room with views of the factory through the window. The room was full of music enthusiasts and people there for a good time. The artists held a captivating show and kept the audience involved throughout the duration of it. This showcase exemplified the powerful voices that come from the UK and gave an idea of the future of UK artists and their abilities.
Great Calling – The National Arts Club – March 29 (review and photos by Michael Dinger)
The last of four shows performed at iconic spaces in Manhattan and Brooklyn over the past week, the Great Campaign’s final act took place at The National Arts Club at Gramercy Park this past Tuesday night. A collaboration with SoFar Sounds, these intimate gatherings have showcased homegrown artists from Great Britain that are all on the verge of stardom. The featured musicians of tonight’s festivities included Rose Betts (singer/songwriter), Geo Jordan (multi-instrumentalist/producer/writer) and Hamzaa (R&B singer/songwriter). If witnessing the talent of these young musicianswas not enough, guests were also immersed in the expressive, wondrous paintings of the contemporary Cuban artist Carlos Quintana, which hung from the walls throughout the performance space. His exhibition, PHySIKA, is on view until April 8th.
Rose Betts, originallyfrom London, was the evening’s first performer. After being introduced by Adam (the night’s emcee) as having “a voice that melts like butter,” Betts sat down before a Steinway for the first of five songs, while accompanied by Emmanuel Ventura-Cruess on an upright bass. Featuring songs from her newly released debut album, White Orchids (RAB Records), Betts introduced “Foolish” as “one of the few songs [she’s] written about love.” The songstress concluded her opening set with “Think Of You” and “Recovery,” a tune that Betts exclaimed to the audience was “the first song where [she] allowed [herself] to be vulnerable.”
After a brief intermission, Geo Jordan was the second British artist of the night to entertain the intimate crowd of approximately 100 souls in attendance. While on guitar, Jordan opened the set with “Let Go,” taken from the 5-song EP Technicolour (August 2021). This EP was self-produced by Jordan, a Trans artist who uses his music to explore topics such as identity and acceptance. Moving over to the piano for “The Colour Of You” (the title track from his 2017 EP), Jordan revealed,“I never know quite what to do with applause, thank you.” With a guitar back in his hands, Jordan went on to perform what can best be described as progressive soul pop tracks such as “Forever,” taken from the EP titled The Colour Of You (2017)and “Irreplaceable,” from the album Remember Me Pt. 1 [MD1] (2019).
The final act of the night was Hamzaa, a soul artist from Hackney (East London) who has been writing her own songs before she was even a teenager. Accompanied by Jeffandy AllTogether (guitar) and Chad Selph (keys), the first of her 6-song set was “Unlucky,” taken from Phases EP (2019). After bringing back Emmanuel Ventura-Crues for a guest appearance on bass, the highlight of the night was still to come. Hamzaa’s blissful closing number titled “Sunday Morning,” also from Phases EP, captured the cheerfulmood of the event, with the audience singing the chorus in unison – “You make me feel like it’s a Sunday morning” . . . even on a Tuesday night.
Sad Summer Fest presented by Journeys features a variety of artists and local bands including Neck Deep, MayDay Parade, and more. This unforgettable event will make stops in New York City at Pier 17 on July 22nd, and at the Stone Pony Summer Stage July 29th.
When asked what message he has for fans ahead of the summer tour, vocalist of Waterparks Awsten Knight writes, “I am ready to step around in the mud and get huge. If you see me doing push-ups in the parking lot do not approach me Lucas will tackle you OUT! Saddie summer will be my baddie summer better watch out because I get MOODY in the summer!! See you soon.”
“We’re stoked to be on Sad Summer this year!” says Neck Deep lead singer Ben Barlow. “We really can’t wait for another American summer, ripping a few heavy gigs, making the most of the sunshine and closing your night out with a show you’ll never forget.”
Mayday Parade will co-headline Sad Summer Fest for the second time, coming back this time with their latest music in the setlist. The band released their most recent album “What It Means to Fall Apart” in November and has spent the start of 2022 taking those new songs on the road, as well as performing songs from their self-titled album in celebration of its eleventh anniversary. Speaking on the band’s return to the Sad Summer Fest stage, lead singer Derek Sanders says, “We’re happy to have the opportunity to play such a great tour with so many wonderful bands. We look forward to seeing so many of you out there, it’s gonna be a wild summer.”
Journeys is excited to partner with Sad Summer Fest again this year. Connecting with our consumers and employees through live music events has always been a huge part of our identity as a brand. The ongoing partnership between Sad Summer Fest and Journeys has allowed us to come together to create a memorable and safe experience for fans that were missing live music and the face to face connection with their favorite artists.
Kari Irons, Journeys, Senior Vice President of Marketing
Tickets will officially go on sale March 24th at 10am local time, for purchase here.
SAD SUMMER FEST 2022 PRESENTED BY JOURNEYS
July 8 – Sacramento, CA – Heart Health Park @ Cal Expo
July 9 – Anaheim, CA – City National Grove Outdoors
July 12 – Dallas, TX – Gilley’s
July 13 – Houston, TX – Lawn @ White Oak Music Hall
July 15 – Orlando, FL – Orlando Amphitheater at the Central Florida Fair
July 16 – Atlanta, GA – Coca Cola Roxy
July 19 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE Outdoors
July 20 – Pontiac, MI – Crofoot Outdoors
July 22 – New York, NY – The Rooftop @ Pier 17
July 23 – Worcester, MA – The Palladium Outdoors
July 24 – Baltimore, MD – MECU Pavilion
July 26 – Columbus, OH – KEMBA Live Outdoors
July 27 – Newport, KY – Ovation
July 29 – Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony Summer Stage
July 30 – Philadelphia, PA – Skyline Stage @ the Mann
August 2 – Cleveland, OH – Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica
August 3 – Lewiston, NY – ArtPark Amphitheater
August 5 – Milwaukee, WI – The Rave/Eagles Ballroom
Happy Birthday, Lady Gaga! Born on March 28, 1986, in Yonkers, Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta aka Lady Gaga is one of the most successful pop stars in the world. She grew up in the city with her parents Cynthia and Joseph Germanotta, with her younger sister Natali. Taking her name from the song Radio Ga-Ga by Queen, Gaga has shown her versatility from being in the film and music industries, with multiple number one hits and nominations to show for it.
Lady Gaga at the SAG Awards for film House of Gucci.
Gaga learned how to play the piano at the age of four, and At the age of 11, she was accepted to the Juilliard School in Manhattan but she instead attended a private Catholic school in the city. She wrote her first piano ballad at 13, and at age 14 she had her first performance at a New York nightclub.
Her debut album The Fame and single “Just Dance” received both popular and commercial acclaim, and “Just Dance” was nominated for a Grammy Award. Although it didn’t win, it reached number one on the charts. The second single off of the album “Poker Face” went to the top of the charts in every category and country in 2009.
In 2010, she released her album Fame Monster, then in 2011 released yet another critically acclaimed album Born This Way. In 2013, she released another album titled Artpop. One of the highlights of her career thus far was working with Tony Bennett on the jazz album Cheek To Cheek. The album won a Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. She performed at Super Bowl 50 in 2016. Also in 2016, Gaga released her fifth studio album, Joanne, her fourth number one album in the United States.
In 2017, she announced she had signed for a Las Vegas residency. She performed two separate shows over 27 dates: Lady Gaga Enigma, a collection of her most popular songs, and Lady Gaga Jazz & Piano, which had stripped-down versions of her greatest hits. In 2020, she released her sixth studio album Chromatica, which hit high on the charts, and had the number one single “Rain On Me” with Ariana Grande.
Lady Gaga at her residency, photo by Getty Images.
For films and TV shows, she has done a lot. In 2016, she earned a Golden Globe for her portrayal of The Countess in American Horror Story: Hotel. Also in 2016, she was cast to play Ally in A Star Is Born, which grossed an impressive $400 million globally. She and her co-star Bradley Cooper received Golden Globe, Grammy and Oscar win for their duet song “Shallow.” In 2021, she played Patrizia Reggiani in House of Gucci and has won the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress.
Lady Gaga proves she is not done yet in her outstanding career, and she continues to deliver number one hits and be who she truly is, a star.
At an unforgettable Academy Awards ceremony, Billie Eilish won the Oscar for Best Song and the Questlove-directed Summer of Soul won the Oscar for Best Documentary feature.
Summer of Soul looks at The Harlem Cultural Festival, filmed in Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park), an event that celebrated African American music and culture, and promoted Black pride and unity. Over six weeks in the summer of 1969, and nearly 100 miles south of Woodstock (where another festival was taking place), the footage that makes up Summer of Soul was never seen and largely forgotten.
Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson brought this ‘Black Woodstock’ to light for his debut documentary, Summer of Soul(…Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised). Part concert film and part historical record, the documentary is an important piece of history that stands as a testament to the healing power of music during times of unrest, both past and present. The trailer debuted during the 93rd Academy Awards ceremony on Sunday, April 25, 2021 where Questlove was serving as music director and DJ for the evening.
Questlove was joined on stage by fellow documentary producers Joseph Patel, Robert Fyvolent and David Dinerstein and appeared choked up when he mentioned his late father, musician Lee Andrews, who died in 2016.
It’s not lost on me that the story of the Harlem Cultural Festival should have been something that my beautiful mother and my dad should have taken me to when I was five years old. This is such a stunning moment for me right now. But it’s not about me. It’s about marginalized people in Harlem that needed to heal from pain. Just know in 2022, this is not just a 1969 story about marginalized people in Harlem.
Questlove attempted to finish his speech but was overwhelmed, saying “I’m gonna get myself together and thank everyone proper when I get offstage.”
Moments before Questlove’s category was introduced, future-Best-Actor winner Will Smith walked on stage and hit presenter Chris Rock for a comment made about his wife Jada Pinkett-Smith. The moment left Questlove somewhat shaken as he accepted the award for Best Documentary.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPbOF4wpEVw
A short while later, Billie Eilish, along with Finneas O’Connell, won the Oscar for Best Original Song for “No Time to Die” from the most recent James Bond film of the same name. The song was written by the brother-sister duo, and with Eilish only 18 when the song was recorded, makes the song and artist the youngest to record a James Bond theme, let alone win an Oscar for Best Original Song. “No Time to Die” previously won the Grammy for Best Song Written for Visual Media, and the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.
Other nominees in the Best Original Song category this year included “Dos Oruguitas” from Encanto (music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda), “Be Alive” from King Richard (music and lyrics by Dixson and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter), “Somehow You Do,” from Four Good Days (music and lyrics by Diane Warren), and “Down to Joy,” from Belfast (music and lyrics by Van Morrison).
Since the 1960s, James Bond films have included memorable original songs, with two Best Original Song Oscars given to 007 films in recent years, including “Writing’s On the Wall” (Jimmy Nape, Sam Smith) from Spectre, and “Skyfall” (Adele, Paul Epworth) from Skyfall.
Other Bond film original songs that have been nominated in the past include “The Look of Love” (Burt Bacharach, Hal David) from Casino Royale (1968), “Live and Let Die” (Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney) from Live and Let Die (1974), “Nobody Does it Better” (Marvin Hamlisch, Carole Bayer Sager) from The Spy Who Loved Me (1978), and “For Your Eyes Only” (Bill Conti, Mick Leeson) from For Your Eyes Only (1982)
The award winning R&B Group Boyz II Men will be coming to Proctors in Schenectady at 8 p.m. on Saturday, August 27. Michael McCary, Nathan Morris, Wayna Morris and Shawn Stockman found fame during the 1990s with Motown Records. The group is currently the best-selling R&B group of all time, selling over 64 million albums.
Boyz II Men dropped their debut album in 1991 called Cooleyhighharmony. The album sold over nine million copies and won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. The album included hits such as “Motownphilly” and “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday.”
Since then, the 4-time grammy award winning R&B group went on to release mega-hits like “I’ll Make Love to You,” “End of the Road,” “One Sweet Day,” and many more. In 2011, Boyz II Men celebrated their 20th anniversary by releasing an album fittingly named Twenty. This album was the group’s first in nearly ten years.
On top of their Grammy awards, they’ve also won nine American Music Awards, nine Soul Train Awards, three Billboard Awards, and a 2011 MOBO Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music, and many more iconic achievements.
Outside of their musical achievements, the group also started their own charity called Boyz II Men House. The charity was established to support individuals and organizations that focus on improving quality of life while contributing to those who are less fortunate.
Pre-sales for the August 27th show will begin at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, March 15 with the official on-sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, March 18. Tickets are available through the Box Office at Proctors, in person or online at proctors.org.
Brooklyn native, Darro, has returned with his newest single ‘Phoning In’. The pop punk track features artist Michael Meaney.
Produced by Kris Crummett, who has also worked with artists like Dance Gavin Dance and Sleeping With Sirens, ‘Phoning In’ embodies the anxiety of an ending relationship. Darro brings his personal experiences into the writing process, but still allows Michael Meaney to incorporate his own technique.
By incorporating early 2000’s inspired pop punk with electric instrumentals, this relatable single is the perfect addition to your breakup playlist. The deep Paramore influence brings listeners back to their most juvenile breakup to reminisce on the final moments of an ill-fated relationship.
Darro’s 2020 album, Song of Recovery, has received praise and critical acclaim from the likes of Billboard and Medium, as well as ranking #11 on the iTunes Rock Album chart.
Fans can expect Darro’s next album, Accidents, to drop this coming Fall. He will also be going on tour this July and fans can keep up with all his activities here.
