The festival is one of the largest free blues events in the Northeast. It is an annual three-day event that showcases regional and national artists from all different types of genres. The mission of the festival is to protect and promote blues music and culture. It entertains but also educates the role of blues in the development of popular music in the US and around the world.
The NYS Blues Festival, photo by Troxler Multimedia.
Philadelphia’s own The Disco Biscuits have announced the return of their two-day City Bisco festival. The mini-fest is scheduled for the weekend of Saturday, June 18 and Sunday, June 19 and will once again be held at TD Pavillion at the Mann. This will be the fifth installment of City Bisco and it marks the 10-year anniversary of the festival since its inception in 2012.
This year’s bill also features performances from electronic duo Bob Moses, renowned DJ Shiba San and moe. It’s a promising sign for the jamband mainstay as it marks another scheduled gig for the band as guitarist Chuck Garvey continues to rehabilitate from a recent stroke. moe. is also slated to perform at their own Summer Camp music festival in Chillicothe, IL from May 27-29.
Other acts scheduled this year include fellow electronica icons The New Deal, TAUK, LP Giobbi and Township Rebellion with the Disco Biscuits capping off each night with two sets of music.
Presale tickets for the event will be available with the code CITYBISCO starting March 23 at 10 a.m. EST with the general on-sale beginning March 25 at 12 p.m. EST. Tickets can be purchased here.
The Clearwater Festival, held at Croton Park in Croton, NY, will not take place in 2022 as the event undergoes a re-envisioning process to help create a festival the Clearwater organization can sustain into the future.
The festival began in the 1960s as a small “folk picnic” by Pete and Toshi Seeger to help raise funds for the building of the sloop Clearwater. The festival has since grown to be one of the country’s oldest and largest annual music and environmental festivals. Its award-winning Zero Waste program has also been a model for many festivals around the country.
The Clearwater Festival.
Clearwater Festival usually takes place on Father’s Day weekend. Over the years, it has been staffed by a team of volunteers, and it has become the organization’s way of reaching out to others. It helps bring together community, celebration, education, and activism for the protection of the Hudson River.
The pandemic has affected the festival due to the severe reduction of cash flow usually brought in by the event. The organization did not have enough cash to begin planning and production for a 2022 Clearwater Festival, so therefore there will not be a festival this summer. Although there were two virtual events in 2020 and 2021, online event participation has gone down as more things are moving in-person, so a virtual option is not viable.
Hopefully, the new re-envisioning process will bring the festival back in person for years to come.
Lollapalooza returns to Chicago for four days of fun and music. From July 28-31, festival goers can expect performances from some of today’s biggest and brightest, as well as rising stars and Chicago natives.
Headliners include Doja Cat, Lil Baby, Dua Lipa, Metallica, Machine Gun Kelly and Green Day, among others. Chicago native like 100 Gecs, John Summit and Horsegirl, will also be performing, as well as those who found fame through social media like PinkPanthress, Remi Wolf and Pi’erre Bourne.
This year’s Lollapalooza features more than 170 musical acts, along with nine different stages and the return of Kidzapalooza. The interactive playground includes family friendly performances, activities, workshops, and more. The Bonus Tracks Stage will allow festival goers to practice mindfulness and inclusivity between musical performances.
Behind the scenes, Lollapalooza has worked to contribute to the community by creating a number of programs and initiatives. Fans can help improve sustainability by returning the cups they use during the festival for a chance to win exclusive prizes like VIP ticket upgrades, festival cash and more.
Lolla Cares focuses on providing Chicago’s youth with access to the Arts. Following the creation of the Lollapalooza Arts Education Fund, the festival was able to donate over $2 million to support art programs within Chicago public schools. Lolla Cares has also partnered with After School Matters to support programs that give Chicago teens the chance to learn new artistic skills and display their work at Lollapalooza.
Four day tickets are available now and one day tickets will be available at a later date. Kids 10 and under attend for free.
After two years of silence on Rochester’s downtown streets, the 19th edition of the Rochester International Jazz Festival will finally take place June 17-25, 2022. From the 17th through the 25th the streets will literally come alive with music. The entire headliner series will be taken out of Eastman Theater and presented free out on Parcel 5 and also in MLK Park on the final weekend. Add in the free shows on Gibbs, er Jazz, Street, the Fusion Stage and elsewhere, that’s over 130 free shows over nine days.
Of course the festival’s signature Club Series is also back. Both the Little Theater and Innovation Square (née Xerox Auditorium) are back after renovations, along with Kilbourn Hall, Max of Eastman Place, Montage Music Hall, Hatch Recital Hall, Glory House (formerly Lutheran Church), Wilder Room, Temple Theater and the Big Tent. The Hyatt Regency Ballroom will also be added as the newest venue. Club passes are on sale now in both 3- and 9-day varieties. There truly is no better way to enjoy the festival.
“It is with a profound gratitude to all our patrons and sponsors that RIJF has been able to weather the past two years of the global pandemic. It has been an extremely challenging period worldwide for all live event producers. We are beyond excited to bring the Rochester International Jazz Festival back to all of you as global health restrictions ease. From June 17-25, we will stage another amazingly diverse program for all patrons to enjoy in Downtown Rochester. We invite you all to downtown Rochester to enjoy the finest in creative improvised music, and never forget: ‘it’s not who you know, it’s who you don’t know.’
John Nugent, Producer and Artist Director
The full lineup can be found below. See RochesterJazz.com for full schedule and details and stay tuned for our preview in early June. See you on Jazz Street!
3D Jazz Trio In The Spirit Of Ray Brown, Adam Melcho, All In Brass Band, Ana Egge, Andy McKee, Arturo O’farrill Quintet, Bad Sneakers, Big Lazy , Bill Frisell Trio, Bill Tiberio Group, Bob James Quartet, Bob Viavattne, Bobby Rush, Booker T Presents: A Soul Stax Revue, Brockport Big Band, Brubeck Brothers Celebrating Dave Brubeck’s Centennial, California Guitar Trio, Champian Fulton, Champian Fulton Trio, Charlie Lindner & The Pickle Mafia, Chris Botti, Cinnamon Jones, Con Brio, Connie Han, Connie Han Trio, Cy Smith, Danielle Ponder, Davina & The Vagabonds, Dan Wilson, Dayna Kurtz, Devon Allman Project with Special Guests Allman Family Reunion, Dmitry Baevsky Quartet, Drum Battle!! Kenny Washington vs. Joe Farnsworth, Dwayne Dopsie & Zydeco Hellraisers, Emmaline, Eastman School of Music / Eastman Community Music School Group, Eastman School of Music-Rochester International Jazz Festival Jazz Scholarships Performance, G Love & Special Sauce, Gary Versace Trio, Gate Swingers Big Band, Giveton Gelin, Grace Serene & The Superclean, Greece Jazz Band, Grupo Ife, Hans Bilger Group, Harold Danko, Helen Sung, Helen Sung Trio, Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra, Hot Club of Cowtown, Huntertones, Immanuel Wilkins, Itamar Borochov Quartet, Jamie Baum Quintet, Jeremy Beck & The Heavy Duty Horns, Jeremy Pelt Quintet, Jesse Stone, Jimmie Highsmith Jr., Jochen Ruckert Quartet, Joe Locke Group, John Bailey Sextet, Jon Ballantyne, Jonathan Kreisberg Quartet, Jonathan, Scales Fourchestra, Joonas Haavistio Trio, Judah Sealy Band, Kaisa’s Machine, Kenny Werner Trio, Kind Folk, Kurt Elling “Super Blue” W/ Charlie Hunter, Laura Anglade Quintet, Lew Tabackin Trio, Lioness, Majestics, Martin Taylor, Matt Savage Trio, McDonald Labarbera Quintet, Melody Masters Big Band, Michael Weiss, Michael Weiss Trio, Mike Cottone & Friends, Mike Ledonne Trio, Moho Collective, Ms. Lisa Fischer, Music Educators Big Band, Nabate Isles, New Power Generation, Nikki Hill, NYC Chillharmonic, Parker Trio, Paul Beaubrun, Penfield Big Band, Peter Bernstein, Prime Time Brass, Ranky Tanky, Ravi Coltrane Freedom Trio, Red Hot & Blue, Reverend Paytons’s Damn Dig Band, Richie & Rosie, RIJF All Stars, Rina, Robin Mckelle, Robin Thicke, Rochester Metro Jazz Orchestra, Ryan Johnson & The Coexistence, Samantha Fish, Samara Joy, Sammy Miller & The Congregation, Sarah Mckenzie, Scott Mulvahill Trio, Shayna Steele, Sheila E., Sonidos Unidos, Soul Stew, Spyro Gyra, Stephane Wrembel, Sunna Gunnlaugs, Sunna Gunnlaugs Trio, Syndicate Jazz Band, Tessa Souter, The Aquaducks, The Able Bodies, The Bacon Brothers, The Cookers, The Dip, The RT’s, Tiberi & Garzone Quartet, Tivon Pennicott Quartet, Tommy Emmanuel, Tommy Smith, Tuck & Patti, Tuomo & Markus, Under The Surface, Vanessa Collier, Ward Hayden & The Outliers, Wayne Escoffrey Quartet, Wynonna Judd.
There won’t be any half-stepping from legendary MC, Big Daddy Kane, as he is set to perform while aboard the Antiguan shores. Hosted by travel association, The Ultimate Soul Escape, the storied hip hop veteran will see himself, beatboxing pioneer Greg Nice of Nice & Smooth, as well as comedian Majah Hype — known as the King of Caribbean Comedy – in the ultimate mixture of business and pleasure.
Set for July 21-25, The five-day cruise/excursion will see the performers and attendees alike enjoy live musical performances, comedy concerts, music jamborees, and beach parties that will be held throughout the tropical island of Antigua. The event is expected to bring revelers to Antigua and contribute an estimated $10 million to the local economy.
Big Daddy Kane began his career as a member of the fabled Juice Crew and is considered to be one of the most influential and skilled MCs in hip hop. Known for his advancement of hip hop lyricism and multi-syllabic rhyming, Kane has been an inspiration for many historic rappers that have come behind him. His proteges include the likes of Jay – Z, whom Kane mentored and took on tour during the late 1980’s, exposing him to a much greater audience.
The Ultimate Soul Escape is a travel association that brings together professionals, event planners, promoters, entrepreneurs, and friends. Up to 400 people from around the country travel to exotic destinations such as St. Lucia, Costa Rica, Aruba, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, and St. Maarten, to expand their networks, socialize, and have fun.
It is always an honor to work with Ultimate Soul Escape. The professionalism of their staff and the 5-star quality of services, visually energizes their guests. It is such a worthwhile travel experience!
Big Daddy Kane
Ticketing information and further announcements on Antigua Takeover 2022 can be found here.
The ultimate soul escape is the ultimate escape for Grown folks to congregate. You can wine and dine maybe even meet a new playmate. The hospitality is straighter than straight so get your tickets now because you don’t want to miss this date July 21st-25th Greg Nice Approved!
As the Queens community continues its upturn from the effects of the pandemic, various Queens-based arts and culture organizations have gathered to present, Queens Rising. A celebration of arts and culture, the month multi-disciplinary arts celebration was created to highlight the borough’s culture and creative diversity.
As the most diverse place on the planet, Queens is rich with an arts and culture community that reflects that diversity and its unmatched beauty. I’m thrilled Queens Rising will kick-off in the summertime to welcome visitors to the World’s Borough, said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr.
Now more than ever, it’s important to showcase the resilience and creativity of our artists and cultural institutions — because even in the darkest days of the pandemic, culture never closed — as we work to rebuild our economy and come back stronger.
The initiative arose from an Arts Advisory Board meeting of the Kupferberg Center for the Arts, with Northwell Health signing on as a leading sponsor. Comprised of a volunteer Planning Committee representing Queens arts and cultural institutions and several working Groups that includes over seventy-five artists, arts administrators, and other creatives from throughout the borough.
As such, part of the Queens rising mission will be to unify neighborhoods by providing audiences with easy-to-find event and calendar listings featuring artistic and cultural findings. Amplify venues, performance companies, cultural centers, institutions, while connecting artists, venues and businesses to provide as many opportunities as possible.
As a community hospital that not only serves the health care needs of Queens but also draws the majority of our staff from within the diverse neighborhoods that make up our borough, LIJ Forest Hills is Queens, said Lorraine Chambers Lewis, PA, Executive Director of Long Island Jewish Forest Hills, part of Northwell Health.
We were at the epicenter of COVID and came through it with the help of our community more resilient than ever. That’s why we’re so thrilled to be part of Queens Rising NYC to celebrate the rich tapestry of arts, culinary and creative communities that make our borough so unique.
Queens rising will provide its artists with the opportunity to promote themselves through Queens rising socials and other media, connect with performance and showing opportunities, as well as provide information on grants and funding.
Artists can click here to join the Queens Rising artist database. More information on Queens Rising can be found on their official website.
Levon Helm Studios is proud to welcome back the Dirt Farmer Festival at Arrowood Farms in Accord, NY on Saturday, May 21, 2022. Artists will perform on two stages in addition to great local food vendors, craft beer, and other activities.
The initial lineup for The Dirt Farmer Festival includes the Midnight Ramble Band and Friends, Mavis Staples (Duo) and Amy Helm. Newly announced artists include Sam Evian, Oliver Wood, Conner Kennedy & The Onestar Band, Glen David Andrews, Owl & Crow, and Rock Academy with special guests Grahame Lesh, Sister Sparrow (Arleigh and Jackson Kinchloe), and Cindy Cashdollar with more to be announced.
Arrowood Farms is the Hudson Valley’s premier farm brewery located at 236 Lower Whitfield Rd, Accord, NY – 20 minutes west of New Paltz and 30 minutes southwest of Kingston.
There will be limited on-site parking available for $10 per car, with carpooling strongly encouraged. Gates open at noon and the evening of music ends at 9:30pm. Empty reusable water bottles are encouraged to refill water, as are low-backed chairs. The Dirt Farmer Festival will be held rain or shine. VIP Tickets will include access to VIP hangout area with exclusive viewing in front of the Main Stage, access to indoor flushable bathroom, complimentary hors d’oeuvres and VIP-only beer specials.
Watch Amy Helm perform “This Too Shall Light” in 2018.
The Great South Bay Music Festival presented by Blue Point Brewing Co. in Long Island has announced its lineup after a two-year hiatus due to COVID. It is set to return at Shorefront Park in Patchogue Village from Thursday, July 7 through Sunday, July 10. The festival is set to feature a lot of familiar bands and highlighting some local NY bands too.
The festival is celebrating its 14 year anniversary, and because of that there will be 55 performers across three stages all supporting a wide array of genres. To kick off the festival on July 7, indie-rockers Grouplove and Manchester Orchestra will co-headline, and Long Island local’s Bayside will support.
On July 8, reggae band Rebelution will be headlining, with supports Steel Pulse and Sublime tribute band Badfish. Other supports include Bumpin Uglies and Long Island band Oogee Wawa. On July 9, which is typically “Jam Day”, performing is one of the Grateful Dead’s most proud and popular tributes: Joe Russo’s Almost Dead. Returning is also rock band moe., and jazz band Galactic. Also joining the main stage is Long Island guitarist Brandon “Taz” Niederauer, who has shared the stage with Lady Gaga, Gregg Allman, and more. Also joining the stage is Weight Band and rockers Aqueous.
On the final day, July 10, The Tedeschi Trucks Band and the “Wheels of Soul” Tour will be performing, featuring the full 13pc. Tedeschi Trucks Band who are playing a two-hour set in their only metro NY appearance this summer. Also, appearing on the Main Stage will be Los Lobos and Gabe Dixon and his Band.
The Great South Bay Music Festival 2022 in Long Island will be happening July 7-July 10, and will have a mix of familiar bands and a great deal of light shone on local bands. Tickets to the festival can be found here.
Chenango Blues Fest returns to the Chenango County Fairgrounds for its 29th anniversary in August 2022. Headlined by Jimmie Vaughan, the two day event will run from August 19th to the 20th.
While the line up has yet to be announced, festival-goers can expect a wide range of blues entertainment. Legendary acts will join the genre’s newest members to create two days of fun and musical memories. The Infield Stage will host Jimmie Vaughan, as well as a number of award winning artists, while the Tent Stage will host acts hailing from California, Chicago, Texas and beyond.
The NBT Thursday Concert Series will also be making its return to Norwich’s East Park. The entire concert series will have free attendance and feature artists from a variety of genres, from Bluegrass and Jam Bands to Zydeco and Jazz. In addition to the wide musical selection, there will be food trucks and a beer garden. Shows will be held every Thursday, starting 7/7 at 7 PM and continuing into August.
The Chenango Blues Fest is organized by the Chenango Blues Association, in collaboration with NBT Bank and other local donors. More information on both the Chenango Blues Fest and NBT concert series can be found here.
