NYS Music 202​2

Category: Festival News

  • Sea.Hear.Now Festival Announced, With Headliners Stevie Nicks And Green Day

    This September, the Sea.Hear.Now Music and Surf festival will be coming to Asbury Park, NJ. There will be over 25 performances on three stages, and a unique surfing experience to coincide with the festival.

    SeaHearNow
    Sea.Hear.Now Festival Logo.

    Stevie Nicks and Green Day will be headlining the two-day long festival, as well as performances by Cage The Elephant, Billy Strings, Gary Clark Jr., The Head and the Heart, and more. Festival-goers will be able to view the best women and men on the Eastern Seaboard compete in “The North Beach Rumble” surf contest. Returning champions Cassidy McClain and Eric Geiselman  will be competing along with others for the prize purse and bragging rights awarded for the best overall style and creativity.

    SeaHearNow
    The full lineup of the Sea.Hear.Now festival.

    There will also be a gallery celebrating art, featuring local legend and world-renowned photographer Danny Clinch. The Transparent Gallery will feature artwork from musicians on the lineup and impromptu performances and talks by the artists themselves. All proceeds will go to the Wooden Walls Project, which helps bring public art to Asbury Park.

    From September 17-18, the Sea.Hear.Now festival will be stopping in Asbury Park, NJ, and all tickets and VIP packages can be found here.

  • Rochester Lilac Music Festival Announces 2022 Lineup

    The Rochester Lilac Festival has announced 11 headliners set to perform free shows at the 2022 festival. This marks the return of the live music concert series since 2019 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    This year, renowned musical acts will be performing to an estimated 500,000 visitors every day of the festival from May 6-8, May 12-15, and May 19-22. This year’s festival will highlight more than 85 musical sets over the course of the three weekends, and there will be many supporting acts throughout the day with performances from the music programs of local schools.

    The featured acts of this year are of a wide variety and very exciting. On May 6, Blues Traveler will be performing. On May 7, the Zac Brown Tribute Band takes center stage. May 8 brings Driftwood to the stage and on May 12 Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears headline. Also on May 12, the Uprooted Band will be playing. Others playing include the Allman Betts tribute band, called Blue Sky Brothers, Low Cut Connie, and Seven Wonders on May 14.

    More acts include Workingman’s Dead and Into The Now on May 15. Ander’s Osbourne and Jackie Green will be headlining on May 16. On May 20, Ripe and Aqueous will be taking the stage. To close out the final days of the festival, Bumpin Uglies, Big Eyed Phish, and Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad will be headlining.

    Festival Organizer Jeff Springut said he is very excited to bring the festival back.

    Safely bringing back our beloved free live music concert series is something that we have looked forward to since the start of the pandemic. We have a great mix this year of national and local favorites, and we’re excited to see the lawn come alive once again in 2022 while guests enjoy the performances planned by our talented lineup.

  • Big Boi, Cold War Kids to Perform at Sound Mind Music Festival for Mental Health in Central Park

    Sound Mind Live have announced their fourth annual Sound Mind Music Festival for Mental Health. The event will take place outside on May 21st at 4 PM in New York City’s Central Park. Performances include Cold War Kids, Big Boi, American Authors, KAMAUU, Wrabel, and Allison Russell. The event will be hosted by Bronx-raised comedian Gina Brillon.

    Sound Mind Music Festival Cold War Kids
    Cold War Kids

    As brought into the public eye, the coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on a lot of people’s wellbeing and mental health. This year, the Sound Mind Music Festival for Mental Health will focus on the mental impact that this virus has imprinted on us. Artists will have the opportunity to share their own pandemic experiences and information will be readily available including mental health resources, suicide prevention resources, and self-care practices.

    Leading up to the event, Sound Mind Live will also host an open panel about mental health at Prime Produce Social Impact Cooperative on West 54th Street. Wrabel, ELSZ, and Pronoun will also perform stripped-down performances of their sets. The event will go deep into mental health struggles in the LGBTQ+ community, communities of color, and the music industry. The event is free and will begin at 5:30 PM. Those who are interested must register on the Sound Mind Live website beforehand.

    Two items will also be raffled off, a microphone signed by Big Boi and a drumhead signed by Cold War Kids. By signing a petition for improved crisis services, you will be granted three entries. Moreover, every dollar donated to Sound Mind Live grants you ten entries.

    For the first time, those unable to catch the event live can watch a live stream on TikTok. Tickets for the event go on sale Friday, March 11th at 10 AM ET. General admission tickets will cost $40 and VIP tickets will cost $149.50. For more information, go to www.soundmindlive.org.

    Sound Mind Music Festival

  • Mountain Jam won’t be held until 2023

    A festival staple of the Catskills, Mountain Jam, has recently announced the event will return in 2023. Last held in 2019 at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, the festival, presented by Radio Woodstock and Warren Haynes, Mountain Jam will return to Bethel Woods for the 2023 installment.

    Mountain jam bethel woods
    The 2020 Mountain Jam lineup, which was cancelled due to COVID-19

    Despite the 4 year hiatus, the festival looks to return strong, boasting four days of music on three stages, featuring more than 40 artists.

    At Bethel Woods, the home of the original 1969 Woodstock Festival, Mountain Jam has embraced a wide array of musicians, with a focus on rock, jam and indie bands over the festival’s history, which started in 2005.

    In 2011, Pollstar recognized Mountain Jam with a nomination for Music Festival of the Year. The Festival offers 3-day festival tickets with and without camping, premium Jammer (VIP), Super Jammer (Super VIP) and Ultimate Jammer Passes, and single day tickets. On-site camping and condos, and a variety of nearby hotels, lodges and ski chalets offer attendees a wide variety of accommodations.

    Over the years, Mountain Jam has hosted some of the top names in live music, including Gov’t Mule, The Allman Brothers Band, Phil Lesh & Friends, Bob Weir & Ratdog, Widespread Panic, My Morning Jacket, Dispatch, The Lumineers, Steve Winwood, The Avett Brothers Alison Krauss & Union Station, Ray LaMontagne, Ben Folds Five, Primus, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Tedeschi Trucks Band, The Roots, Umphrey’s McGee, Béla Fleck & The Flecktones, James Murphy (of LCD Soundsystem), Robert Randolph & The Family Band, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, Mavis Staples, Girl Talk, The Hold Steady, Coheed & Cambria, Drive-By Truckers Yonder Mountain String Band, Les Claypool, Matisyahu, Dave Mason, Gary Clark Jr., Medeski Martin & Wood, Mike Gordon, G. Love & Special Sauce, Richie Havens, Martin Sexton, Ozomatli, Galactic, Brett Dennen, Gomez, New Orleans Social Club, Jackie Greene, Ingrid Michaelson, and The Felice Brothers, among many others. In 2010, the festival presented Levon Helm‘s 70th Birthday Jubilee with very special guests Warren Haynes, Donald Fagen, Ray LaMontagne, Sam Bush, Steve Earle, Patterson & David Hood, Jackie Greene and Allison Moorer.

  • LonCon 2022 Announces Lineup, Moves to Yasgur Road Campground in Bethel

    Long Island-based jam trio Baked Shrimp have announced the initial lineup for the 2022 edition of LonCon Festival. The two-night camping event, running September 8-10, 2022, will be hosted by the Yasgur Road Campground in Bethel, just a stones throw from the site of the 1969 Woodstock musis festival.

    This year’s event, the second iteration of the band’s annual festival, will feature headlining appearances from lespecial and Baked Shrimp, performing two sets. Also making two set appearances are Pennsylvania based roots act Cabinet, and Brother Maker, a new project featuring former members of Turkuaz. 

    loncon 2022

    The lineup includes an eclectic mix of notable Northeast jam acts, including Star Kitchen, Dogs in a Pile, ElephantProof (featuring Ben Atkind of Goose), Soule Monde, Escaper, and more. The event will also see the debut performance of Aliens Among Us, an all-star lineup featuring members of Twiddle, Goose, Dogs in a Pile, and more. Drunken Doja Monkey and Doey Joey will ensure the music never stops, with both acts scheduled to perform DJ sets. 

    We are beyond excited for LonCon this year! We really worked hard to bring in some incredible talent from all different corners of the jam scene. Many of the performers I grew up going to see live, so having them at LonCon, and having the whole thing at Yasgur’s is really such an amazing collision of dreams coming true. 

    Jared Cowen – Guitar – Baked Shrimp

    The festival is hosted in memory of Lon “Conscious” Gellman, a longtime figure in the northeast jam scene who passed away unexpectedly in November 2020. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Lon Conscious Gellman Memorial Scholarship Fund, benefiting music students at Queens College. 

    A limited number of early bird tickets will be available through Friday, March 11th, followed by a general on sale.  For more information, and to purchase tickets, visit Lonconfest.com 

  • Pine Barrens Jam 2022 Returns to Blue Point Brewing

    After a successful first year, Pine Barrens Jam has announced their 2022 return to Blue Point Brewing. On August 20th, festival goers will once again have the opportunity to hear acts from around Long Island. 

    Pine Barrens Jam 2022

    The new festival will celebrate all of the musical and artistic talent that Long Island has to offer. Add to this, its unique set up and you have a recipe for success. The “Jelly-Jam Stage” and the “Peanut Butter Poetry & Arts Stage” will provide the perfect settings to watch musicians and artists prove their talent. In addition, last year’s acoustic stage will be transformed into a roots and songwriters’ stage, in honor of songwriter and LI native, Travis McKeveny.

     Leading up to festival day, Pine Barrens Jam will be hosting several fundraisers, including an Earth Day picnic on 4/24 and a “Start of Summer” Sunday Funday on 6/12 . Local businesses can also get involved in festival activities by emailing festival executive director, Nick Balzano.

    “Blind Faith” tickets, as well as more information, are available here. The festival’s first line up and VIP packages will be available starting 4/25. The complete line up for both music stages and the spoken word stage will be released 6/13.

    A Taste of Pine Barrens Jam 2021!

  • Memorial Meltdown to take place this May in Lake George with Twiddle and Frends

    The 2022 summer concert season will kick off on Memorial Day weekend with Twiddle & Frends at the inaugural Memorial Meltdown. Scheduled to take place at the Charles R. Wood Festival Commons in downtown Lake George on Saturday, May 28 and Sunday, May 29, the Memorial Meltdown will feature two sets each night by Vermont jamband Twiddle, along with performances by Lucid, Marble Eyes and the Whiskey Dicks (with special guests Ryan Dempsey of Twiddle and guitar virtuoso Joe Cirotti) on Saturday and Roots of Creation, Sophistafunk and Baked Shrimp on Sunday.

    Memorial meltdown

    The two-day event, produced by the same folks who bring the Labor Day music extravaganza Adirondack Independence Music Festival at the same location, will also feature a variety of food and craft vendors.  Gates open each day at 1:30pm with music set to begin at 2:30pm and run until about 11pm. 

    Now in their 17th year, Twiddle has built an impressive resume spanning Red Rocks to Bonnaroo, and multiple sellouts of historic rock venues across the country. In the live setting, more and more people are invigorated by Twiddle’s community, promoting positivity and the band’s skillful improvisational music. So many like-minded people believe in the greater good, and they find that good in Twiddle, who donates $1 of every ticket sale to The White Light Foundation, Twiddle’s affiliate 501c3 organization.  The White Light Foundation, in turn, makes financial contributions to non-profits local to where the band is playing. 

    Memorial Meltdown Schedule

    Saturday, May 28

    Twiddle (2 sets)
    Lucid
    Marble Eyes
    The Whiskey Dicks featuring Ryan Dempsey & Joe Cirotti

    Sunday, May 29

    Twiddle (2 sets)
    Roots of Creation
    Sophistafunk
    Baked Shrimp

    Tickets for the all-ages event go on sale Friday, March 4 at 10:00am. Single-Day and 2-Day General Admission Tickets and a limited number of VIP tickets are also on sale. For more info visit memorialmeltdown.com.

    *VIP tickets include: Admission to the show, a meal, snacks, half-priced adult beverages, $2 waters / soft drinks, access to a VIP viewing area (with private bar) and access to VIP bathrooms.

    ** $1 per ticket supports The White Light Foundation, Twiddle’s affiliate 501c3 organization. The WLF makes financial contributions to non-profits local to where the band is playing each night.

  • TroutStock 2022 Features Dirtwire, Magic Beans, and more, August 5-7 in Coeymans Hollow

    Coming this summer, the TroutStock 2022 festival is celebrating a full weekend of music. Along with 20 different musical acts, more vendors and a larger capacity compared to last year. This unforgettable event will be held from August 5th-7th in Coeymans Hollow, just a 30 minute drive from Albany and 45 minutes from Kingston.

    TroutStock 2022
    Coming summer 2022

    The grassroots festival will be held at Magic Forest Farm, Coeymans Hollow, NY, 225 acres of forested land nestled in the foothills of the Catskills near Albany. Likewise, featuring artists like Dirtwire, Magic Beans, Leon Trout, Bella’s Bartok, Strange Machines, and more. 

    This is a 3-day camping and music filled event that will have local food, craft and art vendors accompanied by top of the line sound and music.

    Magic Forest Farms

    Originally starting out as just a backyard party, TroutStock festival quickly progressed. With the support of their fans and friends, they transformed into what it is today. With their first event last August, TroutStock decided to go for round two and expand the festival. Overall, their goal is to celebrate the friendships they have gained over the years by bringing everyone together to showcase their amazing talents. 

    Magic Forest Farms Camping

    The location of the festival, Magic Forest Farm, is a beautiful spot that allows for freedom and creativity. Furthermore, giving attendees plenty of personal space while camping and in the crowd.  

    The goal of this festival is to keep this an intimate experience year after year with a headliners and local acts. Additionally, for attendees to get an up close experience of their favorite bands without fighting the crowd.  

    Live Music Schedule

    Friday August 5th – 10:30am-2am
    Saturday August 6th – 10:30am-2am
    Sunday August 7th – 10:30am-4:00pm 

    For all guests, the festival grounds will need to be 100% cleared by 5pm on Sunday August 7th.

    To purchase tickets, visit and for more additional information, please visit 

  • Spa City Guitar Festival Takes Over Universal Preservation Hall this March

    The first Spa City Guitar Festival will be held Friday, March 18 to Sunday, March 20 at Universal Preservation Hall. This debut will become an annual event in Saratoga Springs and will provide audiences with a three day guitar extravaganza full of concerts, masterclasses, workshops, guitar displays and vendors. 

    Due to unforeseen circumstances, this event has been cancelled.

    Spa City Guitar Festival

    The Performers

    Badi Assad

    The first in line to perform is none other than Brazilian guitarist Badi Assad, whose specialty is to mix her culture’s music with ethnic sounds from across the world. Therefore, she defies the idea of sticking to one genre of music. Her singing is known to be vibrant, while as a guitarist she is known to be innovative, inspiring, and breathtaking. Assad has moved the masses not only with her unique voice, but her fingers as well. She will perform at 8 p.m. on Friday, March 18.

    Germán López

    Next up on the itinerary is Germán López, who is known internationally as one of the most notable and outstanding guitarists. He adheres to Canary folk music traditions, Spanish Flamenco, West African rhythms, the flourishing spirit of jazz, as well as his own original approach to “island music.” Having performed nearly 100 times while on tours globally, the Spa City Guitar Festival will only elevate his career. He will take part in a Spanish folk performance featuring Antonio Toledo at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 19.

    Mark Lettieri

    The festivals third performance is by Grammy-nominated guitarist Mark Lettieri. He has experience not only professionally playing the guitar, but as a composer, producer, and instructor as well. Unlike many, Lettieri does not stick to one style of music, but rather a multitude of them, whether he works with an independent or a major label artist. As a composer and producer, he creates original music of his own. Additionally, he is highly known to play in Snarky Puppy since 2008, a music group that combines jazz, rock, world and funk. His work with the group has resulted in four Grammy Awards. Lettieri will perform at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 19.

    Gary Hoey

    Last but not least, is 21 album and chart-topping guitarist Gary Hoey, who will perform at 7 p.m. on Sunday, March 20. With his hit for hit catalog, Hoey secured himself a spot as one of the top 100 guitarists of all time. He is known for his fiery vibe and amazing connection with his audience. Hoey was first discovered by Ozzy Osbourne in 1987 and has excelled ever since. He is known to perform thrilling solos that are comparable to Clapton or Stevie Ray at their peak.

    Passes available consists of the $35 single day pass, $45 single day pass and masterclass, $75 festival pass, and the $150 VIP Pass. For more information about the passes, as well as to purchase them visit the Universal Preservation Hall website.

  • DelFest announces addition of more artists to lineup

    Organizers of DelFest in Cumberland, MD have announced new additions to their 14th annual festival lineup. They’ve added Travelin’ McCourys, Robert Earl Keen, the Jerry Douglas Band, Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen, and the Price Sisters to the annual bluegrass music showcase.

    Festival

    Previously Announced Delfest Lineup

    Railroad Earth, Béla Fleck My Bluegrass Heart, Sam Bush, Leftover Salmon, Watchhouse, Anders Osborne and Jackie Greene, The California Honeydrops, Sierra Hull, Cabinet, The Lil Smokies, The Ghost of Paul Revere, Steve Poltz, Sister Sadie, Cris Jacobs, Della Mae, Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley, Jacob Jolliff Band, The Hot Club Of Cowtown, Fireside Collective, Twisted Pine, Dré Anders, Pert Near Sandstone, The Broomestix, The Seldom Scene, Jakob’s Ferry Stragglers, The Lonesome River Band, Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band, Birches Bend, The Price Sisters, and Emcee Joe Craven.

    More Festival Information

    4-day passes will increase in price on Monday, February 21 at midnight Eastern. Glamping packages and on site parking packages are also available for sale now. Three and two day passes will become available on Tuesday February 22nd.

    In addition, attendees can again expect to witness one-of-a-kind collaborations, special guest sit-ins, various tributes to Del McCoury and his legacy, and intimate appearances from the aforementioned artists.

    For information including camping, parking, partners, and more, please visit delfest.com and follow DelFest on all social platforms.