MuMu, from Harlem, is a singer/songwriter who writes songs based on the guidance she received listening to spangled pop stars to feel less alone living in a home rife with addiction and mental illness.
The new single “Wrapped Up” is about the overturning of Roe v. Wade which makes the right to an abortion constitutional. This essential procedure is now illegal for many people across the United States. The song retells the real stories of three women who faced the challenges of unplanned pregnancy and expresses how important the right to choose is, and the detrimental effects of those rights being taken away.
MuMu wrote an essay talking about the single, and how important it is.
Abortions have always existed and always will. They are part of our human herstory. There is written documentation of different abortion methods used all over the world. Archeologists have discovered instruments used to perform abortions that date back hundreds of years. Limiting abortion access does not prevent abortions from happening, it prevents them from being safe. An abortion is not an easy choice to make, but it’s an impossible choice to make for a stranger. And if we take away the right to safe reproductive care, people will suffer. People will die.
MuMu
“Wrapped Up” explains what it feels like to go through an abortion for those who have never gone through it. The song is groovy and slow, and her vocals are reminiscent of Alanis Morissette. There are a lot of emotional and powerful lyrics like “He took her hand/And swore a lie/Until she opened up her thighs/When she went to the doctor/People screamed and rocks were thrown/They wanted a child/To have a child of her own.”
The chorus is fiery and emotional as she sings “All the fear you give/And all the faith you hold Is heavy on her heavy heart of gold/All your virtue and strong beliefs WRAPPED UP in her destiny.” The rest of the song talks about the trauma an abortion can cause and the family struggles that come after it.
Overall, the new single is well thought out, emotional, and backed with groovy guitars and MuMu’s sultry voice to speak about the ongoing struggle with the government handling women’s rights issues.
The print rock ‘n’ roll magazine CREEM has just announced its new issue, the first in 33 years, featuring Slash, The Who, Special Interest, and more.
CREEM Magazine Issue 1 Preview
Founded in 1969 Detroit, it grew from underground paper to national powerhouse – an essential source of music journalism for 20 years. Kurt Cobain once said “I’ll just retire to Mexico or Yugoslavia with a few hundred dollars, grow potatoes, and learn the history of rock through back issues of CREEM.”
Back when the magazine first started it cultivated some of the most legendary writing talent of the era – like Lester Bangs, Cameron Crowe, and Patti Smith.
The new magazine will cover multiple generations of artists with contributors ranging from established writers and photographers, to up-and-coming voices. It will embrace rock ‘n’ roll as a mentality rather than a genre with the biggest bands of all time and records no one has ever heard of.
The rebound of CREEM comes after the critically-acclaimed 2020 documentary Creem: America’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll Magazine earned praise from New York Times to CBS This Morning. CREEM Entertainment is led by former VICE publisher John Martin as CEO, alongside Chairman JJ Kramer (son of original co-founder & publisher Barry Kramer), and original editor Jaan Uhelszki, one of the first women to work in rock journalism.
Subscriptions for the magazine will also come with a free digital archive of every issue from 1969-1989, with 224issues, 69,000 photos, articles, and reviews, making it the most significant cache of rock ‘n’ roll history ever shared online at one time.
For more information about the revamp, and to purchase a subscription, go here.
The Paper Mill Island Amphitheater will host a series of summer concerts this season in Baldwinsville, located just outside of Syracuse.
On July 23, Badfish returns to the amphitheater for a Sublime tribute. Badfish expertly replicates Sublime’s unique sound and captivates any audience. Special guest The Frank White Experience, a hip-hop tribute band, will be joining the band during the show.
A few days after Badfish comes to the Paper Mill Island Amphitheater, Almost Queen will arrive on July 30. The Queen tribute band will transport attendees into an intricate performance worthy of any Queen super-fan. With authentic costumes, real spirit, and signature four-part harmonies, Almost Queen does the band much justice.
Bruce in the USA – a Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band tribute – will grace audiences with a great performance on August 5. The band began back in 2004 along the Las Vegas Strip, where they were met with critical acclaim and a great atmosphere which they continue on to this day.
On August 11, Philadelphia-based band, Get the Led Out, will celebrate the music of Led Zeppelin like never heard before. Get the Led Out features six musicians, who deliver earlier Zed tracks, deeper songs seldom heard in concert, and an energy few bands can replicate. The act includes Paul Sinclair (vocals/harmonica), Paul Hammond (guitar), Tommy Zamp (guitar), Eddie Kurek (keyboards, guitar, vocals, percussion), Adam Ferraioli (drums/percussion), and Phil D’Agostino on bass and vocals.
https://youtu.be/8qmSuDl40Lc
Later in the season on September 2, Twiddle with special guest Annie in the Water will join the impressive Paper Mill series lineup. The Vermont quartet Twiddle will promote their fifth full-length studio album, Every Last Leaf. Featuring Mihali Savoulidis (vocals, guitar), Ryan Dempsey (keys, organ, synth), Brook Jordan (drums), and Zdenek Gubb (bass) the band has toured for 18 years and is sure not to disappoint. The group has previously performed in festivals such as Bonnaroo and Electric Forest.
For tickets to the upcoming shows at Paper Mill Island, and for more information, visit the link available here.
The New York City Council approved a measure to name a Lowe East Side Manhattan intersection “Beastie Boys Square” made famous by The Beastie Boys’ album Paul’s Boutique.
The Beastie Boys, pictured in 2009.
The Beastie Boys were an American rap group from New York City, formed in 1981. The group was composed of Michael “Mike D” Diamond, Adam “MCA” Yauch, and Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz. Beastie Boys have sold 20 million records in the United States and had seven platinum-selling albums from 1986 to 2004. They are the biggest-selling rap group since Billboard began recording sales in 1991.
The corner of Ludlow and Rivington streets is seen on the cover of their 1989 masterpiece, and the vote on Thursday marked an end to a nearly decade-long grassroots campaign by fans. In 2014, the city council voted against “Beastie Boys Square” by a vote of 24-to-1.
Cultural advocate LeRoy McCartney spearheaded similar landmark-naming campaigns, like the Wu-Tang Clan (Wu-Tang District in Staten Island) and The Notorious B.I.G. (Brooklyn’s Christopher Wallace Way), and credits Council Member Chris Marte with helping to push the renaming.
As many of us know, once the Beastie Boys hit the scene, it really changed the hip-hop game. I see it as a celebration. A celebration for the Lower East Side, a celebration for hip-hop and especially a celebration for our community who has been organizing for a really long time to make this happen.
Chris Marte
Marte also gave credit to the group themselves for paving the way in the genre of hip-hop and thanked the local residents, businesses, politicians, and more who supported the fight for the street name.
McCarthy also spoke about the decision in a statement.
It has been a long road to get Beastie Boys Square accomplished, but I am happy to see New York government formally embracing the indigenous arts and culture of hip hop, and the street sign is very appropriate because hip hop is from the NYC streets.
LeRoy McCarthy
Mayor Eric Adams will have to sign off on the measure before it can be scheduled to get dedicated.
An upcoming Grateful Dead live release is set to feature six previously unreleased shows from the early ’80s at The World’s Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden. In And Out Of The Garden will contain two shows each from Dead runs at MSG in 1981, 1982 and 1983, totaling 17 CDs in all. It captures a period of time after the band’s 1980 release Go To Heaven, while songs for 1987’s In The Dark like “Hell In A Bucket” and “West L.A. Fadeaway” were very much still works in progress.
In addition to six classic Dead shows from MSG, the box set will also feature customized art work by Dave Van Patten on the cover and detailed liner notes from award-winning music journalist David Fricke who explores the band’s storied connection to the city.
The Dead’s affinity for New York City…was instant and arguably their most profound with any city aside from San Francisco
– David Fricke
The early ’80s period of Grateful Dead history is such a vibrant one, with the recent introduction of Brent Mydland as the new keyboardist into the mix. Mydland’s vocals and effervescent energy behind the piano energized the band at this point their storied career, invigorating older material like “The Wheel,” and “Eyes of The World.” He also gave the band more musical flexibility, which encouraged them to dust off treasures like “Dupree’s Diamond Blues” and “Crazy Fingers” from the proverbial shelves.
This vintage celebration of Dead history at MSG is numbered and limited to an edition of 12,500. The release is set to drop on September 23, but is available for pre-order right now from Dead.net for a price of $179.98.
A digital download option for In And Out Of The Garden is also available.
The Dead didn’t play the Garden until 1979, almost the midpoint of their performing career. but once they got rolling, they made it a home away from home, playing 10 shows in the next 15 years. These performances from 1981, 1982, and 1983 are six of the best the Dead played at the Garden, any of which could have been released on their own
– Grateful Dead Archivist David Lemieux
The six Grateful Dead MSG shows that are featured on this release include:
1981: Madison Square Garden March 9th & 10th
1982: Madison Square Garden September 20th & 21st
1983: Madison Square Garden October 11th & 12th
If the near 30-minute “Help” > “Slipknot” >”Franklin’s” sequence from the 10/12/83 show as seen below is any indication, this is one Deadheads and beyond are going to love.
Kiss Me, Kate is about actor/director Fred Graham trying to mount a musical version of The Taming of the Shrew with his ex-wife Lilli Vanessi in the leading role. Also included in the mix are musically inclined, gangsters. Featured will also be Cole Porter’s most classic tunes, “Another Openin’ Another Show,” “So in Love,” “Too Darn Hot,” and “Always True to You.”
Jahmar Ortiz as Fred Graham and Briana Gantsweg as Lilli Vanessi.Maclain Rhine and the company.
Leading the cast as Lily Vanessi is Briana Gantsweg, previously seen on the CRT stage in Born Yesterday and Rough Crossing. Playing Fred Graham is Jahmar Ortiz, who also continues their role as Director of Culture and Inclusion as they did for CRT’s production of Hair earlier this summer. Many different CRT interns perform in the production as well.
Kiss Me, Kate is directed by Mark Reynolds, who previously won the SALT award for Newsies (Best Musical), CRT’s record-breaking production of Footloose, Born Yesterday, The Rat Pack Lounge, The Kitchen Witches, and more. Choreographer Bryan Knowlton returns for a third summer after working on Mamma Mia! and Saturday Night Fever in the past.
Jahmar Ortiz as Fred Graham with Company.
The Cortland Repertory Theatre will also offer a “Friday Night Talk Back” after the evening performance on July 8th, with a Q&A session with the actors, director, designers, and crew. Tickets are also on sale for the rest of the summer season, which includes Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express and Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins.
On July 21, in Newport, RI, the United States Postal Service will honor folk musician Pete Seeger with a unique stamp as part of their Music Icon Series.
The Pete Seeger Stamp from U.S. Postal Service
Pete Seeger, known for his American folk music and social activism, was born in Manhattan in 1919. Over the course of his long career, one of his most famous songs includes “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” which became a hit for its anti-war stance. Other songs of Seeger’s rose to popularity in the ‘60s, such as “If I Had a Hammer” and “Turn! Turn! Turn!”
Seeger’s work as a musician and activist inspired many – including artists Bob Dylan and Tom Morello. His adaptation of the spiritual, “We Shall Overcome,” became an anthem for the Civil Rights Movement. The folk singer truly believed the power of song could transform and spur people into action for good and he continues to be a huge influence in music to this day.
The Pete Seeger stamp will be the newest and 10th stamp in the U.S. Postal Service’s Music Icon series which began in 2013. Other musicians who have been honored include, in order, Lydia Mendoza, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Elvis Presley, Sarah Vaughan, John Lennon, and Marvin Gaye.
The stamp is based on a photograph of Seeger taken in the early 1960s by his son, Dan Seeger. With his iconic banjo in hand, Seeger performs in the picture as he did for much of his life. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed this latest stamp issue and the black-and-white original photo was color-tinted by Kristen Monthei.
A recipient of multiple Grammy Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1993, Seeger will long be remembered for his music and his contribution to American political activism.
Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through the Postal Store at usps.com/shopstamps, by calling 844-737-7826, by mail through USA Philatelic, or at Post Office locations nationwide.
Runaway New York presents “Nights,” a micro festival for the youth, by the youth, taking place on Saturday, July 16th. With its current outreach mission, Runaway New York aims to share its platform with other budding creatives. You won’t want to miss what this event has in store.
Runaway New York is a fashion and lifestyle brand founded in New York City in 2018 by Jagger Walk, the brand’s CEO, and Creative Director. From creating apparel, fragrances, and jewelry, the brand prioritizes quality and values giving back to its beloved city. The band has even collaborated with Pharell Williams’ Billionaire Boys Club. Overall, to Runaway New York, the sky is the limit.
After their first Nights event in London, the brand wanted to bring the concept back to New York where it originally came from. The show is headlined by Laundry Day and a special guest, who will be announced leading up to the event.
Industry City is the perfect place to debut Nights in New York City for many reasons. From its location to the amenities, and general atmosphere, we felt this would be the most fitting setting for the event
Jack Berk, one of the event’s organizers
Partnering with artist Tyler Miller and his manager Jack Berk; the three have come together to bring Brooklyn a “micro” festival made by the youth for the youth. Tyler Miller, Carlo Redl, and Chad Nelson will open the show which will be accompanied by exclusive Runaway New York merchandise.
The show will take place at Industry City Courtyard 1/2 and tickets will be sold to the public for all ages. Food and drink will be available for purchase as well. The doors open at 6:00 PM and the show is expected to go on until 11:00 PM.
For more information and to purchase tickets, click the link here.
Only a couple of weeks after releasing their first new song in over a decade, The Mars Volta have given fans a second taste of their forthcoming album with “Graveyard Love”. Check out the new song over on the band’s BandCamp page and watch the accompanying short film below.
“Graveyard Love” short film, by The Mars Volta
Earlier this week, the band unveiled a digital version of L’YTOME HODORXÍ TELESTERION, the immersive cube that first appeared in Los Angeles ahead of the release of lead single “Blacklight Shine”. Aside from experiencing the cube in AR form, fans were guided on a digital scavenger hunt, finding pieces of the “Graveyard Love” cover art.
The song shows The Mars Volta continuing their evolution while providing fans with a diverse look into their new sound. Lead single “Blacklight Shine” fully embraced a Latin-pop fusion with driving bongo percussions and choppy salsa-laced guitars all backed by vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala’s Spanish storytelling. “Graveyard Love” slows it down a touch with eery synths and bass tones shimmering behind a mysterious ballad before the beat picks up and Cedric’s “I don’t want to remember…” mantra battles a swirling retro synth. While describing the story behind the song, Cedric says “They will seek your ruin, and burn your lands, because if they can’t have you, no one can.”
“Graveyard Love” Cover Art
Just like the short film for “Blacklight Shine”, this new film also takes place in Puerto Rico. The video highlights small elements of life and culture on the island, with a focus on the people. A couple minutes into the film, the song plays before fading out and allowing the video to continue to show life on the island. In the description, there is a historical timeline of many of the natural and man-made events that hindered Puerto Rico’s advances toward independence with the final entry reading “2022 STILL A COLONY.” Coupled with this film, the mysterious lyrics of the song try to paint a picture of Puerto Rican life rich in culture, yet dark and oppressed in history.
The Mars Volta have always been a mysteriously complex band with their musical compositions, vocal story-telling, and imagery. Each of their six previous albums are prog-rock odysseys with deeply emotional stories and extremely dense and layered instrumentals. Hailed as a masterpiece by devoted fans and music critics, their 2003 debut album De-Loused In The Comatorium reshaped what progressive, post-hardcore, and art-rock could be in the new millennium.
Omar and Cedric have fronted several bands together (At The Drive-In, The Mars Volta, and Antemasque) and Omar has more than 50 albums credited to his various solo projects. Their collective music has evolved and cycled for over 25 years as a parade of extraordinarily talented musicians joined the backing bands for all of these various projects. Not all of these projects were fully realized into albums and tours, but in the 2010s the Omar Rodríguez-López Group was reborn. Several tours with large and small bands occurred and in 2016 Rodríguez-López cleared the backlog by releasing one album a week for months.
The Mars Volta was quite consistent with their first four LPs up until Octahedron was released in 2009. Described by Omar as the band’s “acoustic album,” Octahedron is the shortest of the catalog and did see a sharp change in sound, favoring acoustic guitars and ballads while surrounding them with layered prog-rock bangers. Noctourniquet came three years later which also attempted to bring something new to the mix. With shorter and more accessible song structures, the band crafted a futuristic and psychedelic landscape backed by the loosest and most avant-garde drumming style courtesy of Deantoni Parks.
While details for the yet-to-be-named seventh album have not been announced, it is clear from the lead singles that The Mars Volta are about to release the most unique part of their discography. Currently in the music industry, we are being inundated with legacy and long-standing bands putting out new music to mixed results. What has become clear is that bands who try and reinvent their debuts often release mediocre albums that fade away quickly after release. The Mars Volta on the other hand, are trying to write music that reflects where the band is in 2022. Rather than revisiting 15-minute long, mind-numbingly complex prog-rock screamers, Omar and Cedric are embracing their Latin-pop roots and reimagining it with modern flare. While on first listen “Blacklight Shine” and “Graveyard Love” seem alien to Volta die-hards, the more you dig in the more classic Volta elements you hear under the surface. After a decade-plus hiatus The Mars Volta have returned, matured by age but as rooted as ever.
Omar Rodríguez-López (left) and Cedric Bixler-Zavala (right). Photo by Fat Bob
The band kicks off their reunion tour in late September, with their first show in 13 years happening in Dallas, Texas at The Factory in Deep Ellum. The Mars Volta will be in New York City for two sold-out shows at Terminal 5 on September 29th and 30th. Head over to the band’s website for full tour details.
The Palace Theatre in Albany has announced its Summer in the City Movie Series which will begin on July 12. Over the course of the summer, the theatre will host eight free, family-friendly movies for the community to enjoy.
The Palace Theatre began the series in 2015 as a way to give children the opportunity to experience the excitement of the theatre, and fun and safe ways to participate in the arts. Since 2016, the SEFCU has been a proud sponsor of the event. Each show will begin at 1 pm, with educational activities one hour before showtime.
Since the series began in 2015, over 35,000 people have enjoyed a movie at the Palace Theatre thanks to the Summer in the City Movie Series. This year’s lineup features popular movies with something for everyone to enjoy.
From Sing 2, Raya the Last Dragon, Luca, Space Jam: A New Legacy, and more, the movie offerings are packed with entertainment for all ages. The Palace Theatre is also offering free popcorn for children under 12 for the full movie experience.
On August 30, after the showing of the popular Disney musical Encanto, audiences can enjoy the finale of the series with a special ice cream social – a great way to beat the summer heat. There will be giveaways, activities, and free ice cream courtesy of Stewart’s Shops.
Free tickets are available in advance at the Palace Theatre Box Office or can be reserved . For the full series schedule, see below.
2022 Summer in the City Schedule
For all events, doors open at noon for activities; movies begin at 1:00 p.m.
