NYS Music 202​2

Category: News

  • Radio Woodstock Announces Melissa Auf der Maur as Special Guest on Nov. 19

    Radio Woodstock 100.1 WDST has announced the next installment of the “Saturday Night Takeover” series on Saturday, Nov. 19, with Melissa Auf der Maur, who was the famed bassist of American bands Hole and The Smashing Pumpkins.

    Radio Woodstock Melissa Auf der Maur

    Radio Woodstock, tagged as the New York Times’ “favorite thing about driving around the Hudson Valley,” has been the recipient of numerous national, regional, and local awards for its innovative programming. Radio Woodstock is one of the most influential rock music stations in the world and is unique for being both listener and advertiser-supported. It has been locally run and operated for over 40 years.

    The DJs and programmers present the best emerging artists alongside the largest rock n’ roll library in the world. Radio Woodstock’s live events division has put on experimental live events and is most known for creating Mountain Jam and Taste of Country, which grew to become the largest music and camping festivals in the Northeast, together drawing over 100,000 attendees each year. Recently, the department has produced CannaStock, the first cannabis festival in the Hudson Valley.

    Featured on the “Saturday Night Takeover” segment is Melissa Auf der Maur. She is a musician, photographer, curator, multidisciplinary event producer, and film producer. In 2010 she co-founded the multidisciplinary art venue Basilica Hudson in the Hudson Valley Region. She released two solo albums between 2004-2010.

    You can tune into Radio Woodstock on Nov. 19 at 10 p.m. to hear Melissa Auf der Maur on the air here or via the iHeartRADIO app. 

  • Anita Baker Announces Live Tour 2023

    Eight-time Grammy Award-winning superstar Anita Baker has announced performance dates for 2023. The Songstress’ tour will tour 15 different cities, and even making a stop at the UBS Arena in Elmont, on Friday May 12th, 2023.

    Anita Baker Preforms Live May 2023

    The tour celebrates Baker’s 40 years as a music icon in the industry since the release of her debut album, The Songstress, which released in 1983. These dates mark the first time she has been on a full tour since 1995 and it is also the first time The Songstress will be performing her classic hits live since winning back the rights to her masters.

    “Looking forward to some crazy, lovely, hang time with my fans, on tour in 2023!! ….Gonna, bring some new music & some special guests, too.” 

    -ABXO
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUSddpvB4X0

    Anitia Baker, originally born in Toledo, OH, and raised in Detroit, MI, is one of the most popular singers of soulful ballads during the height of the quiet storm period in the 1980s. Starting her career in the late 1970s with the funk band Chapter 8, Baker released her first solo album, The Songstress, in 1983.

    In 1986, Baker rose to stardom following the release of her Platinum-selling second album, Rapture, which included the Grammy-winning single “Sweet Love.” Baker has won eight Grammy Awards and has four Platinum albums. Baker is a contralto, with a vocal range that extends her register to at least three octaves. 

    Anita Baker’s The Songstress Tour Dates: 

    Sat Feb 11 – Hollywood, FL – Hard Rock Live* 

    Tue Feb 14 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena 

    Fri Feb 17 – New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Center 

    Wed May 10 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center 

    Fri May 12 – Belmont Park, NY – UBS Arena 

    Sun May 14 – Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena 

    Fri Jun 30 – Chicago, IL – United Center 

    Sun Jul 02 – Detroit, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre 

    Sat Nov 18 – Greensboro, NC – Greensboro Coliseum Complex 

    Wed Nov 22 – Memphis, TN – FedEx Forum 

    Fri Nov 24 – Atlantic City, NJ – Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena* 

    Fri Dec 15 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center 

    Sun Dec 17 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center 

    Fri Dec 22 – Los Angeles, CA – Crypto.com Arena 

    Sat Dec 23 – Oakland, CA – Oakland Arena 

    Tickets go on sale starting on Thursday, November 17th at 10 AM. Click the link here for more information and to purchase tickets.

  • Daisy the Great Celebrates Sophomore Album With Tour, Stop at NYC’s Webster Hall

    For the past couple years, Daisy the Great has been processing the experience of growing up, of changing. Their sophomore album, All You Need Is Time is a veritable coming-of-age catharsis. Armed with crystal clear, soprano vocals and an ironical approach to the absurdities of girlhood, their newest is a surprisingly relatable and honest self-examination. 

    Daisy the Great

    In All You Need Is Time, Daisy the Great ditches allusions and ambiguity to tell it like it is. Not only are their lyrics astoundingly authentic, but you can hear the earnestly in their voices. While much of recent pop and indie has turned to heavy use of technology to disguise and distort vocals, Daisy the Great often drops the backing instruments to let their voices stand alone, so you can hear this addictive kind of girlish airiness and texture behind their voices. It’s that sound that broke them, with their 2018 song “The Record Player Song,” which quickly went viral on TikTok, accumulating over 20 million streams, and counting. 

    Daisy the Great started when Kelley Nicole Dugan and Mina Walker met at NYU. The two were acting majors, and Daisy the Great originally started as a musical they were writing about a fictional band, until they realized they should just actually start the band themselves. Now, Daisy the Great is a six-piece band, with Matt Lau on guitar, Bernardo Ochoa on bass, Matti Dunietz on drums, and Brie Archer on additional vocals. 

    The band is still finishing off their North American Tour, supporting The Happy Fits; and of course there will be a stop in NYC’s Webster Hall on December 17, where the band was formed and the album recorded. Tickets can be found here, see the dates below.

    Daisy the Great

    DAISY THE GREAT NORTH AMERICAN TOUR 2022

    November 8 – South Burlington, VT – Higher Ground +

    November 9 – Hamden, CT – Space Ballroom +

    November 11 – Washington, DC – Union Stage +

    November 12 – Pittsburgh, PA – Spirit Hall +

    November 13 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall

    November 15 – Detroit, MI El Club +

    November 16 – Indianapolis, IN – Old National Centre +

    November 18 – St. Louis, MO – Delmar +

    November 19 – Chicago, IL – Metro +

    November 20 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue +

    November 22 – Denver, CO Summit +

    November 23 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex +

    November 25 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom +

    November 26 – Seattle, WA – Neptune Theatre +

    November 29 – San Francisco, CA – August Hall +

    November 30 – San Diego, CA – House Of Blues +

    December 1 – Los Angeles, CA – The Fonda Theatre +

     December 5 – Dallas, TX – Trees +

     December 6 – Austin, TX – Scoot Inn +

     December 7– Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall +

     December 9 – Orlando, FL – The Plaza Live +

     December 10 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade (Heaven) +

     December 11 – Nashville, TN – The Basement East

     December 13 –Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle +

     December 14 – Washington, DC – Union Stage +

     December 16 – Boston, MA – Paradise Rock +

     December 17 – New York, NY – Webster Hall +

     December 18 – Philadelphia, PA –Theatre of The Living Arts +

    + w/ THE HAPPY FITS “UNDER THE SHADE OF GREEN TOUR”

  • Alex Winter to Host Screening of His Documentary ZAPPA at Tinker Street Cinema

    He’s the man you probably know best from his starring role alongside Keanu Reeves in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure.  But these days, Alex Winter is not only a talented actor but an impressive filmmaker, one entrusted by the family of Frank Zappa to create the ultimate documentary charting his iconoclastic life and career, 2020’s ZAPPA. 

    zappa alex winter

    On Saturday, November 19 at 8 pm, Winter will be coming to Woodstock’s legendary Tinker Street Cinema to host a special screening of this watershed music documentary. 

    Winter began work on the film in 2015 by creating a Kickstarter campaign that raised over $1.1 million to restore much of the unseen archival footage in Zappa’s legendary “vault.” He was the first and only filmmaker to be granted unfettered access to this material as well as some of Zappa’s never-before-heard sound recordings. With it, Winter crafted a portrait that showed the artistic triumphs and challenges faced by this one-of-a-kind creative force, an icon whose influence on culture and politics was truly global.  Winter’s documentary delves into Zappa’s upbringing, the many stages of his long career, his campaigns as an advocate for free speech and the newly freed Czech Republic, all the way to his final battle with cancer, which ended his insanely productive life at 52.  Also featured are interviews with Frank’s widow, the late Gail Zappa, and many of his musical collaborators through the years including Ruth and Ian Underwood, Bunk Gardner, Steve Vai, Scott Thunes and Ray White.

    alex winter zappa
    Portrait of Alex Winter. CREDIT: Philip Cheung

    Winter’s film received high praise from critics worldwide, including outlets like The Guardian UK, The New York Times, Sydney Morning Herald, The Wall Street Journal, Variety and The Hollywood Reporter.  You can find NYSMusic.com’s own extensive rave review here.

    “Our cinema is a celebration of the bold, experimental and surreal, so Alex’s fantastic film on Zappa makes perfect sense for us and our audience,” says Andy Braunstein. “The fact that Alex lived here for a time, right next to the cinema in fact, will make this event a true homecoming.”

    The Zappa event is just one example of the Tinker Street Cinema’s dedication to the fusion of film and music.

    Like its neighbor, Upstate Films’ Orpheum Theater in Saugerties, the Tinker Street Cinema has produced several notable events where live soundtracks are created to accompany screenings of classic films.  In June 2021, genre-leaping Australian composer JG Thirlwell, best known for his work as Foetus, presented “Silver Mantis,” a live performance set to film by Sten Backman. In August 2021, the theater presented Fritz Lang’s silent era classic, Metropolis, with music by Reel Orchestrette.  And on Halloween weekend,  the Tinker Street Cinema screened the horror classic, Night of the Living Dead, with a live score by Morricone Youth.

    In acknowledgment of Woodstock’s history as home to some of the greats of contemporary music, the theater serves up a hefty platter of music-centric films, ones often hosted by local music luminaries.  Earlier this month, the cinema featured a screening of Amadeus (The Director’s Cut) hosted by The Dresden Dolls, the duo of Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione.  Other films featured recently included AC/DC: Let There Be Rock, Woodstock and Poly Styrene: I am A Cliché. The theater will soon be screening  Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road hosted by its producer and writer, Woodstock’s own Jason Fine.

    On November 26, the Tinker Street Cinema will present a Jimi Hendrix Birthday tribute. This event will boast various films about the guitarist and live performances by artists including Chogyi Lama, a young Hendrix acolyte who just happens to be the grandson of Woodstock legend Richie Havens.  On December 10, The Tinker Street Cinema will also have an evening dedicated to experimental music with a psychedelic lightshow.  Brock Monroe of the Joshua Lightshow will create a backdrop for performances by edge-pushing musicians including Nepenthae and the trio of Lea Bertucci, Ric Royer and Ben Vida.  The Tinker Street team is also finalizing plans that will bring The Black Lips to the theater, along with a screening of The Roar of Snowmobiles, a documentary dedicated to the racers and collectors of vintage ‘60s models.

    alex winter zappa

    Founded in 1961 in a pre-Civil War church, the Tinker Street Cinema has also been the site of a variety of musical performances through the years, public and private.  The venue was reopened in the summer of 2021 by Ben Rollins and Lily Korolkoff, owners of the nearby Station Bar & Curio, and Andy “Animal” Braunstein, a film aficionado and Woodstock native known for his Meltasia music festivals.

    Notably, the theater was also the site where Jimi Hendrix rehearsed and jammed in the days before his history-making performance at the Woodstock Festival in August 1969.   The below video captures some of the sounds and pictures, including a proto version of his iconic take on “The Star Spangler Banner.”

    “We’re a very musical town with a long and rich history, so it’s only natural that the marriage of film and music is a centerpiece of our creative mission,” concludes Braunstein.  “We’re passionate, maybe obsessed is a better word, to do everything we can to keep the flame of rock-n-roll burning bright.”

    Watch Jimi Hendrix jam at Tinker Street Cinema 

  • Toshi Reagon to Continue Residency at Symphony Space With Two More Events

    Toshi Reagon, an Atlanta-born singer, composer, musician, and curator has two more performances on the table for her three-show residency at NYC’s Symphony Space.

    The first show of the run featured a performance by Be Steadwell, a Queer pop composer, filmmaker, and storyteller who composes her songs on stage using looping and vocal layering. Reagon, who has collaborated with Steadwell for the past ten years, joined her on select numbers.

    toshi reagon residency

    Up next on Thursday, November 10 is You’re Having Too Much Fun… So We’re Gonna Have to Kill You, a “work in progress” which presents a modern story using disco-era music. Singers of the show include Reagon, Steadwell, Afi Bijou, and Josette Newsam among others, with performing musicians including bassist Fred Cash, drummer Matt Graff, keyboardist Kim Jordan, and Adam Widoff.

    toshi reagon residency
    ‘Sacred Revolution’ will close out Symphony Space’s residency for Toshi Reagon.

    Topping off the residency on Saturday, November 19 is Sacred Revolution, a Reagon-curated song cycle featuring J. Bob Alotta, a filmmaker and media activist, Leah Penniman an educator, author, food sovereignty activist, and Co-Founder of Soul Fire Farm, multi-medium artist Carl Hancock Rux, performer and choreographer Maleek Washington; and The W.O.W. Project, a Chinatown initiative led by women and people of transgender and queer background. Singers of the shower include Reagon, jazz artist Lizz Wright, and Sudanese musician Alsarah.

    Information regarding tickets and more can be found here.

  • Joshua Thew NYC Gem Releases Video For “Where Do Feelings Go?”

    NYC’s hidden gem Joshua Thew released his newest melancholic single and video, “Where Do Feelings Go?” on Friday, October 28th. Being a New York-based singer, songwriter, and former dancer at the New York City Ballet, ‘Where Do Feelings Go?’ navigates the cognitive dissonance that sets in after a relationship ends. Thew’s voice soars effortlessly as he reaches into the aftermath of a breakup, building up to an infectious chorus.

    London-born and NY-based, Joshua Thew gathered attention in 2019 with his debut single, “Think You’re Getting Through.” The single gained over 450,000 streams on Spotify alone and picked up notable press support. Now he returns with his soulful offering, ‘Where Do Feelings Go,’ which is out now on all platforms.

    Joshua Threw Releases Newest Single And Video "Where Do Feelings Go?"
    Processed with VSCO with kp9 preset

    On the inspiration behind the song’s themes, Thew explains:

    There is something so strange and absurd about the abruptness of a breakup; like air suddenly deflating from a balloon. I tried to capture as close to the moment of separation as possible. It felt cathartic making this song, and I leaned on the music when I needed it. Sometimes it was more personal than I intended. I see it like a nighttime dream that’s sensual and sad.

    About five years ago, Thew was dancing and performing for the New York City Ballet alongside top-tier talent for audiences from around the globe. Even though he worked his entire life for this, Thew couldn’t shake the feeling that he was missing something. In 2017, after nearly a decade at NYC Ballet, Thew left the professional dancing space behind to pursue another dream, and alongside producer Cale Hawkings, his new single, ‘Where Do Feelings Go,’ further demonstrates his ability to craft emotionally powerful songs. 

    ‘Where Do Feelings Go?’ is out now across platforms. To watch the video, click the link here.

    To listen to more Joshua Thew, click the link here.

  • Watch Steve Lacy Perform “Bad Habit” and “Helmet” in SNL Debut

    With just a few days before Election Day, Amy Schumer hosted Saturday Night Live with musical guest Steve Lacy making his SNL debut.

    Steve Lacy SNL

    Opening with a satire of President Biden’s speech on democracy from earlier this week, James Austin Johnson as Biden brought up a cavalcade of ‘new’ Democratic candidates meant to appeal to younger voters, among them, Marianne Williamson, Guy Fieri, the guy from 6ix9ine, Azaliea Banks, and Tracy Morgan (Keenan Thompson).

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXN3Q_ANckc&list=PLS_gQd8UB-hLzQQhvOY-wX2LNQPFTHSm4&index=2

    Amy Schumer used her monologue for a few minutes of standup where she riffed about childbirth and her husband being diagnosed with autism as an adult.

    Hitting home for many who have dealt with COVID and the week long isolation/quarantine that results, the COVID commercial featuring Sara Sherman was as timely as ever.

    To perform on SNL, Steve Lacy had postponed shows in San Diego, San Francisco, Oakland, Vancouver, Seattle and Portland on his Give You the World Tour. For his first song, Lacy performed “Bad Habit” off his second album Gemini Rights, released in July. The R&B vocalist and multi-instrumentalist performed in black leather pants and Geordi La Forge wrap around shades, with the Gemini Rights logo suspended behind him. Lacy, as well as the drummer and bassist wore white shirts with a single black S on them, making a dollar sign with their black ties hanging, a nod to the Dead Kennedys.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z566jZAVZ5Q&list=PLS_gQd8UB-hLzQQhvOY-wX2LNQPFTHSm4&index=8

    On Weekend Update, Tammy the Trucker (Cecily Strong) showed up to talk about gas prices (and definitely not abortion), much like how in November 2021 she showed up as Goober the Clown to talk about abortion. WU anchor Colin Jost noted voters are being driven by economic issues and not abortion, and Tammy responded with commentary on women’s rights and health care. The same deep and urgent message from last November was conveyed through truck driving references that intertwined concerns about the right for women to control their own bodies was being eroded, and ended with a call to action to vote on Tuesday.

    As Weekend Update ended, SNL gave a nod to Migos rapper Takeoff (Kirshnik Khari Ball), who had performed on SNL in 2018.

    A preview of the Bills/Jets game in the Meadowlands showed Jets fans (Andrew Dismukes, Thompson, Schumer, Strong) ripping on the visiting Bills fans, regardless of age or mobility. The casual chatting among the four of them would quickly devolve into taunting and heckling, giving heavy ‘Get Off the Shed’ vibes.

    Lacy’s second performance of the night found he and his band in the same outfit, same narrow room effect but with a heavier Stevie Wonder vibe in both voice and tone of the song.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4jGl-uUGxQ&list=PLS_gQd8UB-hLzQQhvOY-wX2LNQPFTHSm4&index=11

    Following a “Big Penis Therapy” sketch that is worth watching, Schumer sported a Jews shirt during the goodnights, following wearing a VOTE VOTE VOTE sweater.

    Next week SNL returns for a post-election episode with host Dave Chappelle – appearing post-election for the third time since 2016 – and musical guest Black Star.

  • Central Park Dance to Perform Nutcracker at The Capitol Theatre

    Central Park Dance will return to The Capitol Theatre with their annual production of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker on Sunday, December 11th at 12:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. With more than 100 students from the school, professional dancers and young dancers from the surrounding communities, audiences will have two chances to enjoy this timeless tale. 

    Central Park Dance

    In celebrating a legacy that has spanned across more than four decades, Central Park Dance has made its mark on the Westchester dance community. As a producer of original ballets, they invite their all levels to participate. Dancers of all ages will make up their large ensemble of performers, spanning from the littlest mouse to the blizzard of snowflakes.

    Central Park Dance Performs Nutcracker at The Capitol Theatre

    This year, the production will welcome back American Ballet Theatre soloist Luciana Paris to dance the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy, along with her Cavalier Jose Sebastian, who is currently a member of American Ballet Theatre’s corps de ballet as well as the director of ABT’s Incubator program. 

    Central Park Dance

    “In our more than 40 years in Westchester, we have watched several generations of students dance through our doors,” explains Maria Bai and Mario La Strada, founder and directors of Central Park Dance Studio.  

    Central Park Dance

    “We have made it our mission to offer students a well-rounded dance education that includes not only time in the studio, but opportunities to interact with and perform for our community. We are overwhelmed by the support we have received around our sold-out productions over the last 6 years, and we are so lucky to be able to expand the opportunity to more students and more families each year.” 

    Central Park Dance

    One of the longest running and most respected dance studios in Westchester for 40 years, Central Park Dance offers classic and progressive styles of dance and fitness for both adults and children. Central Park Dance is also home to the Signature and Remixx performance companies as well as the Ballet Academy, which provides the aspiring dancer with pre-professional training, performance opportunities and mentorships.

    The Nutcracker performances will take place on Sunday, December 11th at 12:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. Ticket prices range from $45, $35 and $25 and are available by clicking the link here.

  • New NYC Venue Racket to Open Next Year

    A brand new venue called Racket will be opening in the heart of the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City, a mid-size 650-capacity club.

    racket

    The Bowery Presents, the East Coast regional partner of AEG Live, shared the news on social media. The Racket is set to fill the holes of the many other mid-sized venues that have closed their doors over the years. For example, the Highline Ballroom in Chelsea closed its doors on Feb. 18, 2019, after it was unable to renew its lease. Other venues that closed their doors in the surrounding areas in 2018 and prior include Output, Cielo, and Cornelia Street Cafe. Also recently, the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn announced it was closing forever.

    The venue will officially open its doors in 2023, with acts to follow. The catchphrase of the venue, from their social media, seems to be “let’s make a racket.” People can sign up on the venue’s website to get email notifications when shows will officially be announced.

    People are reacting well to the news on social media, with excitement and joy about the venue opening. After so many venues closing over the years in NYC and beyond, it is refreshing to see big names coming together to create new ones.

    h/t Relix

  • 20th Annual Native American Music Awards to be Held at Seneca Casino

    The 20th annual Native American Music awards will be held on November 19 at the Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino in Niagara Falls. The event is back after the pandemic’s devastating impact on Indigenous communities across America.

    native american music awards
    Robert Mesa

    The Native American Music Awards will be commemorating National Native American Heritage month. The host this year will be actor Robert Mesa (Navajo/ Soboba) who most recently played the character James Chee, the first Indigenous doctor on Grey’s Anatomy.

    Rodney Grant will be the host emcee, for the fourth time in his career. He has had an outstanding career in film, motion pictures, and television. He is best known for his memorable role as ”Wind In His Hair” in the 1990 film Dances With Wolves. Rodney Grant will also be inducting artist Micki Free into the Native American Music Awards Hall of Fame.

    The awards were originally formed in 1998 as a national organization committed to traditional and contemporary Native American music. This year’s nominees have embraced many issues facing tribal communities today including; Missing and Murdered Indigenous women, land back, climate crisis, and the devastating pandemic.

    The awards will proudly recognize and honor Oren Lyons as a Living Legend. He is an artist, speaker, author and environmental activist for Indigenous peoples worldwide and holds the title of Wisdom Keeper. He has advocated at the United Nations to recognize Indigenous rights, and is the Faithkeeper of the Turtle Clan, Onondaga Nation.

    Native American music awards
    Oren Lyons

    This year’s Hall of Fame inductee is Micki Free, a Grammy Award winner and multiple Native American Music Award winner of Comanche and Cherokee descent. He is currently on tour supporting his latest album, Turquoise Blue, which features members of The Santana Band, Steve Stevens of Billy Idol and Gary Clark Jr.. 

    The Lifetime Achievement Award recipients are Paul LaRoche and Robert Tree Cody. LaRoche is the founding member of Brulé, the epic Native American rock show. Brule’ has won eight Native American Music Awards, released 20 CDs, and sold over one million CDs worldwide. Robert Tree Cody is a five-time award winner, and a multi-talented flutist, singer, dancer, actor, and educator.

    Featured performers this year include Antoine Edwards Jr, Cody Blackbird, Earl Slick and the Fabulous Ripcords, Fawn Wood, Gunner Jules, Spur Pourier, Sten Joddi, and The Halluci Nation.

    The Native American Music Awards has teamed up with SiriusXM for a special curated music mix celebrating the musical contributions of Native American artists. “Native American Voices,” an exclusive mix highlighting artists from the awards Hall of Fame, is hosted by the organization’s president, Ellen Bello. The content will be available on SiriusXM beginning Oct. 31, on the SXM App for the month of Nov.

    Tickets for the awards show are on sale now here, and voting for the award ceremony remains open until Nov. 18.