The Water Street Hall-O-Ween show will take place on Friday, October 28, featuring local and regional Rochester bands have the opportunity to perform on the Hall stage, performing as another band. There will also be a haunted house in The Club, curated by Casey Arthur, as well as a costume contest.
poster by Sadie May
Water Street Music Hall is located alongside the Genesee River and has been Rochester’s premier music venue since 1999. With more than 20 years of shows with artists from Ashanti to St. Vincent, we look forward to continuing our mission of bringing the finest musical acts to the ROC.
The lineup of bands and their musical costumes includes:
Branford Marsalis continues to thrill audiences around the world while racking up achievements across diverse musical platforms, even after four decades in the international spotlight. From his initial recognition as a young jazz lion, he has expanded his vision as an instrumentalist, composer, bandleader and educator, crossing stylistic boundaries while maintaining an unwavering creative integrity.
In the process, he has become an avatar of contemporary artistic excellence winning three Grammy Awards, a Tony nomination for his work as a composer on Broadway, a citation by the National Endowment for the Arts as Jazz Master, and a 2021 Primetime EMMY nomination for the score he composed for the Tulsa Burning documentary.
Wynton Marsalis preview 0115
Tickets for Music Hall Members are now on-sale, while single tickets go on sale to the general public Friday, October 28th, at 10am via phone, (518) 273-0038, in person, or online at www.troymusichall.org. Tickets for Branford Marsalis are available at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall Box Office, 30 Second Street, Troy, Monday through Friday 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. More information on the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall and upcoming programs is available on the website at TroyMusicHall.org.
Music has been an integral part of the moviegoing experience ever since the Lumière Brothers screened the first silent shorts with musical accompaniment in Paris in 1895. Today, Upstate Films is continuing the tradition of celebrating film and music together at its theaters in Rhinebeck and Saugerties and many other locations via its traveling Hudson Valley Picture Show.
From musicals to documentaries and biopics to staging live performances before and to complement silent film screenings, Upstate Films is putting a uniquely creative touch to the fusion of music and moviegoing.
The venture launched in 1972 as a single-screen, not-for-profit cinema in Rhinebeck. In 2010, it added to its footprint by leasing Woodstock’s Tinker Street Cinema for a decade. With its departure from Tinker Street in 2020, Upstate Films moved on to an even grander space, The Orpheum Theater in Saugerties. This new acquisition was forged by Upstate Films’ newly appointed co-executive directors, the creative team of Jason Silverman and Paul Sturtz.
“The Orpheum Theater is a true classic,” says Katie Cokinos, Senior Programmer for Upstate Films. “It opened in 1908 as a vaudeville theater and has a big, beautiful stage which is ideal for live events. We’ve had everything from staged readings of plays to poetry and book events and, of course, a bounty of live music. That’s not only here, but also at our Rhinebeck location and throughout the area with our Hudson Valley Picture Show.”
Launched in Spring 2021, The Hudson Valley Picture Show is a traveling film experience, one that is often staged “al fresco” at some of the region’s most bucolic backdrops. With the purchase of a state-of-the-art outdoor screening system including a 24-foot screen, an ultra-bright projector and a powerful sound system, Upstate Films has popped up at venues like Olana, Kingston’s Old Dutch Church, Catskills Community Theater and many more.
“Our Hudson Valley Picture Show events always incorporate a live music component,” says Jason Silverman. “My co-director Paul and I really love music. And since we are new to the area, we thought this would be great way for us to not only get to know but showcase the unparalleled wealth of musical talent that call the Hudson Valley home.
“Over the course of the past two years, we’ve probably had 40 acts performing in our theaters and Hudson Valley Picture Show,” continues Silverman. “We’ve had everyone from jazz greats like Bill Ware and local legends like Simi Stone to up-and-coming younger bands and solo artists as well as a revival of the John Street Jam, a long-running singer-songwriter event in Saugerties that was without a home for a few years. ”
On Friday, October 28, Upstate Films’ Hudson Valley Picture Show will present a screening of the 1920 horror classic, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, with live musical accompaniment by The Anvil Orchestra. Founded by Roger Clark Miller (Mission of Burma) and Terry Donahue more than 30 years. The event will take place at The Community Theater in Catskill, New York.
“The marriage of silent film and live musical accompaniment is something we’ve been exploring since we reopened The Orpheum in November 2021,” adds Silverman. “Our opening weekend actually featured a screening of Buster Keaton’s Sherlock Jr. with a live score by pianist Barbara Lee. It was something that not only pleased adults but kids as well. We look forward to doing more of it in the future.”
Upstate Films and its Hudson Valley Picture Show have also boasted screenings of many of the best music documentaries. The list includes the Prince-focused Sign of the Times, the recent Bowie doc Moonage Daydream and Anonymous Club, a critically-acclaimed profile of enigmatic singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett.
Barry’s book is a ‘fly on the wall” account of the final chapter of Helm’s life and the scene that grew up around his legendary, star-studded home concerts, the Midnight Rambles. These weekly events were a way for Helm to both recover from bankruptcy and battle against throat cancer, something that had robbed him of his legendary voice for a time. Barry spent years just hanging and recording conversations with Helm, both in his home and on the road. The book, which took the writer 14 years to complete, may provide the truest look into the spirit of this legendary American music-maker and his triumphant final turn with the Grammy-Award winning album, Dirt Farmer, before his passing in April 2012.
Barry was joined at the sell-out event by Barbara O’Brien, who served as Helm’s manager during this final chapter, and Radio Woodstock’s amiable morning host Greg Gattine. The trio provided many humorous and heartfelt anecdotes about their time with Helm, providing unique insight into both his music and his life in Woodstock. The event was co-sponsored by Inquiring Minds Books in Saugerties which, in this writer’s estimation, has the largest selection of music biographies and histories to be found in the Hudson Valley. For more information on Barry’s book, visit rockrollramble.com.
Silverman continues: “We think of ourselves as a cultural center, something that is about film, of course, but also about the other arts that flourish here in the Hudson Valley. We pay every musician who plays here too, which is important. There are many ways to use a theater and music is just one. But it’s one that is a true cornerstone of Hudson Valley culture, one, as with Helm’s story, can have a lasting, worldwide impact.”
Upstate Films will mark the holidays with two additional musical events. Woodstock-based singer/songwriter Chris Maxwell will be teaming with Holly Miranda and Ambrosia Parsley on a quirky holiday musical/variety show, The Great Big Christmas Show. Slated for December 11 at The Orpheum Theater, it will include tune created by the trio for their 2016 holiday CD, Catskill Christmas. Also upcoming in a holiday themed rock-and-roll performance by the youngsters at Woodstock’s own rock school, The Rock Academy, at The Orpheum on December 4 at noon.
Ithaca’s Orchestra, the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra, will open its 46th season on Saturday, October 29. The opening night for the orchestra’s 2022-2023 will feature acclaimed pianist Max Levinson.
The Cayuga Chamber Orchestra was founded in 1976, but has come a long way since. In the past decade alone, the CCO added a Youth Orchestra and a Diversity Career Fellowship program, which creates opportunities for college-aged musicians in underserved communities. Each CCO Season promises an orchestral series, chamber music series, holiday concert and free family concerts. This season will see five orchestral concerts and three chamber music concerts in the next months. In November, March and June, be on the lookout for the CCO’s family concert and storytime programs, as well as shows from the Youth Orchestra.
Max Levinson will play Mendelssohn’s “Fingal’s Cave,” Respighi’s “The Birds,” and finish with Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5: “Emperor.” Levinson is a highly awarded musician — he was the first American to win First Prize at the Guardian Dublin International Piano competition, he won the Avery Fisher Career Grant, and has been praised in such esteemed papers as the Boston Globe.
Levinson comes to the CCO under new Interim Music Director Grant Cooper. This is Cooper’s first season with the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra, he is also a Visiting Professor and conductor at Ithaca College.
Opening night begins at 7:30 on October 29 in Ford Hall at Ithaca College. Tickets are $10-$30 and can be purchased here.
moequeous, the supergroup featuring members of two influential jam bands who got their starts in the Queen City of Buffalo, will reunite for the second time ever at Buffalo’s Town Ballroom on Saturday, October 29.
The musicians joining forces for this evening of music include moe. guitarist Al Schnier and drummer Vinnie Amico, alongside Aqueous’ guitarist Mike Gantzer, bassist Evan McPhaden and drummer Rob Houk.
It’s a cool full circle thing to intertwine the AQ and moe. worlds so directly-Both bands have history at Town Ballroom and share strong roots being from Buffalo, too. There’s something really connective about that, and I’ve always felt a unique kinship and chemistry when making music or even just hanging with those guys. Much of AQ’s early inspiration came from seeing moe. too, so that should tell you just how truly special this will be!
Mike Gantzer
The Halloween show marks the second performance of the group, the first time featuring Aqueous’ Dave Loss, all of whom joined forces for a set in 2017.
We love our boys in AQ almost as much as we love Buffalo! Last time we all got together for a moe.queous throw down, it was such an awesome amalgamation of our two bands, and we knew it was something we should definitely do more often. And this time it’s perfect – in Buffalo, Halloween weekend, Bills vs. Packers, Town Ballroom!! It doesn’t get much better than this (unless of course, Josh Allen is sitting in).
Al Schnier
Just added earlier in the day, a family friendly Soundcheck Costume Party with moe. and Aqueous will be held from 4:15-6pm, with entry to benefit the American Cancer Society while giving kids a chance to dance to your favorite music!
Entry passes will be first come, first served. Attendees must be from the same household. A majority of the entry passes will go to families able to donate $100 or more. The remaining entry passes will go to families able to donate below $100. The entry request link will go live on October 25 at 4:00 pm EST. Those awarded entry will have 60 minutes to make their donation using the provided link or their entry will be released to the next family, so watch your inbox!
Entry requests can be made here. Entry passes to the family friendly Soundcheck Costume Party does not include the moe.queous evening show. You do not need tickets to the moe.queous evening show to attend this event.
Tickets for moequeous are on sale now. Find tickets here.
The Adjacent Music Festival, a brand new festival, is going to Atlantic City Beach in Atlantic City, NJ to kick off the summer of 2023 over Memorial Day weekend on May 27 and 28.
Photo credit: Andrew Hutchins.
The event is for all ages and brings over 40 bands on three stages with craft food and beverage experiences and vendors. It will take place ocean-side on the Atlantic City Beach adjacent to the world-famous Atlantic City Boardwalk featuring many artists who started their careers in the Northeast.
The headliners for the festival are the newly reunited blink-182 and Paramore. blink-182 started rocking almost thirty years ago in a San Diego garage. They have sold over fifty-million albums worldwide, and according to the New York Times, “No punk band of the 1990s has been more influential than ‘blink-182’.” They are working on releasing their tenth studio album after reuniting the original members.
Paramore is a rock band that formed in 2004 out of Franklin, Tennessee. They have dominated the rock charts with their singles like “Misery Business” and “Ain’t It Fun.” Their heavily awaited return has caused them to be the most sought acts to see in the rock scene today.
The Adjacent Music Festival also has many other notable acts performing. Artists like Japanese Breakfast, who just performed on SNL last season, and Bleachers, led by six-time Grammy award winner Jack Antonoff, will be playing. Other acts include The Front Bottoms, Waterparks, Jimmy Eat World, and Turnstile.
Tickets for the Adjacent Music Festival go onsale Oct. 27 at 10 a.m.
NNAMDÏ, the genre bending rapper, singer and producer from Chicago will be coming to the East coast on Friday, October 28 to play Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn. The rapper has been releasing music since 2013, but his latest record is some of his most technical yet.
“Dedication,” track nine on NNAMDÏ’s newest album Please Have A Seat, contains a myriad of influence and originality. The song starts out with squeaky sounds, like two balloons rubbing against each other, in a “Thug Tears” by JPEGMAFIA type of avant garde, deconstructed beat. Then it breaks down into a Tierra Whack-esque perky r&b beat, which NNAMDÏ sing-raps over in a simple monotonous sound. But not even a minute later the song explodes, with layered melodies that evoke Kanye’s gospel choirs. By the time the song ends, with sparkly electric ad-libs and harmonious voices chanting, “It’s dedication,” I can barely remember how it started.
These hops from genre to genre are performed absolutely seamlessly; you don’t even realize it has happened by the time it is over. It’s that consistent inconsistency that defines NNAMDÏ himself; in his songs, performances and personality.
NNAMDÏ came up in the Chicago DIY scene but he broke into the mainstream in 2020 with his eclectic album BRAT. His previous albums had a rep for being weird and inaccessible, so in this album NNAMDÏ set out to make a “hummable” album, hoping to reach a wider audience.
I consciously wanted to make more communal things, some things that bring people together rather than alienate them — even though I love music that is dissonant and jarring and sometimes off in different ways.
NNAMDÏ, as told to FADER.
In the next months, NNAMDÏ is heading on a tour across the US that will finish in London and Berlin. He’ll be at Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn on October 29, click here for tickets. On October 30, he’ll be doing a Q&A and record signing at Rough Trade NYC.
NNAMDÏ Tour Dates
October 18 – Davenport, IA – The Raccoon Motel
October 19 – Minneapolis, MN – 7th St. Entry
October 20 – Milwaukee, WI – Cactus Club
October 22 – Chicago, IL – Metro
October 24 – Cleveland, OH – Mahall’s
October 25 – Toronto, ON – The Garrison
October 26 – Montreal, QC – Diving Bell Social Club
October 27 – Johnson, VT – Northern Vermont University
Blue Note New York has partnered with The Basie Presents for the Pat Metheny Side-Eye Show at the Beacon Theatre on Saturday, June 24.
The 20-time GRAMMY Award winning guitarist and composer will perform during the 2023 Blue Note Jazz Festival, marking the first time Metheny has played in New York since his Sony Hall run in 2019.
Side-Eye is Metheny’s trio project that features the guitarist performing alongside a rotating cast of young, envelope-pushing players. This edition of Side-Eye features Chris Fishman (keyboards, piano) and drummer Joe Dyson.
Pat Metheny’s Side Eye project embodies the very best in jazz, so it’s fitting that this show at the Beacon Theatre next June will be part of the storied Blue Note Jazz Festival. By virtue of its namesake, the Count Basie Center for the Arts and its off site promotion arm, The Basie Presents, is honored to be working with the Blue Note team and Mr. Metheny himself in bringing this concert to another one of our region’s storied performance venues.
Izzy Sackowitz, COO, Count Basie Center for the Arts
Pat Metheny’s versatility is almost without peer on any instrument. Over the years, he has performed with artists as diverse as Steve Reich to Ornette Coleman to Herbie Hancock to Jim Hall to Milton Nascimento to David Bowie. Metheny’s body of work includes compositions for solo guitar, small ensembles, electric and acoustic instruments, large orchestras, and ballet pieces, with settings ranging from modern jazz to rock to classical. As well as being an accomplished musician, Metheny has also participated in the academic arena as a music educator. He has also been a true musical pioneer in the realm of electronic music, and was one of the very first jazz musicians to treat the synthesizer as a serious musical instrument. It is one thing to attain popularity as a musician, but it is another to receive the kind of acclaim Metheny has garnered from critics and peers.
Blue Note New York will announce their annual New York City jazz festival in Spring 2023. Tickets for Pat Metheny at the Beacon Theatre are now on sale.
The popular Lift Concert Series in Troy presents performances of new, independent music featuring regional performers. The lineup for the 2022 series was announced, and it features a variety of genres of performances.
The Lift Concert Series takes place at the historic Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. It is curated by Organ Colossal: Sam Torres and Sophia Subbayya Vastek. The audience is invited to take the freight elevator to the backstage area, and be seated on stage, with the musicians, creating an intimate concert experience. Concerts last about an hour, and after the show concert goers are encouraged to go to the many restaurants or breweries in Troy.
The series starts on Dec. 14 with Rajna Swaminathan and Utsav Lal. Swaminathan has has been described as “a vital new voice” (Pop Matters), creating “music of gravity and rigor… yet its overall effect is accessible and uplifting” (Wall Street Journal). She is one of only a few women who play the mrudangam professionally. Lal is recognized as one of the most talented musicians of his generation, stunning the world with his innovative handling of Indian Classical Music on a Western instrument.
For World Piano Day on March 29, the Lift Concert Series will be hosting an event featuring local and regional pianists of different musical genres. The lineup is to be announced. The final event is on April 26, where Half Waif will be performing. Singer, songwriter, and producer Nandi Rose resides in the Hudson Valley and writes and records under the name Half Waif. Over the past decade, she has built upon her classical training to create a bold and unique sound that melds pop and folk songwriting styles with experimental production and arrangements.
Tickets for the Lift Concert Series at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall can be found here.
Mariah Carey has announced a three-date-only special holiday concert run called “Merry Christmas To All!” It will be coming to Madison Square Garden on Dec. 13 to celebrate Carey’s repertoire of classic holiday songs.
The “Merry Christmas To All!” shows are sure to sell out fast as they are the only holiday shows from Mariah Carey this year. Carey is an author, entrepreneur, philanthropist, producer, and multiple award-winning artist and songwriter. She is the best-selling female artist of all time with more than 200 million albums sold to date and 19 Billboard Hot 100 #1 singles.
She is an inductee to the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and has been recognized with multiple Grammy Awards, numerous American Music Awards, three Guinness World Record titles, both Billboard’s “Artist of the Decade” and “Icon” awards, just to name a few. She has left a lasting impact on the music industry
Besides being a musician, Mariah Carey has also donated her time and energy to a range of philanthropic causes including Save the Music, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, World Hunger Relief, and the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Carey founded Camp Mariah in partnership with the Fresh Air Fund, a retreat for inner-city children to explore career development.
Mariah Carey’s special three-date event called “Merry Christmas To All!” will be going to the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Canada on Dec. 11, and Madison Square Garden in NYC on Dec. 13 and 16. Tickets will be available to the general public starting on Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. During ticket checkout, fans will also be able to purchase an exclusive t-shirt, as well as a copy of Mariah’s illustrated holiday fairytale, The Christmas Princess, which is set to release on Nov. 1.
