Category: News Desk

  • Kraftwerk Announces 2022 3-D Tour, Stopping At Radio City Music Hall

    Electronic pioneers of the last 50 plus years, Kraftwerk, are set for their 2022 North American Tour beginning this May. Not only is the group stopping at Radio City Music Hall on June 17, but they recently added three dates, including June 14 at State Theatre in New Brunswick, NJ.

    Kraftwerk

    Considering Kraftwerk has been around since 1970 and they have had to put their shows on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the group is excited to share their next best thing. With a combination of electronic music, 3-D visuals and performance art, Kraftwerk is certain they will wow their fans on tour.

    Kraftwerk is known for their influence on music culture in regards to clubs and DJs, techno, as well as all forms of electronic dance music. Therefore, there’s no surprise their Remixes compilation album showcases what the group represents. This album will be available on vinyl and CD on April 8 in the U.S. Furthermore, the album consists of Kraftwerk’s original remixes from 1991-2021, as well as contributions from some of the world’s biggest DJs and producers. These prominent voices in the music industry include François Kervorkian, William Orbit, Étienne de Crécy, Orbital, Underground Resistance, DJ Rolando and Hot Chip.

    Since the 1970s, Kraftwerk has set the tone for innovative techniques, synthetic voices, and computerized rhythms in regards to electronic music. The group who first began as a duo with Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider, influenced other genres of music, one being synth-pop. By the mid-1970s, the group had international recognition for their accomplishments and efforts to produce new sounds to the world of music from their experimentation with robotics and other technological innovations.

    In recent years beginning in 2012, Kraftwerk changed their 3-D visuals to resemble the art scene of Düsseldorf, Germany from the late 1960s. In fact, this theme switch was first showcased at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Following the MOMA’s exhibition, this series continued in London, Tokyo, Los Angelos, Berlin and more.

    Due to Kraftwerk’s impact, they have been honored with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 and were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2021.

    Tickets are currently available, but to learn more information visit the Kraftwerk website.  

  • Blue Note NY Announces 11th Annual Jazz Festival

    Blue Note New York has announced the 11th Annual Blue Note Jazz Festival, presented by Sony. Kicking off June 1, there will be a free show in Washington Square Park headlined by Robert Glasper in association with Washington Square Park Conservancy.

    blue note festival lineup
    The Blue Note Jazz Festival Lineup.

    Since 1981, the Blue Note Jazz Club has been a cultural institution in NYC and one of the premiere jazz clubs in the world. Blue Note strives to preserve the history of jazz, and the club practices the foundations of jazz on a nightly basis.

    This year’s festival will be taking place at major venues across NYC, including Blue Note New York, Sony Hall, The Town Hall, and SummerStage in Central Park. There will be featured performances by George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic, Chris Botti, Charles Lloyd, Macy Gray, Kenny G, Al Di Meola, Madeleine Peyroux, Dave Holland & Kenny Barron, Robert Cray, Kenny Garrett, and many more.

    Alex Kurland, Director of Programming at the festival had a lot to say about this year’s festival.

    This year’s Blue Note Jazz Festival in New York presents an exceptional range and depth of artistry. We’re excited and proud to present a diverse lineup within different settings and at venues featuring the most established, iconic and influential artists as well as the next generation of cutting edge progressive artists at venues ranging from Washington Square Park, Central Park to the Blue Note Jazz Club in Greenwich Village and more. We are grateful again to bring a tasteful city-wide music festival to the culture of New York City.

    The European Sounds Series returns to the Blue Note Jazz Festival this summer with weekend brunch shows at the club. It features international acts from places like Switzerland, Estonia, Romania, Spain, France, Poland, Austria, and Slovakia. Tickets for the festival can be bought here.

    Sony presents Blue Note Jazz Festival 2022
    5/31 – 6/1 – DOMi & JD Beck – Blue Note New York
    6/1 – Robert Glasper – Washington Square Park (FREE)
    6/2-3 – Madeleine Peyroux – Sony Hall
    6/2-5 – Kenny Garrett – Blue Note New York
    6/3 – An Evening with Kenny G – The Town Hall
    6/6 – Dizzy Gillespie Afro-Latin Experience – Blue Note New York
    6/7 – The Robert Cray Band – Sony Hall
    6/7-12 – Al Di Meola – Blue Note New York
    6/8 – The Legendary RAKIM with Special Guest Ravi Coltrane – Sony Hall
    6/10 – Fabrizio Sotti w/ Ice T & M1 of Dead Prez – Sony Hall
    6/11 – Herbie Hancock w/ Special Guest Opener: Keyon Harrold – SummerStage (FREE)
    6/13 – Raul Midón – Blue Note New York
    6/13 – Bilal – Sony Hall
    6/14 – Los Pericos – Sony Hall
    6/14-19 – José James – Blue Note New York
    6/15 – George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic – Summerstage
    6/16 – The Zappa Band – Sony Hall
    6/18-19 – Chris Botti – Sony Hall
    6/21-26 – Dave Holland and Kenny Barron Trio with Johnathan Blake – Blue Note New York
    6/22 – Big Bad VooDoo Daddy – Sony Hall
    6/23 – Con Tumbao ft. Robert Ameen, Issac Delgado, Oscar Hernandez, Conrad Herwig, Pedrito Martinez – Sony Hall
    6/26 – An Evening with Charles Lloyd w/ The Chapel Trio featuring Bill Frisell & Thomas Morgan + Kindred Spirits featuring Bill Frisell, Jason Moran, Reuben Rogers & Kendrick Scott – Sony Hall
    6/27-29 – Theo Croker – Blue Note New York
    6/29 – Harlem Gospel Choir Sings Nina Simone – Sony Hall
    6/30 – Dizzy Gillespie Big Band – Sony Hall
    6/30 – 7/3 – Macy Gray – Blue Note New York

  • NY Punk Band Shakeout Release Inspiring Single “Build Your Building”

    NY Punk Band Shakeout has just released their new inspiring single “Build Your Building.” This is the second single from the band this year, who just got off an east coast tour.

    Shakeout is a two-piece alt/punk band from Yonkers that formed at the end of 2016. The band’s songwriting is filled with experimentation as they take influence from a multitude of genres including punk, pop, and hip-hop. They have also built their sound on the heavy use of looping, which creates the idea that there are more than two people in the band. They are unique as well because both of the band’s members are named A.J.

    The band has already self-released three EPs, has played throughout the east coast and midwest. They have played at multiple festivals, including the Launch Music Conference in Lancaster, PA, NYC’s Punk Island, and NY Riverfest.

    The new single “Build Your Building” is inspiring with lyrics about “feeding a machine that dictates the lives we lead” and “building yourself up and don’t tear them down.” The song has a steady drum beat and layers of guitars. The overarching message of the song is inspiring, as they urge you to build yourself up and don’t tear others down, as they shout it in the bridge.

    The single is availible to listen to now on any streaming service.

  • Cobblestone Live Music & Arts Festival Announces Daily Lineup and Schedule For 4th Annual Event

    The Cobblestone Live Music & Arts Festival is preparing for its 4th annual event with over 16 artists in Buffalo’s Historic Cobblestone District on July 15 and 16.

    For this event there will be four stages: the main outdoor stage will be located on the corner of South Park Ave & Illinois Street, the second will be on Columbia Street, the third is located inside of Buffalo Iron Works, and the fourth stage is inside Lockhouse Distillery & Bar.

    For the past 10 years the Historic Cobblestone District has been a neighborhood full of live music, entertainment and has paved the foundation of Cobblestone Live bars, restaurants and venues; with the goal being to grow each year until this festival is national-sized.

    Following the events of the last two years, we are thrilled to announce that we are coming back bigger and better than ever this year. With the birth of Twenty6 Productions in 2020, we have resources that we haven’t had in previous years – which shows in the lineup and will certainly be evident at the festival itself for years to come.

    Festival Director and Twenty6 Productions CEO Josh Holtzman

    Advanced tickets are discounted: the two-day general access is $40, while the single-day general access is $25. There are also VIP tickets: the two-day access is $175 and the single-day access is $100. However, the day of the festival tickets are $50 for both days and $30 for one. Additionally, the VIP ticket for both days is $200 while the single-day ticket is $125. VIP passes consist of extra amenities such as private areas, front-of-stage viewing, a premium bar with craft beverages, lounge area and more.

    For more information and to acquire tickets visit the Cobblestone Live website.

    THE COBBLESTONE LIVE 2022 LINEUP

    Misterwives
    Pigeons Playing Ping Pong
    Andy Frasco & The UN
    The Hip Abduction
    Doom Flamingo
    Mihali of Twiddle
    Alanis Morissette Tribute ft. former members of Turkuaz
    Dirty Work [Steely Dan Tribute] ft. members of Aqueous & The Sideways
    Funktional Flow
    SE2 Silent Disco [Alt, Hip Hop, 2K Pop]
    Workingman’s Dead
    Grub
    Canetis
    Mom Said No
    The Sideways
    Grace Greenan

  • ‘Silly Billy Strings’ Comedy and Bluegrass tour announced

    This summer, bluegrass meets comedy with the Silly Billy Strings tour. Nashville’s newest GRAMMY award winner will perform four short sets on each stop of the tour, with comedians in between for their own sets.

    Presented by Silly String, The Silly Billy Strings Tour will kick off at Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl, before embarking on a tour of socially distanced venues thoughout the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

    silly billy strings

    Joining Billy for the shows are veteran comedians Bill Maher, Bill Burr and Bill Engvall. Maher, the host of Real Time with Bill Maher said of the tour “I don’t know much about bluegrass, but what I do know is that there is only weed in my baggie.”

    When asked for comment, Bill Burr simply shouted “Billy Motherfuckin’ Strings!” Meanwhile, Bill Engvall of Blue Color Comedy Tour fame, said “I am so happy to be on this tour, Billy has been a great friend ever since he changed the lyrics to “While I’m waiting, here’s your sign.”

    Billy will also pay special tribute to the late, great Bill Hicks, with a special performance of “Wild Bill Jones.” Tickets are on sale starting April 31 at Ticketron outlets nationwide.

  • UPS to sponsor WEEN ‘Are you Down with the Brown?’ Tour

    Later this year, Ween will head out on the road with a tour sponsored by the Brownest Brand around, UPS. The “Are You Down with the Brown?” Tour will see Ween heading from show to show in a fleet of iconic UPS delivery vans, which will be painted powder blue during the tour. 

    ween brown

    “We partnered with UPS in part for their professionalism and their overall commitment to deliver your packages, even if the weather is cold and wet,” said an enthusiastic Gene Ween. 

    UPS will serve as the delivery vehicle of choice when you need someone to carry that velvet sack full of pretty colored marbles to your Voodoo Lady. The tour will also guarantee that delivery of all roses will be free.

    UPS drivers are excited about the collaboration. “We’re in the mood to move and do our thang,” said Big Jilm. ““People keep telling us to SLOW DOWN BOY, but we’re got packages to deliver!”

    “I’ve been with Brown since the 90’s” said Fat Lenny, a UPS regional manager. “Frank over here, he and I will be your Johnny on the Spot this jawn.”

    A special bonus feature of the UPS/Ween tour is in person delivery of packages by a member of Ween. This offer is only available for those living on Buckingham Green, Alcan Road, Up On the Hill or Joppa Road, and residents of Chocolate Town, Basom and Israel.

    Ween “Are you Down with Brown?” Tour Dates will be announced on April 31st, 2022.

  • Dead and Company Summer Tour 2022 to Make Stops at Citi Field, SPAC, Bethel Woods

    This summer, Dead and Company will embark on a 20 show cross-country tour, including shows at SPAC and Bethel Woods, plus a two-night tour-closing run at Citi Field.

    dead and company summer tour

    Summer 2022 marks the seventh tour for Dead and Company – Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, John Mayer, and Bob Weir, with Oteil Burbridge and Jeff Chimenti – since forming in 2015.

    During the Dead and Company 2022 Summer Tour, the band will make stops at Bay Area at Shoreline Amphitheater, two nights at University of Colorado Boulder’s Folsom Field, two nights at Wrigley Field in Chicago, a night at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA, and a night at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, before wrapping up with epic shows at Citi Field in New York. 

    Dead and Company are no strangers to New York, having kicked off their first ever tour in Albany at the Times Union Center in October 2015, along with annual stops in Saratoga Springs, New York City, and all points in between.

    In summer 2021, Dead and Company made stops at SPAC, Bethel Woods (where they recreated the Grateful Dead’s less than memorable Woodstock set) Darien Lake and Citi Field.

    Tickets will go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, April 8 @ 10 AM at deadandcompany.com

    To ensure fans get tickets directly in their hands, Fan Registration is now available HERE until Sunday, April 3 at 12 Noon PDT, through Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan program.

    Dead & Company 2022 Summer Tour

    Sat Jun 11 Los Angeles, CA Dodger Stadium

    Mon Jun 13 Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre

    Tue Jun 14 Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre

    Fri Jun 17 Boulder, CO Folsom Field

    Sat Jun 18 Boulder, CO Folsom Field

    Tue Jun 21 Maryland Heights, MO Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre

    Wed Jun 22 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center

    Fri Jun 24 Chicago, IL Wrigley Field

    Sat Jun 25 Chicago, IL Wrigley Field

    Tue Jun 28 Noblesville, IN Ruoff Music Center

    Wed Jun 29 Clarkston, MI Pine Knob Music Theatre

    Fri Jul 01 Bethel, NY Bethel Woods Center for the Arts

    Sat Jul 02 Foxborough, MA Gillette Stadium

    Tue Jul 05 Hartford, CT The XFINITY Theatre

    Wed Jul 06 Saratoga Springs, NY SPAC

    Fri Jul 08 Bristow, VA Jiffy Lube Live

    Sun Jul 10 Philadelphia, PA Citizens Bank Park

    Tue Jul 12 Burgettstown, PA The Pavilion at Star Lake

    Fri Jul 15 New York, NY Citi Field

    Sat Jul 16 New York, NY Citi Field

    Check deadandcompany.com for complete tour information. 

  • Jake Huffman EP “Adderall & Whiskey” Out April 29th

    Producer and multi-instrumentalist Jake Huffman has announced his newest EP Adderall & Whisky, dropping on April 29th. This EP is inspired by his early 20’s, and lyrically he writes about the story of the rise and fall of love along with experiencing life in a rock band. “Giving it a Try” and “Just a Little More” only preview the intensity of Huffman’s newest project.

    Jake Huffman EP "Adderall & Whiskey" out April 29th
    photo credit: Coley Stevens 

    Since he was young, Jake Huffman began his musical journey traveling up and down the east coast with his rock and roll band, McLovins. With influence from early 2000’s alt-rock, Huffman’s writing flows into an Indie rock/Indie pop mindset combined with deep personal lyrics. In 2010, Rolling Stone described his band as “having the ability to harness the musical ferocity of Trey Anastasio, Les Claypool and Stewart Copeland before being able to legally drive a car.”

    "Adderall & Whiskey" EP
    “Adderall & Whiskey” EP

    Stated in a previous article from NYS Music, Huffman went back to college when COVID-19 hit, getting a Certificate in Music Production from Berkelee School of Music in Boston. During his time being locked down, Huffman dove into his studio work writing about 50 tunes over 2020-21 along with teaching music lessons remotely four days a week.

    Jake told Relix Magazine “Over the last few years, mostly in isolation, I was forced to look inward and found creative inspiration in the process.  I always tell aspiring songwriters that the best songs are honest, simple and specific. “Giving it a Try” is my way of practicing what I preach.”

    Jake releases his first solo song “Giving It A Try,” a preview of his full EP

    I took my own emotional arc of living with so much uncertainty in the world and produced and engineered the song myself from my home studio. The music video is a loose concept of writing, practicing and performing the song.  It’s a crowd favorite when the band and I play it live so I wanted to capture the love and energy for the song. I co-directed and edited the piece with my partner Coley Stevens who shot and colored the video.

    Jake Huffman

    As mentioned in a profile in Relix, Huffman said ““Over the last few years, mostly in isolation, I was forced to look inward and found creative inspiration in the process.  I always tell aspiring songwriters that the best songs are honest, simple and specific. “Giving it a Try” is my way of practicing what I preach.  I took my own emotional arc of living with so much uncertainty in the world and produced and engineered the song myself from my home studio.”

    Get tickets for the Mercury Lounge show on May 20th here, located on the Lower East Side of NYC

  • Country-Roots musician Jim Miller Passes Away Unexpectedly

    Guitarist, songwriter, and singer Jim Miller of the band Western Centuries passed away unexpectedly from cardiac arrest while on tour in Boston last week. Miller was 69 years old and his passing has been felt hard on the Americana and acoustic roots musical communities. Outside of his songwriting in Western Centuries, known for its biting social commentary and insightful phrasing, Jim Miller was a founding member of Americana pioneers Donna the Buffalo and also collaborated with musicians like Dirk Powell, Rosie and Richie Stearns, Jim Lauderdale, Ginny Hawker, and Tim O’Brien. 

    Western Centuries was formed around three very different, but complimentary, songwriters: Jim with Cahalen Morrison and Ethan Lawton from Seattle. At live shows, the three would trade instruments, swap leads, and share the stage in a manner unusual for most Americana and country bands. Part of this stemmed from Miller, who loved to perform, but was always humble and soft-spoken about his own contributions to the music and the community. 

    Jim Miller was born in Boston in 1953 and lived for a time in Colorado. As a child, he spent much of his boyhood on the Canadian prairies around Saskatchewan, singing in the Saskatoon Boys Choir and getting introduced to roots music through his parents. An early experience at a Jimi Hendrix concert and exposure to the folk music concert series at Yale University brought Miller deeper into the fold. He later formed Donna the Buffalo with Tara Nevins in graduate school and was a key member of the band for fifteen years, touring heavily throughout the country. Miller cut five albums with Donna the Buffalo and was a key part of their early sound.

    He was also a respected lepidopterist (scientist who studies moths and butterflies), earning a PhD from Cornell University. Though he toured all across the United States and over to the United Kingdom and Europe with Western Centuries, his lifelong quest for understanding moths took him to even further corners of the globe; he was especially an expert on moths in South America. In addition to all the music fans left mourning by Miller’s passing, there are also many in academia who are speaking now in remembrance of how he influenced them directly and encouraged their careers.

    Miller ended up meeting Cahalen Morrison and Ethan Lawton at jam sessions around the town after moving to Seattle. The three formed Western Centuries as a way to explore an urban nexus of country that drew from their own roving influences, like Morrison’s Southwest origins, Lawton’s interest in early soul and reggae, and Miller’s groove-laden history of song building. The band recorded four albums with Free Dirt Records with their most recent album, Call the Captain, released in 2020 and called “truly diverse” by Rolling Stone Magazine. The band had just finished recording a new album when Miller tragically passed away.

    Jim Miller
  • Scorpions to perform benefit show at MSG in Support of Bangladesh

    German rock band, Scorpions, are set to perform a historic concert fit for the world’s most famous arena, Madison Square Garden, on Friday, May 6. The rock outfit will take the stage in celebration of Bangladesh’s 50th year of independence. Joining them on the special occasion will be Bangladeshi fusion/rock band, Chirkutt.

    The charitable event will be organized by The Bangladesh Information and Communication Technology (ICT) division, with the support of the Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority, the United Nations Development Programme, the U.S. Embassy in Bangladesh and local sponsors. The large-scale performance will be held in hopes of gaining a global audience and celebrating Bangladesh’s half-century anniversary through this live, one-night-only musical performance. Keeping the philanthropic tone of the event, proceeds from the concert will benefit the United Nations Development Programme’s global awareness campaign on cyber security programs for the youth and children, with a focus on under-developed countries.

    With over 110 million records sold around the world and over 2.2 billion views on YouTube, Scorpion will more than likely play fan favorites from their impressive catalogue, which includes hits like “Wind of Change,” “Still Loving You,” “Rock You Like a Hurricane,” “Send Me an Angel,” and many more. Founded in Hannover, West Germany in 1965, they were part of the first wave of metal in the 1970’s with their debut album, Lonesome Crow, released in 1972. The band was ranked #46 on VH1’s Greatest Artists of Hard Rock, while their hit “Rock You Like a Hurricane” came in at #18 on VH1’s list of the 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs. 

    The long-standing rock band has received multiple honors including World Music Award winners and a Star on the Hollywood Rock Walk. Most recently, they were honored with the Lower Saxon State Award. 

    Chirkutt is one of the most popular fusion band music troupes in Bangladesh. Founded in 2002, the band has also worked on several local film music scores in their home country. After releasing their debut full-length album “Chirkuttnama” in 2010, and through live performances, they had a rapid upsurge in growth.

    Tickets will go on sale on Monday, April 4 at 10 a.m. (EST) through Ticketmaster. Scorpions Rock Zone fan club members will have an exclusive, first access to tickets available starting Thursday March 31 at 10 a.m. (EST). For more information and to join the community visit The-Scorpions.com/RockZone