Beginning February, Thursday the 24th and through February, Sunday the 27th, Shomyo Buddhist Ritual Chant: Spiral Mandala Ceremony will take place at Japan Society.
Japan Society was initially formed in 1907 to promote relations between the US and Japan. Since then, it has transformed into a metropolitan epicenter for the promotion of Japanese arts and culture throughout NYC. Due to social distancing guidelines, the event will take place over 12 different shows, with a maximum of 30 seats per show.
The event will be a deeply immersive theatrical experience. Audience members will sit on cushions placed on the stage floor and listen to shomyo, a ritual form of a Buddhist chant that is believed to have originated in India. After traveling through the Silk Road the ancient form made its way to Japan, where it has been practiced ever since.
Shomyo no Kai—Voices of a Thousand Years, a group of two dozen priests, will be performing Yu Kuwabara’s shomyo piece “Spiral Mandala Ceremony”. Alongside Shomyo no Kai, Brooklyn-based media designer Tei Blow will deliver stunningly hypnotizing visuals. The three parties in synthesis will create a sensory experience not worth missing.
Performance dates
Thursday, Thursday, February 24 – Shows at 6 pm and 8 pm
Friday, February 25 – Shows at 5:30 pm and 7:30 pm
Saturday, February 26 – Shows at 2 pm, 4 pm, 6:30 pm, and 8:30 pm
Sunday, February 27 – Shows at 12:30 pm, 2:30 pm, 4:30 pm, and 7 pm
Tickets are priced at $15. For more information, visit here.
Norwalk, Connecticut rock group Goose announced their third studio album, Dripfield, coming out on June 24th. Over the past few years, this band has constantly flourished throughout the music community, emerging as one of the premier bands working today.
DRIPFIELD Album Art
Dripfield features a 10-track LP that explores the details of their incredible journey and unbridled creativity. Along with the album’s innovation, the song “Borne” has a music video directed by Dylan Hahn and was shot over the course of three days in the Mojave Desert.
The underlying idea of Dripfield is that of saturation. Imagine a piece of earth – it’s kind of like the water level rising and seeping up to the top. It’s a metaphor for the creativity we have inside of us. I’m not sure what pulls it out of us – maybe it’s our subconscious.
Rick Mitarotonda
To me, every music video project is a new task of understanding the artist, and finding what I think is the best visual interpretation for them and their music. Collaborating with Goose, learning their unique humor and energy, and involving it in the story narrative was a rewarding part of the process.
Dylan Hahn
Goose (L-R): Peter Anspach (guitar, keys, vocals), Ben Atkind (drums), Rick Mitarotonda (guitar, vocals), Jeff Arevalo (percussion, vocals), Trevor Weekz (bass)
In late May, Goose will embark on an unforgettable summer tour, marked by headlining appearances at several notable festivals and venues nationwide. This Saturday, February 26, they’ll host Goosemas at Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut.
The tickets for all summer shows will be available through a lottery, paired with a ticket request period open from 12 PM ET on Tuesday, February 22nd through 5 PM ET Wednesday, February 23. A venue presale will run from 10 AM ET – 10 PM ET on Thursday, February 24. The general sale begins on Friday, February 25 at 10 AM ET.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit goosetheband.com.
On Thursday, February 24, bassist Karina Rykman will embark on the last show of her Winter Tour at Brooklyn Bowl, with Boston band Neighbor opening the night.
She’ll then look ahead to March when she heads out on a cross-country tour for most of March, opening for Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. In April she’ll be on the road with Too Many Zooz, including an appearance at Lark Hall on April 23.
Can’t believe my band will get to play in so many amazing places we’ve never been before. Here’s the list for Winter/Spring. Thanks so much for having us Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, TOO MANY ZOOZ, The Infamous Stringdusters The California Honeydrops!
Karina Rykman on Facebook
Rykman also plays bass with Marco Benevento, taking the role from JRAD and Ween bassist Dave Dreiwitz, and building a name for herself over the past few years. Whether she is soundchecking iwth Phish at Madison Square Garden, playing in the backing band on America’s Got Talent (in front of Howard Stern and co. at Radio City Music Hall), playing with Everyone Orchestra, or forming her own band, Karina is a force in the New York City jam scene, and beyond. She recently released two singles in 2020 – “City Kids” and “Dirty South”, and continues to perform live with her band, with 2022 looking as bright as ever.
Get the scoop on Karina’s bass rig with her feature in NYS Music’s Behind the Gear series.
Tickets for Rykman’s solo debut at Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg with Neighbor can be found here. All other shows are now on sale here.
Karina Rykman Spring 2022 Tour
2/24 – Brooklyn, NY • Brooklyn Bowl (with Neighbor) 3/3 – Houston, TX • White Oak Music Hall * 3/4 – Dallas, TX • The Echo Lounge & Music Hall * 3/5 – Austin, TX • Emo’s * 3/8 – Phoenix, AZ • Marquee Theatre * 3/9 – Flagstaff, AZ • The Orpheum Theater * 3/10 – San Diego, CA • The Observatory North Park * 3/11 – Los Angeles, CA • The Belasco * 3/12 – Berkeley, CA • The UC Theatre * 3/15 – Crystal Bay, NV • Crystal Bay Casino Lake Tahoe * 3/17 – Bend, OR • Midtown Bend * 3/18 – Portland, OR • Crystal Ballroom * 3/19 – Seattle, WA • Neptune Theatre * 3/20 – Seattle, WA • Neptune Theatre * 3/24 – Chicago, IL • Lincoln Hall + Schubas 3/25 – Indianapolis, IN • LO-FI Lounge 3/26 – Ferndale, MI • Otus Supply 3/27 – Cleveland, OH • The Beachland Ballroom and Tavern 4/21 – Burlington, VT • Higher Ground ^ 4/22 – Portland, ME • Aura ^ 4/23 – Albany, NY • Lark Hall ^ 4/25 – Morgantown, WV • 123 Pleasant Street ^ 4/26 – Charlottesville, VA • The Jefferson Theater ^ 4/27 – Greensboro, NC • The Blind Tiger ^ 4/28 – Asheville, NC • The Grey Eagle ^ 4/29 – Atlanta, GA • SweetWater 420 Festival 5/26 – Morrison, CO • Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre º * Pigeons Playing Ping Pong ^ TOO MANY ZOOZ º The Infamous Stringdusters & The California Honeydrops
Black Theatre Troupe of Upstate NYhas announced their latest production “The Light”, with performances at Lauren and Harold Iselin Studio at Capital Repertory Theatre (theREP), during March 3-6 and March 10-13, 2022.
BTTUNY was founded in 2009 by veteran actor Jean-Remy Monnay for the sole purpose of promoting communities of color. Monnay wished to foster understanding, appreciation and participation within the theater, as well as give a voice to the unheard.
Considering their headquarters is in the NYS Captial Region, a populated and industrialized region, the overall mission of the Black Theatre Troupe is benefited, since the audience reach is vast. The Lauren and Harold Iselin Studio at the Rep is located at 251 North Pearl Street in Albany. This will be BTTNY’s second show there since Monnay has been an Associate Artist.
“The Light” is about a relationship between a couple by the name of Rashad and Genesis. Unfortunately, all the love may come to an end after a marriage proposal does not go as planned. Buried accusations from the past are brought to life and lead to turmoil within their relationship. The million-dollar question is will their love prevail after the truth is revealed?
Tickets for this event are located on the BTTNY website. General admission is $20 and for students/seniors it is $15.
This summer The St, STADIUM TOUR with Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard, Poison, and Joan Jett, will be heading to two NY dates, at Citi Field and Highmark Stadium.
With over one million tickets sold, STADIUM TOUR is finally happening after two summers of COVID postponing it. It is a tour so massive, it is being held in North America’s biggest stadiums.
THE STADIUM TOUR SUMMER 2022: DEF LEPPARD, MÖTLEY CRÜE, With POISON And JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS
Following the huge success of their Netflix biopic, THE DIRT, Mötley Crüe has seen a huge surge in new fans, and a new younger demographic is listening to them. The band has sold over 100 million albums worldwide and has close to five billion streams across different platforms.
Def Leppard is one of the most important forces in rock music and has amassed a younger demographic of listeners as well. They have almost six billion streams with 110 million records sold.
Joan Jett changed the way rock and roll operate, being a female rocker in a time when there were few girls in the scene. Having nine top 40 hits and a career spanning film, TV, and Broadway, she is a force to be reckoned with.
Finally, the emerging band Classless Act will be opening. They were scouted by Mötley Crüe’s Tommy Lee after he heard their single “Give It To Me.” Speaking of opening bands, Lee had this to say.
I remember when we went out with Ozzy in 1984 and how it was an insane game changer!! We literally blew up after having that opportunity to play live in front of 20,000 people every f***ing night! Since then, we’ve always felt it was important to help new bands; whether it was Guns N Roses, Skid Row or so many others. This summer we’re gonna help out Classless Act.
Tickets to this all-star tour can be found here, with five more dates added in various cities.
Date City, ST Venue
Thursday, June 16 Atlanta, GA Truist Park
Saturday, June 18 Miami, FL Hard Rock Stadium
Sunday, June 19 Orlando, FL Camping World Stadium
Wednesday, June 22 Washington, DC Nationals Park
Friday, June 24 Queens, NY Citi Field
Saturday, June 25 Philadelphia, PA Citizens Bank Park
Tuesday, June 28 Charlotte, NC Bank of America Stadium
Thursday, June 30 Nashville, TN Nissan Stadium
Saturday, July 2 Jacksonville, FL TIAA Bank Field
Tuesday, July 5 St. Louis, MO Busch Stadium
Friday, July 8 Chicago, IL Wrigley Field
Sunday, July 10 Detroit, MI Comerica Park
Tuesday, July 12 Hershey, PA Hersheypark Stadium
Thursday, July 14 Cleveland, OH FirstEnergy Stadium,
Friday, July 15 Cincinnati, OH Great American Ball Park
Sunday, July 17 Milwaukee, WI American Family Field
Tuesday, July 19 Kansas City, MO Kauffman Stadium
Thursday, July 21 Denver, CO Coors Field
Friday, August 5 Boston, MA Fenway Park
Saturday, August 6 Boston, MA Fenway Park
Monday, August 8 Toronto, ON Rogers Centre
Wednesday, August 10 Orchard Park, NY Highmark Stadium
Friday, August 12 Pittsburgh, PA PNC Park
Sunday, August 14 Minneapolis, MN U.S. Bank Stadium
Tuesday, August 16 Indianapolis, IN Lucas Oil Stadium
Friday, August 19 Houston, TX Minute Maid Park
Sunday, August 21 San Antonio, TX Alamodome
Monday, August 22 Arlington, TX Globe Life Field
Thursday, August 25 Glendale, AZ State Farm Stadium
Saturday, August 27 Inglewood, CA SoFi Stadium
Sunday, August 28 San Diego, CA Petco Park
Wednesday, August 31 Seattle, WA T-Mobile Park
Friday, September 2 Vancouver, BC BC Place
Sunday, September 4 Edmonton, AB Commonwealth Stadium
Wednesday, September 7 San Francisco, CA Oracle Park
Friday, September 9 Las Vegas, NV Allegiant Stadium
The incredible singer Jon Spencer is back with the explosive band the HITmakers, and they’re releasing their hottest record yet. Starting off their tour, they will be playing at the Rec Room in Buffalo (April 11) and tickets go on sale this Friday at 10am.
Photo By Michael Lavine
Using otherworldly sounds, “Spencer Gets It Lit” by Jon Spencer and The HITmakers is described as, “electro-boogie, constructivist art pop, a psychedelic swamp of industrial sleaze and futurist elegance.” “Spencer Gets It Lit” delivers all the friction, excitement, and post-modern depravity one in one song.
Jon Spencer states, “This is the most uncompromising album I’ve ever made!”
Photo By Bob Coscarelli
The upcoming spring tour will feature many unique, amazing artists like Janet Weiss of Sleater Kinney, Quasi, Wild Flag, The Jicks, Slang, and more.
Jon Spencer is an American singer, composer and guitarist. Throughout his career, he has been involved in various bands such as Pussy Galore, Boss Hog, Heavy Trash and The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion.
Andy Frasco & The U.N. has a lot of news to share. First and foremost, the band has announced that they will be releasing a new LP, set to release April 8. To celebrate the announcement, the band released the titular track of the album accompanied by a music video. Frasco speaks on the single:
[Wash, Rinse, Repeat] is about the PTSD of being in your house for too long. We forgot who we were before this pandemic. Now that we are slowly coming out of this, it’s time to follow our dreams again. Get outside, explore, maybe fall in love with someone or ourselves again. The Renaissance is around the corner.
Andy Frasco
Andy Frasco
The track itself brims with positivity, love, and excitement. Andy Frasco delivers intoxicating vocals which perfectly tip-toe the line between raspiness and mellifluousness. Moreover, Ernie Chang electrifies the song with a perfect brass touch, giving the single its infectious feel. Alongside a catchy hook and great instrumentation, the song has the potential to be a hit for the band.
Andy Frasco and the U.N.
Alongside the album announcement and the release of Wash, Rinse, Repeat, Andy Frasco and the U.N. also announced a tour throughout the United States. On their run, the band is set to hit the Town Ballroom in Buffalo and Putnam Place in Saratoga Springs. Twiddle will join the band in Buffalo.
ANDY FRASCO & THE U.N. LIVE
+ with Twiddle
2/11 – Fox Theatre – Boulder, CO
2/19 – Sweetwater Brewing Company – Atlanta, GA
2/26 – Gasparilla Music Festival – Tampa, FL
4/5 – State Theatre – State College, PA +
4/6 – House of Blues – Cleveland, OH +
4/7 – Town Ballroom Buffalo, NY +
4/8 – The Bluestone – Columbus, OH +
4/9 – The Majestic – Detroit, MI +
4/10 – Bell’s Back Room – Kalamazoo, MI
4/13 – Roxian Theatre – McKees Rocks, PA +
4/14 – Soundstage – Baltimore, MD +
4/15 – Putnam Place – Saratoga Springs, NY
4/16 – Infinity Music Hall – Hartford, CT
4/17 – The National – Richmond, VA +
4/20 – Beer City – Oklahoma City, OK
4/22 – TACAW – Basalt, CO
4/24 – Hill Fest 2022 – Eden, UT
5/5 – Tipitina’s – New Orleans, LA
5/26 – 5/29 – Rooster Walk – Martinsville, VA
5/27 – 5/30 – Arise Music Festival – Loveland, CO
5/27 – 5/29 – Summer Camp Music Festival – Chillicothe, IL
6/16 – 6/19 – Bonnaroo – Manchester, TN
6/18 – Red Rocks Amphitheatre (supporting Umphrey’s McGee) – Morrison, CO
7/7 – 7/9 – 4848 Festival – Snowshoe, WV
For tickets and more information on Andy Frasco and the U.N., www.andyfrasco.com
Guitar extraordinaire Marcus Rezak and Umphrey’s McGee drummer Kris Myers have combned forces once more to release a brand new collaborative track called “Kyoto Cocktail” that’s now available for download. Produced by Eddie Roberts of The New Mastersounds, this NYC fusion-inspired single also features Chris Duffy from The Magic Beans on bass and Tyler Adams of The Jauntee on keyboards. It comes ahead of a co-headlining show between Rezak’s original Truth in Sound band featuring Myers on drums and Myers’ original fusion project Kick the Cat at Cervantes’ Other Side in Denver, CO on Friday, March 4th, 2022.
“Kyoto Cocktail” is an attempt to capture the energy and sonic grit of a live performance at a New York City dive bar. On a recent trip to said dive bar, Rezak and Myers discussed their mutual love for fusion music emanating from NYC in the ’80s and ’90s – an era renowned for its combination of raw power and commercial catchiness. They attempt to capture this mood with the help of tastefully expressive guitar work and Myers’ syncopated and sophisticated drumming style. Throw in some soaring organ fills and a sturdy bottom end behind some rich melodies and you’ve got yourself a “Kyoto Cocktail,” the latest effort from a collaboration that goes back 15 years now.
Myers is currently on tour with Umphrey’s McGee, having just completed a string of shows in the Northeast, while Rezak is currently embarking on a fully loaded winter tour with his high-octane Grateful Dead tribute group, Shred is Dead, and his original Truth in Sound band to promote his latest release Truth in Sound which features Russ Lawton, Ray Paczkowski, and the late Tony Markellis of Trey Anastasio Band.
“Kyoto Cocktail” is now available for download through Color Red’s website. And tickets for the upcoming show at Cervantes’ can be purchased here.
In mid-March 1992, Greg Bell and Dale Metzger set up the first of many shows at Victory Café in downtown Albany with a band that would soon name themselves MotherJudge and the Urban Holiness Society. No one remembers the exact date of that show, but a few weeks later Bell and Metzger, calling themselves “Two Fools Present,“ put on another show at the Masons Hall on lower Madison Ave. on April 2, 1992.
Greg Bell
The bands that performed that night were The Sharks, Hard Times, MotherJudge, and Brian Kenny and Friends. Those two shows kicked off a career in music promotion that has now entered its 30th year. In 1993, Bell joined forces with Jeff Guthrie and formed Guthrie/Bell Productions. Guthrie left the business after a few years but Bell continues to use the name today. As of January 2022, Bell took on Kim Neaton as his partner.
Three shows announced this week feature a range of acts that have been important to both Greg Bell and the local music scene over the last three decades.
Eastbound Jesus
March 25th
Three bands that encapsulate the greater Albany jam sound features ‘Northern Rock‘ group Eastbound Jesus, rising jam band Glass Pony, and jam rock band Wreckloose – The Cohoes Music Hall – Doors at 7pm, Music at 7:30pm
April 9th
For the first time in 33 years, The Sharks will reunite with 6 of the 7 original members (Tom D’Ambrose passed away in 2019) and the first time in 21 years since the remaining 5 members played together for a show. Johnny Rabb and The Jailhouse Rockers with special guests will open the show.
The Sharks w/ Johnny Rabb and the Jailhouse Rockers – The Hollow – Doors at 7pm, Music at 8pm .
Vinnie Amico, Rob Derhak, Al Schnier
April 23rd
On this night fans will be treated to a show they might have stumbled across at Valentine’s in the early-mid 90s. DAS Trio (featuring Rob Derhak, Vinnie Amico, and Al Schnier), The Seapods, Conehead Buddha, Dr. Jah and the Love Prophets – Empire Live – Doors at 6:30pm, Music at 7pm
Spanish rapper, songwriter, and producer Rels B. is going on tour and is stopping at the Gramercy Theatre in NYC on May 12.
Rels B. aka Daniel Vidal began working and producing his music and others when he was young. When he turned 20, he started to sing on his mixes. His first EP Change or Die gained traction on YouTube and SoundCloud, and his debut album left him with many charting singles.
His styles include a wide range of international influences, from reggaeton to Latin soul and Spanish folk to rock and roll. He writes lyrics based off of personal experience, so it makes his songs easier to relate to. Some of his hit songs are “Made in Taiwan,” “Tienes El Don,” “Mary Jane,” and “A Mi.”
Tour Image for the FLAKK Tour by Rels B.
Recently, his new single “Orgullo” rang up 11 million views during its first couple months, bringing his single video streaming totals to more than 350 million views.
Rels B. is going on tour, and is making a stop at Gramercy Theatre May 12, and tickets to his tour can be found here.
FLAKK’S TOUR DATES:
Wed May 11 – Chicago, IL– House of Blues
Thu May 12 – New York, NY – Gramercy Theatre
Thu May 19 – Atlanta, GA – Buckhead
Sat May 21 – Miami, FL – Fillmore
Sun May 22 – Silver Spring, MD – Fillmore
Fri May 27 – Los Angeles, CA – The Regent
Sat May 28 – Dallas, TX – The Echo Lounge & Music Hall
