The Coronas have been releasing music since 2007, but despite streaming numbers in the millions on even their earliest albums, the Irish band has found themselves getting a different kind of name recognition in the past couple years. And instead of shying away from their unintended ties to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Coronas decided to face it head on.
Their 7th album, Time Stopped, released last week on October 7, focuses heavily on the pandemic and its aftermath. To celebrate its release, The Coronas are heading off on an international tour, with a stop in NYC on November 5, featuring Róisín O.
The Coronas is a three piece band, with Graham Knox on bass, Conor Egan on drums and Danny O’Reilly as lead singer. The band is extremely passionate about performing live, even going so far as promoting their last album, released during the pandemic, by driving around in an ice cream truck to still bring live, if socially distant, performances to their fans.
Irish singer Róisín O, whose solo album Courageous was released in the spring to positive notices, joins The Coronas as their special guest on their tour of North America. Róisín will join as the support act as well as playing keyboards and singing backgrounds on their headlining shows.
This summer, The Coronas sold out shows in Cork and Dublin. Before they land in the U.S., the band will play multiple venues in Germany and Switzerland. Lead singer Danny O’Reilly said the return to live audiences will be affecting.
“Time Stoppedwas written to be played live,” O’Reilly said. “We’re ridiculously excited to be on the road again and to play these new songs to full capacity rooms around the world. It’s going to be emotional.”
It’s not every day you get the opportunity to be a part of Europe’s largest club festival, but over September 22-25, I traveled to Hamburg, Germany and experienced all that Reeperbahn Festival had to offer. Northern Europe’s version of South by Southwest, Reeperbahn has been going strong for 17 years, highlighting a wide variety of artists from across the European continent, and from around the world. Each year, the festival partners with another country, bringing artists from all over and press from the partner country, to see all that Hamburg has to offer.
Partnering with America in the post-pandemic era meant that the ability to travel overseas had more ease and certainty of flight status than anytime in the past three years. Hamburg reached out to NYS Music for coverage of the festival, and it was an opportunity impossible to pass up.
With 24 combined hours of travel planned, and only 60 hours to spend in Hamburg seeing indie and punk bands in small club settings, the stage for the weekend was quickly set. Add in learning a bit about Hamburg and the role the city plays not just geographically, but also in music history, plus seeing performances at truly marvelous once-in-a-lifetime venues, and this whirlwind trip to a gem of a port on the North Sea made for the perfect return trip to Europe.
Roller Disco
Reeperbahn is the area of Hamburg prime for entertainment and nightlife, with musicals, music venues, restaurants and a red light district that, all combined, offer a little something for everyone. ‘Ropewalk’ in English, the Reeperbahn was where rope was made, being just near the Elbe River that brings you well into the European continent or out to the North Sea, The British Isles and Scandinavia. This makes Hamburg “Das Tor zur Welt” – the Gateway to the World.
The Festival Village has its main grounds in the St. Pauli quarter of Hamburg, with a few stages, a Flatstock poster exhibit, roller skating disco, educational displays including water reclamation efforts and a few pop up band performances. Slightly underwhelming as it was – and intentionally so – the Festival Village is not a single-location music festival, but rather spread out across the Reeperbahn area at dozens of clubs and theaters, as well as outdoor stages in the median of the Reeperbahn. Flanked by the ‘dancing towers’ and the neon lights of the red light district, the nightlife was as vibrant as you’d find in Amsterdam. While not a city-wide festival, Reeperbahn gave a taste of what Hamburg has to offer, and left me wanting to return to see more of the city outside the entertainment center.
For comparison sake, take a psychedelic remix of St. Mark’s Place – multiple blocks worth – and with a paid wristband, you get to hop from club to club, seeing bands from across the country, all with the goal of finding their footing and making it to the next level.
This kind of festival of course does happen in America, with SXSW the inspiration, as co-founder and managing director Alexander Schulz shared during a dinner at Restaurant Nil with press from America, England, Denmark and Germany on Thursday evening. For an hour, Schulz entertained questions that got to the heart of why Reeperbahn is not just a notable festival for Europe, but a destination event that draws an international crowd.
Co-founder and managing director of Reeperbahn Festival, Alexander Schulz, breaks bread with journalists at Restaurant NIL.
Schulz sees Reeperbahn as a way to combine a consumer program with a professional program, with both audiences meeting in the evening. Add in the Reeperbahn ANCHOR awards show on Saturday, showcasing six international finalists, and a strong relationship with the city of Hamburg, and a recipe for success is served up each September.
Navigating the pandemic by partnering in 2020 with Denmark (from which fans could drive) and in 2021 with South Korea (although the festival was mostly virtual), the first year fully back in person brought in the USA and the hope of rekindling the flame that was dimmed for a year or so.
Dr. Carsten Brosda, Minister of Culture and Media for the city of Hamburg, proudly noted that the festival is much bigger than music, and with full capacity allowed and no restrictions, it didn’t take much to get the local and regional governments behind the Reeperbahn Festival. “Whenever something is possible, we do it,” said Brosda. With hundreds working the festival plus more pre and post, the feeling of doing things together has returned, as the culture, concerts and inspiration they provided were not something the city wanted to lose. In 2020, it was the first time seeing artists on a stage all year, following months of lockdown, and some bands didn’t want to leave the stage. Skip ahead to 2021 and a second period of lockdown made it more difficult to hold the 2021 event and was thus virtual.
While global inflation certainly impacted the 2022 event, and the German government maintained a public transportation mask mandate, Reeperbahn Festival served as the gateway to European music, and connected the rest of the world via the United States. This year’s lineup of bands was meant to appeal to the musical tastes of Americans: contemporary, classic rock, techno and electronic, plus German acts that have crossover (including Hamburg duo BOY)
Following dinner, I linked up with Justin and Sam from Aquarium Drunkard, based in Los Angeles. We headed to the Reeperbahn and to Drafthaus to see Afghan-Dutch artist Ferdous, who provided a taste of futuristic R&B, the first music of this 60 hour jaunt. Making the most of the club nature of the festival, we headed over to Molotow where four venues are contained under one roof, including an outdoor ‘Backyard’, the ‘Karatekeller’, the Club and the Skybar, the latter of which we caught the soundcheck and most of the performance of Montreal band Choses Sauvages. Watching the lead singer bust out Ric Ocasek vocals (and fit the look a bit when his sunglasses were on) gave a new wave of new wave, along with animated crowd interaction that commands a second viewing in the near future on this side of the pond.
Choses Sauvages
We headed to the Backyard for a brief taste of HighSchool, a post-punk trio from Melbourne, Australia. An 80s indie vibe resonated, along with a bassist who looked as though he had recently placed second in a Lou Reed look alike contest.
Next stop was Gruenspan – the largest stand-alone venue on the Reeperbahn with a capacity of 850 – for Vancouver-based Destroyer, one of the many recommendations provided to me by Parisian friend Benjo. When I first glanced at the lineup, not a single band was familiar, and this was not the ‘wow I am getting old if I don’t know any of these bands’ first takes. Dozens of unsigned bands and no true headliner of the festival made every band a new discovery, and thankfully some guidance helped line up acts that were well worth venturing to see. Notably, Gruenspan was the first venue that had any third party sponsorship with Rolling Stone banners around the second level, as corporate sponsorship was present at the festival, but not overwhelming as seen at large North American festivals.
Destroyer
Starting promptly at 11:30 pm with strong bass and drums, the groove was no doubt excellent and the performance quite lively, but the catch was the lead singer Dan Bejar. Destroyer itself was a unique offering, with Bejar adding the flair that made this show well worth the recommendation. Performing in the vein of a freak poet, Bejar would take a knee after his portion of the song was complete, the band behind him carrying the tune to completion. Odd for the uninitiated (myself included), the music was at times feedback and a slow grinding for the audience, but they delighted in it nonetheless. Perhaps there is a Western Canadian appeal to the European crowd, or what this westerner presumes to be European influence on a Vancouver export, yet this remained a fantastic band to catch live and an otherwise great discovery.
Friday of Reeperbahn began a little late, as jetlag and exhaustion had finally caught up with me, and the beds at Premier Inn certainly not helping by being so inviting following a long day at school, followed by 12 hours of planes, trains and automobiles, then 6 hours of club-hopping. The German saying ‘Es ist nicht der Alkohol, der den Káter verursacht, sein Aufwachen” (it’s not the alcohol that causes the hangover, its waking up) never rang truer, and one that has always stuck with me since a trip to Bavaria and Austria in 2011. While no one pursues a hangover, travel, time change and revelry were quite the combo to contend with.
Venturing out into the bustling Spielbudenplatz, I found excellent Vietnamese at Com Nieu 21. While pho would have been a good option, a noodle salad and summer rolls with a Vietnamese iced coffee worked nicely to push through the aforementioned Káter. Taking a walk just a few minutes off the main drag, I found the city to be immediately quieter and residential, with kids playing, riding scooters and enjoying the day.
I walked down towards the Elbe River for a boat cruise and tour of the port area along with bloggers from Lithuania, Brazil and England. Drinking Astra beers and eating fried fish sandwiches fresh from the Elbe that day, the boat cruise was accentuated with great music and company amid canals reminiscent of Amsterdam, with twists and turns as we navigated the port. Spectacular views of the city and the Elbphilharmonie, where we would see a live performance that evening, gave a full scope view of the city to all.
The Louisiana Star riverboat and the Elbphilharmonie
Disembarking at the Elbphilharmonie in HafenCity, and part of the Speicherstadt warehouse district (a UNESCO World Heritage site), we could see theaters for Der König Der Löwen (The Lion King) and Eiskönigin (Frozen) across the river, each of which had their own ferry for patrons. Hamburg is, after all, the third largest city in the world for musicals, with Hamilton having opened on October 6.
Located in the Kontorhaus business district with the Chilehaus, the Elbphilharmonie opened on January 11, 2017 and serves as a symbol of the city’s past, present and future. With an old warehouse serving as the foundation, when the Elbphilharmonie was constructed, supports were built into the river to ensure stability for this landmark on the Elbe River.
Mine
More than a concert venue, the building houses a Westin hotel, apartments, restaurants, conference rooms and a spa, plus the original cranes, all at a 866 Million Euro cost; while that price tag was controversial, the venue is a boon to the city and a must visit for anyone seeking acoustically perfect performance spaces. With the full concert hall having seating for 2100 created in a terraced manner so that no seat was more than 30 meters from the stage, the venue itself is decoupled from the rest of the building, ensuring that the sound is pristine with no outside interference.
Acoustics are so acute thanks to 10,000 individually shaped gypsum fiber panels, with a design for classical music in mind that ensures sound is distributed to each and every corner. What’s more, an organ was built inside the walls, and the stage location gives nearly a theater-in-the-round perspective to all in attendance.
Taking a closeup look at the stage before a performance by Mine (Mee-na), I marveled at the arrangement of the seating, the proximity to the stage, and the music that we would be experiencing shortly. Taking a seat alongside Erik, a music critic from Copenhagen, this 75 minute performance, while entirely in German, stands out as one of the most spectacular of the festival, and the calendar year.
Mine
Entering the stage were a 13-piece band, including five strings, three backup singers and Mine, the lead singer who describes her music as “German-language folk with hip hop, jazz and electronic elements” arrived on stage and began a most symphonic performance. Joined by three additional drummers for the second song, not knowing German didn’t help, as Mine spoke to the audience between songs, with laughs and applause at times in a show that got more upbeat as it progressed.
Projections on the stage from overhead were mixed with lighting, with a South Asian flair added to each song via percussion, guitar and theremin. Joined by a New York letter jacket sporting Fatoni, whom Mine dueted with on “ROMCOM” in 2017, this James Corden lookalike (and thankfully not Corden) stayed for a few tunes to freestyle rap, eliciting approval from the audience.
Then the bagpipes began, with a piper coming in from the wings to crush the one song he was there to play. Mine continued into the performance, alternating between melodic solo songs and heavier full band engagements, bringing out a pink-haired vocalist for a song that drew huge applause, and establishing herself as the perfect artist to perform tonight in this monumental venue. A total of 21 musicians performed with Mine over the course of the show, and the audience gave a standing ovation the likes of which are rarely seen at American live music performances. Mine was a highlight of the weekend in a venue that is just as incredible as photos and videos show.
Powerwolf, the most successful German heavy metal band are headed west for their first North American shows in February 2023. Two once in a lifetime shows at The Palladium in Times Square and M Teles in Montreal will give North American fans a chance to see the ‘Wolf and their internationally renowned breathtaking world-class stage shows.
The band said in a statement, “North America, your calls over the years have not gone unheard! The holy heavy metal mass will finally be celebrated next year for the very first time in New York City and Montreal! Let’s make sure that it will be an experience that neither you, nor we as Powerwolf will ever forget!”
Powerwolf – Attila Dorn (vocals), Falk Maria Schlegel (organ), Charles Greywolf (guitar), Matthew Greywolf (guitar) and Roel van Helden (drums) – began in 2004, the result of the efforts of one of the most hard-working and entertaining live band on the heavy metal planet. Powerwolf have secured a collection of gold and platinum awards, starting in 2015, when they reached Gold status for the first time in the Czech Republic with their album, Blessed & Possessed. Additionally, both Preachers Of The Night (2013) and the subsequent masterpiece The Sacrament Of Sin (2018), as well as the groundbreaking streaming event The Monumental Mass: A Cinematic Metal Event (2022), entered the German album and DVD charts at #1 (a massive achievement for an audio-visual release).
Tickets for both dates go on sale Friday, October 7 at 10:00 AM local time. For tickets and more information, make sure to check local venue listings and www.powerwolf.net/tickets.
Powerwolf Tour Dates
European Wolfsnächte Tour, November/December 2022:
With THE ISLANDER: My Life in Music and Beyond (Simon & Schuster/Gallery Books), Island Records’ founder Chris Blackwell secures his status as one of the most insightful, ballsy and successful label owners in the history of the rough-and-tumble record business. The swashbuckling, swing-for-the-fences Blackwell’s M.O. was finding and patiently nurturing musicians of true originality, artists who were often overlooked by larger labels due to their distinctive edge. This was the very thing that Island tirelessly exploited to turn them into stars, ones who both delighted critics and sometimes moved tens of millions of albums. Bob Marley, U2, Steve Winwood, Traffic, Cat Stevens, The B-52s, Nick Drake, Free, King Crimson, Roxy Music, Tom Waits, Robert Palmer, The Tom Tom Club, Brian Eno, Sparks, Grace Jones and The Cranberries are just the tip of Blackwell and Island’s roster of finds. The man would not only go on to create an indelible mark over six decades of modern music but extend it into the worlds of films, technology and high-end hospitality.
Blackwell’s story begins and ends in Jamaica. He is the son of rich Brits who came to the island shortly after his birth, the fortunate heirs to a 300-year-old food concern, Crosse & Blackwell. His wealthy family was at the center of a star-studded expat community in Jamaica at that time. It included Hollywood actor Errol Flynn, songwriter Noel Coward and, most notably, Ian Fleming. Fleming wrote all of his James Bond novels at his famed home GoldenEye, one that Blackwell now owns and runs as an exclusive resort. His mother Blanche was a muse for Fleming and the basis for two of his most memorable Bond paramours, Pussy Galore and Honeychilde Ryder. Blackwell would head back to England for school in his teens. It was there that he would become fascinated with the burgeoning popular music scene.
It is in Jamaica, however, where Blackwell begins to enter the music business. His first job is as a “selector” who would supply R&B records he bought in his international travels to Britain and New York City to the island’s far-flung jukeboxes and mobile “Sound System” djs like the legendary Coxsone Dodd and Tom the Great Sebastian. After a few misses in record production in Jamaica, Blackwell’s first big success come with the signing of 15-year-old singer Millie Smalls. Blackwell would become her guardian and take her to England where she would score a huge international hit with the ska-flavored “My Boy Lollipop.”
Blackwell’s long foray into rock would begin with the discovery of teenage Steve Winwood and the string of hits with his first band, The Spencer Davis Group. Island would then go on to champion Winwood’s next venture, Traffic. It was Blackwell who came up with the idea of getting them away from the city and up to a country cottage to create the music for their first album. Bands have been doing the “going to the country” thing ever since, thanks to Blackwell and Traffic.
While he didn’t sign them, it is Blackwell, through his then number-two Guy Stevens, who we have to thank for connecting aspiring poet/lyricist named Keith Reid with composer/singer/pianist Gary Brooker. Together, they who would go on to create Procol Harum and “A Whiter Shade of Pale,” perhaps the greatest orch-pop anthem of the Summer of Love. A great section of Blackwell’s memoir deals with the some now immortal names in British folk – Nick Drake, Fairport Convention and John Martyn – artists Blackwell inherited when he purchased Joe Boyd’s Witchseason label. His description of the powder keg when the alcohol-loving Martyn and eccentric Jamaica dub master/producer Lee “Scratch” Perry worked together are worth the price of the book alone. So, too, are the stories from his long-running relationship with Cat Stevens. It was Blackwell who helped turn this failing lightweight pop idol into one of the most influential singer-songwriters of the ‘70s. He also dealt with the artist’s unexpected retirement and named change spurred by his new found devotion to Islam in the early ‘80s.
Through the two recording studios he founded, London’s Basing Street Studios and Compass Point in Nassau, Chris Blackwell was a party to a huge cache of hits that didn’t, unfortunately, come out on his label, from the Talking Heads “Remain in Light” to AC/DC’s “Back In Black.”
Of course, the heart of this book is the story of his two most successful artists, Bob Marley and U2.
Blackwell would go on to give the former the cash to make his first album with a simple handshake. The label owner was with Marley every step of the way on his long climb to stardom, something which was only cemented with the release of Marley’s 1975 live album. Blackwell also dishes the sad facts of Marley’s death and his belief that the reggae great could’ve lived if he promptly dealt with his cancer at diagnosis. And, naturally, one of the true joys of his life is witnessing the impact Marley continues to have as a symbol of freedom to oppressed people throughout the world.
And just like The Beatles, U2 were pretty much turned down by every record company when Blackwell was finally strongarmed by his staff to sign the Irish rockers. As with many of his artists, Blackwell’s hands-off approach in the studio helped the band find and refine its voice, until it became the biggest in the world with the release of its 25-million selling 1987 album, “The Joshua Tree.”
Some of the best parts of the book are about the less-known scenes, such as his partnership with NYC-based ZE Records. This was the label behind early ‘80s “No Wave” bands/artists like James White and the Blacks, Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, Suicide, Mars, Was (Not Was) and Kid Creole and the Coconuts. With his label Mango Records, Blackwell was perhaps the most important catalyst for the global spread of reggae by artists like Burning Spear, Max Romeo, Sly & Robbie and Lee Perry. And with the Bill Laswell-led Axiom Records, Blackwell played a part in unleashing some of the most adventurous and uncompromising music coming out of Greenpoint Studios in Brooklyn. Axiom was the label behind albums by Praxis and Material and the noise guitar great Sonny Sharrock’s classic, “Ask The Ages.”
Blackwell’s memoir also provides the details on his move into films with the release of the reggae classic, The Harder They Come and his founding of Palm Pictures, which gave the world acclaimed films like The Basketball Diaries and Sex and Lucia. Also detailed is his early move into technology with the ultimately failed webcasting service, Sputnik 7. In 1989, Blackwell would sell his stake in Island to Polygram and leave the record business for good in 1997. He would go on to make savvy investments in Miami Beach real estate, which he would have to sell in one of his inevitable cash crunches (due to Sputnik 7’s flop). He would ultimately settle on running a collection of distinctive hotels and villas in Jamaica which he continues to operate today under the banner Island Outpost. Fun fact: Sting wrote “Every Breath You Take” while staying at Blackwell’s GoldenEye, the same place Apple founder Steve Jobs celebrated his 29th birthday.
Unlike some record company founder bios, Chris Blackwell humbly shares the credit for much of his success with his associates, chief among them producer and A&R man Guy Stevens. Blackwell also gives unvarnished views of his failures, like Sputnik 7, some promising singings that went south and his missed singing opportunities like Procol Harum and much of the early British punk scene.
For all the amazing achievements packed into its pages, Blackwell’s memoir is eminently readable, a tale imparted with the casual flow of a first-rate raconteur. It’s an absorbing recounting of one of the most remarkable lives, and longest winning streaks, in the fickle and constantly evolving world of popular music.
Depeche Mode, the influential English electronic duo of Martin Gore and Dave Gahan, will embark on their first tour in over five years, in support of the band’s forthcoming studio album, Memento Mori, due in Spring 2023. They’ll make one stop in the Empire State at Madison Square Garden on April 14, before heading over the Europe for four months of shows across the continent. Stella Rose & The Dead Language will join as support. Just announced – they’ll play later this year at MSG on October 28, with an additional performance at Barclays Arena on October 21.
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2020 inductees, Depeche Mode remains an ever-evolving and singularly influential musical force. An indelible inspiration to fans, critics and artists alike, Depeche Mode continues to press on as the Memento Mori album and tour represents the opening of the newest chapter of a peerless and ongoing legacy.
We started work on this project early in the pandemic, and its themes were directly inspired by that time. After Fletch’s passing, we decided to continue as we’re sure this is what he would have wanted, and that has really given the project an extra level of meaning.
Martin Gore
Fletch would have loved this album. We’re really looking forward to sharing it with you soon, and we can’t wait to present it to you live at the shows next year.
Dave Gahan
Memento Mori (Latin for “remember that you must die”) will be Depeche Mode’s 15th studio album and the follow-up to 2017’s critically acclaimed Spirit. Memento Mori will be released worldwide in Spring 2023 via Columbia Records.
Opening Acts for Depeche Mode
Darkly poetic and industrial leaning, Stella Rose and her band The Dead Language have graced venues all over their native New York City and Brooklyn. With a confidence that belies the band’s relative newness, The Dead Language has quickly built a distinctive sonic and visual identity on the foundation of Stella Rose’s lyricism and stage presence. Myles Mullen completes The Dead Language’s assault on the senses, painting the stage with imagery that meshes with and reacts to the music, creating a visceral story for the audience. The result is utterly unique and new—while paying homage to the downtown NYC golden age(s) that gave us the Velvet Underground, Patti Smith, Blondie, and Warhol’s Factory. Stella Rose’s first two singles, “Muddled Man” and “Angel” were released in Fall 2022.
Wales-born London-bred musician and producer Kelly Lee Owens’ unique melding of electronic music’s coolness and warmth has built her an eclectic following of fans, critics, and fellow musicians including St. Vincent, Bjork, John Cale, and of course Depeche Mode. With vocals as confident and captivating as her beats, Owens has built a formidable solo discography that includes the albums Kelly Lee Owens, Inner Song, and her latest record LP.8, released in spring 2022 to unanimous critical praise, including Clash magazine’s lauding its “giant leap in her evolution as an artist, continuing to build on an ever-growing discography of limitless promise”
For further information on the tour routing and ticket on-sale dates, please go to depechemode.com.
Depeche Mode Memento Mori World Tour 2023
Memento Mori World Tour 2023 – Leg One
March 23 Sacramento, CA Golden 1 Center
March 25 San Jose, CA SAP Center
March 28 Los Angeles, CA Kia Forum
March 30 Las Vegas, NV T-Mobile Arena
April 2 San Antonio, TX AT&T Center
April 5 Chicago, IL United Center
April 7 Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena
April 9 Quebec City, QC Videotron Centre
April 12 Montreal, QC Centre Bell
April 14 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
May 16 Amsterdam, NL Ziggo Dome
May 18 Amsterdam, NL Ziggo Dome
May 20 Antwerp, BE Sportpaleis Antwerpen
May 23 Stockholm, SE Friends Arena
May 26 Leipzig, DE Leipziger Festwiese
May 28 Bratislava, SK Národný Futbalový Štadión
May 31 Lyon, FR Groupama Stadium
June 2 Barcelona, ES Primavera Sound Festival
June 4 Dusseldorf, DE Merkur Spiel-Arena
June 6 Dusseldorf, DE Merkur Spiel-Arena
June 9 Madrid, ES Primavera Sound Festival
June 11 Bern, CH Stadion Wankdorf
June 14 Dublin, IE Malahide Castle
June 17 London, UK Twickenham Stadium
June 20 Munich, DE Olympiastadion
June 22 Lille, FR Stade Pierre Mauroy
June 24 Paris, FR Stade de France
June 27 Copenhagen, DK Parken
June 29 Frankfurt, DE Deutsche Bank Park
July 1 Frankfurt, DE Deutsche Bank Park
July 4 Bordeaux, FR Matmut Atlantique
July 7 Berlin, DE Olympiastadion
July 9 Berlin, DE Olympiastadion
July 12 Rome, IT Stadio Olympico
July 14 Milan, IT San Siro
July 16 Bologna, IT Stadio Renato Dall’Ara
July 21 Klagenfurt, AT Wörthersee Stadion
July 23 Zagreb, HR Arena Zagreb
July 26 Bucharest, RO Arena Națională
July 28 Budapest, HU Puskás Aréna
July 30 Prague, CZ Letňany Airport
August 2 Warsaw, PL PGE Narodowy
August 4 Krakow, PL Tauron Arena
August 6 Tallinn, EE Tallinna Lauluväljak
August 8 Helsinki, FI Kaisaniemen Puisto
August 11 Oslo, NO Telenor Arena
– New dates just added –
September 21 Mexico City, MX Foro Sol
September 29 Austin, TX Moody Center
October 1 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center
October 4 Houston, TX Toyota Center
October 7 New Orleans, LA Smoothie King Center
October 10 Orlando, FL Amway Center
October 12 Miami, FL Miami-Dade Arena
October 19 Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena
October 21 Brooklyn, NY Barclays Center
October 23 Washington, DC Capital One Arena
October 25 Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center
October 28 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
October 31 Boston, MA TD Garden
November 3 Montreal, QC Centre Bell
November 5 Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena
November 8 Detroit, MI Little Caesars Arena
November 10 Cleveland, OH Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
November 13 Chicago, IL United Center
November 16 Denver, CO Ball Arena
November 18 Salt Lake City, UT Vivint Arena
November 21 Edmonton, AB Rogers Place
November 24 Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena
November 26 Seattle, WA Climate Pledge Arena
November 28 Portland, OR MODA Center
December 1 Las Vegas, NV T-Mobile Arena
December 3 San Francisco, CA Chase Center
December 6 San Diego, CA Pechanga Arena
December 10 Los Angeles, CA Kia Forum
December 15 Los Angeles, CA Crypto.com Arena
Kelly Lee Owens supports on all dates except * Stella Rose & The Dead Language
Europe-native and New York City-based musical artist and busker, Robert Leslie, had his alternative folk debut recently released during last month on August 5th. Compiled are 12 tracks produced by Perry Margouleff (who also worked with Maroon 5 and Paul Rogers) that express the beautiful moments captured in day-to-day life through bridging the gap between current changes and a reflection of the past, as phrased by Leslie, speaking about the album.
Album Cover [Credit: Emmanuel Rosario]
The LP features names behind the instrumental elements of the music, who’ve worked with established names in the music industry, such as Tony Garnier behind bass who collaborated with Bob Dylan, Paul Simon and Tom Waits, Jake Sinclair, behind the Wurlitzer, Mellotron piano, who’s worked with Weezer! and Panic at the Disco, and Scarlet Rivera, who played the violin and has worked with Bob Dylan.
Artist Studio Shoot
The record rings of soothing tunes conveyed with slow guitar notes paired with bass booms and overlapping looming synths which carve echoes resonating with the vibration of rings spreading from a rock thrown in still water. Taking an approach using a poetic lens in his lyricism, Robert Leslie divulges on takes about aspects of life and love, carrying emotional overtones of nostalgia blended with wonderance on this debut influenced with sounds from UK psychedelic folk.
The 2022 Hudson West Folk Festival, an annual Jersey City event, will run on Saturday, October 15. Taking place at the Nimbus Arts Center in the city’s downtown, the festival will span from noon to 10pm.
Image from last year’s Hudson West Folk Festival. (photo found on festival website)
The event will feature music ranging across americana, folk, bluegrass, hip-hop/funk/soul, jazz and Ukrainian folk music. Artists on the bill include Ebony Hillbillies, Leslie Mendelson, J Pope and the HearNow, Jaimee Harris, Cole Quest and the City Pickers, Ari Hest, Ukrainian Village Voices, and KJ Denhert.
In addition to performances, the festival will involve free music workshops on improvisational singing, guidance in musical style, and Ukrainian folk songs.
The Ukrainian Village Voices will be leading a workshop at this year’s event. (photo found on festival website)
There will also be food and drink provided on site, as the festival is partnering with Welcome Home Jersey City to bring Afghan and Pakistani dishes from refugee chefs.
Tickets can be bought for $35 in advance and $40 at the door on Saturday. Info regarding ticket purchases and more for the 2022 event can be found on the Hudson West Folk Festival website.
On the weekend of September 22-25, 2022, Firefly Music Festival returned to the Woodlands of Dover, Delaware to celebrate its 10th anniversary with headline performances from Halsey, My Chemical Romance, Green Day, Dua Lipa, and many more! The diverse genres of artists is what makes Firefly a memorable experience.
Bleachers @ Firefly Main Stage
Firefly Music Festival took place in The Woodlands of Dover, Delaware, right next to Dover International Speedway. What makes Firefly unique isnât just the performances, but the atmosphere and the overall experience. Since its start in July 2012, festivalgoers are offered the chance to camp at the festival, whether that be in an RV, a glamping site, or a pop-up tent. Along with the camping, each stage embraces its own personality: the Backyard hosted most of the rap acts over the weekend, The Pavillion which hosted most of the EDM acts, The Treehouse and The Nest which offered attendees an escape from the massive size of the Woodlands to an area where they could see their favorite small artists in an intimate setting such as SEB.
SEB @ Treehouse
Firefly certainly does not shy away when it comes to good eating. Whether its a quick bite from the various food trucks or a tasty dessert at Stuffed Ice Cream, Firelfy has it all including vegan friendly meals. Attendees could not get enough of Stuffed Ice Cream’s delicious cruffs – an ice-cream filled donut toasted to perfection. Even on the chilly nights, festivalgoers were seen lined up for the mouth-watering treat. The good news is everyone can explore the various flavors and options Stuffed Ice Cream has to offer in its New York City based store located on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
A Weekend Filled With Entertainment
A little bit of rain and muddy floors didn’t stop the party on Thursday. Firefly kicked off its weekend with headlining sets from Halsey, Jamiexx, Willow, 100 Gecs, San Holo & Gayle. While some walked onto the festival grounds admiring the numerous decorations and activities, others ran to secure a spot at the stage where their favorite artists would perform. Willow brought the energy to the main stage dressed in a custom T-shirt designed by one Firefly’s clothing booths. She played the iconic “Wait a Minute!” along with “Meet Me At Our Spot”.
Willow @ Firefly Main Stage
Although Willow brought great energy to stage, 100 Gecs certainly knew how to turn up in style dressed in unique wizard like outfits. Mosh pits left and right filled the audience which some would say only enhanced the lively performance. Songs performed by the Duo included “money machine”, “stupid horse”, “mememe” and more.
Thursday was one for the books but Friday was just as memorable. Many were looking forward to Big Sean who unfortunately had to cancel his set due to a respiratory infection. LSDREAM filled in for the Detroit based rapper and did not disappoint. Illuminating the night sky with vibrant colorful visuals is what made LSDREAM stand out.
LSDREAM @ The Backyard Stage
During the day fans were scattered across the festival site. It was the first time Norwegian singer/songwriter Anna of The North performed in the U.S since covid. While on stage she brought out guest singer Gus Dapperton to sing “Meteorite” together. NYSM staff photographer Adrian Hernandez had the opportunity to shoot portraits of Anna who was nothing but kind, loving, and energetic throughout their photo session.
Anna of The North with Gus Dapperton @ Firefly Main StagePortrait Session With Artist Anna of The North
My Chemical Romance closed the main stage with a roar on night 2. Fans of all ages, old and young, sang along word for word almost every song the band performed. In between songs, lead vocalist Gerard Way was interactive with the audience and knew how to put a smile on everyones face through his humor.
My Chemical Romance @ Firefly Main Stage
Later that night, once Zedd took the stage, an overwhelming surge of cheers and screams kicked in. Zedd had the crowd on overdrive right from the start of the set. On top of that, the laser light show was perfectly in sync with his electronic tunes.
Zedd @ The Backyard Stage
Once day 3 arrived, it meant the weekend was finally here. Time to unload, sit back and enjoy the beautiful day packed with great music. Sueco brought life to the crowd after jumping into the audience to crowd surf his fans. Shortly after he joined the spectators in the center of a moshpit as he performed “fast”.
Sueco @ Firefly Main Stage
Porter Robinson ended the night performing songs from his latest album Nurture such as “Something Comforting”, “Shelter”, and the emotional dedication “Mother”. Some even shed a tear during his impactful set.
Porter Robinson @ The Backyard StagePorter Robinson @ The Backyard Stage
It felt like the weekend flew as the last day of Firefly Music Festival finally arrived. It was during the middle of The Regrettes when festivalgoers were kicked off site due to a severe weather warning. This caused sets to be pushed back and some shortened like Charli XCX. Unfortunate for those who were looking forward to see the pop queen but the show went on.
Lead Vocalist Lydia Night of The Regrettes @ The Backyard Stage
Once festival grounds reopened, T-Pain sang some of his classic hits and features such as “Good Life” with Kanye West. Shortly after, Conan Grey was on stage followed by The Kid Laroi at the Backyard stage and finally, to end the weekend on a high, Dua Lipa closing on her hit “Don’t Start Now”.
T-Pain @ Firefly Main Stage
As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. While it’s sad to say goodbye to this years festival, we look forward to the next one and carry the memories we made along with us. See you soon Firefly!
The fourth installment of the Sea.Hear.Now Festival brought more than 30,000 fans of all ages to the picturesque waterfront in Asbury Park, New Jersey this past weekend, September 17 and 18. Produced by Tim Sweetwood of C3 Presents (Austin City Limits, Lollapalooza), along with iconic rock photographer Danny Clinch, his good pal Tim Donnnelly (a music journalist turned promoter) and HM Wollman (an industry veteran), the festival is a celebration of live music, art and surf culture.
Excited fans during Wet Leg’s set at the Park Stage | Photo by Michael Dinger
A Transparent Clinch pop-up gallery in Bradley Park featured pieces of art contributed by several of the artists performing over the weekend, as well as photographs snapped by local native and rock legend Bruce Springsteen. The weekend also included a professional team surf contest known as the “North Beach Rumble,” and despite the relatively calm ocean waters, still went on as planned. A portion of the proceeds is also donated to grassroots, non-profit environmental organizations and community charities such as the Surfrider Foundation, Operation Beachhead, Clean Ocean Action, Garden State Equality and Boys & Girls Clubs of Monmouth County, to name only a few.
Beach crowd watching Boy George & Culture Club’s set at the Surf Stage | Photo by Michael Dinger
When the gates to the festival grounds in the seaside town known for its sandy shore and beachfront boardwalk lined with shops, arcades and cafes opened promptly each day at noon, patrons were treated to a lineup that included more than 25 artists performing across three stages, aptly named Park, Sand and Surf. The Surf (main) Stage hosted headliner Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac fame on Saturday and Green Day, the rock trio of Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tré Cool, on Sunday. Festivalgoers with VIP and Platinum wristbands had premium access to designated corrals on the side of each stage, including an exclusive viewing area with elevated sightlines of the Surf Stage.
Lollipop jellyfish blowing in the ocean breeze | Photo by Michael Dinger
The spectrum of music genres performed over the weekend was wide-ranging, more than ample to satisfy the taste palette of all patrons in attendance. There was punk (the aforementioned Green Day and IDLES), bluegrass (Billy Strings), pop (Boy George & Culture Club, Peach Pit and Aly & AJ), folk (The Head and the Heart), reggae (Skip Marley), blues (Gary Clark Jr.), rap (Michael Franti & Spearhead), Indie (Annie DiRusso, The Backseat Lovers, Wet Leg and Courtney Barnett), and of course, rock (My Morning Jacket and Cage the Elephant). And if the more than ten hours of music on the beach or in the park was not enough, there were ticketed “Late Night” shows at two of Asbury Park’s most venerable bar venues, The Stone Pony and Wonder Bar, which of course all sold out.
Tim Donnnelly & Danny Clinch | Photo by Michael DingerBerkeley Oceanfront Hotel | Photo by Michael Dinger
New York-based band Melt played their first ever international show in Toronto at Adelaide Hall on Thursday, September 15, dropping a powerful performance that showcased each of the seven band members’ talents in a perfectly locked-in way.
Opening their 10-song set with “Waves” off their 2021 EP West Side Highway, the group played with dynamics from the start, a powerful opening section leading into a beautiful quiet area that featured lead vocalist Veronica Stewart-Frommer sitting down at the front of the stage and crooning to the audience.
Shy” came next, a 2020 single, featured beautiful melodic guitar lines from guitarist Marlo Shankweiler and staccato horn stabs from the saxophone/trumpet duo of Nick Sare and Evan Lane.
One of the best-kept secrets of Melt was revealed to be keyboardist Eric Gabriel and his incredible vocals – taking the lead on West Side Highway cut “Hours”, his gentle tones contrasted perfectly with Stewart-Frommer’s powerful harmonies.
At this point in the show, I was becoming increasingly honed in on the rhythm section of bassist Lucas Saur and drummer Andres Valbuena, whose rock-solid grooves were a perfect foundation to all of the music. Saur in particular (as I’ll mention again later) absolutely blew me away with some gorgeous melodic solos.
“Inside”, a single from Melt’s early days, started with a gentle intro on electric piano but quickly built to a frenzy, Stewart-Frommer unleashing vocal power and Shankweiler delivering an absolutely SEARING guitar solo in a style that blends classic rock favourites with clear Trey Anastasio influence.
The next track, “Brown Eyes”, was the first true slow song of the night, and acted as a perfect breather and let Sare shine on a fantastic saxophone solo.
Stewart-Frommer took a second before the next song to announce that Melt is recording their debut album on the road this fall, incorporating segments from some concerts into the recording.
A slightly mysterious vibe began “Walk to Midnight”, a song that just calls to mind a classic pop song. Shankweiler and Stewart-Frommer gave another stellar performance here, both whipping the crowd into a frenzy once again. The next unreleased song, titled “The Door” began with an extended and VERY psychedelic guitar/bass duet. As the jam band fan I am, I would have loved to see it extended for 5-10 more minutes, but the song absolutely killed and I eagerly await its translation to the studio when it (hopefully) is on the upcoming LP.
Now let’s talk about “Fade Into You”.
Melt’s latest single, just released today, began with strong guitar melodies and is another instant-classic Melt tune, but the real treat came in the middle with the performance of the band’s instrumental jam vehicle “Duh-Duh”. I honestly couldn’t tell you when the transition happened, but suddenly punchy horn melodies and an absolutely DOMINATING groove developed as Shankweiler took yet ANOTHER incredible solo. The rest of the band then dropped to the floor as Valbuena lit up the stage with a thrashing solo section, his stoic drum-face breaking briefly to express his glee. Bassist Saur then jumped up for a shot in the spotlight and built upon the drums with an expressive solo of his own. With some cool delayed-guitar lines thrown overtop by Shankweiler and Gabriel’s use of a Supertramp-like sound in the closing part of the song, the sandwich of “Fade Into You” -> “Duh Duh” -> “Fade Into You” was absolutely my highlight of the night.
As the band introduced a cover of Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon” (featuring opening act Joel McLeod on vocals) to close out the main set, I was a little bit apprehensive about a ballad closer. However, the septet struck into their unique arrangement of the song, a driving, powerful take on the classic tune with a guitar line chunky and reminiscent of the Home Depot theme song (in the best way).
The encore began with a performance of “Communion”, an unreleased ballad in the form of a beautiful duet between Gabriel and Stewart-Frommer, the former’s gentle keyboard playing on full display.
A powerful cover of Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine” with more incredibly powerful vocals continued the encore before Melt’s first-ever release, “Sour Candy” closed out the night on a high note.
Melt is on tour this fall across the USA – do NOT miss them if they are playing near you! A sound built on a tight band with audible influences across the musical spectrum, each member contributes to the overall sound that fills every corner of the venue with its exuberant energy. I eagerly look forward to seeing what heights Melt will reach in the coming years!
Melt next plays in New York on October 20 at Webster Hall.
originally posted on https://ryanstorm.substack.com/p/show-review-melt-91522
