Backroads Blues Festival will tour the east coast on a six date journey from Rhode Island to Virginia. Starting August 13, fans will see performances from Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Buddy Guy and Cristone “Kingfish” Ingram.
These three generations of artists will come together to bring forth a renaissance for the genre. It serves as an extension of Shepherd’s 2007 film and album project, 10 Days Out : Blues From the Backroads, where he traveled the country, recording and performing with artists like Etta Baker, Honeyboy Edwards and Hubert Sumlin.
Shepherd’s hope for the Backroads Blues Festival is that it will help to revive the tradition of touring Blues festivals. Inspiration comes from his past experiences with the B.B King Blues Festival, where legends such as Buddy Guy, Etta James and the Neville Brothers performed. He aspires to give blues performers and blues fans a place where they can come together and celebrate the genre.
Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band
Shepherd will celebrate his 45th birthday with special performances 6/11 – 6/12 in Indiana and Ohio. He will be joined by Samantha Fish, the Ally Venable Band and Blues Entertainer of the Year, Shemekia Copeland. More information can be found here.
Tedeschi Trucks Band has announced their plans to release a four album and four film experience titled I Am The Moon. The ambitious project will push the band into a new era.
The albums include I Am The Moon, I. Crescent, II. Ascension, III. The Fall, and IV. Farewell, will be released in succession, starting 6/3. The first film will debut 5/31 at 9 PM on the band’s Youtube channel, with the films coming three days before its partner album. Directed by Alix Lambert, the films combine studio and performance footage with photography and other images designed to capture the specific atmosphere of each album.
The concept for I Am The Moon came from the band’s vocalist Mike Mattison, while they were on hiatus due to the pandemic. Drawing inspiration from the 12th century poem “Layla & Majnun” by Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi, the albums explore themes of love, collective struggle and faith.
PC : David McClister
Each band member contributed their own unique perspectives to the work and by January 2021, they were recording at Tedeschi and Trucks’ home studio, Swamp Raga, in Jacksonville, FL. Derek Trucks served as producer and long-time studio engineer Bobby Tis was in charge of recording and mixing.
Tedeschi Trucks Band will kick off their 2022 tour in Florida, Alabama and Michigan before stopping at Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center in Canandaigua, NY. They will also appear at the Great South Bay Music Festival, Artpark and SPAC.
Singer-songwriter Cory Singer has recently risen as an advocate for the autistic and neurodivergent. During Autism Awareness Month, Singer serves as an inspiration to those with disabilities around the world.
As an individual with Autism, the New Jersey native has worked hard on social media platforms like Tiktok and Instagram to spread awareness and raise support for his community. He has become a social media sensation and gained over 13 million likes on Tiktok, coining the phrase “Let’s Normalize Autism”.
Cory Singer also promotes positivity through his music. Following his win on Kandi Burruss’s singing competition, The Kandi Factory, he released a number of singles including ‘Someone’, ‘Goodbye Felicia’ and ‘Blind in Love’. His newest single ‘Break of Dawn’ aims to give hope to those who with disabilities and show them that they are loved.
Singer appeared in Joe DiPietro’s play “The Last Dance” and was nominated for “Best Vocal Performance” in 2013. He went on to continue his theater performances with his 2019 participation in Westfield Community Players “Follies” and the award winning musical “They Call It Gravy, We Call It Sauce”.
Singer has recently joined forces with the “I Am Able” Foundation. As part of their advisory board, he will provide fresh insights and help bring forth new ideas. “I Am Able” is a fast growing movement created to show the world that those with disabilities are able to live the life they’ve always dreamed of.
Hip Hop Legends Wu-Tang Clan and Nas have released the dates for their upcoming 25 city summer tour. Beginning in August, the five-week trek will see Nas and the Clan make their way to the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ on Tuesday, September 13.
Wu-Tang Clan are recognized as one of the greatest hip hop groups of all time since their breakout debut,36 Chambers, in 1993. They have set numerous trends and have had a significant impact on the rap game and have provided us with some of the rap game’s greatest personalities.
Despite having nine distinct characters, the group seamlessly merges under the musical guidance of RZA. While all skilled rappers, his vision for the group both sonically and stylistically has created an everlasting movement. The group became famous for sampling martial arts films, RZA kept a heavy Motown and oldies influence throughout the Clan’s music, and sampling the likes of Syl Johnson, Aretha Franklin, among others.
Unlike many groups that have phased out of the limelight, the Clan remain relevant, regardless of time. While the group has always taken regular breaks, they have still managed to churn out three platinum albums and more than 85 full-length releases. They were also one of the first acts to diversify their brand, with Wu Wear becoming a popular hip hop brand.
Never the slouch, Nas had his big break after the release of his 1992 song “Halftime“, from the Zebrahead movie soundtrack. He released his classic debut, Illamatic, in 1994 with Colombia Records. With gritty and thought provoking rhymes alike, Nas is certified as one of the best rappers of all-time.
After winning his first Grammy-award for his 2020 album, King’s Disease, Nas was again nominated for “King’s Disease II,” a testament to his longevity.
With the substantial amount of influence both parties have had over decades within the hip hop community and worldwide, the tour is sure to be highly successful.
For all fans, tickets will be available for purchase on Tuesday, April 26 at 10 A.M.
NY STATE OF MIND TOUR DATES:
Tue Aug 30 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre*
Thu Sep 01 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center*
Fri Sep 02 – Tinley Park, IL – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre*
Sat Sep 03 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre^
Sun Sep 04 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage^
Wed Sep 07 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center*
Thu Sep 08 – Camden, NJ – Waterfront Music Pavilion*
Fri Sep 09 – Hartford, CT – XFINITY Theatre*
Sat Sep 10 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center*
Tue Sep 13 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center^
Wed Sep 14 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach*
Fri Sep 16 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live*
Sat Sep 17 – Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek*
Sun Sep 18 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion*
Tue Sep 20 – West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre*
The National Independent Venue Association, NIVA is preparing for their first ever conference and awards formal called “Niva ’22”, on July 11 and 12 in Cleveland.
Since COVID-19, this organization’s mission has been to save the independent live concert, comedy, promoter and festival industry from running out of business. This upcoming event will focus on the future of these fields, as well as interest groups who benefited from NIVA.
More specifically, this non profit will provide two days of in-person programming, education, networking, entertainment, and more for the attendees. The Independent Awards Formal, a black-tie gala on Monday, July 11, from 6:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M., will be held at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.
We started NIVA to help independent venues and promoters survive the pandemic. Together we fought for and won the passage of the Save Our Stages Act, which resulted in a historic $16 billion emergency relief grant program. Though the impetus was a crisis response, we’ve planned from the very beginning to continue growing NIVA into a full-service trade organization that serves its membership today and in the future. Our mantra from the start was ‘First we survive, then we thrive.’ We’re excited to bring the live industry together in a new way that is truly impactful while highlighting the importance of connectivity. Our goal is to create positive momentum within the touring and live industry, altering the course beyond the pandemic and providing the necessary tools for our members to succeed while returning to in-person events and entertainment.
NIVA Co-Founder and Executive Director, Rev. Moose
During the conference, NIVA will shed light on new technologies. Additionally, there will be numerous panels with industry professionals, specialized educational sessions, brand activations, and networking opportunities provided. The topics the non-profit will focus on are safety, inclusion, diversity, equality, accessibility, booking, ticketing, and marketing.
The events will take place in multiple NIVA-member venues in Cleveland. Early bird registration is now accessible until May 26, while conference programming and speakers will be announced soon.
Texas King has recently released an acoustic version of their song ‘You’, which was previously featured on their Chances EP. Fans will be able to see this song, and many others, performed live in Buffalo, Manhattan and at Rochester’s Lilac Festival.
The original recording of ‘You’, featured on the band’s latest EP, shared playtime with five other anthemic tracks focused on themes of growth and self discovery. Fans will have the chance to hear all of these songs along with their older material during their 16-date tour, featuring Motherfolk and Loviet.
“When we started, I played an acoustic and that’s how I wrote most of the early tunes that Texas King played. I wanted to get back to that,”
Jordan Macdonald
Formed in Ontario in 2013, Texas King is comprised of Jordan Macdonald (vocals, guitar), Phil Spina (bass), Colin Gray (guitar) and Melvin Murray (drums). The group worked hard to create the hooks and high hats for what would eventually become their 2017 debut album, Circles and the work paid off as they garnered fan acclaim around Canada.
Texas King has continued to gain the public’s attention as their performances have expanded into the US, with the group touring for four months through the US and Canada at the end of 2019. A number of singles have charted on the rock radio charts and racked in nearly half a million streams on Spotify.
Tour Dates
April 8 – St. Louis, MO – Blueberry Hill*
April 9 – Chicago, IL – Subterranean*
April 10 – Davenport, IA – Raccoon Motel*
April 13 – Philadelphia, PA – World Café Live*
April 14 – Boston, MA – Middle East: Upstairs*
April 15 – Washington, D.C. – Pearl Street Warehouse*
April 16 – Bethlehem, PA – Musikfest Café*
April 17 – New York, NY – Mercury Lounge*
May 5 – Toronto, ON – Monarch Tavern*^
May 6 – Peterborough, ON – Red Dog*^
May 8 – Cambridge, ON – Rhythm & Brews*^
May 12 – Rochester, NY – Lilac Festival
May 13 – Buffalo, NY – Buffalo Iron Works*
May 14 – Springfield, OH – Indiecraft Festival
June 17 – Burlington, ON – Burlington Sound Of Music
The Outlaw Music Festival returns for its 2022 tour, with a number of great artists and three NY stops. Festival goers will have the chance to see artists like Willie Nelson & Family, The Avett Brothers and Billy Strings, along with many others at the Bethel Woods Center, Darien Lake Amphitheater and SPAC.
Headed by Willie Nelson, the festival celebrates togetherness and provides a place for friends and family to come together. Starting 6/24, fans will have the opportunity to see performances from a different mix of artists every night including big names like Chris Stapleton and rising stars like Brittney Spencer.
Fans can expect more than just stellar performances, as there are also unique vendor villages where local foods and drinks can be bought. Mike’s Hard Lemonade Seltzer will join the festival tour as the “Official Hard Seltzer”, hosting pop up experiences, giveaways and more.
Outlaw Music Fest 2019
After originally debuting in Scranton, PA in 2016, Outlaw Music Festival has expanded into the national event that it is today. The festival has gained prestige due to the previous award winning acts that have performed such as Robert Plant, Neil Young and Bob Dylan.
Tickets, as well as the lineups for each date can be found here.
June 24, 2022 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
June 25, 2022 – Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena
June 26, 2022 – Indianapolis, IN – Ruoff Music Center
July 1, 2022 – Rogers, AR – Walmart AMP
July 2, 2022 – Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion
July 29, 2022 – Cleveland, OH – Blossom Music Center
July 30, 2022 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
July 31, 2022 – Pittsburgh, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake
August 12, 2022 – Gilford, NH – Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion
August 13, 2022 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center
August 14, 2022 – Darien, NY – Darien Lake Amphitheater
September 9, 2022 – Atlanta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
September 10, 2022 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion
September 11, 2022 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veteran’s United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach
September 13, 2022 – Bridgeport, CT – Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater
September 16, 2022 – Boston, MA – Xfinity Center
September 17, 2022 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion
September 18, 2022 – Saratoga Springs, NY – SPAC
September 23, 2022 – Philadelphia, PA – Waterfront Music Pavilion
Bob Mould, former member of Hüsker Dü, has announced his 2022 World tour with stops in Pawling, Albany and Woodstock. Mould will be joined by openers H.C McEntire, Vic Bondi and J. Robbins.
PC : James Richard IV
The Malone, NY native will spend a total of four months touring the world, from California all the way to the UK and Ireland. His journey will end back in the States, in North Carolina, on 10/23. His three NY dates include Daryl’s House in Pawling, Lark Hall in Albany and Levon Helm Studio in Woodstock.
Mould has recently announced the opening acts that would be joining him on different sections of the tour. H.C McEntire will join the California and Southern shows, Vic Bondi will join the Pacific Northwest shows and J. Robbins will join the Northeast shows.
Fans will be able to enjoy performances of Mould’s latest work, including songs from recent release The Ocean, as well as Hüsker Dü throwbacks and much more. The Ocean features special acoustic versions of songs from Mould’s 2020 album Blue Hearts and a rendition of Hüsker Dü’s, ‘Divide and Conquer’.
FreshGrass | North Adams, MASS MoCA’s three day festival of bluegrass and progressive roots music, announces the initial 2022 lineup.
The lineup features Gary Clark Jr., Old Crow Medicine Show, Trampled by Turtles, Yola, and The Jerry Douglas Band. Artists such as Aoife O’Donovan, Sierra Ferrell, Alison Brown, The Lil Smokies, Sierra Hull, Willie Watson, Luca Ciarla, are also included. Also perfoming will be, Never Come Down, Misty Blues, California Bluegrass Reunion featuring Darol Anger, John Reischman, Bill Evans, Jim Nunally, Sharon Gilchrist & Chad Manning. More artists are being announced in the upcoming weeks.
The FreshGrass festival features bluegrass innovators on four stages and platforms throughout the 16-acre campus. Festival programming also includes FreshScores, a silent film with original live music; FreshGrass commissions and world premieres. There will also be workshops led by bluegrass veterans on the subjects of songwriting, producing, and music marketing.
FreshGrass is a beloved tradition at MASS MoCA, with more than a decade of music and memories.
MASS MoCA Director Kristy Edmunds
FreshGrass festival also holds a contest for emerging artists. The grand prize is a grant up to $20,000 in cash prizes and recording time at Compass Records studio in Nashville to unsigned talent. The annual award categories include band, banjo, guitar, and fiddle. Twelve finalists—three in each category—travel to the festival to perform for a panel of No Depression editors and artists. For this year’s festival, finalists will perform throughout the weekend on pop-up stages. The award winners in each of the four categories will earn a main stage slot at the 2023 FreshGrass Festival.
Ticket Information
3-Day tickets are now on sale for adults ($129), students ($99), and children 7-16 ($49). Admission is free for children 6 and under. All festival tickets include admission to MASS MoCA’s galleries. MASS MoCA members receive a 10% discount on ticket prices, excluding VIP FreshPass tickets.
Camping Information
As FreshGround is a camping field, they will be offering camping services. The camping ground is about a 12 minute walking distance from the festival, along with downtown merchants, bars, and restaurants. A shuttle bus runs continuously to the festival from the campsite. If you’d like more information on the camping services, you can visit FreshGrass website, www.freshgrass.com.
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.
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.
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
