Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up and coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear new music from, Ciarra Fragale, Seize Atlantis, Sara Devoe and many more!
WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.
Seize Atlantis – “Unstoppable Groove”
Formed in 2019, Seize Atlantis is an Alternative Rock Band located in Upstate NY that plays a variety of genres, including originals and covers. All members were high-school friends and lived in the same area growing up in Queensbury/Glens Falls. Eventually realizing they all shared the same passion for music, the band formed Seize Atlantis and the search for the sound they were looking for was complete.
Ciarra Fragale – “Loosing my cool”
Ciarra Fragale is an indie pop singer/songwriter, producer, and actor from the Hudson Valley. By blending the nostalgic traditions of songwriting with unique new-wave sensibilities, she creates a refreshing sound all her own. In addition to making her own music, Ciarra has also composed many works for theater and film.
Sara Devoe – “ God U R so cool”
Sara Devoe is an emerging singer/songwriter from Albany. Much of her music is inspired by artists such as Phoebe Bridgers, Haley Heynderickx, Field Medic, and Grimes. Her first EP “Harsh” will be out this Summer.
Caroga Arts Collective have recently announced their spring residency featuring KASA quartet and CLMF artists Brian Shank and Geoff Saunders. They will hold four concerts from March 24-27.
“KASA quartet : An Evening of Music and Friendship” will highlight chamber music’s ability to bring listeners together. The group will perform pieces from films and Broadway, as well popular arrangements from Frank Churchill, Jacob Collier and more.
Originally founded in 2016, KASA quartet uses multiple styles to create their unique performances. With members Andy Liang, Aaron Schwartz, Kyle Price and Stephanie Price-Wong, the quartet has taught and performed at a number of places including Ravinia Festival, SPAC and Chamber Music Connection.
Eddie Barbash
The KASA quartet will also do a special NYC showcase with Eddie Barbash on 3/22. Alongside performances, the group have been working on their debut album with a number of talented collaborators like Glenn Zaleski, WARP trio and Empire Wild.
Two concerts, 3/24 and 3/26, will have free attendance, but optional donations can be made. RSVP will be required for the 3/25 show and the 3/27 show will require a ticket purchase. Tickets can be found here. More information can be found on the Caroga Arts website.
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.
On Friday, February 18th, Lespecial played their first headlining gig of the year at Putnam Place in Saratoga Springs, and the whole thing kicked off with an extra special and rare treat — a set with special guests Timbre Coup.
Timbre Coup
It’s truly a mystery why we don’t get to see more of the boys from Timbre Coup. Those four dudes absolutely blew the roof off the place from the first note they played. Hailing from Albany, NY, Timbre Coup has an album out right now called Sudden Urge and I definitely recommend that you pick up a copy as soon as possible.
Setlist: Don’t Fly a Key, Urge, October, Loaftones, Z-Sharp, Arnold, Cowboys From Hell (Panterra)
Lespecial
On the way outside after last night’s performance, someone called Lespecial “a hippy band with mosh pits.” This group’s self-described “heavy future groove” sound is absolutely genre-less and almost defies explanation. There are only three guys up on the stage but it sounds like far more than that. And the music they create is engaging, fun, and utterly unique.
If you missed last night’s show, don’t fret. These boys are currently touring until early summer on their Homieverse Tour. You will certainly get a chance to check out this incredible band soon. And we highly recommend that you do so as soon as humanly possible.
Setlist: Snell’s Fleet, The Vessel > Homie, Gallows Hill, Repeater, Homieverse, DGH I, New Fish, Onlookers, Rays, FWD, Repriser, Fear the Djinn, My Name is Mud (Primus) > Jerry (Primus), > My Name is Mud, E. Tonberry, Lungs
Tinsley Ellis is on tour across America following his latest album release, Devil May Care, and he made a stop in Saratoga Springs on February 19th to play at Caffe Lena. The Atlanta-born front man released his first album, Cool on it, in 1986 and has been consistently putting out music ever since. Tinsley’s hard earned experience was evident from the moment he took the stage; with no words spoken, he jumped right into his upbeat blues with songs including: ‘One Less Reason,’ and ‘To the Devil for a Dime.’
These opening songs set the tone for whole show. Tinsley impressed the crowd with his powerful vocals and even stronger guitar solos. For some, their instruments are an extension of their bodies, and this was certainly the case for Mr. Ellis. Tinsley’s road worn guitars showed their use, and he showed Caffe Lena just how well he can use them. His pedal board was minimal, and this left the control over Tinsley’s tone entirely in his own hands. After just these two songs, it was clear what the Saratoga crowd was in for a masterclass in blues guitar.
Tinsley came out hot and stayed hot, counting off song after song with no pauses in between. He continued on with tracks from his 1994 album Storm Warning, including: ‘A Quitter Never Wins’ and ‘The Next Miss Wrong.’ Eventually, Tinsley would let the room simmer as he pulled up a stool, and grabbed his resonator to play some slide guitar for the Saratoga crowd. In the image above, you can see the reflection cast on the ceiling by the beautiful silver top of his guitar. Tinsley covered songs by both Muddy Waters, and Willie Dixon before playing one solo tune.
When the band returned to the stage, the room’s energy shot back up during Tinsley’s high tempo track, ’28 Days,’ off the new album. Fans cheered along, and one fan in particular, with his cane raised high, shouted “YEAH TINS,” just as he had done all throughout the night. The tempo came back down again for another new song called ‘Slow Train to Hell,’ and the regular set closed out with ‘Pawnbroker.’ After a brief stage exit, Tinsley and co. returned to the stage for a crowd-welcomed encore that left Caffe Lena’s patrons standing for an ovation.
Below you can check out a clip from Tinsley’s set on Caffe Lena’s YouTube channel. Skip to around minute 8 to see Tinsley take the stage.
After this stop in Saratoga, Tinsley Ellis will be continuing on down the road to Nashville before hitting the rest of the U.S. For all of his upcoming tour dates you can visit Tinsley’s website. You can also listen to his new album on Spotify. And don’t forget to check out Tinsley’s YouTube channel and Instagram. For future shows at Caffe Lena, visit their website.
Setlist (Partial): One Less Reason, To the Devil for a Dime, A Quitter Never Wins, The Next Miss Wrong, Cut You Loose (Buddy Guy), Double Eyed Whammy, I Can’t Be Satisfied (Muddy Waters), Little Red Rooster (Willie Dixon), ‘Solo Acoustic Song,’ 28 Days, Slow Train to Hell, Pawnbroker
The formidable singer-songwriter Chris Stapleton is set to tour through three New York venues this year. On the list is Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, Saratoga Performing Arts Center and CMAC in Canandaigua.
The accomplished artist announces this tour in concurrence with his three Grammy nominations. Moreover, with already five wins already under his belt, Stapleton has the accolades to show his strength and talents.
Chris Stapleton
Expected to join the Chris Stapleton at CMAC are Elle King, famous for her hit viral song “Ex’s & Oh’s” and Madeline Edwards. At the Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater and Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Elle King and Morgan Wade will perform. All three women are talented in their respective rights, and their performances will be spectacles to watch.
Tickets go on sale Friday, February 25th at 10 AM local time.
Chris Stapleton 2022 All-American Road Show Tour
March 17—Houston, TX—Houston Rodeo
March 18—Durant, OK—Choctaw Casino (SOLD OUT)
March 19—Durant, OK—Choctaw Casino (SOLD OUT)
April 8—Atlantic City, NJ—Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena
April 9—Atlantic City, NJ—Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena
April 20—Toledo, OH—Huntington Center* (SOLD OUT)
April 21—Columbus, OH—Schottenstein Center*
April 23—Lexington, KY—A Concert for Kentucky – Kroger Field† (SOLD OUT)
April 28—London, ON—Budweiser Gardens‡
April 29—Ottawa, ON—Canadian Tire Centre‡ (SOLD OUT)
April 30—Montreal, QC—Centre Bell‡ (SOLD OUT)
May 5—Regina, SK—Brandt Centre‡
May 6—Saskatoon, SK—Sasktel Centre‡
May 7—Winnipeg, MB—Canada Life Centre‡
May 11—Edmonton, AB—Rogers Place‡ (SOLD OUT)
May 12—Calgary, AB—Scotiabank Saddledome‡
May 14—Vancouver, BC—Rogers Arena‡ (SOLD OUT)
June 2—Nampa, ID—Ford Idaho Center Arena+
June 3—Ridgefield, WA—Sunlight Supple Amphitheater+ (SOLD OUT)
June 4—George, WA—Gorge Amphitheater+ (SOLD OUT)
June 9—San Diego, CA—North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre#
June 10—Los Angeles, CA—The Forum#
June 11—San Bernardino, CA—Glen Helen Amphitheater#
June 16—Bakersfield, CA—Mechanics Bank Arena+ (SOLD OUT)
June 17—Sacramento, CA—Toyota Amphitheatre+ (SOLD OUT)
June 18—Mountain View, CA—Shoreline Amphitheatre+ (SOLD OUT)
June 23—West Valley City, UT—USANA Amphitheatre^ (SOLD OUT)
June 24—Denver, CO—Ball Arena^
June 25—Denver, CO—Ball Arena^ (SOLD OUT)
July 7—Cleveland, OH—Blossom Music Center°
July 8—Detroit, MI—Comerica Park§
July 9—Charleston, WV—Charleston Coliseum°
July 21—Mt. Pleasant, MI—Soaring Eagle Casino‡
July 22—Noblesville, IN—Ruoff Music Center°
July 23—Chicago, IL—Wrigley Field**
July 28—Huntsville, AL—The Orion Amphitheater°
July 29—Rogers, AR—Walmart AMP°
July 30—Kansas City, MO—GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium††
August 17—Canandaigua, NY—CMAC°
August 19—Cincinnati, OH—Riverbend Music Center° (SOLD OUT)
August 20—Columbia, MD—Merriweather Post Pavilion°
August 25—Wantagh, NY—Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater‡‡
August 26—Saratoga, NY—Saratoga Performing Arts Center‡‡
August 27—Hershey, PA–Hersheypark Stadium‡‡
September 2-4—Snowmass, CO—Jazz Aspen Snowmass
October 6—Grand Forks, ND—Alerus Center‡‡
October 7—Saint Paul, MN—Xcel Energy Center‡‡
October 8—Milwaukee, WI—Fiserv Forum‡‡
October 13—Jacksonville, FL—VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena‡‡
October 14—Tampa, FL—MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amp‡‡
October 15—Hollywood, FL—Hard Rock Live‡‡
October 20—Little Rock, AR—Simmons Bank Arena‡‡
October 21—Bossier City, LA—Brookshire Grocery Arena‡‡
October 22—New Orleans, LA—Smoothie King Center‡‡ (on-sale March 11)
October 27—Fort Worth, TX—Dickies Arena‡‡
“ALL-AMERICAN ROAD SHOW” SPECIAL GUESTS
*with special guests Margo Price and Yola
†with special guests Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow, and Yola
‡with special guest Elle King
+with special guests Margo Price and Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs
#with special guests Dwight Yoakam and Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs
^with special guests Elle King and Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs
°with special guests Elle King and Madeline Edwards
§with special guests Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Marty Stuart and Madeline Edwards
**with special guests The Highwomen, Mavis Staples and Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs
Sibling rockers from Upstate NY, Jocelyn and Chris have announced their eighth studio album, Favorite Ghosts, out May 27.
With careers spanning over a decade, they have never written a song without each other, which is continuing across their lengthy discography. The band has progressed from small-town garage aesthetics to stages coast to coast, all while graduating from Harvard University.
Jocelyn and Chris.
Instead of not creating music during the uneasy time of 2020, the siblings embraced the chance to create the most vulnerable and meaningful songs of their careers. Jocelyn spoke about the album, and how it means a lot to them.
We all have these memories or parts of ourselves that, on the surface, are uncomfortable or make us feel lost. But when you put all those things together, you get the things that actually make you yourself. This album is about coming to terms with the ugly parts of ourselves and learning that they, too, are us. They’re our favorite ghosts. I’m always a proponent of letting the listener take their own meaning from our music. But overall, these songs are hopeful. The past few years have been a hard time to be hopeful. Writing this album gave me that hope again.
The album is produced by their long-time collaborator David Bourgeois and seven-time Grammy winner Joel Moss. Throughout the album, Jocelyn’s powerhouse vocals shine through, while being accompanied by Chris’s guitar riffs, creating an original work of modern rock.
Jocelyn and Chris’s new album Favorite Ghosts is out May 27, and they have released a single “Sugar and Spice” which has been described as “pure American rock goodness” by the American Songwriter.
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
John Mayer hit the MVP Arena on Thursday, February 19 for the opening of his much awaited Sob Rock Tour, promoting his most recent album by the same name. The stage design and look of the show gave off the ’80s aesthetic that Mayer has aligned Sob Rock with, invoking the decade of analog, windbreakers and neon.
Chicago-born Alexander 23 opened the show with an incredible 11-song set. Playing a good mix of songs off his just-now released (02/19/22) album Oh No, Not Again! he was an excellent crowd warmer. “Cry Over Boys” and “Brainstorm” were especially fun to dance along to.
When John hit the stage the room filled with cheers of excitement and love for the artist. Opening with “Last Train Home,” the first single from the new album, the legend addressed the audience, “Albany, welcome to the Sob Rock era.” From that moment, the crowd was locked in for a full night of new and classic favorites.
John Mayer has carved himself a place in music history, known for his smooth voice, and blues inspired guitar playing, which was plentiful during the show. His love for playing music is always apparent while he is on stage. The whole show combined the sing-along energy of your favorite popstar’s concerts and the groove of your favorite jam show. Mid-way through the show he told the audience very seriously, “We are prepared to make you move.” And move they did, everyone was on their feet the entire night.
Just as integral to the night was Mayer’s backing band. One highlight includes a jam-battle of John vs. his keys player, Greg Phillinganes, on keytar during a particularly jam-heavy “Helpless.” The audience was also lucky enough to hear perhaps John’s most famous song “Your Body is a Wonderland,” played for the first time with a full band. The song, a classic, was made anew by the full band accompaniment. Even John acknowledged this telling the audience, “Only a band like this could make a song feel that good.” The full arena singing along certainly helped, too.
One fan received a special shout out during the show when John pointed them out saying, “This person understood an assignment that hasn’t even been given yet!” The audience member donned 80’s inspired gear, Walkman attached to them. John was so delighted by this he even took a minute to get the camera on the fan who showed off their look with pride to the audience.
You could sense John was grateful to be there, like many artists who have had their live-touring plans disrupted or delayed these past two years. He even took a minute to share his gratitude with the crowd. “A lot of things have changed in the world, your tastes have changed, but you decided to come back and listen to these songs, and that means the world to me.” Which he followed with an early fan-favorite from his Continuum album, “Gravity,” while audience members held up phone flashlights to make the room sparkle. Even in a full arena, this moment felt intimate and special. The full show ended with an encore, including songs “Born and Raised” and “New Light.”
There was excitement and admiration as the audience left the arena following the show. John Mayer is known for his charisma and ability to make people fall in love with him over and over again. There is no doubt that he had succeeded at this once again during this Thursday night show in Albany.
This was the first stop on the Sob Rock national tour. Mayer heads to NYC for a two-night run at Madison Square Garden on February 20 and 21 and will be back in New York State on March 1 at the UBS Arena in Belmont Park, NY. Check out the full list of dates for the Sob Rock tour here. And if you attend one of the shows – don’t forget your Walkman!
Setlist: Last Train Home, Shot In The Dark, I Don’t Trust Myself With Loving You, Who Says, Love On The Weekend, Moving On And Getting Over, Shouldn’t Matter But It Does, Rosie, I Guess I Just Feel Like, Helpless, Stop This Train, In The Blood, Carry Me Away, The Beautiful Ones @, Slow Dancing In A Burning Room, Your Body Is A Wonderland, Wild Blue, All I Want Is To Be With You, Waiting On The World To Change, Gravity Encore: Born And Raised, New Light
