André Raphel will be the guest conductor at HVP’s Themes & Variations concerto. Raphel is a world-renowned conductor, having held positions at a number of different orchestras. He was Assistant Conductor to Kurt Masur at the New York Philharmonic for two years and Assistant Conductor of The Philadelphia Orchestra for six years. Raphel has also appeared in orchestras all around the world, and has a huge dedication to his craft.
Also appearing in Themes & Variations is sololist Lara St. John. She has been described as “something of a phenomenon” by The Strad and a “high-powered soloist” by the New York Times. She has performed as a soloist worldwide, and owns her label Ancalagon, which she founded in 1999. Her Mozart recording with The Knights won a Juno Award in 2011.
The Juneteenth celebration in Kingston, NY, features The Resistance Revival Chorus. The chorus is a collective of more than 60 womxn, and non-binary singers. They sing songs of resistance, and uplift and center womxn’s voices. Members include touring musicians, film and television actors, Broadway performers, solo recording artists, gospel singers, political activists, and more all with diverse backgrounds and identities.
Tickets to each of these performances are available here.
A national historic treasure nestled in the woods near Woodstock, Maverick Concerts returns this summer with a full schedule. Beginning in July and playing throughout September, the Maverick Concert Hall features world class music such as Classical, Jazz, and Contemporary concerts.
The Maverick 2022 season begins on Saturday evening July 2nd, with a special 50th Birthday bash in celebration of the acclaimed NEXUS Ensemble. The celebration will be led by Woodstock legend Garry Kvistad and features special guests Paul Winter and Brazilian pianist Henrique Eisenmann.
Opening festivities will continue on Sunday July 3rd with an 85th birthday nod to American music living legend Philip Glass. This concert features classics of Beethoven and Bach – by two of the most exciting stars in classical music today, pianist Simone Dinnerstein and violinist Tim Fain.
Jazz, contemporary, and world music hold a special place on Saturday nights at Maverick Concerts. Sunday afternoons of Classical music have been the foundation of the Maverick Concerts since the very first Festival in 1915, and that tradition continues. Likewise, Woodstock legends will continue to share the stage with talents from all over the musical world.
The Maverick Concert Hall is located at 120 Maverick Road, Woodstock. Reserved seating and general admission tickets for all concerts are available online here. Maverick Family Concerts (Saturday afternoons on August 6th, 13th and September 3rd) are free for ages 16 and under and $5 for adults.
With The Punches has dropped a new single “Stoneham Blues.” This single comes following their signing with Mutant League Records, an independent record label based in Chicago. Their new EP, Discontent, is set to drop on May 27th.
With The Punches was initially formed in 2008 out of Newburgh. The band released two consecutive EPs, one in 2009 and one in 2011. In 2012, the band released their first and only full-length studio album titled, Seams and Stitches. Now, after nine years of silence, the band is ready to make a big return.
Their newest release takes the listener back to the height of skater-influenced pop-punk. The opening of the track powerfully draws you in as a bright guitar gloss fully floats over bulldozing percussion. The lyrics, contrarily, take on a more mature theme.
Capturing the feeling of emptiness may be the hardest emotion to replicate in art. Death, addiction, and everything in between are experiences that everyone has dealt with in their life. With The Punches do not hold back in discussing these feelings and they manage to beautifully capture these emotions through excellently constructed metaphors with a slight Midwest emo twist.
Holler stompin’ their way back through the Northeast, The Ghost of Paul Revere made a spirited stop at the historic Bearsville Theater in Woodstock on Friday, April 15. It may also have been their last.
Joined by longtime friend and frequent collaborator, Jackson Kincheloe (of Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds) on harmonica for the evening, the band displayed all the hallmarks and charisma that once made mainstream success seem like a “sure thing.” Playing with passion and purpose and like their lives depended on it, you could almost feel there was something more to this performance; something bubbling under the surface that the band already knew but wasn’t ready talk about yet.
They say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and if that’s really true, The Ghost of Paul Revere should be ready for WrestleMania. Indeed, things have never been “easy” for the hard working alt-Americana folk rockers based out of Portland, Maine. Seemingly faced with one set back after another, things came to a literal crossroads this past Februrary in Colorado when their tour van — along with all their instruments, sound gear, swag and merch — was stolen from a hotel parking lot. With everything necessary to make a livelihood suddenly ripped away, the guys had two choices: either head back east with their tails between their legs, or take a chance and travel on into the unknown while relying on the kindness of strangers and fans. With an overwhelming show of support via a GoFundMe page set up for the band, they choose to travel on and were miraculously able to complete the tour without missing a single date. Even more inspiring, after reaching their estimated GoFundMe goal of $20,000 in just two days, GOPR gave back all extra donations, paying them forward to a charity of each band members choosing.
Riding into Bearsville on Friday, it was the first time many fans in attendance were seeing The Ghost of Paul Revere. After being treated to an intimate opening set from singer/songwriter Daniel Rodriguez, one of the founding members of critically acclaimed folk act Elephant Revival, the ‘boys from Buxton’ took the stage shortly after 9pm. Comprised of Griffin Sherry on guitar and vocals, Max Davis on banjo and vocals, Sean McCarthy on bass and vocals and drummer Chuck Gagne, GOPR wasted no time in planting foreshadowing seeds, opening the set with “Love at Your Connivence,” a song about reckoning with the emotions of walking away from someone you love. Up next came the Davis sung “Two Hundred and Twenty-Six Days” before the band welcomed an old friend to the stage, multi-instrumentalist and New York native Jackson Kincheloe. A lanky long-haired cowboy, covered in tattoos and armed with a harmonica, Kincheloe allegedly “just showed up looking like this, knowing all the songs and was ready to go,” immediately making his presence felt on the rocking, up-tempo rendition of the seldom played “Fire in the Sky.”
I lost my will to carry on the day you walked away Now I’m chained to a bottle of whiskey praying the levees goin’ break Just burn my home and take all my things, send me to the lord above Because I know on the day that the judgement comes sure as hell not going up
Lyrics from “Fire in the Sky”
A few songs in and guitar player Griffin Sherry couldn’t help but comment on how well behaved the crowd was, almost daring them to cut loose a little. It was easy for fans to do just that on one of the stand out songs of the night, an extended take on the 2015’s “Two Weeks,” which easily doubled the length of the studio recording and featured the entire band locking in on a groove lead by drummer Chuck Gagne, who appeared to be having an absolute blast playing behind the kit.
After working their way through career spanning staples like “Good at Losing Everything,” “Little Bird,” “San Antone” and “Wild Child,” Ghost of Paul Revere would introduce one of the songs they are most proud of, “Ballad of the 20th Maine” which earned them national attention in 2019 when it was named Maine’s official ballad.
Between songs, banjo player Max Davis took the opportunity to talk about what it felt like playing there that night. That there are certain rooms that have a magic about them, a rich musical history, and that this is one of them and he could feel it, stating “There’s just certain feelings and there’s no lying about it. The people that have been in this space have charted in unknowns and you just hope that you’re also charting in one of those unknowns.” He would then introduce one of his favorite songs to play, “Montreal.”
Well the grass may be greener and the scenery cleaner, but your heart never found a home; Are we growing apart or are we growing up? Are we stuck in a dream or are we waking up?
Lyrics to “Montreal”
One of the things that has helped GOPR gain so many new followers since forming in 2011 has been their tasteful selection of cover choices. Known for putting their unique Holler-folk twist on classics like “Baba O’Riley,” “War Pigs ,”Nothing From Nothing” and even newer songs like Dr. Dogs “Shadow People,” considering we were in Levon Country, a betting man would have probably placed his chips on them doing something like “I Shall Be Released,” a song GOPR has played rather frequently over the years. However, on this night, the band upped the ante and took things in a meta direction, opting to play a cover-of-a- cover in the form of “Atlantic City,” which received one of the biggest ovation of the evening.
Watch video of Ghost of Paul Revere covering “Atlantic City” in Bearsville, NY 4/15/2022
Ghost of Paul Revere would also play “Travel On,” a “yet to be named” new song that featured Sean McCarthy handling the bulk of singing duties before closing out the performance with one final bit of foreshadowing, a powerful and thought provoking song called “This is the End.”
Tell my father it was worth it; Tell my sister not to wait for me
Just don’t ask me if I’m doin’ okay (’cause I’m not okay)
Tell my friends that I love them Oh, my friends, this is the end, this is the end”
Lyrics to “This is the End”
The following day, Ghost of Paul Revere would play a show in Jersey City, NJ before making an announcement on social media Monday that nobody saw coming. “It has been a wild ride filled with an abundance of trials, tribulations and joy. When we first got together eleven years ago, we never could have imagined that we would be given the incredible opportunity to share our music with all of you for this long. Over 1200 shows, 400,000 miles, 46 states, 6 countries and (soon to be) 9 albums later, our journey has finally brought us to the here and now,” the band wrote. “Change is hard, it can be a subtle breeze that pushes you in a specific direction, or a rogue wave appearing without warning from the darkness. For the sake of our own health, our families and you, our fans, we have decided that this year’s Ghostland festival will be our last show – the end to a fantastic journey performing together – as The Ghost of Paul Revere,” the post continued, describing a mix of sadness and gratitude that comes with the decision, and encouraged fans to join them for shows as they finish their final last ride together.
“Although it may seem like it, we want you to know that “This is [not] the end.” The songs and music will always be there to share and enjoy with one another. We are excited to journey into the next chapter of our lives and will continue to keep everyone posted about our future, individual endeavors. We hope to see each and every one of you throughout spring and summer for “The Last Ride,” our final tour, which will include a number of new and exciting announcements and show additions coming soon! We hope to see you there so we can sing the songs we all love and share these final moments with you at least once more.
Love you all and thank you for believing,
Griffin, Sean, Max, & Chuck”
Following the announcement, long time fans flooded the internet with photos and personal memories they’ve shared with the band. Coming from a small town in Maine, it’s clear the Ghost had a far greater reach and meant more to people than they probably realize. Honest songs with beautiful harmonies, the universal appeal of the hard-working everyman and full of untapped potential. With a handful of new dates already announced before their final show in September, you’re encouraged to go see this band while you still can.
NYS Music would like to thank The Ghost of Paul Revere for the music, memories, good times, and for always making time for us over the years. We wish each member the best of luck and success in all their future endeavors.
4/15/22 | Bearsville Theatre | Woodstock, NY
One Set (partial): Love at Your Connivence, Annabelle, Fire in the Sky, Two Weeks, Little Bird, Good at Losing Everything, Travel On, New Song, Ballad of the 20th Maine, Atlantic City, Wild Child, San Antone
Encore: This is the End
For more photos from their final performance in Bearsville, NY, check out the galley below, courtesy of Rock Journalist and NYS Music contributor Zak Radick.
Multidisciplinary arts center Basilica Hudson has announced their 2022 season, and this season is loaded with tons of film, music, art, environmental, and community programs.
For those unfamiliar, Basilica Hudson is an arts and performance venue built inside an old factory in the city of Hudson, NY. The factory produced railroad car wheels in the 1880s and was later converted into a glue factory. It closed in the 1980s but was rebought to be used as a cultural arts center. It lies alongside the east of the Hudson River and has been serving its community as an epicenter for cultural arts for over twenty years now.
Since then, the venue has been renovated and is now solar-powered. An extension of Basilica Hudson, BASILICA GREEN, works hard to develop public programs, push for green initiatives, and promote environmental stewardship in the Hudson Valley community. Notably, on April 24th, BASILICA GREEN will host an Earth Day event on their campus. Here, there will be tons of educational opportunities as well as live music and advocacy letter-writing campaign opportunities.
Basilica Gallery will open on May 5th. This will be a weekly series, dubbed Jupiter Nights, and will be an opportunity for local creatives to showcase their music, poetry, or other art. Those interested in performing or displaying their work in the gallery should contact info@basilicahudson.org.
Woodstock-based artist Marco Benevento has announced his one day festival, Follow the Arrow, hosted at Arrowood Farm in Accord, NY, just 20 minutes west of New Paltz. On June 18, Benevento will be joined by The Slip, Antibalas, Ratboy Jr. and many more.
Benevento will also have a number of collaborations during the festival including Surprise Me, Mr.Davis, 40 Love with Alecia Chakour, and the Benevento Family Band, with his wife and daughters.
The event will close with a Marco Benevento & Friends set featuring special guests Scott Metzger, Stuart Bogie, Cochemea Gastelum, Sam Evian and Burnell Pines.
PC : Seth Olenick
Benevento will also be celebrating the release of his 6/10 album, Benevento. Created in his home studio, the psychedelic project is composed of eleven low-key tracks. The latest single ‘Marco & Mimo’ can be listened to here.
I love where I live. Every morning I wake up and think to myself how beautiful life is in the Catskills and what a cool community of folks I’m surrounded by, so to have the opportunity to throw a big party with some of my favorite bands and closest friends right in my own backyard is a dream come true.
Marco Benevento
Follow the Arrow will have local food artisans from around the Hudson Valley serving meals throughout the festival. Tent and RV camping will be available at the Rondout Valley Campground, along with hotel and lodging options.
Over Yondr Festival returns to Greene County with three days of music, camping and phone-free fun. June 24th to the 26th, festival goers will enjoy performances from !!!, Topaz Jones, Sheer Mag and more.
The full lineup will be revealed shortly, and talented acts including Brooklyn’s own Kaleta & The Super Yamba Band, Bones of JR Jones and Kississippi are already confirmed to perform. The Catskills based festival provides the unique chance to disconnect from technology and enjoy music in one of NY’s most beautiful places.
The weekend gathering will also have food trucks, full bars and games available, as well as hot showers. Festival goers are encouraged to secure their phones and other devices in Yondr pouches, but there will be designated phone-use areas for those who need them.
Sheer Mag
Formed in 2019, Over Yondr has grown into one of today’s most exclusive festival experiences. They’ve helped organize events for big names including Dave Chappelle, Kevin Hart and Silk Sonic while creating a safe space where fans can take in entertainment free of outside worries.
Festival passes, as well as more information, are available here. COVID vaccination or a negative COVID test is required to attend. Attendees are encouraged to bring equipment and supplies that could help the whole festival community.
The Backstreet Boys, one of the most famous boy bands of all time, have announced that they will be touring through the United States and Europe this year.
The band is set to hit three New York locations. They will be visiting Darien Lake on July 3rd, the Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh on July 16th, Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs on July 23rd, and Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in Bethel on July 24th. They will also tour through two New Jersey destinations. The full schedule is available down below.
Photo Credits: Dennis Leupold
The Backstreet Boys will be touring their 10th studio album, DNA, which was released in 2019 via RCA Records. The album debuted at #1 and features the Top 10 hit “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.”
Tickets for the Backstreet Boys go on sale Friday, April 8th at 10 am local time on Ticketmaster.
DNA World Tour
4/8 – Las Vegas, NV – The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
4/9 – Las Vegas, NV – The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
4/15 – Las Vegas, NV – The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
4/16 – Las Vegas, NV – The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
6/4 – Chula Vista, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
6/5 – Irvine, CA – FivePoint Amphitheater
6/7 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl
6/9 – Phoenix, AZ – Ak-Chin Pavilion
6/11 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater
6/13 – Austin, TX – Germania Insurance Amphitheater
6/14 – The Woodlands, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion presented by Huntsman
6/15 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
6/17 – Rogers, AR – Walmart AMP
6/20 – Jacksonville, FL – VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena
6/21 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre at the FL State Fairgrounds
6/22 – West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
6/24 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion
6/25 – Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
6/28 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
7/1 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage
7/2 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage
7/3 – Darien Center, NY – Darien Lake Amphitheater
7/5 – Burgettstown, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake
7/6 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center
7/8 – Milwaukee, WI – SummerFest (American Family Insurance Amp)
7/10 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center
7/12 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live
7/13 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach
7/14 – Camden, NJ – Waterfront Music Pavilion
7/16 – Wantagh, NY – Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
7/17 – Hartford, CT – XFINITY Theatre
7/19 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
7/20 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center
7/21 – Bangor, ME – Maine Savings Amphitheater
7/23 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Saratoga Performing Arts Center
7/24 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
7/26 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
7/28 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre
7/29 – Tinley Park, IL – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
7/30 – Maryland Heights, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
8/2 – Englewood, CO – Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
8/4 – Salt Lake City, UT – USANA Amphitheatre
8/6 – Wheatland, CA – Toyota Amphitheatre
8/7 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
8/9 – Concord, CA – Concord Pavilion
8/12 – Auburn, WA – White River Amphitheatre
8/19 – Nampa, ID – Ford Idaho Center Arena
8/21 – Spokane, WA – Spokane Arena
8/22 – Portland, OR – Moda Center
8/24 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena
8/26 – Edmonton, AB – Rogers Place
8/27 – Saskatoon, SK – SaskTel Centre
8/29 – Winnipeg, MB – Canada Life Centre
9/1 – Ottawa, ON – Canadian Tire Centre
9/2 – Quebec City, QC – Centre Videotron
9/3 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre
9/6 – Lexington, KY – Rupp Arena
9/8 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
9/9 – Memphis, TN – FedExForum
9/11 – Sioux Falls, SD – Denny Sanford PREMIER Center
WRAPS, a new tradeshow and art exhibition dedicated specifically to rock posters is coming to the Bearsville Center in Woodstock on May 14-15.
The popular San Francisco event, The Rock Poster Show (TRPS) is the model for WRAPS, which stands for Woodstock Rock Art and Poster Show. The event will feature exhibitors displaying their work, multi-media productions, art and design workshops, and live music.
The musical acts include Stella Blue’s Band, Soule Monde (members of the Trey Anastasio Band), and Woodstock’s own Misty Mountain Ramblers.
A poster for the Trey Anastasio Band designed by Zeb Love
Since the 1990s interest in rock posters has increased. Vintage posters from the classic rock era are considered collectibles. While more recently it has become an art form in its own right, with artists and designers dedicating their talents to creating original works. The event is open to both collectors and artists who would like to display their work.
Mike DuBois, one of the pioneers of rock poster art and Syracuse native, will produce WRAPS. His surrealist, psychedelic art has become a staple of rock music. More than likely, you’ve seen his work without knowing you have. In the past, high profile bands including the Grateful Dead, The Rolling Stones, and Pink Floyd have commissioned his work. Currently, he runs HappyLife Productions a design firm in Woodstock.
Artwork by Mike DuBois.
The Bearsville Theater was the brainchild of the famed music manager, Albert Grossman. He had the idea to build a creative oasis for his clients—which included Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, and the Band—in the Catskills. Unfortunately, due to his untimely death in 1986 Grossman never saw the theater open in 1989. The Bearsville Theater is considered “acoustically perfect”. It was designed by music producer Todd Lundgren along with the Utopia Sound Stage.
With all the rock history at Bearsville Theater it would make a fitting location for a tradeshow meant to celebrate rock music’s legacy.
Tickets and registration information are on the WRAPS website.
On Saturday March 26, 2022, the Paramount Hudson Valley Theater presented Professor Louie’s Century of The Blues, a special evening to honor the great blues artists in history and thank them for their contributions throughout the years. The night was augmented byphotographer Joseph A. Rosen’s photos from “A Photographic Journey, Keeping The Blues Alive” projected behind the artists during the evening.
The Professor Louie’s Century of The Blues bill included Professor Louie along with his compatriots in music, The Crowmatix. Hudson Valley based Professor Louie & The Crowmatix are known for working with The Band and other notable Woodstock performers. The night also featured multiple Grammy nominated Guy Davis. Davis is affectionally known as “An Ambassador of the Blues.” Guy has traveled the world bringing his style of the blues to all. Completing the triad of performers was Joe Louis Walker. Walker is also a Grammy nominee in additional to being a four-time Blues Music Awards winner, Blues Hall of Fame inductee, and recipient of the prestigious W.C. Handy award.
Professor Louie & The Crowmatix, background photo by Joseph A. Rosen
Each act performed a set, sharing its take on the blues. The five-piece Professor Louie & The Crowmatix opened the night sharing songs that influenced and inspired the band through its long tenure. Professor Louie and fellow band mate Miss Marie traded lead vocals, with Louie stepping out from the behind keyboards to play accordion on a few songs.
Guy Davis
The middle slot belonged to Guy Davis. Sitting center stage with his acoustic guitar, Davis shed light on the origins of this classic genre with his playing style. Drawing from Lead Belly and other blues notables, Guy’s set merged classics with originals, most strikingly his “Kokomo Kidd.” To close out, Davis had the audience backing him on vocals as he sang a cappella accompanied by his harmonica.
Joe Louis Walker
After a brief intermission, Joe Louis Walker and band took the stage. Walker, originally from San Francisco and now a Hudson Valley resident, lit up the stage with his guitar prowess. His playing let everyone know that the blues are here to stay. With a powerful rhythm section supporting Walker, the band took the blues to the next level. Joe interspersed his own compositions in the set as he and keyboard player Scott Milici traded leads throughout their time on stage. To finish off the journey through the blues, the house brought Joe and crew back for an encore to close out the night.
