SNL returns for season 48 on October 1st with the announcement of the first three hosts and musical guests, which include Kendrick Lamar, Willow, and Megan Thee Stallion. Four new cast members also join the cast as featured players.
New cast members. From left to right, Marcello Hernandez, Molly Kearney, Michael Longfellow, and Devon Walker.
This marks the first non-COVID Saturday Night Live season since Season 45 in Fall 2019. Four new cast members are being welcomed, including Marcello Hernandez, Molly Kearney, Michael Longfellow, and Devon Walker. Hernandez is a Cuban/Dominican stand-up comedian, actor, and writer who has opened for comedians like Jim Breuer and Gilbert Gottfried.
Kearney is the first non-binary cast member in the show’s history. They recently had a part in Amazon Prime Video’s “A League of Their Own” TV series. Longfellow was recently featured in the “Netflix Is a Joke: The Festival,” as a notable up-and-comer. Finally, Walker has writing credits that include Netflix’s “Big Mouth” and Phoebe Robinson’s “Everything’s Trash.”
This season saw the departure of multiple SNL veterans, including Staten Island native Pete Davidson and cast member Kate McKinnon. Recently, Chris Redd announced his departure from the show. During his time on the series, Redd scored a Primetime Emmy for outstanding original music and lyrics in 2018 for the song “Come Back Barack.”
Chris Redd, photo by Jeff Kravitz.
In a statement, Redd said “Being a part of SNL has been the experience of a lifetime. Five years ago, I walked into 30 Rock knowing that this was an amazing opportunity for growth.”
The season premieres on Oct 1 with host Miles Teller, and musical guest Kendrick Lamar. Teller makes his hosting debut, after a successful summer staring in the blockbuster sequel Top Gun: Maverick. Lamar has been a musical guest twice before, and is supporting his recent album Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, which came out in May.
Miles Teller and Kendrick Lamar kick off the season.
On the Oct. 8 episode, renowned Irish actor Brendan Gleeson, star of The Banshees of Inisherin, will also make his hosting debut. The musical guest is Willow, daughter of Will Smith, who has amassed a large following with her hit songs “Wait a Minute!” “Meet Me At Our Spot,” and “emo girl” with Machine Gun Kelly.
The final announcement is for the Oct. 15 episode, where Megan Thee Stallion will pull double duty as the host and musical guest. This isn’t her first time on the show, but her first time doing double duty. She will be supporting her new album Traumazine which came out Aug. 12.
Lorne Michaels, creator of SNL, spoke about the new season at the Primetime Emmy Awards saying that season 48 is “a transition year, and the change years are always difficult. There are new people, and things are changing, and a different generation comes into the show.” The show won its sixth straight Emmy in the Variety Sketch Series category.
Postmodern Jukebox embarks on their “Life In The Past Lane” Concert Tour this fall, celebrating the greatest 20th century musical genres, fused with the recognizable hits of our own modern era, for the perfect patina of “vintage” and “modern.” The group brings the PMJ Universe to life with a cast full of exciting vocalists, instrumentalists, and tap dancers, leading to a top-shelf entertainment experience for which PMJ is known.
When New York City pianist Scott Bradlee created Postmodern Jukebox out of a basement in Queens in 2011, his goal was simple: to remake the pop hits of today into the classic sounds of the legends of yesterday. Miley Cyrus became The Platters. Bruno Mars became Frank Sinatra. The Spice Girls became The Andrews Sisters. Guns ’n’ Roses became Bessie Smith.
Nearly a decade later, Postmodern Jukebox has grown to become a pop culture mainstay in its own right, having played over a thousand shows on six continents worldwide — including acclaimed venues like Radio City Music Hall, Sydney Opera House, and Red Rocks Amphitheater. In the process, PMJ has introduced audience to many of the world’s greatest singers, dancers, and instrumentalist — many of whom have gone on to become stars in their own right.
No matter your age, catch Postmodern Jukebox for a ride and an unforgettable trip through 100 years of timeless music.
Postmodern Jukebox “Life In The Past Lane” Concert tourdates
10-Mar-23 | Fri | Owensboro, KY | River Park Center | 15-Mar-23 | Wed | Troy, NY | Troy Savings Bank Music Hall | 16-Mar-23 | Thu | Keene, NH | Colonial Performing Arts Center | 17-Mar-23 | Fri | Great Barrington, MA | The Mahaiwe Theatre | 18-Mar-23 | Sat | Portland, ME | State Theater | 19-Mar-23 | Sun | Plymouth, NH | The Flying Monkey | 24-Mar-23 | Fri | New Haven, CT | College Street Music Hall | 25-Mar-23 | Sat | Bayside, NY | Queensborough Performing Arts Center | 28-Mar-23 | Tue | Akron, OH | EJ Thomas Hall | 30-Mar-23 | Thu | Poughkeepsie, NY | Bardavon | 31-Mar-23 | Fri | Verona, NY | Turning Stone | 4-Apr-23 | Tue | Charlotte, NC | Knight Theatre | 5-Apr-23 | Wed | Greensboro, NC | Piedmont Hall | 6-Apr-23 | Thu | Virginia Beach, VA | Sandler Center | 7-Apr-23 | Fri | Myrtle Beach, SC | House of Blues | 8-Apr-23 | Sat | Atlanta, GA | Woodruff Arts Center | 10-Apr-23 | Mon | Greenville, SC | Peace Center | 13-Apr-23 | Thu | West Palm Beach, FL | Kravis Center | 14-Apr-23 | Fri | Ft. Lauderdale, FL | Parker Playhouse | 15-Apr-23 | Sat | Clearwater, FL | Ruth Eckerd Hall | 18-Apr-23 | Tue | Melbourne, FL | King Center | 19-Apr-23 | Wed | Jacksonville, FL | Florida Theater | 23-Apr-23 | Sun | Sarasota, FL | Van Wezel | 24-Apr-23 | Mon | Orlando, FL | Disney Hall
Madison Square Garden Entertainment have announced that legendary musician and MSG’s first-ever music franchise, Billy Joel, has added another show as part of his record-breaking residency at the world’s most famous arena. Set for Friday, January 13, 2023, the show will mark 133rd lifetime concert at the Garden.
Billy Joel had turned the garden into his personal residency
In December 2013, Billy Joel was named the historic venue’s first-ever music franchise. In doing so, he joined the ranks of other monumental MSG franchises, the New York Knicks and New York Rangers. The record-breaking residency began in January 2014 with Joel playing one show every month at the Garden, “as long as the demand continues.”
Fittingly, Billy Joel is one of the world’s biggest draw, having sold out arenas and stadiums across the globe. The grammy-winning musician is the sixth best-selling recording artist of all time and the third best-selling solo artist. Having sold over 150 million records and scoring 33 consecutive Top 40 hits. In 2016, the Library of Congress selected his debut North American single “Piano Man” for preservation in the National Recording Registry for its “cultural, historic, and artistic significance.”
Billy Joel has been mesmerizing the Garden for decades.
All in all, Billy Joe’s residency at the Garden is no accident. Joel brings prestige to an already prestigious venue. Fans of the “piano man” have watched him ascend to legendary status. Joel has been inducted into the Songwriter’s and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Mr. Long Island also received a TONY award for “Movin’ Out,” a Broadway musical based on Joel’s music.
Ticketing Information
Citi cardmembers will have first access to presale tickets. Beginning Monday, September 19 at 10:00 a.m. through Thursday, September 22 at 10:00 p.m. via www.citientertainment.com.
Tickets will be available for purchase by the general public beginning at 10:00 a.m. (east) on Friday, September 23 via www.ticketmaster.com. Due to congestion and high-demand, it can be difficult to purchase tickets right away, so continue to check Ticketmaster throughout the day.
Singer/songwriter/producer Charlie Puth has announced he will bring his forthcoming third studio album, CHARLIE, to fans around across North America with the ‘One Night Only’ tour. A run of only eight shows North America and Canada this fall, the run of intimate underplay shows will kick off in New Jersey on October 23at the Count Basie Center for the Arts followed by a performance at the Beacon Theatre on October 25, 2022.
Gearing up to release his highly anticipated third studio album CHARLIE, due October 7th via Atlantic Records, Puth has taken his fans along every step of the way. With the ‘One Night Only’ tour, he welcomes them up close and personal as puts his most personal body of work to date on display.
Releasing his newest track, “I Don’t Think That I Like Her,” Puth leans into a heavily voice-led melody while Travis Barker holds down a robust beat on drums to create a high-energy punk-style refrain.
Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Friday, September 23 at 10 AM. To access presale and find further ticket details head to charlieputh.com/tour.
Despite being weeks out from its’ release, CHARLIE, has already surpassed one billion global streams with the help of latest releases “Smells Like Me,” “That’s Hilarious,” “Light Switch” and current single “Left and Right [feat. Jung Kook of BTS] which has garnered over 370 million streams alone and stands as Puth’s most successful chart debut to date. Continuing that momentum, he recently dropped a dynamic remix of the hit collaboration track with the help of GRAMMY-nominated electronic music duo Galantis.
‘One Night Only’ Tour Dates:
10/23/22 – Red Bank, NJ – Count Basie Center for the Arts
10/25/22 – New York, NY – Beacon Theatre
10/27/22 – Toronto, ON, CAN – Massey Hall
10/29/22 – Washington, DC – Warner Theatre
10/31/22 – Boston, MA – Orpheum Theatre
11/3/22 – Chicago, IL – Auditorium Theatre
11/7/22 – San Francisco, CA – Davies Symphony Hall
11/9/22 – Los Angeles, CA – The Theatre at Ace Hotel
The lineup for three weekends of Phil Lesh and Friends at The Capitol Theatre this October have been announced, featuring some familiar names, some familial names, and some newcomers to the Phil and Friends family.
The first weekend begins on Friday, October 14 when Phil will be joined by John Scofield, Eric Krasno, Karl Denson, Phil’s son Graham Lesh, Ivan Neville (October 14 + 16), Steve Molitz (October 15), and Alex Koford. This eclectic group of all-star rockers is the perfect group to bring everyone together for a weekend of dancing and jamming.
Next up, Phil Lesh will invite Friends for a star-studded lineup featuring Rick Mitarotonda of Goose, Grahame Lesh, James Casey, Natalie Cressman, and Jennifer Hartswick, best known for their work in the Trey Anastasio Band, and John Medeski, and John Molo for an incredible psychedlic weekend October 21, 22 + 23.
Lastly, Phil-o-Ween’s stacked roster features new members to Phil’s Capitol bands with Marcus King (October 28 + 29), Duane Betts (October 31), and longtime favorite collaborators Eric Krasno, Grahame Lesh, Nicki Bluhm, Jason Crosby, and Tony Leone!
Get tickets to the Phil and Friends shows at The Capitol Theatre here and don’t miss another legendary run this October!
French DJ and music producer Madeon released his second LP Good Faith back in 2019 but has been touring strong behind the record ever since. Madeon puts on a few different types of shows ranging from DJ sets, to the standard club concerts but he will also perform select shows dubbed Good Faith Forever. These shows boast a unique production, with the most recent one happening at the revamped Brooklyn Mirage last Sunday, September 11.
Madeon’s choice of venue is one of the key factors for the unique Good Faith Forever shows. The venue must have large-scale production capabilities to allow Madeon to take on a larger-than-life presence and completely engulf the audience into the show. For New York City, there is no better choice than Brooklyn Mirage. The venue has a massive LED screen that is curved and wraps around the front end of the crowd, making you feel immersed in the visuals no matter where you are in the venue. The venue has all the bells and whistles already built in, giving Madeon the joy of incorporating lasers into Good Faith Forever for the first time.
A key element to the show takes place in the last leg, when an elevated platform takes Madeon about 20 feet above the stage right as he performs the unreleased song “Gonna Be Good.” At this height, Madeon is towering over the crowd with an intense visual show taking place on the LED, carefully aligned and framing the musician. The venue again provided amplification; not only were fans dwarfed by the show at this point, but the sheer size of the screen and the visuals on it made the entire production feel truly out of this world.
The setlist featured Madeon’s latest one-off release “Love You Back” which came out earlier this year, and the show closed with fan-favorite “Shelter” (a collaboration with Porter Robinson). Good Faith was released back in 2019, but given the delays performing live due to the pandemic, the support for the LP did not begin until 2021. Combine that with the variety by which Madeon performs and you have a tour cycle that goes on without ever getting stale. Good Faith Forever makes a few more festival stops including III Points in Miami before heading to Mexico and then Jakarta, Indonesia. There are also a handful of DJ sets mixed in between. Head over to Madeon’s website for the full tour dates.
Tedeschi Trucks Band will make its annual return to New York City’s Beacon Theatre with a seven-show residency slated to begin Thursday, September 29. This run will not only include the band’s 50th performance at the iconic theater with the show on October 3, but also feature extensive material from the band’s recent I Am The Moon release, an epic, 4-album project released last month on Fantasy Records.
Photo: David McClister
For Tedeschi Trucks Band, this upcoming multi-night run at The Beacon will mark their eleventh one here in total. This one will introduce the public to live performances from their most recent album, which began as a pandemic-related writing exercise suggested by TTB vocalist Mike Mattison in May 2020, and transformed into a career-defining artistic statement with a reimagined mythic tale of star-crossed lovers through a modern-day lens. “We’ve had an incredible amount of new material come out this year with I Am The Moon,” says Derek Trucks, “The Beacon shows will be some of the first where we’ll be able to draw from all of it and have the space to really dig in.”
Susan Tedeschi adds, “I Am The Moon is a creative milestone for us – and we’ve got our 50th show at The Beacon, another milestone. We’re looking forward to celebrating both and all the hard work that went into getting here.” The full deluxe version of this new release also includes four album-length companion films to accompany 24 new original songs that features a blend of soul, rock, blues, funk, roots and Eastern influences.
Remaining tickets for these shows, which are listed below with start times, are limited but still available online at Ticketmaster.com, and in person at the Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall and Beacon Theatre box offices.
TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND – BEACON THEATRE 2022 Thu Sept 29 Amy Helm opens, showtime 7:30pm Fri Sept 30 Two sets, no opener showtime 8pm Sat Oct 1 Two sets, no opener showtime 8pm Mon Oct 3 Surprise opening set, showtime 7:30pm Thu Oct 6 Ruthie Foster opens, showtime 7:30pm Fri Oct 7 Two sets, no opener showtime 8pm Sat Oct 8 Two sets, no opener showtime 8pm
The Grateful Dead wound up playing more than 50 shows at MSG by the time their touring career ended, but the September 1990 run had a unique feel all its own. With keyboardist Brent Mydland’s recent death just months earlier, the Dead once again found themselves in an era of transition. Vince Welnick was brought on as his replacement, but was still very much finding his footing and shaking off stage fright at this point in his tenure with the band. To combat this, they recruited the willing and able talents of Bruce Hornsby to help them along in this new era of Grateful Dead music. His first shows were during this September run at MSG in 1990, offering fans an extraordinary new addition to the music as well as giving a glimpse of what might have been.
The show begins in a relaxed manner as the band eases into a “Jack Straw” opener with Hornsby lending early vocal support on some of Garcia’s lines. There’s no issue with the music though, as an enthusiastic early jam develops from this, much to the delight of a roaring MSG crowd. After noodling around with the opening notes, the Dead then burst into “Bertha.” A blistering guitar solo from Garcia, along with some musical interplay with Hornsby – a staple of this run, lead the way on this one. With the crowd now fully engaged, Bob Weir takes over and leads the way through a particularly bouncy “Me And My Uncle.”
As soon as the last note of “Uncle” finishes, the Dead keep it going and use a similar drum beat to jump right into “Big River” which gives Hornsby his first chance to solo on piano. With the show off to a blistering start, things mellow out a bit with the Garcia-led “It Must Have Been The Roses” that follows, one of the few Dead songs that feature both Robert Hunter penned lyrics and music. The first cover selection of the night comes next, with Weir playing the role of Bob Dylan for “Stuck Inside Of Mobile (With The Memphis Blues Again),” a song the band added to its repertoire a few years earlier. Welnick adds some nice touches on the keyboards on this rousing tune that delivers a slow build in emotion.
To wrap up this opening set at MSG, the Dead decide to unleash the vaunted “Help On The Way” > “Slipknot!” >”Franklin’s Tower” combination that sees the band at their collective best with a discernable new feel to it thanks to the two new keys players. But by the end of “Franklin’s,” a delighted MSG crowd could make the case that some things never truly change.
The second set begins with another longtime Dead classic, “Playin’ In The Band.” The band wastes no time in crafting an explosive, early improvisational jam that quickly goes deep, fueled by some frenetic fret board work from Garcia. Instead of progressing even further, the jam instead comes to a crawl and the opening chords to “Ship Of Fools” emerges. This quick side journey is another prime example of an older song getting a new “shine” to it thanks to the new piano and vocal harmonies supplied by Hornsby. Once completed, the Dead then go right back into “Playin’,” seemingly picking up right where they left off before they quickly shift gears once more and collectively merge into another fan favorite with “Uncle John’s Band.”
After a powerful, but fairly concise jam, the band brings back UJB to completion and, right after the outtro jam, immediately leap into a surprise “Let It Grow,” the first time it’s been found in the second set in years. This elicits one of the finer jams of the evening, a steady, driving collective effort that never really strays too far from the song’s original structure. Afterwards, however, structure goes by the wayside thanks to a seemingly off the cuff jam with Hornsby prominently involved on piano along with noodling from Garcia and Weir. It turns out to be one of the better jams of the night, one that naturally builds in intensity and gives an enticing glimpse of what the Dead could have become had Bruce stayed on permanently.
This essentially becomes the fuel for an extended “Drums” > “Space” sequence that sees the Dead fill MSG with a plethora of sounds and emotions that range from the ambient to the psychedelic. Hornsby even sticks around for some of the early “Drums” madness, giving that a different feel as well. After this lengthy group improv runs its course, the show rounds back into form with the familiar opening drum beat of “Going Down The Road Feelin’ Bad,” finally providing a dance number with some tempo.
After an exuberant version that gives all parties a chance to shine, said tempo drops back down for “Stella Blue,” sung with its usual emotion and feel from Garcia. One more juxtaposition in mood then takes place as Weir proceeds to lead the band through a cover of Chuck Berry’s “Around & Around” that features a bluesy jam which continues to build in energy before peaking, closing out the set in style. For an encore, one more Dylan cover makes an appearance with “Quinn The Eskimo.” The Dead would go on to wrap up their six-night run at MSG the following evening.
View this and more Grateful Dead shows from across the years in New York State with our interactive map below
Grateful Dead Madison Square Garden – New York, NY
Set 1: Jack Straw, Bertha, Me & My Uncle-> Big River, It Must Have Been The Roses, Memphis Blues, Help On The Way-> Slipknot!-> Franklin’s Tower
Set 2: Playin’ In The Band-> Ship of Fools-> Playin’ In The Band-> Uncle John’s Band-> Let It Grow-> Jam-> Drums-> Jam-> Goin’ Down The Road Feelin’ Bad-> Stella Blue-> Around & Around,
If you grew up in the early 1960s, or watched Nick at Nite in the late 1980s, you probably remember this theme song:
An ear worm if there ever was one, the theme song to Car 54, Where Are You? is one of the greatest in television history and one that traverses four of New York City’s boroughs in just 16 seconds of the 29 second theme song. Meanwhile, Officer Gunther Toody (Joe E. Ross) and Officer Francis Muldoon (the legendary Fred Gwynne) are playing checkers on the dashboard of the titular Car 54.
For a run of 60 episodes, starting on September 17, 1961, Car 54, Where Are You? was the start of a career for a few of the actors on the show, and served as one of the early examples of portraying police, fire and even the military in more comedic situations than had been the custom on TV and in cinema.
The cast also included Al Lewis as Officer Leo Schnauser; Charlotte Rae as Sylvia Schnauser; Nipsey Russell as Officer Dave Anderson and Paul Reed as Captain Paul Block. Guest stars were a staple of the show, and featured notable names including Tom Bosley, Hugh Downs, Hal Linden, Charles Nelson Reilly, Sugar Ray Robinson, Jean Stapleton and many more.
Car 54, Where Are You? aired on Sunday nights from 8:30–9:00 p.m. on NBC, following Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color and preceding Bonanza. The show wrapped up on April 14, 1963 after two seasons.
Created by Nat Hiken and with theme song and lyrics composed by John Strauss, Car 54, Where Are You? had multiple directors, including Hiken, Al De Caprio, and Stanley Prager. The show was filmed on location and in the Bronx at Biograph Studios, which burned down in 1980 and now is the home of the New York Department of Sanitation. The show was nominated for four Emmys, winning one for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy for Nat Hiken in 1962.
In order to renew the show for a third season, NBC wanted to negotiate a part ownership deal for the show. Hiken would not agree to the deal and the show’s sponsor, Proctor and Gamble, could not convince CBS into taking the show over, where there was no room on the schedule. Hiken had become burnt out with writing, directing, and overseeing the show, and becoming exhausted with issues on the show, he ended the show after the second season and never worked on anothre series again. Not maintaining the success of the first two years – where the show placed in the top 20 of shows each week – led to cancellation in 1963. Hiken would pass away a few years later at age 54.
An early show that made light of the boys in blue, viewers did find enjoyment in the show, as seen in Nyack, NY where a patrol car was stolen from the police station parking lot was given the nickname “Car 54.” Not every police officer liked the show, leading one high-ranking New York police official, speaking anonymously, said he’d have liked to see the show cancelled as he believed it made all policemen look morons. “Being a policeman is a grim and humourless business, not at all funny,” he was quoted as saying.
Still, while being set in the fictional 53rd precinct in the Bronx, Car 54, Where Are You? was filmed at a studio in the Bronx’s real-life 48th Precinct, where the captain of the 48th made the show aware that he and his men found the show amusing and enjoyed it in their squad room.
Gwynne and Lewis would go on to greater fame in The Munsters, and Gwynne would write children’s books while extending his acting career into the early 1990s with his memorable role in My Cousin Vinny.
Joe E. Ross would provide vocals on a popular Milt Jackson jazz track, “The Oo-Oo Bossa Nova” on the album Jazz and Samba, a reference to Officer Toody’s trademark catch phrase “Oo-Oo.”
In the early 1980s, the show’s theme song is parodied as “Mario, Where Are You?” in an Atari commercial for Mario Bros. video game.
The lyrics to the theme song include five calls to respond to that lie in and outside the 53rd precinct: a hold up in the Bronx, fighting in Brooklyn, a traffic jam that spans from Harlem to Jackson Heights in Queens (a stretch of 7 miles), a missing child report and the head of state of the U.S.S.R. arriving at the future JFK Airport who presumably needs a police escort a mere 17 miles away. Can Muldoon and Toody really be expected to handle all these crises at the same time? Of course not, but the myriad of duties these two and their station are needed for expresses a positive view of the police in the early 1960s, keeping the role comical yet respectable. But was Car 54, Where Are You? an early form of copaganda, or just a light-hearted look at an integrated precinct in the melting pot of New York City?
The line “Khrushchev’s due at Idlewild” is the only part of the theme song that reference real events (although a cross-borough traffic jam is not out of the question), dating to September 1960, when Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev flew into Idlewild Airport (now John F. Kennedy International Airport) to attend the United Nations General Assembly.
Debuting in the 1960 when merchandising became a key part of any major network show, there were multiple comic books based on Car 54, Where Are You?, as well as a board game, a car model, and puppets of Toody and Muldoon.
The Car 54, Where Are You? board game
A reboot of the show took place on the big screen in 1994 when Orion Pictures released what would be a bomb in Car 54, Where Are You? Starring David Johansen (of New York Dolls and Buster Poindexter Fame) as Officer Toody and John C. McGinley as Officer Muldoon, they were joined by original-series cast members Al Lewis and Nipsey Russell, and accompanied by Fran Drescher, Rosie O’Donnell, Daniel Baldwin, Jeremy Piven, Tone Loc, The Ramones and Penn and Teller. Among the reasons the movie bombed – the movie was filmed as a musical, but most numbers were later cut, leaving the movie to the dustbin of Hollywood.
A Car 54, Where Are You? comic book
A classic television show set in the Bronx, Car 54, Where Are You? serves as an early TV show set in the Bronx with a legacy that goes beyond its memorable theme song.
“Car 54, Where Are You?” theme-song lyrics
There’s a holdup in the Bronx, Brooklyn’s broken out in fights. There’s a traffic jam in Harlem That’s backed up to Jackson Heights. There’s a scout troop short a child, Khrushchev’s due at Idlewild Car 54, Where Are You?
British folk rock band Bear’s Den played at historic Webster Hall in the East Village on Thursday, September 15. They have been touring nonstop for the past 18 months gaining a loyal fanbase. The duo consists of Andrew Davie (lead vocals, guitar) and Kevin Jones (vocals, drums, bass, guitar). Christof van der Ven joined the band in 2016 as a session musician and plays in their live shows. Jools Owen is also their current drummer and horn player when they perform live.
Bear’s Den performs at Webster Hall 9.15.22
Bear’s Den opened their set with the title track of their recently released fifth studio album Blue Hours. The album was released in May of 2022 and debuted on the UK Albums Chart at # 6. They then played “Frightened Whispers” which is also featured on the new album. Fans were excited when the band went back in time a few years and performed “Red Earth & Pouring Rain” from their 2016 album of the same name.
Bear’s Den performs at Webster Hall 9.15.22
Continuing the mix of new and old material, the next portion of the set included “Fuel on the Fire,” “All That You Are” and “Isaac.” A big highlight of the night was when the band performed an unplugged version of the 2013 song “Sophie.” After that, they played a few more new tracks from the new album including “New Ways” and “Shadows.”
They then performed their newest single released only a few days ago, “Stitch In Time.” The song was developed during the creation of the new album, but wasn’t completed until they recently started touring again. When asked about the meaning of the song, the duo said, “‘Stitch in Time’ is a song exploring ideas around trauma. Specifically the idea of reaching back through time to be with someone in a difficult moment and just being with them and letting them know that it’s not ok.” You can listen to the new song below.
Perhaps my favorite part of the show was when the band went into the crowd during the encore at the packed Webster Hall and performed “Gabriel.” Without the help of mics, the band sounded amazing and really brought the crowd together for a communal experience. The show ended with “Agape,” the first track from their first album Islands released in 2014.
Setlist: Blue Hours, Red Earth and Pouring Rain, Frightened Whispers, Fuel on the Fire, All That You Are, Isaac, Sophie, New Ways, Shadows, Stitch in Time, Magdalene, Crow, Love We Stole, Spiders, Auld Wives, Pompell, Gabriel, Agape
