NYS Music 202​2

Category: NYC Metro

  • Bryant Park Announces September Picnic Performances

    Bryant Park has shared new performers for their Picnic Performances this Sept. The free concerts highlight new and established acts from the classical, jazz, and global pop genres.

    The first of the Picnic Performances begin on Sept. 9 with 20-year-old trumpeter Summer Camargo. Camargo currently studies at the Julliard School and is a rising star in the jazz music scene. She will be performing with her Sextet.

    Trumpeter Summer Camargo

    On Sept. 16, the Accordion Festival returns to Bryant Park after a two-year hiatus. The festival will feature bands and free reed instrumentalists who hail from various different backgrounds and cultures. Attendees can hear from Afghani musician Ahmad Fanoos alongside his sons, Ukrainian music from two ensembles, the experimental Balaklava Blues, and much more. The day will also hold the premiere of Cinco12: The Music of Selena which honors the music of the late artist with performances of some of her best hits.

    Directly after the Accordion Festival, the American Symphony Orchestra will present a free concert on Sept. 17 to celebrate its 60 anniversary. The program features established composers showcasing works inspired by NYC. The three newly announced dates will add to the already busy September at Bryant Park. The New York City Opera, and a duet from jazz pianists Aaron Diehl and Orrin Evans, will occur earlier in the month.

    Attendees to any of the Bryant Park Picnic Performances can bring food or enjoy a selection of options from local NYC vendors. Picnic chairs and blankets will also be provided at no cost for the performances.

  • NYC’s Midnight Theatre to Open on September 21

    On Sept. 21, the new variety theater Midnight Theatre will open its doors for the first time. Situated in midtown Manhattan, the performance venue will offer a great setting for music, magic, theater, and performance art.

    Photo Credit: Brett Beyer Photography

    Creative Director Warren Adcock conceptualized the 160-seat theater which will also be the first home for Mastercard’s innovative multisensory studio. The Midnight Theatre also includes a permanently installed 270-degree projection system that can digitally alter the appearance of the space to transport audiences anywhere. With animated environments that can react to the beat of a song, versatile audio-visual systems, and full live-stream capabilities, the venue is high-tech for the best entertainment.

    In addition to the engaging offerings as an entertainment space, Midnight Theatre is home to the pan-Asian restaurant and bar, Hidden Leaf. The latest restaurant from Josh Cohen opened in July. The Midnight Cafe is also open bringing customers crafted cocktails with a high-energy, 70’s Italian disco soundtrack.

    Photo Credit: Jason Greenspan

    The venue will host shows of magic, music, and comedy in early Sept. as a sneak peek at what is to come in the fall and winter seasons. As part of the future lineup, a signature show, A Brief History of Magic, is set to premiere.

    With the theater opening, this completes the dream of creating the ideal New York night out all under one roof. There’s been such a positive response to the opening of Hidden Leaf, and it’s been rewarding to see guests come enjoy the dining and cocktails that we have to offer. We are beyond excited to extend their experience inside the walls of the tech-enhanced Midnight Theatre with intimate, one-of-a-kind storytelling across magic, music, comedy and much more.

    – Creative Director Warren Adcock
    Photo Credit: Brett Beyer Photography

    Stay tuned for when this next-level entertainment venue opens on Sept. 21. For more information, visit the Midnight Theatre’s website.

  • BSF Takeover At The Closing Knitting Factory

    The Knitting Factory in Brooklyn will be closing its doors at the end of this month. Benny The Butcher’s Black Soprano Family played one of the final shows at the venue on Aug. 15. In a statement posted to Instagram, the venue’s management wrote “it is time for the Knit to (once again) reinvent itself.” The last show will be on Aug. 21.

    BSF at the closing Knitting Factory

    The Black Soprano Family (BSF) consists of Heem, Rick Hyde, El Camino, Loveboat Luciano, Fuego Base, and founder Benny The Butcher. The collective has been gaining a lot of momentum lately. Benny had released Tana Talk 4 back in March which included one of the best hip hop songs of the year, “Johnny P’s Caddy” featuring J. Cole and produced by Alchemist. On Sept. 9, Benny and the BSF crew are releasing Long Live DJ Shay, a tribute to their mentor and collaborator who died of Covid-19 in August of last year. The first single from that project is a song produced by DJ Premier called “Times is Rough.”

    Their show at the packed Knitting Factory on Monday night was full of energy and emotion. Benny opened with 3 songs from his solo work including “Raw,” “97 Hov,” and “Survivor’s Remorse.” After that each BSF member had a chance to shine. Rick Hyde got into a track from his debut album called “Pandemic Flow” before he and Heem traded verses on “Da Mob” and “It’s Over” off the Respected Sopranos album. Then Rome Streetz made an appearance to perform “Poza” and “Peri Peri.”

    Next Loveboat Luciano stepped up to perform “Grams In Da Water,” “Lovey,” and “Parole.” Fuego Base got to show off his skills on three of his tracks “First Day Out,” “9.37,” and “Narcan.” Then newest BSF member El Camino came out to perform “India” with Benny and “Josh Allen” off his collaboration album with Chase Fetti titled Bethlehem.

    Next Benny brought out the “first lady” of Griselda, Armani Cesar. She performed “Drill A Rama” and Mac 10s for Everybody” off her album The Liz. Armani is releasing the sequel to this album titled The Liz 2 on Sept. 2. Stove God Cooks also made a quick appearance to perform “Back 2X ” with Benny. The show ended with a few more Benny songs including “Legend” from his Burden of Proof album produced entirely by HItboy, “5 to 50” and “Johnny P’s Caddy.”

    BSF Knitting Factory Setlist: Rubber Bands and Weight, 97 Hov, Survivor’s Remorse, Pandemic FLow, Da Mob, It’s Over, Poza, Peri Peri, 430, The Realest, Fell In Love With the Streets, Grams in Da Water, Lovey, Parole, Shine, Madonna, Wins & Losses, First Day Out, 9.37, Josh Allen, Money Feel Better, Drill A Rama, Mac 10’s Sunday School, Back 2X, Times is Rough, 18 Wheeler, Legend, One Way Flight, 5 to 50, Johnny P’s Caddy

  • Rising Alt-Rock Band The Vindys to Perform at Rockwood Music Hall

    Northeast, Ohio natives, The Vindys, continue on their upwards trajectory with a Stage 3 performance at New York City’s Rockwood Music Hall on Monday, August 22. Having recently performed on the West Coast for the very first time, the band is brimming with confidence.

    “We are so excited to be returning to New York City for the fourth time,” says the band.

    The Vindys West Coast expedition saw them play a series of shows with a full band plus a horn section (trumpet, saxophone, trombone) in Oceanside, L.A., San Francisco and Carson City, where they performed in front of well over 3,000 people.

    The Vindys have been touring the West Coast.

    The Ohio natives are led by singer-songwriter and guitarist, Jackie Popovec, while John Anthony serves as lead guitarist, with Rick Deak on rhythm guitar.  All are classically trained musicians who combine their skills, Popovec as the primary songwriter, while collaborating on musical arrangements, resulting in an in-depth and intricate sound that is mature, yet relatable. 

    The Vindys Rockwood Music Hall performance comes as they continue to tour off their latest album, Bugs, which has garnered rave reviews. They released a series of singles ahead of their album including the title track “Bugs,” with its mesmerizing and throbbing beat, mixed by Ryan West. Other tracks include the tempting groove  “Want Your Heart,” the sweltering ballad “Morning Light,” and the anthemic “Are You Ready.

    Northeast, Ohio radio station WKSU called the album “a 10-track rock ‘n’ roll triumph that fuses the group’s vintage jazz aesthetic with a more straightforward blues-rock sound.” 

    Brad Savage, program director of The Summit 91.3 FM (OH), explains, “They’ve got depth and substance and are instantly likable. Their songs get stuck in your head after one listen.”

    Rockwood Music Hall has been such a wonderful place to play. The energy that the club brings every time is so amazing!

    The 7 p.m. performance will see The Vindys share the stage with singer-songwriter, Claire Vandiver. Tickets for the performance can be found here.

  • NYC Non-Profit Creative Muse Announces Expansion of Arts Programming

    After receiving a highly-sought after $1.7 million grant from Creatives Rebuild New York, the NYC non-profit Creative Muse is working with multidisciplinary artists to expand the arts programming on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.

    Founded in 2017, Creative Muse provides programming and mentorship to youth and adults placing importance on creativity and mindfulness. The organization primarily serves people of color, immigrant communities, and low-income individuals to help them access the creative and social skills critical for success. 

    Some of the programs being added due to the grant include artist residencies at Campos Plaza which will provide vulnerable youth, families, and communities the opportunity to creatively express themselves. The residency will allow individuals access to a theater, digital tablets, beat-making equipment, and more.

    Providing professional artists with full-time employment, in an environment that allows them to pursue their craft, will lead to more robust programming for our students and communities and help solidify New York’s status as an artist-friendly state.

    -Creative Muse Executive Director Jamie Parganos

    Creative Muse was also founded with the aim to provide employment and mentorship opportunities for other adult artists and an environment where they are full-time employees. The non-profit offers higher than average hourly rates, monthly customized workshops, a robust substitute roster, a two-teacher per class requirement, and a great environment for artists to create.

    As an artist, flexibility in a work schedule is crucial … this is the reason why many artists have little choice but to take on various part-time/contract jobs instead of committing to full-time work, effectively making basic socio-economic rights such as financial stability, healthcare, retirement savings, etc. luxuries instead of the norm. A workplace that ensures all of these rights while allowing us the freedom to pursue our own artistic endeavors is a rare and unbelievably special opportunity.

    – Teaching Artist and Actor Libby Lee

    With the support of CRNY, Creative Muse plans to continue to expand its programming throughout 2022.  All programs will integrate Creative Muse’s model for mindfulness and social-emotional learning, which includes promoting resiliency and optimistic thinking. Stay tuned for community events, slam poetry readings, comedy shows, open mic nights, and more from the non-profit. 

    While being a musician has many redeeming qualities, we are merely human and yearn for true fulfillment … having the opportunity to apply my multiple decades of artistic experience to work with future generations fills a void that performing alone is unable to.

    – Multi-instrumentalist and Producer Prince Terrence

    For the full bios of all the Creative Muse teaching artists and more information about upcoming programming, visit the organization’s website.

  • Silverstein Embarks On Co-Headlining Tour With The Amity Affliction, Stops in Niagara Falls and Huntington

    The rock band Silverstein embarks on their tour with co-headliners, The Amity Affliction on Aug. 25 and will wrap up in Toronto on Oct. 2. The band will be visiting over 25 cities across North America including Niagara Falls on Sept. 27 and Huntington on Sept. 28.

    Silverstein Tour

    Silverstein is a Canadian rock band formed in 2000 whose name is a reference to the famous children’s author Shel Silverstein. It has included members Shane Told (vocals), Paul Marc Rousseau (guitar), Josh Bradford (guitar), Billy Hamilton (bass), and Paul Koehler (drums) since 2001. 

    Silverstein released their latest studio album, Misery Made Me this May via UNFD. Inspired by the pandemic life in the past two years, the album reflected the collective turmoil, frustration, and anxiety of Silverstein and the world. Its topics of loneliness, anxiety, and isolation recorded in this album are still eternal human struggles.

    Silverstein confirmed their unique ability to adapt and connect in all career cycles through their active attempts in new technologies like TikTok, Discord, the metaverse, and Twitch. They are also inspiring as they continue to dig deep and find the inspiration to reach people in meaningful new ways. Misery Made Me is a campaign hinged on Silverstein’s reflection and gratitude for their roots, their honoring of their earliest fans, and their relentless desire to explore forward-thinking and adventurous ways to connect with new ones.

    Tour Dates

    Aug. 25 – Phoenix, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
    Aug. 26 – Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues
    Aug. 27 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern
    Aug. 28 – Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades
    Aug. 30 – Portland, OR @ Roseland
    Aug. 31 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox
    Sept. 2 – Boise, ID @ Revolution
    Sept. 3 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Depot
    Sept. 4 – Denver, CO @ Mission
    Sept. 6 – Minneapolis, MN @ Skyway Theatre
    Sept. 7 – Chicago, IL @ Concord Music Hall
    Sept. 8 – Royal Oak, MI @ Royal Oak Theatre
    Sept. 9 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Four Chord Music Festival
    Sept. 10 – Cincinnati, OH @ Ohio is For Lovers Festival
    Sept. 11 – Alton, VA @ Blue Ridge Rock Festival
    Sept. 13 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
    Sept. 14 – Orlando, FL @ House of Blues
    Sept. 16 – Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
    Sept. 17 – San Antonio, TX @ Vibes Event Center
    Sept. 18 – Dallas, TX @ Amplify Live
    Sept. 20 – St Louis, MO @ Red Flag
    Sept. 21 – Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl
    Sept. 23 – Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Live
    Sept. 24 – Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
    Sept. 25 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore
    Sept. 27 – Niagara Falls, NY @ Rapids Theatre
    Sept. 28 – Huntington, NY @ Paramount
    Sept. 30 – Worcester, MA @ The Palladium
    Oct. 1 – Montreal, QC @ Olympia
    Oct. 2 – Toronto, ON @ History

  • Ghost Light Announces New Album ‘The Healing’ With New Song And Tour

    Ghost Light has announced their sophomore studio album The Healing, which will release on October 7 via Royal Potato Family with the new song “Take Some Time” and an accompanying tour. The Healing Tour will visit Brooklyn on October 14 and Albany on October 21.

    Ghost Light. The Healing Tour. (L-R): Scotty Zwang (drums)  Raina Mullen (guitar, vocals), Tom Hamilton (guitar, vocals), 
    Holly Bowling (piano), Photo: David Veltri

    Ghost Light is a five-piece American jam band formed in 2017 which consists of Scotty Zwang (drums) Raina Mullen (guitar, vocals), Tom Hamilton (guitar, vocals), and Holly Bowling (piano).

    “The story is less the fallout as it is the recovery. Sticking with it. Staying the course in the face of adversity, uncomfortable conversations or situations. The path to health and healing is often not the path of least resistance but the path of perseverance and doing the work.”

    Tom Hamilton

    Their new song “Take Some Time” is a syncopated synth-heavy indie-rock song following the release of “Don’t Say Goodnight Just Yet.” It contains an earworm of a chorus with a nasty bass line and sparkling guitar solos perfect for a top-down end of summer road trip. The music video is also available on their official website.

    Ghost Light will kick off The Healing Tour on October 6 and will play through the Midwest and East Coast and will back out west before their last stop in Los Angeles on December 16.

    THE HEALING TOUR

    OCT 6 @ TURF CLUB | ST. PAUL, MN

    OCT 7 @ BACK ROOM AT COLECTIVO | MILWAUKEE, WI

    OCT 8 @ PARK WEST | CHICAGO, IL

    OCT 9 @ MAGIC BAG | FERNDALE, MI

    OCT 12 @ THE WAREHOUSE | FAIRFIELD, CT

    OCT 14 @ BROOKLYN BOWL | BROOKLYN, NY

    OCT 15 @ BROOKLYN BOWL PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA

    OCT 16 @ THUNDERBIRD MUSIC HALL | PITTSBURGH, PA

    OCT 20 @ BANK OF NEW HAMPSHIRE STAGE | CONCORD, NH

    OCT 21 @ LARK HALL | ALBANY, NY

    OCT 22 @ XL LIVE | HARRISBURG, PA

    OCT 23 @ THE HAMILTON LIVE | WASHINGTON, DC

    DEC 8 @ WILD BUFFALO | BELLINGHAM, WA

    DEC 9 @ NECTAR LOUNGE |SEATTLE, WA

    DEC 10 @ REVOLUTION HALL | PORTLAND, OR

    DEC 11 @ WOW HALL | EUGENE, OR

    DEC 14 @ HARLOW’S NIGHT CLUB | SACRAMENTO, CA

    DEC 15 @ THE INDEPENDENT | SAN FRANCISCO, CA

    DEC 16 @ TERAGRAM BALLROOM | LOS ANGELES, CA

  • Bill Scorzari Releases ‘The Crosswinds of Kansas’

    New York-based singer-songwriter Bill Scorzari has just independently released his upcoming album, The Crosswinds of Kansas, this Friday, Aug. 19. With his rich raspy voice and a stellar ear for lyrics and composition, Bill transcends titles like songwriter or poet. Later in his career, he transformed his life as a New York Trial Lawyer in Huntington to a full-time musician in 2014.  

    Scorzari spent the early days of the Covid lockdown finishing songs for the album and gathering the right instruments to fit the mood. He even began to learn Navajo from new friends that he met when commissioning a Native American flute to be able to recite his lyrics in the language for the closing track—a song with an intriguing backstory. 

    For me, the journey that had begun in 2019 (and in many respects, much earlier), became a journey into the depths of my soul, not just in a nebulous aspirational or conceptual sense, but in its fruition, and this album is a record of many of the ways in which it has all unfolded for me so far. I’m grateful for the opportunity to have occupied my time with this effort and for the opportunity to continue to participate in the dance that is life, through this pandemic and beyond.

    —Bill Scorzari 
    Bill Scorzari Releases 'The Crosswinds of Kansas'

    Scorzari, a prolific songwriter, has taken his craft to new heights and deeper depths with his 4th studio album, The Crosswinds of Kansas. He became inspired by his three-month-long Now I’m Free Tour in 2019, which had become a journey of self-discovery. Thus, he ultimately arrived at a new awareness and desire to adapt and continue to create. 

    New York-based singer-songwriter Bill Scorzari transcends titles like songwriter or poet. He catapults past categories into a dark, ruminative, and ultimately life-affirming realm where family folklore, memories, pain, prayer, and incantation meet.

    says Acoustic Guita

    In early 2022, he recorded some backing vocal and harmony vocal tracks for the song, “Tryin’, Tryin’, Tryin’, Tryin.’” For the final piece to complete the record, he asked his friend to send him a short cell phone recording of himself singing a Navajo chant, which he edited to make it sound like a historically older recording before adding it in at the end of the song. Talking about the song, he said, “When I was done and listened back to it, the song (and the album) felt complete, and the history it has gathered is abundant and beautiful.” 

    To pre-order and listen to Bill Scorzari’s new album The Crosswinds of Kansas, click the link here.

  • Da’ Block Music & Arts Festival To Premiere at The Bronx Brewery

    Da’ Block Music & Arts Festival will premiere at The Bronx Brewery from 1:00 pm to 10:00 pm on Saturday August, 27, 2022. The festival will feature bands Left In The Attic, Ronx, Incircles, and artists Pigkaso, Iamchelseaiam, July Quin, and Emelia Vero.

    Da’ Block Music & Arts Festival

    Holding the mission that empowering local music in the borough, creating a safe space for culture and providing a platform for the local community will help build a lasting creative legacy, Da’ Block Music and Art Festival will also hold a jam session by That Houseparty Tho as well give vibes with DJ First Class, Ultraviolet and Lynn. The collaboration between Bronx creatives Bryan Durieux, Uptown Melody and The Fox & King contributed to this exciting festival.

    The Fox and King, Inc. (TFAK) is a Bronx located artist development, booking and media agency founded in 2011 while The Uptown Melody is a platform dedicated to highlighting Bronx and Uptown creatives through dynamic live music events created by Bronx-native singer Ayanna Williams. Bryan Durieux is a Bronx-based artist takes on alternative R&B/Soul.

    “As the birthplace of hip-hop, our local community has provided the world with music, art, fashion, food, literature and pop culture icons.”

    Ayanna Williams

    “The Bronx is defined by its culture and creativity. It’s time to celebrate our contributions with a festival that’s dedicated to our local community.”

    Fernando Michael

    “We’re empowering the Bronx with our music and our culture. This festival will be the first of its kind in the borough and we’re looking to leave this creative legacy for the next generation.”

    Bryan Durieux

    Tickets for the festival will go on sale this week via Eventbrite and will also be available to patrons at the door on the day of the show.

  • Brooklyn’s Industry City Concert Series Heats Up

    Brooklyn’s Industry City has just outlined its Hometown Bar-B-Que 2022 Concert Series at the Industry City Bandshell, in South Brooklyn. The diverse mix of culture and local businesses within Industry City is as authentic of a New York experience as it gets. “No visit to Industry City is ever the same” is a popular saying about the venue.

    Industry City Concert Series

    The concert series began on July 21, with a performance by rock n’ roll group Lizzie and the Makers during the venue’s Sunset Happy Hour. The series continued on July 29, when the signature sound of Club d’Elf took the stage.

    On August 13, Industry City welcomed a collective of New York City’s top musicians including Murderers’ Row. The band performed a tribute to some of the world’s best artists and albums.  

    The fun continued the next night on August 14, at 6 P.M. ET, when DJ Logic and Friends ascended upon the Brooklyn venue to deliver a one-of-a-kind super jam. Friends like Billy Martin (Medeski, Martin and Wood), James Casey, Natalie Cressman and Jennifer Hartwick (Trey Anastasio Band’s horn section), Jamie Shields, Dan Kurtz (The New Deal) and Ross Bellenoit (Muscle Tough) were all featured. 

    The penultimate event will take place on Sunday, August, 18 at 7 p.m. ET, with a performance from Levon Helm Studios’ Midnight Ramble Band, as Helm’s legendary songbook graces the Industry City stage. The final show will happen on September, 24 when Flight 467 and Summerfeet each deliver a 90-minute set of ’70s-infused jazz-rock and jammed-out yacht rock.  

    Although it will come to an end, Industry City is planning to add more events through Halloween. You won’t want to miss any upcoming events at this intimate yet wide-open outdoor South Brooklyn space.

    For additional information and to purchase tickets for Industry City’s summer concert series, visit the link here.