Count the New York Yankees as one of the many entities lined up to celebrate the late Jerry Garcia’s upcoming birthday. August 1 will mark what would have been the legendary artist’s 80th birthday and to celebrate, the Yankees are breaking out the bobbleheads. The first 1,000 fans to purchase a special event ticket for that night’s game against the Seattle Mariners will receive the collectible Garcia bobblehead figurine, adorned in a Yankees jersey, pinstripes and all. Portions of the ticket sales will also benefit the Grateful Dead’s longtime non-profit, Rex Foundation.
The Yankees’ Garcia Bobblehead Night is just one of the events that are slated to celebrate his birthday that day. The Jerry Garcia Foundation, in partnership with Starchive, will also host a benefit concert on August 1 at Blue Note Napa in Sonoma County, CA with music performed by Garcia’s fellow New Rider of the Purple Sage in David Nelson and his band. The event will benefit the Jerry Garcia Foundation who, along with its technology partner in Starchive, have announced an upcoming archival project to help preserve the historical and artistic contributions of Jerry Garcia.
Like the Garcia bobblehead, tickets for this show are limited and can be purchased here. Yankees tickets can be purchased directly though mlb.com.
The Festival celebrates the music of legendary gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt, who teamed up with jazz violinist Stephane Grappelli to create the Quintet of the Hot club de France which went on to become one of the most important jazz partnerships in history. Jimi Hendrix named his “big band of gypsies” in tribute, and Willie Nelson adopted his influence in “country-swing.”
Django Reinhardt.
Described by Downbeat Magazine as “sensational… standout performance… hardest swinging band at the Newport Jazz Festival,” the All Star Band, with top players from Europe combined with America’s great jazz stars, will play swing music as a tribute to Reinhardt.
“Rock the Bronx” summer music series kicks off on Saturday, June 25th, with additional concerts on July 23rd and August 21st on the plaza outside the Bronx Music Hall, presented in partnership with The Fox and King inc. and the Underground FLC.
Bronx Music Hall
The BMHC is run by the nonprofit Women’s Housing and Economic Development Corporation (WHEDco). The 14,000 sq. ft. music hall will be the first newly constructed music performance venue to open in the Bronx in more than a half century. It will offer a variety of flexible indoor and outdoor spaces for concerts, film, dance, live theater, and spoken word events, as well as music and dance classes, serving 20,000 in-person audience members and students annually at full capacity post-pandemic.
The series features emerging artists from the borough and the surrounding area that span various genres bringing a variety of new sounds to the South Bronx throughout the summer. The series will be emceed by Marco Soccoli, a New York City music mainstay who played drums for the band the Roxx, and managed the drum departments at Sam Ash Music and Manny’s Music on 48th street’s legendary music row. Show lineup is showed below.
Blackfort & Black Lotus Band – June 25th, 3:00pm
Blackfort
Leading off the series is Blackfort, a duo of artists hailing from the Bronx influenced by soul, rock, hip-hop, blues and Afro-Punk.
Black Lotus Band
Following up is the R&B and soul music band Black Lotus Band. The band is comprised of vocalist, songwriter and guitarist Duo Greene from Manhattan, keyboardist Sean from the Bronx, bassist and guitarist K$tuss from Brooklyn and drummer V from Long Island.
Francesca Lamantia Savoy & Left in the Attic – July 23rd, 3:00pm
A Multitude Of Drops
Francesca Lamantia Savoy from A Multitude of Drops will start the show. Francesca and her band play both electric and acoustic music and formed in the Bronx in 2019.
Left In The Attic
Then, Left in the Attic, another Bronx-based trio will perform their style of garage band rock. They feature Jacks on guitar, Crissy on bass and Murphy on the drums. The band members met in high school and have been performing together since 2008.
Duriex – August 21st, 3:00pm
Duriex
Singer-songwriter and performer Duriex will close the series. They will be joined by other performers to be announced later in the summer.
The Bronx has a history of being the nexus of important music scenes—from being the cradle of hip hop to the center of salsa music. The young musicians in this series are carrying that banner into the 21st century playing rock and R&B on their own terms, revitalizing the music scene of the Bronx.
– Elena Martinez (co-artistic director of the BMHC)
Seating in the plaza is limited, so attendees are welcome to bring lawn chairs. In the event of inclement weather, the performances will move inside the Bronx Music Heritage Center, located at 1303 Louis Nine Blvd, at 4:30pm.
Events on the Bronx Music Hall plaza are free. BMHC also provides a livestream on their Facebook page.
Alternative rock pioneers, the Pixies, have announced an intimate 4-date U.S. tour set to kick-off on October, 1. After being benched for nearly two years due to COVID, this set of performances will come on the heels of a massive global tour that begins in June. During that time, the Pixies will perform at a number of festivals throughout Europe, Asia and South America. Their return will be quickly followed by the September 30 release of their 8th studio album, Doggerel (BMG).
Their October run will see them perform at four intimate venues between California and New York. Beginning on October, 1 at SOMA and concluding on October, 5 at New York City’s Terminal 5 venue. As is the Pixies’ “standard,” the band will draw from their extensive catalogue to perform a different set every night. Attendees can expect the band to perform not only some of the most beloved Pixies songs, but also, new tracks from Doggerel.
Doggerel album cover
Pixies have been acclaimed as the most influential, pioneering band of the late 80s alternative rock movement, having served as a major influence for bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Radiohead, the Strokes, Weezer, and many more. The group has released seven studio albums including the Gold- certified Surfer Rosa, and the iconic Platinum, Doolittle.
Dates for the Pixies October slate can be found below, while tickets are on sale here.
Pixies October Tour dates
Sat. October, 1 – San Diego, CA – SOMA Sun. October, 2 – Anaheim, CA – House of Blues
DJ Mickey D recently spoke with Liam Sweeny of RadioRadioX.
When you think of a DJ, you might think of turntables and scratching, record skipping and beat tracks and all kinds of bending of time and space. But DJing, in its simple reality, is providing a soundtrack for an experience. We might think that DJs play music tracks, and the good ones are talented, but maybe it’s more to the point that DJs play the crowd itself.
DJ Mickey D has a wealth of experience playing different crowds, from “Rocking New Year’s Eve” with Ryan Seacrest to DJing for Mary J. Blige. And with a show called “The Spice of Life”, he shares with his crowd a special little mix of his own.
RRX: On your website, you talk about DJing never being a job, but a passion. And you’ve DJ’d for such people as Mary J. Blige and Jay Z. So, most people would see your resume as a dream come true. When you talk about it being your passion, there is also a job in there. How do you keep it a passion when there is so much work involved?
MD: I started DJing when I was 13. It gave me such self-confidence which I needed because I had low self-esteem due to being born with a cleft-lip and palette. I found that I was able to connect to people through music and make them smile. Over the years I have always volunteered to DJ for all sorts of worthy causes like Operation Smile fundraisers, Boys & Girls Club, the list goes on. I always make sure to give back and my gift to give is music. I think that’s how I stay passionate about music. It always gives me confidence like nothing else in my life, and I always make sure to play gigs that are changing the lives of others.
RRX: When you open for a superstar, when you open for a Jay Z, it’s probably not the same as when you open up for your cousin Mark. There are, I imagine, requirements, conditions you have to navigate through that you wouldn’t on a smaller gig. And I’m not talking state secrets; just a different level. What might be some differences?
MD: I created the opportunity to open for Jay Z as well becoming Mary J Blige’s tour DJ. That’s the first and most significant difference. Jay Z was on his “American Gangster” tour and when we hit the Hammerstein in NYC the dream gig presented itself. Funk Master Flex was opening the show and had to leave early while Jay Z has been delayed and was coming in late. I approached the tour manager and told him that I was an awesome DJ and wanted to play. It turned into an unbelievable 40-minute set of old school NYC hip hop in front of a sold-out crowd. It was a similar situation with MJB. The front of house engineer was playing boring music at the top of the show so I approached the tour manager and asked if I could DJ. I had researched Mary’s influences and put together a sample playlist of what I would play. The next day I auditioned in front of the tour manager as well as Mary’s manager and the gig was mine. It’s important to note I didn’t get paid extra to DJ and I still had to perform my stage-managing duties. But I knew the experiences would be amazing and pay off in the long run.
When creating these amazing opportunities, it’s important to stay humble and true to the task at hand. Just because you have a massive sound system to play on and thousands of people to play for doesn’t mean that’s your opportunity to become DJ number one and create an energy that is not conducive to the opening acts or headliner taking the stage. My name was not on the marquee or the flyer. My job was to play music that set the crowd up for the show to take them on their journey.
If I could offer someone one piece of advice to a DJ that finds themselves in the position of opening for an act of any caliber, don’t play their tracks during your set!
RRX: You have a show, called the “The Spice”. I saw that you had Whoopi Goldberg on the show for the season two finale. And also, climatologist Ginger Zee. It’s a diversity that speaks to a show called the “The Spice”. Can you tell me a little bit about the show, how it started? Who was an interesting person you’ve had on that surprised you?
MD: When the pandemic began, and we went into lockdown I quickly became bored with livestreams. There was no connection between the performer and the audience. And we needed to connect to one another. I started throwing Zoom dance parties and that evolved into the virtual events company Uru Connects with my partners Chris and Kerstin. My role is director of events so I began experimenting with different ideas for music centric virtual events. This is when The Spice was born. A show where friends gather each month to tell stories and share memories that remind us how essential music is to our lives. The first season was completely virtual. The second season was streamed live from a private social club in Brooklyn called Club Curious. This club is a creative space created by my friend and the owner of the craft nonalcoholic beverage Curious Elixirs. Having the guest in person with a small feast of friends gave the show such amazing energy that I decided to take The Spice on the road this summer. First stop is Arlington, VA on 6/12 with Meghan McCain and Kyra Phillips.
MD: During my NYC DJ Series I had Catori from Bespoke Musik as guest. Catori is an accomplished actress and musician who fell in love with DJing while working at The Boom Boom Room in NYC. Under the tutelage of my friend DJ ObAH (Oldskool Beats and Harmonies) who was also a part of the DJ series (at the time of booking I didn’t know about this connection). I learned that Catori has only been DJing for four years and she was already playing massive events such as Burning Man as well as headlining consistently in NYC, LA, and Miami. If I remember correctly, I told her she was a rocket ship.
RRX: There’s something about variety shows, like what I feel Spice of Life is, and correct me if I’m wrong. It’s all in the pattern. Like if you look at something up close, it’s yellow and blue dots; step back, it’s green. So, if you step back from all different types of guests you’ve had on Spice of Life, what do you see?
MD: When I step back and look at the guests that I’ve had on The Spice the first thing I see is friends and family. For the first season this is literal the only people I could convince to come on my show were friends and family. Now that I’m booking more well-known guests and the list grows longer (23 total so far!), I still see friends, but more so I see an entire spectrum of life perspectives that can all be related to music. And that’s the beauty of my show. No matter social or economic status, everyone has the song that reminds them of their mother. Everyone who loves music can relate to every question of every show because we all have soundtracks to our lives. I can ask you what song makes you smile the same way I can ask everyone from a movie star to the guitarist from a heavy metal band (shout out Joey Z LOA!). I mention smile because I am starting an initiative through The Spice to raise funds for Operation Smile, an organization that is near and dear to my heart.
RRX: “Rocking New Year’s Eve”, with Ryan Seacrest, I have to ask about that. Something like that is an intersection between an entertainment event and a historical event. And as a DJ, you have a huge responsibility for stoking the crowd in between segments. It’s high pressure, I imagine, but also high fun. Any neat facts about RNYE?
MD: Every New Year’s Eve for the past nine years I’ve worked as Ryan Seacrest’s audio handler. I run through Times Square with Team Ryan all night making sure he sounds good, can hear what he needs to hear, as well as managing communications for the others in our group. I’ve always said you could never get me to go to Times Square on New Year’s Eve unless you paid me. Be careful what you wish for. It can be a grueling gig with the endless rehearsals and terrible weather (a few years ago it was the coldest New Year’s Eve in 100 years, that sucked). But no matter the challenges, the energy of the show is always amazing and Ryan is awesome to work with. He really sets the bar for energy and professionalism and when it’s cold and wet, he is suffering the same as his crew. But he always pushes through with a smile and so do we because like they say, the show must go on.
RRX: You do a lot of events and play in a lot of places. You’re constantly being put into new situations and having to adapt. So, if you have a choice between a big, huge show or festival, or a small, intimate gathering, is it an easy choice on its face, or does it depend on who’s there? Do you have a ‘sweet spot’ for places to perform?
MD: For me at this time in my life it’s not about the size of the crowd or the venue. It’s all about whether or not I can play the music I want to play. My father passed last year from cancer and this was a very difficult and transformative period in my life. My dad was a DJ also and even though he moved to South Carolina when I was 12 and we didn’t have the closest relationship, we always had music and DJing. So many times he would be at a wedding and hit me up for music to play. We couldn’t talk sports, but we certainly could talk music. When he died, I thought about the amount of anxiety I go through when preparing for gigs such as weddings and corporate events, the panic attacks on the way to the show, and I realized I was having these problems because I wasn’t staying true to myself. I was continuing to endure pain because the money was great. Not to say I didn’t enjoy these gigs; I always rocked the party and have only five star reviews. But when I decided to get real with myself and stop taking gigs because of the money, so many amazing opportunities opened up for me. Now I’m a Love Prophet with Dr. Jah & The Love Prophets as well as the DJ and color commentator for an MMA promotion in Rockland County. I don’t make nearly what I did before but I don’t care. I have so much fun and only play music that I love.
Playwright James Rado, best-known as the co-author and lead actor in iconic, counter-culture Broadway musical, Hair, has passed away in a Manhattan hospital. His reported cause of death was cardiorespiratory arrest, said his publicist and longtime associate, Merle Frimark.
Born in Los Angeles and raised in Rochester, NY, Rado began his journey as a playwright and actor at the University of Maryland. He starred in a production of “Romeo and Juliet,” while acting and helping write several other plays. Thereafter, he spent two years in the U.S. navy before returning to D.C. for graduate study at the Catholic University of America. Following his studies, Rado made his way to New York City where he studied with acting coach Lee Strasberg and, in the early 1960s, formed a singing group called James and the Argyles.
Furthermore, Rado acted in numerous Broadway and off-broadway productions during this period — which included a part in Marathon ’33, and the original Broadway production of The Lion in Winter — but after meeting Gerome Ragni in 1964, his breakthrough would come during the counter-culture hippie bubble of the 1960’s. In a time of social and political unrest, James Rado and Gerome Ragni embraced the hippie ideals where race, sexuality and identity were merely options and not pre-determined.
The plot revolves a group of hippies called the “Tribe,” who are on a journey of self-discovery. Their leader, a sensitive young man named Claude, who grapples with his place in the world. He and the Tribe find their way while trying to escape the grasp of what they considered a flawed system. Between draft-card burnings, love-ins, bad LSD trips and a parade of protest marches, drugged-out hippies and outraged tourists who don’t approve of the world’s goings-on. Rado and Ragni wrote the the play’s dialogue and the song lyrics.
“We were very serious about studying these new theater techniques for the actor and the playwright. And we became aware of what was going on around us in the streets,” Rado said in a 2014 interview with Broadway World.
There [were] protest marches in the village and in the parks. There was this manifestation of this new person called the Hippie. We found so much excitement in the real world that we felt wasn’t experienced by your average theatergoing, Broadway audience. We thought that we could somehow take the excitement that we experienced ourselves, what we felt the Hippie thing was about, and that basic peace and love message that they were living and breathing, and bring that to the stage. We thought we could share our excitement and our experience, and I think we achieved that.
Hair won a Grammy in 1969 and was made into a hit-film in 1979. The Broadway show ran for nearly 2000 performances in both London and New York. Songs from Hair have been recorded by numerous artists, including Shirley Bassey, Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross and Liza Minnelli.
After a split with Ragni in the early 1970’s, the duo reunited to co-write the audio movie, Sun and the musical, Jack Sound and His Dog Star. Despite not reaching the same success with other productions, Hair remains a seminal work that still resonates today. Subtitled as “The American Tribal Love Rock Musical,” hair presented same- sex kissing, a multiracial cast and nudity as every day happenings. While the values around identity and anti-war sentiments remain relevant.
James Rado was survived by his brother, he was 90-years-old.
Brooklyn-based artist stevexcooper has just dropped his new single “Water Wings,” sharing open-hearted tales of human connection in all its glory, from romance, awkwardness, and uncertainty.
stevexcooper by Pete Gibson
Recognized by Wonderland Magazine, stevexcooper has embossed within the music business for nearly 20 years. He earned credits in writing, recording and performing, as well as collaborated with Grammy nominees. He has also previously co-produced London’s ATO (MCMXCV) alongside platinum artist EDEN, which garnered on-air support from pop star Tom Grennan and multiple BBC Radio 1 DJs.
stevexcooper
Influenced by the artists Aphex Twin and Squarepusher, stevexcooper expressed his fond of “capturing the sound of worlds breaking”. His works are also described as left-wing pop and rap, his music bends stereotypical genres, creating dynamic beats and a uniquely exclusive sound.
The recently unveiled “Water Wings” feat with Rothstein is off of the pair’s upcoming collaborative EP, What Are You Made Of?, which was written in Brooklyn over the course of a year and a half. The uptempo “Water Wings” demonstrates Rothstein’s polished pop songwriting over Cooper’s off-kilter anthems. Delicate chiming synths and syncopated beats provide the backdrop for Rothstein’s glossy vocals, as he sings “It’s contagious, the way that you’re so sure we’ll be alright.”
This is my first producer project release that’s about relationships. I’m excited about the prospect of not only switching genres with abandon, but also switching message and content. They’re pop tracks but without straight up pop sounds. The structures are familiar, but the guts of the place are new.
Radio Free Brooklyn, NYC’s globally-reaching freeform streaming radio network, is releasing its first-ever compilation album featuring previously unreleased tracks from some of the station’s favorite acts.
Titled Sonic Resource Kit, the 17-track compilation is designed to support a new fundraising effort by the listener-supported station. The tracks were compiled and curated by music director Rachel Cleary after an extensive search and represent international acts including SUSS (US), Mikal Amin (US), Bodoni (Italy), Early Remains (UK), Pallbearer Industry (CA) and Suns of Southern Ulster (Ireland). The breadth of artist contributions attests to the international following of this “hometown” streaming freeform radio network.
Founded in 2015 by NYC underground performance scene veterans Tom Tenney and Robert Prichard, Radio Free Brooklyn provides a platform for independent musicians and activists of all stripes. It has grown from a small Internet radio station operating from the basement of a Bushwick bike shop into a community organization with over 75 shows, streaming 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Radio Free Brooklyn also functions as a community organization providing a radio platform for the diverse cultures that comprise the borough of Brooklyn, with a focus on music, local politics, LGBT rights, gentrification, gender issues, food, and more. As their motto says, “It’s what Brooklyn Sounds like!”
The bands have graciously donated their tracks and time to support this effort and all proceeds from the sale of the Sonic Resource Kit album will go to directly support the ongoing operations of Radio Free Brooklyn. The cover art was created by Kosmo Vinyl with additional graphics by Lisa Levy.
Hip-hop artist Mikal Amin opens the compilation with his track “Icon,” a hard-hitting stomper that asks the question –“Do you have what it takes to be an icon?” Grunge-era fuzz and distortion highlight “Sala Must Be A Great Place to Visit” from Italy’s Bodini, while “Shadow” by Lovehoney is an update on the bluesy psychedelia of Hendrix. The band Death Trap provides an exciting live track called “Stole Your Rock and Roll,” while “Cheyenne” by SUSS provides a taste of their critically-acclaimed fusion of ambient and country.
George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic embarked on their One Nation Under A Groove tour on Wednesday, June 15 in Central Park’s Summerstage. Bands including Dopapod, The Motet, & Pimps of Joytime performed ahead of the legendary funk band, a part of Blue Note Jazz festival.
Dopapod played an incredible yet much shorter set than the excited fans were used to, but regardless it was a super tight set and the band all seemed hyped for their stacked summer tour.
Shira Elias stole the show when she joined in with The Motet and The Horn Section, all of them former members of Turkuaz, with Elias’ vocals and stage presence nothing short of amazing. As the show went on, the funk meter increased until it was finally time for P Funk who brought an intensely funky, fun, and freaky time.
On Friday, June 24 at 4:00 pm and 7:15 pm, Grammy-nominated Latin singer Sonia De Los Santos will perform her bilingual songs at Flushing Town Hall, as part of the Hall’s month-long Queens Rising celebration which highlights the borough’s cultural and creative diversity.
Photo Courtesy of Hyphen Photography
The performance will feature Sonia De Los Santos (vocals, guitar, jarana), Sinuhé Padilla-Isunza (leona, jarana), Elena Moon Park (violin, trumpet), Erica Kika Parra (drums), Berta Moreno (sax, clarinet), Fernando Brindis (bass), and Argelia Arreola (zapateado, jarana).
Both performances are family-friendly, and the group shares uplifting messages with Latin rhythms, body percussion, and traditional, Mexican folk dance demonstrations. The concert will offer parents and children a chance to celebrate the end of a long school year, and all that they have accomplished.
Originally from Monterrey, Mexico, Sonia De Los Sonto’s music career took off when she began touring with Grammy-winning kids’ music troubadour Dan Zanes in 2007. In 2015, she released her first solo family music album, Mi Viaje: De Nuevo León to the New York Island to rave reviews. The album received the Parents’ Choice Foundation Gold Award and reflects on her experiences growing up and preserving her own heritage in a different country.
In 2019, Sonia De Los Santos was nominated for a Latin Grammy with her second family music album, ¡Alegría!. She and her band have since performed throughout the country, including at the Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, The Getty Museum, Smithsonian Folklife Festival, and many more.
Santos’ recently released third album, Esperanza,is a bilingual collection of songs about hope, cherishing home, being grateful, dreaming of a better future, marveling at nature, and finding the light within ourselves. The musician and band are sure to make audiences smile with their encouraging messages and community pride.
Flushing Town Hall is excited to welcome families to celebrate our city’s school children with this fun concert. We are all so proud of their resilience and accomplishments this past school year! It’s time to kick off summer with these amazing and engaging performers.
Flushing Town Hall Executive & Artistic Director Ellen Kodadek
Flushing Town Hall has advocated for arts equity since 1979 and supports local, immigrant, national, and international artists with their programming. The Hall is also a proud member of the Cultural Institutions Group which is a collective of 34 non-profits committed to serving all New Yorkers.
Flushing Town Hall is accessible by car, bus, train, and foot. Access for wheelchair users and individuals with limited mobility is also available.
