On July 23rd, Flashback Funk Fest will take place at Kings Theatre, Brooklyn, featuring legendary artists like Morris Day & The Time and Cameo with SOS Band and The Dazz Band.
Morris Day and The Time & Cameo at Kings Theatre
Morris Day, legendary funkmaster and well known for playing the main role in the movie Purple Rain, returns with his energetic vocals and witty lyrics. Day is the lead singer of The Time, a musical group associated with Prince. Similarly, the two even attended the same high school in Minneapolis in 1974. Some of his biggest hits include “Jungle Love”, “Get It Up”, and “The Bird.”
Accompanying Morris Day & The Time, CAMEO celebrates 40 years & more than eighteen million albums. Larry Blackmon, the lead singer of CAMEO, composes such a unique funk sound thats played throughout time. Their hit songs are routinely placed in films, TV, video games, and commercials.
S.O.S Band, otherwise known as The Sounds of Success, is comprised of Jason Bryant, Billy Ellis, Willie “Sonny” Killebrew, Bruno Speight, John A. Simpson, James Earl Jones III, and Mary Davis.
Their greatest hits include, “Take Your Time (Do It Right) and “Just Be Good to Me.” After Davis’ retirement from touring in 2020, the band added two new vocalists, Marleen Thomas, and Chimere Scott, who have taken the torch in place of their former iconic original vocalist.
Led by Bobby Harris, The Dazz Band is comprised of Skip Martin (Lead Vocals & Trumpet), Marlon “The Magician McClain (Guitar), Donny Sykes (Vocals), Raymond Calhoun (Drums)Keith Harrison (Keyboards), and Alvin Frazier (Bass). Celebrating their 40th Anniversary, the band won a Grammy Award for Best Performance by an R&B Group or Duo for their smash hit “Let It Whip” in 1982.
The show will start at 7:30pm and doors open at 6:00pm. Tickets are on sale now here.
Happy Birthday to Long Island’s own Mariah Carey! Born March 27, 1969, the “Queen of Christmas” has reigned with her all time classic holiday song for almost 30 years. One of modern music’s most distinguished singer-songwriters, Mariah Carey has broken numerous records with the help of her five octave vocal range.
Grammy photoshoot
Although Carey has always had aspirations of being a singer, her childhood growing up in Long Island presented some challenges. Raised by an Irish-American mother and an Afro-Venezuelan father, Carey and her siblings faced a wall of discrimination and bullying during their childhood. She also had to deal with violence coming from within her own home. Despite these difficulties, she was able to gain support from her mother, who enrolled her in private singing lessons.
Carey worked tirelessly to create demos that would show off her vocal prowess and she finally struck gold after meeting then Sony Music exec Tony Mottola at an industry party. She was signed to Sony Music in 1988 and released chart topper after chart topper during her time there, including “Emotions,” “Daydream” and her biggest hit, “All I Want for Christmas is You.”
Following her departure from Sony Music and a tumultuous relationship with Mottola, Carey was able to spread her wings and fully develop her musical persona. The release of Butterfly helped her to transition from her more youthful pop to R&B and Hip Hop. The popular Rainbow followed in 1999.
After being diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder in 2001 and having to deal with the failure of her movie “Glitter”, Carey made her triumphant return with The Emancipation of Mimi. Released in 2005, her 10th studio album proved that she wasn’t going anywhere. E=MC2 and Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel continued this trend, with chart topping singles and memorable music videos.
By 2011, Carey was married and had two kids, but this didn’t stop her from continuing her craft. She has continued to release music throughout the years, with her latest effort being a return to her holiday roots. In 2020, Carey worked with Apple TV to create her own holiday special, “Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special”.
She has also collaborated with some of today’s brightest stars, including Khalid, Miguel and YG. Fans can also look forward to Carey’s feature on Latto’s upcoming remix for ‘Big Energy’, out March 28th. Happy Birthday to Mariah Carey!
Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up and coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear new music from, Blur Beside You, New American Cuisine, and many more!
WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.
Blur Beside You – “Nothing Feels Real”
Shoegaze indie rock trio from New York and Florida. Features 3 founding members of South Florida band, Mindlikewater, Jim Wells, Joseph Butera & Joseph Beaty. Check out “Nothing Feels Real” as well on EQXposure
New American Cuisine – “Drop”
Five-piece Saratoga Springs band New American Cuisine has two singles named after flowers: “Lily of the Aztecs” and “Daffodil.” The band met in high school, and while they’ve since graduated and gone to different colleges, they continue to collaborate on winter and summer breaks. Both singles have chill guitar riffs and catchy vocal hooks, perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon.
Brand-new Brooklyn-based trio, Say She She, have released their sophomore single “Blow My Mind.” The song follows their debut single and video “Forget Me Not” – both tracks have earned early support from KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic. Both tracks will be released together as a 45 via Colemine/Karma Chief Records.
Photo by Milton Arellano
Named as a silent nod to Nile Rodgers (C’est chi-chi!: It’s Chic!”), Say She She, an all-female “discodelic” soul band. Their unique sound is inspired by late 70’s girl groups with the three strong female lead voices of Piya Malik (featured in El Michels Affair, and backing singer for Chicano Batman), Nya Gazelle Brown, and Sabrina Cunningham.
Artwork by Alyssa Boni
The Brooklyn-based three-part harmony girl group have been making their way throughout the New York City scene for a couple of years now. Their sophomore song is about returning to reignite the fire of a former flame/love you still have. “‘Blow My Mind’ is about a love that you can’t seem to get rid of and you can’t quite get enough of,” explains Say She She member Nya Gazelle Brown.
The pandemic inspired the band, after spending time recording their LP on old tape machines in the basement studios of friends, the Summer of 2022 will see their much-awaited debut album. As they raise in popularity, their songs have garnered over 8.8 million streams, you will not want to miss out on this dynamic trio.
As Say She She, they have appeared in Brooklyn Paper and Bushwick Daily. Separately, the members of the band have been covered in: The Rolling Stone, The New Yorker, Billboard, Pitchfork, NPR, Pop Matters, Paste Magazine, Brooklyn Vegan, American Songwriter, have toured extensively with Chicano Batman as backing singers doing everything from Coachella to Tiny Desk, and performed at Gilles Peterson WorldWide Awards in London.
Brooklyn-based band Le Big Zero released their third single, “Coda,” off the anticipated album A Proper Mess that is set for release on April 8, 2022.
The forthcoming album is filled with a high-energy cocktail of garage rock and off-kilter punk. Le Big Zero’s previous album was released back in 2019 called Ollie Oxen Free. Since the prior album, Michael Pasuit and Carolina Aguilar the vocalists of the band continued to explore the humorous energy of monotony and anxiety in the modern age for the new album.
The new album gives the outlook of uncertainty of a messy love-letter and the ability to just keep moving forward. The third single, “Coda” comes from the story of Michael Pasuit’s previous band, X-Ray Press’s discarded track with correspondence to band breakups such as Fleetwood Mac, the Clash, or Oasis.
With “Coda” we were looking to create a live band concept that didn’t take place in a traditional venue and had a bit of a playful vibe. The creative process for the video was pretty collaborative with Michael and I sharing ideas back and forth before landing on the final concept of Le Big Zero playing their hearts out for an underwhelmed kid.
-Jeanette D Moses (Music Video Director)
Le Big Zero’s second album is a blend of ’90s garage rock with a twist of poppy structures. The band was originally founded by Michael Pasuit (vocalist and guitarist) and later Carolina Aguilar joined him an additional vocalist.
Prior to the outbreak of the pandemic, the band began recording the new album. The tracks on the album are paired together, fo example the first two singles that have been released “Horror Movie Pie Fight” and “Beach Seance” both give a sense of absurdity and abstraction. The uniqueness of the album, “A Proper Mess” offers an edge that can’t be broken down.
Brooklyn native, Darro, has returned with his newest single ‘Phoning In’. The pop punk track features artist Michael Meaney.
Produced by Kris Crummett, who has also worked with artists like Dance Gavin Dance and Sleeping With Sirens, ‘Phoning In’ embodies the anxiety of an ending relationship. Darro brings his personal experiences into the writing process, but still allows Michael Meaney to incorporate his own technique.
By incorporating early 2000’s inspired pop punk with electric instrumentals, this relatable single is the perfect addition to your breakup playlist. The deep Paramore influence brings listeners back to their most juvenile breakup to reminisce on the final moments of an ill-fated relationship.
Darro’s 2020 album, Song of Recovery, has received praise and critical acclaim from the likes of Billboard and Medium, as well as ranking #11 on the iTunes Rock Album chart.
Fans can expect Darro’s next album, Accidents, to drop this coming Fall. He will also be going on tour this July and fans can keep up with all his activities here.
Arcade Fire wrapped up an invigorating four-night residency at NYC’s, Bowery Ballroom, on Monday night. The shows come as the band is gearing up to release WE, their sixth studio LP and second from Columbia Records. After a one-off show at Toulouse Theatre in New Orleans on March 14th, Arcade Fire released the first single from the new album, Lightning I, II. The two-part song first features an anthemic ballad with singer Win Butler’s signature voice over soothing guitar and piano chords before picking up the pace into a classic Arcade Fire rock song.
Arcade Fire, Bowery Ballroom 3/20/22. Photo by David Reichmann
On Friday, March 18th, Arcade Fire began the day by announcing a surprise show that night at Bowery Ballroom. Wristbands would be given out at the door on a first come, first served basis after making a “pay-what-you-can” donation to the Plus1 Ukraine Relief Fund. Fans flocked over to Delancey Street and within a couple of hours the show was sold-out. On Saturday morning the pattern was repeated for a second show at Bowery Ballroom; again selling out within a couple hours.
On Sunday, in anticipation of a third night (given the empty day on Bowery Ballroom’s calendar) well over 100 people wrapped around the corner waiting for wristbands. However, a mysterious sign appeared on the venue door and Arcade Fire posted an Instagram message saying that “No wristbands will be available at the door tonight. Keep an eye here for pickup locations.” With many fans having driven and flown into Manhattan, there was sudden confusion and furious speculation about potential pickup locations. The drama was fueled even further when the band posted an even more cryptic message on Twitter claiming “It’s a nice day to go to the park.” Suddenly, the geography of lower Manhattan and the path of least resistance to every park within several miles of Bowery Ballroom were being scouted.
Photo on the entrance to Bowery Ballroom, Sunday March 20th.
Fans had begun to scatter around the Lower East Side once it became apparent that waiting at Bowery Ballroom was useless. A few hours later, five locations throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn were revealed on social media: Washington Square Park, Central Park Northwest, McCarren Park, Maria Hernandez Park, and Ft. Greene Park. Hundreds of Arcade Fire fans suddenly hopped in cars, on bikes, the subway, or flat-out sprinted down the streets to get their wristbands. NYS Music contributor David Reichmann and two of his friends drove to Bushwick and ran full speed through Maria Hernandez Park, managing to get the very last three wristbands in that location, also the last location to sell out. All that after 3 hours of scouring Twitter, Instagram, and Reddit trying to find clues and positioning themselves in the best spot for the location announcements.
For fans who made it inside on Sunday night, there was a collective sense of relief and excitement. They had arrived against all odds and were going to see their favorite band play one of the most unique shows of their career in a very intimate room. On every night of the run, Arcade Fire played a career spanning set, including new songs and cult favorites. At one point on Sunday, Win jumped down into the audience with his guitar, expertly catching his microphone tossed from the stage by his bandmates and handed it to a fan to act as his mobile mic stand while he played and sang amongst the crowd.
Later in the evening, Win dedicated “The Suburbs” to his brother and now former band mate Will: “This is for my beautiful brother Will.” After not appearing with the band for the New Orleans show or the first two nights at Bowery Ballroom, Will officially announced his departure from Arcade Fire via his Twitter. For these shows, and presumably the upcoming tour, Will is being replaced by Wolf Parade’s Dan Boeckner.
Win Butler of Arcade Fire, Bowery Ballroom 3/20/22. Photo by David Reichmann
On night one of the residency, fans heard classic Arcade Fire songs “Haiti,” “Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains),” and “Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels).” During the encore, the band played the new singles “Lightning I, II” followed by hit songs “Rebellion (Lies)” and “Wake Up.” Night two featured many of the same classics in a different order with the addition of the title track from their previous LP, “Everything Now.” Night three highlight was the first performance on this cycle of the raging Funeral rager “Neighborhood #3 (Power Out).
On the final night, NYS Music contributor Joseph Buscarello managed to get inside. That night, already spoiled fans were treated to a special setlist. The main set contained the same mix of classics from the previous nights. After a short break, Mike Meyers made a surprise appearance onstage for a speech. After some comedic banter with the audience, the message took on a more serious tone as Meyers addressed the war in Ukraine. Reminiscing about his parents who “fought the fascists in WWII,” Meyers implored the audience to embrace democratic governments that strive for the common good and fight against evil and oppression in the world. Doing so, he explained, is the first step towards repelling the evil the Russian government has brought into Europe today.
Arcade Fire, Bowery Ballroom, 3/21/22 – Photos by Buscar Photo
After a thunderous applause, the encore continued with a monstrous “Wake Up” sing-along followed by the live debut of upcoming WE single “Unconditional I (Lookout Kid).” Before playing the new song for the first time, Win asked the crowd not to record the performance to “preserve the surprise for everyone else.” The crowd obliged and we have not yet seen any clips of the performance online.
To close the show, Win introduced David Byrne onto the stage for the last song of the night. Byrne has performed with the band many times throughout their career, but the buzz in the room skyrocketed when he walked to center stage. Win surrendered the stage to the Talking Heads frontman and joined the marching band on the main floor while Bowery staff began tossing dozens of small tambourines and maracas into the crowd. Armed with voices and instruments of peace, 500 sweaty people turned into a single band for a grand rendition of The Plastic Ono Band anthem “Give Peace A Chance.” Byrne did the scatting and we all sang the chorus over and over for a seemingly endless amount of time. Finally, just as the band did on the first night, the show ended with a musical procession out to the sidewalk and down into the Bowery subway station platform. Photos of the subway performance from night one are below from friend of NYS Music Will Oliver.
As of now, the band is idle with nothing officially on the radar. These four shows were a truly unique experience and NYS Music was so fortunate to be able to attend two of the nights. Arcade Fire will sell out dozens of arenas later this year, and while those shows will be spectacles, the intimate energy and passion on display inside Bowery Ballroom will not be matched. Fans who scoured Manhattan and Brooklyn for wristbands saw once-in-a-lifetime performances from one of the most successful indie rock bands of the last 20 years. Keep your eyes focused on the band’s social media as they gear up for this new album cycle. Check out the gallery below for more photos from night three from David Reichmann.
Robert Posner has been elected to be on the Board Of Trustees for the Long Island Music Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame recognizes Long Island’s musical heritage and supports local artists by hiring them and other executives.
Posner has a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and is an audit partner at Grassi, and he helps contractors, subcontractors, and architecture and engineering firms grow and become successful. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Treasurer of the Board of Directors for the Advancement for Commerce, Industry & Technology (ACIT).
Robert Posner.
Posner is a music fan, and his favorite artists are the Dave Matthews Band and Billy Joel. He has taken up playing the guitar, and his son Andrew played clarinet for the Northport Marching Band.
Speaking of his election, Posner had a lot to say.
I am very excited to join the Long Island Music Hall of Fame’s board of trustees. I have followed this wonderful organization for many years and have enjoyed attending their world-class Induction Ceremonies. I am looking forward to contributing to its continued growth, promoting music education and Long Island’s diverse musical history.
Tampa, Florida natives and metal-core innovators, Underoath, stopped at Brooklyn Steel on St. Patrick’s Day as part of their Voyeurist North America Tour. Voyeurist, Underoath’s ninth LP and second from Fearless Records, showed the band staying true to the hardcore/screamo sound they helped fashion in the early aughts, while also modernizing the production and adding electronic and futuristic elements. The band refers to this enhanced sound as “high-def violence” and are in peak form on this tour.
Underoath at Brooklyn Steel, 3/17/22. Photo by Buscar Photo
Underoath brought some new and long time favorite heavyweights to Brooklyn Steel to fill out an incredible hardcore quadruple bill. Long Island natives, Stray from the Path, opened the show, playing songs from a nearly 20-year catalog including their 2019 LP, Internal Atomics. Next up was Richmond, Virginia band, Bad Omens, who recently released their third LP, The Death Of Peace Of Mind, this past February on Sumerian Records. The penultimate performers were the incredibly exciting, Spiritbox, who released their debut LP, Eternal Blue, last September. Featuring vocalist Courtney LaPlante and her husband Mike Stringer on guitar, the band creates the perfect blend of etherial and melodic post-rock with crushing waves of heavy screaming hardcore. LaPlante stretches the vocal range with stunning beauty on the live stage.
Courtney LaPlante of Spiritbox. Photo by Buscar Photo
Underoath were thought to be permanently retired after their farewell tour in 2013. Founding drummer and clean vocalist Aaron Gillespie had left the band in 2010 and the remaining members went on to release a record without him, 2010s â (Disambiguation). Gillespie ended up performing with the band on the last show of the farewell tour in Florida in January, 2013 but the band seemed finished at the time. A few years later, they returned with Gillespie in the lineup and have since released two records, including Voyeurist, which has instantly become a staple in the band’s catalog.
Underoath at Brooklyn Steel, 3/17/22. Photo by Buscar Photo
The show at Brooklyn Steel was Underoath’s first time playing in New York since August, 2019 when the band played in Saratoga and Wantagh with Korn and Alice In Chains. The Voyeurist Tour is nearly complete as they are set to close the run with two hometown shows in Florida on March 26th and 27th. Find the remaining show details on the band’s website. Spiritbox on the other hand have gained so much momentum with this new album that their tour schedule is just beginning. After these shows with Underoath, they have numerous festival appearances and a European tour stretching throughout the summer. Head over to their website for the full dates and see our photo galleries from Underoath and Spiritbox below.
Blues Rock trendsetter, three-time Grammy nominee, Emmy nominee and 25x Billboard chart topper, Joe Bonamassa, is set for a 2022 U.S. Summer tour, beginning in August for his latest album, Time Clocks.
Bonamassa’s tour will begin August 2 in Nashville, TN at Ryman Auditorium and will come to an end in Wantagh, NY at Jones Beach on August 19. During the last show, Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band will be included as a special guest performer, as well as others who have yet to be announced.
Bonamassa has been hailed to be one of the greatest guitar players of his time, not only within the U.S., but worldwide. In fact, Guitar World Magazine recognizes him as “the world’s biggest blues guitarist.” Bonamassa does more than just perform and make music for his ever growing fan base, but he brings every word to life, especially with the help of his guitar. Ultimately, he combined and established the Blues Rock genre to a high enough degree that it is now considered mainstream music.
Time Clocks, was made within the Big Apple at Germano Studios/The Hit Factory, with Kevin Shirley as the producer andRoy Weismanas executive producer. This heartfelt album allowed Bonamassa to rediscover himself during a new chapter in his life. Time Clocks is a true testament to the skill set he acquired over the years as he mastered Blues Rock music.
What started out with the intentions of being a trio record turned into probably my most adventurous and involved record to date.
Joe Bonamassa
For more information about tour dates and to buy tickets for the Time Clocks Tour, as well as his current U.S. and European Spring Tours visit Bonamassa’s website.
Joe Bonamassa’s Time Clocks 2022 Summer Tour Dates Aug. 2 Ryman Auditorium Nashville, TN Aug. 3 Fraze Pavilion Kettering, OH Aug. 5 Orpheum Theatre Omaha, NE Aug. 7 Red Rocks Amphitheatre Morrison, CO Aug. 8 Red Rocks Amphitheatre Morrison, CO Aug. 11 Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom Hampton Beach, NH Aug. 12 Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom Hampton Beach, NH Aug. 13 Leader Bank Pavilion Boston, MA Aug. 16 Flynn Center for the Performing Arts Burlington, VT Aug. 18 Merrill Auditorium Portland, ME Aug. 19 Northwell Health at at Jones Beach Theater Wantagh, NY
