Category: NYC Metro

Sigur Rós Announces World Tour, With Stops in Brooklyn and Manhattan

Iceland natives, Sigur Rós, are set to return to the stage with the announcement of their 2022 world tour. The group will bring their unique sound to North America, starting with their 4/30 show in Mexico before traveling through the states and ending with three shows in NYC.

PC : Dean Deblois & Hörður Óttarsson

Fans will have the opportunity to hear brand new music as Sigur Rós showcases what they’ve been writing and recording for their new album. They will also draw material from their 25 year discography to give fans the nostalgic feeling they’ve been waiting for. Founding members Jónsi and Georg Holm will be joined by former member Kjartan Sveinsson for both the tour and album recording.

After making their way across the U.S, the group will finish off the North American leg of the tour by spending three days in NYC. They will stop at Kings Theatre and Beacon Theatre, with attendance at the former requiring proof of full vaccination. Tickets, as well as more information can be found on the band’s website.

Tour Dates

4/30 – Festival Vaivén, Mexico

5/3 – Citibanamex Auditorium, Monterrey

5/5 – Auditorio Telmex Guadalajara

5/9 Orpheum Theatre – Vancouver, BC

5/11 Theater of the Clouds – Portland, OR

5/13 Paramount Theatre – Seattle, WA

5/17 Frost Amphitheater – Stanford, CA

5/19 Shrine Auditorium – Los Angeles, CA

5/23 ACL Live at the Moody Theater – Austin TX

5/24 ACL Live at the Moody Theater – Austin TX

5/25 Winspear Opera House – Dallas, TX

5/27 Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre – Atlanta, GA

5/28 Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN

5/31 State Theatre – Minneapolis, MN

6/1 Riverside Theater – Milwaukee, WI

6/3 Masonic Temple Theatre – Detroit, MI

6/4 Auditorium Theatre – Chicago, IL

6/6 The Anthem – Washington, D.C.

6/7 The Met Philadelphia – Philadelphia, PA

6/8 Boch Wang Theatre – Boston, MA

6/10 Place des Arts – Montreal, QC

6/11 Meridian Hall – Toronto, ON

6/14 Kings Theatre – Brooklyn, NY

6/17 Beacon Theatre – New York, NY

6/18 Beacon Theatre – New York, NY

March 3, 2022
Premiere: Long Island Artist Logan Whaley Releases Old-School Single “Funky Tonight”

Long Island artist Logan Whaley is releasing his new old-school style single “Funky Tonight” on March 4, and a planned full-length album. NYS Music today premieres the single below.

Best known for performing all over NYC and his work with Vana Liya, Logan Whaley continues to make a name for himself as a solo performer and mesmerizing stage presence and deeply-felt lyrics.

His music refuses to be categorized, as it is a fusion of multiple genres at once, utilizing pop, rock, classical, and R&B.

Logan Whaley’s new single cover “Funky Tonight.”

Whaley’s new single “Funky Tonight” comes a little after a year since his debut album On The Cusp. With a live line-up secured, he was ready to go into the studio. After working on an old project, he decided he was ready for something fresh. Magic was born in the studio with this one, and after performing it live, it became an instant favorite.

NYS Music contributor Nick Codina shared the following thoughts on “Funky Tonight”:

When the music is too loud to exchange words, musicians and their fans exchange facial expressions. A simple smirk or stank face speaks volumes by silently saying, “I dig this, I’m here for it and want more of it.”
While listening to the new single by Logan Whaley I found my self in that stank face expression. From the first note to the last horn, the perfect combination of funky peaks and breakdowns flow seamlessly into eachother and make for a perfect formula of eccentric surprises and delights. From the synthesizer chords to the perfectly placed horn section this new single has the makings of a funk classic. If you’re looking for a groove to make you move and get you into that dancing mood, “Funky Tonight” will not disappoint.

Accompanying the album release, an Indiegogo is launching which will serve as a pre-order for his brand new album, also titled Funky Tonight. The money from the preorder will go towards merch and touring.

Also accompanying the release of the single and new album announcement, the band will be playing three shows in NY.

Logan Whaley’s new single “Funky Tonight” will be released March 4 on all streaming platforms. Listen below now exclusively on NYS Music.

March 3, 2022
Hippo Campus Stretch out ‘LP3’ at Brooklyn Steel

Indie rockers and St. Paul, Minnesota natives Hippo Campus stopped at Brooklyn Steel Tuesday, March 1st, for their first of two concerts in the city. The tour is fresh off the release of the band’s new album LP3, featuring the popular singles “Ride or Die” and “Semi Pro.” The band harnesses a classic indie rock base and adds embellished horns and a cheeky vocal and lyric style.

Hippo Campus at Brooklyn Steel, 3/1/22. Photo by Buscar Photo

Hippo Campus made the long trip across the East River for a second gig at Webster Hall on Wednesday night. Support is being provided by San Diego native and rising indie-pop sensation Jelani Aryeh. Providing a perfect complement to Hippo Campus, Jelani Aryeh mixes a breezy R&B vocal style with electro-pop instrumentals. Despite playing with a new band, they perform with the chemistry of a longstanding group. The band is gaining momentum so quickly that Jelani joked on stage that they are “trying out a different band name every night” until they find one that sticks. While unfamiliar with the group prior to the show, the hard hitting jams and outros left a stinging impression on us and the rest of the crowd. Many fans made sure to grab a shirt and record from the surging young artist.

Jelani Aryeh at Brooklyn Steel, 3/1/22. Photo by Buscar Photo

Hippo Campus released their first two LPs back in 2017 and 2018. After a short turned extended break due to the pandemic, the band returned in February with their third effort. LP3 is the band’s first album on Grand Jury Records and sees the group making strides in their production and album development. The 10-track album spans a concise 33 minutes but packs in indie rock bangers, soulful ballads, and crowd pleasing sing alongs. Fans filled out two sold-out NYC shows and most of the remaining tour is sold out.

Hippo Campus at Brooklyn Steel, 3/1/22. Photo by Buscar Photo

The Hippo Campus tour is in the final phase. Beginning in early February around the release of LP3, shows are scheduled through the middle of March. There is one more New York stop on the run, over at Buffalo’s Town Ballroom with support coming from Boyish. Tickets are still available for this show. Head over to the band’s website for the tour itinerary and see our full photo gallery from the Brooklyn Steel show below.

March 3, 2022
Joanie Leeds and Her 6 year old Daughter Release ‘Fauci Ouchie’ Single

NYC based 2021 Grammy winner, Joanie Leeds, and her six year old daughter have released ‘Fauci Ouchie,’ a duet written to help kids feel better about getting vaccinated.

2021 Grammy winner for Best Children’s Album, Joanie Leeds (a notorious Phish head), and her newest collaborator, her 6-year-old daughter Joya, have written “Fauci Ouchie” a song about a critical message, getting vaccinated.

Leeds, like many others, had her daughter registered without hesitation the moment Covid-19 vaccinations were made available for children 5 and up. She states:

After living through almost 2 years of a deadly pandemic, adding an extra layer of protection for our kids was a no-brainer and personally brought the anxiety layer down to ‘normal levels.’
Joanie Leeds

Joanie Leeds and Her 6yr Old Daughter Release ‘Fauci Ouchie’

After receiving her 1st vaccine, Leed’s daughter was gifted a book about Dr. Fauci and she could not put it down. Soon after, the two were playfully referring to her upcoming second shot as her “Fauci Ouchie.” Joya loved the name so much that they decided to write a song with the goal of preparing and encouraging other children to feel better about getting vaccines.

Joanie Leeds and Her 6yr Old Daughter Release ‘Fauci Ouchie’

Joanie and Joya hope families find it refreshing to hear about the experience in a helpful and positive way from child to child.

Knowing some kids might be scared, Joya’s inspiration for the song is to get the point across that “it wasn’t so bad.” Her daughter loved that by getting vaccinated, she was doing her part to help others and making the world a safer place.

Leeds and Joya’s goal is to share the lesson that getting vaccinated supports not only our individual health, but also that of our entire world. This was something that made Joya feel proud and empowered, and she hopes that it will be for other kids as well.

March 2, 2022
Elton John Performs His Final Madison Square Garden Shows

“You can’t move atmosphere and you can’t move history.” That is what Elton John said about Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, February 22, when referring to the Garden possibly being moved a few years ago. He has said many times that the Garden is his “most favorite stage on Earth”. John has performed there over 70 times spanning his 60 year career, but it is still sad to think that no future generations will get to experience an Elton concert at MSG ever again.

That being said, his farewell shows at The Garden were nothing less than extraordinary. The setlist was filled with his greatest hits from the 70’s and 80’s with the exception of “Cold Heart”, his recent duet with Dua Lipa from his “Lockdown Sessions” album which came out in October of last year.

He kicked off the show with “Bennie and the Jets” and “Philadelphia Freedom.” Other songs on the setlist included “Rocket Man”, “Levon” and “The Bitch is Back”. He played for 2 and a half hours and only took two small breaks for costume changes. While addressing the crowd for the final time, Elton said “After this tour is finished, I’m going to spend time with my family, my children, and enjoy the rest of my life. Thank you for understanding. I love you so much.” It was a bittersweet moment. The crowd gave him a standing ovation as he transitioned into “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.”

On the way to NYC, Elton’s private jet was forced to make an emergency landing after it suffered hydraulic failure at 10,000 feet. Luckily he was able to get on another plane and make it to NYC and perform the final two Garden shows. These shows were already rescheduled from last year because of the rise in Covid cases. This tour does not end until 2023 with the last show being scheduled in Sweden. You can see all the remaining tour dates here

Elton John – Madison Square Garden, NYC – Tuesday, February 22, 2022

Setlist: Bennie and the Jets, Philadelphia Freedom, I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues, Border Song, TIny Dancer, Have Mercy on the Criminal, Rocket Man, Take Me to the Pilot, Someone Saved My Life Tonight, Levon, Candle in the Wind, Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding, Burn Down the Mission, Sad Songs (Say So Much), Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me, The Bitch is Back, I’m Still Standing, Crocodile Rock, Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting, Cold Heart, Your Song, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

March 1, 2022
Celebrate Women’s History Month at Flushing Town Hall

Women’s History Month this March at the Flushing Town Hall will showcase four unique artists with their performances that celebrate the music history of iconic women. The four shows will be on Friday March 4th, Thursday March 10th, Saturday March 19th, and Thursday March 31st at Flushing Town Hall.

Flushing Town Hall, educates the global communities of New York City and Queens which is celebrated as the home of Jazz due to their quality Jazz performances. Rosena Hill Jackson, Barbara Rosene, Akua Allrich, and Deborah Resto are the four women that will perform this March to celebrate the iconic women in music history.

The series showcases commemorating Jazz, Pop, and Latin music icons Sarah Vaughan, Peggy Lee, Nina Simone, Celia Cruz, and others.

“The month will be jam-packed with extraordinary women, past and present! There will be some truly powerhouse vocals on our stage, interpreting some of the most beloved songs of the last few decades,”
Ellen Kodadek, Flushing Town Hall’s Executive & Artistic Director.

Rosena Hill Jackson, Broadway veteran and vocalist kicks off Women’s History Month at Flushing Town Hall on Friday, March 4th at 7pm. Rosena Hill Jackson has performed with The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, with The New York Philharmonic for PBS, and with the Long Island Philharmonic which helped to create a large amount of vocal soloist performances throughout her career.

Vocalist Barbara Rosene takes the stage for the second performance for Women’s History Month with her tribute to The Peggy Lee Songbook who helped to redefine what it meant to be a female singer. The passionate vocalist has hit the stages internationally at Montreal Jazz Festival and Lake Como, Italy and many others. Barbara Rosene hits the stage on Thursday, March 10th at 7PM, where she’ll interpret the great music of the 1920s and 30s.

“We are overjoyed to be welcoming artists like Akua Allrich, whose original performance date in March 2020 was canceled due to the pandemic lockdown. This month’s celebration of women artists will inspire and delight our audiences!”

The distinct style of blues, soul, jazz, and panAfrican are seen throughout Akua Allrich music. Quickly making a name for herseslf, Akua Allrich tributes Nina Simone & Miriam Makeba on Saturday, March 19th at 8PM as the third artist to perform for Women’s History Month.

Closing out the month on Thursday, March 31st at 7PM is New York-born, Hispanic artist and musician, Deborah Reso. Deborah Reso has recorded as a background vocalist for artists like Christina Aguilera, Marc Anthony, Enrique Iglesias, Paul Simon, Ricky Martin, and more.

To purchase tickets to any event in this series or to register for the livestreams: www.flushingtownhall.org/women-history-month

In adherence with New York City’s Covid policy for performance venues, Flushing Town Hall will require all visitors, performers, and staff to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19 with matching identification. Additionally, masks will be required at all times. For more details on Flushing Town Hall’s Covid-safety measures and vaccine requirements, please visit: www.flushingtownhall.org/covid-safety

March 1, 2022
Trombone Shorty Summer Tour Makes Stops in NYC and Lewiston, Shared first singles off “Lifted”

After five years, New Orleans musical icon Trombone Shorty has announced a new album Lifted, set to release on April 29th. Alongside this announcement, Trombone Shorty has announced that he will be on tour this summer in support of the album as well. The artist will play the SummerStage in New York City’s Central Park and in Lewiston as a part of Artpark’s Tuesdays in the Park Concert Series.

Trombone Shorty speaks on the album:

[My mother] passed recently, but she continued to inspire me right up until she transitioned, and that’s why I put a picture of her holding me up at a second line on the cover of this album. She lifted me up my whole life.

In this album, Trombone Shorty hopes to mimic the electrifying feel of a live performance.

I think Lifted is the closest we’ve ever gotten to bottling up the live show and putting it on a record. This time around I told everybody to really cut loose, to perform like they were onstage at a festival.
Trombone Shorty

Trombone Shorty’s lead single below exemplifies intoxicating vocals, beautiful instrumentation, and an unfathomable amount of personality.

For tour and album pre-order information visit tromboneshorty.com

Trombone Shorty 2022 Tour dates:

February 19, 2022 – Shorty Gras in New Orleans, LA

February 24, 2022 – Culture Room in Fort Lauderdale, FL

February 25, 2022 – Culture Room in Fort Lauderdale, FL

February 26, 2022 – Fort Mose Jazz and Blues Series in St. Augustine, FL

February 27, 2022 – Gasparilla Music Festival in Tampa, FL

April 23, 2022 – Double Decker Arts Festival in Oxford, MS

April 30, 2022 – Saenger Theatre in New Orleans, LA

May 8, 2022 – New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in New Orleans, LA

May 20, 2022 – Academy 2 in Birmingham, UK

May 21, 2022 – SWG3 Studio Warehouse in Glasgow, UK

May 23, 2022 – Roundhouse in London, UK

May 24, 2022 – O2 Ritz Manchester in Manchester, UK

May 26, 2022 – Mojo Club in Hamburg, Germany

May 27, 2022 – 013 Poppodium in Tilburg, The Netherlands

May 28, 2022 – Salle Pleyel in Paris, France

May 30, 2022 – Huxley’s in Berlin, Germany

May 31, 2022 – Muffathalle in Munich, Germany

June 1, 2022 – Ancienne Belgique in Brussels, Belgium

June 3, 2022 – Barcelona Guitar Festival in Barcelona, Spain

June 4, 2022 – Kapital in Madrid, Spain

June 10, 2022 – Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom in Hampton, NH

June 11, 2022 – Leader Bank Pavilion in Boston, MA

June 13, 2022 – SummerStage in Central Park in New York, NY

June 14, 2022 – Tuesdays in the Park Concert Series in Lewiston, NY

June 15, 2022 – Massey Hall in Toronto, ON

June 17, 2022 – Bold Point Park in East Providence, RI

June 18, 2022 – Wolf Trap in Vienna, VA

June 19, 2022 – Ting Pavilion in Charlottesville, VA

June 21, 2022 – Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary, NC

June 22, 2022 – Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park in Atlanta, GA

June 24, 2022 – Venue TBA in Grand Rapids, MI

June 25, 2022 – The Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre in Detroit, MI

June 26, 2022 – Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, IL

June 28, 2022 – Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO

June 29, 2022 – Venue TBA in Salt Lake City, UT

July 1, 2022 – KettleHouse Amphitheatre in Bonner, MT

July 2, 2022 – Venue TBA in Seattle, WA

July 3, 2022 – Edgefield in Troutdale, OR

August 10, 2022 – Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, CA

August 11, 2022 – Mountain Winery in Saratoga, CA

August 12, 2022 – Oxbow River Stage Concert Series in Napa, CA

August 13, 2022 – Santa Barbara Bowl in Santa Barbara, CA

August 14, 2022 – The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park in San Diego, CA

March 1, 2022
Illuminati Hotties Pool Hop at Bowery Ballroom

Los Angeles based rockers Illuminati Hotties made their way to Manhattan’s Bowery Ballroom on Thursday, February 24th as part of their co-headline tour with Fenne Lily. The band is touring behind their excellent sophomore LP, Let Me Do One More, released last October on Hopeless Records. The show on Thursday was opened by Texas native Katy Kirby, with Illuminati Hotties in the middle spot followed by Fenne Lily. Check out our full photo gallery below.

Photo by Buscar Photo

Illuminati Hotties is the brainchild of singer, producer, and guitarist Sarah Tudzin. Getting her start as a recording and mixing engineer, the music of became an extension of her work into more creative areas. Presenting a fun, upbeat, and incredibly catchy pop-punk, the band has made a huge splash with this latest record. Let Me Do One More highlight “Pool Hopping” is an essential jam for any summer playlist, reminiscing about hot summer days spent floating in the pool.

Sara Tudzin. Photo by Buscar Photo

The co-headline tour with Fenne Lily began at the beginning of February and continues through mid-March with stops to be made in Chicago, Canada, and Portland. After this run of shows, Illuminati Hotties head over to Europe for a lengthy headlining tour into May. Head over to the band’s Bandcamp page for the full tour schedule.

February 28, 2022
SNL Pays Tribute To Ukraine In Cold Open

Saturday Night Live is back after an almost month-long hiatus, and instead of their normal comedic cold open, there was an appearance by the Ukrainian Chorus Dumka of New York.

SNL opened with cast members Kate McKinnon and Cecily Strong introducing the choir, who then sang “Prayer for Ukraine” as a tribute to the ongoing crisis from the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Ukrainian Chorus Dumka of New York on Saturday Night Live

“Prayer for Ukraine” was written by Oleksandr Konysky with music composed by Mykola Lysenko and first published in 1885, initially with a children’s choir in mind. The song became the regular closing hymn in services of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and other churches and gained national significance when it was performed by mass choirs during the Ukrainian War of Independence in 1917–1920. The hymn was intended to be an official spiritual anthem of Ukraine.

“Prayer for Ukraine” was notably performed in Kyiv in 2001 during a parade celebrating the 10th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence. The lyrics can be found below.

Lord, oh the Great and Almighty,
protect our beloved Ukraine,
Bless her with freedom and light
of your holy rays.
With learning and knowledge enlighten us,
your children small,
in love pure and everlasting.
Let us, oh Lord, grow.
We pray, oh Lord Almighty,
protect our beloved Ukraine,
Grant our people and country
all your kindness and grace.
Bless us with freedom, bless us with wisdom,
guide into kind world,
bless us, oh Lord, with good fortune
for ever and evermore.

Once the song ended, McKinnon and Strong then returned to the stage and said the show’s signature catch phrase, “Live… From New York, it’s Saturday night.” The camera then cut to a table of candles, which spelled out “Kyiv,” the Ukrainian capital city.

The show as hosted by five-timer John Mulaney with musical guest LCD Soundsystem.

February 28, 2022
“Flying Over Sunset” Cast Recording Released

The album for James Lapine’s Broadway musical “Flying Over Sunset” is now available on all streaming platforms. The recording features the original cast performing all 22 tracks from the Lincoln Center musical which ran from Dec. 13, 2021 to Jan. 16 of this year.

“Flying Over Sunset” is a fictional story about the lives of Aldous Huxley (Harry Hadden-Paton), Clare Boothe Luce (Carmen Cusack), and Cary Grant (Tony Yazbeck) who decide to take LSD together and confront the mysteries of their lives and their world.

It features a critically acclaimed production crew. Lapine, who also wrote the book, is a Tony and Pulitzer Prize winner. The album is scored by Tony, GRAMMY, and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Tom Kitt.

“Flying Over Sunset” was produced by GRAMMY-nominee Scott M. Riesett (Schmigadoon!, Ain’t Too Proud, The Prom). Recorded in New York, the album was co-produced by Tony Award nominee Michael Korie and Lapine and was executive produced by Scott Farthing and Adam Siegel.

Terry Teachout of The Wall Street Journal says of “Flying Over Sunset”: “An irresistible trip worth taking, brought off with supreme flair, I’d gladly see it again right away!”

As of today, only the digital version of the album is available. A hard copy is scheduled to be released on April 8.

February 25, 2022