Category: Regions

First Inaugural NIVA Conference Planned for July

The National Independent Venue Association, NIVA is preparing for their first ever conference and awards formal called “Niva ’22”, on July 11 and 12 in Cleveland.

Since COVID-19, this organization’s mission has been to save the independent live concert, comedy, promoter and festival industry from running out of business. This upcoming event will focus on the future of these fields, as well as interest groups who benefited from NIVA.

More specifically, this non profit will provide two days of in-person programming, education, networking, entertainment, and more for the attendees. The Independent Awards Formal, a black-tie gala on Monday, July 11, from 6:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M., will be held at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.

We started NIVA to help independent venues and promoters survive the pandemic. Together we fought for and won the passage of the Save Our Stages Act, which resulted in a historic $16 billion emergency relief grant program. Though the impetus was a crisis response, we’ve planned from the very beginning to continue growing NIVA into a full-service trade organization that serves its membership today and in the future. Our mantra from the start was ‘First we survive, then we thrive.’ We’re excited to bring the live industry together in a new way that is truly impactful while highlighting the importance of connectivity. Our goal is to create positive momentum within the touring and live industry, altering the course beyond the pandemic and providing the necessary tools for our members to succeed while returning to in-person events and entertainment.
NIVA Co-Founder and Executive Director, Rev. Moose

During the conference, NIVA will shed light on new technologies. Additionally, there will be numerous panels with industry professionals, specialized educational sessions, brand activations, and networking opportunities provided. The topics the non-profit will focus on are safety, inclusion, diversity, equality, accessibility, booking, ticketing, and marketing.

The events will take place in multiple NIVA-member venues in Cleveland. Early bird registration is now accessible until May 26, while conference programming and speakers will be announced soon.

Ticket Prices

Member pre-sale: $249 (ends May 26)

Member full price: $299

Non-member pre-sale: $599 (ends May 26)

Non-member full price: $699

April 15, 2022
Rising Star from East Village, Breaker, Releases “People Change”

Rising Star from East Village, Breaker, releases an instant classic rock song and video titled “People Change.” From performing for strangers to charming his friends with his confidence and wit, Breaker has a magnetic personality that goes beyond his musical talents.

Growing up with six siblings in New York City, Breaker has been performing for his family and all around Manhattan since he was young. Nowadays, he plays shows across the country with his love of songwriting and creating music. Beyond his 21 years, Breaker has made a name for himself as an alternative/indie artist.

Though written entirely in New York City, “People Change” and the upcoming EP were recorded in Virginia. While only taking a mere two days of studio time to record, the energy was buzzing from the first moment the small team entered the magical space. Escaping the East Village, he fled to a scenic farm for the birth of this upcoming album. With the help of his best friends and collaborators, Breaker had brought the vision of his new album to life.

Despite being a natural lead singer, what shines through most on the new song and Breaker’s upcoming EP is his ability to work with other creative minds. Thus, inspiring the people around him to make the best music and have the most fun possible. This project has led to the formation of The Live Show, which is a team of solo artists consisting of Jacob Lourie, Chris Murphy, and Breaker. Breaker has the ability to get any room dancing.

A second single, followed by Breaker’s upcoming debut EP, We’re Not Lovers Anymore, is coming later this Spring. Lookout for Breaker and The Live Show in and around NYC performing live now through the Summer.

To watch or listen to “People Change,” click the link here.

April 15, 2022
Phil Lesh and Friends announce Beak and Skiff Show, Summer 2022 Dates

Phil Lesh and Friends will find themselves among the apple orchards of Beak and Skiff in Lafayette on July 8, their lone stop in New York this summer on a just announced 2022 Summer Tour.

Lesh, a founding member of the Grateful Dead, will be rotating his lineup of friends during his East Coast shows, which includes an appearance at Levitate Music Festival in Marshville, Massachusetts on July 9.

On July 8, Lesh will be joined by guitarists Stu Allen and Grahame Lesh, along with multi-instrumentalists Jason Crosby and Amy Helm, and drummer Cody Dickinson. The same lineup will play Thompson’s Point in Portland, Maine on July 10.

Doors are at 5pm with the show starting at 6:30pm. Tickets are $75 in advance and $80 day of show.

Tickets go on sale this Friday, April 15 at 10 a.m. local venue times. Purchase Phil Lesh & Friends tickets via Ticketmaster, AXS.com and other outlets. Tickets & more info can be found here. For more information visit phillesh.net.

April 15, 2022
Alice Cooper’s “Detroit Muscle” Tour Makes 3 Stops in NY this September

Metal legend Alice Cooper will embark on a “Detroit Muscle” tour this fall, with stops in Buffalo, Binghamton, and Albany in September.

Alice Cooper pioneered a grandly theatrical brand of hard rock that was designed to shock. Drawing equally from horror movies, vaudeville, and garage rock, the group created a stage show that featured electric chairs, guillotines, fake blood and boa constrictors. He continues to tour regularly, performing shows worldwide with the dark and horror-themed theatrics that he’s best known for.

With a schedule that has included six months year in and year out on the road, Alice Cooper brings his own brand of rock psycho-drama to fans both old and new, enjoying it as much as the audience does. Known as the architect of shock-rock, Cooper has rattled the cages and undermined the authority of generations of guardians of the status quo, continuing to surprise fans and exude danger at every turn, like a great horror movie, even in an era where CNN can present real life shocking images.

As he finally heads back out on the concert trail in 2021, Alice insists he’s still motivated to continue touring and recording albums, as well as making time for other projects, including most recently, Alice’s widely praised 2018 performance as King Herod in NBC-TV’s live production of “Jesus Chris Superstar” on Easter Sunday.

Released in February, 2021, his latest album Detroit Stories, (produced by Bob Ezrin) is inspired by the garage rock music of Detroit in the late Sixties, including several classic covers of Detroit hits from that era, recorded in Detroit with all Detroit musicians.

As if that wasn’t enough, “Nights With Alice Cooper,” Alice’s nightly radio show, continues to air in nearly 100 cities in the USA, Canada, Australia, and the UK. The five hour long show features his favorite classic rock songs along with his insider anecdotes about many of the artists.

Tickets go on sale Friday, April 15 at 10AM at ticketmaster.com.

Alice Cooper ‘Detroit Muscle’ 2022 U.S. Tour Dates

Sept. 07 — Bethlehem, Pa. @ Wind Creek Event Center
Sept. 09 — Alton, Va. @ Blue Ridge Rock Festival
Sept. 11 — Windsor, Ontario @ The Colosseum @ Caesar’s
Sept. 13 — Buffalo, N.Y. @ Shea’s Buffalo
Sept. 14 — Binghamton, N.Y. @ Visions Arena
Sept. 16 — Albany, N.Y. @ The Palace Theater
Sept. 17 — Atlantic City, N.J. @ Tropicana Casino & Resort
Sept. 18 — Wallingford, Ct. @ Toyota Oakdale Theatre
Sept. 20 — Muncie, Ind. @ Emens Auditorium
Sept. 21 — Grand Rapids, Mich. @ DeVos Hall
Sept. 22 — Hammond, Ind. @ The Venue @ Horseshoe Casino
Sept. 24 — Louisville, Ky. @ Louder than Life Festival
Sept. 25 — Chattanooga, Tenn. @ Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium
Sept. 27 — Memphis, Tenn. @ Orpheum Theater
Sept. 28 — St.Louis, Mo. @ Stifel Theatre
Sept. 30 — Cedar Rapids, Iowa @ Paramount Theater
Oct. 01 — Springfield, Ill. @ Bank of Springfield Center
Oct. 04 — Loveland, Colo. @ Budweiser Event Center
Oct. 06 — Prescott Valley, Ariz. @ Findlay Toyota Center
Oct. 08 — Las Vegas, Nev. @ TBA

April 15, 2022
Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds to play CMAC in July

Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds have announced a show on July 17, 2022 in Canandaigua at Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center (CMAC).

The longtime friends and collaborators will be on the road this summer with Dave Matthews Band, but have set aside the evening of Sunday, July 17 for an intimate, acoustic evening.

Members of The Warehouse may request tickets through Monday, April 18th at noon ET. Visit warehouse.davematthewsband.com/ to join the Warehouse. The general public sale for tickets through Ticketmaster begins at 10AM ET on Friday, April 22nd. For complete presale details visit citientertainment.com.

April 14, 2022
In Focus: Twiddle and Andy Frasco & the U.N. at Town Ballroom in Buffalo

Twiddle and Andy Frasco and the U.N. came to The Town Ballroom in Buffalo on April 7. You can tell both bands on tour are having a ton of fun because all three sets featured various members and friends sitting in, giving a vibe that you were seeing a collective of friends and musicians versus two seperate bands doing their thing.

The show started with a set by Mihali and a few friends which was a mellow open to get the night started. Andy Frasco & The U.N. was next. Half show and half house party on stage, Andy Frasco and his band ramped up the energy, whether swigging from a bottle of Jim Beam, jumping on the piano or pulling various friends and musicians onstage, Andy Frasco is all about having a good time onstage and the Buffalo crowd ate it up.

Twiddle rode the energy from Andy Frasco and the U.N. and kept the crowd dancing all night. An encore of Baba O’Riley brought all of the musicians throughout the night back together onstage for a finale that left the crowd walking out with smiles.

Setlist: Collective Pulse > Be There, Play, The FRENDS Theme, Apples > White Light > Apples > Lost in the Cold, Milk*, Juggernaut
Encore: Baba O’Riley^

* with Mike Gantzer
^ with Andy Frasco & The U.N.,Â Mike Gantzer, and Scott Hannay

April 14, 2022
Heartbeat Opera’s QUANDO premieres at The McKittrick Hotel

Heartbeat Opera’s QUANDO brought a one-of-a-kind film and theatrical performance at The McKittrick Hotel, home of Sleep No More, April 7-9.

Presented by The McKittrick Hotel, QUANDO is Directed and Edited by Tee Vaden, produced and conceptualized by Associate Artistic Director, Derrell Acon, with Photography Direction by Kathryn Boyd-Batstone and Production Design by Yuki Izumihara.

Mx. Oww and Jessie Cox live performance alongside the film, QUANDO.

The film stars Lauren Michelle, Brian Vu, and Shelley Washington. Musical director Daniel Schlosberg arranged the film score for a mix of instruments and electronics. The live performance features Mx. Oww and Jessie Cox.

The 75-minute experience took place in the McKittrick’s upstairs theater, the Club Car. The evening kicked off with the short film, challenging viewers with “…issues of representation, inequity, and self-serving actions that plague so many industries and movements, not by simply calling out the problem but by showing what is possible, while asking viewers to interrogate themselves and their motivations, which is one of my favorite sorts of call to action,” said Director & Editor, Tee Vaden. After the screening, the film played once more with a theatrical performance by Mx. Oww and Jessie Cox actively disrupting the music throughout, creating a mesmerizing experience for the audience.

QUANDO team taking the stage after the performance concluded.

QUANDO is the latest production by Heartbeat Opera whose mission is to create “incisive adaptations and revelatory arrangements of classics, reimagining them for the here and now.” Previous productions by Heartbeat Opera include FIDELIO, which toured earlier this year including performances at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and The Broad Stage in California, and Messy Messiah, Heartbeat Opera’s 7th annual Drag Extravaganza, at Roulette in Brooklyn. Learn more about QUANDO by viewing the trailer and visiting Heartbeat Opera’s website. You can also visit The McKittrick Hotel to experience Sleep No More and Speakeasy Magick at 530 West 27th Street in Manhattan. Special thank you to Stephanie Geyer and the McKittrick Hotel staff for welcoming NYS Music to their beautiful venue.

April 14, 2022
The Orchestra Now to Present New Voices From The 1930s at Carnegie Hall

The Orchestra Now (TŌN) will soon host their final performance in their Carnegie Hall season on Thursday, May 12. This musical night will include the renowned director of this orchestra, Leon Botstein, along with pianists Gilles Vonsattel and Frank Corliss. This night will also present mezzo-soprano Deborah Nansteel.

Corliss is the director of the Bard College Conservatory of Music, while Vonsattel is a Swiss soloist and Bard Conservatory faculty member. Furthermore, being apart of The Metropolitan Opera as a mezzo-soprano, Nansteel has landed the role of Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor for this season.

New Voices From the 1930s will take place in the Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage of Carnegie Hall. Corliss will perform William Grant Still’s Dismal Swamp, which is a portrayal of captive peoples seeking freedom. Nansteel will perform, Karl Amadeus Hartmann’s Symphony No. 1, Essay for a Requiem, regarding conditions under the Nazi regime. Lastly, Vonsattel’s performance is based on Mexican Symphonic Orchestra music director and composer, Carlos Chávez’s virtuosic Piano Concerto.

Tickets for this event are available on the Carnegie Hall website. It is essential for ticket holders to adhere to the venue’s safety protocols.

In addition to TŌN’s show at Carnegie Hall, on May 7 and 8 this same program will be performed at the Fisher Center at Bard. To accommodate viewers this event will be live streamed for free on both dates; those attending must RSVP to attend the concert.

Towards the end of May on the 22, TŌN will provide a free concert performance at the Peter Norton Symphony Space, called Liszt & Bartók. Led by TŌN resident conductor Zachary Schwartzman, Hungarian composers Franz Liszt, Béla Bartók, Emmerich Kálmán, and Zoltán Kodály will have the spotlight during this event. Advance RSVP is suggested and those in attendance must comply with the venue’s health and safety requirements.

April 14, 2022
Khruangbin Add Brooklyn and Lewiston Dates To National Tour

Three-piece band Khruangbin from Houston, Texas, has added Brooklyn and Lewiston dates to their Space Walk Tour 2022, with supports including Toro Y Moi, Men I Trust, Vieux Farka Touré, Genesis Owusu, Pachyman.

Khruangbin Space Walk Tour poster.

Khruangbin was formed in 2009 with Laura Lee on bass, Mark Speer on guitar, and Donald Johnson on drums. They take their influence from 1960s Thai funk with their name translating to “Engine Fly” in Thai. The group has toured across the world, with praise from the NY Times, Billboard, and more. The trio recently joined Leon Bridges to create the EP Texas Moon, which landed in the Top 25 of the Billboard Top 200, as well as the Top 5 on Billboard’s Album Sales, Vinyl, Alternative Albums, and Rock Albums charts.

The Space Walk Tour with Khruangbin is touring now, with a newly added Brooklyn date. Tickets are on sale now.

KHRUANGBIN 2022 TOUR DATES:

**notes newly added

Fri April 29th – Cincinnati, OH – Andrew J Brady Music Center w/ Toro y Moi

Sat April 30th – Asheville, NC – ExploreAsheville.com Arena (fka Asheville Civic Center) w/ Toro y Moi

Tue May 3rd – Charlotte, NC – Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheater w/ Toro y Moi

Wed May 4th – Richmond, VA – Virginia Credit Union LIVE! w/ Toro y Moi

Thur May 5th – North Charleston, SC – Firefly Distillery w/ Toro y Moi

Sat May 7th – Miami Beach, FL – Fillmore Miami Beach At Jackie Gleason Theater w/ Toro y Moi

Sun May 8th – Miami Beach, FL – Fillmore Miami Beach At Jackie Gleason Theater w/ Toro y Moi

Wed May 11th – Houston, TX – 713 Music Hall w/ Toro y Moi

Thurs July 7th – Bend, OR – Hayden Homes Amphitheater w/ Men I Trust

Fri July 8th – Vancouver, BC – PNE Amphitheater w/ Men I Trust

Sat July 9th – Troutdale, OR – McMenamins Edgefield w/ Men I Trust

Sun July 10th – Redmond, WA – Marymoor Park Concerts w/ Men I Trust

Tues July 12th – Bonner, MT – Kettlehouse Amphitheater w/ Men I Trust

Wed July 13th – Boise, ID – Outlaw Field at the Idaho Botanical Garden w/ Men I Trust

Sat July 16th – Berkeley, CA – The Greek Theatre at UC Berkeley w/ Men I Trust

Sun July 17th – Berkeley, CA – The Greek Theatre at UC Berkeley w/ Men I Trust

Sat July 30th – Montreal, QC – Osheaga Festival

Sun July 31st – Detroit, MI – Mo Pop Festival

**Mon August 1st – Lewiston, NY – Artpark Amphitheater w/ Men I Trust

**Tues August 2nd – Toronto, ON – RBC Echo Beach w/ Men I Trust

**Thurs August 4th – Brooklyn, NY – BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! at Prospect Park w/ Vieux Farka Touré

**Fri August 5th – Portland, ME – Thompson’s Point w/ Men I Trust

**Sat August 6th – New Haven, CT – Westville Music Bowl w/ Men I Trust

August 26th-August 28th – Vineyard Haven, MA – Beach Road Weekend

August 26th-August 28th – Bridgeview, IL – Sacred Rose

Sat September 17th – Los Angeles, CA – Primavera Sound LA

**Thurs September 29th – Las Vegas, NV – Brooklyn Bowl w/ Genesis Owusu

**Sat October 1st – Mesa, AZ – Mesa Amphitheater w/ Genesis Owusu

**Sun October 2nd – Santa Fe, NM – Santa Fe Opera w/ Genesis Owusu

**Fri October 28th – Mexico City, MX – Pepsi Center WTC w/ Pachyman

April 14, 2022
Alt-J Brought ‘The Dream’ Tour to Madison Square Garden

English indie rockers Alt-J made their way to Madison Square Garden on Monday, April 11 as part of The Dream tour. The show is Alt-J’s first New York show in four years since the band’s performance at the 2018 Mountain Jam Festival at Hunter Mountain. These shows come in support of their fourth studio album The Dream, released back in February on Infectious Records.

Alt-J at MSG, 4/11/22. Photo by Buscar Photo

Support across the tour is coming from Alaskan indie veterans Portugal. The Man and this second leg of the run also features Cherry Glazerr. Portugal. The Man have been at it since 2005 and are gearing up to release their ninth studio LP. The as-of-yet untitled album features the lead single, “What, Me Worry?” and is out this June. As they always do, Portugal. The Man opened the show by inviting members from indigenous people groups that represent the land they are playing on. After this intorduction, the band kicked off their set with a thrash metal medley of Metallica, Pantera, and Slayer before playing one of their own songs. PTM typically plays their live sets as giant medleys, showcasing a really cool moment when the played “Another Brick In The Wall (pt. 2)” into their classic hit “Purple Yellow Red and Blue.”

Portugal. The Man at MSG, 4/11/22. Photo by Buscar Photo

It has been a quiet 5-years since Alt-J put out their last album, 2017s Relaxer. The band came out of hiding late last year with the announcement of The Dream along with lead single “U&ME.” The song starts off with a wandering guitar and vocal melody, dreaming of summer nostalgia and hot dogs off the grill. The song picks up the pace halfway through and crescendos into a psychedelic summer ballad. On Monday night, Alt-J also played the highly experimental The Dream songs “Chicago” and “Philadelphia.” Alt-J’s stage set-up for this tour is quite remarkable. The three band members are on elevated platforms, surrounded by a semi-transparent screen that they project visuals onto, completely immersing the band into the visual presentation.

Alt-J at MSG, 4/11/22. Photo by Buscar Photo

With only four LPs, the band played many songs from each of their releases but weaved them together in such a compelling way that they could have been playing a complete album in full. Alt-J have been incredibly consistent over the years, and created quite a unique sound in the oversaturated indie rock scene. As a trio from the start, Alt-J never try to make their music too dense with many layers. Instead, the three members allow the instruments they are playing to shine through as clear as possible while moving in and out of subtle movements within their songs. They are uniquely able to create the illusion of a five-piece band without adding too much at any given point.

Alt-J at MSG, 4/11/22. Photo by Buscar Photo

The US leg of the tour is nearing the end, with three more shows in Boston, Montreal, and Toronto. The band then heads over to the UK for a run of shows in May and then a larger European run in Novemeber. Head over the the band’s website for more info and check out our full photo gallery of Alt-J at Madison Square Garden below.

April 14, 2022