Category: Regions

And the Winner of NYS Music’s March Madness 2022 is….

HANZOLO! The indie group with an explosive, emotional sound mixing soul, jazz, rock and funk, hail from Cooperstown, and bested Albany’s Fine Grain en route to winning the finals of NYS Music’s March Madness 2022.

HANZOLO, hailing Cooperstown – where 5 of the 7 members attended Cooperstown High School – formed in 2016 after playing in a variety of groups from high school and into college. The group’s name derives from the name of a samurai, Hanzo, and a certain science-fiction cowboy.

Band members include Carl Loewenguth (vocals, guitar), Nick Summers (keyboard, trumpet), Jack Loewenguth (bass), Nate Olmstead and Sebastian Green (drums), James Matson (trombone), and Joey Katz (keyboard, saxophone)

Since forming, HANZOLO have opened for bands like Lawrence, Wild Belle, and *repeat repeat. They released their first album Table Butter in 2019, an apt title given they have been compared to Table Butter: soft enough to spread yet hard enough to keep its shape.

As COVID-19 led to a music industry shutdown in 2020 and most of 2021, the band took the time to refine their second album, HANZOLO. In September 2021, the group won the EQX Battle of the Bands and opened Albanyâs annual Pearlpalooza music festival.

They have played regularly in NYC at The Delancy and Rockwood Music Hall, and look to expand their audience in coming months with festival appearances that are soon to be announced.

Closer to home, HANZOLO play regularly in Albany at Lost and Found, as well as Ommegang Fire Pit Fridays in the summer, Black Oak Tavern and Foothills PAC in Oneonta.

The self-titled second album was released on Christmas Day 2021, the result of a Kickstarter campaign that netted over $14,000. With COVID sidelining the band from touring, they used the time to put more focus on the quality control of the album and launch the band into their next phase in a well-timed manner.

They’ve also got a selection of HANZOLO merch you can pick up here.

HANZOLO 2022 Tour Dates

April 8 – Arts Gala at The Madison Theater, Albany

April 14 – Pauly’s Hotel, Albany (with JDolla)

April 24 – The Range, Ithaca (with Q-Tip Bandits)

April 27 – Lark Hall, Albany (with Q-Tip Bandits & E-Block)

June 11 – Cooperstown Blues Express, Cooperstown

Congratulations HANZOLO, NYS Music’s 2022 March Madness Winner!

Since 2015, NYS Music has crafted a friendly March Madness competition that spans all musical harbors of the Empire State. As fans and musicians, the NYS Music team aims to spotlight the great talent found across New York in a friendly contest, bringing broader attention to the next generation of artists and bands on the rise. March Madness 2022 highlighted 64 bands and artists you might not know, but should know, as these homegrown talents are making waves through the New York State. Review each round below.

Round One

Round Two

Sweet 16

Elite 8

Final 4

Finals – HANZOLO vs. Fine Grain

HANZOLO joins previous NYS Music March Madness winners include Organ Fairchild (2021), Black Mountain Symphony (2018), Root SHOCK (2017), Sprocket (2016) and Lucid (2014).

Our sincere thanks to the sponsors of NYS Music March Madness 2022 – Bearsville Theater, Funk n Waffles, DSP Shows, The Helping Friendly Hemp Company, The XPerience Monthly and Mirth Films.

March 29, 2022
Nick Cave & Warren Ellis bring their Carnage tour to Kings Theatre

Nearing the end of a 17-date tour, Nick Cave and his longtime collaborator Warren Ellis perfectly executed a second straight sold-out show in Brooklyn this past Friday evening. Following the culmination of a successful United Kingdom and European tour last fall, the duo kicked off the current leg of their North American excursion on March 1 in North Carolina, in support of Carnage, a hauntingly-poignant album they recorded together during the COVID-19 lockdown last year. The pair of Aussie friends have been working together since 1993, when Ellis (also known as a founding member of the instrumental rock trio the Dirty Three) played violin on Let Love In, the eighth studio album from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.

Nick Cave

With approximately one hour to go before showtime, excited concertgoers were spotted congregating on nearby sidewalks or hastily exiting their Uber ride near the grand marquee in lights. After patrons filed past the security check points and into the inviting confines of the theater, many grabbed a drink, joined a waiting friend or checked out the merch table. Others snapped a cellphone picture of the historic venue’s centerpiece, the console of a “Wonder Morton” pipe organ, one of four other magnificent organs installed in the original Loew’s New York City movie theaters.

Warren Ellis

At 8:20 pm sharp, Warren Ellis, a trio of backup singers (Janet Ramus, Wendi Rose and T. Jae Cole) and a touring musician who would play keyboards, bass and drums throughout the night, took to the stage. The eternally-suave Nick Cave followed closely behind, dressed in a sharp blue suit with a white shirt and a marvelous slick of black hair. With Ellis seated, his signature gray beard resembling that of a medieval knight and wearing a shirt unbuttoned nearly to his navel, he began to play the small synthesizer perched on his lap. After a long wave to the packed house, Cave grabbed the microphone from its stand and immediately got down to business.

Kings Theatre

For nearly the next two and half hours, Cave and Ellis would thrill the audience with offerings from the aforementioned Carnage, 2019’s Ghosteen and plenty of classic tracks spanning the entire Bad Seeds catalog. With nearly every soul now on their feet, the first offering of the night was “Spinning Song,” a song about Elvis Presley and his iconic status in popular culture.

Nick Cave

Halfway through the 16-song opening set, one of several comedic moments from the night occurred during Cave’s introduction of “Cosmic Dancer,” a cover by T. Rex, legendary British musicians who formed in 1967. With Ellis now changing his keyboards for a violin, Cave alerted his fans. “Alright, fucking strap into your seats. Warren is going to do a violin solo. You think that things are going to be the same afterwards, but they will not be. Your lives will be different. You will tell your children that you were there when Warren performed [his] solo.”

Warren Ellis

Once the laughter subsided, “Hand Of God” (Carnage, 2021) was delivered by Cave with the emotional intensity you can always expect to witness during one of his shows. Furiously pacing the stage to the driving beat, Cave did halt on a few occasions to reach out and clutch the hands of adoring fans, all the while repeating the high-pitch title line . . . “Hand of God! Hand of God! Hand of God.” Closing out the masterfully-crafted set was “Balcony Man,” another brilliant track from last year’s Carnage. Seated at his piano once again, Cave instructed the upper balcony to cheer every time the word ‘balcony’ was spoken, and emphatically cheer they did.

The first encore was comprised of two songs, “Hollywood” from Ghosteen, followed by “Henry Lee,” released on the Bad Seeds ninth studio album (Murder Ballads, 1996). It was during the early refrain of the second song when Janet Ramus, a British soul singer, innocently mixed up the lyrics. During the tune’s restart, Cave playfully exclaimed, “You can’t fuck this one up [again].” After the song’s conclusion, Cave graciously re-introduced his bandmates before they all exited the stage for a second time. The exultant crowd cheered non-stop for several minutes until Cave, Ellis and company finally reappeared.

Nick Cave

The exquisite hymn about loss and sorrow, “Into Your Arms,” opened the second encore. Following this fan favorite from The Boatman’s Call (1997) was a song requested by an audience member that had not been played by the Bad Seeds, according to Cave, “in a very long time.” Before launching into the melody, “Jubilee Street” from 2013’s Push The Sky Away, Cave remarked, “If we fuck it up, it’s on you dude.” The night’s penultimate offering was “Girl In Amber” (Skeleton Tree, 2016), a moving song written by Cave for Anita Lane, a founding member of the Bad Seeds. The night’s last offering, “Ghosteen Speaks” (Ghosteen), a song about the spirit of love and its existence, fittingly captured the overall theme of the night.

The Carnage tour wraps in Montreal, Canada with a pair of early April dates at the Place des Arts. If you were unable to catch a live show on their current tour, or just cannot get enough of Cave and Ellis, the global release event of This Much I Know To Be True is set for May 11, 2022. This feature film captures the exceptional creative partnership of both Australian natives as they brought to life the songs that would appear on the albums Ghosteen and Carnage. Additional details can be found here: https://www.thismuchiknowtobetrue.com.

Kings Theatre

Setlist: Spinning Song > Bright Horses > Night Raid > Carnage > White Elephant > Ghosteen > Lavender Fields > Waiting for You > I Need You > Cosmic Dancer > God Is In The House > Hand of God > Shattered Ground > Galleon Ship > Leviathan > Balcony Man >
Encore 1: Hollywood > Henry Lee >
Encore 2: Into My Arms > Jubilee Street > Girl In Amber > Ghosteen Speaks

March 29, 2022
Newport Jazz Festival Announces 2022 Lineup

Newport Jazz Festival is making its summer return with a packed 2022 lineup. From July 29th-31st, fans will be able to see performers like Norah Jones, PJ Morten, BADBADNOTGOOD, and more in Fort Adams State Park.

This year’s festival will celebrate the life of George Wein, founder of the Newport Jazz and Newport Folk festivals. Surprise special guests will join the tribute. Artist Director Christian McBride’s annual Jawn Jam will include performances from ensembles like Makaya McCraven, Chris Potter, Vijay Iyer, Brandee Younger & Mike Stern; the Jack DeJohnette Quartet with Don Byron, Matt Garrison, and Luisito Quintero; Pino Palladino, Blake Mills and Sam Gendel & Abe Rounds.

Alongside big names and ensembles, the festival will also feature Cory Wong, Sons of Kemet, Nubya Garcia, Jazzmeia Horn, Nate Smith + KINFOLK, Sampha the Great, Lady Blackbird, The Soul Rebels, Theon Cross, Samara Joy, The Nth Power and Jazzmeia Horn. More artists will be announced at a later date.

Newport Jazz Fest 2021

The Newport Jazz Fest works closely with the Newport Festivals Foundation to provide musicians with the support they need during tough times. The non-profit helps maintain music programs in Rhode Island and around the country.

Since 2018, the Artist Gives initiative has provided over 100 grants to music education programs in over 30 states, including instruments for public schools, funding for music instruction workshops for Veterans and after school music lessons for children with learning disabilities.

Newport Jazz Fest 2021

Tickets are on sale now. Student discounts are available. COVID-19 safety guidelines will be announced at a later date.

March 29, 2022
NYC-Based Indie-Pop Singer Aubrey Haddard Announces New Single and Album

NYC-based indie-pop singer-songwriter Aubrey Haddard announced her second LP, Awake And Talking, out August 16. She also shared the first single from the project “Just A Wall” along with a music video.

The album is about Haddard’s self-examination and how she navigates love and her relationship to art. Her biggest influences for the album came from the greatest songwriters of the 90s, like Oasis and Björk. With her writing partner and multi-instrumentalist Charley Ruddell and drummer Josh Strmic, they all wrote the songs in rehearsal spaces and Haddard’s childhood upstate home. She spoke about the album, and the deep meaning it has for her.

Awake And Talking is about seeking a sense of purpose. It challenges perception – how many ways can you look at the world before you find your place in it? It is about destiny and the journey to self-acceptance. And, like anything I create, it is about my own personal experience over the past few years. This record makes me feel powerful and confident in the face of uncertainty and it brings me a lot of joy to know that it could offer a sliver of that to anyone listening.

The new single “Just A Wall” is bold and emotional, with mesmerizing electric guitar riffs as she proudly sings the lyrics “Now that you’ve gone and shattered the glass…Whose arms do you run to?”

Aubrey Haddard, photo by Emmysu.

Aubrey Haddard’s new album Awake And Talking is out August 16, and her new electrifying single ”Just A Wall” is out now.

March 28, 2022
Grateful Dead Continue To Build Knickerbocker Arena Legacy: March 28, 1993

Knickerbocker Arena will always be one of those venues with a special place in Grateful Dead lore. The band played the downtown Albany arena thirteen times in their career which included three three-night runs at “The Knick.” Today, we look back at the middle show of the last three-night run there in 1993. It may not reach the heights of the band’s initial heralded run here in 1990 which helped provide material for their Dozin’ At The Knick album, but it sees the Dead at a time when they’re clearly comfortable in their own skin with this last incarnation of the band. The show provides a solid blend of Grateful Dead fan favorites, a pair of Dylan covers, and some newer original songs that were only played a smattering of times in this late era for the band.

The show begins with a tune that was starting to entrench its spot as a show opener in this last phase of live Dead, “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodleoo.” Jerry Garcia sounds engaged right from the get-go and drops an immaculate guitar fill early on in the proceedings. The band takes their time dragging out the composed portion of the opener before Garcia lays down another heavenly solo. After a courtesy nod of gratitude from the Knick crowd, the opening licks to “Walkin’ Blues” ring out loud and true and fellow guitarist Bob Weir takes control for the next number. He leads the way through a cover of the American blues classic before they resort back to one of their sentimental originals in “So Many Roads,” replete with another feathery Garcia solo that serves as the bridge before a somewhat “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door”-esque ending.

The Dead make the following cover selection more than clear with a joyous romp through Bob Dylan’s “When I Paint My Masterpiece” that has both guitarists wailing on vocals by song’s end. Things then slow down again somewhat with the “High Times” that comes next. This Grateful Dead classic serves up a classic blend of bluesy Garcia solos that merely matches vocals of the same tenor. This sets the stage for yet another late-era Dead regular that never seemed to take off, “Eternity,” co-crafted by Weir and his fellow Ratdog bandmate Rob Wasserman.

A slow transition into “Deal” then follows, with bassist Phil Lesh pushing the tempo early and often before a jam that reaches near hysterical proportions closes out the first set earnestly. The second one begins with the familiar tones of “Scarlet Begonias” as the Knick crowd gets brought back to life with this vintage Dead number. This triggers a brief but blissful jam, with Garcia’s tricked out guitar creating the effects of a veritable flute solo, that serves as the springboard into a raging “Fire On The Mountain.”

After a somewhat abrupt ending to “Fire,” the drum-fueled intro to “Samson and Delilah” emerges. Some vintage bass bombs from Lesh are peppered throughout on a frenzied take on this live show staple. Another old standby in “Ship Of Fools” then follows, graced with a typical breathtaking solo from Garcia, before the Dead break out “Wave To The Wind,” a song co-written by Lesh and longtime band lyricist Robert Hunter that was played only a handful of times in 1992 and ’93.

A post-song segue into “Truckin’” gets a little murky but the band soon finds their footing and treats the Knickerbocker Arena crowd to another classic Dead sing-along number. It sees some strong piano fills thrown in from Vince Welnick that help fuel a brief but explosive jam that sets the table for the traditional “Drums” > “Space” portion of the evening.

From the psychedelic mist emerges another song synonymous with ’90s-era Dead, “Long Way To Go Home” with an energized Welnick taking charge and leading the way on vocals. The tone then shifts from new school to old school in a hurry as the band dusts off “Attics Of My Life.” It ends a 41-show gap from its last performance, which just happened to be here at The Knick last June. The set then comes to a rousing finish with a “Turn On Your Lovelight” that sees Bob Weir doling out the signature bluesy vocals and Garcia once more digging into his bag of tricks and emitting joyous trumpet-sounding guitar fills on the closer. The second and final Dylan cover of the night then serves as the encore as the show ends with a beautifully somber take of “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door.” The Grateful Dead would return to Knickerbocker Arena the next day to close out this run and, two years later, they would play their final shows at this heralded venue.

Check out video of the entire show here and below thanks to YouTube.

View This And More Grateful Dead Shows From Across The Years In New York State With Our Interactive Map Below

Grateful Dead Knickerbocker Arena – Albany, NY 3/28/93

Set 1: Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo, Walkin’ Blues, So Many Roads, When I Paint My Masterpiece, High Time, Eternity, Deal

Set 2: Scarlet Begonias > Fire On The Mountain, Samson And Delilah, Ship Of Fools, Wave To The Wind > Truckin’ > Drums > Space > Way To Go Home, Attics Of My Life > Turn On Your Lovelight

E: Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door

March 28, 2022
Disco Biscuits Set To Continue Spring Tour With Three Nights At The Capitol Theatre

This weekend, The Disco Biscuits return to Port Chester and The Capitol Theatre with a trifecta of performances that will also feature pre-shows each evening at the adjacent Garcia’s. With signs of spring finally starting to emerge in the Northeast, one of the more iconic jam bands of the region will help turn the calendar from March to April with three nights of electronica-infused music.

This weekend will see The Disco Biscuits reach the “Double Digit” Club for shows at The Capitol Theatre with the last one on Saturday, April 2 being their eleventh show overall at this fabled venue. The band first played here in March of 2016 on a two-night run, with a rendition of “Helicopters” started on the first night and finished the next evening. The first show also featured the lone (to date) cover of Carl Carlton’s “She’s A Bad Mama Jama.”

The Disco Biscuits followed this up the next year with a three-night run at the Capitol Theatre from April 27 to 29. This time, it was “Shem-Rah-Boo” that was spread across the first two nights, with the first night also featuring a monstrous “House Dog Party Favor” to close out the second set. The following night sees one of the earlier versions of “The Champions” played and the last night’s first set gets capped off in grand fashion with a particularly spirited “Confrontation” > “Rock Candy (unfinished)” > “Confrontation” sequence of events.

The last time the Disco Biscuits graced the stage of The Capitol Theatre was in 2019 with yet another three-night run spanning January 31 – February 2. This run is probably best known for the last night as the Biscuits paid homage to their jam fore fathers The Grateful Dead who played plenty a memorable show here and started the show with a completely unexpected bust out of “Help On The Way” > “Slipknot!” > “Franklin’s Tower.” The last night also featured an inverted “Shelby Rose” and a sublime jam emerging from a first set “Shem” that seamlessly flowed into the beginning of “Cyclone.”

The band is surely guaranteed to only add to their own legacy at The Cap and it all starts each night with thee free pre-shows that start as soon as doors open. PEAK kicks off the weekend on Thursday, March 31, Microcave jams on Friday, April 1, and Sweeping Views spins some far out dance tracks on Saturday, April 2.

Attendees need a ticket to The Disco Biscuits shows to attend the pre-shows! Tickets are still available for purchase here.

March 28, 2022
In Focus: Eastbound Jesus, Glass Pony, and Wreckloose Celebrate Guthrie Bell Productions

On Friday, March 24th, fans gathered at the Cohoes Music Hall to celebrate one of our all-time favorite promoters, Greg Bell from Guthrie Bell Productions with music from Eastbound Jesus, Glass Pony, and Wreckloose. Greg has been bringing live music to the lucky residents of the 518 for the past 30 years and counting. Friday night’s event was the first in a series of four shows put together to celebrate Greg’s legacy.

Eastbound Jesus, Glass Pony, Wreckloose

Not one to break tradition, for Friday night’s show, we all got some extra-special treats thanks to Greg Bell including seeing one band that doesn’t really play together anymore. Wreckloose dusted off their equipment and it was impossible to tell they haven’t been playing together constantly over the years.

High Energy & Hyped Up

Glass Pony and EastBound Jesus wrapped up the evening. Glass Pony is hands down one of the most energetic jam bands I have ever seen perform live. What an absolute blast. And I had heard about Eastbound Jesus for years before I finally got to see them on Friday night — it was well worth the wait. This inexhaustible band played for an impressive two hours.

More to Come from Guthrie Bell Productions

If you missed this incredible show, don’t despair — there are more to come. Guthrie Bell productions has shows scheduled for the next three weekends starting with The Sharks w/ Johnny Rabb & The Jailhouse Rockers on April 9th.

March 28, 2022
Sad Summer Fest 2022 Presented by Journeys

Sad Summer Fest presented by Journeys features a variety of artists and local bands including Neck Deep, MayDay Parade, and more. This unforgettable event will make stops in New York City at Pier 17 on July 22^nd, and at the Stone Pony Summer Stage July 29^th.

When asked what message he has for fans ahead of the summer tour, vocalist of Waterparks Awsten Knight writes, “I am ready to step around in the mud and get huge. If you see me doing push-ups in the parking lot do not approach me Lucas will tackle you OUT! Saddie summer will be my baddie summer better watch out because I get MOODY in the summer!! See you soon.”

“We’re stoked to be on Sad Summer this year!” says Neck Deep lead singer Ben Barlow. “We really can’t wait for another American summer, ripping a few heavy gigs, making the most of the sunshine and closing your night out with a show you’ll never forget.”

Mayday Parade will co-headline Sad Summer Fest for the second time, coming back this time with their latest music in the setlist. The band released their most recent album “What It Means to Fall Apart” in November and has spent the start of 2022 taking those new songs on the road, as well as performing songs from their self-titled album in celebration of its eleventh anniversary. Speaking on the band’s return to the Sad Summer Fest stage, lead singer Derek Sanders says, “We’re happy to have the opportunity to play such a great tour with so many wonderful bands. We look forward to seeing so many of you out there, it’s gonna be a wild summer.”

Journeys is excited to partner with Sad Summer Fest again this year. Connecting with our consumers and employees through live music events has always been a huge part of our identity as a brand. The ongoing partnership between Sad Summer Fest and Journeys has allowed us to come together to create a memorable and safe experience for fans that were missing live music and the face to face connection with their favorite artists.
Kari Irons, Journeys, Senior Vice President of Marketing

Tickets will officially go on sale March 24th at 10am local time, for purchase here.

SAD SUMMER FEST 2022 PRESENTED BY JOURNEYS

July 8 – Sacramento, CA – Heart Health Park @ Cal Expo

July 9 – Anaheim, CA – City National Grove Outdoors

July 12 – Dallas, TX – Gilley’s

July 13 – Houston, TX – Lawn @ White Oak Music Hall

July 15 – Orlando, FL – Orlando Amphitheater at the Central Florida Fair

July 16 – Atlanta, GA – Coca Cola Roxy

July 19 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE Outdoors

July 20 – Pontiac, MI – Crofoot Outdoors

July 22 – New York, NY – The Rooftop @ Pier 17

July 23 – Worcester, MA – The Palladium Outdoors

July 24 – Baltimore, MD – MECU Pavilion

July 26 – Columbus, OH – KEMBA Live Outdoors

July 27 – Newport, KY – Ovation

July 29 – Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony Summer Stage

July 30 – Philadelphia, PA – Skyline Stage @ the Mann

August 2 – Cleveland, OH – Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica

August 3 – Lewiston, NY – ArtPark Amphitheater

August 5 – Milwaukee, WI – The Rave/Eagles Ballroom

March 28, 2022
Happy Birthday, Lady Gaga!

Happy Birthday, Lady Gaga! Born on March 28, 1986, in Yonkers, Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta aka Lady Gaga is one of the most successful pop stars in the world. She grew up in the city with her parents Cynthia and Joseph Germanotta, with her younger sister Natali. Taking her name from the song Radio Ga-Ga by Queen, Gaga has shown her versatility from being in the film and music industries, with multiple number one hits and nominations to show for it.

Lady Gaga at the SAG Awards for film House of Gucci.

Gaga learned how to play the piano at the age of four, and At the age of 11, she was accepted to the Juilliard School in Manhattan but she instead attended a private Catholic school in the city. She wrote her first piano ballad at 13, and at age 14 she had her first performance at a New York nightclub.

Her debut album The Fame and single “Just Dance” received both popular and commercial acclaim, and “Just Dance” was nominated for a Grammy Award. Although it didn’t win, it reached number one on the charts. The second single off of the album “Poker Face” went to the top of the charts in every category and country in 2009.

In 2010, she released her album Fame Monster, then in 2011 released yet another critically acclaimed album Born This Way. In 2013, she released another album titled Artpop. One of the highlights of her career thus far was working with Tony Bennett on the jazz album Cheek To Cheek. The album won a Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. She performed at Super Bowl 50 in 2016. Also in 2016, Gaga released her fifth studio album, Joanne, her fourth number one album in the United States.

In 2017, she announced she had signed for a Las Vegas residency. She performed two separate shows over 27 dates: Lady Gaga Enigma, a collection of her most popular songs, and Lady Gaga Jazz & Piano, which had stripped-down versions of her greatest hits. In 2020, she released her sixth studio album Chromatica, which hit high on the charts, and had the number one single “Rain On Me” with Ariana Grande.

Lady Gaga at her residency, photo by Getty Images.

For films and TV shows, she has done a lot. In 2016, she earned a Golden Globe for her portrayal of The Countess in American Horror Story: Hotel. Also in 2016, she was cast to play Ally in A Star Is Born, which grossed an impressive $400 million globally. She and her co-star Bradley Cooper received Golden Globe, Grammy and Oscar win for their duet song “Shallow.” In 2021, she played Patrizia Reggiani in House of Gucci and has won the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress.

Lady Gaga proves she is not done yet in her outstanding career, and she continues to deliver number one hits and be who she truly is, a star.

March 28, 2022
Dee Snider Releases Video in Support of Ukraine

Twisted Sister singer Dee Snider releases new video for his song “Stand” in support of Ukraine.

Photo Credit: Randy Frieder

The video is retitled “Stand (with Ukraine)”. The new version includes live footage from the conflict currently going on in Ukraine.

About a week ago, it hit me that the song “Stand” from my last Napalm Records album, ‘Leave a Scar’, fit the crisis in Ukraine perfectly. I just couldn’t get around how well the lyrics resonated. So, I had a couple of incredibly talented people, Scott Pitek and Steve Sage Goldberg, cut together a new video using some live concert footage and news clips. The result is devastating.
Dee Snider

The idea for the new music video came after someone reached out to Snider to tell him that Ukrainians were using Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It” as a battle cry.

“About a month ago, someone on social media told me people in Ukraine were using Twisted Sister’s ‘We’re Not Gonna Take It’ as a battle cry and asked if I was cool with it,” said Snider. “Of course I was.”

Snider gained significant media attention after a tweet endorsing the use of “We’re Not Gonna Take It” as a pro Ukraine anthem went viral. Since then, Dee Snider contributed to relief fund World United Live to raise awareness and money for the victims of the conflict in Ukraine.

“At [World United Live] we have been beating the drum for the free world to come together not only in support of Ukraine and condemnation of Putin, but in sending a message to the Russian people that they are misinformed and not being told the truth,” explained Snider.

The organization is planning a benefit concert in support of Ukraine that it hopes will be the world’s largest.

March 27, 2022