Category: Regions

  • Post Malone and Dre London Announce Exclusive After Parties at Gramercy Theatre

    Post Malone and Dre London announced that after select tour dates of Malone’s Twelve Carat Tour there will be after parties featuring multiple special guests in some of the hottest cities in North America, including two nights at the Gramercy Theatre in NYC on Oct. 12 and 13.

    Post Malone is one of the most successful pop stars of the last decade with 66 entries in the Billboard Hot 100 — including 11 top 10 hits — and is a 9-time Grammy nominee. Malone is from Syracuse and lived in the state until he was ten when he moved to Texas.

    In 2019, he became the youngest artist in history to have a total of three diamond-certified singles with the records “Congratulations,” “Rockstar” and “Sunflower” reaching ten million sales. His brand new album Twelve Carat Toothache was released on June, 3 and debuted at number 2 on the Billboard 200.

    Post Malone and Dre London have a close relationship, as London is Malone’s manager. The Twelve Carat tour started on Sept. 10 in Omaha, NE, and has been described as emotionally driven, with high energy and a stadium full of fans excited to see Malone. The after-parties happening in select cities are on sale now, and guests must be 21+ to attend, except in Canada where events are 19+ to attend.

    Post Malone After Party Dates

    Sun Sep 11 – Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theater 

    Wed Sep 14 – Chicago, IL – House of Blues 

    Thu Sep 15 – Milwaukee, WI – Potawatomi Club  

    Tue Sep 20 – Toronto, ON – Private Event

    Fri Sep 23 – Boston, MA – Big Night Live

    Sat Sep 24 – Boston, MA – The Grand

    Wed Sep 28 – Pittsburgh, PA – Roxian Theatre

    Tue Oct 04 – Washington, DC – Soundcheck

    Wed Oct 12 – New York, NY – The Gramercy Theatre

    Thu Oct 13 – New York, NY –The Gramercy Theatre

    Sun Oct 16 – Nashville, TN – Brooklyn Bowl

    Tue Oct 18 – Atlanta, GA – District Atlanta

    Fri Oct 21 – Dallas, TX – HOB – Dallas Foundation Room

    Sat Oct 22 – Austin, TX – Don Londres x HWood Official F1 Party*

    Tue Oct 25 – Houston, TX – House of Blues 

    Sun Oct 30 – Denver, CO – Summit 

    Tue Nov 01 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Depot 

    Sun Nov 06 – Vancouver, BC – Fortune Sound Club

    Thu Nov 10 – Los Angeles, CA – Poppy*

    Fri Nov 11 – Las Vegas, NV – Delilah*

    *Not A Live Nation Date

  • Lamb Of God Kick Off “The Omens Tour” At The Coney Island Boardwalk

    In a dream double-bill for heavy metal fans, Lamb Of God and Killswitch Engage joined forces for their tour opener on Friday, September 9 at the Ford Amphitheater in Brooklyn. With a chill in the air signaling that the fall season is nearly upon us, the initial throng of what would be nearly 5,000 guests excitedly began to file into the covered, open air venue fronting the Atlantic Ocean at the 5:00 pm doors call. The Spanish Colonial style venue, complete with nautical-themed motifs, is a New York City designated-landmark originally constructed in 1923 that was restored to its former glory in 2016.

    Randy Blythe of Lamb Of God | Photo by Michael Dinger

    Hailing from Richmond, Virginia and originally formed in 1994 as Burn the Priest, Lamb of God are at the forefront of the new thrash metal movement. Vocalist Randy Blythe and company will be releasing their ninth studio album Omens (Epic Records) on October 7. Described by Blythe as an “extremely pissed-off” record, it is a self-reflective piece of work regarding the fragile state of the world in which we currently reside. Omens was recorded at Henson Recording Studios (formerly A&M Studios) in Los Angeles, California with their longtime collaborator since 2006, Josh Wilbur.

    Randy Blythe of Lamb Of God | Photo by Michael Dinger

    Although they are not touring in support of a recent release, the last being their eighth studio album Atonement in 2019, metalcore giants Killswitch Engage are the featured special guest on all 28 dates of the current tour. Formed in Westfield, Massachusetts in 1999, Killswitch Engage’s lineup consists of vocalist Jesse Leach, guitarists Joel Stroetzel and Adam Dutkiewicz, bassist Mike D’Antonio and drummer Justin Foley.

    Jesse Leach of Killswitch Engage | Photo by Michael Dinger

    However, prior to Killswitch Engage taking the stage in a couple more hours, the first band to warm up the crowd would be Suicide Silence, formed in 2002. With a lineup of vocalist Hernan “Eddie” Hermida, dual guitarists Chris Garza and Mark Heylmun, bassist Dan Kenny and touring drummer Ernie Iniguez, the deathcore quintet established in Riverside, California performed a 7-song set showcasing varied speed changes, complex time signatures and plenty of death growls from Hermida. In early-2023, Suicide Silence will be releasing their seventh studio album, Remember… You Must Die.

    Hernan Hermida of Suicide Silence | Photo by Michael Dinger

    Hitting the stage promptly at 7:00 pm, Baroness followed with their own blistering, 6-song set. For the next 35-minites, these sludge metal heavy hitters from Savanna, Georgia would melt our collective minds with heavy distortion and frontman John Baizley’s harsh and abrasive vocals. Baizley is also an accomplished painter whose artwork has been incorporated into album art for Baroness, amongst many other bands. The rest of the quartet, formed in 2003, is rounded out by Nick Jost on bass, Sebastian Thomson on drums and Gina Gleason on lead guitar. Fans of Baroness will also be happy to learn that they are currently in the writing stages for their sixth studio offering.

    John Baizley of Baroness | Photo by Michael Dinger

    As the last remaining light of the day peaked through the openings in the venue’s massive canopy, and plenty of fans still lined up at the long merch table positioned at the top level of the amphitheater, Killswitch Engage appeared onstage shortly after 8:00 pm. Leach and his bandmates knocked it out the park on the first pitch, as they launched into “Strength of the Mind” with a ferocious intensity, an offering from their seventh studio album Incarnate (2016).

    Band merchandise | Photo by Michael Dinger

    Up until this point in the night, fans in attendance had been relatively subdued, but not for much longer. During 2006’s “This Is Absolution,” from their fourth studio album As Daylight Dies, Leach descended into the pit and engaged with several lucky fans in the front rows, sharing his microphone as he made his way along the rail, before climbing his way back up to the stage.

    Jesse Leach of Killswitch Engage and fan | Photo by Michael Dinger

    The band continued to dig into the early part of their discography, giving us “Rose of Sharyn” from 2004’s The End of Heartache and “To the Sons of Man” from 2002’s Alive or Just Breathing. During the remainder of the eleven songs that followed, an endless stream of crowd surfers seemed to emerge from out of nowhere – each metal head riding the wave of outstretched arms of their brethren to the front rail – where they were safely collected into the waiting arms of a security team member.

    Crowd surfer | Photo by Michael Dinger

    The surprise of the night was a cover of Dio’s metal classic, “Holy Driver,” released by the metal legends in 1983 as the lead single from their debut album of the same name. Killswitch Engage had originally covered the song as part of compilation for Kerrang!, the British weekly magazine. The Killswitch Engage set would end after a little more than an hour, but not without a few offerings from their most recent studio work, 2019’s Atonement, including “Unleashed,” “The Crownless King” and “Know Your Enemy.” Killswitch Engage closed their hard-hitting set with “The Signal Fire,” the recorded version of which featured guest vocals from Howard Jones, the band’s lead vocalist from 2002 to 2012 when Leach had left the band.

    Killswitch Engage set | Photo by Michael Dinger

    During the much-needed 30-minute break when the stage was turned over by Lamb Of God’s roadie, most of the fans dripping in sweat hastily exited the General Admission floor as they slipped by one another on their way to the restroom, grabbed a quick bite to eat (hot dogs and Bavarian-style soft pretzels were the only two options that I saw) or bought one last cold beer from the concession areas strategically placed throughout.

    As the time approached 9:30 pm, the atmosphere inside Ford Amphitheater was now intense with excitement as fan chatter calmed in anticipation for headliner Lamb of God to appear. Moments later, as the instrumental anthem and introduction to their 2020 self-titled new anthem “Memento Mori” was played over the house PA, bassist John Campbell, guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler and drummer Art Cruz entered stage left. As they took up their instruments, Blythe appeared in his customary stage attire – black running sneakers, long, vintage-style cargo shorts and a Cinemetal t-shirt featuring a mashup logo with a nod to the iconic German film director Werner Herzog and heavy metal titan Danzig. Blythe is also the first performer I have ever noticed wearing knee pads and ankle support braces, and in short time, I would see why. The 51-year old Blythe hardly ever stands still. If he is not pacing furiously from one end of the stage to the other, he is either getting a running start for a giant leap off the top of the drum riser (set to a backdrop of pyrotechnics explosions) or can be spotted perched atop his own center stage riser, windmilling his long dreadlocks at a dizzying speed.

    Randy Blythe of Lamb Of God | Photo by Michael Dinger

    After breakneck executions of “Walk With Me in Hell” (Sacrament, 2006), “Now You’ve Got Something to Die For” (Ashes of the Wake, 2004) and “Resurrection Man” (Lamb of God, 2020), fans were finally treated to the first of two tracks they would hear tonight from Omens, the thunder-inducing “Nevermore.” Before the thrash metal veterans would tear into “Ruin” (As the Palaces Burn, 2003), “something a little bit older” that Blythe dedicated to “anyone who’s ever been to the club CB f***ing GB,” Blythe addressed the audience at length for the first time. “What the f**k is up motherfuckers? Holy s**t. Look at all you beautiful people gathered here in one of the coolest places, Coney f***ing Island. For those of you who do not know, or for those of you who smoked too much weed on the train on your way over here and cannot remember where you are anymore, we are Lamb Of God. We came to New York together today to do one thing and one thing only, completely f**k this place up. Are you ready? Welcome to the first night of “The Omens Tour.” We got a new record coming out October 7, pick it up if you want.”

    It was near the middle portion of Lamb of God’s 80-minute set when not one, but two circle pits formed the number ‘8’ a mere few rows back from the stage. It was an incredible sight to behold firsthand, from the safe confines of the periphery of course, as frenzied tornadoes of souls twirled around and collided heavily into one another, and more than occasionally, falling hard to the ground. However, in keeping with the mosh pit code of etiquette, any fallen mosher was quickly pulled up to safety by the nearest person, before rejoining one of the flowing circles of bodies yet again.

    Art Cruz of Lamb Of God | Photo by Michael Dinger

    At the conclusion of the title track from Omens, the fans were more vigorous than ever, repeatedly chanting “Lamb Of God,” “Lamb Of God,” “Lamb Of God,”” Lamb Of God,” . . . Blythe, visibly thriving on the adoration, then said “It is always a f***ing pleasure to be back here, give yourself a big round of applause. Make some noise for the other bands that have played here for you this evening, goddamnit. First up, all the way from California, make some noise for Suicide Silence. And from down our way in Georgia, give it up for Baroness. And of course, make some noise for our brothers Killswitch Engage.”

    John Campbell of Lamb Of God | Photo by Michael Dinger

    The final five songs of Lamb Of God’s set would be their best, including “512” from VII: Sturm und Drang (2015), a song about Blythe’s self-proclaimed “extended European vacation that [he] took a while ago,” referring to his manslaughter court case that stemmed from a 2010 concert in Prague. “Ghost Walking” (Resolution, 2012) highlighted Cruz’s nuclear bomb drum slams and Campbell’s swift and velocious bass picking, while “Vigil” (As the Palaces Burn, 2003) featured intense groove metal shredding by guitarist Morton. The penultimate offering from Lamb Of God, “Laid to Rest” from 2004’s Ashes of the Wake, was the night’s highlight as the crowd went berserk during the chorus, “Smother another failure, lay this to rest. Console yourself, you’re better alone. Destroy yourself, see who gives a fuck. Absorb yourself, you’re better alone. Destroy yourself.”

    Mark Morton of Lamb Of God | Photo by Michael Dinger

    Blythe acknowledged the packed amphitheater one last time before the band burst into the fan favorite from 2006’s Sacrament. “Do you want one more f***ing song? Let me hear you! I think we can oblige. Before we do this, I need all you to do me a favor. As I said [earlier], tonight is the first night of the f***ing tour. You guys showed up and you showed out as New York City always f***ing does. I need every single mother***er in here to give themselves a big round of applause. Alright, I wanna see a f***ing big circle pit down there, set this mother***er off old school style. No one stands still! No one stands safe! This thing is called Redneck!”

    “The Omens Tour” runs through October 20 and will conclude in Irving, Texas at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory.

    Killswitch Engage Setlist: Strength of the Mind > This Is Absolution > Rose of Sharyn > To the Sons of Man > Unleashed > The Crownless King > Hate by Design > Know Your Enemy > My Curse > A Bid Farewell > This Fire > The End of Heartache > In Due Time > Holy Diver (Dio cover) > The Signal Fire

    Lamb Of God Setlist: Memento Mori > Walk With Me in Hell > Now You’ve Got Something to Die For > Resurrection Man > Nevermore > Ruin > 11th Hour > Contractor > Omerta > Omens > 512 > Ghost Walking > Vigil > Laid to Rest > Redneck

    Killswitch Engage

    Lamb Of God

  • WAMC’s Wanda Fischer to Celebrate Four Decades of “The Hudson River Sampler” at The Linda

    On September 18, 1982, WAMC debuted “The Hudson River Sampler” on Saturday nights. Hosted by Wanda Fischer, the show featured folk and acoustic music from 8-10 PM. Now, after four decades, the show is still running, and with the same host. 

    wanda fischer

    To mark the occasion, on Saturday, October 8, The Linda – WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio, will host a show to celebrate the occasion, featuring several prominent national and local folk music acts, including Anne Hills, Reggie Harris, Christine Lavin, Sawyer Fredericks, John Kirk and Trish Miller.

    The Linda is pleased to welcome the artists who will be here on October 8. These performers present a cross section of the music Wanda plays every week. This will be a special night.

    Peter Hughes, The Linda

    With a background that goes back many years, Fischer has been involved in this type of music since her father introduced her to it as a child. She’s also been a singer herself, having appeared at coffeehouses in the Boston area in the 1960s and ‘70s and has recorded an album titled Singing Along with the Radio. She and her husband Bill relocated to the Capital District in 1979. She held full-time jobs in the region while doing “The Hudson River Sampler” on Saturdays until her retirement from full-time work in 2014. During lockdown from the pandemic, she did her show live from the WAMC studio. 

    Fischer has been a volunteer on several boards of directors in the region, including Old Songs, Caffe Lena and the Eighth Step. She’s also a volunteer reader for the Reading is Fun program in the Schenectady City Schools and has published a novel and several short stories. A competitive local tennis player, she’s served as the captain of a United States Tennis Association team since 1988. 

    Additionally, the show will be broadcast live during The “Hudson River Sampler’s” normal time slot of 8-10 PM on WAMC’s network and streaming on wamc.org.

    Tickets for Wanda Fischer 40th Anniversary Live! Hudson River Sampler live at The Linda: WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio are $25 and on sale now through thelinda.org.

  • 3 Headed Monster Tour Coming to UBS Arena at Belmont Park

    Three of the premier rappers’ from hip hop’s golden age will make their way to Long Island on October 21. Jadakiss, Cam’ron and Ma$e will all perform at UBS Arena at Belmont Park as part of their 3 Headed Monster Tour.

    Jadakiss announced the 3 Headed Monster Tour on his official Instagram.

    The trio is keeping it short with a 7-stop haul that kicks off in Bridgeport, Connecticut on October 19. Additional stops include Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Elmont, Norfolk, and Augusta, Georgia before making their last stop in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on October 30.

    Moreover, The 3 Headed Monster Tour comes on the heels of Cam’ron and Ma$e’s public reconciliation. The former best friends and Harlem natives have had a long-stemming public feud since establishing themselves in the industry. However, the duo began to make amends after Ma$e’s appearance on the Million Dollarz Worth of Game podcast, in which he expressed regret for their feud. Cam’ron shared similar sentiments when he served as a guest on the popular podcast.

    https://youtu.be/CDQgd8uHkoE

    Ma$e and Jadakiss will undoubtedly perform some of the hits they penned during their days on Bad Boy records. Jadakiss as 1/3 of the LOX and Ma$e as a solo act and both as understudies to the Notorious B.I.G. While Jadakiss and Cam’ron will share the stage again after the historic Verzuz battle between The LOX and Dipset.

    By the same token, fans of hip hop’s golden era should be thrilled to watch three of the best from the Mecca perform together. The three grammy-nominated artists have each set their mark in hip hop’s landscape.

    About UBS and 3 Headed Monster Tour

    Located on the border of Queens and Nassau County, UBS Arena  is  made for music and built for hockey. New York’s newest premier entertainment, sports venue and home of the NHL’s New York Islanders is designed to accommodate 19,000 people for concerts. The $1.1 billion multi-purpose, state of the art arena opened in November 2021 and has welcomed top artists. The likes which includes Harry Styles, Sebastian Maniscalco, Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, TWICE, Eagles and John Mayer.

    Tickets go on sale to the public on Thursday, September 15 at 10 am. Pre-sale is available on Tuesday, September 13 at 10 am by using the pre-sale code: 3HM. Visit the official 3 Headed Monster Tour website for more information.

  • Shawn Colvin, Marc Cohn and Sarah Jarosz to Perform at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

    The Troy Savings Bank Music Hall will welcome Shawn Colvin, Marc Cohn & Sarah Jarosz: Together in Concert, on February 22, 2023. Coming together for this special evening, this is one show you don’t want to miss.

    Shawn Colvin, Marc Cohn and Sarah Jarosz to Perform at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

    A singular and enduring talent, Grammy winner Shawn Colvin’s songs like “Sunny Came Home” are slow-release works of craft and catharsis that become treasured, lifetime companions for their listeners. 

    After winning a Grammy for his soulful ballad “Walking in Memphis,” Marc Cohn solidified his place as one of this generation’s most compelling singer-songwriters, combining the precision of a brilliant tunesmith with the passion of a great soul man.

    Though just barely in her thirties, Texas native Sarah Jarosz has compiled a remarkable career, winning four Grammy Awards in both the Americana and Folk categories.

    Tickets are on sale now at troymusichall.org.   

  • The State Theater Hosts Dinosaur Jr.’s Tour Opener in Ithaca

    With Beak and Skiff Orchards back to their bread and butter of serving up apples and apple-related products and activities, and Brewery Ommegang back to concentrating on brewing great beers, Dan Smalls Presents moves their shows back inside. The 2022-23 season at the State Theater of Ithaca opened on Friday September 9th with a show from rock veterans Dinosaur Jr.

    Nearing 40 years of existence, one wonders when they graduate to Dinosaur Sr. Though minutes into their tour-opening show, it was clear the youthful energy, vigor and drive to push their musical boundaries was still alive and well.

    Some observations of their show from a late-arriving newcomer.

    J. Mascis’ guitar, with the help of six gigantic Marshall stacks, shook the walls of the historical theater. Lou Barlow strummed his bass wildly, filling the space with a vortex that swirled around you, spit you out and sucked you right back in. Murph’s limbs flew every which way, pounding out rock-ready rhythms you felt as much as heard. Yep, Dinosaur Jr. delivers an ear-splitting full-body aural massage. That was no surprise. But behind the bombast, casualness and nuance ruled the day.

    Dinosaur Jr. just sauntered onto the stage, beating the house lights, which only went down after they started playing.

    The roadies spent the show just hanging out behind the amps, readying the load out about halfway through the show. During “The Wagon” one joined in on guitar while another took over a second drum set. The band’s on-stage demeanor was also more attuned to a hang with pals than a blistering rock show. In between songs, Mascis would often saunter off to the side of the stage to take a shot. Murph at one point walked off stage, returning just in time for the next song.

    Amidst the hang, some real inter-song magic came via short tuning jams that frequently popped up. What started as casual noodling could evolve into a three-way improv. After “The Wagon”, Mascis started riffing out some power chords and Murph tossed in some nice rumbling drums. A particularly tasty nugget, with some jazz undertones, nestled between an anthemic and bombastic “Been There All The Time” and monster rocking “Raisans.” Before the encore, Mascis dropped a blink-and-you-miss-it “London Bridges” teaser, a subtle tip of the hat to the Queen perhaps?

    The show started and ended similarly. After strolling on stage they came out swinging on a big rocking “Thumb.” 80 minutes later, after a blistering “Gargoyle,” they again just casually walked away, without fanfare, the final notes still crackling though the walls. Sandwiched in there they mixed a variety from the full breadth of their catalog. Melodies pushed through on “Garden” and “Feel the Pain,” funk-tinged wah work highlighted “Little Fury Things” and “Start Chopping” and spine-melting shredding sparked in “Mountain Man.” Is it possible to finally fall for a band already four decades into their career?

    By shows end, Barlow’s shirt was fully sweat through, a different shade of grey. Murph’s sweatiness, however, was masked by the black tour tee Ryley Walker provided, just as Walker had advised him it would. Walker’s support wasn’t reserved to wardrobe advice though, he was also the show’s opener.

    With his drummer unable to make the show, and his bass player’s instrument lost in transit, Walker called an audible and presented a set of “guitar fuckery” and “type 2 jams” with bassist Andrew Scott Young joining in on second guitar. For 45 minutes without stopping, their guitars danced around each other in beautiful cosmic weirdness. It was spacious and free, but mostly remained accessible. Walker worked his pedals and loops while Young played it straight and unfiltered, at times settling into a bass-like groove. Experimental rhythmic squeaks, eerie textures, droid-like bleeps and bloops… a thrilling opening set.

  • Fernway Announces Fourth Annual Halloween Show

    Buffalo-based Fernway has announced the return of their fourth annual Halloween Show on Oct. 29 at Buffalo Iron Works.

    Fernway Halloween show poster with ghosts, graves, pumpkins, announcing tickets and acts.
    Poster by Francesca Bubb

    Fernway’s Halloween Show features stacked performances, including Vertigo Child, The Safest Ledge, Amateur Hockey Club, and Roy G Biv. In addition to the musical performances, attendees can also participate in a costume contest to win prizes.

    Fresh off of the release of their debut album, Autocrave, Fernway has been on the road with shows across the U.S. The group recently supported Ohio-based band The Safest Ledge earlier this September and will reunite with them for the Halloween Show on Oct. 29.

    Fernway band crowds together in front of a red background.
    Photo by: Matt Sledziewski

    Formed in 2017, Fernway consists of five Buffalo natives: RJ DeMarco, Brett Robertson, Jonah Wrest, Alec Dube, and Tanner DeMarco. The five musicians blend together pop rock, alternative emo, jazz, and more for a sound uniquely their own.

    Tickets for the Halloween Fernway show at Buffalo Iron Works go on sale on Sept. 9 at 10 a.m. EST. The price for an advanced ticket is $15 and $20 for a ticket at the door. The show will open at 6 p.m. with music starting at 7 p.m. Fans of Fernway’s music can find them and keep up with them on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

  • Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs Rock The Paramount

    On Friday, September 9th, Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs rocked The Paramount In Huntington, Long Island. They played for two and a half hours mixing some Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers classics with songs from both of their albums. Their most recent album, External Combustion, which is also the name of this tour, came out in March.

    Mike Campbell paramount huntington
    Mike Campbell at The Paramount 9.9.22

    Mike Campbell was the guitarist for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers for over 50 years. He is responsible for some of the most famous guitar riffs in music history. Campbell co-wrote many of the band’s hits including “Refugee,” “Runnin’ Down a Dream,” “Here Comes My Girl” and “You Got Lucky.” He was inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame with the Heartbreakers in 2022.

    Campbell started The Dirty Knobs in 2001. The original lineup included guitarist Jason Sinay, bassist Ron Blair, and drummer Steve Ferrone. Lance Morrison, Matt Laug and Chris Holt joined when Blair, Ferrone and Sinay dropped out of the group. The band became Campbell’s main priority after the death of Tom Petty in 2017. Their first album, Wreckless Abandon, was released in 2020. Until then they were just a live band that played when The Heartbreakers weren’t on tour.

    Mike Campbell paramount huntington

    They were on fire Friday night at The Paramount. Their set started with “Wicked Mind,” the first single off the most recent album. Other songs featured from Wreckless Abandon included “Dirty Job,” “In This Lifetime,” and “Electric Gypsy.” Many times during the set, Campbell went off into intricate psychedelic guitar solos. The rest of the band also sounded great as they backed Campbell on Tom Petty covers like “Even the Losers,” and “Runnin’ Down a Dream.”

    Country Blues guitarist Alvin Youngblood Hart opened the show on Friday night. Bluesman Taj Mahal once said about Hart: “The boy has got thunder in his hands.” His debut album, Big Mama’s Door, came out in 1996. Hart received a Grammy Award in 2005 for his contribution to the album Beautiful Dreamer – The Songs of Stephen Foster.

    They will be playing The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester on Friday, September 16th. Visit their website here for additional tour dates.

    Setlist: Wicked Mind, Lightning Boogie, External Combustion, Even the Losers, State of Mind, Dirty Job, Fuck That Guy, Wreckless, Somewhere in London, I Still Love You, In This Lifetime, Electric Gypsy, Sugar, Southern Accents, Southern Boy, Runnin’ Down a Dream

  • Caroline Shaw & Sō Percussion to Perform at Skidmore College

    Skidmore College and the Saratoga Performing Arts Center have announced a concert with violinist Caroline Shaw and NYC quartet Sō Percussion at the school’s Tang Teaching Museum.

    Slated for Friday, September 23 at 7:30 pm, the free-to-the-public show will feature Shaw and the group performing their 2021 collaborative album, Let the Soil Play Its Simple Part. This record marks Shaw’s debut, a Pulitzer Prize winning instrumentalist, singer, and composer. The concert stamps a return to the Tang for the Grammy-winning Sō Percussion, who performed at the Museum in 2014.

    Caroline shaw
    Left to right: Eric Cha-Beach & Jason Treuting of Sō Percussion, Caroline Shaw, Josh Quillen & Adam Sliwinski of Sō Percussion.

    Shaw, along with winning the 2013 Pulitzer Prize in Music, has won three Grammy awards in addition to receiving an honorary doctorate from Yale and a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship. She’s worked with artists such as Rosalia, Yo-Yo Ma, and Kanye West and has contributed music to movies such as Bombshell and TV shows such as Beyonce’s Homecoming.

    Sō Percussion, having formed in 1999, has over 20 albums to their name in addition to collaboration with artists such as The Dirty Projectors along with score performance for works such as HBO’s The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst, a 2015 documentary mini-series.

    Additional information regarding the event and more can be found on the Tang’s website.

  • Andrew Thomases Releases New Single “Two Sides”

    On Sept. 9, alt-rocker Andrew Thomases released his newest single, “Two Sides.” With varying instrumentation, the song explores the line between leading an energetic existence and needing time to yourself.

    Andrew Thomases cover art for single with a party in one corner and a single tent in the other

    Hailing from just north of NYC before making the move out to San Francisco, much of Andrew Thomases’ music draws on personal experiences, and this “Two Sides” release is no different. The artist picked up the bass guitar at the age of 12 and continued to pursue music with cover bands in high school and as a DJ at a radio station in college. During the pandemic, Thomases recently picked up his passion again, sharing music and recording new work. 

    Andrew Thomases’ newest single shines with his enthralling vocals and relatable lyricism. He sings, “I wonder why I can’t be that guy who always arrives with fun in his eyes, always happy, now that isn’t me, why can’t I see, happiness ain’t free.” The switch between a slow acoustic guitar and the upbeat rock portions of “Two Sides” really drives Thomases’ message to his audience and listeners straight home.

    Do you ever feel torn between wanting to have an always-effervescent personality and just wanting to hang out alone? Do you long to be the life of the party sometimes, while other times, you just want to stay at home with a good book or show? Does this split depend on your mood at the time? I certainly have these competing desires, so I decided to write a song about it. “Two Sides” explores this split, both in its lyrics and in its music. The song varies between a slow acoustic guitar portion and a more upbeat rocking portion, with driving bass and guitar lines. In the end, the song explains that it is ok to have different personalities at different times.

    – Andrew Thomases

    “Two Sides” is the perfect single and reminder for the ambiverts of the world. The accompanying lyric video also illustrates the sentiment exactly with fun and engaging graphics. With this newest track, Andrew Thomases shares a relatable and genuine experience many people can resonate with.

    Utilizing retro-rock rhythms and melodies that pay homage to the music of the ‘80s and ‘90s alongside conscious lyricism, Thomases’ music captivates. Much of Thomases’ work reflects on our world and society, where he breaks up serious topics with the occasional satire and a keen sense of humor.

    Fans of Thomases’ sound can find him on his website, as well as on Instagram and Facebook. Take a listen to some more of Andrew Thomases’ music with the video below.