Magic of Lights, a 2.5 mile-long holiday-themed light display with locations at Long Island’s Jones Beach State Park and Holmdel NJ’s PNC Bank Arts Center, is offering nightly drive-throughs by car until December 30th as part of its 2022 edition.
A family enjoys a previous year’s Magic of Lights display.
This 2022 rendition for Magic of Lights, which includes over two million lights total, will feature several brand new displays, including a 32-foot-tall animated Christmas Barbie, the life-size dinosaur-highlighted Prehistoric Christmas, and a BIGFOOT Monster Trucks display.
2022 Magic of Lights first timer, Prehistoric Christmas.
Both locations will feature Toyota Holiday Village, which allows guests to walk through an out-of-car area featuring Santa Photos, skating, refreshments, and other holiday activities.
These are 2 of 21 Magic of Lights locations from NY to California. Its technology is handcrafted at and shipped from the company’s factory in Medina, OH. The NY and NJ displays combine for over 10 miles of LED lighting across all presentations, in the trees, and on the buildings.
The display is open from 5 p.m. to 10 on Sunday through Thursday, while Friday and Saturday feature availability from 5 to 11.
Information regarding tickets and more can be found on the Magic of Lights website.
16-year-old viral sensation Havanna Winter is lighting up this holiday season with her festive new single, “Daddy’s Kissing Santa Claus.” The track is accompanied by a hilariously outrageous Christmas video with an 80s-inspired twist. The video co-star’s Havanna alongside a great group of people including Guevara, Marsha Molinari, Vince Rossi, Jordan Xidas, and more.
“‘Daddy’s Kissing Santa Claus’ is such a fun song,” says Havanna Winter. “It’s chaotic and catchy, and it gets stuck in your head. I feel like it’s very relatable because most of us have experienced some Christmas gatherings that didn’t go as planned. I think that with all the serious things that have been going on in the world lately, people need a break from it, especially over the holidays, and to just be able to relax and have a laugh with some funny and happy vibes.”
Havanna Winter gained worldwide attention in 2020 with a series of hugely popular TikTok videos, she now has over 6 million followers across social media. Born in Norway but raised in Los Angeles, CA, the wildly talented musical artist, actress, and influencer gained popularity with a trio of singles released throughout 2022. Some of her most famous being “rain rain go away,” “Heaven To Me,” and “Hollywood Forever.”
The still-evolving young artist is determined to bring a similarly vivid and creative approach to modern Pop, infusing retro influences with forward-facing spirit to create something altogether her own.She has already released 3 singles this year with an album to come next year all guided by Executive Producer Maya K (Bebe Rexha, Anita, J Balvin).
Listen to more of Havanna Winter and “Daddy’s Kissing Santa Claus” by clicking the link here.
Infamous alt-J has just announced a tour celebrating the 10th anniversary of their Mercury Prize-winning debut album, An Awesome Wave. The tour will be starting in March 2023 at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, and each show on the tour will feature a full performance of the album for the first time ever in the US.
“It’s been such a great year promoting both The Dream and An Awesome Wave’s 10th anniversary that we have decided to extend the party into 2023. We are delighted to announce a run of AAW anniversary shows in the US in March where we will play the album in full for the first time in America. We hope you can join us,” the band said in a statement.
The award-winning debut was followed two years later by their GRAMMY and BRIT Award-nominated number one album, This Is All Yours. Then in 2017, “RELAXER” flew straight into the top 10 of the UK album charts and garnered the band their second Mercury Prize nomination.
Alt-J also celebrated the 10th anniversary of An Awesome Wave with a new podcast series presented by music journalist and radio host Jenny Eliscu. Things Will Get Better – An alt-J Podcast. The podcast sees the critically acclaimed, chart-topping British band discussing their early days as university students, delving into how they came together and more.
“We were asked so often how we felt about the ten year anniversary of An Awesome Wave,” say alt-J, “and how we planned to celebrate it, that we realized we didn’t exactly know. So we made a podcast to find out. ‘Things Will Get Better’ is a journey from the formation of the band to the release of our debut album, and features us exploring our old haunts in Leeds, listening to long-lost demos and chatting to Gwil Sainsbury and our producer Charlie Andrew. We loved reminiscing about those days, sharing our individual memories and taking some time to reflect with gratitude on the album that changed our lives more than any other.”
Presale for tickets begins next Wednesday, December 7th at 10am and is concluding on Thursday, December 8th with general on-sale beginning Friday. December 9th at 10am local time.
To sign up for early access to tickets, click the link here.
Albany’s State Champs spent their Thanksgiving in Las Vegas, holding a family dinner with their crew. The day off from their Fall Tour, one that took them from the East Coast, with an appearance in Brooklyn in November and all the way out west by late November, was a welcome respite from cross-country travel in post-pandemic America.
State Champs at Brooklyn Steel – photo by Joe Buscarello
State Champs return home to Albany to close the tour out at Empire Live on Saturday, December 10, with a sold out show and support from Young Culture, Hunny, Save Face and Between You & Me opening up the night. Dubbed Frozen Fest, the pop-punk scene is alive and well with State Champs leading the way for the next wave.
Speaking with guitarist Tyler Szalkowski and drummer Evan Ambrosio via Zoom the night before Thanksgiving before the band’s show at The Union in Salt Lake City, Las Vegas was a jumping off point, given the group having a first hand experience at When We Were Young Festival, held a month prior at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds. High winds forced the cancellation of Day 1 of the festival, leaving a sour taste in many fans mouths, despite safety of fans being paramount, especially in a city like Las Vegas.
State Champs at Alive at Five – photo by Jarron Childs
The band was unloading at 10am when the found ou their se was cancelled. “It was a massive bummer, many thought it was too good to be true given the lineup, but the cancellation of Day 1 was needed due to high winds and fan safety,” said Szalkowski. “It’s the last thing you want to do as a promoter, let alone as a band. I can’t see anyone dying from the selfish desire to see music.” This passionate defense of a festival that was at first criticized for canceling the day is on point – this was no ‘emo Fyre Fest’ as Ambrosio best put it. In a town with hundreds of hotel options and nightlife around every corner, the band and fans made due.
They attempted to come up with a last minute show, but playing a show just to play a show wasn’t a worthwhile option, especially when all bands on the Friday lineup was looking to put on a show. With options limited and bands they were looking to pair up with for an impromptu show – one booked and announced mere hours before doors – State Champs came up with a better idea. Tweeting out a message to fans to meet them outside O’Shea’s – near The Linq, centrally located on the Vegas Strip – and this meetup turned into a large gathering for about an hour, much to the chagrin of security, despite fans being peaceful and there to hang with their idols in a setting that was a rare opportunity for all parties. Fans from around the world who were bummed about the cancellation were happy to meet a band they traveled far to see.
When Day 1 of When We Were Young fest got cancelled, we decided to do an impromptu fan meet up! Thanks to everyone who came and showed love pic.twitter.com/W7ShS4NZUw
Still in town for the weekend, the band and crew were able to check out the festival and see bands from their formative years, with Evan noting “I was impressed with how it was, walking around saying ‘I know that song, and that song. It also made you feel safe, with more security and scanning an RFID chip to get through access points.”
State Champs at Empire Live Frozen Fest 2021 – photo by Peter Herrick
Looking back on their Vans Warped Tour days with the experience of When We Were Young and other festival appearances for State Champs, Szalkowski reflected on the basicness for artists who were appearing at the many Warped side stages. “Warped was like a free for all with a mixed bag of folks and poppy artists nearby, the band playing Super Smash Brothers on a 55” screen TV in our 10×10 tent backstage.” For Evan, “Warped is still to this day my favorite tour,” with the band needing to be compact enough to set up, perform and break down quickly so you can get out to discover bands that were on the same footing.
Live performances these days for State Champs are all about keeping the sound, energy and performance steady for each night of the tour.
“There’s a lot of integrity in being a band, it has to be authentic and real, One day we said ‘fuck it, let’s be a professional band,’ and you want it to carry over live. At one point we dove into live rhythm tracks to have more control over our performance and the layers that helped us sound more professional. All the touring bands had a similar set up and we’re using tracks and a number of amps on stage. Why limit ourselves when we have all these assets at our disposal? We want it to sound like the biggest and best band, better than the studio.”
Tyler Szalkowski
By 2019, the full band had in-ear monitors, and lost the live cabinets from the stage, and ceded more control to FOH, keeping the rig fully self-contained so that none of our stuff changes from day to day. “We don’t show up with an experimental groove, we bring it all – gear, consoles, mics – to guarantee sonic consistency,” said Ambrosio.
Factoring in the setlist to the cohesive sound has the band looking steps ahead with each choice to determine ‘What does this song do, and how does the song before and after affect it,” according to Szalkowski. Keeping the setlist consistent this fall tour helps to keep the flow of the show going – although they had a rotating setlist in the summer.
“This tour is the favorite one we’ve ever done. We’ve extended some sections and added new arrangements and perform a medley of old songs that satisfies fans looking for earlier work. Having toured with pop acts that did cool things that we wanted to do, we brought in LED screens to make the show more of a live music experience.”
Evan Ambrosio
But as they push into their 30s, the angst they shared through their music once before has changed in inspiration, not in message. “We’re still pissed off about stuff. Not borderline teenage angst; bad stuff still happens to us, our hearts get broken by people (and events)” shared Szalkowski. “We always have a bit of an edge, we were the band of ‘something sucks, but it’ll get better, life is worth living.”
Avoiding being disingenuous or cringe and authentic in performance – as well as songwriting – allows the band to allow fans to create their own interpretation of a song. Ambrosio sums up where State Champs’ mindset is “We focus on life as we experience it, not an event we didn’t have a part in. We write about things that stay true to what we experience, and not try to jump on a trend of ultimate sadness or TikTok videos, so we can maintain authenticity and stay true to what the band has built up.”
State Champs’ sold out Frozen Fest at Empire Live takes place this Saturday, December 10.
Fresh off the heels of a successful co-headlining tour with Trey Anastasio and his band, Goose has announced new dates for their 2023 Spring Tour. It’s one that will see the band tour 14 cities over a five-week span that literally crosses the country. After a five-night run at the legendary Capitol Theatre in NY in early March that’s already sold out, the tour is scheduled to begin in Boston on March 23 at Roadrunner.
The spring tour also features two-night stands at such iconic venues as Philadelphia, PA’s The Met (March 24-25), Nashville, TN’s Ryman Auditorium (March 31-April 1), Seattle, WA’s Paramount Theatre (April 22-23), and San Francisco, CA’s The Warfield (April 27-28).
A ticket request lottery for all these newly announced Goose Spring Tour 2023 shows is currently underway at the band’s website and will continue through Wednesday, December 7, at 5 pm (ET). Lottery winners will be notified via email before the start of venue presales, set to run Thursday, December 8 from 10 am-10 pm (local). All remaining tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, December 9 at 10 am (local). A variety of VIP packages and accommodation discounts will also be available.
This week also sees Goose marking yet another milestone in what has proven a momentous 2022 with their first-ever live performance on NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, set for Wednesday, December 7 at 11:35 pm (ET)/10:35 pm (CT) (check local listings).
Goose Spring Tour 2023
MARCH
8-12 – Port Chester, NY – Capitol Theatre
23 – Boston, MA – Roadrunner
24 – Philadelphia, PA – The Met
25 – Philadelphia, PA – The Met
26 – Cleveland, OH – Agora
31 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
APRIL 2023
1 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
2 – Birmingham, AL – Avondale Brewing Co.
13 – Madison, WI – The Sylvee
14 – Chicago, IL – The Salt Shed
15 – Chicago, IL – The Salt Shed
16 – St. Paul, MN – Palace Theatre
18 – Bozeman, MT – The Elm
19 – Bozeman, MT – The Elm
21 – Boise, ID – Knitting Factory
22 – Seattle, WA – The Paramount Theatre
23 – Seattle, WA – The Paramount Theatre
25 – Eugene, OR – The McDonald Theatre
27 – San Francisco, CA – The Warfield
28 – San Francisco, CA – The Warfield
29 – San Diego, CA – CalCoast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
The Peach Music Festival 2023 has announced the dates for the season, running from June 29 through July 2 at Montage Mountain in Scranton, PA.
The Peach Music Festival was created in 2012 as the first-ever Allman Brothers Band-inspired festival in the Northeast and has quickly evolved into one of the most highly-anticipated summer musical events loved by music enthusiasts from across the nation. It is a one-of-a-kind festival, as it features food and craft vendors on the grounds and access to the scenic Montage Mountain Ski Resort’s large water park.
Last year’s lineup included Billy Strings, Trey Anastasio Band, Goose, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, and many more. The lineup has not been announced yet, but the Peach Music Festival 2023 weekend will run from June 29 to July 2. A limited number of Early Bird passes will go on sale beginning on Friday, Dec. 9 at 12 p.m. including VIP passes, reserved seating, glamping, travel packages, as well as a special four-day, general admission $99 lawn ticket.
New this year will be a GA+ ticket allowing fans with a General Admission ticket access under the pavilion for headliner sets (in the 200-level seating area) for $149. To purchase tickets for the 2023 festival, go here.
The holiday season delivered an early gift for music fans on Saturday, December 3, as radio station 95X hosted its annual 95X-Mas Pajama Jam at The Westcott Theater in Syracuse. The event, headlined by the indie folk-rock band Wilderado, also featured a solo performance by Andrew McMahon and a set by Almost Monday.
Wilderado performs at the 95x-Mas Pajama Jam in Syracuse, NY
Wilderado, hailing from Tulsa, Oklahoma, are led by Max Rainer (vocals and guitar), also include Tyler Wimpee (guitar), Justin Kila (drums), David Stimson (bass guitar) and Jack Malonis (keyboards). They continue to tour in support of their 2021 self-titled album, and were making their first appearance in Central NY.
Wilderado performs at the 95x-Mas Pajama Jam in Syracuse, NY
The event opened with a set by Almost Monday. The San Diego indie-rockers hit the stage promptly at 8pm and delighted fans with a set of groovy rock tracks.
Almost Monday performs at the 95x-Mas Pajama Jam in Syracuse, NY
Up next was Andrew McMahon. McMahon is most known for his years fronting the bands Something Corporate and Jack’s Mannequin. His recent set at Beak & Skiff in August 2022 was a summer favorite of many. On this evening, however, fans were treated to a rare, solo performance. Flanked by just a piano, McMahon took fans through a journey highlighting many of his past musical projects. From the moment McMahon took the stage, fans sang along to every word. A set filled with many highlights, perhaps the most special moment was when McMahon closed his set by honoring a fan’s request by playing the emotional “Hammers and Strings.”
Andrew McMahon performs at the 95x-Mas Pajama Jam in Syracuse, NY
After a brief intermission, it was time for Wilderado. The band opened with a dreamy musical intro before launching into “Stranger,” the opening track on their 2021 self-titled album. The band weaved through several folk-rock styled tracks, much to the enjoyment of the crowd who jumped, danced, and sang along.
Wilderado performs at the 95x-Mas Pajama Jam in Syracuse, NY
As the set wound to a close, Rainer summoned the crowd. “Are you guys going to help me sing Surefire?” The band began their stand out track and the crowd did not dissapoint, belting out the lyrics to the catchy chorus. As the song concluded, the band members shed their instruments and joined Rainer at the front of the stage. Armed with just an acoustic guitar, the band closed their set with “Rubble to Rubble”, a beautiful ode becoming a new parent.
Multi-platinum, four-time GRAMMY-nominated rock band Goo Goo Dolls have revealed the details for their The Big Night Out Tour with O.A.R. The massive summer 2023 tour will kick off on July 24th, 2023 and roll through major outdoor venues in New York including Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, SPAC and St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater.
On the upcoming tour, John Rzeznik shares, “I’m so proud to finally be able to announce our summer tour with a great band and our friends O.A.R. It’s going to be an amazing night of great music for everyone so BE THERE!!!”
O.A.R.’s Marc Roberge also added, “After working on separate albums in the same studio all last year, John and I realized pretty quickly how much fun we’d have on tour together. We’re all band guys, love being musicians, and started planning a special night that all our fans would enjoy.”
The first album of their career to be produced by frontman John Rzeznik, Chaos in Bloom finds the band continuing to evolve just as they have for nearly four decades together. Consisting of 10 tracks including singles “Yeah, I Like You” and “You Are The Answer”, Chaos in Bloom is an album of biting sarcasm, stadium-ready choruses, and the type of spear-sharp songwriting that’s led them to becoming one of the most influential alternative rock groups of all time.
Formed in Buffalo during 1986 by John Rzeznik and Robby Takac, their newer album Chaos in Bloom finds the band continuing to evolve just as they have for nearly four decades together. Currently, front-man John Rzeznik is gearing up to take the iHeartRadio Theater stage in Los Angeles on December 13th for a special acoustic performance. The show will stream at 7pm PT/10pm ET on YouTube.com/iHeartRadio and broadcasted on iHeartMedia’s Hot AC stations.
Along with this, lead vocalist and guitar to the Goo Goo Dolls, John Rzneik’s birthday was just this week on December 5th. Happy Birthday John!
The Big Night Out Summer 2023 Tour Dates
Jul 24 – Tampa, FL – Coachman Park
Jul 26 – Boca Raton, FL – Mizner Park Amphitheater
Jul 27 – Saint Augustine, FL – The Saint Augustine Amphitheatre
Jul 29 – Albertville, AL – Sand Mountain Park & Amphitheater
Jul 30 – Atlanta, GA – Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park
Aug 01 – Simpsonville, SC – CCNB Amphitheatre at Heritage Park
Aug 02 – Greensboro, NC – White Oak Amphitheatre
Aug 04 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion
Aug 05 – Wantagh, NY – Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
Aug 06 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts – The Pavilion
Aug 08 – Saratoga Springs, NY – SPAC
Aug 09 – Bethlehem, PA – Musikfest
Aug 11 – Atlantic City, NJ – The Borgata
Aug 12 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
Aug 13 – Bridgeport, CT – Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater
Aug 15 – Boston, MA – Leader Bank Pavilion
Aug 16 – Syracuse, NY – St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater
Aug 18 – Cincinnati, OH – PNC Pavilion
Aug 19 – Sterling Heights, MI – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill
Aug 20 – Cleveland, OH – Blossom Music Center
Aug 22 – Chicago, IL – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
Aug 23 – Indianapolis, IN – TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park
Aug 25 – Franklin, TN – FirstBank Amphitheater
Aug 26 – Maryland Heights, MO – Saint Louis Music Park
Aug 27 – Kansas City, MO – Starlight Theatre
Aug 30 – Denver, CO – Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
Aug 31 – Sandy, UT – Sandy Amphitheater
Sep 02 – Seattle, WA – TBD
Sep 03 – Seattle, WA – TBD
Sep 04 – Bend, OR – Hayden Homes Amphitheater
Sep 06 – Irvine, CA – FivePoint Amphitheatre
Sep 07 – Highland, CA – Yaamava’ Theater *without O.A.R.
Tickets go on-sale Friday, December 9th at 10am local time. To purchase tickets, click the link HERE.
In May 2021, SunDub recorded their sophomore album, Spirits Eat Music, at Lydgate Sound in Kauai, HI. On the remote cacao farm where Lydgate’s studio is located the band found inspiration in the nature and culture of Hawaii.
At the same I was also in Hawaii, running from the pandemic, house-sitting my uncle’s bungalow on Maui. My uncle’s wood paneled Grand Wagoneer didn’t have an aux cord — or windows, or a roof for that matter — so I found myself listening to the Maui reggae station on every drive into town. The Pidgin-tongued commentators played underground reggae from smaller islands, like Kauai, old Bob Marley classics and the studio-produced contemporary songs you would hear at the Makena beach parties. All those influences are honored in Spirits Eat Music, though SunDub is made up of a diverse set of New Yorkers, working out of Brooklyn.
“The island and farm envelopes its visitors with lush nature and sweet sunshine, offering a beautiful kind of inspiration that can only come from being disconnected to our everyday lives and distractions,” said Joanna Teters, lead singer, about recording in Kauai. Teters sings lead vocals with her brother Ben, and Finn Singer on guitar, Josh T. Carter on bass and Eric “the General” Toussaint covers keys and vocals, to complete a perfectly consonant rhythm section to pair with Teters’ smoky-sweet voice.
Magic isn’t taboo in reggae; spiritualism is the status quo. The album’s title track sees music as food for the dead: “They want it juicy, you know they want it ripe / they want to feast on it, all through the night / They don’t want it all at once, they want to savor every bite.”
“Spirits Eat Music” evokes the ripe mangoes Hawaiians sell on the side of the road in spring; I remember peeling the skin off with my teeth, eating it one handed on my bike, ocean to my right, wind in my hair. If music is food, “Spirits Eat Music” sets the table for a feast as the first song on the album.
Lutan Fyah’s feature on the album’s most streamed song, “Jump and Dance,” makes for a true dance anthem. Fyah brings his intrinsic rhythm, message of love through sound and the deep reggae roots of his Jamaican upbringing to the song, a powerful co-sign for SunDub.
For SunDub, reggae isn’t just a rhythm or lyrical style, it permeates all aspects of live. In “Call on Me,” Teters sings: “If you’re ever feeling alone / If you ever find yourself lost, you’re wandering down a strange road / Come walk my way and show your face you know I’m always / Ready to give and show you love and share my space.”
It’s not an empty promise. SunDub’s members respect reggae tradition by doing work to give back to the community. They teach music lessons to NYC youth, collaborate with non-profits and have used their platform to raise over $1,000 for the NAACP Education and Legal Defense Fund.
SunDub released three songs over the summer, then released the full album on November 11. The album retains that sun-soaked, salty feel of the summer, a much needed reprieve for a cold New York winter. Listen to the full album here.
On Friday, December 9, Albany’s Empire Live will showcase a concert featuring jam funk group Pigeons Playing Ping Pong and psychedelic jam band Dogs in a Pile. Doors for the 16+ show open at 7 p.m. with music beginning at 8.
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong members from left to right: Jeremy Schon (guitar, vocals), Ben (bass, vocals), Alex Petropulos (drums, vocals), Greg Ormont (vocals, guitar)
This Empire Live stop marks a return to upstate NY for Pigeons Playing Ping Pong after headlining at the Adirondack Independence Music Festival in September. The Maryland four-piece has played halftime during a New York Knicks game at Madison Square Garden, they’ve appeared on Adult Swim’s FishCenter Live, and annually headlined their self-produced music and camping festival Domefest. They dropped their sixth studio album Perspective in March, the group’s first studio release since lockdown.
Dogs in a Pile members from left to right: Brian Murray (guitarist), Jeremy Kaplan (keyboardist), Jimmy Law (guitarist), Sam Lucid (bassist)
Dogs in a Pile, a five-piece of Asbury Park, NJ origin, was assembled in 2019 and released their debut studio album Not Your Average Beagle in 2021. Their musical approach is inspired by the improvisation of bands such as the Grateful Dead and Phish.
Information regarding tickets for Friday’s show can be found here.
