Broome County‘s only professional symphony orchestra, The Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra has announced its 2022-2023 Concert Season which will run from September 2022 through May 2023. Under the direction of Maestro Daniel Hege, the season includes four Classical and four Pops concerts.
The Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra will kick off the 2022-2023 Season with “American Journey,” a concert exploring classical music of the Americas. he show will start on Saturday, September 24 at 7:30pm at the Broome County Forum Theatre. Additionally, the show will include Seven O’Clock Shout, a 2020 tribute to healthcare workers by contemporary composer Valerie Coleman, and more.
The symphony continues Saturday, October 22 at 7:30pm with the performance of “Walking Distance.” This unique performance features songs from beloved Binghamton-based Twilight Zone episode. Thus, the show will take place at the Helen Foley Theatre at Binghamton High School.
The next show “Green Places” takes place on Saturday, November 12 at 7:30pm at the Broome County Forum Theatre. This show features one of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s airy Novelettes, contemporary composer Gary Schocker’s lighthearted Green Places. Additionally, featuring flute soloist Karen Bogardus, and more.
The Philharmonic’s holiday concert, “Winter Wonderland,” will be held on Saturday, December 10 at 3pm at the Broome County Forum Theatre. This show includes music from holiday hits including The Polar Express, Home Alone, and The Nightmare Before Christmas. The program will also feature a visit from Santa, a holiday singalong, and the classic British animated film, The Snowman.
Lastly, the Philharmonic will conclude its 67th Season with “May the Fourth Be With You.” The show will take place on Thursday, May 4 at 7:30pm at the Anderson Center for the Performing Arts. This is an exciting program to celebrate the Star Wars saga with John Williams’ legendary symphonic music.
Ticket Information
Lastly, subscriptions are on sale now. Subscribers can save 10-15% on tickets, while also avoiding ticketing fees, receiving concierge service, and qualifying for special subscriber benefits. For more information, contact the Binghamton Philharmonic box office at 607-723-3931 or visit the link here.
Riot Fest, one of the longest running independent music festivals, has announced its 2022 lineup with tickets going on sale next week. The three-day festival will return to Douglass Park in Chicago, IL this fall with headliners that include My Chemical Romance, Nine Inch Nails and The Original Misfits performing their debut album Walk Among Us which turned 40 years old this year. Riot Fest will be spread across five stages and features a vast array of music that is rich in punk, indie rock, hip hop, goth, industrial and more.
On July 19, it was announced that Taking Back Sunday, Coolio, Marky Ramone’s Blitzkrieg, Zola Jesus, Reece Young, Poliça and cumgirl8 will join the diverse lineup of bands playing September 16-18 in Douglass Park.
Attendees will also enjoy reunion sets from Yellowcard (performing their sole 2022 show), The Academy Is… and Midtown—as well as returning punk heroes like Alkaline Trio, Bad Religion, and Descendents, hip-hop acts like Ice Cube and Action Bronson, and fest favorites Sleater-Kinney, Jimmy Eat World, The Front Bottoms, and The Wonder Years. “I think this year’s lineup really speaks to who we are,” says festival founder Mike Petryshyn, “It’s been a minute since we’ve gotten to curate a lineup like this. I’m especially excited for what this is leading into: the stuff that’s happening in the next few weeks, and the years to come.”
Founded in 2005, Riot Fest is an independent music festival featuring the best of punk, rock ‘n’ roll, hip hop, metal, alternative, and just about everything in between. Founder Riot Mike is credited with helping to reunite iconic bands like Naked Raygun, the Replacements, The Original Misfits, and Jawbreaker, among many other reunions—a staple of Riot Fest, alongside full album performances, carnival rides, and the occasional butter sculpture. It was named #1 Music Festival by USA Today, and in 2021 it was voted Best Music Festival in a poll for Chicago Reader. In addition to the festival, Riot Fest promotes shows year-round at a myriad of music venues across Chicago.
Tickets are now on sale for Riot Fest 2022 and can be purchased through the festival’s website here. Options for 1-day, 2-day and 3-day tickets are all available.
Grammy-winning alternative rock group, The Smashing Pumpkins, have announced their “Spirit on Fire” North American Tour that will see them make 32 stops and perform throughout all major Arenas. Featuring alternative rock cult heroes — Jane’s Addiction — and Poppy/Meg Myers (on select dates) The Live Nation produced expedition begins on October 2, in Dallas, Texas and concludes on November, 19 in Los Angeles a the Hollywood Bowl.
Among the stops, The Smashing Pumpkins will be making their way to New York. On October, 14 they will be performing at the UBS arena at Belmont Park in Elmont, while they hit Madison Square Garden on October, 19.
The Smashing Pumpkins first emerged out of Chicago in 1988, spinning together rock, pop, shoe-gaze, metal, goth, psychedelia, and electronic as part of the time’s invigorated alternative rock scene. As a result, they’ve sold over 30 million albums worldwide and collected two Grammy awards, two MTV VMAs, and an American Music Award. Their catalog is highlighted by the diamond-certified Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness(released in 1995), and is one of multiple platinum and gold efforts. Their 11th studio album, 2020’s CYR, saw them continue their run of prolific outputs, with no plans of stopping anytime soon.
General on-sale tickets for the Spirit on Fire Tour can be purchased here, while the group’s touring schedule can be found below.
NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES
10/02 – American Airlines Center – Dallas, TX**
10/03 – Toyota Center – Houston, TX**
10/05 – Moody Center – Austin, TX**
10/07 – Amalie Arena – Tampa, FL**
10/08 – Hard Rock Casino – Hollywood, FL**
10/10 – Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN**
10/11 – State Farm Arena – Atlanta, GA**
10/13 – Mohegan Sun – Uncasville, CT**
10/14 – UBS Arena – Belmont Park, NY**
10/16 – TD Garden – Boston, MA**
10/18 – Capital One Arena – Washington, DC**
10/19 – Madison Square Garden – New York City, NY**
If you like the soft/loud approach of The Pixies and the noise pop perfectionism of Nirvana, there’s a new trio on the NYC scene that’s sure to delight – Creature & The Butterflies.
Guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Chris Seifert debuted the band as a solo project in 2019 with the release of two singles, “Sweet Tooth” and “Turnaround.” The latter is a delightfully noisy and demented reinvention of the DEVO classic, one also covered by Nirvana on their Incesticide compilation. In 2021, Seifert released his tenth and perhaps most commercially appealing song, “Murder Machine.” This is a suitably mad, mid-tempo Ramones/Nirvana stomp with a cutting, single-note guitar solo straight out of the Neil Young “Cinnamon Girl” school.
While the multi-instrumentalist Seifert comported himself well on guitars, keys, bass and drums on his slew of singles, the band is even tighter now with the recent addition of a new killer rhythm section. The band’s newbies are pigtailed drummer Timmy Emmerich and bassist Bettina C. Emmerich has a sledgehammer, four-on-floor approach and a never flagging energy that brings a new level of vitality to Seifert’s prior recordings. Like Talking Head Tina and Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon, Bettina C is a cool presence on stage. She’s also the sonic glue that holds (or maybe herds?) together Chris and Timmy’s poppy cacophony, one that could easily go off the rails her rock steady riffage.
This new lineup showcased their stuff at their second-ever gig together Wednesday night at Berlin Under 2A in Manhattan.
Like his idol Cobain, the eight Seifert originals played were grungy, noisy, feedback-laced pop perfection. They each boast killer riffs, crunchy chord sequences and smart, hook-leaden middle-eights – a compositional maturity that shows the band could be real contenders in the altrock marketplace.
On stage, Seifert has the dry sardonic presence of another of his idols, Lou Reed. At the performance, he cast off self-depreciating introductions to songs that amused the packed house.
The band ran through several of the singles you can find on their Spotify page like “THEM,” “Boy with Guns” and “Murder Machine.” But perhaps my favorites were two new tunes. “Viper Dog Fish” is a dropped-D tuned smasher driven by a riff Black Sabbath would love to have penned while “Friends” is, again, Seattle grunge more than a pinch of Lower East Side punk nihilism. It’s lyrical hook, one repeated again and again in the chorus – “I Don’t Have No Friends.” That certainly wasn’t the case at this performance.
Creature & The Butterflies have several area gigs upcoming, and will be at The Delancey June 4 at 10 pm. Visit them on Instagram.
Opera Saratoga’s Artistic and General Director Lawrence Edelson has announced that he will step down from Opera Saratoga after the 2022 Summer Season. A member of the company since 2014, Edleson will be taking his talents to The University of Houston as Professor of Practice and Artistic Director of The Moores Opera Center.
Lawrence Edelson
The Moores Opera Center is considered one of the most prestigious programs for opera training in the country. The institution regularly brings home National Opera Association awards. Lawrence Edelson will also continue in his role as Artistic and General Director of American Lyric Theater in New York City. Here, he mentors emerging opera composers and oversees the development of new works.
As expected, Opera Saratoga is sad to see Edelson go. That being said, the company wishes him the best of luck in his future endeavors. Edelson’s final remarks are as follows:
When I first came to Saratoga Springs as a guest director in 2013, I fell in love with this community and when I had the opportunity to join Opera Saratoga as Artistic and General Director the following year, I knew that I was about to embark on a very exciting journey. I truly could not have imagined how rewarding my time at Opera Saratoga would be. I have had some of the most meaningful experiences of my life during my time with the company, and I am deeply grateful to the artists, our entire staff, and our committed and generous supporters who make it possible for Opera Saratoga to contribute so vibrantly to the region year-round.
On May 11th and 12th, Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum played 2 sold out shows at New York City’s LPR. PGTTBM is an avant-indie supergroup that features actor Michael C. Hall on lead vocals, Peter Yanowitz on drums and Matt Katz-Bohen on keyboard. The trio formed the group in New York City after years of mutual friendship and group jam sessions. They released their debut album, Thanks For Coming, in February of 2021. Their sound mixes styles of New Wave with heavy synth and has been self described as “kaleidoscopic sound weather” and “danceable apocalypse.”
Their first post pandemic gig was at Mercury Lounge in January 2021. Because of covid restrictions at the time, there was no live audience and the gig was live streamed. Finally, the band can now play to a live audience and has gained much momentum with these 2 sold out shows at LPR. You can see all their upcoming dates here. They have also recently released a remix of their song “Ketamine” and a new video for their song “Sideways.”
Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum – le poisson rouge – NYC
Setlist: Intro/Vicious, Love American Style, Ketamine, Nevertheless, The Deeper Dow, Eat An Eraser, Let It Go, Into the Void, Sideways, Airhead, Angela Peacock, Jetpack, Cruel World, Tomorrow’s Screams, Thanks for Coming, Escape Route, Land of Make Pretend, Armageddon Suite, Come Talk To Me
Three-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Eric Clapton has announced 7 shows in the United States this September, including two nights at Madison Square Garden (MSG) in New York City on Sunday, September 18 and Monday, September 19. Both shows will feature Jimmie Vaughan as special guest.
Eric Clapton’s band for these shows will include Doyle Bramhall II, Paul Carrack, Nathan East, Sonny Emory and Chris Stainton, with Sharon White and Katie Kissoon on backing vocals.
Clapton will be making his 49th and 50th appearances at Madison Square Garden, which date back to his first appearance at the World’s Most Famous Arena as a member of Cream on November 2, 1968. Eric Clapton has also performed at MSG as a member of Blind Faith (July 12, 1969), as a solo artist 43 times, including special engagements alongside Steve Winwood and Jeff Beck, and as part of his Crossroads Music Festival.
Tickets will go on sale on Friday, May 20 at 10 a.m. at Ticketmaster.
Summer 2022 free music lineups are popping up all around the state, and the annual “Jazz on Jay” series in Schenectady once again has a stellar lineup to share.
Every Thursday, a free jazz performance will take place on the corner of Jay Street and State Street from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m., perfect for lunchtime enjoyment in the Electric City. Jazz enthusiasts will get to enjoy singers and instrumentalists from across the region.
The series kicks off on Thursday, June 9 with Colleen Pratt and Friends, in conjunction with Downtown Schenectady ArtsWeek.
If you’re a fan of jazz, then Jay Street in Schenectady is the spot to be. The performances will go on rain or shine, with a rain location inside Proctors Theatre’s Robb Alley.
2022 Jazz on Jay Concert Schedule
June 9: Colleen Pratt and Friends (in conjunction with Downtown Schenectady ArtsWeek) June 16: Arch Stanton Quartet June 23: Wize Guyz June 30: Music by McIntosh July 7: Keith Pray’s Ortet July 14: Kevin Carey Group July 21: The Dylan Canterbury Quintet July 28: Kaitlyn Fay Quartet August 4: Art D’echo Trio featuring Joshua Nelson August 11: Chris Pasin’s Ornettiquette August 18: GNP August 25: Curley Lamb Nu-Soul-Jaz Quartet featuring Ria Curley and Chuck Lamb September 1: Pete Bellino Trio
Hip hop legends Onyx have added two new albums to their lengthy discography. First came, 1993, released on March, 4. The 13-track project is produced entirely by Ukrainian producer, Stasevich and is an ode to a rough and grimy era of mid-1990’s hip hop, hence the tittle. It samples some of the most iconic records from the 90’s including Public Enemy’s “Fight The Power” and Onyx’s own “Slam.”
This past weekend saw the release of, Onyx Versus Everybody, which is more concise with only 10-tracks and 19-minutes of play-time. For this effort, Fredro Starr took control behind the keyboard, producing the entirety of the project. While 1993 is more of a concentrated effort to capture the aura of a certain time period, both albums contain the same rugged energy that have made Onyx such a distinguished hip hop act. Fredro’s production does vary slightly more than Stasevich’s, but without any major rollout for either project, it seems as though the duo is focused on making records for their core fans, as these two ominous/dark themed albums illustrate.
The Southside, Jamaica natives made their break-though during the golden era of 1990’s hip hop. Known for singes like “Slam,” “Walk in New York,” “Throw Ya Gunz” and “Last Dayz,” Onyx has maintained their relevance for over two decades. Their raucous delivery along with the duo’s talent and business acumen have kept them in the game far longer than many of their contemporaries. Fredro Starr and Sticky Fingaz are also accomplished actors. Fredro is best-known for his role on the hit sitcom, Moesha, while Sticky has appeared in numerous film and television roles.
After a five year hiatus, hip hop legend and one of the greatest rappers of all time, Kendrick Lamar, has released his latest work of art, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers on May 13. On the same day as the album release, he announced The Big Steppers Tour, with appearances at the Barclays Center on August 5 and 6, as well as the UBS Arena on August 7.
When it comes to his music, Lamar is considered to be a prophet and a visionary who does not hold back on the messages to be relayed. His long awaited album after five years, has finally arrived and fans could not wait to hear his latest “masterpiece”.
Photo Credit: Renell Medrano
Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers is as raw as Lamar gets, as he speaks poetically and strongly about his personal life including his children, sexual abuse, relationship troubles, therapy, his ego, substance abuse and more. Many claim the topics of this album to be relatable, as Lamar speaks from the heart and sets a shift in the world of Hip Hop.
Photo Credit: Daniel Regan
Baby Keem is featured on Lamar’s current album within the song “Savior” and will accompany Lamar at every show throughout the tour. Keem was nominated for Best Rap Song of the 2022 Grammys, for “Family Ties” featuring rapper and cousin Lamar. Additionally, he won the 2022 Grammy for Best Rap Performance for “Family Ties”.
Photo Credit: Christian Lopez
Meanwhile, Tanna Leone , has a feature on “Mr. Morale” and is set to perform on Lamar’s tour for select dates. Leone is the new signee of Lamar’s multi-lingual company pgLang, that services artists and creatives. As of last month on April 28, Leone dropped his debut album, Sleepy Soldier.
In addition to Keem and Leone, artists Blxst, Amanda Reifer, Sampha, Taylour Paige, Summer Walker, Ghostface Killah, Beth Gibbons, Sam Dew and Kodak Black are featured on Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. Considering these artists specialize in genres of R&B, trap/rap, U.K. trip-hop, Caribbean, and British, Lamar’s album brings unity from music worldwide. He managed to create an album that intertwines other genres with his specialty of hip hop, to express real life experiences.
Lamar is known to sell out shows and provide fans with an unforgettable live experience. His performances at the 2016 BET Awards, the 2017 MTV Music Video Awards, as well as the 2022 Super Bowl Halftime Show, were nothing less than invigorating and powerful that left viewers speechless. Therefore, Lamar is expected to effortlessly blow his fans away, throughout the entirety of The Big Steppers Tour.
General tickets go on sale May 20 at 12 P.M. Furthermore, fans attending shows in the U.S., whether they are new or existing Cash App Card holders, will have access to the presale on May 19 at 10 A.M. until 10 P.M.
TOUR DATES:
Tue Jul 19 – Oklahoma City, OK – Paycom Center
Thu Jul 21 – Austin, TX – Moody Center
Fri Jul 22 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center
Sat Jul 23 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center
Sun Jul 24 – Miami, FL – Rolling Loud
Wed Jul 27 – Tampa, FL – Amalie Arena
Fri Jul 29 – New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Center
Sat Jul 30 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena
Sun Jul 31 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
Tue Aug 02 – Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center
Thu Aug 04 – Washington, DC – Capital One Arena
Fri Aug 05 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center
Sat Aug 06 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center
Sun Aug 07 – Long Island, NY – UBS Arena
Tue Aug 09 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center
Wed Aug 10 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
Fri Aug 12 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
Sat Aug 13 – Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena
Sun Aug 14 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
Tue Aug 16 – Columbus, OH – Schottenstein Center
Thu Aug 18 – Milwaukee, WI – Fiserv Forum
Fri Aug 19 – Chicago, IL – United Center
Sat Aug 20 – Minneapolis, MN – Xcel Energy Center
Sun Aug 21 – Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center
Tue Aug 23 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
Wed Aug 24 – Salt Lake City, UT – Vivint Smart Home Arena
Fri Aug 26 – Portland, OR – Moda Center
Sat Aug 27 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
Sun Aug 28 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena
Tue Aug 30 – Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center
Wed Aug 31 – Oakland, CA – Oakland Arena
Thu Sep 01 – Oakland, CA – Oakland Arena
Tue Sep 06 – San Diego, CA – Viejas Arena at San Diego State University
