Blog

Postponed – Gov’t Mule Spring Tour Stops in Syracuse, Albany, and NYC

March 30 Update: Gov’t Mule has postponed their tour following an injury to Warren Haynes. Read the full band statement below.

Gov’t Mule Tour Postponed

Following the release of their 2021 album, Heavy Load Blues, Gov’t Mule will be touring this spring. Several dates, which were originally set for last December, have been moved forward to accompany this tour.

The band will commence its tour in three New York cities over four nights. In their tour, they will hit the Landmark Theatre in Syracuse, the Palace Theatre at Albany, and the Beacon Theatre in NYC. All dates can be found below.

Gov’t Mule

Warren Haynes, a former member of The Allman Brothers Band, leads the band. Moreover, the renowned musician also toured with The Dead and Phil Lesh and Friends, as well as the frontman for Gov’t Mule.

As impressive as Haynes’ accolades are, the band would also be nothing without New York native Danny Louis. Born right outside Woodstock, the cultural epicenter of jam rock, Louis’ calling was always one for musical brilliance. An alumnus of The Berklee School of Music in Boston, Louis dances around his keyboard with energy, confidence, and grace. You can also find the multi-instrumentalist playing guitar and providing backing vocals throughout the band’s discography.

Rounding out the band’s membership, Matt Abts drums with the soul of jam-rock legends before him, and Jorgen Carlsson’s bass guitar synthesizes perfectly. The jazzy atmosphere the band delivers would be nothing without the two of them.

April 6 – Syracuse, NY @ Landmark Theatre

April 7 – Albany, NY @ Palace Theatre

April 8 – New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre (originally 12/30/21)

April 9 – New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre (originally 12/31/21)

April 11 – McKee Rocks, PA @ Roxian Theatre

April 13 – Wilkes-Barre, PA @ F.M. Kirby Center

April 14 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Met (originally 12/29/21)

April 15 – Erie, PA @ Warner Theatre

April 16 – Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre

April 17 – Grand Rapids, MI @ 20 Monroe Live

April 19 – Fort Wayne, IN @ Clyde Theatre

April 21 – Memphis, TN @ Soundstage at Graceland

April 22 – Little Rock, AR @ The Hall

April 23 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant

April 25 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Jones Assembly

April 27 – Mobile, AL @ Saenger Theatre

April 28 – Atlanta, GA @ SweetWater 420 Festival

April 29 – New Orleans, LA @ TBA

April 30 – Tuscaloosa, AL @ Druid City Music Hall

June 3-5 – Chattanooga, TN @ Riverbend Festival

Artist presale tickets will be available on Wednesday, February 2nd at 10 AM EST. General sale tickets will be available Friday, February 4th at 10 AM local time. For more ticket information, as well as public health guidelines, visit mule.net.

February 1, 2022
“Rent” 25th Anniversary Tour is Coming to Proctors Theatre

The world renowned and award winning musical RENT is coming to Schenectady for it’s 25th Anniversary Farewell Tour, as the musical will be at Proctors Theatre for back to back nights on February 11th and 12th.

RENT, the musical created by Jonathan Larson, follows the lives of a young group of artists pursuing their dreams in Lower Manhattan. Debuting on February 13th, 1996 at the New York Theatre Workshop, RENT then went to Broadway in April of that same year, winning a Pulitzer Prize award as well as a Tony award.

The musical was adapted into a movie in the year 2005. RENT also became one of the longest running musicals on Broadway, showcasing the production for 12 years.

After its run on Broadway, RENT began to tour all over the United States and the rest of the world performing in six continents and 27 countries. For international tours, RENT was translated into different languages.

RENT has toured around the world for 24 years and this year will be fans last opportunity to see it.

To purchase tickets to see RENT for it’s 25th and final tour, go to Proctors.org. You may also purchase tickets in person at the box office or by dialing 518-346-6204, Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-2 p.m

February 1, 2022
Brooklyn Band Endearments Share Video For Coldplay-Inspired “Delicate”

Brooklyn synth-pop project Endearments have released a Coldplay-inspired music video for their original song “Delicate,” off their debut EP Father of Wands.

Endearments and the video for “Delicate.”

The video for “Delicate” is directly influenced by Coldplay’s video for their song “Yellow.” Speaking of the video, singer Kevin Marksson spoke about the influence.

When we decided to make a music video for ‘Delicate’ I knew immediately that I wanted it to be an homage to Coldplay’s ‘Yellow’ video. It’s one of my all-time favorite music videos: beautiful, earnest, simple. Thematically ‘Delicate’ is really the opposite of ‘Yellow’ though. It’s a song about walking away from a bad relationship, so setting the video on an idyllic beach didn’t feel right. Filming on the street in Bushwick felt like the perfect way to pay tribute to the original while still being true to this song.
Kevin Marksson, Endearments.

Marksson recently began writing and composing for himself for the first time in over a decade, after his previous band ended. He chose the name for this project because he wanted to convey a sense of affection, though the music he makes is sad.

Father of Wands uses brilliant basslines and dream-pop aesthetics to tell the story of Marksson’s own heartbreak and healing. The title of the EP comes from tarot cards, as the Father (or King) is the ultimate card in the suit of Wands, which lets Marksson be guided to a place of healing.

Endearments.

Endearment’s Coldplay-inspired video for the new song “Delicate” is out now. Descrived as “irresistible and gratifyingly groovy” by Bands Do Brooklyn, your ears will transcend to a place of wonder.

February 1, 2022
Black History Trilogy Returns to Flushing Town Hall

Black History Trilogy returns to Flushing Town Hall for the celebration of Black History month. The trilogy will feature ward-winning performers paying tribute to influential African-American artists, entertainers, and musical traditions.

The Trilogy event will kick off with Third Stone from the Sun – A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix on February 12, 2022 at 7 PM. The event will showcase Jimi Hendrix’s most popular songs performed by Jimy Bleu. Bleu is one of the longest-running and most authentic tribute artists of Jimi Hendrix. He will be joined on Flushing Town Hall’s stage alongside Moby Medina on bass guitar and Ted Edwards on drums. When Jimy Bleu is not rocking out on stage, he gives lectures as a “Hendrix historian” on radio, TV, and at colleges throughout the country about Hendrix’s wide-ranging impact on music, politics, fashion, and art.

The second event of the trilogy will take place on Sunday, February 20 at 7PM with a presentation of The Black King of Vaudeville – Remembering Bert Williams in Song featuring Tony-nominated actor Larry Marshall celebrating the life and music of Bert Williams. Bert Williams (1874-1922) was one of the pre-eminent entertainers of the Vaudeville era and one of the most popular comedians of his time. He became the first Black American to pioneer leading roles, both on Broadway and in the 1914 film Darktown Jubilee, pushing back racial barriers and subverting the usual tropes. Larry Marshall is best known for his starring roles in Jesus Christ Superstar, Hair, and Porgy & Bess.

The Trilogy will wrap up with a soulful homage to Gospel featuring award-winning Broadway veteran Tina Fabrique on Thursday, February 24, 2022 at 7PM with The Power & The Glory – Music of the Black Church. In her Trilogy performance, Tina Fabrique (star of Ragtime, Bring in da’ Noise, Bring in da’ Funk, The Wiz, Bubbling Brown Sugar, and Gospel at Colonus) will bring the power and glory of Gospel to Flushing Town Hall in a rousing, soul-affirming performance.

In-person tickets for each Trilogy performance are available for $15/$12 Members. Those unable to attend in person can view the live stream for free here. Donations are also accepted and encouraged.

For more information on the Black History Trilogy returning to Flushing Town Hall visit their website.

February 1, 2022
Cory Wong, Antwaun Stanley and Sierra Hull Hit All the Right Notes in Rochester

When funk mavens Cory Wong and the Wongnotes announced, over two variants ago, that mandolin phenom Sierra Hull would be opening their winter tour, it seemed like an odd pairing. With the tour finally getting underway, their recent stop at Anthology in Rochester on Sunday, January 30, proved it to be a brilliant choice.

As Hull took the stage, the crowd was already near capacity, escaping the deep-freeze portion of the Rochester winter and taking advantage of what little scraps of live music could be found amongst the pandemic-ravaged scene. The audience was immediately rapt with Hull’s masterful playing as she strummed and picked through “Poison” off her 2020 release, 25 Trips. It didn’t take long for the bill to pay dividends as Wongnotes saxman Eddie Barbash came out to join her on a fantastic duet cover of “People Get Ready” and would stay out for the rest of her short set. After a blazing bluegrass number she brought out more Wongnotes: Sunny T on bass, Kevin Gastonguay on keys and Petar Janjic on drums. They played through Hull’s “Weighted Mind,” Del McCoury’s “Blues Rollin’ In” and closed out on blazing instrumental that showcased the groupings unique collective talents.

After a short break, Cory Wong took the stage with his full Wongnote unit. A five-piece horn section including members of Prince’s New Power Generation Band and Jon Batiste’s Stay Human joined Janjic, Sunny and Gastonguay to round out the band. They blasted non-stop through high-energy funks, bluesy grooves and dancehall throw-downs, going five songs into the set before taking a breather. Wong was content to lay the groundwork from which his bandmates could shine. He was happy to play bandleader and not draw the spotlight to his own playing as much as one would expect. Then midway through the set he broke free on a ripping effects-laden solo. With the reins loosened, he would rock out a bit more liberally in the second half of the set.

Nearing the end of the first set, it was time for Hull to come back to the stage. Bela Fleck and the Flecktones are not a band that draws a lot of comparison, with good reason. But what Cory Wong and the Wongnotes pulled off with Hull on stage could worthily be described as “Flecktones-ian.” The unique blend of funk, soul, jazz and bluegrass with a splash of Irish jig highlighted in a brand new song Wong and Hull penned together, brought to mind the distinct sounds Bela and his band introduced to the world. Stunning stuff!

As if backing a bluegrass mandolin and then a guitar-led instrumental funk band wasn’t enough of a flex for the Wongtones, they emerged after another short break for a closing set backing R&B singer Antwaun Stanley. Converted to a full bore party band, they ably kept pace with Stanley as he bounded and twirled and preached and effused love. The crowd, who were fully engaged since note one of the opening set, were easily molded into Stanley’s party-goers. They were at the ready, clapping the beat, waving arms in sync, or singing in call and response with only a hint of a prompt. Whether it was on originals like “Speed Of Night,” and “Where Are We Now” or on a Stevie Wonder Medley, the results were the same, this was Sunday night party and we were all invited.

The moments unfolded in exciting and enjoyable fashion one by one, but the show’s dynamic presentation, when taken as a whole in the rearview, revealed a one-of-a-kind concert experience.

January 31, 2022
Brooklyn Band Le big Zero announces April release of new album, “A Proper Mess”

Brooklyn based rock band Le Big Zero announced the release of their second album, A Proper Mess, on April 8.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7ozo1vt8zg

As part of the announcement, Le Big Zero released their first single and music video from the album, “Horror Movie Pie Fight.” According to a press release from the band’s label, Know Hope Records, the upcoming album, and newly released single, are “exploration[s] of monotony and anxiety in the modern age.”

Le Big Zero’s band members include guitarist and vocalist, Michael Pasuit (center),vocalist Carolina Aguilar (far right), bassist Ben Ross (right) and drummer Lukas Hirsch (left).

To put together their new single,”Horror Movie Pie Fight”, lead vocalists Michael Pasuit and Carolina Aguilar took on a novel approach to recording this particular song: they never harmonized. Meaning they don’t sing in the same octave and instead let their voices exist side by side to one another on the track.

Unique to the song is that Carolina and I don’t harmonize. It’s the only song that’s sung in parallel octaves instead…When we didn’t come upon a decent harmony for HMPF, (Horror Movie Pie Fight) we decided to go that route as an experiment, and we really liked the result.
Michael Pasuit, vocalist and guitarist

The song tells the story of an individual that writes a horror movie only to lose creative control over the project after a studio buys the movie rights. Despite addressing concerns that may be widespread and frighteningly possible for artists, “Horror Movie Pie Fight” has an absurdist tone that makes the song palatable while still being thought provoking.

Le Big Zero released their first studio album, Ollie Oxen Free, in 2019. A Proper Mess will be available on all streaming platforms.

January 31, 2022
Bleachers Tour to Make Stops in NYC, Cooperstown, Lewiston this Summer

Following both the release of their 2021 album and their performance debut on NBC’s Saturday Night Live, Bleachers have announced that they will be going on tour. Accompanying the tour announcement is the release of the music video for “How Dare You Want More,” a fan favorite off of their last project Take The Sadness Out Of Saturday Night.

Bleachers, Saturday Night Live

The indie-pop act first came to fruition in 2013. While on the road with Fun, Jack Antonoff worked on his own solo project. The first single, “I Wanna Get Better,” was released a year later in 2014 and received extraordinarily positive critical reception. Since then, the act has released three studio albums and Antonoff has continued to grow in notoriety, working with the likes of Charli XCX, Carli Rae Jepsen, and more. Their latest album features both Bruce Springsteen and Lana Del Rey.

Rising indie star Beabadoobee will also be joining the band on tour in their three New York stops. She is a Filipino-British songwriter reminiscent of Phoebe Bridgers or Clairo. Her soft vocals which lullaby over acoustic guitar progressions create a cozy and nostalgic atmosphere for the listener. You may know her for her viral hit remix with Powfu, “death bed (coffee for your head),” which has since racked up over a billion streams on Spotify alone since its release in 2020. At only 21 years old, the young talent has since built a cult following and shows a promising future in the indie scene and her newest song, “Cologne,” shows both versatility and promise.

Beabadoobee

The band will pass through three New York venues in July, including the designated New York City landmark Radio City Music Hall. Other venues include ARTPARK Amphitheater, located alongside the Niagra River, and Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Mar 24 – Roadrunner, Boston, MA (SOLD OUT)

Mar 25 – Roadrunner, Boston, MA (SOLD OUT)

May 17 – House of Blues, Orlando, FL

May 18 – Jannus Live, St. Petersburg, FL

May 20 – The Fillmore, New Orleans, LA

May 21 – Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater, Austin, TX

May 24 – House of Blues, Houston, TX

May 25 – South Side Ballroom, Dallas, TX

May 29 – BottleRock, Napa Valley, CA

Jun 10 – Primavera Sound, Barcelona, Spain

Jun 15 – Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA

Jun 17 – Bonnaroo, Nashville, TN

Jun 18 – Bonnaroo SuperJam, Nashville, TN

Jun 20 – Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO (SOLD OUT)

Jun 23 – Orpheum, Vancouver, BC

Jun 25 – Marymoor Park, Seattle, WA

Jun 26 – Grand Lodge, Forest Grove, WA

Jun 28 – San Jose Civic Center, San Jose, CA

Jun 29 – The Forum, Los Angeles, CA

Jul 22 – Thompson’s Point, Portland, ME

Jul 26 – Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY

Jul 27 – ARTPARK Amphitheater, Lewiston, NY

Jul 29 – Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY

The artist pre-sale for the tour begins at 12 PM EST on Monday, January 31st. Spotify pre-sale starts on Thursday, February 3rd at 10 AM EST. Moreover, Citi cardmembers will have access to pre-sale tickets for three select days: Monday, January 31st at 2 PM EST until Thursday, February 3rd at 10 PM EST.

Access for everyone starts Friday, February 4th at 10 PM EST.

For more details visit www.citientertainment.com or https://www.bleachersmusic.com.

January 31, 2022
Andrew Thomases’ Reminiscence of His Past In NY Inspires New Song “Suburban Void”

Andrew Thomases, reflects on his adolescence from the point of view of suburban life within the busy streets of New York. This past Friday, January 21, Thomases released a new single, “Suburban Void”, sharing his experiences.

Thomases discusses life as a teenager and all the boredom-driven antics he pursued during that time. “Suburban Void” is a catchy upbeat rock song listeners can dance to. He highlights some activities pursued that were “so pathetic”, which is a feeling people may share in remembrance of their immaturity as a teen. Thomases looks back into what was deemed important to adolescents, like getting drunk or preparing for a sweet sixteen. Ultimately, his views have changed since then, resulting from seeing the world differently as he grew up.

Looking back, it seems so pathetic. We were just living in a suburban void, we didn’t know all we could’ve enjoyed. We were just living in a suburban void, that explains why we were oh so annoyed.
Andrew Thomases

All within his first year of being an established artist, Thomases’ fan base spread across 35 countries, 388 streams, and 235 listeners through Spotify. Considering Thomases takes his audience on an emotional and thoughtful journey through his music, he presents himself as relatable to the masses.

For more information on Andrew Thomases’ music visit his website.

January 31, 2022
Bowery Ballroom hosts Space Bacon, Escaper and Microcave on Feb. 5

On Saturday, two of New York City’s hottest rising bands, Space Bacon and Escaper, will take the stage at Bowery Ballroom along with Microcave, for one of the hottest shows of this frigid winter snap that has engulfed the Northeast.

Space Bacon’s relationship with New York City has been well documented over the years. The city sunk its claws into their sound many moons ago. The energy of the Big Apple carved itself into the bedrock of their foundation. Their personality reflects their humble beginnings in beer- stained basements and all that’s taken place since that fateful night in The Bronx. As they travel across the country and gain new fans in new cities, they’ll always carry the palpable tenacity and unwavering hustle of the city that never sleeps.

It’s been two years since they sold out The Mercury Lounge and now, they make their long-awaited return to NYC. It’s finally happening. Although 2021 presented some unavoidable issues for the live music world, Space Bacon was able to rally and finish the year strong with big shows in Denver, Philly, and Chicago.

Their sound has continued to evolve, and they’re excited to bring it back home to the core of their fanbase. Whether you’ve been following them from the beginning, or you just hopped the turnstile and sprinted onto the train, this will undoubtedly be a monumental night for Bacon and their fans as Space Bacon takes over the Bowery.

Escaper is another well-known band in NYC and the northeast festival circuit. Known for thoughtful songwriting and danceable psychedelic jams. Signed to Ropeadope Records, they have released three studio albums which have been met with critical acclaim.

Escaper will be featuring Luke Bemand (lespecial) as a special guest bassist and will also have Johnny Butler (Beyonce, Sister Sparrow) joining them on sax. Escaper has welcomed past guests from members of The Disco Biscuits, Thievery Corporation, Turkuaz, Cabinet, Rubblebucket, and have shared bills with the likes of Karl Denson, Jon Fishman and many others.

Space Bacon and Escaper will be joind by Microcave, a four-piece improvisational electronica powerhouse based out of the NYC area. The band excels in blending electronic music with a wide array of genres including rock, funk, classical, and more, and features members of Tractorbear: A Tribute To The Disco Biscuits, and Horizon Wireless.

Don’t miss Space Bacon, Escaper and Microcave at Bowery Ballroom on Saturday, February 5th. Get tickets here.

January 31, 2022
Interview: Snake Anthony and the Wood Brothers Shed Across New York State

The Wood Brothers started 2022 in the Empire State with dates in Rochester’s Kodak Hall at Eastman Theater, Albany’s Palace Theater and Plattsburgh’s Strand Center for the Arts. It marks the Wood Brothers first time at Kodak since Feb 2020, and bassist Chris Wood took some time after the gig for a quick chat with NYS Music.

Matthew Romano: Good to have the Wood Brothers back at Kodak Theater for the first time since Feb 2020. Eastman School of Music Steve Gadd’s quote comes to mind from your performance. “When you get it musically to a level where everyone on the bandstand is having fun and can hear each other and you can trust the audience is hearing it the way you are it gets to a spiritual level. In Japan or wherever you are. That’s the goal.” How did last night’s energy feel at Kodak?

Chris Wood: Yea last night was the first show we had since the holiday break. Combination of excitement to be back and playing with band mates and touring with our crew we love. But also the feeling of being a little bit rusty. Got to get my sound right. Ya know?

MR: Well the vibe you guys gave off on the bandstand looked like a lot of fun. The dynamics alone. You jumping from the Hofner to the stand up. Jano jumping from the kit to shitar. Handheld keyboards. Oliver switched acoustic and electric with rip snorting slide guitar.

CW: We want sonic variety. As well as musical variety and of course dynamics. Some songs are like a rock band and then some stripped down. For us that’s what makes the show interesting. It’s not just one thing all night. There’s a real shape to the set. Different moments that have a completely different vibe. The tone pallet ya know?

MR: Well your going back to The Palace Theater in Albany where MMW in December 2000 had Trey Anastasio come sit in for an improvisational Partido Alto. Then a “We are rolling” second set jam. Any memories of that pallet?

CW: Trey has sat in with us a bunch. I didn’t realize that it was in Albany too. Before we knew Phish was when we were in our downtown New York City music scene. We had no concept of the jam band scene. We lived in a different musical universe. Phish started playing us during their set breaks and then their fans showed up almost overnight in our crowd . But as far as musical memories that go back to 2000…I had no idea that tape was out there (laughter)

MR: MMW’s “Your Name is Snake Anthony” has helped coin the term for the Capital Region for cats on the road, “Shedding up and down the Hudson River”

CW: Well you can thank Col. Bruce Hampton for that.

MR: That was the Colonel?

CW: That’s Bruce. Yea we just sent that track to him and we’re like do something over this and he just improvised that over it. Right. Like “we lived in a shed.” That’s all Bruce.

MR: Seeing “Atlas” get played differently again last night keeps that song with a fun on the road vibe, stopping on a dime. What’s behind the scenes on “Atlas” that keeps it fresh?

CW: It was on our first wood bros record. It was a song that existed before the wood bros in Oliver’s band King Johnson. He wrote it for them in the 90s. The live arrangement is always morphing. It’s gotten really fast and sometimes it’s stripped down with the Rix on shitar and then electric loud and rocking. That’s what’s fun. A song like that can arrange it in completely different ways. Real, versatile and playful.

MR: Hopefully “Snake Anthony” will help you realize that you’re the best on the road in 2022.

Photo Gallery by Brian Ferguson: The Wood Brothers, Richie Stearns and Aaron Lipp from Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, Tuesday, January 25, 2022.

January 30, 2022

Built in Breakdance