On Friday, January 6, Annie in the Water released “Frozen Lake,” a song 369 days in the making, having been written on January 2nd, 2022.
The song’s genesis comes from keyboardist Matt Richards, who arrived home from a New Years Eve trip to Lake Placid with a few friends, and having been listening to indie artists like Snail Mail and Pinegrove, he was inspired to sit at his piano the moment he got home.
Richards explains the story behind the song:
This is about how over the summer of 2021 I went to Lake Placid with my then-girlfriend, and from the perspective of now being there again during the winter after we broke up, standing on the frozen lake, looking back at the docks where we were standing in the summer time, questioning the nature of our relationship and breakup.
Matt Richards, keys/vocals, Annie in the Water
Annie in the Water spent 2022 recording “Frozen Lake” mostly separately in their own creative spaces, rather than all together in the studio to try to give the tune a “bedroom” approach. When the recording was finished, the band had it mixed by recording engineer Corey Hayward in his self-made studio space.
The track released on January 6, 2023.
Annie in the Water recently also released Live at Artfarm, Vol. II, a collection of live versions of five songs recorded at Artfarm Recording in the Catskill Mountains. Most tracks on the live album were performed over the course of 2022, meant to highlight newer tracks that have yet to be featured on a studio release. Give a listen below.
It’s that time of the year again – time for phans to congregate in Manhattan for four nights at Madison Square Garden with the Phish from Vermont. With this being the first four-night run at MSG in December since 2019, what better way to keep the party going after Phish than with after parties, all within walking distance of Madison Square Garden!
December 28
Eggy will take the stage on Wednesday, December 28 at the Cutting Room just before midnight. At the same time, Marble Eyes will be taking the stage at Hill Country BBQ, featuring members of Pink Talking Fish and Twiddle. Eggy at Cutting Room tickets are available here and Marble Eyes at Hill Country BBQ is a FREE SHOW!
December 29
Before you head to MSG, stop by Hill Country BBQ on West 30th Street (between 6th and 5th) for a Waterwheel Foundation benefit, featuring The Dude of Life Band. This show is free with donations encouraged. All donations, regardless of amount, will earn a raffle ticket (one per person). Raffle prizes for awesome Phish and Dude of Life merch and memorabilia will be randomly chosen on stage during the show.
After the show, swing by The Cutting Room for Prince/Bowie, featuring Eric Gould, Adrian Tramontano, Scott Chasolen, Cal Kehoe, Matt Wayne and former members of Turkuaz’s horn section. Tickets are available here.
And over at Hill Country, get down with Jerry Dance Party, with sets spun by DJ Jerrbrother. Tickets are available here.
December 30
Before the show, stop by Hill Country for PhanArt from 1-6pm, featuring 20+ artists and vendors, making this the ONLY place in town to get Phish made goods from fans, for fans. Admission is free with music by Sweeping Views.
After Phish, head towards Times Square for Neighbor, over to The Cutting Room for Dogs in a Pile at Cutting Room (tickets for both are available here) or back to Hill Country for Jerry Dance Party (tickets available here)
December 31
And if somehow Phish hasn’t satiated you on New Years Eve with whatever they have in store, you can keep things rolling with Pink Talking Fish at Gramercy Theatre. Tickets available here.
Additionally, Volume.com is offering free live streams of three of CEG Presents’ annual Phish After-Party series shows featuring Eggy, Prince/Bowie, and Dogs in a Pile live from The Cutting Room in New York City. And on New Year’s Eve, Volume will share a re-broadcast of Dopapod’s performance at the recent North Beach Music Festival at 10 PM EST and again at 1:30 AM EST, also free.
CEG Presents’ Howie Schnee, also a consultant to Volume, said
We have been promoting this annual series for a long time, and I haven’t been this excited in many years to present shows with this next wave of bands in the jam scene that are about to break including Eggy, Dogs in a Pile, Neighbor, and more. This is the first time CEG has partnered with a live streaming platform for the Phish After-Party series, and we are excited to work with Volume given all the in-roads they’ve made in the last year with streams by artists such as String Cheese Incident, Galactic, Paul Cauthen, Marcus King, moe., Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Lotus, Lettuce, Twiddle and many more.
Cutting Room is located at 44 East 32nd Street Between Madison & Park Avenues. 5 minute walk from MSG.
Gramercy Theatre is located at 127 East 23rd Street Between Lexington & 3rd Avenues. 15 minutes from MSG by taking the NQRW train lines.
Hill Country is located at 30 W 26th St Between 5th and 6th Avenues. 5 minute walk from MSG.
Sony Hall is located at 235 West 46th Street between 7th and 8th Avenue. A 10 minute walk from MSG or a quick Subway ride on the A-C-E line.
On Sunday, January 15, Lark Hall will host Hanzolo, Canella and Jak Lizard, for a night of rising bands from across Upstate New York.
Hanzolo, who won the 2022 NYS Music March Madness, is a 7-piece band from Cooperstown, toting an explosive and emotional sound that mixes soul, jazz, rock, and funk. Their songs are dance-ably fun with thoughtful lyrics, backed up by a bright horn section. Not only have Hanzolo won NYS Music’s March Madness, but they also won the WEQX Battle of the Bands and opened Albany’s annual Pearlpalooza music festival in 2019. The first release from Hanzolo, Table Butter, was followed up with a self-title release in the fall of 2021.
Hanzolo’s music has been compared to table butter; Soft enough to spread, yet hard enough to keep its shape. Watch the video for “Not Easy” below.
Joining Hanzolo on January 15 is Canella, who have established an electric alt rock presence in the Capital Region and recently won WCDB’s ‘Song of the Year’ award for their debut single “Quiet Love”. Joining the Tulip Fest 2022 Lineup, Canella set a fire on stage that ignited female fronted rock nostalgia but with a refreshing DIY take. Their upcoming album is a revenge journal of songs pulled out of the classic ‘Burn Book’ of their personal lives. Their music is dedicated to former bandmate and best friend, Kyle Robinson who tragically passed away in a car accident in 2020.
Rounding out the lineup of artists on the rise is Jak Lizard, a New York crooner and self-declared “poptimist”. His orange, pink, and yellow melodies with a penchant for two stepping with your best friend.
The Metropolitan Opera has announced it will withdraw $30 million from its endowment due to a cash shortfall and lackluster ticket sales as they try to bring audiences back after the pandemic.
The Metropolitan Opera did what is considered a last resort for nonprofit organizations, dipping into their endowment funds. The Met’s endowment, valued at $306 million, was already regarded as small for an institution of its size and was meant to grow over time while producing a steady source of investment income. They are turning to this endowment to help with operating expenses due to weak ticket sales and a lack of donors. Peter Gelb, the Met’s general manager said that “The challenges are greater than ever. The only path forward is reinvention.”
This reinvention will be cutting the number of performances. The company is giving 215 performances this season but plans to reduce this amount by ten percent next season. Instead of putting on classic works, the Met will seek to put on more contemporary performances as they sell better, works such as Terence Blanchard’s “Fire Shut Up in My Bones” last season and Kevin Puts’s “The Hours” this season drew sellout crowds, while Verdi’s “Don Carlo,” had only 40 percent attendance after this month’s run.
Gelb went on to say that the Met will open each season with a new production of contemporary work. It will begin next year with the company premiere of Jake Heggie’s “Dead Man Walking” and the season will feature its first performances of Anthony Davis’s “X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X”; Daniel Catán’s “Florencia en el Amazonas” and a staged production of John Adams’s “El Niño.” He said there is a big shift with opera singers “embracing new work and understanding that this is the future.”
Peter Gelb, left.
The Met is not the only company suffering from this new emergence after the pandemic. According to the New York Times, Portland Opera in Oregon, which is struggling with a decline in ticket sales, has reduced its staff and cut in half the number of operas it has each season to three from six before the pandemic. The Philadelphia Orchestra has seen paid attendance hovering at around 47 percent this fall, down from about 66 percent before the pandemic. Dayton Contemporary Dance Company in Ohio canceled its holiday shows this month because of tepid demand and rising production costs.
Arts groups like the Metropolitan Opera worry that weak attendance could extend into next season and beyond, as federal assistance which helped many companies survive through the pandemic has dried up. At the Met, subscriptions are expected to fall to 19 percent of total box office revenues this season, compared with 45 percent two decades ago. The company will try to appeal to old and new audiences and get the amount of their endowment back.
The Met is the premier opera company in the United States, and even so still faces issues from the pandemic, which made a lot of businesses decline or shut down completely. Although the pandemic’s grasp is behind many people now, its effects will remain affecting the visual arts sector for years to come. For more information about events coming up at the Met, go here.
The Chautauqua Institution announced its 150 season, and annual Summer Assembly events, running from June 24 to August 27.
The Chautauqua Institution will be putting on live performances ranging from lectures, orchestras, and concerts with new and old faces. Some lecturers include Stranger Things and The Goonies actor Sean Astin on June 30, NPR puzzle master Will Shortz on July 7, political commentator Bill Kristol on July 10, and Jordan’s Her Majesty Queen Noor on Aug. 25.
The Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra will have 23 performances in weeks one through nine. The Music School Festival Orchestra will present five concerts in 2023 during its residency weeks one through six. The School of Dance will be in residence weeks one through seven, with performances inclusive of two student dance galas and the beloved Alumni All-Star Dance Gala. The Chautauqua Opera Company & Conservatory will produce a combined season featuring five productions. The 2023 theater and opera repertoire will be announced in January.
The Chautauqua Institution announced some exciting performers set to come to the Amphitheater. On June 30 at 8:15 p.m. a special performance by Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons graces the stage. The group has sold over 100 million records worldwide, with Valli having a very successful solo career as well. July 7 at 8:15 p.m. brings Straight No Chaser to the stage, a group with 2 RIAA Gold Certified albums, over 1.5 million concert tickets sold, over 1 billion streams on Pandora, and over 2 million albums sold worldwide. Other artists performing include Natalie Merchant and Girl Named Tom, among others.
The Chautauqua Institution has an exciting lineup announced for the Summer Assembly programs. Gate passes and single event tickets, as well as parking and docks, will go on sale to the public on Jan. 17, with the season’s best prices from Jan. 17 through Feb. 20.
Brooklyn based record label Razor-N-Tape has added 79.5, a disco-dj-dance band also out of Brooklyn, to their label. To celebrate, 79.5 came out with a thrilling single “Club Level” to rival their last instant-classic “Terrorize My Heart” from 2018.
79.5 is a six-piece band, and what sets them apart in the world of dance music is their woodwind section. With Izaak Mills on saxophone and flute, they can’t lose. His saxophone is reedy and penetrating, relieved by the strutting rhythm section — Andrew Raposo on Bass and Caito Sanchez on drums. Riding this superb beat is the hypnotic voice of Lola Adanna; she channels 80s disco with her breathy tone and echoing sound, it’s intoxicating. Kate Mattison, a singer-songwriter and composer created 79.5 back in 2010, with an imaginary radio station in mind for their band name.
The last big hit from 79.5, “Terrorize My Heart” found its way onto Q-tip’s DJ sets and Questlove’splaylists, their co-sign cementing the song’s place in the disco canon. If that’s any indication, “Club Level” will be taking over dance floors everywhere soon.
When you’re on the floor, lights flashing, inhibitions missing, “Club Level” is the perfect song to throw your head back to. Adanna’s sensual voice paired with sharp saxophone is thrilling, it’s a worthy addition to any New Year’s Eve party playlist, and I’m sure you’ll want to bring it into the new year as well.
Kings Theatre has announced the venue will be hosting the world premiere of Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse Live in Concert on Friday, March 17, 2023, at 8 p.m.
The screening of the Academy Award-winning animated film from Sony Pictures Animation will be accompanied by a live orchestra, band, and turntables playing music from the score and soundtrack. The film follows Brooklyn teen Miles Morales, who after being bitten by a radioactive spider gains Spider-Man-like powers. The film was directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman, written by Phil Lord and Rothman,and produced by Lord, Chris Miller, Avi Arad, Amy Pascal, and Christina Steinberg.
Original music was composed by multiple Golden Globe nominee Daniel Pemberton, who will be on hand for the world premiere concert in Brooklyn. In a statement, he said “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is one of my favorite score scores I’ve ever written. I always had a dream the first place this would ever be heard would be Miles’ home – Brooklyn. So, I am ridiculously excited we get to perform the world’s very first Spider-Verse concert in the iconic borough where the story begins, bringing together on stage a full orchestra with a band, synths, AND a set of turntables for the world premiere performance this March.”
The film received widespread praise and attention for its visual style, characters, story, voice acting, and soundtrack. The highly anticipated sequel, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is scheduled for a theatrical debut in June 2023. The Kings Theatre is a live performance theatre in Brooklyn with a seating capacity of 3,200. In 1929 it was opened by Loew’s Theatres as a movie palace. The venue then closed in 1977, sitting empty until a complete renovation began in 2010.
Tickets for the world premiere of Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse on March 17, 2023, are on sale now.
Brooklyn jam/prog group PEAK have released two recent performances from the second half of 2022, giving a taste of their live sound in two unique settings – the Delaware Valley Opera House, and Nectar’s.
The first live release from PEAK is Live at Delaware Valley Opera Center, a full show video from the band’s October 28 show at the Delaware Valley Opera Center in Lake Huntington, located just west of Bethel. The band offers very special thanks to Eric Marczo who filled in on bass this fall.
https://youtu.be/D0WIviQFjFo
The second show released is the full audio from the band’s August 26, 2022 performance at Nectar’s in Burlington, VT. They’ll be heading back up that way in early 2023 for another show at the famed venue, now under new, yet familiar ownership.
The PEAK quartet features songwriter and guitarist Jeremy Hilliard (Turbine), Kito Bovenshulte (Particle) on drums, Josh T. Carter (Haley Jane and The Primates) on bass, and Johnny Young on keys (Mick Taylor Band). The self-described pychedelic indie funk band can be found jamming extensively during live shows, and allow the songs on the album to speak for themselves. Stay up to date with PEAK tour dates and news here.
Superstar R&B songstress, SZA, will be embarking on her first nationwide arena tour — The S.O.S. North American Tour — in promotion of her number 1 selling album, SOS.
The SOS Tour will see SZA perform at arenas nationwide.
Produced by Live Nation, the exclusive 17-city tour kicks-off on February 21 at Schottenstein Center in Columbus, OH, andincludes a stop at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Saturday, March 4, 2023. Along with special guest Omar Apollo, the tour will see SZA make stops in visit Chicago, Toronto, Atlanta, Seattle, Vancouver and more before wrapping up in Los Angeles at the Kia Forum. This tour marks the first time the Grammy-winning singer is playing venues of this size while debuting her critically-acclaimed album live to fans.
SZA’s Rise
All in all, SZA has been an industry mainstay for nearly a decade. Her 2014 EP, Z, put her on the map with records like “Child’s Play” and “Babylon.” But, 2017 would see her reach mainstream stardom with the release of CTRL. SZA’s debut recording earned her widespread recognition, including four Grammy nomination and a spot on Rolling Stone‘s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list.
SZA has continued to garner recognition since the release of Ctrl. Despite her hiatus from solo work, she received a 2022 Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Kiss Me More” with Doja Cat. She also won Billboard Music Awards’ Top R&B Female Artist, BET Awards’ Best New Artist, BET Soul Train Awards’ Best R&B/Soul Female Artist and Best New Artist, MTV Video Music Awards’ Best Visual Effects for the “All The Stars” with Kendrick Lamar, and NAACP Image Awards’ Outstanding New Artist. In 2019, she won NAACP Image Awards’ Outstanding Duo or Group for “All The Stars” with Kendrick Lamar and Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation for the Black Panther Soundtrack. SZA also received Billboard’s 2019 Women in Music Rule Breaker award.
What to Expect From the SOS Tour
Although a now decorated recording artist, SZA’s greatest achievement is her longstanding relationship with her fans. Not many artists can not release an album for five years and debut at number 1 on the Billboard charts. A talented artist, SZA’s vulnerability on her records leaves a lasting impact on listeners. Topics revolving around love, desires and insecurities have made her this era’s go-to R&B songstress. The addition of Grammy-nominated artist, Omar Apollo, should make for an impassioned set of performances. With about 300K in first-week sales, fans were eager for SZA’s sophomore effort and should be even more restless to see it live.
Canadian transplant and Queen of Long Island Country Music, Mary Lamont took me on a roller coaster ride of an interview recently on The Long Island Sound Podcast. The twists and turns of her entry into the music business is quite a story to behold. A story I would have never imagined that would take us from Anne Murray to Alice Cooper!
Mary Lamont “Queen of Long Island Country” photo by Jim Marchese
Not only is Mary a fine country crooner and singer/songwriter, but she’s also a fierce advocate of original music as a DJ with her long-running show, Down Home Country, alternate Sundays at noon on WUSB 90.1 FM, the University of Stony Brook radio station.
That’s part of the fun of being part of WUSB, because there are so many different genres they cover. I mean, anybody can find a show on WUSB, who will be playing the type of music that they like. And you can’t really say that about the other stations and, as you say, the support of local talent.
Mary Lamont
Navigating the Music Industry
Mary found her way into the music industry by happenstance, cutting her teeth in the trenches as a receptionist for Alice Cooper and then progressing through an unofficial apprenticeship with a booking agent, and an industry magazine called Crawdaddy’s. Her early inspiration came from her father.
But my dad said you can sing. You’re going into the church choir. And my first reaction was No, no, I can’t do that. I can’t do that. And he says yes, you can.
Mary Lamont
Coincidence, inspiration, and encouragement collided to move Mary from her comfort zone to become a singer/songwriter. Mary credits her music career to two men in her life, her dad and her Husband, Jim Marchase. Jim is a well-respected photographer in the music business, having once landed a gig as Bruce Springsteen’s photographer on a European tour. He is also the guitarist in the band.
… my husband has been so for lack of a better pun instrumental in, in putting this band together, in encouraging me to, you know, to be the head of the band, you know, in the guitar work that he does, in the riffs that he plays around the house, that inspire me to write music.
Mary Lamont
Mary Lamont’s band has opened for Delbert McClinton, The Marshall Tucker Band and the Charlie Daniel’s Band. She continues to be an ambassador for country music from covers of classic songs to her own catalog of music.
Opportunities Abound Spreading the Goodwill
A fateful phone call came to Mary’s husband, in 2002 when a Chinese foundation was seeking the Mary Lamont Band for a goodwill tour of China.
Mary Lamont Band in China 2002 – Photo by Jim Marchese
I mean, we’ve gone through Alice Cooper and Bruce Springsteen, and now China wants us to bring the band over!
Mary Lamont
Over a two-week period Mary and her band would travel throughout China, covering 23,000 miles from Beijing to the Great Wall.
China was fantastic, the whole musical tour was like our one “Hard Day’s Night”! The schedule was hectic but exhilarating. Our shows were varied, from large outdoor concert events with thousands of people, as well as beautiful large concert halls such as Beijing’s Forbidden City Concert Hall.
Jim Marchese
They say music is the universal language that can heal the world. We sure need ambassadors like Mary Lamont spreading the good news and building bridges between people, cultures with kindness. Join me for the rest of the conversation with Mary Lamont on The Long Island Sound podcast.
During this holiday season, may your generosity of joy inspire everyone you meet, and as always, let the music take you on a journey!
