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Jeff Beck and Johnny Depp take on UPAC

On Thursday, October 13, Jeff Beck and Johnny Depp brought their collective talents to the Ulster Performing Arts Center. Musical compadres dating back to 2017, this stop was part of a North American tour offering support for their recently released collaborative album, 18.

Rhonda Smith, Jeff Beck, Anika Nilles

Even though this event was promoted as Beck/Depp, the night belonged to the guitar mastery of Jeff Beck. At 78, this fifty-year musical veteran backed his Rolling Stone magazine ranking of fifth in the list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time” with his performance.

The multiplicity of tones poured freely from Beck’s guitar. Was it with a whammy bar, created by a hammer on, maybe the use of a slide? It did not matter. Each style illuminated this master’s extraordinary style and ability.

Jeff Beck, Johnny Depp

Supporting Jeff in the rhythm section were bassist Rhonda Smith and drummer Anika Nilles. The power behind their playing could be felt as it hit you in your seats. Keyboardist Robert Stevenson added accents to the music in all the right places and completed the trio behind Beck.

Approximately two thirds of the way into the show, Jeff Beck turn to the side of the stage, put his hands in the air, and started bowing. Out from the shadows strutted Johnny Depp. With his rock ‘n roll swagger and electric guitar strapped on you knew he was ready to rock.

Johnny Depp

With Beck being rooted in instrumentals, Depp’s vocals added another dimension to finish out the night. The two collaborated on a mix of tunes including covers of the Beatles and The Velvet Underground. The night wrapped up with a powerful rendition of Killing Joke’s “The Death and Resurrection Show.”

Jeff Beck

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6TzDhO0Fd8

October 21, 2022
The Town Hall to Host Kaminsky/Reed Opera “Hometown to the World”

On Saturday, November 5, Town Hall will present the New York premiere of Laura Kaminsky and Kimberly Reed’s new chamber opera, “Hometown to the World.”

Conducted by Tania León, directed by Kristine McIntyre, and presented in association with Santa Fe Opera, the opera focuses on the impact of the largest workplace ICE raid in U.S. history that took place in Postville, IA in 2008.

Postville greeting sign with the slogan Kaminsky/Reed’s opera was named after.

It highlights the multiculturalism of the small Iowa city before the raid of the town’s world-largest kosher meatpacking plant, and looks at the raid’s impact on Postville and families living in the town after the plant’s subsequent closure.

“Hometown to the World” brings together three characters from different communities affected by the raid: Linda Morales, a Guatemalan woman whose undocumented husband and son were deported but who remained to care for her U.S.-born baby; Abraham Fleischman, a gay Hasidic Jew, who, banished from his family, seeks refuge in Morales’ home; and County Commissioner Larsen, an American of Scandinavian descent, who despairs at the town’s downfall.

Performers include Cecilia Duarte, Blythe Gaissert, and Michael Kelly, the ensemble Sybarite5, and a chorus comprised of 100+ public high school students from Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts and Repertory Company High School for Theatre Arts.

Tickets can be found online.

October 21, 2022
Lindsey Stirling Holiday Tour Coming to NY in December

Pop-violinist and dancer Lindsey Stirling has announced tour dates in promotion of her new Christmas album Snow Waltz.

Starting November 17 in Grand Prairie, TX, her 26-show North American Snow Waltz Tour includes stops at Albany’s Palace Theatre on December 6 and Waterloo’s Del Lago Resort & Casino on the 10th.

Promotional poster for the Snow Waltz Tour.

Released on October 7, the 14-song album is Stirling’s sixth record to date, and follows up 2019’s Artemis.

Cover art for ‘Snow Waltz’ by Lindsey Stirling.

Based in Los Angeles, Stirling’s first widespread recognition came in 2010 as a contestant on America’s Got Talent.

Her career has been marked by two Billboard Music Awards including Top Dance/Electronic Album for her third studio record Brave Enough, and a #1 placing on the Billboard, Amazon and iTunes Holiday Charts for her 2017 holiday album, Warmer in Winter.

Info regarding tickets can be found here.

LINDSEY STIRLING TOUR ROUTING:

Nov 17 – Grand Prairie, TX – Texas Trust CU Theatre at Grand Prairie

Nov 18 – Lubbock, TV – Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts

Nov 19 – Amarillo, TX – Amarillo Civic Center Complex

Nov 21 – Midland, TX – Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center

Nov 22 – San Antonio, TX – Tobin Center for the Performing Arts

Nov 25 – Savannah, GA – Johnny Mercer Theater

Nov 26 – Jacksonville, FL – Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts – Moran Theater

Nov 28 – Fort Myers, FL – Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall

Nov 29 – Clearwater, FL – Ruth Eckerd Hall

Nov 30 – Orlando, FL – Walt Disney Theatre at Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts

Dec 2 – North Charleston, SC – North Charleston Coliseum & Performing Arts Center

Dec 3 – Asheville, NC – Thomas Wolfe Auditorium

Dec 5 – Hersey, PA – Hershey Theatre

Dec 6 – Albany, NY – The Palace Theatre

Dec 7 – Newark, NJ – NJPAC

Dec 9 – Mashantucket, CT – Premier Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino

Dec 10 – Waterloo, NY – Del Lago Resort & Casino

Dec 12 – Ft Wayne, IN – Embassy Theatre

Dec 13 – Milwaukee, WI – The Riverside Theater

Dec 15 – Loveland, CO – Budweiser Events Center

Dec 16 – West Valley City, UT – Maverik Center

Dec 17 – Idaho Falls, ID – Mountain America Center

Dec 19 – Wheatland, CA – Hard Rock Live

Dec 20 – San Jose, CA – San Jose Civic

Dec 22 – Mesa, AZ – Ikeda Theater

Dec 23 – Los Angeles, CA – Pantages Theatre

October 20, 2022
Arctic Monkeys Announce 2023 North American Tour

English rock band Arctic Monkeys have announced their North American tour for Summer 2023 with support from acclaimed Irish band Fontaines D.C. The tour includes two nights you won’t want to miss at New York’s Forest Hills Stadium and a quick stop at The KIA Forum in Los Angeles.

The Arctic Monkeys announced a UK stadium tour for Summer 2023. Along with this, they have just released “Body Paint” – the second song to be released from their forthcoming 7th album The Car (October 21st on Domino). They returned to the stage of 30 Rock’s Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon for their first TV performance since 2019’s Austin City Limits.

The last time the Arctic Monkeys made stops in New York was back in 2018 when they played at Forest Hills Stadium and in Canandaigua. In honor of being in their inspiration’s hometown, The Strokes, the band covered one of their most popular songs “Is This It” exclusively for their New York fans.

Fans can register by clicking the link HERE for Ticketmaster Verified Fan Presale now through October 4th at 10am EST. Presale will begin October 6th at 10am local and general on sale starts Friday, October 7th at 10 am local. Purchase tickets by clicking the link HERE.

ARCTIC MONKEYS NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES:

Friday, August 25, 2023 – Minneapolis, MN – The Armory

Sunday, August 27, 2023 – Chicago, IL – United Center

Tuesday, August 29, 2023 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre

Wednesday, August 30, 2023 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage

Saturday, September 2, 2023 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre

Sunday, September 3, 2023 – Boston, MA – TD Garden

Tuesday, September 5, 2023 – Philadelphia, PA – TD Pavilion at the Mann

Thursday, September 7, 2023 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion

Friday, September 8, 2023 – Forest Hills, NY – Forest Hills Stadium

Saturday, September 9, 2023 – Forest Hills, NY – Forest Hills Stadium

Monday, September 11, 2023 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre

Tuesday, September 12, 2023 – Nashville, TN – Ascend Amphitheater

Friday, September 15, 2023 – Austin, TX – Moody Center

Saturday, September 16, 2023 – Fort Worth, TX – Dickies Arena

Monday, September 18, 2023 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Wednesday, September 20, 2023 – Salt Lake City, UT – Vivint Arena

Friday, September 22, 2023 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena

Saturday, September 23, 2023 – Vancouver, BC – Pacific Coliseum

Sunday, September 24, 2023 – Portland, OR – Moda Center

Tuesday, September 26, 2023 – San Francisco, CA – Chase Center

Wednesday, September 27, 2023 – Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center

Friday, September 29, 2023 – Inglewood, CA – The KIA Forum

October 20, 2022
Broken Social Scene Wrap Up Tour at Webster Hall with Surprise Guests Tracey Ullman and Meryl Streep

Canadian indie rock collective Broken Social Scene closed out their 2022 North American tour with two sold out nights at Webster Hall in New York City. Near the end of the final show, the band surprised fans by inviting Tracey Ullman and Meryl Streep on stage to sing “Anthems for a Seventeen Year-Old Girl.” The show was a huge hit with fans both nights, and the last-minute addition was the cherry on top.

photograph by David Reichmann

Jasmyn opened both nights with soothing yet passionate beats and vocals.

Jasmyn Performing at Webster Hall, photograph by David Reichmann

From the moment Broken Social Scene walked onstage until the last moment of the show, the floor was shaking and fans were gleefully sweating and screaming through to the end. The band’s fan interactions are always a treat, and bandmate Kevin Drew took some time to snap a few selfies on a fan’s phone each night.

photograph by David Reichmann

Their US tour has concluded, but you can listen to Broken Social Scene here and Jasmyn here.

Kevin Drew Takes a Selfie on Fan’s Phone, photograph by David Reichmann

View our photo gallery below.

Photography by David Reichmann

Tracy Ullman and Meryl Streep join Broken Social Scene on stage, video courtesy of user High for This on Youtube.

October 20, 2022
moe. partners with American Cancer Society for ‘Real Men Wear Pink’ Campaign

This October, moe. is once again supporting The American Cancer Society (ACS) in its “Real Men Wear Pink” campaign. The messaging is designed to engage more male community leaders and influencers in the Society’s mission to eliminate breast cancer. In addition to selling limited edition pink merchandise through the band’s online store (coming soon), the band is offering fans a variety of donation opportunities for unique experiences.

These range from a round of golf with percussionist Jim Loughlin to a custom song written by guitarist Al Schnier. moe. is even offering high level donors the opportunity to “join the band for the day,” including hanging with the members during soundcheck, collaborating on the setlist, and sitting in during the show. All proceeds will be donated to ACS, the nation’s largest nonprofit source of cancer research funding. Also, a donation of any amount enters fans for a chance to win VIP tickets to Summer Camp in 2023. For more information and a full list of donation options, visit the donation page here.

The issue hits close to home for moe., with bassist Rob Derhak himself a recent cancer survivor. “The American Cancer Society offered help with so many avenues that I didn’t know existed which made me realize how important the organization is,” said Derhak. “They offer support for people who may not have that team in their corner.”

ACS provides innovative research, patient services, health equity, and education around screenings and risk reduction. Since its inception, this annual program has raised more than $40 million towards the fight against breast cancer.

We are grateful to moe. and their community for making an impact in the lives of cancer patients and their families. We are proud to partner with them to ensure everyone has a fair and just opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer.”
~ Barb Romeu, Director, American Cancer Society

moe. is gearing up for a three-night run at the Fox Theatre in Boulder, CO from November 4-6, as they continue to navigate through the recovery of guitarist Chuck Garvey, who suffered a stroke last year. Michael “Suke” Cerulo from Schleigho will be subbing in for Chuck, alongside keyboardist Nate Wilson from Percy Hill and Assembly of Dust. The shows will also be available to watch via livestream. For more information and to purchase tickets visit the band’s website.

October 20, 2022
Mother Mother Come Back to Buffalo to Wreck Obsatcles

Alt-rock group Mother Mother returns to an even bigger crowd in Buffalo on October 15, with Buffalo Riverworks packed with both new and old fans.

Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty

The well-known “out-of-box” foursome Transviolet opened up the show. This pop-rock band consists of Sarah McTaggart, Mike Panek, Jon Garcia, and Judah McCarthy. All of which are all too familiar with working alongside various musicians. They easily got the crowd hyped up with McTaggart’s chilling vocals and infectious energy.

Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty

The viral indie-rock band Vundabar followed up Transviolet. The trio of Brandon Hagen, Drew McDonald, and Zack Abramo managed to keep the fun alive. This was especially so when they played their hit “Alien Blues.”

Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty

Earlier in 2022, Mother Mother performed at the Town Ballroom. Buffalo fanbase is so extremely loyal to this group that they made a return only 9 months later. This seemingly rapid growing band is composed of Ryan Guldemond (vocals, guitar), Molly Guldemond (vocals, synth), Jasmin Parkin (vocals, keys), Ali Siadat (drums), and Mike Young (bass).

Immediately when the group encapsulated the stage and aura washed over the venue. This band is able to bring theatrical and ethereal qualities. They opened up their performance with their songs “Verbatim” and “O My Heart.” The way Ryan, Molly, and Jasmin are able to move across stage and layer their vocals over one another creates an eeriness.

Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty

The dark lighting and build up from one song to the next helped set the mood in Riverworks. The mystic vocals of Molly had the crowd in awe when she covered Radiohead’s “Creep,” which was especially impressive. Mother Mother is a constant reminder of what it means to never give up on your dreams. Ryan shared how the band originally started by him writing songs alone in his bedroom. He then told everyone in the crowd that despite what anyone else might think, “if you have a dream, keep chasing it and wreck any obstacles that stand in the way.” He shared that’s what gave him inspiration for their song “Wrecking Ball.”

Mother Mother then closed out their show in Buffalo with their songs “Hayloft II” and “Ghosting.” Both of which are fan favorites and left everyone screaming the lyrics.

Photo credit: Maddie McCafferty

Make sure to keep up to date with upcoming shows at Buffalo Riverworks. I Prevail and Pierce the Veil perform November 20.

Setlist: Verbatim, O My Heart, Bit by Bit, Infinitesimal, Body of Years, Creep (Radiohead cover), The Stand, Back in School, Burning Pile, Problems, Sick of the Silence, It’s Alright, Arms Tonite, Body, Wrecking Ball, Oh Ana, Hayloft/ Girl Alone, Hayloft II

Encore: Ghosting

All Photos by Maddie McCafferty

October 20, 2022
Malian Musician Oumou Sangaé to make Apollo Theater Debut on October 29

On Saturday, October 29^th, the World Music Institute present Malian musician and GRAMMY Award winner Oumou Sangaré for an incredible one-night-only performance at the world-famous Apollo in Harlem. Being one of West Africa’s most celebrated vocalists, Sangaré infuses her music with traditional African percussion, distinctive vocals, and progressive social criticism. Thus, creating a unique sound that has propelled her onto the international stage.

In her Apollo debut, Oumou Sangaré, “The Songbird of Wassoulou,” will perform music that spans traditional Wassoulou music. She will do this by using contemporary sounds coming out of Africa as well as songs from her recent critically acclaimed album, Timbuktu.

We’re thrilled to have Oumou, make her Apollo debut during our Next Movement season. Over the past eight decades the Apollo has amplified Black voices and used its platforms to create an intersection of art and activism, so having Oumou perform a range of music from Wassoulou music to contemporary sounds is exactly the kind of artistic conversation that we champion.
Kamilah Forbes, Executive Producer at The Apollo

Oumou Sangaré is considered an ambassador of Wassoulou, she is praised for being an activist, businesswoman and global icon. Throughout the world, her music has been inspired by the music and traditional dances of the region. She does this by writing and composing her songs which often include social criticism, especially concerning women’s low status in society.

Similar to legendary performers like Grace Jones, Nina Simone, and Aretha Franklin, Oumou Sangaré has been praised by stars including Beyoncé and Alicia Keys for her powerful voice and unwavering commitment to the betterment of women. Sangaré infuses her music with traditional African percussion, distinctive vocals, and progressive social criticism, creating a unique sound that has propelled her career.

Ticket will range from $30-$75 per seating arrangement. For more information on Oumou Sangaré and to purchase tickets via the Apollo Theater, click the link here.

October 20, 2022
Singer/songwriter Alan Chapell returning to the NYC scene this week

After two years on the west coast, singer/songwriter Alan Chapell is moving back to NYC. He will be celebrating both his return to the city and last month’s release of his sixth album, Two Fishes with a record release party with Slyboots on October 20 at The Cutting Room.

More than a songwriter, Chapell is a storyteller. He creates characters and plots in each song, amplified by energetic rhythms and creative melodies. His sound is rambling rock and roll, folksy soul and venerable vulnerability. Chapell is bridging on big time — he’s garnered over 1 million streams as of last year and worked with artists as varied as Jerry Harrison of the Talking Heads, Gin Blossoms, Everclear, and as front man for east-west band Kalki in Mumbai in his twenties.

Chapell is from Connecticut, but was a staple of the West Village music scene before he moved to the Bay Area. His newest album, Two Fishes is more serious and introspective than some of his past works, but as always it employs a unique structure for the conflicting and complementary situations of raising a child after 9/11 and raising a child during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s a complex topic to address in song, but Chapell’s specialty is doing so again and again, with charm and nuance as well as superb musicality.

Alan Chapell will be at The Cutting Room at 44 E 32 Street on October 20, with fellow NYC band Slyboots. Tickets are starting at $25 and can be purchased here.

October 19, 2022
Erie County-based bands perform at annually-held Rockin’ the Commons Event in Fredonia

Several Western New York musical groups performed on the main stage at Barker Commons park in Fredonia on Saturday, September 24 for a yearly event hosted by Fredonia Radio Systems, Rockin’ the Commons. A line-up of local bands including BP & the Oil Spills, Capo II, as well as SUNY Fredonia-based musical groups, such as the all-female acapella group, Some Like It Hot, participated in the day of music.

Rockin’ the Commons flyer

Some Like It Hot, also dubbed “the Hotties”, feature rock, pop, and hip hop songs, coordinated by either a former or current group member, sung in their performances. The acapella perform at many schools across New York during the academic semester.

Some Like It Hot acapella group at Rockin’ the Commons

Another group who took the stage at Rockin’ the Commons was duo, Capo II. Hailing from Buffalo, Augie Bates and Andrew Anable deliver a spectrum of prototypical pieces, consisting of vocalized harmonies, a broad range of instrumentals, tap dance percussion and pedals (sustained notes played and typically held in bass, which serve as a dissonance from the other notes).

Capo II members, Augie Bates and Andrew Anable

Started up in Kaisertown, other Buffalo-based band, BP and the Oil Spills, is comprised of members, song-writer Nathan Kohler, drummer Alex Gennaro, bass Charlie DeRose, and founder Blaise Przybyla.

The group commonly performs at various venues in Buffalo, and has performed at Fredonia for several shows, throughout the past few years. Their most recent singles, “Carpe Diem” and “Unrequited” hold thoughtful lyrics and contain elements of a multitude of genres, spanning from pop, prog, and blues to punk, grunge, and funk, and more.

Cover for BP & the Oil Spills’ single, “Carpe Diem”

The line-up at Rockin’ the Commons also included a few more Buffalo-based bands, Johnny and the Man Kids, Marquee Grand, as well as musicians based in Fredonia, Hals and Pals and all-male acapella group, Much More Chill.

October 19, 2022

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