Zannie Owens, a Brooklyn-based artist, has released their title track “get that star” ahead of their upcoming debut album, out Aug. 19 via Kill Rock Stars. Under the moniker, zannie, the artist has crafted a space-inspired single with a captivating music video to accompany it.
zannie crafted their new single based on the inspiration from the Voyager One Golden Record which Carl Sagan and Lynn Margulis sent into outer space in 1977. The Brooklyn singer-songwriter lyrically explores an alien who is trying to return home, and intertwines that story with a message of hope about human connection.
With warm guitars, layered vocals, and whimsical instrumentation, “get that star” carries over hard-hitting but hopeful truths and lyrics of the human experience. zannie’s beginning vocals and dictation slowly draw you in before the melody takes off as the song builds. Despite being recorded in zannie’s bedroom, the video’s unique lighting effects, and focus on zannie, transform listeners into another space as they ponder over the song’s message.
The single is just a glimpse at what may be to come off of zannie’s upcoming album, How Do I Get That Star. Written over the course of four years, zannie explores the unknown, the mystical, and more. During the process, they listened to artists such as Judee Still and Prince, and the album reflects some of those inspirations.
If the single is any hint for what is to come on How Do I Get That Star, then listeners are in for some great new music to add to playlists on Aug. 19. To keep up with zannie as an artist, follow them on social media here. Listen to another single, “for a while,” off of the artist’s upcoming album, available below.
Blues and soul singer Ali McGuirk has announced upcoming shows in promotion of her new album, Til It’s Gone, which is set for release on September 16 via Signature Sounds. The songwriter shared her single, “All Back,” on July 20 ahead of the album.
McGuirk grew up outside of Boston before calling Burlington, Vermont, home. The singer-songwriter always knew she wanted to become an artist and her inspirations include Lauryn Hill, Aretha Franklin, Sarah Vaughan, and Abbey Lincoln. McGuirk’s music has explored multiple genres, but the upcoming album leans into its blues foundation.
Celebrated folk-blues songwriter Jonah Tolchin helped produce Til It’s Gone alongside McGuirk, allowing for emotional tracks, guitar interludes, and delicate moments in the album. “All Back,” the first single off of the record, is an easy groove. McGuirk wrote the track about the end of the pandemic, and the track combines a vintage sound and a recent event into one.
Surviving the pandemic as an artist required some faith and this song felt like a little prayer of hope and resilience … we are faced with pandemics, climate chaos, ever-deepening inequality, and so much ignorance, but we learned a lot in March 2020 about our ability to adapt and I need to believe that it’s going to be alright, but we’ve got to do something right now.
– Ali McGuirk on “All Back”
McGuirk recorded much of the upcoming record in Los Angeles and included collaborations with an impressive lineup of artists. Legendary guitarist Fred Tackett of Little Feat, organist Larry Goldings, singer Valerie Pinkston, percussionist Lenny Castro, and more helped finalize the complete sounds of the album.
The nine-track album, with intimate introspections, and thoughts on oppression and justice, would not be the same without McGuirk’s signature, hypnotic vocals. Take a listen to the first track, “All Back,” and see the full list of tour dates for the upcoming record, below.
Ali McGuirk On Tour:
Sept. 16 – Nashville, TN – Five Spot (AMERICANAFEST)
Sept. 17 – Easthampton, MA – Arcadia Music Festival
Oct. 1 – Albany, NY – The Linda
Oct. 2 – Portsmouth, NH – The Press Room
Oct. 5 – Lancaster, PA – Tellus360
Oct. 6 – Brooklyn, NY – The Bell House
Oct. 7 – Somerville, MA – The Crystal Ballroom at the Somerville
On September 17th, Brooklyn Comes Alive will return to The Brooklyn Mirage for its sixth installment. This one-day festival brings together the best genres of live music ranging from jazz, jam and funk. Likewise, this event features some unforgettable collaborations, unique one-off performances and one-of-a-kind music experiences.
Inspired by New Orleans and its famed Jazz & Heritage Festival, Brooklyn Comes Alive has been breaking the mold of traditional festivals with unprecedented music experiences since 2015. This year, Brooklyn Comes Alive will feature STS9, Medeski Martin & Wood, Lettuce, and the debut of Cool Cool Cool, an unforgettable project from former members of Turkuaz.
It is so rewarding to work with some of our favorite artists to deliver special performances, debut new projects, and create memorable experiences for fans and bands alike at Brooklyn Comes Alive. That we get to do this in one of the country’s best live music venues, in the best city in the world, is a dream come true. Brooklyn, we’re back, and we can’t wait to celebrate with you at the incredible and unique venue, The Brooklyn Mirage.
– Festival director Gideon Plotnicki (GMP Live)
Brooklyn Comes Alive was built from the fabric of the vibrant live music community of Brooklyn. Much like past “Comes Alive” events, Brooklyn Comes Alive 2022 will be full of exciting firsts and never-before-seen surprises. This event will mark STS9’s first show in NYC since 2019 when they last took over the Brooklyn Mirage. Similarly, Medeski Martin & Wood, who have not played on their home turf in NYC since 2019, will use the special appearance to celebrate their 30th anniversary as a band, which took place last year.
Lettuce will be notching both their Brooklyn Comes Alive debut and their Brooklyn Mirage debut as they celebrate the release of their latest album, Unify, but the band’s individual members are all Brooklyn Comes Alive veterans.
Brooklyn Comes Alive 2022 Lineup:
STS9 Medeski Martin & Wood Lettuce Cool Cool Cool (former members of Turkuaz: Craig Brodhead, Chris Brouwers, Michelangelo Carubba, Shira Elias, Sammi Garett, Greg Sanderson and Josh Schwartz*)
General admission tickets are available in three tiers, starting at $65 and increasing as tiers sell out. The elevated VIP experiences, VIP and Super VIP, include expedited entry, access to the VIP Mezzanine with perfect sightlines to the stage and more. With the Super VIP package including exclusive limited edition merch item.
All tickets, including VIP packages, can be purchased at the link here.
On July 26, Brooklyn-based alternative artist, producer, and performer, Hannah Sumner premiered the first video from her new monthly series, titled Plus One.
The series includes live in-studio duets with different instruments highlighted in each. The first video, “Moments,” features bassist Adam Neely. Neely contributes great sound which intertwines wonderfully with Sumner’s beautiful voice. The video, carefully shot by Studio 42 Productions, is simplistic in nature. Just featuring the two artists, a microphone, and bass with dim lighting, the video allows all the focus to be on the music and the talent behind it.
Every month, Hannah Sumner will release more Plus One videos featuring various artists and instrumentation. Listeners can expect to hear harp from Jacqueline Kerrod, guitar from Shubh Saran, drums from Josh Bailey, cello from Justin Abrams, and piano from Christian Li alongside Sumner’s vocals.
Earlier this past year, Sumner received a grant and residency from Nancy Manocherian’s The Cell Theatre. The Cell Theatre, founded in 2006, is a not-for-profit in Chelsea that helps artists from all career stages with creative works. The Plus One video series was born out of this experience and will be pressed to vinyl and available digitally. The Cell and Martin Finkle produced the series and Studio 42 recorded the shots.
Sumner has previously released works such as the single “Only You,” and two EPs: To The Almost and Guesthouse. The singer and songwriter has made quite the name for herself in the New York community, with performances at Barclays Center and National Sawdust.
Fans of the “Moments” video with Adam Neely can expect more video releases in the next coming month with some amazing talent. Stay tuned for the release of the next Plus One video, and take a listen to the first one, available below.
Brooklyn independent music venue Elsewhere has announced its Fall 2022 season lineup and fifth anniversary celebrations. Performances from September to November will include notable artists Sherelle, Ben Klock and Marcel Dettmann with Levon Vincent, VTSS, IC3PEAK, and Overmono (Live).
Elsewhere
Based in Bushwick, Brooklyn, Elsewhere is a multi-room live music venue, nightclub and arts space that celebrates creativity, diversity and multi-disciplinary artistic expression and experimentation. Founded on Halloween in 2017, Elsewhere have hosted thousands of artists, presented over 20,000 hours of live music, and staged over 600 events each year.
Elsewhere
“There’s a lot of uncertainty in the world right now, but we continue to see that our community strongly wants to be out and experiencing togetherness again. Emerging artists are cautiously and safely making up for two years being unable to tour, and Elsewhere was built to support them and be a cultural beacon for New Yorkers.”
Elsewhere went through the difficulties in pandemic period with continous performances and high attendance rates in 2022 summer season. Their belief of creating a space for all to experience live entertainment that’s reflective of their personal experiences attributed to the venue’s success. In recent months has cooperated with Ray Ban, Brooklyn Magazine and more, connecting its partners with emerging culture.
“It’s all about supporting emerging culture and the best of what’s next. We’ve seen that it will always resonate with people. With the support of our community, we’re already back to pre-pandemic levels of attendance and energy, which is the right way to ring in Elsewhere’s five-year anniversary this October.”
Rosenthal
On October 31, 2022, Elsewhere will celebrate its fifth anniversary as Brooklyn’s leading independent music venue with full details on the anniversary celebrations forthcoming.
2022 Fall Events
Fri, 9/2: Dâm-Funk + Satin Jackets Thu, 9/8: Grace Ives Fri, 9/9: Bad Gyal Fri, 9/9: Darude Sat, 9/10: VNSSA Sat, 9/10: Pangea Fri, 9/16: Sherelle Fri, 9/16: Laylit – 4 Year Sat, 9/17: Olan Tue, 9/20: Tim Hecker Fri, 9/20 + Sat 9/21: Neil Frances Thu, 9/22: Girlpool Fri, 9/23: Ben Klock with Marcel Dettmann and Levon Vincent Sat, 9/24: Omar S Sat, 9/24: LSDXOXO Sun, 9/25: Lindstrøm Tue, 9/27: Cochise Fri, 9/30: Ata Kak Fri, 9/30: Elkka Fri, 9/30: VTSS
Sat, 10/1: I. Jordan Sat, 10/1: Hayden James / Rohaan Sun, 10/2: Tortoise Wed, 10/5: Divino Niño + Little Jesus Thu, 10/6: Trentmøller Fri, 10/7: Township Rebellion / Qrion Sat, 10/8: The Avalanches (DJ Set) Wed, 10/12: Sudan Archives Thu, 10/13: Mildlife Fri, 10/14: IC3PEAK Tue, 10/18: SLIFT Wed, 10/19: Eloise Fri, 10/21: Overmono (Live) Sun, 10/23: Sloppy Jane Thu, 10/27: Mezerg Mon, 10/31: #EL5EWHERE: 5th Anniversary Celebration
National Sawdust announced its Fall 2022 season, bringing worldwide artists to Williamsburg, Brooklyn to share ambitious new explorations in music and performances. The works comprising the season emerge from an America and a world experiencing intersecting crises and urgent calls for change—and respond with themes of healing, metamorphosis, activism, and hope.
National Sawdust
National Sawdust is a nonprofit music producer and venue in Brooklyn founded in 2015 by composer Paola Prestini and attorney Kevin Dolan. With its belief of being an innovative leader in changing the landscape of contemporary music, by bringing all voices to the stage and beyond — artistic representation that reflects the ever-evolving multicultural society in which we live, National Sawdust engages worldwide artists in a wonderful art ecosystem in Williamsburg venue.
JOJO ABOT and esperanza spalding: A GOD OF HER OWN MAKING – September 23 & 24
A GOD OF HER OWN MAKING is a new spiritual and experiential opera of immersive soundscapes and visuals, in which the human vessel serves as a primary instrument and conduit for sound as a healing pathway to the divine. Created, directed, and composed by 2018 Artist-in-Residence artist Jojo Abot,A GOD OF HER OWN MAKING builds on JOJO ABOT’s exploration of spirituality, and incorporates spalding’s lineages and practices of restorative music.
Emily Wells – September 29
Emily Wells
For her third appearance on the National Sawdust stage, composer, producer, and video artist Emily Wells and her band (bassist Dandy McDowell, drummer Addie Vogt, and multi-instrumentalist Alec Spiegelman) will perform work from her 2022 album Regards to the End, Centering the Stories of Artists Behind Early AIDS Activism.
Xavier Foley – October 16
Xavier Foley
Virtuosic Double Bassist Xavier Foley will co-presented with the Sphinx Organization. This performance is one of a series reflecting both National Sawdust and Sphinx’s commitment to empowering diverse voices that are reshaping the landscape of western classical music.
Jean-Michel Blais – October 18
Jean-Michel Blais is a Montreal-based pianist-composer-performer. His debut opus, Il, was written after two years of daily improvisation, recorded with a Zoom H4n in his apartment. It ranked among the Top 10 best albums in Time Magazine.
Niloufar Nourbakhsh’s ‘We, The Innumerable’ – October 21
A Concert of Niloufar Nourbakhsh’s Opera We the Innumerable, Tracing an Iranian Woman’s Heroic Journey After Her Life Is Besieged by State Violence, Co-Presented with the Center for Contemporary Opera.
Ichiko Aoba – October 26
This performance will be the New York debut of Japanese folk musician Ichiko Aoba. She will perform music from her latest album, Windswept Adan, presented by AdHoc.
Ichiko Aoba
Nathan Schram with Special Guests Attacca Quartet, Becca Stevens, & Caroline Shaw – October 29
GRAMMY Award-winning composer and violist for Attacca Quartet Nathan Schram will premiere his new album Nearsided, which released on July 29th, in this multimedia performance. Schram’s latest album tested the power of exploration and the possibilities of what can be created in the studio and on-stage. Nathan Schram and his special guests–Attacca Quartet, Becca Stevens, Caroline Shaw, and more–are prepared for the world premiere of Nearsided in this album release show.
AdHoc Presents: Colin Stetson & Elori Saxl – November 3
Horn player Colin Stetson will co-present with American experimental electronic composer Elori Saxl on November 3rd. Stetson has an utterly unique voice as a soloist, principally on saxophones and clarinets, as well as a songwriter. Elori Saxl released her debut album The Blue of Distance in 2021 which elegantly combined digitally-processed recordings of wind and water with the rich sounds of analog synthesizers and chamber orchestra.
Ami Dang with Opener Roshni Samlal – November 10
South Asian-American vocalist, sitarist, composer, and producer Amrita “Ami” Kaur Dang will bring her experimental ambient music. It referred to her first-generation Sikh-American experience while combined elements of North Indian classical music with noise, dance, and psych music.
PUBLIQuartet “What is American” – November 11
2018-2019 Artists-in-Residence PUBLIQuartet, presented with Sphinx, will perform work from their latest album What Is American, a Call to Ponder the Kaleidoscope of Diverse Genres, which originating in black and Indigenous music.
Michela Marino Lerman and Her Band Love Movement – November 18
Tap dancer and choreographer Michela Marino Lerman and her band Love Movement will present a multidisciplinary musical experience inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Levels of Love” speech. This will be an evening of dance, music, and therapeutic release.
Margaret Leng Tan – December 3
Renowned Avant-garde pianist Margaret Leng Tan, known as the “Queen of the toy piano” and “the world’s premier string piano virtuoso,” will present a program honoring the late American composer George Crumb and his late wife Elizabeth May Brown.
Sofiane Pamart – December 5
French pianist Sofiane Pamart, a.k.a. ‘Piano King,’ has made a name for himself by bridging the traditionalist western classical world and the always-innovating realm of hip-hop. Pamart’s collaborations with rappers like Koba LaD, Vald, Joey Starr, and more have helped piano music shed its staid facade and become more accessible to new listeners. Pamart delivers performances that are visually and technically stunning, and his film-inspired aesthetic has led to partnerships with fashion houses like Yves Saint Laurent and Dior Hommes. A classically-trained pianist with a rapper’s flair for storytelling, Pamart aims to bring people together through the emotional vibrancy of his piano compositions. For his only East Coast tour stop, Sofiane Pamart will take piano music into the future with a mix of western classical works and his own hip-hop-classical fusions.
Juilliard Blueprint Bridge Fellowship Concert – December 11
The Blueprint Bridge Fellowship partner with The Juilliard School, is an annual National Sawdust mentorship. The 2022 winning composers – alumni composers Eugene Astapov, and Lingbo Ma, and current student composers Nicole Balsirow, Aidan Gold, and Sia Uhm – were commissioned to a dream work that the National Sawdust Ensemble will workshop and perform at National Sawdust.
Matt McBane and Sandbox Percussion – December 16
Chamber quartet Sandbox Percussion will perform composer and violinist Matt McBane’s Bathymetry in its entirety in this celebratory album release concert featuring an opening set by Matt McBane. Bathymetry will be out on October 22, 2022 via Cantaloupe Music.
On Friday, July 29, indie and alternative R&B artist Charlie Burg released his newest single, “Ohh! Sumthin’ New” from his upcoming debut album, Infinitely Tall, out on August 19.
Photo credit: Dannah Gottlieb
The artist was born in Detroit, Michigan but previously studied at Syracuse University’s Setnor School of Music, and is now based out of Brooklyn. His upcoming album, Infinitely Tall, takes place across three spaces: Burg’s childhood home in Detroit, his beloved college house in Syracuse, and finally his experiences in NYC.
In the single, “Ohh! Sumthin’ New,” Burg explores the story of a character yearning for fresh and authentic experiences. With upbeat instrumentation and lyrics which critically examine the world around him, the track entices while simultaneously offering deeper meaning.
Of the track, Burg shares that it “celebrates and laments the rootlessness of youth … the world of social media makes the protagonist feel like a poser and a fraud, mostly because of how much they subscribe to and partake in its evils. The protagonist desperately wants a change of pace, which is ironic in the face of their desire for solid ground to stand on.”
Painting: Charlie Burg / Editing: Corinne Ferman
With soft vocals and acoustic guitar suddenly transformed by the sounds of electric guitar,”Ohh! Sumthin’ New” takes listeners through a whirlwind. Burg incorporates unexpected backing vocals, sounds, and lyrics to keep you guessing and embodies the phrase “a change of pace.”
Burg’s previous releases, including “Channel Orange in Your Living Room” and “I Don’t Wanna Be Okay Without You,” garnered him much attention, but his upcoming release marks a new shift in sound and ambition for the artist. The young 25-year-old expands on his previous works and leaves nothing behind in this new record.
Burg will hit the road this fall across the EU, UK, and North America in support of the upcoming release from September through November. Get tickets now via charlieburg.world. To see the complete list of U.S. tour dates, see below.
On Wednesday, July 20, St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn began its summer series, Get Back! Summer Concerts 2022, which will continue every Wednesday through August 10 beginning at 7:00 pm.
Get Back! Summer Concerts began in 2020 during the pandemic, and took inspiration from the Beatles’ 1969 rock event. The series aimed to provide and surprise people with live music and entertainment as they strolled through Brooklyn Bridge Park. Due to popular demand, the concerts have continued at St. Ann’s Warehouse.
Empire Fulton Ferry Lawn provides the perfect scene for free live performances which include a wide array of talent and entertainment. The opening concert brought Nigerian-born, New York- and Los Angeles-based multidisciplinary sound artist, saxophonist, DJ, composer, and producer Eli Fola. Fola is a fan favorite and returns to the lineup after performing at Get Back! In 2020 and 2021.
Two acts, the Queens-based band duendita, and DJ nicole misha, will take the stage for the night of July 27. duendita is a collaborative multi-medium project made with family and friends while nicole misha provides audiences with sets that span across categories.
Melanie Charles with Zacchae’us Paul will bring the concert series into August on the 3rd. Audiences can expect jazz, soul, experimental, and roots music with Charles’ unique style and commitment to exploration. Atlanta-native Zacchae’us Paul’s original music takes inspiration from Marvin Gaye, and The Black Panther Party, and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
To close out the 2022 season of Get Back!, the program, Ode to the Black Fiddler, will showcase multiple professional string performers of color. These artists include dancer, vocalist, and violinist La Lulu; violinist Lee England Jr.; and immersive sounds by DJ Sunny Cheeba.
One of the major highlights of producing these outdoor concerts with St. Ann’s Warehouse has been observing how free access to the arts naturally creates diverse spaces for different communities to come together—especially youth—and find sparks of joy, express themselves, and be present.
– Curator Khadijat Oseni
Be sure to check out the concert series as you wrap up the summer! More information about the most up-to-date schedule and inclement weather announcements can be found on the St. Ann’s Warehouse website, here.
On September 10 and 11, AFROPUNK Festival returns with headliners The Roots and Burna Boy. This fall homecoming marks the first time the fest has come back to Brooklyn since 2019.
AFROPUNK began as a single-day event in Brooklyn in 2004 before evolving into a worldwide phenomenon. This year’s lineup brings some of the most exciting artists to Commodore Barry Park for two days of celebration.
The legendary hip-hop band The Roots will headline night one. Their expansive set will cover decades of the bands’ music as they celebrate 30 years together. On the night of the 11th, Burna Boy will close the festival and promote his upcoming album Love, Damini.
Other performers include TDE rhymer Isaiah Rashad, Lucky Daye, Freddie Gibbs, Tierra Whack, Earl Sweatshirt, and many more. AFROPUNK also welcomes Brooklyn-based artists to the lineup, including rapper Rodney Chrome, R&B artist Alex Mali, and hip-hop artist Talia Goddess.
AFROPUNK aims to highlight the diverse talent and depth of the Brooklyn Black music community. Audiences can expect performances from various genres and origins including rock, R&B, AfroBeats, and more.
The festival offers more entertainment than just a place to enjoy live music. Attendees will be able to peruse local foods from NYC chefs and food trucks at AFROPUNK’s Bites ‘n Beats. The Spinthrift Market will also operate, providing event goers with makers and curators from the area.
After hosting festivals around the world, including Miami, Atlanta, Bahia, and Johannesburg, AFROPUNK’s long-awaited return to Brooklyn is sure to be one to remember. More additions to the lineup, as well as more entertainment with added activations, are set to be announced. Stay tuned with the festival on Instagram here, and visit their website for tickets, here.
Brooklyn‘s Wilder Maker have just released two of their latest singles, “Static” (ft. V.V. Lightbody) and “Against Numbers” (ft. Katie Von Schleicher). The band is also preparing to release their latest album Male Models on July 29, the album tells tales of unrequited love, drunkenness, and desperation, and more.
Following up on previous singles “A Professional” and “Letter of Apology,” “Static” is the third track from their upcoming album. Gabriel Birnbaum says, “it touches on how violence in our culture tends to simmer under the surface in subtle ways that we overlook until they explode into something really horrific. It’s loosely inspired by a friend I had who used to get drunk and bait people into fights that he meant to lose. It features my friend V.V. Lightbody on vocals, an amazing singer and multi-instrumentalist from Chicago whose solo work I’m a huge fan of.”
Photo credit: Ebru Yildiz
We all listen to playlists a lot, even us album diehards. I’ve been keeping an ever-expanding playlist of songs that I never want to skip, with all of these different voices back to back. I wanted to make a record that sounded like a playlist in this way; it became a kind of songwriting challenge for me.
– Gabriel Birnbaum
Male Models can be described as Birnbaum’s tales of unrequited love, drunkenness, and desperation. The album feels almost voyeuristic, as if you were sitting in a crowded cocktail bar, sneaking glances at nearby tables.
Wilder Maker features a dynamic roster of musicians that includes singer-songwriter Gabriel Birnbaum, Nick Jost and Sean Mullins as the core trio. Male Models also features guest lead vocal spots from Adam Duritz (of Counting Crows fame), Katie Von Schleicher, Felicia Douglass (Dirty Projectors, Ava Luna), Alex Schaaf (Yellow Ostrich), V.V. Lightbody, and Mutual Benefit.
Male Models succeeds in truly capturing the energy of a crowded party and its accompanying playlist. Musically, it also changes shape constantly. The album has an electrified soul, featuring heartfelt folk songs, indie rock, and searing barn burners, all of which are expertly tethered by Birnbaum’s sardonic and doom-laden storytelling.
