Syracuse natives Sophistafunk have announced a show at the Stanley Theatre on Feb. 18, 2023, starting at 7:30 p.m.
Sophistafunk is comprised of Adam Gold (keyboardist), Jack Brown (frontman), Tommy Weeks (saxophonist), and Emmanuel Washington (drummer and vocalist). After nearly ten years on the road, the group continues to connect with many audiences, from jazz fans to reggae. Their live shows are packed with passion with cutting-edge lyrics and heavy beats.
Recently, they became the house band for the new game show hosted by Guy Fieri, Guy’s Ultimate Game Night, which will air on the Food Network on the Discovery+ streaming platform. They met Fieri in 2013 while performing on his show Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives at the restaurant/music venue Funk ‘n Waffles, which Gold owns.
Sophistafunk will be bringing their high energy to the stage at the Stanley Theatre, an almost 3,000-capacity venue designed by famous architect Thomas Lamb in 1928. It remains one of the three Lamb theatres still in operation, including the Proctors Theatre and The Landmark Theatre. The show is on Feb. 18 and tickets are $30.50 in advance or $40.50 the day of the show. For more information about the band and to purchase tickets, go here.
Greensky Bluegrass have announced their Winter Tour 2023, featuring 16 dates with a kickoff on January 12 in Buffalo, followed by stops in Port Chester and Utica. The Michigan jamgrass band will make their debut performances at the Stanley Theater in Utica, as well as the historic Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, NJ.
They’ll bring along with them support acts including Mikaela Davis, Neighbor, Mihali, Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country, Railroad Earth and Holly Bowling.
Greensky Bluegrass are widely known for their thoughtful lyricism, edgy and genre-expansive sound, dazzling live performances and relentless touring schedule. Featuring Anders Beck [dobro], Michael Arlen Bont [banjo], Dave Bruzza [guitar], Mike Devol [upright bass], and Paul Hoffman [Mandolin], the five are connected through a deep bond, just as they are seasoned road warriors, they’re a band of brothers who have seen each other through decades of ups and downs, personal and collective highlights, and the moments when life turns it all upside down.
For the past century, bluegrass music has traditionally relayed real tales of American life, struggle, tragedy, and triumph. It gives a voice to the quiet, yet colorful stories woven into the fabric of the country itself. Greensky Bluegrass live these stories through their records and performances.
Greensky is and always has been very unique in our world. We put our love, energy, and focus into what we appreciate about our music. We come together as a band in a way that’s organic. We take a lot of pride in how we grow and challenge each other too. We’re maturing together. I think we get more Greensky all of the time.
New-age music group Mannheim Steamroller will return to the Stanley Theatre in Utica for a great holiday tradition in December.
The group, founded by Chip Davis, will celebrate more than 35 years of its annual Christmas concert tour. Audiences can expect Mannheim Steamroller to play their popular renditions of classic hits to ring in the holiday season. The show at the Stanley Theatre will begin at 7 p.m. on December 7.
With multimedia effects, live music, and joyous songs, the concert is sure to put all listeners in the perfect mood to lead up to the holiday season. The Grammy award-winning group is a favorite holiday tradition for many and released its first Christmas album in 1984.
I remember when I came out with my first Christmas album in 1984 followed by our first tour. Back then, many in the music industry said focusing on Christmas just wouldn’t work. Now, over 35 years later, we are still going strong. I want to thank our fans for making us part of their holiday tradition, especially after the hardships of the last few years. Today we often see multi-generational families join us during the holidays each year.
-Chip Davis, founder and creator of Mannheim Steamroller
Mannheim Steamroller’s holiday tour begins on November 15 and ends on December 30. The group will also stop in Syracuse and Poughkeepsie on December 8 and 14, respectively. Tickets for the upcoming holiday show at the Stanley Theatre are available now via Ticketmaster.
Filled to the Brim, a rock band consisting of high schoolers from Utica, will be performing at The Stanley Theatre on Friday, February 25th.
The band consists of Victoria Haggerty on lead vocals, Alyssa Tomassi on drums, Owen Paz on bass, Jack Towns on keyboards and Johnny Mudge on lead guitar and was first formed in 2018, where the young talents met at Jim O’Mahony’s Rock Camp in Marcy, New York. During those two weeks, the band composed their first song, “Turn Back The Time,” and released a music video for the song less than a year later.
In March 2019, the band recorded a music video for their single, “Turn Back the Time” with Lisa Baron from Upstate Studios, now known as Baroness Films in Utica, NY. Over the course of 2019, they played shows and continued collaborating until they found that they had created enough songs for a full album. They headed back to the studio in December 2019 and recorded their 11 track self-titled with Andrew Greacen from MoreSounds Studios.
Since then, Filled To The Brim has continued writing songs and playing shows. In 2020, the band released their self-titled album and in 2021, the band released their single “Only U.” Both are available for streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube.
The Stanley Theatre will be hosting the band on Friday, February 25th. The theatre operates as a non-profit organization run by the Central New York Community Arts Council. Since 1928, the theatre has hosted movie screenings, plays, concerts, and more.
Tickets start at $10 can be purchased through Ticketmaster.
