NYS Music 2023

Author: ashley pickus

  • Lake George To Host Rock the Lake Festival

    A host of 80’s tribute bands will “Rock the Lake” in Lake George for two days beginning August 11. Visitors to Lake George can watch performances by a variety of cover bands during the Rock the Lake weekend.

    Rock the Lake kicks off Friday, August 11 and continues throughout Saturday, August 12. Performances will take place all day long at the Festival Commons located in Charles R. Wood Park. The park can be found at the southern end of Lake George. The 12.5 acre park includes a 2.5 acre festival space where attendees can enjoy the live music.

    While listening to the Rock the Lake performers, audiences will also have the opportunity to take in the beautiful landscape of the park. The Festival Commons website boasts, “With panoramic views of ‘The Queen of American Lakes,’ event-goers can also take advantage of all that Lake George has to offer in terms of activities and sight-seeing, all within a very short walk from the grounds.”

    The performers for Rock the Lake include:

    August 11

    • Broken Clover – 90’s Alt Rock
    • Broken Hearted – Tom Petty Tribute
    • Monsters of Rock – 80’s Hair Metal
    • Tommy V – Arena Rock

    August 12

    • The Skynyrd Experience – Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute
    • LED Sabbath – Led Zeppelin/Black Sabbath Tribute
    • Run Rabbit Run – Pink Floyd Tribute
    • Ultimate Journey Experience – Journey by Legend
    • KISSTORY – Kiss Tribute
    • Back in Black – AC/DC Tribute

    General admission and VIP tickets can be purchased here. Admission is free for children 12 and under.

  • ‘Music On the Erie’ Concert Series Begins in Village of Newark

    The Greater Newark Chamber of Commerce began its Music On the Erie Concert Series in Newark, NY this month. Throughout the summer, performances will take place weekly from a variety of artists in the Wayne County village.

    Chamber of Commerce History

    The New York government established a Chamber of Commerce before the United States went to war against Great Britain. In 1765, the New York Chamber of Commerce was established in opposition to the Stamp Act enacted by the British Parliament. Early Chambers promoted trades and markets, but eventually evolved into community organizations where businesses prospered.

    The website of the Greater Newark Chamber of Commerce includes a mission statement, reading, “The purpose of the Greater Newark Chamber of Commerce is to do all the things necessary through the public services to encourage and support the healthy growth of business and industry in the Greater Newark Community.”

    Music on the Erie Concert Series

    Performances for the Music on the Erie Concert Series take place every Friday until Aug. 25, rain or shine. Featured artists include classic rock and blues band Roll the Dice, cover artist, and singer-songwriter Xarika Suffredini, and classic rock cover band The Marbletones.

    The full schedule of artists includes:

    Mojo Chunk- July 28

    Xarika- August 4

    Midnight Storm- August 11

    Johnny Bauer Duo- August 18

    The Marbletones- August 25

  • Little Island Park Wins Award

    Little Island, a New York City public park, announced that they received a prestigious award. The park is one of ten projects across North America selected this year. It will also now advance to compete for a global award against projects from the Europe and Asia Pacific regions.

    Photo credit Michael Grimm

    Located in Hudson River Park, Little Island features a gorgeous landscape with walking paths, performance spaces, and dazzling views. The Urban Land Institute selected the park for a 2023 Urban Land Institute Americas Award for Excellence in Urban Open Space.

    After winning the regional Americas Award, Little Island will next compete for the Urban Land Institute Global Awards for Excellence. The Urban Land Institute’s mission is to “shape the future of the built environment for transformative impact in communities worldwide.” The finalists and winners of their awards are also chosen by a jury made up of “leaders who represent a broad geographic diversity and many areas of real estate and land use expertise, including finance, planning, development, public affairs, design, and professional services, among others.”

    “I’m so glad that in addition to making so many people happy when they come to Little Island, we are getting an award for excellence by the Urban Land Institute. It is a very special honor,” Barry Diller, the founder of Little Island said.

    Little Island History

    Diller, as part of the Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation, envisioned building the park in the remnants of Pier 54 after Hurricane Sandy heavily damaged the area. In partnership with Hudson River Park Trust leadership, Diller reimagined an entirely new type of public space for New York. He additionally hoped to create an immersive experience with nature and art.

    “Through our partnership, the Hudson River Park Trust achieved its goal of delivering new public open space at one of the piers long planned to be rebuilt, but in a way that no one could have conceived of when the Park was being planned,” President and CEO of the Hudson River Park Trust Noreen Doyle said. “Congratulations to Mr. Diller and The Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation, to every member of the engineering, design, planning and construction teams, and to the Little Island and Hudson River Park Trust staff members who pooled their talents for the public good. Thank you to the Urban Land Institute for recognizing their achievements.”

    Little Island opened on May 21, 2021 as an oasis for New Yorkers. The park additionally boasts two acres of magnificent landscape, distinctive architecture, and an abundance of free education programs and performances. Since opening, Little Island has welcomed over 3.5 million visitors and hosted over 572 free performances and 245 arts workshops.

  • Radiohead’s Philip Selway Announces Solo Show in New York City

    Philip Selway, Radiohead’s drummer, has announced an upcoming one-night only show. In celebration of his most recent album Strange Dance, Selway will be performing at Le Poisson Rouge in New York City on September 25.

    Although perhaps best known as the drummer of iconic rock band Radiohead, Philip Selway is also a successful solo musician. Strange Dance is Selway’s third and latest studio album. His performance at Le Poisson Rogue will be his first time playing at the venue in eight years.

    Founded by musicians in 2008, Le Poisson Rouge is located in the heart of Greenwich Village. The venue’s website names it an “underground live music sanctuary.” Audiences can expect to hear a wide variety of music when visiting, from indie rock to contemporary classic and everything in-between. Additionally, the venue includes a Gallery Bar that hosts art exhibitions, stand-up comedy, and drag queen bingo. Previous performances at Le Poisson Rogue include Charli XCX, Christina Aguilera, Florence & The Machine, and more.

    Selway revealed the show in an Instagram post. Beginning the caption with his classic opening “Hiya,” Selway wrote that he was “delighted to announce” that he will be bringing his album to Le Poisson Rouge “for one night only.”

    Doors open at 7:00 pm and the show begins at 8:00 pm. Tickets are available for purchase here.

  • White Feather Farm in Saugerties To Host Soil Fest

    Starting July 21, visitors to White Feather Farm in Saugerties can expect to take part in the second annual Soil Fest, a three day celebration of soil. The second annual festival includes live performances, workshops and food intersecting art, science and ecology.

    The host of Soil Fest, White Feather Farm, located in Saugerties takes place at White Feather Farm, which “aims to create connection between community, culture, and land,” according to their website, They do so by advancing, and promoting education about, “sustainable farming and other food production, distribution and consumption techniques and practices that reduce climate change and create healthy soil and a vibrant ecosystem.” They also showcase local talent, artists, writers and experts.

    Soil Fest Events

    Soil Fest kicks off Friday, July 21 and continues through Sunday, July 23. The first event begins at 2:00 pm Friday, called “Sensory Kinship of the 3rd Kind.” This workshop will be led by Lisa Schonberg and Allie Wist. The two will conduct a series of exercises using multi-sensory means of communication, like smell, taste and sound. Later that day, Schonberg will also host a performance of percussion and electronic music featuring and responding to soil soundscapes.

    On Saturday, Soil Fest attendees have the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities. Some of these include a chromatography workshop, a carbon sponge workshop, and alternative grain beer tasting. There will also be food available from a locally owned and operated mobile catering company, From the Ground Up.

    Additionally, Saturday night will feature a live performance by the band Dust Bowl Faeries. They are a New York based cabaret-inspired indie rock band. Described as a “faerie-tale fusion of gothic polka, dark carnival and angsty folk music,” they draw inspiration from circus songs, murder ballads, vaudeville, jazz and klezmer music.

    On the third day of Soil Fest, attendees can participate in workshops where they make easy to ferment foods with harvest from White Feather Farm. There is also a workshop entitled “Drawing with Biochar,” where participants choose among various sizes and types of wood to make a set of charcoal drawing sticks.

    Finally, Soil Fest closes with a live performance of “Arm of the Sea: Riparian Rhapsody.” Arm of the Sea is a mask and puppet theater that combines art, ecology and social action. The “Riparian Rhapsody” performance explores Catskill ecology to reveal the intricate interactions between forest and stream, while it lyrically makes the case for protecting streamside buffer zones.

    Tickets for each event can be purchased here.

  • Funtastic 2023 Benefit Concert at LIMEHOF features Pat Benatar

    The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) announced a benefit concert entitled “Funtastic 2023,” including performances from Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo with Taylor Dayne. The concert will take place at the Catholic Health Amphitheater at Bald Hill in Farmingville on July 23rd at 7:30pm.

    The founding members created the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2004 as a place of community that inspires and explores Long Island music in all its forms. According to their website, their mission statement is, “to celebrate the rich music and entertainment heritage of Long Island and support music and arts education for future generations.”

    Additionally, the organization has inducted over 100 musicians and music industry executives, including Benatar and Dayne.

    “It’s a wonderful opportunity for all Long Islanders to enjoy a terrific concert in a wonderful venue and support the Hall of Fame’s mission of keeping Long Island’s music heritage alive,” LIMEHOF board chairman Ernie Canadeo said.

    Tickets for Funtastic 2023 are available for purchase here.

  • Baby Got Back Talk Release New Single Off Upcoming EP

    NYC-band Baby Got Back Talk released their new single and music video “I’m Sorry I’m a Moron, But Also, Help.” The song precedes the release of their EP Wince, Repeat, due out July 21.

    G’Ra, Baby Got Back Talk’s vocalist and bassist, told the story of the single’s title. The phrase resulted from a text G’Ra sent after mistakenly eating marijuana infused cookies.

    “As a result I became painfully, unbearably high for the first time in my overwhelmingly straight-edge life,” G’Ra said. When I realized my mistake, I texted the band group chat I’m sorry I’m a moron, but also, help. We thought the immortal phrase was a fitting title for our new single, which is about hoping for compassion even when you know your problems are your fault.”

    Additionally, G’Ra explained that they executed the music video for the song in a single shot.”The action takes place in one long, unbroken, choreographed shot that we rehearsed for a couple of hours the day of filming. Because of schedule constraints at the set we rented, we only had time to shoot 4 complete takes. Working with my bandmates and director Ross Louis Klein to nail one of those takes before the clock ran out was like a higher-stakes version of one of those recreational escape rooms: nerve-wracking and intense but also super fun.”

    Stream the single here.

  • 2023 Geneva Music Festival Season Concludes

    The 13th season of the Geneva Music Festival came to a close, showcasing how exceptional music can create and build community with ten performances, 32 artists, and over a thousand attendees.

    Geneva Music Festival’s Theme

    Each season of the Geneva Music Festival has a theme, and this year’s was Gods, Myths, and the Divine. A rather capacious theme, it lent itself to a truly fascinating lineup of concerts in a variety of styles. From modern myths to Taiwanese legends to Christian and Jewish religious music, the season spanned cultures and belief systems.

    Concert attendees commented not only on the quality of the musicianship but on the music’s ability to form connections. The breadth of repertoire from the Jason Clayborn Band impressed Charles McCadd, a Geneva resident. “The actual diversity of how much music they fit in of everything was amazing,” McCadd said. “Being able to go from all these different generations of music and then collide them all together to make everyone in the audience happy was just amazing.”

    It’s easy when listening to music, especially classical music, to forget the interpersonal connections that underpin it. The intimate setting of chamber music reminds the audience of the connection between artists. They also orchestrate chamber music together, rather than training their focus on a conductor. One of the really striking themes of the Geneva Music Festival is the camaraderie the artists share. The audience member feels like they are being let in on an inner world. 

    Artistic Director Geoffrey Herd wrapped up the season by concluding, “Many thanks to our dedicated patrons and supporters who helped make our 2023 season sensational. The GMF musicians were honored, as always, to perform for our community and explore the diverse repertoire inspired by our theme, Gods, Myths, and the Divine. I wish all of you a peaceful and happy summer, and I look forward to sharing details about our next season soon.”

    Livestreams of all performances are available to be purchased here until July 31.

  • Hearing Aide: Michael Ian Cummings ‘Oldest Troubles’

    Michael Ian Cummings, former lead singer and songwriter of SKATERS, released his debut solo EP Oldest Troubles. The indie rock record is made up of five tracks where Cummings reflects on his own past experiences in a skillful way, as the listener is able to feel connected to each of his songs.

    Oldest Troubles comes after Cummings took a six year hiatus from music. When Warner Brothers Records dropped his band SKATERS, Cummings felt disillusioned with the industry. He was left in the common place many musicians find themselves when the band life stops and needed to unplug, reset, and find his inspiration once again. Now, Cummings found that inspiration again. He also described making the album as “cathartic.”

    “This was 100% for me to regain my balance in making and releasing music,” Cummings said in an interview. “And part of that was not doing things I didn’t feel good about in my gut. And whether that was a choice, like re-recording something so it sounds pristine, or keeping the live take, keeping the fucked up guitar that might be out of tune because it just felt better.”

    His attitude paid off. While it may have been more for Cummings himself in how he recorded the EP, it also made the record better as a whole. In songs like “Contemporary Me,” the listener can feel more of his emotions because of how raw it sounds.

    The title track, “Oldest Troubles,” reflects the melancholic feeling Cummings may have felt when writing and recording the song. The strings in the background only add to the beauty of the song, making it the most replay-able track on the record.

    Listen to the Oldest Troubles on Bandcamp, Spotify, or Apple Music.

    Key Tracks: Contemporary Me, Oldest Troubles, Suburban Crackhouse Beats

  • DJibouti and Feinte release debut collaborative project Run Riot

    NYC-based house-meets-indie duo DJibouti and Feinte released their debut collaborative project, Run Riot on June 23. The EP is a vulnerable story of heartbreak that blossomed from an abundance of pent-up angst in Feinte’s world, all layered over pastel dance tracks. DJibouti’s expertise for creating fun, dance-yourself-clean new wave house music gave him the outlet to release that hurt. 

    DJibouti and Feinte

    DJibouti and Feinte met in a college Ottoman History class when they realized their shared love of music. DJibouti, a DJ and producer, is currently taking the New York City house scene by storm. Playing a groovy, eclectic mix of house and funk, he’s established himself as one of the the up-and-coming DJs out of the NYC scene. He burst onto the scene through underground raves and parties, already racking up over a million streams on Spotify alone.

    Feinte has a range of influences. He is based in New York as an indie-tronica singer-songwriter, but grew up in Los Angeles and also spent time living in Berlin, London, and Tel Aviv.

    DJibouti and Feinte

    Inspiration Behind Run Riot

    After Feinte moved to Berlin, the project was put on pause until he returned to NYC. Through those six months, he experienced intense heartbreak. Quickly, he learned that the way they deal with it in Berlin is to dance through it. Run Riot invites everyone to dance through their pain with accessible but never boring four-on-the-floor beats.

    “Every weekend I released all my excess emotions to a soundtrack of Sylvester, Skatebård, and Daphni. The collaborative aspect of the various dance floors gave me the feeling that I had people listening to everything I needed to say,” Feinte said speaking about his time in Berlin. With Run Riot, Feinte and DJibouti aim to recreate that feeling.

    Of Run Riot, Feinte continues, “over the Spring and Summer of 2022, [DJibouti] would send me different beats, and I would smoke a little too much and dance over them. After a few demos, we realized we had a unique sound that the dance music world had never heard; The Indie-loverboy over the jazzy house keys and DJibouti Drums.”

    Listen to the EP here.