NYS Music 2023

Author: Faith Logue

  • Upbeat on the Roof Returns Featuring Blue Ranger, Hot Club of Saratoga, And More

    The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College have announced the return of its popular summer concert series Upbeat on the Roof, occurring each Thursday from July 6 through Aug. 17.

    This year marks Upbeat on the Roof’s twenty-second season, remaining a premier summer destination for the best music created by the region’s musicians. Different genres like folk, R&B, Latin jazz, classical Indian, and pop are all on tap for summer 2023. Included are craft kits for kids aged 5-12 starting at 5:30 p.m. Performances begin at 6 p.m. on the lawn outside the Tang. Bring picnic blankets, camping chairs, and food and drink, and in case of inclement weather, everything will move inside the museum.

    The Tang Teaching Museum at Skidmore College is a pioneer of interdisciplinary exploration and learning. A cultural anchor of New York’s Capital Region, the Tang’s approach has become a model for college and university art museums across the country, with exhibition programs that bring together visual and performing arts with interdisciplinary ideas from history, economics, biology, dance, physics, and more. The Tang is open to the public on Thursdays from noon to 9 pm and Fridays through Sundays from noon to 5 pm, with expanded hours beginning in July to include Tuesdays and Wednesdays, noon to 5 pm.

    Tang Museum.

    Admission to Upbeat on the Roof is free and open to the public. For more information, visit here.

    Upbeat on the Roof Lineup

    July 6: The Albany-based band Blue Ranger reminds us that there are small moments of magic in the everyday. Formed in 2015, the trio has been crafting soft-focused folk that celebrates the beauty in uncertainties with an existential flair. Following their 2018 LP Saving A Beauty comes fresh single “True Blue,” where candid, autobiographical tales dance among a wealth of imaginary characters. The trio brings their folk-influenced sound to improvisatory heights in live settings, the product of countless years of moving sound.

    July 13: For Adrian Lewis (The Age), making music is a portal into how he sees the world, piecing together fragments of introspection and humility, through a reflective and universal lens. Weaving together textural authenticity with his live band, The Age touches on themes of devotion, insecurity, and heartache with an optimistic flair, incorporating Neo-Soul tendencies and the electrifying groove of 70s guitar.

    The Age.

    July 20: Returning to Upbeat is the Hot Club of Saratoga, the Capital Region’s premier gypsy swing ensemble, playing a repertoire that reflects the spirit and style originated by Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli in The Quintet of the Hot Club of France. Most prominently developed in the 1930s and 40s Paris, this genre has been kept alive through a long line of gypsy jazz artists. Most of the tunes Hot Club of Saratoga plays were written or recorded by Reinhardt at some time in his musical life, hot swing music of the 1920s, ’30, and ’40s.

    July 27: Also returning to Upbeat on the Roof Alex Torres & His Latin Orchestra. Formed in October 1980 in Amsterdam, New York, the orchestra is led by the Bronx-born bassist Alex Torres. The 12-piece has performed its original blend of Afro-Caribbean rhythms such as Salsa, Merengue, Cha-cha, Bomba, Plena, and Latin Jazz at hundreds of festivals, performing arts centers, and events. The group last played Upbeat in 2017.

    August 3: Veena Chandra is an internationally renowned sitarist, composer, teacher, choreographer, and founder and director of the Dance and Music School of India in Latham where she teaches Indian classical music. She has been a faculty member at Skidmore College since 1990, teaching sitar in the Music Department. Since 2014, she has also been the Artist Associate in Sitar at Williams College.

    August 10: Zan & The Winter Folk, a Troy-based Americana/folk outfit, create anthems for the revivalists, lullabies for the lonely, and ballads for the hopeful. Paired with lead Zan Strumfeld’s vulnerability and soulful lyrics, The Winter Folk reveal a unique and captivating sound in both their recordings and live performances. Their first full-length album will be released in the fall of 2023.

    Zan & The Winter Folk, photo by Beth Mickalonis.

    August 17: Ending the Upbeat series is Nathan Meltz and The House of Tomorrow. Nathan Meltz writes pop songs about failed utopias, backed up by his band The House of Tomorrow. Combining influences from The Kinks and classic Elephant 6 bands, the band uses fuzzy indie pop songs to tell stories about communities, religious visionaries, and drug cults.

  • Deep In The Valley Festival Returns to From The Ground Brewery in August

    Deep In The Valley Festival announced it will return to Red Hook at From The Ground Brewery on Aug. 19, featuring a wide variety of genres and bands.

    Deep In The Valley Festival

    Last year’s inaugural Deep In The Valley Fest brought together a cross-section of musical genres with a common thread of experimentation and exploration. The lineup exemplified the current batch of Cosmic American travelers, continuing the tradition this year. Returning to From The Ground Brewery, nestled on Migliorelli Orchard in Red Hook, the festival boasts a packed roster of favorites. The venue is a New York State Farm Brewery that is committed to using New York State-grown ingredients, a beautiful backdrop for an exciting day of music. Food will again be provided by Hudson Valley’s own Gracie’s with an on-site record fair by Bash and Pop.

    The event will feature country-flecked garage from Chicago’s Glyders, whose recent debut for Country Thyme has been a favorite all year. Berlin-based songwriter Ned Collette brings his folk formula dipped in cinder and ash, joined by Elisabeth Fuchsia on viola. Massachusetts’ own Gold Dust brings a tender strain of psychedelic folk, while Sunwatchers psych-scratched jazz promises to match the burn of the August sun. Longtime favorites Weeping Bong Band (featuring members of Pigeons and Wet Tuna) will help soothe the burn with a sunset sojourn.

    Garcia Peoples promises to push the boundaries of the cosmic careen, always in their element in the live setting. 75 Dollar Bill leaves the big band behind for an intimate and heady duo set, and Ryley Walker will toast the early evening with a trio performance featuring Andrew Scott Young and Ryan Jewell, reprising their recent trio setup.

    For more information about the Deep In The Valley Festival and to buy tickets, go here.

  • Cayuga Chamber Orchestra Announces 2023-2024 Season “Beethoven and Beyond”

    The Cayuga Chamber Orchestra has announced its 2023-2024 season titled Beethoven and Beyond, featuring the four finalists in the search for the next Music Director.

    Music Director Finalists.

    Each finalist will conduct a concert on the CCO’s Orchestral Series during the coming season, including a Beethoven Symphony, a concerto, and a “conductor’s choice.” Candidates include Jeffery Meyer, Guillaume Pirard, Michelle Di Russo, and Octavio Más-Arocas. Meyer recently joined the Orchestral Conducting faculty at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and serves as Artistic Partner with the Northwest Sinfonietta in Tacoma, Washington. Di Russo is currently the Associate Conductor of the North Carolina Symphony.

    Pirard was a founding member and Co-concertmaster of the Brooklyn-based chamber orchestra, The Knights, and will serve as Visiting Professor of Violin at Ithaca College for the coming academic year. Más-Arocas directs the Michigan State University orchestras, the Mansfield Symphony Orchestra in Ohio, the Marquette Symphony Orchestra in Michigan, and the Clinton Symphony in New York. All four conductors have ties to Ithaca through their work.

    The Cayuga Chamber Orchestra was founded in 1976 and is officially designated “Ithaca’s Orchestra.” Each season includes an Orchestral Series, Chamber Music Series, Holiday concerts, free Family Concerts, and the long-standing Willard Daetsch Youth Outreach Program, which earned the 2015 Yale Distinguished Music Educator award. In 2017, the CCO added a Youth Orchestra program for advanced students, and in 2019, a new Diversity Career Fellowship program was established to provide opportunities for college students from communities that have been historically underrepresented in classical music.

    The 2023-2024 season will also include the popular Chamber Series and a performance of Händel’s Messiah. Concertgoers will be treated to a final concert, Passing the Baton: The Four Seasons, featuring
    Concertmaster Christina Neubauer as soloist. Interim Music Director Grant Cooper will make his final
    appearance on the podium as Interim and the next Music Director will be announced at that concert. A
    special reception is planned immediately following the concert.

    For tickets and more information, visit here.

  • Auburn-Based Singer Luke Mock Releases Heartfelt and Catchy Single

    Indie-pop singer/songwriter Luke Mock released his chill yet upbeat single “What You Deserve,” featuring irresistible vocal harmonies, catchy lyrics, and groovy instrumentals.

    Luke Mock

    Luke Mock is an indie-pop artist hailing from Auburn. His music immerses you in a captivating whirlwind of emotions, driven by catchy hooks, and delivered with genuine charm. With honesty and diving into his personal side at the core of Mock’s music, he forges connections and resonates with others. Compared to the likes of Shawn Mendes, Charlie Puth, and Julia Michaels, his captivating vocals and infectious pop music elements captivate audiences.

    “What You Deserve” is not your typical sad pop song, instead Luke Mock opts for an upbeat feel to the composition. Produced entirely by him with the help of a few friends, the song is professional and well thought out. The single is about Mock reflecting on a past relationship where he felt unable to provide his partner with what they deserved, primarily due to bad timing and his own journey of self-discovery, with elements of upbeat madness and sadness.

    Luke Mock

    The song immediately brings you in with an upbeat guitar and percussion, inviting the listener into his melancholy world. Fading just as fast as it started, Mock brings in his acoustic guitar, hitting your ears with his soft yet powerful vocals. Singing, “It was the wrong time/For you to walk in my life/I just couldn’t suffice/Something ’bout it all didn’t feel right,” he reflects on how he couldn’t give his partner what they needed, and it was the wrong place and wrong time. Simple yet complex, the lyrics tear at your heartstrings and leave you tearful.

    As he brings you through the first verse, the chorus suddenly pounds in your ears with infectious guitars and upbeat percussion, with overlaying harmonies. Keeping these instrumentals into the second verse, Mock sings, “It’s been a long time//Since I met someone with your heart/Oh baby right from the start/You reached your hand out but I was too far.” Although these lyrics are sad, he doesn’t let you feel that way with his energetic backing guitars and pop sensibilities. He could not give the person “what they deserve,” as the rest of the song keeps this steady rhythm, Mock tells the tragic story but adds a hopeful tone for his future.

    Luke Mock’s new song “What You Deserve” is available on all streaming services. For more information about him and to see him live, visit here.

  • Waterfall Unity Festival Announces Lineup, feat. Peter Yarrow, Theresa Bear Fox and more

    The Waterfall Unity Festival presented by The Waterfall Unity Alliance has announced its lineup, taking place at a traditional Haudenosaunee teaching longhouse in West Fulton from July 28-30.

    The Waterfall Unity Alliance is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering cultural understanding,
    promoting unity, and preserving the cultural heritage of the Haudenosaunee people. Through various
    initiatives, including the Waterfall Unity Festival and the acquisition of Iotsi’tsisons (Skywoman’s) Forever
    Farm, the Alliance strives to build alliances across movements and cultures and help create collaborative solutions to the challenges of our time. The Kanien’kehá:ka, known as the Mohawks, are celebrating the rematriation of their ancestral homelands in the Schoharie Valley with the 2023 Waterfall Unity Festival.

    We are excited to extend an invitation to individuals from all walks of life to join us at this year’s festival where we will celebrate and honor our return to our homelands. The success of our inaugural festival last summer helped us raise the necessary funds to purchase Bohringer’s Fruit Farm. It has been renamed as Iotsi’tsisons (Skywoman’s) Forever Farm – a 60-acre berry farm in the heart of Skóhare, the ancestral lands of our people where my own great-great grandmothers came from. This isn’t just a berry farm to us. These lands hold a significant part in our journey to self-discovery. We are so grateful for this opportunity to return here while creating the space needed for our people to heal and grow.

    Kawenniiosta Jock, Co-Executive
    Director of the Waterfall Unity Alliance.

    During the day festival attendees can participate in a variety of workshops, teachings, traditional social dance, vendors, food, and crafts – all aimed at fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation for the
    Kanien’kehá:ka culture. All proceeds will go directly towards building a Kanien’kehá:ka language and culture immersion program. “As we continue to walk the path of healing and sovereignty, returning to our language is crucial. Our immersion programs will ensure that our language and life-ways will be carried forward to future generations,” says Kawenniiosta.

    Performers at the Waterfall Unity Festival include Theresa Bear Fox, Peter Yarrow (Peter Paul & Mary), Keith Secola, Bethany Yarrow, Kyp Malone (TV On the Radio), Semiah Smith, Kahsenniyo Williams, Mercedes Terrance, Onondaga Women’s Singing Society, Kanerahtiio Roger Jock, Maria Esther Pallares, Tsering Lodoe, Sean Rowe, Whise, Stephanie Rooker & Ben Tyree, Rebecca Martin & Larry Grenadier, and more.

    Peter and Bethany Yarrow.

    There is a suggested donation of $40 per day. Overnight camping during the festival is available for an
    additional donation of $50 per night. For more information, tickets, and registration, please visit here.

  • Brew York Festival Returns With Headliners The Cold Stares and The Georgia Thunderbolts

    Brew York has announced it will return to Madison Barracks Polo Fields in Sackets Harbor on Aug. 26 featuring a wide variety of bands and activities.

    Brew York is an all ages event (kids 12 and under free) and features live music on two stages, as well as Beer, wine, & whiskey vendors, free tastings, food trucks, cornhole tournament, kids zone, and select craft/artisan vendors. Now in its seventh year, Brew York continues to showcase local, regional, and national acts.

    Headlining this year’s festival is The Cold Stares, an American rock band from Indiana formed in 2009. The Cold Stares have toured the world relentlessly as a duo, blowing away audiences across the US and Europe with a fierce, and powerful live show that belied their bare-bones, guitar-and-drums setup. Now, the band is embracing a whole new kind of chemistry as they launch their next chapter, adding a third member and channeling the power trio sound with their explosive new album, Voices.

    Also, headlining is The Georgia Thunderbolts, a Southern rock-infused group with a style steeped in soulful Southern swagger, blistering blues, and raw rock. Released in October of 2021, the quintet’s full-length debut Can We Get A Witness conjures a tried-and-true spirit through a fresh fire, with undeniable anthems and pulse-pounding percussion.

    The Brew York lineup also includes Mike Powell & The Echosound, The Old Main, Josh Cox & The Rattlesnakes, Undefeated, The Grizzly Ridge Band, Bread & Circuses, Joey Collins & The Creatives, and a Dusk Dance Party with “The Strictly Hip.”

    Proceeds and event donations will be split this year between sponsors and Fighting Children’s Cancer, with their newly established ROCC Charity. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit here.

  • Hip Hop Pioneer Slick Rick Added to NYS Fair Lineup

    Hip hop pioneer Slick Rick has announced he will make his New York State Fair debut on Aug. 26 at 2 p.m. as part of the statewide  I Love NY Summer of Hip Hop celebration.

    With his British accent, witty lyrics spoken through a leisurely cadence, and nasally voice, Slick Rick has one of the most recognizable voices in hip-hop. Featuring legendary lyrics and note-worthy fashion, he has inspired many artists including JAY-Z, Eminem, and Idris Elba. Dubbed “the most sampled hip-hop artist in history,” it all started in 1984 when Slick Rick – who went by “Ricky D” at the time – joined Doug E. Fresh and the Get Fresh crew to record the breakout hit, “La-Di-Da-Di.” He then signed to Def Jam Records and had several multi-platinum albums, including The Great Adventures of Slick Rick (1988) and The Art of Storytelling (1999), his highest-charting album to date.

    Not just an inspiring artist, he also is active in the New York City real estate community, providing affordable housing to communities in the Bronx. As a philanthropist, he supports efforts to fight youth incarceration and poverty, and works to raise awareness about homelessness, food insecurity, and children’s literacy. In 2020, Slick Rick and his wife co-founded the Victory Patch Foundation, which empowers underserved and overlooked communities by partnering with FreshDirect, City Harvest, and the New York City Department of Youth & Community Development.

    I Love NY Summer of Hip Hop is a statewide celebration held in partnership with cultural organizations around the state – including Lincoln Center in New York City, The Plaza in Albany, and The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester. “Since The Fair is a showcase of New York State, we also appreciate Slick Rick’s connections to New York. Hip hop was founded in The Bronx, which is where Slick Rick settled when he moved to this country at age 11, and where he spends time advocating for community causes today. It’s always great when we can highlight New Yorkers in our musical line-up!” said Sean Hennessey, Interim Fair Director.

    New York State Fair Lineup

    Chevy Court

    Aug. 23 at 1 p.m.- Chubby Checker

    Aug. 23 at 6 p.m.- Salt-N-Pepa

    Aug. 24 at 6 p.m.- Quiet Riot

    Aug. 26 at 1 p.m.- Peppa Pig Live! Peppa Pig’s Adventure 

    Aug. 26 at 6 p.m.- Julio Iglesias Jr. 

    Aug. 27 at 1 p.m.- The Prodigals

    Aug. 27 at 6 p.m.- Matt Stell

    Aug. 28 at 1 p.m.- Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone

    Aug. 28 at 6 p.m.- Anne Wilson

    Aug. 29 at 1 p.m.- Tommy James and the Shondells

    Aug. 29 at 6 p.m.- Bret Michaels

    Aug. 30 at 1 p.m.- Danielle Ponder

    Aug. 30 at 6 p.m.- Chapel Hart

    Sept. 1 at 6 p.m.- The Fray

    Sept. 2 at 12-9:45 p.m.- JAMS Funk Fest Featuring: Brick (6:45 p.m.) & Dazz Band (8:15 p.m.)

    Sun. Sept. 3 at 1 p.m.- Disney Junior Live On tour: Costume Palooza

    Sept. 4 at 12 p.m.- The High Kings

    Suburban Park

    Aug. 23 at 2 p.m.- Steven Page

    Aug. 23 at 8 p.m.- Lainey Wilson

    Aug. 24 at 8 p.m.- Theory of a Deadman

    Aug. 26 at 2 p.m.- Slick Rick

    Aug. 26 at 8 p.m.- George Thorogood and the Destroyers

    Aug. 27 at 2 p.m.- Boys World

    Aug. 28 at 8 p.m.- REO Speedwagon

    Aug. 29 at 8 p.m- Tyler Hubbard

    Aug. 30 at 8 p.m.- Ann Wilson

    Aug. 31 at 8 p.m.- Ludacris

    Sept. 1 at 8 p.m.- J.I.D.

    Sept. 2 at 8 p.m.-Quinn XCII

    Sept. 3 at 8 p.m.- Yung Gravy and bbno$

    Sept. 4 at 6 p.m.- Skid Row

  • Drom30 Festival in Hudson Valley Announces Eclectic Lineup

    Dromedary Records has announced Drom30, a weekend-long celebration of independent rock in the beautiful Hudson Valley and Catskill Mountains of New York, from Sept. 15-17.

    Drom30

    Initially brought up as a party to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Kingston micro-indie Dromedary Records, the idea evolved into a greater event.

    As more and more bands got involved, it really started to look more like a celebration of the entire community of independent rock music, and the many of us who’ve kept our toes in this water for a really long time. Some of the artists have released records with Dromedary, some have been long-time friends, and some have been artists we’ve admired from afar. We’re all going to get together in the Hudson Valley and have a big,
    weekend-long party, hopefully feel like kids again, and celebrate this amazing community of artists we’re so proud to be a part of.

    Dromedary founder Al Crisafulli.

    “We hope people plan to come out to the party and enjoy the Hudson Valley for the weekend,” explained Crisafulli, “It’s a great lineup, an excellent blend of indie rock royalty, and great bands that haven’t played together in years, and younger bands that wear their 90s indie rock influences on their sleeve.” The lineup includes a number of musical luminaries, standout DJs, and some of the most important figures in the history of indie rock. Longtime Dromedary artists and collaborators Cathedral Ceilings, The Mommyheads, Stuyvesant, Joy Cleaner, Civic Mimic, Speed the Plough, and Guy Capecelatro III will perform. Each day’s events will be headlined by indie rock legends Yung Wu, Lotion, and Das Damen, three artists who seldom perform live.

    Single-day passes are on sale now. Admission for Friday night’s events will be $25 and will take place at Tubby’s in Kingston. Admission for Saturday and Sunday events in Catskill will be $40 per day. For more information about Drom30 and to purchase tickets, visit here.

    Drom30 Lineup

    Sept 15 – 7 pm-midnight
    Tubby’s Kingston
    Yung Wu, Speed the Plough, and DJ Jeff Economy (WGXC)

    Sept 16 – 1 pm-midnight
    The Avalon & Left Bank Ciders, Catskill
    Antietam, Sleepyhead, Flower, Cathedral Ceilings, Joy Cleaner, Civic Mimic, Das Damen, French, Dots Will Echo, Guy Capecelatro III w/Carrie Bradley, DJ Mark Shue (GBV), DJ Betsy Wright (Bat Fangs), DJ Al C (Dromedary/WIOX), and DJ Nick & Lysa (WGXC).

    Sept 17 – 3 pm-midnight
    The Avalon & Spike’s Record Rack, Catskill
    Lotion, Monsterland, The Mommyheads, Jenny Toomey & Friends, Dippers, Stuyvesant, Overheard, Bela Koe-Krompecher, DJ Metal Mark (Worldsucks), and DJ JC (Rigorous/KMES).

  • SPAC Announces Dance Season in Spa Little Theatre

    Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) announced that it will present modern dance troupes Pilobolus and BalletX in the Spa Little Theatre as part of its commitment to world-class dance.

    BalletX.

    Presented as part of SPAC’s 2023-2024 fall and spring seasons, the performances mark the first time that full dance productions have been mounted in the Spa Little Theatre in decades. “There is literally nowhere else in the Capital Region to experience full dance productions in this intimate and visceral way,” says Elizabeth Sobol, President and CEO of Saratoga Performing Arts Center. 

    Kicking off the series is Pilobolus with two productions on Oct. 8, 2023, of its new Re: Creation Tour, featuring groundbreaking new pieces and beloved works from the past to create an experience both timely and timeless. Building on the success of their critically acclaimed Big Five-OH! Anniversary tour, Pilobolus moves confidently into the next half-century of creation and performance. The performances mark the SPAC debut of the company, following their participation in SPAC’s Festival of Young Artists event in 2021.

    Following their debut on the SPAC stage alongside The Philadelphia Orchestra in 2022, BalletX will grace the stage for two performances on March 16 and 17, 2024. Based in Philadelphia, BalletX is one of the nation’s premier contemporary ballet companies. They create extraordinary dance experiences that inspire human connection through live performances, dance education in Philadelphia public schools, free community pop-ups, and more. BalletX’s dancers were named “among America’s best” by The New York Times, commissioning choreographers from around the world to create dance that is “fresh, inclusive, and connects to what people want” (Philadelphia Citizen).

    Pilobolus, photo by Grant Halverson.

    The announcement follows SPAC’s spring season in the Spa Little Theatre and is part of SPAC’s mission to present year-round programming that extends beyond the traditional summer months. Additional programming for the 2023-2024 Spa Little Theatre season will be announced soon. Tickets will be available for purchase on Aug. 10, 2023.

  • Albany Latin Fest Lineup Announced

    The 2023 Albany Latin Fest have announced their lineup, returning to Washington Park in Albany on August 26 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

    Albany Latin Festival
    Latin Fest 2018, photo by Ramon D. Sanchez for NYS Music.

    Now in its 26th year, Albany Latin Fest is the largest free, multi-cultural outdoor festival in Upstate NY, with over 8,000 in attendance. The festival is dedicated to enhancing multicultural diversity and inclusion through the presentation of the rich and diverse contributions of Latino performing artists, committing to promote and present them in the local performance spaces.

    This year includes the Dominican Afro-Latino all-female ensemble Legacy Women, Lulada Club, a group of multi-national Latina females from NYC, and Boricua Legends, some of the most prolific and professional Puerto Rican musicians who have performed with the most acclaimed Latin artists. Local talent will also be presented.

    Besides music, the Albany Latin Fest features a wide array of food, arts and crafts vendors, children’s amusements, and community, government, and business information booths. For more information about the festival, visit here.