NYS Music 2023

Author: Faith Logue

  • Tanglewood, Home of Boston Symphony Orchestra, Announces 2023 Summer Lineup

    Tanglewood, a music venue in the towns of Lenox and Stockbridge in the Berkshire Hills in Western Massachusetts, has announced the lineup for their 2023 summer series, celebrating 85 years as an operating venue.

    Tanglewood
    Tanglewood exterior, photo by Aram Boghosian.

    Tanglewood has been the famed summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra since 1937, as well as the Tanglewood Music Center, and the Boston Pops. The venue welcomes more than 350,000 visitors to performances, recitals, and seminars across 500 acres. This summer, the venue is hosting a variety of events, including the Boston Pops and Film Night, Tanglewood on Parade, popular artists like Train, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, and the Steve Miller Band, along with Boston Symphony Orchestra guest conductors and performances, and more. Tanglewood welcomes all to its iconic grounds surrounded by the beautiful Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts.

    The Popular Artists Series at Tanglewood was founded in 1968 when the venue decided to expand its musical offerings with the creation of “Contemporary Trends” concerts. The purpose of the series was to present performances by popular groups representing important trends in contemporary music outside the sphere of Western “classical” music. The first few years included performances by The Association, Ravi Shankar, Chicago, and more. Over the years, the Koussevitzky Music Shed has welcomed artists such as The Who, Jefferson Airplane, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, and more. “Tanglewood has long been renowned as a classical music venue; but since the 1960s, the Popular Artists Series has added to the breadth of musical offerings and the diversity of audiences visiting the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s summer home base in the Berkshires,” says Anthony Fogg, William I. Bernell Vice President, Artistic Planning. All concerts will take place in the Koussevitzky Music Shed this summer.

    Thursday, June 22 at 8 p.m.- Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!

    NPR’s oddly informative news quiz program returns to Tanglewood, now in its 25th year. The Peabody Award-winning series offers a fast-paced, irreverent look at the week’s news, hosted by Peter Sagal and Official Judge and Scorekeeper Bill Kurtis.

    Friday, June 23 at 7 p.m.- Steve Miller Band with Very Special Guest Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers

    The Steve Miller Band is an American rock band formed in 1966, led by Steve Miller on guitar and lead vocals releasing a string of mid-to-late-1970s hit singles that are staples of classic rock, including “Fly Like An Eagle,” “The Joker,” and more. Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers support.

    Saturday, July 2 at 7:30 p.m.- Robert Plant and Alison Krauss with Special Guest JD McPherson

    Robert Plant is best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band Led Zeppelin for all of its existence from 1968 until 1980. He collaborated with bluegrass-country singer and fiddler Alison Krauss on Raising Sand in 2007 and promptly won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Their album Raise The Roof (2021) is available everywhere you can stream music. The support is JD McPherson known for his retro sound rooted in the rock and roll, rockabilly, and rhythm and blues music of the 1950s.

    Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, photo by David McClister.

    Monday and Tuesday, July 3 and 4 at 8 p.m.- James Taylor

    James Taylor is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 100 million records worldwide. He is a six-time Grammy award winner and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. James Taylor and his All-Star Band will celebrate the start of the Tanglewood season with two intimate and memorable performances, both sold out.

    Thursday, August 24 at 7 p.m.- Train with Very Special Guest Parmalee

    Since their formation in 1994, multi-GRAMMY Award-winning, diamond-selling band Train has had 14 songs on Billboard’s Hot 100, 12 albums on the Billboard 200 albums chart, and has sold more than ten million albums and 30 million tracks worldwide. Support is Parmalee, an American country music band consisting of brothers Matt Thomas and Scott Thomas, along with their cousin Barry Knox and best friend Josh McSwain.

    Thursday, August 31 at 7 p.m.- Jackson Browne

    Jackson Browne has written and performed some of the most literate and moving songs in popular music. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame in 2007. Throughout his career, he has released fourteen studio albums, four collections of live performances, two “best of” compilations, two DVDs, and several single recordings. Browne’s newest studio album Downhill From Everywhere was released in July 2021 and received a GRAMMY nomination for Best Americana Album. Tickets for this show go on sale on June 1 here.

    Jackson Browne.

    Boston Symphony Orchestra

    The Boston Symphony Orchestra, led by Andris Nelsons since 2014, will be doing its annual residency at Tanglewood this summer, at various places within the venue, including the Shed, Ozawa Hall, and the Linde Center. BSO gave its inaugural concert in 1881, and now reaches millions of listeners through performances in Boston and at Tanglewood, and also via streaming on BSO NOW, educational and community programs, radio, television, recordings, and tours.

    Boston Symphony Orchestra in the Shed, including guest conductors

    Friday, July 7 at 8 p.m.

    The Boston Symphony Orchestra’s opening concert of the season begins with Wynton Marsalis’s Herald, Holler, and Hallelujah, followed by Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3, with soloist Daniil Trifonov, and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4, led by Andris Nelsons.

    Sunday, July 9 at 2:30 p.m.

    A world premiere of Iman Habibi’s Zhiân and Jessie Montgomery’s Freedom Songs, featuring vocalist Julia Bullock, make up the first half of this program. Hilary Hahn joins the BSO and Andris Nelsons for Brahms’s Violin Concerto to finish the night off.

    Andris Nelsons, photo by Marco Borggreve.

    Saturday, July 15 at 8 p.m.

    A Nelsons-led BSO concert performance of Mozart’s opera Così fan tutte, with Nicole Cabell and Kate Lindsey in the lead female roles, with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, James Burton conductor. Will be sung in Italian with English supertitles.

    Sunday, July 16 at 2:30 p.m.

    The BSO and Andris Nelsons, joined by the Tanglewood Festival Chorus and children’s choir, perform Orff’s Carmina burana. The program opens with Beethoven’s Leonore Overture No. 3.

    Guest Conductors

    Friday, July 21 at 8 p.m.

    In her BSO debut, Xian Zhang leads the BSO and performers of Nimbus Dance in Copland’s Appalachian Spring with Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, From the New World.

    Tanglewood
    Xian Zhang, photo by Benjamin Ealovega.

    Saturday, July 22 at 10:30 a.m.

    Thomas Wilkins leads members of the BSO in a Family Program entitled May I Have Your Attention Please.

    Saturday, July 22 at 8 p.m.

    David Afkham conducts an all-Mozart program featuring pianist Martin Helmchen.

    Sunday, July 23 at 2:30 p.m.

    Thomas Wilkins returns the next day to lead a Boston Symphony Orchestra concert, with mandolin soloist Jeff Midkiff in his own concerto entitled From the Blue Ridge, along with the music of Coleridge-Taylor and Ellington.

    Friday, July 28 at 8 p.m.

    Giancarlo Guerrero leads the BSO and Lorelei Ensemble in Julia Wolfe’s Her Story (BSO co-commission). Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 finishes off the night.

    Thomas Wilkins, photo courtesy of Omaha Symphony Orchestra.

    Saturday, July 29 at 8 p.m.

    Dima Slobodeniouk leads the BSO in a program that opens with Messiaen’s Les Offrandes oubliées and includes Agata Zubel’s In the Shade of an Unshed Tear and Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé, Suite No. 2.

    Sunday, July 30, 2:30 p.m.

    BSO Assistant Conductor Anna Rakitina leads the BSO and Joshua Bell in Paganini’s Violin Concerto No. 1, with Ellen Reid’s When the World as You’ve Known It Doesn’t Exist (featuring vocalists Eliza Bagg, Martha Cluver, and Sonja DuToit Tengblad) and a suite from Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet.

    Friday, August 4 at 8 p.m.

    Emanuel Ax performs Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1 with Dima Slobodeniouk and the BSO. The program opens with John Adams’ Shaker Loops.

    Sunday, August 6 at 2:30 p.m.

    Kazuki Yamada, in his BSO debut, is joined by Lucas and Arthur Jussen for Mendelssohn’s Concerto in E for two pianos and orchestra. The program also includes Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique.

    Friday, August 11 at 8 p.m.- Guest

    Anne-Sophie Mutter joins the BSO and Nelsons for John Williams’ Violin Concerto No. 2, on a program with works by Strauss and Ravel.

    Saturday, August 12 at 8 p.m.

    Susanna Mälkki leads the BSO and Seong-Jin Cho in Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 9 in E-flat on a program with Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra.

    Tanglewood
    Susanna Mälkki, photo by Marica Rosengard.

    Sunday, August 13 at 2:30 p.m.

    Julia Adolphe’s Makeshift Castle opens the program, followed by Yo-Yo Ma performing Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1. The program closes with Stravinsky’s Petrushka (1947 version).

    Friday, August 18 at 8 p.m.

    Andris Nelsons leads the BSO in Carlos Simon’s Four Black American Dances and Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 5, Egyptian, and Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F, both with Jean-Yves Thibaudet as soloist.

    Saturday, August 19 at 8 p.m.

    Leonidas Kavakos performs Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto on a program with Prokofiev‘s Symphony No. 5.

    Special Event

    Friday, August 25 at 8 p.m.

    Emanuel Ax, Leonidas Kavakos, and Yo-Yo Ma perform an all-Beethoven program in the Shed, with the Archduke Trio and a transcription by Shai Wosner of the Fourth Symphony.

    Leonidas Kavakos, photo by Marco Borggreve.

    Ozawa Hall: Chamber Music, Recitals, Operas, Dance, Jazz, and More

    Wednesday June 28 at 8 p.m.

    In its final appearance at Tanglewood, the Emerson String Quartet, joined by Emanuel Ax, performs a new work by Sarah Kirkland Snider and works by Purcell, Shostakovich, and Dvořák.

    Thursday, June 29 at 8 p.m.

    The Knights, with conductor Eric Jacobsen, perform a new work for voice and orchestra by Chris Thile, who will also be featured as vocal soloist, and Jessie Montgomery’s Source Code for strings, with works of Bartók and Enesco.

    Thursday, July 13 at 8 p.m.

    Vocalist Julia Bullock in recital.

    Thursday, July 20 at 8 p.m.

    Philharmonia Baroque, led by Richard Egarr, performs Handel’s Acis and Galatea with singers Nicholas Mulroy, Hera Hyesang Park, Dashon Burton, and Isaiah Bell.

    Wednesday, July 26 at 8 p.m.

    The Boston Symphony Chamber Players perform works of Yehudi Wyner, Sofia Gubaidulina, Shulamit Ran, and Schumann.

    Wednesday, August 2 at 8 p.m.

    The Danish String Quartet performs the works of Schubert and Bent Sørensen.

    Tanglewood
    Danish String Quartet, photo credit by Caroline Bittencourt.

    Sunday, August 6 at 8 p.m.

    The Aaron Diehl Trio, consisting of pianist Aaron Diehl, drummer Aaron Kimmel, and bassist David Wong, presents a jazz program that includes Sir Roland Hanna’s 24 Preludes.

    Wednesday, August 9 at 8 p.m.

    Cellist Alisa Weilerstein presents FRAGMENTS 2, an immersive, multi-sensory audience experience combining music by contemporary composers with unaccompanied Bach.

    Wednesday, August 16 at 8 p.m.

    Pianist Bruce Liu presents a recital of works by Barber, Chopin, Kapustin, and Rameau.

    Sunday, August 20 at 8 p.m.

    TLI Presents the Gerald Clayton Trio.

    Tuesday, August 22 at 8 p.m.

    Vocalist Kelli O’Hara, joined by pianist Dan Lipton, performs Broadway favorites.

    Kelli O’Hara.

    Boston Pops and Film Night

    The Boston Pops Orchestra, led by Keith Lockhart, performs the best music of the past and present with a broad spectrum of styles, from jazz to pop, indie rock to big band, film music to the great American songbook, and more. They appeal to the widest possible audience due to their variety and are perfect for people who may not even like orchestras. This summer, all shows will be performed at the Shed.

    Saturday, July 8 at 8 p.m.

    The Boston Pops, Keith Lockhart, and a cast of acclaimed Broadway singers perform a new symphonic arrangement of Ragtime: The Symphonic Concert, prepared by the original creators Terrence McNally, Lynn Ahrens, and Stephen Flaherty

    Friday, July 14 at 8 p.m.

    The Boston Pops and Keith Lockhart present an All-Gershwin program with artist Michael Feinstein and pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet joining forces for a celebration of the music of this iconic American composer.

    Tanglewood
    Keith Lockhart, photo by Hilary Scott.

    Saturday, August 5 at 8 p.m.

    John Williams’ Film Night, with conductors John Williams and David Newman, features classic film clips and favorite film score themes from the silver screen.

    Saturday, August 26 at 8 p.m.

    Keith Lockhart leads Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone™ in Concert, with John Williams’ score performed by the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra while the film is presented on high-definition screens.

    Sunday, August 27 at 2:30 p.m

    Star Wars: The Story in Music features Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops performing the most memorable music from the sprawling saga of all nine Star Wars movies composed by John Williams.

    Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra Concerts

    The Tanglewood Music Center (TMC) offers an intensive schedule of study and performance for emerging professional instrumentalists, singers, conductors, librarians, and composers. Applications are now open to be a part of the TMC, for more information, visit here. Chamber music and recital programs presented by the young Fellows of the TMC are free of charge and take place throughout the summer

    Conductor & TMCO Alum Karina Canellakis Leads Orchestra. Photo by Hilary Scott.

    Sunday, July 23 at 8 p.m. Ozawa Hall

    Xian Zhang conducts Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 6 on a program with works by Strauss and Gabriela Lena Frank led by TMC Conducting Fellows.

    Monday, August 7 at 8 p.m. Ozawa Hall

    Dima Slobodeniouk conducts Sibelius’ Symphony No. 2 on a program with works by Rachmaninoff and Ravel led by TMC Conducting Fellows.

    Monday, August 14 at 8 p.m. Ozawa Hall

    Dame Jane Glover, in her Tanglewood debut, conducts Brahms’ Symphony No. 2 on a program with Britten and Dvořák led by TMC Conducting Fellows.

    Sunday, August 20 at 2:30 p.m. Shed

    Susanna Mälkki returns to the podium for the final orchestra program of the summer, leading the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra, Tanglewood Festival Chorus, and soloists Amanda Majeski, J’Nai Bridges, Stephen Costello, and Ryan Speedo Green in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and spirituals from Tippett’s A Child of Our Time.

    Tanglewood
    Tanglewood Lawn with an audience, photo by Hilary Scott.

    Festival of Contemporary Music Performances

    The Festival of Contemporary Music (FCM) is one of the world’s premier showcases for works from the current musical landscape and landmark pieces from the new music vanguard of the 20th century. Recitals and many concerts are free of charge. FCM opens with “In Conversation: Curators of the Festival of Contemporary Music and Michael Gandolfi” on Thursday, July 27, at 1 p.m. in the Linde Center.

    Thursday, July 27 at 8 p.m. Ozawa Hall

    The music of FCM Co-curator Gabriela Lena Frank (Milagros, Sonata Serrana No. 1, and Las Sombras de los Apus) is included in FCM’s first musical program, which also includes Bartók’s Contrasts.

    Friday, July 28 at 2:30 p.m. Ozawa Hall

    Works by FCM Co-curator Anna Thorvaldsdottir (Spectra, Reminiscence I, II, III, IV, V, VI, and VII, Hrim, Aequilibria, and Ró) highlight this program. Kurtág’s 12 Microludes and Six Moments Musicaux also are performed.

    Saturday, July 29 at 4 p.m. Linde Center

    TLI Presents: A Curated Concert by Reena Esmail (FCM Co-curator), featuring Indian classical vocalist Saili Oak, in an all-Esmail program.

    Saturday, July 29 at 6 p.m. Ozawa Hall

    Prelude Concert with the Tanglewood Music Center

    Ozawa Hall & Lawn, photo by Stu Rosner.

    Sunday, July 30 at 10 a.m. Ozawa Hall

    Interspersed with music by FCM Co-curator Tebogo Monnakgotla (It is the Lark that Sings, Five Pieces for String Trio, Le dormeur du val, Toys [or The Wonderful World of Clara], and Companion) are works by Malin Bång (Arching), Andile Khumalo (Schaufe[r]nster II), and Bent Sørensen (The Lady of Shalott).

    Sunday, July 30 at 8 p.m. Linde Center

    Experience a silent film screening of a score written by TMC Composition Fellows and performed live by TMC Fellows

    Monday, July 31 at 8 p.m. Ozawa Hall

    Works by all four curators are featured in the closing concert, with Stefan Asbury and TMC Conducting Fellows leading the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra in Esmail’s RE / Member, Thorvaldsdottir’s METACOSMOS, Monnakgotla’s Un Clin d’oeil, and Frank’s Walkabout: Concerto for Orchestra.

    For more information about the Tanglewood 2023 season and to purchase tickets, visit here.

  • Fear of Strangers, one of the Original DIY Albany Bands, Announces Reunion at Lark Hall on November 4

    Fear of Strangers, originally known as The Units, is an Albany-based quartet that revolutionized the DIY era of the city during the 70s with its simple, melodic rock and clever lyrics. The band announced they will be doing a reunion show at Lark Hall on June 2.

    Update – this show has been moved to November 4th. Read a message from the band below.

    Dear devoted fans and FOS curious, we’re sorry to have to postpone our FOS/Units reunion show at Lark Hall. We’ve had a personal injury within the band. Everyone is fine and it’s not something too serious or life-threatening, but still it would hamper our performance. We want to put on the best show that we can, so we hope you’ll find it worth waiting for. The rescheduled date is Saturday, November 4, 2023 at Lark Hall. Check this page for updates as the date approaches and we hope everyone can still make it!

    The Units came onto the Albany DIY scene with their fresh energy of punk and new wave, fusing the luster of Steely Dan, the thump of Parliament/Funkadelic, and the firm edge of the Talking Heads. They traded the name for the ferocious and catchier Fear of Strangers, going from doing covers of whatever was hot at the moment to creating their own fresh and catchy covers. The quartet is comprised of bassist Steve Cohen, vocalist ‘Lonesome’ Val Haynes, drummer Al Kash, and guitarist Todd Nelson.

    Fear of Strangers
    Photos by Dave Suarez and Lynne Harty.

    They released their debut single “Japan” b/w “I am Sorry” in December 1979 under the name The Units, and once they changed their name they released their only album in 1982 on the Faulty Products label. The band became one of the most prolific ones to come out of the late 70s DIY scene in Albany, eventually opening shows for like-minded pioneers including The Police, Squeeze, XTC, The Specials, B-52’s, and R.E.M. In 1983, the band called it quits, but Cohen, Haynes, Kash, and Nelson have all made music in other realms and in other cities.

    The band will be hosting a Fear of Strangers/The Units Reunion Show on June 2 at Lark Hall, dedicated to the memory of Lin Brehmer, shining a light on the beginnings of the underground Albany scene, serving as a powerful reminder that the scene is still bright and beaming. Upstate New York’s premiere acoustic Americana trio, Lost Radio Rounders, will start the evening off at 8 p.m. For more information about the event and to purchase tickets, visit here.

  • The Park Theater Foundation Shares 2023 Summer Series Concerts Lineup

    The Park Theater Foundation announced the return of its free Summer Series Concerts at the Crandall Park Bandshell taking place each Friday evening (7-8:30 p.m.) from June 30-July 28.

    The Park Theater Foundation

    The Park Theater Foundation free Summer Series Concerts returns for its third annual installment at the Crandall Park Bandshell in Glens Falls (rain location is The Park Theater) from June 30-July 28. There are five performances, each running 90 minutes, featuring local and regional musicians. This free concert series will serve to enhance the accessibility of the arts within the local community. “What started out as an experiment during the pandemic has quickly become staple programming for our organization. I couldn’t be happier to be back at it again this summer and to be expanding the series with an additional concert in June. We look forward to seeing everyone back outside for some incredible live performances!” said Executive Director, Chris Ristau.

    Summer Series Concerts Lineup

    The Park Theater Foundation is thrilled to expand its 2023 Summer Series Concerts with an additional free performance hosted at The Barn at French Mountain in Lake George on June 16. Groups featured include Dr. Funke’s 100% Natural Good Time Family Band – A Superjam Event with members of Chestnut Grove, Let’s Be Leonard, and Wild Adriatic, plus special guests.

    Friday, June 30 – The Ladles

    The Ladles have three-part female harmony perfected, but their sound is more than that. They have sophisticated arrangements, creating a dreamy otherworldly atmosphere that draws audiences in and demands attention. The group consists of Katie Martucci, Caroline Kuhn, and Lucia Pontoniere.

    Friday, July 7 – Hot Club of Saratoga

    The Hot Club of Saratoga is a swing collective that plays music that reflects the style of The Quintet of the Hot Club of France that were prominent in the 1930s.

    Friday, July 14 – Reese Fulmer & The Carriage House Band

    Reese Fulmer & The Carriage House Band are quickly rising stars in the Capital Region, featuring over a dozen top regional players. Fulmer is a bit of an old soul, and his music is reminiscent of Justin Townes Earle, Jeffrey Foucault, John Prine, and Iron & Wine. The group won the 2023 Americana Artist of the Year at the Eddie Awards.

    Reese Fulmer & The Carriage House Band.

    Friday, July 21 – The Clements Brothers

    The Clements Brothers, George and Charles, create music with roots, rock, bluegrass, jazz, and classical influences, showcasing their stunning vocal harmonies, instrumental virtuosity, and a genuine love of music. The brothers are former members of the internationally touring grass-roots band, The Lonely Heartstring Band. 

    Friday, July 28 – Girl Blue

    Saratoga Springs native Girl Blue, or Arielle O’Keefe, writes deeply emotional songs with strong singable hooks, reminiscent of Alanis Morissette and Brandi Carlisle. She’s been featured on top Spotify playlists (New Music Friday) and charts (#2 on US Viral Charts), in national commercials, on top blogs like the Huffington Post, and has received seven Eddie Awards.

    For more information about the Park Theater Foundation, visit here.

  • Julica Dann, Prom Sex, And Brian Kaplan Featured on This Week’s EQXposure

    Each Sunday evening from 7-9 p.m. you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up-and-coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear new music from Julica Dann, Prom Sex, and Brian Kaplan.

    Julica Dann, Prom Sex, and Brian Kaplan.

    WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.

    Julica Dann – “Side Grit”

    Julica Dann is Erica Ann’s indie/electro music-making Gemini Twin. She has been making music and involved with bands for years but wanted to branch out to do completely solo music. She started with an old drum machine making beats along with her bass playing skills and has grown to include computer samples as well. Her song “Side Grit” off of her record On Hold, released in 2019, will be played on EQXposure.

    Prom Sex – “The Thinker”

    Prom Sex is a DIY noise rock project from Upstate New York. Originally starting as an experimental noise project fronted by Alex Furnia, it has since developed into an electric, rock-oriented group, enlisting the songwriting talent of Alex’s twin brother Nick on later EPs and their most recent album, DEATH OF THE BODY.

    Brian Kaplan – ”Harder to Stay”

    Award-winning singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and recording artist Brian Kaplan has fronted his genre-bending original projects since 2001. His original music has made its way onto the playlists of some of the most prominent regional radio stations in the Northeast. His various projects have opened for or shared the stage with such monster acts as BB King, blink-182, moe., Widespread Panic, Jerry Garcia Band, and more.

  • New York Philharmonic Announces Concerts in the Parks in June

    The New York Philharmonic announces Concerts in the Parks, Presented by Didi and Oscar Schafer, will return this June 13-16.

    New York Philharmonic Concerts in the Parks

    The Concert in the Parks series has become an iconic New York summer experience since it began in 1965. It transformed parks across the city into a patchwork of picnickers and allowed them to hear classical music under the stars. More than 15 million listeners have been delighted by the performances
    since their inception.

    “Music and nature — two vital human needs — come together with the Concerts in the Parks,” said NY Phil Chairman Emeritus Oscar S. Schafer. “More than any other experience, it is a time when New Yorkers can come together to simply enjoy themselves outdoors. Didi and I can’t wait to join tens of thousands of our neighbors and visitors to enjoy this magnificent Orchestra perform in parks across the city.” Music Director Jaap van Zweden will conduct the concerts, which take place at Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx (June 13); the Great Lawn in Central Park, Manhattan (June 14); Cunningham Park, Queens (June 15); and Prospect Park, Brooklyn (June 16).

    Jaap van Zweden began his tenure as the 26th Music Director of the New York Philharmonic in September 2018. He has also served as Music Director of the Hong Kong Philharmonic since 2012. He has conducted performances on three continents, and at age 19 he became the youngest-ever concertmaster of Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Speaking about the Concerts in the Parks, Zweden said “This season, I look forward to returning to conduct the New York Philharmonic Concerts in the Parks, which are such an important tradition in New York City. These special events give all New Yorkers, as well as visitors to our city, an opportunity to experience the NY Phil in beautiful outdoor settings and at the same time enjoy our New York City parks throughout all the boroughs.”

    Jaap van Zweden.

    The program will include Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, Rossini’s William Tell Overture, J. Strauss II’s Die Fledermaus Overture and On The Beautiful Blue Danube, and works by two New York Philharmonic Very Young Composers. All four outdoor performances will begin at 8:00 p.m. and conclude with fireworks. In addition, musicians from the New York Philharmonic will perform a Free Indoor Concert, on Sunday, June 18, 2023, at 4:00 p.m., at St. George Theatre in Staten Island.

  • Glove Theatre Receives Official New York State Historic Marker

    The Glove Theatre in Gloversville will receive an official NYS Historic Marker under the venue’s marquee, unveiling on Saturday, June 3 at 2 p.m.

    The Glove Theatre
    The Glove Theatre.

    The Glove Theatre opened in 1914 and hosted movies, music, vaudeville, and civic events, and in 1920 it became the flagship theatre and home office of Schine Enterprises until 1965. In 1971 the venue officially closed, though it did have a few civic engagements during that decade, and reopened in Oct. of 1997 with the “The Phantom of the Glove.”

    It is a non-profit organization dedicated to establishing an accessible expression platform for the arts that engages, entertains, and educates the regional community, giving economic opportunities to the Southern Adirondack and Mohawk Valley regions. The historic Glove Theatre will be honored with an official NYS Historic Marker, only the second granted in Gloversville.

    This historic marker honors the legacy of the Glove Theatre as an arts venue within the city for the past 109 years. Immediately following the historic marker’s dedication, the Glove Theatre Museum will reopen with a new exhibition, featuring newly discovered artifacts and photographs detailing the rich history of the Glove Theatre, its century of performers, important civic events, and headquarters of the Schine movie empire.

    Glove Theatre Vice President and Historian Alex Miller.

    The unveiling ceremony will be on Saturday, June 3 at 2 p.m. prior to the Southern Adirondacks Food and Wine Festival and Glove Cities Arts Alliance 2023 Arts Walk. For more information, visit here.

  • Live Nation Launches Festival Weekend: $99 One-Day Tickets, Includes Gov Ball, Catbird, And More

    For the first time ever, Live Nation is expanding its annual Concert Week promotion to include festivals. Festival Weekend brings fans an unbeatable deal: $99 all-in 1-day tickets to a variety of 2023 festivals, including Gov. Ball, Catbird, and more.

    Festival Weekend

    Festival Weekend features over a dozen festivals across North America, with a variety of genres, for example, country rock, hip hop, afrobeat, and more. There is a limited amount of $99 all-in 1-day tickets available for purchase as part of Concert Week’s Festival Weekend, including Gov Ball in New York City (June 9-11) and Catbird Music Festival in Bethel (Aug. 19-20).

    Tickets will be available starting Friday, May 19 at 10 a.m. ET through Monday, May 22 at 11:59 p.m. local time, or while inventory lasts. Festival Weekend tickets are all-in, meaning all fees are already included upfront in the $99 price. When the weekend ends, so does the sale, so fans are encouraged to act fast. To purchase tickets, visit here.

    Participating Festivals

    Adjacent Festival – Atlantic City, NJ – May 27-28

    Afro Nation – Miami, FL – May 27-28

    Broccoli City Festival – Washington, DC – July 15-16

    Catbird Music Festival – Bethel, NY – Aug 19-20

    FairWell Festival – Redmond, OR – July 21-23

    FORMAT Festival – Bentonville, AR – Sep 22-24

    Gov Ball – New York, NY – June 9-11

    Greenville Country Music Fest – Greenville, SC – Oct 20-22

    lavender wild – Toronto, ON – June 4

    One Fine Day Festival – Philadelphia, PA – September 9

    Roots Picnic – Philadelphia, PA – June 2-4

    Sound on Sound Music Festival – Bridgeport, CT – Sept 30-Oct 1 

    TidalWave Music Festival – Atlantic City, NJ – Aug 11-13

  • Alive At Five 2023 Lineup Features Hawthorne Heights, Rakim, Side B, And More

    Albany’s Alive at Five Summer Concert Series has announced its 2023 lineup, featuring a wide variety of artists and bands at Jennings Landing.

    Photo provided by City of Albany Office of Cultural Affairs, credit to Andrzej Pilarczyk .

    Alive at Five was created in 1990 with a performance by legendary folk artist Richie Havens and has since grown into a staple of the Capital Region. It is Albany’s signature free concert series, featuring eight weeks full of various artists, from big names to up-and-coming acts, and artists from the area. Concerts will take place on Thursdays from 4:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m., from June 8 to Aug. 3 (excluding June 29).

    Alive at Five Lineup

    June 8- Emo Pride Night with Hawthorne Heights and Bad Luck

    Hawthorne Heights is a rock band from Dayton, OH formed in 2001. Their lineup currently consists of JT Woodruff, Matt Ridenour, Mark McMillon, and Chris Popadak. Their newest record The Rain Just Follows Me (2021) is out now. Bad Luck is a punk band from Brooklyn consisting of Dominick Fox, Joe Fox, Charlie Caruso, and Michael Sichel. They write music about life, with stories of heartache, growth, setbacks, and personal triumphs, as seen on their most recent album Summer of Pain, a 12-song collection that serves as a bridge between childhood ambition and adult realism.

    Hawthorne Heights.
    Bad Luck. From left to right: Joseph Fox, Dominick Fox, Charlie Caruso & Michael Sichel.

    June 15- Jam Night with Mihali and Side-B

    Mihali is the frontman of Twiddle, who announced their hiatus last year, and a reggae singer/songwriter. He released his solo debut Breathe and Let Go, in 2020 to great acclaim. His most recent record Effection is out now. Born out of Albany, Side-B is an energetic four-piece alternative rock band that blends influences ranging from classic rock acts like Led Zeppelin and The Police to funk, blues, jazz, punk, folk, and modern alternative. The group has a few singles released, and is now working towards finishing their debut record.

    Mihali.
    Side-B, from left-to-right: Dylan Travison, AJ Horton, Eric Mitchell, Ian Justino.

    June 22- Country Night with Matt Stell and Skeeter Creek

    Matt Stell has accumulated over 360 million streams across his catalog to date. He is adding to this tally with his newest single, “That Ain’t Me No More,” the follow-up to his back-to-back No. 1, Platinum-certified track “Prayed For You” and Gold-certified “Everywhere But On.” He was the first-ever artist to receive a virtual plaque from the RIAA for “Prayed For You,” one of NSAI’s 10 “Songs We Wish We’d Written,” and performed the National anthem for NASCAR and NFL events. Skeeter Creek is advertised as New York’s #1 Country Band. They were nominated for four awards at the 2005 Northeast Country Music Association awards: Bluegrass Band of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year, Instrumental Band of the Year, and the Sunrise Award, among many others since their creation.

    Matt Stell.
    Skeeter Creek.

    July 6- Rock Night with Plush and Super 400

    Plush is an all-girl rock band with a mission to bring rock back to the forefront of the music industry. The band consists of lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist Moriah Formica, lead guitarist Bella Perron, bassist Ashley Suppa, and drummer Faith Powell. Their debut album featured the Billboard Top 40 charting singles “Hate” and “Better Off Alone.” Super 400 is made up of drummer Joe Daley, guitarist Kenny Hohman, and bassist Lori Friday. The Troy-based trio formed in 1996 and their self-titled debut was released on Island Records two years later. They have toured internationally, and Troy’s mayor even declared February 25 as “Super 400 Day.” They opened Troy Music Academy in 2011 and have scored music for many TV shows.

    Plush.
    Super 400.

    July 13- Classic Rock Night with Sweet and Sly Fox & The Hustlers

    Sweet is a classic rock phenomenon, creating music that will make you want to get up and dance. Sly Fox & The Hustlers is a New York-based rock band formed in 2010. They have been named Best Original Blues Rock Band multiple times by Albany’s Metroland magazine and have released two full-length albums, a live EP, a Christmas cover of the Ray Charles classic “That Spirit of Christmas,” and are finishing up their new album.

    Sly Fox & The Hustlers.

    July 20- Regose Night with The Skatalites and Dr. Jah and the Love Prophets

    The Skatalites were formed in 1964 in Kingston, Jamaica by key studio musicians Tommy McCook, Rolando Alphonso, Lloyd Brevett, Lloyd Knibb, Don Drummond, Jah Jerry Haynes, Jackie Mittoo, Johnny Moore, and Jackie Opel. Since then they have released eight studio albums, including the two Grammy-nominated albums, Hi-Bop Ska The 30th Anniversary Recording and Greetings from Skamania. Dr. Jah and the Love Prophets have been bringing the reggae heat for over 25 years. Their original blend of conscious reggae and jam-band sensibilities have entertained audiences around the globe.

    The Skatalites.
    Dr. Jah and the Love Prophets.

    July 27- Hip-Hop Night with Rakim, DJ J-Ronin, and Camtron 5000

    Rakim is a rapper from Long Island, widely regarded as one of the most influential and most skilled MCs of all time. He is a solo artist and was one-half of the golden age hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim. DJ J-Ronin is a multitude of things, ranging from a mixtape DJ to a manager, born and raised in Flatbush. He is the founder of the All Elements Crew, an international hip-hop organization that has chapters around the world. Finally, Camtron 5000 is a rapper from Albany, making music that is an extension of who he is as a person.

    Rakim, photo by Jill Greenberg.
    DJ J-Ronin, photo by Jammi York.
    Camtron 5000, seen left.

    Aug. 3- RSB Night with Montell Jordan and DJ TGIF

    Montell Jordan is a singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known for his 1995 single “This Is How We Do It,” and was the primary male solo artist on Def Jam’s Def Soul imprint until leaving the label in 2003. DJ TGIF aka Craig Earle, is one of Upstate New York’s most in-demand DJs, performing regularly to both late-night sold-out crowds and family-friendly events alike. He was recently awarded the honor of the Albany Business Review’s 40 Under 40.

    Montell Jordan performs live on stage during the 2023 Freestyle Explosion Throw Back Jam at Watsco Center on March 11, 2023, in Coral Gables, Florida. (Photo by Johnny Louis/Getty Images)

    For more information about Alive at Five 2023, visit here.

  • Music Industry Organizations Launch Fix The Tix Coalition

    A group of live event industry organizations and professionals has come together to form a new coalition called Fix The Tix. Their mission is to protect fans from price gouging and deceptive ticketing practices.

    Fix The Tix

    Concert ticketing is currently a hot-button issue in the industry and beyond due to unfair practices by big ticketing monopolies like Ticketmaster gouging the prices on tickets so fans aren’t able to afford them, while also making buying a ticket nearly impossible for big artists. For example, the Taylor Swift Eras Tour left many fans out in the parking lot without tickets due to the company’s poor planning and execution of the tour’s presale. Fix The Tix is a new coalition formed by some of the biggest names in the industry, including the Recording Academy, Dice, Universal Music Groups, RIAA, and more.

    They haven’t provided a lot of information for what their plans are yet, but have said that their goal is “to collectively advocate for a ticketing experience better than the nightmare many fans and artists currently navigate… We are coming together to protect fans from price gouging and deceptive and predatory ticketing practices”. With some of the biggest venues, promoters, and producers backing them, the coalition’s plans may change the way ticketing is done in the future.

    Notably, Ticketmaster and Live Nation are left off the list of nineteen organizations joining the coalition. For more information about Fix The Tix, and to possibly join, visit here.

  • Music Forward Foundation forms Partnership with Northwell Health and Jones Beach Theater

    Jones Beach has joined forces with the Music Forward Foundation and Northwell Health, New York’s largest healthcare provider, to provide students in underserved communities with a series of music industry career-readiness programs, equipping them with the necessary skills and resources to succeed in their chosen field.

    Music Forward @ Jones Beach Theater, a community partnership with Northwell Health, will help high school students and community partners across Long Island engage in a series of music industry career-readiness programs, including venue tours and paid internships. The program offers students interested in live music careers exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the iconic Jones Beach Theater, and teaches them skills associated with producing live music events, such as talent acquisition, venue operations, live production, marketing, ticketing, and more.

    The Northwell Health at Jones Beach is a 15,000-seat amphitheater in Wantagh, one of two major outdoor arenas in the New York metropolitan area. Each summer they bring in thousands with their summer concert series. This year some of the star-studded acts coming to the venue include TLC, the Steve Miller Band, Counting Crows, Big Time Rush, Matchbox Twenty, Goo Goo Dolls, The Lumineers, and more.

    Music Forward transforms young lives, inspires careers, and champions a more inclusive music industry. “The crew at Jones Beach is grateful to Northwell and Music Forward for collaborating with us to create this program,” said Adam Citron, General Manager of Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater. “The amphitheater is an important part of the community and a great place to start a career. Our entire crew looks forward to helping the students get their start in the music industry.” Twelve graduating high school seniors will be selected for the program’s inaugural seven-week paid internship, taking place in July and August, learning the skills necessary to start their careers in the highly competitive music industry.

    Through this partnership, Northwell Health and Music Forward will help remove barriers and increase access and opportunity for BIPOC youth, young women, and under-represented communities within the music and live entertainment industry. For more information about the program, visit here.