Author: Gabriel Glynn-Habron

The Renaissance Black Film Festival Arrives In Albany this June

The first annual Renaissance Black Film Festival (RBFF) is coming to Albany, running June 22–25 at the historic Palace Theatre and the extravagant Renaissance Hotel. With both venues located in the capital’s historic downtown, attendees will easily be able to navigate between each location.

RBFF puts a spotlight on Black artists and creatives within the film industry and recognizes New York’s Capital Region as a burgeoning hotbed for filmmaking. RBFF will show films from a plethora of Black filmmakers across the country, with awards and cash prizes going to Best Narrative Feature, Best Documentary Feature, Best Narrative Short, Best Documentary Short, and Best First Project.

The festival is led by entrepreneur and the Palace Theatre’s Executive Director Kevin Johnson, filmmaker Micah Khan, creative agency Collectiveffort, and supported by its’ ambassador, NAACP Image Award recipient Morris Chestnut. Panelists and honorary board members include Gail Bean of FX’s hit show Snowfall and acclaimed screenwriter and director Jamal Hill who’s worked on films such as I am Legend, among many others.

“Over the last decade, we’ve seen about 20 productions come to the area, each growing larger and larger. The secret of the flexibility, affordability and overall beauty of our area has gotten out and folks that are here should be ready to join the industry as it lays roots,” says Collectiveffort Co-founder Patrick Harris.

In addition to the screenings, RBFF will host a series of panel discussions, networking events, public afterparties, an award ceremony, and a few special surprise screenings.

The festival’s curators are accepting submissions up until June 7. Starting Friday, May 26 tickets are on sale here. Tickets are also available for purchase at the Palace Theatre Box Office (located at 19 Clinton Ave). Box Office hours are Monday – Friday Noon to 5PM.

May 27, 2023
Rochester Canalside Summer Concert Series Returns With Eagles Tribute Band And Local Artists

The Dawn Lipson Canalside outdoor Concert Series at the Rochester Jewish Community Center recently released its summer lineup. Acts include everything from legendary tribute shows to original music by local acts.

Originally born out of the Covid pandemic, the concert series is in its third season of music and events. The covered tent venue holds hundreds of visitors with the option to expand for larger performances.

Something new coming to the venue is the “Music Mondays” series which features two local Rochester musicians at every event. The series also begins with an open mic segment to start each evening.

More events are expected to be announced soon. The full concert series can be found here.

Summer Schedule

June 3- Chris Wilson & Bryan Ayers: A Tribute to Simon & Garfunkel

Upstate New York singers Chris Wilson and Brian Ayers celebrate the music of legendary duo Simon and Garfunkel.

June 10- Bad Sneakers: The Music of Steely Dan and Donald Fagen

Bad Sneakers is a Rochester based band that includes current and past members of Hard Logic, Prime Time Funk, Goodness, The Klick, The Bill Tiberio Band, and The Earthtones. The infectious groove they lay down, along with their precise and dedicated approach to the music will have diehard, as well as new, Steely Dan fans smiling from the first note.

June 15- Thank You For The Music: ABBA’s Greatest Hits

Packed with your favorite tunes and featuring a crew of amazing singers and musicians, this tribute to the internationally beloved Swedish supergroup was created exclusively for the JCC Concert Series by Jessica Ann Best.

June 17- Philadelphia Freedom: The Ultimate Elton John Tribute

Philadelphia Freedom prides itself on being the most realistic Elton John tribute currently touring. Doug Delescavage is Elton John as he was in his 20s, full of joy and unlimited energy, his top notch band through all the hits of Elton’s career.

July 9- The Eaglez: Western New York’s Eagles’ Tribute Band

The Eaglez are Western New York’s own Eagles’ tribute band. The group pays particular attention to the rich harmony vocals that the legendary Eagles are famous for. An Eaglez concert features not only the Eagles’ biggest hits, but also solo songs written and recorded by Joe Walsh, Glenn Frey, and Don Henley.

July 22- Public Water Supply

Public Water Supply is an Alt. Country/Indie Rock act out of Rochester. PWS consists of five university-trained musicians, blending distinctive songwriting, spectacular vocals, and incredible instrumentalists. The members include: Iggy Marino, frontman; Adrianna Noone, lead singer; Karis Gregory, Jr., lead guitar; Alex Brophy, team captain and bass; and Spencer Kornrich, bus driver and drums. PWS dropped their debut self-titled album earlier this year.

July 23- Ronstadt Revue

Linda Ronstadt, an 11-time Grammy winner who has sold over 100 million albums in country, rock, Latin, Motown, and even Broadway music, is no longer performing publicly. Fortunately, her musical legacy now lives on through Gesenia and her Ronstadt Revue. Every Ronstadt Revue show features performances in both English and Spanish, and covers every musical genre of Ms. Ronstadt’s 40+ year career. Two of Ronstadt’s own band members are currently co-producing and featured on the upcoming Ronstadt Revue album.

July 30- The Joint is Jumpin’: Songs of the Harlem Renaissance

Music historian Michael Lasser, singers Connie Fredericks Malone, and Reuben J. Tapp, and accompanist Scott Bradley celebrate the centennial of The Harlem Renaissance. Rediscover this historic time period by listening to the songs of Duke Ellington and Thomas “Fats” Waller.

August 17- Both Sides Now: The Music of Joni Mitchell

Singer and songwriter Kelly Shapiro is joined by musicians Mike Shapiro and Siena Facciolo for a deep dive into the songbook of the legendary Joni Mitchell.

Music Mondays

June 5- Marshay Dominique and Miriam Morelli

June 12- Sarah DeValliere and Emily Champion

July 10- Kelly Izzo Shapiro and Levi Gangi

July 24- Cami Enaharo and Chris Wilson

August 7- Kara Fink and Bret Levick

August 21- Brian McCormick, Jerry Falzone, and Lou Sweigman

May 27, 2023
Lil Durk to Perform At Barclays Center As Part Of “Sorry For The Drought” Tour

Chicago rapper Lil Durk visits New York to perform at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on August 5. The stop is part of the artist’s “Sorry For The Drought” tour, to go along with his upcoming album Almost Healed which is set to drop on May 26. He’ll be joined by Kodak Black, NLE Choppa, and DD Osama throughout most of the tour.

Lil Durk burst onto the mainstream rap scene in 2020 with two gold albums Just Cause Y’all Waited 2 and The Voice. Durk’s biggest success came in 2021 with his widely acclaimed joint album Voice of the Heroes with Atlanta trap artist Lil Baby. The project debuted atop the Billboard Top 200 chart, the first of Lil Durk’s albums to do so. In total 16 tracks off the album appeared on the Billboard Hot 100, propelling the album to platinum status by 2022.

Lil Durk has released a handful of singles and features over the last year, including his most recent track “All My Life” with J. Cole and has appeared on songs with Don Toliver and GloRilla. The Chicago native also helped to start the label and collective “OTF”, which featured the late drill artist King Von.

The tour gets underway on July 28. Presale tickets can be purchased beginning on Wednesday, May 17 with general tickets dropping on Thursday, May 18 here and here.

SORRY FOR THE DROUGHT 2023 TOUR DATES:

Fri Jul 28 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheater

Sat Jul 29 – Atlanta, GA – Lakewood Amphitheatre

Sun Jul 30 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion

Tue Aug 01 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach

Thu Aug 03 – Camden, NJ – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion

Fri Aug 04 – Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena

Sat Aug 05 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center

Sun Aug 06 – Boston, MA – Xfinity Center

Tue Aug 08 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center

Wed Aug 09 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage

Fri Aug 11 – Chicago, IL – United Center

Sun Aug 13 – Indianapolis, IN – Ruoff Music Center

Tue Aug 15 – Detroit, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre

Wed Aug 16 – Cleveland, OH – Blossom Music Center

Fri Aug 18 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre

Sat Aug 19 – Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center

Mon Aug 21 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center

Tue Aug 22 – New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Center

Wed Aug 23 – Austin, TX – Moody Center

Fri Aug 25 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater

Sat Aug 26 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena

Tue Aug 29 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena

Wed Aug 30 – Portland, OR – RV Inn Styles Resort Amphitheater

Fri Sep 01 – Oakland, CA – Oakland Arena

Sat Sep 02 – San Diego, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre

Wed Sep 06 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum

Thu Sep 07 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre

May 25, 2023
Brooklyn duo Robinson & Rohe set to perform in NYC as new album “Into the Night” releases
Brooklyn might not be the place where you’d imagine the next great American folk band to come from, but Liam Robinson and Jean Rohe are looking to change that. The duo has been channeling the sounds of Appalachia and the soul of America since they met over 15 years ago. After exploring their musicality as individuals, Robinson and Rohe drop their next album Into the Night on Friday, May 26th.

In a musical landscape that is often ripe with generic lyrics and songs made to “trend” on social media, Into the Night is a breath of fresh air. Punctuated by rhythmic guitar strums, bright banjo beats, passionate vocals, and simple but powerful drums, Into the Night does enough to stay engaging without straying too far away from its traditional influences.

Although the project is undeniably folk-inspired, elements of rock, bluegrass, jazz, and even pop are found throughout the 11-song album. The real standout element of Into the Night however is Robinson & Rohe’s writing and lyricism, which often comes across more like well-crafted lines of poetry than the lyrics of a song.

The album begins with the feel-good title track “Into the Night” which acts as the perfect introduction to the overall tone and atmosphere of the project. Robinson & Rohe put together one of their best and most harmonious vocal performances of the entire album. The pair’s soulful singing gives way to the steady beat of drums and the intricate sounds of a fiddle as the track reaches its climax. The first half of the album also features the songs “Off track” and “Where I’m Coming From”, which both help to demonstrate the project’s strong instrumentation and production.

Another gem is “One Last Waltz”, which invites the listener to reflect on time, love, and the brevity of life. Its poetic lyrics and powerful cascade of horns, drums, and guitars act as a comforting “goodbye” as the album nears its end. While Into the Night doesn’t reinvent the wheel when it comes to contemporary folk music, Robinson & Rohe display their songwriting and arrangement skills on just about every track. Together, the duo crafts a project that is not only impressive in its musical value, but also approachable for anyone looking to hear something shaped by the heart.

Robinson & Roe will celebrate Into the Night in New York City at Rockwood Music Hall on June 4th. The full list of upcoming performances can be found below:
- May 31, 2023- Parlor Room/Northampton, MA
- June 1, 2023- Passim/Boston, MA
- June 2, 2023- The Word Barn/Exeter, NH
- June 4, 2023- Rockwood Music Hall/New York, NY
May 25, 2023
St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater 2023 Summer Lineup Includes Phish, Counting Crows, Shania Twain And Many More

St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater in Syracuse has revealed its 2023 Summer Concert lineup. Among the various artists performing at the venue are Chris Stapleton, Counting Crows, Shania Twain, and Phish.

This summer’s lineup features over 20 headlining acts, from a wide range of genres and musical eras. St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater has a 17,500-person capacity and has been hosting concerts since 2015, originally under the name Lakeview Amphitheater.

St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater Lineup

June 8- Chris Stapleton

Born and raised in Kentucky, Chris Stapleton has earned himself numerous accolades en route to becoming one of the biggest names in country music. The eight-time Grammy winner has captivated listeners since his 2015 debut album Traveller with a blend of traditional country, American rock, and soulful lyrics. In addition to his work as a solo artist, Stapleton has helped to write numerous songs including Adele’s “If It Hadn’t Been for Love”, “Never Wanted Nothing More” by Kenny Chesney, and Darius Rucker’s “Come Back Song”.

June 15- Luke Bryan

Luke Bryan is a country music singer-songwriter and television personality. After moving to Nashville, Tennessee in 2001 the Georgia native quickly became a prominent songwriter. In 2007 Bryan released his hit-single single “All My Friends Say” to go along with his debut album I’ll Stay Me. He has earned over 50 major music awards an featured as a judge on American Idol since 2018.

July 1- Counting Crows

Counting Crows are an American rock band that rose to prominence during the 1990s. The group’s 1993 album August and Everything After sold over seven million copies and featured hits like “Mr. Jones” and “Round Here”. Billboard ranked the band 8th in its list of the Greatest of All Time Adult Alternative Artists.

July 8- Shania Twain

Shania Twain is a country music artist, known as the “Queen of Country Pop”. Twain is widely regarded as one of the most popular country music artists of all-time, selling over 100 million records. After four commercially successful albums, the Canadian released her Greatest Hits in 2004, which went quadruple platinum. She was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2022.

July 23- Phish

Phish is one of the most well-known and noteworthy American jam bands. Originally created by four students on the campus of the University of Vermont, the group cultivated an intensely loyal fanbase during the late 1980s into the 90s. Phish is known for its live improvisation, fusing together sounds of rock, funk, bluegrass, and jazz, with drummer Jon Fishman hailing from Syracuse.

July 29- Matchbox Twenty

Matchbox Twenty is a Grammy-nominated alternative rock band formed during the 1990s. The band’s debut album Yourself or Someone Like you has sold over 15 million copies, earning it diamond status. In 2004 the group was awarded the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Musical Group.

Aug. 12- Disturbed

Created in Chicago, Illinois, Disturbed is a chart-topping heavy metal band. The group has found large-scale success since its inception in 1994, with five consecutive albums reaching the Billboard 200. In 2017 the band received the iHeartradio Music Award for Rock Artist of the Year. Disturbed released their most recent album titled Divisive in 2022, featuring the hit song “Hey You”.

Aug. 16- The Goo Goo Dolls

The Goo Goo Dolls are an American rock group founded in Buffalo. The outfit began to garner attention in the 1990s and early 2000s thanks to albums like A Boy Named Goo and Dizzy up the Girl. The latter features the song “Iris” which spent close to a year on the Billboard charts. The track was named as the top pop song from 1992-2012 by Billboard.

Sep. 2- Foreigner

Foreigner is a rock band whose popularity stretches back into the late 1970s. The band helped to define the genre of arena rock thanks to tracks like “I Want to Know What Love is” and “Cold as Ice”. The band boasts an impressive roster of 10 multi-platinum albums and has exceeded over 80 million album sales.

Also Performing This Summer

June 30- Falling In Reverse & Ice Nine Kills

July 16- Kidz Bop Live

Aug. 1- Mudvayne

Aug. 3- Godsmack & Staind

Aug. 8- Pantera

Aug. 11- Zac Brown Band

Aug. 17- Yellowcard

Aug. 18- Ghost & Amon Amarth

Aug. 19- Parker Mccollum

Aug. 24- Pentatonix & Lauren Alaina

Aug. 25- Sam Hunt

Sep. 1- Noah Kahan

Sep. 13- Shinedown

More information on the St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater’s 2022 summer concert lineup and links to purchase tickets can be found here.

May 18, 2023