Author: Henry Fisher

  • Nick Hakim to Perform at Blue Note Jazz Club This November

    Described as a “mini-residency,” Nick Hakim will be playing at Blue Note Jazz Club in NYC for four days in November. Each day will have two shows, an 8:00 p.m. performance and a 10:30 p.m. performance.

    Based in New York, Nick Hakim debuted in 2017 with his album Green Twins, music that resisted classic genre categorization. Last year, Hakim released Cometa, his third studio album, which was widely appraised by critics. Hakim’s songs have also made it to video streaming, as Max’s “Insecure” series used his music.

    Hakim draws on music that he listened to growing up in Washington, D.C. with his older brother and parents who had emigrated from Peru, a combination of American soul with South American political folk.

    Blue Note owns and operates New York’s Blue Note Jazz Club, Sony Hall, and Arthur’s Tavern as well as Washington, D.C.’s The Howard Theatre and several Blue Note Jazz Clubs around the world. Founded in 1981, they are dedicated to showcasing up-and-coming jazz, soul, R&B and funk artists, though jazz remains at its core.

    The club in NYC and its sister institutions have featured visits from the likes of Stevie Wonder, Tony Bennett, Quincy Jones, Dave Chapelle, and Chris Rock in their long histories.

    Nick Hakim will be playing Nov. 14, 15, 28, and 29, with two shows each day at 8:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.. For more information and for tickets, check out the link here.

  • GWAR Performs at NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert Series, Upcoming Shows in NY

    With over-the-top costumes, a bleeding drum set, and some drawn-on abs, the heavy metal band GWAR performed for the National Public Radio’s (NPR) Tiny Desk Concert video series. The band is also to play in Syracuse on Aug. 1 as a part of “The Psychotherapy Sessions” tour.

    GWAR was originally founded in 1984, but has featured a rotating cast of musicians since then. The band orbits around their own mythos as barbaric interstellar warriors, each member wearing a costume and taking on a character. Their shows are known for violent and sexual humor, complete with displays of graphic violence with fake bodily fluids.

    Their performance at NPR and their upcoming tour coincide with the release of The New Dark Ages, the band’s latest album. GWAR’s Tiny Desk Concert featured “Sex Cow,” “I’ll Be Your Monster,” “Phantom Limb,” and “Ratcatcher,” the latter of which being a part of The New Dark Ages.

    We learned a lot from those goody-goodys at NPR. For instance, how to say…”Your support right now is vital to GWAR’s ability to bring you quality cultural and educational programming that leaves you soaked in bodily fluids and shame.” NPR can give you coffee cups and satin totes, but we can give your souls eternal torment, so give to GWAR today.

    Blothar the Beserker

    The upcoming shows for 2023 have been broken down into normal tour dates, headlining shows, and festival appearances. GWAR will be playing aside either Nonpoint, Crobot, or 200 Stab Wounds for their headlining shows, dependent on location. The band will make two stops in NYS, one in Wantagh on July 28, and the other in Syracuse on Aug. 1.

    “The Psychotherapy Sessions” Tour

    July 28 – Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater – Wantagh, NY

    July 29 – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion – Camden, NJ

    July 30 – Xfinity Center – Mansfield, MA

    Aug. 1 – St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview – Syracuse, NY

    Aug. 2 – The Pavilion at Star Lake – Burgettstown, PA

    Aug. 4 – Blossom Music Center – Cuyahoga Falls, OH

    Aug. 5 – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater – Tinley Park, IL

    Aug. 6 – Pine Knob Music Theater – Clarkston, MI

    Aug. 8 – Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center – Noblesville, IN

    Aug. 9 – Peoria Civic Center – Peoria, IL

    Aug. 10 – Azura Amphitheater – Bonner Springs, KS

    Aug. 12 – Dos Equis Pavilion – Dallas, TX

    Aug. 13 – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion – The Woodlands, TX

    Aug. 15 – Isleta Amphitheater – Albuquerque, NM

    Aug. 16 – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheater – Phoenix, AZ

    Aug. 17 – FivePoint Amphitheater – Irvine, CA

    Aug. 19 – Concord Pavilion – Concord, CA

    Aug. 20 – Grand Theater at the Grand Sierra Resort – Reno, NV

    Aug. 22 – White River Amphitheater – Auburn, WA

    Aug. 23 – RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater – Ridgefield, WA

    Aug. 25 – USANA Amphitheater – Salt Lake City, UT

    Aug. 26 – Fiddler’s Green Amphitheater – Englewood, CO

    Headlining Dates

    Aug. 21 – Knitting Factory with Nonpoint – Boise, ID

    Aug. 27 – Bourbon Theatre with Crobot – Lincoln, NE

    Aug. 28 – First Avenue with Crobot and 200 Stab Wounds – Minneapolis, MN

    Aug. 29 – Wooly’s with Crobot and 200 Stab Wounds – Des Moines, IA

    Aug. 30 – The Pageant with Crobot and 200 Stab Wounds – St. Louis, MO

    Sept. 1 – Vibes Event Center with Crobot and 200 Stab Wounds – San Antonio, TX

    GWAR Festival Appearances

    Sept. 2 – Rocklahoma – Pryor, OK

    Sept. 3 – Muddy Roots Festival – Cookeville, TN

    Oct. 26 & 27 – The Fest – Gainsville, FL

    For more on ticket information and on GWAR, check out their website.

  • Mark and Jill Sing the Blues for Summer Residency at the Gem in Bolton Landing

    Mark & Jill, a duo combining roots blues and soulful Texas smoke, will be playing at the Gem every Saturday this July and August. The Gem is in Bolton Landing, just north of the Village of Lake George, and is a smokehouse with cocktails and farm fresh sides.

    mark and jill

    Mark and Jill, based in Upstate NY, combine their talent and vision, making a sound where New Orleans meets Austin. Mark Tolstrup performs vocals and guitar, and has been inducted into the NY Blues Hall of Fame. Jill Burnham performs vocals, bringing the Texas soul to their music. They sing original songs that bring a fresh interpretation of the roots of blues.

    Singin’ the blues, although stolen colloquially to indicate complaining about your situation, was intended to do just the opposite, to pull you out of your doldrums, to wave your fist at misfortune, face your troubles head on…howl at the moon. Mark and Jill embrace that tradition by diving into the rich history of the music as well as paying it forward with their own heartfelt compositions.

    Producer Joel Moss

    Mark & Jill won the Capital Region Thomas Edison Awards “Blues Artist of the Year” and the Capital Region Blues Network competition in 2022. They were finalists in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis.

    mark and jill the gem

    Shows will be held every Saturday until the end of August from 6:00-9:00 p.m.. To find out more about the artists and for scheduling information, check out their website. For more on the Gem and additional showings there, take a look at the Gem’s website.

  • Brooklyn’s Paramount Theatre To Be Renovated with Live Nation Partnership

    Long Island University’s (LIU) long-running restoration of the Brooklyn Paramount Theatre is expected to be completed in the first or second quarter of 2024. This will be accomplished with the aid of Live Nation, which currently has a 25-year operating lease for the building.

    Brooklyn Paramount Theatre exterior in 1948. Credit: Long Island University.

    Plans originally began in 2015 with Onexim, a company owned by Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, but progress halted as Onexim looked for new investors to take over operations. This, combined with the COVID-19 pandemic, significantly offset any chance of an as-planned 2019 reopening.

    In a recent meeting in June 2023 with Brooklyn’s Community Board 2’s Health, Environment & Social Services Committee, progress was shown by Live Nation representatives, though the page on LIU’s website has yet to be updated. It will be opening as the LIU Brooklyn Paramount Theatre.

    Rendering of Flatbush Avenue facade of LIU Brooklyn and the Brooklyn Paramount signage. The current plan for the exterior has changed to be less pronounced than this rendering. Credit: H3 Hardy Collaboration Architecture.

    The Paramount Theatre originally operated from 1928 to 1962 as a live performance venue and was also the first theater designed to show talking movies. It helped introduce Jazz to Brooklyn and was an early home to Rock. The Theatre had performances by iconic musicians, such as Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Bing Crosby, Buddy Holly, and Chuck Berry.

    In 1962, the Paramount Theatre closed its doors. LIU would go on to turn the location into a gym, though it retained the original Rococo-style ceiling and other decorative details. The gym at what once was the Paramount would be replaced, and plans for the restoration would be made. It is hoped by LIU that the renovations will bring opportunities for internships and hands-on experience across disciplines.

    The original 2015 plan had a $50 million budget, but current numbers have not been released.

    Brooklyn Paramount Theatre interior in 1937. Credit: Long Island University

    The theatre is still home to one of two working models of the Wurlitzer 4/26 orchestral organ, the other at home in Radio City. The 1928 instrument is the only one that is still 100% original, and it is maintained by the New York Theatre Organ Society (NYTOS). It is capable of replicating the sound of a full symphony orchestra through a single, very intricate instrument.

  • An Interview with Alan Paul, Author of “Brothers and Sisters” Ahead of Summer Jam 50

    Alan Paul, writer of New York Times bestsellers “One Way Out: The Inside History of the Allman Brothers Band” and “Texas Flood: the Inside Story of Stevie Ray Vaughan,” is releasing his new book, “Brothers and Sisters: The Allman Brothers Band and the Inside Story of the Album That Defined the 70s,” on July 25. The release coincides with the 50th anniversary of the 1973 Watkins Glen Summer Jam that featured the Allman Brothers Band, the Grateful Dead, and The Band.

    Alan Paul
    Alan Paul. Credit: George Lange

    The book dives into the history of the Brothers and Sisters album, the Allman Brothers Band’s best-selling album with an influential cultural and musical legacy. Alan Paul notably includes never-before-heard interviews conducted by Kirk West, the Allman Brothers Band’s “Tour Mystic.” Stories within feature familiar faces like Jimmy Carter, Cher, Bob Dylan, Jerry Garcia, and Susan Sarandon.

    Several chapters are dedicated to the Summer Jam at Watkins Glen in 1973. The event drew in 600,000 attendants near the small town of Watkins Glen in the Finger Lakes region. It has been remembered as a record-smasher in terms of size and legacy.

    watkins glen summer jam Alan Paul
    The Summer Jam at Watkins Glen in 1973.

    Alan Paul himself also is a part of the tribute band Friends of the Brothers, in which the members were closely associated with the original band. They continue to bring the sounds of the Allman Brothers Band to new audiences and will play on July 29 at Lincoln Farms to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Watkins Glen as well as on July 30 to promote the book at the City Winery in New York City. More details after the interview.

    New York State Music interviewed Paul before the release of the book. The following is a trimmed-down transcript of that interview which discusses Paul’s inspiration, his thoughts on the Brothers and Sisters album, details from his research, and more.

    NYS Music: You’re involved in celebrating the Allman Brothers Band through the Friends of the Brothers, but what made you come back and write “Brothers and Sisters?” Did you feel like something missing from “One Way Out,” or was there just a different story you wanted to tell?

    Paul: It’s not so much missing from “One Way Out” as… it came out of a conversation I had with Brad Tolinski, who was the long-time editor of Guitar World… it just came up and he was just egging me on. I said “I’ve said my Allman Brother piece,” and he said, “No man, there’s more to say.” He was egging me on and said “Look, the 50th anniversary of Brothers and Sisters is coming up and I feel like it’s just still so unexplored.” I started thinking about it and digging into it a bit, and I came to think he was right.

    It really was the most popular era, and it holds up really well. It’s not like it’s being such an era piece that it’s an embarrassment now… and yet it was an era that was largely forgotten, even by the band’s biggest fans.

    NYSM: Of course, Brothers and Sisters is a very influential album. For you, personally, what made you want to pursue writing about it specifically? What does it mean to you?

    Paul: When I write these books… I dig in really really deep, so I throw myself into it for a year or two. I really have to like the music, first of all. It also has to be a great story because it is in writing, it is a book. It’s not just like “Oh, this album is great. Isn’t it great?” You can’t say that for hundreds of pages. There has to be a story and a plot. I just found this whole era very intriguing. And again, as I said, it was unusual because it was really popular, really vital, and yet it was sort of unexplored.

    Then we had this type of lineup with one guitar and keyboards during this period. The rest of the time they were a two guitar band. I think that is also why fans overlook it, and it ended pretty ugly, which I document pretty thoroughly…. I feel like people ended up focused on the end and the ugliness of the era rather than the beginning of the era and how cool it was.

    NYSM: Something that really caught my eye were the interviews, including the never-before-heard interviews by Kirk West. How did you get access to them or find out about their existence?

    Paul: Kirk West has been a friend for 30 years… Kirk was the “tour mystic” for the Allman Brothers. The title came about because he was the tour manager, but he did so much more than the average tour manager that he needed a special name… he was their historian or archivist.

    He told me that he had been working on a book. At that point it was the early ’90s… he said that he was writing a book on the band and he was doing all of these interviews. I started asking him to write a sample chapter for Guitar World. My thought at that point was that this would be a good story for Guitar World…. He eventually said “I love the idea, but I’m not really a writer and I don’t have time. But I can collaborate on it with someone.” That someone became me.

    I called Kirk and asked what he thought about [“Brothers and Sisters”]. He was very enthusiastic, and we would talk about it. Very early in that process, after that, he offered me and said “Would you like to have my interview tapes?” Of course I said yes, and they were a gold mine… it was an honor and a privilege to have access to them.

    NYSM: Among those interviews, was there anything that you found, maybe not necessarily surprising, but something that you were just very interested in? A new perspective or something like that?

    Paul: I mean, there was so much of that really, that its hard to pinpoint, but there were a specific things that were quite amazing. I had a good relationship with Gregg [Allman] and I interviewed him many many times. There were certain things that you just sort of knew, either because you were told or just knew that they were off-limits… he went there with Kirk.

    For instance, the relationship with Cher, I felt I was able to have a real depth to the way I wrote about it… Gregg talked about it so much in ways that he really never did again afterwards. That was one of the things you couldn’t really expect of Gregg. Another one of those things was the drug trial.

    The other thing was interviews with a few people who are deceased, including Gregg, but I had a lot of great stuff from Gregg… so there would’ve been ways to get around that. Just for instance, Steve Massarsky… he was their manager, he was the lawyer who came in and helped them sort out the mess that the business had become and take on, ultimately, their manager Phil Walden… [Also] Bill Graham, the great promoter who was very very important to the Allman Brothers, and to the Grateful Dead, and to Watkins Glen.

    NYSM: Could you go more into the connection of the Allman Brothers Band and Southern Rock to Jimmy Carter and his campaigning?

    Paul: Jimmy Carter himself has said many times that he would never have been president without the Allman Brothers… they were central to the whole thing… and that was for a variety of reasons. The most direct, most obvious reason is that they raised a lot of money for him…They really helped raise his profile at a time when he was completely unknown.

    [Manager Phil Walden] was an early Carter supporter and he was the one who was crucial in getting these guys behind them. Once they were, they really were all in. It wasn’t just something they threw off, it wasn’t a matter of convenience, and it wasn’t a matter of just pleasing Phil Walden… it was because they really really genuinely like Jimmy Carter.

    NYSM: For those that may be interested, in diving into the histories of these iconic bands, where would you advise them to go, and what would you advise them to read, beyond your wonderful biographies?

    Paul: So obviously they have to start with my books, but it depends on what their interests are… It’s just like listening to music for me. A lot of people got into the blues because they liked the Allman Brothers… Writing is the same way. If you read my books and you like them, then take the part you like and dig deeper.

    I try to write in a way so that you will have a better understanding of music… but also of the era and of other people… that’s my goal, I hope I pull it off. Keep reading, keep digging deeper, whatever the aspect is that is most intriguing to you, read more about it.

    On July 29, Alan Paul and Friends of the Brothers will be playing at Summer Jam ’23 at Lincoln Hill Farms, NY to celebrate 50 years since Watkins Glen. It will also feature the Grateful Dead tribute band Terrapin Flyer and The Band tribute The THE BAND Band. Doors open at 3:00 p.m. with a 3:30 p.m. start and tickets are available here.

    On July 30, Alan Paul will be at a “Brothers and Sisters” book event at City Winery in NYC, which will feature a book signing, author Q&A, as well as a musical performance featuring Duane Betts, Lamar Williams Jr., Johnny Stachela, Vaylor Trucks, Friends of the Brothers, and more. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. with an 8:00 p.m. start. Information and tickets can be found here.

    For book sales and more on Alan Paul, check out his website. More on Friends of the Brothers can be found on their website.

  • Les Claypool’s Frog Brigade Announces Fall Tour, Palace Theatre and Brooklyn Steel Shows

    Tickets are now available for Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade’s “Hunt For Green October” fall tour, with dates in Brooklyn and Albany. The rock band recently reformed after a 20-year hiatus, and has just completed their “Summer of Green” tour.

    The band was originally formed by Les Claypool in 2000 during a break from his other band, Primus, with a debut appearance at the Mountain Aire Festival. They would go on to tour around the U.S., release two live albums, and release the studio album, Purple Onion.

    Claypool himself has also been involved with Primus’s recent “A Tribute To Kings” tour, as well as Primus’s first new music in over five years. This 3-track EP, Conspiranoid, includes the 11-minute “Conspiranoia.”

    Les Claypool’s Frog Brigade will have a new, two-set show for their fall tour, going more into their catalog. The “Hunt For Green October” tour will be the last opportunity to hear the Frog Brigade’s take on Pink Floyd‘s Animals. The song will be played at every show in its entirety.

    Let’s put it this way… I think, with Primus and without, I’ve played every music festival in the last ten years, except Lilith Fair. You could say I’m the guy who doesn’t fit in anywhere, but a little bit everywhere.

    Les Claypool

    Upcoming Tour Dates

    Oct. 11 – Fox Theater – Oakland, CA

    Oct. 12 – Riverside Municipal Auditorium – Riverside, CA

    Oct. 14 – El Rey Theater – Albuquerque, NM

    Oct. 15 – Mission Ballroom – Denver, CO

    Oct. 17 – The Factory – St. Louis, MO

    Oct. 18 – Salt Shed – Chicago, IL

    Oct. 20 – The Palace Theatre – Albany, NY

    Oct. 21 – Toyota Oakdale Theatre – Wallingford, CT

    Oct. 22 – Brooklyn Steel – Brooklyn, NY

    Oct. 24 – Wellmont Theater – Montclair, NJ

    Oct. 25 – Fillmore – Philadelphia, PA

    Oct. 27 – Hulaween – Live Oak, FL

    Oct. 29 – The Fillmore – Charlotte, NC

    Oct. 30 – Andrew J. Brady Music Center – Cincinnati, OH

    Oct. 31 – Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN

    More information and tickets can be found on Les Claypool’s website.

  • Dead and Company’s Cornell Concert Raises $3.1 Million for Non-Profits

    Dead & Company, continuing the legacy of the Grateful Dead’s Barton Hall show at Cornell University, has raised $3.1 million in proceeds from their recent show for their now-complete Final Tour. These proceeds will be donated to the Recording Academy’s MusiCares organization and the Cornell 2030 Project, each non-profit receiving over $1.5 million.

    Cornell University’s Barton Hall. Credit: Steve Malinski

    Dead & Company is made up of former members of the Grateful Dead, with guitarist and vocalist Bob Weir, drummer Mickey Hart, and drummer Bill Kreutzmann. The latter did not join the final tour. They are joined by guitarist and vocalist John Mayer, bassist and percussionist Oteil Burbridge of the Allman Brothers Band, keyboardist Jeff Chimenti of Further and RatDog, as well as drummer Jay Lane of RatDog and Primus.

    The show on May 8 was the 46th anniversary of the May 8, 1977 Grateful Dead Show. Part of the Spring Tour of 1977, considered one of the Grateful Dead’s best tours, the May 8 show at Cornell’s Barton Hall was released on a a three-disc CD and as a five-disc LP for the 40th anniversary of the show. The recording is a part of the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress.

    Cornell ’77 Poster designed by Cornell alumnus Jay Maybrey

    MusiCares is a non-profit organization founded in 1989, intended to act as a safety net for the music community, supporting the health and welfare of industry professionals through preventative, emergency, and recovery programs. More information can be found on their website.

    Cornell University’s 2030 Project is a campus-wide initiative that works to develop technological solutions and to advance policies for businesses and individuals, seeking to mitigate the effects of climate change. More information can be found on Cornell University’s website.

  • Brooklyn Conservatory of Music’s Upcoming Midsummer Nights Concert Series

    The Brooklyn Conservatory of Music (BKCM) has announced the dates of events for its upcoming Midsummer Nights concert series, which will kick off with a special event featuring the recent recipients of the Jazz Leader Fellowship. The free events will take place in July and August, and will be outdoor in front of the BKCM building.

    BKCM is dedicated to giving every New Yorker access to high-quality music instruction and music therapy, as well as to supporting the musical talents of traditionally underserved New York communities. The all-ages event has been curated by BKCM Jazz Leaders Fellow Jasmine Wilson. All events are held at 6:30 p.m..

    Upcoming Shows

    Courtney Wright and Jazz Leader Fellowship Recipients – July 20

    Courtney Wright is a composer and baritone saxophonist based in Brooklyn, and she leads her own quintet and jazz orchestra that plays her original compositions. She will be joined by the winners of the third year of the BKCM Jazz Leaders Fellowship, Melanie Charles and Olithea Anglin (also known as Miss Olithea).

    Melanie Charles has made a name for herself through genre fusions with jazz, soul, rhythm and blues. She has lead a project called “Make Jazz Trill Again” since 2016, focused on taking jazz out of the museum and onto the streets.

    Miss Olithea is a singer, songwriter, producer, and sound healing practitioner, as well as a proud member of the renowned Burnt Sugar Arkestra Chamber. In November 2020, she started her own private studio known as “The Vocal Journey.”

    Courtney Wright

    Akua Dixon – July 27

    Akua Dixon is a cellist, composer, conductor, and educator. She has been at the forefront of improvising string since 1973, and was the first cellist to win the Downbeat Critics Poll. Dixon is also a multi-laureate of the National Endowment for the Arts in composition and performance.

    Akua Dixon

    Milena Casado – Aug. 3

    Milena Casado is a composer, flugelhorn, and trumpet player hailing from Spain. Casado has played with prominent artists, such as Terri Lyne Carrington, Kris Davis, Aaron Parks, Jazzmeia Horn, Jorge Rossy, Francisco Mela, and Kenny Werner.

    Milena Casado

    Charisa the ViolinDiva – Aug. 10

    Charisa the ViolinDiva is a souljazz violinist and vocalist who has challenged the preconceptions of what a violinist can do in contemporary music. Her talent has led her to perform alongside artists such as Lauryn Hill, Paul McCartney, Vivian Green, Kim Burrell, Cyndi Lauper, and Quincy Jones.

    Charisa the ViolinDiva

    No RSVP is needed to attend any of these free events. More information can be found on BKCM’s website.

  • Grandmaster Flash to Return to the Bronx for “Birth of a Culture”

    One of the founding father’s of hip-hop, Grandmaster Flash will be returning to the Bronx for the free “Birth of a Culture: The Four Elements Block Party” to celebrate 50 years of hip-hop. The event will be in Crotona Park on Aug. 4 and has been made possible by Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage.

    Through his Quik Mix Theory, Grandmaster Flash was the first DJ to use the turntables as a musical instrument by placing his fingertips on the vinyl, extending the break of a song. This innovation would lead the way to further developments, such as cutting, scratching, and transforming. Grandmaster Flash has become the voice of his generation of ’70s hip-hop pioneers, and continues to be a cultural force.

    Present at this celebration of the history and legacy of hip-hop will be Jazzy Jay, DJ Charlie Chase,
    Pete Rock, GrandWizzard Theodore, Tony Touch, and Stretch Armstrong. Additional performers include Funk Flex, DJ Mell Starr, Scram Jones, DJ NABs, and Chuck Chillout.

    Crotona Park is one of the parks where it all started for me when hip-hop was an infant. Now, it’s all grown up and I’m going back home. This is my way of saying “thank you” to my fans and community for supporting me 50 years later. We’re doing things we did back in the ’70s, authentically showing how hip-hop started.

    Grandmaster Flash

    Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage is one of New York’s most accessible outdoor performing arts festivals, with nearly 80 free and benefit performances in Central Park and neighborhood parks throughout the boroughs. It has served New York’s communities for nearly 40 years, and over six million people from around the world have gotten to enjoy their shows.

    The “Birth of a Culture” event will be livestreamed on Grandmaster Flash’s YouTube and Twitch. It will begin at 5:00 p.m., and updates can be found on Grandmaster Flash’s Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or Twitch.

  • Your Guide to Phish Pre-Shows and After-Parties during the upcoming 7-night MSG Run

    As the Phish Summer Tour nears its seven-night run at Madison Square Garden (MSG) in NYC from July 28 to August 5, pre-shows and after-parties have been announced orbiting around Phish’s showings at MSG. Many of these events are being held by Creative Entertainment Group (CEG) with two additional events by PhanArt.

    July 28

    The six-piece rock band Kendall Street Company will be playing live at the Cutting Room at 11:55 p.m., with a $25 fee and an age limit of 21 and over. The band is based out of Charlottesville, VA, and incorporates elements of jazz, folk, bluegrass, and funk in their songs. Tickets and more information can be found here.

    July 29

    July 29 will feature one of two shows by PhanArt as a part of its Summer in the City event at Hill Country Barbecue. With music be Sweeping Views, PhanArt will include artists and vendors from across the jam scene and country selling wares made by the fans, for the fans. Admission is free, with doors opening at 1:00 p.m.. More information can be found on PhanArt’s website.

    Also at Hill Country is the free after-party with One Time Weekend, an “innovative shred-funk” quartet out of Connecticut. Known for high-energy live shows, “We Grove – You Move” is the mantra of One Time Weekend. Doors open at 11:00 p.m., with the show starting at 12:00 a.m.. More information can be found here.

    At the Cutting Room will be Duane Betts and Palmetto Motel, a guitarist and singer-songwriter from Sarasota, FL. Playing alongside Dickey Betts, his father, in his band the Great Southern, Betts would later act as one of the founders for the Allman Betts Band. Doors open at 11:30 p.m. and the show starts at 12:30 a.m.. More information can be found here.

    July 30

    Pre-Phish at the Cutting Room will be the 50th Anniversary of Watkins Glen Summer Jam. With 600,000 in attendance, the original Watkins Glen Summer Jam in 1973 won the Guinness Book of World Records entry for “Largest audience at a pop festival.”

    The 50th Anniversary Event will feature the music of The Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers Band and The Band through The Allmost Brothers Band, ALEO productions performance of The Band, and Near Dead Experience. Doors open at 1:00 p.m., the show starts at 2:00 p.m., and more information can be found here.

    A Phish After-Party Elton Jawn: Philly Phunk x Elton Dance Party will be held at Hill Country Barbecue. The Knotty G’s will be joined by Felix Pastorius, Neal “Fro” Evans of Dopapod, and Jeremy Kaplan of Dogs in a Pile. Doors open at 11:30 p.m., the show begins at 12:30 a.m., and tickets are $15. More information can be found here.

    At the Cutting Room will be Space Bacon, with doors opening at 11:30 p.m. and the show starting at 12:30 a.m.. Tickets are $18. More information can be found here.

    August 1

    Grateful Dead tribute band Stella Blue’s Band will be holding two shows on Aug. 1, with the latter being a Phish after-party. Both are being held at the Cutting Room. Committed to recreating the authentic experience of being at a Grateful Dead show, they are based in the Tri-State area. The show is for all ages, with doors opening at 11:30 p.m. and the show starting at 11:59 p.m.. It is an all-ages show with $25 tickets. More information can be found here.

    Art Thief & LINKS will be holding their After-Party at Hill Country Barbecue. Art Thief is a science fiction rock band from New Paltz, and LINKS is a 10-piece electrofunk futureband from Brooklyn. Tickets are $18 with doors opening at 11:00 p.m. and the show starting at 12:00 a.m.. More information can be found here.

    August 2

    At the Cutting Room will be LaMP, a band from Burlington, VT. Combining the talents of Russ Lawton, Scott Metzger and Ray Paczkowski, the trio has played together since 2018. Doors will open at 11:30 p.m. and the show will begin at 12:30 a.m.. Tickets are $25. More information can be found here.

    Also that night, the Phish After-Party featuring Dizgo will be held at Hill Country Barbecue. It will feature the music of Talking Heads, Gorillaz & Dizgo. Doors open at 11:00 p.m., the show begins at 12:00 a.m., and tickets are $15. More information can be found here.

    August 3

    Since Phish isn’t playing this evening, why not check out an up and coming band you might not otherwise get a chance to see? Mercury Lounge will host Hilltop on August 3rd, with the Albany-based band bringing Thursday night funk and jams to those looking to keep boogieing down in between Phish shows. Joining Hilltop at Mercury Lounge will be Whaley + Ernie & The Band opening the night. Tickets available here.

    August 4

    Perpetual Groove, a rock band from Savannah, GA, will be playing at the Cutting Room. Doors will open at 11:30 p.m. and the show will begin at 12:30 a.m.. Tickets are $25 for the event, and are available here.

    Also on this day is Lava Party, a pre-show event from 4:20-6:20 p.m. Admission is free with great food and beer selections.

    August 5

    PhanArt’s second show of the MSG run will take place on Aug. 5, also at Hill Country Barbecue. Different vendors and artists will be present, with Sweeping Views spinning live for this event as well.

    Admission is still free, with doors also opening at 1:00 p.m. for the Aug. 5 show. More information can be found on PhanArt’s website.

    Later that night at the Cutting Room, the improv rockers Eggy will be playing. The band is comprised of guitarist and vocalist Jake Brownstein, keyboardist Dani Battat, bassist Michael Goodman and drummer Alex Bailey. Doors will open at 11:30 p.m. and the show will begin at 12:30 a.m.. Tickets are $20, available here alongside more information.

    Cutting Room is located at 44 East 32nd Street between Madison & Park Avenues. It is a five minute walk from MSG. Hill Country, meanwhile, is located at 30 W 26th St between 5th and 6th Avenues. It is also a five minute walk from MSG.

    And don’t miss the Phish Flood Benefit Relief Shows at SPAC on August 25+26!