NYS Music 2023

Author: Isabela Perez

  • 5th Annual Ithaca Reggae Fest Returns in June

    The 5th annual Ithaca Reggae Fest will be held from June 23rd to the 24th at Stewart Park. This will be a family-friendly community event celebrating the meeting point of Jamaican and New York State reggae.

    The Fest will kick off on Friday, June 23rd from 5 to 9 PM at the Large Pavilion in Stewart Park. This Welcome Block Party will feature performances from DJ Jesse Hill, Mohawk peoples’ Ononkwa-Medicine, and the GIAC Jumpers. Following these opening acts will be legendary Jamaican producer, Scientist, who will be performing a select set with various special guests. Attendees will also have the opportunity to engage in civic responsibility by participating in the HeadCount Voter Drive, with the opportunity to register to vote, and other things.

    On the following Saturday, June 24th, the festivities will continue beginning at 9 AM with 108 Sun Salutations led by the festival’s partners Yoga Farm. After the Salutations, festival goers will have the opportunity to participate in additional yoga activities as well as a free breakfast. A Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫ’ Cultural Celebration and community drum circle with One Heart Community Drumming will directly follow to launch a day full of incredible artists.

    In addition to the headlining performers including the Rochester-based Giant Panda Guerrilla Squad and the Ithaca-based Double Tiger, Saturday’s lineup includes some of the best reggae bands from throughout New York State from Brooklyn’s SunDub to Ithaca’s own afrofunk New Planets.

    The Ithaca Reggae Fest will also feature various “villages” for festival goers to visit and participate in, each with their own theme. As the festival is dedicated to protecting Cayuga Lake, it will showcase numerous water protection organizations from throughout the state in its Education Village. Divertingly, the Youth Village is a place where young people can find a sense of belonging at the festival as Ithaca’s own GIAC is organizing various activities including face painting, family yoga, hula hooping, art projects, games, the Physics Bus, and more.

    With a focus on all things art, GIAC and famous artist Jay Stooks will be hosting the Art Village featuring numerous local, regional, and national artists. These individuals will be creating live art in addition to an interactive mural for all to paint on throughout the day on Saturday.

    Lastly, the Fest is in collaboration with AJ Kohn of the Philadelphia Skateboard Academy, Real Action Sports, and The School of Shred. They will be presenting Skateboard Village which will be hosting the 2nd Annual Flat Attack US Pro/Am Championships of Flatland Freestyle Skateboarding. The event will be free to attend and open to all to register. The Qualifying Rounds take place on Friday, June 23 from 11 AM to 5 PM before the Championships on Saturday, June 24 from 2 to 7 PM. Everything skateboarding will take place at the Tennis Courts in Stewart Park. Following the Championship there will be an open invitation to all local and regional skateboarders to compete in a game of S.K.A.T.E., Highest Ollie, and Kicker Best Trick with tons of prizes and raffles. The Art and Skateboard Village is open to the public, and no Ithaca Reggae Fest ticket is needed to participate.

    The Ithaca Reggae Fest aims to bring the community together through music, art, and everything in between. Tickets and more information can be found here, with local tickets available at Ithaca Guitar Works.

  • Bethel Woods Center for the Arts 2023 Summer Lineup

    The Bethel Woods Center for the Arts will be showcasing a wide array of musical talent this summer starting on June 1, 2023, with a lineup that covers all genres of music. The large amphitheater houses 15,000 people and will welcome guests from all over to enjoy concerts and shows into September.

    Hollywood Vampires ft. Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp, & Joe Perry – June 1, 8:00 PM

    American rock supergroup, the Hollywood Vampires will kick off the summer on June 1st with Hollywood star Johnny Depp, American rock singer Alice Cooper, and Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry.

    James Taylor & His All Star Band – Summer 2023 Tour – June 29, 7:30 PM

    Six-time Grammy award winner, James Taylor will make an appearance at Bethel with his All Star Band. This will be his first of two NY stops on his summer 2023 tour.

    Robert Plant & Alison Krauss with special guest JD McPherson – Raising The Roof Tour – July 1, 8:00 PM

    Best known as the lead singer and lyricist of Led Zeppelin, Robert Plant will take the stage with bluegrass-country singer Alison Krauss once again for their second Raising The Roof Tour. The team up will feature special guest JD McPherson, singer-songwriter from Broken Arrow.

    Steve Miller Band with special guest Joe Satriani – July 2, 7:30 PM

    American rock band, Steve Miller Band are staples of classic rock with various 70s hits including “Joker” and “Fly Like an Eagle.” They will be accompanied by rock guitarist, composer, and songwriter, Joe Satriani.

    Shania Twain with special guest Pricilla Block – Queen of Me Tour – July 3, 7:30 PM

    Canadian singer-songwriter, Shania Twain is one of the best-selling female artists of all time with over 100 million records sold. She will be joined on stage by American country singer Pricilla Block.

    Tears for Fears with special guest Cold War Kids – The Turning Point Part II Tour – July 5, 7:30 PM

    Infamous 80s pop/rock band, Tears for Fears, will take the stage with the American indie rock band Cold War Kids for their ‘The Tipping Point Part II’ tour. The tour is in support of their newest album The Turning Point released last year- their first full-length record in 17 years.

    Chris Stapleton with special guests Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives & Allen Stone – All American Road Show – July 6, 7:00 PM

    Grammy award winning country artist, Chris Stapleton will be visiting Bethel in July for his All American Road Show Tour. The show will open with American country and bluegrass artist Marty Stuart and R&B/soul artist Allen Stone.

    Big Time Rush with special guests MAX & Jax – Can’t Get Enough Tour – July 7, 7:00 PM

    The four member boy band, Big Time Rush, originally got their start on Nickelodeon but resumed live performances back in 2021. They are now setting out on their Can’t Get Enough Tour for the summer of 2023 with fellow ex-Nickelodeon star MAX and American Idol veteran, Jax.

    Counting Crows with special guest Dashboard Confessional – Banshee Season Tour – July 9, 7:30 PM

    Counting Crows, the American rock band from San Fransisco was formed in 1991 and will be setting out on tour with Dashboard Confessional. Their performance at Bethel will be their 15th stop on their 56 date tour with five locations in NY.

    Jason Aldean with special guests Mitchell Tenpenny, Corey Kent, & DeeJay Silver – Highway Desperado Tour – July 14, 7:30 PM

    The American country singer, Jason Aldean, will be kicking off his Highway Desperados Tour at Bethel on the 14th of July. The award-winning artist along with his three opening acts will be playing 41 cities in total spanning all across the United States.

    Catbird Music Festival featuring The Lumineers, Tyler Childers, & more – August 19/20, 12:00 PM

    Making its debut run, the Catbird Music Festival will span two days in August at the Bethel stage. The festival will bring together seasoned as well as fresh talent of American and folk indie music including The Lumineers, Tyler Childers, and James Bay.

    Also Performing

    Boy George & Culture Club with special guests Howard Jones & Berlin – The Letting It Go Show – July 22, 7:00 PM

    Dierks Bently with Jordan Davis & The Cadillac Three – Gravel and Gold Tour – July 28, 7:00 PM

    Outlaw Music Festival featuring Willie Nelson & Family, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, Gov’t Mule, Kathleen Edwards & Particle Kid – July 29, 4:15 PM

    Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in Concert – July 30, 7:30 PM

    The Chicks with special guest Wild Rivers – The Chicks World Tour – August 3, 7:30 PM

    Goo Goo Dolls with special guest O.A.R. – The Big Night Out Tour – August 6, 7:00 PM

    Zac Brown Band with Marcus King & King Calaway – From The Fire Tour – August 12, 6:30 PM

    Joe Bonamassa & Styx with special guest Don Felder – August 13, 6:00 PM

    Sam Hunt with Brett Young & Lily Rose – Summer on the Outskirts – August 24, 7:30 PM

    Rod Stewart with special guest Cheap Trick – Global Hits Tour – September 1, 7:30 PM

  • New York State Invests $5 Million Towards Alive Downtowns! Initiative

    On May 8th, New York State confirmed an investment of $5 million for local arts organizations and centers. Alive Downtowns!, a coalition of 13 historic performance arts centers across Upstate New York, received the funding with open arms as they thanked New York legislators in various press releases.

    Alive Downtowns! was formed in response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on performing arts centers. Today, upstate theaters remain understaffed and are continuing the fight to reach the expanse of pre-pandemic audiences. Representatives from the coalition have been meeting with New York State legislators and the Governor’s office to discuss the importance of the performing arts and the theaters to urban education opportunities, economic viability, and a city’s attractiveness.

    The 13 facilities welcome and serve over five million people annually and have an average age of nearly 100 years. Together, the theaters have a yearly economic impact of $900,000,000. Their goal has always been to receive capital support from the state and have now secured a place in this year’s state budget.

    The members of the coalition ranging from Jamestown to Poughkeepsie, not only bring diverse performances and shows to their areas but are a beacon that brings together local communities with arts and education.

    Members of Alive Downtowns!

    Bardavon 1896 Opera House of Poughkeepsie

    Clemens Center in Elmira

    Palace Performing Arts Center in Albany

    Proctors Collaborative of Schenectady, Albany, and Saratoga

    The Reg Lenna Center for the Arts in Jamestown

    Rochester Broadway Theatre

    League’s Auditorium Theatre in Rochester

    Shea’s Performing Arts Center of Buffalo

    The Smith Center for the Arts in Geneva

    Stanley Theatre in Utica

    State Theatre of Ithaca

    Syracuse Area Landmark Theatre

    Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

    Ulster Performing Arts Center in Kingston

  • Darien Lake Amphitheater 2023 Summer Lineup

    Darien Lake Amphitheater has announced their official 2023 summer lineup of performances beginning on June 14th. Located in the small town of Darien in Western New York, the venue originally opened in 1993 and has the capacity to hold 21,600 guests with 6,410 pavilion seats.

    Dave Matthews Band – Walk Around The Moon Tour – June 14th, 7:30 PM

    The American rock band, formed in Charlottesville, VA in 1991, set out on May 19th on their Walk Around The Moon Tour to celebrate the release of their newest album. The band is headed by singer-songwriter Dave Matthews and is supported by: bassist Stefan Lessard; drummer and backing vocalist Carter Beauford; trumpeter, percussionist, and backing vocalist Rashawn Ross; saxophone and winds player Jeff Coffin; Tim Reynolds on lead guitar; Buddy Strong on keyboard and backing vocals.

    Luke Bryan – Country On Tour – June 16th, 7:00 PM

    Luke Bryan, one of the most successful and awarded country artists of the past decade, comes to Darien as his 4th stop on his summer tour. The singer, songwriter, and TV personality plans to perform his recent #1 single Country On alongside his most popular releases including “Play It Again” and “That’s My Kind of Night.”

    Kidz Bop Live – Never Stop Tour – July 14th, 7:00 PM

    KIDZ BOP AND LIVE NATION ANNOUNCE ALL-NEW 2023 TOUR

    Kidz Bop is known as the #1 music brand for kids that makes everyday hits friendly for younger audiences. The brand will be partnering with Live Nation and travel to a total of thirty-seven cities. This tour will introduce four new kids to the performance crew: Jackson, Kiya, Shila, and Tyler.

    Sam Hunt, Brett Young, and Lily Rose – Summer on the Outskirts Tour – July 15th, 7:30 PM

    The American singer-songwriter, Sam Hunt, will take to the Darien stage in mid July. His openers on tour will include country singer Brett Young alongside genre bending artist Lily Rose.

    Foreigner & Loverboy – Historic Farewell Tour – July 28th, 7:00 PM

    The classic rock band which gave music lovers everything from “I Want To Know What Love Is” to “It Feels Like the First Time” heads out on their final tour this summer. The group will play all over North America alongside one of the 80s greatest hitmakers, Loverboy.

    Boy George & Culture Club – Letting It Go Show – July 29th, 7:00 PM

    Lead singer, Boy George, will be taking the stage once again along side Roy Hay and Mikey Craig as Culture Club. The London pop group will be joined on stage by the British singer Howard Jones and the American new wave band Berlin.

    Outlaw Music Festival Tour – July 30th, 3:45 PM

    This years Outlaw Music Festival will bring feature singers Willie Nelson and Family, Nathaniel Rateliff and the The Night Sweats, Gov’t Mule, and Kathleen Edwards & Particle Kids to Darien. The festival will kick off on June 23rd and will run a total of 16 dates this summer. Each performance will feature varying artists.

    Matchbox Twenty – The Slow Dream Tour – August 1st, 7:30 PM

    Pop rock band, Matchbox Twenty, have over fifty tour dates lined up for the summer. The Slow Dream Tour will feature special guest American singer-songwriter, Matt Nathanson.

    Jelly Roll, Merkules, Struggle Jennings – Backroad Baptism Tour – August 3rd, 7:00 PM

    The three time CMT Music Award winner, Jelly Roll, takes his unique and genre-bending sound across the United States this summer. The artist will be joined by many other performers over the length of the tour, but his show in Darien will feature rappers Merkules and Struggle Jennings.

    Fall Out Boy, Bring Me The Horizon, Royal & The Serpent, and Games We Play – So Much For (Tour) Dust – August 4th, 6:30 PM

    Celebrating their newest album, So Much (for) Stardust, which dropped on March 24th, Fall Out Boy will head out on tour starting June 21st. Joining the American rock band at Darien will be the British rock band Bring Me The Horizon, singer-songwriter Royal and The Serpent, and The Games We Play.

    Also Performing

    Post Malone: If Y’all Weren’t Here, I’d Be Crying Tour – July 17th, 8:00 PM

    50 Cent ft: Busta Rhymes & Jeremih: The Final Lap Tour – August 5th, 7:00 PM

    Godsmack & Staind: 2023 Tour – August 6th, 7:00 PM

    Pantera & Lamb of God: 2023 North American Tour – August 9th, 7:00 PM

    Nickleback ft: Brantley Gilbert & Josh Ross: Get Rollin’ Tour – August 16th, 6:30 PM

    The Offspring ft: Simple Plan & Sum 41: Let The Bad Times Roll – August 20th, 7:00 PM

    The All American Rejects ft: New Found Glory & The Get Up Kids: Wet Hot All-American Summer Tour – August 21st, 7:00 PM

    The Lumineers ft: James Bay: 2023 Tour – August 22nd, 7:30 PM

    Odesza ft: Bob Moses, TOKiMONSTA, QRTR, and Olan: The Last Goodbye 2023 Tour – September 1st, 6:30 PM

  • Summer Camp Music Festival to go on Hiatus after 22nd year

    The Summer Camp Music Festival, an annual staple for Chillicothe, Illinois, is to be discontinued following this years gathering on Memorial Day weekend. Producer of the festival, Ian Goldberg, shared the news in a recent press release.

    The Summer Camp Music Festival first began in 2001 and has since been known for its trademark late night events, open field shows, campgrounds, and a consistent line up of incredible artists and bands. The 2023 Memorial Day weekend will mark its 22nd year running, bringing back host bands moe. and Umphrey’s McGee along with headliners Willie Nelson & Family, Badflower, and more.

    In his statement, Goldberg related that the show will not come to a definite end as the team still plans to throw a redefined camping and music experience at the Three Sisters Park every Memorial Day starting in 2024. The need for change is said to come from logistical challenges that emerged from the pandemic along with the difficulties of throwing an independent festival of this size against large corporate competition. Goldberg claims that these problems have had the team reevaluating how the festival runs for a while now which has led to more road blocks.

    “Reimagining Summer Camp had its own challenges, we could not figure how to scale back the event in a way that would feel true to everything Summer Camp Music Festival has come to be,” Goldberg stated. “Cutting pieces of it felt like leaving our children behind. So we decided it was time to put the Summer Camp Music Festival to rest. For now.”

    More details about the new Summer Camp festival are said to be released to the public after this year’s concerts. While being different from what concert goers have grown to love, the producer emphasizes that the new rendition will include certain aspects of the original that experienced Sumer Campers will find very familiar.

    This year’s Summer Camp Music Festival will commence on May 26th, and, as Goldberg claims, will be “insanely meaningful.”


  • Danielle Ponder Releases New Spiritual Single “Roll the Credits”

    Rising soul and R&B artist, Danielle Ponder, released her new song “Roll the Credits” on May 5th. Her single is accompanied by a cinematic music video directed by Broadway choreographer and dancer Hettie Barnhill. Originally from Rochester, the singer has left her mark on New York’s music scene for more than a decade.

    “Roll the Credits” takes listeners into a passionate and pulsating world of spirituality. Filmed in the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico, the video allows listeners to connect the spiritual relationship that Ponder speaks of in her dynamic lyrics with culture, dance, music, and nature. Throughout the verses, the artist shows off her range and confidence in her weighty, graveling vocal style along with her clarity and evocation in her alternative gospel-like chorus.

    After playing the song in various live shows, it has clearly become a crowd and fan favorite throughout North America as well as Europe. The video itself has reached over 16,000 views in the past two weeks and continues to rise.

    Ponder’s new single is produced by Grammy nominated musician Gianluca Buccellati who has worked with artists ranging from Lana Del Ray to Paris Texas. The pair collaborated on Ponder’s debut album Some of Us Are Brave which was released last year.

    When speaking about her biggest influences Ponder comments, “We couldn’t listen to secular music so, I was listening to a lot of gospel early on, like Shirley Caesar, John P. Kee, the Blind Boys of Alabama — a mix of old and new school stuff. However, the blues is where I really developed a desire to sing. Listening to Big Mama Thornton and Koko Taylor, I wanted to know how to do that.“

    After taking the risk of leaving her career as a public defender behind in 2018, the artist has followed a path of expression and music all the way to the lime-light. She has unveiled her voice and passion with the world, landing her television appearances on “Late Night with Seth Meyers” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”

    In order to celebrate and share her new music, Ponder has set out on a twenty-four date tour. Her live show will be performed in select cities throughout North America and Europe.

    Danielle Ponder Live Shows

    May 12 – Miramar Beach, FL – Brandi Charlie’s Mothership Weekend

    May 13—New Orleans, LA—Toulouse Theatre

    May 16—Austin, TX—Antone’s Nightclub

    May 18—Dallas, TX—Eric Nadel Birthday Benefit

    May 19—Houston, TX—The Heights Theater

    May 21—Phoenix, AZ—Valley Bar

    May 22—San Diego, CA—Voodoo Room at House of Blues

    May 24—West Hollywood, CA—Troubadour

    May 26—San Francisco, CA—Cafe Du Nord

    May 27—Napa, CA—BottleRock Napa Valley

    June 2—Ogden, UT—Ogden Music Festival

    June 17—Manchester, TN—Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival

    June 22—Rothbury, MI—Electric Forest Festival

    June 29—Montreal, Québec—Montreal International Jazz Festival

    July 1—Werchter, Belgium—Rock Werchter

    July 5—Aix-les-Bains, France—Festival Musilac

    July 7—Rotterdam, Netherlands—North Sea Jazz Festival

    July 29—Newport, RI—Newport Folk Festival

    August 5—Chicago, IL—Lollapalooza

    August 18—North Adams, MA—MASS MoCA

    August 29—Red Bank, NJ—Count Basie Center for the Arts

    August 30—Syracuse, NY—Chevy Court Stage

    September 14 – September 17—Louisville, KY—Bourbon & Beyond

    September 29 – October 1—Dana Point, CA—Ohana Fest

    Watch the official music video for Danielle Ponder “Roll the Credits” below.

  • Ukrainian Artist Nora Polinnia Shares Spirited Singles “Gotham” and “Midnight Boy”

    Ukrainian singer-songwriter, Nora Polinnia, dropped three new singles over the past few months. She released her debut single, “Gotham,” last October, followed by “Late Love,” and her most recent song, “Midnight Boy,” which dropped on April 28th.

    These songs are heavily influenced by the singer’s adolescent experiences and the hardships of love and life during wartime. The up and coming artist currently resides in NYC and has lived there since the fall of 2022.

    Polinnia co-created her debut single, “Gotham,” with her long-time friend Martin Nikov, as a part of an artistic movement to support Ukraine. The single itself, takes listeners on an eerie and haunting trip into the artists’ perspectives on the destruction of their home. It compares the country’s condition with the dark, fictional city of Gotham. The lyrics, at times over-literal with this metaphor, express a sense of hopelessness and pain. The strong, pulsating beat and rhythm contrastingly emphasize the singer’s anger, allowing it to become an anthem of rebellion and discontent.  

    Her newest single, “Midnight Boy” strays drastically from the mood of her first release, as it takes on the genres of disco and funk. The song describes a reckless type of man that has the ability to make others do what he wants through his surface-level charm. The fun, upbeat listen calls on women to discard these types of men and focus on their own independence.

    Polinnia is currently working on publicity for “Midnight Boy” which includes a comedic and upbeat music video that will be released at the end of the month. Alongside the video, the artist is in the process of launching a TikTok dance challenge for the single. She hopes to get as many people involved around the world as she can, especially highschool students.

    The singer’s recent singles are a part of her debut EP, Past Chronicles, which addresses the more careless and oblivious years of her youth. Following its completion, the artist plans to release two additional EP’s called Present Chronicles and Future Chronicles in order to create a trilogy. Present Chronicles is set to be released at the end of June this year which will address the challenges of living in the current state of the world. 

    Nora Polinnia, an artist with a unique sound, uses her fresh singles as a way to express herself as well as deal with her past, present, and future struggles. The artist remarks, “There’s no concrete explanation for how music and art makes people feel. However, it is something that connects us all and allows fleeting moments to be encapsulated.”