Author: Pete Mason

Cobblestone Live Announces 2023 Lineup feat. Andy Grammer, Twiddle, Andy Frasco and more

The 5th annual Cobblestone Live Music & Arts Festival will be held on Friday, July 14th and Saturday, July 15th, 2023 in the heart of the Historic Cobblestone District in downtown Buffalo, NY. Presented by Twenty6 Productions and Buffalo Iron Works, the festival features two outdoor stages located on South Park and Columbia streets, indoor stages at Buffalo Iron Works & Lockhouse Distillery, a vendor village, local artisans, food trucks and multiple bars throughout the site.

Over the last decade, the Historic Cobblestone District has become a breeding ground for live music and entertainment. Cobblestone Live is a single neighborhood of bars, restaurants, and venues coming together to throw a two-day, community-focused festival which will continue to grow to a national sized event in the years to come.

For the 2023 installment of Cobblestone Live, renowned multi-platinum singer/songwriter Andy Grammer, Vermont-based jam titans Twiddle, blues-rock luminaries Andy Frasco & The U.N, and TikTok sensation Cooper Alan will headline this year’s lineup. The diversity defined in this year’s curated lineup is represented by national, regional, and Buffalo’s favorite local acts.

Cobblestone Live 2023 Lineup

Andy Grammer
Twiddle
Andy Frasco & The U.N.
Jukebox The Ghost
Cooper Alan
Doom Flamingo
The Beaches
Start Making Sense – Talking Heads Tribute
Lespecial
Eric Hutchinson
Little Stranger
Joslyn & The Sweet Compression
Funktional Flow
Workingman’s Dead
Dreamville – Tom Petty Tribute feat: Leroy Townes Band
SE2 Silent Disco
Fernway
Space Junk

In addition to its eclectic roster of over 20 musical artists, this year’s festival will also feature over 50 local artisan vendors, a chicken wing eating contest presented by Wingnutz, craft beverages, mocktails, immersive activities, local food, and more.

It has been our favorite two days of the summer for the last five years and this is slated to be our best year yet. Cobblestone Live is one of the greatest representations of Buffalo culture and what it has to offer. It is a family friendly event that highlights the diversity of our community by featuring our best music, crafters, local businesses and more. There is something for everyone to enjoy.
Grace Vesneske, Festival Co-Director & President

Early Bird Tickets are currently on sale at the following rates and will increase as each tier sells out: Two-Day General Access – $90; Friday General Access – $50; Saturday General Access – $50; Two-Day VIP – $250; Friday VIP – $150; Saturday VIP – $150.

Cobblestone Live is a true reflection of our city, our neighborhood and our people. It’s diverse, vibrant, unique, resilient and full of life. Spending half a decade building such a beautiful event has been nothing short of spectacular and we are beyond excited to share, what we feel, is the best lineup of artists, local food, craft beverages and artisan vendors to date. Cobblestone Live is a vibe this year and we hope that fans from all over the region decide to spend their weekend with us here in Buffalo.
Josh Holtzman, Festival Co-Director & CEO

VIP passes include private VIP-only tented areas, a premium bar with craft beverages & mocktails, lounge area under VIP tent, complimentary hors d’oeuvres and snacks, private bathroom access at each VIP tent, a commemorative laminate, tables and chairs for seating options. Tickets are available here.

February 21, 2023
Junior Jerry Jam Combines Musical Family Fun and Community Philanthropy in WNY

In Western New York, a group of live music fans have come together to give back to the community while fostering the development of young musicians. Junior Jerry Jam (JJJ) is a grassroots not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to inspiring young musicians and music lovers by introducing young people to professional musicians in a fun, safe and family friendly environment.

Embodying the belief that Buffalo is truly the City of Good Neighbors, Junior Jerry Jam (JJJ) is committed to raising money and awareness to support local non-profits and other community organizations, so as to strengthen and deepen bonds throughout the greater Buffalo community.

Founded by long-time Grateful Dead fans Stu and Judy Weinstein, Junior Jerry Jam was started in 2021 after the couple sensed a need for family friendly music events in the vibrant Buffalo music scene. Stu and Judy had shared their love of music with their five children as well as their grandchildren over the last few decades, and in the post-pandemic era, they were moved to reach more kids and families. The Weinstein’s sought to provide live music events for young people and their parents, but also to combine the positive feeling that comes from giving back to the Buffalo community that they are so proud to be a part of.

I just love watching the joy in young kids’ faces when they are at live music. They don’t stop smiling and dancing. Their ability to make new friends at these events is a beautiful thing to watch. There is no judgment, only love and oneness.
Judy Weinstein

The roots of Junior Jerry Jam are of course, connected to the Grateful Dead, thanks to Judy bringing Stu to his first Dead show at Ventura County Raceway in California, many years ago. Stu has thus learned to share his appreciation of the Grateful Dead, and in the summer of 2021, having visited their grandkids in New Jersey, the couple were inspired by their son bringing his kids to a local show, which got the wheels turning.

photo by Strawberry Island Dweller

Stu told the Buffalo News in 2022 “I’m a very community-minded, family-oriented person and a huge lover and supporter of live music.” With that sentiment in mind, Junior Jerry Jam has created events for the whole family to enjoy, giving parents a way to pass on the love of live music with their kids in a fun , safe environment.

Past events held by Junior Jerry Jam include their first event in December 2021, “The Kids They Dance and Shake their Bones” at Buffalo Iron Works, which led to $3,000 being donated to Buffalo String Works. In 2022, JJJ picked up pace with a Dogs in a Pile soundcheck show, dubbed “Dogs to the Rescue,” at Buffalo Ironworks, netting $1500 for the City of Buffalo Animal Shelter (view the soundcheck here). They also held events in the Kids Village at Cobblestone Live in July 2022, a moe.queous soundcheck show at Town Ballroom this past October (with $1,490 donated to American Cancer Society) and a Holiday Shakedown at Babeville in December, featuring Workingman’s Dead, leading to a $3,000 donation to Buffalo String Works

Coming up in 2023, the first event for Junior Jerry Jam will be “Dogs to the Rescue” featuring Dogs in a Pile performing a soundcheck show at Buffalo Ironworks on March 12th at 5:30 pm. That night, the group will be raising funds for the City of Buffalo Animal Shelter. Looking ahead to the summer, JJJ will once again host the Kids Village at Cobblestone Live in July, and have another Holiday Shakedown slated for December. More events are in the works beyond these, as Junior Jerry Jam is just getting started.

Photos from past Junior Jerry Jam events courtesy of Strawberry Island Dweller, Matt Shotwell.

February 15, 2023
Phish Summer Tour includes Syracuse stop, plus 7 Nights at MSG

Having just celebrated the start of their 40th year with a career-spanning New Years Eve performance at Madison Square Garden, Phish gave a Valentine’s Day gift to fans in the form of Summer 2023 Tour dates. The 23-date Phish tour will include stops at St. Joseph’s Lakeview Amphitheater in Syracuse, and 7 nights at MSG.

On Sunday, July 23, Phish will make their second ever appearance at Lakeview Amphitheatre in Syracuse, located on the shore of Onondaga Lake and across the highway from the New York State Fairgrounds. Their first performance in 2016, also a Sunday show, featured the band playing a great deal of songs penned by native son, Jon Fishman.

While not billed as a residency like the band’s 13-night Baker’s Dozen run of 2017, the Madison Square Garden shows will feature the band’s second longest stretch at the venue. By the end of the residency, they will bring their total number of shows at the World’s Most Famous Arena to 79, second only to Billy Joel. Check out all the pre and post shows during the 7-night run here.

photo by Chad Anderson

The band’s summer 2023 will culminate with their traditional Labor Day Weekend run at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, CO, returning for four nights, August 31-September 3.

A ticket request period is currently underway at tickets.phish.com and will end on Monday, February 27th at 12PM ET. Tickets go on sale to the public beginning Friday, March 3rd at 10AM ET. Specific ticketing information for each show is available at phish.com/tours.

Travel Packages will be offered in Alpharetta, Wilmington, Philadelphia, New York and Commerce City. All packages include tickets and local hotel accommodations and go on sale Thursday, March 2nd at 11AM local venue time. Every multi-night run has a corresponding multi-night ticket available, including a discounted 7-show ticket available for the Madison Square Garden shows.

Phish 2023 Tour Dates

FEBRUARY
23 – Riviera Maya, Cancún, MX – Moon Palace Cancún (SOLD OUT)
24 – Riviera Maya, Cancún, MX – Moon Palace Cancún (SOLD OUT)
25 – Riviera Maya, Cancún, MX – Moon Palace Cancún (SOLD OUT)
26 – Riviera Maya, Cancún, MX – Moon Palace Cancún (SOLD OUT)

APRIL
14 – Climate Pledge Arena – Seattle, WA
15 – Climate Pledge Arena – Seattle, WA
17 – Greek Theatre – Berkeley, CA (SOLD OUT)
18 – Greek Theatre – Berkeley, CA (SOLD OUT)
19 – Greek Theatre – Berkeley, CA (SOLD OUT)
21 – Hollywood Bowl – Los Angeles, CA
22 – Hollywood Bowl – Los Angeles, CA
23 – Hollywood Bowl – Los Angeles, CA

JULY
11 – Orion Amphitheater – Huntsville, AL
12 – Orion Amphitheater – Huntsville, AL
14 – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre – Alpharetta, GA
15 – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre – Alpharetta, GA
16 – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre – Alpharetta, GA
18 – Live Oak Bank Pavilion at Riverfront Park – Wilmington, NC
19 – Live Oak Bank Pavilion at Riverfront Park – Wilmington, NC
21 – The Pavilion at Star Lake – Burgettstown, PA
22 – The Pavilion at Star Lake – Burgettstown, PA
23 – St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview – Syracuse, NY
25 – TD Pavilion at the Mann – Philadelphia, PA
26 – TD Pavilion at the Mann – Philadelphia, PA
28 – Madison Square Garden – New York, NY
29 – Madison Square Garden – New York, NY
30 – Madison Square Garden – New York, NY

AUGUST
1 – Madison Square Garden – New York, NY
2 – Madison Square Garden – New York, NY
4 – Madison Square Garden – New York, NY
5 – Madison Square Garden – New York, NY
25+26 – Saratoga Performing Arts Center – Saratoga Springs, NY
31 – Dick’s Sporting Goods Park – Commerce City, CO

SEPTEMBER
1 – Dick’s Sporting Goods Park – Commerce City, CO
2 – Dick’s Sporting Goods Park – Commerce City, CO
3 – Dick’s Sporting Goods Park – Commerce City, CO

February 15, 2023
MSG Announces U2 ‘Achtung Baby’ Residency to open The Sphere

During Super Bowl LVII on Sunday night, U2 dropped a brief look at their upcoming residency at the new MSG Sphere at The Venetian, coming this fall in Las Vegas. The venue has been in the works for years as a state-of-the-art venue, and one of the biggest bands in the world will be the first to christen it.

‘U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At The Sphere’ marks a special run of shows and the band’s first live outing in four years, following the massive success of their acclaimed Joshua Tree 30^th anniversary stadium tour, and their 2018 eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE indoor tour which played to a combined audience of 1 million across Europe and North America.

The full-length trailer is intended to show the global U2 community, featuring a select group of new and longtime U2 fans (along with a few band doppelgangers) coming together for a futuristic Achtung Baby adventure in a unique desert landscape.

The announcement comes with confirmation that Larry Mullen Jr. will take time out to undergo and recuperate from surgery in 2023. These Las Vegas shows will see Larry and the band welcome drummer Bram van den Berg who will be sitting in to join Bono, The Edge and Adam Clayton onstage at MSG Sphere. Bono, The Edge and Adam said in a statement:

It’s going to take all we’ve got to approach the Sphere without our bandmate in the drum seat, but Larry has joined us in welcoming Bram van den Berg who is a force in his own right.

The Sphere show has been in the works for a long time. We don’t want to let people down, least of all our audience… the truth is we miss them as much as they appear to miss us… our audience was always the fifth member of the band. Bottom line, U2 hasn’t played live since December 2019 and we need to get back on stage and see the faces of our fans again. And what a unique stage they’re building for us out there in the desert… We’re the right band, ACHTUNG BABY the right album, and the Sphere the right venue to take the live experience of music to the next level… That’s what U2’s been trying to do all along with our satellite stages and video installations, most memorably on the ZOO TV Tour, which ended in Tokyo 30 years ago this Fall.

The Sphere is more than just a venue, it’s a gallery and U2’s music is going to be all over the walls.

The Edge added separately “The beauty of the Sphere is not only the ground-breaking technology that will make it so unique, with the world’s most advanced audio system, integrated into a structure which is designed with sound quality as a priority; it’s also the possibilities around immersive experience in real and imaginary landscapes. In short, it’s a canvas of an unparalleled scale and image resolution and a once-in-a-generation opportunity. We all thought about it and decided we’d be mad not to accept the invitation.”

U2 is acknowledged as one of the best live acts in the world. Formed in Dublin in 1978, the band were marked out by their drive and ambition from the beginning. U2 has toured the globe countless times, released 14 studio albums, sold over 170 million albums and won numerous awards, including 22 Grammys and Amnesty International’s Ambassador of Conscience award. U2 were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005.

The band has also released “One” from their new album Songs Of Surrender – a collection of 40 seminal U2 songs from across the band’s catalog, re-recorded and reimagined for 2023 in sessions spanning the last two years which sees the band revisit some of the most celebrated songs of their 40+ year career, to be released in full on Friday March 17th. A special world premiere of “One” could be heard during the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year Super Bowl feature.

MSG Sphere will introduce a new medium of entertainment, where fans will feel the impact of bands inside the world’s most experiential venue. MSG Sphere will introduce the first 16K screen that wraps up, around, and behind the audience. Sphere Immersive Sound will deliver pitch perfect audio to every seat in the house, with 4D technologies letting the audience feel the wind on their face, the heat on their skin and the rumble of thunder. The ‘U2 UV Achtung Baby Live At The Sphere’ opening series of shows will tap into this exclusive technology, allowing fans to experience something completely new.

With approximately 17,500 seats and a scalable capacity up to 20,000 guests, MSG Sphere at The Venetian will become the venue of choice for a wide variety of content, including Sphere experiences, concert residencies, product launches, and marquee events. In addition to the world’s highest resolution LED screen, MSG Entertainment has developed a multi-layered audio system – Sphere Immersive Sound – equipped with thousands of speakers that utilize beamforming technology to deliver targeted, crystal-clear and consistent audio to every seat in the house.

Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. Executive Chairman and CEO James L. Dolan said, “MSG Sphere’s advanced technology allows a legendary band like U2 to bring its music to life in entirely new ways. The Sphere is a new medium that will redefine entertainment.”

The venue will also feature 4D multi-sensory technologies such as immersive seating, evocative scents and changing temperatures, to take experiential storytelling to an entirely new level. The impactful exosphere, exterior screen features a fully programmable display, the largest LED screen on Earth. MSG Sphere at the Venetian is scheduled to open Fall 2023.

Fans around the globe can register now to receive more information regarding U2 at the MSG Sphere show dates and on sale details once they are announced.

February 13, 2023
My First Billy Strings First Show : 1st Bank Center In Broomfield, CO

Sometimes you need to head west in the winter to find some heat, and at 1st Bank Center on Saturday, February 4, that’s just what was found. Amid bitter cold back east, I flew out to Denver for a short weekend and experienced my first Billy Strings show.

This is not to say I’ve never seen Billy Strings perform – I first saw him at WinterWonderGrass in Stratton, VT in December 2018, after years of hearing the buzz about this Michigan bluegrass musician. It took until last summer to catch him a second time, during Outlaw Music Fest when it came to Saratoga Performing Arts Center. But I had never seen him in a regular show setting, and festival sets always give you a different experience than seeing the band for an evening with. Thus, this would be my first Billy Strings show, on the last night of his sold out three-night run in Broomfield, CO, and what a show it was.

Cutting to the chase here, Billy Strings, featuring Mr. Strings (guitar), Billy Failing (banjo), Royal Masat (bass), Jarrod Walker (mandolin), and Alex Hargreaves (fiddle), puts on one hell of a show. There wasn’t a dull moment, an unengaged fan or any feeling I was arriving to the show as an outsider – the crowd was welcoming, one that assured me afterwards that I got a heater at my first Billy show.

With a half an hour before show time (given the 815pm start time the previous two nights), our crew found ourselves on the floor about a third of the way from the front, stage right. With 15 minutes, 10 minutes and 5 minutes before showtime, a brief announcement came on the screens with the voice of god saying “X minutes until Fuzzy Rainbows” – a unique way to get the crowd prepared for the show at the same time the band is getting ready and heading to the stage. With all the shows I’d listened to of Billy Strings’, this was a brand new concept and one of those welcome surprises that did not disappoint.

Kicking off with two substance-tinged tunes, the ever popular “Dust in a Baggie” and “Heartbeat of America,” eyes were drawn to the video screens on either side of the stage. These made Billy and the band seem larger than life (by design), with the band-wide shot above the stage giving a horizontal frame to the band. For those way back in the audience, this was helpful as the five musicians side by side appeared so tiny after looking at the video screens of Giant Billy looking down on the crowd.

The hour long first set had an array of covers, with traditional tunes from Roy Acuff and Larry Sparks complemented by covers from The Moody Blues and John Hartford. Billy Strings’ blending of his own originals and covers that go back through the history of bluegrass, as well as non-bluegrass tunes is a great part of the appeal that makes the music so accessible to so many.

Alongside the video screens were the lights, which were another thing that could not translate to the audio-only experience, let alone festival sets. The lights were on par with the 20th Century Fox intro spotlights, continually shining all around, rotating and occassionally connecting with the disco ball way up in the rafters off stage left. This unexpected element to a bluegrass show gave a never-ending intertwining of lights, something you’d only see at a Greensky Bluegrass show.

After a not too long setbreak, set 2 came out swinging with an Oak Ridge Boys tune, a mellow and delightful “Watch It Fall” and the traditional “Cumberland Reel.” From there, the set picked up speed and never let up, dropping in with the dark as hell “Psycho” that segued smooth as silk into J.J. Cale’s “Ride Me High.” The Bad Livers’ tune “Pretty Daughter” – covered often by Yonder Mountain String Band – jumped up late in the set, with Billy moving from side to side on the stage, hamming it up a bit and watching his bandmates take solos. The closing “Turmoil & Tinfoil” rounded things out with a punch, with an all too brief encore of “Tennessee,” noted as the band’s destination for some recording, and not a sit-in with Phil Lesh and Friends the next day in Denver.

And with that, I checked my first Billy Strings show off the list, with assurance from the show and crowd that this would not be the last.

Billy Strings – 1st Bank Center, Broomfield, CO – Saturday, February 4, 2023

Set 1: Dust In A Baggie, Heartbeat of America, Along The Road (Dan Fogelberg), Streamlined Cannonball (Roy Acuff), The Fire On My Tounge > Know It All, John Deere Tractor (Larry Sparks), The Preacher & The Bear (Arthur Francis Collins), Wargasm, Nights In White Satin (The Moody Blues), This Old World, Bronzeback, All Fall Down (John Hartford), These Old Blues (Traditional)

Set 2: Dig A Little Deeper In The Well (The Oak Ridge Boys), Ice Bridges, Watch It Fall, Slow Train, Cumberland Reel (traditional), Psycho (Eddie Noack) > Ride Me High (J.J. Cale) The Train That Carried My Girl From Town (Doc Watson) > Black Mountain Rag, Love Like Me, Whisper Your Name (New Grass Revival), Pretty Daughter (Bad Livers), Nothing’s Working, Turmoil & TInfoil

Encore: Tennessee (Jimmy Martin)

February 9, 2023
NY Singer-Songwriter Joseph James releases debut, “Valentine”

Just in time for February, Joseph James, an award-winning singer-songwriter-producer from New York has released his debut single “Valentine.” The Lady Gaga collaborator will see release his album 5.5 in May.

“Valentine” was released worldwide on January 2nd, 2023, and will be followed by 10 powerhouse tracks that culminate with his debut album, 5.5. Joseph’s record label, studio and performance experience, prepares him to be the next big act in mainstream commercial music in 2023.

Joseph is the founder of AP Music Group and holds a bachelor’s degree in music from Berklee College of Music in Boston. Joseph has performed, produced and toured with major acts all over the world, among them Lady Gaga (Stefani Germanotta) and Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple).

As noted on a Lady Gaga fan site, Joe first met Stefani in 2003 to produce her college application demo for New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Together they recorded three Jazz standards including “Someone to Watch Over Me” and “Orange Colored Sky” where James recorded the piano while Tony Di Lullo recorded the vocals.

They worked together on the five track demo, Words, as well as Germanotta’s 2006 EP, Red and Blue. After the two releases, Joe continued to work with Gaga and the band on songs such as “Hollywood” and “Master Heartbreaker” but were only performed live.

From now until midnight on February 28th, 2023, fans are encouraged to post, tag and DM Joseph on Instagram a picture or video of yourself listening to “Valentine,” and he will personally record a dedication to you (and yours) and send you your own personalized mp3 of “Valentine” (be sure to include names.)

For all things Joseph James, visit this link and stay tuned for more from this rising New York singer-songwriter-producer.

February 1, 2023
Harlem Stage to present Nikara Warren on Feb. 11

On February 11, Harlem Stage, the performing arts center that bridges Harlem’s cultural legacy to contemporary artists of color, will welcome Nikara Warren for the next installment of its Uptown Nights Concert Series at Gatehouse. Warren will perform music from her acclaimed debut album, Black Wall Street.

A true Brooklynite, Warren was born and bred in the eclectic and electric borough among her family, her friends, her band, and her musical pedigree are a microcosm of the county at large. Granddaughter of world-renowned jazz pianist Kenny Barron, daughter of a half Trinidadian soca/dancehall lover father, and a classic 90s “Brooklyn ’Round the Way” girl mother, Warren is taking vibes to the people with her infectious compositional sense, her post-modern patchwork of influences and cultural signposts, and her fearless musicality. Her bold quest comes from being well-versed in the vibraphone lineage, but seeking to adventure beyond it.

Warren’s debut album, Black Wall Street, represents a convergence of Nikara’s personal, cultural, familial, and musical journeys. Here, she explores abstract sound-collage, hip-hop, jazz, neo-soul, Afro-Latino and Afro-Caribbean rhythms, and more. The through-line here being for Nikara — it’s all dance music. Her vision is cohesive but eclectic — just like how people’s identities are a product of their varied heritage and associations. Music critic Kira Grunenberg stated, “Black Wall Street doesn’t project its versatility and creative range through scholarly jazz arrangements or covers chasing perfectionism. Instead, it offers original music converged around a stylistically fluid foundation.”

Joining Warren (vibraphone and raps) at Harlem Stage are Craig Hill (saxophone), Alonzo Demetrius (trumpet), Parker McAllister (electric bass), Corey Sanchez (electric guitar), Axel Tosca (keyboards), and David Frazier, Jr. (drums & sampling pad), plus special guests.

With a long-standing tradition of supporting artists and organizations around the corner and across the globe, Harlem Stage boasts such legendary artists as Harry Belafonte, Max Roach, Sekou Sundiata, Abbey Lincoln, Sonia Sanchez, Eddie Palmieri, Maya Angelou, and Tito Puente, as well as contemporary artists like Mumu Fresh, Jason “Timbuktu” Diakité, Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, Tamar-kali, Vijay Iyer, Mike Ladd, Meshell Ndegeocello, Jason Moran, José James, Nona Hendryx, Bill T. Jones, and more. Harlem Stage’s education programs serve over 2,300 New York City school children each year.

Tickets are $25-35 and can be purchased at harlemstage.org.

February 1, 2023
Lil Baby and Michael B. Jordan Deliver a Saturday Night Live Knockout

For the second episode of Saturday Night Live in 2023, Michael B. Jordan, star of the Creed franchise, hosted for the first time with musical guest Lil Baby.

The cold open featured Mikey Day as Attorney General Merrick Garland, who made light of classified documents found in former presidents homes, but made Garland out to seem more serious and tough than his demeanor implies. Day (as Garland) said, “I may look like I was born in a library, but there is something you should know: Merrick Garland don’t play.” The opening ended with a reference to Tyre Nichols and the recent release of videos confirming police brutality, this time in Memphis.

For his monologue, Michael B. Jordan wore a plum colored suit, offering that “Tonight, Michael B. Hosting. Michael B. Nervous. Michael B. Vulnerable. Michael will be aight.” Reaffirming that he was indeed single, Jordan had a playful monologue, with female cast members coming to the stage hitting on him, including Ego Nwodim in a full wedding dress.

The first sketch of the night was one of the strongest, with a ‘Good Morning Today’ TV show with a premise of a cooking segment being conducted by a reporter (Sarah Sherman) and weatherman (Jordan) both of whom were stuck on a roller coaster for 19 hours at full speed. Sherman ran with this out-there concept that has been present this season more than in recent memory, using her eccentric talent and joining the ranks of past female physical comedy cast members, among them Kristin Wiig, Cheri Oteri, Molly Shannon and Gilda Radner.

The first song from GRAMMY winning trap rapper Lil Baby performed “California Breeze” from his October 2022 album It’s Only Me. With a live four-piece band, Lil Baby wore a green basket weave coat
while performing on a red-lit stage that look like you were staring into wreckage, with a giant crack through middle of the set.

Lil Baby appeared on Saturday Night Live back in 2019 during DJ Khaled’s set, joining Lil Wayne, John Legend, Meek Mill, SZA and others as a tribute to Nipsey Hussle, who was fatally shot in Los Angeles months before.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GLGokc-RwY

Weekend Update felt a little short this week, but did welcome back Angel (Heidi Gardner) as ‘every boxer’s girlfriend from every movie about boxing ever.’ This led to Jordan appearing as Adonis Creed from the Creed films, of which the third installment is out in March.

The second performance from Lil Baby on this week’s Saturday Night Live was the song “Forever” on the same blue hued same stage but with only a pianist and rapper Fridayy projected onto the wall behind Lil Baby and singing the chorus. Fridayy appears on the studio version, and also produced the track alongside Bizness Boi & Fortune.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1k8lNjiRoY

Of note, earlier this week, a unionized group of post production workers at Saturday Night Live authorized a strike so as to expedite negotiations on their first contract, which they report as having stalled. The group is unionized with the IATSE-affiliated Motion Picture Editors Guild last year and handles post-production on pretaped sketches, including music videos and commercial parodies. There were still three pre-taped sketches this week, and two last week, so it may be possible that SNL will be even more live in coming weeks if the strike does take place.

SNL is back on February 4 with host Pedro Pascal and musical guest Coldplay.

January 29, 2023
WRAPS – Woodstock Rock Art and Poster Show – Returns to Bearsville Center May 6-7

WRAPS – the Woodstock Rock Art and Poster Show – will return to Bearsville Center over May 6-7, 2023. The two-day event will feature a wide selection of art for sale ranging from vintage psychedelia and silkscreen prints, to modern digital artwork and photography.

Exhibitors include well-known artists as well as newcomers making a splash on the scene. In addition to a formidable artist line-up, there will be multi-media productions, talks, and seminars/workshops throughout the event.

This is a new East Coast art show modeled on, and with the support of, the famous The Rock Poster Show (T.R.P.S.) held annually in San Francisco, WRAPS is poised to become a premier event for poster collectors on the East Coast.

The inaugural WRAPS was a huge success last May. Over 40 exhibitors ranging from painters to printers, body artists to serious art collectors gathered to share their love for and knowledge of the art form known simply as “rock poster”. In its second year WRAPS plan to make it even bigger and better.

Held in the world-famous town of Woodstock, NY, WRAPS is produced by artist Mike DuBois of Happylife Productions, Kenny Scneidman of Arrowhead Ranch and Retreat and Lizzie Vann the owner of the newly renovated Bearsville Center, The event will take place at the Historic Bearsville Theater and Utopia sound stage the first weekend of May 2023.

Larry Campbell and Mike DuBois

Bearsville Center is located just a few miles down the road from Woodstock, approximately 2 hours north of New York City and 1 hour south of Albany. It is easily accessible by both car and public transportation out of NYC.

Bearsville Center features a spacious bar and lounge in the theater, and an expansive lawn area for networking and socializing. The property also boasts two restaurants, an ice cream shop, a full bar, and patio with fire pit. There will be live music in the theater’s lounge in the evening. The town of Woodstock and surrounding Catskill Mountains and Hudson Valley offer a multitude of recreational and cultural activities, entertainment, hotels and dining in a beautiful natural environment.

WRAPS takes place Saturday, May 6- 10 A.M. – 6 P.M. Sunday, May 7 – 10 A.M- 5 P.M. Artists interested in taking part in the 2023 Woodstock Rock Art & Poster Show, sign up here and check out photos from the 2022 installment of WRAPS below.

Artists for WRAPS 2023 include Jeff Wood, Johnny Thief, William Giese, Mikio Kennedy, David Byrd, Brad Kelly, Mike DuBois, Jay Blakesburg Studio, John Warner, Kenny Schneidman, JT Luccesi, Kory McGeehan, Una Toibin, Helen Kennedy (Zazz Corp.), PhanArt, Rennie Cantine, Brian Woodruff, Phil Brown, Nadina Simon, Nick Clemente (Mark Goff Photos) and many more to be announced.

January 27, 2023
MSG Entertainment CEO James Dolan Doubles Down on use of Facial Recognition Technology, threatens to ban Alcohol
Billionaire owner of MSG and the New York Knicks, James Dolan, is not backing down on the use of facial recognition technology at MSG.

Appearing on WNYW’s Good Day New York, Dolan clarified the company’s position, saying, “The real issue is our policy of not letting attorneys who are suing us into our building until the litigation is done. When it’s done, they’re very much welcome back. This is not discriminatory and we will not back down – The Garden has to defend itself – our values are important to us.”

The comment comes on the heels of articles detailing the banning of lawyers who work for firms suing MSG through the use of facial recognition technology. A statement from MSG Entertainment stated its position on its adverse attorney policy and what it called ‘attempts by self-serving politicians to use this issue as a publicity and fundraising platform, instead of addressing issues that impact all New Yorkers such as crime and the economy.’

Dolan expanded on the recent bill introduced in the New York State Senate and Assembly, which seeks to curb the use of facial recognition technology to discriminate against paying ticket holders.

We urge our elected representatives to focus on causes that improve the quality of life for their constituents – such as addressing rampant crime and homelessness in the city, rather than taking up the cause of a small percentage of attorneys so they can attend Knicks and Rangers games. These elected officials are exploiting this issue for their own publicity and fundraising platform – going as far as to solicit donations.

Dolan also went on to suggest that alcohol sales would be banned at upcoming New York Rangers games, if the State Liquor Authority did not back down from threats to pull the venue’s liquor license.

The New York State Liquor Authority, for example, is way over its skis and being extremely aggressive, threatening to take away our liquor license. They’re doing this for publicity so we’re going to give them some publicity. In response to their threats, we could pick a night, and shut down all the alcohol in the building. We know our fans would be disappointed, but it’s important that we call attention to the SLA’s misguided threats to pull our liquor licenses under false pretense and with zero jurisdiction on this issue.

State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, who introduced the bill and whose district includes Madison Square Garden, said in a statement

In his public meltdown on Fox 5 this morning, James Dolan showed why Albany should pass our legislation (S2424) and close the ‘sporting event’ loophole in our Civil Rights Law that allows Dolan to ban fans from Madison Square Garden using facial-recognition technology, simply because they work at law firms with clients he deems opposed to his financial interests.

James Dolan is the poster child of privilege, as someone who inherited his wealth and receives an annual $43 million dollar tax break from New Yorkers. Given Dolan’s condescending attitude towards the rest of us, it’s not surprising that he’s taken to criticizing the ‘Clean Slate’ bill to give New Yorkers with criminal convictions a second chance and publicly humiliating honest and hardworking civil servants like the CEO of the State Liquor Authority.

New York shouldn’t allow petty tyrants to impose their warped fantasies on the public while reaping millions each year from taxpayer subsidies. I’m grateful to both the New York State Attorney General and the Manhattan District Attorney for launching inquiries into Dolan’s vindictive business practices intended to silence his critics.

MSG Entertainment shared the following positions towards efforts by the NYS Legislature to stop the use of facial recognition technology.

Our Policy and Our Rights:
- Attorneys who have filed a lawsuit against MSG Entertainment are not welcome in our venues while litigation is ongoing. When the litigation is resolved, they will be welcomed back.
- This includes attorneys representing ticket scalpers, personal injury claims and class action litigations, but does not include claims related to sexual harassment or employment discrimination.
- MSG Entertainment is a private business, and in full compliance with all applicable laws – it is also within our right to implement and to enforce this policy, which is specific to lawyers pursuing active litigation against the Company.
Who These Attorneys Really Are:
- The attorneys we are prohibiting from attending include ambulance chasers and money grabbers whose business is motivated by self-promotion and who capitalize on the misfortune of others.
- These are attorneys that are defending the ticket scalpers who make getting tickets for the average game and concert-goer next to impossible and exorbitantly expensive.
Our Policy and Facial Recognition:
- We have effectively used facial recognition since 2018 as one of our tools to provide a safe and secure environment for our customers and ourselves.
- In addition, we use it as a tool to keep adverse attorneys out of our venues.
We Are Unequivocally Open to the Public:
- Our venues are absolutely and unequivocally open to the public – we host more than five million people a year and temporarily preventing access to a small percentage of attorneys who are involved in active litigation against MSG doesn’t change that.
- This policy does not unlawfully prohibit anyone from entering MSG Entertainment’s venues and it is not our intent to dissuade attorneys from representing plaintiffs in litigation against the Company. This is not an attack on lawyers. We are merely excluding a small percentage of lawyers and only during active litigation.
Elected Officials and Their Real Agendas:
- No matter where you stand on the policy, everyone can agree it shouldn’t be this high on our elected officials’ agenda.
- We urge our elected representatives to focus on causes that improve the quality of life for their constituents – such as addressing rampant crime and homelessness in the city, instead of choosing to attack the economic engine, job creator and community beacon that is MSG.
- Some elected officials are using this as a publicity and fundraising platform, when they should be focusing attention and resources on pressing issues facing New Yorkers – homelessness, the economy, and crime to name a few. One of our electeds is already exploiting his press coverage in solicitation emails.
- Attorney General Letitia James has every right to ask questions, but to suggest anyone is being excluded based on the protected classes identified in state and federal civil rights laws is ludicrous. Our policy has never applied to attorneys representing plaintiffs who allege sexual harassment or employment discrimination.
Our Commitment to New York City:
- MSG Entertainment is invested in the success of New York City and in the fan experience – and we work hard to create a welcoming atmosphere – focused on warmth, enjoyment and safety for everyone. And we’re proud that MSG is the safest venue in the country.
- For over 140 years we have been proud to be a center of New York cultural life – millions of people have attended once-in-a-lifetime events at our venues, and continue to do so in record numbers.
Our Continued Cooperation With State Agencies:
- We’ve been extremely cooperative and forthcoming with all state agencies – even those that don’t have any oversight or authority to take a position on this matter – they have every right to ask questions but we also expect that they give us the opportunity to explain our position.
January 27, 2023