Sister pop duo Aly & AJ released their fifth studio album, With Love From, on March 15. The album comes after 2021’s A Touch of the Beat Gets You Up on Your Feet Gets You Out and Then Into the Sun, their first studio album in 14 years. Prior to its release, four singles, “With Love From,” “Baby Lay Your Head Down,” “After Hours,” and “Blue Dress” were released in support.
The cover of Aly and AJ’s debut album, Into the Rush. Credit: Amazon
Aly & AJ were born in Torrance, California in 1989 and 1991 respectively, and raised in both Southern California and Seattle. Both of their parents, who are now divorced, work in the music industry, their dad is a producer, and their mother is a musician who performed in the Christian rock band, JC Band. The sisters have a history with Disney, with Aly playing a supporting role in the sitcom Phil of the Future from 2004-06, co-starring in the 2005 Disney Channel Orginal Movie Now You See It, and starring with AJ in the network’s 2006 original movie Cow Belles.
Their debut album, Into the Rush, was released in 2005. The album was heavily supported by Disney, with their cover of “Do You Believe in Magic” appearing in the soundtrack of Now You See It…; the single “No One” appearing in the 2005 Walt Disney Pictures Film Ice Princess; another cover “Walking on Sunshine,” appearing in the soundtrack for the Lindsay Lohan film Herbie: Fully Loaded. The album’s debut track and fifth single overall, “Rush” was featured in Disney’s Twitches, before being released to mainstream radio and becoming their first single to chart the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at 59. Their single, “On the Ride” appeared in the soundtrack for Cow Belles.
Insomniatic, their third studio album, became their most successful release to date in 2007. The album’s debut single, “Potential Breakup Song” similarly became the duo’s most successful single to date. The sisters took an extended break after the album’s release, marking their return in 2017 with the EP Ten Years. In 2021, they released their first studio album in 14 years, A Touch of the Beat Gets You Up on Your Feet Gets You Out and Then Into the Sun. The album didn’t reach the same success as their previous work, but it was supported by a single, “Slow Dancing.”
With Love From marks a minor departure from Aly & AJ’s previous work, something they started doing with their prior album. Highlights from the album include the title track, “With Love From,” and “After Hours.” While their early work encompassed upbeat dance music you were likely to hear at a party in the late 2000s, their newer music is a slower-paced, soft-pop sound. The change feels natural, reflecting the growth they’ve had over the years of their career. Aly & AJ are ready to introduce their new sound to a live audience, headlining a tour this spring that will have a stop at the Hammerstein Ballroom on April 22.
Listent to the With Love From music video by Aly and AJ.
Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh performs this week at The Capitol Theatre with a slew of talented musicians for four nights, which started on March 15, Phil’s birthday show. Sunday will see Phil notch his 100th show at The Cap, capping off the celebration.
For Phil’s birthday show, he was joined by Rick Mitarotonda, Grahame Lesh, James Casey, Natalie Cressman, Jennifer Hartswick, John Medeski, & John Molo. The show started off running with “Help On the Way > Slipknot”, with the first set including Deadhead favorites such as “Cumberland Blues” and “Scarlet Begonias”. Later in the set, James Casey’s vocals on “Fire on The Mountain” were masterful.
The second set opened up with “Not Fade Away,” filled with explorative jamming which peaked with a psychedelic “The Wheel” and an energetic “Let it Grow” to close out the set.
Owner of The Capitol Theatre, Peter Shapiro, came on stage to surprise Phil Lesh with a birthday cake. The crowd proceeded to sing “Happy Birthday” to Phil, before the band concluding their encore with a classic “I Know You Rider.”
Phil Lesh – The Capitol Theatre – Wednesday, March 15, 2023
Set 1: Help on the Way > Slipknot! > Cumberland Blues, Dire Wolf, Scarlet Begonias, Fire on the Mountain, Franklin’s Tower Set 2: Not Fade Away, Playing in the Band, St. Stephen > The Other One > Long Time Gone > The Wheel > Let It Grow Encore: Donor Rap, Happy Birthday to You, I Know You Rider
The improvisatory Rust Dust, also known as Jason Stutts, has announced the release of his sophomore Album, Twere But It Were So Simple via Omad Records. On March 10, the new album was celebrated with a CD release party at The Museum of Folk Art in NYC.
Some musicians require precision for the success of their projects, while others take a supple approach. Rust Dust belongs to the latter group, allowing whatever sounds, words, energy, and emotions to manifest into songs. According to Dust, “I don’t typically sit down to write a song. Sometimes I’m lucky enough to recognize them when they appear.” This process can occur for minutes or over the course of years.
Twere But It Were So Simple is a spacious-sounding LP that was recorded live in a ramshackle Brooklyn brownstone. The vivacious instrumental “Helter Fukov Awakens” segues into improbable guitar pop, with songs such as “All-Lit-Up-With-Nowhere-To-Go” and “UFO.” Additionally, songs like “Ice Queen Sandwich” and “Speaking In Tongues” vibe together like Robyn Hitchcock cornering Townes Van Zandt at a buoyant, boozy rent party. Songs such as “Snakes In My Pockets”, “A Rope Around My Neck” and “Sky,” a haunting, heartbreaking collaboration with the award winning John DeNicola took a somber turn.
Fans can expect to enjoy a harmonious country and a blues roots melody when listening to Rust Dust’s new album. To match his vintage aesthetic, Dust used an old Yamaha nylon and a Godin Multiac which is a modern nylon-string electric designed to mimic an acoustic when plugged to craft his sound.
A mutual appreciation for old gear initially brought Stutts and DeNicola together. The two helmed the first Rust Dust record known as Diviners and Shivs in DeNicola’s Upstate New York studio. His newest album can be featured here.
For a band with such a rich and vast musical archive like the one belonging to The Grateful Dead, when a search for a show recording comes up completely empty, it’s almost hard to fathom. But that appears to the be the case for a Grateful Dead show on March 17, 1970 with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra which has a legacy that seems to grow with each passing year, as pleas for any video or audio recordings continue to go unanswered. In a tragic case of irony, this particular show seems to feature some of the most avant-garde music and experimental visuals of the band’s still fledgling touring career. All we’re left with is a scant trail of news clippings, the recollections of those who were present, and a pretty valid reason as to why any media will never surface.
This performance, which was billed as a benefit for the Orchestra called the Philharmonic Rock Marathon, took place at Kleinhans Music Hall, where the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra still plays to this day. This particular gig in 1970 was billed as a collaboration between the worlds of classical and rock music and the first of its kind. After a cancellation by The Byrds, who were originally scheduled to appear, the Grateful Dead swooped in and would seem to serve as more than an adequate replacement for this type of experimentation. The band even waived their normal appearance fee, jumping at the chance to work with Lukas Foss, a renowned German-American pianist and conductor who was musical director of the Buffalo Philharmonic at the time.
‘The Dead’ are accepting expenses but waiving their usual huge fee, to help the Philharmonic benefit and for the ‘privilege and delight,’ as they put it, ‘of working with Lukas Foss.’ It will be a four-hour concert in six parts, any one of them a major event. The whole program, in fact, is history-making as the first fully-shared concert by a rock group and symphony orchestra.
Buffalo Evening News, March 17, 1970
As promised, the performance offered a myriad of musical collaborations that were no doubt enhanced with a state-of-the-art $4000 light rig that was brought in, with a laser beam shone through a prism bathing the music hall walls in color. Between this and a motorized lift platform in the orchestra pit that the band played on, which at one point would rise when they played and lower when the orchestra took over, the Grateful Dead’s fingerprints on the modern day jam scene only grow more evident.
Finally, the merging of two musical forms, the Dead and the Philharmonic in an old-time jam session. Also on the program will be a new concept in light shows. Laser beams!
Joe Fernbacher, from the Spectrum, University at Buffalo, March 13, 1970
The Grateful Dead and Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra were joined by another band on stage as well, The Road. All three outfits, under the stewardship of Lukas Foss, combined to produce a night full of incredible music that, sadly, seems to have gone unrecorded. The first portion of the evening saw Lukas Foss at the piano, backed by members of all three groups, playing his own piece called “Non-Improvisation,” a 1967 composition for four players (clarinet, violincello, piano & percussion), based on the first movement of Bach’s concerto for harpsichord in D minor. The aim was for all the musicians to create a rhythmic and electronic counterpoint to the piano, which seemed to be a much easier hurdle for The Dead to clear than The Road.
As conductor Foss played his Bach non-improvisation, the Road came in around him with their wall of sound, providing a bit too much rhythm & shout and not enough freeform experimentation. The Dead worked their wave of music more adeptly around this freeform style.
Deadbase Review
The Road did get a set of their own at some point afterwards, though the few reviews found online seem to focus more on the Dead Head-heavy crowd vocally urging them off the stage, clamoring for their band to return. Naturally, with no known recordings, the song selections for the Dead’s set that followed are sparse at best. But we do know “Dark Star” was prominently involved, a song in its full experimental glory in 1970. And in the night’s sense of collaboration, the band even brought on a third drummer to join in the musical fray.
The Dead uses two drummers, Mickey Hart and Billy Kruetzmann, to form a ‘figure 8’ of sound around the guitars and organ. This duo broke from the set rhythm of ‘Dark Star’ into a ping-pong drumming contest, adding a new beat with each volley. They closed the match with a duet synchronizing move for move. Lynn Harbold, Philharmonic percussionist, joined in this number on Hart’s drums doing a fine job.
James Brennan, from the Buffalo Evening News, March 18, 1970
After the first of two billed sets of standalone Grateful Dead music, Foss returned to the stage with a battery of sub-conductors to lead the orchestra in the American premiere of his “Geod,” where the laser show with the aforementioned prism and laser beam seem to have been prominently involved. “Geod” required five conductors to give cues to play audibly and inaudibly. Most of the music was said to be very quiet, familiar tunes played against a soft curtain of sustained tones, with snippets of wind phrases added for context. “Taps,” “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” “Going Home” and a very slow “Merrily We Go Along” were just some of the tunes heard in this sequence which even had the audience participating as well.
Sounds included gentle singing from the orchestra, organ, harmonica, percussion & mandolin. The audience joined in clapping at once point, and by the end of the performance was making knocking, popping mouth sounds that seemed to fit quite well.
Thomas Putnam, from the Buffalo Courier Express, March 18, 1970
The Grateful Dead then played their second set of the evening, though few details are available. The only other known song selections from this evening appear to be a “Saint Stephen,” which saw firecrackers thrown on stage at one point, and a set closing “Turn on Your Lovelight” helmed by Pigpen. Reviews of the show seem to pay more attention to the crowd’s palpable love of the band and the energy present at Kleinhans Music Hall this evening.
When the Dead got warmed up, it seemed the audience would not be content with anything less than having the Dead finish the concert by themselves. Speaker fuzziness spoiled the first number, but after the sound system was improved the group went through several numbers with good effect, including a long performance in which the beat had most of the audience clapping and dancing.”
Deadbase Review
After a second set of Dead music, the Buffalo Philharmonic returned to the stage, conducted by Foss for two John Cage pieces titled “Variations II” and “Variations III.” This reportedly featured tuxedoed members of the Orchestra walking down the aisles, all playing small triangles in time, creating an eerie, funereal-like atmosphere that surely was a sharp juxtaposition from the euphoria that seemed to be present earlier.
The final segment of the Philharmonic Rock Marathon gave the musicians one last chance to produce this revolutionary blend of rock and orchestral music. Both The Road and The Dead were brought back on stage to join the Buffalo Philharmonic with half of the Orchestra assigned to each. Another conductor led The Road’s section at one end of the hall and Foss conducted the Grateful Dead and its half of the Orchestra at the other end. With conductors issuing verbal instructions on how and when to play, the two sides went back and forth in a musical free for all, closing out the evening in grandiose fashion.
The closing rock-Philharmonic challenge is the most exciting new concept of contemporary music. As the groups and orchestras jammed, the atmosphere was intensified with a laser-beam light show. Rapid patterns and curves of pure light chased along the walls in time with the music like frantic balls of yarn…As an evening of rock and symphony avant-garde it was not only entertaining and often exciting, but carved new territory for players and listeners in both styles.
James Brennan, from the Buffalo Evening News, March 18, 1970
Unfortunately, this magic doesn’t seem to have been captured anywhere except in the minds of those who were present. Monetary rewards have even been offered at this point for anyone who may have a recording of this hidden somewhere among their stash. But there appears to be a logistical reason as to why this will never appear. According to the Philharmonic archivist, union rules made taping impossible, and recordings of live symphonic concerts without recording fees were forbidden. Add in the factor of the sheer size of taping equipment in 1970 and it’s no wonder that there wasn’t much of a Tapers Section at this show.
That being said, if anyone does happen to stumble upon any possible leads of a recording of this show featuring the Grateful Dead and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, they are eagerly encouraged to contact NYS Music or Chris Foss, son of Lukas, at fosscb@gmail.com.
Discover Grateful Dead shows from over the years across New York State with our interactive map below
Asbury Park, New Jersey natives Dogs In A Pile stopped in Buffalo for their latest tour on Sunday March 12. Although these guys are considered young in the jam band scene, their chemistry and talent on stage pays no mind to that.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
Opener Hayley Jane blew away the crowd with her infectious energy and emotive vocals. She brings various styles to the stage including 60s/70s rock, musical funk, blues, soul and more. She played a few songs with Dogs In A Pile which was captivatig to see the collaboration.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
The eclectic quintet is made up of Jimmy Law (lead guitarist/vocalist), Joe Babick (drums), Jeremy Kaplan (keyboard), Sam Lucid (bass), and Brian Murray (guitar). Babick and Law started jamming together as young kids. Later on they met the other three and formed the band in 2018. They have built their sound through instrumentation of aural mosaics as well as use of psychedelia.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
Dogs In A Pile played a wide range of material on their setlist full of funk tunes and covers. They also performed songs off of their newly released album Bloom. Some of which were “Today,” “Bent Strange,” and “Fenway.”
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
The group played late into the night filling Buffalo Ironworks with their blend of genres and introspective soundscapes. Dogs In A Pile uses their storytelling techniques to make connective music and fun live shows. Additionally, their energy is undeniable to the crowd which left many new fans of the boys’ ever-growing Dog Pound.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
Dogs In A Pile are making several more stops in NY. These include Ithaca on March 16 and Saratoga Springs on March 17. Get your tickets here. Also Buffalo Ironworks has upcoming shows including Workingman’s Dead on March 17 and Desmond Jones on March 20.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
Dogs in a Pile – Buffalo Iron Works – Sunday, March 12
Set 1: Dogs to the Rescue Kids Set: Spongebob Theme, Bugle on the Shelf, Inchworm, Fruit Salad[1,2], Applesauce, Swim to the Middle[2], Jenny Jenkins[3], Ape Man [4], You’ve Got a Friend in Me [5]
Set 2: HJ & The K9s: Brand New Key [6], Hey Pocky A-Way [7], Brand New Key, Jungle Foot, Cosmic Katrina, Paper Fly, Little Bird, This Woman
Set 3Dogs in a Pile: Westward, Stevie Lew, Today, Let U Go, Look Johnny II, Boogie on Reggae Woman [8], Fenway, Craig and Pat, Go Set, Tillie, Trickery [9], Jack & Coke, The Other One [10], Look Johnny, Feel Like A Stranger, [10] Bent Strange
Encore: That’s Life[2]
[1] The Wiggles[2] w/ Hayley Jane[3] Jerry Garcia version[4] The Kinks[5] Randy Newman[6] Melanie[7] The Meters[8 Stevie Wonder[9] Dopapod [10] Grateful Dead
Transporting Albany to interstellar dimension, it was another hip shaking, foot stomping, groovy good time at Lark Hall on Thursday, March 9th as Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country made their other-worldly debut at the recently revitalized venue.
Unleashing an absolute powerhouse performance, the rapidly rising band from Nashville has been on a freight train to stardom since breaking out at the annual Peach Festival last summer. After the performance on Thursday, March 9, it’s easy to see why and fair to say the Albany faithful are ‘all aboard.’
Taking the stage to a packed house with swagger, wearing vintage seventies garb, cowboy hats and each member having hair down past their shoulders, right away you could tell two things about this band: These guys weren’t from around here and that they came to Albany with intent to impress. Along with Daniel Donato on guitar and vocals, Cosmic Country also features Nathan “Sugar Leg” Aronowitz on keyboards, rhythm guitar and vocals, Will “Mustang” McGee on electric/upright bass, and Noah Winner on drums and percussion. The band was last in town on October 29th, 2022 opening for the Kitchen Dwellers in Saratoga Springs, but for this three hour, two set performance at Lark Hall, there was no opening act.
Coming out of the gates with a “Fourteen Carat Mind” > “Lose Your Mind,” > “Faded Lovin’” trifecta, it didn’t take the Cosmic Country band long to showcase their incredible songwriting and technically proficient chops. Easing the audience in with beautiful harmonies and tasteful melodies, the band effortlessly blended together genres like outlaw country and modern bluegrass with elements of funk, experimental jazz and rockabilly.
By the time the young guitarist virtuoso Donato and his teal-colored telecaster landed on “Sugar Shack,” the whole room was in the palm of his hands and grooving together as one. Seizing the moment and an opportunity to try something new, the band would then stretch their legs a bit on the unreleased song “Gotta Get Southbound.” A tune about departure, exploration and freedom, Donato described it as “encompassing many emotions, but mainly, is for the soul that needs to adventure to awaken and discover a better world and reality.”
Keeping with the positive outlook, bass player ‘Mustang’ McGee would switch out his electric bass for an upright one on “Half Moon Night” which features the lyrics “I’m gonna shine, shine, shine. No matter how dark it may be.” Next, one lucky fan would get their wish as Cosmic Country then played “Fox On The Run” which had verbally been requested several times earlier in the set. Up next was “Darlin’ Cory,” a timeless old murder ballad Danoto first started playing years ago when he was gigging with The Don Kelley Band around Nashville and now appears on his 2021 studio album Cosmic Country & Western Songs Western Songs.
“Arkansas Traveler” and “Rose In a Garden” would follow suit before Donato would lead us into set break with another homage to the Don Kelly Band, this time in the form of “Ghost Riders in the Sky.” Calling it “one of the most heroic songs of the great American Western catalogue of music,” Donato believes “the journey this song takes you on, musically, is a mutually understood and realized feeling that we all possess inside us. The truth of the sincere feelings this song conjures would be the only explanation as to why this vehicle of song has transcended nearly 70 years of cultural and musical change.”
After a brief break in the action, things would get rolling again as “Hi Country” was selected to kick off the second set. Bringing serious early 70’s Dead vibes with it, momentum would continue to build as Cosmic Country then segued their way through a “Luck of the Draw” > “Sugar Leg Rag,” which gave keyboard player and rhythm guitarist Nathan Aronowitz ample time to bask in the spotlight. Slowing the pace up for a bit was another unreleased new one called “Chore” that started off as a bluesy ballad and featured beautiful full-band harmonies before the improvisational section of the song launched the room into the next stratosphere with Donato’s lightning-fast finger work largely to blame.
Feeling the collective storm of energy, it was only fitting that “Weathervane” make in appearance in the set next, though some fans humorously confused it for a cover of “Peaches” by The Presidents of The United States of America at first. They did get a cover next, however, as Wille Nelson’s “Blue Skies” brought many smiles to the older folks in attendance. The outlaw train kept rollin’ next with a smokin’ version of “Mystery Train” followed up by Mustang McGee taking over vocal duties for a rollicking rendition of “Ten Feet of Rope.” Fully vibing off the shared frequencies felt in every corner of the room, “Double Exposure” felt particularly passionate, psychedelic and on point and even featured a dynamic guitar duel exchange between Donato and the multi-talented “Sugar Leg” Aronowitz. “When you find yourself running low on the colors that you need, keep searching through the afterglow for positivity guaranteed!”
Clearly having fun and sharing in the groove, the genre defiance reached a new level as “Dance in the Desert” crossed multiple boundaries and had everyone in the place cutting a rug before reaching its final soaring peak and bringing the second set to a close. Hungry for one more song, the audience was practically begging for an encore. Happy to oblige with a bit of showmanship, Cosmic Country returned to the stage with huge smiles on their faces.
While many songs on the evening felt reminiscent of early 70’s Grateful Dead, there was no mistaking that certain twang on the song chosen for an encore. Uncorking a red-hot version of “Cumberland Blues,” even the hardest Dead Heads in the room were loving it and clearly giving Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country the coveted ‘Albany Seal of Approval.’ After the song, the band’s photographer would take a group wide shot and the guys would hang around meeting their newest fans and signing merchandise.
Reflecting on the show, Donato would later take post to social media “Albany still to this day has essence of a very original spirit, that spirit we all know and love, and search for when the music plays. It’s not my ability to name this sensation, but I do know when the room is feeling this strange, synchronous, and benevolently fleeting frequency. Albany delivered this to us in such a concentrated and positive way, and for that, we love you.”
Up next Cosmic Country will return to Garcia’s in Port Chester and then head to Lewes, De, followed by a pair of dates in Virginia, before they wrap up this winter run in Charleston, SC. Already booked for a number of major music festivals and high profile gigs throughout the summer, it’s easy to predict big things ahead for this band on the rise. Keeping the honky-tonk spirit alive by honoring their heroes like the Don Kelly Band, The Grateful Dead, Rory Gallagher and The Allman Brothers, Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country Band is a special combination of something old and something new married together in a most profound way.
Complete, with great songwriting, a beautiful tone, a never-ending flow of fresh licks and an absolutely badass cast of musicians behind him, we suspect the portal to Danial Donato’s Cosmic Country universe has only just opened and their rocket ship to stardom is right on the cusp of hitting lightspeed.
Cosmic Country | March 9, 2023 | Albany, NY | Lark Hall
Set 1: Fourteen Carat Mind, Lose Your Mind, Faded Lovin’, Sugar Shack, Gotta Get Southbound, Half Moon Night, Fox on the Run, Darlin’ Cory (Don Kelley Band cover), Arkansas Traveler, Rose In a Garden, Ghost Riders in the Sky,
Set 2: Hi-Country, Luck of the Draw > Sugar Leg Rag, Chore, Weathervane > Blue Skies (Willie Nelson cover), Mystery Train, Teen Feet of Rope, Double Exposure, Dance in the Desert
On March 3, The Borgata in Atlantic City lit up with excitement and anticipation as the legendary Smokey Robinson took the stage for what turned out to be a night to remember. The audience knew they were in for a treat when the lights went down, and Robinson’s signature falsetto voice filled the room with his classic hit “Being With You.”
Smokey Robinson 3.3.23
Robinson, 83, took the audience on a musical journey that spanned five decades as he belted out hit after hit. From the ballads “Cruisin” and “Quiet Storm” to the upbeat “Tears of a Clown” and “I Second That Emotion,” Robinson kept the audience dancing and singing along throughout the night.
Smokey Robinson 3.3.23
Robinson’s backup singers and band were top-notch, and their chemistry with him was evident in the way they moved seamlessly through each song, taking the audience from slow romantic moments to uptempo dance numbers. Known for his smooth and soulful voice, Robinson’s performance showed that he hadn’t lost any of his vocal prowess. He effortlessly hit every note and captivated the audience with his dynamic stage presence.
Smokey Robinson 3.3.23
As the night drew to a close, Robinson finished with his timeless hit “Tracks of My Tears,” leaving the audience spellbound and begging for more. It was a concert that will undoubtedly go down in the history books as one of the best ever performed at The Borgata. Smokey Robinson proved that age is just a number as he delivered an unforgettable performance that left a lasting impression on his fans.
Setlist: Intro, Being With You, I Second That Emotion, You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me, Quiet Storm, Ooo Baby Baby, Get Ready, My Girl, The Way You Do The Things You Do, Tears of a Clown, Fly Me To The Moon, Just To See Her, I Love Your Face, La Mirada, The Tracks of My Tears, Cruisin’
Electrifying punk rock group Meet Me @ The Altar blew the roof of Gramercy Theatre on March 2 as part as their first ever headline tour. Along with their openers Daisy Grenade and their intense sound, and Young Culture’s standout stage presence, the Meet Me @ The Altar show was absolutely unforgettable for anyone in attendance.
Photograph by Chinaza Ajuonuma
Meet Me @ The Altar is a three-piece WOC pop-punk band, consisting of guitarist/bassist/singer Téa Campbell (Florida), drummer Ada Juarez (New Jersey), and singer Edith Johnson (Georgia). Originally formed in 2015, the three members—all of whom lived in different states at the time—worked on music remotely through the internet. The band went on their first tour in 2018 and were signed by Fueled by Ramen in 2020. Their creativity continues with their new album Past // Present // Future that came out on March 10.
Photograph by Chinaza Ajuonuma
Daisy Grenade is a power-punk bubble grunge band that serves a punch with a lip-glossed kiss on the side. Made up of the two gorgeously disturbed girlies Keaton Whittaker and Dani Nigro, they turned their unapologetically feminine angst into sickeningly catchy, morbidly worded bubble-grunge bops that are dripping out of a saccharine shell. With Pete Wentz as a mentor and the collaboration of The Ready Set for their sophomore EP, CULT CLASSIC, these two theater kids started making music in 2020 and haven’t looked back.
Daisy Grenade Setlist: Heavy Metal Parking Lot Kind Of Cool, Darby, Stone’s Throw, Skin, I Got It Bad, Rorschach, Dominoes, Colm’s, Veritas, Pocket Change
Photograph by Chinaza Ajuonuma
Hailing from Albany, the trio of Alex Magnan, Gabe Pietrafesa, Troy Burchett that make up Young Culture have been brewing their sound for the past couple of years and most recently have released their album You Had To Be There. Their music can be described as early 2000s-sunshine-rock-meets-modern-technology that pops with bright color and vibrant emotion. The band signed with Equal Vision Records in 2018 and have been releasing banger after banger ever since.
Young Culture Setlist: Not In Love, Drift, Smooth, Fantasy, Silver Lining, Shiver, Holiday in Vegas, Serendipity, Different Now, Kinda Over It
Photograph by Chinaza Ajuonuma
Daisy Grenade took the stage first, launching directly into a hardcore “Heavy Metal Parking Lot Kind Of Cool”. Embodying female angst and jumping around the stage, the energy in the room was electric. The crowd was moshing along as they played new songs, like “Skin” and “I Got It Bad”. After a quick shoutout to their parents in the crowd, the fans for bringing the energy, Daisy Grenade retired the stage with a bang after playing “Pocket Change.”
Photograph by Chinaza Ajuonuma
There was a shift in the room when Young Culture emerged. The chants from fans were almost deafening, as all you could hear was their little tagline, “YC F*CKS”. Launching right into “Not In Love” from their most recent album. The crowd’s enthusiasm skyrocketed as Alex left the stage to stand on the barricade, directly interacting with the fans during the set. With encouragement from the band, the crowd surfing began, putting security to work. From the constant chanting to the jostling of the fans around in the pit, the energy in the room built up to new heights.
Photograph by Chinaza Ajuonuma
By the time Meet Me @ The Altar took the stage, the crowd was buzzing with anticipation. With Téa and Ada tuning and prepping their instruments. Riding off the high of the crowd chanting their names, leading lady Edith hops out and launches into one of the bands most well known songs, “Say It (To My Face)”. With an energy equivalent to a pop punk rager, this hardcore show can only be described as feral and free. The chanting and the crowdsurfing didn’t cease, even long after they performed their final song. Only a week before the release of their new album, Meet Me @ The Altar is on an upward trajectory when it comes to their sound.
Meet Me @ The Altar Setlist: Say It (To My Face), Beyond My Control, Hit Like A Girl, King of Everything, Try, May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor, Now Or Never, Feel A Thing, [unknown song], Complicated, Same Lane, A Few Tomorrow, Garden
Photograph by Chinaza Ajuonuma
In terms of upcoming shows, Daisy Grenade will be on tour with Meet Me @ The Altar until April. They’re then scheduled to head on tour supporting Fall Out Boy on multiple dates from June 23rd in Montana to July in Colorado. For any updates on future shows and tours, check out their website.
Young Culture will also be with Meet Me @ The Altar until April, but past that, there is nothing scheduled. For updates, check their website and socials.
After tour wraps, you can find Meet Me @ The Altar at an array of different festivals, from Adjacent Festival in New Jersey to Leeds Festival in the UK.
Miley Cyrus released her eighth studio album, Endless Summer Vacation, on March 10. The album, which Cyrus describes as her “love letter to LA,” was preceded by two singles, “Flowers” in January, and “River” on the same day as the album’s release. The former Disney star delivers again with her newest release, reminding her fans why they love and support her so much.
A streaming special, Endless Summer Vacation (Backyard Sessions) was released in support of the album. Photo Credit: Good Morning America
Miley Cyrus was born in Nashville, Tennessee in 1992, originally as Destiny Hope Cyrus. While Cyrus has since made a new for herself in the music industry, she comes from a famous family, being the daughter of county singer Billy Ray Cyrus and his wife Tish, who has managed her daughter since the start of her career. She got her big break when she landed the starring role in Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana, which made her into a teen icon and role model for young children while the show was airing from 2006 to 2011.
In the early days of Hannah, Cyrus released her debut album, Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus, which doubled as the soundtrack album for the show’s second season, followed by her first solo album, Breakout, in 2011. She has since made a name for herself outside of Disney, shedding her “good girl” image as early as 2010 with her third album, Can’t Be Tamed, while still starring on Hannah Montana.
Endless Summer Vacation starts out strong, stays steady throghout, and picks up again for the last few trakcs. Highlights from the album include “Flowers, “Jaded,” “Thousand Miles,” “Muddy Feet,” “Island,” and “Wonder Woman.”
The album closes out with “Wonder Woman,” and perfectly so, reminding us exactly who Cyrus is: a modern day Wonder Woman. The singer was born to a famous father but has come to be known as much more than the daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus, and was given a platform through Disney that spearheaded her to success, yet she was still able to break free from that “Disney bubble” that so many stars find themselves in. Endless Summer Vacation is sure to guarantee Miles Cyrus an Endless career in the music industry.
On a rainy Friday night in Brooklyn, fans eagerly lined up outside Elsewhere to catch New York native Skizzy Mars’ return to the venue after a few years. Despite the rain, the line on March 10 extended around the block, a testament to the rapper’s popularity in New York.
Inside the venue, Skizzy Mars delivered an exceptional performance, playing a mix of his most popular singles including “Do You There” with Marc E. Bassy, “Crash” with Pell, and “Recognize” with Joji, alongside his solo hits like “Leave Me,” “Calabasas,” and “STROBE LIGHTS.” The crowd sang along with every word, creating a lively and engaging atmosphere.
Skizzy’s interaction with the crowd was exceptional, showing his love and appreciation for his fans throughout the night. The production of the show was top-notch, with perfectly coordinated lighting and sound that elevated the performance to another level.
As the show came to a close, fans were left wanting more and cheered for an encore. People stayed behind to take pictures with Skizzy Mars and purchase merchandise, adding to the already charged atmosphere.
Skizzy Mars’ return to Elsewhere was a testament to his incredible talent as an artist, leaving fans eagerly anticipating his next show and the new music he has in store for them. His performance was exceptional, showcasing his growth as an artist and his connection with his fans.
In conclusion, Skizzy Mars delivered an unforgettable performance on a rainy Friday night at Elsewhere, leaving fans eager for more. The show had an exceptional vibe, with an enthusiastic and lively crowd that had patiently waited in the rain to see their favorite artist. The production of the show was outstanding, and Skizzy’s performance was exceptional.
