Saturday, March 4th, saw The National playing a surprise and intimate concert at the Bearsville Theater in Woodstock. The show served as a warmup for their upcoming spring and summer tour, supporting their upcoming album First Two Pages Of Frankenstein. The show, presented by Radio Woodstock, had only been announced only a few days earlier.
The National treated fans who drove across the country and arrived from Canada and Europe to a 19-song set, including 10 of the upcoming album’s 11 tracks and classic songs such as “Graceless” and “Fake Empire.” The performance was similar to July 2017, when The National performed Sleep Well Beast at Basilica Hudson.
Prior to the Woodstock show, The National appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Friday to play “Tropic Morning News.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ms0QaFbkth8
Catch The National on tour this summer at Madison Square Garden on August 18 with Patti Smith and her band.
Setlist: Once Upon a Poolside (Live debut), Eucalyptus, New Order T-Shirt (Live debut), This Isn’t Helping, Tropic Morning News, Alien (Live debut), Grease in Your Hair, Ice Machines, Your Mind Is Not Your Friend (Live debut), Send for Me (Live debut), Don’t Swallow the Cap, Bloodbuzz Ohio, The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness, Light Years, Graceless, Fake Empire, Terrible Love, About Today, Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks
The highly anticipated final season ofWu-Tang: An American Saga, the biographical drama series about the legendary hip-hop group, has arrived. The show, which airs on Hulu, chronicles the early days of the Wu-Tang Clan in the gritty streets of Staten Island. As fans eagerly await to see how the story will end, journalist Sway recently sat with Rza and the cast of the show at 92Y in New York City.
The cast of Wu Tang: An American Saga at 92Y
The group and Sway discussed their experiences working on the show, the legacy of the Wu-Tang Clan, and what viewers can expect from the final season. The cast of Wu-Tang: An American Saga is made up of talented actors who bring to life the unique personalities and styles of each member of the group.
Ashton Sanders plays the role of Bobby Diggs, also known as RZA, the founder of the Wu-Tang Clan. Meanwhile, Shameik Moore plays Raekwon, Siddiq Saunderson portrays Dennis ‘D-Love’ Coles, and Dave East takes on the role of Method Man. Other members of the Wu-Tang Clan are played by Joey Bada$$, Marcus Callender, Julian Elijah Martinez, Zolee Griggs, and Erika Alexander. Together, this talented cast brings to life the rise of the Wu-Tang Clan in a gripping and authentic way.
Sway and Rza at 92Y
RZA, who serves as an executive producer and writer for the show, talked about his role in bringing the Wu-Tang story to life. He explained that the show is not just about the group’s music, but also about their struggles and triumphs as young men trying to make a name for themselves. “We wanted to show the human side of the Wu-Tang Clan,” RZA said. “We wanted to show their relationships, their conflicts, their dreams, and their failures
Sway, who is known for his work as a host and reporter on MTV and SiriusXM radio, praised the show for its authenticity and attention to detail. He shared that he was personally involved in ensuring that the show accurately portrayed the hip-hop scene of the early 1990s.
As for what fans can expect from the final season, RZA hinted that there will be some surprises and unexpected twists. “We’re going to take you on a journey that you didn’t even know you wanted to go on,” he said. He also talked about the enduring legacy of the Wu-Tang Clan and how their music continues to resonate with fans around the world.
Overall, the conversation between RZA, the cast, and Sway offered a fascinating look behind the scenes ofWu-Tang: An American Sagaand the creative process behind the show. Fans can now tune in to Hulu to see how the story ends and say goodbye to the Wu-Tang Clan one last time.
The 2023 Sammy Awards took place on March 3 at The Palace Theater in Syracuse. This year’s ceremony had an outstanding turn out as all came together to celebrate and applaud the accomplishments of all artists and genres of music across Central New York.
This year’s SAMMY Awards were hosted by Dave Frisnia, notable for his career in broadcasting. Frisnia hosts his online radio show “Soulshine” every Sunday morning, and claimed to be one of the longest-running local music broadcast shows in the state of New York. A notable highlight of this year’s show included bringing out members on stage of the all time ‘Hall of Fame’ from the past 30 years.
These Hall of Famers came together to applaud their gratitude to Liz Nowak nominated as Founder of the Year. On stage she states, “I’ve worked and learned from everyone on this stage tonight. We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the music that you create. It’s your courage that puts those lyrics to page.” Her dedication to the SAMMYs is well recognized among the Syracuse music community and the annual awards show wouldn’t be where it stands today, without her.
This year, not only was the SAMMYs a place of recognition with awards but also a place to acknowledge the joy of music. Between nominations various bands and musicians came to play and show their talent who deserve recognition. Such as Not Robots!, opening with one of their hit songs ‘Go Peacefully’. Other bands performing included Carolyn Kelly Blues Band, Chuck Schiele’s Quatro, Trauma Cat and the Brownskin Band, and a special performance by Dylan Michael, nominated as Best New Artist. At only tthe age of 13, Dylan proved his young talent on the electric guitar, having started playing at the age of 6 years old. As Best New Artist, Dylan won 6 hours from local recording studio SubCat Studios.
To conclude the 2023 SAMMY Awards, a major milestone was marked, celebrating 30 years of appreciating and awarding local talent and musicians from Central New York. Breaking all records with 242,190 total votes this year, NYS Music had the honor in presenting the Jazz Award to promote and honor blues, swing and passion expressed with creative freedom, and honoring diversity, collaboration and the community that music holds to bring us together.
On Friday, March 4th at The Linda in Downtown Albany, Sarah King and Sydney Worthley kicked off the venue’s month-long event celebrating Women’s History month with their Women’s Voices Concert Series. Despite the impending snowstorm, nearly every seat was filled, yet it was still an intimate and delightful show.
Sydney Worthley
Local phenom Sydney Worthley kicked things off. This young lady (only 17!) can write the types of songs that most people double her age would struggle to write, let alone understand, and her voice sounds like she has been training for decades, except that’s impossible. She played with guitarist TJ Foster and the pair’s chemistry on stage was delightful.
If you haven’t gotten a chance to see or hear Sydney, she just released her first full-length music video called “Heart Shaped Mess.” Or you can catch her playing with Lucid Street at Putnam Place on March 10th.
Sarah King
As someone who has been covering shows for quite some time, it is a struggle to find the words to describe just how delicious it was to watch Sarah King perform. First of all, her voice is incredibly unique — she started off training in opera and it shows despite the fact that she doesn’t sing in that style at all anymore. Her range is unlike anything I have heard before. She can go from a Janice Joplin-type growl to a stunning high note within a millisecond and she makes it look easy.
Like Sydney, Sarah is a songwriter and a storyteller and her lyrics are so powerful it felt like she was speaking for every woman when she was up on that stage. If you missed last night’s performance, it won’t be your last time to hear from Sarah. She has released four new tracks recently and is recording an album in May that is due out this summer. Friday’s show was her kick-off to a month-long series of shows celebrating Women’s History Month.
Setlist: Wedding Rings, Not Worth the Whiskey, Oh Mama, Nightstand, Cold Hard Ground, Crazy People, Always an Almost, You Were Wrong, War Pigs (Black Sabbath), Blame it on the Booze.
Check out the full gallery from the evening with Sarah King and Sydney Worthley below.
On February 28, Joe Bonamassa performed at the historic Shea’s Performing Arts Center in Buffalo. Two fans shared their thoughts from the show, accompanied by photos by Zachary Todtenhagen.
Since opening for B.B. King at age 12, Joe Bonamassa has continued to grow and display his unparalleled guitar skills. Out of the 16 shows I’ve seen, Joe always has a unique theme, 70’s funk, big band, old time blues, etc. the show on Tuesday, February 28, was reminiscent of good old rock and role. Joe played a bunch of new songs with some of his older hits mixed in.
The crowd was whooping and hollering when “Dust Bowl” was played and everyone was on their feet for the encore, “Sloe Gin”. It seems like Joe’s ability to play the guitar somehow evolves and improves at every show he plays, keeping the audience surprised, entertained, and always coming back for more. – Kailey Gyorffy.
My uncle first introduced my mother and I to Joe Bonamassa about a year before this show. He played a show at The Tralf that I unfortunately missed. When I heard he was coming back to Buffalo and to Shea’s I knew it was a show I couldn’t miss. My mom took me to the show for my birthday with my brother. The music was comforting. It brought me back to the time I was young and covered me with a warm blanket. A time when I was picking my parents brains for that quality old school rock and roll, blues, you name it. If I had to compare this to anything it would be that. A feeling of what it was like to be alive through the 70’s.
He busted out beautiful guitar after beautiful guitar and had some really great banter in between. His stage presence was one of experience and confidence. Joe used that presence to bring you in closer rather than intimidate, with fun body movements, gestures, and words. It was definitely one of those shows that you wish never stopped, but end up saying ‘WOW That went fast.” – Doug Recore
The Winery Dogs (TWD) took the stage at the Agora Theater in Cleveland on Thursday, March 2nd. They delivered a spellbinding performance that had the crowd on their feet from the first notes of “Gaslight”. The band consists of Richie Kotzen on guitar and vocals, Billy Sheehan on bass and backing vocals, and Mike Portnoy on drums and backing vocals. Known for their incredible musicianship and infectious energy, TWD did not disappoint. This show was their closest to Western New York this tour cycle and a great deal of fans took I-90 West from Buffalo to Cleveland.
Billy Sheenhan and Richie Kotzen
Kotzen’s guitar playing was nothing short of breathtaking. His fingers flying over the fretboard as he effortlessly transitioned between intricate riffs and soaring solos. Meanwhile, Sheehan’s bass work was nothing short of incredible, with his signature style of playing providing a funky backbone to the band’s sound. And Portnoy’s drumming was as rock-solid as ever, with his beats and fills driving the band’s performance forward. You can say he is the G.O.A.T. (greatest of all time).
Mike Portnoy
The band’s setlist was a masterclass in rock and roll, featuring songs from their entire catalog. Classics like “Captain Love” and “Hot Streak” had the crowd singing along at the top of their lungs, while newer tracks like “Mad World” and “Stars” showcased the band’s versatility and range. The inclusion of a bass solo and “The Red Wine” allowed Sheehan to shine, showcasing his incredible technical skills and unique style.
But it wasn’t just the music that made the night so special. The Winery Dogs’ stage presence was magnetic, with each member exuding a sense of joy and passion for the music they were playing. The chemistry between the band members was palpable, with each musician feeding off of the others’ energy and elevating the performance to new heights.
As a music photographer, I was thrilled to be in the audience capturing the magic of the night. From Kotzen’s intense facial expressions to Sheehan’s lightning-fast fingers, there was never a dull moment on stage. And Portnoy’s playful interaction with the crowd and his bandmates made for some truly memorable moments.
The encore of “Regret” and “Elevate” was a fitting end to an incredible night, with the band leaving everything on stage and the crowd cheering for more. The Winery Dogs proved once again that they are one of the most exciting and talented bands on the rock and roll scene today.
The Winery Dogs’ concert at the Agora Theater in Cleveland was a breathtaking display of musicianship, energy, and passion. The band’s technical skills, infectious energy, and undeniable chemistry made for a truly unforgettable night of rock and roll. It’s no wonder that they continue to amass a loyal following of fans and are regarded as one of the best live acts in the business. The Winery Dogs are currently touring in support of their new album III.
Setlist: Gaslight, Xanadu, Captain Love, Hot Streak, Desire, Breakthrough, Time Machine, Stars, Damaged, Mad World, The Other Side, Bass Solo, The Red Wine, I’m No Angel, Oblivion
Regina Spektor made her long awaited return to Ithaca on Wednesday, March 1, playing to a sold-out crowd at the State Theater. The much-anticipated performance was Spektor’s first in Ithaca since 2016 and was the first stop on her spring solo tour. The show, originally scheduled for October 2022, had been postponed after Spektor contracted Covid-19.
As the clock approached 8:30, excitement in the theater became palpable, with the sold-out crowd eagerly awaiting Spektor’s arrival. Moments later, the house lights dimmed, and Spektor strutted to the front of the stage. She greeted the crowd with an excited wave and a curtsy before launching into the a-cappella track “Ain’t No Cover.” Spektor immediately had a captive hold of her audience.
Following the opening number, Spektor took her familiar seat in front of her piano and continued her diverse musical journey. A classically trained pianist at heart, Spektor has been performing on the piano since the age of six. Tracks like “Folding Chair” and “Better” took new life while being stripped to their piano-laden foundation. She delighted the audience with the quirky “Reginasaurus” (while her guitar was being tuned for “That Time,”), sang in three languages on “Apres Moi”, and showed off her storytelling abilities with the cryptic and political “Ballad of a Politician”. Despite the emotional nature of her music, Spektor kept the mood light between songs, telling comical stories of failed rehearsal attempts prior to the evening’s show.
With the evening winding to a close, Spektor delighted the crowd with “Fidelity,” a standout track from her 2006 album Begin To Hope. The audience joined in, singing along on the catchy chorus. Following the song, Spektor left the stage briefly, to a standing ovation. She returned moments later, and obliged the audience with a previous request; by performing the emotional ballad “Samson”. The audience, in complete silence, hung on her every word until the end.
It is a rare feat in this day and age to see an audience so fully immersed in a live performance, but Regina Spektor clearly held a captive spell over the theater. A glance around the room was not met with the glow of cellphones, but rather audience members hanging on Spektor’s every note. It is a true testament to her talents as a songwriter and performer.
Far above Cayuga’s Waters stands Barton Hall, a fieldhouse on Cornell University‘s campus where the Grateful Dead performed one of their most revered concerts, one reared against the arch of heaven. Dead & Company has been keeping the Dead’s flame alive with several tours since its 2015 debut, though sadly retiring following their upcoming Summer 2023 tour.
Quite a buzz was created by a simple graphic posted on Dead & Company’s Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter feeds on Feb. 28 where Deadheads quickly caught on to its nod to the May 8, 1977 Barton Hall show and what it alludes to.
The graphic, emblazed with Cornell’s signature red and white colors with the Dead’s lightning bolt set inside the university emblem’s border with “C23” styled in Cornell’s traditional block text. If that wasn’t a strong enough hint at something special in 2023, the text in the post reads “5.8.23 ,” the anniversary of the May ’77 Barton Hall show.
On Friday, March 3, Dead and Company confirmed they would be playing Barton Hall, responding by saying, “There’s a lot of excitement brewing about what’s to come at Cornell University. Yes–it’s true–Dead & Company will be playing a benefit concert at Cornell University.”
All proceeds raised from ticket sales will benefit MusiCares, a nonprofit organization that provides the music community with a network of critical health and welfare services. In addition, the show will support The 2030 Project, Cornell University’s climate change initiative.
Cornell University’s Barton Hall. Photo by Steve Malinski 2016
On the 40th anniversary of the May 8, 1977 show in 2017 the Cornell Chimes played a special tribute to the occasion with a concert comprised of arrangements of Grateful Dead songs, which can be seen below and read about in our article about that special event.
Having never set foot on American soil until a couple of days prior in New York City, the power metal quintet Powerwolf, founded in 2003 in Saarbrücken, Germany – affectionately known as The Wolves to their diehard legion of fans – descended upon The Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts this past Saturday night, February 25.
Touring in support of their eighth studio album, Call of the Wild (Napalm Records, 2021), Powerwolf are vocalist Karsten Brill as “Attila Dorn,” lead guitarist Benjamin Buss as “Matthew Greywolf,” studio bassist and rhythm guitarist David Vogt as “Charles Greywolf,” keyboardist Christian Jost as “Falk Maria Schlegel” and drummer Roel van Helden.
Attila Dorn | Photo by Michael Dinger
Promptly at 7:00 pm, and much to the delight of nearly 100 fans who had been huddling together in below freezing temperatures (some as early as the morning hours), doors to the historic concert hall constructed in 1928 and known for hosting a bevy of legendary heavy metal acts over the years (Rammstein, Soundgarden, Korn, Rob Zombie and Slayer, to name but a few), finally opened. Approximately 30 minutes before the night’s opening act would take the stage, and with the nearly 2,200 seat venue filling up fast, fans continued to pack the warm confines of the lobby, while also checking out the ‘merch’ tables or grabbing a drink from the array of bars strategically placed throughout.
The Worcester Palladium | Photo by Michael Dinger
Running a little behind schedule, the house lights suddenly went dark as Napalm Records label mates Seven Kingdoms took the stage at 7:45 pm. Formed in 2007 and hailing from DeLand, Florida, they are a thrash metal band comprised of frontwoman Sabrina Valentine, her husband and guitarist Camden Cruz, along with brothers Keith and Kevin Byrd, on drums and guitar, respectively.
The Floridians performed a blistering 45-minute set that kicked off with “Universal Terrestrial,” taken from their most recent of five studio albums (Zenith, 2022). Led by Valentine’s broad vocal range that injects a raw emotion into all her lyrics, Seven Kingdoms nearly performed the entirety of Zenith, albeit two original songs (“Empty Eyes” and Life Signs”). Highlights of their set included “Love Dagger,” a tune reminiscent of the 1980s hair metal scene and “A Silent Remedy,” complete with explosive, crisp guitar riffing.
Sabrina Valentine | Photo by Michael Dinger
An unexpected inclusion in their 10-song set was a cover of Don Henley’s “The Boys of Summer.” However, with each member adding their own power metal flavor for good measure, the almost 40-year old tune written by the Eagles vocalist and drummer fit right in nicely. The penultimate song of the night was the aggressive “Diamond Handed,” before “In the Walls” (Decennium, 2017), a song inspired by an H.P. Lovecraft short story, left the crowd ‘powermetalized’ and wanting more!
After a very quick turnover of the elaborate stage design by Powerwolf’s road crew, filled with dark werewolf fantasy art throughout, the moment we had all been waiting for had arrived! At 8:45 pm, the lights went down once again and one by one, beginning with the Dutch drummer van Helden, each band member took the stage and acknowledged their fans for a lasting moment before assuming their respective stage positions. Wearing meticulously-applied silver and black corpse face paint and donning industrial goth outfits, the ceremony commenced with “Faster Than the Flame,” the first of four offerings from the aforementioned Call of the Wild album – Powerwolf would go on to play “Dancing With the Dead,” “Beast of Gévaudan” and “Blood for Blood (Faoladh)” later in the night. As the song concluded, the fans erupted in applause, a whirling mosh pit suddenly formed in the center of the General Admission floor and repeated chants of “Powerwolf” began in unison, the first of many that fans would bestow upon its metal heroes.
Matthew Greywolf | Photo by Michael DingerRoel van Helden | Photo by Michael DingerCharles Greywolf | Photo by Michael DingerFalk Maria Schlegel | Photo by Michael Dinger
Attila then addressed the congregation before him for the first of many times. “Good evening Worcester, it’s wonderful to be here! Welcome to the one and only holy heavy metal mass in the world!” “Incense & Iron” was up next, a track from Powerwolf’s seventh studio album (The Sacrament of Sin) released in 2018, which showcased Matthew Greywolf’s powerfully precise guitar craftmanship. Before launching into “Army of the Night” (Blessed & Possessed, 2015), Attila again acknowledged the faithful patrons of their music. “Thank you very much, you are very awesome my friends. Tonight is a very special night for us because we are playing here for the first time. It is a really amazing atmosphere here.”
Although Powerwolf would not present any songs from their debut album (2005’s Return in Bloodred) or their second album (2007’s Lupus Dei), there was plenty of other righteous material to keep their pilgrims satisfied, including “Amen & Attack” (Preachers of the Night, 2013) and “Armata Strigoi,” another gift from their sixth studio album Blessed & Possessed. In advance of the later piece, Attila humorously coached the audience to croon the anthemic (and rather complicated I might add) four-part chorus until we got it right, which we all did.
Attila Dorn | Photo by Michael Dinger
The subsequent quartet of songs were all selected from The Sacrament of Sin and included “Stossgebet,” “Demons Are a Girl’s Best Friend,” “Fire and Forgive” and Powerwolf’s first ever power ballad, “Where the Wild Wolves Have Gone.” While the fantastic audience continued to perform just as well as their Deutschland brethren, belting out lyrics in all the right places, our minds were officially blown when Powerwolf bestowed upon us the lead single to their ninth studio album (Interludium), set for release this Good Friday, April 7.
As the epic 18-song set entered the final stages, an encore was preceded by a glorious grouping of career-spanning tracks, including fan favorite and the third gift imparted from Blessed & Possessed, “Let There Be Night.” After Powerwolf exited the stage to quickly recharge their batteries, I was surprised to notice a throng of fans (albeit small) in the upper balcony heading for the exits – big mistake! Why you ask? Because an unforgettable, three song encore for the ages followed next, including back-to-back tracks from Powerwolf’s fourth studio album (Blood of the Saints), “Sanctified With Dynamite” and “We Drink Your Blood.” Sandwiched between these songs, Attila shared “This night showed me one thing my friends. All of you here are possessed with heavy metal! And I think I speak for everyone here in this venue, heavy metal, this music, gives us a lot of power and energy! And you my friends give us this energy back, and I appreciate that. In Germany, we say ‘vielen danke schön.’”
The Worcester Palladium | Photo by Michael Dinger
After splitting the crowd up the middle for a cheering match between each side of the stage (Matthew Greywolf versus Charles Greywolf), Attila promised us that they’d return and thanked their “best crew in the world.” As the night neared 10:30 pm, the religious experience was capped by 2009’s “Werewolves of Armenia” in grand fashion.
If you are able to join the pack, Powerwolf’s “North American Crusade” tour will resume in Dallas on March 20, followed by shows in Denver (March 22), San Francisco (March 24) and Los Angeles (March 25). On April 6, an exclusive “Interludium Release Show” will be performed at Palladium in Cologne, Germany. And to all the wolves out there, Metal is Religion!
Seven Kingdoms Setlist: Universal Terrestrial > Chasing the Mirage > The Water Dance > Valonqar > Love Dagger > Magic in the Mist > A Silent Remedy > The Boys of Summer (Don Henley cover) > Diamond Handed > In the Walls
Powerwolf Setlist: Faster Than the Flame > Incense & Iron > Army of the Night > Amen & Attack > Dancing With the Dead > Armata Strigoi > Beast of Gévaudan > Stossgebet > Demons Are a Girl’s Best Friend > Fire and Forgive > Where the Wild Wolves Have Gone > Sainted by the Storm > Resurrection by Erection > Blood for Blood (Faoladh) > Let There Be Night Encore: Sanctified With Dynamite > We Drink Your Blood > Werewolves of Armenia
After Buffalo’s blizzard postponed a bunch of events, popular EDM artist Kaivon made his way to western NY for a rescheduled show. On Friday, February 24, Kaivon performed a sold out show at Buffalo Ironworks.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
Supporting acts Daniel Win, Daggz, and Psognar opened up the night. The group varied their sound from melodic chill beats to dubstep tracks.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
Kaivon’s Awakening tour is dedicated to his 2022 album that sets as a reminder for listeners to stay true to their own selves and purpose. His debut album examines spirituality and self-examination in order to find fulfillment. The idea that one is not their thoughts but in fact the observer of those thoughts is how the album pushes the level of importance on presence.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
Kaivon’s Album Brought to the Stage
Kaivon’s personal storytelling in his music is brought to life in his performance. He creates a journey for his audience through introspective dialogue, eye-catching visuals, and dream-like beats.
Kaivon is the perfect candidate for individuals first getting into EDM because he doesn’t stick to one style. He introduces euphoric songs of his like “It’s Not Too Late” and “I Need You.” Also, the producer plays popular tracks that he has remixed such as The Fray’s, “How To Save A Life,” and Glass Animals, “Heat Waves.”
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
The artist’s show is nothing short of nostalgia by playing remixes from Paramore, Kid Cudi, Kendrick Lamar, and more. His show is a perfect balance of lyrical euphony mixed in with classic hits that everyone loves. He even mixes in heavier bass like Zeds Dead for those EDM fans that love to head bang.
The venue was packed tight with fans against the rail and even after the show where Kaivon hung around to talk with everyone. He’s definitely an artist you want to keep an eye out for!
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
If you missed this past weekend at Buffalo Ironworks, don’t worry there’s plenty more shows coming up! Chest Fever performs on March 7 and Shlump Alien Trip Tour makes a stop on March 11. Get your tickets here.
,” the anniversary of the May ’77 Barton Hall show.
