NYS Music 2023

Category: Music Festivals

  • YoFiFest Returns With Music Films “Kings of Blah” and “Louder Than You Think”

    YoFiFest returns for its 11th year as an international film festival that welcomes filmmakers and film lovers from across the globe to Yonkers. This year, YoFiFest will showcase many films, including music films “Kings of Blah” and “Louder Than You Think.”

    YoFiFest launched its annual festival just 11 ago. Starting as a small non-profit, their mission was to raise the level of arts and culture in its community by showcasing the work of independent filmmakers and providing educational and cultural opportunities that otherwise wouldn’t exist in the area. This year, the organization is more committed than ever to not only continue that mission, but expand on it. For ten days, YoFiFest will present around 125 films from 24 countries, as well as films from our home state. The films include features, documentaries, shorts, animation, music videos, web series, and student work. 

    This year, two great “music movies” will be featured in the YoFiFest lineup, Kings of Blah and Louder Than You Think. 

    Kings of Blah is a story centered around two coworkers– Danny and Tom– at an electronics supply store, but by night, they are “Frog”: a guitar rock duo looking for their break. When their new EP makes a big splash in England, the boys bid farewell to Queens to seek glory “across the pond.” Frog will also be holding a live performance and throwing a record release party just after the screening of their film. 

    Louder Than You Think is an up-close cinematic film through the life of Gary Young, the original drummer of indie rock royalty, Pavement. His booze and drug-fueled stunts (such as on-stage handstands and gifting vegetables to fans) and haphazard production methods (which accidentally helped launch the lo-fi aesthetic) were both a driving force of the band’s early rise and the cause of his eventual crash landing. Leaving a wake of joy and/or destruction at every turn, Gary teeters the thin line between free-form self-expression and chaotic self-destruction. 

    “When we started the film festival nine years ago, Yonkers wasn’t known as a film-friendly city…but with an increasing number of movies and television shows shooting here, and a new studio complex right outside our YoFi Digital Media Art Center, it’s beginning to feel like people are realizing what we’ve know for awhile—Yonkers is Hollywood on the Hudson!”

    Dave Steck

    The 10 day festival kicks off on November 10 and offers over a hundred independent films, live filmmaker Q&A’s, educational workshops led by entertainment industry professionals, networking events, receptions, and parties.

    Most of YoFi’s film programs will be followed by a live Q&A where the audience has the opportunity to ask the filmmakers questions about their movies. Patty Schuman, the festival’s co-founder and programmer, notes that nearly every one of their filmmakers plan to attend their film’s Q&A’s this year. 

    The festival provides an amazing opportunity for audiences to watch films that they might not see anywhere else. FilmFreeway named YoFiFest one of the “Top 100 Best Reviewed Festivals” nine times. YoFiFest also been named “Best of Westchester” twice by Westchester Magazine, and it was named as one of the top ten reasons Yonkers was voted the “Hippest Town in the Lower Hudson Valley” by The Journal News/LoHud.

    All the screenings and workshops are held in downtown Yonkers within a few blocks of each other at either the Yonkers Riverfront Library theater, directly across the street from the Yonkers Metro North Train Station, or YoFi’s own year-round DMAC (Digital Media Art Center). The festival is convenient to public transportation, as well as several nearby parking lots.

    Besides the festival, YoFi offers year-round programs, screenings and events throughout the winter and spring. This year it piloted its new TEAM (Training for Employment in the Arts and Media) program that gives 18-26 year olds the skills they need to enter the entertainment industry in entry level positions. The program is preparing to expand and start its next cohort in January, 2024. The participants will receive classroom instruction, as well as location visits, mentorship and job placement. 

    More information and tickets are available at their website.

  • Oktoberfest Hosts Local Gospel and Soul Bands at Buffalo Central Terminal

    The Buffalo Central Terminal will host its infamous Oktoberfest on Sunday, October 22, with live music from local bands featuring southern soul, blues, hip-hop, pop-rock, and gospel-inspired sets.

    Get ready for a day of autumnal fun with live music and delicious treats at this year’s Oktoberfest. This family-friendly fall festival blends contemporary elements with the traditional charms of Oktoberfest, promising an unforgettable experience with activities for all ages.

    Live music: Enjoy music with DJ P followed by live performances featuring southern soul, blues, hip-hop, pop rock, and gospel-inspired sets from fantastic local bands. Don’t miss a Free Music Party at 1:00 pm, as well as Miller and The Other Sinners at 3:00 pm.

    Bills Watch Party: Watch the Bills take on the Patriots at Oktoberfest’s Bills Watch Party. Cheer for your favorite team on several big screens. Wear your Bills gear, and don’t forget your lawn chairs and picnic blankets.

    Petting Farm: Bring the kids for a chance to pet, feed, and learn about some adorable animals such as goats, pigs, tortoises, rabbits, and more, at the petting farm.

    Hayrides: The hay wagon is back in the neighborhood. From 11:00 am to 2:00 pm, enjoy the crisp autumn air on a hayride around the historic Terminal. Pumpkin Decorating: Skip the mess and get creative at Oktoberfest’s no-carve pumpkin decorating station.

    Local Food and Drinks:  Indulge in your delicious fall favorites, from traditional Oktoberfest fare to plant-based foods, they have something for everyone. Oktoberfest vendors include sausages from Shish Kabob Heaven, plant-based treats from Avenue29 Foods, spice and flavor from KT Caribbean Cuisine, and artisan German cookies from Catering by Marjorie. Oktoberfest has your favorite local beer, wine, cider and MORE served up by Buffalo Brewing Company, Bully Hill Vineyards, Tree Hugger Hard Cider, Blue Groove Coffee, and Bubba’s Loganberry.

    The Buffalo Central Terminal has also partnered with their neighbors at Buffalo Brewing Company to present “Central Terminale,” a pre-prohibition style amber ale brewed in honor of Oktoberfest at the Terminal. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of “Central Terminale” will support the rehabilitation of the Buffalo Central Terminal. The release of this special brew will happen this week at Buffalo Brewing Company’s Myrtle Avenue tap room.

    “This partnership echoes our slogan ‘Good Neighbors, Great Beer.’ The Buffalo Central Terminal and our renovation of Schreiber Brewing run on parallel tracks. Even though each project is happening independent of one-another, they both will have a profound effect on Broadway-Fillmore and the East Side,” said John Domres, Jr., owner of Buffalo Brewing Company.

    These events at Buffalo Central Terminal are all about uniting our diverse East Buffalo community. We’re creating an inclusive space right in our very own neighborhood where families can come together and celebrate the season without having to venture out of the heart of the city.” said Lindsey Taylor, events consultant for the Buffalo Central Terminal.

    Lindsey Taylor, events consultant for the Buffalo Central Terminal

    Buffalo Central Terminal’s Oktoberfest is the perfect opportunity to embrace the autumn spirit and create lasting memories with friends and family. So, bring your picnic blankets and lawn chairs to celebrate at the Buffalo Central Terminal on Sunday, October 22 from 11 am to 4 pm at 495 Paderweski Drive Buffalo. Tickets are free for all October events at the Buffalo Central Terminal.

    For more information and event updates, visit the Buffalo Central Terminal website.

  • In Focus: Biscoland brings Disco Biscuits Music Festivals back to New York

    Disco Biscuits have a long history of music festivals in New York State, their own Camp Bisco, as well as numerous performances at festivals of all sizes around the state. For the first time since 2013, a new, intentionally more intimate festival, BISCOLand, was conceived and held in Lafayette at Wonderland Forest over October 6-7.

    biscoland 2023
    photo by Tara Gracer

    Joining Disco Biscuits were a pair of bands that appeared on earlier Camp Bisco lineups – Lotus and Emancipator, and newcomers to the Bisco fold – Opiou, The Floozies, Eggy and Space Bacon. With classic Camp Bisco lineups featuring up and coming artists as well as staples of the EDM/jamtronica community, the vibe of a stripped down but still well dressed music festival, perfect for an autumn weekend in Central New York.

    As for the Disco Biscuits, the jamtronica pioneers took the opportunity to break new ground with some unique musical pairings over the weekend. Biscuits fan Shimmy noted this was the first time the band segued “Confrontation” into “Orch Theme” and followed that up with “And The Ladies Were the Rest of the Night,” the other being December 29, 2014.

    Even more notably, the band took the encore on Saturday, October 7 to perform the first ever inverted “Kitchen Mitts,” playing the ending of song first, then the first part. Add to that this inverted “Mitts” appeared inside of a fitting encore appearance of “Home Again” made for an apt coda on the weekend.

    Setlists via Biscuits Internet Project

    Disco Biscuits – BISCOLAND at Wonderland Forest – LaFayette, New York – October 6, 2023

    Set 1: Wet, Munchkin Invasion > The Wormhole > Space Train > Cyclone > Nughuffer1
    Set 2: Nughuffer 1 > Shocked > To Be Continued > Reactor 2 > M1 > To Be Continued

    1 dyslexic
    2 inverted

    Disco Biscuits – BISCOLAND at Wonderland Forest – LaFayette, New York – October 7, 2023

    Set 1: Jam 1 > Bombs > The Deal > Voices Insane 2 > I-Man
    Set 2: Mindless Dribble 3 > Confrontation 4 > Orch Theme 5 > And the Ladies Were the Rest of the Night 4 > Spacebirdmatingcall
    Encore: Home Again > Kitchen Mitts 6 7 4 > Home Again

    1 w/ ‘Could U Be Loved’ (Bob Marley) teases
    2 unfinished
    3 w/ Wormhole quotes
    4 inverted
    5 w/ Crickets tease
    6 LTP 2/4/2023 (53 shows)
    7 first time inverted

    Photos from BISCOLand by Tara Gracer

    biscoland disco biscuits new york music festival
    biscoland disco biscuits new york music festival
    biscoland disco biscuits new york music festival

  • West Falls Center for the Arts Has Announced This Year’s Fallsfest

    West Falls Center for the Arts will hold its second annual Fallsfest this October, in conjunction with The Blueberry Treehouse Farm in West Falls, NY, outside of Buffalo.

    west falls center for the arts fallsfest

    The West Falls Center for the Arts is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing visual, performing, music, and healing arts programming to a diverse rural population.

    Their ongoing programs include a weekly concert series with local youth performers opening for national talent, a free kids music jam series for young musicians (partnering with the Sportsman’s Foundation), the prestigious Southtowns Youth Jazz Orchestra led by Mark Filsinger, as well as the Buffalo Jazz Collective with young musicians performing alongside accomplished professionals.

    This year, they’re hosting FallsFest on October 14 from 10am-10pm, and October 15, from 10am-6pm. Come enjoy live music, the AKG Art Truck, craft vendors and artists, pumpkin smashing, animals, food trucks, the Super Hilarious Magic Show with Nick Mambretti, homemade WFCA pizza, a Prehistoric Reptile Show, a treehouse café, and beautiful nature trails.

    Purchase tickets online here for October 14 and/or October 15. Adults are $10, kids 3-12 are $5, and kids 2 and under are free.

    For more information, visit their website.

  • Sound On Sound 2023 Day 2 Spotlight

    For the second year in a row, Sound On Sound Music Festival returned to Bridgeport’s Seaside Park in Connecticut over September 30 – October 1, 2023.

    sound on sound 2023 john mayer

    The two-day festival’s lineup this year featured headlining performances from Red Hot Chili Peppers on Saturday and John Mayer on Sunday. Additional performers included Alanis Morissette, Hozier, Trey Anastasio Band, Mt. Joy, Margo Price, Nathaniel Rateliff, Dispatch, Ben Harper, Gin Blossoms and the Night Sweats among others.

    Heavy rain in the area Thursday caused a three-hour delay in opening the Festival on time on Friday. I had the pleasure of attending the second day of the Festival. The schedule was pretty tight giving each act a full 45min set, with a 10min change over time and things ran on time like clock work.

    The three main acts on Sunady each got a full hour and by mid day the grounds were packed with over 30,000 people leading to the highlight of the evening to most, John Mayer, who is a Bridgeport native, born and raised.

    My personal highlight of the day was Alanis Morrissette (who did not allow photos from the pit so we could not feature her), Ben Harper was in top form (same as Alanis, no photos), and I was impressed by how fresh Dispatch sounded and enjoyed their set. Below are some highlights from the day.

    JOHN MAYER

    HOZIER

    DISPATCH

    MT. JOY

    MARGO PRICE

    CAUTIOUS CLAY

    GIN BLOSSOMS

  • In Focus: Borderland Music & Art Festival Dazzles in Western New York

    Borderland Music & Art Festival brought some heavy hitting national and local bands to the historic Knox Farm State Park situated in the small village of East Aurora. Over three beautiful days – September 15, 16 & 17 – the historic grounds hosted many great bands on two stages that filled the air with sounds to sooth the soul from some amazingly talented artists.

    Friday started as a wonderful partly cloudy morning with perfect temps. As festival goers started to flow in, setting up their chairs and blanks for the day, you could hear the first band. Folk/Americana jam-type band The Stove Pipes playing the Homespun stage which was situated off behind the horse stables at the top of the hill opposite the Mainstage. As the day progressed there was very minimal overlapping of each band’s sets. Making it an easy walk between both stages through or around the horse stables to see each band play throughout the day.

    On the Homespun stage you could catch other local and reginal acts like, Dirty Blanket, Not Fade Away Band (Playing Dead Zepplin) & Farrow. The Mainstage acts included local, regional, and national touring acts like Leroy Townes Band, The 502s, Dawes & Goose. Goose being the closing act of night one, brought the house down with their amazing set of music. An absolute not to be missed band of abundantly talented musicians. Setlist via Elgoose.net.

    Goose setlist: Flodown[1], Mr. Action, Pancakes, Honeybee[2], Writing A Novel[3], Creatures, Rosewood Heart[4], Animal
    Encore: Slow Ready -> Arcadia
    [1] Flopener.
    [2] With Coach on rainstick.
    [3] Father John Misty.
    [4] With Taylor Goldsmith on guitar and vocals, Griffin Goldsmith on drums, and Jeff on guitar.

    Saturday at Borderland was met with beautifully clear skies and temperatures out on the farm. Saturday’s crowd filled in the ground of Knox Farm State Park much earlier being a Saturday. Again with very little overlapping of each band’s sets, it was quite easy to catch most of each act playing both the Homespun and Mainstage. Starting out the day on the Mainstage with a great improvisational set was The Damone Jackson Outcome, a band known for their high energy improv sets.

    First up on the Homespun stage was A Girl Named Genny, a folk/Americana band with a little bit of Rock and Roll. Other Homespun stage acts included local and reginal bands, Never Ben, Public Water Supply, Grosh and Organ Fairchild. Other Mainstage acts included local, reginal and national acts like, Miller & The Other Sinners, Mighty Poplar, Neal Francis and Sammy Rae & The Friends. Trey Anastasio Band closed out night two with a stellar set of mostly Phish tunes to send everyone home only wanting more. And what an exceptional set of music it was, made even better with an almost Phish/Kuroda level light show. Setlist via Phish.net

    Trey Anastasio Band setlist: Sand, Back on the Train, Everything’s Right, Blaze On, A Wave of Hope, Outside the Lines, Llama [1], Heavy Things, Oblivion, Pillow Jets > …And Flew Away, Wolfman’s Brother > First Tube
    Encore: Ghost
    [1] Performed in an alternate arrangement.

    Sunday, was the closing day to the perfect three-day Borderland Music & Arts festival and the weather could not have been better for mid-September. Starting out the day on the Homespun stage was The Red Grenadines, followed by Folkfaces, and NYS Dead Coalition. During Folkfaces and in between The Red Grenadine & NYS Dead Coalition was the Tailgate & Buffalo Bills Watch Party with many in attendance. Starting the day on the Mainstage was Karina Rykman, followed by, Krasno/Moore Project, The Infamous Stringdusters, and to close out the night, and festival, with two sets, our hometown heroes, moe.

    Set 1: The Pit> Rise, Blond Hair and Blue Eyes, Gone, Do It Again> George, Lazarus
    Set 2: Skitchin’ Buffalo, Mexico> Ups And Downs> Silver Sun> Rebubula> Four[1] > Rebubula
    [1] Chuck on vocals. 1st time played since Chuck’s stroke.

    View our full photo gallery from Borderland Music & Art Festival by John Raczynski

    The Stove Pipes
    Leroy Townes Band
    Dirty Blanket
    Borderland Music & Art Festival
    The 502s
    Borderland Music & Art Festival
    Not Fade Away Band
    Dawes
    Farrow
    Goose
    Goose
    Goose
    Borderland Music & Art Festival
    Goose
    Goose
    Goose
    Goose
    Borderland Music & Art Festival
    Goose
    The Damone Jackson Outcome
    A Girl Named Genny
    Miller & The Other Sinners
    Never Ben
    Mighty Poplar
    Public Water Supply
    Neal Francis
    Grosh
    Sammy Rae & The Friends
    Organ Fairchild
    TAB
    TAB
    TAB
    TAB
    TAB
    TAB
    TAB
    TAB
    TAB

  • Afropunk: Circus of Soul touches down in Brooklyn

    Afropunk returned to Brooklyn for 2 days of music on August 26th & 27th. The festival took place at Brooklyn’s Greenpoint Terminal Market for 2023.

    As on brand for Afropunk, the lineup for the festival was all black artists from various genres. Some notable names included Tobe Nwigwe, Baby Tate, and Vince Staples. The lineup also included New York’s own Joey Bada$$, and day 2 headliner, Teyana Taylor.

    Unlike last year, this year had a theme, which was Circus of Soul. Motifs of this theme could be seen throughout the event. Both on stage and in the crowd, fans and artists dressed as though they were part of a circus. R&B artist Cleo Reed really leaned into the theme by dressing them selves and other stage performers in clown attire during their set. There were performers on stilts wearing kente cloth patterns walking throughout the crowd. There were also Aerial Ring performers periodically doing stunts throughout the weekend.

    This year was truly one to be at, as there were many performances and attractions that festival goers could really interact with all day.

    A festival of the Arts

    Afropunk is a festival that is bigger than music. Though music may be the highlight, it also features art and artists from all over the globe that center their creativity around the African diaspora. Inside the Spin Thrift Market, there were vendors selling things like clothes, jewelry, books, and weed products. Outside the Market, there were spaces for health and beauty. Festival goers were able to get their hair and makeup done, henna tattoos, and facials. Most of the vendors were also African American owned and operated.

    In addition to vendors that were selling merchandise, there were also areas for festival goers to interact. In the center between the two stages, there were tents set up for festival goers to play games and run through a bubble pit. It seems as though they learned from last year as most activities and vendors were set up under large tents to protect against any potential rain.

    Nonetheless, as much as there was to do off stage, there was much to watch on stage. There was a two stage setup to accommodate for about 30 performances. In between performances on both stages were DJ SNS and DJ Mohogany. They helped to keep the party going as people awaited some of their favorite artists to take the stage.

    Day 1 Highlights

    Day 1 had strong performances from Cleo Reed and a collaboration from the Soapbox presents on the 3 Ring Stage. The Soapbox brought together vocalists and musicians to bring a rock, R&B, and gospel like performance. This was one of the many perfect displays of how African American music is has roots in so many different genres that tend to overlap one another. The performance had fans feeling cool in the end of summer heat.

    One of day 1’s most notable and electric performances was from Tobe Nwigwe. Originally from Houston, TX, Tobe holds on to his Nigerian roots well as they could be seen in his performances. He is always recognizable with his seafoam green outfits and sets. He brought out his wife, Martica Nwigwe, for a few songs from his set. He also had Olu from Earthgang come out for a song. Olu came out on brand, wearing seafoam green wings to sing “WILDLINGS” with Tobe. The performance was full of energy and surprises that keep the audience screaming for an hour.

    Tobe’s performance was evened out by a more mellow from Vince Staples. Vince stared as “Maurice” earlier this year in the Emmy award winning show, Abbott Elementary. His Long Beach, CA vibes really brought the crowd down from their state of choas from before. Though his set did not features as many theatrics like Tobe’s, he still had the attention of the crowd. Vince had the crowd singing along to his hit song, “Norf Norf,” before there was a mass exodus from the event.

    An uneventful end to the hype

    The first night was headlined by Flying Lotus. He is a producer and DJ who has worked on many projects on TV shows and film. One of the most notable projects was Netflix’s Yasuke, an anime centered around the story of Japan’s first black samurai. He makes a lot of EDM and electronic rap songs primarily.

    Flying Lotus did not receive much of an introduction which left many fans confused. Though his fans would be familiar with his music and style, this may have been many’s first exposure to him. He could barely be seen from behind his DJ booth and did not say a word for at least the first 20 minutes of his set. About halfway through, he was joined by rapper Smoke DZA, who he is working on a collaborative album with. Smoke DZA did bring some excitement and energy to his performance.

    After Smoke DZA’s exit, Flying Lotus played a few more songs and was about to leave. He did not realize that his set was not over and played for about another 15 minutes. Flying Lotus had a pretty anti-climatic exit, as it was a pretty bleak end to day 1 of Afropunk 2023.

    A stark turn around from Day 1’s mishaps

    Day 2 still featured a full lineup that had Greenpoint full. What was nice about this year’s festival was the scheduling of performances. With the stage schedules pretty staggered, fans were able to see all their artists without really having to miss a performance. This really set Afropunk apart from other festivals as many usually have fans contemplating which artists they wanted to see more. If they wanted to, fans could see just about every artist and take in the full Afropunk experience.

    Some notable performances from Day 2 were from Baby Tate and Joey Bada$$. Baby Tate brought a fun energy out of the crowd. With a lot of positive sexual messages infused in her lyrics, her music and performance made Greenpoint a safe space for women to express themselves. In the middle of her set, Baby Tate took a break and her DJ Sky Jetta tapped into a different side of her fans. Though Baby Tate makes rap music, Sky Jetta played alternative rock hits, including “I write sins not tragedies” that absolutely killed.

    Baby Tate came back and continued to kill. She played unreleased song “Wig” and ended on her hit “I am” to leave things on a high. Joey Bad$$ proceeded her and continues to bring smiles.

    New York showing out for New York artists

    Joey Bad$$ was happy to be back in his hometown as he expressed his love for Brooklyn all through out his performance. The theme around his performance was love as he turned the camera toward the audience to celebrate black love. He had a kiss cam going on for a bit before singing “Love is only a feeling.” He dedicated a few songs to fallen black artists including, XXXTentacion, Nipsey Hustle, Pop Smoke, Young Dolph, and more.

    Before he left, he expressed his happiness to be playing at an event where he could see so many black faces. He also threw a jab at Afropunk for being a bit unprofessional behind the scenes. He still left things on a high with “Devasated” before handing the stage over to Teyana Taylor.

    The energy from day 2 was drastically different than from the previous day. Day 2’s lineup featured so many artist that people knew and loved. They had performances that people wanted to be a part of and sing along with. Day 2 was originally supposed to end with Grammy award winner Jazmine Sullivan. Due to some personal reasons, she could not perform, but Teyana Taylor was passed the torch to close out the weekend.

    Rose of Harlem feeling the love

    Nicked named the “Rose of Harlem”, Teyana Taylor closed out to packed audience in her city. Teyana had mentioned during her performance that she was nervous to headline a show as she felt as though no one would stay for her. Though some mic issues may have fueled those nerves early on, New York showed her so much love that it brought her to tears.

    The sound was getting too much for Teyana as she asked for just the keys to play during one of her songs. She was able to get real close and emotional with the crowd before turning things back up. The crowd screamed “Issues” and ” Gonna Love Me” with Teyana.

    She was joined on stage by her daughter ,”Junnie,” and husband Iman Shumphert, for a few songs. Her daughter helped her throw out free t-shirts to the audience. Teyana also had 3 outfit changes that synced up with the many different vibes of her performance.

    She exited the stage, but quickly came back for an encore. Teyana ran into the middle column of the pit to slap the hands of her fans before closing out the night. She thanked New York for showing her so much love and making this performance one worth leaving retirement for.

    Afropunk continued to bring peace, love, and education about African American culture to one of the biggest melting pots of the world. With Afropunk’s voice continuing to reach millions, it’s only a matter of time before it starts to expand to other cities across the globe.

  • Damn Sam Productions Looks Ahead to Year 26 of Harvest Festival and Freedom Fair

    For more than a quarter century, Damn Sam Productions has held Harvest Festival and Freedom Fair in locations throughout Eastern New York and the Catskills. Now, the festival has found a home in Trumansburg, just outside of Ithaca, giving solid ground for the October 6-9 celebration of music and cannabis culture.

    The 2023 lineup features Skeleton Keys, Dogs in a Pile (2 sets Friday), Immortal Technique, The Garcia Project, and Sophistafunk, but as promoter Rob Robinson notes, “The headliner of Harvest Fest has always been cannabis.”

    harvest festival freedom fair

    Add to the music lineup plenty of pro-cannabis speakers and vendors – among them, Tim Tyler, sentenced to life in prison for possession/distribution of LSD under a federal three-strikes law, and later saw his life sentence commuted by President Obama.

    Also speaking at this year’s Harvest Fest and Freedom Fair is Donnie Greenthumb, who has been growing medical marijuana for decades, starting out working in a greenhouse at 13 years old, where he learned organic tricks, compost teas, and the importance of soil ph. At 20 years old he wrote for High Times Magazine with John Holmstrom and from the years 1989-2015, he assisted with writing 187 articles about basic questions, problems with growing, and how to get started in the great outdoors. He also wrote about pests and diseases in the Horticulture Medical Growers Bible by Jorge Cervantes. Donnie has had various discussions with many different cultivators throughout the region and brings a great deal of knowledge to a state that is now allows citizens to grow their own.

    With these speakers, Harvest Festival and Freedom Fair continues a legacy of music and activism that is now more than a quarter century strong.

    History of Harvest Fest

    Starting out in Beacon, Damn Sam Productions held an initial event in 1991 dubbed ‘HempSplash’ at Arrowhead Ranch in the Catskills, and after four years, an offshoot festival, Harvest Fest, was held in Modena, NY at an apple orchard.

    harvest festival freedom fair

    The festival would move around over the last two decades, holding the event in the small towns of Earlton, Warrensburg, Afton, Bainbridge, hill towns near Oneonta, Camp Minglewood (which would later host Catskill Chill for five years), Monticello, New Berlin, the Washington County Fairgrounds in Saratoga Springs, and finally, Trumansburg, at the home of Grassroots Festival. 

    Being that this was the 1990s, a drug culture festival being held at a time when cannabis was not nearly as prevalent as it is today, nor legal anywhere in America, was a risky move, but this was part of founder Rob Robinson’s vision – to rally cannabis allies together for a ‘protestival.’

    At these early festivals, the speakers now amount to a ‘who’s who’ of cannabis culture – Jack Herer, Ask Ed Rosenthal, “Saint” Steven and Ida May Gaskin (the modern day mother of midwifery in America, also ran a commune in Tennessee), and Pete Seeger all took part in Harvest Festival and Freedom Fairs over the last 25 years. Seeger in particular was a tough sell to play the event – Robinson knew him from growing up in Beacon, and Pete always declined. But after 16 years, Pete said to Rob “You don’t belong in jail, I’ll play your event.” And with that, the legend who wrote “Where Have All the Flowers Gone” and “Which Side Are You On?” took his well worn voice and shared it at Harvest Fest.

    Harvest Festival even attracted national attention with Peter Jennings from ABC news arriving at the second annual event to film a segment that would be aired as “Pot of Gold.” Featuring footage from Cannabis Cup, you could see scenes from Harvest Fest, yet there were no interviews or faces seen in the episode. When Robinson and his team reached out to ask why the footage wasn’t used, they said simply that they didn’t want to be the reason they went to jail. The mid-1990s were a time when New York State still held cannabis as a criminalized drug and Rockefeller Drug Laws were in effect, meaning Robinson and others could have faced 15-25 years in prison. 

    All over the use of a plant that has killed no one.

    The Musical Legacy of Harvest Fest

    The last 25 years of Harvest Fest has seen an amazing number of musicians make their way to the event: Cabinet, Pete Seeger, Richie Havens, Melvin Seals and the Persuasions, Ghostface Killah, George Clinton & the 420 Funk Mob, Hamilton Morris, Immortal Technique, dead prez, Alex & Alison Grey, The Wailers, Bluestar Radiation, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Dead Milkmen, Levon Helm, Particle, High Times Cannabis Cup Band, Col. Bruce Hampton, Fishbone, John Kadlecik, Ike Willis, Ed Mann, Napoleon Murphy Brock, DJ Logic, The Real Radio Rahim, Frankie Bones, DANK, Queen Mother (wife of Baba Olatunji), Max Creek, ecoustic hookah, Moonalice, The David Nelson Band, Tony Vacca & World Rhythms with Massamba Diop, Garth Hudson & The Dharma Bums, Vassar Clements, Buddy Cage, Steve Hagar, Dogs in a Pile, Deep Banana Blackout and many, many more.

    Add to the list this year’s headliner, Skeleton Keys, the keyboard centric electronic exploration of the Grateful Dead, will feature founder Alex Mazur (Gratefully Yours), Aron Magner (Disco Biscuits, Billy and the Kids), Chris J. English (Sam Grisman Project, FUNKNUT) and Tom Pirozzi (Ominous Seapods, Lo Faber), plus sets by Immortal Technique, The Garcia Project, Sophistafunk and many more, and the full music festival aspect is locked down and continuing to deliver memorable sets and join a pantheon of past performers. 

    Never Straying from the Original Mission

    The original goal of Harvest Festival was to raise money for lobbying in favor of hemp and cannabis legalization. This being in the 1990s, the pitch to legalize cannabis, let alone hemp, was a tough sell and would lead to decades of activism by the New York Cannabis Action Network, later renamed the New York Cannabis Alliance. This continual activism led Rob Robinson to serve as NORML state chair for 5 years in the 1990s, and being twice named High Times Freedom Fighter of the Year.

    With legalization, the mission of the festival has evolved. For an event that was started under prohibition and continued to be run that way, Robinson admits “it’s not the best way to judge cannabis, but it is the funnest way to judge cannabis.” Over the years, production value has risen as the event has evolved into being a true festival, putting the focus on the music and celebration, and not just legalization and activism, although the latter still exist in this American cultural event.

    Every person wants to change their conscientiousness – some do it through religion, some through exercise, some through substances, some through all three.

    Rob Robinson

    With prohibition ending in many states (24 have fully legalized), and the medical value becoming clear (38 states allow medical use) the mission encourages folks to explore and embrace the benefits of cannabis.Yet lobbying wise, there is still a black market and mis-management of the dispensary license process has held back progress for the cannabis industry in New York. The new focus is on other drugs being decriminalized, with a focus on this being a land of the free.

    The 26th year of Harvest Fest and beyond 

    One of the only festivals in 2020 to be held during Covid, Robinson notes there were no infections and the festival held like a ‘Drive In’ event, which helped the festival sustain that year and led to continued growth, unabated. 

    The 2022 location, the Washington County Fairgrounds, was looking to have Harvest Fest return, but with Cannabis being illegal federally, the location had some issues that led to the event needing to be moved to Trumansburg, out of necessity. 

    “The Ithaca scene is totally different, and a part of NY Harvest Fest has not visited yet. The cannabis part of the Finger Lakes is huge and always has been (likewise the Catskill Mountains), so we’re bringing Harvest Fest to cannabis activists and growers who have been ‘in the closet’ for 30 years.”

    Cannacup at Camp Minglewood

    Harvest Fest will take place in Trumansburg, NY over October 6-9, 2023, offering a way for people to commune over a shared love of cannabis and all it has to offer. As Robinson puts it, cannabis is the “non-lethal alternative to alcohol and tobacco,” and when joined by the music lined up for the festival, a momentous celebration of freedom is on tap this fall in the Finger Lakes. 

    Tickets and more info can be found here.

  • Adirondack Independence Music Festival Continues to Bring the Jams Year After Year

    This year’s annual end-of-the-summer celebration of music in Lake George at the Adirondack Independence Music Festival saw two evenings with moe. and a one evening with Dark Star Orchestra. The three-day festival held over Labor Day Weekend saw day-long music with bands alternating between two main stages.

    Adirondack Independence Music Festival
    photo by Allison Marie

    The festival is always a smooth event, and as attendees we get to see the machinations of soundchecks and the work of loading and off-loading a stage, thanks to side-by-side stages. Emcee Jeff Morad from WEQX gave hourly hydration reminders as he thanked each band and announced the next act. The organization has it down, and it’s great to be there catching all the jams.

    Photo by Derek Java

    Day One saw a mix of regional and national acts. Standouts during the day were the always jammy Dogs in a Pile, a super fun band, and if you haven’t seen them, consider New Years Eve at Putnam Place. Keller Williams was blissful as always, starting his set with a great version of “Breathe.” Throughout a great loop-filled set (he is a master at building songs solo using loops), he dropped covers and originals, and standing out was a fun-filled “Freeker by the Speaker.” You can’t count any of the daytime bands out, though, as all day was filled with fun jams, people dancing, and bubbles floating through the air. Other daytime acts included Hilltop, Sophistafunk, Eggy, Lucid.

    Photo by Derek Java

    Headliners on Friday were the always incredible Dark Star Orchestra (DSO). Bringing an authentic sound to the date they reinterpreted, DSO channeled the Grateful Dead’s show on April 16, 1978 show from Huntington, WV, with clarity and wisdom. The sound was spot-on and the crowd danced and sang along all evening. We know the term “nostalgia act” gets some negative connotations, but for DSO, that is the mission, who make every show fun for spectators to guess the date of the show, and the more knowledgeable in the crowd can guess the direction the show is taking by the equipment being brought out by the players. Super fun evening with a classic Dead show performed by DSO.

    Photo by Derek Java

    Saturday of Adirondack Independence Music Festival saw more attendees and a continuation of killer music. Star-on-the-rise Karina Rykman brought the jams throughout her set, working off her new album, Joyride.

    For listeners at ADK Fest, the first half of her 60 minute set saw only three songs, as she and her two bandmates, Adam November on guitar and Chris Corsico on Drums, set the festival alight, taking risks and diving deep into the jammy sections of her bass-led compositions.

    Photo by Derek Java

    Saturday also had a particular reggae vibe to it. Roots of Creation brought their fiery dub-ska, blending a mythos of Bob Marley-esque roots with Grateful Dead covers including “Row Jimmy” and “Fire on the Mountain,” lots of fun for all seeing this band.

    Mihali brought his reggae vibe, too, bringing out a new tune or two, with Twiddle fans all smiles singing reggae-tinged Twiddle songs and Mihali’s own songs from his album Effection.

    Photo by Derek Java

    There was also a “foodie” aspect to the daytime bands on Ssaturday, with a blend of rock and jam by Creamery Station, Baked Shrimp, and stretching the metaphor, Melt. Fans of these bands and new listeners alike had a great day of music. Rounding out the daytime acts were Dumpstaphunk.

    photo by Chris De Cotis

    moe. has made ADK Fest the spiritual successor to moe.down, with a feel of Labor Day weekends spent in Turin at Snow Ridge Ski Resort throughout the weekend. Opening up with a pair of tunes usually played in reverse – “Okayalright” and “Wormwood” – moe. could have opted for “Not Coming Down” to complete the Wormwood trilogy, but shifted to “Downward Facing Dog” before inviting Ivan Neville from Dumpstaphunk to the stage for “Happy Hour Hero.”

    photo by Dave Decrescente

    Set 2 saw Mihali come to the stage for an intense and exploratory “Recreational Chemistry” (see video below), and moe. breaking out a set nearly full of old school songs, capped off with a classic “Jazz Wank” > “Buster.” For an encore, the addition of Nate Wilson to the lineup has led to the fresh covers making their appearance in the last two years, this evening including Traffic’s “Light Up or Leave Me Alone.”

    Set 1: Okayalright > Wormwood > Downward Facing Dog, Happy Hour Hero^, Yellow Tigers -> Mar-Dema > Brent Black
    Set 2: Recreational Chemistry* > Sensory Deprivation Bank > Seat Of My Pants > Ups And Downs, Jazz Wank > Buster
    Encore: Light Up Or Leave Me Alone, Spaz Medicine
    ^ With Ivan Neville on keys.
    * With Mihali on guitar.

    photo by Chris De Cotis

    Sunday saw Jimkata keep the crowd swaying in the sunshine and get pumped up for moe. later that evening. What made Jimkata’s performance even more remarkable was the fact that they had performed in Virginia for a late night show the evening before, making the seemingly impossible journey from Virginia to Adirondack Independence Music Festival for a mid-day performance a testament to their commitment to their fans.

    photo by Allison Marie
    photo by Allison Marie

    Neighbor graced the stage and dropped an instrumental cover of The Beatles/Joe Cocker’s “With a Little Help from my Friends. Prince Bowie featured Twiddle/Marble Eyes/Breakfast/Kung Fu drummer extraordinaire Adrian Tramontano on drums along with the Cool Cool Cool horns. Luke Bemand from lespecial joined the all star tribute group for Prince’s “Controversy.”

    For moe.’s weekend closing sets, they opened up with “Water” as a nod to Lake George, and closed the set with “Meat” featuring Schleigho guitarist Suke Cerulo joining his one-time bandmates. Set two had no let up, opening with a slow burn of “Tubing the River Styx” > “The Pit”, a cover of Allman Brothers Band’s “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” – featuring Neighbor/Pink Talking Fish keyboardist Ricky James – followed by “Silver Sun” and a solid 1-2 punch of “George” and “Lazarus.” An encore of “Gone” and “Plane Crash” capped a fantastic weekend of music in Lake George, an annual affair made for a band like moe. and live music fans from across the Northeast.

    photo by Frankie Cavone

    Set 1:Water, ATL, Don’tcha Know, In Stride, Skrunk, Meat^
    Set 2:Tubing The River Styx > The Pit, In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed2, Silver Sun, George, Lazarus
    Encore: Gone, Plane Crash
    ^ With Suke Cerulo on guitar
    * With Ricky James on keys

  • The Summer Hoot Celebrates 11 Years

    The 11th Summer Hoot was held August 25-27 at the Ashokan Center in Olivebridge, NY. Three days of family, friendship, camping, combined with music, music, music. Two performance stages (affectionally named Toshi and Pete after the Seegers), located at the base of Hoot Hill, showcased a plethora of local and national acts. 

    The Mammals

    Tucked away in a lower-level location the Magical Music Campground hosted the Jubilee Jam tent. Jams ran continuously day and night for the many who brought instruments with them. 

    Summer Hoot - Julie Jam Tent
    Jubilee Jam Tent

    The Hoot utilizes the entire Ashokan Center. Music isn’t confined to specific performance locations. At the instrument petting zoo, the young (and young at heart) could be found creating their own special sounds. Impromptu collaborations were popping up everywhere you turned. Even backstage, musicians arriving could be seen joining in with those warming up before their set. 

    Future musician at the instrument petting zoo

    Nature did not sit by silently for the Hoot. Floating on the sweet Hudson Valley air the rippling sounds of the Esopus Creek filled your ears while strolling through the grounds.  With the setting of the sun, the crickets would emerge to accompany the music flowing from the stage, chirping in rhythm.

    Jordan Hamilton

    The Summer Hoot performers included The Shaker (feat. Simi Stone) opening the Hoot on Friday evening. Brooklyn-based Oliva K and the Parkers playing twice, on Friday and Saturday.  Kingston’s Pulso De Barro sharing their Son Jarocho style of music. The City Stompers giving an exhibition of Appalachian Clogging with Furnace Mountain supplying the musical backdrop. 

    The City Stomperswith Furnace Mountain

    Saturday night a bonfire singalong took people into the late evening. As the clock struck midnight, Cellist Jordan Hamilton performed an intimate set in the Pewter Shop. If you had the energy, the late-night jam at the Magical Music campground took you till the morning light.

    Summer Hoot - Mike Merenda and Ruthy Ungar
    Mike Merenda and Ruthy Ungar

    To reach 11 years for an event is not an easy thing. The effort is huge. Without co-creators Mike (Merenda) and Ruthy (Ungar) none of this would be possible. To say they are the heart and soul of the Hoot is an understatement.  

    Summer Hoot - Pulso De Barro
    Pulso De Barro

    Across the three day these two are going nonstop. Greeting everyone, introducing performers, and sitting in with many performers.  Topping it off their band The Mammals closed out the Toshi stage Saturday night. 

    Summer Hoot - Olive K and the Parkers
    Oliva K and the Parkers

    On the face of it, the Hoot is all about the music. But there is so much more. Creativity plays a special part. From original songs shared, yoga and breathwork sessions to calm your soul, along with food and crafts offered by local artisans. 

    Summer Hoot - Cole Quest & the City Pickers
    Cole Quest & the City Pickers

    Drawing from the Ashokan Center, the spirit of family and community is another cog that makes up the Summer Hoot. Many people brought their young children. Some people even brought their own parents. If you didn’t know the person next to you it did not matter. Everyone is family when you are at the Hoot.

    Summer Hoot families
    Families enjoying the Summer Hoot

    A musical chord can be referred to as a triad. Three notes played together achieving a harmonious outcome. The combination of music, creativity, and the spirit of family and community construct the chord that is The Summer Hoot.