Category: Music Festivals

From Asphalt to Lush Grass: Governors Ball 2023 Shines In New Home

Ten years ago in 2013, Kendrick Lamar made his way to Randall’s Island for a late afternoon set on the smaller of the Governors Ball stages. It was only a few months after the release of good kid, m.A.A.d. city as Kendrick’s meteoric rise was just underway. Fast forward to 2023; Governors Ball finds itself in a new (and hopefully, permanent) home in Flushing Meadows Corona Park and Kendrick Lamar is closing out the festival unopposed and under the fireworks. This past weekend, Governors Ball proved once again why it is New York City’s favorite music festival.

Kendrick Lamar at Governors Ball 2023. Photo by Lucas Kurzweil

After spending many years on Randall’s Island followed by a two year rental of the Citi Field Parking lot, Governors Ball finally made its long desired move to Flushing Meadows Corona Park. The vast park in central Queens has been woefully underused by the city for decades; a trend that will hopefully be reversed after the success of this year’s festival. The park was designed and built with large-scale events in mind, hosting two World’s Fairs in 1939 and 1964. Flushing Meadows sits on the intersection of two major highways, is adjacent to a subway line with access to Manhattan, and has ample parking lots from the numerous stadiums in the vicinity.

Governors Ball organizers did an incredible job of laying out the festival to take advantage of all of these features, creating a wide open festival experience that never felt too crowded at any point during the weekend. Three stages occupied the larger fields while the vendors and centralized area of the festival was nestled under large trees providing ample shade and character to the grounds. The towering Unisphere greeted fans at the entrance while the main stage was set up right in front of the New York State Pavilion, giving an iconic backdrop to the festival.

The lineup for the 2023 edition of Governors Ball attempted to model the diversity of Queens, the World’s Borough, as well as the eclectic music tastes of New Yorkers. There was a heavy lean towards rap and hip-hop overall, but festival organizers did sprinkle in rock, pop, indie and EDM throughout the weekend. International artists graced the stages as well including Korean pop superstars Aespa, Puerto Rican rapper Eladio Carrión and Japanese singer/dancer Rina Sawayama. Indie and rock was represented by Girl in Red, Black Midi, KennyHoopla, and Haim while Odesza was the lone EDM act for the weekend.

Odesza at Governors Ball 2023. Photo by Joseph Buscarello

Kendrick Lamar Trades The Production For a Microphone

Kendrick’s latest album Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers was released a little over a year ago, but its relevance lived on with his Governors Ball performance. Although the stage production did not include the same amount of intricate detail that the “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers” tour held, the set had a simplistic yet empowering feel. The only additions to Kendrick on the GovBall NYC stage were some lights on either side, large Henry Taylor backdrops, a couple of flares, and a few dancers. Kendrick proved that he does not need the fancy add-ons to pump up a crowd. He had all of Flushing Meadows screaming the words to his songs like they were the national anthem at a playoff sporting event.

Kendrick Lamar at Governors Ball 2023. Photo by Joseph Buscarello

Kendrick did the majority of the set solo, running through tracks like “King Kunta” and “LOVE.” and even his iconic feature on Pusha T’s track “Nosetalgia” (sadly, no Pusha T appearance even though he performed on the adjacent stage before Kendrick). Near the end of his captivating performance, Kendrick brought out his cousin and protegé, Baby Keem, to perform their RIAA Platinum song “Family Ties.” Through his crowd control and high energy performance, Kendrick Lamar further established himself as the best of the best in the rap game.

Lizzo And Odesza Headline With All The Fanfare

Lizzo was the Friday night headliner and she did not disappoint. Her band and numerous dancers lined the stage as the lights went out, leading up to a grand entrance to “Cuz I Love You”, the opening track of her 2019 sophomore LP of the same name. Lizzo’s thunderous voice reverberated throughout the festival grounds, especially when she dropped into her mega hit song “Juice” which sent the crowd into a dance frenzy. The glamorous staging featured retro big band style decor and backdrops, with sultry visuals playing along on the giant LED screen on the stage. Lizzo ran through her setlist with a powerful grace, performing her signature flute solo leading into “Truth Hurts” along with a fan favorite cover of Chaka Khan’s legendary “I’m Every Woman”; a song and a sentiment that has become a mantra behind Lizzo’s approach to music writing and performance.

Lizzo at Governors Ball 2023. Photo by Joseph Buscarello

Odesza fulfilled headlining duties on Saturday, with their larger than life EDM show filled with lasers, flaming pyro, guest vocalists, and a fireworks finale fit for a music festival. The duo took to the stage and started their set off with a bang with “This Version of You” and “Behind The Sun”. There was no shortage of pyro, as large fireballs erupted behind the DJs throughout the show, sending waves of heat into the crowd. Lasers fanned out over the crowd to interact with the tall trees in the back of the field, with house beats driving the dance floor until curfew. Odesza sprinkled in a Pretty Lights cover in “One Day They’ll Know” as well as a “TENSE” and “KEEP MOVING” from their BRONSON collaborative project with Golden Features. They closed out their set with a huge fireworks display over the stage while 2022’s “The Last Goodbye” pulsed through the night.

Filling Out The Days

Lil Uzi Vert was the perfect addition to the rap-filled GoPuff stage. Their Friday night performance had fans in awe. They came down from the stage to rock out with the fans on the barricade, and made sure fans that fell over were able to get up and continue jamming. They brought out rappers Ken Carson and Destroy Lonely, and got the crowd going with songs like “Do What I Want” and “Money Longer.” They left fans with a feeling of anticipation for what is to come in the following weeks by announcing that they have a new album releasing this month.

While rock and indie were not as prevalent on the lineup this year, the biggest draw in the category was certainly Haim on the GovBall NYC stage. The three sisters burst onto the scene in 2013 with their debut record Days Are Gone featuring the utterly infectious song “The Wire”. Throughout the set, the three sisters alternate vocal roles and instruments while also engaging heavily with the fans. Their dynamic performance style creates a light and fun atmosphere that is perfect for the summer festival stages.

On Saturday, KennyHoopla and Snail Mail kept the rock vibes going on the GoPuff stage. KennyHoopla’s vigorous post-punk dominated the crowd first, bouncing all over the stage while delivering a rambunctious vocal performance over heavy guitars. Snail Mail came up next, keeping the punk rock going, featuring a set full of songs from their two excellent LPs: 2018’s Lush and 2021’s Valentine.

Governors Ball Artists March On

In the wake of Governors Ball, many of the artists who played use the opportunity to announce new projects and tours. Many of the artists are on their own headlining tours and mix in the festival appearances. Right before Governors Ball weekend began, Metro Boomin released his highly anticipated soundtrack to the movie Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse. Just after the weekend, Eladio Carrión announced a North American tour with a stop at The Theater at MSG in October. Philadelphia’s major music festival, Made in America, announced their lineup with Lizzo making another headlining appearance along with Ice Spice, and Metro Boomin. Joey Bada$$ is running through the festival circuit with a dozen appearances including Glastonbury, Rolling Loud, and Lollapalooza.

Odesza at Governors Ball 2023. Photo by Joseph Buscarello

Kendrick Lamar, fresh off the epic Big Steppers World Tour, is also hitting the summer festivals, taking his minimal yet relentlessly in your face festival show to the biggest stages in the world including Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Rokslide, Austin City Limits, and Summer Sonic in Japan. If any of those festivals are within reach, it is worth the opportunity to catch a generational talent at his very best.

The Future Of New York City’s Premier Music Festival

By all accounts, the first edition of Governors Ball in Flushing Meadows was a major success. The layout of the venue was nearly perfect, transit in and out of the festival went smoothly, and three days of music went on without skipping a beat. Governors Ball has been at it for many years and are no strangers to throwing such a large party in NYC, but expectations were sky high this year. One could have argued that the very future of the festival rested with this weekend going off without a hitch. The cost of putting on these events has never been higher, and fans have so many choices of shows these days that it was unclear if Governors Ball could even draw a large enough crowd. Last weekend in Queens put all of the chatter to bed. With the Canadian wildfire smoke clearing out just in the nick of time, a glorious weekend of sunshine and music ensued. There is no doubt Governors Ball will be back at it in 2024; now we can all start dreaming of our ideal lineup we would want to see grace the stages in Flushing Meadows.

June 17, 2023
In Focus: New York State Blues Festival, Day 1

The 31st edition of the New York State Blues Festival kicked off Thursday afternoon of June 15th at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, underneath beautiful blue skies. The annual event, which has grown substantially over the last thirty years, is known for being one of the largest, free, multi-day blues festivals in the northeast, and features a mixture of local, regional, and national blues acts.

Brandon Santini performs at the 2023 NYS Blues Festival

The festivities kicked off Thursday afternoon with a high energy set by Syracuse’s own Fillmore Blues Band. As the band took to the stage, the areas in front of the stage were already filled with early arriving blues fans, eager to get the party started. Festival goers sang and danced as the Fillmore Blues Band weaved their way through a 75 minute set of covers and originals. The set showcased a band known for their dynamic musical improvisation. Led by Mike Petroff on harmonica and vocals, the performance did not disappoint those in attendance. Petroff even took his harmonica into the crowd, playing stage-side on top of a table, giving passionate onlookers an up close view of the musician.

The Fillmore Blues Band kicked off the 2023 NYS Blues Festival

Next up was Memphis based rocker and blues harmonicist, Brandon Santini. Santini launched into his set with a harmonica solo which set the stage for his performance. The set was high energy, and saw crunchy blues guitar riffs to back Santini’s deep vocals and harmonica playing. Santini paid tribute blues harmonica legend Sonny Boy Williamson, with a phenomenal rendition of “Nine Below Zero”. Santini, who played the festival in 2016, was easily an early favorite of the audience as many in attendance came donning his merchandise. His set did not disappoint.

Brandon Santini performs at the 2023 NYS Blues Festival

Headlining the evening were the Blood Brothers ft Mike Zito & Albert Castiglia. The duo of blues guitar heavy-weights were touring in support of their January 2023 full length album Blood Brothers. Easily one of the most anticipated sets going into the weekend, the two did not let those in attendance down. The long time friends, known for their immense musical chemistry on stage, showcased why Joe Bonamassa once stated “They finish each other’s sentences, musically.” Their set, which leaned heavily on tracks from their self titled release, saw the pair dual on many guitar solos. Their passion for the music was visible from the audience, as the two routinely flashed smiles to each other as they tried to “out dual” the other.

Blood Brothers ft Mike Zito & Albert Castiglia perform at the 2023 NYS Blues Festival

The festival continues through Saturday and features headliner and blues legend, Buddy Guy with direct support from Samantha Fish on Saturday night. Admission is free.

June 17, 2023
Governors Ball Day 3 – Kendrick Lamar, Lil Nas X, and Pusha T Close Out The Weekend

Governors Ball wrapped up the weekend last night with a stellar, career-spanning performance from Kendrick Lamar. Sunday was another eclectic day of music from all ends of the spectrum, featuring sets by Lil Nas X, Pusha T, Black Midi, Girl In Red, and Phony Ppl.

Kendrick Lamar, Governors Ball 6/11/2023. Photo by Lucas Kurzweil

Rap music was on clear display for Sunday. Coast Contra gave some early afternoon rap to the Bacardí stage. The dynamic rap group brought the old school vibes with their “Scenerio Freestyle.” Over on the GoPuff Stage, Central Cee displayed classic UK rap to the New York crowd. He had the fans going wild for his hit song “Doja.”

Leading up to the headlining slot on Sunday, Pusha T brought his rash flow to a wild crowd at the Bacardi Stage with a deep setlist full of crowd favorites and covers. At the same time, Sofi Tukker’s house/pop blend reverberated from the GoPuff Stage sending infectious dance beats through the park. Lil Nas X followed with thrilling dancing and intricate costumes culminating in a giant sing-along to his hit song “Old Town Road”.

Pusha T, Governors Ball 6/11/2023. Photo by Joseph Buscarello

It was only fitting that Kendrick Lamar headlined Sunday night because there was truly no better way to end the 2023 edition of the Governors Ball. Fresh off the larger-than-life Big Steppers Tour, Kendrick brought his more stripped-back festival production to the GovBall Stage. It’s hard to imagine how such a mega artist can create an “intimate” festival performance while still bringing every bit of energy you expect. A bare stage with varying backdrops, flanked by lighting from the sides of the stage and vertical laser walls made Flushing Meadows feel like a window into the life of Kendrick Lamar songs. The power and raw energy of Kendrick’s flow echoed throughout the audience who were in awe of what they were witnessing.

Kendrick Lamar, Governors Ball 6/11/2023. Photo by Joseph Buscarello

With 2023 in the books, we can already start thinking about next year. The move to Flushing Meadows Park was a major success for Governors Ball. The vast park is the perfect venue for a music festival with large field areas and thick tree lines providing shade and texture to the grounds. Fans have easier access via mass transit and the neighborhoods surrounding the park are home to the most diverse local food vendors anywhere in the world. The future is bright for Governors Ball after finally finding the perfect home. After housing multiple World Fairs in 1939 and 1964, the city has kept large festivals away from Flushing Meadows; a trend that has finally ended.

Stay tuned for more artist galleries, as well as a in-depth look into Kendrick Lamar’s historic headlining set in Queens.

June 12, 2023
Governors Ball Day 2: Odesza, Lil Baby, Rina Sawayama And More

Governors Ball is in full swing over in Flushing Meadows Park with day 2 wrapping up on Saturday. Picture perfect weather settled in for the day, while a diverse lineup did their thing across the three stages, punctuated by a thunderous spectacle courtesy of Odesza.

Odesza, Governors Ball, 6/10/2023. Photo by Joseph Buscarello

At the GoPuff Stage, KennyHoopla brought the energy. Fans were deeply invested in Hoopla’s rash, indie rock tone as his live band brought the lyrics to life. Kenny Beats rocked the BacardÃ stage with a stellar DJ performance, mixing current favorites and old school classics. Before the set began, Kenny brought numerous fans onstage to enjoy his set from a platform behind him. Kenny Beats had the moshpit raving over his bass-heavy beats and high climax drops, frequently turning around and dancing along with the fans on stage.

Kenny Beats, Governors Ball, 6/10/2023. Photo by Lucas Kurzweil

Saturday also highlighted two of the biggest artists from South Korea and Japan who are making waves in the United States. The GovBallNYC Stage hosted Rina Sawayama earlier in the day. The Japanese singer dazzled the devoted fans with her energetic interpretive dance sequences and mega vocal prowess. Later on in the afternoon, fresh off throwing out the first pitch at a Yankees game, South Korean girl group Aespa brought their signature K-pop and hyper-pop music to the stage. Self-proclaimed “number one fans” flanked the barricade for their chance to see Aespa up close and personal.

Aespa, Governors Ball, 6/10/2023. Photo by Joseph Buscarello

Back at the GoPuff Stage, Oliver Tree brought his wacky pop music to the festival stage. Utilizing a keytar, Oliver played unreleased music and got the fans rocking with his viral song “Miss You.” To close off the night at the GoPuff Stage, Lil Baby put on a show stopping performance. Baby circled his discography going through hits like “Drip Too Hard,” “On Me,” and “Yes Indeed.”

Lil Baby, Governors Ball 6/10/23. Photo by Lucas Kurzweil

While Lil Baby drew a big audience over at the GoPuff Stage, an eager crowd gathered at the GovBallNYC to catch Odesza’s headlining set. The Washington state electronic duo are known for larger than life production and they did not disappoint. The show opens with a drumline appearing out of thin air at the front of the stage followed by relentless stage pyro, sprawling laser shows, and an epic fireworks finale while driving electro-house keeps fans moving.

Odesza, Governors Ball, 6/10/2023. Photo by Joseph Buscarello

Governors Ball wraps up today, Sunday with a much anticipated headlining performance from Kendrick Lamar. Black Midi, Pusha T, Lil Nas X, and Giveon fill out the day; a proper finale to another installment of New York City’s premier summer music festival. Stay tunes for Sunday’s recap and check out a gallery from Saturday below.

June 11, 2023
Governors Ball 2023 Kicks Off with Lizzo, Lil Uzi Vert, Ice Spice and More

Governors Ball kicked off the 2023 edition on Friday, June 9th, showing off their new digs in the sprawling in Flushing Meadows Park. After many years on Randall’s Island, and a brief stint in the parking lot of Citi Field, Governors Ball made the long anticipated move to the famed Queens park. Nestled amongst the giant trees and iconic landmarks, the festival feels right at home in the World’s Borough. The Canadian wildfire smoke cleared out entirely for the day, letting perfect weather shine for most of the day.

Lizzo, Governors Ball, 6/9/2023. Photo by Joseph Buscarello

On the GovballNYC stage, Saba set the tone with his early afternoon performance. He got the crowd going with hits like “Ziplock” and “Photosynthesis.” Over at the GoPuff stage, Tai Verdes kept it cool with “A-O-K” to get the crowd ready for Brooklyn’s own Joey Bada$$. Joey went through songs across his entire discography and made sure to let his hometown crowd feel his energy. Joey made a tribute to XXXTENTACION by performing their song “infinity (888).”

Joey Bada$$, Governors Ball, 6/9/2023. Photo by Lucas Kurzweil

The GoPuff stage did not disappoint with later sets from Ice Spice, Metro Boomin, and Lil Uzi Vert. Ice Spice drew one of the biggest crowds of the day, and took the house down with her viral songs “Much” and “In Ha Mood.” Metro Boomin’ followed up Ice Spice’s performance with an intricate DJ set. Rain started to pour but that didn’t stop the fans from screaming every word, bar for bar, during Metro’s performance. Over on the Bacardi stage, the brief rain shower made for an even raunchier set than normal from pop icon Kim Petras.

Kim Petras, Governors Ball, 6/9/2023. Photo by Joseph Buscarello

Lil Uzi Vert closed out the night with a bang. Interacting with fans throughout the set, he even announced that the highly anticipated “Pink Tape” will drop at the end of the month. Uzi went through the hits, brought out Ken Carson and Destroy Lonely and ended the night with their latest hit “Just Wanna Rock.”

Lil Uzi Vert, Governors Ball, 6/9/2023. Photo by Lucas Kurzweil

Meanwhile, over on the GovBallNYC stage, Lizzo dominated the stage with her larger than lifer performance. Flanked by a sea of dancers, backup vocalists, a killer live band, and several outfit changes, Lizzo’s powerful voice reverberated through Flushing Meadows.

Lizzo, Governors Ball, 6/9/2023. Photo by Joseph Buscarello

Day 2 gets going today, with sets from Finneas, Snail Mail, Rina Sawayama, Lil Baby, and Odesza. Stay tuned for our Saturday recap tomorrow morning.

June 10, 2023
Boston Calling – Food, Fun & Lots of Music at Harvard On Memorial Day Weekend

Beginning in the afternoon on Friday, May 26 through the late evening on Sunday, May 28, the 12^th installment of the beloved Boston Calling music festival returned to its home at Harvard University in Boston (Allston), Massachusetts this past Memorial Day weekend.

For three straight days, more than 40,000 fans of all ages passed through the gates into the Harvard Athletic Complex where they were welcomed daily to engaging activities such as a ride on a 100-foot Ferris wheel, delicious food served up by 29 local vendors, and of course, great music performed by 51 artists (17 each day) across four outdoor stages dubbed the Green Stage, the Happy Valley Red Stage, the Blue Stage and the Tivoli Audio Orange Stage, which championed acts with local ties to New England.

Paramore | Photo Credit: Michael Dinger

Inaugurated in 2013, the acclaimed Boston Calling festival is produced by Boston Calling Events, owned in part by Boston-based Crash Line Productions, whose hallmark of bringing new sounds each and every year was on full display again. In step with the festival’s commitment to securing an iconic mix of musical performances, headlining the festival on Day 1 (Friday) were Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Foo Fighters. Having played in New Hampshire two days prior, this would only be their second official concert following drummer Taylor Hawkins’ tragic death in March 2022. The Lumineers, soulful alternative-folk rockers from Denver, Colorado, headlined Day 2 (Saturday) of the festival. Day 3 (Sunday) of the festival was headlined by indie rock darlings Paramore, formed in Franklin, Tennessee in 2004. Paramore, having already performed at the festival back in 2018, made their triumphant return on the heels of releasing their sixth studio album, This is Why.

Foo Fighters | Photo Credit: Michael Dinger

Boston Calling also featured renowned co-headliners on each day, including The National and Boston natives Dropkick Murphys on Day 1, the latter who quickly stepped in for the art-punk trio Yeah Yeah Yeahs due to an undisclosed illness announced the day prior. The Celtic punk band’s frontman, Ken Casey, would announce to the crowd during their blistering set, “The Yeah Yeah Yeahs said ‘no no no,’ but we never say no!” Day 2 saw seven-time Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Alanis Morissette take the Red Stage, playing her first show in Boston since 2012. Queens of the Stone Age, alternative metal rockers from Seattle, Washington, brought their hard-pounding musicianship to Day 3 of the festival. Having recently announced their long-awaited eighth studio album, In Times New Roman, they thrilled their die-hard fans with two new tracks from this forthcoming release (June 16), including “Emotion Sickness” and “Negative Space.”

Dropkick Murphys | Photo Credit: Michael Dinger

Queens of the Stone Age | Photo Credit: Michael Dinger

Joining these headlining and co-headlining acts were well-established artists such as Noah Kahan, Bleachers, The Flaming Lips (who celebrated the release of Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots by performing the 2002 album in its entirety), King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard (the psychedelic rock band from Australia who were forced to bow out of last year’s festival due to COVID-19), Mt. Joy, Maren Morris and many more.

Bleachers | Photo Credit: Michael Dinger

Mt. Joy | Photo Credit: Michael Dinger

The Flaming Lips | Photo Credit: Michael Dinger

The holiday weekend also offered its patrons plenty of performances from up-and-coming talent, including Razor Braids, The Beaches, The Aces and The Linda Lindas (an all-girl quartet ranging in age from 13 to 19 who easily won over the crowd after a personal introduction to their set by the Mayor of Boston, Michelle Wu), to name just a few.

The Beaches | Photo Credit: Michael Dinger

The Linda Lindas | Photo Credit: Michael Dinger

Although the temperature each day of the festival was not as hot as it could have been for this time of the year, the sun did take its toll on some of the audience members who were not adequately hydrated. I witnessed firsthand at least five people who appeared to faint due to heat stroke, all of whom required to be quickly pulled out of the crowd by security and whisked away for treatment by EMT personnel.

The only critique that I have for this year’s festival is also the same as 2022’s festival, the merchandise tent line was long, exceedingly long. As I talked to fans who were proudly wearing their new t-shirt or hat, I learned that time spent in line (and away from the stages) was a minimum of two hours! Often, the sought after merch had already been sold-out. However, fans were at least able to complete an order form for the requested item to be shipped at a later date.

Fans soaking in the action at the Red Stage (Day 2) | Photo Credit: Michael Dinger

No festival experience is considered complete without first meeting and interacting with fellow fans. My own personal encounters included talking to Paul from Toronto, Canada in front of the Green Stage for most of Friday afternoon. I learned that he and his 16-year old son drove for eight hours Thursday night and into the wee morning hours to see the Foo Fighters for the first time. Paul emotionally shared with me that his son “will always remember this, so it was well worth it.” On Friday, I also met Kirby from Danbury, Connecticut, an avid fan of all music genres, as well as a talented drummer and guitarist. He revealed to me that he was dealing with painful plantar fasciitis in both feet, so when I saw him again on both Saturday and Sunday along the rail of the Red Stage, I was glad he was able to still see the artists he loves up close and personal. Being a graduate of the University of Connecticut (UCONN), it was also a pleasure to spend time speaking with Seth for a few hours, a UCONN professor for nearly 20 years and an amateur live music photographer.

Shane Hawkins Joins Foo Fighters Onstage | Video Credit: Michael Dinger

During a festival filled with three days and nights of highlights, it’s easy for me to pick out my favorite one. Throughout the Foo Fighters’ two hour set, Dave Grohl’s devastation by the loss of his friend and bandmate was palpable – on his face and in his speeches to the audience. So, when Grohl welcomed to the stage “one of [his] favorite drummers in the world,” 17-year old Shane Hawkins, it was truly a goosebumps moment. With Shane taking a couple of minutes at the drum kit to adjust the stool height left for him by the Foo Fighters newest member, Josh Freese, Grohl stalled for time. “Hello Boston, how’s it going over there? Earlier, I was in my dressing room and I heard the audience going absolutely fucking bonkers for someone. And I was like, who the fuck is playing that someone is going [this crazy]? It was Niall Horan [of One Direction fame], is that his name? How’s it going there Shane? Oh my God, there is a curfew Shane. This is an old song from our first record and when we play it . . .” Abruptly, in came Shane with a thunderous drum roll to launch “I’ll Stick Around.”

Day 1 (Friday)

RAZOR BRAIDS

THE BEACHES

DROPKICK MURPHYS

FOO FIGHTERS

Day 2 (Saturday)

NEEMZ

THE ACES

MT. JOY

THE FLAMING LIPS

Day 3 (Sunday)

JUICE

THE LINDA LINDAS

BLEACHERS

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE

PARAMORE

The Fans & The Grounds

June 2, 2023
Inclusion Festival Announced for July 14-16 in Kempton, PA

Anyone and everyone is welcome to attend the Inclusion Festival – a sensory friendly, accessible music and wellness event for all ages and abilities. The festival’s 2018 debut marked the nation’s first festival designed to accommodate disabled people. The festival returns this year at the Kempton Community Center from July 14-16 in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley region. The festival will feature virtual components to increase accessibility for those unable to attend the live event.

Activities

Presented by the non-profit Accessible Festivals and supported by Rex Foundation and Mimi Fishman Foundation, the Inclusion Festival offers a uniquely immersive, fully inclusive experience. The festival offers music, workshops, camping, art, relaxation areas, a resource fair, a parade, flow arts, and more. The events are presented in an environment entirely designed to be accessible for all, including sensory-friendly music, sensory-friendly supportive relaxation spaces, and more.

Additionally, in an effort to increase accessibility, the virtual component of the festival will include an accessible livestream with captions, virtual workshops, virtual sensory zones, home activities, and more.

Music

The festival largely emphasizes the role of music in connecting people. Music is a universal language with the ability to connect people from differing backgrounds and experiences. Inclusion Festival strives to feature diverse and disabled regional artists, showcasing a wide variety of genres and styles.

This year’s lineup will include Flux Capacitor, a trio of brothers from Pennsylvania who meld rock and electronica. Additionally, Gooch & The Motion will deliver a unique blend of country, blues, and rock & roll. Miss Cantaloupe will perform Fleetwood Mac’s Rumors album. Performances from Liz Bills & The Change, Lee Ross, Darlingtyn, and a special Inclusion Family Jam will bring celebrate inclusion through music.

More Information

All festival donations directly support Accessible Festivals, a non-profit committed to empowering communities through accessible music and recreation. Accessible Festivals fosters connection and understanding through music, creating an inclusive platform for all abilities and identities to connect. Inspiring the creation of safe, inclusive, and equitable communities

To purchase tickets, donate, get involved, or learn more about accessibility at the event, visit their website.

May 30, 2023
Django A Gogo Music Festival Comes to Town Hall in New York City for 20th Anniversary

The 20th Anniversary of the Django A Gogo Music Festival begins early this May and culminates with the main event: an intensive “Guitar and Violin Camp” at The Town Hall in New York City on May 6 at 8:00 p.m.

Additionally, Django A Gogo includes an enhanced “Guitar and Violin Camp” from May 2-May 7 at The Woodland in New Jersey. The concerts will follow the Django canon and veer into reinterpretation, improvisation, and interplay between artists.

Poster for the Django a Gogo Music Festival. Credit: Stephane Wrembel Presents.

Wrembel has produced Django a Gogo since 2003, bringing together some of the finest musicians to celebrate the constant evolution of the Sinti guitar style, commonly referred to as “gypsy jazz.”

The 3 concerts at The Woodland are as follows:

On May 3, Stephane Wrembel Band (Stephane Wrembel on guitar, Josh Kaye on guitar, Ari Folman-Cohen on bass, and Nick Anderson on drums) presents The Art of the Guitar with special guests Simba Baumgartner (Django Reinhardt’s great-grandson), Paulus Schaefer and more!

The Art of the Violin follows on May 4, featuring violinist Jason Anick and Trio Dinicu featuring Tommy Davy on guitar and Luann Homzy on violin as well as guitarists Stephane Wrembel, Debi Botos and, and Sam Farthing.

The Woodland concerts conclude May 5, celebrating the release of Wremble’s new album, Django New Orleans, recorded with his NYC-based supergroup of musicians. Django New Orleans features Stephane Wrembel and Josh Kaye on guitar, Adrien Chevalier on violin, Joe Correia on Tuba, Scott Kettner on drums, David Langlois on percussion, Nick Driscoll on sax/clarinet, Joe Boga on trumpet and Sarah King on vocals.

The main event on May 6 at The Town Hall opens with Stephane Wrembel Band, Simba Baumgartner (France), Paulus Schaefer (Holland), Debi Botos (Canada), Samy Daussat (France), and Sam Farthing (U.S.) on guitar; and Aurore Voilqué (France) on violin. The second set follows with a short performance by Trio Dinicu featuring Tommy Davy on guitar and Luann Homzy on violin, followed by a set from Django New Orleans. The concert concludes with a grand finale with all performers on stage.

The concerts for the Django a Gogo Music Festival, both at The Woodland and The Town Hall, are open to patrons of all ages. Tickets for The Woodland Concerts start at $35/show and a limited number of three-day passes for $90 are available. Tickets for The Django A Gogo Music Festival at The Town Hall start at 49.50.

April 24, 2023
Hilltap Festival Returns To Holiday Valley For A Full Day Of Adventure in July

42 North Brewing Company and Holiday Valley Resort have announced their partnership to celebrate the third annual Hilltap Festival at Holiday Valley on July 2nd. From 12pm-9pm this outstanding festival fuses music, craft beer, and outdoor adventure atop the mountain at Spruce Lake.

The Hilltap Festival will kick off with Kody & Herren bringing their roots from Springville, NY as the opening act. Following the guitarists will be the Buffalo-based Ten Cent Howl. The folk band is renowned for their up-tempo, Americana sound. Ionic band, The Probables will be giving a special performance at the base of the mountain for the closing act. Fans can expect to hear their bluegrass, rock and contemporary sounds at the festival as part of their 2023 Destination Tour.

“This is one of our favorite events of the year. There is no better place to merge craft beer, roots music, and adventure. It’s truly a one-of-a-kind venue”
-John Cimperman, 42 North Brewery Founder

Festival attendees will park at the Tannenbaum Lodge and take a chair lift ride to the top of the mountain. Once everyone has arrived at the mountain, a full day of music and adventure can be enjoyed along with thrilling activities such as mountain biking, stand up paddleboarding (SUP), and ax throwing. Furthermore, attendees can fill their stomachs at Fat Bob’s BBQ and Villagio.

Presale tickets are $40, same day tickets are $45 and $50 if you want to transport a mountain bike on the chairlift. Admission provides a lift ride to Spruce Lake, a full day of music, and access to the vendors and demos. Children ten and under are admitted for free if they’re accompanied by a paying adult.

More information about about the Hilltap festival and tickets can be found here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWDkn5yLvL4

April 23, 2023
Urbano Street Announces U Street Musical Festival in Brooklyn

Urbano Street announced their U Street Music Festival, inviting people of all ages with an appreciation for street art, culture, and vinyl to celebrate record store day and the return of live music. The all-day festival will be on April 22 from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. in Bushwick, Brooklyn, NY on Suydam St. between Irving Ave and Knickerbocker Ave.

The U Street Festival will feature two stages that serve as a discovery platform for multicultural and non-commercial musicians and street artists. Stars such as Rebelmatic, La Sazound, Dubcorps, Spite Fuxxx, Chico Raro, Tambor y Caña, Hecho en Brooklyn, Eclectic Charango Beats, Prince of Queens, Jah Point, Vee Vee, and Wild Roots will take the stage. The festival also emphasizes the long-standing record of street culture and urban art, focusing on BIPOC artists who enrich New York City. U Street is on a mission to support underground and alternative artists in the independent space.

U Street Music Fest is the first street event of its kind, no one has ever attempted to bring subcultural music communities together before. Think of it as a cumbia punky reggae party on the streets of Brooklyn.
– Diana Hernandez, Urbano Street Lead Organizer

The music festival will expose local talent while also celebrating the diversity of its vibrant community which is largely made up of immigrants from Latin America. Although the neighborhood has recently battled gentrification-related tensions, the U Street Music Festival strives to cultivate collaboration uniting its residents with Bushwick’s artistic roots. They also hope to help bridge the generational and socio-economic gap between old and new members of the community.

Urbano Street is a nonprofit organization that relies on volunteers, music lovers, and donors. Whilst focusing on BIPOC artists who enrich New York City. Urbano Street is on a mission to support underground and alternative artists in the independent space, opening doors for underrepresented musicians by bringing them to urban places and shooting music videos, a passport to more gigs, press, and opportunities.

More information about the non-profit organization can be accessed here.

April 21, 2023