Salt-N-Pepa will make their third appearance at the NYS Fair on Opening Day, Aug. 23, celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip hop.
Cheryl James (also known as “Salt”) and Sandy Denton (also known as “Pepa”) first linked up in the mid-1980s when they were both Queensborough Community College students and Sears colleagues in Queens. Their coworker – and Salt’s boyfriend at the time – asked them to rap on a song he was producing. That song, “The Show Stopper,” became an underground hit and landed on the national R&B charts, leading to a record deal and the duo’s debut album, Hot, Cool & Vicious.
Since then, Salt-N-Pepa has received several Grammy awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021, as well as a Lifetime biopic. Some of their hits include “Push It,” “Shake Your Thang,” “Shoop” and “Whatta Man.” Through party anthems, big beats, and pro-feminist lyrics, the group broke down barriers for women in hip hop and were one of the first rap artists to experience success in the pop music realm and played a big role in solidifying the acceptance of rap and hip hop in the mainstream music world.
Joining in the celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, Salt-N-Pepa will pay homage to their classic hip-hop roots, while entertaining the audience all night long. Don’t miss the group perform at Chevy Court at the NYS Fair on Aug. 23 at 6 p.m. For more information about the Fair, visit here.
New York State Fair Lineup
Chevy Court
Aug. 23 at 1 p.m.- Chubby Checker
Aug. 23 at 6 p.m.- Salt-N-Pepa
Aug. 24 at 6 p.m.- Quiet Riot
Aug. 26 at 1 p.m.- Peppa Pig Live! Peppa Pig’s Adventure
Aug. 26 at 6 p.m.- Julio Iglesias Jr.
Aug. 27 at 1 p.m.- The Prodigals
Aug. 27 at 6 p.m.- Matt Stell
Aug. 28 at 1 p.m.- Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone
Aug. 28 at 6 p.m.- Anne Wilson
Aug. 29 at 1 p.m.- Tommy James and the Shondells
Aug. 29 at 6 p.m.- Bret Michaels
Aug. 30 at 1 p.m.- Danielle Ponder
Aug. 30 at 6 p.m.- Chapel Hart
Sept. 1 at 6 p.m.- The Fray
Sept. 2 at 12-9:45 p.m.- JAMS Funk Fest Featuring: Brick (6:45 p.m.) & Dazz Band (8:15 p.m.)
Sun. Sept. 3 at 1 p.m.- Disney Junior Live On tour: Costume Palooza
Sept. 4 at 12 p.m.- The High Kings
Suburban Park
Aug. 23 at 2 p.m.- Steven Page
Aug. 23 at 8 p.m.- Lainey Wilson
Aug. 24 at 8 p.m.- Theory of a Deadman
Aug. 26 at 8 p.m.- George Thorogood and the Destroyers
Taylor Swift is unquestionably one of the biggest artists in the world. Her most recent album, Midnights, sold over 1 million units in its first week and tickets to her Eras Tour are virtually impossible to get. One fact that even the most casual Swiftie knows, however, is Swift’s love for New York City, which she shows in her song “Welcome to New York.”
Transition to Pop
Swift cited her move to the city as the inspiration behind her 2014 album 1989. This is seen with the opening track. The upbeat song is the introduction to Swift’s first completely pop album. 1989 came after only experimenting with pop music in her previous country albums.
“With my last album Red, I kind of had one foot in pop and one foot in country, and that’s really no way to walk and get anywhere,” Swift said in a 2014 interview. “If you want to continue to evolve, I think eventually you have to pick a lane, and I just picked the one that felt more natural to me at this point in my life.”
“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” the lead single for Red, lead to Swift’s first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100
While the pop singles from Red were a success, 1989 was Swift completely jumping into pop music, a big risk. At the time, very few artists successfully transitioned to a completely different genre. Thus, the opening track was incredibly important and needed to match the tone of the album. Swift explained that she chose “Welcome to New York” because the city is such an important part of her life.
“The inspiration that I found in that city is kind of hard to describe and hard to compare to any other force of inspiration I’ve ever experienced in my life,” Swift said about the song. “It’s like an electric city and I approached moving there with such wide-eyed optimism and sort of saw it as a place of endless potential and possibilities and you can kind of hear that reflected in this music and in this first song especially.”
“Welcome to New York” and Change
Although the song has been criticized for its relatively simple and repetitive lyrics, many listeners fail to realize the more metaphorical meaning behind the song. While it is literally about how great New York City is, Swift also uses the location to symbolize change.
In the first verse, Swift sings, “Everybody here wanted something more/Searching for a sound we hadn’t heard before.” Here, she observes how New York City is known for being where people move to follow their dreams. One of those people is Swift herself, who previously spoke about how she dreamed about living in the city.
The beginning of the chorus is the repetition of the line, “Welcome to New York, it’s been waitin’ for you.” This invokes the imagery of someone arriving and taking in the view of the city. Moving to New York to chase their dreams can also be seen as a turning point in a person’s life. This parallels Swift’s own turning point in her music career by transitioning from country to pop, something she previously only dreamed about which she also demonstrates in the chorus with the line, “It’s a new soundtrack, I could dance to this beat, beat forevermore.”
Swift additionally uses New York City to symbolize change in her life in the second verse. She sings, “When we first dropped our bags on apartment floors/Took our broken hearts, put them in a drawer.” In this line, she’s talking about how when she got to the city she left her past behind. In this context, the baggage she’s dropping off is her past country music about old heartbreaks. New York allows Swift to feel free from all of her previous issues.
Juxtaposition of the Bridge
This song is also an example of why Swift is known for her iconic bridges. While it doesn’t have the complicated lyrcism of the bridge of “cardigan,” Swift is able to embody the message of the entire song in four lines: “Like any great love, it keeps you guessing/Like any real love, it’s ever-changing/Like any true love, it drives you crazy/But you know you wouldn’t change anything, anything, anything.” This is the epitome of how Swift uses New York to represent change. However, it also spins the entire idea on its head at the same time.
New York is a great love of her life. Swift personifies the city by describing how, like a person, it can be unpredictable and is always changing. However, while it symbolizes change in the song, the city itself is also a constant because it can’t leave her like a person can. Therefore, Swift is able to write lyrics that show how the city can both symbolize change and be a comforting constant in someone’s life.
“Welcome to New York” Lyrics
Walkin’ through a crowd, the village is aglow
Kaleidoscope of loud heartbeats under coats
Everybody here wanted somethin’ more
Searchin’ for a sound we hadn’t heard before
And it said
Welcome to New York, it’s been waitin’ for you
Welcome to New York, welcome to New York
Welcome to New York, it’s been waitin’ for you
Welcome to New York, welcome to New York
It’s a new soundtrack, I could dance to this beat, beat forevermore
The lights are so bright, but they never blind me, me
Welcome to New York, it’s been waitin’ for you
Welcome to New York, welcome to New York
When we first dropped our bags on apartment floors
Took our broken hearts, put them in a drawer
Everybody here was someone else before
And you can want who you want
Boys and boys and girls and girls
Welcome to New York, it’s been waitin’ for you
Welcome to New York, welcome to New York
Welcome to New York, it’s been waitin’ for you
Welcome to New York, welcome to New York
It’s a new soundtrack, I could dance to this beat, beat forevermore
The lights are so bright, but they never blind me, me
Welcome to New York (New York), it’s been waitin’ for you
Welcome to New York, welcome to New York
Like any great love, it keeps you guessing
Like any real love, it’s ever-changing
Like any true love, it drives you crazy
But you know you wouldn’t change anything, anything, anything
Welcome to New York, it’s been waitin’ for you
Welcome to New York, welcome to New York
Welcome to New York, it’s been waitin’ for you
Welcome to New York, welcome to New York
It’s a new soundtrack, I could dance to this beat
The lights are so bright, but they never blind me
Welcome to New York (new soundtrack), it’s been waitin’ for you
Welcome to New York (the lights are so bright but they never blind me)
Welcome to New York (so bright, they never blind me)
NYC-based alt pop singer/songwriter Stalking Gia has just released her newest hit single titled “Euphoria.” The song materializes aspects of art between online fantasy and Manhattan’s real-life nocturnal glow.
Gia writes, the song is “about the desire to find a deeper connection with someone and the fear of losing them. The lyrics describe the struggle to break free from the monotony of everyday life and the search for something more…. A longing to escape the mundanity of their current situation and reach a new level of intimacy.”
At age 5, Gia had her first dose of the limelight when she starred as the child lead in one of Cheerios most globally successful commercials. She was a professional Broadway actor (alongside her friend, Nick Jonas) and Top 5 Disney Radio artist with songs featured in the movie “Another Cinderella Story” starring Selena Gomez. She then lent her voice to Popstar Barbie in the 2012 animated movie Barbie: The Princess and the Popstar, which was produced by Universal Studios and premiered on Nickelodeon.
As an independent artist in 2016, she released her debut single “Second Nature,” kickstarting her viral fame and gaining her over 13.2 million streams on Spotify. It was later sampled on the single “Wish U The Best” by Blackbear, an A-List Top 40 recording artist with 20 million Spotify monthly listeners. The two artists would later tour together and collaborate for their track “Miracles” which has earned over 4.9 million streams.
Last summer, she teased a demo on TikTok using the famous nursery rhyme “Oh My Darling Clementine.” It gained traction and after getting a positive response she went on to release a full version titled “saddest happy girl.”
From co-writing with other artists for their projects to creating her own “no rules” music, Stalking Gia is a sought-after name in the game; bicoastal between New York City and the music scene of Los Angeles. Since then, she has returned to releasing music independently and continues to gain a loyal fan base.
The Bones of J.R. Jones has recently announced the upcoming release of his first full-length album in more than five years.Slow Lightning, will be dropped on October 13th, and to hold fans over, the announcement comes paired with the release of the album’s debut single “Heaven Help Me.” The New York-based artist, Jonathon Linaberry, won’t stop there, however, as he has also announced a US and European tour to begin in August.
Linaberry first launched the one-man band in 2012 with his track “Wilderness.” Since then, he has worked to expand his blues, folk, and country sound through his talent as a songwriter, storyteller, visual artist, performer, and musician which can easily be seen through his new music and hoped for with the anticipated album. Slow Lightning will feature a total of 12 tracks produced by Linaberry’s frequent collaborator Kiyoshi Matsuyama and will deal with the sensations of doubt and desire in the face of nature and fate. The title, Slow Lightning, as well as the track themes were inspired by the difficulty of its creation. Linaberry claims he was at the hands and power of the music and his surroundings rather than the other way around.
“I felt very lost at the time I was writing these songs,” Linaberry confesses. “It was a moment of deep crisis and anxiety, but I knew the only way out was through, which meant I just had to bring myself to the table every day and put in the work.”
His latest single, “Heaven Help Me,” was created with the intention of constant movement both in rhythm and sound while the lyrics became a mode of expressing the relentlessness and overwhelming quality of the ups and downs of life. Throughout the song, both sound and lyrics work with one another to create an eerie and anxiety building record as Linaberry calls out through a distorted echo, “All my love pouring out of my eyes is drowning me tonight.” He hopes to reach his audience by conveying a shared desire for release which the song delivers at the very end after a constant build of instrumentals and layered voices gives in to wide open space. The Bones of J.R. Jones will take this debut single out on tour in the fall which will include an exclusive album release show in his home state of New York at Mercury Lounge on October 13th.
“Heaven Help Me” is now available on all music streaming services with tickets for Linaberry’s tour going on sale on Friday, June 23rd. As for the highly anticipated album, Slow Lightning will be released via Tone Tree Music!
The Bones of J.R. Jones 2023 Tour
September 2 – Fairmont, WV – Palatine Park
September 7 – Buffalo, NY – Ninth Ward
September 8 – Pittsburgh, PA – Club Cafe
September 9 – Cleveland, OH – Grog Shop
September 10 – Ann Arbor, MI – The Ark
September 12 – Indianapolis, IN – Hi-Fi
September 13 – Chicago, IL – Schubas
September 14 – Columbus, OH– Basement
September 15 – Syracuse, NY – Funk N’ Waffles
September 16 – Windham, NY – Cave Mountain Catskills Festival
October 12 – Washington, DC – DC9
October 13 – New York, NY – Mercury Lounge
October 14 – Woodstock, NY – Levon Helm Studios
October 16 – Richmond, VA – Camel
October 17 – Charlottesville, VA – The Southern Cafe and Music Hall
October 18 – Raleigh, NC – The Pour House Music Hall & Record Shop
Re:SET Concert Series kicked off its three day run at Forest Hill Tennis Stadium this past Friday, June 16th. The traveling mini festival is in their inaugural year, taking a stacked lineup on the road and commandeering local venues for a long weekend of music. The opening night of Re:SET Queens featured legendary NYC natives LCD Soundsystem supported by Jamie XX, IDLES, and fellow New Yorker L’Rain. Each band brings a distinct style of the music to the stage, creating a truly unique night of music you can’t get at a normal concert.
LCD Soundsystem, Re:SET Forest Hills 6/16/23. Photo by Joseph Buscarello
The atmosphere was electric from the beginning. General admission floor wristbands were given out on a first come first served basis, drawing a large crowd for the early start time. A brief thunderstorm pushed doors back an hour, but those first fans in the door were greeted to the amazing L’Rain welcoming them from the stage. Her uniquely experimental pop and R&B filled the stadium with dense layers of vocal loops and instrumentation. L’Rain finds herself on many bills throughout the city opening for all sorts of artists, keeping it fresh by bringing something new every time.
IDLES were up next, who brought a drastic shift in energy with their classic, in-your-face punk rock. The band boasts an extremely loyal and engaged fan base that made it out to Forest Hills in droves. IDLES have been pretty active since their excellent 2017 debut Brutalism, releasing four LPs in that time span and embarking on countless tours. Over the course of their one hour set, IDLES hit each of their four LPs including crowd favorites “Crawl!” from 2021’s CRAWLER and “Never Fight a Man With a Perm” from their sophomore LP Joy as an Act of Resistance.
The band loves to be engaged with the crowd, crowd surfing while singing and even jumping into the mosh pit and playing guitar while mixing it up with the kids. Before closing the set with “Rottweiler”, vocalist Joe Talbot thanked the fans for coming out, saying “the only reason we exist as a band is because of the love and passion you bring to the shows, so thank you.”
After the punk infused mosh pits cleared off the tennis courts, UK garage and house infusion was up next courtesy of Jamie XX. One half of The XX, Jamie XX blends the classic garage sound with old school house and rhythm and blues beats to create a unique style of dance music. Parked in front of a giant disco ball projecting rays onto the crowd, Jamie XX played a rather deep setlist littered with snippets of some of his bigger hits hidden in the layers. He opened the set with “KILL DEM”, a one-off single from 2022 that features a vibrant, glitchy vocal array over a very tribal garage beat. Jamie XX followed that up with “Idontknow”, another single that mixes scattered percussions with trippy vocal loops.
Jamie XX took a 5-song setlist and fleshed it out for his hour-long set by mixing his songs in and out of curious beats and musical tangents, without skipping a beat or allowing a second of dead space. He rolled on with the fun and vibrant duo of “I’ll Take Care of You” followed by “LET’S DO IT AGAIN” before ending things off with a funky edit of “Gosh”, the opening track from his stellar 2015 LP In Colour. The audience on the floor and in the stadium seats were dancing from the moment he took the stage
LCD Soundsystem always draw quite a bit of hype when they are in town, regardless of the countless residencies they perform in the city. A staple in the city’s thriving music scene since their inception in 2002, the band is beloved in New York and can bring a tiny dive bar or an entire arena to its knees with their infectious dance rock. Forest Hills Stadium was packed to the upper deck before the band took the stage to an enormous reception on a gorgeous night in Queens.
LCD Soundsystem, Re:SET Forest Hills 6/16/23. Photo by Joseph Buscarello
James Murphy and company started things off with a bang with the driving drum beats of “Get Innocuous!”, the opening track from 2007’s Sound of Silver. The beat sent the audience into a dance groove that did not let up until curfew. The song continued to swell until a sudden transition to “I Can Change” instigated a loud sing along from the 13,000 fans in attendance. The set rolled along with endless crowd favorites, leading up to a climactic three song finale. “New York I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down” always comes with a vocal outburst from the crowd, which was followed up by the thunderous jam “Dance Yrself Clean”. The band fleshed this song out a bit for the live show, sending an already amped crowd up into another gear. All good things must come to an end, with LCD Soundsystem ending the night with “All My Friends”. A truly joyous ending to day one Re:SET.
LCD Soundsystem, Re:SET Forest Hills 6/16/23. Photo by Joseph Buscarello
Re:SET has certainly established itself as one of the more unique traveling festivals in only its first year. Each day features a bill of four bands that could all headline shows on their own; many who just completed or are in the middle of their own tours. Each band brings something new to the stage when it’s their turn to play, drawing the interest of the fans who came out, and the other bands themselves. During the earlier acts for Re:SET, James Murphy and others from LCD Soundsystem were in VIP checking out the music, rocking along to IDLES and dancing to Jamie XX. During the headline set, many of the band members from the earlier acts made their way into the crowd to witness the legends themselves. It’s truly a great festival for fans who enjoy a wide array of music.
LCD Soundsystem, Re:SET Forest Hills 6/16/23. Photo by Joseph Buscarello
Marina Laurendi, recognized as a “sad girl on the rise,” returns with a series of rock-centric singles, starting with her latest, “Silver Lining.” The Buffalo-based singer released the single following the success of her debut EP and music video, “Stay Mine.” The indie rock songstress further solidifies her hold as “one to watch” in the alt. world with this dancey, evocative up-tempo.
Buffalo born and bred, Marina Laurendi is an indie pop/rock singer-songwriter. Her sound fuses storytelling, alternative elements, and bursts of cinematic pop. Through this, she evokes a sense of wanderlust, nostalgia, and dreamy idealism. With poetic verses, infectious hooks, and haunting vocals, Marina throws a refreshing twist on old school Alt.
“Silver Lining” grooves with nostalgia, featuring reverberating guitars and subtly nuanced vocals, oozing texture and allure. The elements blend together seamlessly to create the perfect soundtrack for road trip radio jamming, or a sunny day stroll.
Despite the song’s happy melody and dance-worthy beat, but carries a raw, honest message about change. Laurendi says that the song is about going through life-changing events that alter who you are as a person. Written during her father’s terminal battle with cancer, the song depicts being unable to keep up with appearances in the midst of grief and loss.
The music contrasts with the lyrics, with a nostalgic vibe of a 1950’s bandstand—vintage vocals, layered instruments, and a melancholic slide guitar. The song details a romantic relaitonship where one party can always see the silver lining, but the other is in a different place entirely, struggling to feel seen.
Laurendi says of the song, “I think it’s so relatable because at some point we all suffer a loss that alters us, at least for a little while. When you’re in a different place emotionally than yout friends or even your partner, you can drift apart. Sometimes people can’t fathom what you’re going through unless they’ve lived it.” The feeling of being unseen and misunderstood is simply and eloquently summed up in the lines, “You want to paste a smile on my face and act like I’m alright…I can’t dance the way I used to anymore.”
For this single and her upcoming sophomore EP, Laurendi dove headfirst into the alternative rock pocket, lovingly nicknaming her particular genre as “Bitch Rock.” She says, “It’s about embracing all the emotions women are taught not to show – rage, desire, ugliness, all of it. We’re people not flowers,” she laughed. If you’re a fan of the honest songwriting style of Samia, the gritty textures of Angel Olsen, and the effortlessly nostalgic quality of Alvvays and Best Coast, “Silver Lining” is sure to top your summer sad girl playlist.
Marina grew up as a theatre performer and moved to NYC shortly after college to perform Off-Broadway and around the East Coast. She recently performed at The Bitter End (NYC), Buffalo Ironworks, Rec Room, and Nietzsche’s, Whirlybird Music & Arts Festival (Jamestown, NY), and Buffalo’s 20th Annual Music is Art Festival. Her music has been featured on Thunder 102 in Sullivan County, WBFO The Bridge, Broadway World, NYS Music, and more. In 2022, she was a quarter finalist in a national competition to open at the Hollywood Bowl. Her debut EP “Stay Mine” and title track music video are out now on all platforms. Follow Marina Laurendi on social media here and catch her next hometown performance on August 4th at Nietzsche’s in Buffalo.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
NYC‘s indie band Rebounder just released their newest lush single “Disco Ball Soul,” the first song off of their upcoming EP Sundress Songs, out August 25th. They have also announced a run of East Coast tour dates including stops in New York, DC, Philadelphia and Toronto.
The single is a widescreen, lush track that frontman Dylan Chenfeld explains was “initially about the frustrations of being a Knicks fan. Funny enough, the evening we shot the video, we were watching the Knicks lose in the playoffs. The song wound up being about the anxieties of living in a city at night, though the anxiety of being a Knicks fan casts a long shadow.”
Over the last few years, Rebounder has quietly become one of New York’s most successful young indie exports, supporting everyone from MUNA to Twin Shadow to the How Long Gone podcast. Their 2020 debut “Japanese Posters” has racked up over 14 million streams alone, a testament to the band’s work ethic and crisply-realized, overwhelmingly hooky indie-rock.
A winsome, wistful portrait of modern millennial life, their forthcoming EP Sundress Songs resembles a lot of classic 2000s indie-pop. Yet, the album feels like it exists miles away from the current of revivalism that’s in the air right now.
Led by stalwart songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Dylan Chenfeld, Rebounder makes crisply-realized, overwhelmingly hooky indie-rock, sharpened to a fine point by years of touring. Sundress Songs is a set of preened, poised pop songs that speak volumes of Dylan and his bandmates’ stadium-level ambitions and enviable taste.
“This project is the culmination of a lot of the hard work we’ve done in the past year, in the studio and on the road,” says Dylan. “It feels overdue – but we wanted to make something that sounds really exciting and unique, because we’ve been writing songs and making demos our whole lives.”
Rebounder started as a high school band. Dylan, his brother Noah, and a handful of their friends were often recruited as hired gun musicians for small projects looking to tour locally. Being genuinely skilled musicians has been key to Rebounder’s success; they play with the tautness and tension of a rubber band pulled to its limits, despite the (on its surface) breeziness of their songwriting.
Dylan has omnivorous tastes and pays sharp attention-to-detail: Sundress dips into rakish funk (“Disco Ball Soul”), bedroom pop (“Second Serve Ace”) and skittish dance-rock (“Dreamland”). Produced entirely by Dylan, Sundress Songs is rich with production quirks and asides that speak to his years spent going on YouTube rabbit holes and tinkering in ProTools.
“There’s a lot of people who are doing, like, Greta Van Fleet for the 2000s,” says Dylan. “What’s the point of that? I’m not gonna do it better than those guys. But maybe we can do something new.”
Listen to “Disco Ball Soul” by clicking the link here.
Tickets for the upcoming tour are available for purchase here.
Jazz artist Benny Benack III has released the music video for his cover of “Gary, Indiana” ahead of his June 30 album Third Time’s The Charm. Additionally, the lead single for the project features pianist Emmett Cohen in the song and music video.
The cover for Benny Benack III’s June 30 album “Third Time’s The Charm.”
Benack’s rendition of “Gary, Indiana” from The Music Man holds a special place in his heart, with it being the first song he would ever perform as a professional. The performance truly comes full circle with the release of his new music video corresponding to the cover.
The significance of the classic song can also be tied back to his younger years and the musical bond with his mother when learning how to sing/perform.
“My mom played piano with me, and I would be like 8 years old, walking out onstage in the middle of my dad’s concert. My mom would hold my hand, and we’d go out and I’d sing ‘Gary, Indiana.’”
– Benny Benack III
An Emmy-nominated jazz musician, Benack comes from a long line of notable jazz and bandleader talents that started in Pittsburgh, PA.
Between His grandfather Benny Benack Sr., a trumpeter/bandleader, father Benny Benack Jr., a saxophonist/clarinetist, and mother Claudia Benack, a voice professor at Carnegie Mellon University, the family piles on the talent.
Past Albums and Accolades
Not only does Benack showcase his jazz and trumpeting skills, but he also pairs them with powerful vocals. Utilizing this dual talent has earned him accolades such as receiving second place for Rising Star Male Vocalist and winning Rising Star Trumpeter in the 2022 Downbeat Critics Poll.
With the rising stardom in the jazz music industry comes the excitement for Third Time’s The Charm, his first solo album since 2020.
The cover from Benny Benack III’s first album “One Of A Kind.”
The 2017 release One Of A Kind and sophomore 2020 project A Lot Of Livin’ To Do fully immerse the audience in his vocal and jazz music skills, something that will continue and display Benack’s full maturation in the music industry.
Premiering the music video for “Gary, Indiana” with Emmett Cohen, Benack’s journey towards the June 30 album is just starting, and is proud to present a glimpse into his next body of work. Third Times A Charm will drop via La Reserve/Bandstand presents.
