NYS Music 2023

Category: Alternative/Indie

  • Wild in the Trees: Skateboarding, Live Music and More in Lake George

    There is something about the village of Lake George that has made this Southern Adirondack town a destination for music festivals and concert series from late spring until mid-fall. Memorial Meltdown, Adirondack Independence Music Festival, Lake George Music Festival, nightly music during the week at the Shepard Park Weekly Concerts (including Fridays at the Lake), Rock the Dock, Jazz at the Lake, Adirondack Bluegrass Festival, Lake George DJ Takeover Music Festival, Rock the Lake Music Festival, and the Lake George Jazz Weekend are just some of the events found on the southern end of Lake George. Now add to this incredible roster of summer music festivals and concerts series a new music festival with a Merlin twist, Wild in the Trees.

    A skateboard/music festival hybrid, Wild in the Trees is a most unique event, held October 7-8, 2023, on the grounds of the Lake George Skate Plaza, adjacent to Charles R. Wood Park. A full two days of music, skateboarding and various competitions will be on hand, with 50% of net proceeds benefiting the Ronald McDonald House of the Capital Region. 

    The logo you see above is an homage to skateboard company Spitfire, an evil looking logo worked into the tree, making it wild. The name of the festival derives from the song “Wild in the Streets” by the Circle Jerks, featured in Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland. The first event was held in 2022, and year two looks to be even better with a stellar lineup, highlighted by Mike Gantzer’s Pro Skater, Candy Ambulance, FUNGKSHUI, Victory Soul Orchestra, Hilltop and many more.

    But the festival would not be here without the dedication and perseverance of some local skaters more than 15 years ago.

    Wild in the Trees lake george
    photo by Frank Cavone

    Frankie Cavone, promoter of Wild in the Trees and owner of Mirth Films, has been an avid skater his whole life, but the Village of Lake George did not have a skatepark in his formative years. In 2008, Cavone and Doug Quimby, among others, began a campaign to raise money to carve out a skatepark on the grounds of the former Gaslight Village, a small amusement park that was on the site until 1989 and demolished in 2010. 

    It would take eight years for the dream to become a reality, with the park opening in 2016, with a competition at the grand opening, the first of many such competitions. Shortly after, in 2018, Cavone would begin Mirth Films, a company that creates original video content, winning awards and gaining acclaim and positive reviews across the Capital Region. 

    Videography and skateboarding are intertwined in Cavone’s life, as his love of skateboarding led to him bringing video camera to film tricks and flips, and would lead to beginning to shoot jam band shows in 2015. Getting his friends involved on the video end would be the formation for Mirth Films, which has grown steadily over the past five years.

    With support from local promoter Dave Ehmann – who supported the skate park fundraising efforts as far back as 2010 – inspiration came to Cavone with Ehmann’s ADK Fest being a standard bearer for events in Lake George. This long relationship would spur something the genesis of what would become Wild in the Trees.

    Between skateboarding, live music and videography, Cavone would take his knowledge of these, imbued with a deeper curiosity, led to forming a bond with Mayor Bob Blais of Lake George (the longest serving mayor in U.S. history, at 52 years). Cavone wanted to keep holding skating competitions each year, but also wanted to incorporate music into the event, making for a hybrid music festival concept. Utilizing ‘Bed Tax’ money that hotels in the Lake George region pay (funding events from Americade to Oktoberfest) Mayor Blais assisted Cavone in acquiring a grant for the music festival. With approval, Wild in the Trees was christened in October 2022 and returns for its sophomore grind October 7-8.

    The lineup for this year’s Wild in the Trees builds on the skateboarding aspect of the festival, bringing in a band that is both familiar and has many familiar names and faces included. Mike Gantzer’s Pro Skater is a project led by Aqueous/Death Kings’ guitarist Gantzer and serves as a tribute to the iconic soundtracks featured throughout the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater video game collection. Joining Mike are Evan McPhaden (Aqueous) Ryan Nogle (Funktional Flow, Aqueous, Dirty Work Steely Dan tribute) Jonny Evans (rapper) Billy Bratek (Maufrey) and DJ Fiorella.

    Ripping through songs that underscored an entire generation’s experience growing up, Mike is a uniquely qualified musician to lead the charge given his longtime passion for skateboarding, his high ranking scores in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater online, and his metal/rock/punk trio Death Kings.

    It’s almost hard for me to overstate my connection to the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater games! I was 10 years old when the first one came out and I was already totally obsessed with skateboarding, and the game just solidified what would become a lifelong love of all things skating (and gaming for that matter).

     The soundtrack was iconic and was an early introduction to punk, hip hop, ska, and all kinds of really amazing music and culture. Between skate tapes on VHS and the THPS series, I was getting a fast education, and this timeline happened to be when I connected with guitar playing, too. What was beautiful about some of the punk stuff was that it was accessible enough to approach as a beginner, but also represented a lot of frustration I felt with growing up in an unstable and tumultuous home setting that I could get out in a healthy way. 

    Fast forward twenty years, and music and skateboarding are still two of my biggest passions in life, and I’m grateful everyday for both of them, so you can imagine my joy at getting the chance to do an entire tribute set to the games’ music AT a skate event for Wild In the Trees ’23. Pretty much my ideal situation! I’m also pretty skilled at THPS, and at one point was ranked top 150 in the world on the online leaderboards, I even made a video of one of my runs, because as it is in skating, if you didn’t capture it, did it really even happen?

    Mike Gantzer

    Cavone adds in the viewpoint of a skater, saying “When people in other countries think of skateboarding, they think Tony Hawk – he got millions of people into skateboarding.” The synonymous nature of Tony Hawk, Skateboarding, Mike Gantzer and the overall music festival mesh together in a ripper of an event.

    Cavone first learned of Mike Gantzer’s Pro Skater within the last 12 months, as he was looking to get an artist to headline the festival that would draw in fans of live music and skateboarding, and would be unique to Wild in the Trees specifically. Cavone would end up asking Gantzer about having The Death Kings (a punk/metal trio that pays homage to all things heavy, including Gantzer, Ryan Stasik from Umphrey’s McGee and Michaelangelo Carubba), but the better fit that Gantzer suggested would be his own ‘Pro Skater’ group. 

    The roots of the skate plaza effort are never lost on Cavone. Filling a community need with his team endeavor is the origin of Wild in the Trees, an event for which the promoter is stoked.

    “If it wasn’t for the skaters, we would never have access to do this. If it wasn’t for the stuff that we did when we were kids, we would never have been able to make that bond with the town and the skaters, and seeing people skate the park as we drive by – something we dreamed of when we were younger – is really a blessing.”

    Frankie Cavone

    With half the profits from ticket sales going to Ronald McDonald House of the Capital Region, a full two days of skateboarding competitions and live music, and an idyllic setting in the Village of Lake George, the team behind the festival is ready for year two of their experimental music festival, one that caters to a broad audience with a rad sesh planned out over the weekend. 

    Get tickets to Wild in the Trees here.

  • Brooklyn-Based Band Every Us Drops Sophomore Single “Fool’s Gold”

    Every Us, a new NYC-based music collective released their new single, “Fool’s Gold,” a catchy track that marks the group’s second-ever release.

    Fools Gold by Every Us

    “Fool’s Gold” is an crowd-pleaser that captures the essence of a jubilant, carefree night out on the town. The track features catchy, anthemic vocals and a distinct vision of energized crowds clapping to the beat. 

    Every Us is a new music collective based in New York City, founded on the idea of capturing moments that make us feel a part of something greater than ourselves. The group has three more singles to come, with a full EP set to release in the spring. 

    Every Us

    Every Us boasts a lineup of collaborators including Olivia Reid, Michael Tighe (Jeff Buckley, Adele, Mark Ronson), Charlie Klasfield (Clean Bandit, Branchez), and guitarist Dan Sagher (Charlie Burg). 

    Through community events in the past year, they have curated a lineup of artists in the NYC and Brooklyn area, spanning genres like folk, R&B, jazz, and electronic. Their mission and outlook are to uplift new voices while sharing their music and fostering a larger community. Instead of being known as a singular figure or group, Every Us is a community sound and style.

  • 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

  • Electropop Artist Ladytron Begin Fall Tour at Irving Plaza

    On Wednesday September 20 at Irving Plaza, English Band Ladytron returned to perform the first show of their Fall 2023 Tour. This was a highly anticipated tour for fans since their last appearance in NY back in 2019 at the Brooklyn Steel.

    Perri Sage Photography

    Ladytron has defined the electropop movement of the early 2000’s using synthesizing sounds to encompass a unique psychedelic, ethereal and electronic rock performance. Irving Plaza was the perfect venue to highlight the bands ambience with sparkling chandeliers, hanging disco ball, dim-lit standing room and balcony to illuminate the show goers atmospheric experience.

    As the band walked on stage the crowd cheered and danced to express their enthusiasm for Ladytron and the performance of fan favorites and new album release Times Arrow. With Strobe lights, polka dots and dream-like psychedelic visuals enhancing the hard bass driven beats, contemporary melodies, synth tones and female vocals. Ladytron put on quite an invoking show to kickoff the Fall tour.

    Perri Sage Photography

    Alongside the exciting Time’s Arrow release their soundscapes and innovative music leaves fans in awe while they are able to create visual narratives within their songs, Ladytron attendees leave with an unforgettable experience. Following their Irving Plaza show, Ladytron plans to continue the long awaited tour with their next stop on Friday, September 22 in Los Angeles, California at The Belasco.

    LADYTRON 2023 TOUR DATES

    Fri Sep 22 – Los Angeles, CA – The Belasco

    Sat Sep 23 – San Diego, CA – Crossroads at House of Blues

    Thu Nov 16 – Austin, TX – The Mohawk

    Fri Nov 17 – Dallas, TX – The Granada Theater

    Sat Nov 18 – Houston TX – Numbers Night Club 

    Sun Nov 19 – Mexico City, MX – Corona Capital Festival

    Ladytron – Irving Plaza, NYC – Wednesday, September 20

    Setlist: City of Angels, Faces, Ghosts, Deadzone, True Mathematics, The Animals, Flight From Angkor, Soft Power, USA vs. White Noise, Misery Remember Me, International Dateline, Fighting in Built Up Areas, The Island, Paper Highways, Discotraxx, Ace of Hz
    Encore: California, Playgirl, Seventeen, Destroy Everything You Touch

    Irving Plaza ladytron
    Irving Plaza ladytron
    Irving Plaza ladytron
    Irving Plaza ladytron
    Irving Plaza ladytron
    Perri Sage Photography

  • Listen to Ghost Prom’s Haunting New Single “5am”

    New York-based husband and wife musical duo, Ghost Prom, made up of Cameron and Eden Crosby, has released their latest single, “5am,” a song preceding their upcoming full-length album set for release on November 17.

    Ghost Prom began one rainy morning in Vancouver, where creativity boomed over a shared cup of coffee and a weathered guitar. It began as an effortless investigation of melodies, but became a musical partnership that would encapsulate their journey as partners both lovingly and musically.

    Their first song, “Swamp Eyes,” was born on that morning, and set the tone for their future endeavors– raw, authentic, and unapologetically honest. Now based in Upstate New York, the duo’s music is an intricate genre woven from diverse influences like Elliot Smith, Sam Shepard, and even early Johnny Depp movies. Through lyrics that explore the vulnerability that circles humanity, as well as the triumph that comes with it, Ghost Prom invites listeners into their world to share their struggles and triumphs as a source of both solace and connection.

    Ghost Prom’s single, “5am,” was recorded in a barn studio just up the street from Cameron and Eden’s Hudson Valley home. The single discusses a deeply personal and haunting exploration through the struggles of addiction, with a hopeful portrayal of redemption by way of “telling the truth.”

    The inspiration to Cameron comes from the late, intimate poet Mark Linkous (Sparklehorse), with Aaron Mones in recording, production, and lead guitar, helped the duo create their distinctive blend of small room indie rock with neo-noir folk known as “5am.” This single launches listeners into the refreshing new sound of Ghost Prom: impactful, yet pumping.

    “5am” comes out today, September 22, and their full-length album comes out on November 17.

    Follow Ghost Prom on Instagram, Spotify, and Bandcamp for more information on all-things Ghost Prom, such as future releases and music videos.

  • In Conversation With New York City Native “Freaky Pop” Band HOKO

    In August’s blurry end of sweltering heat and constant music in New York City, NYS Music and the band HOKO found a summer second to have a chat. The day following their Bowery Ballroom show, on their debut tour with almost monday and Weathers, band members Nathaniel Hoho and Jesse Kotansky gathered to discuss a vast expanse of topics with myself, Kali Kugler.

    From the band’s first tour experience, to the pandemic effect, to New York City recommendations and their upcoming residency, HOKO provided a rich dialogue on their transient spot in the music industry.

    HOKO was formed in New York City, but the band pulls in flair from many places and faces. Jesse Kotansky, the vital melody of HOKO, is from New York. As lead singer Nathaniel put it, “he’s the go to guy for strings in New York.” Nathaniel himself was born in Pennsylvania but claims New York City as his homebase. The two of them met through mutual friends, and the rest of their connection unfolded naturally through the development of their sound. 

    “Freaky-pop!”

    – Nathaniel Hoho

    When asked how to describe themselves through the niche language of genre, there were many categorical dialects tossed around: experimental, alternative, rock, pop. Jesse spewed a vast yet accurate platter of descriptors – “Experimental is the key word to describe us, because experimenting is our process.” Nathaniel chimed in and stamped the label, “freaky-pop!” Having attended their show at the ballroom just the night before, I can back the freaky nature they brought to the familiar pop sound.

    When posed the question about the evolution of HOKO since their first release “OK OK” back in 2020, every performing artist’s black cloud entered the conversation – the pandemic. Jesse spoke on their blooming process as a band and the halting choke COVID had on their initial exposure. Prior to the pandemic, HOKO had worked with EQT Studios and produced over forty songs they were ready to release. They put out an EP and their single “OK OK” that reached top 20 on the radio only a week before the universal shut down. Like everyone else HOKO remained indoors, but their time proved fruitful, for they spent two years writing and merging and learning about themselves and their tastefully ephemeral style.

    “We find the more often we dive in, the deeper we go… as we grow as humans our sound is also growing. While things around us change we are influenced by it all.”

    – Jesse Kotansky

    HOKO’s creative process is an observant one. They are in a constant state of listening, sensing, reading, talking – living, really. Being human –  the great collaboration. A lot of their inspiration comes from  sharing a sound, having a conversation and “diving deep.” Jesse couldn’t pinpoint their inspiration on one person or place: “…what makes us wanna dance; everything we’ve ever listened to; every book we’ve ever read; every color we’ve ever seen all go into it.”

    “I depend on the energy the crowd gives back – it’s a conversation.”

    – Nathaniel Hoho

    Coming back to the music community and getting to tour for the very first time, HOKO found the crowd’s energy to be an additional member in their band. Touring with almost monday and Weathers informed their style, for they were finally able to experiment and explore their sound with an audience. Jesse spoke on Nathaniel’s stage presence in relation to their fans: “I feed off of his energy.” He went on to state his pride in being an opening band and holding the responsibility to win a crowd.

    “It has been lovely seeing our music interact with people.”

    – Nathaniel Hoho

    New York City is a lucky spot, because HOKO established their return date. On Thursday, September 21st, HOKO will be performing at Berlin Under A in East Village (tickets are still available, and are worth the purchase)! New York City is crawling with esteemed musicians, which is a positive factor according to Jesse as he reflected on their Bowery Ballroom performance: “There was a physical energy in New York, and there were a lot of musicians at the show that we look up to. That definitely added some nerves.”

    Both Jesse and Nathaniel expressed gratitude for the hometown show crowd. It’s always sweet to see familiar faces and display growth in the place that raised you. Even though Jesse and Nathaniel still live in the city, they hold a heightened degree of excitement for their shows here. Both agreed the Bowery Ballroom show was their favorite of all their stops on tour. At the end of our conversation, HOKO even graced me with their sacred New York City recommendations: Bar Victoria, The York, Treasure Club, Cozy Royale for a burger, C&B Coffee, and Taco Ramirez.

    HOKO was as kind as they were impressive, eager to speak on their artistry and to compliment their audience. Having witnessed their eclectic, colorful, and boundary breaking performance, I can confidently encourage anyone to get the chance to see them live. They are a group to keep your eye on – they are a blow up no one will want to miss.

  • Adequate Phil Drops New Psychedelic Track “Peaches”

    Adequate Phil, the self-described freak-folk group hailing from Troy, released “Peaches,” their brand new track on August 20. The song is a dreamy, lo-fi tune with a rap verse that takes the group in a new direction.

    Adequate Phil
    Credit: Sarah Straight @sarahestraight

    “Peaches” features harmonizing, distorted vocals reminiscent of the group’s cited influences from classic psychedelic acts like Animal Collective, The Beatles, Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Radiohead. Synth lines and beats create the backtrack of the song, ensuring a consistent tone and rhythm for listeners to dance and sway to.

    Adequate Phil
    Credit: Headless Relatives @headlessrelatives

    Adequate Phil is a four-piece group, comprised of L Nino (guitar, vocals, percussion, production), Showerpanther (effects, synths, vocals), Phil (bass, guitar, vocals, mixing, production), and Andrew Golden (drums, percussion). 

    The group recently participated in the Jive Hive Live Halloween Special, an upcoming mini video releasing on October 31, Halloween Day. Jive Hive Live is an intimate studio facility built for live recordings and livestream productions.

    Upcoming Shows

    September 27 – No Fun, Troy, NY (supporting Activity)

    September 28 – El Dorado, Troy, Ny (supporting Heathmonger)

    Stream “Peaches” from Adequate Phil below.

  • 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.

  • F.I.R.E., The All-Woman Festival, Returns to Oswego Music Hall

    Musician and festival curator Jess Novak has announced the F.I.R.E. (Females Inspire, Rock, Empower) Festival will return to the Oswego Music Hall on Oct. 15 from 1-5 p.m.

    The idea of the F.I.R.E. Festival is to promote women in music, art, and business. While many festivals boast all-male lineups with cover-centric headliners, F.I.R.E. will feature women playing original music. Vendors and artists include Unremorseful Art, AzureEyes Photography, Foxxy Bones (who creates art and jewelry from animal bones), and more. Musicians include local performers Amanda Rogers, Caitlin Barry, Ella Drotar, Novak, Buffalo-based artist Stress Dolls, and more. This year’s event will also include an open mic portion. This will allow female attendees to share on stage even if they aren’t regularly performing musicians, encouraging artists of all ages and talents the opportunity to be brave and perform.

    “This was originally planned for March 2020,” Novak explains. “That didn’t happen because of COVID, but last October we brought it to life at Oswego Music Hall. It was so successful we started planning the next festival right away.”

    Novak continues “When I was a kid, I never attended a musical event where women were as well-represented as men. This provides an opportunity for young people to see that anything they dream of – they can do.”

    The event is part of the Oswego Music Hall guest curator series where people from the community pitch event ideas to utilize the space. The festival was created by Jess Novak who performs alongside the Jess Novak Band. She has performed over all over the country, recorded multiple albums, and is an award-winning journalist.

    Just a few years ago, I was too afraid to sing on a microphone. I dreamed to be on stage but wasn’t brave enough to try it. I hope the open mic part of the festival will reach a few people who are just like I was: eager to perform, but too afraid to try. Now is your chance.

    Jess Novak

    Novak also plans to bring the festival to The Center for the Arts of Homer on Friday, March 8, 2024, International Women’s Day, hoping to establish northern and southern CNY versions of the event. All ages are welcome and admittance is $10 at the door (children under 12 are free). 50/50 raffles will be held and goods and art will be available for sale.

    For more information on the F.I.R.E. Festival, visit here.

    Lineup

    Jess Novak

    Starting Off Red
    Ella Drotar
    Caitlin Barry
    Brynn Race
    Jennifer Horstman
    Gina Holsopple
    Amanda Rogers
    Stress Dolls
    Unremorseful Art
    Golden Age Reiki
    Jamie Santos
    Wildebeest Publishing Co. 
    Foxxy Bones
    Azure Eyes Photography

    Lake Effect Stained Glass

    Deborah Chalone

    Laura Dobrota

  • Brooklyn Group Strange Weather’s New Concept Album “The Last Man Alive” Slowly Awakens

    Strange Weather, the Brooklyn-based genre-bending group, has been slowly rolling out their newest record, The Fool’s Journey. The record is a concept piece, with one track released each month as the full story of the album unfolds. The most recent track to debut is “The Last Man Alive,” inspired by the classic Rip Van Winkle folk tale. 

    The Last Man Alive

    “The Last Man Alive” follows a story format about a man who wakes up to find himself, as one could guess, the last man alive. With lively vocals and whimsical tones, the track is truly an entertaining story in itself. The song breaks into guitar solos and maintains a bouncing musical undertone as the protagonist’s story unfolds.

    The Fool’s Journey follows a protagonist as he falls down the rabbit hole of love, leaving his private sunny abode. Throughout the album, he faces challenges, riddles, romance, and hardship. Through it all, however, The Fool learns to face those hardships and comes to represent many facets of the human condition.

    Strange Weather

    Strange Weather cites bombastic 90s rock, 70s Afrobeat, and spaghetti western, among others, as inspiration for their indie rock project. Strange Weather is led by songwriter and producer Sean Brennan, and includes Callie Brennan (vocals), Paul Peglar (keys and vocals), Philip Ambuel (bass), Alex Beckmann (drums and percussion), Isaac Gardner (drums and percussion), Evan Hamaguchi (saxophone), and Ethan Fox (tablas).