The Powers Park Concert Series returns to Powers Park in Troy for its 20th Anniversary season. The free events are held every Saturday starting July 8 and ending Aug. 26, with 6:00 p.m. as the start time for most events.
The series kicks off with the Adirondack Muscle Car Show, which later features the bands Beatin’ the Odds and Skeeter Creek. Registration starts at 2:00 p.m. and the show ends at 6:00 p.m.. It costs $20 to register, with spectators able to attend for free. 16 trophies are to be awarded, with the proceeds being donated to H.O.P.E. animal rescue.
Upcoming Dates
Adirondack Muscle Car Show – July 8 at 2:00 p.m.
Beatin’ the Odds – July 8 at 3:00 p.m.
Skeeter Creek – July 8 at 6:00 p.m.
The Beginning – July 15 at 6:00 p.m.
B-Street Band (Fane Family Night) – July 22 at 6:00 p.m.
Jam band Twiddle has announced the return of Tumble Down, held at Wonderland Forest in LayFayette from Sept. 22-23.
With their indefinite hiatus planned for the end of 2023, Twiddle announced the return of the Tumble Down Festival, their curated festival highlighting important bands in the scene, as well as performances by the group. Twiddle is comprised of members Mihali Savoulidis [vocals, guitar], Ryan Dempsey [keys, organ, synth], Adrian Tramontano [drums], and Zdenek Gubb [bass]. They recently celebrated the release of their fifth full-length album Every Last Leaf. Over the past almost two decades, the group has performed many at notable places and started traditions of their own, including Tumble Down and their annual Frendsgiving celebration.
Tumble Down Festival at Wonderland Forest will take place at a brand new event space, campground and concert venue located in the rolling hills of Central New York’s Apple Valley. Wonderland Forest’s mission is to create new connections through a love of music and nature in a pristine landscape of lush forests, spectacular waterfalls, and glorious vistas.
Twiddle – photo by Dave Decrescente
For this fifth edition of the Tumble Down Festival, fans will be treated to four sets of Twiddle, in addition to sets from Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Andy Frasco + The U.N., Dopapod, Dogs in a Pile (x2), and a solo set from Twiddle’s own, Mihali. A rare set from The Breakfast (featuring Adrian Tramontano of Twiddle), as well as music from Baked Shrimp and Mike Powell top off the stacked lineup.
Tickets go onsale on July 7 at 10 a.m. EST, with weekend GA and VIP tickets available. For more information, visit here. Twiddle will also hit several New York locations this Summer and Fall on their final Distance Makes The Heart Tour, more information about that and to purchase tickets here.
Twiddle Tour
July 14- Buffalo, NY- Cobblestone Music Festival
July 21- Westport, CT- Levitt Pavilion
July 22- Westport, CT- Levitt Pavilion
Aug. 10-12- East Durham, NY- Catskill Moutain Jubilee
NYC-based house-meets-indie duo DJibouti and Feinte released their debut collaborative project, Run Riot on June 23. The EP is a vulnerable story of heartbreak that blossomed from an abundance of pent-up angst in Feinte’s world, all layered over pastel dance tracks. DJibouti’s expertise for creating fun, dance-yourself-clean new wave house music gave him the outlet to release that hurt.
DJibouti and Feinte met in a college Ottoman History class when they realized their shared love of music. DJibouti, a DJ and producer, is currently taking the New York City house scene by storm. Playing a groovy, eclectic mix of house and funk, he’s established himself as one of the the up-and-coming DJs out of the NYC scene. He burst onto the scene through underground raves and parties, already racking up over a million streams on Spotify alone.
Feinte has a range of influences. He is based in New York as an indie-tronica singer-songwriter, but grew up in Los Angeles and also spent time living in Berlin, London, and Tel Aviv.
Inspiration Behind Run Riot
After Feinte moved to Berlin, the project was put on pause until he returned to NYC. Through those six months, he experienced intense heartbreak. Quickly, he learned that the way they deal with it in Berlin is to dance through it. Run Riot invites everyone to dance through their pain with accessible but never boring four-on-the-floor beats.
“Every weekend I released all my excess emotions to a soundtrack of Sylvester, Skatebård, and Daphni. The collaborative aspect of the various dance floors gave me the feeling that I had people listening to everything I needed to say,” Feinte said speaking about his time in Berlin. With Run Riot, Feinte and DJibouti aim to recreate that feeling.
Of Run Riot, Feinte continues, “over the Spring and Summer of 2022, [DJibouti] would send me different beats, and I would smoke a little too much and dance over them. After a few demos, we realized we had a unique sound that the dance music world had never heard; The Indie-loverboy over the jazzy house keys and DJibouti Drums.”
Diana Ross, the legendary diva and iconic figure in the music industry, mesmerized a sold-out crowd at Radio City Music Hall during her Music Legacy Tour. The concert was a celebration of her numerous chart-topping hits, and it was an evening that will forever be etched in the memories of her fans.
Diana Ross at Radio City Music Hall 6.29.23
Accompanied by a magnificent 19-piece band, Diana Ross took the stage and immediately captivated the audience with her timeless charm and magnetic presence. The show was a true testament to her enduring talent and the incredible impact she has had on the world of music.
Throughout the evening, Ross graced the stage in five stunning costume changes, each one adding to the spectacle of the performance. Her elegant outfits perfectly complemented her larger-than-life persona, making her a vision of beauty and grace.
Diana Ross at Radio City Music Hall 6.29.23
In addition to performing her greatest #1 hits, Diana Ross took a moment to speak about her latest album, Thank You, which she recorded during the pandemic. With heartfelt sincerity, she expressed her gratitude to the audience, dedicating the album to each and every one of them. She shared her realization during the challenging times of the pandemic, acknowledging that true happiness could be found in the simplest thingsâbeing with loved ones and maintaining good health.
The setlist for the evening was a nostalgic journey through Diana Ross’s remarkable career. The crowd was treated to unforgettable renditions of classics such as “Come See About Me,” “Reflections,” “You Can’t Hurry Love,” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” The performance also included gems like “Mirror, Mirror” and “I’m Still Waiting” from her 1970 album Everything is Everything. The energy soared during the disco hit “The Boss,” and Diana Ross playfully encouraged the crowd to get on their feet and dance.
Diana Ross at Radio City Music Hall 6.29.23
During the iconic song “Upside Down,” Diana Ross injected a dose of humor into the performance. Addressing her age, she exclaimed, “Move it or lose it… if I can move my body like this at 47… you know I’m 79, right?” Her vitality and enthusiasm were infectious, inspiring the audience to join in the celebration and embrace the joy of music.
Diana Ross’s Music Legacy Tour at Radio City Music Hall was a testament to her enduring talent and her indomitable spirit. Her enchanting presence, combined with her timeless hits, created an evening that will be treasured by her fans for years to come. The sold-out show served as a reminder of the impact she has had on the music industry and the love and admiration she continues to receive from audiences worldwide.
Setlist: I’m Coming Out, More Today Than Yesterday, Come See About Me, Reflections, You Can’t Hurry Love, Love Child, The Boss, Touch Me in the Morning, Mirror, Mirror, Upside Down, Chain Reaction, He Lives In You, I’m Still Waiting, Endless Love, Home, Love Hangover, Take Me Higher, Ease on Down the Road, Don’t Explain, God Bless the Child, Tomorrow, I Still Believe, If the World Just Danced, Why Do Fools Fall In Love, Theme From Mahogany, Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, I Will Survive
In a year where hip hop is on a commercial downturn, it’s nice to see an essential part of the culture remains. This latest edition of rap beef kicked-off with Jim Jones challenging Pusha T’s validity among rap’s royalty on various hip hop platforms. However, it wasn’t Jones’ opinion on Pusha T that sparked the brouhaha, but rather his determined effort to make it seem like Pusha had little to no cultural relevance. With Jones saying, “Nobody has dressed like him. Nobody wants to be like Pusha T. I don’t remember nothing.”
Jim Jones vs Pusha T is hip hop’s latest beef
In turn, Pusha T’s expectedly cunning response created a moment on social media. In sinister tone and fashion, Push gave his reply at the Louis Vuitton fashion show, where record producer — and longtime Pusha T cohort — Pharell Williams debuted his collection as men’s creative director. With this intention, Pusha and his brother, No Malice, who make up Clipse, walked the runway in the show as their new track played. With the fabled duo sharing their first collaboration in 14 years.
Pusha T & Malice walking the LV runway for Pharrell’s new menswear collection to their new (rebuttal) track is a monumental moment. pic.twitter.com/MHPSf2utrb
Although the diss-record was previewed inconspicuously, the public pieced together the Jim Jones disses within the track. Addressing Jones’ comments, Push raps, “beware of my name, that there’s delegate/ You know I know where you’re delicate/ Crush you to pieces, I’ll hum a breath of it…I’m watching your fame escape relevance/ We all in a room but here’s the elephant/ You chasing a feature out of your element.”
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/vFSAG90jYZo
By the same token, Push continuously attacks Jim for his own public financial troubles, while reminding of his own mercurial standing within his circle.
“And those lab diamonds under inspection/ The question marks block your blessings/ It’s no tombstones in the desert/ I know by now you get the message,” he goes on to say.
All in all, it was a masterful move by Push to withhold his reply until the time was right. Despite Jim Jones’ assertion that Pusha T held little relevance musically, here he is walking in a fashion show for one of the world’s preeminent brands to his own record, while A-list stars like Jay-Z and Beyoncé were seen boppin’ to the song in the crowd. Jones gave an instant reply on social media, although his perceived carefree attitude did little to sway fans, Jones needed to reply with bars and couldn’t finesse his way out of this one.
Bomb First, Jim Jones Replies
To Jim Jones’ credit, he did reply, albeit with a stellar yet not quite up-to-snuff effort when compared to his adversary. His “Summer Collection, From The Block” video performance saw the Dipset rapper try his hand at Pusha T’s beat. Altogether, Jim held his own with his brand of witty wordplay and street tales, however his flow and presence on the record failed to match Pusha T’s output. That is to say nothing of Jim’s own lyrical expertise as he had his own ammo for Push. Namely, attacking his street cred and claiming that he knew little of the drug dealing he rapped about and for his association with Ye, who helped Pusha launch his solo career on his Good Music label. But nonetheless, it seemed a mistake to rap over a beat that was curated specifically for Pusha and No Malice.
“These two roach niggas don’t know what to do in no raid/ Kanye gave you whips, but that’s what they do to the slaves/ you tryna act bad, but we ain’t doin’ charades/ I really have bombs on the block just like I threw a grenade.”
Jim Jones might have felt similar sentiments as he continued to hop on airwaves and diminish Pusha’s efforts. The one they call Capo phoned in to the Joe Budden Podcast and share more colorful sentiments about this battle. Namely, called Pusha T’s diss-track “cute” and claimed that things might get violent if Pusha goes to similar extents as he did in his beef with Drake. With Capo hilariously quipping “whose going to spin the block for him, Pharrell?”
What Comes Next?
Hopefully more music. Although with Push leading the vote in public opinion, Jim may need to double-down on his attacks to get ahead of things, but would he want to poke to proverbial bear? As things stand, what else can Jim Jones say as it relates to Pusha T? Despite his best efforts, the “Diet Coke” MC remains in the upper echelon of rappers. Altogether, Push has tallied an impressive resume, with platinum-selling albums as a member of the Clipse and as a solo artist. His last two albums, 2018’s DAYTONA and 2022’s It’s Almost Dry got him Grammy nominations and he is still one of the only artists that can snag a Jay – Z feature.
All things considered, Jims’s best bet is to throw a few haymakers and hope his witty-ness is able to catch the public’s ears, basically play the social media battle. Pusha T, meanwhile, seems to be more patient and isn’t as keen to respond through the media. After all, he knows he has the advantage lyrically. Moreover, his abrupt releases and ability to find his opponents hidden skeletons seems to leave foes on edge.
It was a night to celebrate 90s rock music on Sunday, as Counting Crows brought their Banshee Season Tour to CMAC on Sunday, July 2nd. The concert featured direct support from Dashboard Confessional.
It’s hard to believe it’s been 30 years since Counting Crows burst onto the music scene, releasing their multi-platinum debut album August and Everything After in 1993. The California natives have gone on to release seven more studio albums, along with numerous live albums.
Fronted by Adam Duritz (vocals), the band also features David Bryson (guitar), Charlie Gillingham (keyboards), Dan Vickery (guitar, pedal steel), David Immergluck (guitars), Jim Bogios (drugs) and Millard Powers (bass guitar). The band is touring in support of their latest release, Butter Miracle Suite One (2021).
Heavy showers swept across the concert facility minutes before gates opened on Sunday evening. This did not deter a passionate fan base from arriving early to take in opener Dashboard Confessional. Originally the solo-acoustic project of Chris Carrabba, it would morph into a full band in 2002, as Carrabba was asked to perform on MTV Unplugged. The added bandmates allowed Carrabba’s songwriting to take on new depths and sounds.
Just after 7:30, Carrabba and his band mates took to the stage, and were met with a heavy cheer from the audience. The band launched into the upbeat “Don’t Wait”, which delivered a call and echo vocals, to with the audience enthusiastically obliged. From there the band would perform “The Sharp Hint of New Tears”, a song from Carrabba’s 2000 debut release (with lyrics that showcase the origin of the band’s name). Once known for writing acoustic emo rock, with themes centering around heartbeat and loss, Carrabba and his mates delivered a 60 minute set, spanning the band’s twenty year catalog and was filled with songs of hope and self-triumph. The band would close out their set with perhaps their biggest hit, the high energy “Hands Down”, which saw his band mates jumping and leaping around the stage.
As the 9pm hour approached, a pedal steel guitar was wheeled to stage left. Moments later, the house lights would dim and Duritz and his bandmates took to the stage. A lone spotlight illuminated guitarist Dan Vickery as he began to pluck the hauntingly familiar guitar riff to “Round Here”, one of the band’s most well known songs. Additional lights would slowly illuminate the remaining members of the band as Duritz moved to the center of the stage to start delivering his poetic lyrics, at times acting out key moments in the song. As the song built on energy and emotion, the audience became engaged, belting out lyrics. The band continued to build on the energy and emotion, following up with the upbeat “Hard Candy” and then the familiar “Mr. Jones”.
While the band’s set would lean heavily on music from their early years, Duritz didn’t hide his excitement when they would perform tracks of the band’s latest two releases. Tracks like “God of Ocean Tides” and “The Tall Grass” hit home with the audience as well as the band’s early hits. The later portion of the band’s set saw them perform their latest release Butter Miracle Suite One in entirety. They would conclude the main set with the familiar classic “Long December” which saw the grounds illuminate with cell phone lights and erupted into an audience sing along.
Crowd pleas for an encore would be obliged by the band, as they would return to the stage and deliver a four song encore. Returning to the stage with “Time and Time Again,” a beautiful track of their debut release, Duritz’s voice proved to be strong as ever, as the chorus echoed through out the center. Chris Carrabba and his band would join the Counting Crows for the next piece of the encore, Dashboard Confessional’s 2006 hit “So Long, So Long” which saw Duritz provide a guest vocal appearance on the studio recording. Carrabba would return the vocal favor on the next song, trading lyrics with Duritz on the hit “Hangin’ Around”. Fans flocked to the aisles to sing and dance along, as Carrabba and Duritz bounced around the stage, singing and triumphantly trading high-fives with fans.
Counting Crows ‘Banshee Season’ Tour – CMAC, Canandaigua, NY – July 2, 2023
Setlist: Round Here, Hard Candy, Mr. Jones, Colorblind, Butterfly in Reverse, Omaha, Catapult, God of Ocean Tides, Friend of the Devil, Goodnight Elisabeth / Pale Blue Eyes, The Tall Grass, Elevator Boots, Angel of 14th Street, Bobby and the Rat-Kings, Rain King, A Long December
Encore: Time & Time Again, So Long, so long, Hanginaround, Holiday in Spain
On June 14th, Dave Matthews Band took the stage at Darien Lake, delivering an electrifying performance that left the crowd buzzing.
From the energetic opener “When the World Ends” to the soulful encore of “You Never Know” and “Shake Me Like a Monkey,” the band captivated the audience with their musical prowess and heartfelt lyrics. One of the highlights of the night was a fantastic version of “Don’t Drink the Water.” The song featured a weird and exploratory intro, which sounded similar to something you’d hear at a Phish show. As the venue is close a Native American reservation, the song about the slaughter and colonization of the Native Americans was extremely poignant.
As it often is, “Lie In Our Graves” was the standout of the night. Probably the longest song of the night, they stretched out the classic and the Darien Lake crowd loved it. The night was heavy with new songs from their recently released album, 2023’s Walk on the Moon, but it was also sprinkled with some deeper cuts to keep everyone happy.
From the infectious energy of their opening song to the soul-stirring encore, the band showcased their exceptional musicianship and their ability to create an unforgettable live experience.
Dave Matthews Band – Darien Lake, Darien Center, NY – June 14th 2023
Setlist: When the World Ends, Stay or Leave,Funny the Way It Is, All You Wanted Was Tomorrow, Madman’s Eyes, So Damn Lucky, Busted Stuff, Grey Street, Looking for a Vein, Don’t Drink the Water, The Space Between, Lie in Our Graves, Walk Around the Moon, Louisiana Bayou, Break Free, You Might Die Trying, Jimi Thing, Brick House (Commodores cover)
Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) Museum has awarded five of its annual music scholarships to graduating Long Island students, including their Pat DeRosa Memorial Scholarship. The museum is based in Stony Brook, and the students were given their scholarships in a ceremony held there.
From left to right: LIMEHOF 2023 music scholarship winners Jacob Leshnower, Alexis Pabebianco, Chris Hummel, Coleman Schubert, and Luca Alexandru.
LIMEHOF is an organization founded in 2004 that is dedicated to the celebration and preservation of Long Island’s rich musical and entertainment history. Their first Hall of Fame location was opened in 2022 in Stony Brook Village. LIMEHOF, which encompasses New York State’s Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, and Kings Counties, has inducted more than 120 musicians and music industry executives.
For the Distinction in Music scholarship, winners include: Chris Hummel of Harborfields High School; Jacob Leshnower of Half Hallow High School East; Alexis Pabebianco of Mineola High School; and Luca Alexandru of Syosset High School. Coleman Schubert from Babylon Junior-Senior High School was this year’s winner of the Pat DeRosa Memorial Scholarship, created to honor the memory of Pat DeRosa.
We are immensely proud of our scholarship winners who have been granted the opportunity to pursue their passion for music through higher education. Their talent, dedication, and commitment to their craft inspire us all. We believe that their journey will not only shape their own futures but also contribute to the rich musical legacy of our community and beyond.
LIMEHOF’s Educational Programs Director, Tom Needham
Pat DeRosa was named by the Guinness Book of World Records as the ‘Oldest Professional Saxophone Player’ in 2018. DeRosa passed away earlier this year at the age of 101, continuing to play through 2022. He was born in Brooklyn, picking up the saxophone when he was 12. After playing with the Glenn Miller Army/Air Force Band during his service during WWII, he played in The Latin Quarter and the Copacabana among other NYC venues.
The scholarship honoring him was to be awarded specifically to a high school senior seeking to continue their music studies on the saxophone or on a woodwind instrument. For this scholarship, a 95 or above in Music and a 90 overall average is necessary to qualify. In addition, an essay should be written by the student to explain why they’d like to continue their studies.
More information on the scholarships can be found here.
Ithaca Reggae Festival 2023 took over Stewart Park this over June 23-24, bringing some roots and rhymes to local reggae fans. Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad closed the festival off Saturday evening playing some favorites.
For five years now the Ithaca Reggae Festival has been drawing crowds to the Finger Lakes Region. This years line up included Sundub, New Planets, Scientist, Double Tiger, and the Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad. With great food, arts, and activities for youth and adults, the reggae festival helps build community and keeps the music alive.
Rochester Reggae and Jam band Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad finished the festival off Saturday night with high energy felt from both the crowd and the band. Founded in 2001, the band is well known for their reggae roots and dub sounds. Performing old and new songs from their latest release, Love In Time, the crowd was left wanting more.
Even a day of hard rain was not enough to prevent Rodney Atkins and Sammy Kershaw from helping the Southern Tier celebrate 4th of July weekend at Tags in Big Flats, NY on Sunday, July 2nd.
By the time Sammy Kershaw took the stage at 7pm, it was light sprinkles and by the time Rodney Atkins took over the rain had completely stopped and made a wonderful night of classic and modern country music.
Sammy Kershaw at Tags in Big Flats
Sammy opened the night with one his most popular hits “Cadillac Style”. Along with the wonderful gift of his music, Sammy took the fans down memory lane with mini stories of his life in between songs. How he started playing the “Honkey Tonks” and bars of Texas as early as 12 years old. He also told a tale of his life with Country Music legend George Jones. His hit “Queen of my Double wide” got a huge ovation.
Sammy Kershaw at Tags, in Big Flats NY.
Rodney Atkins hit the stage with his hit “Backroad”. Atkins, a native of Cumberland Gap, TN, has been banging out hits since 2003 with his debut LP Honesty. Fast forward to 2023 with Atkins supporting his latest LP Caught up in the Country witch the title single has set a record for the longest run on the Country Singles charts.
Rodney Atkins helped the southern tier celebrate the 4th of July with a well received show at Tags in Big Flats, NY.
During a recent local interview Rodney stated that Charlie Daniels was a major influencer to his chosen path. He honored Charlie Daniels tonight by adding the opening segments of CDB “The South’s Going to do it Again “ into his hit “About the South” and played Charlie’s hit, “Long Haired Country Boy”.
Rodney told a story about how when was getting started and how the “suits” in Nashville tried to influence him on what he could and could not write about. The song “Cleaning My Gun” was a direct response to wanting to be in control of his subject matter and lyrics which has proved very beneficial for Rodney.
Rodney Atkins at Tags in Big Flats NY.
The night ended with huge CMA hits “Watching You,” “It’s America” and “ These Are My People.” Coming back for one more, Rodney treated the mildly soggy crowd to a encore with his huge single “Going through Hell”.
Local fans missing this show can catch Rodney very soon on August 5th at the Buffalo Country Music Fest in Akron NY. This show was a continuation of the 30 year anniversary of concerts at Tags, in Big Flats NY.
Big shows still coming up is next Saturday July 8th rock fans will fill the place as Cinderella’s Tom Keifer, joins Stephen Percy (Ratt) and the all-girl band Vixen come to the Summer Sound Stage. After that country music sensation Dustin Lynch will play for the Southern Teir on Aug.11th. For more info on Tags and tickets to their remaining events go to tagstickets.com.
