Get your school of fish/phish together – Oregon State University will host the second ever Phish Studies Conference on May 17-19, 2024, in Corvallis, Oregon.
artwork by Ryan Kerrigan
First held in 2019, the #PhishStudies Conference is an in-depth look at the band, fans, culture, community, publications, and of course music, of Phish. The event was a huge success, with 100s attending daily to take part in panels, discussions, observe gallery displays and presentations of Ph.D dissertations and theses.
Jnan A. Blau said of the 2019 conference: “I’ve just come back from one of the coolest, most stimulating and invigorating, and definitely one of the most “far out” (to quote Mr. Bill Kreutzman, via Mr. Benjy Eisen) experiences of my life. Late last Monday night, I got back home to San Luis Obispo, California from Corvallis, Oregon. I had to rise and shine the next day, no time at all to transition from Phishiness to so-called real life—a direct, rather abrupt segue (a rip cord if there ever was one!) into a full day of teaching in university classrooms. I was, and still am, kind of exhausted. But, I’ve had a secret smile the size of Mt. Icculus plastered across my face and tattooed on my heart ever since. This because I am back from Phish Studies, the first-ever academic conference dedicated to our favorite topic/subject/phenomenon.”
Also featured at the conference was an exhibit from the Phishsonian Institute, “Beyond The Moss Forgotten exhibit at the Phish Studies conference” which celebrated the art and history of Phish’s performances in the Pacific Northwest since the 1990s.
Check out more photos from the 2019 Phish Studies Conference by Derek Finholt and visit Phish.net for an in depth recap of the conference by Jnan A. Blau.
The #PhishStudies Conference is also looking for sponsors to support the mission and event. For more information, contact Professor Stephanie Jenkins.
The only rule is it begins! More info, including sponsorship opportunities, at phishstudies.net.
The alternative rock quartet Das Damen has returned with a remaster of their debut EP, 1986: Keeps Me Wild, as well as with their first live date in over 30 years at the Drom30 Festival in Catskill, NY. The first song from the remaster, “Trick Question,” is now available.
Credit: Naomi Petersen
The band was originally founded in 1984 by vocalist and guitarist Jim Walters, guitarist Alex Totino, eight-string bassist Phil Leopold Von Trapp, and drummer Lyle Hysen. 1986: Keeps Me Wild was produced by producer Wharton Tiers, known for his work with Sonic Youth, Glenn Branca, and Pussy Galore, at Fun City Studios in NYC. It was released on Sonic Youth co-founder Thurston Moore’s Ecstatic Peace! imprint in 1986, later to be reissued by SST Records.
Das Damen would gain a reputation as an epic live band, playing alongside Nirvana, Soundgarden, Black Flag, Green River, Screaming Trees, and DC3 on various tours. 1986: Keeps Me Wild is regarded as a touchstone in the downtown NYC underground movement, and captured the live energy of Das Damen.
When we got the tapes baked several years ago, upon listening to them we discovered we had a few unfinished alternative takes from the original EP sessions. We didn’t feel we could bring the same “1986 enthusiasm” to finishing the tapes but by bringing in a few people who we respect or are pals from back then, the re-imaginings would have a new energy of their own.
Drummer Lyle Hysen
The remastered album features cuts based on the original Ecstatic Peace! recordings as well as never-before-heard demos. Additional contributors include Dez Cadena (Black Flag), Thalia Zedek (Come), Gary Lee Conner (Screaming Trees), John Robinson (The Fluid), and A Girl Called Eddy. Sean Glonek at SRG Studios was behind the remaster, with oversight by Walters, Hysen, and best-selling author and producer Tom Beaujour.
The full remastered album will release digitally on Sept. 8 and on vinyl in October. Pre-orders are now available.
The band’s showing at the Drom30 Festival will be under the name Sad Nemad on Sept. 16, with additional shows under consideration. For more on Das Damen and to listen to “Trick Question,” check out the band’s Linktree.
“Due to circumstances beyond our control, the show will not continue.” That was the announcement made just moments before Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds were about to perform on Saturday night, July 8, in Saratoga Springs. Confused fans weren’t sure if it was part of the act or if it was a public safety concern as speculation quickly ran rampant. Gallagher, the former principal songwriter of British blue-collar bad-boy band Oasis, is no stranger to making headlines. Familiar to millions, at one time he was the most outspoken member of the biggest (and most controversial) band in the world.
The stage was set for Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds just moments before it was suddenly called off on 7/8/23
All things seemed ‘business as usual’ just prior to showtime Saturday night at SPAC. After opening sets from critically acclaimed rock bands Metric and Garbage went on without a hitch, everything was on schedule for the evening’s headliner. As smoke machines began to ramp up and hip, pre-show music by Little Sonny, Larry Coryell, and Funk Inc. piped over the PA system, by 9:45 pm fans were getting anxious over the delayed start. Suddenly the house lights came on and the announcement was made that “the show will not continue” and to “please move calmly and safely to the nearest exit.”
What’s the Story: A disappointed fan reacts to the news that Noel Gallagher will not be performing on 7/7/23
Security and Live Nation reps confirmed this was not “part of the show” and that everyone needed to leave the concert grounds immediately. Sent out into the night with more questions than answers, disappointed fans complied and exited the venue, seemingly without incident. Further information was hard to come by. There is currently no “official” word on what caused the sudden cancellation, refunds, or, rescheduling.
After the show, Garbage’s Twitter feed posted “Our love and concern to all the fans at our show in Saratoga Springs tonight. We pray you are all safe and sound. This is fucking insane.” An Instagram post from bassist Daniel Shulman shed a little more light on the situation, saying “We had to evacuate quickly due to a bomb threat …. Scary.”
The Sphere in Las Vegas has officially lit its exterior for the first time, the world’s largest LED screen, transforming the Vegas skyline.
Credit: Sphere Entertainment.
Dubbed the Exosphere, the outside portion of the Sphere was lit on July 4, introducing a new global landmark where artists, partners, and brands can showcase impactful content to audiences from around the world. The Exosphere consists of approximately 1.2 million LED pucks, spaced eight inches apart. Each puck contains 48 individual LED diodes, with each diode capable of displaying 256 million different colors. The Fourth of July production was just the beginning for the Exosphere, as it will continue to display creative activations in coordination with major events in Las Vegas, with more content planned throughout the month.
David Hopkinson, President, and Chief Operating Officer of MSG Sports, who oversees global marketing and brand partnerships across Sphere Entertainment and the MSG family of companies, said: “Sphere’s Exosphere is a 360-degree canvas for brand storytelling that will be seen around the world, offering our partners an unparalleled opportunity to become part of the greatest show on Earth. There’s nothing comparable to the impact from displaying innovative brand and immersive content on the world’s largest video screen. The extraordinary experiences we can create are only limited by imagination, and we’re thrilled to finally share with the world the spectacular potential of the Exosphere.”
The Sphere is becoming the next-generation entertainment medium, bringing wonder to the world and redefining the future of live entertainment, where artists, creators, and technologies will create extraordinary experiences, taking storytelling to a new level. The venue will transform the concert-going experience with innovative technologies that include a 16K x 16K LED display inside the main venue bowl that wraps up, over, and around the audience, creating a fully immersive visual environment. The Sphere also has the world’s most advanced concert audio system, featuring crystal-clear audio and 10,000 immersive seats including a system that utilizes deep vibrations so guests can feel the rumble of thunder or a roaring motorcycle.
Sphere at The Venetian (courtesy MSGE).
Later this year, the Exosphere will be prominently featured as part of Sphere’s opening in September with U2: UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere, as well as during the first Sphere Experience, Postcard from Earth directed by Darren Aronofsky, in October. For more information about the upcoming shows and to purchase tickets, visit here.
The Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC) has recently announced shows for their inaugural season, with “Refuge: A Concert Series to Welcome the World” kicking off the season in Sept. 2023. PAC is located in the World Trade Center and was the final public piece of the reconstruction.
Perelman Performing Arts Center Aerial View. Credit: Bill Saltzstein
The facility was named after Ronald O. Perelman, a businessman, philanthropist, and benefactor, the building was designed by the architecture firm REX, with many interior spaces being designed by Rockwell Group. Leading the opening of PAC is the Chair of the PAC Board of Directors Mike Bloomberg, Executive Director Khady Kamara, and Artistic Director Bill Rauch.
The opening of Perelman Performing Arts Center is going to add light and hope to the World Trade Center site in a manner that respects its role as a place for reflection. PAC NYC’s impact will extend far beyond downtown, as we know the impact of the power of the arts – bringing energy and excitement to bolster neighborhoods, spur investment and build a stronger city.
Mike Bloomberg, Chair of PAC Board of Directors
Inaugural Season Showings
Refuge: A Concert Series to Welcome the World
The opening five-night series with over 30 internationally acclaimed artists, Refuge is a pay-what-you-wish event focused on the theme of refuge. A wide range of music will be played, from Afro-Latin rhythms to futuristic electronic beats, from traditional Klezmer melodies to soulful Rock and Funk.
Sept. 22 is “Relatively Speaking: Family as Refuge” and will feature Fanoos Ensemble, The HawtPlates, Martha Redbone, The Villalobos Brothers, as well as Amal Murkus & Firas Zreik.
“Watch Night” from Nov. 3-18 2023 is an all-new premiere for the production that explores justice and forgiveness. It was co-conceived, directed, and choreographed by Tony Award-winning Bill T. Jones, with Marc Bamuthi Joseph also co-conceiving the production and responsible for the libretto.
“Number Our Days” will be held from April 12-14, 2024, and is a multi-media oratorio based on Jamie Livingston’s “Photo of the Day” series. This series was made by Jamie Livingston, who documented his life by taking a Polaroid every day until he died at age 41.
From May 12-19, 2024, “An American Soldier,” a new opera based on the true story of U.S. Private Danny Chen, will be held. This will be the production’s New York premiere.
“Cats” will be held sometime between June and July of 2024, reimagining Andrew Lloyd Webber’s beloved musical. The original musical itself was based on T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats.
Theater and Comedy
“The Following Evening,” held from Feb. 1 to 18, 2024, will be an intimate portrait of two theater-making couples: Ellen Maddow and Paul Zimet of Talking Band and Abigail Browde and Michael Silverstone of 600 Highwaymen. This may be the final performance for the two couples.
“Between Two Knees” is a comedy by Indigenous sketch comedy group The 1491s, taking place Feb. 3 through 24, 2024. Spanning 90 years in the life of a fictional Native American family, “Between Two Knees” is an “outrageously funny ride through American history.” “Good Medicine” is an all-Native stand-up evening event on Feb. 9, 2024. It features Indigenous comedians from all across the country and will be curated and hosted by Jackie Keliiaa.
“Like They Do in The Movies,” which will be at PAC from March 10 to 31, 2024, is the world premiere of the “tour-de-force” written and performed by Tony and Emmy-winning Laurence Fishburne. Fishburne is known for his work as Ike Turner in “What’s Love Got to Do with It?,” Sterling Johnson in August Wilson’s “Two Trains Running,” and as Morpheus in the blockbuster film series The Matrix.
Laurence Fishburne.
Dance
“Is It Thursday Yet?” held from Dec. 8-23, 2023, is a commissioned display of Jenn Freeman’s neurodivergent journey through a mix of dance, live music, and home video footage.
“March” by Big Dance Theater will be held Dec. 10 to 16, 2023. It is an evening of contemporary dance split into three parts, featuring Tendayi Kuumba, Annie-B Parson, and Donna Uchizono.
“Motion/Matter: Street Dance Festival,” held from Jan. 5 to 14, 2024, is a celebration of street dance movements, both those that have originated in NYC and those from around the world.
Nov. 13, 2023 – Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush
Cover for Kerry Washington’s new memoir, “Thicker than Water.”
Perelman Performing Arts Center memberships are now available for $10 for the inaugural season. Members receive early access to tickets and other perks. Tickets for inaugural season events are starting at $39. More information on memberships, tickets, and shows can be found on PAC’s website.
Glenville’s summer music concert series ‘Thursdays in the Park’ is returning this August for a five week run of incredible live performances. Thursdays In The Park is set to begin on August 3rd and continue every Thursday in August at 7:00 PM at Indian Meadows Park.
Thursdays In The Park has been a free annual summer event for the community of Glenville for years, and this summer is bringing a diverse and highly talented lineup to the park. The duo Double Barrel will kick off the series on August 3rd by delivering a country set list for audience members to enjoy while later in the month Nymbus will make an appearance with some classic rock!
Various other genres will be featured throughout the month, but music isn’t the only attraction. The series also offers free Stewart’s Ice Cream for every performance as well as an additional movie night on August 26th at Maalwyck Park where members of the community can sit back and relax while watching the cinematic hit Top Gun 2.
Thursdays In The Park Lineup
August 3rd – Double Barrel (Country Duo)
August 10th – Little Bit of Everything (Folk Music)
August 17th – West Side Drive (Dance Music)
August 24th – Nymbus (Classic Rock Music)
August 26th – Special Family Night Movie @Maalwyck Park (Top Gun 2)
The Lake George Arts Project has announced its plans to continue the town’s Summer concert series, offering free concerts every Wednesday night at the Shepard Park Amphitheater. From July 5 to August 30, the Lake George venue will host ten shows, moving forward a tradition that has been a part of the community for over forty years.
This year’s lineup showcases a diverse, talented group of artists, from New York, New England, Nashville, and other various regions. What makes the lineup so special is the wide array of musicians specializing in different genres, ranging anywhere from bluegrass to hip-hop.
A non-profit organization, the Lake George Arts Project began in 1977 to promote music and artists throughout the region, also providing arts programs for the town.
The Lake George Arts Project also puts on an array of other cultural programs like the Jazz at the Lake jazz festival, the aforementioned Summer Concert Series, and the year-round Courthouse Gallery Exhibition.
In addition to the Wednesday night shows, there will be a special Thursday show on August 24. The show celebrates the 50th-anniversary party for The Stony Creek Band with The Switch, presented in partnership with the Village of Lake George.
As for the start times for the shows, most plan to begin at 7:00 pm (with the exception of the August 24 show). Admission is free and attendees should bring chairs, blankets, or comfortable seating.
Lake George Summer Concert Schedule
July 5: Annie and the Hedonists
July 12: Kyshona
July 19: Guy Davis
July 25: The Clements Brothers
August 2: Three Quarter North
August 9: ARKAI (presented in partnership with the Lake George Music Festival)
August 16: Zikina
August 23: The ILL Funk Ensemble
August 24: 50th Anniversary Party for The Stony Creek Band joined with The Switch
The summer of live music is heating up all around the state as the City of Cohoes has kicked off its Rock The Block Concert Series earlier this month. The 2023 summer performances take place every Thursday evening from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM in Canal Square with the series coming to an end on August 3rd.
The rockin’ eight week concert series started on June 15th with a memorable performance by the impressive Fleetwood Mac tribute band Tusk. The connection between the five band members is close to unheard of as their relationships have spanned more than four decades. Tusk was followed the next week by Steven Adler of Guns N’ Roses who rocked the crowd with all of the band’s greatest hits. In the coming weeks there will be so much more to enjoy, as select groups and performers will take the stage including the Eagle tribute band Eaglemania and the country/rock group Vinny Michaels Band.
Every performance of Rock The Block welcomes individuals from the community with free admission as well as food and drink available for purchase, so bring your lawn chairs and enjoy the summer.
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.
The internationally renowned Louis Armstrong House Museum in Corona, Queens held a ceremonial ribbon cutting with fitting trumpet fanfare to celebrate its new state-of-the-art center and archive – the world’s largest for a jazz musician. Opening to the public on Thursday, July 6, the new center will preserve and expand the legacy and ideals of America’s first Black popular music icon, Louis Armstrong.
Opening remarks were made by the museum’s Executive Director Regina Bainand and Board Chair Jay Hershenson, followed by speeches from New York State Senator Jessica Ramos, New York State Assemblyman Jeffrion Aubry, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, NYC Council Member Francisco Moya, The City University of New York (CUNY) Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, Queens College President Frank H. Wu, Cultural Affairs Commissioner Laurie Cumbo and community leaders.
Guests were treated to performances by Kennedy Center Artistic Director for Jazz, pianist, composer and curator of the new Center’s Here to Stay exhibition Jason Moran, Danny Jonokuchi, Christopher McBride and the Queens College All-Stars, Calvin Johnson and Native Soul, as well as students from Frank Sinatra High School. Fittingly, the day featured a trumpet fanfare with a line-up of world renown trumpeters: Bria Skonberg, Jon Faddis, Jon-Erik Kellso, Steven Bernstein, Frank Greene, Bruce Harris, Riley Mulherkar, Linda Briceño, Summer Camargo, Kali Rodriguez, David Adewumi, Tatum Greenblatt, and Danny Jonokuchi. The day concluded with a jam session, center open house with tours, archival sneak peek and a special toast.
The Louis Armstrong Center
The Louis Armstong Center will officially open to the public on Thursday, July 6th. Armstrong’s values of Artistic Excellence, Education and Community will be fostered in Here to Stay, a new exhibition curated by Jason Moran that looks at Armstrong’s five-decade career as an innovative musician, rigorous archivist, consummate collaborator and community builder. Grounded in the new building design by Caples Jefferson Architects, the new Center will also be a permanent home for the 60,000-piece Louis Armstrong Archive and a 75-seat venue offering performances, lectures, films, and educational experiences.
It will be a new international destination celebrating Armstrong’s distinctive role in African-Diaspora history and vitality, offering year-round exhibitions, performances, readings, lectures, and screenings through an array of public programs for all ages. With longstanding partners Queens College and the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, and with a growing list of members, supporters and programmatic collaborators, the museum and center will become a Queens-based hub for inspiration and learning, economic development and tourism – from New Yorkers to the world.
“Louis Armstrong was one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century, and also a beloved member of the community here in Corona, Queens,” said NYC Cultural Affairs Commissioner Laurie Cumbo. “This new education center and archive will keep both aspects of Armstrong’s legacy alive for generations to come – both the consummate artist and musician, and the incredible neighbor who treated local kids to ice cream each year on the 4th of July. We’re proud of the city’s major investment of over $10 million in this project, a long term commitment to the cultural vitality of Corona and in preserving the legacy of Louis Armstrong. Schedule your visit to Satchmo’s house today!”
The opening of the Center has spurred the creation of new programming. The Museum just announced the upcoming season of its groundbreaking Armstrong Now, which will feature the creation and debut of new works by Esperanza Spalding, Amyra León and Antonio Brown. An outreach program to local schools was also recently launched, providing trumpet lessons made possible by a donation of musical instruments from Ken Karnofsky, a descendant of the same family who helped Armstrong buy his first instrument.
This National Historic Landmark museum welcomes its new addition across the street during the 80th anniversary of Louis and Lucille Armstrong moving to the legendary jazz trumpeter & singer’s restored home. Visitors have included Wynton Marsalis, Quincy Jones, Tony Bennett, Charlie Watts, Ken Burns, Jon Batiste, Ron Howard, Bette Midler and many more.
Louis Armstrong is the greatest of all American virtuosos. With his trumpet and voice, Armstrong redefined what it meant to be modern by testifying to the range and depth of humanity from the vantage point of the bottom social strata in post-Reconstruction America. Louis Armstrong’s trumpet is the sound of freedom and with it, he left the world so much richer than how he found it. We need his consciousness, intelligence and broad understanding now, more than ever. The Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation was the baseline grantor of the Louis Armstrong House Museum and we have been in full support throughout the growth of this historic site. We are so proud of the Museum, and now, the new Armstrong Center. This great achievement is a physical representation of the down-home soulful world of Pops. It is much, much more than just a place. It’s a way for all people from everywhere to physically interact with the profound and deeply moving legacy of Lucille and Louis Armstrong.
Wynton Marsalis, President of the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation and Managing and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center.
Working with the museum’s Grammy-winning Director of Research Collections Ricky Riccardi and Executive Director Regina Bain, C&G Partners (MoMA, 9/11 Memorial & Museum, Smithsonian, NASA) designed the exhibition with Art Guild(Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Martin Guitar Museum). The 60,000 photos, recordings, manuscripts, letters & mementos in the Louis Armstrong Archive will be returning home to the block where the Armstrongs lived and built the collection.
Guests at the opening of the Louis Armstrong House Museum on June 29
Caples Jefferson Architects designed the 14,000-square-foot building to expand the capacity of the historic house museum and to allow many more people to appreciate the legacy of Louis Armstrong, the man and his music. Armstrong was both down-home and revolutionary and this building reflects that breadth. Caples Jefferson kept the building at the scale of the modest neighborhood that he loved, while creating an urban precinct for his music that welcomes in all visitors.
This new building establishes the final piece of the campus that now comprises the museum as whole; it now includes the home itself that reflects the personal values of Louis Armstrong, the garden that serves as a place for gathering and a place for live performances, the donated home of next-door neighbor Selma Heraldo, reflecting the deep roots within the community, and the new center, designed as an interpretation of Armstrong’s music, where the public can learn even more about the icon who is Louis Armstrong.
The Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation donated the Armstrong archives in the 1980s and provided the funds to purchase the lot on which the new Center sits. CUNY and Queens College officials, working with state and city legislators and executive offices, led the advocacy for the funding of the $26 million building across the street from the original Armstrong home. Funds were awarded by the Office of the Governor, the New York State Senate, New York State Assembly, Office of the New York City Mayor, Office of the Queens Borough President, and the New York City Council. The Dormitory Authority of the State of New York(DASNY) led the construction project. The staff and board of the museum for the past 15 years, including former Director, Michael Cogswell, worked tirelessly to ensure the new building’s success.
The Center and the historic house will be open to the public Thursdays through Saturdays. Tickets and more information are available on the Museum’s website. Advance purchase is highly recommended as tours of the Center and the historic house have limited capacity. Authors, researchers and other scholars can visit the Armstrong archives by advance appointment.
