NYS Music 2023

Category: News

  • Cannastock 2023 Festival Comes to MJN Convention Center in Poughkeepsie this May

    Radio Woodstock 100.1 WDST has announced the return of Cannastock, the first-ever consumption-friendly cannabis festival in New York, on Saturday, May 13. This year, the event will be held at the newly renovated MJN Convention Center in Poughkeepsie.

    Cannastock is a ​21+ ​consumer-friendly festival and an immersive cannabis experience with local and national cannabis brands. At the festival, there will be like-minded consumers and large amounts of exhibitors, including licensed growers, manufacturers, and retailers, as well as games, contests, and free giveaways. There will also be educational panels on topics such as how legalization will change our society, and people can also learn about jobs within the cannabis industry.

    The festival is also featuring live music acts with DJ Max Glazer from Federation Sound and local visual performance artists. Cannastock will also feature the first Excelsior Cup, a cannabis competition to honor the best cannabis products in New York State. To be announced is entry portal information, the judging panelists, and the array of categories spanning flowers, concentrates, pre-rolls, cartridges, and edibles that will be part of the initial competition.

    The event is presented by Radio Woodstock 100.1 WDST, described as the New York Times “favorite thing about driving around the Hudson Valley,” producing curated music programming and virtual and live music events, along with advertising campaigns. The station has founded both the Mountain Jam Festival and Taste of Country Festival, both of which have grown to become the largest rock and camping music festivals in the Northeast.

    Radio Woodstock principal owner and Cannastock Founder Gary Chetkof, said “after our inaugural Cannastock sold out quickly last October, we realized that we needed to bring it back soon and in a much larger venue. With the first recreational retail dispensaries opening up to the public now, we thought the time was right to bring it to the MJN Center in May.” $30 General Admission and $65 VIP tickets are available for purchase on Friday, Feb. 17 at 10 a.m. here.

  • UAlbany Music Program Announces Three Concerts in Four Days this March

    University at Albany’s Department of Music and Theatre has announced three concerts, featuring the UAlbany Percussion Ensemble, throughout the first week of March. 

    On March 3rd, at 7pm you can enjoy special guests from the Empire State Youth, Repertory & Chamber Percussion Ensembles, the Festival of Contemporary Music accompanying the ensemble. March 8 showcases The UAlbany Concert Band presenting a Concert in the Round. Lastly, The UAlbany Symphony Orchestra will perform the final concert on March 9th.

    All events for the three-day concert will be located at the UAlbany Performing Arts Center. The center can be found on the uptown University at Albany campus at 1400 Washington Avenue.

    The Festival of Contemporary Music program premieres The Empire State Youth Percussion Ensemble performing Joseph Ott’s landmark work, Quartet for Percussion. Under the direction of Christopher David Neubert, the ensemble will also perform a program of three works: Felix Mendelssohn’s Fingal’s Cave Overture, Gabriel Faure’s Pelleas et Melisande and James Barnes’s Heatherwood Portrait.

    Audience members can count on hearing works by Nathan Daughtrey, Elliot Del Borgo, Daniel Montoya and the enigmatic Rainforest Journey of Charlie Sivils, in addition to the second set of Chick Corea’s magical and haunting Children’s Songs and three of composer-educator Ney Rosauro’s Brazilian Myths. The Myths include recounting legends of a deadly Brazilian mermaid, the mystical protector of the avian wildlife of the Amazon Forest, and the evil headless horsewoman spreading fear and pestilence throughout the villages and towns. 

    A Concert in the Round will feature the UAlbany Concert Band performing eight selections such as Charles Parker Peters’s American Legion, Robert Sheldon’s Beyond the Higher Skies, Arthur Benjamin’s Jamaican Rumba, Tyler Arcari’s Beacons (Guiding Lights), Scott Joplin’s The Entertainer and Claude T. Smith’s Serenade and Dance. Band director Kevin R. Champagne’s Octopercussiocity along with selections from the musical Rent will also encompass the concert. 

    Concert tickets are $5 for the general public and $3 for students, seniors and UAlbany faculty-staff. Tickets purchased on the day of performances are $10 for the general public and $8 for students, seniors and UAlbany faculty-staff. All tickets must be purchased on-line from the UAlbany Performing Arts Center’s site.

  • Pete Beat Takes Fans to ‘Another Galaxy’

    English musician Pete Beat is opening up to fans about his mental health struggles with his new single “Another Galaxy.” The single is in support of his upcoming fourth album, The Strange Museum, due for release this April. The Strange Museum explores his involuntary stay in a psychiatric hospital, during which he was diagnosed with schizophrenia.

    pete beat
    Photo Credit: Victoria Wai

    Pete Beat can be argued as the “lost member” of The Beatles, having been dismissed from the group before they achieved mainstream success. Since then, Pete has focused on his solo career. He has written and recorded 500 songs over the last 13 years, including “Another Galaxy.”

    Pete’s newest single can be rather deceptive, as it starts with an upbeat tune. It’s not entirely clear to listeners that they are about to learn about some of the singer’s deepest struggles and emotions. For a debut track, it works perfectly. The Strange Museum details Pete’s journey with his mental health, so it’s natural that the opening track starts out calm and upbeat. Throughout the album, listeners will get a closer glimpse of the dark place Pete was once in, and how he came out of it.

    “Another Galaxy” is more than just a matter of being a good or bad song. Whether Pete’s work is the type of music you’re into is subjective. No one can argue against how much courage it took for Pete to talk about his personal struggles so openly. Pete hopes his album will reduce the stigma surrounding schizophrenia, and show fans that the disease doesn’t have to talk over your life. In Pete’s case, he has been symptom-free since 2010, with the help of medication.

    Of the stigma, Pete says “this adds more of a reason to do it, and the time seems right, and I feel happy and confident in my life, so I’m going to talk about it.”

    “Another Galaxy” from Pete Beat is out now. available for purchase now. For more information on Pete Beat’s newest album, visit here.

  • Jack Kleinsinger Presents Highlights in Jazz at BMCC Tribeca PAC

    The Highlights in Jazz concert series celebrates its 50th anniversary on Thursday, Feb. 23, at 8 p.m. at BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center.

    Founded and produced by Jack Kleinsinger, Highlights in Jazz is New York’s longest-running Jazz concert series. NEA Jazz Master Sheila Jordan, guitarist Russell Malone, and bassist Jay Leonhart will accompany the anniversary show, along with surprise guests.

    Photo credit: Highlights in Jazz

    The milestone 50th anniversary of Jack Kleinsinger’s Highlights in Jazz has experienced delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, he never lost hope. “I was sure I’d celebrate this anniversary, though I wasn’t sure it would happen in 2023,” says producer Kleinsinger. “I was determined to do a 50th concert somehow. And here I am, at it again,” he notes with a laugh.

    The Highlights in Jazz concert series has attracted the attention of not only audiences but musicians as well. “I must be there,” declared Sheila Jordan, as soon as she heard the golden anniversary concert was in the works. The anniversary concert marks a return after a short absence for Jordan, last performing at the March 22, 2022 show.

    The singer is a force to reckon with, still performing at the age of 94. “Sheila lives by Sheila’s laws, she blows my mind,” declares fellow musician Art Baron. Baron and Jordan have known each other since the ’80s, and have performed together alongside Roswell Rudd, George Gruntz, and others.

    Unlike previous years, the 50th-anniversary show for Highlights in Jazz will not feature a “living legends” concert, due to this year’s abbreviated schedule. “Since the start, we saluted a living jazz artist every year. I believe in doing it while they’re alive and it means something, that’s part of our tradition. Lionel Hampton was the first living legend we saluted and it became an annual tradition,” Kleinsinger said. However, two previous living legend honorees, bassist Jay Leonhart, and guitarist Russell Malone are part of the 50th-anniversary lineup.

    This year’s Tribeca performance comes as Kleinsinger does some serious reflection on his career. “This may be the last concert I ever do. “It’s bittersweet because there have been so many losses to covid. I’m ready to pack it in. I’m doing one concert, I’m not ready to do a whole season, that’s a lot of work,” Kleinsinger said.

    Whether the Highlights in Jazz 50th anniversary will mark Kleinsinger’s last hurrah is still to be determined, but fans can always count on Kleinsinger to continue supporting the music and the musicians so dear to him.

    Tickets for the Highlights in Jazz 50th Anniversary Gala are available here.

  • Jones Beach and Bethel Woods Welcome Joe Bonamassa and Friends this Summer

    Three-time Grammy-nominated guitarist and 25x Billboard chart-topper Joe Bonamassa announced on February 6 that his tour will be coming to New York this summer, and is scheduled to perform at Jones Beach on August 12th and the Bethel Woods Center on August 13. The two-night performance is part of a concert series, “Keeping the Blues Alive presents: Joe Bonamassa and Friends.”

    Also joining Bonamassa in concert are the rock band Styx, and former Eagles lead guitarist Don Felder. In line with its inaugural event last year, the concert series will feature individual performances from each act. The final act features a jaw-dropping encore with members from all three bands.

    On a related note, Bonamassa is currently preparing for his spring 2023 tour. The tour starts Feb. 15 in Charleston, West Virginia, and continues through the Midwest and East Coast. Bonamassa will conclude his tour with the sold-out Keeping The Blues Alive at Sea VIII, scheduled for March 13-17, departing from Miami, Florida to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.

    Prior to his Jones Beach and Bethel Woods Center shows, Bonamassa is scheduled to perform at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre on Feb. 28

    Originating in Chicago, Styx is comprised of six members, James “JY” Young (lead vocals, guitars), Tommy Shaw (lead vocals, guitars), Chuck Panozzo (bass, vocals), Todd Sucherman (drums, percussion), Lawrence Gowan (lead vocals, keyboards), Ricky Phillips (bass, guitar, vocals), and ‘Crash Of The Crown’ producer and co-writer Will Evankovich (guitars.) Their career spans over 50 years, with their anonymous first album debuting in 1972. The band released its 17th album, Crash of the Crown, in June 2021 through their label Alpha Dog 2T/UMe.

    Born in Gainesville, Florida, Felder got his big break after the release of the Eagles’ third studio album, On the Border, in 1974. It was Felder’s first record with the Eagles, remaining with them until 2001. While he was still a member of the band, Felder released his debut solo record, Airbourne, in 1983. Further, in 1998, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the Eagles. On his own, Felder was inaugurated into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville in 2016 and the Florida Artists Hall of Fame in 2017.

    joe bonamassa jones beach bethel woods
    Bonamassa in concert

    Born in New Hartford, NY, and raised in Utica, Bonamassa rose to fame in 2000 with the release of his debut record, A New Day Yesterday. In 2020, Bonamassa created his independent record label, Keeping the Blues Alive Records, which promotes and supports the talent of musicians. Similarly, he also runs the 501(c)(3) non-profit Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation.

    His fifteenth and most recent record, Time Clocks, was released in Oct. 2021 by J&R Adventures. In support of his latest album, Bonamassa recorded a live concert film, Tales Of Time, in Aug. 2022, scheduled for worldwide release on April 14, by Bonamassa’s J&R Adventures in CD/DVD, CD/BR, vinyl, and digital formats.

    Tickets for Joe Bonamassa at Jones Beach and Bethel Woods, and all other shows, go on sale Friday, Feb. 10, beginning at 10 a.m.

    Joe Bonamassa U.S. Tour 2023
    Feb. 15 – Clay Center – Charleston, WV
    Feb. 17 – Playhouse Square – Cleveland, OH           
    Feb. 18 – Riverside Theater – Milwaukee, WI
    Feb. 20 – The Orpheum Theater – Madison, WI
    Feb. 22 – Peoria Civic Center Theater – Peoria, IL
    Feb. 24 – DeVos Performance Hall – Grand Rapids, MI
    Feb. 25 – Morris Performing Arts Center – South Bend, IN          
    Feb. 28 – Shea’s Buffalo Theatre – Buffalo, NY                           
    March 1 – Benedum Center – Pittsburgh, PA
    March 3  – Ovens Auditorium – Charlotte, NC
    March 4 – Fox Theatre – Atlanta, GA
    March 5 – Soldiers And Sailors Memorial Auditorium – Chattanooga, TN                   
    March 7 – Montgomery Performing Arts Centre – Montgomery, AL
    March 8 – Saenger Theatre – New Orleans, LA
    March 10 – The King Center – Melbourne, FL
    March 11 – The St. Augustine Amphitheatre – St. Augustine, FL
    March 13-17 – Keeping The Blues Alive at Sea VIII – Miami, FL
    August 12 – Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater – Wantagh, NY *
    August 13 – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts – Bethel, NY *
     
    * Keeping the Blues Alive presents: Joe Bonamassa & Friends: Styx and Don Felder, formerly of the Eagles

  • Vevo Announces Celebration For 50th Anniversary Of Hip Hop

    Vevo, the world’s peerless music video network, announced the celebration of its 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop. Vevo’s celebration of its anniversary serves as tribute to all aspects of hip hop. Music from “Legends In Concert,” “Hip-Hop International,” “2K Hip-Hop Legends,” “Rock Meets Rap,” “70’s Sampled Songs,” ‘80’s Sampled Songs”, and more will encompass the commemoration.  

    The celebration begins with an exclusive behind the scenes viewing of Public Enemy’s groundbreaking music video “Fight The Power” by Chuck D. Chuck D explains the writing process, concept for the video, the intermix of sounds used and public reception of the Spike Lee-directed video. 

    Vevo hip hop

    The anniversary allows you to enjoy Vevo footnotes, a series that takes viewers behind-the-scenes of their favorite videos. Come celebrate with your favorite artist to enjoy this honoring of hip hop. Expect to see stars like A$AP Rocky, Common, Cypress Hill, De La Soul, Grand Puba, Havoc (Mobb Deep), Lil Wayne, Ludacris, Macklemore, Mack Maine, MC Serch (3rd Bass), Naughty by Nature, Public Enemy, Raekwon, Salt-N-Pepa, Souls of Mischief and T.I.

    “Hip-hop hasn’t just shaped music; it’s shaped culture as a whole – from fashion, language, sports, even politics and beyond, and music videos have been there to aid in propelling those cultural shifts forward,” 

    Jordan Glickson

    Since 2009, Vevo has been connecting an ever-growing global audience to high quality music video content. Vevo offers fans an abundance of premium content to choose from, showcasing official music videos alongside a constantly developing lineup of live performances and trailblazing programming. From top superstars to rising new talents, Vevo brings incomparable cross-promotional support to artists across the musical spectrum. Vevo is available on YouTube, Samsung, Samsung TV Plus, Roku, Pluto TV, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Echo Show, Freevee, Apple TV, Google Tv, etc. More information on Vevo can be accessed here.

    “Hip Hop turning 50 means that there can be no doubt, no argument, no ignorance 

    about its consequence in the world. Back when PE was coming up, it was in the days before social media. Videos were the only way to connect with hip hop fans around the world. They delivered songs in a full package of sight, sound, story and style. A truly underrated art form. Vevo keeps that connection solid, not only for us but for hip hop artists

    from every corner of the globe. Here’s to the next 50.”

    – Chuck D

  • Stand Together Music and Other Music Industry Officials Come Together to Support Addiction Recovery

    A staggering 56% of music industry professionals have some type of substance abuse, with the industry now beginning to take the lead in supporting those with addiction Companies like Stand Together Strong are joining forces with 1 Million Strong to provide services to those struggling.

    Stand Together Music
    Colette Weintraub and Kevin Lyman.

    Colette Weintraub is the head of Stand Together Music, one of the partners in the 1 Million Strong initiative, seeking to support one million people in addiction recovery through the strength of community. Kevin Lyman is best known as the creator of the beloved Vans Warped Tour, shaping youth culture for over forty years with his award-winning expertise in the music industry and other ventures.

    Last month was Dry January, where participants stay sober throughout the entire month. An average of 35% of Americans participated in 2022, an increase from 21% in 2019. When the month is over, people tend to turn to alcohol to celebrate, but the problem of addiction runs deeper. Each year over 100,000 people are dying to alcohol-related causes. The music industry is among the hardest hit due to being known for things like sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll. Many artists have been in the news after dying from their addictions, or losing their will to live while battling it.

    In an open letter to the music industry, 1 Million Strong wrote “We’re taking action to transform the way people think about addiction by supporting new ways for sober fans to enjoy shows, ensuring touring musicians and crews have access to resources on the road, and engaging in conversations about sobriety that are free from shame and stigma and full of possibilities.” The letter has been signed by Aloe Blacc, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, RIAA Chairman & CEO Mitch Glazier, Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino, and more. If you would like to sign the letter, visit here.

    Things like Warped Tour helped provide mental health and sobriety support on the road throughout, with sober coaches for artists and crew in recovery, and provided services to fans. Stand Together Music/1 Million Strong has been working hard over the past year to provide sober-supportive spaces at concerts and music festivals, like at Bourbon & Beyond to Park City Song Summit and The Chainsmokers show at The Greek Theatre in Berkeley.

    This isn’t about turning the industry sober, but more about giving those struggling a better path to recovery and bring their best selves to music, allowing fans and everyone else to benefit from their art.

  • Skinny Puppy to Perform in New York One Last Time

    Canadian music group Skinny Puppy is scheduled to celebrate their 40th anniversary with a performance at Irving Plaza in New York City, accompanied by special guest Lead Into Gold. The April 21 performance will be one of the last for the group, as the Skinny Puppy: Final Tour kicks off on April 6 in San Antonio.

    skinny puppy final tour irving plaza

    Skinny Puppy’s upcoming final tour also marks a return to the road for the group.

    “It’s been eight long years since we’ve toured, and there is no better way to end our run as a group than with a tour celebrating our 40th anniversary. To our west coast fans, don’t worry! We’ll see you soon!” – Skinny Puppy

    All current members cEvin Key (Kevin Crompton), Nivek Ogre (Kevin Ogilvie), and Mark Walk will be present for the upcoming final tour.

    Originating in Vancouver in 1982, Skinny Puppy is in large part created for founding and popularizing the industrial rock and electro-industrial genres. Formerly of the new wave band Images in Vogue, Key initially envisioned the group as a side project. After the addition of vocalist Ogre, they evolved into a full-time project.

    Skinny Puppy’s first full-length album, Bites, was released in Canada in 1985 and certified gold by Music Canada in 1994. Their subsequent releases have charted in North America and Europe. Noted for their theatrical and controversial live performances, Ogre once remarked that touring for himself was like “dating hydrogen peroxide”, referencing the numerous injuries he has acquired while touring.

    Tickets for Skinny Puppy’s final tour and Irving Plaza show are available for purchase beginning Friday, Feb. 10 at 10 a.m.

    SKINNY PUPPY: FINAL TOUR 2023 TOUR DATES: 

    Thu Apr 06 – San Antonio, TX – Aztec Theater

    Fri Apr 07 – Houston, TX – House of Blues

    Sat Apr 08 – New Orleans, LA – House of Blues

    Mon Apr 10 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Revolution

    Tue Apr 11 – St. Petersburg, FL – Jannus Live

    Thu Apr 13 – Atlanta, GA – The Buckhead Theatre

    Fri Apr 14 – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore Charlotte

    Sat Apr 15 – Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel

    Mon Apr 17 – Pittsburgh, PA – The Roxian

    Tue Apr 18 – Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of the Living Arts

    Wed Apr 19 – Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore Silver Spring

    Fri Apr 21 – New York, NY – Irving Plaza

    Sun Apr 23 – Boston, MA – House of Blues

    Tue Apr 25 – Montreal, QC – The Corona Theater

    Wed Apr 26 – Toronto, ON – History 

    Fri Apr 28 – Cincinnati, OH – Bogarts

    Sat Apr 29 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues

    Mon May 01 – Minneapolis, MN – The Fillmore

    Tue May 02 – Lawrence, KS – Liberty Hall

    Wed May 03 – Denver, CO – Summit

    Thu May 04 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Depot

    Sat May 06 – Garden City, ID – Revolution Concert House and Event Center

    Mon May 08 – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom

    Tue May 09 – Seattle, WA – Neptune

  • Gustavo Dudamel to Leave L.A. Philharmonic and be New York Philharmonic’s Artistic Director

    Conductor Gustavo Dudamel is leaving the L.A. Philharmonic to become the Music and Artistic Director for the New York Philharmonic.

    Gustavo Dudamel
    Joel Saget/AFP via Getty Images

    Dudamel will step into the role of leading the New York Philharmonic at the beginning of the 2026-27 season. For the 2025-26 season, he will serve as the orchestra’s Music Director, and his full contract will last for five years. He has been with the Los Angeles Philharmonic since 2009.

    In addition to the L.A. Philharmonic, Dudamel has been the Music Director of the Opéra National de Paris since 2021, and Music Director of the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela since 1999. His mission statement is wanting to bring music to people across the globe, which he has accomplished through YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles), developed in 2007, which provides 1,500 young people with free instruments, intensive music instruction, academic support, and leadership training.

    Some of the honors Dudamel has achieved during his career include the Americas Society Cultural Achievement Award in 2016, the 2014 Leonard Bernstein Lifetime Achievement Award for the Elevation of Music in Society from the Longy School of Music, Spain’s 2020 Gold Medal for Merit in Fine Arts, the 2019 Konex Foundation Classical Music Award, Distinguished Artist Award from the International Society for the Performing Arts (ISPA), and many more.

    In a statement, he said he was “grateful” for the new title, and “grateful to the musicians and leaders of the New York Philharmonic as we embark upon this new and beautiful journey together [and] to my beloved family at the Los Angeles Philharmonic and YOLA [the Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles].” NY Phil Board Co-Chairmen Peter May and Oscar Tang said they are excited to welcome him to the Philharmonic. “Building on this orchestra’s great legacy, he joins a historic list of distinguished Music Directors.”

    Gustavo Dudamel
    Gustavo Dudamel conducts the Los Angeles Philharmonic, 2022, photo by Getty Images.

    Dudamel’s hire to the New York Philharmonic means the L.A. Philharmonic will be looking for a music director of its own. Said best by Gary Ginstling, Executive Director and incoming President & CEO, “With Gustavo Dudamel, the Philharmonic is poised for what I believe will be one of the most exciting chapters in its storied history.”

  • Blue Note Jazz Club Announces Alternate Ticketing Methods for Fans

    Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City has announced they will be introducing an alternative ticketing method for fans. This is particularly timely given the recent Ticketmaster Senate hearing regarding the disastrous ticket pricing and inconvenient ways to purchase tickets. 

    Blue Note Jazz Club

    Since 1981, the Blue Note Jazz Club has been a cultural institution in NYC and one of the premiere jazz clubs in the world. It strives to preserve the history of jazz, and the club practices the foundations of jazz on a nightly basis and carries the torch for the genre in the 21st century.

    The club has been frequented by celebrities such as Scarlett Johansson, Colin Jost, Zoe Kravitz, and Jon Hamm, and has featured musicians like Robert Glasper, Ron Carter, Pat Metheny, Ms. Lisa Fischer, Christain McBride, Keyon Harrold, Meshell Ndegeocello, and more.

    Blue Note will be partnering with the company Yellowheart for the second year in a row. They look to develop smart tickets to help prevent the most common issues with traditional ticketing, like scalping, fraudulent tickets, expensive resale prices, and more. This is especially timely considering the Ticketmaster Senate hearing, where the site came under fire for mishandling and botching the presale of the latest Taylor Swift tour.

    About the new ticketing system, Blue Note marketing director Jennifer Harrington said “By partnering with YellowHeart, we are able to offer exclusive access to shows on our stage and a peak behind the scenes with the artists who perform here. Smart ticketing with blockchain technology has long been on our radar and now we have the ideal partner to bring this moment to life.” There will be a select number of smart tickets available for every show that have added benefits, such as VIP seating, and exclusive media airdropped directly via the tickets, which can include recorded performances to messages from artists in the business.

    The first ticketed performance will be STOUT: The Live Avenger Experience on March 6 at the club. To purchase tickets and to see other events happening at the venue, visit here.