Nas continues his prolific run with his 16th studio album, Magic 2. Since the release of Nasir in 2018 — his first under his Mass Appeal label — the legendary rapper has been on a resurgent run. That’s to say nothing of Nas’ status within hip hop. However, the last few years have seen the fabled rapper get the mainstream acknowledgment his career deserves, winning his first grammy-award in 2021 for King’s Disease.
Magic 2 is Nas’ 5th collaborative project with Hit-Boy in the last 3 years
Magic 2: Nas and Hit-Boy Continue to Create
In like manner, Magic 2 sees Nas’ continue his career victory lap. The 11-track album is another collaborative effort with now-frequent cohort Hit-Boy. This latest release is the duo’s fifth combined effort in the last 3 years, beginning with King’s Disease. Short and succinct, the album’s only two features — 50 Cent and 21 Savage — showcase Nas’ range in the current hip hop landscape.
Notably, burying the hatchet with a former rival and fellow Queens native in 50 Cent on “Office Hours.” The two rap legends last worked together in 2002, with Nas featuring on two songs on 50 Cent’s mixtape Guess Who’s Back? In like manner, Nas exchanges bars with one of contemporary rap’s hottest stars in 21 Savage on the album outro “One Mic, One Gun.” In effect demonstrating the versatility in cadences and flows during this latest Hit-Boy run.
All in all, the grammy-winning producer has been instrumental in Nas fortifying his legacy. Despite his icon status and classic albums, the Queensbridge native has maintained a reputation for not picking the best beats. Together with Hit-Boy Nas has gone a long way towards shedding the skin of being another older rapper. With a healthy mix of contemporary sounds and boom bap records Magic 2 sees Nas and Hit-Boy continue to create more well… Magic.
Benny The Butcher‘s Black Soprano Family imprint continues to flood the streets. This time, Buffalo native Rick Hyde takes aim with his latest single “Streets Ain’t The Same” in anticipation of his new album, LUPARA. Featuring Benny The Butcher and El Camino on the chorus, the record sees Rick & Benny go-back-and forth while recounting their rise and grind as hustlers. “‘Streets Ain’t The Same’ is self-explanatory in a sense,” explains Rick Hyde. “After the trials and tribulations and losses, it’s just difficult for things to return to normalcy. That’s where we were at on this record,” he continues. “I asked Benny to go back and forth with me and he agreed. We just started speaking our perspectives, no pens, or paper, just pure lyricism. That’s the joy of this record. Long live DJ Shay!”
Slated for an August 4 release, LUPARA will be Rick Hyde’s second BSF project. His 2021 debut, Plates 2, featured a mix of contemporary stars and underground legends the likes of Benny The Butcher, Westside Gunn, A$AP Ferg, G Herbo, Meyhem Lauren and Skyzoo with production from The Alchemist, Harry Fraud, Daringer and the late DJ Shay. Quickly following that up with 2022’s STIMA, Rick Hyde now prepares for the release of his third project in as many years.
Meanwhile, LUPARA will continue the run of a Black Soprano Family release every month of 2023. All in all, Benny and the BSF team continue to make their names heard. In like manner Head Honcho and Griselda mainstay Benny The Butcher continues to take helm of his own label imprint. Much like the blueprint set by Griselda, Benny’s artists are all of a similar street ilk, making for seamless transition into the BSF fold sonically, with Benny featuring in many of his artists songs and projects.
The critically acclaimed Dutch rock band Iguana Death Cult shared their highly anticipated LP Echo Palaceearlier this year. Introduced with four stellar singles, “I Just Want A House,” “Oh No,” “Pushermen,” and “Sensory Overload,” the record received praise from outlets such as DIY, Under the Radar, American Songwriter, Paste, and more.
To celebrate their new album, the band has recently announced a string of North American tour dates, with a handful of East Coast shows with Frankie and the Witch Fingers. The tour will make stops in New York State cities including New York City and Rochester.
This new tour follows Iguana Death Cult’s last 2023 US appearance at this year’s SXSW (Austin, TX), where they played a total of nine showcases. Following the festival, Paste Magazine noted that the band was one of the “20 Best Acts” they saw at the festival.
“I knew I had to see Iguana Death Cult as soon as I heard the band’s name. And they didn’t disappoint. From the word ‘go,’ the whole crowd was dancing and pushing to their garage and psych-rock extravaganza.”
The aftermath of the pandemic can best be described as a time of unease, the people of the world suddenly grew wary and suspicious of one another. During this time, Iguana Death Cult, one of Europe’s most exciting rock exports, became more than just a band to its members – it became therapy.
“I think for the first ten times we went to jam,” says guitarist/vocalist Tobias Opschoor, speaking about the process of making the new album Echo Palace, “we just drank wine and I talked about it, and just kept on talking for hours – and then were like, ‘OK, I have to go because I have to go to work tomorrow.”
Taking place at frontman Jeroen Reek’s apartment in the Dutch city of Rotterdam, these gatherings slowly shifted from talking about this surreal chapter of their lives — the days of quiet streets and cramped buildings — to making music about it. “I was living in a really crappy, leaky, ready-for-demolition apartment,” explains Reek, “with just one heat source—like a really old-school, gas stove kind of thing.” Working on cold nights, they had to gather around that heater together— a cozy approach that ultimately got their creative flow going, fast.
Armed with the talents of Justin Boer on bass and Arjen van Opstal on drums, and tapping the keys work Jimmy de Kok for the first time on album, the band took their trademark melodic garage-rock style and expanded it out to make it vibier and looser, with each member contributing ideas to develop the sound palette in full. “We all get into this sort of blender and then everybody gives a little bit of a flavor to it,” says Opschoor.
The sounds they started to make tapped into the band’s acerbic bite established on their first two LPs, 2017’s The First Stirrings of Hideous Insect Life and 2019’s Nude Casino — albums that sometimes felt like Parquet Courts colliding with Super Furry Animals.
Their explosive performances of these records turned them into a cult live act among psych fans, who have followed the band everywhere from Amsterdam to Austin. But working on this new album, huddled together as the world split apart, everything began to flutter like Remain in Light.
Echo Palace
Echo Palace may be the Iguana Death Cult music that’s most overtly about the strange cause and effect of groupthink, but the theme has been lurking there since the very beginning, when the band was first formed by childhood friends Reek and Opschoor over ten years ago.
The name of Iguana Death Cult is a partial nod to Reek’s fascination with cults in general — and the “Iguana” part is a nod to Iggy Pop, whose first band was the Iguanas. Watching the pandemic paranoia and conspiracy theories steeping across their country, Reek wrote lyrics reflecting the scene in front of him: “Purple, veiny soccer mommies,” he sings in a deep, foreboding voice on the song “Echo Palace,” “Sharpening their guillotines.” It’s a cut so infectious that it betrays the density of its lyrics, which were adapted from a poem Reek wrote about the repercussions of “shutting yourself off from everyone outside of your own ideology.”
When it came time to record the full set, the band headed to PAF Studio in Rotterdam, and then had the self-produced album subsequently mixed by Joo-Joo Ashworth at Studio 22 in Los Angeles and mastered by Dave Cooley. As the instruments swirl and trade solos on “I Just a Want House,” a funky millennial nihilist anthem, you can practically hear the growth of a group that’s been pushing itself further and further with every tour and every Belgian-stove fueled jam session.
The album is a big swing, stretching Iguana Death Cult beyond its garage rock origins and taking them to a new realm. It’s the type of project that warranted having legendary Dutch saxophonist Benjamin Herman stop by to add to the squall on tracks like “Oh No” and “Sensory Overload,” heady thrashers that morph into calculated freakouts; that warranted Reek and Opschoor knowing when screaming their guts out on tracks like “Pushermen,” and Boer and van Opstal knowing when to bring the rhythm section to a jazzy simmer on tracks like “Paper Straws.”
The end result of Echo Palace is an appropriately worldly album from a group breaking past the confines of its home country. That’s not to say that Iguana Death Cult aren’t proudly Dutch; the group takes from the trademark hard work ethic of their Rotterdam base and applies it to their approach with music. But it’s 2022, and we’re less defined by our borders than ever before. “When we play in other countries, for me that gives the same amount of pleasure — or even more — than when we play in the Netherlands,” says Opschoor.
Tour Dates
*With Frankie and the Witch Fingers. Tickets to each city are included in the links below.
Rock The Bells, AfroFuture, AfroVerse and Sixthman festivals have announced the first-ever AfroCruise which will sail from Miami, Florida to Nassau, Bahamas. The cruise will depart on March 29, 2024 and will arrive on April 1. The multi-day event will feature performances from some of the biggest African artists and will also showcase African and diasporic culture through food and fashion.
Linking together travel, live music, and a cultural celebration, the AfroCruise is one of the first events of its kind. Hosted on the Norwegian Pearl, the celebration still possesses all of the amenities and elements normal to an extravagant cruise ship. Attendees will have access to the boat’s fully stocked bars, dining options, pools, casino, spa, fitness center, and more.
Amongst the hustle and bustle of a standard cruise, the event also boasts an impressive roster of performing artists. Headlined by Nigeria’s Adekunle Gold and Ayra Starr, AfroCruise gives guests the opportunity to experience some of the best music from all over the world. The aim is to fully immerse attendees into the sounds and sensibilities of Afrobeats and Amapiano music.
Ayra Starr
AfroCruise will also feature multiple different cultural events and workshops. In addition to traditional cruise ship tournaments and activities, there will also be an event focused on the African rice dish Jollof, a West African BBQ, and several different themed parties.
Rock The Bells was founded in 2018 by acclaimed rapper LL Cool J and Geoff Yang. The organization creates content and experiences within hip-hop culture. Together, with their partners Afrofuture, AfroVerse and Sixthman festivals, the collective looks to create an event that celebrates and encapsulates contemporary African and Disaporic culture. Click here for reservations and more details
From never ending winters to erratic springtime temperatures, New York weather can be brutal. For communities across the Empire State, summer is a time to work outside, enjoy wildlife, and of course catch some live music. Residing in the southeastern corner of NY, the picturesque Catskill Mountains provide the perfect setting for local performances and shows.
Catskill Mountains – Taste of Country Music Festival
Warm weather means it’s time for residents in the region to trade in snowboards and skis for folding chairs and picnic blankets. Teeming with countless unique small towns and villages, there’s plenty of live performances to catch in the area. Below, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best Catskill summer concert series and performances to see this year.
Greenville Summer Concert Series
The Greenville Summer Concert Series is a free, family-friendly concert series that happens Tuesdays from 6–7:30 PM at Veterans Park in Greenville, New York. The concerts are held at the intersection of Routes 32 and 81. Attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair, pack a picnic, or buy dinner from Church Street Caterers. The kickoff event features the Michael Benedict Quartet and ice cream from Stewart’s Shops of Greenville. Other acts include Lustre Kings, Moonshine Mule, Dusk Til Dawn, and more. The series is sponsored by the Greenville Rotary, among others.
Voted “Best Place for Live Music” in the Best of Greene County Awards, enjoy Music in the Park every Thursday from 7-9 p.m. at Dutchman’s Landing Park on Main Street in Catskill. Concerts are free to the public. Bring your lawn chairs and enjoy great live music on the shores of the beautiful Hudson River. If rainy, concerts are moved to the Historic Catskill Point at 1 Main Street. Presented by the Heart of Catskill Association. Photo credit: Keith Collesides.
Here for more details and information | 518-943-0989
June 22 — Guilty Pleasure—pop rock
June 29 — Lustre Kings—rock and roll
July 6 — Back to the Garden—Woodstock tribute
July 13—Lex Grey and The Urban Pioneers—award-winning blues band
July 28—Lex Grey and The Urban Pioneers—blues/rock
Aug. 3—The Lost Cowboys—classic country
Aug.10—Soul Purpose—Motown soul
Aug. 17—In The Dust—country & Western
Aug. 24—Second Chance—local rock heroes
Aug. 31—Dead Beats—Grateful Dead tribute band
Sept. 7—Alexis P Suter—award-winning blues singer
WINDHAM MOUNTAIN RESORT, WINDHAM
Windham Mountain Facebook
Music on the Mountain Series
Music on the Mountain takes place Fridays from 6-8:30 p.m. at Windham Mountain. This free concert series features local artists, cover bands and some of New York City’s favorite performers. Additionally, there are raffles, a BBQ and scenic sky rides during the early portion of the event. No tickets or reservations needed. Outside food, beverages and pets are not allowed. Windham Mountain is located at 19 Resort Drive, Windham, NY.
Here for more details and information | 518-734-4300
July 7—10 Most Wanted —soul/funk/R&B/rock
July 14—Soul Purpose—soul/funk/R&B
July 21—Guilty Pleasure—pop rock
July 28—The Four 26—rock
Aug. 4—Serene Green—bluegrass
Aug. 11—Rollin’Rust—indie/folk
Aug. 18—Dial Up!—1990s songs
Aug. 25—Die Schlauberger—renditions of German favorites
Sept. 1—The Outcrops—blues-infused rock n’ roll
RIVERSIDE PARK, COXSACKIE
Coxsackie Music in the Park Series
Every Sunday from 6-8pm. Concerts are free to the public. Pack a chair or blanket and enjoy riverside entertainment at the spacious Coxsackie Riverside Park, Betke Boulevard, Coxsackie.
Here for more details and information | 518-731-2718
June 25—Lex Grey & the Urban Pioneers—fusion of old-school blues & classic rock
July 2—Donna Tritico Band—mix of blues, R&B and rock
July 9—Nite Train—award-winning rockin’ blues, funk & R&B
July 16—Samantha Jane Band—jazz standards quartet
July 23—Hammerhead Horns—old-timey blues, ragtime and honkytonk
July 30—Playing with Fire—classic rock & roots
Aug. 6—Night Moves—classic rock; country; 50’s thru 90’s
Aug. 13—Silver Chain Band—playing BB King, Muddy Waters & other greats
Aug. 20—Nite Train—award-winning rockin’ blues, funk & R&B
Aug. 27—Lustre Kings with Mark Gamsjager—rockabilly; real roots rock & roll
RIVERFRONT PARK, ATHENS
Athens Performing Arts Corporation 2023 Summer Concert Series
Athens Summer Concert Series takes place every Friday night from 7-9 p.m. at Riverfront Park, 1 Water Street, Athens. Spend a night under the stars and enjoy this free concert series on the banks of the Hudson River.
Here for more details and information | 518-522-9470
July 14—Les Dudek—rock music legend
July 21—Dark Desert Eagles—world premier Eagles tribute
July 28—Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentlemen—Grammy-winning New Orleans funk
Aug. 4—Double Vision-The Foreigner Experience—rock cover band
Aug.11—Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds—soul, rock, dirty funk
Aug. 18—Conehead Buddha—rock, ska, funk, Latin, reggae, jam, hop
The Waterfall Unity Festival presented by The Waterfall Unity Alliance has announced its lineup, taking place at a traditional Haudenosaunee teaching longhouse in West Fulton from July 28-30.
The Waterfall Unity Alliance is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering cultural understanding, promoting unity, and preserving the cultural heritage of the Haudenosaunee people. Through various initiatives, including the Waterfall Unity Festival and the acquisition of Iotsi’tsisons (Skywoman’s) Forever Farm, the Alliance strives to build alliances across movements and cultures and help create collaborative solutions to the challenges of our time. The Kanien’kehá:ka, known as the Mohawks, are celebrating the rematriation of their ancestral homelands in the Schoharie Valley with the 2023 Waterfall Unity Festival.
We are excited to extend an invitation to individuals from all walks of life to join us at this year’s festival where we will celebrate and honor our return to our homelands. The success of our inaugural festival last summer helped us raise the necessary funds to purchase Bohringer’s Fruit Farm. It has been renamed as Iotsi’tsisons (Skywoman’s) Forever Farm – a 60-acre berry farm in the heart of Skóhare, the ancestral lands of our people where my own great-great grandmothers came from. This isn’t just a berry farm to us. These lands hold a significant part in our journey to self-discovery. We are so grateful for this opportunity to return here while creating the space needed for our people to heal and grow.
Kawenniiosta Jock, Co-Executive Director of the Waterfall Unity Alliance.
During the day festival attendees can participate in a variety of workshops, teachings, traditional social dance, vendors, food, and crafts – all aimed at fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation for the Kanien’kehá:ka culture. All proceeds will go directly towards building a Kanien’kehá:ka language and culture immersion program. “As we continue to walk the path of healing and sovereignty, returning to our language is crucial. Our immersion programs will ensure that our language and life-ways will be carried forward to future generations,” says Kawenniiosta.
Performers at the Waterfall Unity Festival include Theresa Bear Fox, Peter Yarrow (Peter Paul & Mary), Keith Secola, Bethany Yarrow, Kyp Malone (TV On the Radio), Semiah Smith, Kahsenniyo Williams, Mercedes Terrance, Onondaga Women’s Singing Society, Kanerahtiio Roger Jock, Maria Esther Pallares, Tsering Lodoe, Sean Rowe, Whise, Stephanie Rooker & Ben Tyree, Rebecca Martin & Larry Grenadier, and more.
Peter and Bethany Yarrow.
There is a suggested donation of $40 per day. Overnight camping during the festival is available for an additional donation of $50 per night. For more information, tickets, and registration, please visit here.
The dynamic and high-energy band that is the Kitchen Dwellers will be heading out on tour for fall 2023. Their 20 date trek is set to kick off on October 11th in Burlington, Vermont with a special stop at the New York Cohoes Music Hall on October 12th, joined by the progressive folk band, Fireside Collective.
Throughout the fall tour, audiences will get the chance to experience the quartet – Shawn Swain [Mandolin], Torrin Daniels [banjo], Joe Funk [upright bass], and Max Davies [acoustic guitar]—twist bluegrass, folk, and rock through a kaleidoscope of homegrown stories, rich mythology, American west wanderlust, and psychedelic hues.
During select performances, the Kitchen Dwellers will be accompanied by the Fireside Collective, the American jam band Leftover Salmon, along with appearances by the Mountain Grass Unit, Arkansauce, and Chris Jacobs.
The tour will wrap with three November nights in Denver which will include a special VIP-only show at Cervantes’ Otherside followed by performances at the Ogden Theater. Tickets will be available on Friday, July 21 at 10:00 AM!
Philip Selway, Radiohead’s drummer, has announced an upcoming one-night only show. In celebration of his most recent album Strange Dance, Selway will be performing at Le Poisson Rouge in New York City on September 25.
Although perhaps best known as the drummer of iconic rock band Radiohead, Philip Selway is also a successful solo musician. Strange Dance is Selway’s third and latest studio album. His performance at Le Poisson Rogue will be his first time playing at the venue in eight years.
Founded by musicians in 2008, Le Poisson Rouge is located in the heart of Greenwich Village. The venue’s website names it an “underground live music sanctuary.” Audiences can expect to hear a wide variety of music when visiting, from indie rock to contemporary classic and everything in-between. Additionally, the venue includes a Gallery Bar that hosts art exhibitions, stand-up comedy, and drag queen bingo. Previous performances at Le Poisson Rogue include Charli XCX, Christina Aguilera, Florence & The Machine, and more.
Selway revealed the show in an Instagram post. Beginning the caption with his classic opening “Hiya,” Selway wrote that he was “delighted to announce” that he will be bringing his album to Le Poisson Rouge “for one night only.”
Doors open at 7:00 pm and the show begins at 8:00 pm. Tickets are available for purchase here.
Brew York has announced it will return to Madison Barracks Polo Fields in Sackets Harbor on Aug. 26 featuring a wide variety of bands and activities.
Brew York is an all ages event (kids 12 and under free) and features live music on two stages, as well as Beer, wine, & whiskey vendors, free tastings, food trucks, cornhole tournament, kids zone, and select craft/artisan vendors. Now in its seventh year, Brew York continues to showcase local, regional, and national acts.
Headlining this year’s festival is The Cold Stares, an American rock band from Indiana formed in 2009. The Cold Stares have toured the world relentlessly as a duo, blowing away audiences across the US and Europe with a fierce, and powerful live show that belied their bare-bones, guitar-and-drums setup. Now, the band is embracing a whole new kind of chemistry as they launch their next chapter, adding a third member and channeling the power trio sound with their explosive new album, Voices.
Also, headlining is The Georgia Thunderbolts, a Southern rock-infused group with a style steeped in soulful Southern swagger, blistering blues, and raw rock. Released in October of 2021, the quintet’s full-length debut Can We Get A Witness conjures a tried-and-true spirit through a fresh fire, with undeniable anthems and pulse-pounding percussion.
The Brew York lineup also includes Mike Powell & The Echosound, The Old Main, Josh Cox & The Rattlesnakes, Undefeated, The Grizzly Ridge Band, Bread & Circuses, Joey Collins & The Creatives, and a Dusk Dance Party with “The Strictly Hip.”
Proceeds and event donations will be split this year between sponsors and Fighting Children’s Cancer, with their newly established ROCC Charity. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit here.
Held annually in the parks of Round Lake, just north of Albany, the Markets at Round Lake announced the music lineup and information for the 2023 extravaganza, held on the second weekend of August.
Taking place Saturday, August 12 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and Sunday, August 13 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, the free event highlights local music, food options, and shops that shine in the community.
Including 12 different food trucks, over 40 local vendors, and 5 performers, Markets at Round Lake ensures to have something for everyone in attendance.
Saturday’s music lineup will roll through the entire day including four artists, while Sunday will feature an all-day set by DJ Selector David Suede.
In addition to the shops and live entertainment, a book market will be held at the Round Lake Auditorium, an annual sale featuring more than 15,000 used and rare books available in hardcover and paperback.
Rain or shine, the event will go on as planned. Free and paid parking options are also available for those who attend.
Admission is free. The music lineup and event/parking map are below.
