Category: News Desk

  • Billy Strings Fall Tour 2023 to Close in Syracuse

    Billy Strings has announced a Fall Tour that takes him from Colorado to points west, a home-state Halloween show, a second trip to Europe in as many years, followed by a run of East Coast shows to round out the tour in Syracuse.

    photo by Zach Culver

    Billy Strings and his band get things started with two nights in Buena Vista, CO, then head to Idaho, before heading to Portland, OR., Seattle, WA, Sacramento, CA., Stanford, CA., Stateline, NV., and West Valley City, UT, Heading back east, the band makes a stop in Independence, MO. followed by a Halloween show in his home-state of Michigan, in Grand Rapids, with a venue yet to be announced.

    Following a successful string of European dates, Strings will then head to Europe to perform in Amsterdam, Antwerp, Cologne, Luxembourg, Munich, and Paris before heading to England with shows planned in London, Manchester, Glasgow, and Birmingham.

    In December, Strings will make a trip up the East Coast, starting on December 6 in Greensboro, N.C., then head north to Baltimore, MD, Pittsburgh, PA, Wilkes-Barre, PA, and finally closing out the tour with a performance in Syracuse, NY at a venue yet to be named.

    Learn more about Billy Strings’ upcoming tour and where and when to get tickets here.

    April 29-30—Los Angeles, CA—Hollywood Bowl – Willie Nelson’s 90th Birthday (SOLD OUT)

    May 11—Morrison, CO—Red Rocks Amphitheatre (SOLD OUT)

    May 12—Morrison, CO—Red Rocks Amphitheatre (SOLD OUT)

    May 13—Denver, CO—Mission Ballroom (SOLD OUT)

    May 17—Phoenix, AZ—Arizona Financial Theatre (SOLD OUT)

    May 19—Los Angeles, CA—Greek Theatre (SOLD OUT)

    May 20—San Diego, CA—Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre (SOLD OUT)

    May 21—San Diego, CA—Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre

    May 24—Las Vegas, NV—Brooklyn Bowl (SOLD OUT)

    May 26—Napa, CA—BottleRock Napa Valley 

    June 2—Austin, TX—Moody Center

    June 3—Austin, TX—Moody Center

    June 7—Tulsa, OK—BOK Center

    June 9—St. Louis, MO—Chaifetz Arena

    June 10—Indianapolis, IN—TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park (SOLD OUT)

    June 11—Indianapolis, IN—TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park (SOLD OUT)

    June 13—Cleveland, OH—Jacobs Pavilion (SOLD OUT)

    June 14—Cleveland, OH—Jacobs Pavilion (SOLD OUT)

    June 16—Clarkston, MI—Pine Knob Music Theatre (SOLD OUT)

    June 17—Chicago, IL—Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island (SOLD OUT)

    July 13—Cary, NC—Koka Booth Amphitheatre

    July 14—Cary, NC—Koka Booth Amphitheatre (SOLD OUT)

    July 15—Cary, NC—Koka Booth Amphitheatre (SOLD OUT)

    July 19—Norfolk, VA—Chartway Arena

    July 21—Bridgeport, CT—Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater

    July 22—Essex Junction, VT—Midway Lawn at Champlain Valley Expo (SOLD OUT)

    July 23—Essex Junction, VT—Midway Lawn at Champlain Valley Expo (SOLD OUT)

    July 25—Boston, MA—Leader Bank Pavilion

    July 26—Boston, MA—Leader Bank Pavilion

    July 28—Portland, ME—Thompson’s Point (SOLD OUT)

    July 29—Portland, ME—Thompson’s Point (SOLD OUT)

    July 30—Newport, RI—Newport Folk Festival (SOLD OUT)

    August 7—Frankfurt, Germany—Batschkapp

    August 8—Berlin, Germany—Huxleys

    August 9—Hamburg, Germany—Grobe Freiheit 36

    August 11—Gothenburg, Vastra Gotaland County—Way Out West

    August 12—Oslo, Norway—Oya Festival

    August 24—Knoxville, TN—Knoxville Civic Coliseum (SOLD OUT)

    August 25—Huntsville, AL—Orion Amphitheater

    August 26—Huntsville, AL—Orion Amphitheater

    September 14—Louisville, KY—Bourbon & Beyond Festival

    September 22—Buena Vista, CO—venue announcing soon

    September 23—Buena Vista, CO—venue announcing soon

    September 27—Nampa, ID—Ford Idaho Center Arena

    September 29—Portland, OR—Moda Center

    September 30—Portland, OR—Moda Center

    October 1—Seattle, WA—WAMU Theater

    October 4—Sacramento, CA—Golden 1 Center

    October 6—Stanford, CA—Frost Amphitheater

    October 7—Stanford, CA—Frost Amphitheater

    October 8—Stateline, NV—Tahoe Event Center

    October 10—West Valley City, UT—Maverik Center

    October 13—Independence, MO—Cable Dahmer Arena

    October 14—Independence, MO—Cable Dahmer Arena

    October 31—Grand Rapids, MI—Van Andel Arena

    November 6—Amsterdam, NL—Paradiso

    November 7—Amsterdam, NL—Paradiso

    November 8—Antwerp, BE—De Roma

    November 10—Cologne, DE—Carlswerk Victoria

    November 11—Luxembourg—den Atelier

    November 12—Munich, DE—Neue Theaterfabrik

    November 14—Paris, FR—La Cigale

    November 15—London, UK—Roundhouse

    November 17—Manchester, UK—Manchester Academy

    November 18—Glasgow, UK—O2 Academy Glasgow

    November 19—Birmingham, UK—O2 Academy

    December 6—Greensboro, NC—Greensboro Coliseum

    December 8—Baltimore, MD—CFG Bank Arena

    December 9—Baltimore, MD—CFG Bank Arena

    December 12—Pittsburgh, PA—Petersen Events Center

    December 13—Pittsburgh, PA—Petersen Events Center

    December 15—Wilkes-Barre, PA—Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza

    December 16—Syracuse, NY— The Oncenter

    December 29—New Orleans, LA—Uno Lakefront Arena

    December 30—New Orleans, LA— Uno Lakefront Arena

    December 31—New Orleans, LA— Uno Lakefront Arena

  • CMAC Events Announces Roc The Lake Festival With Pop Trio AJR

    The Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center (CMAC) in Canandaigua has announced the 2023 Roc The Lake Festival with the renowned trio AJR as a headliner. On July 17, fans can jam to their favorite songs by AJR, and a lineup including Chelsea Cutler, Lawrence Blake Rose and Almost Monday.

    AJR, is a renowned pop trio of brothers that has garnered an abundance of success since their formation in 2012. Over the past decade AJR has accumulated billions of streams, released a platinum album, double-platinum single, triple-platinum single, and four platinum singles. The band has also been ranked #1 on the Top Alternative Albums and Rock Albums Charts following their biggest first-week debut at the Neotheater in 2019. Apple Music and Spotify showed appreciation for the trio’s electric sound by placing AJR’s “Sober Up” & “Weak” among the Best Rock and Alt Songs of the 2010s. Fans can rock out to songs from the brother’s fourth full-length album, OK ORCHESTRA at the Roc The Lake Festival. 

    Chelsea Cutler is a singer, songwriter, and the producer of introspective EDM.  After signing to Ultra Records in 2017, the vocalist released mixtapes such as Sleeping with Roses I and II and a full-length debut, How to Be Human. Lawrence Blake Rose is an upcoming Australian singer and songwriter based in Los Angeles.  The gifted musician recently released a new single “Rest Of Us.”

    The San Diego based trio, Almost Monday quickly transformed from garage band to an upbeat pop sensation.  While only having a few songs released, the boys gained a tremendous amount of fame and millions of streams since the release of their disco-infused track “Broken People” in 2020. 

    The Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center (CMAC) was founded by Marvin Sands. The arts center has been on a mission to unite communities through art and culture since 1983. 

    Tickets to the Roc The Lake Festival can be found here

  • 24 HOUR DRONE Festival Returns To Basilica Hudson For Memorial Day Weekend

    Experimental music festival 24 HOUR DRONE has announced their full artist lineup plus art installation details and food vendors for this years festival taking place at Basilica Hudson Saturday May 27 – Sunday May 28 from noon to noon as part of Drone Day.

    Featuring 24 hours of unbroken, immersive sound, 24-HOUR DRONE blurs the line between artist and attendee to create transcendence through communal experience. Presented by Basilica Hudson and Le Guess Who? In collaboration with Sarah Van Buren, the festival activates the entire Basilica Hudson campus through audio/visual art installations and food pop-ups, with music centered in Basilica Hudson’s 6,000 sq. ft. Main Hall.

    A total of 18 acts will perform, including six new artists announced today include Legendary experimentalist eucademix (Yuka C. Honda), Wolf Eyes performing in its latest incarnation as a duo, and renowned US-Based Balinese percussion orchestra Gamelan Dharma Swara returning to 24-HOUR DRONE for the first time in nearly a decade.

    Further additions include pioneering queer saxophonist Michael Foster & DC-based jazz luminary Luke Stewart performing as a duo, a solo set from “transcendental black metal” artist Liturgy (Haela Ravenna Hunt-Hendrix) featuring looped guitar counterpoint, vocals, and electronic percussion, and internationally celebrated sitarist Veena Chandra returns to DRONE with her son, accomplished Tabla percussionist Devesh Chandra.

    These artists join previously announced 24-HOUR DRONE acts including: 2022 Pulitzer Prize for Music winner Raven Chacon, C. Lavender, Fuji|||||||||||ta, and Photay with Celia Hollander and special guests Laraaji + Arji OceAnanda, each performing a special three-hour endurance set.

    Lisa Bernard Kelley, a close collaborator of the late great music and Deep Listening® pioneer Pauline Oliveros, will facilitate The Heart Chant (© Pauline Oliveros, 2001) sonic meditation to close out the festival.

    This will be the first 24-HOUR DRONE held in-person at the venue in four years. It will once again be streamed live on Wave Farm Radio broadcast live on WGXC 90.7-FM: Radio for Open Ears.

    For more information, a full lineup, and to purchase tickets, please visit the festivals website.

  • Natalie Merchant To Host Radio Woodstock “Saturday Night Takeover” April 15th

    Radio Woodstock has announced that legendary singer-songwriter Natalie Merchant will be taking over the airwaves for a special Saturday Night Takeover on April 15th, at 10 pm.

    Natalie Merchant

    Listeners can tune in from 10 pm to midnight to hear Jamestown, NY native Natalie Merchant curate her own playlist, sharing the songs and artists that have influenced her throughout her career. The night will be a unique opportunity for fans to get an intimate look at Natalie Merchant’s personal musical tastes and the stories behind some of her most beloved songs.

    Natalie Merchant is a multi-platinum-selling American singer-songwriter and producer known for her distinctive voice and captivating literary-pop songs. She has released several critically acclaimed albums, including Tigerlily and Ophelia, and has received numerous awards and nominations for her work. Her music blends folk, rock, and world music influences, and she continues to be regarded as a pioneering figure in alternative music. Her newest record, Keep Your Courage, finds Merchant in peak form with songs about love and human connection in its many forms and a voice to keep you hanging on every word.

    I moved to the Hudson Valley in 1988, but I started making records at Bearsville Studios and Dreamland around the same time.I have a long relationship as a listener but also over the years performed at a lot of benefit concerts. This is our hometown radio station. I love WDST. It’s really fun to be here and take over.

    Natalie Merchant

    Natalie Merchant’s career spans over four decades, from her early days with the band 10,000 Maniacs to her successful solo career. She has sold over 20 million records worldwide and is known for hits like “Carnival,” “Wonder,” and “Kind and Generous.” 

    Her newest record, Keep Your Courage, finds Merchant in peak form with songs about love and human connection in its many forms and a voice to keep you hanging on every word.

    “We’re honored to have Natalie Merchant take over Radio Woodstock’s airwaves,” said Radio Woodstock principal owner & President, Gary Chetkof. “Natalie is not only a beloved musician, but she is also an activist and a champion for independent artists. Her takeover is a perfect fit for our station.”

    Tune in for “Saturday Night Takeover” as Natalie Merchant takes over the airwaves on Saturday, April 15th, from 10 pm to Midnight on-air at 100.1, or listen online at RadioWoodstock.com or via the iHeartRADIO app. 

  • Adirondack Bluegrass Festival To Debut In Lake George in July

    Coming this July to the Lake George region, The Adirondack Bluegrass Festival has announced the launching of its inaugural event, held over July 1-2.

    adirondack bluegrass festival lake george festival

    This new annual event will be held at the Barn at French Mountain, just 2 miles south of the village of Lake George. The Adirondack Bluegrass Festival will encompass 10 acres of expansive countryside fields and the beautiful skyline of French Mountain.

    Live entertainment will be inside a 9,000 square foot finished barn and the grounds will be home to over a 100 vendors, food trucks and other activities, like our Cornhole Tournament, and Bounce Houses in the Kids Zone.

    There will be fun for all ages, and kids under 12 are free with a parent. The festival has many lodging options nearby with a campground, and hotels within walking distance, and even more options within a short drive. Onsite parking will be no charge.

    The Adirondack Bluegrass Festival’s mission is to help highlight the bands and musicians of the greater Adirondack area. This two day event will be centered around many local bands that play both traditional music, as well as modern contemporary bluegrass. The festival has brought together a great lineup of upstate’s finest bluegrass players including The Bands Cedar Ridge, the Hilltown Ramblers, Washington County Line, High Peaks Bluegrass Band, Adirondack Song Dogs, The Meat Chickens and the Soggy Derby Boys Band.

    Also, there will be many an impromptu jam to brighten your day as a picker or a spectator. The eclectic mix of vendors and activities will certainly provide a weekend of fun and enjoyment. Tickets start at $30 per day and are available now on the festivals website.

    For more information on the Adirondack Bluegrass Festival in Lake George, or to purchase tickets, please visit the festivals website.

  • Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra Announces 2023-24 Season, Featuring 4-Night Phelps Mansion Museum Series

    The Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra, led by Maestro Daniel Hege, will begin its 2023-24 season this September and conclude the following, and a special four-night Phelps Mansion Museum Series will be featured in the new season. The new Phelps Mansion Museum series will consist of four Sunday afternoon chamber music concerts sponsored by Garufi Law, P.C. This year’s Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra season will be sponsored by Visions Federal Credit Union and include both the M&T Bank Symphonic Series and the Pops Series.

    Binghamton Orchestra 2023-24 season

    Sept. 30 begins the M&T Symphonic Series with “Beethoven’s Fifth,” featuring Aaron Copland’s Variations on a Shaker Melody, Edward Elgar’s Cello Concerto with cello soloist Annie Jacobs-Perkins, and Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5. Towards the end of the season, on April 6, “Roman Holiday,” will explore Roberto Sierra’s Fandangos, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Capriccio Italien, and Ottorino Respighi’s monumental Pines of Rome. Kids 17 and under get in free to all Symphonic Series concerts. Kids 17 and under get in free to all Symphonic Series concerts thanks to M&T Bank.

    Binghamton Orchestra 2023-24 season Phelps Mansion Museum Series
    Annie Jacobs-Perkins, the opening performer for the M&T Bank Symphonic Series. Credit: Binghamton Philarmonic Orchestra.

    The Pops Series features programs to delight music fans of all ages and on Oct. 28, “Phantom of the Philharmonic,” is full of surprises. “Other Worlds: Superheroes, Fantasy, and Sci-Fi,” towards the end of the series on May 4 explores music across the genres, from Black Panther and Avatar to Game of Thrones, ET, among others. Thanks to Visions Federal Credit Union, kids 17 and under get in free to all Pops Series concerts.

    Phelps Mansion Museum Series
    Poster for Phantom of the Philharmonic, the opening show for the Pops Series. Credit: Binghamton Philarmonic Orchestra.

    General admission for the new Garufi Law, P.C. Phelps Mansion Museum Series begins Sunday, Oct. 15. with the Juilliard Honors Chamber Music Program’s Marian String Quartet. Internationally acclaimed soprano Robin Johannsen will be joined by Philharmonic pianist Tomoko Kanamaru on Dec. 3. The series continues into the new year, when the Castalia String Quartet, led by Philharmonic Concertmaster Uli Speth, performs on Feb. 11. The new series concludes on March 10 with violinist Melissa White and pianist Pallavi Mahidhara.

    Phelps Mansion Museum Series
    The Marion String Quartet, the opening group for the Phelps Mansion Museum Series. Credit: Binghamton Philarmonic Orchestra.

    The Binghamton Philharmonic, founded by cellist/conductor Fritz Wallenberg and his wife, violinist Marianne Wallenberg in 1955, is the Southern Tier’s largest and longest-serving symphony orchestra. It was originally founded as the Binghamton Symphony and Choral Society, with the goal of providing the Southern Tier of New York with live, full-scale orchestral works. The orchestra unionized following Fritz Wallenberg’s 1976 retirement, becoming fully professional, and after its merger with the BC Pops (an orchestra formed in 1974 by Russell Hawkes and violinist/conductor David Agard), in 1996, became the Binghamton Philharmonic. Since 2016, Maestro Daniel Hege has led the Binghamton Philharmonic (as Principal Guest Conductor for his first two seasons, and as Music Director since 2018). Serving 10,000+ people annually, the Binghamton Philharmonic connects professional musicians with audiences to stimulate the economy and expand music’s possibilities for a broad listenership both within and beyond the concert hall.

    The Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra is generously supported by the Frank and Lydia Bergen
    Foundation (Wells Fargo); the Community Foundation of South Central New York; the Conrad and
    Virginia Klee Foundation; the New York State Council on the Arts; Tioga Downs Regional Community
    Foundation; the Victor and Ester Rozen Foundation; and the United Cultural Fund of the Broome
    County Arts Council. The Philharmonic’s extensive Educational and Community Engagement
    programming is underwritten by IBM.

    For more information on the 2023-24 season of the Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra, including the new Phelps Mansion Museum series, visit www.binghamtonphilharmonic.org.

  • Flushing Town Hall Announces Mini-Global Mashup Concerts Where Brazil Meets China

    Flushing Town Hall has announced their monthly series of Mini-Global Mashup concerts fusing Brazilian and Chinese culture. On April 16, Brazilian artists Rogério Boccato and Vitor Gonçalves will perform alongside the Chinese guzheng artist Wei Sun. Fans can enjoy the series at Northern Boulevard at Linden Place in Queens

    The Mini-Global Mashup was curated by acclaimed klezmer trumpeter Frank London. The concert series will showcase various types of cultural music and unexpected collaborations that create new and spontaneous sounds.

    “Our mini–Global Mashups are unique every time – they bring together artists from different parts of the globe who have never played together before with an intimate experience for the audience.”

    -Ellen Kodadek, Flushing Town Hall Executive & Artistic Director

    Rogério Boccato has been featured on three Grammy-award-winning albums including Kurt Elling & Danilo Perez‘s “Secrets Are The Best Stories,” “The Thompson Fields,” with the Maria Schneider Orchestra, and Billy Childs’ “Rebirth.” He has also contributed to projects led by stellar jazz artists known as Maria Schneider, John Patitucci, Fred Hersch, Brian Blade, Kurt Elling, Danilo Perez, and Renee Rosnes. Boccato is a longtime member of the “Orquestra Jazz Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo”and has played with Antonio Carlos Jobim, Hermeto Pascoal, Milton Nascimento, Egberto Gismonti, João Bosco, Joe Zawinul, etc. Apart from his spectacular performances, Boccato teaches Brazilian Music and Ritmica at the Manhattan School of Music, NYU, and the University of Hartford.

    Vitor Gonçalves is a pianist, accordionist, and composer from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In 2012, Gonçalves moved to New York City following a prominent career in Brazil, playing with such icons as Hermeto Pascoal, Maria Bethânia, Itiberê Zwarg, etc. Since his arrival to the city, Gonçalves has added more success to his resume by performing at Lincoln Center, The Jazz Standard, the Jazz Gallery, the Newport Jazz Festival, NPR’s Jazz Night in America, and The New York Times. Gonçalves also frequently collaborated with members of New York’s jazz scene, such as Anat Cohen, Vinícius Cantuária, Anthony Wilson, Cyro Baptista, and Yotam Silberstein. 

    Wei Sun is a young guzheng artist who began her journey at the age of six in China. It was no surprise that Sun was quickly drawn to the music industry due to being born into a family of musicians. In China she was a certified senior teacher of guzheng and a member of the China National Instrumental Association and the International Guzheng Association.  In 2016, Sun moved to the United States as a guzheng performer and teacher at the CBA Cultural and Arts Center. Sun is now the principal performer of guzheng of the Chinese National Orchestra in New York. She’s also performed at the Lincoln Center, United Nations, Columbia University, Flushing Town Hall, Queens College Art Center, and more. Sun has also cultivated success by cofounding the trio bands, StringsW and Miss, holding a concert at Carnegie Hall in 2017, and performing on the Broadway musical show “Noble Family” in 2022. 

    Flushing Town Hall presents multi-disciplinary global arts that engage and educate the global communities of Queens, New York. As advocates of arts equity since 1979, they are on a mission to inspire an appreciation for art and culture by supporting local, immigrant, national, and international artists. Flushing Town Hall is also a member of New York City’s Cultural Institutions Group (CIG).  The Town Hall celebrates the history of Queens as the home of Jazz by showcasing the finest in jazz performances.

    For the more information about Flushing Town Hall’s 2023 Spring events, visit here.

  • Second Annual Shinefest is Scheduled for June 17 at Bullville Park

    Soulshine Market has announced that the second annual Shinefest will be held on June 17 at Bullville Park from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m, in Bullville, NY, nestled in the Catskill Mountains, 30 minutes west of Newburgh.

    The festival will feature activities for all ages including an inflatable house, craft tables, cornhole, live music, food, and vendors. Throughout the day, Shinefest will showcase a variety of local talent, as it did last year.

    bullville shinefest
    TEL The Poet, a local performer at last year’s Shinefest. Shinefest will continue to showcase local talent at this year’s festival. Photo Credit: Soulshine Market.

    Shinefest was first held last year at the start of summer at Bullville Park, the same time and location as this year’s festival, and welcomed a variety of musical guests including Kieran McGee, REL The Poet, and more. This year, the event will kick off with a performance by local musician Dewey, followed by performances by Kevin Thomas, Caswyn Moon & Faith Kelly, Prize Fighter, The Blue Hearts Band, Kieran Mcgee, Jacob Kantner, and The Bunker Boys. The main headliner will be announced later this month.

    All proceeds for this year’s Shinefest will go to Hudson Valley Honor Flight. For more information click here.

    logo2.jpg
    Soulshine Market is a food vendor for Shinefest. Photo credit: Soulshine Market.

    Shinefest is hosted with support from Soulshine Market, a food vendor for the festival. Soulshine Market is a family-owned local health food store located at the foot of the Shawangunk Mountains, providing the best in nourishing food, supplements, and gift items for healthy living. The market uses organic and local produce whenever possible, and is committed to using only the cleanest ingredients, including their own sauces and dressings, and several GMO-free, vegan, and gluten-free items are available on their menu.

    Tickets for this year’s Shinefest at Bullville Park are “pay as you go” and available now.

  • W.A.S.P. Announce New Summer Tour With Date At Hammerstein Ballroom

    Heavy Metal band W.A.S.P. has announced their newest tour, The 40th Never Stops World Tour 2023. This 33-city run kicks off in Wheatland, CA, on Saturday, August 5, and includes a stop at Hammerstein Ballroom in New York, NY, on Saturday, August 26.

    W.A.S.P. are known for their controversial lyrics, style and performances. Notorious for its raunchy and, at times, shocking live shows. W.A.S.P. were known to tie semi-naked models to a torture rack, and to also hurl raw meat into the audience.

    Despite their music being banned in multiple countries, W.A.S.P. persevered over the past 40 years, continuously recording and releasing music, touring with other metal legends like Iron Maiden and Metallica, and even making the occasional film cameo.

    The 2023 North American tour comes following the band’s first U.S. tour in 10 years wrapping up in 2022, ending with 18 sold-out shows. The tour was selected by Metal Edge as one of the 10 Best Hard Rock and Metal Tours of 2022 and one of the 22 Memorable Rock Tours of 2022 by Ultimate Classic Rock. BraveWords writers listed the tour as the Top Concert of 2022 and selected by the Detroit radio station WRIF as one of the Top Concerts of 2022.

    W.A.S.P. is currently playing off their massive European leg of the 2022 40th Anniversary World Tour, with upcoming shows taking place in Spain, Belgium, The Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Germany and more before wrapping on May 18 in Sofia, Bulgaria at Universidada Sports Hall. 

    For more information, and to purchase tickets please visit W.A.S.P.’s website.

    THE 40TH NEVER STOPS WORLD TOUR 2023 DATES:

    Fri Aug 04 – San Luis Obispo, CA – Fremont Theatre *

    Sat Aug 05 – Wheatland, CA – Hard Rock Live Sacramento

    Mon Aug 07 – Portland, OR – Roseland Theater

    Tue Aug 08 – Vancouver, BC – Vogue Theatre *

    Thu Aug 10 – Seattle, WA – Moore Theatre

    Fri Aug 11 – Spokane, WA – The Podium

    Sat Aug 12 – Garden City, ID – Revolution Concert House and Event Center

    Sun Aug 13 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Depot

    Tue Aug 15 – Omaha, NE – Steelhouse Omaha

    Wed Aug 16 – Minneapolis, MN – The Fillmore Minneapolis presented by Affinity Plus

    Thurs Aug 17 – Moline, IL – The Rust Belt *

    Fri Aug 18 – Eau Claire, WI – RCU Theater *

    Sat Aug 19 – Clive, IA – Horizon Events Center *

    Sun Aug 20 – Gary, IN – Hard Rock Live Northern Indiana

    Tue Aug 22 – Grand Rapids, MI – GLC Live @ 20 Monroe

    Wed Aug 23 – Indianapolis, IN – Egyptian Room @ Old National Centre

    Thu Aug 24 – Wheeling, WV – Capitol Theatre *

    Fri Aug 25 – Stroudsburg, PA – Sherman Theater *

    Sat Aug 26 – New York, NY – Hammerstein Ballroom

    Sun Aug 27 – Hampton, NH – Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom

    Tue Aug 29 – Wallingford, CT – The Dome At Oakdale Theatre

    Wed Aug 30 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore Philadelphia

    Thu Aug 31 – Warren, OH – Packard Music Hall *

    Fri Sep 01 – Toronto, ON           – Danforth Music Hall

    Sun Sep 03 – Montreal, QC – Mtelus

    Tue Sep 05 – Cincinnati, OH – The Andrew J Brady Music Center

    Thu Sep 07 – Memphis, TN – The Soundstage at Graceland

    Fri Sep 08 – Little Rock, AR – The Hall

    Sat Sep 09 – Dallas, TX – South Side Ballroom

    Sun Sep 10 – Oklahoma City, OK – The Criterion

    Wed Sep 13 – Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theatre *

    Fri Sep 14 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues

    Sat Sep 16 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium

  • Bryant Park Free Picnic Performances Return This Summer

    Bryant Park Corporation has announced the 2023 lineup for its free summer performing arts series, Bryant Park Picnic Performances, presented by Bank of America, happening from June 1 to Sept. 14.

    Bryant Park
    Photo credit Chris Lee.

    Located in Midtown Manhattan, Bryant Park’s Picnic Performances has grown into one of the foremost outdoor performing arts festivals in New York City. Over 75,000 people attended last summer, and nearly half a million watched the live streaming of the free performances. The 2023 season features world-class local artists as well as performers from as far away as Italy, Colombia, Turkey, Finland, and South Africa. More than 20 shows from the 2023 season will be live-streamed for free on Bryant Park’s social media channels and website, reaching national and international audiences. Attendees may bring their own food or purchase from on-site food and beverage vendors near the Lawn.

    “Bryant Park Picnic Performances is an uncommonly collaborative project that is meant to showcase the best of the arts in New York City,” says Dan Fishman, Vice President of Public Events at Bryant Park Corporation. “I cannot imagine a better way to celebrate New York than to provide a platform in partnership with the many cultural institutions – large and small – that make this city great.”

    This summer, the New York City Opera will host a number of shows in Bryant Park, kicking off the picnic performances on June 1 at 7 p.m. with a one-night-only, staged, and costumed production of Puccini’s La Bohème with orchestral accompaniment, conducted by Maestro Joseph Rescigno. Later on Aug. 18 at 7 p.m., there will be a live music-supported production of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville featuring members of the New York City Opera Orchestra. Tenor Alessandro Lora performs a special concert of Italian favorites on Aug. 19. Closing out the New York City Opera series is Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet on Sept. 8, starring Ekaterina Siurina and tenor Won Whi Choi.

    Bryant Park
    New York City Opera, 2018, photo credit Angelito Jusay.

    Different contemporary dance performances curated by Tiffany Rea-Fisher will take place in June, starting with Robin Dunn, Buddha Stretch, and Mr. Wiggles with additional artists TBA, marking 50 years of hip-hop dance on June 8. The next day brings Dance Heginbotham, a New York-based contemporary dance company founded in 2011 committed to supporting, producing, and sustaining the work of choreographer John Heginbotham, enriching national and international communities with its unique blend of inventive, thoughtful, and rigorous dance theater works. Two rising stars in contemporary dance, Terk Lewis and Kayla Farrish perform on June 15. Lewis began his formal ballet training at the age of 17 with Tony Calucci at The Dance Extension in Columbus, earning his BFA in Dance from Western Michigan University. He has choreographed his own commissioned works for The National Dance Theatre Company of Jamaica, The Joffrey Ballet School, Black Boys Dance Too (Presented by Bryant Park NYC), and Western Michigan University.

    Farrish is a Black American Director merging dance-theater, filmmaking, narrative, and sound score, receiving the Sundance Uprise Grant for Emerging BIPOC Directors, Bessie Awards for NYLA’s Motherboard Suite, the Harkness Promise Award for 2022, and more. The last contemporary dance performances feature two of New York’s extraordinary percussive dance artists, Soles of Duende and Josh Johnson on June 16. Soles of Duende is on a lifelong mission to elevate the joy and music of true collaboration across disciplines and the celebration of the forms they practice, based on the sounds of Tap (Amanda Castro), Flamenco (Arielle Rosales), and Kathak (Brinda Guha). Johnson is a Harlem native, who tap-danced on the trains of New York City to pay for college at Penn State University, going on to perform at many jazz clubs in the city, ABC World News with Diane Sawyer, and has made multiple appearances on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

    Kayla Farrish, photo by Sarah Annie Navarrete.

    The Emerging Music Festival presented by Bryant Park and curated by AdHoc returns this summer with some of the best up-and-coming artists today. Starting June 23, THUS LOVE, Psymon Spine, and Katy Kirby grace the stage. THUS LOVE was founded in 2018 by three trans-multi-instrumentalists in Brattleboro, Vermont, Echo Marshall (she/her), Lu Racine (he/they), and Nathaniel van Osdol (they/them). The mission statement of the group is to amplify the voices of those who struggle, tackling weighty themes with startling intimacy and vulnerability. Brooklyn-based dance group Psymon Spine is comprised of Noah Prebish, Peter Spears, Brother Michael Rudinski, and Sabine Holler, taking inspiration from Talking Heads and Os Mutantes along with the rush of the NYC dance scene, fuzing psych-pop and post-punk.

    Katy Kirby is an indie rock songwriter, with lyrics focusing on unspoken rules, misunderstandings of all kinds, and boredom, forming a band to work on recording a full-length record. The Emerging Music Festival’s final day on June 24 consists of Ky Vöss, Seramic, Miss Grit, Dead T00th, and More TBA. Vöss is an NYC-based American producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, utilizing stark contrasting lyrics, striking visuals, and synthesized melodies to walk the line between otherworldly and deeply human. Seramic (Marcus Foster) showcases a powerfully unique and varied range of influences, releasing two critically acclaimed EPs, combining his love for Prince, gospel, & soul singers of the 70s and 80s mixed with 90’s hip hop and RnB. New York-based musician Margaret Sohn created Miss Grit to function as an outlet for their own analysis and expression of self, releasing their debut record Follow The Cyborg earlier this year.

    Dead T00th is a Brooklyn-based indie rock band that has released several EPs, winning OWL Winter Madness (a 16-band, 5-week-long “battle of the bands” at Brooklyn’s legendary rooftop venue Our Wicked Lady). Other concerts include Shaina Taub and Friends on Aug. 11. Taub is an Obie Award-winning, Emmy Award-nominated songwriter and performer. She is an artist-in-residence at Joe’s Pub and at the Public Theater, where she wrote and starred in Suffs, garnering Drama League, Drama Desk, and Lortel Award nominations. She has three solo records released, created, and starred in critically acclaimed musical adaptations of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and As You Like It at Free Shakespeare in the Park, as part of their community-based program, Public Works, among many other accomplishments.

    Psymon Spine.

    On June 2, Jazzmobile brings trumpeter, Steve Oquendo, to lead a 19-musician Latin jazz orchestra. Other events include the Jalopy Theatre curating a three-part folk festival with bluegrass headliners Michael Daves Quartet Ft. Tony Trischka, Malian kora virtuoso Yacouba Sissoko, and lap steel guitarist Terrell King on June 30, the Classical Theatre of Harlem performing an abridged version of Langston in Harlem, five nights of music presented by Carnegie Hall Citywide, and more. For more information about the Bryant Park Picnic Performances, go here.

    Schedule of Events

    June 01 – New York City Opera: La Bohème – 7pm

    June 02 – Jazzmobile: Steve Oquendo Latin Jazz Orchestra- 7pm

    June 08 – Contemporary Dance: Robin Dunn and more TBA – 7pm

    June 09 – Contemporary Dance: Artists TBA- 7pm

    June 15 – Contemporary Dance: Terk Lewis + Kayla Farrish- 7pm

    June 16 – Contemporary Dance: Soles of Duende + Josh Johnson – 7pm

    June 23 – Emerging Music Festival: THUS LOVE, Psymon Spine, Katy Kirby – 7pm

    June 24 – Emerging Music Festival: Ky Vöss, Seramic, Miss Grit, Dead T00th – 5pm

    June 30 – Jalopy Theatre: Michael Daves Quartet ft. Tony Trischka, Yacouba Sissoko, Terrell King – 7pm

    July 07 – Carnegie Hall Citywide: Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra – 7pm

    July 14 – Carnegie Hall Citywide: Tessa Lark + Michael Thurber – 7pm

    July 21 – Carnegie Hall Citywide: Magos Herrera featuring The Knights – 7pm

    July 28 – Carnegie Hall Citywide: Champe-Soukous Collective – 7pm

    August 03 – Ailey Moves NYC: Ailey II – 7pm

    August 04 – Carnegie Hall Citywide: Ndlovu Youth Choir – 7pm

    August 18 – New York City Opera: The Barber of Seville – 7pm

    August 19 – New York City Opera: Alessandro Lora in Concert – 7pm

    August 25 – Accordions Around the World: Diana Burco, Suistamon Sähkö, Ragini Ensemble – 7pm

    August 26 – Roulette Intermedium: 75 Dollar Bill, Ka Baird, Additional Artist TBA – 7pm

    September 01 – Classical Theatre of Harlem: Langston in Harlem – 7pm

    September 07 – American Symphony Orchestra: American Expressions – 7pm

    September 08 – New York City Opera: Romeo and Juliet – 7pm

    September 09 – Drom: Gaye Su Akyol (U.S. Debut) – 7pm

    September 14 – Harlem Stage: 40th Anniversary Celebration – 7pm