Basilica Hudson is gearing up for a busy summer 2023 with six Jupiter Nights events taking place from June-August in the gallery building. Additionally, Basilica Hudson will host legendary NYC electronic music party The Bunker Hudson Valley on July 8th in both the main hall and gallery space.
Melissa Auf der Maur, a musician, and filmmaker Tony Stone founded Basilica Hudson in 2010. It is housed in a reclaimed, solar-powered 1880s industrial factory on the riverfront of Hudson, NY. The organization welcomes over 20,000 visitors each season. They enjoy genre-pushing music festivals, large-scale marketplace events, regular film screenings, an artist residency program, public installations, and other community gatherings. The majority of its programs are free or sliding scale.
Through its programs, Basilica Hudson supports the creation, production, and presentation of independent arts and culture. The organization strives to forge experiences that aspire to the scale, grit, and beauty of its surroundings. It draws inspiration from Hudson’s epic history, the region’s artistic legacy, and environmental advocacy for its mission and programming.
Jupiter Nights
Jupiter Nights is a twice-monthly series held every other Thursday. The series, celebrating regional musicians and community through adventurous live concerts, rotating art exhibits, and local food, returns June 15.
Series highlights include Water From Your Eyes, whose latest album Everyone’s Crushed (Matador) just received a Pitchfork “Best New Music” nod. Kalia Vandever, an exploratory trombonist currently on tour with Harry Styles as part of his backing band, will also be featured.
Eclectic, cross-genre programming spotlights next-generation regional talent while creating space for both locals and visitors to come together and build community on a weekly basis. Admission for events goes directly towards supporting the artists and Basilica Hudson’s mission to be a platform for innovative voices in arts and culture.
There will be six Jupiter Nights events in Summer 2023, presented with additional support from Basilica’s green energy partners at SunCommon. Each event unfolds in tandem with monthly visual art exhibitions, connected to the performers whenever possible.
The Bunker New York is set to bring a full-on dance party to Basilica Hudson with The Bunker Hudson Valley on July 8th.
In the spirit of collaboration between the Bunker and Basilica, the event will feature three back to back sets in the Main Hall. The event will feature rising starts such as AceMo x DJ SWISHA, Analog Soul, and Sister Zo x Scotia.
Those who need a break from the dance floor can head over to the gallery for the “Going In” room. The “Going In” room is a quiet space with meditative music, featuring a durational set from Nyhne incorporating live and DJ elements. Community Rave Network’s Luv Bruvs aka SVB and Villi Manilli will hold down the room for the rest of the night.
There will be full production onsite with a custom sound system by White Rabbit Audio, and lights and lasers by Nitemind. Local 111 will be on hand with delicious food. Additionally, the party will feature a stocked bar.
More Information
Tickets to The Bunker Hudson Valley are available here. For additional information on the Summer 2023 season, visit Basilica Hudson’s website.
Saranac Lake’s Music on the Green concert series is back for another year of summer programming. Located in the picturesque Adirondack Mountains, Saranac Lake has been hosting the concert series for a decade.
Music on the Green runs from July 5 through August 9 and takes place every Wednesday evening from 7pm to 9pm. All the concerts are held at Riverside Park and are free to the public. The series aims to shine a spotlight on Saranac Lake’s downtown and arts scene.
Since its inception in 2013, Music on the Green has brought 60 different music groups from various genres to the mountains. This year artists from all over New York and Vermont will make their way to Saranac Lake to share offerings of rock, jazz, soul, country, and more.
Summer Lineup:
July 5: Los Blancos- a roots and blues group from Syracuse
July 12: Fenimore Blues- a blues and rock outfit based out of Saratoga Springs
July 19: Freight- an Ithaca alt-country group
July 26: Mo’ Mojo- a zydeco band looking to channel the spirit of New Orleans
August 2: High & Mighty Brass Band- a groovy Brooklyn jazz brass ensemble with hints of hip-hop
August 9: Mal Maïz- Vermont musicians with a unique take Cumbia and other Latin sounds
The Park Theater Foundation has recently wrapped its 2022/23 season and is headed towards a music filled summer with their annual Summer Series Concerts Live at the Crandall Park Bandshell beginning on June 30th. Before the kick off, however, the foundation is adding an extra ‘Third Thursday Jazz’ performance into their schedule on June 15th for the Glens Falls area to enjoy.
The performance scheduled for the 15th is a special edition of The Park Theater Foundation’s ‘Third Thursday Jazz’ performances that run on the third Thursday of each month. This performance will feature The Matt Niedbalski Trio featuring Rob Lindquist on piano and bassist Jason Emmonds. Throughout the spring, Niedbalski and various other local Jazz musicians performed and taught students from the Glens Falls City School District about the history of jazz music and the importance of sound and lighting technology. Not only will this event present incredible jazz to the community but is free-of-charge to students from the Glens Falls City School District and their families as a part of the foundation’s Music & Technology Program.
Just two weeks following the final ‘Third Thursday Jazz’ performance of the season, the foundation’s Summer Series Concerts Live at the Crandall Park Bandshell will begin. The third annual series is free and open to the public as it welcomes music lovers from all around to enjoy talent new and old every Friday evening from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM lasting until July 28th. The concerts will feature the harmony power house The Ladles, gypsy swing ensemble Hot Club of Saratoga, the top tier regional musicians of Reese Fulmer & The Carriage House Band, the uniquely blended voice and enthralling vision of The Clements Brothers, and the songwriting powerhouse Girl Blue.
As The Park Theater Foundation has a knack for packing as much music into their events as possible, the summer series will also have an additional free performance on June 16th. The concert will be held at The Barn at French Mountain of Lake George from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM and will feature Dr. Funke’s 100% Natural Good Time Family Band. This will be a jam-packed musical event featuring members of Chestnut Grove, Let’s Be Leonard and Wild Adriatic, with additional special guests.
With the countless incredible shows highlighting impressive NY talent, The Park Theater Foundation stays true to their mission of enhancing the accessibility of the arts within the local Glens Falls and Lake George community.
The Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts (ALCA) announced its newly expanded 2023 Adirondack Lakes Theatre Festival (ALTF), formerly known as the Adirondack Lakes Summer Theatre Festival.
Located in the village of Blue Mountain Lake, ALTF is adding two productions to its former three-show lineup. The festival runs from June 16 to October 7, with performances and activities extending into fall and winter. ALTF’s 2023 season, “Back in Blue, Act III: The Magic Continues!” marks ALCA’s triumphant return to live events.
This year, the festival opens with perennial favorite Forever Wild at the arts center. Four touring productions follow, including the romantic comedy Southern Comforts by Kathleen Clark, the free outdoor Shakespeare in the Parks production of The Tempest, the feel-good musical You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, and a world premiere of the play The Cure by local playwright Fred Glover.
Forever Wild
Forever Wild is a hilarious song and skit show produced and performed by your Adirondack neighbors. The show returns to the arts center with performances on Friday and Saturday, June 16 and 17 at 7 p.m. Tickets will be $10 and available at the door. Directed by Karen Butters, the play will feature beloved classics and fresh material, guaranteed to bring laughter.
Southern Comforts
The play Southern Comforts by Kathleen Clark is set in a sprawling New Jersey Victorian. A taciturn Yankee widower and a vivacious grandmother from Tennessee find what they least expected – a second chance at love.
Directed by Beth Glover and starring Jordan Hornstein and Natalie Luxford, the production opens at the arts center on Friday, July 7 at 7 p.m.
Additional performances include:
Tannery Pond Center in North Creek on Saturday, July 8 at 7 p.m.
View Arts in Old Forge on Sunday, July 9 at 3 p.m.
Tupper Lake Middle/High School auditorium on Tuesday, July 11, at 7 p.m.
Tickets are $30, $25, and $10, and will be available on the arts center website.
The Tempest
The Tempest, a free, outdoor show at town parks, beaches, and campgrounds, is an abridged version of the Shakespeare classic by director Karen Lordi-Kirkham. Performances run from July 28-August 2. Venues include Arrowhead Park in Inlet, Overlook Pavilion in Newcomb, Sabattis Pavilion in Speculator, and Prospect Point Cottages in Blue Mountain Lake. Watch for more information on the art center’s website.
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown is a charming musical that explores life through the eyes of Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang. The show will include such songs as “Happiness,” “Suppertime,” and the title song. It will feature a cast of talented singing actors from New York City and across the North Country.
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown is based on the comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz. with book, music, and lyrics by Clark Gesner, additional dialogue by Michael Mayer, and additional music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa. These performances are presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Tams-Witmark LLC.
Directed by George and Elizabeth Cordes, the production opens at the arts center on Friday, August 4, at 7 p.m.
Additional performances include:
Tannery Pond Center in North Creek on Saturday, August 4 at 7 p.m.
View Arts in Old Forge on Sunday, August 6 at 3 p.m.
Tupper Lake Middle/High School auditorium on Tuesday, August 8. at 7 p.m.
Indian Lake Theater on Wednesday, August 9, at 7 p.m.
Tickets are $30, $25, and $10, and will be available on the arts center website.
The Cure
The Cure, a play written by Canton, NY, playwright Fred Glover, is inspired by actual people and events in Saranac Lake, NY, during the summer of 1936. A writer, Margaret, from New York City is seeking “the cure” for her case of tuberculosis at the famous Saranac Lake health resort. Her story intertwines with Dr. Edward Trudeau, a compassionate man dedicated to finding a cure during the late 1800s. The stories of Margaret and Dr. Trudeau combine to celebrate the importance of community in healing, and the many sides of the natural world while emphasizing the struggle to transcend a deadly pandemic.
The Cure will open at the arts center on Friday and Saturday, October 6 and 7, at 7 p.m. The show will tour to various schools and other venues through the fall and winter. Stay tuned for ticketing and other information on the art center’s website.
The Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts is located at 3446 State Route 28 in Blue Mountain Lake, NY. More information and tickets on Adirondack Lakes Center Theatre Festival will be available on the arts center’s website.
The American Symphony Orchestra has recently announced plans for its 62nd season which will feature four full-orchestra programs at Carnegie Hall and Manhattan’s Riverside Church among other concert events. The 2023-24 season will commence on September 7th with a free opening picnic concert from the symphony orchestra, titled American Expression, and will end on March 22nd of next year.
In 1962, Leopold Stokowski founded the American Symphony Orchestra as a way to provide music within the means of everyone. That mission has been enhanced and expanded since the year of 1992 which brought forth Music Director Leon Botstein, who introduced thematic concerts to the orchestra in order to explore music from the perspective of visual arts, literature, religion, and history, as well as revive scarcely performed works that audiences would otherwise never have had the opportunity to experience through a live orchestra.
Keeping to this theme, the 62nd season is to be littered with rich performances of select compositions from history’s choral catalogue. A few program highlights include a performance of George Frideric Handel’s Judas Maccabaeus which will be presented in Morningside Heights at the Riverside Church on December 14th. This will be followed by a rare performance of Dvořák’s Requiem in January at Carnegie Hall. On March 22nd, Schoenberg’s massive cantata, Gurre-Lieder, infrequently performed due to the unusually large number of musicians required, will bring the Orchestra’s season to an impressive close.
Botstein, who will conduct each of the four program’s performances, mentions his excitement for the ongoing mission as he enters the new season saying, “As we prepare for our 62nd season, I am energized by our ongoing ability to renew live orchestral music as a vital force in contemporary American culture. Now that we have emerged from the major restrictions of the pandemic, the ASO continues that mission in 2023-24 by presenting large choral works that highlight the power of the human voice.”
The American Symphony Orchestra will also be offering two free performances under America UNBOUND at Bryant Park as a part of its chamber concert series. These performances will be presenting percussionist and composer Javier Diaz’s new work Suns and Moons of a New World. In addition, the organization will also offer a digital premier of Ficciones, an immersive concert film experience featuring Roberto Sierra’s Concerto for Electric Violin and Orchestra performed by renowned soloist Tracy Silverman.
September 10, 3:00 PM – Kupferberg Center for the Arts, 6530 Kissena Blvd, Flushing, NY: American Symphony Orchestra; Leon Botstein, conductor; George Antheil: A Jazz Symphony; Ruth Crawford Seeger: Music for Small Orchestra; Aaron Copland: Music for the Theatre; Florence Price: Andante moderato (for string orchestra); John Alden Carpenter: Krazy Kat
In the years immediately following World War I, the American artistic scene experienced an extraordinary burst of creativity. Responding to the horror and brutality of the war, artists, writers, and composers rejected the ideals of the previous century, focusing instead on creating a means of expression that would reflect the realities this new age required. With jazz, many American composers found a source of distinctly American inspiration that was modern and exciting. Some of the works offered in this program reflect a fascination with the language of the Roaring Twenties and its rhythmic energy and catchy melodies. Other composers sought to push the boundaries of musical expression with ‘ultra-modern’ language such as jagged counterpoint or atonality. The experimental impulses of this generation are presented here with works by some of its key proponents.
Tickets: Free performances.For BryantPark on Sept. 7, no tickets or RSVP required, staff lends out free picnic blankets, provides bistro chairs, and offers a curated selection of food and drink to purchase from local vendors. For Sept. 10 at Kupferberg Center for the Arts, attendance is free with online RSVP at americansymphony.org (starting on August 10, 2023).
September 18 and September 25, 5:30 PM – UNBOUND: Free Chamber Concerts in Bryant Park – Bryant Park Upper Terrace: Toyin Spellman-Diaz, oboe, English horn, voice; Shari Hoffman, clarinet; John Sheppard, trumpet; Javier Diaz, percussion; Shiqi Zhong, percussion; Pauline Kim Harris, violin; Pete Donovan, double bass; Javier Diaz: Suns and Moons of a New World; I. Preludio de la Gran Sabana (Prelude of the Great Plains); II. Mis Muertos Cantan (All My Dead Sing); III. Concierto Barroco (Baroque Concerto); IV. Domingos Álvares, A Priest of Sakpatá in Eighteenth-Century Brazil; V. Sinfonía de Cámara (Chamber Symphony)
The ASO continues its series of free concerts in Bryant Park with America UNBOUND. The program underlines the importance of multicultural influences in the music of the Americas and presents the new chamber work Suns and Moons of a New World, by percussionist and composer Javier Diaz. Offering a compositional look at the American continent unbound through musical histories that emphasize the universality of sound, word, and song, the piece incorporates musical and cultural elements from across the Americas, including the use of a J.S. Bach chorale in Venezuelan merengue. It is performed by a chamber ensemble of ASO musicians and features GRAMMY-nominated Imani Winds’ oboist Toyin Spellman-Diaz. Commissioned by the ASO, the work received its world premiere at Bryant Park in May 2023.
Tickets: Free, no tickets required.Guests will find a limited number of first-come, first-served chairs set up near Bryant Park’s Upper Terrace to enjoy an after-work respite with live music.
December 14, 7:00 PM – Riverside Church Nave, 490 Riverside Drive, New York, NY – Judas Maccabaeus: American Symphony Orchestra; Leon Botstein, conductor; Members of Bard Festival Chorale and Riverside Choir; George Frideric Handel: Judas Maccabaeus, HWV 63
The ASO offers an alternative to Handel’s Messiah with another oratorio, Judas Maccabaeus. Set amidst the story of Hanukkah, the oratorio is a dramatization of the Jews’ resistance to their oppressors during the Maccabean Revolt. Handel’s depiction of a peoples’ triumph over tyranny is brought to life through exultant choruses, sung by members of Bard Festival Chorale and Riverside Choir and soloists. Soloists will be announced at a later date.
Tickets:Priced at $25–$35, and $15 for students and seniors, are available on September 1 at americansymphony.org.
January 25, 2024, 8:00 PM – Carnegie Hall, Isaac Stern Auditorium – Dvořák: Requiem – Conductor’s Notes Q&A, 7:00 PM: American Symphony Orchestra; Leon Botstein, conductor; Antonín Dvořák: Requiem, Op. 89
Antonin Dvořák’s Requiem (1890)is nowhere nearly as well-known or performed as the composer’s late symphonies, chamber pieces, or other choral works, such as his StabatMater. Dvořák’s Requiem is close to Fauré’s or Cherubini’s contributions to the genre in its often introspective mood, its gentle melodies and overall lyricism. The use of a four-note chromatic motif in almost all sections of the piece gives the work a feel of thematic unity. While rich in invention and expressivity, its melancholic examination of the mysteries of life and death make the Requiem more deserving of further exploration in the public sphere.
Tickets: Priced at $25–$65, tickets are available on September 1 at carnegiehall.org, by calling CarnegieCharge at 212.247.7800, or visiting the box office at 57th St. & 7th Ave.
March 22, 2024, 8:00 PM – Carnegie Hall, Isaac Stern Auditorium – Schoenberg’s Gurre-Lieder – Conductor’s Notes Q&A 7:00 PM: American Symphony Orchestra; Leon Botstein, conductor; Bard Festival Chorale; James Bagwell, choral director; Arnold Schoenberg: Gurre-Lieder
To mark the centennial of its 1913 world premiere in Vienna, and more than 90 years since its 1932 American premiere by American Symphony Orchestra founder Leopold Stokowski with the Philadelphia Orchestra, the ASO presents Arnold Schoenberg’s massive and rarely performed Gurre-Lieder. Wagnerian in conception, this cantata represents the ideal of late Romanticism, with its lush, colorful orchestration of more than 150 musicians, endless melodies, and a highly chromatic harmonic language. The work is seldom performed due the sheer number of artists involved and the logistical challenges it poses. The cantata springs from a sonnet in an 1868 novella titled A Cactus Blooms by the young Danish poet Jens Peter Jacobsen, who based his prose on a 14th-century Gurre legend about King Valdemar, his passion for the maiden Tove Lille, and their love tryst at Gurre Castle. Soloists will be announced at a later date.
Tickets: Priced at $25–$65, tickets are available on September 1 at carnegiehall.org, by calling CarnegieCharge at 212.247.7800, or visiting the box office at 57th St. & 7th Ave.
Oneonta’s Space Carnival will perform their first show in New York State in nearly 5 years, with a special performance on Thursday, July 6 at Lark Hall in Albany.
Space Carnival grew from the Mohawk Valley, playing music festivals and venues across New York State, before the band agreed to part ways, amicably. You may have even seen Chris Meier playing bass with Annie in the Water.
Blending high-energy disco funk and progressive rock, Space Carnival features Jeremy Kraus on Guitar, Cameron Fitch on Keys and Vocals, Chris Meier on Bass, with Josh West (Annie in the Water, Lucid) joining on drums.
Originating in Oneonta in Fall 2013, the group has honed their live sound while accumulating a solid following across the Northeast and as far as Colorado, with crowds drawn by shows full of fresh energy, working through a catalog of confident originals and rotating covers. The four piece returns in 2023, inviting fans to get down to their loose funk and slippery disco vibe.
Space Carnival
Opening the night will be Albany native, SM Ink.
From Jam Band to DJ, Albany native, SM Ink, has continued blazing his trail in the jam scene he has loved so dearly. Furthermore, SM has progressed into a must see artist at clubs and festivals.Taking his love for Bass lines and grooves, SM delivers high energy sets through a wide range of Funky, Minimal, Deep/tech house flavors, which are great for any time, day or night.
Doors open on July 6 at 7pm for an evening of celebration at Lark Hall in Albany, with SM Ink starting shortly after and Space Carnival at 8pm.. Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door.
The late Col. Bruce Hampton once referred to The Quebe Sisters as “un-bee-leivable” with a Texas swing sound, that he remarked was a bright light in music, where he saw “the music of today as horrifying.” With that simple recommendation in 2016, I discovered the sound of The Quebe Sisters, who will make their Caffe Lena return on June 22 in Saratoga Springs.
This trailblazing trio offer a modern day take on country and Western Swing, doing so steadfastly and free of frivolous fanfare. Siblings Grace, Sophia, and Hulda are hardly newcomers, but rather harnass sensibilities coalesced as seasoned performers. The Dallas-based trio have spent the last 17 years merging three-part harmony and triple fiddles to put a youthful, jubilant spin on Bob Wills’ classic genre.
The sisters’ four studio albums – 2003’s Texas Fiddlers, 2007’s Timeless, 2014’s Every Which-A-Way, and 2019’s The Quebe Sisters – serve as sonic proof that these ladies are fearless interpreters and innovators. There’s certainly no boxing the Quebe Sisters. Grace, Sophia, and Hulda Quebe see western swing as an ocean of possibilities.
Bob Wills was all about experimentation – melding just about every style he heard. He hired the best musicians playing regionally traditional instruments, as well as players interested in experimenting on what were the cutting-edge instruments of the day. This spirit formed what we today call western swing, and it needs to be an ingredient in current iterations of western swing to keep the style fresh and vibrant for the present and future. So, for us it’s authentic to the style to introduce our own originals.
Grace Quebe
For these trailblazing women, performing before enthusiastic crowds means the deep, connected roots of country and western swing will be in full display. The Quebe siblings grew up in Texas surrounded by fiddles, bows, microphones, stages, and western swing tunes. Texas is the very reason Grace, Sophia, and Hulda Quebe ended up playing triple fiddle, Grace says. But in true trailblazing fashion, Texas couldn’t contain such immense talent and dedication. The Quebe Sisters took their sound beyond the boundaries of the Lone Star state into North America, Europe, and even Russia.
I think our central ambition in playing music is to touch people’s hearts and souls—to make them feel beauty, to make them hear colors, to make them forget worries and have fun, to make them think about God. There is no time in history or culture that doesn’t need music in this way!
Hulda Quebe
Grace sees nothing odd about their progressive brand of western swing connecting with foreign audiences. “Nostalgia and curiosity play some role,” she says, “but particularly the syncopation and dance elements of the music we love and play make it timeless and universal. Everyone resonates with music that has a good feel. If it uplifts you and makes you want to dance, then we are doing our job right.”
The trio’s current tour, dubbed “Bye, For Now,” wraps up at the end of 2023. After that? Well, as Sophia says, it is, “much-needed R&R and time off the road. For now, we are taking an undetermined hiatus. This isn’t retirement for us, just a nice break.”
It is certainly a well-earned respite. The Dallas-based Quebe Sisters have steadfastly, completely free of frivolous fanfare, elevated the country and western swing genres for more than two decades. The Quebe Sisters stretched the boundaries of an old-timey style and made it newly relevant for fans of all generations.
There is still plenty of time to bask in those Quebe originals onstage. Grace, Sophia, and Hulda have dates in the books through October 2023. More dates will be announced soon. For a detailed list of concert performances, check out their website. Do these ladies wish fans would come out in droves to catch them onstage before they take a little downtime?
“Yes! We hope our fans will have a chance to come out and see us as we wrap up our touring through the end of 2023.”
Hulda Quebe
Modern, creative, and talented women that stretch the boundaries of country and western swing music become beacons. They light the path taking audiences on a trip to the past while keeping them firmly in the present and giving them a glimpse into the future.
Doors will open at 6:30pm for a 7pm show on Thursday, June 22. Tickets cost $5-$28 for this all ages shows. Tickets can be purchased here.
The Quebe Sisters “Bye, For Now” Tour
6/15: Murfreesboro, TN @ Hop Springs 6/17: Floyd, VA @ Floyd Country Store 6/20: New York, NY @ Rockwood Music Hall (Stage 2) 6/22: Saratoga Springs, NY @ Caffe Lena 6/23: Portsmouth, NH @ The Music Hall Lounge 6/24: Brownfield, ME @ Stone Mountain Arts Center 6/25: Shirley, MA @ Bull Run Restaurant 7/22: Denton, TX @ Dan’s Silverleaf 7/23: Dallas, TX @ Cafe Momentum 7/24: Tomball, TX @ Main Street Crossing 8/22: Berwyn, IL @ Fitzgerald’s 8/23: Milwaukee, WI @ The Back Room at Colectivo 8/24 & 8/25: Minneapolis, MN @ Minnesota State Fair 8/27: Berthoud, CO @ Newell Farm Concert 9/9: Decatur, GA @ Eddie’s Attic 9/10: Bristol, TN @ Bristol Rhythm & Roots 9/11: Nashville, TN @ City Winery 9/12: St. Louis, MO @ City Winery 10/21: Greenville, TN @ Greenville Municipal Auditorium 10/28: Mountain City, TN @ Heritage Hall Theatre
Hot 97 and WBLS-FM, for the first time, jointly announced Hip Hop Forever, a celebration of Hip Hop’s 50th anniversary featuring Wu-Tang Clan, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, and more, coming to Madison Square Garden on Sept. 15.
Hip Hop Forever is part of New York City’s ongoing celebration of Hip Hop’s 50th anniversary, falling just one month after the Hip Hop 50 celebration at Yankee Stadium, which includes Run-DMC, Lil Kim, Snoop Dogg, and more. The Hip Hop Forever event at MSG features one of the greatest hip-hop groups of all time, Wu-Tang Clan. Since their triple-platinum debut record Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) came out in 1993, the group has gone on to release eight albums and created legendary live shows, the band’s prolific careers as individuals and especially as the most storied group in hip-hop history.
Other can’t-miss acts to see include Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, actress, producer, and philanthropist, Mary J. Blige. With a track record of eight multi-platinum albums, nine Grammy Awards (plus a staggering 32 nominations), two Academy Award nominations, two Golden Globe nominations, a SAG nomination, and more, she has cemented herself as a powerhouse that can truly do it all. The best-selling female artist of all time with more than 200 million albums sold to date and 19 Billboard Hot 100 #1 singles, Mariah Carey, makes a special appearance. She is truly the template of modern pop performance, leaving a cultural and indelible imprint on the industry and the world at large.
One of the most prolific dancehall and reggae performers, Sean Paul, will perform a set at Hip Hop Forever, as well as Tyrese, Maxwell, and EPMD. Tickets will go on sale via a presale on Thursday, June 15 at 10 a.m. ahead of the general on-sale on Friday, June 16 at 10 a.m. To purchase, visit here.
This Father’s Day, the City of Albany and the Air Force Reserve will hold the free annual event Dad Fest in Washington Park. The event features a classic car show and live music from a variety of bands. Festivities begin at 10:00 a.m. and will conclude by 6:00 p.m., allowing for a full day of celebration.
This is the ninth year of the celebration, allowing families to relax and enjoy the early summer in Albany’s Washington Park. The event is open to all, not just Dads, with a bit of fun available for everyone.
From 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. will be the classic car show, which is being presented by Park Albany in partnership with Capital Car Shows & Air Force Reserve. 20% of the $15 registration fee will be going to the Henry Johnson Vet House of Albany. Spectating the event is free. 32 awards are available for those that participate.
From 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. are the Gentlemen of Soul LSM, a soul, rhythm, and blues tribute band.
From 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. is the band E.R.I.E., an indie rock quartet. The band was originally dreamt up on a hospital bed, with songwriter T.J. Foster writing and recording Don’t Wanna Live, Don’t Wanna Die as a reflection of his ordeals bringing him to the hospital and his past as a songwriter. Other members of the band include guitarist Matt Delgado, drummer Chad Flewwelling and bassist Levi Jennes.
From 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Mixed Roots, an AfroBeat and reggae band, will play. While they all now consider Albany home, Mixed Roots’ members come from a wide variety of backgrounds. The leader of the band, drummer and vocalist George, grew up in Accra, Ghana. He has shared his vocabulary of AfroBeat and reggae with the rest of the band, which includes: Irishman and bassist Brian; Irishman and guitarist Pete; Dave and Catherine playing trombone; and sax man Scott.
The final performance from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. is Yesterday – The Beatles Tribute. They are the longest running show at the Tropicana Hotel in Atlantic City, and were recently voted the #1 tribute act in Las Vegas by The Fremont St. Experience.
For more information, check out the Albany Office of Cultural Affairs website’s page for the event. More information for the car show can be found here. The rain date for Dad Fest is June 25.
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (LCPA) has announced the second annual Summer for the City, the ultimate New York festival.
Over three months, Lincoln Center turns its campus into a summer festival. It features hundreds of free events, thousands of artists and food from across the city, inviting New Yorkers of all kinds to come together and celebrate the city’s vibrant communities through the arts.
“We are blessed to be in the heart of the most diverse city in the world, and to have sixteen acres of outdoor space to celebrate the magic of this bustling global city,” Shanta Thake, Ehrenkranz Chief Artistic Officer of LCPA said. “This summer builds on a city reimagining itself—finding hope in community, and planting seeds for the future. Over three months, we welcome all New Yorkers to come dance, love, and celebrate together with long-standing traditions of social dance and classical music, and new traditions like our wedding for hundreds of couples, and a ‘second line’ processional to honor lives lost.”
Summer of the City Events
Summer for the City honors New York’s multifaceted communities with dynamic new works and reimagined classics. This includes a week-long celebration of Korean cultural traditions during Korean Arts Week, the New York City premiere of Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower, the return of the BAAND Together Dance Festival, globalFEST, Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra concerts. Furthermore, it will all culminate in a week-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop with performances by J. PERIOD, Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, a trap choir, and more. The summer also shines a light on accessibility and disability artistry, with Big Umbrella Day, the return of Deaf Broadway, and a series of events curated by disability artistry guest curator Kevin Gotkin.
This season builds on the successes of last year’s inaugural Summer for the City. The event brought all of Lincoln Center’s summer festivals under one collective banner, welcoming New Yorkers back together after so much time apart. The inaugural Summer for the City season served an audience of over 300,000 on campus. More than three quarters of these people had never before reserved a ticket to a Lincoln Center presentation.
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
In recent years, Lincoln Center has expanded its role as an artistic and civic cornerstone. It hosted dozens of blood drives, food distributions, graduations, and serving as a polling place, core to its broader commitment to the city and a statement of confidence in its enduring vitality.
“Nothing captures the spirit of New York better than our arts, and this summer, thanks to Lincoln Center, thousands of New Yorkers will have access to hundreds of free cultural events,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “Summer for the City will include performances by critically acclaimed music artists and curators and be a celebration of our city’s creativity, diversity, and, most importantly, our resilience. New York City isn’t coming back—New York City is back. And we can’t wait to see everyone enjoying the arts the city has to offer.”
A team of curators programmed the 2023 edition of Summer for the City. Additionally, it centers artists and art forms historically underrepresented on campus and welcome wider audiences and communities. Events throughout the summer are inclusively designed. They integrate access needs with a range of accommodations for all performances. This includes ASL interpretation, audio description, live captioning, haptic suits, and more.. The Lincoln Center’s social channel will livestream select performances.
