In the culmination to their countdown of hip hop’s best ever rappers, — as part of a collaborative effort to celebrate Hip Hop’s 50th anniversary — Billboard and Vibe have named Jay-Z the number 1 rapper in the history of hip hop. The rollout began with a January 11 reveal of the rappers ranked 50-41. Each week since, the two publications have revealed 10 more rappers, with the top 10 released on Wednesday.
This latest designation caps off an eventful week for Hov who was not only nominated for 5 Grammys, but also returned to the music award show’s stage as performer after an 8-year absence. The 24-time Grammmy winner performed alongside hip hop heavyweights DJ Khaled, Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, John Legend, and relative newcomer Fridayy on their thrice nominated hit-record “God Did” at the 65th annual Grammy Awards. The Brooklynite also extended his lead as the rapper to receive the most-ever Grammy nominations with 88.
Impact of Rankings
While Jay-Z’s coronation caused plenty of social media stir, the rest of the top 10 created many talking points itself. Filling out spots 2-10 are Kendrick Lamar, Nas, 2Pac, Eminem, The Notorious B.I.G., Lil Wayne, Drake, Snoop Dogg and Nicki Minaj. Notably, Kendrick Lamar–fresh off his 2023 Grammy win for Best Rap Album — was a point of contention. The Compton bred rapper leapfrogged the likes of 2Pac, Notorious B.I.G. and Eminem. The formers have long held a spot on hip hop’s Mount Rushmore, while the latter is the highest selling rapper of all-time. Similarly, Nas’ ranking is a well-deserved honor for someone who hasn’t always gotten his due. Although, he’ll have to settle for third behind his once-rival, Jay-Z.
Meanwhile, Queens native Nicki Minaj was the highest-charting woman on the list. Others cracking the top 50 include, Missy Elliot (19), Lauryn Hill (30), Lil Kim (31), Queen Latifah (44) and MC Lyte (47).
Sometimes you need to head west in the winter to find some heat, and at 1st Bank Center on Saturday, February 4, that’s just what was found. Amid bitter cold back east, I flew out to Denver for a short weekend and experienced my first Billy Strings show.
This is not to say I’ve never seen Billy Strings perform – I first saw him at WinterWonderGrass in Stratton, VT in December 2018, after years of hearing the buzz about this Michigan bluegrass musician. It took until last summer to catch him a second time, during Outlaw Music Fest when it came to Saratoga Performing Arts Center. But I had never seen him in a regular show setting, and festival sets always give you a different experience than seeing the band for an evening with. Thus, this would be my first Billy Strings show, on the last night of his sold out three-night run in Broomfield, CO, and what a show it was.
Cutting to the chase here, Billy Strings, featuring Mr. Strings (guitar), Billy Failing (banjo), Royal Masat (bass), Jarrod Walker (mandolin), and Alex Hargreaves (fiddle), puts on one hell of a show. There wasn’t a dull moment, an unengaged fan or any feeling I was arriving to the show as an outsider – the crowd was welcoming, one that assured me afterwards that I got a heater at my first Billy show.
With a half an hour before show time (given the 815pm start time the previous two nights), our crew found ourselves on the floor about a third of the way from the front, stage right. With 15 minutes, 10 minutes and 5 minutes before showtime, a brief announcement came on the screens with the voice of god saying “X minutes until Fuzzy Rainbows” – a unique way to get the crowd prepared for the show at the same time the band is getting ready and heading to the stage. With all the shows I’d listened to of Billy Strings’, this was a brand new concept and one of those welcome surprises that did not disappoint.
Kicking off with two substance-tinged tunes, the ever popular “Dust in a Baggie” and “Heartbeat of America,” eyes were drawn to the video screens on either side of the stage. These made Billy and the band seem larger than life (by design), with the band-wide shot above the stage giving a horizontal frame to the band. For those way back in the audience, this was helpful as the five musicians side by side appeared so tiny after looking at the video screens of Giant Billy looking down on the crowd.
The hour long first set had an array of covers, with traditional tunes from Roy Acuff and Larry Sparks complemented by covers from The Moody Blues and John Hartford. Billy Strings’ blending of his own originals and covers that go back through the history of bluegrass, as well as non-bluegrass tunes is a great part of the appeal that makes the music so accessible to so many.
Alongside the video screens were the lights, which were another thing that could not translate to the audio-only experience, let alone festival sets. The lights were on par with the 20th Century Fox intro spotlights, continually shining all around, rotating and occassionally connecting with the disco ball way up in the rafters off stage left. This unexpected element to a bluegrass show gave a never-ending intertwining of lights, something you’d only see at a Greensky Bluegrass show.
After a not too long setbreak, set 2 came out swinging with an Oak Ridge Boys tune, a mellow and delightful “Watch It Fall” and the traditional “Cumberland Reel.” From there, the set picked up speed and never let up, dropping in with the dark as hell “Psycho” that segued smooth as silk into J.J. Cale’s “Ride Me High.” The Bad Livers’ tune “Pretty Daughter” – covered often by Yonder Mountain String Band – jumped up late in the set, with Billy moving from side to side on the stage, hamming it up a bit and watching his bandmates take solos. The closing “Turmoil & Tinfoil” rounded things out with a punch, with an all too brief encore of “Tennessee,” noted as the band’s destination for some recording, and not a sit-in with Phil Lesh and Friends the next day in Denver.
And with that, I checked my first Billy Strings show off the list, with assurance from the show and crowd that this would not be the last.
Billy Strings – 1st Bank Center, Broomfield, CO – Saturday, February 4, 2023
Set 1: Dust In A Baggie, Heartbeat of America, Along The Road (Dan Fogelberg), Streamlined Cannonball (Roy Acuff), The Fire On My Tounge > Know It All, John Deere Tractor (Larry Sparks), The Preacher & The Bear (Arthur Francis Collins), Wargasm, Nights In White Satin (The Moody Blues), This Old World, Bronzeback, All Fall Down (John Hartford), These Old Blues (Traditional)
Set 2: Dig A Little Deeper In The Well (The Oak Ridge Boys), Ice Bridges, Watch It Fall, Slow Train, Cumberland Reel (traditional), Psycho (Eddie Noack) > Ride Me High (J.J. Cale) The Train That Carried My Girl From Town (Doc Watson) > Black Mountain Rag, Love Like Me, Whisper Your Name (New Grass Revival), Pretty Daughter (Bad Livers), Nothing’s Working, Turmoil & TInfoil
A staggering 56% of music industry professionals have some type of substance abuse, with the industry now beginning to take the lead in supporting those with addiction Companies like Stand Together Strong are joining forces with 1 Million Strong to provide services to those struggling.
Colette Weintraub and Kevin Lyman.
Colette Weintraub is the head of Stand Together Music, one of the partners in the 1 Million Strong initiative, seeking to support one million people in addiction recovery through the strength of community. Kevin Lyman is best known as the creator of the beloved Vans Warped Tour, shaping youth culture for over forty years with his award-winning expertise in the music industry and other ventures.
Last month was Dry January, where participants stay sober throughout the entire month. An average of 35% of Americans participated in 2022, an increase from 21% in 2019. When the month is over, people tend to turn to alcohol to celebrate, but the problem of addiction runs deeper. Each year over 100,000 people are dying to alcohol-related causes. The music industry is among the hardest hit due to being known for things like sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll. Many artists have been in the news after dying from their addictions, or losing their will to live while battling it.
In an open letter to the music industry, 1 Million Strong wrote “We’re taking action to transform the way people think about addiction by supporting new ways for sober fans to enjoy shows, ensuring touring musicians and crews have access to resources on the road, and engaging in conversations about sobriety that are free from shame and stigma and full of possibilities.” The letter has been signed by Aloe Blacc, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, RIAA Chairman & CEO Mitch Glazier, Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino, and more. If you would like to sign the letter, visit here.
Things like Warped Tour helped provide mental health and sobriety support on the road throughout, with sober coaches for artists and crew in recovery, and provided services to fans. Stand Together Music/1 Million Strong has been working hard over the past year to provide sober-supportive spaces at concerts and music festivals, like at Bourbon & Beyond to Park City Song Summit and The Chainsmokers show at The Greek Theatre in Berkeley.
This isn’t about turning the industry sober, but more about giving those struggling a better path to recovery and bring their best selves to music, allowing fans and everyone else to benefit from their art.
The fifth installment of the Sea.Hear.Now festival will be returning to its familiar grounds along the picturesque waterfront in Asbury Park, New Jersey on September 16-17, 2023. The annual two-day music festival will be headlined by alternative rockers The Killers on Saturday and 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees Foo Fighters on Sunday.
Produced by Tim Sweetwood of C3 Presents (Austin City Limits, Lollapalooza), along with iconic rock photographer Danny Clinch, his good pal Tim Donnnelly (a music journalist turned promoter) and HM Wollman (an industry veteran), the festival is a celebration of live music, art and surf culture.
A packed beach audience enjoying live music on the Surf Stage (2022) | Photo by Michael Dinger
The Killers, in support of their two most recent studio albums (2020’s Imploding The Mirage and 2021’s Pressure Machine), will be back on the road this spring with a March 16 kick-off in nearby Atlantic City, New Jersey. The 11-date tour for these Las Vegas natives formed in 2001 will include three shows in Mexico, as well as an appearance at Shaky Knees on May 5 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Foo Fighters, who are officially returning to the stage in 2023 after the tragic death of drummer Taylor Hawkins in March of last year, will also be making two festival appearances in May – Boston Calling and the Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival in Columbus, Ohio – as well as Bonnaroo in Manchester, Tennessee on June 18.
Pearl Jam performing at the 2021 festival | Photo by Michael DingerPatti Smith performing at the 2021 festival | Photo by Michael DingerThe Smashing Pumpkins performing at the 2021 festival | Photo by Michael DingerBilly Idol performing at the 2021 festival | Photo by Michael Dinger
The festival’s lineup will feature 50+ artists across three stages (two in the sand and one in Bradley Park), including Greta Van Fleet, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats and Sheryl Crow on Saturday and Weezer, Rebelution, Mt. Joy, The Beach Boys and The Breeders on Sunday.
Cage the Elephant performing at the 2022 festival | Photo by Michael DingerBoy George performing at the 2022 festival | Photo by Michael DingerIDLES performing at the 2022 festival | Photo by Michael DingerThe Backseat Lovers performing at the 2022 festival | Photo by Michael Dinger
In addition to the music scene taking place on both of the beach stages, festivalgoers can also experience artwork created by the musicians performing over the weekend, including impromptu sets, at the Transparent Clinch pop-up gallery in Bradley Park. And if that weren’t enough, the weekend will also include a professional team surf contest known as the “North Beach Rumble.”
A portion of the festival’s proceeds is also donated to grassroots, non-profit environmental organizations and community charities such as the Surfrider Foundation, Operation Beachhead, Clean Ocean Action, Garden State Equality and Boys & Girls Clubs of Monmouth County, to name only a few.
Gary Clark Jr. performing at the 2022 festival | Photo by Michael DingerCourtney Barnett performing at the 2022 festival | Photo by Michael Dinger
Ticket presale for Sea.Hear.Now 2023 begins this Thursday, February 9 at 10:00 am EST. Available options include 1-Day and 2-Day tickets (General Admission, GA+, VIP and Platinum), plus a 2-Day Ultimate Experience. Layaway Pans, starting at $20, will also be made available for all ticket types. For additional information, including presale code sign-up details, visit seahearnowfestival.com.
Excited fans during Wet Leg’s set at the Park Stage (2022) | Photo by Michael Dinger
The 2023 Grammy awards were an eventful night full of catchy performances and some of the biggest stars in music. This year multiple artists from New York State won prestigious awards, including Best New Artist, and many more.
Beyoncé became the record holder for most Grammy award wins, photo by Francis Specker.
Beyoncé won four Grammys, making her total number of awards 32, the most that have ever been one (previously held by Georg Solti). She won Best R&B Song for “Cuff It,” Best Dance/Electronic Recording for “Break My Soul,” Best Traditional R&B Performance for “Plastic Off the Sofa,” and Best Dance/Electronic Music Album for Renaissance. Viola Davis made history by achieving EGOT status by winning the award for “Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording.”
Lizzo won Record of the Year for “About Damn Time,” as well as Best Remixed Recording for “About Damn Time (Purple Disco Machine Remix).” Harry Styles, who has been a part of the music industry for a long time since his days in the boy band One Direction, won the prestigious Album of the Year award for Harry’s House, Best Pop Vocal Album, and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical. Wet Leg, who sparked to fame after their debut, won Best Alternative Music Album for Wet Leg, and Best Alternative Music Performance for “Chaise Longue.”
To the surprise of many fans online, blues singer Bonnie Raitt won Song of the Year for “Just Like That.” She beat the likes of Adele, Beyoncé, Harry Styles, and more in that category. Best Rap Album saw Kendrick Lamar winning for Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, and Lamar also won Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance for “The Heart Part 5.” Kim Petras made history last night as the first transgender Grammy winner for her collaboration with Sam Smith for Unholy, winning in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category.
Samara Joy
Many artists from New York State won awards last night, including Bronx native Samara Joy, who won Best New Artist and Best Jazz Vocal Album for Linger Awhile. The Grateful Dead and art directors Lisa Glines, Doran Tyson, and Dave Van Patten won Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package forIn and Out of the Garden: Madison Square Garden ’81 ’82 ’83. Stephanie Economou from Long Island made history as the first winner of the Grammy for Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök.
Lin-Manuel Miranda, from Inwood, won Best Song Written for Visual Media for “We Don’t Talk About Bruno (from Encanto).” The New York Youth Symphony made Grammy history last night, becoming the first youth orchestra to win Best Orchestral Performance. The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra & The Metropolitan Opera Chorus won a Grammy for Best Opera Recording. Finally, Attacca Quartet from Buffalo won Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance for Caroline Shaw: Evergreen.
The 2023 Grammy awards were full of historic moments, showcasing talent from all over New York State and beyond. From dazzling fashion on the red carpet to over-the-top performances, the Grammys are one of the best nights in the music industry.
Grammy-winning artist, Lil Wayne, has announced the dates for his upcoming spring tour. The Welcome To Tha Carter Tour, presented by Young Money, Rolling Loud and Live Nation, will see the 40-year-old rapper perform countrywide. The 28-city expedition kicks-off on Tuesday, April 4 at The Fillmore in Minneapolis, MN,with stops in Los Angeles and Harlem’s famed Apollo Theater in New York, NY also scheduled.
Lil Wayne will be making a stop at Harlem’s Apollo Theater as part of his ‘Welcome To Tha Carter Tour.’
About Lil Wayne
The tour announcement comes ahead of The Recording Academy’sBlack Music Collective pre-GRAMMY event, where Lil Wayne will receive the prestigious Global Impact Award for his iconic personal and professional achievements in the industry. All in all, Lil Wayne was presented with the award by long-time collaborator and friend DJ Khaled. By the same token, Drake paid tribute to his mentor and friend for this prestigious award.
One of the most prominent hip hop acts of the last two decades, Lil Wayne ran the hip hop-scene in the mid-2000’s. The Young Money founder had a dominant run on the charts and gave endless hip hop cuts to die-hard fans with his run of Dedication and No Ceillings mixtape series. Moreover, he has cemented his legacy as one of the best-selling artists of all-time with over 100 million records sold worldwide.
Not to mention, Lil Wayne has garnered 26 BET Awards, 4 Billboard Music Awards, 7 MTV Awards, 4 Soul Train Awards and 8 BMI Awards. Among many milestones, he emerged as “the first artist to surpass Elvis Presley with the most entries on the Billboard Hot 100” and has logged a staggering 183 entries – the 3rd most of all time.
Tickets for Lil Wayne’s “Welcome To Tha Carter” tour go on sale starting on Friday, February 3 at 10 a.m. and can be purchased on Lilwayneofficial.com.
WELCOME TO THA CARTER TOUR 2023 TOUR DATES:
Tue Apr 4 — Minneapolis, MN — The Fillmore Minneapolis
Thu Apr 6 — Fargo, ND — Scheels Arena*
Fri Apr 7 — Omaha, NE — Baxter Arena*
Sat Apr 8 — Madison, WI — The Sylvee
Sun Apr 9 — Chicago, IL — Radius
Tue, Apr 11 — Detroit, MI — The Fillmore Detroit
Wed Apr 12 — Toronto, ON — HISTORY
Thu Apr 13 — Boston, MA — House of Blues
Sun Apr 16 — New York, NY — Apollo Theater
Mon Apr 17 — Philadelphia, PA — The Fillmore Philadelphia
Tue Apr 18 — Silver Spring, MD — The Fillmore Silver Spring
Thu Apr 20 — Charlotte, NC — The Fillmore Charlotte
Fri Apr 21 — Raleigh, NC — The Ritz
Sat Apr 22 — Atlanta, GA — Tabernacle
Mon Apr 24 — Birmingham, AL — Iron City
Wed Apr 26 — St. Louis, MO — The Factory
Thu Apr 27 — Nashville, TN — Marathon Music Works
Fri Apr 28 — Cleveland, OH — House of Blues
Sun Apr 30 — Lexington, KY — Rupp Arena*
Tue May 2 — Houston, TX — House of Blues
Wed May 3 — Dallas, TX — House of Blues
Thu May 4 — Austin, TX — Stubbs Waller Creek Amphitheater
Beyonce is returning to the stage for the first in over six years, with her Renaissance World Tour Beginning this Spring. Beyonce will be performing twice at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ, as part of the North America Leg of her tour, on Saturday, July 29. Originally only scheduled for one day, high demand from her “Beyhive” prompted the performer to add a second show at the venue, on Sunday, July 30.
Metlife Stadium lit up for Rammstein in June 2022. Photo by Joshua Davis.
The tour is in support of her seventh studio album, Renaissance, which came out last summer. Preceding Renaissance‘s release, the single “Break My Soul” has received acclaim. Following the album’s release was “Cuff It” to a similar reception.
Ticketing begins Monday, Feb. 6, starting with an exclusive presale to BeyHive members. The North American leg of the tour utilizes Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan technology to ensure more tickets get sold. Fans can register here.
Produced by Parkwood Entertainment and promoted by Live Nation, the 2023 world tour kicks off on May 10, 2023, at Friends Arena in Stockholm, SE. Outside MetLife Stadium, once Beyonce starts the North American leg of the tour, she will be performing in Boston, Charlotte, Dallas, Detroit, Kansas City, Miami, Nashville, San Francisco, Tampa, and more.
Since 2013, Beyonce’s tours have partnered with BeyGOOD, an initiative she founded to support people and programs around the world. Continuing its legacy of philanthropy, BeyGOOD will support entrepreneurs in various cities along the tour. In total, 1,000 small businesses will have been supported through grant opportunities with a commitment totaling $1,000,000.
BeyGOOD will support students through scholarship funds. A total of 10 colleges in different cities will have received $100,000 to give to one student of their choice. BeyGOOD’s total scholarship commitment during Renaissance World Tour will be $1,000,000.
In partnership with Beyonce and the BeyGOOD foundation, Citi and Verizon will purchase 100 tickets combined across the U.S. for distribution to local community initiatives.
North American Dates: Verified Fan Registration is open now and closes at different times based on city. Visit beyonce.livenation.com for the exact details as ticketing on sale timelines vary by city.
European Dates: Check local event listings for complete ticket information regarding the European dates of the tour.
RENAISSANCE WORLD TOUR DATES:
EUROPE
May 10, 2023 – Stockholm, SE – Friends Arena
May 14, 2023 – Brussels, BE – King Baudouin Stadium
May 17, 2023 – Cardiff, UK – Cardiff Principality Stadium
May 20, 2023 – Edinburgh, UK – BT Murray Field Stadium
May 23, 2023 – Sunderland, UK – Stadium of Light
May 26, 2023 – Paris, FR – Stade de France
May 29, 2023 – London, UK – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
May 30, 2023 – London, UK – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
June 08, 2023 – Barcelona, ES – Olympic Stadium
June 11, 2023 – Marseille, FR – Orange Velodrome
June 15, 2023 – Cologne, DE – Rhein Energie Stadion
June 17, 2023 – Amsterdam, NL – Johan Crujff Arena
June 21, 2023 – Hamburg, DE – Volksparkstadion
June 24, 2023 – Frankfurt, DE – Deutsche Bank Park
June 27, 2023 – Warsaw, PL – PGE Narodowy
NORTH AMERICA
July 8, 2023 – Toronto, ON – Rogers Centre
July 12, 2023 – Philadelphia, PA – Lincoln Financial Field
July 15, 2023 – Nashville, TN – Nissan Stadium
July 17, 2023 – Louisville, KY – L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium
July 20, 2023 – Minneapolis, MN – Huntington Bank Stadium
July 22, 2023 – Chicago, IL – Soldier Field Stadium
July 26, 2023 – Detroit, MI – Ford Field
July 29-30, 2023 – East Rutherford, NJ – MetLife Stadium
Aug. 01, 2023 – Boston, MA – Gillette Stadium
Aug. 03, 2023 – Pittsburgh, PA – Acrisure Stadium
Aug. 05, 2023 – Washington, DC – FedEx Field
Aug. 09, 2023 – Charlotte, NC – Bank of America Stadium
Aug. 11, 2023 – Atlanta, GA – Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Aug. 16, 2023 – Tampa, FL – Raymond James Stadium
Aug. 18, 2023 – Miami, FL – Hard Rock Stadium
Aug. 21, 2023 – St. Louis, MO – Dome at America’s Center
Aug. 24, 2023 – Phoenix, AZ – State Farm Stadium
Aug. 26, 2023 – Las Vegas, NV – Allegiant Stadium
Aug. 30, 2023 – San Francisco, CA – Levi’s Stadium
Sept. 02, 2023 – Inglewood, CA – SoFi Stadium
Sept. 11, 2023 – Vancouver, BC – BC Place
Sept. 13, 2023 – Seattle, WA – Lumen Field
Sept. 18, 2023 – Kansas City, MO – Arrowhead Stadium
Sept. 21, 2023 – Dallas, TX – AT&T Stadium
Sept. 23, 2023 – Houston, TX – NRG Stadium
Sept. 27, 2023 – New Orleans, LA – Caesars Superdome
The 2023 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees includes a mix of new timers and old timers, with eight of the 14 artists being first. Included in the mix of talent are New York-born musicians A Tribe Called Quest and Cyndi Lauper.
Cyndi Lauper.
Some nominees are in their first year of eligibility, very unlike last year’s nominated acts, which mostly featured previously nominated acts. The “rock” qualifications for this year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Famers are becoming increasingly flexible, with the lineup containing rap legends, pop superstars, country icons, R&B hitmakers, and artists who don’t fit into one genre box. Of course, there are traditionally rock-based acts, but none of the older generation bands that have comprised the foundation of the Hall for its 35-plus-year existence were seen.
Acts that aren’t considered traditional rock bands that were voted into the Hall last year included Dolly Parton, Eminem, Lionel Richie, Carly Simon, and Eurythmics. Acts like Duran Duran and Pat Benatar would’ve not been conceived as “rock” until recently as they got little respect from traditional rock media during their peaks. This year’s nominees feature two NY-born musicians, A Tribe Called Quest and Cyndi Lauper.
A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest is one of the most influential, enduring, and acclaimed rap groups of all time, born out of Queens in the 90s. The group was originally composed of rapper and main producer Q-Tip, rapper Phife Dawg, DJ and co-producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and rapper Jarobi White. They confronted social issues and incorporated elements of jazz and alternative rock into their music. They have been nominated for the Hall of Fame before.
A Tribe Called Quest.
Cyndi Lauper
Cyndi Lauper is one of the greatest pop stars of the mid-’80s, and her music included the hit singles “Time After Time” and “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.” She also won the 1984 Grammy Award for best new artist. Born in Brooklyn, she has sold over 50 million albums worldwide. In June 2013, Lauper’s musical Kinky Boots won six Tony Awards, including for best musical, which makes Lauper the first female to win this category by herself.
Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for The Recording Academy.
Adding to their quite packed 2023 tour schedule, Goose will perform two nights at The Stone Pony Summer Stage in Asbury Park, NJ over July 4th weekend, on the heels of their headlining performance at Peach Festival a few days prior. Goose then head north to Saratoga Springs for a debut at Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) on Friday, July 7.
A Seated ticket request lottery for Goose at SPAC and The Stone Pony begins today, January 31, at 12 noon (ET) at www.goosetheband.com/tour and will continue through Wednesday, February 1, at 5 pm (ET). Lottery winners will be notified via email before the start of venue presales, set to run Thursday, February 2 from 10 am-10 pm (ET) – Password: TUMBLE. All remaining tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, February 3 at 10 am (ET).
GOOSE TOUR 2023
MARCH
2-5 – Okeechobee, FL – Okeechobee Music x Arts Festival †
8 – Port Chester, NY – The Capitol Theatre (SOLD OUT)
9 – Port Chester, NY – The Capitol Theatre (SOLD OUT)
10 – Port Chester, NY – The Capitol Theatre (SOLD OUT)
11 – Port Chester, NY – The Capitol Theatre (SOLD OUT)
12- Port Chester, NY – The Capitol Theatre (SOLD OUT)
23 – Boston, MA – Roadrunner (SOLD OUT)
24 – Philadelphia, PA – The Met (SOLD OUT)
25 – Philadelphia, PA – The Met (SOLD OUT)
26 – Cleveland, OH – Agora (SOLD OUT)
31 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium (SOLD OUT)
APRIL
1 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium (SOLD OUT)
2 – Birmingham, AL – Avondale Brewing Co. (SOLD OUT)
13 – Madison, WI – The Sylvee (SOLD OUT)
14 – Chicago, IL – The Salt Shed (SOLD OUT)
15 – Chicago, IL – The Salt Shed (SOLD OUT)
16 – St. Paul, MN – Palace Theatre (SOLD OUT)
18 – Bozeman, MT – The Elm (SOLD OUT)
19 – Bozeman, MT – The Elm (SOLD OUT)
21 – Boise, ID – Knitting Factory (SOLD OUT)
22 – Seattle, WA – The Paramount Theatre (SOLD OUT)
23 – Seattle, WA – The Paramount Theatre (SOLD OUT)
25 – Eugene, OR – The McDonald Theatre (SOLD OUT)
27 – San Francisco, CA – The Warfield (SOLD OUT)
28 – San Francisco, CA – The Warfield (SOLD OUT)
29 – San Diego, CA – CalCoast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
MAY
2 – New Orleans, LA – Daze Between New Orleans †
3 – New Orleans, LA – Daze Between New Orleans †
26-28 – Chillicothe, IL – Summer Camp Music Festival †
JUNE
4 – Lexington, KY – Railbird Music Festival † (SOLD OUT)
22-25 – Rothbury, MI – Electric Forest † (SOLD OUT)
23 – Columbus, OH – KEMBA Live!
29-7/2 – Scranton, PA – Peach Music Festival †
29-7/1 – Garrettsville, OH – Resonance Music and Arts Festival †
JULY
3 – Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony Summer Stage
4 – Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony Summer Stage
7 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Recharged and reborn, the “new look” Spafford have been on fire as of late. Have you been paying attention to their FREE live-streams? We have, and that’s why when the band rolled though Fairfield, Connecticut on January 26th and the FOMO became real, we knew we just had to send it across state lines.
Rewarded for the effort, Spafford offered up an absolute whopper of a show at The Warehouse FTC. With jams that went long and strong and deep into the night, the band simultaneously put to bed any lingering fears that fans may have had after saying ‘goodbye’ to one their founding members.
Spafford heats up the FTC Warehouse on a cold Winter night in Connecticut 1/26/23
Opening the performance with the slow buildup of “Gold Glittered Hat,” each member of the band would slowly join in on the groove until forming one rock-solid beast that breathed together as one. Collectively known as Spafford, the band is comprised of guitarist Brian Moss, bassist Jordan Fairless, drummer Nick Thachyk and making his madden tour with the band this winter is keyboardist Corey Schechtman, who was handpicked to take over after Andrew “Red” Johnson left the group at the end of 2022.
Keyboardist Corey Schechtman is playing his first tour with Spafford since joining at the the beginning of the year
Taking the opening tune for a ride, it wasn’t long before Spafford showcased their immense improvisational prowess. As the song dipped deep into the funky end of the waters, the band would patiently and organically morph into even deeper spaces and come out swimming on the sublime side. Going the distance on the opening jam and even teasing a bit of Pink Floyd’s “Young Lust,” the 28 minute ‘Hat’ would seamlessly segue into the much sought after “Dream Jam,” which hadn’t been played since November of last year.
Spafford performs “Dream Jam” on 1/26/23
Another treat came next for the hot Fairfield crowd as Jordan Fairless led the group through an up-tempo cover of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ song “Soul to Squeeze,” you know, the one from the Coneheads soundtrack. Fairless would continue handling vocals and dropping major bass bombs all through parts I and II of “Doghouse,” which bought us to the shows half-way point.
Brian Moss and Jordan Fairless lock in during “All My Friends” 1/26/23
Long-time Spafford fans knew they were in for something special when the band came out with “All My Friends” to start the second set. That’s because you can almost always count on a coveted “Bee Jam” following suite and this night was no exception. A near 17 minute Bee got the “A+” treatment and would eventually lead the band directly into “Fake the Fate” next. After a brief pause in the action to allow the audience to catch their breath, one excited fan screamed out “You guys rip!” which got a nice little chuckle from the four guys on stage.
Broken wing, learn to fly.
Just for a moment,
Please take a ride.
When all that’s left is the desire,
How much higher can we go?
Lyrics from Broken Wing
Up next was “Broken Wing,” a song that originally made it’s live debut on April 20, 2018, but was only recently released on the bands latest studio recording Simple Mysteries that came out late last year. Quickly establishing itself as a major jam vehicle for the band, this rendition was the longest song of the second set, clocking in at just over 22 minutes and allowed to band to show off a bit of their ‘jam-tronica’ influences. The new guy, Schechtman, was right at home here, adding his unique touch with some other-worldly textures and soundscapes before things would end up going in the direction of a full-fledged “untz” dance party that had fans loving it.
spafford fans we’re loving the second set on 1/26/23
Taking a bit of a left turn, the band would surprise everyone next with their upbeat version of the Gary Jules/Tears for Fears classic “Mad World,” before bringing the second set to a close by uncorking a monster version of “Plans” that featured an extra stanky bass solo from Fairless, then a funked-out, shred-heavy peak to match up perfectly with Jason Goers mesmerizing light show.
LD Jason Goers lit it up on 1/26/23 at the Warehouse
Prior to the encore, front man Brian Moss would say how much fun this winter tour has been so far, while also giving a heartfelt shoutout to the road crew and formally introducing everyone to the newest member of the band, Corey. Storytime would continue as Moss reminisced about the bands earliest days when he was living in a 500 sq-ft studio apartment sitting around with friend, actor, and fellow musician Jaryd Smart when the two wrote the final song of the night together, “Levilan Shores.” Jaryd, who happened to be in the warehouse running the merch table, would take a quick break and hop up on stage to deliver the songs reggae verse and exchange hugs with his brothers to bring the evening to a close.
Jaryd Smart sitting in on “Levilan Shores,” a song he helped write many years ago 1/26/23
With the band currently firing on all cylinders and Schechtman already settling in and showing his worth, look for big things ahead for Spafford in 2023. With one more New York date set for Buffalo’s Iron Works on January 31st, the band will then head west for the remainder of winter before returning to Ithaca’s Deep Dive in late March. Be sure to check them out when they come to your city, but in the meantime, you can listen the entire Fairfield show (and all of the band’s recent live streams) by following their Youtube channel.
Spafford | The Warehouse at FTC | Fairfield, CT | 1/26/23
Set 1: Gold Glittered Hat > Dream Jam > Soul To Squeeze [1], Doghouse > Part II Set 2: All My Friends > Bee Jam > Fake The Fate, Broken Wing > Mad World [2], Plans Encore: Levilan Shores [3]
[1]: Red Hot Chili Peppers [2]: Tears for Fears [3]: w/ Jaryd Smart
