NYS Music 2023

Category: Beyond NYS

  • Keeping the Blues Alive At Sea Announces Lineup

    Joe Bonamassa and Sixthman Festivals have announced the Keeping the Blues Alive At Sea Mediterranean III lineup. Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Laura Cox, and When Rivers Meet are the latest to join the star-studded lineup on the third European voyage of Bonamassa’s world-famous floating blues-rock party at sea.

    Joe Bonamassa Color and Shape
    Photo Credit: Robert Sutton

    Keeping the Blues Alive At Sea Mediterranean III sails August 17-22, 2023, traveling from Athens, Greece to Dubrovnik, Croatia and Santorini, Greece aboard the luxurious Norwegian Jade.

    This five-night music festival at sea will feature performances from 20+ amazing blues artists. Cruisers can expect two unique sets from Bonamassa along with dozens of electrifying live performances and once-in-a-lifetime collaborations that can’t be seen anywhere else.

    Keeping The Blues Alive

    In addition to the non-stop music, Keeping the Blues Alive At Sea Mediterranean III guests will enjoy an array of unique activities and special programming geared towards the ultimate blues enthusiasts. Wine tastings, exclusive raffles, and opportunities to interact with Bonamassa and other artists onboard are just a few of the unique experiences guests will enjoy at sea. Shore excursions will be available to purchase until 4-6 weeks prior to sailing.

    Keeping the Blues Alive At Sea Mediterranean III will once again benefit the Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation (KTBA), dedicated to providing students and teachers the resources and tools needed to further music education. Founded in 2011, KTBA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a mission to fuel the passion for music by funding programs and scholarships for students and teachers who possess the desire but lack the resources or access to achieve their potential within music education. KTBA has reached over 70,000 students in all 50 states through the funding of over 450 unique projects. For more information, please visit keepingthebluesalive.org.

    Visit www.bluesaliveatseaeurope.com to purchase your experience.

    Keeping the Blues Alive At Sea l Lineup

    Joe Bonamassa
    Kenny Wayne Shepherd
    Blackberry Smoke
    Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
    Ruthie Foster
    King King
    Jimmy Vivino
    Laura Cox
    Kirk Fletcher
    Vanessa Collier
    Henrik Freischlader
    Cardinal Black
    Bywater Call
    Johnny A.
    When Rivers Meet
    Eddie 9V
    Dom Martin
    The Cinelli Brothers
    True Strays
    Alice Armstrong

    https://vimeo.com/748183471/e72984ff61?embedded=true&source=vimeo_logo&owner=5059289

  • Peach Music Festival Announces Additions to 2023 Lineup

    The Peach Music Festival has announced additions to the lineup for the 2023 festival, running from June 29 through July 2 at Montage Mountain in Scranton, PA.

    Peach Music Festival 2023 Lineup

    The Peach Music Festival was created in 2012 as the first-ever Allman Brothers Band-inspired festival in the Northeast and has quickly evolved into one of the most highly-anticipated summer musical events loved by music enthusiasts from across the nation. It is a one-of-a-kind festival, as it features food and craft vendors on the grounds and access to the scenic Montage Mountain Ski Resort’s large water park.

    Featured at this year’s festival will be a performance of Allman Brothers Band record Brothers & Sisters, with founding member Jaimoe performing as Jaimoe and Friends and duo Brother and Sister. There will also be a special appearance by Trouble No More, featuring Brandon “Taz” Niederaurer (Guitar, Vocals), Daniel Donato (Guitar, Vocals), Dylan Niederaurer (Bass Guitar), Jack Ryan (Drums), Lamar Williams Jr. (Vocals), Nikki Glaspie (Drums), Peter Levin (Keys) and Roosevelt Collier (Pedal Steel Guitar).

    Goose, Tedeschi Trucks Band, My Morning Jacket, and Ween will headline The Peach Music Festival 2023. They will be joined by Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Les Claypool’s Flying Frog Brigade, Mike Gordon, Lettuce, Twiddle, and Ripe. Last year’s lineup included Billy Strings, Trey Anastasio Band, Goose, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, and many more.

    Ween will be headlining the 2023 Peach Music Festival.

    Newly added to the Peach Festival lineup include Ziggy Marley, Australian Pink Floyd performing a 50th anniversary tribute to Dark Side of the Moon, Jupiter & Okwess, Broadband featuring Kanika Moore, The National Reserve, J.D. Simo, Little Bird, and Mountain Grass Unit.

    Late-night sets at the Peach Music Festival will feature LP Giobbi presents Dead House and Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Peach on Friday, June 30, The Australian Pink Floyd Show, and Magic City Hippies on Saturday, July 1. In addition to the headliners, Peach Music Festival also features Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Les Claypool’s Flying Frog Brigade, Mike Gordon, Lettuce, Twiddle, and Ripe. 

    Peach Music Festival

    On sale now are VIP passes, reserved seating, glamping, travel packages, as well as a special four-day, general admission $99 lawn ticket. New this year will be a GA+ ticket allowing fans with a General Admission ticket access under the pavilion for headliner sets (in the 200-level seating area) for $149. To purchase tickets for the 2023 festival, go here.

    Full Lineup

    Thursday, June 29

    Headliner: Goose (two sets)

    Featuring: Twiddle, Thumpasaurus, and Friends of the Brothers

    Friday, June 30

    Headliner: Ween

    Featuring: Umphrey’s McGee, Ripe, Dogs In A Pile Trouble No More, Taper’s Choice, Tauk featuring Kanika Moore, Mo Lowda & The Humble, Kanika Moore presents The Broadband, Son Little Yam Yam, Ally Venable, Little Bird, The Psycodelics, Couch, Will Evans, Baked Shrimp, and Proper Tea

    Late Night Set: LP Giobbi and Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Peach

    Saturday, July 1

    Headliner: My Morning Jacket

    Featuring: Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade, Mike Gordon, Andy Frasco & The U.N., Jaimoe & Friends, Karina Rykman, Melt, Raq, Circles Around the Sun, Oh He Dead, Cris Jacobs Band, One Time Weekend, The Sweet Lillies, The National Reserve, Brother and Sister, Veronica Lewis, JB Strauss, Mountain Grass Unit, Wax Owls, and Brown Eyed Women

    Late Night Set: The Australian Pink Floyd Show performing Dark Side of the Moon and Magic City Hippies.

    Sunday, July 2

    Headliner: Tedeschi Trucks Band

    Featuring: Ziggy Marley, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Lettuce, Duane Betts, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Ghost Light, Taz Plays Hendrix, Mihali, Jupiter & Okwess, J.D. Simo, Quinn Sullivan, Hans Williams, Parrotfish, Kendall Street Company, and Roast John.

  • Rock The Bells Announces Lineup for Timeless Hip Hop Cruise With Rick Ross, Lil Jon, Big Boi and More, in Celebration of Hip Hop’s 50th Anniversary

    Rock The Bells — the hip hop culture platform founded by LL Cool J — have announced the lineup for their Timeless Hip Hop Cruise. Aptly tittled, Rock The Bells Cruise: A Hip-Hop Experience, the media entities partnership with Sixthman will see a host of hip hop legends perform on the Miami-to-Bahamas getaway.

    Rock The Bells began as music festival in Queens and will now be going abroad

    Setting Sail on November 13, performers on Rock The Bells’ Timeless Hip Hop Cruise will include hip hop stars of various eras. Headliners include the likes of Rick Ross, Lil Jon and Big Boi. While Ghostface Killah, Big Daddy Kane, Just Blaze and a host of other legends from hip hop’s golden era will make apperances. MC Lyte, Trina & Trick Daddy, Too $hort, Slick Rick, DJ Jazzy Jeff, DJ Spinderella, Mannie Fresh, Pete Rock, DJ Quik, Rah Digga, EPMD, Bun B, Bahamadia, Grandmaster Caz, DJ Scratch, The Finisher Mister Cee, DJ EPPS, DJ Nina 9, Grandmaster Dee, Technician The DJ, and DJ Critical Hype. Hosted by Roxanne Shanté & Torae, attendees will also experience a pool deck party series presented by world-renowned party rocker Kid Capri. 

    At Rock The Bells, we believe classic and timeless Hip-Hop deserves to be served on a silver platter and we can’t wait for Hip-Hop lovers across the globe to be immersed in the culture for five days, on five stages. We’re excited to partner with Sixthman, who bridges the gap between artists and fans, creating unforgettable guest experiences.

    – Rock The Bell’s President James Cuthbert

    What to Expect at Rock The Bells Hip Hop Cruise?

    The expedition kicks-off with a special “Welcome to Miami” performance by Miami hip hop legends Trick Daddy and Trina on the ship’s pool deck. Attendees who purchased their cabin before January 18 will be able to hang out with Trick Daddy and Trina at a private cocktail happy hour prior to setting sail. Moreover, attendees can expect dozens of performances and intimate experiences from some of Hip-Hop’s classic MCs, DJs and producers. In effect, Rock The Bells will be taking over every corner of the ship with pool deck parties presented by world renowned DJ Kid Capri. Other fun endeavors will include MC and DJ battles, rap karaoke, interactive graffiti, live podcasts, roller skating, open mic nights, movie screenings, masterclasses, art galleries, custom grillz, tattoos, basketball and The Trill Mealz Food Court. 

    The Norwegian Pearl will play host to “Rock The Bells Cruise: A Hip-Hop Experience.”


    How could I not Rock the Boat with the Goat? LL COOL J’s Rock The Bells keep the culture afloat. Please believe it.” Too $hort added “Rock The Bells is Hip-Hop History, and they’re working to MAKE history!

    – Roxanne Shante
    https://youtu.be/w3sdpSa91PM

  • Long Time Gone: David Crosby dies at 81

    David Crosby, a founding member of both The Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash, died today at age 81. A key player in the mid-60’s L.A. folk-rock scene, Crosby was known for his harmony more than songwriting, as he penned “Guinnevere,” “Wooden Ships,” “Long Time Gone,” “Almost Cut My Hair” and “Déjà Vu,” among others.

    David Crosby at Clearwater Music Festival 2015. Photo by Steve Malinski

    Just yesterday Crosby tweeted on his very active Twitter account about the afterlife, saying Heaven is “overrated….cloudy.”He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, once for the Byrds and once for Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young. In recent years, he also had an advice column on Rolling Stone, Ask Croz.

    Crosby was born in Los Angeles as the child of famous Hollywood cinematographer Floyd Crosby, who won an Oscar for his work on F.W. Murnau’s 1931 feature Tabu. He gravitated to acting and music at an early age and dropped out of Santa Barbara City College to pursue music. He found himself in the commercial folk music scene via brief membership in Les Baxter’s Balladeers.

    After working at L.A. folk clubs as a solo act, he attracted the attention of Jim Dickson, the house engineer at Richard Bock’s L.A. label World Pacific Records. He was a solo act for a while but eventually formed a band in 1964 when jamming with Roger McGuinn and Gene Clark. They went under different names for a duration, starting as the Beefeaters, then picking up Chris Hillman along the way to become the Byrds.

    The group’s cover of Bob Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man” leapt to No. 1 in the United States singles chart in early 1965. For the next two years, Crosby’s group would reign supreme as America’s version of The Beatles. All of their records under Columbia during this time reached the U.S. top 25. 

    David Crosby at Clearwater Music Festival 2015. Photo by Steve Malinski

    In 1967, Crosby’s time with the Byrds came to a close after an argument at the historic Monterey Pop Festival. He began jamming with Stephen Stills, whose group Buffalo Springfield had recently ended, and Graham Nash, who met the others during a 1966 U.S. tour with the Hollies. David Geffen freed the three from their contracts, and Crosby, Stills & Nash was signed to Atlantic Records.

    The group’s self-titled record was released in May 1969, went to No. 6 on the U.S. chart, and sold four million copies. CS&N won the Grammy for Best New Artist in 1969. In August 1969, the group, along with new member Neil Young, performed at Woodstock in front of half a million people, only their second live performance together. After Young’s addition, the group’s 1970 record Déjà Vu went No. 1 and sold seven million copies.

    Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young had continued success until personal problems in Crosby’s life escalated. He was addicted to cocaine and eventually heroin, after his girlfriend Christine Hinton was killed in a car accident in 1970. Young eventually left after that to focus on his solo career, but returned to tour with the others in 1974. 

    During his addiction, Crosby released a 1971 solo debut, If I Could Only Remember My Name, which peaked at No. 12 in 1971. He reunited with the original Byrds lineup in 1972, disbanding after their 1973 release Byrds was dismissed by critics. He reunited with CS&N to release CNS in 1977, and Daylight Again in 1982, before things unraveled very publicly. 

    In April 1982, Crosby was arrested in a Dallas nightclub and charged with possessing a .45 caliber handgun and a pipe for his cocaine use. He was convicted in 1983, and served five months of the five years he was sentenced to in 1986. He credited this conviction to ending his addiction to cocaine. He also suffered from ill health and underwent a liver transplant in 1994, and in 2014 was named “rock’s unlikeliest survivor” by Rolling Stone.

    In 2000, it was revealed by singer Melissa Etheridge that Crosby was the biological father of two children born to her then-partner Julie Cypher via artificial insemination. One of those children, Beckett Cypher, died at the age of 21 in 2020, with Crosby writing “I didn’t get to raise that kid… but he was here many times. I loved him and he loved me and he was family to me.”

    He was convicted and fined for marijuana and firearms possession later in 2004. In 2015 he had another run in with the law, agreeing to pay a $3 million settlement following the filing of a suit that alleged he was intoxicated when he crashed into a jogger.

    His six-decade career culminated in a final solo album, For Free, released in 2021, having kept busy in the last decade by releasing six studio albums. He also put out live albums, including one, David Crosby & The Lighthouse Band Live at the Capitol Theatre, live at the iconic Port Chester venue. The 16-track live offering includes an uncut gem with the song “1974,” a long lost demo that Crosby had sitting around on a hard drive for decades.

    Crosby also dabbled in acting, with stints on Roseanne and in 1991’s Hook.

    In 2017, Crosby embarked on his Sky Trails tour, playing at The Egg in Albany. In 2019, Cameron Crowe would direct the 2019 documentary David Crosby: Remember My Name.

    Crosby retired from performing live in 2021, saying “It’s because I’m old. Being on a bus tour is a daunting task. It’s very hard. It takes it out of you. I’m too old to do it anymore. I don’t have the stamina; I don’t have the strength.” He also said he was “trying really hard to crank out as much music as I possibly can, as long as it’s really good.” He backtracked about that statement, saying he did want to play live again. 

    David Crosby is survived by his wife Jan Dance, their son Django, James Raymond, his son with Celia Crawford Ferguson and two daughters, Erika and Donovan, from previous relationships with Jackie Guthrie and Debbie Donovan. 

  • In Memory of Jeff Beck (1944-2023)

    Not many musicians have the chops to replace Eric Clapton, nor the “stones” to turn down Mick Jagger, but legendary guitarist Jeff Beck was anything but ordinary. Across the world, musicians and music fans alike are mourning the passing of Beck who died Tuesday at age 78. His untimely death has been attributed to the sudden contraction of bacterial meningitis, according to his family and representatives.

    Jeff Beck again UPAC in Kingston, October 2022. Photo by Mickey Deneher

    Jeff Beck was a true pioneer in the guitar field, highly experimental, combining jazz and rock in a unique fusion of genres and sounds. Widely hailed as one of the greatest guitar players of all time, Beck paved the way for both instrumental music and guitarists, experimenting with sound through volume control knobs, pickup selectors and whammy bars while simultaneously inspiring countless subgenres of fusion and psych rock.

    While Beck never quite reached the level of commercial success of peers like Jimmy Page or Rod Stewart, he was greatly admired both by star-studded musicians all the same.

    As Slash told Rolling Stone all the way back in 1999, “It’s a lot easier to appreciate Beck’s guitar playing if you’re a guitar player. He just has such a natural control over the instrument. It’s the ability to make it do something that you’ve never heard anybody else do. Blow by Blow is the album I had when I was a kid. He would go from love songs to a really blistering, hard-rock, heavy-sounding guitar without ever going over the top.”

    But it was with that 1975 release, Blow by Blow, Beck’s second solo album, that many music listeners began to take note as well. The album sent waves through the music industry reaching fourth on the charts and eventually becoming a platinum record. From there, Beck went on to collect seven Grammys for instrumental performances, and an eighth for his 2009 work on Herbie Hancock’s The Imagine Project, over the course of his decades-long career.

    Beck was also perhaps his own biggest critic. Upon his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the Yardbirds in 1992 he famously said, “Someone told me I should be proud tonight. But I’m not, because they kicked me out. They did. Fuck them.” This in reference to the fact that the Yardbirds booted him from the band from a series of no-shows on a U.S. tour in 1966.

    But Beck quickly recovered from his departure with the band, forming his own groups and solo projects and collaborating with countless musicians from Buddy Guy to Ozzy Osbourne. He also made it back to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame stage on the merits of his solo work in 2009. 

    Beck continued playing and creating music up until his death. November marked the end of his most recent tour supporting his newest collaborative album with Johnny Depp, “Loud Hailer.”  Along the way he performed alongside Depp at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, the Paramount in Huntington, and the Ulster Performing Arts Center, in Kingston, NY. His final live performance took place Nov. 12 in Reno, Nevada.

    Fellow guitarists took to the internet to remember Beck and his lasting legacy. On Twitter, Jimmy Page wrote, “The six stringed Warrior is no longer here for us to admire the spell he could weave around our mortal emotions. Jeff could channel music from the ethereal. His technique unique. His imaginations apparently limitless. Jeff I will miss you along with your millions of fans.”

    Joe Bonamassa similarly tweeted praise to the guitarist for his innovation of the electric guitar: “You’d just give him a guitar and he’d figure out a way to get these sounds out of it, and that’s complete raw talent, it’s not the equipment, it’s just him. RIP to the legendary Jeff Beck.”

    From his time with the Yardbirds and the Jeff Beck Group, to his own solo career, Beck touched the lives of countless musicians and listeners and forever changed the possibilities of the electric guitar. Ever the rule-breaker, Beck is gone but not forgotten, solidified in the echelons of rock gods for time immemorial.

  • Foo Fighters, The Lumineers and Paramore to Headline Boston Calling 2023

    The 12th installment of Boston Calling will be returning to its familiar grounds at the Harvard Athletic Complex in Allston, Massachusetts on Memorial Day weekend, May 26-28, 2023. The annual three-day music festival will be headlined by 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees Foo Fighters on Friday, indie folk rockers The Lumineers on Saturday and Paramore, pop-punk darlings hailing from Tennessee, on Sunday.

    boston calling 2023

    Foo Fighters were scheduled to appear at last year’s festival; however, were forced to cancel following the tragic death of drummer Taylor Hawkins. The Lumineers will be making a stop at the festival at the beginning of their upcoming Brightside World Tour, which commences at Shaky Knees in Atlanta, Georgia on May 7. Paramore, who are set to release their sixth studio album (This Is Why) next month, will be heading straight to New York City following Boston Calling for a pair of headlining shows at Madison Square Garden on May 30 and 31.

    boston calling 2023
    The festival mascot, a nattily-dressed Boston Terrier | Photo by Michael Dinger

    The festival’s extraordinary lineup will feature 50+ artists, including art-punk trio Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The National (Friday); 7-time GRAMMY award winner Alanis Morissette, The Flaming Lips and Mt. Joy (Saturday); and alternative metal rockers Queens Of The Stone Age, Bleachers and Maren Morris (Sunday). These renowned acts will also be joined by local artists with ties to New England, featuring the talents of Neemz, Q-Tip Bandits, GA-20, Juice, Alisa Amador, Mint Green, Blue Light Bandits, Ali McGuirk, Coral Moons, Actor Observer, Workman Song, Brandie Blaze, Couch, Little Fuss, Najee Janey, Summer Cult, Sorry Mom and Chrysalis. 

    Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails – Boston Calling 2022 | Photo by Michael Dinger

    New to the festival this year will be a GA+ experience, where General Admission ticketholders can add an upgrade for unlimited access to additional perks, including a VIP lounge and upgraded restrooms. Additionally, returning this year will be Boston Calling’s double-decker VIP experience with dramatic views of both the Red and Green Stages.

    James Hetfield of Metallica – Boston Calling 2022 | Photo by Michael Dinger

    Boston Calling tickets are on sale this Thursday, January 12 at 10:00 am EST. For additional information and to purchase specially-priced presale tickets (including Single-Day and 3-Day General Admission, GA+, VIP and Platinum tickets), visit www.bostoncalling.com.

    2023 Boston Calling Daily Lineup:

    Friday (May 26)

    Foo Fighters
    Yeah Yeah Yeahs  
    The National  
    Niall Horan  
    Chelsea Cutler  
    Teddy Swims  
    LÉON 
    TALK
    Celisse  
    The Beaches  
    Zolita  
    GA-20 
    Alisa Amador  
    Little Fuss  
    Blue Light Bandits  
    Summer Cult  
    Brandie Blaze 

    Saturday May 27

    The Lumineers  
    Alanis Morissette  
    Noah Kahan  
    The Flaming Lips 
    Mt. Joy  
    Fletcher  
    Declan McKenna  
    Joy Oladokun  
    The Aces  
    Loveless  
    Welshly Arms  
    Neemz  
    Q-Tip Bandits  
    Najee Janey  
    Actor Observer  
    Coral Moons  
    Chrysalis

    Sunday May 28

    Paramore  
    Queens of the Stone Age  
    Bleachers  
    King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard  
    Maren Morris  
    070 Shake  
    The Walkmen  
    The Linda Lindas
    Wunderhorse  
    Genesis Owusu  
    Brutus  
    Juice  
    Mint Green  
    Couch  
    Ali McGuirk  
    Sorry Mom  
    Workman Song

  • Dark Star Orchestra Winter Tour East swings through Albany in March

    Dark Star Orchestra’s Winter Tour East 2023 will be find the Grateful Dead tribute group playing eight shows in 6 cities, among them a pair of shows on Friday, March 10 and Saturday, March 11 at the Palace Theatre in Albany.

    dark star winter tour

    Performing to critical acclaim for over 20 years and over 3000 shows, Dark Star Orchestra carries on the Grateful Dead live concert experience, building shows off the Dead’s extensive catalog and the talent of these seven fine musicians. On any given night, the band will perform a show based on a set list from the Grateful Dead’s 30 years of extensive touring or use their catalog to program a unique set list for the show. This allows fans both young and old to share in the experience.

    By recreating set lists from the past, and by developing their own sets of Dead songs, Dark Star Orchestra offers a continually evolving artistic outlet within this musical canon. Honoring both the band and the fans, Dark Star Orchestra’s members seek out the unique style and sound of each era while simultaneously offering their own informed improvisations.

    dark star winter tour

    Dark Star Orchestra offers much more than the sound of the Grateful Dead, they truly encapsulate the energy and the experience. It’s about a sense of familiarity. It’s about a feeling that grabs listeners and takes over. It’s about that contagious energy…in short, it’s about the complete experience and consistent quality show that the fan receives when attending a Dark Star Orchestra show.

    For us it’s a chance to recreate some of the magic that was created for us over the years. We offer a sort of a historical perspective at what it might have been like to go to a show in 1985, 1978 or whenever. Even for Deadheads who can say they’ve been to a hundred shows in the 90s, we offer something they never got to see live.

    keyboardist and vocalist Rob Barraco

    Fans and critics haven’t been the only people caught up in the spirit of a Dark Star show. The band has featured guest performances from six original Grateful Dead members Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann, Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, Vince Welnick, Tom Constanten and even toured with longtime Dead soundman, Dan Healy. Other notable guests have included Mike Gordon and Jon Fishman of Phish, Keller Williams, Warren Haynes, Steve Kimock, Peter Rowan, Ramblin’ Jack Elliot and many more.

    Tickets to all shows go on sale Friday, January 13 at 10 AM ET via ticketmaster.com. Tickets are also available for purchase at the Palace Theatre Box Office, located at 19 Clinton Ave. Box Office hours are Monday – Friday Noon to 5PM as well as select days and hours for events and on sales.

    Dark Star Orchestra Winter Tour East 2023

    March 9 – Red Bank, NJ – Count Basie Center for the Arts

    March 10 & 11 – Albany, NY – The Palace Theatre

    March 13 – Hartford, CT – Infinity Hall Hartford

    March 15 & 16 – Rutland, VT – Paramount Theatre

    March 17 – Wilkes-Barre, PA – F.M. Kirby Center

    March 18 – Ellicottville, NY – The Rail Rider Jamboree

  • Legendary Guitarist Jeff Beck dead following Brief Illness

    Legendary guitarist Jeff Beck, who played with the Yardbirds, was named one of the top 5 guitarists of all-time by Rolling Stone, and influenced generations of guitarists, has died at age 78.

    jeff beck
    Jeff Beck, performing at UPAC in October 2022. Photo by Mickey Deneher

    The news was shared on Instagram today in a statement from Beck’s family.

    On behalf of his family, it is with deep and profound sadness that we share the news of Jeff Beck’s passing. After suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis, he peacefully passed away yesterday. His family ask for privacy while they process this tremendous loss.

    via Jeff Beck Instagram

    Beck was also the frontman for Jeff Beck Group, and Beck, Bogert & Appice, and was known as a ‘guitarist’s guitarist.’ The two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee – first with The Yardbirds in 1992 and later as a solo artist in 2009, had recently toured with Johnny Depp in Fall 2022, making a stop at UPAC in Kingston. Revisit his performance here.

  • Chuck Garvey to return to the road full-time with moe.

    Just two weeks after his very special appearance at moe.’s New Year’s Eve performance in Philadelphia, founding guitarist Chuck Garvey has announced that he will be returning to the road full-time for the band’s 21-date winter 2023 tour.

    moe chuck garvey walls capitol theatre
    Chuck Garvey projected onto the walls of The Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY – photo by Filip Zalewski

    The tour will kick off on Long Island with the January 19th performance at The Paramount in Huntington, recently named the top club worldwide, by PollStar.

    Thank you for your well-wishes and your donations, without which my recovery would not have happened, This year has been a really long, difficult one for me, but a rewarding one, in that I learned what a person needs to do to achieve goals. Some are basic, everyday things like speech, and some are more about universal things that I noticed about family, friends, and community that keep us all afloat.

    Garvey in a letter home to fans, in November

    The long-awaited announcement comes 13 months after Garvey suffered a stroke, just after the band’s Halloween 2021 performance, which would not have happened without the support of the moe. community, according ot the band.

    Bassist Rob Derhak, who himself battled cancer and took time away from moe. in 2017, gave perspective to Chuck’s return to the band:

    This past year has been a trying time for moe., as a band. We were faced with an unthinkable decision of replacing our brother Chuck with another guitarist. Suke stepped in and stepped up. He brought his unique style, unparalleled talent, and hyper-focused work ethic into the group. Without his help, we wouldn’t have been able to survive the last year, and I think I speak for all of us when I say that we are eternally grateful. Thank You Suke Cerulo.

    Rob Derhak

    See Chuck Garvey on tour with moe this winter, which covers much of the Northeast and Southeast. Get tickets at moe.org.

    moe. 2023 Winter Tour Dates

    Thursday, January 19 – The Paramount – Huntington, NY
    Friday, January 20th – 9:30 Club – Washington, D.C.
    Saturday, January 21st – Wellmont Theater – Montclair, NJ
    Friday, February 17th – State Theatre – Portland, ME
    Saturday, February 18th – State Theatre – Portland, ME
    Friday, February 24th – Palace Theater – Albany, NY
    Saturday, February 25th – Palace Theater – Albany, NY
    Thursday, March 9th – Brooklyn Bowl – Nashville, TN
    Friday, March 10th – Mars Music Hall – Huntsville, AL
    Saturday, March 11th – Minglewood Hall – Memphis, TN
    Sunday, March 12th – Vinyl Music Hall – Pensacola, FL
    Wednesday, March 15th – Music Hall – Charleston, SC
    Thursday, March 16th – The Plaza Live – Orlando, FL
    Friday, March 17th – Culture Room – Ft. Lauderdale, FL
    Saturday, March 18th – Jannus Live – St. Petersburg, FL
    Sunday, March 19th – PV Concert Hall – Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
    Tuesday, March 21st – Lincoln Theatre – Raleigh, NC
    Wednesday, March 22nd – Jefferson Theatre – Charlottesville, VA
    Thursday, March 23rd – The Orange Peel – Asheville, NC
    Friday, March 24th – Variety Playhouse – Atlanta, GA
    Saturday, March 25th – Variety Playhouse – Atlanta, GA

  • Inaugural Black Star Line Festival in Ghana Highlights Artists of African Diaspora

    The 2023 Black Star Line Festival, hosted by Chance the Rapper and Vic Mensa made its historic, inaugural debut in Accra, Ghana on Friday, January 6. The all star concert featured celebrities such as Erykah Badu, Dave Chappelle, T-Pain, Jeremih, Sarkodie, Tobe Nwigwe, Asakaa Boys, M.anifest and more.

    More than 52,000 fans united at Black Star Square in Accra to enjoy an outstanding concert combining music, art, and culture. Prior to the performance, there was a week of events and panels at cultural centers throughout Accra. The free gatherings provided opportunities for education, enrichment and cultural diffusion. 

    Black Star Line Festival

    The festival aims to improve the connection between Black people, artists of the Diaspora and the globe with the continent. The Black Star Square is a remembrance of the political freedom that was fought for and won by Ghanaians in 1957. Ghana was the first Sub-Saharan African country to fight for independence from colonialism. Under the leadership of its first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, several continents followed in the footsteps of Ghana. Dr. Nkrumah was inspired by the Jamaican-Born activist  Marcus Garvey. The revolutionary believed in a free Africa and a global connection between the people of the continent and Black people globally. 

    The Black Star Line Festival is more than just a celebration of Black culture and music, it’s a chance for the Diaspora to come together as a community and remind ourselves of the power that lies within us. It’s an opportunity to honor the legacy of those who came before us, and to inspire and uplift each other. It’s a historic event and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the Black Star Line Festival.

    Chance the Rapper

    In 1919, Garvey founded the Black Star Line. It was a line that generated economic opportunities for Black people from North America, the Caribbean and Africa. The Black Star Line was a symbol of pride for Black people in all ports of call. Dr. Nkrumah insisted that these principles were cardinal to the forward mobility of its people. After almost 40 years, the Ghanaian government inaugurated their fleet with the same name, in homage to Garvey, and even added a black star to the country’s new flag.

    Through groundbreaking installations and collaborating with artists from The Continent and The Diaspora, Chance spent 2022 welding the worlds of art and cinematography. His new works include “Child of God” (collab with Gabonese artist and painter Naïla Opiangah), “A Bar About A Bar” (collab with Chicago-based painter Nikko Washington and filmmaker Troy Gueno), “The Highs & The Lows” feat. Joey Bada$$ (collab with Gabonese photographer Yannis Davy Guibingua), all of which celebrate Black artists. Chance’s newly released “YAH Know” features prominent Ghanaian artist King Promise.

    Chance the Rapper’s highly anticipated new project, Star Line Gallery is due out later this year