Joshua Bassett recently played at the Hammerstein Ballroom on Friday, March 24th with opener Lindsey Lomis for his only New York date during his The Complicated Tour.
The two put on an unforgettable performance for their audience of 2500, with Bassett playing various songs from his EPs, Different, Sad Songs In A Hotel Room, and Joshua Bassett. Thousands of fans, many of them wearing sparkly tops, colorful pants, and pink cowboy hats, waited in anticipation for Joshua’s incredible set.
Joshua Bassett
Bassett, initially gaining popularity for his role alongside Olivia Rodrigo in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, resides in New York City but grew up in San Diego, California. The 22-year old pop singer is currently in the middle of his tour and has various dates left in the US and across Europe.
Joshua first entered the stage yelling “New York City!” and jumped up and down during his upbeat song, “Feel Something.” The crowd lost it when he jumped off of the stage, greeting fans and accepting flowers from one girl, whilst encouraging everyone to get into the groove of the music. During his song, “i’m sorry,” Bassett truly awed the crowd with his deeply intimate lyrics as he touched on subjects like depression, addiction, breakups, and loneliness.
He made his way into the middle of the audience during “Common Sense,” as he sang his first ever release acoustically to his starstruck fans. In the chorus of “Different,” he disappeared from the stage and made his way to the upper balconies to greet the rest of the crowd. Finally, at the end of his last song, “Set Me Free,” Joshua climbed onto a piano and jumped off at the drop of the beat, while confetti shot out of cannons on either end of the stage.
Bassett ended his set with a long wait before the crowd began shouting, “One more song, one more song!”, where he reentered and put on a final performance of “SHE SAID HE SAID SHE SAID.”
Setlist: Feel Something, Secret, Doppelgänger, LA, Used To It, Finally Free, Medley (Joshua Bassett EP), Heaven Is You, Sad Songs In A Hotel Room, Lie Lie Lie, Common Sense, Lifeline, All In Due Time, Empire State of Mind, Pt. 2 (Alicia Keys cover), would you love me now?, i’m sorry, Different, Smoke Slow, Iris (The Goo Goo Dolls cover), Beautiful City (Stephen Schwartz cover), Set Me Free Encore: SHE SAID HE SAID SHE SAID
2x-Grammy-nominated DJ and producer Steve Aoki brought the heat to the stage during his electrifying performance on the HiROQUEST: Genesis Tour at Terminal 5 on March 17. With an explosive mix of EDM bangers, stunning visual effects, and his signature cake-throwing antics, Aoki had the crowd jumping and dancing non-stop all night long. Fans left the show with unforgettable memories and eagerly anticipating his next performance.
Steve Aoki is a world-renowned DJ, producer, and entrepreneur, known for his energetic live shows and collaborations with top musicians such as BTS, Kid Cudi, and Linkin Park. Born in Miami and raised in California, Aoki began his music career in 1996 in college by producing DIY records and running underground concerts out of his room at UC Santa Barbra, and has since released multiple studio albums and produced countless chart-topping tracks. He is also the founder of the record label Dim Mak Records and has expanded his brand into fashion, food, and philanthropy. Aoki’s most recent release is fiery new single “New York” with multi-platinum DJ and producer Regard, and featuring alt-pop artist mazie. Together on “New York,” the upbeat dance club jam joins mazie’s dreamlike, twisted musical tendencies through a seamless combination of Regard’s unmistakable production and Aoki’s high-powered creativity for a song that arrives just in time to become the pop anthem to kick off the new year.
The first opener, NYC based DJ Callie Reiff is a force to be reckoned with in the electronic dance music scene. A rising star since her early teens, she’s been smashing stages with her high-octane sets and bold beats. Armed with a fearless attitude and an infectious energy, Callie has been pushing boundaries and breaking down barriers, redefining what it means to be a woman in EDM. With an impressive list of collaborations under her belt, including Diplo, Sofi Tukker, and Borgore, Callie’s sound is a dynamic fusion of genres, blending elements of trap, bass, and techno to create a sound that is uniquely hers. From playing major festivals like Electric Daisy Carnival and Ultra Music Festival to headlining her own shows, Callie Reiff is on a meteoric rise and shows no signs of slowing down.
Following Callie Reiff was Juuku; a rising star in the world of electronic music, known for his genre-bending sound and emotionally charged productions. With a background in classical piano and guitar, this mysterious producer has been captivating audiences with his unique blend of future bass, trap, and indie-pop influences. Hailing from an undisclosed location, Juuku’s music is a reflection of his personal journey, infused with raw emotion and a deep sense of introspection. Since emerging on the scene in 2020, Juuku has quickly gained a loyal following, with tracks like “Gone” and “Leaving” racking up millions of streams on Spotify. With support from major tastemakers like Zeds Dead, Juuku is poised to take the music world by storm with his innovative sound and undeniable talent.
Amping up the show to a whole new level was Timmy Trumpet. Sporting his Pitbull-esque sunglasses, a trumpet, and copious amounts of alcohol, Timmy escalated the show tenfold. Timmy Trumpet is an Australian DJ, producer, and multi-instrumentalist who has been making waves in the electronic dance music scene since the early 2000s. With a background in jazz and classical music, Timmy brings a unique musicality to his high-energy performances, incorporating live trumpet playing into his sets. Known for his explosive live shows and infectious party anthems, Timmy has become a global sensation, headlining major festivals and clubs around the world. His chart-topping hits, including “Freaks” and “The Buzz,” have become instant classics, with millions of streams and views on platforms like Spotify and YouTube. With a tireless work ethic and an unwavering commitment to his craft, Timmy Trumpet is a true superstar in the world of EDM, constantly pushing the boundaries and delivering electrifying performances that leave audiences in awe.
During Timmy’s set, he climbed the stage and started boxing the air, doing pushups, and cheering as he downed shots of tequila on stage and set off gas canisters. Timmy pulled out all the stops, taking off his shirt, spraying champagne, handing out glasses and hats, throwing out “100 dollar” bills, and even humping a giant inflatable trumpet. He celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with Irish dancing and dumped an entire bottle of tequila on stage. Timmy also sang Happy Birthday to a fellow Aussie and held his trumpet high as a trophy or a guitar, cementing his place as a true showman and a legend of the EDM world.
Steve Aoki’s set was a visual and auditory feast for the senses. The videos playing in the background, featuring music videos and lyrics, added an extra dimension to the music. Images of funky aliens with vibrant colors and bored ape NFTs on blimps further enhanced the experience. A hyped-up entourage backed Steve up around the DJ booth, as he played fan-favorite “Hungry Heart” featuring Hayley Kiyoko and a new track set to release next month. The visuals during “My Heart Will Go On” were unforgettable, as Jack and Rose were replaced by Steve himself. He even took off his shirt and threw it into the crowd, followed by more champagne and his infamous cake-throwing tradition. Fans went wild as they caught CDs of his most recent album and fought to become bigger targets for the cake-throwing. Steve even filmed the crowd going crazy during a new song, turning it into a music video. The concert ended with a shower of streamers and confetti, and fans throwing phones onto the stage in excitement. Steve Aoki’s performance was truly a party that nobody wanted to leave.
Timmy Trumpet will be busy performing sets at multiple different shows and festivals, but will be back in NYC on Saturday May 6th at the Marquee.
Though the Genesis Tour has wrapped, you can find Steve Aoki still performing at many different miscellaneous shows, including May 6th at Bamboozle Festival in Atlantic City, NJ. Stay up to date on show/tour announcements here.
The exhilarating rock band, Måneskin announced their world tour, RUSH! The rockstars will perform across North America, South America, Japan, Europe, UK & Ireland, and Australia, and appear at Madison Square Garden on September 21.
Last year while touring the United States, Måneskin sold out 100,00 tickets across 25 shows. In Rome, the group took over the historic Circo Massimo with 70,000 tickets sold. The band has also dominated other festival stages around the world including Coachella, Rock in Rio, Lollapalooza.
After an incredible experience in South America, the band will return, visiting Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Colombia for the first time. After the star’s remarkable exclusive show and stand-out set at Summer Sonic in 2022, Måneskin is bringing RUSH! To Japan. Additionally, for the first time ever, the vibrant musicians will visit Australia, holding shows in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. Lastly, fans can rock out to Måneskin in Germany, France, Ireland, UK, Manchester and Dublin.
Prior to RUSH! Måneskin will play five special stadium shows in Italy with more than 220.000 tickets already sold. Alongside both tours, Måneskin will command stages at Glastonbury and Primavera Sound this summer.
RUSH! shares the name of the band’s latest album released in January 2023. The chart dominating album reached #1 in fifteen countries and top five in twenty countries. It also garnered over 800 million global album streams, in addition to the band’s impressive 7.3 billion global artist streams. This abundance of success led to the band’s first Grammy award in 2023.
The general sale for RUSH! will start on Thursday, March 23. Tickets can be purchased here.
Måneskin RUSH! World Tour
February 23, 2023 – Pesaro, Italy – Vitrifrigo Arena SOLD OUT
February 25, 2023 – Turin, Italy – Pala Alpitour SOLD OUT
February 27, 2023 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Ziggo Dome (previously at: AFAS LIVE) SOLD OUT
March 2, 2023 – Brussels, Belgium – Forest National SOLD OUT
March 3, 2023 – Brussels, Belgium – Forest National SOLD OUT
March 6, 2023 – Berlin, Germany – Mercedes Benz Arena SOLD OUT
March 10, 2023 – Cologne, Germany – Lanxess Arena SOLD OUT
March 13, 2023 – Paris, France – Accor Arena (previously at: Zenith) SOLD OUT
March 16, 2023 – Bologna, Italy – Unipol Arena SOLD OUT
March 17, 2023 – Bologna, Italy – Unipol Arena SOLD OUT
March 20, 2023 – Florence, Italy – Nelson Mandela Forum SOLD OUT
March 21, 2023 – Florence, Italy – Nelson Mandela Forum SOLD OUT
March 24, 2023 – Rome, Italy – Palazzo dello Sport SOLD OUT
March 25, 2023 – Rome, Italy – Palazzo dello Sport SOLD OUT
March 28, 2023 – Naples, Italy – Palapartenope SOLD OUT
March 29, 2023 – Naples, Italy – Palapartenope SOLD OUT
March 31, 2023 – Bari, Italy – Palaflorio SOLD OUT
April 3, 2023 – Milan, Italy – Mediolanum Forum SOLD OUT
April 4, 2023 – Milan, Italy – Mediolanum Forum SOLD OUT
April 6, 2023 – Milan, Italy – Mediolanum Forum SOLD OUT
April 11, 2023 – Barcelona, Spain – Palau Saint Jordi SOLD OUT
April 26 2023 – Zurigo, Svizzera – Hallenstadion (previously at: Halle 622) SOLD OUT
April 28, 2023 – Vienna, Austria – Wiener Stadthalle SOLD OUT
April 30 2023 – Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg – Rockhal SOLD OUT
May 2, 2023 – Copenhagen, Denmark – The Royal Arena
May 5, 2023 – Milan, Italy – Mediolanum Forum SOLD OUT
May 8, 2023 – London, UK – The O2 Arena (previously at: O2 Academy Brixton) SOLD OUT
May 12, 2023 – Warsaw, Poland – Torwar Hall SOLD OUT
May 14, 2023 – Prague, Czech Republic – O2 Arena (previously at: Malá Sportovní Hala) SOLD OUT
May 16, 2023 – Budapest, Hungary – Budapest Arena (previously at: Barba Negra) SOLD OUT
May 18, 2023 – Riga, Latvia – Mežaparks Grand Stage (previously at Arena Riga) VENUE UPGRADE
May 19 2023 – Tallinn, Estonia – Saku Suurhall SOLD OUT
16 July 2023 – Trieste, Italy – Stadio Nereo Rocco
20 July 2023 – Rome, Italy – Stadio Olimpico SOLD OUT
21 July 2023 – Rome, Italy – Stadio Olimpico
24 July 2023 – Milan, Italy – Stadio San Siro SOLD OUT
25 July 2023 – Milan, Italy – Stadio San Siro
September 3, 2023 – Hanover, Germany – EXPO Plaza
September 6, 2023 – Nancy, France – Nancy Open Air
September 21, 2023 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
September 23, 2023 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion
September 25, 2023 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
September 27, 2023 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
September 29, 2023 – Chicago, IL – Allstate Arena
October 1, 2023 – Detroit, MI – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill
October 3, 2023 – Nashville, TN – Nashville Municipal Auditorium
October 6, 2023 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
October 10, 2023 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum
October 13, 2023 – Oakland, CA – Oakland Arena
October 15, 2023 – Vancouver, BC – Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre
October 20, 2023 – Mexico City, Mexico – Palacio De Los Deportes
October 24, 2023 – Bogotá, Colombia – Movistar Arena
October 27, 2023 – Santiago, Chile – Estadio Bicentenario La Florida
October 29, 2023 – Buenos Aires, Argentina – Movistar Arena
November 1, 2023 -Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – Qualistage
November 3, 2023 – San Paulo, Brazil – Espaço Unimed
November 20, 2023 – Brisbane, QLD – BCEC
November 22, 2023 – Sydney, NSW – Hordern Pavilion
November 23, 2023 – Melbourne, VIC – Margaret Court Arena
Blanket Approval will throw a bit of a shebang this weekend at Berlin (Under A) in the heart of the East Village. They’ll be joined by Strange Neighbors and Golden Alphabet, and will have a one-of-a-kind show poster and t-shirt auction benefiting the Achilles International Queens Chapter.
Blanket Approval is a groovy indie pop rock band from New York City. Born out of the ashes of the pandemic, singer/guitarist Jack Matteucci moved to Brooklyn in August of 2021 after hopping around the country for 8 months, searching for a music scene he wanted to grow with. He soon met drummer Joey Hadden through mutual friends and they founded the band. While the two were gigging together, Jack met bassist Max Mena at a DIY punk show in Queens and thankfully found guitarist/keyboardist Rahul Chakraborty online.
With the new recruits, Blanket Approval began rehearsing and recording in January 2022, before making their live debut at Union Pool in Brooklyn that spring. Since then, the band has played throughout NYC, most recently at the acclaimed Mercury Lounge in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. The band has built an impressive following thanks to strong social media promo, has garnered nearly 200,000 streams on Spotify in less than 8 months, and a feature in Spotify’s Fresh Finds Indie. 2023 will see a string of new releases, including a summer EP, as well as tour dates throughout the East Coast.
Strange Neighbors first unleashed their jangly power pop onto the New York scene in 2018. Founded by vocalist Aidan and drummer Tracey, they soon brought guitarist Zach into the mix through a Facebook ad. It remains one of the three all-time positive outcomes of social media.
After a few early singles and some lineup changes, the band brought along bassist Dana to record their debut album How to Human in early 2019. Taking influence from the power pop and pop punk of the band’s youth, the album’s eight songs are characterized by sparkling guitars, intricate bass lines, rock solid beats and impassioned vocals, a mix of the old and new.
The band followed up with the Illuminasti EP in 2020 and marked their live comeback as a live act with the single “Mystic Piers” in July of 2021. They have continued recording, writing and performing into 2023 with the release of the “Party of None” EP.
Since their formation, Strange Neighbors have played at popular New York City haunts like Piano’s, The Bitter End, Bowery Electric, Cobra Club, Arlene’s Grocery, Mercury Lounge, Knitting Factory, Sultan Room, Rubulad, and more.
Originally formed in the cactus country of Tucson, Arizona, in 2003, Golden Alphabet found their final form in a place that couldn’t be more different than Southern Arizona: Brooklyn. Along the road there have been many members and iterations from solo project, to large form collective, to the current 5-piece (since 2014). All the shapes Golden Alphabet have taken have left their mark and played their part in what the group is in this moment.
Their desert roots are not hard to pinpoint. With the country western radio station blasting from his father’s workshop, primary writer and singer Tommy Cormier couldn’t escape the simple structures and emotive delivery of the music he grew up with. Though their music might not be technically categorized as country or folk, Golden Alphabet delivers an aesthetic of contemporary indie-psych, sometimes baroque pop, with a varnish of desert dust; from melodic whispers to heavy riffs and soaring choruses, inspiration takes many forms in their music.
Golden Alphabet is Tommy Cormier, Kendra Kovarik, Nate Jasensky, Derek Smith, and Timmy Minker. Removable Baby Jesus was recorded, produced, and mixed entirely by the band at Greenpoint Recording Collective, where Cormier and Jasensky are producers for local musicians and bands.
Berlin (Under A) is located at Avenue A & 2nd Street in Alphabet City. Tickets are $10 advance, $15 Day of Show.
The Garden of Dreams Foundation, along with Madison Square Garden Entertainment have announced the 15th annual Garden of Dreams Talent Show, scheduled to take place at Radio City Music Hall on Wednesday, April 19, at 7:00 p.m.
More than 150 young people from the tri-state area will take the stage to showcase their talents. Additionally, this year’s festival will feature vocal performances of both original and beloved songs.
View of Radio City Music Hall from the stands. Credit: Architectural Digest
This year’s Garden of Dreams talent show at Radio City will welcome 22 acts made up of young people from 22 of the Foundation’s 29 partner organizations, including Make-a-Wish, Children’s Aid, Children’s Village, Covenant House, Cohen Children’s Medical Center, Hackensack University Medical Center, SCAN-Harbor, and more. Since the foundation’s inception in 2006, the Garden of Dreams Foundation has impacted more than 400,000 young people and their families.
The Foundation focuses on young people facing illness or financial challenges, as well as children of uniformed personnel who have been lost or injured while serving our communities. In addition to the local talent showcased at the talent show, Garden of Dreams has drawn a number of high-profile performers. Whoopi Goldberg, Alicia Keys, Sara Bareilles, Remy Ma, Susan Sarandon, Caleb McLaughlin, A$AP Rocky, Gaten Matarazzo, and more have served as both presenters of the event and mentors to the performers.
The Garden of Dreams Foundation established the annual Hero Award, recognizing those embodying the spirit of the foundation. The award was most recently awarded to legendary actor and comedian Tracy Morgan. The 2023 Garden of Dreams Talent Show at Radio City Music Hall is free and open to the public, but tickets must be reserved in advance at gardenofdreamsfdtn.org/talentshow2023.
On the evening of Wednesday, March 15, New York City’s Carnegie Hall served as a gathering place to pay tribute to Sir Paul McCartney. Produced by Entrepreneur and Philanthropist Michael Dorf, The Music Of Paul McCartney was the 18th annual Music Of benefit concert to grace Carnegie Hall.
Photograph by Bobby Banks
In front of a sold-out house, Will Lee, Alexis Morrast, Peter Asher, Lyle Lovett, Patti Smith, Sammy Rae, Shovels & Rope, Christopher Cross, Danny Laine, Allison Russel, The Cactus Bottoms, Jennifer Nettles, Resistance Revival Chorus, Music Will Kids Group, Lake Street Drive, Bruce Hornsby, Graham Nash, Ingrid Michaelson, Glen Hasard, Jonathan Russel, Hamilton Leithauser, Betty Lavette, and Nancy Wilson sang their praises. Each artist performed one song from Paul McCartney’s vast catalog and celebrated his musical career.
The evening was marked by golden moments. Patti Smith, who was not originally on the line-up, surprised the crowd with a rendition of The Beatles, “She’s Leaving Home.” She added her own lyrical twists throughout the song, reaffirming her already widely known and beloved creative prose.
Patti Smith at Carnegie Hall on March 15, 2023 in New York City. Photo by Bobby Banks.
The New York City Chapter of The Resistance Revival Chorus then took the stage. The chorus is “a collective of more than 60 women, and non-binary singers, who join together to breathe song and joy into the resistance and to uplift and center women’s voices,” according to the Resistance Revival Chorus. The group performed The Beatles’ “Let It Be.” In doing so, they transformed the event into an interactive experience between the performer and the audience. They radically broke down all barriers between performer and viewer; between stage and seat.
They put their arms up to the sky, and audience members did the same. They danced, and the audience danced. The grand, wide-open room that is Carnegie Hall suddenly became one. They walked tall off the stage to a symphony of cheers, snaps, and the sudden shuffling of a standing ovation – The first of the night.
Photo by Bobby Banks
The stage also welcomed Music Will Kids Group to perform The Beatles’ “Get Back.” The group consisted of four students from a New York City-based high school. Before strumming a note or singing a tune, the lead singer shouted a thank-you into the microphone for their music teacher, Mr. Paris.
To close out the evening, all 23 performers joined on stage to perform their group finale, “Hey Jude.” Performers clapped, hugged, smiled, and filled the stage with joy. Fans stood, swayed, and joined in on the music. Carnegie Hall’s choir of 3,000+ voices reverberated through the city and solidified an already unshakable legacy of one of history’s greatest, Sir Paul McCartney.
The Music Of tribute series has donated collectively over $1.5M in proceeds to organizations that provide music education programs and opportunities to underserved youths. Paul McCartney’s tribute was preceded by tributes to other greats, such as Aretha Franklin, David Bowie, David Byrne, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and more.
Group encore performs “Hey Jude” for the final song of The Music Of Paul McCartney at Carnegie Hall on March 15, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Bobby Bank/Getty Images)
Music Of Paul McCartney Setlist: “Ooh You” performed by Will Lee, “My Love” performed by Alexis Morrast, “A World Without Love” performed by Peter Asher & Lyle Lovett, “Things We Said Today” performed by Patti Smith, “Heart of the Country” performed by Sammy Rae, “Helter Skelter” performed by Shovels & Rope, “Mother Nature’s Son” performed by Christopher Cross, “Mull of Kintyre” performed by Denny Laine & Christopher Cross, “Blackbird” performed by Allison Russell, “And I Love Her” performed by The Cactus Blossoms, “Silly Love Song” performed by Jennifer Nettles, “Let it Be” performed by Resistance Revival Chorus, “Get Back” performed by Music Will Kids Group, “Let Me Roll It” performed by Lake Street Drive, “I’ve Just Seen a Face” performed by Bruce Hornsby, “For No One” performed by Graham Nash, “I Will” & “Calico Skies” performed by Ingrid Michaelson, “We Can Work It Out” performed by Glen Hansard, “Let Em In” performed by Jonathan Russell, “With a Little Help from My Friends” performed by Hamilton Leithauser, “Maybe I’m Amazed” performed by Betty LaVette, “Yesterday” performed by Lyle Lovett, “Band On the Run” performed by Nancy Wilson, “Hey Jude” performed by entire line-up.
NYC’s Irish Arts Center has announced more than two dozen artists who will come together to celebrate and extend the immense legacy of Mick Moloney, a towering figure in Irish traditional music, who died last year.
The tribute concerts, co-presented with NYU Glucksman Ireland House, will unfold over three nights, March 30 & 31 and April 1, at 7:30pm at the Irish Arts Center.
The concert tribute, produced by Irish Arts Center under the musical direction of Athena Tergis and Seamus Egan, will feature just a sample of the range of artists influenced by Moloney throughout his long career, including Nora Brown, Jean Butler, Donie Carroll, Liz Carroll, Brenda Castles, Stephanie Coleman, Cheick Hamala Diabate, Brendan Dolan, Megan Downes, Seamus Egan, Donny Golden, Ivan Goff, Jefferson Hamer, Liz Hanley, Kieran Jordan, James Keane, Tamar Korn, Dan Levinson, Joanie Madden and Cherish the Ladies, Billy McComiskey, Dan Neely, Eamon O’Leary, Niall O’Leary, John Roberts, Leni Sloan, and Athena Tergis.
In a career spanning seven decades, Moloney, described in a New York Times obituary as a “pioneering scholar and superb musician,” was one of the world’s foremost advocates of the music, history, and culture of Ireland, Irish America, and the global Irish diaspora. In co-presenting the concert tribute, Irish Arts Center and NYU Glucksman Ireland House jointly celebrate Moloney’s legacy and long association with both institutions, serving as Global Distinguished Professor of Music at NYU, and presenting more than 100 concerts over a fifteen year period at Irish Arts Center.
Irish Arts Center, founded in 1972 and based in Hell’s Kitchen, New York City, is a home for artists and audiences of all backgrounds who share a passion or appreciation for the evolving arts and culture of contemporary Ireland and Irish America. IAC presents, develops, and celebrates work from established and emerging artists and cultural practitioners, providing audiences with emotionally and intellectually engaging experiences in an environment of Irish hospitality. Steeped in grassroots traditions, IAC also provides community education programs and access to the arts for people of all ages and ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds. In an historic partnership of the people of Ireland and New York, Irish Arts Center recently opened a state-of-the-art new facility to support this mission for the 21st century.
Glucksman Ireland House is New York University’s center for the study of Ireland and the Irish diaspora. Renowned for dynamic programming and research initiatives, Glucksman Ireland House is the home of the Glucksman Irish Diaspora Series with NYU Press and the Archives of Irish America. The mission at Glucksman Ireland House NYU is to foster excellence in the study of Ireland, Irish America, and the Irish Diaspora in New York and the global communities.
Multi-platinum headliners Avenged Sevenfold announce the release of their new single, their first since 2016, titled “Nobody,” as well as a show at Madison Square Garden on June 23.
Photo by Rebecca Sapp/WireImage for the Recording Academy
To date, Avenged Sevenfold has sold over 10 million albums worldwide and earned two consecutive No. 1 albums on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums chart as well as multiple No. 1 singles on rock radio. They have garnered over a billion video views and a billion-plus Spotify streams. Their new track “Nobody” is the band’s first official music release since their 2016 album, The Stage, delivering nearly six minutes of twists and turns, leaning in on the sense of discomfort before letting go.
The official video for the track, directed by Chris Hopewell, is beautifully crafted in stop-motion style, unfolding like a short film. It takes the viewer through the exploration of life and death, love and war, and follows the main character through an existential crisis. The band teased the single through an elaborate and mysterious digital scavenger hunt with puzzles, ciphers, images, and blog posts all written by Chat GPT, DALL-E 2, and AI voice modifiers, leading fans to a website for more challenges, eventually “unlocking” the single on release day.
Their new record Life Is But a Dream was recorded over the last four years, drawing inspiration from Albert Camus’ classic 1942 novella, The Stranger, due June 2. Avenged Sevenfold is supporting the release with two shows this summer- one at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, CA,on June 9 and the other at Madison Square Garden on June 23. Tickets go on sale this Friday, March 17, with more information available here.
On top of that, they have a number of festival dates scheduled, including a headline run Welcome to Rockville 2023 in Daytona Beach, Florida on May 19, and performances at the Sonic Temple Art and Music festival in Columbus, Ohio on May 26 and Aftershock 2023 in Sacramento, California on Oct. 5.
Mike Gordon has announced a new solo album, Flying Games, along with June and July tour dates, bringing him to Webster Hall in Manhattan and Town Ballroom in Buffalo.
Photo Credit: Rene Huemer
Flying Games (ATO Records/Megaplum) will be released on Friday, May 12 and is produced by Gordon, recorded by longtime collaborator Jared Slomoff, and mixed by GRAMMY-winning engineer Shawn Everett (Alabama Shakes, The War on Drugs).
For me Tilting is about being in a situation or a relationship where you don’t know if your footing is solid, but then accepting that and realizing you enjoy the feeling of disorientation. Whether it’s playing music or driving or experiencing something new, I’ve always felt more present when I don’t know where I’m going next.
The eclectic sixth solo LP from Mike Gordon, Flying Games is an album of constant and wildly hypnotic movement, each moment animated by unexpected sounds that morph and expand and spin off into their own strange orbits. Flying Games follows Gordon’s most recent solo works, 2020’s Noon and 2017’s OGOGO. The LP imbues elements of everything from disco and dancehall to psych-folk and funk into Gordon’s unfettered and expansive breed of rock music.
To create Flying Games, the Vermont-based Gordon spent much of 2020’s lockdown and – writing and recording in his makeshift Megaplum home studio, immersing himself in sonic experiments ranging from the playfully spontaneous (constructing beats by banging wrenches against various pieces of farming equipment) to the hyper-specific and technical (programming a keyboard with chords sampled from’50s-era Hawaiian guitar records).
As the songs became more fully formed, Gordon brought in contributions from his bandmates, drummer John Kimock, keyboardist Robert Walter, percussionist Craig Myers, and guitarist/pedal-steel player Scott Murawski, all of whom submitted parts from afar which were then woven by Gordon and Slomoff into the initial tracks. Revealing entirely new dimensions of the kaleidoscopic musicianship Gordon has displayed as Phish’s bassist for the last four decades, the result is a work of both extraordinary vision and daring execution.
As someone who comes from a world of telepathic improvisation, the idea of one person layering sounds alone in a room might seem a bit against the mythos. But with this record I didn’t want to work in that traditional way of going into a studio with a band and recording for two weeks; I wanted to take my time and explore, and really go deep into the fabric of the music to see what we could find.
Mike Gordon
Gordon, bassist for Phish, will celebrate the release of Flying Games with a tour that includes headline shows and performances at Peach, Northlands and Blue Ox festivals. Tickets for all newly announced headline dates go on sale Friday, March 17 with pre-sales underway.
Manhattan’s Nai’a has just released a very vulnerable and passionate single titled “Newman Beauty,” on February 16th. This heartfelt single is part of Nai’a’s craft; with head turning, shocking visuals, and raw, emotional compositions, Nai’a isn’t just making music, but art.
Being a pensive and exploring artist in the space of adventures circling through his life, Nai’a’s creative mind comes to life as he creates music. By intertwining the melodies and wordplays appealingly, he knits his song flawlessly.
There’s a dichotomy of thoughts and escapades he powders his songs with. Nai’a meanders by his beliefs finding the meaning of life through the songs that he writes. “Newman Beauty”, Nai’a’s latest record, is an intimate closure of thoughts with simply him and a guitar. The yearning guitar riffs & his voice overflowing with a thousand stories culminate into an emotionally strong tune.
“I was in love, now you’re just a memory”
– Nai’a
The song acts as a journal of his emotional journey when dreaming to be in love. His encumbered voice carries the weight of ardor. The single is a straightforward, easy, unadorned yet brilliantly crafted song that Nai’a has released.
While talking about the song Nai’a stated, “Writing Newman Beauty has been the biggest risk I’ve taken as a songwriter. I had to tell my story in the most honest way, with no sugar coating,” and he’s given it justice by keeping both his lyricism and the music minimal and honest.
The song feels like he’s floating on a sea of vulnerability, as he sings the words. He paints the picture of him longing for something that isn’t his.
The ambiguity of his mind preoccupies the thoughts that flow, as he communicates through the music. It’s like Nai’a is fixated on a person he can’t let go of, from a place of love and affection. You can hear the tenderness and pain along his dreamy melodies. “Newman Beauty” is a way of healing himself.
