22-year-old music prodigy Matthew Whitaker is giving back to the school that shaped his future. Hailing from Hackensack, New Jersey the jazz-pianist, whose been blind since birth, has been performing around the world for nearly a decade. However, the Emmy-nominated composer has overcome the challenge of being blind with the help of The Filomen M. D’ Agostino Greenberg Music School.
This Manhattan based non-profit stands as one of the only community music schools in the country dedicated to helping people with vision loss or blindness. In turn, Matthew Whitaker is giving back to the school where under director of music studies, Dalia Sakas, his talent blossomed at 5-years-old and later performing around the world by his pre-teens.
Over the years Whitaker has made appearances on numerous network television programs showcasing his talents, including CBS’s 60 Minutes, NBC’s Ellen and FOX TV’s Showtime at the Apollo. Nevertheless, Whitaker his prodigy status has been carved out with performance at prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, the Apollo Theater.
Benefit Concert
Set for 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 17th at Peter Norton Symphony Space in Manhattan, Matthew Whitaker’s FMDG Benefit Concert will help raise funds and awareness to support the school and its students. He will be performing along with his quartet and a select group of teen students from “The Fil.”
Since its inception, FMDG has helped more than 25,000 students, including notable talents such as jazz piano prodigy Matthew Whitaker and Grammy Award-winning musician and singer-songwriter Jose Feliciano. In light, the show will also feature the premiere of a new short film highlighting the FMDG Music School. Tickets are on sale on the Symphony Space website
Nearing the half-way point of a 21-date North American tour that kicked off in mid-September, Nick Cave made a rare solo appearance this past Saturday night, October 7, on the first of two back-to-back shows at the legendary Beacon Theatre on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.
Having released Ghosteen with the Bad Seeds in 2019, and the acclaimed album Carnage in 2021 – as well as last year’s Seven Psalms EP comprised of short spoken-word pieces – with fellow Bad Seeds collaborator Warren Ellis, the 66-year old crooner from “the Land Down Under” has confirmed that new material with the Bad Seeds is on its way . . . soon!
The Beacon Theatre | Photo Credit: Michael Dinger
With Radiohead’s Colin Greenwood providing accompaniment on bass, the 130-minute, 25-song gargantuan set (including a seven song encore) commenced at 8:25 pm. Per usual, with a magnificent slick of hair, Cave was dressed ‘to the nines’ in a stunning blue suit and loose tie as he appeared onstage shortly behind Greenwood. Slowly making his way around the perimeter of the stage apron, Cave greeted his adoring followers with several waves and a blown kiss.
Nick Cave & Colin Greenwood | Photo Credit: Michael Dinger
Taking his perch at the ivories, the nearly five decade career-spanning set kicked off with “Girl in Amber” (Skeleton Tree, 2016) and concluded with “People Ain’t No Good” (The Boatman’s Call, 1997). Sandwiched in between, . . .
there was introspection:
“We are going to try and get inside these songs in some kind of way, or go on an adventure. When I perform a song, sitting at the piano, I start to work out what the song is really about in some kind of way. It’s been quite special to do [this tour] for me.”
there was humor:
“This next one (referring to the song “Galleon Ship” from Ghosteen) has got some [good] words in it. There is a bit that says ‘For we are not alone it seems. So many riders in the sky. The winds of longing in their sails. Searching for the other side.’ I thought that was pretty good. The rest [of the song] is okay. You don’t always get a full song. Sometimes four lines is enough.”
and there was reminiscence:
“When I lived in Brazil for a few years, I wrote a lot of very beautiful, lovely songs, and this is not one of them (referring to “Papa Won’t Leave You, Henry” from 1992’s Henry’s Dream). I used to sing this song to [my son] Luke when I was trying to put him to sleep. I noticed that he fell asleep [to] a faster rocking rhythm, so [this song] has that sort of thing going on. It may be the first Nick Cave song of this kind, which was that I’d go out walking and a cascade of terrible things happen to me, that start generally with the personal and end with apocalyptic. And in the center of this is [my] attempt to rock my child to sleep and the general anxiety of a parent trying to protect their child from this cascade of events.”
Nick Cave & Colin Greenwood | Photo Credit: Michael Dinger
Special treats abounded too! Topping the list (for me at least) was the intimately rendered “To Be Found,” the Bad Seed’s newest single and only the fourth time it has been performed live. Not far behind was a cover of the post-punk ballad “Shivers” (Door, Door, 1979) by The Birthday Party, of which Cave was a band member from 1977-1983 and which also led to the birth of the Bad Seeds. If that weren’t enough for the die-hard fan, Cave gifted the 2,600-capacity audience “Palaces of Montezuma” (Grinderman 2, 2010) from his garage rock side project known as Grinderman.
Watch Cave and Greenwood perform fan favorite “Into My Arms,” from the aforementioned The Boatman’s Call, below:
In support of last year’s memoir Faith, Hope and Carnage, Cave has scheduled a book tour that is taking place concurrently with his shows. Joined by Irish journalist Seán O’Hagan, the series of in-store signings focuses on his life following the tragic death of his son, Arthur, in 2015.
Setlist: Girl in Amber > Higgs Boson Blues > Jesus of the Moon > Galleon Ship > To Be Found > O Children > I Need You > Waiting for You > Papa Won’t Leave You, Henry > Balcony Man > Carnage > The Mercy Seat > Black Hair > (Are You) The One That I’ve Been Waiting For? > The Weeping Song > Into My Arms > Jubilee Street > Push the Sky Away > Encore: Idiot Prayer > Love Letter > Shivers > Palaces of Montezuma > Brompton Oratory > The Ship Song > People Ain’t No Good
UPCOMING TOUR & BOOK SIGNING DATES
10/10 – Boston, MA @ Bosh Center – Wang Theatre 10/11 – Cambridge, MA @ Harvard Book Store* 10/12 – Montreal, QC @ Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier 10/14 – Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall 10/15 – Detroit, MI @ Masonic Cathedral Theatre 10/17 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium 10/18 – Nashville, TN @ Parnassus Books* 10/20 – Atlanta, GA @ Atlanta Symphony Hall 10/22 – Dallas, TX @ Majestic Theatre 10/23 – Austin, TX @ ACL Live at The Moody Theater 10/24 – Austin, TX @ BookPeople* 10/27 – Los Angeles, CA @ Orpheum Theatre 10/28 – Los Angeles, CA @ Orpheum Theatre 10/29 – Los Angeles, CA @ Orpheum Theatre 10/30 – West Hollywood, CA @ Book Soup*
The Orchestra Now is set to begin their 2023-24 season at Carnegie Hall on November 7th with a program titled Exodus: Jewish Composers in Exile, directed by Leon Botstein. The performance marks TON’s first show in New York City this seasons, and features four works.
The night’s composers will be Alexandre Tansman, Josef Tal, Walter Kaufmann and Marcel Rubin, all of whom wrote their pieces while in exile from their homelands during World War II.
Tansman, a multi-genre composers as well as pianist, fled Europe for the United States in 1941. His piece to be performed, Polish Rhapsody, was inspired by the invasion of Poland and dedicated “to the defenders of Warsaw.”
Josef Tal’s Exodus is based on the Passover Haggadah, and debuted with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra after Tal’s emigration to Jerusalem in 1942. The Orchestra Now’s performance will be the NYC debut of Exodus.
Walter Kaufmann’s An Indian Symphony was inspired by his emigration to India, where he lived for 14 years in Bombay after exile. This performance will also be the NYC debut of An Indian Symphony.
Finally, Marcel Rubin’s Symphony No. 4, Dies irae, is a reflection of his experiences during World War II. As a winner of the Grand Austrian State Prize for Music and the Gold Medal of Vienna, Rubin spent time in France and Mexico after leaving Vienna.
Director Leon Botstein will lead The Orchestra Now in the performance of these four pieces. The show will take place on November 7 at 7PM at Carnegie Hall, New York City. Tickets are available now online at carnegiehall.org, by phone at 212.247.7800, or at the Carnegie Hall box office at 57th & Seventh Avenue in Manhattan.
Yves Tumor and it’s band are having quite a busy year, starting off with releasing their stellar fifth LP back in March via Warp Records. Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds) is a wildly experimental creative expression from an artist who has been pushing the boundaries of modern pop music ever since their debut. On Wednesday, October 4th, Yves Tumor took over Terminal 5 to kick off the fall leg of the tour which started in back in early spring.
Yves Tumor first broke onto the scene in 2015 with their enigmatic debut record, When Man Fails You. Featuring swirling ambient loops, the record immerses the listener into a haunting yet meditative experience. Yves evolved their musical approach in 2018 with the vibrant Safe In The Hands Of Love. The album starts off with a bit of ambient soundscapes but flourishes of hip hop, house, industrial, and glam rock rotate in and out as the record progresses. The LP is loaded with musical twists and turns but seamlessly blends with a rich sound palate and vintage production style.
Safe In The Hands Of Love catapulted Yves Tumor into a new realm of artistry and fanbase. In a modern world where music is saturated with artists trying to stand out, Yves truly crafted a brand new approach using elements from all over the musical spectrum. Glam rock ballads fade into pulsing ambient sections before raging darkwave grooves take over on the next track. Funky bass lines flutter all over the background while swirling synths fluctuate between Radiohead-like psychedelia and heavy industrial noise reminiscent of Nine Inch Nails. Neatly wrapped together with Yves deeply creative poetic verse, the music defies logic in the best way possible and remains surprisingly original.
Yves Tumor’s success with the goth and glam rock revival continued with a few more releases leading up to 2023. Heaven To A Tortured Mind in 2020 picked up right where Safe In The Hands Of Love left off while a shorter EP, The Asymptotical World in 2021, dove deeper into glam rock with a more forward guitar presence.
Fast forward to Wednesday night at Terminal 5; New York City was about to get their first taste of Yves Tumor’s latest record, which is a masterful culmination of the artist’s career to date. Fans flooded Terminal 5 with goth style, creating a palpable buzz in the room leading up to showtime. Once the houselights dropped, the pent up room erupted with a thunderous ovation to welcome the band on stage.
Chris Greatti of Yves Tumor at Terminal 5, 10/4/2023. Photo by Joseph Buscarello
Yves Tumor and it’s band wasted no time, playing three songs from Praise A Lord… to open things up. The album shines with the insatiable Chris Greatti’s guitar rock vibe but still surprises the listener with inventive experimental passages throughout. “God Is a Circle” got things started with a thick bass line as Yves’ chanted vocals bounced around the room, “Sometimes, it feels like/There’s places in my mind that I can’t go/There’s people in my life I still don’t know, yeah/Wander ‘round, I just feel like a ghost in a well.”
The energy in the room was immense, growing stronger as the night went on. Yves loves to engage with the crowd, spending several songs in the pit letting fans sing along on the mic, signing autographs, and posing for photos all while the show rages on.
The chemistry between Yves and the rest of the band is unmatched. At one point, Yves tossed an umbrella he was posing with over to Greatti who held it in his mouth while shredding the outro to “Secrecy Is Incredibly Important To The Both Of Them.” The two frequently embraced mid song, both clearly not wanting the show to end.
All shows however, must come to an end, and Yves Tumor closed Wednesday night at Terminal 5 with Praise A Lord… closing track “Ebony Eye”. The lush song builds to a climactic finish that left the entire crowd begging for more. If it was not for house security pushing fans towards the exits, I truly do not think this show would have ever ended.
The tour does continue, and the show does not have to end if you can catch any of the dates left on their busy schedule. Head over to the band’s website for the full list of tour dates and if you have not seen Yves Tumor live, do not miss an opportunity to catch one of the most creative artists and invigorating live bands out there today.
Rufus and Martha Wainwright will perform, “A Not So Silent Night” at The Town Hall on December 22, raising awareness for The Kate McGarrigle Fund for sarcoma research. The family-friendly holiday show features special guests including Emmylou Harris, Sean Lennon, Norah Jones, Loudon Wainwright and Lucy Wainwright Roche.
“A Not So Silent Night” has become an annual family tradition for the Wainwrights. The two siblings will be joined by their immediate family members of the Wainwright and McGarrigle clans to share and celebrate the spirit of the holidays. This event will be held at The Town hall, a 1,500-seat, 501C3 non-profit national historic landmark venue in the heart of New York City, created by suffragists in 1921 and host to countless cultural and musical milestones.
“I am utterly excited to bring our holiday concert back to New York City after a hiatus of almost 5 years. These shows very much reflect who Martha and I are as artists and a family, slightly messy but incredibly powerful and emotional, festive, and fun. The Town Hall is one of my favorite venues to perform in. So many Greats have graced the stage, and it is a place that my mother Kate worshipped.”
– Rufus Wainwright
The annual holiday celebration has had its roots in the childhood home of Rufus and Martha’s mother, Kate McGarrigle. The tradition began in the living room of their wooden home in the Laurentian mountain town of St. Sauveur. Kate was tragically diagnosed with Sarcoma, a rare form of cancer, and since has raised money and awareness for funding research into the disease as at the time there were no drugs available to treat it. Rufus and Martha continue Kate’s legacy with the Christmas shows, helping to raise awareness and money for the Kate McGarrigle Foundation for Sarcoma Research.
The holiday show will be supported by an outstanding band led by music director David Mansfield with Jon Cowherd on keys, Doug Wieselman on oboe and guitar, Shawn Pelton on drums, Armand Hirsch on guitar, and Tony Scherr on bass. Special merch items benefiting the Kate McGarrigle Fund will also be available the night of the show.
VIP Gold tickets also include the best seats in the house, attending part of the soundcheck, a group photo with Rufus and Martha, and a special signed merch item, are available. Also available is the opportunity to sing on the closing song of the first half, “Silent Night,” with Rufus, Martha, and family.
“These Christmas shows, conceived of over 25 years ago by our mum, have BECOME our Christmas! There’s always a slight annoyance (and dread?) as we start preparing in June but by the time the show starts all the holiday magic in the world shows up on stage and the importance (and wonderful ridiculousness) of the holiday season is revealed. Most apparent though is the love and music that reigns”
– Martha Wainwright
Tickets go on sale on Friday, October 6, for more information please visit here.
For more information about the Kate McGarrigle Fund please visit here.
The New York Philharmonic presents six orchestral programs from late September through late October at the Wu Tsai Theater in David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center, having started on September 29. This season’s opening concerts include notable conducting debuts and premieres of works by composers from a variety of cultural traditions.
After leading the New York Philharmonic’s opening gala, Music director Jaap van Zweden conducts the first two subscription programs, each featuring a premiere. Following, the philharmonic presents four programs that each feature remarkable debuts including musicians such as Mira Gražinytė-Tyla, returning soloist Yefim Bronfman, The Apollo’s Singers making their subscription debut with Sorrell who serves as their artistic director.
To close out the opening season, Brad Lubman makes his NY Phil debut in ‘Sound On’ on October 27 conducting the premiere of Kinan Azmeh and Loyal Chaker’s Dawning for improvising musicians and orchestra, featuring clarinet and violin soloists.
For more information for the New York Philharmonic performances please visit here.
Opening Concert Season at Wu Tsai Theater, David Geffen Hallat Lincoln Center
JAAP van ZWEDEN Conducts: US Premiere of The Elements with Joshua Bell – Sep 29 – Oct 1
JAAP van ZWEDEN Conducts: World Premiere of Steve Reich’s Jacob’s Ladder – Oct 5 – 7
MIRGA GRAŽINYTĖ-TYLA’S Debut Conducts: Sibelius, Raminta Serksnyte, and R. Schumann with Daniil Trifonov – Oct 11 – 14
David Robertson Conducts: The US Premiere of Elena Firsova’s Piano Concerto – Oct 19 – 21
Jeannette Sorrell Conducts: Handel’s Israel in Egypt – Oct 25 and 26
Zorn, Azmeh, Chaker, and Chin Brad Lubman Conducts: “Sound On” – Oct 27
Blue Öyster Cult released a new single this week, “I’m On the Lamb but I Ain’t No Sheep (Live),” alongside the announcement of their upcoming live album, 50th Anniversary Live – First Night, set to release on December 8.
The new single, “I’m On the Lamb but I Ain’t No Sheep (Live),” was released alongside an official live music video. The entire album was recorded live at NYC’s Sony Hall in September 2022. The group celebrated their 50th Anniversary with a set of 3 sold out shows at the Midtown Manhattan venue.
For the historic career milestone, the group played each of their first three albums in their entirety at the three respective shows. The live album will include live recordings of each entire album.
Blue Öyster Cult was formed in 1967 on Long Island, developing a cult following throughout the 70s and 80s. The group made their debut at Stony Brook University’s Pritchard Gymnasium. Eric Bloom, a Brooklyn native, joined the group in 1969, after original guitarist Allen Lanier accompanied him on a road trip through Upstate New York and heard his tapes as a talented vocalist.
The group is set to play a show at The Space at Westbury Theatre, in Westbury, NY on November 22. Tickets are on sale now and available here.
Blue Öyster Cult are Eric Bloom (guitar, keyboard, vocals), Donald “Buck Dharma ” Roeser (guitar, vocals), Richie Castellano (guitar, keyboard, vocals), Danny Miranda (bass, vocals), and Jules Radino (drums). The group is joined by special guest Albert Bouchard (drums, percussion, guitar, vocals).
Upcoming Tour Dates:
10/14/23 – Sante Fe Springs, CA @ Sante Fe Springs Marketplace & Concert Venue
11/10/23 – Carterville, IL @ Walker’s Bluff Casino
11/11/23 – St. Charles, IL @ Arcada Theatre
11/18/23 – Davenport, IA @ Rhythm City Casino Resort
11/22/23 – Westbury, NY @ The Space at Westbury Theatre
12/05/23 – Auburn, WA @ Muckleshoot Casino Events Center
12/07/23 – Enoch, Alberta, Canada @ River Cree Resort
Billy Joel announced his 100th monthly and 146th lifetime show at Madison Square Garden on Thursday, March 28, 2024. This show is part of his record-breaking, sold-out residency, with his final show, and his 150th lifetime show at the venue, slated for July 2024.
Joel also announced two performances at the iconic venue on April 26, 2024, May 9, 2024, and June 8, 2024.
Billy Joel’s history with Madison Square Garden began with his first performance at The World’s Most Famous Arena on December 14, 1978. In 2006, with 12 consecutive performances, Joel set the record for “most consecutive performances by any artist,” commemorated with a banner stating “Joel – 12” in the venue’s rafters, making him the first entertainer in the venue’s history to accomplish this feat.
He is one of the world’s most iconic musicians, having received The Kennedy Center Honors, one of the United States’ top cultural awards, in December 2013. He is also the recipient of six GRAMMY Awards, including the prestigious Grammy Legend Award. He has sold 150 million records over the past 25 years with 33 Top 40 hits.
Joel received both The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song which honors living musical artists’ lifetime achievement in promoting the genre of song as a vehicle of cultural understanding; entertaining and informing audiences; and inspiring new generations, and the once-in-a-century ASCAP Centennial Award, which is presented to American music icons in recognition of their incomparable accomplishments in their respective music genres and beyond.
In December 2013, he was named Madison Square Garden’s first-ever music franchise, joining the ranks of the venue’s other original franchises – the New York Knicks and New York Rangers. The record-breaking residency began in January 2014 with Joel playing one show every month at The Garden for, as Joel said at the time, “as long as the demand continues.” In January 2015, Joel broke his own record of the “most consecutive performances by any artist” with the 13th show of the residency, and a new banner was raised to The Garden’s rafters.
In July 2015, with his 65th lifetime show, he broke another record for the “most lifetime performances by any artist,” for which another banner was raised. Both of Joel’s banners continue to hang at The Garden and are replaced each month with each performance. In July 2018, he performed his 100th lifetime performance at the venue, commemorated as “Billy Joel Day” in the state. His piano was put on display outside of Chase Square, and the performance saw Bruce Springsteen onstage with the Piano Man.
A multitude of other incredible surprise guests have joined him on stage throughout the course of the ten-year run including Miley Cyrus, Jimmy Fallon, John Fogerty, Billy Gibbons, Brian Johnson, John Mayer, John Mellencamp, Olivia Rodrigo, Paul Simon, and more. He also sold more than 1.6 million tickets from all 50 states and more than 120 countries.
Billy Joel speaking at his MSG Press Conference, June 2, 2023. Photo by: Lucas Kurzweil for NYS Music.
In addition to his ongoing residency run, Joel has also performed alongside other music greats at two of Madison Square Garden’s most extraordinary benefit concerts – “12-12-12, The Concert For Sandy Relief,” which raised awareness and money for those affected by Hurricane Sandy, and “The Concert for New York City,” which was held to help aid 9/11 victims and heroes.
Tickets for March 28, 2024, Billy Joel show at MSG will be available for purchase by the general public beginning at 10:00 AM (ET) on Friday, October 13. They will also be available at the Madison Square Garden box office on Saturday, October 14.
Tickets for his April 26, 2024, are on sale now. Tickets for the May 9 and June shows go on sale at 10 a.m. on Oct. 27.
On Monday, October 2, I had the pleasure of seeing Joy Oladokun finally headline her own show at New York City’s Irving Plaza on her Living Proof Tour.
I’ve followed her for a few years now, seeing a live performance of “I See America” that hooked me to her. Oddly enough, the crowd consists of both younger fans and quite a few older fans such as myself. The walk-on music, Backstreet Boys’ “I Want It That Way,” had the entire crowd singing along to.
Joy came out very humble and down to earth, stating “I look and dress like a truck driver.” Honest and true, Oladokun connected immediately with the crowd and went right into what she does and loves best, playing guitar; lucky for her, the crowd loves watching her do just that.
A strong set featured a highlight, a song called “Sunday” that she dedicated to a gay friend who had passed away. She credited him with having the power to come out herself, the transition of the song’s ending moving into “One Of Us” creating a moment burned into memory.
Former Saturday Night Live cast member Pete Davidson will host the debut of Season 49 on Saturday, October 14, bringing along musical guest Ice Spice for a return to the airwaves.
Davidson, an eight year veteran cast member who departed the show in May 2022, was slated to host the finale of Season 48 this past May, but the episode was scratched due to strikes by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA).
The WGA has ended their strike after a tentative agreement on a new contract with Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), while SAG-AFTRA continue their strike.
Due to variety shows such as SNL working under a different contract than scripted television shows, production can begin on the 49th season without issue.
In addition to Pete Davidson being announced as host, Saturday Night Live has added a new cast member, featured player Chloe Troast. She will join current cast members Michael Che, Colin Jost, Bowen Yang, Mikey Day, Andrew Dismukes, Chloe Fineman, Heidi Gardner, Punkie Johnson, Ego Nwodim and Kenan Thompson.
Bad Bunny will serve as both host and musical guest on Saturday, October 21.
