Category: Regions

SPAC 2023 Summer Lineup and Schedule

Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) has announced its Summer 2023 lineup, with performances from Dermot Kennedy to Guns N’ Roses. SPAC is a prestigious outdoor amphitheater, featuring live performances, arts education, culinary arts, literary arts, and visual arts across its campus. For over 50 years, SPAC has served as the summer home for New York City Ballet and The Philadelphia Orchestra.

In a recent meeting on May 18, the leadership and staff reflected on what they viewed as a “SPAC Transformed.” The scope and depth of SPAC’s programs has “exploded,” with the summer season including the celebration of literary, culinary, and visual arts on top of the 28 performances, 24 debuts, and 11 premieres. Over the past year, work has continued to revitalize the amphitheater’s backstage, and “The Performer’s Road” has been widened, regraded, and repaved.

The season will kick off with the Summer SPACtacular, a new fundraising event on Friday, June 2. With Live Music, DJ, Dancing, Cocktails, Culinary Delights, Fireworks and Festivities, it is divided into the sold-out “All Access Pass” and the still-available “Party Pass.”

Orchestras, Ballets, and Operas

Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center

Performing throughout the summer, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center hails from the largest performing arts complex in the world: the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Their showings in June include “From Classic to Modern” at 3:00 p.m. on June 11 and “Great Quintets” at 3:00 p.m. on June 18. For July, they are performing on July 16 at 3:00 p.m. for “From Vienna to Paris” and on July 23 at 3:00 p.m. for “The Miró Quartet.” They end their summer performances with two showings in Aug., “Spanish Journey” on Aug. 13 at 3:00 p.m. and “New Classics” on Aug. 20 at 3:00 p.m. for their final show.

New York City Ballet

Founded in 1948 by George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein, New York City Ballet is one of SPAC’s summer residents. They are performing in the second half of July. “NYCB On and Off Stage” on July 18 at 7:30 p.m. has a “behind the curtain” experience for audiences. On July 19 and 20 at 7:30 p.m. are the “SPAC Premieres,” which includes several pieces new to SPAC. “Peck & Copland” is on July 20 at 2:00 p.m. and July 22 at 7:30 p.m., and “Swan Lake, Fancy Free & Freebird” is on July 21 at 7:30 p.m. and July 22 at 2:00 p.m..

The Philadelphia Orchestra

The Philadelphia Orchestra, another Summer resident of SPAC has a wide variety of performances in the month of August, starting with the “Festive Fireworks” at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 2.

Other events include: “Schubert’s ‘Great’ Symphony” on Aug. 3 at 7:30 p.m., “Pink Martini and The Philadelphia Orchestra featuring China Forbes” on Aug. 4 at 7:30 p.m., “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire™ In Concert” on Aug. 5 at 7:30 p.m., “Beethoven’s Seventh” on Aug. 9 at 7:30 p.m., “An Evening with Audra McDonald” on Aug. 10 at 7:30 p.m., “Rachmaninoff at 150” on Aug. 11 at 7:30 p.m., “Rite of Spring & Blessed Earth” on Aug. 12 at 7:30 p.m., “The Four Seasons with Gil Shaham” on Aug. 16 at 7:30 p.m., “Yo-Yo Ma plays Dvořák” on Aug. 17 at 7:30 p.m., “Earth: An HD Odyssey” on Aug. 18 at 7:30 p.m., and “Jurassic Park in Concert” on Aug. 19 at 7:30 p.m..

Concerts

TLC & Shaggy – June 16 at 7:00 p.m.

As a part of their Hot Summer Nights tour, TLC and Shaggy will be playing at SPAC. TLC is the best-selling American girl group of all time, they have earned 35 Major Awards, and are ranked as one of the greatest music trios. Shaggy is the only diamond-selling dancehall artist in music history, and has sold more than 40 million album units. They are also being joined by special guests En Vogue and Sean Kingston.

Dead & Company – June 17 & June 18 at 7:00 p.m.

Formed in 2015, Dead & Company is having their final tour over Summer 2023, stopping in SPAC on both June 17 and June 18. They were created through the merging of Grateful Dead members Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, and Bob Weir with John Mayer, as well as Allman Brothers’ bassist Oteil Burbridge, and Fare Thee Well and RatDog keyboardist Jeff Chimenti. Dead & Company has completed seven tours since 2015, with 164 concerts.

Dermot Kennedy – June 19 at 7:30 p.m.

Dermot Kennedy was nominated for the “Best International Male” BRIT Award in 2020, and has become a platinum-selling artist in over 12 countries through his debut album, the best-selling debut album in Ireland of this millennium. He is known for his unique ability to unify and heal through his music.

Tears for Fears – July 2 at 7:30 p.m.

Tears for Fears is an English pop rock band that has sold over 30 million albums worldwide. They are touring with Cold War Kids as a part of their “The Tipping Point Tour Part II.” SPAC is one of the three locations for their tour in New York, with other locations including Madison Square Garden and the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts.

Big Time Rush – July 3 at 7:00 p.m.

Big Time Rush is an American pop boy band, previously starring in “Big Time Rush,” a Nickelodeon-produced musical sitcom. It has four members: Kendall Schmidt, James Maslow, Logan Henderson, and Carlos PenaVega.

Counting Crows – July 5 at 7:30 p.m.

Nominated for both a Grammy and Academy award, Counting Crows is an alternative rock band that has performed for over two decades. Their multi-platinum breakout album was “August and Everything After,” with their most recent album being “Butter Miracle: Suite One,” released in May 2021. Also featured at the showing is guest star Dashboard Confessional.

KIDZ BOP – July 9 at 4:00 p.m.

The KIDZ BOP performance at SPAC is a part of their “Never Stop Live Tour,” with new songs, choreography, special effects, and the return of the Daddy Dance Off. KIDZ BOP is a family-friendly show, and the group has sold more than 23 million albums and had over 8 billion streams since 2001. The performance will feature songs from the recent “KIDZ BOP 2023” album as well as other pop hits.

Dave Matthews Band – July 14 & 15 at 7:30 p.m.

Dave Matthews Band is an American rock band, originally formed in 1991. They will be performing songs from their new album “Walk Around the Moon.” Dave Matthews Band is visiting SPAC as a part of their U.S. summer tour. They are also using the tour to continue their work with The Nature Conservancy, with their partnership resulting in the planting one million trees this year.

Foreigner – Aug. 1 at 7:00 p.m.

Foreigner is known as one of the most popular rock bands in the world, with ten multi-platinum albums. Their visit to SPAC is a part of their “Farewell Tour,” with the band being joined by Loverboy, another hit-maker of the ’80s. The show promises more than 20 combined chart-topping songs.

The Chicks – Aug. 6 at 7:30 p.m.

The Chicks are the biggest-selling U.S. female band of all time and are the only female group to get multiple diamond selling releases. They have sold more than 30.5 million albums, with their last record-breaking studio album being “Taking the Long Way,” released in 2006. It received five Grammy awards, including “Album of the Year,” “Record of the Year,” and “Song of the Year.”

Goo Goo Dolls & O.A.R. – Aug. 8 at 7:00 p.m.

As a part of their “The Big Night Out Tour,” Goo Goo Dolls and O.A.R. have teamed up for a massive summer tour, including four stops across New York State. Goo Goo Dolls is a multi-platinum, four-time GRAMMY-nominated rock band. The band is partnering with “Joe Torre Safe At Home,” a nonprofit organization offering healing and education to youth who have been traumatized by exposure to violence.

Zac Brown Band – Aug. 13 at 6:30 p.m.

Zac Brown Band, a multi-platinum and Grammy Award-winning American country band, is travelling to SPAC with their “From the Fire Tour.” This is their 10th North American tour, following the release of their “The Comeback (Deluxe)” album.

Eric Church – Aug. 24 at 7:00 p.m.

Eric Church is a country singer, winning AMC awards seven times, CMA awards four times, and being nominated for a Grammy Award ten times. The “Heart & Soul” triple album is his most recent project and has received critical acclaim. It is the result of a month-long marathon in rural North Carolina where he wrote and recorded a song per day. He is visiting SPAC as a part of his “Outsiders Revival Tour.”

Guns N’ Roses – Sept. 1 at 6:00 p.m.

Guns N’ Roses is one of the best-selling rock bands of all time, with their 1987 debut album, “Appetite For Destruction” being regarded as the best-selling U.S. debut album ever. Their 2023 tour is the band’s first North American tour since 2021’s “We’re F’N Back! Tour.”

Guns N’ Roses members, from left to right: Axl Rose, Richard Fortus, Duff McKagan Dizzy Reed, Slash, Melissa Reese, and Frank Ferer. Credit: Katarina Benzova.

Events

The Adirondack Trust Company Festival of Young Artists – June 4 at 2:00 p.m.

The Festival of Young Artists is an annual free event that is meant to celebrate the Capital Region’s young actors, dancers, musicians, singers, poets, and visual artists. The event includes both individual displays and performances as well as large-scale productions.

Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival – June 24 at 11:00 a.m. & June 25 at 11:30 a.m.

The 46th Annual Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival features 21 artists over the course of the two-day festival. It includes genres from jazz to roots, funk, blues and beyond. It has been one of North America’s largest jazz festivals over the past 45 years.

Outlaw Music Festival – Sept. 15 at 5:00 p.m.

The Outlaw Music Festival is the largest-ever Outlaw tour, with Willie Nelson & Family, Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros., featuring The Wolfpack, The String Cheese Incident, Los Lobos, and Particle Kid. The festival originally made its debut in 2016, where the festival was well-received and sold-out.

Also Featured

Tedeschi Trucks Band – July 1 at 7:30 p.m.

Goose – July 7 at 7:30 p.m.

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – July 8 at 7:00 p.m.

Garbage – July 8 at 7:00 p.m.

Jason Aldean – July 16 at 7:30 p.m.

Gov’t Mule – July 28 at 8:00 p.m.

Matchbox Twenty – July 30 at 7:30 p.m.

Richard Russo In Conversation with Joe Donahue: Somebody’s Fool – Aug. 3 at 5:00 p.m.

Brit Floyd – Aug. 22 at 7:30 p.m.

Pentatonix – Aug. 23 at 8:00 p.m.

Noah Kahan – Sept. 2 at 8:00 p.m.

ZZ Top & Lynyrd Skynyrd – Sept. 8 at 6:30 p.m.

Killer Queen – Sept. 16 at 7:30 a.m.

Tickets for the 2023 SPAC events are available for purchase on their website.

May 23, 2023
Summer Camp Music Festival to go on Hiatus after 22nd year

The Summer Camp Music Festival, an annual staple for Chillicothe, Illinois, is to be discontinued following this years gathering on Memorial Day weekend. Producer of the festival, Ian Goldberg, shared the news in a recent press release.

The Summer Camp Music Festival first began in 2001 and has since been known for its trademark late night events, open field shows, campgrounds, and a consistent line up of incredible artists and bands. The 2023 Memorial Day weekend will mark its 22nd year running, bringing back host bands moe. and Umphrey’s McGee along with headliners Willie Nelson & Family, Badflower, and more.

In his statement, Goldberg related that the show will not come to a definite end as the team still plans to throw a redefined camping and music experience at the Three Sisters Park every Memorial Day starting in 2024. The need for change is said to come from logistical challenges that emerged from the pandemic along with the difficulties of throwing an independent festival of this size against large corporate competition. Goldberg claims that these problems have had the team reevaluating how the festival runs for a while now which has led to more road blocks.

“Reimagining Summer Camp had its own challenges, we could not figure how to scale back the event in a way that would feel true to everything Summer Camp Music Festival has come to be,” Goldberg stated. “Cutting pieces of it felt like leaving our children behind. So we decided it was time to put the Summer Camp Music Festival to rest. For now.”

More details about the new Summer Camp festival are said to be released to the public after this year’s concerts. While being different from what concert goers have grown to love, the producer emphasizes that the new rendition will include certain aspects of the original that experienced Sumer Campers will find very familiar.

This year’s Summer Camp Music Festival will commence on May 26th, and, as Goldberg claims, will be “insanely meaningful.”

May 22, 2023
Brooklyn Artist Jehry Robinson Releases New Genre-Mixing Song

Rising artist Jehry Robinson released his new single “Razor” on May 12. Not conforming to one genre, “Razor,” like Robinson’s other music, blends rap, reggae, pop, and rap into one sound.

Jehry Robinson grew up on Long Island but was encouraged to move forward with his music dreams after forming a friendship with Grammy winning artist Macklemore. Then, in 2016, he co-founded FBA Management with Tara Ennis and launched his solo career.

After reading an article about Kansas City based Strange Music in Forbes, he urged Tara to reach
out to C.E.O. Travis O’Guin. After months of persistence and diligence the label head surprisingly returned her direct message. The two got on a plane to Kansas City with hopes of joining the Strange Music family. After more months of planning, and many conversations with O’Guin, Jehry signed the label and got right to work.

So far, Robinson’s songs and videos have accumulated over ten million views and streams. On his genre mixing music, he said, “I’m taking all of those genres and emotions and fusing them into one sound. You’ll get the happy side. You’ll get the depressed side. If there’s a reggae vibe or rock energy, that’s just how I felt that day.”

Fusing numerous genres, his songs reflect Robinson’s ear for melody and his ability to make seemingly conflicting sounds mesh together. His latest song “Razor” is the follow-up to the melodic rap and vocal harmonies of “No Happy Days” which features label-mate King Iso. Earlier in 2023 he delivered “Kill My Daydreams” and “Question Why.” Expect more songs and videos from Jehry Robinson leading up to the release of his upcoming LP this summer.

May 22, 2023
Award-Winning Broadway Musical “Kimberly Akimbo” to Grant Schools $10,000

“Kimberly Akimbo,” a Broadway Musical that has received nominations for eight Tony Awards, including “Best Musical,” is launching their “Great Adventure Grants.” The program intends to help fund three local high school theater productions, with each school receiving $10,000 from the grant. “Great Adventure Grants” will continue as an annual initiative.

Recipients of one of the “Great Adventure Grants” from the Pan American International High School in Queens, NY. Credit: Polk & Co.

The first recipients of these grants are the Denzel Washington School of the Arts in Mount Vernon,
NY; the High Tech High School in Secaucus, NJ; and the Pan American International High School in
Queens, NY. The $10,000 received by each program is hoped to aid in paying for licensing, production, and other associated costs.

“Kimberly Akimbo” is about the titular character, Kimberly (played by Victoria Clark), who is a teenager suffering from a rare genetic condition. She must navigate this, as well as her family dysfunctions and her first crush. It originally opened on Broadway on Nov. 10, 2022.

The Broadway musical is based on a play with the same name by David Lindsay-Abaire, who wrote book and lyrics for the musical adaptation. The music is by Tony Award-winner Jeanine Tesori, choreography is by Danny Mefford, and direction is by Jessica Stone.

“Like the aspiring show choir characters in ‘Kimberly Akimbo,’ student performers need financial support
to help realize their dreams. We are very proud to be able to support these three public school arts programs and look forward to seeing their fully realized productions next year,” director Jessica Stone said.

More information and tickets can be found on “Kimberly Akimbo’s” website.

May 22, 2023
Historic Carol Theatre in Chestertown Prepares for Summer Concert Series

Stationed in Chestertown, a 20-minute drive from Lake George, The Carol Theatre opened its doors in 1931, and its rich history will glide into the Summer with seven new shows.

Walter “Pop” Wertime built the historic building, known as the Chester Theatre at the time, and enjoyed nothing more than bringing live, vibrant entertainment to the region.

Following Wertime’s passing in the 1950s, the new owner ensured to push out impeccable content for the community and renamed it the Carol Theatre after his daughter.

For 80 years, live events, movies, and other forms of entertainment passed through the historic theater, but in 2013 they shut their doors. Many of the new movies and productions coming out did not fit their old projection systems but in 2019, a local group of volunteers known as the Tri-Lakes Community Alliance took over, rebooting the location.

Since the mark of the Tri-Lakes Community Alliance take over, they have put on concerts and live shows every Summer. The Carol Center for the Arts ownership position has helped the theater continue its performing arts traditions and turn its films into a more digital era market.

Beginning June 14, the Summer show series will return to the theater, with the concerts running until August 11.

Summer Concert Schedule

Seagle Festival (Free Concert), June 14 at 6:00 pm – The oldest summer vocal training program in the United States comes to perform at the Carol Theatre.

June 30 – TBD

Margo Macero Band, July 8 at 7:30 pm – Glen Falls-based vocalist Margo Macero brings her whole band to Chestertown for an amazing Summer concert. Buy Tickets Here!

July 14 – TBD

Mamma’s Marmalade, July 22 at 7:30 pm – Bluegrass and pop group Mamma’s Marmalade performs covers, classics, and original pieces from their catalog. Buy Tickets Here!

The Wheel, August 5 at 7:30 pm – The Grateful Dead cover band has their own take on the group’s rock hits. Buy Tickets Here!

Thor Jensen, August 11 at 7:30 pm – Singer and songwriter Thor Jensen, who has performed here in the past with Hot Club of Saratoga, is back for a solo performance. Playing in multiple bands and putting out his own music, Jensen will have an unforgettable showing at the Carol Theatre.

May 22, 2023
In Focus: Prince Bowie & Escaper at Putnam Place

The temps are heating up outside, and so is the music scene in the Capital District in New York, including two of the most exciting bands on the scene right now. On Saturday, May 20th, New York City-based band Escaper warmed everyone up for the main act, Prince Bowie.

Escaper

Escaper is possibly the most appropriate name for a band in the history of band names — after all, it is impossible to ascribe a specific genre to this act. Will Hanza (guitar, vocals), Phil Kadet (keys) Sam Crespo (drummer from Space Bacon), and Luke Bemand from (bassist from Lespecial) have truly escaped a label of any kind. They enjoy being known as “one who breaks free from confinement,” and this comes across in every note that they play. If you haven’t had a chance to check out this band yet, you are truly missing something special. If you want to get right on it, you can check out their music on SoundCloud.

Prince Bowie

Prince Bowie is one of the most unique acts I have ever seen, covering the songs of Prince and David Bowie like you’ve never heard before. Prince Bowie almost never has the same lineup twice. This has no effect whatsoever on their level of talent, however, it is impossible to tell that they rarely play together as they gel quickly on stage.

Saturday Night’s Lineup

Saturday’s lineup included some local favorites as well as some glorious out-of-town guests. Featuring Eric Gould (Bass, Pink Talking Fish), Cal Kehoe (Guitar, Pink Talking Fish), Alric “AC” Carter (Keys, TAUK), Rory Dolan (Drums, lespecial), Chris Brouwers (Trumpet, The Horn Section / Cool Cool Cool), Greg Sanderson (Tenor Saxophone, The Horn Section / Cool Cool Cool, Josh Schwartz (Baritone Saxophone, lead vocals, The Horn Section / Cool Cool Cool) and Matt Wayne (Alto Saxophone, Bobby Deitch Band), they were joined for a few songs – “Under Pressure” and “Kiss” among them – by local legend Shannon Lynch (Saxophone, vocals, Midnight Sun, Conehead Buddha).

Prince/Bowie – Putnam Place, Saratoga Springs – May 20, 2023

Set: Let’s Go Crazy, Let’s Dance, Delirious, Ziggy Stardust, 1999, Starman, KISS, Under Pressure, DMSR, Young Americans, I Wanna be Your Lover, Fame > Cream, Space Oddity, I Would Die For You, Controversy, Moonage Daydream
Encore: Life on Mars, Purple Rain

May 22, 2023
Times Square Alliance and Playbill Announce Lineup for ‘Pride in Times Square’

Times Square Alliance and Playbill are proud to partner on the second annual Pride In Times Square celebration, full of free events centered around NYC Pride Weekend, from June 23-24, 2023. It promises to be an exciting addition to New York City’s celebration of Pride right at the Crossroads of the World.

Founded in 1992, the Times Square Alliance works to improve and promote Times Square, cultivating the creativity, energy, and edge that have made the area an icon of entertainment, culture, and urban life for over a century. It keeps the neighborhood safe and clean, promotes local businesses, manages area improvements, and produces major annual events, like Pride in Times Square. Founded in 1884, Playbill is an internationally known trademark synonymous with theatre and is a symbol of the arts. Playbill Magazine is distributed to every Broadway theatre, most Off-Broadway theaters, regional theaters, and fine arts institutions in over 24 cities across the country.

Pride in Times Square features top-stage and screen celebrities, Broadway/Off-Broadway productions, local Times Square business promotions, Pride Piano sessions, live DJ sets, a Trans and ENBY Pride celebration, a Drag Pride celebration, the return of last year’s Big Broadway Disco, and more. Pride in Times Square’s main stage will celebrate dynamic voices in the community, and support the continued fight for equity, diversity, and inclusion for all. Special guests, concerts, surprise performances, and more will take to the stage on Friday, June 23, and Saturday, June 24, with acts to be announced on June 1.

For the second year in a row, Playbill and Times Square will celebrate Pride like never before with The Big Broadway Disco, a large-scale street party that invites everyone to dance through Times Square to classic and contemporary Broadway songs and performances. The Playbill Pride Float acts as a focal point for the night, including DJs, performers, dancers, costumes, and more on Saturday, June 24, beginning at 5 p.m.

Other exciting things include the Pride Piano Bar, where audiences can take photos with the one-of-a-kind designed piano and piano sing-along performances and piano concerts, led by top-Broadway musicians and performers, and interactive pride installations, including Double Decker Buses, acting as anchor points for audiences to explore on Friday, June 23 and Saturday, June 24. Select buses will then become part of the NYC Pride March on Sunday, June 25 down 5th Avenue. Local businesses will also provide deals, discounts, giveaways, and special menu items all month long. Visit here to get a list of all the participating businesses, available in June.

For more information about the Times Square Alliance, and to find more Pride events happening around the city this June, visit here.

May 22, 2023
Watch Dave Mustaine Pay Tribute to Nick Menza at Rock’N Derby 2016

On Sunday, May 22, 2016, Dave Mustaine paused during Megadeth’s performance at Rock’N Derby, to pay tribute to former Megadeth drummer, Nick Menza.

Mustaine asked the crowd for a moment of silence and what can be heard is a crowd quiet as can be, a solid 30 seconds of silence, before a drum solo begins that lead into “Trust,” off Cryptic Writings.

Among other praise, Dave Mustaine said, “Nick went to heavy metal heaven last night.” When the band finished their final song and took their bows, Mustaine addressed the crowd, saying, “I usually say, ‘You’ve been great, we’ve been Megadeth.’ But Nick, you’ve been great. I love you, buddy.”

Megadeth was part of the incredible lineup at the 2016 festival Rock’N Derby, a multi-faceted entertainment festival held east of Troy, at the Schaghticoke Fairgrounds. The three-day event featured demolition derbies, wrestling, fair-style food, overnight camping and metal and rock bands including Five Fiver Death Punch, Lamb of God, Halestorm, A Day to Remember, Shinedown, Sevendust, Sixx A.M., Trivium, Coheed & Cambria, and of course, Megadeth.

Roughly 7,000 to 9,000 people attended Rock’N Derby each of the three days, coming from all over the country to see a stellar lineup like this.

Three stages hosted the bands on the Upstate Concert Hall Arena Stage (set up in one of the fair’s agricultural barns), and two larger stages, the Rock’N Stage and the Derby Stage, both outdoors and on opposite ends of the grounds.

Watch Mustaine pay tribute to Nick Menza below.

May 21, 2023
Tanglewood, Home of Boston Symphony Orchestra, Announces 2023 Summer Lineup

Tanglewood, a music venue in the towns of Lenox and Stockbridge in the Berkshire Hills in Western Massachusetts, has announced the lineup for their 2023 summer series, celebrating 85 years as an operating venue.

Tanglewood exterior, photo by Aram Boghosian.

Tanglewood has been the famed summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra since 1937, as well as the Tanglewood Music Center, and the Boston Pops. The venue welcomes more than 350,000 visitors to performances, recitals, and seminars across 500 acres. This summer, the venue is hosting a variety of events, including the Boston Pops and Film Night, Tanglewood on Parade, popular artists like Train, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, and the Steve Miller Band, along with Boston Symphony Orchestra guest conductors and performances, and more. Tanglewood welcomes all to its iconic grounds surrounded by the beautiful Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts.

Popular Artists Series

The Popular Artists Series at Tanglewood was founded in 1968 when the venue decided to expand its musical offerings with the creation of “Contemporary Trends” concerts. The purpose of the series was to present performances by popular groups representing important trends in contemporary music outside the sphere of Western “classical” music. The first few years included performances by The Association, Ravi Shankar, Chicago, and more. Over the years, the Koussevitzky Music Shed has welcomed artists such as The Who, Jefferson Airplane, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, and more. “Tanglewood has long been renowned as a classical music venue; but since the 1960s, the Popular Artists Series has added to the breadth of musical offerings and the diversity of audiences visiting the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s summer home base in the Berkshires,” says Anthony Fogg, William I. Bernell Vice President, Artistic Planning. All concerts will take place in the Koussevitzky Music Shed this summer.

Thursday, June 22 at 8 p.m.- Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!

NPR’s oddly informative news quiz program returns to Tanglewood, now in its 25th year. The Peabody Award-winning series offers a fast-paced, irreverent look at the week’s news, hosted by Peter Sagal and Official Judge and Scorekeeper Bill Kurtis.

Friday, June 23 at 7 p.m.- Steve Miller Band with Very Special Guest Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers

The Steve Miller Band is an American rock band formed in 1966, led by Steve Miller on guitar and lead vocals releasing a string of mid-to-late-1970s hit singles that are staples of classic rock, including “Fly Like An Eagle,” “The Joker,” and more. Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers support.

Saturday, July 2 at 7:30 p.m.- Robert Plant and Alison Krauss with Special Guest JD McPherson

Robert Plant is best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band Led Zeppelin for all of its existence from 1968 until 1980. He collaborated with bluegrass-country singer and fiddler Alison Krauss on Raising Sand in 2007 and promptly won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Their album Raise The Roof (2021) is available everywhere you can stream music. The support is JD McPherson known for his retro sound rooted in the rock and roll, rockabilly, and rhythm and blues music of the 1950s.

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, photo by David McClister.

Monday and Tuesday, July 3 and 4 at 8 p.m.- James Taylor

James Taylor is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 100 million records worldwide. He is a six-time Grammy award winner and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. James Taylor and his All-Star Band will celebrate the start of the Tanglewood season with two intimate and memorable performances, both sold out.

Thursday, August 24 at 7 p.m.- Train with Very Special Guest Parmalee

Since their formation in 1994, multi-GRAMMY Award-winning, diamond-selling band Train has had 14 songs on Billboard’s Hot 100, 12 albums on the Billboard 200 albums chart, and has sold more than ten million albums and 30 million tracks worldwide. Support is Parmalee, an American country music band consisting of brothers Matt Thomas and Scott Thomas, along with their cousin Barry Knox and best friend Josh McSwain.

Thursday, August 31 at 7 p.m.- Jackson Browne

Jackson Browne has written and performed some of the most literate and moving songs in popular music. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame in 2007. Throughout his career, he has released fourteen studio albums, four collections of live performances, two “best of” compilations, two DVDs, and several single recordings. Browne’s newest studio album Downhill From Everywhere was released in July 2021 and received a GRAMMY nomination for Best Americana Album. Tickets for this show go on sale on June 1 here.

Jackson Browne.

Boston Symphony Orchestra

The Boston Symphony Orchestra, led by Andris Nelsons since 2014, will be doing its annual residency at Tanglewood this summer, at various places within the venue, including the Shed, Ozawa Hall, and the Linde Center. BSO gave its inaugural concert in 1881, and now reaches millions of listeners through performances in Boston and at Tanglewood, and also via streaming on BSO NOW, educational and community programs, radio, television, recordings, and tours.

Boston Symphony Orchestra in the Shed, including guest conductors

Friday, July 7 at 8 p.m.

The Boston Symphony Orchestra’s opening concert of the season begins with Wynton Marsalis’s Herald, Holler, and Hallelujah, followed by Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3, with soloist Daniil Trifonov, and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4, led by Andris Nelsons.

Sunday, July 9 at 2:30 p.m.

A world premiere of Iman Habibi’s Zhiân and Jessie Montgomery’s Freedom Songs, featuring vocalist Julia Bullock, make up the first half of this program. Hilary Hahn joins the BSO and Andris Nelsons for Brahms’s Violin Concerto to finish the night off.

Andris Nelsons, photo by Marco Borggreve.

Saturday, July 15 at 8 p.m.

A Nelsons-led BSO concert performance of Mozart’s opera Così fan tutte, with Nicole Cabell and Kate Lindsey in the lead female roles, with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, James Burton conductor. Will be sung in Italian with English supertitles.

Sunday, July 16 at 2:30 p.m.

The BSO and Andris Nelsons, joined by the Tanglewood Festival Chorus and children’s choir, perform Orff’s Carmina burana. The program opens with Beethoven’s Leonore Overture No. 3.

Guest Conductors

Friday, July 21 at 8 p.m.

In her BSO debut, Xian Zhang leads the BSO and performers of Nimbus Dance in Copland’s Appalachian Spring with Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, From the New World.

Xian Zhang, photo by Benjamin Ealovega.

Saturday, July 22 at 10:30 a.m.

Thomas Wilkins leads members of the BSO in a Family Program entitled May I Have Your Attention Please.

Saturday, July 22 at 8 p.m.

David Afkham conducts an all-Mozart program featuring pianist Martin Helmchen.

Sunday, July 23 at 2:30 p.m.

Thomas Wilkins returns the next day to lead a Boston Symphony Orchestra concert, with mandolin soloist Jeff Midkiff in his own concerto entitled From the Blue Ridge, along with the music of Coleridge-Taylor and Ellington.

Friday, July 28 at 8 p.m.

Giancarlo Guerrero leads the BSO and Lorelei Ensemble in Julia Wolfe’s Her Story (BSO co-commission). Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 finishes off the night.

Thomas Wilkins, photo courtesy of Omaha Symphony Orchestra.

Saturday, July 29 at 8 p.m.

Dima Slobodeniouk leads the BSO in a program that opens with Messiaen’s Les Offrandes oubliées and includes Agata Zubel’s In the Shade of an Unshed Tear and Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé, Suite No. 2.

Sunday, July 30, 2:30 p.m.

BSO Assistant Conductor Anna Rakitina leads the BSO and Joshua Bell in Paganini’s Violin Concerto No. 1, with Ellen Reid’s When the World as You’ve Known It Doesn’t Exist (featuring vocalists Eliza Bagg, Martha Cluver, and Sonja DuToit Tengblad) and a suite from Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet.

Friday, August 4 at 8 p.m.

Emanuel Ax performs Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1 with Dima Slobodeniouk and the BSO. The program opens with John Adams’ Shaker Loops.

Sunday, August 6 at 2:30 p.m.

Kazuki Yamada, in his BSO debut, is joined by Lucas and Arthur Jussen for Mendelssohn’s Concerto in E for two pianos and orchestra. The program also includes Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique.

Friday, August 11 at 8 p.m.- Guest

Anne-Sophie Mutter joins the BSO and Nelsons for John Williams’ Violin Concerto No. 2, on a program with works by Strauss and Ravel.

Saturday, August 12 at 8 p.m.

Susanna Mälkki leads the BSO and Seong-Jin Cho in Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 9 in E-flat on a program with Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra.

Susanna Mälkki, photo by Marica Rosengard.

Sunday, August 13 at 2:30 p.m.

Julia Adolphe’s Makeshift Castle opens the program, followed by Yo-Yo Ma performing Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1. The program closes with Stravinsky’s Petrushka (1947 version).

Friday, August 18 at 8 p.m.

Andris Nelsons leads the BSO in Carlos Simon’s Four Black American Dances and Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 5, Egyptian, and Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F, both with Jean-Yves Thibaudet as soloist.

Saturday, August 19 at 8 p.m.

Leonidas Kavakos performs Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto on a program with Prokofiev‘s Symphony No. 5.

Special Event

Friday, August 25 at 8 p.m.

Emanuel Ax, Leonidas Kavakos, and Yo-Yo Ma perform an all-Beethoven program in the Shed, with the Archduke Trio and a transcription by Shai Wosner of the Fourth Symphony.

Leonidas Kavakos, photo by Marco Borggreve.

Ozawa Hall: Chamber Music, Recitals, Operas, Dance, Jazz, and More

Wednesday June 28 at 8 p.m.

In its final appearance at Tanglewood, the Emerson String Quartet, joined by Emanuel Ax, performs a new work by Sarah Kirkland Snider and works by Purcell, Shostakovich, and Dvořák.

Thursday, June 29 at 8 p.m.

The Knights, with conductor Eric Jacobsen, perform a new work for voice and orchestra by Chris Thile, who will also be featured as vocal soloist, and Jessie Montgomery’s Source Code for strings, with works of Bartók and Enesco.

Thursday, July 13 at 8 p.m.

Vocalist Julia Bullock in recital.

Thursday, July 20 at 8 p.m.

Philharmonia Baroque, led by Richard Egarr, performs Handel’s Acis and Galatea with singers Nicholas Mulroy, Hera Hyesang Park, Dashon Burton, and Isaiah Bell.

Wednesday, July 26 at 8 p.m.

The Boston Symphony Chamber Players perform works of Yehudi Wyner, Sofia Gubaidulina, Shulamit Ran, and Schumann.

Wednesday, August 2 at 8 p.m.

The Danish String Quartet performs the works of Schubert and Bent Sørensen.

Danish String Quartet, photo credit by Caroline Bittencourt.

Sunday, August 6 at 8 p.m.

The Aaron Diehl Trio, consisting of pianist Aaron Diehl, drummer Aaron Kimmel, and bassist David Wong, presents a jazz program that includes Sir Roland Hanna’s 24 Preludes.

Wednesday, August 9 at 8 p.m.

Cellist Alisa Weilerstein presents FRAGMENTS 2, an immersive, multi-sensory audience experience combining music by contemporary composers with unaccompanied Bach.

Wednesday, August 16 at 8 p.m.

Pianist Bruce Liu presents a recital of works by Barber, Chopin, Kapustin, and Rameau.

Sunday, August 20 at 8 p.m.

TLI Presents the Gerald Clayton Trio.

Tuesday, August 22 at 8 p.m.

Vocalist Kelli O’Hara, joined by pianist Dan Lipton, performs Broadway favorites.

Kelli O’Hara.

Boston Pops and Film Night

The Boston Pops Orchestra, led by Keith Lockhart, performs the best music of the past and present with a broad spectrum of styles, from jazz to pop, indie rock to big band, film music to the great American songbook, and more. They appeal to the widest possible audience due to their variety and are perfect for people who may not even like orchestras. This summer, all shows will be performed at the Shed.

Saturday, July 8 at 8 p.m.

The Boston Pops, Keith Lockhart, and a cast of acclaimed Broadway singers perform a new symphonic arrangement of Ragtime: The Symphonic Concert, prepared by the original creators Terrence McNally, Lynn Ahrens, and Stephen Flaherty

Friday, July 14 at 8 p.m.

The Boston Pops and Keith Lockhart present an All-Gershwin program with artist Michael Feinstein and pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet joining forces for a celebration of the music of this iconic American composer.

Keith Lockhart, photo by Hilary Scott.

Saturday, August 5 at 8 p.m.

John Williams’ Film Night, with conductors John Williams and David Newman, features classic film clips and favorite film score themes from the silver screen.

Saturday, August 26 at 8 p.m.

Keith Lockhart leads Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone™ in Concert, with John Williams’ score performed by the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra while the film is presented on high-definition screens.

Sunday, August 27 at 2:30 p.m

Star Wars: The Story in Music features Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops performing the most memorable music from the sprawling saga of all nine Star Wars movies composed by John Williams.

Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra Concerts

The Tanglewood Music Center (TMC) offers an intensive schedule of study and performance for emerging professional instrumentalists, singers, conductors, librarians, and composers. Applications are now open to be a part of the TMC, for more information, visit here. Chamber music and recital programs presented by the young Fellows of the TMC are free of charge and take place throughout the summer

Conductor & TMCO Alum Karina Canellakis Leads Orchestra. Photo by Hilary Scott.

Sunday, July 23 at 8 p.m. Ozawa Hall

Xian Zhang conducts Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 6 on a program with works by Strauss and Gabriela Lena Frank led by TMC Conducting Fellows.

Monday, August 7 at 8 p.m. Ozawa Hall

Dima Slobodeniouk conducts Sibelius’ Symphony No. 2 on a program with works by Rachmaninoff and Ravel led by TMC Conducting Fellows.

Monday, August 14 at 8 p.m. Ozawa Hall

Dame Jane Glover, in her Tanglewood debut, conducts Brahms’ Symphony No. 2 on a program with Britten and Dvořák led by TMC Conducting Fellows.

Sunday, August 20 at 2:30 p.m. Shed

Susanna Mälkki returns to the podium for the final orchestra program of the summer, leading the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra, Tanglewood Festival Chorus, and soloists Amanda Majeski, J’Nai Bridges, Stephen Costello, and Ryan Speedo Green in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and spirituals from Tippett’s A Child of Our Time.

Tanglewood Lawn with an audience, photo by Hilary Scott.

Festival of Contemporary Music Performances

The Festival of Contemporary Music (FCM) is one of the world’s premier showcases for works from the current musical landscape and landmark pieces from the new music vanguard of the 20th century. Recitals and many concerts are free of charge. FCM opens with “In Conversation: Curators of the Festival of Contemporary Music and Michael Gandolfi” on Thursday, July 27, at 1 p.m. in the Linde Center.

Thursday, July 27 at 8 p.m. Ozawa Hall

The music of FCM Co-curator Gabriela Lena Frank (Milagros, Sonata Serrana No. 1, and Las Sombras de los Apus) is included in FCM’s first musical program, which also includes Bartók’s Contrasts.

Friday, July 28 at 2:30 p.m. Ozawa Hall

Works by FCM Co-curator Anna Thorvaldsdottir (Spectra, Reminiscence I, II, III, IV, V, VI, and VII, Hrim, Aequilibria, and Ró) highlight this program. Kurtág’s 12 Microludes and Six Moments Musicaux also are performed.

Saturday, July 29 at 4 p.m. Linde Center

TLI Presents: A Curated Concert by Reena Esmail (FCM Co-curator), featuring Indian classical vocalist Saili Oak, in an all-Esmail program.

Saturday, July 29 at 6 p.m. Ozawa Hall

Prelude Concert with the Tanglewood Music Center

Ozawa Hall & Lawn, photo by Stu Rosner.

Sunday, July 30 at 10 a.m. Ozawa Hall

Interspersed with music by FCM Co-curator Tebogo Monnakgotla (It is the Lark that Sings, Five Pieces for String Trio, Le dormeur du val, Toys [or The Wonderful World of Clara], and Companion) are works by Malin Bång (Arching), Andile Khumalo (Schaufe[r]nster II), and Bent Sørensen (The Lady of Shalott).

Sunday, July 30 at 8 p.m. Linde Center

Experience a silent film screening of a score written by TMC Composition Fellows and performed live by TMC Fellows

Monday, July 31 at 8 p.m. Ozawa Hall

Works by all four curators are featured in the closing concert, with Stefan Asbury and TMC Conducting Fellows leading the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra in Esmail’s RE / Member, Thorvaldsdottir’s METACOSMOS, Monnakgotla’s Un Clin d’oeil, and Frank’s Walkabout: Concerto for Orchestra.

For more information about the Tanglewood 2023 season and to purchase tickets, visit here.

May 21, 2023
An Evening with John Legend: R&B Star Announces Pair of November Beacon Theatre Performances

Multi-platinum, R&B icon John Legend will be bringing his talents to New York’s historic Beacon Theatre for a pair of live, mid-week performances dubbed, “An Evening With John Legend.” Scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday on November 7 and 8, this special solo performance will feature intimate reimagining’s of Legend’s greatest hits.

Since the release of his debut in 2004, John Legend has delivered some of music’s most soul-touching records and moments. His 2013 single “All of Me,” hit number 1 on the Billboard charts and the accompanying music video — featuring his wife Chrissy Teigen — has over 2 Billion views on Youtube. Other crowd pleasers will include his Grammy-nominated records “Ordinary People,” from his debut album Get Lifted, and “Tonight.” The latter which featured as the lead single from the soundtrack to the 2012 romantic-comedy film Think Like a Man.

Together with the medley of chart-topping hits, An Evening With John Legend will also include selections from his latest album Legend recently released via Republic Records. Not to mention, unexpected stories from the legendary musician’s life and career.

Ticket sales will begin with an artist presale on Wednesday, May 17 at 10 a.m. until Thursday, May 18 at 10 p.m. before the general on-sale on Friday, May 19 at 10 a.m. at LiveNation.com.

May 20, 2023