NYS Music 2023

Category: Regions

  • Lift Concert Series Returns to Troy Music Hall in 2024

    Troy Savings Bank Music Hall has announced the return of the popular Lift Concert Series in 2024. Curated by Organ Colossal, these performances give the audience the unique opportunity to sit on the historic Music Hall stage with the artists while they perform. 

    lift series troy music hall

    The Lift Concert Series presents performances of new, independent music featuring regional performers, curated by local artists Sam Torres and Sophia Subbayya Vastek. The audience is invited to be seated on stage, with the musicians, creating an intimate concert experience. Concerts are designed to last about an hour and, after the performance, concert-goers are encouraged to enjoy the rest of the evening at one of Troy’s many restaurants or breweries. All concerts begin at 6pm

    lift series troy music hall

    Lift Concert Series Lineup

    January 24 – Sophia Subbayya Vastek

    Described as performing with “passion and profound tenderness” (Second Inversion) and “serene strokes and lyrical beauty” (Brooklyn Rail), pianist and songwriter Sophia Subbayya Vastek moves quietly between musical worlds. Her most recent LP, In Our Softening (2022), features nine of her own piano compositions. The album was called “one of the very best things I’ve heard all year” by longtime music journalist Steve Smith (Night After Night). She released her debut record Histories (Innova Recordings) in 2017, and more recently, an EP of the complete piano works by composer Lili Boulanger, entitled Lili (reissued 2023). In 2022, Sophia was recognized as a NYSCA/NYFA Fellow in Music/Sound. She is a co-founder of Organ Colossal, a nonprofit that produces musical projects in her hometown of Troy, NY. She and her husband also run a music series out of their home, a converted church building lovingly called Troy Listening Room. This performance is sponsored by Artist Pianos.

    February 14 – Connor Armbruster with special guest Ian Cotter Wishlist

    After exploring the vast sanctuary of an empty church in 2022’s Masses, Armbruster inhabits a new setting with polar opposite qualities for his sophomore release with Dear Life Records, Can I Sit Here. The music, colored by distortion and cutting rawness befitting its subject matter, was created and recorded live in mono in the small back room of an apartment. Acoustic violin takes a backseat to Armbruster’s heavily distorted electric violin on this record as he improvises over textures simultaneously warm and dissonant. It is a reflection on loss and the feelings that follow a death, the delicate balance between despair, celebration, nostalgia, isolation, and kinship. Armbruster is based in Troy, NY and is behind a multi-faceted body of work exploring performance art, electric violin, Irish fiddle, traditional music, field recording, dance, and theatre. In addition to his solo projects, he plays electric violin and guitar for Blue Ranger, is a member of Hold On Honeys, and performs and records with numerous other artists in the capital region. He was musical director and lead composer for Troy Foundry Theatre’s original musical, City of Myth: Illium Sings. Outside of performance, Armbruster is a cartoonist and music educator, and proud parent of a 4-year-old.

    Thoughtfully eclectic, Ian Cotter Wishlist draws inspiration from fellow songwriters, composers, authors, visual artists, and the natural world to craft their recordings and live performances.

    March 27 – Aubrey Haddard & MAYSUN

    Aubrey Haddard is a self-proclaimed escape artist. When the tides change and personal growth calls for emotional upheaval, Aubrey seeks refuge in her creative discipline. Carving out a boundary-less space to explore the mysteries of the human experience and the vastness of the physical world, she creates a sonic landscape that is both epic and deeply personal. Dreamy synthscapes, overdriven guitars and pulsing electronic drums lay the foundation for Haddard’s vocals, heralded by critics as “harrowingly beautiful” (Clash Magazine) and “herculean” (The Line of Best Fit). Calling upon the inspirations of powerhouse PJ Harvey and dance music giant LCD Soundsystem alike, Haddard blends the analog and the digital with eccentricity. Themes of Greek mythology and Japanese literature weave their way through her stories, inviting listeners to peek into her subconscious and share in the escape. Haddard only leaves a few breadcrumbs and shoots for a surprise with each release. Moving on from her acoustic and minimalist debut EP Adult Lullabies,  her knotty and soulful full length album Blue Part received widespread critical acclaim and earned her the title of Vocalist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year at the 2018 Boston Music Awards before she left to pursue her a career in New York City. Leaning into new, pop-driven inspirations and the chaos of the NYC scene, Awake And Talking proved Haddard’s ability to dive head first into new sounds and set the stage for her current project. Splitting her time between the far corners of New York state, you might find her in a library, at a Yankee game or jumping into a swimming hole. Aubrey Haddard may be a rising star in the indie scene, and one to watch for those interested in the future of experimental electronic music but “above all, it’s humanity that drives Haddard’s art” (Under The Radar).

    MAYSUN is a composer and sound artist known for his unique blend of drumming expertise and sound design, creating immersive atmospheric soundscapes. With a focus on the use of physical space to shape and manipulate sounds, he crafts compositions that serve as soundtracks to his life events. MAYSUN’s work is characterized by an innovative approach that transforms real-life sounds into musical tones, skillfully interweaving the dimensions of time and space within its compositions. His artistic journey is driven by a deep passion for exploring spatial audio and a desire to create meaningful emotional connections through his music. MAYSUN’s latest release, ‘Timelines,’ represents his ongoing commitment to the craft of sound artistry, inviting listeners on a deep ambient introspective journey.

    May 1 – Rafiq Bhatia

    The New York Times proclaims “Rafiq Bhatia is writing his own musical language,” describing him as “a guitarist who refuses to be pinned to one genre, culture or instrument.” “His transient approach, combined with his obsession of assiduously studying the past in order to break cleanly from it, makes him one of the most intriguing figures in music today.”  Bhatia’s 2018 album Breaking English (Anti- Records) finds a visceral common ground between ecstatic avant-jazz, mournful soul, tangled strings and building-shaking electronics, resulting in a “stunningly-focused new sound” (Chicago Reader) that “resemble[s] science fiction on a blockbuster scale” (Washington Post). His 2020 EP, Standards Vol. 1 (Anti-) renders repertoire from the American songbook “completely deconstructed, infused with brand new textures and electronic effects, dreamlike and beautiful” (BBC).  Since 2014, Bhatia has been a member of the trio Son Lux; together, they have released several critically-acclaimed albums and given hundreds of performances internationally. A voracious collaborator, Bhatia has also worked with a multitude of artists across generations and musical communities, including Arooj Aftab, Holland Andrews, Hanna Benn, Ian Chang, Sam Dew, Dave Douglas, Marcus Gilmore, Mary Halvorson, Billy Hart, Shahzad Ismaily, Vijay Iyer, Kassa Overall, Kronos Quartet, Okkyung Lee, Nina Moffitt, Qasim Naqvi, Kassa Overall, Chris Pattishall, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Valgeir Sigurðsson, Alex Somers, Moses Sumney, Anjna Swaminathan, Rajna Swaminathan, and David Virelles.

    Tickets are available now at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall Box Office, 30 Second Street, Troy, Monday through Friday 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. via phone, (518) 273-0038, or online at www.troymusichall.org.

  • Lilac Festival Promoter Withdraws

    Longtime Lilac Festival promoter Jeff Springut has announced he has withdrawn from producing the event, something he has done since 2013.

    Lilac Festival (News 8 WROC photo/Matt Driffill).

    The Lilac Festival brings in over 500,000 people a year from across Western and Upstate NY, the tri-state area, and Canada to Highland Park to see great music and look at the beautiful lilacs that grow in the park, as well as eat and drink amazing food.

    Organizer of the spring festival for more than a decade, Springut said to the Rochester Beacon that his event-production company, the Springut Group Inc., still plans to produce Party in the Park and other events, but is done with the Lilac Festival. He cited no specific reasons for deciding to withdraw.

    “I’ve done the Lilac Festival for 12 years. We’ve had a great run, but now it’s time to move on,” Springut said to the organization. County officials confirmed that this news will not affect the 2024 Lilac Festival. “We are currently working with two seasoned professionals with long histories with the festival. We are in good hands moving forward in coordination with the City of Rochester and Lilac Festival Inc.,” said Gary Walker, a spokesperson with Monroe County, as reported by Rochester First.

    In 2019, Springut withdrew as the promoter of the Park Avenue Festival, which has since not been able to be revived due to it being called off during the pandemic and lack of promoters willing to take it on. County Legislator Rachel Barnhart spoke with Rochester Baron, saying “I don’t believe the county will let the Lilac Festival fail.” She says one of the reasons the Park Avenue Festival was unable to continue was because Springut did not share his plans and methods.

    Springut says he has not passed on plans, contracts with vendors or performers, or other information about the Lilac Festival to the county. Nevertheless, he maintains, the county has “a good handle on it. I’m sure it will be fine. The lilacs will bloom.” 

    A spokesperson for the county says moving forward, they’ll be working with two seasoned professionals with long histories in the festival, and are in good hands to coordinate.

  • Allman Brothers Band Announces Release of ‘Manley Field House, Syracuse University, April 7, 1972’

    The Allman Brothers Band has announced the release of Manley Field House, Syracuse University, April 7, 1972, an iconic and widely circulated fan-favorite radio broadcast bootleg, available on CD and digital on January 12, 2024.

    Manley Field House Syracuse University allman brothers

    Throughout the Allman Brothers Band’s 35-year existence, each live performance holds relevance, lighting up any stage. On April 7, 1972, the band was invited to perform at Manley Field House on the campus of Syracuse University. Coming shortly after the sudden passing of band leader Duane Allman in October 1971, this show captured a rare, brief, and emotionally charged “Five-Man Band” period when the lineup was composed of only five original members—Gregg Allman on vocals and keyboard, Dickey Betts on guitar, Berry Oakley on bass, and drummers Butch Trucks and Jaimoe.

    The band’s performance at Manley Field House, the school’s indoor track and field facility, was recorded and simulcast on Syracuse University’s WAER college radio on the night of the show, and rebroadcasted by the station and some of its former staff members. The recording was made with the band’s cooperation and authorization using an auxiliary mixing board on the side of the stage with a feed from the Allman Brothers sound desk.

    Jeff Chard, SU concert coordinator in 1971-72, spoke fondly on that night and offered his sentiments in the album package’s liner notes. “This was the Five Man Band, as Brother Duane had passed just over five months prior. The quintet had pushed on, playing some 41 shows in 22 weeks. This night saw Gregg singing and playing his heart out, while Dickey Betts is doing phenomenal double duty on guitar, switching seamlessly between the necessary slide parts and his own soaring leads. But the real revelation of the night is that Berry is the glue, and the second lead player as well. His thunderous bass holds the quintet together – you’ll hear it, and we could see it that night. Then there is the way Butch Trucks and Jaimoe lock in on the drums, the way the whole unit responds, five playing as one.”

    The 11-track collection features set staples including show opener “Statesboro Blues,” “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed,” “Midnight Rider,” and “Whipping Post,” as well as “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More” off their then newly released album Eat a Peach. “Syracuse Jam,” included here for the first time, is an example of the one-time melody jamming the band was famous for and is unique in that it does not appear in any other known recording.

    It was a memorable but brief time for the band. Six months later, keyboardist Chuck Leavell was added to the group, making the ABB six players strong again, only to lose Berry in another motorcycle accident on November 11, 1972. Shortly thereafter, Lamar Williams took over bass duties, and the Allman Brothers Band started a new musical chapter. But for that one year, with the five original men still standing – and especially on that magical April night in Syracuse – we surely felt the spirit. Best damn band we’re ever gonna hear indeed! We were all believers, and this CD is a testament to those words.

    Jeff Chard

    In a live review of the show in the University’s student newspaper the Daily Orange, writer Bruce Apar noted: “The Allman Band itself was thoroughly remarkable, leaving proof in still another city that they have developed into a supreme group, by which lesser talents can be judged.”

    For more information, visit here.

    Manley Field House, Syracuse University April 7, 1972 tracklist:

    Disc One:

    1.    Introduction

    2.    Statesboro Blues

    3.    Done Somebody Wrong

    4.    Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More

    5.    One Way Out

    6.    Stormy Monday

    7.    You Don’t Love Me

    Disc Two:

    1.    In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed

    2.    Midnight Rider

    3.    Whipping Post

    4.    Syracuse Jam

    5.    Hot ‘Lanta

  • Sarah McLachlan Announces “The Fumbling Towards Ecstasy Tour,” Stops in Lewiston and NYC

    Grammy and Juno-award winning artist Sarah McLachlan announces The Fumbling Towards Ecstasy 30th Anniversary Tour, live across North America next summer with special guest Feist.

    The 30-date run includes a stop at Artpark Mainstage Theater in Lewiston, as well as a stop at Radio City Music Hall.

    Sarah McLachlan is one of the most celebrated singer songwriters in entertainment with over 40 million albums sold worldwide. She has received three Grammy Awards and twelve Juno Awards over her career and has been inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

    In addition to her personal artistic efforts, she founded the Lilith Fair tour, which showcased female musicians and brought over two million people together during its three-year run. Lilith Fair raised over $7 million for local and national charities and was the most successful all-female music event, launching the careers of numerous performers.

    Following Lilith Fair, Sarah was awarded the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Visionary Award for furthering the careers of women in music. In 2002, she founded the non-profit Sarah McLachlan School of Music which provides high quality music education and mentorship free to children and youth facing various barriers to access.

    Feist, special guest touring with Sarah, is an 11-time Juno Award-winning artist and has a Grammy-nominated album Multitudes. She sets her observation on the countless ways we seek out or deliberately hide from the truth: searching the natural world for portents and good omens, pulling tarot cards and masking our true emotions to spare our loved ones from pain. From a lyrical honesty that’s as confronting as it is unguarded, Feist writes of “A crucible of apex events that brought life to a new temperature.” and of “A new dimension of self awareness that time and experience seemed to require.”

    Her sixth full-length and first release since 2017’s critically lauded Pleasure, Multitudes took shape soon after the birth of her daughter and sudden death of her father, a back-to-back convergence of life-altering events that left the Canadian singer/songwriter with “Nothing performative in me anymore.” As she cleansed her songwriting of any tendency to obscure unwanted truths, Feist slowly made her way toward a batch of songs rooted in a raw and potent realism which is touched with otherworldly beauty. 

    At the completion of the developmental run of residencies and in turning to the task of creating the album in a bespoke residential studio in the California Redwoods, Feist produced alongside her frequent co-producers Mocky and Robbie Lackritz, with an ensemble including Todd Dahlhoff, Amir Yaghmai, Shahzad Ismaily (Lou Reed, Tom Waits) and Gabe Noel (Kendrick Lamar, Kamasi Washington) with guest appearances by Blake Mills (Bob Dylan, Perfume Genius) and longtime collaborator Chilly Gonzales.

    A supreme setting for her enchanting voice and all its manifestations, Multitudes unfolds with a near-symphonic grandeur despite its moments of absolute starkness, lending an endlessly mesmeric quality to Feist’s meditations on mortality and connection and the frenetic state of the human condition.

    “I think it’s interesting as an artist or as a human for that matter, to be able to go back and look at a postcard of a time in your life and reflect on it…I think this tour is going to be a real walk down memory lane for me, and I’m hoping that my audience, many of whom have been with me for 30 years, will also be able to go back in time with me.”

    Sarah McLachlan

    The summer tour celebrates McLachlan’s highly acclaimed third studio album, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, which first released October 22, 1993 via Le Studio. The album quickly topped the charts in Canada and went certified platinum within a few weeks, selling over 3 million copies worldwide to date. Hit singles include “Possession,” “Hold On,” “Ice Cream,” and “Good Enough,” among others.

    The 30th anniversary tour will see McLachlan playing the beloved album in its entirety along with some of her most celebrated songs in iconic venues across North America, including the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, CA, Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO, Radio City Music Hall and many more.

    THE FUMBLING TOWARDS ECSTASY 30TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR 2024 TOUR DATES:

    Sat May 25 – Seattle, WA – Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery +

    Sun May 26 – Seattle, WA – Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery +

    Tue May 28 – Bend, OR – Hayden Homes Amphitheater +

    Thu May 30 – Berkeley, CA – Greek Theatre *+

    Fri May 31 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl +

    Sat Jun 01– Palm Springs, CA – Acrisure Arena at Greater Palm Springs +

    Sun Jun 02 – San Diego, CA – The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park +

    Tue Jun 04 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre +

    Thu Jun 06 – Salt Lake City, UT – USANA Amphitheatre +

    Fri Jun 07 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre *

    Sun Jun 09 – Kansas City, MO – Starlight Theatre +

    Mon Jun 10 – Maryland Heights, MO – Saint Louis Music Park +

    Tue Jun 11 – Chicago, IL – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island +

    Thu Jun 13 – Sterling Heights, MI – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill +

    Fri Jun 14 – Cincinnati, OH – PNC Pavilion +

    Sun Jun 16 – Indianapolis, IN – Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park +

    Tue Jun 18 – Lewiston, NY – Artpark Mainstage Theater +

    Wed Jun 19 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage ^

    Thu Jun 20 – Laval, QC – Place Bell +

    Sat Jun 22 – Boston, MA – Leader Bank Pavilion +

    Sun Jun 23 – Bridgeport, CT – Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater +

    Mon Jun 24 – New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall +

    Wed Jun 26 – Philadelphia, PA – TD Pavilion at the Mann +

    Thu Jun 27 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion +

    Sat Jun 29 – Nashville, TN – Ascend Amphitheater +

    Sun Jun 30 – Atlanta, GA – Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park +

    Tue Jul 02 – Rogers, AR – Walmart AMP +

    Wed Jul 03 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory +

    Fri Jul 05 – Austin, TX – Moody Amphitheater +

    Sat Jul 06 – Sugar Land, TX – Smart Financial Centre +

    *Non-Live Nation Date

    + With Feist

    ^ With Allison Russell

    Tickets will be available starting with Artist and Citi presales (details below) beginning on Tuesday, December 12. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general on-sale beginning on Friday, December 15 at 12 PM here.

    The tour will also offer a variety of different VIP packages and experiences for fans to take their concert experience to the next level. Packages vary but may include premium tickets, access to the pre-show soundcheck, autographed item, specially designed merch and more. For more information, click here.

    $1 per ticket will be donated to the non-profit Sarah McLachlan School of Music. The school provides music instruction at no cost to children and youth facing barriers to access. 

    For more information on Sarah McLachlan, visit her website, or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or Instagram.

    For more information on Feist, visit her website.

  • “Is It Thursday Yet?” Opens at the Perelman Performing Arts Center on December 12

    Is It Thursday Yet?, a beautiful show featuring complex dance choreography and enriching live music, opens December 12 at the Perelman Performing Arts Center. The show features the incredible talents of Jenn Freeman, Holland Andrews, and Price McGuffrey.

    Is It Thursday Yet? is a stunning tapestry of dance, live music and home video footage. The show invites you into the unique complexities of dancer and choreographer Jenn Freeman’s life following her Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis at age 33. Since then, she has navigated an endless sea of epiphanies, examining childhood memories through this new lens. 

    Is It Thursday Yet? is co-created, co-choreographed and performed by Jenn Freeman, co-created, co-choreographed and directed by Sonya Tayeh, and composed and performed by Holland Andrews. The production runs from December 8 through December 23 at PAC NYC.

    Jenn Freeman (they/she) (Co-Creator/Co-Choreographer/Performer) is an Autistic American choreographer, dance performer, and educator based in New York City. Freeman is an O’Donnell-Green Music and Dance Foundation recipient, a 2023 New England Foundation for the Arts Recipient and the New York State Council on the Arts grant award recipient. Most recently Freeman was commissioned to set a solo for American Ballet Theatre principal dancer, Cassandra Trenary, that premiered at Festival des arts de Saint-Sauveur in 2022. 

    In 2021, Freeman created new work for the Martha Graham Dance Company. In 2018 Freeman produced, directed and choreographed her evening-length world premiere debut: …it’s time… at the Theater at The 14th St Y in New York City. After a sold-out run the show was presented for a second run in 2019. Freeman’s choreography has been commissioned by Marymount Manhattan College, Wayne State University, BYU, and The University of Texas at Austin. Her work has been presented at The Theater at the 14th Street Y, The Kaatsbaan Summer Festival, The Reverb Dance Festival, and The McCallum Theater Choreography Festival. 

    For over a decade, Jenn has worked as Sonya Tayeh’s associate and resident choreographer in the development of pieces for: The Gibney Company, American Ballet Theater, The Martha Graham Dance Company, Guggenheim W&P, LA Ballet, The Juilliard School, and Cirque du Soleil. Professionally, Jenn has danced in works by choreographers Sonya Tayeh, Kyle Abraham, Larry Keigwin, Charlotte Boye-Christensen (NOW-ID), and many others. Freeman is a graduate of the dance program at TISCH School of the Arts, NYU.

    Sonya Tayeh (she/her) (Co-Creator/Co-Choreographer/Director) is a New York City based TONY® Award winning choreographer and director. Since paving her professional career, her work has been characterized as a blend of powerful versatility and theatrical range. She has gleaned many accolades for her versatile work, including a Tony Award, two Emmy nominations, one Drama Desk Award, an Obie Award, and two Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Choreography.

    Holland Andrews (they/them) (Composer) is a vocalist, composer, and performance artist whose work focuses on the abstraction of operatic and extended-technique voice to build soundscapes encompassing both catharsis and dissonance. Andrews develops and performs soundscapes for dance, theater, and film. Notable collaborations include Bill T. Jones, Dorothee Munyaneza, Will Rawls, poet Demian Dinéyazhi, Son Lux, Christina Vantzou, William Brittelle, Methods Body, West Thordson, Peter Broderick, Darian Donovan Thomas, and Nils Frahm.

    Tickets are on sale now here.  

    Perelman Performing Arts Center NYC Memberships starting at $10 for the inaugural season are available. Members are provided early access to purchase tickets and other perks. For more information or to learn how to support PAC NYC, visit their website.

    Tickets start at $39 and are available online at PACNYC.org or by calling 212.266.3000. All performances are at 251 Fulton Street. 

    The public can sign up for important updates from PAC NYC at PACNYC.org/sign-up.

  • Listen to San Fermin’s Emotional Single “My Love is a Loneliness”

    Brooklyn-based eight-piece San Fermin has released their dreamy new single “My Love is a Loneliness.” The third song to be pulled from their upcoming fifth studio album Arms (out February 16th via their burgeoning indie label Better Company Records), “My Love is a Loneliness” takes a bird’s eye view of heartbreak, finding solace in the cyclical nature of loss and redemption.

    San Fermin is Ellis Ludwig-Leone (bandleader, songwriter), Allen Tate (vocalist, producer), Claire Wellin (vocalist), Akira Ishiguro (guitar), John Brandon (trumpet), Stephen Chen (saxophone), Tyler McDiarmid (guitar), and Griffin Brown (drums).

    Arms marks a new direction for San Fermin, as they strip away much of the sonic ornamentation they’ve come to be known for in favor of a more raw, direct sound reflective of Ellis Ludwig-Leone’s candid, plainspoken lyrics. The album was written during one of the most difficult moments of Ludwig-Leone’s life, following the dissolution of two relationships. Over the course of the album’s nine stunning tracks, his lyrics move from anger and disappointment to clarity and acceptance in a steady progression reflective of the roller coaster journey that consumed him for the better part of a year.

    Ten years ago, San Fermin released their critically heralded eponymous album and rocketed to a national audience with NPR inviting them to play a Tiny Desk Concert and calling the album “one of the year’s most surprising, ambitious, evocative and moving records,” while Pitchfork praising their “ambitious chamber pop debut.” Over the next decade the band released four albums and became known for their “knack for simultaneously expressing beauty and crisis” (The New Yorker). Arms is the greatest testament to the community the band has built over the last decade, and illustrates their ability to transform crisis into a communal catharsis. 

    “I liked the idea of someone’s particular brand of love being misanthropic, kind of a misfit. Always taking rather than giving, always leaving rather than showing up. And then the vicious cycle that accompanies that— if your love is selfish, your only companion ends up being loneliness, which becomes a kind of armor protecting you from ever getting too close. If you never let down the armor, you’re safe, but it ultimately leaves you cold.”

    Ellis Ludwig Leone, bandleader and songwriter

    “My Love is a Loneliness” is a heartfelt indie song with incredibly touching lyricism. The song opens with a gut-punching line already: “My love is a loneliness // it sits just next to greed.” The personification of love and comparing that to the loss one feels after losing a relationship with someone is so beautiful.

    On top of the lyricism, this single features a fantastic indie guitar riff throughout the song, as well as an angelic vocal harmony near the midmark to the end.

    The band will celebrate the release of Arms with a 2024 national headline tour that kicks off on March 21st at Treefort Music Fest in Boise, ID, followed by stops in New York, Chicago, Nashville, and Los Angeles among others. Find a full list of tour dates below or visit their website.

    Tour Dates:

    3/15: Utrecht, NDL – Birds of Paradise Festival

    3/21-22: Boise, ID – Treefort Music Fest

    3/23: Salt Lake City, UT – The State Room

    3/24: Denver, CO – Globe Hall

    3/26: St. Paul, MN – Turf Club

    3/27: Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall

    3/28: Madison, WI – High Noon Saloon

    3/30: Nashville, TN – The Blue Room

    3/31: Columbus, OH – The Basement

    4/2: Washington, DC – Atlantis

    4/3: Philadelphia, PA – Underground Arts

    4/4: Boston, MA – The Sinclair

    4/5: New York, NY – Racket

    4/30: San Diego, CA – Casbah

    5/1: Los Angeles, CA – Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever

    5/3: Pioneertown, CA – Pappy + Harriets

    5/4: San Francisco, CA – Independent

    5/7: Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge

    5/9: Vancouver, BC – Biltmore Cabaret

    5/10: Seattle, WA – Madame Lou’s

    For more information on San Fermin, visit their website, or follow them on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or YouTube.

  • Charlie Wilson to Headline R&B Love Fest At UBS Arena On Mother’s Day

    R&B powerhouse Charlie Wilson will be headlining UBS Arena this upcoming mother’s day as part of Jammins Events’ R&B Love Fest 2024. Featuring KEM and legendary r&b group, Dru Hill, this soul-watering experience is set for Sunday, May 12. Presented by concert promotion/production mainstays, Jammins Events, R&B Love Fest 2024 will feature performances from legendary and contemporary artists.

    Charlie Wilson to headline R&B Love Fest 2024 at UBS Arena
    Charlie Wilson at the main stage during Stavernfestivalen in Stavern on 08. July 2016. Lineup: Charlie Wilson (vocal)

    To be able to do this with Charlie Wilson, KEM and Dru Hill – the entire line-up of talented artists, we are truly excited.

    – Jammins Management Team

    After all, the one nicknamed “Uncle Charlie” is a musical force that has maintained relevancy in a career spanning six decades. Overall, the music icon has garnered 13 Grammy nominations, while topping the R&B charts 13 times with number one singles. Not to mention decades of sold-out concerts, a New York Times and Washington Post best-selling memoir, I Am Charlie Wilson, a BET Lifetime Achievement Award and a Soul Train Icon Award. As such, he has both a star on the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame and will be receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2024. 

    https://youtu.be/25VQZA7yL-c?si=knXVaRnlo2n0LkC-

    Additionally, R&B veterans Dru Hill and KEM will be making guest appearance at R&B Love Fest. Of course, the former has cemented their place in R&B folklore through a series of No. 1 hits, while KEM has been a steadfast presence in the r&b landscape. Meanwhile, Dru Hill has received multiple awards and performed internationally and has topped the Billboard Music charts multiple times. 

    Tickets for R&B Love Fest go on sale to the general public on Friday, December 15 at 10 a.m. via Ticketmaster.

  • Mikaela Davis and Southern Star End Big Year with Big Hometown Show in Rochester

    2023 has been a busy year for Mikaela Davis and Southern Star. It all started in January with two three-show residencies in Rochester and Woodstock that had the band playing one set of originals and one set of themed Grateful Dead material. In the band’s home base of Rochester, the three shows sold out in advance at the living-room-intimate Abilene. The band then took the show’s concept on the road, hitting venues along the eastern seaboard and even more multi-show residencies across upstate New York. They would continue to tour hard throughout the year as headliners, openers, and a part various festival lineups. They also released their first album as a band late in the summer.

    They closed out the year with a short run of shows with their old friends Maybird, culminating where the year, and the band began, back in Rochester. This time at the brand new venue, Essex, which is younger than even their new album. The space holds roughly ten times what Abilene can, and was nearly full, so the hard work paid off with a bigger fanbase. Davis declared it the biggest headlining show they’ve ever played, and the exchange of energy from the crowd to the stage and back was palpable.

    A Brian Blatt liquid light show bathed the stage in slow oozing organic forms throughout the night. From the get go, it matched and complimented the music perfectly. The band was in no rush with a spacey intro to the show opening “Cinderella.” The ensuing “In My Groove” likewise got going with spacey looping. “Get Gone” also got front-loaded with a short jam, this one groovier, almost Dead-like. Post-verses, it showcased one of the bands many strengths as Davis’ harp led the way, interweaving brilliantly with Cian McCarthy and Kurt Johnson’s guitars and Shane McCarthy’s bass.

    Languid and lovely, “The Pearl,” featured a slowly unfolding gorgeous improvisation that had all five members contributing an interlocking piece of the whole. A rock band led by a harp is unique in-and-of-itself, but add in a pedal steel and a sax-playing guitarist, and a penchant for turning pretty things into down and dirty jams, and Southern Star is a one-of-a-kind marvel. Even when they lean into familiar influences, they’re approached from a new-to-the-world angle. No one is doing this, sounding like that.

    “Leave It Alone” let loose with this uniqueness. A lengthy guitar choogle dissolved into spacey noodling. Davis grabbed the reins and the band slowly crystallized around her flourishing harp. Cian McCarthy switched to his sax and the music took a turn into avant-garde jazz, reaching into searing cosmic domains. When McCarthy got back on his guitar, the jazz tenor remained, advancing to a 70’s style fusion for a short spurt. His brother pounded a repetitive theme into submission and eventually the rest of the band followed as they deftly drifted into “Promise.” The extraordinary sequence highlighted the growth a year on the road as provided.

    Later, “Don’t Stop Now,” provided more groundwork from which they could showcase their multi-faceted approach. Davis answered the age-old question, “Can a harp choogle?”, with a big jam out of the gates, which ceded to guitar and then Johnson’s electric lap steel and eventually back to McCarthy on sax. They went deep into a sparse and chunky space which would slip into the psychedelic “Pure Divine Love.”

    The show closed out with “Other Lover,” with the opening band Maybird out in full, each on a different piece of percussion, from the traditional congas to the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink variety (literally) like a metal colander. Maybird, another Rochester band, appropriately joined Mikaela Davis on her first tour. But more than that, Kurt Johnson was an original member of Maybird and Shane McCarthy is frequently playing bass for them. Davis and Josh Netsky frequently collaborated in various projects before Maybird or Southern Star were even conceived. So it was an appropriate end-of-the-year hometown billing for sure.

    The ragtag group of percussionists would be back for the encore, along with Overhand Sam on guitar as the band ripped a celebratory version of “After Midnight” played just before 11pm. And now we wait to see what 2024 has in store for Mikaela Davis and Southern Star. Of course we know it will start with a co-headlining tour with Circles Around the Sun, so check that out if they’re heading your way.

    Maybird opened with a solid 45 minutes overview of their strengths, including some of their oldest material and some of their newest. “Open Your Eyes” appropriately opened up into a quality psychedelic workout, with guitarist Overhand Sam and keyboardist Sam Hirsch combining into a fuzzed-up mash.

    Shane McCarthy was pulling double-duty, holding down the bass for both bands, wearing the appropriate band tee for each set. Brother Cian and Kurt Johnson joined in on the fun during the band’s namesake “Maybird.” With Johnson returning to his former band, and McCarthy on sax, the band was truly at full power. The denser their sound gets the better, and that played out perfectly during the slow ferociousness of “Maybird.” The pair stayed on board for the following “Gonna Lose Your Mind,” and Johnson remained for the rest of the set. He provided some just-like-the-old-days moments during “Turning Into Water” and “Call You Mine.”

    It was a great night to celebrate Rochester music, past and future, at Essex with Maybird and Mikaela Davis and Southern Star.

    Setlists

    Mikaela Davis and Southern Star: Cinderella, In My Groove, Home in the Country, Get Gone, The Pearl, Far From You, Leave It Alone, Promise, Don’t Stop Now, Pure Divine Love, Other Lover*

    Encore: After Midnight**
    * with Maybird on various percussion
    ** with Sam Snyder on guitar, Maybird on percussion

    Maybird: Keep In Line, Don’t Keep Me Around, Open Your Eyes, Lost In Wonderland, Maybird*, Gonna Lose Your Mind*, Turning Into Water**, Call You Mine***
    * with Cian McCarthy on sax, Kurt Johnson on pedal steel/lap steel
    ** with Kurt Johnson on guitar
    *** with Kurt Johnson on lap steel

  • Benny The Butcher Drops Scintillating New Single And Music Video Ahead of New Album

    Benny The Butcher continues to ramp things up in anticipation of his Def Jam debut, Everybody Can’t Go. His latest drop, the thumping new single “One Foot In,” features frequent collaborator Stove God Cooks and sees Benny The Butcher continue his evolution into the mainstream.

    Benny The Butcher "One Foot In" covert art

    Accompanied by a scintillating music video, Benny The Butcher and Stove God exchange bars on life in the streets. Meanwhile, the hook illustrates this duality as Benny examines a life with one foot in the streets and one in the rap game. In like manner, the music video illustrates the parallels between life and the streets and life as a successful rapper. Coupled with more digestible production, the uptempo street anthem offers to fill the void of authentic street records that littered hip hop of yesteryear. However, despite the uptick in production budget, the Buffalo native has maintained his raw and descriptive style, with lyrics full of vivid imagery.

    And this one for the hustlers I was handing ounces. Now look at God, I wrote this in my Grammy outfit.

    – Benny The Butcher

    After all, “One Foot In” follows the release of Benny’s previous single, “Big Dog,” featuring Lil Wayne, who is no stranger to hard-hitting, lyrical bangers. Correspondingly, the record has already amassed 3.2 million Spotify streams and counting, with the music video tracking an additional 2.5 million views. With Everybody Can’t Go slated for a January 26 release, Benny continues to build anticipation for what could be a trajectory defining-album.

  • Levitate Music and Arts Festival Announces 2024 Dates

    Levitate Music and Arts Festival has announced their 11th annual return to Marshfield, MA this summer. The event will be on July 5, 6, and 7 at the Marshfield Fairgrounds, featuring national and local music talents, exciting vendors, and food and beverage options for all.

    Levitate Music and Arts Festival July 5, 6, and 7 2023

    The festival has yet to announce this year’s lineup. Previous performers at the festival’s 10-year anniversary included Brandi Carlile, Trey Anastasio, Peach Pit, and Larkin Poe. The festival includes not just music, but also local art displays, skate demonstrations, and gourmet food and beverage offerings for the crowds of Marshfield, MA.

    Levitate Music and Arts Festival

    The Levitate brand began in 2003 as a surf and skate shop dedicated to representing East Coast surf culture. The brand has grown into not just the surf lifestyle representative, but also a clothing brand, summer camp, and nonprofit education project that connects children with music, arts, and outdoor education. 1% of every ticket sold to the festival will be contributed to the Levitate Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to cultivating communities through music, art, and the outdoors.

    Multi-day loyalty ticket on-sale will be announced soon; just in time for holiday gifting for friends and family. To receive the latest information about tickets and weekend passes, fans can sign up for the newsletter here and visit https://www.levitatemusicfestival.com/.