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  • Performers Announced for 5th Annual Capital Region Music Hall of Fame Ceremony

    The line-up of performers for the fifth annual Capital Region Thomas Edison Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, held on Monday, March 27 at Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs has been announced.

    The “Eddies” have previously announced five music artists – Mike Campese, Felicia Collins, George Frayne, Smokey Greene and John Tichy – as well as photographer Martin Benjamin, educator Sister Mary Anne Nelson, CSJ and radio host and folk musician Wanda Fischer, will be inducted during the ceremony.

    capital region music hall of fame ceremony

    Confirmed performers for the Capital Region Music Hall of Fame ceremony include Michael Eck, Arlin Green and Scott Greene, Margo Macero, and Graham Tichy.

    Michael Eck of Albany is performing a song representing Fischer’s folk career. He has led many musical lives—performing songwriter; roots scholar; multi-instrumentalist working with Aimee Mann, Pete Seeger, Patti Smith and 10,000 Maniacs; serial band member, from the punk of The Plague to the folk of Ramblin Jug Stompers and Lost Radio Rounders; nationally recognized cultural critic and guitar brand editor; concert/radio/album producer; Caffe Lena board member; publicist; painter; bouncer; roadie; record store clerk and more. He was inducted into the Eddies Music Hall of Fame in 2022.

    Arlin Greene and Scott Greene, siblings, are performing music representing their father, inductee Smokey Greene. Both got their start playing bluegrass festivals around the Northeast with their dad. Since then, Arlin Greene has played pop, rock and jazz music in East Africa, and folk, rock, country and bluegrass music across the U.S. and Canada. Arlin has worked in bands with such notables as Bill Keith, Dan Tyminski and James “D Train” Williams and has recorded with several artists. He is now the bass player with The McKrells, The Trophy Husbands and the Greene Brothers. Scott Greene has played country, bluegrass, rock and pop music with many local bands including Johnny and the Triumphs, Chip and Chan and Stony Creek. He has toured the country playing bluegrass with Burnt Toast and multi-GrammyTM winner Dan Tyminski.

    Margo Macero will perform twice, playing music representing Campese and Collins. The vocalist/guitarist is a country and rock artist from the Glens Falls region. Active as a performing artist since age 12, she attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. She has performed for judges on ABC’s “American Idol” and NBC’s “The Voice” and has worked in the film industry with James Franco, Pete Davidson, Jon Bernthal, Timothy Whidbee and others. Joining her on stage at the Hall of Fame ceremony will be Dave Goldenberg (drums), Jeff Madden (second guitar, harmonies) and Martina Louise (bass, harmonies).

    Graham Tichy will perform a medley of two songs–one each representing George Frayne’s and his dad John Tichy’s career in Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airman – with band members Mike Kelley, Don Young and Chris Osborn. An accomplished multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and guitar instructor for over two decades, Tichy has been active with regional artists Doc Scanlon’s Rhythm Boys, the Lustre Kings, Johnny Rabb, Reggie’s Red Hot Feetwarmers and Rocky Velvet, as well as national acts including Los Straitjackets, Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen and two Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees, The Coasters and Wanda Jackson. He currently leads a diverse range of musical projects around the U.S. and Europe including GOONS! (1960s garage/soul/punk), The Swingin’ Palms (Hawaiian) and Beachcombers (early 1960s surf).

    The Eddies Music Hall of Fame and UPH are part of Proctors Collaborative.

  • Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country Lifts Albany’s Spirit to New Heights

    Transporting Albany to interstellar dimension, it was another hip shaking, foot stomping, groovy good time at Lark Hall on Thursday, March 9th as Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country made their other-worldly debut at the recently revitalized venue.

    Unleashing an absolute powerhouse performance, the rapidly rising band from Nashville has been on a freight train to stardom since breaking out at the annual Peach Festival last summer. After the performance on Thursday, March 9, it’s easy to see why and fair to say the Albany faithful are ‘all aboard.’

    Taking the stage to a packed house with swagger, wearing vintage seventies garb, cowboy hats and each member having hair down past their shoulders, right away you could tell two things about this band: These guys weren’t from around here and that they came to Albany with intent to impress.   Along with Daniel Donato on guitar and vocals, Cosmic Country also features Nathan “Sugar Leg” Aronowitz on keyboards, rhythm guitar and vocals, Will “Mustang” McGee on electric/upright bass, and Noah Winner on drums and percussion. The band was last in town on October 29th, 2022 opening for the Kitchen Dwellers in Saratoga Springs, but for this three hour, two set performance at Lark Hall, there was no opening act.  

    Coming out of the gates with a “Fourteen Carat Mind” > “Lose Your Mind,” > “Faded Lovin’” trifecta, it didn’t take the Cosmic Country band long to showcase their incredible songwriting and technically proficient chops. Easing the audience in with beautiful harmonies and tasteful melodies, the band effortlessly blended together genres like outlaw country and modern bluegrass with elements of funk, experimental jazz and rockabilly.

    By the time the young guitarist virtuoso Donato and his teal-colored telecaster landed on “Sugar Shack,” the whole room was in the palm of his hands and grooving together as one.  Seizing the moment and an opportunity to try something new, the band would then stretch their legs a bit on the unreleased song “Gotta Get Southbound.” A tune about departure, exploration and freedom, Donato described it as “encompassing many emotions, but mainly, is for the soul that needs to adventure to awaken and discover a better world and reality.”

    Keeping with the positive outlook, bass player ‘Mustang’ McGee would switch out his electric bass for an upright one on “Half Moon Night” which features the lyrics “I’m gonna shine, shine, shine. No matter how dark it may be.” Next, one lucky fan would get their wish as Cosmic Country then played “Fox On The Run” which had verbally been requested several times earlier in the set.  Up next was “Darlin’ Cory,” a timeless old murder ballad Danoto first started playing years ago when he was gigging with The Don Kelley Band around Nashville and now appears on his 2021 studio album Cosmic Country & Western Songs Western Songs.

    “Arkansas Traveler” and “Rose In a Garden” would follow suit before Donato would lead us into set break with another homage to the Don Kelly Band, this time in the form of “Ghost Riders in the Sky.” Calling it “one of the most heroic songs of the great American Western catalogue of music,” Donato believes “the journey this song takes you on, musically, is a mutually understood and realized feeling that we all possess inside us. The truth of the sincere feelings this song conjures would be the only explanation as to why this vehicle of song has transcended nearly 70 years of cultural and musical change.”

    After a brief break in the action, things would get rolling again as “Hi Country” was selected to kick off the second set.  Bringing serious early 70’s Dead vibes with it, momentum would continue to build as Cosmic Country then segued their way through a “Luck of the Draw” > “Sugar Leg Rag,” which gave keyboard player and rhythm guitarist Nathan Aronowitz ample time to bask in the spotlight.   Slowing the pace up for a bit was another unreleased new one called “Chore” that started off as a bluesy ballad and featured beautiful full-band harmonies before the improvisational section of the song launched the room into the next stratosphere with Donato’s lightning-fast finger work largely to blame.

    Feeling the collective storm of energy, it was only fitting that “Weathervane” make in appearance in the set next, though some fans humorously confused it for a cover of “Peaches” by The Presidents of The United States of America at first.   They did get a cover next, however, as Wille Nelson’s “Blue Skies” brought many smiles to the older folks in attendance. The outlaw train kept rollin’ next with a smokin’ version of “Mystery Train” followed up by Mustang McGee taking over vocal duties for a rollicking rendition of “Ten Feet of Rope.”    Fully vibing off the shared frequencies felt in every corner of the room, “Double Exposure” felt particularly passionate, psychedelic and on point and even featured a dynamic guitar duel exchange between Donato and the multi-talented “Sugar Leg” Aronowitz. “When you find yourself running low on the colors that you need, keep searching through the afterglow for positivity guaranteed!”

    Clearly having fun and sharing in the groove, the genre defiance reached a new level as
    “Dance in the Desert” crossed multiple boundaries and had everyone in the place cutting a rug before reaching its final soaring peak and bringing the second set to a close. Hungry for one more song, the audience was practically begging for an encore.  Happy to oblige with a bit of showmanship, Cosmic Country returned to the stage with huge smiles on their faces. 

    While many songs on the evening felt reminiscent of early 70’s Grateful Dead, there was no mistaking that certain twang on the song chosen for an encore.  Uncorking a red-hot version of “Cumberland Blues,” even the hardest Dead Heads in the room were loving it and clearly giving Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country the coveted ‘Albany Seal of Approval.’ After the song, the band’s photographer would take a group wide shot and the guys would hang around meeting their newest fans and signing merchandise. 

    Reflecting on the show, Donato would later take post to social media “Albany still to this day has essence of a very original spirit, that spirit we all know and love, and search for when the music plays. It’s not my ability to name this sensation, but I do know when the room is feeling this strange, synchronous, and benevolently fleeting frequency. Albany delivered this to us in such a concentrated and positive way, and for that, we love you.” 

    Up next Cosmic Country will return to Garcia’s in Port Chester and then head to Lewes, De, followed by a pair of dates in Virginia, before they wrap up this winter run in Charleston, SC.  Already booked for a number of major music festivals and high profile gigs throughout the summer, it’s easy to predict big things ahead for this band on the rise. Keeping the honky-tonk spirit alive by honoring their heroes like the Don Kelly Band, The Grateful Dead, Rory Gallagher and The Allman Brothers, Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country Band is a special combination of something old and something new married together in a most profound way.

    Complete, with great songwriting, a beautiful tone, a never-ending flow of fresh licks and an absolutely badass cast of musicians behind him, we suspect the portal to Danial Donato’s Cosmic Country universe has only just opened and their rocket ship to stardom is right on the cusp of hitting lightspeed.

    Cosmic Country | March 9, 2023 | Albany, NY | Lark Hall

    Set 1: Fourteen Carat Mind, Lose Your Mind, Faded Lovin’, Sugar Shack, Gotta Get Southbound, Half Moon Night, Fox on the Run, Darlin’ Cory (Don Kelley Band cover), Arkansas Traveler, Rose In a Garden, Ghost Riders in the Sky,

    Set 2: Hi-Country, Luck of the Draw > Sugar Leg Rag, Chore, Weathervane > Blue Skies (Willie Nelson cover), Mystery Train, Teen Feet of Rope, Double Exposure, Dance in the Desert

    Encore: Cumberland Blues

    daniel donato cosmic country
  • Main Street Armory Closed Indefinitely, Owner Responds Following Deadly Stampede

    The owner of Main Street Armory in Rochester has finally commented on a deadly stampede in which three people were killed at a Rochester concert on March 5th.

    Grammy-nominated rapper GloRilla and Finnesse2tymes were performing at the venue when rumors of gunfire created a frenzy just after the show ended around 11 pm, according to the Rochester Police Department. Some at the event have said they heard gunshots, but investigators have yet to find evidence of actual gunfire.

    A previous concert hosted inside Main Street Armory - From Main Street Armory's Facebook Page rochester
    A previous concert hosted inside Main Street Armory – From Main Street Armory’s Facebook Page

    Nevertheless, the hysteria prompted by the threat of gunfire resulted in a chaotic stampede that killed three people. At least 7 others were injured and initially treated at local hospitals for non-fatal injuries. They have since been released.

    As of March 13th, Donaldson has now commented on the incident in the form of a written statement released by the law office Gallo & Iacovangelo:

    “The Main Street Armory, Scott Donaldson, and his team are devastated by the events that occurred March 5, 2023. Our deepest condolences go out to the families, friends and loved ones of Rhondesia Belton, Brandy Miller and Aisha Stephens. Over the years, the Armory has successfully hosted hundreds of events.”

    Local Rochester news station, WHEC-TV, interviewed concertgoers who survived the stampede. “Me and the girl next to me were climbing on each other trying to get each other up,” Ikea Hayes, a concert goer told WHEC-TV.

    “I was watching my life flash before my eyes and I still didn’t know what was going on so it’s like, not only am I on the ground, scared, praying like you got to get up,” she said. “You got to move. If you stay here they’re going to keep running you over. So you got to get up. You got to move.”

    The Mayor of Rochester, Malik D. Evans said in a press conference that there would be an investigation to see if the arena had followed proper safety measures. The venue, which is a military base turned concert hall, can hold 5,000 people. However it is unclear how many people were in attendance at the GloRilla concert.

    Fans of The Struts packed the Main Street Armory. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki of NYS Musi GloRilla rochester
    Fans of The Struts packed the Main Street Armory. Photo by Samantha Rychlicki of NYS Music

    Main Street Armory has previously hosted large acts such as Panic! At the Disco, the Struts and Styx. However, the venue has had issues before. As NYS Music originally reported back in August of 2022, a concert by the heavy metal band Anthrax was canceled in August after the stage broke during an opening band’s set. 

    On Twitter, Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian wrote, “Rochester we didn’t want to cancel, we had to. The stage was broken, the venue did not fix it and it was not safe to continue the show.”

    Due to unforeseen production issues, the show tonight at the Main Street Armory in Rochester had to be canceled by both ANTHRAX and BLACK LABEL SOCIETY as it was unsafe for the bands to perform. ANTHRAX and BLACK LABEL SOCIETY do not cancel shows lightly but we could not put the health and safety of the bands and crew at risk. All of the bands tonight apologize for the inconvenience and disappointment. We will be back to Rochester to rock another time. Refunds are available at the point of purchase starting Tuesday, August 23.

    Statement from Anthrax

    Main Street Armory did pass an annual fire safety inspection in December 2022 and is compliant with all fire codes, a city spokesperson told Democrat and Chronicle. The Democrat and Chronicle also reviewed crime reports available at the venue since 2020 on Rochester Police Department’s data portal and found five incidents consisting of petty larceny and assault.

    Last Wednesday the city refused to renew Main Street Armory’s  entertainment license, so the venue is shut down as investigation is underway. The city had planned to meet with the venue’s owner, Scott Donaldson, on Wednesday to discuss voluntarily halting events but Donaldson requested to adjourn the meeting for later in the week, citing an unspecified ongoing legal matter. His request was denied by the RPD resulting in its immediate closure, according to Rochester Police Chief David M. Smith. All scheduled concerts have been canceled for the time being.

    The GloRilla crowd surge at Main Street Armory has brought to mind a similar tragedy from 2021 at Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival. 10 people were killed in a massive crowd surge, although the incident was not related to potential gunfire.

    GloRilla tweeted on Monday the 6th after hearing about the incident. “I’m just now hearing about what happened wtf,” she wrote. “Praying everybody is ok.”

    She followed up by saying, “I am devastated & heartbroken over the tragic deaths that happened after Sunday’s show. My fans mean the world to me praying for their families & for a speedy recovery of everyone affected.”

    It is unclear when Main Street Armory will reopen or how long police investigations into the matter will last.

    “Lives were lost,” Smith said in a press conference. “We need to take steps to make sure no lives are lost in the future, if indeed this was something that was preventable.”

    Police have taken statements from several witnesses but that anyone with information is asked to call (585) 428-6720 or email psi@cityofrochester.gov.

  • 2023 Summer Camp Music Festival Lineup Announced

    The 2023 Summer Camp Music Festival lineup has been announced, including traditional sets from both host bands moe. and Umphrey’s McGee, taking place May 26-28 in Chillicothe, IL.

    2023 Summer Camp Festival

    The Summer Camp Music Festival first took place in 2001 to about 1,000 patrons with over 15 bands on two stages during the two-day event at Three Sisters Park in Chillicothe, IL. Now, the event is celebrating its 22nd anniversary, typically attracting around 20,000 visitors, of which between 8,000 and 10,000 arrive before the gates open. The festivities take place across Memorial Day Weekend and multiple stages with different genres. On top of all the live music, festival-goers have access to on-site camping, late-night shows, musician workshops, a non-profit village, unique arts & craft vendors and tons of great food and beer.

    The current lineup includes Umphrey’s McGee, moe., Willie Nelson & Family, Vulfpeck, Mastodon, Boogie T, Badflower, Keller Williams Trio ft. Tye North & Dave, Watts, Andy Frasco & The U.N., SunSquabi, The Funk Hunters, Buku, Sierra Hull, Maggie Rose, Jennifer Hartswick Band, Bella White, Circles Around The Sun, and Balkan Bump.

    moe. cohosts with Umphrey’s McGee.

    Other artists scheduled to play include Aqueous, DOGMA, Eggy, Joe Samba, K+ Lab, Leah Marlene, Oh He Dead, Perpetual Groove, Roots Of Creation, Southern Avenue, The Sponges, Super Future, In Alphabetical Order, Chicago Farmer & The Fieldnotes, Cody Lee’s Last Detail, G-Nome Project, Old Shoe, Organ Fairchild, Jack Cloonan, LITZ, Manthom Phenace, Modern Drugs, Squeaky Feet, Still Shine, and Zentik.

    A variety of ticketing options are on sale now, including 3-Day GA Passes, Sunday 1-Day GA & VIP, Volunteer Deposits, Thursday Pre-Party Passes, VIP Upgrades, & RV / Car Camping Spots. For more information visit here.

  • Counting Crows to Perform at 5 NY Amphitheaters this Summer on tour with Dashboard Confessional

    Grammy and Academy Award-nominated rock band Counting Crows are scheduled to tour this summer with Dashboard Confessional, performing at five amphitheaters in New York.

    They will kick off their New York performances on July 1 at St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview in Syracuse, followed on July 2 with a show at Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center in Canandaigua. On July 5, the band will perform at Saratoga Performing Arts Center. This will be followed by another show at Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theatre on July 8. Counting Crows will finish their New York tour shows on July 9 at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts.

    Counting Crows Dashboard Confessional tour

    Formed in San Francisco, Counting Crows’ career spans seven studio albums over nearly three decades. The band’s debut studio album, August and Everything After, was released in Sept. 1993 and peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 weekly chart. They found further success when their 1996 second studio album, Recovering the Satellites, peaked at number 1 on the Billboard 200 weekly chart. Their music has been prominently featured in pop culture, including “Colorblind”, from their 1999 third album This Dessert Life, being included in the soundtrack for the 1999 film Cruel Intentions. Their seventh studio album, Somewhere Under Wonderland, was released in 2014, and their newest EP, Butter Miracle, was released in 2021.

    Dashboard Confessional

    Rock band Dashboard Confessional originated in Boca Raton, Florida, and is led by singer Chris Carrabba. Their debut album, The Swiss Army Romance, was released in March 2000. They released their ninth album, All The Truth That I Can Tell, in 2022, touring with fellow rock band Jimmy Eat World in support of the album on the “Surviving the Truth” tour. The band has a long history with Counting Crows, first meeting in 2003 at the 17th annual Bridge School Benefit Concert. In the nearly 20 years since they have formed both a professional and personal relationship together.

    Presale for Counting Crows’ tour with Dashboard confessional, which has five shows at New York amphitheatre venues, begins Tuesday, March 14 in select markets. General on-sale begins Friday, March 17 at 10 a.m. For additional information, follow Counting Crows on Facebook and Instagram.

    Counting Crows with Dashboard Confessional ‘Banshee Season’ 2023 Tour Dates

    June 13            Omaha, NE                  Steelhouse Omaha*

    June 17            Indianapolis. IN           TCU Amphitheater at Winter River State Park 

    June 18            Cincinnati, OH             PNC Pavilion 

    June 21            Milwaukee, WI             Miller High Life Theatre 

    June 23            Highland Park, IL         Ravinia Festival (On-sale May 1)

    June 24            Sterling Heights, MI     Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill 

    June 26            Moon Twp, PA             UPMC Events Center 

    June 28            Niagara Falls, ON         OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino

    June 29            Northfield, OH             MGM Northfield Park

    July 1               Syracuse, NY                St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview

    July 2              Canandaigua, NY       CMAC

    July 5              Saratoga Springs, NY  Saratoga Performing Arts Center

    July 6              Holmdel, NJ                PNC Bank Arts Center 

    July 8              Wantagh, NY             Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater 

    July 9              Bethel, NY                 Bethel Woods Center for the Arts

    July 12             Columbia, MD            Merriweather Post Pavilion 

    July 14             Gilford, NH                 Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion

    July 15             Boston, MA                Leader Bank Pavilion

    July 18             Providence, RI             Providence Performing Arts Center

    July 19             Bridgeport, CT            Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater

    July 21             Bethlehem, PA            Wind Creek Event Center 

    July 22             Atlantic City, NJ          Borgata Event Center

    July 25             Selbyville, DE              Freeman Arts Pavilion (On-Sale March 24)

    July 26             Doswell, VA                 The Meadow Event Park 

    July 28             Virginia Beach, VA       Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach

    July 29             Raleigh, NC                 Red Hat Amphitheater 

    August 1          Charlotte, NC              Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre

    August 2          Charleston, SC            Credit One Stadium 

    August 4          Fort Myers, FL             Suncoast Credit Union Arena 

    August 5          Fort Lauderdale, FL     Hard Rock Live 

    August 8          St Augustine, FL          The St. Augustine Amphitheatre

    August 9          Tampa, FL                    MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre 

    August 11        Alpharetta, GA            Ameris Bank Amphitheatre 

    August 12        Albertville, AL             Sand Mountain Amphitheater 

    August 14        Nashville, TN              Grand Ole Opry

    August 18        New Orleans, LA         Saenger Theatre 

    August 19        Sugar Land, TX           Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land

    August 22        San Antonio, TX          Majestic Theatre 

    August 23        Irving, TX                    The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory 

    August 25        Norman, OK               Riverwind Casino* 

    August 26        Tulsa, OK                    The Cove*

    August 30        Highland, CA              Yaamava’ Theater** (On- Sale March 20)

    August 31        Phoenix, AZ                Arizona Financial Theatre**

    September 2    Las Vegas, NV           Pearl Theater**

    September 3     San Diego, CA          The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park** (On-Sale May 2)

    September 6     Los Angeles, CA        YouTube Theater 

    September 8     Lincoln, CA                The Venue at Thunder Valley

    September 10   Berkeley, CA              The Greek Theatre 

    September 13   Airway Heights, WA   BECU Live Outdoor Venue

    September 14   Bend, OR                    Hayden Homes Amphitheater

    September 16   Seattle, WA                 TBD (On-Sale TBD)

    September 17   Seattle, WA                 TBD (On-Sale TBD)

    September 19   Bonner, MT                 KettleHouse Amphitheater

    September 21   Boise, ID                      Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater  

    September 22   Salt Lake City, UT        USANA Amphitheatre

    September 25   Morrison, CO              Red Rocks Amphitheatre 

    *- No support 

    **- Frank Turner as support 

  • Avenged Sevenfold Announces MSG Show on June 23, Supporting new Release

    Multi-platinum headliners Avenged Sevenfold announce the release of their new single, their first since 2016, titled “Nobody,” as well as a show at Madison Square Garden on June 23.

    Avenged Sevenfold madison square garden
    Photo by Rebecca Sapp/WireImage for the Recording Academy

    To date, Avenged Sevenfold has sold over 10 million albums worldwide and earned two consecutive No. 1 albums on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums chart as well as multiple No. 1 singles on rock radio. They have garnered over a billion video views and a billion-plus Spotify streams. Their new track “Nobody” is the band’s first official music release since their 2016 album, The Stage, delivering nearly six minutes of twists and turns, leaning in on the sense of discomfort before letting go.

    The official video for the track, directed by Chris Hopewell, is beautifully crafted in stop-motion style, unfolding like a short film. It takes the viewer through the exploration of life and death, love and war, and follows the main character through an existential crisis. The band teased the single through an elaborate and mysterious digital scavenger hunt with puzzles, ciphers, images, and blog posts all written by Chat GPT, DALL-E 2, and AI voice modifiers, leading fans to a website for more challenges, eventually “unlocking” the single on release day.

    Their new record Life Is But a Dream was recorded over the last four years, drawing inspiration from Albert Camus’ classic 1942 novella, The Stranger, due June 2. Avenged Sevenfold is supporting the release with two shows this summer- one at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, CA, on June 9 and the other at Madison Square Garden on June 23. Tickets go on sale this Friday, March 17, with more information available here.

    On top of that, they have a number of festival dates scheduled, including a headline run Welcome to Rockville 2023 in Daytona Beach, Florida on May 19, and performances at the Sonic Temple Art and Music festival in Columbus, Ohio on May 26 and Aftershock 2023 in Sacramento, California on Oct. 5.

  • Warn The Duke Drop New Album “All That’s Solid” Out March 17th 

    Brooklyn-based melodic punks Warn The Duke are back with a new album titled All That’s Solid, out on Friday, March 17th. The band will celebrate that night with a show at Brooklyn’s Our Wicked Lady.  

    Warn The Duke Drop New Album “All That’s Solid” Out March 17th 

    The new LP All That’s Solid is a window into the ebbs and flows of recovery. Songwriter and lead singer Dan McCool (former River City Rebels) leads us through cycles of despair, renewal, and self-forgiveness that emerge after trauma and loss.  

    This is Warn The Duke’s first album in eight years, being written on the heels of lockdowns, divorce, and addiction. By layering harmonies and the combo of male/female vocals, the band emphasizes the record’s bittersweet atmosphere. 

    Warn The Duke Drop New Album “All That’s Solid” Out March 17th 

    There are some far-ranging influences bringing the listeners through All That’s Solid. For instance, the warmth of Mike Ness’s vocals, the wry defiance of Against Me!, the dense, dark guitar tone of Nothing. Also, the earworms and hooks of The Replacements, early 2000s math rock-inspired lead guitar lines, and the hard-hitting punk grit of Hot Water Music.  

    “These guys play that brand of punk rock and post-hardcore that bands like Hot Water Music perfected.”

    -Nerdist 

    Joining McCool on the album are drummer Derek Davis (former Big D and The Kids Table/The Toasters), bassist/vocalist Chris Marciniak, lead guitarist Chris Ferreria, and guitarist/vocalist Dori Cameron. 

    The album features the songs “Sometimes,” “The Middle” and the single “Anniversaries” (the latter of which is now streaming). Watch the music video for “Anniversaries” below and pre-save the album on Spotify. “All That’s Solid” arrives on 12” LP vinyl and digital on Friday, March 17th. The band will celebrate that night with a show at Brooklyn’s Our Wicked Lady. 

    Warn The Duke Drop New Album “All That’s Solid” Out March 17th 

    All songs on All That’s Solid were written, performed, and produced by Dan McCool and Warn The Duke. Furthermore, some were recorded and mixed by Jeff Berner at Studio G (Brooklyn). Additional record recording and co-production was done by Chris Duggan at Blue Banshee Studio (Brewster, MA), and mastered by Jon Markson.

    For more on Warn The Duke, click the link here

    To pre-save All That’s Solid, click the link here

  • Salt-N-Pepa goes behind the scenes of “Shoop”

    As part of Vevo’s footnotes series, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop, Queens group Salt-N-Pepa have revisited their iconic “Shoop” video, The rap icons shared insights into their creative process, the inspiration behind the song and their fight to make “Shoop” the lead single on the group’s fourth album, 1993’s Very Necessary.

    salt-n-pepa shoop

    During the episode, Pepa delves into the story behind the song and her verse, as well as the challenges the group faced in convincing their label to release “Shoop” as the lead single from their album ‘Very Necessary.’ She also recounts the excitement they felt when the song became a massive hit and solidified the group’s position in hip-hop.

    Meanwhile, Salt discusses how the song helped her to step away from her boyfriend and manager, Hurby [Luv Bug] and how “Shoop” empowered not only her but other women. She also shares her favorite moment from the music video shoot and reveals that she recorded her verse while holding her daughter Corin.

    Below is a complete outline of “Shoop”” I Vevo Footnotes:

    00:15 – The concept for “Shoop” started with me chillin’ in Queens, riding around in the car and I’m telling the story of how “I saw a brother, I had to kick it to, I’m not shy so I asked for the digits and that does not make me a hoe.” This story became the song and the inspiration for the first verse. – Pepa

    00:35 – My favorite moment in the video is when Salt, Spin and I step out of the car and my niece is with me. Also, the guys on the corner shooting dice are playing Silo 456…it’s a New York thing. – Pepa

    01:02 – When shooting “Shoop” I was a bit self conscious. It was hard being in a bathing suit and my booty kept falling out of my shorts when we were dancing on stage. – Salt

    01:28 – The objective was to turn the tables on men – make them the objects. When writing my verses, I was thinking of tongue in cheek ways to objectify men. When you really like a song, it’s easy to record. Fun fact: I had my daughter Corin in my arms while recording “Shoop.” – Salt

    02:04 – I was going through producer Mark Spark’s crates of records and there was the sound I was looking for “I’m Blue (The Gong-Gong Song)” by the Ikettes. Once I wrote the second verse I knew I wanted to add Captain Sky’s “Super Sperm.” Which was one of the best breakbeat songs out! I added it right after the line “not falling in love but I’m falling for your…” – Pepa

    02:33 – My favorite detail was being in Coney Island, such an important part of my childhood. I used to go there with my family then my friends as a teen, so shooting my own video in Coney Island was a full circle moment for me. – Salt

    02:55 – I had to jump through hoops for “Shoop” to be the first single off the ‘Very Necessary’ album. The label gave me a lot of push back since Hurby [Luv Bug] didn’t produce or write the song. Ultimately, it was an undeniable hit that took Salt-N-Pepa to the next level, and solidified our worth to hip-hop. Such a dope feeling. – Pepa

    03:23 – I was ready to be emancipated from Hurby not only as my boyfriend and manager, but also as a creative. We wanted to be free to express ourselves on our own. “Shoop” was empowering for women. Fans always tell us it’s their go-to karaoke song. – Salt

    03:40 – When we were planning the video, I wasn’t in the best shape. Luckily, we ended up being scheduled to shoot after our trip to Russia. I was a little culture shocked and couldn’t get used to the white nights and food, by the time we got back I had lost a lot of weight and I was ready to Shoop! – Pepa

  • Mike Gordon Announces New Solo Album “Flying Games” and June/July Tour

    Mike Gordon has announced a new solo album, Flying Games, along with June and July tour dates, bringing him to Webster Hall in Manhattan and Town Ballroom in Buffalo.

    mike gordon tour flying games
    Photo Credit: Rene Huemer

    Flying Games (ATO Records/Megaplum) will be released on Friday, May 12 and is produced by Gordon, recorded by longtime collaborator Jared Slomoff, and mixed by GRAMMY-winning engineer Shawn Everett (Alabama Shakes, The War on Drugs).

    For me Tilting is about being in a situation or a relationship where you don’t know if your footing is solid, but then accepting that and realizing you enjoy the feeling of disorientation. Whether it’s playing music or driving or experiencing something new, I’ve always felt more present when I don’t know where I’m going next.

    Mike Gordon

    The first single off Flying Games, the high velocity “Tilting” is out today and available at all DSPs and streaming services.

    The eclectic sixth solo LP from Mike Gordon, Flying Games is an album of constant and wildly hypnotic movement, each moment animated by unexpected sounds that morph and expand and spin off into their own strange orbits. Flying Games follows Gordon’s most recent solo works, 2020’s Noon and 2017’s OGOGO. The LP imbues elements of everything from disco and dancehall to psych-folk and funk into Gordon’s unfettered and expansive breed of rock music.

    To create Flying Games, the Vermont-based Gordon spent much of 2020’s lockdown and – writing and recording in his makeshift Megaplum home studio, immersing himself in sonic experiments ranging from the playfully spontaneous (constructing beats by banging wrenches against various pieces of farming equipment) to the hyper-specific and technical (programming a keyboard with chords sampled from’50s-era Hawaiian guitar records).

    As the songs became more fully formed, Gordon brought in contributions from his bandmates, drummer John Kimock, keyboardist Robert Walter, percussionist Craig Myers, and guitarist/pedal-steel player Scott Murawski, all of whom submitted parts from afar which were then woven by Gordon and Slomoff into the initial tracks. Revealing entirely new dimensions of the kaleidoscopic musicianship Gordon has displayed as Phish’s bassist for the last four decades, the result is a work of both extraordinary vision and daring execution.

    As someone who comes from a world of telepathic improvisation, the idea of one person layering sounds alone in a room might seem a bit against the mythos. But with this record I didn’t want to work in that traditional way of going into a studio with a band and recording for two weeks; I wanted to take my time and explore, and really go deep into the fabric of the music to see what we could find.

    Mike Gordon

    Gordon, bassist for Phish, will celebrate the release of Flying Games with a tour that includes headline shows and performances at Peach, Northlands and Blue Ox festivals. Tickets for all newly announced headline dates go on sale Friday, March 17 with pre-sales underway.

    Watch the official animated video below.

    Mike Gordon 2023 Tour Dates

    June 15 – Portland, ME – State Theatre

    June 16 – Swanzey, NH – Northlands Music Festival

    June 17 – New York, NY – Webster Hall

    June 18 – Buffalo, NY – Town Ballroom

    June 20 – Covington, KY – Madison Theater

    June 21 – Kalamazoo, MI – Bell’s Eccentric Cafe

    June 23 – Eau Claire, WI – Blue Ox Music Festival

    June 24 – Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall, Chicago, IL

    June 25 – Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall, Chicago, IL

    June 27 – St. Louis, MO – Delmar Hall

    June 28 – Indianapolis, IN – The Vogue

    June 30 – Millvale, PA – Mr. Smalls Theatre

    JULY

    July 1 – Scranton, PA – Peach Music Festival

    July 2 – Burlington, VT – Higher Ground Ballroom

  • Wild Up to Perform The Music of Julius Eastman in NYC this April

    Grammy-nominated music group Wild Up is scheduled to perform The Music of Julius Eastman in New York this spring, April 21 and 22, at Eastman 92NY. The group will be joined by musicians Dev Hynes and Adam Tendler. These dates come alongside Wild Up’s Endless Season, their first-ever season in Los Angeles, their hometown.

    Wild Up New York Julius Eastman
    Adam Tendler and Dev Hayes. Credit: Glen Hahn

    Wild Up is a large ensemble committed to creating visceral, thought-provoking music. They strongly believe in the power of music to unite society over shared experiences, and that Eastman 92NY venue is the perfect place for that. The group is currently working on the third volume of their seven part anthology concert series honoring the late Julius Eastman. The first two volumes of the anthalogy series were met with critical acclaim, with Volume One: Femenine being called “a masterpiece” by the New York Times, and NPR and The Wall Street Journal calling Volume Two: Joy Boy, “Glorious.” “Stay On It” from Joy Boy was nominated for a 2023 Grammy for Best Orchestral Performance.

    At the end of last year, Elizabeth Cine was hired as the new Executive Director of Wild Up. Significantly, Cine got the ensemble their first gig, a paid residency at the Hammer Museum. She has a long history with Wild Up, having collaborated with Christopher Rountree, the group’s artistic director. Outside of Wild Up, Cine has worked for a number of music organizations in Los Angeles. Wild Up, with Rountree conducting, also served as the band for Cline’s opera The Edge Of Forever.

    Information about Wild Up in New York and more:

    03.25.2023: HOCKET / Rountree Los Angeles, CA

    03.30.23: Boston Celebrity Series, Boston, MA

    04.16.2023: Julius Eastman: Femenine, University Musical Society, Ann Arbor, MI 

    04.21.2023: The Music of Julius Eastman: Femenine, 92NY, New York, NY

    04.22.2023: The Music of Julius Eastman: Buddha, 92NY, New York, NY

    04.22.2023: The Music of Julius Eastman: Chamber Music, 92NY, New York, NY

    04.29.2023: Darian Donovan Thomas / Jiji, Los Angeles, CA

    05.07.2023: Scelsi / Shiroishi, Los Angeles, CA

    05.27.2023 – 05.28.2023: Xenakis, a ritualist at 101, Los Angeles, CA

    06.16.2023: Julius Eastman Vol. 3 Release Party, Los Angeles, CA

    Listen to Grammy nominated “Stay On It.”