The Syracuse Jazz Festival announced that for the 37th edition of the festival legendary keyboardist, NEA Jazz Master, and 14-time Grammy winner Herbie Hancock will join 7-time Grammy winner and 2022 Kennedy Center Honoree Gladys Knight to coheadline.
M&T Jazz Fest 2016 at Onondaga Community College, Saturday, July 2, 2016. Ellen M. Blalock
The very popular Syracuse Jazz Festival extends to five days at over 30 venues, featuring over 30 performers including ten national and international touring & recording artists. The festival kicks off on the evening of June 21, featuring 24 indoor and outdoor club performances at two dozen downtown clubs, bars, and restaurants with Syracuse region’s top jazz artists from 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. The Late Night New York Band features bassist Tom Brigandi, trumpeter Joe Magnarelli, and saxophonist Eric Alexander, performing Wednesday along with Hall Of Fame vocalist Ronnie Leigh. Shows for the festival run from either 4-6 p.m., 5-7 p.m., 6-8 p.m., 7-9 p.m., 8-10 p.m., or 9-11 p.m.
Other artists performing on June 21 include the Marissa Mulder Duo, Michael Houston / Sam Wynn Project, Vibe Check featuring Melissa Gardiner, Dayquan Bowens & Kenyatta King, Longwood Jazz Project, Bob Holz & A Vision Forward, Nancy Kelly, Joyce DiCamillo Trio, E.S.P. Jazz Group, Funky Jazz Band featuring Dave Hanlon, Ron France, Brian Scherer, Jim O’Mahoney & Ed Vivenzio, The Jazz Mafia, The Instigators, Mark Doyle & Guitar Noir, Julie Howard Quartet, Tamaralee Shutt & The Matthew Rockwell Band, The Hot Club of Syracuse, The Frank Grosso Quartet, Julie & Rick Montalbano Trio, John Rode Trio, Mark Hoffmann & Swing This!, Monk Rowe & The Five Families Band, Quatro, The Jeff Martin Trio, and Tom Witkowski & The JT Hall Jazz Consort.
On June 22, the Visit Syracuse Stage at Hanover Square will feature two performances from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. beginning with Harri Stojka & Acoustic Drive from Vienna Austria. They will be followed by an All-Star Soul-Jazz ensemble called Something Else! featuring jazz legends Vincent Herring, James Carter, Randy Brecker, Paul Bolleback Dave Kikoski, Jeff Tain Watts, and Essiet Essiet.
The next day from 5:30-6:45 p.m. sees Scott Bradlee’s Post Modern Jukebox, celebrating the greatest 20th-century musical genres, fused with the recognizable hits of our own modern era. From 7:15-8:45 p.m., the best in funk and soul music Tower of Power performs. For the last 50 years, the group has been traveling the world, enjoying hit singles on their own and backing legendary artists including Otis Redding, Elton John, Santana, the Grateful Dead, and more. Ending the night is the legendary Herbie Hancock from 9:15-10:30 p.m.
Herbie Hancock, photo by Douglas Kirkland
June 24 brings Tuba Skinny, performing from 5:30-6:45 p.m. For over a decade, the group has been gaining popularity, releasing 12 albums and touring all over the world, drawing inspiration from the early jazz, ragtime, and blues music of the 1920s and 1930s. At 7:15 p.m., American jazz fusion band Spyro Gyra performs. Formed in Buffalo in 1974, the band’s music combines jazz, R&B, funk, and pop genres. Finally, ending the night is Rock and Roll and R&B Hall of Famer Gladys Knight from 9:15-10:30 p.m.
The 2023 Syracuse Jazz festival will close out on Sunday, June 25 on the campus of Syracuse University at Hendricks Chapel with a Jazz Fest-Ending Gospel Concert and Celebration. In addition to the other performers, The Syracuse University Faculty Jazz Ensemble and The Syracuse University Student Jazz Ensemble will also be performing this year.
Caramoor, a cultural arts destination located on a unique 80-plus-acre estate in Northern Westchester County, has announced its events for the 2023 summer season.
Some of the many talents coming to Caramoor this summer.
Caramoor’s curated concert season presents performers representing a vast array of backgrounds and lived experiences, including classical live performances, American roots, jazz, and more. The estate sits on beautiful grounds, including the historic Rosen House, a stunning mansion listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Edward J. Lewis III, Caramoor’s President and Chief Executive Officer, elaborated on the experiences one can have at the venue.
True to the vision of our founders, Caramoor is the place where you can be transformed by the convergence of an exciting and diverse mix of remarkable live music performances, stunning gardens and grounds, and the beauty of an art-filled historic home. The Caramoor experience leaves both the artist and audience refreshed and renewed and compels all to return again and again.
Edward J. Lewis III
There are five venues for performances, for more large-scale ones, those can go beneath the open-sided tent of the Venetian Theater surrounded by woods (cap: 1,220), while casual concerts on Friends Field offer a more relaxed vibe (cap: 1,000). More intimate settings include the outdoor Spanish Courtyard (cap: 388) and the Sunken Garden, the venue for Caramoor’s Music & Meditation series, classical guitar performances, and more. This summer, guests can attend intimate classical recitals in the Music Room, which was once the living room of Caramoor’s founders, Walter and Lucie Rosen (cap: 192).
The summer season runs from June 17-Aug. 18. Tony, Emmy, and Grammy Award–winning singer and actor Audra McDonald opens with an Opening Night Gala featuring classics from the Great American Songbook, led by her longtime musical director Andy Einhorn conducting the Orchestra of St. Luke’s (OSL).
Described as “one of the most versatile and galvanic ensembles in the U.S,” by WQXR, OSL returns twice this summer, first with passionate pianist Hélène Grimaud and conductor Lina González-Granado for a program of Gabriela Lena Frank’s Elegía Andina, Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G and Brahms’s Second Symphony on July 16. The next performance on Aug. 6 features MacArthur “genius grant”-winning cellist Alisa Weilerstein, along with conductor Roderick Cox, joining OSL for Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1, as well as Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 and George Walker’s Lyric for Strings.
Audra McDonald
New Music
Brooklyn Rider performs its “Four Elements” program at Caramoor on June 23, exploring the elements (earth, air, water, and fire) as a metaphor for the complex inner world of the string quartet and the current health of planet Earth. The program also includes works by Shostakovich, Osvaldo Golijov, and a Suite of American Folk Songs, collected/transcribed by Ruth Crawford Seeger and arranged by Brooklyn Rider violinist Colin Jacobsen.
Caramoor’s 2022-23 Ernst Stiefel String Quartet-in-Residence (ESSQIR) is the Ivalas Quartet – with a mission to champion diverse voices and spotlight Black and indigenous composers. Their yearlong residency concludes with a performance on June 29, including the world premiere of a Caramoor commission by Derrick Skye, a composer with Ghanian, Nigerian, Native American, and British/Irish ancestry who believes music is a doorway into the understanding of other cultures. Also on the program are works by Jessie Montgomery, Carlos Simon, and Eleanor Alberga.
Hailed by The New York Times as “a lush, brooding celebration of noise,” Andy Akiho’s Grammy-nominated Seven Pillars comes to Caramoor on June 30, his most ambitious project to date. Performed by Sandbox Percussion, the evening-length work is the largest-scale chamber music work that Akiho has written and that Sandbox has commissioned, their ongoing collaboration on the piece has spanned the past eight years. There will be a 7:00 p.m. pre-concert talk with members of the ensemble.
TheNew York Times declared that “America’s most astonishing choir…” The Crossing, led by Donald Nally, “combines an embrace of the new, a social conscience, and fearless technique.” They will perform the New York premiere of Ted Hearne’s FARMING for free on July 9 in the Sunken Garden. There will also be a pre-concert talk with Hearne, Nally, and director Ashley Tata.
Finnish violinist Pekka Kuusisto and celebrated American composer and pianist Nico Muhly collaborate on an intimate evening of unexpected musical connections on July 27. They reunite in a different format the following night, when The Knights perform the New York premiere of Muhly’s violin concerto titled Shrink, with Kuusisto as soloist. The Knights are dedicated to transforming the orchestral experience and eliminating barriers between audience and music.
The Knights
The rotating annual Sonic Innovations sound art exhibition is curated by Chicago-based sound artist and Northwestern University professor Stephan Moore. New this summer is Dyning in the Dovecote by Liz Phillips, an interactive sound installation where one can hear sounds of water, insects, dove calls and bird wings flicke, while underwater sound transducers create ripple patterns on the surface of the fountain. The official opening of Sonic Innovations and the grounds will take place at “Soundscapes” on June 4.
Baroque Music: Caccini’s Alcina, Handel’s Acis and Galatea, Ruckus
Caramoor welcomes the Boston Early Music Festival production of Francesca Caccini’s La liberazione di Ruggiero dall’isola d’Alcina, the first known opera by a female composer, to the Venetian Theater on June 25. Co-music directors Paul O’Dette and Stephen Stubbs and director Gilbert Blin lead a stellar cast of Baroque soloists including mezzo-soprano Mireille Lebel, tenor Colin Balzer, and mezzo-soprano Virginia Warnken Kelsey. July 7 brings Baroque supergroup Ruckus, with soloists Rachell Ellen Wong– the only early music artist ever to win the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant – on violin and Emi Ferguson on flute.
On July 23, another Baroque opera graces the stage, the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, with the original 1718 version of Handel’s Acis and Galatea, one of the composer’s most popular dramatic works, led by Richard Egarr. There will be a pre-concert lecture with MIT professor emeritus and Handel scholar Ellen T. Harris.
Chamber music and recitals
July 13 has Davóne Tines at the intimate Spanish Courtyard with a program of spiritual and intellectual exploration titled Recital No 1: Mass, with pianist Adam Nielsen, featuring works by Caroline Shaw, J.S. Bach, Tyshawn Sorey, Margaret Bonds, and Julius Eastman. Austin-based, internationally celebrated Miró Quartet, formed in 1995 and one of Caramoor’s earliest quartets-in-residence, performs as well.
The Dover Quartet returns with classical saxophonist, composer, and 2022 Avery Fisher Career Grant winner Steven Banks, performing Banks’s recent quintet Cries, Sighs, and Dreams. July 20 brings pianist-composer Conrad Tao, performing a collaborative event with choreographer-dancer Caleb Teicher titled “Counterpoint.” It is a dynamic interplay of piano and tap dance that includes works by J.S. Bach, Brahms, Mozart, Gershwin, Ravel, Schoenberg, and more.
Pianist Garrick Ohlsson, who 53 years later remains the only American to have ever won the Chopin International Piano Competition, performs an all-Chopin recital in the Venetian Theater on July 30. This summer, Tengyue Zhang – who received First Prize in the 2017 Guitar Foundation of America (GFA) International Concert Artists Competition, plays music by J.S. Bach, Domenico Scarlatti, Albéniz, Rameau, and more at the Sunken Garden on Aug. 3.
A new series debuting this summer, Recitals in the Music Room comprises hour-long programs on Saturdays in the late afternoon. Alexander Hersh is joined by pianist Christopher Goodpasture for the first concert on July 8, including works by Debussy, Paul Wiancko, Webern, Mendelssohn, and Sollima. Chinese pianist Zhu Wang, winner of the 2020 Young Concert Artists International Auditions, will perform the music of Schumann, Beethoven, Stravinsky, William Grant Still, and Zhang Zhao on Aug. 5.
Jazz Festival and Events
Caramoor’s annual Jazz Festival returns on July 22, presented in collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center and headlined by six-time Grammy-winning vocalist and MacArthur Grant recipient Cécile McLorin Salvant. Caramoor’s second Hot Jazz Age Frolic, featuring the 17-piece Eyal Vilner Big Band, takes place in the Friends Field tent on June 18. Two-time Grammy winner Samara Joy performs on Aug. 4.
Samara Joy.
Broadway/Pops: Over the Rainbow: The Music of Harold Arlen
Stage, jazz, and television artist Aisha de Haas, celebrated vocalist Mikaela Bennett, and Broadway actors and singers Nicholas Ward and Julie Benko join multi-faceted, Tony Award-winning orchestrator and musical director Ted Sperling for “Over the Rainbow,” an all-Harold Arlen evening in the Venetian Theater. Composer of over 500 songs, Arlen collaborated with some of the 20th century’s most notable lyricists on songs including “Over the Rainbow,” “Stormy Weather,” “Get Happy,” and more. The event takes place on July 8.
To celebrate Independence Day, Curt Ebersole and the Westchester Symphonic Winds return to Caramoor on July 2 for their annual Pops & Patriots concert. There will be guest vocalists and more performing patriotic tunes.
American Roots: Brandy Clark, Mary Chapin Carpenter & more
Caramoor’s American Roots Music Festival, an all-day celebration of the best in Americana, blues, folk, and bluegrass, returns on June 24. Headlining the festival this summer is acclaimed singer/songwriter and ten-time Grammy nominee Brandy Clark. Her songs have been recorded by the likes of George Strait, Carly Pearce with Patty Loveless, Toby Keith, Reba McEntire, Sheryl Crow, and many others, and she co-wrote the score for the new Broadway musical Shucked. Daytime artists for the American Roots Music Festival include Sunny War, Miko Marks, and the Mike Block Trio, with more artists to be announced soon.
On Aug. 5, Mary Chapin Carpenter performs her most recent album The Diry and the Stars. She is the winner of five Grammy Awards, two CMA Awards and is one of only 15 women inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Mary Chapin Carpenter
This summer, six Roots and world music concerts are held for the Concerts on the Lawn series, happening at Friends Field. The series opens on June 22 with a nod to Juneteenth featuring the Harlem Gospel Travelers. Closing out the Caramoor season and Concerts on the Lawn on Aug. 18 is Chicago-based singer/songwriter Neal Francis, whose new album In Plain Sight is a “must hear” according to Rolling Stone.
Global Music: Oumou Sangaré, Arooj Aftab, DakhaBrakha & more
Plena Libre are multi-Grammy-nominated masters of the traditional Puerto Rican plena and bomba styles, fusing well-loved traditions with modern Afro-Caribbean influences. On July 1, they will be performing at Caramoor. With roots in Ukrainian folklore and music filtered through punk, cabaret, rock, and hip-hop, DakhaBrakha is an award-winning quartet from Kyiv. On July 14 they will combine various instruments from multiple countries and powerful vocals to create an evening of “ethnic chaos” and national pride.
Grammy Award-winner Oumou Sangaré mixes traditional African percussion, distinctive vocals, and progressive social criticism, returning to the Venetian Theater at Caramoor after 12 years on July 15. She will perform a program that ranges from traditional Wassoulou music to contemporary African sounds, as well as songs from her recent critically acclaimed album, Timbuktu.
Brooklyn-based singer and composer Arooj Aftab, the first Pakistani woman to win a Grammy, brings her new project “Love in Exile” to Friends Field on July 29 with two of her most trusted collaborators, pianist Vijay Iyer and multi-instrumentalist Shahzad Ismaily. The New York Times said: “Her voice is contemplative, breathy and relaxed, with the intimacy of indie-pop and jazz though she occasionally uses the microtonal embellishments of classical South Asian singing.”
Brooklyn-based electronic indie band Balún fuses Caribbean rhythms, Dembow (old-school reggaeton), intelligent dance music (IDM), and dreamy dance-pop tunes with the traditional sounds of their Puerto Rican homeland. On Aug. 11, they will be performing “music that you can sleep to while dancing.” Aug. 16 brings what NPR describes as “a sonic experience of epic proportions” in the form of composer, bandleader, and bassist Michael Olatuja, blending the sounds of Lagos, Nigeria (his hometown), London (his birthplace), and New York (his current home).
Music and Meditation in the Garden
Promoting mindful listening, the Music & Meditation in the Garden series on three Saturday mornings in July in the Sunken Garden comprises a meditation led by Jennifer Llewelyn followed by a performance. The first event on July 1 features the duo of violinist and ERS alum Tessa Larkand bassist Michael Thurber, member of Stephen Colbert’s house band.
Next on July 15 is Celtic harpist Maeve Gilchrist, whose music has been described by the Irish Times as “buoyant, sprightly, and utterly beguiling” performing with guitarist Kyle Sanna. The series concludes with a string quartet performance from the Harlem Chamber Players on July 29.
Children’s Programming
Caramoor also mentors young professional musicians and provides music-centered educational programs for young children. One of Caramoor’s new ventures this summer is devoted to its youngest demographic: children ages 2–6 and their guardians. On Friday mornings at 11 a.m., the series Concerts for Little Ones, featuring world-class artists, will invite children to sing and dance to diverse styles of music. On July 7, the Musiquita program is presented by husband-and-wife team Blanca Cecilia González and Jesse Elder, who playfully explore Spanish and English music and song.
On June 18, a family concert with the Eyal Vilner Swing Band called “Gotta Swing!” will explore the history of jazz with dancers Nathan Bugh, Gaby Cook, Jennifer Jones, and Ray Davis.
Bassoonist Alexander Davis, one of Caramoor’s teaching artists, brings along some friends on July 14 to give a guided tour of his unique woodwind instrument. Finally, on July 21 two-time Grammy-nominated trumpeter Alphonso Horne brings the series to a close with the irresistible rhythms and energy of New Orleans jazz.
For more information on Caramoor’s 2023 summer season events and to purchase tickets, go here.
In celebration of 36 years, industrial-dance trailblazers My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult have announced additional dates for their ‘Evil Eye Tour,’ featuring the band’s classic hits from 1987-1997.
With fans clamoring for dates throughout the East and North Central states, the band released 16 additional dates, once again alongside support acts Adult and Kanga, including Halloween night in New York City.
Hailing from Chicago’s renowned Wax Trax! Records stable of artists, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult have been conjuring up sonic tales of sex, blasphemy and kitschy horror since 1987. The band helped develop the industrial music genre, yet have continued to expand their style, creating one of the most diverse repertoires in modern music. Electronic rock, heavily influenced by both disco and funk can best describe their sound, while spoken-word samples lifted from B-movies gives the band their signature mark. They have released 14 studio albums, a slew of remix compilations, and have contributed to a variety of soundtracks and film scores, including a cameo performance in the 1994 cult movie classic The Crow.
Artist Franke Nardiello and musician Marston Daley, two Chicago neighbors who enjoyed late night binges watching trashy exploitation films and horror flicks, wanted to make their own movie to be called “My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult”. While the project never came to fruition, they wrote some music to be the accompanying soundtrack. Both worked at the Wax Trax record store, and when label founders Jim Nash and Dannie Flesher heard the songs, they were intrigued. Using the film title as the name of the band, they released a 3-song EP in early 1988. The response was overwhelming, and it was clear fans wanted to hear more.
Taking the stage names Groovie Mann (Nardiello) and Buzz McCoy (Daley), the duo began to focus on music full time. They created an occult meets leather biker image to compliment the band’s name which included enlisting a bevy of voluptuous back-up singers / dancers known as the BOMB GANG GIRLZ. In June of ’88, they flew to label mate Luc Van Acker’s studio in Belgium to record their first album, I See Good Spirits and I See Bad Spirits. It was recorded in just ten days, and mixed in another ten days at Southern Studios in London. The fans ate it up! They followed up with two hard-hitting dance floor 12” tracks – Kooler Than Jesus (1989) and Cuz It’s Hot (1990), which features no-wave chanteuse Lydia Lunch on vocals. The New York Times wrote, “Sex, blasphemy, big beats and go-go dancing; they’re all in a day’s work for My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult”. This attracted the attention of indie fans, as well as the ire of the PMRC and conservative religious groups in practically equal measure. By the time of their sophomore release, Confessions Of A Knife (1990), they were far and away one of the biggest selling acts on the label.
1991 saw the release of their third album, Sexplosion!, a calculated sonic and visual departure from their previous work. 1950’s pin-up models replaced the demonic imagery, while sleazy stripper horns, disco beats and house diva vocals (provided by artist Shawn Christopher) took prominence over the more abrasive musical elaments.They put together a provocative stage show, complete with spinning police lights, mirror balls and a stocked bar with bartender to serve the scantily clad musicians and dancers while they performed. It was a huge success, and the group signed a deal with Interscope Records shortly afterwards and released two more albums – 13 Above the Night (1993), and Hit & Run Holiday (1995).
Hollywood also embraced the KULT, recognizing the unique cinematic aspect in their sound. Most notably, the band scored five songs for animator Ralph Bakshi’s Cool World (1992) and wrote the lap dance song for director Paul Verhoven’s saucy Showgirls (1993). Comedies BASEketball and The Flintstones Movie prominently feature songs from the Hit & Run Holiday album. They have been roasted by MTV’s Beavis & Butthead, and were written into the story line of the film Sexy Evil Genius which also features the song “A Daisy Chain 4 Satan”. Most recently the club hit “Kooler Than Jesus” can be heard blasting in Season 3 of the Netflix series Narcos.
Today SLEAZEBOX.com boasts the complete THRILL KILL KULT catalog, in addition to related works and McCoy’s self titled projects. They continue to work with Wax Trax! Records for the purpose of re-issuing special limited edition vinyl. Buzz and Groovie still record and perform live along with veteran band mates Mimi Star (bass) and Justin Thyme (drums), all the while making a reputation for themselves as one of the most notorious and controversial cult bands of their generation.
For Mor Information, and to purchase tickets, please visit the bands website.
Manhattan’s Nai’a has just released a very vulnerable and passionate single titled “Newman Beauty,” on February 16th. This heartfelt single is part of Nai’a’s craft; with head turning, shocking visuals, and raw, emotional compositions, Nai’a isn’t just making music, but art.
Being a pensive and exploring artist in the space of adventures circling through his life, Nai’a’s creative mind comes to life as he creates music. By intertwining the melodies and wordplays appealingly, he knits his song flawlessly.
There’s a dichotomy of thoughts and escapades he powders his songs with. Nai’a meanders by his beliefs finding the meaning of life through the songs that he writes. “Newman Beauty”, Nai’a’s latest record, is an intimate closure of thoughts with simply him and a guitar. The yearning guitar riffs & his voice overflowing with a thousand stories culminate into an emotionally strong tune.
“I was in love, now you’re just a memory”
– Nai’a
The song acts as a journal of his emotional journey when dreaming to be in love. His encumbered voice carries the weight of ardor. The single is a straightforward, easy, unadorned yet brilliantly crafted song that Nai’a has released.
While talking about the song Nai’a stated, “Writing Newman Beauty has been the biggest risk I’ve taken as a songwriter. I had to tell my story in the most honest way, with no sugar coating,” and he’s given it justice by keeping both his lyricism and the music minimal and honest.
The song feels like he’s floating on a sea of vulnerability, as he sings the words. He paints the picture of him longing for something that isn’t his.
The ambiguity of his mind preoccupies the thoughts that flow, as he communicates through the music. It’s like Nai’a is fixated on a person he can’t let go of, from a place of love and affection. You can hear the tenderness and pain along his dreamy melodies. “Newman Beauty” is a way of healing himself.
Femme It Forward, a female-led music and entertainment company announced their one-day festival titled Across The Pond at Coney Island Amphitheater. On May 6, stars such as Tiwa Savage, Nao Arya Starr, Elaine and Tyl will take the stage at the single-day event.
Across The Pond, celebrates female R&B and Afrobeat musicians that originate from Africa and the UK. Within the music industry female artists are frequently overshadowed by their male counterparts, Femme It Forward works to change the narrative by honoring these talented musicians. Across The Pond will be a festival unlike others and is sure to inspire people of all nationalities and backgrounds.
Femme It Forward strives to commemorate, educate and empower the industry’s most creative and accomplished female visionaries. The company produces music festivals, concerts, original content, comedy shows, philanthropic endeavors, panels, college engagements and more. For more information, visit here.
VIP and General admission tickets will be available for purchase beginning March 3rd, at 10 am. Tickets can be purchased here.
On March 3, The Borgata in Atlantic City lit up with excitement and anticipation as the legendary Smokey Robinson took the stage for what turned out to be a night to remember. The audience knew they were in for a treat when the lights went down, and Robinson’s signature falsetto voice filled the room with his classic hit “Being With You.”
Smokey Robinson 3.3.23
Robinson, 83, took the audience on a musical journey that spanned five decades as he belted out hit after hit. From the ballads “Cruisin” and “Quiet Storm” to the upbeat “Tears of a Clown” and “I Second That Emotion,” Robinson kept the audience dancing and singing along throughout the night.
Smokey Robinson 3.3.23
Robinson’s backup singers and band were top-notch, and their chemistry with him was evident in the way they moved seamlessly through each song, taking the audience from slow romantic moments to uptempo dance numbers. Known for his smooth and soulful voice, Robinson’s performance showed that he hadn’t lost any of his vocal prowess. He effortlessly hit every note and captivated the audience with his dynamic stage presence.
Smokey Robinson 3.3.23
As the night drew to a close, Robinson finished with his timeless hit “Tracks of My Tears,” leaving the audience spellbound and begging for more. It was a concert that will undoubtedly go down in the history books as one of the best ever performed at The Borgata. Smokey Robinson proved that age is just a number as he delivered an unforgettable performance that left a lasting impression on his fans.
Setlist: Intro, Being With You, I Second That Emotion, You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me, Quiet Storm, Ooo Baby Baby, Get Ready, My Girl, The Way You Do The Things You Do, Tears of a Clown, Fly Me To The Moon, Just To See Her, I Love Your Face, La Mirada, The Tracks of My Tears, Cruisin’
Electrifying punk rock group Meet Me @ The Altar blew the roof of Gramercy Theatre on March 2 as part as their first ever headline tour. Along with their openers Daisy Grenade and their intense sound, and Young Culture’s standout stage presence, the Meet Me @ The Altar show was absolutely unforgettable for anyone in attendance.
Photograph by Chinaza Ajuonuma
Meet Me @ The Altar is a three-piece WOC pop-punk band, consisting of guitarist/bassist/singer Téa Campbell (Florida), drummer Ada Juarez (New Jersey), and singer Edith Johnson (Georgia). Originally formed in 2015, the three members—all of whom lived in different states at the time—worked on music remotely through the internet. The band went on their first tour in 2018 and were signed by Fueled by Ramen in 2020. Their creativity continues with their new album Past // Present // Future that came out on March 10.
Photograph by Chinaza Ajuonuma
Daisy Grenade is a power-punk bubble grunge band that serves a punch with a lip-glossed kiss on the side. Made up of the two gorgeously disturbed girlies Keaton Whittaker and Dani Nigro, they turned their unapologetically feminine angst into sickeningly catchy, morbidly worded bubble-grunge bops that are dripping out of a saccharine shell. With Pete Wentz as a mentor and the collaboration of The Ready Set for their sophomore EP, CULT CLASSIC, these two theater kids started making music in 2020 and haven’t looked back.
Daisy Grenade Setlist: Heavy Metal Parking Lot Kind Of Cool, Darby, Stone’s Throw, Skin, I Got It Bad, Rorschach, Dominoes, Colm’s, Veritas, Pocket Change
Photograph by Chinaza Ajuonuma
Hailing from Albany, the trio of Alex Magnan, Gabe Pietrafesa, Troy Burchett that make up Young Culture have been brewing their sound for the past couple of years and most recently have released their album You Had To Be There. Their music can be described as early 2000s-sunshine-rock-meets-modern-technology that pops with bright color and vibrant emotion. The band signed with Equal Vision Records in 2018 and have been releasing banger after banger ever since.
Young Culture Setlist: Not In Love, Drift, Smooth, Fantasy, Silver Lining, Shiver, Holiday in Vegas, Serendipity, Different Now, Kinda Over It
Photograph by Chinaza Ajuonuma
Daisy Grenade took the stage first, launching directly into a hardcore “Heavy Metal Parking Lot Kind Of Cool”. Embodying female angst and jumping around the stage, the energy in the room was electric. The crowd was moshing along as they played new songs, like “Skin” and “I Got It Bad”. After a quick shoutout to their parents in the crowd, the fans for bringing the energy, Daisy Grenade retired the stage with a bang after playing “Pocket Change.”
Photograph by Chinaza Ajuonuma
There was a shift in the room when Young Culture emerged. The chants from fans were almost deafening, as all you could hear was their little tagline, “YC F*CKS”. Launching right into “Not In Love” from their most recent album. The crowd’s enthusiasm skyrocketed as Alex left the stage to stand on the barricade, directly interacting with the fans during the set. With encouragement from the band, the crowd surfing began, putting security to work. From the constant chanting to the jostling of the fans around in the pit, the energy in the room built up to new heights.
Photograph by Chinaza Ajuonuma
By the time Meet Me @ The Altar took the stage, the crowd was buzzing with anticipation. With Téa and Ada tuning and prepping their instruments. Riding off the high of the crowd chanting their names, leading lady Edith hops out and launches into one of the bands most well known songs, “Say It (To My Face)”. With an energy equivalent to a pop punk rager, this hardcore show can only be described as feral and free. The chanting and the crowdsurfing didn’t cease, even long after they performed their final song. Only a week before the release of their new album, Meet Me @ The Altar is on an upward trajectory when it comes to their sound.
Meet Me @ The Altar Setlist: Say It (To My Face), Beyond My Control, Hit Like A Girl, King of Everything, Try, May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor, Now Or Never, Feel A Thing, [unknown song], Complicated, Same Lane, A Few Tomorrow, Garden
Photograph by Chinaza Ajuonuma
In terms of upcoming shows, Daisy Grenade will be on tour with Meet Me @ The Altar until April. They’re then scheduled to head on tour supporting Fall Out Boy on multiple dates from June 23rd in Montana to July in Colorado. For any updates on future shows and tours, check out their website.
Young Culture will also be with Meet Me @ The Altar until April, but past that, there is nothing scheduled. For updates, check their website and socials.
After tour wraps, you can find Meet Me @ The Altar at an array of different festivals, from Adjacent Festival in New Jersey to Leeds Festival in the UK.
Rochester’s beloved Lilac Festival has announced the 2023 lineup for its 125th-anniversary celebration in Highland Park from May 12-21.
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. “One of the highlights of the Rochester Lilac Festival for visitors is the robust lineup of national, regional, and local entertainers and musical acts,” said Don Jeffries, president & CEO, Visit Rochester. “As we look forward to the 125th anniversary of the festival, this lineup of performers is sure to keep the thousands of visitors to Rochester’s Highland Park this May entertained!”
Kicking off the festival on May 12 at 4 p.m. is Personal Blend, a seven-piece reggae/ rock group out of Rochester. Get ready to feel good and dance to their new EP Inhale & Release. Following at 5:30 p.m. is Sneezy, a six-piece fusion rock band from Chicago that draws its innovative sound from Rock, Hip-Hop, and Soul influences.
The special headliner for the evening is the jam/funk quartet Pigeons Playing Ping Pong at 7 p.m. The band includes singer/guitarist “Scrambled Greg” Ormont, guitarist Jeremy Schon, bassist Ben Carrey, and drummer Alex “Gator” Petropulos. The band, through their 1,000 enthusiastic shows, has built a mass following and an ever-expanding fanbase known as “The Flock,” and has been hailed as “musical explorers” by Rolling Stone. PPPP has independently released six studio albums, including their latest record, Perspective, in 2022.
The next day at 3 p.m. four-piece reggae act MoChester performs, consisting of Brandon Sheffer on lead vocals and guitar, Jonathan Sheffer on keys, guitar and backup vocals, Ben Overmyer on bass, and Jimmy Grillo on drums. At 4:30 p.m. the funky soul powerhouse group Shine takes the stage, playing a mix of funk, soul, and pop music, with contemporary hits by the likes of Bruno Mars and Adele, and also classic soul going back to Prince, Michael Jackson, and more. Finishing off the day at 6 p.m. is the Zac Brown Tribute Band, capturing the sound and creativity of the Zac Brown Band by playing hits like “Chicken Fried” to the recent sing-along anthem “Homegrown,” there’s a bit of everything for fans.
Zac Brown Tribute Band
The next day begins with Latin Jazz Quintet, Sofrito, formed in 2009 by flutist Tim Forster and Latin percussionist Tony Padilla at 1 p.m. At 2:30 classic rock and popular rock cover band BB Dang performs, and headliners The Iguanas play at 4. The group has been a fixture of the New Orleans music scene for over two decades, showcasing America’s musical heritage – Tejano and Conjunto sounds from the Texas/Mexico border region, as best exemplified by the accordion and bajo sexto. Closing out the night is Seven Wonders, seven world-class musicians paying homage to the music of Fleetwood Mac.
May 15 features variety group Big Blue House at 4 pm., with Rochester’s premier psychedelic alternative country act Public Water Supply at 5:15. Finishing off the evening at 7 is Hudson-Valley-based musician Mikaela Davis, who has shared the stage with Bob Weir, Christian McBride, Bon Iver, and more. She also performs with her band Southern Star, recently recording at the Relix Studio in New York City, releasing an exclusive Relix Studios vinyl. The following day begins with the four-piece rock cover group Digglers Bridge at 4 p.m., with the three-piece instrumental organ trio/funky jam band Organ Fairchild following at 5:30. Ending the night at 7 is the Sam Grisman Project, paying homage to his father David Grisman and his close friend, Jerry Garcia, music made in the early 90s.
The next day begins at 4 p.m. with the definitive Classic Vinyl 60s band, Inside Out. Headliners include Syracuse-based reggae group Root Shock at 5:30 and Allman Brothers tribute band Blue Sky Brothers, featuring members of Giant Panda Guerrilla Dub Squad, Mikaela Davis & Southern Star, The Moho Collective, and more. May 18 has the Led Zeppelin cover band Mothership at 4 p.m., Rochester-based variety cover band Stunt Double at 5:30, ending the night with Almost Queen at 7.
Almost Queen
Coming up on May 19 is roots rock band Steve Grills & The Roadmasters at 3:45 p.m., with American blues and swing revival band The Founders of Roomful of Blues at 5:30. Ending the night at 7 is Grammy-nominated American rock band The Record Company, comprised of Chris Vos (guitar, lead vocals), Alex Stiff (bass, backing vocals), and Marc Cazorla (drums, backing vocals). May 20 starts early at 2 p.m. with 11 piece band The Medicinals. The group formed in Rochester and has performed with the likes of Julian Marley, The Wailers (4x), Turkuaz, Lettuce, and more. At 3:30 Hello City performs and at 5 headliner Shamarr Allen makes an appearance. Taking influence from the heart of New Orleans, he performs in jazz, hip-hop, rock, funk rhythms, blues, and country categories and is the lead vocalist and trumpeter of his band Shamarr Allen & The Underdawgs. Ending the night at 7 is the only regionally touring full 7-piece Dave Matthews Tribute in the country: Big Eyed Phish.
Ending the festival on May 21 is Head to the Roots at 1 p.m., a passionate music project, led by American singer-songwriter Anthony Siciliano, pulling at the roots of folk, blues, reggae, rockabilly, and jam music. At 2:30, the high-energy group Vintage Pistol performs, Judah performing right after at 4. Headlining at 5:30 is the Grateful Dead cover band Workingman’s Dead. Also headlining and ending the festival is Into the Now, performing whatever they feel like for the past thirty years.
The Rochester Lilac Festival 2023 is a free event with no ticket required to enjoy the music. Those looking for an elevated experience can purchase MGM Associates of Rochester VIP High Spot Party Deck tickets, available here.
2023 Headliners
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong – May 12 Zac Brown Tribute Band – May 13 The Iguanas, The Seven Wonders – May 14 Mikaela Davis – May 15 The Sam Grisman Project – May 16 Blue Sky Brothers – May 17
Almost Queen – May 18 The FOUNDERS of Roomful of Blues, The Record Company – May 19 Shamarr Allen, Big Eyed Phish – May 20 Into the Now – May 21 *Every headliner will have ASL Interpretation
2023 Supporting Talent
Sneezy, Personal Blend – May 12 MoChester, Shine – May 13 Sofrito, BB Dang – May 14 Big Blue House, Public Water Supply – May 15 Organ Fairchild, Digglers Bridge – May 16 Inside Out, Root Shock – May 17
Mothership, Stunt Double – May 18 Steve Grills & The Roadmasters– May 19 Hello City, The Medicinals – May 20 Head to the Roots, Vintage Pistol, Judah, Workingman’s Dead – May 21
Along with their recently revealed spring tour, GRAMMY-nominated rock band Gov’t Mule has announced another tour scheduled for this summer. The Dark Side of the Mule Tour will run throughout August and feature a full Gov’t Mule set and very special guest Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening opening. Additionally, the summer tour will feature the return of the band’s renowned and extremely rare Pink Floyd tribute performance.
Warren Haynes [vocals, guitar], Matt Abts [drums], Danny Louis [keyboards, guitar, and backing vocals], and Jorgen Carlsson [bass] make up the talent behind Gov’t Mule, originating in Atlanta, Georgia. The band’s flexible interplay makes them a true living, breathing ensemble. The quartet has been making music for over two decades, solidifying their place in the industry as rock legends. They have released over 12 studio albums in their more than 20-year career, with their self-titled debut record being released in 1995. Their 12th studio album, Heavy Load Blues, was released in 2021.
The band first performed Dark Side of the Mule on Halloween 2008 at the Orpheum Theatre in Boston, before it was released as a live album in 2014. Gov’t Mule’s Dark Side of the Mule tour is in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon.
This all started so organically with what we thought would be a one-time Halloween performance. Since then, Dark Side of the Mule has grown into something else. It’s a blast to perform this material but our intent is to do it for one final tour in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Dark Side. Don’t miss it!
Warren Haynes
Presale tickets for the Gov’t Mule summer tour are now available. General on-sale begins this Friday, March 10, starting at 10 a.m. at mule.net. A new date at SPAC has been announced for July 28, with tickets going on sale on April 14 at 10 a.m. Additionally, Gov’t Mule’s New Year’s Run from last year has also been rescheduled for December 29 in Philadelphia and December 30 and 31 in New York City.
GOV’T MULE TOUR DATES
May 5 – New Orleans, LA @ Orpheum Theater ^
May 6 – Memphis, TN @ Beale Street Music Festival ~
May 7 – Evansville, IN @ Victory Theatre
May 9 – Cleveland, OH @ TempleLive Cleveland
May 11 – Ashland, KY @ Paramount Arts Center
May 12 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
May 14 – Birmingham, AL @ Avondale Brewing Company
May 16 – Macon, GA @ Macon City Auditorium
May 18 – Augusta, GA @ Miller Theater
May 19 – Asheville, NC @ Salvage Station – Outdoor Stage
May 20 – Asheville, NC @ Salvage Station – Outdoor Stage
July 22 – Atlantic City, NJ @ Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena *#
July 23 – Patchogue, NY @ Great South Bay Music Festival ~*
July 28- Saratoga Springs, NY @ SPAC
August 2 – Clarkston, MI @ Pine Knob Music Theatre *
August 3 – Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Music Center *
August 4 – Tinley Park, IL @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre *
August 7 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre *
August 9 – Dallas, TX @ Dos Equis Pavilion *
August 11 – Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion *
August 12 – Atlanta, GA @ Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park *
August 15 – Bridgeport, CT @ Hartford HealthCare Amphitheatre *
August 17 – Gilford, NH @ Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion *
Miley Cyrus released her eighth studio album, Endless Summer Vacation, on March 10. The album, which Cyrus describes as her “love letter to LA,” was preceded by two singles, “Flowers” in January, and “River” on the same day as the album’s release. The former Disney star delivers again with her newest release, reminding her fans why they love and support her so much.
A streaming special, Endless Summer Vacation (Backyard Sessions) was released in support of the album. Photo Credit: Good Morning America
Miley Cyrus was born in Nashville, Tennessee in 1992, originally as Destiny Hope Cyrus. While Cyrus has since made a new for herself in the music industry, she comes from a famous family, being the daughter of county singer Billy Ray Cyrus and his wife Tish, who has managed her daughter since the start of her career. She got her big break when she landed the starring role in Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana, which made her into a teen icon and role model for young children while the show was airing from 2006 to 2011.
In the early days of Hannah, Cyrus released her debut album, Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus, which doubled as the soundtrack album for the show’s second season, followed by her first solo album, Breakout, in 2011. She has since made a name for herself outside of Disney, shedding her “good girl” image as early as 2010 with her third album, Can’t Be Tamed, while still starring on Hannah Montana.
Endless Summer Vacation starts out strong, stays steady throghout, and picks up again for the last few trakcs. Highlights from the album include “Flowers, “Jaded,” “Thousand Miles,” “Muddy Feet,” “Island,” and “Wonder Woman.”
The album closes out with “Wonder Woman,” and perfectly so, reminding us exactly who Cyrus is: a modern day Wonder Woman. The singer was born to a famous father but has come to be known as much more than the daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus, and was given a platform through Disney that spearheaded her to success, yet she was still able to break free from that “Disney bubble” that so many stars find themselves in. Endless Summer Vacation is sure to guarantee Miles Cyrus an Endless career in the music industry.
