Rock The Bells — the hip hop culture platform founded by LL Cool J — have announced the lineup for their Timeless Hip Hop Cruise. Aptly tittled, Rock The Bells Cruise: A Hip-Hop Experience, the media entities partnership with Sixthman will see a host of hip hop legends perform on the Miami-to-Bahamas getaway.
Rock The Bells began as music festival in Queens and will now be going abroad
Setting Sail on November 13, performers on Rock The Bells’ Timeless Hip Hop Cruise will include hip hop stars of various eras. Headliners include the likes of Rick Ross, Lil Jon and Big Boi. While Ghostface Killah, Big Daddy Kane, Just Blaze and a host of other legends from hip hop’s golden era will make apperances. MC Lyte, Trina & Trick Daddy, Too $hort, Slick Rick, DJ Jazzy Jeff, DJ Spinderella, Mannie Fresh, Pete Rock, DJ Quik, Rah Digga, EPMD, Bun B, Bahamadia, Grandmaster Caz, DJ Scratch, The Finisher Mister Cee, DJ EPPS, DJ Nina 9, Grandmaster Dee, Technician The DJ, and DJ Critical Hype. Hosted by Roxanne Shanté & Torae, attendees will also experience a pool deck party series presented by world-renowned party rocker Kid Capri.
At Rock The Bells, we believe classic and timeless Hip-Hop deserves to be served on a silver platter and we can’t wait for Hip-Hop lovers across the globe to be immersed in the culture for five days, on five stages. We’re excited to partner with Sixthman, who bridges the gap between artists and fans, creating unforgettable guest experiences.
– Rock The Bell’s President James Cuthbert
What to Expect at Rock The Bells Hip Hop Cruise?
The expedition kicks-off with a special “Welcome to Miami” performance by Miami hip hop legends Trick Daddy and Trina on the ship’s pool deck. Attendees who purchased their cabin before January 18 will be able to hang out with Trick Daddy and Trina at a private cocktail happy hour prior to setting sail. Moreover, attendees can expect dozens of performances and intimate experiences from some of Hip-Hop’s classic MCs, DJs and producers. In effect, Rock The Bells will be taking over every corner of the ship with pool deck parties presented by world renowned DJ Kid Capri. Other fun endeavors will include MC and DJ battles, rap karaoke, interactive graffiti, live podcasts, roller skating, open mic nights, movie screenings, masterclasses, art galleries, custom grillz, tattoos, basketball and The Trill Mealz Food Court.
The Norwegian Pearl will play host to “Rock The Bells Cruise: A Hip-Hop Experience.”
How could I not Rock the Boat with the Goat? LL COOL J’s Rock The Bells keep the culture afloat. Please believe it.” Too $hort added “Rock The Bells is Hip-Hop History, and they’re working to MAKE history!
Jon Spencer and the Hitmakers will unite for a 2023 winter tour across New York. The tour features the incendiary talents of Bob Bert, Sam Coomes, last but not least the original jet-scream, Jon Spencer. The musicians will visit Albany, Rochester, and Ridgewood (Queens) and more. Fans can enjoy this exuberant starting from late January to early February.
The rockstars will be performing Spencer’s latest album, Spencer Gets It Lit and will feature songs like Junk Man, Death Ray, WormT own and more. The album is a classic Jon Spencer taken to the extreme, it emphasizes a sound of electro-boogie, constructivist art pop, a psychedelic swamp of industrial sleaze and futurist elegance. The album is recognized as an epic master work of freak beat from the world’s weirdest garage.
Spencer Gets It Lit features mind-boggling layers of fury, fuzz guitar a crash-bang battery of phaser blasts and photon torpedoes. Jon Spencer is the ultimate performer; he frantically spits, croons, rhapsodizes, and seduces. The album is his most complex and sensational album in years. It is a dark, danceable odyssey, and a celebration of the place where electricity meets the mind.
Jon Spencer and the Hitmakers are here to crank it up and blow our pants off, … Anyone who has the chance to see this current ensemble, must do so immediately. Peppered with rarities, Blues Explosion songs, even Pussy Galore cuts, Spencer was a bewitching figure on stage, ripping through all the tracks with raw grit and fury
-Gun Control Magazine
Come watch the true heroes of the underground perform hits that will rock your world. Spencer’s says “We are back – primed and loaded – ready to bring the HITS to all the rockers!” Spencer Gets It Lit can be streamed here.
Long considered the definitive account of the meteoric rise and crash-and-burn of the progenitors of funk-rock, Sly & The Family Stone: An Oral History (Permuted Press), has just returned to print in a new, updated edition by Joel Selvin.
The long-time rock critic for the San Francisco Chronicle, Selvin is the author of more than 20 fine books on pop music. They include biographies of Ricky Nelson, Sammy Hagar, The Grateful Dead and Brill Building writer/producer Bert Berns, as well as ones chronicling the Altamont and Monterey Pop festivals, the Summer of Love and 2021’s Hollywood Eden: Electric Guitars, Fast Cars, and the Myth of the California Paradise, reviewed here.
Sly and The Family Stone was a groundbreaking collective of black, white, male and female musicians. They came to symbolize not only the Woodstock generation’s quest for equality but would dominate the charts for several years running with a string of hits like “Everyday People,” “Dance to the Music,” “I Want to Take You Higher,” “Stand” and “If You Want Me to Stay.” Led by the precocious Sly Stone, their fusion of gospel and rocked-up funk would go on to influence the work of giants like Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock and Stevie Wonder and more current artists like Macy Gray, D’Angelo and Childish Gambino. But within a few years, Sly’s promise and grasp on the charts would collapse. Music would take a backseat with the entrance of incalculable drug abuse (coke and PCP mainly), guns, violent hangers-on, paranoia, isolation, inter-band jealousy and “a mean-spirited pit bull named Gun.”
Selvin’s updated version tells the story via interviews with more than 40 of Sly’s associates. These include his parents and family, band members and musical contemporaries like Grace Slick, Mickey Hart, Bobby Womack, Clive Davis and The Beau Brummels’ Sal Valentino. According to Selvin, the key to his unlocking the unvarnished story was locating Hamp (Bubba) Banks. Bubba was young Sly’s best friend and brother-in-law to be, an ex-Marine/pimp/hairdresser who served as Sly’s advisor and sometimes enforcer from his early career through the insane, drug-fueled days of the mid-1970s.
Selvin begins his story with the young Sly cutting his musical teeth singing in churches with his siblings in The Stewart Four, a group with which he first recorded at age 9. Then it is onto his high school bands, The Cherrybusters and The Viscaynes. The latter was an integrated singing group with whom he cut his first composition, “Yellow Man.” A meeting with San Francisco radio legends Tom Donahue and Bob Mitchell would lead to stints as both a popular nighttime DJ on KYA and KSOL and multi-instrumentalist/writer/producer responsible for hits like the Beau Brummels’ “Laugh, Laugh,” Bobby Freeman’s “C’mon and Swim” and the proto-version of “Somebody to Love,” recorded with Grace Slick and her pre-Jefferson Airplane band, The Great Society. Never a wallflower, Sly would strut his success by driving around town in a hot pink Jaguar XKE with two Great Danes in the jump seat.
In short order, he would put together Sly and The Family Stone, with his sometimes-playing partner, sax man Jerry Martini, and drummer Greg Errico, who joined from Sly’s guitarist brother Freddie’s band. Another key addition would be bassist Larry Graham, a wannabe lead guitarist who developed the now widespread “slap bass” style due to lack of drums in a band he played in with his mom. Together with trumpeter Cynthia Robinson from his earlier band, Sly and The Stoners, and his keyboardist/singer sister Rose, the band would make waves in after-hours sets at the Winchester Cathedral in Redwood City and The Pussycat A Go Go in Las Vegas, where Bobby Darin would become a fan. Around the time of their first album, 1967’s A Whole New Thing, the band undertook a residency at The Electric Circus in New York, staying at the legendary rock crash palace, The Albert Hotel.
By March 1968, the single, “Dance to the Music,” crashed the charts, the product of Sly working a new formula solely intent on creating “hits,” after the failure of their debut album. This one is led by his decision to move Cynthia’s memorable shout/call to action from the middle of the song to the beginning, and by putting an accent on Jerry’s jazzy clarinet riffs on the choruses. While in New York, cocaine becomes “a very big deal” to Sly according to one interviewee, when he begins getting mass quantities of it from a friendly dentist.
In the book, Martini talks about “the Sly effect” on audiences. It was a non-stop pulse of collective pure energy from the band, one that would cause a riot at the Newport Jazz Fest in 1969 and power their memorable performance at Woodstock. Even with a 3:30 am start time, Rolling Stone Magazine declared that Sly and company’s 55-minute set “won the battle of the bands” at Woodstock.
https://youtu.be/FKelubljjXM
Sly and The Family Stones’ true decent into darkness began shortly thereafter. In the book, drummer Errico relates that Sly wanted us “to be the biggest band in the world, but when he got it, he didn’t want it. I think he was scared of it.”
With his and the band’s move to a communal home in Coldwater Canyon, Sly is surrounded by a pack of wild dogs, a collection of guns and some very dangerous goons. Per Bubba, he traveled with “a violin case full of coke,” one that sometimes leaked making him seem like “the girl on the Morton’s Salt package.” He also had a home safe stocked with “500 pill bottles of downs, ups, everything.”
Things really escalate when Sly gets into PCP, or angel dust. He will have days’ long recording sessions at the Record Plant, then later in the attic studio of Mamas and the Papas’ John Phillips old mansion in Bel-Air which he rents. Here, there will be a “no clocks” rule. So Sly would be up in the studio for five days straight working on what would become the album, There’s A Riot Goin’ On, with associates including Ike Turner, Bobby Womack, Billy Preston and Herbie Hancock.
Around this point, Sly and The Family Stones’ life as a touring band begins to be compromised as the bandleader misses show after show. Drummer Errico and band manager David Kapralik will quit, the latter because he was sure Sly would end up killing him due to their mutual drug binges or by a suicide by his own hand. Others credit their leaving to pressure from The Black Panthers to rid the band and its circle of white members. Through Sly’s friendship with The Byrds’ producer Terry Melcher, he will meet the record man’s famous mom, Doris Day, inspiring him to cover her 1956 hit, “Que Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be).” This will become a centerpiece of their final top-ten album, 1973’s “Fresh.”
Selvin’s book provides a deep look at the contributions of others in the band, including the competition with Larry Graham and guitar playing brother Freddie – over music, women and drugs. Per Bubba, “they were always trying to out high each other.” By the end, there were rumors that Larry had put a “hit” out on Sly and vice versa. As he left for the last time, the bassist checked his car for bombs before getting into it. Graham would go on to a successful career; others would not fare as well.
There are some interesting facts about Sly’s next move to New York City and his runnings with neighbors Miles Davis and Geraldo Rivera. And, of course, his marriage to Kathy Silva on stage during summer 1974 concert at Madison Square Garden is covered. There’s plenty of other gossipy goodies including his appearance on the Mike Douglas Show (where Muhammed Ali hits on his wife) and an even crazier one on the Dick Cavett Show, where he barely makes it to the stage. His pit bull Gun runs wild, killing then having sex with a monkey and even attacking his son with Silva. And though there will be much more to Sly’s story, this book concludes with the band breaking up, after they attempt to produce their own string of shows at Radio City in January 1975. The first of which will be only 1/8th full, leading to cancellation of the rest. And the band? They were left high and dry, unpaid with no return tickets home.
There was and continues to be much more to Sly’s story – a seemingly infinite number of attempts to restart his career with the help of folks like Prince and George Clinton and the horrible images of the damage he has done to himself and his singular talent with years of drug abuse.
But as I read this book, I took the opportunity to take a deep dive into the discography of Sly and The Family Stone. The music still has so much power and is so forward-thinking. It is something that reverberates through the DNA of much of today’s R&B, soul, rap and pop, whether the artists know it or not.
Selvin’s latest is the ultimate “Behind the Music” cautionary tale, one made even more tragic when consumed along with a mighty dose of listening to Sly and company’s still groundbreaking music and lyric messages.
The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHoF) is proud to announce a partnership with rock and roll legend Steven Van Zandt’sTeachRock organization. In recognition for his work to promote music education on Long Island, Van Zandt was presented with LIMEHoF’s Harry Chapin Award in 2016.
Left, Steven Van Zandt at TeachRock event credit TeachRock, Right, Steven Van Zandt at LIMEHOF awards ceremony 2016, credit LIMEHOF Photographer Arnie Goodman.
“TeachRock aligns perfectly with LIMEHoF’s educational commitment to education and encouraging more music, arts, and culture being taught in local school districts,” said Tom Needham, LIMEHoF’s Educational Programs Director. “Our shared goal is to encourage more Long Island, Brooklyn and Queens school districts to adopt the TeachRock curriculum and lesson plans for the cultural enrichment of its students.”
“We know that if you want a kid to succeed, you don’t tell her to take her earbuds out,” said TeachRock founder Steven Van Zandt. “You ask her what she’s listening to, and then you trace it back together. Kids come to us with the natural gift of curiosity, and the TeachRock curriculum helps teachers meet them there on the way to meaningful learning.”
Launched in 2002 by Van Zandt and the Founders Board of Bono, Jackson Browne, Martin Scorsese, and Bruce Springsteen, TeachRock provides free, standards-aligned resources that use music to help K-12 students succeed in science, math, social studies, and language arts, among other subjects. TeachRock improves students’ lives by filling every classroom with the sound, stories, and science of music. Nearly 60,000 educators—representing all 50 states—are registered at Teachrock.org.
One example of how the program has been successfully incorporated on Long Island is in the Freeport School District. Stephanie Arnell, a Freeport-based teacher, has been using TeachRock with her students for years, and she’s now leading professional development sessions with teachers throughout her district.
“Personally, I think every teacher should be using the TeachRock curriculum, and we have found that our Freeport students in all grades LOVE the content,” Arnell said.
LIMEHoF also plans to promote the TeachRock curriculum throughout the Long Island, Brooklyn, and Queens school districts. Promotion strategies include the deployment of a LIMEHoF monthly email blast/web, as well as posting a monthly webpage news blast to highlight different TeachRock lessons for each month. Starting in the fall of 2023, LIMEHoF plans to host TeachRock teacher training sessions at its recently opened home base location in Stony Brook village. There is hope that participating schools will be encouraged to visit LIMEHoF via class field trips.
“We hear so much about declining participation and engagement, and how that results in lower math and reading scores,” said Bill Carbone, Executive Director at TeachRock. “But nearly everywhere a TeachRock class is implemented we see the opposite: Engagement and grades are rising, and often the school ends up adding additional TeachRock courses to meet student demand. It’s a paradigm shift: Students aren’t cutting class; they’re clamoring to get in!”
Teachers interested in learning more about the training and in signing up for the newsletters can email info@limusichalloffame.org. For more information about LIMEHoF’s education programs please visit limehof.org
WRAPS – the Woodstock Rock Art and Poster Show – will return to Bearsville Center over May 6-7, 2023. The two-day event will feature a wide selection of art for sale ranging from vintage psychedelia and silkscreen prints, to modern digital artwork and photography.
Exhibitors include well-known artists as well as newcomers making a splash on the scene. In addition to a formidable artist line-up, there will be multi-media productions, talks, and seminars/workshops throughout the event.
This is a new East Coast art show modeled on, and with the support of, the famous The Rock Poster Show (T.R.P.S.) held annually in San Francisco, WRAPS is poised to become a premier event for poster collectors on the East Coast.
The inaugural WRAPS was a huge success last May. Over 40 exhibitors ranging from painters to printers, body artists to serious art collectors gathered to share their love for and knowledge of the art form known simply as “rock poster”. In its second year WRAPS plan to make it even bigger and better.
Held in the world-famous town of Woodstock, NY, WRAPS is produced by artist Mike DuBois of Happylife Productions, Kenny Scneidman of Arrowhead Ranch and Retreat and Lizzie Vann the owner of the newly renovated Bearsville Center, The event will take place at the Historic Bearsville Theater and Utopia sound stage the first weekend of May 2023.
Larry Campbell and Mike DuBois
Bearsville Center is located just a few miles down the road from Woodstock, approximately 2 hours north of New York City and 1 hour south of Albany. It is easily accessible by both car and public transportation out of NYC.
Bearsville Center features a spacious bar and lounge in the theater, and an expansive lawn area for networking and socializing. The property also boasts two restaurants, an ice cream shop, a full bar, and patio with fire pit. There will be live music in the theater’s lounge in the evening. The town of Woodstock and surrounding Catskill Mountains and Hudson Valley offer a multitude of recreational and cultural activities, entertainment, hotels and dining in a beautiful natural environment.
WRAPS takes place Saturday, May 6- 10 A.M. – 6 P.M. Sunday, May 7 – 10 A.M- 5 P.M. Artists interested in taking part in the 2023 Woodstock Rock Art & Poster Show, sign up here and check out photos from the 2022 installment of WRAPS below.
Artists for WRAPS 2023 include Jeff Wood, Johnny Thief, William Giese, Mikio Kennedy, David Byrd, Brad Kelly, Mike DuBois, Jay Blakesburg Studio, John Warner, Kenny Schneidman, JT Luccesi, Kory McGeehan, Una Toibin, Helen Kennedy (Zazz Corp.), PhanArt, Rennie Cantine, Brian Woodruff, Phil Brown, Nadina Simon, Nick Clemente (Mark Goff Photos) and many more to be announced.
“Welcome to Hell” shouted Ryan Stasik from the stage as fans marched into Garcia’s directly following the Umphrey’s McGee show on Saturday, January 21st in Port Chester. It was a big night for the bass player. Not only was he celebrating UM’s 25th birthday, he was also throwing the official Death Kings after-party under the moniker ‘Bassik Stasik Presents.’
Ripping into original songs as well as classic 80’s, 90’s and 2000’s punk rock staples, the band obliterated the late-night crowd with an old school no-holds barred throwdown. Featuring guest sit-ins from members of the Trey Anastasio Band and Lespecial, the packed-out pub at Garcia’s was given the royal treatment.
Making a rare appearance, the punk/metal anti-hero trio Death Kings formed during the pandemic to pay homage to all things heavy. Comprised of Ryan “Little King” Stasik, Mike “Muerto” Gantzer of Aqueous on guitar/vocals and ex-Turkuaz drummer Mikey “OX” Carubba, the band debuted early last year and have only played a handful of live shows since, making each time out a special “can’t miss” occasion. Notable by his absence, for this show Carubba was replaced on drums by Jonathan Peace. While it remains unclear if the band will have a revolving cast of characters, what we do know is that every Death Kings performance is unique.
Opening the gig with special guest Jennifer Hartswick on vocals, the band launched into one of their signature tracks and the theme of the evening, “Welcome to Hell.” Hartswick, who had also lent her musical talents to Umphrey’s McGee earlier in the evening, was a pure badass in the role, shouting out lyrics like:
I can’t wait for my turn To ride the rails and send it down below Welcome to Hell Oh my God, it’s been a long time running Ain’t no use when the blood starts coming Feels so good to burn
Lyrics from “Welcome to Hell” by Death Kings
After reveling in the moment and exchanging hugs, Death Kings would continue with another original song “Fight!” before turning back the clock for our first punk cover of the evening, “Cyco Vision” by the legendary Suicidal Tendencies. Perhaps in a nod to an earlier Stasik/Gantzer collaboration dubbed Dookie, a pair of Green Day songs were chosen next. First was “Longview” which had everyone singing along, then despite the shows “Hell” theme, Death Kings flowed directly into “Welcome to Paradise.”
With the whole room feeling the vibe, it was time for another original banger in “March of the Kings.” From punk to metal, everyone was getting down to the cover of System of a Down’s smash hit “Aerials,” which more people seemed familiar with than the next cover choice, Harvey Danger’s “Flagpole Sitta” which fit into the “hell” theme nicely.
I’m not sick but I’m not well And I’m so hot ’cause I’m in Hell I’m not sick but I’m not well And it’s a sin to live this well
Flagpole Sitta Lyrics
Death Kings would channel some Cobain angst next with a sped up rendition of Nirvana’s “Breed,” before throwing it back to one of the original punk rock anthems “I Wanna Be Your Dog” by Iggy Pop and The Stooges.
With the party now hitting a new level of rowdiness, the Kings called upon another special guest, Luke Bemand, bass player of Lespecial, to help out on vocals for the Camp Kill Yourself skate anthem “96 Quite Bitter Beings.” Popping off his shirt to throw on the now infamous “Hot Joel” tee, Bemand and the boys had quite the chuckle over the false start of the CKY song. On the second attempt, the Kings got it right and were clearly having a ball sharing the stage together.
While the after party at Garcia’s was scheduled to start at 11:45pm, when the Umphrey’s McGee show in the next room over ran well past midnight, things on the setlist had to be condensed. The band would joke, “25 years of Umphrey’s, 25 minutes of Death Kings.” With the curfew rapidly approaching, the band couldn’t call it a night without paying homage to one of punk’s original misfits, Glen Danzing, opting to cover the 1988 song “Twist of Cain.” With time for just once more, Death Kings let it all hang out on the final song of the night, the DK penned original “Disembodied,”which featured a huge guitar solo from Ganzter and Pony playing the bass behind his head. Check out fan shot footage of that song below.
A loud, sweaty, high-octane performance that was so much fun that even the devil himself would have got in the pit. With no upcoming Death Kings shows to speak of, those who were lucky enough to score a ticket to this sold-out night in Hell walked away from it feeling most grateful. It was still Garcia’s after all.
Setlist: Death Kings | Garcia’s | Port Chester, NY | 1/21/23
Setlist: Welcome to Hell [1], Fight, Cyco Vision (Suicidal Tendencies), Longview (Green Day), Welcome to Paradise (Green Day), March of the Kings, Aerials (System of a Down), Flagpole Sitta (Harvey Danger), Breed (Nirvana), I Wanna Be Your Dog (The Stooges), 96 Quite Bitter Beings (CKY) [2], Twist of Cain (Danzig), Disembodied
[1] w/ Jennifer Hartswick [2] w/ Luke Bemand of Lespecial
John Mayer has announced his first ever solo acoustic tour for spring 2023. 20 years in the making, this audacious trek features solo performances by Mayer, leaning heavily on his acoustic guitar work with special performances on piano and electric guitar, in arenas throughout the U.S. and Canada.
The tour kicks off at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, on Saturday, March 11 and includes a stop at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Wednesday, March 15. Tickets go on sale starting on Friday, February 3 at 9 AM at Johnmayer.com. Due to demand, a fall leg has been announced, with encore performances at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Oct. 3 and Oct. 4, and a stop at UBS Arena at Belmont Park in Elmont, NY, on Saturday, October 21, 2023. Presales start on Wednesday, March 29 at 9 AM and run through Thursday, March 30 at 10 PM. Fans can sign up now to receive a unique code to access presale tickets here.
“I began my career on stage with only a guitar and a microphone. A lot has changed since then, but I knew one day I’d feel it in my heart to do an entire run of shows on my own again, just like those early days,” Mayer wrote on his social media. “It took a couple of decades, but I feel it now. I’ll be playing old songs. Newer songs. Songs you haven’t heard yet that I’ll be road testing – all on acoustic, electric, and piano.”
A Show Twenty Years In The Making
Known for an effortless blend of mind-blowing guitar playing, soulful voice and impeccable songwriting abilities, Mayer has lit up the charts with numerous massive hits such as “New Light,” “Gravity,” “Love on the Weekend,” “Heartbreak Warfare,” “Daughters,” “Waiting on the World to Change,” “Last Train Home,” and “Your Body Is a Wonderland,” while playing lead guitar in Dead and Company since 2015.
The 2023 tour has been 20 years in the making and will feature rare, full acoustic sets from John Mayer performing these songs, and many more. Singer-songwriters Lizzy McAlpine, Alec Benjamin, and a special guest to be announced at a later time, will open these concerts.
Presales start Wednesday, February 1 at 9 AM and run through Thursday, February 2 at 10 PM. Fans can sign up to access presale tickets via seated now at Johnmayer.com. A limited number of VIP packages will also be available.
Two pairs of front-row tickets will be auctioned off for each show on the tour through charityauctionstoday.com. All proceeds from the ticket auctions will go to the Back To You Fund, which has supported many charities, including John’s Heart & Armor Foundation, as well as programs supporting at-risk youth and the homeless.
Check Johnmayer.com for full tour and ticketing information.
John Mayer Solo Acoustic Tour Dates
Saturday, March 11 Newark, NJ Prudential Center
Monday, March 13 Boston, MA TD Garden
Wednesday, March 15 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
Saturday, March 18 Pittsburgh, PA PPG Paints Arena
Monday, March 20 Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena
Wednesday, March 22 Detroit, MI Little Caesars Arena
Friday, March 24 Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena
Saturday, March 25 Cleveland, OH Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
Monday, March 27 Atlanta, GA State Farm Arena
Wednesday, March 29 St. Louis, MO Enterprise Center
Friday, March 31 Chicago, IL United Center
Saturday, April 1 St. Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center
Monday, April 3 Denver, CO Ball Arena
Wednesday, April 5 Phoenix, AZ Footprint Center
Thursday, April 6 Palm Desert, CA Acrisure Arena
Saturday, April 8 Sacramento, CA Golden 1 Center
Monday, April 10 Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena
Tuesday, April 11 Seattle, WA Climate Pledge Arena
Billionaire owner of MSG and the New York Knicks, James Dolan, is not backing down on the use of facial recognition technology at MSG.
Appearing on WNYW’s Good Day New York, Dolan clarified the company’s position, saying, “The real issue is our policy of not letting attorneys who are suing us into our building until the litigation is done. When it’s done, they’re very much welcome back. This is not discriminatory and we will not back down – The Garden has to defend itself – our values are important to us.”
The comment comes on the heels of articles detailing the banning of lawyers who work for firms suing MSG through the use of facial recognition technology. A statement from MSG Entertainment stated its position on its adverse attorney policy and what it called ‘attempts by self-serving politicians to use this issue as a publicity and fundraising platform, instead of addressing issues that impact all New Yorkers such as crime and the economy.’
We urge our elected representatives to focus on causes that improve the quality of life for their constituents – such as addressing rampant crime and homelessness in the city, rather than taking up the cause of a small percentage of attorneys so they can attend Knicks and Rangers games. These elected officials are exploiting this issue for their own publicity and fundraising platform – going as far as to solicit donations.
Dolan also went on to suggest that alcohol sales would be banned at upcoming New York Rangers games, if the State Liquor Authority did not back down from threats to pull the venue’s liquor license.
The New York State Liquor Authority, for example, is way over its skis and being extremely aggressive, threatening to take away our liquor license. They’re doing this for publicity so we’re going to give them some publicity. In response to their threats, we could pick a night, and shut down all the alcohol in the building. We know our fans would be disappointed, but it’s important that we call attention to the SLA’s misguided threats to pull our liquor licenses under false pretense and with zero jurisdiction on this issue.
State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, who introduced the bill and whose district includes Madison Square Garden, said in a statement
In his public meltdown on Fox 5 this morning, James Dolan showed why Albany should pass our legislation (S2424) and close the ‘sporting event’ loophole in our Civil Rights Law that allows Dolan to ban fans from Madison Square Garden using facial-recognition technology, simply because they work at law firms with clients he deems opposed to his financial interests.
James Dolan is the poster child of privilege, as someone who inherited his wealth and receives an annual $43 million dollar tax break from New Yorkers. Given Dolan’s condescending attitude towards the rest of us, it’s not surprising that he’s taken to criticizing the ‘Clean Slate’ bill to give New Yorkers with criminal convictions a second chance and publicly humiliating honest and hardworking civil servants like the CEO of the State Liquor Authority.
New York shouldn’t allow petty tyrants to impose their warped fantasies on the public while reaping millions each year from taxpayer subsidies. I’m grateful to both the New York State Attorney General and the Manhattan District Attorney for launching inquiries into Dolan’s vindictive business practices intended to silence his critics.
MSG Entertainment shared the following positions towards efforts by the NYS Legislature to stop the use of facial recognition technology.
Our Policy and Our Rights:
Attorneys who have filed a lawsuit against MSG Entertainment are not welcome in our venues while litigation is ongoing. When the litigation is resolved, they will be welcomed back.
This includes attorneys representing ticket scalpers, personal injury claims and class action litigations, but does not include claims related to sexual harassment or employment discrimination.
MSG Entertainment is a private business, and in full compliance with all applicable laws – it is also within our right to implement and to enforce this policy, which is specific to lawyers pursuing active litigation against the Company.
Who These Attorneys Really Are:
The attorneys we are prohibiting from attending include ambulance chasers and money grabbers whose business is motivated by self-promotion and who capitalize on the misfortune of others.
These are attorneys that are defending the ticket scalpers who make getting tickets for the average game and concert-goer next to impossible and exorbitantly expensive.
Our Policy and Facial Recognition:
We have effectively used facial recognition since 2018 as one of our tools to provide a safe and secure environment for our customers and ourselves.
In addition, we use it as a tool to keep adverse attorneys out of our venues.
We Are Unequivocally Open to the Public:
Our venues are absolutely and unequivocally open to the public – we host more than five million people a year and temporarily preventing access to a small percentage of attorneys who are involved in active litigation against MSG doesn’t change that.
This policy does not unlawfully prohibit anyone from entering MSG Entertainment’s venues and it is not our intent to dissuade attorneys from representing plaintiffs in litigation against the Company. This is not an attack on lawyers. We are merely excluding a small percentage of lawyers and only during active litigation.
Elected Officials and Their Real Agendas:
No matter where you stand on the policy, everyone can agree it shouldn’t be this high on our elected officials’ agenda.
We urge our elected representatives to focus on causes that improve the quality of life for their constituents – such as addressing rampant crime and homelessness in the city, instead of choosing to attack the economic engine, job creator and community beacon that is MSG.
Some elected officials are using this as a publicity and fundraising platform, when they should be focusing attention and resources on pressing issues facing New Yorkers – homelessness, the economy, and crime to name a few. One of our electeds is already exploiting his press coverage in solicitation emails.
Attorney General Letitia James has every right to ask questions, but to suggest anyone is being excluded based on the protected classes identified in state and federal civil rights laws is ludicrous. Our policy has never applied to attorneys representing plaintiffs who allege sexual harassment or employment discrimination.
Our Commitment to New York City:
MSG Entertainment is invested in the success of New York City and in the fan experience – and we work hard to create a welcoming atmosphere – focused on warmth, enjoyment and safety for everyone. And we’re proud that MSG is the safest venue in the country.
For over 140 years we have been proud to be a center of New York cultural life – millions of people have attended once-in-a-lifetime events at our venues, and continue to do so in record numbers.
Our Continued Cooperation With State Agencies:
We’ve been extremely cooperative and forthcoming with all state agencies – even those that don’t have any oversight or authority to take a position on this matter – they have every right to ask questions but we also expect that they give us the opportunity to explain our position.
While you wouldn’t know from their cutting lyrics and grating sound, Prong stands out from most heavy metal bands in that they lead with a down-to-earth attitude and prioritze forming relationships with their fans. The themes in the New York born and bred band’s newest single are angry and loud, but eloquent at the same time. “Breaking Point” marks the band’s return to the scene as they set off on a European tour this month.
Prong was formed in 1986 by singer and guitarist Tommy Victor, who still is lead singer today, the only member from the original line-up still active. He is joined by bassist John Christopher of the Corey Taylor Band and drummer Aaron Rossi of Ministry. The three come together harmoniously, equal parts energy and technicality.
Tommy Victor said his single, “Breaking Point,” came about in the final stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, when there was a growing sense of exhaustion and frustration so palpable that Prong was almost overwhelmed during their last tour. The lyrics and Victor’s vocal tone are reminiscent of Fugazi’s “Break,” where Ian Mackaye sings, “Can’t ask for more so why unfulfilled / We take apart everything we build.” These themes have endured, making their way into Prong’s contemporary work; in “Breaking Point” Victor sings: “The denial / it’s the breaking point / It’s going to end / it’s going to stop / so many people have had enough.”
Joining Prong on tour is Life of Agony and Tarah Who?. Though the tour is in Europe, with this new single Victor is bringing New York with him. “I think moving back to New York has helped with these. I’m really happy where I’m at all around. I think it’s coming across in the new songs and showing a rejuvenated attitude,” Victor said on “Breaking Point.” Tour dates are listed below; tickets can be purchased here.
Hachette Books has announced the March 14 publication of Leon Russell: The Master Of Space And Time’s Journey Through Rock & Roll History, a comprehensive new biography of the legendary musician, composer, and performer Leon Russell by acclaimed author and founding member of Buffalo Tom, Bill Janovitz.
Leon Russell: The Master Of Space And Time’s Journey Through Rock & Roll History by Bill Janovitz
Bill Janovitz is an American musician and writer. He is the founding guitarist and singer in alternative rock band Buffalo Tom, and has also released three solo albums. He is the author of The Rolling Stones Exile On Main St. (Bloomsbury 33 1/3, 2005) and Rocks Off: 50 Tracks That Tell The Story Of The Rolling Stones (St. Martin’s, 2014).
Told with the support of Russell’s estate, Leon Russell: The Master Of Space And Time’s Journey Through Rock & Roll History stands tall as the definitive, never-before-told chronicle of one of the most important music makers of the 20th century, a genre-defying, multi-talented artist whose wildly diverse body of work has affirmed him as a one-of-a-kind Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and truly mythical figure in American music.
Leon Russell is an icon and a perhaps the most accomplished and versatile musician in the history of rock ‘n roll. In his distinguished and unique 50 year career, he has played on, arranged, written and/or produced some of the best records in popular music and involved with various genres including pop, rock, blues, country, bluegrass, standards, gospel, and surf records.
His career is like a roadmap of American music, while he is influencing a great amount of artists and works. Russell’ collaboration over the years spans such giants as Frank Sinatra, Bob Dylan, The Beach Boys, and countless others. His mark can also be found in the work of British rock royalty like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Elton John, the latter of whom later inducted him into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011.
His is also renowned for his highlights with the awards. His recordings earned six gold records. He received two Grammy Awards from seven nominations and was inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
A committed proponent of cultural diversity, Russell spent his 2x GRAMMY® Award-winning career assembling wildly diverse bands and performances, laughing in the face of musical and social barriers. Sadly, Russell struggled with demons, including substance abuse, severe depression, and a crippling stage fright that wreaked havoc on his psyche over the long haul.
Leon Russell: The Master Of Space And Time’s Journey Through Rock & Roll History now tells this incredible story with the same passion, creativity, and scope that rang out throughout Russell’s life and six-decade career, affirming him as a landmark artist whose impact can still be felt today throughout rock ‘n’ roll, Americana, and beyond.
