NYS Music 2023

Tag: brooklyn

  • Hearing Aide: Nevāda Nevada’s Single “CHARGE!”

    Nevāda Nevada, a rock band based in Brooklyn, has recently released their single “CHARGE!” which is a part of their upcoming debut LP Past Life. The piece is a rallying cry for activism, a song of unity in a time of crisis.

    The band’s four main members are Kathryn Musilek (of Burn Disco Burn and Deathships), Andrew Gerhan (of Our Lady of the Highway, Adam Arcuragi, and The Animals), David Olson (of The Poison Control Center, and The Wheelers), and Alicia Berbenick. The four are also joined by, Isiah Gage (cello) and Anya Combs (saxophone).

    The name of the band, Nevāda Nevada, originates from frontperson Musilek’s hometown of Nevada, Iowa. Olson is also from Iowa, with Gerhan and Berbenick both being New Yorkers. The band is currently working with Rocks In Your Head Records, founded by Sonny Smith of Sonny and the Sunsets.

    The Past Life LP is said to be “about time and activism, love and rage, and being stuck while still building something,” with figurative and feminist lyrics by Musilek. This is clear in “CHARGE!,” with the first line being “Good news, you cannot save the world.” The song itself is a question of who is in charge, who is responsible for the world, and who can do things beyond the human scale.

    The vocals and the message of the song feel like the focus, but this is mixed up through gaps in the lyrics that let the instruments get their chance to shine. There is a repeated sequence throughout the piece that fills this hole at around 0:55. At 2:35, an electric guitar cuts through this sequence, a good addition.

    A nice touch that starts at 3:00 is the echoing effect on the line “we’re callin’” which makes it seem as though the call is traveling through space. This is helped by the relatively long delay between the line itself and the echo, which is in itself distorted.

    “CHARGE!,” will be followed by another single “The One About the Sky” on June 23, with the full Past Life LP to come out on July 21. For more information on the band and links to their music, check out their website.

  • Blonde Redhead Preview New Album With Intimate Show at Brooklyn’s Baby’s All Right

    New York based art punks Blonde Redhead are heading on tour to celebrate their first new album in nearly a decade. Sit Down For Dinner is due on September 29th via section1 Records and the band are warming up for the tour with intimate gigs in London, Los Angeles, and Brooklyn’s Baby’s All Right. Check out the dreamy lead single “Snowman” along with photos from the show at Baby’s on Wednesday, June 14th.

    Blonde Redhead at Baby’s All Right, 6/14/2023. Photo by Joseph Buscarello

    Blonde Redhead’s catalog dates back to the mid 90s when the post-punk and shoegaze scene was thriving in New York City. The band, consisting of vocalist Kazu Makino and twin bothers Simone and Amedeo Pace, released nine records to their name with the last one, Barragán, coming back in 2014. After a mostly quiet hiatus with some scattered shows, the trio is back at it with a new LP and lengthy headlining tour. The band just played intimate warm up shows in LA and NYC, with the next one at The Lexington in London in July. The full tour kicks off in October with a North American run followed by a leg in Europe. Head over to the band’s website for the full itinerary.

    Blonde Redhead at Baby’s All Right, 6/14/2023. Photo by Joseph Buscarello

    The excitement was palpable at Baby’s on Wednesday night. All the fans who made it out to the show knew they were in for a treat to see the legendary band in such an intimate setting. Housing only a couple hundred people, the venue quickly packed in tight. After the opening bands finished up, Kazu, Amedeo, and Simone took to the stage to meticulously set up their gear. The audience began to buzz with anticipation, and the trio was well aware of it. At one point, Simone asked a fan in the front to plug in his pedal board to an outlet he couldn’t reach, much to the fan’s delight.

    Blonde Redhead leaned heavily into the more recent parts of their catalog, opening the show with “Falling Man” from 2004’s Misery is a Butterfly followed by the slinky darkwave of “Here Sometimes” from 2010’s Penny Sparkle. The trio played a few unrecognized songs off the upcoming record Sit Down For Dinner including two labeled “Sit Down For Dinner 1 & 2” on the handwritten setlist. The main set ended with lead single “Snowman” followed by an encore featuring “Silently” and “23.”

    The trio breezed through the short but immensely captivating setlist with an effortless grace you would expect from a band playing together for 30 years. At one point, Kazu felt there was some feedback coming from her set-up, asking the crowd if they were hearing what she was. Someone yelled from the darkness “we don’t hear it, you all sound amazing!” The statement brought big smiles to the band, who continued to unleash their infectious art punk.

    Blonde Redhead at Baby’s All Right, 6/14/2023. Photo by Joseph Buscarello

    Aside from the warm up show next month in London, the band is opening for Phantogram on August 31st in Utah. Kazu, Simone, and Amedeo then take a short break before kicking off the tour in October in San Francisco. Blonde Redhead return to New York on November 10th for a show at Brooklyn Steel. Tickets are still available HERE and make sure to check out Sit Down For Dinner this September.

  • New York Philharmonic kicks off Summer with Van Cortlandt Park Concert

    The New York Philharmonic started off summer with a bang on Tuesday, June 13th in the Bronx.

    For years, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra has had a yearly summer concert in Van Cortlandt park, and last night continued the tradition. This summer, music director Jaap van Zweden conducts iconic classical pieces Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony and Johan Strauss’ On the Beautiful Blue Danube. The orchestra also plays Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man, the William Tell overture, and Strauss’ overture to The Bat.

    Audience members got to the Van Cortlandt Parade Grounds in the afternoon early before the concert. Hundreds of people were out on the grass before the sun set. With the orchestra playing such famous pieces, everyone was excited. Plus, audiences this summer get to hear recent pieces composed by two graduates of the New York Philharmonic’s Very Young Composers program. 

    Founded by John Deak, the very Young Composers Program (VYC) mentors kids and gives them the “tools they need to transform their musical ideas into finished compositions.” The kids also get to hear professional New York Philharmonic musicians—and sometimes the full orchestra—playing their work. The 12-week program works to empower children ages 8-15 and help them reach their full creative potential. Then, they can create art to express themselves and the world around them. The New York Philharmonic was founded in 1842, and it’s the oldest symphony orchestra in the country. Educational programs like the VYC ensure the future of music by making sure the next generation is given opportunities to learn. The two pieces that the orchestra are performing this summer were written when the students were in VYC.

    Bronx resident Mio Mićić wrote their piece, Raft Dino Spies, in 2013 when they was just 9. “The title reflects the fact that I was 9,” they said to the audience last night. The piece depicts the experience of riding a rollercoaster that they went on as a kid. Mićić tried to compose it “as audibly realistic as possible” to make audiences feel the same experience. They even asks the musicians to do something unusual: to scream as loudly and long “as they’re willingly able.” Even though the music is memorable on its own, the screaming orchestra makes it stand out in audience’s minds. 

    Rodriguez wrote his piece in 2019. At the age of 12, he was inspired by the moon landing to write Trip to the Moon. He saw the moon landing footage and compared it to musical concepts. As the orchestra counts down from ten, they “[take] you for a ride and [give] you a perspective of such an amazing feat.” (Michael Rodriguez) Lately, Rodriguez has been inspired recently by Latin music, and how to compose for orchestras based in the style. 

    Just like always, the performance ended with a fireworks show. The New York Philharmonic is still performing free Concerts in the Parks this summer. On the 16th, they’ll be in Queens’ Cunningham Park, then Friday the orchestra plays at Prospect Park in Brooklyn. Both of these outdoor shows start at 8PM. Although sold out, the Philharmonic wraps up their concerts in the parks on the 18th with an indoor concert in Staten Island’s St. George Theatre. Still, concerts in Brooklyn and Queens are open for all! If you can’t make it this summer, you can still listen to some of the NY Philharmonic’s great work online.

  • “For the Music!” Fundraiser Scheduled To Help Brooklyn Organization on June 10

    “For the Music!” is a live music event created to help raise funds for Brooklyn non-profit Spoke The Hub. The fundraiser features performances from seven different musicians, many of whom are Brooklyn locals. The event gets underway on Saturday, June 10 at 6 p.m.

    Spoke The Hub is an arts organization that offers classes, performance spaces, and community events for the Brooklyn community. Originally created in 1979, Spoke The Hub has helped to foster and nourish the arts scene in New York City throughout the years. The organization has contributed to the work of thousands of artists through their multiple different series. 

    Proceeds from “For the Music!” will go toward finding an upright piano to better serve musicians, vocalists and musical theater artists who want to rehearse and teach at Spoke the Hub.

    Tickets and more information can be found here.

    Performing Artists

    Victor V. Gurbo and his band are known for their unique and multi-faceted folk music. While Gurbo’s sound is reminiscent of traditional American folk, there are unmistakable flavors of blues, jazz, rock and even ragtime. High in tempo and energy, Gurbo’s music is made for dancing. 

    Petra Jasmiina a Finnish singer-songwriter who has crafted her own lane and sound in New York City. Jasmiina’s music has the catchy and bubbly nature of modern indie-pop with the soulful features of folk. Cinema and storytelling are however the most pervasive influences through her work, helping to create songs that are perfect to sing along to. 

    Kathryn “Kat” Lewis enjoys playing mostly classic country songs but is also a fan of reggae and pop. She often performs with The Sheriff of Goodtimes at the Thompson Street Medicine Show, Billygoat, and her band Country City. 

    Guitarist and composer Carlos Pavan has been creating intricate and delicate music for over a decade. Despite the classical nature of his music, the sounds of guitars and strings help to bring a liveliness to each one of Pavan’s songs. He is currently the composer/artistic director of Trio Concertante & Park Slope Chamber Players. 

    Buffalo native Don Militello is a jazz pianist and educator who has done just about everything in his musical career. Besides going on an international tour, Militello has shared the stage with Etta Jones and performed at the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival. Alongside Militello, bassist Charles Ruble will also be performing. Ruble is currently a member of the High School Jazz Academy at Lincoln Center.

    A longtime friend of Spoke, David Goddy will also be performing as part of the fundraiser.

  • Fivio Foreign Releases Surprise EP ‘Without Warning’ With Ye as Sole Feature

    Fivio Foreign surprised fans with an unannounced 8-track EP titled, Without Warning. The unplanned mid-week release features Ye — formerly Kanye West — as the only guest on the song “Concussion.” Executive produced by managers Elliott Hardaman & Kahran Reefer, this latest project seems to have been strictly for his die-hard fans. In like manner, the free EP is only available on Soundcloud and Youtube and no other DSPs.

    Along with the EP, Fivio and his team released a 15-minute “Without Warning” documentary where the “City of Gods” rapper shared the thought-process behind this surprise release. In addition, Fivio pays ode to his fallen friend TDott Woo, who was fatally shot in the Brooklyn neighborhood both artists frequented. The album’s opening track is titled “T DOT BACC,” sees him pay tribute to his friend by angrily rapping “how many opps I got to kill? I’m trying to bring TDott back.”

    All in all, Without Warning sees Fivio return to his roots of sorts. Consequently, the catchy samples and expensive features that littered throughout his debut are not there. Rather, the project is laced with the fast-paced drill beats that have become synonymous with Fivio. Additionally, Fivio maintains his charisma, flow and contagious dialect that has made him the preeminent representative of New York hip hop culture.

  • Lil Durk to Perform At Barclays Center As Part Of “Sorry For The Drought” Tour

    Chicago rapper Lil Durk visits New York to perform at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on August 5. The stop is part of the artist’s “Sorry For The Drought” tour, to go along with his upcoming album Almost Healed which is set to drop on May 26. He’ll be joined by Kodak Black, NLE Choppa, and DD Osama throughout most of the tour. 

    Rapper Lil Durk dances with a microphone in his hand during a live performance.

    Lil Durk burst onto the mainstream rap scene in 2020 with two gold albums Just Cause Y’all Waited 2 and The Voice. Durk’s biggest success came in 2021 with his widely acclaimed joint album Voice of the Heroes with Atlanta trap artist Lil Baby. The project debuted atop the Billboard Top 200 chart, the first of Lil Durk’s albums to do so. In total 16 tracks off the album appeared on the Billboard Hot 100, propelling the album to platinum status by 2022. 

    Lil Durk has released a handful of singles and features over the last year, including his most recent track “All My Life” with J. Cole and has appeared on songs with Don Toliver and GloRilla. The Chicago native also helped to start the label and collective “OTF”, which featured the late drill artist King Von.

    The tour gets underway on July 28. Presale tickets can be purchased beginning on Wednesday, May 17 with general tickets dropping on Thursday, May 18 here and here.

    SORRY FOR THE DROUGHT 2023 TOUR DATES: 

    Fri Jul 28 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheater

    Sat Jul 29 – Atlanta, GA – Lakewood Amphitheatre 

    Sun Jul 30 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion

    Tue Aug 01 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach 

    Thu Aug 03 – Camden, NJ – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion 

    Fri Aug 04 – Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena 

    Sat Aug 05 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center

    Sun Aug 06 – Boston, MA – Xfinity Center

    Tue Aug 08 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center

    Wed Aug 09 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage 

    Fri Aug 11 – Chicago, IL – United Center

    Sun Aug 13 – Indianapolis, IN – Ruoff Music Center

    Tue Aug 15 – Detroit, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre

    Wed Aug 16 – Cleveland, OH – Blossom Music Center

    Fri Aug 18 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre

    Sat Aug 19 – Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center

    Mon Aug 21 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center

    Tue Aug 22 – New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Center 

    Wed Aug 23 – Austin, TX – Moody Center

    Fri Aug 25 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater

    Sat Aug 26 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena 

    Tue Aug 29 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena

    Wed Aug 30 – Portland, OR – RV Inn Styles Resort Amphitheater

    Fri Sep 01 – Oakland, CA – Oakland Arena

    Sat Sep 02 – San Diego, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre

    Wed Sep 06 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum

    Thu Sep 07 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre

  • Brooklyn duo Robinson & Rohe set to perform in NYC as new album “Into the Night” releases

    Brooklyn might not be the place where you’d imagine the next great American folk band to come from, but Liam Robinson and Jean Rohe are looking to change that. The duo has been channeling the sounds of Appalachia and the soul of America since they met over 15 years ago. After exploring their musicality as individuals, Robinson and Rohe drop their next album Into the Night on Friday, May 26th.

    In a musical landscape that is often ripe with generic lyrics and songs made to “trend” on social media, Into the Night is a breath of fresh air. Punctuated by rhythmic guitar strums, bright banjo beats, passionate vocals, and simple but powerful drums, Into the Night does enough to stay engaging without straying too far away from its traditional influences. 

    Although the project is undeniably folk-inspired, elements of rock, bluegrass, jazz, and even pop are found throughout the 11-song album. The real standout element of Into the Night however is Robinson & Rohe’s writing and lyricism, which often comes across more like well-crafted lines of poetry than the lyrics of a song. 

    The album begins with the feel-good title track “Into the Night” which acts as the perfect introduction to the overall tone and atmosphere of the project. Robinson & Rohe put together one of their best and most harmonious vocal performances of the entire album. The pair’s soulful singing gives way to the steady beat of drums and the intricate sounds of a fiddle as the track reaches its climax. The first half of the album also features the songs “Off track” and “Where I’m Coming From”, which both help to demonstrate the project’s strong instrumentation and production. 

    Another gem is “One Last Waltz”, which invites the listener to reflect on time, love, and the brevity of life. Its poetic lyrics and powerful cascade of horns, drums, and guitars act as a comforting “goodbye” as the album nears its end. While Into the Night doesn’t reinvent the wheel when it comes to contemporary folk music, Robinson & Rohe display their songwriting and arrangement skills on just about every track. Together, the duo crafts a project that is not only impressive in its musical value, but also approachable for anyone looking to hear something shaped by the heart. 

    Robinson & Roe will celebrate Into the Night in New York City at Rockwood Music Hall on June 4th. The full list of upcoming performances can be found below: 

    • May 31, 2023- Parlor Room/Northampton, MA
    • June 1, 2023- Passim/Boston, MA
    • June 2, 2023- The Word Barn/Exeter, NH
    • June 4, 2023- Rockwood Music Hall/New York, NY

  • Celebrate Mother’s Day with The Rock and Roll Playhouse at Brooklyn Bowl

    This Mother’s Day weekend, do something special with your family and celebrate with The Rock and Roll Playhouse at the Brooklyn Bowl. Additionally, The Rock and Roll Playhouse will celebrate Mother’s Day weekend at various other venues throughout the country, and a portion of the proceeds will go to Femme House.

    There’s no shortage of activities for your children, including The Beatles for Kids, Taylor Swift for Kids, and Shania Twain for Kids.

    The lineup for the Mother’s Day weekend concert at the Rock and Roll Playhouse includes a performance at the Brooklyn Bowl. Credit: Shore Fire Media.

    Senior Director of The Rock and Roll Playhouse, Stephen Grybowski shares “Live music is the heartbeat of the human soul. It’s truly one of the few things on earth that can unite any two people from any two walks of life, anywhere in the world. To be able to help parents share the music that they love with their children and the next generation is the best part of what I do.” When asked who has more fun, the kids or the parents? “It’s really hard to compare! Children are experiencing this music often for the first time in their lives, so the beauty of that is pretty unrivaled. At the same time, it means so much to a parent to share the music that they grew up with and love so deeply with their children.”

    The largest national concert series for families, The Rock and Roll Playhouse was founded in 2014 at its flagship venue, Brooklyn Bowl, by industry pioneer Peter Shapiro, and Amy Striem, a certified Early Childhood and Elementary teacher, who were looking to create opportunities for families to experience live music together in historic music venues. The Playhouse has since performed to hundreds of thousands of kids and their families in over 42 venues across 30 cities, playing music from the most iconic musicians in history to inspire the next generation of children. The program has raised funds for the Can’d Aid Foundation’s Tunes Programs, VH1 Save the Music Foundation, The Rex Foundation, UNICEF, and Keep the Music Alive, as well as thousands of ticket donations to local school fundraisers and charity auctions around the country. 

    Femme House is a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization, fostering more equitable opportunity for women and gender-expansive individuals in the technical and behind the scenes areas of music. The organization fosters future producers, mixers, engineers, DJs, artists, and executives of the industry by providing education and scholarships, cultivating community, propagating visual representation, and offering professional development opportunities. In 2022, Femme House raised over $100,000 to fund scholarship programs, provided six fellows with free gear and specialized music instruction, and doubled down on its commitment to diversifying the deck by ensuring that over half of its lineups have BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ representation. 

    The Mother’s Day weekend celebration with The Rock and Roll Playhouse is open to all ages and tickets are available now.

    The Rock and Roll Playhouse Mother’s Day Weekend Schedule:

    Saturday, May 13:

    Bluebird Theatre – Denver, Co – The Beatles for Kids

    Brighton Music Hall – Boston, MA – The Beatles for Kids

    Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia – Philadelphia, PA – The Beatles for Kids

    Fairfield Theater Company – Fairfield, CT – The Beatles for Kids

    Slowdown – Omaha, NE – The Beatles for Kids

    Space (Morning Show) – Evanston, IL – The Beatles for Kids

    Space (Evening Show) – Evanston, IL – The Beatles for Kids

    Sunday, May 14:

    Brooklyn Bowl – Brooklyn, NY – The Beatles for Kids

    Deep Ellum Art Co. – Dallas, TX – The Beatles for Kids

    Elevation 27 – Virginia Beach, VA – The Beatles for Kids

    Last Concert Cafe – Houston, TX – The Beatles for Kids

    Portland House of Music – Portland, ME – The Beatles for Kids

    Woodlands Tavern – Columbus, OH – Taylor Swift for Kids

    Brooklyn Bowl Nashville – Nashville, TN – Shania Twain for Kids

  • Tennis Courts Release New Indie/Folk Single “Am I Not Talking Enough” 

    Brooklyn’s 4-piece indie band Tennis Courts have just released their latest single “Am I Not Talking Enough” on May 3rd. The song is about the realization of how it feels to be not young anymore, but also not old either. 

    Consisting of the singer/songwriter duo of Pat Walsh and Andrew Clarke, lead guitarist Brian McKenna and bassist Spencer Brigman, the band started writing songs together in college in Charleston, SC before moving to Brooklyn in 2022. Tennis Courts’ sound overall offers a delicate mix of indie, folk, and power pop.

    Screenshot 2023-05-02 at 9.43.52 AM

    Of the new single, Walsh says, “This song is probably the most personal song we’ve ever put out. It’s about a lot of things, but I think it’s mostly just about how I have felt over the last year. I’ve spent a lot of time coming to terms with myself, how I fit in the world, and how I fit into other people’s lives. I spend a lot of time examining my relationship with myself, family, friends, and partners. And at the end of the day, maybe I am just thinking too much.” 

    Tennis Courts Release New Indie/Folk Single "Am I Not Talking Enough" 

    “Pensive and gorgeous, opening with acoustic strums accompanying subdued vocals, swelling with atmospheric treatments until the full band kicks in for a stunning final movement.”

    – Tuned Up 

    The band has played countless shows with Dogwood Tales, Sun Room, Hotel Fiction, Sonic Blume, Mo Lowda + The Humble, Wakelee, Daddy’s Beemer, Teenage Halloween, Easy Honey and many more. Tennis Courts forthcoming LP, which will come out later this year, was produced by Erik Kase Romero (The Front Bottoms, Lorde, Dogwood Tales). 

    Tennis Courts will also be accompanying Charlie & Margot on June 22nd at the Bond Street Basement in Asbury Park, NJ. For more information on this upcoming event, click the link here.  

    To listen to “Am I Not Talking Enough,” click the link here. 

    For more music by Tennis Courts and more information on upcoming shows, click the link here. 

  • Chance The Rapper to Celebrate 10-year Anniversary of Acid Rap at Barclays Center

    It’s been nearly a decade since Chance The Rapper released his transformative body of work, Acid Rap. In light of the momentous occasion, Chance will honor the project through a series of can’t-miss live events, pop-ups, merch drops, and special music releases. During a stop on Late Night with Seth Meyers, Chance officially announced two new Acid Rap concerts after the original Chicago performance quickly sold-out. The first of the new shows will be at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY, on Saturday, August 26, with the second in Los Angeles, CA at the Kia Forum on September 21.

    Chance The Rapper announces Acid Rap anniversary tour.

    What Acid Rap Means to Hip Hop

    Acid Rap is a monumental body of work during hip-hop’ digital age. Much like his musical idol Kanye West the prior decade, Chance The Rapper broke the mold for popular music in the 2010’s with his lyrically proficicent, wide-ranging, psychedelic and idiosyncratic body of work. During a time where Chicago’s drill culture was at its peak, Chance The Rapper carried the torch for the social media era of “backpack” rappers. As such, Acid Rap has gained cult-status within the hip-hop community. Moreover, Chance’s independent status while releasing his best work became part of his appeal for anti-establishment fans during hip hop’s do it yourself era. His stardom and reach as an independent act was inspiration for many, showcasing that great music does not need corporate entities to flourish.

    Produced by Live Nation, these performances will be Chance’s re-emergence into the realm of popular culture. The “No Problem” rapper has been on a musical hiatus since his only studio album, The Big Day, was released in 2019. In light, 2023 is an exciting year for Chance as he prepares to release his next body of work, Star Line Gallery. Chance’s latest project will intertwine the worlds of art, music, and cinematography through a series of interdisciplinary works in collaboration with artists from the continent and Diaspora.

    Tickets and VIP packages for the Acid Rap anniversary shows are available at livenation.com.