Tony Trischka, one of the most influential figures in roots music, is celebrating his 75th birthday at City Winery in NYC on Jan. 19. He has also announced the release of his new album Earl Jam: A Tribute To Earl Scruggs, out this spring.
Tony Trischka was born in Syracuse in 1949. Raised in a home full of music, he fell in love with the banjo through the Kingston Trio’s 1959 recording of “M.T.A.” In the early ’70s, he moved to New York City, releasing his landmark solo debut Bluegrass Light, mixing bluegrass, country, psychedelic pop, free jazz, and more. Many other milestone albums followed, including 1983’s A Robot Plane Flies Over Arkansas, and 1993’s World Turning, a global history of the banjo that ignited Marc Fields’ comprehensive 2011 documentary, Give Me the Banjo. As a banjoist he set new standards for genre-bending virtuosity, inspiring legions of younger players, among them Béla Fleck.
Trischka’s GRAMMY-nominated album Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular, released in 2007, and Great Big World, from 2014, features a mix of veterans and up-and-comers. In addition to his GRAMMY nominations, he’s earned numerous honors, including the International Bluegrass Music Award for Banjo Player of the Year, as well as being named a United States Artists Friends Fellow.
One day during the COVID lockdown, he was checking his mail and was astonished to find a thumb drive full of rare recordings of his late friend Earl Scruggs jamming with John Hartford, mostly taken from private gatherings at Earl’s house during the 80s and 90s. Trischka began pouring over the more than 200 songs, transcribing the all-new solos, tones, and tricks from the man he’d been studying for over half a century, featuring a number of these pieces at Joe’s Pub. After that show, he decided there should be an album created of this unique material. “Whether or not you’re a banjo player, if you play bluegrass, you’re influenced by Earl. So it was easy to get world-class players on board,” says Trischka.
Names like Stuart Duncan, Ronnie McCoury, and Darol Anger are featured in the album notes, next to those of Molly Tuttle, Brittany Haas, Dominick Leslie, and Bronwyn Keith-Hynes. Trischka just shared “Brown’s Ferry Blues,” the opening track of Earl Jam, and the only tune on the album to feature another banjo player: Bela Fleck. This song, produced by Fleck at Parlor Studios in Nashville, not only gets two banjo breaks, but the steady bass thump of Mark Schatz, Sam Bush’s legendary mandolin chop, show-stopper Michael Cleveland on fiddle, and Billy Strings, on lead vocals and guitar.
This song was written by Alton and Rabon Delmore and recorded by them in 1933. I heard Earl play it backstage at a show in Missouri in 2010. He had his banjo tuned to double C— that’s g, C, D, C, D—and as far as I know, he’d never used this tuning on a studio or live recording. In the various jams with John Hartford that inspired this album, however, he always played it in standard G tuning, which is the setting you’ll hear here.
Tony Trischka.
Trischka’s 75th birthday will be celebrated in the company of an all-star list of friends, including Michael Cleveland, Michael Daves, Jared Engel, Jacob Jolliff, Kenny Kosek, Steve Martin, Bruce Molsky, Joyce Carol Oates, Noam Pikelny, Sean Trischka, Abigail Washburn, Danny Weiss, and more at City Winery in New York City. While the show is sold out, a link to sign up for the waiting list and more information can be found here.
For more information about Tony Trischka, visit here.
Ithaca-based indie pop-rock artist Rose Alaimo has announced the release of her latest single “Power Lines” underlining how we, as humans, are all inter-connected to one other like never before. This is the second single from her third full-length album, A Place To Go When You Need To Hide.
Akin to the likes of The Cranberries, with the indie sensibilities of Radiohead, Rose Alaimo is a veterinarian and vegetable farmer in her day-to-day life. Her new record exposes a whole other side of Alaimo as she finds her way through the darkness to exercise her willpower, freedom of choice, and self-empowerment. Rose Alaimo writes, sings, performs, programs, records, and co-produces her music. In 2019, she released her more acoustic debut album The Importance of Centers followed by the gritty and anthemicGrowin 2021.
The song ‘Power Lines’ is about the connections that exist between us, whether we are aware of them or not. One thing that was highlighted during COVID-19 was how unbelievably interconnected we are. How fast the virus spread across the world was astounding, and in the middle of everyone debating mask and vaccination mandates and people becoming increasingly stressed and angry and there being more and more division between everyone, a tree was blown over on my property, taking the power lines down in front of my house. I walked outside and, after the shock of seeing this healthy tree ripped up by the roots by a strong wind, I noticed the lines that were down.
Rose Alaimo.
“Power Lines” is a powerful and emotional track, featuring loud and booming electric guitar riffs, percussions that won’t quit, and Alaimo’s iconic voice. The single follows the more grounding lead track “Stars,” which is about finding an unexpected moment of stillness amid a crazy world.
“I saw how they were connected to my house, and how the main lines also connected to my neighbor’s house, and how those same lines connected every single house on the street. I never stopped to notice how physically connected all of these houses were by these power lines and how what happened to my house affected everyone else around me. It struck me as an interesting analogy to how we as humans are also all more connected to each other and to the world around us than we might initially assume,” she continued.
A Place To Go When You Need To Hide is out now and available via fine music platforms, including Bandcamp, Spotify andApple Music.
Unity Hall has announced the first six months of its 2024 Mainstage Performance Series, presented in the historic Landecker Auditorium, updated with a state-of-the-art sound system.
Unity Hall’s 2024 MainStage Performance Series opens on Saturday, February 17 at 7:30 PM with Patsy Cline: Letters, Stories and Songs. The show features Rebecca Miner as Patsy and a cast of musicians and actors depicting important people in Cline’s life.
From its start, Unity Hall was built to be used as a performing arts venue, and a place for private and public meetings, parties, and other gatherings. It was built in 1896 by the nearby Unitarian Universalist Church and soon became a cultural and community center shared with other groups from Barneveld and its surrounding villages. In 1993, just about the time when the venue’s future was becoming seriously in question, local George Landecker decided that this precious historical structure was too important to just let languish and die, creating the Unity Hall Foundation to save and replenish the iconic venue.
The Unity Hall 2024 season launches on Saturday, February 17 with an original show about the iconic singer, Patsy Cline. Titled Patsy Cline: Letters, Stories, and Songs, the showfeatures well-known local singer and performer Rebecca Miner in character as the iconic singer, joined by a cast of talented musicians and actors playing important figures in Patsy’s life.
On Friday, March 22, internationally lauded banjo player, Tony Trischka, will perform with his band in a tribute show to Earl Scruggs, a major appearance for Unity Hall. Trischka is one of the most influential and innovative banjo players in the Roots music world. He won three awards at the 2007 International Bluegrass Music Association gathering, including Recorded Event of the Year and Banjo Player of the Year, and also produced Steve Martin’s banjo album Rare Bird Alert.
Local acoustic music legend, Danny Holmes (formerly of Holmes and Mancini) returns to Unity Hall from Florida on Saturday, May 18 for his only area appearance. The multi-talented singer/songwriter Holmes will perform in the duo Rose ‘n’ Thorne with his wife, the outstanding vocalist, Karen Holmes. Finally, the talented and eclectic band, Quatro, will perform on June 22. Hailing from Syracuse, this dynamic band describes themselves as four perfectly aligned misfits performing Progressive Americana featuring guitar, cello, pedal steel, double bass, and vocal harmonies that will melt your heart.
For more information about Unity Hall and to purchase tickets, visit here.
Each Sunday evening from 7-9 p.m. you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up-and-coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear new music from Josh Morris, Mike Grosshandler, and Shannon Tehya.
WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.
Mike Grosshandler has been active in the Albany music scene since 1997. He is the singer/guitarist for the rock band The VeLMAs and has also performed with Above The Flood, The Hard Luck Souls, and Midnight Radio. About the single, Grosshandler says “About Time is a song about the struggle to find happiness and fulfillment in life. It’s a 90s-inspired alternative/grunge rock song with a dynamic range of sounds and emotions.”
Shannon Tehya-“Change”
Shannon Tehya writes her music from the heart, with each song acting like a portal from her soul to the worlds. With melodic and beautiful lyrics, her powerful prescence and deep compassion transcend into the hearts of others. Her new single “Change” is out now.
Hailing from NYC, Josh Morris has cultivated an identity all his own while taking inspiration from artists such as The 1975, Jeff Buckley, and Pearl Jam. Concealed underneath his playful lyrics are conversations we should all be engaging in. The music itself is consistently supported by thoughtfully executed production and laser-focused performances.
St. Bonaventure University has announced it is offering a new course this spring semester on the power of pop culture, studying everything from the Taylor Swift effect to the impact of protest music during the Vietnam War era, and the influence pop culture has on the media and public policy.
Taylor Swift at Metlife Stadium, photograph by David Reichmann.
As reported in New York Upstate, the new class will examine a variety of scenarios, including how politicians use appearances on entertainment shows to avoid media scrutiny, the impact of celebrities on public policy, and actors turned politicians. The big selling point for most people will be the phenomenon of Taylor Swift and her tremendous impact on the music industry and popular culture.
“The lines between entertainment and politics have always been blurry, but the distinction is even less clear today,” said Richard Lee, the professor behind the course. “The class will help us understand how we arrived at where we are today, as well as where we are headed tomorrow.”
This isn’t the first New York college to launch a course about Swift, New York University’s Clive Davis Institute introduced its first-ever course on her a few years ago. The class covered her evolution as a music entrepreneur, the legacy of pop and country songwriters, youth and girlhood discourses, and race politics in contemporary popular music.
For more information about St. Bonaventure University, visit here.
The 2024 Northlands Music & Arts Festival complete lineup has been announced, featuring the return of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Big Something, and Cool Cool Cool.
The 2024 Northlands Music & Arts Festival lineup boasts a wide array of talent, featuring internationally acclaimed touring ensembles. the festival will again feature nonstop music on two adjacent stages facing a massive concert ground and some of the region’s top acts on a bustling campground stage. Those camping onsite will be treated to late-night silent disco performances, with music going into the early morning.
Northlands 2024 will include indie-jam sensation Goose, the rustic harmonies of Greensky Bluegrass, and jam band icons moe. Festival alumni Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, will return to the stage as a headliner, while Big Something and Cool Cool Cool also join the fantastic list of performers. Further adding to the roster are Krasno & Friends, Mihali, Sierra Hull, Dopapod, Spafford, TAUK, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, and Magic Beans. The festival again welcomes the all-star, all-female group Super Sonic Shorties, whom Nikki Glaspie leads. Other special guests include Kanika Moore (artist at large), Jennifer Hartswick, and Natalie Cressman.
We’re so excited to welcome Pigeons back to Swanzey for another year, as well as their amazing community of fans. Big Something and Cool Cool Cool are putting together special sets for their inaugural appearances- fans, new and old, will love it. As always, we are proud to showcase rising stars in the scene on the Camp Stage. Stay tuned.
Northlands Co-Founder Seth McNally
Northlands continues to lead the way in sustainability, committed to the adage “Enjoy Life. Do Good”. Following the elimination of single-use plastics in 2023 and the introduction of industry-leading recycling and composting programs, the festival will continue to significantly reduce its carbon footprint.
Tickets for the 2024 Northlands Music & Arts Festival are on sale now.
Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater has announced iconic Americana artist Toshi Reagon’s 40th Annual Birthday Concerts from January 24-31, featuring a run of seven shows that showcase Reagon’s renowned repertoire, with a slew of special guests and events.
Joe’s Pub has hosted Toshi Reagon’s Birthday Concerts since 2005. Reagon is a multi-talented and versatile singer, composer, musician, curator, and producer with a profound ear for Sonic Americana. Her expansive career includes residences at Carnegie Hall, the Paris Opera House, and multiple festivals and venues nationally and internationally. She has worked with many musicians, choreographers, film and theater makers, including Meshell Ndegeocello, Alsarah, Lizz Wright, Urban Bush Women, Dorrance Dance, Ananya Chatterjea, Nona Hendryx, Carl Hancock Rux, Rhiannon Giddens, Robert Wilson, her band BIGLovely and many more.
Reagon co-composed music for two Peabody Award-winning films and is a 2015 Ford Foundation Art of Change Fellow, a 2018 United States Artist Fellow, and Andrew W. Melon Creative Futures Fellow Carolina Performing Arts. She is currently a Met Museum Civic Practice Fellow and a Bowdoin College Joseph McKeen Visiting Fellow. In 2021, Toshi received the APAP Award for Merit in the Performing Arts and was a recipient of the Herb Alpert Award in Music.
In 2022 Toshi Reagon received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Emerson College. In 2011 she founded the Community-based festival Word*Rock*& Sword, and in 2018 she created the production company Wise Reagon Arts which produces the opera Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower, created by Toshi Reagon and Bernice Johnson Reagon. As of 2023 the opera has been presented on four continents and has been seen by over 40,000 audience members.
Toshi Reagon’s 40th Birthday Concerts include a fundraiser/concert performance of Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower and the popularSacred Music Show. Special guests include BIGLovely, Nona Hendryx, Helga Davis, Joan as Policewoman, Catherine Russell, Morley, and Tariq Al-Sabir.
Joe’s Pub was named for Public Theater founder Joseph Papp. Since it opened in 1998, it has played a vital role in The Public’s mission of supporting artists at all stages of their careers with an intimate space to perform and develop new work. It presents the best in live music and performance nightly, continuing its commitment to diversity, production values, community, and artistic freedom. In addition to one-night-only concerts and multi-night engagements, Joe’s Pub is home to the annual Habibi Festival, which hosts artists representing contemporary and traditional music of the SWANA (Southwest Asia/North Africa) region, and The Vanguard Award & Residency, a yearlong curation series that celebrates the career, and community, of a prolific and influential artist.
Joe’s Pub 2024 winter lineup includes a wide variety of events, including the return of Kim David Smith, Mali Obomsawin, Penny Arcade (as part of the Under the Radar Festival), neurodiverse cabaret from EPIC Players, Isaac Oliver, Xavier Smith, Never Sleep Alone, the debut of Venus Cuffs, Magatte Fall (curated by Angelique Kidjo), Mai Khoi, Nella, Jill Sobule, Donny McCaslin and performance pieces in concert, including Fouad of Nazareth, and Ethan Lipton & His Orchestra.
To purchase tickets to Toshi Reagon’s 40th Birthday Celebration Concerts, and for more information on Joe’s Pub, visit here.
Joe’s Pub 2024 Winter Lineup
Under the Radar Festival
Penny Arcade: The Art of Becoming
Tuesday, January 16 at 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, January 17 at 7 p.m.
Thursday, January 18 at 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, January 21 at 8:30 p.m.
From one of downtown’s most articulate survivors, comes Penny Arcade’s humorous and revealing musical memoir, The Art of Becoming.
Storytelling
House of SpeakEasy: Seriously Entertaining
Tuesday, January 9 at 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, February 6 at 7:00 p.m.
Seriously Entertaining is House of SpeakEasy’s acclaimed series of literary cabarets where authors take the stage to riff informally, dinner-theater-style, on the evening’s theme. The Wall Street Journal calls it “Think-y entertainment for New York’s book-loving crowd,” and The New York Times says it’s “a literary mixtape [with] perfect flow and variety.”
Generation Women
Wednesday, January 10 at 7:00 p.m.
Friday, February 9 at 7:00 p.m.
Generation Women is a multigenerational storytelling night that invites a woman or non-binary performer in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s+ to share an original true story on a theme. The mission of Generation Women is to amplify underheard voices and create space for intergenerational connection and community.
Amanda Krische: Open Invitation, presented in partnership with YoungArts
Saturday, January 27 at 7:00 p.m.
Part performance art play, part dance production, and part dinner party, Open Invitation is a farcical riot of an evening. Created and directed by multidisciplinary choreographer Amanda Krische, and featuring live music and a cast of dynamic performers, audiences are invited to participate in a night of play, care, and movement theater. Through a revolving door of short stories told through movement, Open Invitation constructs a surrealist dream space.
EPIC Underground: Storytellers
Wednesday, February 21 at 7:00 p.m.
The EPIC Underground: Storytellers is a night of dramatic storytelling, stand-up, and spoken word featuring neuro-diverse performers and their original works centered around the theme of Origins. Join the storytellers as they weave their captivating journey through a unique lens of experiences – from triumphs to trials, from laughter to tears – resulting in the joy of finding their authentic selves.
Cabaret
Peter Smith: Songs for a New Year
Thursday, January 11 at 9:30 p.m.
Kick-off 2024 at Joe’s Pub with one of New York’s favorite showgirls, Peter Smith (and a band!) singing songs and slinging stories in celebration of fresh starts. She has been called “a genius” in The Hollywood Reporter and The New Yorker has called her “wickedly playful.”
Photo: Shaniqwa Jarvis.
Monét X Change: Life be Lifein’
Tuesday, January 16 at 9:30 p.m.
Wednesday, January 17 at 9:30 p.m.
Thursday, January 18 at 9:30 p.m.
Born and bred in New York City, Monét X Change is an entertainment spitfire and the first double crown winner from RuPaul’s Drag Race having earned the title Miss Congeniality on Season 10 and becoming the first Queen of Color inducted into the Hall of Fame after winning All-Stars 4. Known for delivering energetic and show-stopping performances, Monét’s showmanship is a reflection of a tireless work ethic to cultivate and perfect her immaculate lip-syncing skills, comedic chops, and pitch-perfect live singing skills.
The Meeting* hosted by Justin Elizabeth Sayre
Sunday, January 28 at 9:30 p.m.
Justin Elizabeth Sayre brings back their classic comedy-variety show, The Meeting* for another round of fun. With lots of special guests, laughs and commentary on the world that is, Sayre returns to the format and the fun.
Lisa Stephen Friday: Trans Am
Monday, January 29 at 6:30 p.m.
TRANS AM is a daring, new, one-woman rock musical by Lisa Stephen Friday, featuring the music of Lisa Jackson & Girl Friday. It’s a touching, funny, rock-your-face-off look at a transgender woman’s very human experience. The band was a cult favorite, punk-pop/glam-rock darlings in the 90s and aughts, regularly headlining NYC clubs like CBGB, The Knitting Factory, Arlene’s Grocery, Mercury Lounge, and more. Lisa is an extraordinary storyteller, actress, and musician with a fascinating life story, and the play is a necessary piece of theatre in today’s rapidly shifting cultural landscape – exploring what it means to be different in a world where labels of “other” are still too often the status quo.
Photo by Mike Kozemchak.
OK, Olympia, Let’s Go!
Monday, February 5 at 6:00 p.m.
A multimedia celebration through live theater and film of the life and career of Olympia Dukakis written by her brother Apollo Dukakis and edited by her children Christina, Peter, and Stefan Zorich. The evening will feature performances by Apollo Dukakis and Phyllis Kay with special appearances by Blythe Danner (Tony and Emmy Award winner), Rocco Sisto (two-time Obie Award winner), and Austin Pendleton (Obie & Drama Desk Award winner).
Kim David Smith: More Mostly Marlene
Tuesday, February 6 at 9:30 p.m.
Described by Broadway World as the “David Bowie of cabaret,” “slyly subversive” by The Wall Street Journal, and labeled the “male Marlene Dietrich” by The New York Times, Australian cabaret performer Kim David Smith conjures the glitter, doom, and decadence of 1920’s Berlin and beyond in his intimate celebration of Dietrich’s musical and cultural legacy: “Mostly Marlene.”
Tease Factory, presented in partnership with Venus Cuffs
Wednesday, February 14 at 9:30 p.m.
Get ready for a taste of the erotic, a rhinestone butt jiggle, spoken word that opens your mind, and sexy burlesque that will tingle your senses -this is the classiest tease you will ever experience in your life.
Mama Alto: Transcendent
Sunday, February 18 at 8:30 p.m.
One of Australia’s finest cabaret artists, Mama Alto, makes her solo USA debut at Joe’s Pub. Mama Alto is a jazz singer, cabaret artiste, and gender transcendent diva. Her liquid velvet voice comes to the fore, traversing smoky torch songs, sumptuous jazz ballads, and luscious vocals.
Joe McGinty & The Loser’s Lounge: The Music of Neil Young
Thursday, February 22 – Saturday, February 24 at 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, February 22 – Saturday, February 24 at 9:30 p.m.
Joe McGinty & The Loser’s Lounge present the music of Neil Young! For the first time, The Loser’s Lounge will perform an entire show of Neil Young’s incomparable catalog, including songs from his solo career, his work with Crosby, Stills & Nash, The Buffalo Springfield, Rick James, the hits, the oddities, and more.
Comedy
The Last Night On Earth hosted by Matt Wilkas & Nadia Quinn
Wednesday, January 10 at 9:30 p.m.
Join Nadia Quinn and Matthew Wilkas for a magical evening of music, comedy, a bunch of VERY special guests, and a healthy dose of introspection.
Ruby McCollister: Hollywood Soldier
Wednesday, February 7 at 9:30 p.m.
Ruby McCollister presents notes, thoughts, and pieces from her newest work-in-progress solo show: Hollywood Soldier. A night of revelations, laughs, and special guests.
Isaac Oliver is Your Valentine
Tuesday, February 13 at 9:30 p.m.
Writer/performer Isaac Oliver (Intimacy Idiot, The New York Times, “High Maintenance,” “GLOW,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) returns to Joe’s Pub for his annual Valentine’s Eve night of solo sit-down comedy.
Never Sleep Alone
Wednesday, February 21 at 9:30 p.m.
Celebrity sex and dating guru Dr. Alex Schiller leads her audience through a wildly entertaining comedy show where people laugh and learn. Whether you’re single and seeking or happily coupled, NEVER SLEEP ALONE is the New York night you’ve always wanted.
Ryan Raftery: The Titans of Media Trilogy (Tues Anna Wintour | Wed Martha Stewart | Thur Kris Jenner)
Tuesday, February 27 – Thursday, February 29 at 7:00 p.m.
Ryan Raftery returns to Joe’s Pub with his TITANS OF MEDIA TRILOGY OF FEMALE EMPOWERMENT. The Anna Wintour, Martha Stewart, and Kris Jenner musicals will be performed in repertory, Tuesday – Thursday, a different diva center stage every night.
Music
Sxip Shirey’s Hour of Charm
Thursday, January 11 at 7:00 p.m.
Fresh off a winter run in Munich with the contemporary circus production LIMBO, Sxip Shirey curates a night of surprising sounds, beautiful songs, and fantastic compositions.
Bria Skonberg / Anat Cohen
Friday, January 12 at 7:00 p.m.
New York-based and Canadian-born singer, trumpeter, and songwriter Bria Skonberg has been described as one of the “most versatile and imposing musicians of her generation” (Wall Street Journal). Bria has stormed onto the jazz scene with her smoky vocals, blistering trumpet, and compelling compositions and arrangements. The Juno Award winner has sung the music of Aretha Franklin alongside Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child, played with U2 at the iconic Apollo Theater, sat in with the Dave Matthews Band, and much more.
Celebrate AMERI’KANA feat. Making Movies, The Sensational Barnes Brothers, Los Texmaniacs & AMERI’KANA All-Stars
Friday, January 12 at 9:30 p.m.
Celebrate AMERI’KANA is a journey into the rich tapestry of American music, celebrating its diverse origins and the individuals who contributed to its evolution. The specialty show features Latin GRAMMY-nominated Panamanian band Making Movies, Memphis gospel/soul group The Sensational Barnes Brothers, and GRAMMYAward-winning Tex-Mex Conjunto ensemble Los Texmaniacs. The evening will also include a collaborative ensemble called AMERI’KANA All-Stars led by Making Movies with Los Texmaniacs, The Sensational Barnes Brother, Mexican singer-songwriter Renee Goust, Memphis swamp/soulstress Marcella Simien, and more.
Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band / Mali Obomsawin: Sweet Tooth
Saturday, January 13 at 6:30 p.m.
The Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band (JKIBB) continues sacred traditions, performing new works, reimagined traditional melodies, and standards made famous by the Indigenous jazz musicians who came before us. JKIBB is a sonic celebration of the diversity and vitality of Indigenous voices in jazz: past, present, and future.
Bitch / Kaia Kater
Saturday, January 13 at 9:30 p.m.
Bitch is a longstanding queer music icon who released her newest album Bitchcraft in 2022 on Kill Rock Stars. With her signature electric violin and lyrical smarts front and center over huge beats and deep synths, Bitch coined the genre “Poet Pop” and she has been touring nationally ever since. Montreal-born Grenadian-Canadian. Kaia Kater’s jazz-fueled voice and deft songcraft have garnered acclaim from NPR’s Tiny Desk, The Guardian, Rolling Stone, and No Depression. Her upcoming album, Strange Medicine, is due out May 2024.
James Brandon Lewis / ETHEL & Robert Mirabal
Sunday, January 14 at 5:30 p.m
Love is connection. Love is gratitude. Love is passion. Love is audacity. These qualities define tenor saxophonist James Brandon Lewis’ second album with the glorious Red Lily Quintet: For Mahalia, With Love. In this unique expression of thirteen years of friendship and collaboration, GRAMMY Award-winning, master musician, actor, artist, and storyteller, Robert Mirabal, elder of the Taos Pueblo, and GRAMMY Award-winning, genre-defying, New York-based string quartet, ETHEL, come together gratefully to, yet again, reimagine the concert experience.
Sirintip / Kaki King / Pipo Romero
Sunday, January 14 at 8:30 p.m.
Sirintip is an award-winning experimental Swedish-Thai singer and composer clout in both the pop and jazz worlds. Her unique use of effect pedals with her voice has brought her around the world performing with Snarky Puppy, Mark Guiliana (David Bowie), Benny Andersson (ABBA), and more, heard on over 30 officially released recordings. With a star-studded career that has spanned two decades, Kaki King continues to live at the forefront of guitarists and performance-makers. In the past, she has collaborated with Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters and toured with Natalia Lafourcade, contributed music to Sean Penn’s Into the Wild (which won a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score), and performed in a variety of spaces.
Pipo Romero, a gifted composer and virtuoso acoustic guitarist from Cádiz, Spain, has become a prominent figure in the acoustic guitar scene. His unique fusion of styles, labeled “Spanish Acoustic Fingerstyle,” has garnered praise from critics and journalists. His compositions blend Folk, Flamenco, Celtic, and classical melodies, creating an emotional and multicultural experience.
Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, the internationally acclaimed camping event, has shared the 2024 lineup taking place June 13-16 on the Bonnaroo Farm, located just 60 miles southeast of Nashville in Manchester, TN. Bonnaroo 2024 hosts a spectacular roster of top artists performing on more than ten unique stages over the four-day festival, with live music and much more through the night and into early morning with special sunrise sets.
This year’s highlights include performances from Red Hot Chili Peppers, Post Malone, Fred again.., Pretty Lights, Megan Thee Stallion, Cage The Elephant, Maggie Rogers, Melanie Martinez, Khruangbin, Cigarettes After Sex, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Diplo, Carly Rae Jepsen, Fisher, Jon Batiste, Dominic Fike, Parcels, Idles, Joey Bada$$, Lizzy McAlpine, T-Pain, Interpol, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Two Friends, Taking Back Sunday, Gary Clark Jr, TV Girl, Thundercat, Ashnikko, Brittany Howard, and more.
The festival started back in 2002 highlighting the greats of the jam band scene including Widespread Panic, Trey Anastasio Band, String Cheese Incident, and Phil Lesh and Friends with Bob Weir. Now the festival is known for its wide-ranging bill bringing in people from all over to enjoy its ten unique stages and four days of great music.
For the first time in Bonnaroo history, the What Stage (Bonnaroo’s main stage) will have a special Thursday night headline set, which will feature an incredible performance by Pretty Lights, who will also perform a second sunrise set on The Other Stage during the weekend. Bonnaroo is also excited to announce that Sunday night’s headline set will mark the only U.S. festival performance by Fred again.. in 2024.
Bonnaroo 2024 will be further highlighted by a very special edition of the festival’s world-famous SuperJam. Set for Saturday, June 15 in That Tent, 2024’s all-star collaboration will be “Once More With Feeling(s) – The Dashboard Confessional Emo SuperJam,” with performances from special guests both announced and unannounced, making this session a must-see celebration of community, showmanship, and unmatched musical adventure. Additional lineup announcements – including plans for the magical “Where In The Woods” stage as well as Late Night showcase performances – will be unveiled soon.
Bonnaroo has maintained a unique commitment to local and regional issues since the festival’s very beginnings. Founded in 2009 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Bonnaroo Works Fund (BWF) contributes to more than 100 local, regional, and national nonprofit partners benefiting the arts, education, environmental sustainability, and social impact, with a direct focus on local reinvestment and asset building. This week, Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival released its latest Economic Impact Study, revealing that the 2023 event contributed $339.8 million to the regional economy, including more than $5.1 million in tax revenue to the region.
The presale begins Thursday, January 11 at 10 am (CT), and fans can sign up now for a presale passcode exclusively here. A public on-sale will follow if tickets remain. 2024 ticket options include 4-Day General Admission, 4-Day GA+, 4-Day VIP, 4-Day Platinum, along with a variety of camping and parking options starting at just $25 down with a payment plan.
Bonnaroo 2024 Complete Lineup
THURSDAY, JUNE 13
Pretty Lights (Headlining Main Stage)
FISHER
BigXthaPlug
Disco Lines
Durand Bernarr
Eggy
Geese
Gwar
The Heavy Heavy
HoneyLuv
it’s murph
Matt Maltese
Medium Build
Michigander
Militarie Gun
Nation of Language
Neal Francis’ Francis Comes Alive
Ocie Elliott
Oliver Heldens
Róisín Murphy
Say She She
Sid Sriram
FRIDAY, JUNE 14
Post Malone
Maggie Rogers
Khruangbin
Seven Lions
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead
Dominic Fike
Lizzy McAlpine
Interpol
T-Pain
Svdden Death
TV Girl
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Multi-faceted Upstate musician Lucas Garrett has announced the release of his evocative and groovy new single “Going Home.”
Lucas Garrett is a musician from Upstate New York, who has played professionally for over nine years. He has a unique style that blends progressive rock, folk, new wave, and indie, with an expansive discography. With the new track announcement, Garrett is also welcoming his newest band member, Collette, a multi-instrumentalist, and writing partner.
Some people don’t get do-overs with one another in life. This song celebrates the moments where this ends up being possible. Best friends coming back together after years apart and a lifetime of experiences later… how do they find each other again? Better? Worse? Who knows? But the ride and the journey is worth it.
Lucas Garrett
“Going Home” has a nostalgic and homey feel to it, incorporating melodic and groovy guitars and percussion that won’t quit. Tackling topics of camaraderie, and nostalgia, the video for “Going Home” incorporates select live performances of Garret and crew over the years. With unique arrangements and enticing lyricism, the track encompasses the feelings that going home, wherever that may be, has over you, and all the exciting and nerve-wracking emotions that come with it.
“Going Home” from Lucas Garrett is available to stream everywhere. For more information about Garrett, visit here.
Rochester-based alternative rock/indie Americana act Public Water Supply has announced the release of their new record General Strike, to be showcased at Sun Festival, the band’s pre-eclipse event.
Sun Festival takes place at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 29, 2024, at Essex, a music hall located at 1048 University Avenue which can hold 700 concert-goers. Public Water Supply will play their new record General Strike, plus some fan favorites. It started on Nazareth University’s campus when all five band members were enrolled for undergraduate studies. They have played on and off together since graduation in 2019 and the core group remains intact with Iggy Marino and Karis Gregory, Jr. on guitars, plus Alex Brophy on bass, and Spencer Kronrich on drums. Last summer, Tanner Kartes returned to the stage to flash his harmonica skills and rejoined as the fifth member. Public Water Supply has sold out Rochester venues such as Iron Smoke Distillery, Three Heads Brewery, and the Jackrabbit in Buffalo.
“We are calling it SUN FESTIVAL in observance of the cosmos and we will assemble in celebration of the moon, the sun, and our musical surroundings,” exclaimed Iggy Marino, the band’s frontman. “It feels like the universe is truly coming together for us and we can’t wait for our babies to hear our creation!”
The band released their first self-titled record last year, growing their fanbase dubbed the “babies,” with General Strike on its way. Billed as music written for the working class, “This album showcases the daily struggle of living, loving, and wanting to ‘stick it to the man’”, added Marino. “We’ve been re-defining our music and experimenting with our sound all year long. I think our babies are really going to notice more of a rock n’ roll feel in these songs.”
The first single, “Leila” will drop on Friday, January 12. Lead guitarist Karis Gregory, Jr. wrote the music and lyrics. “Leila is loosely inspired by the story of famed criminals, Bonnie and Clyde, two lovers on a cross-country crime spree, burning rubber and living an intense but exhilarating life,” claimed Karis. The rest of the songs on the album, including the title piece, “General Strike”, were written by lead singer and guitarist, Iggy Marino.
Tickets for Sun Festival will go on sale Friday, January 12, priced at $25 each.
