NYS Music 2024

Author: Gabrielle White

  • Tokyo Police Club Play Final US Show at Irving Plaza

    Tokyo Police Club performed their final show on US soil at Irving Plaza on Thursday, November 20. This was night two of the group’s NYC run for their farewell tour. Opening the show was fellow Canadian indie rock band Born Ruffians. 

    Both Born Ruffians and Tokyo Police Club got their start in Ontario, Canada in the early 2000s. In between songs, Born Ruffians’ Luke Lalonde reminisced on the bands coming up together at the same time. Now getting to perform together on Tokyo Police Club’s final tour, it feels like a bittersweet, full-circle ending. The band has been making their way throughout the US this fall, playing two nights at Irving Plaza before continuing to Canada to finish off their tour.

    Starting their set, Tokyo Police Club played a run through of their 2010 album Champ, followed by additional songs from their nearly two decade discography. The night was filled with nostalgic banter as Dave Monks reminisced on moments the band has experienced together throughout their career. He spoke about performing in New York City for the first time in 2006 and the feeling of stepping out of a rental car to play Mercury Lounge as well as their performance on Letterman.

    Friends since the 4th grade, Tokyo Police Club has amassed a large fan base since choosing to form a band in 2005. With their first EP released in 2006, A Lesson In Crime, they entered the indie rock scene. Coming into the early 2000s, we saw an “indie rock renaissance.” The band was welcomed in, quickly performing festivals with other quintessential bands from this era including Modest Mouse and Death Cab for Cutie.

    Tokyo Police Club will be continuing “The Final Tour” with a run of sold-out shows throughout Ontario, Canada through the end of November. These shows will be the last shows the band plans to play together. At this time, the band has no plans to reunite.

    Setlist: Favourite Food, Favourite Colour, Breakneck Speed, Wait Up (Boots of Danger), Centennial, In a Cave, Juno, Graves, New Blues, Simple Dude, Pigs, Hang Your Heart, Toy Guns, Hands Reversed, End of a Spark, Bambi, Frankenstein, Argentina (Parts I, II, III), Nature of the Experiment, Citizens of Tomorrow, Shoulders & Arms, Listen to the Math, Tessellate

    Encore:The Harrowing Adventures Of..., Ready to Win, Cheer It On, Your English Is Good

  • In Focus: Buzzcocks at Irving Plaza on September 11

    Buzzcocks made a stop in NYC at Irving Plaza on Wednesday, September 11th as part of their recent North American tour. The show included opening performances by Native Sun and Lovecrimes. The crowd inside Irving Plaza spanned generations, all eager to support the UK band’s U.S. return.

    Hailing from Bolton in the United Kingdom, Buzzcocks has made frequent stops in NYC since their formation in 1976. The inspiration behind the band’s sounds have New York origins, with late frontman Pete Shelley citing The Velvet Underground being part of inspiring the band’s formation.

    Buzzcocks’ music was said to be ahead of its time, with songs alluding to subject matter that was considered taboo during the period of their formation. This led the band to be seen as a driving force of the Manchester punk scene. Buzzcocks has gone on to perform with many legends from the early era of New York punk and CBGB, including opening for Blondie in 1978. 

    With lead vocalist Pete Shelley’s passing in 2018, Steve Diggle has led the Buzzcocks vocals while also continuing on guitar. Diggle has continued on the high energy and humor that Shelley brought to Buzzcocks performances.

    On Wednesday night, Buzzcocks played a setlist spanning 50 years of the band’s discography, including songs from their most recent 2022 album “Sonics In The Soul.” The current line-up consists of Diggle on vocals and guitar, Danny Farrant on drums, Chris Remington on bass, and Mani Perazzoli touring on guitar. 

    Buzzcocks continues on their North American tour with stops in Pittsburgh on September 14th and House of Blues in Cleveland on September 15. Starting September 22nd, Buzzcocks will embark on a US tour with Descendants throughout early October

  • Sarah McLachlan’s “Fumbling Towards Ecstasy 30th Anniversary Tour” Makes Stop in NYC

    Sarah McLachlan brought her Fumbling Towards Ecstasy 30th Anniversary Tour to a sold-out show at Radio City Music Hall on Monday, June 24.

    Opening for her was Feist, who will also be joining McLachlan for additional North American tour dates this summer. Fumbling Towards Ecstasy received critical acclaim at the time of its release and has garnered a cult following in the years since. The crowd at Radio City was filled with a buzzing energy: equal parts nostalgic and anticipation.

    Throughout her career, McLachlan has provided foundational support to the communities she has been a part of. For each ticket sale on this tour, $1 goes towards Sarah McLachlan School of Music, a non-profit started by McLachlan in 2002. With locations around Canada, the schools provide free music education and mentorship to students in under-served communities.

    There was also Lilith Fair, the revolutionary all-female traveling music festival founded by McLachlan. Lilith Fair made stops in New York at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh every year it ran- 1997, 1997, and 1999. Fumbling Towards Ecstasy was released just a few years prior and helped bring McLachlan’s music to further international audiences.

    McLachlan entered the Radio City stage to a roar of applause before the spotlight even had its chance to shine on her. She opened the show with a few songs off of her other albums before diving into the Fumbling setlist. 30 years later, the songs of Fumbling Towards Ecstasy have proven to be both a time capsule and present day cache. A reminder of the difficulties life can present us at unaccepted moments and a celebration of making it through it. The album is a timeless classic that prevails decades, the audience’s enchantment throughout the evening was proof of that.

    Currently working on a new album, McLachlan has performed a new song, “Gravity,” on a few stops of this tour. McLachlan will be playing next in Columbia, Maryland at Merriweather Post Pavilion on June 27. The Fumbling Towards Ecstasy Tour will be making additional stops in North America through the end of the year.

    Sarah McLachlan – Radio City Music Hall – Monday, June 24, 2024

    Set One – Greatest Hits: Sweet Surrender, Building a Mystery, I Will Remember You, Drifting, Song for My Father, World on Fire, Adia, Beautiful Girl, Answer, Witness

    Set Two – Fumbling Towards Ecstasy: Possession, Wait, Plenty, Good Enough, Mary, Elsewhere, Circle, Ice, Hold On, Ice Cream, Fear, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy

    Encore: Gravity, Angel

    Sarah McLachlan
    Feist playing at Radio City on June 24
    Sarah McLachlan playing Radio City on June 24
    Sarah McLachlan
    Sarah McLachlan
    Sarah McLachlan
    Sarah McLachlan
    Sarah McLachlan

  • In Focus: Wilco at the Beacon Theatre

    On Friday, June 21, Wilco performed the first night of a string of three shows at the Beacon Theatre.

    Opening for Wilco at the sold-out show was Brooklyn-based Cut Worms. This summer tour supports Wilco’s latest album, Cousin, released in September 2023.

    Wilco Beacon Theatre

    The art deco interior of Beacon Theatre felt like the perfect venue for the band hailing from Chicago, a city known for its extravagant architecture. “I always remember this place because the exit signs have the Black Flag font,” frontman Jeff Tweedy joked to the crowd. “That’s how I know where I am.” The band has a new EP, Hot Sun Cool Shroud, set for release on June 28. The EP release coincides with Wilco’s Solid Sound Festival at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art in North Adams, MA.

    Wilco performed songs spanning 30 years of the band’s discography. There were many celebrations throughout the night, including the 20th anniversary of A Ghost Is Born and a “Happy Birthday” crowd sing-a-long for the band’s multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone. The crowd maintained high energy throughout the night, with many standing ovations and encouragement from the band along the way. “Were you singing? It sounded good.” Tweedy quipped after “Passenger Side.”

    Wilco Beacon Theatre

    The band performed a four song encore before ending night one of their NYC run. Wilco performs again at Beacon Theatre in NYC on June 24. Their Solid Sound Festival in Massachusetts runs from June 28-30, followed by a few more summer tour dates across North America.

    Wilco – Beacon Theatre, NYC – Friday, June 21, 2024

    Setlist: Misunderstood, Forget the Flowers, Handshake Drugs, Pittsburgh, I Am My Mother, Cruel Country, I Am Trying to Break Your Heart, Meant to Be, If I Ever Was a Child, Summer Teeth, Hummingbird, Bird Without a Tail/Base of My Skull, Passenger Side, Evicted, Impossible Germany, Jesus, Etc., Whole Love, The Late Greats, Heavy Metal Drummer, I’m the Man Who Loves You

    Encore: Falling Apart (Right Now), California Stars, Via Chicago, Spiders (Kidsmoke) 

    Wilco Beacon Theatre
    Wilco Beacon Theatre
    Wilco Beacon Theatre
    Wilco Beacon Theatre

  • Wisp Makes Brooklyn Stop At Brooklyn Steel

    Shoegaze sensation Wisp played to a jam-packed room at Brooklyn Steel on May 3. Opening for British indie rock band Panchiko, the energy remained high throughout the Brooklyn venue on Friday night. This performance closed out a week of NYC headlining shows for Wisp, at Bowery Ballroom on April 29 and May 1, where Photographic Memory opened.

    Currently based in Los Angeles, Wisp has quickly gained a large following, as the interest in shoegaze and the ethereal elements of the subgenre continue to rise. Wisp kicked off her US headlining tour in April 2024, with dates supporting Panchiko along the way. She had a busy April, with her debut EP Pandora also being released on April 5.

    Throughout Wisp’s set, the room danced along with the strobe lights on stage. Her first single, “Your face,” was released last April. In a year’s time, she has gained a large fan base, and the crowd on Friday was evidence as that. With each song’s intro, the room erupted into screams of excitement and recognition.

    The crowd remained captivated by the mixture of Wisp’s whispery voice and guitar riffs blended with the band’s heavy bass lines and drumbeats through the set. Wisp will be playing her next show on May 07 at Brooklyn Bowl in Nashville supporting Panchiko. She will also be making more headlining tour stops through the end of May.

  • In Focus: Sir Chloe “The Savory Tour” At Music Hall of Williamsburg

    Sir Chloe played a sold-out show at Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn on Saturday, April 13. Opening for Sir Chloe was New York based band Daffo playing a collection of songs from their discography, including their newly released single, “Over Again,” released March 8.

    Sir Chloe- Photo by Gabrielle White

    The band got their start in Vermont in 2018, before re-locating to Brooklyn where they now call home. Sir Chloe is comprised of Dana Foote on lead vocals and guitar, Emma Welch on bass, Austin Holmes on synth, Palmer Foote on drums, and Teddy O’Mara on guitar. For the past year they have been touring across North America, the UK, and Europe. They’ve played headlining shows and opened for Beck and Phoenix during their Odyssey tour last year.

    As the crowd sang along throughout the night, a disco ball spun around Music Hall of Williamsburg’s ceiling, filling the packed room with pockets of light. Even playing a sold-out venue, Sir Chloe kept a familiarity and closeness with the audience. There didn’t feel to be a disconnect as the crowd continued to dance and sing throughout the set and the encore.

    This was night one of a two night Brooklyn stop for Sir Chloe. They’ll be playing next in Cambridge, Massachusetts on April 17 at The Sinclair. The band will be making various stops throughout the US and UK through August.

    Dana Foote, of Sir Chloe, performing at Music Hall of Williamsburg
    Sir Chloe performing at Music Hall of Williamsburg

  • Juliana Hatfield Live in NYC at City Winery

    Juliana Hatfield performed at the intimate City Winery Main Stage on January 28 in NYC. Outside of her solo work, Juliana is known for her involvement in indie rock acts such as Blake Babies and The Lemonheads. Opening for her was Leslie Mendelson. Leslie opened the show with an acoustic set of originals and cover songs. Juliana then took the stage and performed a solo set filled with older deep cuts, songs from her 2021 album Blood, and excerpts from cover albums she’s released in the last few years. 

    Juliana Hatfield at City Winery NYC
    Juliana Hatfield at City Winery NYC

    In November, Juliana released an album of Electric Light Orchestra covers. Motifs of loneliness and escapism were apparent. Even in a room filled with people, you could feel these prevailing themes. Substituting parts of ELO’s full orchestra, Juliana made her own adjustments that added a unique personal spin to the songs. On her record, Juliana used vocal keyboards to emulate the string instruments to accompany the lead guitar.

    Juliana Hatfield Sings ELO by Juliana Hatfield
    Leslie Mendelson at City Winery NYC

    This album followed two other cover collections Juliana has released, including The Police and Olivia Newton-John. The blue twinkling lights that filled City Winery’s ceiling felt like the perfect throwback to the cosmic imagery of ELO’s early stage shows. The crowd was equally entranced by both her performance and witty stage banter. 

    Juliana Hatfield Sings Olivia Newton-John by Juliana Hatfield

    Setlist: Dancin’ ‘Round and ‘Round (Olivia Newton‐John cover), Candy Wrappers, Hotels, Forever, Everybody Loves Me but You, Necessito (Some Girls song), Wonder Why, Telephone Line (Electric Light Orchestra cover), Please Mr. Please (Olivia Newton‐John cover), Hole in My Life (The Police cover), Tourist, Everything’s for Sale, My Sister (The Juliana Hatfield Three song), There’s Always Another Girl, Ugly, I Got No Idols (The Juliana Hatfield Three song), Had a Dream, Bottles and Flowers, June 6th, Shining On, Nirvana, Spin the Bottle, I Wanna Be Your Disease, Choose Drugs