Albany-born and bred punk band State Champs gear up for a nationwide tour this fall, starting on November 8 in Austin, Texas. Joining them are supporting acts Knuckle Puck, Meet Me at The Altar, and Daisy Grenade.
State Champs will end their tour in their home state, closing the tour at Manhattan’s Webster Hall on December 7.
CREDIT: Manuel Barajas
For the last decade, State Champs have become a household name in the world of pop-punk. The band is comprised of singer Derek DiScanio, guitarist Tyler Szalkowski, bassist Ryan Scott Graham, and drummer Evan Ambrosio. Starting with the release of their debut album, The Finer Things, State Champs have been gathering fans of all generations to enjoy
Together, they have played at numerous festivals, including Alive at 5 and Frozen Fire. They have written alongside some of the genre’s biggest names, including Mark Hoppus of Blink-182 and Alex Gaskarth of All Time Low.
Over the years, State Champs received massive critical acclaim. From Kerrang!, to Upset, Alternative Press, and Rock Sound, they have been met with astounding support from fans and rock critics alike. In 2018, after the release of their third album, Living Proof, Billboard dubbed them “modern-day pop-punk torchbearers.”
Live performances with State Champs are nothing if not passionate and energetic, this tour being no exception. They always focus on keeping their energy and giving the crowd something they will never forget. Authenticity is the priority, exemplified by Evan Ambrosio’s statements in a past interview: “We focus on life as we experience it, not an event we didn’t have a part in. We write about things that stay true to what we experience, and not try to jump on a trend of ultimate sadness or TikTok videos, so we can maintain authenticity and stay true to what the band has built up.”
Tickets are on sale to the public this Friday, August 16, at 12:00 PM local time. They can be purchased on Sate Champs’ website.
New York City’s experimental and avant-garde theatre, The Kitchen, announced its programming for the Fall 2024 season. This season combines works from multiple disciplines and collaborations between several institutions and artists, bringing an exciting new collection to their temporary Westbeth Artists Housing stage.
Founded in 1971, The Kitchen has provided New York City with exceptional artists, from dancers to muralists and painters. For the last five decades and throughout multiple different venues, it has been a place where the abstract and avant-garde can shine.
Currently situated in the Chelsea neighborhood in Manhattan, this season includes collaborations with longtime partners Protect the Peace with PROTECT THE PEACE: we, INSURGENT, The Kitchen’s Longest-Running Series, Dance and Process, Code Switch: Distributing Blackness, Reprogramming Internet Art, The Kitchen’s first traveling exhibition, and more.
The full schedule is listed below. Tickets and more information can be found on their website, linked here.
The Kitchen Fall 2024 Programming Schedule
The Kitchen in Focus at 47 Canal 47 Canal (59 Wooster St 2nd floor, New York, NY 10012) September 4–14 and September 20–October 26, 2024 Gallery Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-6pm, and by appointment
PROTECT THE PEACE: we, INSURGENT
The Kitchen at Westbeth
September 6, 2024, 6-9pm
Tickets: Sliding scale $10-30; Tickets on sale August 15
Dance and Process: Rena Anakwe, ms. z tye, and Ogemdi Ude
The Kitchen at Westbeth
Performances: September 20–22, 2024; Time to be announced in early September
Tickets: Sliding scale; $10-30
Community Action Center: The Soundtrack
Site: The Kitchen at Westbeth
Date: October 8, 2024, 7pm
Tickets: Sliding scale; $10-30
Code Switch: Distributing Blackness, Reprogramming Internet Art Site: Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture [Fall 2024] and Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit [Spring 2025] Dates: October 15 – December 19, 2024, and April 25 – September 7, 2025 Schomburg Gallery hours: Free; Monday – Saturday, 10am-6pm
NIC Kay: The last gasp of the angry white man
Dia Chelsea, co-presented in partnership with Dia Art Foundation
October 12, 2024, 5:30pm
Tickets: Free with RSVP; Reservations open on August 15 via Dia’s website
JJJJJerome Ellis: Aster of Ceremonies
The Kitchen at Westbeth
November 7, 2024, 7pm
Tickets: Sliding scale; $10-30
Meredith Monk. Calling Catalogue Launch Party
The Kitchen at Westbeth
November 13, 2024, 7pm
Tickets: Free with RSVP
Lines of Distribution
The Kitchen at Westbeth
November 21, 2024–January 18, 2025
Regular gallery hours: Wednesday–Saturday, 12–6pm
Opening weekend programming, including performances and artist roundtable: November 22–23 (Details, tickets, and times to be announced)
Starting on August 15, George W. Johnson Park in Endicott, NY, will be the latest location for local Shakespeare in the Park. The Endicott Performing Arts Center (EPAC) Youth Troupe will showcase their abridged productions of Shakespeare’s classic A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Stage in Little Italy.
Following the three-day run of Shakespeare’s most iconic comedy, the park hosts the annual Shakespearean Arts Festival. Featuring dozens of local vendors and artists showcasing their goods, live music, and entertainment from the EPAC Youth Troupe and more, the Shakespearean Arts Festival offers free fun the entire family can enjoy.
During the festival, EPAC will give their debut performance of Matilda JR: The Musical and their final performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The abridged version of the play was adapted by Dr. Carolyn Harper, and directed by EPAC directors Dustin Hirthler and Scott Newman.
Also featured are selections from the EPAC TEEN intensive Firebringer, and the Rep. Co. production of Legally Blonde. Dozens of local musicians are set to perform throughout the week in between productions.
Below are the dates and times for EPAC’s rendition of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The EPAC Arts Festival is on Sunday, August 18th, from 12pm-5pm. George W. Johnson Park is located at 201 Oak Hill Ave, Endicott, NY. Information about performances, artists, and more is available on the Endicott Performing Arts Center’s website, linked here.
Hailing from the city of New Paltz, indie trio Kale is the latest outfit to make its way into the scene.
Kale • Jack Salzman – bass/vocals • Sam Kirschner – drums • Brendan Bartow – keys/vocals
For the last two years, Kale has been cementing themselves as a live band fans will never forget. With a unique combination of indie rock, pop, and electronica, the trio has dedicated themselves to the music that brought them all together in the first place.
Kale’s musical influences come from an array of bands – their love of improvisational live music came from growing up listening to the Grateful Dead and Phish. Jazz artists such as Dexter Gordon and Dave Brubeck, while the songwriting and danceable electronic/indie vibe stems from bands such as MGMT, Empire of the Sun, M83, Bombay Bicycle Club, and the Killers, are all highly influential on the band’s musical style.
Kale is made up of three incredibly close friends; Jack Salzman (bass/vocals), Brendan Bartow (keys/vocals), and Sam Kirschner (drums). The trio formed amidst the plethora of outfits that emerged from the college town, which was the perfect atmosphere to cement their electrifying and fun-loving performance style. They released their first studio single, “Everybody’s Falling,” in October 2023, followed by “Pave the Way” in May 2024, and were met with almost immediate praise from fans who have been waiting since their 2022 live debut.
Kale’s music is meant to emulate exactly that of their environment: the feeling of a fun and exciting night out with friends in a tangible, musical form. With their focus on the performance aspect, combined with their stellar musicianship and creative influences, it’s no surprise that Kale became a regular topic of conversation within the college student community.
Within the last two years of Kale’s emergence, their live shows have garnered a reputation as a nonstop thrill. Their inspiration from electronica music is very much alive and displayed in their shows, demonstrated through strobe lights, elaborate visuals, and contagious energy sure to make any crowd dance. Kale is no stranger to diversity within their music, either, keeping crowds entertained with Bartow and Salzman’s characteristically indie-style vocals.
Kale performing at the Toyota Music Den Stage at Mt. Snow in Dover, VT
In the early days of the band, Kale wasted no time in putting themselves out there and taking over the stage. The band has opened for notable indie acts such as The Disco Biscuits, Eggy, the Q-tip Bandits, and Twiddle, and even dipped their toes onto festival stages like the Catskill Mountain Jubilee, Summer Jam, and Circus of Life.
While the band is working on their debut album, it is clear that Kale’s party days in New Paltz are far from over. Kale has no plans on stopping their fantastic tour de force, with a new single, “The Beautiful Game,” coming on August 30 and a debut EP coming on November 1, featuring eight original studio tracks. In the meantime, the trio is supporting Dopapod at Bearsville Theater in Woodstock, for their final tour on September 13. Tickets are available here.
To check out Kale’s music, visit this link. Stay tuned for more updates, because when Kale is in town, the party never stops.
Best-selling author and comedian Trevor Noah has announced he will return to New York City to host a two-night celebration of the publication of his latest book, Into the Uncut Grass. The book will be released on October 8.
During these celebrations, Trevor Noah plans to do more than just party. Joining a moderator on stage, he offers a deep dive into the essence of his latest work.
Trevor is the author of the 2016 #1 New York Times bestseller Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood, a memoir depicting the hardships of growing up mixed-raced in apartheid South Africa. His storytelling ability caught the attention of readers of all ages, adapting the bestseller into a young readers’ version in 2019. This year, he’s back with another testament to his storytelling abilities with his latest book, Into the Uncut Grass.
However, unlike Born a Crime, Trevor Noah’s latest book is a work of fiction rather than a memoir. Trevor’s new book is a gorgeously illustrated and moving modern fable for readers of all ages about forgiveness, acceptance, and the secret to solidarity. Inspired by classic children’s fables like Alice in Wonderland and The Little Prince, he adjusts these longstanding stories to fit his own personal experience, as well as
“Few memories in my life bring me more joy than the first few books I read as a child,” says Trevor Noah. “Either with my mom or reading alone, those simple stories shaped so much of how I saw the world. I hope this story can bring a little bit of that same joy to readers of all ages.”
General on-sale for these celebrations begins on Friday, August 9at 10 am local. Tickets are available with this link here.
Vermont’s own Greg Freeman has announced the details of his newest nationwide tour. Freeman’s tour includes two music festivals and several concerts, with two shows in New York, the first in Sprakers and the other at Baby’s All Right in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Freeman will be joined by supporting acts Snail Mail, Merce Lemon, and A. Savage on select dates.
In an eclectic combination of noise rock and Americana, Greg Freeman has been paving his way through the experimental music scene since his 2022 debut EP I Looked Out. With his use of instruments like soprano saxophone and slide guitar, Freeman brings his fresh, unique sound with him everywhere he goes.
For the last two years, Freeman has garnered attention in the experimental music scene, drawing in crowds from all genres. In regards to his performances, Rolling Stone raves, “He really means every word, bashing away on his electric guitar as bandmates on bass, drums, saxophone, and pedal steel guitar add rich colors to his visions.”
Freeman’s tour began on August 2 at the Pickathon experimental music festival in Portland, Oregon. His tour takes him across the United States, including the two separate shows in New York. His first trip to the Empire State brings him to The Root in Sprakers, celebrating The 11th Annual Limbsnapping with the rest of the town. His second show in New York takes him to Brooklyn, performing at Baby’s All Right in Williamsburg.
The full tour is listed below. Tickets and more information are available on Freeman’s website, linked here.
GREG FREEMAN LIVE!
August 2nd – Happy Valley – Portland, OR – Pickathon August 3rd – Seattle, WA – The Black Lodge August 4th – Happy Valley – Portland, OR – Pickathon August 16th – Sprakers, NY – The 11th Annual Limbsnapping- The Root Community August 26th – Portsmouth, VA – Prescott Park * October 4th – Burlington, VT – Radio Bean ^ October 5th – New York, NY – Baby’s All Right ^ October 6th – Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s ^ October 8th – Chicago, IL – Empty Bottle !
* With Snail Mail ^ With Merce Lemon ! With A. Savage
The University of Albany Department of Music and Theatre has announced the lineup for their 2024-25 season. Performances for this season will begin on September 22 and the final show of the season is on Monday, May 5. All performances take place at the UAlbany Performing Arts Center on the main University of Albany campus at 1400 Washington Avenue.
This season’s repertoire consists of dozens of professional and student musicians with a variety of mediums. Choirs, student ensembles, professional duos, and more all come together on the UAlbany stage this season for a spectacular display of their talent. The UAlbany Theatre Department will be presenting three full student productions and offering five to six performances of each show, as well as its annual festival of new plays. Student productions include Machinal by Sophie Treadwell, Mary Shelley Meets Frankenstein by Kate Alice Walat, and Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show.
In total, UAlbany offers 27 incredibly diverse shows throughout the upcoming season. Multiple guest performers are included in the season, as well, including GRAMMY-award-winning Imani Winds and the Ulysses Quartet.
The full schedule of events is listed below. All tickets are available on the Department’s website, linked here. Further details on all performances can be found on the UAlbany Performing Arts Center website.
The Department of Music and Theatre’s 2024-25 Season
Sunday, September 22, 2024, at 3pm – The Capital Trio
The Capital Trio performs music by Beethoven and Rebecca Clarke.
Tuesday, September 22, 2024, at 4pm – Lifchitz Plays Lifchitz: 60 Years of Piano Music
Max Lifchitz performs his own piano compositions written over the last 60 years.
Thursday, October 3, 2024, at 7:30pm – SUNY Oneonta Duo
As part of our yearly Ensemble in Residence exchange, a duo from SUNY Oneonta comes to perform new works.
Sunday, October 13, 2024, at 3pm – Imani Winds: The French Connection
2024 Grammy Winner IMANI WINDS visit UAlbany to present a program of French music.
Free to Students, $35 general public
Machinal by Sophie Treadwell
Wednesday, October 23, 2024, at 8pm
Thursday, October 24, 2024, at 8pm
Friday, October 25, 2024, at 3pm
Saturday, October 26, 2024, at 2pm & 8pm
Sunday, October 27, 2024, at 2pm
Saturday, October 26, 2024, at 1pm – Fall Choral Hour
The Fall Choral Hour showcases the University Chamber Singers and University Community Chorale as well as selected student soloists from the Department of Music and Theatre in a performance of music from a wide array of style and culture.
Sunday, October 27, 2024, at 3pm – Shared Band & Orchestra Concert
Sunday, November 3, 2024, at 3pm – The Ulysses Quartet in Concert
The Ulysses String Quartet will present a program of music by Mendelssohn, Mozart, Britten, and a world premiere by Christina Bovey.
Saturday, November 9, 2024, 3pm – More Than You Know (Melanie Shank & Joshua Tanis)
UAlbany Music program alumni Melanie Shank (’12, ’22) and Joshua Tanis (’13) reminisce about their undergraduate musical experiences and how they have shaped their current careers. With music from Mozart to Gershwin, this recital features years-old favorites and new adventures from over a decade of collaboration.
Friday, November 15, 2024, at 7:30pm – Bach to Broadway
Mary Shelley Meets Frankenstein by Kate Alice Walat
Wednesday, November 20, 2024, at 8pm
Thursday, November 21, 2024, at 8pm
Friday, November 22, 2024, at 3pm
Saturday, November 23, 2024, at 2pm & 8pm
Sunday, November 24, 2024, at 2pm
Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at 6pm – Student Recital
Sunday, December 8, 2024, at 3pm – Holiday Concert
Music Program ensembles (Chorale, Chamber Singers, Concert Band, Jazz Band, Symphony Orchestra, Spirit Band) are joined by student groups (Serendipity, Pitch Please) for a concert celebrating the season.
Monday, December 9, 2024, at 7pm, UAlbany Jazz Ensemble and Percussion Ensemble Concert
Sunday, December 15, 2024, at 3pm – The Catalyst Quartet with Stewart Goodyear
Sunday, January 12, 2025, 3pm – The Food of Love: Songs, Dances and Fancies for Shakespeare
Early Music Ensemble presents music from, for & referenced in the works of Shakespeare.
Friday, February 7, 2025, 3pm – Violin and Piano Duo
The Capital Duo will perform works for violin and piano.
Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show
Wednesday, March 5, 2025, at 8pm
Thursday, March 6, 2025, at 8pm
Friday, March 7, 2025, at 8pm
Saturday, March 8, 2025, at 8pm
Sunday, March 9, 2025, at 2pm
Wednesday, March 12, 2025, at 7:30pm – Shared Band & Orchestra Concert
Wednesday, March 26, 2025, at 7pm – The Tetzlaff Quartet in Concert
Youth Movement
Saturday, April 5, 2025, at 7pm
Sunday, April 6, 2025, at 3pm
April 5th, Community members of all ages will perform piano music and chamber music. April 6th, the school of the Albany Berkshire Ballet joins us for the fifth time as a Youth Movements special guest.
Fresh Acts: A Festival of New Plays
Wednesday, April 23, 2025, at 8pm
Thursday, April 23, 2025, at 8pm
Friday, April 23, 2025, at 3pm
Saturday, April 23, 2025, at 2pm & 8pm
Our spring festival of staged readings of new plays written, directed, and performed by students. Now in its seventh year, this year’s festival will also feature a showcase of solo performances on Friday afternoon. This is the future of the American theatre! Come be a part of theatre being made.
Advance tickets: $10 general public/$7 students, seniors, & UAlbany faculty-staff
Day-of-show tickets: $15 general public/$12 students, seniors, & UAlbany faculty-staff
Wednesday, April 23, 2025, at 6pm – Student Recital
Saturday, April 26, 2025, at 3pm – Spring Choral Hour
The Spring Choral Hour showcases the University Chamber Singers and University Community Chorale as well as selected student soloists from the Department of Music and Theatre.
Monday, April 28, 2025, at 7pm – UAlbany Jazz Ensemble
Sunday, May 4, 2025, 3pm – University Symphony Orchestra Concert
With Conductor Christopher David Neubert, this large ensemble performs works representing outstanding repertoire from the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic periods of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Monday, May 5, 2025, at 7pm – Sound of the Trumpets, Roar of the Drums
Classic blues band Blood Brothers announced their live performance at Schenectady’s Music Haven. Their concert is held on August 16, in between concerts from Elias Ochoa and Banda Magda. The band is supported by blues powerhouses Misty Blues and Piedmont Bluz.
Hot off of their most recent album, Live in Canada, a collection of their best live performances in the country released last October, Blood Brothers have reached incredible success in the world of Blues and Rock’n’roll, in both their solo and group careers. In the past, both guitarists Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia won Blues Rock Album of the Year at the Blues Music Awards for their solo works, Zito winning in 2022 and Castiglia in 2024. That same year, Castiglia won for Blues Rock Artist of the Year. Earlier this year, the duo won for Blues Rock Album as Blood Brothers, and Zito won for Blues Artist of the Year.
Now, after their resounding season, they make their way over to New York for a performance at the Music Haven festival. This year, Music Haven celebrates several diverse performers, ranging in several genres from Brazilian Funk to Zydeco to Afrofusion.
Blood Brothers are the latest to join the lineup, making their Music Haven debut on August 16 as part of the Blues BBQ Concert Series. They are joined by their loyal band, including Doug Byrkit on bass guitar, Matt Johnson and Ephraim Lowell on drums and percussion, and Lewis Stephens on keyboards.
Opening for the band are fellow blues artists Misty Blues and finger-pick guitar specialists Piedmont Bluz. Blood Brothers’ headlining performance ends at 9:30 pm. Following the performances is a festive;-wide barbecue for all fans and attendees. After the show, they continue on the rest of their nationwide tour.
Blood Brothers On Tour
AUGUST
08/02 Notodden Blues Festival – Notodden, Norway – Info/Tix
08/15 Chenango Blues Festival Kick-Off in East Park – Norwich, NY – Info/FREE
08/17 Big Bull Falls Blues Fest – Wausau, WI – Info/Tix
While the band gets ready for their tour dates and upcoming festival performances, they are working hard on their solo careers. Mike Zito recently released his latest solo album, Life is Hard, in February earlier this year. Just a week ago, on July 19, Castiglia released Righteous Souls. Both albums have received widespread critical acclaim, ensuring Blood Brothers is a name that blues fans will never forget.
More tour dates are to be announced later this year. Information and tickets are available on the band’s official website. Check them out here.
Harbor Walk, Liberty Hound, and Jeff Miers Music are teaming up to present the Thursday Night Summer Concert Series “Music Matters.” The series takes place on the New Harbor Walk Facility at the Erie Basin Marina in Buffalo. Concerts take place on Thursdays at 7 pm, so don’t miss the last few weeks of eclectic performers.
Now in its final weeks, the Music Matters concert series features a wide variety of regional artists and organizations for attendees to enjoy. Local businesses set up their booths all over the boardwalk, offering special creations just for the event. Private special events on the boardwalk are held after each concert for fans who wish the night would never end.
“I’m excited to be teaming with my friend Jason Davidson and the Liberty Hound to present this summer concert series at the new Harbor Walk venue,’” says Music Matters Series co-producer Jeff Miers. “There’s a long history of live music on Thursday nights in the Canalside region, and it feels great to be able to assemble this lineup of incredible Buffalo talent to continue that tradition at one of our city’s most breathtakingly beautiful sites.”
Music Matters brings an incredibly diverse and talented batch of musicians to Harbor Walk every year. This year, a lineup of rock, country, and funk artists take the stage. In its home stretch, bands like Critt (joined by special guest Blaised and Confused), Funktional Flow, and The Strictly Hip, along with a special announcement for the show on August 8, are ready to turn up the funk for Buffalo crowds.
Don’t miss the last few performances of Music Matters, every Thursday starting at 7 pm. More information is available here.
Jon ‘The Barber’ Gutwillig (a.k.a. Baba G) of The Disco Biscuits will join forces with Ben Atkind of Elephantproof (formerly Goose) to perform on August 3 at Bearsville Theater in Woodstock. The evening will kick off with a set by Capital Region’s own SM INK.
The performance on August 3 marks Barber’s Woodstock debut. Having performed as part of groups and, Barber has garnered a reputation as the guitar player for the band The Disco Biscuits. However, his appearance at the Bearsville Theater marks his first solo set at the theater.
Barber will be stepping out of his comfort zone for Saturday’s show, performing as a DJ named “Baba G,” and bringing house music, trance, and techno, and even remixes of his own songs from The Disco Biscuits.
Baba G will be joined by Ben Atkind of Elephantproof (formerly known as Goose). Atkins will provide drums for the set, while Barber hops in between the guitar and the DJ booth. This marks the second time Barber and Atkind perform together, bringing their dynamic and energetic performances to the Future City Lounge in Brooklyn just two months ago.
“I’m excited to collaborate with Ben again,” says Barber. “Our Brooklyn show was very well received, and I think we’ll deliver an even stronger performance now that we’ve got a show under our belts,” Barber said, referencing the duo’s June 1 performance at Future City Lounge.
Regardless of their past as a duo, Barber and Atkind are gearing up for a performance unlike any other. Their inspirations from disco and electronica music make for an incredibly unique blend of sound, perfect for the early days of the recently reborn Bearsville Theater. The innovative spin on house and disco music will surely be a night that lifelong fans and newcomers alike, whether or their solo or group work, will never forget.
Bearsville Theater is located at 291 Tinker St, Woodstock, NY. This event is 21+, and doors open at 7 PM on August 3. Tickets are available online at the Bearsville Theater’s website, linked here.
