As Noah Lehrman and FlowPoetry completed the “Beat of My Voice” US Summer Tour, the duo released live performance videos from their July 31 late night show at Rockwood Music Hall in the Lower East Side of Manhattan giving fans a look into the intimate show.
Live versions of songs “Tonight,” “Holy Man” and “DripStuck” from the Rockwood performance are now out. The videos give fans a special look at the tour featuring photos taken by Noah and photographer Ron Adelberg on the road. The videos tease their live album that consists of the first three New York performances on the tour.
FlowPoetry, also known as Adam Pergament, is a spoken word artist from Madison, WI. On tour with NYC-based drummer Noah Lehrman, the pair performed improvisational shows that incorporated genres ranging from jazz to EDM.
The tour took them from the Midwest to the East Coast. It began in Madison, WI at the new venue Gamma Ray on July 24. After shows in Ohio, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Massachusetts, the pair performed at the Rockwood Music Hall on July 31 where these live tracks took place to give an insider look at the experience. From there they returned to Pennsylvania and then back to New York again, performing at Olives in Nyack and at Silvana in Harlem. The tour concluded on August 5 at the 8 x 10 Club in Baltimore, MD.
Noah will be back for solo performances at the 10th Anniversary Froggy Daze Music Festival in Narrowsburg, NY from Thursday, September 5 to Sunday, September 8.
Albany-raised pop-punk band State Champs put forth a new music video for their single, “Too Late to Say.” The release comes just after the band announced their fifth studio album, State Champs, to be released on November 8.
The track “Too Late to Say” showcases an unfamiliar sound to the group’s norm. One that displays a refreshing vulnerability for the band. It rings youthful and polished, but the track holds deeper meaning. “Too Late to Say” highlights the fear of losing yourself. The music video embodies this narrative as the band is seen performing in the back of a speeding truck. This scene is a metaphor for the fast-paced reality of life and its moments.
The music video is an intimate showcasing of the group’s inner fears, and concerns for their future, as well as reminiscing on fears of their past. Throughout the video you see the truck moving quickly down the road. This theme symbolizes the speed at which life may feel to pass as one ages.
“Too Late to Say” is a track off of State Champs’ upcoming 12-song, self-titled album, State Champs. The band is also set to tour across North America beginning November 8 alongside the release of the album. The band has become a major player in the pop-punk scene, championing the genre over the past decade.
For more information on State Champs upcoming releases, and to check out their new music video, click here.
In Buffalo, from July 5-7, the Savannah Bananas‘ made their latest stop as part of their 2024 world tour. Moreover fans eagerly anticipated the arrival of Banana Ball’s newest team, the Firefighters. This series marked three games out of 19 on the Bananas’ tour schedule.
The previous series saw the Bananas and the Party Animals clash in Savannah and Las Vegas, with the Bananas also having faced off against the Firefighters in Nashville and Savannah.
The Firefighters made their much-anticipated debut on May 30, shaking up the tour dynamics. Traditionally, the Bananas exclusively faced the Party Animals in each World Tour game until now. With the introduction of the Firefighters, both the Bananas and the Party Animals will compete against this new team. Notably, the Party Animals are set for their own 12-game headline leg of the Tour.
Over the course of this three-game series at Sahlen Field, more than 49,000 fans were entertained. The Bananas currently lead the 2024 Tour with a record of 31-22, having recently clinched a series victory in Indianapolis. The Bananas have now won all three of their games played in Buffalo.
Who are the Savannah Bananas?
For local interest, pitcher Ryan Kellogg of the Bananas hails from Whitby, Ontario, Canada. The Bananas’ journey began in 2015 in Savannah, where they revitalized baseball with a focus on fun and fan engagement. Despite early challenges, including financial strain that led owners Jesse and Emily Cole to sell their home, the team gained national attention upon adopting the name Savannah Bananas in 2016. Initially controversial, the name brought significant media coverage and packed stadiums, setting a precedent for their success.
After seven seasons in the Coastal Plain League, during which they won three Petitt Cup Championships and saw over 35 players drafted, the Bananas transitioned to year-round Banana Ball, a faster-paced and more entertaining version of baseball. Now fielding three independent professional teamsâthe Savannah Bananas, the Party Animals, and the Firefightersâthe organization continues to innovate and expand its impact on the sport.
Banana Ball is defined by its unique set of 11 rules aimed at keeping the game exciting and competitive. This year, a new rule called the GOLDEN BATTER has been introduced, allowing each team one opportunity per game to send any hitter to the plate, regardless of their position in the lineup or the game situation. This rule is designed to intensify close games and offer a strategic advantage to either team.
“CMA Fest,” the Music Event of Summer, will air its annual concert television special on ABC, Tuesday June 25 at 8pm EST. It will be available to stream on Hulu the following day.
The War and Treaty perform at CMA Fest
The three hour special will be hosted by Jelly Roll and Ashley McBride and will recap four days of musical performances and surprise collaborations which occurred during CMA Fest in Nashville, June 6-9.
Courtesy of Country Music Association
Tuesday’s special will feature performances by Kelsea Ballerini, Big & Rich, Clint Black, Brothers Osborne, Luke Bryan, Terri Clark, Jordan Davis, Jackson Dean, Billy F Gibbons, HARDY, Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson, Little Big Town, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ashley McBryde, Parker McCollum, Megan Moroney, Jon Pardi, Carly Pearce, Post Malone, Shaboozey, Blake Shelton, Brittney Spencer, The War And Treaty, Thomas Rhett, Keith Urban, Gretchen Wilson, Lainey Wilson and Bailey Zimmerman.
The Castellows perform at CMA Fest
Ahead of watching the CMA Fest Concert Special, check out the full recap from New York State Music for the CMAC festival this month here.
In June 2004, the “end” was nigh for Phish as a band. The thought-to-be career-ending Coventry festival was slated for mid-August and all indications at this time was that there was no turning back and to savor every last performance. Before Phish would hang it up though, they graced SPAC with a two-day run over Father’s Day Weekend that featured moments of sheer brilliance, musical flubs that were all too common to this era and a surprise dad of their own that evoked memories of a happier time in the band’s history.
This particular SPAC run, only the fourth and fifth times that the band has ever played here, starts off with a bit of a surprise in the form of a “Reba” opener. Phish breezes through the composed sections of this intricate arrangement with ease before a relatively brief but euphoric improvised jam that follows. Alas, there would be no whistle-led ending to this one. Instead the band immediately pivots to a much more traditional show opener in “Runaway Jim.” Trey Anastasio leads the way on this one with some driving guitar fills which continually increase the tempo and depth of the ensuing jam until it comes to a head.
Tonight’s show maintains a relatively old school feel to it early on with the “NICU” that comes next with the “looked back on those days when my life was a haze” and the “Play it, Leo” lines both getting a hearty round of applause from the SPAC faithful. Phish then finally dives into their newer material with “Scents and Subtle Sounds” from their Undermind album which was just officially released last week. There would be no slow introduction for this one though as heard on the album. Instead Phish immediately jumps into the lyrical portion of the song, the first time they would ever do this. “Scents” yields another brief but truly uplifting outro jam with keyboardist Page McConnell pounding away on the piano while he and bassist Mike Gordon bookend it with harmonized lyrics.
Phish 2004 SPAC poster by Louis Arzonico
There’s a noticeable break between songs afterwards, perhaps with Phish trying decide how to end this first set at SPAC. It begins with a very slow, almost plodding “Wolfman’s Brother” that the band really takes their time with and certainly doesn’t suffer from a lack of funk. The “Walls of the Cave” that follows provides some of the best moments of the first set. After its typical thunderous outro jam, Phish takes it around the block and then some, going into a full Type II ambient/melodic jam that includes guitar riffs from Anastasio that would reappear in tomorrow night’s second set. As the jam slowly peters out, drummer Jon Fishman starts up the signature high-hat intro to “David Bowie” which closes out the first set in grand fashion.
Phish jumps right back into the deep end to begin the second set with the second ever performance of “A Song I Heard The Ocean Sing,” another new selection from Undermind which debuted days earlier in Brooklyn. It showcases the band’s true colors with a rollicking early jam that stays true to the song’s original structure before veering off into another exploratory Type II vehicle that elicits authentic aquatic vibes in its early stages before a slow and gradual reshape back to form.
poster by Jason Lees
This sets for the stage for “Piper,” a legendary version that phish.net properly describes as “a multi-section improvisational super heavyweight.” There’s no slow build in this 30-minute plus rendition that some argue is the best one of all time. Phish gets right down to business immediately, ripping through the brief lyrical section before leaping into a ferocious jam that starts off at an incredible pace and doesn’t let up for a while. At one point, the jam starts to ascend in a true “Tweezer Reprise”-like fashion without the song ever actually being played, with Anastasio going full rock god mode and vamping maniacally. It’s all adds up to a “Piper” that rivals the one played at Camp Oswego in 1999 and one that certainly belongs in any “Best Of” discussion.
The groove that develops on the back end of “Piper” eventually rounds cleanly into the beginning of “Gotta Jibboo.” Anastasio has the digital delay loop ready to go and this yields another joyous albeit brief jam that never rounds back into the end of “Jibboo.” Phish instead pivots to “Limb By Limb” with a standout version that features a series of patiently crafted, blissful peaks. “Cavern” then brings the second set to a close, marred a little bit by Anastasio completely spacing on some of the lyrics. Phish ends the first show at SPAC this weekend with a tame and relatively nondescript “Wading In the Velvet Sea.” Unfortunately, the same couldn’t be said about their “last” one of these at Coventry later this summer.
June 19 review by Tim O’Shea
Phish – Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) – Saratoga Springs, NY – Saturday, June 19, 2004
Set 1: Reba, Runaway Jim>NICU>Scents and Subtle Sounds, Wolfman’s Brother, Walls of the Cave->David Bowie
Set 2: A Song I Heard The Ocean Sing>Piper->Gotta Jibboo>Limb by Limb, Cavern
E: Wading in the Velvet Sea
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UIBFR2eVVs
In 2009, fans returned to SPAC for what would be a five-years and two month gap between Phish shows in Saratoga Springs, but no one at the time knew this, let alone the band. Having only played SPAC five times between 1994 and 2004, the band found new affinity for the (originally) summer home of the New York City Ballet and Philadelphia Orchestra. With Anastasio spending time from 2007-08 living in Saratoga Springs while serving probation, return trips to SPAC have been frequent, almost annual events, marking 19 shows since 2009 alone.
But this 2.0 era show stands out (as does the night before) with jam highlights throughout, erasing even if briefly the specter of the band’s ‘final’ shows coming up less than two months later. Never has the phrase “never miss a Sunday show” been more ominous, as for some, this would be the last time they would see the band perform live for many years.
Phish SPAC 2004 poster by Ryan Kerrigan
Opening up the first set with an energetic “Rift” that lit the audience up, segueing into “Julius” during which Trey broke a guitar string. Following the repair, the band was joined by Dr. Jack McConnell, the father of Page “Chairman of the Boards” McConnell, who performed “Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please Come Home” for the first time since 1999, even donning his tap shoes to soft shoe on this Father’s Day. This sit-in followed Jay-Z joining Phish just two days later in Coney Island on “99 Problems” and “Big Pimpin’.’
Shirt design by Tripp
The “Waves” that followed had a heavier flow to it, pushing past the composed section and keeping the song upbeat and lively until the end. A funky ‘Gumbo” gave way to a trio of shorter songs – “Water in the Sky,” “Horn” and “Poor Heart,” which offered a break in the action, before delivering a 22+ minute version of The Who’s “Drowned.” You could lump “Drowned” in with the second set jamming that followed, and rightly so – this version of “Drowned” is often overlooked because of the lore that has followed the second set of 6/20/2004, but should not be. Anastasio is in the zone throughout, shredding and leading the way, even working in a tease of Deep Purple’s “Lazy.”
Set two began with RoundRoom track “Seven Below” that showed early promise on December 31, 2002, and delivered in each appearance until that point. Starting out dark and working the tempo up, “-7” found its way into a rocking version of “Ghost.” This pairing would be found that November in Albany as another substantial “Seven Below” > “Ghost.’
An all-time great jam followed, with the rocking funk of “Twist” getting the balcony bouncing. At 21 minutes long, this deserves a few listens. By 7:00, the first Type II jam has lifted off, and as you listen, every two minutes, there is a fresh section of improv dissimilar from the previous two minutes. The jam from 7:00-17:00 just keeps evolving and developing, with Anastasio once again leading the way, while Fishman and Gordon lay down the rhythm to keep the pace. Locked in, after 17:00, “Twist” shreds until Anastasio pulls out the ‘hose’ and winds the song towards conclusion.
shirt design by Dylan Levene
“You Enjoy Myself” would follow and close the set, offering thunderous approval from fans and giving SPAC the ever rare, and coveted, four song set. An encore of “Good Times Bad Times” was bittersweet and is served as a mantra for that summer’s fateful tour, one that would put the band on hold for four and a half years, but bring them back stronger than ever in 2009.
Phish – Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC), Saratoga Springs, NY – Sunday, June 20, 2004
Set 1: Rift > Julius, Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please Come Home?[1], Waves, Gumbo, Water in the Sky, Horn, Poor Heart > Drowned Set 2: Seven Below > Ghost -> Twist, You Enjoy Myself Encore: Good Times Bad Times [1] Dr. Jack McConnell on vocals and tap shoes
Genre-disrupting star Jelani Aryeh makes waves with his new complex single “Hang On” which dropped last May 17. The up-and-coming artist headlined The Wild Honey Pie x Stereogum Present: A Pizza Party at Round Top last February and played at the inaugural First River Festival in October 2021.
“Hang On” is accompanied by a visually stunning short film shot by acclaimed photographer Silken Weinberg in Yosemite National Park. “Hang On,” co-written with Jonny Pierce (The Drums) is the final single release off Aryeh’s upcoming sophomore album, The Sweater Club, out everywhere June 14.
Sonically, “Hold On” presents as a clipped, summer-ready feast of alt-pop. Yet, its lyrics dive headfirst into the bewitching early stages of love, particularly the exploration of the relationship between pleasure and pain. The interplay between its uptempo rhythm and trance-like melody further saturates the song with this bittersweet feeling. “Hold On” captures a sentiment where emotional struggle and connection through adversity can lead to a form of cathartic pleasure or deeper understanding.
Jelani Aryeh explains, “This is a sister song to “I’m In Love.” I think it comes from a more sincere place, or maybe honest is the right word. While “I’m In Love” is kind of in a fantasy/heady space, this one is me quite literally wishing I was speaking to this person. It’s talking about the same things but from a more dark and submissive kind of place.”
The previous release that Aryeh references leans heavily into the indie-rock aspects of “Hang On,” but from a more optimistic, idealized standpoint with lyrics like “a fantasy version of us, don’t wake me from this dreaming, just let me hold onto this dream that I have…”. The young artist first broke into the scene with his single “Stella Brown.” However, this distinct emotional perspective is one Aryeh has been drawing from since before 2019 in his debut EP “Helvetica” which includes popular favorites like “Brown” and “Marigold.”
Fans old and new can find this release and links to the upcoming album The Sweater Clubhere.
There’s a new music festival that’s been announced for the summer season. Wonderland Forest in Lafayette, NY will play host to Grateful Getaway, a series of Grateful Dead tribute acts playing over the course of eleven consecutive days in August.
The initial artist lineup has now been announced with more to follow and there’s various ticketing options for either individual shows or all eleven packaged together.
Grateful Getaway promises to feature a harmonious fusion of sound, nature, and community and begins on August 2 and 3 with two performances by the Sam Grisman Project. The August 3 show will also feature a supporting act from Grateful for Biggie – a band that blends the iconic worlds of the Grateful Dead and Notorious B.I.G.
Pink Talking Fish then takes over Wonderland Forest for a show on Sunday, August 4 and the artist for the Monday, August 5 show has yet to be announced.
Grateful Getaway then powers right along to Tuesday, August 6 with a performance from Steely Dead, another “mash-up” tribute act that lives up to the name. This then sets the stage for two of the more renowned and long lasting Dead cover bands that are playing today.
Melvin Seals & JGB will headline on August 7 and 8 and then pass the baton to Dark Star Orchestra for two shows on Friday, August 9 and Saturday, August 10. Grateful Getaway will then come to an end on Sunday, August 11 with that night’s headliner also yet to be announced.
Tickets for individual shows and further information can be found here.
Phish has officially unleashed “Oblivion,” the second song released from their forthcoming new album Evolve. The band’s first album in over four years, Evolve, is set to arrive via JEMP Records/ATO on Friday, July 12. But now two tracks from it have been unveiled before its official release next month. First, the album’s title track “Evolve” premiered last month. And now “Oblivion” has been made available to the public – with both studio cuts able to be heard below.
Evolve, Phish’s 16th studio album, is produced by Vance Powell and Bryce Goggin. It was recorded in the fall of 2023 at the band’s now famous Vermont recording studio, The Barn. True to Phish’s unique creative process, the album’s 12 tracks were selected from arrangements shaped by the band’s dynamic live performances. Some, like the fan-favorite “A Wave Of Hope,” have become springboards for Phish’s most soaring improvisation.
Phish seems to be giving “Oblivion” the same treatment. The song first debuted last summer and has already been played ten times, with a few serious jams attached to the back end. This includes a standout performance in Syracuse just a few weeks after its debut. And a huge arena rock version as only Madison Square Garden can supply.
This new album seems to have a fitting title as Phish’s distinct musical language is on vivid display; still pushing boundaries, still very much continuing to evolve. The cover of Evolve and gatefold feature paintings by Mehdi Ghadyanloo. The track “The Well” is only available on the vinyl version of the album.
Phish Dry Goods has three different exclusive pressings of Evolve available for pre-order, including a “Crimson Robed Edition” (neon-pink/maroon colored wax), “Pillow Jets Edition” (transparent/blue colored wax), and an “Eco-Onyx Gates” 180g Audiophile Edition pressed on recycled eco-black wax. T-shirts, CDs, and hats are also available.
Evolve Tracklist
1. Hey Stranger 4:47 2. Oblivion 6:03 3. Evolve 4:12 4. A Wave Of Hope 5:04 5. Pillow Jets 5:57 6. Lonely Trip 6:00 7. Life Saving Gun 4:25 8. Monsters 5:15 9. Ether Edge 4:06 10. Human Nature 2:54 11. Valdese 3:36 12. The Well 4:30* 13. Mercy 4:11
*track available only on the vinyl version
Pre-orders for Evolve are available now in all formats – including digital, CD, and double LP vinyl – via the Phish Dry Goods store: https://dry.gd/evolve.
The BMI Jazz Composers Workshop has announced that its 35th annual summer showcase will be held on June 5 this year.
The event, which is free and open to the public, is scheduled for 7:30 pm at The Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater in Manhattan at 10 W 64th St. It aims to showcase the best big band and jazz orchestra compositions that have been produced in the workshop throughout the year.
The performances will feature the BMI/New York Jazz Orchestra, a 17-piece modern repertory ensemble made up of leading New York musicians, performing eight new compositions that have been developed this season. The annual Charlie Parker Jazz Composition Prize and Manny Album Commission will be awarded to one of these new works. Additionally, the BMI Jazz Composers Workshop will also feature a new commission from last year’s prize winner, Joseph Herbst.
The orchestra will be led by Musical Director Andy Farber, who returns for his eighth year, alongside Assistant Musical Director and three-time GRAMMY-nominee Alan Ferber. Farber teaches jazz composition and arranging at The Juilliard School in New York and has written arrangements for legendary artists including Shirley Horn and Jon Hendricks, as well as symphony orchestras including the Boston Pops Orchestra.
Ferber currently teaches composition and arranging at NYU and Montclair State University and directs the NYU Jazz Orchestra. He’s an award-winning trombonist, a multi GRAMMY-nominated composer/arranger and a band leader with nine recordings under his name. As a recording artist, he’s played on over 150 albums, and has collaborated with a broad range of artists that includes Esperanza Spalding, Miguel Zenon, Paul Simon, Sufjan Stevens, and Dr. Dre.
BMI is delighted to announce the return of the Jazz Composers Workshop Summer Showcase, partnering once more with our exceptional directors Andy and Alan. Each year, we eagerly anticipate gathering to enjoy the extraordinary compositions crafted throughout the year and to honor another deserving recipient of the Charlie Parker Prize.
~ Patrick Cook, BMI Senior Director of Jazz & Musical Theatre
The 25th Annual Charlie Parker Jazz Composition Prize will be awarded to the writer of the best new work composed in this year’s BMI Jazz Composers Workshop, determined by three judges: David Berger, Don Braden and John Fedchock. This year’s winning composer will also receive the Manny Albam Commission, named in memory of the Workshop’s co-founder and longtime musical director, to compose a new piece for the 2025 showcase.
Dark Star Orchestra, one of the country’s premier Grateful Dead tribute bands, have finalized their U.S. summer touring schedule. The tour will span both coasts and everything in between, and the band’s August slate now contains shows all throughout New York State.
Along the tour, Dark Star Orchestra is going to be performing some special this summer. For the July 21 show at the Stone Pony Summer Stage in Asbury Park, NJ the band announced today they will be recreating the Dead’s epic 9/3/77 show from nearby Englishtown, NJ. “Its proximity, only 25 miles from Asbury Park, and the fact that it was an epic outdoor show, made sense for us to choose,” notes DSO bassist Skip Vangelas. “Itâs a classic show in the GD world and one that New Jerseyans, whether Deadhead or not have never forgotten!”
A few weeks later, the band is scheduled to play Wonderland Forest in Lafayette, NY on August 9 and 10. The newly established venue located just south of Syracuse will also play host to the Biscoland festival this summer. DSO will also play The Rooftop at Pier 17 on August 11, Innovative Field in Rochester on August 21 and the Frog Alley Summer Stage in Schenectady the following day on August 22.
Special dates are dotted all throughout the summer tour, including the band’s debut at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, CA on July 13. It marks a celebration of 40 years of the Rex Foundation and the benefit performance will see DSO offer a 40-years-to-the-day recreation of the Dead’s 7/13/84 performance from The Greek Theatre.
More information and links to ticketing info can be found here.
