NYS Music 2024

Category: Alternative/Indie

  • The Head And The Heart Announce Summer Headlining Tour Coming to Albany, Rochester, and La Fayette

    The Head And The Heart have announced a headlining run of summer North American dates, beginning July 20 in West Des Moines, IA., and concluding August 20 in Moorehead, MN. The group is coming to Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards on July 24, Palace Theatre on July 28, and Kodak Center on July 29. They are also opening for The Black Keys at MSG on Oct. 30.

    The Head And The Heart
    Photo Credit: Shervin Lainez

    The Head And The Heart will be joined on select dates by Phosphorescent, Michigander, Madison Cunningham, and Houndmouth.

    2023 was a triumphant year for the group, who sold out the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre outside Denver for the seventh time, co-headlined a tour with The Revivalists and Father John Misty, and launched their own music festival, Down in the Valley, in Napa, CA. The event featured acoustic and full-band sets from The Head and the Heart plus some of today’s top folk and rock talent, including Dawes, Miya Folick, and Faye Webster. The group was touring in support of their fifth studio album, Every Shade of Blue – released in 2022.

    Initially self-released in 2011, The Head And The Heart’s self-titled breakout debut produced instant classics including “Rivers and Roads,” “Down in the Valley” and “Lost In My Mind” (#1 at AAA) and is now certified Gold. 2013’s Let’s Be Still and 2016’s Signs of Light settled into Billboard’s Top 10 Albums chart. The single “All We Ever Knew” became the band’s first #1 at on the Alternative chart and was also #1 at AAA for nine straight weeks. The band’s fourth full-length, Living Mirage, was released to critical praise in 2019.

    The band has appeared in Cameron Crowe’s Roadies and their music has been featured in countless other commercials, films, and TV shows. The Head And The Heart has performed 15 times on national television, including appearances on Ellen, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Austin City Limits, and more.

    For more information and to purchase tickets to their upcoming tour, visit here.

    The Head And The Heart Tour Dates

    6/30 Hartford, CT The Capitol Groove Festival * 

    7/12 Bend, OR Hayden Homes Amphitheater !

    7/14 Seattle, WA Day In Day Out Festival *

    7/19 Saint Paul, MN Minnesota Yacht Club *

    7/20 West Des Moines, IA Val Air Ballroom &

    7/21 St. Louis, MO Saint Louis Music Park &

    7/24 La Fayette, NY Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards &

    7/25 Burlington, VT Waterfront Park &

    7/28 Albany, NY Palace Theatre &

    7/29 Rochester, NY Kodak Center &

    7/31 Wilmington, NC Greenfield Lake Amphitheater &

    8/1 Charleston, SC The Refinery &

    8/2 St. Petersburg, FL Jannus Live &

    8/3 Orlando, FL House of Blues Orlando &

    8/6 Birmingham, AL Avondale Brewing Co. &

    8/7 Little Rock, AR Robinson Center &

    8/8 Wichita, KS The Cotillion &

    8/10 Bellevue, NE Outlandia *

    8/12 Morrison, CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre $

    8/13 Morrison, CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre #

    8/15 Aspen, CO Belly Up Aspen ^

    8/17 Bozeman, MT The ELM ^

    8/18 Columbia Falls, MT Scout & Gather ^

    8/20 Moorehead, MN Bluestem Amphitheatre ^

    9/14 Templeton, CA Whale Rock Music & Arts Festival *

    9/17 Tulsa, OK BOK Center %

    9/18 Austin, TX Moody Center %

    9/20 Louisville, KY Bourbon & Beyond *

    9/21 Houston, TX Toyota Center %

    9/16 Phoenix, AZ Footprint Center %

    9/27 Los Angeles, CA Kia Forum %

    9/28 Palm Springs, CA Acrisure Arena %

    9/29 Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre %

    10/10 Pittsburgh, PA PPG Paints Arena %

    10/11 Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena %

    10/12 Cleveland, OH Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse %

    10/13 Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel Arena %

    10/16 Charlotte, NC Spectrum Center %

    10/18 Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena %

    10/19 Atlanta, GA State Farm Arena %

    10/21 Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center %

    10/24 Columbus, OH Nationwide Arena %

    10/26 Indianapolis, IN Gainbridge Fieldhouse %

    10/27 Knoxville, TN Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center %

    10/30 New York, NY Madison Square Garden %

    11/2 Baltimore, MD CFG Bank Arena %

    11/7 Chicago, IL United Center %

    11/9 Milwaukee, WI Fiserv Forum %

    11/12 Detroit, MI Little Caesars Arena %

    With The Decemberists (!), Phosphorescent (&), Michigander (^), Madison Cunningham ($), Houndmouth (#) 

     The Black Keys (%)

  • A night with Matt Maeson in Buffalo

    On April 20, Matt Maeson took the stage at Electric City with Brother Bird for a one-night intimate engagement in Buffalo. A night full of feelings and connection.

    Brother Bird, a Nashville-based singer, started the night by captivating the audience with her melodic sound and mesmerizing lyrics. Each of her songs she performed set the tone for the rest of the night.

    Matt’s solo experience brought the audience an intimate engagement. The audience was seated close to the stage. Between songs, Matt would share personal stories about the next song he was going to perform. With each interaction through song and stories, he drew the crowd in, and you could see and feel the audience so engaged with him and taking in each lyric that he sang to them.

    By the end of the night, Matt Maeson and Brother Bird left the audience in their feels and more connected.

    After his solo tour, Matt will be opening for Zach Bryan from July through December and will be back in New York on December 18 and 19th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Brother Bird will be performing in Brooklyn on May 4, opening for The Brevet.

    Matt Maeson setlist: That’s My Cue, Blood Runs Red, Me and My Friends Are Lonely, Halfway the Hole, Cringe, Cliffy, Feel Good, Tribulation, Split Personality Blues, Rational, Nelsonwood Lane, Get Happy, Sanctified, Bank on the Funeral, Cut Deep, Hallucinogenics, Beggar’s Song
    Encore: Legacy

  • Rebecca Karpen Finds Closure In Her New Single “23”

    Indie artist Rebecca Karpen has released a new single “23” that deals with finding closure and moving on, streaming now. 

    NYC-based singer and songwriter Rebecca Karpen has been making music for the past 10 years that blends her outstanding vocals and distinctive songwriting. In her new acoustic, sentimental and melancholy single “23”, Rebecca shared that her song is a means of finding closure after being psychologically abused by her mentor during college, the effects of which almost cost her life as she inadvertently neglected her health. “I have never felt as free as I did after completing this song,  and I hope that you find something of meaning for yourselves in it.”

    “23” can be interpreted as a genuinely personal piece of work about a traumatizing experience. Rebecca added that “grief is a really weird thing because we never entirely stop grieving, we just gradually stop letting it control us and allow it to disappear, piece by piece, into the recesses of our minds. It doesn’t leave, so occasionally, something will be a bit of a jump scare and drag this fear and pain up again suddenly and it makes it incredibly difficult to live your life outside of the fear of encountering this horrible sense of dread again”. 

    After not being able to cope for a while, she found the best and only way to cope and move on was to speak about her isolating and overwhelming experience hence she wrote “23”. “I was fighting a war against someone who wasn’t there any longer and it still felt like I was losing. I was angry and frustrated because it felt like this other person who had caused so much destruction and ruined my life, had caused me to neglect my own health out of stress, was able to steal away without any consequence for what they had inflicted, while I just needed to deal with it alone as the people closest to me struggled to understand if my rage was warranted or just me speaking from a place of anger and vilifying someone none of them had ever met.” Rebecca added.

    It usually takes a while for someone to get the clarity that they need, as it took Rebecca about 3 years to finish writing “23”, a song reflecting on still being haunted by someone who couldn’t be more physically absent in their world, yet mentally and emotionally ubiquitous. Although her single might sound dark and appear tragic, in a weird way, “23” gave Rebecca peace. “I think it allowed me to get the closure  I needed and find the words to describe something I had been incapable of processing or articulating for years and now that I could tell this story, I didn’t feel chained to it anymore. It actually freed me from this person’s hold in recording it.” The newly released single was a moment of triumph for the singer and she doesn’t think she’s ever been so nervous and so passionate about any song she’s ever released. 

    Accompanied with the new single, Rebecca also teased to her fans that she’s working on her debut album “Edelweiss, Or Soundtrack to a Nervous Breakdown”, that could potentially release next year, and fans should be on lookout for new singles coming out later this year.

    “23” from Rebecca Karopen is available to stream everywhere. And for more information about the singer, fans can visit here.

  • Hearing Aide: NYC-Based Indie Group Rookie Mistake Release Debut EP, “I Will Not Die in Upstate New York”

    NYC-based indie-folk group Rookie Mistake have released their debut EP I Will Not Die in Upstate New York on March 29. The album is full of intriguing sound and promising talent.

    I Will Not Die in Upstate New York

    Rookie Mistake is made up of Nick Fioravanti, Gianna Minerva, Justin Gambardella, and Ethan Brown. They were originally formed in May 2022 in college at SUNY Oneonta and are currently based in the NYC Metro. They’re excited to share their debut EP, I Will Not Die in Upstate New York after playing house shows and small clubs around New York State.

    The group is heavily swayed by artists from genres like folk, indie, alternative, and classic rock. You can hear similarities to groups like Joy Again, The Walters, The Lumineers, and Mumford and Sons. The group refuses to conform to a specific genre. They have elements of folk, indie, bluegrass, and glimpses of alternative.

    The opening track “I Will Not Die in Upstate New York” sets the tone of the EP with a heavy emphasis on acoustic folk, but still gripping the indie sound. It is a story of returning home, leaving the past behind, traveling far and wide and living life. The next track “Fortune Cookie” is quite laid back, but transforms into a heartfelt, hopeful and fast-paced tune. This track really shows the singer’s heavier vocals and the instrumental capabilities as more than just soft folk.

    When the song “Trampoline” plays, the band really starts to show their indie roots. They prove their talents are simply multi-dimensional. “Famous” and “I Love it Here” bring back those soft, folk elements and showcases that the band can play a range of sound and can make indie-folk really pop. The songs are filled with depth, both emotionally and instrumentally.

    To hear Rookie Mistake’s debut EP and to learn more about the band, click here.

  • Kristin Flammio & the Pretty Bitchin Release Latest Single, “Never Too High”

    Kristin Flammio & the Pretty Bitchin are excited to celebrate the release of their next single “Never Too High” on April 20 with a release show on Wednesday May 8th at The Broadway in NYC.

    Kristin Flammio & the Pretty Bitchin delivers a strong love letter of empowering and fun rock and roll with a nod to pop, country and dance. The Brooklyn based four-piece, formed in 2019, consists of Kristin Flammio, Jericho Davidson, Matt Puckett and Will Noland. The band released their debut album, If You Want to Leave in 2021 and their crowd favorite, “Not This Time” in November 2023. Finally, the group is back at it with the release of “Never Too High” on April 20.

    Kristin Flammio & the Pretty Bitchin’s upcoming new track, “Never Too High” is cleverly releasing on 4/20. The track is explosive with energy and feel-good. The song has been stuck in my head ever since the first listen. It certainly has the sound and atmosphere of a hit single. Punchy drums, joyous melodies, a soaring voice define this track as something to behold.

    “Never Too High” has a classic indie vibe, reminiscent of Florence and the Machine. Influence from alternative, pop, pop-punk, and indie groups are more than apparent. This group utilizes sounds from all across rock and roll to craft their music. “Never Too High” is a prime example of this.

    To learn more about Kristin Flammio & the Pretty Bitchin, their upcoming and existing works, click here.

  • Michael Seyer Celebrates 6 Years of Bad Bonez with Intimate Show at Elsewhere Zone One

    Michael Seyer has brought back his most popular album, Bad Bonez, for its sixth anniversary, playing the entire album live. Seyer even had to write live renditions for some songs on the album which had never been performed before. Elsewhere Zone One provided the perfect setting for this show as an intimate crowd of a couple of hundred fans gathered Sunday, April 14, for a concert filled with soft vocals and fan interaction. It was an experience you can rarely find with an artist of Seyer’s size.

    Seyer has a strong following in New York City and has played shows across Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Buffalo almost every year since 2018, excluding 2020 for obvious reasons. In 2021, Michael Seyer accompanied Men I Trust on their Untourable Album Tour across the US. At their two sold-out shows at Brooklyn Steel, the audience instantly recognized he had something special. His soft dream pop vocals and RnB-inspired instrumentation matched well with the sound of Men I Trust.

    Seyer, now on his own headliner tour, brought out fellow California-based artist Sundiver Ca to open. You may know Sundiver Ca from their synth-forward hit song “Soundtrack for Your Backseat,” but songs like “Wet Dreams” and “Oh Honey” conjured acts like King Krule with reverb-heavy guitar that culminated in belting vocals.

    Seyer entered the stage and opened his set with a rendition of “Zelda’s Lullaby” from the video game The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on an ocarina of his own, with additional backing from the full band. The audience was clearly familiar with Seyer’s discography and personality, given the number of people singing along to every song and bantering with him. In the middle of the set, Seyer teased new music to balance out the older repertoire, only to break out a tongue-in-cheek cover of Nickelback’s “How You Remind Me.”

    Most of the audience may have been toddlers when Nickelback’s Silver Side Up was released, but the audience immediately got the joke and belted out gravely supporting vocals. For another song, Seyer asked a fan to hold up a lyric sheet (as you do when playing a 6-year-old album in full) only to notice mid-song that he had given him the wrong sheet and instead repeated the first verse to laughs from the audience.

    Now, Seyer’s tour continues up the East Coast, through Canada, and then back through the Midwest to finish with four California shows. It has been three years since the 2021 release of his last album, A Good Fool, so we hope he will be back in New York soon with new music. Seyer has shown the world that he is a talent both as a musician and lyricist, so we are excited to see where his career goes.

    Michael Seyer – Elsewhere Zone One, Brooklyn – April 14, 2024

    Setlist: Zelda’s Lullaby, Bad Bonez, Ring Around the Rosie, Show Me How You Feel, I Feel Best When I’m Alone, Weekend at Santa Cruz, Kill All Your Darlings, Untitled Bonez, Waiting for You, Lucky Love, Father, An Awful Lonely Summer, Motions, Sonata for a Bad Ghost

  • Juice Brings their Unique Sound to the Rec Room

    Juice is on the final leg of their first North American tour and performed at the Rec Room in Buffalo on Saturday, April 13.

    Juice

    Opener Kevin Spears, a member of the local band Free Music Party, started the night. Kevin performed songs from his latest EP, Me and Marge. This was Kevin’s first time being an opener and performing as a solo artist, performing “Meant to Be,” “Left Alone,” “Little Lies,” and “And I Saw It Happen,” among others. Kevin’s music is a fusion of Indie/Alternative R&B, setting the vibe perfectly for Juice.

    Kevin Spears

    Juice formed in 2013 in Boston and draws influences from Rock, Pop, Hip-Hop, and R&B, which gives them such a unique sound. Juice performed from their latest EP called Nothing Like a Dream. Songs performed by Juice at Rec Room included “Cruelest Thing,” “Becoming a Stranger,” “Come Alive,” “Temporary Love,” “Playa Delfino,” and “Hard to Feel.”

    To finish out their tour, Juice will perform two more shows on April 26 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and on April 27 in Amherst, Massachusetts.

  • Pop-Rock Band Um Jennifer? Releases Debut EP “The Girl Class”

    NYC-based pop/indie-rock band Um Jennifer? released their debut EP titled, The Girl Class, released on April 5.

    The group’s debut extended play is chock full of charming, energetic, punk-tinged indie rock. Each song on the album is different than the last, with its own sound and charm. There is clear influence from The Cure, Eyedress, Sonic Youth, MGMT, and more. Much of their songs are reminiscent of love, sexuality, adventure, and youth.

    Elijah and Fig set out to pierce the soundscape with their sharp-witted, psyche-puncturing, and simply fun musical skill. The EP does exactly that. The Girl Class collection of songs is an ode to break ups, freak outs, and deep queer longing. Um Jennifer? utilizes their pop/indie/alternative sound to convey their dynamic range of song.

    Throughout The Girl Class EP, love is personified as something fantastic, gory, loud, needy, and needed. These songs were all written within the past year of the band’s life, and were the first songs they wrote together. These songs are the band’s attempt at measuring the immeasurable; at understanding themselves, each other, and the world around them.

    Um Jennifer? has conveyed their ideas and vibe as a band well on this EP. They have proven their ability to switch sound and still remain original and themselves. With a debut album like this, with punchy, catchy, emotional, and passionate tracks, the band catches attention and has an audience awaiting further release.

  • The Suicide Disease Announce Latest Single “Descent”

    Long Island-based grunge band The Suicide Disease announced the release of their latest single, “Descent,” released on April 12.

    The Suicide Disease

    The track is a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always a glimmer of light to hold on to. The Suicide Disease continue to be a beacon of hope for those navigating through their own personal battles. The theme is accompanied by gritty instrumentation and haunting melodies showcasing their signature sound. 

    The Suicide Disease saw success in their previously released tracks “Flood” and “War.” The band hopes to see even greater success with the release of “Descent.” With its raw energy and emotive lyrics, the anthem of resilience and perseverance speaks to life’s struggles and the importance of pushing forward in the face of adversity. This major theme is common in the band’s writing and performance.

    The Suicide Disease

    The group showcases their pop-grunge sound, which is carried by their emotional vocals, punching drumbeats, and rugged, chuggy riffs. Hailing from Mastic, Long Island, The Suicide Disease utilizes their locale of depressive-beach as an outlet for creativity and sees nodes of bands like The Cure, Chevelle, and Fallout Boy. They simultaneously inhabit the spirit of bands like My Chemical Romance and Three Days Grace with the loud, in-your-face emo sound. “Descent” stays true with these sounds and inspirations and holds something inspiring yet dark in their writing.

    “Descent is the dark path we take when we are constantly thinking about the macabre.  Wanting someone back from the dead and not moving forward with your life because of it. It’s as bad as trying to dig up a body, you’re just digging up the past. And the message here is that death is final – so loved ones would tell you to live on.”

    Jay Francis – Lead Vocals

    Stream “Descent” by The Suicide Disease on all platforms here. Be sure to stay up to date on the band by checking out their socials. Click here to listen to their other music via Spotify.

  • Permanent Moves Announce Debut Album ‘Don’t Forget Us: A Chekhovian Song Cycle’

    The indie-electro-folk-rock duo Permanent Moves, based in Brooklyn, will debut on April 12 with the release of their album Don’t Forget Us: A Chekhovian Song Cycle.

    With a narrative that explores the depths of human nature, Permanent Moves draws inspiration from the classic works of Anton Chekhov. Their upcoming album features Chris Giarmo (American Utopia) and Jessie Shelton (Hadestown), Karl Blau, Starr Busby, and other special guests.

    The pair believes their music allows listeners to reflect on their own paths while navigating life’s challenges. In a statement, the pair reflects on their seven-year songwriting journey, focusing on Chekhov’s talent for capturing life’s unspoken moments. The artists said, “It speaks to the questions we often sit around talking about”.

    Photo by: Sammy Tunis

    Photo by: Sammy Tunis

    Praised for their “sonically gorgeous” sound, Shane Chapman and Julia Sirna-Frest have garnered recognition from The New York Times. Julia is a performer, director and musician bringing experience to the project. In addition, she is praised for her diverse talents, shining both on stage and off. Their joint vision gains depth from Shane’s skill as a musician and composer.

    With build up for the album’s release, Permanent Moves is set to leave a lasting impact on the indie music scene and beyond. Soon, fans will experience Permanent Moves live at Brooklyn’s Sultan Room on April 16 for a record release show.

    Get your tickets for the Sultan Room record release show and stream “Don’t Forget Us” now for a preview of what’s to come. You can experience Permanent Moves’ stunning sound in its purest form by pre-ordering Don’t Forget Us on vinyl.