Cage the Elephant has announced their upcoming North American tour with 45 dates this summer. The 3-month long tour includes a stop at SPAC, Madison Square Garden, and Artpark Mainstage Theater in Lewiston. The tour promotes the band’s latest album, Neon Pill.
Cage the Elephant’s 2024 summer tour will kick off on June 20, and extend all the way to September 18. Young the Giant & Bakar will join as special guests for select tour dates. The band came from humble beginnings in Bowling Green, Kentucky and have gone on to become one of the generation’s most loved rock bands.
They are maybe most celebrated for their live show. The stage is their home turf, where they are most comfortable, with their performances being ecstatic, unchained, and above all else, brilliant.
Cage The Elephant Tour Dates
June 20 – West Valley City, UT at Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre^
June 22 – Seattle, WA at Climate Pledge Arena^
June 23 – Ridgefield, WA at RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater^
June 24 – Bend, OR at Hayden Homes Amphitheater^
June 26 – Vancouver, BC at Rogers Arena^
June 28 – Edmonton, AB at Rogers Place^
June 30 – Spokane, WA at BECU Live at Northern Quest^
July 2 – San Francisco, CA at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium*
July 3 – Santa Barbara, CA at Santa Barbara Bowl^
July 5 – Phoenix, AZ at Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre^
July 6 – San Diego, CA at Viejas Arena^
July 7 – Los Angeles, CA at Kia Forum^
July 9 – Albuquerque, NM at Isleta Amphitheater^
July 11 – Austin, TX at Moody Center^
July 12 – Houston, TX at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion presented by Huntsman^
July 13 – Fort Worth, TX at Dickies Arena^
July 15 – Rogers, AR at Walmart AMP^
Aug 2 – Alpharetta, GA at Ameris Bank Amphitheatre*
Aug 3 – Raleigh, NC at Coastal Credit Union Music Park^
Aug 4 – Charlotte, NC at PNC Music Pavilion*
Aug 7 – Noblesville, IN at Ruoff Music Center^
Aug 8 – Madison, WI at Breese Stevens Field^
Aug 10 – Winnipeg, MB at Canada Life Centre^
Aug 12 – Minneapolis, MN at Target Center^
Aug 14 – Chicago, IL at Credit Union 1 Arena at UIC^
Aug 19 – Bridgeport, CT at Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater^
Aug 21 – Gilford, NH at BankNH Pavilion^
Aug 22 – Mansfield, MA at Xfinity Center*
Aug 24 – Holmdel, NJ at PNC Bank Arts Center^
Aug 26 – Montreal, QC at Centre Bell^
Aug 27 – Toronto, ON at Budweiser Stage^
Aug 29 – Burgettstown, PA at The Pavilion at Star Lake^
Aug 30 – Cincinnati, OH at Riverbend Music Center^
Sept 5 – New York, NY at Madison Square Garden^
Sept 6 – Philadelphia, PA at TD Pavilion at the Mann^
Sept 7 – Lewiston, NY at Artpark Mainstage Theater^
Sept 9 – Cleveland, OH at Blossom Music Center^
Sept 10 – Detroit, MI at Pine Knob Music Theatre^
Sept 12 – St. Louis, MO at Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre^
Sept 13 – Des Moines, IA at Wells Fargo Arena^
Sept 14 – Kansas City, MO at Starlight Theatre^
Sept 16 – Omaha, NE at CHI Health Center Omaha^
Sept 18 – Denver, CO at Red Rocks Amphitheatre*
^with Young The Giant and Bakar
* with Bakar
Tickets and VIP available for all Cage the Elephant tour dates will go on sale to the general public on Friday, March 8 at 10 am here. Numerous presales, including for the band’s Fan Club, Discord, and Spotify followers will begin on Tuesday, March 5 at 10 am.
Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams have announced their new album, All This Time, will be released on April 5. The pair will hit the road in 2024, bringing their music to Saratoga Springs, NYC, Amagansett, and Marlboro.
After releasing the upbeat and twangy song “The Way You Make Me Feel,” the pair shared a glimpse of their enviable love. Campbell reflects on the song’s history, saying, “The lyric was inspired by recalling when I first got together with Teresa. The song, about 40 years old, is as inspiring as ever.”
“The Way You Make Me Feel” pays respect to the legendary gospel quartet guitarist Lyndon Baines with a catchy guitar lick that Campbell wrote after working on a Dixie Hummingbirds record in the early 2000s. The end product echoes the spirit of Johnny and June Cash with a heartfelt and nostalgic ode to courtship.
Teresa shares in Larry’s enthusiasm, emphasizing the humor, groove, and lightheartedness of the album. “I got a brand new couch, and we can watch TV. Put an arm around you — we’ll see whatever you wanna see… Now that’s good flirting!” All This Time is a musical scrapbook of their journey, featuring heavy hitters including Grammy-winner Justin Guip, Bill Payne from Little Feat, and even a cameo by Levon Helm himself.
Larry and Teresa aren’t just dropping The Way You Make Me Feel; they’re hitting the road. These two are set to hop on a North American tour throughout 2024, with stops at Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs, City Winery in Manhattan, The Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett, and The Falcon in Marlboro. Moreover, fans will be able to witness the magic of their long-lasting musical partnership as the tour brings an intimate live experience. Find all upcoming tour dates below and on their website here.
Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams 2024 Tour Dates
3/17 – Northampton, MA – Academy of Music Theatre
4/11 – Marlboro, NY – The Falcon
4/16 – Boston, MA – City Winery
4/17 – Fairfield, CT – Stage One
4/18 – Ardmore, PA – Ardmore Music Hall
4/20 – Vienna, VA – Jammin’ Java
4/21 – Pittsburgh, PA – Thunderbird Music Hall
4/23 – Columbus, OH – Natalie’s
4/24 – Detroit, MI – Magic Bag
4/26 – Chicago, IL – Old Town School of Folk Music
After 22 years two men have been convicted in the murder of hip hop legend Jason Mizell, aka Jam Master Jay. An anonymous Brooklyn federal jury delivered the verdict in the trial of Karl Jordan Jr. and Ronald Washington on Tuesday, February 27.
The Run-DMC star, DJ and pioneer was shot outside of his recording studio in Jamaica, Queens on October 30, 2022 in what has been deemed retaliation for a drug deal gone wrong.
A 10-count indictment unsealed in October 2020, revealed the motive behind the murder to be 10 Kilograms of cocaine purchased by Jam Master Jay. With the plan to distribute the drugs between Washington, Jordan Jr. and other co-conspirators having gone awry. In light, Washington and Jordan Jr. sought revenge, slaying the hip hop legend in front of witnesses, according to prosecutors.
“He was a man who got involved in the drug game to take care of the people who depended on him,” assistant U.S. attorney Artie McConnell said in his summation.
The men’s names have long floated in connection to the case. After all, Jordan Jr. and Jam Master Jay were neighbors in the Hollis neighborhood of Queens. Meanwhile Washington — known as “Lil D”– is his godson and son to former Run-DMC road manager “Big D.” Neither Jordan Jr. nor Washington testified.
Jam Master Jay’s Legacy
Jam Master Jay remains an integral figure in hip hop history. Moreover, along with Joseph Simmons and Daryl McDaniels, the trio broke barriers for hip hop. In fact, Mizell had been part of Run-DMC’s anti-drug message. In light of hip hop’s increasingly provocative agenda the trio spread positive messages including lyrics such as “we are not thugs / we don’t use drugs.” However, according to prosecutors and trial testimony, he racked up debts after the group’s heyday. Thus, the celebrated DJ moonlighted as a cocaine middleman to cover his bills and habitual generosity to friends.
All in all, this brings and end to a case that’s been open for nearly 22 years. When the case ran dry rap royalty put together reward money in hopes of finding closure.
“Twenty years is a long time to wait for justice,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Artie McConnell had told jurors in a closing argument, urging them: “Don’t let this go on for another minute.”
Women have made many contributions to classical music as both composers and performers, yet their work often receives far less attention compared to their male counterparts. This spring, the Geneva Music Festival will host its annual Spring Benefit Concert and silent action on International Women’s Day, with a program that spotlights these oft-forgotten contributors to classical music.
The Geneva Music Festival was founded in 2011 by Geneva, New York violinist Geoffrey Herd as a weekend of chamber music in his hometown. Now in its 14th season, the festival has grown to a nearly month-long event that draws thousands of attendees from across the Finger Lakes region. Each year, the Festival continues its mission of inspiring people with world-class chamber music and engaging diverse audiences in its outreach programs.
On March 8, the Carr-Petrova Duo will perform a concert featuring works for viola and piano by female composers in Froelich Hall on the Hobart and William Smith Campuses.
The concert program, entitled “HERS” is a collaboration of pianist Anna Petrova and violist Molly Carr. Playing together since their student days, they subsequently formed a duo and have traveled the world. Petrova said, “When one creates this kind of partnership, the most important and compelling thing is the musical partnership and the personal partnership. We’d played with many other people before, but she and I just clicked on a musical and personal level very well; it was a natural fit.”
Pianist Anna Petrova and violist Molly Carr
Synthesis and serendipity are the themes behind many of the pieces on the program. Composer Vivian Fung created a piece based on the music of Hildegard Von Bingen, which had its debut during the pandemic, with musicians recording their individual parts remotely and then sending the recordings to be compiled together. Carr and Petrova reached out nearly simultaneously to ask Fung about crafting a piece based on Von Bingen’s work, and Fung rearranged her orchestral piece for viola and piano. “It was serendipitous, meant to be,” said Petrova.
“Andrea Casarrubios’s piece was commissioned in 2021 and we approached Vivian Fung during the pandemic as we started brainstorming composers we wanted to play. Molly was the one who started to forge the idea of all female composers, and it all started to come together into a program.” “HERS” came out of this organic synthesis between friends.”
The last piece on the program is a “staple of the viola repertoire and a very beautiful piece of chamber music. It forged the path of the viola becoming a solo instrument; with pieces like the Clark sonata, the viola was seen as an instrument that can take the spotlight.” While it’s more common to find duos written for piano and violin, Petrova and Carr believe the viola has much to offer. “In terms of playing with the instrument, I really love the viola, its color and voice. It has an almost human voice, very heartfelt and visceral. I’ve never felt like I’m giving up something.”
“’HERS’ is something that we’ve pieced together for a few years now. During the pandemic we actually lived together for about nine months; during those nine months we took a road trip and in the car we were enjoying singing together all our favorite songs. Beyonce’s ‘Halo’ was one of the songs we really loved and the idea of commissioning a piece inspired by that song came up. We really wanted to play something from the pop genre that was different from the usual classical repertoire, but that could still stand its ground on the classical stage. That is how ‘Halo’ was created – with the incredible imagination and compositional skills of Brazilian jazz pianist and composer Henrique Eisenman who weaved a beautiful fantasy on a theme by Beyonce.
The Geneva Music Festival’s biggest fundraising event of the year, the Spring Benefit Concert and Auction, is now live and runs through March 9 at 12pm. Browse through an array of items, from captivating paintings to exclusive Finger Lakes experiences, guaranteed to delight all. Help Geneva Music Festival reach their fundraising goal and continue bringing exceptional music to the greater Finger Lakes community. Start bidding here.
The auction goes live during the Spring Benefit Concert intermission with auctioneers Don Wertman and Susan Henking leading the proceedings, offering a chance to bid on your favorite items.
The Geneva Music Spring Benefit Concert will be held March 8, 2024 in Froelich Hall on the Hobart and William Smith Campuses. Tickets are $75 per person, and the ticket price includes a reception with light fare and biodynamic wines from the celebrated Hermann J. Weimer Winery. To find out more, and to purchase tickets, visit here.
Ilya Popenko, lead singer of NYC-based Mad Meg has released a solo track and music video for his new single “The Horse is Not Mine.”
Ilya Popenko is a multi-disciplinary artist, filmmaker, photographer and songwriter, born in the former Soviet Union. In 2011, he formed Mad Meg, a psychedelic progressive rock band plays in an eclectic style they themselves identify as “Punk-Chanson-Noir”. The band has toured extensively in Russia and the former Soviet Bloc, including tours that covered close to 30 cities throughout the vast, frozen expanse of Eastern Europe, and in the course of which they shared the stage with such luminaries as Nogu Svelo!, Brooklyn-based rock band Rasputina, and Emir Kusturica.
While Mad Meg is on hiatus, Ilya has continued to work on his solo songs. In his new music video for “The Horse is Not Mine,” Ilya performs the song dressed in horse costumes amidst surrealist animation that interacts with live action footage. The lyrics of the chorus may seem like nonsense, but when describing the song, the artist shares that the lyrics are a verbatim translation of the Russian saying, “I’m not me, and the horse is not mine,” which is used to say, “I have nothing to do with that.” Ilya likes to incorporate direct translations of Russian proverbs in his songs, as lost in translation and taken out of context, they lose their original meaning and become an abstract and beautiful combination of words. The music video is directed by Nikolai Metin and incorporates animation by Katya Mezentseva.
Ilya Popenko’s new single “Horse is Not Mine” is available to stream everywhere and to learn more about the artist and the band fans can visit here.
Caffé Lena has a storied history in Saratoga Springs starting in 1960, launching the careers of many folk greats including Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, and Don McLean. Now, the venue is providing that same feel-good listening experience and great talent, set in their iconic intimate setting. In honor of Women’s History Month, it is important to highlight the women helping make the industry happen. Executive Director at Caffé Lena, Sarah Craig, is one of these women leading in the industry.
Lena and Bill Spencer opened Caffé Lena with a deeply entrenched European influence. Upon the passing of Lena in 1989, the venue was converted to a nonprofit institution, supported by concert revenue, grants, private and corporate donors, and a team of volunteers. Lena started the venue as a way to present deserving talent regardless of fame, emphasizing community over business. Over the years, this theme still sticks with Caffé Lena’s diverse range of programming. Whether in-person or on a live stream, those can enjoy the intimate setting and vibe while garnering the sense of community so prevalent in everything they do.
Sarah Craig has been the Executive Director of Caffé Lena since 1995, a role she earned by applying to an anonymous job posting in the classified section of the newspaper. All it said was, “Nonprofit arts organization seeks full or part-time executive director.” She was the only applicant, and the rest is history.
Photo by Derek Java.
Craig earned her BA in Psychology and Women’s Studies from the University of Vermont, where she developed organizing skills as an activist. “[I was] inspired by two things: my sister’s participation in the Peace Corps in rural Paraguay, which was a huge eye-opener for me, and my own exposure to Liberation Theology in the Catholic Church, which was an important part of my life at the time,” she said. She became interested in gay rights, ecology, and economic justice, working in the sphere of some very effective senior activists, including Bernie Sanders and Roddy Cleary.
After college, she moved to Boston and began canvassing for Massachusetts Peace Action, serving as the Executive Director before eventually going to Caffé Lena. When she first started at Lena, her duties included grant writing, house management, and developing the volunteer and membership base. Now that there are a dozen people on staff, the budget has grown more than 2,000%. She says she spends “about 1/2 of my time booking shows, 1/4 fundraising, and 1/4 developing new ideas and managing the team.”
Caffé Lena takes up most of her time – waking and sleeping. “It’s an outlet for my creative energy, my social energy, and my dreams of saving the world. But, ever since the start of the pandemic, I’ve made a concerted effort to not be all Caffe all the time,” she explained. She is working on a sequel to a novel she finished and started playing the French horn again. She likes to spin yarn and felt, run or X-C ski, and when it’s the season – grow vegetables. She also likes to play online Scrabble with her daughter in NC a few times a week, and explains that was one of Lena’s great passions, “she was a 400 player.”
Sarah Craig speaking at a press conference. Lauren Halligan – MediaNews Group file.
In 2016, the venue underwent $2 million in renovations creating a home for Lena’s celebrated program for decades to come. New additions also included a 100% handicap-accessible space on their second-floor performance space.
Caffé Lena has a wide variety of programming available besides their eclectic mix of performers. In 2020, they launched the School of Music to carry on the folk tradition of music as a social pastime. Children and adults learn in small, friendly groups, mastering a repertoire of folk classics, and write some too. Some more experienced kids have now formed their own band, The Rolling Pebbles.
Folk gets passed along by venues, festivals, camps, places of worship, community groups and families. The School is our investment in this process. We offer activities for toddlers to seniors that are social and musical. It’s the most wonderful thing to sit at my desk and hear 30 senior citizens in the next room jamming away on three-chord songs and just having the best time. Or seeing our youth students developing into righteous little fiddlers and guitarists…There are powerful forces in the world pulling us deeper and deeper into a world of technology, where people are rarely face to face with their community. People are not experiencing social life in the way we’ve evolved to experience it. The School of Music feels like a win for basic, old-school humanity.
Sarah Craig.
Other programs that have been seen at Caffé Lena are The Bright Series – monthly shows featuring artists playing the venue for the first time; Caffé Lena on the Road, where headline artists travel into the community to deliver live music at places such as elderly care centers, recovery groups, soup kitchens, and more; Pride Night; Little Folk Shows – kid-friendly matinees; and so much more.
Since Craig’s time at the venue, she has seen a variety of musicians, with some of her favorites including those that have not risen to widespread fame besides small clubs like Lena. “In that category, I’d cite Jeremy Wallace, Gina Forsyth, and Chandler Travis. Some were real jaw-droppers and indeed they did go far: Anais Mitchell, Billy Strings, 14-year-old Sawyer Fredericks, and Allison Russell, who just won two GRAMMYs.” She went on to say “Our staff gets asked a lot, ‘Who’s your favorite?’ and we all agree: it’s the one we saw last night.”
Bob Dylan with Lena Spencer. Photo by Caffé Lena.
Caffé Lena has a long history in the folk scene but as Sarah Craig pointed out in our conversation, the emergence of Americana music in 2007 replaced some of the singer-songwriters from the ’80s and ’90s. The popularity of folk-rock string bands has stayed strong for nearly 20 years. Since taking the reigns in 1995, she noticed that the Internet has drastically changed many things.
“It completely changed the culture of everything everywhere, but that definitely includes live music,” she explained. “On the positive side, it has greatly facilitated our success in building an audience with eclectic tastes that is willing to explore new music. On the downside, it has radically amped up the way of life at Caffe Lena. Lena used to book her musicians for a full weekend. These days, it’s a different show every night, and bands rush in 2 hours before showtime and hit the road immediately afterward to get to the next gig.”
With events happening almost every day, the venue is busy and booming. Sarah Craig loves the atmosphere of the venue. She loves when the volunteers arrive and start baking cookies and making coffee, and when the “legendary Joe Deuel, Lena’s sound tech for the past one thousand years, starts setting up the mics.” The little moments that she experiences every day are her favorite; turning off the lights at the end of the show and saying goodnight to the iconic venue.
https://youtu.be/ht2zdYvs_wc?si=1krBF-BOObg_R9AH
The music industry is largely dominated by men, but some very decent people love music and enjoy spending their lives with musicians and are not in it for the money. Asking Craig about her experience as a woman in the industry, she said that her experience has overall been good. Despite the fact she isn’t a man, who can get more bookings, she has made it work. Something notable she highlighted was that the nonprofit world, like Caffé Lena, is largely dominated by women, however, the majority of executive directors are men.
Why does she think this is? Sarah explained “Because boards of directors have more confidence in men. The world continues to misread women because women tend not to be swaggering and self-advocating. They just do a rock-solid job, and expect that to be enough. This is something people in supervisory positions need to be conscious of: valuable male workers and valuable female workers don’t necessarily look the same.”
Despite this, working in the music industry is a rewarding experience for her, and many women across the board.
Goodnight Moonshine at Caffe Lena. Photo by Derek Java.
Caffé Lena has an eclectic lineup month after month, full of vibrant musicians and welcoming people. For more information about the venue, visit here.
Introducing Hipsy Gap, a lively five-piece alternative rock group from the busy streets of Brooklyn. The group today, March 1, releases “Shellshocked”, their new single, taking listeners on a rollercoaster of emotions.
As we enter a new season, Hipsy Gap invites listeners to jump into an adventure that captures the excitement of turning a new leaf. With edgy guitars, ambitious vocals, and a mid-song switch-up leading to dreamy shoegaze bliss.
Besides, “Shellshocked” has just released in the perfect moment. With this single, listeners can feel ready to let go of the weight of winter blues. Fans might want to start a new chapter as we say goodbye to the coldest, least appealing months each year. Further, the song is a metaphor for letting go of the past and welcoming something new and inspiring. It makes sense that the band would end their live performances with this five-minute epic, and leaves the audience wanting more. “Shellshocked” should be felt as much as it should be heard.
The vivid imagery of escaping from a burning building and discovering an unknown ocean gave the song a very powerful narrative. With an unexpected melody change, the song takes you through an uplifting-adrenaline rush type of feeling. Additionally, the melody change complements the emotional shift. The song takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions, moving from urgency to reflection to an empowering ending.
Hipsy Gap’s sound is a combination of pop catchiness and raw energy similar to DIY 90s rock. “Fantasize” and “Uno,” two of their most recent songs make you feel like you might have heard them before, but you can’t quite put your finger on where (or when). Drawn from artists such as Paramore, Slowdive, and The Cranberries, their philosophy of fusing genres is shown by the group’s diversity.
“[Hipsy Gap] captures a lush melancholic spirit full of passionate vocals and a blend of shoegazey production and instrumentals, with a whip-smart chorus that has fragments of 90s power pop songwriting, with a magic feeling of its own”
-Will Oliver, We All Want Someone to Shout For
Hipsy Gap is definitely on the verge of big things with “Shellshocked”. Keep an eye on them as they continue on this path, leaving audiences hungry for more.
On the night of February 29, the Tedeschi Trucks Band brought their electrifying performance to the Beacon Theatre in New York City, initiating the first of three remarkable shows at this iconic venue. This marked a pivotal moment as the band transitioned to the Beacon after rocking the stage for the initial two nights of the Deuces Wild Tour at the Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena in New Jersey.
Led by the incomparable duo of Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks, the band continued to captivate audiences, showcasing their musical artistry throughout this third show of the tour.
The Deuces Wild Tour is happening from February to October 2024, and it’s all about the Tedeschi Trucks Band playing a bunch of different songs, some they wrote, some they didn’t. If you’re a fan in New York City, you’re lucky because they’re doing more shows at the Beacon Theatre, Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, and the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester.
The February 29 show opened with the soulful and atmospheric “Hear My Dear,” a track from the band’s 2022 album, I Am the Moon. The light and dreamy music set the stage just right, surrounding the audience in the band’s special mix of blues, rock, and soul.
The first set reached its climax with a powerful rendition of Blind Faith’s “Had to Cry” and the mesmerizing “Pasaquan.” Trucks’ virtuosic guitar playing took center stage, leaving the audience in awe of his unmatched skill and emotional depth.
As the second set unfolded, Susan Tedeschi showcased her singing skill with a soul-stirring cover of Mike Reid’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” famously performed by Bonnie Raitt. The emotional depth of Tedeschi’s performance resonated throughout the Beacon Theatre, capturing the hearts of everyone in attendance.
A memorable part of the night was when Alecia Chakour, a strong member of the Tedeschi Trucks Band, stepped up and sang Aretha Franklin’s “It Ain’t Fair.” Chakour’s amazing singing and stage presence really impressed the audience, showing how important she is to the band’s overall performance.
Gabe Dixon, another gifted member of the group, showcased his exceptional singing skills in a soulful performance of “Gravity,” highlighting the band’s diverse musical abilities and collective talent.
The second set also featured a memorable cover of Derek and The Dominos‘ “Anyday,” where Susan Tedeschi and Mike Mattison engaged in a vocal duet, exchanging verses and harmonizing seamlessly. The band members worked really well together, making the music feel extra special and going beyond just the stage.
The night culminated in a soulful tribute to the late Bill Withers with a cover of “I Wish You Well.” The band’s emotional delivery of Withers’ timeless classic served as a fitting conclusion to an evening filled with musical brilliance and camaraderie.
Tedeschi Trucks Band – Beacon Theatre, NYC – Thursday, February 29, 2024
Setlist: Hear My Dear, Ain’t That Something, Laugh About It, I Am the Moon, Everybody’s Got to Change Sometime, Circles Round the Sun, Had to Cry Today, Pasaquan, I Can’t Make You Love Me, Soul Sweet Song, It Ain’t Fair, Gravity, Do I Look Worried, Last Night In the Rain, Anyday, Part of Me, How Blue Can You Get, I Wish I Knew (How It Would Feel To Be Free), I Wish You Well
Pop artist Josh Lumsden has released a soothing new single “Look at What I Found” that explores euphoric experiences in romance.
Independent DIY pop artist and acclaimed NYC-based producer Josh Lumsden new single marks as the second single of their sophomore EP, VYYPER slated for a 2024 release. The hypnotic and dragonfly-infested self-produced single “Serotonin” features a dance-funk sound blended well with powerhouse belts. When describing the song, the artist shared how the single “is about feeling the euphoric high experienced when entering a new romantic situation.”
Mexican-American Josh Lumsden is known for being the sole producer of their entire discography and director and editor of their music videos. Known for their musical collaborations with LGBTQIA+ Icons Yvie Oddly and Brendan Maclean, the classically trained musician and self-taught producer has been praised by PopBuzz for “constructing supernatural earworms”, with World Of Wonder asserting that “everything you hear comes straight from Josh”.
The single is also accompanied by a self-directed music video and features a completely different vibe. The video shows him completely depicting himself and a hybrid-ethereal entity in their image, showcasing an emotional entrapment. Dragonflies consistently reappear in different parts of the video, serving as a recurring visual motif that ties the scenes together. As a producer of the track, Lumsden shared how they were very inspired by downcast-pop/funk & unconventional chords, “I really wanted to pair that with vocals that kind of touch all the different ranges of my voice. I tried to mix chest voice, falsetto, and belting all in one track.”
With the single release and a new EP date announcement, Lumsden also shared that there will be a few more singles off the EP, which fans can expect to be released this year. Their new self-produced single “Serotonin” is available to stream everywhere, and for more information about the artist, fans can visit here.
The Sembrich has announced its 2024 summer festival “A Century of Sembrich,” celebrating 100 years of Marcella Sembrich’s musical legacy on Lake George. The festival features a spectacular line-up of today’s acclaimed concert artists and works by composers in Sembrich’s artistic circle.
Experience music, history, and nature at The Sembrich in Bolton Landing, featuring museum exhibitions and an annual summer festival with an exciting mix of world-class musicians, noted musical scholars, and a free film series. Listed on the National Historic Register, The Sembrich was once the teaching studio of Polish soprano Marcella Sembrich, one of the most famous musicians at the turn of the 20th century. Visitors can discover her storied legacy, including over 400 performances at the Metropolitan Opera and faculty positions at the Juilliard Graduate School and the Curtis Institute of Music.
“When Marcella Sembrich had a boathouse on her summer estate rebuilt as a teaching studio, she brought music to the shores of Lake George. We’re proud to continue that tradition of music on the lake and to celebrate our centennial with an exciting lineup of concerts, films, and special events,” says Richard Wargo, The Sembrich’s Artistic Director and Composer-in-Residence. “As ever, Marcella Sembrich remains our guiding star – a spirit of excellence that we strive to uphold.”
Marcella Sembrich (I.C. Mackeown. Date Unknown). From The Sembrich Collection.
The 2024 festival begins on June 5 and runs through August 31.
On opening night at 7 p.m., Opera Saratoga brings festival artists to the Sembrich. Includes an evening of standards from Cosi fan tutte and Guys and Dolls – provided by one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious opera training programs. Opera Saratoga serves the communities of Saratoga Springs, the Lower Adirondack, and New York State Capital areas by providing access to world-class opera through the production of an annual Summer Festival, year-round activities, extensive educational programs, mentorship of emerging operatic artists, and unique opportunities for the public to experience opera.
Saturday, June 9 at 2 p.m. features the Young Writers Showcase, celebrating the region’s most promising young artists with an afternoon of vocal and instrumental music, in both classical and popular styles. June 15 at 2 p.m. brings a member appreciation event to the Sembrich; a conversation with the host of Sirius XM’s Symphony Hall Vincent Caruso, discussing his journey through classical music and radio. Also features a guest performance by Joel Brown and the Finger Lakes Guitar Quartet.
“A Century at Sembrich” continues with a Juneteenth celebration featuring Pulitzer prize-winning composer Anthony Davis. Soprano Christine Jobson, bass-baritone Carl DuPont, and pianist Alan Johnson perform excerpts from Davis’s acclaimed operas, X – The Life and Times of Malcolm X, Amistad, Tania, and The Central Park Five, all portraying momentous actions and engagements crucial to black Americans. Davis will also treat the audience to a piano improvisation and discuss his works.
Composer Anthony Davis. Photo Courtesy of the Artist.
The 2024 festival features the acclaimed Sembrich film series, with The Magic Flute on June 24, The Opera House on July 8, Fitzcarraldo on July 28, the US premiere of Lost Voice on Aug. 12, and Falling for Figaro on Aug. 26. All films start at 7:30 p.m.
On Wednesday, June 26 at 2 p.m. The Seagle Festival presents a sampling of the festival’s exciting 2024 lineup: Brigadoon, DonGiovanni, Cold Mountain, and Sweeney Todd. Now in its 109th anniversary season, it is the premier opera and music theater-producing organization in the Adirondack region and the oldest summer vocal training program in the United States.
Featuring some of the finest concert artists on the classical music scene, the Alfred Z. Solomon Masterwork Series celebrates monumental figures in Marcella Sembrich’s artistic circle. On July 6 at 7 p.m., “Classical Splendor” features violinist Ruben Rengel and pianist Ahmed Alom performing Brahms, Lizst, Stravinsky, and more.
Violinist Ruben Rengel. Photo Courtesy of the Artist.
The Mastwork Series continues on Aug. 4 at 7 p.m. with “Composers Sembrich Knew” – an evening of chamber music by members of The Philadelphia Orchestra, including works by Puccini, Brahms, and Kreisler. The final performance on Aug. 17 at 7 p.m., “Violinist Kinga Augustyn,” brings the acclaimed violinist back to Bolton Landing for an evening of masterworks, including the de Beriot concerto performed by Marcella Sembrich at the Metropolitan Opera in 1884.
For one night only on July 11, literary dramatist Betty Spinelli and members of The Sembrich Board and Staff will offer an exclusive glimpse into the Gilded Age life of Marcella Sembrich by showcasing a selection of her treasured and rarely displayed possessions, including a diamond bracelet from the Czar of Russia, a silver tribute from Enrico Caruso, and the famous Queen of the Night costume from the Metropolitan Opera premiere of Mozart’s The Magic Flute.
Sembrich’s 2024 festival features the Promenade Series, perfect for a casual evening or date night on the lakeshore. This year’s series features the Zeger – Pesaturo accordion/violin duo (July 13 – 7:00 p.m.), the cutting-edge woodwind quintet WindSync (July 27 – 7:00 p.m.), and acclaimed guitar/violin duo ArcoStrum (August 21 – 7:00 p.m.).
WindSync Woodwind Quintet. Photo by Carlin Ma.
The Sembrich’s popular lakeside matinee series celebrating music from around the globe – World Music Wednesdays – returns this summer. This year’s events include “Harmonia Ensemble” (July 17 – 2:00 p.m.) highlighting music from Marcella Sembrich’s homeland in Eastern Europe, “Jomion and The Uklos” (August 7 – 2:00 p.m.) exploring unique traditions from West Africa, and “Cantrip” (August 28 – 2:00 p.m.) closing the series with beloved Celtic tunes.
The Sembrich doesn’t forget the family, with two family fun-packed events. “Interstellar Cinderella” performed by WindSync (July 25 at Rogers Park) is a delightful performance for the entire family, introducing five wind instruments of the orchestra, complete with costumes and choreography. “Dragon’s Breath” performed by emerging artists from Seagle Festival (August 1 at The Sembrich) is a charming original children’s opera by Evan Mack, with a libretto by Joshua McGuire, exploring themes of coping with anger and other difficulties. Follow young Alan as he gains wisdom in dealing with his own emotions.
Violinist Kinga Augustyn, performing at the Masterworks Series. Photo by Dale Jabagat.
On Aug. 24 at 7 p.m. is the World Premiere of At That Hour, a James Joyce-inspired chamber opera written expressly for The Sembrich studio. Also on the program, works by Haydn and Beethoven. Commissioned for The Sembrich’s 2024 centennial celebration in partnership with The American Center for New Works Development at Seagle Festival, this new work by Composer-in-Residence Richard Wargo will be performed by artists from Seagle Festival and the Hyperion String Quartet.
The Sembrich brings down the curtain on its centennial summer with an elegant candlelit evening featuring music by one of the world’s most beloved composers, Frédéric Chopin on Aug. 31. Piano virtuoso Christopher Johnson performs some of the most enduring works by this “Poet of the Piano,” exploring the master’s full range of expression. Johnson will pay tribute to Marcella Sembrich with a delightful paraphrase by Franz Liszt of the soprano’s signature song, Chopin’s “The Maiden’s Wish.” The performance will be followed by a Parisian-style lakeside reception, accompanied by the string duo of Amanda and Jonathan Brin.
Tickets and the full-season schedule are available here.
The Sembrich’s 2024 Summer Festival Schedule
June 5, 7:00 PM – Festival Artists from Opera Saratoga June 9, 2:00 PM – 2024 Young Performers Showcase June 15, 2:00 PM – An Afternoon with Vincent Caruso June 19, 7:00 PM – A Juneteenth Celebration with Anthony Davis June 24, 7:30 PM – FILM: The Magic Flute (1975) June 26, 2:00 PM – Seagle Festival Season Preview
July 6, 7:00 PM – Classical Splendor July 8, 7:30 PM – FILM: The Opera House (2017) July 11, 7:00 PM – A Night at the Museum July 13, 7:00 PM – Leah Seger – Cory Pesaturo Duo July 17, 2:00 PM – Harmonia Ensemble July 25, 11:00 AM – Interstellar Cinderella by WindSync July 27, 7:00 PM – WindSync Woodwind Quintet July 28, 7:30 PM – FILM: Fitzcarraldo (1983)
August 1, 10:00 AM – Seagle Festival: Dragon’s Breath (Children’s Opera) August 4, 7:00 PM – Composers Sembrich Knew August 7, 2:00 PM – Jomion and The Uklos August 12, 7:30 PM – FILM: Lost Voice, The Story of Marcella Sembrich (2024) August 17, 7:00 PM – Violinist Kinga Augustyn August 21, 7:00 PM – ArcoStrum August 24, 7:00 PM – At That Hour: A Chamber Opera After James Joyce (World Premiere) August 25, 2:00 PM – At That Hour: A Chamber Opera After James Joyce (Encore Matinee) August 26, 7:30 PM – FILM: Falling for Figaro (2021) August 28, 2:00 PM – Cantrip August 31, 6:00 PM – Chopin by Candlelight
