Legendary EGOT-winning performer Liza Minnelli has joined the production team of Drag: The Musical. The Off-Broadway show will premiere on Oct. 21 at New World Stages.
Minnelli is making her Off-Broadway producing debut with this highly anticipated production, presented at Shubert’s New World Stages. While Minnelli has previously produced her own concerts, DRAG: The Musical represents her first venture into producing a full-length musical.
“Kids! DRAG: The Musical is a work of art,” Liza Minnelli says. “It’s so brilliant that I had to join as a producer! Join me at every performance. Yes, EVERY PERFORMANCE!”
In DRAG: The Musical, two Drag Houses, both alike in indignity, vie for supremacy in a wig-snatching journey of fashion, family, and forgiveness. After a bitter split, two estranged queens bring their already simmering tensions to a boiling point when they open competing clubs. In this queen-eat-queen tale of spite and survival, there’s only one rule: no lip-synching allowed.
Written by superstar Alaska Thunderf*ck alongside her longtime musical collaborators, multi-platinum songwriter, Tomas Costanza, and chart-topping songstress Ashley Gordon. The production is directed and choreographed by Spencer Liff (Broadway: Falsettos, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Head Over Heels; TV: “So You Think You Can Dance”)
Tickets for DRAG: The Musical are now available here.
The Driver Era: Obsession Tour has been announced for 2025. The tour sees shows from January 18 to July 18, with two shows in New York State.
Ross and Rocky Lynch are set to ignite stages worldwide in 2025 with their highly-anticipated The Driver Era: Obsession Tour. The 40+ city tour in North America includes a stop at SummerStage in Central Park in NYC, on Monday, June 9, and at Artpark Mainstage Theater in Lewiston, NY on June 6.
The 2025 tour promises to deliver the duo’s signature alternative sound with electrifying performances that blend fan favorites and exciting new music.
The band’s latest single, “You Keep Me Up At Night,” released in Fall 2024, has already captivated listeners worldwide, racking up impressive streams as the brothers dive deeper into their personal experiences, adding a new layer of emotional depth to their evolving sound. “You Keep Me Up At Night” follows their previous hit single “Get Off My Phone,” continuing the duo’s exploration of relatable, raw, and intimate themes.
THE DRIVER ERA: OBSESSION TOUR DATES:
Sat Jan 18 – Auckland, NZ – Town Hall
Tue Jan 21 – Brisbane, AUS – Fortitude Music Hall
Fri Jan 24 – Sydney, AUS – Hordern Pavilion
Sat Jan 25 – Melbourne, AUS – Festival Hall
Mon Jan 27 – Adelaide, AUS – Hindley St Music Hall
Fri Mar 07 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – War Memorial Auditorium
Sat Mar 08 – Tampa, FL – Yuengling Center
Mon Mar 10 – Birmingham, AL – Avondale Brewing Company
Tue Mar 11 – Atlanta, GA – Coca-Cola Roxy
Thu Mar 13 – Moon Twp, PA – UPMC Events Center
Fri Mar 14 – Chicago, IL – Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
Sun Mar 16 – Cincinnati, OH – The Andrew J Brady Music Center
Wed Mar 19 – Waukee, IA – Vibrant Music Hall
Fri Mar 21 – Austin, TX – Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater
Sat Mar 22 – Houston, TX – 713 Music Hall
Mon Mar 24 – Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium
Wed Mar 26 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Union Event Center
Fri Mar 28 – Garden City, ID – Revolution Concert Hall
Fri Apr 25 – Buenos Aires, AR – Estadio Obras Sanitarias
Sun Apr 27 – Santiago, CL – Teatro Caupolicán
Wed Apr 30 – Rio de Janeiro, BR – Sacadura 154
Fri May 02 – São Paulo, BR – Tokio Marine Hall
Fri May 30 – Milwaukee, WI – BMO Pavilion
Sat May 31 – Minneapolis, MN – The Armory
Mon Jun 02 – Sterling Heights, MI – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre
Tue Jun 03 – Indianapolis, IN – Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park
Thu Jun 05 – Toronto, ON – Coca-Cola Coliseum
Fri Jun 06 – Lewiston, NY – Artpark Mainstage Theater
Sat Jun 07 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena
Mon Jun 09 – New York, NY – SummerStage in Central Park
Wed Jun 11 – Philadelphia, PA – The Met Philadelphia presented by Highmark
Fri Jun 13 – Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony Summer Stage
Sat Jun 14 – Boston, MA – Leader Bank Pavilion
Mon Jun 16 – Baltimore, MD – Pier Six Pavilion
Wed Jun 18 – Virginia Beach, VA – Venue TBA
Fri Jun 20 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater
Sat Jun 21 – Charleston, SC – Firefly Distillery
Sun Jun 22 – Charlotte, NC – Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre
Tue Jun 24 – Nashville, TN – Ascend Amphitheater
Fri Jun 27 – St. Louis, MO – Saint Louis Music Park
Sun Jun 29 – Kansas City, MO – Starlight Theatre
Tue Jul 01 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
Thu Jul 03 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre
Sat Jul 05 – Las Vegas, NV – Brooklyn Bowl
Wed Jul 09 – Seattle, WA – WAMU Theater
Thu Jul 10 – Vancouver, BC – Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre
Sat Jul 12 – Portland, OR – Theater of the Clouds
Tue Jul 15 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
Wed Jul 16 – San Diego, CA – Gallagher Square at Petco Park
Fri Jul 18 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium
“We’re super excited to put on the best show we’ve ever done. Get ready to dance. This tour is really about inviting fans deeper into our world. Songs like ‘You Keep Me Up At Night’ play a huge role in that, giving us the chance to explore more personal and authentic themes night after night.”
Ross and Rocky Lynch
For more information on The Driver Era: Obsession Tour and to purchase tickets, click here.
Jam band God Street Wine has announced a series of five concerts in March, including a date in Woodstock that will be recorded for a live release.
Photo- Geoff Tischman
One of the most prominent acts of the early jam band scene, New York based God Street Wine has been jamming on and off for over twenty six years. Within their first decade as a unit, the group had released five albums and performed over 1,000 shows across the country.
After a nearly decades-long split, the band reunited in 2009 privately to honor the passing of an old friend and later performed a series of shows in New York City benefiting the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. With the band spread geographically, releases came sporadically throughout the next few years, including a 25th anniversary box set retrospective and the All The Way To Here documentary film.
Just off of the heels of eight shows in the Summer of 2019, the band faced an unexpectedly lengthy hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. After four years kept apart, God Street Wine was able to reunite in 2023 with two New York shows, this time in benefit of Mission Stadiums for Multiple Sclerosis.
Earlier this year, the group celebrated their first major-label release’s 30th anniversary with digital releases of once-lost tracks and pressed three of their albums on vinyl for the first time ever, punctuated with four sold-out shows in Woodstock, New York City, and Asbury Park in New Jersey.
With countless performances and releases behind them, God Street Wine has decided once more that what they’ve accomplished so far is not all that is in store for the group and their fans. The band has announced five concerts in March of 2025, including a date in New York.
Performing at the historic Bearsville Theater, God Street Wine will be making an appearance in Woodstock on March 15. This performance will wrap the mini-tour, and notably will be recorded for a future Live Release- it’s truly a show to not be missed. Tickets are on sale now- visit here to purchase and learn more.
Legendary vocalist of Herman’s Hermits, Peter Noone, headlines the Sixties Spectacular tour on Saturday, November 2 at Schenectady’s Proctors Theatre.
Peter Noone and his Herman’s Hermits procured a very well-groomed image which made them popular in the US during the British Invasion bands era. The band had a string of major hits such as “Ms. Brown, You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter” and “I’m Henry VIII, I Am” that were both #1 in the US and #12 in the UK.
In turn of the great success, Noone decided to go solo and was able to reach the charts again at #12 in the UK, collaborating with legendary artist David Bowie writing, “Oh You Pretty Things”, going to show Peter’s impact ranging across the industry.
Nowadays, Noone makes regular tour appearances in the US, as well as guest stars in VH1’s My Generation, Entertainment Tonight. In 2007, Peter showed up as a mentor on American Idol, offering advice to contestants singing songs from the British Invasion era.
The GrassRoots, originally formed in San Francisco as “The 13th Floor” join Noone at Proctors Theatre after a decade.
Although Rob Grill, the band’s original lead vocalist, passed away in 2011, current members, led by singer Mark Dawson, keep the spirit of their classic hits alive with vibrant performances. In 2015, they were inducted into the American Pop Music Hall of Fame, honoring their legacy for grateful fans.
Gary Lewis & the Playboys will bring their longtime experience and talent to Proctors Theatre for another time.
Rising to fame in 1965-1966, they began their journey performing nightly at Disneyland, where audiences were unaware that Gary was the son of comedy legend Jerry Lewis.
Gary earned the title to cashbox’s vocalist of the year, competing with icons like Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley. Following a time in the army, Gary dropped one more hit was dropped called, “Sealed With a Kiss”.
Opening the Sixties Spectacular are the Bluz House Rockers at Proctors, celebrating their 30th anniversary.
They are proud inductees of the NYS Blues Hall of Fame from their diverse repertoire of collaborations and sounds. With six of the seven members sharing lead and harmony vocals, they bring high energy to the stage.
Over the past decade, they have performed at various venues, including Proctors, the Times Union Center, and the Palace Theatre, as well as special events like Albany and Saratoga First Nights and the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.
The Town Supervisor of Woodstock will be presenting Todd Rundgren with Keys to the Town on October 23 following a two-day residency.
A pioneer of electronic and progressive rock music, the usage of computer software and online music delivery, and music videos as a whole, Todd Rundgren is nothing short of a music industry legend.
His experimental approach to creating has garnered widespread respect since his beginnings with psychedelic band Nazz, following solo career and subsequent group Utopia, and ventures into the tech world- Rundgren is to be thanked for one of the first music videos to be aired on MTV produced in addition to one of the first computer paint programs.
This insatiable desire to create and experiment is exactly what landed Rundgren in the limelight time and time again, as his work maintains personality and ingenuity regardless of medium or circumstance.
Some of his most notable work not directly tied to his name came out of his 1969 move to New York, in which he found himself in the Greenwich Village club scene mingling with Manhattan creatives.
After accepting a job offer from former Nazz assistant manager turned new founder of Ampex Records and correlated Bearsville Studios nestled next to Woodstock, Rundgren began his journey to becoming the highest-paid producer in the world, eventually giving him the push needed to kick-start his solo career.
Rundgren’s ties to the town continue in 2002, scoring the A Face to a Name film debuted at the Woodstock Film Festival, a piece made in and concerning the aftermath of the September 11 attacks of the previous year.
It’s no wonder why the town of Woodstock has decided to honor Rundgren in this way- the keys will be a testament to his importance to the cultural history of the area, music, and everything in between. In addition to the symbolic presenting of keys, the ceremony will also mark the installation and dedication of a plaque to his work at Utopia Video Studio, built for Rundgren by Albert Grossman in the 1980s- the origin point of his legendary MTV music video projects.
The ceremony runs parallel to Rundgren’s two-day set at Bearsville Theater on October 22 and 23. While the first of two dates is sold out, the second that will follow the key presenting ceremony still has tickets available- learn more and purchase tickets here.
Phish is, once again, going back to the Garden for their annual New Year’s Eve run. The band will play at MSG from Saturday, December 28th to Tuesday, December 31st. This will bring the running total of Phish shows at the Garden to 87 in all. Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, October 11th at Noon ET.
A ticket request period is currently underway at https://tickets.phish.com (ending Monday, October 7th at Noon ET). A limited number of travel packages (hotel + tickets) will go on sale tomorrow, Wednesday, October 2nd, at Noon ET at https://phishnye.100xhospitality.com. For complete ticketing information, visit https://phish.com/tours.
Phish also has four more upcoming New York State gigs as well, with a three-day benefit run that will take place at Albany’s MVP Arena in late October.
Reggae/Indie artist Mihali has released his latest track titled “Free Ride” which is now streaming on all platforms. The single releases in the midst of his northeastern US tour, which stops in Port Chester on October 25.
The track “Free Ride” uniquely combines multiple sounds which I find extremely interesting, and effective at grabbing the listener’s attention. There are immediately elements of pop, southern rock, country, indie, reggae and even a touch of R&B. I find it fascinating that Mihali can effectively combine these very different genres and make it a sound that portrays himself.
The track screams positivity – that it is wildly important to be yourself and to get what you want out of life. Life isn’t just a free ride, you have to seize the day, make it what you want it to be. This message is something refreshing in comparison to a lot of other messages in music today.
Mihali is currently touring the northeast as both a solo act, and as a band. The tour consists of 15 dates total at 13 different venues. One of these stages is in Port Chester, NY, where Mihali is set to perform “Free Ride” along with his other hits live.
photo by Dave Decrescente
Announced Mihali Tour Dates:
September 26 – Pittsburgh, PA – The Cellar at Pittsburgh Winery ^ September 27 – Harrisburg, PA – Stage on Herr ^ September 28 – Bridgeport, CT – Park City Music Hall ^ October 9 – South Deerfield, MA – Tree House Brewing Company ^ (SOLD OUT) October 10 – Portsmouth, NH – 3S Artspace ^ October 11 – Pawtucket, RI – The Met ^ October 12 – Orleans, MA – Outermost Roots & Blues Festival * October 18-20 – Kent, CT – Le Getaway V # October 25 – Port Chester, NY – The Capitol Theatre & November 7 – Los Angeles, CA – The Venice West ^ November 8 – San Diego, CA – Winstons Beach Club ^ November 9 – Sanger, CA – Golden Road Festival ^ November 10 – Mill Valley, CA – Sweetwater Music Hall ^
^ Solo Looping Set # Band Set * Solo Looping Set, with G. Love & Special Sauce & Solo Looping Set, with TAUK and G. Love & Special Sauce
“When I go to write a song, sometimes I do so with a specific subject in mind, but other times the lyrics just come out of nowhere! Those surprise songs usually end up being my favorites, and Free Ride is one of those. I hope everyone takes its message to heart too. Get out there and live your life! There’s no time to waste.”
Mihali Savoulidis
To give a listen to Mihali’s latest single “Free Ride” and to purchase tickets to his current tour, click here.
On Oct. 16, at the Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC) at RPI in Troy, a free and open-to-the-public performance and workshop of The Other Side of Silence will be presented. This new opera is created with synthetic and acoustic voices, written by and for people who use Alternative Assistive Communication.
The Other Side of Silence examines the intersection of art, advocacy, and technology in our lives, memories, and identities, and the role that art plays in promoting equity and agency of those who use alternative means of communication to speak to the world.
The story draws direct inspiration from the life of Mark Steidl, a gender non-binary person who uses an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) device to talk with the world. The cast also includes Opera Saratoga favorites Meghan Kasanders (The Consul, 2017) and Jennifer Zetlan (Ellen West), as well as newcomers Theo Hayes and Isaiah Musik-Ayala.
The story follows Zari, who was born unable to speak through traditional means. Zari finds comfort in the “Lichttanz” or the magical play of light and shadow through a window. To gain more autonomy, Zari seeks help from a new technology despite opposition from their closest friends and family.
A medical emergency prompts an intervention where it is discovered that without Zari’s express permission, an implant in Zari to help build communication between their brain and the technology. Zari fights back against this control and eventually disrupts the connection between the implant and Kim, though Zari’s memories have already been edited and manipulated. The one memory, however, that Kim is unable to alter, is that of the “Lichttanz”, representing the infinitude of human capacity and self-knowledge, their inner strength that withstands the intervention of artificial intelligence.
The Other Side of Silence performance is presented as part of the 2024 International Symposium On Assistive Technology For Music And Art (ISATMA).
The Queens of hip hop soul will be coming to a stage near you, as Mary J. Blige announces her upcoming expedition, “The For My Fans Tour,” in light of her new album Gratitude, set for release on November 15. Produced by Live Nation, the 27-city tour will feature several stops within New York State. Beginning on Saturday, March 22 with a stop at Buffalo’s KeyBank Center, April 10 at Madison Square Garden and April 11 at UBS Arena in Belmont Park, NY.
Mary J. Blige’s “The Four My Fans Tour” will feature 3 stops within New York State.
Moreover, this tour will be another notch in the r&b star’s legendary career. Her upcoming album–Blige’s 15th– will release through her own Beautiful Life Productions and in partnership with 300 Entertainment and serves as a refresher for fans of Blige as her star has blossomed on the TV screen in recent years. However, in August, she dropped the first single off the album, âBreathingâ featuring Fabolous signaling a returned focus for the stage. In addition, the Grammy, Emmy-winning songstress will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on October 19 in Cleveland, ahead of both the album release and tour.
I am so excited to kick off this tour. I have amazing fans and am so grateful for all of the love and support they have given me throughout the years. This tour is for them, and I cannot wait to be able to travel to all these cities and see everyone. I am in such a place of immense gratitude and peace at this moment, so also having the chance to release my new album Gratitude on November 15 ahead of this tour is really special to me.
– Mary J. Blige
In light of Mary J. Blige’s latest accolades, “The For My Fans Tour” will offer a variety of different VIP packages and experiences for fans to take their concert experience to the next level. While tickets will be available starting with an artist presale beginning on Tuesday, October 1. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general on-sale beginning on Friday, October 4 at 10 AM at LiveNation.com.
MARY J. BLIGE â THE FOR MY FANS TOUR 2025 DATES:
Thu. Jan 30 – Greensboro, NC – Greensboro Coliseum
Fri. Jan 31 – Raleigh, NC – Lenovo Center
Mon. Feb 03 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena
Thu. Feb 06 – Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center
Sat. Feb 08 – Tampa, FL – Amalie Arena
Tue. Feb 11 – Hollywood, FL – Hard Rock Live
Fri. Feb 14 – New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Center
Tue. Feb 18 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center
Fri. Feb 21 – Ft. Worth, TX – Dickies Arena
Tue. Feb 25 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
Sat. Mar 01 – Los Angeles, CA – Intuit Dome
Fri. Mar 07 – San Francisco, CA – Chase Center
Sat. Mar 08 – Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center
Wed. Mar 12 – St. Louis, MO – Enterprise Center
Fri. Mar 14 – Chicago, IL – United Center
Sun. Mar 16 – St. Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center
Wed. Mar 19 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
Sat. Mar 22 – Buffalo, NY – KeyBank Center
Mon. Mar 24 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
Wed. Mar 26 – Washington, DC – Capital One Arena
Fri. Mar 28 – Atlantic City, NJ – Boardwalk Hall
Wed. Apr 02 – Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena
Fri. Apr 04 – Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena
Sun. Apr 06 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center
Thu. Apr 10 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
On Oct. 6 at Cohoes Music Hall, the Lawn Sausages will take to the stage together one last time for the “Last Schmaltz.”
The legendary schlock rock band The Lawn Sausages bring their illustrious career of comedic performances to an end with this one final show.
Founded in 1990 as a joke and in response to a challenge from local singer-songwriter Tina Ward, the band has combined elements of The Three Stooges and Iggy and The Stooges to deliver comedy rock for the drinking man.
Throughout their career, The Sausages have performed in some of the best dive bars in Capital Land, delivering laughs and rock music for the past three decades. Now, they’re hanging it up, but not without one ‘Last Schmaltz.’
The band would also like you to know that this won’t be like KISS or Mötley Crüe, who have had more than their share of farewell tours. After this, all we will have are the memories.
The entire show will be filmed for an upcoming documentary film and all of the smash hits will be played.
