Bert McCracken is most known for his two decades in The Used. By his 40th birthday, he jumped into a new genre, creating his own wave. Soon, he’ll be performing under his solo project robbietheused on a short cross-country tour from Oct. 30 – Nov. 6, with one of his key stops in New York City.
This tour follows the release of McCracken’s latest singles, “The Feels” and “Just a Little Bit,” which have garnered praise from fans. Therefore, Bert can share his new technique and lifestyle with his fans.
The solo project’s genre vastly contrasts from his work with his band, allowing Bert to shape his own comfort zone where he wants. Through the creation process, McCracken explained how he and his long time producer, John Feldmann would have coherent conversations, including about his mental health.
“My solo project has been a lot about rebirth and a way to reconnect with my childhood love for pop music, so to be able to say that robbietheused is playing 5 LIVE SHOWS and gets the opportunity to sing these songs in a room with you guys is a dream come true I’m so fucking excited, nervous, grateful… Thanks for being here See you there, Love Robbie”
Because of this, he is able to put his present experiences in his music, allowing for complete immersion for both the creators and audience.
After navigating recent challenges, McCracken is branching out to come up with new creations. Meanwhile, innovating his work for new lyrics and melodies. So far with five shows on the calendar, Bert is one month away from doing what he does best.
Looking ahead Bert McCracken has teased a full album and more tour dates, aiming to spread messages of positivity and personal growth through his music.
Indie Brooklyn band, Gooseberry, have released their debut full-length album titled, All My Friends Are Cattle.
Gooseberry continue their buzz with the release of their debut album, All My Friends Are Cattle.
Gooseberry, formed in 2019, is a band which takes inspiration from genres such as alternative rock, indie, and blues to craft their sound. Asa Daniels (guitar, vocals), Evin Rossington (drums), and Will Hammond (bass) form the group and have played major venues across the east coast including, Baby’s All Right, the Knitting Factory, and The Bowery Ballroom in NYC.
Since the release of their 2022 debut EP Broken Dance, the trio has received praise from editorials such as Under the Radar, Ones to Watch, and more. In April, Gooseberry announced their debut full-length album, All My Friends Are Cattle. The album was released on Sept 6 and has been steadily growing in popularity since its release. The band has been on tour leading up to the release of the album over Aug and Sept, including four dates in New York.
“We are super fortunate to call a lot of really great – and buzzing – NYC bands our friends. We feel ourselves part of that community and eternally grateful for being welcomed with such open arms. Our hometown has truly shaped what this band has become.”
Asa Daniels
The ten-track album was recorded at Precision Sound Studios in New York City with an all-star production team including, Grammy-winner James ‘Jimmy T’ Meslin (Dream Theater, John Petrucci, Rush), Grammy-nominated engineer Colin Bryson (Zach Bryan, J Balvin, Willow Avalon), who served as producer and recording engineer (reprising his role from the Validate Me EP). They were joined also by Grammy-winner Phil Joly (The Strokes, Lana Del Rey, Daft Punk) who mixed the record, and Jennica Best (Colatura) who mastered it. The band’s “honorary fourth member” Dan Janis of Baked Goods, provided saxophone and flute for a handful of tunes.
The album begins with “Kikiyon,” a harder, driven track with an instantly recognizable riff that pays homage to many classic rock songs over the years, most notably The Kinks’ “You Really Got Me.” The solo on that song in particular has a distinct feeling to it that sounds much different than what is in vogue. As the album runs on, the songs grow softer and softer ending in the reverb-soaked “Start Over.”
Though powered by heavy 90s alternative influences, the standout tracks on the album are the gentler, simpler songs, like “Cherry Blossoms,” which remind listeners of artists like Jack Johnson. It is through these tracks that Gosseberry reveals who they can be.
The album contains a multitude of interesting musical ideas, most notably, the feature of the distinctive blare of the saxophone especially on “All The Same.” Many songs have clear Nirvana, Bush, and other 90’s alt inspiration, but the vocals on the record bear a recognizable similarity to more contemporary pop groups. As with many young bands, Gooseberry is still attempting to find their own sound.
The kaleidoscopic image on the cover is representative of the entire album in more ways than one. With just a glance, you see a menagerie of colors and feelings, each one notably different from its counterparts. While interesting for a moment, a deeper look renders the full image fractured and without a clear cohesion through all parts. Yet still briefly pretty.
Key Tracks: Cattle, Cherry Blossoms, One of the Good Ones.
Gooseberry will play the Richmond Music Hall in Richmond VA on Oct 3 and at the Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival, in NC on Oct 5.
Non-profit arts venue West Falls Center for the Arts has been inducted into the East Aurora Music Hall of Fame, becoming the first inductee under the Foundations of Music category.
Acting as a central part of West Falls’ art scene and community at large, the West Falls Center for the Arts has been providing the folks of the area music education and entertainment since 2009. A true community effort, the Center has grown from a small piano lesson studio for children before school to a space boasting a stage for weekend concerts and community programs, all through generous donations and the effort of countless volunteers.
Now offering the same weekend concerts they began with in addition to free music lessons for veterans, Musical Memories Cafe for caregivers and their loved ones with dementia, the mentorship-style Kids Music Jam, Southtown’s Youth Jazz Orchestra, Community Thanksgiving, masterclasses and music clinics, and musical therapy for young adults with autism.
Since its founding days the West Falls Center for the Arts has been giving to the community and asking nothing in return, but has always received an outpouring of love nevertheless. This giving spirit is what earned the Center their title as the first inductee of their kind to the East Aurora Music Hall of Fame, a title they hold with pride- a promise to continue fostering musical community and care.
To learn more about the events and opportunities West Falls Center for the Arts offers, please visit their website here.
The Albany Symphony has announced the Water Music NY: More Voices Festival, a mini concert series celebrating underrepresented voices to commemorate the bicentennial of the Erie Canal’s completion.
Two-time Grammy award winners and the most ASCAP awarded orchestra in America, the Albany Symphony is highly respected and admired for their blend of classical orchestral performances, lesser-heard masterworks, and a diverse selection of works from the leading and emerging voices of this generation.
Led by Music Director David Alan Miller, the Symphony brings a world-premiere or recent composition to every single one of their performances. In addition, they host a multi-day American Music Festival that celebrates both established and emerging living composers, a family series and holiday concerts that are both an active collaboration with youth performing arts groups, and an array of award-winning education programs, including the Symphony in Our Schools program that introduces musicians to the classroom for interactive music education.
With a history of bringing new voices to light like theirs, the Albany Symphony’s newest endeavor, Water Music NY, only makes sense. Inspired by the orchestra’s original 2017 Water Music NY Festival, the project is a three-year venture expanding upon the original musical tour down the Erie Canal. Now, with more resources and bigger pictures in mind, the Symphony is uplifting underrepresented voices including those of women, immigrants, people of color, and indigenous peoples.
“We believe that by commissioning brilliant new works by some of the most compelling composers working today, and challenging them to look at the Canal through fresh eyes, the music they create will spark dialogue, expand perspectives, and energize canalside communities on what the Canal represents, and what it can become.”
– David Alan Miller
In collaboration with the New York State Canal Corporation, this fall’s Water Music NY: More Voices programming includes five free pop-up concerts, featuring small ensembles of Albany Symphony musicians and vocalists along the path of the Erie Canal, highlighting the 524 mile system’s past, present, and future.
Performances will occur at the Lock Tenders Tribute Monument in Lockport, Old Lock 36 (near Lock 17) in Little Falls, Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site in Fort Hunter, Waterloo (Livestream only), and the Montezuma Audubon Center at the Montezuma Wetlands Complex. In addition to in person attendance, each concert will be available to view online via livestream. Featured composers Daniel Bernard Roumain, Clarice Assad, Francisco del Pino, Dai Wei, and Juhi Bansal will all have their works premiered at these venues along the Canal.
Daniel Bernard Roumain’s piece, Agrarian and Liquid, was the result of a partnership with librettist Marc Bamuthi Joseph. The piece highlights the relationship between the Erie Canal and abolitionist and freedom fighter Harriet Tubman.
Francisco del Pino’s piece, Orenda, is inspired by the concepts of place and connectedness with nature through a continuous stream of motion under which things change imperceptibly over time, just as with bodies of water. Floating above the piece is a vocalist chanting words from the Oneida Nation’s motto: good mind, good heart, strong fire.
Clarice Assad’s piece and world premiere, Earth and Water, explores themes of environmental change, human progress, and the relationship between nature and civilization as it is rooted in the Erie Canal’s construction. Concepts for the composition emerged from a conversation with celebrated Mohawk storyteller, teacher, and writer Kay Olan.
Dai Wei will perform a livestream exclusive show featuring a piece exploring the journey of Chinese merchant Oong Ar Showe who adeptly navigated the social and economic landscape of 19th century America, emphasizing the key role the Erie Canal played in facilitating interregional trade.
Juhi Bansal’s piece Refuge will wrap the mini-concert series in the thriving expanse of marshes belonging to the Montezuma Wetlands Complex.
For more information on these performances and how to attend/watch virtually, please visit here.
The full list of performances is below.
Water Music NY: More Voices Festival Mini-Series Dates
Thursday, September 26, 4:00pm
Lockport Flight of Five in Lockport, NY – Lock Tenders Tribute Monument
Friday, September 27, 4:00pm
Little Falls, NY, Old Lock 36, near Lock 17
Saturday, September 28, 4:00pm
Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site, Fort Hunter, NY – In partnership with New York State department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
Friday, November 1, 4:00pm
Waterloo (LIVESTREAM ONLY)
Saturday, November 2, 4:00pm
Montezuma Audubon Center at Montezuma Wetlands Complex, Savannah, NY – In partnership with Montezuma Audubon Center
Pop sensation Dua Lipa announces additional dates for her worldwide Radical Optimism Tour, which includes two nights at Madison Square Garden in 2025, on September 17 and 18.
About Dua Lipa
To the younger pop-consuming generations, three-time GRAMMY and seven-time BRIT Award winning global pop sensation Dua Lipa needs no introduction. Since signing a record deal in 2014, she’s released hit after hit. Her fifth overall single “Blow Your Mind (Mwah)” became her first entry on the US Billboard Hot 100 at 72, followed by her self titled first album that became her first ever number one in the UK, and the first female solo artist to top that chart since Adele’s “Hello” in 2015.
With this release, her career skyrocketed. Followed by countless top ten charting tracks, appearances at major festivals, becoming Spotify’s most streamed woman of 2017 in the UK, and countless award nominations. In January of 2018, Dua Lipa broke records once again by receiving five nominations at the Brit Awards, becoming the first female artist to do so ever.
Thus, after an extensive list of other successes, singles, reissues, and remixes, Dua Lipa is touring with her most recent release, Radical Optimism. Released on May 3, 2024, the album went number 1 in 11 countries, and became the biggest album to debut from a UK artist in 2024. Moreover, hailed as a “joyous blast of pop savvy” by Variety and “an album of ear candy” by New York Times, Dua Lipa will be bringing her electrifying new release to the stage beginning this fall.
About Radical Optimism Tour
Kicking off with the previously announced dates in Asia, The Radical Optimism Tour will be arriving in New York City on September 17 and 18, 2025 at Madison Square Garden. Ticket sales will open to the public on Friday, September 20 at 10:00 AM. For more information and ticket purchasing, please visit here.
It’s been close to a decade since Paul Kelly – Australia’s finest export this side of wombats – has played in the U.S., and he’s coming to le poisson rouge in New York City this fall in support of his brand new album Fever Longing Still set for release on November 1.
Photo Credit: Joe Brennan
Lovingly dubbed the Land Down Under’s Bruce Springsteen, Kelly’s new LP is a throwback to poetic love, with its title coming from a line in Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 147,” whose writing has thrilled and inspired Kelly ever since schooldays.
Fever Longing Still Album Art
Paul Kelly’s Le Poisson Rouge show is at 7:30 pm, with doors at 6:30 pm and are on sale here. Support will be provided by Paul Kelly’s nephew, singer-songwriter-guitarist Dan Kelly.
Other tour stops currently include the Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles, California on October 7, followed by an appearance at the Austin City Limits Festival on October 11.
Watch the official video for “Taught By Experts” below.
Mark Perro, co-founder of punk group The Men, will create an original, live musical score for the 1922 silent horror classic Nosferatu on Saturday, October 12 at Story Screen Cinema in Hudson, NY.
Mark Perro of The Men
Perro, a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and songwriter, co-founded The Men, known for their genre-blending sound that spans punk, rock, and experimental music.
The evening is co-presented by Upstate New York-based film programmers Sleepover Trading Co., who will create an exclusive retro clip show featuring vintage trailers, commercials and other oddities that will play before the feature. Based in Catskill, Sleepover Trading Co. is dedicated to retro VHS, toy and comic culture with the goal of recreating your perfect childhood sleepover, and are known for their custom made clip shows, presenting screenings of cult classic films throughout the Hudson Valley.
I’ve known Mark since The Men were a three piece playing the back room at Tommy’s Tavern. We are very excited for him to bring the noise to one of the world’s most famous silent films.
Sleepover Trading Co. co-founder Rob Ribar
This unique event is part of Story Screen’s month-long Story Scream HorrorShow X series, celebrating all things spooky and cinematic in the month of October. The live scoring also marks Perro’s first live score, having released nine albums and four EPs with The Men, including 2023’s New York City and 2024’s Manhattan Fire.
The Men
Nosferatu, directed by F.W. Murnau, is an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and continues to one of the most unsettling vampire films ever made. Portrayed by Max Schreck, the bald, spidery vampire has influenced countless incarnations throughout contemporary cinema in the century following its release. Famed critic Roger Ebert said of Nosferatu in 1997, “To watch F.W. Murnau’s “Nosferatu” (1922) is to seethe vampire movie before it had really seen itself. Here is the story of Dracula before it was buried alive in clichés, jokes, TV skits, cartoons and more than 30 other films. The film is in awe of its material. It seems to really believe in vampires.”
The screening and performance will take place at Story Screen Cinema, a community-focused movie theater located at 160 Fairview Ave, Hudson, NY. Story Screen also offers a full array of food, cocktails, non-alcoholic drinks and local beers plus an extensive pinball and arcade game collection. Known for its creative programming and love for cinema, Story Screen Cinema brings together film lovers and casual viewers alike for unforgettable experiences.
Additionally, the Crandell Theatre in Chatham, will go back to its roots on Friday, October 4 at 7 pm and screen Nosferatu with musician and silent film historian Ben Model accompanying the film on theater organ, brought in for one very special night, allowing the audience to experience the film just as it sounded upon its original release in 1922. Tickets are $25 and $20 for members.
Brooklyn-based band TV On The Radio has announced a 20th anniversary edition of their critically acclaimed debut album, Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes, featuring five bonus tracks to be released on November 15, in addition to a return to live performance to celebrate.
Composed of Tunde Adebimpe, Dave Sitek, Kyp Malone, and Jaleel Bunton, TV on the Radio has developed a reputation that precedes them over their past twenty-plus years as a rock band. Recognized for their eclectic sound and experimental attitude, the band has toured worldwide, collaborated with countless household names, and released a total of five studio albums among a plethora of singles. An act of rebellion by simply existing as a Black indie rock band and a force of sonic exploration, TV on the Radio is truly not to be missed.
Now, just over twenty years since their debut album, TV on the Radio is returning to the public eye for a celebratory re-release of Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes, featuring five bonus tracks, two of which are unreleased. The first, “Final Fantasy,” is out now and is an early demo of their song “Bomb Yourself.”
Recognized by Rolling Stone as “an immaculate album about disappointment in all its forms” and featured in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, TV on the Radio’s first album release had made its mark on the world from the start. Saturated with concepts of life, love, and loss through the lens of post-9/11 America and heavy with the tension felt by the youngest generations at the time, Desperate Youth puts visceral emotions into words and words into never-before-heard sound.
In addition to the exciting rerelease, TV on the Radio has announced their first shows since 2019, with multiple nights in New York City at the historic Webster Hall. The band will be in the city on November 25, 26, 29, and 30, with dates in Los Angeles and London to follow. While still a part of the band, member Dave Sitek will be unable to join the tour. Tickets will be on sale Thursday, September 12 at 10:00 AM local time- for more information, visit here.
The full list of dates as well as the 20th Anniversary Edition track list are below.
TOUR DATES
November 25 – New York, N.Y. @ Webster Hall
November 26 – New York, N.Y. @ Webster Hall
November 29 – New York, N.Y. @ Webster Hall
November 30 – New York, N.Y. @ Webster Hall
December 4 – Los Angeles @ El Rey Theatre
December 5 – Los Angeles @ El Rey Theatre
December 7 – Los Angeles @ El Rey Theatre
December 10 – London, UK @ Islington Assembly Hall
December 11 – London, UK @ Islington Assembly Hall
December 12 – London, UK @ Islington Assembly Hall
Brooklyn Bowl has announced the return of the annual Rosh Hashanah music bash, set to return October 2 and 3. This year marks the event’s 13th year.
Beginning at 7:30 P.M. on Wednesday, October 2 and 10 A.M. on Thursday, October 3, both musically driven services will feature Rabbi Daniel Brenner with musical director Jeremiah Lockwood. Also included are Antibalas’ Jordan McLean and Timothy Allen, drummer John Bollinger, saxophonist Stuart Bogie and Yula Berri on vocals and bass.
Internationally renowned teacher Jane Tuv will also lead a guided meditation at each event. There will also be Torah reading and procession led by Rabbi Brenner, as well as prayer, and shofar blowing. After the services on October 2nd, Brooklyn Bowl hosts a spiritually driven jam session featuring members of the service’s house band as well as additional guests. After services on October 3rd at 12:30 P.M., there is a lunch provided by Blue Ribbon with purchase of a ticket.
All proceeds will support the non-profit organization Shalom Y’all Jams, which works to organize holiday services at non-traditional locations. Brooklyn Bowl was ranked the number one busiest club in NYC in 2017. This celebration of Rosh Hashanah may very well love up to that title this October. You’ll want to get your tickets before they sell out.
To purchase tickets for the Rosh Hashanah music bash at Brooklyn Bowl and to learn more about the celebration, click here.
Country superstar Blake Shelton is bringing his 2025 “Friends & Heroes” Tour to the MVP Arena in Albany March 8, with appearances by Craig Morgan, Deana Carter, and Trace Adkins in addition to special guest Emily Ann Roberts.
American singer-songwriter, television personality, and country music star, Blake Shelton is a household name for fans of today’s country scene. Whether it’s from his 12 albums, his countless singles- 28 of which charted number one, his appearances as a coach on NBC’s The Voice, or his marriage to Gwen Stefani, most are familiar with Blake Shelton’s name.
Born and raised in Oklahoma, Shelton has been pursuing music from the very beginning. Immediately after graduating high school, he moved to Nashville and worked his way up to a production contract with Sony Music. After a short period of work for the company and eventually signing as a singer-songwriter with Giant Records, Blake Shelton released his debut single “Austin”, landing him his first number-one hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks. Three months later, he released his debut studio album under Warner Bros. Records, and the rest is history.
Eleven albums, countless awards, and a long list of other accomplishments later, Blake Shelton is returning to the touring lifestyle just off the heels of his Las Vegas residency for his Friends & Heroes 2025 tour, which showcases just that- the musical works of his heroes and friends in the industry.
Reviving the concept after the initial Friends & Heroes tour in 2019, the 2025 lineup will feature Grand Ole Opry member and Army veteran Craig Morgan, singer-songwriter and active voice for Artist & Creators with Advocacy in Washington D.C. Deana Carter, singer-songwriter, actor, and two-decade Grand Ole Opry member Trace Adkins, and previous member of Blake Shelton’s team on The Voice, rising country star Emily Ann Roberts.
“The ‘Friends & Heroes’ Tour is one of my favorite tours because as a fan, I can’t think of a cooler concert to see. I get spoiled every night seeing these icons come out and do four or five of the biggest hits of their storied careers. And then get introduced to new talent like Emily Ann. I can’t wait.”
– Blake Shelton
Once more, Shelton is partnering with the social platform Propellor to support the work of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Through this partnership, concertgoers can enter to win exclusive experiences and prizes through the Friends & Heroes tour, all while supporting one of the leading research centers for childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
Friends & Heroes will be coming to New York on March 8 at the MVP Arena on Saturday, March 8. Ticket sales will begin Friday, September 13 at 10:00 AM local time. For more details and ticket purchasing, please visit here.
The full list of tour dates is below.
TOUR DATES
February 27 – Lexington, KY / Rupp Arena
February 28 – Knoxville, TN / Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center
March 1 – Greensboro, NC / Greensboro Coliseum
March 6 – Newark, NJ / Prudential Center
March 7 – Boston, MA / TD Garden
March 8 – Albany, NY / MVP Arena
March 13 – Greenville, SC / Bon Secours Wellness Arena
March 14 – North Charleston, SC / North Charleston Coliseum
