With his most recent single, “Kill Switch,” a joint effort with Canadian producer DJ BLKLUOS, New York rapper Uzi Masalino is back in the spotlight. The dynamic duo quickly puts out the fire they started with their previous project, Pain & Politics, their joint EP.
Bronx artist Uzi Masalino’s shares risqué bars, making “Kill Switch” pulsate and burst with raw energy. A trip through the harsh realities of street life is set in motion by DJ BLKLUOS’ flawless production. DJ BLKLUOS creates a soundscape that draws listeners from beginning to end. As soon as the drums hit this beat, Uzi sets the mood. His gritty flow and reality raps blend perfectly with the beat.
With the lyrics, “they living with their moms, no bills or big drips, them ****** ain’t grown men they big kids,” Uzi paints a picture of the striking reality he witnessed.
Beginning with their EP, Pain & Politics, they skillfully combine their talents with each song leaving Hip-Hop fans eager for more.
“Kill Switch” is currently accessible on all major streaming platforms. With Uzi’s easy transition to DJ BLKLUOS’ wide variety of beats, their chemistry grows stronger as their collaboration does.
Press play below to feel the intensity for yourself. Follow DJ BLKLUOS and Uzi Masalino for upcoming exciting collaborations and more music-related news.
The Eighth Step at Proctors is presenting the dynamic folk group Jamcrackers at 7:30 pm on Saturday, March 23.
Jamcrackers is Adirondack folksingers Dan Berggren, Peggy Lynn, and Dan Duggan on harmony vocals, guitar, and virtuoso hammered dulcimer. Performing a mix of original and traditional songs and tunes, the uber-talented trio brings strong songs, tight harmonies, and lively tunes to the stage through Peggy and “the Dans’ ” energy and warm voices.
National hammered dulcimer champion Dan Duggan is known for his wizardry on the instrument and his flat-picking guitar licks. Peggy Lynn sings in her bluesy alto about strong women and life in the North Country, and Dan Berggren’s songs and stories give voice to the spirit of hard-working folks and inspire care of our beautiful planet.
Caffé Lena states: “They sing of nature, strong women, healthy communities and peace, backing their rich vocal blend with world-class hammered dulcimer, banjo, and guitar,” while the Adirondack Museum praises their “Beautifully crafted songs, powerful vocals, and tight arrangements.” They at once bring us back to the days of mountain men, strong mountain women, settlers, and Gilded Age visitors, and take us forward to tomorrow’s issues shaping the future of our beloved mountains and beyond. The trio’s original and traditional music echoes the timeless beauty of the still-remote, forever wild pine and lake-studded wilderness.
Tickets are $27 advance / $29 day of show / $45 Gold Circle (Priority Seating and 6:30 Meet & Greet onstage), available through The Eighth Tix/Info Line at (518) 434-1703 (Visa/MC/Disc/AmEx), online, through Proctors Box Office (518) 346-6204.
Peach at the Beach, the full-day live music gathering at the new Summer Concert Stage at ISLAND Water Park at Showboat Resort in Atlantic City, NJ, on Saturday, July 13, announced two Peach After Dark sets for Friday, July 12 and Saturday, July 13.
Peach at the Beach, inspired by the legendary music of the Allman Brothers Band, features the headliner Joe Russo’s Almost Dead (JRAD), Dogs In A Pile, Trouble No More performing the Allman Brothers Band iconic album Eat A Peach, Karina Rykman, Mykal Rose of Black Uhuru, and more.
The theme of The Peach at the Beach is reconnecting with friends and embracing the essence of what makes The Peach so unique. Their mission is to continue spreading as much love and positive energy as possible.
The Summer Concert Stage at ISLAND Waterpark at Showboat Resort is Atlantic City’s newest concert venue, located outdoors among the sand, the sea, and stars, steps away from the beach, and boardwalk. It is the largest indoor beachfront waterpark in the world, covering 120,000 square feet and holding more than 317,000 gallons of water, with 11 crazy slides.
The Disco Biscuits will perform a pre-party Peach After Dark set on Friday, July 12 at the Bourbon Ballroom inside the Showboat Resort. Marco Benevento & Friends, along with Doom Flamingo presents Queen Is Doomed, will perform a post-party Peach After Dark set on Saturday, July 13, also inside the Bourbon Ballroom at Showboat.
An early bird presale will begin on Tuesday, March 19 at 12 p.m. ahead of the general on-sale on Friday, March 22 at 10 a.m.
Super VIP packages include access to the Peach After Dark sets, and passes to the ISLAND Water Park at Showboat Resort on Saturday. VIP and GA+ tickets include passes to the ISLAND Water Park at Showboat on Saturday with additional amenities.
Béla Fleck reflects highly on his years-long collaboration with late pianist Chick Corea, sounding like a bashful student musician, still in awe of the jazz legend whose impact transformed him as a teenager in the ’70s. The duo’s album, Remembrance – out May 10 via Thirty Tigers – serves as a moving final document of the profound creative and personal rapport Fleck and Corea have showcased previously on 2007’s Latin Grammy-winning The Enchantment.
Released just over three years after Corea’s passing, Remembrance serves as an addendum to Corea’s legacy, highlighted by three previously unreleased Corea compositions as well as five short free improvisations, or impromptus, that Fleck has infused with written music.
Recorded both live in concert, over the duo’s final tour dates in 2019, Remembrance was crafted by trading sound files amid the Covid pandemic. Running a stylistic gamut, the album features Corea’s unreleased tunes “Enut Nital” (“Latin Tune,” spelled backwards), and “Continuance,” an older work that resurfaced in the duo’s setlist, as well as new Fleck compositions, including “The Otter Creek Incident” and “Juno,” a winsome tribute to his son, the channeling Thelonious Monk and Scarlatti, and challenging exercises such as “Small Potatoes,” which evokes Corea’s work in the jazz avant-garde.
When the 18-time Grammy Award-winning banjoist reflected on his time collaborating with Corea, Fleck said, “I just feel so lucky to have played with him in such an intimate way, and to have gotten to know him so well.”
The title track, a Corea composition “Remembrance,” is one of the last pieces of music Chick ever recorded. “It’s just one of those perfect Chick Corea tunes,” Fleck says. “It sounds to me like a New Orleans funeral march, even though it has a Latin component, like everything he did tended to.”
Corea’s death in 2021 devastated the jazz community, who saw the pianist as a constant international presence, a vibrant musician who never ceased touring and recording. “It was a deep shock,” says Fleck, who also released an inspired live project with Corea, Two, in 2015. “It was one of the special relationships in my life. He was just so kind to me, and so helpful, and I learned so much from him.”
“We pushed this duo to a new place before we ran out of time,” says Fleck, who produced Remembrance. “We have here another cool look at Chick Corea, at the different ways that he can play that we wouldn’t have had. There’s a lot of great Chick Corea out there, and this is different.”
“I know it sounds unlikely. But it really happened. Once upon a time, I played banjo in a duo with Chick Corea.”
“He found the good in everything. I’m just so glad to be a part of this — glad I could be with him, and glad there’s more to share.”
Chick Corea & Béla Fleck Remembrance track listing
1. The Otter Creek Incident (Béla Fleck)
2. impromptu III: march hare
3. Enut Nital (Chick Corea)
4. impromptu II: mock turtle
5. Bemsha Swing (Thelonious Monk, Denzil Best)
6. Lucky Bounce
7. impromptu I: cheshire
8. Remembrance (Chick Corea)
9. Juno (Béla Fleck)
10. Scarlatti Sonatas (Domenico Scarlatti, arr.. By Corea, Fleck)
11. impromptu V: jabberwocky
12. Small Potatoes
13. Continuance (Chick Corea)
14. impromptu IV: gentleman fish
“With Béla, our duet has become so simpatico, and comfortable–comfortable spiritually. And not meaning that we’re not adventuring musically, but I know that whatever we’re going to do is going to be musical.”
Chick Corea, speaking about Bela Fleck, in 2015
Béla Fleck Tour Dates
April 3 Buffalo, NY Kleinhans Music Hall ^
April 4 Oakville, Ontario Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts ^
April 5 Kingston, Ontario Kingston Grand Theatre ^
April 6 Stowe, VT Spruce Peak PAC ^
April 9 Ottawa, Ontario Centrepointe ^
April 10 St. Catharines, Ontario Partridge Hall ^
April 12 State College, PA The State Theatre ^
April 13 Goshen, IN Goshen College ^
April 14 Lexington, KY Lexington Opera House ^
April 24 Skokie, IL North Shore PAC *
April 25 Kohler, WI Kohler Memorial Theatre *
April 26 Royal Oak, MI Royal Oak Music Theatre *
April 27 Wilkesboro, NC MerleFest *
April 28 New Orleans, LA New Orleans Jazz Festival *
May 4 New York, NY Carnegie Hall (Béla Fleck: Rhythm, Raga & Rhapsody)
June 13 Groton, MA Groton Hill Music Center #
June 14 Kingston, NY Ulster PAC #
June 15 Hartford, CT The Bushnell #
June 16 Kennett Square, PA Longwood Gardens #
June 18 Boulder, CO Chautauqua Amphitheater #
June 20 Telluride, CO Telluride Bluegrass Festival (house band)
June 21 Telluride, CO Telluride Bluegrass Festival #
As Spafford continues their spring tour in Colorado, they’ve now announced their summer tour dates which include two more New York shows. The Arizona-based jam band will get a full view of the Empire State with shows scheduled in a variety of areas as well as an upcoming one at New York City’s Brooklyn Bowl on April 20.
Spafford’s summer tour pays special attention to the East Coast and Midwest with the tour starting in Michigan with performances slated in Ludington and Paw Paw. It then heads out to Illinois, New Hampshire for the Northlands Music Festival, and multiple New York stops.
The first one is on June 12 at Rochester’s Water Street Music Hall. Three days later, Spafford is set to play Colony in Woodstock, a New York town with a rich musical history all its own. Â The band then wraps up their time in NY with a stop on Long Island at The Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett. See below for a full list of upcoming Spafford shows. The tour includes multiple stops and cities the band has yet to play.
Tickets for all Summer Tour dates are on sale at spafford.net.Â
2024 DATES
3.16 Frozen Dead Guy Days – Estes Park, CO 3.20 The Broadberry – Richmond, VA 3.21-23 5 Points Music Sanctuary – Roanoke, VA 3.24 Lincoln Theatre – Raleigh, NC 3.26 Tally Ho Theater – Leesburg, VA 3.28-29 Woodlands Tavern – Columbus, OH 3.30 Madison Theater – Covington, KY 4.18 XL Live – Harrisburg, PA 4.19 The Warehouse at FTC – Fairfield, CT 4.20 Brooklyn Bowl – Brooklyn, NY 5.24-26 CaveJam – The Caverns, TN
6.6 Stix – Ludington, MI
6.7 Moontown Brewing Co. – Whitestown, IN
6.8 Warner Vineyards – Paw Paw, MI
6.9 Danenburger Family Vineyards – New Berlin, IL
6.12 Water Street Music Hall – Rochester, NY
6.14 Northlands Music and Arts Festival – Swanzey, NH
Sitting on the corner of E. 29th Street and 2nd Avenue in Manhattan is a pub that has been home to Irish music legends both past and present. Take one step through the pub’s signature red door to be greeted by notes of the Irish whistle, guitar, bass, bodhrán, uilleann pipes, and drums. The music overflows from the stage and captivates one to the point where more Guinness has to be ordered, because you just can’t leave the authentic Irish music. The name of this pub that has been such a vital component of the New York City Irish music community is none other than Paddy Reilly’s.
https://youtu.be/AGkDTFjHNVU?si=AHw_h-wh_sxhDK_M
Hozier celebrates his 33 birthday at Paddy Reilly’s on March 17, 2023.
For 37 years, Paddy Reilly’s has been a staple in the New York City Irish music scene. Musicians, such as Paddy Reilly’s house band The Prodigals along with Black 47, Eileen Ivers, John Whelan, and Joanie Madden, have all performed at this pub. Global icon Jimmy Fallon stopped to sing a couple of songs himself in February of 2023. A month later, Hozier celebrated his 33 birthday at the pub, which just happens to coincide with St. Patrick’s Day. Videos of Hozier performing at Paddy Reilly’s quickly went viral, causing people to swarm to Paddy Reilly’s and pack the narrow pub, each person hoping to catch a glimpse of the Irish legend.
Celebrities have made stops at Paddy Reilly’s long before Fallon and Hozier did. Gregory Grene, lead vocalist of Paddy Reilly’s house band The Prodigals, reminisced when supermodel Christy Turlington and actor Jason Patric booked a party at Paddy Reilly’s. In the midst of the party, Turlington hopped on stage and began singing with the band. Good craic was to be found in every corner of Paddy Reilly’s.
Lead singer of The Prodigals, Gregory Grene, sings alongside supermodel Christy Turlington at Paddy Reilly’s.
Despite Paddy Reilly’s fame, the pub almost shut its doors permanently after the Covid pandemic. Like many other establishments, the pandemic and the subsequent stall of live music caused Paddy Reilly’s to take an economic hit. “We were looking at the end of an era,” The Prodigals singer Gregory Grene stated. Just as Paddy Reilly’s future started to look bleak, its previous manager Desi Murray along with Joshua Irwin and Aria Bai took over.
“We gave the bar a nice, big hug when we took over,” Desi Murrary, one of the new owners of Paddy Reilly’s, stated. The bar closed for two months from April to June of 2023 for renovations. “We restored Paddy Reilly’s charms, upgraded equipment, and kept the same cozy and authentic environment.”
Grene stated the three “reinvested without trying to reinvent.” The foundation and old bones of the pub were given new life while keeping the heart and soul of it intact. With the renovations complete, Grene stated, “The pub is thriving in a way that brings back the early days.”
On June 18, 1993, Pierce Turner with Electric String Quartet performed at Paddy Reilly’s. Credit: Fred Parcells.
Paddy Reilly’s was established in 1986. During the early days, crowds would line up out the door whenever Black 47 would play on a Saturday night. At that time, the pub was owned by Steve Duggan and his partner, Irish musician Paddy Reilly, who gave the pub a direct link to the music industry. It’s only natural then that musicians would conjugate at the pub.
One such musician who frequented Paddy Reilly’s was Joanie Madden. As the leader of all-girl group Cherish the Ladies, Madden is an Irish-whistle player who’s charismatic and friendly nature is bound to put a smile on your face. With her big personality, Madden became omnipresent in the Irish music scene, seeming to somehow have either played with or helped every band. Paddy Reilly’s house band The Prodigals is no exception.
The Prodigal’s lead singer Grene remembered booking his first gig at Paddy Reilly’s. At the time, the band consisted of Grene, Ray Kelly, Brian Tracy, and Andrew Harkin. Grene went to the pub and gave a warm County Cavan greeting to owner Duggan and asked for a gig around St. Patrick’s Day. Duggan turned to the one and only force of nature Joanie Madden and asked, “Well Joanie, what’d ya think?” She replied, “Of course, go for it!” With that, Madden helped cement The Prodigals as Paddy Reilly’s band for the next 27 years.
From left to right: Owner of Paddy Reilly’s and Irish balladeer Paddy Reilly with The Prodigals – Ray Kelly (guitar / vocals), Andre Harkin (bass), and Gregory Grene (vocals / button accordion). Circa 1997.
Live music has always played a vital part in Paddy Reilly’s success. Grene stated, “Owner Duggan recognized that Irish music played a unique role in the Irish society in New York and recognized the fact that to be proudly Irish in a city that welcomes eclectic, authentic culture was key.” Grene referenced authentic restaurants and bars in various parts of the city. He stated, “They survive and thrive by being so authentically themselves. They reach out beyond their own community. Steve Duggan did that with Irish music.”
The music is unapologetically its authentic self. Take the late Shane MacGowan, the lead singer of The Pogues. “He wasn’t trying to cater to some other crowd,” Grene stated. “He was trying to cater to his own truth.” Grene went on to say, “I think when you have music that speaks truthfully, it becomes extraordinarily translatable, because people hear it’s speaking of the human condition.”
By speaking to the human condition, classic Irish songs, such as “Black Velvet Band,” “Dirty Old Town,” and “Wild Rover,” speak to the soul, allowing them to remain popular throughout the years. Songs and tunes dating back to the 18th century are now continuing to be played in 2024 in Manhattan. Their universal themes allow them to remain mainstream for generations to come.
These songs truly speak to every generation. Just take a look at Paddy Reilly’s audience. “You’ll meet a 23 year old from California and a 38 year old from County Clare or a 75 year old from Galway,” Grene stated.
On September 18, 1990, Black 47 performed at Paddy Reilly’s. Lead vocalist Larry Kirwan is pictured center. Credit: Fred Parcells.
Paddy Reilly’s appeals and offers events for all. Every Wednesday night starting at 9pm, Niall O’Leary hosts Irish Traditional Night. Not only can classic Irish tunes be heard on Wednesdays, but a small stage is brought out for Irish dancing. If you know a jig or reel, hop up on the square stage to step dance. Or if you’re more vocally inclined, you can sing at their Open Mic Night every Tuesday at 6pm. As always, there’s live music every single night of the week. Irish tunes alongside rock, folk, alternative, and bluegrass continuously echo throughout Paddy Reilly’s walls.
To join in on the craic, head to 519 2nd Avenue, New York, NY 10016. Enjoy the Guinness on draft, and sláinte to 37 more years of authentic Irish music at Paddy Reilly’s!
The Oswego Music Hall is proud to present Shawna Caspi and Rachael Kilgour, as part of its Women in Music Series, on Saturday, March 23 at 7:30 p.m.
Before the concert, the public is invited to the Annual Member Meeting which will take place at 4:30.
Shawna Caspi. Photo by Terence Gui.
“I’m excited to be kicking off the first year of our new Women in Music Series during Women’s History Month with two talented Canadian singer-songwriters that put on incredible performances at the NERFA conference,” said Tom Lambert, Artistic Director.
The Oswego Music Hall evolved from a little coffee house venue called “The Low Life Cafe,” created by Richard Reinert in 1976, on Water Street in Oswego, known as the Market House Music Hall. Oswego Music Hall was incorporated in 1979 and received 501(c)(3) nonprofit status in 1985. The venue relocated twice before settling into the McCrobie Civic Center, a historic municipal building adjacent to Breitbeck Park, overlooking the Great Lake Ontario.
Run by an incredibly reliable team of volunteers, Oswego Music Hall has produced diverse and high-quality concerts on their National Stage every other Saturday night during their fall, winter/spring seasons, and national stage events for 40 years. Their programs offer Oswego and the Greater Central New York community exposure to top-quality touring musicians, singers, and songwriters of many genres. Most importantly, the venue helps support artists and music not typically heard in the mainstream media, encouraging the development of emerging artists from the community.
Toronto-based singer-songwriter Shawna Caspi takes her time crafting poetic and meaningful lyrics, often using unusual rhymes. She spent years on the road playing solo shows at festivals and in concert halls, train cars, backyards, and living rooms, supporting her warm, clear voice with intricate fingerstyle guitar accompaniment, and drawing energy from shifting landscapes and long drives through Canada and the United States. After taking a break from the road, she returns with her fifth album, Hurricane Coming, a collection of raw, deeply personal songs set against a backdrop of colorful cinematic soundscapes. She also created a series of abstract paintings inspired by the songs on the album.
Hurricane Coming was nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award for Contemporary Album of the Year and the Ontario Folk Music Award for Album of the Year. Her songs have also won awards from Folk Music Ontario and the Songwriters’ Association of Washington. She strives to tell the truth and empower listeners to come to terms with the parts of themselves and the world that they might find scary.
Rachael Kilgour. Photo by Kara Dupre.
Rachael Kilgour is a Canadian-American songwriter and performing artist whose plain-spoken, lyric-driven work and intimate performances have endeared her to listeners and fellow artists alike. Kilgour has been featured at NYC’s Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., and the Sundance Film Festival.
Her exquisite fourth full-length collection, My Father Loved Me, is a tribute to her late father, produced by JUNO Award-winning songwriter Rose Cousins and recorded in the senior Kilgour’s native Canada. Kilgour gives us a complex portrait of a man through his daughter’s eyes, posing questions about identity, inheritance, and grief, affirming the value of one ordinary working man’s life in an often indifferent world.
Tickets are on sale online or at the Rivers End Bookstore in Oswego.
Oswego Music Hall Events Calendar
Mar 16 The Intention – Jazz by the Lake
Mar 22 Open Mic w/Hosts Frank Stefanek and Julie Clement
Mar 23 Shawna Caspi and Rachael Kilgour (Women in Music Series)
Apr 12 Open Mic w/Host Mark Zane
Apr 13 Big Sky Quartet
Apr 20 Count Blastula w/Special Guest Mike Dubaniewicz Jazz by the Lake
Apr 26 Open Mic w/Host Larry Kyle
Apr 27 Livingston Taylor w/Ash & Eric opening
May 11 Season Finale – Sam Robbins & Emerging Artists Showcase
Today is March 15, or, 315 Day. The “315” in Central New York State is so named for an area code established in 1947 covering 18 counties.
Stretching from the Canadian border west of the Adirondacks, the “315” follows the shores of Lake Ontario southwest towards Rochester, and south to the Allegheny Plateau. The “315” includes the cities of Syracuse, Utica, Rome, Cortland, Oswego, Saint Lawrence, Canton, Massena, Watertown and most of the Finger Lakes, as far west as Keuka Lake.
This significant portion of New York State is home to Syracuse University, an institution at the center of music in Central New York in terms of venues, students and alumni. Across the “315” are an immense number of artists and bands who have called the region home, dozens of music venues, classic music festivals, promoters and events that make the “315” a diverse median of a state rich in music history around every corner.
So to celebrate 315 Day (March 15), we begin a series of Three Hundred Fifteen things that make the “315” a great place for music.
graphic by Emily DePietro
Since we only had a week to work on this, instead of all Three Hundred Fifteen at once, we figured to start with 16, or about 5% of 315. Check out our 518 Day list and stay tuned for an annual update to each list (with 716 Day coming this summer!)
1. Empower FCU Amphitheater At Lakeview
Originally the site of a toxic waste dump, courtesy of Solvay Process Company that dumped soda ash on the site for decades, the venue sits on the shore of Onondaga Lake and if you didn’t read the first part of this sentence, you may never know what once lay beneath.
An exhilarating live music experience, Sophistafunk blends intoxicating beats, heavy synth basslines and funky vocals for a one of a kind performance. The group was selected by Guy Fieri to be house band on Guyâs Grocery Games and again on Guy’s Ultimate Game Night. Sophistafunk has performed across the country at venues, underground shows and music festivals, and continues to be the premier funk band from Central New York.
3. The SAMMYs
The Syracuse Area Music Awards were founded in 1993 by Frank Malfitano and have soldiered on every year since, having recently handed out the 31st annual awards on March 2, 2024. With People’s Choice Awards, live music from artists living in the greater Syracuse area, and a wealth of music history coming together on stage each year, the SAMMYs are at the core of the “315.”
4. Crane School of Music
Located at SUNY Potsdam, the Crane School of Music offers undergraduate and graduate programs, emphasizing performance and practice. The school’s symphony and chorus have performed at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, traveling internationally to Germany, Spain and even Cuba. With a legacy dating back to 1886, more than 300 concerts, recitals and lectures each year make the Crane School a hallmark music institution.
5. Earlville Opera House
Originally constructed back in 1892, the Earlville Opera House was destroyed twice by fire in its early years, with the current building standing strong for more than 125 years. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this landmark in a village of 800, Earlville Opera House is a Madison County gem, and founded as as not-for-profit, volunteer-based community organization in 1972.
6. Los Blancos
Blending blues, funk, R&B, zydeco and rock, Los Blancos have gained acclaim in Central New York, as well as sharing the stage with Little Feat, Los Lobos, Gov’t Mule, Merl Saunders, Hubert Sumlin. The group, consisting of Colin Aberdeen (electric guitar/vocals), Mark Nanni (keyboard/accordion/vocals), Steve Winston (bass/vocals) and Mark Tiffault (drums), can be found playing frequently at Shifty’s and 443 Social Club and Lounge.
7. moe.down
Starting in 2000, moe. began holding their own festival – moe.down – in Turin, NY at Snow Ridge Ski Area. The Labor Day Weekend festival brought together moe.’s peers in the jam community, rising artists from across the Northeast, as well as artists who influence moe.’s sound. After moving for two years to Gelston Castle in Mohawk, NY, the festival returned to Turin in 2012 and was held annually until 2014, since returning in 2017 and 2019. Read our history of moe.downs 1-15 here.
8. Stanley Theatre
Utica’s original movie palace, the Stanley Theatre opened in 1928 with capacity of nearly 3,000 and was designed by famed architect Thomas Lamb, who also designed the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, Proctor’s in Schenectady and Landmark Theatre in Syracuse. The Stanley Theatre currently hosts concerts as well as a number of musicals, courtesy of Broadway Utica.
9. NYS Fair
The Great New York State Fair isn’t just rides, exhibits, a competitions for Best Milk in New York State, live music takes center stage at Chevy Court as well as the Grandstand (now Suburban Park). The original grandstand was demolished in 2016 to make way for an updated area that could continue to attract national artists during the annual state fair – the oldest of its kind, having been founded in 1832 by local farmers for agriculture and local fairs. Only in the 1950s did The Great New York State Fair begin to have a greater focus on music and entertainment to attract a new generation, appealing to families and the rise of pop culture. Check out last year’s lineup here.
10. Mike Powell
Hailing from West Carthage, NY in Jefferson County near Fort Drum, Mike Powell is not only a musician, but one of the greatest lacrosse players of all time. His jersey, #22, was retired in 2023 by Syracuse University, where he was a four-time All-American and holds the record for most career points.
Since graduating from Syracuse, Powell has released six albums and written more than 200 original songs, drawing on influences including Bob Dylan, John Prine and Woody Guthrie. Powell has performed with his group The Black River and, most recently, The Echo Sound, which is gaining acclaim across Central New York. An indie folk rock singer, Mike Powell’s sound and evolution from athlete to musician is among the greats to come from the “315” with many years of music yet to come.
11. Homer Center for the Arts
Located in a former Baptist church, Homer Center for the Arts was created as a way to save the building and provide something for the Homer community, just north of Cortland. And create a community they do – artists, musicians, workshops, galleries, community theater and film screenings make Homer Center for the Arts an institution supporting not just the Village of Homer, but the greater Central New York region as a whole.
12. Syracuse Stage
Syracuse Stage, a professional theatre company that has produced plays since 1974, the Stage celebrates their 50th anniversary in the 2023-24 season, now underway. Connected to Syracuse University with the Drama Department, students are cast in plays and musicals, as well as hold Black Box shows, all under the direction and guidance of professors and professionals who make Syracuse Stage a connection between the city and university, with events open to the public.
courtesy of Syracuse University
13. The Birdseed Bandits
Comprised of Adam Ludemann, Seth Becker, and Nash Robb, The Birdseed Bandits released their eponymous debut album in 2013, a collection of “greatest hits” from the band’s first two years together. Forming a unique style that has catchy, foot-stomping, mug-waving folk/rock songs through the use of banjo, mandolin, guitar and upright bass, Birdseed Bandits stopped performing in 2014, but left a mark on the Central New York music scene in their time together.
14. The Yard Amphitheater
An outdoor music venue at Ray Brothers BBQ in Bouckville, NY, The Yard Amphitheatre has become a rural destination for live music acts including Ryan Montbleau, Martin Sexton, Yonder Mountain String Band, Keller Williams and many more. With a capacity of 1,500 and great barbeque right next door, The Yard is a must-visit destination venue. Check out their 2024 shows here.
15. Crouse Chimemasters
For anyone having lived close to the west side of Syracuse University’s campus, or been a student walking the SU campus around 8am, 11:45am or 6pm, you will have heard the bells of Crouse College ringing, and inside is a tradition that dates back in 1889. The Syracuse Chimemasters create daily melodies thrice daily working with a system of levers and pulleys that ring the 14 bells in the belfry of Crouse College. You might hear anything from “Mamma Mia” to Star Wars selections, as well as solemn and classical music, from these seasoned veterans who rock the bells for 135 years and counting.
16. Smith Opera House
Located in the heart of the Finger Lakes, Smith Opera House has offered performing arts and cultural events since 1894. The interior was restored in the early 1990s, playing host to numerous artists including Phish, Frank Zappa, Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel, as well as live events from Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Geneva Music Festival and much more.
Ed note: a new area code – 680 – is popping up in the 315 – as the population of the region expands. While we welcome a challenge to find Six Hundred Eighty things that make this region the best for music, we’re focusing on the classic 315 area code, for brevity’s sake.
Alternative Rock bands Gin Blossoms and Toad the Wet Sprocket announced their upcoming co-headling tour beginning this August. The 15-date tour sees a show at Artpark Outdoor Amphitheater in Lewiston, NY.
Gin Blossoms
Gin Blossoms and Toad the Wet Sprocket will combine hits and new music for an unstoppable feat of music. The acts will be joined by special guest, Vertical Horizon, a DC-based Alt-rock band. Gin Blossoms were formed in 1987 and have an impressive discography of 90s anthems. The band plans to perform various hit tracks like “Hey Jealousy” which reached 25 on the Billboard Top 100. The tour will also see tracks from their latest album, Mixed Reality.
Toad the Wet Sprocket is comprised of Glen Phillips, Todd Nichols, and Dean Dinning. This year marks a new milestone in their journey with the 30th anniversary of the 1994 platinum selling album Dulcinea. The band will celebrate Dulcinea throughout the year on tour with many songs from the album played in the band’s live set every night on tour.
Toad the Wet Sprocket
Gin Blossoms and Toad the Wet Sprocket 2024 Tour Dates
08-01 Oshkosh, WI – Waterfest Concert Series
08-02 La Vista, NE – The Astro
08-03 Mankato, MN – Vetter Stone Amphitheater
08-05 Grand Rapids, MI – TBA
08-07 Cleveland Heights, OH – Evans Amphitheater
08-11 Lewiston, NY – Artpark Outdoor Amphitheater
08-13 Medford, MA – Chevalier Theatre
08-15 Bethlehem, PA – Wind Creek Event Center
08-16 Cary, NC – Koka Booth Amphitheatre
08-17 Sugar Hill, GA – The Bowl at Sugar Hill
08-18 Huber Heights, OH – Rose Music Center at the Heights
08-20 Red Bank, NJ – Count Basie Center for the Arts
08-22 Selbyville, DE – Freeman Arts Pavilion
08-23 Middlefield, CT – Powder Ridge
08-24 Essex Junction, VT – Champlain Valley Fair
Ticket on-sales for Gin Blossoms and Toad the Wet Sprocket tour begin Friday, March 15 at 10am local time. Visit Gin Blossomsâ website or Toad the Wet Sprocketâs website for more information and to purchase tickets.
Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) has announced Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s 2024 summer season with six Sunday afternoon programs from June 16 to August 18 at the infamous Spa Little Theater.
Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s summer season will open with “Romantic Masterpieces,” showcasing works from Brahms and Arensky on June 16, followed by “Musical Mosaics” featuring Mozart, Puccini, Brahms and Dvořák on June 23.
“Mozart, Mendelssohn, and Brahms” with the Escher String Quartet will follow on July 14, an “Enchanting Winds” program on July 21 and “Beethoven, Ravel, and Schumann” on August 11. The season will close with “The Carnival of the Animals” on August 18, in its original instrumentation for chamber ensemble.
Announcing the exciting season, Elizabeth Sobol, the President and CEO of Saratoga Performing Arts Center shared that the summer season will “open the the Spa Little Theater doors for our community to experience world-class chamber music – now year round — is an important part of our expanded mission” and they’re also looking forward to continuing this new tradition with their partners at CMS under the brilliant direction of Wu Han and David Finckel.
Anchored by Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Artistic directors Wu Han (piano) and David Finckel (cello), this season’s guest artists also include violinists Bella Hristova, Chad Hoopes, Kristin Lee, Adam Barnett-Hart, Brendan Speltz, Danbi Um, and Francisco Fullana; violists Paul Neubauer, Pierre Lapointe, Matthew Lipman, and Guillermo Figueroa; cellists Dmitri Atapine, Brook Speltz, Nicholas Canellakis, and Sterling Elliott; double bassist Nina Bernat; pianists Wu Qian, Anna Geniushene, Evren Ozel, and Michael Stephen Brown; clarinetists Romie de Guise-Langlois and David Shifrin; flutists Demarre McGill and Sooyun Kim; Hugo Valverde on horn; bassoonist Peter Kolkay; harpist Bridget Kibbey; percussionists Ian David Rosenblum and Ayano Kataoka, and The Escher String Quartet.
SPAC is a very special place to hear music. We always find the brief journey from the highway into the park totally transformative, preparing us to experience the greatness of music surrounded by the glories and miracles of nature. SPAC is so much more than a park: it’s a place for communal appreciation of the finest the world has to offer, and CMS is immensely proud to be a part of it.
CMS Artistic Directors Wu Han and David Finckel
The summer season follows two previously announced spring concerts offered by CMS. The final spring performance is slated for May 11 with pianist Wu Han, violinist Chad Hoopes, and cellist David Finckel featuring works by Mozart, Mendelssohn and Smetana.
The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center residency is presented by Charles Schwab – Maureen Parker from June 16 – August 18
June 16: Romantic Masterpieces
Wu Han, piano
Wu Qian, piano
Bella Hristova, violin
Dmitri Atapine,cello
Arensky – Six Children’s Pieces for Piano, Four Hands
Arensky – Trio No. 1 in D minor for Piano, Violin, and Cello
Brahms – Selections from Hungarian Dances for Piano, Four Hands
Brahms – Trio in C major for Piano, Violin, and Cello
June 23: Musical Mosaics
Chad Hoopes, violin
Kristin Lee, violin
Paul Neubauer, viola
Matthew Lipman, viola
David Finckel, cello
Dvořák – Drobnosti (Miniatures) for Two Violins and Viola
Puccini – Crisantemi for String Quartet
Mozart – Quintet in C minor for Two Violins, Two Violas, and Cello
Dvořák – Selections from Cypresses (Echo of Songs) for String Quartet
Brahms – Quintet in G major for Two Violins, Two Violas, and Cello
July 14: Mozart, Mendelssohn, and Brahms
Escher String Quartet
Adam Barnett-Hart, violin
Brendan Speltz, violin
Pierre Lapointe, viola
Brook Speltz, cello
Anna Geniushene, piano
Mozart – Quartet in B-flat major for Strings
Mendelssohn – Quartet No. 1 in E-flat major for Strings
Brahms – Quintet in F minor for Piano, Two Violins, Viola, and Cello
July 21: Enchanting Winds
Evren Ozel, piano
Demarre McGill, flute
Romie de Guise-Langlois, clarinet
Juri Vallentin, oboe
Hugo Valverde, horn
Peter Kolkay, bassoon
Rossini – Quartet No. 4 for Flute, Clarinet, Horn and Bassoon in B-flat major
Saint-Saëns – Sonata for Oboe and Piano
Taffanel – Quintet in G minor for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, and Horn
Poulenc – Sonata for Flute and Piano
Mozart – Quintet in E-flat major for Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, and Piano
August 11: Beethoven, Ravel, and Schumann
Michael Stephen Brown, piano
Nicholas Canellakis, cello
Danbi Um, violin
Beethoven – Sonata in G minor for Cello and Piano
Ravel – Sonata for Violin and Cello
Schumann – Trio No. 1 in D minor for Piano, Violin, and Cello
August 18: The Carnival of the Animals
Wu Han, piano
Wu Qian, piano
Sooyun Kim, flute
David Shifrin, clarinet
Bridget Kibbey, harp
Ian David Rosenbaum, percussion
Ayano Kataoka, percussion
Richard Lin, violin
Francisco Fullana, violin
Guillermo Figueroa, viola
Sterling Elliott, cello
Nina Bernat, double bass
Biber – Sonata representativa in A major for Violin and Continuo
Bach – Concerto in A major for Keyboard, Strings, and Continuo
Vivaldi – Concerto in D major for Flute, Strings, and Continuo
Ravel – Introduction et allegro for Harp, Flute, Clarinet, and String Quartet
Saint-Saëns – Le carnaval des animaux for Ensemble
All summer 2024 CMS events will be held at the Spa Little Theatre in Saratoga Springs, with tickets and subscriptions being available starting March 13, and fans can visit spac.org for more information
