Albany’s Glass Pony will celebrate beloved bassist Jeff ‘J-Dog’ Picarazzi’s 30th birthday on Friday, April 5 at Ophelia’s On Broadway (formerly Parish Public House), as the band’s first show under the new branding.
The Albany group is currently recording a 4-song EP at White Lake Studios, where the group previously recorded Washed Away with Brett Portzer (Skinless) engineer. A vinyl edition of Washed Away will be dropping in April, limited to 100 copies, and mastered by Justin Perkins of Mystery Room Mastering
Recently, Glass Pony released Best in Show – Live 2023 on Tuesday, March 26, featuring multitrack audio from various 2023 shows. Listen and download the album on Bandcamp.
Next up for Glass Pony after the Ophelia’s show is a performance on Monday April 8 at Adirondack Eclipse Experience in Blue Mountain Lake (sold out), followed by a show on April 11 at Al’s Wine & Whiskey in Syracuse.
With solar eclipse events and preparations underway from Buffalo to Plattsburgh, one New York band, Annie in the Water, has been on a two-month long journey that will find the group performing during the totality on April 8.
Annie in the Water have been on a ‘Road to Totality’ tour since January, with stops around the Northeast, as well as a trip to Colorado for shows in Denver, Golden and Breckenridge. The longevity of the group and perseverance that led them to their current lineup and performance schedule has been noted by longtime fans, as well as new fans they’ve picked up along the way.
Following the Colorado shows, Annie in the Water returned back to New York for shows in Rochester and Syracuse, but a performance at Lark Hall was cancelled due to the snow storm over March 23-24. That show is now rescheduled for Friday, April 5, and making for a 4-show run that will catch the band playing in Sackets Harbor on April 6, where the duo of Brad Hester and Michael Lashomb first performed together. They then head south to Woods Valley Ski Area near Rome on April 7, then head north again towards the High Peaks, for a show on April 8 at Whiteface Mountain in Wilmington.
When asked about playing during the totality of the solar eclipse, Matt Richards (keys/vocals) shared:
“Just as the eclipse reaches totality, I think myself and as a band will also reach a transient feeling of completeness. The hard work of scheduling, preparing for, and performing the tour will be complete. But just like the eclipse, that moment and feeling won’t last long and it will be onto the next phase for myself, the band, the moon, and the sun.”
After respite in April, the band will hit four music festivals in the first half of the summer, performing at Shakori Hills in North Carolina, Memorial Meltdown in Lake George, Sterling Stage Folkfest in Sterling, NY and Northlands Festival in New Hampshire in June. They’ll also be part of Twin Ponds Campground ‘3rd Thursday’ concert series this summer, where Backwoods Pondfest was held for many years, in Peru, NY.
The Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra has announced a “Roman Holiday” concert at the Broome County Forum Theatre in Binghamton on April 6.
On Saturday, April 6, 2024 at 7:30pm, the Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra will presents the final concert of its 2023-2024 M&T Symphonic Series with “Roman Holiday,” a crowd-pleasing program exploring musical depictions of the countries of the Mediterranean.
Led by Maestro Daniel Hege, the Philharmonic will perform Tchaikovsky’s brilliant showpiece Capriccio Italien; “Fandangos,” by living Puerto Rican composer and Cornell professor Roberto Sierra, bringing a distinctly Latin-American twist to 18th-century Spanish dances; and Ottorino Respighi’s uplifting and atmospheric The Pines of Rome, a symphonic tone poem that takes audiences on a sonic tour of the Eternal City.
In addition, the orchestra will also be presenting two free community events in conjunction with “Roman Holiday”. On April 4, Forum Theatre will host a Family Symphony Session, “Fandango!” a free family-friendly chat about how European, African, and Indigenous traditions joined to create Caribbean music. And on April 6, the Forum Theatre will host a Pre-concert chat, “Music and Politics: The Case of Ottorino Respighi,” with Dr. Julia Grella O’Connell, Director of Education and Community Engagement.
The Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra was established in 1955 at the Binghamton Symphony and Choral Society by Fritz and Marianne Wallenberg. It later merged with the B.C. Pops, an orchestra established by Russell Hawkes and David Agard, and now hosts an annual series of chamber, classical, and pop music concerts in Downtown Binghamton and throughout Broome County. The Philharmonic’s professional musicians are from the Southern Tier, New York City, and the surrounding states. They are represented by Local 380 of the American Federation of Musicians. In 2018, Maestro Daniel Hege was named their Music Director.
Tickets are $25 to $65, while kids 17 and under attend free. For more information, fans can contact the Binghamton Philharmonic Box Office at 607-723-3931 or visit www.binghamtonphilharmonic.org.
Brooklyn-based DJ Bad Tuner has shared a new rhythmic single “repeat to fade” ahead of his EP Look At Me But Through Me, set to release on April 5.
With the single release and an EP announcement, Bad Tuner has also shared that he will perform a string of live shows this spring with a live show at the Elsewhere Hall in NYC on April 19. This will be Tuner’s return to the Brooklyn’s Elsewhere rooftop as he sold out the venue in May of last year.
His new single “repeat to fade” is also accompanied with a music video directed by a Baltimore-based cinematographer Patrick Elmore. Tuner’s”repeat to fade” is an anthemic house song, with immense bass and a brutally rhythmic percussion presence that moves in sync with the seductive vocals screamed back by high-pitched harmonies. The house single is a vibrant party song ideal for those who dare to be courageous on the dance floor, with vocals that have an alien air to them, while the percussion acts as an anchor to Earth.
Tuner shows an innate sense of depth and a distinctive style all his own in his new EPLook At Me But Through Me. The six-track EP incorporates unique twists on modern conceptions of UK garage, the sleek and deceptively syncopated productions of the lo-fi house scene, and glitchy hyperpop flourishes. Each of the six tracks embrace entirely eclectic soundscapes, becoming a portal into their individual, wondrous worlds. Look At Me But Through Me EP is set to release on April 5 via Foreign Family Collective / Ninja Tune.
Tuner’s new single “repeat to fade” is available to stream everywhere. Tickets and more information for the live dates and the artist can be found here.
Bad Tuner Live Dates
April 5 – (EP Release Show) @ Listening Room, Chicago, IL
The Albany Symphony presents works from alluring composer Viet Cuong and sound-shifting legend Beethoven this Spring. The shows take place Saturday, April 13 and Sunday, April 14 at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall.
Composer Viet Cuong
The show features extraordinary new works by composer Viet Cuong, who has captivated audiences across the globe. Mastermind Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4 is showcased for both dates as well. Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4 is particularly memorable for its humor and brilliant virtuosity, along with its powerful rhythms and structure. Cuong’s works will also be recorded for Albany Records and will complete an important new disc that also includes his Sub-marine, a gorgeous, commissioned work, premiered by the orchestra last season.
The dates see soloists like Justin Benavidez on Tuba and Sandbox Percussion. The Tuba Concerto is performed by soloist Justin Benavidez and begins with him performing a bass line that blossoms upward with every note. The two awe-inspiring shows from the Albany Symphony include several unique and soul-altering performances that cannot be missed.
“The Albany Symphony and I are so proud and excited to be collaborating with Viet Cuong on this beautiful concert and on Viet’s first full commercial recording. Viet is fast becoming one of America’s most celebrated and performed composers, and he is absolutely one of our favorite partners! We commissioned his breakthrough piece, Re(new)al, seven years ago, and have marveled at the way it has been taken up by orchestras EVERYWHERE!”
Music Director, David Alan Miller
For more information on this April’s events from the Albany Symphony and to purchase tickets for the performances by Viet Cuong, click here.
The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) will host a host a concert to celebrate their 20th anniversary and also honor Billy Joel on June 7 at Tilles Center for the Performing Arts at LIU Post.
The 20th anniversary epic concert will feature an impressive lineup of musicians who are scheduled to perform, including Alexa Ray Joel, Debbie Gibson, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, DJ Johnny Juice from Public Enemy, Felix Cavaliere from The Rascals, Jimmy Webb, Mike DelGuidice, Philip Edward Fisher. The concert will also feature Albert Bouchard and Joe Bouchard the former members of Blue Öyster Cult who will be joined by current band members Jules Radino and Danny Miranda, and the full band Zebra including Randy Jackson, Guy Gelso and Felix Hanemann.
“It’s an absolute privilege and certainly fitting that LIMEHOF’s 20th Anniversary Concert Honoring Billy Joel take place here at Tilles Center,” said Tom Dunn, Executive and Artistic Director, Tilles Center.“Billy is a longtime friend and supporter of Tilles’ impactful mission, and we are thrilled to celebrate his unparalleled and legendary career with this star-studded group of music luminaries.” He added
At the concert, the legendary music agent also the chairman of Independent Artist Group, Dennis Arfa will be inducted in the “Music Industry” category. Additionally, Tilles Center for the Performing Arts will be inducted in the “Venue” category.
“Tilles Center for the Performing Arts at LIU Post is honored to be inducted into the Long Island Music Entertainment Hall of Fame,” Dunn said. “For over 40 years – from Bruce Springsteen’s iconic recording of “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” to Tony Bennett, from Jerry Seinfeld to James Taylor, Tilles Center has been home to a who’s who of performing artists creating and delivering unforgettable and lasting memories. In the last year alone, we’ve been honored to bring Samara Joy, Brandi Carlile, Trevor Noah, John Legend, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Dancing with the Stars Live to our great and diverse Long Island community.”
The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was founded in 2004 with the mission of celebrating and protecting Long Island’s rich musical and entertainment history for future generations. The organization was founded as a center of community that inspires and explores Long Island music and entertainment in all of its forms. It covers the counties of Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, and Kings (Brooklyn) in New York State. LIMEHOF initially established a Hall of Fame structure in Stony Brook, New York, in 2022. The group provides educational programs, scholarships, and awards to Long Island students and educators, and it has inducted over 120 musicians and executives from the music business to date.
Tickets for Tilles Center shows are available online at tillescenter.org or ticketmaster.com, in-person at Tilles Center’s Tantleff Box Office or by telephone at 516.299.3100.
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats and My Morning Jacket are set to co-headline their “Eye to Eye Tour.” On September 24, this tour will stop in Syracuse at the Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater at Lakeview.
My Morning Jacket is hailed by The New York Times as “the kings of expand-your-mind, religious-experience rock”. The group started out as misfits from the South and have since grown to become one of the most beloved bands of their generation. Additionally, they continue to excite audiences all over the world with their hypnotic songcraft and dynamic live performances.
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, born from Denver rock clubs, have grown to be a major force in modern rock ‘n’ roll. With platinum and gold-certified records under their belt, they successfully combine critically acclaimed records with high-energy live performances.
However, it’s not just about the music—Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, My Morning Jacket, and the nonprofit REVERB are collaborating to address the climate crisis and reduce the environmental impact of their tour. Fans can enjoy a fun-filled evening of dancing while contributing to a worthy cause. Check out reverb.org for more information.
Moreover, the “Eye to Eye Tour” provides a dynamic experience by having both bands play equal-length sets, switching up the order of performance at each show. Lose yourself in the music at the “Eye to Eye Tour” this September in Syracuse.
The ticket sale begins at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, March 29.
Midwest jam band mavens Umphrey’s McGee has recently announced some additional dates for this year’s summer tour. Included among these is a stop at Lincoln Hill Farms in Canandaigua, NY on July 7. The tour will also see the band finally “check off” and play in South Dakota for the first time ever.
It will also be the first time Umphrey’s McGee plays at Lincoln Hill Farms, the family-owned and operated farm and venue situated on almost 100 acres of in the Canandaigua countryside. In addition to their Western New York stop, the summer tour will also feature stops in Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Maine.
Umphrey’s then heads back out west for rare Pacific Coast summer dates with a handful of co-bills with Blues Traveler starting July 16. Pre-sale (for most dates) is Wednesday, March 20 at 10:00 am local time using code firstpitch.
Tickets are now on sale for all dates. Visit Umphrey’s website for more info.
Umphrey’s McGee Summer Tour June 13 — TBA — Salt Lake City* June 14 — Gerald R. Ford Amphitheate — Vail, Colo. June 15 — Red Rocks Amphitheatre — Morrison, Colo.* June 20 — the District — Sioux Falls, S.D. June 21 — Big Top Chautauqua — Bayfield, Wisc. June 22 — TBA — Milwaukee June 23 — Relctric Forest — Rothbury, Mich. July 4 — Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts — Westport, Conn. July 5 — Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom — Hampton Beach, N.H. July 6 — State Theatre — Portland, Maine July 7 — Lincoln Hill Farms — Canandaigua, N.Y. July 16 — Hayden Homes Amphitheatre — Bend, Ore.+ July 17 — Britt Pavilion — Jacksonville, Ore. July 18 — Redding Civic Auditorium Lawn — Redding, Calif.+ July 19 — Blue Note Napa Summer Sessions at Meritage Resort — Napa, Calif.+
* w/ Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country + w/ Blues Traveler
In the Round Series will return to Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs with three new concerts on April 19, May 17 and June 14.
A view of Universal Preservation Hall is seen during the media tour and ribbon cutting of the new concert hall in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., on Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. (Jenn March, Special to the Times Union)
In the Round Series has partnered with WEXT for the these three concerts with the main mission to uplift and highlight the work of various singer/songwriting artists on the rise to stardom.
The first show in this new round of concerts is New Zealand-based pop star Kimbra on April 19 at 7:30 p.m. in the Great Hall. Kimbra’s 2011 debut albumVows, which was certified platinum in Australia and New Zealand. Kimbra exploded that same year with “Somebody That I Used To Know,” a duet with Gotye that earned her two Grammys for “Record of the Year” and “Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.” In 2014 she released her highly acclaimed album, The Golden Echo, recruiting artists as diverse as Thundercat, Omar-Rodriguez Lopez of The Mars Volta, Bilal and John Legend to highlight her eclectic musical style.
Next, UPH will welcome homegrown artists Jocelyn and Chris with special guest Sydney Worthley on May 17 at 7:30 p.m. Jocelyn and Chris, along with their band, charted five consecutive commercial radio singles in the Billboard AAA Top 40, took two records to number one on the Relix Jambands top 30, and appeared nationally on NBC’s Today Show. The siblings, both recent graduates of Harvard University, have recorded eight albums and toured coast to coast.
Phoebe Bridgers and Taylor Swift are two singer-songwriters who inspire Sydney Worthley. In her debut single,”How Soon Is Now?”, the singer talks about heartbreak, losing all emotion, grieving for a departed loved one, and the fallout from modifying who you are to suit the requirements of another person. In 2020, Sydney released her EP project Rose Colored Glasses, which features different themes like learning from past mistakes, coming of age, and long-lost friendships.
Also announced is Shayna Steele and Buggy Jive on June 14. Steele, claimed to be one of the greatest singing sensations of our time, will be featuring her third album Watch Me Fly, offering six self-penned originals and four select classics ranging from soul, blues and gospel and easily crossing over to retro R&B and jazz. Joining her is Buggy Jive, a soul rock singer-songwriter from Upstate New York.
Buggy was recently honored as a 2023 “Top Shelf” Tiny Desk Contest finalist and his latest release The Ghost of Alexander, was named Album of the Year at Upstate New York’s 2023 “Eddie” Awards as well as recently opening for Macy Gray’s recent tour stop in Troy.
Tickets for the In the Round Series at the Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga are on sale now through the Box Office at Proctors in-person, via phone at (518) 346-6204 Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. or online visit atuph.org.
Drive-By Truckers will be stopping at Irving Plaza on October 17, as part of their Southern Rock OperaRevisited2024 Tour. With a selection of fan favorites from their vast discography, this tour will be an exciting celebration of their legendary 2001 album.
Drive By Truckers at Water Street Music Hall – photo by Brian Ferguson
Drive-By Truckersput love and effort into Southern Rock Opera, which they first self-released on September 11, 2001. They raised money from fans who later became investors to press 5,000 copies, and they independently sold 10,000 copies while going on a huge tour that they organized. The band moved from dive bars to larger venues and theaters due to the album’s success, which also led to proper management and a record deal.
Drive-By Truckers began their journey with Southern Rock Opera, and for 23 years, this trajectory helped them thrive. Acclaimed for their enthusiastic performances and insightful political views, the group’s varied take on rock ‘n’ roll has connected with listeners all over the world.
Beginning on June 7, the tour will travel throughout North America until the beginning of July. Not only that, but the tour will return in October. On October 17, New Yorkers can catch them at Irving Plaza.
With a special soundcheck party and limited-edition merchandise, the VIP Experience gives fans an opportunity to dig deeper into the music. Get your VIP tickets now for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness history.
The band sums it up nicely when they say, “It ain’t about the past.” This tour is meant to spark conversations about our past, present, and future. Thus, get your tickets, mark your calendars, and get ready to rock out when Drive-By Truckers hit the road for their Southern Rock Opera Revisited 2024 Tour.
