NYS Music 2024

Category: Beyond NYS

  • The Mastery of Mach Hommy

    Building buzz boils down to the person who strikes awe within fans. The one who puts people in seats and keeps them on their feet. An individual that rejects all societal constructs when it comes to traditional musical approaches goes by the name of Mach Hommy. Much of the time he creates masterpieces without any features except for his latest album, #RichaxxHaitian.

    You might have seen a Mach Hommy vinyl on a Viceland show with 2 Chainz. Furthermore, the quality of music certainly magnifies the enjoyment for any listener. This man proves his brilliancy within bright pockets of sound sampling. 

    Discussion about Mach Hommy as the only man capable of licensing lathe cut technology to cut grooves into vinyl rather than press.

    Speaking the Homily

    Mach weaves intricate textures and interwoven patterns within each record. Realistically, nobody within any sector – underground, mainstream, drill – raps smoother than Mach Hommy and collaborators alike. 

    Mach Hommy

    You may have heard Mach Hommy mentioned within the same breath as Your Old Droog [YOD] 

    YOD, Mach and Tha God Fahim share the DUMP mentality. Every great artist pushes themselves through a phase where they become comfortable being uncomfortable. Each one of these three artists pushed through a time where they released multiple projects within one year. Hence, they DUMPed on the game given the quality in relation to timespan.

    “I’d rather pay double for half the time.”

    Mach Hommy on TIME

    Mainly, Mach Hommy plays a pivotal role within any room. His collaborations with Your Old Droog firmly reject traditional musical methods with nonconformist demeanors. From the sounds of it, Droog stayed independent thanks in great part to wisdom imparted by the omnipotent DUMP Gawd himself – Mach Hommy.

    The most fascinating elements become illuminated when Mach Hommy comes near the function. Details are normally what many people fail to recognize. Crucially, tonal perception and vocabulary determines the depth by which a listener comprehends wordplay.

    Details by way of Tyron de Harlem chronically affect the timeline by which this author discovered Mach Hommy. Normally, one journalist sees another journalist taking ATV rides with an artist yet to reveal his face and they tend to take a look. Insofar, the pen of this author understands and circulates wisdom as well.

    This album deserves an archival article/zine concept.

    Basically, this collection of songs starts off with great amplitude of tribal type hymnals. As it progresses, the sound really transfixes the audience. Here are a few tracks that proved rewind worthy.

    Mach Hommy
    Mach Hommy [L] in the studio with Black Thought [R]

    Rewind Worthy Tracks off #RichaxxHaitian

    “Sur Le Pont d’Avignon [Reparation #1]” was produced by Conductor Williams and serves as a calm coastable record. This track sets the tone for transition as the seventh track amidst a collection of exotic tunes. 

    “RichaxxHaitian” produced by Kaytranada radiates as an absolute bop.

    “Lon Lon” – “He said my DNA wasn’t royal he’s a peasant.”

    “Guggenheim Jeune” – “Hommy smilin at your maker I spearheaded my kind with more lines than a comet in the sky you had to pay us.”

    “Copy Cold” – “State of the art business ain’t that stupendous.”

    Mach opened up this album for features and it paid off in a major way. Shouts go out to an artist who uplifts his community, empowers others and knocks down doors for himself and everyone in his camp.

  • A Look Ahead to Bonnaroo 2024

    We are just one week from the kick-off of the 22nd year of Bonnaroo in Manchester, TN, from June 13th to 16th.

    This year’s lineup includes headliners: Pretty Lights, Post Malone, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Fred Again… closing the weekend. Alongside the headliners, a variety of other artists will be performing throughout the weekend, including Maggie Rogers, Dominic Fike, René Rapp, Chappell Roan, Brittany Howard, Megan Thee Stallion, Carly Rae Jepsen, Diplo, Jon Batiste, T-Pain, and many more.

    Out of the 150+ acts this year, 10 will represent the Empire State at Bonnaroo, including Geese (Thurs, That Tent 10pm), Nation of Language ( Thurs, This Tent 7:45pm), Say She She (Thurs, That Tent 3:45pm), Joe Russo’s Almost Dead (Fri, That Tent 9:15pm), Interpol (Fri, This Tent 9:45pm), MIKE (Fri, That Tent 1:15pm), Bonny Light Horseman (Fri, This Tent 3pm), Joey Bada$$ (Sun, That Tent 8:30pm) Taking Back Sunday (Sun, This Tent 7:45pm) and Armand Hammer (Sun, That Tent 1:15pm).

    Bonnaroo preview
    Brian Hensley

    Beyond the Music

    Bonnaroo is not just about the music. There are many activities throughout the festival, such as parades all through Outeroo, free yoga classes, a village market, campground plazas where the community can come together to explore art and activities no matter where you are camped out at a plaza is nearby, and of course, your classic Ferris Wheel and the Fountain.

    Now, we cannot overlook the diverse food vendors this year. There’s such a diverse group of vendors that sound delicious if you are looking to be more adventurous with your food, such as Pho Cue Vietnamese & Barbecue, The Empanada Spot, Ugadi Indian Grill, and so many more. If you’re craving something more familiar, vendors like Chicken & Waffles, Daddy’s Dogs, and Fat Beef Burger have you covered.

    The Bonnaroo website is an amazing source for all things Roo-related. It provides details on how to get to Bonnaroo, where to stay, the festival, and the camping ground map. For anyone with food allergies or dietary restrictions, head to the Food Vendor section; there, you will find vendors that fit your needs.

    You can still purchase day tickets from the website. Also, there’s a Bonnaroo app for IOS and Android that you can download to have all things Bonnaroo at your fingertips.

    Food Vendors

    Bonnaroo preview

    Daily Schedules

    Bonnaroo preview

  • The Electric Forest 2024 Set Survival Guide 

    With less than a month away from Electric Forest 2024 many are eager to get back to the magic along the secluded acres of Michigan. With the unlimited amount of music to hear and activities to participate in, it can be overwhelming deciding where to go and who to see. Luckily, NYS Music has broken down some of the highlights that shouldn’t go unnoticed. 

    Griz, Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty

    Top 10 Acts to See at Electric Forest 2024

    1. Excision

    This comes as no surprise as the crowned dubstep DJ has without a doubt paved the way for EDM. Excision is a producer that knows the secret to making his set better is through listening to his fans. His expertise in the art meshed with his devotion to the fan experience is what makes his sets a must see. He utilizes immersive visuals that have even Kanye West amazed and seeking this kind of talent on his team. All headbangers will pile in for his performance and you should too!

    Excision, Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty

    2. Pretty Lights

      It’s been a decade since Pretty Lights has been to Rothbury and that’s what has people absolutely going wild for his name on this lineup. This musical project fuses electronic beats, poetic samples, modular synthesizers, and live musicians. This set is about to transport listeners to cosmic planes with his light show. Pretty Lights’ 5 year hiatus has allowed to him to construct his new inter-dimensional sound-ship system that will utilize numerous mediums. 

      3. INZO

      If you are a fan of introspective music compiled with euphoric feelings then INZO has the show for you. This young artist is known for blending Alan Watts spokesmen speeches into his tunes that brings nothing but beautiful energy into the atmosphere. He encapsulates what Electric Forest is all about and his set is about to enhance all the magic that this festival has.

      4. The Disco Biscuits

      This band is no surprise to everyone that has seen them live at least once in their lifetime. The Disco Biscuits are pioneers of “trance-fusion,” bridging the gap between EDM and jam rock. So for all jam lovers wanting to delve deeper into EDM and all bass fiends looking to branch out, this band is the answer for you. Philadelphia’s own brings people together because you just can’t help but dance. 

      The Disco Biscuits, Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty

      5. Everything Always

      All house music lovers are undeniably not missing this iconic performance and you shouldn’t either. This project is brought together by two booming producers in the industry who have taken over the mainstream scene as well from their catchy songs. Dom Dolla and John Summit are huge names in the festival space. Each track they release has toppled the charts so seeing them together is going to bring a set that is one to remember. 

      6. Subtronics

      Bassheads and riddem connoisseurs will always catch a Subtronics set. Heavy bass might deter some people from seeing certain artists. However, Subtronics has to be one of the most talented producers in the game right now and if you miss seeing him then you’re missing out. Each summer festival set he plays is so different from the last. He constantly is bringing in new mixes, insane visuals, and crazy drops that always get jaws floored. Subtronics is an artist who if you miss out on him now you will regret it later.

      Subtronics, Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty

      7. Boogie T

      Boogie T has always brought the funk into EDM. He gets weird with his sound in the best way possible. His Louisiana roots give his tunes a twang that dubstep hasn’t seen. The myriad of instruments he utilizes enhances his artistry and obviously there is no choice at that point but to boogie. 

      Boogie T, Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty

      8. Lettuce

      Bring your greens to this performance because the vibes will be effortlessly high. This GRAMMY Award nominated six-piece feeds the souls of many with their music. With over three decades together, Lettuce has cemented their status as boundary pushing innovators. Their sound compiles jazz chords, psychedelic passages, big horns and hip-hop elements.

      9. LSZEE

      This project has fans going absolutely insane. LSDREAM and CloZee join together for a duo performance that is about to be a moment in EDM history. Both producers have left their mark on the scene with their soul transformative music. Now that they’re coming together this is only going to transcend that but ten-fold over. They spent the past year writing an album together and meshing their artistry. All of which will debut right at Electric Forest. Both artists dedicate their music to the human experience and allowing their audience to reconnect with the Earth around them. Forest attendees will be the first to get a glimpse of this meditative and enriching experience. 

      LSDREAM, Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty

      10. The String Cheese Incident

      Last but most definitely not least is the Electric Forest founders themselves; The String Cheese Incident. This jam band from Colorado has had 30 years under their belt to build their unique sound. They utilize bluegrass sounds and rock to bring a groovy show to their fans. They are the backbone of Electric Forest and always have a big iconic moment to celebrate the festivities. The group always plays two sets so make it your mission to catch at least one!

      Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty

      This is just a short list of the astounding talent that Electric Forest has to offer in 2024. Their is countless other artists to put on here that will have excellent performances to catch. But that’s the magic of Forest, have your list of people to see but see where the trees end up taking you. This is how you find your new favorite artist. Maybe they will be playing on the Honey Comb stage at 2am. Or maybe their joining on stage fro a surprise b2b. The beauty is in the unknown. So go get lost and see what you end up finding!

    1. Roots Picnic 2024 Dazzles in Philadelphia

      Since the summer of 2008, legendary hip-hop group and Philadelphia’s hometown legend The Roots have put on the Roots Picnic, a music festival created and curated by the band that has evolved into one of the city’s most anticipated cultural experiences of the year.

      The 2024 Roots Picnic opened its doors on Saturday, June 1, to the masses who filled the grounds of Fairmount Park in the City of Brotherly Love. Several brand activations had treats for guests, including French liqueur brand Grand Marnier, Charmin’, Chase Sapphire and more. Beyond the music, the festival has become a platform for social commentary and community engagement. This year, Roots Picnic Con featured panelists discussing music education, real estate and beauty careers, as well as a keynote conversation with renowned Roots drummer Questlove.

      Jill Scott, Nas, Sexyy Red and more set the bar high on the first day of the 2024 Roots Picnic. Early acts such as BLK ODYSSY, Chioke, and more graced the festival stages before the crowds were treated to an afternoon of electrifying performances. Acclaimed DJ J.PERIOD brought his beloved THE LIVE MIXTAPE series to The Roots Picnic with Black Thought, Method Man, Redman, Common, Freeway, Ferg, and more.

      Following that performance, The-Dream hit his trademark vocals and succulent R&B aura. The-Dream wasted no time letting people know he is a true R&B hitmaker with smooth renditions of “Fancy,” “Falsetto,” “Purple Kisses,” and more. Fans were enamored with the quick trip down memory lane and were left wanting more.

      Nas then took over the main stage to perform his legendary catalog, even bringing out Ghostface Killah as a special surprise guest. He ripped through some of his classic hits such as “N.Y. State of Mind,” “The Message,” “Spicy,” “Get Down.”

      The biggest part of Day 1 was the arrival of Sexyy Red with her dancers and secret service team. The St. Louis native brought her brand of rowdy and raunchy hip-hop to The Roots Picnic and turned it upside down, with fans screaming and twerking the night away.

      Jill Scott closed out Day 1 with her headlining set, which featured a floral stage design. For her set, Scott performed “Hate on Me,” “Whatever,” “The Way,” “You Got Me” with Black Thought, a new track titled “Norf Philly” alongside Tierra Wack, and more.

      The artists performing on Day 2 kept the momentum going from the previous day. On the bill were acts such as Robert Glasper, Shaboozey, Wale, BabyFace, Cam’Ron, André 3000, Gunna, Lil Wayne, and the hometown heroes, The Roots. 

      Rising country music star Shaboozey had the early afternoon crowd rocking at the Fairmount Stage with tracks off his newly released album, Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going, blasting through the speakers.

      Babyface, the legendary singer/songwriter let the crowd know why he’s been at the top of his game for over five decades. In addition to his own records, such as “Everytime I Close My Eyes” and “For the Cool in You,” Face dipped into his immense bag and performed incredible renditions of tracks he’s written over the years for artists such as Bobby Brown, After 7, Boyz II Men, Whitney Houston, TLC, Toni Braxton and more.

      Following up after Babyface , but Gunna picked up the mantle and deliver his swagger injected brand of hip-hop. The Atlanta native took the stage and wasted no time getting into his set with electrifying renditions of “back at it,” “whatsapp (wassam),” “P power,” and “fukumean.” Unfortunately, fans were vibing for a limited time as Wunna’s set was cut short for undisclosed reasons.

      With all the amazing performances spread out across two days, The Roots had to send the massive crowd home truly entertained with their headlining set. The hometown natives used their closing set to honor New Orleans, Louisiana, and its rich music history by having the city’s most talented artists, such as Trombone Shorty, Lloyd, and PJ Morton, join them onstage.

      While fans were enjoying the New Orleans sounds, it was obvious they were anticipating the arrival of the man of the hour, Lil Wayne. Tunechi glided effortlessly through his set with fans screaming at the top of their lungs to hits like “Mr. Carter,” “John,” “I’m Goin In,” and more. It was a marvelous ending to a rather eventful weekend in the city of Brotherly Love. The Roots Picnic 2024 surely did it again.

    2. Polish Music Festival Jazztopad returns to New York

      The esteemed Polish music festival, Jazztopad will return to New York and Canada for the eighth time in its history on June 13 through June 27.

      Jazztopad, as it implies in the title, is one of Poland’s biggest festivals in Jazz and Improvised music. As the eight North American Jazztopad, the festival does have a New York Focus but performances will travel to Philadelphia and Canada. The last two shows, Hand to Earth with Amalia Umeda on June 26 and an ensemble on June 27, are in collaboration with the Coastal Jazz and Blues Society in Vancouver. The New York dates include some jazz specific venues like Dizzy’s Club and barbès.

      The Festival is possible due to the work of Witold Lutosławski National Forum of Music and The Polish Cultural Institute New York. The NFM was founded as an institution in 2014 and has created festivals like The International Festival Wratislavia Cantans and Musica Electronica Nova along with various ensembles and orchestras. The Polish Cultural Institute New York has shared Polish art and history all across the country since its establishment in 2000. The Institute works with Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the Julliard School of Music and more. 

      Artists from around the world will perform at Jazztopad including the Australian contemporary ensemble, Hand and Heart, and Polish violinist, Amalia Umeda. One of the artists featured in Jazzopad is Kris Davis, a Canadian pianist and composer. She is a Grammy award winning artist and has released 24 records as a leader or co-leader. At Jazzopad, she will perform with The Lutosławski Quartet, an NFM ensemble founded in 2007. 

      On June 13, Kris Davis and The Lutosławski Quartet will perform at Dizzys Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center, an intimate venue in New York that features artists from around the world since it officially became a department of Lincoln Center in 1991. Jazztopad will move to barbès on June 14 and 15. Barbès is a Brooklyn Jazz club that was named in the top ten best Jazz clubs in the country by Playboy Magazine. 

      To experience a Jazztopad show or find more information, you can visit the website here.

      Jazztopad 2024

      June 13: Kris Davis & Lutosławski Quartet – World Premiere of The Solastalgia Suite at Dizzy’s Club

      June 14: Marta Sanchez / Amalia Umeda / Michael Bates / Lesley Mok at Barbès

      June 14: Kris Davis & Lutosławski Quartet –The Solastalgia Suite at Philadelphia, Solar Myth

      June 15: Hand to Earth with Amalia Umeda – “The Crow” premiere at Hearst Plaza Outdoor Stage at Lincoln Center

      June 15: Michael Bates’ Acrobat with Lutosławski Quartet at Barbès

      June 16: Stephan Crump & Amalia Umeda at Rizzoli Bookstore

      June 16: BUNGUL: Hamid Drake, Peter Knight, David Wilfred, Daniel Wilfred, Sunny Kim, Aviva Endean & Amalia Umeda at Public Records

      June 19: Hand to Earth with Amalia Umeda at Suoni Per Il Popolo

      June 22: Hand to Earth with Amalia Umeda at Ottawa Jazzfest

      June 26: Hand to Earth with Amalia Umeda at The Coastal Jazz & Blues Society

      June 27: Amalia Umeda / Eirik Hegdal /David Stackenäs / Tyson Naylor / Kenton Loewen at The Coastal Jazz & Blues Society

    3. Boston Calling draws the crowds over Memorial Day Weekend

      Boston Calling Music Festival brought thousands of music lovers of all ages to the Harvard Athletic Complex in Allston, MA over this past Memorial Day weekend, May 24-26, 2024.

      The weather was perfect for this three-day outdoor music festival where more than 50 talented Artists performed across four stages. The Boston Calling website offered helpful information in advance of the event.

      The festival grounds in general were easy to navigate with the Happy Valley Red Stage and the Green stage being the main stages and closest together. There was a great selection of food vendors with many offerings, beverage stands, sponsor booths, Ferris wheel and 2 stands to buy merchandise for the festival and various artists.

      Friday, May 24

      Kicking off the music was Divine Sweater performing on the Happy Valley Red Stage. Performances on Friday also included The Wolff Sisters, Justin Clancy, JVK, and KEI closing out the orange stage with a high energy performance.

      On the Allianz Blue stage Kieran Rhodes, Maris, Ric Wilson, Cannons, and Young the Giant played great sets.

      Happy Valley Red Stage also held performances by Beach Weather, David Kushner, and Leon Bridges. The Green Stage had performances by Mandi Diaz, Luke Hemmings, Renee Rapp who performed popular songs “Pretty Girl”, “Bruises”, “Poison, Poison”, and Ed Sheeran played an incredible set using a loop pedal and his guitar, playing a variety of hits such as ” The A Team”, “Thinking out Loud” and “Bad Habits”.

      Saturday, May 25

      Senseless Optimism playing on the Happy Valley Red Stage, also played on that stage was Bad Rabbits, Frank Turner & the Sleeping Souls, who while on stage said it was their first time back to Boston Calling in 10 years.

      Trey Anastasio & Classic TAB had fans of all ages dancing and singing to songs such as “Moma’s Dance, “Everything’s Right Jam” and “Sand”. The Orange stage had performances from Highwater Haulers, Cakeswap, Paper Lady, and Ward Hayden & the outliers.

      On the Allianz Blue Stage ToriTori, Motherfolk, Tanner Usrey, The Red Clay Strays and Jessie Murph who sang “Devil gotta Dance”,”Cowboys and Angels”, as well as an unreleased song titled “Bad Behavior”. The Green Stage held performances from The Castellows, D4vd, who backflipped onto the stage and played popular songs such as “Backstreet Girl”, and “Here with Me”, KHRUANGBIN, and Tyler Childers who started the set off with “Whitehouse Road”.

      Sunday, May 26

      The Happy Valley Red stage and the Green stage holding performances by Chappell Roan, Hozier, Megan Thee Stallion, and the final headliner of the 2024 Boston Calling Music Festival, The Killers. Other popular artists that had played earlier in the day also drew in the fans were Royel Otis, The Revivalists, and The Heavy Heavy. Playing on the blue and orange stage, The thing, Francis of Delirium, Christone of the Ingram, Blondshell, ALVVAYS, TYSK, TYSK, TYSK, Billy Dean Thomas, Zola Simone, and Freshwater.  

      Trey Anastasio & Classic TAB
      Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls
      D4vd
      Bad Rabbit
      Jessie Murph
      Cannons

    4. The Red Clay Strays Add Brooklyn Show to Nationwide Tour

      Following the release of their new single, music video, and a performance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Red Clay Strays have announced additional dates to their 2024 nationwide headline tour, including a show at the Brooklyn Paramount on October 1. The tour commemorates the release of their highly anticipated second album, Made by These Moments, which will be available on July 26, 2024.

      Formed in 2016 in Mobile, Alabama, The Red Clay Strays are Brandon Coleman (lead vocals, guitar), Drew Nix (electric guitar, vocals, harmonica), Zach Rishel(electric guitar), Andrew Bishop (bass), and John Hall (drums). Their latest single, “Wondering Why,” has pushed the band into the spotlight, spending six consecutive weeks at #1 on the Americana Singles chart.

      The single has received widespread critical acclaim and has even brought the band to be nominated for Emerging Act of the Year at the 2024 Americana Music Awards. Regarding the song, Billboard praises the band saying, “Lead singer Coleman’s gruff, impassioned vocal shines here as always, bolstered by the group’s exemplary musicianship.”

      Since their inception, The Red Clay Strays have reached innumerable success not only on the charts but with their tours as well. This year, the band made their Grand Ole Opry debut and toured across the U.S. Past shows include performing alongside country and Americana music’s biggest names, such as Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, Elle King, and Old Crow Medicine Show. Their current tour features special guests such as The Rolling Stones, Carrie Underwood, and Grace Bowers & The Hodge Podge.

      Tickets will be available on May 31, 2024, at 10 am EST. For more information and tickets, fans can visit here.

      THE RED CLAY STRAYS CONFIRMED TOUR DATES

      May 25—Allston, MA—Boston Calling Festival

      May 30—Foxborough, MA—Gillette Stadium

      June 2—Lexington, KY—Railbird Festival

      June 7—Murphysboro, IL—Shawnee Cave Revival

      June 8—Pineville, KY—Laurel Cove Music Festival

      June 21—Pelham, TN—The Caverns

      June 22—Pelham, TN—The Caverns

      June 23—Pelham, TN—The Caverns

      June 27—Fort Worth, TX—Billy Bob’s

      June 28—San Antonio, TX—Boeing Center at Tech Port

      June 29—Lubbock, TX—Cotton Fest

      July 10—Columbus, OH—The Bluestone

      July 11—Columbus, OH—The Bluestone

      July 12—Chicago, IL—Windy City Smokeout 2024

      July 13—Grand Rapids, MI—The Intersection

      July 20—Salt Lake City, UT—The Complex

      July 21—Redmond, OR—FairWell Festival

      July 24—Airway Heights, WA—Spokane Live

      July 25—Portland, OR—Crystal Ballroom

      July 26—Seattle, WA—The Showbox

      July 27—Rexford, MT—Abayance Bay Marina

      August 2—Minneapolis, MN—Basilica Block Party

      August 3—St. Charles, IA—Hinterland

      August 9—Elkhorn, NE— The Club at Indian Creek

      August 10—Oshkosh, WI—Xroads41 2024

      August 31—Weston, CO—Monument Lake Resort

      September 4—Nashville, TN—Ryman Auditorium

      September 5—Nashville, TN—Ryman Auditorium

      September 6—Nashville, TN—Ryman Auditorium

      September 12—Indianapolis, IN—Murat Theatre

      September 13—Bristol, TN—Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion

      September 14—Birmingham, AL—Avondale Brewing Company

      September 15—Pryor, OK—Born & Raised Festival

      September 18—Silver Spring, MD—The Fillmore

      September 19—Pittsburgh, PA—Stage AE

      September 20—Louisville, KY—Bourbon & Beyond

      October 1—Brooklyn, NY—Brooklyn Paramount

      October 3—Philadelphia, PA—The Fillmore

      October 4—Ocean City, MD—Country Calling

      October 5—Boston, MA—Roadrunner

      October 10—New Orleans, LA—The Fillmore

      October 11—Austin, TX—Austin City Limits Festival

      October 12—Oklahoma City, OK—The Criterion

      October 16—Atlanta, GA—Coca-Cola Roxy

      October 18—Simpsonville, SC—Greenville Country Music Fest

      October 31—Denver, CO—The Mission Ballroom

      November 8—Los Angeles, CA—The Wiltern

      November 9—San Diego, CA—SOMA

      November 10—Anaheim, CA—House of Blues

    5. Dancing in the Beach: JRAD at The Stone Pony 5/17/24

      Joe Russo’s Almost Dead (JRAD) paid homage to their Jersey roots with an unbelievable spectacle of a show at the legendary Stone Pony in Asbury Park. The show included Stuart Bogie sitting in on many songs, notably during “Eyes of the World.”

      The first set started off with a classic Bluesy Dead song “Good Morning School Girl”. The set included an extensive “Fire on the Mountain” and a beautiful “Eyes of the World”. The band ended the set with one of my absolute favorite renditions of “Dancing In the Strets”.

      It was so good JRAD started the second set at Stone Pony with the same jam. The “Music Never Stopped” that followed was equally as groovy and kept the vibe going.

      What followed was a beautiful medley of Deadhead favorites including “Help on the Way”, “St Stephen”, “The Wheel”, and even “Uncle John’s Band” done in pristine JRAD fashion.

      Most of the band is from New Jersey, the show is in the Jersey shore, so proper homage was paid with a double Bruce Springsteen encore. This band was truly born to run!

      JRAD – Stone Pony – May 17, 2024

      Set 1: Good Morning School Girl, Touch of Grey, Silvio, Fire on The Mountain, Eyes of the World, Dancing in the Street

      Set 2: Dancing in the Street, The Music Never Stopped, Help on the Way, Slipknot!, St.Stephen

      Althea, The Wheel, He’s Gone, Uncle John’s Band

      Encore: Rosalita, Born to Run

    6. DOJ Launches Antitrust Lawsuit Against Live Nation

      On May 22, the Department of Justice sued Live Nation alleging it has a monopoly over concert ticketing and promotion.

      The lawsuit states that Live Nation used practices such as exclusive contracts, buyouts of independent promoters, and restriction of venues to crush its market competition. The DOJ filed the lawsuit in New York’s Southern District Court, with 30 states joining the suit. States involved include Florida, Texas, and Colorado, among others.

      Exterior of US Department of Justice

      This lawsuit comes after a 2019 DOJ investigation, which found Live Nation violated the terms set by the federal government after its merger with Ticketmaster. Among these violations, was the pulling of concerts from venues that refused to exclusively use Ticketmaster. The lawsuit also alleges that Live Nation cooperated with arena operator Oak View Group to eliminate competition.

      This lawsuit came after a period of increasing backlash to Live Nation’s practices. Following its 2010 buyout of Ticketmaster, Live Nation controlled up to 80% of major concert tickets. Additionally, the company directly controls 250 venues, 60% of venue promotion, and directly manages 400 artists nationwide. This control has led to issues such as increasing ticketing fees, poor customer service, and restrictions on resale. As a result of monopolization, the DOJ says American concert-goers are “deprived of ticketing innovation and forced to use outdated technology while paying more for tickets than fans in other countries.”

      These issues came to the forefront of public attention during Taylor Swift’s 2023 Eras Tour. During the presale period, glitches in the Ticketmaster website left millions unable to purchase tickets. 

      Following this debacle, there was increasing bipartisan action against Live Nation. In January 2023, senators from both parties grilled Live Nation CFO Joe Berchtold in a three hour hearing. This hearing brought to light Ticketmaster’s failings, but also the immense sway Live Nation had over the market.

      “For too long, Live Nation and Ticketmaster have unfairly and illegally run the world of live events, abusing their dominance to overcharge fans, bully venues, and limit artists”

      – Letitia James, New York Attorney General

      This lawsuit comes after the House passage of the TICKET Act in early May 2024. The bill, introduced by Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) requires ticket sellers to display the total ticket price-including fees-in all advertisements. This step towards ticketing transparency received support from the Recording Academy, and artists ranging from Billie Eilish to Dave Matthews. Along with this congressional action, comes a Federal Trade Commission proposal to ban hidden fees on concert tickets.

      Live Nation has pushed back against these criticisms. In an essay on their website, Head of Corporate Affairs Dan Wall has claimed that Ticketmaster does not set prices, being victim to high demand and low supply. These claims, however, come in tandem with record high lobbying by Live Nation. According to OpenSecrets, the company spent a record $2.4 million, as well as hosting a lavish gala, to influence lawmakers into opposing restrictions on its practices.

      This lawsuit would greatly alter the live music industry if successful. Although the DOJ has not said how they want to break up Live Nation, it is expected that they will separate its ticketing and promotional wings. The DOJ hopes that this suit will increase choice for concert-goers, while reducing price. Additionally, this breakup could open venue doors for artists that were restricted before. This lawsuit is just the latest in a string of antitrust suits launched by the Biden administration, which has included Meta, Apple, and Amazon.

    7. New Rochester Recording Studios Listening Event with Sarah De Valliere

      A new recording studio, Tones Studios, has opened in Irondequoit, NY and to welcome the community into the new space, the studio will host a listening event of artist Sarah De Vallière‘s new album on May 31.

      Tones Studios

      This state of the art studio which was founded in 2017 was constructed in 2019 in a renovated church just outside of Rochester giving a chance for artists in the local area to connect with each other as well as high quality recording technology. 

      Tones offers a variety of production suites, including a live recording studio, a video and photo recording suite and even a fully functioning kitchen. Tones also has an editing suite to bring production to live after a recording session. 

      The studio has been widely used by the community including to film live performances, Joe Bean commercials, and cooking videos as well as recording music. 

      De Vallière’s album, The Healing is a 10-song concept album that explores growing and changing from trauma. The album is set to release on June 7 but guests at the listening event will be able to get a preview of the album on the ATC SCM50 monitoring system, as well as guided tours of the facilities. De Vallière herself will be in attendance as well as Tones Studios project managers.

      You can listen to her music and find more information here on her website. You can RSVP to the free event here.