Category: Beyond NYS

Shakedown Vegas at Brooklyn Bowl during Dead and Company

This summer in Las Vegas, while Dead and Company grace Sphere for 24 nights over 8 weeks, PhanArt Presents a gathering of Grateful Dead artists and vendors at Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas for a true Indoor Shakedown!

On Saturdays in May, June and July, this Indoor Shakedown in Vegas will feature Grateful Dead-inspired art and goods, posters, clothing, memorabilia and much more.

Shows will be held on Saturday May 18, May 25, June 8, June 15, June 22, July 6 and July 13.

Located at The Linq, a short walk from Venetian, Flamingo, Caesars and nearby hotels, Brooklyn Bowl integrates a premier performance venue, food by Blue Ribbon, 6 Bars, and 32 bowling lanes, giving guests a unique place to relax, eat, drink and watch a live performance, or in this case, a Pop-up art show.

Artist Line Up and Exclusive Sphere Art

Little Hippie

Officially Licensed Grateful Dead artist for 20 years with apparel for kids and adults, stickers, greeting cards and home goods like American Made woven blankets. Don’t miss Little Hippie when Dead & Co take over the Las Vegas Sphere.

Grateful Fred

Grateful Fred is a small company built by Stephen McMennamy and his love for the Dead. They make the very best 3D Chrome Plated Dead Inspired badges for cars, boats, rv’s motorcycles, phones, tablets, fridges and just about anything else too. So if you’ve got a ride, Get a Badge! Available at Indoor Shakedown Las Vegas!

Lightnin’ Lids

Lightnin Lids cherishes the beauty of community and the good kind people they’ve come to know of Tour, going back to 1992. The lightnin’ bolt represents the music and songs in our life the inspiration for their amazing hats. Get yours at Indoor Shakedown Las Vegas!

Art by Melrose

Tiedye clothing, tapestries, & accessories for the entire family! Every item is individually tied & dyed by Melrose in Northern California. A one-woman small business, that has been tie-dyeing for 7 years, and making visual art for life. Get yours at Indoor Shakedown Las Vegas!!

The Getdown LLC

Don’t miss this one of kind Sphere & Loathing t-shirt designs create special for Dead & Co’s historic run at the Sphere Las Vegas. Available only at PhanArt Indoor Shakedown at Brooklyn Bowl!

Duh Bomb Collection

Bobby Gire is a local Las Vegas artist with over 20 years of experience working and supporting musical art, poetry, lyrics and apparel. Don’t miss his Dead & Co Sphere designs @ Indoor Shakedown Las Vegas!

Shakedown Streetwear

Brant Waite is Graphic Designer who started Shakedown Streetwear with his wife, Lindsay. The Music we love holds memories, and their designs aspire to capture the experience of seeing Dead & Co at the Sphere. Grab your own new Shakedown Streetwear, only at PhanArt Las Vegas!

Venue Llama

Jordan Busch will be at PhanArt Las Vegas bringing his 30 plus years of experience, knowledge and insight about music venues to fellow concert goers. His brand, Venue Llama, provides basic info about different facets of venues and venue policies. The also provide a platform for people to comment on and review different aspects of music venues. Don’t miss all the free give aways with lots of free schwag to share and help make people aware of our platform and some cool T-shirts to sell too at the Indoor Shakedown in Vegas.

Screensho

NOiiCE DYES

NOiiCE DYES consists of two brothers trying to make the world a more vibrant place. They make top notch TieDye Flavors specializing in FLAVORALLS (Tie dye Overalls) & many more unique handcrafted pieces.

The Grateful Hooker

Cheriise is the Grateful hooker. Known for her amazing Crochet Garments, she has been selling her artwork for almost 10 years and offers tapestries, pins, stickers, patches and other Grateful Memorabilia Don’t miss her at PhanArt Las Vegas.

Cozmic Ice

Matthew Dial has been creating Dead themed Sports Apparel for some time. Check out his styles and designs at Indoor Shakedown Las Vegas!

This and so much more at PhanArt Las Vegas

With restrictive rules in Las Vegas for sidewalk and street vending, PhanArt provides a safe haven for artists, vendors and fans alike, in the air-conditioned and welcoming confines of Brooklyn Bowl. The best bet is an indoor Shakedown at Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas!

Interested vendors and artists can apply to join any of the weekends by reaching out to phanart@gmail.com. Please include info on your brand, business, goods and what you plan to sell, as well as links to social media.

Admission to all PhanArt events is FREE, with shows running from 12-5pm on the listed dates.

Take a look back at the last “In All Good Company” presented by PhanArt, from Chicago, IL over July 3-5, 2015, at Congress Plaza Hotel.

shakedown tuscany

May 20, 2024
NIVA and the Fix The Tix Coalition Applaud Passage of the TICKET Act

The House passed the Transparency in Charges for Key Events Ticketing Act on Wednesday to increase consumer price transparency with great praise from organizations such as NIVA and Fix The Tix Coalition.

According to NBC, the TICKET Act would require sellers to list the ticket cost to buyers, including fees. They would also have to disclose whether the tickets they are selling are not in their possession and provide refunds if an event is canceled. It was first introduced by Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., in June 2023.

The act is one of several recent efforts to curb unfair practices in the ticketing industry. A group of bipartisan senators also introduced the Fans First Act in December, increasing cost transparency and preventing resellers from listing tickets at high prices. Since the Eras Tour incident in 2022, lawmakers have sought to address consumer discontent toward the ticketing industry.

The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) and the Fix The Tix Coalition applauded the act’s passage. They are calling on the Senate to pass S. 3457, the Fans First Act, which has additional provisions to ban fake tickets, to ensure that deceptive imagery on websites does not trick consumers, to increase mandatory reporting of illegal BOTS, to require clear itemizations of ticket prices and fees at the beginning, and to provide meaningful enforcement of these provisions.

We commend House passage of H.R. 3950, the TICKET Act, which will help to improve the ticket buying experience for fans, to protect the livelihoods of artists, and to preserve independent venues across the nation. Not only has the U.S. House of Representatives moved to protect consumers from predatory and deceptive ticketing practices, but states across the country, including Arizona, Maryland, Minnesota and Nevada, have recently banned, without exception, speculative tickets on a bipartisan basis. We call on Congress to do the same, to build on the act and adopt strong, enforceable, comprehensive ticketing reform legislation like the Fans First Act.
Stephen Parker, Executive Director of the National Independent Venue Association.

Fix The Tix Coalition also applauds the act saying, “The bill provides transparency with all-in pricing and takes important steps to combat speculative tickets and deceptive websites. We urge the Senate to build on this progress by strengthening these provisions, increasing enforcement of the BOTS Act, and providing additional avenues of enforcement to combat predatory and deceptive ticketing practices. The live entertainment ecosystem is counting on Congress to act in the best interests of fans to restore transparency and trust to our countryâs broken ticketing system.”

For more information about the bill, visit here.

May 17, 2024
Preview: Boston Calling Music Festival 2024

Boston Calling Music Festival returns this Memorial Day weekend, May 24-26, 2024, to the Harvard Athletic Complex in Boston, MA.

The long-running and well-known music festival has a stellar line up for 2024 and lists performances by Ed Sheeran, Leon Bridges, Tyler Childers, Trey Anastasio, Megan Thee Stallion, The Revivalists, Renee Rapp, Young the Giant, The Killers, and Hozier along with many other talented artists.

The Boston Calling 2024 website is a great source of information for all things festival related such as where to stay and you can also purchase your tickets from the website. The different ticket options listed are day and weekend pass for General Admission, GA+, VIP, and Platinum.

You will want to review the FAQ section as you plan. There is no on-site parking, and they do a great job in the article telling you how to navigate. Also be sure to check out the other questions so you can be prepared for the festival.

Don’t forget to check out the website listing of the food vendors which is very handy if you have dietary restrictions or like to plan your meals ahead of time, they list online each vendor and their location during the festival.

Friday, May 24

Saturday, May 25

Sunday, May 26

May 16, 2024
In Focus: Ty Segall at Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland

On Sunday, May 5, Ty Segall played the Beachland Ballroom in support of his latest album, Three Bells. Sharpie Smile opened and played a great set. Just as Ty and his band took the stage you could hear a crackling noise. It sounded like it could have come out of the speakers, like some weird wet sounding feedback.

After the puzzled crowd looked around for a bit, everyone noticed that a sizable chunk of plaster from the venues old ceiling had fallen off on one side, and a piece was still left hanging in the balance. A hero from the venue used a precariously large ladder to grab the piece while an amused Ty and his band watched from the stage. After our hero pulled the plaster down, the crowd roared in approval and the show was once again on it’s way. I will also say that this is the only concert I have ever been to where someone from the venue came out and warned us to wear ear plugs. With no pit and myself situated right in front of the stage and about six inches from a guitarist amp, my tinnitus was happy I didn’t forget mine.

A Ty Segall show is probably not ideal when the state of the ceiling is questionable, his new album was heavily featured and it is certainly hard and blistering. Though as far as I am aware, the rest of the night went by without incident, even if it seemed like Ty and his other guitarist Emmett Kelly were egging each other on to bring down more ceiling.

Ty played a great set, with all of the hard rock proggy guitar solos you could want. The band really plays off Ty’s energy and the packed Cleveland crowd at it up. Some people don’t like it when a band plays so many new songs versus more of the hits, but I think prefer it. It shows that the band is still pushing forward and if they are excited about what they are doing it almost always translates to a better show. Next Ty heads out west before heading to Europe.

Setlist: The Bell, Void, I Hear, Hi Dee Dee, Emotional Mugger/Leopard Priestess, The Crawler, My Head Explodes, Imaginary Person, Waxman, Love Fuzz, My Best Friend, My Room, Wait, Looking At You

Encore: My Lady’s on Fire

May 10, 2024
Journey’s “Freedom” comes to a close with a career-spanning show in Bridgeport

The Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut, is not known for its concerts. The arena typically hosts the American Hockey League’s Bridgeport Islanders and is overshadowed by the Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater which sits steps away from the entrance. During the summer months, the Amphitheater gets all the big names like Neil Young, Queens of the Stone Age, Santana and Ghost. But, once or twice a year the Total Mortgage Arena gets one or two “big hitters” in the music sphere to balance it out.

This year, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band Journey closed out their “Freedom” tour in Bridgeport ahead of their run of stadium shows with Def Leppard beginning in the summer. Journey’s tour is in support of their new record, Freedom, which was released back in 2022. Fans packed the arena ahead of the 7:30 p.m. start time and the anticipation was high. The last time the band was in the area was last March in the state capital of Hartford at the XL Center.

Photo Credit: Mike Savoia

The Los Angeles native band Toto was again brought out on the road with Journey as their support act. On the first leg of the “Freedom” tour, Toto was also opening for Journey so fans who missed the show last year finally got to see it in a slightly smaller, more intimate venue. As fans were still filing into the arena and finding their seats, the band plugged in their instruments and started with their first song of the night, “Girl Goodbye,” off of their debut self-titled record. Toto played a total of nine songs that had the entire audience dancing and singing along.

Toto has seven band members and brings so much power and energy to the band’s live performances. The band features Warren Ham on percussion and saxophone, Steve Maggiora on the keyboards and Shannon Forrest – who has recorded with the likes of Taylor Swift, and Willie Nelson – on the drums. Joining those three is John Pierce from Huey Lewis and the News on bass, and Greg Phillinganes on keyboard. For those who don’t know Phillinganes, his extensive career consists of touring with the likes of Stevie Wonder and was the musical director for Michael Jackson. The final two and arguably biggest stars of the band is Steve Lukather on guitar who was heavily involved in Jackson’s Thriller album and played on Oliva Newton-John’s Physical album. Lastly on vocals is Joseph Williams who was the adult singing voice for Simba in Disney’s The Lion King.

Photo Credit: Mike Savoia

Toto was an excellent opener for Journey, even if Lukather once screamed “Pittsburg!” instead of Bridgeport. They did a great job readying the crowd for the heavy hitters in the rock and roll sphere. Once the clock struck 9 p.m. the house lights dimmed and lead guitarist Neal Schon appeared on stage with guitar in hand. Immediately after, the rest of the band jumped on stage and jumped into “Only the Young.” The one noticeable thing between Journey and Toto was the excellent vocals and how strong they sounded as a band. It’s not very often that bands from the 80s still sound like they did when they debut but both of these bands still do.

Joining Schon in Journey is Jonathan Cain on piano and guitar, Deen Castronovo on drums, Jason Derlatka on keyboards, Todd Jensen on the bass with Arnel Pineda on lead vocals. Pineda has been in the band for 17 years now after Schon saw him singing on YouTube and asked him to audition.

Photo Credit: Mike Savoia

From the very beginning of the show, it was clear just how energetic the band was. Pineda from the jump was running, dancing and jumping all around the stage. Multiple times throughout the show, he would go up to the front of the crowd and interact with fans in the first few rows. He even hopped off the stage during one song and ran through the crowd high fiving the audience.

Journey delivered all of their greatest hits at this show. Early on they played the smash hit “Don’t Stop Believin’” off of 1981’s Escape. Their powerful set included other hits like “Stone in Love,” “Faithfully,” and “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart).” At the start of each song, it brought a thunderous cheer from the jam-packed arena.

Photo Credit: Mike Savoia

The band was able to feed off the lively energy from the crowd. From the moment the doors opened, a recognizable buzz ran through the building. During “Lovin, Touchin’, Squeezin’,” two fans tossed a banner that said “The Journey Junkies” to Pineda to signify their love for the classic rock group. During “Open Arms,” strangers and friends embraced each other while other fans in the first few rows took out their lighters and lit them just like in the band’s golden years.

After Cain thanked the service men and women for protecting the country and the band returned to the stage, he was wearing a Bridgeport Islanders hockey jersey that got a cheer from the audience. The band – now in the home stretch of the show – started “Wheel in the Sky.” Pineda again took to the crowd and jumped in front of the guard rail separating the first row from the stage to embrace more fans.

Photo Credit: Mike Savoia

While confetti and streamers were shot from the stage at the end of the last song, “Any Way You Want It,” fans were all cheering and applauding for the band as they will not be returning to the state on their next tour. Journey put on an amazing show and did not miss one fan-favorite tune. If you haven’t had the opportunity to see them yet, you must as they make one stop at Citi Field in Queens, New York. Journey is a band that continues to put on amazing shows and it’s clear why they pack stadiums across the globe. Their energy is unmatched and the fans’ appreciation in response to their hard work and dedication.

Toto setlist: Girl Goodbye, Hold the Line, 99, Dying on My Feet, I’ll Be Over You, Home of the Brave, With a Little Help From My Friends, Rosanna, Africa

Journey setlist: Only the Young, Stone in Love, Keep on Runnin’, Don’t Stop Believin’, Lights, Send Her My Love, Who’s Crying Now, Just the Same Way, Escape, Let it Rain, Lovin, Touchin’, Squeezin’, Open Arms, Faithfully, Girl Can’t Help It, Wheel in the Sky, Separate Ways (Worlds Apart), Be Good to Yourself, Any Way You Want It

May 1, 2024
The Brubeck Collection At Wilton Library Launches Digital Archive Of Jazz Legend Dave Brubeck

One of the world’s premier jazz archives, The Dave Brubeck Collection at Wilton Library (Wilton, CT), announced the launch of its enhanced and interactive digital archive, making the 22,000+ item collection catalog easily searchable and browsable online for the first time to everyone worldwide.

Dave Brubeck & Louis Armstrong (The Brubeck Collection). Credit: Don Hunstein/SONY Records

This new digital archive includes a thousand digitized photos, recordings, scores, and documents. For more than 128 years, Wilton Library has served as the cultural and intellectual center of Wilton, CT with the mission to inform, enrich, connect, and inspire the community.

This robust collection, established by Dave Brubeck and his wife features unreleased music, interactive tour maps, photos, correspondence, concert programs, posters, and song timelines from the biggest–selling jazz single of all time “Take Five” – which Dave Brubeck Quartet member Paul Desmond composed 65 years ago – to Brubeck’s achievements in the classical world with his prolific compositions.

Made available on International Jazz Day, this rich resource shares Brubeck’s legacy with musicians, students, researchers, jazz aficionados, and anyone curious about the artist’s broad cultural impact and many dimensions: from his music and family life to his involvement in the 1950s and 60s Civil Rights Movement and beyond.

Creating an online digital archive for The Brubeck Collection was an essential step in making its broad scope of materials accessible worldwide. Dave Brubeck was an internationally renowned musical pioneer and we have been honored to steward his legacy, at Wilton Library and now everywhere. We hope people will enjoy visiting us online as well as in person, where the full range of this large and important collection can be experienced.
The Brubeck Collection Curator Michael Bellacosa.

Dave Brubeck (1920-2012), pianist and composer whose legendary career spanned more than six decades, was one of the most popular and innovative musicians in the jazz world. The Dave Brubeck Quartet’s acclaimed 1959 Time Out album was the first jazz album to sell a million copies, and the album’s track “Take Five” remains the biggest–selling jazz single of all time. Other well-known Brubeck works that have become jazz classics include “Blue Rondo à la Turk,” “In Your Own Sweet Way,” “Unsquare Dance,” and “The Duke.”

In addition to his decades of success in jazz, Brubeck had a lifelong interest in interweaving jazz and classical music. His compositions include the popular Christmas choral pageant “La Fiesta de la Posada,” ground-breaking collaborations with Leonard Bernstein, “Upon this Rock”—written for Pope John Paul II’s U.S. visit, and “Elemental Brubeck,” choreographed by Lar Lubovitch and part of the San Francisco Ballet’s repertoire.

He was a revered performer at international jazz festivals and concert halls and performed at the White House many times. Throughout his career, he received numerous honors and awards including the National Medal of Arts from President Clinton, the GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and a 1954 TIME magazine cover as the leader of a new jazz age. Brubeck was designated a “Living Legend” by the Library of Congress and on his 89th birthday in 2009, he received the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors Award.

Active in the 1950s & 60s Civil Rights Movement, Brubeck refused to play anywhere audiences were segregated, saying “jazz would always represent the music of freedom.” While serving in World War II, Brubeck’s Wolf Pack Band was the first integrated military band.

After amassing the archival collection, Dave and Iola Brubeck sent the materials to their alma mater in 2000. After Dave and Iola passed, the Brubeck family decided to place the Collection at Wilton Library located in the family’s hometown for more than 60 years.

For more information and to explore the Brubeck Collection, visit here.

April 30, 2024
Dead of Summer Music Festival to Feature Charity Disc Golf Tournament in Vermont this July

Dead of Summer Music Festival announced its featured charity disc golf tournament at Hunter Park in Manchester, Vermont this July. The event spans two days – July 13 and 14 – and sees a stellar lineup of performers from all over.

Saturday July 13 is the main event featuring a one round recreational singles tournament. The following day consists of a doubles match. All entrants will have the opportunity to win some great prizes for the top finishers on both days, all for a good cause. This July is the 5th annual Dead of Summer Music Festival which boasts a large, diverse lineup of bands and solo artists.

Some headliners include Pink Talking Fish Ensemble, Neighbor, Max Creek, and many more. To support the fundraising effort, tee box sign sponsorships are currently available. Now and throughout the festival weekend, raffle tickets for some great band merchandise and other giveaways can be purchased.

The musical acts appear July 12, and continue throughout the disc golf tourney, until its closure on July 14. At least 18 bands see the two stages over three days at Hunter Park. The park is seated on 25 acres in the Green Mountains of Manchester Vermont. The festival features performances as well as RV camping and tent camping, over 25 vendors. This family friendly festival also offers 2 days of yoga, kid’s set, and tie dying. Gates open at 9am Friday July 12th.

For more information on Dead of Summer Music Festival and the charity disc golf tournament, click here.

April 27, 2024
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band To Bring Their Farewell Tour To Adler Hall This Fall

Country Rock band Nitty Gritty Dirt Band have expanded their “All The Good Times: The Farewell” Tour by adding a new show at the Adler Hall at New York Society for Ethical Culture on October 6 with special guest Tommy Prine.

Originally formed in 1966, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, also addressed as the Dirt Band, has entertained many audiences with their top-shelf musicianship and timeless hits like “Mr. Bojangles,” “Fishin’ In The Dark,” “An American Dream,” and many more. And now, the time has come for the progressive country band to say so long to the highways and byways they’ve crossed an unimaginable number of times throughout their career.

When sharing about the show, the band shared that, “’All The Good Times’ perfectly describes our career.” With over 20 released albums, the band added that, “Playing our music for Dirt Band fans all over the world has been an incredible experience for us. The most important part of that has been the connection to our audience—that beautiful communal give and take is like nothing else. That’s the very spirit we’ll be celebrating as we head into our farewell tour. We really look forward to seeing you folks. Good times will be had by all!”

After playing their first gig in 1966 in Southern California as a Jug band, by 1969 The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band had become a cornerstone of the burgeoning country-rock community. Their career breakthrough came in 1970 with the release of their record Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy and their hit single “Mr. Bojangles,” a folksy top ten pop hit that brought roots music to the national forefront. In 1972, the band released the first of three groundbreaking Will The Circle Be Unbroken albums, collaborating with many of the best bluegrass, country, and folk artists in the world.

After a successful career that spawned over decades, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band was inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame in 2015. While in the midst of their 49th year touring the band still managed to work on several projects leading up to their 50th Anniversary. In September of 2015, the band commemorated their 50th anniversary with a sold out show at the Ryman Auditorium. Taped for a PBS special which debuted in March 2016, the concert included guests John Prime, Sam Bush, Vince Gill, Jerry Jeff Walker, Alison Krauss, Rodney Crowell, Byron House, Jerry Douglas and Jackson Browne in addition to former member Jimmy Ibbotson.

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band will bring their “All The Good Times: The Farewell” Tour with special guest Tommy Prine to Adler Hall at New York Society for Ethical Culture on October 6. Tickets are $55, $75 and $95 (plus applicable fees) and will be available here starting on Friday, April 19 at 10:00AM.

April 21, 2024
Judas Priest Opens Up US Tour With Spectacular Show In Wallingford, Connecticut

The year 1974 was when Judas Priest’s debut record, Rocka Rolla was released. Now, 50 years later, the legendary British metal band was in Wallingford, Connecticut on Thursday, April 18 for the first show of their United States leg of a tour in support of their new record, Invincible Shield. Last fall the Toyota Oakdale Theatre hosted the first night of Judas Priest’s 50 Heavy Metal Years Tour with Queensrÿche. This time, the Swedish heavy metal band, Sabaton was the opener for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band.

Judas Priest is coming off a few-month trek of shows in Europe. By the time the band hit the United States, the well-oiled Judas Priest machine was ready to roll. The entire night was a beautiful ceremony of heavy metal that brought fans of all ages and all eras of the band together.

Before Judas Priest took the stage, the previously mentioned Sabaton graced the stage at 7:30. The eager Priest fans cheered for the Swedish natives who had a great following at this show. For the opener, it might take a few songs for the band to win over fans. But, the band – who dressed in camo pants and black tops – won fans over from the first note with their history-inspired lyrics and Amon Amarth’s style of metal.

The band was backed by an army tank which served as a drum riser for Hannes Van Dahl. This hasn’t been seen for some kiss fans since Eric Carr of KISS had his drums on top of a tank during the band’s “Creatures of the Night” tour in the 80s. At one point in the show, the band dawned World War II-style gas masks while they played. Lead singer Joakim Brodén sang through the mask while carrying a large canon-like prop around the stage. Fans around the theatre all gasped in amazement while taking videos on their phones.

Joining Brodén and Van Dahl in Sabaton is Pär Sundström on bass, with Chris Rörland and Thobbe Englund. Englund is rejoining the band after an eight-year absence from the group. It was announced on Feb. 9 that Englund was rejoining and replacing guitarist Tommy Johansson.

England has always produced some of the best heavy metal bands in the world. Arguably, Black Sabbath is at the top of that list. Sabbath and Priest have had a wonderful friendship over the years. Judas Priest lead singer, Rob Halford filled for Black Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne on a handful of occasions. It was only fitting for Priest to blast Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs,” off of 1970’s Paranoid through the PA system. In unison, louder than any guitar that night, the crowd belted out lyrics to Sabbath’s famous tune before Judas Priest took to the stage.

With a curtain of the tracklist of the brand-new record, at the forefront of the stage, the lights began to flicker. When the curtain dropped and the band was all cluttered together on a staircase leading to Scott Travis’s drum kit. The band plunged into “Panic Attack” off of the brand-new record. The cheering and screaming from the crowd was deafening as the band spread out on the stage to meet the eager Wallingford crowd. The band played 18 songs that crisscrossed their entire career and spanned their entire discography.

The band sounded as tight as ever. Guitarist Richie Faulkner was prancing around the left side of the stage the entire night. He was a man possessed by his blue Flying V and Explorer guitars. Throughout the night, he was running around the stage, posing at the edge as well as – in KISS-like fashion – throwing guitar picks into the crowd while throwing up the rock and roll horns.

Halford sounded better than ever. His signature screaming and wailing was music in itself to the metal maniacs that had sold out the theatre. Bassist Ian Hill, who is only one of two members in the band from the “classic lineup” stood comfortably towards the band behind guitarist Andy Sneap. Hill would barely move from his spot the entire night yet was the anchor in the rhythm section. Sneap was brought on board to produce the band’s latest two records, 2018’s Firepower and the new Invincible Shield. He has been in the band as a touring guitarist and producer ever since 2018.

Priest’s iconic cross logo was hung above the stage. With each song, it would light up different colors, shoot lights out and even at one point in the show it moved down towards the front of the stage. People around the theatre all pointed and again, took out their phones to capture the cool moment.

The band blasted through their set, which featured hits like “Breaking the Law ,” “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’,” and “Painkiller.” At one point during the encore, Halford rod out on a motorcycle and wore a biker cap to signify the second to last song, “Hell Bent for Leather.”

By the time the last song of the night was played, “Living After Midnight,” off of the band’s 1980 album, British Steel and Queen’s “We Are the Champions” was played off the PA system, fans were already talking about when they would be seeing the band next. Judas Priest was brought up with bands like KISS and Aerosmith but at the rate they are going, Priest will still be going for more years to come.

Sabaton setlist: Ghost Divison, The Last Stand, Swedish Pagans, The Red Baron, Bismarck, Stormtroopers, Carolous Rex, Shiroyama, The Attack of the Dead Man, Primo Victoria, Soldier of Heaven, To Hell and Back

Judas Priest setlist: Panic Attack, You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’, Rapid Fire, Breaking the Law, Lightning Strike, Love Bites, Devil’s Child, Saints in Hell, Crown of Horns, You Don’t Have to Be Old to Be Wise, Turbo Lover, The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown), Painkiller, Electric Eye, Hell Bent for Leather, Living After Midnight

April 21, 2024
DJ Premier & Snoop Dogg Release Official Music Video for New Single ‘Can U Dig That?’

DJ Premier and Snoop Dogg stay tapped in with the streets as two of hip hop’s most revered figures come together for the official music video to their latest single “Can U Dig That?.” After releasing the single a few weeks ago, the duo have now come together adding visuals to their groovy west coast track. Featuring cousin and fellow original Death Row records signee Daz Dillinger, “Can U Dig That?” pays ode to the state of California, their hip hop legends, and the urban life profiled throughout many of their songs.

Snoop Dogg, Daz Dillinger and DJ Premier pay tribute to the West coast in their new single.

“Can U Dig That?” Official Video

In light the music video follows a similar path as the record. Notably, Snoop Dogg is seen at a roundtable with with Daz Dillinger with DJ Premier on the 1’s and 2’s as the duo enjoy a trademark joint while Snoop reminisces on his journey as a West Coast native. Similarly, the record contains plenty of famous name drops as Snoop pays tribute to some of California’s most recognizable faces in hip hop, including Easy-E, E-40 and Ice-T. With a backdrop of a G-funk inspired beat with the now-iconic DJ Premier record scratches, Snoop also pays tribute to inner-city California life encapsulating the overall vibe of the Wes Coast. Uniquely while Snoop acknowledged the shootouts, those “on the yard,” he puts a positive twist to the record urging for the beef in the West come to an end.

Though Premier and Snoop have worked together previously; Snoop appeared on Gang Starr’s The Ownerz Album (“In The Life…”), Premier produced two songs on Snoop’s Paid Tha Cost To Be Da Boss album, “Unfucwitable” feat The Lady Of Rage from Snoop’s Doggy Style Allstars Vol. 1, “Can U Dig That?” is their first collaboration under DJ Premier and Ian Schwartzman’s independent imprint TTT.

April 16, 2024