Category: Brooklyn

  • Lunar Vacation Brings Their Spacey Sound to Brooklyn Steel

    The Band

    Lunar Vacation is the musical embodiment of a summer daydream. Hailing from Georgia, this indie rock quintet is made up of five lifelong friends. Their debut album, Inside Every Fig Is a Dead Wasp, was a gentle introduction to their hazy, feel-good vibe. But now, with their upcoming sophomore album Everything Matters, Everything’s Fire, they’re ready to turn up the volume and the feels.

    The Show

    When Lunar Vacation hit the stage at Brooklyn Steel on August 1, they weren’t just there to warm up the crowd—they were there to make sure everyone was floating on cloud nine before Vacations started their set. Starting with “Set the Stage,” they did just that. The track was like the musical equivalent of opening a window on a perfect summer day, inviting everyone to lean in and soak up the goodness.

    As they transitioned into “Cutting Corners,” you could feel the energy in the room amp up. The sharp guitar riffs sliced through the Brooklyn air, locking the band into a groove that had the crowd swaying and grinning. “Unlucky” blended sadness and hope, captivating the audience with its lyrical contrast.

    By the time they hit the final notes of “Tom,” the crowd was fully under their spell. The song ended the set with a burst of energy, leaving everyone feeling like they’d shared something truly special.

    Lunar Vacation, with sunny tunes and deep lyrics, navigated the stage with confidence. And with Everything Matters, Everything’s Fire on the horizon, it’s clear this band is only just beginning to light up the indie music scene.

    Setlist: Set the Stage, Cutting Corners, Unlucky, Monterey, Tom

  • Brooklyn Folk Festival Announces 2024 Lineup

    The Brooklyn Folk Festival, presented by the Jalopy Theatre will take place from Nov. 8-10 at St. Ann’s Church in Brooklyn Heights. This year marks the 16th annual BFF, showcasing an array of artists with unique musical backgrounds and impressive musicianship.

    Brooklyn Folk Festival

    The festival is produced by the Jalopy Theatre & School of Music, a live music space and record label with the purpose of exhibiting the growth of folk and traditional music. With this mission in mind, the Brooklyn Folk Festival effectively brings the evolution of multi-generational and multi-cultural music to fruition.

    Artists taking the stage at St. Ann’s are given a platform regardless of how big or small their audience is. Significantly, everyone gets the opportunity to showcase their years of experience, strengthening their talents and cultural identities through their music.

    Brooklyn Folk Festival

    The three-day festival includes over 40 musical performances, with the addition of surprise guests, film presentations, jam sessions, and many more artistic activities and events. Accordingly, BFF will also feature a vast spectrum of genres. Alongside folk, attendees can enjoy gospel, soul, country, Latin, and Iraqi music, among many others. Some highlights include Riyae Park, a 9-year-old multi-instrumentalist; La Banda Chuska, a combination of cumbia and surf music; and Wazumbians, a Ghanaian music ensemble.


    Diverse, spontaneous, counterculter, and trenchant… one of the most vital and spiritually sound folk-music events in the country

    Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker

    Artists participating in the film showcase are Cyrus Moussavi, Shiva Lakhan, Tamar & Kyle, Royce Martin, Ken Schatz, Trail Papa, Boxcutter Collective, Jan Bell, Ginny’s Kitchen, Wolf van Elfmand, and Isto.

    Additionally, the performers will uniquely highlight issues in need of attention. Utilizing the community gathering to band together for important causes honors the root of folk music- activism. The Jalopy Theatre community recognizes the power artists and their music have in politics and society, carrying on the ethos of folk music.

    For tickets and the full Brooklyn Folk Festival schedule and lineup visit www.brooklynfolkfest.com

    Brooklyn Folk Festival Lineup

    Michael Hurley

    Nora Brown

    Bill Frisell

    Sunny War

    David Amram

    Unholy Modal Rounders

    Resistance Revival Chorus

    Beareather Reddy

    Nikki Giovanni

    Sabine McCalla

    Lone Piñon

    Martha Spencer

    The Deslondes

    Jackson & The Janks

    Gina Leslie

    Fatboy Wilson & Old Viejo Bones

    The Slide Stops

    Wilson & Walsh

    Feral Foster

    Down Hill Strugglers

    Wazumbians

    Yva & Miriam

    Guanchinangos

    Zahra & Al Jinub Ensemble

    Dirdy Birdies

    Roochie Toochie

    Jerron Paxton

    Hop Along Andrew

    The Music of Emahoy Tsege-Mariam Gebru played by Thomas Feng

    The City Pickers

    Chrisitian & Cole

    Vaianos Paisanos

    Pine Leaf Boys

    Suzi Shelton

    Eric & Suzy Thompson

    Los Texmaniacs

    Terri Thal

    Riyae Park

    La Banda Chuska

    Mat & Yvonne

  • Mariah Carey Announces 2024 Christmas Tour With Stops in Brooklyn and Belmont Park

    Mariah Carey, the queen of Christmas, has just announced a 2024 Christmas tour, visiting 20 cities across the U.S. with two stops in New York State: one in Belmont Park and the other in Brooklyn.

    The annual tour is particularly special this year, with 2024 marking the 30th anniversary of her Merry Christmas album and “All I Want For Christmas Is You.”

    Mariah carey Christmas

    The best-selling female artist of all time, with over 200 million records sold, Mariah Carey, has announced her highly-anticipated annual Christmas extravaganza is back and going national. Carey’s Christmas Time will visit 20 cities across the country, including a stop at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, on Friday, December 13; UBS Arena in Belmont Park, NY, on Sunday, December 15; and Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY, on Tuesday, December 17, 2024.

    This tour marks Carey’s grandest holiday spectacle to date and is the first of many surprises she has in store to celebrate the 30th anniversary of her legendary album Merry Christmas and its record-shattering single “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” The show will feature the global superstar’s timeless holiday classics alongside fan-favorite chart-toppers, promising an unforgettable festive experience.

    Tickets will be available starting with a Verizon presale beginning Tuesday, August 6. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general on-sale beginning on Friday, August 9 at 10 a.m. at LiveNation.com. Fans can also purchase VIP packages, which may include premium tickets, access to the pre-show VIP Lounge, exclusive VIP merch items and more. VIP package contents vary based on the offer selected. For more information, visit here. See below for the full list of tour dates.

    Photo Credit: Jeff Kravitz / Getty

    Full Tour

    Wed Nov 06 | Highland, CA | Yaamava Theater

    Fri Nov 08 | Los Angeles, CA | Hollywood Bowl

    Wed Nov 13 | Greater Palm Springs, CA | Acrisure Arena

    Fri Nov 15 | Phoenix, AZ | Footprint Center

    Sun Nov 17 | Austin, TX | Moody Center

    Tue Nov 19 | Houston, TX | Toyota Center

    Thu Nov 21 | Dallas, TX | American Airlines Center

    Sat Nov 23 | Atlanta, GA | State Farm Arena

    Mon Nov 25 | Nashville, TN | Bridgestone Arena

    Wed Nov 27 | Rosemont, IL | Allstate Arena

    Fri Nov 29 | St. Louis, MO | Enterprise Center

    Sun Dec 01 | Washington, DC | Capital One Arena

    Tue Dec 03 | Philadelphia, PA | Wells Fargo Center

    Thu Dec 05 | Boston, MA | TD Garden

    Sat Dec 07 | Baltimore, MD | CFG Bank Arena

    Mon Dec 09 | Raleigh, NC | PNC Arena

    Wed Dec 11 | Pittsburgh, PA | PPG Paints Arena

    Fri Dec 13 | Newark, NJ | Prudential Center

    Sun Dec 15 | Belmont Park, NY | UBS Arena

    Tue Dec 17 | Brooklyn, NY | Barclays Center

  • Brooklyn Funk Essentials Re-Release Two Classic Tracks

    Brooklyn Funk Essentials celebrate the 30th anniversary of their debut album, Cool And Steady And Easy, by re-imagining two singles, “Blow Your Brains Out”, and “Brooklyn Recycles.”

    A cult acid-jazz ensemble, Brooklyn Funk Essentials have established a global following. The re-released singles offer a new take on their classic singles.

    Their 1994 debut album, Cool And Steady And Easy, was an underground hit.”Take the L Train” and “Big Apple Boogaloo” became DJ favorites. Upon its release, Cool And Steady And Easy received Billboard’s  Best Alternative R&B Album of the Year. Prolific producer Arthur Baker (of Afrika Bambaataa and New Order) worked with Lati Kronlund in producing the record.

    Baker and Kronlund met in the 1990s after Baker became captivated by a single Kronlund wrote and produced, “Where Love Lives” by Alison Limerick. As fate would have it, Alison Limerick became the lead vocalist for Brooklyn Funk Essentials in 2016.

    The new rendition of “Blow Your Brains Out” features Limerick’s new vocals, as well as production and instrumentals from Lati Kronlund. Candid dialogue captured in the studio opens the original version of the track: “This f**ker’s nine minutes long?!” “Yeah, just long enough to blow your brains out!”. The daunting time flies by with engaging instrumentation and sonically compelling production.

    “Brooklyn Recycles” was initially a Maceo feature, but is now wholly rewritten by BFE’s original trombone player Joshua Roseman. Bassy Bob Brockmann played the trumpet, with Paul Shapiro on saxophone, and Everton Sylvester contributed inimitable spoken word.

    Next followed 2nd album In The Buzzbag in 1998, Make Them Like It in 2000, Watcha Playin’ in 2008, Funk Ain’t Ova in 2015, Stay Good in 2019, and most recently Intuition in 2023. The re-released singles, which came out July 27th, are available on all streaming platforms now. A live performance from a few years ago is also available below.

  • Disco Biscuits Announce Fall Tour, Stops in Brooklyn Bearsville, Buffalo and Rome

    Fresh on the heels of their wildly successful Why We Dance Tour and its ongoing follow up tour, The Disco Biscuits are keeping the momentum going and have announced a run of shows in the Fall.

    The shows will take place predominantly in the Northeast, but feature a Halloween run at The Caverns in Tennessee. The band will play Brooklyn Steel on November 9 with the next show scheduled for Bearsville Theatre in Woodstock on November 13.

    The Fall Tour also includes The Disco Biscuits making return appearances to The Palladium in Worcester, MA on November 15 and the State Theatre in Portland, ME on November 16. The tour also rolls through Connecticut twice with shows in both Norwalk (November 14) and Hartford (November 20-21). And New York continues to get plenty of attention as well as the tour concludes with the final three shows here. The band will play Rome Capitol Theatre for the first time on November 22 before concluding the tour with two shows at Buffalo’s Town Ballroom where the band never seems to disappoint.

    Both General Admission and VIP tickets for the Fall Tour go on sale tomorrow at 12 pm ET. The VIP package for this set of shows includes early entry to each venue with early access to merch, a pre-show private soundcheck an group photo with the band as well as a commemorative show ticket instead of the usual poster and a laminate. There’s also still one yet to be announced show for this tour on November 7 that falls between ones at Ram’s Head Live in Baltimore and the aforementioned Brooklyn Steel show. For tickets and more information on the band’s 2024 plans, visit discobiscuits.com.

    Disco Biscuits Fall Tour Schedule

    10/30 – Madison Theater – Covington, Ky.
    10/31-11/2 – The Caverns – Pelham, Tenn.
    11/3 – French Broad River Brewery – Asheville, N.C.
    11/6 – Rams Head Live – Baltimore
    11/7 – TBA
    11/9 – Brooklyn Steel – Brooklyn, N.Y.
    11/13 – Bearsville Theatre – Woodstock, N.Y.
    11/14 – District Music Hall- Norwalk, Conn.
    11/15 – The Palladium – Worcester, Mass.
    11/16 – State Theatre – Portland, Maine
    11/17 – Paramount Theatre – Rutland, Vt.
    11/20-21 – Infinity Hall – Hartford, Conn.
    11/22 – Rome Capitol Theatre – Rome, N.Y.
    11/23-24 – Town Ballroom – Buffalo, N.Y.

  • The Giraffes Release Trippy Psychedelic Single “The Shot”

    Brooklyn alternative band, The Giraffes, released their new single “The Shot” off their eighth studio album Cigarette coming out Sept. 27.

    The psychedelic single starts out slow, with minimal instrumentation exposing frontman Aaron Lazar’s vocals and harmonies from the band. “The Shot,” a nearly six minute song, has a trippy 60’s meets jam-band sound. 

    According to Lazar, the song is about Generation X. “We have limited desires and, as a result, we tend to see limited returns. This is a song about millennialism I suppose, where we are doomed to fail, but forced to race nonetheless,” he said. 

    Formed in 1996, The Giraffes are known for curating their loud, punk alternative music. You can still hear the 90’s rock influence, even with their recent discography. Along with Lazar, the band is made up of Damien Paris on guitar, Andrew Totolos on drums and Hannah Moorhead on drums. On previous work, Lazar would write exclusively, but now Moorhead is joining in on writing and backup vocals.

    Since 1998, they’ve released seven albums and toured nationally multiple times. In 2011 Lazar left the band and although that year was thought to be the ending of The Giraffes, Lazar returned in 2014 with sold out reunion concerts. 

    You can stream “The Shot” on Bandcamp and keep an eye out for Cigarette on Sept. 27.

  • The Bell House in Brooklyn Bought Out by Live Nation

    The Bell House, a celebrated entertainment venue in Brooklyn’s Gowanus neighborhood, has been bought out by Live Nation. The venue has hosted and supported many independent artists throughout the years, having opened in 2008.

    The Bell House in Gowanus, Brooklyn

    Located in an old printing press warehouse, The Bell House has since served the community as an outlet for creatives around the city. Upon its opening, The Bell House was involved in the NYC Comedy scene, drawing the public to the industrialized neighborhood. The venue also racked up its fair share of bands, parties, burlesque, and a variety of other social events.

    Because of the opportunities and shameless fun offered to artists and attendees, The Bell House acted as a safe space for people to express themselves. Since 2008, the space has been independently run by the same team responsible for Park Slope’s Union Hall. The two similar, close-by venues, along with other BK establishments gave access to an underground circuit of up-and-coming artists.

    The Bell House in Gowanus, Brooklyn

    Recently, however, The Bell House has experienced a transition as Live Nation quietly purchased it. While the process of it becoming an evident Live Nation venue with mainstream acts is slowly coming into place, the community continues to raise concerns about the future of its beloved sanctuary.

    Live Nation, which is in the midst of a federal antitrust suit due to its monopoly over the live entertainment industry, already dominates NYC music venues. Over the years the music industry giant has racked up rooms like the Gramercy Theatre, Irving Plaza, and Brooklyn Paramount.

    The new addition of The Bell House has generated a lot of concern and questions from the community. Because the venues immensely support independent artists, people are questioning the risk of Live Nation trading in the smaller artists for bigger names. The possible exclusion of talented yet generally unknown musicians and comics contradicts the venue’s purpose and community. It also risks eliminating the proud diversity and public accessibility the venue has to offer.

    The booker and the marketing team do such a great job taking chances on emerging artists and concepts, and giving them the best possible chance to succeed. My big fear is that as it’s engulfed into the bigger Live Nation fold, the venue will lose a little of its cozy Brooklyn familiarity for artists.

    Frequent Bell House Performer for The Groove

    So far, the lineup has yet to reflect any drastic changes from regular shows. While most people are anticipating mainstream acts, the calendar remains full of smaller, yet still notable acts and bands. They still have classic Bell House-style events such as an ABBA Glitter Disco and a Moulin Rouge Drinking game.

    It’s unknown when Live Nation finalized the sale, and therefore, when their booking comes into play. The common fear among the public is how the company will decide to move forward with The Bell House’s trajectory.

    To stay updated with events at The Bell House visit thebellhouseny.com.

  • S2O Music Festival Makes American Debut At The Brooklyn Mirage

    This fall S2O, one of Asia’s most highly anticipated music events, is making its United States debut. Running from August 31 to September 1, the immersive water music festival, is proud to bring electronic music’s biggest names to the Brooklyn Mirage during Labor Day weekend.

    s2o

    Known as “the world’s wettest festival,” S2O has celebrated the Thai New Year with a killer festival since 2015. The festival is known for upholding numerous New Year traditions in Thailand, including the Songkran tradition of spraying one another with water for good luck, for which it is most famous. In the almost decade since its creation, S2O has gained recognition for its innovative blend of electronic dance music and spectacular water effects. The unique festival concept aims to harness the power of water as an elemental force of joy and unity, bringing together fans from all backgrounds to celebrate the Thai New Year.

    Since the festival’s creation, S2O has entertained thousands with the biggest names in electronic music, garnering fans and visitors from all over the world. Its resounding support has made S2O the largest Thai New Year celebration in the world. The high anticipation of the festival has made it continental, bringing it to other neighboring countries in Asia. Now, the United States joins the list, standing alongside spectacular past shows in Vietnam, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and Hong Kong.

    s2o

    This year, S2O brings some of electronica’s biggest acts to Brooklyn in celebration. Headlining the festival are Marshmello and Subtronics, with an exciting lineup of supporting artists like Alan Walker, B2B, and more.

    S2O Full Lineup

    Saturday, August 31, 4 pm – 12 am

    Headliner: Marshmello

    Accompanied by: Alan Walker, timmy, Borgeous, Dzeko

    Additional support: Sensei, Jokah

    Sunday, September 1, 4 pm – 12 am

    Headliner: Subtronics

    Accompanied by: Said the Sky, B2B, William Black, ARMNHMR, Kaivon, Level Up

    Additional support: Zion, Jomu, Cyberpunk, PSYXTOI

    Attendees will immerse themselves in a water music festival experience with experiential elements. The Brooklyn Mirage’s 200-foot LED wall and indoor lounge guarantee the ultimate Songkran (Thai New Year) celebration. Regardless of culture or individual traditions, S2O promises a celebration fans will never forget. Tickets are now available on S2O’s website. However, two-day passes are now sold-out, with limited Sunday tickets still available.

  • Billie Marten Announces New Album at Surprise Show

    Billie Marten played a surprise show at Union Pool on Wednesday, July 24. The British indie/folk singer-songwriter announced the show in a handwritten note on Instagram teasing “mostly new stuff” to be played. Marten began her set with an announcement of a new record that she had just spent ten days recording down the street from Union Pool. She didn’t give a solid idea of when this new album might be coming out, but Marten’s last album, Drop Cherries, released just over a year ago on April 7, 2023.

    Opening for Billie Marten was writer and musician Jana Horn. If you like Big Thief and Adrianne Lenker, you might also enjoy Jana Horn’s work. Intimate, interpersonal talk singing poetry over folksy drums and unique bass lines. She rode the line between banter and awkwardness perfectly, and the crowd had a great time. Marten then came out quietly onto the stage in Union Pool’s back room, which has the vibe of a Christmassy saloon. One pink light drenched Marten onstage with her acoustic guitar in her spaghetti strap top, light wash jeans, and red converse.

    The show was very low-key. Marten’s pickup came loose and the sound engineer scrambled down from his spot up on the balcony as the crowd parted around him. Billie Marten told the audience to talk amongst themselves, and the room filled with a buzz until she was ready to play again. There was plenty of audience banter as Marten changed tunings between each song. We only got to hear four or five new songs, so there is definitely more to come down the road. Hopefully, Billie Marten will be able to put the finishing touches on her album soon, as we are all eagerly awaiting her next show in NY.

  • Friends and Lovers Bar Collaborates With Brooklyn Community

    Friends and Lovers, a bar, music venue and inclusive space located in Crown Heights Brooklyn, is on a mission to revive the soul of Brooklyn nightlife while giving back to the local community.

    Friends and Lovers

    The space opened its doors in 2013 with founders Diana Mora and Dash Brody also the minds behind New York Nightlife United (NU). The organization aims to keep authentic New York Nightlife alive, raising money to keep venues afloat and to support local artists and producers.

    Friends and Lovers has a strategic location on 641 Classon Ave., out of earshot of residential areas, but still nearby local businesses to draw in people coming in and out of Brooklyn. Although the neighborhood has gone through significant changes with new condos and businesses being placed in the area, according to their website, Friends and Lovers remains an inclusive sanctuary.

    The venue also hosts the Classon Community Fridge, a free food fridge that’s completely volunteer run made to give back to the community. Donations come from local business and individual community members. 

    Along with in-house shows, they also host collaboration events. On June 23 they hosted the Summer Dance party at Brooklyn Bridge Park and on Aug. 4 they host Lazy Daze at Liberty Lawn.

    Some of Friends and Lovers upcoming events include “Thoughtcraft,” a comedy show presented by local comics Spencer Simpson and Matt Kumar on July 25. The following night up and coming R&B artist Asante Phenix will perform his discography.

    To find more upcoming events you can visit the website here.

    Upcoming Events

    July 25: Thoughtcraft: A Comedy Show

    July 26: Asante Phenix Live

    July 27: Candid Studios Presents: A Candid Comedy Show

    Aug 1: Game Night

    Aug 2: GetLive! + Friends

    August 4: 3-7pm at GoodFork 79.5, DJs tbd