NYC-based indie-folk group Rookie Mistake have released their debut EP I Will Not Die in Upstate New York on March 29. The album is full of intriguing sound and promising talent.
Rookie Mistake is made up of Nick Fioravanti, Gianna Minerva, Justin Gambardella, and Ethan Brown. They were originally formed in May 2022 in college at SUNY Oneonta and are currently based in the NYC Metro. They’re excited to share their debut EP, I Will Not Die in Upstate New York after playing house shows and small clubs around New York State.
The group is heavily swayed by artists from genres like folk, indie, alternative, and classic rock. You can hear similarities to groups like Joy Again, The Walters, The Lumineers, and Mumford and Sons. The group refuses to conform to a specific genre. They have elements of folk, indie, bluegrass, and glimpses of alternative.
The opening track “I Will Not Die in Upstate New York” sets the tone of the EP with a heavy emphasis on acoustic folk, but still gripping the indie sound. It is a story of returning home, leaving the past behind, traveling far and wide and living life. The next track “Fortune Cookie” is quite laid back, but transforms into a heartfelt, hopeful and fast-paced tune. This track really shows the singer’s heavier vocals and the instrumental capabilities as more than just soft folk.
When the song “Trampoline” plays, the band really starts to show their indie roots. They prove their talents are simply multi-dimensional. “Famous” and “I Love it Here” bring back those soft, folk elements and showcases that the band can play a range of sound and can make indie-folk really pop. The songs are filled with depth, both emotionally and instrumentally.
To hear Rookie Mistake’s debut EP and to learn more about the band, click here.
Electronic music can be confusing. Deciphering the differences between Jungle, Drum & Bass, Dubstep, Techno, House, Trance, and numerous others can be quite the challenge, but also part of the fun. Electro-Soul Beats is a genre that might elude most, but not Atlas B, it’s where he lives. On April 13, at NoFun in Troy, Atlas B performed his unique brand of music.
Using a laptop, an APC 40 controller, and (I assume) Ableton Live, Brian Enders took the audience on a sonic journey that was sample-rich, melodic, often-times wobble-bassey, and just plain fun. And that was just the sound.
Brian Enders A.K.A. Atlas B. is a Clifton Park native and has been making a name for himself locally. Starting in November of 2021 he launched his Atlas B. project using DistroKid to distribute his first single “Aeronautics” and has consistently been producing and performing ever since. He’s no stranger to NoFun as he’s done numerous shows there and packs in a crowd.
The normally darkened scene at NoFun was lit up like a Christmas tree with a gigantic curved LED wall that spanned nearly the entire width of the stage, not to mention the 6 CRT monitors at the foot of the stage. The complex, fractal-like, mirrored animations were a great accent to the hard-driving grooves that boomed throughout the space and spilled into River Street.
Occasionally Atlas B. was joined by Noah Fense Beers for some welcome and well-delivered rap lyrics atop the pristine chunked-out beats, giving the whole show a nice ebb and flow. It highlighted the power of collaboration and how music can be a binding force between people. That force was present between the two performers and it radiated into the audience. That good vibe was brought to the forefront when Ender’s brought out his remix of “Say You’ll Be There” by The Spice Girls. There’s something to be said about an artist that can weave a set of music together that hits hard and then drop in The Spice Girls without causing bedlam.
The future for Atlas B. looks bright as word gets out and his music gains momentum. No future dates announced yet, but certainly keep an eye on Troy’s NoFun and Empire Live in Albany as he tends to pup up there.
Singer-songwriter Terre Roche of thelegendary NYC sibling folk trio, The Roches has announced the release of album INNER ADULT. Along with this, Terre also dropped her single, “Fish Out of Water,” on April 10.
Terre Roche has written and performed music across the country for over 50 years. Her colorful and celebrated music career refuses to let up as Roche dropped “Fish Out of Water” April 10. The upcoming album INNER ADULT sees Terre continue to add depth to her folk/rock library and will also be released as a limited-edition book featuring illustrations by Terre, song lyrics, photographs, and more.
The album released is to be celebrated May 20 with a show at City Winery Loft in NYC.
The single “Fish Out of Water” has a soothing, yet mesmerizing aura to it. This is a sound only the most talented artists can achieve. The theme of change, growth, moving on, is perfectly embodied by the soft and hopeful acoustic sound. Terre Roche’s vocals are somber yet sweet.
Terre Roche proved that she still has the ear, the mind, and the talent to put out folk works like this no matter the decade. Longevity in an artist is paramount and Terre has it. The sounds lull you while the lyrics keep you thinking. The track is simple in sound but profound in writing. It is simply great.
For more information on Terre Roche, her single, and upcoming album, click here.
Is it possible to win 20 Grammys and even more “Best Jazz Guitarist” polls, to be an inductee into a variety of Halls of Fame including those of Downbeat Magazine and your home state and still be underrated? The answer is a yes if you are the ceaselessly creative and melodic Pat Metheny.
Michael Torres, Photographer
Instagram @michaelatorresphotography
Pat’s latest venture is “The Dream Box Tour,” a solo concert extravaganza unlike any before it in the world of guitaring. Pat’s nearly two and a half hour performance on April 13 at The Bardavon was not just a showcase of his massive skills as an instrumentalist, composer and interpreter of classic songs. It was a revelatory journey through new technology being brought to the fore through Pat’s perpetual experimentation and innovation of the guitar in partnership with his longtime luthier, Linda Manzer.
Throughout his career, Metheny’s signature has been his lyricism – his unchallenged capacity to weave a world of gorgeous melody and lush harmony in his original compositions and interpretation of jazz standards like “I Fall in Love Too Easily” and pop tunes like the Beatles’ “And I Love Her.” Not as resonant with fans have been his periodic excursions to jazz’s freer edges and even noise rock. These include his collaborations with Ornette Coleman on the album Song X and The Sign of Four with avant-garde guitar pioneer, Derek Bailey.
To me, Pat is a bit like Marilyn Monroe, the talented actress who doesn’t quite get the full credit she deserves because you are blinded by her simple beauty. In Pat’s case, it’s the relentless pretty he pulls out of his guitar.
At this concert, Metheny performed on at least ten different axes by my count, the majority modified in intriguing ways via their amplification, number of strings and their gauges (to enable deep bass accompaniment), his alternative tunings and electronics. The showstoppers were his 42-string guitar named Pikasso and his truly ingenious Orchestrion. The latter is a Rube Goldberg-like device through which his guitar triggers an ensemble of other acoustic and electric instruments, from various oddball percussion to a duo of xylophone-like devices and much more.
Pat began his performance with a 15-minute suite on a traditionally-tuned nylon stringed guitar. Here he interweaved bits of songs like his popular “Phase Dance” and “This Is Not America.” This was a followed with a set pulled from his duo album with bassist Charlie Haden, Beyond Missouri Sky. This medley included “Waltz for Ruth,” “Two for the Road” and his take on Ennio Morricone’s theme from the Italian cinema classic, “Cinema Paradiso (Love Theme).”
Metheny provided some shock-and-awe when he moved to one his modified 8-steel string acoustics for a super-percolated version of the strum-fest “Over on 4th Street” from his album One for the Boys. Next he unleashed his inner Derek Bailey/Eugene Chadborne when conjured a cacophony by string-bashing and pick scraping – a bit of noise rock, all done on an acoustic.
Pat also brought out his 42-string Pikasso for a long improvisation. This instrument’s sympathetic strings enable Metheny to do harp-like glissandos and pluck melodies and anchor it all with very deep bass notes courtesy of Pikasso’s 90+ gauge strings.
He then moved to his uniquely strung baritone guitar for a medley of serene covers included on popular albums like 2011’s “What’s It All About.” This guitar combines two uber-low bass strings with higher range and doubled third and fourth strings and mid-ranges on the traditionally higher tuned first and second strings. Pat says he approaches playing and composing on this guitar as if he was a one-man string quartet. This and most of Pat’s acoustic guitars are outfitted with microphones within the body to provide extra resonance and depth. During this chapter of his master class on guitar, Metheny performed gorgeous versions of “Alfie,” “Rainy Days & Mondays,” Carly Simon’s “That’s The Way I Always Heard It Should Be” and the Bossa Nova staple, “The Girl From Ipanema.”
Metheny then went to another modified guitar, a hollow body electric, for extended versions of several tunes including “Morning of the Carnival.” He first laid down deep bass and chordal loops for accompaniment before ripping into more bebop-inspired improvisations.
Pat’s hard-working guitar tech, Andre Cholmondeley, then ran about the stage to unveil the many parts of The Orchestrion, which Metheny used for a dazzling improvisational display. He would then go to his vintage 1984 synth guitar to solo over the well-tempered musical maelstrom he triggered with The Orchestrion. He would end this outstanding showcase of virtuosity with luminous versions of “Seuno con Mexico” and the Jimmy Webb/Glen Campbell classic, “Wichita Lineman.”
Kristin Flammio & the Pretty Bitchin are excited to celebrate the release of their next single “Never Too High” on April 20 with a release show on Wednesday May 8th at The Broadway in NYC.
Kristin Flammio & the Pretty Bitchin delivers a strong love letter of empowering and fun rock and roll with a nod to pop, country and dance. The Brooklyn based four-piece, formed in 2019, consists of Kristin Flammio, Jericho Davidson, Matt Puckett and Will Noland. The band released their debut album, If You Want to Leave in 2021 and their crowd favorite, “Not This Time” in November 2023. Finally, the group is back at it with the release of “Never Too High” on April 20.
Kristin Flammio & the Pretty Bitchin’s upcoming new track, “Never Too High” is cleverly releasing on 4/20. The track is explosive with energy and feel-good. The song has been stuck in my head ever since the first listen. It certainly has the sound and atmosphere of a hit single. Punchy drums, joyous melodies, a soaring voice define this track as something to behold.
“Never Too High” has a classic indie vibe, reminiscent of Florence and the Machine. Influence from alternative, pop, pop-punk, and indie groups are more than apparent. This group utilizes sounds from all across rock and roll to craft their music. “Never Too High” is a prime example of this.
To learn more about Kristin Flammio & the Pretty Bitchin, their upcoming and existing works, click here.
The Motet and opening act The Sideways got Buffalo boogieing down at Buffalo Ironworks on April 16. They all brought contagious energy.
The Sideways, a popular band in Rochester, started the night off. The band is a fusion of pop, soul and R&B. They played songs from their recently released debut album, Fair Weather. Their sweet sound got the audience’s dancing feet ready for The Motet.
The Motet, a Denver-based band with a blend of funk, soul, and jazz music, had people jamming and dancing. With the addition of vocalist Sarah Clark only this past fall, it felt like sheâd always been part of the band. The way that she interacted with the crowd and carried this contagious energy of fun. Whether she was trying on an audience member’s sunglasses or leading the crowd in song, she kept up the energy all night long
Both The Sideways and The Motet left the Buffalo audience with their contagious energy and good vibes. I can honestly say that everyone left in such a great mood. Iâd be surprised if someone didnât.
The Motet will be back in New York on April 27 at Brooklyn Bowl.
Longtime music collaborators and pop and electronic pioneers Troye Sivan and Charli XCX are teaming up for their highly-anticipated 2024 co-headline arena tour “Sweat” with special guest Shygirl, turning iconic US and Canadian venues into raves. They are stopping at MSG on Monday, Sept. 23, 2024.
Charli XCX & Troye Sivan present: Sweat is a celebration of their successes and a testament to their commitment to inclusivity and diversity within the music industry. Fans can expect an electrifying show filled with exhilarating performances, stunning visuals, and infectious beats.
Avant-pop and electronic superstar Charli XCX has become an iconic figure in the arts, having helped expand the landscape of popular music over the last decade. Throughout her trailblazing career, the multi-hyphenate creative has earned critical acclaim for her innovative style and entrepreneurial spirit. Her lasting impact was cemented last year when she was honored with the Visionary Award at the annual Ivor Novellos in London and the Powerhouse Award at Billboard’s Women In Music ceremony in Los Angeles in March. She is gearing up for her anticipated sixth solo album, BRAT, set to feature 15 tracks, including the hit single “Von dutch” – the brash and synth-heavy first taste of the record.
Charli XCX. Credit – Harley Weir.
She threw a momentous Boiler Room in New York’s Brooklyn in February to launch the BRAT campaign with A. G. Cook, George Daniel, Finn Keane, and Doss. ‘Boiler Room & Charli XCX Presents: PARTYGIRL’ broke the record for the most ever RSVPs to a Boiler Room event, with over 40k people registering to attend.
Troye Sivan is a GRAMMY-nominated Australian singer, songwriter, and actor who has firmly established himself as a global icon in pop, fashion, and LGBTQIA+ representation. At just 28. he has over 26 billion streams and ten million adjusted albums sold worldwide. Raised in Perth, Australia, Sivan set the world on fire with a pair of EPs – 2014’s TRXYE and 2015’s Wild. With his debut album Blue Neighbourhood, sophomore album Bloom, the 2020 EP In A Dream, and most recently his third studio album, Something To Give Each Other, Sivan has cemented himself in the music industry. His recent hit single “Rush” earned global accolades and praise, including two GRAMMY nominations. His career has been further celebrated as the recipient of six ARIA Awards, a Billboard Music Award, three MTV Europe Music Awards, and two GLAAD Media Award wins.
Troye Sivan. Photo By Stuart Winecoff
Troye Sivan and Charli XCX are no strangers to collaboration, having previously worked on smash hits such as “1999” and “2099.” Their undeniable chemistry and shared passion for music have solidified their partnership as one of the most dynamic duos in pop music.
Advance presale registration is available now through April 25. The artist presale begins on Thursday, April 25 at 10 AM. Registration does not guarantee tickets and supplies are limited. The general on-sale starts on Friday, April 26 at 10 AM.
CHARLI XCX & TROYE SIVAN PRESENT: SWEAT TOUR DATES:
Sat Sep 14, 2024 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
Legendary blues guitarist Buddy Guy graced the stage of Westbury Music Fair on April 14, as part of his highly anticipated “Damn Right Farewell Tour.” The evening was a celebration of a storied career that has spanned decades, marked by electrifying performances and soulful melodies that have captivated audiences around the world.
Buddy Guy and Bobby Rush
The tour, which kicked off in February 2023, encountered a brief hiatus in September of the same year due to what was described as a “standard medical issue.” However, Guy returned stronger than ever, picking up the tour in April 2024 to the delight of fans eagerly awaiting his return.
Opening the evening was the incomparable Bobby Rush, whose set warmed up the crowd and set the stage for an unforgettable night. Rush’s performance featured an array of blues classics, including “Let Me In Your House,” “Chicken Heads,” “Garbage Man,” and “Got Me Accused,” showcasing his remarkable talent and stage presence.
Bobby Rush
As excitement mounted, Buddy Guy stepped onto the stage, met with a resounding wave of applause and cheers from the audience. Despite the specter of retirement on the horizon, Guy’s fervor and dedication to the blues remain unwavering as he delved into a setlist brimming with cherished hits and enduring classics.
From the heartfelt melody of “Damn Right I Got the Blues” to the famous guitar riff of “Hoochie Coochie Man,” Buddy Guy’s performance showcased his exceptional skill in blues guitar. Every note he played seemed to carry the same intense emotion and depth that has characterized his remarkable career.
Buddy Guy
Buddy’s band rocked the stage with skill and unity. Drummer Tom Hambridge set the beat, while guitarist Ric Hall added soulful solos. Keyboardist Dan Souvigny added depth, and bassist Orlando Wright kept the groove steady. Together, they made Buddy Guy’s performance shine, showing how well they worked together.
During the encore, the stage was graced by the presence of both Bobby Rush and Buddy Guy’s son, Greg Guy. Together, they delivered a powerful rendition of Willie Dixon’s “The Same Thing,” creating a moment that resonated with the audience and highlighted the familial bond shared between Buddy Guy and his son. The addition of Bobby Rush added an extra layer of excitement and camaraderie to the performance.
Buddy Guy and Bobby Rush
Following this captivating collaboration, the night reached its climax with Bobby Rush and Buddy Guy teaming up on stage for a soulful rendition of “Got My Mojo Working.” Their chemistry was electric as they traded licks and shared the spotlight, leaving the audience energized and wanting more.
At Westbury Music Fair, Buddy Guy showed why he’s seen as one of the best guitarists ever. Every chord and lyric reminded everyone why he’s a legend, leaving a lasting impression on everyone who saw him play.
Setlist: Damn Right, I’ve Got the Blues, Hoochie Coochie Man/She’s Nineteen Years Old, I Just Want to Make Love to You, Rock Me Baby, Fever, Five Long Years, Love Her With a Feeling, Feels Like Rain, Sunshine of Your Love, Mary Had a Little Lamb, Boom Boom, Down the Road, How Blue Can You Get, The Same Thing, Got My Mo-Jo Working, Outro Jam
Michael Seyer has brought back his most popular album, Bad Bonez, for its sixth anniversary, playing the entire album live. Seyer even had to write live renditions for some songs on the album which had never been performed before. Elsewhere Zone One provided the perfect setting for this show as an intimate crowd of a couple of hundred fans gathered Sunday, April 14, for a concert filled with soft vocals and fan interaction. It was an experience you can rarely find with an artist of Seyer’s size.
Seyer has a strong following in New York City and has played shows across Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Buffalo almost every year since 2018, excluding 2020 for obvious reasons. In 2021, Michael Seyer accompanied Men I Trust on their Untourable Album Tour across the US. At their two sold-out shows at Brooklyn Steel, the audience instantly recognized he had something special. His soft dream pop vocals and RnB-inspired instrumentation matched well with the sound of Men I Trust.
Seyer, now on his own headliner tour, brought out fellow California-based artist Sundiver Ca to open. You may know Sundiver Ca from their synth-forward hit song “Soundtrack for Your Backseat,” but songs like “Wet Dreams” and “Oh Honey” conjured acts like King Krule with reverb-heavy guitar that culminated in belting vocals.
Seyer entered the stage and opened his set with a rendition of “Zelda’s Lullaby” from the video game The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on an ocarina of his own, with additional backing from the full band. The audience was clearly familiar with Seyer’s discography and personality, given the number of people singing along to every song and bantering with him. In the middle of the set, Seyer teased new music to balance out the older repertoire, only to break out a tongue-in-cheek cover of Nickelback’s “How You Remind Me.”
Most of the audience may have been toddlers when Nickelback’s Silver Side Up was released, but the audience immediately got the joke and belted out gravely supporting vocals. For another song, Seyer asked a fan to hold up a lyric sheet (as you do when playing a 6-year-old album in full) only to notice mid-song that he had given him the wrong sheet and instead repeated the first verse to laughs from the audience.
Now, Seyer’s tour continues up the East Coast, through Canada, and then back through the Midwest to finish with four California shows. It has been three years since the 2021 release of his last album, A Good Fool, so we hope he will be back in New York soon with new music. Seyer has shown the world that he is a talent both as a musician and lyricist, so we are excited to see where his career goes.
Michael Seyer – Elsewhere Zone One, Brooklyn – April 14, 2024
Setlist: Zelda’s Lullaby, Bad Bonez, Ring Around the Rosie, Show Me How You Feel, I Feel Best When I’m Alone, Weekend at Santa Cruz, Kill All Your Darlings, Untitled Bonez, Waiting for You, Lucky Love, Father, An Awful Lonely Summer, Motions, Sonata for a Bad Ghost
Elysium Furnace Works is proud to present Chourmo – a trio of leaders consisting of guitarist David Torn, alto saxophonist Tim Berne, and drummer Tom Rainey – at the VBI Theatre of Cunneen-Hackett Arts Center, located at 12 Vassar St. in Poughkeepsie on Friday, May 17.
Elysium Furnace Works is a cooperative project co-led by Mike Faloon and James Keepnews. EFW seeks to present the work of vanguard artists in settings as dedicated and uncompromising as the art itself, focusing primarily on live music performances in and around New York’s vibrant Hudson Valley.
Chourmo will ignite a fire, intricate abstraction, and passionate forward motion at the venue. David Torn (also, aka “splattercell”) is a composer, texturalist, guitarist, and producer of international stature, renowned for his unique musical voice which seems to span and un-define a range of idioms and styles. His characterful and compositionally textural work has had a material impact and influence on both film scoring — through his scores, and his creative contributions to scores by Carter Burwell, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Cliff Martinez, Howard Shore, Mark Isham, and others. He has assisted artists like David Bowie, k.d. lang, Tim Berne, John Legend, Madonna, Tori Amos, Bill Bruford, and more.
David Torn.
Tim Berne is an American alto saxophonist and record label owner born in Syracuse. His passion for jazz started when he heard the album Dogon A.D. by Julius Hemphill. In 1974, he went to New York to find Hemphill, who gave him saxophone lessons and advice on how to manage his career. Berne started the record label Empire in 1979.
For Empire, he recorded four albums with avant-garde jazz musicians such as John Carter, Alex Cline, Nels Cline, Olu Dara, Vinny Golia, Paul Motian, and Ed Schuller. His next two albums appeared on Soul Note in the early 1980s. He then got a contract with Columbia and recorded with Robertson, Hank Roberts, Bill Frisell, and others. After two albums with Columbia, he signed with JMT, a label known for avant-garde jazz. Over the years he recorded with many bands including Miniature, Caos Totale, Bloodcount, Paraphrase, Hard Cell, Science Friction, Buffalo Collison, Snakeoil, and more.
The final member of Chourmo is drummer Tom Rainey who has performed and or recorded with numerous artists including Mose Allison, Tim Berne, Anthony Braxton, Kris Davis, Ingrid Laubrock, Joe Lovano, and countless others.
Tickets are $20 in advance and $30 at the door — advance tickets are on sale now.
Tim Berne.
Elysium Furnace Works 2024 Concerts
June 22: Jamaaladeen Tacuma / James Brandon Lewis: “On Your Shoulders”, VBI @ CHAC — A historic congregation of the legendary harmolodic bass pioneer from Ornette Coleman’s innovative electric ensemble Prime Time Tacuma with the DownBeat Magazine Rising Star on tenor saxophone. Lewis is a multi-generational celebration honoring past trailblazers and offering, in Mr. Tacuma’s words, “a special thank you to all the mentors and elders in music sharing their knowledge and creativity with the next generation.”
July 19: Matthew Shipp Trio, St. Andrew’s & St. Luke’s Church, Beacon NY — The renowned, era-defining pianist and composer Shipp returns to this sacred space in Beacon, joined by the world-class rhythm section of Michael Bisio on bass and Newman Taylor Baker on drums, as they celebrate their aptly-titled new recording for ESP-Disk’, New Concepts in Piano Trio Jazz.
September 21: Peter Evans, VBI @ CHAC — The fearsomely gifted trumpeter Evans astonishes audiences with the sheer multiplicity of sounds and textures he can coax from his horn and the staggering inspiration that shapes his fathomless exploration in this rare Hudson Valley solo appearance.
October 19: Yuko Otomo, VBI @ CHAC — In her first solo Hudson Valley appearance, the exceptional poet and writer Otomo brings her revelatory work steeped in humane soul and universal epiphany, accompanied by musicians TBA.
November 16: AM / FM, VBI @ CHAC — This power duo of guitarist Ava Mendoza and violinist Gabby Fluke-Mogul synthesize a heady brew of avant jazz, blues, and noise – radically upending experimental music(s) past, present, and future.
December 7: Harriet Tubman (Ross / Gibbs / Lewis), VBI @ CHAC — Elysium Furnace Works closes out its monumental season with the fiery intensity of the long-running eclectic and electric collective Harriet Tubman, comprising the insanely talented and accomplished trio of guitarist Brandon Ross, bassist Melvin Gibbs and drummer JT Lewis.
