The 14th annual Lower East Side Film Festival returns to the Big Apple from May 2 to 6. The festival has recently announced its feature film lineup and opening night events.
The 14th annual LESFF at Village East Cinema and DCTV Firehouse Cinema in New York City features the innovative work of creative, up-and-coming filmmakers, and showcases their films in the heart of New York City’s vibrant and historic Lower East Side.
This year Lower East Side Film Festival welcomes Lizzy Caplan, Beanie Feldstein, and actress Susan Kelechi Watson. Academy Award nominated producer and co-founder of Killer Films, Pamela Koffler, actress, singer, filmmaker Brittany Snow, writer, comedian and actor, Julio Torres, and many more will also be present at the events.
In addition, special screenings at Village East Cinema celebrate the 25th Anniversary of 1999, akathe Greatest Year of Movies – Ever!. Retrospectives include “Cruel Intentions” with Q&A with Director Roger Kumble on May 3.Chris Smith’s 1999 documentary debut “American Movie” on May 4 and “But I’m A Cheerleader” plusQ&A with Director Jamie Babbiton takes place May 5.
Over the four-day span, various films are showcased and discussed with a panel of artists, writers, and “jurors.” Village East Cinema and DCTV Firehouse Cinema are set to present these works and discussions beginning at various times throughout the festival. Opening night tickets, 25th anniversary screenings and festival all-access passes are on-sale now. Feature films, 30+ shorts, panels and parties tickets are available on April 15.
For more information on the festival and to purchase tickets to the various events, click here.
The Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra, under the direction of Maestro Daniel Hege, is pleased to announce its 2024-2025 Season.
The season runs from September 2024 through May 2025 and includes the M&T Bank Symphonic Series, the Visions Federal Credit Union Pops Series, and the Garufi Law P.C. Phelps Mansion Museum Series.
Annie Jacobs-Perkins
The Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra is located in Broome County, Binghamton. It is the Southern Tier’s largest and longest-serving symphony orchestra, as well as Broome County’s only professional symphony orchestra. The organization is known for its extraordinary talents, and captivating shows that have kept the community in awe for decades.
The Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra is returning its series of anticipated, performances beginning in September. The season sees various acts and renditions from composers like Beethoven, Strauss, Mendelssohn, Mozart and more. Classical music is not the only genre included in the upcoming season. The events see the performances of hits from ABBA, Duke Ellington, Capathia Jenkins and others.
Capathia Jenkins
The M&T Bank Symphonic Series
September 28 at 7:30pm: “Restless Oceans,” featuring living composer Anna Clyne’s piece Restless Oceans; Richard Strauss’s Horn Concerto No. 1, with Binghamton Philharmonic Principal French Horn soloist Alex Shuhan; and Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6, the “Pastoral.”
November 16 at 7:30pm: “Thresholds,” a celebration of the 200th anniversary of Anton Bruckner’s birth with Bruckner’s Symphony No. 6, Felix Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture, and Threshold by living composer Hilary Purrington.
February 1 at 3:30pm: “Little Symphonies,” a program of Béla Bartók’s Roumanian Folk Dances; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante, with Philharmonic Concertmaster Uli Speth and Principal Violist Victoria Miskolczy as soloists; living composer Quinn Mason’s Petite Symphonie; and Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 5.
March 29 at 7pm: “In the Beginning,” will explore Einojuhani Rautavaara’s “In the Beginning,” Jan Sibelius’s Symphony No. 3, and Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with Binghamton Philharmonic favorite, pianist Andrew Russo as soloist.
The Visions Federal Credit Union Pops Series
October 26 at 7:30p: “Dancing Queen: The Music of ABBA,” a concert of ABBA’s greatest hits with orchestra, rock band, and vocalists.
December 7 at 3:30 pm: “Winter Wonderland,” featuring holiday favorites, along with the music of Mannheim Steamroller and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
March 1 at 7:30pm: “Pops at the Forum: A Tribute to the American Spirit,” celebrating the genius of American music with works by Duke Ellington, Florence Price, and John Phillip Sousa, along with excerpts from Richard Rogers’s South Pacific, and much more.
May 3 at 7:30pm: “She’s Got Soul,” bringing Broadway vocal powerhouse Capathia Jenkins to the Forum with the greatest hits of classic soul and R&B.
The Garufi Law P.C. Phelps Mansion Museum Series
November 24 at 3pm. Juilliard-based ensemble the Dolphins String Quartet, a Binghamton favorite, returns with an intimate Sunday afternoon concert.
January 12 at 3pm. The Intermezzo Trio gives a program of works for oboe, cello, and piano.
March 9 at 3pm: Acclaimed cellist Annie Jacobs-Perkins returns to Binghamton, with pianist Katelyn Vahala.
April 13 at 3pm. The Family Shuhan, a flute, French horn, and piano trio featuring Binghamton Philharmonic Principal French Horn Alex Shuhan and family.
For more information on the Binghamton Philharmonic’s upcoming season and to purchase tickets, click here.
The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) has announced it is accepting applications for the 2024 Student Scholarship Program. The program this year has expanded to include drama students. The deadline for applications is Friday, May 10, 2024.
LIMEHOF awards $1000 scholarships to provide funding for graduating high school students with interests in musical or drama careers. These scholarships will provide funding to eligible graduating high school students from Nassau, Suffolk, Brooklyn, Queens, or Kings Counties.
The LIMEHOF Education Committee will base selections on the completed application, and a 400â500-word essay on career goals. The selection will also require a letter of recommendation from an individual who can attest to the applicant’s commitment, and a high school transcript.
Eligible criteria to be met includes an upcoming graduation from Nassau, Suffolk, Queens or Brooklyn schools. Applicants must have a minimum 2.5 GPA, accepted to full-time college, financial need, US citizenship, and interest in a career in music or drama.
Student scholarship applications deadline is Friday, May 10. For more information on the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame Scholarship, and to view the application, click here.
English rock band Glass Animals have announced their North American and UK/Europe 2024 “Tour Of Earth” which will include a show at the Madison Square Garden (MSG) on August 13.
With the tour announcement, the Grammy nominated band Glass Animals have also shared the details of their highly anticipated fourth studio album, I Love You So F***ing Much, which is set for release on July 19. The album is introduced by the band’s new single accompanied by the visualizer “Creatures in Heaven,” which is out to stream everywhere.
The band’s upcoming album, I Love You So F***ing Much is the follow-up to their 2020’s critically acclaimed album Dreamland, which sold over 12 million copies globally and gave life to their single “Heat Waves,” which became the band’s record-breaking song. The single was the the first song by a British band since the Spice Girls’ “Wannabe” which went number one in 1995 for five consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, and also their first song to reach number one with a single writer and producer since Pharell’s “Happy”.
The four-man band’s line-up consists of Dave Bayley on vocals, guitar, keyboards, drums, songwriting, Drew MacFarlane on guitar, keyboards, backing vocals, Edmund Irwin-Singer on bass, keyboards, backing vocals, and Joe Seaward on drums. When talking about the upcoming album, the band’s frontman Dave found himself struggling to make sense of this newfound global stardom, having watched it all happen while the world was in lockdown.
He shared, “Life can change dramatically, but sometimes you aren’t able to change as quickly on a personal level. You end up feeling like a spectator. And then you are asked and expected to be a certain type of person, a different person. But…I wasn’t sure how. It confused me to the point of not knowing who I was or if anything was real.” It took being stranded on a cliff in a wooden house on stilts during one of California’s biggest storms in history to push that feeling into a full existential crisis.
In forced isolation, watching trees tumble down mountains and assuming “death was coming,” Dave began asking questions of himself, of the universe, and of the human experience: namely, love. As he came to accept himself as an introvert, Dave realized that “human connection and the love between us is much bigger, more important, and more complex than anything else”. “Creatures in Heaven” is the sublime first glimpse into ten intimate love stories set against the backdrop of the universe.
Glass Animals’ Tour Of Earth will include key support acts from Kevin Abstract, Eyedress, Blondshell and The Big Moon. Tickets will be available starting with an artist presale beginning on April 9 at 10 AM. Additional pre sales will run throughout the week ahead of the general on-sale beginning on Thursday, April 11 at 10 AM at glassanimals.com.
Human Musical Group Sensations Glass Animals: Tour Of Earth – North America Dates:
Wed Aug 07 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion +
Thu Aug 08 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre +
Sat Aug 10 – Philadelphia, PA – TD Pavilion at the Mann +
Sun Aug 11 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center +
Tue Aug 13 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden +
Fri Aug 16 – Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park +
Sat Aug 17 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion +
Tue Aug 20 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage +
Wed Aug 21 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center +
Fri Aug 23 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center +
Sat Aug 24 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre +
Sun Aug 25 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center +
Tue Aug 27 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena +
Wed Aug 28 – Chicago, IL – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island +
Sat Aug 31 – Kansas City, KS – Azura Amphitheater ~^*
Tue Sep 03 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre ~
Wed Sep 04 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre ~
Thu Sep 05 – Salt Lake City, UT – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre ~
Sat Sep 07 – Seattle, WA – The Gorge Amphitheatre ~^
Sun Sep 08 – Vancouver, BC – Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena ~
The indie-electro-folk-rock duo Permanent Moves, based in Brooklyn, will debut on April 12 with the release of their album Don’t Forget Us: A Chekhovian Song Cycle.
With a narrative that explores the depths of human nature, Permanent Moves draws inspiration from the classic works of Anton Chekhov. Their upcoming album features Chris Giarmo (American Utopia) and Jessie Shelton (Hadestown), Karl Blau, Starr Busby, and other special guests.
The pair believes their music allows listeners to reflect on their own paths while navigating life’s challenges. In a statement, the pair reflects on their seven-year songwriting journey, focusing on Chekhov’s talent for capturing life’s unspoken moments. The artists said, “It speaks to the questions we often sit around talking about”.
Photo by: Sammy Tunis
Praised for their “sonically gorgeous” sound, Shane Chapman and Julia Sirna-Frest have garnered recognition from The New York Times. Julia is a performer, director and musician bringing experience to the project. In addition, she is praised for her diverse talents, shining both on stage and off. Their joint vision gains depth from Shane’s skill as a musician and composer.
With build up for the album’s release, Permanent Moves is set to leave a lasting impact on the indie music scene and beyond. Soon, fans will experience Permanent Moves live at Brooklyn’s Sultan Room on April 16 for a record release show.
Get your tickets for the Sultan Room record release show and stream “Don’t Forget Us” now for a preview of what’s to come. You can experience Permanent Moves’ stunning sound in its purest form by pre-ordering Don’t Forget Us on vinyl.
On Saturday, April 6, the Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra closed its 2023-2024 Symphonic Series with “Roman Holiday,” a thrilling program of music both from and about the sunny lands of the Mediterranean.
Carlos Perez, Ajen Lewis, Cassie Lee, Charlie Sobel, Joe Sobel
The evening opened with “Fandangos,” a piece by Cornell University-based composer Roberto Sierra that evoked Spanish dance forms of the eighteenth century, replete with bold, Andalusian-style trumpets and assertive percussion. Aided by the committed conducting of Maestro Daniel Hege, Sierra took the orchestra to extremes of speed, volume, and emotional impact. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s dazzling showpiece “Capriccio Italien” followed, with a martial chorus of brass and a seductive medley of folk tunes, played by the orchestra with shimmering lyricism.
The high point of the “Roman Holiday” concert, though, was Ottorino Respighi’s stunning “Pines of Rome,” an orchestral experience of the Eternal City and its iconic pine trees.
The Philharmonic was expanded to its largest size for this piece, with 75 musicians onstage and six more in the theater boxes overlooking the audience – trumpets and trombones that Respighi meant to invoke Roman legions marching on the Appian Way. As always with this ensemble, the woodwinds shone, with stand-out solos from flutist Karen Bogardus, clarinetist Paul Wongjin Cho, oboist John Lathwell, and bassoonist Melissa Kritzer; hornist Alex Shuhan and trumpeter Frank Campos also provided dazzling moments.
Mikhail Shlyuger, Margaret Heath, Nina Heath-Shlyuger
Maestro Hege led the orchestra with his trademark elegance and expressiveness, infusing Respighi’s astonishing work with lyrically shaped phrases and passionate crescendos that stirred the soul.
A standing ovation and many bows for Hege and the orchestra were proof of the power of this music and of the great skill of the Binghamton Philharmonic.
On Thursday, April 4, with a spectacular fusion of raw energy, lyrical prowess, and dynamic emotion, Kevin Gates took the stage of Irving Plaza for his “The Ceremony Tour,” leaving the New York City audience amazed. The tour stop was filled with heartfelt yet raw emotion, furthermore solidifying Gates and his status as a rap heavyweight, as he commanded the stage with the same unapologetic attitude that has defined his career.
After a series of DJ playlists to warm up the crowd, the opener of the night was DJ Chose, who has collaborated with Kevin Gates on some of his greatest hits and has a few of his own. DJ Chose lauded his accolades and made sure the crowd had the right energy before Kevin’s arrival. After DJ Chose, Kevin Gates’s DJ executed a final round of musical wind up with some industry favorites ensuring the crowd was ready for Kevin Gates to take the stage.
After an astounding ovation upon taking the stage, Kevin Gates opened with “Speed Dial” to which the crowd recited word for word. Kevin went on to perform songs “In God I Trust,” “Free At Last,” “Arm and Hammer” and more. A southern classic that got everyone up off their feet was when Kevin Gates performed “TWMD” which went viral during New Orleans Mardi Gras last year. As the song came on, the entire arena erupted into a frenzy as his fans belted the lyrics, completely losing themselves in the song.
Notably, Gates’ crowd control and poise was evident, as he purposefully took moments to talk with his supporters over the mic. Moving at a brisk but necessary pace, he took a minute to evangelize his fans. Speaking about his time incarcerated and having to miss his daughter’s birthday, Gates focused on having the work ethic and drive to make his situation right, as he encouraged his fans to keep their head held high even in the darkest of times. Bringing the show to a close with popular tracks such as “Me Too,” “2 Phones,” and “Breakfast”, Kevin went out with a bang amongst a flurry of smoke from CO2 cannons, as he mysteriously disappeared behind the set. Tickets for the rest of the “The Ceremony” tour are available here.
Kevin Gates Setlist: Speed Dial, Facts, Push It, Yonce Freestyle, Arm and Hammer, TWMD, Wassup With It, In God I Trust, Scars, Imagine That, Free At Last, It Won’t Happen, Healing, Birds Calling, Power, Great Man, Fatal Attraction, Breakfast, Luv Bug, Posed To Be In Love, Heal You, Lil Yea, Me Too, One Thing, All Thee Above, Bad For Me, Time for That, 2 Phones, and Broken Men.
Grammy-Winning Artists BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet will celebrate a half century of cajun music as they bring the bayou to Saratoga Springs’ Universal Preservation Hall on Thursday, April 18.
BeauSoleil is known to bring audiences to their feet, being born from the rich Acadian ancestry of members, created and driven by bandleader Michael Doucet’s spellbinding fiddle playing and soulful vocals, offering inspiring two-stepping, waltzing, and standing ovations wherever they go.
BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet can be credited with taking Cajun music from its regional roots in Louisiana to popularity worldwide. Their most recent album, and the 25th in their 45-year career, was titled From Bamako to Carencro, alluding to the cultural and migratory connection between Bamako, in Mali, West Africa, and Louisiana (symbolized in name by the Lafayette, LA suburb of Carencro), a connection that draws a sonic bloodline back to BeauSoleil’s roots.
Since becoming the first Cajun band to win a Grammy with L’amour Ou La Folie (their Traditional Folk Album–1998) and then a second Grammy in 2010, “Live at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival,” BeauSoleil has garnered many accolades, including 12 Grammy nominations.
Universal Preservation Hall hosts the multiple Grammy Award-winning group’s 50th anniversary tour 7:30 p.m. in the Great Hall Thursday, April 18 as part of the Passport Series-Music Haven at Proctors Collaborative.
Local Saratoga-based southern restaurant Hatties will serve free jambalaya samples alongside the bar in UPH’s lobby directly before the show for ticket holders.
Tickets are available through the Box Office at Proctors in-person, via phone at (518) 346-6204 Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. or online visit atuph.org.
Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams officially released their brand new album entitled All This Time on April 5. This is the duo’s fourth album, and follows their 2023 release Live at Levon’s!.
Photo Courtesy of Shore Fire Media
The 10 track LP was produced by Larry Campbell and Ray Clifford and was recorded and mixed by three-time grammy award winning sound engineer Justin Guip at Milan Hill Studios. The album features Larry Campbell (vocals, guitar, mandolin, pedal steel guitar, bass), Teresa Williams (vocals, guitar), Justin Guip (drums, percussion), Brandon Morrison (vocals, bass) and Brian Mitchell (accordion, organ). The album most notably features Bill Payne of Little Feat on piano and organ, and Levon Helm from The Band on drums for “That’s All It Took.”
Photo by Gregg Roth
Larry and Teresa’s musical and romantic partnership are one and the same. They first met in a Manhattan rehearsal studio in 1986, where according to Williams’, “it was love at first note.” It was this love, now 38 years later that would inspire most, if not all of the songs on All This Time. Campbell states that this release “feels more intuitive to me than the earlier records, less experimental, evidence that we’ve grown more aware of who we are and what we have to offer.” These “love letters” shared between Campbell and Williams are the foundation for this “intensely romantic album.”
The first single, and opening track on All This Time was originally released in January. “Desert Island Dreams” is a rocking country song with an ear-worm guitar hook and catchy chorus. Williams’ vocal power is on full display and her harmonies with Campbell further exemplify their chemistry with one another. The song eventually transitions into a high energy, country guitar solo that tastefully showcases Campbell’s fluidity and talent.
“The Way You Make Me Feel” is a bouncing love song with Campbell’s country guitar lines and vocals at the forefront. The blues-influenced single touches on the excitement related to newfound feelings of love. Campbell sings “So if you see me roll up to your door doin’ cartwheels, I can’t help it that’s the way you make me feel.” A recurring theme throughout the album, Campbell and Williams’ sing of the willingness to do anything for each other.
Photo by Gregg Roth
The third and final single “Ride with Me” is a catchy country inspired pop song and lyrically focuses on surrendering to the moment. Williams sings that even though she’s unsure of what the future holds, she knows she wants her “baby” there for the ride.
All This Time is a celebration of their love. Williams’ smooth and incredibly professional vocal delivery mixed with Campbell’s song writing and multi-instrumental expertise are the secret ingredients to this incredibly well-rounded release.
Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams are currently on tour across the entire United States with stops in Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, Arkansas and more. All of their New York tour dates are listed below.
Photo Courtesy of https://www.facebook.com/LarryandTeresaMusic Photo Courtesy of https://www.facebook.com/LarryandTeresaMusic
Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams 2024 New York Tour Dates:
04/11 – The Falcon – Marlboro, NY
05/18 – The Capitol Theatre (w/ Tommy Emmanuel) – Port Chester, NY
06/07 – Caffe Lena – Saratoga Springs, NY
06/08 – Caffe Lena – Saratoga Springs, NY
06/11 – City Winery – New York, NY
06/16 – Stephen Talkhouse – Amagansett, NY
07/20 – Arrowood Farms (Larry & Teresa’s July Jam) – Accord, NY
Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. (“MSG Entertainment”) announced today the opening of a sensory room at MSG for guests with sensory processing needs.
Credit to MSG Entertainment.
The Aaron & Samantha Judge Sensory Room was created in partnership with KultureCity, the world’s leading nonprofit on sensory accessibility and acceptance for those with invisible disabilities and sensory needs, and New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge and his wife Samantha, who is a KultureCity Board Member. The sensory room joins similar rooms at Sphere and Radio City Music Hall as part of the MSG Family of Companies’ commitment to expanding accessibility for all guests across its portfolio of renowned venues.
The MSG Family of Companies is committed to ensuring that all guests feel welcome and comfortable at our venues. We are proud to partner with KultureCity, and Aaron and Samantha Judge, to open The Garden’s room, as we continue to expand our accessible offerings and create inclusive spaces for our guests at our venues across the country.
James Claffey, Executive Vice President, Venue Management, MSG Entertainment.
“KultureCity is an organization very close to our hearts, and we are thrilled to be able to expand their impact by endowing the sensory room at The World’s Most Famous Arena,” said Aaron and Samantha Judge. The new room at The Garden is thoughtfully designed to accommodate different sensory needs, incorporating elements such as adjustable lighting, calming visuals, and comfortable seating. A range of sensory tools and equipment such as bubble walls, Yogibo bean bags, Nunoerin sparkle, and tactile objects are available to create a personalized and calming experience. The sensory room is designed to be fully accessible, including for wheelchair users, accommodating individuals of all abilities and ages.
The MSG Family of Companies first partnered with KultureCity in 2019. The room at MSG joins sensory rooms at Radio City Music Hall, and Sphere, the next-generation entertainment medium in Las Vegas. Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, and Sphere are all KultureCity-certified venues, which means the guest-facing staff at all three venues have completed KultureCity training.
For more information on the Aaron & Samantha Judge Sensory Room at Madison Square Garden and other accessibility services at The Garden, please visit here.
