Celebrated country pop artist Shania Twain has extended her current U.S. tour into the summer of 2025, including two shows in New York.
A country superstar, celebrated songwriter, and style icon, Shania Twain has been making major waves across the industry for over 40 years now.
With six albums and more than 100 million albums sold, Twain is the top-selling female country pop artist of all time- not to mention her five GRAMMY wins and several charting tracks including “You’re Still the One” and “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!”.
Releasing her sixth album Queen of Me in 2023, she embarked upon a tour of the same name in celebration- and this party hasn’t stopped. With an unprecedented two years of sold-out extensions to her travels thus far, Twain has announced one final leg that brings her to several spots across the east coast, including nights in Buffalo and Saratoga Springs.
Gracing the stage of the Darien Lake Amphitheater in Buffalo on July 19 and the Broadview Stage at SPAC in Saratoga Springs on July 20, the conclusion to Shania’s two-year run of shows is not to be missed.
Tickets for the two dates in New York as well as other spots along the east coast go live on Friday, December 20 at 10:00 AM. For more information and ticket purchasing, visit Shania Twain’s official website here..
SHANIA TWAIN 2025 TOUR DATES
Sat Jul 19 – Buffalo, NY – Darien Lake Amphitheater
Sun Jul 20 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Broadview Stage at SPAC
Tue Jul 22 – Bangor, ME – Maine Savings Amphitheater
The newest episode of Troy Story: A Podcast for the Collar City revisits the first and only time Metallica performed at the RPI Field House, on Wednesday, March 15, 1989, with opening band Queensryche.
Joining host John Salka is world-renowned drummer and lifelong Capital Region resident, Jason Bittner (Shadows Fall, Category 7), who – a 19-year-old college student at the time – attended the show on a holiday break from Berklee School of Music.
Troy Story: A Podcast for the Collar City is a monthly oral history podcast produced and hosted by John Salka, former Communications Director for the city of Troy and advisor for two mayors, bringing a firsthand perspective to recent Troy history.
Rampaging across America on their “Damaged Justice Tour”, Metallica was in support of their latest studio album (and eventually selling more than 9 million albums) …and Justice for All. The show was also the band’s second-ever performance in the Capital Region.
During the episode, Jason discusses with John, thoughts on the audio production for the “… and Justice for All” LP; speculation on how someone managed to bring a camcorder into the Field House to record the Metallica and Queensryche sets; performing with some of his favorite bands touring the world, including Overkill and Anthrax; the reunion of Shadows Fall, his new band Category 7, and previous work with local Capital Region hardcore band Stigmata; attending Metallica’s 1986 show at the Glens Falls Civic Center with Cliff Burton on bass guitar, and meeting drummer Lars Ulrich for the first time, and seeing other legendary metal bands like Ozzy Osbourne, Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax, and Metal Church at various Capital Region venues.
Live bootleg audio from Metallica and opening act Queensryche at the RPI Field House in Troy is featured throughout the episode to immerse the listener in the story. Additional photos, video and archive materials is available on the Troy Story website.
Future episodes will feature RPI alumni and WRPI DJ Toast Eric Haskins who was part of concert security staff that night, and then-high school student and Metallica fan Kevin O’Connell – both attended the show that night in 1989 and will share their recollections of the gig.
New Rochelle indie duo Frog have returned with the first pre-release single for their upcoming album, a festive track titled “Did Santa Come”.
Photo: Collin Heroux
Comprised of the skilled musical brothers Daniel and Steve Bateman, the duo Frog has returned with the first pre-release track from their upcoming album.
Festive, jazzy, and playful, “Did Santa Come” leans into the newfound enthusiasm and naïveté about Christmas experienced by young children. “This song is about my son when he was two years old at Christmas time. Every morning for 2-3 weeks after, he would wake up and ask, “Did Santa come?” Seeing the world through the eyes of your children makes it all very beautiful.”
“Did Santa Come” is the first of many tracks fans and newcomers can look forward to, as Frog has also recently announced the release of their sixth album.
Slated for release in February, 1000 Variations on the Same Song will be promptly followed by a series of live performances all throughout March and April, including two dates in New York.
Visiting Cornell University in Ithaca on March 8 and the Bowery Ballroom on April 3, this tour is sure to excite. To learn more about ticketing information, visit their touring page here.
To learn more about all of Frog’s other works and keep up to date with their future releases, be sure to check out their official website here.
New York City-based Irish Arts Center has announced their Spring 2025 season featuring bold and inventive new programming.
The Irish Arts Center is renowned for its dynamic, inspiring, and collaborative experiences that showcase the evolving arts and culture of Ireland and Irish America in its environment of warm Irish hospitality.
Founded in 1972 in Hell’s Kitchen, this year’s Spring 2025 season will be hosted in the Irish Arts Center’s recently opened state of the art facility as the organization platforms the newest works and artists of the future.
Highlights for the season begin on February 12-16 with John Scott Dance and Mel Mercier’s Begin Anywhere. A response to the inspirations and methodologies of the iconic choreographer Merce Cunningham and composer John Cage, Scott and Mercier will debut a new piece inspired by their shared histories with Cunningham and Cage’s works.
This world premiere will feature a preceding performance of Four Solos by Merce Cunningham presented in a continuous dance event with music by John King.
February 28-28 will host the GRAMMY-winning pianist, composer, and bandleader Arturo O’Farrill alongside the talents of the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra in an exploration of the intersection between Irish folk and Afro Latin music.
Brothers Brían and Diarmuid Mac have expanded the lineup of Ye Vagabonds to feature Alain McFadden (concertina) and Caimin Gilmore (harmonium) for their first North American performance since the band’s sold-out debut at the Irish Arts Center on March 11 and 12.
April 30-June 1 will feature the five-week North American premiere of Colin Murphy’s The United States vs Ulysses directed by Conall Morisson.
A funhouse vision of 1930s radio performers re-enacting the courtroom battle for the future of James Joyce’s Ulysses against U.S. censorship, this production captures the very same world-changing potential IAC has sought to emphasize throughout its entire existence as an organization.
Arriving to the States with its original cast, The United States V. Ulysses celebrates the power of an idea on a page as it examines the forces that benefit from holding culture in stasis instead of allowing evolution of thought in the public eye.
In celebration of the famed Irish producer, composer, and performer Bill Whelan’s 75th birthday, the IAC will hit a two-day musical jubilee featuring fellow artists and special guests on June 26 and 27.
Throughout the season, Dublin-based artist Paul Hughes’ paintings will be displayed in the I am here & I am unwaiting exhibition from February 1-June 21, filling the walls of the IAC with vibrant abstract landscapes. An artist talk will also be hosted on March 6.
For further information on the IAC and their full calendar of events for the upcoming Spring 2025 season, be sure to visit their official website here.
Radio City Music Hall has unveiled their newest addition to the iconic venue, a completely renovated sensory room.
Engaging with the vibrancy and volume of theater may be exciting, but it can also be exceedingly overwhelming- especially for those with particular sensory needs. A passion for attending live performance may be hindered or completely prevented by uncontrollable and overwhelming experiences- which is exactly what Radio City and donors Christopher and Veronica Jackson seek to remediate.
A GRAMMY and Emmy-award winning songwriter, composer, and actor, Christopher and his wife Veronica understand just how overwhelming such experiences can be, as their son CJ is one of many individuals to be diagnosed with autism. Since the diagnosis in 2007, the couple have become staunch supporters of KultureCity, the world’s leading nonprofit on the acceptance and accommodation of invisible disabilities and sensory needs.
“This sensory room reflects our shared dedication to creating an inclusive environment for everyone – ensuring that the magic of Radio City is accessible to all. Our son CJ has been an inspiration to so many and we are honored for him to represent our family at Radio City Music Hall!”
– Chris and Veronica Jackson
Donated and created in honor of CJ, the Radio City Music Hall’s completely renovated sensory room features adjustable lighting, comfortable seating, calming visuals including a piece created inspired by Radio City’s architecture by an artist with autism, and a wide range of sensory tools such as bubble walls, Yogibo bean bags, and a vast range of tactile objects.
Designed to be fully accessible for folks of all abilities and ages including wheelchair users, the Chris and Veronica Jackson Sensory Room joins several other sensory rooms under the MSG Family of Companies in partnership with KultureCity.
Thus far, Radio City, Madison Square Garden, and Sphere feature sensory rooms, have been certified by KultureCity, and feature guest-facing staff that have all completed KultureCity training.
This renovation marks a major step towards a universally enjoyable live performance experience, not just within Radio City’s walls but across the entertainment industry in New York City and beyond.
For more information on Radio City Music Hall’s full range of accessibility resources and services, visit their official website here.
The night was every hard rock fan’s dream. They got a great mix of metal, hard rock and pop-metal while witnessing great live stage performances. Daughtry made a triumphant return to the area after touring Breaking Benjamin and Staind in September and October.
As fans pilled in from the harsh winter cold, the Memphis, Tennessee-native band Devour the Day hopped on stage. Led by Blake Allison on lead vocals, the band blasted into their first tune of the night, “Respect,” off of their Time & Pressure record. The band’s hungriness was apparent from the start. Devour the Day made sure the crowd felt their impact for the seven songs they played. The quartet was the loudest group of the night. They infused post-grunge, nu metal and hard rock influences all into one band that put together a great performance.
Joining Allison who is also the drummer for Pop Evil, is Joey “Chicago” Walser on bass guitar, Justin Kier on drums and Stephen Freeman on guitar. The foursome did an excellent job at getting the – at the time small – crowd ready for the next two acts.
In between Devour the Day and Sleep Theory, there was a brief intermission. But, it wasn’t too long until the houselights dimmed for Sleep Theory. It was fitting that Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas” was blasted through the speakers sparking holiday cheer. Sleep Theory, also from Memphis, Tennessee, jumped right into the first song of the evening “Fallout,” off of 2023’s Paper Hearts – EP. Sleep Theory’s style of music was very similar to Devour the Day’s. So, the hard rock and metal theme blossomed during their set.
Lead singer Cullen Moore’s vocals were amazing. Throughout the band’s set, he would walk back and forth on stage and interact with the audience while he belted out the lyrics. There have been few singers who could yell in key. Rob Halford from Judas Priest and Bruce Dickinson are some of the masters. But, Moore was able to be in perfect key while screaming which brought goosebumps to some of the fans.
Unfortunately, Sleep Theory was extremely backlit and at times it was hard to see them on stage. This forced fans to listen rather than gain the whole experience of the show. Nonetheless, just by listening, you could tell that the band was extremely tight and together as one on stage. Because they were excellent musicians, fans were a lot more receptive to them and cheered loudly after every song. Sometimes middle bands don’t receive such generosity so it was great that they did.
In addition to Moore, Sleep Theory consists of Daniel Pruitt on guitar, Paolo Vergara on bass, and Ben Pruitt on drums. The quartet put the fans in the right mood for Daughtry and was an excellent middle band.
By this point, the crowd was in a frenzy for Daughtry and very quickly the band jumped on stage and went straight into “The Reckoning.” For the band’s entire performance, the entire theatre was on their feet and did not sit down for one single minute. There was a buzz in the building for their headline set since the next time the group would be in the area would be on the Creed summer tour in 2025.
Rounding out Daughtry was Chris Daughtry on lead vocals and guitar, Brian Craddock on guitar, Elvio Fernandes on keys, Marty O’Brien on bass and Jeremy Schaffer on drums
Like Moore in Sleep Theory, Daughtry’s vocals were amazing and were the best out of the three. For the time that the band was on stage, you could feel his power and strength. Even though he was as serious as can be while singing, in between songs he charmed the crowd. At one point before “Home” he told the audience to “light up anything that lights up… phones… lightsabers are also welcomed.”
The band kept their stage simple so the audience could focus more on the music. Only a few screens were lit up behind the group with lights draped on the drum riser. It was nice that the band kept their stage simple and did not overwhelm the crowd. Twice during their set, they paid homage to the mighty Led Zeppelin and Journey. During their rendition of “Crashed” there was a snippet of “Kashmir” before they fully jumped into a cover of “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart).”
The crowd let out a thunderous cheer to some of their favorites. “Home” and “It’s Not Over” received the loudest approval with fans taking out their phones to record the song or their favorite moment. It was great that they even played a handful of tunes from their newest record, Dearly Beloved. Their new material was even received positively by the crowd as if it were already setlist staples
When the band walked off stage before the encore, you could hear a low roar for them to come back on stage. It originated at the back of the theatre in the rafters before thrusting its way towards the front. Fans got what they wished for. Daughtry played “The Dam,” “Heavy Is the Crown and “Artificial” as the three encore songs before calling it a night.
When the audience left the building, the buzz was still thriving throughout the crowd. They witnessed a special holiday performance. There aren’t many groups that can put together a short and small holiday tour and knock it out of the park. But, for Daughtry, they delivered one of the best holiday shows in recent memory.
Devour the Day setlist: Respect, Nobody Owns Me, Good Man, Worse Than Death, Outsider, The Bottom, Empty
Sleep Theory setlist: Fallout, Enough, Paralyzed, Static, Hourglass, Gone or Staying, Stuck in My Head, Numb, It’s Over, Another Way
Daughtry setlist: The Reckoning, Changes Are Coming, World on Fire, Crashed, Separate Ways (Worlds Apart), Home, Waiting for Superman, Shock to the System, It’s Not Over, Nervous, Pieces, Over You, The Dam, Heavy Is the Crown, Artificial
At the 2025 Coachella Music and Arts Festival, 11 recording artists from New York State are set to perform. This includes headliners Lady Gaga and Post Malone, of Manhattan and Syracuse respectively. The festival is scheduled for Friday-Sunday, April 11-13, and April 18-20, and will feature the same acts across both weekends. Last year, five artists from New York performed at Coachella, including headliner Lana Del Rey. Significantly, Coachella 2025 will feature recording artists from New York across all three festival days.
Coachella 2025 Headliners
Manhattan-born Lady Gaga will headline Coachella 2025 on the first night of the festival, on Friday, April 11 and 18. Gaga first rose to prominence in 2008, with the release of her debut album The Fame. The album spawned several of Gaga’s hit singles including “Just Dance”, “Poker Face” and “Paparazzi.” Significantly, the 2025 festival will mark the second time Gaga has performed at Coachella and her second time headlining. Gaga first appeared at the 2017 festival, replacing Beyonce as a headliner.
Lady Gaga performs at the 2017 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Credit: Getty Images.
Rock Band Green Day of California will headline Coachella 2025 on Saturday, April 12 and 19. It will be the band’s first time headlining as well as their first performing at Coachella. Green Day has released over 14 studio albums, most recently Saviors (2024.)
Green Day lead singer Billy Joe Armstrong. Credit: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Singer Post Malone of Syracuse will headline Coachella 2025 on Sunday, April 13 and 20. Malone released his debut album, Stoney, in 2016, which spawned his hit, diamond-certified single “Congratulations.” He has since released a total of six albums, most recently F-1 Trillion (2024) which sees him expanding his music to the country genre. Malone has performed at the festival twice: in 2018, he was on the official lineup and closed out the Sahara tent, bringing out Ty Dolla $ign and 21 Savage, and in 2023, he made a surprise appearance during Bad Bunny’s Set. The 2025 festival will be Malone’s first appearance at Coachella as a headliner.
Syracuse native Post Malone performs at the 2018 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Credit: Billboard.
Coachella 2025: Friday, April 11 and 18
Guyanese-American rapper and singer Saint Jhn of Brooklyn will perform at Coachella 2025 for the opening nights of both weekends on Friday, April 11 and 18, which will be his first appearance at the festival. Throughout his childhood, Saint Jhn split his time living in Guyana and the East New York Neighborhood of Brooklyn. He released his debut album, Collection One (2018), and has since released a total of three albums, most recently 2020’s While the World Was Burning.
Guyanese-American rapper and singer Saint Jhn. Credit: IMDB.
American DJ, producer, and songwriter Austin Millz of Harlem will perform on the first night of Coachella 2025 for both weekends on Friday, April 11 and 18. The 2025 festival will be his first performance at Coachella. Career highlights of Millz include DJ-ing Beyonce’s Homecoming Coachella performance in 2018, and he made his debut for Boiler Room NYC in 2023.
American DJ, producer, and songwriter Austin Millz. Credit: Insomniac.
Brooklyn-born DJ and producer Moon Boots is set to perform at Coachella 2025 on Friday, April 11 and 13. Born in Prospect Heights and raised in the suburbs of Connecticut, he attended Princeton University where originally studied electrical engineering before switching to music. After graduating, he moved to Chicago, and his since released several independent albums.
DJ and producer Moon Boots. Credit: Insomniac.
Coachella 2025: Saturday, April 12 and 19
Alternative rock band Blonde Redhead is scheduled to perform at the 2025 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on Saturday, April 12 and 19. The band is composed of Kazu Makino (vocals, keyboards, rhythm guitar) and identical twin brothers Simone (drums, keyboards) and Amedeo Pace (lead guitar, bass, keyboards, vocals) and was formed in 1993 in New York City. The 2025 festival will be Blonde Redhead’s second performance at Coachella, after 2007.
The three members of Blonde Redhead, from left to right: Kazu Makino (vocals, keyboards, rhythm guitar), and identical twin brothers Simone (drums, keyboards) and Amedeo Pace (lead guitar, bass, keyboards, vocals.) Credit: Office Magazine.
Indo Warehouse is a New York City-based record label and event series formed in 2022 by Kahani and Kunal Merchant. The 2025 festival will be the record label’s first appearance at Coachella on Saturday, April 12 and 19. Indo Warehouse was formed to bring South Asian culture and influences to the forefront of dance music, and the 2023 short documentary Renaissance in the Realm: Indo Warehouse explores the label’s origins and future.
Founders of Indo Warehouse Kunal and Kahani Merchant. Credit: Insomniac.
New York City musician Layton Giordani will mark his debut performance at Coachella on Saturday, April 12 and 19. Giordani is a mostly dance/electronic artist who debuted on the music scene in 2017 with his debut LP on Drumcode, Where it Begins. His hard work and dedication have gotten Giordani a performance at Coachella, which may be a turning point in his career.
Musician Layton Giordani. Credit: Insomniac.
Sunday, April 13 and 20
American-Ghanaian singer and songwriter Amaarae of The Bronx will mark her Coachella debut on Sunday, April 13 and 20. Known for her fusion of pop, R&B, afro beats, and alté, Amaarae released her debut EP, Passionfruit Summers, in 2017, and her debut album, The Angel You Don’t Know to critical acclaim in 2020. Her second and most recent album, Fountain Baby, was released in 2023.
American-Ghanaian singer and songwriter Amaarae. Credit: Lauren Dunn.
NYC-based electronic band Fckers will make their debut Coachella appearance on Sunday, April 13 and 20. The band was originally formed in 2022 by musicians Shannon Wise (vocals) Jayson Walker Lewis (bass, keyboards, production), and Ben Scharf (drums.) Lewis and Scharf were originally in the band Spud Cannon for five years, and Wise was a frontwoman for the band The Shacks, before leaving their respective groups to form Fckers together, and ultimately released their debut EP, Baggy$$, in September.
The members of Fckers, from top to bottom: Ben Scharf, Shannon Wise, and Jason Walker Lewis. Credit: Georgia Mitropoulos.
West African-born DJ AMÉMÉ will perform at Coachella 2025 on Sunday, April 13 and 20. The DJ, who splits his time between Brooklyn and Berlin, made his first Coachella appearance in 2022, opening the Sunday festival both weekends inside the Yuma Tent. AMÉMÉ moved to NYC to fulfill his dream of becoming a DJ, and eventually connected New York’s highly influential House Of Yes, and now runs One Tribe, a multifaceted platform that includes an events wing and a fashion label, in addition to his career as a DJ.
West African-born DJ AMÉMÉ. Credit: Insomniac.
Tickets for Coachella 2025 are selling quickly. Separate tickets must be purchased for both weekends. The festival is open to all ages and kids aged five and under are granted free admission.
Singer-songwriter Cosby Gibson has returned for her seventh album, the poetic and wonderfully whimsical The Hollow Crown.
Hailing from near the Adirondacks, Cosby Gibson is a singer-songwriter who specializes in unique and original folk-style songs on guitar and dulcimer. With multiple Capital District Music awards among many other trophies on her shelf, she spins whimsical tales on life in all of its aspects- the beautiful and the less than so.
Returning for her seventh album, Gibson has released The Hollow Crown– an album capturing the chase for something empty that she aptly dubs a “hollow crown”- something ultimately fruitless or unimportant.
At its core, however, the album tackles what is worth one’s time- remembering. Remembering the good, to remind oneself of the foundation you stand upon, and the bad to untangle the brambles of negative emotion.
Entwined with a sense of the magical between Gibson’s gentle vocals, deft acoustic guitar, and vivid lyricism, tracks like “In This Kind of Rain” and “Asking The Lilies” craft a sense of imagined adventure through the woods, pondering the complications of meanings of life while observing babbling brooks or blooming flowers.
Imagery is also rich in “Spinning in Spirals,” a song full of roses and sparkles and a sense of excited wanderlust, which is contrasted in the vulnerable and insightful “What’s Happening Is You” that decides that lyrical honesty is best for the frank conversation being had.
Wonderfully poetic and positively teeming with flora and fauna, The Hollow Crown is a beautifully crafted collection of tracks that balance emotional honesty with the whimsical. The full album is available now both in digital and physical format through Gibson’s Bandcamp page here.
To learn more about Cosby Gibson, listen to more of her work and The Hollow Crown, and keep up with all of her latest endeavors, be sure to explore her official website here.
New York City-based outfit Ecce Shnak has released their latest single off of their forthcoming EP titled Prayer on Love, meditating on the complexity of the word and all of its implications.
Subverting all concepts of genre and style while playfully embracing the full spectrum of sonic opportunities, Ecce Shnak is truly a one of a kind band. Based in New York City, their art-rock endeavors span pop, classical, punk, and beyond as they tackle the wide variety of ideas that capture their interests most.
Debuting in 2019 with Joke Oso with their second album Metamorphejawns soon to follow, Ecce Shnak has returned with the second pre-release single off of their latest project Shadows Grow Fangs.
Self-described as their most “whole-grain rock song to date,” “Prayer on Love” considers the concept of love in contrast to the conclusions drawn by today’s society.
Richly textured with guitars, snare drums, and distinct vocals, the track explores their ruminations on the topic above the group’s signature sound that subverts notions of style and is simply overflowing with dedicated creative care and complexity.
“It’s a meditation on the nature of love and its diverse manifestations. It honors the complexity of love without declaring that it ‘is all we need.”
– David Roush, frontman of Ecce Shnak
Defining love as not a singular necessity but a beautiful, intangible entity that coexists with the countless other aspects of life and in turn only making the others more precious, “Prayer on Love” is an entrancing contemplation whose deft lyricism lends itself to a rather poetic track at large.
Ecce Shnak has also published an official music video for “Prayer on Love” alongside the track’s release, featuring the members exploring their ruminations among a field of flowers and various eye-catching psychedelic visuals.
“Prayer on Love” is one of five tracks slated for release on the band’s upcoming EP Shadows Grow Fangs, which will reach the public on February 7.
For more information on their current endeavors, the upcoming Shadows Grow Fangs, and all things Ecce Shnak, be sure to check out their official social media pages here and here.
Music superstar Nelly will hit the road in 2025 with his “Where The Party At Tour.” The tour will celebrate the 25 anniversary of Nelly’s debut studio album, Country Grammar and includes dates at the Darien Lake Amphitheater in Buffalo on Aug. 1, and Northwell at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh on Jul. 27.
Known for iconic 2000’s hits such as “Hot in Herre” and “Dilemma,” Nelly will perform his catalog across New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Europe, and the United States in 54 shows in the “Where The Party At Tour.” The tour will marks Nelly’s return to headlining following his success as a special guest for Janet Jackson’s Together Again Tour.
An incredible lineup of special guests will accompany Nelly across the various legs of the tour. Fans can look forward to electric performances from collaborators and friends such as Ja Rule, Eve, St. Lunatics, Fabolous, Jermaine Dupri, Chingy and Additional surprise guests.
The show will take fans on a journey through Nelly’s career, including chart-topping hits like “Hot in Herre,” “Dilemma,” and “Ride wit Me.” Known for his larger-than-life personality and ability to bridge genres from hip-hop to country. Nelly promises a show packed with surprises.
