On April 20, Matt Maeson took the stage at Electric City with Brother Bird for a one-night intimate engagement in Buffalo. A night full of feelings and connection.
Brother Bird, a Nashville-based singer, started the night by captivating the audience with her melodic sound and mesmerizing lyrics. Each of her songs she performed set the tone for the rest of the night.
Mattâs solo experience brought the audience an intimate engagement. The audience was seated close to the stage. Between songs, Matt would share personal stories about the next song he was going to perform. With each interaction through song and stories, he drew the crowd in, and you could see and feel the audience so engaged with him and taking in each lyric that he sang to them.
By the end of the night, Matt Maeson and Brother Bird left the audience in their feels and more connected.
After his solo tour, Matt will be opening for Zach Bryan from July through December and will be back in New York on December 18 and 19th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Brother Bird will be performing in Brooklyn on May 4, opening for The Brevet.
Matt Maeson setlist: That’s My Cue, Blood Runs Red, Me and My Friends Are Lonely, Halfway the Hole, Cringe, Cliffy, Feel Good, Tribulation, Split Personality Blues, Rational, Nelsonwood Lane, Get Happy, Sanctified, Bank on the Funeral, Cut Deep, Hallucinogenics, Beggar’s Song Encore: Legacy
City Parks Foundation has announced the 2024 season of Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage, New York City’s iconic outdoor performing arts festival, bringing 85 free and benefit shows to Central Park and 13 neighborhood parks across the five boroughs.
Returning for its 38 year, the festival will once again showcase established and emerging artists from across the globe, highlighting forward-thinking women pushing boundaries, featuring a multitude of genres including jazz, hip-hop, indie rock, salsa, reggae, Afrobeats, soul, pop, global, and contemporary dance, to name just a few.
SummerStage is committed to gender and racial equity in its programming, and in 2023, more than 80% of their season lineup featured artists who identified as people of color and more than half of the acts included women or artists who identify as genders other than male.
Neighborhood parks hosting SummerStage this season include Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem, Tompkins Square Park in the East Village, Herbert Von King Park in Bed-Stuy and The Coney Island Amphitheater on the boardwalk in Brooklyn, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens, Crotona Park in the Bronx, Stapleton Waterfront Park in Staten Island, and SummerStage’s flagship venue at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park.
SummerStage is back for another incredible season of free performances. It’s always an honor to bring a lineup of both established and rising artists that celebrate the rich cultural fabric of our neighborhoods across the city to parks, all for free. Enjoying live music while outside in a park is one of the most joyful and memorable opportunities we can offer to New Yorkers, bringing neighbors and communities together for what is always a very special, shared experience.
Heather Lubov, Executive Director of City Parks Foundation
Opening the SummerStage 2024 season on Saturday, June 1 in Central Park will be a free performance by GRAMMY-winning and Oscar-nominated soul singer Andra Day in association with Blue Note Jazz Festival.
The season’s free shows in Central Park will showcase an exhilarating array of established and emerging artists from across the music spectrum. Rock music icon Kim Gordon and the legendary Sun Ra Arkestra will bring an electrifying show when they take the stage on June 13; THE AUSSIE BBQ will return on June 15 highlighting the latest sounds of Australia from Jebediah, Last Dinosaurs, and more. Additional highlights include Corinne Bailey Rae and Dixson on June 16, London drummer The Yussef Dayes Experience showcasing his unique experimental style alongside interpretive contemporary jazz bassist and vocalist Aneesa Strings on June 22, and singer-songwriter and GRAMMY winner Madison Cunningham performing on July 1.
The annual Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC) will celebrate the Latin GRAMMYs’ 25 Anniversary with performances by Colombian music star Fonseca and Spain’s captivating new flamenco singer Israel Fernández on July 10 in Central Park, while French sounds will take center stage for Bastille Day in association with the Consulate General of France on July 14, showcasing performances by Laurie Darmon, Magic System, and other guests.
Arooj Aftab, the first Pakistani-American woman to win a GRAMMY, known for weaving Urdu ghazals and poetry into electronic soundscapes, will perform on July 24. On July 28, Catalan Sounds On Tour will return to Central Park with Sidonie and the Balkan Paradise Orchestra; and Show Dem Camp returns with the Palmwine Festival NYC featuring the Cavemen & Friends in association with Move Forward Music on Aug. 17.
Brazilian Day will once again bring a lineup of artists on Aug. 22 with samba legend Alcione, Larissa Luz, DJ Malfeitona, and a film screening of Gerson King Combo in association with the 28 Inffinito Brazilian Film Festival. The 2024 season in Central Park will close with a special celebration of the WNYC and Friends Centennial on Sept. 9.
Photo by Rob Tellerman.
SummerStage 2024 will once again take fans globe-trotting through the five boroughs of New York, presenting an array of world rhythms. Shows in neighborhood parks will include the Godfather of Salsa Andy Montañez and salsa star Charlie Cruz showcasing the stylings of Puerto Rico at theConey Island Amphitheater on June 15. DJ Rekha returns to Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens for their acclaimed Basement Bhangra dance partywith Priya Ragu, Ami Dang, and moreon July 20. Ghanafest-NY will return to Crotona Park on Aug. 3 with King Promise, Dan Price The Artist, and DJ Faddah to showcase contemporary West African and Nigerian music.
This year’s festival will continue to highlight the birthplace of hip-hop with shows throughout the boroughs including the return of MIKE’S Young World IV featuring Earl Sweatshirt, Myaap, Sideshow, and more on July 13 and the Chuck Chillout 40th Radio Anniversary Party featuring Ice T, MOP, Schoolly D, Peter Gunz, Lord Tariq, and more hosted by Ralph McDaniels on Aug. 1, both in Bed-Stuy’s Herbert Von King Park. On Aug. 18, hip-hop legends will take over two boroughs: Special Uptown Edition: Celebrating 40 years of Red Alert & Ralph McDaniels of Video Music Box will be in Harlem’s Marcus Garvey Park and Funk Flex will celebrate his birthdaywith performances by Slick Rick, Dana Dane, Doug E. Fresh, DJ Maseo, and more in Central Park.
We are thrilled to once again celebrate the vibrant diversity of New York City’s cultures and communities across all five boroughs. Our lineup will shine a bright spotlight on some of music’s most iconic female artists who have made an impact in their genres, from rock and New Orleans soul scions to Dominican merengue and Brazilian samba legends. We are continuing to support rising artists from around the world who are showcasing their fresh takes on various genres like hip-hop, Americana, rock, Latin, pop, and more. 2024 promises to be an unforgettable season!
Erika Elliott, Executive Artistic Director of SummerStage.
The independent performing arts organization Works & Process will return for a second season collaborating with SummerStage to showcase the art of dance. Dance performances will kick off with It’s Showtime NYC! alongside the Maimouna Keita African Dance Company and Kash Gaines’s Caged Birds in Herbert Von King Park, Brooklynon July 11. The Missing Element featuring the Beatbox House will serve as the 2024 dance Artist in Residence, performing at select shows throughout the season.
SummerStage 2024 is delighted to return for six free shows at The Coney Island Amphitheater in Brooklyn. In addition to Andy Montañez in association with La Megaon June 15, shows include The Federation Sound 25 Anniversary featuring the first lady of dancehall Sister Nancy, Tanto Metro & Devonte, and FriendsonJuly 7, the Oldies is Back in Brooklyn showfeaturing The Platters former lead singer Frank Pizarro, Charlie Thomas’ Drifters with Jeff Hall and many others on July 14.
Brooklyn rapper, Coney Island local, and viral internet sensation NEMS presenting GORILLAFEST featuring Ghostface Killah, DJ Tony Touch, and more on Aug. 4, and on Aug.11, NYC’s iconic R&B radio station WBLS will host its 50 Anniversary Celebration with Jon B, Vivian Green, Meli’sa Morgan, Horace Brown, Jeff Redd, and Funk Flex. Closing the Coney Island season will be The Chol Hamoed Spectacular: The Yeshiva Boys Choir presented in association with EG Productions onOct. 20.
The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, New York City’s annual salute to the late saxophonist, will return in its 32 year for a three-day celebration of live jazz in the neighborhoods near where Parker worked and lived, including Harlem’s historic Marcus Garvey Park and Tompkins Square Park in the East Village. Running Aug. 23 to Aug. 25, this year’s lineup will bring together storied, veteran players and the next generation of jazz artists including the Christian McBride Big Band and Wallace Roney Jr in partnership with Jazzmobile; Carmen Lundy, and Helen Sung with Isaiah Collier & the Chosen Few; Louis Hayes, Ekep Nkwelle, and Alexis Lombre with sounds by DJ KulturedChild aka Angelika Beener among others.
The 2024 SummerStage season will also feature ticketed benefit shows in Central Park to help support the City Parks Foundation’s free performances. Artists include English singer-songwriter James Arthur on May 17; Trinidadian soca group KES on June 8; Jamaican-American R&B artist Masego on June 19; prolific American rapper and record producer T-Pain on June 23; a joint experience featuring legendary Mexican rock bands Caifanes and Café Tacvba on June 26.
Other acts include Indie singer-songwriter Ethel Cain on June 27; three nights of pride celebrations featuring Trixie Mattell, Above & Beyond, and others from June 28 through June 30; American rock/folk band Counting Crows on July 11; Irish rock band The Saw Doctors on July 17; a South African amapiano dance party from Piano People on July 27; contemporary worship music collective Elevation Worship on July 31; genre-bending jazz and R&B stars Robert Glasper featuring Yebba on Aug. 1; David Cross and his Super Pals on Aug. 8; alternative rock bands The Gaslight Anthem, Joyce Manor and Pinkshift on Aug. 21; and hip-hop band The Roots with Jungle Brothers and Digable Planets on Aug. 23.
For more information about SummerStage 2024 and the full lineup, visit here.
SummerStage 2024 Lineup
Fri, May 17 5:00 PM
James Arthur Central Park Benefit
Sat, Jun 1 6:00 PM
OPENING NIGHT: Andra Day in association with Blue Note Jazz Festival
Subaru Music Series Central Park Free
Sat, Jun 8 5:00 PM
KES Central Park Benefit
Thu, Jun 13 5:00 PM
Kim Gordon / Sun Ra Arkestra / Slauson Malone 1
Central Park Free
Subaru Music Series
Sat, Jun 15 4:00 PM
THE AUSSIE BBQ: Jebediah / Last Dinosaurs/ Northeast Party House / Sheppard / Sycco/ Thelma Plum in Association with Sounds Australia and the American Australian Association
Central Park Free
Sat, Jun 15 5:00 PM
Andy Montañez / Charlie Cruz / People of Earth / La Mega DJ in association with 97.9 La Mega
Coney Island Amphitheater Free
Sun, Jun 16 6:00 PM
Corinne Bailey Rae / Dixson in association with Blue Note Jazz Festival
Central Park Free
Tue, Jun 18 7:00 PM
The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital featuring Leah Hawkins, Mario Chang, Michael Sumuel
Central Park Free
Wed, Jun 19 5:00 PM
Masego / Jordan Ward Central Park Benefit
Thu, Jun 20 7:00 PM
The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital featuring Leah Hawkins, Mario Chang, Michael Sumuel
Brooklyn Bridge Park Free
Sat, Jun 22 5:00 PM
The Yussef Dayes Experience / Aneesa Strings / Dana and Alden in association with Blue Note Jazz Festival
Central Park Free
Sun, Jun 23 6:30 PM T-Pain’s Mansion in Wiscansin Tour Central Park Benefit
Mon, Jun 24 7:00 PM
The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital featuring Brittany Olivia Logan, Hannah Jones, Matthew Cairns
Jackie Robinson Park Free
Wed, Jun 26 7:00 PM
The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital featuring Brittany Olivia Logan, Hannah Jones, Matthew Cairns
Williamsbridge Oval Free
Wed, Jun 26 6:00 PM
Caifanes + Café Tacvba Central Park Benefit
Thu, Jun 27 5:00 PM
Ethel Cain with Special Guest Teethe Central Park Benefit [SOLD OUT]
Fri, Jun 28 7:00 PM
The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital featuring Brittany Olivia Logan, Hannah Jones, Matthew Cairns
Socrates Sculpture Park Free
Fri, Jun 28 5:30 PM
Utopia Pride: Above & Beyond and Spencer Brown
Central Park Benefit
Sat, Jun 29 5:00 PM
Pride Disco with Trixie Matell, Amanda Lepore, and Jess King
Central Park Benefit
Sun, Jun 30 3:00 PM
Dreamland Pride Central Park Benefit
Mon, Jul 1 5:00 PM
Madison Cunningham / LA LOM / John-Robert / Corrente: Beatriz Mira & Tiago Barreiros Central Park Free
Sun, Jul 7 5:00 PM
Ezra Collective / Celeste / Da Chick DJ in association with Blue Note Jazz Festival
Central Park Free
Sun, Jul 7 5:00 PM
Federation Sound 25th Anniversary featuring Sister Nancy / Tanto Metro & Devonte and friends
Coney Island Amphitheater Free
Wed, Jul 10 6:00 PM
LAMC and Latin GRAMMY 25th Anniversary: Fonseca / Israel Fernández / Bruses
Central Park Free
Thu, Jul 11 5:00 PM
Counting Crows Subaru Music Series Central Park Benefit
Thu, Jul 11 6:00 PM
Works & Process: It’s Showtime NYC! / Maimouna Keita African Dance Company / Kash Gaines’s Caged Birds
Herbert Von King Park Free
Fri, Jul 12 6:00 PM
Sounds of Detroit: Celebrating 50 years of J Dilla feat. The Pharcyde / Slum Village / Breakbeat Lou in association with Fusicology & Future x Sounds
Herbert Von King Park Free
Sat, Jul 13 5:00 PM
LAMC: BRESH Central Park Free
Sat, Jul 13 4:00 PM
MIKE’s Young World IV: Earl Sweatshirt / Myaap / Sideshow / Stahhr / Stacy Epps
Herbert Von King Park Free
Sun, Jul 14
TBD Lineup to be announced
Herbert Von King Park Free
Sun, Jul 14 4:00 PM
GOLDEN OLDIES ON THE BOARDWALK: Oldies is Back in Brooklyn Feat. The Platters former lead singer Frank Pizarro / Charlie Thomas’ Drifters with Jeff Hall / The Marvelettes / Bill Haley Jr’s Comets / Johnny Farina / The Excellents / The Chiclettes / Vinnie Medugno / Hosted by JoeCausi WCBS FM and Sal Abbatiello FeverRecords / Music by The Coda Band
Coney IslandAmphitheater Free
Sun, Jul 14, 5:00 PM
Bastille Day: IAM / Magic System / The Avener / Laurie Darmon / Femi the Scorpion in association with the Consulate General of France
Central Park Free
Wed, Jul 17 5:00 PM
The Saw Doctors / The Coronas Central Park Benefit
Sat, Jul 20 5:00 PM
DJ Rekha’s Basement Bhangra Beyond: Priya Ragu / DJ Rekha / Ami Dang / Lady Pista + Guests
Flushing Meadows-Corona Park Free
Sun, Jul 21 TBD Lineup to be announced
Flushing Meadows-Corona Park
Sun, Jul 21 6:00 PM
Proyecto Uno / Milly Quezada / DJ Miquelito & Excarlet Molina in association with 97.9 La Mega Central Park Free
Wed, Jul 24 5:00 PM
Arooj Aftab / Sid Sriram / EMEL Central Park Free
Sat, Jul 27 3:00 PM
Piano People in the Park: Scorpion Kings / DBN GoGo / Kelvin MoMo / DJ Moma / DJ
Tunez Central Park Benefit
Sun, Jul 28 5:00 PM
Catalan Sounds On Tour: Sidonie / Balkan Paradise Orchestra / Lau Noah / DJ Turmix in association with the Institut Ramon Llull
Central Park Free
Wed, Jul 31 6:00 PM
Elevation Worship: Praise Party! Central Park Benefit
Thu, Aug 1 6:00 PM
Chuck Chillout 40th Radio Anniversary Party: Ice T / MOP / Schoolly D / PeterGunz & Lord Tariq / Super Lover Cee & Casanova Rud / CL Smooth / Joeski Love / D.J. Breakout / Funky Four + 1 More / Ultramagnetic MCs / DJ Chuck Chillout & Crotona Park Free Kool Chip / NINE / Al B. Sure! / Music by Funk Flex / Hosted By Ralph McDaniels & Bugsy Buggs
Thu, Aug 1 5:00 PM
Blue Note Presents: Robert Glasper Featuring Yebba Central Park Benefit
Fri, Aug 2 6:00 PM
Tedsmooth’s Freestyle Jam feat. Coro / C-Bank / DJ Serg / Anthony Mangini / Tedsmooth / Strafe Crotona Park Free
Sat, Aug 3 5:00 PM
The Originals Central Park Free
Sat, Aug 3 6:00 PM
King Promise / Dan Price the Artist / DJ Faddah in association with GhanaFest-NY Crotona Park Free
Sun, Aug 4
TBD Lineup to be announced Crotona Park Free
Sun, Aug 4 5:00 PM
Galactic featuring Irma Thomas / The
Rumble featuring Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr
Central Park Free
Sun, Aug 4 4:00 PM
NEMS Presents: GORILLAFEST Featuring Ghostface Killah / DJ Drewski & Friends /Statik Selektah / Scram Jones / Tony Touch and Friends
Coney Island Amphitheater Free
Thu, Aug 8 6:30 PM
David Cross and Super Pals featuring Bob Odenkirk, Sarah Silverman, Fred Armisen, Zach Zucker, Sean Patton and more TBA Central Park Benefit
Sat, Aug 10 6:00 PM
VP Records 45th Anniversary Central Park Free
Sun, Aug 11 5:00 PM
WBLS 50th Anniversary Celebration: Jon B / Vivian Green / Meli’sa Morgan / Horace Brown / Jeff Redd / Funk Flex
Coney Island Amphitheater Free
Sun, Aug 11
TBD Lineup to be announced
Stapleton Waterfront Park Free
Thu, Aug 15
TBD Lineup to be announced
Marcus Garvey Park Free
Fri, Aug 16
TBD Lineup to be announced
Marcus GarveyPark Free
Sat, Aug 17 5:00 PM
Palmwine Festival NYC: Show Dem Camp feat. The Cavemen & Friends in association with Move Forward Music Central Park Free
Sat, Aug 17 6:00 PM
The Soapbox Presents: The Life of the Party
Marcus Garvey Park Free
Sun, Aug 18 5:00 PM
Special Uptown Edition: Celebrating 40 years of Red Alert & Ralph McDaniels VideoMusic Box
Marcus Garvey Park Free
Sun, Aug 18 6:00 PM
Funk Flex Birthday Party with Live performances by Slick Rick, Dana Dane, Doug E. Fresh, DJ Maseo & Funk Flex Central Park Free
Wed, Aug 21 5:00 PM
The Gaslight Anthem / Joyce Manor /
Pinkshift Central Park Benefit
Thu, Aug 22 5:00 PM
Brazilian Day: Alcione / Larissa Luz / DJ
Malfeitona / Film screening: “Gerson King Combo” in association with 28th Inffini to Brazilian Film Festival Central Park Free
Fri, Aug 23 5:00 PM
Hip-Hop Is The LOML Tour: The Roots ft.
Jungle Brothers / Digable Planets
Subaru Music Series Central Park Benefit
Fri, Aug 23 7:00 PM
Charlie Parker Jazz Festival: Christian
McBride Big Band / Wallace Roney Jr in
partnership with Jazzmobile
Marcus Garvey Park Free
Sat, Aug 24 3:00 PM
Charlie Parker Jazz Festival: Carmen Lundy
/ Helen Sung / Isaiah Collier & the Chosen
Few / Tyreek McDole / DJ KulturedChild aka
Angelika Beener
Marcus Garvey Park Free
Sun, Aug 25 3:00 PM
Charlie Parker Jazz Festival: Louis Hayes /
SuperBlue: Kurt Elling & Charlie Hunter ft.
Huntertones / Ekep Nkwelle / Alexis Lombre
/ DJ KulturedChild aka Angelika Beener
Tompkins Square Park Free
Tue, Aug 27 5:00 PM
Snail Mail / Tim Heidecker / Fenne Lily Central Park Free
Mon, Sep 9 6:00 PM
WNYC and Friends Centennial Celebration Central Park Free
Sun, Oct 20 1:00 PM
The Chol Hamoed Spectacular: The Yeshiva
Boys Choir presented in association with EG productions
Long Island alternative/punk band Bad Mary has announced the release of their re-recorded mix of “Better Days” on April 23. The band also announced six live dates, three of which in New York.
The song is the second release from their Better(er) Days EP, which is a collection of re-recorded and remixed versions of the songs from their first album Better Days. The re-release celebrates the 10-year anniversary of the debut album.
The group is composed of Mike Staub, Amanda Mac, Bill Mac, and David Henderson. Together, Bad Mary brings the heat with their alt-punk attitude. The group showcases nasty basslines, strong, catchy riffs, and a frontwoman with an uplifting yet seductive vocal style.
The track is released with a new music video, and a few live shows to celebrate the drop. Bad Mary sees three dates in New York on April 26, June 8, and July 5. The band performs two shows at Mr. Beery’s in Bethpage, Long Island followed by a stop at Arlene’s Grocery in Manhattan.
The single, “Better Days” is a tune about the shortcomings, the setbacks, and the misfortunes in life. It is a theme every individual can get behind. The song is hopeful and encourages you to keep your head up and look forward to those better days.
“’Better Days’ is a song about trying your hardest and just feeling like nothing is working out. We’ve all been there. We as people… we overthink, we feel paralyzed, we can feel like nothing is going our way – but the only thing to do is keep moving forward and hope that there are better (or maybe even betterER) days ahead. This song continues to mean more to me every day, and I love that it’s been with us since the beginning,”
Vocalist Amanda Mac
Better(er) Days will be released in the summer of 2024. The band is currently writing and recording new songs to be released later this year. Along with this, Bad Mary is still adding live dates to their list of shows this year.
See them live:
April 26 at Mr. Beery’s in Bethpage, NY
May 17 at SpiFest in Windsor, CT
May 23 at The Fire in Philadelphia, PA
June 8 at Mr. Beery’s in Bethpage, NY
July 5 at Arlene’s Grocery in New York, NY
July 24 at The Middle East in Boston, MA
For more information on Bad Mary, their upcoming music and dates, click here. Make sure to stay up to date on the band’s upcoming album Better(er) Days, releasing this Spring.
Right now, folk music is having a major resurgence in the mainstream music world. One indie folk band, Tough Old Bird is looking to make their mark with their latest studio album Garden Dream, set to release April 26. So far they’ve released two singles, “Conjurer” and “Locks.”
Brothers Nathan and Matthew Corrigan first started releasing music as Tough Old Bird in 2016 and have debuted three albums since, drawing great influence from their rural upbringings in the small town of Fillmore Glen in Western New York. The band is now based out of Buffalo.
This time around, Nathan and Matthew brought in new musicians, namely Ricky Bechard on drums and Brendan O’Shea on bass. The album was recorded at Sunwood Studios in Trumansburg, NY.
I sat down with the band of brothers to discuss the creative process behind Garden Dream.
*This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Ryan Bieber: To start, when did the idea for Garden Dream come about? And what was the inspiration behind it?
Matthew Corrigan: I remember almost conceptualizing this album in 2018, like, quite a surprisingly long time ago. We already had our previous album, The Old Great Lakes recorded and done at that point, then we had a few songs left to the side that kind of felt like we really wanted to hold on to them and go in that direction the next time. And so we had a little inkling of an idea for what it would be.
Nathan Corrigan: When we write songs, we tend to just …put them in whatever pile it seems like they belong. Then eventually an idea will start to take shape that some of those songs kind of feel like they’re dealing with some of the same things or sound like they belong together.
Matthew and Nathan performing the title track from their second studio album, “The Old Great Lakes” live.
Ryan: How does Garden Dream differ from your previous projects?
Mathew: I would say that songs themselves are definitely more autobiographically leaning than some of our previous stuff, which felt pretty important to me to reach a certain point where I was comfortable with writing more directly about myself rather than necessarily crafting narratives.
Ryan: And what’s it like being in a band with your brother? Is there some sort of extra special, like, telepathic sort of connection in the songwriting process? Is there a different energy when you write together?
Nathan: That’s a good question. I’ve never really written with anybody else, or played in any other band. So, I don’t have a lot of frame of reference there. I do think we have a pretty good partnership in that sense that we came up listening to a lot of the same music, so we definitely share a musical language that, you know, one of us can reference some very obscure song that very few people would know, but we’ve both listened to almost all the same stuff. So we can just be like, ‘Oh, we want the sound like this.’ And we’ll know what we’re talking about.
Mathew: We’re now very good at being like honest editors for each other. I’ve done a small amount of writing with other people and sometimes it’s harder when you’re less familiar with someone else to critique something or offer an opinion. But I think, between Nate and I … we’re both very respectful of each other’s opinions. I think the biggest benefit is just having someone who’s open and receptive to ideas.
Ryan: How does your upbringing in western New York inform your songwriting process, the lyrics and the themes that you write about?
Mathew: It’’s pretty massive, almost such an influence, I don’t know how to even pare it down into words. I feel like almost everything that I write about comes from my observable world and life and a ton of that is influenced by where and how we were brought up in a rural environment. I feel like the natural world is largely a character in a lot of songwriting I try to achieve.
Nathan: Yeah, I think there’s some lyrics on this album that I maybe didn’t even realize as we were writing them, our direct references to certain things that we might have experienced growing up. We lived way out in the country on a dirt road in the middle of the woods, in a little house that our dad built. And it was kind of like this almost homestead or pioneer-like childhood. And so there’s just little elements of that, that have found their way into into some of these songs that kind of feel like they’re looking back and observing that from a point of view of adulthood.
Ryan: You mentioned having the same taste in music. Growing up what kind of bands or artists were playing in the household that everyone was listening to?
Nathan: Growing up, our parents played a lot of Beatles records in the house and some singer-songwriter things like John Prine. The music that we chose to listen to when we were kids a lot of the time it was country music, because that was not something that was in our house.
Ryan: Folk music – at least some version of folk music and pop music – has definitely seen a growth in popularity in the mainstream with artists like Noah Kahan. I was curious as to your thoughts on this sort of mainstream folk popularity and have you felt like the effects of this as a folk band at all?
Mathew: I would say for for us, we’re fairly influenced by like a previous wave of mainstream folk. The early 2000s indie folk boom was very influential musically once I reached college age. I don’t know if it’s technically a different era, but in my mind, it kind of is and that’s where I’ve learned a lot about songwriting.
Nathan: It seems like that kind of stuff is always there. There’s always people doing it, but it rises and falls in popularity, and you know, it’s placed in the public consciousness. It kind of felt like that stuff was really became popular again in the early 2000s for a few years, and then maybe died off again a little bit, and a version of it is now kind of coming back a little bit again. Yeah, it’s always around.
Tough Old Bird recording Garden Dream at Sunwood Studios in Trumansburg, NY
Ryan: What are you looking for listeners to take away from this project?
Nathan: I sometimes have a hard time talking about what songs are about because I want people to listen to them and decide what they’re about for them. So I hope that people connect with it in some way and find some meaning in it.
Garden Dream is available on Bandcamp for vinyl/CD pre-order and will be streaming wherever you get music on April 26th.
The band will be playing shows in Rochester and Buffalo as well as Glenshaw, PA throughout the month of April and into May. The full tour schedule can be found on their website: here
Five music teachers from across Long Island were recently honored at theLong Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) in Stony Brook in a special ceremony honoring the organization’s most recent Educator of Note Award winners.
The teachers honored include Alan Schwartz (Great Neck, 2023), Frank Abel (Uniondale/Roosevelt, 2022), Kim Löwenborg-Coyne (North Babylon, 2021), Marc Greene (Middle Country School District, 2020), and Susan Weber (Uniondale, 2019).
“It was wonderful,” said Tom Needham, Second Vice Chair and Educational Programs Director at LIMEHOF. “When you get all these people together in one room and you hear about the number of students they’ve influenced over the years and the impact they’ve had on music education on Long Island. It’s truly incredible. We’re so excited to have this opportunity to have them all here in the room and to celebrate the good things that they’ve accomplished.”
Supporting and highlighting musical education and upcoming talent through its education programs is a large part of LIMEHOF’s mission. Each year the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame presents an Educator of Note Award recognizing outstanding achievement in Long Island music education during their galas. LIMEHOF has not held an awards Gala since 2019 in large part due to COVID restrictions so these award winners were unable to receive their awards in a public ceremony. Therefore, a special ceremony for them was arranged at their Stony Brook Museum location.
LIMEHOF says it’s important to recognize the music teachers who are top in their field making a difference by building strong educational programs for students to be able to perform and be evaluated.
We celebrate music history here on Long Island and everybody knows we honor people like Billy Joel and John Coltraine and other artists but sometimes people forget that the people who have the biggest impact on Long Island in terms of music are music teachers. Music teachers have the ability to reach thousands of kids throughout a career.
Tom Needham
The 2024 Educator of Note nomination process is currently open with a deadline of September 30th. For more information about LIMEHOF’s Educator of Note, scholarships, and other music education programs, please visit here.
Indie artist Rebecca Karpen has released a new single “23” that deals with finding closure and moving on, streaming now.
NYC-based singer and songwriter Rebecca Karpen has been making music for the past 10 years that blends her outstanding vocals and distinctive songwriting. In her new acoustic, sentimental and melancholy single “23”, Rebecca shared that her song is a means of finding closure after being psychologically abused by her mentor during college, the effects of which almost cost her life as she inadvertently neglected her health. “I have never felt as free as I did after completing this song, and I hope that you find something of meaning for yourselves in it.”
“23” can be interpreted as a genuinely personal piece of work about a traumatizing experience. Rebecca added that “grief is a really weird thing because we never entirely stop grieving, we just gradually stop letting it control us and allow it to disappear, piece by piece, into the recesses of our minds. It doesn’t leave, so occasionally, something will be a bit of a jump scare and drag this fear and pain up again suddenly and it makes it incredibly difficult to live your life outside of the fear of encountering this horrible sense of dread again”.
After not being able to cope for a while, she found the best and only way to cope and move on was to speak about her isolating and overwhelming experience hence she wrote “23”. “I was fighting a war against someone who wasn’t there any longer and it still felt like I was losing. I was angry and frustrated because it felt like this other person who had caused so much destruction and ruined my life, had caused me to neglect my own health out of stress, was able to steal away without any consequence for what they had inflicted, while I just needed to deal with it alone as the people closest to me struggled to understand if my rage was warranted or just me speaking from a place of anger and vilifying someone none of them had ever met.” Rebecca added.
It usually takes a while for someone to get the clarity that they need, as it took Rebecca about 3 years to finish writing “23”, a song reflecting on still being haunted by someone who couldn’t be more physically absent in their world, yet mentally and emotionally ubiquitous. Although her single might sound dark and appear tragic, in a weird way, “23” gave Rebecca peace. “I think it allowed me to get the closure I needed and find the words to describe something I had been incapable of processing or articulating for years and now that I could tell this story, I didn’t feel chained to it anymore. It actually freed me from this person’s hold in recording it.” The newly released single was a moment of triumph for the singer and she doesn’t think she’s ever been so nervous and so passionate about any song she’s ever released.
Accompanied with the new single, Rebecca also teased to her fans that she’s working on her debut album “Edelweiss, Or Soundtrack to a Nervous Breakdown”, that could potentially release next year, and fans should be on lookout for new singles coming out later this year.
“23” from Rebecca Karopen is available to stream everywhere. And for more information about the singer, fans can visit here.
The Eddies Awards have announced the 2024 winners, including Saratoga Springs artist Angelina Valente taking home the most awards for Solo/Duo Artist of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, and Album of the Year.
Photo by Joe Putrock.
Other multiple award winners include Indie pop duo SIRSY who received Eddies Music Awards for Pock/Pop Artist of the Year and Record of the Year and WEXT with Radio Station of the Year and DJ of the Year for Andy Gregory.
Merit Awards are given each year to music initiatives that don’t fit traditional categories that benefit the community. The Capital Region Blues Network was one of two recipients for its Blues in the Libraries initiative – actively promoting the careers and music of blues legends by donating books and compact discs to libraries throughout the region.
Also receiving the Merit Award were Joe Mele and Patti Quade, organizers of the Dustin Mele Memorial Concert. The event has been held annually for a decade to raise funds for local suicide prevention organizations; through the generosity of local musicians who have donated their time and talents over $125,000 has been collected.
Photo by Joe Putrock.
In all, over 200 nominees in 34 categories were celebrated during the 2024 Eddies Awards. Performing during the event were Ethan Crowley, Hold On Honeys, Cassandra Kubinski, Jocelyn & Chris, Ruth Pelham, and The Sugar Hold. DJ Trumastr spun music from—and inspired by—winners as well. Emcees were co-producer Kelly Auricchio and Eddies co-founder Jim Murphy.
“First and foremost, the Eddies were created to foster a sense of community and connection,” Murphy said in reflecting on the event, “And to show appreciation and give recognition. The awards process is an instrument to accomplish those objectives.”
The Eddies Music Awards, part of the Proctors Collaborative, are voted on by members of the local music community. For more information about the awards, visit here.
The recipients of the 2024 Eddies Music Awards:
Electronica Artist of the Year 100 Psychic Dreams Punk/Hardcore Artist of the Year Blasè DeBris
Metal/Hard Rock Artist of the Year The Erotics Live Production Crew of the Year High Peaks Event Production
Record Label of the Year Upstate Records
Music Recording Studio of the Year
White Lake Music & Post
Presenter/Promoter of the Year
Caffè Lena – Sarah Craig
Seasonal Outdoor Venues/Concert Series Music Haven Concert Series
Radio Station of the Year
WEXT 97.7, 106.1
Radio DJ of the Year
Andy Gregory
Arts Publication of the Year (print, TV or new media)
MSG Entertainment announced that Barry Manilow set the record for the most lifetime concert performances at Radio City Music Hall with his 42nd lifetime show on Saturday, April 20.
As part of the show, the Radio City Rockettes presented Manilow with a custom plaque commemorating his incredible achievement. Barry Manilow first played the iconic venue on October 30, 1984. In May 2023, he began his ongoing show residency at the venue, performing five sold-out shows from May 31 to June 4, 2023, and five additional sold-out shows from April 17-21, 2024. Due to overwhelming demand, Manilow recently announced he will continue his residency with five additional consecutive nights from October 9-13, 2024, marking his 44-48 lifetime performances at the venue and bringing the ongoing residency total to 15 shows.
Barry Manilow is a GRAMMY, Tony, and Emmy Award-winning music icon whose success is a benchmark in popular music. Having sold more than 85 million records worldwide, he is one of the all-time best-selling recording artists. The multi-award-winning musician has had an astonishing 51 Top 40 singles, including 12 number-one hits and 27 Top 10 hits. Some of these hits include “Mandy,” “I Write the Songs,” “Looks Like We Made It,” “Can’t Smile Without You,” and “Copacabana (At the Copa).”
“Radio City Music Hall is one of the greatest venues in the world,” said Barry Manilow. “What a thrill and an honor to receive this distinction.”
For nearly a century, Radio City Music Hall has been home to world’s biggest artists. We are pleased to celebrate Barry Manilow, a native New Yorker and one of the greatest performers of all time, and look forward to welcoming him back for more record-setting shows this October.
On April 19, Cypress Hill hit Brooklyn Steel for their “We Legalized It 2024 Tour.” The show was the second stop on their tour, with Souls of Mischief and The Pharcyde performing as the opening acts. The timing couldn’t have been better, coming right before the weed holiday, 4/20.
B-Real
The night kicked off with Souls of Mischief and The Pharcyde getting the crowd pumped up. But when Cypress Hill took the stage, the energy went through the roof. They played hits, like “Hand on the Pump,” “Tequila Sunrise” and “Latin Lingo,” getting everyone hyped.
The highlight of the night was when Cypress Hill did a special weed-themed melody, mixing songs like “Roll it Up, Light it Up,” “I Wanna Get High,” and “Dr. Greenthumb.” It was the perfect way to get everyone in the mood for 4/20.
The Pharcyde
Cypress Hill are pioneers in the movement for weed legalization. For years, their music has been synonymous with cannabis culture, advocating for its decriminalization and celebrating its medicinal properties. Now, as New York joins the growing list of states where weed is legal, Cypress Hill’s message feels more relevant than ever. Their music has been a soundtrack for the fight for legalization, and now, as the law changes, their influence continues to be felt. It’s a testament to their impact on both music and society as a whole.
Cypress Hill
Setlist: Cock the Hammer, Real Estate, Hand on the Pump, When the Shit Goes Down, A to the K, Phuncky Feel One, Tequila Sunrise, Low Rider, Latin Lingo, Stoned is the Way, Roll It Up, Light It Up, I Wanna Get High, Dr Greenthumb, Cisco Kid, Dr Greenthumb, Hits From the Bong, Illusions, Boom Biddy Bye Bye, Throw ya Set, Ain’t Going Out, How I Could Just Kill A Man, Rap Superstar, Insane in the Brain
Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes has announced its season finale concert, “A Grand Gershwin Celebration” which will take place on May 11 at the Clemens Center in Elmira, NY.
The series finale concert will feature a stellar line up of soloists including Lynnesha Crump on soprano, Fred Redd on baritone, and Bryan Pezzone on piano, and also feature music from the highly requested Porgy & Bess. In Addition, the soloists will be holding master classes for students and the public on May 9 on piano and May 10 on vocal, fans can sign up for the email newsletter to be notified when details are available.
As a part of the education infusion initiative, the OSFL will also hold two events for the general public to “Meet the Soloists” on May 9 at 1:00 PM. The consummate crossover pianist, Bryan Pezzone will give an engaging presentation about his diverse career path including his Hollywood gigs recording major films (Disney movies, WB cartoons, AAA games, Harry Potter, Frozen, Star Wars and hundreds more). At the piano, Pezzone will also demonstrate his fusion of jazz, classical, modern and more, including improvisation across genres. This event will be hosted at Corning Painted Post High School. Visitors should RSVP in advance at OSFL.org and arrive early to sign in at the school office.
In addition, a vocal master class will be led by Fredrick Redd on Friday, May 10 at 4:00-5:30 at North Presbyterian Church at 921 College Ave., Elmira. An engineer, triathlete and “compelling vocal actor” (London’s Opera Now), Redd has performed principal roles with opera companies throughout the US and made his New York City Opera debut in the Emmy-nominated Porgy & Bess performances. Both events are free to attend.
Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes will host their season finale concert “A Grand Gershwin Celebration” on May 11 at the Clemens Center in Elmira, NY. Fans can find tickets at ClemensCenter.org or 607-734-8191.
