NYS Music 2024

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  • Pocket Bandits Release Groovy Single “Second Drink” Ahead Of Debut LP

    Ithaca-based trio Pocket Bandits have released their Groovy third single “Second Drink” alongside the announcement of their debut LP.

    pocket bandits

    A modern twist to the old-school organ trio, Pocket Bandits packs the musical punch of a large ensemble in a smaller unit. Members Joe Massa on guitar, Simon Bjarning on drums, and Samuel B. Lupowitz on organ, synth, and pedal keyboards combine their musical prowess into a final product that is full of infectious dancing energy. 

    Having performed separately in various groups across Central New York prior to the pandemic, when the group’s regular musical roster came to a halt they found themselves faced with a unique opportunity- and with that Pocket Bandits was born.

    Since then, the trio has performed countless covers from Steely Dan to Chappell Roan with original compositions sprinkled throughout.

    The unit debuted their first official release in April of this year, and since then have been hard at work writing, rehearsing, and recording. Returning for their third track to date, Pocket Bandits has released the infectiously funky “Second Drink.” 

    Clocking in at just over six and a half minutes, “Second Drink” capitalizes on each and every second with an overflowing, undeniable, stylish funk. Recorded almost entirely live at Redwood Lane in Ithaca, there’s some serious technical work at play hidden beneath the layers of boogy with shifting time signatures, a suitelike structure, and a gradual buildup to an organ solo that really bring the piece to life.

    Even more exciting is the news that dropped alongside “Second Drink”- the reveal of Pocket Bandit’s debut EP. Releasing on January 24 is Nine– a set of nine vibrant originals from the trio that are sure to excite.

    The group has also teased an album release show in their homebase of Ithaca with more dates across the Northeast to follow. To learn more about Pocket Bandits, find out about a show near you, and keep up to date with all of their latest endeavors, be sure to visit their official website here.

  • In Focus: Monkeys on Ecstasy (moe.) Take Over Middle Ages in Syracuse

    moe. fans flocked to the Middle Ages Concert Hall in Syracuse on Friday, November 15 for the first of two consecutive sold-out performances by Monkeys On Ecstasy.   

    Perhaps one of the more poorly kept secrets in the music industry, Monkeys on Ecstasy serves as the pseudonym for jam-rockers moe.  The alternatively billed shows allow the band to perform more intimate clubs and concert halls, harkening back to their early years.  The lucky recipient this time around was the Middle Ages Concert Hall.  The band, now entering their 35th year, recently announced their 14th studio album, Circle of Giants, would be released on January 31, 2025 and would be backed by an extensive U.S. tour.  

    On Friday, fans filled the area in front of the stage well before the band’s scheduled 8pm start time.  As show-time approached, a nearly impassible wall of fans stretched beyond the listening room and out into an adjacent bar area.  The excitement and energy of the audience was palpable, as their legion of fans traded stories of their previous moe. concerts.

    Shortly after 8pm the band took to the stage and opened with their rendition of Pink Floyd’s “Interstellar Overdrive”.  The slow building instrumental would culminate in a full-blown rocker, show casing the traits which make moe. great, with upper tier orchestration as each band member took their turn at adding layers of improvisation.  The track would weave in the moe. original “Zed Nought Z” before returning to the outro of “Interstellar Overdrive”.  In all the sequence would last over 20 minutes.  

    The band would play two sets on Friday, with each set pushing beyond 90 minutes.  Set two featured the improv-heavy rocker “Timmy Tucker” garnering full-on audience participation on the chorus.  As the night approached midnight, the evening would come to a close. Fans poured out into the Syracuse streets, celebrating what they had just witnessed and already eagerly anticipating what could be in store for night two.

    Monkeys On Ecstacy – Middle Ages Concert Hall, Syracuse – Friday, November 15

    Set 1: Interstellar Overdrive > Zed Nought Z > Interstellar Overdrive, Brent Black, In Stride, Bat Country, She, Space Truckin’
    Set 2: Shoot First > Timmy Tucker, Bring You Down > Lazarus > Skitchin’ Buffalo > Skitchin’ Buffalo Reprise > Recreational Chemistry
    Encore: Light up or Leave Me Alone

  • Three-Event Celebration Planned for Cohoes Music Hall Sesquicentennial on Nov 23

    Cohoes Music Hall has announced their 150-year anniversary celebration which includes three major events on Nov 23.

    Cohoes Music Hall

    Saturday, November 23, 2024, marks 150 years since Cohoes Music Hall first opened its doors to the public, and the venue’s management entity, Playhouse Stage Company, will mark the momentous occasion with three public events throughout the day. Playhouse Stage Company has been producing free outdoor musicals at Albany’s Park Playhouse since 1989 and has been producing musical theatre at Cohoes Music Hall since 2016. The company has managed the Hall since August 2020. 

    From 10:00AM to 12:00PM, eventgoers can expect a free public event featuring music and activities for kids, including face painting, balloon animals, and live music from popular Capital Region children’s musician Andy the Music Man. Funny, quick-witted, warm, and tuneful, Andy Morse has been delighting young audiences for more than 27 years.

    Cohoes Music Hall
    One of the oldest music venues in the state, Cohoes Music Hall celebrates a sesquicentennial anniversary on November 23

    At 2:00PM, “London Assurance & A Toast to the Hall” begins. This special event will start with a champagne toast to Cohoes Music Hall’s 150-year history, followed by a staged reading of the play that first opened the Music Hall in 1874, and then reopened the building one hundred years later. London Assurance, adapted by Capital Region theatre artist Aaron Holbritter, will be co-presented by Creative License Theatre Collective and Playhouse Stage Company. The performance will feature Capital Region actors Ryan Palmer, Laura Darling, Amy Hausknect, Nick Martiniano, Jay Hunter, Ketih DuBois, Molly Kirby, Evan Jones, Chuck Kraus and Owen Smith.

    “Get Zep! performing The Song Remains the Same” begins at 8:00PM. Get Zep!, presented by Guthrie Bell Productions, is an upstate super group consisting of Troy’s fabled rock band Super 400 and dynamic Hudson Valley vocalist Sean Matthew Whiteford. The group has been touring the region and beyond with tributes to classic Led Zeppelin albums, selling out Cohoes Music Hall on four occasions. For this event, they’ll play “The Song Remains The Same” in its entirety, and other Zeppelin hits.

    Get Zep!

    For more information on Cohoes Music Hall’s upcoming sesquicentennial celebration and to purchase tickets for November 23, click here.

  • Revamped “All Good Now” Releases 2025 Lineup

    All Good Music Festival has launched a revamped festival, All Good Now, and has announced their 2025 lineup, slated to grace stages at Merriweather Post Pavilion from June 14-15, 2025 in Columbia, Maryland.

    Ten years gone, All Good Music Festival is being reimagined as All Good Now, blending the legacy of the original festival with an iconic venue and an exciting lineup, capturing the timeless energy that brought thousands together for nearly two decades.

    The official All Good Now lineup is a carefully curated mix of bands from All Good’s past and present. Returning artists from the original lineup include Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, The String Cheese Incident, The Disco Biscuits, moe., Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Keller Williams, and The Bridge. They are joined by Goose, Lawrence, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country, Neal Francis, Dogs in a Pile, and Eggy, promising a celebration that spans the full evolution of the jam band and grassroots music scenes.

    In the days leading up to the festival, All Good Presents will host a series of All Good Now Pre-Parties at popular venues across Baltimore and Washington, D.C. These pre-parties highlight All Good Presents’ deep ties to the local live music scene, allowing fans to catch favorite acts like STS9, Andy Frasco & the U.N., Moon Hooch, Sam Grisman Project, and The Bridge at beloved venues including The Anthem, 9:30 Club, The Atlantis, and The 8×10.

    Set within the scenic Symphony Woods, Merriweather Post Pavilion has hosted the biggest names in live music, including Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Phish, and countless others. Merriweather has hosted 150 festivals, from Lilith Fair to Virgin Mobile’s FreeFest to Warped Tour to All Things Go. Known for its 40-acre natural oasis, Merriweather is a historic hub for music lovers, conveniently located between Baltimore and Washington, D.C., offering one of the best festival environments in the country.

    All Good Now represents the next evolution, bringing the All Good spirit to these iconic stages, and particularly to the historic Merriweather Post Pavilion, where fans will feel the magic and memories of past festivals reborn in a new, vibrant format. Tickets for All Good Now, along with hotel packages, VIP options, and full ticketing packages, will go on sale Friday, November 22. VIP packages include exclusive access to elevated viewing areas, premium food and beverage options, private lounge areas, and additional amenities designed to enhance the festival experience.

    For more information on the upcoming All Good Now festival and to purchase tickets, click here.

  • Dark Star Orchestra Fall 2024 Tour Features 7 NY Dates

    Grateful Dead cover band Dark Star Orchestra (DSO) has announced their Fall 2024 tour which sees 11 dates in the northeast including 7 dates in NY.

    Dark Star Orchestra Fall Tour

    Performing to critical acclaim for over 25 years and over 3100 shows, Dark Star Orchestra continues the Grateful Dead live concert experience. Their shows are built off the Dead’s extensive catalog and the talent of these seven fine musicians.

    On any given night, the band will perform a show based on a set list from the Grateful Dead’s 30 years of extensive touring or use their catalog to program a unique set list for the show. This allows fans both young and old to share in the experience. By recreating set lists from the past, and by developing their own sets of Dead songs, DSO offers a continually evolving artistic outlet within this musical canon.

    Honoring both the band and the fans, Dark Star Orchestra’s members seek out the unique style and sound of each era while simultaneously offering their own informed improvisations. DSO offers much more than the sound of the Grateful Dead; they truly encapsulate the energy and the experience. It’s about a sense of familiarity. It’s about a feeling that grabs listeners and takes over. It’s about that contagious energy…in short, it’s about the complete experience and consistent quality show that the fan receives when attending a DSO show.

    Dark Star Orchestra Fall Tour

    Dark Star Orchestra Fall 2024 Tour Dates:

    Nov 15, 2024 – The Capitol Theatre – Port Chester, NY

    Nov 16, 2024 – The Capitol Theatre – Port Chester, NY

    Nov 17, 2024 – MJN Convention Center – Poughkeepsie, NY

    Nov 20, 2024 – Rome Capitol Theatre – Rome, NY

    Nov 21, 2024 – Broome County Forum Theatre – Binghamton, NY

    Nov 22, 2024 – House of Blues Boston – Boston, MA

    Nov 23, 2024 – College Street Music Hall – New Haven, CT

    Nov 26, 2024 – Stage AE – Pittsburgh, PA

    Nov 27, 2024 – Penn’s Peak – Jim Thorpe, PA

    Nov 29, 2024 – The Paramount – Huntington, NY

    Nov 30, 2024 – The Paramount – Huntington, NY

    For more information on Dark Star Orchestra’s upcoming Fall 2024 tour and to purchase tickets, click here.

  • Adirondack Wind Ensemble Hosts “Home in the Adirondacks”

    The Adirondack Wind Ensemble’s Eleanor Marcus Memorial Concert was held on Sunday, Sept. 22 at the E. Glenn Giltz Auditorium in Plattsburgh.

    Adirondack Wind Ensemble

    The Adirondack Wind Ensemble (AWE) celebrated Eleanor Marcus’s love of music through its annual Memorial Concert. Marcus graduated from SUNY Plattsburgh in 1943 and loved music, attending almost every music event at E. Glenn Giltz Auditorium for decades until her passing. Since its founding in 2002 by Daniel Gordon, a member of the music faculty at SUNY Plattsburgh, AWE has performed an annual concert in E. Glenn Giltz Auditorium.

    AWE is a professional musical ensemble of wind and percussion instruments comprised of music educators and other outstanding community musicians from around the North Country. Its performers represent every public school district in Clinton County as well as several communities beyond. AWE is dedicated to providing quality concert performances by members of this community for this community.

    From 2010-20, AWE performed its program at a second venue in either Lake Placid or Saranac Lake.over the years, AWE has also performed at Battle of Plattsburgh Commemorations (2002-2004), in annual fall concerts at Plattsburgh High School (2007-2009), at First Night Saranac Lake (New Year’s Eve 2014), and as part of the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival (2020). These geographic expansions have made AWE a true “Adirondack” Wind Ensemble.

    Program:
    “Home in the Adirondacks”

    Gustav Holst (1874-1934):

    • Second Suite in F, Op. 28b (1911)
      – March
      – Song without Words “I’ll love my love”
      – Song of the Blacksmith
      – Fantasia on the “Dargason”

    Maurice Whitney (1901-1984):

    • Introduction and Samba (1951)
      – for alto saxophone and band

    Todd Pray, soloist
    – Intermission –

    Ian Deterling (b. 1990)

    • Images of the Adirondacks, Op. 25 (2024)
      – Autumn Colors
      – Mountain Sunset
      – Tempest

    – AWE Commission, World Premiere –

    Charles Ives (1888-1897) arr. Elkus

    • Old Home Days
      – Waltz (1874-1954)
      – The Opera House – Old Home Day
      – The Collection
      – Slow March
      – London Bridge Is Fallen Down!

    Learn more about AWE here.

  • Guitar God Gary Lucas Unveils Reunited Power Trio GODS AND MONSTERS at Colony Woodstock this December

    Gary Lucas (Jeff Buckley, Captain Beefheart) has released over 50 acclaimed albums as a leader or co-leader to date and toured in over 40 countries worldwide since cutting his teeth as a featured soloist and member of Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band. Gary may be best known for co-writing and playing on Jeff Buckley’s “Grace” album (Jeff thanked him in the liner notes for “magical guitarness”)— but those who have heard him live in whatever context he is playing in are still shaking their heads in amazement and trying to pick their jaws up from the floor!

    Gary Lucas

    In 1989, Lucas formed his longtime band GODS AND MONSTERS, featuring a revolving cast of stellar players orbiting Lucas’s incendiary guitar playing electric and acoustic. The December 22 performance at the Colony Woodstock will serve as the debut for the latest iteration of the band. In the words of the acclaimed guitarist, GODS AND MONSTERS is now “a psychedelic power trio” featuring the rock-steady propulsive bass of Ernie Brooks (Modern Lovers, Arthur Russell) and the exploding nebula of drummer extraordinaire Calvin Weston (James “Blood” Ulmer, Lounge Lizards).

    Gary Lucas’ varied works have generated critical acclaim that is second to none in the world of guitaring. Rolling Stone calls him “one of the best and most original guitarists in America” and his trio “a 21st Century Cream.” UK music bible Melody Maker labels him “a true axe god” while  MOJO Magazine proclaims him “the psychedelic guitarist for the post-modern set.” The New York Times says Lucas “plays guitar like Salvador Dali paints…guitarist with a global beat.” His work has also received praise from many musicians, from Lou Reed and Bruce Springsteen to Nick Cave and Leonard Bernstein.  You can stream Lucas’ extensive discography here on Spotify. 

    Show opener Spaghetti Eastern Music is the genre-leaping solo project of Woodstock-based guitarist/keyboardist and NYSMusic contributor Sal Cataldi. Spaghetti Eastern Music marries funky, acid jazz-fueled guitar instrumentals and ambient soundscapes with bare-bones acoustic ballads straight out of the Nick Drake school.  Cataldi debuted the project with the critically acclaimed 2016 album, “Sketches of Spam,” followed by numerous singles and EPs.

    The New York Times says Cataldi “has a beat unmistakably his own” while Time Out New York praises his “delicate guitar work and the hauntingly moody atmosphere he conjures.” His music has been called “beautiful and unique” by WFUV’s Mixed Bag and “charmingly melodic and off-center” by WFMU.  Hudson Valley One has called Spaghetti Eastern “part Sergio Leone fever dream, part Ravi Shankar raga, a whirling dervish of musical creation… a must-see” while Chronogram Magazine calls his music “cool, melodic, inspired and transcendent, a wave of sonic warmth and light.” Look for his music here at Spotify

    Colony Woodstock is located at 22 Rock City Road, Woodstock – for information and tickets to Gary Lucas and Gods and Monsters, visit here.

  • Sabrina Monique Releases Vibrant Debut Album It’s Not Me, It’s You 

    White Plains born and New York City-based singer-songwriter Sabrina Monique has released her debut album It’s Not Me, It’s You.

    Sabrina Monique It’s Not Me It’s You 

    Born and raised in Brewster, Sabrina Monique has been performing to brighten others’ days since the beginning. Living with her single mother and grandparents in a tense environment, she quickly realized how much value there is in the power entertainment holds over someone’s emotions, and before long she was skipping high school classes for auditions in New York City.

    Moving into an apartment in Manhattan at 17 with 12 other girls, Monique was determined to see her dreams through- and that she has. While auditioning, performing at the iconic Ellen’s Stardust Diner, and developing her personal sound, Sabrina auditioned for American Idol 2020 and landed herself a feature on the show’s nineteenth season. 

    While incredibly exciting, this opportunity proved to be challenging. Her entry into the pop industry came with subsequent body image issues as she felt the pressure to fit the “pop star ideal”. Emotionally tense and creatively stifled, the 2020 pandemic that put the world to a halt offered Monique a unique opportunity to create without inhibitions.

    “I wrote everything I held in my body—it was like a faucet you couldn’t turn off.”

    – Sabrina Monique

    Tucked away in a Nashville studio, the songs seemed to just flow out of her. These tracks would eventually become her newly released debut album, It’s Not Me, It’s You. 

    A collection of dance songs, ballads, and seething guitar-heavy tracks, It’s Not Me, It’s You is a powerful series of battle anthems. Artistically liberated both in personal creativity and industry restraint, Monique tackles and gives voices to the stories of women fighting sexism, body imaging, the patriarchy, and the archaic stereotypes perpetuated throughout the music industry.

    Tracks like her debut single “It Was Always You” take heartbreak and wrap it into an upbeat reggaeton-inspired dance-pop anthem, while “Love Again Unplugged” strips the layers of production and pretense down to their most raw forms in a vulnerable show of emotional honesty and growth. 

    “I needed to write this album to move forward. It’s been cathartic for me, and it represents stepping into my power. I pick my producer. I write my own music. I am the captain of my ship.”

    – Sabrina Monique

    A stunning collection of songwriting with contributions from hand-picked producers, It’s Not Me, It’s You is an admirable show of raw emotion and poetic ponderings from the mind of Sabrina Monique. 

    To learn more about Sabrina and keep up to date on her latest ventures, visit her official website here.

  • Tannery Pond Center Announces Family Fun Christmas Concerts on December 7 and 15

    Tannery Pond Center has announced two magical Christmas concerts on Dec 7 and 15 as part of their 2024 season.

    Tannery Pond Center in North Creek, NY, is the premier arts venue for the lower Adirondack region. The intimate and welcoming performance space brings high-quality music, dance, and dramatic performances to the Gore Mountain region. The Center presents concerts throughout the year in a variety of styles including, but not limited to, folk, rock, classical, jazz, and bluegrass, in our state-of-the-art Lyle Dye Auditorium, where every sound and artistic nuance can be heard and appreciated. The region has a rich history as a retreat for artists and musicians from New York City and we regularly feature the music of touring artists as well as established and talented musicians and performers from the local area.

    Tannery Pond Center (TPC) presents a full schedule of arts programming, including exhibits of original art, musical concerts and performances, as well as workshops and children’s programs. TPC also manages the community center for the Town of Johnsburg. Other groups presenting arts programs at the center include Our Town Theatre Group, North Country Singers, Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts and more. Put simply, TPC is a keystone of the community, and they work to provide upstate New York with fun, captivating performances, activities, community events and more.

    On December 7 and 8 at 7pm and 4pm respectively, Tannery Pond Center presents ‘A Holiday Celebration’ by North Country Singers. This concert includes all of your favorite holiday season jingles performed by the best of the North Country’s voices. All ages are welcome, but make sure to reserve your seat, as these festive concerts always fill up. On Sunday, December 15 at 3 PM, The McKrells bring their signature Celtic-infused bluegrass for an afternoon of holiday cheer – featuring traditional and original songs, classic Christmas stories and good humor. The band is led by singer/songwriter Kevin McKrell and features Frank Orsini on fiddle, Scott Hopkins on banjo, Peter Pashoukas on guitar, Arlin Greene on bass, and Brian Melick on percussion.

    The McKrells

    For more information on Tannery Pond Center’s Christmas concerts, other upcoming events and to purchase tickets, click here.

  • The Orchestra Now Presents Two Manhattan Shows as Part of “Sight and Sound” Series Dec 8 and 15

    NYC-based ‘The Orchestra Now’ has announced Manhattan performances of ‘Siena, Wagner & Parsifal’ and ‘The Nutcracker & The Planets’ as part of their Sight and Sound series starting Dec 8.

    On Sunday, December 8, the iconic Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) hosts The Orchestra Now’s performances of ‘Siena, Wagner & Parsifal’ which kicks off the organization’s Sight and Sound concert series. The program will examine Wagner’s remarkable innovations in opera via selections from his work Parsifal, set against the background of notable painterly invention during the Italian Renaissance in Siena.

    The Orchestra Now (TON) Sight & Sound series at the Met explores the parallels between orchestral music and the visual arts. Each performance includes an introduction by a Met curator, a discussion with conductor and music historian Leon Botstein accompanied by on-screen exhibition images and live musical excerpts, followed by a full performance of the works and an audience Q&A. Tickets include same-day museum admission.

    Richard Wagner

    At the dawn of the Italian Renaissance, Siena was the site of remarkable artistic innovation. Sienese artists—including Duccio, Pietro and Ambrogio Lorenzetti, and Simone Martini—played a pivotal role in defining Western painting. Over 500 years later, Richard Wagner revolutionized opera composition in much the same way. Twelve years after he read Wolfram von Eschenbach’s Parzival, a poem from the Renaissance era, he began working on a libretto inspired by this tale of the quest for the Holy Grail. This eventually became his final composition, the opera Parsifal.

    The Orchestra’s second December performance will offer a FREE holiday concert of audience favorites by Johann Strauss II, Tchaikovsky, Borodin, and Holst, led by Leonardo Pineda and joined for some of the pieces by the All-City High School Orchestra at New York City’s Talent Unlimited High School on December 15.

    The Orchestra Now and Interim Assistant Conductor Leonardo Pineda present a free holiday season concert at the Talent Unlimited High School for the performing arts on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. The program of high-spirited popular works includes Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite and Johann Strauss II’s Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka. TŌN is joined by NYC’s All-City High School Orchestra for Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances and two movements from Holst’s The Planets.

    For more information on the upcoming Manhattan performances by The Orchestra Now and to purchase tickets, click here.