Nearly a dozen Central New York songwriters gathered at the Capitol Theater in Rome on Sunday, November 10 to participate in Guitars Along the Mohawk. The musical showcase was a reboot of the popular Mohawk Vally television show which aired in the late 1980s. In keeping with tradition, the event was filmed for a future television release.
The event served as a benefit for the Capitol Theater. The picturesque theater, which opened in 1928, has been the beneficiary of a focused renovation project over the last several years, and remains a staple in the performing arts scene for the region.
Among the musicians performing on Sunday included Gridley Paige, Sydney Irving, Cassandra Harris-Lockwood with Mark Kelsey, Mark Macri with Ed Gotham, Justin Smithson, Katie Keating, Rocky Feola, Bill Carman with Scott Fleming, and Rose n’ Thorne. Ed Gorham and and Danny Holmes (Rose n Thorne) performed at the original event in 1987. Each act was given fifteen minutes to showcase their talents.
The Guitars Along the Mohawk television special will air in early 2025. Stay tuned for additional details.
Saxophonist, multi-wind artist, composer, and arranger Kris Jensen will perform a one-time intimate show at The Other Side in Utica on Nov. 16. Door opens at 7:00 p.m.
Kris Jensen, a versatile musician, has performed throughout the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Bangkok, Thailand, and Switzerland. Jensen has performed alongside many prominent artists in both jazz and rock, most notably, the legendary Allman Brothers Band and many of the individual members’ bands including Gregg Allman and Friends, Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band, Dickey Betts and Great Southern. He has also played with trumpet legend Maynard Ferguson, and many others.
In 1996, Jensen was a semi-finalist in the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition. He has studied Jazz and African-American music at the University of Hartford, where he would later teach. Jensen has recently appeared with jazz legends such as trombonist Curtis Fuller, alto saxophonist Phil Woods, and pianist Larry Willis. He has appeared on New Jersey Public Television with Maynard Ferguson, on “Late Night with David Letterman” with Gregg Allman & Friends, and on stage with The Allman Brothers Band, and The Dave Matthews Band.
The Other Side is a small community space dedicated to offering a platform for expression to artists and activists from around the region and beyond. Since 2007, The Other Side has been the go-to destination for jazz musicians and audiences alike.
Orrin Evans adds, “I have been listening to our next jazz guest, saxophonist, flautist & composer Kris Jensen and I’m happy to report that our music director, Dr Mike Dubaniewicz has done it again. Kris Jensen is a ‘beast’ whether blowing w/ the Allmans or with a jazz contingent. The backing band w/ Mike D. on sax, Dan Pugh on organ and Mike Cortese, drums is going to rock the joint.”
Learn more about The Other Side in Utica and purchase tickets here.
Rochester fan-favorite live music venue Anthology has announced its official reopening with two upcoming shows following their surprise closure in 2022.
Opened in 2015, Anthology quickly grew to be one of Rochester’s favorite concert halls. With names including but not limited to Bleachers, Anthrax, Bad Suns, Twiddle, and Andy Frasco & the U.N. gracing their stage, Anthology brought in fans from local units and big names alike while cultivating a uniquely sophisticated yet down-to-earth live music environment.
Known for their intimate show atmosphere despite having the room to house a few hundred concertgoers, Anthology’s reputation as a venue was generally one of upscale but not snobbish attendee experience with a gorgeous interior to boot all the way up to its closure.
With little to no fanfare, Anthology closed its doors in the summer of 2022- much to the local community’s surprise and dismay.
While there were never any formal announcements posted to the venue’s website or social media accounts, any and all posts that indicated as such have been wiped from their pages following the groundbreaking announcement made on November 12- Anthology’s doors will open once again.
Anthology veterans and indie rock unit Joywave seem to be in thanks for Anthology’s return. In conversation with CITY Magazine, Joywave member and vocalist Daniel Armbuster explained that their search for a venue to house a homecoming show for their fall tour led to the fateful conversation with owner and operator, Phil Fitzsimmons.
“I said, ‘hey, how about you reopen Anthology? We need it.’ He listened. Horrible lesson for me. I’ll be walking around town making suggestions forever now. The Irondequoit Bay Bridge should be open year round. Please tell the county executive for me.”
– Phil Fitzsimmons
Joywave’s hometown shows and Anthology’s victorious return comes in the form of “JOY 2 THE WORLD: A Two Night Event Featuring Joywave”. The Christmas spirit will be in full effect over the band’s doubleheader on December 20 and 21.
For more information on how to attend and celebrate the return of one of Rochester’s beloved concert venues, check out Anthology’s Facebook post for the event here.
To keep up to date on everything Anthology and future shows, be sure to check out the venue’s official website here.
Returning for their 21st year, the Native American Music Awards has announced the list of nominees for this year’s ceremony, in addition to opening the public voting ballot.
Originally debuting at Foxwoods in Connecticut in 1988, the Native American Music Awards has traveled the country in its celebration of Indigenous music, drawing in audiences from near and far as they honor the best of the best in today’s Native American musicians.
With over 200 artists in consideration each year, official nominees are selected by the national Advisory membership before being brought to the public.
Now over 20 years into the tradition, over one million people join the voting process through the public ballot forum in addition to the Advisory’s votes. In an exciting announcement, the NAMA has made the 2024 nominee list and opened voting to the public.
The public voting ballot is open now on NAMA’s official website. To learn more and cast your ballot, visit here.
Papa Roach and Rise Against Announce the Rise of the Roach North American Tour. They will hit Syracuse on Sep. 11 and Wantagh on Sep. 13, 2025.
Papa Roach will join forces with Rise Against and special guest Underoath to embark on the first North American legs of the Rise of the Roach Tour in the spring and fall of 2025, marking a significant milestone as the two legendary rock bands unite for their first-ever outing together.
After the original, sold-out, UK and Europe legs of the tour, Rise of the Roach now continues throughout North America in 2025. The tour will hit over 30 major cities through the U.S. across two legs, including a stop at Northwell at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, on Saturday, Sep. 13, and Empower FCU Amphitheater in Syracuse on Wednesday, Sep. 11.
Papa Roach will celebrate 25 years of their debut album Infest on tour by playing iconic tracks and fan-favorite deep cuts from their entire catalog. Rise Against is also celebrating 25 years since their formation and will be performing fan favorites and hits from its whole catalog. This tour will see the biggest production from Papa Roach to date. Both Papa Roach and Rise Against will perform some of the biggest hits in the Alternative Hard Rock genre on one stage every night.
General on-sale beginning on Thursday, November 14 at 10 am. Learn more and purchase tickets here.
Papa Roach & Rise Against: “Rise of the Roach” Tour Dates:
Thu Mar 20 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center
Sat Mar 22 – San Antonio, TX – Frost Bank Center
Sun Mar 23 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center
Tue Mar 25 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
Wed Mar 26 – San Diego, CA – Gallagher Square at Petco Park
Fri Mar 28 – Los Angeles, CA – The Kia Forum
Sat Mar 29 – Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center
Mon Mar 31 – Portland, OR – Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Tue Apr 01 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
Thu Apr 03 – Salt Lake City, UT – Maverik Center
Sat Apr 05 – Las Vegas, NV – MGM Grand Garden Arena
NYC-based singer-songwriter Ren Genevieve has released her latest single “forts,” an extremely intimate track that illustrates the cycle of growing up and outgrowing relationships. “forts” delves into themes of nostalgia, sadness, and the heartfelt yet inevitable nature of change and growing up.
“forts” is the feeling one gets when they are deep in reminiscing about being a child and how it is to navigate life as a full-time adult. The track draws listeners in, tugging at their heartstrings and allowing them to connect with their deepest emotions. Ren Genevieve’s approach to songwriting and storytelling is what makes her stand out amongst many, “forts” is a prime example of her mastery. With its expressive and deep-seated lyrics, the track hits home for many listeners, while presenting a relatable angle on the struggles of adulthood and how it re-molds past connections people had. With the blend of soul-touching melodies and soft vocals, Genevieve captures all the elements perfectly.
Born in Boston and raised in New York, Michigan, and Bermuda, Genevieve has always been one for the arts. Genevieve started singing, acting, and dancing at a young age, her college years at NYU were what pushed her to pursue writing and sharing her music. She made a name for herself back when her single “I Like You (I Think)” dropped in February 2022 which was then followed by her second single “tongue-tied” in November 2022. Her first few projects were created to share with her friends and family, however, she took the idea and ran with it to perfect her producing skills. Genevieve’s singles helped pave her way as an ardent introduction to her story.
For more information on Ren Genevieve’s music including her latest single “forts” click here.
Bronx native, hip-hop musician, and professional yo-yoer Richard Pigkaso has released the music video for “Ready, Set, Go,” alongside “Wanna Play With My Yo-Yo?” ahead of the release of the album slated to be his final studio release.
Born in Castle Hill in the Bronx, Richard Pigkaso has been influenced by old school Hip Hop and R&B since youth. Described as a loner and often set apart from the crowd for being marching to the beat of his own drum, Pigkaso found solace and joy in the yoyo.
“It became my creative outlet because I would always be alone – playing video games, going outside and not having many friends. I realized it became something calming for me. Something that allowed me to forget what was going on in my life at that point.”
– Pigkaso
Over time, playing with the classic toy grew from a simple hobby to an impressive skill he showed off in competitions across the United States- even qualifying in a few international meets. The joy of the yo-yo has never left Pigkaso’s heart, but since graduating from college he saw his horizons broadened with the exciting addition of music as a medium.
Pigkaso’s musical ventures have brought him incredible joy already, but with his upcoming release he hopes to expand his love for the yo-yo and channel his musical roots through a message of love and support for those who struggle to find acceptance within themselves.
Lusus Naturae 3: You’re Beautiful Gorgeous is set to be Pigkaso’s final studio album as an artist, the culmination of both his image as the humble and charismatic yo-yoer and the ambitious emcee inextricably tied to the Bronx.
With a hard-hitting beat and one piece of the culminating lyrical royale that is the album, “Wanna Play With My Yo-Yo?” will excite old listeners and new with its hard-hitting sound.
In addition to the release of “Wanna Play With My Yo-Yo?” is the publication of the official music video for “Ready, Set, Go,” fittingly utilizing sharp editing tricks and an overarching race car driving theme.
Pigkaso’s final studio release Lusus Naturae 3: You’re Beautiful Gorgeous, the culmination of his multidisciplinary skill as a yo-yoer and musician, will release on November 15, 2024.
To learn more about Pigkaso, his past work, and all future ventures, check out his official website here.
LaMP – Russ Lawton, Scott Metzger, and Ray Paczkowski – performed at Lark Hall on Saturday, November 9 at Lark Hall in Albany with special guest Oobleck.
LaMP is the trio of drummer Russ Lawton, organist Ray Paczkowski, and guitarist Scott Metzger. Lawton and Paczkowski have been performing music together since the late 1990s, before joining together in Trey Anastasio Band. The sound of LaMP infuses Metzger’s telecaster melodies into the synergy of âRuss and Rayâ from Soule Monde, creating a funky night of music, every time.
NYS Music photographer Conor McMahon was on hand to capture the evening of LaMP at Lark Hall. The band will be at the Towne Crier in Beacon on Friday, November 22, and Brooklyn Bowl the following night.
Malta restaurant and live music venue Nanola has announced its celebration of 11 years of service. The venue celebrates the milestone the week of November 11 with a slew of exciting menu deals and various live musical performances.
Nanola operates as a bar and restaurant open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. They provide some of the area’s best burgers and wings as well as some Cajun and New Orlean’s specialties. Jambalaya and even fried alligator from time-to-time graces Nanola’s menu. The restaurant has also hosted many events from weddings to funerals. They have a stage with professional sound and have had many acts take the stage over the years.
Local cover bands and solo acts tend to fill Nanola’s schedule these days, but they still pull out the big guns occasionally and have hosted acts such as White Denim, Rusted Root, Caroline Rose, Bob Moses, Tokyo Police Club, Dogs in a Pile. Owner Shane Spillenger has repeatedly kicked himself for turning down Goose on a random Wednesday one week. This week they will be hosting Shake Rattle and Roll Dueling Pianos and Saturday night 80’s cover band Aquanett.
Nanola also hosts weekly trivia, and all your sports viewing events with the NFL package. They also have open mic monthly and karaoke sprinkled in. In the warmer months they have three beach volleyball courts that have leagues almost every day of the week. The volleyball leagues are run by Spillenger’s partner Matthew Wink. US Olympic players have used the courts for practice.
To coincide with this week’s anniversary, they are refining the menu to Nanola’s tried and true favorites. For a limited time only Nanola will be bringing back its buy-one-get-one happy hour between 4 and 6pm seven days a week. They will also be offering 1-dollar wings for a limited time only.
For more information on Nanola’s 11-year anniversary celebration and to check out upcoming shows and menu changes, click here.
The 2024 holiday season is upon us, and along with a spirit of giving and supporting those most in need in our local communities. Jam for Tots will once again be held at venues across New York State, bringing live music fans together for great shows while collecting toys to brighten the spirits of children statewide.
For more than 10 years, Jam for Tots has been held across New York State and the Northeast, where fans are encouraged to bring along with an unwrapped toy for a child (under 13) to drop in the donation box. These toys will be brought to local charities within the venueâs community, to ensure that these toys brighten the day of children within the local area.
Things kick off at Hibernian Hall in Albany on November 15 with One Heart Band. See below for the full lineup of 2024 Jam for Tots shows across New York State (chronological order).
Friday, Nov. 15 – One Heart Band – Hibernian Hall, Albany
Saturday, Nov. 16 – Barry Goudreau’s Engine Room – The Strand Theatre – Hudson Falls
Thursday, Dec. 5 – Open Mic Jam hosted by John Pinder – The Stewart House, Athens
