NYS Music 2024

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  • The OSFL Musicians’ Choice Chamber Series in Elmira Opens November 1 with the Lyric Sounds of Flute and Piano

    The Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes (OSFL) presents its opening concert in the Musicians’ Choice Chamber Series, The Lyric Sounds of Flute and Piano, on Friday, November 1 at North Presbyterian Church in Elmira.

    Jeanne Sperber on FLute

    An evening of elegance and musical mastery awaits as OSFL’s Principal Flute Jeanne Sperber and acclaimed pianist Michael Salmirs share the stage to perform some of the most beautiful and introspective works ever written for flute and piano. This performance will explore a wide spectrum of colors and moods, as the duo trades melodies back and forth between the flute and piano. The program includes music from C.P.E. Bach’s Hamburg Sonata, Jake Heggie’s Soliloquy, Pierre Sancan’s Sonatine, and César Franck’s Sonata.

    Sperber, a renowned flutist and educator, has been a beloved figure in the Southern Tier for over twenty years. She has performed in legendary venues such as Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, and Weill Hall, and has toured South America and Cuba twice as a concerto soloist. This event promises to be a delightful experience for music lovers of all ages. The concert is sponsored in part by Dick and Judy Sphon and the OSFL Chamber Music Society.

    This event is part of OSFL’s 30th concert series. A stellar show with supreme talent like this is one not to miss. The OSFL offers four regular season full orchestra concerts, a Musicians’ Choice Chamber Music Series, concerts by the Chorus of the Southern Finger Lakes, and educational programs for children. Tickets are $40 for adults, $20 for college students with ID, and FREE for attendees under 18 with a ticketed adult.

    Michael Salmirs

    For more information on the opening concert in the Musicians’ Choice Chamber Series, and to purchase tickets to the show, click here.

  • “The Christmas Letter” to Premier at The Stanley Theatre in Utica

    Utica’s Stanley Theatre will present the premiere of the holiday comedy “The Christmas Letter” – written by Ilion, NY native Michael Cunningham – on Saturday, November 9.

    The film features scenes filmed in Utica and surrounding towns.

    The Christmas Letter

    Directed by Tori Hunter, the movie follows Joe Michaels, a man determined to top his wealthy friend’s extravagant holiday letter by creating unforgettable experiences with his family.

    “I was born and raised in Ilion and had always dreamed of bringing something back to the valley in some way,” Cunningham said. “And while I didn’t build a factory, I did create a story which was built on my life here, so it only made sense to film here. The Utica/Rome/Mohawk Valley region has so much to offer filmmakers. There is a vast palette of unique landscapes and buildings imbued with character and history, and the people are the best.”

    This festive film reunites Chevy Chase and Randy Quaid, the iconic duo from “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.”

    “I don’t think it really hit me that this was all happening until I heard Brian Doyle-Murray deliver one of my lines for the first time,” Michael Cunningham said. “It was magical. And then having the likes of Chevy Chase and Randy Quaid add their legendary comedic talents just made the whole experience even more surreal.”

    Film Utica played a key role in supporting the production of “The Christmas Letter” by assisting with local logistics and helping to secure filming locations. Their involvement helped bring portions of the movie to life, including scenes shot at The Stanley Theatre.

    “The premiere of “The Christmas Letter” marks the culmination of many years of work with what is now Film Utica – our local film commission,” Utica Mayor Mike Galime said. “With Oneida County joining in support for this premiere, we could not be more delighted. The sets and scenes of The Christmas Letter are a clear example of how partnering on local trades, including within the arts, are part of our regional renaissance.”

    The screening of “The Christmas Letter” at The Stanley Theatre is an opportunity for families to enjoy a festive movie together as they begin their holiday celebrations.

    “We are thrilled to support the premiere of “The Christmas Letter” at the Stanley Theatre,” Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. said, “This film not only showcases the incredible talent of a local writer, but also highlights the beauty and charm of several beloved locations here in Oneida County. By contributing to this event, we are investing in and promoting our local arts community and celebrating the unique stories that make our region special. We look forward to seeing our home shine on the big screen.”

    Tickets are just $5 and are available for purchase in person at the box office or by phone at 315-724-4000 (will call only).

  • PhanArt brings Phish Art, Health and Wellness Fair and Kale together at Palace Theatre on October 26

    On Saturday, October 26 from Noon to 5pm, PhanArt, in association with Mirth Films, will hold a hometown Art Show and Health & Wellness Event at the Palace Theatre in Albany

    Featured during the show is New Paltz band Kale for the October edition of Palace Sessions Live.

    phanart palace theatre

    Located just a 0.5 mile walk down Pearl Street from the MVP Arena (where Phish will perform for three nights) PhanArt at the Palace will feature dozens of artists and vendors from the Capital District and across the country from the greater Phish community. 

    Presented alongside Mirth Films, PhanArt will host artists and vendors offering a great deal of art, clothing, home goods, music inspired memorabilia and much more from dozens of small businesses, in addition to a Health and Wellness fair on the Second Floor of the Palace Theatre. There attendees will find Reiki, aerial yoga, interactive art, healing circles, psychedelic integration and much more.

    phanart palace theatre

    Confirmed artists and vendors include Perpetual Hang, Scotty Radford Art and Design, BLURD Glass, YouEnjoyMyVegan, Ethereal Honey, Blazin’ Donuts, Fiddle and Feather, Unusual Conclusions, The Overhead View and many more.

    Kale, a genre-blending indietronica jam trio from New Paltz, will be playing 2 sets during the afternoon, along with music from Sweeping Views in between performances. Kale combines a love of danceable electronic rhythms, soaring melodies, and energetic hooks into an improvisational channel that allows for deep exploration of the musical cosmos. 

    The Palace Theatre is located at the corner of Clinton and North Pearl Street, just a half mile walk to MVP Arena, where Phish will perform each evening from October 25-27.

    The first hometown PhanArt show at Albany’s historic Palace Theatre takes place on Saturday, October 26 from 12-5pm. Admission is free as always!

  • Grateful Dead Take One Last Step Back in the Carrier Dome: 10/20/84

    On Octorber 20, 1984, The Grateful Dead played their third and final show at The Carrier Dome in Syracuse. It would be the last East Coast show of their Fall 1984 tour, following two nights at Brendan Byrne Arena in East Rutherford, NJ a few nights prior. Playing to a clearly packed Dome, the Dead throw down a vintage show full of original classic and noteworthy cover songs.

    After a brief warmup, the band jumps headlong into a bubbly and downright perky “Bertha.” Brent Mydland is engaged right from the get-go and peppers this one with soulful organ fills throughout before Jerry Garcia takes his first prolonged guitar solo of the evening. It’s not quite a segue, but at song’s end there is an immediate shift to “Greatest Story Every Told” with Bob Weir taking over on lead vocals and Mydland supplying harmonies. Garcia’s tone, again, sounds immaculate on guitar, providing a thick, funky vibe to this one. Once completed, after a brief tuning lull, Garcia starts up “West L.A. Fadeaway” and the Dead are off and running again in the Carrier Dome. It’s a somewhat slow and moody “Fadeaway” that works nicely in this early slot in the first set and even features some slight vocal effects.

    Things shift back to a bluesy mood with Weir taking back the mic on a classic run through of “C.C. Rider.” The full band soon gets involved and this is a version that reeks of blues and stretches out naturally. At it’s conclusion, Weir plays the role of traffic cop and leads everyone’s favorite crowd instruction for those crammed up front in “Take A Step Back,” replete with super echoey vocal effects for good measure.

    With this seemingly resolved, the band then leaps into a pleasant and lively “Ramble On Rose” with Garcia belting out the lyrics flawlessly. However, afterwards, Weir gets even more dire and serious with a second and third renditions of “Take A Step Back” that seems to be for the benefit of the crowded “bug-eyed” folks up front at the behest of the fire marshal. It’s pretty remarkable that a venue as massive as the Carrier Dome can have the floor fill up to near fire-hazard capacities.

    Grateful Dead in Concert at the Carrier Dome, 20 October 1984

    After a quick jaunt through “My Brother Esau” that almost sounds like it’s cut off preemptively at the end, “Birdsong” then starts the ending sequence of the first set with a poignant version that again sees Garcia up to the task on vocals. This one bobs and weaves for a while enjoyably before eventually straightening out, eliciting a long round of applause from the Syracuse faithful.

    There would be time for only one more number in this set and the Dead make it count and then some with a pristine “Jack Straw.” Garcia and Weir belt out the poignant lyrics from the outset on this one before it slowly intensifies into its usual pace with Garcia leading the charge with some impeccable work on the fret board. Once finished, Weir notifies the crowd that they’ll be right back and makes one more plead for everyone to “take a step back” before they leave the stage. Was the floor just oversold? People sneaking in from the sides? Maybe a little of both.

    The second set later begins with an audio clue of sorts, as some signature funked out tuning licks give way to a full fledged “Shakedown Street.” The Dead rip through the composed section which contains some more echoey vocal effects, clearly taking advantage of the Carrier Dome acoustics. This elicits a thoroughly funked out jam that sees the rhythm section fully engaged and on point, led by bassist Phil Lesh. This leads directly into the drum-heavy intro of “Samson & Delilah” in a true segue that’s executed flawlessly. An extended intro fuels a powerful take on this classic Dead number that features some more timely organ fills from Mydland although it doesn’t get stretched out very far, coming to a fairly abrupt stop. Things then get considerably more mellow with a heartfelt take of “He’s Gone,” a nod to the late Pigpen, one of the founding members of the Grateful Dead. Both the “steal your face right off your head” and “nothing left to do but smile” lyrics get noticeable rounds of applause from the Carrier Dome crowd and Garcia drops some more dazzling guitar licks in the middle of this one.

    “He’s Gone” elicits another soulful, bluesy extended jam which feeds directly into a quasi-bust out of sorts with the return of “Smokestack Lightning.” Before its last performance eleven days ago in Worcester, this one hadn’t been played by the Dead since March of 1972. Some beautiful interplay between Garcia and Mydland highlight this performance which fuels one of the more sizable and extended jams of the evening. Once it begins to dwindle out, this sets the stage for the “Drums” portion of the show with Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart, aka The Rhythm Devils, taking center stage on percussion.

    After the rest of the band returns to the stage, the closing leg of the show kicks off with “The Wheel” whose jam serves as the launching pad for a spirited “The Other One” that features some more sublime work on the piano from Mydland early on. It’s one of the more powerful songs of the whole show with Lesh dominating the rhythm on bass while Garcia throws in a bevy of fast-paced licks on guitar. As the jam lessens in intensity, it slowly funnels into a “Black Peter” with Garcia belting out the soulful lyrics flawlessly.

    Instead of getting stretched out, “Peter” shifts almost instantly to a rousing version of “Turn On Your Lovelight.” It sees Weir doing his best Pigpen impression with some soulful, freeform lyrics towards the end as the second set comes to a close. For an encore, the Dead treat the Carrier Dome to a cover of The Beatles’ “Revolution” with Garcia on lead vocals as the third and final show at this iconic Central New York venue comes to a close.

     View this show and more Grateful Dead shows from across the years in New York State with our interactive map below!

    View this and more Grateful Dead shows from across the years in New York State with our interactive map below

    Grateful Dead Carrier Dome – Syracuse, NY 10/20/84

    Set 1: Bertha-> Greatest Story Ever Told, West L.A. Fadeaway, CC Rider, Ramble On Rose, My Brother Esau, Bird Song, Jack Straw

    Set 2: Shakedown Street-> Samson & Delilah, He’s Gone-> Smokestack Lightning-> Drums-> The Wheel-> The Other One-> Black Peter-> Turn On Your Love Light,

    E: Revolution

  • Mihali Announces Annual Mihalidaze Tour Dates

    Singer-songwriter Mihali has announced the dates for his annual Mihalidaze tour spanning nine venues across the Northeast, including three nights around New York State.

    Photo by Dave DeCrescente

    Reggae artist Mihali Savoulidis has spent the past few years spreading his good vibes through sound and live performance. Formerly the frontman and founding member of rock band Twiddle, Mihali began his solo career formally in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, bringing in fans new and old with a series of singles and albums following in the following months and years.

    Most recently, Mihali has been on a collaboration streak, making tunes with the likes of Andy Frasco, Coyote Island, and Collie Buddz, in addition to touring the country as a solo headliner and supporting musical acts G. Love & Special Sauce and The Movement on their recent tours. 

    Wrapping his incredibly successful year in an exciting bow, Mihali has announced the 2024 dates of his annual ‘Mihalidaze’ holiday themed tour, returning to some of his favorite venues including a few in Syracuse, Saratoga, and Woodstock with both his live band and his solo looping act.

    Composed of Scott Hannay on keys, Adrian Tramontano on drums, Zdenek Gubb on bass, and Mihali himself on guitar and vocals, the band will kick off the tour in Massachusetts and make their way through the Northeast- including stops at the Westcott Theater on December 11, Putnam Place on December 12, and Bearsville Theater on December 14. A celebration of family, friends, and the holiday season, this tradition is not one to be missed.

    “Every year, I get super excited to announce my Mihalidaze celebrations. The holidays are so important for friends and family to come together and celebrate life, and I can’t think of a better way to do that than with live music!”

    – Mihali Savoulidis

    Tickets to Mihali’s Mihalidaze tour are available now- for more information on how to attend, ticket purchasing, and Mihali’s other adventures, visit his website here.

  • Joe Bouchard of Blue Öyster Cult, talks time with the band, birthday show and new solo material

    Joe Bouchard, the original bassist for the legendary Blue Öyster Cult, plays on all their most famous songs like “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper,” “Godzilla” and “Burnin’ for You.” Yet Bouchard has not been a member of BOC since 1986.

    bouchard

    After Bouchard left the band, Metallica included one of their songs, “Astronomy,” from Blue Öyster Cult’s 1974 record, Secret Treaties, was co-written by Bouchard on their Garage Inc. record. He then formed a solo band and another group called Blue Coupe, featuring his brother Albert and Dennis Dunaway – formerly the bassist for Alice Cooper.

    Now, in honor of his 76th birthday, Bouchard is returning to Iridium in New York City with his new solo group on Nov. 9. Joining Bouchard in his band – at the home where Les Paul made famous – is Mickey Curry on drums, Joan Levy Hepburn on rhythm and lead guitar and vocals and Bobby MacDougall on bass and vocals.

    Ahead of Joe Bouchard’s birthday show, he joined NYS Music’s Michael Singer to discuss his time in Blue Öyster Cult, his new band and Metallica covering his music. Watch the interview below.

    Tickets for the show at The Iridium in New York City can be found here

  • Tom Paxton’s To Play Three Final Shows In New York

    The GE Theatre presented by the Eighth Step will host one of folk legend Tom Paxton’s final shows in his farewell tour in Schenectady on Saturday, Oct. 19.

    Tom Paxton

    The Eighth Step has hosted Paxton about every two years since the mid-1980s. First, on Willett Street in Albany, then at the Cohoes Music Hall, and since 2007, at the GE Theater in Schenectady. On Oct. 19, they will once again present Grammy-winning folk legend Tom Paxton in concert with the Don Juans live at 7:30 pm. Paxton has toured and written with the DonJuans [Grammy winners Don Henry & Jon Vezner] for the past several years and as of next Spring, he will retire from touring.

    Since the beginning of Tom Paxton’s career, he has delivered clever political commentary, and poignant love songs. His story began in 1960s Greenwich Village, playing in now-legendary coffee houses like The Gaslight and befriending other folk legends like Dave Van Ronk, Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, and Eric Anderson. Since then, has gone on to perform thousands of concerts, in places across the world like Hong Kong, Denmark, Tokyo, Oslo, and New Zealand. He has also toured England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland over 50 times and has recorded over 50 albums of his own songs.

    Recordings of Paxton songs by other artists number in the hundreds and include artists such as Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Judy Collins, John Denver, Joan Baez and Peter Paul & Mary.

    In 2009, Tom Paxton was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy during the 51st Annual Grammy Awards. In addition, he has received a Lifetime Achievement Award from ASCAP, and the BBC.

    Tickets are $32.50 Advance, $37.50 day of show, and $55 Gold Circle including front center section seats and admission to the 6:30 pm Artist Reception onstage with Tom, Don and Jon. Learn more and purchase tickets here.

    Tom Paxton Farewell Tour

    Fri, OCT 18 РCaff̬ Lena -Saratoga Springs, NY

    Sat, OCT 19 – Eighth Step at Proctor’s – Schenectady, NY

    Sun, OCT 20 The Park Theatre Jaffrey, NH

    Mon, OCT 21 – The Iron Horse – Northampton, MA

    Tue, OCT 22 – Club Passim – Cambridge, MA

    Wed, OCT 23 – The Loft at City Winery New York – New York, NY

    Sat, OCT 26 – Birchmere – Alexandria, VA

    Thu, NOV 14 – Triple Door – Seattle, WA

    Fri, NOV 15 – Spanish Ballroom at Elks Temple – Tacoma, WA

    Sun, NOV 17 – Alberta Rose Theatre – Portland, OR

    Tue, NOV 19 – Musical Instrument Museum – Phoenix, AZ

    Fri, NOV 22 – daniels hall – Denver, CO

    Sat, NOV 23 – TACAW – The Arts Campus At Willits – Basalt, CO

    Sat, JAN 11, 2025 – The Sofia – Sacramento, CA

    Fri, MAR 14, 2025 – The Cultural Arts Center – Glen Allen, VA

    Thu, APR 3, 2025 – Temple Isaiah – Fulton, MD

  • Cohoes Music Hall Hosts Cast Party Fundraiser for Capital Region Festival of Theatre on October 27

    Cohoes Music Hall announced that on October 27 the venue will host a grand Cast Party to raise funds for the inaugural Capital Region Festival of Theatre. The party is presented by Playhouse Stage Company.

    The party will be the biggest gathering of Capital Region theater fans ever in the interest of building a Festival to promote their interests. There will be a substantial sampling of the area’s entertainment, light fare provided by Cohoes’ finest restaurants, a cash bar, over $13,000 in Raffle prizes, wine pull and a generous wine sampling.

    Entertainment at the Cast Party will back up CRFT’s motto that “The Capital Region is a GREAT place to love theatre your whole life long.” Performers will come from the youth company, The Cue Theater, which serves students as young as 5 years old, to stand-up comedian and actor Judi Clements who takes her act to senior centers.

    Performer Claire Flynn

    There will be someone new to discover for even the most dedicated theatre fan in the wildly eclectic line-up curated by PSC Artistic Director Owen Smith who is also deservedly showing off a number from his company’s smash hit production from earlier this year, “Spring Awakening.”

    The lineup of performers so far includes Kelly Blitz, Shayne Cameris, Judi Clements, Ellen Cribbs, The Cue Theatre, Keith Dubois, Suzie Dunn, Claire Flynn, Jake Goodman, Steve Grogan, Taylor Hoffman, Jon Maltz, Maria Mucaria, Jeff Stubits, Luca Verner & Will Kempe’s Players.

    CRFT will have many donation opportunities from a huge raffle that over 30 theatre companies have donated tickets, t-shirts commemorating the event and buttons thanking every dollar offered. Cast Party begins on October 27 from 6:00PM to 9:30PM.

    Keith DuBois in “Spirit Awakening”

    To purchase tickets online and for more information on Cohoes Music Hall’s Cast Party on October 27, click here.

  • Night Tales To Headline Halloweekend Show At The Surrogate’s Courthouse

    Australian Indie-Electronic duo Night Tales have been announced as the headliner of New York City landmark The Surrogate’s Courthouse’s Halloweekend themed show.

    The dynamic electronic-live duo Night Tales has been on a powerful streak of accomplishments this year, including a debut at Coachella, a nomination for EDMA’s ‘Breakthrough Artist of the Year’ award, and a premier slot at EDC Mexico. 

    Composed of Aaron Bannie and Kamaliza Salamba, the pair has been a driving force in the progressive dance music scene with their signature blends of sounds floating over deep house anthems and dynamic live-electronic performances.

    With cross-cultural ambitions and no signs of stopping, Night Tales has amassed over 50 million streams across all platforms so far with fans across the globe connecting over a shared love for the duo’s bridging of urban culture and electronic music.

    Fans of Night Tales’ dynamic blend have the chance to experience a once in a lifetime set at The Surrogate’s Courthouse on October 26, as the duo has just been announced as the headliners for the venue’s Halloween themed event. With supporting DJ sets from rising artists like Alta Sounds and contributions for the evening’s creation being made by Hampton Water and recognized New York City event brand Project 91, it’s a show not to be missed. 

    “We are beyond excited to bring a high energy DJ set that blends live vocals to NYC. This set will include reimagined versions of our original music, along with tasteful mash-ups and remixes of some amazing new and old classics, like our latest recreation of Miguel’s R&B hit, ‘Sure Thing’. ”

    – Night Tales

    Tickets for the 21+ evening are available now. All tickets include admission to the show and access to an open bar from 9:00-10:00 PM- and, most importantly, all attendees are expected to match the night’s Halloweekend atmosphere and dress up in costume. For more information and ticket purchasing, please visit the event page here.

    In addition to being an exciting Halloween-themed celebration, October 26 marks the New York City date of Night Tales’ 2024 Club Tour. For further information on the duo’s adventure across the country, visit their website here.

    UPCOMING TOUR DATES

    October 26: 31 Chambers Surrogate’s Court – New York City, NY

    November 1: Larimer Lounge – Denver, CO

    November 2: Audio SF – San Francisco, CA

    November 8: Summit Austin – Austin, TX

    November 9: NOTO Houston – Houston, TX

    December 14: Bloom Nightclub – San Diego, CA

  • Get Psyched: Free Whenever and Telula Take Mercury Lounge

    Neil Guleria, Trevor LaVecchia, and Brendan Steuart, the architect masterminds behind the psychedelic-rock band Free Whenever, graced Mercury Lounge on Saturday, October 12 as the lead-in openers for Telula, the six-piece funk headliner set to appear later on in the night.

    While many in the crowd appeared to be unfamiliar with their catalog, a few agile and dexterous segments of guitar arpeggios proved to be a suitable introduction to Free Whenever’s freeform and easygoing musical philosophy.

    Drawing from influences in the likes of Tame Impala and Khruangbin, Free Whenever, formed in 2020, has revamped the psychedelia artform to a version that’s much more their speed, which, in their own words, takes on “the ancient practice of long-form improvisation.”

    While it may be a no-brainer to follow in the mimicry footsteps of their predecessors, however,  the trio challenges any Khruangbin idolaters and gives them a run for their money, as minutes of cozy and lax synths rapidly cascade into a flurried whirlwind, chasing syncopated chords and reaching breathless highs that reveal an undertone of the band’s classical rock tastes.

    With four years of improvisational wit under their belt (members of the band joined forces after a serendipitous meeting at a wedding gig playing Grateful Dead covers), Free Whenever looked comfortable in their skin riffing on tracks “Camino” and the velvety “Calypso,” off their fresh-off-the-rack self-titled EP, catapulting the crowd’s impressionable excitement and growing awe.

    Soon after, Telula, complete with lead singer Tais Torres, drummer Lars Asmundsson, saxophonist Conor Smith, keyboardist Pete Rosales, bassist Lucas Aney, and guitarist Thomas Jensen, was greeted by fans with a hearty welcome.

    The band — which has humble roots based out of their college dorm — eased into their set with carefree and mellow singles off their 2023 EP Fade, such as “3 1 2” and “Just What I Need,” leaning into the lather part of the night with the upbeat “No Rush.”

    While tracks like “Never Enough” and even guest rapper and harmonicist appearances settled a soothing air over the audience, temporarily balming over unresolved anxieties and worries, the band shined best at each member’s standalone spotlights, where solos served as the proving grounds for the band’s overflowing flair and aptitude, with drums, sax, and guitar rising alongside each other, thrilling and exuberant in equal and balanced measure.