NYS Music 2024

Tag: knockdown center

  • Knockdown Center Announces Two Outline Festival Dates for 2025

    March 30 and April 12, 2025 have been announced as the first two dates of the Outline Festival in 2025. Featuring artists such as Thurston Moore, Michael Rother, Eiko Ishibashi, Explosions In The Sky, and more, they’ll perform during the Knockdown Center‘s flagship series, which continues to further a commitment to celebrating international expressions of independent music.

    Outline Festival

    Germany’s Michael Rother is set to headline the Main Hall on Sunday, March 30th, showcasing the pivotal works of Neu! and Harmonia. The evening will also feature performances by post-punk pioneer Thurston Moore, the Australian post-punk duo HTRK, and Japanese singer-songwriter and composer Eiko Ishibashi.

    On Saturday, April 12th at Knockdown Center, Outline Festival will expand its offerings to include a diverse showcase of avant-garde and alternative music, as well as instrumental, IDM, pop, and psychedelic genres. Across two stages, the festival will feature performances from Austin’s renowned post-rock quartet Explosions In The Sky, the Icelandic band múm, Guatemalan-born, Mexico City-based cellist and vocalist Mabe Fratti, Philadelphia shoegazers They Are Gutting a Body of Water, Dutch producer and innovator upsammy, and Mexico City’s no wave and krautrock-inspired group Diles Que No Me Maten.

    Throughout 2024, Outline will spotlight various genres and regions, continually evolving with each edition. The festival will present a range of performances, from the seismic sounds of Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Alan Sparhawk, Marina Herlop, and Maria BC, to hard rock and metal acts like The Armed, King Woman, Chat Pile, Cloakroom, Ragana, and Couch Slut.

    The event will culminate in a rapturous finale featuring Yaeji, Sofia Kourtesis, Ela Minus, Nourished by Time, and Malibu. Each new edition will be uniquely curated to highlight the best in both artists and audiences, pushing the boundaries of creativity and redefining what a venue and festival can be as it moves into 2025.

    Tickets are available now. Learn more about Knockdown Center and purchase tickets for March 30 fest here and for April 12 here.

  • Wire Festival Returns to Knockdown Center

    Wire Festival has announced the fourth installment of the world-class techno festival to take place at Knockdown Center from May 16-18, 2025.

    Wire

    In addition to its core programming, Wire also hosts community engagement events such as a series of Talks programmed in partnership with RA. Before the show, an industry meetup event will allow artists, organizers, booking agents, and label owners to connect with each other. Finally, the festival transforms the already-iconic venue with stunning, unique, and commissioned light installations. 2024’s collaboration with France’s Collectif Scale was the most ambitious work yet featured. Additional installations included pieces from NY’s Inner Light and Studio Gum Gum. The festival has grown steadily and organically, moving from strength to strength, creating a space for world-class techno and more amidst a thriving NY ecosystem.

    The beloved, Ambient Stage will make a return in 2025. Introduced in 2023, the Ambient Stqage encourages artists to stretch into the unfamiliar. This year, Wire expanded from its initial two-night template to include a third-day program. Beginning right after the Saturday night rave, the Sunday program will run all the way from early morning through the evening.

    Since 2022, Wire has platformed the most vital underground dance music, highlighting some of the genre’s most esteemed artists, freshest voices, and essential collectives. Previous standout acts include Jeff Mills, Surgeon (live), DJ Stingray 313, and showcases from Mala Junta, Bassiani, Herrensauna, and more. Wire Festival aims to highlight some of the city’s most adventurous artists while finding and sharing new talent.

    Weekend passes are on sale now. Single day passes and lineup will be released in 2025. Learn more and purchase tickets here.

  • COLORS Present ‘Tones of NYC’ Program at Knockdown Center in Queens this October

    COLORS has announced the “Tones of NYC” program which will see a diverse array of talented artist performances over the span of two days. The program lasts from October 10 to 11 and is hosted at Queens’ Knockdown Center.

    Knockdown Center in Queens

    About COLORS

    COLORS’ brand-new event concept, TONES OF, launches in New York in October 2024. It is set to explore NYC’s undisputed reputation as one of the most powerful cultural capitals in the world. Tones of NYC features a program of live music, art, workshops, discussions, pop ups and more. The aim is to unite leading creatives and up to 6,000 guests for 2 days of cultural exploration.

    The event boasts a stacked line-up including Street Dreams, Mustafa, Kidsuper, Moses Sumney, Half Moon BK, Sadboi, Naomi Sharon and many more. Another huge element of the TONES program is dance. TONES pulls in some of the world’s finest dancers and choreographers in the form of Charm La’Donna and Amari Marshall. They are both delivering panels as well as workshops.

    Mustafa the Poet

    Built in the city, for the city – ‘TONES OF’ unites both established and next-gen cultural pioneers to collaboratively curate each event. As well as music, TONES day-time agenda opens up discussions on topics from innovation in the arts to the future of design and more. 

    TONES OF connects live acts, DJs, artists, community projects, fashion brands, style heads, creatives, foodies and more. These creative minds deliver talks, workshops, pop-up events, Q&A sessions, parties and of course live music.

    Charm La’Donna

    For more information on the upcoming “Tones of NYC” event presented by COLORS, click here. Tickets are available to purchase on ColorsxStudios website.

  • Alkaline Trio Triumphs Over the Rain at Knockdown Center

    On a rainy Saturday evening, March 9, devoted fans defied the torrential downpour to see their favorite band from their younger years, Alkaline Trio at Knockdown Center in Queens. Despite the onslaught of intense rain and wind, the enthusiasm of the crowd was undeniable, and anticipation soared as opening acts Warriors and Drug Church warmed up the stage.

    alkaline trio knockdown center
    Photos by Taylor Daniel Weinberg

    Originally hailing from Chicago, the band consists of founding member Matt Skiba on guitar and vocals, accompanied by long time collaborator Dan Andriano on Bass, and Atom Willard on drums. Attendance numbers remained unaffected by the inclement weather, with Knockdown Center nearly reaching full capacity. Alkaline Trio is midway through their tour promoting the long-awaited release of their new album, Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs, adding another gem to their extensive, decade-spanning discography.

    alkaline trio knockdown center
    Photos by Taylor Daniel Weinberg

    A gathering of longtime loyalists composed of groups of friends, couples, and diehard solo-goers flooded the venue. The audience roared as the lights dimmed and the band graced the stage at 9:45pm sharp. All 3 members, smiling ear to ear, struck the opening notes of “Hot For Preacher”, the first track off their latest album. Obvious highlights of the night included “Armageddon,” displaying shades of the albums’ post-apocalyptic themes, followed by the iconic “Fuck You Aurora”, evoking a wave of nostalgia for those who have cherished the band for decades. After each song, the band shared their gratitude for the audience with a hushed and humble “Thank you!”

    alkaline trio knockdown center
    Photos by Taylor Daniel Weinberg

    As the band exited the stage, chants for an encore could be heard instantly. After a few suspenseful moments, the band eagerly obliged. For a final hurrah, the trio went with the timeless classic “Radio”, and fans got their last crowd surfing in before the band bid their passionate audience farewell. Despite the chilling rain, fans departed with warm hearts. Their latest album, Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs is available for streaming on all major music platforms.

    alkaline trio knockdown center
    Photography by Taylor Daniel Weinberg

    Alkaline Trio – Knockdown Center, Queens – Saturday, March 9, 2024

    Setlist: Hot For Preacher, We’ve Had Enough, Take Lots with Alcohol, Bad Time, Versions of You, Mr. Chainsaw, One Hundred Stories, Calling All Skeletons, Cringe, Break, Armageddon, Fuck You Aurora, Mercy Me, Warbrain, Crawl, Blood Hair and Eyeballs, Stupid Kid, Private Eye, Time to Waste
    Encore: Radio

    alkaline trio knockdown center

  • WIRE Festival Returns to Knockdown Center, May 16-19

    Plunge into a techno paradise in Queens from May 16–19, when WIRE Festival makes a return to Knockdown Center. This year, the event broadens its scope, delivering three days of non-stop pulsing beats.

    WIRE Festival Knockdown Center

    On Thursday, May 16, festivities begin with evening talks in collaboration with the Resident Advisor, preparing the ground for an enjoyable weekend. Stage 1 is the Main Hall, where techno’s seminal and innovative acts perform. Meanwhile, Stage 2 is the scene of takeovers. This year, Wire has invited Berlin’s Mala Junta and Amsterdam’s Vault Sessions. These two European collectives will redefine techno in 2024.

    A staple of WIRE, the Ambient Stage returns with exclusive sets from versatile New York DJs. As night passes, the stage delivers an extraordinary sound trip through artists’ collections. On Sunday morning, the outdoor closing session at The Ruins features house-focused DJs, offering an intermission from the nonstop techno beats. The outdoor house stage is a new addition that will expand the experience.

    WIRE Festival Knockdown Center
    WIRE Festival – Photo by Bryan Kwon

    With artists like Surgeon, Rødhåd, Boris, Oscar Mulero, and more, WIRE’s lineup is a techno lover’s paradise. With more than 30 years of experience, Surgeon embodies the energy, adventure, and individuality that define techno. The crew takeovers on Stage 2 carry on their tradition, pushing the boundaries with Vault Sessions and Mala Junta.

    WIRE Festival is arranged by the team of Téa Abashidze, GeGa Japaridze, and Tyler Myers—the brains behind BASEMENT and the RUSH series. Individual day passes for WIRE Festival at Knockdown Center are available for purchase here, while the weekend passes have sold out.