Tag: Music News

  • Bethel Woods Center For The Arts 2024 Summer Lineup

    Bethel Woods Center for the Arts will be returning this year with a variety of acts throughout the summer, with shows running between June and September.

    This year, a variety of camping options are available, with two separate sites within 0.5 miles of the venue being available for tent-only camping, glamping and car and RV camping. The 16,000-person venue will feature performances from Phish, Pretty Lights, Luke Bryan, Limp Bizkit and many more.

    John Fogerty with special guests George Thorogood & The Destroyers and Hearty Har – The Celebration Tour – June 14, 6:50 PM

    Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and Grammy Award winner John Fogerty will stop by Bethel as the third New York stop in a row on his Celebration Tour. George Thorogood & The Destroyers and Hearty Har will join as special guests. Tickets are available here.

    Roger Daltrey with special guest KT Tunstall – 2024 North American Tour – June 16, 7:30 PM

    Roger Daltrey, lead singer for The Who, will perform a mix of The Who hits and solo music during a stop at Bethel for his 2024 North American Tour. Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall will join as a special guest. Tickets are available here.

    Hootie & the Blowfish with special guests Collective Soul & Edwin McCain – Summer Camp with Trucks Tour – June 27, 7:00 PM

    Two-time Grammy Award winners, Hootie & the Blowfish, will take on Bethel as a stop on their Summer Camp with Trucks Tour. Rock band Collective Soul and singer-songwriter Edwin McCain will make appearances as special guests. Tickets are available here.

    James Taylor and His All-Star Band – June 8, 8:00 PM

    Six-time Grammy Award winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee James Taylor, along with his all-star band, will arrive in Bethel on June 8. Notable musicians from Taylor’s band include The Blues Brothers saxophonist Lou Marini and Steely Dan and Bee Gees drummer Steve Gadd. Tickets are available here.

    Alanis Morissette with special guests Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and Morgan Wade – The Triple Moon Tour – July 5, 7:00 PM

    Alternative rock musician Alanis Morissette will stop by Bethel for her tour, The Triple Moon Tour. Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and Morgan Wade will open up as special guests. Tickets are available here.

    Willie Nelson & Family, Bob Dylan, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, & Celisse – The Outlaw Music Festival – July 6, 5:30 PM

    American folk legends Willie Nelson & Family and Bob Dylan will play together as part of the traveling “must see music festival of the summer,” Outlaw Music Festival. Robert Plant, Alison Krauss and Celisse will perform as well. Tickets are available here.

    Luke Bryan with special guests HunterGirl, Larry Fleet, Dillon Carmichael and DJ Rock – Mind of a Country Boy Tour – July 11, 7:00 PM

    Country music veteran Luke Bryan will be visiting Bethel in July for his Mind of a Country Boy Tour. The show will be opened by country singer-songwriters, HunterGirl and Dillon Carmichael and professional DJ, DJ Rock. Tickets are available here.

    Jason Mraz & The Superband with special guest Ripe – July 12, 7:30 PM

    Two-time Grammy Award winner Jason Mraz, known for hits like “I’m Yours” and “I Won’t Give Up,” will perform alongside his band the day after Luke Bryan. Alternative band, Ripe, will open the show. Tickets are available here.

    Kidz Bop Kidz – July 14, 4:00 PM

    The iconic family-friendly pop song cover group, Kidz Bop Kidz, is landing in Bethel for an early show on July 14. With “sung by kids for kids” being the group’s motto, this is a show that would be great for younger children. Tickets are available here.

    Santana and Counting Crows – Oneness Tour – July 18, 7:00 PM

    Santana, headed by legendary guitarist Carlos Santana, and Grammy-nominated rock band Counting Crows will perform in Bethel as the first of three shows in New York for their Oneness Tour. Tickets are available here.

    Impractical Jokers – The Drive Drive Drive Drive Drive Tour – July 19, 8:00 PM

    The Impractical Jokers are driving to Bethel for the first of two stops in New York on their Drive Drive Drive Drive Tour. The classic comedy group, known for their TV show with 10 seasons to date, will entertain using all new material on July 19. Tickets are available here.

    Daryl Hall and Elvis Costello and The Imposters with Charlie Sexton – July 20, 7:00 PM

    Daryl Hall, half of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Hall & Oates, will be playing with fellow inductee and two-time Grammy Award winner Elvis Costello. The two will be joined by The Imposters with Charlie Sexton. Tickets are available here.

    Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo with special guest The Vindys – Funtastic 24′ Tour – July 21, 7:00 PM

    Multi-platinum album-selling Pat Benatar will be joined by husband and five-time Grammy Award winner Neil Giraldo in Bethel as a stop on their Funtastic 24′ Tour. American pop-rock band The Vindys will open as special guests. Tickets are available here.

    Train & REO Speedwagon – Summer Road Trip 2024 Tour – July 24 6:00 PM

    Pop-rock band Train and rock band REO Speedwagon are set to co-headline Bethel as the second of four New York shows on their collaborative Summer Road Trip 2024 Tour. Rock tribute band Yacht Rock Revue will be joining them as an opener. Tickets are available here.

    Hank Williams Jr. with special guests Ian Munsick and Payton Smith – July 25, 7:00 PM

    Country music star Hank Williams Jr. will play a set in Bethel as a celebration of the 45th anniversary of his hit song, “Family Tradition.” Special guests Ian Munsick and Payton Smith will open up for Williams Jr. Tickets are available here.

    Limp Bizkit with special guests BONES, Eddy Baker, Xavier Wulf, N8NOFACE, Corey Feldman and Host/ MC Riff Raff – Loserville Tour – July 26, 6:30 PM.

    Nu metal band Limp Bizkit is set to rock out at Bethel as a stop on their Loserville Tour. Rap artists BONES, Eddy Baker and Xavier Wulf will open the show alongside N8NOFACE and Corey Feldman, with MC Riff Raff hosting the event. Tickets are available here.

    Hozier with special guest Allison Russel – July 27, 8:00 PM

    Irish folk and blues singer Hozier best known for his massive hit “Take Me to Church,” will play in Bethel the day after Limp Bizkit at 8:00 p.m. Country singer Allison Russel will play as a special guest. Tickets are available here.

    Phish – Summer Tour 24 – August 9, 7:30 PM, August 10, 7:30 PM, August 11, 7:30 PM

    Massively popular jam band Phish will be playing in Bethel for not one but three nights for their 2024 Summer Tour. With no special guests, Phish will be the main focus of the jam-packed three-day weekend. Tickets are available here.

    Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top with special guest The Outlaws – The Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour – August 16, 6:30 PM

    American rock bands Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top will perform at Bethel for their second of four New York shows as a part of their collaborative tour. Fellow American rock band, The Outlaws, will open up the show. Tickets are available here.

    Melissa Etheridge and Indigo Girls – I’m Not Broken Tour – August 21, 7:30 PM

    Grammy Award-winning country artist Melissa Etheridge and American folk music duo Indigo Girls will stop in Bethel as their second New York destination for their I’m Not Broken Tour. Tickets are available here.

    Pretty Lights – Soundship Spacestation 2024 Tour – August 23, 8:00 PM

    Electronic music veteran Pretty Lights, aka Derek Smith, will headline Bethel on August 23 for his Soundship Spacestation 2024 Tour. The Grammy Award-nominated artist, once described as “the face and voice of the new American electronic music scene” by Rick Rubin, is well known for his visually and sonically entrancing performances. Tickets are available here.

    Tedeschi Trucks Band with special guests Little Feat & Margo Price – Deuces Wild 2024 Tour – August 25, 6:00 PM

    Grammy Award-winning 12-piece rock and soul group Tedeschi Trucks Band will arrive in Bethel as the third of nine shows in New York for their Deuces Wild 2024 Tour. Special guests Little Feat and Margo Price will open the show. Tickets are available here.

    Deep Purple with special guest YES – = 1 More Time Tour – September 6, 6:30 PM

    Highly celebrated hard rock pioneers Deep Purple will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of their hit song “Smoke on the Water” on September 6 for their = 1 More Time Tour. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Yes will perform as well as a special guest. Tickets are available here.

    Megadeth with special guests Mudvayne and All That Remains – Destroy All Enemies Tour – September 13, 6:00 PM

    Grammy Award-winning British heavy metal band, Megadeth, will end Bethel’s summer lineup with a bang on September 13 as a stop for their Destroy All Enemies Tour. Heavy metal band Mudvayne and metalcore band All That Remains will open up the show. Tickets are available here.

  • Hearing Aide: Dasychira’s “Undead”

    NYC-based electronic artist Dasychira has released their second LP and first release in 3 years, Undead, on May 10. The album explores themes of transformation and adaptation, giving listeners a glimpse into Dasychira’s personal development.

    Undead

    Dasychira was raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, but has been a New Yorker for the last decade. Studying at NYU’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, they took on their pseudonym allowing them to write and produce music while exploring their own identity. Since then, Dasychira has released works of all sizes, including the most recent, Undead.

    After releasing their first EP Immolated in 2017, Dasychira went on to co-found the label unseelie in 2018, where they released their last two albums, Hollywood Forever and Undead.

    This album represents Dasychira’s navigation through the drastic changes the world has faced over the past few years. These songs articulate their mental journey through COVID-19, war, environmental disasters, and rising technologies. Undead walks you through a dream-like state using a mix of synthesizers and a variety of instruments such as electric guitar, gamelan, and violin, blurring the lines between humans and technology.

    Dasychira

    The album opens with “Bleed and Glow,” which establishes the feeling of being lost through its lyrics. Using electronics and synths, Dasychira conveys the need for fantasy during such a confusing time. The title track, “Undead,” features ballad-like violin and synth arrangements to express longing and desperation during a personal struggle.

    The album’s closer, “Expand Yourself,” signifies the progress of Dasychira’s search for contentedness in the now. By making the electric guitar more prominent than the synth, the music becomes grounded in reality. This completes the album’s goal of accepting personal growth while their surroundings evolve out of their control.

    To learn more about the context of Undead and hear the full album, click here

  • Mach-Hommy Releases New Album ‘#Richaxxhaitian’

    On the eve of Haitian Flag Day, Haitian-American rapper Mach-Hommy released #Richaxxhaitian, bringing another edition to his extensive and culturally aware discography. Additionally, this latest LP is the New Jersey native’s first solo project since 2021’s Balens Cho and Pray For Haiti, the latter of which brought the purposefully reclusive rapper mainstream acclaim.

    Mach-Hommy album cover
    Mach-Hommy returns with his first solo project since 2021.

    Donning his trademark Haitian flag over his face on the album cover, this latest 17-track, 47-minute project is kaleidoscopic in sound with varying musical themes throughout the album, giving the feel of a true feature presentation. However, Mach always returns to the themes of Haiti and its current social-political upheaval. Moreover, the proud Haitian rapper continues to bar music websites from transcribing his lyrics. Thus his weaving in-and-out between english and creole throughout the album maintains some form of mystique for non-creole speakers, inhibiting them in understanding but not in the overall listening experience. Nonetheless, Mach recruits the likes of Black Thought, Roc Marciano, Your Old Droog and frequent collaborator, Tha God Fahim to add to the overall lyrical experience for the album. Meanwhile, Conductor Williams adds his touch of slightly aged production to offer that raw, gritty, authentic feel to the album.

    Although Mach-Hommy isn’t much for promo, he released a music video for the song “#Richaxxhaitian.” An uptempo, groovy track, it’s a departure from Mach’s usual tone, however the green and mountainous scenery and theme of the record reflect what Mach is trying to present in the name of the song and the album.

    All in all, with no online presence, Mach-Hommy leaves his work to be consumed and debated with no input from him or anyone from his team. As a result he has pigeonholed himself a space in the creative hip hop lane.

  • A Boogie wit da Hoodie Releases 5th Studio Album ‘Better off Alone’

    New York City’s preeminent hit-maker A Boogie returns with Better off Alone, his first full-length project since 2022’s Me vs Myself. This latest 21-track LP sees the Bronx native interpolate his melodic raps with a new wave of production much akin to the new “sexy drill” phenomenon that has become prominent in the New York City landscape, going away from the slower paced samples that have become something of a staple for the Grammy-nominated rapper. After all the “Man in the Mirror” rapper, best known for his lovesick croons, continues to find ways to put a twist to his songwriting style that has made him unique in New York City hip hop lore known for their machismo. In like manner, A Boogie recruits three distinct features in Future, Lil Durk, Young Thug and Cash Cobain that also walk the line between rap braggadocio and emotional vulnerability.

    Cover art for A Boogie's latest album
    A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie releases his 5th studio album

    A Boogie – Better Off Alone

    And while Better off Alone contains plenty of introspective A Boogie, with rumors of trouble between A Boogie and his longtime girlfriend preceding the album, it seems the project and its contents have been in the works very much in advance as all three records from his 2023 mixtape B4 BOA made the final cut. Thus “Did Me Wrong,” “Her Birthday” and “Booby Trap” all served as initial promotional singles for his latest effort, with “Her Birthday” standing out as a classic lovesick A Boogie track, followed by a similarly themed music video.

    To cap off the album’s release, A Boogie brought popular podcast due Gillie and Wallo (Millions Dollarz Worth of Game) to the Bronx for an authentic, New York inner-city vibe. With A Boogie bringing his crew and a Lamborghini to the Highbridge neighborhood of the Bronx. Notably, Boogie even shouts out Gillie on “No More Questions” rapping, “In my city they treat me like Gillie in Philly.”

  • Totten Bridge Releases Powerful New Single, “Seasons Change”

    Rising Pop-Rock artist Totten Bridge pulls on fans’ heartstrings with his latest single, “Seasons Change.” Motivated by the loss of his mother, the New York artist drew inspiration from Fleetwood Mac’s “Songbird.”

    Times of difficulty have been a catalyst of inspiration for Totten Bridge, whose career began during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Defying categorization, the NYC-based artist draws inspiration from Alt-Pop, infused with folk, EDM, and American Heartland influences. Totten Bridge has received critical acclaim from numerous publications, including Clash, Notion, and Earmilk. Totten Bridge’s poetic lyrics explore universal themes of life, love, and in the case of “Seasons Change,” loss.

    In the face of grief, “Seasons Change” offers a refreshingly optimistic perspective. Totten Bridge revealed his desire for the song to be a call to action, saying, “I wanted ‘Seasons Change’ to feel powerful and cause someone to… [embrace] change and [overcome] their fears.” “Seasons Change” shifts focus to the future, encouraging listeners to focus on what is to come and overcoming life’s challenges. The infectious beat and anthemic chorus promises listeners “long winding roads will lead the way”.

    The influence of Fleetwood Mac is apparent in the personal lyrics and strong message. Speaking to universal experiences of love and loss, Totten Bridge successfully resonates with listeners’ emotions. The driving beat and gripping chorus draw listeners in and demand full attention. Change is one of the few certainties in life, and “Seasons Change” empathizes with fear while encouraging optimism.

  • CMAC 2024 Concert and Events Lineup Feat. The Avett Brothers, Goose, Brandi Carlile and More

    This summer, Canandaigua’s Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center (CMAC), will feature 18 shows starting in May through August. The CMAC 2024 roster features artists spanning from rock to country, welcoming fans of all genres.

    Performance at CMAC

    The Avett Brothers– May 24 at 7 PM

    Grammy-nominated folk-rock band, The Avett Brothers, are kicking off CMAC’s 2024 season with their summer tour for the band’s brand new self-titled album released on May 17. Joining them as a guest is country and bluegrass artist Sierra Ferrell.

    Avett Brothers' CMAC date

    Zach Brown Band- June 2 at 6:30 PM

    Over the past 22 years as a band, the multi-platinum southern rock group led by Zac Brown have had five consecutive #1 albums on Billboard’s Country Albums Chart and won three GRAMMY awards including Best New Artist, Best Country Collaboration with Vocals, and Best Country Album. After releasing their new live album From The Road, Vol. 1: Covers and two new singles, the band will bring plenty of music, new and old, to CMAC.

    Warren Haynes- June 9 at 7 PM

    Former member of The Allman Brothers Band, The Dead, and founding member of Gov’t Mule, Warren Haynes is bringing the Now Is The Time tour to CMAC this summer featuring the Warren Haynes Band and The Dreams and Songs Symphonic Experience

    Warren Haynes' CMAC date

    Goose– June 15 at 7:30 PM

    Goose is a five-piece jam band hailing from Connecticut with clear influences from Phish and The Grateful Dead. Taking their 2024 summer tour on the road to support their latest album Ted Tapes 2024, the band will bring a slew of energetic music to Canandaigua.

    Carrie Underwood- June 21 at 7:30 PM

    Returning to the stage after last summer’s U.S. arena tour, multi-faceted country star Carrie Underwood, known for songs such as “Before He Cheats” and “Jesus Take the Wheel,” is making a stop at CMAC while on a break from her Las Vegas residency REFLECTION.

    Brandi Carlile– June 29 at 7:30 PM

    Nine-time GRAMMY winner Brandi Carlile returns to CMAC during a small tour of East Coast shows in June. She will be joined by her long-time collaborators, The Hanseroth Twins, who have played alongside her throughout her career. In recent years, she has worked closely with legends such as Joni Mitchell, Tanya Tucker, and Elton John.

    Norah Jones- July 5 at 7:30 PM

    Embarking on her North America Visions Tour 2024, nine-time GRAMMY winner, Norah Jones, is coming to CMAC in support of her new album Visions, released in March. With her, she brings the legendary soul singer Mavis Staples as her guest.

    Norah Jones' CMAC date

    Jason Mraz & The Superband- July 10 at 7:30 PM

    Singer-songwriter Jason Mraz, whose 2008 song “I’m Yours” put him on the radar, is continuing his tour, The Mystical Magical Rhythmical Radical Ride this summer, supporting his 2023 album of the same name. The alt-pop band Ripe will join the tour as a guest.

    Sam Hunt- August 15 at 6:30 PM

    Chart-topping country artist Sam Hunt, who can be recognized by his 2017 hit “Body Like A Back Road” is returning to the CMAC lineup while on tour for his new EP, Locked Up. He will be accompanied at CMAC by special guests and fellow country musicians Tyler Hubbard of Florida Georgia Line and Dalton Dover.

    Tedeschi Trucks Band– August 16 at 7 PM

    The 12-piece rock and soul group led by husband and wife Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi are returning to CMAC on their Deuces Wild 2024 tour, where country singer-songwriter Margo Price will join as their guest performer.

    Tedeschi Trucks Band's CMAC date

    Tickets and more information on these events can be found on CMAC’s website.

    Other Concerts and Events at CMAC

    John Fogerty- June 11 at 7 PM

    Oliver Anthony- June 22 at 8 PM

    Cody Jinks- July 18 at 7 PM

    Dierks Bentley– July 20 at 7 PM

    Chicago– July 25 at 7 PM

    Little River Band- August 9 at 7 PM

    Pentatonix- August 29 at 7 PM

    Miranda Lambert- August 30 at 7 PM

  • Second Annual Meadowlark Festival Confirms Lineup

    Meadowlark Festival — the Stone Ridge, NY three-day festival of indie, roots, and countercultural music that benefits farmers in Hudson Valley and nationwide — confirms its lineup for its 2024 fall festival.

    Set for September 13-15, the 3-day event will feature performances from indie rock icons Blonde Redhead, NPR Tiny Desk concert alum and Hudson Valley artist Laura Stevenson, NYC garage rockers and Yep Roc artists Daddy Long Legs, Kentucky songwriter Joan Shelley, Boston Music Award-nominated blues guitarist Ryan Lee Crosby, the “sweetly flavored folk-pop” music of Fruit Bats, WXPN-named “Artist to Watch” Slaughter Beach, Dog, Newport Folk Fest favorites Deer Tick, the psychedelic space rock of KidBess & The Magic Ring, along with Honeycrush and Lulu Lewis. Also performing are the “first couple of Americana” Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams, and artsy Manhattan garage-rockers Jeffrey Lewis & The Voltage, with a special guest set for reveal as the festival draws closer.

    Lineup for the 2nd annual Meadowlark Festival revealed

    All in all, the 2nd annual Meadowlark Festival continues to garner support for farmers local and nationwide and supports organizations who are aligned with the values of promoting food security and advocacy for local farms. These organizations include Farm Aid, Rondout Valley Growers Association (RVGA), and Hudson Valley Center For Food, Culture & Agriculture. The festival takes place at Stone Ridge Orchard & Farmers Market, a 200-year-old working farm on 115 acres.

    Moreover, tickets for Meadowlark Fest 2024 are on sale on the festival website, with prices ranging from an early bird special and day-of pricing. For instance, a 1-Day general admission early bird ticket costs $70, but will be $100 on the day of, with similar rules set for parking passes.

    Meadowlark Festival will take place at Stone Ridge Orchard & Farmer's Market.
    Meadowlark Festival to take place at Stone Ridge Orchard & Farmer’s Market

    Additionally, Meadowlark Fest will feature local artisans, food vendors, award-winning artisanal hard apple ciders, and more with more details to come. Less than two hours north of New York City and a twenty-minute car ride from the Kingston Metro North railroad station, Stone Ridge Orchard and Farmers Market in the scenic Roundout Valley sits between the Shawangunk Ridge and the Catskill mountain range in the Hudson Valley region.

  • Graham Nash Brings ‘More Evenings of Songs and Stories’ To Carnegie Hall This Fall with Special Guest Judy Collins

    Legendary musician Graham Nash will be bringing his “Graham Nash – More Evenings of Songs and Stories” tour to the Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage at the historic Carnegie Hall on Tuesday, October 1. Set for an 8:00 p.m. start time, Nash, a founding member of both The Hollies and Crosby, Stills and Nash, will be performing a body of work spanning over six decades that includes a litany of monumental recordings.

    Graham Nash to perform at Carnegie Hall
    Graham Nash to bring ‘More Evenings of Songs and Stories’ tout to Carnegie Hall

    Additionally, the Carnegie Hall audience will be treated to a special guest in Judy Collins, whose own legendary body work spans more than seven decades. In light of his special performance tickets have already gone on sale on the Carnegie Hall official website. Ticket prices range from $69, $89, $99 and $149.

    Graham Nash will be bringing Judy Collins on stage as a special guest at Carnegie Hall
    Judy Collins’ legendary career has seen her remain active for over seven decades

    Moreover, Nash offered a preview to the midtown-Manhattan venue’s crowd making an unannounced appearance at Crosby, Stills, and Nash tribute concert at New York’s Carnegie Hall on Monday, May 13. Although Nash wasn’t officially on the bill, he came out at the end of the night to perform a moving rendition of “Our House.”

    For his part, Nash is a two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee who has seen rock history unfold at some of its seminal moments. After all the Blackpool-bred musician began making history during the launch of the British Invasion with his work with CSN, while perfecting his craft during the birth of the Laurel Canyon movement a year later. An extraordinary Grammy Award winning renaissance artist – and self-described “simple man” – Nash has contributed a wealth of songs to the soundtrack of our lives. Moreover, the “I Used to Be a King” singer is a two-time inductee into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, for his work with CSN and his work as a solo artist.

    Similarly, the eternal Judy Collins has inspired audiences with sublime vocals, boldly vulnerable songwriting, personal life triumphs, and a firm commitment to social activism throughout her extensive career. In the 1960s, she evoked both the idealism and steely determination of a generation united against social and environmental injustices. Five decades later, her luminescent presence continues to shine brightly as new generations bask in the glow of her iconic 55-album body of work, and heed inspiration from her spiritual discipline to thrive in the music industry for half a century.

  • Vapor Vespers Release Sophomore Album “Ghosts Before Breakfast” and Announce Upcoming Shows

    Experimental duo Vapor Vespers have released their sophomore album titled, Ghosts Before Breakfast and announced a few upcoming tour dates this May.

    Ghosts Before Breakfast is the group’s second long-playing release, the follow-up to their critically-acclaimed 2020 debut, One Act Sonix. The sophomore album consists of 10 music-driven spoken word tracks. The duo will be supporting the release of their new album with select shows in New York City and the Hudson Valley this May.

    Vapor Vespers is the brainchild of NYC-based multi-instrumentalist/producer Sal Cataldi and award-winning playwright, actor, and slam poet Mark Muro. The duo’s latest collection ups the ante on the cool grooves, intense guitar riffage, synth textures and the verbal hijinks and narrative absurdity showcased on their debut. The duo takes performative arts to the next level by blending intense spoken word with progressive and electrifying hypno-funk.

    The Vapor Vespers are also holding mini-sets during performance by Cataldi’s Spaghetti Eastern Music at Silvana Harlem on May 23. Further, the duo sees the stage at Pangea in the East Village on May 25. More shows may be added.

    Ghosts Before Breakfast was produced, engineered and mastered by Sal Cataldi aboard his houseboat in Port Washington, Long Island. The album covers themes of sex, mystery, art, literature, love, and themselves. The duo expels sound that are everything but standard. Some of their sound includes electro-funk, experimental synth, progressive, jazz and more.

    For more information on Vapor Vespers and their album Ghosts Before Breakfast, click here.

  • Conway The Machine Releases Latest EP ‘Slant Face Killah’

    In the midst of a great run of releases, Conway The Machine remains as prolific as ever with the release of his latest EP, Slant Face Killah. This latest effort follows a continuous run of projects that solidify Conway as a solo force in hip hop. This time the Buffalo native has tabbed a host of legendary and contemporary figures for guest appearances and production.

    Notably, Slant Face Killah features Wu Tang members Raekwon and Method Man, along with Joey Bada$$, Stove God Cooks, Tech N9ne, Memphis native Key Glock and west coast stalwarts Ab-Soul and Larry June. Moreover, Slant Face Killah sees production from Swizz Beats, Cool & Dre, Don Cannon, Conductor Williams, Daringer and The Alchemist. All in all, Conway The Machine presents another diverse project testing his songwriting prowess and his adaptability with various forms and sounds of hip hop.

    Conway The Machine cover art for Slant Face Killah
    Slant Face Killah continue Conway The Machine’s prolific run of releases.

    Conway The Machine On The Rise

    However, since the release of 2022’s God Don’t Make Mistakes, commercial breakthroughs have become the norm for The Machine. In like manner, his success continued in 2023 in what was Conway’s most commercial and critically successful year to date. Notably, in May of 2023, Conway released his Drumwork debut Wont He Do It  and with it launched a worldwide tour. He returned with a ensemble label album in Conway The Machine Presents: Drumwork The Label and followed that with the Speshal Machinery (with frequent collaborator 38 Spesh), Palmero (with Wun Two) and Conductor Machine (with Conductor Williams), and most recently Hall & Nash 2 with Westside Gunn and produced by The Alchemist.

    Known for the quality and quantity of his output, Conway The Machine returns after a yearlong sabbatical in between solo projects. The 14-track project spanning 1 hour and 6 minutes will serve to remind fans of the rapper’s lyrical prowess, while solidifying his curation and songwriting, key attributes as he heads his label Drumwork.