NYS Music 2024

Tag: New York City

  • Irish Arts Center Announces Spring 2025 Season

    New York City-based Irish Arts Center has announced their Spring 2025 season featuring bold and inventive new programming.

    The Irish Arts Center is renowned for its dynamic, inspiring, and collaborative experiences that showcase the evolving arts and culture of Ireland and Irish America in its environment of warm Irish hospitality.

    Founded in 1972 in Hell’s Kitchen, this year’s Spring 2025 season will be hosted in the Irish Arts Center’s recently opened state of the art facility as the organization platforms the newest works and artists of the future.

    Highlights for the season begin on February 12-16 with John Scott Dance and Mel Mercier’s Begin Anywhere. A response to the inspirations and methodologies of the iconic choreographer Merce Cunningham and composer John Cage, Scott and Mercier will debut a new piece inspired by their shared histories with Cunningham and Cage’s works. 

    This world premiere will feature a preceding performance of Four Solos by Merce Cunningham presented in a continuous dance event with music by John King.

    February 28-28 will host the GRAMMY-winning pianist, composer, and bandleader Arturo O’Farrill alongside the talents of the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra in an exploration of the intersection between Irish folk and Afro Latin music.

    Brothers Brían and Diarmuid Mac have expanded the lineup of Ye Vagabonds to feature Alain McFadden (concertina) and Caimin Gilmore (harmonium) for their first North American performance since the band’s sold-out debut at the Irish Arts Center on March 11 and 12.

    April 30-June 1 will feature the five-week North American premiere of Colin Murphy’s The United States vs Ulysses directed by Conall Morisson. 

    A funhouse vision of 1930s radio performers re-enacting the courtroom battle for the future of James Joyce’s Ulysses against U.S. censorship, this production captures the very same world-changing potential IAC has sought to emphasize throughout its entire existence as an organization.

    Arriving to the States with its original cast, The United States V. Ulysses celebrates the power of an idea on a page as it examines the forces that benefit from holding culture in stasis instead of allowing evolution of thought in the public eye. 

    In celebration of the famed Irish producer, composer, and performer Bill Whelan’s 75th birthday, the IAC will hit a two-day musical jubilee featuring fellow artists and special guests on June 26 and 27.

    Throughout the season, Dublin-based artist Paul Hughes’ paintings will be displayed in the I am here & I am unwaiting exhibition from February 1-June 21, filling the walls of the IAC with vibrant abstract landscapes. An artist talk will also be hosted on March 6.

    For further information on the IAC and their full calendar of events for the upcoming Spring 2025 season, be sure to visit their official website here.

  • Tokyo Police Club Play Final US Show at Irving Plaza

    Tokyo Police Club performed their final show on US soil at Irving Plaza on Thursday, November 20. This was night two of the group’s NYC run for their farewell tour. Opening the show was fellow Canadian indie rock band Born Ruffians. 

    Both Born Ruffians and Tokyo Police Club got their start in Ontario, Canada in the early 2000s. In between songs, Born Ruffians’ Luke Lalonde reminisced on the bands coming up together at the same time. Now getting to perform together on Tokyo Police Club’s final tour, it feels like a bittersweet, full-circle ending. The band has been making their way throughout the US this fall, playing two nights at Irving Plaza before continuing to Canada to finish off their tour.

    Starting their set, Tokyo Police Club played a run through of their 2010 album Champ, followed by additional songs from their nearly two decade discography. The night was filled with nostalgic banter as Dave Monks reminisced on moments the band has experienced together throughout their career. He spoke about performing in New York City for the first time in 2006 and the feeling of stepping out of a rental car to play Mercury Lounge as well as their performance on Letterman.

    Friends since the 4th grade, Tokyo Police Club has amassed a large fan base since choosing to form a band in 2005. With their first EP released in 2006, A Lesson In Crime, they entered the indie rock scene. Coming into the early 2000s, we saw an “indie rock renaissance.” The band was welcomed in, quickly performing festivals with other quintessential bands from this era including Modest Mouse and Death Cab for Cutie.

    Tokyo Police Club will be continuing “The Final Tour” with a run of sold-out shows throughout Ontario, Canada through the end of November. These shows will be the last shows the band plans to play together. At this time, the band has no plans to reunite.

    Setlist: Favourite Food, Favourite Colour, Breakneck Speed, Wait Up (Boots of Danger), Centennial, In a Cave, Juno, Graves, New Blues, Simple Dude, Pigs, Hang Your Heart, Toy Guns, Hands Reversed, End of a Spark, Bambi, Frankenstein, Argentina (Parts I, II, III), Nature of the Experiment, Citizens of Tomorrow, Shoulders & Arms, Listen to the Math, Tessellate

    Encore:The Harrowing Adventures Of..., Ready to Win, Cheer It On, Your English Is Good

  • Moshing to Telescreens at Webster Hall

    You want a rock concert? A mosh-pitting, floor-bouncing, head-yelling, crowd-surfing rock show? That’s exactly what Telescreens brought to Webster Hall on November 19. Hometown fans crowded the 1,500-person Grand Ballroom and for a few hours were swept up in the power of rock. 

    Telescreens Credit Aidan Lukomnik

    Telescreens formed after frontman and lead guitarist Jackson Hamm moved to New York to attend the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. There he met keyboardist Josiah Valerius and bassist/keyboardist Austin Brenner in 2016. The final member of the band, drummer Oliver Graf, joined the other three in 2019 – adding to their explosive sound. The band started playing gigs around the city before COVID-19 but was forced to stop because of the pandemic. Since their return to live touring, they’ve played Austin City Limits and Governor’s Ball. 

    Telescreens Credit Aidan Lukomnik

    On Tuesday, hometown bands Skorts and Kareem Rahma & Tiny Gun opened the show. Skorts amped the crowd up with head-banging energy and a light show with more than enough fog to fill the room. The one problem was Skorts’ drummer hidden in a wall of mist. Following Skorts, the multi-hyphenate singer/ comedian/ interviewer Kareem Rahma came on stage with his trademark sunglasses – which he never took off. Playing off his success as a video creator, the band’s song “Content Machine” got the audience jumping as the singer poked fun at his other jobs.  

    Kareem Rahma Credit Aidan Lukomnik

    By the time Telescreens came on, the audience was ready, and a moshpit formed almost immediately. Within the first two songs Jackson Hamm jumped from the stage into the crowd to re-form the pit in the middle of the room. Once he was back on stage, moshing started again, and the floor of the ballroom roiled like the ocean – visibly shaking and bouncing from the audience’s movement. 

    Throughout the night, Hamm encouraged the audience to lose themselves to the music, asking them to “take this as an opportunity to push yourself a little out of your comfort zone.” The lead singer also admonished wallflowers who weren’t engaging with the music, “You on the sides, why do you wanna be so fucking cool?” 

    Jackson Hamm reforms the Moshpit, Credit Aidan Lukomnik

    It’s clear that Hamm believes in the power of rock. Throughout the set, the singer and guitarist worked up a sweat and, at one point, said: This [Rock and Roll] is like a religion. You have to believe it will make you feel better. You’re not supposed to stand there with your arms crossed. You’re supposed to move your feet. You’re supposed to get your heart rate up. 

    Telescreens, Credit Aidan Lukomnik

    As the night wore on, mosh pits formed and closed, and dozens of people crowd surfed, egged on by Hamm, who said, “Keep crowd surfing, that shit feels good, I promise.” As crowd surfing escalated, Webster Hall had to call in extra security to ensure everyone was safe.

    A crowd surfer, Credit Aidan Lukomnik

    Telescreens ended their set with Hamm ripping chords, jumping from the stage to the crowd and back (again), and the band leaving it all out for their hometown fans. 

    Telescreens Credit Aidan Lukomnik
    Telescreens Credit Aidan Lukomnik
    Telescreens Credit Aidan Lukomnik
    Telescreens Credit Aidan Lukomnik
    A crowd surfer, Credit Aidan Lukomnik
    A crowd surfer, Credit Aidan Lukomnik
    Credit Aidan Lukomnik
    Skorts, Credit Aidan Lukomnik
    Skorts, Credit Aidan Lukomnik
    @Alukomnik
    Skorts, Credit Aidan Lukomnik
    Skorts, Credit Aidan Lukomnik
    Skorts, Credit Aidan Lukomnik
    Kareem Rahma & Tiny Gun, Credit Aidan Lukomnik
    Kareem Rahma & Tiny Gun, Credit Aidan Lukomnik
    Kareem Rahma & Tiny Gun, Credit Aidan Lukomnik

  • Jamie McLean Band To Bring One Step Forward Tour Across New York

    New York City based Americana and roots-rock group Jamie McLean Band will be bringing their One Step Forward Tour, celebrating their upcoming release of the same name, to four venues across New York State.

    A triple threat of New Orleans soul, middle Americana roots, and New York City dazzle, Jamie McLean Band create energetic and captivating live experiences each and every time they step on to the stage. Fronted by McLean himself with southern soul vocals, deft guitar skills, and heartfelt, profound songwriting, the band’s live performances are brought to life with the collaboration of drummer Brian Griffin, bassist Chris Anderson, and the return of Jamie McLean Band’s original keyboardist, Jon Solo.

    Following six albums, several singles, and a handful of live releases, Jamie McClean band returns with One Step Forward, to be released on October 25. Featuring themes of life, loss, and love, the tracks of One Step Forward explore the bright lights that provide joy and motivation as well as the heavier experiences of loss and grieving. 

    Written after the loss of a dear friend to suicide, one of the most poignant tracks on the album “Don’t Leave Us Now” grapples with the tragedy and calls listeners to action- to help the ones they love around them, and to help themselves, as there is no shame in being the one in need.

    The One Step Forward Tour, which began on August 22 in Pawling, coincides with their upcoming release and will continue throughout the country- including upcoming stops at the Falcon in Marlboro on October 4 and The 443 Social Club & Lounge in Syracuse on October 12, in addition to later dates at the Colony in Woodstock on November 8  and the Drom in New York City on November 22.

    Tickets for the tour are on sale now. Visit Jamie McLean Band’s website here for further information and ticket purchasing.

    The full list of upcoming tour dates is featured below.

    TOUR DATES

    October 4 – Marlboro NY

    October 12 – Syracuse NY

    October 13 – Waterbury VT

    October 17 – Richmond VA

    October 18 – Vienna VA

    October 25 – Boston MA

    October 26 – Providence RI

    November 1 – Fairfield CT

    November 2 – Westerly RI

    November 8 – Woodstock NY

    November 9 – Egremont MA

    November 15 – Columbia MD

    November 16 – Hampton VA

    November 17 – Lewes DE

    November 22 – New York NY

    November 23 – Ardmore PA

    November 29 – Narragansett RI

    November 30 – Portsmouth NH

    December 5 – Monkton MD

    December 6 – Greensboro NC

    December 7 – Asheville NC

    December 8 – Charlotte NC

    December 11 – Atlanta GA

    December 12 – Charleston SC

    December 13 – Durham NC

    December 14 – Roanoke VA

  • BADBADNOTGOOD Share the Love at Free Show in the Lower East Side

    BADBADNOTGOOD played a generous 80 minutes of high-energy jazz-rock during a free show at Awake in New York’s Lower East Side, Saturday Sept. 20. The band teamed up with the vintage clothing store as part of a promotional drive for their new three-disc LP, Mid Spiral.

    badbadnotgood
    One incarnation of BADBADNOT.

    The mutating Canadian 5-piece came into the night off a four-night run at the Blue Note, and seemed keen to put their new material through its paces in a way they perhaps couldn’t have at the jazz institution a few blocks north. They looked to create a party atmosphere from minute one, and the revved-up crowd were happy to play along with drummer Alexander Sowinski’s high-octane crowd-work.

    BADBADNOTGOOD have always provided up-tempo moments on their records, but Mid Spiral feels like a departure from their earlier work; it climbs to high altitude on opener Eyes On Me – and stays there for the duration. This makes for a charged live show: four-to-the-floor percussion, supported by a rhythm section that might be at home at a bossa nova show, drive distorted guitar turns and upbeat horns.

    Listeners can detect jazz fusion influences as well as subtle notes of jazz contemporaries Thundercat and Kaytranada; indeed, at several points Sowinski made a point to recognize the band’s musical foundations. Fans of this record would do well to check out those two artists, as well as Dutch 9-man collective Jungle By Night.

    This was somewhat of a bootstrap affair and the performance from BADBADNOTGOOD put the LES tenement building through its paces. During bumpier moments one couldn’t help but throw a concerned eye to the creaking ceiling; at quieter points the crowd was reminded that this vintage clothing store has the acoustics of… well, a vintage clothing store.

    The performance was an interesting exercise in gig-based sensory deprivation: with no stage available, the crowd had to rely on their ears – and their feet – for the full experience. But the record makes for a compelling performance nonetheless as keys, guitar, saxophone, trumpet and drums deftly trade prominence throughout. A pared-back saxophone solo late in the day made for some light relief from the 100 mph efforts up to that point; bandmates were invited back in one by one to reach a thrilling climax to the night – the evening’s high point.

    Sowinski began the show by introducing BADBADNOTGOOD as a group of people who care deeply about music, one another and the direction the world is heading. While this latter point may have felt incongruous with the boutique clothing store setting (not to mention the army of iPhones pointed towards the band), the evening was a thrilling celebration of music and those who come together to enjoy it.

  • Welcome to the Revolution – Outernational’s secret pop-up show in the LES with Chad Smith

    Outernational was on the Lower East Side under the Williamsburg Bridge at a makeshift staging area on Tuesday, September 17. Myles Solay, the band’s lead singer had reached out and asked if NYS Music could document their secret pop up show taking place on top of a flatbed truck, while driving around the Lower East side for a few hours.

    Outernational pop up show in the Lower East Side September 17th, 2024

    With no permit in sight and help from the folks of First Live who rigged up the truck in a true DIY fashion, everything was set for a 3pm departure. Chad Smith (of The Red Hot Chili Peppers) rolled in around 2:50pm, and with no soundcheck, took his place at the kit and drove off to the first location.

    The route included stops at various staples like the Joe Strummer mural in front of Niagara on Avenue A, Union Square, Tompkins Square Park, McDougal Street, and a layover stop at Heaven Can Wait to say hello to Jesse Malin and his crew, dedicating a few songs to him. After a few rounds about Washington Square Park, the mobile pop up show ended on Bleeker Street at Village Revival Records.

    After the final few songs in front of Revival the band hopped off the truck, vinyls in tow for a meet and greet and record signing with fans inside the store.

    The new release Welcome To The Revolution was produced by Myles and Chad Smith, and was released on September 13 this year. The band is set to play two record release shows with special guest Chad Smith sitting in on drums at both.

    On Thursday September 19, they play (le) poisson rouge in New York and the second show is in Los Angeles on September 28.

  • In Focus: Buzzcocks at Irving Plaza on September 11

    Buzzcocks made a stop in NYC at Irving Plaza on Wednesday, September 11th as part of their recent North American tour. The show included opening performances by Native Sun and Lovecrimes. The crowd inside Irving Plaza spanned generations, all eager to support the UK band’s U.S. return.

    Hailing from Bolton in the United Kingdom, Buzzcocks has made frequent stops in NYC since their formation in 1976. The inspiration behind the band’s sounds have New York origins, with late frontman Pete Shelley citing The Velvet Underground being part of inspiring the band’s formation.

    Buzzcocks’ music was said to be ahead of its time, with songs alluding to subject matter that was considered taboo during the period of their formation. This led the band to be seen as a driving force of the Manchester punk scene. Buzzcocks has gone on to perform with many legends from the early era of New York punk and CBGB, including opening for Blondie in 1978. 

    With lead vocalist Pete Shelley’s passing in 2018, Steve Diggle has led the Buzzcocks vocals while also continuing on guitar. Diggle has continued on the high energy and humor that Shelley brought to Buzzcocks performances.

    On Wednesday night, Buzzcocks played a setlist spanning 50 years of the band’s discography, including songs from their most recent 2022 album “Sonics In The Soul.” The current line-up consists of Diggle on vocals and guitar, Danny Farrant on drums, Chris Remington on bass, and Mani Perazzoli touring on guitar. 

    Buzzcocks continues on their North American tour with stops in Pittsburgh on September 14th and House of Blues in Cleveland on September 15. Starting September 22nd, Buzzcocks will embark on a US tour with Descendants throughout early October

  • The FMs Release Joy Division Cover

    Following the announcement of their next album, 51122, NYC-based punk rock band The FMs have released the album’s first single, a cover of Joy Division’s “A Means to an End”.

    The FMs Joy Division

    Formed by founding members Matte Namer and Frankie Rex in 2016, The FMs’ foundations and legacy thus far are unapologetically punk and unapologetically queer. Brought together by the shared experiences of coming out as transgender and shared adoration for synthesizers, the two realized their debut LP Machinacene Epoch, released in 2017. The band’s performances quickly took on the same counter-culture personality their sound contained- forming a tight knit community around their SVBVERT shows on a ferry boat in the industrial canals of Bushwick, where they would continue to perform and produce in the years following.

    After the success of their commitment to a more traditional approach to music making with their first release and 2,000 hours in the studio, The FMs had created their next double-LP, PINK + BLACK. With its own personality, PINK + BLACK marked a softer and more personal point in the duo’s sound. Tragically, prior to the release of such a deeply personal labor of love, Rex passed away from a fentanyl overdose. This aching loss put a pause on the project, but two years later Namer decided to release the work posthumously- ultimately, not even death could stop Frankie Rex’s voice from being heard. 

    After the release of PINK + BLACK and recognition from names including the GLAAD foundation, Namer reformed the FMs in Ithaca, introducing trans musicians Bubba Crumrine on guitar, Basim Hussain on synth and keys, and Nick Scollard on drums. PINK + BLACK and the new line up made their debut at the first- ever Frankie Fest, a tribute to Frankie Rex and fundraiser for Chosen Family Law Center.

    The FMs Joy Division

    The FM’s upcoming release, 51122, is another tribute to Rex- the title corresponding with May 11, 2022, the day they passed. A nod to one of the founding duo’s favorite bands, as well as Rex’s favorite song of theirs, A Means to an End is the lead single of the album. 

    Composed of demos recorded years prior, the album’s producer David Werner simplified and elevated the track, doing both the original song and Rex’s voice justice. Containing likely some of the final recordings of their vocals that will be released, A Means To an End and the FM’s upcoming album is not a quiet goodbye to Rex- it is a bold reminder to the world that they will not be forgotten, immortalized both by their own voice and their band’s never-ending love.

    It’s also a bit somber being the last music that I think will ever be released with Frankie’s incredible, powerful, unique voice. I think there’s something about that that makes me remember they are really gone, like an orchid blooming from a coffin nail. 51122 is the date Frankie passed away, but is also a type of symbol in a way, or perhaps a word. I’m not sure what that meaning is yet, perhaps the orchid needs to grow.”

    – Matte Namer

    Following the release of 51122 this November, The FMs will celebrate with a record release show in New York City. More details will be revealed shortly. To keep up to date, visit their website here.

    To pre-order or pre-save 51122, please visit here.

  • New York City Opera Installs Constantine Orbelian as Executive Director & Music Director

    The board of New York City Opera announces the appointment of Constantine Orbelian as the organization’s new Executive Director & Music Director. Constantine succeeds General Director Michael Capasso.

    Constantine Orbelian

    Four-time Grammy-nominated conductor Constantine Orbelian has been called “the singer’s dream collaborator” by Opera News. He has toured and recorded with some of the world’s greatest singers, such as American stars Renee Fleming, Sondra Radvanovsky and Lawrence Brownlee. He also toured with the great Dmitri Hvorostovsky and other renowned singers in European, North American, and Asian music centers.

    Orbelian’s accomplishments include being Music Director of the Moscow Chamber Orchestra and the Philharmonia of Russia. He founded the annual Palaces of St. Petersburg International Music Festival and was Chief Conductor of the Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra in Lithuania. He was the first American to become music director of an ensemble in Russia.

    NYC Opera’s 2024-25 season is poised to captivate and inspire with dynamic repertoire that celebrates resilience, history, and community. The season also features the long-awaited revival of William Grant Still’s Troubled Island. It is presented 75 years after its 1949 premiere at City Opera.

    “I am honored and excited to take on the role of Executive Director in addition to my current role as Music Director and Principal Conductor of the New York City Opera, a company with such a rich legacy and profound history in the world of music. This opportunity allows me to blend my passion for artistic excellence with mindful and positive stewardship, ensuring that the cherished traditions of this great institution continue to thrive. Together with this wonderful community, we will embark on a journey that honors the past while boldly shaping the future of this iconic opera company.”

    Constantine Orbelian

    To learn more about NYC Opera’s new executive director and music director Constantine Orbelian, please click here.

  • Hackensaw Boys brings Love What You Do 20th Anniversary Tour to New York

    Americana bluegrass band Hackensaw Boys brings their celebratory tour for the 20th Anniversary of their 2005 album, Love What You Do. All in all, the group will bringing performances of the acclaimed project to Woodstock, Syracuse, and New York City this September and October.

    Hackensaw Boys

    Hackensaw Boys have been touring since 1999, known throughout the country and beyond for their exciting performances and unique use of the “charismo”, a DIY percussion instrument constructed of cans and other household objects. Carving out a distinctive sound of their own, current members David Sickmen (guitar), Caleb Powers (fiddle), Thomas Olivier (mandolin), Taylor Shuck (banjo), Aaron Smith (bass), and Bee Roberts (percussion) have been delivering high energy, down to earth shows as a collective for years now, with yet another sensational tour ahead of them beginning in just a few weeks.

    About “Love What You Do”

    Moreover, the album in question for the upcoming tour is one of their most beloved works, Love What You Do. Released in 2005, the album combines influences from American traditional music and modern indie rock, resulting in fan favorites that are still requested at almost every show just under 20 years later. This tour is a love letter to longtime listeners and fans of some of their oldest works, offering fresh interpretations of the classics while keeping the spirit of the original recordings alive.

    In addition to the live celebration, Hackensaw Boys will be pressing the album to vinyl for the very first time – a physical token to commemorate how far the group has come.

    As a result, Hackensaw Boys will begin their tour on September 26 in Woodstock. In addition to the opening show, the group will be performing in Syracuse on September 27 accompanied by opener Kidbless, and they will return to the state to perform at the Mercury Lounge in New York City on October 6. For tickets and further information, please visit here. 

    Moreover, dates for the east coast and midwest this fall have been announced, with more to come in the winter and spring. Thus, for the full list of currently announced tour dates, please see below.

    TOUR DATES

    Sept 26 – Colony (Woodstock, NY)

    Sept 27 – Funk ‘n Waffles (Syracuse, NY)

    Sept 28 – Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats (Rehoboth Beach, DE)

    Sept 29 – Small Batch Cellars (North Haven, CT)

    Oct 1 – Club Cafe (Pittsburgh, PA)

    Oct 2 – The 8×10 (Baltimore, MD)

    Oct 3 – 118 North (Wayne, PA)

    Oct 4 – Askew (Providence, RI)

    Oct 5 – Roy’s Hall (Blairstown, NJ)

    Oct 6 – Mercury Lounge (NYC, NY)

    Oct 19 – Trading Post by Traber Ranch (Lynchburg, VA)

    Oct 20 – Roanoke GO Fest (Roanoke, VA)

    Nov 7 – Shank Hall (Milwaukee, WI)

    Nov 8 – The Tarlton Theatre (Green Bay, WI)

    Nov 9 – Evanston SPACE (Evanston, IL)

    Nov 10 – Turf Club (St. Paul, MN)

    Nov 11 – Raccoon Motel (Davenport, IA)

    Nov 13 – Southgate House Revival (Newport, KY)

    Nov 14 – Duke’s Indy (Indianapolis, IN)

    Nov 15 – Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill (Grand Rapids, MI)

    Nov 16 – Beachland Tavern (Cleveland, OH)

    Nov 17 – Rumba Cafe (Columbus, OH)