NYC Indie-folk band Sweetboy has been gaining popularity after the release of their 2023 album A Day in the Park. The group is known for their powerful style of indie, folk, pop, and alternative meshing.
Sweetboy was created by artists Anna Barnett and Jon Flores. The two met on Craigslist under aspiring musicians in search of a band. The pair got together, created some tunes, and began performing at open mics around NYC.
The duo then added some new members, put out some demos, and by 2023, released their first album A Day in the Park. Their sound combines infectious indie-pop energy and nostalgic alt-rock angst with an introspective throughline.
Sweetboy considers themselves not much more than nerdy music lovers trying to figure out the most interesting, authentic, and exciting ways to turn their feelings into songs. While the bandmates live throughout New York and New Jersey, the City is their musical home.
The group performed their song “Upstate” on Albany’s WTEN news station on February 25. The song is a wonderful combination of sound, beginning with a strong folk tone, shifting and evolving into a higher-energy pop-rock ballad with a punchy drumbeat.
“Upstate” features a percussive yet melodic piano. Throughout the tune, several changes of intensity and instrumentation occur. The track features Anna’s wonderous vocals along with soaring, choir-like vocals. From beginning as a slow, soft acoustic ditty, to a moving, quick-witted ballad, the song keeps the listener entranced and moving.
To learn more about Sweetboy and their upcoming music, visit their website here. Make sure to check out their YouTube channel for all past releases as well.
New York alternative punk band Bad Mary announced the re-release of their track “Forget About It” from their Better Days album. The album has been remixed and remastered as the Better(er) Days EP. Along with the rerelease, comes the band’s latest music video for the track.
“Forget About It” is a song that Bad Mary has been playing in their sets for years. Now with the re-release of the track on their latest EP, its only appropriate they finally crafted a creative new video to complement it. The band hails from Long Island and NYC, and have played various venues like The Highline Ballroom, The Knitting Factory, and Bowery Electric.
Bad Mary is powerhouse lead vocalist Amanda Mac, her husband Mike on bass, her dad Bill on drums, and her professor David on guitar. The band weaves rhythmic power and brain worm riffs as if it were 1979 all over again. They draw much influence from bands like Green Day, Blondie and The Ramones.
The new music video shows an all-white background with Amanda in a pop art style. The song is loud and punchy much like what the music video portrays with its bold art style and pop-up lyrics. The video and music together serve to convey flashiness and power. The punky, poppy music behind the video really carry the theme till the end.
“Forget About Itâ is a song we’ve been playing in our sets for years. It’s probably the song that we have played the most as a band. An important part of every set, it’s been a crowd favorite forever. With Better(er) Days we really wanted to capture the live energy and the chaos of a song with less than two chords, one line of lyrics, and a one-note guitar solo”.
Bassist Mike Staub
To learn more about Bad Mary and their up-and-coming music visit their website or click here.
Worldwide music phenom Donny Osmond is set to play at the Palace Theatre in Albany this summer. Donny will perform his timeless hits along with latest album Start Again. Along with the Palace Theatre July 3, Donny plays in NYC July 12 and Niagara Falls July 13.
The Palace Theatre in Albany has announced Donny Osmond’s return to their main stage this July. Osmond will stop in Albany as a part of his upcoming summer tour. The tour sees two other dates in New York, including NYC and Niagara Falls.
Osmond will showcase his talent and perform tracks from his latest album Start Again. This album marks the artist’s 65th album, a massive career milestone. Along with the latest album, Osmond will perform all-time hits from his catalogue like “Soldier of Love,” “Sacred Emotion” and more.
Donny Osmond headlines his award-winning solo residency at Harrah’s Las Vegas which was voted Best New Show, Best Performer, Best Resident Headliner and Best Production by The Las Vegas Review Journal.
Donny Osmond has notably entertained a vast array of audiences with his varied career choices. He has starred on Broadway as Gaston in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and hosted multiple Emmy nominated television shows. The critically acclaimed song Captain Li Shang’s “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” from the Disney film Mulan was sung by Donny.
Tickets go on sale Friday, March 8 at 10AM. To purchase tickets to see Donny Osmond at the Palace Theatre, click here.
Arts organization Performance Space New York has announced Taja Cheek as their newest Artistic Director. Best known for her experimental, against-the-grain pop music under the name L’Rain, Cheek will expand the organization’s mission with the rare insight of her experiences of experimental performance.
Cheek joins Senior Director Pati Hertling and Associate Director Ana Beatriz Sepúlveda-Echegaray to form a three-person leadership team.
Performance Space New York is based in the East Village of Manhattan and aims to educate, curate and produce various projects with an artist-and-community-first approach. Taja Cheek will satisfy and expand this vision as her life and career in the arts have yet to adhere to disciplinary boundaries or creative norms. This is a perfect reflection of what Performance Space New York stands for.
Okwui Okpokwasili Performance Space New York Spring Gala
Over the last 40-plus years Performance Space has been propelling cultural, theoretical, and political discourse forward. Progress and world-building connect the interdisciplinary works presented here. Works that have dissolved the borders of performance art, dance, theater, music, visual art, poetry and prose, ritual, night life, food, film, and technology, shattering artistic and social norms alike.
“Taja has in her work transgressed disciplines and institutional preconceptions; she’s a community maker and a renegade, and her work feels so connected to what we’ve been doing at Performance Space. With our new leadership structure, we’re continuing in the direction of a practice where new work and ideas are generated through internal collaboration—rather than us just commissioning artists who are being handed from one institution to another.”
Senior Director Pati Hertling.
For more information on upcoming Performance Space NY events, click here.
New York cult group Frog announces the release of their first ever live performance film, “Unplugged and Unhinged” on March 8. The live film marks the band’s upcoming Northeast tour coming mid-March.
The video was recorded at a sold-out show at Manhattan’s famous Canary Club this past December. The performance captures the band playing acoustically for the first time ever. “Unplugged and Unhinged” also offers the first official recordings of their expanded lineup. The band is comprised of leader Daniel Bateman and his brother Steve Bateman.
They are joined by returning co-founder Tom White. Frog shares the video a week prior to their upcoming tour which follows the band’s latest album, Grog. The tour begins March 14 in Philadelphia and wraps up March 23 with a location to be announced. The band will stop in Brooklyn’s legendary club, Knitting Factory on March 15.
Frog’s performance showcases the band’s live abilities with their soulful, twangy, foot-tapping tunes. To watch the live performance, and to see more of Frog’s work, click here.
The Uncharted Concert Series returns for its 10th year to Greenwich House Music School for six Thursday evening performances. The shows from April 4 to May 9 see alumni artists from the past decade of the concert series. All shows take place in Greenwich Village, Manhattan.
Uncharted is a performance resource for New York City-based musicians seeking to develop original material and premiere first-look projects in an intimate concert setting. The 2024 season include concerts from Camila Meza with Aaron Goldberg, Queen Esther, and Alea.
Also performing are Mireya Ramos with Trevor Turla, Raquel Acevedo Klein, and Dana Lyn with We the Gleaners. This line-up of strong women headliners underlines Uncharted’s commitment to promoting female diversity in performance.
The Uncharted Concert Series sees the performances of various genres like jazz, classical, mariachi, R&B and more. The six shows take all place on Thursday nights from April 4 to May 9. Each act will be unique and ready to move the crowd in more ways than one. All performances are filled with exciting, talented, and diverse vibrations.
This is a concert series that encourages artists to take risks and work out new or existing material, collaborations, and projects for an intimate concert experience. In keeping with Greenwich House Music School’s artist advocacy work, 100% of ticket and merchandise sales go directly to artists.
“The Uncharted series has afforded some of New York City’s most original, diverse, and talented local performers with financial support and physical space to explore fresh directions. On our tenth anniversary, we’re excited to welcome back several of the series’ shining stars for a second chance at new discoveries. We can’t wait to see their ideas come to life at these one-night-only performances in the Greenwich House Music School Recital Hall.”
Rachel Black, Director of Greenwich House Music School
General entry tickets to all shows are $20. Ticket sales include access to a pre-show open wine/beer bar. For more information on the Uncharted Concert Series and to purchase tickets, click here.
Musician Paul Shaffer is emceeing a concert in honor of Stephen Schwartz’ induction into the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF). Stephen Schwartz is best known for being the lyricist and composer of “Wicked,” “Godspell,” and “Pippin.”
The ceremony takes place March 23 at the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame headquarters in Stony Brook. Stephen Schwartz has written and composed various musical works for both Broadway plays and Hollywood films. Schwartz is a native of Long Island and has grown up in both NYC and Long Island.
The ceremony will be followed by an hour-and-a-half concert featuring performances from Schartz’s musicals. The music concert to follow the induction will be emceed by musician Paul Shaffer, with whom he worked early in his career. Schwartz and Shaffer will perform alongside musicians from the musical “Godspell” that include Rick Shutter, Doug Quinn and Steve Manes.
“Long Island has proven to be especially fertile ground for producing major talents in the fields of music and entertainment. The list of names is long and impressive. It’s a great honor for me to be recognized as being a part of that amazing tradition.”
Stephen Schwartz
Stephen’s acclaimed career spanned over 50 years, and he consistently composed works that lasted in the hearts of many. Paul Shaffer will be alongside Schwartz as the induction ceremony ensues. What better way to honor the Long Island talent than induction into the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame.
Several Broadway performers will be in attendance to honor Stephen as well. Teal Wicks, Carrie St. Louise, Dale Soules, Alysia Velez, Sam Simahk and DeMarius Copes are featured to honor Schwartz.
Tickets for the induction and concert event are available for sale on LIMEHOF’s website, limusichalloffame.org. Come see Stephen Schwartz get honored.
Alternative rockers Two Door Cinema Club announced their biggest string of tour dates ever. The tour includes dates in Lewiston and NYC, with the tour starting March 4 and wrapping up on October 3.
Two Door Cinema Club’s tour will see the band’s hot mix of guitar-driven post-punk hooks with dancey, electronic polish. The alt-pop sound gets people moving. The band will play their hits as well as recent music. They will stop at Pier 17 in NYC on July 23 and Artpark Amphitheater in Lewiston on July 29. The tour also includes a few dates in Ireland and the UK.
The group hails from Bangor and Donaghadee, Northern Ireland. Lead vocalist, guitarist and programmer Alex Trimble, guitarist and vocalist Sam Halliday, and bassist and vocalist Kevin Baird comprise the trio. The trio began playing as Two Door Cinema Club in 2007 and continue to stand the test of time in 2024 and beyond.
Two Door Cinema Club | 2024 Tour Dates
March 4 – Detroit, MI – Majestic Theatre (with Joywave)
March 5 – Columbus, OH – KEMBA Live! (with Joywave)
March 7 – Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre (with Joywave)
March 8 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue (with Joywave)
May 17 – San Diego, CA – Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre (with Day Wave)
May 18 – Pasadena, CA – Just Like Heaven Festival
May 19 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater (with Day Wave)
May 21 – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom (with Day Wave)
May 22 – Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre (with Day Wave)
May 24 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Union (with Day Wave)
May 25 – Denver, CO – The Mission Ballroom (with Day Wave)
May 28 – Dallas, TX – Southside Ballroom (with Day Wave)
May 29 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall (with Day Wave)
May 30 – Austin, TX – Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheatre (with Day Wave)
June 22 – Dublin, IE – Fairview Park
July 13 – Atlanta, GA – Coca-Cola Roxy (with Flipturn) *
July 16 – Miami, FL – FPL Solar Amphitheater at Bayfront Park (with Flipturn) *
July 17 – Jacksonville, FL – Daily’s Place (with Flipturn) *
July 20 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater (with Flipturn) *
July 23 – New York, NY – The Rooftop at Pier 17 (with Flipturn) *
July 26 – Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony Summer Stage (with Flipturn) *
July 27 – Baltimore, MD – Pier Six Pavilion (with Flipturn) *
July 28 – Boston, MA – Leader Bank Pavilion (with Flipturn) *
July 29 – Lewiston, NY – Artpark Amphitheater (with Flipturn) *
July 31 – Toronto, ON – Coca-Cola Coliseum (with Flipturn) *
August 15 – Belfast, IE – CHSQ
August 16 – Carnmore East, IE – Galway Summer Sessions
August 22 through 25 – Reading, UK – Reading Festival
August 22 through 25 – Leeds, UK – Leeds Festival
September 13 – Vancouver, BC – Orpheum Theatre (with Petey) *
September 14 – Seattle, WA – WAMU Theater (with Petey) *
September 15 – Bend, OR – Hayden Homes Amphitheater (with Petey) *
September 17 – San Francisco, CA – The Masonic (with Petey) *
September 21 – San Diego, CA – Gallagher Square at Petco Park (with Petey) *
September 24 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre (with Petey) *
September 25 – El Paso, TX – The Plaza Theatre Performing Arts Center (with Petey) *
September 26 – Austin, TX – Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park (with Petey) *
September 28 – Kansas City, MO – Starlight Theatre (with Petey) *
September 29 – Minneapolis, MN – The Fillmore Minneapolis presented by Affinity Plus (with Petey) *
October 1 – Madison, WI – The Sylvee (with Petey) *
October 2 – Indianapolis, IN – Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park (with Quarters Of Change) *
October 3 – Nashville, TN – Marathon Music Works (with Quarters Of Change) *
*Newly added tour dates
Tickets for Two Door Cinema Club will be available starting with a Citi presale beginning on Tuesday, March 5at 10 AM ET. An artist presale will begin on Wednesday, March 6at 10 AM. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general on-sale beginning on Friday, March 8at 10 AM at twodoorcinemaclub.com.
NYC Bluegrass hip-hop group Gangstagrass has released their latest funk-infused single titled, “Good at Being Bad.” The group stands for a unique and true musical genre of their own creation that merges the styles of country/bluegrass and hip hop. The latest single from the group exhibits their talent and diversity greatly.
Gangstagrass has also revealed a new 10-track album titled, The Blackest Thing On The Menu. The group delves deeper into the fundamental sounds of each genre, while preserving their own unique blend and sound. “Good at Being Bad” is complete with masterful mandolin playing, dynamic production, and energetic vocals.
The tune seamlessly blends funk with Gangstagrass’s distinctive fusion of bluegrass and hip-hop. The group originated in Brooklyn, but the sound they possess transcends city, state, and country. They are a diverse blend of sound, and the two genres reflect a coming together of American values.
This rebellious collective has achieved unparalleled success in crafting an innovative sound rooted in historically significant heritage. Gangstagrass emphasizes the value of education, frequently conducting workshops for K-12, college students, and adults of diverse backgrounds. Whether through engaging Q&A sessions, historical lessons, or spontaneous music tutorials, the group staunchly advocates for imparting well-rounded knowledge to everyone.
“Working with Gangstagrass was awesome. I had been hip to them for a few years and was really diggin’ what they were doing. Mixing bluegrass with hip hop! Quite out of the box thinking. A lot of worlds coming together. I have always been a fan of bluegrass and have worked on a few records. When we got in the studio, I thought the band was exceptionally talented. Also, I was a rapper myself in the late 80’s and early 90’s, so this scratched my classic hip hop itch with a new school twist. So, to record these amazing lyricists with a live smackin’ band… what more could you ask for!!”
Boo Mitchell
Gangstagrass’ music is a must-listen. Their amazingly different sound is something to certainly lay your ears on.
To listen to Gangstagrass’ latest single, “Good at Being Bad,” via streaming service, click here.
February 26 saw the magic of the 37th annual Tibet House US Benefit Concert at Carnegie Hall in NYC. The show saw an eclectic lineup of hugely talented acts including Laurie Anderson, Joan Baez, Maggie Rogers, Maya Hawke, Bowen Yang, and many more.
Joan Baez & Maggie Rogers Perform Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright
Every year, the annual Tibet House Benefit Concert hosts extraordinary and memorable one-night-only performances. The evening had countless standout moments as the artists celebrated the Year of the Dragon.
The Tibetan Monks performed to an entranced audience to start the show. The hypnotizing vocals welcomed Tibet House President Bob Thurman who shared his gratitude for the evening’s co-artistic directorsand the Tibetan people.
Various types of arts were played including quartets of strings which backed a guided meditation session. Acoustic melody, grand ensemble, comedy and poetry. The renowned Philip Glass Ensemble captivated concertgoers. At various points throughout the night, the audience was moved to emotion, and moved to their feet for ovations.
The festivities continued late into the night as the performing artists, VIPs, and Tibet House supporters like Chloë Sevigny, Clairo, Sarah Morris, Jason Weinberg and more enjoyed the elegant post-concert gala at Ziegfeld Ballroom. Proceeds support the work of Tibet House US. Their mission is to protect, preserve, and empower the unique Tibetan culture.
To learn more about the Tibet House and their upcoming events, click here.
