NYC-based pop/indie-rock band Um Jennifer? released their debut EP titled, The Girl Class, released on April 5. The group’s debut extended play is chock full of charming, energetic, punk-tinged indie rock. Each song on the album is different than the last, with its own sound and charm. There is clear influence from The Cure, Eyedress, Sonic Youth, MGMT, and more. Much of their songs are reminiscent of love, sexuality, adventure, and youth. Elijah and Fig set out to pierce the soundscape with their sharp-witted, psyche-puncturing, and simply fun musical skill. The EP does exactly that. The Gi ..read more

ABBA’s music was center stage at Proctors in Schenectady on Thursday, April 11, as ABBA The Concert: A Tribute to ABBA, began their tour and kept the Swedish disco pop legacy alive. The show was riddled with outfit changes, energy and music to get the audience out of their seats, and the closest you can get to the real thing. As the lights dimmed, the band walked out to crowd cheers. The setlist was filled with ABBA favorites including “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!” and “Lay All Your Love On Me,” as this tribute band brought the excitement with them. Following each era of ABBA’s music were an outfit ..read more

Dynamic hip hop duo Gumbo — consisting of Caro Adé and Danger — continue to fight the power with the release of their debut album, Stir The Pot. Moreover, the duo have joined forces with the iconic Chuck D of Public Enemy on behalf of Black Lives Matter Grassroots to create a unique blend of music and activism. Furthermore, this partnership, encapsulated by the mantra “art + cause = community,” aims to make a meaningful impact on social justice through the universal language of music & art. Gumbo are keeping conscious hip hop alive with their debut album All in all, Gumbo are keen to ..read more

Brass Power House group Too Many Zooz returned to the scene where it all began on Saturday, April 6 as the trio concluded their self titled album tour in epic fashion. Retail Therapy is the band’s first album in almost five years, and we had the opportunity to ask one of the bands founding members, Matt Muirhead, about their new album, life for a band that’s been together for 10 years, and what’s next for the acclaimed trio. The album came together more than a year ago now…generally I think our goal was just to create as much as possible, and then spend the following months trimming the fat ..read more

On Monday, April 8, Joe’s Pub Annual Gala celebrated 25 years of artistic excellence and support for up-and-coming talent. The dynamic creative community of New York City came together in style. Vuyo Sotashe & Chris Pattishall | Credit David Andrako Joe’s Pub, a program of The Public Theater, has been a shining light for performers since it started in 1998. They welcome everyone from up-and-coming talents to Grammy Award-winning icons like Adele and Alicia Keys. The event’s proceeds supported vital initiatives like New York Voices and Joe’s Pub Working Group. Along with the ..read more

The Ashokan Center in Olivebridge, NY announced their first-ever Earth Fest hosted on April 21 from 12 to 4pm. Earth lovers of all ages are invited to the Ashokan Center for a variety of family-friendly and planet-focused activities. This includes a birds of prey demonstration, hands-on educational workshops, story readings, nature crafts, art-making activities, guided hikes, and live music presented by Shokoloko. Ravensbeard Wildlife Center will host an educational birds of prey demonstration at 12:30pm spotlighting their rescued and rehabilitating birds. Ravensbeard provides wildlife rehab ..read more

In the formative years of hip hop, where the DJ reigned supreme, skill was the only testament to success. And if that world remained Mister Cee’s name would be commonplace in contemporary folklore. However, much like the rest of the entertainment industry, the glory goes to whomever fans see holding the mantle. Hip hop resembles the sports world in that sense. The MVP trophy holder gets all the credit, no matter the invaluable contributions of trainers and lesser-known role players. In like manner, if an album goes number 1 then the name on the cover has accomplished a great feat. Notwithstan ..read more

On April 17, the Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College will present “as if our hands could hold the weight of promise” in conjunction with the Elevator Music 48: Alone, only in flesh exhibition. Artists MIZU, Theresa-Xuan Bui, Antonius-Tín Bui, and dancer Glenna Yu will turn the Tang elevator and atrium staircase into a living canvas of sound, movement, and spoken word poetry. They take the audience on an excursion, joining the diasporic artists on a migration embodying the hesitations, expectations, and contemplations of returning home. Elevator Music 4 ..read more

Talk about saving the best for last, On April 9, that was the case for Dreamville’s Bas as he stopped at the famed Irving Plaza in New York City for the last stop on his ‘WE ONLY TALK ABOUT REAL SHIT WHEN WE’RE F*CKED UP’ North American Tour. The show featured three openers: Blxckie, Reuben Vincent, and Hoosh. Each opener each played for around 20 minutes, giving a taste of their style and sound. This shorter set times and the overall quality of the openers worked really well for getting the crowd ready for Bas to take the stage. It was obvious that Bas picked musicians he respects and enjoy ..read more

Many know of Suzanne Vega for her infamous tunes such as “Luka” or “Tom’s Diner,” but they may not know that she’s been a New York native since she was two-and-a-half years old and that her brand new world tour just launched here in Albany. The tour, titled “Old Songs, New Songs, and Other Songs,” is in celebration of a new album she teased throughout her live performance. No word on a title or release date as of yet, but she did perform new songs and announced on-stage that it should be out late this year, if not early next year. The stage of The Egg itself was dressed simply, with no fluff ..read more