The Frank White Experience returns to Ithaca with its Notorious B.I.G. tribute, Motherwort plays another album release show, and Winter Village Music presents a pair of stellar duos at La Tourelle. Plus, catch a bunch of local favorites on stage around Ithaca, Cortland and CNY in the coming days.
Note: the events are listed below in chronological order, in two separate sections.
And if you missed it, Jim Catalano highlighted his 15 favorite concerts of 2022 in his Soundoff column!
Dynamic Duos
Winter Village Music will present an evening of bluegrass, old-time, and original music featuring NYC-based Michael Daves & Jacob Jolliff and local favorite Richie & Rosie in concert at La Tourelle. “Heralded as a leading light of the New York bluegrass scene by the New York Times, Daves has garnered attention for his work with Tony Trischka, Steve Martin, and Chris Thile, with whom he shares a Grammy nomination for their 2011 Nonesuch Records release ‘Sleep With One Eye Open.’
“Jacob Jolliff is one of the country’s premier contemporary bluegrass mandolinists. His namesake solo project, The Jacob Jolliff Band, is the next generation of bluegrass supergroups, which features a rotating quartet of some of the most virtuosic and innovative young pickers in the country. Jolliff is currently touring with Bela Fleck's My Bluegrass Heart and has also performed with Yonder Mountain String Band and Joy Kills Sorrow
“As a duo, Daves and Jolliff use hard-core, traditional bluegrass songs as a jumping-off point for improvisation and spontaneous re-working of classic forms. Expect fiery picking and and high lonesome vocal harmonies.” Find out more about the show here!
When: 7:30-9:30 p.m. Friday
Where: La Tourelle, 1150 Danby Road, Ithaca
Cost: Advance tickets will cost $30 for adults and $25 for seniors and students. Door prices will be $35 and $30 for seniors and students; “Proof of vaccination will be required. Masks are welcome and at the discretion of attendees.”
Getting Biggie Wit’ It
The Frank White Experience brings “the sounds of NOTORIOUS B.I.G. to your ears in a way never heard before! The Frank White Experience is the genre leader in live Hip Hop tribute bands. Best described as the Dark Star Orchestra of Hip Hop, FWE delivers a quality of sound & homage akin to acts like Pink Talking Phish, Lizards, Badfish and Start Making Sense. The first of its kind, FWE not only covers the music of Biggie Smalls but takes listeners on a journey back through the beloved soundscape of 1990’s hiphop, making them a guaranteed crowd pleaser sure to rock any audience in any venue, large or small.
“The Frank White Experience has shared the stage with Rakim, Styles P, Lil Kim, Fat Joe, C.J. Wallace, Havoc, DJ Enuff, Sway Calloway, Lil Cease, Klept, Smif-N-Wessun, Prayah, Reef The Lost Cauze, Shenseea, Badfish, and many more.” Find out more here!
Local hiphop artists Corey Loveless and Felix Free will open the show.
When: 8 p.m. Friday
Where: Deep Dive
Cost: $8 in advance, available online here; $15 at the door,
Good Vibrations
The Downstairs will host “The Vibe Check,” featuring Ithaca’s own Magz1lla and Binghamton artists Diamond D’Nali, Edge & Babi Lou. “Magz1lla is a pop artist with a bubbly sound and current singles ‘Hush Hush’ and ‘Mountains in my Soul.’
"Fresh off of her EP release ‘The World Is Mine,’ Diamond D’Nali is a R&B artist with heavy soulful inflections that are sure to leave an imprint as showcased in her tracks ‘Better and ‘On U Bad.’
"Edge & Babi Lou are an eclectic musical duo that bring you tastes of pop, hip hop, r&b, indie, and more. They’re able to show their range with tracks like ‘OMW’ and ‘Intoxicated.’”
When: 8:30 p.m. Friday
Where: The Downstairs
Cost: $10
Sounds of Winter
The CCO Youth Orchestra will present its Winter Concert, with a program that includes Kenji Bunch's “Supermaximum,” Mendelssohn's “Violin Concerto” (ft. CCOYO Concerto Competition winner, Crosby Woods), and Respighi's “Pines of Rome.”
When: 4-5 p.m. Saturday
Where: Ford Hall, Ithaca College
Cost: free and open to all
Rockin’ Release
Local “farm-grrrl folk-punk” band Motherwort just completed their debut album, titled “Metamorphosis,” and will play the second of two release shows to mark the occasion. “Join us for an evening of festivities at Sweet Land Farm, where we recorded this EP! We'll be joined by our friends Janet Batch and the Four-Bangers. Cider and Wine for sale by Sweet Land Farm Cellars (no outside beverages). We'll have CDs and merch and fun things for sale! All ages and family-friendly!”
When: 5 p.m. Saturday
Where: Sweet Land Farm, 9732 Route 96, Trumansburg
Cost: $10, includes a free download card; or pay what you can (no card)
Read an interview with Motherwort here!
Let’s Dance
The Ithaca Swing Dance Network will host its 35th-anniversary celebration, featuring the Ageless Jazz Band playing classic tunes throughout the evening. An Intro to Swing Dance Class at 6:30 p.m. is included with admission. “Masks are required to be worn over nose and mouth. (masks will be available if you don't have one.)”
When: 7-10 p.m. Saturday
Where: Community School of Music and Arts
Cost: $15
Swinging Party
“Boost your January! Meet up with friends at the Village Swing scene, Saturdays 7 to 9 through January, at The Downstairs. Your hosts, Brian Earle and Wayne Gottlieb will get your feet tapping! Watch for a new special guest artist each week. See you there!” They’ll be joined by bassists Ted Caldwell (Jan. 7, 21) and Harry Aceto (Jan. 14, 28) throughout the month. This week’s guest is local singer Annie Burns!
When: 7-9 p.m. Saturday
Where: The Downstairs
Cost: free; donations welcome
Goin’ Underground
Ithaca Underground returns with its first show of 2023, ready to present “an epic night of beats, bass, and prose” in downtown Ithaca. On the bill are S00P (“Ithaca's S00Preme experimental bass music project”), Queen Niya (Niya Foster, “26 yr old momma of 3 spiritual queens trying to make a dollar off of her dreams”), Trew Sudaam (aka Terhan Winston; learn more here!), BayFay (“A black female with passion for music and the industry”), and DJ Evo Evolution (the pop-performance persona of Ramsey “Lightyear” Fulcher).
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Where: Sacred Root Kava Bar and Tea Lounge
Cost: $8
Bring the Heavy
Practice at Presents returns to Deep Dive “with one of our heaviest shows yet!” Cactus Cathedral is back in town with support from Mill Bastards, Cobra Cadaver, and Water Bears. Open to ages 18 and up.
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Where: Deep Dive
Cost: $10
Freight and Friends
After a holiday hiatus, Liam Lawson returns with his monthly “Future Folk” series. This fifth edition will feature an acoustic set from Lawson’s main band, Freight – “expect stripped-down alt-country and psychedelic folk songs with catchy hooks and three-part harmonies” – along with an opening set of “melancholy bedroom pop” from local songwriter Lilac Milk.
When: 7 p.m. Sunday
Where: The Downstairs
Cost: $10
Soulful Strings
Silver Rein returns to The Downstairs for “more femme-forward folk and magic.” See one of Silver Rein’s previous shows here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OMGPbsakec
She’ll be joined by local singer-songwriter Lora Pendleton, whose “Waiting for Light” album is now available on bandcamp.
When: 8 p.m. Monday
Where: The Downstairs
Cost: $5
More Shows
Anthropologist (aka Angelo Paradiso) brings deep cuts to Seven Of Jazz Lounge at 12-4 p.m. Thursday
Richie Stearns, Cap Cooke, Sam Schmidt, and Joe Hayward play old-time tunes at South Hill Cider at 5-8 p.m. Thursday
Scott B. Adams hosts Open Mic Night at the Scale House Brewery at 6-9 p.m. Thursdays
The Brewhouse Blues Jam returns to Hopshire Farm and Brewery at 6-8 p.m. Thursday
Pat and Don are at Cortland Beer Company at 6 p.m. Thursday
Benny T brings his Open Mic Posse to The Ridge in Lansing at 6:30 p.m. Thursday
Atlas Bowl's Vinyl Showcase will feature JT Tompkins of WRFI’s “Dance the Mutation” show at 7-10 p.m. Thursday; he promises a “deep dive into the shallow end of garage rock, post punk, and indie fuzz.”
Brian Fitz hosts Live Music Night at Ake Gallery in Cortland (165 S. Main St.) at 7 p.m.
The Sweats are at Two Goats Brewing at 5-8 p.m. Friday
Jim E. Leggs is at Grist Iron Brewing at 6-9 p.m. Friday
Erin and the Backwoods Blues Project is at Hopshire Farm and Brewery at 6-8 p.m. Friday
GeriRig plays acoustic at Heuga’s Alpine in Tully at 6-9 p.m. Friday
John West and Ted Romer’s Excellent Adventure Duo is at McGraw Box Brewing Company at 6-8 p.m. Friday
Paul Davie is at Homer Hops at 6-8 p.m. Friday
Citi Cat is at the Dryden Hotel at 7-9 p.m. Friday
The Rollin’ Rust with Dan Forsyth and Joey Arcuri play Funk N Waffles in Syracuse at 8 p.m. Friday
Billy Golicki and the Therapists are at Cortland Beer Company at 8 p.m. Friday
Metasequoia returns to the Range at 9 p.m. Friday
Dubber Rucky is at the Upstairs at 10 p.m. Friday
Brian Hughes is at Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards at 1-4 p.m. Saturday
Tom Chick is at Treleaven Winery at 1-4 p.m. Saturday
The Vollmers are at Chateau Dusseau at 3-6 p.m. Saturday
Deuces Wild is at McGraw Box Brewing Company at 5-8 p.m. Saturday
Ghost Train plays Trax Pub and Grille at Greek Peak at 6-8 p.m. Saturday
Mike Aiken is at Homer Hops at 6-9 p.m. Saturday
Just Joe is at ONCO Fermentations in Tully at 6-9 p.m. Saturday
F.A.R. Trio is at Grist Iron Brewing at 6-9 p.m. Saturday
Past My Bedtime plays the St. Charles in Cortland at 8 p.m Saturday
Crystal Vision is at Cortland Beer Company at 8 p.m. Saturday
The Dutchess of Spirit Posse returns to the Range for a dance party at 9 p.m. Saturday
Chasing Neon is at the Red Jug Pub in Cortland at 10 p.m. Saturday
Benny T brings his Open Mic Posse to Homer Hops at 1 p.m. Sunday
Tru Bleu is at Six Mile Creek Vineyard at 1-3 p.m. Sunday
StratCat Willie and the Strays are at Solera Tap House at 2-5 p.m. Sunday
The Center for the Arts in Homer hosts Open Mic Night at 7 p.m. Tuesday
Jesse Collins hosts the Sandwich Sessions at Brookton’s Market at 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday
Rachel Beverly is at Salt Point Brewing at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday
Sacred Root Kava Bar and Tea Lounge hosts its weekly Open Mic Night at 7 p.m. Wednesday
Regional Shows
Jan. 12, Greensky Bluegrass, Town Ballroom, Buffalo
Jan. 12, Lustre Kings’ Elvis Birthday Bash, 443 Social Club, Syracuse (SOLD OUT!)
Jan. 13, Brian Regan, Oncenter Crouse Hinds Theater, Syracuse
Jan. 13, Sirsy, 443 Social Club, Syracuse (SOLD OUT!)
Jan. 14, Howie Mandel, Del Lago Resort, Waterloo
Jan. 14, Peter Mulvey, Oswego Music Hall, Oswego
Jan. 14, Travis Denning, Touch of Texas, Binghamton
Jan. 15, Greensky Bluegrass, The Stanley Theatre, Utica
Jan. 18, Plastic Picnic, The 9th Ward at Babeville, Buffalo
Jan. 19, Disco Biscuits, Town Ballroom, Buffalo
Jan. 19, Circles Around the Sun, Deep Dive, Ithaca
See an updated list of dozens of shows across upstate New York happening in January and beyond!