Kentucky-based Joslyn and the Sweet Compression come to Deep Dive, Band of Horses returns to the State Theatre, and the fifth annual Bob Marley Birthday Tribute Benefit concert is back!
Also, NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest is back, and open for submissions through Feb. 21. Find out all the details here!
Note: This week’s shows are listed in chronological order in two sections below.
Back to the Roots
Richie Stearns, Jeb Puryear, and Ben Gould of the Bubba George String Band (known for kicking off the annual GrassRoots Festival each year) come to South Hill Cider, joined by Steve Selin and Rosie Newton for a night of old-time fiddle tunes.
When: 5-8 p.m. Thursday
Where: South Hill Cider
Cost: free; donations welcome
Songs to Share
Singer-Songwriter Night returns to Hopshire Farm and Brewery in Dryden. Hosted by Driftwood’s Dan Forsyth on the first Thursday of every month, “this is an opportunity for songwriters to share their craft with each other. Bring a song you are working on, it doesn’t have to be complete, to get input from your peers. All are welcome to come listen respectfully.”
When: 6-8 p.m. first Thursday of every month
Where: Hopshire Farm and Brewery
Cost: free
On the Road
Deep Dive will host Anees and Michael Minelli tonight.
“Anees is an independent artist from the Washington D.C. area. His music is a genre-bending treat of ear-candy melodies, sublime rhyme-scheming and crooning lyricism. His authentic fusion of Pop and Hip-Hop with an R&B tone often draws comparisons to artists such as Mac Miller, Jon Bellion, and Chance the Rapper. Anees writes from the soul, for the soul. He believes passionately that music is meant to help others heal. That is the driving spirit in all of his songs.” His debut album “Summer Camp” includes his many viral Tiktok hit singles “Sun and Moon,” “Leave Me,” “Free Me,” “Thrive,” and more.
Michael Minelli: “When Michael Minelli sings, you know it’s him. With show-stopping delivery, dynamic range, an dtimeless panache, the Connecticut born & raised singer/songwriter immediately sets himself apart. It’s no surprise he’s earned the praise of everyone from Ryan Seacrest to BuzzFeed. For Minelli, it’s all a matter of soul. ‘Soul is the core of everything,’ he affirms. ‘It’s that thing you can’t put your finger on. Anytime somebody hears my music, I want them to immediately say, “That’s a Michael Minelli record.”
When: 8 p.m. Thursday
Where: Deep Dive
Cost: Advance tickets available online here
Music & Words
The Cornell Department of Music and Cornell Center for Historical Keyboards begin the spring Salon series as Neil Saccamano (Associate Professor Emeritus of English) joins Annette Richards (Professor of Music and University Organist) for a conversation about Richards’ recent book The Temple of Fame and Friendship: Portraits, Music, and History in the C. P. E. Bach Circle (Chicago, 2022), interspersed with performances on piano and clavichord by Xak Bjerken, Roger Moseley, and David Yearsley. The discussion will encompass Bach’s extensive collection of portraits, his attempts to capture the likenesses of friends and colleagues in music, and eighteenth-century configurations of character, physiognomy, sensibility, and memory. Seating is limited and is first-come, first-served.
When: 5 p.m. Friday
Where: A.D. White House, Cornell
Cost: free
Art+Music
“Join us at the Grayhaven for an evening of audio/visual experimentation....and a birthday celebration! Enjoy the free First Friday gallery show of Kota Bear + Zinc Cirriculum from 5:30 to 7, followed by SkeletonHands first anniversary with their visuals accompanied by a live score of experimental music featuring Matt Saccuccimorano, VII Caso, Weston Czerkies, Antonio Lo Monaco, Evan Land, and Corey Mahaney for $10. SkeletonHands has made its mark on the Ithaca scene over the last 12 months, growing a scene based in community, collaboration and experimentation.
About Skeleton Hands: “Caught in between the analog and digital worlds, Anthony Cenimo and Dakota Pace express their love of physical media through projection and live video manipulation. Using modern and vintage equipment they have created a need for themselves by providing live visuals for local and traveling bands from all genres. Featured in this show is a selection of pieces from both Anthony and Dakota’s own portfolios. The curation showcases both artists’ exploration of a wide variety of mediums and disciplines that comes from many years of artistic curiosity.”
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Where: The Grayhaven Motel, 657 Elmira Road, Ithaca
Cost: $10
Let’s Dance
The June Bugs return to Enfield Valley Grange for another square dance. “The June Bugs will saw down them fiddle tunes, and Nancy Spero and Marc Faris will have you rockin' and a-reelin' and a-carryin' on. No experience necessary — all dances taught from scratch. Bring friends or just yourself, but be there and be square!”
When: 6:30 p.m. Friday
Where: Enfield Valley Grange
Cost: $5-$15 suggested donation, “with a portion of the door going to keep the Grange up and running. No one turned away for lack of funds.”
Voices Carry
“As the seeds buried in the Earth dream of what they could become, come tend your inner spark with song. It is the time of Imbolc, the midpoint between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox, and we are gathering to sing through the dreaming of Winter.
“This is a participatory singing experience led by Elisa S. Keeler, Tracy LJ Robertson, Valerie Akers and Aria Dawn. Special guest Jhenah Telyndru will bless us with her presence and song as well. The songs we share are infused with intentions of healing, unity and reconnection. Through listening, singing and swaying along, we tap the well-spring of joy within. After our song circle, stick around as internationally touring vocal percussionist Tracy LJ Robertson will be laying down some original loops and beats. Danceable, uplifting and not to be missed!”
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Where: Sacred Root Kava Lounge & Tea Bar
Cost: Suggested donation: $10-$20
That’s Country!
Driftwood’s Claire Byrne showcases her new classic country project, The Silver Wings, in which she’s joined by Pat Strain (pedal steel), Jim Hearn (electric guitar), Greg Evans (drums), Pete Lister (bass), and Brian Vollmer (fiddle). Local honkin' tonkin' heroes Cast Iron Cowboys will open the show.
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Where: The Upstairs
Cost: $10 in advance, available online here; $15 day of show
It Takes Two
Yes Darling – a duo project from Ryan Montbleau and Hayley Jane – comes to the Center for the Arts.
“Ryan Montbleau has been an acclaimed singer, songwriter, and bandleader for more than a decade. Through relentless touring (both on his own and with the Ryan Montbleau Band) and recording seven studio albums, Ryan's earned a reputation for his gift for melody and a remarkably open-armed approach to songwriting.
“Hayley Jane is a singer, songwriter and dancer. She commands the stage with style, grace and a dynamic force that brings joy and inspiration to her devoted fanbase. Hayley Jane is currently recording and touring as a solo artist after years with her national touring act, Hayley Jane and The Primates.”
When: 8 p.m. Friday
Where: Center for the Arts of Homer
Cost: $22-$25, available online here
Kentucky Kool
“Joslyn & The Sweet Compression are bona fide, and they want the world to know it.
“A rising force out of Lexington, Kentucky, the band led by Joslyn Hampton come out swinging on their sophomore album, ready to uplift and inspire through their singular and stirring soul-funk sound. 2019’s critically acclaimed debut album made them a favorite headliner at regional clubs and music festivals. After a grueling and relentless tour schedule – one that saw them supporting Tower of Power at New York’s Sony Hall and Tyler Childers at Colorado’s legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre – the band are back with ‘Bona Fide,’ a sonically and emotionally charged record that captures their breathtaking live energy as well as their humanity.
“Released August 25, 2023, ‘Bona Fide’ is a resounding testament to Joslyn & The Sweet Compression’s unparalleled talents, as well as an homage to the band’s co-founder (and Joslyn Hampton’s step-father), Marty Charters, who passed away in 2022.
“Musically, ‘Bona Fide’ blends soulful and smoldering neo-funk with elements of ‘70s and ‘80s R&B. Hampton pulls from her inspirations – Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Whitney Houston, and Mariah Carey – as well as from the opera singers Hampton studied in college. ‘I find myself applying all of the things I’ve learned to my passion now, and placing it in my music,’ she shares.”
When: 9 p.m. Friday
Where: Deep Dive
Cost: $9 in advance, available online here; $15 day of show
Setting Up Shop
The Analogue Sons kick off their February residency at The Downstairs, performing on Friday nights throughout the month. The band includes Mike Stark (organ/synth/bass), Lee Hamilton (sax), Lars Burggren (drums), Aaron Speiser (dubs, melodica), Alicia Aubin (trombone), and Jason Shegogue (guitar), who perform “predominantly original material while sprinkling in a few choice covers blurring any boundaries among reggae, jazz, dub, soul, rock, surf & eastern European music.”
When: 8 p.m. Fridays in February
Where: The Downstairs
Cost: $10 or pay what you can
Saturday Songs
Jennie Lowe returns to South Hill Cider's tasting room to showcase her distinctive original songs that feature pensive lyrics and captivating vocals.
"What strikes at first is Jennie's carefully laid - almost naked - vocals on a gorgeous reverb. A genuine instrument that goes from whispering to declamation, almost like calligraphic technique, striped, powerful and fragile at the same time. A splendor that perfectly conveys the rainbow of emotions embedded in these songs: trust, distrust, abandonment, hope, envy, fear and disappointment, love - and its absence." Eric Supparo - Le Cri du Coyote- France
When: 5-7 p.m. Saturday
Where: South Hill Cider
Cost: free; donations welcome
Grand Opening
Franco's Pizzeria celebrates its new location at 527 W. State St. with live music by Jeb Puryear, Tara Nevins, Jonas Puryear, and friends. “Bring your dancing shoes, grab a partner, and enjoy a slice of life!”
When: 6-9 p.m. Saturday
Where: Franco's Pizzeria
Cost: free
Rock Goes To College
Practice at Presents returns to Deep Dive with another cool show, this one featuring “Musicians From Both Hills” – six bands from Cornell University and Ithaca College. IC will be repped by Little Slicer, June Feldman, and PaintBlank, while CU will offer up Twin Court, Home for Bugs, and Good Head.
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Where: Deep Dive
Cost: $10; $5 with student ID
Let The Sunshine In
Papa Muse and the Lit Fuse take their “Bringing the Sunshine Tour” to Sacred Root, previewing the release of their forthcoming single “Sunshine,” due out Feb. 23 from the upcoming “Dare to Dance” album.
They’ll be joined by Buffalo’s PA Line and Ithaca High School band Mazaiak for the show, which is open to all ages.
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Where: Sacred Root Kava Lounge & Tea Bar
Cost: $10-$15 sliding scale
Ready to Return
Band of Horses returns to Ithaca for a two-set show — one acoustic, one electric — to promote their latest album, “Things Are Great.”
“There might be no other band that was able to channel the generational anxiety in those early millennial years and turn it into such powerful and inclusive art quite like Band of Horses. Band of Horses fashioned gorgeously ragged epics, Ben Bridwell’s high-flying vocals and eccentric enunciation floating like a specter that felt like a prelude to a dream. Full of profundity, truth, and sometimes just homespun advice on how to live, Band of Horses songs have become anthems and touchstones for fans. Emotionally intense, both on a personal and elemental level, the songs for Band of Horses’ sixth album, Things Are Great, finds Bridwell more autobiographical than he’s ever been on record, detailing the nebulous frustrations and quiet indignities of relationship changes and what a person will do to make things right. And what you do when you can’t.”
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Where: State Theatre of Ithaca
Cost: $46, available online here (LOW TICKET ALERT!)
Words & Music
WhoisBrianTech and Aiysha Simon team up for a night of spoken word, music, and dance in downtown Ithaca.
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Where: The Downstairs
Colliding Forces
For the second stop of its "Massive Heart On 2024 Tour,” Rochester’s RootsCollider brings its "Underground Funktronic Dance Rock" to downtown Ithaca. “Using a studio producer's approach to writing original music, the group creates their art primarily by layering melodies, rhythms, and samples made in Ableton with an anthemic riff rock approach. Think of if Rage Against the Machine & The Beastie Boys went to an illicit warehouse rave and collaborated with all of the DJ's from EDM's golden era of the 1990's.”
Opening the show is Buffalo’s Grub, “a multi-genre trio capable of delivering funk-driven madness, improvisational bliss, and shoe-gazing glitch-o-matic electronic soundscapes.”
When: 9 p.m. Saturday
Where: The Range
Cost: cover charge
Reaching the Summit
The seventh annual Ithaca Big Band Summit will feature the jazz ensembles of Ithaca College, Cornell University, and Ithaca High School under the direction of Mike Titlebaum, Paul Merrill, and Michael Treat.
When: 3 p.m. Sunday
Where: Ford Hall, Ithaca College
Cost: free
Stirring It Up
Deep Dive will host the fifth annual Bob Marley Birthday Tribute Benefit show, featuring bands from a variety of genres playing Bob Marley songs in their own style. On the bill are the Notorious Stringbusters (bluegrass), Kitestring (roots rock), Li’l Anne and Hot Cayenne (Zydeco), along with DJ Mike Judah (host of WICB’s “Reggae Explosions) spinning tracks as Cha Cha (Mosaic Foundation, New Planets and Scuba Jerry) and SingTrece (SingTrece and Stone Cold Miracle) serenade us with their tribute to Robert Nesta Marley Born Feb 6 1945.”
“As in years past we are benefiting the Cayuga Lake Wetlands Restoration Project,” says benefit organizer Michael Miller (aka DJ Mike Judah). “They have been doing great work. Part of their intention is to bring the land back to its original ecosystems using the wisdom and teachings of the native Gayo’goho:no’. Reintroducing native wetlands plants, clean up trash from the Cayuga Inlet, remove destructive invasive species and collect water samples to test. They reintroduce native cattail plants from other wetland areas in the region back into the inlet. Cattail filters nitrogen and phosphorus from the water. This is a way of combating harmful algae blooms caused by industrialization and the lack of protective wetlands ecosystems. By engaging in this work, the youth can reclaim a connection with nature and a connection with others. We believe that by being of service to the Earth, this action heals relationships between peoples.”
The event also will feature Jamaican food from West Indies Flavor and a silent auction of items donated by many local businesses. “This is an all-ages, family-friendly event. Children must be supervised by a parent or guardian, please no horseplay or running around the Deep Dive.”
When: 4 p.m. Sunday
Where: Deep Dive
Cost: $10 suggested donation
Swamp Things
Janet Batch will host the “Sad Sack Song Swamp,” in which she’ll be joined by JP Payton (Freight), Mike Callahan (Mortal Combine), and Dan Forsyth (Driftwood) for a night of trading tunes.
Where: The Downstairs
Cost: $10 or pay what you can
In Recital
The Cornell Department of Music welcomes guest soprano Minnita Daniel-Cox for a recital, accompanied by pianist Andrew Zhou. “Currently Associate Professor of Voice at the University of Dayton, Daniel-Cox's research regarding the musical settings of texts by poet and Dayton native Paul Laurence Dunbar led to her establishment of the Dunbar Music Archive (DMA) and the Dunbar Library & Archive. She travels internationally lecturing about and performing excerpts from the archive and is active within the arts community of Dayton, appearing with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, the Miami Valley Symphony Orchestra, and the Bach Society of Dayton, among others.”
When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday
Where: Barnes Hall, Cornell
Cost: and open to all
‘German Orpheus’
Cornell’s Midday Music for Organ series features Annette Richards performing music by C. P. E. Bach.
“Celebrated by his North German contemporaries as the ‘German Orpheus,’ C. P. E. Bach left a vast oeuvre of music in all genres except opera. His organ works form a small but coherent group, most of them composed for the Princess Anna Amalia of Prussia and her specially-commissioned organ. University Organist Annette Richards explores this striking and imaginative repertoire on the Anabel Taylor organ, an instrument based on the Charlottenburg Castle organ that Anna Amalia would have heard, and perhaps played, in her youth.”
When: 12:30 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Anabel Taylor Chapel, Cornell
Cost: free and open to all
Wednesday Night Jazz
Kicking off a full night of jazz, Greg Lofaro and The Firefly Trio return for the Deep Dive Jazz Happy Hour. They’ll be followed by the Deep Dive House Big Band at 8-10 p.m. and the new People’s Jam hosted by Drew Martin at 10:30 p.m.
When: 6-11:30 p.m. every other Wednesday
Where: Deep Dive
Cost: free
More Shows
In the first Cornell Midday Music in Lincoln of the semester, pianist Bill Cowdery explores “The Fantastic in Bach’s Notebooks” at 12:30 p.m. Thursday in Lincoln B20
Atwater Winery hosts Bring Your Own Vinyl Night at 5-8 p.m. Thursday
Aiken is at Cortland Beer at 6-9 p.m. Thursday
Benny T brings his Open Mic Posse to The Ridge in Lansing at 6:30 p.m. Thursday
Mark Maynard plays Bike Bar Ithaca at 7-10 p.m. Thursday
Atlas Bowl hosts Vinyl DJ Night at 7-10 p.m. Thursday
DJ Dale hosts Karaoke Night at the Upstairs at 10 p.m. Thursday
Rena Guinn and Joe Lule are at Barnstormer Winery at 5-8 p.m. Friday
Levi Gangi is at Two Goats Brewing at 5-8 p.m. Friday
Liam Lawson is at Aurora Brewing Company at 5:30-8:30 p.m. Friday
Bradford Allen is at Homer Hops Brewing at 6-8 p.m. Friday
Clint Bush is at BRU64 at 6-8 p.m Friday
Austin MacRae and Tim Ball are at Hopshire Farm and Brewery at 6-8 p.m. Friday
Zingology performs at North Star Fine Art Gallery on the Commons at 6-8:30 p.m. Friday
Tenzin Chopak is at the Middle Ages Tap Room in Syracuse at 6-8 p.m. Friday
Smilo & The Ghost Duo are at Grist Iron Brewing at 6-9 p.m. Friday
The Ryan Peterson Trio is at McGraw Box Brewing at 6-9 p.m. Friday
Chris Eves is at Heuga’s Alpine in Tully at 6-9 p.m. Friday
The Shylocks are at ONCO Fermentations in Tully at 7-9 p.m. Friday
Roger Decker is at the Dryden Hotel at 7-9 p.m. Friday
Adam Parker is at the Brackel Pub and Grub in McDonough at 7-10 p.m. Friday
Richman and the Poorboys are at Cortland Beer Company at 8 p.m. Friday
Randy McStine plays a solo show at Atomic Tom’s in Binghamton at 8-10 p.m. Friday
Proper Philth spins at a Dance Party at the Range at 10:30 p.m. Friday
Rachel Beverly is at Treleaven Winery at 1-4 p.m. Saturday
The Whiskey West Duo is at Two Goats Brewing at 5-8 p.m. Saturday
Brian Michael is at the Puffin Bird at Labrador Mountain in Truxton at 5-8 p.m. Saturday
Benny and The Mex are at Summerhill Brewing at 6-8 p.m. Saturday
Homebrewed Comedy is at Homer Hops Brewing at 6-8 p.m. Saturday
The Kitestring Trio is at Brewer's Kitchen and Taproom at 6-8 p.m. Saturday
The Johnny West Trio is at Night Owls in Cortland at 6-9 p.m. Saturday
JD and Sam from Petty Thieves are at Aurora Brewing Company at 6-9 p.m. Saturday
DJ Dale hosts Trivia Night at Hopshire Farm and Brewery at 6-9 p.m. Saturday
Off the Rails are at the Ithaca Eagles Club at 7 p.m. Saturday
Ghost Train is at the Cedarwood Event Venue in Trumansburg at 7 p.m. Saturday
Grist Iron Brewing hosts a Silent Disco at 7-9 p.m. Saturday
The Silver Wings and Cast Iron Cowboys are at Owego’s John Barleycorn Pub at 8 p.m. Saturday
Roger Decker and Pat Nadge are at Cortland Beer Company at 8-11 p.m. Saturday
Caviar & Grits are at Trax Pub and Grille at Greek Peak at 9 p.m. Saturday
Drew Kiddoo & The Blackouts are at Jake’s Saloon in Horseheads at 9 p.m. Saturday
Fritz’s Polka Band plays ONCO Fermentations’ Polka Fest at 2-5 p.m. Sunday
The Jesse Collins Trio is at Al’s Wine & Whiskey Lounge in Syracuse at 10 p.m. Sunday
The Downstairs hosts Poetry and Prose Open Mic Night at 7 p.m. Monday
Kenneth McLaurin hosts Open Mic Standup Comedy Night at the Downstairs at 7 p.m. Tuesday
The Argos Grove Trio plays jazz at the Argos Inn at 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesdays
Delta Mike Shaw is at the Scale House Brewery at 6-8 p.m. Wednesday
Rachel Beverly is at Salt Point Brewing at 6:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday
DJ Dale hosts Trivia Night at Revelry Yards at 7-9 p.m. Wednesdays
Sacred Root Kava Bar and Tea Lounge hosts its weekly Open Mic Night at 7 p.m. Wednesday
The Upstairs hosts its weekly Open Mic Night at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday
