Tour News
Umphrey's McGee Head to UMBowl XII as a Five-Piece
Guitarist Jake Cinninger left the band in July after 26 years, the second lineup change in 15 months, and no replacement has been named.
Independent coverage of the jam band scene since 2007. We make the photographs, show reviews and festival guides that help you find the shows worth the drive across Upstate New York and the Finger Lakes, and save you the gas on the ones that are not.
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Festival season Lineups, set times and what the upstate festivals are putting on this year.
Porchfest Returns to Fall Creek and Northside for an 18th Year
Ithaca's 18th annual Porchfest runs noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday, September 20, across the porches of Fall Creek and Northside. Admission is free.
New Planets Bring The BBQ VIII to Stone Bend Farm
The eighth annual festival returns August 28-29 with more than 30 musical acts, three stages, camping, healing arts and family-friendly activities in Newfield.
GrassRoots Announces Its 34th Year: Rhiannon Giddens, Taj Mahal, Del McCoury Band
Four days and four stages return to the Trumansburg Fairgrounds July 16-19, with more than 80 artists and all-fees-included ticket pricing held flat from last year.
Ithaca Reggae Fest Returns to Stewart Park With Third World and The Skatalites
The 8th annual festival runs June 26-28 at Stewart Park, with a free Friday welcome party, morning yoga both weekend days, and proceeds going to Cayuga Lake protection.
Adirondack Independence Turns 10 With moe. Back on Top of the Bill
The Lake George festival's 10th anniversary edition runs August 29-31 at Charles R. Wood Park, with moe. headlining for a fifth straight year alongside Pigeons Playing Ping Pong and Robert Randolph.
On the road Routing, run announcements and the rooms worth driving to.
Dark Star Orchestra Book Eight New York Shows, Including Utica and Binghamton
The Grateful Dead tribute band plays eight New York shows at five venues between September and January, opening at Saranac Brewery in Utica on September 15.
Fall at the State: Marcus King, Trampled by Turtles, Punch Brothers, Béla Fleck
Six shows fill the State Theatre calendar from September through December, closing with Béla Fleck on the 98th anniversary of the theatre's opening night.
UMBowl XII Is Headed to Milwaukee's Pabst Theatre
Umphrey's McGee will play three sets a night on October 9 and 10 at the 1895 Pabst Theatre, with ticket holders voting on what the sets contain.
Phish Announce an Eight-Show Fall Tour, Including a 32-Year Return to Richmond
Three nights at Boardwalk Hall open a run that reaches Richmond for the first time since 1994 and Florida for the first time since 2016.
Gov't Mule Bring the Summer Run Back to Artpark
The band co-headlines the Artpark Amphitheater with JJ Grey & Mofro on August 6, their seventh appearance at the Lewiston park by setlist.fm's count.
In their own words Long-form conversations with the players, promoters and festival founders behind the upstate scene.
Matt O'Brian Breaks His Silence on Leaving Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad
In an hour-long Pulse of Ithaca Podcast episode recorded the night before a Deep Dive show, the Rochester songwriter walks through the reggae years, the abrupt exit, eight years as a singing drummer and a new record called Homesick.
Jeb Puryear Traces Donna the Buffalo and GrassRoots to a Trumansburg Old-Time Scene
In an hour-long Pulse of Ithaca Podcast episode recorded at festival headquarters, the Donna the Buffalo co-founder walks back through the fiddle scene, the mispronounced band name and the $78,000 first festival budget.
Interview: The Brothers Comatose
The Brothers Comatose is an up-and-coming San Francisco-based band. Guitarist and band cofounder Ben Morrison recently discussed how he became interested in music, the formation of the Brothers Com...
Interview: Alvin Lee of The Lee Boys
Florida-based sacred steel group The Lee Boys create joyous music and are known for their electrifying live performances. They are playing Magnolia Fest 2014. Guitarist Alvin Lee recently discussed...
On record New albums, archival releases and live audio worth the download.
Billy Strings Releases 'So Much for Goodbyes' and Fills the Ionia Fairgrounds
The 16-track fifth album arrived August 28 on Reprise Records, and Strings marked it with the first Ionia Freak Fair in his home state of Michigan.
Billy Strings Announces 'So Much for Goodbyes,' With Cover Art by His Late Mother
The fifth studio album arrives August 28 on Reprise Records with 16 tracks produced by T Bone Burnett and Strings, and cover art painted by his mother, Debra Apostol.
Phish Are Releasing the 2025 SPAC Run as a 55-Track Box Set
All three nights from Saratoga Springs last July arrive June 26, including the show that closed with the first Tweezer encore the band has ever played.
New Planets Follow 'Blood Diamonds' With Ten-Track 'Guillotine'
The Ithaca band's second album arrives on Angry Mom Records with ten tracks, ten credited players and two drummers, recorded and mixed by Angelo Paradiso at Black Bear Recording.
Umphrey's McGee Build a Record Out of Their Own Jams on 'Blueprints'
The band's 15th studio album takes six chosen improvisations from UMBowl and finishes them into songs, recorded before 90 people a night on the fourth floor of Chicago's Metro.
Tour News
UMBowl XII Is Headed to Milwaukee's Pabst Theatre
Umphrey's McGee will play three sets a night on October 9 and 10 at the 1895 Pabst Theatre, with ticket holders voting on what the sets contain.
Tour News
Phish Announce an Eight-Show Fall Tour, Including a 32-Year Return to Richmond
Three nights at Boardwalk Hall open a run that reaches Richmond for the first time since 1994 and Florida for the first time since 2016.
Tour News
Gov't Mule Bring the Summer Run Back to Artpark
The band co-headlines the Artpark Amphitheater with JJ Grey & Mofro on August 6, their seventh appearance at the Lewiston park by setlist.fm's count.
Album
Billy Strings Announces 'So Much for Goodbyes,' With Cover Art by His Late Mother
The fifth studio album arrives August 28 on Reprise Records with 16 tracks produced by T Bone Burnett and Strings, and cover art painted by his mother, Debra Apostol.
Download
Phish Are Releasing the 2025 SPAC Run as a 55-Track Box Set
All three nights from Saratoga Springs last July arrive June 26, including the show that closed with the first Tweezer encore the band has ever played.
Festival
GrassRoots Announces Its 34th Year: Rhiannon Giddens, Taj Mahal, Del McCoury Band
Four days and four stages return to the Trumansburg Fairgrounds July 16-19, with more than 80 artists and all-fees-included ticket pricing held flat from last year.
Album
New Planets Follow 'Blood Diamonds' With Ten-Track 'Guillotine'
The Ithaca band's second album arrives on Angry Mom Records with ten tracks, ten credited players and two drummers, recorded and mixed by Angelo Paradiso at Black Bear Recording.
Festival
Ithaca Reggae Fest Returns to Stewart Park With Third World and The Skatalites
The 8th annual festival runs June 26-28 at Stewart Park, with a free Friday welcome party, morning yoga both weekend days, and proceeds going to Cayuga Lake protection.
From the vault 620 stories, 2007–2026
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