13 Concerts in New York to Get You Ready for the 2019 Holiday Season

The holidays are fast approaching! With 11 days until the start of Hanukkah and Christmas exactly two weeks away, the festive mood continues to grow here in New York, as it undoubtedly has in the rest of the world. Why not continue to ramp up the festivities with some live music?

New York is full of great live music all year round, but during the holiday season it can’t be beat! From huge artists like Mariah Carey and annual concert events like Jingle Ball to smaller yearly Hanukkah events from the likes of Moshav and Golem, there is something for everyone. We even celebrate the winter solstice big!

Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, loves live music. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of holiday shows happening in New York over the next couple of weeks. Here are 13 to get you deeper into the holiday spirit!

1.       WALK Holiday Show/Goo Goo Dolls: Long Island’s WALK 97.5 is already getting into the holiday spirit with a 100% Christmas playlist, so it would make sense that the station would be gearing up for a holiday show of their own. That happens tonight at the Paramount in Huntington. 1990s rockers the Goo Goo Dolls headline the event with Beach Slang and ‘American Idol’ alum David Cook will opening. (12/11 @ The Paramount Huntington)

2.       Idina Menzel: Actress and singer Idina Menzel is a busy women. Aside from the release of ‘Frozen 2’ a few weeks ago, she also released a new holiday album, ‘Christmas: A Season of Love,’ in October. Menzel will be ending a three-show tri-state area holiday run of shows tonight with a stop at New York’s Carnegie Hall. (12/11 @ Carnegie Hall)

3.       Pre-Hanukkah Smackdown: Looking to get into the Hanukkah spirit even before Hanukkah begins. Drom NYC is presenting their “Pre-Hanukkah Smackdown” this Thursday with a worldly list of artists that put a spin on traditional klezmer, including the Afrobeat-infused sound of Zion80 and the klezmer-bhangra fusion of Sharabi. Headlining you have gypsy-punks Golem, who’s mix of klezmer, Yiddish melodies and high-intensity performance makes for a lively show you won’t want to miss. (12/12 @ Drom)

4.       Jingle Ball: iHeartRadio’s Jingle Ball has become synonymous with the holiday season at this point. The series of yearly holiday events from the radio mega network, Jingle Ball brings together some of the year’s most popular artists to celebrate the season. This year’s New York line-up is a veritable who’s-who of chart-toppers, including Taylor Swift, Lizzo, the Jonas Brothers, Camila Cabello, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan + Shay, Niall Horan, Lewis Capaldi, Halsey, Monsta X and Fletcher.  (12/13 @ Madison Square Garden)

5.       Mariah Carey: The queen of Christmas, Mariah Carey is currently celebrating the 25^th Anniversary of her first Christmas album, ‘Merry Christmas,’ and the inescapable holiday classic “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” The singer will be wrapping her 2019 holiday tour on Sunday at New York’s Madison Square Garden. (12/15)

6.       Hot For The Holidays: If you’re looking for a hip-hop holiday show, Hot 97 is gearing up for their annual Hot For The Holidays show next week. This year’s artists include Khalid, Wale, Layton Greene and The Bonfyre. (12/18 @ Kings Theatre)

7.       Lea Michele: Actress and singer Lea Michele released her first-ever Christmas album, ‘Christmas in the City,’ in October, which hit Billboard’s Top Holiday Albums chart at number 3. Catch her perform music from the album and more during a special three-night residency at the New York Society For Ethical Culture.  (12/19 -21 @ NY Society For Ethical Culture)

8.       Trans-Siberian Orchestra: Perennial holiday instrumental favorites the Trans-Siberian Orchestra are heading our way to spread some Christmas cheer. The group will be bringing their “Christmas Eve And Other Stories” show to Long Island and New Jersey next week. (12/20 @ Nassau Coliseum; 12/21 @ Prudential Center)

9.       Marky Ramone’s Holiday Blitzkrieg: Marky Ramone’s Blitzkrieg, featuring former Ramones drummer Marky Ramone, is set to rock New York’s Gramercy Theatre for their annual ‘Holiday Blitzkrieg.’ Like last year, the group will be joined by Bad Religion/Circle Jerks guitarist Greg Hetson.  (12/20 @ Gramercy Theatre)

10.   Make Music New York Winter: Back for its winter festival, Make Music New York will be celebrating the winter solstice with as much outdoor music as possible all over the city. Favorites such as Piano City (which features pianos placed randomly around the city for people to play), Flatfoot Flatbush (a folk music gathering) and “The Mobile Hallelujah” (traveling carolers singing Handel’s famous ‘Messiah’ movement) all return, and there will be plenty of opportunities to jump in and join a holiday parade or sing Christmas carols with your fellow New Yorkers. (12/21)

11.   CeeLo Green: “Forget You” singer and Goodie Mob member CeeLo Green is celebrating the holidays on the road for his “Holiday Hits” tour. Green will be playing songs from his 2013 Christmas album, ‘Magic Moment,’ as well as hits from throughout his career. (12/21 @ Sony Hall; 12/22 @ Suffolk Theater)

12.   Yo La Tengo: Yo La Tengo’s Hanukkah shows are a holiday tradition at this point. The band will be playing eight consecutive nights at the Bowery Ballroom starting December 22 (the first night of Hanukkah), celebrating every night with special surprise guests. All shows are sold out except the 24^th and 25^th (Christmas Eve and Christmas).  (12/22-29 @ Bowery Ballroom)

13.   Moshav: Another Hanukkah tradition: Moshav. The band will be playing their annual “Festival of Lights” show on Hanukkah night three / Christmas Eve. Soulfarm and Yimmy will be opening. (12/24 @ SOB’s)

With the holidays only weeks away, now is the perfect time to start celebrating with live music. Check out some of the shows listed above and let us know what holiday shows you’re excited to see this season in the comments below.

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Find the perfect holiday music and more at Vinyl Bay 777. As Long Island’s top new independent record shop, we have thousands of titles to choose from in a variety of genres to suit most music lovers. Browse our wide selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs, memorabilia and more in store at our Plainview location or online at vinylbay777.com. With more titles being added to our selection all the time, you never know what you might find at Vinyl Bay 777.

New Christmas Albums for 2018

Christmas is only a couple of weeks away. And in case you missed it, a lot of this year’s holiday new album releases have already hit shelves. That means it’s time to delve into some of the new holiday albums that came out this year.

Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, is gearing up for the holiday season with a look at some of this year’s Christmas album releases. From the highly popular to ones off the beaten path, here are seven holiday releases that might be worth checking out.

(Note: This list does not reflect which albums we have or do not have in store.)

1.       William Shatner, ‘Shatner Claus’: Though his musical career often times feels like the punchline of a joke, William Shatner’s debut Christmas album, ‘Shatner Claus,’ sounds interesting. The album features reworkings of holiday classics, a handful of which are performed as duets with rock music heavy-hitters. These include “Silent Night” with Iggy Pop, two versions of “Jingle Bells” with Black Flag’s Henry Rollins, “Silver Bells” with Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson, “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer with ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons and more.

2.       Eric Clapton, ‘Happy Xmas’: Over the course of his more than five decade career, Eric Clapton had never released a Christmas album until this year. The album features 14 holiday songs both well-known and obscure, all rearranged to fit his bluesy rock style. There is also , as well as an original tune written by Clapton and producer Simon Climie. In addition to the album, Clapton also released a special video to YouTube with interview footage about the making of the album and acoustic performances of some of the songs.

3.       Monkees, ‘Christmas Party’: Just like Clapton, this is the first time the Monkees have released a Christmas album. Filled with classics and originals, the remaining members of the band teamed up with the collaborators from their 2016 album ‘Good Times!’ for the new release. Davy Jones wasn’t left out, however. His vocals were used on two of the album’s tracks.

4.       John Legend, ‘A Legendary Christmas’: One of the most anticipated holiday albums of the year, John Legend brings some soul to the Christmas season with ‘A Legendary Christmas.’ The singer accompanied the album with a primetime television special of the same name earlier this year, securing his hold on this year’s yuletide season.

5.       Mike Love, ‘Reason For The Season’: Despite all the Christmas music he put out with the Beach Boys back in the day, Mike Love has now released his own album of holiday songs. ‘Reason For The Season’ features even more classics and originals, including a re-recording of Beach Boys hit “Little Saint Nick” and a duet with 1990s brotherly trio Hanson.

6.       August Burns Red, ‘Winter Wilderness’: A bit different than the typical holiday fare, metalcore band August Burns Red released a Christmas EP this year. Another mixture of covers and originals, including an entirely instrumental track, this is sure to be the most aggressive you’ll hear this season.

7.       Ingrid Michaelson, ‘Songs For The Season’: Singer / songwriter Ingrid Michaelson put her own spin on some holiday and winter classics this year for her first Christmas album, ‘Songs For The Season.’ She adds one original to the mix as well; “Happy, Happy Christmas” is a melancholy track written around the time her mother passed away in 2014.

A lot of highly-anticipated and some not-so anticipated holiday albums were released this year. From pop and R&B to rock, there seems to be something new for everyone. Check out our album picks above and let us know what new holiday albums you’re listening to this season in the comments below.

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Find holiday music and more at Vinyl Bay 777. As Long Island’s top new independent record shop, we have thousands of titles to choose from in a variety of genres. Browse our wide selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs, memorabilia and more in store at our Plainview location or online at vinylbay777.com. With more titles being added to our selection all the time, you never know what you might find at Vinyl Bay 777.

Music-Focused Specials Hitting Television Screens for the 2018 Holiday Season

What would the holiday season be without all the special programming that will be saturating television viewing for the next month? From movies and holiday-themed episodes of your favorite shows to the numerous specials both classic and new, it’s almost as inescapable as holiday music.

Of course, many of these specials center on music as well. Such yearly television offerings began last week with the Thanksgiving Parade, which saw a handful of popular artists cruising down 34^th Street “performing” their own music as well as holiday classics. Between now and New Years, even more musical specials will be hitting the small screen, ranging from tree lightings and parades to concerts and Disney’s complete takeover of the holidays.

In gearing up for the holiday season, Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, is taking a look at all the musical Christmas and holiday specials coming to a television set near you in the next month. Here are nine programs to get you into the festive spirit. (Note: Not included are specials where music comes second to the event, like the Victoria’s Secret Fashion show or the ‘A Home for Christmas’ special. Also not included is New Years programming, as it deserves its own list.)

1.       ‘Christmas in Rockefeller Center’: A New York tradition for decades, ‘Christmas in Rockefeller Center’ ushers in the holiday season by building up to the lighting of the Rockeffeller Center Christmas tree. This year’s performers include Diana Ross, Tony Bennett and Diana Krall, Pentatonix, Martina McBride, Kellie Pickler, Brett Eldredge, Ella Mai, John Legend and Rob Thomas. (11/28, NBC)

2.       ‘A Legendary Christmas with John and Chrissy’: Speaking of John Legend, following the success of April’s ‘Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert’ (which won him a coveted EGOT), the soulful R&B singer/renaissance man returns to holiday television with his wife Chrissy Teigen to host a traditional variety show. ‘A Legendary Christmas’ will feature Legend performing music from his new holiday album of the same name, as well as special guests and tons of lovey-dovey schmaltz. Music-focused guests include fellow ‘The Voice’ judges Adam Levine, Blake Shelton and Kelly Clarkson, Meghan Trainor, Raphael Saadiq and many more. (11/28, NBC)

3.       The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration’: Not to be outdone by NBC, ABC will be airing their annual ‘Magical Holiday Celebration’ special direct from Disney’s amusement parks. This year the program is being hosted by ‘Modern Family’s’ Sarah Hyland and ‘Dancing with the Stars’’ Jordan Fisher (both of which are ABC shows) and will feature musical performances from Gwen Stefani, Becky G, Meghan Trainor, Aloe Blacc, Andrea Bocelli and more, plus appearances from your favorite Disney characters. (11/29, ABC)

4.       ‘Garth: Live at Notre Dame!’:  Back in October, best-selling country artist Garth Brooks played a stadium show at the University of Notre Dame in October, the first time in the stadium’s 88-year history that an artist of his magnitude has performed there. Fans across the country will get to experience the show on the small screen this holiday season as a concert special. (12/2, CBS)

5.       ‘Amy Grant’s Tennessee Christmas’: Amy Grant apparently loves Christmas. In addition to her annual block of holiday shows at the Ryman in Nashville, the country/gospel singer will have her own special on Hallmark. ‘Tennessee Christmas features performances from her, her husband Vince Gill and special guests Kellie Pickler and Michael W. Smith. (12/3, Hallmark)

6.       ‘CMA Country Christmas’: Another yearly tradition, the Country Music Association will be airing their ‘CMA Country Christmas’ again this year. Reba McEntire hosts for the second year in a row, with a list of performers new and established lending their voices to holiday classics. Artists performing this year include McEntire, Tony Bennett & Diana Krall, Dan & Shay, Brett Eldredge, Martina McBride, Dustin Lynch, Amy Grant, Brad Paisley, Lindsey Stirling, Old Dominion and more. (12/10, ABC)

7.       ‘Hollywood Christmas Parade’: The west-coast’s equivalent to the Thanksgiving Parade in New York, the ‘Hollywood Christmas Parade’ marches through the heart of Hollywood to ring in the holiday season and you’ll be able to see every detail on the small screen. Erik Estrada and Laura McKenzie host the broadcast, which will feature balloons, floats and performances of all kinds, including a 100^th anniversary tribute to ‘Ripley’s Believe It Or Not.’ Musical performances include ‘American Idol’ alums Kimberly Caldwell-Harvey, Mikalah Gordon, Ruben Studdard, Blake Lewis, Elliot Yamin and David Archuleta, Ashanti, Claire Dunn, The Tearaways and supergroup Band of MerryMakers. (12/14, The CW)

8.       ‘iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2018’: iHeartRadio begins its annual Jingle Ball tour tonight, bringing the year’s hottest artists to an arena near you over the next three weeks. Artists on the tour include Cardi B, Shawn Mendes, Camila Cabello, Calvin Harris, Dua Lipa, Kalid, Alessia Cara, Bebe Rexha, Meghan Trainor, Sabrina Carpenter, G Easy, Bazzi and more (though the line-up differs depending on the particular stop). If you can’t make these shows, The CW will be airing an amalgam of performances as a special this holiday season. (12/16, The CW)

9.       ‘Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade’: Disney continues their holiday domination with their annual Christmas day parade. The broadcast will feature the same performers as their ‘Magical Holiday Celebration’ a month earlier performing different songs, except with all the fanfare of a parade. (12/25, ABC)

Featuring concerts, parades, tree lightings and more, music is at the heart of many of the season’s holiday specials. Check out some of the musical Christmas and holiday specials mentioned above and feel the holiday spirit.

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Find holiday music and much more at Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s top new independent record shop. We have thousands of titles in a vast array of genres to choose from. Browse our wide selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs, memorabilia and more in store at our Plainview location or online at vinylbay777.com. With more titles being added to our selection all the time, you never know what you might find at Vinyl Bay 777.

New Christmas Songs for Your Holiday Party Playlist

Music is a big part of Christmas. It helps you get into the holiday spirit, as well as expresses the joyousness of the season. However, radio stations tend to play the same renditions of classic holiday tracks ad nausea at this time of year. And while these are classics for a reason, they can become a bit stale after a while.

There are a lot of artist who released original Christmas songs this year. Both Sia and Chance the Rapper released wholly original Christmas albums. Violinist Lindsey Sterling released a new holiday album this year with some of her own compositions. Pop artists like Gwen Stefani, Hanson and Mariah Carey all put out original songs this year, as did rock and alternative artists like The Maine and Sufjan Stevens.

To get in the holiday spirit, Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, has been checking out some of this year’s new Christmas originals. Here are seven that are sure to spice up your holiday playlist.

1.       Lindsey Sterling feat. Becky G, “Christmas C’mon”: I included this song in a recent “week in review,” but it deserves a mention here too. Unlike a lot of instrumentalists working with singers, Sterling’s violin does not get lost in the mix with on “Christmas C’mon.” In fact, it stands out as another voice, complimenting Becky G’s. (video)

2.       The Maine, “Winter Means Nothing”: The Maine have had a banner year with their latest album, ‘Lovely Little Lonely,’ and have now released a new Christmas EP. The EP’s first single, “Winter Means Nothing,” is a somber song about missing your significant other during the holiday season. Because without love, the season “means nothing.” The song is just as good as anything on “Lovely Little Lonely,” continuing the forward momentum the band has been building this year. (video)

3.       Gwen Stefani feat. Blake Shelton, “You Make It Feel Like Christmas”: Gwen Stefani’s foray into country music, “You Make It Feel Like Christmas” is a high-energy holiday love song ripe for professing one’s love for the person next to them. Blake Shelton’s country twang comes through as the main melodic influence, though some of Stefani’s pop tones can be heard as well. (video)

4.       Sia, “Candy Cane Lane”: Sia decided to release an entire album of Christmas originals this year. “Candy Cane Lane” is the most adorable and joyous of these tracks. While some of the other tracks are either incoherent or about bourbon, this song peps you up and gets you into the holiday spirit. (video)

5.       Hanson, “It’s Finally Christmas”: After 20 years, Hanson finally released a new Christmas album, as well as a very upbeat original single. “It’s Finally Christmas,” the album’s title track, feels like one big Christmas party. The song perfectly mixes the band’s pop, country, jazz and rock influences with lyrics about celebrating the season and feeling that Christmas cheer. (video)

6.       Mariah Carey, “Lil Snowman”: It’s not Christmas without Mariah Carey. The legendary singer put out a new song to coincide with her new holiday special this year. Trading in her signature pop high notes for a little rockabilly flair, “Lil Snowman” finds Carey singing to her “little snowman” about how cool Santa is. The song is upbeat and ready for livening up the dancing at your holiday party. (vinyl)  

7.       Sufjan Stevens, “The Greatest Gift”: Not all holiday songs have to be peppy, or about Santa Claus or Christ. Sufjan Stevens makes it clear in his low-key new track, “The Greatest Gift,” that being with friends and family is the best gift of all. (video)

These are some of this year’s best new original Christmas songs. Add these to your holiday playlist and have a great holiday season.

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Find Christmas music and more at Vinyl Bay 777. Long Island’s favorite new independent record shop has thousands of titles to choose from in an array of genres. Browse our wide selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs and memorabilia in store at our Plainview location during our holiday hours or shop online at vinylbay777.com anytime. With more titles being added to our selection all the time, you never know what you might find at Vinyl Bay 777.

Record Store Day Black Friday 2017: Seven Exclusive Christmas Releases

One of the things that set Record Store Day Black Friday apart from its parent event in April is the holiday releases. As Black Friday marks the beginning of the holiday season, that makes it the perfect time for artists to spread a little holiday cheer.

In preparation for Record Store Day Black Friday, Vinyl Bay777, Long Island’s music outlet, is taking a look at some of the exclusive Christmas releases coming out this Friday. Here are seven that will get you in the holiday spirit. (Note: Vinyl Bay 777 might not have all of these titles. Please visit the store on Friday, November 24 to see what we will have.)

1.       Twisted Sister, ‘A Twisted Christmas’: Rock out to classic Christmas songs from one of metal’s most hard-rocking bands. Twisted Sister originally released ‘A Twisted Christmas’ in 2006, turning out to be the final studio album the band would release together. For Black Friday this year, the album is being rereleased on green vinyl. Only 2000 copies are being made.

2.       Paul McCartney, ‘Holidays Rule’:  For Black Friday, former Beatle Paul McCartney will be putting out two 7” releases. Both feature a new take on his 1979 original Christmas classic “Wonderful Christmastime,” accompanied by Jimmy Fallon and The Roots.  The first release, on green vinyl, will feature The Decemberists on the b-side performing “Jesus Christ.” The second release, on red vinyl, will feature Norah Jones on the b-side performing “Peace.”

3.       Greg Lake, “I Believe In Father Christmas”: It’s been almost a year since King Crimson and Emerson, Lake & Palmer singer Greg Lake passed away. To honor his legacy, BMG Rights Management is releasing at 10” of “I Believe In Father Christmas,” Lake’s debut solo single and holiday hit. The b-side features an updated 2002 version of the song that has been out-of-print since then. Only 2000 have been pressed.

4.       Cheap Trick, ‘Christmas Christmas’: While many of the Christmas releases coming out on Black Friday are reissues, Cheap Trick have put out an entirely new Christmas album that will make its debut during the event. The album features a mix of classic holiday tunes and covers of rock holiday tunes by The Ramones and The Kinks. The release is limited to only 2000 copies.

5.       The Minus 5, ‘Dear December’: Why even cover other peoples’ music at all? The Minus 5’s Scott McCaughey wrote 12 new holiday tracks for the band’s Record Store Day Black Friday release, ‘Dear December.’ Limited to 1500 copies on white vinyl in an Advent Calendar-style gatefold jacket, the album features guest appearances from Death Cab for Cutie’s Ben Gibbard, M Ward and Chuck Prophet.

6.       ‘Christmas on Death Row’: Originally released in 1996, the famed Christmas compilation album is being pressed on vinyl for the first time ever, making its debut for Record Store Day Black Friday. Featuring music from Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg and the Dogg Pound, the LP will be pressed on colored vinyl with only 1000 copies being released.

7.       Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, “Baby It’s Cold Outside”/ “Santa Baby”: Rateliff and his band will be putting their Americana spin on two jazzy Christmas classics for their Black Friday release, “Baby It’s Cold Outside” and “Santa Baby.” The 7” will be pressed on black vinyl with only 3000 copies available.

Just in time for the start of the holiday season, these are some of the holiday releases coming out during this year’s Record Store Day Black Friday. Be sure to watch for some of these releases, as well as other exclusive and limited-quantity releases, when the event takes place this Friday, November 24.

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Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s top new independent record shop is excited to participate in Record Store Day Black Friday this Friday, November 24. Pick up exclusive and limited edition vinyl releases in store during our extended business hours: 9 AM to 10 PM. While you’re here, check out thousands more titles on new and used vinyl, CD and cassette, as well as music DVDs and memorabilia. More titles are being added to our selection all the time, so it always pays to stop by Vinyl Bay 777 and vinylbay777.com, to see what’s new.