BROOKLYN COMES ALIVE TO HONOR THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND, JAMIROQUAI, HERBIE HANCOCK, & MORE AT TWO-DAY MUSICAL SMORGASBORD
The third annual Brooklyn Comes Alive is coming up this weekend! With over 100 artists slated to perform 35+ sets across two days in the heart of Williamsburg, Brooklyn Comes Alive is primed to take over the borough with a roster of incredible talent. On September 23 and 24, attendees will be granted in-and-out access to three music venues—Brooklyn Bowl, Music Hall of Williamsburg, and Schimanski —all within a 5-minute walking radius, creating the feeling of an indoor music festival.
Inspired by the vibrant musical communities of Brooklyn and New Orleans, this unique event puts the focus on the artists, bringing over 100 musicians together to see their passion projects come to life, honor their musical heroes, and improvise with their friends and peers. Similar to a fantasy sports league, these musicians are paired in dream scenarios that have rarely been experienced before. With various tribute sets, one-off supergroup formations, and debut band performances, the event pushes the boundaries of a traditional music festival model and creates an unprecedented experience, for artists and fans alike. The third year is positioned to be the best yet, so don’t miss out!
Check out the lineup below, and continue to read for a full breakdown of the sets we’re most excited for.
Saturday, September 23rd
The Road Goes On Forever: Celebrating The Music of The Allman Brothers Band
Following the deaths of songwriter/vocalist/organist Gregg Allman and drummer Butch Trucks earlier this year, the music of the Allman Brothers Band will be celebrated at Brooklyn Comes Alive.
Scott Sharrard—Gregg Allman Bands longtime guitarist/vocalist/musical director with lead guitarist Al Schnier and drummer Vinnie Amico (moe.), legendary sessions drummer Bernard Purdie, percussionist Nate Werth (Snarky Puppy, Ghost Note), Gregg Allman Band bassist Brett Bass, and keyboardist Joey Porter (The Motet) to create a high-flying tribute to the Allman Brothers Band that won’t be soon forgotten.
Eric Krasno (Lettuce, Soulive), Rob Compa (Dopapod), Roosevelt Collier (The Lee Boys), and Brandon Taz Niederauer are a few of the players who will join the fray as special guests.
DJ Premier & The Badder Band
Iconic producer and three-time GRAMMY winner DJ Premier will recreate classic hip-hop songs with his four-piece band. Premier teamed with MC Guruin the 1990s to form the legendary duo Gang Starr, and he also composed famous tracks for legends like Jay-Z, Kanye West, The Notorious B.I.G., Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, D’Angelo, and Nas, among countless others. DJ Premier ushered in a new era in live hip-hop when he revealed The Badder Band, and they have been touring the world with him and performing to packed venues since 2015.
The Crystal Method
To celebrate their 20th anniversary year, The Crystal Method will play an exclusive set during Brooklyn Comes Alive featuring classic tunes spanning over their two-decade career. Best known for their platinum debut album Vegas, which featured electronic staples Busy Child and Trip Like I Do, The Crystal Method continues to play hard-hitting performances worldwide and is a go-to for major soundtracks for films and video games. The Crystal Method has collaborated with the likes of Tom Morello, Scott Weiland, Peter Hook, Matisyahu, and Rahzel throughout their legendary career.
Rooster Conspiracy
Rooster Conspiracy was born in Grateful Dead’s drummer Bill Kreutzmann’s garage at his home in Hawaii. He recruited his Billy & the Kids bandmate Reed Mathis, Mathis’s Electric Beethoven bandmate Todd Stoops, and guitarist Eric Krasno to perform songs plucked mostly from the Grateful Dead catalog. They performed the songs in a funky style that showcased Kreutzmann’s signature shuffle, which locked in perfectly with Krasno‘s jazz-club funk, Mathis constant drive for creation, and Stoops kinetic approach to the keyboards. Kreutzmann can’t make it for this year’s Brooklyn Comes Alive, so the rest of the guys tapped Jay Lane (Ratdog, Primus) for the highly anticipated first-ever East Coast edition of the Rooster Conspiracy
George Porter Jr. / Skerik / Mike Dillon
The Meters bassist George Porter Jr. will link up with pioneering saxophonist (and Brooklyn Comes Alive veteran) Skerik and former Primus percussionist extraordinaire Mike Dillon to create an inimitable and deep-space jazz exploration.
Matador! Soul Sounds
In Matador! Soul Sounds, the duo of Eddie Roberts (The New Mastersounds) and Alan Evans (Soulive) team up with keyboardist Chris Spies and bassist Kevin Scott, as well as Ms. Adryon de León (Orgone) and Kimberly Dawson (Pimps of Joytime), to debut their brand new band that’s ready to take the funk world by storm.
Brownie (DJ Set)
Bassist Marc Brownstein will return for his third consecutive year at Brooklyn Comes Alive for a rare DJ set after his set with The Disco Biscuits at City Bisco on Coney Island.
KJ Sawka of Pendulum and Destroid Live
KJ Sawka, drummer of Pendulum and Destroid (and formerly of Conspirator), will bring his new live show combining live drums with electronic music for a unique musical experience. In addition to being known as one of the best drummers in the world of electronic music, KJ has been racking up views in the hundreds of thousands on YouTube, displaying his insane drumming chops in a series of videos.
Dave Harrington’s Merry Pranksters
Dave Harrington, formerly the guitar player in crossover electronic group Darkside, has become an in-demand player in the New York music scene. With the Merry Pranksters, he takes the free-flowing spirit of the Grateful Dead and turns it on its head with a rotating cast of characters—including Skerik, Yuka Honda, Spencer Zahn, Mauro Refosco,andIan Chang—focusing solely on groove-based improvisations. This set at Brooklyn Comes Alive will find Harrington and company focusing heavily on electronic music.
Roosevelt Collier’s Brooklyn Get Down
Pedal steel guitar expert and former member of The Lee Boys—Roosevelt Collier—will bring his Get Down back to Brooklyn Comes Alive this year. For this edition of the Get Down, Collier recruited some of the heaviest hitters from jazz-fusion outfit Snarky Puppy: bassist Michael League, guitarist Bob Lanzetti, and drummer Robert Sput Searight.
Natalie Cressman & Friends
Natalie Cressman, trombonist of Trey Anastasio Band, has put together a special ensemble with Louis Cato (Stay Human), James Casey (Trey Anastasio Band), Nate Werth (Snarky Puppy), Anthony Wellington (Victor Wooten Band), Randy Runyon, and Akie Bermiss.
DJ Logic & Friends
DJ Logic is teaming up with Jack White drummer Daru Jones and Rolling Stones 2014 Young Guns contest winner Marcus Machado for a unique set of acid jazz.
BITCH! –Women of the 90’s
Hayley Jane (of Hayley Jane & The Primates) will lead a tribute to female rockers of the 1990s. She’ll be backed by Tim Palmieri, Chris DeAngelis, and Adrian Tramontano from Kung Fu and Richard James of Pink Talking Fish. The idea of performing songs that were the soundtrack to my adolescence thrilled me. It’s a chance to pay tribute to the women who helped me discover my truth by singing theirs, Jane told us.
Future Folklore
This unique collaboration will bring together artists from Mali and Senegal, American artists studied in West African music, and notable artists from the American funk/jam scene. Luke Quaranta (Toubab Krewe), Weedie Braimah (Trombone Shorty), MonoNeon (Prince, Ghost Note), Nate Werth (Snarky Puppy), Raja Kassis (Antibalas), Sam Dickey, Yacouba Sissoko, Magatte Fall, Abdoulaye Diabate, and Themba Mkhatshwa will be on hand to present a fresh and contemporary take on traditional Mandé folklore.
MUZZY BEARR
Dan Hacker, under the pseudonym MUZZY BEARR, began touring with GRiZ when he was just 17 years old. Now 22, the guitarist is excited to showcase his own solo performance, which melds soulful hip-hop beats with trill tendencies and live instrumentation at this year’s festival.
ProbCause
Chicago emcee ProbCause has worked with some of the most elite players in the the world of electronic music and hip-hop. Appearing on both GRiZ and Gramatik’s albums, as well as collaborations with Chance the Rapper, Big Gigantic, Louis the Child, The Floozies,Manic Focus, Break Science, and more, ProbCause’s percussive delivery flows harmoniously from one to another, proving once again he is one of the most versatile emcees in the game.
Midnight North Performs The Music of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Phil Lesh’s son, Grahame Lesh, has stepped out as his own artist in the past few years. He and his musical cohorts in Midnight North have been crisscrossing the country with their blend of folk-influenced, vintage rock. This year at Brooklyn Comes Alive, Midnight North will pay homage seminal 1960’s folk band Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.
James Casey & Friends
James Casey will host a session of his own, featuring Louis Cato (Stay Human), Randy Runyon (Bilal, Animus Rexx), Corey Bernhard (Killiam Shakespeare), Anthony Wellington (Victor Wooten Band), and bass royalty Felix Pastorius (son of legendary Weather Report bassist Jaco Pastorius).
Leslie Mendelson
Known as a touring member of Steve Kimock Band Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Leslie Mendelson will perform songs from her first solo record in eight years, Love & Murder. Her band consists of Andy Hess, Steve McEwen, and Ethan Eubanks.
Sunday, September 24th
Eric Krasno & Friends with Special Guests, John Scofield & George Porter Jr.
Eric Krasno is no stranger to Brooklyn Comes Alive, having helped to curate the festival’s lineup in its first year. Now, the Lettuce/Soulive guitarist is set to return to Williamsburg two years later with an all-star cast of musical friends by his side. For the special set, Krasno has tapped Cyril Neville, Nigel Hall, Louis Cato, and Chris Loftlin as well as very special guests, the legendary George Porter Jr. and John Scofield.
The Tribute To Jamiroquai
Joey Porter, Dave Watts, Garrett Sayers, Ryan Jalbert, and Lyle Divinsky of The Motetwill team up with Jennifer Hartswick and Natalie Cressman of Trey Anastasio Band and Todd Stoops of RAQ to deliver a set of funky disco tunes by 90s legend Jamiroquai.
Tribute to Herbie Hancock
Joey Porter(The Motet) will bring a stacked band to Brooklyn for his funk-filled tribute to Herbie Hancock. Porter will bring along Garrett Sayers, his bandmate from The Motet, as well as Robert Sput Searight and Nate Werth from Snarky Puppy and James Casey from Trey Anastasio Band.
moe.queous
Mike Gantzer, Dave Loss, Evan McPhaden, and Rob Houk of Buffalo’s Aqueous will join forces with Al Schnier and Vinnie Amico from iconic Buffalo band moe. for an unforgettable set of moe. songs, Aqueous songs, and choice covers.
Marc Brownstein / Joel Cummings / Mike Greenfield / Ryan Jalbert / Aron Magner / Jennifer Hartswick / Natalie Cressman
Members of The Disco Biscuits, Umphrey’s McGee, Lotus, The Motet, and Trey Anastasio Band’s horn players and vocalists Jennifer Hartswick and Natalie Cressman will perform a one-time-only set of funky grooves and improvisation.
Dookie: Green Day’s Dookie & Other Rock Tunes
Kris Myers (Umphrey’s McGee), Ryan Stasik (Umphrey’s McGee), and Mike Gantzer (Aqueous) will work through energized takes on classics of Green Day’s Dookie, such as When I Come Around, Basket Case, Longview, and Welcome To Paradise. In addition to performing Dookie in its entirety, the band will also perform a handful of other rock classics by bands like Ween, Weezer, and The Ramones.
John Scofield / Jon Cleary Duo
Legendary guitar player John Scofield will team up with his friend and musical partner Jon Clearyfor a performance as a duo. The pair first teamed up for Scofield’s New Orleans-influenced funk album, Piety Street, in 2009.
George Porter Jr. / Henry Butler / Johnny Vidacovich
Legendary modern New Orleans jazz players Johnny Vidacovich and Henry Butler will team up with George Porter Jr. to form a legendary trio of players, all three of whom hail from the Crescent City Metropolitan Jam Grass Alliance.
Andy Falco of the Infamous Stringdusters, Tim Carbone of Railroad Earth, and Jacob Joliff of Yonder Mountain String Band have brought together friends and family from the modern bluegrass scene, including Patrick Falco and Ryan Cavanaugh, to form the Metropolitan Jam Grass Alliance—a group of New York-area-based bluegrass musicians who know how to throw down!
SUNSQUABI with Jason Hann
SunSquabi continues to break down and analyze the expectations of what a live electronicband should be. They are dedicated to their ever-evolving craft in the studio and on the live stage. Due to the fluidity of their music, they describe their sound as an electronic hydro-funk experience.
Jason Hann from the String Cheese Incident will perform as a special guest.
The Russ Liquid Test
Redefining the possibilities of modern music, The Russ Liquid Test fuses the raw vitality of classic funk and the inventive sound design of electronic production.
Songwriter/producer and renowned brass specialist Russell Scott heads up the New Orleans-based band. Guitarist Andrew Block and drummer Deven Trusclair round things out, with each providing a distinct musical background deeply rooted in the New Orleans jazz scene.
Jon Cleary (Solo Piano)
Jon Cleary will perform a rare solo piano set outside of New Orleans to kick off the afternoon.
Joel Cummins (Solo Piano)
The Umphrey’s McGee keyboardist will perform a mix of UM staples, classical music, and out-of-left-field covers during his rare solo piano set.
Jennifer Hartswick & Friends
Beloved trumpeter and Trey Anastasio Band member Jennifer Hartswick will team up with Louis Cato (Stay Human), Danny Mayer (Eric Krasno Band), Dezron Douglas, Akie Bermiss. and the Snarky Puppy Horns including Mike Maz Maher and Chris Bullock for a one-off performance.
Oktopus
Jason Hann (String Cheese Incident) and Todd Stoops (RAQ, Electric Beethoven) will bring their wild drum-and-keys project, Oktopus, back to Brooklyn Comes Alive, this time featuring special guest Hayley Jane.
Pow! Pow! Power Trio!
Rob Compa and Chuck Jones of Dopapod will team up with Kung Fu’s Adrian Tramontano to pay homage to a variety of classic rock power trios.
Octave Cat
Jesse Miller of Lotus and Eli Winderman of Dopapod are bringing Charlie Patierno with them to Brooklyn for a set as their electronic-side project Octave Cat.
Skerik / Reed Mathis / Alan Evans / Will Bernard / Wil Blades
Versatile modern sax legend Skerik has recruited Reed Mathis (Electric Beethoven), Alan Evans (Soulive), Will Bernard, and Wil Blades for a bluesy jazz freak out.
To find out more about ticketing, VIP options, and lodging, head to the festival website: Brooklyn Comes Alive
I hope you have the best time ever!