Backstage Pass
Music, concerts, musicians and more.
Glenn Gamboa
Glenn Gamboa is Newsday's chief pop music critic and has been writing about music for more than 20 years.
A winner of several national awards, he headed the paper's team chronicling the impact of hip-hop in America, a project that was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2005.
He has appeared as a music industry expert on the BBC, NPR, MSG Network and several other radio and TV stations, as well as numerous newspapers and magazines.
A native of Cleveland, Gamboa currently lives in Brooklyn.
Intro 3.3.14: Videos from Ashanti, Paul Simon, Broods and more
(Credit: Getty Images)
Ashanti celebrates her new album “Braveheart” at B.B. King Blues Club and Grill on Monday.
Intro brings you the week’s hottest videos and shows every Monday. To catch up on all the Intros and watch classic Long Island music scene videos, check out Newsday Music’s YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/newsdaymusic.
THE LIST
ASHANTI, “I Got It.” At BB King’s Monday.
SCHOOLBOY...
Read more »'American Idol 13' recap: Emily Piriz sparkles on Top 13 night
(Credit: Fox / Michael Becker)
“This Is Me” week on “American Idol” proved to be a little more difficult than expected, as some of the Top 13 struggled to express themselves clearly.
Luckily, judges Harry Connick Jr., Jennifer Lopez and Keith Urban are getting better at their own self-expression. Their criticisms and suggestions – even when contradictory – make sense for the most part, and seem aimed to help the finalists...
Read more »Jones Beach concert lineup: James Taylor, Rascal Flatts, One Republic and more
(Credit: AP / Bizuayehu Tesfaye)
James Taylor is set to play Nikon at Jones Beach Theater on July 16 with his All-Star Band, which includes the great David Lasley, Arnold McCuller and Kate Markowitz on backing vocals.
Tickets are $35-$150 and go on sale at 10 a.m. March 7 through Live Nation. The pre-sale for Citi cardholders starts at 10 a.m. Tuesday.
In honor of the pending arrival of Sweet Baby James, who may have...
Read more »Billy Joel opens vault of unreleased Russian performances
(Credit: Legacy Recordings)
Previously unreleased material from Billy Joel’s historic Russian concert tour in 1987 will be collected in a new set, “A Matter of Trust – The Bridge to Russia,” due out May 20.
The deluxe edition of the set will feature a remastered version of the Joel concert captured on his “Live in Leningrad, 1987” film, with additional performances, including previously unseen versions of “An Innocent...
Read more »