WXXI Arts

iHeartRadio Live with New Kids on the Block • WXXI-TV

Celebrate the enduring legacy of the multi-platinum-selling pop icons that continue to capture the hearts of millions in this unforgettable musical experience.

iHeartRadio Live with New Kids on the Block airs Friday, September 6 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV

New Kids on the Block — aka NKOTB — are back with their recently released album Still Kids, the group’s eighth full-length studio album and first album in over a decade. Taped at the iHeartRadio Theater in Los Angeles in May 2024, iHeartRadio Live with New Kids on the Block features band members Jonathan Knight, Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg and Danny Wood performing the pop anthems, dance tracks and love songs that are fan favorites of the Blockheads. Relive the magic of their biggest hits with newly recorded performances of “Step By Step,” “Please Don’t Go Girl,” “Hangin Tough,” “Cover Girl,” and “Tonight,” as well as fresh hits from the new album, including their instant smash, new single “Kids.” In addition to an intimate performance, the special features an in-depth interview with band members and a nostalgic reflection on their incredible careers.

Photo: New Kids on the Block/Credit: Austin Hargrave

Musician’s Green Book: An Enduring Legacy • WXXI-TV

Dive into stories from the era of a segregated America and see how Black art found a way to thrive even in the pits of racial disparity.

Musician’s Green Book: An Enduring Legacy airs Tuesday, September 3 at 8 p.m. on WXXI-TV

Explore the stories and music of Black artists who relied on an underground travel guide to navigate the injustices of racial segregation while on the road. The Negro Travelers’ Green Book was a directory of lodgings, restaurants and entertainment venues where African Americans were welcomed. Features performances and interviews with vocalists, musicians, activists, historians and others.

Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska: A Celebration in Words & Music • WXXI-TV

Join host Warren Zanes for an exploration of Bruce Springsteen’s classic album “Nebraska” with musical performances by Eric Church, Emmylou Harris, Noah Kahan, Lyle Lovett, The Lumineers, and Lucinda Williams

Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska: A Celebration in Words & Music airs Monday, September 2 at 8 p.m. on WXXI-TV

Recorded on a four-track cassette in his New Jersey bedroom, Bruce Springsteen’s 1982 album Nebraska has proved to be one of his most enduring works, a raw, haunted acoustic record populated by lost souls searching not for salvation but simply a reason to believe. On September 19, 2023, at Analog at the Hutton Hotel in Nashville, famed music biographer Warren Zanes — author of Deliver Me from Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska — hosted an in-depth exploration of the album and the musician’s process. Springsteen’s songs were performed by multiple legends in their own right, with Zanes’s spoken word storytelling in between. Filmed exclusively for PBS, Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska: A CELEBRATION IN WORDS AND MUSIC is part of special programming premiering on PBS stations.

Revival 69: The Concert that Rocked the World • WXXI-TV

Explore the concert that despite all odds pulled together to become one of the most important days in rock and roll history.

Revival 69: The Concert that Rocked the World airs Saturday, August 31 at 3 p.m. on WXXI-TV .

Young, scrappy concert promoter John Brower put his life on the line (literally) to turn his failing Toronto Rock ‘n’ Roll Revival into a one-day event, later coined in rock mythology as “the second most important event in rock n’ roll history.”

The festival united rock legends like Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bo Diddley, and Gene Vincent with The Doors, the biggest band in the world. But the 11th-hour arrival of John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band ignited a seminal moment for the 20,000 fans at Toronto’s Varsity Stadium, triggering Lennon’s final decision to leave the Beatles forever.

John & Yoko: Above Us Only Sky • WXXI-TV

This compelling documentary shares the untold story of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s unique relationship and the artistic journey that culminated in the iconic album Imagine.

John & Yoko: Above Us Only Sky airs Saturday, December 7 at 9:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

The film features a new interview with Yoko, as well as new interviews with those closest to the couple, including John Lennon’s son Julian; photographer David Bailey, who famously captured the couple in a 1971 photograph that graced the cover of Vogue; gallerist John Dunbar, who introduced the couple; Dan Richter, a neighbor of Yoko’s who became their personal assistant; pioneering studio designer Eddie Veale, who built Ascot Sound Studios at their home in Tittenhurst Park; and Klaus Voormann, Alan White and Jim Keltner, musicians who played on the Imagine album. These influential figures provide open and unprecedented insight alongside previously unseen footage, photographs, and audio recordings.

Get to Eleven • WXXI-TV

Based on Padraic Lillis’ award-winning one-man show, this special blends live performance elements with narrative cinematic storytelling in an intimate conversation about suicide, addiction, and the importance of sharing stories in our darkest moments.

Get to Eleven airs Thursday, September 12 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

On stage in performance, among friends in conversation, and in the streets and subways of New York City, Lillis offers his own story, and empowers his audiences to deepen their own relationship with life, mental health, and mortality.

Lillis is the Founding Artistic Director of The Farm Theater whose mission is to cultivate early career artists through workshops, productions, and mentoring. He has been awarded: New York Innovative Theatre Outstanding Director, NY International Fringe Festival’s Overall Excellence in Directing, Best Director at United Solo Festival, and Best Short film at the Milan International Film Festival. Lillis was the Humana Visiting Scholar and Artist in Residence at Centre College. His film, Get To Eleven, that addresses mental health, suicide ideation, and recovery premiered at The Big Apple Film Festival, screened at the Reel Minds Film Festival in Rochester, NY, and has been awarded Best Feature at the Inwood Film Festival.

Lillis is the host of The Farm Theater’s Bullpen Sessions podcast. He is a mental health advocate, member of the Labyrinth Theater Company and a lifelong Yankee fan. Lillis is a native Rochesterian and graduate of Fairport High School.

Photo: Padraic Lillis talking with colleagues/ Credit: Photo provided.

Journeys Through the Finger Lakes

In partnership with the Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance, WXXI presents Journeys Through the Finger Lakes, an exploration of the past and present of the Finger Lakes region.

In this film produced and presented by WXXI Public Media, we explore each season in the Finger Lakes region visiting each lake with stunning aerial videography. These lakes form a broader region rich in meaningful history and unique culture. We journey through lush topography, singular institutions and meet the visionary icons that make up the rich tapestry of this extraordinary place.

How was the region created and defined?  What effects did the landscape and weather have on the industry, agriculture, and community development? Who were the historical figures that influenced national issues in critical ways? And, who is continuing to create an innovative and diverse cultural landscape that has become synonymous with the region? 

Journeys Through the Finger Lakes is dedicated to John Adamski, who worked tirelessly on behalf of the Finger Lakes and the Finger Lakes Museum.

Watch On-Demand

Read the full press release

(Rochester, NY) – WXXI Public Media is proud to premiere its latest documentary, Journeys Through the Finger Lakes, Monday, August 10, 2020, at 8 p.m. on WXXI-TV. This co-production with the Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance celebrates a region deeply rooted in history, agriculture, social change, and sustainability.

From Susan B. Anthony and the women’s rights movement, to Harriet Tubman and the underground railroad, to spotlighting a proud and resilient Native American culture, this one-hour documentary takes viewers on a journey through the vibrant history, lush topography, and seminal moments that make up this extraordinary place.

“While the Finger Lakes may be best known for award-winning wines and gorgeous waterways, this film shows that they are so much more than that,” said WXXI President Norm Silverstein. “As we celebrate the 100^th anniversary of the 19^th Amendment, and step up the fight for social justice and equality for all, it’s apparent that this region has an important place in history,” Silverstein added.

With spectacular drone footage and intimate, on-the-ground shots, Journeys Through the Finger Lakespresents breathtaking views of the region, while sharing stories of the people, places, and businesses that transcend the passage of time. The documentary visits more than a dozen locations including: National Women’s Hall of Fame, Susan B. Anthony House, Harriet Tubman House, Ganondagan, Watkins Glen, F.L.X. Table, Glenn Curtis Museum, Cornell University, and the Finger Lakes Land Trust.

The film is also a testament to resiliency. Footage for the documentary was still being shot when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. WXXI’s production team was steadfast in their resolve to finish the film and quickly pivoted their work to abide by state-mandated safety regulations. Final shooting and interviews were completed with a limited crew who followed social distancing, mask-wearing, and other health protocols. Much of the post-production work was then done remotely from the homes of the production team. The result is a majestic film that captures the essence of the region.

“We made sure that this film was completed and made available at a time when a beautiful and uplifting story was most needed for our community,” Silverstein said.

Journeys Through the Finger Lakes is dedicated to the memory of John Adamski, who worked tirelessly on behalf of the Finger Lakes and the Finger Lakes Museum. Mr. Adamski, a native of Irondequoit, passed away earlier this year.

To learn more about the documentary, visit WXXI.org/FingerLakes. Journeys Through the Finger Lakes encores Wednesday, August 12 at 6 p.m. and Friday, August 14 at 10 a.m. on WXXI-CREATE (DT 21.3/cable 1276) and Sunday, August 16 at 5 p.m. on WXXI-WORLD (DT 21.2/cable 1275).

Journeys Through the Finger Lakes is made possible with support from: Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance and I Love NY; Saunders Foundation; Nocon & Associates, an Ameriprise Financial Services Inc. private wealth advisory practice; and The Jane K. and Robert C. Stevens Fund for New Programming.