New Planets (Big Mean Sound Machine) at Funk 'n Waffles | May 15, 2026
If you’ve been following the Ithaca dance music scene, you already know this band — just maybe by their old name. New Planets, the powerhouse formerly known as Big Mean Sound Machine, announced their rebrand in late October 2025 and are bringing their thunderous floor-filling sound back to Funk 'n Waffles on Friday, May 15.
About New Planets
New Planets makes dance music that refuses to sit still in any one genre. The Ithaca-based collective blends Afrobeat, funk, Latin, psychedelia, and Ethio-jazz into what they describe as “other-worldly, party music of the past, present and future.” The rebrand from Big Mean Sound Machine to New Planets was officially announced October 31, 2025 — but the music is the same thunderous live experience built around groove, improvisation, and a dancefloor that doesn’t stop moving.
This is a national touring act that plays rooms of every size. Catching them in a 200-person club is a specific kind of gift.
Support: Hydrogen
Opening the night is Hydrogen, a Syracuse-based jam and psych act with deep Phish and Grateful Dead DNA. The band — Michael Brodsky on guitar/vocals, Ethan Girtz on keys, Jacob Cotton on bass, and Dominic Colucci on drums — specializes in long-form improvisation and psychedelic exploration. A fitting local opener for a show with this much groove energy at the top of the bill.
About the Venue
Funk 'n Waffles at 307–313 Clinton Street in Syracuse holds 200 people. In a room this size there’s no bad spot — everyone is close to the stage, the sound wraps around you, and the energy from the floor feeds back into the band all night. Doors open at 7:00 PM, so arriving early gives you your pick of the room before it fills up.
Tickets & Details
New Planets (fka Big Mean Sound Machine) plays Funk 'n Waffles on Friday, May 15, 2026. Doors at 7:00 PM, music at 8:00 PM. This is an 18+ show. Tickets start at $13.07.