Category: Schenectady

  • The Bayou Cafe in Albany changes its name to The Hollow Bar + Kitchen

    The Bayou Cafe in Albany, NY recently announced on their FaceBook fan page that they were under new ownership and now open under the new name, The Hollow Bar + Kitchen. The post explained that the new owners were grateful for all that the previous owner had done for the local music scene, but that they were ready to take the business in a new direction.

    In addition to the name change the Hollow boasts of bringing well known local Chef Henry Ciccone on board to help develop the new menu. Patrons can also expect a room-by-room remodel of the space with a promise to the ladies for a much more pleasant Woman’s Bathroom!

    Don’t worry live music lovers the new vision most definitely will include delivering the sweet tunes of some of the best original and cover bands in the region that the Albany Bayou was known for. The new owners want everyone to know that although the name and menu are changing they want to build on what the Bayou was to so many in the Albany music scene.

    We look forward to bringing the space back to what it has been known for over the past 10 years. Great food, great beer and great music. ~ The Hollow Bar + Kitchen

    The Hollow Bar + Kitchen
    79 North Pearl Street
    Albany, New York 12207

    Hours
    Mon: 5:00 pm – 12:00 am
    Tue – Thu: 11:30 am – 12:00 am
    Fri: 11:30 am – 4:00 am
    Sat: 4:00 pm – 4:00 am

    Twitter: @thehollowalbany | FaceBook | http://bayoucafe.com | Ph: (518) 426-8550

  • Camp Bisco 12: Back with a Vengeance

    It’s about that time of year again when the social media feeds fill with people’s excitement and let downs about their up coming festival season. Every year I find myself in a mad dash to acquire the funds to support my undying love for live music. It seems everyone is in agreement over this past week’s Camp Bisco 12 lineup release. The best thing about Camp Bisco is you never know what to expect. Within the past six or seven years of my own attendance I’ve been able to see such a wide spectrum of music acts all so close to home.

    The past years have included major acts such as Shpongle live, (including Simon Posford, Raja Ramm and the rest of their psychedelic entourage) LCD Soundystem, The Disco Biscuits (of course), Cut Copy, Thievery Corporation, Snoop Dogg (when he wasn’t quite a lion yet), Pretty Lights,  Sound Tribe Sector 9, The New Deal, Girl Talk, and many, many more. Over the past years we have seen Camp Bisco grow from the one stage local festival into a national phenomena attracting individuals from all across America for the longest weekend of their lives. It has been amazing to watch the growth of such an amazing festival over the past few years. This will be the twelfth Camp Bisco and the seventh of which will be hosted at the Indian Lookout Country Club in Mariaville, New York.

    Two weeks ago when the lineup was released the excitement slowly began to build, and will continue to do so until the day we all wait in line in the hot July sun to enter the world of Bisco. “126 days until Camp Bisco”- the banner reads, ticking down every second on CampBisco.net. This years lineup so far includes The Disco Biscuits, Bassnectar, Passion Pit, STS9, Animal Collective, Umphrey’s McGee, Flux Pavillion, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Lotus, Boys Noize, Wolfgang Gartner, Tommy Trash, Dillion Francis, UZ, Aeroplane, Alvin Risk, Audrey Napoleon, Baauer, Bear Mountain, Boombox, Break Science, Cherub, Chris Malinchak, Clockwork, Com Truise, Congorock, Cosby Sweater, Crizzly, Dan Deacon, Designer Drugs, Dirtyphonics (Live), El-P, Eskmo, Flosstradamus, Free Energy, Gigamesh, Govinda, Gramatik, Grandtheft, Green Lantern, HeRobust, Heroes x Villians, Indobox, Killer Mike, Koan Sound, Manic Focus, M | O | D, Nadis Warriors, Nick Thayer, Paper Diamond, Party Supplies, Popeska, Project 46, RL Grime, Rubblebucket, Ryan Hemsworth, The Werks, Toro y Moi, Twiddle, Vacationer, VHS or Beta, Wick-It the Instigator, and Zoogma.

    Second leg announcement includes Destroid (Feat. Excision, Downlink and KJ Sawka), Madeon, Danny Brown, Seven Lions, Digital Tape Machine, Bondax, Strip Steve, Moon boots, Perseus, Alpha Data, Autobody and The Manhattan Project. PLUS: Curated tents by Owsla Vs. BoyzNoise Records, French Express and ThisSongIsSick.Com

    Last years lineup included artists such as Bassnectar, Crystal Castles, Amon Tobin, Big Boi and Atmosphere. Just when you think that Camp Bisco cannot out do themselves, they do.

    If you would like to listen to some of the scheduled artists check out Baxstar’s playlist on soundcloud:
    https://soundcloud.com/soulryder-princess/sets/get-pumped-for-bisco-carla-d

    The latest announcements are centered around the highly speculated and exciting performance by Zeds Dead. The festival also welcomed LTJ Bukem, Destructo, Samo Sound Boy and Gravity A for the upcoming festival. The announcement also included the famous Camp Bisco ferris wheel, a Bisco Air Bag, yoga and hooping workshops, greening initiatives and a brand new Hammock Lounge by the Lake. This year there will be increased water stations, new showers and refresh stations with power outlets for all you folks who need to charge up those cellphones. New and exciting things are heading our way for this upcoming festival which is just a few short weeks away.

    Tickets are still on sale at Campbisco.net, stay tuned for more updates

  • Camp Bisco 12 announced for July 11-13

    Questions were looming whether Camp Bisco was going to happen in Upstate New York this year.  There were rumors of it being completely done; moving south or even changing it’s name.  Well, Bisco fans don’t need to worry anymore.  Camp Bisco announced that the show will go on for # 12 of its run. Camp Bisco will be returning to the beautiful Indian Lookout Country Club, in rural Mariaville, NY.

    Camp Bisco is a unique festival for many reasons.  Where else can you find such a unique blend of electonic house, hip hop, jam bands and whatever else they might throw at you every year.  the only thing you can count on is that the disco biscuits will be gracing the stage and that you will have a great time.  Oh yeah, there is also a good chance of rain.

    The festival plans to expand and enhance the experience for attendees by adding “surround sound and greater concert production to all stages. From large-scale art installations and artist workshops to performance art demonstrations, carnival rides and more, Camp Bisco is also increasing the interactive elements in 2013 to create an even better festival experience for patrons. Long distance shuttles will also return, offering service from Albany, Baltimore, Boston, New York City and Philadelphia.”

    Early Bird tickets go on sale Saturday, February 2 at 10 a.m. EST for a very limited allotment at $170. General on sale tickets will start at $185, before raising to the last minute price $199. All-inclusive pre-sale VIP packages are available again this year, starting at $450 for VIP and $1300 for a pair of Platinum VIP tickets, before increasing to $500 and $1400 respectively. Camp Bisco will also be introducing a new layaway plan, where fans can divide payments on General Admission tickets equally between the on sale date and July 1st. Tickets will be available online at campbisco.net. Camp Bisco is an 18 and over event.

  • Trey Anastasio Band post-shows in Albany on January 26th – Hot Day at the Zoo,and more!

    Trey Anastasio Band comes to Albany on Saturday, January 26th, but the music doesn’t stop when Big Red leaves the stage. If you’re coming to town for the main show, stick around for three great late night options, all close by The Palace Theater. The Bayou is located a few hundred feet down North Pearl Street from The Palace while Red Square is on Broadway, a block east of North Pearl and about a 1/2 mile walk. A cab is recommended to get to Valentines.

    Bayou Cafe: Hot Day at the Zoo with The Blind Owl Band

    Hot Day at the Zoo (HDATZ) is the quartet of Jon Cumming (banjo, dobro, vocals), Michael Dion (guitar, harmonica, vocals,) Jed Rosen (upright bass, vocals), and JT Lawrence (mandolin, vocals). Dion and Cumming are the band’s two main songwriters. Both, with distinctive personalities, offer enough stories to fill a catalogue of songs that are whole-hearted and full of sincerity. Add in Rosen, who’s technical prowess allows him to hold down the beat and push the music along, and Lawrence, who’s youthful energy and stellar musicianship fuel his strength in fulfilling each song’s missing piece, and the result is a band who humbly creates something bigger than any of themselves.

    Rosen speaking about HDATZ’s live performance says, “Expect to see four guys up on stage playing their asses off and singing their hearts out.” All four members play with so much vivacity and vigor that an abundance of both baby powder to keep dry and superglue to prevent their fingernails from falling off is necessary. Whether they’re headlining or performing as special guest support for artists including The Band’s Levon Helm, David Grisman, Leon Russell, moe., and Hot Buttered Rum, HDATZ connects with their audience through their defiant high energy on stage. With improvisations that give songs new shape, signature arrangements of covers, and many special guests, concertgoers may expect to never see the same show twice.

    Red Square Turkuaz with The Chronicles

    The Brooklyn-based funk army known as Turkuaz “is like tossing a lit match into a dumpster full of fireworks” (bestnewbands.com). Their stage show combines influences from Sly and the Family Stone to Talking Heads into an explosive auditory and visual circus, a full-frontal assault on the senses. After multiple residencies at NYC’s Brooklyn Bowl, two blowout performances at Bear Creek Music Festival, and tours spanning the east and west coasts, Turkuaz has developed a reputation from NYC to San Francisco as the band that plays louder, faster, and harder than all the rest. Learn more at

    Combining jazz, hip hop, funk, soul, and gospel, The Chronicles bring a unique sound that defies classification. Founded by upstate NY horn heavyweights, Bryan Brundige and Jeff Nania in October of 2009, The Chronicles have included and continue to feature the most talented up-and-coming musicians in the Capital Region. The Chronicles have been working hard to spread their music throughout the northeast with appearances at regional theaters like the New Hampshire Jazz Center and Proctor’s GE Theater. They have also appeared at major music festivals like Riverfront Jazz Festival, Tulip Festival, Bella Terra, African American Heritage Day, The Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival, The Big Up, and The BeatShot Music Festival. Albanyʼs alternative newsweekly, Metroland recognized them as “Best Jazz” in 2012, and in their 2011 “Best of the Capital Region” critic’s poll as the best in live hip hop with “jazz chops out the yin yang, and new tunes at their fingertips every time they pick up their instruments.”

    Valentines – Cats Don’t Have Souls, Oven Fresh & Formula 5

    While this is an after party, the music begins at 9pm. Formula 5 caps off the night, and they are a great up and coming jamband in Albany, with a great sound. Check out our interview with them.

    Cost is $10 to get in but only $5 with a Trey ticket stub!

  • Adam Ezra Group at The Bayou Cafe, Albany, January 11th

    On a damp January evening, AEG brought their sweaty, passionate, live performance to the Bayou Café in Albany, NY. Playing to a room full of appreciative fans, the band did not disappoint. The Adam Ezra Group (AEG) hails from Boston, MA and was playing in support of their recent album Ragtop Angel, which took the 2012 New England Music Awards honors for  ‘Album of the Year’, as well as ‘Song of the Year’ for “Takin’ Off”. 

    Those that know the AEG know they are not only about the music but are also activists and community leaders committed to changing the world through their music. This is very in the song entitled “Miss Hallelujah” which Ezra performed with compassion, soul and power to kick off the show. The early part of the show also included the bands version of “Cripple Creek”, dedicated to the late Levon Helm and “The Devil Came Up to Boston”, a variation of Charlie Daniels’ “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”

    The remainder of the show was a nice blend of AEG favorites including “On My Own”, “Home Again Soon”, “What Did I Say”, “We’re Going Out Tonight” and “Steal Your Daughter” from both previous albums View From the Root (2010), Chain (2005), Tumble Down Slow (2004) and their latest album Daniel The Brave (2012).

    There’s something to be said about getting back to basics. The Adam Ezra group is all about down-to-Earth, grassroots music. The bands vast talent and old fashion work ethic combined with their commitment to making the world a better place through their music is certainly a breath of fresh air.

    www.adamezra.com

    www.bayoucafe.com