Category: News Desk

The American Music Festival for The Lake Announces Line-up

Mayor Robert M. Blais of Lake George in partnership with 389Group and Putnam Den Productions, announced today, The American Music Festival for The Lake to take place on September 20^th and 21^st. The annual event serves to establish support of the Village and post-season tourism. The event will also generate funds and awareness for the S.A.V.E. Lake George and its efforts to eradicate invasive species that currently threaten the lake’s biological health. The event will be held at the new Charles R. Wood Park in the West Brook enviro-park project on the site of the former Gaslight Village.

Headlining Saturday, or Rock Fest Day is Robert Randolph & The Family Band. This part blues, part gospel and all rock band has been described as “an American original” and the “Jimi Hendrix of the pedal steel.” Paranoid Social Club will also take the open field stage, presenting their Maine-base, punk-pop live show that has catapulted them to cult status. Other artists include NRBQ, and Wild Adriatic.

Country Sunday will feature New Riders of the Purple Sage; a spin-off from the Grateful Dead, however successful in their own right, they are the “cowboys of country rock.” A two-time Grammy Nominee and praised as a creative force in acoustic music, Claire Lynch Band will push the boundaries of the bluegrass genre. Also included are country-blues band, Rosco Bandana and “honkey-tonk heroes,” the Stony Creek Band. More acts to be announced.

The family-friendly, all inclusive community music festival will offer a variety of activities. Several dozen vendors and exhibitors will be on hand for arts and crafts, a kids zone to include amusement rides, food trucks and The Flashlight 5K foot race! On Saturday, don’t miss fireworks over the lake. The American Music Festival for the Lake will complement the Adirondack Balloon Festival taking place nearby and hot air balloon rides will be offered.

Tickets available at festivalforthelake.com.

July 29, 2014
Primus Awards GOLDEN TICKET to Albany, NYC and Rochester

Oompa Loompa Doopity Doo, has an announcement for you! Primus has announced their fall tour which includes Golden Ticket dates in Albany (10/24), New York City (10/31) and Rochester (11/02).

If you didn’t get the hints, this tour will be Willy Wonka themed with the moniker “Primus and the Chocolate Factory”.

Alongside the tour Les and friends will release their 8th studio album, aptly named “Primus and the Chocolate Factory with the Fungi Ensemble“. The announcement also came with a first listen of the debut single “Pure Imagination”. These are sure to be hot golden tickets, don’t delay!

Primus Fall Tour 2014

October 22 – Upper Darby, PA @ Tower Theatre
October 24 – Albany, NY @ Palace Theatre
October 25 – Boston, MA @ Orpheum Theatre
October 26 – Burlington, VT @ Flynn Center for Performing Arts
October 28 – Waterbury, CT @ Palace Theater
October 29 – Baltimore, MD @ Hippodrome
October 31 – New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre
November 1 – New Brunswick, NJ @ State Theatre
November 2 – Rochester, NY @ Main Street Armory
November 3 – Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore Detroit
November 5 – St. Louis, MO @ Peabody Opera House
November 7 – Cincinnati, OH @ Taft Theatre
November 8 – Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
November 9 – Orlando, FL @ Hard Rock Live
November 11 – Miami Beach, FL @ The Fillmore Miami Beach at The Jackie Gleason Theater
November 12 – Clearwater, FL @ Ruth Eckerd Hall
November 14 – Biloxi, MS @ Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
November 15 – Austin, TX @ ACL live at the Moody Theater
November 16 – Dallas, TX @ The Majestic Theatre
November 17 – San Antonio, TX @ Majestic Theatre
November 19 – Phoenix, AZ @ Orpheum Theatre Phoenix
November 21 – Los Angeles, CA @ Orpheum Theatre LA

July 29, 2014
Port Chester to Raise One Last Pint to Black 47

New York City’s own Irish-American rockers Black 47 may be winding down their career at the end of this year, but before they do so they’ll be hitting Garcia’s at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, N.Y. this Thursday.

Black 47 has had an incredible 25-year career and to cap things off they have recently released their final album, Last Call, this past March. Aside from their latest, they have 16 full-length albums, including a few live recordings.

While Black 47 will be making two more stops in the Hudson Valley (Kingston and Peekskill) before the end of September, a packed house at Garcia’s will prove to be one heck of a party.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 9 p.m. Tickets are $20 and available at the Capitol Theatre’s website here.

The event is open to 21-years and older, allowing all to raise their pints in the air!

Here’s a track off of Last Call: “The Night the Showbands Died”

July 28, 2014
Jerod Mankin to Leave Bobaflex

In a Facebook statement early Saturday morning, Bobaflex member Jerod Mankin announced he will soon be leaving the band.

It’s with a very heavy heart that I make this statement.This next west coast tour will be my final tour with Bobaflex.The road life has taken its toll on me and I’m just not made for the lifestyle any longer. I have zero regrets and have loved every minute I’ve spent with this band. These guys are not only my band mates, but have been my life long friends. We knew each other way before the band and will continue to be friends throughout the rest of our lives.

I can’t thank all of the fans out there enough for all of the support and love you’ve all given me over the past 13 years.

Most of all, I can’t thank the band members themselves enough for all of the opportunities and experiences they’ve given me. I love every one of these guys like family and will forever be their biggest fan. They are, without a doubt, the hardest working band out there.

I’m completely confident that big things will continue to happen for them and I’ll be cheering them on the entire way.

Thanks again for all of the years of joy and fun that everyone has given me. Hope to see you all soon…

Love,

Jerod Mankin

The bassist stated how life on the road has taken a toll on him. He married his wife Ashley in 2012. And, in a recent interview with , he had spoken of the sacrifices band members often have to take to pursue their dreams. In that interview, when asked what he would do if not playing in a band, he said he would continue to work in music as a producer.

Bobaflex kicks off their West Coast tour with a show in Scottsdale, AZ on August 1. Mankin has been with the band for 13 years.

July 26, 2014
Peekskill’s 8th Annual Music Festival to Feature The Nighthawks and Local Talent July 25-26

Downtown Peekskill will be the grounds for some great live (and free) music this weekend along with other goodies to go along as the city hosts its 8^th annual Music Festival featuring The Nighthawks.

Kicking off the weekend will be a “Best of the Valley” Battle of the Bands at restaurants and venues throughout the downtown area starting at 7pm Friday evening. The winner (chosen by vote) will be putting on a set on each of the two stages the following day. Over twelve local acts will be vying for the winning set during Saturday’s show.

Saturday’s events run from 12pm-10pm, with music starting at 2. Aside from the music, there will be craft brews, artisan food trucks, street performers, and a car show by the local Road Knights Auto Club. The afternoon and evening of music will be split between two stages – the outdoor Central Avenue Main Stage and the indoor stage at the Paramount Hudson Valley. A unique feature of the day is that each band will do two sets, one on each stage, making it easy to catch all of the performers.

Here’s a highlight of a few of the acts (full schedule follows):

The Nighthawks – now in their 42^nd year, this legendary blues and roots band has recently rocked Peekskill with an opening set for NRBQ at the Paramount.

Livin’ the Blues Band – Southern NY/Northern NJ driving blues rock with Nik Rael on vocals, who opened up for Robert Cray at the Paramount Hudson Valley this past April.

Jessica Lynn – A young talented country/pop singer-songwriter from neighboring Yorktown Heights, NY. Recommended if you like Shania Twain, Taylor Swift, or Rascall Flatts.

Dana Edelman – Yet another local talent, Dana will be adding bluesy singer-songwriter tunes to the afternoon mix.

Central Avenue Main Stage
Rock of Ages Band – 8:30 -10:00
The Nighthawks – 6:45 – 8:00
Livin’ the Blues Band – 5:15 – 6:20
Jessica Lynn – 4:00 – 5:00
Dana Edelman – 3:00 – 3:45
Best of the Valley Winner – 2:00 – 2:45

Paramount Hudson Valley Stage
Best of the Valley Winner 8:00 – 9:00
Dana Edelman 6:30 – 7:35
The Nighthawks 5:00 – 6:05
Livin’ the Blues Band 3:30 – 4:30
Jessica Lynn 2:00 – 3:05

July 25, 2014
Otherwise Tour Launches in September

Otherwise is set to release their fourth studio album in September, and with that they recently announced the dates to their upcoming tour.

The tour stops at New York City’s Webster Hall on September 29.

Peace At All Costs comes at the heels of their 2012 release True Love Never Dies, which charted as high as No. 2 on Billboard’s Top Heatseekers Album chart.

“Peace comes through struggle,” stated the band through a press release from their label Century Media Records. “It’s a reward that’s earned rather than simply given. It’s the product of tireless work and an unbreakable spirit against all odds and opposition. Otherwise are no strangers to that struggle, rising up to become rock ‘n’ roll contenders in the face of a tumultuous musical climate and a series of personal hardships.”

The boys out of Las Vegas plan to pair up with Islander and Like A Storm throughout the tour, which kicks off September 11.

Peace At All Costs is to be released September 16.

July 23, 2014
Yet Another Big Weekend Coming at Willow Creek Winery July 25-26

Willow Creek Winery will be jumping again this weekend with two days of music. It all starts Friday night July 25, with Badfish-A Tribute to Sublime headlining with special guests Tropidelic and Whiskey Reverb. Saturday will be headlined by Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad with special guests Preach Freedom, Mosaic Foundation, The B-Side Dubs and Funktional Flow.

Badfish-A Tribute To Sublime is a tribute band that was formed in 2001. They have been selling out shows and touring for quite some time and have been giving Sublime fans something to fill their souls since Brad Nowell’s untimely death back in 1996, dissolving Sublime.

Tropidelic who comes from Kent, Ohio, and most recently played at Willow Creek Winery for the 2014 Buffalove Music Festival, won a lot of fans over with their music. Coming back to the same venue should get some fans real pumped up. Combining hip hop, funk, reggae and some cool masks on stage, Tropidelic is surely a must see.

Whisky Reverb will also be the special guest on Friday night, this band was also on this past Buffalove Music Festivals bill. The band hails from Buffalo and has been touring the past few years to about 125 shows a year. They keep evolving and they are becoming a must see band. Check them out and you won’t be disappointed.

If one night isn’t enough music for you, you can camp optionally for 10 dollars and check out the following day full of music with Rochester’s Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, Preach Freedom, Mosaic Foundation, The B-Side Dubs and Buffalo’s Funktional Flow. GPSDS produces a psychedelic roots reggae sound that will send jolts through your body of euphoria. The group has been touring extensively the past few years as well as some of the country’s premier festivals. The quintet plays so well with each other adding their own layers together producing an improvisational jam that you will want to be part of.

Preach Freedom brings his soulful happy music to the winery and will get everyone in the right mindset the whole day. Mosaic Foundation comes from the Finger Lakes region, they bring their Roots Reggae to the Winery. The Group is Unique and diverse and will surely get everyone ready for the evening. The B-Side Dubs, whose members all have different musical backgrounds bring it all together producing a groovy reggae tone with a psychedelic vibe.

Willow Creek Winery is no stranger to Funktional Flow, and the band has played their in more than a few occasions. They blew the doors off at Buffalove Music Festival this year, played a great set opening for Conspirator and I would expect no different this coming weekend. You will want to make sure you are front and center when Flow hits the stage. You can grab your tickets through Ticketfly or at the gate.

Band Lineup

Friday: Badfish- A Tribute to Sublime w/ Tropidelic and Whiskey Reverb. Tickets are $18 advance or $24.50 day of the event, the show starts at 6pm.

Saturday: Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad w/ Preach Freedom, Funktional Flow, Mosaic Foundation, The B-Side Dubs – $20 advance or $25 day of event, show starts at 2 pm.

July 23, 2014
Papadosio Announces Fall Tour 2014

North Carolina’s jazzy jamtronica favorite, Papadosio has announced an extensive 35-date US tour for fall 2014.

Billed as the “Imaginal Cells” tour, ‘dosio will be visiting old and new cities and will be joined by Twiddle, Jimkata, Asian Teacher Factory, Ghost Owl, and Tauk on select dates.

Upstate will get four visits – September 5 at the Catskill Chill festival, October 14 at The Haunt in Ithaca, October 15 at The Westcott in Syracuse, and October 22 at the Town Ballroom in Buffalo. Regarding the tour’s name, the band released the following statement:

“Intertwined with evolution lies design. Nature casts blueprints for transition that resemble reinvention. Embryo, larva, pupa and imago mark the lifespan of the caterpillar, and nestled in the depths of metamorphosis lie dormant cells with an ancient memory of the future embedded within.”

We’re not sure what that means either, but you can bet will be there to find out!

Papadosio Fall Tour 2014.

July 23, 2014
Oak Mountain Second Annual Bluegrass and Arts Festival

Less than a month away, Adirondack bluegrass lovers are gearing up for the second annual Bluegrass & Arts Festival on August 16, 2014 at the beautiful Oak Mountain Ski Resort. With a full day and evening of festivities planned, attendees are in for a treat.

Oak Mountain Bluegrass & Arts Festival

Oak Mountain Ski Resort is situated in the beautiful Adirondack Mountains, in Speculator, NY. This lovely ski lodge is the hub of the Speculator community and surrounding area for seasonal visitors and locals, offering activities year round. Owners, Laura and Matt O’Brien, have outdone themselves in coordinating events for all those in the community from trail races, to skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobiling competitions and events, snow shoe racing, tubing, cardboard racing, mountain biking, bbq’s, movie nights, Halloween parties, winter carnivals, holiday fairs, fireworks, and live music every chance they can offer it. In addition, this spectacular location is a hub for private weddings and events of all sorts. So it is only fitting to offer to those in the surrounding area an opportunity to enjoy some backwoods music at the most picturesque local.

Oak Mountain Chair Lift Rides

Oak Mountain Bluegrass Festival 2013

With a highly successful first year event, they anticipate double the attendance as word has spread of how much fun, and how family friendly this event is for music lovers. Attendees can either purchase day passes for $15, or for $20 they can stay for overnight camping on the mountainside. In addition to a stellar lineup, there are activities planned for the children, and vendors will be on site selling their wares and edibles throughout the day. For those wishing a full meal, there is an on site full kitchen making some of the most delicious meals available in the area. With Saratoga Eagle sponsoring the beer and wine, patrons can choose between Bud Light, Davidson’s, Paradox, Widmer, or Shipyard- Pumpkinhead, as well as the fully stocked bar in the clubhouse.

Oak Mountain Cuisine

The lineup begins at 12:30pm with Swampcandy taking the stage, followed at 3:00pm with the Remsen Social Club who played last year’s event, then at 5:30pm The Old Main (aka The Birdseed Bandits) will take the stage, followed at 8pm by Sleepy Man Banjo Boys, and to finish out the night is crowd favorites Nick, Nigel, and Braids from Floodwood to cap off the amazing evening of music.

The Old Main

Nick & Braids

Tickets can be purchased online at http://oakmountainski.com/home/ or at the Oak Mountain Ski Resort. Do not wait till the last-minute to join us at Oak Mountain’s Second Annual Bluegrass & Arts Festival.

July 22, 2014
Albany Blues Musician and Teacher, Tom Healey is Dead

Albany blues musician and Albany High teacher, Tom Healey, died unexpectedly Monday, according to several news reports.

News of his passing has trickled across the Internet over the past several hours, prompting a flood of tributes on his personal Facebook page, and that of his band, The Tom Healey Blues Band.

Photo Credit: Wanda Callagy as shared on Tom Healey’s Facebook page

“Tom was one of the smartest and funniest men I have ever met,” stated Albany High math teacher, Michael Justice, on Healey’s personal Facebook page. “This school year I had the pleasure to eat lunch with Tom, Greg Baker, and my sister Jen just about ever day. It was my little slice of sanity in a crazy place. Tom’s unfiltered comments about all things Albany High and beyond were not to be missed. I will miss him dearly…”

A note from Dred Scott stated that Healey’s last performance was at a private show in Vermont this Friday.

In addition to his work as a blues musician, Healey taught social studies teacher at Albany High. Healey had only just retired from his teaching position.

July 22, 2014