NYS Music 20​14

Category: Schenectady

  • Camp Creek: Where Old Memories Come to Life And New Ones Are Made

    The rain slowly fell, as did expectations of  decent weather for another festival weekend at Camp Creek. The bikers who occupy the Indian Lookout Country Club were efficient in their car searches as well as very polite . They were so cordial in fact that when dropping a bag of Cheetos out of a campers car, they gave it back to them, much to the chagrin of the biker who had Chester the Cheetah tattooed on his arms. This vibe was implanted into the overall feeling once campers got inside as well. The mist and drizzle continued, there weren’t any down pours – just enough rain to be a bother. Everyone was helping everyone else get their gear setup, an overly friendly gesture not always seen at festivals, if ever.

    The Country Club was extraordinary but this was not your grandparent’s country club – there are no golf courses or swimming pools or croquet court. No, this is a retreat for bikers and a beautiful one at that. Over looking a magnificent array of mountains as far as the eye could see with lakes and a water fountain, this place just seemed like home. Although the weather was a slight detriment there was this calming vibe covering the entire venue so there were little if any worries.

    Casey Bloom, a native of Canandaigua, NY, opened the festival up with an acoustic set focusing on many Grateful Dead, Tom Petty and Pink Floyd covers such as “Lady with a Fan,” “Wildflowers” and “Fearless”. This was a fantastic way to kick off the festival as people began to fill up the hill stage and sang along to all their favorites. The table was set for a brilliant weekend of music. As the evening progressed so did the music and positive energy. The staff was delightful as they made the campers comfort their number one priority. Having staff constantly checking on the bathrooms to ensure cleanliness, is a lesson other festivals should learn from. As well as helping disabled festival goers with their wheelchairs or offering to lend a hand if you were carrying too much, their courtesy was above and beyond any call of duty.

    The Marks Brothers, led by Max Creek  keyboardist Marc Mercier, had  fans swarming at the Hill Stage to get a glimpse. Featuring Mark Paradis on guitar, Brian Konopka behind the drum-kit and Dave Stoltz slapping the bass. These four put on a very rocking set putting a different spin on some standards that Marc does while playing with Creek. The once grassy area in front of the stage had now become a muddy disaster but no one was bothered by this, in fact the longer the set went on the more the tent filled and created more mud. The best thing about this band was they played songs that Creek plays but they played them a lot heavier it wasn’t just Marc playing the same songs the same way with different guys, different guys means a different sound and that’s what the Marks Brothers delivered.

    The spirit of  ’70s southern rock lives on through many bands in the music scene today, however very few emulate it as Eastbound Jesus does. EBJ is a band hailing from Greenwich, NY which embodies everything there is about the that era of music. Weird? Maybe. Does it matter? No. This band rocked hard. Adam Brockway, the bands centerpiece controlled the crowd with his movements and twangy vocal styling. Brockway demands the crowd’s attention and he receives it. Although there are many acoustic bands with similar styles, the electric guitar playing of Dylan Robinson separates EBJ from all the rest. The smooth modern sound over the classic rock backing is a sound untouched by very few if any bands out there today. It catches the ear of not only jam band fans, but that of bluegrass and country as to not pigeon-hole their fan base. The sky is the limit for EBJ, and they will reach it very soon.

    After EBJ the floor was completely muddy but that didn’t stop anyone from coming to see the main act Friday night. Beau Sasser, Ed Mann, Bill Carbone and Scott Murawski packed the tent over capacity and out into the surrounding area. This all-star lineup was nothing less than spectacular. Sasser has a knack for the keys possessed by no one. He owned the crowd from the very start with his nonchalant confidence as he smoked his cigarette and talked to the sound guy, never missing a beat. He transmitted very spacey sounds as the rest of the group severed as a backdrop. Murakswi shared some amazing solos, Sasser was right with him, this was his show, and everyone was very ecstatic about the energy. As the night wound down the bikers kept watch over everything making sure no one got out of hand and that everyone was safe. That was the key to the whole festival, safety.

    Saturday morning showed some promise both as far as the weather went and the music, the day started perfectly. Although the sky was overcast the sun was trying to emerge itself through covering clouds. Hot Acoustics opened the morning up with special guests John Rider and Jamerreal Stanley, for a well awaited sit-in by the remaining members of Max Creek . The set featured four people having a good time all had smiles on their faces and the music was spot on. To start a Saturday off this was the right way, as the afternoon rolled on and the sun broke through Matt Zeieer and crew did their things much to the liking of the crowd, but it wasn’t until Ryan Montebleu took that stage that the crowd really got into the vibe. Playing sing along songs, the most catchy was “Eggs” a fun little song about how he likes his eggs. The crowd was inside and outside of the ten and no on he was having a bad time Playing “Sergent peppers Lonely Hearts Club” band was a great addition to the set everyone knew it and everyone loved it. Ryan Montebleu was defiantly an important act on the schedule.

    When Max Creek took the stage around 7p.m. the place was ready to get down and so was Creek. Camp Creek is like the Superbowl to Creek, they hold it out all year just for this set, and by hearing it you can tell this was true, “Jones” opened the show and from the first note everyone was dancing, smiling hugging, family. The grooves continued and the crowd continued to eat it up. It wasn’t until “drums>space>drums” that things really hit their peak. With avant-garde sounds reminiscent, almost emulating  Pink Floyd, the crowd was entranced, just waiting in awe for what was to come next. There was no telling, even in the 18 plus minute “Who do You love” the aura was still there and it finally dropped into the beautiful “Emerald Eyes”. Everyone was either smiling, crying or screaming. This is what Creek is about no matter what emotion, they are bound to channel at least one every time. And, this time was no exception. “Down with the Jungle” a song wich featured Jammerel Stanley on main vocals was completely off the charts. It showed that after all these years Creek still has the power of diversity. In the middle of the song Jammerall rapped, a rap at Camp creek, with Max Creek, by a Max Creek member.; Awesome.

    Long time Creek collaborator Frank Messina came up and delivered an amazing poem about America, although it was a little hard to follow at the time, he always brought it back to “the Soul of America” –   it was phenomenal. “Twist and Shout” was the next rocking number to get everyone back in the mood before they were getting ready to wrap up their five-plus hour show. This show was as close to perfect that can be achieved.

    There is no cure for the Sunday festival blues like a little early morning smooth jazz. Jammerall, Stanely and the Drummers for Peace and Equality delivered just that. With a nice mellow drum beat under the slow smooth trumpet set the mood right, nothing to fast nothing to crazy, just something to slowly get your groove back after a long weekend. These guys were booked perfectly as a rocking afternoon was soon to take place.

    Spitune, playing on the hill stage to a mediocre crowd, was the key to Sunday as a lot of campers packed it up and left that morning, but that wasn’t going to stop the party from continuing. Opening the set with a cover of the band who is hosting the festival has to take a lot of courage and SpiTune did just that. Starting their set with the creek classic “Something is Forming” and putting their own twist on it was a very nice surprise that left the crowd in bewilderment. When Creek plays the song it changes it up but basically in the same structure, SpiTune changed-up some of the vocal arrangements to make it feel more original.

    Flipper Dave was ready to party when they took the stage. Playing gongs that were not only jammy, but also personal, it was a nice change of pace, Scott Murawski got brought up several times and helped the boys out that was not needed but it was fun to see these friends play together, this family play together, That was the presence of the whole weekend that this was juts one big family, bands included and they were going to play that they wanted to when they want to, much to the delight of the other bands.This is what a true festival should be like. This has been lost in the festival scene when promoters book bands that have no connection to each other. As soon as you can feel the  disconnection from the bands it takes away from the festival as a whole, Camp Creek did it their way, the right way.

    Fungus Amungus was the last hill stage act. They tore it down. With a horn section like no other and yet another appearance by, Scott Murasaki. Muraswki sat in for two songs then the best part of the set occurred when the band play homage to some of the greatest groups of the seventies, Pink Floyd and Zeppelin playing Zeppelin “The Ocean” and “Moby Dick” followed Floyd’s “Shine On You Crazy Diamond”.

    The final act of the festival, which should’ve been dubbed Max Creek and friends was up on the main stage next. This was a special treat. This is what the festival was all about: Family. Having most of the guys who were playing sit in with them was something special, from  festival opener CaseyBloom, To Keyboardist, Beaus Sasser to Murawski’s grandson, this was a very special set. It was more fun than anything and that’s what it’s all about. When Max Creek decided to put this festival on this year they said they wanted to have a party like it used to be. They succeeded, they succeeded with flying colors and this set proved it.

  • An Interview with Dani Moz

    At Los Angeles International Airport, blurry-eyed travelers stand upon moving walkways with luggage in tow as they head out from the solace among the clouds to the bustle on the ground. The average person walks about 3mph. A weary cosmopolitan standing atop this massive conveyor belt like a bag of produce moves twice as quickly, while seemingly standing still.

    On a lazy Sunday, Dani Moz stands outside her childhood home in Delmar as, she too, continues to move while seemingly standing still. Handmade signs throughout the neighborhood advertise a garage sale. Her garage sale. A blue Chris Drury Rangers jersey hangs upon a rack with a $50 price tag spinning in the breeze. The hockey team out of New York just lost the Stanley Cup Finals the previous night to her hometown Los Angeles Kings. There it hangs, along with three racks of clothes, a number of different books and DVDs, CDs and sheet music – relics of her life as Danielle Mozeleski.

    dani mozAtop a table outside her parent’s garage stands a box and several promotional headshots at the ready for the now-(former) television phenomenon to sign autographs. What she raises from the sale will help fund the album to which she’ll proceed to record on the West Coast in a few days. What she doesn’t sell today will go to charity.

    The pedestrian looking tag sale is just another example of the constant motion in Moz’s life. As she stands on the driveway, hugging old friends and chatting with local high school kids, her singing career is moving. She is less than a month removed from the competition on NBC Television’s The Voice; but her schedule is no less hectic today.

    Quite the contrary.

    “It’s actually crazy, ’cause it hasn’t. The great thing about leaving the show when I did was the opportunities that have been thrown my way. I’m now doing music full-time, so my career in PR has been put to the side for now. Which is fantastic. I’ve really been focusing on music 100 percent.”

    Before performing, Moz established a public relations career, ultimately landing a job at Boston Gardens, marketing for the venue that plays host to the Celtics and Bruins.  That experience has taught her the importance of timing.  The metal of a career takes shape once it emerges from the fires of the crucible.  For Moz, that crucible was the weekly competition viewed by millions on national television. There are stars who have taken similar paths; Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson, and Chris Daughtry. But, when considering the hundreds of contestants who have appeared on The Voice and similar shows, she knows the rate of success is against her. Even those who ultimately win, are not guaranteed fame.

    “Being on a show like The Voice, there’s a big misconception that, just because you’re on that platform, things will come easy to you after the show. Or, if you make it to a certain point, [people] think ‘oh, you’re definitely going to be famous. Label deals are going to be thrown at you.’ And, to a certain degree, there is that. However, now more than ever is the time to work hard and hustle.

    Now is not the time for me to sit back and wait for offers to fly,” said Moz. “Now is when I’m getting in everyone’s face to say, ‘Hey, I may not be relevant when the show starts back up again in September, so this is where I am now, and this is what my vision is. Help me bring it to life.’”

    Moz is already separating herself among her peers.  Speaking among friends from the show, she said she can already see fellow competitors bewildered from the lack of record deals coming their way.   “That’s where everybody has it twisted,” she said. So, once she was voted off the show, thanks to a strong will she attributes from her mother, she started hammering out her career. “I never take anything for granted… You’ve got to earn it. You got to hustle.” Even a short stay with her parents back home has called for radio interviews, performing at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, and visiting her high school to speak to students about building character. Living in Los Angeles provides her the resources to pursue her dream, networking with producers and pitching her talents to a number of different labels.

    Moz has an EP she previously released on iTunes in 2010. But, she said, her sound has evolved since, and she is ready to try out new material.

    “I’m really excited to bring that to fruition, and to put all my new material together,” said Moz. “Definitely going to make a full Dani Moz album of my own songs, and shop it to labels, and see where it goes and takes me.”

    “It’s all about having the passion and the drive.”

    That’s what she said to members of Bethlehem Central’s choir and band groups. As she stood the students, Moz found her role switch to motivational speaker, as some questions asked of her where of students discouraged from not reaching their own goals. “I was in the same spot you guys are in,” she said, admitting that as a student she was never first chair, and she never earned the lead in all her four years in drama. But, she said she continued on because it was her passion.

    “So, it’s not to say, if you’re not the best at what you’re doing, you can’t excel and flourish in that field.”

    Before the sun rises the following day, Moz is at a terminal at Albany International Airport.  A mix-up with the flight has her on the phone with customer service.

    Nothing is to get in her way.

    Moz headlines Schenectady County’s SummerNight Beach Party with a performance at 8 p.m. on Friday, July 11.  The event is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.

  • John Legend Charms Proctors Theater

    The Capital Region was romanced by nine-time Grammy award winner, John Legend, on Friday, May 16th at Proctor’s in Schenectady.

    Despite the Spring chill and light rain, some guests were dressed to the nines with fur and silk as others could be seen in the occasional flannel for the sold out show. As the lights dimmed, the spotlight shone on a four piece string section and an electric guitarist, that got the crowd buzzing with excitement as it was close to show time. Suddenly, the shadowy outline of a figure standing on stage, and as the lights went up, you saw John Legend dressed in a sharp white suit jacket and a smile that made the whole crowd melt. He opens the show with one of his newest singles, “Made To Love”, a strong battle cry of emotion that flew at the crowd with acoustic intensity. He gave shout outs to Albany and Schenectady as he playfully warned, “Tonight’s the Night”, another song focused on the here and now.

    20140516 - John Legend 14

    Throughout the show, John Legend told stories from his past, about his family and fellow musicians, experiences that all brought him to this moment right now. He explained how his first show was in a small bar called The Living Room in Manhattan and he wanted to create the feel of a small show in a comfortable setting again, which was brought to life by the acoustic performances on his All of Me tour. He spoke humble words with a sophisticated manner that was warm and welcoming. He encouraged crowd participation for all his songs, which the audience happily responded with lyrics, cheers and plenty of female screamers. Legend even took a moment to play matchmaker as he joked with the couples and single folks, “I’m warming them up for you fellas. There are no guarantees in life, but you got a good shot tonight.” He took requests with one of them being “PDA”, perfectly setting the mood underneath the golden stars and arches of Proctors.

    One of the most touching moments was John Legend explaining his early childhood with his family attending church on Sundays. He acquired his piano styling from his grandmother, who taught him gospel piano every week and said, “So when you hear me, you are still hearing my grandma.” He dedicated Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge over Troubled Water” to her as he performed with heartfelt execution and precious timing. John Legend has a range of vocals with a flavor of attitude that spices up his piano playing for an unforgettable performance. There are not enough things in the world as smooth as John Legend and it’s no wonder that his shows have been selling out on this rare and more intimate tour. His soulful keys and romantic lyrics give hope that Love in the Future is within reach for all of us. Limited tickets are still available for The OnCenter Crouse Hinds Theater on June 12th in Syracuse.

  • The Man, The Myth, John Legend comes to Proctors Friday May 16th

    John_Legend-0934_V2John Legend, the nine-time Grammy Award winning recording artist, is coming to the historic Proctors Theater in Schenectady tomorrow Friday 16th.

    His All of Me Tour has been selling out shows across the Upstate region and beyond, making tomorrow night a special show for those lucky enough to snag tickets. The show is set to start at 8 pm with no intermission during the 2 hour performance. One of the reasons this tour so special is that Legend is performing acoustically with just his piano, making for a more raw and intimate show each night.

    Legend’s tour is part of the promotion for his fourth studio album release, Love in the Future, produced by Kanye West and David Tozer, giving the classic soulful feel with a twist of modern sound. After a decade on the Billboard charts and with his new album, John Legend recently landed his first Hot 100 No. 1 spot with “All of Me.”

    The singer songwriter has been named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people and is celebrated for more than just his music. Legend is honored for his social activism with launching the Show Me Campaign, a nonprofit organization fighting poverty around the world. He is also a part of The Education Equality Project, Teach for America and the Harlem Village Academies.

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsYrpNHQ6hg]

  • EXIT 97.7 WEXT Announces Fund Drive

    “Leave Regular Radio Behind” is their motto, they focus on local 518 artists, they dig through endless catalogs of forgotten songs, they are supported only by their listeners; they are Exit 97.7 WEXT and they command a unique on air musical experience rivaled by many, with a new Fund Drive coming up.

    Presented from March 21-28, WEXT-FM announces the Songwriter Showcase, an ideal platform respecting various musicians, navigating the sound waves to where songs begin.

    The Songwriter Showcase is a group of songs played on air from years past through current or new artists. The rotation of songwriters presented range from Neil Young to Josh Ritter. There will be songs that are political to songs that tug on the emotional heartstrings and everything in between. The Songwriter Showcase is only one example of programming 97.7 WEXT presents. Other special shows include countdown lists that no other radio tackles such as: the 500 greatest bands and albums of all time, as well as 977 greatest songs of all time. Other equally unique programming includes the 200 women who rock on International Women’s Day and an entire week is devoted to songs of freedom and protest.

    The EXIT 97.7 began July 7, 2007 making this year their lucky seventh anniversary. The station is not only proud of their commitment to music but also maintains a strong community based ideal sponsoring events such as Tulip Fest, Lark Fest and Art on Lark. Members of the community are also invited to partake in MY EXIT programming where the listener creates their own playlist and becomes the DJ for an hour. WEXT is a huge supporter of local talent, providing 518 artists with an outlet for their creativity with live in-studio performances. Local musicians are showcased throughout the day.

    Defying commercial radio, WEXT has a stronghold on local public broadcasting, setting their own policies and program decisions based on the desire and needs determined by open communication with the community. The community-owned and operated station relies heavily on financial support of its members, as there is no commercial advertising on air. During the Songwriter Showcase, listeners will have an opportunity to make a contribution during WEXT’s spring fund drive. In exchange members will receive a gift. Based on the contribution, each member will be able to choose from CD’s such as the re-mastered Uncle Tupelo’s No Depression, or concert tickets to upcoming shows. The sold out James Taylor show at Tanglewood is one package offer. Other available contribution packages include tickets to Shawn Colvin and Steve Earle at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers featuring Edie Breckell at The Palace Theatre or Jake Shimabukuro at The Egg.

    Exit 97.7 WEXT is still in its infancy yet the station has become a staple of the community and did so through grassroots efforts using the co-op paradigm as its model. Turn the dial to 97.7 FM and be the judge. Contributions can be made online at exit977.org or by calling toll free 1-800-272-6492.

  • Getting to Know M.R. Poulopoulos

    In the historic Stockade district of Schenectady lives a creative song crafter we will come to know as M.R. Poulopoulos. The singer-songwriter will be performing on January 17 at Caffé Lena in Saratoga Springs. We wanted to get to know M.R. Poulopoulos a bit so we sat down with him at Ambition, a small sandwich eatery located on the trendy and quaint Jay St. of downtown Schenectady.

    Tabitha Clancy:  Lets start with where you were born and raised.

    M.R. Poulopoulos: I was born in Albany, NY. So I’m a local boy. I was raised where Bethlehem, Albany and Guilderland meet. It was rural suburban area. As I grew up over the course of 15 years, all of that space was developed. I grew up on the outskirts of Albany. I went away for college but I always gravitated toward Albany.

    TC: Where did you go to college?

    MRP: Undergraduate I went to Providence College in Rhode Island. I always reminded of a Janeane Garofalo quote. She went there for a little while. There is a dorm called McVinney Hall but everyone called it the virgin vault. It was an all female dorm with restrictions that males couldn’t be in the building after 9 pm – rules that were consistently broken. The point that Garofalo made was that “you could stand on top of McVinney and drop a rock on anyone walking by and it wouldn’t matter because they’re all the same.”

    After a few years of going to school there, I found a group of friends I truly connected with on a music level. I discovered I wanted to share myself and express myself in a musical medium.

    TC: Is this the period when you started playing guitar?

    MRP: Yes. A buddy of mine has a Fender Stratocaster (which I now own) and a small little amp and I would play around on just making sounds. I learned a few chords from him. That was freshman year. Then sophomore year I found a group of folks and we would just sit around. They would teach me standard chord progressions and melodies. It was all these different of angles of music, a number of different approaches. Part of hanging out was trying to fuse our different styles together and make something fun of it. We all ended up playing in a band together called Men are Broccoli. I think that was my senior year.

    TC: What did Men are Broccoli end up sounding like?

    MRP: It had more of a groove to it – a groove rock. We would give it a harder edge. We also did a lot of covers that reflected our styles.

    TC: How did you break away?

    MRP: My contribution to that group was blues music. I think it was the raw expression of the blues soloists that I particularly enjoyed. I was trying to learn that style. I started playing at a place called Savanna’s in downtown Albany. It’s now no longer. It was such a great room and they had an open mic night. I played bottleneck slide on a Robert Jonson composition but I learned Eric Clapton’s arrangement.  It took me four times just to get started. By the fourth time the room was dead quiet and focused because I kept screwing up. But that fourth time I nailed it. A group of guys liked what I did and asked me to be part of a band – Manikin Ed. That is when I stepped into playing in the Albany area.

    We were playing the River Street Pub as Manikin Ed and there was a guy that was coming to these open mics. His name was Matt Durfee. We ended up hitting it off musically. I started straying away from the electric sound and started gravitating towards the acoustic again. Matt was playing acoustic. We ended up forming a band called Palatypus (intentional misspelling). We released an EP in 2007 called Lazaretto. We carried some weight with that. We travelled the Northeast a little bit.

    TC: Palatypus sort of ran its course. How did you get to the point of being a solo singer-songwriter that you are now?

    MRP: Matt wanted to do some solo work and I was going through some personal things in 2010-11. I put out a solo album called Greenhorn. That carried it’s own weight. That set me off on a solo route.

    TC: You have come a long way, learning your craft and then establishing yourself. How did you decide that this was the direction you wanted to go in?

    MCR: I don’t think its something I decided on, I think its something that decided on me. I have a drive to share myself artistically. I like playing music, I really like singing and I like stories. It’s a good little trio that can work toward a song.

    TC: Describe how you create the song from the melodies to the lyrics.

    MCR: The lyrics come from a variety of sources either a personal trial or a personal triumph. Those are some standbys, but I love books. The first two tunes that I really enjoy were a personal experience and a book, respectively. “Drunk,” the lead track off of Greenhorn is totally personal. It’s a pretty generic experience but I think the tune sounds good; it has something new to provide despite the generic title. Then there was another tune that made it onto the Palatypus CD called, All I Own. The song is loosely based on William Kennedy’s character, Francis Phelan from the book, Ironweed. I read that book and it floored me.

    TC: Clearly you draw inspiration from books but who are some of your musical influences?

    MCR: It goes all the way back to being kid. I was a fiend for Beach Boys tapes. I wanted all the Beach Boys tapes I could find. I got into a period where I wanted to listen to everything that was Billy Joel. That was probably sixth grade. I just loved Billy Joel. I think there was something natural about his voice and you could tell he was singing from somewhere. Then there was that period in high school where I got into rap. I listened to a lot of Tribe Called Quest and Wu Tang Clan. I started gravitating towards them because I liked the beats and I liked the jazz samples in Tribe Called Quest. I also liked where they were coming from lyrically. Then when I got to college I was introduced to Phish, Grateful Dead, all sorts of contemporary jam music and well-orchestrated music – I didn’t know music could or should sound like that. I took a class called the history of jazz. I got hip to John Scofield. Then I got into songwriters. I started focusing on the presentation of lyrics. Probably like most people, just a variety of influences coming together.

    TC: Lets talk about both albums.

    MCR: Anybody who listens to both of them they will know that they are two very different albums. I named Greenhorn because I wanted it to be an introduction into an artistic project. I wanted people to know that I’m not coming at this from the angle of a professional. I wanted people to know that I was just testing this out. I wanted to start from where I was actually at and not peek before I was out there. That is where the name came from and the approach I took. All the tunes were recorded live.

    Then on Harvest the Heart I wanted to show people the progression. I learned a lot. We did a lot of separate tracking. You’ll notice the arrangements are tighter. The musician parts are a lot tighter. We had gotten some really good recording equipment by chance. It’s very much a contrast to Greenhorn.

    TC: You are progressing from singer-songwriter but now you are also playing out under another moniker, Rebel Darling. Lets talk about Rebel Darling.

    MCR: It was just one of those names that came together. When the idea hit, it was such a ‘Wow, that’s a good name!’  I uttered the name on stage. It was just a good idea, people liked it and it really describes the sound. The improvisation is there and it gives us an edge. The arrangements are tight but there is that vibration, that communication on stage.

    TC: Who exactly is Rebel Darling?

    MCR: Its this amorphous collection of guys who play music together as a group and sometimes not. There is a Rebel Darling that I play with in Cambridge MA. She is a viola player. Sometimes we play other songs, but by in large, it is my songs.

    TC: You seem to have a soft spot for playing Caffe Lena. Would you consider this home base?

    MCR: Caffe Lena is the kind of room where I don’t get to make that decision. That room is really something special. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have a gig there. That room is historic and full of spirit without a doubt.

    M.R. Poulopoulos will be at Caffe Lena on Friday, January 17, 2013. Poulopoulos will share the stage with NYC singer Caitlyn Canty.

    You can also catch M.R. Poulopoulos on the following dates in the Upstate area:

    Friday, February 21: Shelburne Falls, MA
    Friday, February 28: Hastings-on-Hudson, NY
    Saturday, March 1: Peekskill, NY
    Saturday, March 8: Easthampton, MA
    Sunday, April 6: Saratoga Springs, NY