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Interview: Popa Chubby – Go for the Raw Sound and Crank It Up

Popa Chubby, the long-time stage name for Ted Horowitz, has been playing a mean guitar for over 25 years. Fresh off of playing shows in Europe this past month, he returns state side starting off a winter tour this Friday Nov. 13 at 8pm at The Hangar in Troy with several other New York appearances on the schedule. Tickets for his show at The Hangar are on sale here.

His other New York shows include: Nov, 28 at Daryl’s House (Pawling), Dec. 12 (Christmas Concert) at Roulette Theater (Brooklyn), Dec. 31 at The Turning Point (Piermont), and Jan. 16 at Treme Blues & Jazz (Islip). Check out his full tour schedule here.

In anticipation for his appearance at The Hangar on Friday, Popa Chubby chatted with NYS Music about his music, playing guitar and his new double-live album, Big, Bad and Beautiful.

Steve Malinski: You’ve got a sound that’s quite your own, sort of a cross roads of blues, rock and roll with quite a level of musicianship.

Popa Chubby: Yeah man, I appreciate that. I started off playing rock and roll, metal, punk rock and speed metal before I got into the blues.

SM: And I’m sure growing up in New York City had and impact on your sound –

PC: – NY Hardcore! –

SM: – So what lead you to find the groove you have today?

PC: It was like 1980 – no, the late 1980’s and the hardcore scene had kind of dried up by that point. There was a lot going on and I just wanted to play. Somebody gave me a Muddy Waters record and I heard it and was like holy cow this is awesome. So I put a little band together. We started playing in bars around NY and it just took off. A couple of years later I had a big record deal with Sony/Okeh, made a record with Tom Dowd, then went to Europe and it’s just been going on ever since, for 25 years.

SM: I’ve kind of pinned your sound as a version of Blue Cheer with a big guitar sound.

PC: Well, I will take that as a huge compliment. I like to rock, man, you know. I like to crank it up. I’m into the raw sound so it’s definitely got a healthy aspect of rock and roll and punk in it for sure.

SM: Kind of like how Ted Nugent plugs directly into his amps and rips from there.

PC: (laughter) Yeah, the Nuge! Luckily he and I are nothing alike politically.

SM: I recently came across a video of you jamming out with Johnny Winter at his 70^th birthday celebration at B.B. King’s in NYC last year. How awesome was that for you?

PC: That was just a legendary night. Johnny’s 70^th birthday. He asked me to play with him. Ironically the first concert I ever saw was Johnny Winter. So it was a real monumental night for me.

SM: Was that the big highlight of your career so far?

One of Popa Chubby’s idols, Leslie West, at Bethel Woods (Woodstock 40th Anniversay) Aug. 15, 2009. photo: Steve Malinski/The Polytechnic

PC: One of them. There have been a lot of high points and that’s definitely one of them, on stage with one of my idols. I was really lucky too because he passed away shortly after that. It’s been quite a year. I’ve gotten to play with a lot of the guys I grew up listening to. Johnny Winter, Leslie West, just great stuff. It’s been awesome.

SM: You just returned from a Eurpoean tour that spanned five countries. What was that experience like?

PC: We did a month long European tour, myself and a band I’m working with called the Balkun Brothers out of Hartford, CT, a duo along the lines of the Black Keys…Blue Cheer, MC5, like the heavier side of blues rock. So we just killed it in Europe and now we’re coming back. It starts this weekend in Troy and I’m really psyched to be up there, I love the area. I’ve played I the Albany area for a long time and it’s gonna be great.

SM: Are the crowds over there in Europe much different than what they are like here?

PC: I wouldn’t say they’re different. It’s just… it’s just been awesome, so great. I’m just so lucky to be doing what I’m doing, man. I’m sitting in my studio right now and I’m looking at my wall with poster of a lot of my heroes. People like Hubert Humlin, and Leslie West is up there, and of course Johhny’s up there, Jimi Hendrix. I’m just so lucky to be doing what I’m doing. Really just happy to be playing music and guitar.

SM: So I’ve counted 24 releases that you’ve had in your career and you’ll soon be adding a 25^th – a live album. What can you tell us about that?

PC: A double live record, Big, Bad and Beautiful. I think in a large sense this is a career-defining record for me. It really sums up 25 years of work and it really came together, man. We recorded it last spring in France when we were on tour and I’m really proud of it. It’s 27 songs and it reflects a lot of my stuff – old, new, and in between. So I’m really happy about this record and it’s been great. It’s coming out on Cleopatra in January.

SM: I’ve never had a chance yet to see you live but from what I’ve heard of you since I first stumbled on you music at my college radio station
back in 2007 and from videos I’ve seen it seems like you have a deep passion for music. What’s so special about the blues and rock and roll to you?

PC: You know what, I can’t really speak for the blues and rock and roll, but I can speak about my music. It’s hard and it’s raw. It’s like…my music reflects what I grew up listening to. For me, like when punk rock came around, seeing bands like The Ramones and Richard Hell & The Voidoids, The Damned, and The Deadboys and stuff like that. There was an immediacy, that and the guitars would just rip your face off. And even seeing bands like Motörhead, Metallica and Black Sabbath, then going back to listen to people like Muddy Waters and Buddy Guy, it’s all got the same element to it. It’s like, no bullshit, man. It’s like, straight up.

SM: You’ve got a lot of shows coming up, including the one this Friday at The Hangar in Troy, Daryl’s House, Roulette Theater –

PC: – Yeah we do, man, it’s non-stop. We’ve got a lot, and in January we’re going back to Europe again. Business is just really kickin’ for me. We just got an offer for a festival in Juno, AK, then back to the west coast in the summer.

SM: With all these shows in your home state, do you have anything special lined up?

PC: I’m always happy to play in New York, man. Especially this time of the year – November, December – is when I’m local and get to play all my favorite shows. And definitely Troy/Albany is a hotspot for me. I’ve recorded a lot of records there, also in Saratoga back in the 90’s…oh man, I can’t even remember the name of the club! It might have been Metronome or something like that [The Metro]. But anyway we recorded Hit the High Hard One up there. So that region has always been really great for me and I’m really excited to get back up there to play. So it’s gonna be a great show. Thanks for taking the time to talk to me, I really appreciate it.

SM: Same to you, it’s been a pleasure.

November 12, 2015
Dion and Paul Simon to Release “New York Is My Home” Duet Friday

Two of New York’s big names in music are no stranger to each other. Back in 2009, Paul Simon joined long-time friend Dion onstage at Madison Square Garden to help sing Dion’s “The Wanderer” as part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 25th Anniversary concerts.

Dion DiMucci, better known simply as Dion, first became popular in the wave of early 1960s pop (as Dion and the Belmonts) and later adopted more mature aspects in his music giving him another boost in the music world. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 by Lou Reed.

“New York Is My Home” is the title track off of an album Dion is set to release in February, marking his 29th studio album. The song features fellow New York City musician Paul Simon and is dedicated to the fullness of life in New York.

The single “New York Is My Home” can be ordered and downloaded online through iTunes, Amazon and Google Play.

Aside from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Anniversary concert, Dion and Simon performed together at Radio City Music Hall in 1987 and recorded “Written On The Subway Walls/Little Star” on Dion’s 1989 release Yo Frankie. Check out the video of that below, featuring both Dion and Simon.

The Belmonts still perform today as a doo-wop trio.

November 12, 2015
Popular Free Canalside Concert Series to Stay in Buffalo

Buffalo music fans are rejoicing today after news that the popular, free Thursday Central Wharf concert series will be back Canalside next summer. The decision comes after concerns were raised by nearby residents and a controversial vote by the Buffalo Common Council.

The concert series will continue, at least for next summer at the Central Wharf where the series has been held since 2012. Bizjournals.com has reported that Global Spectrum, which manages the Canalside property for the Erie County Harbor Development Council and books the concerts, is already working on landing national acts for the 2016 summer season.

Earlier this fall, residents of the nearby Marine Drive Apartments complained about the noise from the shows and problems related to the large crowds of concertgoers. The Buffalo Common Council agreed with the Marine Drive residents and pushed for the concerts to be moved. The vote caused outrage and appeared to be a hasty decision made based on a small amount of complaints.

Moving the concert series to the city’s Outer Harbor property was suggested, but the move was highly contested by area businesses, mostly bars and restaurants. They argued a moved to the new location would hurt the growth of their businesses as well as the continued development of the Central Wharf property.

The concert series began in 1987 and was held in Buffalo’s Layfette Square. Organizers moved the event in summer 2012 to accommodate the series’ growing success. Past artists have included a variety of acts of musical genres. This past summer featured free music from Umphrey’s McGee, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, EnVogue, Everclear, Yonder Mountain String Band and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. This past summer, more than 150,000 people attended one of the free harbor Thursday shows.

November 11, 2015
Dave Rawlings Machine Cranks It Up In Buffalo

If you go see a Gillian Welch show, you’ll see her husband Dave Rawlings accompany her on guitar and vocals. If you go see a Dave Rawlings show, you’ll see Welch accompany him on guitar and vocals.

The difference is who’s driving. At a Welch show they’ll play mostly Welch songs, ceding the floor to Rawlings for a number or two. At a Rawlings show, the opposite. And most of the time, Rawlings will round out his band with a few more players. For the current tour they’re on, supporting Dave Rawlings Machine’s just released Nashville Obsolete, they were joined by Brittany Haas on fiddle, Paul Kowert on bass and Willie Watson on guitar, all who make appearances on the album as well.

Bedecked in head-to-toe denim, cowboy hats and long prairie dresses, they certainly dressed the part of the deep-rooted folk they were slinging. With an opening salvo of “Ruby,” “To Be Young (Is To Be Sad, Is To Be High)” and “Candy,” they came out guns blazing. Rawlings immediately showcasing his impeccable chops, with Haas entering as the clear and capable second soloist of the group.

Welch grabbed her harmonica for the next song but Rawlings had her return it. “Dave wants me to sing a bummer of a song,” she remarked as they kicked into “The Way That It Goes” off of her Harrow and the Harvest album. This was Rawlings’ show after all. Later in the set he would prompt Watson to swap out his guitar for a fiddle mid-song. “More fiddle!” like the conductor of his own folk freight train.

Everyone, not just Welch, got their turn in the shotgun seat. Watson sang a pair of songs off his Rawlings-produced album Folk Singer Vol. 1 and Kowert was featured on a traditional gospel tune. All members but Haas sang, though she got numerous turns to highlight her fiddle playing throughout the night. Her accompaniment and harmonizing with Rawling’s complicated solos was the secret additive making the Machine run extra hot.

The Machine was most certainly Rawlings’. His clean yet furious picking of his 1935 Epiphone archtop created a highlight-reel’s worth of material. The audience hung on every note, collectively holding their breath as the solos wound to a peak, producing an audible exhaust of CO2 once he made the turn. Just a simple guitar, no pedals or tricks, yet he was able to elicit a library of sound.

During the second set the band would accordion back and forth from the full five-piece down to a couple different trio configurations, and all the way down to the Rawlings/Welch duo for a take on “Sweet Tooth.” Back up to a trio with Watson on banjo, they worked a “This Land Is You Land” perfectly into “I Hear Them All” that turned into a big old singalong just as Pete Seeger would have wanted. Rawlings noted “It’s starting to sound like a real folk concert in here!” To keep the spirit alive they kicked into a Watson-led rendition of “Stewball,” in which the crowd helped balloon the quintet to a band of hundreds.

Early in the set an audience member cried out, “Doesn’t have to be now, but can you play that Dylan song?” Welch quickly retorted, “Which one?!” before Rawlings sought to take back control of his show by stating “We’ve descended into chaos.” But they did play that Dylan song, closing with “Queen Jane Approximately.” They closed out the show in big fashion, with Rawlings grinning widely and bouncing up and down like a rock star, through a blistering solo. It was met with, what wasn’t the first, or last, standing ovation of the night.

Dave Rawlings Machine let Welch take the helm again for an encore of her “Look At Miss Ohio” followed by an a cappella take on “Didn’t Leave Nobody But the Baby” that finally got Haas behind a mic. The crowd wouldn’t let the Machine stop working there though. After another relentless ovation the band was back again for a cover of The Band’s “The Weight.” Another chance for everyone to do some singing, except Haas of course, who ‘sang’ a verse with her fiddle instead. And with that, the Dave Rawlings Machine finally came to a rest.

November 11, 2015
Skyscraper is Grand: PhanArt Announces New Years Show in NYC

PhanArt will host an art show for the first time in New York City penned “Skyscraper is Grand” on Saturday, January 2, 2016 from 12-7 p.m. at Hotel Penn, directly across the street from Madison Square Garden.

Produced by Pete Mason, founder of PhanArt, owner and Publisher of NYS Music and author of PhanArt: The Art of the Fans of Phish, PhanArt exhibitions have been held in Atlantic City, Chicago, Las Vegas, Miami and Philadelphia since 2013 and represent a continued effort to promote and exhibit original and unique concert art, posters, pins, apparel, stickers and much more from a wide variety of artists.

The eclectic artists featured at this event show the broad scope of Phish related art and capture the inspiration of the band in their art. Phish’s creative fan base makes amazing art inspired by the band, their music and the locales they play. This event also gives fans the opportunity to meet a generation of artists they might otherwise know casually, form a bond with and develop a greater appreciation for the broader art scene in the Phish community.

In keeping with the great tradition and success of past art shows, “Skyscraper is Grand” will offer free entry to all patrons and tubes available for purchase. Special edition works only available at the show can be viewed on PhanArt.net and acquired exclusively at the PhanArt show. The initial artist lineup is expected to be announced in early December.

November 11, 2015
The Revivalists Prove Size Doesn’t Matter in Albany

Upon pulling up to find parking outside The Hollow on November 5, I noticed a familiar face taking a solo stroll down Pearl Street. The late 20s/early 30s man was staring up at the many abandoned buildings that seem to colonize the area as of late. With a closer look, I realized the stranger was Zack Feinberg, guitarist of The Revivalists, the New Orleans based rock hybrid group I was about to see.

Photo Credit: Rocco DeCarlo, 2015

“Oh God, this place must look so lame,” I thought to myself.

Here is a band whose tour has recently included the likes of Telluride and Red Rocks in Colorado, various festivals including Kaaboo, a sold-out Halloween show at the 9:30 club in Washington D.C., and poor Zack here can’t even find a pizza joint open in downtown Albany on a Thursday night.

Fortunately the Hollow was jam packed on this particular evening. A combination of the unseasonably warm weather and the rising popularity for the raw talent of the band. I felt at ease that “Smallbany” would at least provide an energetic crowd, ranging from backwards snap-back sporting college girls to business casual school district administrators who were attending a conference nearby.

Photo Credit: Rocco DeCarlo, 2015

To my surprise, our small city and relatively petite venue seemed to have provided an opportunity for the band to relax and have some fun. While initially pulled back, singer Dave Shaw literally let his impressively voluminous hair down as he bounced about the stage. At times he crouched down so close to the women in the front row, I could practically feel the heat coming from their blushing faces. Had he removed his shirt – as he is known to do – I would have questioned whether we were at a concert or an evening with the Chippendales.
With a few exceptions, the set was mostly tunes from their most recent album Men Amongst Mountains, providing plenty of solo opportunities for the horn section featuring Rob Ingraham on the saxophone and Michael Girardot on trumpet and keys. These two help provide the familiar NOLA sound, while the steel pedal guitar played by Ed Williams announced a twang all his own.

Photo Credit: Rocco DeCarlo, 2015

Shaw continues to woo the ladies by physically joining them in the crowd. Even Williams jumps up from his steel guitar to playfully ask “Why don’t you love me, baby” during “When I’m Able,” a song from their City of Sound album. This particular song provides room for improvisation and crowd interaction. Crystal clear notes rise from the keys, Shaw breaks out the tambourine and an intense faceoff ensues between Feinberg and Williams. These guys are clearly having a blast in Cap City.

After exiting momentarily to take a breath, the septuplet returned to the stage for an encore of “Need You,” an emotionally charged and powerful song from the new album. And finally the cherry on top of this Cajun sundae, the boys closed out the evening with Prince’s “When Doves Cry.” Although they weren’t dressed the part as they did for their Halloween show, the Revivalists nailed the cover while adding their own grit to this pop classic.

If the Revivalists were unimpressed with Albany, it certainly wasn’t evident by the intensity of their set. So there you have it – at least when it comes to cities and venues – size apparently doesn’t matter.

Setlist: Bullet Proof, Stand Up, Fireflies, Amber, Monster, When I’m Able, Keep Going, Fade Away, Criminal, It Was a Sin, Wish I Knew You
Encore: Need You, When Doves Cry

November 10, 2015
Allen Toussaint, New Orleans Royalty, Dies at 77

Legendary New Orleans composer and pianist Allen Toussaint has died from an apparent heart attack at his hotel following a performance in Madrid, Spain early Tuesday morning. Toussaint’s daughter, Alison Toussaint-LeBeaux confirmed her father‘s death to the The New York Times Tuesday.

Mr. Toussaint was scheduled to perform in London and Belgium following his Madrid performance.

Mr. Toussaint frequently collaborated with his fellow New Orleans musicians as well as rock luminaries such as Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello. Costello recently said of him, “There was no one on the planet who cared more about New Orleans than this man.”

Born in 1938 in the working class section of New Orleans known as Gert Town, Mr. Toussaint taught himself to play the piano and released his first album in 1958.

His songs were recorded by many, including the Rolling Stones and The Who, both taking turns at his song “Fortune Teller.” The song was posted on the Rolling Stones Twitter feed Tuesday morning. Phish has often covered his “On Your Way Down.”

Other musicians have also posted messages celebrating the life of Mr. Toussaint:

Allen Toussaint has died… rest in peace, good friend… #legend

— Harry Connick, Jr. (@HarryConnickJR) November 10, 2015

Forced to relocate to New York due to Hurricane Katrina, Mr. Toussaint was a frequent perfomer at Joe’s Pub. The move rejuvenated his career and he eventually returned to New Orleans, performing often at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.

Mr. Toussaint gained fame outside of his home town with his 1975 solo album Southern Nights. Glen Campbell also had a hit with the title song. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Blues Hall of Fame and received the National Medal of the Arts from President Obama.

Mr. Toussaint, humbly stated on his website, “I’m not accustomed to talking about myself, I talk in the studio with musicians. Or through my songs.”

November 10, 2015
Photo Gallery: Beats Antique at Boulder Theater, October 16-17, 2015

“There are three things to remember about Beats Antique shows,” said a young woman wearing hand drawn cat whiskers and ears to her friend wearing a red raccoon mask as the musicians began their recent Boulder performance.

“What?” the raccoon-masked woman asked breathlessly.
“Wild, Weird, wacky!” she exclaimed. “Oh, and also wonderful!”
“That’s four things!” her friend yelled back.

Four things by which to remember the Bay-area-based band performance indeed. Towards the end of a two-year “Creature Carnival” tour, there was plenty of the aforementioned wild and weird qualities. But before it got weird, Beats Antique got Old World in what would become a two-day vaudeville/carnie/sci-fi/ adventure. David Satori and Capel began leading a musical caravan of live musicians across the wagon-rutted dirt trails of the ancient Silk Road complete with percussive Middle Eastern rhythms, electronic mixes, and a group of belly dancers wearing animal masks.

Main dancer, Zoe Jakes, decked in an embellished belly dancer costume and jeweled head-piece, channeled famed dancer, Badia Masabni, born in Lebanon around 1892, to begin a series of differently-themed routines that included a burlesque number with over-sized green feathers.

Things, as it were, got weird later during a dance number in which several dancers dressed in Tron-like LED costumes with cheerleader pom poms and black kabuki masks. It was as if high cheerleaders had been sent 2,000 years in the future to perform the halftime show of some science fiction tribal fertility rite under the eerie, blue glow of a black-lit, post-apocalyptic universe. Near the shows end both night, members of Beats Antique called an audience member on stage to help battle a towering one-eyed inflatable monster.

Weird? Yes. Wacky? You bet. But all of it was wild and wonderful.

November 10, 2015
Dead & Company Albany – Much More Than Expected

Photo by Henya Emmer

Dead & Company was an idea that to most, floating on an initial thought, may have been hard to conceptualize. To a very large amount of the Grateful Dead community there was a vast amount of skepticism around how it could be possible for John Mayer to find his place as the lead guitarist for an adaptation of the Grateful Dead, involving three of the ‘Core Four.’

To many of his faithful fans, Mayer could do no harm. However, even those who bridged the gap between Mayer fans and Deadheads would likely respond that Mayer may be most likely to have what most would see as a tenuous grasp of the Dead musical lingo. After all, John Mayer had little knowledge of the depths of the Grateful Dead library until he signed on to this project. On October 29 in Albany, NY, Dead & Company officially began their first tour.

Fast forward a little over a week, five live shows into what seemed like an experiment. This newly created band called Dead & Company takes the stage at Madison Square Garden for the sixth show of their first tour; a free show to those lucky enough to score a ticket in a small number of lotteries between sponsoring names like American Express and Headcount. One could tell from the initial sounds of what would turn into a “Shakedown Street” opener that this experiment had completely transitioned into a band that had found their groove.

The communication among the bandmates was obviously fluid; they were on the same page. The first set was solid and showed great signs of how this band has matured in a short period of time. From the first show, it was clear that there was confidence in each individual player, but from the first moment of the first set on November 7 there was an immediate indication that all involved were working as one, including the crowd.

Three of the ‘Core Four’, Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, and Bill Kreutzmann, were joined by three other musical monsters, John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge, and Jeff Chimenti, and moved deftly through a quick, hour-long first set, bringing home in strong fashion songs like “I Need a Miracle,” “Cold Rain and Snow,” and “Jack Straw.” The quick set brought up thoughts of whether this free show was going to be a layup for the band and allow them to have a brief two sets, while still keeping their fans happy.

Then came set two. A strong and long second set is something anyone would be looking for and even more so after a short first set, and what was sought after was certainly delivered. Bobby, John and the crew came out and fired off with “Help on the Way” and from there they could not be stopped. One amazing rendition of what could now be seen as age-old jam band tunes flowed into the next.

Jaws were dropped multiple times as Mayer and Burbridge conveyed just how hard they have worked to contribute to this next step in Grateful Dead adaptation. Dead & Co. gracefully and masterfully presented the crowd with a wonderful, heartfelt “Franklin’s Tower,” sung by Mayer, and really showed what potential they have with a “St. Stephen,” that caused the fans to erupt in cheers multiple times. This second set, which was nothing short of magical, flowed through eight continual songs that ended with “Drums>Space>The Other One,” before a break in the action was taken. The set was capped off with Bobby warming the audience with “Stella Blue” and a seamless transition into “Not Fade Away,” which did not seem to end until the band came back out for encore. The crowd just could not be silenced, clapping the drum cadence and continuing to sing, “You know our love will not fade away!”

When the boys did return for encore, everyone was announcing what song they expected for encore and even those who did not guess right were not disappointed. Dead & Company finished off their sixth show of the tour, the third at Madison Square Garden, with an unbelievable “Brokedown Palace.” Everyone has heard Bob Weir sing that song many times. However, hearing John Mayer contribute to the singing with Bobby was something that brought a free concert, filled with such fun and emotion, to a very happy ending.

Setlist:

Set One: Shakedown Street > I Need A Miracle > Cold Rain & Snow, Tennessee Jed, They Love Each Other, Jack Straw

Set Two: Help On The Way > Slipknot! > Franklin’s Tower, He’s Gone > St. Stephen > Drums > Space > The Other One > Stella Blue > Not Fade Away

Encore: Brokedown Palace

November 9, 2015
Mike Campese Christmas Show in Albany

Hey Albany area rock fans, are you in the holiday spirit? If so, guitar virtuoso Mike Campese will bring his heavy shredding style of hero holiday guitar playing to The Madison Theater in Albany on Saturday, December 5.

Campese and his band will play rock-themed holiday favorites such as “Deck the Halls,” “Grinch,” “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” “Auld Lang Syne” and “Silent Night,” to name a few.

Show time starts at 8:30 and tickets cost $10.

Campese has released eight studio albums in his solo career, but the holiday-inspired show will see Campese perform songs from his sixth studio album The Meaning of Christmas, along with some other releases. The well-received album was released in 2008.

Campese is a guitar virtuoso and composer. He is best known for his time as a member of the symphonic speed metal group Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Campese was chosen over several guitarists in 2004. In his first album with the band, Campese received a gold record for his work on TSO’s fourth album, The Lost Christmas Eve.

Campese is no stranger to the Albany area, born right in the New York capital and graduated from Shaker High School in Latham. Campese is an honors graduate from the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, California. Growing up around musicians, Campese started playing guitar at the age of 13. His father was a virtuoso violinist and his brother also played guitar.

Fans can also catch Campese in a solo performance at this year’s First Night 2016 in Saratoga Springs at Empire State College’s meeting room #1 – 103 starting at 7 p.m. At midnight, Campese will play to the First Night fireworks inside Congress Park to “rock” in the New Year.

November 9, 2015