The weekend after Labor Day brought a wide variety of sounds to Paramount Hudson Valley in Peekskill with several NYC and Westchester-based acts both inside and outside the theater as part of their End of Summer Jam. In the week leading up to the show, weather reports were cautiously optimistic about keeping the day dry but a few heavy downpours dampened the outdoor festivities a bit. Fortunately, the music had shone through and kicked up the energy for the crowd that made it out to the free day of music.
The street stage, lined with food and craft vendors that braved the intermittent rain, featured a mix of solo singer-songrwriter type acts and full bands. Acoustic sets were presented by New York Times author and musician Andy Revkin, Chloe Cannon, Rufus Rufasu, and The Godfather Johnny Giovanni. Peekskill’s own Phineas and the Lonely Leaves gave a high-spirited mix of their original and rock cover songs. Trifecta‘s set was mostly covers, but took on a stripped-down heavy blues/rock take on classic rock songs complete with some added shred-talent on guitar. The final outdoor act of the day, The New Resistants, played with a similar feel and energy to Trifecta, taking on a classic garage punk sound. A late addition to the schedule from North Carolina and familiar name to the area was the aggressive jazz trio Joy On Fire who kicked off the afternoon.
Kicking off the day inside was Yardsale, a brisk-paced bluegrass trio from nearby Mahopac, NY. The standout of the afternoon Gedeon Luke & The People gave the Paramount a gossip-worthy set full of driving Memphis blues and soul, Gedeon himself dancing in the aisles with the crowd. For something a little bit different, DJ Logic gave a well-mixed DJ set, though a thin crowd seemed slow to get into the set. Closing out the night was NYC’s all-instrumental progressive jam band TAUK as they make their way through a tour supporting their brand new double live album, Headroom.
Certainly a fantastic assortment of live music, let’s hope the End of Summer jam returns next year under sunny skies with a packed house.