Category: Albany

  • Update: Project/Object Cancels Spring Tour

    Announced this afternoon via Facebook, the Frank Zappa Tribute band Project/Object is postponing their April 2016 tour dates until further notice. The cancellation comes due to the ongoing health issues surrounding the group’s production assistant-social media manager-merch seller Robin Gelberg, who survived a tragic car accident about a month ago near Shelby, NC; she is the partner of the band’s guitarist Andre Cholmondeley. According to Cholmondeley’s post, this is the first time Project/Object has cancelled concerts during his time with the band since the 1990s. A support page has been set up for Gelberg through GoFundMe.

    Project Object2:58 pm For Immediate ReleasePROJECT/OBJECT TOUR POSTPONEDIt is with a heavy heart that I have to…

    Original story:

    On April 14, Project/Object will bring the sounds of Frank Zappa back to life on stage at The Hollow in Albany.

    The alumni-based Zappa tribute band, featuring Ike Willis and Don Preston, is touring the Northeast this spring in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Zappa’s debut album, Freak Out! Willis’ booming baritone vocals and rhythm guitar appeared on Zappa band tours and albums from 1978 to the final FZ tour in 1988. Preston, a well-known synthesizer and jazz pioneer, played on the Mothers Of Invention records until 1974’s Roxy and Elsewhere; he has also scored soundtracks for feature films like Apocalypse Now.

    The tour kicks off in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on April 7 and makes stops in Marlboro the following night before shows in Brooklyn, Buffalo, Rochester and closing out in Teaneck, New Jersey, on May 1.

    Each show this tour will feature two sets of Zappa music with Willis and Preston; the Boston show is double billed with Consider the Source. And this April run continues the voter registration partnership with HeadCount, as shared on Twitter last month:

    Project/Object: The Music of Frank Zappa has toured the United States, Canada and Europe during its 20-year existence. The group was founded in the 1990s by guitarist Andre Cholmondeley as a tribute to Zappa, who died of cancer in 1993 at 52. In 2015, Willis and Denny Walley came out of retirement for a special tour in celebration of Zappa’s late ’70s catalog, playing several shows in New York state. Alongside Willis (guitar, vocals), Preston (keys, vocals), Cholmondeley (guitar, vocals) and Walley (bass), the group will include musicians Ryan Berg (drums), Kendall Scott (keys, synths) and special guest Rich Rakowski (sax) at select shows.

    Tickets for the 9 p.m. show at The Hollow are on sale through the venue’s website, along with passes for Brooklyn’s The Hall, Tralf Music Hall in Buffalo and Rochester’s Lovin Cup. Project/Object’s show at The Falcon in Marlboro does not require a cover charge for live music, but donations are appreciated. See the full tour dates below and visit the band’s website for more venue and ticket sales information.

    Project/Object Spring 2016 tour dates:

    4/7 – The Acoustic – Bridgeport, CT
    4/8 – The Falcon – Marlboro, NY
    4/9 – House of Independents – Ashbury Park, NJ
    4/10 – Iron Horse – Northampton, MA
    4/12 – Higher Ground – Burlington, VT
    4/13 – The Middle East – Boston, MA
    4/14 – The Hollow – Albany, NY
    4/15 – The Hall – Brooklyn, NY
    4/16 – Arch St. Tavern – Hartford, CT
    4/17 – American Brewing Company – Harrisburg, PA
    4/19 – The 8×10 – Baltimore, MD
    4/20 – Club Café – Pittsburgh, PA
    4/21 – Radio Radio – Indianapolis, IN
    4/22 – Shank Hall – Milwaukee, WI
    4/23 – Martyrs – Chicago, IL
    4/26 – Beachland Ballroom – Cleveland, OH
    4/27 – The Tralf – Buffalo, NY
    4/28 – Lovin Cup – Rochester, NY
    4/29 – Havana’s – New Hope, PA
    4/30 – River St. Jazz Café – Wilkes Barre, PA
    5/1 – Mexicali – Teaneck, NJ

  • Palace Theatre Looking to Expand?

    Albany’s Palace Theatre recently spent $600,000 to buy properties that reside on North Pearl Street and along Wilson Street near the downtown venue, as reported in Biz Journals.

    Palace Theatre ExpandAccording to a statement, “The Palace Theatre” acquired property behind the building up to Wilson Street in anticipation of future projects. Palace management felt the timing was right to buy as there is development beginning to happen around the theatre. No specific plans for the lots has been announced at this time.

    Will we see an expansion, outdoor events, or more parking downtown? There are many options for the Palace with this purchase. Stay tuned…

  • Venue Change: Cage the Elephant to Play Albany’s Palace Theatre, May 11

    On Tues. May 11, rock band Cage the Elephant will now play a 7 p.m. show at the Palace Theatre in Albany. The group was originally scheduled to perform at the Times Union Center. Tickets purchased prior to the venue change will be honored. Floor seat holders are granted general admission access to the orchestra section of the Palace, and all reserved tickets will have general admission seating in the balcony section. Tickets for both price levels ($45 floor; $37.50 balcony) are still available for purchase at the Palace Theatre box office at 19 Clinton Ave. or through Ticketmaster. NYS Music was on hand to cover Cage the Elephant’s stop at Rochester’s Main Street Armory in March for the Spring Fling Tour; read more here.

    Original Post:

    The Grammy-nominated rock band Cage the Elephant will head out in May on a string of tour dates that will route the Kentucky alt-rockers to several venues in New York and neighboring states, plus stops in nearby Toronto and Montreal.

    cage the elephant palace theatre
    Jack White will release new album “Boarding House Reach” on Friday, March 23.

    The headlining North American tour kicks off May 1 in Little Rock, Arkansas, before CTE stops in Canada and takes the stage at Times Union Center in Albany on May 11, the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, on May 15, and at SummerStage in New York City’s Central Park May 16. Supporting acts for this run are Portugal. The Man, Broncho and Twin Peaks.

    Prior to launching the 34-date cross-country trek, which comes to a close June 26 in Phoenix, Arizona, the band is continuing Spring Fling Tour with Silversun Pickups, Foals and Bear Hands with shows billed in Pittsburgh on March 25, at the Main Street Armory in Rochester on March 26, First Niagara Center in Buffalo on March 28, XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut, March 30, followed by Portland, Maine, and Providence, Rhode Island.

    The high-energy quartet consists of singer Matt Shultz, guitarist Brad Shultz, bassist Daniel Tichenor and drummer Jared Champion. CTE is hitting the road following the release of their fourth studio album, Tell Me I’m Pretty. A follow-up to 2013’s Melophobia with hits “Come a Little Closer” and “Cigarette Daydreams,” the 10-track record produced by Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys, The Arcs) debuted in December and features the alternative chart-topping single “Mess Around.” CTE has shared the stage with Foo Fighters, Muse and Queens of the Stone Age, among other big-name artists, and most recently, the group performed on the Late Late Show with James Corden, the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Conan.

    Tickets for all shows go on sale Friday, March 18 at 10 a.m. Passes for the upcoming New York dates are currently available through the band’s website, the respective venues and ticketing sites like Ticketmaster.

    Cage the Elephant tour dates:

    3/16 – Don Haskins Center – El Paso, TX ~
    3/18 – Cox Business Center Arena – Tulsa, OK ~
    3/19 – Landers Center – Southaven, MS ~
    3/20 – Freedom Hall Civic Center – Johnson City, TN ~
    3/22 – Richmond Coliseum – Richmond, VA ~
    3/23 – Constant Convocation Center – Norfolk, VA ~
    3/25 – Petersen Events Center, University of Pittsburgh – Pittsburgh, PA ~
    3/26 – Main Street Armory – Rochester, NY ~
    3/28 – First Niagara Center – Buffalo, NY
    3/30 – XL Center – Hartford, CT ~
    3/31 – Cross Insurance Arena – Portland, ME ~
    4/1 – Dunkin Donuts Arena – Providence, RI ~
    5/1 – Verizon Arena – Little Rock, AR *
    5/3 – Chesapeake Energy Arena – Oklahoma City, OK *
    5/4 – INTRUST Bank Arena – Wichita, KS *
    5/6 – DeltaPlex – Grand Rapids, MI *
    5/7 – Masonic Temple Theatre – Detroit, MI *
    5/8 – International Centre, Arrow Hall – Toronto, ON *
    5/10 – Bell Centre – Montreal, QC *
    5/11 – Palace Theatre – Albany, NY *
    5/15 – Merriweather Post Pavilion – Columbia, MD *
    5/16 – SummmerStage, Central Park – New York City, NY *
    5/19 – Ascend Amphitheater – Nashville, TN *
    5/20 – Infinite Energy Arena – Duluth, GA *
    5/21 – Hangout Festival – Gulf Shores, AL
    6/3 – KFC Yum! Center – Louisville, KY ^
    6/4 – Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica – Cleveland, OH ^
    6/5 – EXPRESS LIVE! – Columbus, OH ^
    6/7 – UIC Pavilion – Chicago, IL %
    6/9 – BMO Harris Pavilion – Milwaukee, WI %
    6/10 – U.S. Bank Theater at Target Center – Minneapolis, MN ^
    6/11 – Coliseum at Alliant Energy Center – Madison, WI ^
    6/14 – Calgary Stampede Corral – Calgary, AB ^
    6/15 – Shaw Convention Centre – Edmonton, AB ^
    6/17 – PNE Forum – Vancouver, BC ^
    6/18 – McMenamins Edgefield Amphitheater – Portland, OR ^
    6/19 – WaMu Theater – Seattle, WA ^
    6/21 – Shrine Auditorium – Los Angeles, CA %
    6/22 – Valley View Casino Center – San Diego, CA %
    6/23 – Bill Graham Civic – San Francisco, CA %
    6/25 – The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino – Las Vegas, NV ^
    6/26 – Gila River Arena – Phoenix, AZ ^

    ~ Spring Fling tour dates with Silversun Pickups, Foals and Bear Hands
    * with Portugal, The Man + Broncho
    ^ with Portugal, The Man + Twin Peaks
    % with Portugal, The Man

  • Annie in the Water and Hayley Jane Collaborate for Overnight Recording

    On Sunday, March 6, Brad of Annie in the Water along with Hayley Jane asked via Facebook for suggestions on what to write a song about. Within an hour, they had more than 50 suggestions and proceeded to write a song throughout the evening and recorded the final take around 6:30am as the sun was coming up. The song, “Dr. Ashlee Little the Narwhal and Other Earthly Creatures (This Will be a Long Song),” has a silly storyline with a real message of love and optimism, inspired by their frends. The track was recorded in Clifton Park, NY. Enjoy!

  • WEQX Presents: The Moth and The Flame with Hard Soul, March 9 at The Hollow

    The Moth and The Flame will join local rockers Hard Soul at The Hollow this Wednesday, March 9, presented by 102.7 WEQX.

    Their latest release Young & Unafriad brings 8 new songs and features atmospheric strings from Rob Moose (Bon Iver, Sufjan Stevens) and has been streamed over 2.8 million streams on Spotify. The Provo, Utah group currently based out of Los Angeles features Andrew Tolman, formerly of Imagine Dragons (drums), Brandon Robbins (guitar/vocals) and Mark Garbett (keys/vocals).

    Hard Soul will debut new material during this WEQX-sponsored concert. Frontman Johnny Salka shared, “We’ve been relatively quiet the last few months, diligently working on new material for our next record, so before we hit the studio later this year, we’re going to take the opportunity to test out some new tunes for the first time live in front of some hungry music fans at The Hollow!” The night plans to be a great one for bands from both coasts. Advance tickets for March 9 are available

  • Sunday Night Legends: Dave Mason and Leon Russell at The Egg

    Watch the Oscar’s or go see live music? Leo and Chris Rock or Leon Russell and Dave Mason? It wasn’t a close call when The Egg announced the pairing of two legendary musicians from the 60s who have continued to create and perform music to crowds for nearly half a century.

    leon russell dave masonDave Mason (no relation) got the night started with songs spanning his career, featuring solo work and songs written during his time with Traffic. A darker “Dear Mr. Fantasy” came early in the set and was hauntingly bluesy, a theme reprised throughout the set. An extended blues jam was patient and went beyond with Johnne Sambataro (guitar) and Anthony Patler (keys) taking requisite solos; they synced up well and carried the song through its motions without a need to rush. “Good 2 U” came from a certain era of 70s rock that is smooth, accessible and engaging without being too jazzy or improv reliant. The set closed with “Feelin’ Alright,” rearranged slightly for a darker vibe, as well as the encore of “All Along the Watchtower.”

    leon russell dave masonThe only subpar aspect of Mason’s set was the backdrop for the band. What amounted to a computer screen broadcasting behind the band was basically a billboard for albums and dated promo for the artist as though he was just getting around to branding himself in 1995 and never updated his ad set. There were some albums, cover art and his music catalog along with some old photos, but it felt as though Dave Mason’s Traffic Jam could have used a much more psychedelic feel to their stage presence, beyond the music.

    After a short change over, Leon Russell took to his white grand piano to perform Elvis’ version of “I Got a Woman” and didn’t hesitate to keep playing the hits. “Rolling in my Sweet Baby’s Arms” and “Let the Good Times Roll” fit the label of not soft rock yet not hard rock. It was Goldilocks rock:  just right. Russell told stories about playing The Concert for Bangledesh at George Harrison’s behest and performing in Woodstock for Bob Dylan, including on “A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall.”

    A classic country version of “Wild Horses” was highlighted by the pedal steel of Beau Charron who was versatile on the keys and mandolin over the course of the night. “I’ve Just Seen his Face” by The Beatles had a Widespread Panic sound to it which was followed shortly after by a remark about the All-Star Mad Dogs and the Englishmen set that he performed at Lockn’ Festival this past September. “Delta Lady” and “The Ballad of Mad Dogs and Englishmen” both reminded me of that powerhouse set with Tedeschi Trucks Band, Chris Robinson and the singers from the original album, all of which Russell spoke highly of in reminiscing. “Roll Over Beethoven” served as the final song of the night, and while a dual encore of Dave Mason and Leon Russell would have been great, there were no complaints to be had from a night of classic rock at The Egg.

  • American Babies Raise the Dead in Albany

    On Thursday, February 25, those willing to boogie down on a school night took to the Hollow Bar and Kitchen in Albany to see Tom Hamilton’s American Babies. Considered to be “the hardest working man in show business,” Hamilton proved once again that this hard work pays off. The crowd, while somewhat sparse considering the talent on stage, was thoroughly impressed as evident by cheers, dancing and plenty of “Hamilton’s the man” exclamations.

    ER.COKER-AMERICAN.BABIES_08

    The evening began with opening act Bump, a three piece ensemble with Americana sounds similar to that of their headliner. American Babies rhythm guitarist Justin Mazer joined the trio for a rendition of “Angels from Montgomery,” which was as rocking as it was sweet.

    American Babies played “What Does it Mean to Be” early in their set, a song from their new and still unreleased album, An Epic Battle Between Light and Dark, which kept the crowd as equally intrigued as it was satisfied. The song is about not feeling your age or what society tells us we should feel like at a certain age; the album is set to release on March 18.

    ER.COKER-AMERICAN.BABIES_07

    The rest of the set was cover heavy and was surely influenced by Hamilton’s experiences in his other projects. “State Police” and “Let’s Start a Gang,” both Brother’s Past songs, provided opportunities for spacey yet upbeat jams. Directly following this was several Grateful Dead covers including “Big River” and “Cumberland Blues,” in which Mazer delivered the solo of the night.

    ER.COKER-AMERICAN.BABIES_05“Buckle in, we’re just getting started,” Hamilton tells the crowd as he took off his pin-decorated jacket to reveal a black t-shirt with the text “9:30” in large white letters, likely from the famed club in Washington D. C.  Drummer Al Smith also changed out a cymbal in preparation for what was to come.

    They picked up with another Grateful Dead song, “The Wheel” which led into the American Babies’ version of “Jolene” and then back into “The Wheel,” adding depth to the familiar sound and inches to my perma-grin.

    The Babies then did another cover, this time Bruce Springsteen’s “Atlantic City,” but again adding something to it all their own.

    Throughout the set, Hamilton seemed to have chemistry with every member of the band. Smith and Bassist Mark Sosnoskie looked to him as a leader, awaiting cues for their next move while he and Mazer bounced back and forth taking turns as the star. His professional chemistry was only amplified by that of the romantic sort with guitarist Raina Mullen. They harmonize well on stage and off it as well as a couple.

    The night ended with even more Dead, “Deal,” and I’m just left thinking how much Hamilton really sounds like Jerry Garcia at this point. Clearly, his work with Billy and the Kids and Joe Russo’s Almost Dead has become ingrained in his repertoire. If for any reason John Mayer stops playing with Dead and Company, Tom Hamilton is the obvious choice to step in.

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  • Peaking Upstate: Twiddle Plumps Sold-Out Crowd

    It was fitting to see a sold out Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park on Friday night for many reasons. Mainly, it signified maturity and growth for Formula 5 and headliner Twiddle, a jam-rock group out of Burlington.

    Formula 5 has been working very hard lately, just wrapping up their first full tour. Led by Joe Davis on guitar, James Woods on bass, Matt Richards on keys and Greg Marek on drums, Formula 5 has quickly carved out its spot in the Northeast jam scene. It’s impossible not to draw the parallels between the four-piece and Phish, especially because the group formed while waiting in line to get tickets to a Phish show in 2009. Davis has studied Trey Anastasio and it shows in  his precise, swirling, soaring guitar work

    DaveDeCrescente_Formula5_2.26.16-8

    “Earthbound Tim” led way to “Pedro” which bled into “Excalibur.” Somewhere in the mix were “Down With Disease” and “Harry Hood” teases. “Floating,” “Epiphany” and a reprisal of “Earthbound Tim” closed out the show, leaving the hometown band exiting the stage with grins of approval.

    Following a short break, Twiddle took the stage, backed by the Frendly Horns, which added a layer to the band not seen very much. Touring in support of their latest release Plump, Mihali Savoulidis performed using a new guitar at the show, which looked like a custom mix of a Stratocaster and a classic Guild and it sounded wonderful. It was the third show of the band’s Plumperdump winter tour.

    DaveDeCrescente_Twiddle_2.26.16-23

    “Gatsby the Great,” “Honeyburste,” and “Brick of Beauty”, which featured a “Shakedown Street” jam, started the two-hour set and it featured periods of extended jamming. The horns allowed Savoulidis and keyboardist Ryan Dempsey a layer of rhythmic space and both used it wisely, trading licks and staccatos before weaving their way into “Polluted Beauty” where bassist Zdenek Gubb  took the lead this time and pushed the band, with the help of drummer Brook Jordan, through a funk excursion.

    “Classical Gas,” “Be There,” “Complacent Race” and “Frankenfoote” closed out the set, with the audience singing along with seemingly every word.

    For the encore, Twiddle had one final treat in store. Lowell Wurster, of Lucid notoriety, joined the stage to play the washboard on a version of “Did You Ever Look So Nice.”

    DaveDeCrescente_Twiddle_2.26.16-17

    This is the second year in a row Twiddle has sold out Upstate Concert Hall which has a capacity of nearly 1,300. Last year they did it with the support of Kung Fu. Formula 5 displayed it has the chops and dedication to continue to rise while Twiddle showed just how far they have come. It was apparent by the joyous mood outside the venue post-show that both these bands are just getting started and it’s been nice to watch them grow in the past two years.

    Stream or download Ed Guidry’s recording of Twiddle’s set

    Formula 5 Setlist: Earthbound Tim->Pedro->Excalibur, Floatin, Epiphany->Earthbound Tim

    Twiddle Setlist: Gatsby The Great, Honeyburste, Brick Of Barley[1], Polluted Beauty, Classical Gas[2], Be There, Complacent Race, Frankenfoote

    Encore: Did You Ever Look So Nice?[3]

    Show Notes: This show was a part of the “Plumperdump” 2016 Winter Tour. The Frendly Horns were featured for the entire show. This was a sold-out show. Formula 5 opend the show.
    [1] “Brick Of Barley” contained a “Shakedown Street” (Grateful Dead) tease.
    [2] “Classical Gas” contained an “X-Files Theme” tease.
    [3] “Did You Ever Look So Nice?” featured Lowell Wurster (Lucid) on washboard.

  • Legends Alert: Leon Russell and Dave Mason at The Egg on February 28

    Rock legends Leon Russell and Dave Mason will perform at the Hart Theater at The Egg Performing Arts Center on Sunday, February 28 at 7 PM. Part of the American Roots & Branches concert series, the two rock music icons will perform individual sets with their bands, performing a variety of classic songs from their storied repertoire, including Leon Russell’s “Delta Lady,” made famous by Joe Cocker, and Traffic’s “Feelin’ Alright,” among many other hits from across their careers.

    Tickets for the concert are $34.50 and $39.50 and are available at The Egg Box Office at the Empire State Plaza, or by telephone 518-473-1845

  • Ed Mann Joins Paul Green’s Rock Academy for Tribute to Frank Zappa

    Ed Mann, Frank Zappa‘s longtime drummer, will join forces with Paul Green’s Rock Academy for a special night of Zappa music at The Hollow in Albany on Saturday, March 5.

    Ed Mann Zappa Paul Green, founder of School of Rock and inspiration for Jack Black’s character in the movie of the same name, has been teaching children to play rock music, including that of Frank Zappa, since 1998. His students have played Lollapalooza, Carnegie Hall, CBGB and Austin City Limits. They have worked alongside many Zappa collaborators including Ike Willis, Napoleon Murphy Brock, Denny Walley, Adrian Belew and Mike Keneally.

    The Rock Academy is about to kick off a yearlong collaboration with Zappa drummer Ed Mann, who has appeared on more Zappa albums than any other member of the band. Mann has had a successful career post-Zappa as well, including teaching music at different colleges, recording for film composers and pioneering the development of holistic sound therapy. In 2012, he began working with various jam bands on percussion and as sound artist.

    The show takes place on March 5 at 8 p.m. at The Hollow Bar and Kitchen. Tickets are currently available for $12 in advance or $15 at the door the night of the show. Acoustic Trauma will play a late set beginning at 11 p.m.