NYS Music 20​16

Category: Capital Region

  • Disturbed, Breaking Benjamin Tour Details Announced

    Details have been announced for the upcoming Disturbed and Breaking Benjamin North American summer tour with special guest Alter Bridge and Saint Asonia.

    Dates and venues are now listed, and more are expected to be announced soon. VIP tickets go on sale Wednesday, Feb, 24, and on sale to general public on Friday, Feb, 26.

    New York will see four different stops on the tour, including the first show in the touring cycle, which will take place in Syracuse at the Lakeview Amphitheater on Saturday, July 9. Other stops include July 12 at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, July 24 at the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center in Darien Center and July 30 at Nikon at Jones Beach in Wantagh.

    Disturbed/Breaking Benjamin Tour Dates:

    07-09 – Syracuse, NY – Lakeview Amphitheater
    07-10 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live
    07-12 – Saratoga, NY – Saratoga Performing Arts Center
    07-17 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater
    07-19 –  Pittsburgh, PA – First Niagara Pavilion
    07-20 – Indianapolis, IN – Klipsch Amphitheater
    07-22 – Hartford, CT – Xfinity Theatre
    07-23 – Boston, MA – Xfinity Center
    07-24 – Darien Center, NY – Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
    07-26 – Detroit, MI – DTE Energy Amphitheater
    07-27 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
    07-29 – Scranton, PA- The Pavilion at Montage Mountain
    07-30 – Wantagh, NY – Nikon at Jones Beach
    07-31 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
    08-04 – Gilford, NH – Bank of NH Pavilion
    08-08 – Toronto, ON – Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
    08-12 – Dallas, TX – Gexa Energy Amphitheater
    08-13 – Houston, TX – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
    08-15 – Denver, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre
    08-17 – Albuquerque,  NM – Isleta Amphitheater
    08-19 – Concord, CA – Concord Pavilion

    Original article:

    Two huge names in rock music who have both recently ended years of being on hiatus will join forces for one incredible co-headlining summer tour.

    Disturbed and Breaking Benjamin will team up and hit the road together for a 24-city summer tour.

    If a co-headling tour featuring two of the best frontmen in the business today is not enough, how about two more? Add Miles Kennedy with his boys from Alter Bridge and recently formed super group Saint Asonia, led by Adam Gontier, as the special guest for the tour.

    It was only evident that a tour between the bands would come together after a video posted by Loudwire of David Draiman joining Ben Burnley and Breaking Benjamin on stage for a cover of “Under Pressure,” made famous by Queen and David Bowie.

    On Feb. 4, Draiman, to the surprise of fans, walked onto stage during a recent stop on Breaking Benjamin’s acoustic tour at Irving Plaza in NYC to sing the duet with Burnley.

    Since their return, Disturbed’s touring calendar is filling up quickly. A intimate, sold-out return tour with Nonpoint this winter and a spring tour with Rob Zombie in between countless festival dates to go along with this tour will keep the band busy now through summer.

    Breaking Benjamin is showing no signs of slowing down since their return, touring relentlessly for almost two years. Breaking Benjamin started the year off with their second acoustic tour, which will be followed by a headlining tour with Startset.

    Burnley and Draiman announced the co-headlining tour live on Sirius/XM Octane with host Kayla Riley, then took over the show as guest DJs for a bit. During the show, Burnley said his old cover band used to cover Disturbed’s “Down With the Sickness,” which delighted Draiman so much that he asked Burnley to play it during sound check. Burnley told him fans will get to hear it twice because he will play it during their set and then Disturbed can play it later. Whether he’ll follow through on that remains to be seen.

    Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Feb. 26. Actual dates have yet to be announced. New York will see dates in Syracuse, Buffalo, Saratoga Springs (July 12?) and Wantagh.

    Disturbed/Breaking Benjamin Tour Announced Cities:

    Syracuse, NY
    Bristow, VA
    Saratoga, NY
    Cleveland, OH
    St. Louis, MO
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Indianapolis, IN
    Boston, MA
    Buffalo, NY
    Detroit, MI
    Cincinnati, OH
    Scranton, PA
    Wantagh, NY
    Holmdel, NJ
    Virginia Beach, VA
    Gilford, NH
    Toronto, ON
    Dallas, TX
    Houston, TX
    Denver, CO
    Albuquerque, NM
    Concord, CA
    Hartford, CT
    Seattle, WA

    Disturbed Tour Poster

  • Wild Adriatic Hits the Road for Eurotrip

    Capital Region rockers Wild Adriatic recently rolled out dates for a Eurotrip and U.S. tour as well. The three-piece group will head out on the road beginning Feb. 11 in Boston and wrapping up May 15 in Spain.

    Fresh off the heels of their debut voyage on the Rock Boat, where they played an all-Zeppelin set and jammed onstage with Sister Hazel, Michael Franti and Gavin Degraw, WA’s upcoming tour includes Northeast-heavy dates with home state stops in Corning, Saratoga Springs, Rochester, Syracuse, Brooklyn, Buffalo and Jamestown before returning to Europe for a four-week headlining run.

    The blues-rock band consists of Travis Gray (vocals, guitar), Rich Derbyshire (bass) and Mateo Vosganian (drums); supporting groups that will share the bill with WA during this winter/spring tour will be the Mallett Brothers Band, Let’s Be Leonard, Turkuaz, Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds, the Suitcase Junket and Animal Years.

    This January, WA released their first full-length live album from their two-night performance in Albany last October and will record the upcoming Feb. 20 show at Putnam Den for a possible future album. The band’s self-titled EP dropped in 2011, and their most recent collection debuted May 2015 as the five-song Never Enough. Although, according to the press release, WA has a new record in the works:

    We’ll be back in the studio making our second full length record in Fall 2016. Hoping to release Early 2017 and we have never been more excited to get in the studio and create! So much inspiration over the last few months, I know we have a few more tunes in us to get out before we hit the studio but we are very excited with how the material has come together so far!” 

    Tickets for all 2016 show dates are on sale through Wild Adriatic’s official website.

    Wild Adriatic 2016 Tour Dates:

    2/11 – Boston, MA – Lansdowne Pub^
    2/12 – Burlington, VT – Nectar’s^
    2/13 – Sugarloaf, ME – Sugarloaf Mountain^
    2/18 – Corning, NY – Corning Museum of Glass 2300 Series
    2/19 – Portsmouth, NH – Birdseye^
    2/20 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Putnam Den*
    2/25 – Rochester, NY – Flour City Station
    2/26 – Syracuse, NY – Funk N Waffles Downtown*
    2/27 – Stratton, VT – Grizzly’s%
    3/3 – Worcester, MA – Electric Haze
    3/4 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Bowl#
    3/10 – Sellersville, PA – Sellersville Theater
    3/11 – Mifflinburg, PA – Rusty Rail
    3/12 – Asbury Park, NJ – Wonder Bar
    3/16 – Washington, DC – Black Cat~
    3/17 – Mercersburg, PA – Mansion House~
    3/18 – Philadelphia, PA – Milkboy~
    3/24 – Hartford, CT – Arch Street Tavern
    3/25 – Manchester, VT – The Perfect Wife
    3/26 – Stratton, VT – Grizzly’s*
    3/31 – Pittsburgh, PA – Thunderbird Cafe
    4/1 – Buffalo, NY – Buffalo Iron Works
    4/2 – Jamestown, NY – Shawbucks

    ^ – w/ The Mallett Brothers Band
    * – w/ Let’s Be Leonard
    % – w/ Turkuaz
    # – w/ Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds & The Suitcase Junket
    ~ – w/ Animal Years

    4/14 – Oostende, Belgium – Bada Bing
    4/15 – Kortrijk, Belgium – Den Trap
    4/16 – Krefeld, Germany – Kulturrampe
    4/17 – Turnhout, Belgium – Dax Cafe
    4/19 – Norderstedt, Germany – Music Star
    4/20 – Malmo, Sweden – St Gertrund
    4/21 – Hamburg, Germany – Sound Yard
    4/22 – Bordesholm, Germany – Albatros
    4/23 – Singwitz, Germany – Kesselhaus
    4/26 – Bratislava, Slovakia – Muzeum Obchodu
    4/27 – Kufstein, Austria – Eggers
    4/28 – Besancon, France – Passengers Du Zinc
    4/29 – Alencon, France – La Luciole
    4/30 – Rouen, France – Hipster Cafe
    5/2 – St Etienne, France – Thunderbird Lounge
    5/4 – Bilbao, Spain – Antzokia
    5/5 – Ourense, Spain – Cafe Auriense
    5/6 – Cangas, Spain – Salason
    5/7 – Aviles, Spain – Centro Niemeyer
    5/8 – Leon, Spain – Gran Cafe
    5/11 – Estepona, Spain – Louie Louie
    5/12 – Murcia, Spain – Garaje Beat Club
    5/13 – Castellon, Spain – Veneno Stereo
    5/14 – Valencia, Spain – Pabersematao
    5/15 – Torredembara, Spain – La Traviesa

  • Hip Hop Hooray: Mister F Made a Mixtape, McLovins Guest Star

    Now this is how you do a modern-day mixtape.

    Last week, the Albany-based jamband Mister F casually published a stream-worthy collection of cover songs recorded live from their Southeast run this January. The 14-track mixtape features old-school hip-hop songs with guest appearances from the band’s current touring mates, the McLovins.

    12540598_1107431905943145_836173380871036765_n

    The hour-long downloadable release includes funky covers from popular ’90s artists like Snoop Dog, Beastie Boys, Dr. Dre, MC Hammer and Naughty By Nature. While Mister F keyboardist Scott Hannay lends his vocals to many of the rap renditions (and keytar skills on “Cantaloop”), guitarist Mike Candela takes the lead on “The Real Slim Shady” and drummer Matt Pickering does so on “This Is How We Do It,” with McLovins‘ drummer/frontman Jake Huffman tackling “Rapper’s Delight” and “Hot In Herre.”

    Recorded at venues across Georgia, Virginia and the Carolinas, the tape offers a snapshot of setlist surprises from 13 different shows, and with an extensive string of concert dates on the horizon (thankfully, many are in the Northeast), here’s hoping this will be a continued effort throughout the remainder of the tour — because it ain’t nothing but an F thang, baby, and we can’t wait until the next episode.

    Mister F January ’16 Mixtape:

    1. Nuthin’ But A G Thang* 1/14/2016 – The 8×10, Baltimore, MD
    2. Ice Ice Baby* 1/17/2016 – The Pour House, Charleston, SC
    3. Forgot About Dre* 1/15/2016 – Martin’s, Roanoke, VA
    4. Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)*$^ 1/29/2016 – Nowhere Bar, Athens, GA
    5. Baby Got Back* 1/16/2016 – The Camel, Richmond, VA
    6. U Can’t Touch This* 1/21/2016 – SOL Bar at New Mountain AVL, Asheville, NC
    7. Gin and Juice* 1/19/2016 – The Blind Tiger, Greensboro, NC
    8. The Real Slim Shady%+ 1/27/2016 – The Rabbit Hole, Charlotte, NC
    9. Rapper’s Delight@& 1/24/2016 – The Pour House, Raleigh, NC
    10. Intergalactic*~ 1/20/2016 – The Whiskey, Wilmington, NC
    11. Big Pimpin’* 1/24/2016 – The Pour House, Raleigh, NC
    12. Hip Hop Hooray* 1/28/2016 – Buffington’s, Milledgeville, GA
    13. This Is How We Do It#* 1/30/2016 – Aisle 5, Atlanta, GA
    14. Hot In Herre@? 1/30/2016 – Aisle 5, Atlanta, GA

    *w/Scott Hannay on vocals
    $w/Atticus Kelly of McLovins on keys
    ^w/ScottHannay on keytar
    %w/Mike Candela on vocals
    +w/Justin Berger of McLovins on guitar
    @w/Jake Huffman of McLovins on vocals
    &w/Jason Ott of McLovins on bass
    ~w/Scott Hannay on vocoder
    #w/Matt Pickering on vocals
    ?w/Mister McManagers trio (Mike Dean, David Limentani, Nick Sonsini) on backup singing/dancing

  • Hearing Aide: The North & South Dakotas ‘Been Away’

    The North & South Dakotas, from the Saratoga Springs area, have been bringing their blend of bluegrass, country and rock n’ roll infused folk to music fans around the area since 2013. While they’ve always been a great combination of those genres, their new release ‘Been Away’ shows them able to put together an album that even further masters that sound. Start to finish, this is a great piece of alt-country, full of a healthy portion of slide guitar, great harmonies and songs that just sound like the sound track to living and loving far away from the lights of any big city.

    The album’s opening track “Caroline” starts off full of twangy goodness and sets the tone for the album, in the listener’s mind it’s all rural country life, there’s going to be lots long roads and heartbreak. But perhaps  most importantly there’s some fast-as-lightning string picking and great melodies to carry us through the ups and downs. Once the vocals kick in, you know you couldn’t be listening to any other group it’s the distinct sound of Zack Hay’s voice, now with a hint more grit and attitude from their previous releases.

    Sometimes though, the long nights full of whiskey, the growing feeling of needing a change, and perhaps a bad choice or two catch up with you and a day in bed is in order, contemplating how rough the lows really may have become. On one of the records slower tunes, “Please Don’t Wake Me” there’s talk about about  speaking with the devil if he chooses to shows up, and admitting maybe it’s time to pack up and move along. “I ain’t ashamed to float like a feather as I fall from grace. And I ain’t putting up a fight, and heaven knows I’ve tried, and when I land, you know I’ll find my place.” Guitarist Mark Retajczyk never misses the opportunity to throw in a classy guitar solo and in the video below, seeing the band in the warm golden glow of a fall corn field helps you hear the breath of hope even in a sad song.

    Other stand out tracks include “Katie”, fast paced with quick little starts and stops this is a song in the live setting that is going to get the ground shaking resulting from a room full of stompin’ boots. Nayt Patenaude sets the strings of the mandolin on fire in this track, good luck trying to sit still when it hits your ears. Throughout the album, the rhythm section of Mike Graves on drums and Colin Hunt on bass stay locked in time and provide a steady backbone throughout an album with plenty of musical turns and changes in tempo that give the songs life.

    “Nowhere Slow” is a little more outlaw country, like a dark storm rolling in, hot on your trail as you bolt out of town. The break down towards the end even sounds as if they threw a dash of sludgy metal into the every-type-of-Americana stew they’ve whipped up through the album. “Prayin’” will be the track that gets hips swayin’, before leading into the album’s final track “Swan”. The album’s closing track talks about making the way back home, after an album that has taken the listener through several tales of love, a few lonely nights, and no shortage of fun evenings spent with a drink in hand. With a long instrumental close to the song and album we’re reminded that these tracks are just as catchy as they are complex, and at its heart this is a group of very talented guys that are capable of showing us a good time while maintaining a level of depth and integrity that is often lacking in modern country music.

    On Saturday, February 13th The North and South Dakotas will be celebrating the release of Been Away at The Parting Glass in Saratoga. $10 entry also gets you a copy of the new album. The night will start off with a performance from Rebel Darling, the full band that M.R. Poulopoulos, one of the area’s strongest songwriters, puts together with a rotating cast of talent. Doors open at 7pm, music is set to start at 8pm. The Parting Glass is located at 40 Lake Ave. in downtown Saratoga.

    Key Tracks: Katie, Nowhere Slow, Please Don’t Wake Me

  • Umphrey’s McGee and TAUK Rock The Palace

    Update August 18: Full show video of Umphrey’s performance has surfaced.

    Umphrey’s McGee wrapped up a four-night run of the Northeast at The Palace Theatre in Albany on February 6, bringing TAUK to open the show and join them for an impressive “Bad Friday,” one of many stand out moments from a four-and-a-half-hour show between the two bands. Fans were still arriving while TAUK warmed the crowd up for Umphrey’s and made a strong case for the opening act that best compliments the main act. TAUK celebrated keyboardist Alric ‘AC’ Carter with an inventive yet smooth “Eleanor Rigby.”

    Tom-Miller_UM_020616_42 copybw

    Umphrey’s got the night started with “Catshot” followed by a double threat of “JaJunk” > “Mulche’s Odyssey,” with “The Peqoud” and the newer “Gone for Good” slowing things down briefly. Joel Cummins took over for a heavy jam in between “Cemetery Walk I” and “Cemetery Walk II” that neared the 20 minute mark, and paired nicely with “Ringo” that followed. Teases of “Voodoo Child” from Jake wound their way back into “JaJunk” to close the set.

    Set 2 opened with the recently debuted “Attachments,” after which UM welcomed birthday boy AC to the stage to join in on keys for “Bad Friday,” with Isaac Teel on vocals, yet another fantastic collaboration between the two bands.

    We love this! #taukaboutit #umphlove #fanmade @umphreysmcgee

    A photo posted by @taukband on

    After a strong “Higgins” jam, Bob Marley’s birthday was celebrated with the mashup “Life During Exodus,” intertwining Marley, Talking Heads and Zappa’s “City of Tiny Lights.” “Resolution” that followed had expert level jamming led by Jake and Kris Myers, with a strong “Norwegian Wood” jam to bring it home into another fresh tune, “Remind Me,” wrapping up a six-song set with four songs clocking in over 12 minutes. The second set was a real treat, and those fans got a great duo in the encore of “Triple Wide” and “Hajimashite,” to keep the energy flowing out the doors and onto South Pearl Street.

    Setlist via AllthingsUM

    Set 1: Catshot > JaJunk > Mulche’s Odyssey, The Pequod > Gone for Good[1], Cemetery Walk,Cemetery Walk II, Ringo[2] > JaJunk

    Set 2: Attachments, Bad Friday[3], Higgins, Life During Exodus, Resolution[4] -> Remind Me
    Encore: The Triple Wide > Hajimemashite

    [1] with Jake on acoustic
    [2] With Voodoo Child (Jimi Hendrix) teases from Jake
    [3] with Alric Carter on keys and Isaac Teel on vocals and percussion
    [4] with Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (The Beatles) jam

    [FinalTilesGallery id=’609′]

  • The Southern Belles Launch Cross-Country Tour

    Lock’n festival alum The Southern Belles are starting out the year with a new drummer, and a slew of touring dates that span the Northeast. Their new pick for drummer is Aaron Zarrow of Philadelphia’s The Royal Noise.

    “I think this is going to be the beginning of an exciting musical journey,” Zarrow said in a press release. “I’m really stoked to be given an opportunity like this, to play in a band whose music I already enjoy listening to. Now I get to contribute to a band’s sound that I feel is unique and powerful enough to go very far. I’m also walking into what seems to be such a tight knit, family-like fan base and support system, and that’s huge.”

    The Richmond, Virginia-based quartet will head up north to Rockwood Music Hall in New York City Feb. 19, and you can catch them at the Putnam Den in Saratoga on Feb. 25. They will wrap up their tour with dates in Montana and Colorado.

    Full tour dates: 

    2/9- Blue Water, Jacksonville, FL
    2/10- Guanabana’s, Jupiter, FL
    2/11- Little Econ Love Fest, Jupiter, FL
    2/12- Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin, FL
    2/13- The Jam, Gainesville, FL #
    2/19- Rockwood Music Hall, New York, NY
    2/21- Stella Blues, New Haven, CT
    2/24- Nectar’s, Burlington, VT
    2/25- Putnam Den, Saratoga Springs, NY
    2/26- Thunder Road, Somerville, MA %
    2/27- Stone Church, Newmarket, NH %
    3/4- The Camel, Richmond, VA **
    3/5- Preservation Pun, Knoxville, TN
    3/8- Gabe’s, Iowa City, IA
    3/9- The Bridge, Columbia, MO
    3/11- Bohemian Biergarten, Boulder, CO
    3/12- The Whisk(e)y, Fort Collins, CO
    3/13- Lola, Denver, CO
    3/14- Sancho’s, Denver, CO
    3/15- Little Nell, Aspen, CO
    3/16- Little Nell, Aspen, CO
    3/17- Black Nugget, Carbondale, CO
    3/18- Bonfire Brewing, Eagle, CO
    3/19- Zio Romolo’s, Denver, CO

    *w/ Lord Nelson and Kendall Street Company
    ^w/ Soul Mechanic
    #w/ Loccochino
    %w/ The Jauntee
    **w/ Groove Fetish

  • Celtic Women Make Their Way Through New York on Destiny Tour

    It is not often that artists can say that their albums debut at number one, but it’s no surprise to learn that Celtic Women’s Destiny did just this; it was the ninth album to do so.

    Celtic Women 2015FallPublicityPhoto

    As the Destiny tour begins this March in Nashville, Máiréad Nesbitt, Mairéad Carlin, Susan McFadden and Éabha McMahon, also known as the women of Celtic Women, will grace the stage at more than 79 cities as they make their way across the United States.

    The multi-platinum, all female ensemble made its debut on PBS in 2005 and has achieved massive success encompassing 10 chart-topping albums, nine PBS specials, more than 8 million albums sold, and platinum sales in nine countries.

    Celtic Woman 2015_creditDavidConger

    They sing like angels and float like the wind across stage, as they bring to you a bit of Celtic history in their musical stories. Destiny will feature a fresh fusion of traditional Irish music and modern songcraft, including the Waterboys’ classic “The Whole of the Moon,” Ed Sheeran’s “I See Fire” from The Hobbit film, and Mutt Lange’s “Walk Beside Me.” Traditional Irish highlights include “Bean Pháidín,” “Siúil A Run” and “Óró sé do bheatha ‘bhaile,” an anthem closely connected with the 1916 uprising that led to Ireland’s independence.

    DestinyLogoLockupTHE DESTINY TOUR – 2016 ITINERARY

    3/4-5 Nashville, TN Tennessee Performing Arts Center
    3/6 Memphis, TN Orpheum
    3/8 Owensboro, KY RiverPark Center
    3/9 Louisville, KY The Palace
    3/11 Paducah, KY Carson Center
    3/12 Peoria, IL Peoria Civic Center Theater
    3/13 Rockford, IL Cornado PAC
    3/15 Rosemont, IL Rosemont Theatre
    3/17 Detroit, MI Fox Theatre
    3/18 Fort Wayne, IN Embassy Theatre
    3/19 Wabash, IN Honeywell Center (2 shows)
    3/20 South Bend, IN Morris Performing Arts Center
    3/22 Indianapolis, IN Murat Theatre at Old National Centre
    3/23 Bowling Green, KY Sky PAC
    3/24 Cincinnati, OH Aronoff Center
    3/25 Dayton, OH Schuster Performing Arts Center
    3/26 Columbus, OH Palace Theatre
    3/29 Cleveland, OH PlayhouseSquare
    3/31 Williamsport, PA Community Arts Center
    4/1, 2, 3, Lancaster, PA American Music Theater
    4/5 Richmond, VA Altria Theater
    4/6 Norfolk, VA Chrysler Hall at SevenVenues
    4/8 Wheeling, WV Capitol Theatre
    4/9 Baltimore, MD Hippodrome Theatre
    4/10 Salem, VA Salem Civic Center
    4/12 Asheville, NC Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
    4/14 Spartanburg, SC Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium
    4/15 Winston-Salem, NC LJVM Coliseum Complex
    4/16 Durham, NC Durham Performing Arts Center
    4/17 Charlotte, NC Ovens Auditorium
    4/19 Columbia, SC Koger Center for the Arts
    4/21 Athens, GA The Classic Center
    4/23 Atlanta, GA Fox Theatre
    4/24 Gainesville, FL Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
    4/27 Daytona Beach, FL Peabody Auditorium
    4/28 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Broward Center for the Performing Arts
    4/29 St. Petersburg, FL The Mahaffey Theater
    4/30 Sarasota, FL Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall
    5/1 Niceville, FL Mattie Kelly Arts Center

    photo credit: Jason Clark (L-R) Susan McFadden, Lynn Hilary, Mairead Carlin (back right), Mairead Nesbitt
    photo credit: Jason Clark
    (L-R) Susan McFadden, Lynn Hilary, Mairead Carlin (back right), Mairead Nesbitt

    5/3 Mobile, AL CC Theatre
    5/5 Birmingham, AL BJCC
    5/6 Jackson, MS Thalia Mara Hall
    5/7 New Orleans, LA Saenger Theatre
    5/8 Houston, TX Revention Music Center
    5/10 San Antonio, TX Majestic Theatre
    5/11 Grand Prairie, TX Verizon Theatre
    5/13 El Paso, TX The Plaza Theatre
    5/14 Tucson, AZ Tucson Music Hall
    5/15 Tempe, AZ ASU Gammage Auditorium
    5/17 Bakersfield, CA Rabobank Arena
    5/20 Eugene, OR Hult Center for the Performing Arts
    5/21 Yakima, WA Yakima Valley SunDome
    5/22 Portland, OR Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
    5/24 Boise, ID Morrison Center
    5/25 Salt Lake City, UT Maverik Center
    5/26 Casper, WY Casper Events Center
    5/27 Greeley, CO Monfort Concert Hall
    5/28 Colorado Springs, CO Pikes Peak Center
    5/31-6/1Denver, CO Buell Theatre at Denver Performing Arts Complex
    6/3 Rapid City, SD Rushmore Plaza Civic Center
    6/4 Bismarck, ND Bismarck Event Center
    6/5 Grand Forks, ND Chester Fritz Auditorium
    6/7 Bemidji, MN Sanford Center
    6/9 La Crosse, WI La Crosse Center
    6/10 Prior Lake MN Mystic Lake Casino
    6/12 Grand Rapids, MI DeVos Performance Hall
    6/14 Kalamazoo, MI Miller Auditorium
    6/16 Warren, OH W.D. Packard Music Hall
    6/17 University Park, PA Eisenhower Auditorium
    6/19 Schenectady, NY Proctors
    6/21 Rochester, NY Auditorium Theatre
    6/22 Brooklyn, NY Kings Theatre
    6/24-6/25Orillia, Ontario Casino Rama
    6/26 Erie, PA Warner Theatre
    6/28 Lowell, MA Lowell Memorial Auditorium
    6/29 Providence, RI Providence Performing Arts Center
    6/30 Newark, NJ NJPAC
    7/1 Red Bank, NJ Count Basie Theatre
    7/2 Red Bank, NJ Count Basie Theatre

  • Acoustic Candlebox Performs to Sold Out Crowd at The Egg

    I’ll admit I was more than thrilled to see Candlebox on The Egg’s calendar for February 2, 2016. Having been a fan since the early 90’s and caught their show at SUNY Albany’s RACC (now SEFCU Arena) in February 1995, it was a chance to relive the glory days of senior year, before life happened.

    Acoustic Candlebox So when I found out earlier this week that it would be acoustic Candlebox, I gave pause because I was expecting the full band instead of something stripped down. Expectations were set on electric but acoustic performances of songs you’ve listened to for more than 20 years was a change I could get behind. Within moments of Kevin Martin discussing the story and the conditions behind writing “Sweet Summertime,” I became intently focused, more so than I would have been hearing the usual renditions from the Candlebox lexicon, without a little something extra on the side. Over the next two hours, Martin and Brian Quinn played a dozen Candlebox songs and gave insight into how these compositions were created amid turbulent paths taken by the band and behind the scenes.

    Acoustic Candlebox It only took two songs to get to the dark side of Candlebox, and just like that, I was 17 again. “Drowned” was introduced as the result of Maverick Records, who launched Candlebox’s first album to national acclaim, faced pressure from in an effort to produce Lucy, the follow up their 1993 self-titled debut. “Cover Me,” has a religious focus, as Martin doubted that one lone god was the right one among the many gods throughout history.

    Acoustic @candlebox_official @theeggpac performing ‘Cover Me’ #nysmusic #swyertheater #90srock

    A video posted by NYSMusic (@nystatemusic) on

    Casual drug talk accompanied the stories behind some of Candlebox’s songs this night. Martin didn’t overshare or have a story of a wild night in a hotel room leaving no detail behind – rather he referenced what particular substance was behind the writing of certain songs, without glorifying or defending the drug usage. If anything, it was matter of factly explained and accepted by the audience, just as spats with Maverick Records were taken as a frame for particular songs and not a rant for the sake of complaining. Drugs influenced a handful of songs as recalled by Martin, including “Change” (mushrooms), and “Blossom” (love). “Want it Back” was the lone new song of the night, appearing on the upcoming album Disappearing in Airports, due out in April. Martin made note that New York is still the state with Candlebox’s best all time album sales at 1.5 million, and thanked the sold out crowd in The Egg’s Swyer Theatre.

    Acoustic Candlebox Throughout the night, it was uncanny how the tone of Martin’s voice hasn’t changed a bit in 25 years; emotion packed lyrics poured out over intense guitar work from Quinn. Songs of longing, such as “Miss You,” was dedicated to his father, a WWII veteran, and “Love Come Back to Me” were stellar.

    Acoustic Candlebox He did decline a request to play “Breakaway,” regarding the suggestion with “Memories of the process are very painful and the process of recording Happy Pills was so raw,” that to revisit the lyrics in this point and time wouldn’t have the same power and meaning behind them. “Far Behind,” written in tribute to Andy Wood from Mother Love Bone, whom they first knew in the Seattle scene in 1991, was given a new frame from which to hear the song.

    Acoustic Candlebox After, Brian broke into “The Weight” to the surprise of the audience who sang along while a song off the forthcoming album, “Alive at Last,” closed the show. Without a doubt, acoustic Candlebox exceeded expectations and makes seeing the full live band a must with new light shed on songs that have aged well.

    Frank Palangi, a Queensbury native, opened the show with a 30 minute set of gritty acoustic guitar work and flexible vocals that captured the attention of the crowd. Palangi channeled Faith no More, Alice in Chains, Lifehouse and other late 90s rockers through a series of originals that must translate well in a live, plugged-in setting. For a local musician opening for Candlebox at The Egg, the thrill was visible in his smile and on stage presence.

    Frank Palagni Setlist: Break These Chains, I am Ready, Godsmack Mix, Working Man, Boohoo, Driving These Lines, Turn it All Around

    Candlebox Setlist: Sweet Summertime, Drowned, Cover Me, Change, Blossom, Want It Back, Miss You, Lover Come Back To Me, Sometime, You, Far Behind, The Weight*, Alive At Last

    *Brian Quinn solo

  • Street Performer Attacked in Saratoga

    Saratoga Springs police are currently in search of a possible street video that shows a street performer being attacked, according to the Times Union. Police are also talking to downtown bar owners about the situation.

    According to the report, street performer Sam Mitchell of Montgomery County was a victim of an unprovoked attack as he came to the city to play his guitar on Putnam Street to entertain people as they walked by.

    Police said that not only was the attack on Mitchell unprovoked, the beating itself was brutal. The attack happened in the parking lot of the Saratoga Springs Public Library sometime after midnight.

    Mitchell, 53, was accused by a man between the ages of 25 and 30, of messing around with another vehicle. According to city police Lt. Robert Jillson, the man punched and kicked Mitchell to the ground as Mitchell tried to protect himself from the assault. Mitchell tried to shield himself with his instrument to no avail as the attacker smashed Mitchell’s guitar on the ground.

    The assailant, who was accompanied by a woman, fled in a dark-color, four-door sedan. As of now, no arrests have been made.

    Mitchell described the man as a short blonde hair and standing about 5-feet, 5-inches tall wearing a light-green hoodie. The woman was described as wearing black boots with maroon pants and black hair.

    After the attack, Mitchell headed to police officers located on Caroline Street and told them about the attack right after it happened. Mitchell then went on to seek his own medical attention.

    Mitchell suffered facial fractures and bruises from the attack. A GoFundMe page has been created to help him raise money for a new guitar. The page has currently surpassed the set goal of $500 almost two times, as the current total for his campaign is at $1,380.

    Anyone with information about the case is asked to call 518-584-1800 or 518-584-TIPS.

  • Proctors and Capital Rep Announce 2016-17 Series in Grand Fashion

    When is a theater announcement more than just an announcement? When Proctors and Capital Repertory Theatre get together and present their 2016-17 KeyBank Subscription Series to the public in grand fashion.

    This was more than just a presentation of 13 musicals, it was an event and a spectacle featuring performances from some of the shows that will grace stages in Albany and Schenectady in the coming year.

    Presenting the lineups for each venue in a mock debate, Proctors CEO Philip Morris and theREP’s Producing Artistic Director Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill kept the audience laughing and cheering as they rolled out the Broadway shows that will come to the Capital Region for the first time, some on their first national tours. John Gray and Kydia Kulbida from WTEN offered commentary from the stage left upper box and kept the show flowing in between each well received announcement.

    Proctors’ 2016 schedule includes the four-time Tony Award winning production An American in Paris, which will be seen for the first time outside of New York and Paris in October 2016. Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story on Stage arrives in November 2016, followed by The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, which tells the tale of an autistic boy accused of a crime and his struggle to communicate his innocence, also in November 2016.

    The first national tour of musical comedy Something Rotten! makes its way to Proctors in January 2017, followed by the Broadway blockbuster Wicked in March. The beloved story The Sound of Music is next in April 2017, while Roundabout Theatre Company brings Cabaret to Proctors in May 2017.

    Among the most anticipated shows, which also received the largest applause, was Beautiful – The Carole King Musical, coming to Proctors in April 2017 for a limited engagement. Sara Sheperd performed two selections from the musical, “Will Your Still Love me Tomorrow” and “(You Make me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” to great fanfare.

    Capital Repertory Theatre will offer a combination of classics, musical biographies and world premieres, including A Night with Janis Joplin, Outside Mullingar, NEXT ACT 5! New Play Summit, Camelot, Reluctant Wingman and An Iliad. By the end, when the stage was festooned with red, white and blue balloons, there was no question that Proctors and Capital Rep will bring a phenomenal lineup of musical theater to The Capital Region well into 2017.