Every Thursday this summer from July 5 – Aug. 30, The Crossings of Colonie brings its live concert series to the Capital Region from 6 – 8 p.m. rain or shine at the Crossings Park Gazebo.
A wide variety of different music can be found each week during the series from some of the area’s top local artists, including the Audiostars, Skeeter Creek, and the Georgie Wonder’s Big Band.
Fans are encouraged to bring their lawn chairs, blankets, and picnic set ups to the show. All shows are free to the public. The Crossings is located at 580 Albany Shaker Road in Loudonville.
Concerts at The Crossings Lineup:
July 5 – Body and Soul
July 12 – NY Players
July 19 – Audiostars
July 26 – Skeeter Creek
Aug. 2 – Lustre Kings
Aug. 9 – Georgie Wonders Big Band
Aug. 16 – Hair of the Dog
Aug. 23 – The Pipe Kings
Aug 30 – Sorrow Estate/Rich Ortiz
This Sunday in Albany, the Pride Center of the Capital Region will celebrate and hold its annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Festival and Parade. The parade will step off at noon along Lark Street and the festival will continue until 5 PM in Washington Park. The parade and festival take place each June during LGBTQ Pride Month and commemorates the Stonewall Riots that occurred in June 1969 in New York City that ignited the modern-day LGBTQ movement.
The festival promises to be the not-to-be-missed event of the year, featuring Grammy winning pop star, Estelle, American Idol Top 10 Finalist Ada Vox, and locally popular band Grand Central Station. This is a free, family-friendly event full of music, laughter, food, and fun and dozens of vendors will be on hand. For more information and events throughout Pride Month Capital Pride.
AJ Lambert, granddaughter of Frank Sinatra and daughter of Nancy Sinatra, has released “I Summon You” from her forthcoming album, Careful You, out later this year. The record features unique interpretations of songs by artists including TV on the Radio, John Cale, Spoon (“I Summon You”) as well as deep cuts from her grandfather’s extensive catalog including “Sleep Warm” and “I’ll Be Seeing You.” She’ll perform selections from Careful You at an exclusive album preview show at Rough Trade NYC on May 25.
Britt Daniel of Spoon, regarding Lambert’s cover remarked, “If you’re gonna cover someone else’s song, you’d better be prepared to add something to it that wasn’t there before, and it’s equally important to find a way to bring your own personality to the performance. Otherwise what’s the point — in today’s world, the original version is always readily accessible via the chips embedded into the backs of our skulls. Fortunately, AJ’s managed to do both with her reworking of “I Summon You.” It’s a trip to hear my song done this way. Thanks, AJ.”
Careful You was recorded with a full band and produced by Daniel Schlett (The War on Drugs, Amen Dunes) and Boshra AlSaadi (TEEN, Janka Nabay) and is due out later this year and will be followed by a tour in support of the album.
AJ is currently performing complete Sinatra albums live, such as In The Wee Small Hours, with John Boswell on piano. AJ also hosts “Third Generation” on Sirius XM’s “Siriusly Sinatra” channel.
The Board of Directors of the Rochester Music Hall of Fame pulled out all the stops this year. The seventh annual award ceremony was held on Sunday, April 22 at Rochester’s historic Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre. The sold-out event celebrated the contributions of musicians with local ties, including Rochester native and legendary drummer Steve Gadd, Eastman School of Music graduate and iconic bassist Tony Levin, world-renown percussionist and Eastman School Professor Emeritus John Beck, and masters of sacred steel The Campbell Brothers. Congratulatory messages were sent by Peter Gabriel, who has worked with both Gadd and Levin. Special guest performers included pedal steel guitarist extraordinaire Robert Randolph, preteen powerhouse Angelica Hale from America’s Got Talent, and a surprise appearance by Paul Simon.
At the ceremony’s commencement, a moment of silence was taken to honor the late Senator Louise Slaughter, a supporter of the arts. Board of Directors President Karl LaPorta announced that he and his wife would be stepping down from the board to spend some time traveling, although they will stay involved with the Hall of Fame. Vice President Jack Whittier will take the lead position on the Board moving forward. Whittier shared plans to branch into more community outreach and partnerships which foster the love of music. They’ve also acquired a location for the Hall of Fame at the corner of East Main and Gibbs Streets.
The ceremony opened with a few quick tribute songs from local singers, backed by the Hall of Fame’s house band, Prime Time Funk: “Kodachrome” sung by Alyssa Coco and Ronnie Leigh, a soulful rendition of “Wildflower” sung by Bree Draper, and “Sledgehammer” featuring the powerful vocals of Danielle Ponder.
The first inductee of the night was John Beck, a Pennsylvania native who started playing drums at a very young age, traveling by bus into Pittsburgh as a teenager to take lessons and later moving to Rochester to study at the Eastman School of Music. After ten years drumming in the military, Beck returned to Rochester to teach and to play in the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. He has played with orchestras around the world, and holds many accolades. He has also taught hundreds of students, including Steve Gadd.
The first piece he played was something he wrote for Gadd’s senior performance, played on the timpani. He then played a couple on a drum kit and some hand drums. Between songs, he went to the podium to talk about the music, and asked for a moment to get to the drums. But once behind the percussive instruments, he began moving with a deft agility and grace. For his grand finale, he chose a big band song, backed by Prime Time Funk.
Ferdinand Jay Smith
The next inductee was Ferdinand Jay Smith III, who has created some of the most memorable and longest lasting music in entertainment, including theme songs for television programs, Olympic Games, and advertising. A reel of some of his work was played, highlighting the local, regional, and national clients for whom Smith has produced work. Some of the best selections were saved for live performance by the house band, with guest singers. America’s Got Talent finalist Angelina Hale took to the stage to perform the theme song for Bausch & Lomb. The Empire State Games theme song was sung by a group which included two of Smith’s children and one of his grandchildren.
Ferdinand Jay Smith with Angelina Hale
After a brief intermission, Gadd and Levin were introduced by their friend Peter Gabriel, via video recording. The British rocker talked about knowing Levin “since the dinosaurs roamed the earth” and shared the joke about how many drummers it takes to change a light bulb. “One to do it, and twelve to talk about how Steve Gadd would have done it.”
Steve Gadd
Gadd and Levin met as students at the Eastman School of Music, where they studied together during the day and gigged around town by night, learning the ropes from local legends like Chuck and Gap Mangione. After serving in Vietnam, Gadd settled in New York City with Levin, and Levin introduced him around. They formed a jazz band called L’Image with friends Mike Mainieri, David Spinozza and Warren Bernhardt. Since that time, they have also toured and recorded with some of the biggest names in the music industry, as well as their own individual bands.
L’Image
The members of L’Image united on stage tonight to play a few of their songs, which prominently featured the xylophone and the Chapman stick. Levin is adept at playing the stick, sometimes plucking and sometimes with a bow.
Tony Levin
Just when we thought they would wrap up their set, Paul Simon walked across the stage. Simon shared a couple of stories about working with Gadd and Levin, then launched into performances of “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover,” which features Gadd’s prominent drum line, and “Late In The Evening,” for which Levin wrote the driving bassline. Simon’s surprise appearance was one of the city’s best kept secrets (EVERYBODY knew when Bill Murray was in town a few weeks ago, but Simon’s arrival was kept tightly under wraps until the show). This comes on the wake of the news that Simon will retire from touring after this year. The ‘Homeward Bound’ farewell tour starts in mid-may and wraps up in the fall with a three-night run in New York City.
Paul Simon with Steve Gadd
Paul Simon is a hard act to follow, but the Campbell Brothers held their own. The Sacred Steel gospel group started at their local churches and have grown to fill some of the most venerable music halls, but the members maintain their sense of humility and gratitude despite their growing recognition.
Campbell Brothers with Robert Randolph
From the first notes of the steel pedal guitar, there was a sense that something phenomenal was in store. The other instruments joined it, the sound swelling to fill every nook and cranny of the auditorium. What ensued was a hand-clapping, foot-stomping celebration of joy. Gospel singer Denise Brown came out to sing “I’ve Got A Feeling.” And Charles Campbell got everyone doing a call and response on the next number, “Hell No! Heaven Yes!” Robert Randolph danced his way across the stage to join in on pedal steel.
Campbell Brothers with Robert Randolph
Randolph led the vocals on the last performance of the night, “Purple Haze,” a song Jimi Hendrix played when he performed in Rochester in 1968. Gadd settled himself behind his drum kit, Levin grabbed his bass and the house band took up their instruments, Beck took up a hand drum and Smith procured a tambourine. The all-star jam was a glorious sight to behold. Randolph jumped up on his chair while playing the steel pedal guitar. Charles Campbell was strutting the stage, pulling out some Chuck Berry style moves. The joyful outpouring of sights and sounds capped off what was truly a memorable night.
Mark your calendar now: next year’s Rochester Music Hall of Fame ceremony takes place on April 28th. You won’t want to miss out on all the excitement in store!
Tom Hamilton (Brothers Past, American Babies, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Ghost Light) and Holly Bowling (Ghost Light) are teaming up for a one night only acoustic exploration of the music of the Grateful Dead.
Tickets for the Friday, June 1 show at Port Chester’s Capitol Theatre are available for presale today at noon through Ticketfly. The general on sale date is Friday, April 6 at noon.
The duo is currently in the midst of a tour with Ghost Light, an all-star collective consisting of Bowling, Hamilton, Steve Lyons, Raina Mullen and Scotty Zwang.
At the Cap show, Hamilton and Bowling will draw from their respective Dead experiences. Hamilton performs with popular Dead cover band Joe Russo’s Almost Dead and Bowling recently released an album of piano interpretations of the Grateful Dead entitled Better Left Unsung.
Ghost Light’s tour visits the Brooklyn Bowl in Brooklyn on April 11. Tickets for that show are still available.
The seventh annual Rochester Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony takes place at Rochester’s Eastman Theatre at 7 pm on April 22, 2018. Among those being honored this year are percussionist and composer John Beck, Sacred Steel band The Campbell Brothers, drummer Steve Gadd, bassist Tony Levin, and Emmy-nominated composer Ferdinand Jay Smith. Guest performers include members of the band L’Image and Grammy-winner Robert Randolph. More musical guests will be announced. Prime Time Funk will perform as the official Hall of Fame house band. Tickets are on sale now.
Steve Gadd is hailed as one of the most accomplished and skilled drummers of his generation. Born in the suburbs of Rochester, Gadd took up drums when he was seven years old. When he was 11, he sat in with Dizzy Gillespie, launching a lifetime of work with some of the greatest artists of our era. He has performed in studio and on tour with iconic artists such as Paul Simon, James Taylor, and Eric Clapton. He continues to make music in conjunction with other artists and with the Steve Gadd Band. His work in the field of percussion has inspired generations to follow. Chick Corea once commented, “Every drummer wants to play like Gadd because he plays perfect…He has brought orchestral and compositional thinking to the drum kit while at the same time having a great imagination and a great ability to swing.”
Bassist Tony Levin was born in Boston, but moved to Rochester to study at Eastman School of Music, where he studied under the great Igor Stravinsky. After meeting fellow student Steve Gadd, he traded upright bass for electric bass. After playing in several New York bands, he was offered the opportunity to tour with Peter Gabriel in 1977. He still plays in the Peter Gabriel Band, and along the way has become a member of such acts as King Crimson, Stick Men, and Levin Brothers. He has authored books containing photographs he has taken throughout his career, and a book of poetry and lyrics.
Percussionist and composer John Beck has been teaching at Eastman School of Music for six decades, and currently serves as Professor Emeritus of Percussion. His work has led him to perform around the world, and has earned him numerous accolades, including Lifetime Achievement Awards from prestigious organizations here and abroad. At the induction ceremony, Beck will perform solo as well as with a percussion ensemble and the Hall of Fame house band Prime Time Funk.
Sacred steel band The Campbell Brothers features Chuck Campbell on pedal steel guitar, Phillip Campbell on electric guitar and bass, Darick Campbell on lap steel, and Carlton Campbell on drums. From their humble beginnings as the house band for a House of God Church, they have been invited to bring their gospel music to such venerable music halls Hollywood Bowl, The Kennedy Center, and Brooklyn Academy of Music. Their work is now being featured in the Sacred Steel exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American Heritage and Culture.
Ferdinand Jay Smith’s impressive resume includes his work at Jay Advertising, his early career as a radio DJ and manager of musicians, and a list of credits in the music industry for movies and television. The Emmy-nominated composer is best known for his theme songs for the HBO feature presentation, the CBS movie of the week, NHL Tonight, and the musical themes for the 1980 and 1988 Olympics. A musical medley and video presentation will celebrate Smith’s contribution to music in the entertainment industry.
Any good St. Patrick’s Day celebration includes music. Music and the Irish are inseparable. According to the latest U.S. Census, nearly 12 percent of the U.S. population claim some Irish ancestry, a total of 35 million people. A very high percentage of this population is centered in the Northeast U.S., particularly right here in New York State. So, it is only fitting that the day to celebrate the Irish would be rife with music across the state. Naturally, a state with such deep Irish roots celebrates the day with parades following the parade activities, much live music can be found around New York. NYS Music provides you with a listing of some St. Patrick’s Day festivities from the North Country to Long Island, Albany to Buffalo. Whether you crave traditional Irish music, reggae, punk, reggae, rock or blues, we have you covered.
Saratoga singer-songwriter Katie Louise will perform a set at Main Street in Saugerties beginning at 9:30.
Plattsburgh’s seminal venue, the Monopole hosts Burlington’s Jiggawaltz for the funkster’s first appearance at in quite some time at the venue.
Capital District
If you’re in Albany for the St. Patrick’s Day parade, start your day off with a brunch at the Savoy Taproom on Lark. From 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. you can enjoy traditional Irish music from Toss the Feathers while enjoying traditional Irish food.
All day long, the Pearl Street Pub offers live music with DJs at night. Larry Ross gets things rolling followed by an appearance from the City of Albany Pipe Band.
Following the parade, head on down to Paulys Hotel on Central for an after-party with the sometimes punk, sometimes ska, sometimes rap act Smittix with special guest Feral Meryl from 2-6 p.m.
Celtic Hall, located on New Karner Road, hosts its own post-parade party beginning at 5 p.m. The City of Albany Pipe Band continues its busy day with an appearance at Celtic Hall, along with the An Clar Irish Dancers and the popular Celtic-rock band Hair of the Dog. Hair of the Dog has been performing since 1993 and is a regular act at Irish festivals throughout the northeast.
Also in Saratoga, a special night celebrating female voices in Irish music featuring the Grady Girls and Kara Doyle is going down at the legendary Caffe Lena. The kid-friendly event begins at 8 p.m.
Central NY
Funk ‘n Waffles in Syracuse gives St. Patrick’s Day a little zydeco flair with the soulful, funky, blues of hometown boys, Los Blancos, starting at 3:00. Dubbed “The Hardest Working Band in Syracuse,” Los Blancos has a proven track record of packing venues and laying down the funk.
Syracuse’s symphony, Symphoria, will perform a pops concert celebrating the Music of the Emerald Isle at the Onondaga County Civic Center beginning at 7:30. Tickets for this special event, which features violinist Maria Kaneko Millar a performer with Riverdance productions on Broadway as well as the touring version, are still available through the Symphoria website. Prices range from free for 18 and under to $38.
Maria Kaneko Millar
EDM jamband, Phasers Engage puts an interesting twist on the day’s festivities, throwing a house party on Tennyson Ave. with free beer for anyone 21 and over. They’ll perform from 1-3 p.m.
If you’re looking for more traditional Irish fare along the lines of the Clancy Brothers, Tommy Makem or the Dubliners, head out to Jake Hafner’s Restaurant & Tavern in North Syracuse for Quigsy and the Bird from 5-9 p.m.
The Syracuse Polish Home hosts its annual parade day corned beef and cabbage dinner with entertainment from 4-9 p.m. Jo Duz provides Irish and folk music from 4-6 p.m. followed by Just Joe from 6-9 p.m.
If you’re out Utica way, Nick Piccininni and Jay Barady of Floodwood are performing at the recently re-vamped John Devereux’s Tavern from noon until 4 p.m.
Piggy Pat’s Smoke and Ale House in Washington Mills, just outside of Utica, is now under new ownership, but that hasn’t changed the music offerings they’ve presented over the years. The Blarney Rebel Band will take the floor from 1-4 p.m. This veteran Celtic band from Utica performs traditional Irish music from pub tunes to sea shanties to moving ballads and rousing rebel songs.
Woodland Farm Brewery in Marcy, just north of Utica, gets the day off to an early start. The local farm brewery opens at 8 a.m. for liquid breakfast and keeps the party going all day, highlighted by bluegrass from Remsen Social Club starting at 1 p.m.
The Continental Kit Band will perform at the 16 Stone Brewpub in Holland Patent. Doors open at noon with Irish stew, Reubens and an almost Irish Red ready for sampling.
If you’re in Rome, Copper City Brewing Company is offering traditional Irish music by Mighty Craic from 1-3 p.m. Mighty Craic is a trio with deep roots in the Central New York Irish scene. This farm brewery will also have a taco truck on hand as well as two Irish beers freshly tapped for the day.
Western NY
Out west, Rochester, as always, has several musical offerings for St. Patrick’s Day. The Crooked North brings its brand of Rust Belt bluegrass to the Little Theatre on East Ave. from 8-10 p.m.
Three Heads Brewing hosts the reggae vibe of Personal Blend from 8-11 p.m. There is a $5 cover charge for one of Rochester’s favorite reggae bands.
The Montage Music Hall has a ’90s night on tap for St. Patrick’s Day. The 8 p.m. show features Pearl Jam tribute act, Given to Fly, R.E.M. tribute act, Dead Letter Office and Flannel Millennium, who covers music from such ’90s alt-rock staples as Stone Temple Pilots, Weezer, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Alice in Chains. Tickets for the show are $20 in advance and available at the Montage website.
Cathie Ryan, the original lead of Irish-American sensation, Cherish the Ladies, joins the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra at Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre for a Celtic Celebration both Friday March 16 and Saturday March 17. The shows begin at 8 p.m. The combination of Ryan’s beautiful voice and sarcastic wit, accompanied by the RPO, promises to be a unique night of music in the Flower City.
The Buffalo Iron Works welcomes Vancouver Celtic rockers, The Town Pants and Whitesboro native Tim Britt with his Tim Britt Band. Syracuse native and Pale Green Stars drummer, Jeff Tripoli, plays drums for the Pants, who also perform at the Smith Opera House in Geneva on March 16. The 9 p.m. Buffalo Iron Works show has a ticket price of $17-22.
NYS Music 87/90 artists, the Intrepid Travelers, return to their home base, the Sportsmens Tavern on Amherst for St. Paddy’s Day for a psychedelic jam session. Doors for the two set show open at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10.
Downstate
Larry Kirwan of Black 47 brings his St. Patrick’s Day show to YMCA Boulton Center for the Performing Arts in Bay Shore. Aside from fronting the politically reactive New York-based band Black 47, Irish expatriate Kirwan hosts the show Celtic Crush for Sirius XM. He’ll be joined by Deni Bonet (violin), Coty Cockrell (keyboards), Thomas Hamlin (drums), Rene Hart (double bass), Andrew Sharp (Uilleann pipes). The band will be releasing a new single for the occasion, a remake David Bowie’s “Heroes” from a Belfast perspective. Tickets for the 8 p.m. show are $47.
Legendary Queens punks, Murphy’s Law will perform at the Brooklyn Bazzar with Drunken Rampage, Moral Panic and Runny. The 7 p.m. show costs $17 and tickets are available through Ticketweb.
Needless to say, there is no shortage of live music available to music fans across the Empire State on St. Patrick’s Day no matter what your taste. This is but a snapshot of all that is happening across the state on one day. If your area wasn’t covered by this piece, leave us a message, comment or tweet us @NYStateMusic. NYS Music’s mission is to expose ALL of New York’s musicians, venues and scenes and with your help, we can do just that. Now take this list and get out and enjoy some music!
With thousands of artists releasing new music daily thanks to technological advances which allow musicians to record a song and share it with the world in the matter of minutes, performers must be more creative than ever to break through the clutter and establish a name for themselves. Some tour relentlessly to get their name out, a few incorporate jokes or magic into their act to entertain audiences on multiple levels, and others go out and slap a “Magic Pipe” until their fingers bleed. Mike Silverman, or That 1 Guy, happens to do all three, as well as much more. On Thursday, February 28, the one-man traveling circus graced the stage in Buffalo at Mohawk Place for an unforgettable night of music, laughs and wizardry.
Like most nights with live music at Mohawk Place, the crowd was split between people who had marked their calendars the day the performance was announced and causal music lovers seeking their Thursday night fix. Things were a bit different that night, however, as those who arrived with the intention of winding down after a long day of work to some relaxing tunes were exposed to far more than they bargained for. The imminent weirdness presented itself as soon you made your way to the stage and observed the large, Festivus-esqe, pole standing atop a raised grate in front of three jumbo screens. The large pole Silverman dubs the “Magic Pipe,” is a homemade, electronically rigged pair of machined aluminum pipes connected by adjustable phosphorus bronze joints, with each pipe hosting an orchestral bass string.
Waiting for the absolute last possible second to go on before the crowd exploded in anticipation, Silverman hopped on stage, pulled out a double-bass bow, and began playing a hauntingly beautiful melody on the smaller pipe. The instrument’s unique tone sounded like a combination of Vivaldi and Pink Floyd, as the screens behind displayed psychedelic images that morphed in unison with each note played. As he hit lower notes, the room trembled with the heavy bass, and audience members could feel spiritually cleansing vibrations run through their chests. The orchestral vibes would not last long, however, as Silverman’s bolstering creativity wouldn’t allow him to stick with one genre at any point in the night. The world-class street performer quickly shifted gears to an African tribal rhythm as he played around with his numerous foot pedals, combining the infectious rhythm with a top layer of EDM beats and deep, bluesy vocals.
Two songs and the audience had already time traveled around the world and back. The performance oozed with surrealism as Silverman continued his set featuring a duck sock-puppet on one song, a cowboy boot rigged to play like Congo drums on the next, and a whimsical song about a great whale race that took place just before our very eyes to complete the trio. In between each song the incredibly talented entertainer told jokes, performed magic tricks, and spoke to the crowd as if they were friends in his living room.
Those who had seen That 1 Guy before added another dimension to the performance as they called for specific songs and yelled out phrases that were obvious inside jokes between Silverman and his audience. Aside from his own kooky songs and singing quotes from passive-aggressive Airbnb reviews he received, the renaissance man performer mixed in popular songs from Rush’s “Tom Sawyer” to jazz standards, and kept the crowd on their toes with whatever classic rock riffs came to his mind. That1Guy is the kind of virtuoso musician you’d imagine would be playing the Lincoln Center today if the hippies won (or even fought) the war.
To cap off a wildly entertaining performance, Silverman finished the night with some jazz. He told the audience he saved the jazz songs for the end as an attempt to influence a younger generation to listen to the genre. Once he had everyone buttered up with EDM and rock and roll, he played jazz standards to subconsciously influence a generation of music listeners to seek out a genre that has mostly disappeared from popular music today. When it was all said and done, the set was nearly two hours long, despite it only feeling like a few minutes. From stunning visuals to bizarre compositions you cannot hear anywhere else on the planet, That1Guy is a show all music lovers should seek out immediately. Thankfully, that should not be too difficult as the one-man circus averages an astonishing 150-200 performances a year around North America in an effort to spread joy and weirdness around the continent.
Schenectady’s historic Proctors Theater, has announced it’s 2018-2019 theater lineup. The lineup boasts several hot ticket Broadway attractions including Hamiltonthat are headed to the Electric City’s version of New York City Theater.
Gracing the stage during this season will be a blockbuster lineup that includes the musical “Hamilton,” “The Phantom of the Opera,” and “The Book of Mormon.” The lineup was revealed Monday at the venue’s “Proctors Bash” event. Other shows featured in the season’s lineup include “Anastacia,” “A Bronx Tale,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” “School of Rock,” “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” and “Waitress.”
Proctors CEO Philip Morris, commented on the upcoming season, “Almost all of our titles in our Key Private Bank Series, and our exclusives, too, are still hot tickets on Broadway right now. We’ve never had this happen before and it shows that Proctors continues to be a major player in touring Broadway. It’s here, right in Schenectady.”
Lin-Manual Miranda’s “Hamilton,” is slated for a two week stay in the Capital Region Aug. 13-25, 2019. The musical is about the nation’s first treasury secretary and founding father, Alexander Hamilton. Inspired by the 2004 Pulitzer Prize-winning biography by Ron Chernow, “Hamilton,” was nominated for a record 16 Tony awards, taking home 11, while earning Miranda a Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Turning the stage lights on to start the season will be “Anastacia.” From the creators of the classic “Ragtime,” “Anastacia” takes us to back to the twilight of the Russian empire to the exhilaration of 1920 Paris. “Anastacia” will run Oct. 9-14, 2018.
Chazz Palminteri’s autobiographical story “A Bronx Tale,” will run at Proctors on Oct. 23-28. First made famous on the big screen, actor Robert Neary, who plays Palminteri’s “Sonny” character on stage said this about the musical. “It’s the PG version of the film. There aren’t nearly as many F bombs. And I get to sing.”
The Andrew Lloyd Weber classic, “The Phantom of the Opera,” will come out of the shadows for a two week stay on April 25 – May 5, 2019. Actor Derrick Davis, a Long Island native who has been playing the title character for the past 7 months said, “How could you get tired of this brilliant musical. It was the first show my parents took me to see when I was a kid. Now that I’m a part of it, it’s a part of my life.”
Called the “Best Musical of This Century” by the New York Times, “The Book of Mormon,” is a musical comedy about two young Mormon missionaries who travel to Africa to preach the Mormon religion. The Book will be performed May 14-19 2019.
For those ready to get into the Christmas spirit, Proctors holiday offering, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” will make a run at the theater on Dec 5-9, 2018.
Rhiannon Payne knew she wanted to be a music superstar since the very beginning of her life.
“I was 3 years old when someone told me ‘Hey kid you can sing,’” said the Syracuse native. “So that was kind of it for me.”
She’s ready to take her career to the next level with a new album and tour planned this summer. The album, which she hasn’t titled yet, will include 10 tracks, and she hopes to have it released by early June with a two-month tour to coincide.
Payne will share her talents at Funk ‘N Waffles on Clinton Street in Syracuse at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 9.
EARLY EXPERIENCE
Payne explored her musical talent often growing up and she worked hard pursuing her career. She took music classes and participated in chorus, but it was a band that guided her.
“I was in a band for three years, and that really helped me realize what I wanted to do,” she said.
From age 13-16 Payne sang for the pop-punk/alternative band Nextake. She familiarized herself with the stage through singing and playing local venues.
“I love performing in front of people,” she said.
Nextake performed at local venues around Syracuse, and one big feat Payne was proud of was opening for The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus at the Westcott Theater in April 2012.
“That was an amazing experience,” she said.
In high school she started buckling down to prepare for the journey ahead.
“I took every opportunity I could to put myself here,” she said. “It was kind of like my accumulation of taking all of the tools and people I had to help me out — I took advantage of everything I had.”
“I met wonderful people there who really knew how to tie and relate what I learned in school to my actual career.”
Payne didn’t want to go to college because she thought it wouldn’t help her career. But she found classes she could apply to singing and help her voice for the long-term. So she pursued a degree from Onondaga Community College and graduated with an associate’s degree in applied science.
NEXT STEPS
Now that Payne honed in on her talents, she is focused on her album and the next steps for her path of success. She hired a manager at the end of last year, she has a producer working on her album, and she also hired a promoter as well.
“My music was beginning to falter because I couldn’t spend time to practice or write,” she said. “It got super overwhelming. I understand why musicians need large teams of people to do what they do.”
She said she wrapped up recording for mostly everything on the album and is going back and forth with the editing process. Shane Patterson is working as the producer out of Hobin Studios in Phoenix, NY.
The album includes eight new songs and two she has already released. “Bedtime Stories” was published in October with a music video. “Through Me” was a song she had produced and released in May 2015.
Payne is shooting for early June to release her album. She is planning to have a huge party and then have a two-month tour lined up around New York and New York City.
She said her ultimate goal is to move to Nashville, to continue developing as an artist.
“I want to get experience writing and collaborating with more musicians,” she said. “I want to learn as much as I can from a large music capital.”
PLAYING STYLE
When it comes to her music, Payne said she likes to play all types of genres.
“No one can really ‘genre-tize’ my music,” she said. “One song will sound jazzy, one will sound like Irish folk.”
While she can play many different instruments, she is often seen with a guitar. At her shows, fans can expect to hear her original songs with some covers added to the setlist.
Since she likes to play all genres, she said she covers anything — giving classic rock, Ariana Grande and Paramore as examples of the variety she includes.
The show at Funk ‘N Waffles will include a set by former Nextake bandmember Dylan Aird. Payne said she is excited for the show and they will perform together for a song during each other’s set.
One last thing about Payne’s name in case it sounded familiar: She was named after the Fleetwood Mac song. And Stevie Nicks did inspire Payne at a young age.
“I saw her rocking on stage and I would say ‘Yup, that’s gonna be me.’”
SEE RHIANNON PAYNE LIVE
WHAT: Rhiannon Payne with Dylan Aird
WHERE: Funk ‘N Waffles 307 Clinton St., Syracuse, NY 13202
Like most nights with live music at 
