For 16 years, the Cortland Main Street Music Series has been bringing local, regional and national music acts to downtown Cortland. This year, a total of 12 musical performances, spanning a variety of genres, will take place over the course of four free concerts every Friday this month at the CFCU Community Credit Union Stage.
The series kicks off on July 5 with the local duo of Lonnie Park and John West. Following them in the evening will be The Fall Creek Brass Band from Freeville, NY, with their funky big band sound. Headlining the evening will be alternative rockers from Connecticut, The Alternate Routes. The following week, July 12 is also SUNY Cortland Alumni weekend. The night will start off with local bands The Beauchesnes and The Cousins. To celebrate alumni weekend, internationally acclaimed Todd Hobin Band from Syracuse will be headlining. Todd Hobin Band has performed on the SUNY Cortland campus more than any other band in the school’s history, and they are returning in collaboration with the Music Legacy group’s unveiling of a commemorative sculpture for this year’s alumni weekend events.
On July 19, Cortland Main Street Music welcomes Enter The Haggis, a high-energy group of Celtic-rockers combining bag pipe and fiddles with a rock rhythm and meaningful lyrics to bring a distinctively electric sound. Opening up the night will be local favorites The Starmer Brothers, and following them will be the foot-stomping folk band The Old Main. The final Friday of July will bring Brandon “Taz” Niederauer, a sixteen-year old guitar prodigy, who got his nickname “Taz” for his ferocious guitar playing. Openers for the July 26 show includes a solo performance from Marc Ryan from Tribal Revival, as well as the soulful Americana of Mike Powell and the Black River.
The 39th annual Old Songs Folk Festival of Traditional Music and Dance will be held June 28-30 at the Altamont Fairgrounds in Altamont, NY. The three-day event celebrates Folk, Celtic, Quebecois, Roots, Americana and World music from countries across the world as well as new music from contemporary songwriters.
Old Songs Folk Festival is an interactive experience for the whole family. Attendees are encouraged to sing, dance, jam, and listen. Old Songs invites audience members to join jam sessions, take part in teaching sessions, sing sacred harp, join in with great dance bands or take a Friday afternoon class.
There are three main stage concerts, each featuring multiple artists on Friday & Saturday from 6:30 -11:00 p.m. and Sunday 3:30 -7:00 p.m. During the day on Saturday and Sunday there are more than 100 performances, dances, interactive workshops, and jams in areas around the grounds. An extensive artisan area and diverse food concessions are also available.
Tickets may be purchased for Old Songs Folks Festival online, by phone at 518-765-2815, or at the festival gate. Full festival details, including a complete performance schedule is available on their website.
Last weekend the annual Clearwater Music Festival, continued its amazing and rich tradition as a premier event celebrating great music and environmental awareness in our community. With a lineup that included Mavis Staples, The Wailers, Ani DiFranco and Railroad Earth, Clearwater alumni came out despite bad weather predictions to celebrate a great weekend of music and revival in Westchester county.
Day one of the festival brought amazing weather complimenting the beautiful setting of Croton Point Park. Highlights of the afternoon included intimate sets from James Maddock, and The Lone Below, as well as a Deadgrass set that filled the Dance Stage with singing and moving deadheads. Ani DiFranco welcomed in the evening with one of the top sets of the weekend, treating fans to her powerful, poetic performance – the perfect appetizer. The evenings’ main act, legendary Mavis Staples showed her audience why she is a national treasure and one of the great soul singers of our time.
Day two plagued by rain and mud did not deter fans from another fun day of music on the Hudson, and their faith paid off because in the end the weather held out. The Fatherâs Day Sunday included amazing sets from Scott Sherrard, The Del McCoury Band, and Leslie Mendleson. The weekend favorite, Railroad Earth, kept the bluegrass roots alive, treating fans to unique songs from the bands amazing catalog. Closing out the 2019 edition of the Clearwater Music Festival was The Wailers; a relaxed group of fans were treated to all the hits of the famous reggae band, closing out an amazing weekend of music and community.
Inspired by Pete Seegerâs desire to clean up the river over forty years ago, The Great Hudson River Revival initially helped raise the funds to build the sloop Clearwater, which has since become a world-renowned floating classroom and a symbol of effective grassroots action.
Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Inc. is a non-profit organization that sails at the forefront of the nationâs environmental challenges. The revenue raised by the festival goes to support Clearwaterâs numerous educational programs and its work toward environmental and social justice.
Today, seeing the success of the Clearwater organization, one cannot imagine these achievements being possible without the Clearwater Festival. The Great Hudson River Revival has helped raise funds and served as a beacon toward raising awareness in support of Americaâs First River. And it all started more than 35 years ago, when it was but the dream of a banjo-picking folksinger.
Mountain Jam marked year 15 by migrating to Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, the site of the original 1969 Woodstock Festival. When the change was announced earlier this year, Mountain Jam co-founder Gary Chetkof shared with the Poughkeepsie Journal: “What could be more amazing than Bethel Woods and the home of the Woodstock festival… It was really just a matter of going to the promised land.”
Driving up on Friday (day two of the four day event) I turned off NY Route 17 onto 17B. Headed down this one-lane road affectionately named “The Woodstock Way,” I started to imagine what it was like in 1969 as people abandoned their cars on the road and started walking the final 10 miles to the festival. The closer I got, I could hear Arlo Guthries’s iconic “THE NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY’S CLOSED, MAN!” in my head.
Peace flag
Festival organizers took advantage of the great expanse that Bethel Woods had to offer. The box office was located on the southern perimeter of Bethel Woods in a remote field with tall grass and mud. The flashback was suddenly becoming real. After hiking up a hill toward the festival, I found myself looking out over the site of the original Woodstock. Images of 1969 started flashing before me.
I was quickly brought back to 2019 as I strolled past campers and RV’s of various sizes and shapes with glamping professionals nestled in their folding chairs, munching on BBQ, and consuming their favorite beverages. At the entrance pockets were emptied, bags checked, and metal detector wanding was carried out by security.
Phil Lesh & Friends
Mountain Jam, spelt out in 10-foot tall letters with teepee bookends, greeted me. The sound of music was immediate. The first stage I encountered was the Valley stage, a medium sized stage with a Ferris wheel parked next to it. Acts including The Nude Party, Hollis Brown and Tyler Ramsey performed there. The Valley stage also served as the location for late night jam sessions by Andy Frassco & the U.N. and Consider the Source held on Friday and Saturday nights.
Headed farther into the festival you came upon the Mountain Stage (main pavilion amphitheater) which hosted featured performers Gov’t Mule, Willie Nelson, Dispatch, The Avett Brothers, and Phil Lesh & Friends to name a few. Add to that the Terrace stage; a performance space with seats built into a hillside, VIP stage where special acoustic sets were performed by acts who had played bigger stages earlier that day, and an event gallery space. With this cornucopia of musical riches it made it difficult to chose who and where to go to listen to music. On Saturday and Sunday the Hudson Valley based band Yard Sale busked throughout the site, injecting a free form feeling reminiscent of 1969.
The vibe,
the location, the history, the people
Intended to celebrate radio station WDST/Woodstock’s 25th anniversary, Mountain Jam started as a one-day event in 2005 by principle station owner Gary Chetkof and Warren Haynes. After 14 years at Hunter Mountain the decision to move to Bethel Woods was made. A move of 70 miles from its original location at Hunter Mountain, proving to be light years away from the previous home. The vibe from the original three days of Peace and Music festival was palpable. Tie dye, bare feet, singing and dancing was the norm. A “Wish Tree,” part of Yoko Ono’s ongoing Imagine Peace art installation series invited people to make a wish; write it on a piece of paper and attach it to the tree. The on-site security and support staff wore t-shirts with Peace Patrol emblazoned on their backs. Babbling brooks illuminated in multi-colors, open fields and dream catchers situated throughout the site augmented the vibe.
Those in attendance ran the gamut from old to young. Parents were there with their adult children, sitting on the hillside, sharing beers together while new parents introduced their young ones to the experience of live music. Many took advantage of the beautifully maintained grounds of Bethel Woods seaking out remote spots, allowing them to chill out and absorb the spirit that was Woodstock.
Zen moment
The Music
In addition to over 40 bands performing at this years Mountain Jam, rock and roll photographer Jay Blakesberg, know as the photographer of the Grateful Dead, shared a slide show telling presentation of his work to a packed event gallery audience. An easy to use Mountain Jam app was available to help you track of all the performers, their set times, locations, and help you plan your daily daily schedule. It also updates you to special activates happening in real time.
A highlight of the festival was Gov’t Mule’s Saturday night appearance (they played Friday night also) paying tribute to the bands that had performed at the original Woodstock festival. Warren Haynes, backed by percussionist Tato Melgar of Lukas Nelson & The Promise of The Real, opened the set with Richie Havens’ “Freedom.” The band’s set included The Who’s “Eye Sight to the Blind,” CSNY’s “Find The Cost Of Freedom,” and Sly Stones “I Want To Take You Higher.” Throughout the night Gov’t Mule was joined on stage by special guests including Lukas Nelson, and Arleigh Kincheloe and Jackson Kincheloe from Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds. They ended the evening’s tribute with a blistering encore of Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child (Sight Return).”
Rain did find its way to the
festival late Saturday night and sporadically on Sunday, but with all stages having
protective covering (the amphitheater has a permanent roof over the seats) the
music never stopped. Being the 50th anniversary of Woodstock, who
wouldn’t have expected it to rain at some point. After a successful four days
and establishing a new location, Mountain Jam has secured the future of Peace
& Music in the Hudson Valley.
Gov’t MuleToots & The MaytalsLukas Nelson and The Promise of The RealThe Avett BrothersAmy HelmThe RevivalistsMountain Jam coupleSister Sparrow & The Dirty BirdsAlison Krauss & Union StationBella’s BartokJoe Russo’s Almost DeadThe Big Takeover
Michael GlabickiBethel Woods securityAllman Betts BandDispatchMichael Franti & SpearheadFather and sonThe Commonheart
Woodstock may be returning to Central New York at Vernon Downs for the 50 year anniversary of the iconic music and arts festival. Scheduled to be held Aug. 16-18, some of the previously announced headliners for the event include Jay-Z, The Raconteurs, The Killers, Miley Cyrus, John Fogerty and Dead & Company.
The festival would still be held on the originally planned weekend of Aug. 16-18, only now possibly at Vernon Downs Casino Hotel in Vernon, a small town located along the New York State Thruway between Syracuse and Rome. There would most likely be no camping and the performances would run from until 11:00 p.m. each day.
After Watkins Glen International Speedway pulled out as host of Woodstock 50 on June 10, organizer Michael Lang vowed the festival would still be happening and that they were in discussions with other venues. It now appears that Vernon Downs was one of those venues.
Michael Lang is no stranger to the Central New York area. Woodstock ’99 was held at the decommissioned Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome. The festival drew upwards of 200,000 people that year and was marred by riots and sexual assaults that brought the festival to a fiery conclusion.
The harness racing track located on site has a past of hosting larger concert events, the latest being Aug. 29, 2012 when Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band visited during the Wrecking Ball Tour. Track owners at the time suggested that they could comfortably host 30,000 people for the Boss’s show at their venue, a sharp decline from the 100,000 attendees Lang had originally anticipated for his event at Watkins Glen this year.
The track has also hosted Phish, the HORDE tour, the Other Ones (one of many Grateful Dead offshoots) and several versions of the regional radio festival, K-Rockathon.
Even with a lack of on-site camping, attendees would still have several lodging options in the area. The nearby Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona has several hotels and an RV park. Other local options for lodging include two state parks at Verona Beach and Delta Lake, along with several private campgrounds and hotels in nearby Utica, Rome and Syracuse.
Ticketing information was unavailable at press time but would be contingent upon organizers acquiring final permits from the town. The lack of camping would preclude the need for a mass gathering permit from New York State.
NYS Music will have more information as it becomes available.
Editor’s note: This article has been edited to reflect a different number of attendees at Woodstock ’99.
Colorado Springs mother, musician and trauma therapist, Xanthe Alexis, pierces the heart with emotion and unmistakable conviction. She is otherworldly; transcending mind, body, music and soul. Alexis remained on the Top 20 Alternative Folk Charts for six months, and Top 200 for the entire folk genre. Her spiritual workings are proven through a deep connection with the world around her, confronting realities of society through song.
Today, June 17, Alexis will begin her Artist Residency at Mothership – a space for international artists across multiple disciplines to live and hone their craft. Their mission: to support and promote artists through collaborative opportunities; build sustainable artists networks; and help retain creative forces in New York. Alexis will bask in the Greenpoint-neighborhood of Brooklyn through Wednesday June 26. She will perform an intimate Stage One, Rockwood Music Hall matinee at 3 pm, on Sunday, June 23.
At first listen to Xanthe Alexis’s 2016 debut-album, Time of War, nothing crosses your mind. In this blank slate, you involuntary start to breathe deeply into meditation, with finger-style guitar. Alexis’ breath (accompanied by Colorado local, Curtis Boucher) slowly restores your soul, filling you as you inhale – and hold. “Hey Love,” is just the beginning of the 10-track, fan-funded release that weaves-raw throughout your body, giving you that one-on-one feeling with Xanthe. A self-release so soft and filled with intimacy, it articulates a chaotic world with grace.
Her Mothership residency is special for threefold: Xanthe admits, Time of War was mostly first takes, recorded in six hours; She has recorded, but not yet finalized a second album; and already has four tunes in mind that will bloom towards a third release – hopefully to be influenced by the wonders of Mothership, Brooklyn, working artists and the inner workings of Xanthe’s Muse.
“With the last album, I had a lot – a lot – to say about mental illness. I don’t say it directly. I say it poetically. I think people get what I am talking about; and we need to talk about in our culture,” said Xanthe. “As A kid I was always sup-er sensitive, and emotional. I found music was the safe place for all of that. When you hear a powerful vocalist and all of that emotion, it is accepted in that arena. I was drawn it.”
There was this force, that transposed our phone conversation. We were connected by more than just music, and had oddly-specific parallels in our spiritual lives. “That otherness is what we weave throughout the music. It is close to all of us, and some of us are more aware of it,” said Xanthe, soothingly. “These strands of conscious explain to a whole other forum,” perhaps in more ways than we know.
Strangely enough, Xanthe feels zen-ed out in New York, a therapeutic calmness juxtaposed to the city. ”I’m going to live there [Mothership] for a few days with painters, poets and dancers. That is where everybody comes to work and live.”
For her upcoming album, Xanthe thought: I’m gonna put something out that is radio friendly that I still feel stayed the course of musical expression that I wanted to capture. But It’s been a long road. It will be interesting to see how this weeks experiences shape her final production of album two, as the lines between her professional world and musical pursuit disappear.
“It wasnt until recently that my patients knew about my other life,” turning her words plafully. “ I had a music program for middle aged school children. It was totally like School Of Rock; Kids would come together with no experience and become a total band. They would write all their own music and I would teach them chords – the language of music. I’d teach them: the chords are like a painters pallet.” Xanthe would play them a C and ask, “what doesn’t this sound like.” And they would talk about it.
“What does a D sound like: Oh, Its bright. What does an Em sound like: It’s dark and sounds a little angry. All of a sudden we would have this shared language through emotion. Kids are like sponges, they don’t have all that insecurity and fear yet, so they would just do it, ya know. They are at that age where they are coming out of their innocence, and they need to know that is alright.”
By combining life’s passion with professional life, those surrounding Xanthe realize “I Practice what I preach. They realize, this is a brave chick.”
A note from Xanthe: “If you want to be pleasantly spooked-out and hear your heart break a little bit and maybe then soar a little bit, [giggling] Come see me at Rockwood Music Hall, Sunday, June 23 at 3 pm.”
Tucked away in Belmont, NY, Pollywogg Holler is an enchanting refuge away from the crazy stress of modern day society. It started out as a dream for Barb and Bill Castle in 1976 when they built a home in these magical woods for them and their three children. They wanted to establish a lifestyle in harmony with nature, and eventually opened up their property to the public so everyone could bask as well.
Every Sunday from April to mid-November is Pizza Day. The property is open to the public from 1-6 PM and provides delicious hand-made brick oven pizza, drinks and live music. Bands featured this summer include Workingman’s Dead, PA Line, Folkfaces and so much more. Check out the full lineup for the summer down below.
The music isn’t the only aspect that makes the Pollywogg Holler experience magical. When you arrive, you walk back into a breathtaking forest filled with different sculptures and art pieces. Among the beautiful art and trees are little cabins that you can reserve for a night, each one providing a unique experience. They have the ‘Sauna Loft’, which is a Finnish-style family sauna that warms a private sleeping area among the treetops. If you really want to sleep under the stars, they offer lean-to style cabins with sheer panel closures that allow you to connect with nature. You can learn more about the different style cabins and make a reservation here.
For the fifth consecutive year, the Riverboat Bar in Alexandria Bay (A-Bay) will host a summer series of live music running from mid-June through the end of September. In all, more than 30 bands will be gracing the newly renovated stage over the course of the summer.
The series opens this weekend with Pennsylvania funk-reggae band, Kluster Phunk. They’ll be performing on Saturday, June 15 and will be joined by special guest Ben Carrey of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong.
The weekend of June 21-22 turns back the clock to the ’90s with Buffalo’s Tiny Music doing a tribute to the Stone Temple Pilots on June 21 and fellow Nickel City alt-rockers Stalking Jenna playing a reunion show on June 22.
June wraps with Toronto party machine After Funk on June 28 and two bands on June 29 when Saratoga’s Let’s Be Leonard will perform with local favorites, Adapter.
Fourth of July weekend is packed with music at the bay. Three shows dot the weekend beginning on Thursday, July 4. Utica psychedelic rockers Trampoline Jetstream make their debut at the Riverboat on Thursday followed by the funktronica of Tweed on Friday the 5th and the resurgent Annie in the Water on Saturday the 6th.
Visit the Riverboat Bar in A-Bay this summer and don’t miss the great music offerings they have in store!
Erin McKeown will be the first show that starts a new tradition at Caffè Lena this month. Caffè Lena has been proud to promote an inclusive environment and present a diverse range of performers on the stage.
On June 20, Erin’s performance will mark the first of a new monthly pride series where LGBTQ performers will be featured. It will be a safe space for people to hear the stories of members of the LGBTQ community. Sarah Craig, Executive Director of Caffè Lena, is excited to expand Saratoga’s musical horizons by giving these performers a stage. Through her years of collaborating with Saratoga Pride, Sarah has been “blown away by both the turn out and the quality of performances” that have been presented during the Pride Open Mics. The talent and creativity are there, and Caffè Lena wants to give these LGBTQ performers a chance to display it.
Erin McKeown was an excellent pick to start the new series. An out and proud lesbian, Erin has garnered a solid reputation as a performer and activist. Throughout her career, she has released ten albums, the most recent being Mirrors Break Back in 2017. Miss You Like Hell, her first musical, has garnered multiple awards including five Drama Desk Awards. The Wall Street Journal named it the “Best Musical of 2018.”
Future shows in the Pride Series include Jonatha Brooke in July, David and Sophie Buskin in August, and a mystery performer in September that Sarah Craig is particularly excited about. Tickets for this show and all future events in the Pride Series can be purchased at the Caffè Lena website.
Parenthood is rarely extolled in music. It’s hard to find songs that explore the joys and challenges that come with raising kids. On one side of the chasm are chipper children’s tunes by artists like Raffi, and on the other side were songs of lament about missing out on the joys of parenting, like in Harry Chapin’s “Cat’s In The Cradle.” Sarah Eide boldly explores the role of motherhood versus the road not taken in her debut album Dreams on Hold.
The album starts with the upbeat “Big Mover,” a song about watching a child play, and savoring these moments knowing that time, like childhood, is fleeting. It flows nicely into “The Bridge Song.” In an age when the powers that be are talking about building walls to keep people apart, it’s refreshing to hear a song about bridges that connect people.
The more reflective “Journey Song” follows. The lap steel, upright bass, and fiddle play a prominent role in this one. It’s a turning point in the album, heralding in more pensive pieces. It’s not just a lyrical shift, but also a compositional shift. The instrumentation becomes more complex, interweaving tributes to music of the past and fusing it with modern sensibilities. There’s a little boogie woogie here and a sprinkling of jazz there, which pays tribute to Americana and serves as a compass pointing the way for the future of the genre.
The poignant lullaby “Little O” was written by Eide after returning home from tour. It’s a heart-rending song about the emotional cost of being a professional musician – being torn between her personal aspirations and the realities of motherhood. “Dreams on Hold” offers some resolution to the conflict. The jazzy song showcases Eide’s ability to pair a storyline with music as the song builds to a dramatic climax and ends with whimsical curly-cue notes on piano, fiddle, and trumpet.
Like the opening songs, “Shadow” feels like a children’s song but also has a deeper meaning. Eide can’t shake her little shadow, a child who copies everything she does. But childrens’ astute perceptions are reflected back to us like a mirror, and show us things which may not be the most flattering. “Cry Cry Cry” explores the burnout of parenting day in and day out, providing contrast with the upbeat style of New Orleans Jazz.
In “The Journey,” Eide brings all the conflicts of past/present and dreams/realities to resolution through acts of patience, forgiveness, and unconditional love.
Eide takes a lot of chances on this album, exposing her vulnerabilities. Dreams on Hold is a bold musical endeavor exploring the monumental role of adults in shaping future generations. It balances whimsy and gravity, swooping gracefully between the dizzying heights of playful jazz down to the roots of plaintive folk ballads. Even those who haven’t faced the joys and challenges of parenthood will relate to the lyrical themes struggling to balance personal goals with relationships, to capture a fleeting moment in time, and to honor the musical traditions while trying to expand the boundaries.
The production value on the album is high – from the technicality of Eide’s arrangements to the flawless performances by some of Chicago’s well-known contemporary musicians, to the artwork and presentation. The album was self-produced by Eide and recorded in Chicago, prior to Eide’s relocation to Rochester, NY. Engineering was done by Yuri Lysoivanov. It was mixed and mastered by Anthony Gravino (with the exception of “Shadow,” which was mixed by Lysoivanov). Studio musicians include jazz drummer Jon Deitemyer, Shane Jonas of the Low Down Brass Band, Joe Camarillo of The Waco Brothers, and Jess McIntosh who plays fiddle for Al Scorch. The CD comes in a 6-panel case, with artwork by Betony Coons featuring collage images of children, mountains, flowers growing, and musical instruments.
