NYS Music 20​19

Category: Saratoga Springs

  • Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band announces Blues Revolution Tour featuring special guests

    The Big Damn Blues Revolution Tour will bring together three artists who are both master musicians and amazing showmen. With five stops across New York in November, The Reverend Peyton, Dom Flemons and J.D. Wilkes will take the blues-roots-folk music that they love and live on a unique tour. Each night will culminate with a special jam session featuring all three artists. 

    Blues Revolution Tour

    The tour begins November 6 in Asheville, N.C., then heads north for a date in Brooklyn at Knitting Factory on November 13. From there, shows in Saratoga Springs (Nov 16), Syracuse (Nov. 19), Buffalo (Nov. 20) and Corning (Nov. 21) will bring blues-driven folk across the Empire State.

    The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, a 2019 Blues Music Award nominee, includes the Reverend’s wife, “Washboard” Breezy Peyton, drummer Max Senteney and is led by the Reverend Peyton, considered to be the premier fingerpickers playing today. A singularly compelling performer and persuasive evangelist, the rootsy, country-blues styles that captured his imagination early in life led him to Clarksdale, Mississippi to study under such blues masters as T-Model Ford, Robert Belfour, and David “Honeyboy” Edwards. The recently released album Poor Until Payday debuted at #1 on the iTunes Blues Chart and #4 on the Billboard Blues Chart.

    Joining Reverend Peyton is Don Flemons, who draws from a repertoire of more than 100 years of American folklore, ballads, and tunes. A Grammy Award winner and two-time Emmy nominee, Dom Flemons is known as “The American Songster” and is a music scholar, historian, and multi-instrumentalist – an expert player on the banjo, fife, guitar, harmonica, jug, percussion, quills, and rhythm bones. His 2018 Smithsonian Folkways release Dom Flemons Presents Black Cowboys received a Grammy nomination for Best Folk Album. Flemons co-founded the Carolina Chocolate Drops, who won a Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Album in 2010 and were nominated for Best Folk Album in 2012.

    J.D. Wilkes is a true Renaissance man — musician, visual artist, author, filmmaker, and self-proclaimed “Southern surrealist.”  Also an accomplished multi-instrumentalist (notably on harmonica and banjo), Wilkes has recorded with Merle Haggard, John Carter Cash, Mike Patton, and Hank Williams III. Wilkes is perhaps best known as the founder of the Legendary Shack Shakers, a Southern Gothic rock and blues band whose fans include Stephen King, Robert Plant, and former Dead Kennedys frontman Jello Biafra. Rolling Stone named Wilkes “best frontman” at the 2015 Americana Music Association Festival for his performance with the band.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wItG_D3Vuvc

    Big Damn Blues Revolution Tour Dates:

    Wed., Nov. 6  ASHEVILLE, NC  The Grey Eagle

    Thurs., Nov. 7 WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. The Ramkat

    Fri., Nov. 8  RALEIGH, NC The Pour House Music Hall

    Sat., Nov. 9   LEESBURG, VA  Third Annual Chad Dukes Veterans Day Jamboree @ Tally Ho Theater; without Dom Flemons

    Sun., Nov. 10  ANNAPOLIS, MD  Rams Head On Stage

    Tues., Nov. 12 BOSTON, MA  City Winery  

    Wed., Nov. 13  BROOKLYN, NY  Knitting Factory

    Thurs., Nov. 14  SELLERSVILLE, PA   Sellersville Theater 1894; without Dom Flemons

    Fri., Nov. 15  TUCKERTON, NJ   Lizzie Rose Music Room; without Dom Flemons

    Sat., Nov. 16  SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY   Cafe Lena; without Dom Flemons

    Sun., Nov. 17  HAMDEN, CT Space Ballroom

    Tues., Nov. 19  SYRACUSE, NY   Westcott Theatre; without Dom Flemons

    Wed., Nov. 20  BUFFALO, NY The Tralf

    Thurs., Nov. 21  CORNING, NY Corning Museum of Glass

    Fri., Nov. 22  MORGANTOWN, WV 123 Pleasant Street

    Sat., Nov. 23  COLUMBUS, OH Woodlands Tavern

    Fri., Nov 29  INDIANAPOLIS, IN  The Vogue; without Dom Flemons

    Sat., Nov 30  NEWPORT, KY  The Southgate House Revival; without Dom Flemons

  • Hearing Aide: The Drunken Hearts ‘Wheels of the City’

    I can imagine it is sometimes difficult to be called an Americana band. I’ve heard a number of music fans hear that description and respond, “You mean they sound like Mumford and Sons, or The Avett Brothers?” That response is not only limiting, it’s unfair. Listening to The Drunken Hearts pending release, Wheels of the City, dispels the notion that they are a one dimensional entity. There is country, with pedal steel and banjo, as well as elements of soul, some of the classic Laurel Canyon sound, touches of rock comparable to Drive-By Truckers, and alt-country stylings reminiscent of Son Volt.

    The Drunken Hearts

    The album, recorded at Denver’s Silo Sound Studios, starts out with “Fire in a House,” slowly building an intro, leading to a verse, a piano melody, and continuing with layers of other instrumentation and backing vocals. The tune eventually deconstructs to some degree toward the end, sonically arriving back where it began. “Alive ‘n Free” reflects the overall upbeat feel of Wheels of the City, as evidenced by the lyrics

    “Sometimes in life, you get to where you want to / Sometimes in love, you fall just where you’re meant to / Sometimes this world shows you how to be free / Alive ‘n free.”

    The addition of strings and a female accompanying vocal on “Passchendaele” lend a sense of sad elegance to a song about one of the most prolonged battles of World War I, and a soldier discovering lost love after returning home from war. “In the Middle” is an uptempo tune that can easily have the listener singing along, tapping their toes and swaying to the music.

    “Two Hearts (On a Limb)” perhaps best fits the “Americana” genre, although The Drunken Hearts display a much broader range than any one single style. That range is displayed on “Wheels of the City.” The title tune begins with a country music feel, and as horns come in midway through the song, it morphs a bit into a soul sound. That subtle transition reflects the chameleon-like qualities of the songs, and the band as a whole. By virtue of the way the songs take advantage of multiple band members’ instrumental skills, this may well be a group that hits its stride in live performances more so than in a recording studio. That’s not to say Wheels of the City is lacking in any way, it’s simply that some bands build their chops over the course of hundreds of live gigs, and the band took a decidedly different approach to this release – writing and recording eleven new songs in eleven days, rather than recording familiar pieces that had been road tested.

    The album closes with “The Cave,” which begins with a spoken word intro and leads into an instrumental section which is markedly different than the rest of the album. As noted, the band’s novel approach to this recording was a rather daring roll of the dice, with unknown possibilities.

    Wheels of the City will be released on multiple platforms as well as the band’s website on Friday, October 18. For more about the band, click here.

    Key Tracks: Alive ‘n Free, Two Hearts (On a Limb), Wheels of the City

    The Drunken Hearts current tour will provide opportunities to see them throughout New York State. All five of those shows are in support of Yonder Mountain String Band. The Saturday, October 19 show will be a homecoming of sorts for bassist and vocalist Jon Macartan, a native of nearby Guilderland, New York, in the capital region. The New York State days are listed below.

    Wednesday, October 16, at Buffalo’s Tralf Music Hall Tickets here.

    Thursday, October 17, at Center for the Arts of Homer Tickets here.

    Saturday, October 19, at Putnam Place in Saratoga Springs Tickets here.

    Thursday, November 11 at Brooklyn Bowl Tickets here.

    Sunday, November 17 at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock Tickets here.

  • Putnam Place to welcome Andy Frasco and the U.N. with Wild Adriatic

    This Thursday, September 19, Saratoga Springs is in for one heck of a party, when Andy Frasco and the U.N. descend upon Putnam Place for one of the best shows you’ll see all fall. The high energy performance Frasco and his band bring to the stage, coupled with local Indie rockers Wild Adriatic opening the night, means an intense night of music you won’t soon forget is on tap.

    Renowned for a jubilant jambalaya of rule-breaking rock n roll his career kept rolling ahead at full steam, Andy Frasco has been busy. He has released three independent albums, chronicled a German gig in front of 15,000 screaming fans on the recent live opus Songs from the Road, made jaws drop at festivals such as Grandoozy, Firefly, Mountain Jam, Summer Camp, Rock Am Ring, Rock Im Park and Electric Forest, generated millions of streams, launched Andy Frasco’s World Saving Podcast, and performed at festivals alongside icons such as Peter Frampton, Gary Clark Jr., The Revivalists, Snoop Dog, Dr. Dog, Joe Walsh and Kendrick Lamar, to name a few.

    Wild Adriatic has added more depth and dimensions to the band’s expansive rock and soul filled sound over the course of 2019, including a brand new collaboration EP release and their tour in support of partners-in-crime Andy Frasco & the U.N. Get ready for an incredible night in Saratoga on Thursday, September 19! For more information visit PutnamPlace.com

  • Aldean Rides All Night into Saratoga

    Jason Aldean played Saratoga Performing Arts Center on Thursday, September 5th to a solid crowd of country lovers of all ages. His return to upstate NY was greeted enthusiastically by fans who loved his top pop-country song of the summer “Rearview Town.”

    Openers Carly Pearce and Kane Brown set the scene for a fun and energized night of popular country music. Kane’s opening was stylistically a mix that was unique for country, complete with a visual set that replicates more pop and rap music than the traditional country look. Pearce sounded amazing and is a major up-and-comer in the country scene. Watch for her to be one of the new top female artists in the industry.

    Photo by Claude Sawyer

    Aldean entered the stage in jeans, a black Motley Crue T-shirt, and a cowboy hat with his guitar slung over his shoulder. The words “Ride All Night Tour” shone in bright letters as Aldean’s shadow crossed behind the stage when he arrived, welcoming fans with a giant “What’s Up, New York!”

    Aldean gave the fans what they wanted: his most popular hits. While some country stars use concerts to promote new music, Aldean played familiar and loved hits from throughout his career, not just his recent releases.

    Every year, Aldean plays “Dirt Road Anthem,” a different song from his others in that it includes some rap elements. The crowd sang along to the song that emphasized the importance of enjoying your friends and being a good person.

    Aldean bucked the tradition of waiting for fans to cheer for an encore. Instead, announcing he would stay on the stage and give more music to fans. He then sang a longer than usual end of the concert with upbeat fan favorites that became sing-alongs. Aldean truly can ride all night. Here’s to wishing he performed at SPAC more than once a year.

  • Sons of Pioneers Tribute Rustles the Right Notes

    The Band of Rustlers gave listeners goosebumps on September 5 at the Cock ‘n Bull Restaurant in Galway, New York with their iconic sound and perfect pitch harmonies. Singing a tribute to the Sons of the Pioneers’ songs, the trio brought alive the traditional country-western sounds of Roy Rogers, Bob Nolan, and Tim Spencer.

    Band of Rustlers features three incredible musicians: JP Biondi (Cabinet) and brothers Roy and Kevin Williams.  JP demonstrated tremendous range with his sweet tenor voice and had a fun whistle to add to the traditional cowboy songs. Roy, a frequent performer this summer at the Cock ‘n Bull, delighted with his fast-paced and technical guitar playing, as well as his fun bass range voice that he used both to sing and speak with through the archetypal western tunes. Brother Kevin Williams on bass was consistent, playful and a well-rounded third to complement the other two.

    The trio joked with one another like brothers and shared a familiar ease that fit in well with their show. JP pointed out that the songs romanticized the cowboy lifestyle, and chuckled as he reflected on how challenging that lifestyle really was to live. The songs drew on nature metaphors to idealize love, friendship, and even the isolation of American cowboy culture.

    As usual, the Cock ‘n Bull provided a perfect setting, providing acoustics that offered ideal circumstances for listening to such exact harmonies and precise playing. The men’s voices combined like honey and tea, melding to soothe and bring smiles around the room.

    Rick Sleeper, the restaurant’s owner, took the stage to proudly introduce the band. Welcoming the audience or “buckaroos,” Sleeper maintained the western theme with the kitchen’s offering of a cowboy special. The plate included BBQ ribs, beef brisket, baked calico beans, and a lovely corn muffin spiced with jalapeno. The fun dessert stayed with the theme, offering a S’mores brownie complete with graham cracker crust and toasted marshmallow topping.

    For folks unfamiliar with the Sons of the Pioneers, the music was still instantly recognizable as these songs have been a staple of American country-western music since the 1930s. For those who love the Sons’ music, this concert was a delightful and goosebump-raising event that almost perfectly replicated the quintessential and iconic sound.

    The Band of Rustlers have created an experience for audiences that echoes memories in their exemplary performance. Next time they mosey through town, make sure you catch their show.

  • In Focus: Outlaw Music Festival 2019 Rolls Through SPAC

    For one of SPAC‘s final concerts of the 2019 season, the Outlaw Music Festival brought a full afternoon and evening of music and vendors to the park.

    This year’s Outlaw Music Festival tour began in Maine back in June and has featured a rotating roster of performers throughout the summer with Willie Nelson & Family as the anchor for each show.

    Joining Willie Nelson at SPAC were Pernikoff Brothers, Brothers Osborne, Alison Krauss, and Bonnie Raitt. Deadheads had been looking forward to Phil Lesh & Friends as part of the bill, but instead found themselves wishing Lesh a speedy recovery from a minor back surgery done earlier in the summer.

    Check out a few photos from the Brothers Osborne and Alison Krauss sets below.

  • In Focus: Cardi B ‘Femme it Forward’ tour at SPAC is pure Money

    Rapper Cardi B brought her ” Femme It Forward” tour to Saratoga Performing Arts Center on Friday September 6th. The South Bronx native had originally been slated to perform on May 26, but rescheduled the show to September, but that didn’t keep the fans from packing SPAC.

    Cardi gave fans a short 50 minute set, but fans didn’t mind as she churned through her hits, even though hits like “Money” and others were consensed from their album length. With multiple costume changes, plus Nicole Bus and Teyana Taylor leading the way, Cardi B gave Saratoga a night to remember.

  • SPAC to Present Beethoven’s Complete Cycle in Four Days with Philadelphia Orchestra in 2020

    The Saratoga Performing Arts Center together with The Philadelphia Orchestra have announced a celebration of the 250th birthday of Ludwig van Beethoven to take place in 2020. In a concentrated four-night event, August 12-15, 2020, The Philadelphia Orchestra and Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin will present Beethoven’s Complete Cycle of Symphonies in dialogue with music by composers of today.  The Philadelphia Orchestra has commissioned works that reflect on the relevance of Beethoven’s legacy today by its Composer-in-Residence, Gabriela Lena Frank, and a diverse group of composers from her Creative Academy of Music – including Jessica Hunt, Carlos Simon and Iman Habibi.   

    “Traversing the complete Symphonies of Beethoven is a profound and deeply moving musical experience.  To hear them under the baton of the great Yannick Nézet-Séguin, in such a concentrated period, will be an artistic experience unlike anything we have ever presented at SPAC,” says Elizabeth Sobol, President and CEO of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center.  “Though Yannick and the Orchestra will also be performing the cycle in Philadelphia and at Carnegie Hall, only at SPAC will audiences be able to experience the symphonies in this immersive and virtually unprecedented manner.”

    Beethoven's Complete Cycle

    “We are incredibly excited to share the majesty of Beethoven’s masterpieces in four consecutive nights with our beloved fans in Saratoga,” said Philadelphia Orchestra Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin. “By pairing his groundbreaking works with new companion pieces, we look forward to creating fresh perspectives on Beethoven’s legacy today. It will surely be an exhilarating and deeply moving experience unlike anything we’ve ever presented before at SPAC.”

    Beethoven 2020: The Philadelphia Orchestra Beethoven Cycle at Saratoga Performing Arts Center August 12-15, 2020

    Wednesday, August 12th

    Conductor: Yannick Nézet-Séguin

    Carlos Simon: Work in Dialogue with Beethoven – PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA COMMISSION

    Beethoven: Symphony No. 8

    Beethoven: Symphony No. 4

    Beethoven: Symphony No. 7

    Buoyant and humorous, the Eighth Symphony belies none of the composer’s worsening health issues or what had to be the devastating end of a love affair, detailed in a famous letter written around the same time to his “Immortal Beloved.” Perhaps the least known, the Fourth was widely admired: Schumann compared it to “a slender Greek maiden” between the two “Norse giants” of the Third and Fifth; Berlioz insisted it was the work of an angel. And Tchaikovsky described the triumphant Seventh as “full of unrestrained joy, full of bliss and pleasure of life.” The exhilarating and familiar second movement is said to have been so inspiring at the premiere, an encore was demanded instantly.

    Thursday, August 13th

    Conductor: Yannick Nézet-Séguin

    Jessica Hunt: Work in Dialogue with Beethoven – Philadelphia Orchestra Commission

    Beethoven: Symphony No. 2

    Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 (“Eroica”)

    Beethoven was just beginning to go deaf when he wrote his Second Symphony and though he was losing his hearing, he was finding his voice. He could have composed a manifestation of despair, but instead gave the world one of his most ebullient and life-affirming works. The Third Symphony was groundbreaking, a turning point in the composer’s oeuvre and a watershed in musical history. A vast ode to heroism, revolution, and freedom, the “Eroica” is considered by many to be the greatest not just of Beethoven’s symphonies, but of all time.

    Friday, August 14th

    Conductor: Yannick Nézet-Séguin

    Iman Habibi: Work in Dialogue with Beethoven – PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA COMMISSION

    Beethoven: Symphony No. 5

    Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 (“Pastoral”)

    The indelible four-note opening of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony lays the foundation for a truly fateful symphonic journey. Written in 1804, and on the program when The Philadelphia Orchestra gave its first concert in 1900, it’s an epic tour de force that resonates in 2020. Following its rousing conclusion come the verdant valleys and sweet smells of the woods and the Austrian countryside, an exposition of Beethoven’s love of nature. Composed and premiered at the same time, the “Pastoral” offers a striking contrast to the assertive Fifth.

    Saturday, August 15th

    Conductor: Yannick Nézet-Séguin
    Chorus: Albany Pro Musica Concert Chorus

    Frank: Work in Dialogue with Beethoven – PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA COMMISSION

    Beethoven: Symphony No. 1

    Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 (“Choral”)

    Beethoven was just 25 when he wrote his First Symphony. Delightful and high-spirited, floating on strains of Mozart and Haydn, it’s a fascinating glimpse of the greatness and genius to come—all on full, glorious display in the climactic Ninth. Written just a few short years before his death, “Beethoven’s profound ode to brotherhood, salvation, and pure joy reminds us why we are here as an orchestra,” says Yannick, “and why we constantly try to make our world better by playing music.”

    For more information visit Spac.org

  • Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe brings Thick as Thieves tour to Saratoga Springs

    Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe ‘Thick As Thieves Fall Tour 2019’ will roll through Saratoga Springs on October 18 for a hot night of funk at Putnam Place. On the heels of touring the U.S. this summer as the saxophonist in The Rolling Stones, Denson reconvenes KDTU for 22 dates this fall, mixing headline performances alongside several dates supporting Thievery Corporation.

    Karl Denson's Tiny Universe funk Thick As Thieves Tour

    Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe is supporting its latest studio album, Gnomes & Badgers, out now on Seven Spheres Records. Distilling the sweeping stylistic range of KDTU’s concert performances into their own authentic sound, the inimitable Denson and his long-standing seven piece unit that includes guitarist DJ Williams, drummer Zak Najor, bassist Chris Stillwell, keyboardist David Veith, trumpeter Chris Littlefield and slide/lap steel guitarist Seth Freeman have delivered what is undoubtedly their strongest work yet. 

    The album’s first video and single, “Change My Way,” makes a poignant statement about the current crisis at the U.S. border. The clip was directed by award-winning director, writer and producer TG Herrington, whose work includes ‘The Free State of Jones,’ a series of music videos for Paul McCartney and the new feature-length documentary ‘A Tuba To Cuba.’ Denson co-wrote “Change My Way” with New Orleans singer-songwriter Anders Osborne and co-produced the track with Adrian Quesada (Brownout, Spanish Gold).

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCWujm0vVTU&feature=youtu.be

    KARL DENSON’S TINY UNIVERSE
    Thick As Thieves Fall Tour 2019

    10/3 – Charleston, SC – The Pour House
    10/4 – Macon, GA – Big House Museum
    10/5 – Asheville, NC – Orange Peel
    10/6  – Virginia Beach, VA – Elevation 27
    10/8  – Washington, DC – The Hamilton Live
    10/9 – Charlotte, NC – The Neighborhood Theatre
    10/10 – Richmond, VA – The Broadberry
    10/11 – Pittsburgh, PA – Rex Theater
    10/12 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore *
    10/13 – Boston, MA – House of Blues *
    10/15 – Portland, ME – Aura 
    10/16 – Quebec City, Canada – Le Capitole *
    10/17 – Montreal, Canada – Mtelus *
    10/18 – Saratoga, NY – Putnam Place
    10/24 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore *
    10/25 – Indianapolis, IN – The Vogue *
    10/27 – Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theater *
    10/28 – Chicago, IL – House of Blues *
    11/6 – Miami, FL – The Fillmore *
    11/7 – Tampa, FL – The Ritz *
    11/8 – Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle *
    11/9 – Orlando, FL – House of Blues *

    *w/ Thievery Corporation

  • Music is Medicine Festival to support a good cause in Saratoga

    Music is Medicine Festival, a one day music festival helping raise awareness for Pancreatitis, will be held on Saturday, September 14 at Putnam Place in Saratoga Springs. Headlined by Bret Bollinger (of Pepper), the event is co-headlined by funkmasters Hartley’s Encore from Albany who will kick off the event.

    The genesis of the festival comes from founder Jetta Intelisano’s wife Kate, who has been battling this disease and nearly lost her life three times in the past year. Countless trips to NYC to see a specialist to have dangerous, and life-threatening procedures performed to save her life. Out of this tragic situation, Jetta has endeavored to raise awareness of this disease through our common love of music. Join Music is Medicine in this celebration as the community embarks to find better treatment and ultimately, a cure. 

    Additional music performances at Music Is Medicine Festival include Resinated (St. Petersburg, FL), Audic Empire (Austin, TX), Joint Operation (Baltimore, MD), The Brothers Grim (Rome, NY), and The Lateshift (Albany, NY). For more information, visit the event page.

    • Music Is Medicine Festival
    • Music Is Medicine Festival