NYS Music 202​0

Category: Capital Region

  • Grateful Dead perform at SPAC on June 28, 1988, ending three year ban

    After being banned from SPAC for three years, the Grateful Dead returned on Tuesday, June 28, 1988 for one final outing at the famed Saratoga Springs venue. This being their first show since the release of 1987’s In the Dark and the Top 10 single “Touch of Grey,” a new generation of Deadheads were seeing the group for the first time, who were disparagingly referred to as ‘Touchheads’ by some veteran fans.

    While this was the final performance for the Grateful Dead’s at Saratoga Performing Arts Center, the band had a strong fanbase in the greater Capital District. Add in a new audience of younger fans and the band would find themselves heading half an hour south for future performances in the region, at the Knickerbocker Arena, starting in 1990.

    Grateful Dead SPAC

    Locally broadcast on WPYX, the Tuesday show was aired on the radio in an effort to dissaude fans from arriving at the show without a ticket. This did not prevent gatecrashing from occuring early in the night, and fans on the lawn were found heading into the pavilion balcony as they did in 1985.

    Rain fell on the crowd as storms passed through, and lightning was seen during the rain-soaked “Candyman,” leading to a chill coming over the crowd as the show wore on. A solid variety in the straightforward first set seemed to swap Bobby and Jerry songs from the outset of “Hell in a Bucket,” and ending with “Victim or the Crime” and “Foolish Heart.”

    More rain came down early in the second set, similar to the rain in 1985 that began during “Fire on the Mountain.” Listen to “Scarlet Begonias” > “Fire on the Mountain” > “Estimated Prophet” > “Crazy Fingers,” and you’d likely be enjoying dancing in the rain as the thousands of fans did that night.

    Following a hypnotic “Drums” and “Space,” a beautiful version of “I Will Take You Home” by Brent Mydland appeared, and a late second set “Stella Blue” found Jerry stumbling just before pouring buckets of emotion into the ending jam. The Dead had left their mark on SPAC, one of the most beloved venues in the Northeast.

    Grateful Dead, Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC), June 28, 1988

    Set 1: Hell In A Bucket-> Bertha, Walkin Blues, Candyman, When I Paint My Masterpiece, Row Jimmy, Victim Or The Crime, Foolish Heart

    Set 2: Scarlet Begonias-> Fire On The Mountain, Estimated Prophet-> Crazy Fingers-> Drums-> I Will Take You Home-> Goin’ Down The Road Feelin’ Bad-> I Need A Miracle-> Stella Blue-> Not Fade Away

    Encore: Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door

  • Discover Local Music With EQXposure Featured Artists Of The Week

    WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to a ever-expanding listening audience. Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm on 102.7 FM, you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up and coming artists. NYS Music will bring you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.

    Luminous Crush – All The Words And More

    Luminous Crush from Jamaica, VT has shared the stage with Amy Helm, opening for her band at the Paramount Theater in Rutland, VT. Their first album was produced along with Grammy-winning Nashville songwriter and producer Felix McTeigue, and their newest LP Lumina is now available at Bandcamp. This is a new song not found on either of their previous releases.

    Architrave – Yellow Lines

    Check out this Ballston Spa band’s new album This Perfect Day at Bandcamp and Spotify. The Daily Gazette of Schenectady called it the “perfect pandemic album”. This song was inspired by a dream that singer Jen Coleman’s daughter had.

  • Young Culture goes full pop on “I’ll Be There”

    Albany’s Young Culture is known for their pop-punk sound but they fully embrace the pop side on their new single, “I’ll Be There.” While drums and guitar are still present on the track, this song is primed for Top 40 with a boy bander-esque dance routine in the accompanying music video.

    Despite the music video’s washed-out aesthetic, “I’ll Be There” sounds vibrant and ready-made for summer. Referencing another summer anthem, Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds,” the pre-chorus goes: “Just like the song says, every little thing is gonna be alright.” Whether in relation to the pandemic, current civil unrest, or life in general, the song’s message is reassuring for many reasons. “We’re happy to put out good vibes and hope you enjoy watching it as much as we did making it,” said lead singer, Alex Magnan. Enjoy listening below.

    Listen to Young Culture Here.

    In addition to the new music video, Young Culture launched “I’ll Be There”-themed merchandise. Over $1,600 of the total proceeds are going to the Albany and Louisville Community Bail Funds. The shirts depicted the Bob Marley quote and an image from the music video. They are now completely sold out. “We’ve been sitting on this simple song for a while and didn’t know that putting it out right now would give it a whole new meaning for us,” Magnan told Broadway World.

    Founded by school friends Magnan and Gabe Pietrafesa, with Troy Burchett joining later on, Young Culture released their label debut EP in 2019, entitled, (This Is) Heaven. The pop-punk EP reached #22 on the New Artist chart and and #53 on the Indie chart, and maintains a sizeable Spotify presence. One of the songs, “Drift,” was co-produced by Sam Guaiana, as well as Derek DiScanio of fellow pop-punk Albany band, State Champs.

  • Enjoy Summer Quarantunes with Freedom Park’s livestream series

    Scotia Freedom Park’s Quarantunes Series kicked off on Friday, June 20 with a performance from American Idol finalist Madison VanDenburg. The summer concert series, normally held in person, is now streaming online for free from the Freedom Park Quarantune Studio. Through the end of August, new concerts will go up on YouTube and Facebook at 7:00 p.m. each Wednesday and Saturday. Concerts will also be aired live on Spectrum channel 1302 and Fios channel 37.

    quarantunes

    The Quarantune Series is dedicated to the Class of 2020. The series’ headliner, Madison VanDenburg, is a recent Shaker High School graduate who progressed to the top 3 of American Idol’s season 17 last year. Some of her notable performances on the show include covers of Dan + Shay’s “Speechless,” Adele’s “All I Ask,” and Lady Gaga’s “Shallow” from A Star Is Born. VanDenburg’s new song “Reason” was released to Spotify and Apple Music on June 19, a day before her Quarantune concert.

    Other Quarantune Series performers include Celtic quartet Screaming Orphans, local rock duo Sirsy, bluegrass band Skeeter Creek, the Capital District Youth Pipe Band, and more. This season’s lineup is especially diverse, encompassing artists of all ages and genres.

    This season’s sponsors include Berkshire Farm Center, GoToScotia.com, Scotia-Glenville Dental Center, Marshall & Sterling Insurance, and the park’s neighboring Jumpin’ Jack’s Drive-In. Each individual concert is also sponsored by a different local business, such as Stewart’s Shops and Scotia Cinema. While the concerts are completely free, Freedom Park is still accepting donations online via Venmo and Paypal.

    Quarantune Series T-shirts are also available on their website in unisex sizes from S to XL, featuring the season’s lineup with the slogan “The Season That Almost Wasn’t.”

    Check out this stream and more through our series NY Stream and Support, where you’ll discover artists around the Empire State streaming nightly, and ways to support musicians and charitable groups close to home!

  • Flashback: Phish at SPAC, June 26, 1995

    On June 26, 1995, Phish performed for the third time (and second as a headliner) at Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Phish’s 1995 Summer Tour was into full swing by this point with the final 11 shows in the Northeast, four of which were in New York.

    Phish SPAC 1995

    Back in 1995, reserved tickets for this performance at SPAC cost only $20. An “Acoustic Army” soundcheck with teases of “Shine” (six months and a day before “Shine” would debut on New Years Eve during “Fly Famous Mockingbird”), and Little Feat’s “Time Loves a Hero” reappeared for the first time since soundcheck on April 15, 1989.

    A little Led Zeppelin could be found in “Possum” with a “Heartbreaker” tease, and in “You Enjoy Myself” containing a hint of “Immigrant Song.” The highlight of the show is surely a spacey and unfinishes “Down with Disease” that led into a monster “Free,” seen below.

    The penultimate performance of The Meditations “Don’t You Want to Go?” was found in the first set, alongside a unique trio of “It’s Ice” > “Dog Faced Boy” > “Tela,” and the aforementioned “Possum.” Set 2 is a fiery one from the start, with a “Down with Disease” > “Free” that Phish.net calls “a multi-movement masterpiece.” A huge “You Enjoy Myself” (seen below) and “Sleeping Monkey” > “Rocky Top” encore are among the many highlights of this stand out show. It would take 9 years before Phish returned to SPAC, shows that stack up well against June 26, 1995. This show was released by Live Phish in 2017.

    Setlist via Phish.net

    Phish – SPAC – June 26, 1995

    Soundcheck: Time Loves A Hero > Dog Log/Time Loves A Hero mashup, Nellie Kane, Santana Instrumental, Rocky Mountain Way

    Set 1: My Friend, My Friend, Don’t You Want To Go?, Bathtub Gin, NICU > The Sloth, My Mind’s Got a Mind of its Own, It’s Ice > Dog Faced Boy > Tela > Possum

    Set 2: Down with Disease [1] -> Free > Poor Heart > You Enjoy Myself, Strange Design > Run Like an Antelope

    Encore: Sleeping Monkey > Rocky Top

    [1] Unfinished.
    My Friend started with a Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 tease from Trey. Trey teased and quoted Long Tall Glasses in Bathtub Gin. Possum contained a Heartbreaker tease and YEM contained Immigrant Song teases from Trey. Down with Disease was unfinished.

  • PROCTORS AND 98.3 TRY Present Concert Cinema Drive-In Series

    Proctors and 98.3 TRY will present musical acts paired with classic movies in a Concert Cinema Drive-In Series at Jericho Drive-In in Glenmont. The series features artists performing oldies, Motown, classic rock, and even Disney music over five consecutive Wednesdays beginning July 8. Each artist is paired with a similarly-themed classic film that is shown after the live concert performance, except for a Pink Floyd tribute act which performs The Dark Side of the Moon as the soundtrack during a showing of the 1939 film classic “The Wizard of Oz.”

    The concerts will kick off with a performance from The Oldies Show as well as the screening of the film “American Graffiti” on July 8 at 8p.m. The Albany-based The Oldies Show, led by three dynamic singers and backed by a rhythm section and horns, play hits from the 1950’s, 60’s, and 70’s. “American Graffiti” is the 1973 American coming-of-age comedy film directed and co-written by George Lucas, starring Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Harrison Ford, and Cindy Williams.

    Concert Cinema Drive-In Series

    Into the Floyd will perform Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon live as the soundtrack to the “The Wizard of Oz” on the big screen on July 15 at 9p.m.  

    Concert Cinema Drive-In Series

    The Little Mermen is set to perform on July 22 at 7:30p.m. followed by the movie “Beauty and the Beast.” The Little Mermen are a New York City-based Disney cover band that play the hits from “The Jungle Book,” “The Lion King,” “Frozen” and more. “Beauty and the Beast” is the 2017 live action musical film about an arrogant prince cursed to live as a terrifying beast until he finds his true love.

    Concert Cinema Drive-In Series

    A performance from Tusk- The Ultimate Fleetwood Mac Tribute is on July 29 at 8p.m. as well as the screening of the movie “Almost Famous.” Tusk takes audiences on a sweet ride down memory lane through the catalogue of one of classic rock music’s most enduring acts; the 2000 comedy-drama “Almost Famous” follows. The film, written and directed by Cameron Crowe, is the fictional story of a 15-year-old music fan assigned by Rolling Stone magazine to interview an up-and-coming rock band.

    Concert Cinema Drive-In Series

    Reflections: A Motown Tribute Ensemble and “Lady Sing the Blues” is scheduled for August 5 at 8p.m. Reflections: A Motown Tribute Ensemble is an all-star group of lead singers from top Capital Region bands who pay tribute to the golden age of Motown, Staxx Records, Chess Records and Philadelphia International soul music. “Lady Sings the Blues” is a 1972 film about legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday featuring Diana Ross.

  • Jon Batiste, Bela Fleck, Abigail Washburn, Pedrito Martinez Headlining “Freihofer’s Jazz Fest Stay Home Sessions”

    Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Absolutely Live Entertainment and Caffè Lena have announced the first ever “Freihofer’s Jazz Fest Stay Home Sessions” to take place June 26 -28 at 8 p.m. est. The series will feature pre produced videos from national artists along with live performances on Caffè Lena‘s stage from local favorites. Each session will be hosted through Caffè Lena’s “Stay Home Sessions” Youtube channel. “Freihofer’s Jazz Fest Stay Home Sessions” have replaced the 2020 Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival usually hosted at Saratoga Performing Arts Center that was cancelled due to health and safety concerns as a result of the Coronavirus Pandemic.

    Elizabeth Sobol, President and CEO of  Saratoga Performing Arts Center gave this statement in a press release; “Freihofer’s has been a generous and steadfast supporter of Jazz Fest for the last 23 years. When presented with the possibility of creating a Virtual Jazz Fest, they didn’t miss a beat – pledging to support our efforts to bring great musicians and audience together despite the challenges of COVID-19.  Being able to create connection for jazz lovers – and support both national and local musicians, the latter performing from Caffe Lena — is a privilege.”

    The series is broken down into three themed nights. Kicking things off with a Cuban-themed evening will be previous headliner, Grammy nominated Pedrito Martinez with local artists Chuck Lamb and Jorge Gomez. Bringing the sounds of folk and jazz together will be husband and wife duo Bela Fleck (four time headliner and winner of 15 Grammy awards) & Abigail Washburn followed by Saratoga Spring’s own Skidmore Jazz Institute Alumni Trio. Closing out the weekend long event with some smooth sounds from Detroit will be Garland Nelson’s Reflections: A Motown Tribute Ensemble” opening for musician and television personality Jon Batiste.

    Freihofer’s Jazz Fest Stay Home Sessions Lineup:

    *all performances at 8 PM EST

    June 26

                Pedrito Martinez

                Chuck Lamb & Jorge Gomez

    June 27

                Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn

                Skidmore Jazz Institute Alumni Trio

    June 27

                Jon Batiste

                Garland Nelson’s “Reflections: A Motown Tribute Ensemble”

  • Flashback: Grateful Dead perform their final NY shows at The Knick

    The writing was on the wall, and if 1994 didn’t confirm it, 1995 certainly did. And on June 21-22, the Grateful Dead performed their final shows in the state of New York at the Knickerbocker Arena (The Knick) in Albany.

    The Dead had performed over 300 shows in New York State alone since their first in 1967, but the last two in Albany would serve as a curtain call for a band that treated the state as a second home, musically speaking. After all the shows and runs at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, Fillmore East, Paradise Garden, Capitol Theatre, Nassau Coliseum, Rich Stadium, the Carrier Dome and more, and these would be the finale, even if it was not announced as such.

    jerry sundays
    via JerryGarcia.com

    The June 21st show would offer up the final “Row Jimmy,” “Man Smart, Woman Smarter,” “Supplication Jam” and “Morning Dew,” and what a “Morning Dew” this was. Fans were in tears as the ballad played, one fan saying “all difficulties disappeared for a few precious moments and we were all treated to a beautiful, final rendtion from the boys.” Listen or watch the full show below and judge for yourself.

    Grateful Dead – The Knick, Albany, NY – June 21, 1995

    Set 1: Hell In A Bucket, Loser, Take Me To The River, Row Jimmy, Broken Arrow, Promised Land

    Set 2: Scarlet Begonias-> Fire On The Mountain, Women Are Smarter, It’s All Too Much, Playin’ In The Band-> Drums-> Space-> Easy Answers-> Morning Dew

    Encore: U.S. Blues

    The next night would be the final show in Albany, at The Knick, and in New York State for that matter. The tour would head to Washington, D.C., Auburn Hills, MI, a few more stops in the Midwest before the final show at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL.

    via JerryGarcia.com

    This show features an incredible “Franklin’s Tower,” clocking in at 18 minutes, a near-record for its final version ever. The final “Help on the Way” and “Slipknot” preceded the set closing jam, as did an emotional “It Must Have Been the Roses.” Early in the second set, “Estimated Prophet” -> “Terrapin Station” combine for 30 minutes followed by 25 minutes of “Drums” and a “Silent Way” jam ahead in “Space.” Final versions of “All Along the Watchtower,” “Black Peter” show up later in the set, with an encore of “I Fought the Law” to close the run.

    The Grateful Dead made their mark on the Empire State through nearly 30 years of performances, one that lasts in every corner of the state to this day. Revisit those final shows, 25 years later.

    via gratefuldeadoftheday.com

    Setlist June 22, 1995

    Set 1: Touch Of Gray, Walkin’ Blues, It Must Have Been The Roses, When I Paint My Masterpiece, So Many Roads, The Music Never Stopped Help On The Way-> Slipknot!-> Franklin’s Tower

    Set 2: Samba In The Rain, Estimated Prophet-> Terrapin Station-> Drums-> Silent Way Jam-> Space-> All Along The Watchtower-> Black Peter-> Around & Around

    Encore: I Fought The Law

  • A Drive-In double feature with Jocelyn and Chris Ardnt

    Thanks to COVID-19 restrictions, drive-in movie theaters across the nation are making an unexpected comeback. The currently closed Troy Savings Bank Music Hall (celebrating their 145th anniversary this year) is taking advantage of the resurgence at the Jericho Drive-In in Glenmont, NY, where local sibling duo Jocelyn and Chris Ardnt will headline a concert with their band. Tickets for their July 9 show can be found on the Troy Music Hall website for $50 per car, a price that includes a screening of the 2019 film Yesterday immediately after the concert.

    Both siblings of the duo have been compared to rock legends: Jocelyn’s voice with Grace Slick and Janis Joplin, and Chris’s guitar work with Jimi Hendrix and David Gilmour. They’ve traversed both coasts while attending Harvard University, performing with artists such as G. Love, Danny Louis of Gov’t Mule, and Cory Wong of Vulfpeck and appearing on NBC’s Today Show.

    Even though this will be the first in-person concert in months for many, pandemic guidelines are still in place and drive-in patrons are expected to behave accordingly. Patrons must stay inside of their vehicles, and are required to wear masks if they need to step outside for any reason. While Jericho’s restrooms are still open, they’re encouraged for emergency use only. Since the Troy Music Hall Box Office is closed, questions about tickets and the show should be redirected to their phone number, 518-273-0038.

    Drive-in Jocelyn and Chris Ardnt

  • Opera Saratoga Keeping the Love of Opera Alive with New Series

    Opera Saratoga has launched a new series of online programming called OPERA SARATOGA: CONNECT!. This comes in response to the recent limitations placed on many in the music industry from the Coronavirus Pandemic. Moving away from the standard path of releasing archived material that many other organizations have taken, Opera Saratoga has developed six new programs including Daily, Kids, Symposia, Classes, Trivia and Mentorship.

    Opera Saratoga’s Artistic and General Director Lawrence Edelson explained: “We have decided to launch programs for our audiences that have been created specifically for the way people engage online producing a combination of newly created video performances for social media, as well as new opportunities to enjoy and learn about opera that are more interactive. Opera Saratoga has always focused on building community. OPERA SARATOGA: CONNECT! was designed to allow us to do just that – connect digitally with our community. Each element of this initiative allows audiences to enjoy opera, classical vocal music, and musical theater in a different way, from short videos released every day throughout the summer featuring members of our Festival Artist program, to interactive trivia games, classes, and symposia, featuring guests from around the globe.”

    Programming will be a combination of free and a few paid activities to which there are scholarships available for those experiencing financial hardships during the pandemic. This will provide a wide opportunity for many to experience opera classical vocal music, and musical theater in many different ways right from your home. Complete details about each of the six programs as part of OPERA SARATOGA: CONNECT! may be found online. 

    For over 50 years Opera Saratoga, formerly known as Lake George Opera, has been a pillar in the upstate community for world class opera. Not only do they perform for more than 25,000 people at the annual Summer Festival but also have become the launching point for emerging operatic artists. They utilize not only their own stage but also the cultural, historic and natural resources of the surrounding Saratoga Springs, the Lower Adirondack and New York State Capital areas to bring unique and innovative opportunities to the public.  

    Check out below their newest opera ‘The Selfish Giant’ based on the classic children’s story by Oscar Wilde. This was produced remotely after the start of COVID-19 in partnership  with the New York City based company American Lyric Theater.