NYS Music 202​0

Category: Capital Region

  • Upstate Mixtape Vol 1. Featured on this week’s EQXposure

    Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up and coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear artists featured on Upstate Mixtape Vol.1 and many more!

    ugly muppets upstate mixtape

    WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.

    For the next two weeks, EQXposure will feature bands and the music selected for Upstate Mixtape Vol 1, a compilations of artists from the 518 area, committed to amplifying Black voices and suppressing racism. 100 percent of sales of the release, which will be distributed to black artists.

    upstate mixtape

    Upstate Mixtape Vol 1. is part of antiracist grassroots fundraising efforts, spearheaded by Jammella Anderson, working with musicians that identify with antiracism values and commit to amplify Black voices. Among songs contributed to Vol 1. include demos, B-sides, album loose ends and more from a group that showcases the multifaceted nature of musicians in the 518.

    Featured artists that you’ll hear on EQXposure from Upstate Mixtape Vol. 1 include Blue Ranger, “Everybody Lies,” Greens, “Go Somewhere,” Carl Daniels “Morning Pages,” and Front Biz “I Want You.” More tracks from Upstate Mixtape Vol. 1 will be featured next week, as this is a collection of tunes that deserves two weeks.

    Also featured on EQXposure are two cuts from Liam Singer’s forthcoming release, The Ocean, due out on January 15, which features a mixture of vocal and instrumental pieces, in the vein of new-composition and experimental music. “Cannon Beach” features guest vocals by Arone Dyer (Buke & Gase, Mistresses, Drone Choir), and “Heavy Water / I’d Rather be Sleeping” is a cover of a song by the artist Grouper, from her 2008 album Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill.

  • moe. to ‘Play for The Palace’ on December 11

    moe. will perform once again from the lobby of The Palace Theatre, this time to benefit the historic and beloved Albany venue.

    moe not normal
    photo by Frankie Cavone

    moe. shared on their Facebook page:

    We set up in the lobby of one of our favorite venues, the Palace Theatre in Albany, NY, during rehearsals for our Fall Drive-in Tour and recorded the whole thing. Along with our playthrough of Not Normal, we recorded a full 2 set show that will premiere on December 11.

    With venues across New York State being severely impacted by closures related to COVID-19, the need for assistance for these businesses to continue to remain open is greater than ever.

    Join moe. on Friday, December 11 at 8:30PM for a special performance to benefit the Palace Theatre. Pick up Broadcast tickets and poster bundles here – a portion of every ticket and ticket bundle sold will be donated to the Palace Theatre.

    moe not normal
    photo by Frankie Cavone

    The Palace has been Albany’s iconic downtown landmark for more than 80 years, bringing the biggest names in entertainment to the Capital Region. The history and programming of the Palace is a unique and often untold story with roots dating back to the period of the Great Depression.

    The Palace Theatre was built in 1931 and originally presented vaudeville acts, feature films and later became a civic auditorium before closing its doors in 1969. The theatre maintains its original beauty and design and is a historical landmark in the City of Albany.

    The Palace Performing Arts Center was established in 1984 and incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 1989, created to operate the Palace Theatre. The Palace brings world-class arts and entertainment to New York’s Capital Region, greatly enhancing the area’s cultural and economic development.

    Read more of NYS Music’s past coverage of shows at The Palace Theatre, and tune in for moe. on December 11.


  • Greenwich-born Country Singer Hal Ketchum Dies at 67

    The late, great Hal Ketchum passed away at 67 years of age Monday night. A social media post from his wife explained his passing was due to complications from dementia. The world certainly feels a little smaller now.

    Born April 9, 1953 in Greenwich, New York, Hal Ketchum went on to be a widely-loved, yet under-the-radar country singer of his day. Leaving New York at 17, finding home in Texas and finally residing his later life in Nashville, respectively.

    Hal Ketchum
    Hal Ketchum – The Egg

    After his 1988 debut, Threadbare Alibis, under Watermelon Records, Ketchum would release his mots notable hits “Small Town Saturday Night” and “I Know Where Love Lives” off of Billboard #2, Past the Point of Rescue. The album reached Gold status as well as “Small Town Saturday Night,” which peaked #2 on the US Country charts. The talent went on to earn acclaim on nearly 20 Billboard mentions.

    Growing up traveling, on long open roads with a pile of country cassettes, Hal Ketchum grabs hold of your heartstrings early on, a lost art, of country breeze strumming onward. He embodies that stand-up, “tough as nails, hard as steel,” southern gent, that’s utterly sentimental. Hal Ketchum is country. Despite not living his life in the limelight when compared to other hits of his day, Hal hit the sweet spot balancing a hearty career, family and now, heartfelt-fanbase.

    Read more Hal Ketchum at NYS Music

    Andrea Ketchum, Hal’s wife, revealed he had been (officially) diagnosed with Alzheimer’s back in 2019. Accounts of him already battling the disease had stringing for “for some time now.”

    Don’t worry Andrea, it surely will. Especially on the angelic vibrato of “gold,” as Ketchum’s voice touches our hearts and his guitar fades up into heaven. God bless, long live country and we send the most beloved prayers to The Ketchum Family, and friends.

    May his music live on forever in your hearts and bring you peace.

    Andrea Ketchum
    Seven Day Music Marathon Day 5: Hal Ketchum At The Egg, May 8, 2015

    This was soft country at its finest, but at times the tempo picked up to a good foot tapping and head bobbing and that was the only workout the audience was getting tonight. “Small Town Saturday Night” was one of these songs, a pure American song through and through, full of twang and Mellencamp lyrics and guitar.

    [The comedian bantered] “What am I, a jukebox?” Hal shook his head and an audience member said “Play what you want!” with a bit of applause in favor. “Chickadee” was dedicated to his five grandchildren, and “Mama Knows the Highway” was played despite not being practiced, but came off perfect. Hal said afterwards, “Good country music will never steer you wrong.”

  • Flashback: November 26, 1989 – Clifton Park Arena hosts Billy Squier, Blue Murder and King’s X

    Billy Squier had pretty much jumped the shark by ’89 – he was constantly on rock radio in the early 80s, but his melodic hard rock throne had been usurped by hair metal bands by this time. His unintentionally hilarious, career-destroying 1986 ”Rock me Tonight” MTV video did not help, in which he sashayed around like… well, go watch it on YouTube, and read the comments, which are fantastic and hilarious, much like the video itself. If this place held 2500 max, there were maybe 200-300 there. The world had moved on from Billy.

    Clifton Park Arena, which was not far from where Upstate Concert Hall is currently, wasn’t around for long – it was an ice-skating rink that hosted smaller arena-level gigs in 1989 and 1990. Alice Cooper, and also The Cult played some pretty well-attended shows there not long after this gig. This was not really a well-attended show.

    billy squier

    King’s X opened, promoting their brilliant Gretchen Goes To Nebraska second record. They’d just played the area just two months before at Saratoga Winners, a pretty packed show, and played to many less people – dozens, maybe – during their early slot at this show. They did maybe six songs, that were excellent, but few were there to see it. One of the great, underhailed-yet-brilliant bands of loud rock. All hail King’s X.

    A few more people joined for Blue Murder, kind of an all-star outfit with leader/Btitish guitar hero John Sykes (previously with Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy and Tygers of Pan Tang), plus celebrity drummer Carmine Appice and ex-Firm bassist Tony Franklin. Sykes had made his fortune with Whitesnake’s massive ‘1987’ LP, which he had co-written and played on, and he was looking for a repeat with Blue Murder. It was not to be. BM were a pretty good band – that self-titled first record had some solid tunes on there, but nothing great. It was all very over-produced and Whitesnake-like sounds proved a bit dated these days. As fantastic as Sykes’ playing is, by 1989 the public was moving on from that kind of thing.

    Blue Murder’s very produced, ‘big rock’ sound, with an image that looked like pseudo-glamorous, made-up pirates, was a couple years past the sell-by date. People wanted Metallica, Jane’s Addiction and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Big hair-big rock was on its way out, it just didn’t know it yet. They played a bunch of songs from that first BM record and “Still Of The Night,” which confused most of the sparse crowd, who didn’t know that Sykes had played on it, because he hadn’t been in the video.

    A full report on Billy Squier those 31 years ago, is not possible. After the BM gig, I went and interviewed Blue Murder for my WCDB college radio show, and asked Sykes a ton of Thin Lizzy and Tygers of Pan Tang questions. He was very cool and friendly, telling lots of stories about Phil Lynott and early Tygers.

    These days, Sykes is largely an international man of mystery – after Blue Murder dissolved, he toured through the later 90s and early 2000s with a reformed, tribute Thin Lizzy, made a few solo albums. For well over a decade he has been out of the public eye, occasionally teasing a return to action, but largely his mighty guitar has been absent from the world.

    I didn’t really see Billy Squier – never really being a fan, and only saw the first couple songs before we went to interview Sykes. He came out and opened with a couple of those hits they always played relentlessly on PYX-106 and MTV (“Lonely Is The Night,” I think was one). While watching, Blue Murder’s road manager found me and said “pretty good so far, eh?” I had to admit it was. “It’s all downhill from here,” he replied, before leaving to interview Sykes + co. I didn’t bother going back afterwards. That said, a solid triple-bill before a less-than-packed house.

  • Jam for Tots Partners with Venues to Gather Toys for those in Need

    This holiday season, join NYS Music and Toy for Tots as we bring joy to kids around the state this holiday season with our annual giving drive, Jam for Tots.

    Traditionally, our Jam for Tots series would be centered around various live music performances in November and December. At each show, fans are encouraged to bring an unwrapped toy as a donation to brighten the day of a kid somewhere in the state. Due to the pandemic, we are changing it up this year so our collective charitable effort doesn’t fall short due to restrictions on live music and mass gatherings.

    jam for tots

    In lieu of this current situation, NYS Music has teamed up with The Hollow in Albany, Nanola in Malta, Funk n Waffles in Syracuse, Putnam Place in Saratoga Springs, Stewart House in Athens, The Falcon in Marlboro and Hilltop in Tannersville to continue the Jam for Tots tradition.

    At each of these venues, whether you’re stopping in for dinner, getting take out or grabbing socially distanced drinks with a side of incidental music, bring an unwrapped toy for kids who are most in need this holiday season. A box will be there to leave your donation (through mid-December), which will be picked up by the Marines and distributed within New York State communities.

    We greatly appreciate their support of these venues and the Marines during this annual giving drive. We may not be able to get down to live music while supporting the kids, but we can still support them while we wait for live music to return. Please use proper social distancing when patronizing these wonderfully supportive venues.

    Jam for Tots has been an ongoing series dating back to 2008 when Positive Mental Trip frontman Luke Weiler took the show on the road, touring the East Coast while collecting toys for local charities. The event has since returned home to New York State and slowly expanded in the past few years. In 2019, in addition to a record haul of toys, 15 events were held across the state, bringing music and charity together throughout the Holiday Season.

  • Ugly Muppets and many more featured on this week’s EQXposure

    Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up and coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear the latest from Saratoga’s Ugly Muppets and many more!

    ugly muppets

    WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.

    Ugly Muppets – Rocket Science

    Ugly Muppets is a three piece psychedelic indie garage band coming from the sewers of Saratoga Springs, and straight into your heart. With fuzzed-our guitars, blistering kazoos, and sometimes-on-key vocals, people have said of the band, “Oh yeah, I think I’ve heard of them.”

    This group of proto-post-punk weirdos includes Josh Clark (vocals, guitar, bass), Daniel Burt (vocals, drums), and Jeremy Katz (vocals, bass, guitar, kazoo, synth, production)

    Pulling on influences including The Stooges, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Black Angels, Black Lips, Black Flag, Black Sabbath, and pretty much any band with black in the name, and for Josh Clark, Oasis, Ugly Muppets has been together for five years, while performing in various bands since high school both independently and together.

    The sound of Ugly Muppets is has an overall character that is as much a result of wanting to create something raw while embracing the happy accidents.

    Ugly Muppets have well crafted songs that retain a raw production quality, which ties the full band sound together and in a way, becomes a character, if not member of the overall band.

    Katz says of their sound, “We used a franken-rig of all our collective gear to do the recording and tracked as much as we could live so the sounds already had their own unique character, which we tried to lean into when we did the mixing,” with Burt adding, “It took us a while to form a sound we where happy with, a heavy garage influence was inevitable considering the music we were listening to and the gear we were working with.”

  • moe. to Premiere ‘Not Normal’ from Palace Theatre on November 19

    Before moe. hit the Drive-In circuit this fall, they made a stop to the familiar confines of the Palace Theatre in Albany for a performance that was far from normal. Setting up in the lobby of the Palace, the band performed and recorded a ‘playthrough’ of their new album Not Normal, premiering Thursday, November 19 at 8:30pm on moe.’s YouTube Channel.

    moe not normal
    photo by Frankie Cavone

    Not Normal is the second album to be released by moe. in 2020. The first This is Not, We Are, was shared with fans through weekly videos in May and June. There are no details yet on the five-track studio release, adding a shroud of mystery to the evening’s performance.

    moe not normal
    photo by Frankie Cavone

    On Friday, November 20, Not Normal will be released digitally, and This is Not, We Are will have its long-awaited physical release.

    Pre-order physical copies of Not Normal & enter to win a signed test pressing here.

    Read mo(r)e. on NYS Music

    This is Not, We Are: The latest track, “Dangerous Game,” written by Al Schnier, gives us two takes – one from the studio spliced with a live version from the song’s debut at the State Theatre in Portland, ME on February 16, 2019. Schnier explains about the song:

    “This song came from me watching and reading a little bit too much news these days. I don’t want to say that this song is political in nature; it’s more about the personalities of the people in power and maybe the cult of personality and those things we all contend with. I don’t want it to come across as some leftist, liberal rant against the current people in power. It’s more a song about my personal concerns about anyone who would be in a position of power.”

  • Rochmon Record Club to Host “Pet Sounds” Listening Party

    On Tuesday, November 17, the Rochmon Record Club will return to Saratoga’s Caffe Lena for a virtual listening party of The Beach Boys’ 1966 album Pet Sounds. The show begins at 7:00 p.m. EST on Zoom.

    Hosted by Chuck Vosganian, Rochmon Record Club began meeting at Caffe Lena in 2017. Previous listening parties have included Janis Joplin’s Pearl, The Beatles’ Abbey Road, and Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run. Comprised of stories, photos, biographical and technical information on the albums, they’re some of the venue’s most popular events. “The show I love to do was developed at Caffe Lena. The family atmosphere and sense of history in that wonderful room feels like going home,” says Vosganian.

    Pet Sounds

    The Beach Boys’ 11th album, Pet Sounds was a departure from their early California sound. Frontman, Brian Wilson, produced the entire album by himself, and even refers to it as his true solo debut. While Pet Sounds was immediately acclaimed in the UK, it took longer for US music critics to warm up. In retrospect, critics and fans have come to appreciate it as the group’s best work. Rolling Stone christened it second-best album of all time on their 2003 list of 500 greatest albums, and it retained the number two spot in both 2012 and 2020 updates.

    The most recognizable song on Pet Sounds is its opening track, “Wouldn’t It Be Nice.” Its socially conservative lyrics about a high school romance were a stark contrast to the more suggestive themes of rock and roll. While not on Pet Sounds, the Beach Boys released their signature song “Good Vibrations” as a standalone single the same year.

    Registration is required to attend the listening party, and while free, Caffe Lena will have a virtual tip jar. Throughout the pandemic, Caffe Lena has continued to stream concerts, listening parties, music classes, and community conversations.

  • Opera Saratoga to Collab with Caffe Lena for AMERICA SINGS

    Opera Saratoga has announced the first performance events as the start to the company’s 60th Anniversary Season. On Thursday, November 19, in partner with Caffe Lena, Opera Saratoga will launch AMERICA SINGS, a monthly concert series featuring diverse, internationally acclaimed artists.

    AMERICA SINGS

    The series looks to amplify the voices of artists from racial groups historically underrepresented on the concert stage and features a wide array of classical, jazz, and popular music. “Our focus on BIPOC artists in this series is one of our first steps in a multi-pronged plan to address diversity and equity not only in our programming at Opera Saratoga, but in the organization as a whole,” explained Lawrence Edelson, Opera Saratoga’s Artist and General Director.

    All AMERICA SINGS concerts in this series will be live streamed to the public for free, but viewers are encouraged to contributee through a virtual tip jar. All tips received will be split equally between Opera Saratoga and the artists, providing much-needed support to the artists impacted by the shutdown.

    Mezzo soprano Deborah Nansteel, who was featured in Opera Saratoga’s 2018 production of The Consul, will open the series on Thursday, November 19th at 7pm with pianist Giovanni Reggioli. This first concert will feature music by George Gershwin, Billy Strayhorn, Richard Rogers, Erroll Garner, Richard Wagner, and William Bolcom, along with a selection of traditional spirituals. 

    AMERICA SINGS
    Deborah Nansteel

    The December concert will take place on Wednesday, December 30th at 7pm, and will feature soprano Brandie Sutton with pianist and composer Damien Sneed, both debuting with the company at the turn of the new year. The series will continue through the 2021, with additional concerts to be announced early next year

    The events will be live streamed from Caffe Lena’s Youtube Channel as well as the Facebook pages of both Opera Saratoga and Caffe Lena.

    “The onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the racial awakening that has been taking place across the country, and the polarizing political climate leading up to the election has energized artists. While many singers have not been able to perform for live audiences due to the pandemic, they are engaged and craving the opportunity to share the transformative power of song and the intersection between music and what is happening in our country with audiences. I have not programmed this series, other than to invite an incredible group of artists to join us in Saratoga Springs. Rather, I have asked each artist to curate their own concert – to share music with us that speaks to how they are feeling about America today. I cannot wait to hear what each artist brings to us as they share their personal experience and perspective through the power of their incredible voices.”

  • Cassandra Kubinski is Ready to Build on Her Versatility

    Cassandra Kubinski is a “storytelling oriented, piano-driven, theatrical pop” singer/songwriter from Saratoga Springs. Her passion for music from a young age propelled her into a successful career with Billboard charting albums. Kubinski’s career has already linked her to artists like Chris Botti, the Goo Goo Dolls, and Mary Ramsey of 10,000 Maniacs. Since her 2005 debut, Kubinski’s development as an artist continues to showcase her unlocked talent waiting to be released.

    Cassandra Kubinski
    Cassandra Kubinski

    A Musical Introduction

    Growing up, Kubinski listened to a variety of artists because of her parent’s eclectic musical taste. Billy Joel, Carole King, Jackson Browne, and Joni were all a frequent part of the Kubinski’s family’s rotation of music. Kubinski’s theatrical exposure to Bette Midler, Guys and Dolls, Barbra Streisand, and Pippen shaped her into becoming a musical storyteller. Kubinski has even garnered praise from her musical idol, Billy Joel.

    “Billy Joel is embedded in my DNA. My parents were listening to his music and loving him before I was even a twinkle in their eye. His storytelling, passionate vocals, and rogue piano playing style influenced me when I decided to be a songwriter,” Kubinski said.

    During a 2008 concert in New York City, Kubinski’s dream of meeting Billy Joel came true. The full-circle moment of meeting her childhood music idol is one of the most memorable and surreal moments as an artist for Kubinski. If Billy Joel is willing, Kubinski would love to add a possible collaboration to her musical resume. Kubinski’s other musical hopes include opening up for Billy Joel, Jason Mraz, and Rob Thomas on tour one day. While the pandemic canceled touring for most artists, Kubinski looks forward to having a face-to-face interaction with concert audiences again. Performing at music venues with a beautiful outdoor component like Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado and Humphreys Concerts By The Bay in San Diego are at the top of her list.

    The Journey

    While Kubinski’s musical aspirations keep her motivated as an artist, she has already amassed a couple of well-deserved accolades. Onward charted #97 on Billboard’s Heatseekers Album chart in 2016, while Holiday Magic charted #46 on Billboard’s Heatseekers Album chart in 2017. In 2020, Kubinski has released her “Stardust,” “Back to Earth,” and “Stardust (DJ Taz Rashid Remix)” singles. “Stardust” highlights Kubinski’s “epic pop and piano sound” with the combination of positive lyrics. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kubinski has gained a new perspective of how her songs can take on a different meaning from their initial release. “Dreams” started as a “whimsical look of a bittersweet moment of willing to let go because a better dream is coming” and now has a different significance of embracing the unpredictability of the COVID-19 pandemic.

     I didn’t write “Stardust” in the pandemic I wrote it years ago. Since releasing it during the pandemic, I’ve heard from fans it was a sentiment they needed to hear to feel connected to something bigger, connected to nature, and reminded that they have power. This pandemic has made a lot of people feel very helpless and powerless. “Stardust” is about claiming and reclaiming your power. It takes on that meaning even though that’s not what I wrote it about,” Kubinski said.

    Cassandra Kubinski and Tony Daniels shot the “Stardust” music video before the COVID-19 pandemic

    What’s Next

    Looking ahead, Kubinski is already working on a song with Hannah Grace Colin from “Dance Moms.” Her upcoming song “Eternity” with DJ Sol Rising is a follow up to “Stardust” and is set to release in early January. As fans can look forward to more music, Kubinski continues to progress as an overall artist. From the release of her first album, Hold The Sun to her latest single “Stardust,” Kubinski has honed her ability and confidence to lead as an artist with a specific creative direction in mind. “Trust your vision,” Kubinski said. “When you see something for yourself, work on it, and do it. That’s your vision for a reason and you’re the one that has to execute on that vision.”

    Cassandra Kubinski
    Cassandra Kubinski