After eight long months of being shut down, The Park Theater in Glens Falls is proud to announce they will open their doors. On Nov. 18 the venue with host an event; ‘Dinner & A Movie: A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood.’
Cover art for A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.
The screening of the movie will be accompanied with a three-course meal by Chef Matthew J. Delos. The guests will have their choice between three entrees and two different dessert. The 2019 film is about the late Fred Rogers, aka Mr. Rogers, played by Tom Hanks and his friendship with investigative journalist, Lloyd Vogel, played by Matthew Rhys. According to a press release by the theater, the movie “tells a story of kindness, empathy, acceptance and transformation.”
The Park Theater has been an entertainment staple in Glens Falls since 1911, where the town would watch silent films and vaudeville shows. In 1935, they closed their doors until The Post-Star bought and transformed the building into a printing plant. Over the years, numerous organizations tried to maintain the building’s reputation as a performing arts center, only to really make a change in 2018 by returning to its original name, The Park Theater and Doc’s Restaurant downstairs.
For the event, doors open at 5 PM, dinner starts at 5:30 PM and the movie will begin an hour after dinner service starts. The tickets are $60 (+tax) per person and can be purchased online or call the box office at 518-792-1150. The theater recommends buying tickets sooner rather than later because seats are bound to go quickly after not having an event for so long.
Mr. Rogers inspired children and adults throughout his career. This film demonstrates the impact he had on not only viewers of his show, but also his personal relationships.
I think the best thing we can do is to let people know that each one of them is precious.
Mr. Rogers
Event Poster for The Park Theater
For more information visit The Park Theater’s website.
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 EP from Slaughterhouse Chorus, Trampoline Jetstream and more!
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.
… In the Name of Progress is the first Slaughterhouse Chorus recording to a music collective, Built4BBQ. Albany audio extraordinaire Ryan Slowey tracked the band live in vocalist Chris Jordan’s rural Rensselear County cabin, resulting in a lean and mean collection that fully represents their on-stage energy and lyric-driven songwriting. While the band’s previous recordings occasionally incorporated an “Honorary Chorus” of auxiliary instrumentation ranging from banjos to horn sections, … In the Name of Progress relies entirely on two electric guitars, bass, drums, and vocals – with the notable exception of one high-lonesome bluegrass harmony section provided by John “Henry’s Rifle” Pipino and Dan Wilson of Kimono Dragons and the Rechorduroys.
From the opening garage-punk ripper “Greenplates” to the ZZ Top thump of “Used Tombstones”, from the signature country-punk barnburning of “Hambone” and “Pedestrians” to the cathartic dirge of closing track “Wellsville”, … In the Name of Progress finds The Slaughterhouse Chorus stretching their sound into narrative songs that unfold like short stories set to boot-stomping sing-alongs. Simultaneously pared down to basics and more expansive than anything else they’ve recorded, it’s a fitting swan song for a band that’s spent ten years doing things their own weird way.”
As for what’s happening now, even with The Slaughterhouse Chorus coming to an end, the band never really stopped getting together to write and record new music. Weekly basement practices due to COVID precautions were put on hold, and later moved to Chris’ socially distanced garage and started working on fleshing out a batch of Chet Atkins/Jerry Reed style acoustic guitar ideas he’d been kicking around for years that never really fit in with Slaughterhouse. This evolved into a project they’re calling Timing. It has a lot of the country/Americana side of Slaughterhouse, but much more weirdness and much less punk rock.
Utica’s Trampoline Jetstream will also be featured on this week’s EQXposure, with Pearson spinning their song “Jerry.”
The four person indie rock band began to record “Jerry” in Utica two years ago. Before they could finish, vocalist Nick Vanderwood suffered an injury that left him unable to sing. The band put the project on hold until February 2020, just before the COVID epidemic put everything on pause. Trampoline Jetstream had finished recording, but had to delay production and gigs further. Read more on Trampoline Jetstream here.
Jim Brickman, a Grammy-nominated songwriter and pianist, will perform his “Comfort & Joy at Home 2020” Virtual Tour on December 13, at 8:00 p.m. Although the pandemic has affected in-person performances, Jim Brickman is continuing his tradition of providing a front-row experience to a holiday celebration. The virtual performance will include the opportunity for fans to sing, clap and laugh along with Jim Brickman while supporting local theatres, like Proctors Theatre, at the same time. The virtual tour will start on November 29 and end on December 23, while supporting musical venues all over the country.
Ticket prices will start at $40 with some packages including an interactive Zoom Room, virtual meet and greets, and Christmas gifts delivered to your door. A portion of each ticket purchased for the “Comfort & Joy at Home 2020” Virtual Tour will benefit Proctors Theatre, which is located in Schenectady, NY who has partnered to provide the virtual experience. Proctors Theatre was one of many New York music venues that have faced financial hardships due to the cancellation of live performances because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jim Brickman has already amassed quite a bit of success throughout his career. He has two Grammy nominations to go along with earning 22 “Number #1 Albums” and 33 “Top Radio Singles” in the “Billboard Magazine.” He also has collaborated with musicians such as Michael Bolton, Kenny Rogers, Olivia Newton-John, Lady Antebellum, and more. In addition to music, Brickman has written three best-selling books and is in the 22nd season of hosting his syndicated radio show “The Jim Brickman Show.” His latest creative avenue in 2020 is the “Brickman Bedtime Story” podcast that can be heard on Pandora, Apple, Spotify, and iHeartRadio Podcasts. Fans can prepare for the holiday season by pre-ordering Brickman’s new album “Soothe Christmas” on his website.
Greenwich duo Phantogram played their hit song “When I’m Small” for the new artist den series, Live From My Den. Recorded live on Friday, the performance was released on Wednesday, November 4.
The performance was filmed from Harmonie West, frontwoman Sarah Barthel’s home studio in Los Angeles. They named the studio after frontman Josh Carter’s family’s upstate New York barn, Harmony Lodge, where they wrote their early music. Barthel and Carter originally performed under the name Charlie Everywhere, but changed it to Phantogram in 2009.
“When I’m Small” first appeared on Phantogram’s 2010 debut album, Eyelid Movies. The song is told from the perspective of a woman in an abusive relationship. While undeniably pop, “When I’m Small” is still dark and haunting, with cryptic and ominous lyrics: “Lucy’s underground, she’s never coming back.” Back in 2014, Phantogram told NBHAP that the line was a nod to the Beatles’ “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” but wanted to keep its meaning ambiguous. That year, they appeared on the Flaming Lips’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band cover album, With a Little Help from My Fwends.
Phantogram has released four albums total. Their newest LP, Ceremony, was released on March 6, 2020. The lead single, “Into Happiness,” peaked at number 21 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart. In 2012, they collaborated with rapper Big Boi (OutKast) on two songs from his second solo album Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors. They went on to form a trio, known as Big Grams, and released an EP of the same name in 2015. Phantogram’s music has also appeared on the original motion picture soundtrack for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.
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 EP from Albany’s Stellar Young!
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.
EQXposure host Pearson came across Stellar Young’s song “Old Roots” and was struck by how the character in the voice, the feel of a waltz, and the urgency in the performance gave the song a desperate and anthemic quality. This track pulled Pearson in and when he learned their EP And Turned to Ash was part of a trilogy, he wanted to dig in further.
On Sunday, November 1, Pearson will play the entire And Turned to Ash EP, and over the next few weeks he will feature the other two EPs. Playing a full artists release on a radio station in this climate is a departure from the norm, but Pearson couldn’t think of a better time to start doing this.
Stellar Young’s And Turned to Ash is an awesome record to share because it weaves through a narrative of the PAST. That nostalgic, raw emotional pondering is evident in the treatment of the songs and the how the band orchestrates the presentation with bass, drums, layers of human harmony, guitars, and lingering tone beds – it’s rather well made album too. So put on some headphones and let’s go on a journey together. From the radio to your soul.
A captivating blend of atmospheric indie-rock and upbeat post-punk, Stellar Young features John Glenn (vocals/keys), Erik Flora (guitar/vocals), Kyle Hatch (guitar), Dave Parker (producer), and Tim Brosnan (drums). Together the members work to create the most accurate portrayal of key moments in life that everyone understands, but often can’t explain.
Skyloft, which opened in early 2019 in at Crossgates Mall near Albany, has closed permanently. Announcements were made via the establishment’s social media.
With rising “concerns and restrictions brought forth by the COVID-19 pandemic” it left the operators no choice but to close according to the post.
The statement from operators on Facebook said:
“Although endings are bittersweet, we are forever grateful for the support we have enjoyed since opening our doors. Our mission was to reignite musical tastes across the vast genre spectrum, and provide a full scale home for the area’s live music community. We were welcomed with open arms, and for that we thank each and every one of you. Without our patrons, our artists, and our staff, we would not have been able to accomplish our goals, and we wish to acknowledge our deepest appreciation for all three.
What comes next, we do not know. Rest assured the beat will play on and in some capacity or another and we will meet again on a dance floor somewhere soon. Until then, be excellent to each other, to yourselves, be safe, and party on.”
Since March the pandemic has forced the closures of venues nationwide in attempts to control the spread of the virus. The sudden end to business threatened a number of the region’s entertainment businesses, which were forced to furlough or lay off an unknown number of employees.
Skyloft opened in April 2019, offering a menu that featured barbecue food and a space for concerts with a capacity of 600-800 people.It was the second venue of its type to open at Crossgates Mall. Lucky Strike Social, the large bowling alley, concert venue and bar and grill that opened in 2016, closed just months after Skyloft opened.
On December 6 at 7 p.m., KeyBank is presenting the second annual Capital Region Thomas Edison Music Awards. The show was originally scheduled for April 14 at Proctors in Schenectady, but was cancelled due to COVID-19. The new event will be broadcast live from Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs through Collaborative Studios’ Amazon Fire TV, Roku, and Apple TV apps.
NYS Music is honored to be nominated for Art Publication of The Year, along with the numerous other creatives from the local music community, including two photographers who started out with NYS Music, Dave DeCrescente and Frankie Cavone.
The broadcast will be shot on a closed set with about 45 cast and crew members, but will also feature four performances. Additionally, four panels that will discuss the year in local music and how music making has shifted during the pandemic. The winners in 34 categories will be announced in between panel segments.
Nominations were announced in February in 34 categories. Roughly 100 representatives of the local music industry participated in judging. “We had a pretty intensive process last winter where we discussed artists, 2019 music and music video releases, as well as venues and other organizations involved in music creation and performance,” Jim Murphy, Eddies co-founder said. “Hundreds of individuals , groups, venues and companies were considered, as many as 35 or more in some categories.”
“We’ll take considerable safety precautions,” said Sal Prizio, Eddies co-founder. “This will be a bit of a three-ring circus. Five cameras. Twenty-four panelists rotating in groups of six. And four musical performances on the stage. We’re packing a lot into a 100-minute, commercial free broadcast.”
“We’re doing everything possible to make this broadcast a special evening,” Murphy said. “We encourage everyone to view this live, to celebrate in their living rooms, studios or wherever they prefer to gather safely. May we all get together in 2021!”
Musical acts and other participants in the 2020 Eddies Music Awards Show will be announced closer to the broadcast.
The Palace Theatre, the City of Albany and Mirth Films have announced that rock band Wild Adriatic will be featured on the next episode of “The Palace Sessions”. Wild Adriatic’s performance will stream for free on October 28 at 7 p.m. on The Palace Theatre’s Youtube channel.
The Palace Sessions began over the summer due to COVID restrictions in place that prohibited the Palace Theater from continuing their scheduled performances. The monthly sessions feature live music performances from some of the favorite regional acts. The series kicked off on July 15th wih a performance by Wurliday. Other previous performers include Eastbound Jesus (August Session) and The Amico-Barady Quartet (September Session).
During the performances donations are being accepted which will assist the Palace Theatre in continuing its mission to bring world-class arts and entertainment to New York’s Capital Region. During The Palace Sessions featuring Wild Adriatic, donations can be made directly through the Palace Theatre’s Text To Give program, by texting Palace2020 to 44321.
Wild Adriatic is a six member rock band who formed in Saratoga Springs in 2011. Rooted in the rowdy spirit of rock & roll, Wild Adriatic has built an international audience on a combination of groove, grit, and guitar-heavy swagger. In April 2019, the band won Rock/Pop Artist of the Year and Album of the Year at the inaugural Eddies awards.
Built in 1931, The Palace has remained Albany’s iconic downtown landmark over the past eight decades, bringing the biggest names in entertainment to the Capital Region. Offering top notch performances along with culture enhancing programs to residents the Palace has a significant imprint on the region. Economically it brings in $3.5 million in ticket sales and 180,000 patrons each year.
On October 23, 2013, for the first time in 19 years, Phish returned to Glens Falls Civic Center for a fall tour stop. The legendary White Album marathon show on October 31, 1994 stands out as a pinnacle moment in the band’s history, and can be seen as the moment when ‘musical costumes’ became more common for bands on Halloween, and not just for Phish.
To highlight the day, fans did what they did best – took over the town parking lots, vended their wares, supported local eating and drinking establishments, and even held a Dinner & a Movie art show.
Mayor John A. “Jack” Diamond took notice of the musical history of the band, and proceeded to issue a Mayoral Proclamation (with souvenir copies available for fans) that the town of Glens Falls had ‘Gone Phishing.’ There could not have been a warmer reception on a warmer than average October night.
The night after playing Rochester, Phish fans flocked to what was a highly competitive ticket the moment the show was announced, and speculated as to whether or not they’d bring the same heat they did two decades prior. Would they bring back any of the 30 songs featured on the White Album? That question was answered just as the lights went down and Phish played their third ever version of “Back in the U.S.S.R.,” after a gap of nearly 700 shows. From there, the night was off and running, with a set full of first set standards, with a strong “Split Open and Melt” capping things off.
Set 2 was highlighted by two separate sequences. The first, The Velvet Underground’s “Rock and Roll” > “Seven Below” > “Alaska” > “Twist,” the latter of which Holly Bowling would transcribe for piano and perform on her rise to stardom. With a breather in “Wading in the Velvet Sea,” a fantastic “Harry Hood” > “Chalk Dust Torture” combo followed to wrap up the set. The full second set is a must listen, available here via Phishtracks.com.
Poster by Michael Boyer
To close the night out, another Beatles selection, “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” was the call, another debut from Halloween 1994, and the perfect bookend to a fantastic night in Glens Falls. From there, phans flocked into the town, heading over to Hotshots to check out Twiddle with Mister F opening, or Sandy’s Clam Bar for the rarest of post-shows, Touchpants. Whether satiated by the two sets at the Civic Center or needing a little something extra, Phish had left its mark on Glens Falls once again.
Set 1: Back in the U.S.S.R., Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan, Water in the Sky, Undermind, David Bowie, Golgi Apparatus, Gumbo, Yarmouth Road, Camel Walk, Horn > Limb By Limb > I Didn’t Know, Split Open and Melt
Set 2: Rock and Roll > Seven Below > Alaska > Twist, Wading in the Velvet Sea > Harry Hood > Chalk Dust Torture
The Capital Region’s OmniZen Studios has announced a brand new album from founder Shane Morris. Dubbed Memories of Life, an album release party is set to occur at the historic remodeled Madison Theatre in Albany. The show is free with the purchase of food on October 24 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Joining Morris will be Capital Region songwriter Corry Loveday.
Memories of Life is Morris’s first album in nine years. Previously he had released Waves of Inspiration in 2011 while a student at the College of Saint Rose in Albany. Since graduation numerous musical ventures have taken place for Morris including the formation of OmniZen Studios in 2017. NYS Music spoke with Shane Morris on how life has changed for OmniZen particularly during the pandemic.
Jessica Sherman: What pulled on you to create music?
Shane Morris: The thing that really got me into music was the guitar. A childhood friend and I would listen to his mother play the guitar. So one day I told my mom that I really wanted a guitar for my birthday. They got me guitar lessons from a music shop in Walden, NY and off we went.
In two years I went through two guitar teachers with the latter turning into a future jam buddy. Then I started singing in choir during middle and high school. Through conversations with my choir director I realized that having a career as a musician was plausible.
Now I own OmniZen Studios with a Latin Grammy nomination under the name, thanks to work completed with Alex Torres y Su Orchestra in 2018.
JS: What drove you to record the album?
SM:The inspiration for this album actually came from the feelings and experiences I had during COVID-19. Specifically, during this time I actually fostered a new friendship. Six of the songs on this album are based on this friendhsip. I also chose to re-release a few of my older songs from my previous album, ‘Waves of Inspiration’. This album came out after my graduation from The College of Saint Rose in 2011.
JS: How do you think the pandemic has affected the music industry specifically?
SM: I think COVID has impacted the music industry in, honestly, one of the worst ways imaginable. My business has taken an approximate revenue loss of about 50% during this time period when compared to last year. It put me in a few really uncomfortable positions, and I’ve had to make some tough choices along the way. Usually during the summer months I’m out doing live sound reinforcement for festivals and shows while my other employees produce music back at the studio. With COVID, that side of my business basically doesn’t exist.
For example, it took OmniZen Studios three venue changes just to put on a fundraiser for my friends whose house burned down in June. The two venues I was considering in Albany for the fundraiser eventually just ran into too much red tape to host my event, and I came to the decision that the best place for it would be Stable Gate Farm and Winery in Schodack, NY.
JS: Any dream collaborations in the future?
SM: I’m always very open on who I collaborate with! It’s actually part of my musical philosophy that music is part of the human spirit, and it helps us all to connect to each other. I love to host jam sessions in my space and make music with whoever is really interested in what we’re doing. One of the main focuses of OmniZen from its inception was to bring an open forum and space to the musical community where lower income artists can come together and help raise up and promote the entire Capital Region music scene.
Some of my favorite collaborations include a roots/reggae album produced for Joseph Fleuriot, also known as Papa Joe, and most recently, my re-recorded version of “I’ll Be There Soon”, featuring the super talented Stephanie Gettys on backup vocals, which is also included on ‘Memories of Life’. In the future, I really hope to collaborate with some of the up and coming hip hop artists such as area native Freedom Stratton, who recently released his album titled The Future.
OmniZen Studios Jam Session
JS: What does the future hold for OmniZen and Shane Morris?
SM: That is really an open ended question at this point. COVID has brought me to a point where I’m currently re-organizing the way my business operates to make sure it’s still profitable in the future, which involves taking on more remote and voice over type work.
Also, I’m currently enrolled in a certificate program with the NYU Clive Davis Center for Recorded Music. After that is complete, I’m planning on applying to masters degree programs. I might even end up on the west coast in the next year or so. Of course, OmniZen will still exist in some capacity.
