NYS Music 202​0

Category: Capital Region

  • Flashback: Watch AC/DC and Yngwie Malmsteen’s Rising Force rock Glens Falls Civic Center on September 5, 1985

    A mighty gig this was. 35 years ago tonight, on Sept. 5, 1985, AC/DC and Yngwie Malmsteen’s Rising Force performed at Glens Falls Civic Center.

    AC/DC
    Remember Ticketron?

    This was actually AC/DC’s first headline gig in New York’s Capital Region – they had played Albany’s Palace Theater in the Bon Scott era in 1977, 1978 and 1979 opening for Rush, Rainbow and UFO, but the band skipped the area on the ‘Back In Black,’ ‘For Those About To Rock’ and ‘Flick of the Switch’ tours.  Thus, the Civic Center was packed this night.

    AC/DC
    photo by Jim Polkowski

    The opening band was Swedish guitar phenom Yngwie Malmsteen with his solo band, Rising Force, playing their first area gig.  Yngwie had played Albany’s Palace Theater the year before with his old band Alcatrazz, opening for Ted Nugent, but in the year since he had released two solo albums, and the songs this night were tracks from his mostly-instrumental solo debut, and then-new record ‘Marching Out,’ featuring vocalist Jeff Scott Soto who was the singer for this gig.  The sound for Malmsteen was fairly horrible and full of echoes in the hockey arena this night, opening with then-single “I’ll See The Light Tonight” and including some instrumental workouts like “Far Beyond The Sun” and “Black Star” which, despite the dazzling guitar playing, received a muted response due to the wretched sound.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooJCjKGYF28

    No such troubles for the headliners though.  AC/DC were promoting the Fly On The Wall album (which history has not shown to be one of their most beloved albums) and they opened with the title track, before settling into a set of rapturously-received classics and hits: “Back In Black,” “Shook Me All Night Long,” the rarely-played “Have a Drink on Me” and a rousing “Shoot To Thrill” were mixed with a couple of the better new songs (“Shake Your Foundations,” “Sink The Pink”) and a whole host of older Bon Scott-era favorites: “Dirty Deeds,” “The Jack,” “Jailbreak,” “Highway To Hell,” “Whole Lotta Rosie” and an extended, Angus-doing-a-walkabout “Let There Be Rock” which finished the main set and brought the house down.

    AC/DC
    photo by Jim Polkowski

    The encore was similarly no-filler: “Hell’s Bells” and the giant bell, a raucous “TNT” had the entire arena roaring, and the show finished with an explosive “For Those About To Rock,” Angus duckwalking and headbanging across the stage, Brian Johnson howling like he was going to burst a blood vessel, Malcolm and the rhythm section locked in with deadly groove, and of course the cannons exploding during the fast part at the end.  Has there ever been a better live heavy rock band?  Few can compare.  All hail the mighty AC/DC. 

    AC/DC
    photo by Jim Polkowski

    Rising Force Setlist: I’ll See The Light Tonight, On The Run Again, Far Beyond The Sun, Anguish & Fear, Guitar Solo, Black Star, Caught In The Middle.

    AC/DC Setlist: Fly On The Wall, Back In Black, Shake Your Foundations,     Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, Shook Me All Night Long, Have A Drink On Me, Jailbreak, The Jack, Shoot To Thrill, Highway To Hell, Sink The Pink, Whole Lotta Rosie, Let There Be Rock, Hell’s Bells, TNT, For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMJPPq1amzo

  • PearlPalooza Music Festival Goes Virtual for Their 2020 Celebration

    PearlPalooza Music Festival will go virtual for their 2020 celebration on September 19. It will feature exclusive performances, interviews, and more. PearlPalooza will be free and available to everyone via live-stream. 

    PearlPalooza

    PearlPalooza generally takes place on Pearl Street in downtown Albany. The festival hosts musical performances, food, and more and organizers calculated that in 2019 over 10,000 people attended the festivities. This year’s Virtual PearlPalooza is presented by 102.7 WEQX – The REAL Alternative, Sugar Productions, Downtown Albany, New York BID, The Hollow Bar + Kitchen, High Peaks Event Production, and media sponsor Albany.com. 

    Although this year is being presented on the virtual cloud it will still bring that community feeling by being live streamed in restaurants throughout downtown Albany. People can enjoy the music and PearlPalooza specials while enjoying a drink or meal at The City Beer Hall which opens at 4:00 PM, Dawn’s Victory Sports Cafe which open at 4:00 PM, The Excelsior Pub, Far Shot Albany, The Hollow Bar + Kitchen, Loch & Quay, Parish Public House, Pearl Street Pub, and The Yard Hatchet House & Bar which opens at 4:00 PM. For those looking to stay home it will also stream it on live on 102.7 WEQX Facebook page.

    This year’s Virtual PearlPalooza will feature performances from some of Albany’s favorite musicians. The performances will start with a performance from MIRK at 1:00 PM. Then Victory Soul Orchestra will take the virtual stage at 2:15PM. The Wild Adriatic will then perform at 3:30PM. Then wrapping up the live performances Eastbound Jesus will take the stage 4:45PM.

    PearlPalooza is teaming up with MVP Health Care to present YogaPalooza 2020 on September 19, 2020 at 11AM. People can join for a free, socially-distanced outdoor yoga class celebrating wellness and community at two Downtown locations. On the lawn at the SUNY System Administration Building at 353 Broadway and at Tricentennial Park at Broadway & Columbia Street.

    For more information on the virtual 2020 PearlPalooza Music Festival visit Downtown Albany’s website.

  • Sydney Worthley, The Sweats, and more to be featured on this week’s EQXposure

    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. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear music from Sydney Worthley, The Sweats, and many more!

    EQXposure Sydney Worthley

    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. 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.

    The Sweats – “Caught In A Wave”

    From the Finger Lakes who just released their full-length debut album Caught in a Wave recorded at Pyramid Sound Recording Studios in Ithaca. You can pick up the album for contributions on BandCamp. Singer Travis Durfee says they hope to sell a few digital copies to make up what they’ve lost this year in live shows and that they are already working on material for a new album. Check out their quaratine videos on Facebook.

    Sydney Worthley – “4:15“

    In February, Worthley went to Nada Recording Studio in Montgomery, NY to record five new songs in five days and you can hear them all on the new album Rose Colored Glasses. Worthley is a notable advocate for mental health awareness, having performed in Saugerties at the annual Hope Rocks Festival.

  • Dio Flashback: On this day in 1985, the late, great Ronnie James Dio performs at the RPI Fieldhouse

    Ronnie James Dio, the Cortland native and heavy metal legend, brought his band DIO to the RPI Fieldhouse in Troy 35 years ago today, September 4, 1985.

    This was the second Albany-area appearance by Dio with his solo band – he’d played the Glens Falls Civic Center less than a year before, in November 1984 on the ‘Last In Line’ tour.  In 1985, the band was promoting the third Dio album, Sacred Heart, a patchier effort than the first two Dio albums.

    dio

    This was the last tour to feature the original DIO band backing Ronnie: NYC (ex-Black Sabbath) drummer Vinnie Appice, Scottish (ex-Rainbow) bass player (the late) Jimmy Bain, and Irish guitarist Vivian Campbell (ex-Sweet Savage), who would be fired midway through the tour, breaking up the original foursome which had made the classic first two Dio records.  

    The opening group was Rough Cutt, one of those spandex-ey LA bands, there by virtue of being managed by Dio’s wife, and they sucked.  The RPI crowd was unmoved.

    dio

    The house was packed for Dio’s set – despite the dip in quality offered by Sacred Heart, Ronnie James was in 1985 viewed as a deity in the heavy rock world, and the Fieldhouse was accordingly full of metalheads.   This was the era of over-the-top stage shows, and this one was particularly Spinal Tap-ish, with lasers, a giant crystal ball and a giant dragon (which Dio himself “battled” with a sword), pre-taped wizardly creepy voice intro to the song “Sacred Heart”, and each member getting a big long solo.

    Frankly, the whole thing would have been better if they dropped all that and just played a whole bunch of songs. That said, it was the 80s, you had to expect that kind of thing.  The bands opened with a couple of the better new songs (“King of Rock’n’Roll”, “Like The Beat of a Heart”), played a slew of already-classics from the first two records, and a couple of the less-essential new ‘Sacred Heart’ songs, such a the somewhat corny title track, and the depressingly commercial “Hungry For Heaven.”

    This tour featured less of the classic Ronnie James-era Rainbow and Black Sabbath songs that had featured in earlier Dio tours, all delivered during extensive medleys, and a truncated version of Sabbath’s “Heaven & Hell” got the biggest roar of the night.  Rainbow classics “Man on the Silver Mountain” and “Long Live Rock’n’Roll” were played – again, in shortened form – in a medley with new yawner “Rock’n’Roll Children.” In fact, medleys were a big part of the show – the band played an extended, almost 40-minute medley of the song “Last In Line,” which incorporated “Holy Diver”, solos by all band members, more “Last In Line,” “Heaven & Hell,” “Sacred Heart,” and concluded with more “Last In Line.”  The main set finished up with speedy early Dio classic “Stand Up and Shout” – a roaring highlight – and encores were Dio evergreens “Rainbow In The Dark” and a storming “We Rock.”

    All hail Ronnie James Dio!

    Setlist: King Of Rock’n’Roll, Like The Beat Of A Heart, Don’t Talk To Strangers, Hungry For Heaven, Medley: Last In Line/Holy Diver/Last In Line, Drum & Bass Solos, Heaven & Hell, Guitar & Keyboard solos, Sacred Heart, Last In Line, Medley: Rock’n’Roll Children/Long Live Rock’n’Roll/Man On The Silver Mountain/R’n’R Children, Stand Up & Shout, Rainbow In The Dark, We Rock.

  • Glens Falls Park Theater Adds Sound To The Silent Era With “The Marriage Circle”

    On Thursday, September 10, Glens Falls’ Park Theater is hosting a virtual fundraiser with the streaming of silent film The Marriage Circle. Silent film accompanist Ben Model will supplement the film with an original live score. The show begins at 7:00 p.m. with a presentation from the Chapman Museum about Glens Falls’ 1920s theater scene following the 1928 Spanish Flu pandemic.

    Glens Falls Park Theater

    Ben Model plays piano and organ, and his scores have been used by adult orchestras and high school ensembles alike. In addition to The Marriage Circle, he’s produced scores for the films of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. Over the past 30 years, Model has composed scores for hundreds of silent films both long and short.

    The Marriage Circle, a 1924 comedy, was directed and produced by German-born director Ernst Lubitsch. The film’s writer, Paul Bern, was inspired by Lothar Schmidt’s 1909 play “Nur ein Traum (Only a Dream).” One of The Marriage Circle’s actresses, Esther Ralston, lived in the Glens Falls area in the 1970s. Ralston has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

    Glens Falls Park Theater
    LA Times.

    Tickets for The Marriage Circle livestream are $15. Attendees will receive a link to join 30 minutes before the stream begins. For more information on the event, visit the Glens Falls Park Theater website.

  • Lake George Music Festival Announces Drive-In Concert Series

    The Lake George Music Festival has partnered with Dave Ehmann’s “Improv Records” to announce a two-part 2020 music festival. This comes after a decision by festival organizers to post-pone the “10-year Anniversary Celebration” season until 2021 as a result of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions still in place.

    lake george music festival

    Along with a week long virtual series, the Lake George Music Festival also offers a weekend drive-in concert series. From September 13-18 music lovers can enjoy free online performances and digital events. The drive-in portion occurs September 19-20, at the newly developed Lake George Festival Commons.

    Original Festival Announcement

    Dave and his crew have been instrumental in the development of Lake George’s new Festival Space. We will have a tremendous advantage in producing what very well might be the ONLY event in Lake George this summer when working with Dave…We’re both committed to the Lake George community; especially the music scene. Two like minded peers working together, along with some fantastic musicians and beautiful September weather in Lake George will surely be a winning event.

    Alexander Lombard, Founder and CEO of the Lake George Music Festival

    Voted in 2015 as “Best Annual Event” by LG.com, the festival usually spans two weeks at various venues around the village. Drawing over 300 artists since its inception in 2011, past festivals performers include members of the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Czech Philharmonic, the Juilliard School and the Curtis Institute of Music and other distinguished musicians from 27 countries. All coming together to bring classical music into the 21st-century.

    Festival co-contributor Dave Ehmann is known for bringing big names suck as Twiddle and Marshall Tucker Band to the Lake George region. Ehmann also produces the sold out Adirondack Independence Music Festival.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CEFADVFnIbf/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
    Free Pass Announcement

    Tickets for the drive-in portion are available for purchase here. Furthermore, free passes will be available for all front line workers.

  • A New Upstate Home for the Grateful Dead: Glens Falls

    Today’s Dead-trospective takes us to a Glens Falls Grateful Dead show at the Civic Center played 41 years ago. August of 1979 was interesting time for the Grateful Dead. New keyboardist Brent Mydland was still getting himself acclimated, having joined the band in April. This is only his 19th show, but his second time performing in New York with the Dead after they played Broome County Arena in Binghamton in May.

    1979 featured a lot of short tours spread out over the course of the year. This would be the opener of one of them, a six-show tour in the Northeast with the last three at Madison Square Garden. This is the first time the Dead played the Civic Center. They would come back and play a single show the next three years as well.

    Glens Falls Grateful Dead

    The show begins with “Promised Land,” a Chuck Berry cover and “Dire Wolf.” It’s a fairly pedestrian 1-2 opening punch with plenty of post-song tuning. Bob Weir’s “Cassidy” follows, now in its new form with Mydland on backing vocals.

    After some more tuning and indecision, things begin to take off with “Loser,” the Garcia-sung card playing saga. Jerry has a little fun with the lyrics on this one as the “Ace of Diamonds” comes up once instead of the usual Queen. The recording gets a little bass-heavy in the brief jam that follows but is well worth it. A typically poignant Garcia solo on top of everything else seems to genuinely excite the Civic Center crown.

    A brief patch of the AUD recording doesn’t deter from a “Peggy-O” that hits all the right spots with Garcia’s vocals in top form. The first set also has a spot for newcomer Brent Mydland’s “Easy to Love You,” only the second one ever played. Afterwards, Bob Weir gives a little “love” to the locals in “New Minglewood Blues” with a change of lyrics to “New York women.”

    This being another transitional period for the Dead, new songs and playing styles would continue to emerge. “Lost Sailor” had only been played four times prior to this, debuting earlier in the month. But this show in Glens Falls would feature the first ever “Saint of Circumstance” as it blended in immediately afterwards, making it sound almost like one song, which it would continue to do for years. This is really the last multi-song composition purposely crafted by the band.

    Glens Falls Grateful Dead

    A slow to start “Shakedown Street” begins the second set but it soon turns into a boisterous one with plenty of Garcia-fueled funk. The next song would be the return of a forgotten hero with only the second “Greatest Story Ever Told” since it was shelved towards the end of 1974. Garcia seems to tease “Black Peter” afterwards, a sign of things to come, before the “Ship of Fools” that follows.

    The recording slips back to the AUD source towards the end of the stretched out “Estimated Prophet” that follows. But this give a great insight to the feel of the room. Swaths of people can be heard clapping along to the “Eyes of the World” that Garcia transitions to frenetically. This one is uptempo and bouncy from the get go with Mydland dazzling on the electric keyboard.

    The highlight of the show comes later in the second set with a remarkable transition from the “Drums” section to “Not Fade Away.” The whole band is locked in atop an infectious rhythm as Garcia continues to pull all sorts of tones out from his bag of tricks. It’s a powerful segue, and executed perfectly, as the jam continues right through “Not Fade Away.”

    Fittingly, the show is bookended with “Around and Around,” another Chuck Berry cover. Perhaps curfew was an issue as there does not appear to be any record of an encore for this show. But these two sets would pack enough of a punch on their own with new material and some exquisite second set jamming.

    The Grateful Dead would travel to Rochester after this show, for a show at Holleder Stadium. But it’s clear they found a nice new place to play in Glens Falls, the music proves it. Upstate New York fans wouldn’t have to wait too long for a reunion though. The band would return in May next year for another masterclass in psychedelic rock.

    Grateful Dead 8/31/79 Glens Falls Civic Center – Glens Falls, NY

    Set 1: The Promised Land, Dire Wolf , Cassidy, Loser, El Paso, Peggy-O, Easy To Love You, New Minglewood Blues, Althea, Lost Sailor > Saint Of Circumstance > Deal

    Set 2: Shakedown Street, Greatest Story Ever Told, Ship Of Fools, Estimated Prophet > Eyes Of The World > Drums > Not Fade Away > Black Peter > Around And Around

    Recording starts with brief AUD patch before switching to SBD source. Patches also heard in “Peggy-O,” “Minglewood,” “Estimated Prophet” and “Eyes of the World.”

  • Downtown Troy BID Announces Modified 2020 Summer Event Season

    The Downtown Troy Business Improvement District (BID) announced the return of their annual summer events in downtown Troy, NY as the Capital Region continues to reopen with safe and social distancing protocols. Some of the upcoming activities include Rockin’ at Sage Park which has been taking place since July 22 and will run through September 9 and Fitness in the Park which started on July 19 and will run through the September 6.

    Katie Hammon, Executive Director of the Downtown Troy Business Improvement District, spoke on the return of summer events saying, “Downtown Troy welcomes you back in safe, physically distanced ways with a diverse lineup of summer programming. This year’s events will look a bit different as we keep the safety of our community at the forefront of our planning, and scale back creating new ways to interact with downtown. We are excited to be able to offer fun physically distanced experiences while inviting individuals back to our business community for shopping, dining, and exploring alongside the events!”

    The annual upcoming summer events in Downtown Troy include Fitness In The Park, Rockin’ At Stage Park, Troy River Fest Ramble, and a Grown Up Scavenger Hunt. These events will be free and open to the public with the option to RSVP to them ahead of time. Some of the events have a cap on the amount of attendees permitted so interested parties should RSVP to ensure their spot.

    Fitness In The Park

    William D. Chamberlain Riverfront Park Troy, NY 12180

    Sundays, July 19 through September 6 from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

    Heartspace Yoga & Healing Arts provide an opportunity to stay healthy and active outside while experiencing the morning sounds of Troy and views of the Hudson River. Fitness instruction will be provided in a safe environment with physically distanced circles on the grass. Brunch and an opportunity to shop throughout Troy will be provided afterwards.

    Click here to RSVP

    Rockin’ At Sage Park

    51 Congress St. Troy, NY 12180

    Wednesdays, July 22 through September 9| 5:30 p.m.

    July 22, 29 | August 5, 12, 19, 26 | September 2, 9

    Summer Square’s partnership with Rockin’ on the River will provide live music and arts entertainment throughout downtown Troy at the Rockin’ at Sage Park event.

    Rockin’ at Sage Park will provide a small-scale concert series with local performers. The lineup will be announced weekly for each performer. Physically distanced circles will be designated on the grass for seating.

    Attendees can bring their own food or order takeout from downtown Troy restaurants to enjoy with the music.

     Attendance will be limited at 40 individuals. Click here to RSVP.

    Troy River Fest Ramble

    Friday, July 31 through Sunday, August 2

    Troy River Fest returns with a 3-day long physically distanced throughout downtown Troy with a downtown-wide sidewalk sale and family-friendly activities.

    On Friday, July 31, River Fest Ramble: Twilight Shopping will take place from 5:00pm – 9:00pm and beyond

    On Saturday, August 1, Downtown-wide Sidewalk Sale with live demos and pop-ups will take place from 9:00am – 2:00pm and beyond

    On Sunday, August 2, activities include:

    • Family Day Out!–9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. and beyond
    • Fitness in The Park (9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.)
    • Brunch Downtown
    • Chalk Art Contest (begins at 10:00 a.m., prizes awarded at 1:45 p.m.)

    Click here to Register

    Grown Up Scavenger Hunt

    Friday, July 31 through Friday, August 28

    The Capital Region Grown Up Egg Hunt has now transitioned into a month-long scavenger hunt with prizes distributed each week throughout participating downtown Troy businesses. Businesses will hide “holiday” items for holidays celebrated at home because of COVID-19.

    Click here to receive your scavenger card and start the hunt

  • Hearing Aide: Wavy Cunningham’s ‘Club Wavy’

    Wavy Cunningham, an Albany-area rapper who has shown much potential in the past, comes through with his first full length project, Club Wavy. The album is a product of the collective efforts of Wavy along with producers N-Pro, DJ Mercy, and Frank Finesse.

    The album itself plays as if Cunningham and the production crew have a thorough understanding of old school and underground hip-hop simultaneously performed through a 2010 lens. Throughout the album, it becomes evident that Wavy is eager to make a name for himself in the current hip hop landscape; Club Wavy may very well be that stepping stone.

    The album starts off with the swirling synth beat featured on “I’m Good.” Wavy immediately follows in finding himself riding the beat like a surfboarder, spitting bar after bar about his come up in the past few years. The track progresses into a familiar “Eenie Meenie Miney Mo” rhyme pattern which is both appealing as well as gratifying to hear those anticipated rhyme schemes fulfilled. Wavy continues to flex his pen game which remains impressive from track to track. As the album progresses, the production leans towards a jazz rap fusion with Wavy’s prominent voice hitting as hard as a hammer over synth jazz chords.

    Wavy’s vocal performances throughout this project are as smooth as ever, whether delivered in a triplet flow pattern reminiscent of 21-Savage on “I’m Good” or in smooth R&B fashion such as on “The V.I.P” with soulful, crooning vocals that hit like Kids See Ghosts era Kid Kudi. “The V.I.P.” serves as an interlude for the album but still, even as a transitional track, “The V.I.P” carries an almost tangible emotion that brings the audience into the next half of the album. The remainder continues on with Wavy performing in his pocket over beats with a jazzy guitar chords along with classic trap instrumentals which allow Wavy’s voice to take center stage.

    The album culminates with “All We need is Love,” an emotionally heavy track that honors the lives of those who have become victims of police brutality. “All We Need is Love” is ripe with emotion and showcases Wavy’s ability to rap while simultaneously narrating a coherent story about a young black college man who was subject to unlawful search and seizure along with a wrongful arrest.

    Wavy closes the album out by remembering the lives of recent victims of ongoing police brutality and racial discrimination in the United States, humbly singing and asking a closing question to the audience,

    All we need is love, when it’s all said and done what we do effects the future of our daughters and our sons. Tell me what’s really going on.

    Key Tracks: Whattup?, The V.I.P. (interlude), All We Need is Love

  • Caffe Lena Adds New Classes To Music School

    This fall, Saratoga’s Caffe Lena is expanding its music school. First announced back in January, the Caffe Lena School of Music has proven so popular it’s offering even more classes for children and adults alike.

    Caffe Lena Music School
    Photo from Caffè Lena’s website.

    “With people cooped up and needing a positive outlet, especially school kids, the timing turned out to be unexpectedly good,” said Caffè Lena School of Music Coordinator, Vivian Nesbitt.

    Saratoga musicians Oona Grady and James Gascoyne will continue overseeing the children’s program, with fall classes beginning on September 15. Courses include beginner and intermediate fiddle, ukulele, and guitar, as well as Irish tin whistle and fiddle tunes. If students qualify for free or reduced school lunch, the school offers full scholarships for their lessons and instruments.

    Each class consists of 10 weekly 40 lessons over Zoom in groups of four. Despite the distance, Caffè Lena seeks to uphold the tradition of teaching and learning folk music as a group. Parents have praised the program, calling it “a stellar service” that inspires “motivation to keep the creative spark alight.”

    “This is how people entertained themselves before radio and television turned us into music listeners instead of music makers,” said Nesbitt. “It fills our hearts to make music together, even if it has to be online for now.”

    Adult classes are 4 weekly lessons of 90 minutes each, also via Zoom. Two-time Grammy winners Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer have joined the faculty, teaching beginner clawhammer and guitar. Other adult classes include songwriting and accompaniment with Dan Navarro, blues guitar with Guy Davis, and clawhammer banjo and old-time fiddle with Bruce Molsky. Caffè Lena’s website has suggested experience levels for some courses.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CDl79mnpImi/

    “We believe in the power of music to get us through the hard times,” continued Nesbitt. “Zoom is not what we had in mind when we launched the School of Music, but it won’t be long before these students are on stage in front of a live audience. Our dream is that the next generation of folk musicians will be born out of this crisis.”

    Thanks to its increased online presence, the legendary folk venue is still going strong despite restricted operations. In addition to its burgeoning music school, the cafe has been offering a near-nightly “Stay Home Sessions” streaming series on YouTube. The full calendar of Caffè Lena events is available on their website.