We have entered the beginning weeks of October, and Halloween is coming very soon. In sight of this, Proctors and the Capital Repertory Theatre are presenting two haunted walking tours in Schenectady and Albany. theREP have partnered with the Original Albany Ghost Tour’s Maeve McEneny-Johnson for their outdoor “City Séance” ghost tour.
The walking ghost tour paints a mystifying lore of some important people in Albany’s history. Dates are scheduled for Oct. 14, 16, 21 and the 23 at 7 pm. There is an alternative date of October 28 at 7 pm, in case of any inclement weather.
Proctors will also close the month with a two-day interactive event. The event will take place on the October 23rd and October 24th. The event titled “F.F. Proctor & the Case of the Missing Deed,” leaves guests with the task of saving Proctors from rival greedy bank.
Per the site, “guests have the mission of saving Proctors from certain destruction by a greedy bank due to a missing deed that Mr. Proctor himself hid. Locked in the building, guests scour the dark corners and passageways of the historic venue in search of cyphers and clues left behind over 90 years ago. “
The tour is part escape room and part haunted tour and will allow guests to explore and experience areas of Proctors. Guests also have the chance to look for clues and solve puzzles on the interactive tour.
The event list the tours will run in 90-minute increments with scheduled tour times on October 23rd, at 6 and 8 pm, and October 24th, at 4, 6, and 8pm. Each tour will accommodate 10 people. Participants are also required to wear a mask due to CO-VID 19 regulations for both tours.
For more information regarding either event, visit the City Séance and the Proctors event sites for ticket prices, event information, and safety protocols. A great alternative for those who want to leave the house, but also desire a safe, fun, Halloween experience.
COVID got you down? Having some relationship troubles? Or maybe there’s a hankering for some good ol’ 2010 nostalgia? Take a listen to State Champs new album Unplugged and let it all out, in a true pop punk fashion. This collection was released to celebrate 10 years since the bands’ start in Albany. In their press release, they declare their change of pace as a “healthy growth spurt,” that will “set the table for the next ten years of their career.” They definitely have grown since their start a decade ago, but it’s arguable that they may have just aged out their genre, rather than growing into a new one.
This six-track album, with four original songs in their newfound acoustic sound, also features two covers of their highest rated songs, transposed into their new style. What’s fascinating is they’re able to keep that drive going in such a ‘low lit’ environment. This is their saving grace because, on its face, this album might not sound so appealing. How can you have a chill version of pop punk music about how your hometown sucks and you hate your ex-girlfriend? Well this is one way to do it. This feels highly multi-layered throughout. It’s not just a softer version of the songs you like, some are reimagined in creative ways.
“A Thousand Hearts” really sets the scene as to how laid back they’ve become. It has decent drive and motivation, but it’s not at all parallel to their original work, with one of the only similarities being Derek DiScanio’s voice and lyrical theme. That’s fine and all, being that the band wants to move in a new direction. It might be a bit of a shock to long time listeners, as will the smooth as butter saxophone solos. “The Recipe” falls into the similarly romantic space, but presents a better sense of direction and drive, as well as more relatable lyrics about how relationships don’t need to follow a ‘recipe.’
“10 am” has a very unique, self proclaimed EDM sound, mixed with well produced, natural sounds. It’s got a catchy hook to it, but again, not the most revolutionary word-smithing going on in this one. Musically though, this is very well executed. Fun fact: the song was birthed by Evan Ambrosio, who was messing around with an automated drum loop, and ran with the idea, creating a song with a synthetic drum loop that has a natural sound to them. Most of the song sounds completely acoustic and man-made, but fades out with the drum beat, which slowly morphs into a more computerized, 8-bit sound – a fun nod to the muse of the song.
“Crying Out Loud” is the best original on the album. The hook is super catchy, the energy created both lyrically and musically is moving and it should resonate well among Champ fans. This could easily be transposed into their original style perfectly, but again, that’s not their vision.
“Criminal” is the first acoustic version of an original song and it feels more natural compared to the first four tracks on the album. They’ve thrown in a very poppy, bluegrass feel to it, which takes some getting used to but it’s still a fun song if you’re a fan of the original.
“Dead and Gone” is the perfect song to cover. The lyrics are edgy enough to give it the drive it needs and the music follows to help propel it even further. It’s not too busy, or trying to be something other than what it is. The most extreme change is a twangy guitar that pops in and out of the song. The double time effect that we hear during the verses, (that feeling of the music getting faster) comes through perfectly in this too – a cornerstone of pop punk music.
Pop punk is a culmination of a lot of music, so the logic should be sound – why not just add another genre in there, and we should sound different. But pop punk is already so many things: Emotional, energetic, silly, dramatic, loud. There aren’t many genres that can say they have all of those things and still be palatable to the masses. It’s also quite the challenge to change a group’s entire attitude, let alone pulling from another genre of music. This is a definitely a sensible direction to go for State Champs, as the pop punk area of music may start to trail off soon, if it already hasn’t. But if State Champs find that golden ratio, as they did in their “Dead and Gone” cover and “Crying Out Loud,” then they themselves will be golden and “set the table for the next ten years of their career.”
LarkFest is a well known Albany tradition loved by it’s community for bringing guests from all over, vendors, artists, and musicians to the Lark Street Corridor in Albany. Unfortunately, this year the festivities have been cancelled due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. The festival was scheduled to happen on September 19, 2020 from 10:30AM -5:30PM.
Lark fest is put on by the Lark Street Business Improvement District. It is a celebration of everything unique and exciting about Lark Street and the creative culture of the greater Capital Region of New York. LarkFest was cancelled this year due to the inability to keep attendees safe which is the festival’s highest priority. On top of the inability to keep people socially distancing and safe, the restrictions on mass gatherings make it impossible to make LarkFest happen this year.
The team behind LarkFest encourages people to continue to safely support the artists, musicians, businesses, and vendors that make this event so special each year despite it being cancelled this year. LarkFest plans to be back and booming in 2021. Until then, there are a few local arts & cultural organizations that are so critical to the foundation of what makes their community unique and beautiful the team behind LarkFest want to point people in the direction to support. These organizations include African American Cultural Center, Albany Center Gallery, Albany Symphony Orchestra, Creative Impact Capital Region Artist Fund, Irish American Heritage Museum, Palace Theatre.
For more information on LarkFest visit their website.
Wurliday in front of The Palace Theatre. Photo by Frank Cavone.
The Live Stream Sessions will host artists performing in unique spaces within the The Palace Theater. The series kicks off on Wednesday, July 15 with a live performance by Wurliday. Wurliday are a soul-funk R&B fusion band from Albany, NY.
“We are thrilled to be able to welcome live music back to the hallowed halls of the Palace Theatre,” noted Billy Piskutz, Executive Director of the Palace Performing Arts Center. “This historic building exists to entertain and create memories and after a nearly four-month absence due to COVID-19, it is a thrill to know that it will again. We hope that our patrons will enjoy these performances as much as we do!”
The concerts series will start on July 15, and then take place on August 19, September 16, and October 21. Performances will stream live on the Palace Theatre and Mirth Films YouTube Page. The shows will begin at 7PM on each day. So far Wurliday is the only artist announced for the series.
“Summer in Albany is synonymous with music and entertainment and it is wonderful to have the Palace Theater hosting local musicians albeit in a different way this year,” said Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan.“I applaud the ingenuity of the Palace Theater, the Office of Cultural Affairs, and Mirth Films in bringing entertainment to people during COVID-19. I continue to be impressed with how our community has risen to the challenge of keeping the arts alive during this time and look forward to tuning in to the Palace Sessions.”
Donations can be made to benefit the Palace Performing Arts Center during the live stream. The Palace Performing Arts Center, Inc is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that owns and operates the historic Palace Theatre. Donations can be made here or directly through the Palace Theatre’s Text To Give program, by texting Palace2020 to 44321.
For more information on The Palace Sessions visit The Palace Theatre’s website.
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.
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
Window Sessions, the first official performance series presented and hosted by Lark Hall, will continue on Friday, June 19 with a performance by Victory Soul Orchestra, in commemoration of Juneteenth.
The ongoing series will also serve as a fundraiser with funds collected to be donated to local organizations such as Voix Noire, Urban Grief, African American Cultural Center, All of Us, and Citizen Action of New York, all of whom continue the upward mobility of communities of color in the Capital Region.
“As every venue and theater has had to identify ways to recalibrate, as a new venue, we decided that this would be a great way to introduce our space to musicians and artists,” said Justin Miller, co-owner.
“Through Window Sessions, we’re able to support not just a great cause in that of Feed Albany, but to add some much needed vibrancy back to Lark Street,” noted Jennifer Miller, co-owner.
The innovative performance series will simulcast performances to YouTube and Lark Hall’s social media channels, in addition to amplified through the venue’s historical windows. In compliance with state guidance regarding entertainment, only the musicians and essential personnel will be allowed. On-street listeners at the corner of Hudson Avenue and Lark Street may listen, so long as they are social distancing and not impeding upon sidewalk right-of-way.
The fourth installment of Window Sessions features Victory Soul Orchestra and Jordan Taylor Hill & Friends, in a performance centered around uplifting black voices and bringing awareness to social justice causes.
The performance takes place on the historic date that commemorates the emancipation of slavery. Victory Soul Orchestra as well as Hill & Friends perform in efforts to heighten awareness of social injustice and to recognize the groups in our community that highlight the voices and needs of black people.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNc8qJ-HnPY
Viewers and listeners can visit Lark Hall on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for the Window Sessions feed starting at 5PM on Friday, June 19. Additional performances will be announced on social media. Stay tuned to NYS Music for weekly updates.
Located in the heart of Albany’s Lark Street neighborhood, Lark Hall is a multi-use performing arts and community-oriented venue. Owned and operated by Justin and Jennifer Miller, Lark Hall provides an unparalleled live music and performance experience for both fans and artists alike.
The venue, previously a dance studio for the last 80 years, recently underwent renovations and was slated to open its doors in Summer 2020 before mass gathering events including live music were cancelled. Lark Hall will fill a void when it does officially open, providing Lark Street, Albany’s ‘Village in the City,’ with a large music venue able to hold 400 plus attendees.
The 72nd annual 2020 City of Albany Tulip Festival is moving to the virtual field as many festivals and performances are due to the COVID-19 outbreak sweeping across the world. The festival will be presented by Citizens Bank and kicks off on Saturday, May 9th at 12p.m.
The virtual 2020 City of Albany Tulip Festival will feature musical performances from local artists like Sawyer Fredericks, The Age, Hartley’s Encore, Caity Gallagher and many others. There will also be City of Albany Gardeners who will be taking the viewer on a tour of the Tulip beds with their expert knowledge. Local businesses will also be joining the celebration with take-out specials. There is even something for kids during the festival with a performance from Melvin the Magnificent.
The festival will premiere on the Albany Events YouTube Page at noon on Saturday, May 9th. It’s also available to be found on Albany Events social media channels under @AlbanyNYevents! The festival can also be viewed on Open Stage Media’s Art’s channels: Channel 1302 on Spectrum Cable and Channel 37 on Verizon Fios.
People are encouraged to watch live and celebrate the Albany community in the live chat accompanying the streaming. Media sponsors for the event are WEXT Radio and Albany.com.
For more information on the 2020 City of Albany Tulip Festival please visit Albany Event’s website.
