The sound of New Orleans will make its way across New York State in Spring 2022 as The Soul Rebels embark on “Epic Vibes Tour” with stops in Buffalo, Waterloo, Albany, Brooklyn and Westhampton Beach.
The Soul Rebels recently announced they will be taking part in fellow New Orleanian Trombone Shorty on his Summer 2022 Threauxdown Tour. Their Epic Vibes Tour runs from December 2021 through April 2023, with shows on the West Coast, the Northeast, a monthly residency in Memphis and a healthy amount of shows in New Orleans.
The brass band continue to ride high off the release of their latest album Poetry In Motion. The eight-member collective appeared on Def Jam artist Dave East and Nas’ “Godfather 4” single, Big Freedia and Icona Pop’s “Pipe That”, and reached fans with original singles “Greatness” which was featured as ESPN’s official College Hoops theme anthem, and “Good Time” featured on Netflix’s #BlackAF and Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!
The Soul Rebels have impressed viewers with two recent appearances on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, featured on NPR’s Tiny Desk series with Wu Tang Clan frontman GZA, headlined the global TED Conference, and appeared on the official soundtrack for Universal Pictures’ hit comedy Girls Trip.
Soul Rebels Epic Vibes 2022 Tour
12/17 Memphis, TN RAILGARTEN 12/22 New Orleans HOUSE OF BLUES 12/31 New Orleans MAISON 1/14 Memphis, TN RAILGARTEN 1/15 Baton Rouge, LA CHELSEA’S 1/22 New Orleans BLUE NILE 2/11 New Orleans DBA 2/16 San Diego, CA MUSIC BOX 2/17 Los Angeles, CA TERAGRAM BALLROOM 2/18 San Francisco, CA THE INDEPENDENT 2/19 Oakland, CA THE NEW PARISH 2/20 Felton, CA FELTON MUSIC HALL 2/23 Seattle, WA NECTAR LOUNGE 2/24 Olympia, WA CAPITOL THEATER 2/25 Portland, OR PDX JAZZ FESTIVAL 2/26 Bellingham, WA WILD BUFFALO 2/27 Victoria, BC UPSTAIRS CABARET 3/24 Waterloo, NY THE VINE @ DELLAGO CASINO RESORT 3/25 Philadelphia, PA BROOKLYN BOWL 3/26 Washington, DC 930 CLUB 3/27 Pittsburg, PA THUNDERBIRD CAFE 3/29 Buffalo, NY BUFFALO IRON WORKS 3/30 Albany, NY LARK HALL 3/31 Boston, MA BIG NIGHT LIVE *w/ GZA & Talib Kweli 4/1 NYC BROOKLYN BOWL 4/2 NYC BROOKLYN BOWL 4/3 Millersville, PA PHANTOM POWER 4/6 Bridgeport, CT PARK CITY MUSIC HALL 4/7 Fall River, MA NARROWS CENTER FOR THE ARTS 4/8 Greenfield, MA HAWKS AND REED 4/9 Westhampton Beach, NY WESTHAMPTON BEACH PAC 4/10 Ventura, CA SKULL & BONES 4/23 New Orleans DBA
Saturday, December 18, was the return of Frozen Fest in Albany, New York, at Empire Live. The show was headlined by Albany’s own State Champs, with Origami Angel, Young Culture, and Pollyanna. Pollyanna, and Albany-based Young Culture opened up Frozen Fest 2021 and primed the crowd for Origami Angel. The Washington D.C. duo took the stage and rocked harder than any duo should be able to. By the end of their set, the Frozen Fest audience was feeling loose and ready to party with State Champs.
State Champs
State Champs walked on stage before a rowdy crowd that had no idea there was a 24-song set in store for them. The long setlist bounced around State Champs’ discography and the audience loved every minute of it. The hometown band opened with ‘Criminal’ and crowd surfers immediately began pouring over the guardrail. The show’s energy slowly increased over the course of the next hour, until fans received good news.
Origami Angel
After what felt like an entire show, Derek announced to the crowd that their set was only halfway over. A few hundred sweaty and out-of-breath fans gained a second wind and the night’s energy continued on its upward trajectory. Not too long after this midpoint though, the show hit a tipping point. Fans who were too scared to crowd surf earlier had gained the confidence to try, and one person after another began giving the “up” signal to the nearest strongman they could find.
The evolution of a crowd surfer.
Eventually though, the good times would have to end. As State Champs played their final songs, the party in the crowd continued with pushing and shoving blurring with hugging and singing. The only thing that could take the night higher was a 5-minute break before a three song encore. State Champs’ set peaked during this encore as the Albany fans sent up as many crowd surfers as was physically possible. Frozen Fest 2021 would go on to end in a shower of hundreds of balloons as the crowd sang along with their hometown band.
State Champs are heading to Europe next, but you can keep track of future dates on their website.
Setlist: Criminal, Mine Is Gold, Outta My Head, Shape Up, Frozen, Xmas, Tonsil Hockey (Intro), Critical, Something About You, Shades Of Gray, Hurry Up and Wait, Our Time to Go, Breaking Ground, Hard to Please, Just Sound, Simple Existence, Slow Burn, Losing Myself, All You Are is History, Dead and Gone Encore: Time Machine, Elevated, Secrets
Albany’s Empire Live was sold out on Friday, December 17 for The Front Bottoms, Opening act Sydney Sprague was accompanied by her Jazzmaster, and started the show with a solo set that highlighted her singer/songwriter style. Sprague sang a few songs from her new album maybe i will see you at the end of the world, including ‘object permanence,’ ‘quitter,’ and ‘steve.’ Check out Sydney’s site for her future tour dates.
The Front Bottoms came out to a crowd ready to sing the words to every song of the set. Their set featured a range of songs across their discography, and had fans, both new and old, shouting at the tops of their lungs. The Front Bottoms started their set with tracks off of their newest album, ‘In Sickness & In Flames’ and their EP ‘Rose’ before playing through their debut self-titled album in its entirety. The crowd’s energy continued to build throughout the night, and only accelerated as the end approached.
The Front Bottoms left the stage and the crowd began cheering for an encore just a second later. The band got back on stage a minute later to find a crowd that had been pent up a minute too long, and the show erupted to the tune of Tie Dye Dragon and Twin Size Mattress. A wave of energy left the stage and everyone from the guardrail to the bar was moving, shouting, and contributing to the chaos. Fan after fan took their turns crowd surfing as the final minutes of set stretched out and The Front Bottoms played themselves out.
The Front Bottoms are finishing the last leg of their tour, but you can keep up to date with any future show on their site, and can hear their music on YouTube.
Setlist: Leaf Pile, Vacation Town, West Virginia, Montgomery Forever, Love at First Sight, Awkward Conversations, Jim Bogart, Peach, Cough it Out, Flashlight, Maps, Looking Like You Just Woke Up, Mountain, Rhode Island, The Beers, Father, Swimming Pool, The Boredom Is The Reason I Started Swimming. It’s Also The Reason I Started Sinking, Bathtub, Legit Tattoo Gun, Hooped Earrings Encore: Tie Dye Dragon, Twin Size Mattress
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 new music from Zan and Dave Strumfeld,In the Valley and many 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.
Zan and Dave Strumfeld
Siblings Zan and Dave Strumfeld have joined forced to give us “Christmas in Wyoming,” off their holiday EP, Winter Songs. Zan Strumfeld is also the frontwoman of Zan and the Winter Folk. Their last release, “If I Had Known (Murder Ballad),” is based on a true story from 1850s Troy.
In the Valley
A folk-pop duo from Clifton Park, In the Valley is best known for playing wedding gigs. They released their most recent single, “Christmas Sweater,” on December 17th. The song features a groovy saxophone and a cozy jazz piano, more than living up to its name.
The Bitter Stars
Consisting of Clarke Hingeford and Kyle Pemrick, The Bitter Stars have returned with a new single. An eclectic mix of new wave music and modern trance, “Dance Me to Death” clocks in at six minutes long.
Psychomanteum
Made up of singer Matt Smith, drummer Pete Von Stettina, and guitarist and bassist Brian Slattery, Psychomanteum is a sci-fi metal band based in Albany. Their newest single, “Strange Voltage” debuted on December 10. In the field of parapsychology, a psychomanteum is a chamber in which one can communicate with spirits.
Don McLean is set to embark on his 2022 50th Anniversary Tour celebrating “American Pie,” with 20 additional cities throughout the United States and Canada. A Grammy award honoree, Songwriters Hall of Fame member, and BBC Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, McLean will entertain fans across America throughout nearly 30 cities from Honolulu to Toronto and everything in between, including stops in Albany at The Egg, and Town Hall in Manhattan.
As tragic as the backstory behind the song “American Pie” is with the much too early death of the new rock’n’roll-hope Buddy Holly, the track is also magnificent and legendary. “American Pie” still goes to heart as soon as originator Don McLean plays this classic at his concerts. But the 76-year-old McLean has numerous other hits, including “Vincent (Starry Starry Night),” “Castles in the Air,” “And I Love You So,” and “Cryin’,” all of which will be heard and reveled in along with newer pieces on the upcoming tour.
After spending the past 18 months at home, I am thrilled to be getting back on the road with my band. 2022 marks the 50th anniversary from when American Pie landed at the #1 spot on the Billboard chart and we will be celebrating on tour all year long. We will be performing all the songs from the American Pie album plus many of the other hits that fans will be expecting to hear.
Don McLean
The eight-and-a-half-minute ballad “American Pie” has been making history since its release in 1971, leading to the song being voted “Song of the 20th Century,” alongside songs by Bing Crosby, Judy Garland, Woody Guthrie, and Aretha Franklin. The handwritten lyrics to the song were auctioned off for more than $1.2 million in 2015, and the composition was added to the Library Of Congress National Recording Registry two years later.
Over the years, the song has been covered again and again by music icons like Madonna and Garth Brooks. Rapper Drake repeatedly sampled McLean tunes and hip-hop icon Tupac Shakur also cited him as an important influence.
In 2018, Don McLean released his 19th studio album, Botanical Gardens, which received rave reviews. Songs from it subsequently proved themselves in a live setting may find their way into the setlist next year, alongside “American Pie” and many others. Tickets for the upcoming tour are available now.
Don McLean 2022 North American Dates
Jan. 28-30 – Honolulu, HI @ Blue Note Hawaii Feb. 3 – Clear Lake, IA @ Surf Ballroom Feb. 5 – Grand Forks, ND @ Chester Fritz Auditorium Feb. 11 – The Villages, FL @ Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center Feb. 12 – Ponte Vedra Beach, FL @ Ponte Vedra Concert Hall Feb. 14-18 – Port Canaveral, FL @ Rock Legends Cruise Feb. 19 – Clearwater, FL @ Bilheimer Capitol Theatre Feb. 24 – Tucson, AZ @ Fox Tucson Theatre April 29 – Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theater May 1 – Indianapolis, IN @ Clowes Memorial Hall May 7 – Toronto, Canada @ John W H Bassett Theatre May 12 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium May 13 – Atlanta, GA @ Atlanta Symphony Hall May 19 – St. Louis, MO @ Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center May 20 – Springfield, MO @ Gillioz Theatre June 2 – Albany, NY @ The Egg June 3 – Boston, MA @ Shubert Theatre June 4 – New York, NY @ Town Hall June 11 – Baltimore, MD @ the Lyric June 12 – Tysons, VA @ Capital One Hall June 17 – Grand Rapids, MI @ DeVos Performance Hall June 18 – Milwaukee, WI @ The Pabst Theater June 24 – San Antonio, TX @ Tobin Center for the Performing Arts June 25 – Houston, TX @ Cullen Performance Hall June 26 – Austin, TX @ Paramount Theatre July 7 – Denver, CO @ Paramount Theatre July 8 – Grand Junction, CO @ the Avalon Theatre July 9 – Phoenix, AZ @ Orpheum Theatre
Don McLean 2022 European Dates:
Sept. 11 – Cardiff, U.K. @ St. Davids Sept. 13 – Ipswich, U.K. @ Ipswich Regent Theatre Sept. 14 – Birmingham, U.K. @ Symphony Hall Sept. 16 – Bath, U.K. @ The Forum Sept. 17 – Torquay, U.K. @ Princess Theatre Sept. 18 – Bournemouth, U.K. @ Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre Sept. 20 – Brighton, U.K. @ Brighton Dome Concert Hall Sept. 21 – Southend-on-sea, U.K. @ Cliffs Pavilion Sept. 23 – Manchester, U.K. @ Bridgewater Hall Sept. 24 – Gateshead, U.K. @ Sage Gateshead Sept. 25 – Glasgow, U.K. @ The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall Sept. 27 – Edinburgh, U.K. @ Usher Hall Sept. 28 – York, U.K. @ York Barbican Sept. 30 – Leicester, U.K. @ De Montfort Hall Oct. 1 – Sheffield, U.K. @ City Hall Oct. 2 – Liverpool, U.K. @ Liverpool Philharmonic Hall Oct. 4 – London, U.K. @ London Palladium Oct. 7 – Dublin, Ireland @ 3Arena Oct. 9 – Nijmegen, Netherlands @ Concertgebouw de Vereeniging Oct. 10 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Koninklijk Theater Carré Oct. 14 – Bergen, Norway @ Peer Gynt Salen Oct. 15 – Stavanger, Norway @ Stavanger Kuppelhallen Oct. 16 – Oslo, Norway @ Sentrum Scene Oct. 18 – Göteborg, Sweden @ Lorensbergsteatern Oct. 20 – Turku, Finland @ Logomo Oct. 21 – Helsinki, Finland @ Kulttuuritalo Oct. 23 – Stockholm, Sweden @ Göta Lejon Oct. 24 – Malmö, Sweden @ Palladium Oct. 25 – Greve, Denmark @ Portalen Oct. 27 – Hamburg, Germany @ Fabrik Oct. 28 – Neuruppin, Germany @ Kulturkirche Oct. 29 – Berlin, Germany @ Admiralspalast Nov. 1 – Antwerp, Belgium @ De Singel Nov. 11 – Munich, Germany @ Prinzregententheater Nov.13 – Linz, Austria @ Posthof
Puddles Pity Party performed this past Sunday, December 12 for a few hundred engaged fans at The Egg in Albany. You may be familiar with Puddles from his over 800,000 subscriber Youtube Channel, his appearance on America’s Got Talent, or his performances with Post Modern Jukebox. For the uninitiated, Puddles appears as a large and somber clown and sings reimagined covers with his bellowing voice of gold.
Puddles may be a sad clown, but his performance was filled with humor, irony, and a positive outlook on life. The singing clown put his own spin on a number of hits including Billie Eilish’s “When the Party’s Over,” Lorde’s “Royals” and REM’s “Everybody Hurts.” These covers were often accompanied by videos and act outs that gave new meaning to the lyrics. Musician and comedian, Dave Hill, also joined Puddles on stage throughout the night after opening the show.
Puddles and Co. were full of energy and made themselves at home in The Egg. The stage slowly became littered with tissues, glitter, picture frames, and clothes as the show progressed. Puddles Pity Party found themselves running from the mess and into the crowd throughout the night as they sang and soloed with the audience. At one point, Puddles moved from fan to fan while he took their phones, and recorded himself singing before handing the phones off to anyone but their rightful owners. The crowd jumped to their feet at the end of the show to applaud what was a fun and original night of covers.
You can see Puddles Pity Party live at his final New York State show on Dec. 16 at the Tarrytown Music Hall,and you can view all of Puddles’ tour dates on his website.
The Egg was packed this past Wednesday, December 1st, for two legendary groups: The Midnight Ramble Band and Hot Tuna. Fans of both groups were present and full of energy from the moment The Ramble Band took the stage. Throughout the night, these concert-goers cheered on what proved to be a clinic in musicianship.
(Pictured left to right: Larry Campbell, Teresa Williams, Amy Helm, and Jim Weider)
There’s a reason most bands have three to five members: because it’s really freakin’ hard to play in large groups. The Ramble Band’s ten members, however, made it look easy. This ensemble had no defined leader, and the crowd’s attention was masterfully directed all over the stage. It seemed as though each and every song featured a different band member taking over lead vocals, while different groups of instruments took the spotlight during breakdowns.
Larry and Jim led the way on guitar while Adam and Tony kept the groove going on bass and drums. Their parts were punctuated by the horn section, who left plenty of room for Amy and Teresa to steal the show with their powerful vocal performances. The crowd appreciated The Ramble Band’s high energy set that showcased each member’s raw talent.
(Pictured left to right: Brian Mitchell, Larry Campbell, Teresa WIlliams, Steven Bernstein, Erik Lawrence, Jay Collins, Amy Helm, Adam Minkoff, Jim Weider, and Tony Leone)
The Midnight Ramble Band and its members can be seen performing at Levon Helm Studios – Woodstock, NY, and across the country. Check out their future shows here.
(Jack Casady: bass, Justin Guip: drums, Jorma Kaukonen: guitar/vocals)
After The Midnight Ramble Band, Hot Tuna took the stage, and the blues rock trio picked up right where the big band left off. Jorma and Jack have been playing together since they were teenagers, and both went on to join Jefferson Airplane in 1965. This close connection was evident from the start of the set as the duo locked into their groove.
The crowd peppered the show with shouts of “WOO!” and “HOT TUNA!” throughout the night as Jorma and Jack showed The Egg just how sharp they are. The duo played through their set with strong intention; Jack’s grooves were full of space, and Jorma’s licks followed suit. Their music seemed to breathe while notes were held, ringing out, allowing their tones to fully develop. By the end of the night there was no question about the fact that Hot Tuna and The Egg are a perfect match.
Hot Tuna are closing out the Northeast leg of their tour on Dec. 4 at The Capitol Theatre, then Dec. 5 at Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, NJ, then finally on Dec. 7 at Carnegie of Homestead Music – Munhall, PA. For all dates, visit their website.
Almost four years after his first foray into unfamiliar concert territory with his highly-acclaimed Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Tour, “Weird Al” Yankovic will return to the road for an extensive cross-country tour, kicking off with two dates in New York.
Weird Al Yankovic in New York, May 17, 2016. Accustomed to a career mix of recognition and indifference, the musical comedian says he’s eager to give IFC’s “Comedy Bang! Bang!”, his first steady television gig in nearly 20 years, a whirl. (Todd Heisler/The New York Times)
Starting April 23 at Bardavon in Poughkeepsie, and heading through Albany the next night at The Egg, “Weird Al” will perform 131 shows over the next six months, with the final show in New York City at Carnegie Hall on October 29.
The tour marks Weird Al’s long-anticipated return to the concert stage after his hugely successful Strings Attached Tour in 2019 where he performed each night alongside a full symphony orchestra at world-renowned venues such as New York’s Forest Hills Stadium, Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre and Washington D.C.’s Wolf Trap.
Once again drawing from his back catalogue of 14 studio albums, Weird Al promises to deliver a different setlist every night, with no two shows the same. As before, rather than focusing on the hits from his career, the show will feature Yankovic’s non-parody material – the somewhat more obscure pastiches and original songs that have largely escaped the pop culture radar but are adored by his long-time fans.
Like the last Vanity Tour, “Weird Al” will be playing smaller, more intimate venues, leaving behind the high-octane theatrics that he’s known for and going bare-bones – no costumes, no props, no video screens… just Al and his band of almost four decades hanging out on stage, playing music.
Reflecting on his decision to bring back the stripped-down concerts, Al said:
I’ve loved doing every single incarnation of my live show, but honestly the Vanity tour is the most fun I’ve ever had on stage… so I’ve been dying to get back out there and torture everybody with it once again!
“Weird Al” on the return of the Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Tour
Opening the show each night will be returning fan favorite and Al’s long-time friend (and UHF cast member), the legendary comedian Emo Philips.
“Weird Al” Yankovic first found fame via the Dr. Demento radio show in the late 1970s, before launching a career that would lead to 14 albums, creative and hilarious music videos, and built a following of fans across the globe.
Tickets are on sale Friday, December 10 at 10am local time for all shows. Check Weird Al’s website for more details. Tickets for the “Weird Al” VIP Meet & Greet Experience are available only thru www.ticketmaster.com
Weird Al Yankovic 2022 North American Tour
04/26 – Poughkeepsie, NY @ Bardavon Opera House 04/27 – Albany, NY@ The Egg Center for the Performing Arts 04/29 – New Bedford, MA @ Zeiterion Performing Arts Center 04/30 – Orono, ME @ Collins Center for the Performing Arts 05/01 – Hampton Beach, NH @ Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom 05/03 – Portland, ME @ Merrill Auditorium 05/04 – New London, CT @ Garde Arts Center 05/06 – Medford, MA @ Chevalier Theatre 05/07 – Medford, MA @ Chevalier Theatre 05/08 – Burlington, VT @ The Flynn 05/10 – Ridgefield, CT @ The Ridgefield Playhouse 05/11 – Rochester, NY @ Kodak Center 05/14 – Wilkes-Barre, PA @ The F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts 05/15 – Erie, PA @ Warner Theatre 05/17 – Canton, OH @ Canton Palace Theatre 05/18 – Saginaw, MI @ The Temple Theatre 05/20 – Detroit, MI @ Fisher Theatre 05/21 – Nashville, IN @ Brown County Music Center 05/22 – Springfield, IL @ Sangamon Auditorium 05/24 – Milwaukee, WI @ Marcus Performing Arts Center 05/25 – Evansville, IN @ Victory Theatre 05/27 – Pelham, TN @ The Caverns 05/28 – Pelham, TN @ The Caverns 05/29 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium 05/31 – Little Rock, AR @ Robinson Performance Hall 06/01 – Tulsa, OK @ Tulsa Theater 06/03 – Denver, CO @ Ellie Caulkins Opera House 06/04 – Denver, CO @ Ellie Caulkins Opera House 06/05 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Capitol Theatre 06/06 – Boise, ID @ Morrison Center for the Performing Arts 06/08 – Las Vegas, NV @ The Venetian Theatre 06/10 – Las Vegas, NV @ The Venetian Theatre 06/11 – Las Vegas, NV @ The Venetian Theatre 06/12 – Reno, NV @ Silver Legacy Resort & Casino – Reno Ballroom 06/15 – San Francisco, CA @ Golden Gate Theatre 06/16 – San Francisco, CA @ Golden Gate Theatre 06/17 – Los Angeles, CA @ TBA 06/18 – Los Angeles, CA @ TBA 06/20 – Santa Barbara, CA @ Granada Theatre 06/21 – Bakersfield, CA @ Fox Theatre 06/24 – Spokane, WA @ Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox 06/25 – Bend, OR @ Hayden Homes Amphitheater 06/26 – Portland, OR @ Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall 06/28 – Seattle, WA @ Moore Theatre 06/29 – Seattle, WA @ Moore Theatre 06/30 – Eugene, OR @ Hult Center for the Performing Arts – Silva Concert Hall 07/02 – Vancouver, BC @ The Centre 07/04 – Edmonton, AB @ Winspear Centre 07/05 – Calgary, AB @ Jack Singer Concert Hall 07/06 – Calgary, AB @ Jack Singer Concert Hall 07/08 – Regina, SK @ Conexus Arts Centre 07/09 – Saskatoon, SK @ TCU Place 07/10 – Winnipeg, MB @ Burton Cummings Theatre for the Performing Arts 07/11 – Duluth, MN @ Symphony Hall 07/14 – Madison, WI @ Overture Center for the Arts – Overture Hall 07/15 – Chicago, IL @ Symphony Center – Orchestra Hall 07/16 – Chicago, IL @ Symphony Center – Orchestra Hall 07/19 – Cedar Rapids, IA @ Paramount Theatre 07/20 – Columbia, MO @ Missouri Theatre 07/22 – Lincoln, NE @ Lied Center 07/23 – Mankato, MN @ Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center 07/24 – Minneapolis, MN @ State Theatre 07/26 – Elkhart, IN @ The Lerner Theatre 07/29 – Lewiston, NY @ Artpark Mainstage Theater 07/30 – Ottawa, ON @ National Arts Centre – Southam Hall 08/01 – Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall 08/02 – Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall 08/03 – Williamsport, PA @ Community Arts Center – Martin Theatre 08/05 – Northampton, MA @ Calvin Theatre 08/06 – Lancaster, PA @ American Music Theatre 08/07 – Lancaster, PA @ American Music Theatre 08/09 – Newport News, VA @ Ferguson Center for the Arts 08/10 – Richmond, VA @ Dominion Energy Center – Carpenter Theatre 08/12 – Wilmington, NC @ Wilson Center 08/13 – Charlotte, NC @ Blumenthal Performing Arts Center – Belk 08/14 – Charleston, SC @ Charleston Gaillard Center 08/17 – Knoxville, TN @ Tennessee Theatre 08/18 – Greenville, SC @ Peace Center 08/19 – Huntsville, AL @ Von Braun Center – Mark C. Smith Concert Hall 08/20 – Birmingham, AL @ Alabama Theatre 08/22 – Ashland, KY @ Paramount Arts Center 08/23 – Dayton, OH @ Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center 08/25 – Grand Rapids, MI @ GLC Live at 20 Monroe 08/26 – Benton Harbor, MI @ The Mendel Center at Lake Michigan College 08/28 – Chesterfield, MO @ Chesterfield Amphitheater 08/30 – Springfield, MO @ Gillioz Theatre 08/31 – Topeka, KS @ Topeka Performing Arts Center 09/01 – Wichita, KS @ The Cotillion 09/02 – Kansas City, MO @ Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts 09/04 – Midwest City, OK @ Hudiburg Chevrolet Center at Rose State College 09/06 – Colorado Springs, CO @ Pikes Peak Center 09/07 – Grand Junction, CO @ Avalon Theatre 09/09 – Greeley, CO @ Union Colony Civic Center 09/10 – Santa Fe, NM @ The Santa Fe Opera – The Crosby Theatre 09/11 – Chandler, AZ @ Chandler Center for the Arts 09/13 – Riverside, CA @ Fox Performing Arts Center 09/15 – Paso Robles, CA @ Vina Robles Amphitheatre 09/16 – Temecula, CA @ Pechanga Theater 09/18 – Thousand Oaks, CA @ Bank of America Performing Arts Center 09/21 – Saratoga, CA @ The Mountain Winery 09/24 – Davis, CA @ Robert & Margaret Mondavi Center for Performing Arts 09/25 – San Diego, CA @ Balboa Theatre 09/26 – San Diego, CA @ Balboa Theatre 09/27 – Tucson, AZ @ Fox Tucson Theatre 09/29 – Lubbock, TX @ Helen Devitt Jones Theater 09/30 – Dallas, TX @ Majestic Theatre 10/01 – Houston, TX @ Cullen Performance Hall 10/02 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits Live at the Moody Theater 10/04 – San Antonio, TX @ Majestic Theatre 10/06 – Memphis, TN @ Graceland Soundstage 10/07 – Shreveport, LA @ The Strand Theatre 10/08 – Lafayette, LA @ Heymann Performing Arts Center 10/09 – Pensacola, FL @ Saenger Theatre 10/11 – Melbourne, FL @ King Center for the Performing Arts 10/12 – Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Parker Playhouse 10/13 – Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Parker Playhouse 10/15 – Clearwater, FL @ Ruth Eckerd Hall 10/16 – Orlando, FL @ Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts – Walt Disney Theatre 10/17 – Orange Park, FL @ Thrasher-Horne Center 10/19 – Washington, DC @ The Kennedy Center – Concert Hall 10/21 – Atlanta, GA @ Symphony Hall 10/22 – Atlanta, GA @ Symphony Hall 10/23 – Raleigh, NC @ Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts 10/25 – Roanoke, CA @ Berglund Performing Arts Center 10/26 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Carnegie Music Hall – Rose and Gilt Theatre 10/28 – Philadelphia, PA @ Kimmel Cultural Campus 10/29 – New York, NY @ Carnegie Hall – Stern Auditorium
Authentic Americana spirit was alive and well in Albany on Wednesday evening at The Egg, as critically acclaimed singer/songwriter M.C Taylor and his band, Hiss Golden Messenger, unhatched an inspired, genre defying, career spanning stellar performance that fans fortunate to be in attendance won’t soon forget.
Bolstered by a surprise sit-in from Amy Helm (Levon’s daughter) on a barn-burning cover of the Grateful Dead classic “Bertha,” the intimate evening with arguably one of ‘this generation’s most relatable lyricists” was the kind of thing that left you feeling human again. A special kind of show you walked away from thinking perhaps you just had a rare brush with true musical greatness.
If you’ve never heard of Hiss Golden Messenger before, there’s plenty of back catalog to sink your teeth into. Now with 12 studio albums to their credit, it would be inappropriate to merely label HGM as “Indie Folk,” as they so often are. There’s just so much more to it than what that implies. Anchored by smart, deeply personal and vulnerable, thought-provoking lyrics mixed with elements of Southern Rock, Blues, and even some psychedelic Jazz- fueled Funk, M.C Taylor was largely influenced by his friend and mentor, the late great Neal Casal. The two had planned on doing an album together before the tragic news of Neal’s passing in 2019. That same year, Hiss Golden Messenger would earn scores of new fans when Terms of Surrender earned a Grammy nomination for Best Americana Album, but ultimately losing out to Keb’ Mo’s Oklahoma; no shame in that.
Riding a solid wave of momentum, things suddenly came to a screeching halt in 2020. When the scary and deeply fraught reality of the pandemic hit, everything changed and everyone handled ‘the unknown’ a little different. Forced into solitude for the foreseeable future, the ever-prolific and creative Taylor managed to make the most of it. By Looking deep within and somehow turning complex feelings into songs that are highly relatable to “the everyman,” Hiss Golden Messenger ended up writing and recording a wealth of new material, releasing 3 news albums in 2021 alone; Quietly Blowing It, the timely O Come All Ye Faithful and it’s companion album, The Sounding Joy, of which Taylor describes as “a record about community, celebration, faith and grief. It’s a holiday record. And it isn’t. Sinking myself into this music helped me a lot during some hard times.”
With live concerts now back in full effect, Hiss Golden Messenger is finally able to take those songs on the road and play for real people again and for fans looking for a musical elixir to help get over the Humpday blues, The Egg was the perfect place to be Wednesday night. Taking part in the American Roots & Branches series, the evening kicked off with a lovely opening performance by Philadelphia-based female duo Rosali and Emily Robb, before the members of Hiss Golden Messenger would casually take the Swyer stage around 8:30pm. All tuned up and ready to go, the show began with “Rock Holy,” the opening track from 2018’s Virgo Fool. then promptly turned a bit funkier with “Mighty Dollar.” All warmed up now, “My Wing” and “Mahogany Dread” came next before a slight guitar strap snafu resulted in a bit of humorous story time banter.
You see years ago, back with M.C. Taylor was just breaking in, he briefly played in a group called American Music Club, who still has a bit of a cult fowling. During his very first show with them, in an alleged fit of drunken on stage rage, front man Mark Eitzel fired the entire band in the middle of the show. Taylor, who chuckles about it now, remarked, “Seeing your hero have meltdown. I kinda miss those days” before the band launched into the next song, the upbeat “Jenny of the Roses” from 2017’s Hallelujah Anyhow album.
After the next tune “Biloxi,” Taylor addressed the audience once again, saying “He woke up today and was thinking about Levon Helm,” the legendary drummer/vocalist for The Band. “So I decided to call up my good friend Amy who I know lives nearby and see if she wanted to come to the show. She says ‘Where at?’ A place called The Egg. She says, no way, I’m playing at the Egg too!” Indeed she was, as Amy’s Midnight Ramble Band was opening for Hot Tuna across the hall simultaneously at the The Egg’s larger Hart Theatre. By sheer coincidence or not, the undisputed highlight of the evening came next when Amy was called up to the stage to lend her vocal talents to a pair of songs, first was “Sanctuary” and uplifting song about hope and moving on which also contains lyrical references the late John Prine {“Handsome Johnny had to go, child…”).
As incredible as that was, it was Amy’s contribution to the next song that really made the room light up, as the band then launched into the classic Grateful Dead staple, “Bertha.” Keeping the funk-folk vibe alive, HGM would really find their groove on the next number, “Like a Mirror Loves a Hammer” from 2016’s Heart Like a Levee. Afterwards, Taylor would joke how prior to the pandemic, none of them knew how the play a guitar, but it’s amazing what you can learn during a lockdown if you really put your mind to it.
Taking it down a notch, “Passing Clouds” and “I’ve got a Name for the Newborn Child” were up next, followed by “Cat’s Eye Blue,” a stellar version of Bright Direction (You’re a Dark Star Now) before “Southern Grammar” would bring the show to a close.
It’s unclear if Hiss Golden Messenger intended on returning for an encore (though one was written out ahead of time on the setlist), but after a sustained ovation from Albany’s music loving faithful, Taylor and company finally returned to the stage, commenting how he “thinks the art of the encore has slowly been lost, but that’s a discussion for another tim.” and that he could tell our thirst for one more was “real.” With that, “Way Back in the Way Back” was chosen as the final song evening, closing the book on a fantastic, well rounded, poignant night of music filled with impassioned storytelling, top-tier musicianship, a memorable sit in and even a few lighthearted laughs too.
Hiss Golden Messenger – Lewis A. Swyer Theare at the Egg – Albany, NY – 12/1/2021
Setlist: Rock Holy, Mighty Dollar, My Wing, Mahogany Dread, Jenny of the Roses, Biloxi, Sanctuary*, Bertha,** Like a Mirror Loves a Hammer, Caledonia, My Love, Passing Clouds, I’ve Got a Name for the Newborn Child, Cat’s Eye Blue, Bright Direction (You’re a Dark Star Now), Southern Grammar
Encore: Way Back in the Way Back
*Featuring Amy Helm on Vocals **Grateful Dead cover, Amy Helm on Vocals
Thanksgiving is a time for tradition and perhaps a new one was born on Wednesday night in Albany. Coming together in grand fashion family, friends and fans of The Band convened at Lark Hall on Thanksgiving Eve for a memorable evening billed as The Last Waltz on Lark Street; a stellar tribute to one of the most celebrated concert performances in rock history.
For anyone not familiar, The Band are about as close to music royalty as it gets in New York State, particularly in the Capital and Mid-Hudson Regions where the group famously lived, partied and wrote music together under the roof of a ‘Big Pink‘ house near Saugerties. Often referred to as just “the band” by Bob Dylan (with whom they often backed), the name stuck and over the course of 16 years, The Band — Rick Danko on bass, violin and vocals; Levon Helm on drums, mandolin and vocals; Garth Hudson on keyboards and saxophone; songwriter Richard Manuel on keyboards, percussion and vocals; and guitarist, songwriter and occasional vocalist Robbie Robertson, would go on to write some of the most timeless songs and albums in American music history.
As the story allegedly goes, after burning out from the demands of the touring lifestyle, it became clear the dynamic that had made The Band so special and unique had changed, the brotherhood and comradery had faded a bit and it was starting to reflect in the music. Then in 1976 it was officially announced they’d be playing their final show; one last chance to dance and it was to be held on Thanksgiving Day at the legendary Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. What took place that night, as famously documented in Martin Scorsese’s iconic film of the same name, The Last Waltz, would go down as one of the greatest star-studded, ground breaking concert celebration spectacles of all time. The film itself would later go on to be selected by the Library of Congress to be forever preserved due to it cultural and historical significance.
Now some 45 years later, the magic made and songs played that night are still being talked about, still influencing and still being played by a whole new generation of New York based musicians and for one close-knit group of Capital Region players and friends, an idea that sparked from a brainstorming jam session somehow serendipitously snowballed into reality and perhaps simultaneously became the next “can’t miss” pre-Turkey day musical meet-up for those who call the surrounding Albany area “home”.
To do this properly and with any sort of ‘relative’ justice, of course, was no easy task and with so many moving parts, variables and logistics to the show, it would also require a bit of help from friends, the good natured people behind the scenes and well, a little luck too. Those obstacles aside, here’s a ‘not-so exclusive’ scoop for the NYS Music reading faithful: never doubt the heart or talent that dwells within the 518 area code. If anyone was up to the challenge, it was the bunch who dared to dream to put this event together in the first place.
With 2021’s incarniton of The Band not finalized until the very last minute, the one-time-only line up ultimatley consisted of 18 players; a ‘who’s who’ of capital region musicians that featured members of The Wheel, The NolaNauts, Eastbound Jesus, Dead Man’s Waltz, Sarah Sippely and Brian Lapointe and the Joints.
Albany’s newest venue, Lark Hall hosted the event. With full support of Jennifer Miller, the visionary proprietor of Lark Hall, the recently renovated, historically preserved venue has quickly made a name for itself, largely by hosting nights like this; unique one-off collaborations and themed performances in a comfortably intimate, church-like setting that’s already earned the praises of nationally known artists like Keller Williams, The Futurebirds, Carl Bromel, Liz Cooper, and legendary Phish lyricist The Dude of Life. All hype and anticipation aside, the time for the inaugural Last Waltz on Lark Street had finally come.
Piped in over the PA system, the performance began with an orchestral rendition of “Theme From the Last Waltz” as the core members of “The Band” gradually filled up the stage. All tuned up and ready to go, the celebration kicked off with ‘Up on Cripple Creek’ into “The Shape I’m In.” The set would begin to stray from its familiar order when our first guests of the evening, NolaNauts horn section Bill Ringwood and Brian George, joined in for a crowd pleasing ‘Ophelia” and “This Wheel’s on Fire.” Mike Coleman would then switch out with Brian Bean on bass for “Further Up the Road” and “Who Do You Love” before the spotlight would shine on Rick Rothermel, The Wheel’s burley multi-talented keyboardist with a voice of gold who arguably had the most challenging role of the evening in filling the legendary shoes of Garth Hudson. After nailing “Chest Fever,” Rothermel handedly made a believer out of anyone in attendance not already having fun. The Nola horns would return once again for “Caledonia Mission” and an upbeat version of “King Harvest”. Following an inspired rendition of “It Makes no Difference” that featured the lovely talents of Sarah Sheppeck on lead vocals, “Life is a Carnival” would bring the opening set to a close and send fans to intermission with huge smiles and lots to talk about.
With the fuse already set for a party following the wickedly fun opening set, somehow this collective ensemble of talented musicians made of varying ages, sexes and backgrounds that came together with little time to rehearse, followed it up with an even more epic second set. It was the kind of thing capital region music fans have been dreaming of, really.
Kicking off with Brian Bean back on bass was “The Same Thing” followed by the iconic song “The Weight” which had everyone in The Hall singing along. Now that everyone was friends here, it really started feeling like a family affair when Bryan Gautie and Jill Gautie (along with Dr. Pete Andriakos of The Wheel) took over the stage to perform the only acoustic song of the night, “Coyote.” Sarah Sheppeck would then join them for another classic, “Long Black Veil” and remain on stage as Eastbound Jesus mandolin player Andrew Lynch and fiddler Jessica Bowen then got in on the fun with another highlight on the evening, “Atlantic City.” The strings would stick around for the next number Tom O’Connor introduced as a personal favorite, “Rag Mama Rag.”
Ratcheting up the ramble to a raunchy new high was “Mystery Train” which featured the talented Brian Lapointe on a screaming harmonica. “Across the Great Divide” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” came next, followed followed by “Caravan.” Now with all of the musicians who had participated on the night on the stage, the sentimental set closed with a family-jam style singalong version of “I Shall be Released.” Following pleas from the enthusiastic and appreciative crowd, “Don’t Do It” was selected as the lone encore, bringing the first ever Last Waltz on Lark Street to a celebratory close.
