Wednesday, July 28th brought the 2021 season of Albany’s Alive at Five to a close. The weather was perfect, and for the first time this season, the concert was held at its usual location, Jennings Landing. Albany’s own Joe Mansman and the Midnight Revival Band opened for 80s hair metal band Warrant who celebrated the 30th anniversary of their second and most successful studio album Cherry Pie. Check out the set list and photo gallery below.
Setlists
Warrant: Sure Feels Good To Me, Love in Stereo, Bed Of Roses, Your The Only Hell Your Mama Ever Raised, I saw Red, Song And Dance Man, Mr. Rainmaker, Blind Faith, Train, Train, Down Boys, D.R.F.S.R, Sometimes She Cries, Louder Harder Faster/Machine Gun, Heaven, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Cherry Pie
Joe Mansman & The Midnight Revival Band: Moon Vixen, Sellout, Live For Thrills, Renegade Love, Cut Out My Tongue, Below or Above, Wild Woman, Take It Easy, Lips On Fire, Dead As It Gets, Reap and Sow, Blood Grain Cocaine, Cheap Looks, Revels, Dagger
The musical biography, Ethel Waters: His Eye Is On The Sparrow, begins at the Capital Repertory Theatre’s new home at 251 N. Pearl St. on Tuesday, Aug 24 and will continue through to Sept 26.
Ethel Waters broke through the Jim Crow ceiling of recording studios, radio, musical theater and movies to become an inspirational legend. Written by Larry Parr, this show celebrates the life of Ethel Waters. The actress and recording star crossed racial barriers to win Grammy Awards, star in her own television show, and be nominated for Emmy and Academy awards. The title role of Ethel Waters will be portrayed by Broadway veteran and award-winning actress Jannie Jones.
Capital Region audiences will remember Jones’ acclaimed performances at theREP in Smokey Joe’s Café, Crowns, Black Pearl Sings, and most recently A Night With Janis Joplin, where she brought the house down as Aretha Franklin and Nina Simone. She won an Audelco Award for August Wilson’s Women as “Rose” in Fences and a Bay Area Theatre Critics Award as “Pearl” in Black Pearl Sings.
“I am very excited to be returning to Capital Rep; having done ‘Crowns’, ‘Black Pearl Sings’ and ‘A Night With Janis Joplin’ in past years,” says Jones. “I can’t wait to look into the eyes of the warm and inviting audiences in Albany once again. I’m simply delighted to work with the wonderful Maggie Cahill and I am very honored to be doing the first full production on the theatre’s brand-new stage.”
Playwright Larry Parr’s work has had hundreds of regional theatre productions. His trio of plays celebrating illustrious Black female artists, Hi-hatted Hattie, My Castle’s Rockin’ and Ethel Waters: His Eye Is On The Sparrow have each won numerous playwriting awards.
This show is the first fully produced show in theREP’s new theatre, which includes a 309-seat Main Stage and a smaller flexible studio theatre. A special opening night pre-show celebration will take place to light theREP’s marquee on Tuesday, Aug 24 at 6:30 pm under the awning of the theatre. Songs of celebration will be performed as part of the official “ribbon cutting” to usher in the first season at 251 N. Pearl St. Curtain time on opening night is 7:30 pm.
On Sept 19, a “Behind the Scenes” pre-show talk with Jones and Producing Artistic Director Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill will take place before the Sunday matinee at 1-1:30 pm. Jones will discuss the life of Ethel Waters and her importance in musical history. The event is free to ticket holders of any performance of the show.
No concessions will be served for the run of ETHEL WATERS; patrons may bring personal bottled water into the auditorium. A link to safety protocols can be found at the Capital Repertory website. The show runs 90 minutes without an intermission.
As part of theREP’s opening celebration, specially discounted tickets will be available during the run of Ethel Waters for senior groups, residents of the Arbor Hill Neighborhood, and civic and church groups as part of the theatre’s Neighbors for Neighbors outreach programming. For more information about Neighbors for Neighbors discount tickets, please call the box office at (518) 346-6204.
Tickets range from $22 to $52. Reservations may be made online at the Capital Repertory website or by calling the box office from 10 am-2 pm weekdays at(518) 346-6204. $16 student discounts are available at all performances with valid student ID. Tickets may also be reserved in person at theREP box office two hours before show time Tuesdays through Sundays.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QbeNSatFFo
The inaugural season at 251 N. Pearl St. consists of four titles on the 2020-21 announced season that was postponed due to the pandemic: the plays “The True” and “Fly” and the musicals “Jersey Boys” and “Wizard of Oz”. In addition, the subscription plan includes a play at Proctors, “To Kill a Mockingbird” starring Richard Thomas. Both theREP and Proctors are part of Proctors Collaborative.
The subscription series pricing starts at $153. Contact the box office 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday through Friday by calling (518) 346-6204 or visit capitalrep.org to subscribe.
In addition to “Ethel Waters: His Eye is on the Sparrow”, there is one additional previously announced show at theREP that is being presented later this year for 2019-20 subscribers and the general public:
“The Irish and How They Got That Way” is being presented Nov. 19-Dec. 19. Tickets for this show are also currently on sale.
The subscription season line-up:
Fly
Jan. 28 – Feb. 27, 2022
Experience the thrill of flight commandeered by WWII flying aces, the Tuskegee Airmen. Trey Ellis and Ricardo Khan’s soaring play takes us on a breathtaking journey with the first African-American Army Air Corp fighters. Based on true events, FLY takes you through the trials and tribulations of four recruits who transform from a collection of motley individuals into a true brotherhood of fighter pilots. Using tap dancing and spoken word, this ingenious play will have you sitting on the edge of your seat, as you experience the magnitude of this emotional ride t first hand.
The True
April 1-May 1, 2022
Albany. Peek behind the curtains in Sharr White’s drama about the blunt, profane, decades-long defender of Albany’s Democratic Party machine, Dorothea “Polly” Noonan. Politics is personal for Noonan, especially now that her hero, “mayor for life” Erastus Corning II, is battling for party control, while at the same time fighting the fiercest primary challenge of his life. THE TRUE is an intimate portrait of the bounds of love, loyalty and female power in the male-dominated world of 1977 patronage politics.
Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird
June 14-19, 2022 – at Proctors
All rise for Academy Award® winner Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prizewinning masterwork. The New York Times Critic’s Pick HARPER LEE’S TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is “the most successful American play in Broadway history. It has not played to a single empty seat” (60 Minutes). Rolling Stone gives it 5 stars, calling it “an emotionally shattering landmark production of an American classic,” and New York Magazine calls it “a real phenomenon. Majestic and incandescent, it’s filled with breath, nuance, and soul.” With direction by Tony Award® winner Bartlett Sher, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD — “the greatest novel of all time” (Chicago Tribune) — has quickly become “one of the greatest plays in history” (NPR).
Jersey Boys
July 15 – Aug 21, 2022
“O, What A Night!” and you’ll want to dance it away to this tune-filled journey with the Four Seasons! Follow the four boys from New Jersey, from their first stumbles and fumbles to their rise to become international icons of their generation. See how the group was almost ripped apart by personal problems and professional differences yet managed to climb to the top of the pop charts repeatedly with big hits, including “Sherry,” “Walk Like A Man, “ “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You,” and many more. Travel with the boys to “late December back in 63,” and relive the music hits of Frankie Valli, Tommy DeVito, Bob Gaudio and Nick Massi.
The Wizard of Oz
Dates to be announced
Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Revisit your childhood in Frank Baum’s beloved classic story, with all the songs we love from the award-winning movie. You’ll meet all your favorite characters from Kansas and the wonderful land of Oz. Follow Dorothy and Toto as they travel the yellow brick road in search of the Wizard, while encountering new friends as well as dangers caused by the Wicked Witch of the West.
Sing along with the Munchkins to timeless classics such as “Over the Rainbow,” “We’re Off to See the Wizard,” and “Yellow Brick Road”. The show gets the special theREP treatment with actor-musicians, delightful new arrangements and an imaginative setting in the intimate environment of our new theatre. You’ll leave the show feeling braver, smarter with your heart wide open!
Few bands have a relationship with the state of New York like the Grateful Dead. Outside of California, the Grateful Dead have performed more shows in New York than any other state.
With 309 unique shows performed across the Empire State in a 28 year span, beginning at Tompkins Square Park on June 1, 1967, the Grateful Dead made New York a home away from home, with venues of all sizes welcoming them during their career.
Over the past few years, NYS Music has looked back on some of these shows, whether they be archival releases, or an iconic show worthy of a closer look. In 2020, we began to look intently at the history of the Grateful Dead in the Empire State, and in doing so, discovered some overlooked diamonds in the rough.
While performances at Madison Square Garden, The Knickerbocker Arena and Barton Hall garner the glory, there are shows that are equally compelling which we took a second look at. Whether the performance was in The Bronx, Alfred State, Oswego, Glens Falls, Lake Placid or Watkins Glen, each show gets a thorough analysis, with first-hand accounts and memorabilia, as well as audio and/or video of each performance.
We’ve taken all these articles that examine the long history of the Grateful Dead in New York State, as well as Jerry Garcia’s solo and JGB performances, and created an interactive Google Map that allows you to observe the history of the Grateful Dead in New York – So MaNY Roads. You can find info on each of these shows (were you there?), and dive into shows you may or may not have known about.
With more than 300 shows to include in this series, we so far have looked at more than 50 of these shows, all searchable in the map below. More will be added each month as we continue looking at the Grateful Dead and their history in NY.
We welcome Section 119 as a sponsor for So MaNY Roads, our Grateful Dead in New York series. Section 119 takes you from beachfront to stage front with the highest quality merchandise celebrating the Grateful Dead. Shop for a variety of officially licensed clothing and accessories including board shorts, polos, button-down shirts and more at Section119.com.
Pink Talking Fish have announced a 2021 tour that will make multiple stops throughout New England. The tour begins in August and will run through December.
Pink Talking Fish, a fusion tribute band that plays Pink Floyd, The Talking Heads, and Phish, is comprised of Eric Gould on bass, Richard James on keyboards, Zack Burwick on drums and Cal Kehoe on guitar.
Although the band has been performing since COVID-19 playing a handful of show including outdoor pod style events, two trips to Colorado, a Beach Road Weekend Pre-Party in Martha’s Vineyard and sold out performances in Connecticut and New Hampshire this will be their first real tour.
The tour will kick off in August with 2 night Grand Opening of the new indoor venue at Soundcheck Studios in Pembroke, MA. This venue kept live music going through the pandemic with socially distant outdoor performances and, during that time, they developed a premiere indoor concert experience. Two of New England’s rising acts are supporting Pink Talking Phish for this event: The New Motif and Marble Eyes. Marble Eyes features Pink Talking Fish bassist, Eric Gould.
The band will be making two stops in New York while on tour. The first stop will be on 10/16 at the Brooklyn Bowl in Brooklyn NY and the second stop on 10/22 at Cohoes Music Hall at Cohoes NY.
For more information on Pink Talking Phish and their upcoming tour visit their website.
Full List of Pink Talking Fish 2021 Tour Dates:
8/06: Pembroke MA at Soundcheck Studios – w/s/g The New Motif
8/07: Pembroke MA at Soundcheck Studios – w/s/g Marble Eyes
8/14: Atlantic City NJ at The Tropicana – Phish AfterParty
8/22: Norwalk CT at Wall Street Theater – Outdoor Pod Event
On July 23rd, The Palace Theater in Albany played host to A Midsummer Slay. This drag show was originally to be hosted by Lady Bunny, but a sudden illness meant that none other than Mrs. Kasha Davis (RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 7) would need to strap on her high heels and come warm up the crowd as this was a spectacular not seen in the Capitol Region for some time. The stage was set for an incredible night of dancing and booty-shaking and the crowd was ready and roaring.
Midsummer Slay – Mrs. Kasha Davis / Photo by Zach Culver
Morgan McMichaels (RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 5, and All-stars Season 2) was the first dancer to grace her stage with almost nothing but a reinstoned jacket and nipple pasties. In her best ‘Pink’ wig she got the fans moving as she rocked the stage to the Diva’s “Call Your Girlfriend” When the crowd was fully charged, Morgan kicked it up a notch as she jumped out into the crowd and gave one lucky fan a vigorous lap dance.
Midsummer Slay – Morgan McMichaels / Photo by Zach Culver
Mrs. Davis came back out, (after a quick costume change of course), and kept the energy up, cracking jokes at everyone’s expense, including herself. A’Keria Davenport was introduced next, coming out to Cardi B’s “Up” in a technicolor outfit that would have made the Drag Race judges gasp. Stripping down to her fishnets and equally excellent undergarments, she strutted that stage like the queen she is, before coming out into the crowd and showing the screaming crowd what her mama gave her, (and maybe paid for). You couldn’t tell that she had just been voted off RuPaul’s Drag Race All-stars the night before as she was in her element.
Midsummer Slay – A’Keria C. Davenport / Photo by Zach Culver
Coco Montrese (RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 5, All-stars Season 2) strolled out in a sparkly red number showing a lot of leg. TikTok sensation Doja Cat’s “Say So” played as fans rushed the stage to dole out singles like a strip club to the more than willing Coco.
As Coco was finishing talking with Kasha Davis, a stage director ran out with a powerful fan which could only mean one thing, it was time to introduce the TikTok and Instagram superstar, Plastique Tiara (RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 11). Plastique can only be described as drop dead gorgeous and that’s all she needs. No dancing was necessary as she simply stood in front of the fan and listened as the crowd went wild.
Midsummer Slay – Plastique Tiara / Photo by Zach Culver
The night would have an entire second set with even more dancing, twerking, and cash being thrown from every direction. Midsummer Slay, like all drag shows, celebrated our right to do whatever the hell we want, looking however we want. You can still see A’keria on the current season of RuPaul’s Drag Race All-stars Season 5. She was just voted off but there is a “Game within a game” the audience is still waiting for.
On Wednesday July 21st, Albany’s Alive At Five Concert series returned to the rain location under the 787 overpass. This week featured Albany’s own Funk/soul band, Hartley’s Encore, as well as Yam Yam, a Jam/Funk/soul group from Harrisburg, PA.
Check out the Setlists and photo gallery of the evening below. Alive at Five will hold their final FREE concert of the season on Wednesday, July 28 with 80s hair band Warrant, with Joe Mansman and the Midnight Revival Band opening the night.
Hartley’s Encore: Feels So Good, Burnin, Mary Jane*, Bright Light Shining, Eyes Open, All to You, Move on Up*, Hartley’s Encore
Yam Yam: Cashew Reprise, Cashew, Juice Box, Big Bird, Grease Trap, Star Dog , Vulphie, Boogie On Reggae Woman*, Not My Dog, Central Station, Roy, ’94, Dinnertime, Kamal, Cory Wong*, Sizzle, Medusa’s Crisco, Treason, I’ll Be Right Here
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 fromthe Grandstand Jockeys, Timbre Coup 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.
The Grandstand Jockeys
The Grandstand Jockeys’ debut EP, Win, arrives on June 18. Its first single, “Better Days,” is a nostalgic call to long-past good times, holding out hope for their eventual return. The song is especially timely in the wake of many COVID-19 restrictions being lifted: “Time to begin, the time is now / Get yourself off the ground.” The Grandstand Jockeys’ Facebook page describes their sound as a mix of Tom Petty, Nirvana and QOTSA, but “Better Days” has the former written all over it.
Timbre Coup
Timbre Coup’s latest single, “Running Always,” is an indie rock piece that occasionally delves into prog and funk. The song’s scarce lyrics contrast its vast, sometimes trippy soundscape, replete with a sweeping electric guitar that wouldn’t sound out of place on OK Computer. The four-piece band from Albany will release their fourth studio album, Sudden Urge, on June 25.
Ciarra Fragale
Indie-pop singer-songwriter Ciarra Fragale’s self-titled EP is out on July 2. Described by Fragale as “a love letter to my anxiety (and yours),” single “It’s Only Raining” isn’t concerned with the weather so much as the stressful hypothetical situations our brains create for us. Fragale’s vocals are effortless yet passionate, and the staccatoed keys will stay with you long after listening.
Upbeat on the Roof is a summer concert series held on the Tang Teaching Museum lawn in Saratoga Springs. The concerts have been a hit for fans of all ages for years, and the museum is excited to celebrate the event’s 20th anniversary this summer.
The concert series will run from July 29th until August 19th. Diverse musicians play each year, and this year’s lineup includes: Laveda, Thomasina Winslow, Sun is Poison, and Heavenly Echoes. Concerts will be performed outside of the Tang Teaching Museum at Skidmore College on the gorgeous lawn that is open to the public. Each Thursday, the concerts will begin at 6pm. Visitors are encouraged to bring chairs, blankets, food, and drinks, and most importantly, a vibrant attitude.
All events hosted by the Tang Teaching Museum are free and open to all visitors. If you find yourself near Saratoga Springs this summer, you will not want to miss the tranquility brought to you by Upbeat on the Roof, showcasing beautiful live music.
Cohoes, located in the northeast corner of Albany County is home to The Cohoes Music Hall, the center of the village and houses hundreds of local music concerts every year. Starting in late July, the venue will reopen, and fans from all across town will gather here to enjoy performances ranging from rock to folk to stand up comedy.
The Cohoes Music Hall was built in 1874 by two businessmen looking to bring live music to the center of town. Since its opening, the hall has hosted many performers such as Buffalo Bill Cody, John Phillip Sousa, Pat Rooney, and more. In 1905, after about 30 years of financial struggles, the bank chose to shut down the venue when the roof gave up and there was too small of a budget to repair it.
Many years later in 1986, the town funded over a million dollars to restore and reopen Cohoes Music Hall. Since its reopening, it has been a big success in the town, hosting very diverse performances. It is also the fourth oldest functioning music hall in America!
The fall concert season is set to begin on July 27th with a performance of Alice in Wonderland. Throughout the late summer and entirety of fall, performers such as Joe Louis Walker, The Sweet Remains, Dana Fuchs, and so many more will grace the Cohoes stage. There are even a few shows already planned for the beginning of 2022.
The location of the Cohoes Music Hall is perfect for anyone looking to have a night out on the town. Since the hall is in the center of town, food and drink options for before or after a show are endless. Whether you’re in the mood for Anthony’s Italian Restaurant, Cafe Monocle, or Hot Dog Charlie’s, it will be conveniently located close to Cohoes Music Hall. Tickets are available now, so get ready for a fall full of great shows!
Upcoming Shows
Alice in Wonderland: Tue, Jul 27, 2pm – Sun, Aug 1, 4pm
The Egg Performing Arts Center announced its plans of reopening with the performance of Swan Lake. The performance will be done by the Ajkun Ballet Theatre on Saturday, August 7, 2021 at 7:30 PM EST.
The Egg center for the performing arts.
The Egg Center for the Performing Arts is located in Albany New York and is known for its performances as much as it is for it’s architecture. It’s as much of a sculpture as it is a building. It’s construction took twelve years and finally came into being in 1978. “The Egg” itself is owned by the State of New York and managed by the not-for-profit Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza Performing Arts Center Corporation. Ajkun Ballet Theatre has been a resident every summer since 2000 at The Egg.
The Ajkun Ballet Theatre (AjkunBT) is a professional company that presents classical and contemporary ballets in the Greater New York area, throughout the USA and internationally. Chiara Ajkun the artistic director of Ajkun Ballet Theatre is restaging Swan Lake to Tchaikovsky’s iconic music. The production is currently being rehearsed at The Egg in preparation for the upcoming performance.
Chiara Ajkun spoke on the upcoming performance saying, “We could not be more excited to be in the theater everyday. This long pause has forced us to reflect on the importance of the Arts and the way they shape us as People. I, for one, strongly believe the magic of ballet does not rest in the opulence of sceneries and large ensembles, rather on pure emotion, beauty and magic it creates”.
The performance is taking place on Saturday, August 7, 2021 from 7:30PM – 8:45PM. Tickets are on sale now for $35 and can be purchased buy by phone at (518) 473-1845 or online here.
For more information on the Egg visit their website. For more information on The Ajkun Ballet Theatre visit their website.
