NYS Music 202​1

Category: Capital Region

  • Troy Summer Square Concert Series Begins July 9

    The Summer Square Concert Series takes place in the Music Hall Courtyard every Friday and Saturday night in July and August, starting at 6 pm, and is free and open to the public with no tickets required. All performances are weather dependent, there is no alternate rain location.

    Troy Savings Bank Music Hall Logo

    The Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, a National Historic Landmark located at 30 Second Street, has been in perpetual use since its opening in 1875. World renowned for its near perfect acoustics, it has hosted performances by legions of world-renowned artists, from legends like Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Isaac Stern, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and Vladimir Horowitz, to the best on today’s contemporary music scene, including Joshua Bell, Andrew Bird, Steve Martin, Lyle Lovett, John Prine, and many others.  

    Jacob Shipley

    The Summer Square Concert Series will kick off Friday, July 9 with local Troy musician Jacob Shipley, an Alt/Folk artist whose influences run the gamut from Talking Heads to Phoebe Bridgers, Damien Rice to Lucius, and Halley’s Comet to the Decemberists.

    Carol Daggs - Summer Square Series

    On Saturday, July 10, Carol Daggs is welcomed back to the Music Hall Courtyard. She will be offering some tastefully arranged jazz standards and hip, groovy originals.

    To stay up to date with the series visit the Troy Music Hall’s website, or follow them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

    2021 Summer Square Series Concerts

    Friday, July 9 – Jacob Shipley

    Saturday, July 10 – Carol Daggs

    Friday, July 16 – Bossamba Brazilian Jazz Trio

    Saturday, July 17 – Deb Cavanaugh

    Friday, July 23 – MC^2 

    Saturday, July 24 – Joe Gorman

    Friday, July 30 – Jon Leroy & Joe Finn Blues Duo

    Saturday, July 31 – Teresa Broadwell Jazz Trio

    Friday, Aug 6 – Heard

    Saturday, Aug 7 – Sophia Vastek

    Friday, Aug 13 – Triskele

    Saturday, Aug 14 – Mark & Jill

    Friday, Aug 20 – Lost Radio Rounders w/ Paul “Bowtie” Jossman

    Saturday, Aug 21 – Julia Alsarraf

    Friday, Aug 27 – Jordan Taylor Hill

    Saturday, Aug 28 – Ryder Cooley

  • moe. and Twiddle to Headline 2021 ADK Music Festival, Daily Lineups Announced

    This year’s ADK Independence Music Festival lineup has been announced and features two big names that Upstate New Yorkers are quite familiar with. The Lake George festival will take place on Labor Day Weekend, Sept 3-5 with headliners moe. and Twiddle stepping up to the plate for the 2021 edition.

    ADK Music Fest

    moe. will return to their moe.down Labor Day roots as they play four sets over two nights with Twiddle performing two headlining sets of their own. All ADK Music Fest performances will be located at the Charles R. Wood Festival Commons in the heart of Lake George Village, across the street from the lake.

    There will be a special tribute to Prince and David Bowie performed by Prince Bowie featuring members of Pink Talking Fish, Snarky Puppy, Kung Fu and much more.  The lineup also features sets from Roots of Creation, Kung Fu, Lucid, Bella’s Bartok, Eggy, Neighbor, Dogs In A Pile, Annie in the Water, Baked Shrimp, and Hartley’s Encore. 

    The ADK Music Festival will have a selection of beer and wine, a full bar, food vendors, and merchandise for sale, all available for purchase after entry. As well a great view of the Lake George fireworks on Saturday evening.  

    Shows will begin at 2 pm on Friday and 12:30 pm on Saturday and Sunday and run until 11 pm each night. The event is open to attendees of all ages and children 12 and under are free. VIP tickets include admission to all 3 days of the festival, a meal each day, half priced adult beverages, $2 waters / soft drinks, a private viewing area (with private bars), and access to private bathrooms.

    ADK Music Fest

    3-Day General Admission tickets and a limited number of VIP tickets are on sale now for the 2021 Adirondack Independence Music Festival. To learn more and get tickets, visit the ADK Music Fest official website. 

  • Scotia Presents Free Summer Concerts at Freedom Park

    Freedom Park in Scotia will once again host a free outdoor summer concert series. Located across the street from Collins Park and right next to Jumpin’ Jack’s in the Village of Scotia (just over the Mohawk River from Schenectady), the Summer Concert Series will be offering free concerts highlighting performers from all over the Capital Region and beyond.

    Freedom Park

    All shows will start at 7:00 pm. Audience members are encouraged to bring a chair or blanket. The Park will also be streaming each show through Facebook Live for anyone who can’t make the performance in person.

    Freedom Park 2021 Summer Concerts

    Wed 7/7 Big Fez & the Surfmatics 

    Sat 7/10 Carmen & Life’s Guilty Pleasures (jazz) 

    Mon 7/12 Rattail Jimmy (rock) 

    Wed 7/14 Donnie P & Celebration Family (polka) 

    Sat 7/17 Watch Reggie Run (kids music) 

    Sun 7/18 Grand Central Station (party rock) 

    Wed 7/21 The Lustre Kings (rockabilly) 

    7/24 Heard (world music) 

    Mon 7/26 Get Up Jack (Irish) 

    Wed 7/28 Brian Patneaude Quintet (jazz) 

    Sat 7/31 Ratboy Jr. (kids music) 

    AUGUST 

    Wed 8/4 Annie & the Hedonists (blues/folk/swing) 

    Sat 8/7 Mia Scirocco Trio (jazz/soul) 

    Sun 8/8 Alex Torres & His Latin Orchestra 

    Wed 8/11 The Rhythm Pilots (dance party) 

    Sat 8/14 Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company 

    Mon 8/16 The Refrigerators 

    Wed 8/18 The Legendary Characters (50’s & 60’s) 

    Sat 8/21 Rusticator (acoustic Americana) 

    Wed 8/25 SIRSY (alt rock) 

    Sat 8/28 The Rogues (60’s & 70’s) 

    While the performances are free Freedom Park Scotia accepts support through donations either through Venmo, PayPal, or Mail Check/Money Order to Freedom Park Foundation PO Box 2040 Scotia, NY 12302.

    To stay up to date on the up coming shows visit the Freedom Park website and follow their social media, Facebook and Instagram.

  • Opera Saratoga Celebrates 60th Anniversary with Summer Festival

    This summer marks the 60th anniversary of the Opera Saratoga Summer Festival. Initially dubbed the Lake George Opera playing to a crowd of 230 people, Opera Saratoga regularly performs for over 25,000 a year. Having performed over 90 works by 52 composers, this summer’s festival commemorates the history and continued success of those who have put on these critically acclaimed productions. The festival features three concerts inspired by the literature of Miguel de Cervantes: Quixotic Opera, Man of La Mancha, and Don Quichotte at Camacho’s Wedding. 

    Working with a team of those dedicated to ensuring safety in the time of COVID, Opera Saratoga has committed to bringing audiences back safety for this summer’s festival for an outdoor experience during the months of June and July. These performances, produced in partnership with the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Spa State Park, and Pitney Meadows Community Farm, provide different performance spaces for a safe and enjoyable concert. 

    opera saratoga summer festival
    Via Opera Saratoga Official Site

    “Quixotic Opera”

    June 24th and 25th saw the kickoff of the festival with an 80 minute “Quixotic Opera” at Pitney Meadows Community Farm. Following a series of scenes from operas inspired by Miguel de Cervantes’ novel Don Quixote, the concert brought the audience on the adventures of nobleman Alonso Quizano who became a knight to serve his nation under the name Don Quixote de la Mancha. Lead by musical director Laurie Rogers, it featured scenes from Don Quichotte chez la Duchesse (Boismortier / Favart), Die Hochzeit des Camacho (Mendelssohn / Voigts), Il furioso all’isola di San Domingo (Donizetti / Ferretti),  Don Quixote (Kienzl) and more.

    “Man of La Mancha”

    opera saratoga summer festival
    Via Opera Saratoga Official Site

    July 8th, 9th, and 10th will feature the 120 minute musical “Man of La Mancha” at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center Amphitheater. Written by Dale Wasserman, the Tony Award winning musical, which features Broadway and Opera star Zachary James in the lead role as Cervantes/Don Quixote, tells the story of Don Quixote with music by Mitch Leigh, and lyrics by Joe Darion. 

    “A universal tale of love, hope, and adventure, Man of La Mancha celebrates the perseverance of one man who refuses to relinquish his ideals, and who is determined to see life not as it is, but as it ought to be.” 

    Opera Saratoga Official Website

    “Don Quichotte at Camacho’s Wedding”

    opera saratoga summer festival
    Via Opera Saratoga’s Official Site

    For lovers of more traditional classical music, Opera Saratoga will be presenting the 50 minute “Don Quichotte at Camacho’s Wedding” with twelve performances scheduled between July 14th and 18th. A one-act comic serenata, the performances will feature artists from Opera Saratoga’s Young Artist Program. Written by Georg Philipp Telemann with a libretto by Daniel Schiebeler, the concert incorporates an episode from Part Two of Don Quixote where the knight and his squire stumble upon unusual weddings while exploring the world.  

    Tickets for both the musical Man of La Mancha and the serenata Don Quichotte at Camacho’s Wedding on Opera Saratoga’s website. Ensured audience safety amidst the COVID-19 pandemic has limited tickets this season and Opera Saratoga anticipates that performances will sell out in advance of the show date. Advance ticket purchases are required for Don Quichotte at Camacho’s Wedding and while not required for Man of La Mancha, they are strongly advised to ensure a spot at the special 60th anniversary performance.

  • This Week’s EQXposure Features Fenton Hardy, Girl Blue And More

    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 Fenton Hardy, Girl Blue and many more!

    Fenton hardy

    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.

    Fenton Hardy

    Bookended by organs, Fenton Hardy’s “The Ghost” is a haunting ballad about loneliness. According to Hardy’s Instagram, the laid-back six-minute song ponders “the age-old question: do we feel more alone in isolation or with others?” “The Ghost” is the title track off the Troy-based alternative musician’s debut EP, which includes three other songs.

    Girl Blue

    Girl Blue’s “Strangers” is the third single off her upcoming album due this fall. Recorded at White Lake Studios in Albany, singer-songwriter-producer Arielle O’Keefe channels Alanis Morissette with rambly diary-lifted lyrics. The song’s intimate verses build to a cathartic chorus, where O’Keefe makes peace with a once-close ex becoming a stranger. Unlike many breakup songs, “Strangers” doesn’t feel bitter, and instead serves as an amicable goodbye letter.

    Pencildive

    Pencildive is a trio made up of singer-songwriter Gina De Nardo, bassist Kevin Cardinale and drummer Zach Hirsch. Their new song The Sweats” wastes zero time cutting to the chase, boldly beginning with loud drums and guitar straight out of shoegaze. Pencildive recently signed to Albany’s Paintbox Records, alongside labelmates Senior Living and The Classica. Their album, Grown-Ups is out May 28 on all platforms.

  • Watch Live Music and Fireworks at the Empire State Plaza on the Fourth of July

    Albany’s Empire State Plaza Independence Day celebration returns for its 45th annual fireworks display this year. The festivities will include musical performances from local favorites, as well as food and drink vendors on Sunday, July 4.

    Empire State Plaza

    The night begins with a pop up COVID-19 vaccination site, while supplies last, from 5:30 to 8 PM at the Empire State Plaza. Later, attendees can enjoy food and drink vendors from 6-10 PM while watching the sunset around Albany’s cityscape. Alcohol will be served from 6 to 9:15 PM by vendors to adults with proper identification.

    The Fourth of July festivities will also feature two Capital Region bands throughout the night. Classic rock band Graham Tichy and the New Lowdown will take the stage at 6:30 PM, followed by the Powerhouse Funk Band at 8 PM after an official July Fourth Ceremony.

    Powerhouse Funk Band at the Empire State Plaza’s 2019 Fourth of July Celebration

    The official ceremony will begin at 7:45 with a color guard and singing of the national anthem by Air National Guard Master Sargeant Samantha Marquette. Fireworks will close out the night, beginning at 9:15 PM.

    Free parking begins at 5:30 PM in the Visitor, “P” Lot, Grand Street, and Elk Street Lots. No tickets are required, entrance to the event as well as firework viewing is free. For a list of ground rules, visit the New York State website.

    For more information about the event, including a list of vendors, see the event webpage or keep up with updates on the Empire State Plaza Facebook page.

    Empire State Plaza’s July Fourth Schedule:

    5:30 PM: Empire State Plaza parking lots open and registration begins at pop-up vaccination site.
    6:00 PM: Start of event and vaccination site opens
    6:30 PM: Performance by Graham Tichy and the New Lowdown
    7:45 PM: Official July 4 ceremony with color guard, national anthem, and remarks.
    8:00 PM: Performance by Powerhouse Funk Band
    9:15 PM: Fireworks
    10:00 PM: Event Ends

    Empire State Plaza
    2018 Empire State Plaza Festivities

  • Palace Theatre Announces Reopening with “Summer In The City”

    “Summer In The City”, a free family-friendly movie series will be the kick off for the official reopening of the Palace Theatre. 

    Summer in the City is one of several free and low-cost arts and educational programs offered by the Palace that positively impacts local children and families each year. For this family-friendly movie series, the Palace targets outreach to low-income and underserved families in the City.

    The Palace Theatre’s Summer in the City Movie Series, presented by SEFCU, will return to offer seven free, family-friendly movies to children and families from neighborhoods around the Palace in downtown Albany, with targeted outreach to low-income and underserved families in the City. The movie series provides children with the opportunity to enjoy the excitement and beauty of the historic Palace Theatre, while offering fun, safe and positive opportunities to become engaged in the arts.

    Palace Theatre Reopening

    “Children and families in the City of Albany have the opportunity to beat the heat while also sparking the imagination as they enjoy fun, family-friendly movies in this Albany landmark,” said SEFCU President and CEO Michael Castellana. “Going to the movies is always a special treat, especially this year as it represents a return to normalcy after the pandemic paused so many of our favorite summer activities.”

    Summer in the City serves thousands from surrounding neighborhoods each year. The mission of the Palace is to bring world-class arts and entertainment to New York’s Capital Region, greatly enhancing the area’s cultural and economic development. Core programming and community initiatives include performing arts entertainment, free arts education, family-friendly performances, free summer movies, and a classic movie program series.

    “It’s a great way for a whole new generation of young people to become more familiar with the beautiful Palace.” said Stephen P. Baboulis, Chairman, PPAC Board of Directors. “We thank SEFCU for sharing our vision about this summer program, and for their generous support!” 

    For each show, doors open at Noon. Movies begin at 1 p.m. Free popcorn is provided to children 12 and under. The first show will be open to 600 patrons with the potential for more later in the summer. Every movie viewing will be paired with a giveaway. One person in the audience will win a new HD Kindle Fire with a SEFCU Kids Plus subscription.

    2021 SUMMER IN THE CITY SCHEDULE

    For all events, doors open at noon; movies begin at 1:00 p.m.

    Tuesday, July 13            Moana

    Tuesday, July 20            Sonic The Hedgehog

    Tuesday, July 27            The Secret Life of Pets 2

    Tuesday, August 3        Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse

    Tuesday, August 10     Pokemon: Detective Pikachu

    Tuesday, August 17     Frozen II

    Tuesday, August 24     Sing

    Free tickets may be picked up in advance at the Palace Theatre Box Office at 19 Clinton Ave. during regular business hours or reserved online at palacealbany.org. Individual Groups, Day Care, and Summer Camps looking to reserve a block of tickets may call in advance at 518-465-3335, ext. 111. For more information, call 518-465-4663 or visit www.palacealbany.org.

  • Proctors Theatre Announces the World Premiere of the musical “The Right Girl”

    Proctors Theatre has announced the world premiere of the musical based on true stories, The Right Girl, opening October 13th with performances through Wednesday, November 10th.

    The musical features music by 12-time Academy Award nominee and Grammy®, Emmy® and Golden Globe® Award-winning songwriter Diane Warren, lyrics by Ms. Warren, Louisette Geiss and Howard Kagan, and a book by Ms. Geiss and Mr. Kagan, The Right Girl is directed and choreographed by five-time Tony Award® winner Susan Stroman.

    The cast of The Right Girl includes Alysha Umphress (On The Town, Bring It On, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, American Idiot), Ramin Karimloo (Anastasia, Les Mis, Phantom of the Opera), Paige Faure (Cinderella), Adam Jacobs (Aladdin, Les Mis, The Lion King), J. Elaine Marcos (Annie, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, A Chorus Line), Steve Rosen (Guys and Dolls, Spamalot), and Syndee Winters (Hamilton, Pippin, The Lion King).  Additional casting will be announced at a later date. The Right Girl features set design by Mikiko Suzuki MacAdams, costume design by Emilio Sosa, lighting design by Jason Lyons, sound design by Kai Harada and orchestrations and arrangements by Santino Paladino and Assaf Gleizner.

    One of the dreams of the Proctors Collaborative was that the mix of theatrical and musical facilities and capabilities would attract new and different opportunities within the world of the theater. Howard Kagan and Tom Smedes are first-class producers who found just what they needed as they worked with us: a great building, a welcoming community and an audience based both at Proctors and at the Rep interested and anxious to support new work. We are excited to host this world premiere. We hope to do so well that we can leverage continuing new relationships with the industry’s major players.

    -Phillip Morris, CEO, Proctors Collaborative

    Performances will begin at 7:30pm Tuesdays through Saturdays, 2pm on Sundays. Proctors will follow all C.D.C. and New York State safety guidelines for these performances. Check the Proctors website at proctors.org to subscribe and obtain additional information.

  • Baked Shrimp and Glass Pony team up for Lark Hall show on July 9

    Two of the hottest, up and coming New York bands, and 2021 NYS Music Music Madness finalists, Baked Shrimp and Glass Pony will share the stage at Lark Hall on July 9th. With festival pass giveaways, free ice cream and an incredible night of music on tap, this is one show you won’t want to miss.

    glass pony baked shrimp

    Since forming in January 2017, Long Island’s Baked Shrimp has established a name for themselves across the Northeast region of the United States and beyond.  In just three years the high-energy rock trio has performed multiple extensive tours, released two albums, and is a name being consistently added to the festival circuit.

    Currently in the middle of a massive summer tour which finds the band performing across the East Coast, Midwest and throughout the southern United States, Baked Shrimp is rapidly making new fans outside of their home-base of New York.  The trio keeps it fresh from night to night with a catalogue of over one-hundred songs of mostly original material and deep, inspired improvisational playing.

    Kicking off the evening’s festivities will be Albany’s very own Glass Pony.  Encapsulating influences stretching across decades from psychedelic and jam-focused rock, to funk, post-punk, and even modern indie and post-rock, Glass Pony offer a sound that truly translates through generations, with a stylistic blend built to engage a broad listenership.

    With a focus squarely set on delivering the most captivating live performance possible, the band utilizes infectiously danceable grooves colored with virtuosic individual performances that deftly blend into a cohesive whole. To accentuate their creative songwriting, they place a great value on improvisation and fluid set lists that change from show to show.  

    baked shrimp glass pony

    Baked Shrimp will be giving away a pair of FREE tickets on this special night to their inaugural music festival LonCon, taking place at Arrowhead Ranch on August 27th & 28th in Parksville, NY. The incredible lineup features two nights of Baked Shrimp in addition to Mihali (Twiddle), Aqueous, Dogs in a Pile, and more.  You must be present at the end of the night to claim your tickets if you win the raffle!

    Additionally, Ben and Jerry’s Scoop Shop on Madison Avenue in Albany will be providing free ice cream for all who purchase tickets to the show. Lark Hall will have a dairy and non-dairy option starting shortly after doors open at 7pm on Friday, July 9.

    Tickets are on sale now at via Eventbrite and Lark Hall.

  • Call To Action: Warren County Musician Frank Palangi loses Home Studio and Equipment to Fire

    A GoFundMe page challengers community members to help Frank Palangi, who despite losing virtually everything when home recording studio was struck by lightning, has “no plan B on backing down on [his] dreams.”

    Frank Palagani
    Frank Palangi, Musician, NYS Music Music In Motion Host


    Most have been fortunate enough to never know what it felt like to decide what stayed and what burned. On June 29, Warren County raised Frank Palangi was home when lightning struck his home and ignited a fire that claimed the musician’s “home studio equipment, clothes, personal items, [and] some things [he] can never get back.”

    Click Here to Help Frank
    Frank’s former hub for writing, recording, film production, teaching… and much more via Go Fund Me Page

    Frank has been a proponent for participation in community for New York as a recording artist himself, hosting interview series NYS Music In Motion. Until the fire, Frank has consistently and frequently captivated YouTube audiences with polished music videos and out of the box collaborations.

    Frank collaborates with 13 year old UK drummer on unique cover of “Purple Haze”

    Go Fund Me Organizer Lindsay R, Organizer writes that Frank “happens to be one of the most humble, kind, and appreciative people there is. When the pandemic forced the closures of live music venues across the country, Frank began performing live shows online, from the very studio that we are now trying to help him rebuild. He freely gave of his time, energy, and talent because of his belief in the healing and transformative power of music, and fostered a sense of community amongst his fans during a time when we needed it the most.”

    Frank Rocks. Let’s help him.

    For now, Frank has lost his ability to do what he loves, but the community possesses the power to help him get it back, come together and put a little kindness back into this world. According to lightningsafety.com there is a 1 : 280,000 chance of lightning striking a home. Hopefully, the chances for our music-supporting community helping are better than that.

    Click Here to Help Frank

    Our thoughts are with Frank and his family during this difficult time. You rock. “To rock” is something about who you are, and what lives inside of you, regardless of your ability to manifest creative endeavors at this moment. Some say that the best music comes out of the most difficult times, so sit tight. We’ve got you.

    To learn more about Frank Palangi, visit his website, YouTube, Spotify and Music In Motion Archives.

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