Today, June 21, marks the 37th birthday of Grammy-nominated singer Lana Del Rey.
While she may often sing about the beaches of California and of stories inspired by Old Hollywood, Del Rey has many connections to the Empire State.
Photo by Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images
Born Elizabeth Woolridge Grant in Manhattan in 1985, Del Rey moved to Lake Placid at an early age where she remained until high school. After her graduation from boarding school in Connecticut, a young Lizzy Grant lived on Long Island for a year where she waitressed and began writing music after her uncle taught her basic guitar chords.
Before the official birth of Lana Del Rey, Grant enrolled at Fordham University in the Bronx, graduating in 2008. During her college years, Grant recorded several EPs under the various aliases of May Jailer, Sparkle Jump Rope Queen and Lizzy Grant and the Phenomena and played small club shows around Brooklyn.
In advance of her first full album, Grant settled on the stage name of Lana Del Rey. “Lana” came from film starlet Lana Turner while “Del Rey” drew inspiration from a vintage Ford sedan and her general fondness of the Spanish language (translating to “of the king”).
“Lana Del Rey reminded us of the glamour of the seaside. It sounded gorgeous coming off the tip of the tongue.”
Lana Del Rey
Born To Die was released in 2012 and shot Del Rey to national stardom. She subsequently released the Paradise EP which featured even more Americana-driven tracks and songwriting discussing glamour, drugs, life on the road, fame and relationships. Her voice can travel from breathy falsetto to deep and rich, all in one verse.
Next came Ultraviolence (2014), a darker, edgier and more rock-driven featuring psychedelic flares and collaboration with Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys. Del Rey’s fourth studio album, Honeymoon (2015), reverted back to the orchestral, baroque pop sound of Born To Die and Paradise with a more polished finesse.
Del Rey’s most recent projects, Lust For Life (2017), Norman Fucking Rockwell! (2019) and Chemtrails Over The Country Club (2021), cement her status as one of the strongest modern songwriters. Now a resident of California, the ’60s and ’70s Laurel Canyon folk-rock influences are obvious in Del Rey’s music, which often feels incredibly nostalgic.
Lust For Life featured collaborations with The Weeknd (above), A$AP Rocky and more. Photo accessed from factmag.com
Norman Fucking Rockwell! arguably stands out as Del Rey’s magnum opus. The album received multiple Grammy nominations, including one for Album of the Year, and featured her most seamless collaboration yet with acclaimed pop producer Jack Antonoff.
Del Rey plans to release her newest album, Blue Banisters, on July 4. While she may now be on the “West Coast,” we will never forget her New York roots. Happy birthday, Lana Del Rey!
As his quarantine beard grew, his anxieties and frustrations with stagnation also grew and Chad Galactic racked his brain to come up with ideas to raise funds for out-of-work artists. Feeling inspired, he started by designing stickers with artist and friend “PickleKing,” which created a stream of income for those in need.
Galactic kept the ball rolling and was motivated to assemble an all-star band that recorded a cover of the song “Shake Your Rump” by the Beastie Boys. Joining him from The Mother Hips, guitarist Greg Loiacono and bassist Brian Rashap, Tea Leaf Green drummer Scotty Rager, and Jack Johnson/ALO keyboardist Zach Gill. Even Beastie Boys’ own DJ/Producer DJ Hurricane participated on the track. And in true Galactic style, Chad took on all three of the Boys’ vocal parts.
To accompany the track, Galactic also created a YAUCH Love Merch Store where half of the proceeds are being donated to the Tibetan Monks that Adam “MCA” Yauch loved so dearly. Yauch’s life accomplishments have been so influential on Galactic that he felt very deeply to find a way to honor him.
Namgyal Monastery in Ithaca was established in 1992 as the North American seat of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama’s monastery in Dharamsala, India. Between 1992 and 2014 the monastery was housed in an old Victorian era house in downtown Ithaca, NY and today has since moved to a larger complex on 28 acres of land, three miles south of Ithaca. The monastery offers retreated, weekend intensives on a variety of subjects in Tibetan Buddhism, as well as evening classes in the fall and spring.
An upcoming live stream by The FoodRap Duo features Chad Galactic & Reed Mathis on Wednesday, June 23 at 6:23 PM PT on Facebook Live.
In an industry filled with chicanery, few have been as authentic as the late Prodigy. Born, Albert Johnson, the diminutive emcee experienced enough for several lifetimes, always staying true to himself, or in his own words, “keeping it thoro.”
As a rapper, Prodigy was known for his opening bars that would set the tone. Encapsulating an entire record with his first couple of lines. In that sense, his upbringing served a similar purpose, setting the tone for what became an oft-dangerous career and an even more lawless life.
Hailing from Hempstead, New York in Long Island, Prodigy’s musical feel had been cultivated from an early age. His grandfather, Budd Johnson, was a saxophonist who worked extensively with the likes of; Dizzy Gillepsie, Quincy Jones and Duke Ellington. His grand-uncle, Keg Johnson, was a trombonist who played with Louis Armstrong and Cab Calloway.
The musical lineage carried on with his parents as his mother, Frances Johnson, was an original member of pioneering 1960’s girl group, The Crystals. And his father, Budd Johnson Jr., was a member of a doo-wop music group called, The Chanters.
Additionally, Prodigy’s paternal grandmother, Bernice Johnson, operated a successful dance school in her Jamaica, Queens backyard, where he spent a bulk of his childhood. A young Prodigy was honed in musical arts at an early age and was hardened by a diagnosis of sickle cell anemia, a chronic blood disease found primarily in people of African descent, which often resulted in long hospital stints.
In a Vibe Magazine interview preceding the release of his solo debut, H.N.I.C., prodigy shared a glimpse of his battle with the fatal disease:
The sickle-cell got me where doctors said I couldn’t play sports, I couldn’t overexert myself…I been going to the hospital since I was born, about 10 times a year, for about a week or two each time. I don’t know, man, some psychological sh*t goes down. I be all doped up for weeks. Morphine, Demerol—a whole bunch of drugs.
Despite a cultured upbringing, Prodigy’s condition and his nuclear family’s real life struggles kept him conscious of the harsh realities of the outside world.
My pops did a lot of stupid sh*t, man,” Prodigy revealed. “One time the n***a took me to rob a jewelry store. I was like, 5. He didn’t give a f**k, though. He was like, ‘This is my son. He can see everything I do.’ I love him for that. Even though it might not be right, so what? That was my pops!
Even though his roots were in Hempstead and Lefrak City, Queensbridge became part of Prodigy’s identity. That’s where most of his friends were from (including Havoc, the other half of Mobb Deep) and where he spent much of his time.
Prodigy (left) Havoc (right)
As he became invested in the street life, the determination to make it as a rapper grew tenfold. A 16-year-old Prodigy tasted minor success with an uncredited guest-verse on the Hi-Five record “Too Young,” which was featured on the Boyz’ N The Hood soundtrack.
From there, the Mobb Deep story reads like a feature presentation. From waiting outside of the Def Jam records offices in hopes that someone would listen to their demo — where Havoc not only brought a gun but managed to shoot someone — to world tours, platinum selling albums (and flops), Prodigy remained “thoro” in every sense of the made-up word.
In many ways, his life in the streets shaped the way he acted, talked and what he rapped about.
Everybody sold drugs. It made me stop caring about school and start caring about how I looked. I started acting up even more after school to prove to my friends in the hood that I was still cool. I was a crazy little kid. I blame sickle- cell and my father.
When he was embroiled in a rap beef with Jay – Z, he didn’t spend much-time trading diss records, instead he and his crew ran up on Jay – Z, according to his autobiography, My Infamous Life:
I walked over to my people. ‘Where’s Jay-Z?’ I asked, surveying the shadows of Justin’s. ‘I don’t see him.’ So we lined the front door of Justin’s on both sides. We weren’t going to let Jay-Z leave without dealing with us first. ‘P, we’re gonna beat the lips off Jay’s face [as] soon as we see him,’ Godfather, Nitty, and Nitty’s cousin Kiko all assured me. Kiko had a gun and he wanted to shoot Jay.
‘No! It’s not that serious,’ I said. ‘We’re just gonna beat him up. Don’t pull that gun out.’ Through the crowd, I saw Jay and Jermaine walking with three bodyguards towards us. Jermaine Dupri was aware of my beef with him and was visibly shook, started speed walking with his bodyguard when he saw me. He quickly hightailed it out the door. Jay-Z spotted us lined up against the door waiting for him. Then from about two yards away, he extended his hand to shake mine.
‘It ain’t no beef,’ Jay said. ‘It’s just music, man. No drama.’
Prodigy is cut from the cloth of “if you said it then you lived it.” That’s why he admittedly was not embarrassed when Jay put up a picture of a 12-year-old Prodigy dressed in a Michael Jackson getup on the titantron, during his Summer Jam set in 2001, in an attempt to humiliate him.
In his mind, Michael Jackson was the biggest act in the world at the time and everyone was a fan of him, there was no shame in that (he also rumors that Ashanti, who was a student at his grandmother’s dance studio where the picture hung, is the one who delivered the image to his adversaries). In an ironic twist, Jay – Z was applauded for being able to get Michael Jackson to make an appearance at the very same edition SummerJam! Further proving Prodigy’s point, but the industry doesn’t view the world like he does.
The best way to summarize Prodigy’s makeup as a man, is to look at the reason behind his three-year prison sentence. After getting pulled over for an illegal U-turn, police searched his SUV, found a gun and took him in for investigation. Except, these cops didn’t care about the gun. They were the “hip hop police” and were more interested in his relationship with 50 Cent, to whom Prodigy and Havoc were signed to at the time. They tried making a deal with him that would keep him from serving any time, but Prodigy provided no information. They became desperate and one of the officers asked, “Between us, maybe you can drop a gun in a 50’s car and help us get him.”
In October, 2007, he was convicted for possession of an illegal firearm, halting his career and all business dealings he had in the works.
Of course not all bad things are for naught. It was during this time that Prodigy penned his autobiography and gained considerable knowledge of self and began to transform himself into more of a spiritual being, believing in the presence of abstract entities. How else could he have made it this far?
The H.N.I.C. didn’t live much longer as he passed away on June, 20 2017, due to complications of his sickle cell anemia. Fans of his can find comfort in knowing that Prodigy was one of if not the realest rapper and that he wasn’t all industry like his more commercially successful counterparts.
When hip hop went full glitz and glamour during the “shiny suit era,” of the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, Prodigy doubled down and recorded his solo debut. He put out even more gutter street music, filled with violence and more vivid tales of guns, drugs and murders, because that’s what was really happening. His appeal to a major-label subsequently plateaued and Prodigy spent much of his later years releasing music through independent labels.
Ultimately, he would be proud to know that his life was captured in the opening line from one of his most memorable records. Because he really did “break bread, ribs and hundred dollar bills.”
Tupac, Ja Rule—a whole bunch of people talk about pain. “And Tupac, he even said some sh*t about my sickle-cell [on his song ‘Hit ‘Em Up’], so that inspired me to make a real song to show n***as what pain is.
Bryant Park honors one facet of the rich cultural tapestry of NYC’s AAPI community with a program of traditional Chinese music, acrobatics, dance, and martial arts from New York Chinese Cultural Center (NYCCC).
Bryant Park Picnic Performances’ season of free, live performances continues on Friday, June 25 with an evening of exciting multi-genre artistic programming courtesy of the NYCCC. Founded in 1974, NYCCC, a nonprofit cultural and educational institution, is dedicated to deepening the understanding and appreciation of Chinese culture through the arts in the global and local communities. Doors open at 5:30 pm and the show starts at 7 pm.
Entry to this event is now open to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis for all audience members who present either digital or physical proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or an immediately recent negative COVID-19 test, along with government issued photo ID.
NYCCC’s Executive Director Ying Yen says, “New York Chinese Cultural Center is excited to be a part of the Bryant Park Picnic Performances along with other amazing performing groups. It’s wonderful to see New York City’s diverse arts community come together to share our love of the arts and bring moments of joy to the heart of Manhattan in Bryant Park.”
This program is designed to engage a wide range of audiences for a taste of authentic Chinese culture and art. Signature performances include Dance China NY, Chinese Yo-Yo from artist Graham Lo, Kung Fu master David Fung, a demonstration of an array of Chinese instruments including the Erhu, Guzheng, and Dizi, plus colorful costumed classical and folk dance from different regions in China.
In line with city and state safety protocols, Bryant Park will host approximately 2,000 vaccinated or negative-tested audience members live at each of our performances. Requirements for all audience members include a government issued photo ID and on-site proof of full vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test. Food and beverage is available for purchase from vendors in the park before taking a seat on the lawn. All event attendees are invited to bring food and drink. There are two sections for seating: vaccinated and tested.
Vaccinated audience members will be offered open seating on the world-famous Bryant Park Lawn with ample space to distance from others at their own discretion. It is highly encouraged attendees wear masks during the check-in process. Masks may be removed at their own discretion once within the fully vaccinated areas of the lawn. Attendees can bring a blanket or use a park chair; no outside chairs allowed.
For tested seating, attendees presenting a negative COVID-19 test will be seated in a separate, socially distanced section (six feet from other parties at all times) with masks required. No outside blankets or chairs allowed.
For the most current guidelines, program updates, additional venue details, safety requirements, information, and restrictions, visit bryantpark.org/picnics.
Bryant Park Picnic Performances Schedule (All Shows Start at 7 pm)
June 18: New York City Opera – Pride in the Park
June 25: New York Chinese Cultural Center (NYCCC)
June 26: Joe’s Pub – Mykal Kilgore
July 2: New York City Opera – Carmen
July 9: Carnegie Hall Citywide – Toshi Reagon and BIGLovely
July 16: Carnegie Hall Citywide – Spanish Harlem Orchestra
July 23: Carnegie Hall Citywide – The Knights
July 30: Carnegie Hall Citywide – Adrienne Warren and Friends
July 31: Greenwich House Music School – Riley Mulherkar and Ella Bric
Aug 6: Carnegie Hall Citywide – Terence Blanchard & The E-Collective with the Turtle Island Quartet
Aug 12: Harlem Stage – Craig Harris’s Nocturnal Nubian Ball…: A Tribute to Sun Ra
Aug 13: Jazz at Lincoln Center – Dizzy’s Club: Young Stars of Jazz
Aug 14: Jazz at Lincoln Center – Dizzy’s Club: Camille Thurman and the Darrell Green Quintet
Aug 16: Limón Dance Company and Music from the Sole
Aug 20: Paul Taylor Dance Company and Elisa Monte Dance
Aug 21: New York City Opera – Now That’s What I Call Opera!
Aug 27: Save the Date – Dance Performance TBA
Sept 3: New York City Opera – Rigoletto
Sept 10: Classical Theatre of Harlem
Sept 17: National Sawdust – Allison Loggins-Hull premieres Diametrically Composed
Sept 20: The Town Hall – Centennial Concert featuring Chris Thile and special guests
Once a New York City teacher himself, Simmons agreed to spend 30 minutes with the Schalmont rock history students to answer some questions. He ended up speaking for over an hour giving advice, sharing stories and engaging in jovial conversation.
The virtual meeting came together with the help of Schalmont High Senior Gabe Unser, who looked up the musician on his website.
I found a media contact online and said ‘I don’t know if I can ask this but we have a History of Rock Music class and we were wondering if Gene would be able to talk to our class.’ She replied he’d be happy to.
Gabe Unser
According to Unser’s teacher, Robert Renzi, Simmons does not usually answer to inquiries but was moved by the message and decided to take the opportunity.
Simmons recalled how committed he and the rest of KISS was to practicing endlessly in their small New York City apartment. He simultaneously worked various jobs during that time, including teaching 6th grade.
Simmons 1960s teacher photo compared to his iconic rock persona. Credit: KISS Facebook Page
Simmons’ key piece of advice was to ignore the naysayers and do what you love. But, he was quick to say to not quit your day job in the process. Simmons also noted he has never drank alcohol or used illegal drugs and encouraged students to do the same.
The thing we did right is we did what we envisioned and put together a band we had never seen on stage before.
Gene Simmons
When a student asked if they could get autographs, or at least for their teacher as a retirement gift, Simmons agreed to send each person an autograph. He ended the meeting by telling students they could do anything if they put in the time and encouraged them not to be afraid of failure.
Kiss in London – May 1976 Credit: Photo by Andre Csillag/REX/Shutterstock
This is not the first time Simmons got in touch with his teacher side. While filming his reality show, Gene Simmons Family Jewels, he visited public school music charity organization, Little Kids Rock.
Simmons ditched his celebrity status in the clip, interacting with the children one-on-one, sharing valuable advice similar to his meeting with the Schalmont students, and even playing bass along with them. Simmons teamed up with Fender to donate guitars and other musical supplies to the charity before he left.
After multiple decades and a successful music career, it seems Simmons never really quit his teaching day job!
Dozens of musicians from Western New York are coming together on he evening of Thursday June 24 to support “Music To Your Ears,” a live online fundraising event for Rochester Hearing & Speech Center.
For a minimum donation of $10, viewers can access an eclectic range of acts. Featured performances include sets from the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, a duo from The Honey Smuglers, Teagan Ward, Roses & Revolutions, and Periodic Table of Elephants. See the full lineup below.
Captioning is available on the day of the event. Donations can be made until 4:45 on June 24, with a start time of 7 pm. 100% of donations go to support Rochester Hearing & Speech Center’s not-for-profit mission of improving quality of life through education and clinical services.
Rochester Hearing & Speech Center has been an institution in Rochester and the surrounding areas, providing services for almost a century. Our mission is to provide ‘communication for life’ across the lifespan.’ We look forward to another 100 years in the community and we could’t do it without the generous help of our donors and sponsors.’
Rochester Hearing & Speech Center provides comprehensive audiology services, which include comprehensive and diagnostic hearing evaluations, hearing aid fittings, auditory processing disorder evaluations, and newborn hearing screenings.
The clinic also offers early intervention and pre-school, as well as private therapy and tutoring. Offerings include speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy and special education services. In addition to their expertise in working with children, their staff has experience working with specialized populations, such as individuals with developmental disabilities, veterans, and musicians. The hearing loss prevention program is an important aspect of their services.
A major cause of hearing loss is exposure to noisy environments. A consultation can lead to recommendations and fittings for custom hearing protection including high-fidelity earplugs and in-ear monitors.
For more about Rochester Hearing & Speech Center or the “Music To Your Ears” event on June 24, visit their website at RHSC.org.
Symphony Space makes a memorable return to its Upper West Side building for the 2021-2022 season that brings beloved cultural institution’s programs (Selected Shorts, Wall to Wall, and Bloomsday on Broadway) to new heights.
The company has upgraded its Peter Jay Sharp Theatre and Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre with state-of-the-art equipment to both capture and stream performances along with presenting select future works from within the theatre for both in-person and virtually to viewers around the world.
Programming will include three ‘Milestone Events’:
Wall to Wall Selected Shorts, the “First-Ever Literature-Based Wall to Wall Event,” Allowing actors the capability to read, “Great,” fiction to a live audience combining two beloved signature Symphony Space programs (March 26, 2022)
This monumental event celebrates—and expands upon—the literature-in-performance series in which well-known screen and stage actors read classic and new short fiction in front of a live audience.
Symphony Space’s 50th Music Wall to Wall, a Marathon Tribute to Quincy Jones (May 14, 2022)
Quincys discography makes him an ideal artist to honor at the 50th Wall to Wall. His global impact crosses from genres to generations, disciplines, and cultures.
This tribute to Quincy will be a gathering of musicians, singers, dancers, actors, and more, along with a day-long, nonstop celebration. And, all of it will be free and open to the public, as every Wall to Wall has been since our founding.”
Bloomsday on Broadway Celebration Featuring a New Production from Elevator Repair Service to Mark the Centenary of James Joyce’s Ulysses (June 16, 2022)
Symphony Space’s annual Bloomsday on Broadway offers artists the chance to apply their own vision to the James JoycemasterpieceUlysses, displaying across the decades the inspiration a brilliant work can have.
The 2021-2022 Season will also include Residencies with Acclaimed Musicians Ravi Coltrane (February 3-5, 2022) and Meshell Ndegeocello (February 24-26, 2022)
Ravi Coltrane is a Grammy nominated saxophonist, bandleader and composer while eleven-time Grammy nominee Meshell Ndegeocello is known for, “Merging soul, rock, and hip-hop to make a kind of R&B that is at once cerebral and interstellar” (Pitchfork).
Symphony Space, A preforming Arts Center in the Upper West Side of Manhattan, Provides viewers with superb virtual performances, along with carrying potentials for accessibility into the future, through select programming presented in a Hybrid Format for Both In-Person and Remote Viewers.
Symphony Space’s 2020-2021 virtual events engaged audiences in all 50 states, along with 56 countries.
“What defines Symphony Space is our unique convening of artists and writers,’ Says executive director Kathy Landau. “This season is built around a magnificent array of artists and important milestone events, and we can imagine no better way to once again throw open our doors and welcome in audiences who found out about us during the last year.”
Symphony Space traces its beginnings to Wall to Wall Bach, a 12-hour music festival conceived by playwright-director Isaiah Sheffer and conductor Allan Miller in 1978. With the success of the event, Sheffer and Miller decided to lease the building and turn it into a permanent cultural venue.
The Stone Ridge Orchard in Stone Ridge, New York kicks off their summer season with Cider, Blues & BBQ, a live blues review with New York State-based blues musicians. This year’s festivities will feature The Campbell Brothers, Alexis P. Suter and The Robert Hill Band on Saturday, June 19.
Opening the show will be The Robert Hill Band. Hill is an award-winning songwriter, vocalist, and master guitarist. Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, Robert now calls New York home. His band is known for their original, autobiographical blues music, previously performing internationally from NYC to Spain.
Headlining the show is the Campbell Brothers, an American sacred-steel gospel group from Rochester, New York. The ensemble features prominent pedal steel guitars and soulful singing. Their groove is infectious and sure to get the audience up and dancing together!
At the end of the night, Brooklyn native Alexis P. Suter will usher in the sunset with her hearty voice. A sousaphone player and church singer since the age of four, Alexis was the first African American woman signed to Epic/Sony Records. The award-winning musician will grace the stage with a selection of songs from her extensive six-album catalog. Her deep, passionate vocals are goosebump inducing.
To accompany the blues, there will be food on-site available from Hudson Valley’s The Grille Wagon. Smoked BBQ staples like pulled pork sandwiches, brisket, BBQ chicken, macaroni and cheese, coleslaw, and a host of other locally-sourced dishes are on the menu. The farm’s tasting room will be open for cider and wine tastings, as well as their roadside farm market that provides freshly baked goods and local products available for purchase.
We’re so grateful to showcase these amazing musicians on our farm, and we welcome the community to soak up everything the farm has to offer.
Elizabeth Ryan, Stone Ridge Orchard’s owner, farmer and cider maker
In addition to the evening show and BBQ, the 115-acre farm offers a chance to visit with the resident alpacas, pigs, and sheep. Guests are even able to for a hike up to the 350-year old oak tree on the farm, full of scenic Catskill Mountain views.
Stone Hill Orchard’s 350-year-old oak tree. Courtesy: Chronogram
Cider, Blues & BBQ is pet-friendly and compliant with reopening restrictions. Tickets are available for purchase at the Stone Ridge Orchard website.
Schedule: Doors Open – 3 p.m. Robert Hill – 4 p.m. Alexis P. Suter – 6 p.m. The Campbell Brothers – 7:30 p.m.
The Campbell Brothers performing for the virtual 2020 Richmond Folk Fest
Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) was alive once again on June 18, as Trey Anastasio kicked off three nights of acoustic shows with some friends along for the ride.
On Friday night, Trey welcomed Beacon Jams stars the Rescue Squad Strings and Jeff Tanski for eleven songs during the show, while performing another eleven solo on acoustic guitar. The songs included Phish numbers, as well as one of Trey’s new quarantine home recordings, “Lost in the Pack.”
Trey told stories during the performance, asking the audience what they’d been up to since Mexico, the last Phish shows held in February 2020. Trey gave nod to HBO’s Succession Season 2 for best viewing this past year, as well as Marc Rebillet’s vaccine song.
The crowd, held to 30% capacity (due to live performance restrictions at the time of announcement) skewed slightly younger, with crowd pleasers “Everything’s Right,” “Turtle in the Clouds” and “Sigma Oasis” elating the audience, the latter especially with the line, “Take off your mask.”
Fans were treated to two lengthy compositions with the Rescue Squad Strings and Tanski with the early composition “Fluffhead” and the more recent “Mercury,” both wowing the crowd, the latter making its acoustic debut along with the Anastasio/Tansky duet of “Split Open and Melt.”
A show closing “First Tube” gave a nod to the late Tony Markellis, as Anastasio said, “With deepest love,” for the former TAB bassist and longtime resident of Saratoga Springs.
Set 1: Wilson [1], Alive Again[1], Stash [2], Water in the Sky[2], Lost in the Pack[1], Back on the Train[1], Sample in a Jar[1], Sigma Oasis[1], Theme From the Bottom[1], Shade [3], Fluffhead[2], Mercury [4], The Inlaw Josie Wales[2], Turtle in the Clouds[1], Maze[1], Snowflakes in the Sand[1], Everything’s Right [5], Split Open and Melt [6], Joy[2], Harry Hood[2]
Encore: More[1], First Tube[4] [1] Trey on acoustic guitar. [2] Trey on acoustic guitar; with the Rescue Squad Strings and Jeff Tanski on piano. [3] Trey on acoustic guitar; with Jeff Tanski on piano. [4] Trey on acoustic guitar; with the Rescue Squad Strings and Jeff Tanski on piano. First acoustic performance. [5] Trey on acoustic guitar. Started and stopped before being played in full. [6] Trey on acoustic guitar; with Jeff Tanski on piano. First acoustic performance.
Saturday night found Trey and a full house at SPAC for round two. Phish bandmate Page McConnell stopped by late in the evening, surprising fans for a few songs.
Just before the encore, Trey thanked the audience, crew and friends and spoke about the late Tony Markellis.
Tony will always be a part of all of our lives. He of course, Saratoga resident and native. Page reminded me backstage of a fact that was quite true that I had forgotten. His absolute favorite song in the repertoire of all of this groups of friends who play together is this next song. He just loved this one. One of Page’s favorites too.
Trey Anastasio
And with that, “Sleeping Monkey” was played by Trey and Page, with the crowd letting out a laugh, and later singing the “home on the train” part in unison. For the final songs of the encore, Trey brought Jeff Tanski and the Rescue Squad Strings as Page stepped off, closing the night with “If I Could” and “Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.”
Set1: Set Your Soul Free, Blaze On, I Never Needed You Like This Before, Esther#, Brian And Robert*, Wolfman’s Brother*, Divided Sky*, Driver, When the Words Go Away, Twist, Foam#, What’s the Use*, Chalk Dust Torture, Sand#, Pebbles and Marbles*, Lifeboy*, Backwards Down the Number Line, Limb By Limb, Mountains in the Mist^, Sleep^, Waste^, Sleeping Monkey^
Encore: If I Could$, Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.
* – with Rescue Squad Strings + Jeff Tanski # – with Jeff Tanski ^ – with Page McConnell $ – with Rescue Squad Strings + Page McConnell
For the third and final night of acoustic performance at SPAC, Anastasio spent the longest day of the year focusing intently on playing and less time sharing stories. On the 17 year anniversary of one of Phish’s most notable SPAC performances, Anastasio gave the date fresh significance as acoustic debuts of “Reba,” “Drift While You’re Sleeping,” “You Enjoy Myself” and “Tweezer Reprise” were the specials of the day.
With the mantra of ‘Never Miss a Sunday’ show holding true through a pandemic, Trey kicked off the show with an unexpected Father’s Day opener in “Carini,” noting afterwards this was a Father’s Day song with the lyrics “he went across the street and called his dad,” the ends seemingly justifying the means.
A spirited acoustic version of “Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan” had a nice jam at end that worked its way into “Free” which had cheers throughout for “I feel the feeling I forgot.”
For the first acoustic debut of the night, “Reba” featured a duet with Jeff Tanski on piano, who added in a little ragtime style in the first third of the composition. The incredibly intricate song, one that Anastasio recently mentioned on Alive Again (Osiris Network) took the pair on a complex journey through one of Phish’s oldest fan-favorites. Anastasio noted afterwards that it was Tanski who helped him through the pandemic by playing together for 4-5 hours daily in a small practice space in New York City.
Welcoming back The Rescue Squad Strings – Katie Kresek and Maxim Moston on violin, Rachel Golub on viola, Anja Wood on cello – Anastasio dove into “Strange Design” and the debut of “Drift While You’re Sleeping,” the crowd moved by lyrics “It’s love, it’s love, it always was. And it is and it always will be love.”
Trey went solo for “Ghost” and “Farmhouse” before welcoming back Tanski for “Ghosts of the Forest” with aquarium-hued lighting and Anastasio hanging on the lyric “I’m drowning in my own mind” to the song’s morendo. The Strings returned for “Light” which used the blank canvas behind the stage to simulate a sunrise growing brighter as the song built towards climax.
“Bathtub Gin” and “NICU” had the audience singing along once again, followed by Tansky returning for two somber numbers in “Dirt” and “Miss You.” The Strings then came back again for the at-home composition from April 2020, “Till We Meet Again.” If there was any point of the evening where there was an interlude in the music, it was these previous few tunes, as the crowd would soon find out.
A solo version of “Tube” brought out big cheers for science, and with Tansky and the string section, fans were wowed with “The Lizards.” Debuting during the Beacon Jams in Fall 2020, the addition of strings to the fan-favorite had the song hitting a little different this evening. Paired with the “Slave to the Traffic Light” that followed, fans were blessed with two classic Phish songs plus strings in as intimate a setting as 30% capacity at SPAC could allow.
After a solo version of “Possum,” Trey read a sign saying “Play what makes you happy.” He obliged, playing “a little ditty that makes me happy,” that being “You Enjoy Myself.” The vocal jam afterwards was reminiscent of past performances with orchestras, such as at Carnegie Hall in 2009, with Anastasio standing in front of the canvas backdrop, his silhouette visible against orange and then blue light.
For the encore, Trey thanked everyone for three great nights, introduced the string section and Tansky, and moved into the Ghosts of the Forest ballad “Life Beyond a Dream.” The addition of strings to emotionally powerful songs from across his decades of performance stood out tonight, but the show closer, “Tweezer Reprise,” would be the icing on the evening as the first ever version with a string section, with Anastasio smiling ear to ear as the typical finale of Phish shows reigned supreme once again in the halls of SPAC.
Anastasio will perform two nights at The Beacon Theatre, June 22 and 23, the first shows with an audience at the famed venue since March 2020.
Set 1: Carini [1], Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan[1], Free[1], Reba [2], Strange Design [3], Drift While You’re Sleeping [4], Ghost[1], Farmhouse[1], Ghosts of the Forest [5], Light[3], Bathtub Gin[1], NICU[1], Dirt[5], Miss You[5], Till We Meet Again[3], Tube[1], The Lizards[3], Slave to the Traffic Light[3], Possum[1], You Enjoy Myself[4]
Encore: A Life Beyond The Dream[3], Tweezer Reprise[4] [1] Trey on acoustic guitar. [2] Trey on acoustic guitar; with Jeff Tanski on piano. First acoustic performance. No whistling. [3] Trey on acoustic guitar; with the Rescue Squad Strings and Jeff Tanski on piano. [4] Trey on acoustic guitar; with the Rescue Squad Strings and Jeff Tanski on piano. First acoustic performance. [5] Trey on acoustic guitar; with Jeff Tanski on piano.
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 Vaughns, the Fifty Two 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 Vaughns
New Jersey band the Vaughns have released their EP, rom-coms & take-out. Its title stems from the lyrics of “All Weekend,” a synthy new wave-inspired song about staying home and doing nothing. Other songs “Bushwick” and “Raina,” are similarly chill, good for sunny and rainy days respectively. “Bushwick” is of course an ode to the trendy Brooklyn neighborhood, while “Raina” is a love song: “I’m falling in love, so what more can I say? / Oh, you’re a glimpse of sun on the rainiest day.” The Vaughns are coming to The Hollow Bar + Kitchen on Albany’s North Pearl Street on Saturday, June 26, with tickets available on their website.
The Fifty Two The Fifty Two’s single “Just Kids” opens with a bang, calling back to David Bowie’s “Heroes” before mellowing out for the opening verse. However, its choruses continue to explode in waves of nostalgia for memories past. This effect is fully intentional: the lyrics speak of “limousine speakers maxed out,” and the song evokes late-driving over a bridge with the windows down. The Fifty Two are a trio consisting of Jamie Medick, Jordan Medick and Ronnie Devernone.
