Albany promoter Greg Bell, of Guthrie/Bell Productions, has been a staple in the Albany music community for more than three decades. Starting in the early 90s, he began a journey that led him to give countless new and rising bands from the Capital Region a stage to play on.
For bands touring from across the country, Bell has made Albany a stop to look forward to, and always with the support and enthusiasm you might find from a fan, rather than a promoter.
“Grapplin’ Greg” is an upcoming full-length film slated for release in late fall 2022. The film is shot, edited and produced by Frankie Cavone of Mirth Films, and co-produced by Kim Neaton of Guthrie/Bell Productions.
The story told in ‘Grapplin’ Greg‘ will share how Bell fell in love with live music, then began booking a couple small bar shows for friends, and later events at venues like The Palace Theatre, Albany Armory and beyond. Greg Bell doesn’t just book shows, he has helped nurture a music scene that truly feels like a community.
To tell the story, Mirth Films is in the process of speaking with musicians, venue owners, fans, promoters, family and friends that help to piece together this three-decade legacy. Shot at venues including The Hollow in downtown Albany and the Palace Theatre with those that know him best, the interviews have proven to be full of stories both heartfelt and hilarious.
photos by Frankie Cavone
The title of the documentary derives from the Eastbound Jesus song, for whom Bell serves as manager, of the same name. The song tells a tale of Bell as a wrestler, defeating a bear that attempts to start a drum circle at his legendary festival, Bellstock. Perhaps he never went toe to toe with a bear, but from being a star wrestler to threatening to burn drums, much of the tale is true. The song, like his life, is an entertaining ride.
On Saturday, two of New York City’s hottest rising bands, Space Bacon and Escaper, will take the stage at Bowery Ballroom along with Microcave, for one of the hottest shows of this frigid winter snap that has engulfed the Northeast.
Space Bacon’s relationship with New York City has been well documented over the years. The city sunk its claws into their sound many moons ago. The energy of the Big Apple carved itself into the bedrock of their foundation. Their personality reflects their humble beginnings in beer- stained basements and all that’s taken place since that fateful night in The Bronx. As they travel across the country and gain new fans in new cities, they’ll always carry the palpable tenacity and unwavering hustle of the city that never sleeps.
It’s been two years since they sold out The Mercury Lounge and now, they make their long-awaited return to NYC. It’s finally happening. Although 2021 presented some unavoidable issues for the live music world, Space Bacon was able to rally and finish the year strong with big shows in Denver, Philly, and Chicago.
Their sound has continued to evolve, and they’re excited to bring it back home to the core of their fanbase. Whether you’ve been following them from the beginning, or you just hopped the turnstile and sprinted onto the train, this will undoubtedly be a monumental night for Bacon and their fans as Space Bacon takes over the Bowery.
Escaper is another well-known band in NYC and the northeast festival circuit. Known for thoughtful songwriting and danceable psychedelic jams. Signed to Ropeadope Records, they have released three studio albums which have been met with critical acclaim.
Escaper will be featuring Luke Bemand (lespecial) as a special guest bassist and will also have Johnny Butler (Beyonce, Sister Sparrow) joining them on sax. Escaper has welcomed past guests from members of The Disco Biscuits, Thievery Corporation, Turkuaz, Cabinet, Rubblebucket, and have shared bills with the likes of Karl Denson, Jon Fishman and many others.
Space Bacon and Escaper will be joind by Microcave, a four-piece improvisational electronica powerhouse based out of the NYC area. The band excels in blending electronic music with a wide array of genres including rock, funk, classical, and more, and features members of Tractorbear: A Tribute To The Disco Biscuits, and Horizon Wireless.
Don’t miss Space Bacon, Escaper and Microcave at Bowery Ballroom on Saturday, February 5th. Get tickets here.
Everyone Orchestra and conductor Matt Butler are celebrating 20 years of improvisation with a three show run in February, including a stop at Brooklyn Bowl Williamsburg.
Three Everyone Orchestra shows are on tap for the weekend run, with shows at Ardmore, PA’s Ardmore Music Hall on February 24, Brooklyn Bowl on February 25 and Cambridge, MA’s The Sinclair on February 26. The lineups for each show are listed below:
February 24, Ardmore Music Hall, Ardmore, PA Everyone Orchestra, conducted by Matt Butler ft. Rob Derhak (Moe.), Al Schnier (Moe.), Michael Travis (The String Cheese Incident), Aron Magner (Disco Biscuits) & Natalie Cressman (Trey Anastasio Band)
February 25, Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY Conducted by Matt Butler and featuring Al Schnier (moe.), Natalie Cressman (Trey Anastasio Band), Rob Derhak (moe.), Michael Travis (The String Cheese Incident), & Danny Louis (Gov’t Mule)
February 26, The Sinclair, Cambridge, MA Conducted by Matt Butler and featuring Al Schnier (moe.), Natalie Cressman (Trey Anastasio Band), Rob Derhak (moe.), Michael Travis (The String Cheese Incident), & Danny Louis (Gov’t Mule)
In late December 2021, Butler released a 16 minute virtual opus, featuring contributions from 70+ musicians of the project’s past performers into one epic song and music video. Co-produced by longtime creative partner Todd Kushner, the mega-collaboration entitled “Heart Full of Love” is a video tapestry masterpiece highlighting dozens of fan-favorite players from our current music scene.
In January of 2021, Everyone Orchestra turned 20 years old. In my mind, I had planned an epic celebration, bringing together many musicians from all over the globe to celebrate this amazing project that has brought so much light and love throughout the years. Obviously, the pandemic has dealt us card after card, and we keep losing the hand. So I decided to contact as many EO alumni as possible and ask them to participate in a virtual version of the celebration idea I concocted with Zach Gill at the song writing helm and Todd Kushnir managing video and audio production, titled “Heart Full of Love”.
Matt Butler
Along with the video release, Everyone Orchestra is offering a free NFT for “Heart Full of Love” that is also an augmented reality Instagram or Facebook filter, and fans interested in the NFT offering can fill out a form here.
Following Umphrey’s McGee’s show at the Palace Theatre on Saturday, January 22, bassist Ryan “Little King” Stasik, World’s Okayest Bass Player, joined with a trio of Buffalonians for a heavy post show at Empire Underground as Death Kings. Aqueous guitarist Uncle Mike “Muerto” Gantzer, former Turkuaz drummer Michelangelo “Ox” Carubba, and guitarist Brett Fernway channeled metal and alternative from the 1990s at their fourth show as a band.
In a venue that Stefon would rave about – “Albany’s hottest coldest place for hardcore fusions jams is Empire Underground. They’ve got everything – an entrance down a parking garage ramp, cement walls, PBR for days, and look in the corner, is that a wook? No, those are Gremlins, and not the Gizmo kind.” Yes, Empire Underground was the place to be post-Umphrey’s McGee.
Opening with Harvey Danger’s 90’s anthem “Flagpole Sitta” gave the audience a taste of what was to come, with deep shredding metal, especially on the original “Suicide Tuesday.” Stasik noted that even though it was their fourth show as a band, it “feels better every time.” Death Kings is the post show of choice if your prog metal needs aren’t met. Ween’s “It’s Gonna Be a Long Night” stood out among an original filled setlist, as the band pushed past 3am and into the cold of Sunday morning.
Setlist: March, 86, Flagpole Sitta, Dead Memories, Cyco, Flom, Welcome 2 Hell, It’s Gonna be a Long Nite, Suicide Tuesday, Easgles, Territorial Pissings, Burn Enemy, Fuck Authority, Bad Mouth, Disembodied Encore: Breed, Blackout, Fight
Having performed in the Capital District 11 times since 2003, Umphrey’s McGee performed their most cohesive show in the region to date, a dialed in performance at the Palace Theatre in Albany on Saturday, January 22 that brought out the heavy hitters, a few bust outs and an audience that was immensely appreciative.
If opening the show with “Cemetery Walk” didn’t set a tone for the evening, the 14+ minute “Booth Love” that followed certainly did. “Make it Right” and the relatively new “Suxity” followed, segueing nicely into a classic version of “The Floor.” From there, the piano stylings of Joel Cummins were front and center for “Salamander Strut,” a tune that has not been played this decade, let alone this century – the last performance coming in 1999, a gap of more than 2400 shows.
And if a 23 year bust-out didn’t get your attention, a rare cover over Ween’s “Even If You Don’t” followed, marking the second time the band has played it, and third overall if you count the Godboner set from Summer Camp 2015. “Anchor Drops” -> “Mulche’s Odyssey” rounded out a cohesive 66 minute set, leaving the audience cheering for more.
And more they would get. Opening up the second set with pure rock anthem “Attachments, with a high energy shredding jam to follow that segued into “Glory.” “The Crooked One” featured a tease of The Police’s “Wrapped Around Your Finger,” transitioning seamlessly into “It Doesn’t Matter,” each song clocking in at over 12 minutes a piece.
“The Silent Type” followed, with a low key tribute to Albany’s roots in “The Fussy Dutchman,” followed by a patiently built “JaJunk” which built into an all time great thumping dance session. For the encore, the companion to the opener, “Cemetery Walk II” featured guitarist Brendan Bayliss joining Cummins on keys, a rare treat that put an exclamation point on the Umphrey’s best show in nearly two decades worth of Capital Region performances.
Thursday, January 20 marked the return of Greensky Bluegrass and The Infamous Stringdusters to the Capital District, with a performance at the Palace Theatre that kept the audience warm and cozy from the frigid temperatures outside.
Greensky Bluegrass returned nearly two years after their last Albany performance, that time at The Egg with Ghost Light, and after a bit of a wait, they were back to kick off their Winter Tour ahead of the release of their new album, Stress Dreams.
photo by Zak Radick
Opening up the show were The Infamous Stringdusters, recently nominated for a Grammy for their Bill Monroe tribute album. They kicked off the show with “Rise Sun” off their 2019 album of the same name, and negotiated a very brief power outage, never missing a beat. The band took a few opportunities to comment on how long it’s been since they’ve seen each other, how good it feels playing live, and how much fun they were having.
Dobro player Andy Hall, a native of Binghamton spoke to Forbes this past week, recalling his view of his hometown:
The Binghamton area is beautiful — rolling hills, forests and lots of medium-size towns. Not a lot is happening there, but there are lots of colleges in the area, it was a great place to grow up and there were awesome down-to-earth people. I used to have a somewhat negative view of my hometown, but I think that just went along with the urge to escape and see the world. I went back recently to receive a distinguished alumni award from my high school and was really impressed with what they have going on with music and theater. It changed my view of my old high school for the better!
Andy Hall
The nearly hour-long set from Stringdusters included covers of the Grateful Dead’s “Touch of Grey” and The Police’s “Walking on the Moon,” as well as “Colorado” and “Sirens,” with the appreciative Albany crowd grooving along. Earlier in the day, the band released “I Didn’t Know” off their upcoming album, The Fray. Listen to the full show below:
Setlist: Rise Sun*. Colorado, Sirens, Touch of Grey^, Fire, Back Home Again, Walking on the Moon%, Vertigo, If You’re Gonna Love Someone, Fork in the Road
* Power outage on stage ^ Grateful Dead cover % The Police cover
Returning to the Palace Theatre stage for the third time, Greensky Bluegrass celebrated the pending release of Stress Dreams, which was released 30 minutes after the band took their final bows. Songs from the album, included the catchy “New and Improved,” “Monument” and “Worry For You,” which had its live debut this evening. Greensky Mandolinist Paul Hoffman noted early in the first set, “We made a plan to play this show a long time ago with the Infamous Stringdusters, and so far the plan is working.”
A rarer tune, “Bont’s Breakdown” was performed for only the fourth time in the last 12 years, with fan favorites “Go it Alone” and “Living Over” closing out the first set with a 1-2 punch.
photo by Zak Culver
A new arrangement of “Old Barns” led to one of the top jams of the night, with the visually explosive light show from Andrew Lincoln offering the perfect dose of psychedelic luminescence to layer over the band. “Take Cover” and “Tarpology” both left plenty of room for improvisation, entrancing the audience as they filled every minute. The show concluded with another Stress Dreams track, “Until I Sing,” with the audience praising the band one last time before heading out into the bitter winter night, a little warmer thanks to The Infamous Stringdusters and Greensky Bluegrass. Stream the show via Archive.org.
Set 1: Jaywalking, New and Improved, Do Harm, Train Junkie, Worry For You*, Bont’s Breakdown, Do It Alone, Living Over Set 2: Monument, Beauty and Pain, Old Barns^, Kerosene+, Take Cover, Against the Days, Tarpology, Windshield Encore: Until I Sing * debut ^ new arrangement + “Let it Grow” (Grateful Dead) tease
Folk and protest music legend Pete Seeger performed on The Late Show with David Letterman in 2008, performing “Take it From Dr. King,” a tribute to the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Seeger, who helped popularize the Civil Rights movement’s protest anthem “We Shall Overcome,” first met Dr. King in 1957 at Highlander Folk School, a social justice leadership training school and cultural center located in New Market, Tennessee. Seeger recalls the day:
I met her, I met all three of them that day. As a matter of fact there is a picture taken of us out standing out standing in front of a cinder block wall that they enlarged the barn which became their library and King, Abernathy, Rosa, Me and Miles and Zelphilia’s teenage daughter were there. Pete Seeger
Seeger would later write the song “Take It From Dr. King,” a tribute to the legacy of a man who led a non-violent movement that championed civil rights and equality.
Seeger connected with King in 1957, in this story from The Kennedy Center
On September 2, 1957, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., visited Highlander Folk School in Tennessee. Part of the school’s mission was to help prepare civil rights workers to challenge unjust laws and racist policies that discriminated against African Americans. The school also made a point of bringing blacks and whites together to share experiences and to learn from each other. It was a dangerous idea. At a time when southern laws kept blacks and whites segregated or separate, some white racists terrorized African Americans with deadly violence.
Dr. King delivered the main speech that day, honoring the school’s 25th anniversary. As part of the meeting, folk singer Pete Seeger got up with his banjo. He plucked out a song he had learned at Highlander, and led the audience in singing it.
Later that day, Dr. King found himself humming the tune in the car. “There’s something about that song that haunts you,” he said to his companions.
That song in question was the protest movement song “We Shall Overcome.”
“Take it from Dr. King” lyrics
Down in Alabama, 1955, Not many of us here tonight were then alive; A young Baptist preacher led a bus boycott, He led the way for a brand new day without firing a shot.
Don’t say it can’t be done The battle’s just begun Take it from Dr. King You too can learn to sing So drop the gun.
Oh those must have been an exciting 13 years. Young heroes, young heroines. There was laughter, there were tears, Students at lunch counters, Even dancing in the streets. To think it all started with sister Rosa Refusing to give up her seat.
Song, songs, kept them going and going; They didn’t realize the millions of seeds they were sowing. They were singing in marches, even singing in jail. Songs gave them the courage to believe they would not fail.
We sang about Alabama 1955, But since 9-11 we wonder will this world survive. The world learned a lesson from Dr. King: We can survive, we can, we will. And so we sing
Don’t say it can’t be done The battle’s just begun Take it from Dr. King You too can learn to sing So drop the gun
For the first episode of 2022, SNL welcomed Ariana Debose to host, along with Jack Antonoff’s Bleachers as musical guest. Debose won a Golden Globe earlier this week for her performance as Anita in Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” and gained additional honors as the 200th woman since 1975 to host the NBC variety show.
During her monologue, Debose was joined by veteran cast member Kate McKinnon for a medley of “West Side Story” numbers, including “Tonight,” “Something’s Coming” and “America;” during “I Feel Pretty” the pair fist bumped following the famous line “I feel pretty and witty and gay!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLOEKEwjGKk
The show began with “Message from the President” and featured new cast member James Austin Johnson as President Joe Biden blaming the spread of the omicron variant of COVID-19 on too many people seeing “Spiderman: No Way Home.” Biden at one point wondered if there were other President Biden’s in the multiverse, leading Pete Davidson to arrive as a Biden variant from another universe.
Local business commercials in the New York Metro area were spoofed by Davidson and Chloe Fineman, who advertised their shop for prom and formal wear in “Formal Emporium,” with featured player Andrew Dismukes as their nerdy son.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QoH_oYaN6M
Chris Redd made his debut as new New York City Mayor Eric Adams, in a NY1 press conference sketch where Adams made his arrival to the podium with Mase’s “Feel So Good”as walk on music. Adams bragged about the swag he brings to the office and gave stark comparison to the predecessor, who was never parodied on SNL in his eight prior years in office.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7igRfDC1YQ
Jack Antonoff’s NYC-based indie-pop group Bleachers performed an energetic “How Dare You Want More,” off 2021’s Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night, and was performed on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon last year.Mark ‘Rat’ Ratner Antonoff was joined by singer-songwriter Blu DeTiger on bass, Claud on keys and Rick Antonoff, Jack’s dad, on guitar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gnn-pBhmUX4
The Sound of Music has been a regular musical sketch number on SNL, appearing in sketches twice in the last four years. Debose’s Broadway chops were on display in “Governess” where a widower, Kenan Thompson, hired DeBose to teach his children, who sang a take on “Do-Re-Mi.”
For Bleachers’ second song, Antonoff’s 2020 collaboration with Bruce Springsteen, “Chinatown,” was featured, with Claud shifting to guitar. Antonoff recently confirmed that he will release a new Bleachers album, the group’s fourth, by the end of the year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3hEhMMfUJo
Rapper Roddy Ricch was originally scheduled as musical guest this evening but had to withdraw due to members of his team being exposed to COVID-19. SNL returns on January 22 with host Will Forte and musical guest Måneskin.
One sketch that was cut for time, “All On Me,” features a rapper (Chris Redd) performs a song with his entourage (Ariana DeBose, rapper Freddie Gibbs, Kenan Thompson) after signing a major deal.
Zac Brown Band has announced their “Out in the Middle Tour” for summer 2022, including stops at Saratoga Springs Performing Arts Center (SPAC), Citi Field in Queens and En-Joie Golf Course in Endicott.
The “Out in the Middle Tour” will showcase the band’s old-school country roots and southern-rock style, serving as an ode to their country pride and life’s simple pleasures. Joining the band once again will be Caroline Jones, who performed as a special guest during “The Comeback Tour.” Zac Brown Band also welcomes Robert Randolph Band as the opening act on select dates throughout the tour.
Performing in front of millions of fans around the world is one of the most electrifying and humbling feelings. We’re so excited to go back out on the road and keep the unbelievable momentum going from ‘The Comeback Tour.’ It’s been such an incredible year for the band, debuting some of the best music we’ve ever made, and we are thrilled to continue playing live for our amazing fans.
Zac Brown
ZBB will make three stops in the Empire State this summer, starting at SPAC in Saratoga Springs on Thursday, June 2, Citi Field in Queens on August 18, and at En-Joie Golf Course in Endicott, just west of Binghamton on the Susquehanna River.
Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, January 21 at 10 AM at ZacBrownBand.com. Zac Brown Band will offer VIP packages for each show that include premium tickets, access to the Uncaged Lounge with complimentary wine, beer & appetizers, an exclusive VIP gift item & more. Package contents vary based on offer selected. Fans can visit VIPNation.com for more information. The “Zamily” Fan Club pre-sale will begin on Tuesday, January 18 at 10AM, followed by the simultaneous Spotify and Live Nation Pre-Sales on Wednesday, January 19 at 10 AM. For tickets or more information please visit ZacBrownBand.com.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iNTErjy1Xk
Zac Brown Band “Out in the Middle Tour” 2022 Dates
Annie in the Water have announced a slate of winter tour dates, ahead of the release of their forthcoming studio album, Sun at Dawn, set to be released Friday, March 4th.
Artwork by Tony Campono, based on a photograph taken by Matt Richards at dawn on Going To The Sun Road at Glacier National Park.
Recorded directly to tape at Artfarm Recording in the heart of the Hudson Valley and mixed by Corey Hayward, Sun at Dawn represents the band’s time spent independently at home, together in the Adirondacks, and on the road again with their fans.
Our forthcoming album Sun at Dawn represents the paths we took in life as individuals and how it brought us together in the band. The album consists of songs that were written along these separate life experiences and are joined by songs that were written together as a band. The sun at dawn illustrates that this is just the beginning of our adventures musically and as friends.
We have a lot planned for 2022. Beyond releasing our newest album we are lining up bigger tours than we have had in recent years. Not only that, but we have also began writing more new material after the recording process of the upcoming album ended. We are fully prepared to hit the ground running when the music scene begins to boom again and we can’t wait to show everyone everything we have been working on!…
Matt Richards, Annie in the Water keys
Annie in the Water’s sound has a groove filled combo of reggae, funk, rock, blues and jam, written with a conscious dose of positive vibes, unique melodies and intelligent lyrics. The group has the ability to fill an entire night with original music and also render well-known covers in their signature style, giving fans extraordinary experiences to share that can’t be seen anywhere else.
Comprised of members Brad Hester (Lead Vocals/Rhythm), Michael Lashomb (Lead Guitar/Vocals), Ryan Trumbull (Drums/Vocals), Chris Meier (Bass/Vocals), Matt Richards (Keys/Vocals) and Brock Kuca (Percussion/Vocals), each performance is another adventure, both exhilarating and everlasting. The group creates a blend of music and entertainment that is inspired by the audience and the moment; the fan-base grows with every single performance in large part due to the indisputable fact that Annie in the Water will make people dance and feel happier no matter their age.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKxG7B35Btg
Annie in the Water Winter Tour 2022 Dates
1.26 Buffalo Iron Works // Buffalo, NY ^ 1.27 Parish Public House // Albany, NY ^ ! 1.28 Sonia // Cambridge, MA ^ 1.29 Nectar’s // Burlington, VT ^ ! 1.30 Portland House of Music // Portland, ME ^ 2.4 Waterhole // Saranac Lake, NY * ! 2.6 Mercury Lounge // New York, NY ^ 2.10 Funk ‘n Waffles // Syracuse, NY 2.11 Froggy Daze // Kerhonkson, NY
^ w/ Eminence Ensemble ! Annie in the Water Headlining show
