GRAMMY-nominated, platinum-selling artist Sophie B Hawkins is celebrating the 30th Anniversary of her debut album Tongues and Tails with a 2022 U.S. tour. The tour starts off July 29th, with an appearance at the Cohoes Music Hall in Cohoes, NY and runs through December 2nd in Minneapolis, MN. She’ll also be joining Paula Cole and Judy Collins on select dates – full routing can be found below.
Sophie B. Hawkins by Shervin Lainez
Tongues and Tails is an album won multiple awards and sold-out concerts. It also appeared in hit films and TV shows, and five more albums. As a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Sophie has been fully involved in every aspect of her records herself, from background vocals and playing her own instruments, to engineering and production of her albums. Currently Sophie B. Hawkins is in the studio working on new music that showcases the artist at her best.
Sophie B. Hawkins 2022 Tour Dates
July 29 – Cohoes, NY – Cohoes Music Hall + July 30 – North Tonawanda, NY – Riviera Theatre + July 31 – Arundel, ME – Vinegar Hill Theatre * August 12 – Lake Placid, NY – Lake Placid Performing Arts Center + August 27 – Cincinnati, OH – Fountain Square Summer Music Series * September 29 – Old Saybrook, CT – The Katherine Hepburn Cultural Center * September 30 – Vienna, VA – Jammin Java * October 2 – Charleston, West Virginia – NPR Mountain Stage * October 6 – Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel * October 9 – Franklin, TN – Franklin Theatre * October 10 – Atlanta, GA – City Winery * October 13 – Denver, CO – Solid Dove Underground * October 15 – Beverly Hills, CA – The Canyon @ The Saban Theatre ^ October 16 – Ojai, CA – The Canyon @ The Libbey Bowl ^ October 17 – Kirkland, WA – Kirkland Performance Center * October 18 – Portland, OR – The Old Church * October 19 – San Francisco, CA – Yoshis * October 20 – San Juan Capistrano, CA – The Coach House Concert Hall * October 22 – San Diego, CA – Voodoo Lounge at House of Blues * October 23 – Agoura Hills, CA – The Canyon – Agoura Hills * October 26 – Phoenix, Arizona – Musical Instrument Museum * October 28 – Houston, TX – The Bronze Peacock at House of Blues * October 29 – Cedar Park, Texas – The Haute Spot in Cedar Park * October 30 – Dallas, Texas – The Hifi Dallas * November 2 – Kent, OH – Kent Stage * November 3 – Warrendale, PA – Jergel’s Rhythm Grille * November 5 – Philadelphia, PA – City Winery Philadelphia * November 6 – Riverhead, NY – Suffolk Theatre + November 9 – Fairfield, CT – Sacred Heart University + November 10 – South Orange, NJ – SOPAC + November 11 – Chester, NY – Sugar Loaf Performing Arts Center + November 12 – Lexington, MA – Isaac Harris Cary Memorial Building + November 18 – Tampa, FL – Attic * November 19 – Mount Dora, FL – Mount Dora Community & Events Center + November 20 – Orange Park, FL – Thrasher -Horne Center + November 27 – Concord, NH – Capitol Center for the Arts * November 28 – New York, NY – City Winery * December 1 – Evanston, IL – Space * December 2 – Minneapolis, MN – Dakota *
*Sophie solo +co-headline date with Paula Cole ^co-headline date with Judy Collins
In what will perhaps go down as the warmest day of 2022, Wednesday, July 20 also proved to be a scorching night of live music in Saratoga Springs, NY for the nearly 15,000 fans who packed SPAC to see the Dropout Boogie Tour. A stellar lineup was headlined by the critically acclaimed blue-collar Blues/Rock duo, The Black Keys. Bolstered by indie rock icons, Band of Horses, along with charismatic up-and-comers Ceramic Animal, the trio of talented bands left it all on stage, giving fans every ounce of sweat they had. Confirming what most of us already know: rock ‘n roll is alive and well in the Capital Region.
Boogie On: The Black Keys made their Capital Region debut at SPAC on Wednesday, July 20, 2022
Kicking off the “boogie” in fine fashion, was Doylestown, Pennsylvania’s Ceramic Animal. A band consisting of three brothers and two of their childhood friends, this genre blending, high energy psychedelic-rock quintet has been around for a while now, having put out three self-funded studio albums, before garnering the attention of Black Keys front man and producer Dan Auerbach. Impressed by their songwriting, big yet down-to-earth personalities, and their DIY work ethic, Auerbach quickly signed Ceramic Animal to his label, Easy Eye Sound. The renowned producer then brought the band to Nashville to record their most recent album, Sweet Unknown (released this past March). Sticking close to their roots while honing their chops, their look and their stage show, Ceramic Animal’s relentless ambition is finally showing dividends. Tapped by Auerbach for a slot on this huge national tour produced by Live Nation, Ceramic Animal quite literally went from playing Albany’s intimate Empire Underground club last month, to making their Red Rocks debut last week, to taking the main stage at SPAC by storm on Wednesday night.
Rapid Rise: Ceramic Animal played a significantly smaller Capital Region venue less than a month ago. (Photo by Zak Radick; 6/30/22 Empire Underground; Albany NY)
Dressed to thrill and ready to make the most of their allotted time, the band came out firing on all cylinders with “Ann Marie” which flowed directly into the hard charging foot stomper “I Can’t Wait.” Taking a brief moment to address fans who showed up early, songwriter Chris Regan lifted the brim of his cowboy hat and acknowledged the significance of collaborating with Auerbach before going into the set’s only “slow” tune, “Forever Song,” which Auerbach originally helped them arrange and record. With stage time at a premium, Ceramic Animal saved perhaps their most impressive and catchiest song of the night for last, uncorking a near 10 minute rendition of “All My Loving,” a hybrid song of sorts that truly showcases what this band can do; seamlessly shifting tempos from rock riffs to a disco-type funk, then slowed to a darkly psychedelic build before reaching it’s climactic end. Successfully cashing in on a huge opportunity to gain new listeners, if people didn’t know who Ceramic Animal was before this show, they certainly did after. At the end of the night, the guys could be seen near the merch both hanging out and taking selfies with scores of new fans.
Ceramic Animal | July 20, 2022 | SPAC | Saratoga Springs, NY | Dropout Boogie Tour
Setlist: Ann Marie, I Can’t Wait, Forever Song, All My Loving
Next on the bill was a different kind of animal in the form of enduring alt rock titans Band of Horses. Led by songwriter Ben Bridwell and featuring a noticeably more “road tested” look than their predecessors, the tattoo covered, flannel wearing rockers from Seattle immediately got the crowd singing along with “Is There A Ghost” from their 2007 album Cease To Begin. With a layered sound full of subtleties and textures thanks to the bands three distinct guitar parts, it wasn’t until Matt Gentling dropped in with his first big bass bomb that the set really took off. Thrashing about the stage with reckless abandon, Gentling’s long haired headbanging was some of the best of the entire night and that’s saying something. Keeping the crowd involved with another sing-along, “The Great Salt Lake” off their debut album was next, followed by my personal highlight of the set, an irresistibly catchy version of ‘The General Specific’ which gave burley and bearded multi-instrumentalist Ryan Monroe a prime opportunity to shine behind the keys. Keeping it old school, another pair of fan favorites, “No One’s Gonna Love You” and “Islands on the Coast” came next. Perhaps taking a que from the audience as you could smell it all night, from there things got a little hazy as The Horses turned SPAC into an all-out “Weed Party” before going into a new tune,“Crutch,” the only song played off their recently released 2022 album Things Are Great. “In a Drawer” and “Laredo” would lead Band of Horses down the home stretch before their final song of the night and easily their most popular, “The Funeral,” which currently has over 300 million streams on Spotify.
Band of Horses | July 20, 2022 | SPAC | Saratoga Springs, NY | Dropout Boogie Tour
Setlist: Is There a Ghost, The Great Salt Lake, The General Specific, No One’s Gonna Love You, Islands on the Coast, Weed Party, Crutch, In a Drawer, Laredo, The Funeral
After an absolutely hilarious ‘Anti-Boogie’ intro video starring comedian David Cross urged Dads Interested in Choosing Our Kids Songs(D.I.C.K.S) to avoid this tour at all costs, it was finally time for the main event. Making their first ever Capital Region appearance and taking the stage around 9:15pm to a rabid applause, The Black Keys came out swinging for the fences with one of their hardest hitting songs, “I got Mine.” Often regarded as one of rock’s most prolific two piece, Dan Auerbach on guitar and vocals and his longtime friend and collaborator Patrick Carney on drums, some first timers in the audience seemed surprised to see a backing band on stage with them. Enlisting two brothers, Zach and Andy Gabbard, along with multi-instrumentalist Chris St. Hilaire to help fill in their live sound, The Black Keys strung together hit after hit. Sing-along songs like “Howlin’ For You,” “Tighten Up,” and “Your Touch” won the crowd over early before the band would really settle in with their signature bread-and butter, groove and blues-based sound. Like following a road map of their musical inspirations, The Keys would go on to pay homage to a number of Blues legends like John Lee Hooker, Junior Kimbrough and RL Burnside and cover songs like “Stay All Night,” “Coal Black Mattie”, “Going’ Down South” and “Crawlin’ Kingsnake” to name a few.
Influential Hitmaker: Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys performing at Saratoga Performing Arts Center on 7/20/22
Armed with a bevy of beautiful guitars and his signature fuzz-heavy pedal effects pallet, Auerbach would get a little extra help from ultra-talented guest guitar player Kenny Brown, who joined in on the fun to play a little slide. All frills and showmanship aside, The Black Keys were mostly all business on this night, only asking the crowd to “sing along if they know they words” once before launching into one of their biggest hits “Gold on the Ceiling.” As one of modern rocks most mimicked voices, Auerbach’s distinct singing was on point all evening, but one song that particularly stood out was a slowed down rendition of “Everlasting Light” in which he absolutely nailed the challenging falsetto parts. Recent ‘Keys songs like “Your Team is Looking Good” and “Wild Child” were met with favorable reactions, but the true highlight for long time TBK fans had to have been the set closing combo of “Ten Cent Pistol” and “She’s Long Gone” from the bands most popular album, 2010’s Brothers. Exiting the stage to a deafening applause, the crowd of about 15,000 simply would not stop cheering until the band came back out for an encore. Happy to oblige, instead of one they got two. First up was the sentimental ‘hold your lighter in the air’ type anthem “Little Black Submarines” which had nearly the entire lawn singing along in unison, a special moment that had all the feels. With the venue curfew now rapidly approaching, The Black Keys brought the show to a close with one final barn burner, the riff heavy stomper now commonly heard at sporting events everywhere, “Lonely Boy.”
With a successful Capital Region debut now in the books, the only real complaint fans may have is the lack of “old school” material played. With a back catalog that currently includes 11 studio albums, The Keys only performed one song that predated their 2008 breakthrough, Attack & Release. That being said, it’s doubtful anyone left the Dropout Boogie Tour feeling cheated. If anything, it’s a testament to the bands uncanny and continued ability to write catchy songs that appeal to a wide range of people of all ages; almost as if they have “too many” good songs to fit into one show. “Always keep them wanting more” they say, well on this hot and humid July night in Saratoga Springs, The Black Keys did exactly that. With this untapped market now fresh on their radar, hopefully it won’t take nearly as long for this dynamic, influential and charismatic duo to find their way back.
The Black Keys | July 20, 2022 | SPAC | Saratoga Springs, NY | Dropout Boogie Tour
Setlist: I Got Mine, Howlin’ For You, Fever, Tighen Up, Your Touch, It Ain’t Over, Gold On The Ceiling, Stay All Night, Coal Black Mattie, Goin’ Down South, Busted, Crawlin’ Kingsnake, Have Love Will Travel, Lo/Hi, Everlasting Light, Next Girl, Your Team Is Looking Good, Wild Child, Ten Cent Pistol, She’s Long Gone
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.
Jason Wolfman Martin- Test Singles EP
At 7 P.M., the entire Test Signals EP will be played over the air. Jason Wolfman Martin is an artist/musician/curator, active from 1989 to now, with three decades of LPs, CDs, and tapes under his belt. He hasn’t made music in over seven years, and this new EP serves as his comeback.
Shane Guerrette- “Lost Without”
Luminous Crush- “Binary Star”
Luminous Crush is made up of Laura Molinelli and Ben Campbell, who make a wide variety of music spanning multiple genres like bluegrass, country, indie, and psychedelic.
The Ajkun Ballet Theatre performs Don Quixote – a Spanish celebration of love and laughter in a breathtaking ballet on Friday, August 12 at 7:30pm at The Egg in Albany.
Don Quixote
The Ajkun Ballet Theatre (AjkunBT) is a New York City based professional company presenting classical and contemporary ballets in the Greater New York area, throughout the USA and internationally. Every summer, dancers from 135 countries have travelled to Albany for this experience and many have become employed in over 150 dance companies, worldwide.
The ballet Don Quixote is based on Miguel de Cervantes’s novel “Don Quixote de la Mancha” (1605 and 1615) with music by Leon Minkus and was originally choreographed in 1869. It won global popularity with the verson of Mikhail Baryshnikov in 1980.
Company Artists Kylie Brown (Mercedes), Telmen Munkherdene (Espada), Areum Jeong (Dulcinea), Ariel Corrêa (Gamache), Ergys Jake (Don Quixote), the Ajkun Ballet Theatre’s corps de ballet and talented emerging artists from all over the world perform in the show.
This version of Don Quixote, which was choregraphed by Chiara Ajkun, focused on dancing and infused with the vibrancy of Spain. The music filled with sounds of guitars and tambourines, the dancing of flirtatious gypsies and toreadors. The redesign of Don Quixote represented Chiara Ajkun’s belief that to offer access to the theater for all with in mind that today’s audience is worldly, educated, and well-travelled.
The performers are also outstanding in the play. Momoko Burbine (Kitri) has been with the Ajkun Ballet company since 2012, when she joined the corps de ballet from her native Osaka, Japan. Momoko quicky rose for the astonishing petite allegro and romantic finesses. Basilio is also performed by an electrifying dancer, Kelvis Tafaj, who presents elegant charisma from his energy, physicality, gravity-defying leaps. Tafaj joined the Ajkun Ballet in 2014 from Tropojë, Albania, and performed Ajkun’s works throughout Italy, the UK, Argentina, Brazil and Bolivia.
Art, in all its forms, is intended to inspire, challenge and broaden our minds. Whether a song, a painting, a NFT, or an interpretive dance, art is not intended to be comfortable, and if it is, it’s not doing its job. So when Roger Waters, co-founder and former member of Pink Floyd, arrived in Albany this week, he brought with him a performance that reaffirmed his status as an artist, while confronting the views of the audience in the process, sometimes to their discomfort but to great acclamation.
photo by Dave Decrescente
Appearing at a hazy MVP Arena on Wednesday, July 20 for a show two years in the planning – and more than half a century in the making – Waters performed a career-spanning show, featuring Pink Floyd classics, solo and new material amid an odyssey for the senses.
Those two years were such a span of time, that from when the This is Not a Drill Tour was announced in January 2020, the name of the Albany venue has changed from the Times Union Center to MVP Arena. The anticipation for fans – who represented a wide age-range as grandparents joined grandkids to see a legend perform – grew steadily as they awaited the show to go on, nearly two years to the date of the original show (July 25, 2020).
With announcements on the screen read aloud by a calming British voice, the audience was given 15, 10 and 5 minute warnings for when the show would begin. There was this courtesy to all in attendance, as well as a request to silence your cell phone, that were met with agreement from the crowd. Rousing applause and cheers overshadowed those rumblings when those in the crowd who were not interested in hearing Roger’s politics were advised to ‘fuck off to the bar right now,’ as the audience prepared themselves for a spectacle of the audio, visual and political varieties.
photo by Dave Decrescente
For this performance, the cross-shaped stage featured four quadrants of video screens displaying animation and early band images, so that every seat was a great seat and you could see the full show from any vantage point, amid a haze that hung in the air like London fog. Opening with “Comfortably Numb” as a video played across the screens with a dark, dystopian future city scape, the song reaching an emotional peak and the screens ascending, revealing the full band and offering Albany a rare performance in the round.
Performing this evening with Waters were Jon Carin (keys, guitar, vocals), Robert Walter (organ), Jonathan Wilson – (guitar, vocals), Gus Seyffert (bass, guitar), Dave Kilminster (guitar, vocals), Joey Waronker (drums, percussion), Seamus Blake (saxophone), Amanda Belair (vocals) and Shanay Johnson (vocals).
As the band was revealed, the 78 year old Waters showed off his vocal ability and on-stage agility as he moved from side to side and end to end of the arena, making sure no one was left out of seeing Roger close up. A trio of songs from The Wall were the first songs in full view of the audience – “Happiest Days of Our Lives,” “Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)” and “Another Brick in the Wall (Part 3).” “Powers That Be” followed as the first solo work of Waters, a track off his 1987 concept album, Radio K.A.O.S.
photo by Dave Decrescente
This is when, as if you hadn’t been given fair warning, Roger’s politics become their own feature of the show. If you somehow weren’t aware of where Roger stood on world issues beforehand, well, you were in for an education into the mind of the former Pink Floyd frontman.
Imagery included BIPOC victims of police violence – not just in America, but in England, Africa, Turkey, and around the world. During “The Bravery of Being Out of Range,” the voice and floating head of Ronald Reagan appeared on the screen, giving his farewell address to the nation in 1989, with the words WAR CRIMINAL beneath his image along with 30,000 Guatamalans killed referring to those of Mayan descent who were killed during his presidency through efforts to expand democracy in Latin America. By now, Roger had shifted to the piano as Reagan’s head was burned into the minds of those in attendance, and rightly so given his hatred for Reagan and Margaret Thatcher and whose policies the song criticizes. Not to leave the Gipper alone, Presidents Bush (both), Clinton, Obama and Trump are all featured as well with WAR CRIMINAL below their image for various military action and drone strikes taken during each presidency. Biden was featured last and while his presidency is just one and a half years old, WAR CRIMINAL appeared again, with ‘just getting started’ below, which was met with an uneasy applause from the audience.
https://youtu.be/C6bNEPF9EKU?t=1223
Roger spoke to the audience as he sat at the piano, thanking everyone who kept their tickets from the initial date in 2020. The first portion of “The Bar,” an unreleased song that was written during the pandemic followed, with a similar sound to “Nobody Home” from The Wall. Here, imagery was displayed of the Lakota Indian tribe and their protest against a uranium mine in the Black Hills of North Dakota. These were not light images to see, yet showing the resolve of the Lakota people in the face of overwhelming odds and power, both remarkable and inspiring.
Nothing, however, prepares you for the sheer amount of reading involved in a full Roger Waters concert experience. Instead of a professor giving you a pre-reading assignment before class, Waters puts the text on the screen, leading your eyes to dart from the screen to the band, and back again, knowing that this captive audience is laser focused on the center of the room. All of the text is no doubt informative and sheds some light into the mind of Roger Waters, yet at times feels like being stuck in a car with a podcast where you can’t change the channel.
The second side of Wish You Were Here took center stage as the set moved into its second half, starting with “Have a Cigar,” as early Pink Floyd photos were displayed on the screens; “Wish you Were Here,” as Roger spoke of Syd Barrett stories and images appeared above, and the finally, the latter portions of “Shine On You Crazy Diamond.” As sheep, pigs and dogs appeared on the screen, the show entered the Animals era, including Tweets featuring the recent opinions of the US Supreme Court while the band performed “Sheep” to the loudest cheers of the set thus far.
photo by Dave Decrescente
After a 20-minute intermission, a flying pig was released – roughly the size of a compact car and soaring over the crowd – circling the arena and drawing attention away from Roger and the band as they took the stage and moved into The Wall’s “In the Flesh (Part 2)” and bringing along the full experience of The Wall, short of the actual wall being torn down. Banners dropped down featuring marching hammers, a red hue about the stage and Waters in a full dictator-tilt as he tore through Pink’s speech from the film, before moving into “Run Like Hell” as the pig continued to circle the stage above the crowd.
Two tracks from 2017’s Is This the Life We Really Want?, “Déjà Vu” and the title track followed, with a theme of human rights flashing on screen, along with specific rights for Yeminis, Palestinians, women and those without equal rights in the world.
The coins of “Money” could be heard next as the Dark Side of the Moon era was given center stage.. With screens showing faces of humanity and scenes from global protests, “Us and Them” felt more like “Us versus Them,” particularly those most vulnerable among the ‘Us,’ indiginous peoples from around the world. “Brain Damage” and “Eclipse” would follow, with a rainbow forming on the screens while a triangular prism of lasers surrounded the stage end to end, providing a full Dark Side of the Moon album cover effect.
photo by Dave Decrescente
Waters’ encore began with one of his last songs for Pink Floyd, “Two Suns in the Sunset,” which references nuclear holocaust, and was connected to the Doomsday Clock. A second portion of “The Bar” followed, with the band crowding around Waters at the piano, as they brought acoustic instruments in preparation for a walk around the perimeter of the stage as “Outside the Wall,” the final track on The Wall closed the show. With Waters standing on the stage at the end to a standing ovation, his bid farewell with a simple message: Peace.
When taken together, Roger Waters’ live performance coupled with the knowledge he seeks to impart on his audience is a vivid spectacle of the highest order. Taken separately, both fall on deaf ears and the message is lost. Waters continues to examine the uncomfortable realities of life through his music, one for the benefit of his audiences for the past 54 years and counting.
Roger Waters’ “This is Not a Drill” Tour arrives at Long Island’s UBS Arena at Belmont Park on August 13, followed by two nights at Madison Square Garden on August 30 & 31. All tour dates can be found here.
Roger Waters – MVP Arena – Albany, NY – July 20, 2022
Set 1: Comfortably Numb, The Happiest Days of Our Lives > Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2 > Another Brick in the Wall, Part 3, The Powers That Be, The Bravery of Being Out of Range, The Bar, Have a Cigar, Wish You Were Here > Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts VI-IX), Sheep
Set 2: In the Flesh > Run Like Hell, Déjà Vu, Is This the Life We Really Want?, Money > Us and Them > Any Colour You Like > Brain Damage > Eclipse
Encore: Two Suns in the Sunset, The Bar (Reprise), Outside the Wall
In case you have yet to get your live-music fix this summer, Albany County offers ample opportunities for live music and entertainment for the rest of the summer season.
In addition to the region’s highly anticipated Alive at 5 concert series, and the incredible Empire State Plaza events here is a list of some fantastic talents coming to the area in the upcoming weeks. Highlights include a Motown Tribute from Garland Nelson’s Reflection, Get Up Jack, Doc Benson Band, Berkstar, and many more.
Albany County offers endless opportunities for some summertime entertainment, from local up-and-coming artists to fan-favorite bands and musicians. There is something for everyone this summer in Albany to check out and enjoy. For a full list of concerts in the Albany area, see below.
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead (JRAD) will make their Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) debut on Thursday, August 25.
The Grateful Dead tribute band has been performing since January 2013, when guitarist Scott Metzger, bassist Dave Dreiwitz, keyboardist Marco Benevento and guitarist Tom Hamilton joined forces with drummer Joe Russo at Freak’s Ball, held at Brooklyn Bowl. The result was a band that has toured the country and amassed a dedicated following thanks to their improv-heavy interpretations of the Grateful Dead catalog, in addition to unique covers.
Tickets for all three concerts go on sale to the general public this Friday, March 18 at 10 a.m. ET. Passwords for a band presale, which Tuesday, March 15 at 12 p.m. ET, and can be found posted on JRAD’s Facebook Page.
Lawn tickets have just gone on sale as of July 19, with a special offer on lawn tickets for just $20.00 plus fees while supplies last. Tickets are available at livenation.com or through Ticketmaster.
Lunchtime live music returns to Downtown Albany this summer as “Tunesday” in Albany’s Tricentennial Park features free performances every Tuesday in July and August from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM. From flamenco guitar to hip-hop turntablism, a wide variety of acclaimed local performers will appear each week.
Tricentennial Park is located at Broadway & Columbia Street with parking available here. All events are weather-dependent. Tunesday is supported by the Downtown Albany Business Improvement District.
Whether you’re looking to slow down with a morning meditation or to dance it out on your lunchbreak, Downtown has you covered this summer. These free events showcase the best of the Capital Region, and add to the lively landscape of restaurants, retailers, and entertainment venues that makes this such an attractive neighborhood to live in, work in, and visit.
Georgette Steffens, Executive Director of the Downtown Albany BID
Please note, alcoholic beverages are not permitted at these events. Please do not attend the event if you have tested positive or display any symptoms of COVID-19, or if you have been in close contact with anyone that has tested positive in the past 14 days. COVID-19 is still a risk and attendees acknowledge that they are responsible for their own safety at the event.
Additionally, Downtown Albany hosts State Street Yoga, a free outdoor fitness series on the lawn at the H. Carl McCall State University of New York Administration Building (Broadway & State Street), has returned as of Saturday, July 9. Certified instructor Tiana Taylor of local wellness studio Root3d leads free, 60-minute all-levels yoga classes every Saturday at 10:00 AM through August 27. Pre-registration is optional, but attendees may sign up for State Street Yoga events via Eventbrite for email updates.
The Troy Music Hall lately annouced the return performance of legendary American trumpeter Chris Botti on October 15th.
Chris Botti
The Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, a National Historic Landmark, has been in use since opening in 1875. World renowned for its incredible acoustics, it has hosted performances by legions of world-renowned artists. With several intervention, the tall ceiling and ideal seat count of 1180 to provide intimacy and sustain an optimal reverberation.
Chris Botti, the largest-selling American instrumental artist who has been renowned since his release of When I Fall In Love. His associated with PBS has led to four #1 jazz albums, as well as multiple Gold, Platinum and Grammy Awards. Most recently, his latest album Impressions won the Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental.
Over the past three decades, Botti has recorded and performed with a great amount of musicians including Sting, Barbra Streisand and so on while hitting the road for as many as 300 days per year worldwide.
Impressions, Botti’s 2012 Columbia Records and Grammy winning release, is the latest in a stellar parade of albums. Featuring artists Andrea Bocelli, Vince Gill, Herbie Hancock, Mark Knopfler, and David Foster, this album included When I Fall In Love (2004), To Love Again: The Duets (2005), Italia (2007), and the CD/DVD Chris Botti in Boston (2009) that has firmly established him as a clarion voice in the American contemporary music scene. These albums established his figures of the contemporary music world.
Tickets are on sale at 10am Monday to Music Hall Members. Single tickets go on sale to the general public Wednesday, July 13, at 10am. More information on Chris Botti and Troy Savings Bank Music Hall and upcoming programs visit www.troymusichall.org.
Beginning on August 6, The Linda: WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio, will hold free outdoor concerts every Saturday in August from 2 pm to 6 pm. The family-friendly “Summer on Central” music series will feature the talents of multiple local artists each day and is open to the public.
On the first Saturday in August, R&B artist Kyla Silk will open the series at 2:30 pm. A Long Island native, Silk hopes her music encourages connection and light. Trio Super 400 will take the spotlight next, followed by Rock Voices Choir at 5:00 pm. Other artists who will join the series over the course of the month include Jordan Taylor Hill, Jim Gaudet & The Railroad Boys, Girl Blue, North by North, and many more.
Attendees of Summer on Central can also enjoy different foods and non-profit vendors. Guests are also welcome to bring their own lawn chairs to sit back and listen to the live performances. Should the weather not permit an outdoor concert, the rain site will be inside The Linda.
The Linda opened in 2002 in Albany and serves as a performance center and recording studio. The restored 1926 building often holds programs, concerts, films, celebrations, and other activities to those in the Albany area. Thanks to the center’s fantastic acoustics, intimate setting, and commitment to the community, the venue is the perfect spot to hold events.
For updates and more information, visit the Linda website. For the full list of the most current lineup, see below.
August 6
Kyla Silk, Super 400, and Rock Voices Choir
August 13
Grape Juice, Jordan Taylor Hill, Reese Fulmer, and Jim Gaudet & The Railroad Boys
August 20
Precious Metals, Sydney Worthley, O-Man and the Nite Trippers, and North by North
August 27
Shortwave Radio, Pony in the Pancake, Girl Blue, and Side-B
