On Tuesday May 24th 2022, MVP arena in Albany hosted Knotfest Roadshow, featuring Slipknot and Cypress Hill with Ho99o9 (Horror) as the opening act. Slipknot is currently on leg two of their roadshow that runs until June 18th in the USA. Slipknot is an American heavy metal band formed in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1995. This show marked 12 years since the passing of their original bassist Paul Grey on May 24th 2010.
Large welcome sign inside the front doors of MVP Arena. Photo credit- Mike Miller
Slipknot played many of their hits including Wait and Bleed, Psychosocial, Duality and Spit it out. Throughout the show Slipknot used pyrotechnics, many flame throwers and use of special effect lighting that was blinding at times to people in the front. The crowd in the front rows could feel the heat radiating from the flames bursting in the air. Crowd surfing and mosh pits were expected but their Albany fans brought more energy and raw emotion to the floor than other cities have their singer Corey Taylor said. Security was on point and ready to respond to any issues that arose and escorted any crowd surfers back to the floor section very quickly.
The fans against the barricade. Photo credit Mike Miller
To keep their look fresh, Slipknot has new masks this year. Their image is always changing slightly to stay aligned with their new music. They are expected to release their seventh album sometime this year. There was also VIP tickets for sale that included a walk through the Slipknot traveling “Museum”. It featured instruments of band members, and prior masks used, fans could view and interact with. New York hosted Knotfest Roadshow multiple last year in Syracuse and Darien Lake.
Singer Corey Taylor. Photo Credit- Mike Miller
Setlist: Disasterpiece, Wait and Bleed, All Our Life, Sulfer. Before O Forget, The Chapeltown Bag, Dead Memories. Unsainted, The Heretic Anthem, Psychosocial, The Devil and I, Snuff, Vermillion, Duality, Spit it out, People = Sh*t, Surfacing.
Pre-Goose Peter Anspach project, Great Blue, wrapped up a memorable five-show run of dates through the East Coast over May 14-19. Featuring their first festival appearance of the season, the short-lived mini-tour managed to create a significant buzz amongst the jam scene faithful and included stops in Philadelphia, Rhode Island, DomeFest in Ohio, and a pair of New York shows in Rochester and Saratoga Springs, respectively.
Peter Anspach of Goose performing with Great Blue in Saratoga Springs 5/19/22
While the fun-loving Anspach is mainly known for his work with breakthrough psychedelic improv rockers Goose, these shows shinned the spotlight on a different side of “Handini.” Fully embracing the excessive “rock star” persona that’s partially been suppressed with his main band, it was in these more relaxed club-like environments where Anspach was truly able to get his “ya-ya’s” out. The result was nothing short of live music magic.
Couldn’t make it to any of the shows? No worries! NYS Music caught up with the band for their instant classic performance at Putnum Place on Thursday, May 19, and has all the sights (and some of the sounds) of the what many in attendance could be heard calling “one of the best show they’ve ever seen.”
Kicking off the show with an outstanding opening set from genre bending electronic rockers Escaper, the NYC based band were also joined by special guest Luke Bemand of Lespsecialon bass for the evening. With positive lyrics, danceable grooves and impressive compositions, even their seemingly simple jams morphed into straight-up heaters, particularly when the hard slapping hand of Bemand took the reins. After closing their set with a new, 9 minute sprawling epic called “Spaceship,” Escaper front man Will Hanza humbly took the opportunity to express his sincere gratitude to those in attendance, saying “Thank you guys so much. You know, after all we’ve been through, all of us, it means a lot that we can all gather for these things, so thank you and please keep doing it.”
Will Hanza of Escaper and Lespecial’s Luke Bemand performing at the Putnum Place in Saratoga Springs 5/19/22
After a brief intermission, the Thursday night funk party resumed in full force as our evening’s headliners Great Blue set their controls for the sun and lifted off like a rocket ship from hell, opening up with the songs “Lily’s Tiger” quickly followed by “Willy” from their 2013 album Rewind. While many Goose fans are only just discovering Great Blue, make no mistake, this is anything but a new band. Comprised of four longtime friends, their origins go all the way back to their high school days in the basement. Along with Peter Anspach, Great Blue is also comprised of Ethan Michael on guitars and sometimes keyboards, Seth Suzker on bass, and presumably paying homage to the late Taylor Hawkins by wearing a Foo Fighters shirt, was Nick Hanna on drums.
Together, Great Blue has been performing for more than a decade now and have four studio albums to their credit. With no shortage of songs in their back catalog to choose from, the band would amp things up even more with a high octane rendition of “Together Not The Same” that featured an insane guitar solo from Anspach whole completely lost himself in the music, smiling ear to ear while thrashing about the stage in a pure punk rock fury. After working their way through “Banana Jam” and a cover of Vampire Weekend’s “Sunflower,” Goose fans in attendance became audibly excited as the bass-heavy reggae groove of “Doc Brown” swept over the room. While the “Back to the Future” inspired jam was originally written by Great Blue, in recent years the song has been adopted by Goose and has become a regular staple of their live show, but the surprises wouldn’t end there as the quartet seamlessly sandwiched into another familiar Goose song in the form of “Whales” before eventually returning back to the reggae roots of “Doc Brown.”
Watch fan shot footage of Great Blue performing “Doc Brown” live from the Putnum Place in Saratoga Springs 5/19/22
Following that up with 2014’s “Crossfaded Mammoth,” Great Blue then unveiled their latest neo-psychedelic jam “Blue Marbles.” After “Pancakes,” someone in the audience yelled out “You guys are so fucking good!” to which Anspach enthusiastically replied from the stage, “It’s this band!” pointing over to his mates. “These guys are awesome, I love them.” Shifting gears, Peter would take a moment to reflect on former beloved band mascot Leo, a golden retriever who was with them back in their earliest days in the basement, always sitting in no matter how loud the PA was turned up.
“Lion in the Grass” was then played in memory of Leo and also featured one of the most memorable moments of the evening when Anspach and guitarist Ethan Michael ended up playing a portion of the song while both laying down on the stage. “Jeff Engborg,” both a real person and a real song came next while the main portion of the show wrapped up with an emphatic rendition of “Seeker.” As the clock approached 1am on this Thursday night, Great Blue still had one more surprise up their sleeve. Like a spaceship returning from the great beyond, our fantastic voyage then touched down with a cover of the Red Hot Chili Pepper’s smash hit, “Around the Word.” Suddenly, in what appeared to be a spontaneous last second call, the band then busted into Goose fan favorite, “Yeti,” perhaps the most well-known song originally penned by Great Blue and later adopted by their high flying friends.
Guitarist Ethan Michael performing with Great Blue in Saratoga Springs 5/19/22
As the house lights came on and fans scurried to buy up any and all Great Blue merch, more than one person could be heard calling this “the best show they’ve seen in years” and “the best $15 they’ve ever spent.” Indeed, it was a good one. Full of unbridled energy, youthful exuberance, danceable funk-filled grooves, soaring sonic peaks and over-the-top charisma, Great Blue unleashed an instant classic performance on this night in the Spa City. With their mini-run now in the rearview, all eyes are looking ahead to the Westville Music Bowl this weekend when Peter Anspach rejoins his “other” band, Goose, for their highly anticipated summer tour kick off.
Watch fan shot footage of Great Blue covering RHCP and ‘Yeti” from Saratoga Springs 5/19/22
Great Blue | Putnum Place | Saratoga Springs, NY | 5/19/22
Setlist: Lily’s Tiger, Willy, Together Not The Same, Banana Jam > Sunflower (Vampire Weekend) > Rogue II, Butterflies, Doc Brown >The Whales<Doc Brown, Mammoths, Blue Marbles, Pancakes, Lion in the Grass, Jeff Engborg, Seeker
Encore: Around The World (Red Hot Chili Peppers) > Yeti
Escaper | Putnum Place | Saratoga Springs, NY | 5/19/22
Setlist: Res Magna > No Stings > Breakaway, Cicada, Rare Form, Enjoy the Silence, Spaceship
*This set featured Luke Bemand of Lespecial sitting in on Bass
For more audience recorded video and images from the show, check out the full gallery by NYS Photojournalist Zak Radick below:
Albany’s Alive at Five Summer Concert Series has announced the 2022 summer lineup, with a wide variety of musicians playing at Jennings Landing.
Alive at Five is Albany’s signature free concert series, with eight weeks showcasing various artists, from big names to up-and-coming acts, and artists from the area. The summer concert series started in 1990 with a performance by legendary folk artist Richie Havens and has since grown into a staple of the Capital Region. The shows will be every Thursday from 4:30-8 P.M.
State Champs is an American Rock band from Albany, New York. Young Culture is also from Albany and is a three-piece alternative rock band. State Champs have been a band since 2010, and have released three EPs and four full-length albums. They have been nominated for many awards at the Alternative Press Music Awards. Young Culture is friends with State Champs and has toured together and worked on music together as well.
Spafford is a four-piece act from Phoenix, Arizona, and their sound can be described as electrofunk therapy, which combines deep sonic exploration and jam-heavy improvisation. Their songs range from 10-30 minutes, taking an interesting view of funk-dance music. Annie in the Water’s music is a groovy combination of Reggae, Funk, Rock, Blues, and Jamstyle. The band is a six-piece and was created out of chance as founding members Michael Lashomb and Bradley Hester met at Hobart College in Geneva in 2007.
Known as heavy metal’s original blonde rocker, Lita Ford is a guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. She was the lead guitarist for the all-female rock band the Runaways in the late 1970s and had a successful glam metal solo career in the 80s. Her 1989 single “Close My Eyes Forever” with Ozzy Osbourne is her most successful song, reaching No. 8 on the Billboard 100 charts. Candy Ambulance is an Albany-based grunge-punk trio who are known for its poppy melodies and dynamic vocal changes.
Talib Kweli stands as one of the worldâs most talented and most accomplished hip-hop artists after nearly 20 years of recordings and performances. He has worked with Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, and more. He will be joined by DJ TGIF, DJ SIROC, and JB!! aka Dirty Moses.
Cassadee Pope is a Grammy award-nominated pop-punk singer and a country artist, songwriter, & musician. She was the lead singer of the rock band Hey Monday before becoming the winner of the third season of The Voice and the first female winner. Sydney Worthley is an alternative artist from Albany, New York who became an independent artist at 17 and has released a few albums with regular air time on the radio.
Ballyhoo! is an American reggae rock and punk band. The group has sold over 30,000 copies of its five albums and more than 200,000 digital tracks. Souly Had is an artist from Duanesburg, New York, who creates hip-hop and R&B music, with over one million streams on Spotify. The E-Block are an indie band from Albany, New York, named after the street they all grew up on.
Donavon Frankenreiter is a musican and surfer, who for nearly four decades has been traveling the world as a surfer and musican. His sound is a unique blend of laid-back grooves, philosophical lyrics and soulful delivery. Sean Rowe is an alternative folk singer-songwriter and musician. He has a recognizable deep and husky voice that brings the sound of country and Americana together.
Doug E. Fresh is a Barbados-born American rapper, record producer, and beatboxer, also known as the “Human Beat Box”. Fresh is able to accurately imitate drum machines and various special effects and is a pioneer of 20th-century American beatboxing. He will be joined by Ohzhe & DJ TGIF and DJ Hollyw8d.
Doug E. Fresh.
All Alive at Five performances are free and begin at 4:30pm each Thursday this summer, beginning June 9
Albany pop-punk veterans State Champs have returned with their fourth studio album Kings of the New Age, a 35-minute montage of guitar-driven angst and lust that rarely slows down.
Kings of the New Age is the first release by the band to feature only one guitarist, after Tony Diaz stepped away in 2020. Nevertheless, the group’s sound isn’t any smaller, with the other four members nicely filling in the gaps. This is aided by some tight production from California based Drew Fulk a.k.a. WZRD BLD, whose collaborations include Lil Wayne, A Day To Remember, and Ice Nine Kills. Cleanly mixed, the band’s full arrangement shines through on Kings of the New Age, with no instrument or vocal sounding unclear, choppy or overshadowed.
While production does play a significant role in the band’s presence standing tall with a smaller lineup, credit has to be given to Tyler Szalkowski for his increased duties as both lead and rhythm guitarist. Songs like “Here to Stay” and “Just Sound” showcase guitar work that both maintains a loud presence while enhancing the song melodically.
Cover art for Kings of the New Age.
Lyrically the album generally focuses on topics of romantic lust and strife. “Being with you is like working on the weekend,” sings lead vocalist Derek DiScanio on the chorus of “Everybody But You,” the album’s lead single. Even though romance is a major focus of the record, songs like “Here to Stay,” which begins the album, reinforce the idea behind the album’s title. “The kings of the new age, the wrong time, the right place,” sings Discanio in the track’s opening lines.
With State Champs entering the scene of pop-punk after the genre’s boom in the late ’90s and early 2000s and before its recent renewal with Machine Gun Kelly’s pivot towards the genre hatching new commercial attention, the optics of this timing might not be great, but they don’t mind. “On our own it’s safe to say, we’re here to stay,” DiScanio sings at the end of the opener’s chorus.
State Champs attempt to reinforce this footprint on Kings of the New Age with four features scattered across the album, with appearances from Neck Deep’s Ben Barlow, Against The Current’s Chrissy Costanza, Nashville country pop singer Mitchell Tenpenny, and Four Year Strong’s Alan Day & Dan O’Connor.
Each artist is given a bridge to sing or maybe a little more on the tracks which they have feature duties, which is something that holds back the effort and impact of these guest contributions. Chrissy Costanza’s contribution on “Half Empty” slightly stands apart in this regard however, with her bridge and chorus near the song’s ending adding another perspective to this track about a struggling relationship.
And even though part of this album’s mission is clearly dedicated to not changing up the band’s formula, this leads to Kings of the New Age sounding repetitive at points. This is why slight deviations on songs such as “Act Like That,” which functions more as a straightforward pop rock track, and closer “Some Minds Don’t Change” with its loud, waltzy chorus are easily appreciable moments.
Nevertheless, State Champs’ classic pop-punk formula works out well overall, with loud anthemic choruses and relatable melancholy lyrics shaping a strong album for the seasoned band. Kings of the New Age doesn’t reshape the punk genre or push too hard on any boundaries, but it’s good enough on its own to prove that State Champs deserve to hang around.
Key Tracks: Here To Stay, Just Sound, Act Like That” (featuring Mitchell Tenpenny)
Celebrating 518 Day on May 18th, bass-heavy psychedelic prog rock ‘bastards’ Primus made their triumphant return to Albany. Amidst a special 46 date, coast-to-coast tribute tour paying homage to fellow prog-rock legends Rush and drummer Neil Peart, the influential Bay Area trio performed two distinct sets; one of original music and the other, a full cover set of Rush’s seminal 1977 album A Farewell to Kings.
Curated by charismatic Primus front man and bass playing virtuoso, Les Claypool, the only logical venue suited for an occasion of such royal proportions was downtown Albany’s historic Palace Theatre.
Les Claypool of Primus performs at the Palace Theatre in Albany 5/18/22
The man, the myth, the compulsive entertainer, Les Claypool has arguably been one of rock’s most influential players of the last thirty years. Creating a mythical, almost cult-like following through his multitude of side projects, some may know him from his time with Trey Anastasio and Oysterhead , or with Buckethead and The Flying Frog Brigade, or more recently with his “Delirium” collaboration with Sean Lennon, son of Yoko and John. An impressive pedigree to be sure, but make no mistake, Primus has always been the bread and butter for Les and also his most successful.
But what made him want to start playing music in the first place?It all goes back to a single day in 1978 when a young Claypool attended his first ever rock concert. Performing that night was a young Canadian banned named Rush. Mesmerized by what he saw on stage, it was then Claypool decided music was what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. 14 years later and now spearheading a colorful band of his own dubbed “Primus,” things came full circle when they were offered a supporting slot on Rush’s 1992 tour. They say never meet your heroes or you’ll be disappointed, but in the case, the two bands shared an instant connection and would develop a close friendship organically through years of touring together. According to Claypool, paying tribute to Rush is simply a way to say “thank you” for all of their inspiration.
Primus performs at the Palace Theatre in Albany 5/18/22
Bringing the “Tribute to Kings” Tour to the Palace Theater this past Wednesday, fans turned out in droves, but not necessarily to see Primus. With the passing of iconic drummer Neal Peart, Rush played their final show in August of 2015, yet based on the sheer amount of vintage Rush t-shirts and memorabilia that was present at the Palace, it’s fair to say there is still a significant demand for their music. If there is any three-piece unit that has the talent and the chops to fill that void, it would have to be the mighty Primus.
Taking the darked Palace stage as the customary Danny Elfman “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure” theme piped in over the PA, Claypool, along with guitar player Larry “Ler” LaLonde and frummer Tim “Herb” Alexander, wasted no time in letting their intention be known. Playing the type of songs that don’t exactly fit well with the radio format, class was in session early as Primus opening their performance with an “American Life” history lesson. Complete with a massive rear projector high above the stage displaying hypnotic video loops and depicting things like immigrants registering at Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, along with images of Mount Rushmore and Honest Abe, the projections would subtly change to a ‘military marching orders’ theme during classic Primus cuts like the songs “Too Many Puppies” and “Sgt. Baker.
The low-end pulse would beat a little louder (and darker) on the next song, 1989’s repetitive, percussion-heavy trance educing song “The Pressman,” after which Claypool claimed the band had not played in a while. One of the highest highlights of the first set came next with a rare “Professor Nutbutter’s House of Treats” which segued nicely into a “Del Davis Tree Farm” bust-out, played for the first time since 2017. Sensing an opportunity to slip in something new, Primus then unloaded their brand new sprawling and groovy single, the covid-inspired, tongue in cheek eleven minute opus “Conspiranoia.” The opening set concluded with a condensed mash-up of “Welcome to This World” and the always awesome “My Name Is Mud.”
Primus performs at the Palace Theatre in Albany 5/18/22
From there the Rush was on, literally. In an evening billed as a “Tribute to Kings,” Primus would honor their musical heroes by performing the 1977 classic Rush album A Farewell To Kings in its entirety. Other than a minor wardrobe change and Claypool trading in his signature Carl Thompson ‘Rainbow’ bass for a black and white Rickenbacker model, Primus tore through the set with such complete confidence it almost made you forget these were someone else’s songs.
Technically proficient, it was the vocals that proved to be the biggest challenge for Claypool. At one point addressing the audience between songs, acknowledging Geddy Lee’s high pitched (and often polarizing) vocal style isn’t exactly “easy” to mimic and then encouraged those who knew the lyrics to try and help sing the next one, then launching into one of Rush;s biggest radio hits, “Closer to the Heart.” For a brief time during “Xanadu,” both Claypool and Ler could be seen wielding a pair of huge, double necked axes. Allegedly the first to ever play an electric 12 string bass, Geddy Lee claims Rickenbacker specifically built the first one for him.
After witnessing Lee perform with the mammoth instrument at his first ever concert, Claypool confessed he’s wanted one ever since and joked that it took him all these years to finally be able to afford one. Always cracking wise, Claypool would also make several light-hearted jabs at the people in the first few rows who were still inexplicably sitting down, saying “it’s that mutual exchange of energy that [he] feeds off and that if he has to remain standing through the entire performance, everyone else should be up off the asses too.” Les then dove into his favorite Rush song of all time, the set closing “Cygnus x-1.” Just prior to the encore, Claypool would later apologize to anyone who may have been offended by his heckling and then proceeded to drop into the opening notes of Primus Frizzle Fry fan favorite “Groundhog’s Day” from 1990. Still not satisfied, fans begging for “just one more” were treated to a tune Claypool introduced as “a true story about a friend…who was addicted to crack.” His name was Harold.
Primus performs at the Palace Theatre in Albany 5/18/22
Coming to a close a little before midnight, most people stayed all the way to the end as the theme from the original “Charlie and Chocolate Factory” helped send them home with a smile. There was a little something for everyone at this show. Sure, real Primus fans want to hear all Primus all the time and the faithful Rush fans were probably a little overwhelmed by the undeniable heaviness and some of the weirdos the Primus scene tends to attract, perhaps even hoping for another radio hit like “Tom Sawyer” or “Spirit of the Radio.”
The real winners on this night were the scores of young fans in attendance. Similar to the way Les Claypool’s life was forever changed by his first concert, you couldn’t help but notice the abundance of skid fathers who brought their boys with them. Perhaps the sentimental notion of passing the prog-rock crown from Rush to Primus? Or maybe they just couldn’t find a babysitter? Or maybe, just maybe the next great virtuoso bass player was sitting right there in the Palace Theatre all along, absorbing the magic of live music at their very first concert. One thing is for sure, Primus most certainly does not suck.
Primus | May 18th, 2022 | Albany, NY | Palace Theatre
Set 1: American Life, Too Many Puppies(>)Sgt. Baker(> ‘Too Many Puppies’ reprise), The Pressman, Last Salmon Man, Conspiranoia, Professor Nutbutter’s House of Treats, Del Davis Tree Farm (First time live since 2017), Welcome to This World, My Name Is Mud
Set 2: A Farewell to Kings, Xanadu, Closer to the Heart, Cinderella Man, Madrigal, Cygnus X-1
Encore: Groundhog’s Day, Harold of the Rocks, Follow the Fool >Harold of the Rocks Reprise
Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up and coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear new music from, Shane Guerrette, That Girl w/One Free Don 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.
That Girl featuring One Free Don – “Cherish”
Shane Guerrette – “Here’s Hoping” & “How was I to know”
Albany’s Glass Pony continue a hot streak that has seen the group persevere through a pandemic to build an audience and unique sound, and return from the studio with a strong sophomore album, Nowhere Daydream.
Comprised of Chanda Dewey (drums), Eddie Hotaling (guitar, lead vocals), Jeff Picarazzi (bass), and Greg Pittz (lead guitar), Glass Pony has used the last two years wisely, honing their craft in practice and performance, preparing for the return of live music and hitting the ground running. Expanding their touring area to Central New York and the North Country puts Glass Pony on an upward trajectory, fueled by Nowhere Daydream.
The album begins with the Hotaling composition “North Bound,” giving an early Ominous Seapods feel to the album, which dips quickly into a track that has quickly become a fan favorite, “Something Good.” The first notes to the album’s first single have a “Let’s Dance” intro vibe, a soaring guitar hook throughout from Pittz and serves as an upbeat post-pandemic anthem for an uplifting 7+ minute ride, .
“House on a Hill” has a happy, upbeat jamgrass vibe, with lyrics by Keith Drinkwine. “Mortimer” brings in a “Wife Soup” feel in the intro before entering a swing-revival section – this fiery instrumental segues neatly into the brief and ambient “GN-z11.” The guitar groove of “St. Atocaster” from Pittz fits snugly into a pocket created by Picarazzi and Dewey, a track that captures the Glass Pony sound that has developed these past three years.
Nowhere Daydream was recorded at Jellystone Park in Pound Ridge, NY; Blue Sky Studios, Delmar, NY; and Glass Pony Stables, Albany, NY. The album was mixed and engineered by Eddie Hotaling and mastered by Raelynn Janicke at Infrasonic Mastering, Nashville, TN. Matt Richards (Annie in the Water) is featured on keys on all tracks, with Will Hayes playing cello on “Lunar Flare.” Visit Glass Pony on Bandcamp.
Key Tracks: Something Good, Mortimer, St. Atocaster
Glass Pony will hold an album release show on May 21, 2022 at Parish Public House (388 Broadway, Albany. Tickets are $15, with 3 sets and doors at 7. Tickets are available via Glassponyband.com or guthriebellproductions.com
Albany Symphony has announced their 2022 American Music Festival: TrailBlaze NY, a “celebration of New York State’s glorious new Empire State Trail.” The festival will feature various events from the beginning of June to the first week of July running from Kingston all the way up to Saratoga County.
“We wanted to amplify the amazing story of the incredible 750-mile walking and cycling rail trail that now connects all residents of New York State to one another,” said David Alan Miller, Music Director of Albany Symphony and Grammy-winning conductor.
David Alan Miller, Music Director of Albany Symphony and Grammy-winning conductor.
The Empire State Trail, completed in 2020, is composed of the Hudson Valley Greenway Trail which connects New York City to Albany, the Erie Canalway Trail which connects Albany to Buffalo, and the Champlain Valley Trail which connects Albany to the Canadian border.
TrailBlaze NY isn’t the first Albany Symphony production of its kind; during 2017’s Water Music NY, the Symphony travelled along the Erie Canal, performing free concerts at seven different canal communities along the way. During 2019’s Sing Out! New York, they performed free outdoor concerts at several different locations from Columbia to Saratoga County.
The festival will open with a “Troy & Cohoes New Music Week” from June 2 to June 5. One feature event of the four-day span includes a performance from the company’s new-art chamber orchestra, Dogs of Desire on the 3rd at the Cohoes Music Hall. The show will feature world premiers by Natalie Draper, Jack Frerer, Bobby Ge, Loren Loiacono, and Andre Myers.
There is also Albany Symphony’s keynote performance of “Trailblaze!” at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall on the 4th. During the concert, the Symphony will play John Williams’ “Prelude and Scherzo (American Premiere)” featuring pianist Gloria Cheng, John Corigliano’s “Triathalon for Saxophone and Orchestra” featuring saxophonist Timothy McAllister, and Steven Stuckey’s “Radical Light.”
Other events include a piano recital from Gloria Chang at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall on the 2nd, a “Late Night Lounge experience” with Jordan Taylor Hill at Table 41 Brewing Co. in Cohoes on the 3rd, a chamber performance titled “Endangered” at St. Paul’s in Troy on the 4th, and “Inuksuit,” a group percussion performance at Troy Riverfront Park on the 5th, among others. Admission costs for the week’s events range anywhere from free to $62, with tickets available for purchase on Albany Symphony’s website.
As for the other part of TrailBlaze NY, “Albany Symphony On The Trail!” will feature musical and trail-related event programs at Hudson Crossing Park in Schuylerville on the 11th, Hutton Brickyards in Kingston on the 19th, Basilica Hudson in Hudson on the 24th and around the city on the 25th, as well as Mohawk Harbor in Schenectady on July 1st, Jennings Landing in Albany on the 2nd, and Riverlink Park in Amsterdam on the 3rd.
TrailBlaze NY is a unique opportunity for people from all over the Northeastern US and Canada to discover some of the most extraordinary towns in New York State and the glorious nature that surrounds them. I hope all our friends and supporters will also join us to celebrate New York State in all its wonder and natural beauty, as well as our resilient communities and the things that connect us and bring us together, all the trails we explore, real and imagined.
David Alan Miller
The program involves free Albany Symphony concerts at each stop, featuring music from Natalie Draper, Aaron Copland, Viet Cuong, John Williams, and John Philip Sousa. Additionally, every day of the program will feature activities such as bike rides and hikes on local trails, refreshment from local vendors, and historical & museum tours among many others. Full information about “Albany Symphony On The Trail!” can also be found on their website.
Caffe Lena will host the first annual Sing In The Streets music festival on May 22 to celebrate the venue’s 62 anniversary.
Music will take place at six sites in the historic downtown Saratoga Springs neighborhood, with each site having display photos and memorabilia associated with each decade of the venue’s operation.
Carolyn Shapiro, a Caffe Lena staff member and one of the performers for the afternoon, spoke in a statement about the festival. Shapiro also won an Eddie Award for Folk/Traditional Artist of the Year.
Sing in the Streets celebrates our venue’s history but it’s also a celebration of the community that helped our historic venue survive the turmoil of the last couple years. We’re encouraging people to visit every stage and get their Folk Passport stamped for a chance to win an Emcee Membership, which entitles you to two free shows a month for an entire year,
Also, Kira Favro, Caffe Lena’s Board President, spoke of the anniversary celebration.
We have a lot to celebrate this year. We marked our 60th during the peak of the pandemic. Now it’s time to gather in person and enjoy music and survival. Caffe Lena has a long history, but its future is going to be even longer.
The festival features various musical styles, like pop, country, folk, bluegrass, and children’s music. The festival is free, but people can donate to support Caffe Lena’s community services, like free shows for kids, music in nursing homes and homeless shelters, free music lessons, and more.
Albany’s DIY music scene has been thriving in the wake of 2020’s lockdowns. Basement and house venues are popping up left and right, and bands have been eager to get back on stage and perform in front of live audiences. The Laundromat is one of the newest underground music venues in Albany and it just wrapped up a busy spring semester. The hidden basement spent the last five months promoting pop-up shows at Pauly’s Hotel, hosting their own basement shows, and contributing to Albany’s flourishing music and arts community.
The venue started back in September of 2021 and is run by two U Albany students Ari Spielman and Samantha Mehrkens. The duo runs their venue on Instagram (@the.laun.dro.mat) and have grown their page beyond 1,500 followers in the past few months and have put on over a dozen shows. Ari and Samantha have built, from the ground up, a popular space for musicians, painters, photographers, and artists of all kinds to work and enjoy each other’s art. The two can always be spotted up front at their shows, enjoying the music, addressing technical difficulties, and even keeping their fans cool and comfortable.
Glue Head @ The Laundromat – 3.11.22. Ari Spielman and Samantha Mehrkens (right)
The Laundromat was recently one of a handful of DIY venues in the Albany area that was part of Byrdhouse Records‘ Phoenix Fest. The week-long festival consisted of six consecutive shows all over Albany, Troy, and New Paltz. The Laundromat’s show took place on 4/20 and featured five local acts: Floral Arrangements, Ricky Bandana, Prom Sex, Rhakimali, and The E-Block. The packed lineup, along with the holiday festivities, brought out a big crowd for the Wednesday night show that ran late into the early hours of the morning.
The surprise highlight of the night was the third act of the night: Prom Sex. The newly formed band played their first show ever at The Laundromat and they received a warm welcome from Albany’s DIY community. The band played their own version of musical chairs, or rather musical instruments, as everyone rotated from guitar to bass to drums. The young band played on for a full 45-minute set with a crowd-demanded encore.
Prom Sex @ The Laundromat – 4.20.22
The Laundromat also features local bands time and time again, like Ladybyrd. The WCDB Rising Artist of the Year is a regular at The Laundromat, and performed at the last show of the semester on May 6. Ladybyrd had also performed at The Laundromat as recently as April 8th, along with Chaz Kiss, and Sam Legenbauer. This April 8th show was promoted as the Femme Fatale Feature Friday, as it featured acts fronted by women. The Laundromat doesn’t always host shows with an overarching theme, but when they do, they always tend to draw out their biggest and most energetic crowds.
Ladybyrd @ The Laundromat – 5.6.22
The Laundromat has often featured a broad range of music on any given night, one could hear everything from hip-hop to punk or shoegaze to funk. One of these genre bending shows was on February 18th, featured acts included: Free Spiritu, Cloud 18, Dork!, and Alliteration. Alliteration closed out the show and have been seen all over the 518 in the past few months. It feels like the Poughkeepsie-based punk band brings their unique sound to the area every other weekend and they have fans traveling regularly from as far as Long Island to catch every single one of their shows.
Alliteration’s success is well deserved and has been a direct result of the band’s collective work ethic, attitude, and fun music. Xayvier, Ryan, and Mike are loved throughout the music community and can be found in the crowd or the merch table at every show they play. They arrive early, enjoy the sets of other acts, and are eager to mingle with fans. It’s this type of approachability and friendliness from the band members though that has helped make them a true crowd favorite in New York’s DIY music scene. Basement show-goers may even find themselves challenged to a game of Super Smash by Xayvier for the chance to win a t-shirt discount. Good luck beating him though.
Alliteration’s Next show will be at The Bundy Museum on May 28th, for the Bing X Punk Festival . The day’s music starts at 3pm and is slated to run until 9:30. The show will feature three other bands who have been seen in the Albany area as of late: Stay Off The Fence , Senior Living, and DiRTYBANDAiD. All of these bands rock, hard, and will be accompanied by a number of other acts who won’t disappoint: The Droogz, Pons, The War Lovers, Pleasure Dome, and Tom Jolu.
Alliteration @ The Laundromat – 2.18.22
Like the Bing X Punk Festival shows, Albany’s DIY scene is not an island. It is, instead, a part of a much larger community of music lovers all around the state. There are vibrant underground scenes in cities like Oneonta, Binghamton, and Troy and bands are constantly playing together and traveling from city to city as often as they can. The Laundromat’s final show of the semester on May 6, 2022 featured Crash Test Auto from Oneonta. The upbeat rock band put the community’s connectedness on display by featuring Adam Henkel on bass. Adam is a SUNY Oneonta student who currently runs the 607 Music Scene Instagram page.
Adam has found himself playing for a number of bands and is now focused on building his Instagram following through 607 in order to aggregate event and artist news from around New York’s DIY music scene beyond. Adam’s efforts are all in the name of his love for music and for the members of the underground community. 607 Music Scene is the go-to page to follow if you are interested in keep up-to-date with upcoming shows, photography galleries from past shows, and new music from local acts.
Crash Test Auto @ The Laundromat 5.6.22
In addition to hosting shows in their basement, The Laundromat has also promoted a number of shows at Pauly’s Hotel in Albany. The Laundromat kicked off the 2022 spring semester with their Wild N’ Out rap show on February 5. The show featured nine of Albany’s up and coming rappers to allow the crowd to decide who their favorite rapper of the night was. The show’s winner and runner-up were awarded to Lil Baby Suplex, and Rhakimali. The grand prize was awarded to Suplex and earned him free studio time in New York City.
The Laundromat’s Pauly’s Hotel shows have also included lineups with some local regulars like Treasure Cove, The E-Block, and Safety Meeting. Those who frequent DIY shows in the area are more than likely quite familiar with all three of these acts, as they have all been regularly performing around the area and at other Laundromat shows. Safety Meeting also played shows at The Byrdhouse and WCDB this semester. In April they performed at WCDB Fest and were nominated for Best Alt Rock/Indie Artist for their fun style of rock that incorporates sounds from different genres spanning from punk to country. Safety Meeting has a show coming up on May 28 at Blueberry Field in New Paltz.
Safety Meeting @ Pauly’s Hotel – 2.17.22
As you can see, The Laundromat plays their own important role in a much larger community. Samantha and Ari have grown their own musical node in the network in a very short amount of time. The space they have created creates opportunities for so many artists to put their work on display. The nature of the community inspires crowd members, promotes new acts and venues alike, and makes the whole of New York’s DIY scene stronger.
So whether you are young or old, love hip-hop or punk, or just have $5 in your pocket, then you should consider following The Laundromat on Instagram and keeping your eyes out for the next show they have. It could be this summer, or it could be next summer, but either way you ought to be ready to send them a DM and get the address to what will likely be one of the best shows in Albany happening that night. Albany’s basements are dark and dirty, but the artists and fans are kind and welcoming to all. There is no doubt that a night spent at The Laundromat will be one filled with good music and good vibes.
The Field ServiceMidnight DriverMidnight DriverRicky Bandana & CirredCirredTreasure CoveTreasure CoveThe E-BlockThe E-BlockSafety MeetingDork!AlliterationMichael Rodriguez – AlliterationAlliterationSouly HadMoss TongueMoss TongueGlue HeadGlue Head, Ari & SamanthaGlueheadGlue HeadGlue HeadSam LegenbauerLadybyrdChaz KissDavid Stingle – Chaz KissEvan Randall – LadybyrdProm SexLadybyrdCrash Test AutoAdam Henkel Crash Test Auto / 607 Music Scene
