Most serious music fans know about Bob Dylan’s first show at Cafe Wha? in NYC. He was a 19-year-old college dropout, he had just hitched a ride with friends across the country, but even after his first gig, he hadn’t made it yet. Luckily, through the mutual friend of Dave Van Ronk, Dylan secured a second gig with Lena Spencer, Caffe Lena’s proprietor. He played his first out-of-town gig at the newly established folk music coffee house in Saratoga Springs, according to Andrew Nguyen for the Blackwing Music Foundation. Caffe Leena took on the unknown musician and invested in him, even though Dylan didn’t have much of anything to his name — no money, no fame, and — though we can’t know for sure — likely no health insurance.
Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs
According to Caffe Lena, 43% of professional musicians in the U.S. have no health insurance, and among full-time musicians, the numbers are even higher. To recognize and address this issue, and to increase accessibility for live performers unilaterally in accordance with their values that put Bob Dylan on over 50 years ago, Caffe Lena will host their first ever Musicians’ Health and Wellness Outreach pop-up clinic for uninsured musicians from the Capital District and Lower Adirondack region. The clinic will be on October 23 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The clinic is funded by Caffe Lena, its (over 1,000) members, and Saratoga Hospital Community Health Center and Hudson Headwaters Health Network are providing funding and staffing. Medical Professionals are volunteering to check in on their local musicians. The clinic will include custom-fitted earplugs for onstage hearing protection, blood pressure screening, HEP-C/HIV screening, insurance navigator consultation, Tai Chi and kits for those aged 45-64 to self-administer a colorectal screening.
“Taking care of this community is what we do—and we are proud of it,” said Renee Rodriguez-Goodemote, MD, medical director of Saratoga Community Health Center. “We are delighted to partner with Caffe Lena and Hudson Headwaters to serve local musicians and keep them in good health.”
If any conditions are diagnosed at the screening that will require follow-up or medicine the Saratoga Community Health Center will provide it for free until the musician can be enrolled in affordable health insurance.
This is just the latest of the legendary Caffe Lena’s work to support independent musicianship. Caffe Lena is guided by Lena Spencer’s staunch belief in music appreciation in live, intimate settings, without regard for the fame or station of said musicians. In 2020, Caffe Lena launched their School of Music, for adults and children to study folk music in new and old contexts. The school has a donor-funded scholarship to ensure accessibility. Caffe Lena is a 501 (c) non-profit organization, with music almost every day, live and live-streamed. The former wood shop, turned cafe, turned iconic venue has just undergone renovations to make the space 100% handicap accessible. See the calendar of upcoming events and shows here.
The Blues Project, formed in Greenwich Village in the mid-’60s, has postponed their October 30 show in Saratoga Springs at Caffe Lena.
The band will announce a rescheduled date soon, when they will celebrate their first new album in 42 years, Evolution, which finds the band from a well of various musical styles and influences throughout the album’s 12 tracks.
One of the first album-oriented, “underground” groups in the United States, the Blues Project offered an eclectic brew of rock, blues, folk, pop, and even some jazz, classical, and psychedelia during their heyday in the mid-’60s.
The original group featured guitarist Danny Kalb (who had played sessions for various Elektra folk and folk-rock albums), Steve Katz (a guitarist with Elektra’s Even Dozen Jug Band), flutist/bassist Andy Kulberg, drummer Roy Blumenfeld, and singer Tommy Flanders. Al Kooper, in his early twenties a seasoned vet of rock sessions, joined after sitting in on the band’s Columbia Records audition, although they ended up signing to Verve, an MGM subsidiary.
The current lineup for The Blues Project performing at Caffe Lena later this month features Katz and Blumenfeld leading a powerful new lineup that includes young and talented members Chris Morrison on lead guitar, Scott Petito on bass, and Ken Clark on keyboards and vocals.
After the release of their debut live album, the band recorded their second album Projections in the fall of 1966, receiving rave reviews and containing an eclectic set of songs that ran the gamut from blues, R&B, jazz, psychedelia, and folk-rock. The centerpieces of the album were an 11-and-a-half minute version of Muddy Waters’ blues standard “Two Trains Running” featuring Kalb on vocals and lead guitar, and Kooper’s instrumental “Flute Thing” featuring Kulberg on flute.
Soon after Projections was released, Kooper and Katz left the band and in 1968 joined forces to form jazz-rock icons Blood, Sweat & Tears. While Kooper led the band on its first album, Child Is Father to the Man, he did not take part in any subsequent releases. Soon after, Kooper, then a producer for Columbia Records, recorded with Bloomfield, Stephen Stills and Harvey Brooks for the album entitled Super Session, before doing several solo albums. Katz, who was instrumental in the band’s phenomenal success, remained with B,S & T, into the 1970s. Katz went on to produce Lou Reed’s best-selling and still-influential live LP Rock ‘n’ Roll Animal (as well as its follow-up Sally Can’t Dance, Reed’s only top-10 album).
The Blues Project, with a modified line-up, reformed briefly in the early 1970s, releasing three further albums: 1971’s Lazarus, 1972’s Blues Project, and 1973’s The Original Blues Project Reunion in Central Park. After disbanding again, Blumenfeld formed Seatrain and in the 2000s performed with former Country Joe & the Fish member Barry Melton.
The original Blues Project disbanded for good in the 90s (although Katz, Blumenfeld and Kalb performed a successful reunion tour in 2012) but realizing they still had a passionate fan base who cared about the band and its music, Katz and Blumenfeld decided to give it another try in 2021.
Astounding an intimate audience during their Lark Hall debut, the experimental progressive jazz-rock quartet Kick the Cat wasn’t pussyfooting around during their recent stop in Albany on October 7th. From heavy metal and beautiful blues-based rock, to complicated jazz compositions mixed with playful funk and all sorts of funky time signature changes, the enduring Chicago-based band unleashed an all-out assault of the senses by combining just about every style of music known to man and making it their own. Uncompromising and anything but commercial, those who dared to take a chance on this night were rewarded with a very special performance.
Kick the Cat performing at Lark Hall in Albany, NY 10/7/22
In a move that only further cements an already legendary status, veteran Capital Region concert promoter Greg Bell of Guthrie/Bell Productions announced just days before the show that it would be free-for-all. No cover charge, no hidden agenda. Why you ask? In a statement released on social media, Bell claimed “Because I feel people should see these two bands, I am making this a free show. No tickets needed, no admission fee, just great music.” Also making their Lark Hall debut on the evening was the Hudson Valley-based group NEQ. Made up of guitarist Todd Nelson, Kyle Esposito (bass) and Manuel Quintana (drums), the group was also joined by Ross Rice on keyboards. Playing mostly songs from their 2022 debut album ‘Nevertheless”, the band showcased a diverse set of influences ranging from classic and prog rock, to gospel, funk and even a splash of spaghetti western. Clearly having a good time on stage, the bands heartfelt approach immediately endeared themselves to the listener and set the bar incredibly high for what was soon to follow.
NEQ performing at Lark Hall in Albany, NY 10/7/22
Dressed like regular dudes, the members of Kick the Cat casually took to the Lark Hall stage around 9:30pm. Greeting the audience with gratitude and letting them know in advance things were about to get weird at times, but also groovy and beautiful at times too. Though the band might be new to some, they’ve actually been playing together for nearly twenty-five years. Consisting of front man Chris Siebold on guitar, Kris Myers (of Umphrey’s McGee) on drums, Chris Clemente on bass and Vijay Tellis-Nayak on keyboards, The Cats opened with the pummeling start/stop frenzy of “Ow! My Eye,” clearly letting you know you had to be punished before you were pleasured.
Kris Myers performing with Kick the Cat at Lark Hall in Albany, NY 10/7/22
Anchoring the controlled chaos, it was the powerful, confident and steady hands Kris Myers that demanded most of the attention early on. A strange sight to see the Umphrey’s McGee drummer without his percussion playing partner Andy Farag nearby, but casual fans may not realize Myers is one of Kick the Cat’s founding members. Myers, who started playing at age 8 and earned a master’s degree in jazz drumming from DePaul University, played on KTC’s first two studio albums before joining UM in 2003. It was here in this type of setting that his undeniable talent and dexterity could truly be appreciated. All evening long you could hear and see people whispering to each other about just how good he really is.
Kick the Cat performing at Lark Hall in Albany, NY 10/7/22
After working their way through a series of complex, percussion-heavy compositions like “Alt De Facto,” “Harebrained,” and “Hope Against Hope,” front man Chris Siebold took to the mic while changing out guitars, saying “We just bludgeoned your bodies, but now we’re about to bathe you in relaxation.” What initially came off as a “cool down” song for Myers effortlessly became a showcase of guitar playing virtuosity for Siebold. Landing somewhere between the luscious and dreamy tones of greats like David Gilmour and Jeff Beck combined with the chop-busting inspiration from bands like The Weather Report, King Crimson and Return To Forever, it was at this point in the evening that Chris stole the spotlight from Kris and let everyone know he was an absolute force behind the frets. After a beautifully bluesy rendition of “Two Down” from their 2002 album Weirdo another show highlight came in the form of “Camel Toe Vs. Snaggle Tooth,” which at its climax, forced even those sitting to rise up in appreciation.
Chris Siebold of Kick the Cat performing at Lark Hall in Albany, NY 10/7/22
After working their way through much of 2021’s Gurgle, Kick the Cat’s first studio release in over a decade, another clear sign of approval came when promoter Greg Bell approached the front of the stage and presumably asked the band to play little longer. Happy to oblige, Siebold joked “Another set? Sure, hell we’ll play till sunrise if someone wants to offer us another $30,000, which of course would be donated to charity. Any takers?” he asked. “No? Ok, we’ll play a little longer anyway, but if we start noticing the place is clearing out, just give us a sign.”
While Kick the Cat didn’t quite play till sunrise, they did perhaps play longer than any other band at the recently renovated Lark Hall. Fans who stuck around until the end were treated to ambitious songs like “Ramsey (All In)”, “Waz Up” and “That Stuff That’s Tough” before eventually bringing things to a close with the song “Squirt.” An evening filled with heady-yet-approachable grooves and other worldly soundscapes, angular melodies, fuzz-filled tones and all-out rock n roll, the level of musicianship KTC brought to Albany was unapparelled. While progressive jazz-rock fusion may not often be thought of as “cool” these days, Kick the Cat is and seeing them live is a thrilling experience you’re not likely to forget.
Kick the Cat performing at Lark Hall in Albany, NY 10/7/22
Kick the Cat | Lark Hall | Albany, NY | October 7, 2022
Setlist: Ow! My Eye, Alt De Facto, Harebrained, Hope Against Hope, Adolpho’s Dilemma, Visogoth’s Overture>Breakfast with the Visogoth’s, Two Down, Camel Toe Vs. Snaggle Tooth, Ramsay( All In), Waz Up, That Stuff That’s Tough, Squirt
Fun bands are great. It’s strange, in that some bands, you listen to their music and lyrics and you feel so light that you don’t realize how difficult the music might be to put together. Like they say; the great ones make it look easy. And it’s refreshing to have a music that just does what it’s supposed to and gives you a good time.
Haunted Cat is just such a band, and from their eclectic mix of grooves and styles to their never shying away from engaging in festivities, you will find a good time the moment you click ‘play.’
RRX: Haunted Cat has a lot of holiday specials, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas. To see a band do one holiday special in a year is something, but it seems a pattern for the band. How did Haunted Cat start doing holiday specials? Was it a goof that just stuck, or was it something in the band’s basic design?
DB: Let me start by saying it warms the cockles of my heart that you think of HC as a fun band! We have heard that and always appreciate it. We also aim to strike terror into the souls of audience members so their hair turns fully white on the spot, and folks are frequently seen sobbing heavily at our shows as well. Those people are usually watching Steel Magnolias on their phones. The key is, we want to take people on an adventure and hit on all the emotions one could possibly feel, as long as it’s not boredom.
To that point, and with respect to the specials, there are all these ideas that excite us beyond what we’re going to play at a live performance or release as audio recordings. Stuffing those ideas away because they’re outside of a traditional band activity would be bad for morale. They need to happen. We don’t want to just do holiday specials either, we may soon venture into fetish videos, reenactments of obscure political assassinations, revitalizing the Jurassic Park franchise… and, look, this could all be the same project. The important thing is, we want to keep ourselves entertained and interested, and if we are doing that, some other people will probably be entertained and interested. Hopefully?
RRX: The band seems to have a sort of light, sort of lackadaisical feel, from what I’ve listened to. It’s very inviting, very welcoming. And I feel like it leaves a lot of room to experiment and improvise with your sound; you don’t seem tied to some traditional orthodoxy. But do you have any root notion around which the band revolves?
DB: My heart cockles are an absolute inferno right now by your words. “Root notion” whence we orbit? There are some bands that are consciously trying to sound like bands that they like, or a specific genre. It kind of makes sense, you like that music, you want to play music pretty close to like that. I would say the most important thing for Haunted Cat is to operate extremely far away from that, and rather separately and intensely appreciate all art via any mediums that we find most exciting, and filter things we love through ourselves and our collaborators into something that is hopefully unique and new. We get compared to other acts, and writing about music it’s very hard if not impossible to avoid that, but I never think we actually sound like those things.
RRX: The previous question alluded to the fact that Haunted Cat’s sound is diverse. That usually comes from people that have diverse tastes in music coming to the table. I saw that, in one of your specials, you had a song originally sung by Liberace mentioned. That seems like a big shot out in left field for music in these parts? What was that about?
DB: To clarify, in last year’s Halloween Special we brought Liberace back via seance, which was not as easy as you think, and we were granted an exclusive performance of “Violet” by Hole. Liberace is a total pro and we are still honored he showed up despite being very busy with his afterlife passions of snowboarding and jai alai. We could have brought John Lennon back because he has the universal stamp of acceptance, but that would have been extremely boring unless it was the period where he was getting super trashed and making an ass of himself in public, toward the end there. Liberace was way more fun. We had a wheel we spun that included Bam Bam Bigelow and Jesse Pomeroy, but we spun the wheel and the wheel spoke.
RRX: I also saw a picture of you all playing at the Low Beat, which is no longer around. It’s bittersweet to see venues go, as far as the memories we have as listeners, audience members. But a fun night for us may have been a major accomplishment for a band onstage. Any venues, Low Beat included, whose loss you’ve really felt? Why?
DB: For a very long time I couldn’t think about the loss of Valentines without feeling real sorrow, and when I pass that area, I still truly feel the loss. It was devastating to Albany when Valentines closed. That was the place for me and for a long time, nothing came close to filling that in the immediate Albany area. But looking forward there are a lot of great newer venues. No Fun in Troy is just amazing. Every time I go there I have a blast, and it seems it’s just getting better. We still haven’t even played there yet, but we have really enjoyed seeing other shows there. I absolutely love Rare Form and saw like 100 great bands there last summer! We are playing there again on 7/23!
RRX: Going back to the specials. I see specials on television, and they’re usually themed, usually extravaganzas, and it’s as much me being in a holiday mood as it is the special’s performance. But when you guys do these specials, you go all out. And you probably start them well before the season. So, is it like celebrating the holidays twice?
DB: We collaborate with local artist-of-all-trades and technical wizard Eric-jon Tasker on many artistic endeavors, but we truly couldn’t do the specials without him. Together I think we started the Halloween one in April and we would just have our incredibly wonderful and game guest stars come weekend after weekend to film, and then we’d edit whenever we could. We lost a ton of footage when a hard drive fell on a concrete floor, and it was a wild ride. We have such limited resources so it was really a miracle that we pulled it off, especially since it included a live performance filmed at Desperate Annie’s like two days before we released it. By time Halloween came we were pretty much ready to move on to The Brazilian Republic Proclamation Day Special. The goal is that we can increase our resources, funds, etc. so we can go even bigger and have more options with whatever we want to do creatively.
The Park Theater announced its programming for the month of October, kicking off the theater’s 2022/23 season. On the calendar is a broad range of events — from jazz to comedy to film screenings.
The Park Theater opened in 1911 as the first movie theater in the town of Glens Falls, about 2 hours out of Manhattan. In 1937 the theater was converted into a printing plant for the Glens Falls Post, before returning again to its original purpose as a center for performing arts in 1984, when Dr. Harold Kirkpatrick bought the building. After a renovation in 2014, The Park Theater officially reopened as a theater in 2018. The October programming is as follows:
October 13
Caity Gallagher will perform on The Park Theater’s “Live & Local” night. Gallagher will be joined by bassist Ben Woodhul, pianist Dan DeKalb, and percussionist Josh Morris. Gallagher is a folk singer-songwriter with down-to-earth music complemented by acoustic live concert settings. Tickets are $15 and doors open at 6:30 p.m.
October 20
In The Park Theater’s “Third Thursday Jazz” series, a rotating band of regional jazz musicians will be joining Matt Neidbalski on the third Thursday of each month. This month’s Third Thursday Jazz will feature the alto saxophonist Adam Siegel and pianist Galen Pittman. Niedbalski is a drummer born and raised in New York’s Capital District; he’s known for his energetic performances. Tickets are $10 and the show is from 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
October 21
The Park Theater Foundation’s inaugural gala will present music, food and a silent auction to benefit educational programming in the Glen Falls community. Funds from the gala will support the Foundation’s goal of reaching around 500 students throughout three school districts and generate interest in the arts within the next generation. The Tyler Giroux Jazz Trio — Tyler Giroux on piano, Dylan Perrillo on Base and Nick Anderson on drums — will perform live. Food is provided by Doc’s Restaurant. RSVP by Oct. 7 to secure tickets to the gala, at $99 per person. The event will run from 6 to 8 p.m.
October 22
Award-winning mandolinist, Jacob Jolliff will perform with his band live at “The Park Presents.” Jolliff performed with Joy Kills Sorrow and Yonder Mountain String Band across the world, and now is coming Upstate with the Jacob Jolliff Band to bring singing, original instrumentation and intricate musicianship to The Park Theater. Early Bird tickets are $20; doors at 6:00 p.m.
October 26
Rochmon Record Club will present a “Revolver” listening party hosted by The Park Theater. The club hopes the listening party will help attendees deepen their understanding of the personalities and stories behind The Beatles’ iconic 7th album, released in 1966. Tickets are $12 and doors open at 6:30.
October 27
The second “Live and Local” night of the month at The Park Theater will feature “The Lonely Road Experience,” by singer-songwriter Kaleb Dingmon. Dingmon will debut new sounds from his upcoming album, which combines genres of pop, R&B, hip hop and rap. UpstateBaby, Jay $way, Billy Floyd and Kolbie G will also be performing. Early Bird tickets are $15; doors open at 7:30 p.m.
October 28
New York based comedian Chris Roach will perform at The Park Theater’s “Comedy After Dark.” With experience on stages such as Gotham Comedy Club and Comic Strip Live NYC, as well as in the hit CBS sitcom “Kevin Can Wait,” a night with Chris Roach promises big laughs. Early Bird tickets are $22 and doors open at 7:30.
October 29
The Park Theater will host Summerland Music Society’s production of “Silent Halloween – Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror (1922).” This screening will celebrate 100 years since F.W Murnau released his unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula.” “Nosferatu” became a German expressionist classic, inspiring many vampire films that came after. The film is silent, but pianist Cary Brown will improvise a live soundtrack. Beer, wine and cocktails will be available for purchase from Mean Max Brewery. There is a suggested donation of $13 for the show, which starts at 6:30.
For the full 2022/23 performance listing and to purchase tickets, visit The Park Theater’s site.
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.
grape juice- “ICICLES“
grape juice is an indie-alt band from Saratoga Springs. They make chill and indie music, that centers on sad things. Their new single “ICICLES” came out on Sept. 30 and will be featured on EQXposure.
Haley Moley- “Deep Silence”
Based in Troy, Haley Moley is comprised of house music DJ and dance music producer Jennifer Maher Coleman and features Paul Coleman on guitar, Andrea Kosek on keyboard and guitar, Pat Thorpe on bass, and Mike Broomhead on drums. Their newest single “Deep Silence” will be featured on EQXposure.
New American Cuisine-“Talking”
Five-piece Saratoga Springs indie band New American Cuisine released their new single “Talking” on Sept. 16. The band met in high school, and continues to collab during winter and summer breaks while they are at different colleges.
From sidewalk cafes, Greta Van Fleet songs paved the walk to MVP Arena on Wednesday, October 5th in Albany. T-shirts were being offered “half-price” at each crosswalk. A young glitter-adorned audience was awaiting its idols, having driven as much as 11 hours to see the extremely successful Dreams in Gold show.
It’s been a considerable wait for Albany to witness the one and only Greta van Fleet in town. The band has come a very long way from the days of small clubs and theater shows. Their music developed from mere good tunes into the soundscapes of arena rock in which the public can get immersed.
Josh and Jake Kiszka
While still very young, the band members each distilled their performance styles and have shown an ease about connecting and holding an audience. And the outfits changed! While half the band appear opposed to shoes, their clothes were a beautiful display of stage fashion.
The show opened quite dramatically with the falling of a curtain that obscured the band as they started playing. Jake Kiszka (guitar) holds the musical backbone upon which songs are built. His impeccable phrasing weaved in and out with the rhythm section (Sam Kiszka-bass and Danny Wagner-drums), setting the stage for Josh Kiszka to express his high-register stylings.
Josh Kiszka
The concert was built on seven songs from their very successful album The Battle at the Garden’s Gate that went to #1 on Billboard. Songs from their Grammy winning first EP were still integrated into the performance (“Highway Tune”, “Safari Song”, “Black Smoke Rising”) and now sounded more playful than when they originally hit the airways. The latest hits brought a more ominous, dreamy, and richer sound, and tackled themes of war and the environment. The beautiful “Light My Love” was a highlight of the show, turning the arena into a sea of glittering cellphone lights.
Greta Van Fleet – MVP Arena, Albany, NY – October 5, 2022
Setlist: Built by Nations, Black Smoke Rising, Safari Song, drum solo, Caravel, Heat Above, Light my Love, Broken Bells, Age of Machine, The Weight of Dreams
Dead & Company are hitting the (golden) road once more with a final tour scheduled for Summer 2023. The dates have just been released and tickets are now on sale at the band’s website. The tour begins on Friday, May 19 in Los Angeles for what is being billed as the band’s last official tour since forming in 2015.
Highlights for this final go-round include two shows at Wrigley Field in Chicago (Friday, June 9 and Saturday, June 10), performances at SPAC (Saturday, June 17 and Sunday, June 18) and Citi Field in NYC (Wednesday, June 21 and Thursday, June 22), and The Gorge in George, WA (Friday, July 7 and Saturday, July 8). The tour also features the band’s first ever three-night run at one of their favorite venues, Folsom Field in Boulder, CO. A full listing of the 2023 tour dates can be found below.
Guests who prefer an enhanced experience for this memorable Dead & Company tour can purchase a variety of VIP and Travel Packages. Packages include seamless venue access, early GA entry, pre-show lounge with food and a cash bar, exclusive merchandise, or travel packages for multi-night runs in various cities. Packages from 100X Hospitality will go on sale October 12th at noon local venue time. For full details, click HERE.
Dead & Company Summer Tour 2023
05-19 Inglewood, CA – Kia Forum 05-20 Inglewood, CA – Kia Forum 05-23 Phoenix, AZ – Ak-Chin Pavilion 05-26 Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion 05-28 Atlanta, GA – Lakewood Amphitheatre 05-30 Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion 06-01 Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek 06-03 Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live 06-05 Burgettstown, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake 06-07 St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater 06-09 Chicago, IL – Wrigley Field 06-10 Chicago, IL – Wrigley Field 06-13 Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center 06-15 Philadelphia, PA – Citizen’s Bank Park 06-17 Saratoga Springs, NY – Saratoga Performing Arts Center 06-18 Saratoga Springs, NY – Saratoga Performing Arts Center 06-21 Queens, NY – Citi Field 06-22 Queens, NY – Citi Field 06-25 Boston, MA – Fenway Park 06-27 Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center 07-01 Boulder, CO – Folsom Field 07-02 Boulder, CO – Folsom Field 07-03 Boulder, CO – Folsom Field 07-07 George, WA – The Gorge 07-08 George, WA – The Gorge 07-14 San Francisco, CA – Oracle Park 07-15 San Fransisco, CA – Oracle Park
Ali McGuirk delivered a pared-down but powerful performance at The Linda Performing Arts Studio in Albany on Oct 1. The theater was pleasantly packed and ready for a throaty earful from McGuirk.
Ali McGuirk performed solo with only a couple of guitars as “friends.” Her partner in performance couldn’t make it. Even so, McGuirk is a compelling and entertaining presence on stage with just guitars accompanying her! Her soulful voice and a jazzy and sparse guitar playing style connect well with her audience.
McGuirk’s set was filled with songs off her recently released a full-length album entitled Til It’s Gone. The album was recorded in Los Angeles with a gaggle of studio musicians, including Little Feat guitarist Fred Tackett. Highlights included “Ex-Boyfriends”and the title track “Til It’s Gone.” The audience was rapt and appreciative of the solo performance McGuirk delivered.
Upstate NY’ers can catch Ali McGuirk in neighboring VT at South Burlington’s Higher Ground on October 14. Her new album Til It’s Gone is available on all streaming platforms.
Setlist: All Back, Leave Me, Milk, Evelyn, Empty Vase, Work, Let It Be You, When I see You / Til It’s Gone, Exorcist, Anti Love Song, Ex-Boyfriends
Toubab Krewe is making four stops in NYS this week, with a fifth stop next month. They will be hitting Buffalo, Albany, and Ithaca, with an appearance in Port Washington in November.
Toubab Krewe is an instrumental powerhouse from Asheville, NC that fuses west-African traditional music with elements of rock, jam, and Appalachian styles. Formed in 2005, the group is made up of Justin Perkins (Kora, Kamelngoni, guitar, percussion), Terrence Houston (drumset), Drew Heller (guitar, organ), Justin Kimmel (bass, keys), and Luke Quaranta (Djembe, Congas, Dundun, Sangban, Kinkini).
The group takes inspiration from African greats like Ali Farka Toure, Orchestra Baobab, and Salif Keita but remains true to themselves. They have also gone on many trips to learn more about African music, traveling to places like Guinea, the Ivory Coast, and Mali.
This short tour stops in numerous places in NYS. On October 4, they will stop at Buffalo Iron Works, a venue they have toured before. They will head to Albany on October 5, playing at Lark Hall. The next day they will go to Ithaca and play at Deep Dive. They’ll be in Brooklyn at Industry City on Saturday, October 8th. For tickets to the tour, go here.
