The city of Plattsburgh’s new summer concert series, Parks Come Alive!, will come to a successful close on August 4 at South Acres Park. Over the course of the summer, the series has been held on the first Thursday of June, July, and now August, from 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm.
The Parks Come Alive! series aims to bring together the community with live musical entertainment, local drinks, food, and crafts, and is free for all ages to attend. The series also celebrates Plattsburgh’s parks, and previous performances included indie/psychedelic rock band Ursa and the Major Key at Melissa Penfield Park, among others.
On August 4, Plattsburgh native Josh West will bring reggae-like live music entertainment to the Parks Come Alive! series. Local vendors such as Valcour Brewing, High Peaks Brew, Bunz on the Run, and more will also be selling products for audiences to enjoy. The series will also have arts and crafts available for kids of all ages.
The Smoke Jazz Club, one of New York City’s premier live music venues, announced its long-awaited reopening.
Located on Manhattan’s Upper West Side at the junction of Broadway and 106th Street (aka Duke Ellington Boulevard), the club offers classic and modern jazz performances. Created in 1999, the club is internationally recognized with top-notch programming and rising stars. It has survived economic crashes, fires in the building, and more but the pandemic proved to be much more difficult.
For the past two years, the club has had to change the way they did things to make sure it was done safely. These include modified operations like live streams, sidewalk concerts, and outdoor dining. Although indoor performances were closed, Smoke has survived with a newly expanded space.
Smoke Jazz Club has so much history. Despite the struggles of the last few years, we just knew that the music couldn’t stop here. The past couple of years have not been easy for anyone, but having live music back in the club with everyone together, musicians and listeners, seems like a turning point. We are very excited to take this next step.
co- owners Paul Stache and Molly Sparrow Johnson.
The club will add smaller combined spaces to operate safely, serving as an attached lounge featuring the relocated, historic, full-length bar providing more space for audiences and a larger stage for performers in the main listening room.
There was a grand reopening concert to kick off the revamp, and a slew of artists are set to perform in the near future including Charles McPherson, Vijay Iyer, Mary Stallings, Bill Charlap, Bobby Watson, and more. For more information about the Smoke Jazz Club and to buy tickets to the many events happening, go here.
Brooklyn‘s Wilder Maker have just released two of their latest singles, “Static” (ft. V.V. Lightbody) and “Against Numbers” (ft. Katie Von Schleicher). The band is also preparing to release their latest album Male Models on July 29, the album tells tales of unrequited love, drunkenness, and desperation, and more.
Following up on previous singles “A Professional” and “Letter of Apology,” “Static” is the third track from their upcoming album. Gabriel Birnbaum says, “it touches on how violence in our culture tends to simmer under the surface in subtle ways that we overlook until they explode into something really horrific. It’s loosely inspired by a friend I had who used to get drunk and bait people into fights that he meant to lose. It features my friend V.V. Lightbody on vocals, an amazing singer and multi-instrumentalist from Chicago whose solo work I’m a huge fan of.”
Photo credit: Ebru Yildiz
We all listen to playlists a lot, even us album diehards. I’ve been keeping an ever-expanding playlist of songs that I never want to skip, with all of these different voices back to back. I wanted to make a record that sounded like a playlist in this way; it became a kind of songwriting challenge for me.
– Gabriel Birnbaum
Male Models can be described as Birnbaum’s tales of unrequited love, drunkenness, and desperation. The album feels almost voyeuristic, as if you were sitting in a crowded cocktail bar, sneaking glances at nearby tables.
Wilder Maker features a dynamic roster of musicians that includes singer-songwriter Gabriel Birnbaum, Nick Jost and Sean Mullins as the core trio. Male Models also features guest lead vocal spots from Adam Duritz (of Counting Crows fame), Katie Von Schleicher, Felicia Douglass (Dirty Projectors, Ava Luna), Alex Schaaf (Yellow Ostrich), V.V. Lightbody, and Mutual Benefit.
Male Models succeeds in truly capturing the energy of a crowded party and its accompanying playlist. Musically, it also changes shape constantly. The album has an electrified soul, featuring heartfelt folk songs, indie rock, and searing barn burners, all of which are expertly tethered by Birnbaum’s sardonic and doom-laden storytelling.
On Thursday, July 21, 2022, Albany’s 6th installment of Alive at 5 kicked off with The E-Block and Souly Had, opening up for headliners, Ballyhoo!. Facing an intense heat wave throughout the week in Albany, the show was moved to the Corning Boat Launch to shield guests from the sun.
Souly Had is an r&b and hip hop artist also from the Capital Region. He went from doing covers of Amy Winehouse songs to signing a deal with Island Records in 2019. Souly Had’s single “Crush” did well on streaming platforms and “Maybe Not” took off on Tiktok. Both The E-Block and Souly Had have a collaborative performance at the Lost & Found on July 23rd.
Left: Guitarist Sebastian Right: Bassist Nick Lucera
The pop reggae rock group Ballyhoo! from Aberdeen, MD seemingly brought the heat with them on stage. With their beach-rock style, they made the middle aged crowd feel like they were on the boardwalk. With temperatures in the mid 90s, it was reasonable to see the crowd spaced out and enjoying the vibe. The vocals were not that great for most of the set, so all the audience had to go off of was the beat. Towards the end of their performance, the vibe shifted from chill beach-rock to pop-punk. There was lots of head banging, standing on amps, and hand waving that really brought excitement for the audience. They left pretty abruptly leaving the crowd confused. There were weak screams for an encore coming from the back that Ballyhoo! did answer.
Ballyhoo! is preparing to go on tour with alternative hip-hop artist, Shwayze, starting August 2nd in Indianapolis. Before that show, they are preforming at Reggae Rise Up festival in Maryland on July 31st.
Ballyhoo! Set List: Cerveza, Destroy Me, Girls, MD Summer, Middle Finger, This Chick is Wack, Social Drinker, Cali King, Front Porch, Message, I Don’t Wanna Go, Dark Sunglasses, The Fool, Cali Girl, Burrito, Struggle, Blaze This Weed, Scarlet Blue, Walk Away, Mind Over Matter, Jameson, Mixtape; Encore: Panama
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
After a two-year COVID hiatus, the 16th Pleasantville Music Festival returned on July 9. The all-day event featured a cornucopia of musical performances with 18 acts between three stages.
We try to check off as many boxes as we can so there is something on our stages that everybody will appreciate.
Festival Director, Bruce Figler
Under a bright blue sky, attendees moved freely between the Chill Tent, Pamnation Party, and main stages. With each location offered its own style of music. Superbcoordination of stage starttimes allowed most fans to catch most if not all of the performances.
Platinum Moon
Pleasantville music festival has prided itself on the promotion of local musicians. Staying true to their mission statement, the opening acts on each of the three stages were winners in the Lagond Music School ‘s 2022 “Battle of the Band” competition, where first place winners, Platinum Moon, were rewarded with opening the main stage. Rounding out the triumvirateof winners was Westchester based Noshows — who appeared on the Pamnation stage — along with Carter Quinn Tanis (hailing from Cromwell-on-Hudson) who performed in the Chill Tent.
The Pamnation stage, set up between the Chill Tent and the main stage, offered a separate dance area. The Narrowbacks from Pearl River took full advantage by getting the crowd up and moving with their Irish rock. Pamnation stage closers, Illiterate Light, raised the bar with a guitar and drum duet from the Virginia natives. The audience roared along with enough liveliness to mimic an arena.
The Narrowbacks
Resembling a circus big top, the Chill Tent offered an oasis for acoustic performers. Located at the back of the festival grounds, the Chill Tent lived up to its name: benefiting from a constant breeze flowing through the performance area. Throughout the day solo, duo, and trios graced the stage. Paula Cole closed out this space backed by a three-piece band. Under a subdued purple glow, Cole and band shared an intimate performance filled with songs and insights from her lengthy career.
Glenn Tilbrook
The main stage was not to be outdone. Highlights included Glenn Tilbrook of Squeeze performing solo. Tilbrook played a host of Squeeze songs including “Take Me I’m Yours” and “Black Coffee in Bed,” to the crowd’s enjoyment. Standing tall with his custom-made red Squire Telecaster, Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears followed, sharing a powerful blues set. Festival headliners, X Ambassadors, closed out the evening with lead singer Sam Harris singing and dancing from one end of the stage to another. Teenage girls lined the front of the stage giving their approval after every song. The Ithaca band presented a dynamic performance of their music, capping a stellar day.
X Ambassadors
With its 16th event in the books, the Pleasantville Music festival has proven itssustainability, offering top-notch performers in a suburban setting while mixing in crafts, food and family-oriented activities.
Main Stage
Platinum MoonClare Maloney & The Great AdventureGlenn TilbrookBlack Joe Lewis & The HoneybearsCrash Test DummiesX Ambassadors
Every Sunday at Cove Lounge in Harlem, promoter Anthony Obas and DJ 500K serve as hosts for ‘Brunch on Sunday,’ bringing together creatives and small business owners to discuss entrepreneurship and innovation.
Cove Lounge is owned by Alyah Horsford Sidberry, who works with Obas and 500K to curate small events at the restaurant around their ideas to fulfill shared and individual goals. Brunch serves as the gathering place, the company each Sunday being the catalyst to help creatives and entreprenuers network with other business-minded peers.
The event itself is free – only pay for the delicious food, found on the menu below. All are invited to Cove Lounge to celebrate and build a better community together.
The Tom Hovey Summer Music Festival began on July 11 at the Meadow Links Golf Pavilion and will continue to host live musical performances every Monday evening at 7:00 pm with the last show on August 29.
President of American Federation of Musicians Local 443, and talented cellist, Ruth Berry, founded the concert series alongside fellow AFM member, the late Richard Daley, in the spring of 2021. It is in part to Richard Daley’s vision and commitment that the music festival is held for the community to enjoy.
The Tom Hovey Summer Music Festival allows professional musicians to share their craft with the community and honors the legacy of athlete and Richfield Springs resident, Tom Hovey. The festival supports the immense talents of these musicians alongside a unique atmosphere.
On July 11, classic rock duo Brian Murphy and Jeff Ruzich opened the festival among the scenic grounds of Meadow Links. The Dan Sales Jazz Trio performed on July 18, and the Hartwick College Jazz Trio will grace audiences with more fantastic jazz pieces on July 25. Other musical acts include Glimmerglass Trombone Trio, Aaron Brask and The Old Masters, and many more.
All performances for the Tom Hovey Summer Music Festival are free and open to the public, in part due to funding from the not-for-profit, 443 Concerted Works Inc. Guests are more than welcome to bring lawn chairs, blankets, or with the ample parking available, listen in the car with the windows rolled down. In the event of bad weather, performances will still take place in a well-ventilated pavilion. For the full lineup of the performances, see below.
July 11: Brian Murphy and Jeff Ruzich: Classic Rock
July 18: Dan Sales Jazz Trio
July 25: Hartwick College Jazz Trio
August 1: Glimmerglass Trombone Trio
August 8 John O’ Connor; original songs and ballads
August 15: Aaron Brask and The Old Masters; classic and original jazz
August 22: Bill Scranton and Jeff Ruzich; jazz/pop
August 29: Lauren Mettler: classic and original folk
The 13th annual Hudson Valley Jazz Festival returns for a celebration of jazz beginning on August 18 through August 21.
The Hudson Valley Jazz Festival continues to draw talented musicians to its lineup, all of whom will play in various settings around Hudson Valley. Instead of one stage showcasing each artist, these venues take the forms of parks, libraries, restaurants, performing arts centers, cafes, and more.
Although the festival has hosted big names such as Wallace Roney, Buster Williams, and Lenny White, the aim is to showcase and highlight local jazz artists as well as provide live music to the audiences who wish to listen. The festival is a collaborative one, with participating venues and festival organizers coming together to craft the perfect schedule and lineup.
On Thursday, August 18, The Hudson Valley Jazz Sextet will open the 2022 festival at 6:30 pm with an outdoor performance in Sugar Loaf. The Kaya Nicole Jazz Trio, keyboard artist Rave Tesar, and Gus Mancini & The Sonic Soul Orkestra will also all play concerts around the region beginning at 7 pm.
Stanley Jordan
On Friday, August 19, The Teri Roiger Trio will play in Kingston at 7 pm, and Neil Alexander & Nail will perform in New Paltz. Over the course of the festival, other acts include Slide Attack, The Steve Raleigh Jazz Band, Bill Ware & The Upstate All-Stars, and many more.
Some of the shows during this year’s festival are free concerts, but others are moderately priced. The lineup for the 2022 season is still being finalized. For the full list of musicians to catch at The Hudson Valley Jazz Festival, visit their website available here.
