Lunchtime live music returns to Downtown Albany this summer as “Tunesday” in Albany’s Tricentennial Park features free performances every Tuesday in July and August from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM. From flamenco guitar to hip-hop turntablism, a wide variety of acclaimed local performers will appear each week.
Tricentennial Park is located at Broadway & Columbia Street with parking available here. All events are weather-dependent. Tunesday is supported by the Downtown Albany Business Improvement District.
Whether you’re looking to slow down with a morning meditation or to dance it out on your lunchbreak, Downtown has you covered this summer. These free events showcase the best of the Capital Region, and add to the lively landscape of restaurants, retailers, and entertainment venues that makes this such an attractive neighborhood to live in, work in, and visit.
Georgette Steffens, Executive Director of the Downtown Albany BID
Please note, alcoholic beverages are not permitted at these events. Please do not attend the event if you have tested positive or display any symptoms of COVID-19, or if you have been in close contact with anyone that has tested positive in the past 14 days. COVID-19 is still a risk and attendees acknowledge that they are responsible for their own safety at the event.
Additionally, Downtown Albany hosts State Street Yoga, a free outdoor fitness series on the lawn at the H. Carl McCall State University of New York Administration Building (Broadway & State Street), has returned as of Saturday, July 9. Certified instructor Tiana Taylor of local wellness studio Root3d leads free, 60-minute all-levels yoga classes every Saturday at 10:00 AM through August 27. Pre-registration is optional, but attendees may sign up for State Street Yoga events via Eventbrite for email updates.
Spoon opened their second leg of their summer tour at the Town Ballroom in Buffalo on July 7. Touring in support of their recent release Lucifer On the Sofa. Though it was the first show they had played since June, you wouldn’t know it. Opening up the leg with a Smog cover of Held, the show was an eclectic mix of old and new, playing 5 songs from Lucifer on the Sofa, along with an impressive mix of their older catalog. It really highlighted the deep well they can draw from and keep the audience on their toes.
Spoon is a band that serves no bullshit; no stage theatrics, no elaborate light setup or costumes. Britt Daniel (vocals, guitar), Jim Eno (drums), Alex Fischel (keyboards, guitar), Gerardo Larios (guitar, keyboards) and Ben Trokan (bass, keyboards) are just 5 guys on stage who are focused on just playing their music. The band represents their cool Austin roots from the 80’s and 90’s where bands were cool without trying too hard. The show moved along like a locomotive, it didn’t slow and keep chuggin along and gaining momentum. Their 5 song encore started with a cover of John Lennon’s Isolation and ended with their musical nod to The Rolling Stones with 2014’s Rent I Pay. Some people say that rock is dead, but Spoon is proof that it’s alive and well.
Setlist: Held (Smog Cover), The Devil & Mister Jones, Don’t You Eva, Wild, The Beast and Dragon, Adored, The Way We Get By, Don’t Make Me a Target, The Underdog, I Summon You, My Babe, Feels Alright, My Mathematical Mind, Do I Have To Talk You Into It, Inside Out, I Turn My Camera On, Got Nuffin
Encore: Isolation (John Lennon Cover), The Hardest Cut, Do You, Small Stakes, Rent I Pay
The Troy Music Hall lately annouced the return performance of legendary American trumpeter Chris Botti on October 15th.
Chris Botti
The Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, a National Historic Landmark, has been in use since opening in 1875. World renowned for its incredible acoustics, it has hosted performances by legions of world-renowned artists. With several intervention, the tall ceiling and ideal seat count of 1180 to provide intimacy and sustain an optimal reverberation.
Chris Botti, the largest-selling American instrumental artist who has been renowned since his release of When I Fall In Love. His associated with PBS has led to four #1 jazz albums, as well as multiple Gold, Platinum and Grammy Awards. Most recently, his latest album Impressions won the Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental.
Over the past three decades, Botti has recorded and performed with a great amount of musicians including Sting, Barbra Streisand and so on while hitting the road for as many as 300 days per year worldwide.
Impressions, Botti’s 2012 Columbia Records and Grammy winning release, is the latest in a stellar parade of albums. Featuring artists Andrea Bocelli, Vince Gill, Herbie Hancock, Mark Knopfler, and David Foster, this album included When I Fall In Love (2004), To Love Again: The Duets (2005), Italia (2007), and the CD/DVD Chris Botti in Boston (2009) that has firmly established him as a clarion voice in the American contemporary music scene. These albums established his figures of the contemporary music world.
Tickets are on sale at 10am Monday to Music Hall Members. Single tickets go on sale to the general public Wednesday, July 13, at 10am. More information on Chris Botti and Troy Savings Bank Music Hall and upcoming programs visit www.troymusichall.org.
Phishâs summer tour opening run at Xfinity Center in Mansfield, Massachusetts was a heater to get the band on the road again after a month or so off. The former “Great Woods” has seen many Phish shows – 19 as of Friday, July 15 – and drew a New England crowd and many more to get summer started.
On Thursday, Phish dove in right away with “Ghost” and a “Set Your Soul Free” wedged in between before playing “The Wedge.” The second set opened with an unfinished “Chalkdust Torture” that segued into “Plasma” and “Weekpaug Groove,” which made Friday night interesting when they opened the second set with “Mike’s Song.” A deep trio of “Prince Caspian” > “Backwards Down the Number Line” > “Bug” provided quality jams, with a big “Sand” to end the set.
Friday night, the band was on fire out of the gate with “46 Days,” a big “Everything’s Alright” moving into “Rift” and a “Maze” > “Bathtub Gin” > “Rock n Roll” segue that was a powerful end to the first frame. Set 2 started with “Mike’s Song” but when they finished up “I Am Hydrogen,” Trey Anastasio quickly moved into a heavy “Carini” which slowly gave birth to “Blaze On.” The non-stop segues continued with “Golden Age” > “The Howling” > “A Wave of Hope” > “Harry Hood” provided an equally energetic ending as Set 1. A three-song encore of “Bouncing Around the Room,” “NICU” and “Slave to the Traffic Light” closed the night as everyone headed north to Bangor, Maine for the next show.
Phish – The Xfinity Center, Mansfield, MA – Thursday July 14
Soundcheck: Jam -> Plasma
Set 1: Ghost -> Set Your Soul Free -> Ghost, The Wedge, Mound, Mountains in the Mist, Back on the Train > Ruby Waves, I Been Around, Tube > About to Run
Set 2: Chalk Dust Torture[1] -> Plasma -> Weekapaug Groove -> Saw It Again -> Prince Caspian > Backwards Down the Number Line > Bug > Sand
Encore: Punch You in the Eye > Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.
[1] Unfinished; Chalk Dust Torture was unfinished. Trey teased Tweezer Reprise in Weekapaug.
Phish – The Xfinity Center, Mansfield, MA – Friday, July 15
Soundcheck: Jam
Set 1: 46 Days, Water in the Sky, Everything’s Right -> Rift, Wolfman’s Brother, Maze > Bathtub Gin > Rock and Roll
Set 2: Mike’s Song > I Am Hydrogen > Carini -> Blaze On -> Golden Age > The Howling > A Wave of Hope > Harry Hood
Encore: Bouncing Around the Room, NICU > Slave to the Traffic Light
Beginning on August 6, The Linda: WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio, will hold free outdoor concerts every Saturday in August from 2 pm to 6 pm. The family-friendly “Summer on Central” music series will feature the talents of multiple local artists each day and is open to the public.
On the first Saturday in August, R&B artist Kyla Silk will open the series at 2:30 pm. A Long Island native, Silk hopes her music encourages connection and light. Trio Super 400 will take the spotlight next, followed by Rock Voices Choir at 5:00 pm. Other artists who will join the series over the course of the month include Jordan Taylor Hill, Jim Gaudet & The Railroad Boys, Girl Blue, North by North, and many more.
Attendees of Summer on Central can also enjoy different foods and non-profit vendors. Guests are also welcome to bring their own lawn chairs to sit back and listen to the live performances. Should the weather not permit an outdoor concert, the rain site will be inside The Linda.
The Linda opened in 2002 in Albany and serves as a performance center and recording studio. The restored 1926 building often holds programs, concerts, films, celebrations, and other activities to those in the Albany area. Thanks to the center’s fantastic acoustics, intimate setting, and commitment to the community, the venue is the perfect spot to hold events.
For updates and more information, visit the Linda website. For the full list of the most current lineup, see below.
August 6
Kyla Silk, Super 400, and Rock Voices Choir
August 13
Grape Juice, Jordan Taylor Hill, Reese Fulmer, and Jim Gaudet & The Railroad Boys
August 20
Precious Metals, Sydney Worthley, O-Man and the Nite Trippers, and North by North
August 27
Shortwave Radio, Pony in the Pancake, Girl Blue, and Side-B
Kirsty Rock, a member of the internationally renowned reggae super group Easy Star All-Stars, has announced her debut solo album Slow Burn on Easy Star Records.
Bringing a distinctive, soulful, and earthy reggae sound, Slow Burn coincides with an official video release of the title track, which was a collaboration between acrobatic dancer Julia Baccellier, Rock, and Rock’s long standing collaborator D888.
The visuals and movements are an unveiling in which we accentuate the beauty of that journey – vulnerability, a shedding, and in finality, empowerment. It’s a personal journey with a universal message.
Kirsty Rock
Kirsty Rock came up in the Brooklyn music scene of the 1990s. Her first lead vocal with Easy Star All-Stars was on their 2003 album Dub Side of the Moon, performing “The Great Gig In The Sky,” which earned praise from the original vocalist. In 2003, she joined the tour of Easy Star All-Stars in over 30 countries on 6 continents. She was featured on vocals on their studio albums Radiodread, Easy Star’s Lonely Hearts Dub Band, and Easy Star’s Thrillah, as well as on First Light. Currently Rock is back with ESA after a COVID hiatus.
The first single “The Feeling” may appear to be the most lighthearted song on the album. It was the most difficult and cathartic to write for Rock since it’s a reminder of love and joy that when we release grief, sorrow, pain, and anger.
Her next single, “L.E.O.” is filled with a steady bass groove and slapping drums. Rock wrote and sings the lyrics: “The space between us pulls me in with thoughts darker than your skin. It’s incredible. Burn my solar wings and carry me towards L.E.O.”
Many of the songs on Slow Burn were started on the road with Easy Star All-Stars and with her own long-running band Trumystic. Without the stress and expectations of rushing out products, she just let the songs evolve. Observing diverse relationships and changes in political agendas, Slow Burn had been inspired. After the bones of the songs were recorded in her home in Vermont, Rock began reaching out to her friends to add more into the album.
The first few tracks completed were co-produced and mixed by Grammy-nominated producer Matt Stein while the rest of the album brought in collaborators in Easy Star All-Stars. These fantastic artists including guitarist/vocalist Shelton Garner Jr., keyboardist/vocalist Elenna Canlas, drummers Ivan Katz and Cliff Simpson, and the horn section of Jennifer Hill, Buford O’Sullivan, and Matt Bauder, and other musicians.
Slow Burn is a stunning “debut” for Kirsty Rock. She is already at work on new songs and looking forward to bringing this music on the road with both ESA and on her own in the coming year.
There are two things you can find a great deal of in Upstate New York – music venues in nearly every town, and Stewart’s Shops. There are more than 345 Stewart’s in New York and Vermont, and if you’ve been to a show or gone camping Upstate, you’ve probably stopped at a Stewart’s for provisions. With newly remodeled shops, Stewart’s is a staple for locals and visitors alike.
One of Stewart’s best sellers is their ice cream. Made from milk from New York farms, the variety of flavors goes well beyond the basic Chocolate, Vanilla and Strawberry. The variety of music venues Upstate is equally varied, and gives music lovers an opportunity to see their favorite bands and new artists in unique settings.
We’ve partnered with Stewart’s Shops to look at their ice cream flavors and compared them to Upstate music venues. Below you’ll find 15 flavors paired with their appropriate venue, a small sampling of the more than 30 flavors Stewart’s Shops offer. Get the scoop before you get a scoop heading to your next show!
Brownie Cookie Sundae // Ulster Performing Arts Center, Kingston
This venue and flavor have each got it all. UPAC features one of the widest arrays of musical selections in the state. From Meatloaf to Willie Nelson, the HV Philharmonic to plays and musicals, UPAC has it all. Likewise, Brownie Cookie Sundae comes loaded with vanilla ice cream, chewy brownie bites, soft cookie dough pieces and a rich fudge swirl. Available in a cone or half-gallon.
Star Gazer // Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC), Saratoga Springs
Where can you see the most stars? Head north on I-87 and get off at exit 13 for Saratoga Performing Arts Center, where you’ll see the biggest artists and national touring bands at SPAC each summer! Originally the home of the NYC Ballet, SPAC has been bringing concerts to the edge of the Adirondacks since the 1960s, making this the perfect venue for seeing stars. Stargazer has Malt flavored ice cream with a rich caramel swirl and pieces of Milky Way candy bars mixed in. Available in a half-gallon.
Chocolate Sea Turtle // Snug’s Harbor, New Paltz
Turtles are found throughout the state, but they’ll always need a snug harbor somewhere to rest their shell. Snug Harbor provides a comfortable space for bands to play in the college town of New Paltz, with a variety of music and cold beer on tap. Stewart’s Chocolate Sea Turtle features chocolate ice cream with a sea salt caramel swirl and chocolate fudge pecans. Available in a cone for a limited time.
Fireworks // Empire State Plaza, Albany
One of the best spots for fireworks in Upstate New York is the Empire State Plaza in downtown Albany. Capable of hosting more than 10,000 people and room for even more nearby, the Fireworks every 4th of July and for select events are a must see event, as well as the bands that perform on the plaza during the summer months. Pop Rocks encased in vanilla ice cream with a tart cherry swirl helps this flavor live up to its name! Available in a cone.
Blueberry Pie in the Sky // Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Bethel
Summer and blueberry pie are synonymous. The summer of love lives on through Bethel Woods. Grab a cone of Blueberry in the Sky, with blueberry ice cream with shortbread and a Maine blueberry swirl, on the way to your next show and imagine the roads filled with cars headed to Yasgur’s Farm. Available in a pint.
Happy Camper // Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, Oak Hill
When the music on the stage is done for the day, head to your campsite anywhere at Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival’s campgrounds for pickin’ parties, where you can hear classic bluegrass songs and singalongs, just like at camp enjoy s’mores! With graham cracker flavored ice cream with a graham cracker pieces, a marshmallow swirl and peanut butter pieces, enjoy a cone of Stewart’s Happy Camper while friends old and new sit around and pluck away. Available in a cone.
Campfire S’Moreo // Levon Helm’s Barn, Woodstock
Located just a few miles from Mount Marion near Saugerties, Levon Helm’s Barn is the perfect pairing for this summer time treat. Living in Woodstock at Big Pink with The Band and backing Bob Dylan for years, Levon Helm made a second home in Woodstock, establishing Midnight Rambles that continue to be a thing of legend. Outside Levon’s Barn, you’ll find small campfires before and after shows – year round – making the Campfire S’Moreo a perfect pairing to this classic venue. Available in a cone for a limited time.
Mint Cookie Crumble // The Bardavon, Poughkeepsie
Two classics, presented in a new way. The Bardavon is the oldest continually operating music venue in New York State, offering various performing arts, cinema, theater, vaudeville, and performers ranging from David Byrne to Chick Corea, Dr. John to Gladys Knight, and Joan Baez to Natalie Merchant. Bardavon is also the home of the Hudson Valley Philharmonic, making the classic venue fresh for a new generation of music lovers. Mint Cookie Crumble is a spin on mint chocolate chip, but with a chocolate cookie crumble fudge swirl mixed in smooth cool mint ice cream. A classic, presented in a fresh new way. Available in a cone, pint or half-gallon, and now available in a non-dairy pint!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup // The Egg, Albany
One of Stewart’s tastiest ice creams has a swirl of peanut butter inside, ready to surprise you with each bite. Inside The Egg in Albany, you’ll find not one but two music venues – The Hart Theatre and The Swyer Theatre, both offering an array of musical offerings, not to mention surprisingly incredible acoustics! Available in a cone, pint or half-gallon.
Chocolate Caramel Tornado// The Falcon, Marlboro
Combining chocolate and sea salt caramel ice creams with chocolate covered honeycomb pieces and a chocolate/caramel swirl makes for unique yet delicious treat. Similarly unique and offering delicious music is The Falcon, where you can find jazz in an intimate and rustic Hudson Valley setting. Available in a cone for a VERY limited time.
Crumbs along the Mohawk // Cohoes Music Hall, Cohoes
Located 500 feet from the Mohawk River, Cohoes Music Hall, opened in 1874, has been home for live music performances, high school musicals and plays, theater performances and much more. With a name synonymous with music, Cohoes is a great small town to stop in for an evening. The perfect ice cream to go with such a classic venue is Crumbs Along the Mohawk, inspired by the 1939 film “Drums Along the Mohawk,” with graham cracker flavored ice cream holding together graham cracker pieces with a caramel swirl. Available in a pint or half-gallon.
Brew Ha Ha // Saranac Brewery, Utica; Ommegang Brewery, Cooperstown
Where in New York can you get brewery fresh beer and live music? Two places come to mind – Saranac Brewery in Utica, and Ommegang Brewery in Cooperstown. With their own wide selections of beers and other beverages, these breweries offer two things that New York is known for – great beer and great music – Brew Ha Ha takes Stewart’s richer roast coffee ice cream with espresso bean flavored chocolate flakes, a nice combination as well! Available in a cone or half-gallon.
Adirondack Bear Paw // The Waterhole, Saranac Lake
The northernmost venue on our list is The Waterhole, home to music year round, with Party on the Patio on Thursdays each summer, Winter Carnival music performances in February, and the heart of this Adirondack town. Vanilla ice cream mixed with sweet praline cashews and caramel swirls make a rich combination in this tasty northern delight. Available in a half-gallon.
The classic creamsicle flavor is a throwback to summers spent in Saratoga Springs, with a twist. A classic Saratoga venue, Caffe Lena, has been a fixture in the Spa City since the 1960s, and new renovations in the building put a twist on the original! Available in a half-gallon at your local Stewart’s Shops!
Colombian Coffee // Club Helsinki, Hudson
Like coffee, Club Helsinki has something for everyone, serving as a music venue, bar and restaurant. Open mic nights, both virtual and in person, welcome all people and talents. The many flavors of coffee can be found in this Columbia County venue that welcomes a variety of artists to the east shore of the Hudson River. Available in a cone or half-gallon.
Hudson Valley-emerged band Upstate shared their new single “Lovers & Friends” after a time of profound exploration and self-discovery in the last few years. They are returning with tours in New York State in July, August and October.
Upstate is a band guided by clear ambitions: to write honest songs, play rich music, and “leave it all” on the stage and in the studio. Melanie Glenn, Mary Kenney lead as singers and guitarists, while Harry D’Agostino plays bass with percussionist/drummer Dylan Mckinstry. The band weaves traces of Americana, Jazz, Gospel, and R&B with their eyes towards music that tells the truth above all.
Great changes happened to Upstate since the last new music in summer 2020. There’s been babies, marriages, engagements, relocations, new career paths, band members changed. Upstate has been writing and recording a fresh collection of songs and lately shared the first single, “Lovers & Friends”, a delicate yet soaring indie folk gem that explores the subtle intricacies of cherished relationships.
Photography by Genesis Baez
This is a tune that reflects on the different kinds of stakes wrapped up in our romances and intimate friendships, the ways that we know each other, and the ways that we don’t. The kind of honesty that can flourish in a genuine friendship, and the kinds of lies that romance often begets.
Harry D’Agostino
“Lovers & Friends” hints at Upstate’s creative rebirth which may arrive with their forthcoming album in Spring 2023. In the meantime, Upstate scheduled dates for tour in the remainder of this summer as followed with additional Autumn shows to be added shortly.
Upstate Tour Dates
7/16 – Sherman, NY – Heron Farm & Event Center 7/29 – Cortland, NY – Main Street Music Series 8/17 – Katonah, NY – Caramoor Center for Music & Arts 10/15 – Geneva, NY – Smith Center for the Arts
Returning in 2022 to the south shore of Long Island was the Great South Bay Music Festival, featuring four days of artists on multiple stages. Attending on Saturday, July 9, artists included Aqueous, Galactic, Joe Russoâs Almost Dead, Tedeschi Trucks Band, moe. and Escaper, among many others over the long weekend.
Saturday kicked off with Aqueous on the main stage, who are taking a light 2022 to focus on family time, something well deserved for the Buffalo band. Brooklyn’s Escaper played an incredible set at the Clamshell Bandshell featuring Lespecial bassist Luke Bemand. With boats around the shore and some making their way to hear the music via kayak, the New Orleans sound of Galactic proved to be funky as always.
moe. played an outstanding set of music giving way to an evening sunset, on the heels of shows in Albany, Buffalo and at Levitate Music Festival. Joined by Suke Cerulo on guitar and Nate Wilson on keys (both in place of a recovering Chuck Garvey), the band shared their honed sound, including an ode to the Allman Brothers in a set closing “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed.” Listen to the show here.
moe. Setlist: Plane Crash, LL3, Mar De Ma-> Jam->Tailspin, NYC, Skrunk > In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed
JRAD closed up the night with a firey, jam filled set. Russo and his bandmates are back in New York in late August at SPAC, with many more fall tour dates planned in the Northeast.
Great South Bay Music Festival has become a staple of summers in Long Island for the past decade. We look forward to the 2023 installment and all the music in store.
A variety of music is presented by the Schroon Lake Arts Council this summer, with “Schroon Lake Live — a World of Music on Schroon Lake.”
Located near the historic 1874 Boathouse Theater overlooking Schroon Lake, “The Pearl of the Adirondacks,” the Schroon Lake Arts Council brings affordable events for all residents and visitors in the North Country, and as such, all concerts and programs are free this summer.
The concert series, which began back in the 1970’s, has long featured the best in traditional folk, bluegrass and Adirondack roots music, most often performed in the intimate and acoustically wonderful 1874 Boathouse Theater.
After there were no concerts in the summer of 2020 due to Covid, we were one of the few series that returned to live music during summer 2021. That said, we had a wonderful season last year, featuring 5 concerts as well as our Adirondack Folk Festival.
Forging a unique affiliation with the Schroon Lake Chamber of Commerce, the Arts Council can now reduce costs and share marketing with the Chamber, allowing for greater collaboration on all arts programs. “The businesses and residents of Schroon Lake have stepped up to the plate with increased donations and sponsorships”, said Dr. Namerow.
On Wednesday nights, the local Chamber of Commerce sponsors their popular Twilight Dance and music programs from 7 to 9 pm outdoors and FREE for all. “We are very proud of our musical history and want people to know that if you want Live music in the summer, Schroon Lake is your destination.”, said Dr. Namerow.
A special family and children’s concert will be held on Saturday morning, July 16, at 11 am in the Boathouse, featuring Mark Rust, a wonderful instrumentalist and singer who promises to have all kids and families singing and playing along.
The jewel of the summer is the 32nd Adirondack Folk Festival on Sunday, August 14 from 12 pm to 5 pm, featuring the best in classic Adirondack roots music.
In addition, the Schroon Lake Arts Council sponsors Monday night Jam Sessions all summer long from 7- 10 p.m. in the Boathouse, featuring guitarists, banjo folks, singers or just listeners who enjoy an evening of FREE music. This series is overseen by Dave Insull, who amazes all with the variety of songs and stories he knows.
July 2: Feinberg Brothers July 5: Get Up Jack July 12: Hot Club of Saratoga July 19: Jamcrackers July 26: The Kennedys Aug. 2: Meadowmount Music Camp Aug. 9: Cold Chocolate Aug. 14: Adirondack Folk Festival
The Boathouse Theater is located at 20 Dock St. View photos of past events and a little history below.
