In partnership with Caffè Lena, the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) announced the return of the “Caffè Lena @ SPAC” Concert Series, a free two-day festival happening on Oct. 1 and 2 from noon to 4 P.M.
The two-day festival will feature six bands that explore global and American folk music. The festival started in 2017, and it highlights the unique, ongoing collaboration between the arts center and the folk music venue. Sarah Craig, executive director of Caffè Lena, spoke about the diverse lineup in a statement.
This annual collaboration has found the sweet spot of area music fans. They love the setting and the line-up. They ask me about it all year, wanting to be sure they don’t miss it. Both SPAC and Caffè Lena have deep roots, and a taste for musical exploration. The festival line-up reflects that. We have Dreamers’ Circus from Denmark bridging the folk and classical worlds. We have Oshima Brothers bridging pop and folk. We have the righteous anthems of Crys Matthews and gorgeous harmonies of Hold On Honeys. There’s a brass band playing Eastern European tunes. It’s just a huge variety, like you might find on our stages year round.
Resonant Rogues are from Asheville, North Carolina, and have been winning over audiences with their genre-hopping tunes since 2013. Their original songs by Sparrow and Keith Josiah Smith speak to the heart with poetic lyrics and appeal to the ears with amazing musicianship and arrangement.
The Cocek! Brass Band has been led by led by Sam Dechenne since 2014 and is influenced by Eastern-European and New Orleans dance songs, Afrobeat, Klezmer, and elements of reggae and Western classical pieces.
Rune Tonsgaard Sørensen, Ale Carr, and Nikolaj Busk came together to form Dreamers’ Circus in 2009 after an impromptu jam session in Copenhagen. The Scandinavian musicians have toured across Europe, Japan, Australia, and North America with their inventive reimaginings of Nordic folk and traditional tunes.
Dreamers’ Circus.
Oct. 2 Lineup
Hold on Honeys from noon-1 P.M.
Hold on Honeys is composed of Emily Curro, Raya Malcolm, and Shannon Rafferty, which offers tight-knit harmonies to nourish the soul and invigorate the senses. They began singing together during the pandemic and began public performances in June 2021.
Cry Matthews is among the brightest stars of the new generation of social justice music-makers. She is a powerful lyricist whose songs reflect her lived experiences of what she calls “the poster-child for intersectionality.”
The Oshima Brothers (Sean and Jamie Oshima) were raised in a musical family in rural Maine. They are known for their harmony-rich blend of contemporary folk and acoustic pop. The brothers have released two albums, one rooted in acoustic folk and the other more retro and metro.
Oshima Brothers.
Guests are welcome to bring in food, drink, blankets, and lawn chairs for the concerts. Food concessions will also be available. The concerts will take place rain or shine. Visit here for more details.
Flushing Town Hall’s ongoing concert series, Common Ground: Mini-Global Mashups, picks back up Sunday, September 18 with “Jazz Piano Meets Venezuela.”
Common Ground, which started last October, brings together musicians from different national/artistic backgrounds for never before performed collaborative works. It’s curated by trumpeter and composer Frank London of The Klezmatics, who played in the original, large scale version of the series.
Amina Claudine Myers (left) and María Fernanda González. (right)
The two artists on program for this upcoming show at Flushing Town Hall are American jazz artist Amina Claudine Myers and Venezuelan musician María Fernanda González, a player of the bandola llanera, a guitar-like instrument native to Venezuela and Colombia.
Myers, an Arkansas-born artist, composer, and educator, has had her musicianship recognized on an institutional level, having received multiple grants and awards from organizations such as the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet The Composer, and The New York Foundation for the Arts. She also was inducted as a member of the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Arkansas Jazz Hall of Fame in 2010.
González, a Northwest Venezuelan artist, composer, educator, and journalist, is one of the only female musicians in the world playing her instrument, becoming the world’s first female electric bandola llanera player in 2016. She’s also participated in and won competitions at Colombia’s Joropo Festival.
Information regarding tickets, schedule and more can be found on the Flushing Town Hall website.
On this day in 2007, the first ever Farm Aid was held in New York State, with the annual benefit concert for farmers held on Randalls Island.
The official announcement came on June 11 with Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp making the official announcement in New York City alongside then-NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg and farmers and food buyers at Union Square’s Greenmarket.
Mayor Bloomberg welcomed the Farm Aid co-founders, saying “The City strongly supports sustainable family farming through our Greenmarket program — which has nearly doubled its locations over the past five years — and it’s an honor to be hosting Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and Farm Aid for their 2007 concert.”
Willie Nelson shared “Farm Aid is coming to New York because your enthusiasm for family farm food is keeping family farmers on the land. We are thankful to Mayor Bloomberg, the City Council and the many activists here who are leading efforts so that every New Yorker has access to more food from family farms” while John Mellencamp said of the importance of the event, “Things change when we all take personal responsibility for our food and where it comes from. Farm Aid is a force for change that works hard to keep farmers on the land so that we’ll have good food on our tables.
Photo By Greg Allen/Shutterstock
Why did Farm Aid take so long to get to New York? Nearly the first two decades of Farm Aid (1985-2003) brought the festival to states whose economies are strongly based in agriculture – Texas, Indiana, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Virginia, and South Carolina. In 2004 the festival moved to Washington State and headed east for New Jersey in 2006. Given the quintessential urban setting of New York City, bringing a festival promoting support for local farms and farmers doesn’t seem like the right fit at first, but five boroughs of 8 million people need to eat.
It took being invited to The Big Apple, per executive director Carolyn Mugar, by environmentalists, politicians, Mayor Bloomberg’s office as well as chefs, that finally brought Farm Aid to the Empire State. “Farmers are never going to survive if they don’t have as allies the people who want this good food,” Ms. Mugar told the New York Times. “New York has a huge density of eaters and a density of people who are doing excellent things. There are restaurants, farmers’ markets, community-supported agriculture programs, even people who are growing food in the city and teaching people how to grow it.”
photo via @ceefar74
The lineup for the day included Farm Aid staples in New York, Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young and Dave Matthews, the latter of whom was joined by Merle Haggard. Also on the day long festival-style lineup were the Allman Brothers Band (along with Derek Trucks Band and Gregg Allman performing solo), Counting Crows, Matisyahu, Ray Price, Guster, Billy Joe Shaver, Tim Reynolds, Montgomery Gentry, Supersuckers, Pauline Reese, Danielle Evin, The Ditty Bops, Jimmy Sturr, Paula Nelson, 40 Points, and Jesse Lenat.
The day was hot and quite dusty, part of the unkept nature of Randalls Island (which was prone to flooding at the time) prior to more events being held on the grounds. Thus, there was straw/hay laid down to keep the dust to a minimum. Much has changed over the past 15 years, as Randalls Island has become a destination for concerts and music festivals, among them Governors Ball, Panorama and Electric Zoo.
photo via @ceefar74
Farm Aid 2007 was “A Homegrown Festival,” was the first major music event that served local, organic and family farm food at concessions stands around the venue. The Homegrown Village featured interactive exhibits to educate concert-goers on soil, water, energy, food and farmers. On the heels of the 2007 Farm Aid, the next year Homegrown.org was launched, creating an online community for those interested in growing, cooking, crafting, brewing, preserving, or making anything Homegrown.
The announcement for Farm Aid was momentus, being the first time the traveling single-day multi-band event would make its way to the Empire State.
Can you believe it?!?! Farm Aid in NYC! I have been working on a pun that references the movie “Babe: Pig in the City” but I haven’t quite figured it out yet. We are so pumped about Farm Aid 2007: A HOMEGROWN Festival at Randal’s Island. 100% delicious family farm food, good tunes and a summer of events in a huge urban food and farm hub. On the DL, this show has been in the works for a few years and we are just thrilled that the time has come to bring Farm Aid into the lives of New Yorkers, to work with upstate farmers and urban growers and to show all of our concert growers that even after 22 years we have a few surprises up our sleeves!
The idea for Farm Aid originally grew out of a remark that Bob Dylan made at Live Aid in 1985. The Bard said, “Wouldn’t it be great if we did something for our own farmers right here in America?” This inspired Willie Nelson to contact Neil Young and John Mellencamp, who was about to release Scarecrow, which includes a song about a farmer losing his land to a foreclosure.
Six weeks after those calls, the trio put together what became the first Farm Aid, on September 22, 1985 in Champaign, Ill. While they expected the event to be a one-off, the inspiration that came from raising money for family farmers to preserve their land and push for laws that support family farms over Big Ag.
Dave Matthews joined the Farm Aid Board of Directors in 2001, and Margo Price joined in 2021. To date, Farm Aid has raised more than $64 million to promote a strong and resilient family farm system of agriculture. A nonprofit organization, Farm Aid holds dear their mission to keep family farmers on their lands.
While the Randalls Island Farm Aid was the first held in New York State, it was only six years later that the event headed Upstate to Saratoga Springs with a performance at Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC). The day was highlighted with the unexpected arrival of Pete Seeger, who sang “This Land is Your Land” with the audience, in addition to some new lyrics referencing fracking. The 2022 edition of Farm Aid will take place on September 24 in Raleigh, NC at Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek.
While there was no live broadcast of Farm Aid, video from the concert was available on-demand on September 19, 2007, via Farmaid.org. A good deal of video from the day exists, as seen below. Setlists via ConcertArchives.org
Montgomery Gentry setlist: Hillbilly Shoes, Daddy Won’t Sell the Farm, What Do Ya Think About That
photo via @ceefar74
Supersuckers setlist: Paid, Breaking Honey’s Heart, Roadworn and Weary
Warren Haynes setlist: Indian Sunset, Fallen Down, One, Soulshine
The Derek Trucks Band setlist: Soul Serenade, Sailing On, Key to the Highway
Guster setlist: The Captain, Manifest Destiny, Satellite, Amsterdam, Airport Song
Counting Crows setlist: Rain King, Thunder Road, Recovering the Satellites, Washington Square, A Murder of One, A Long December
Gregg Allman setlist: Midnight Rider, Melissa
Allman Brothers Band setlist: Trouble No More, Revival, Who’s Been Talking, Black Hearted Woman, Statesboro Blues, One Way Out
Billy Joe Shaver setlist: I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train, Live Forever, Try and Try Again
Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds setlist: Lie in Our Graves, Gravedigger, Crush, The Maker, The Dreaming Tree, Ants Marching
Neil Young setlist: Human Highway, Silver and Gold, Beautiful Bluebird, Too Far Gone, Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, Heart of Gold, Homegrown, Four Strong Winds
John Mellencamp setlist: Troubled Land, Rain on the Scarecrow, If I Die Sudden, Paper in Fire, Our Country, To Washington, Small Town, Pink Houses
Willie Nelson setlist: One Day at a Time, Jackson, A Peaceful Solution, Whiskey River, Stormy Weather, I Saw the Light, Superman, You Don’t Think I’m Funny Anymore, I’ll Fly Away, On the Road Again
Rammstein brought their long-anticipated U.S. Stadium Tour to MetLife Stadium on Tuesday, September 6th. This performance was initially scheduled for September 10, 2020 but had been postponed two years in a row due to COVID-19.
The evening was an absolute downpour as tens of thousands of fans filled into one of the largest NFL stadiums in the country. While not overly cold, it was definitely a wet experience that fortunately slowed down as it got closer to showtime.
One cannot talk about Rammstein without mentioning their stage presence. Over the years the band has had it fair share of controversy with the different “acts” they have performed on stage, and of course the sheer amount of fire and pyrotechnics they bring. This stadium show Rammstein has now magnifies anything they have previously done ten-fold. The stage itself cost over 6 million dollars and takes four days to assemble. With massive towers to accompany the stage that fill the inside of the stadium resemble fire coming off an oil rig, walking into the stadium to this was truly a sight to behold.
At approximately 8pm the lights went dark, and the crowd erupted in anticipation as a massive explosion on stage began Rammstein’s epic performance. Opening up the set with “Armee der Tristen” the band members make their way on stage from an elevator platform underneath that brought them up.
Rammstein performed a massive 21 song set that included a good mix of their new material as well as fan favorites. During the performance of “Puppe” a large baby carriage is brought onto the stage and burned while video shows a demonic baby doll spewing insects from its mouth. This is all capped off by confetti cannons shooting black confetti all over the crowd which really brought this scene to life.
For the acoustic performance of “Engel”, the band jumped into inflatable pontoon boats and surfed their way to a smaller stage in the middle of the crowd. Returning the main stage, the band went right back into their industrial-heavy “Auslander” which had the audience singing along.
The entire performance was nonstop fire, explosions and mayhem. The climax of all of this was during the band’s second encore performance of “Rammstein” in which Lindermann wears a pyro backpack that shoots out a barrage of fireballs around him while singing, as well as the stage erupting in flames, as well as the towers throughout the stadium.
This Rammstein show is one of their greatest live shows to date, with nonstop fire, explosions, fireworks and flamethrowers. There was even a cannon that came out which Lindermann mounted and sprayed the crowd in foam. It’s easy to make the comparison that you could be smack dab in the middle of Mordor while all of this is happening, and truly a show where words just can’t do it justice.
Setlist: Armee der Tristen > Zick Zack > Links 2-3-4 > Sehnsucht > Zeig dich > Mein Herz brennt > Puppe > Heirate mich >Zeit > Deutschland > Radio > Mein Teil > Du hast > Sonne> Engel > Auslander > Du riechst so gut > Pussy > Rammstein >Ich will > Adieu
The sixth annual Sugar Hill Music Festival is set to take place Saturday, September 10 in Harlem with a program of concerts and other festivities beginning at 3pm.
Taking place at Harlem’s Sugar Hill Luminaries Lawn, the performers include Camille Thurman, a member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, performing with the Darrell Green Quartet, Clifton Anderson, a Harlem trombonist who’s been on stage with renowned names such as Stevie Wonder and Dizzy Gillespie who will be playing with his signature sextet, the Steven Oquendo Latin Jazz Orchestra, a nineteen-piece led by the Washington Heights composer and trumpeter, and the Sugar Hill Quartet, the longest running house band in New York City.
The festival is run by While We Are Still Here, a Harlem non-profit which aims to “educate, enshrine and preserve the extraordinary legacy of Harlem as an influential incubator that was vital to the intellectual, cultural, social, and political advancements of the Harlem community as well as the African Diaspora.”
The festival follows a “pay what you will” model, with admissions of any price up to $100 towards While We Are Still Here being accepted. Information about the performing acts and more can be found here.
One of several educational shorts on the While We Are Still Here YouTube channel.
It’s no secret that Nassau Coliseum was a favorite venue of The Grateful Dead, as their 42 shows that took place there would suggest. The first shows the band would play here took place in 1973 and today marks the anniversary of the final one of those which completed a two-night run. This one and the night before it are renowned in Dead lore for being the first shows at which Jerry Garcia played his new customized guitar dubbed “Wolf.” And this Grateful Dead show, in particular, was deemed worthy enough by archivist David Lemieux to be released as Dave’s Picks Volume 38 in April of 2021. It’s not hard to see why as the entire show is a true mix of relaxed and effortless musical interplay with moments of pure improvisational psychedelia as only the Dead can deliver.
The Dead kick off night two at Nassau with a spirited “Bertha,” with bassist Phil Lesh coming in loud and clear on the early mix. After navigating through the popular opener with ease, guitarist Bob Weir takes over lead vocals for a run through of “Me And My Uncle” that gets a roar of approval from the Nassau faithful. Things then slow down and groove a lot more thanks to the “Sugaree” that follows, one of the first set highlights despite some feedback issues. Jerry Garcia’s pristine vocals help fuel a version that peaks nicely by the end.
Thankfully, by “Tennessee Jed” the sound issues seem to be resolved and the band returns in kind with one of the first extended jams of the night, this one of the slow build variety. Taking advantage of the clearer sound space, the Dead follow this up with a powerful version of “Looks Like Rain,” another vintage Weir-led tune. The “Row Jimmy” that appears later in the set follows in the footsteps of “Jed” with more beautifully patient and ascending interplay, with notable additions from Keith and Donna Jean Godchaux on keys and vocals, respectively.
An already full and complete opening set then gets graced with a complete “Weather Report Suite” with the newly unleashed “Let It Grow” on the back end, a classic Grateful Dead song that first debuted at Nassau Coliseum the night before. After yet another emotional peak, the set could have easily ended here as well but instead the band rips through a flawless “Eyes Of The World” that starts fast and doesn’t let up.
A second set that’s also chock full o’ music begins with a “Greatest Story Ever Told” with some fiery guitar fills provided by Garcia with Donna Jean, like the rest of the band, sounding fully engaged. “Ramble On Rose” then follows, with the “Just like New York City” lyric and another incendiary Garcia guitar solo both getting noticeable roars of approval from the Long Island crowd. The early stages of the second set also feature a rarity in the live debut of “Sing Your Blues Away” with Keith Godchaux taking a surprising turn on lead vocals. The aforementioned Dave’s Picks Volume 38 was the first live Dead album to contain this song, which is no surprise since it was played only six times September of 1973 and then never again. Although it would be featured on the band’s Wake Of The Flood album released later this year.
Things return to a very familiar place right afterwards with “China Cat Sunflower” and the customary seamless intro to “I Know You Rider” that comes along with it. An oddly placed mid-second set “El Paso” comes next and goes off without a hitch, setting the table for another one of the emotional peaks of the evening. With the Dead still somewhat in the early stages of the post-Pigpen era, an emotional and stretched out “He’s Gone” takes place at Nassau this evening, with some delicate interplay between guitars and keys.
“Truckin’” revs the energy in the building back up with Garcia continuing to lead the way on another breakneck exploratory jam. The band then rides this wave all the way to set’s end with their heralded covers of “Not Fade Away” and “Going Down The Road Feelin’ Bad” that leave the Nassau Dead Heads wanting more. The encore selections seem to match the general sentiment of this run-closing show: a poignant, expressive “Stella Blue” followed by a rollicking, high energy “One More Saturday Night.” Afterwards, the Dead would continue on about their tour of Northeast cities in September of 1973.
View this and more Grateful Dead shows from across New York State with our interactive map below
Grateful Dead – Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum – Uniondale, NY 9/8/73
Set 1: Bertha, Me and My Uncle, Sugaree, Beat It On Down The Line, Tennessee Jed, Looks Like Rain, Brown Eyed Women, Jack Straw, Row Jimmy, Weather Report Suite Prelude-> Weather Report Suite Part 1-> Let It Grow, Eyes Of The World-> China Doll
Set 2: Greatest Story Ever Told, Ramble On Rose, Big River, Let Me Sing Your Blues Away, China Cat Sunflower-> I Know You Rider, El Paso, He’s Gone-> Truckin’-> Not Fade Away-> Goin’ Down The Road Feelin’ Bad-> Not Fade Away,
From Rochester, Max Doud is making major strides in his career by releasing his first single of the year titled “Spin In Place” at just 17 years old. The professionalism and polish that went into this new release is just the beginning of hearing and seeing Doud’s truest capabilities.
Max Doud is a 17 year old musician (singer/songwriter/guitarist) and a student of Elvio Fernandes’ Roc Academy in Rochester, NY. Max performs all over the city as a solo act, as a duo with drummer Brennan Dornberger (5 Second Rule), and with his Roc Academy band Own the Night.
“Spin In Place” is a contemporary rock song, driven by commanding instrumentals and showcases Doud’s vocal ability. The track is the first to be co-written with Steve Sopcheck, helping compliment and fine tune Doud’s musical prowess as a young, evolving musician.
Not only is this new release Doud’s first on record musical entry for the year, but it’s also his first single to be released in conjunction with Sin Eater Entertainment. On his new endeavor with Sin Eater Entertainment, he comments: “I am also super exited for my journey to begin with Sin Eater and getting to see the more technical side of creating music and I can’t wait to see where it goes!”
Max Doud describes the meaning of his newest single by saying, “The song is about the journey that one would take to reach a goal in life that they have, while everything is still happening all around them whether it’s troubles or triumphs. You still want to reach that goal no matter what and that’s how life is for me right now. I want people to keep chasing their dreams no matter what and continue down their paths in life. This song helps me feel motivated in that sense.”
“Yes, he likes to sleep until noon. Yes, he has to be reminded to clean his room. But this kid has been playing solo gigs in bars since he was 12 years old. And did you know he co-wrote his first original song at only 13 years old? He puts 110% into everything he’s passionate about…further proven by the fact he earned a black belt in karate at the young age of 10! Every weekend you can bet you’ll find Max playing somewhere in Rochester, NY…whether it is a solo gig, or with his duo 5 Second Rule with drummer Brennan Dornberger, or his Roc Academy band, Own the Night you can be certain you’ll be entertained!”
Capital region funk band Oobleck has announced three concert dates across the next two months, two of which are taking place in the Capital District.
The members of Oobleck (credit: Kiki Vassilakis)
The group has over a month of time between their coming show in Shelburne, VT on this Saturday the 10th and the following performance date, with them next performing at the Unihog in Hoosick Falls on Friday, October 21. The 21-and-up event will begin at 8pm.
Oobleck’s other scheduled show is on Sunday, October 30th is at Schuylerville’s Saratoga Apple. Running from noon to 3pm, the free concert is open to attendance from all ages.
Formed in 2008, three of the group’s records can be found on Bandcamp where they are available for purchase.
More information in regards to Oobleck’s Hoosick Falls and Schuylerville concert dates can be found on each show’s respective Facebook event page.
Oobleck plays “Whiskey Song,” the sixth track from their most recent album released in 2015, Don’t Mistake the Barn for the Basement.
COIN, a band of three, put on quite the show on September 3rd at The New York State Fair. The group, formed back in 2012 in Nashville, Tennessee as an indie pop/alternative rock band, includes lead vocalist and keyboardist Chase Lawrence, drummer Ryan Winnen and bassist Zach Dyke.
The band released their first album Saturdays in 2012 soon after COIN first formed. In 2015 one of their hit lead singles ‘Run’ finally gave them the attention and recognition they truly deserve. Although COIN has performed various shows in New York, Chase described during the show “it was their very first performance done in Syracuse.” This show was not one, but one of many. COIN has played various festivals, their next festival appearance is in Lake George at WIld in the Trees – Music and Skate Festival 2022.
An indie pop/alternative band sensation they definitely have a groove and put on quite the show as Chase dances and jumps on stage, encouraging the fans to jump, scream and feel the beat. Ryan and Zach rock on as well, the three keep the vibe and entertainment towards their fans at an all time high. Especially while performing some of their top hits ‘Talk Too Much’, ‘Malibu 1992’, and ‘Crash My Car’. Following with other hit songs from albums How Will You Know If You Never Try released in 2017 and their most recent Uncanny Valley released in 2022.
By the time the show soon came to an end the crowd was standing with excitement, praise and support for COIN. Only their first show stop in Syracuse, the band made it more than memorable. These three truly know how to put on a unique show, keeping the fans dying to hear what’s next as they celebrate 10 years together.
Bryant Park’s Picnic Performances, a summer series of free-to-the-public concerts will continue Thursday, September 8 with a duo performance by jazz pianists Aaron Diehl and Orrin Evans.
Both having claim to the famed title of “Steinway Artist,” the two will play a mixture of standards and originals on their signature instruments made by the Steinway & Sons piano company.
Aaron Diehl.
Diehl’s career highlights include winning the American Pianist Assocation’s Cole Porter Fellow of 2011 and performances at historic venues such as the Lincoln Center and the Village Vanguard. As for influences, he gives credit to prior pianists Ahmad Jamal, Erroll Garner, and Jelly Roy Morton.
Orrin Evans.
Evans has supported a career of nearly thirty years without support from a major label, with his last six projects being released with Smoke Sessions, an independent record company based in New York City. Achievements to Evans’ name include placing #1 in the 2018 Downbeat Critics Poll for “Rising Star Pianist” in addition to Grammy nominations for two albums made with his Captain Black Big Band.
Orrin Evans and members of the Captain Black Big Band talk about the group’s 2020 album “The Intangible Between.”
Food and beverages will be available from on-site vendors near the lawn. Information about the Manhattan park’s final three concerts of the summer following Diehl & Evans’ performance can be found on the Bryant Park website.
