Tag: albany

  • Albany Tulip Festival 2022 Lineup Announced, Featuring Taina Asili, Hanzolo, Parquet Courts, And More

    The City of Albany has announced the lineup for the 2022 Tulip Festival. It will take place on May 7 and 8 in Washington Park.

    The Tulip Festival is Albany’s signature spring event. It features over one hundred artisans selling their homemade crafts, a fine arts show, food, two stages of live entertainment, and more than 187,000 tulips in over 150 varieties.

    Albany Tulip Festival

    The Tulip Festival 2022 lineup is going to be bringing in some great musical acts from across NYS.

    SATURDAY, May 7

    MAIN STAGE

    Washington Park Parade Grounds
    1:30p.m. – Bad Mothers: The dirty-rock band from Albany NY heralded for their consistently hard-hitting performances. Recently signed to Black Country Rock Media.

    3:00p.m. – TBA

    4:30p.m. – Parquet Courts: Parquet Courts’ music is filled with thought-provoking rock. They are experimenting with electronic and psychedelic music to tell a story, while also maintaining uniqueness. Their newest work Symphony For Life falls on groovy dance music, rather than rhythm. The band is built largely from improvised jams, inspired by New York clubs, Primal Scream and Pink Floyd.

    LOCAL 518 STAGE

    Washington Park Lakehouse Stage

    1:00p.m. – Hanzolo: is a 7-piece band from Upstate New York, that have an explosive and emotional sound that mixes soul, jazz, rock, and funk. Their songs are danceable and fun, with thoughtful lyrics. They recently won NYS Music’s March Madness competition and have won the EQX Battle of Bands and opened Albany’s annual Pearlpalooza music festival.

    2:15p.m. – Canella: Canella brings a Latin spice to her indie folk-rock style. With some pop influences, her songwriting is full of intricate melodies that tell stories of existentialism and share intimate thoughts. Born and raised in Colombia but listening to 70’s and 90’s rock, Canella dove deeper into her solo songwriting career, utilizing her influences from former Albany local band Waitress, and implementing these elements into her more personal sound.

    3:30p.m. – B. Chaps and Freedom Stratton: Freedom Stratton does it all he’s a singer, dancer, actor and model! B. Chaps is from Albany, NY, and does hip hop/alternative music with jazz mixed in.

    4:45p.m. – E.R.I.E: came on to the Albany, NY scene in 2020. What began as a passion project developed while singer/songwriter TJ Foster was unexpectedly laid up in a hospital bed for three days, has turned into a fully-formed quartet, winning over audiences with their catchy songs and energetic live performances.

    SUNDAY, MAY 8

    MAIN STAGE
    Media sponsors: 1023 Kiss FM
    1:30p.m. – Taina Asili: Taína Asili is a New York-based Puerto Rican singer, filmmaker and activist who carries on the traditions of her ancestors, taking past and present struggles into her music with a soulful and strong voice. Her songs have themes of hope and liberation, fusing with Afro-Latin, reggae, and rock genres. Asili’s music spans continents, and inspires audience at venues across the globe- from Carnegie Hall to the Women’s March on Washington to the main stage of San Francisco Pride. With an energetic horn section and infectious rhythms, Asili’s music urges people to get on their feet and dance to the rhythm of rebellion.

    3:00 p.m. – DJ TGIF

    4:45p.m. – Powerhouse Funk Band:  Combining R&B, neo soul, jazz, funk and everything in between, Powerhouse will have you dancing on your feet and feeling the good vibes deep in your soul. They play with a lot of emotion and soul, which gravitates fans to listen to them.

    LOCAL 518 STAGE
    1:00p.m. – Kyla Silk: R&B singer Kyla Silk has a soulful voice reminiscent of Carole King and Janis Joplin, as well as modern influences like Alicia Keys.

    2:15p.m. – SIDE – B: Four-piece alternative rock band from Upstate New York consisting of drummer Dylan Travison, bassist Eric Mitchell, guitarist AJ Horton, and vocalist Ian Justino.

    3:30p.m. – Kieran Rhodes: Kieran Rhodes is an accomplished performer, songwriter, pianist and vocalist. As a songwriter, he has released multiple songs under his name which can be found on all streaming platforms. Kieran also has experience writing songs for television. His most recent project being a co-writer on a song for The Food Network’s “Restaurant Impossible.”

    4:45p.m. – Playin’ with Fire: is a vibrant and powerful Performance Act capturing seamless tributes to every song that audiences love. Led by an irresistible, energetic female vocalist and dynamic male singer/guitarist, the band handles music from Rock, Pop, Country and Blues with astonishing accuracy. Crowd pleasing originals, harmonies and engaging personalities make the Playin’ with Fire Band a sure “fire” hit for any event. The 5 person band includes professional musicians (drums, bass, lead guitar) who have performed with major recording artists across the nation. 

  • New Gwar Tour Will Stop In Albany This June

    GWAR announce The Black Death Rager World Tour this spring which will include a show in Albany at the Empire Live on June 12.

    “Ah, the cruel Spring, when life bursts forth and humans are reminded how dead they are inside! The horrific majesty of GWAR will blow through your town like painted ladies working the block for that rock.”

    Lead doom-warbler, The Berserker Blothar

    On the tour the band will be joined by opening acts Crowbar, The Native Howl and Nekrogoblikon.

    The tour coincides with the release of GWAR’s upcoming album “The New Dark Ages,” scheduled for release on June 3.

    GWAR “THE BLACK DEATH RAGER WORLD TOUR”

    In addition, to the tour and album GWAR will also release a graphic novel, “GWAR in the Duoverse of Absurdity”. It tells the story of an epic battle between GWAR and their doppelgangers from an alternate universe. The graphic novel is illustrated by established comic book artist Andy MacDonald, whose previous work includes Wolverine, Dr. Strange, and Wonder Woman.

    Tour tickets for fan club members are available Thursday, March 3—a day in advance of general sale tickets. Those tickets will be available Friday, March 4.

    Upcoming GWAR Tour Dates

    5/24: Grand Junction, CO @ Mesa Theater

    5/26: Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades

    5/27: Chico, CA @ Senator Theatre

    5/28: San Diego, CA @ House of Blues

    5/29: Tempe, AZ @ The Marquee

    5/31: San Antonio, TX @ Vibes Event Center

    6/2: Destin, FL @ Club LA

    6/3: Chattanooga, TN @ The Signal

    6/4: Charleston, SC @ Music Farm

    6/5: Charlotte, NC @ The Underground

    6/7: Joliet, IL @ The Forge

    6/8: Green Bay, WI @ EPIC Event Center

    6/10: Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club

    6/11: Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom

    6/12: Albany, NY @ Empire Live

    6/14: Hampton Beach, NH @ Wally’s

    6/15: Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground

    6/16: Providence, RI @ The Strand

    6/17: Reading, PA @ Reverb

  • Black Theatre Troupe of Upstate New York Presents “The Light” at theREP

    Black Theatre Troupe of Upstate NY has announced their latest production “The Light”, with performances at Lauren and Harold Iselin Studio at Capital Repertory Theatre (theREP), during March 3-6 and March 10-13, 2022.

    Black Theatre Troupe of Upstate New York

    BTTUNY was founded in 2009 by veteran actor Jean-Remy Monnay for the sole purpose of promoting communities of color. Monnay wished to foster understanding, appreciation and participation within the theater, as well as give a voice to the unheard.

    Considering their headquarters is in the NYS Captial Region, a populated and industrialized region, the overall mission of the Black Theatre Troupe is benefited, since the audience reach is vast. The Lauren and Harold Iselin Studio at the Rep is located at 251 North Pearl Street in Albany. This will be BTTNY’s second show there since Monnay has been an Associate Artist.

    “The Light” is about a relationship between a couple by the name of Rashad and Genesis. Unfortunately, all the love may come to an end after a marriage proposal does not go as planned. Buried accusations from the past are brought to life and lead to turmoil within their relationship. The million-dollar question is will their love prevail after the truth is revealed?

    Tickets for this event are located on the BTTNY website. General admission is $20 and for students/seniors it is $15.

  • The Pine Boys, A Unique Band From Albany Release “Vacationland”

    The Pine Boys are an electric combination of alternative rock, funk and hip-hop from Albany releasing their new album Vacationland today, February 18th.

    These artists provide such a unique musical interpretation with a blend of character-driven storytelling and memorable guitar riffs. The group was founded by multi-instrumentalists, Brett Maney and Andrew Cerone, in 2016. When they started playing live in 2019, they added their longtime friend Sam Lasky on the instrument, the keytar, since they have been together, they have released 6 albums and played all over Upstate NY, anywhere from basements to bars.  

    The Pine Boys Live Show
    The Pine Boys Live

    Many of their songs are part of an interconnected universe set in the fictional town of “Vacationland,” this is the groups hometown and place of origin. This is also the mindset that you need to have when you see them live. Seeing a live Pine show should serve as a time to take a vacation from your normal reality and temporarily venture into their world. 

    The Pine Boys Vacation Land
    The Pine Boys “Vacationland”

    Their top song on Spotify, “Electric Minnow,” provide a mixture of funky guitar riffs along with a catchy rhythm throughout the song. By blending a hip hop style of lyrics with indie sounds, the band creates a unique blend of music. 

    The Pine Boys

    Other songs like “Fat Al” are melancholy but have a funny twist. Throughout listening to the song, the guitar has a shadowy feeling yet satisfying because of how beautiful it is played. “If Walls Could Talk,” “Enter the Sauce,” and “Duneman” have made their top 5 despite being all on different albums. Each provides different genre mash which they include throughout their peruana of “Vacationland.” 

    For upcoming shows and albums, they are available on Instagram, Facebook, and their website. 

  • Sly Fox and the Hustlers release “Find Someone,” Perfectly timed for Valentine’s Day

    Albany band Sly Fox And The Hustlers today release their newest single, “Find Someone,” perfectly timed for Valentine’s Day. The new single is the lead off their upcoming album which drops in May. “Find Someone” is a groovy rock tune that will get you moving on your feet, the basis of the which goes into Sly’s story on how to get over your past failed relationships in search for your true soul mate.

    Sly Fox and The Hustlers

    Sly Fox And The Hustlers are a very multidimensional rock band as they bring different variations of the genre to the table. Their prior songs such as “Forever Young,” “Home by Mornin’,” and “Heart and Soul” exemplify all different tempos within the rock genre while blending some country, funk, and blues influence. These three songs will definitely build your anticipation for their new upcoming single.

    “Find Someone” was mixed by Tim Lynch from The Recording Company and mastered by Brian Lucey from Magic Garden Mastering, and will be available on all streaming platforms. You can catch Sly Fox and the Hustlers this May in Philadelphia at The Fire, and on May 21 at Rockwood Music Hall in NYC. For more info, visit Sly Fox and the Hustler’s website.

  • Pink Talking Fish To Present ‘Planetarium’ at The Capitol Theatre on June 11

    Pink Talking Fish are at last returning to The Capitol Theatre for another special show. After having to forget about any potential themed show plans in 2020 and 2021, the band is eager to get back to their tradition of putting on a unique performance at The Cap.

    This year, Pink Talking Fish fans are gearing up for what Eric Gould (bassist) says is going to be a “multimedia voyage to outer space.” Dogs In a Pile will be kicking things off on the rescheduled date of Saturday, June 11, before Pink Talking Fish play the crowd through a visual journey to the cosmos.

    Pink Talking Fish, Cohoes Music Hall, 10.22.2021

    Planetarium is going to be unlike any other themed show that Pink Talking Fish has done in the past. The night won’t revolve around any specific album from Pink Floyd, Talking Heads, or Phish, but will instead focus on providing an abstract concert going experience.

    If you have seen Pink Talking Fish play before, then you know just how hard their music rocks. The details of this Planetarium show remain a mystery though, just as the band intends. Pink Talking Fish fans are in for what Eric Gould knows will be a unique surprise.

    Pink Talking Fish Planetarium
    @pinktalkingfish on Instagram

    You can grab your tickets online here, and be sure to keep your eyes out for brand new merch at this show! Doors open at 6:30pm and the Planetarium show begins at 8:00pm. Pink Talking Fish will be traveling the country after the Planetarium show, and you can check out their tour dates here!

  • Blind Visionaries, Combining Live Jazz And Painting, Coming to UAlbany Performing Arts Center in February

    A new art exhibit opens at the UAlbany Performing Arts Center. Blind Visionaries is a visual and musical installation that combines images from blind photographers and live jazz. The performance will be on Feb. 3 at 7:30 p.m. at the UAlbany Performing Arts Center. 

    The photographers are from a New York City based group called the Seeing with Photography Collective. They use a new method of painting referred to as “light painting” which they will perform in a concert with a live jazz band. Their work is being published in the book Shooting Blind by Aperture. 

    At the event itself a voice narration from the members of the collective guides the participants through the same artistic process. At the same time, their photographs are projected on the walls to create a connection between the visual and musical. 

    The musical accompaniment is courtesy of Daniel Kelly. The long time composer and performer, who even worked with Lauryn Hill in the past, will be playing with his band the Danny Kelly Trio

    The group also features Adam Coté on bass and Bram Kincheloe on drums. In addition to the Feb. 3 performance Blind Visionaries will host a free show for high school students on Feb 4. Free reservations at the Performing Arts Center website

  • Buffalo Native Willie Nile Heads To The Linda in February, 4 more stops in NYS this summer and Fall

    Buffalo native Willie Nile will be coming to Albany to play at The Linda on February 18 and will be performing his new album The Day The Earth Stood Still.

    willie nile
    The Day The Earth Stood Still album cover.

    Nile used lockdown as a basis for his album. After seeing the boarded-up streets of Manhattan, he grew inspired. Speaking of the inspiration Nile said this:

    I have a storage space near the Holland Tunnel, and normally on a Friday night at rush hour, it can take an hour to move five blocks. But one Friday night last June…I realized that there wasn’t a car in sight, and that I could have laid down in the middle of the street without anyone noticing. The title The Day the Earth Stood Still hit me, and I carried it around in my head for awhile, and eventually it sparked this set of songs.

    Nile grew up in Buffalo, and in the early ‘70s, he moved down to NYC, where his music career started to take off. He earned national status with a series of albums, and his independent indie work added to his fame.

    Willie Nile, photo by Cristina Arrigoni.

    Nile has racked up many famous fans, including Bruce Springsteen and Pete Townshend, both of whom he has toured with on different occasions.

    After all these years I’m still feeling the passion and the power and the pull of rock ’n’ roll as a way out, as a vehicle that can offer salvation and redemption and joy in this crazy-ass world. Here’s to more music and magic on the road ahead!

    Willie Nile

    The Day The Earth Stood Still combines all the elements of rock and punk, mixed with the passion of going through a pandemic. Produced by Stewart Lerman, who worked with Elvis Costello and Mumford and Sons, the album is described as “magical.”

    Willie Nile and Steve Earle, photo by Cristina Arrigoni.

    Willie Nile will be coming to The Linda in Albany on February 18 to play his new album live, as well as other fan favorites with some rarities mixed in. Tickets can be found here.

    Willie Nile 2022 Tour Dates

    Fri., June 25  STANHOPE, NJ Stanhope House. 

    Fri., July 2  BOSTON, MA City Winery

    Sat., July 10  RED BANK, NJ  The Vogel at Count Basie Theater for the Arts. Two shows: 4 & 8 p.m. 4 p.m.—40th Anniversary Show for Willie’s second album, Golden Down, featuring the whole album played top to bottom plus several fan favorites. 8 p.m.—Willie’s eponymous first release played in its entirety (41st Anniversary) followed by different fan favorites.

    Sat., July 17  PIERMONT, NY  Turning Point (solo; two shows)

    Thurs., July 22   RIDGEFIELD, MA  (outdoor show)

    Sat., July 24  AVIS, PA  WQBR Radio gig; outdoor show

    Fri., Aug. 13  EGREMONT, MA  The Barn. (duo show)

    Sat., Aug. 21 TARRYTOWN, NY  Tarrytown Theater, 

    Sun., Aug. 22  NEW YORK, NY  City Winery (new album release show)

    Sat., Aug. 28  WASHINGTON DC The Hamilton 

    Wed., Sept. 1  WOODBRIDGE, NJ   Woodbridge HS Fields. 1 Samuel Lupo Place. Free show

    Sat., Oct. 2  BEACON, NY  Towne Crier 

    Sat., Oct. 16  THREE OAKS, MI Acorn Theater. 

    Sun., Oct. 17  EVANSTON / CHICAGO, IL  SPACE 

    Mon., Oct. 18  ANN ARBOR, MI  The Ark 

    Fri., Nov. 19  HOLYOKE, MA  Gateway Theater

  • Todd Nelson and NEQ Release “Threshold,” Perform at The Hollow in February

    Capital District native Todd Nelson has been creating music for a long time, and his band called the Nelson Esposito Quintana (NEQ for short) released their new single, “Threshold.” Accompanying the single and release of their new album Nevertheless, the NEQ will be playing at the Hollow Bar in Albany on February 18.

    NEQ’s vision is to redefine the art of rock instrumental, with a post-modern approach. Utilizing the traditional makings of a band, with guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, percussion, NEQ rock out.

    The most important thing is that the music connects with the listener emotionally, using the full range of emotions.

    Todd Nelson

    Nelson studied music theory at UAlbany in the 70s and while in college he played with a plethora of bands. He has shared the stage with the Police, Squeeze, the B-52s, XTC, and REM, and more.

    His band, Fear of Strangers, was key to the Punk/New Wave scene in the Capital District in the 80s and held a reunion show with over 300 people in attendance.

    todd nelson neq
    Todd Nelson

    Nelson has played in many more bands, and when asked if playing in a lot of bands affected him, he said not really.

    It usually isn’t too difficult to juggle working in several bands…You just have to learn the material and review it before the gig. Having good musical ears and technique helps.

    Nelson plays many different types of music, from jazz to rock to electronica. He doesn’t keep himself into one box but prefers to play one specific thing- his compositions.

    The music I prefer to concentrate on is my own compositions, or music I’ve collaborated with someone on, or original music of someone else’s that I can contribute to. But as you may know it can be harder to find bookings playing original music, and I like to keep busy playing.

    Nelson and his NEQ make rock instrumental music. Their new single “Threshold” is a nod to the 70s classic rock scene, with all things groovy and nice.

    The band consists of guitarist Kyle Esposito and drummer Manual Quintana, who both work in other bands while devoting time to NEQ.

    todd nelson neq
    NEQ

    Todd Nelson and NEQ will be playing at the Hollow Bar on February 18 to play their new album, a place that Nelson says he has played many times in the past. Tickets can be found here.