The second annual Rail Rider Jamboree is coming to Ellicottville on March 18, 2023, at Holiday Valley Resort, with a stellar lineup comprised of new and old faces.
The Rail Rider Jamboree is a weekend filled with music, skiing, snowboarding competitions, brews and so much more. The promoters of Borderland Music + Arts Festival teamed up with the Holiday Valley Resort to bring this weekend to fans. The Jamboree is outdoors with music starting around 1 p.m. on March 18, with doors opening at 12 p.m. at the resort in the field on Rt. 219 across from the SnowPine chair.
The Jamboree will kick off on March 17 with rail jam contests and live music, slopeside at the base of the mountain at the Rail Park, with some free music by a funk improv band from Buffalo, at the Holiday Valley Cabana Bar from 8 p.m.-10 p.m. The next day will bring some exciting music to the resort, like headliners Dark Star Orchestra. They have performed for over 25 years and at some 3,100 shows, performing a show based on a set list from the Grateful Dead’s 30 years of extensive touring.
Also headlining the Rail Rider Jamboree is Eggy, improv rockers comprised of guitarist and vocalist Jake Brownstein, keyboardist Dani Battat, bassist Michael Goodman and drummer Alex Bailey. Another headliner includes Mike Gantzer, guitarist of groove rock band Aqueous, who is assembling a band just for Rail Rider. Also performing will be local bands Grub from Buffalo and the New Orleans style marching band Brass Machine.
Lodging with options to add on lift tickets and other resort activities are available to book with the resort today, with package Jamboree tickets to be announced. The event is for all ages, and tickets are on sale now.
The second ever Catskill Mountain Jubilee took place this past weekend. Nestled within the Catskill Mountains at the Blackthorne Resort, the festival provided a great mix of nature and comfort. There was a pool with DJs playing throughout the weekend, several stages, including a late night rave hangar, lakes, cabins, even a haunted house!
Aqueous & Friends ft Craig Broadhead at The Hangar Stage
The music was phenomenal throughout the whole weekend. Sit ins included Aqueous & Friends featuring Craig Broadhead, DJ Logic & Friends as well as Star Kitchen featuring James Casey and Natalie Cressman, and DrFameus featuring Glyfiks were the musical sets that stood out to me. Put a saxophone in my face and I’m hooked!
Craig Broadhead
Dark Star Orchestra played four sets over the course of both nights with the first night being a recreation of 6/3/76. Highlights included a “Might As Well” opener, “Lazy Lightning,” “Dancing in the Streets,” and a thumping two-song encore featuring “The Wheel” and “The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion).” The second night proved to be much slower and the “Drums” jam was going nowhere. An incredible “White Rabbit” encore brought life back into the crowd, but not without the sound dropping out for a bit.
Dark Star Orchestra
After the main shebang there was much to do, late night shows were aplenty. DJ Logic with Craig Broadhead, James Casey, & Natalie Cressman was my favorite late night shindig but I also enjoyed Baked Shrimp at 3 a.m.
Marc Brownstein with Natalie Cressman during Star Kitchen
Laura Lee’s gospel set was soul touching and right during that Sunday morning church time. Marc Brownstein made a funny crack about how shorts aren’t showbiz appropriate as he mustered through the hot sun in jeans at the Star Kitchen set.
James Casey sitting in with Star Kitchen
Catskill Mountain Jubilee has something going for it; the grounds are really enjoyable. With every event there’s issues and problems that need to be solved but seeing how well it’s done for it’s second year, I think this festival has a bright future ahead. It has a good mix of live and electronic music, activities, chill spots, amenities, and a good crew.
The Catskill town of East Durham, NY will once again play host to Catskill Mountain Jubilee over August 11-14, 2022. Headliners for the festival include Dark Star Orchestra (performing four sets), The Disco Biscuits with two sets, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, The New Deal and many more.
Catskill Mountain Jubilee 2021 – photo by Em Walis
Blackthorne Resort will play host for the second annual event over August 11-14, with four nights of music starting on Thursday and ending on Sunday.
Giving back is a big part of the Jubilee community, as the festival contributes a portion of its profits to charitable causes. In 2021, over $15,000 was raised for three different nonprofits. Catskill Mountain Jubilee is brought to you by Drop the Mics and Full Circle Music Productions.
Catskill Mountain Jubilee 2022Lineup
Dark Star Orchestra (2 Sets) The Disco Biscuits (2 Sets) Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe The New Deal Star Kitchen Chali 2na & Cut Chemist Dogs In A Pile DJ Logic & Friends featuring Billy Martin, Jamie Shields, Dan Kurtz, Jennifer Hartswick, James Casey, Natalie Cressman Aqueous & Friends featuring Craig Brodhead The Garcia Project (2 Sets) Sophistafunk Mark Farina (2 Sets) Orchard Lounge Spaga DrFameus featuring Glyfiks Julia Govor Muscle Tough Kick The Cat LionDub (2 Sets) Beg, Steal or Borrow Freegrass Union Sundub Mike Greenfield Yesmann (Craig Brodhead) Baked Shrimp Rose Ganache Mizeyesis Mara SMInk Kandyshop Nah Mean?
The spirit of the Grateful Dead was alive and well this past weekend as veteran improv rockers Dark Star Orchestra finally played their annual New Year’s Eve celebration in Albany. Held on April 1st and 2nd at the storied Palace Theatre and re-dubbed “Fool Year’s Eve,” the joke was on you if you missed this gratuitous good-time jubilee. Couldn’t make it to the show? No need to worry, our man on the scene, NYS Music photojournalist Zak Radick was there and has a full recap of all the sights and sounds from the memorable occasion.
It all started around 7pm when suddenly out of nowhere, they came out from everywhere. Funneling into the base of Clinton Ave and North Pearl, an apparent make-shift flash mob of “Dead Head’s” made the sidewalk near McGeary’s Irish Pub the weekend’s designated ‘Shakedown Street’ for this trip to Albany. A traveling do-it-yourself marketplace for fans to commerce and socialize with our like-minded folks, these pop-up flea markets AKA Shakedown Street’s, have been a longstanding fixture for fans of the original Grateful Dead community going on decades now and are just one of the many traditions fans still regularly practice. It was a nice thing to see in a town that’s been through so much, yet never lost heart. Vibrant and friendly, chatty and colorful, the pre-game hustle was in full swing outside the historic venue just prior to showtime. Having already been there and done that, the older ‘heads’ soon began filing inside, not wanting to miss a moment of the opening acoustic set from DSO guitar player Jeff Mattson. And they were sure glad they did, as they were serenaded by a delightful opening combo of “Dire Wolfe” and “Deep Elem Blues” while finding their seats. Soon word had reached the street that the show “was on” and before long the lower level of the gorgeous room was packed with people and yes, an overwhelming smell of patchouli, body odor and pot.
The Palace looking as lovely as ever, a simple glance around the theatre revealed a fan base the spanned all ages and backgrounds, but most skewing older. Many wearing tie dye, some with dreadlocks to their knees and flowers in their hair, others covering up in cowboy hats and trucker caps, while other came dressed in their New Year’s best, sporting their finest sparkling dancing pants and glamorous glittering jackets. Still, there were the other ones. The fans who looked like regular Joes you’d pass in a grocery store aisle and never expect they’d know every single word to every single song written by Jerry Garcia and company. The brief but beautiful acoustic set from Mattson also featured Lisa Mackey on harmonica and concluded with a sentimental rendition of “Ripple,” sending fans buzzing to intermission debating if that was a recreation from a Dead set, or a standalone, original set of select Dead covers.
With balloons hanging high over the Palace, the Dark Star Orchestra causally took the stage around 8:30 to a rowdy ovation from eager and attentive fans. Comprised of members Rob Eaton and Jeff Mattson on guitars and vocals, Rob Barraco on keys, Rob Koritz and Dino English on drums and percussion, Skip Vangelas on bass and Lisa Mackey on backing vocals and harmonica, DSO has been a fixture in the jam scene for more than 20 years and have over 3,000 shows under their belts. Bringing the essence of a live Grateful Dead show back to reality for a whole new generation, the band is often seen as one of the top acts of their kind, and now popular enough to fill a place like the Palace. An impressive testament to their consistency and quality of performances.
Perhaps with acknowledgement to GD history, or perhaps in acknowledgement of the heady pre-show Shakedown scene earlier, it seemed fitting when Dark Star Orchestra opened the second set of the night with a rambunctious rendition of the beloved classic “Shakedown Street”. The appreciative audience already spilling out into the aisleways and concession overflow area in full ‘dance-party boogie’ mode. By this point, you just had that old familiar feeling that it was fixing to be a fun night! From there, the band went into a “Me and My Uncle >Mexicali Blues” segment, followed by a lively “Cold Rain and Snow” that saw the crowd showcasing their collective ‘singalong’ voices one of the loudest times of the night. A “blues” heavy set, we also caught “CC Rider,” “It Must Have Been the Roses,” “Beat It On Down The Line,” and a lengthy “Big Boss Man>New Minglewood Blues>Don’t Ease Me In” to send fans to their second set break of the evening.
There was a special moment just prior to the start of the third set when the DSO crew invited legendary Albany promoter Greg Bell of Guthrie Bell Productions out to the stage. Marking thirty years to the day since holding his first show, Bell made a brief but candid toast, thanking the dedicated music fans of the Capital Region for all the support over the years. A mutual moment respect and acknowledgement for a man who’s meant so much to the local music community for the last three decades.
When everyone returned, the rocking second set kicked off with “Iko Iko” and then in one of the musical peaks of the night, a fantastic high energy take on a “Playing in the Band”> “Terrapin Station” > “Playing in the Band” sandwich before things got a little weird with the obligatory “Drums/space”. Things started cooking again with the slow and building crescendo of “The Other One” that seamlessness faded into “Not Fade Away” and “Going Down the Road Feeling Bad.” “Morning Dew” would round out the set with just enough time for another quick break before the midnight shenanigans would ensue.
Honoring the spirit of the original Grateful Dead, the band played well into the evening giving fans exactly what they were hoping for. As the clock now approached midnight, the balloons that had been hanging over head all night finally released and DTO began the famililar chords of the song they took their name from, “Dark Star.” Loving every second of it, fans were quick to bat the balloons around like beach balls, and seemingly keep them afloat for the remainder of the show. A pair of fan favorite “Bertha” and “Good Lovin’” brought the show to an end and the audience to their feet, howling in approval and for just one more. Happy to oblige, DTO returned with Lisa Mackey taking center stage during an encore of “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” before cluing the audience this performance was an originally inspired by the Grateful Dead’s December 311st, 1981 show in Oakland, California.
A great performance made even better by the great crowd, Dark Star Orchestra surpassed expectations. They sounded fantastic, musically tight and with singing voices strong and full of vigor. It was an evening drenched in familiarity and comfort and the result was a near perfect atmosphere for the audience to let themselves get lost in. That indescribable feeling only the live music experience can deliver and on this first night in April, the Palace Theatre in Albany was truly a fool’s paradise.
Dark Star Orchestra | 4.1.2022 | Albany, NY | Palace Theatre
Set 1: (Jeff Mattson Acoustic) Dire Wolf, Deep Elem Blues, Ripple
Set 2: Shakedown Street ; Me And My Uncle > Mexicali Blues ; Cold Rain And Snow ; C.C. Rider* ; It Must Have Been The Roses** ; Beat It On Down The Line ; Big Boss Man* > New Minglewood Blues* > Don’t Ease Me In
Set 3: Iko Iko ; Playing In The Band > Terrapin Station > Playing In The Band > drums > space > The Other One > Not Fade Away > Going Down The Road Feeling Bad > Morning Dew
Set 4: Dark Star > Bertha > Good Lovin’
Encore: It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue**
Filler: My Sisters And Brothers
* with Lisa on harmonica – original had Matt Kelly ** with Lisa on vocals – original had Joan Baez
Dark Star Orchestra | 4.2.2022 | Albany, NY | Palace Theatre
Set 1: Hell In A Bucket > Let It Rock ; When I Paint My Masterpiece ; Loser ; Cumberland Blues ; I’ll Take A Melody > Deal ; Masters of War ; Box Of Rain > One More Saturday Night
Set 2: Here Comes Sunshine > Greatest Story Ever Told ; Revolution > Feel Like A Stranger > drums > space > Corrina > Help On The Way > Slipknot! > Throwing Stones > Days Between > Slipknot! > Franklin’s Tower
The Palace Theatre in Albany has announced a Black History Step Show featuring HYP3st Dance Competition, for Sunday, February 20 at 5pm. Dates for the recently postponed Dark Star Orchestra shows have also been announced for April.
The Price Chopper Black History Month Step Show features some of the best step teams from the Capital Region and beyond, for an afternoon of high energy dance performances. The Step Show is one of the most anticipated annual events in the area.
Stepping is truly something that needs to be seen to be fully appreciated, the quick moves and split-second changes showcase just how much time and energy is put into the choreography. Beyond entertainment value, the event is also highly educational as it relates to the concepts and themes of identity, culture, environment and society and their role in why these organizations came about and why they still exist today. The entertainment grabs your attention and draws you into wanting to learn more about these organizations and their history. This program and others like it offer participants not only a creative outlet, but also a chance to be a part of something bigger than themselves.
Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for students and are now on sale via Ticketmaster. Tickets are also available for purchaseat the Palace Theatre Box Office located at 19 Clinton Ave in Albany.
Dark Star Orchestra
Grateful Dead tribute band Dark Star Orchestra have reschedule their postponed December 31, 2021 and January 1, 2022 shows at the Palace Theatre for April 1 and 2, 2022. Tickets for the original dates WILL be valid for the new April dates. Tickets for December 31 are valid for April 1 and tickets for January 1 are valid for April 2.
If you are unable to attend the new dates, refunds will be available by request until January 27, 2022. To obtain a refund: If you purchased your tickets through Ticketmaster, contact Ticketmaster through your account to request a refund. If you purchased your tickets at the Palace Theatre Box Office, call the Box Office during regular business hours at 518-465-4663 to request a refund. If you have any questions, feel free to reply directly to this email.
Tickets for Dark Star Orchestra at the Palace Theatre are available here.
