The Park Theater in Glens Falls will present free weekly Summer Series Concerts at the Crandall Park Bandshell each Friday evening in July.
The Park Theater is a premiere theater, concert, and private event destination in the heart of downtown Glens Falls. The newly renovated century-old theater holds a long and storied history within the historic town of Glens Falls.
Summer Series Concerts Poster
This free concert series will consist of five 90-minute live musical performances featuring local musicians and will serve to enhance the accessibility of the arts within the local community.
It’s amazing to think that just over a year ago we were announcing our first Summer Series in Crandall Park. What a long, meandering road it’s been between now and then. We’re so lucky and proud to offer our second summer of free performances to our community. These concerts are a way for us to say “Thank You” to all those who supported us through this past season. We look forward to welcoming you back – both indoors and out.
The Park Theater will partner with Doc’s Restaurant to offer a variety of small plates that will be available for purchase on-site each evening.
Summer Series Concerts Lineup
Friday, 07/01 – Let’s Be Dead (A Dead Band Plays “The Dead” – Formerly Let’s Be Leonard) Friday, 07/08 – Dylan Perrillo Orchestra (11-piece Big Band/Old School Jazz Orchestra) Friday, 07/15 – Josh Morris Band (70’s Singer/Songwriter meets 90’s Alt/Rock) Friday, 07/22 – Hartley’s Encore (Funk/Soul Band) Friday, 07/29 – Chestnut Grove (5-Piece Rock-n-Roll Band)
For more information, visit www.parktheatergf.com/events or phone the box office at 518-792-1150.
Bard SummerScape returns in 2022 summer with eight weeks of live music, opera, dance, and theater at the Fisher Center, located on the campus of Bard College in New York’s Hudson Valley, from June 23 to August 14. Fisher Center supports artists, students, and audiences in the development and examination of artistic ideas, offering perspectives from the past and present, as well as visions of the future.
Highlights include the 32nd Bard Music Festival, Rachmaninoff and His World; a new production of Strauss’s The Silent Woman, directed by Christian Räth; a World Premiere commission from Pam Tanowitz and David Lang; a new adaptation of Molière’s Dom Juan, directed by Ashley Tata; and more.
Theater
Molière’s Dom Juan
SummerScape Commission/World Premiere Production New translation by Sylvaine Guyot and Gideon Lester Conceived and directed by Ashley Tata
Amelia Workman (Dom Juan). Photo by Maria Baranova
A glittering and ferocious study of lust and power, Molière’s portrait of the libertine Dom Juan combines slapstick comedy with the taut psychology of a thriller. In this bold new adaptation, director Ashley Tata (whose digital production of Mad Forest astonished Fisher Center audiences in 2020) sets the story in a fantasy world where 17th-century France meets late-1970s America, raising pertinent questions about class, faith and gender. Casting both the titular libertine and her sidekick as women, Tata’s production literally recasts this subversive and brilliant tragicomedy in a contemporary light—celebrating Molière’s 400th anniversary with a Dom Juan for the 21st century. Commissioned as the opening production of Bard SummerScape 2022, and marking this year’s global celebrations of Molière’s 400th anniversary, Dom Juan makes its world premiere June 23–July 17.
Dance
Song of Songs
SummerScape Commission/World Premiere Choreography by Pam Tanowitz Music by David Lang
Spiritual and erotic, playful and mysterious, The biblical Song of Songs (also known as The Song of Solomon ) is perhaps the greatest of all love poems—a hymn of yearning, steeped in images from the natural world. The poem’s unforgettable images of the natural world have inspired artists and lovers for millennia – indeed some scholars argue that the entire tradition of Western love poetry springs from its glorious verses. Now, composer David Lang and Fisher Center resident choreographer Pam Tanowitz join forces to create a major new dance-theater performance based on this radiantly beautiful text. A collage of sound, song, and movement that reimagines ancient rituals of love and courtship, Song of Songs holds the sacred and profane threads of the Song in perfect balance. The performance is making its world premiere July 1-3 as part of the 2022 edition of the Bard SummerScape festival.
“Tanowitz has long been one of the most formally brilliant choreographers around.”
New York Times
Opera
The Silent Woman (Die Schweigsame Frau)
By Richard Strauss The American Symphony Orchestra Conducted by Leon Botstein Directed and designed by Christian Räth
Jana McIntyre (Aminta) and David Portillo (Henry). Photo by Maria Baranova
Considered Strauss’s only true comic opera, this rarely performed work is by turns elegiac and incisively witty. The brilliantly written libretto by Stefan Zweig (loosely based on the Renaissance play by Ben Jonson) features a madcap cast of characters in a variety of guises. The imaginative and colorful production by Christian Räth (Das Wunder der Heliane, SummerScape 2019) featuring a stellar group of performers will be sung in German with English supertitles. Räth’s colorful, fast-paced new staging runs for five performances on July 22, 24, 27, 29 and 31.
a stentorian bass … with impressive focus, carrying power and quiet charisma
New York Times
Bard Music Festival
Rachmaninoff and His World
The Bard Music Festival returns for its 32nd season with an exploration of the life and work of Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873–1943), perhaps the last great exponent of Russian Romanticism, who nevertheless embodied many contradictions.
Through a series of themed concert programs, lectures, and panel discussions, Rachmaninoff and His World explores such themes as composition during the Cold War, virtuoso pianists and their public, and America’s ongoing love affair with Rachmaninoff’s music.
An edifying mix of academic and aesthetic delights.
– New Yorker
Through the prism of his life and career, Weekend One traces the complex course the composer navigated between Russia and Modernity (Aug 5–7), and Weekend Two investigates his relationship with the New Worlds he went on to conquer (Aug 12–14).
Spiegeltent
After a two-year absence, a magnificent Spiegeltent returns to SummerScape for a celebratory 15th year. Highlights include your first chance to experience new performances from Ms. Lisa Fischer and The Badass & Beautiful Band; the return of Black Roots Summer, a celebration of Black roots music curated by Michael Mwenso and Jono Gasparro; and returning favorites Mx. Justin Vivian Bond, Nona Hendryx, Susanne Bartsch, and more!
Gala: “Summer Enchanted Evening”
On July 16, Bard’s Montgomery Place Campus plays host to “Summer Enchanted Evening,” a special gala celebration to benefit the Fisher Center and Bard Music Festival.
SummerScape tickets
Tickets for mainstage events go on sale on March 9, starting at $25, and Spiegeltent tickets go on sale in April. For complete information regarding tickets, series discounts and more, visit fishercenter.bard.edu. or call Bard’s box office at (845) 758-7900.
Bethel Woods Center For The Arts has updated their upcoming concerts for this summer, which was kicked off by The Who on May 28. Shows will run through September 3rd at the best outdoor concert venues in The Catskills.
Seated next to the 1969 Woodstock Festival, the modern amphitheater features covered seating for 5,000 and lawn seating for an additional 11,000.
Brad Paisley with special guests Tracy Lawrence & Tenille Townes –June 4 at 7:30 PM
Country music artist Brad Paisley, renowned in country music history for his talent and decorations in the genre is performing with special guests Tracy Lawrence & Tenille Townes at the Pavilion at Bethel Woods at 7:30 on June 4.
Celtic Woman (Pavilion-Only) — June 5 at 7:30 PM
The all-female Irish musical ensemble will perform at Bethel Woods for a special Pavilion-only performance at 7:30 on June 5.
Bill Burr (Slight Return) — June 17 at 8:00 PM
Grammy-nominated comedian Bill Burr, who is one of the top comedic voices of his generation achieving success in TV and film as well as on stage, is going to bring his performance to the Pavilion at Bethel Woods at 8:00 PM on June 17.
Thomas Rhett with Parker McCollum & Conner Smith — June 23 at 7:30 PM
Four-time Grammy Award nominee Thomas Rhett returns to the historic site for a Pavilion show this summer with Parker McCollum & Conner Smith.
Dead & Company — July 1 at 7:00 PM
Dead & Company consists of former Grateful Dead members and acclaimed musicians for a not-to-miss Pavilion show.
The Doobie Brothers 50th Anniversary Tour feat. Michael McDonald — July 2 at 7:00 PM
Boasting one of the most loyal fan bases in music, selling more than 48 million albums, and winning four GRAMMY Awards, The Doobie Brothers continue to write and record new material and tour the world.
Steely Dan with Dave Stryker Trio — July 3 at 7:30 PM
Experience all the hits from as part of Steely Dan’s “Earth After Hours” tour with special guest the Dave Stryker Trio at the Pavilion at Bethel Woods at 7:30 PM on July 3.
Josh Groban: Harmony Tour with Preservation Hall Jazz Band, also featuring Lucia Micarelli, and Eleri Ward — July 5 at 7:00 PM
Josh Groban with special guest Preservation Hall Jazz Band also featuring Lucia Micarelli and Eleri Ward perform at Bethel Woods for one not-to-miss evening.
Train: AM Gold Tour with special guests Jewel, Blues Traveler & Will Anderson — July 8 at 6:30 PM
Train with special guests Jewel, Blues Traveler & Will Anderson join forces on the Pavilion stage for an unforgettable evening of live music.
Chicago & Brian Wilson with Al Jardine & Blondie Chaplin — July 14 at 7:00 PM
Chicago, one of the longest-running and best-selling groups of all time, comes to Bethel Woods to perform hits spanning multiple generations.
OneRepublic with special guest NEEDTOBREATHE — July 15 at 7:00 PM
OneRepublic is comprised of Ryan Tedder, Brent Kutzle, Zach Filkins, Drew Brown, Eddie Fisher and Brian Willett. Along with NEEDTOBREATHE, they will perform at 7:00 PM on July 15.
Alanis Morissette with Garbage — July 19 at 7:00 PM
Canadian-American singer, songwriter, and actress Alanis Morissette is coming to the Pavilion at Bethel Woods at 7:00 PM on July 19 with Garbage for their “Jagged Little Pill” 25th anniversary tour.
Dave Matthews Band — July 20 at 7:30 PM
The American rock band Dave Matthews Band will criss-cross the state this summer, with a stop at Bethel Woods at 7:30 PM on July 19.
Phish — July 22, 23 at 7:30 PM
Phish will return to Bethel Woods for the second time in their history, the last being a memorable 2011 run of three shows.
Backstreet Boys — July 24 at 7:00 PM
The vocal harmony group Backstreet Boys are scheduled to resume their tour which was delayed due to the pandemic. Their third tour performance in July will be put on at the Pavilion at Bethel Woods at 7:00 P.M., July 24.
Norah Jones with special guest Regina Spektor — July 30 at 7:30 PM
Norah Jones performs with special guest Regina Spektor during this special Pavilion-only performance at 7:30 PM on July 30.
Jimmy Buffett & The Coral Reefer Band — August 4 at 8:00 PM
Legendary singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett performs on the Pavilion stage with the famous The Coral Reefer Band at 8:00 PM on August 4.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone™ in Concert — August 6 at 7:30 PM
The Harry Potter film series is a once-in-a-lifetime cultural phenomenon that delights millions of fans around the world. The concert will brings back the fantastic memories of Harry Potter film series at the Pavilion at Bethel Woods at 7:30 PM on August 6.
Foreigner with Don Felder — August 7 at 7:00 PM
With 10 multi-platinum albums and 16 Top 30 hits, Foreigner is universally hailed as one of the most popular rock acts in the world with a formidable musical arsenal that continues to propel sold-out tours and album sales, now exceeding 80 million.
Outlaw Music Festival feat Willie Nelson — August 13 at 4:30 PM
Founded in partnership with the iconic and beloved Willie Nelson, the Outlaw Music Festival is North America’s largest touring music festival.
Backroads Blues Festival: Buddy Guy & Kenny Wayne Shepherd with special guest Christone “Kingfish” Ingram — August 14 at 6:00 PM
Blues rock great and five-time GRAMMY nominee Kenny Wayne Shepherd alongside blues legend Buddy Guy and young blues sensation, and recent Grammy winner Christone “Kingfish” Ingram come together for the Backroads Blues Festival.
Brandi Carlile with Allison Russell and Yola — August 19 at 7:00 PM
Phil Lesh & The Midnight Ramble Band — August 20 at 7:30 PM
Phil Lesh will be joined by The Midnight Ramble Band featuring Amy Helm, Larry Campbell, Teresa Williams, Jim Weider, Connor Kennedy, Tony Leone, Shawn Pelton, Brian Mitchell, Adam Minkoff, Steven Bernstein, Jay Collins, Erik Lawrence, Grahame Lesh.They will perform the Pavilion at Bethel Woods at 7:30 PM on August 20.
Santana with Earth, Wind & Fire — August 21 at 7:00 PM
Original Woodstock performer Santana returns to the historic site with Earth, Wind & Fire for a Pavilion performance not to miss.
Encanto: The Sing Along Film Concert — August 23 at 7:30 PM
Mirabel, the only ordinary Madrigal, discovers the magic surrounding their home is in danger, she may be her family’s last hope. Encanto received the Academy Award, BAFTA, Golden Globe and Producers Guild of America Award for Best Animated Feature.
The Beach Boys – Sixty Years of the Sounds of Summer with The Temptations — August 25 at 7:30 PM
Enjoy decades of timeless hits in just one night with The Beach Boys – Sixty Years of the Sounds of Summer and The Temptations at the Pavilion at Bethel Woods at 7:30PM on August 25.
Darius Rucker with Jameson Rodgers & Elvie Shane — September 3 at 7:00 PM
Multi-Platinum singer and rhythm guitarist Darius Rucker is joined by special guests Jameson Rodgers & Elvie Shane to perform at the Pavilion at Bethel Woods at 7:00 PM on September 3.
On June 11, Manhattan’s Performance Space New York will host a performance of “Divine Justice,” a 24-hour long show by Obie-winning playwright Ariana Reines.
Taking a mystical approach, “Divine Justice” hypothesizes what a female-first, reformation-oriented conception of justice would look like. The play draws influence from early Greek theater, exploring its themes using the Greek myth of Medea. The main character of the production, Medea is portrayed by Obie-winning actress Birgit Huppuch. Other inspirations include Balkan women’s folk singing, Reverend Billy’s Church of Stop Shopping, and the pop culture trope of the courtroom drama.
Reines conceived the play in wake of the hearings of Brett Kavanaugh and Kyle Rittenhouse during 2018 and 2020 respectively, viewing these legal proceedings as “precise portraits of the judiciary as a theater of white masculine hysteria.”
Looking to explore thousands of years worth of misogyny through “Divine Justice,” she chose the 24-hour format out of a desire to attract a crowd of “hardcore people.” Over the course of its runtime, the production will include refreshments, meal breaks, “more traditional performance events,” meditation, conversation, and music. A schedule for such proceedings will be found on Performance Space New York’s website in the days leading up to the show.
In addition to her works as a playright such as “Divine Justice,” Ariana Reines is also a poet, performing artist, and astrologer. Her most recent collection of poetry, A SAND BOOK, won the 2020 Kingsley Tufts Prize and was longlisted for the National Book Award.
Along with Reines and Huppuch, other contributors to “Divine Justice” include Sunder Ganglani on sound design, Tuçe Yasak on lighting design, Marsha Ginsberg on production design, Ken Rus Schmoll as a drama coach and co-director, Savitri D as the play’s dramaturgist, Yva Las Vegass as a musical performer.
As we saunter auspiciously into the sunny season, New Yorkers will be hoping for another memorable summer. In light, Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. (MSG Entertainment), has released its list of events between all of their MSG affiliated venues. 2022’s “Summer of Live” presentation will be split between Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, the Beacon Theatre and Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, as there will be more than 75 live entertainment events from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
“Summer of Live” kicked-off with a performance from, The Who, on May 26 at Madison Square Garden. A quick turnaround between the 27-29 saw the Harvard Athletic Complex play host to the Boston Calling Music Festival this Memorial Day Weekend. There, fans got the chance to rock out with headliners Nine Inch Nails, The Strokes and Metallica.
From there, MSG Entertainment brings the heat with a jam-packed line up of events at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, the Beacon Theatre and Hulu Theater at MSG. From concerts and comedy, to professional darts and boxing, marquee performances will include Lil Baby and Chris Brown on July 22 as part of their “One of Them Ones Tour.” MSG Entertainment will also be host to two Top Rank Boxing fights on June 11 and 18. While popular podcasts, Pod Save America and My Dad Wrote A Porno will also grace the Beacon Theatre stage.
The complete schedule to MSG Entertainment’s upcoming shows schedule can be found below. Tickets to upcoming summer performances are available now on the MSG website.
May 26 at 7:30PM
Madison Square Garden
The Who“Hit’s Back! 2022 Tour” – Tickets start at $97.00
May 27-29
Harvard Athletic Complex (Allston, MA)
Boston Calling Music Festival – Single day admission tickets start at $149.99 with two-day and three-day packages also still available
June 2 at 8:00PM
Beacon Theatre
Pod Save America “(A)live And On Tour 2022” – Tickets start at $49.50
June 3 at 8:00PM
Beacon Theatre
Gipsy Kings – Tickets start at $80.00
June 3 at 7:00PM June 4 at 1:00PM & 7:30PM
Hulu Theater at MSG
World Series of Darts: Bet365 North American Darts Championship – Two-day event with single session tickets starting at $30.00
June 4 at 7:00PM & 9:45PM
Beacon Theatre
Nate Bargatze “The Raincheck Tour” – Limited tickets for the late show starting at $39.75; early show sold out
June 8 at 2:00PM
Hulu Theater at MSG
Beat the Streets WrestlingPresents Final X New York – Tickets start at $65.00
June 9 at 8:00PM
Beacon Theatre
Tribeca Festival Presents “Taurus” – Tickets start at $46.00
June 10 at 8:00PM
Beacon Theatre
Tribeca Festival Presents “the DOC” – Tickets start at $46.00
June 11 at 8:00PM
Beacon Theatre
Tribeca Festival Presents “Untrapped: The Story of Lil Baby” – Tickets start at $46.00
June 11 at 6:00PM
Hulu Theater at MSG
Top Rank Boxing: Berlanga v Angulo – Tickets start at $66.00
June 16 & 17 at 8:00PM
Beacon Theatre
Sigur Ros: World Tour 2022 – Two shows with limited tickets still available starting at $125.50
June 17 at 9:00PM
Hulu Theater at MSG
Hombres G – Tickets start at $75.00
June 18 at 6:00PM
Hulu Theater at MSG
Top Rank Boxing: Artur Beterbiev vs. Joe Smith Jr. – Tickets start at $56.00
June 23-25 at 8:00PM
Madison Square Garden
John Mulaney“From Scratch” tour – Three shows with limited tickets available starting at $69.50
June 24 & 25 at 8:00PM
Radio City Music Hall
Goose – Two nights with limited tickets still available on 6/24, starting at $39.50
June 30 at 8:00PM
Radio City Music Hall
My Dad Wrote A Por.noWorld Tour – Tickets start at $51.75
July 9 at 7:30PM
Hulu Theater at MSG
TOMORROW X TOGETHER“<ACT: LOVE SICK>” tour – Tickets start at $75.00
July 9 at 8:00PM
Radio City Music Hall
CHEER Live – Tickets start at $79.95
July 21-25 at 8:00PM
Beacon Theatre
Widespread Panic – Five shows with tickets starting at $49.50
July 22 at 7:00PM
Madison Square Garden
Chris Brown & Lil Baby“One of Them Ones Tour” – Tickets start at $69.50
July 26, 27, 29 & 30 at 8:00PM
Beacon Theatre
An Evening with Jackson Browne – Four shows with tickets starting at $39.50
July 27 at 7:00PM
Radio City Music Hall
BANKS“Serpentina Tour” – Tickets starting at $39.50
July 28 at 8:00PM
Radio City Music Hall
RuPaul’s Drag Race“Werq The World Tour” – Tickets start at $45.00
July 30 at 8:00PM
Hulu Theater at MSG
Carin Leon – Tickets start at $75.00
July 31 at 8:00PM
Beacon Theatre
Hanson“Red Green Blue 2022 Tour” – Tickets start at $39.50
Aug. 2-3 at 8:00PM
Madison Square Garden
Swedish House Mafia“Paradise Again Tour” – Two nights with tickets starting at $59.50
Aug. 8-12 & 14 at 8:00PM
Madison Square Garden
Rage Against the Machine“Public Service Announcement” tour with Run The Jewels – Six shows with limited tickets still available starting at $125.00
Aug. 18 at 8:00PM
Madison Square Garden
An Evening with Michael Bublé – Tickets start at $131.00
Aug. 21 at 7:00PM
Beacon Theatre
Gilberto Santa Rosa’s Birthday Bash! – Tickets start at $65.50
Aug. 27 at 7:00PM
Beacon Theatre
Celeste Barber“Fine, Thanks. Live Tour” – Tickets start at $54.50
Aug. 30 at 8:00PM
Beacon Theatre
Soft Cell – Tickets start at $49.50
Aug. 30 & 31 at 8:00PM
Madison Square Garden
Roger Waters “This Is Not A Drill” – Tickets start at $70.00
Over the next three months, CMAC in Canandaigua will host 20 concerts, with an emphasis on country, classic rock, and unique performances not found elsewhere in New York State this summer. The dates for CMAC summer concerts features events scheduled from the end of May to the beginning of September.
The Lumineers are a Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum folk rock band best known for their 2012 single, “Ho Hey.” On tour in promotion of their January album BRIGHTSIDE, Ohio folk band CAAMP will feature as a guest act.
Kenny Chesney- June 8 at 7:30 PM
Chesney’s decorated country career includes twelve studio albums that have hit number one on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart, and 31 number one hit singles on the Hot Country Songs Chart. Touring in promotion of his 2020 album Here and Now, guest contribution will come from fellow country musician Carly Pierce, whose three studio albums have all hit top 10 on the Top Country chart.
Fitz and The Tantrums are a LA pop group best known for multi-platinum singles “Out of My League” from 2013, and “HandClap” from 2016. They’ll be joint headlining with St. Paul & The Broken Bones, an eight-piece soul group from Birmingham, AL, while Nashville singer-songwriter Devon Gilfillian serves as a guest performer.
Maren Morris- June 23 at 8 PM
Maren Morris is a Grammy-winning pop/country singer-songwriter. With seven platinum singles, she’s best known for 2018 hit song “The Middle” with Zedd & Grey, which reached number 5 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. Touring in promotion of her March-released album Humble Quest, Georgia country artist Brent Cobb with guest feature.
A Grammy-winning New Zealand-born Australian country singer, Keith Urban has seven studio albums which have hit number one on Billboard’s US Top Country Albums chart and 14 singles which have topped the US Hot Country Songs Chart. Touring in support of his 2020 album THE SPEED OF NOW Part 1, Urban will be joined by guest performer Ingrid Andress, an American country singer best known for her 2019 single “More Hearts Than Mine” which charted #30 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Luke Bryan- July 15 at 7 PM
Nashville-based country singer Luke Bryan is similarly accomplished, with his last five records hitting number one on the Top Country Albums chart and having 22 number one hit singles on the US Country Airplay chart. He’ll be joined by fellow country artists Riley Green and fellow Nashville native Mitchell Tenpenny.
Sam Hunt- August 4 at 7 PM
Same goes for Sam Hunt, a Georgia native whose two studio albums have both hit number one on the Top Country Albums Chart with nine of his eleven singles taking number one on the Country Airplay Chart. He will be joined by two fellow country musicians, the Tennessee-born Dustin Lynch and Canadian singer Mackenzie Porter.
Journey- August 8 at 7 PM
San Francisco rock band Journey needs no introduction. Best known for their culturally ubiquitous 1981 single “Don’t Stop Believin’,” their generational popularity also stems from other 80s hits such as “Any Way You Want It” and “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart).” Journey’s nearly 50-year career is marked by eight platinum studio albums.
Country singer-songwriter Chris Stapleton has won eight Grammy’s since his 2015 debut album “Traveller” with all four studio records of his so far topping Billboard’s Top Country Albums Chart. Guest performers include country musicians Elle King and Madeline Edwards of California origin.
Daryl Hall & John Oates- September 1 at 8 PM
The famed songwriting duo of over 50 years has 18 studio albums under their belt, with eight of them certified platinum and six of them certified gold. Six singles of theirs have topped the Billboard Hot 100, and in 2014 the duo was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
New York City-based singer-songwriter Marina Laurendi has released a new single “Gramercy.”
A lush five-minute track, it’s the lead single for her debut EP Stay Mine coming this Friday, which will be accompanied by the release of a music video for the song.
Marina Laurendi performing at The Bitter End in Manhattan. (Photo found on website)
On “Gramercy,” Laurendi croons about an impassioned romance using New York City imagery. Taking an approach reminiscent of Lana Del Rey, a former Lake Placid native, she muses about kissing on the L Train and compares the euphoria of her bout of love to the heights of skyscrapers.
Laurendi always returns to the song’s guiding analogy: the connection between her relationship’s vulnerability and the secrecy of Manhattan’s Gramercy Park. “You got the key to me, treat me like I’m Gramercy,” she sings on the infectious hook.
Her lyrics paint a genuine and intimate picture, and Laurendi’s shaky vocals which never stray from technical peerlessness convey her ideas perfectly.
The same can be said about the song’s musical arrangement which only moves her message forward. The track’s instrumentation varies across its runtime, featuring light chords on acoustic guitar and bright licks on electric, rich keys, pulsating violins, and a noisy organ in the song’s final seconds. “Gramercy” never overplays itself with all these components however, swelling and falling throughout its pop-oriented song structure in a way that stays true to Laurendi’s sentimental subject matter.
No piece of “Gramercy” goes to waste, as Laurendi’s knowledge of her hometown and endearing vocals over a well-crafted musical backdrop contribute to a captivating love song and worthy lead single.
Opera Saratoga announced Thursday their updated casting, and ticket information for their 2022 Summer Festival.
The festival, which runs from May 26 to July 10, will host eight shows at venues spanning from Albany up to Lake George Village.
The Barber of Seville will be performed on Proctors MainStage in Schenectady on July 8 & 10.
Guest performers include artists Carolee Carmello, Craig Colclough, Siphokazi Molten, Daniel Mobbs, Phyllis Pancella, Sidney Outlaw, and Marietta Simpson.
The festival will open up with Stars of Tomorrow, an annual concert at The Charles R. Wood Theater in Glens Falls.
Headline performances of the festival include two Gioachino Rossini works, The Barber of Seville on Proctors MainStage in Schenectady and Petite Messe Solennelle at The Round Lake Auditorium on July 10. The Barber of Seville is the final scheduled concert of the festival.
Also featured will be Sky on Swings by Lembit Beecher and Hannah Moscovitch at The Egg in Albany, and a performance of Stephen Sondheim’s famed Sweeney Todd on the Amphitheater Stage of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center.
Other events include A Broadway Cabaret at The Mansion of Saratoga in Rock City Falls, A Juneteenth Celebration at Proctors’ GE Theater in Schenectady, and the 2020 Opera Gala: Opera Under the Stars at The Barn at French Mountain in Lake George Village.
Opera Saratoga has been offering tickets for individual performances for the summer festival since March 21, and is also providing broader access through two different event passes.
The “All Access Pass” offers 20% savings off tickets to Sweeney Todd, Sky on Swings, A Broadway Cabaret, and both Rossini operas, along with granting free tickets A Juneteenth Celebration and Stars of Tomorrow. The pass also provides holders a 20% discount off any additional tickets purchased.
The “Festival Highlights Pass” gives priority seating and 20% off tickets to Sweeney Todd, Sky on Swings, and The Barber of Seville. Holders can also customize their pass by including additional tickets to concerts of choice from the Opera Saratoga 2022 Festival with a 10% discount for each purchased.
Tickets for individual performances have been available online or by phone through the offices of SPAC (Sweeney Todd, Stars of Tomorrow, A Broadway Cabaret, Petite Messe Solennelle), Proctors (The Barber of Seville, A Juneteenth Celebration) and Egg Box (Sky on Swings). Other details can be found on Opera Saratoga’s website.
Brooklyn-based progressive rock band Nerd Salad has released a new single, “Dogmeat.” The song is the lead single in promotion of their debut album Press Start coming June 3, is the group’s first new music since their 2018 release Your Father and I Aren’t Angry, We’re Just Disappointed.
Artwork for “Dogmeat.”
“Dogmeat” follows a highly transformative structure over its seven-and-a-half minute runtime, going from basic verse-chorus format to instrumental breakdown before returning to its original melody in the song’s conclusion.
The song’s dreamy opening riff gives off a nice warmth that contrasts the apocalyptic subject matter on the verses. “Our future is grim and bleak, all alone to find what you seek,” they sing in the track’s opening lines over a funky blues guitar rhythm. The song’s verses paint a detailed Mad Max-like picture of a world past salvage. “Found you in this desolate wasteland, digging through trash and scraps of old tin cans,” they sing in the second verse’s opening lines.
The melodic chorus gives release to this tension, where all instruments crash together on top of the song’s defining words, “the ceiling’s now the ground, we’re all just dogmeat now.”
The instrumental bridge after the third verse fully plays into the chaos described here, with a long disjointed guitar solo being paced by hyper-frenetic drumming. This part of the song keeps up with the track’s understanding of tension and release, as this section closes out with a heavy blues jam. We then hear the chorus one more time, reinforcing the song’s musical identity before the song’s outro.
All members of Nerd Salad are very talented musicians, and while the song displays this clearly, no part of “Dogmeat” leans into self indulgence. This is even true during the “Paranoid Android” reminiscent freakout which closes the song, as every part of the track properly serves its purpose of detailing a world in havoc.
“Dogmeat” is a creative and chaotic piece of progressive rock, and is a good sign of what’s to come from Nerd Salad next month.
The Bacon Brothers have announced bi-coastal tour dates for this summer in support of their new EP Erato, to be released July 8.
The tour includes three performances in New York, with the band stopping in Rochester for the Rochester International Jazz Festival on June 24, New York City at City Winery on the 25th, and Caroga Lake at Sherman’s Park on July 30.
Cover art for Erato by the Bacon Brothers.
Erato, the five song EP, is slated to be the brothers’ 11th studio release. They call their sound “Forosoco – a blend of folk, rock, soul and country influences.” “We’re still exploring the sound we began making 25 years ago; we’ve just gotten a lot better at it,” says Michael Bacon, an Emmy-winning composer whose found success alongside his brother Kevin, an A-list Hollywood actor.
For the EP’s lead single, “In Memory (Of When I Cared),” the brothers collaborated with Desmond Child, a Songwriters Hall of Fame member whose credits include Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer,” Aerosmith’s “Crazy,” and Joan Jett’s “I Hate Myself For Loving You.”
The Bacon Brothers also found collaboration from Kevin’s son Travis, who produced the track “Karaoke Town.”
The Bacon Brothers Tourdates
Jun 24—Rochester, NY—Rochester International Jazz Festival Jun 25—New York, NY—City Winery Jun 26—Atlantic City, NJ-–Sound Mind Music Festival July 14—Minneapolis, MN – Dakota Jazz July 30—Caroga Lake, NY – Sherman’s Park July 31—Waterville, ME – Waterville Opera House Aug 2—-Ocean City, NJ – Ocean City Music Pier Aug 5—-Plymouth, NH – The Flying Monkey (Rescheduled) Aug 6—-Brownfield, ME – Stone Mountain Arts Center (Rescheduled) Aug 7—-Beverly, MA – The Cabot (Rescheduled) Aug 24–San Juan Capistrano, CA – The Coach House Aug 25–Solana Beach, CA – Belly Up Tavern Aug 26–Agoura Hills, CA – The Canyon Aug 27–Napa, CA – Blue Note Napa Aug 28–Napa, CA – Blue Note Napa Sep 9—-New Braunfels, TX – Gruene Hall Sep 10–The Woodlands – Dosey Doe Sep 11—Lubbock, TX – Cactus Theater
