Fans of classical music and the Chamber Music Society will now get the chance to hear them in Saratoga throughout the entire year instead of just the customary summer performances. Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) has announced a new year-round residency for the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center that is slated to begin later this year. 2023 marks the 10 year anniversary for this yearly residency, which is now extended throughout the entire year, affirming SPAC’s commitment to providing programming outside of the traditional summer season.
Performances from the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center will return to the Spa Little Theatre for the first time since 2019. The next scheduled dates are on October 15, March 18 and May 13 with the summer performances to be announced at a later date. All scheduled musicians and accompanying selections can be found below.
While CMS may have just taken their final bow for the summer, we can’t think of a better way to celebrate the residency’s upcoming SPAC 10th anniversary in 2023 than by extending the scope of what they do in Saratoga.
~ Elizabeth Sobol, President and CEO of Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Subscriptions to all three programs will be available to purchase at spac.org beginning August 26 at 10 a.m. for SPAC members. Member presales are tiered by level, and members will receive their presale start time via email. Subscriptions will be available to the general public beginning August 31 at 10 a.m. Single tickets will be available to purchase on September 8 at 10 a.m.
Monday, October 15, 2022
MICHAEL STEPHEN BROWN, Piano
KRISTIN LEE, Violin
RICHARD LIN, Violin
JAMES THOMPSON, Violin
MATTHEW LIPMAN, Viola
MIHAI MARICA, Cello
JOSEPH CONYERS, Double Bass
Bach Concerto in D minor for Keyboard, Strings, and Continuo, BWV 1052 (1734)
Schubert Rondo in A major for Violin and String Quartet, D. 438 (1816)
Handel/Halvorsen Passacaglia in G minor for Violin and Viola (1894)
Mendelssohn Double Concerto in D minor for Violin, Piano, and Strings (1823)
Saturday, March 18, 2023
JESSICA RIVERA, Soprano
MICHAEL STEPHEN BROWN, Piano
GILLES VONSATTEL, Piano
NICHOLAS CANELLAKIS, Cello
IAN DAVID ROSENBAUM, Percussion
CoplandEl Salón México for Piano and Percussion (arr. Bernstein) (1932-36, arr. 1941)
BernsteinThree Meditations from Mass for Cello, Piano, and Percussion (1971, arr. 1977)
Ginastera “Chacarera” from Cinco canciones populares argentinas for Voice and Piano, Op. 10 (1943)
Chávez “North Carolina Blues” for Voice and Piano (1942)
Ginastera “Gato” from Cinco canciones populares argentinas for Voice and Piano, Op. 10 (1943)
Ponce “Estrellita” for Voice and Piano (1912)
Bernstein “I Feel Pretty” from West Side Story for Voice and Piano (1957)
Bernstein “Somewhere” from West Side Story for Voice and Piano (1957)
Golijov Mariel for Cello and Marimba (1999)
Villa-Lobos“A maré encheu” from Guia prático for Piano (1932)
Villa-Lobos “O polichinelo” from Prole do bebê for Piano (1918)
Ginastera Pampeana No. 2, Rhapsody for Cello and Piano, Op. 21 (1950)
León “Oh Yemanja” from Scourge of Hyacinths for Soprano, Cello, and Piano (1994)
Gershwin Cuban Overture for Piano, Four Hands, and Percussion (1932)
Saturday, May 13, 2023
WU HAN, Piano
ARNAUD SUSSMANN, Violin
DAVID FINCKEL, Cello
Beethoven Sonata in F major for Violin and Piano, Op. 24, “Spring” (1800-01)
Beethoven Trio in G major for Piano, Violin, and Cello, Op. 1, No. 2 (1791-93, rev. 1794)
Dvořák Trio in E minor for Piano, Violin, and Cello, Op. 90, “Dumky” (1890-91)
Logic and Wiz Khalifa co-headlined at Saratoga Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, August 23. The Vinyl Verse Tour features 24kGoldn, Fedd the God, DJ Drama, and C Dot Castro. Within the nearly full amphitheater, the group of artists performed ongoing acts without missing a single beat.
DJ Bonics warmed up the audience to upbeat popular hip hop songs before C Dot Castro hit the stage. Settling in on stage, Castro rapped effortlessly to a fast beat entertaining the large crowd. For some in the audience, it was their first time hearing his music, and this didn’t stop them from dancing and chanting the lyrics right back.
DJ Drama kept the beats rolling for Pittsburg native, Fedd the God. Fedd instantly gave his full energy while performing original songs. Near the end of Fedd’s set, he jumped into the crowd and continued rapping without hesitation.
24kGoldn performed his hit songs “Valentino,” and “Mood,” while many in the crowd sang along, and danced without any encouragement needed.
The lights dimmed and Multi-platinum GRAMMY® Award-nominated Logic, nurtured the crowds excitement as he jumped on stage and performed songs including “Everyday,” “1-800-273-8255,” and more. Logic’s sound projects the same as it does on recordings and he comfortably delivered his lyrics at a rapid pace while walking from side-to-side on the stage.
Following Logic, the lights dimmed one more time for Grammy and Golden Globe nominee, Wiz Khalifa. Khalifa stood on a tall platform and opened with classic hip-hop record “Black and Yellow.” The standing audience waved their arms up and down to the beat of each song; there were a select few that jumped.
On August 4, 1966, the world-renowned Philadelphia Orchestra took up residence at Saratoga Springs Performing Arts Center (SPAC) for the very first time with Maestro Eugene Ormandy conducting. The maestro helped shape SPAC into the perfect venue for such a performance and brought the orchestra much acclaim throughout his 44 years as conductor.
56 years later, the orchestra still continues to offer audiences classical entertainment with its programming and performances.
Adrian Siegel, courtesy of Adrian Siegel Collection/Philadelphia Orchestra Archives
On the first Saturday of August, on a clear night, an estimated 5,100 attendees gathered inside the newly opened SPAC for the first show with another estimated 2,000 on the center’s lawns. The performance marked a first for the venue. The New York City Ballet’s July performances that year went beautifully, but how would the SPAC amphitheater sound hold with an entire symphony inside?
According to the New York Times, which reported on the show at the time, the performance and acoustics held well and the enthusiastic crowd agreed. Maestro Eugene Ormandy chose an all-Beethoven program: the Ninth and Eighth Symphony and the “Consecration of the House” Overture in C Major. The Overture, featuring a march and much fanfare, made the perfect celebratory music for an opening night. Despite the distant sound interference of a freight train interrupting during the Eighth Symphony, the rest of the concert seemed to be a great success.
The concert in no way would have been such a success without the preparation and intensity of its maestro. Eugene Ormandy and his Orchestra were careful, precise, and presented a wonderful concert to their audience. From the start, Ormandy predicted the venue would be “one of the great summer festivals of all time.” However, according to Times Union, before opening night, Ormandy made it clear that some things about the SPAC venue had to be changed.
The waterfall behind the venue interrupted the music, and a dam was promptly built to rectify the situation. This solution did not last long, and groundsmen had to catch every last frog that resided in the resulting pond so Ormandy, and his audiences, did not hear any incessant croaking during the performance.
Adrian Siegel, courtesy of Adrian Siegel Collection/Philadelphia Orchestra Archives
According to SPAC, the amphitheater was specifically built with the Philadelphia Orchestra in mind. In addition to his work as maestro, Eugene Ormandy played a huge role in ensuring that the venue would be the perfect summer home for such a major orchestra, known as one of the “Big Five.”
Although founded in 1900, the Philadelphia Orchestra would grow immensely in reach under Ormandy. One of the first orchestras to record music, many of the most popular recordings of the organization were under the conduction of Ormandy. 7 years after the first show at SPAC, the orchestra would travel to the People’s Republic of China, one of the first tours to the region from a Western orchestra in decades.
Ormandy expanded the reach of the Philadelphia Orchestra and the prominence of Saratoga Performing Arts Center during his long career. The Philadelphia Orchestra has returned to the venue consistently since that first summer evening show in August of 1966. 56 years later, the people of Saratoga Springs and visitors can enjoy the talents of the Philadelphia Orchestra, which will hold multiple performances at SPAC this August.
The orchestra will play a mix of traditional classical music and more contemporary takes. Beginning on August 10, the current Music Director of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, will return for four programs. Highlights include the return of world-famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma and violinist Joshua Bell, among the performances. For tickets to upcoming concerts, visit the SPAC website for more information.
In what will perhaps go down as the warmest day of 2022, Wednesday, July 20 also proved to be a scorching night of live music in Saratoga Springs, NY for the nearly 15,000 fans who packed SPAC to see the Dropout Boogie Tour. A stellar lineup was headlined by the critically acclaimed blue-collar Blues/Rock duo, The Black Keys. Bolstered by indie rock icons, Band of Horses, along with charismatic up-and-comers Ceramic Animal, the trio of talented bands left it all on stage, giving fans every ounce of sweat they had. Confirming what most of us already know: rock ‘n roll is alive and well in the Capital Region.
Boogie On: The Black Keys made their Capital Region debut at SPAC on Wednesday, July 20, 2022
Kicking off the “boogie” in fine fashion, was Doylestown, Pennsylvania’s Ceramic Animal. A band consisting of three brothers and two of their childhood friends, this genre blending, high energy psychedelic-rock quintet has been around for a while now, having put out three self-funded studio albums, before garnering the attention of Black Keys front man and producer Dan Auerbach. Impressed by their songwriting, big yet down-to-earth personalities, and their DIY work ethic, Auerbach quickly signed Ceramic Animal to his label, Easy Eye Sound. The renowned producer then brought the band to Nashville to record their most recent album, Sweet Unknown (released this past March). Sticking close to their roots while honing their chops, their look and their stage show, Ceramic Animal’s relentless ambition is finally showing dividends. Tapped by Auerbach for a slot on this huge national tour produced by Live Nation, Ceramic Animal quite literally went from playing Albany’s intimate Empire Underground club last month, to making their Red Rocks debut last week, to taking the main stage at SPAC by storm on Wednesday night.
Rapid Rise: Ceramic Animal played a significantly smaller Capital Region venue less than a month ago. (Photo by Zak Radick; 6/30/22 Empire Underground; Albany NY)
Dressed to thrill and ready to make the most of their allotted time, the band came out firing on all cylinders with “Ann Marie” which flowed directly into the hard charging foot stomper “I Can’t Wait.” Taking a brief moment to address fans who showed up early, songwriter Chris Regan lifted the brim of his cowboy hat and acknowledged the significance of collaborating with Auerbach before going into the set’s only “slow” tune, “Forever Song,” which Auerbach originally helped them arrange and record. With stage time at a premium, Ceramic Animal saved perhaps their most impressive and catchiest song of the night for last, uncorking a near 10 minute rendition of “All My Loving,” a hybrid song of sorts that truly showcases what this band can do; seamlessly shifting tempos from rock riffs to a disco-type funk, then slowed to a darkly psychedelic build before reaching it’s climactic end. Successfully cashing in on a huge opportunity to gain new listeners, if people didn’t know who Ceramic Animal was before this show, they certainly did after. At the end of the night, the guys could be seen near the merch both hanging out and taking selfies with scores of new fans.
Ceramic Animal | July 20, 2022 | SPAC | Saratoga Springs, NY | Dropout Boogie Tour
Setlist: Ann Marie, I Can’t Wait, Forever Song, All My Loving
Next on the bill was a different kind of animal in the form of enduring alt rock titans Band of Horses. Led by songwriter Ben Bridwell and featuring a noticeably more “road tested” look than their predecessors, the tattoo covered, flannel wearing rockers from Seattle immediately got the crowd singing along with “Is There A Ghost” from their 2007 album Cease To Begin. With a layered sound full of subtleties and textures thanks to the bands three distinct guitar parts, it wasn’t until Matt Gentling dropped in with his first big bass bomb that the set really took off. Thrashing about the stage with reckless abandon, Gentling’s long haired headbanging was some of the best of the entire night and that’s saying something. Keeping the crowd involved with another sing-along, “The Great Salt Lake” off their debut album was next, followed by my personal highlight of the set, an irresistibly catchy version of ‘The General Specific’ which gave burley and bearded multi-instrumentalist Ryan Monroe a prime opportunity to shine behind the keys. Keeping it old school, another pair of fan favorites, “No One’s Gonna Love You” and “Islands on the Coast” came next. Perhaps taking a que from the audience as you could smell it all night, from there things got a little hazy as The Horses turned SPAC into an all-out “Weed Party” before going into a new tune,“Crutch,” the only song played off their recently released 2022 album Things Are Great. “In a Drawer” and “Laredo” would lead Band of Horses down the home stretch before their final song of the night and easily their most popular, “The Funeral,” which currently has over 300 million streams on Spotify.
Band of Horses | July 20, 2022 | SPAC | Saratoga Springs, NY | Dropout Boogie Tour
Setlist: Is There a Ghost, The Great Salt Lake, The General Specific, No One’s Gonna Love You, Islands on the Coast, Weed Party, Crutch, In a Drawer, Laredo, The Funeral
After an absolutely hilarious ‘Anti-Boogie’ intro video starring comedian David Cross urged Dads Interested in Choosing Our Kids Songs(D.I.C.K.S) to avoid this tour at all costs, it was finally time for the main event. Making their first ever Capital Region appearance and taking the stage around 9:15pm to a rabid applause, The Black Keys came out swinging for the fences with one of their hardest hitting songs, “I got Mine.” Often regarded as one of rock’s most prolific two piece, Dan Auerbach on guitar and vocals and his longtime friend and collaborator Patrick Carney on drums, some first timers in the audience seemed surprised to see a backing band on stage with them. Enlisting two brothers, Zach and Andy Gabbard, along with multi-instrumentalist Chris St. Hilaire to help fill in their live sound, The Black Keys strung together hit after hit. Sing-along songs like “Howlin’ For You,” “Tighten Up,” and “Your Touch” won the crowd over early before the band would really settle in with their signature bread-and butter, groove and blues-based sound. Like following a road map of their musical inspirations, The Keys would go on to pay homage to a number of Blues legends like John Lee Hooker, Junior Kimbrough and RL Burnside and cover songs like “Stay All Night,” “Coal Black Mattie”, “Going’ Down South” and “Crawlin’ Kingsnake” to name a few.
Influential Hitmaker: Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys performing at Saratoga Performing Arts Center on 7/20/22
Armed with a bevy of beautiful guitars and his signature fuzz-heavy pedal effects pallet, Auerbach would get a little extra help from ultra-talented guest guitar player Kenny Brown, who joined in on the fun to play a little slide. All frills and showmanship aside, The Black Keys were mostly all business on this night, only asking the crowd to “sing along if they know they words” once before launching into one of their biggest hits “Gold on the Ceiling.” As one of modern rocks most mimicked voices, Auerbach’s distinct singing was on point all evening, but one song that particularly stood out was a slowed down rendition of “Everlasting Light” in which he absolutely nailed the challenging falsetto parts. Recent ‘Keys songs like “Your Team is Looking Good” and “Wild Child” were met with favorable reactions, but the true highlight for long time TBK fans had to have been the set closing combo of “Ten Cent Pistol” and “She’s Long Gone” from the bands most popular album, 2010’s Brothers. Exiting the stage to a deafening applause, the crowd of about 15,000 simply would not stop cheering until the band came back out for an encore. Happy to oblige, instead of one they got two. First up was the sentimental ‘hold your lighter in the air’ type anthem “Little Black Submarines” which had nearly the entire lawn singing along in unison, a special moment that had all the feels. With the venue curfew now rapidly approaching, The Black Keys brought the show to a close with one final barn burner, the riff heavy stomper now commonly heard at sporting events everywhere, “Lonely Boy.”
With a successful Capital Region debut now in the books, the only real complaint fans may have is the lack of “old school” material played. With a back catalog that currently includes 11 studio albums, The Keys only performed one song that predated their 2008 breakthrough, Attack & Release. That being said, it’s doubtful anyone left the Dropout Boogie Tour feeling cheated. If anything, it’s a testament to the bands uncanny and continued ability to write catchy songs that appeal to a wide range of people of all ages; almost as if they have “too many” good songs to fit into one show. “Always keep them wanting more” they say, well on this hot and humid July night in Saratoga Springs, The Black Keys did exactly that. With this untapped market now fresh on their radar, hopefully it won’t take nearly as long for this dynamic, influential and charismatic duo to find their way back.
The Black Keys | July 20, 2022 | SPAC | Saratoga Springs, NY | Dropout Boogie Tour
Setlist: I Got Mine, Howlin’ For You, Fever, Tighen Up, Your Touch, It Ain’t Over, Gold On The Ceiling, Stay All Night, Coal Black Mattie, Goin’ Down South, Busted, Crawlin’ Kingsnake, Have Love Will Travel, Lo/Hi, Everlasting Light, Next Girl, Your Team Is Looking Good, Wild Child, Ten Cent Pistol, She’s Long Gone
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead (JRAD) will make their Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) debut on Thursday, August 25.
The Grateful Dead tribute band has been performing since January 2013, when guitarist Scott Metzger, bassist Dave Dreiwitz, keyboardist Marco Benevento and guitarist Tom Hamilton joined forces with drummer Joe Russo at Freak’s Ball, held at Brooklyn Bowl. The result was a band that has toured the country and amassed a dedicated following thanks to their improv-heavy interpretations of the Grateful Dead catalog, in addition to unique covers.
Tickets for all three concerts go on sale to the general public this Friday, March 18 at 10 a.m. ET. Passwords for a band presale, which Tuesday, March 15 at 12 p.m. ET, and can be found posted on JRAD’s Facebook Page.
Lawn tickets have just gone on sale as of July 19, with a special offer on lawn tickets for just $20.00 plus fees while supplies last. Tickets are available at livenation.com or through Ticketmaster.
Over July 8 and 9, Dave Matthews Band (DMB) played two hot shows at Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC). Sold out crowds packed the parking lot and Saratoga Spa State Park each day before heading into the show.
The city of Saratoga Springs welcomed back DMB fans with open arms, as the economic infusion from the fan base is undeniable. Jambase noted the Friday performance was the 41st show for DMB to headline at SPAC, and thus opened the show with “#41.” Additionally, the band also began their encore on Saturday with “Pay For What You Get,” which had not been performed in nearly seven years, last performed on August 1, 2015.
Dave Matthews Band – Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) Saratoga Springs, NY – July 8, 2022
Setlist: #41, Seven, #27, Grey Street, Funny The Way It Is, Don’t Drink the Water, Typical Situation, The Only Thing, Dancing Nancies, Fool In The Rain, So Right, Madman’s Eyes, Improv Intro*, You and Me, Say Goodbye, Everyday, So Damn Lucky, Drive In Drive Out, Two Step
Encore: Some Devil*, The Maker, Shake Me Like a Monkey * Dave Solo
Dave Matthews Band – Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC), Saratoga Springs, NY – July 9, 2022
Setlist: Bartender, Cant Stop, Proudest Monkey, Satellite, Louisiana Bayou, Sweet, Recently, Warehouse, Walk Around The Moon, Break Free, Seek Up, Sledgehammer, Come On Come On, Minarets, Lie In Our Graves, Crush, Rooftop, Ants Marching
Encore: Pay For What You Get, Too Much (Fake), Halloween
For the first night of their two-night run, Conor McMahon was on hand to photograph the band in action.
Tonight’s Dead and Company show at Saratoga Performing Arts Center has been cancelled. Reportedly, guitarist John Mayer’s father suffered a medical emergency that resulted in him being rushed to a New York City hospital. Mayer is tending to his father there after the cancellation of tonight’s show at SPAC.
“He is now fairly stable and will continue to undergo some procedures, but as you can understand, I have to stay in (New York City) and can’t play tonight’s show in Saratoga Springs,”
John Mayer on Instagram
Dead and Company at Hershey Stadium, August 28, 2021 – photo by Filip Zalewski
The band had previously posted a message to social media noting “due to unforeseen circumstances, tonight’s Dead & Company concert at Saratoga Performing Arts Center is canceled.”
Due to unforeseen circumstances, tonight’s Dead & Company concert at Saratoga Performing Arts Center is canceled. Tickets will be refunded automatically at the original point of purchase. The remaining Dead & Company tour dates are unaffected.
Fans can be refunded from the point of purchase. No word was given on why the band was forced to cancel less than 4 hours before showtime. Other shows this tour will not be affected.
The Grateful Dead played SPAC only four times in their career and today marks the anniversary of the third show which, for better or worse, may be the most memorable one of them all. Unfortunately, the show is remembered more for being responsible for getting the Dead banned from SPAC for the next three years. Reportedly, more than 40,000 fans attended this show, with Deadheads traveling from all over, creating Woodstock-like traffic conditions in Upstate New York and the Saratoga area.
This crowd size might be suitable for a stadium show, but instead created a venue that was 17,000 people over capacity, producing a chain reaction of safety issues that could have easily endangered the massive crowd. The SPAC balcony for this show was a veritable zoo, packed beyond belief as a result of people rushing in and passes reportedly being dropped down from above. Things are so out of hand a first set PSA urging people to stop hanging from there needs to be done. The band would serve its time and return in grand fashion three years later, but not before one more rowdy show that features a bevy of live Dead standards and traditional blues covers.
The show kicks off in a rather atypical fashion with a cover of the recently revived “In The Midnight Hour.” The Dead had dusted off this Wilson Pickett cover and refashioned it into an opener for a brief span in 1985. After some quick vocal sparring between Bob Weir and Brent Mydland, the band quickly launches into a much more familiar first set sight in “Bertha.” Jerry Garcia rips off the first of many effortless guitar solos and SPAC is officially all systems go.
“Little Red Rooster” follows and produces a sturdy blues jam, this time with Mydland going back and forth with Garcia on organ and guitar, respectively, that does a nice slow build in intensity. Afterwards, both Weir and bassist Phil Lesh essentially stop the show to admonish some fans who are hanging from the balcony railings and urge them to get back into their seats. Fittingly, the Dead then waste no time and jump right into a cover about an outlaw of another kind in “Stagger Lee.”
A pristine “El Paso” with some truly dulcet tones provided from Mydland’s electric piano then follows before Garcia begins to strum the opening chords to “Crazy Fingers.” A spirited Jerry powers through the vocals and delivers a string of delicate runs on the guitar with even more blissful background soundscapes emanating from Mydland’s rig. After a brief, exploratory jam the music then finds itself turning into a full-fledged “Supplication” jam, although no lyrics are ever sung. For some reason, the song was no longer paired with its traditional tag-team partner in “Lazy Lightnin’,” which the band stopped playing in 1984, and would only be a played a handful of times more in their career. The jam eventually loses steam and eventually dissolves seamlessly into “High Time.”
The Dead then wrap up the first set at SPAC with one of their newer live staples in a rousing “Hell In A Bucket” replete with more aggressive guitar play from Garcia and the boisterous vocal stylings of Bob Weir. The set then closes with a cover from way back when in a short and sweet “Don’t Ease Me In.”
The second set starts on a high note right from the gates and literally doesn’t come to a stop with a set full of nothing but segues. It begins with a “Feel Like A Stranger” that produces a riveting jam that seems to be picking up steam before Garcia seems to shift gears a little quicker than the rest of the band and steers it right into the beginning of “Eyes Of The World.” This lays down the foundation for another series of instrumental jams, spearheaded by Garcia’s frenetic runs up and down the fretboard.
The music then somehow finds its way to an early second set “Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad” that’s supercharged and seemingly played at a quicker than normal pace. After some brief indecision, and a possible nudge into “Not Fade Away,” the Dead instead veer into the ever prescient “Women Are Smarter.”
The band then yields the floor to the Rhythm Devils, drummers Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart, for some percussive and psychedelic relief with the traditional “Drums” > “Space” sequence. From the depths of “Space,” some familiar chords begin to emerge and the Dead launch into a “Truckin’” with the “New York’s got the ways and means line” getting a serious round of applause from the SPAC faithful. Instead of stretching this out a bit, the night’s ongoing theme of blues covers then carries on with a take of Howlin’ Wolf’s “Spoonful” with Weir ably manning the vocals.
The short, bluesy jam lends itself perfectly to the intro to “Black Peter” as the Grateful Dead keep the second set’s train of songs going without nary a stop. The Dead then unleash the last three covers from their musical holster to wrap up the evening’s festivities, starting with a set closing “Turn On Your Lovelight” that produces one more brief, boisterous jam with Weir singing the vocals that the legendary Pigpen used to make his own in a different time.
The encore selections could very well serve as a subliminal message to the overflowing crowd that helped make this the last Grateful Dead show at SPAC for three years as well as a nod to the upcoming ban. Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” was the first choice, perhaps an indirect message for the Dead faithful to respect the rules and capacity figures for venues going forward. A fitting closer in Bob Dylan’s “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” then closes out this show and begins the three-year wait for the Dead’s return to Saratoga.
Grateful Dead Saratoga Performing Arts Center – Saratoga, NY 6/27/85
Set 1: In The Midnight Hour, Bertha, Little Red Rooster, Stagger Lee, El Paso, Crazy Fingers > Supplication Jam > High Time, Hell In A Bucket > Don’t Ease Me In
Set 2: Feel Like A Stranger > Eyes Of The World > Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad > Man Smart (Woman Smarter) > Drums > Space > Truckin’ > Spoonful > Black Peter > Turn On Your Lovelight
The SPAC 2022 Summer performances and concerts have been announced, with a wide variety of artists and performances coming to the venue. For 50 years, SPAC has been the Summer home of New York City Ballet and The Philadelphia Orchestra, and has hosted thousands of concerts for the best-in-class artists across all genres.
Opera Saratoga was formed in 1962 to present opera in English and showcase young singers, and they are performing multiple dates with different performances. On May 26, they are performing “Stars of Tomorrow.” From June 2-3 they are performing Petite Messe Solennelle. On the 12 at 2 P.M. and 7 P.M. they are performing “A Hundred Years of Broadway – A Broadway Cabaret.” Finally, during the 29-30, they are performing Sweeney Todd – The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center is part of the largest performing arts complex in the world, and draws more people to chamber music than any other organization of its kind. They will be performing “Quintessential Quintets” on June 12 at 3 & 7 P.M. On the 19 at 3 & 7 P.M. they are performing “From the Harlem Renaissance to Today.” On July 10 at 3 & 7 P.M. they are performing “The Magic of Mixed Ensembles.” On August 14 at 3 & 7 P.M. they are performing “The Escher Quartet.”
The New York City Ballet will be coming to SPAC to do multiple dates with different varieties of shows. On July 12 at 7:30 P.M. they will be performing “NYCB On and Off Stage.” On the 13 and 16 at 7:30 P.M. they will be performing “20th Century Masters.” On the 15 at 7:30 P.M. and the 16 at 2 P.M. they will be performing “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
Adrian Danchig-Waring in Summerspace, Credit Photo: Erin Baiano
The Philadelphia Orchestra will be having its residency at SPAC from July 27-August 13, with a variety of performances including Yo-Yo Ma, The Princess Bride in Concert, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™ in Concert and more.
The Lumineers are a GRAMMY nominated-multi platinum folk rock band who gained commercial success with their 2012 hit “Ho Hey.” They will also be having CAAMP on tour with them, also an American folk band who have released two albums and one EP to date.
Zac Brown Band is an American country music group with seven studio albums, two extended plays, and two live albums. They had 13 singles go #1 on the Billboard Country Charts, and their first album The Foundation is certified triple-platinum. Their special guest will be the Robert Randolph Band, a six-time GRAMMY-nominated American gospel band led by Robert Randolph.
John Mulaney is an SNL five-timer host who has also written for the show for several years. He has done numerous Netflix specials and has been on different talk shows.
Steely Dan is an American rock band founded in 1971 by members Walter Becker and Donald Fagen. Rolling Stone has called them “the perfect musical antiheroes for the Seventies,” and they have several top hits.
Josh Groban is an American singer, songwriter, musician, actor, and record producer. His first four solo albums have been certified multi-platinum and in 2007 he was charted as the number-one best-selling artist in the United States, with over 22.3 million records. He has since sold over 25 million records worldwide.
Dave Matthews Band is a 13-time GRAMMY-nominated American rock band. The band has sold over 31 million albums in the United States, making it one of the top 100 highest-selling music acts of all time.
Rod Stewart is among the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold over 120 million records worldwide. He has had 10 number-one albums and 31 top ten singles in the UK, six of which reached number one. He has had 16 top ten singles in the US, with four reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
Backstreet Boys are an American vocal group consisting of Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, and cousins Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson. According to Billboard, they are the best-selling boy band of all time with 130 million records sold worldwide.
Luke Bryan is an American country music singer and songwriter and is one of the most successful and awarded country artists of the 2010s and 2020s. He has also been a judge on American Idol since 2018.
The Beach Boys are an American rock band that formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. They are one of the most critically acclaimed, commercially successful, and influential bands of all time. They had seven top 10 hits between April 1963 and November 1964. They were one of the few American groups to maintain popularity after the British Invasion.
Jason Aldean is an American country music singer, songwriter, and record producer. His albums are all certified platinum, and his 2010 album, My Kinda Party, is certified quadruple-platinum. He has also received five Grammy Award nominations throughout his career.
This June in Saratoga Springs, Saratoga Performing Arts Center has partnered with two other venues, Saratoga Arts and The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College, to host Dance Around Town: A Photographic Celebration.
Saratoga Springs Performing Arts Center
The display will be split into three distinct exhibitions and each of these exhibitions will hosted at one of the priorly stated venues. Moreover, These exhibitions will feature world-renowned artists like Mikhail Baryshnikov, Betti Franceschi, and Robert Tracy. All three exhibitions will be available for viewing at no cost. For more information on the exhibitions and artists visit spac.org.
Saratoga Springs “Dance Around Town” Schedule
Merce My Way
Location: The Pines at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Viewing Times: June 5 (2pm-5pm); June 6-9 (12pm-5pm); June 17-19 (12pm-5pm)
The collection will also be available for viewing to all ticket holders of SPAC’s classical programming. Additional viewing times are to be announced.
Ageless Dancers
Location: Saratoga Arts
Dates: June 18 – August 13
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 am – 5 pm | Saturday 12 pm – 4 pm
Robert Tracy on Dance
Location: The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery
