Bob Weir & Wolf Bros took over The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester for a four-night residency, part of a 2023 winter tour. Joining Bob on stage: bassist Don Was, keyboardist Jeff Chimenti, drummer Jay Lane, pedal steel guitarist Barry Sless with strings and horns supplied by The Wolfpack (Alex Kelly, Brian Switzer, Adam Theis, Mads Tolling and Sheldon Brown.)
The four nights presented a wide variety of music. Each having its own groove. Covers where distributted throughout the shows, including songs from Bob Dylan (When I Paint My Masterpiece, All Along the Watchtower), Johnny Cash (Big River), and The Beatles (Tomorrow Never Knows, Dear Prudence.)
The shows held over February 7- 11 were broken up into two night groupings with the middle night at The Capitol occupied by Long Island Medium Theresa Caputo. Whether she was booked to conjure up additional “Dead” spirits could not be confirmed. But the following Friday and Saturday shows where packed to the rafters.
Of course, a four-night stint like this has its fair share of Weir solo, Ratdog, and Grateful Dead tunes. If the stage was not filled enough, Rick Mitarotonda and Peter Anspach of Goose as well as Kenny Brooks, Dred Scott, and Sasha Dobson joined in to close out the final night.
The tour heads into March, including a stop in Atlanta for three nights with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.
Bob Weir & Wolf Bros – The Capitol Theater, February 7, 8, 10, 11 Setlists:
February 7 Set 1 – Cassidy, My Brother Esau, When I Paint My Masterpiece, Catfish John, Tennessee Jed, Black-Throated Wind, Lost Sailor, Saint of Circumstance Set 2 – Mama Tried, China Cat Sunflower, I Know You Rider, He’s Gone, Going Down the Road Feelin’ Bad, I Need a Miracle, All Along the Watchtower, Stella Blue, Sugar Magnolia
February 8 Set 1 – Greatest Story Ever Told, Iko Iko, Only a River, Friend of the Devil, Althea, Come Together, Weather Report Suite, Let It Grow Set 2 – Ramble On Rose, Truckin’, Looks Like Rain, Playing in the Band, Uncle John’s Band, Supplication, Morning Dew Encore: Black Muddy River
February 10 Set 1 – The Music Never Stopped, Easy Answers, Loser, Big River, She Knows What I’m Thinkin’, Deal, Candyman, Bird Song Set 2– Fever, Ashes and Glass, Don’t Let Go, Dark Star, Shakedown Street, The Wheel, Tomorrow Never Knows, Days Between, Not Fade Away Encore: Ripple
February 11 Set 1 – Jack Straw, Minglewood Blues, She Belongs to Me, Brown-Eyed Women, Loose Lucy, Two Djinn, Corrina, New Speedway Boogie Set 2 – Peggy-O, Me and My Uncle, Scarlet Begonias, Estimated Prophet, Franklin’s Tower, The Other One, Dear Prudence, Lady With a Fan, Terrapin Station, Terrapin Transit, At a Siding, Terrapin Flyer Encore Brokedown Palace, One More Saturday Night
Alter Bridge made their long-awaited return to Central New York on Friday, February 10, playing to a near-capacity crowd at Del Lago Casino in Waterloo. The band is touring in support of its 2022 release, Pawns & Kings, and brought along Mammoth WVH in support.
Formed in 2004 in Orlando, Florida, Alter Bridge has released seven studio albums as well as several live albums. The band consists of Myles Kennedy (vocals, guitar), Mark Tremonti (guitar, vocals), Brian Marshall (bass guitar), and Scott Phillips (drums).
The evening kicked off promptly at 8 o’clock with Mammoth WVH playing to an already full house. The band, fronted by Wolfgang Van Halen (son of Eddie Van Halen), tore through a set of classic rock tracks off their 2021 self-titled release. Wolfgang delighted the crowd with his pristine vocals and his indisputable guitar talent, tearing through several guitar solos reminiscent of his father. After a forty-minute set, the band left the stage triumphantly, to a sea of metal horns from the crowd.
Excitement in the venue quickly became palpable as the Alter Bridge backdrop rose from behind the stage. Shortly after the band entered and launched into “Silver Tongue.” With a howl from Myles Kennedy, the set was underway. The band tore through a mixture of tracks from throughout their nineteen years together. Kennedy’s vocals, powerful enough to fill a stadium, soared through the venue.
After a short acoustic set which saw Kennedy play a solo rendition of “Watch Over You,” followed by a Kennedy and Tremonti duet of “In Loving Memory,” the band returned to the stage. With their return, the opening notes of “Blackbird” by The Beatles were strummed. The crowd rose in anticipation as the band segued into their song of the same name. Perhaps the pinnacle of the Alter Bridge catalog, “Blackbird” is a hauntingly beautiful track about the loss of a close friend. The slow-building track soon erupted into another memorable solo from Tremonti.
Like all great things, this evening had to come to a close. Alter Bridge ended the night where they began nineteen years ago: with their first single, “Open Your Eyes.” The crowd joined, erupting into a full-fledged singalong before the band was through.
English musician Pete Beat is opening up to fans about his mental health struggles with his new single “Another Galaxy.” The single is in support of his upcoming fourth album, The Strange Museum, due for release this April. The Strange Museum explores his involuntary stay in a psychiatric hospital, during which he was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Photo Credit: Victoria Wai
Pete Beat can be argued as the “lost member” of The Beatles, having been dismissed from the group before they achieved mainstream success. Since then, Pete has focused on his solo career. He has written and recorded 500 songs over the last 13 years, including “Another Galaxy.”
Pete’s newest single can be rather deceptive, as it starts with an upbeat tune. It’s not entirely clear to listeners that they are about to learn about some of the singer’s deepest struggles and emotions. For a debut track, it works perfectly. The Strange Museum details Pete’s journey with his mental health, so it’s natural that the opening track starts out calm and upbeat. Throughout the album, listeners will get a closer glimpse of the dark place Pete was once in, and how he came out of it.
“Another Galaxy” is more than just a matter of being a good or bad song. Whether Pete’s work is the type of music you’re into is subjective. No one can argue against how much courage it took for Pete to talk about his personal struggles so openly. Pete hopes his album will reduce the stigma surrounding schizophrenia, and show fans that the disease doesn’t have to talk over your life. In Pete’s case, he has been symptom-free since 2010, with the help of medication.
Of the stigma, Pete says “this adds more of a reason to do it, and the time seems right, and I feel happy and confident in my life, so I’m going to talk about it.”
“Another Galaxy” from Pete Beat is out now. available for purchase now. For more information on Pete Beat’s newest album, visit here.
For the second year in a row Talib Kweli perfomed at The Blue Note with legendary jazz pianist Bob James. Kweli brought a few of Hip-Hop’s biggest names as special guests including DMC, Slick Rick and Rakim plus a full band for the shows held on February 7th – 9th.
Since 1981, The Blue Note has been called home by some of the greatest jazz musicians including Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Brown and Tito Puente. Stevie Wonder, Tony Bennett, Liza Minelli and many others have also performed there. The club is a cultural institution in New York City.
Talib Kweli is one of the most lyrically-gifted rappers to emerge in the last 20 years. He was born in Brooklyn but made his debut in 1997 with five appearances on the album Doom by Cincinnati group Mood. That is where he also met Hi-Tech and collaborated on a few underground recordings as Reflection Eternal.
When returning to New York, he formed Black Star with fellow Brooklyn rapper Mos Def. They then released their critically acclaimed album Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star in 1998. Talib has also had a huge solo career including collaborations with producers and rappers Kanye West, Just Blaze, Madlib and Pharrell Williams. Next month Kweli and Madlib will be dropping the sequel to their 2007 album Liberation.
Bob James is undoubtedly one of Hip-Hop’s most sampled artists. James recorded his first solo album after being discovered by Quincy Jones at the Notre Dame Jazz Festival in 1963. Two of his songs, “Nautilus” and “Take Me to the Mardi Gras” are among the most sampled in hip hop history. The title track to James’ 1981 album Sign of the Times was sampled in De La Soul’s “Keepin’ the Faith” and Warren G’s “Regulate”. N.W.A.’s “Alwayz into Somthin” uses a sample of “Storm King” from the album Three. He also wrote “Angela”, the theme song for the TV show Taxi which he performed at Tuesday’s show.
On Tuesday night, Talib Kweli’s special guest was Darryl “DMC” McDaniels. They performed Run-DMC hits “Rock Box”, “It’s Tricky”, “Peter Piper” and “Walk This Way.” Run-DMC is regarded as one of the most influential acts in the history of hip hop culture and probably the most famous hip hop act of the 1980’s. The group was among the first to highlight the importance of the MC and the DJ relationship. They were the first hip hop act to achieve a Gold Record and also the first to go platinum. Their cover of “Walk This Way” actually featured Aerosmith and became one of the best known songs in hip hop and rock while combining the two cultures.
Havoc from Mobb Deep also made an appearance at Talib Kweli’s Tuesday night show. Him and Kweli performed Mobb Deep classics “The Learning” and “Quiet Storm”. Kweli’s band, Whisky Boys, include Brady Watt on bass, Chris Rob on keys, Matthias Loescher on guitar an Camau Bernstine on drums.
On Friday, February 3rd, The Q-Tip Bandits sold out the beloved Mercury Lounge on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. With support from openers Enrose and Seeing Double, there was an incredible and animated vibe as both the crowd and the performers fed each others energy over the course of the night.
Photograph by Chinaza Ajuonuma
The Q-Tip Bandits are a Boston-based, five-piece, indie-rock pop ensemble with an epic stage presence and and even better tunes. Made up of Leo (frontman), Claire (bassist), Dakota (drums), Hoyt (trombone) and Maclin (trumpet), their stylish, colorful, and refreshing music is supported by the raw intensity of rock, R&B, and funk influences, as well as the use of brass horns.
Photograph by Chinaza Ajuonuma
Within the first three weeks of its release, their lead track “Willow” received 50,000 Spotify streams, giving the band the motivation they needed to start recording their debut EP, Ain’t It Great. Despite its debut during a global pandemic, it was incredibly well received by the masses, and has propelled the band forward since.
Photograph by Chinaza Ajuonuma
Enrose took the stage first and immediately started swinging with an incredible set filled with unreal saxophone solos by the talented saxophonist and singer-songwriter, Gabi Rose. Mixed with vibes of grunge rock and R&B, it was a unique performance that really got the crowd ready for the night ahead.
Photograph by Chinaza Ajuonuma
When Seeing Double got on stage next, there the ambiance shifted as the crowd prepared for these legends with their funky outfits and equally funky beats. As a New York based rock band, they’re known across the scene for their high-energy shows and eccentric stage presence, which was incredibly clear through their performance. With their signature feel-good grooves and punchy instrumentals, Seeing Double did an absolutely incredible job warming and amping up the crowd for the rest of the night.
Photograph by Chinaza Ajuonuma
When the Q-Tip Bandits took the stage, they immediately captivated the audience with velvety, warm and eccentric tones from the trombone and trumpet. With the crowd giddy with anticipation, the vibes escalated even more, complete with an open and excited atmosphere and daisy shaped balloons released during the song “Daisy”. As a cute little keepsake, the crowd jumped around in time with the balloons and the beat as the show closed out, warmth and excitement high on a cold winter’s day.
Photograph by Chinaza Ajuonuma
These artists are booked and busy, so make sure to keep up with all these artists on socials, and all their shows.
The Q-Tip Bandits will be launching into The Tip Toe Tour down south during March, as well as playing at Boston Calling on May 27th if you find yourself in Boston this spring. Seeing Double will be playing in Ithaca opening for Melt on March 28th, and there are more show dates on the horizon to be announced. Enrose doesn’t currently have any performances scheduled, but be sure to check their Instagram for any show updates.
Setlists
Enrose: Feels Like Home, NoDoubt, Wait Create, MenU, Save Yourself Seeing Double: Don’t Wait, Lovefool [The Cardigans Cover], TIOLI [RONA Cover], Bygones, Ɛ + 13, Valerie [Amy Winehouse Cover], Leah The Q-Tip Bandits: Chasing Cars, Asking 4 A Friend, Wrong Address, As It Was [Harry Styles Cover], Better Place, July, Kids [MGMT Cover], Tip Toe, Happy, Daisy, Willow
Photograph by Chinaza AjuonumaPhotograph by Chinaza AjuonumaPhotograph by Chinaza Ajuonuma
When it comes to indelible anthems of the ‘60s that are called upon to impart the times and mood in film and television, few are as a popular as The Chambers Brothers’ iconic 1967 hit, “Time Has Come Today.” Now the band’s lead singer and formational catalyst, Lester Chambers, is sharing the mighty highs and lows of his remarkable life in a new, self-published biography written with veteran journalist T. Watts, Time Has Come: Revelations of a Mississippi Hippie.
Bob Minkin Photography
Though his hit-making days are long past, Chambers is known to a younger generation due, in part, to a viral campaign spearheaded a few years back by Reddit co-founder Alexis O’Hanian and Rob Max, the late CEO of the musician’s aid charity, Sweet Relief. A 2012 picture from Lester, then homeless and suffering from cancer, showed his Gold Record for his biggest hit with a handwritten message about his financial plight due to not being paid royalties for decades, a position he claims he is in with “99%” of his fellow musicians of the time. The photo launched a Kickstarter campaign to help house and treat him and produce a new album. It was shared millions of times on Facebook, Reddit and other social platforms. The buzz generated not only support for him, but a greater awareness of the plight of the vast army of musicians who are not getting their rightly royalties. Lester and his brothers also received interest from a new generation with their 1969 performance of “Uptown” featured in Questlove’s Academy Award-winning 2021 documentary, Summer of Soul.
Lester’s story begins in the Deep South, on a sharecropper farm in Echo Hills, Mississippi governed by a Grand Dragon of the KKK. One of 13 children, Lester and the three brothers with whom he formed his famous group – Joe, Willie and George – honed their extraordinary gospel harmonies, modeled on their idols The Blind Boys of Mississippi and The Soul Stirrers, while working in the fields. When Lester was 13, he and his brothers would flee the harsh farm life under cover of darkness and end up in South Central Los Angeles. Here Lester would befriend blues great Jimmy Reed while mowing lawns and would have his first gig with his brothers at a party at the Hollywood Palladium for TV’s Superman, George Reeves. The brothers would polish their act “signing for sandwiches” in venues like the 5th Estate and Xanadu Coffeehouse, where Lester would meet a man who would become a longtime friend, the soon-to-be LSD king Augustus Owsley Stanley.
The Chambers Brothers true rise began when they secured a long-term residency at LA’s famed folk club, The Ash Grove. The frenzy of dancing they created with their mix of high-energy gospel and blues forced the owner to replace his glass cups with plastic. Their performances of gospel music at a venue that served alcohol raised the ire of Mahalia Jackson, who called it “blasphemy” in a 1963 article in the Los Angeles Times included in the book. While playing a regular “Gospel Hoot” at the Troubadour, they would catch the eye of Jack Goode, producer of the music TV show, “Shindig,” which they would perform on more than two dozen times in the following year.
As backing vocalists for singer Barbara Dane, they came to make additional recordings and tour nationally. Dane also introduced them to folk legend Pete Seeger. Through Seeger, they were invited to do workshops at 1964 Newport Folk Festival and were there again in 1965, at the one where Dylan went electric. When bluesman Josh White fell too ill to perform, they took to the main stage. They also provided vocal backing to Dane and Joan Baez at the festival. And after hearing their sweet harmonies, Dylan invited the brothers to sing backgrounds on his album, Highway 61 Revisited, which sadly went unused.
Lester and his band of brothers would then spend a good deal of time in New York City, playing a residency at Ondine, where they would meet their great drummer Brian Keenan, and also at Steve Paul’s legendary rocker hangout, The Scene.
During his career, Lester was often in the right place and time to strike up friendships and have encounters – some good, some bad – with a boatload of boldfaced names.
Lester befriended Jimi Hendrix during his time in Greenwich Village, was called the N-word by Diana Ross in a limo, would be on the road with Robert Kennedy right before his assassination, have a later-day band “stolen” by Wilson Pickett and even record with Miles Davis on his 1974 album, Get Up with It. It’s Lester’s searing bluesy harmonica that is featured on “Red China Blues.” In the album liner notes, he was credited as “Wally Chambers,” something the ornery Davis refused to fix on further pressings. Lester is also the man who would introduce Miles to his wife Betty. She was the street-smart and stylish soul/rock singer-songwriter who would go on to introduce Davis to the music of Sly and Jimi and pave the way for jazz rock fusion.
Lester also expresses his great admiration for Ed Sullivan. The TV host stood up for the band when the hotel they were to stay in during the filming of an appearance on his show in Las Vegas tried to deny them entry. Chambers also became close with John Lennon and appeared alongside him and Yoko Ono during their week co-hosting The Mike Douglas Show in February 1972. Chambers also has special gratitude for Yoko who provided financial aid for his housing and medical treatment after becoming aware of his Kickstarter campaign.
One of his most meaningful friendships was with Owsley, the Grateful Dead soundman and acid king. Owsley would gift Lester a mason jar full of LSD, which he claims to have taken every day for three and one-half years. Lester says it was a powerful ingredient in shaping his spirituality and humanity and in helping use visualization to fight his battle with colon cancer.
https://youtu.be/sKNz4hKQA00
On the musical front, The Chambers Brothers would be one of the last acts signed to Columbia Records by John Hammond, the A&R man who brought the world Billie Holiday, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Bruce Springsteen, Janis Joplin and many others. With the help of producer David Rubinson, they would go against the label and craft an 11-minute opus modeled on what they did with the tune live. Driven by Lester’s propulsive cowbell pounding and memorable ‘cuckoo” in the intro, the shortened single edit would make them stars.
But as great as the songs, it doesn’t demonstrate the true killer gift of The Chambers Brothers, their unparalleled four-part gospel harmony. This is something showcased on most other entries on this and other albums, like their powerful cover of Curtis Mayfield’s “People Get Ready” and the gospel classic “Wade in the Water.” This can also be heard on earlier live recordings captured at The Ash Grove and the Unicorn. Also underrated in their double-album live and studio disc from 1969 and its 16-minute title tune, “Love, Peace & Happiness.”
Co-writer Watts really adds texture to the story by including interviews with others who played a role in Lester’s life and career. These include early drummer Jesse Cahn, roadie Tony Smith, road manager Julius Chambers, his sister Jewel and his bandmate brothers, Joe and Willie. Also included are interviews with his sons, Andre and Dylan, the latter who has been with him throughout his times of homelessness and illness. That chapter of his life and the remarkable support provided by Reddit, Sweet Relief and notables like Yoko One are related in a transcript of CNN interview with Lester and Dylan. Also notable is a transcript of a long feature on their early “gospel soul” years by Opal Nations in a 1999 issue of Real Blues.
Like many bands, unequal royalties from songwriting have played a role in the breakup and frequent feuds among the brothers. Willie and Joe were the writers of their big hit and keep those earnings among themselves, something that Lester feels was unjust to him and their late brother George.
With these and further misfortunes including an onstage attack during a performance at a 2013 blues festival, Lester remains a positive spirit, one who shares his deep belief of the healing power of music and love of his fellow man throughout these pages. He continues to perform in with the band Moonalice with his son, Dylan. In the end, as the title says, he’s just a “Mississippi hippie” at heart. Here’s to hoping you will support him by purchasing his life story to help keep him in justified comfort during the final set of his rich and remarkable life.
The 2023 Winter Hoot was held February 3-5, 2023, at the Ashokan Center in Olivebridge. N.Y. This year marks the Hoot’s 10th anniversary, started as a collaboration by Mike Merenda and Ruthy Ungar in conjunction with the Ashokan Center and those in the surrounding area.
Friday night started with a community dinner followed by the showing and discussion of the documentary film “Inhabit: A Permaculture Perspective.,” by filmmaker Costa Boutsikaris. A jam session followed to close out the evening. Sunday activities included yoga, guided hikes around the center and a community sing. Saturday proved to be the meat of this down-home, down-to-earth gathering.
The Hoot is set up as a family fun time. This was obvious from all those who brought their children with them. Saturday featured a kid’s zone of craft making, learning to blacksmith, and an ice sculping exhibition by Thomas Brown.
But music is the star of this semi-annual event. In the main lobby of the Esopus Lodge, you encountered a one-of-a-kind instrument petting zoo. An area encouraging people to pick up an instrument and join in with real musicians to make their own music. Farther into the Ashokan campus, the Pewter house offered small intimate musical performances. The ambiance of the room set the mood of entertainment in earlier times.
In the lodge’s performance hall, you got the feeling of attending a large family gathering on a cold winter day. Those in the Winter Hoot audience were treated to some of the Hudson Valley’s finest musicians. People were encouraged to sing along and when the song was right, dancing would break out in front of the stage. Featured performers included Jay Ungar & Molly Mason, Jude Roberts, Rachael Yamagata, and The Mammals.
This three-day gathering went off without a hitch. Whether you participated in activities or were just there for the music, you came away with the felling of what the Hoot is about. It is love. Love for community, nature, and music.
Sometimes you need to head west in the winter to find some heat, and at 1st Bank Center on Saturday, February 4, that’s just what was found. Amid bitter cold back east, I flew out to Denver for a short weekend and experienced my first Billy Strings show.
This is not to say I’ve never seen Billy Strings perform – I first saw him at WinterWonderGrass in Stratton, VT in December 2018, after years of hearing the buzz about this Michigan bluegrass musician. It took until last summer to catch him a second time, during Outlaw Music Fest when it came to Saratoga Performing Arts Center. But I had never seen him in a regular show setting, and festival sets always give you a different experience than seeing the band for an evening with. Thus, this would be my first Billy Strings show, on the last night of his sold out three-night run in Broomfield, CO, and what a show it was.
Cutting to the chase here, Billy Strings, featuring Mr. Strings (guitar), Billy Failing (banjo), Royal Masat (bass), Jarrod Walker (mandolin), and Alex Hargreaves (fiddle), puts on one hell of a show. There wasn’t a dull moment, an unengaged fan or any feeling I was arriving to the show as an outsider – the crowd was welcoming, one that assured me afterwards that I got a heater at my first Billy show.
With a half an hour before show time (given the 815pm start time the previous two nights), our crew found ourselves on the floor about a third of the way from the front, stage right. With 15 minutes, 10 minutes and 5 minutes before showtime, a brief announcement came on the screens with the voice of god saying “X minutes until Fuzzy Rainbows” – a unique way to get the crowd prepared for the show at the same time the band is getting ready and heading to the stage. With all the shows I’d listened to of Billy Strings’, this was a brand new concept and one of those welcome surprises that did not disappoint.
Kicking off with two substance-tinged tunes, the ever popular “Dust in a Baggie” and “Heartbeat of America,” eyes were drawn to the video screens on either side of the stage. These made Billy and the band seem larger than life (by design), with the band-wide shot above the stage giving a horizontal frame to the band. For those way back in the audience, this was helpful as the five musicians side by side appeared so tiny after looking at the video screens of Giant Billy looking down on the crowd.
The hour long first set had an array of covers, with traditional tunes from Roy Acuff and Larry Sparks complemented by covers from The Moody Blues and John Hartford. Billy Strings’ blending of his own originals and covers that go back through the history of bluegrass, as well as non-bluegrass tunes is a great part of the appeal that makes the music so accessible to so many.
Alongside the video screens were the lights, which were another thing that could not translate to the audio-only experience, let alone festival sets. The lights were on par with the 20th Century Fox intro spotlights, continually shining all around, rotating and occassionally connecting with the disco ball way up in the rafters off stage left. This unexpected element to a bluegrass show gave a never-ending intertwining of lights, something you’d only see at a Greensky Bluegrass show.
After a not too long setbreak, set 2 came out swinging with an Oak Ridge Boys tune, a mellow and delightful “Watch It Fall” and the traditional “Cumberland Reel.” From there, the set picked up speed and never let up, dropping in with the dark as hell “Psycho” that segued smooth as silk into J.J. Cale’s “Ride Me High.” The Bad Livers’ tune “Pretty Daughter” – covered often by Yonder Mountain String Band – jumped up late in the set, with Billy moving from side to side on the stage, hamming it up a bit and watching his bandmates take solos. The closing “Turmoil & Tinfoil” rounded things out with a punch, with an all too brief encore of “Tennessee,” noted as the band’s destination for some recording, and not a sit-in with Phil Lesh and Friends the next day in Denver.
And with that, I checked my first Billy Strings show off the list, with assurance from the show and crowd that this would not be the last.
Billy Strings – 1st Bank Center, Broomfield, CO – Saturday, February 4, 2023
Set 1: Dust In A Baggie, Heartbeat of America, Along The Road (Dan Fogelberg), Streamlined Cannonball (Roy Acuff), The Fire On My Tounge > Know It All, John Deere Tractor (Larry Sparks), The Preacher & The Bear (Arthur Francis Collins), Wargasm, Nights In White Satin (The Moody Blues), This Old World, Bronzeback, All Fall Down (John Hartford), These Old Blues (Traditional)
Set 2: Dig A Little Deeper In The Well (The Oak Ridge Boys), Ice Bridges, Watch It Fall, Slow Train, Cumberland Reel (traditional), Psycho (Eddie Noack) > Ride Me High (J.J. Cale) The Train That Carried My Girl From Town (Doc Watson) > Black Mountain Rag, Love Like Me, Whisper Your Name (New Grass Revival), Pretty Daughter (Bad Livers), Nothing’s Working, Turmoil & TInfoil
Captivating the audience with beautiful harmonies and songs of both heartbreak and hope, Hayley Jane and the Hold On Honeys put on a stellar performance at Lark Hall in Albany on February 2nd. Collaborating with each other for the first time and trading sit-ins, the immediate chemistry between these two respective acts could be felt by everyone in the room.
Haley Jane performs with Troy, NY’s Hold On Honeys at Lark Hall on 2/2/2023
Kicking off the show were Troy natives The Hold On Honeys, an indie folk minimalist vocal trio comprised of Emily Curro, Raya Malcolm and Shannon Rafferty. Trading leads and singing to their strengths, each member of the Honeys’ was given an equal chance to shine, but the true beauty came when this pitch-perfect trio sang together as one. After serenading the highly receptive audience with songs like “Case of You,” “Lullaby,” and “Maple Lane,” tender ballads about finding love and losing it, the gals then showed their more optimistic and fun-loving side with “Get High,” before sending us to intermission with “Down Home Girl.” A very enjoyable set, but it wouldn’t be the last time we’d see this promising up-and-coming act.
The Hold On Honeys opened the show at Lark Hall on 2/2/2023
After a quick break in the action, it was officially time for Hayley Jane to grace the Lark Hall stage. A familiar face to the Albany crowd, Jane has been playing the area for years, mostly with The Primates behind her, or as part of Yes Darling with Ryan Montbleau. For this run however, Hayley enlisted an equally talented group of Burlington, VT based players that featured Josh Dobbs on keyboards and the former Swimmer rhythm section of Jack Vignone handling bass and Cotter Ellis on drums.
Opening her set with “Look to the Moon,” the pace quickly picked up when Hayley went into a bit of medley of mashup cover songs. Touching on a Cowboy Junkies-esq rendition of “Blue Moon Revisited” that took a ‘tasty’ left turn into the Italian classic “That’s Amore,” before eventually paying homage to the Grateful Dead with a beautiful version of “Ramble on Rose.”
Haley Jane gives up her secrets at Lark Hall on 2/2/2023
Inviting you in with her undeniable charisma and vulnerability, Jayne’s storytelling between numbers left you feeling like you actually knew her. Looking around the room, you literally could see an entire audience falling in love. Working her way through a few songs from her most recent solo album, “Road Map” and “Soul Shaken,” from 2021’s Late Bloom, one of the most powerful and emotional highlights of the night came next when Hayley Jane performed “For Someone Who Needs It,” a song about depression, loneliness and reaching out for help. Fan shot footage of that can be seen below.
Taking her listeners on a humble journey, Hayley would tell the audience she was raised as a Baptist, and despite some groans, would give credit to her church choir for teaching her to sing. After belting out stellar versions of “Ignite” and “Madeline,” another of Jane’s favorite covers, Gregory Alan Isakov’s “Big Black Car” was next. Revealing a little more about herself, Jane would say the best thing she ever did was stop caring what other people think about her.
Essentially freeing her to be who she really is while also allowing a natural relationship to develop with the audience, Hayley confessed that “nerds rock” and are also “better in bed.” “Loose Screws” and “Madam Humphrey” would take a little walk on the wild side before Haley would play a new one called “Assembly of Words,” a song that was written while living in California and simultaneously going through the pandemic and a tough break-up. Some of her most vulnerable lyrics yet, afterwards she would admit to “feeling nervous” and “naked” during that one.
Hayley Jane and the Hold On Honeys captivate an intimate Lark Hall crowd on 2/2/2023
Picking the pace back up with another rocker from The Primates 2014 album Gasoline was “Hey Mister,” followed by an unreleased new song that was recently recorded with members of The Main Squeeze called “Girl.” Instead of leaving the stage and returning ala your typical encore however, Hayley would invite the members of the opening act, Hold On Honeys, to join her on stage for the remainder of the night. What then transpired was pure magic. Playing in Levon country and rambling together for the first time, Hayley and the Honeys’ uncorked an absolutely beautiful version of The Bands’ classic song “The Weight,” a rite of passage in this part of New York.
Feeling the combined energy of the women on stage, Hayley beamed with pleasantries for her new gal pals, even claiming she’d love to take them out on the road with her. As the curfew came and went, Jane would quickly check with Lark Hall staff if it was “Alright” to play one more. Once given the green light, Haley would quickly teach the Honey’s the chorus to the final song of the evening, “Make It Alright,” which was then jammed out to perfection, fusing multiple genres and stretching its legs all the way to the 15-minute mark and included “Wild Thing” teases for good measure.
Haley and the Honeys made a cold February night more than alright at Lark Hall 2/23/
After thanking everyone for coming out and wishing them well on their way home, the girls would convene near the center of the stage for a group hug and shared smiles. An exceptional performance all around and yet another reason to never miss a Thursday show at Lark Hall. An evening filled with genre bending, thought provoking, and at times heartbreaking music. Honest storytelling and songwriting, surprise collaborations, dancing, and beautiful down- home harmonies. Great medicine for these modern times indeed. While it remains to be seen how serious Jane is about taking her new friends out on the road, what we do know is that ‘Hayley and the Hold On Honeys’ sure has a nice ring to it.
Haley Jane | Albany, NY | 2/2/2023 | Lark Hall Setlist: Look to the Moon, Ramble on Rose, Roadmap, For Someone Who Needs It, Ignite, Madeline, Big Black Car, Loose Screws, Soul Shaken, Madam Humphrey, Assembly of Words, Hey Mister, Girl
Encore: The Weight, Make It Alright *Grateful Dead cover **Gregory Alan Isakov cover ***The Band cover featuring The Hold On Honeys **** Featuring The Hold On Honeys
Hold On Honeys | Albany, NY | 2/2/2023 | Lark Hall Setlist: Wisely, Calling All My Children, TN River, Chicago, Getting Home, Case of You, Lullaby, I’m On Fire, Maple Lane, Knowing, Get High, Down Home Girl
On Sunday, February 5th, 2023, Mac Saturn gave the young teens of Empire Live Underground a show worth missing the Grammys. Opening with rising star, Billy Tibbals, the show kicked off to a roaring start.
Carson Macc of Mac Saturn at Empire Live Underground – Photo by Jarron Childs
Coming from England, then moving to L.A. in his teens, Billy Tibbals has been chasing his dreams of being the next rockstar. Drawing inspiration from The Beatles, David Bowie, and The Damned; Billy and his band has a very vintage style of rock-n-roll that really electrifies the stage. His hopes are to get the youth off their phones and back to enjoying each other in person. He has 3 singles available currently on streaming services and plans to release in first album in April.
The Billy Tibbals Band began the night strong and loud. With a style copied and pasted from a 70’s GQ magazine, Billy lead his sharply dressed band to an electric and energetic start. Things took a slow turn with a song titled “3am” about Tibbals’ younger sister. But it did not last for long as he really played his heart out for his potential new fan base. After the show, he was selling vinyls of his upcoming album, Stay Teenage, before it hits streaming services.
Billy Tibbals of The Billy Tibbals Band at Empire Live Underground – Photo by Jarron Childs
Mac Saturn, of Detroit, took the stage not soon after Billy’s 45 minute set. This was both their first national tour and their first time in Albany. They originally formed back in 2014 at a Christmas party and soon became a sextet of mixed instruments and vocals. They released a five song EP, Until the Money Runs Out, last August and plans to release a new single hopefully sometime later this year.
Keeping on the trend of vintage, Mac Saturn’s lead vocalist, Carson Macc, came out ice cold in a blazer his grandfather probably wore and rough 70s mullet. Though the crowd was small, they had the amplitude of a thousand screaming teens at Govball. Macc had them singing the lyric’s of “Ain’t Like You” back to them with ease.
Guitarist Mike Moody of Mac Saturn at Empire Live Underground – Photo by Jarron Childs
Though Macc took frequent breaks off stage, it gave more time for guitarist, Mike Moody, to really rock the crowd with gut wrenching solos. They performed a cover of Charles Brown Mint Julep shortly before ending with their number one song, “Plain Clothes Gentleman.” They really held a powerful presence for their last song, really sucking the crowd in with phenomenal instrumentals and partying with the fans.
They continue their tour with another New York stop at the Town Ballroom in Buffalo on February 9th. Their tour ends in their home state of Michigan with two shows in Ann Arbor on the weekend of April 1st.
Mac Saturn Setlist: Diamonds, Paradiso, Persian Rugs, Boxcutter, Get on the Phone, Ain’t Like You, Sleep, Mint Julep, 5 Long Minutes, Mr. Cadillac, That’s Business, Plain Clothes Gentleman
