Grammy Award-winning artist Lukas Nelson and his longtime band, Promise of the Real (POTR), have announced an extensive headline tour this fall including stops at New York’s Madison Square Garden on September 29, Kingston’s Ulster Performing Arts Center on November 25, and Rochester’s Water Street Music Hall on November 26The tour is in support of Nelson’s recent album, Sticks and Stones.
The group will embark on their tour on September 15 in Pryor, OK, with stops including Kansas City, MO, Boston, MA, Austin, TX, and Asbury Park, NJ.
Self-produced by Lukas Nelson and POTR, Sticks and Stones was released last month on 6ACE Records/Thirty Tigers and is currently top 5 on the Americana Albums charts. With the record, Nelson continues to garner success at radio as his single, “Sticks and Stones,” is currently #1 on the Alt Country chart and top 10 on the Americana Singles chart.
Written solely by Nelson, Sticks and Stones is filled with upbeat energy and fun. He explores universal human experiences of love, celebration, longing and humor, while also capturing the musical power and electricity of the band’s live performances. Lukas Nelson and POTR is Lukas Nelson, Anthony LoGerfo, Corey McCormick, Logan Metz, and Tato Melgar.
Tickets for the new shows are on sale now. Details can be found at www.lukasnelson.com/tour. Additional headline dates to be announced.
September 20—St. Louis, MO—Delmar Hall
September 21—Bloomington, IL—The Castle Theatre
September 24—North Adams, MA—FreshGrass
September 27—Boston, MA—TD Garden*
September 29—New York, NY—Madison Square Garden*
October 6-8—Gretna, LA—Gretna Heritage Festival
October 13—Austin, TX—ACL Live at the Moody Theatre
October 14—Midland, TX—The Tailgate
October 15—San Antonio, TX—The Espee
October 18—Abilene, TX—The Paramount Theatre
October 19—Fort Worth, TX—Tannahill’s Tavern
October 21—Oklahoma City, OK—Tower Theatre
October 24—Little Rock, AR—The Hall
October 25—Memphis, TN—Minglewood Hall
October 26—Oxford, MS—The Lyric
October 28—Atlanta, GA—Buckhead Theatre
October 30—St. Petersburg, FL—Jannus Landing
November 1—Fort Lauderdale, FL—Parker Theatre
November 4—Sanford, FL—Tuffy’s Music Box
November 5—Fort Myers, FL—The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon
November 8—Nashville, TN—Ryman Auditorium
November 9—Asheville, NC—Orange Peel
November 11—Raleigh, NC—The Ritz
November 12—Washington, DC—9:30 Club
November 14—Charlottesville, VA—Jefferson Theatre
November 15—Asbury Park, NJ—Stone Pony
November 16—Philadelphia, PA—Brooklyn Bowl
November 19—Providence, RI—The Strand
November 24—Burlington, VT—Higher Ground
November 25—Kingston, NY—Ulster Performing Arts Center
This Fall, the Binghamton Philharmonic presents their first Family Free Symphony Session for “Shaker Songs” at The Forum Theatre on September 28th.
Tree of Life (Shaker Drawing c. 1848)
The Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra assembles to celebrate the old tradition of Shaker music producing a family friendly environment for all ages with an opening piece of Copland’s version ‘Simple Gifts’, the enchanting variation on a Shaker Melody. ‘Simple Gifts’ was originally sung by The Shakers and was made best known by composer Aaron Copland in Pulitzer Prize winning Ballet Appalachian Spring.
The family free symphony sessions are made possible by The Community Foundation for South Central New York granting friends and families to come together as a community to commend The Shakers and their music. The Shakers music was shared through oral tradition between many communities and created religious folk music with lively dance tunes, anthems and hymns.
On Saturday, September 30 at 7:30pm at the Broome County Forum Theatre, the Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra will open its 2023-2024 season with “Beethoven’s Fifth,” a concert exploring masterworks of the classical music tradition. Under the direction of Maestro Daniel Hege, the orchestra will present Aaron Copland’s quintessentially AmericanVariations on a Shaker Melody, Edward Elgar’s moving Cello Concerto in E minor (as featured in the film Tár) with soloist Annie Jacobs-Perkins, and Beethoven’s towering Fifth Symphony.
All Children 17 and under get in for free, courtesy of M&T Bank, our Symphonic Series Sponsor. For tickets and more information, contact the Binghamton Philharmonic box office at 607-723-3931 or visit www.binghamtonphilharmonic.org.
In addition, the Orchestra is presenting several FREE community events in advance of opening night:
September 28, 2023, 2pm, Kilmer Mansion: Lecture-demonstration with cello soloist Annie Jacobs-Perkins and Dr. Julia Grella O’Connell: “Nostalgia, Loss and the Great War in Elgar’s Cello Concerto
September 28, 2023, 6:30pm, Forum Theatre: Family Symphony Session, “Shaker Songs,” a tour of the Forum Theatre and a family-friendly chat about Shaker music and dance
September 30, 2023, 5:30pm, DoubleTree by Hilton: “Ties and Tutus,” an opportunity for Binghamton City School students to enjoy a pre-concert dinner, a visit with Maestro Daniel Hege and guest cellist Annie Jacobs-Perkins, and a night at the symphony, courtesy of our sponsor IBM
September 30, 2023, 6:30pm, Forum Theatre: Pre-concert chat, “Music and Utopia,” with Dr. Julia Grella O’Connell, Director of Education and Community Engagement
The Forum Theater also offers a behind the scenes tour included as the orchestra prepares to rehearse, kids attend for free while first time adult concert-goers receive complementary tickets to the Philharmonics concert on September 30 to kick off the upcoming fall season.
Indie rock singer-songwriter Stephen Artemis Jr. announced his new single, “Pale Blue,” released on September 15. The new track is a classic American murder ballad, as Artemis channels country, rock, and indie veins to fuse his newest release.
“Pale Blue” is a lively Americana track from Artemis, showing his signature harmonica skills and a strong following melody. It has a full, busy arrangement, which is not to it’s detriment, but instead emphasizes the pressure and drama of the murder ballad storyline. With inspiration of dark, true crime media, Stephen Artemis Jr. creates a searing look into Americana folk-rock tunes and steadily marks his place among them.
I really like true-crime podcasts. I watched way too much true-crime TV over the pandemic, so I think that’s how the song’s concept crept into my brain. I wanted to test myself to see if I could write something dark, like a true-crime podcast, but in my preferred medium; music’s version of true-crime is “the murder ballad” and Americana music is particularly rife with that type of song, but I felt that nobody had written a proper murder ballad in a long time.
Stephen Artemis Jr.
No stranger to the New York music scene, Stephen Artemis Jr was born and raised in New York’s Capital Region. In 2006, he moved to New York City and now operates out of Brooklyn. As a former member of Brooklyn-based The Falling Birds, Artemis now leads his own solo project, with two albums under his belt so far. “Pale Blue” marks the beginning of his new project, with more announcements to come.
“Pale Blue” is available on streaming services and for download on BandCamp. Find more information and announcements to come at stephenartemis.com.
Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Mary Gauthier has accomplished a lot over her past 25-year career. Celebrating her milestones and her new record Dark Enough to See the Stars, she is bringing ‘An Evening with Mary Gauthier: A Career Retrospective Show’ to the Edwards Opera House on Sept. 16.
Photo by Chad Cochran.
Her eleventh album, Dark Enough To See The Stars, follows her celebrated debut book, Saved by a Song: The Art and Healing Power of Songwriting, and Rifles & Rosary Beads, her 2018 album that earned a Grammy nomination for Best Folk Album and an Album of the Year nomination from the Americana Music Association. The record follows Gauthier as she navigates the world of dealing with trauma after losing people close to her, reflecting both love and loss over ten songs.
Mary Gauthier’s early work, which began at 35, reflected her newfound sobriety and delved into events from a troubled life, which persisted after she became a renowned chef in Boston. Over the course of her discography, she has never shied away from difficult topics such as self-reflection and exploration, telling her life story to eager ears. She has earned deep respect and admiration for her thoughtful and introspective songwriting and storytelling amongst fans and fellow artists.
Photo by Alexa King Stone.
Blake Shelton’s cover of “I Drink” and Jimmy Buffet’s take on “Wheel Inside the Wheel” are just a few examples of the artists who have recorded her songs. She has multiple lifetimes worth of experiences that inform her music and her deep understanding of human emotions. Although recovery, healing, and self-acceptance are never-ending, Gauthier has gone from being the wounded to being the healer, using her music to help others through their own hard times.
She has proven to be one of the most sincere and poignant voices in music. In recent years, she has been featured in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Associated Press, NPR Music, Rolling Stone Country, CBS This Morning, Fresh Air with Terry Gross, and so much more. The Americana Music Association UK named her International Artist of the Year in 2019.
Tickets for ‘An Evening with Mary Gauthier: A Career Retrospective Show’ at the Edwards Opera House are on sale now.
For more than a quarter century, Damn Sam Productions has held Harvest Festival and Freedom Fair in locations throughout Eastern New York and the Catskills. Now, the festival has found a home in Trumansburg, just outside of Ithaca, giving solid ground for the October 6-9 celebration of music and cannabis culture.
The 2023 lineup features Skeleton Keys, Dogs in a Pile (2 sets Friday), Immortal Technique, The Garcia Project, and Sophistafunk, but as promoter Rob Robinson notes, “The headliner of Harvest Fest has always been cannabis.”
Add to the music lineup plenty of pro-cannabis speakers and vendors – among them, Tim Tyler, sentenced to life in prison for possession/distribution of LSD under a federal three-strikes law, and later saw his life sentence commuted by President Obama.
Also speaking at this year’s Harvest Fest and Freedom Fair is Donnie Greenthumb, who has been growing medical marijuana for decades, starting out working in a greenhouse at 13 years old, where he learned organic tricks, compost teas, and the importance of soil ph. At 20 years old he wrote for High Times Magazine with John Holmstrom and from the years 1989-2015, he assisted with writing 187 articles about basic questions, problems with growing, and how to get started in the great outdoors. He also wrote about pests and diseases in the Horticulture Medical Growers Bible by Jorge Cervantes. Donnie has had various discussions with many different cultivators throughout the region and brings a great deal of knowledge to a state that is now allows citizens to grow their own.
With these speakers, Harvest Festival and Freedom Fair continues a legacy of music and activism that is now more than a quarter century strong.
History of Harvest Fest
Starting out in Beacon, Damn Sam Productions held an initial event in 1991 dubbed ‘HempSplash’ at Arrowhead Ranch in the Catskills, and after four years, an offshoot festival, Harvest Fest, was held in Modena, NY at an apple orchard.
The festival would move around over the last two decades, holding the event in the small towns of Earlton, Warrensburg, Afton, Bainbridge, hill towns near Oneonta, Camp Minglewood (which would later host Catskill Chill for five years), Monticello, New Berlin, the Washington County Fairgrounds in Saratoga Springs, and finally, Trumansburg, at the home of Grassroots Festival.
Being that this was the 1990s, a drug culture festival being held at a time when cannabis was not nearly as prevalent as it is today, nor legal anywhere in America, was a risky move, but this was part of founder Rob Robinson’s vision – to rally cannabis allies together for a ‘protestival.’
At these early festivals, the speakers now amount to a ‘who’s who’ of cannabis culture – Jack Herer, Ask Ed Rosenthal, “Saint” Steven and Ida May Gaskin (the modern day mother of midwifery in America, also ran a commune in Tennessee), and Pete Seeger all took part in Harvest Festival and Freedom Fairs over the last 25 years. Seeger in particular was a tough sell to play the event – Robinson knew him from growing up in Beacon, and Pete always declined. But after 16 years, Pete said to Rob “You don’t belong in jail, I’ll play your event.” And with that, the legend who wrote “Where Have All the Flowers Gone” and “Which Side Are You On?” took his well worn voice and shared it at Harvest Fest.
Harvest Festival even attracted national attention with Peter Jennings from ABC news arriving at the second annual event to film a segment that would be aired as “Pot of Gold.” Featuring footage from Cannabis Cup, you could see scenes from Harvest Fest, yet there were no interviews or faces seen in the episode. When Robinson and his team reached out to ask why the footage wasn’t used, they said simply that they didn’t want to be the reason they went to jail. The mid-1990s were a time when New York State still held cannabis as a criminalized drug and Rockefeller Drug Laws were in effect, meaning Robinson and others could have faced 15-25 years in prison.
All over the use of a plant that has killed no one.
The Musical Legacy of Harvest Fest
The last 25 years of Harvest Fest has seen an amazing number of musicians make their way to the event: Cabinet, Pete Seeger, Richie Havens, Melvin Seals and the Persuasions, Ghostface Killah, George Clinton & the 420 Funk Mob, Hamilton Morris, Immortal Technique, dead prez, Alex & Alison Grey, The Wailers, Bluestar Radiation, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Dead Milkmen, Levon Helm, Particle, High Times Cannabis Cup Band, Col. Bruce Hampton, Fishbone, John Kadlecik, Ike Willis, Ed Mann, Napoleon Murphy Brock, DJ Logic, The Real Radio Rahim, Frankie Bones, DANK, Queen Mother (wife of Baba Olatunji), Max Creek, ecoustic hookah, Moonalice, The David Nelson Band, Tony Vacca & World Rhythms with Massamba Diop, Garth Hudson & The Dharma Bums, Vassar Clements, Buddy Cage, Steve Hagar, Dogs in a Pile, Deep Banana Blackout and many, many more.
Add to the list this year’s headliner, Skeleton Keys, the keyboard centric electronic exploration of the Grateful Dead, will feature founder Alex Mazur (Gratefully Yours), Aron Magner (Disco Biscuits, Billy and the Kids), Chris J. English (Sam Grisman Project, FUNKNUT) and Tom Pirozzi (Ominous Seapods, Lo Faber), plus sets by Immortal Technique, The Garcia Project, Sophistafunk and many more, and the full music festival aspect is locked down and continuing to deliver memorable sets and join a pantheon of past performers.
Never Straying from the Original Mission
The original goal of Harvest Festival was to raise money for lobbying in favor of hemp and cannabis legalization. This being in the 1990s, the pitch to legalize cannabis, let alone hemp, was a tough sell and would lead to decades of activism by the New York Cannabis Action Network, later renamed the New York Cannabis Alliance. This continual activism led Rob Robinson to serve as NORML state chair for 5 years in the 1990s, and being twice named High Times Freedom Fighter of the Year.
With legalization, the mission of the festival has evolved. For an event that was started under prohibition and continued to be run that way, Robinson admits “it’s not the best way to judge cannabis, but it is the funnest way to judge cannabis.” Over the years, production value has risen as the event has evolved into being a true festival, putting the focus on the music and celebration, and not just legalization and activism, although the latter still exist in this American cultural event.
Every person wants to change their conscientiousness – some do it through religion, some through exercise, some through substances, some through all three.
Rob Robinson
With prohibition ending in many states (24 have fully legalized), and the medical value becoming clear (38 states allow medical use) the mission encourages folks to explore and embrace the benefits of cannabis.Yet lobbying wise, there is still a black market and mis-management of the dispensary license process has held back progress for the cannabis industry in New York. The new focus is on other drugs being decriminalized, with a focus on this being a land of the free.
The 26th year of Harvest Fest and beyond
One of the only festivals in 2020 to be held during Covid, Robinson notes there were no infections and the festival held like a ‘Drive In’ event, which helped the festival sustain that year and led to continued growth, unabated.
The 2022 location, the Washington County Fairgrounds, was looking to have Harvest Fest return, but with Cannabis being illegal federally, the location had some issues that led to the event needing to be moved to Trumansburg, out of necessity.
“The Ithaca scene is totally different, and a part of NY Harvest Fest has not visited yet. The cannabis part of the Finger Lakes is huge and always has been (likewise the Catskill Mountains), so we’re bringing Harvest Fest to cannabis activists and growers who have been ‘in the closet’ for 30 years.”
Cannacup at Camp Minglewood
Harvest Fest will take place in Trumansburg, NY over October 6-9, 2023, offering a way for people to commune over a shared love of cannabis and all it has to offer. As Robinson puts it, cannabis is the “non-lethal alternative to alcohol and tobacco,” and when joined by the music lined up for the festival, a momentous celebration of freedom is on tap this fall in the Finger Lakes.
The Caffè Lena School of Music will present a special fundraiser at Saratoga Springs‘ beautiful High Rock Park: Fiddles and Foliage. This is a festival like no other, styled after an old-time carnival, showcasing Caffè Lena’s School of Music.
Caffè Lena’s School of Music has been serving the community with classes for children, adults, and seniors, both in person and online. Swing by High Rock Park (112 High Rock Ave Saratoga Springs, NY 12866) to support Caffè Lena’s programming, and for fun games, songs, and food by PJ’s BAR-B-QSA, that’s fitting for the whole family. The event will run from 12-4PM on September 24, rain or shine.
See schedule and ticket information below.
12:00PM – Opening Welcome & Land Blessing with Joe Bruchac
12:10-1:00PM – Oona Grady, James Gascoyne, Matt Griffin, and Folk Ensemble students
2:00-2:45PM – The Adirondack Song Dogs
3:00-4:00PM – Open Mic/Band Scramble
Tickets are $10/adult and $8/kid under 14. For more information, visit their website. For questions and inquiries, call 518-583-0022, or email musicschool@caffelena.org.
Swing by to enjoy an afternoon of music, food, and community, with all proceeds benefiting the programming of Caffè Lena’s School of Music.
Legendary singer-songwriter Bob Dylan has announced that he and His Band will be making a pair of appearances in New York State this fall, with a show in Rochester on October 24 at Auditorium Theatre, and at historic Proctor’s Theatre in Schenectady on October 30. The dates are part of the musicians’ “Rough and Rowdy Ways” tour.
Dylan has added more dates in November to his tour calendar, with shows on November 7-8 at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, and November 14-15 at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn.
Dylan has been an iconic figure in American music for well over five decades. Born and raised in Minnesota, it was in Greenwich Village where the artists’ career started to blossom. Boasting an unparalleled writing style, Dylan rose to prominence for his ability to blend elements of folk and rock. Within just a three year span Dylan released the ever-influential albums Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited, and Blonde on Blonde.
Widely recognized for crafting some of the most poignant and significant protest songs, Dylan is known for his social and political beliefs. The singers’ tracks became a symbolic part of the 1960s, touching on issues like segregation, authority, and societal norms. In 2016 Dylan was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for his contributions to American poetry and music. Dylan has sold over 100 million records, won 10 Grammy Awards, and has been inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Proctor’s Theatre was built in 1926 and hosts Broadway shows, cutting-edge film festivals, and music performances. The Arts Center & Theatre of Schenectady (ACT) stepped in to revitalize the theatre when the building faced destruction in the 70s. Since then, Proctor’s has become an integral part of the Capital Region’s arts scene. Past performers include Mariah Carey, Brittany Spears, Duke Ellington, and even comedian George Burns.
Here for tickets and more information about the Rough and Rowdy Ways” tour.
Announced Tour Dates
1 OCT- Kansas City, MO The Midland Theatre
2 OCT- Kansas City, MO The Midland Theatre
4 OCT- St. Louis, MO Stifel Theatre
6 OCT- Chicago, IL Cadillac Palace Theatre
7 OCT- Chicago, IL Cadillac Palace Theatre
8 OCT- Chicago, IL Cadillac Palace Theatre
11 OCT- Milwaukee, WI The Riverside Theater
12 OCT- Milwaukee, WI The Riverside Theater
14 OCT- Grand Rapids, MI DeVos Performance Hall
16 OCT- Indianapolis, IN Murat Theatre
20 OCT- Cincinnati, OH The Andrew J. Brady Music Center
21 OCT- Akron, OH Akron Civic Theatre
23 OCT- Erie, PA Warner Theatre
24 OCT- Rochester, NY Auditorium Theatre
26 OCT- Toronto, ON Massey Hall
27 OCT- Toronto, ON Massey Hall
29 OCT – Montreal, QB Place des Arts – Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier
30 OCT- Schenectady, NY Proctors Theatre
Nov. 1, 2023 — Symphony Hall — Springfield, MA
Nov. 3, 2023 — Orpheum Theatre — Boston, MA
Nov. 4, 2023 — Orpheum Theatre — Boston, MA
Nov. 5, 2023 — Orpheum Theatre — Boston, MA
Nov. 7, 2023 — The Capitol Theatre — Port Chester, NY
Nov. 8, 2023 — The Capitol Theatre — Port Chester, NY
Nov. 10, 2023 — Providence Performing Arts Center — Providence, RI
Nov. 11, 2023 — Palace Theater — Waterbury, CT
Nov. 14, 2023 — Kings Theatre — Brooklyn, NY
Nov. 15, 2023 — Kings Theatre — Brooklyn, NY
Nov. 19, 2023 — The Fillmore — Philadelphia, PA
Nov. 20, 2023 — New Jersey Performing Arts Center – Prudential Hall, Newark, NJ
Nov. 21, 2023 — New Jersey Performing Arts Center – Prudential Hall — Newark, NJ
On Thursday, Sept. 14, The GRAMMY Museum, in simultaneity with the Americana Music Association, will host a celebration of Doc Watson in his 100th birthday year.
It includes a conversation moderated by WNYC’s John Schaefer with Steve Earle, Bill Frisell, Matthew Stevens, and Yasmin Williams to celebrate the album, I Am A Pilgrim: Doc Watson at 100. This intimate discussion will take place at the Rubin Museum of Art in New York with a performance to follow.
I Am A Pilgrim: Doc Watson at 100 is a new tribute album that celebrates the deep influence and legacy of the legendary North Carolina folk musician Doc Watson. The album includes a diverse and impressive lineup of Hall of Fame inductees, GRAMMY award winners, and NPR Tesk Diny alumni, including Dolly Parton, Rosanne Cash, John Leventhal, Jeff Parker, Valerie June, Nora Brown, Jerry Douglas, and more.
The record pays homage to Watson’s lasting legacy on American music, showcasing the power and relevance of his music a century after his birth. It has been spotlighted by Rolling Stone, NPR’s Fresh Air, SPIN, Stereogum, and more. The album features new renditions of some of Watson’s most beloved recordings from his expansive catalog, highlighting his talent and charisma.
Arthel Lane “Doc” Watson earned seven GRAMMY Awards and 23 nominations including the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004. He received the National Medal of Arts in 1997 from President Clinton and has been the subject of multiple books, boxed sets, and compilation albums. Watson was an integral part of the early 1960s folk revival and became known as one of the greatest flatpicking guitarists of all time, a style that influenced the playing of countless guitarists, releasing 30 albums spanning 50 years. He was also considered a master of the banjo and lost his eyesight at a young age.
Given Watson’s seismic impact on guitar playing, there are many guitar-playing styles represented on the record, from the finger-tapping style of Yasmin Williams (“Doc’s Guitar,” a Watson original) to the slide guitar of Ariel Posen (“Will The Circle Be Unbroken”) and the harmonics featured on Lionel Loueke’s version of “Reuben’s Train.” Young adult Nora Brown contributes a moving rendition of the hymn “Am I Born To Die.” The album concludes with “Your Lone Journey,” a song that Watson penned while mourning his son, and lovingly interpreted here by Bill Frisell.
Tommy Stinson’s Cowboys in the Campfire released a video for their new track “Here We Go Again,” alongside an upcoming Eastern US tour this September. The group will make a stop at New York City’s Bowery Electric on Sept. 9, and will continue with stops across Washington, DC, Winston-Salem, NC, and more.
“Here We Go Again” is the first track off Cowboys in the Campfire’s debut record, WRONGER. As a founding member of The Replacements, Tommy Stinson and his close friend Chip Roberts combined their talents to form the group alongside touring member Chops LaConte this year. “Here We Go Again” features Stinson on the ukulele, with the quirky video showing clips of tour life, Stinson getting a haircut, and the group across chicken coops and living rooms.
In a previous interview with NYS Music, Tommy Stinson discussed his love of performing, saying, “I gotta play for the peoples a little bit because it’s what keeps me alive.” Keeping Cowboys in the Campfire on the road is the group’s current priority, as they embark on their tour this September.
Tommy Stinson’s Cowboys in the Campfire is Tommy Stinson and Chip Roberts, with live accompaniments by Chops LaConte.
More information and tickets for the upcoming tour are available here.
The 11thSummer Hoot was held August 25-27 at the Ashokan Center in Olivebridge, NY. Three days of family, friendship, camping, combined with music, music, music. Two performance stages (affectionally named Toshi and Pete after the Seegers), located at the base of Hoot Hill, showcased a plethora of local and national acts.
The Mammals
Tucked away in a lower-level location the Magical Music Campground hosted the Jubilee Jam tent. Jams ran continuously day and night for the many who brought instruments with them.
Jubilee Jam Tent
The Hoot utilizes the entire Ashokan Center. Music isn’t confined to specific performance locations. At the instrument petting zoo, the young (and young at heart) could be found creating their own special sounds. Impromptu collaborations were popping up everywhere you turned. Even backstage, musicians arriving could be seen joining in with those warming up before their set.
Future musician at the instrument petting zoo
Nature did not sit by silently for the Hoot. Floating on the sweet Hudson Valley air the rippling sounds of the Esopus Creek filled your ears while strolling through the grounds. With the setting of the sun, the crickets would emerge to accompany the music flowing from the stage, chirping in rhythm.
Jordan Hamilton
The Summer Hoot performers included The Shaker (feat. Simi Stone) opening the Hoot on Friday evening. Brooklyn-based Oliva K and the Parkers playing twice, on Friday and Saturday. Kingston’s Pulso De Barro sharing their Son Jarocho style of music. The City Stompers giving an exhibition of Appalachian Clogging with Furnace Mountain supplying the musical backdrop.
The City Stomperswith Furnace Mountain
Saturday night a bonfire singalong took people into the late evening. As the clock struck midnight, Cellist Jordan Hamilton performed an intimate set in the Pewter Shop. If you had the energy, the late-night jam at the Magical Music campground took you till the morning light.
Mike Merenda and Ruthy Ungar
To reach 11 years for an event is not an easy thing. The effort is huge. Without co-creators Mike (Merenda) and Ruthy (Ungar) none of this would be possible. To say they are the heart and soul of the Hoot is an understatement.
Pulso De Barro
Across the three day these two are going nonstop. Greeting everyone, introducing performers, and sitting in with many performers. Topping it off their band The Mammals closed out the Toshi stage Saturday night.
Oliva K and the Parkers
On the face of it, the Hoot is all about the music. But there is so much more. Creativity plays a special part. From original songs shared, yoga and breathwork sessions to calm your soul, along with food and crafts offered by local artisans.
Cole Quest & the City Pickers
Drawing from the Ashokan Center, the spirit of family and community is another cog that makes up the Summer Hoot. Many people brought their young children. Some people even brought their own parents. If you didn’t know the person next to you it did not matter. Everyone is family when you are at the Hoot.
Families enjoying the Summer Hoot
A musical chord can be referred to as a triad. Three notes played together achieving a harmonious outcome. The combination of music, creativity, and the spirit of family and community construct the chord that is The Summer Hoot.
