The 2023 Adirondack Independence Music Festival takes place this weekend, September 1-3, returning to the Charles R. Wood Festival Commons in Lake George for three nights over Labor Day weekend.
The 2023 Adirondack Independence Music Festival features a stellar lineup of rock and jam bands, food, and craft vendors, and a great view of the Lake George fireworks on Saturday evening. This year’s festival will feature headliners moe., who will once again be performing four sets over two nights, as well as Dark Star Orchestra performing two sets of Grateful Dead music.
Also performing this year over the three days are Rubblebucket, Keller Williams, Dumpstaphunk, Mihali, Prince/Bowie performing the music of Prince and David Bowie (featuring members of Pink Talking Fish, Twiddle, The Machine and the Cool Cool Cool horn section), Dogs in a Pile, Melt, Neighbor, Eggy, Roots of Creation, Jimkata, Lucid, Karina Rykman, Sophistafunk, former Lettuce/Soulive saxophonist Sam Kininger & The A-Beez, Baked Shrimp, Escaper, Creamery Station, Suke Cerulo Band, and Hilltop.
Music in the Festival Commons will begin at 1 pm on Friday and 12:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday, running continuously across two side-by-side stages until 11 pm each night. The event is for all ages, and children 12 and under get in free. For tickets and more information, visit here.
Phish welcomed legendary guitarist Derek Trucks during the second set of their show on Saturday, August 26 at SPAC. For roughly an hour, Trucks traded guitar licks with Trey Anastasio and jammed on classic Phish songs as well as TV On the Radio’s “Golden Age.”
Photo by Derek Java
The late August shows served as a benefit for the Vermont and Upstate New York flood recovery effort. While rumors of Trucks abounded during the day, only when his amp was brought out on stage following a speedy “2001” did the audience let out an electric cheer for the guitarist of Allman Brothers Band, Derek Trucks Band, and currently, Tedeschi Trucks Band.
Photo by Derek Java
Trucks had joined Phish once prior, in Charlotte, NC on July 7, 1999, for “Funky Bitch” and “Possum,” the latter of which would serve as the encore this evening as well. Additionally, Trucks and Susan Tedeschi were joined by Anastasio at Lockn 2019 for a recreation of Derek and the Dominoes Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs.
Watch Derek Trucks join Phish for “Golden Age,” “Everything’s Right,” “First Tube” and “Possum.”
Phish – Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) Saratoga Springs – August 26, 2023
Phish returned to Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) on Friday, August 25th, for a pair of shows that served as a benefit for victims of flooding in Vermont and Upstate New York this summer. Their first time playing at the historic Upstate amphitheatre since 2019, Phish will record their 24th career show at SPAC, following the show on Saturday night.
Earlier in the day, Phish connected with New York Governor Kathy Hochul, announcing that the band had donated $3.5 million dollars raised from the pair of concerts, to support flood relief for Upstate New Yorkers, as well as Vermonters affected by flooding earlier this summer.
That number is sure to rise, with donations being raised during the shows through the Waterwheel Foundation’s 2023 Flood Recovery Fund, supporting victims and their families, area businesses, and non-profits. The Recovery Fund will support both shorter-term needs and long-term recovery and resiliency projects.
We are so grateful to everyone who donated their time and resources to make these benefits possible, and those that attended the shows or watched online. The joy in the room at these concerts was undeniable. But for the people affected by the flooding, it is an ongoing struggle. That’s why we are continuing to accept donations, raise awareness and distribute the funds.
Page McConnell
With rain in the forecast and a blanket of clouds enveloping the Saratoga Spa State Park grounds, fans arrived early and in great numbers, setting up a Shakedown off Route 50 while sprinkles fell intermittently throughout the evening. Filing into SPAC, fans dispersed to find spots on the lawn or head down to the pavilion, with the first notes of the evening at 8:05pm.
What might look like a pedestrian set on paper was energetic and rocking from the start, with “Kill Devil Falls” and “The Moma Dance” opening the night, the latter finding its familiar home in the two-slot, clocking in at nearly 14 minutes. The trio of “Ocelot,” “The Wedge” and “Mull” packed a punch, especially “Mull” which deftly found a segue into “Punch You In the Eye,” with fans erupting upon the first notes, carrying the energy into “Sand.”
It was within “Sand” that a classic film was paid homage to, as teases and jams based on “We Welcome You to Munchkinland” spiced the jam vehicle nicely, a tribute to The Wizard of Oz on the 84th anniversary of the film’s initial release. This tidbit had fan’s ears perking up, searching their internal database to find where this ditty derived itself from, occuring later in a second set “Chalkdust Torture” and the original recording played outright as the postshow music.
For a band that has played “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and “If I Only Had a Brain” over the years, including with the legendary Ken Kesey, the band didn’t miss the chance to celebrate an inspiring American film. Drummer Jon Fishman even went so far as to put his hair in a pigtail to mimic a munchkin hairdo in the second set. The incredible “Sand” is a must hear, and led into a set closing “Rock and Roll” courtesy of Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground.
What would amount to a five song second set began with an Anastasio-penned quarantine tune “Evolve,” serving as an appetizer for the feast that was about to be plated. “A Wave of Hope” and “Simple” would pair up for back-to-back 22-minute jams, following in the vein of the excellent recent shows at Madison Square Garden. To follow were a pair of 11-minute jams in “Fuego” and “Chalkdust Torture,” wrapping up a powerful set, a true treat for the many first-timers in the crowd this evening.
For an encore, the first breather of the night arrived as “Wading in the Velvet Sea,” giving way to Kasvot Växt’s “Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.” which has found a home in the set closing/encore slot to send fans on their journey to Oz.
Phish – Broadview Stage at Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs – Friday, August 25
Soundcheck: My Soul, Fast Enough for You, Wombat Set 1: Kill Devil Falls, The Moma Dance, Ocelot, The Wedge, Mull > Punch You in the Eye, Sand, Rock and Roll Set 2: Evolve, A Wave of Hope -> Simple > Fuego -> Chalkdust Torture Encore: Wading in the Velvet Sea, Say it to me S.A.N.T.O.S.
This performance was a benefit for Vermont and Upstate New York flood recovery efforts and was a free webcast with all proceeds via donation going to those efforts. Coinciding with the 84th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz being released in the United States on the date of this show, Trey teased We Welcome You to Munchkinland (or It Really Was No Miracle) several times in Sand as well as at the end of Chalk Dust Torture, Fish wore his hair with a single pigtail sticking out of the front of his head like a munchkin for the second set, and We Welcome You to Munchkinland was the postshow music. Trey also teased Dave’s Energy Guide on Sand.
Grateful Dead drummer Billy Kreutzman, along with a cast of “kids” played a quick two show tour including one night at the scenic Pier 17 rooftop.
Along for the ride were “new kids” like Daniel Donato and Sierra Hull but also some “kids” who’ve been around the block with Billy like Tom Hamilton and Aron Magner.
The first set opened up with “China Cat Sunflower” and included crowd favorites like “Truckin” & “Cumberland Blues” closing with “Built to Last.”
In Grateful Dead fashion the second set was opened up with “Drums”. The band joined the two drummers to play an unexpected Bob Marley cover of “Could You be Loved”. The second set included a Talking Heads cover “Take Me to the River” as well as deadhead favorites like “Bird Song”, “Wharf Rat”, & “Unlce John’s Band,” closing the second set with “Franklins Tower”.
The crowd roared and cheered for this incredible band. They come back up to play an encore of “Wake up Little Susie” and “We Bid You Goodnight”.
Legendary Grateful Dead singer/guitarist Jerry Garcia touched many lives in his brief 53 years on Earth. Regarded as one of the most influential musical figures of all time, even 28 years after his passing, Garcia’s legacy and words continue to inspire and resonate with a whole new generation. An artist in every sense of the word, his creativity, curiosity, kindness, vulnerability, sense of humor and his unique ability to collaborate with almost anyone make him one of the most revered players of any era. Relatable to millions and a limitless source of inspiration for countless Grateful Dead-inspired tribute acts, while Jerry’s journey may be one of the greatest stories ever told, you could easily argue that even though he’s gone, the music never stopped.
Jerry Garcia’s Birthday Bash: NYS Dead Coalition featuring Organ Fairchild and Vinnie Amico of moe. performing at Lark Hall on 8/1/23.
Born Jerome John Garcia on August 1, 1942, in 1965 he would become one of the founding members of The Grateful Dead and from there, go on to become one of the most recognizable figures of the last century. One of the most recorded musicians in history, he’s also said to have played in over 25 side projects while releasing more than 30 studio albums. Since his passing on August 9, 1995, Deadheads around the world have respectfully anointed the “days between” his birth and death as a time to honor Garcia’s life and legacy. Fortunate to be living in a place both rich in local talent and Grateful Dead history, this year I wanted to try something a little different to convey my appreciation. With multiple venues across the area holding special Jerry-themed celebrations during the first 9 days of August, I charged up my camera, cleared out my memory cards and set off to hit as many of them as I could. If I told you all that went down, it would burn off both of your ears, but as best as I can remember, here’s how the Capital Region celebrated the Days Between in 2023.
Moe. drummer Vinnie Amico sat in with NYS Dead Coalition at Lark Hall on 81/2023.
Kicking off the weeklong celebration was New York’s own Organ Fairchild. Stopping by Albany’s Lark Hall on August 1st as part of “Jerry’s Birthday Bash,” the Buffalo-based band would pull double duty on the night. First playing a set that mixed originals songs in with Grateful Dead covers like “Picasso Moon,” “Cream Puff War,” and “He’s Gone,” Organ Fairchild would return later in the night with a few friends for an extra special NYS Dead Coalition set. Featuring Vinnie Amico of moe. on drums along with Tom Mahoney and Ron Permoda from the Utica-based Dead band Into The Now, the memorable performance featured stellar renditions of uptempo rockers like “Let The Good Times Roll,” “After Midnight,” “Cumberland Blues,” and “New Speedway Boogie,” while the back half the set was far more tender and introspective with our first “Bird Song” of the week, along with “Peggy-O,” “They Love Each Other” and a lengthy dose of “Love Light” that even Jerry Garcia himself would have been moved by.
Rockin’ on the River: It was all ‘Sunshine Daydreamin’ with Neon Avenue on 8/2/2023.
The next stop on our “Days Between the Capital Region” tour took us down by the riverside of Troy, where it was all ‘sunshine daydreaming’ with Neon Avenue. Headlining perhaps their biggest show yet as part of the Collar City’s annual Rockin’ On the River’ concert series, the energetic Clifton Park band more than rose to the occasion, delivering a phenomenal set of improvised jams on some of the Grateful Dead’s most beloved material.
Wharf Rats: Neon Avenue’s thoughtful setlist had fans dancing in the Collar City streets until sundown on 8/2/2023.
The picture-perfect weather brought out a huge crowd and songs like “Shakedown Street,” “Sugaree,” and “Scarlet Begonias” > “Fire on the Mountain” had both fans new and old on their feet and dancing all the way to sundown. Also mixing in hits like “Touch of Grey,” “Truckin,” and “Casey Jones,” for good measure, it was Neon Avenue’s thoughtful placement of songs like “Wharf Rat, “Sugar Magnolia” and “Magnificent Sanctuary Band” that yielded the most sentimental moments. Playing off their surroundings to great effect, perhaps the biggest cheers of the night came during the set closing “U.S. Blues.” Troy is said to be the original home of Uncle Sam after all.
View Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia shows from across the years in New York State with our interactive map below!
Our third stop of “Jerry Week” took us back to Lark Hall for another milestone performance, this time for legendary Hudson Valley rockers The Deadbeats who were celebrating their 30th anniversary. After playing around the area nearly every week for the last three decades, the highly respected group of local musicians have amassed a devoted following and they came out in full force on this Friday night in August. Blasting off with “Bertha,” the energy was there from the start and never let up. Working their way through a nice combination of “Beat it on Down the Line” and “The Greatest Story Ever Told,” other highlights of the first set included our only “Candyman” of the week, as well as “Dire Wolf,” and another smokin’ rendition of “Cumberland Blues” before “Scarlet Begonias” > Fire on the Mountain” took us to halftime.
The Deadbeats celebrated Jerry and a milestone of their own at Lark Hall on 8/4/2023.
Returning for a lengthy second set that included an impressive ride through “Help on the Way” > “Slipknot” > “Franklin’s Tower,” The Deadbeats also managed to throw in a few Jerry Garcia Band surprises too, like “Rubin and Cherise,” “Midnight Moonlight” and “Ride Mighty High.” “Truckin” and “Not Fade Away” had the whole room moving and grooving, but really, anyone who was there will tell you the second set was all about the funked-out version of “Throwing Stones” that essentially stole the show and helped make the band’s 30th anniversary party so memorable. Kudos to all members of The Deadbeats, past and present, for helping keep Jerry’s spirit alive in Albany all these years.
The Deadbeats Mike Johnson has been ‘playing in the band’ for an astonishing 30 years.
The next show we had the privilege of attending was a special stripped down acoustic performance by 3 members of The Wheel. Taking place on the 28th anniversary of the day Jerry Garcia passed, the intimate cocktail hour gathering, also at Lark Hall, was easily the most unique and sentimental performance of the week-long celebration. Consisting of Bryan Gautie on guitar and banjo, Andy Morse on guitar and mandolin and Woodstock’s Misty Mountain Ramblers’ keyboardist Kenny Schneidman, all three members jelled together nicely and would take turns singing and cracking jokes between songs. Opening up with “Dark Hollow” and our only “Deep Elum Blues” of the Days Between, other highlights of the set included gorgeous renditions of “Friend of the Devil, “Black Peter,” “Catfish John,” and “Must Have Been the Roses.”
Ripple Effect: The Wheel Trio unplugged for a sentimental cocktail hour set at Lark Hall on 8/9/23.
With no rhythm devils or soaring electric guitar solos during the set, the real beauty was being able to fully concentrate on the actual songwriting and Robert Hunter’s timeless lyrics. Perhaps the trio’s biggest strength, however, was the combination of their voices together. Using three-part harmony to great effect, there were moments during the set that simply gave you the chills, particularly on “Bird Song” and the set closing “Ripple,” which you can watch below.
Watch fan shot footage of The Wheel Trio performing “Ripple” at Lark Hall on 8/9/23.
Afterwards the buzz was all about “the other” Grateful Dead-inspired show that was also happening in the area that night. Full of heart and still daylight outside, those who couldn’t get enough Jerry packed up the party and trucked on over to the Cohoes Music Hall where two sets of Bearly Dead was just getting underway.
Bearly Dead’s Dynamic Debut: The Boston-based band buzzed with high energy during their Cohoes Music Hall performance on 8/9/23.
Walking into to the historic (and allegedly haunted) Cohoes Music Hall is always a vibe, but I admit I wasn’t very familiar with Bearly Dead beforehand. Kicking off their show with our first “Here Comes Sunshine” of the week, right away you could tell these guys “really cook” and I could feel a sense of ease come over me as I knew after all this poking around, I ended up in exactly the right place. Working their way through fiery renditions of “Passenger,” “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo,” and the crowd favorite “Ramble on Rose,” it was clear that Bearly Dead were diligent students at Grateful University and they had done their homework. Bringing a fresh and energetic approach to these ageless tunes, the band first came of age in Somerville, MA in 2015 and would go on to do a 5-year Wednesday Night Residency at Thunder Road before the venue closed in the midst of the pandemic. Now taking their show on the road and touring nationally, Bearly Dead brought their A-game to Cohoes on August 9th. Immediately making a good first impression with first set staples like “Black-Throated Wind,” and “Tennessee Jed,” by the time the band linked together a monstrous “Terrapin Station” > “China Cat Sunflower” -> “I Know You Rider” jam sandwich to close the opening frame, no one needed further convincing that these guys are the good shit.
Sharing the Weight: Bearly Dead paid tribute to both Jerry Garcia and Robbie Robertson on 8/9/23
On the same day the world learned that legendary singer/songwriter Robbie Robertson of The Band had passed away, the second set began with a touching moment of acknowledgement to one of their other musical heroes. Introducing the first song by saying, “I think Jerry wanted a buddy to jam with today,” Bearly Dead then broke into a heartfelt rendition of “The Weight.” Stragglers still smoking outside must have been kicking themselves as they quickly rushed in to fill the noticeably empty floor, so in an effort to help them out a little, I quickly pulled out my phone and hit the record button. That footage can be seen in the clip below.
Watch fan shot footage of Bearly Dead covering “The Weight” during their Cohoes Music Hall debut on 8/9/23.
One of the most striking things that helps separate this band from others like it is that every member can really sing and with convincing passion. Perhaps Jerry’s most well-known solo song came next with “Cats Under the Stars,” before “Rhapsody in Blue,” and “Easy Wind” flowed beautifully into the iconic Grateful Dead anthem “Dark Star.” Seamlessly working in “Miss You” teases by The Rolling Stones, “Dark Star” would continue to burn straight into a poignant take on “He’s Gone,” and even further into “Uncle John’s Band,” before reeling in the 40 plus minute frame of uninterrupted music with the gorgeous bluesy b-side “Death Don’t Have No Mercy.” Picking up the pace once again, the dance party resumed one final time with a proper and appropriate “The Music Never Stopped” before segueing into one of the most powerful versions of “Morning Dew” I’ve heard in a long time. Simply cathartic.
Watch fan shot footage of Bearly Dead performing “Death Don’t Have No Mercy” at the Cohoes Music Hall 8/9/23.
As the Days Between celebrations came to a bittersweet close, a flood of emotions ran through my mind. Pardon the obligatory pun, but I couldn’t help but feel grateful and for so many different reasons. Reinvigorated and inspired. Even 28 years after Jerry Garcia’s passing, it’s clear the music he made is as relatable and as relevant today as it ever was and that Jerry’s contributions will never be forgotten. Over the course of the 5 shows, you were bound to hear some repeats, but considering how few there actually were is quite a testament to just how deep GD’s songbook is. I’m grateful for the musical community I live in that continues to play these songs, the talent that it takes to get up there and actually do it and to the amazing local venues that provide a platform for them to do it on. There will never be another Jerry Garcia, but if this 9 day period taught me anything, it’s that this music is absolutely timeless, “Weir everywhere” and that the Capital Region still has plenty of heart, I can hear it beat out loud.
Check out full setlists and photos of each show courtesy of NYS Music correspondent Zak Radick.
Organ Fairchild ft. NYS Dead Coalition | August 1, 2023 | Lark Hall | Albany, NY
Set 1: Morning Coffee, Over the Handlebars, Yum, Picasso Moon > Cream Puff War > He’s Gone, Chamelonious Monk with Layla tease
Set 2: Let the Good Times Roll, After Midnight, Cumberland Blues, New Speedway Boogie, Bird Song, Peggy-O, They Love Each Other, Love Light.
*Set 2 featured members of Into The Now and Vinnie Amico of moe.
Neon Avenue | August 2, 2023 | Riverfront Park | Troy, NY
Setlist: Shakedown Street, Touch of Grey, Sugaree, Scarlet Begonias > Fire on the Mountain, Truckin > Wharf Rat > Sugar Magnolia > Casey Jones, Magnificent Sanctuary Band, U.S. Blues
Encore: Brokedown Palace.
Deadbeats | August 4, 2023 | Lark Hall | Albany, NY
Set 1: Bertha, Beat It On Down the Line > Greatest Story Ever Told, Hard To Handle, Candy Man, Cumberland Blues, The Buzz, Dire Wolf, Scarlet Begonias > Fire On the Mountain
Set 2: Help on the Way > Slipknot > Franklin’s Tower, Crosstown Traffic, Truckin, Rubin and Cherise, Throwing Stones, Not Fade Away, Midnight Moonlight, Ride Mighty High
Encore: Ripple, US Blues
The Wheel Trio | August 9, 2023 | Lark Hall | Albany, NY
Setlist: Dark Hollow, Deep Elum Blues, Oh Babe It Ain’t No Lie, Jack A Roe, Dire Wolf, Rosalie McFall, Friend of the Devil, Deal, Black Peter, Bird Song, Catfish John, Must Have Been the Roses, On the Road Again, Uncle John’s Band, Midnight Moonlight, Cumberland Blues, Ripple
Bearly Dead | 8-9-2023 | Cohoes Music Hall | Cohoes, NY
Set 1: Here Comes Sunshine, Passenger, Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo, Ramble On Rose, Black-Throated Wind, Tennessee Jed, Terrapin Station > China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
Set 2: The Weight[1], Cats Under the Stars, Rhapsody in Blue, Easy Wind > Dark Star[2] > He’s Gone -> Uncle John’s Band > Death Don’t Have No Mercy, The Music Never Stopped > Morning Dew
[1] Dedicated to Robbie Robertson [2] Contained Rolling Stones “Miss You” teases
The Disco Biscuits will welcome the arrival of 2024 in the City of Brotherly Love, with a stop in Times Square at an old stomping grounds under a new name.
On Thursday, December 28, the Palladium Times Square (formerly known as Playstation Theater, Best Buy Theater and Nokia Theatre Times Square) will host the Disco Biscuits for a lone late-night show in the Big Apple, their first since December 31, 2019, which was the final show at the then-Playstation Theater.
Following a night off on the 29th, Disco Biscuits will head down I-95 to their homebase of Philadelphia for two nights at Franklin Music Hall, with Neighbor opening up the night on December 30th.
An artist pre-sale period begins on Wednesday, August 23rd at 10am ET with password: WHYWEDANCE.
VIP Packages for the two Philadelphia shows will be available as part of the pre-sale and on-sale.
Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Friday, August 25th at 10am ET at discobiscuits.com.
Disco Biscuits Fall 2023 Tour Dates
September 15 – Austin, TX – Far Out Lounge and Stage * September 16 – Austin, TX – Far Out Lounge and Stage ^ September 20 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue September 21 – Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre ^ September 22 – Milwaukee, WI – Pabst Theater “ September 23 – Indianapolis, IN – The Vogue Theatre September 24 – St. Louis, MO – Delmar Hall October 6-7 – Lafayette, NY – BISCOLAND October 24 – Burlington, VT – Higher Ground + October 25 – Hartford, CT – Infinity Hall October 26 – Portland, ME – State Theatre October 27 – Port Chester, NY – The Capitol Theatre October 28 – Port Chester, NY – The Capitol Theatre December 28 – New York, NY – Palladium Times Square December 30 – Philadelphia, PA – Franklin Music Hall ! December 31 – Philadelphia, PA – Franklin Music Hall
The Catskill Mountain Jubilee was a blast this past weekend, held from August 10 to August 12 at Upstate New York’s Blackthorne Resort in East Durham. Friday night featured two sets from The Disco Biscuits, Dogs in A Pile, Space Bacon, a solo set by Mihali from Twiddle, and Legion of Melvin with Karl Denson, amongst a slew of other talented artists. Blackthorne Resort offered an ideal setting for the festival, with cabins, a public pool, and many comfortable amenities.
Friday proved to be sunny and hot at first. Bands at the main stage like Beg, Steal, or Borrow and Melvin Seals had to play in direct sunlight, yet still managed to deliver rocking sets. Space Bacon and Dogs In a Pile were at the Hangar Stage which proved to be more shaded, but also more dusty.
Mihali played some interesting originals, a take on “Best Feeling” by Keller Williams, and even a “Free Bird” cover. Dogs in a Pile played an energetic set full of originals, a “Hell in a Bucket” cover, and even a Led Zeppelin cover as their encore. Catskill Mountain Jubilee raged late into the night with two thumping Disco Biscuits sets followed by a variety of late night music.
The Troy Savings Bank Music Hall will unveil a brand new event, Kaleidescape: A Sonic Journey, on October 14. The event will feature over 15 artists and is set to be a musical experience unlike anything the venue has ever hosted before. The venue has commissioned seven artists to create an original piece of work that will debut at Kaleidescape.
Originally part of a historic bank, the Music Hall has become an artistic staple in Troy and the surrounding area. The Music Hall will serve as the central artistic inspiration for the new pieces of music . The mission of Kaleidescape is to celebrate the local musicians and fans who have helped to support Troy Savings Bank Music Hall.
Curated by Organ Colossal, Kaleidoscope will feature performances from Buggy Jive, Sara Ayers, Ohzhe, Zan and the Winter Folk, Sam Torres, and composer Patrick Burke. The event will also include multiple special guests like Julia Alsarraf and Girl Blue.
Kaleidescape will continue the venue’s mission of keeping music open and accessible. To ensure that cost is not a barrier, the organization has announced that there will be a limited number of free tickets. The Troy Redevelopment Foundation is sponsoring the Community Ticket Bank. To inquire or reserve these tickets contact Troy Savings Bank Music Hall by email, by phone at (518) 273-0038, or by visiting the box office.
Click here for a full list of performers, and visit here for paid tickets and more information.
Harpist Mikaela Davis and her band Southern Star, released their first album as a unit this week. The album, simply called Mikaela Davis and Southern Star, is also her first release in five years and her first on label Kill Rock Stars.
The band however, is not new, and most of them have been playing together since before her last album, Delivery was released. Joining Davis’ harp is Alex Cote on drums, who has been friends with Davis, and been playing with her in some way or another, since they went to school together just outside Rochester, NY. From nearby Syracuse, Cian McCarthy plays guitar and his brother Shane picks up bass duties. Rounding out the quintet is Kurt Johnson on pedal steel and guitar, originally hailing from Rochester southern outskirts, he has been a fixture in the city’s music scene, along with Davis and Cote for many years.
Mikaela Davis and Southern Star, the band, is locally-grown, organically-formed, and grade-A quality. Mikaela Davis and Southern Star, the album, is a superb documentation of their unique and diverse sound that will equally satisfy the hunger of the most ardent fans and those that have yet to get a taste.
It is rare for a harp to front a rock band, rarer still for a harp to intermingle with a pedal steel. Add in a guitar and bass and Southern Star comes in with a whole lot of strings in tow. It works incredibly well, and provides the band with a lot of versatility.
The set eases into the listeners ears with the beautiful harp melody in opening track “Cinderella.” With Davis’ voice and Johnson’s moaning pedal steel work joining in shortly after, the unique magic embedded inside is immediately apparent. From there each track adds new and interesting elements into the fold until the palette is revealed in full. It explodes into an extended guitar-led workout on album-closing “Leave It Alone,” before petering into ambient spaciness. But the band isn’t quite ready to call it a day and the jam re-emerges for another couple minutes like a classic album hidden track.
In between, the album jumps through genres effortlessly. Country rock awash in early 70’s psychedelia moves to pop-tinged folk, languid grooves flip over to muscular choogle. Despite it’s diversity it all comes across as a coherent whole, a satisfying full album listen with a rich and timeless-sounding production that should keep this a regular on the turntable or streams for years to come.
Key tracks: Saturday Morning, Don’t Stop Now, Leave It Alone
We are now atthe end of Phish’s seven-night run at Madison Square Garden, and the band has continued their hot streak, finding new room for jamming in old standards, and then some.
Opening up the Friday, August 4th show with “Buried Alive,” “The Moma Dance” and “46 Days,” Phish was driving out of the gate, energetic and not missing a beat over this 25-minute opening segment. The only lull of the set came in the form of the debut of “Back in the Bubble” and “Bouncing Around the Room,” both of which were, in hindsight, well placed, as the remainder of the set had little room to breathe. “Birds of a Feather,” welcome as always in the first set, which led to a substantial “Halley’s Comet” that followed, with Trey Anastasio changing the lyrics to “I’m going down to the central part of New York City,” his second nod to the Big Apple in the last two shows. On par with the ever so smooth segue found late in the first set on Wednesday, Phish segued fluidly into an ethereal “Roggae,” before sticking the landing of the set with “Run Like an Antelope.”
If there was a theme of playing better than the previous night, the second set maintains that theory, with an immense “Mike’s Song” with a jam that had people wondering, “Is this still Mike’s?,” all while getting deep into the more than 23 -minute jam, which stands to be the second longest version of the song ever. Shrugging off a potential turn towards “Tweezer,” the band eventually shifted into “Sand,” getting even deeper with Trey finding a familiar riff that segued sveltely into the Talking Heads “Crosseyed and Painless.” The lone breather of the set, “A Life Beyond a Dream” gave way to “The Lizards,” well-placed deep in the second set. “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” closed the set, only the third appearance of the Beatles song in the last 10 years.
During the breather before the encore, the crowd knew what to expect and the band delivered – an encore of “Weekapaug Groove” had the fans as hyped as at any point this run. And when the band could have called it a night, the opening notes to “Fluffhead” kept the crowd cheering on, shouting “Fluff came to New York” along with the perma-grinned Anastasio, an exclamation point on the penultimate show of a legendary run at The Garden for Phish.
Phish – Madison Square Garden, Friday, August 4, 2023
Set 1: Buried Alive, The Moma Dance, 46 Days > Back in the Bubble[1], Bouncing Around the Room, Birds of a Feather, Halley’s Comet[2] -> Roggae, Run Like an Antelope
Set 2: Mike’s Song > Sand -> Crosseyed and Painless > A Life Beyond The Dream, The Lizards, While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Encore: Weekapaug Groove > Fluffhead
[1] Phish debut. [2] Lyrics changed to “central part of New York City.”
With one last night to play with, Phish left very little to chance and delivered a powerhouse Saturday performance featuring a completely unexpected bust out to go out on the highest of notes. After a fan’s wedding proposal and successful engagement on the floor prior to the show, the band seemingly picked up on this and fittingly opened with “Loving Cup.” A shift into “Maze” immediately afterwards produced another spine-tingling crowd roar early on that signaled MSG’s collective readiness. A mid-set “Divided Sky” felt perfectly placed and the “Prince Caspian” that came next followed in the footsteps of other recent ones and went especially deep. “Drift While You’re Sleeping” then wrapped things up in its now familiar set closing spot.
With one last set to go, and still no “Tweezer” in sight, it was almost a matter of when, not if, Phish was going unleash its second set staple. Fans wouldn’t have to wait long once the set opening “Set Your Soul Free” finished with Trey Anastasio quickly jumping into the signature opening licks of the song everyone was expecting. This “Tweezer” was no certainly no slouch and served as the springboard for Phish to usher in the return of “Guy Forget,” the first time played since 2011, over 400 shows ago. It certainly came out of left field, but Phish stuck with it, making it well more than a tease and turning it into a full on jam, with “Tweezer” quotes continuing to weave in and out effortlessly. As the jam wound down into near ambience, “What’s The Use?” followed, showing just how quiet MSG can get as well when needed. A full scale “Scents and Subtle Sounds” brought things back to life and with it, another discernable “Tweezer” jam that paved the way for “Everything’s Right,” an accurate statement about the evening, and the entire run, as a whole. A brief little “Manteca” quote even managed to sneak in here. After a completely raucous “Tweezer Reprise” that closed out the set, Phish delivered one last classic with a mesmerizing and patient take on “Harry Hood,” closing out the run in style and setting the stage for what promises to be two incredible shows at SPAC in a few weeks.
Phish – Madison Square Garden, Saturday, August 5, 2023
Set 1: Loving Cup > Maze, Martian Monster > Divided Sky > Prince Caspian->NICU>Steam, Drift While You’re Sleeping
Set 2: Set Your Soul Free, Tweezer->Guy Forget>What’s The Use?>Scents and Subtle Sounds->Tweezer->Everything’s Right>Backwards Down The Number Line>Tweezer Reprise
