Frank Palangi’s new single “Fall From Grace,” proves that the rock genre still has a place in the music business – as does Palangi. The rock singer has been performing for more than 10 years and continues to make noise in the music industry, “Fall From Grace,” being only his most recent track to hit music platforms. “Fall From Grace,” is sure to leave fans eager to hear more.
Raised in Upstate New York, Palangi first hit the music scene in 2011 with his self-titled debut EP, and since then has had the opportunity to work with a number of music producers. Over the course of his more than decade-long career, he has released a total of five EPs, received Best In the Region for local Glens Falls and Albany areas and national unsigned-only competition finals, radio artist of the year (radio wigwam) and an LA Music Award single Nomination. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Palangi wasn’t discouraged, and his optimism shined through his music. Guitar World magazine said of the artist, “Palangi’s positivity extends beyond his music into the way he interacts with his fans.”
Palangi stands out positively from artists today in a number of ways, and “Fall From Grace,” is living proof of that. Palangi’s newest single echoes the sounds of hit rock bands and some of his biggest inspirations such as Ozzy, Def Leppard, Megadeth, and Three Days Grace, just to name a few. “Fall From Grace” can have a subjective meaning to listeners, so almost anyone can resonate with it, one way or another. For some, it could be about a fall-out you had with some of your closest friends, who you thought would stick by you through anything, or for others, it could be about being turned down for a job you really wanted or desperately needed. Either way, “Fall From Grace” is likely going to go down as just one in a long list of hits by Palangi.
“Fall From Grace,” is available on a number of music streaming platforms.
Following up on her successful Dead of Winter Residency singer-songwriter and classically trained harpist Mikaela Davis will be playing a Here Comes Sunshine Residency in May at Upstate locations like Buffalo, Albany, Syracuse, and more.
Mikaela Davis, photo by Tim Mosenfelder/WireImage.
Mikaela Davis is a native of Rochester, navigating folk, rock, and chamber pop in her music. She emerged in the early 2010s showcasing her harp skills with solo covers of indie singer/songwriters, producing her debut album Delivery in 2018. At age eight she began studying classical harp at the Crane School of Music, writing her own songs after that, and touring whenever she wasn’t in school. Since her debut, she has released several singles, including August’s release of “Left Hand Path,” and has shared the stage with Bob Weir, Christian McBride, Bon Iver, and more. She also performs with her band Southern Star, recently recording at the Relix Studio in New York City, releasing an exclusive Relix Studios vinyl.
Davis recently announced she will be playing a Here Comes Sunshine Residency in May in multiple Upstate cities like Ithaca, Buffalo, Albany, and Syracuse, with additional one-off shows in Burlington, VT, and the Rochester Lilac Festival. All residency shows will feature two sets, a mixture of original & Grateful Dead songs. Along with the announcement of these shows, Davis says a brand new album is in the works, to be announced at a later date.
For more information about Mikaela Davis and to buy tickets to her Here Comes Sunshine Residency, visit here.
Mikaela Davis Residency Shows
5/2 – Buffalo NY – 9th Ward at Babeville [Residency Show] 5/3 – Albany NY – Parish Public House [Residency Show] 5/4 – Syracuse NY – Funk n Waffles [Residency Show] 5/5 – Burlington VT – Burlington, VT [Residency Show] 5/7 – Ithaca NY [Residency Show] 5/8 – Ithaca NY [Residency Show] 5/9 – Buffalo NY – 9th Ward at Babeville [Residency Show] 5/10 – Albany NY – Parish Public House [Residency Show] 5/11 – Syracuse NY – Funk n Waffles [Residency Show] 5/15 – Rochester NY – Lilac Festival 5/16 – Buffalo NY – 9th Ward at Babeville [Residency Show] 5/18 – Syracuse NY – Funk n Waffles [Residency Show] 5/19 – Albany NY – Parish Public House [Residency Show]
It was a birthday party like no other on Saturday, March 25th, as members of the Trey Anastasio Band and Joe Russo’s Almost Dead joined forces as LaMP to light up Lark Hall in Albany. The memorable evening of stellar improvisation and infectious grooves was extra special for the venue’s owner, Jennifer Miller. That’s because many of her nearest and dearest friends helped pack the place to capacity in celebration of her turning 50 years young.
FUNGKSHUI kicked off the party at Lark Hall on Saturday, March 25, 2023
Kicking off the festivities with a high energy, fun-fueled set was Asbury Park, NJ young bloods FUNGKSHUI. Pronounced “funk-shway,” the exciting upstarts made the most of the opportunity to share the stage with a few of their musical heroes. Comprised of Jack Reed (guitar), Max Vitale (guitar), Jon Scheps (bass), and Kyle Donovan (drums), the psychedelic funk quartet had Lark Hall moving and grooving from the beginning.
FUNGKSHUI performing at Lark Hall in Albany, NY 3/25/23
With two powerhouse guitar players and an incredibly tight rhythm section, the young band showcased a musical maturity well beyond their years. With irresistible hooks, dynamic soloing, and plenty of room left for improvisation, songs like “Orange Cadillac,” “Sinkhole” and “Blue Rat Bastard” highlighted the set. Clearly grateful to be there, afterwards the band members stuck around to chat with new fans and hand out free stickers, while also managing to create quite a buzz about their upcoming appearance at the nearby Rye Bread Music Festival later this summer. With their debut album also on the way, we expect to hear a lot more from this talented group in the very near future.
Ray Paczkowski, Scott Metzger & Russ Lawton performing together as LaMP at Lark Hall on 3/25/23
After a rain-soaked intermission dampened many a spliff, the party reignited inside with a special performance from the recently revived trio known as LaMP. Made up of Soule Monde/TAB members Russ Lawton on drums and organist Ray “The Milkman” Paczkowski, the time-tested duo was joined by Joe Russo’s Almost Dead/WOLF! guitarist Scott Metzger. The band gets takes its name from the first letters of each members’ surname. Originally debuting in 2018 at Nectar’s in Burlington, Vermont, LaMP released their debut album in the summer of 2020 and to date has only played a handful of gigs together, making each appearance a bit of a novelty and a “can’t miss” affair.
Opening their set with a funky rendition of the title track from 2021’s Mimi Digs It, Metzger immediately fits right in with the guys from Soule Monde. Tastefully adding guitar textures and subtle melodies to the otherwise drum and organ instrumentals, The Milkman, as always, pulled double duty by supplying the bass lines on the lower deck of his vintage Hammond organ. All warmed up and full of smiles, LaMP then cooked up something fresh for the curious cats who still weren’t sure what the band was all about. Pro-shot footage of “Out of Curiosity” has been posted on the band’s Facebook page at the link below, courtesy of our friends at Mirth Films.
Ray Paczkowski, Scott Metzger & Russ Lawton performing together as LaMP at Lark Hall on 3/25/23
The avant-groove compositions continued on with “Hit Return,” “Ollie ‘ 88” and “Hey Francis.” Each song undeniably groovy and each with a different feel, every member had ample opportunity to shine and empty their bag of musical tricks. Following “Seven Days” came one of the biggest highlights of the set in the form of “Q Division.” It was here where guitarist Scott Metzger really let things rip, playing off Paczkowski’s funky Clavinet lines and launching into one of the biggest shreds of the evening. Afterwards, an excited Paczkowski would get on the mic and tell everyone how much he loves playing improvisational music with these guys and that it was for moments just like that. Lightning in a bottle.
Scott Metzger performing with LaMP at Lark Hall on 3/25/23
LaMP would continue socking it to the Lark Hall faithful with “Sock Full,” then an extra greasy rendition of “Bernard,” which saw drummer Russ Lawton in complete command behind the kit. Showcasing a wealth of styles and versatility while diving in-and-out of groove pockets with a cool confidence, Lawton would use every inch of his instrument, at one point even banging on the side walls of his kit, cross-sticking it to great effect yielding a huge pop from the crowd.
LaMP’s Russ Lawton got sound from every inch of the drum kit on 3/25/23
The bumping progression of “Elsie’s River” came next, followed by “Allah Uya,” which had the entire room moving and grooving to the world-beat. “Clipse Dog” would then bring the main portion of the show to a close and leave the audience hollering for more. Happy to oblige, the LaMP trio returned to the stage with some very kind words about the venue, its staff, and to wish it’s owner a very happy 50th birthday. “Tinyland” was chosen as the night’s only encore.
LaMP packed the house at Lark Hall on 3/25/23
Truly masters of the craft, the years of experience and chemistry between these three talented musicians is something rarely seen in a live setting. Seamlessly blending together a myriad of styles and creating a sound that simply couldn’t be replicated by anyone else, it was another special night of music at Lark Hall and a birthday party The Millers will never forget. Not only does Brick Tamland love LaMP, it’s safe to say Albany does too.
Up next, the guys will head downstate for a performance at Brooklyn Bowl on March 30th before returning to Burlington for a pair of sold out shows at Nectar’s this weekend. With each member of the group balancing extremely busy touring schedules with their “other” bands, there’s no telling when fans will get another chance to see LaMP light it up again. If you have the opportunity, I would highly suggest going to see this incredible act while you still can. For those unable to make the trip, free livestreams of both Nectar’s gigs will be available via Volume.com.
LaMP | March 25, 2023 | Albany, NY | Lark Hall
Setlist: Mimi Digs It, Out of Curiosity, Hit Return, Ollie ’88, Hey Francis, Seven Days, Q Division, Sock Full, Bernard, Elsie’s River*, Alla Uya**, Clipse Dog Encore: Tinyland
*Abdullah Ibrahim cover **Ali Farka Toure cover
FUNGKSHUI:
LaMP (Russ Lawton, Scott Metzger and Ray Paczkowski):
The Palace Theatre and Building on Love are partnering to present The Frank White Experience and special guest DJ TGIF live in the Palace Lobby on April 1, starting at 7 p.m.
Six-year-old Ezekiel McLean was always a happy, upbeat, loving, and supportive child. One day his parents received the news that he has stage 4 kidney cancer, and their world has been upside down ever since. To pay the medical costs, the Palace Theatre’s Community Engagement Initiative is hosting a fundraiser with Building on Love and all the proceeds will be used to support the McLean Family. Building on Love is a local non-profit with a mission of helping families in the community who have had their life altered by supporting a loved one with a recent life-altering medical diagnosis by giving them financial access to care and housing so they can focus on the health of their loved ones.
“Childhood cancer is a battle that no one should have to go through. As if the emotional toll was not enough, the financial toll on the families can be crippling,” said Kevin Johnson, Executive Director of the Palace Theatre. “We are pleased to be able to offer our space, time, and energy to be able to help the McLean family in any way possible.” The benefit will take place at the Palace Theatre, Albany’s iconic downtown landmark, bringing in the biggest names in entertainment to the Capital Region for the past eight decades. Built in 1931, it was originally for vaudeville acts, and feature films, becoming a civic auditorium before closing its doors in 1969. The mission of the Palace is to bring world-class arts and entertainment to New York’s Capital Region, greatly enhancing the area’s cultural and economic development.
The Frank White Experience is the genre leader in live Hip Hop tribute bands, bringing the sounds of NOTORIOUS B.I.G. and live instrumentation to the listener’s ears. FWE not only covers the music of Biggie Smalls but takes listeners on a journey back through the beloved soundscape of 1990s Hip Hop and R&B, sharing the stage with Rakim, Styles P, Lil Kim, Fat Joe, C.J. Wallace, Havoc, DJ Enuff, Sway Calloway, Lil Cease, Klept, and many more. Featured at the concert is DJ TGIF aka Craig Earle, one of Upstate New York’s most in-demand DJs, performing regularly to both late-night sold-out crowds and family-friendly events alike. He was recently awarded the honor of the Albany Business Review’s 40 Under 40.
Tickets to attend the benefit performance are $30 (Standard Admission) and $50 (VIP), on sale now at the Palace Theatre Box Office and online.
It was an electrifying night of sonic diversity, high-octane improv and jaw dropping prog-inspired grooves on March 23rd when homegrown Albany rock-fusion favorites Timbre Coup and buzz-worthy Colorado up-and-comers Squeaky Feet teamed up for a rowdy Thursday night throw down at The Hollow Bar + Kitchen. The show was presented by Guthrie/Bell Productions.
Albany prog-rockers Timbre Coup made their triumphant return home to The Hollow on 3/23/23
Putting their best foot forward, the exciting evening of music kicked off with a stellar set from Squeaky Feet. The talented quintet comprised of Colin Shore (guitar/vocals), Greg King (guitar), Jimmy Finnegan (bass/vocals), Brian Keller (keyboards/sax/flute/vocals), and Kevin D’Angelo (drums) originally formed while attending Berklee College of Music and have seen a steady growth since relocating to Denver, CO in 2018. Holding it together through the pandemic and arguably growing even tighter because of it, the band has been hitting the road hard since the return of live music.
Colorado jammers Squeaky Feet made their Albany debut at The Hollow on 3/23/23
Opening with a tune called “Chance to Grow,” the technical prowess of each member of the band was on display early. Blurring the lines between psychedelic funk jams, intricate jazz rock fusion, and at points just downright metal, the vibe got comfortably spacey on a fully realized rendition of “Outer Ring.”Making a bit of a return to his old stomping grounds, between songs guitarist Colin Shore, formerly of Mister F, a side project of Timbre Coup, would take a moment to say how nice it was to see so many of the old 518 music family in attendance.
Sneaky Feet guitarist Colin Shore got his start in Albany with Mr. F, a side project of Timbre Coup
Now humbly wearing the colors of his new band, presumably because he’s out of clean clothes from being on tour, Shore dug deep on the next tune “Shovelware,” leading the charge through the songs unique arrangements and head-banging peaks.
Squeaky Feet multi-instrumentalist Brian Kelle had his hands full at The Hollow on 3/23/23
With time left for just one more, multi-instrumentalist Brian Keller would impress with his dexterity, busting out both a saxophone and a flute while simultaneously playing the keyboards during the course of the epic 16-minute “Little Bit Further” set closer. You can check out fan shot video of that in the clip below, or listen to the soundboard of the entire set on nugs.net. Immediately following this tour, Squeaky Feet will return to the studio to finish up recording their highly anticipated debut album. If the songs played in Albany are any indication, there is a lot to look forward to from this promising young band.
After a brief break in the action, fans rushed in from the rain the moment local hometown prog rockers Timbre Coup took the stage. That’s because longtime followers of the band know that every time they play together is a rare and special occasion. Originally formed in the small village of Altamont just outside of Albany, the charismatic quartet has gained a reputation for throwing one hell of a live show. Once a band that toured around the country and always on the cusp of breaking out, in recent years the band has been laying low and picking their spots. Consisting of Dan Gerken (guitar, bass, vocals), Andrew Chamberlaine (guitar), and brothers Ben (bass /guitar) and Matt Pickering (drums), on this Thursday night in Albany, Timbre Coup came out of the gates ready to party and have a good time. You could see on it on all of their faces.
Timbre Coup rocked the 518 faithful to their core on 3/23/23
Showcasing their complex and unique sound from the start, crossing somewhere between progressive rock and psychedelic jamtronica, the signature duel-guitar “improg” style has been a calling card of Timbre Coup ever since forming in 2007. A bit of a Gregorian theme started taking shape early as the opening song “January” soon turned the calendar over to “May.” From there we got our first cover of the set with Gerken channeling his inner Josh Homme for a spot on ride through the Queens of the Stone Age smash hit “No One Knows.” Armed with considerable chops and plenty of natural showmanship, Gerken and Ben Pickering then traded off instruments with each other, swapping bass for guitar and going headfirst into a lengthy “Verbal Kint” jam before returning to theme with “July” and then “October.”
Dan Gerken pulled doubly duty on 3/23/23, frequently switching between bass and lead guitar
Pushing the music in a heavier direction was fan favorite “Arnold Schwarzeneggar,” which saw even the oldest fans in the room throwing down through the songs pummeling peak. After “Bunnies,” Timbre Coup would give proper thanks to the fans who came out on a rainy Thursday, the promoter and their former manager Greg Bell, and local artist Shanti Payne who did the beautiful gig poster for the show and was also in attendance doing live sketches.
Timber Coup’s Ben Pickering lays down the low end at The Hollow on 3/23/23
Up next came perhaps the longest jam of the single set show, “Z#” off the bands most recent studio album, 2021’s Sudden Urge. The band would then jam their way back into the monthly theme and appropriately enoughm finally land on “March,” bringing the main portion of the performance to a close. After a little begging from the hometown faithful, the guys came back out to deliver a stellar version of one of their oldest and most beloved compositions, sending the audience home happy and sweaty with fully funked out version of “I Didn’t Know She Had a Mustache.”
Timbre Coup performing at The Hollow on 3/23/23
Just starting to rediscover their stride and clearly having fun jamming on older originals, up next Timbre Coup plans to do some recording for the remainder of March and into April. Their next scheduled gig comes on June 8th at Nanola in Malta, NY. Later this summer the band will take part in the annual GEM Arts and Music Festival in Glens Falls.
Squeaky Feet | March 23, 2023 | Albany, NY – The Hollow Setlist: Chance to Grow, Outer Ring, Shovelware, Little Bit Further
Timbre Coup | March 23, 2023 | Albany, NY – The Hollow
Setlist: January, May, No One Knows (QOTSA cover), Verbal Kint>Jam>July, October, Arnold Schwarzeneggar, Bunnies, Z#, Jam>March
13 downtown historic performing arts centers from Jamestown to Poughkeepsie have come together to form Alive Downtowns! The coalition, having met virtually since the start of the pandemic, is seeking $20 million in operating support from the state.
Bardavon, photo by Tim Lee.
Alive Downtowns! main goal is to encourage the lawmakers of New York to think of historic theatres in the same way they do aquariums and zoos, which are shown to have a significant public benefit. It is an affiliate corporation to the Upstate Theater Coalition for a Fairgame, established eight years ago in response to the creation of casinos in the eastern and southern tiers of the state.
Ulster Performing Arts Center, photo by Em Walis.
The historic theatres of Upstate New York are essential to each city’s urban education opportunities, economic viability, and continuing attractiveness. John Parkhurst, Chief Operating Officer of the Rochester Broadway Theatre League commented, “The COVID-19 shutdown of nearly two years has impacted us greatly as an industry. We are coming back, all of us, but, frankly without this coalition it would have been much harder.” The coalition is helping these places become recognized, and be bettered.
Proctors Theatre interior, photographed by Erica Miller.
These facilities combined have an average age of nearly 100 years and are keystones to the downtown areas of the cities they are in. They serve over 5 million people annually including thousands of students. Their economic impacts for upstates major downtowns exceed $350 million and their aggregate budgets exceed $100 million.
The Smith Center for the Arts, photo by Joe Booth.
In a meeting with local legislators and the Governor’s office, the response has been very supportive. The coalition is grateful for that response and hopes to reach all state elected officials to assure an annual appropriation that will allow its members to continue to be part of growing upstate downtowns guaranteeing accessibility for all citizens for years to come.
The Stanley Theatre.
Chris Silva, long-time Executive Director of the Bardavon in Poughkeepsie added, “This group of performing arts centers are economic, educational, and cultural engines in Upstate. We are hoping the state can make a modest investment in us that will pay huge dividends.” Upon meeting with local legislators and the Governor’s office, the response has been very supportive for the coalition’s efforts.
Saratoga Performing Arts Center announced an event in celebration of Earth Day, “American Wildflowers,” scheduled for April 22.
Joe Donahue with Journalist Gloria Steinem. Credit: WAMC
“American Wildflowers,” is the next event in the center’s WAMC@SPAC series with Vice President of News and Programming for WAMC, Joe Donahue, scheduled to host the event, featuring a conversation with the editors and illustrators of American Wildflowers: A Literary Field Guide Susan Barba and Leanne Shapton. A book signing by Barba and Shapton will follow.
As SPAC embraces Earth as a running theme throughout the season, it is fitting that this event celebrating wildflowers and the natural world takes place on Earth Day.
Elizabeth Sobol, President and CEO of SPAC.
American Wildflowers: A Literary Field Guide comprises of poems, essays, and letters from the 1700s up until today, and focuses on the place of wildflowers in our culture and the natural world. Publishers Weekly called it a “rich compendium of classic and contemporary writings inspired by wildflowers.” The book is complimented by Shapton’s watercolors.
Susan Barba is the author of two poetry collections, Fair Sun (2017) and Geode (2020.) and a finalist for both the New England Book Awards and the Massatuchetts Book Award. Her work has been featured in the New York Review of Books and the New Republic.
Leanne Shapton has made a career in artistry, writing, and publicity. Her work has appeared on the book covers of Women in Clothes and her own Swimming Studies, which won the 2012 National Book Critics Circle Award for autobiography. Shapton currently resides in New York City and works as an art editor for the New York Review of Books.
Frank Zappa fans unite! The Furious Bongos are bringing their spring tour to Upstate New York this weekend. The band has shows scheduled for Saturday, March 25 at The Linda in Albany and Sunday, March 26 at The Westcott Theater in Syracuse.
Photo Credit – Colleen Brady
Billed as “A bunch of professional musicians with pretty diverse backgrounds…” the band boasts an impressive and talented nine member lineup. Originally hailing from Southern Wisconsin, the band is embarking on a nine date tour spanning the northeast. While the band’s primary focus is to deliver musical renditions from the Frank Zappa catalog, the band promises to deliver “a show that pays respect to Zappa’s legacy, but is still new and different and dangerous and FUN, with lots of eyebrows”.
Tickets for each show start at $20. Don’t hesitate to grab your tickets for what promises to be a fun filled musical evening.
The Broadway cast of Back to the Future: The Musical, based on the 1985 film of the same name, has been revealed. The main cast includes Casey Likes, Roger Bart, Liana Hunt, Hugh Coles, Nathaniel Hackmann, and Jelani Remy, supported by a large ensemble. Performances start on Friday, June 30, with the show officially opening on Thursday, Aug. 3, at Broadway’s Winter Garden Theatre.
Roger Bart as Doc Brown in Back to the Future: The Musical. Credit: Sean Ebsworth Barnes
Directed by Tony Award winner John Rando, the 2022 Oliver Award-winning musical has a book by Bob Gale, co-creator and co-writer of the Back to the Future film trilogy, and new music and lyrics from Emmy and Grammy-winning Alan Silvestri, and Grammy-winning Glen Ballard. The musical will additionally feature music from the original film, including “The Power of Love,” and the cover of Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode.”
The cast of Broadway’s Back to the Future: The Musical has an extensive background in Theatre. Roger Bart (Doc Brown) is best known for originating the role of ‘Carmen Ghia’ in Mel Brooks’ Broadway musical, TheProducers, for which he received Tony and Drama Desk nominations, and has ventured into television, with supporting roles in ABC’s Desperate Housewives and Freeform’s Good Trouble. Casey Likes (Marty McFly) recently made his Broadway debut in Almost Famous: The Musical as William Miller, an adaption of the 2000 film of the same name starring Kate Hudson in her breakthrough role. Hugh Coles (George McFly) most recently appeared in the third season of FX Network’s Atlanta. Liana Hunt (Lorraine Baines) has performed on stages all across North America, making her Broadway debut as Sophie in Mamma Mia, an adaption of the 2008 film of the same name starring Amanda Seyfried. Jelani Remy (Goldie Wilson/Marvin Berry) has appeared in the Broadway adaptions of Disney’s High School Musical and High School Musical 2! and Nathaniel Hackmann (Biff Tannen) (he/him) is an internationally renowned actor, portraying Jean Valjean and Javert on Broadway in Les Misérables, as well as the titular roles in Jekyll and Hyde and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
The multi-Tony and Oliver Award-winning design team include Tim Hatley, Tim Lutkin, Hugh Vanstone, Gareth Owen, and Finn Ross, with Chris Bailey as the choreographer, Nick Finlow on musical supervision and arrangements, illusions by Chris Fisher, orchestrations by Ethan Popp and Bryan Crook, dance arrangements by David Chase, Ted Artur on music direction and casting by Tara Rubin. West End’s production of Back to the Future: The Musical has been seen by an audience of more than 800,000 people, and broken box office records at the Adelphi Theatre. On March 11, 2020, the musical had its world premiere at the Manchester Opera House and opened in London on Sept. 13, 2021.
Back to the Future: The Musical is produced by Colin Ingram, Donovan Mannato, Tom Viertel/ Steven Baruch/ Marc Routh/ Richard Frankel, Hunter Arnold, Playing Field, Robert L. Hutt, Ivy Herman/Hallee Adelman, Teresa Tsai, Bob, McLynn, Gavin Kalin, Kimberly Magarro, Crush Music, Universal Theatrical Group, Sony Masterworks, Augury, Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale, in association with Neil Gooding Productions, Ricardo Marques, James L. Nederlander. Bespoke Theatricals serves as General Manager.
Less than a year after the show opens this August, Back to the Future: The Musical will begin a 2024 tour with four preview performances at Proctors in Schenectady from June 4-6, 2024, before opening its tour at the KeyBank State Theatre in Cleveland, Ohio. Additional tour locations will be announced at a later date, and tickets will be available as a subscription exclusive to 2023-2024 KeyBank Subscription Series subscribers and the REP 2023-2024 subscribers starting Wednesday, May 31. Individual tickets will be available at a later time.
Listen to the original Back to the Future: The Musical cast album, from Sony Masterworks Broadway, here.
Tickets for Back to the Future: The Musical can be purchased by phone at 212-239-6200 or by visiting telecharge.com.
Wabanaki bassist, composer, and songwriter Mali Obomsawin has announced three shows across New York State, celebrating their newest album, Sweet Tooth.
On March 26th Mali Obomsawin will be playing Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs, followed by a performance at National Jazz Museum in Harlem, as part of the Jazz and Social Justice Event on March 28th, ending with a performance at Public Records on March 29th.
Sweet Tooth, the debut album from Obomsawin, highlights centuries of clever adaptation and resistance that have fueled the art and culture of Wabanaki people. Written as a compositional suite, the album blends Wabanaki stories and songs passed down in Obomsawin’s own family with tunes addressing contemporary Indigenous life, colonization, continuity, love and rage. It’s at once intimately personal, featuring field recordings of relatives at Odanak First Nation, but also conveys a larger story of the Wabanaki people, stretching across the domain of their confederacy from Eastern Canada to Southern New England.
Obomsawin’s show at the National Jazz Museum in Harlem will be followed by an in-depth conversation with series host Larry Blumenfeld, NJMH Executive Director and Co-chief Marten Band/Ramapo Munsee Lenape Nation Tracy Hyter-Suffern, and other panelists about connections between jazz and Indigenous cultures, and the issues surrounding Indigenous resistance movements.
In three movements, Obomsawin’s powerful compositions honor the Indigenous ability to shape great art from the harshest fires of colonialism. The compositions reveal threads that bind together blues, jazz, hymns, folk songs, and Native cultures, and foreground the breadth and continuity of Indigenous contributions to these genres. “Telling Indigenous stories through the language of jazz is not a new phenomenon,” Obomsawin explains. “My people have had to innovate endlessly to get our stories heard – learning to express ourselves in French, English, Abenaki… but sometimes words fail us, and we must use sound”.
