The Cayuga Chamber Orchestra will launch its 2023-24 Season, “Beethoven and Beyond,” with Beethoven’s Sixth; a program led by Music Director Finalist Jeffrey Meyer and featuring Pianist Xak Bjerken.
The September 23 concert opens with Carlos Simon’s “Fate Now Conquers,” followed by Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G, and finally with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 to finish the evening. There is also a free pre-concert chat at 6:30 pm for anyone who wishes to attend.
Jeffrey Meyer has captivated audiences throughout North America, Europe, Russia, and Asia, with his passion for championing contemporary orchestral music and groundbreaking collaborations. His programming has been awarded multiple prizes including three ASCAP Awards for Adventurous Programming and two Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Awards in Orchestral Programming. Artistic Director of the St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic for two decades, his work with the orchestra was noted for its breadth and innovation.
Praised as “one of the most interesting and creatively productive conductors working in St. Petersburg” by Sergei Slonimsky, the orchestra’s American debut with three performances at Symphony Space’s Wall-to-Wall Festival in New York City was described by The New York Times as “impressive,” “powerful,” “splendid,” and “blazing.” He also led the acclaimed conducting program at Ithaca College for ten years.
Pianist Bjerken has appeared as a soloist with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and has performed at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Glinka Hall in St. Petersburg, the Konzerthaus in Berlin, and St. Cecilia in Rome. He was for many years a member of the Los Angeles Piano Quartet, and has held chamber music residencies at the Tanglewood Music Center, the Spoleto Festival and the Olympic Music Festival. Bjerken is a Professor of Music at Cornell University where he co-directs the international chamber music festival Mayfest with his wife, pianist Miri Yampolsky.
For more information and subscriptions, or for tickets, visit this link or contact the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra Box Office at 607-272-8981 or info@CCOithaca.org.
Binghamton University’s Anderson Center for the Performing Arts announced a performance by Washington, DC’s Step Afrika!, as part of its upcoming 2023-24 Center Series. Step Afrika! is a professional dance company dedicated to the tradition of stepping, scheduled to perform at the Anderson Center on September 30 at 7:30 p.m.
Ranked as one of the top ten African-American dance companies in the country, Step Afrika! combines percussive dance styles historically practiced by African American fraternities and sororities, traditional Western and South African dances, as well as an array of contemporary dance and art forms. Together, they create a cohesive, compelling artistic experience for audiences. Step Afrika!’s performances blend songs, storytelling, humor, and audience participation to create a unique act.
Step Afrika! promotes stepping as an educational tool for young people, with a focus on teamwork, academic achievement, and cross-cultural understanding. The company reaches tens of thousands of Americans each year through tours and its unique position as Washington, DC’s only Cultural Ambassador. Their accolades include the Mayor’s Arts Awards for Outstanding Contribution to Arts Education (2005), among others, as well as performances for former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.
The company is featured at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African-American History & Culture with the world’s first interactive stepping exhibit. In 2017, Step Afrika! made its Off-Broadwaydebut with the critically acclaimed production, The Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence.
Tickets for the general public range from $25-60, with a 10% discount on premium seats for seniors, veterans, and Binghamton University faculty/staff and alumni. Student and child tickets cost just $10 for any seat in the house.
Tickets are on sale now through the Anderson Center Box Office, online at Anderson.binghamton.edu, or by calling 607-777-ARTS.
Musician and festival curator Jess Novak has announced the F.I.R.E. (Females Inspire, Rock, Empower) Festival will return to the Oswego Music Hall on Oct. 15 from 1-5 p.m.
The idea of the F.I.R.E. Festival is to promote women in music, art, and business. While many festivals boast all-male lineups with cover-centric headliners, F.I.R.E. will feature women playing original music. Vendors and artists include Unremorseful Art, AzureEyes Photography, Foxxy Bones (who creates art and jewelry from animal bones), and more. Musicians include local performers Amanda Rogers, Caitlin Barry, Ella Drotar, Novak, Buffalo-based artist Stress Dolls, and more. This year’s event will also include an open mic portion. This will allow female attendees to share on stage even if they aren’t regularly performing musicians, encouraging artists of all ages and talents the opportunity to be brave and perform.
“This was originally planned for March 2020,” Novak explains. “That didn’t happen because of COVID, but last October we brought it to life at Oswego Music Hall. It was so successful we started planning the next festival right away.”
Novak continues “When I was a kid, I never attended a musical event where women were as well-represented as men. This provides an opportunity for young people to see that anything they dream of – they can do.”
The event is part of the Oswego Music Hall guest curator series where people from the community pitch event ideas to utilize the space. The festival was created by Jess Novak who performs alongside the Jess Novak Band. She has performed over all over the country, recorded multiple albums, and is an award-winning journalist.
Just a few years ago, I was too afraid to sing on a microphone. I dreamed to be on stage but wasn’t brave enough to try it. I hope the open mic part of the festival will reach a few people who are just like I was: eager to perform, but too afraid to try. Now is your chance.
Jess Novak
Novak also plans to bring the festival to The Center for the Arts of Homer on Friday, March 8, 2024, International Women’s Day, hoping to establish northern and southern CNY versions of the event. All ages are welcome and admittance is $10 at the door (children under 12 are free). 50/50 raffles will be held and goods and art will be available for sale.
For more information on the F.I.R.E. Festival, visit here.
Lineup
Jess Novak
Starting Off Red Ella Drotar Caitlin Barry Brynn Race Jennifer Horstman Gina Holsopple Amanda Rogers Stress Dolls Unremorseful Art Golden Age Reiki Jamie Santos Wildebeest Publishing Co. Foxxy Bones Azure Eyes Photography
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.
Cortland Repertory Theater has announced their fall and early winter schedule at their downtown Cortland building, located at 24-26 Port Watson Street in the city of Cortland. Events start on September 16, and the season doesn’t end until New Year’s Eve.
Cortland Repertory Theater boasts a handful of events for people of all backgrounds and ages. From Trivia nights to drag shows, there will be something at the CRT for everyone. Be sure to read the details of each event for age restrictions, prices, and times.
The CRT Downtown schedule includes:
September 16 at 7:30PM: “Broadway’s Greatest Hits”
A cabaret evening of memorable show tunes performed by SUNY seniors, raising funds for their NYC Spring Showcase at CRT.
September 21 at 7:00PM: Third Thursday Trivia.
Attendees test their knowledge on a wide range of subjects in six rounds, each with five questions. Prizes are given each round, with one final grand prize for the evening. Hosted by CRT’s Producing Artistic Director Kerby Thompson.
September 29 & 30 at 7:30PM: Edgar Allen Jo’s Excellent Dragventure.
CRT partners with Go Jo Productions to present some of New York state’s top drag performers to “drag the audience through time”. During this time travel experience, the audience will stop by Marie’s for tea and cake, bond with Abe Lincoln, and party with Napoleon. Note that this is an 18 and up performance, because history is seriously not PG.
October 14 & 15: The Little York Fall Fiber Arts Festival.
Now in its 11th year, this CRT fund raiser held at the Little York Pavilion boasts over 30 vendors for knitters, weavers, yarn enthusiasts, and so much more. Other items include maple products, wood-worked items, clothing, and a variety of unique holiday gifts. The festival is open from 9:00-5:00 on Saturday and 10:00 – 3:00 on Sunday.
October 14 at 7:30PM: Billy Joel’s “Piano Man.”
Wade Preston returns for his 7th annual fall concert. Wade’s “one-night only” concert of stories and songs by Billy Joel and other artists are memorable for everyone who attends. With his versatile piano skills and vocal talent, on top of his child-like stage charm and great sense of humor, Wade delivers a unique night filled with rock n roll that will leave the CRT reeling for more.
October 19 at 7:00PM: Third Thursday Trivia – Halloween edition.
October 21 at 7:30PM: Backtrack Vocals.
Backtrack Vocals is a 5-person professional a cappella singing group based in NYC transforms familiar pop, funk, Motown, standards, and Broadway songs with new vocal and beatbox arrangements. Their performances are infused with heart and humor, and because of their wildly versatile repertoire, there’s sure to be something for everyone.
November 4 at 7:30PM: Cortland’s own Jack Gerhard (pictured above) and his band.
Celebrating the release of his first album “If You Need Me”, Jack makes his concert debut with a stunning evening of cover tunes and a collection of his own original songs. Don’t miss Cortland’s star-on-the-rise in this intimate evening of heartfelt music.
November 11 at 7:30PM: TAKE3 – Where Rock Meets Bach (pictured above).
TAKE3 has a vast repertoire that travels from Bach and Beethoven, to Bieber and The Beach Boys. Enjoy a genre-defying trio that combines classical music and fuses it with rock-star charisma. Likely due to their training at the world’s top conservatories, TAKE3 performances have been described by audience members as a mini-Trans Siberian Orchestra experience.
November 16 at 7:00PM: Third Thursday Trivia
In December, Santa’s volunteer elves (CRT’s Board and Guild members) decorate the Grand Hall at CRT Downtown for the holidays from top to bottom. They invite kids of all ages to stop in, visit with Santa, take selfies, and get in the holiday spirit.
November 30, 7:00 – 9:00PM: Cocktails with Santa.
Cocktails with Santa is an evening reserved for those without children, but who still want to get into the holiday spirit with Santa himself. A cash beer/wine bar will be available, with CRT volunteers to take holiday photos for upcoming Christmas cards or Instagram posts.
December 1: Our display will be open for viewing in conjunction with the City of Cortland’s Tree Lighting Ceremony.
December 2 & 3: Photos with Santa.
After visiting Santa, take a stroll through our Wonderland and take selfies. Santa will be in his chair from 10 – Noon and 2:00 – 4:00 on Saturday, and 1:00 – 3:00 on Sunday. Family photos will be taken and emailed the following week.
December 9, 11:00 – 2:00: CRT’s Holiday Brunch, with special guest Lisa Rock and “A Carpenters Christmas”.
The CRT Board of Director’s 2nd Annual Holiday Brunch Fundraiser and party. Enjoy a delicious brunch, bid on unique silent auction baskets, scoop up some holiday spirits in wine grab bags, and enjoy a one-hour concert with Lisa Rock.
December 9 & 10: Lisa Rock and “A Carpenters Christmas”.
Based on the music of The Carpenters’ two holiday albums and variety shows, this festive holiday concert features “Merry Christmas Darling”, the jazzy “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” and many more. Concerts are at 7:30PM on Saturday and 2:00PM on Sunday.
December 21 at 7:00PM: Third Thursday Trivia: December Holiday Edition.
December 31, 9:00PM – 12:30AM: Dancin’ Thru the Decades New Year’s Eve Dance.
Dance into the New Year and have a great view of the city’s New Year’s celebrations. CRT’s DJ will play the ultimate dance mix of the greatest tunes from the 60’s to today.
For more information and ticket prices for all events at the Cortland Repertory Theater, visit cortlandrep.org, call 800-427-6160 or visit the CRT Box Office at 24 Port Watson Street.
The Stanley Theatre, a beloved Utica music venue, will be celebrating its 95th birthday with a celebration on October 5. The 1920s-themed anniversary party will feature music by The Fabulous Mojos, a funky five-piece group known for swinging blues and beats.
Additionally, the party will feature basket raffles, limited edition merchandise, and hors d’oeuvre stations sponsored by Patrick O’Connor’s Feasts and Festivities. Raffle baskets highlight local businesses such as Meyda Lighting, Tavolo’s Restaurant, and Broadway Theatre League of Utica. A commemorative painting by famed artist Stephen Fletcher will also be on display and raffled off at the event.
The evening will feature a specialty drink, the ‘Gin Stanley.” A new take on the popular Gin Rickey, it has an added strawberry twist. A cash bar will be available for attendees with both cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages.
Raffle tickets will be available at the event, cash only, and can be purchased at various price tiers. Limited edition merchandise will include t-shirts, mugs, and prints featuring The Stanley Theatre’s custom 95th-anniversary logo.
Tickets are available online at ticketmaster.com, in person at The Stanley Theatre’s Box Office, and by phone at 315-724-4000. Tickets start at $95 including fees.
Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band have postponed all performances currently scheduled for September 2023, beginning with Thursday’s show scheduled for the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse.
Mr. Springsteen is being treated for symptoms of peptic ulcer disease and the decision of his medical advisors is that he should postpone the remainder of his September shows.
Springsteen made the following comment:
“Over here on E Street, we’re heartbroken to have to postpone these shows. First, apologies to our fabulous Philly fans who we missed a few weeks ago. We’ll be back to pick these shows up and then some. Thank you for your understanding and support. We’ve been having a blast at our US shows and we’re looking forward to more great times. We’ll be back soon. Love and God bless all, Bruce”
Ticketholders will receive information regarding rescheduled dates for the postponed shows, which are listed below.
The new date for his Albany show is for April 15, 2024.
Thurs, September 7 – Syracuse, NY @ JMA Wireless Dome Sat, September 9 – Baltimore, MD @ Oriole Park at Camden Yards Tues, September 12 – Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints Arena Thurs, September 14 – Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints Arena Sat, September 16 – Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena Tues, September 19 – Albany, NY @ MVP Arena Thurs, September 21 – Columbus, OH @ Nationwide Arena Fri, September 29 – Washington, DC @ Nationals Park
Two Rochester based ensembles, showcasing Sephardic music will perform back to back performances of “Sephardic Reflections,” taking place in Syracuse on October 21 and at Rochester’s Temple Beth El Synagogue on October 22.
The production ‘Old & New: Sephardic Reflections’ brings a taste of medieval flute and electric guitar, offering a contrast of contemporary music with versions of old and new songs. This medieval mix is interpreted by members of fivebyfive and Pegasus Early Music/NYS Baroque. The clash of ensembles explore the sounds of flute and electric guitar to present a new experience for the audience.
Pegasus Early Music/NYS Baroque
Pegasus Early Music/NYS Baroque will perform using recorders, lute, duduk, shawm, harp and percussion which stay true to the early music of Sephardic traditions in Spain, Portugal and Morocco. Members of the chamber music ensemble will us flute, clarinet, bass, piano and electric guitar which heavily influence the new tradition.
This is an exciting journey for both ensembles, to focus on music from a certain period but in our own styles. All of our musicians are world-class artists, experts in their chosen instruments, and we look forward to collaborating on this kaleidoscopic musical event.
Pegasus/NYS Baroque Director Deborah Fox.
“We are thrilled by the variety of sounds that will be shared in this concert,” said Artistic Director, Laura Lantz of fivebyfive.
fivebyfive
Tickets can be purchased online at pegasusearlymusic.org and fivebyfivemusic.com or purchased at the door. Upstate New York looks forward to see what they have in store for the double ensemble collaboration “Old & New: Sephardic Reflections”.
Noah Kahan triumphantly returned to Central New York on Friday for a sold-out performance at Lakeview Amphitheater. It was Kahan’s second sell-out concert in Syracuse this summer, having previously played Beak and Skiff in June. Ruston Kelly opened the show.
Noah Kahan performs at Lakeview Amphitheater
Few in the music industry have seen the rise to success quite like Noah Kahan. The 26 year-old singer-songwriter has seen his popularity explode in recent months, selling out nearly every venue in his path. His successes are never more evident than in Central New York. Less than two years ago, Kahan performed at The Westcott Theater in Syracuse. Three months ago, he performed a sold-out concert at Beak and Skiff, and now, he has again returned with a sold-out performance at the much larger Lakeview Amphitheater.
Noah Kahan performs at Lakeview Amphitheater
As 8pm hit, opening act Ruston Kelly took the stage with his bandmates. The Nashville based singer-songwriter kicked his set off with “Cover My Tracks,” the opening number on his 2018 release Dying Star. The song was a good preview of what was to come during the 45 minute set. Kelly delivered a stream of well-written moderate tempo Americana style tracks, with Kelly showing that he excelled at telling a story while delivering his heart-felt lyrics.
Kelly showcased his ability to hype the crowd as well, performing two well-placed covers during his set. Early on, Kelly led the crowd in his rendition of Wheatus’ “Teenage Dirtbag” which had fans young and old singing along to the familiar chorus. Later in his set, Kelly delivered the Taylor Swift cover “All Too Well,” which had nearly everyone in attendance on their feet and singing along. Kelly would close out his set with “The Weakness,” the opening track on his latest release of the same name. The slow moving track would build in intensity until reaching an impressive crescendo.
Ruston Kelly performs at Lakeview Amphitheater
As the final stage preparations wrapped up between sets, anticipation through out the concert grounds kept building, with palpable anticipation for Noah Kahan’s arrival. Finally, just after 9:20, the house lights went dark and the four members of Kahan’s band took the stage. After a brief instrumental introduction, Kahan strutted to the front of the stage. With a wave and a smile, and a deafening roar from the crowd, the band launched into the high energy “Northern Attitude,” the lead track on Kahan’s 2022 release Stick Season. The opening song served as a preview for what was to transpire over the next 95 minutes. Nearly everyone in attendance sang along, in deafening fashion, to nearly every word. Kahan kept the energy flowing early, moving into “She Calls Me Back,” and “New Perspectives.”
Noah Kahan performs at Lakeview Amphitheater
Early in the set, it was clear Kahan could not contain his excitement. He urged the stage workers to turn on the house lights, so he could catch a glimpse of the crowd in front of him. “This is the largest show we’ve ever played, thank you all so much,” Kahan proclaimed, giddy with excitement. He took turns dancing with his band mates early in the set, skipping across the stage and jumping from the drum riser.
Noah Kahan performs at Lakeview Amphitheater
Through out the evening Kahan’s energy would give way to more serious subject matter. The singer-songwriter spoke of loneliness and isolation at times, and urged those in attendance to seek help when needed. He sang of his journey through therapy on “Growing Sideways,” and sang of a close friend’s similar struggles on “Call Your Mom,” a track Kahan himself said is often too emotional for him to perform live. Through the heavy subject matter, Kahan would lead his listeners back to more up-tempo sing-along tracks, at times urging their participation, to which the crowd feverishly obliged. After a brief encore break, Kahan and his bandmates would close out the evening with three more songs, including perhaps his biggest hit to date, “Stick Season.” It provided those in attendance one final opportunity to showcase their voices, and they too did not disappoint.
Pink Talking Fish has mapped out the rest of 2023 with an extensive December tour, that brings the band from the east coast, with shows in Port Chester and Buffalo, before heading west with a New Years run in Denver. A pair of shows in December will also feature the legendary Giant Country Horns for a pair of shows with Pink Talking Fish.
After a run of shows in September and October, Pink Talking Fish will kick off December by bringing Phish’s horn section “The Giant Country Horns” out for 2 shows in Burlington VT and Keene NH. The Keene show is at The Colonial Theatre which is home to one of the more famous performances during the 1991 Phish Tour with The Giant Country Horns and became a Live Phish release.
A Midwest run starts in Buffalo at Buffalo Iron Works on December 13, and will then move through Ohio and end in Chicago IL, and following a holiday break, Pink Talking Fish will close out the year with a two-show run in Denver, CO on 12/30 and 12/31.
Pink Talking Fish Fall Tour
9/08: Syracuse NY at The Westcott Theater
9/09: Bedminster NJ at Fiddlefest
9/10: Weatogue CT at Talcott Mountain Collective
9/16: Morrisville VT at Oxbow Riverfront Park – Keep On Growing
9/22: Plymouth NH at The Flying Monkey – Dark Side Of The Moon 50th Anniversary Celebration
9/23: Boston MA at The Paradise – 10-Year Anniversary Celebration
10/04: Washington DC at Pearl Street Warehouse
10/05: Waynesboro VA at The Foundry
10/06: Raleigh NC at Bowstring Brewyard
10/07: Charleston SC at The Pour House
10/08: Asheville NC at Salvage Station
10/14: Port Chester NY at The Capitol Theatre – This Must Be The Cirque
10/21: Ardmore PA at Ardmore Music Hall
10/27: East Greenwich RI at The Greenwich Odeum
10/28: Port Washington NY at Landmark On Main
Pink Talking Fish December Tour
12/01: Burlington VT at Higher Ground – w/ The Giant Country Horns
12/02: Keene NH at The Colonial Theatre – w/ The Giant Country Horns
12/09: Portland ME at The State Theatre
12/13: Buffalo NY at Buffalo Iron Works
12/14: Columbus OH at Woodlands Tavern
12/15: Covington KY at The Madison Theater
12/16: Chicago IL at Park West
12/30: Denver CO at So Many Roads Museum & Brewery
12/31: Denver CO at So Many Roads Museum & Brewery
