On May 8th, New York State confirmed an investment of $5 million for local arts organizations and centers. Alive Downtowns!, a coalition of 13 historic performance arts centers across Upstate New York, received the funding with open arms as they thanked New York legislators in various press releases.
Alive Downtowns! was formed in response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on performing arts centers. Today, upstate theaters remain understaffed and are continuing the fight to reach the expanse of pre-pandemic audiences. Representatives from the coalition have been meeting with New York State legislators and the Governor’s office to discuss the importance of the performing arts and the theaters to urban education opportunities, economic viability, and a city’s attractiveness.
The 13 facilities welcome and serve over five million people annually and have an average age of nearly 100 years. Together, the theaters have a yearly economic impact of $900,000,000. Their goal has always been to receive capital support from the state and have now secured a place in this year’s state budget.
The members of the coalition ranging from Jamestown to Poughkeepsie, not only bring diverse performances and shows to their areas but are a beacon that brings together local communities with arts and education.
Members of Alive Downtowns!
Bardavon 1896 Opera House of Poughkeepsie
Clemens Center in Elmira
Palace Performing Arts Center in Albany
Proctors Collaborative of Schenectady, Albany, and Saratoga
Today is May 18, or, 518 Day. The 518 is a huge region of New York State, an area code established in 1947 and covering 24 counties.
Extending from the Mohawk Valley just west of Utica, to the Vermont and Massachusetts borders, and north to Canada, the 518 includes Albany, Schenectady, Troy, Glens Falls, Plattsburgh and the entire North Country, Saranac Lake and the entire High Peaks region, plus Schoharie, Catskill, Hunter and Caroga Lake.
Among this wide swath of the state is a great deal of music, from bands to venues, festivals to promoters, concert series and figures in the scene, the 518 has a rich amount of music, so much that we thought a great way to celebrate 518 Day (May 18), was to come up with a list of Five Hundred Eighteen things that make the 518 a great place for music.
But we only had a week, so in working with our friends at 518scene.com, we came up with at least a start – 51.8 (rounded up to 52) music venues, bands, promoters, series and more, that make the 518 so great. Read our list below and their list here.
1. Caffè Lena
Founded in 1960 by Lena Spencer, Caffè Lena is the oldest continually running coffee house in the country. Home to an incredible array of folk, Americana, blues and international acts, this Saratoga Springs institution is a must for any music lover in the 518 and beyond
2. The Waterhole
Nestled in the Adirondack town of Saranac Lake, The Waterhole is a staple of the community, with concert series such as Party on the Patio, Saturday Night at the Waterhole, plus a packed calendar of music during Winter Carnival each year. If you’re in the Adirondacks for vacation this summer, stop in to see Eric and Kiki and catch a show at the fabled venue.
3. Tupper Lake Summer Sunset Concert Series
Just west of Saranac Lake on Route 3, you’ll find the town of Tupper Lake, and with it a pair of summer concert series, held on Monday and Wednesday nights. You’ll find unbelievable sunsets on Tupper Lake, a backdrop for music that photos just don’t do justice.
4. Ominous Seapods
A band that calls the greater 518 home, Ominous Seapods have long praised the region with songs like “Leaving the Monopole” and “Pull from Adirondack Blue,” the group have reunited in recent years to great fanfare, including guitarist Dana Monteith flying in from Australia for the shows.
5. The Park Theater
Glens Falls is undergoing a renaissance as of late, with a great deal of businesses, shops and restaurants peppering downtown and Glen Street, with the Park Theater a centerpiece to it all. The venue brings in national artist, comedy acts, jazz acts, Third Thursday and much more, as well as an educational partnership with nearby districts, bringing in a new generation of sound and light technicians.
6. Memorial Meltdown
Coming up over Memorial Day Weekend, the Charles R. Wood festival commons in Lake George will host the second Memorial Meltdown, featuring Twiddle and Frends, Dogs in a Pile, TAUK, One Time Weekend, Annie in the Water and much more. Tickets are on sale now.
7. Palace Theatre
Opened during the height of the Great Depression, Albany’s Palace Theatre shines brightly, entering its 10th decade and continues to host artists from all genres in a beautifully restored venue.
Artwork by Kelly Garrett
8. Annie in the Water
With a fanbase that is spread to every corner of the 518, and well beyond, Annie in the Water have established their catchy Indie/Americana sound all throughout the state, with fresh songwriting and energetic live performances a hallmark of their New York presence.
9. Caroga Arts Collective and Caroga Lake Music Festival
Located northwest of Amsterdam, the quiet town of Caroga Lake has woken up in recent years thanks to the Caroga Arts Collective bringing in music nearly year-round, as well as revitalization efforts on the century old Sherman’s Amusement Park. The lineup for music this year at Caroga Lake Music Festival is eye-opening too.
10. Greg Bell/Guthrie-Bell Productions
Local promoter Greg Bell has established the Albany jam-scene since the early 1990s, giving bands like moe., Ominous Seapods, Peter Prince and Moonboot Lover and dozens (if not hundreds more) a chance to make their name in a town rife with live music venues and crowds.
11. Freedom Park Scotia series
The annual series at Freedom Park in Scotia is flanked by Jumpin Jacks (great ice cream and burgers), the Mohawk River (with waterski performances) and a calendar of music that stretches from May to September each year.
12. Parish Public House
In downtown Albany along Broadway, you’ll find no better place for live music and cajun food than Parish Public House. Housed in a historic building and section of Albany, the legacy of live music in the 518 starts at the Parish door for bands looking to build their name and make fans in Albany.
13. Troy Savings Bank Music Hall
Originally opened in the 1870s, Troy Savings Bank Music Hall has some of the best sound in the region, hosting artists of all genres who praise the excellent acoustics of the room. The free Music at Noon series has recently returned, and is always worth checking out.
Artwork by Kelly Garrett
14. Mirth Films
The team at Mirth Films has been around for only five years, but in that time frame they’ve established themselves as the premier Audio/Video company, capable of covering shows in all corners of the Capital Region without blinking an eye. Its no surprise they recently won three Eddies Awards for their efforts. Check out their recent interview with harpist Mikaela Davis.
15. Indian Ladder Farming Man Festival
Returning in July for year two, Indian Ladder farms invites you to partake in great beer and cider, as well as great music and farm vibes at Farming Man Festival. This apple picking destination has the perfect summer getaway, well worth a trip towards the Heldeberg Escarpment.
16. moe.
You know moe. has made their name on the 518 when they get a street named after them, which is what happened in February on moe.day in Albany. Add in countless shows at Valentines, two snoe.downs in Lake Placid, and the roots established on Western Avenue in the 1990s, you’ll find members of moe. gigging around the 518 with BlueStar Radiation, Midnight Sun and more.
17. Putnam Place
Saratoga Springs is blessed with a wealth of history, but Putnam Place is where music history is written on a regular basis, as nationally touring bands are seen alongside regional artists, making the venue a must spot for fans looking for a break from the bars of Saratoga or just needing to see what the next big band is that’s touring through the area. Check out their calendar and don’t miss Prince/Bowie on May 20.
18. The Egg
Designed by Wallace Harrison, based on a concept from then-Governor Nelson Rockefeller (picture a half a grapefruit in a bowl, and you can see the origin), The Egg has two venues inside – The 900 seat Hart Theater, and the 450 seat Swyer Theater, both of which offer pristine acoustics for performances of all genres. Notably, Mike Gordon of Phish released a live album, The Egg, from a recording of a December 11, 2011 performance at The Egg.
19. Nanola
Looking for a quiet spot for loud music and great food? Malta is the spot for you, with Nanola located on Route 9, with excellent cajun food and a variety of musical offerings throughout the week and especially in the summer.
20. Lark Hall
The recently opened Lark Hall brings with it a century of music history, and has quickly established itself as a must-stop venue for musicans and fans alike. You’ll be able to catch performances of RENT in June, plus the reunion of Space Carnival on July 6, along with much more.
21. Cohoes Music Hall
Coming up on 150 years, the Cohoes Music Hall has been revitalized in the last 50 years, with renovations and restoration taking place, while welcoming musicals, live music, tribute bands and comedians.
22. MVP Arena
Whether you call it The Knick, The Knickerbocker, Pepsi Arena, Times Union Center, or MVP Arena, anyone in the 518 knows what you’re talking about. The downtown arena that opened in January 1990 and has played host to Billy Joel, Phish, NCAA Tournaments, demolition derbies, and even inaugurations of governors.
23. The Linda
Affectionately known as WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio, The Linda is a restored 1926 art-deco bank that welcomes a widely-diverse roster of performing arts, concerts, debates, lectures, and also serves as a recording studio.
24. QE2
While not open under the name anymore, in the 1990s, the QE2 established Albany as a hotbed of the growing Alternative scene in the country. Grunge, hardcore and alternative rock acts could be found performing at the QE2 any given night in the ’90s. The venue has since been sold and renamed The Fuze Box, and continues to bring great music to the 518.
25. The Sembrich
The Marcella Sembrich Opera Museum, also known as The Sembrich, is an historic teaching studio located at Bolton Landing in Warren County. Built from 1922-24 as a teaching studio for New York Metropolitan Opera diva Marcella Sembrich, the 2023 “Trailblazers” Music Festival will celebrate the music of David Smith, Marin Alsop, Alma Mahler and Philip Glass.
26. Proctors Theatre
Originally a vaudeville theater, this Schenectady venue has welcomed legends of the stage and screen, as well as musicians to the stage. Proctors is nearing its centennial year in 2026, and always has the greatest hits from Broadway for fans looking to stay local as they take in a musical or play.
Artwork by Kelly Garrett
Ed note: new area code 838 is popping up in the 518, and we welcome a challenge to find Eight Hundred Thirty Eight things that make this region the best for music, but let’s take this one area code at a time.
This summer, Tupper Lake, located a few miles west of Lake Placid, announces the return of its Summer Sunset Stage Concert Series, featuring two free concert events on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Tupper Lake makes up the Tri-Lakes region along with nearby Saranac Lake and Lake Placid, located in Franklin County. The village was the top lumber producer in New York State, first settled during the town’s lumber production period in 1844.
Since 1976, Tupper Lake has been celebrating the artists and artisans that make up the small community. Before Tupper Arts, there was the Tupper Lake arts council, then named Tupper Lake Presents. It was re-established as a community entity in 2018 when Tupper Arts Vice President Louise McNally helped plan the re-launch. Tupper Arts have grown and set up a year-round programming tradition involving the community, providing easy access to the arts.
This summer, Tupper Lake brings back the weekly live music events to the Tupper Lake Sunset Stage on Mill Street in Flanders Park, starting around 7 p.m. and ending by 8:45.
Tupper Lake Monday Summer Sunset Series Lineup
July 4- Michael Shofi, Brock Gonyea, and Folkfaces
Kicking off the series is Michael Shofi, a 25-year-old singer-songwriter living in Astoria, Queens, specializing in nature-based indie, folk music. Since he was a child, he spent the summers in Tupper Lake and is so glad to be sharing his music with the community. Brock Gonyea is a singer and songwriter from Tupper Lake with a classic country sound. Finally, Folkfaces is a New York state-based roots music quartet that plays a mix of original and traditional music, driven by songwriter and frontman, Tyler Westcott (Vocals, Guitar, Banjo, Harmonica, Kazoo) who founded the band in 2011. The lineup changes from time to time, currently including multi-instrumentalist and fiddler Brendan Gosson, upright bass player, Patrick Jackson, and percussionist Dan Schwach on drumkit and washboard.
The Big Takeover is a seven-piece New York band, fronted by the charismatic Jamaican-born singer and songwriter Nee Nee Rushie. They play original music that is rooted in the genres and rhythms of Jamaican pop: reggae, rocksteady, and ska while bringing in the spirit of Motown.
July 17- The Altered Tones
The Altered Tones is a four-piece band out of Long Lake consisting of guitar, bass, and drums playing a mix of acoustic and electric covers of classic alternative and rock songs.
July 24- Night School
Night School is a five-piece dance-rock band from Tupper Lake, performing some of the most popular dance hits from the past few decades and today, from The Beatles to Talking Heads, or from Rick James to The B-52’s.
July 31- Shakespeare in the Park: The Tempest
The Tempest is an abridged version of the Shakespeare classic by director Karen Lordi-Kirkham. This tale, one of Shakespeare’s most popular, involves magic, a deserted island, betrayal, comedy, and love. Performances run from July 28-Aug. 2 at various venues in the state. For more information, visit here.
Aug. 7- Annie & The Hedonists
Annie & The Hedonists interprets the songs of the great female blues artists of the 20s, 30s, and 40s, including Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Rosetta Tharpe, Ella Fitzgerald, and others while incorporating other styles like bluesy country, roots Americana, and western swing. The band is Annie Rosen on lead vocals, Jonny Rosen on guitar and vocals, Peter Davis on clarinet, tenor guitar, piano, and vocals, Don Young on bass and vocals, and Jerry Marotta on percussion/drums.
Aug. 14- An Evening with The Silks
The Silks are a true grit rock and roll band out of Providence, Rhode Island, winning two consecutive Boston Music Awards for “Blues Artist of the Year” in 2016 and 2017. The group is made up of frontman Tyler-James Kelly, Uncle Sam Jodrey on drums, Jonas Parmelee on bass, and Johnny Trama on rhythm and lead guitar.
Aug. 22- The Bob Stump Band
The Bob Stump Band highlights blues and Appalachian folk music, moving on to cover popular bluegrass, country, jazz standards, and rock music. The band features Bob Stump on guitar and vocals, Doug Moody on fiddle, Tom White on banjo, fiddle, and mandolin, and Roy Coates on the big bass.
Tupper Lake Wednesday Summer Sunset Series Lineup
July 12- New Horizons Swing Band
The New Horizons Swing Band is a part of New Horizons Bands of Northern New York, initiated by Roy Ernst, a professor at the Eastman School of Music. New Horizons was designed for seniors who wanted to learn an instrument or those who needed to restart their instrument, now an international organization. The Swing Band is made up of community members, many retired from a variety of backgrounds and careers.
July 19- Moment’s Notice
Moment’s Notice is a local, four-piece band with veteran musicians Karen Baker on keys, Mike Joyce on electric guitar/vocals, Dan Spada on electric bass/vocals, and Sadie Spada on lead vocals/percussion. They cover a wide range of genres including jazz, Latin, blues, rock, and country.
July 26- Rose & The Bros
Rose & The Bros is a group based out of Ithaca that specializes in Cajun and Zydeco music from South West Louisiana, including sweet vocal harmonies and a few crooning country classics in the mix. It started as a collective dream between Rosie Newton, internationally touring fiddle player and singer and banjo player Richie Stearns, eventually bringing in guitarist Paul Martin. The band is now complete with their rhythm section featuring Angelo Peters (leader of Big Mean Sound Machine), Greg Evans, and Sally Freund.
Aug. 2- The Midnight Stargazers
The Midnight Stargazers Cosmic Country Band is an entertaining four-piece acoustic band from Bloomingdale, NY. They play their own blend of original songs as well as many familiar classic country, country rock, and country folk tunes.
Aug. 9- Junction Jam
Junction Jam is a rock band quartet that plays music from the 60s through the 90s and will have you up dancing and singing while traveling back in time.
Aug. 16- Organ Fairchild
Organ Fairchild was created in 2020 by Jam scene mainstays Joe Bellanti, Corey Kertzie, and Dave Ruch. The trio met in 1983 as members of the Buffalo, NY, Grateful Dead cover band Wild Knights, and wrote their first original music together in 2020. They have individually played with Bob Weir, Rob Wasserman, Robbie Krieger (The Doors), Nels Cline, Tony Rice, moe., and more, and now create juicy jams and groovy tunes together.
Aug. 23- Larry Ham Quartet
Pianist, composer, and arranger Larry Ham is a veteran New York sideman, performing, touring, and recording with many great jazz artists. David Dupont of Cadence Jazz Magazine wrote, “He glides over the keys with each note articulated cleanly…his playing is masterful.”
For more information about Tupper Lakes’ Summer Sunset Stage Concert Series, happening Mondays and Wednesdays all summer long, visit here.
Fusing the sounds of country and rock, Dutchess County-based Raquel & The Wildflowers will embark on a tour of the Midwest and South, bookended by shows in the Northeast and Hudson Valley.
Raquel and the Wildflowers are known for their energetic live performances and the breath of fresh air they bring into the country/rock genre.
Raquel & The Wildflowers have performed alongside country festival artists such as Dierks Bentley, Kane Brown, Thomas Rhett, Florida Georgia Line, Jason Aldean, Granger Smith. The group has opened for multi-platinum artist Andy Grammer, award winning band The Big E Fair, and performed numerous at Summer Concert series and Music Festivals around the Northeast.
Raquels debut solo artist single “Run Towards the Highway” won a ReverbNation contest that was distributed for airplay. The song charted #32 on DRT Top 50 Country AirPlay charts (2018) alongside global country stars such as Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan.
Raquel & The Wildflowers were previously featured on NY’s Country 94.7 FM, Central NY #1 Country station Big Frog, MD Country Station 94.7WDSD, Freedom Park “QuaranTunes” Summer Series and iHeart Radio KISS FM.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Le8Qx5eQ99M
Shows in New York State for Raquel & The Wildflowers include Hudson Valley cities Redhook, Pawling, New Paltz and Fishkill, as well as shows in the North Country in Akwesasne and Southern Tier in Nichols and Salamanca.
Raquel is currently recording her first album with the band that is scheduled to be released in 2023. For more information, visit Raquelwildflowers.com
The prog/jam sounds of Baked Shrimp will be found across the Midwest, South and Northeast this summer, with six July shows lined up across New York State. The Long Island power trio will perform in Alexandria Bay, Rochester, Cortland, Patchogue, Manhattan and Schtagatoke, including festival appearances and a Phish pre-show.
Baked Shrimp’s Summer Tour runs for 40+ shows and pushes the workhorse trio to west of the Mississippi for the first time in their six-year career. The band will perform at major festivals including Peach Music Festival, Summer Camp Music Festival, Strange Creek Camp Out, Northlands Live, and more. An additional round of dates will be announced in June.
The New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) announced that for the year 2024, the budget allocation is $110 million, as well as additional grants reaching $127 million to organizations and artists, and capital project funding.
Lake Placid Sinfonietta Photo: Lohr McKinstry.
The New York State Council on the Arts is dedicated to preserving and expanding the rich and diverse cultural resources that are and will become the heritage of New York’s citizens. This year the NYSCA awarded more than 3,600 direct grants, and $90 million to support the visual, performing, literary and media arts, arts education, and more. Governor Kathy Hochul just announced over $42 Million in awards for Small and Mid-Sized Capital Project grants.
Strengthening our creative sector increases tourism, boosts our economy, and enhances the rich heritage and cultural life of New York State. These record grants will support a wide range of diverse and innovative projects at our arts and cultural organizations across the state, helping ensure all who visit will continue to have wonderful experiences for years to come.
Governor Kathy Hochul
Among those who received a grant award for Small and Mid-Sized Capital Projects, Central New York, more specifically Oneida, had a generous amount given to them. The projects include $1.2 million towards the Artspace Utica Lofts, 41 affordable one and two-bedroom live/work artist units, along with a 3,000-square-foot community workspace located in the Commercial and Arts & Cultural Districts downtown, and $300,000 towards the Children’s Museum of History, Natural History, and Science for Final Construction and Capital Systems Components of Final Museum Construction Phase. A complete list of grantees is available here.
For the 2024 year, the NYSCA will allocate $110 million to support the sector as it is a very important year for the arts as the bounce back from the COVID pandemic continues every day. The total funding for grants is $127 million, $90 million in grantmaking to organizations and artists, and $37 million in capital project funding. For more information about the NYSCA and to prequalify for aid, visit here.
The Waterhole Music Lounge in Saranac Lake has announced the schedule for the annual 2023 Party On The Patio concert series.
Waterhole Music Lounge is Saranac Lake’s music venue of choice, located right on Main Street. The three story lounge features multiple bar spaces, and an outdoor performance space that creates a truly unique concert experience. The annual free Party On The Patio shows are a regional favorite, taking place every Thursday night at 6pm, starting in April and running through October.
The Party On The Patio 2023 lineup has 24 bands from multiple states including Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. The lineup also includes local favorites from across the state, including Hanzolo, Folkfaces, Rasinhead, and Los Blancos.
Each show is free to attend, but limited to concertgoers 21 and up. For more information, and to view the full schedule, please visit the Waterhole’s website.
Ace Frehley turns 72 on April 27th, proving you are never too old to keep rocking and rolling. While the famed guitarist is most known for his prominent role in the hard rock group KISS, he has also enjoyed a fruitful solo career.
Perhaps one of his biggest solo hits is “New York Groove” – an anthemic encapsulation of Frehley’s youthful spirit and the city that drove him to new heights. But it might surprise you to hear that he didn’t actually write the tune. And that it was popular in Europe long before it ever reached America.
Ace Frehley was born Paul Daniel Frehley in 1951. He grew up in the Bronx and first picked up a guitar at the age of 14. It was here in New York City that Frehley saw the Who and Cream perform live, further solidifying aspirations of rock stardom into his young, impressionable brain.
Frehley cut his teeth on the local NYC scene throughout the late 60s and early 70’s. It was during this time that he answered an ad calling for a guitarist in a hard rock group. It read, “Lead guitarist wanted with flash and ability.”
That fateful listing brought him into the fold of bassist/singer Gene Simmons, rhythm guitarist/singer Paul Stanley and drummer Peter Criss – KISS was officially born.
The band was signed to Casablanca Records in November 1973 and for most of the decade they toured around the world, skyrocketing to the top of their charts. Catchy choruses, searing guitar riffs and a flair for the theatrics helped the band stand out in more ways than one. A string of platinum albums and sold-out tours lasted throughout the late 70’s.
KISS 1983 – Paul Stanley/Getty images
Despite the hectic schedule, all four members of KISS recorded and released respective solo albums on the exact same day in 1978. Frehley’s project was self-titled and featured what would become one of his most popular solo tracks: “New York Groove.”
While the song feels representative of Frehley’s own experiences in New York, the track is actually a cover, originally written by Russ Ballard and recorded by a glam-inspired rock band called Hello. The original track achieved a fair amount of success in Europe, charting at #9 in the U.K. and #7 in Germany. It was reportedly recorded in less than 5 hours in a studio just north of London.
Ballard said in an interview that he had the idea for the song while on a plane ride to NYC.
I felt that’d be a good title for a song,” he said. “The whole idea was of someone going back to New York and singing about the experience.”
The song encapsulates the feeling of a nostalgic return to a place once called home. It starts with the lyrics:
Many years since I was here On the street I was passin’ my time away To the left and to the right Buildings towering to the sky, it’s outta sight
After years of relentless touring, one would think Frehley could relate to the feeling of coming home for the first time in a while. But apparently, Frehley was not enthusiastic about recording the song; he had never even heard the track before covering it. But alas, the label wanted a more commercial song on the album and so, Frehley went ahead with it.
In an interview with Louder Sound in 2016, Frehley put it like this:
“A lot of people think I wrote New York Groove. It’s not a myth that I’ve perpetuated, but that’s the way it is. I wish I would’ve wrote the song, though. I would’ve made a lot more cash out of it, ha-ha-hargh!”
While most of Frehley’s solo album was recorded in a studio in Connecticut, “New York Groove” was a late addition and was recorded in Plaza Sound Studios, right above Radio City Music Hall.
Ace Frehley’s hit single “New York Groove,” released September 18th, 1978
Frehley, Simmons, Stanley and Criss all released their solo albums on September, 18th 1978. But Frehley was the only one who managed a hit single, with none other than “New York Groove. “It stayed on the U.S. charts for 21 weeks, peaking at #13.
Frehley told Louder Sound in that same interview that there was no competition among bandmates to have the best record. But he also revealed that he hadn’t really listened to his fellow bandmates’ projects.
“I did put Gene’s on once,” he recalled in the interview. “When I heard his version of When You Wish Upon A Star I had to pull it off the turntable, ha-ha-hargh!”
Origins Vol. 2, released in 2020, featuring classic rock covers such as “Good Times Bad Times” and Jumpin’ Jack Flash
Frehley has continued to release solo projects in the past few decades. His most recent solo album, Origins Vol. 2, was released on September 18, 2020. It is a follow-up to Origins Vol. 1, released in 2016. Both consist of covers of some of Ace Frehley’s favorite songs. Still, “New York Groove” remains a signature song.
In an interview, Russ Ballard attributes the song’s success to its simplicity. “I guess it surprised me because it’s so incredibly simple. They say a good song will always sell, and there’s a lot of truth in that.”
“New York Groove” Lyrics
Many years since I was here On the street I was passin’ my time away To the left and to the right, buildings towering to the sky It’s outta sight in the dead of night
(Ooh) Here I am, again in this city (Ooh) With a fistful of dollars And baby, you’d better believe
I’m back, back in the New York Groove I’m back, back in the New York Groove I’m back, back in the New York Groove Back in the New York Groove, in the New York Groove In the back of my Cadillac Wicked lady, sittin’ by my side, sayin’ “Where are we?” Stopped at 3rd and 43, exit to the night It’s gonna be ecstasy, this place was meant for me
(Ooh) I feel so good tonight (Ooh) Who cares about tomorrow So baby, you’d better believe
I’m back, back in the New York Groove I’m back, back in the New York Groove I’m back, back in the New York Groove Back in the New York Groove, in the New York Groove
I’m back, back in the New York Groove I’m back, back in the New York Groove I’m back, back in the New York Groove I’m back, back in the New York Groove
I’m back, back in the New York Groove I’m back, back in the New York Groove I’m back, back in the New York Groove I’m back, back in the New York Groove
I’m back, back in the New York Groove I’m back, back in the New York Groove
Musician and teaching artist Dave Ruch, along with Brant Lake singer Colleen Cleveland, will present a series of free and open-to-the-public workshopscelebrating traditional Adirondack Music the Capital Region in May.
The “New Audiences for Old Songs” project aims to expand awareness for and enjoyment of this rare and important collection of folk songs and traditional ballads from the Adirondack region of New York State; the kind of “self-made” music sung by everyday people and passed down through the generations in earlier days.
Traditional Adirondack music is typically anonymous, passed down orally and serves as an expression of the life of people in that given community.
These songs have been kept alive in one family – the Clevelands of Hudson Falls and Brant Lake, NY – and the music is little-known today outside a small circle of enthusiasts. The goal of the project is to introduce this material to musicians working in more mainstream genres so that they in turn can bring the music to their audiences.
These workshops will provide the opportunity to learn about the collection and hear Colleen sing some of her favorites as learned from her grandmother. Immediately after the session, a wide selection of the Cleveland family repertoire will be posted on the project’s webpage for all to access, and participating musicians are then free to work up one or more songs in their own style to be presented in their future performances.
The workshop is open to singers and musicians of all genres, and the general public is welcome to attend as well. Registration is not required though interested parties can RSVP to the Facebook events linked below.
Adirondack Music Workshops with Dave Ruch and Colleen Cleveland
Thursday May 4, 7-8:30pm View, Old Forge, NY event
Friday May 5, 7-8:30pm TAUNY Center, Canton, NY event
Saturday May 6, 10:30am-NoonBluSeed Studios, Saranac Lake, NY event
Saturday May 6, 3:30-5pmFolklife Center at Crandall Public Library, Glens Falls, NY event
Albany based jam band Hilltop have announced their newest spring tour, taking place across New York and the New England area.
Hilltop, who recently too part in NYS Music’s March Madness 2023, are already starting to grow their own dedicated fanbase and now they are looking to expand that. Coming off another succesful show at the Parish Public House in their home town, Hilltop looks forward to bringing their music to audiences across the northeast.
Inspired by legendary acts like Phish and The Grateful Dead, Hilltop combines original music, iconic covers, and musical improvisation to create an unforgettable experience for their audience.
With over 100 shows under their belt, Hilltop shows no signs of slowing down. The band, consiting of brothers Stephen & Reid Perry, and their friends Aris Nieuwkerk and Dave Klang, have also performed at festivals in Lake George as well as Catskill Mountain Jubilee last August.
On tour, Hilltop will be joined by area favorites The Apollos, Vertices, as well as supporting The Chops and Seapods ft. Al Schneir. The tour will take stop at New York venues including The Monopole, Brooklyn Music Kitchen and Funk N Waffles, interlaced with vibrant New England shows.
For more information, please visit Hilltop’s website.
Hilltop 2023 Spring Tour
3/23 – Zenbarn – Waterbury, VT (w.s.g. The Apollos) 3/24 – Sawtooth Kitchen – Hanover, NH 3/25 – The Monopole – Plattsburgh NY 3/31 – Brooklyn Music Kitchen – Brooklyn, NY 4/1 – Midway Cafe – Boston, MA (supporting the Chops) 4/6 – Stella Blues – New Haven, CT 5/12 – Funk N Waffles – Syracuse, NY (supporting Seapods ft. Al Schneir) 5/13 – Parish Public House – Albany, NY (w.s.g. Vertices)
