For the 50th edition of Dave’s Picks, a special show has been chosen from one of the best Grateful Dead tours, with Palladium NYC from May 3, 1977 taking the honors.
Spring Tour 1977 had many incredible shows, not including this Palladium show, but also later that week in New Haven, CT, the historic Barton Hall show, and the arguably stronger night that followed in Buffalo.
5/3/77 was the penultimate show of a five-night run at the Palladium, just a few nights before the Cornell show, and features a seemingly endless run of the Grateful Dead at their best, including monumental renditions of “Eyes Of The World,” “Wharf Rat,” “Not Fade Away,” and “Uncle John’s Band.”
Additionally, there are some tracks from the final night of the Palladium run, 5/4/77, with tracks including “Scarlet>Fire,” “Terrapin Station,” “Playing In The Band,” and what has come to be widely considered one of the best versions of “Comes A Time” the Grateful Dead ever played.
This show is only available with a subscription to the Dave’s Picks series.
Grateful Dead – Palladium, Manhattan – May 3, 1977
Set 1: Promised Land, Bertha, Me and My Uncle, Peggy-O, Jack Straw, Row Jimmy, Lazy Lightnin’, Supplication, Deal, Good Lovin’, Ship of Fools, Music Never Stopped
Set 2: Might As Well, Estimated Prophet, Sugaree, Samson and Delilah, Friend of the Devil, Eyes of the World, Wharf Rat, Not Fade Away, Around and Around
Fresh off a lengthy world tour, Interpol made their way back to New York for two hometown shows at Beacon Theatre on December 13 and 14. The band spent much of 2023 on the road, trekking across North America, Europe, and Australia before wrapping things up abroad with a big festival appearance at Maho Rasop in Thailand. After dazzling the New York faithful on the Upper West Side, Interpol head down I95 for three intimate sold out shows at D.C.s 9:30 Club next week.
Interpol released their seventh LP, The Other Side of Make-Believe, back in 2022 and have been touring regularly behind the record ever since. The band puts on a master class in staying true to their iconic sound while still pushing boundaries and making exciting new music that seamlessly expands their live palate. Songs from the last record stand toe to toe with the band’s timeless classics from their 2002 debut Turn On The Bright Lights. Kicking things off with the immortalized opening track “Untitled”, Interpol’s signature style reverberated around the iconic Beacon Theatre and ignited the crowd. As the boys moved through a career-spanning setlist, the crowd hung on every note, rarely returning to their seats until theater personnel eventually did turn on the bright lights.
Just ahead of the release of The Other Side Of Make Believe in 2022, Interpol hit Brooklyn’s Kings Theatre to preview the record. A year apart, the shows at Kings and Beacon had similar setlists yet were still surprising and attention grabbing without ever feeling dull. From the opening notes of “Untitled” to the final, soaring vocals of “PDA”, the crowd at Beacon was hanging on every note as if we were all experiencing an Interpol concert for the first time again. The magic behind a band like Interpol is always making fans feel like first timers, even after two decades of playing the hits.
Interpol have a special relationship with New York City. Not only is it the city the band was made in, but the city itself is their muse. Turn On The Bright Lights is a love affair with the New York, creating a cathartic experience for the band as well as the audience whenever they play the songs live. Whenever Interpol schedule dates around the city, we are drawn to another performance no matter how many times we have already had it.
After the shows in D.C., the band take a well-earned break before a busy festival season in 2024. Check out our photo gallery from Beacon Theatre below and head over to Interpol’s website for future tour dates.
After having a successful year in the movie Barbie as the “weird Barbie,” former SNL cast member Kate McKinnon hosts this year’s holiday episode, with pop icon Billie Eilish as the musical guest.
In true SNLfashion, the cold open focused on an award show called the Christmas Awards, just in time for the holiday season. No stranger to the cold open, Bowen Yang and Heidi Gardner take the role of the award hosts for the evening. The sketch brought the cast together poking fun at Christmas stereotypes, with the bad gift giver that is grandma, and the one relative who brings COVID to the party.
https://youtu.be/mjHV7uAq5fU
Kate McKinnon’s monologue saw her joking about being back at her “old job” at SNL, taking the seat as host tonight, and how uncomfortable she is being herself instead of the weird girl standing next to the hot person. She brought out the piano for a cheery tune, creating a parody of “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” stating she was forced to sing. Iconic actors Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig made an appearance, singing the monologue away.
https://youtu.be/xZmFyCTNrPs?si=WFHCksdjqCieZKUS
The next sketch took place at the North Pole, with elves as news anchors, set on the scene of a killer whale attack. Featuring Kate McKinnon as a scared Scot, it showcases how people always take to social media to write thoughts and prayers during a crisis in a silly yet real manner. Making fun of the fact that kids always want dogs for Christmas, SNL created a satirical infomercial with Pongo!, the perfect pet that doesn’t do anything or dies.
No one will ever forget about the iconic group ABBA, and returning to the screen are Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig, with Kate McKinnon and Bowen Yang performing as the group, not missing a chance to do their best Swedish accent impression. Taking their greatest hits, the ABBA parody group remixed their hits, adding Christmas themes. The sketch was full of the cast breaking character, making it even more funny.
Kate McKinnon brings back her singing with Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig again, creating a country tune about Tampon Farm, a fictional place where women grow and harvest tampons. No one could have seen that twist coming, with the audience erupting into a fit of laughter.
Billie Eilish needs no introduction, the pop icon had a successful year with just one song officially announced, “What Was I Made For?” on the Barbie soundtrack. With severalGRAMMY nominations at this year’s award ceremony, and even a Golden Globe nomination for her small role in SWARM, Eilish is just getting started. Just the other night on The Tonight Show, she teased she is working on her next album, with more TBA soon.
Introducing her were McKinnon and in a surprising twist, Greta Gerwig, the director of Barbie. Billie Eilish sang her hit “What Was I Made For,” with her signature breathy vocals, singing on a stool with her brother Finneas playing piano. With a beautifully added string section and accompanying videos of “girlhood” in the background, the song could bring a tear to anybody’s eye and certainly did mine.
https://youtu.be/mkqTsLVHwuQ
The Weekend Update tradition of Michael Che and Colin Jost reading each other’s jokes did not disappoint this year. Each joke was raunchier than the last, leaving most with their jaws hanging wide open.
Billie Eilish ended her SNL appearance with a haunting cover of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” showcasing her soulful and powerful vocals. During the last sketch, she joined McKinnon cosplaying as crazy cat ladies, showing off several cats.
Just announced on Jan. 20 is Euphoria and Priscilla actor Jacob Elordi hosting, with musical guest Reneé Rapp.
The infamous Gospel voices of Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Jonathan McReynolds, Erica Campbell, Israel Houghton, and Jekalyn Carr, have announced their 2024 One Hallelujah tour, with a stop at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn.
Hailed as the Top Gospel Artist of the Decade by Billboard, Tasha Cobbs Leonard has built her career on larger-than-life performances and powerhouse vocals that will get everyone dancing on their feet.
Jonathan McReynolds has maintained an incredible voice and a beautifully honest approach to songwriting. He made his way from dorm room performances to Christian music’s biggest stages.
Erica Campbell is an American Gospel singer, songwriter, talk show host, and First Lady. Specializing in the urban contemporary gospel, Christian R&B, and contemporary R&B genres, she started her music career in 1998 with her younger sister, Tina Campbell, as part of the group Mary Mary.
Israel Houghton is a GRAMMY award-winning American Christian music recording artist, songwriter, producer, composer, worship leader, and multi-instrumentalist who formed Israel & New Breed, a music group and ministry organization that has produced gold-selling albums.
Tickets are available now. Artist presales began on Wednesday, December 13, and additional presales have run throughout the week ahead of the general on-sale on Friday, December 15 at Ticketmaster.com.
ONE HALLELUJAH TOUR 2024 DATES:
Wed Mar 06 — Boston, MA — MGM Music Hall at Fenway
Thu Mar 07 — Philadelphia, PA — The Met
Fri Mar 08 — Brooklyn, NY — Kings Theatre
Sat Mar 09 — Washington, D.C. — The Theater at MGM National Harbor
Tue Mar 12 — Charlotte, NC — Ovens Auditorium
Wed Mar 13 — Raleigh, NC — Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts
Fri Mar 15 — Miami, FL — James L. Knight Center
Sun Mar 17 — Jacksonville, FL — Moran Theater
Thu Mar 21 — Indianapolis, IN — Murat Theatre at Old National Center
Fri Mar 22 — St. Louis, MO — Stifel Theatre
Sat Mar 23 — Memphis, TN — Orpheum Theatre
Sun Mar 24 — Cincinnati, OH — The Andrew J Brady Music Center
Thu Mar 28 — Evans, GA — Columbia County Performing Arts Center
Fri Mar 29 — Atlanta, GA — Coca-Cola Roxy
Sat Mar 30 — Birmingham, AL — BJCC Concert Hall
Thu Apr 04 — Chicago, IL — Chicago Auditorium Theatre
Fri Apr 05 — Detroit, MI — Fisher Theatre
Sat Apr 06 — Columbus, OH — Mershon Auditorium
Sun Apr 07 — Nashville, TN — Opry House
Tue Apr 09 — New Orleans, LA — Saenger Theatre
Wed Apr 10 — Houston, TX — Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land
Thu Apr 11 — Dallas, TX — The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
Fri Apr 19 — Phoenix, AZ — Arizona Financial Theatre
During a famous MTV Unplugged performance, Kurt Cobain once sarcastically asked, “What are they tuning, a harp?” His tone somewhat mocking of the instrument, as if it had no place in his rock n’ roll world. For a long while, I may have thought the same thing too, but then a funny thing happened to me on Thursday, December 7.
That was the night I saw Mikaela Davis and Southern Star perform at Lark Hall in Albany for the first time. Armed with a six-foot-tall harp, a bold voice, and a certain element of mystique, the classically trained harp player-turned-folk rocker completely redefined everything I thought I knew about the instrument, simultaneously shattering whatever limitations my mind may have placed on it.
Mikaela Davis and Souther Star made their Lark Hall debut on December 7th, 2023.
Captivating the audience with a dreamy blend of psychedelic pop, driving folk rock, and a healthy dose of sonic improvisation, Mikaela Davis and Southern Star simply dazzled in Albany. A long-time believer in the group, Greg Bell of Guthrie Bell Productions has often said this is one of his favorite acts and has been bringing them to the Capital Region for years now. Regularly making stops at venues like The Hollow and Putnum Place, this night would mark their graduation to the historic room of Lark Hall. Delivering a dynamic, genre-bending performance full of emotion, beauty, and star-making energy, it was easy to see what all the hype over the talented harp-playing singer and her incredible band was all about.
Originally formed in Rochester, Mikaela Davis and Southern Star have been playing together for over a decade. Notably sharing the stage with the likes of Bob Weir and Phil Lesh, Bon Iver, and Circles Around the Sun, the group released their first full-length album as a band, And Southern Star, in August of this year and it’s already showing up on many of the “year’s best” lists. Focusing much of the show on its material, the multi-layered improvisation that also came from it was nothing short of a breath of fresh air and a major reason why they’ve been so warmly embraced by the extended jam band community.
Home in the Country: Mikaela Davis and Souther Star made themselves at home in Albany on 12/7/23.
Casually kicking things off with the melodic one-two punch of “Cinderella” and “In My Groove,” Mikaela Davis and Southern Star had Lark Hall’s undivided attention from the very start. Along with Davis, Southern Star also consists of the McCarthy brothers, Cian on guitar and sax and Shane on bass, Alex Cote on drums, and the talented Kurt Johnson on pedal and lap steel.
Keeping things going, the infectious single called “Home in the Country” was an early set highlight, as was watching Johnson’s incredible dexterity as he employed a litany of effects and knob turning to his pedal steel rig to create all kinds of subtle textures to accent Davis’s delectate harp in the most sophisticated way.
Kurt Johnson of Southern Star had his hands full on pedal and lap steel on 12/7/23.
After a bit of funky plucking on 2018’s “Get Gone”, “Far From You” would cross over into a more euphoric fairytale-type feel before landing on what would ultimately be the centerpiece of the show, an enchanting and transformative take on the Grateful Dead’s “Here Comes Sunshine.” Showcasing their propensity to improvise just as Garcia and company famously did, the stunning arrangement felt right at home at Lark Hall, a venue that recently expanded to include a Dead-inspired wine and coffee bar downstairs dubbed The Eleven. The lengthy rendition commanded your attention and was enough to win over any of the Heads in the audience who still weren’t sure of the greatness happening before our ears and eyes.
Here Comes Sunshine: Mikaela Davis and Southern Star wowed the Lark Hall crowd with their Grateful Dead cover on 12/7/23.
What started as a chilled-out version of “Leave it Alone” soon boiled over into blues-rock territory before seamlessly finding the opening chords of “Promise,” the second single from And Southern Star. With the crowd fully engaged and swaying to the up-tempo vibe and colorful riffs, the band’s synergy and skill were on full display. As the momentum continued to build, perhaps the most “rockin’” song of the night came next with a jammed-out version of “Don’t Stop Now,” featuring one of multi-instrumentalist Cian McCarthy’s best solos of the night.
Pausing to thank the audience for coming out and commenting on how nice it was to be playing Lark Hall for the first time, Mikaela then broke the news that she’s already looking forward to coming back in a few months with her pals (and fellow 2023 Lark Hall alumni), Circles Around the Sun.
Talking from the heart about how special it is to play music live, she also mentioned the best way to directly support touring artists is by picking up some of their merch at the gigs. Davis and Southern Star would then bring the main portion of the show to a close with a beautiful rendition of “Pure Divine Love,” before returning for a luscious encore of “Other Lover” from Mikaela’s debut 2018 album, Delivery.
After wrapping up their final show of the year with a hometown throwdown in Rochester, Mikaela Davis and Southern Star already have their sights firmly set on 2024. The band has just announced a full slate of new tour dates alongside psychedelic, Dead-inspired prog jammers Circles Around Sun. The collaborative tour is set to feature several New York dates with stops at Brooklyn Bowl, Ithaca’s Deep Dive, and Buffalo Iron Works.
Mikaela Davis | December 7, 2023 | Lark Hall | Albany, NY
Setlist: Cinderella > In My Groove, Home in the Country, Get Gone, Far From You, Here Comes Sunshine, Leave it Alone > Promise, Don’t Stop Now, Pure Divine Love
Irish Arts Center (IAC) has announced it will be renamed to JL Greene Theatre at Irish Arts Center, to be dedicated in April 2024, following a $3 million gift from the Jerome L Greene Foundation.
Irish Arts Center. Photo by Albert Vecerka/ESTO.
IAC joins a roster of some of New York’s most prestigious cultural institutions supported by the Foundation, including BAM, The Public Theater, Lincoln Center Theatre, and The Whitney Museum.
The Jerome L Greene Foundation gift, which supports the larger scale of programming and operations in the new 11th Avenue facility, builds on recent support from the City of New York ($10 million) and the Irish government ($4.1 million), to support the Center’s future redevelopment of its historic 51st Street home. This donation will help lay the groundwork for the IAC’s upcoming Phase Two campaign to complete the vision for a new Irish Arts Center and secure the organization’s future for generations to come.
Irish Arts Center also revealed the Spring 2024 programming, filling its new facility at 726 11th Avenue that opened in December 2021. The opening of this new 21,700-square-foot building culminated a more than a decade-long transformation of IAC into one of New York’s most beloved multidisciplinary cultural institutions on an intimate scale. With a flexible performance space and acoustic design, it provides a new canvas for the presentation and development of performing arts in the city.
We are thrilled to join the outstanding portfolio of New York cultural institutions supported by the JL Greene Foundation and to announce this gift in conjunction with one of our most exciting seasons yet. We look forward to many moments of artistry and inspiration to come in the JL Greene Theatre. As we begin our third full year of operation in our new home, we also look ahead to the next phase of our important work: completing our 51st Street redevelopment, and building reserves and an endowment, to complete our vision of a new Irish Arts Center that will be successful and sustainable for future generations.
Irish Arts Center Executive Director Aidan Connolly.
“We are proud to play a role in the presentation of world-class Irish arts in New York City,” said Chris McInerney, President and CEO of the Jerome L. Greene Foundation. “Irish Arts Center has proven itself to be an important cultural destination, and the JL Greene Theatre will be host to an amazing array of performing arts for New York audiences.”
IAC’s Spring 2024 programming features a wide variety of voices and forms, including the timely new work of political theater Agreement, a beautiful new dance work from choreographer, director, and performer Jean Butler, a residency of internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter Lisa Hannigan, a large-scale exhibition of works by Irish women visual artists, and more. The new season expands on IAC’s mission to present the evolving arts and culture of Ireland and Irish America in an environment of warm Irish hospitality.
Throughout Spring 2024, beloved recurring programs continue to bring accomplished artists into IAC traditions. Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Paul Muldoon’s variety show Muldoon’s Picnic continues on March 11, April 1, and June 3. In IAC’s Devlin Café, the Café Concert Series brings spirited music out into a social and intimate environment, with Big City Folk Song Club, curated by Niall Connolly returning February 9, March 8, April 4, and May 23, and Traditional Irish Sessions, curated by Tony DeMarco, February 2, March 15, April 5, and May 17. Book Day, for which the Irish Arts Center distributes thousands of free books in New York’s five boroughs in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, returns for its 12th year on March 15.
For the season, IAC’s latest exhibition will showcase women artists whose work reclaims traditional physical and cultural spaces using abstract art. Reclaiming a Space, featuring Diana Copperwhite, Erin Lawlor, Helen O’Leary, and Dannielle Tegeder, will be on view throughout the building from January 29 to June 23.
For more information on the Irish Arts Center, and to see a detailed view of the Spring 2024 programming, visit here.
In February and March 2024, the Grammy award-winning brothers Damian “Jr Gong” Marley and Stephen “Ragga” Marley will launch their exclusive Traffic Jam Tour across North America. This is the first time the brothers have jointly presented a curated set, offering a unique showcase to their fans. The tour includes a stop at Brooklyn Paramount.
Multi-GRAMMY-winning talent, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley is a highly acclaimed Jamaican singer, songwriter, and producer. He is the youngest son of the revered legend, Bob Marley. His musical style fuses reggae with elements of dancehall, hip-hop, R&B, and rock, crafting a fresh and modern sound that is uniquely his own.
Damian was the first ever Reggae artist to win a GRAMMY AWARD outside of the Reggae category. The acclaimed 2005 breakthrough disc, Welcome To Jamrock, won a GRAMMY Award for Best Reggae Album, with the New York Times naming the track “the best reggae song of the decade.”
Stephen “Ragga” Marley is a world-renowned singer, songwriter, and producer whose work has earned no fewer than eight GRAMMY Awards. Born into a musical family, Stephen is the child of reggae legends Bob Marley and Rita Marley. In 2008, he released his first solo album, Mind Control, which won the GRAMMY Award for Best Reggae Album. His subsequent solo albums include Mind Control Acoustic, Revelation Part I: The Root of Life, and Revelation Part II: The Fruit of Life. Stephen’s first new full-length album in more than seven years, Old Soul, was released on September 15 via Tuff Gong Collective/UMe/Ghetto Youths International.
Stephen champions charitable endeavors centered in Jamaica as a co-founder of the Ghetto Youths Foundation, along with his brothers Damian and Julian Marley. In 2017, Stephen established Kaya Fest: an annual music festival that features special guests and rare family performances, all with the larger purpose of raising awareness around the benefits of cannabis, guided by the mantra “Education Before Recreation.”
The seamless shows in the Traffic Jam Tour will feature a special curated set list of both brothers’ catalogs and a medley of their father Bob Marley’s classics. Damian and Stephen Marley have written and performed a multitude of singles together over the last two decades, including the most recent collaboration, “Cast The First Stone” from Stephen Marley’s new LP Old Soul. The brothers wrote/produced/performed on the anthemic GRAMMY-winning reggae classic “Welcome To Jamrock,” in addition to timeless compositions like “Medication,” “Grown & Sexy,” “All Night,” “It Was Written,” and, of course, “Traffic Jam.”
DAMIAN + STEPHEN MARLEY: TRAFFIC JAM TOUR DATES:
Fri, Feb 16: Long Beach, CA – Cali Vibes Fest*
Sat, Feb 17: Stateline, NV – Lake Tahoe Reggae Festival*
Sun, Feb 18: Las Vegas, NV – House of Blues Las Vegas
Wed, Feb 21: San Francisco, CA – The Masonic
Thu, Feb 22: Wheatland, CA – Hard Rock Live Sacramento
Sat, Feb 24: Boise, ID – Revolution Concert House & Event Center
Sun, Feb 25: Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre
Mon, Feb 26: Portland, OR – Roseland Theater
Tue, Feb 27: Vancouver, BC – Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Sun, Mar 17: St Petersburg, FL – Reggae Rise Up Florida*
Tue, Mar 19: Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore Philadelphia
Wed, Mar 20: Washington D.C. – The Fillmore Silver Spring
Sat, Mar 23: Boston, MA – Citizens House of Blues Boston
Mon, Mar 25: Toronto, ON – HISTORY
Tue, Mar 26: Montreal, QC – MTELUS
Wed, Mar 27: Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Paramount
Fri, Mar 29: Detroit, MI – The Fillmore Detroit
Sat, Mar 30: Chicago, IL – Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
Following the unprecedented success of their recent tours, Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads and acclaimed touring member Adrian Belew have announced their 2024 Remain In Light Summer Tour, with stops in Huntington, NY, and Tarrytown, NY.
The tour will find Harrison and Belew performing songs from this monumental period of the band’s history alongside a powerhouse band, including former members of Turkuaz, Julie Slick on bass, and Yahuba Garcia-Torres on percussion.
The group has been touring on their widely popular ‘Remain In Light’ tour all this year in celebration of the band’s iconic 1980 record.
The 2024 ‘Remain In Light‘ Summer Tour with Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew promises a series of electrifying performances, kicking off on Friday, July 26, at Bogart’s in Cincinnati, OH. Each tour stop promises to be a vibrant showcase of the unique energy and passion that Harrison and Belew bring to their live performances.
Remain In Light – NYE Tour Dates* Thu, December 28 – San Diego, CA – Balboa Theater Fri, December 29 – Anaheim, CA – City National Grove Sat, December 30 – San Francisco, CA – The Warfield Sun, December 31 – Napa, CA – JaM Cellars Ballroom *with special guests, X Remain In Light – Summer 2024 Tour Fri, July 26 – Cincinnati, OH – Bogart’s Sat, July 27 – TBA Sun, July 28 – Cleveland, OH – House Of Blues Tue, July 30 – Huntington, NY – The Paramount Thu, August 1 – Portland, ME – State Theatre Fri, August 2 – Derry, NH – Tupelo Music Hall Sat, August 3 – Rahway, NJ – Union County Performing Arts Center Sun, August 4 – Tarrytown, NY – Tarrytown Music Hall
A VIP & Artist Presale went live on Wednesday, December 13 at 10am local time using pre-sale code REMAININLIGHT. General on-sale began on Friday, December 15 at 10am local time. All performances will feature special guests, Cool Cool Cool. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit this site.
The sixth class of inductees for the Capital Region Thomas Edison (Eddies) Music Hall of Fame has been announced. Inductees include artists from a variety of genres like classical, folk, jazz, and electronic music, a pioneering hip-hop songwriter, and two individuals who chronicled the local music scene as journalists.
The late Jackie Alper, the late Nick Brignola, George Guarino, David Alan Miller, the late Pauline Oliveros, Margie Rosenkranz, Billy Waring, and Don Wilcock will be inducted into the Eddies Music Hall of Fame on Monday, March 25, 2024 at Universal Preservation Hall.
The Eddies ceremony is open to the public and includes musical performances, a social hour, videos on the musical career of each inductee, and acceptance speeches. This class brings the total number of inductees to 40 since 2019. An aluminum engraved plaque honoring each recipient is permanently hung at UPH. The 2024 slate was chosen by an advisory council made up of professionals in the local music field.
The induction ceremony precedes the annual Eddies Music Awards, which will be held on Sunday, April 21 at Proctors in Schenectady.
About the Eddies Inductees
Jackie Alper sang with the Almanac Singers, which included Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and Burl Ives. After, she helped found the Weavers, introducing a 16-year-old Ronnie Gilbert to Pete, Lee, and Freddie Hellerman, taking part in the “Great Folk Music Scare of the 1950s and 60s.” Alper hosted WRPI’s “Mostly Folk for Mostly Folks” radio show for at least 25 years starting in 1971. She also turned her husband Joe Alper’s 30,000 music photographs into one of the folk revival’s most meticulously documented archives. Together, they played a key role in supporting Caffè Lena in its early years, often housing musicians including Bob Dylan at their Schenectady home. She passed away in 2007.
Troy native Nick Brignola was a well-respected baritone sax player in jazz, as well as a band leader. During his career, he shared the stage with jazz greats including Phil Woods, Woody Herman, Chet Baker, and Pepper Adams, and recorded 20 albums of his own. His 1981 album L.A. Bound was nominated for a GRAMMY, and has topped many annual DownBeat and JazzTimes critic and reader polls as “Best Baritone Saxophonist.” He taught jazz theory and history at several local colleges and helped start a jazz education program at the College of Saint Rose. He passed away in 2002.
George Guarino created Albany’s music television show Real George’s Backroom (1981-91) and Buzz magazine (1985-95). He was passionate about spotlighting original music bands of that era while introducing the dance floor to 80’s new wave, punk, industrial, and indie music as a featured DJ at Albany’s infamous 288 Lark (1981-87) and QE2 (1987-90) clubs. He was also a DJ at WRPI. Guarino has developed a reputation since 2005 as one of the area’s prominent clinical hypnosis practitioners.
Seven-time GRAMMY nominee David Alan Miller has been music director and conductor of the Albany Symphony Orchestra since 1992. During his tenure, the ASO has released more than 30 albums, with two winning GRAMMYs. In 1994, he founded Dogs of Desire, an 18-member ensemble that has commissioned over 150 new works from emerging American composers. He has guest conducted with most major U.S orchestras, as well as many in Europe, Australia, and the Far East, and serves as artistic advisor to the Little Orchestra Society (NYC) and the Sarasota Orchestra (Fl.).
Pauline Oliveros was an American composer, accordionist and central figure in the development of post-World War II experimental and electronic music. A Houston native, she relocated to Upstate NY in 1981 after many years teaching and performing in California. She developed a ground-breaking music theory called “Sonic Meditations” and founded the term Deep Listening, a practice of profound sonic awareness that came from her childhood fascination with sounds. Known for her works in composition, improvisation, and electro-acoustics, she was a Distinguished Professor of Music at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where she founded the Center for Deep Listening. She passed away in 2016.
Margie Rosenkranz has been the executive artistic director of the Eighth Step Coffee Housesince 1987. Founded in 1967 in the basement of the historic First Presbyterian Church in Albany, the organization is renowned nationally for its presentation of top contemporary singer-songwriters, as well as social justice work, now seen at Proctors. The Schenectady native, born into a musical family, is an accomplished vocalist and has also served as artistic director of the Great Hudson River Revival, a long-standing music and environmental summer festival.
An unsung hero of hip-hop,Harlem native William “Billy Bill” Waring began his musical career as a b-boy with longtime friends Kurtis Walker and producer Danny Harris. He got his first taste of hip-hop music at DJ Kool Herc parties and from 1980-84 he penned the classic songs “Hard Times,” “Basketball,” “You Gotta Believe” and “Games People Play,” and co-wrote much of the Fat Boys’ first album. His music has been used in films and television shows such as Krush Groove, Empire, Black Monday, Hip Hop Uncovered, and more.
Finally, Don Wilcock has spent a career elevating the New York Capital Region arts scene into international recognition. Founder and president of the Northeast Blues Society, he helped boost the careers of local artists Albert Cummings and Tas Cru to worldwide touring success and produced the Fleet Blues Festival, a three-stage event featuring the world’s hottest blues stars. He founded “Kite,” the area’s first arts weekly, in 1970. His biography of Buddy Guy, Damn Right I’ve Got The Blues, helped propel Guy from a club act to the biggest living star in the genre.
Tickets for the Eddies Music Awards are on sale now through the Box Office at Proctors in-person, via phone at (518) 346-6204 Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., or online.
Returning to the vibrant heart of New York City, Stephen Sanchez brought his magnetic presence back to the city that never sleeps, echoing his last unforgettable performance at Irving Plaza in February. The anticipation hung in the air as fans, eagerly awaiting this reunion, gathered at Terminal 5.
Sanchez’s return was not just a concert; it was a homecoming, a testament to the enduring connection between the artist and the city that has played witness to his musical evolution. As the first notes reverberated through the venue, it was evident that this wasn’t merely a performance; it was a celebration of the artist’s journey, marked by growth, passion, and a profound connection with the diverse tapestry of New York’s music-loving community.
Stephen Sanchez’s concert at Terminal 5 unfolded as a captivating saga, weaving together the artist’s soulful melodies and a profound connection with his dedicated fanbase. Earlier in the day, Sanchez set the tone with a fan meetup and popup in Brooklyn, creating an intimate space for admirers to engage with the artist whose music had become the soundtrack to their lives.
As the night descended, Terminal 5 pulsed with anticipation. The setlist, featuring gems like “Something About Her” and “I Need You Most of All,” became a tapestry of emotions, each note echoing the artist’s journey. Sanchez’s stage presence was magnetic, drawing the audience into his world, especially the adoring fangirls who swooned with every nuanced movement. The unexpected covers of “Oh, Pretty Woman” and “Unchained Melody” showcased Sanchez’s ability to infuse timeless classics with his unique, soul-stirring style.
The concert reached its zenith during the spirited performance of “Shake,” where the venue echoed with the energy of both the artist and his ardent fans. The soulful ballad “Death of the Troubadour” revealed the depth of Sanchez’s songwriting, creating a poignant contrast in the midst of energetic numbers. The night concluded on an emotional crescendo with “Until I Found You,” leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of those who witnessed Sanchez’s musical brilliance. This wasn’t just a concert; it was an immersive experience, a testament to the profound connection between an artist and the community that cherishes his every note.
Setlist: Something About Her, Evangeline, I Need You Most of All, Only Girl, No One Knows, Doesn’t Do Me Any Good, Be More, [Oh, Pretty Woman (Roy Orbison cover)], High, Shake, Death of the Troubadour, Send My Heart With a Kiss, Howlin’ At Wolves, Unchained Melody (Hy Zaret & Alex North cover), The Pool, Until I Found You
