The night’s theme was R&B, and DJ TGIF brought them rhythm with him. Opening the show with some of the best R&b from the 80s, 90s, and 2000s, there was not a body that wasn’t grooving to the beat. As a local favorite, he vibed with the crowd well for his two hour set. There were plenty of free t-shirts given out after his set by Alive at 5 volunteers and Overit Studios.
The summer series was closed out with the highly anticipated Montell Jordan. Locals came in a bit anxious from the previous week as Rakim had cancelled an hour before his set. Montell Jordan did show up and show out for the large Albany crowd.
Montell’s set was the shortest of the season at 45 minutes, about half of all the other main acts this series. His set had a lot of ups and downs as he cut many of his hits short. Montell said that since he had recently become a pastor, he could not sing any more of his songs that were more sexual in nature. He commonly started a track and cut it off after about 30 seconds, leaving some of his adoring fans with a look of dissatisfaction.
To fill the void of those unsung songs, he performed a lot of covers. Showing love to the East Coast, he covered Notorious B.I.G.’s “Hypnotize.” He also represented his West Coast Roots with a spin of “California Love.”
The show ended on a high with him singing his most well known hit “This is How We Do It.” The crowd couldn’t get enough of him. He had already performed different versions of the song to open his set, and they were finally left with it played the whole way through. He stayed behind after the show to sign autographs for fans.
The show was opened by Dr. Jah and the Love Prophets. For over 30 years, Dr. Jah has been bringing peace, love, and positivity to the Capital Region. With the Love Prophets by his side, they performed for what may have been their second Alive at 5. The vibes were kept peaceful for the most part, but their set ended on a more political note. Guitarist Dave Geoghegan expressed his frustration with the recent decision to strike down Roe v. Wade. They finished the set with a song he said they hadn’t thought about being relevant again in over 30 years.
Dr. Jah was followed up by The Skatalites. Originally from Kingston, Jamaica, the band has a history that dates back to 1964. They were founded on the popular Jamaican genre, “Ska,” and have since grown and incorporated Reggae, Rocksteady, Ska-Jazz, and a few other sub-genres into their sound. Doreen Schaffer is the only original member of the band that still plays with them today. Though she was not there for the performance in Albany, she may make an appearance for the band’s 60th anniversary next year.
Ska music tends to generate a lot of dancing because of its rhythms and horns. There were few lyrics, as the crowd mostly vibed out for an hour and a half. They did bring out a singer to perform a cover of “Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley. A group of high schoolers raising funds for a sports trip formed a conga line that helped those who were moving to get up a go. This was probably one of the most mellow Alive at 5’s for the year before things turn up to close out the series.
The Skatalites perform at The Music Room in West Yarmouth, MA on Aug. 12.
Sly Fox and the Hustlers opened classic rock night under I-787. They formed in Albany in 2010 after Sly’s long time friend decided to embark on a solo career. He enlisted the help of guitarist, Zak Young and drummer, Sean Ireland to form the band. They created a classic blues rock and roll sound which has so far produced two albums. Sly Fox and the Hustlers are working on releasing their third album sometime this year.
Sly Fox and the Hustlers played about an hour set with the addition of three members. Saxophonist, Luke McNamee, Brian Mangini on the keyboard and John Dievendorf on the bass took the stage to with Sly Fox to modest crowd of Albany’s most loyal rock and rollers. The mood was a bit more mellow as their music leaned more towards a classic blues sound than a typically head banging rock n’ roll beat. Many of the songs were centered more around love, which may have helped to audience understand Sly more. Most of crowd saved their energy by resting in their lawn chairs in anticipation for Sweet. They were left off with a warm farewell before the night was revved up.
Sweet was a band in the 70s who gained popularity in the UK with from their single “Blockbuster!” They had many songs reach the charts in both the UK and England before they disbanded in 1981. Most of the founding members died between 1997-2020, but they did not stop the legacy from continuing. Guitarist Andy Scott, has formed his own version of Sweet that continues to play shows today and even make music. His version of Sweet, however, was not the version that was in Albany.
Bassist Steve Priest came out of retirement in 2007 and formed his own version of Sweet. This version shares similarities with Scott’s version, but are not actively making new music. They still are keeping the legacy alive by playing some of Sweet’s best songs at their shows. Their show in Albany was no show for the week hearted as they really gave it their all with the short window they had.
The show was moved to Albany’s rain location under I-787, but a torrential storm was so strong the highway could not protect everyone. Nonetheless, the show still went on with a few changes to the set.
Coming out strong with hits like “Teenage Rampage” and “Set Me Free”, there was not one person still sitting in their seat for the show. Lead singer, Patrick Stone, really meshed with the crowd well by encouraging participation from all. Stone stuck his mic over the crowd, stood on the front speakers, and even ran through the crowd twice to keep everyone energized.
Patrick Stone singing with fan at Alive at 5 – Photo by Jarron Childs
Even though they could not complete their whole set, they were able to get off their two most notable songs before they departed early. “Fox on the Run”, which regained popularity after being on the The Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack, still hit the same as it probably did back in 1974. Crowd members needed very little encouragement to sing it word-for-word with Sweet. The set ended early with “Ballroom Blitz,” which still left the energy on high just before the downpour.
Steve Priest’s Sweet continues to tour with their next stop being Louisville Kentucky on August 25th.
Sly Fox and The Hustlers Setlist: Back in Funk, Rough Patch of Road, Giving Dream, Revolution 2012, Look At You, Let Me Down Easy, Smooth, Home By Morning, Forever Young, Find Someone, S.U.N.Y. Girl, American Gypsy, Sympathy
Sweet Setlist: Action, Teenage Rampage, Set Me Free, Love Is Like Oxygen, Sweet F.A., No You Don’t, Done Me Wrong, Willie/Block/Wig, AC/DC, Fox on the Run, Ballroom Blitz
It was a great night to be a fan of live music if you were anywhere near downtown Albany on Thursday, June 15th. With the annual Alive at 5 free concert series now in full swing, fans from across the Capital Region flocked to Jennings Landing for “Jam Night” with Mihali Savoulidis. While it was undeniably a great time and great exposure for the ultra-talented and charismatic Twiddle front man, it was the show-after-the-show that ultimately provided the biggest improvisational peaks of the evening. Playing to a packed Parish Public House directly across the street after Mihali’s set, Annie in the Water kept the party going long and strong well into the next morning.
Alive at 5: Mihali, featuring Scott Hannay and the West End Blend Horns got the party started
Going off the cuff without a written setlist, the band unleashed the perfect combination of original songs, unexpected covers, and guest sit-ins galore from some high-profile friends, including members of Twiddle, Scott Hannay, and the West End Blend, all making for a perfect night cap to an already memorable night in Albany.
Often regarded as one of the leading forces in the Capital Region’s live music resonance, Annie in the Water has been making steady waves across the northeast for years. Comprised of Brad Hester (Lead Vocals/Rhythm), Michael Lashomb (Lead Guitar/Vocals), Joshua West (Drums/Vocals), Chris Meier (Bass/Vocals), Matt Richards (Keys/Vocals) and Brock Kuca (Percussion/Vocals), the band has already played everything ranging from the Adirondack Independence and Memorial Meltdown Festivals, Rock the Dock, the Catskill Mountain Jubilee, and even made their Alive at 5 debut last summer, opening for fellow jammers Spafford. Making plenty of friends along the way and taking pride in making every performance different, you never know who might show up at an Annie in the Water show.
Brad Hester performs with Annie in the Water at the Parish Public House
On this Thursday night, things at the Parish got heated up quickly as fans cramped into the dimly lit club early to get a glimpse of the action. Right out of the gates we were treated to a guest sit in from Ryan Dempsey, a classically trained keyboard player and one of Mihali’s bandmates in Twidde. Opening the frame with a jammed-out version of “Pleasure in Sin,” Annie in the Water would then play their latest R&B inspired single “Honeybee” to the adoring crowd who just seemed to love these guys.
Ryan Dempsey of Twiddle sat in with Annie in the Water for several songs
Pulling double duty, our next musical collaboration would feature West End Blend saxophone player Mike Oehmen, a cancer survivor who was also was part of Mihali’s Alive at 5 band earlier in the evening. Lending his talents to the relaxing groove of “Out of Phase,” Oehmen’s soaring sax solo would soon lift the energy in the room to the next level. From there Joe Davis made a surprise appearance, jamming out to his former bandmate’s song, the Matt Richards penned, “In The Sand.”
The dancing would continue with a delightful version of “Bloom,” the infectious lead track from Annie in the Water’s latest studio album, 2022’s Sun At Dawn. One affectionate couple in the front row were particularly grateful to hear it, describing it as “their song.” Indeed, it’s catchiness makes it the type of song that could easily be a massive hit if given proper airplay. With the audience now fully feeling sexy, the next surprise came in a cover of Christina Aguilara’s late 90’s pop TRL hit, “Genie in a Bottle,” which got the entire audience going wild and singing along. Giving this version a bit of the “rock” treatment, by the time “Genie” reached it’s over-the-top guitar solo courtesy of Michael Lashomb, even the hardest fans in the room could be seen letting their guard down and bobbing along. What, you think I didn’t see you? The guilty pleasures would continue for another cover song from the same era, this time with Brad Hester turning his cap around and doing his best Mashall Mathers impression on “The Real Slim Shady,” which would bring the incredibly fun opening set to a close. Showing both their musical diversity and their sense of humor, how the guys planned to top it for the second set was anyone’s guess.
Annie in the Water guitarist Michael Lashomb was firing on all cylinders
After a brief break to catch our breath and air out the room, it was time for everybody to get a drink. That’s because not only was Ryan Dempsey of Twiddle making his second appearance of the night, he would also lead the charge through a pair of classic Twiddle songs. First up was “Mamunes the Fawn,” which brought the party vibe to a whole new level and perhaps with it, some optimism that Twiddle front man Mihali would possibly make an appearance too. While ultimately he did not, for the next Twiddle cover, we did get two of Mihali’s Alive at 5 bandmates, West End Blend’s Michael Bafundo pumpin’ on the trumpet and Mike Oehmen on sax once again for a joyous rendition of “Syncopated Healing.” Despite lacking Mihali’s distinct vocals, it was pretty amazing to hear how well Annie in the Water recreated Twiddle’s massive sound, obviously long-time admirers of the band.
Michael Bafundo and Mike Oehmen pulled double duty playing sets with both Mihali & Annie in the Water
The horns would stick around for a few more songs, while a third (yes third) keyboard player, Scott Hannay, would join in on the fun for “Feel That Pulse.” The family-style jam would continue for one more song, “Seeds,” which was arguably the high point of the evening. After both pulling double duty performing at Alive at 5 and now sitting in for several songs with Annie in the Water, it’s fair to say the tuckered out West End Blend boys earned their keep on this night and the right to take the rest of it off. Scott Hannay, however, was just getting warmed up and would stick around to crush his part of “Seaside Highway.”
With a Little Help From Their Friends: It was sit in’s galore at Annie in the Water’s Parish Performance
Ryan Dempsey would then return for one final dose of triple piano action on the always appreciated Talking Heads cover, “Take Me To The River.” The remainder of the set though, would be vintage Annie in the Water performing some of their best original material. Starting with “Change My Mind,” next on tap was “Balloons,” the song their very own IPA beer is named after.
Scott Hannay never fails to crush a sit in with his Annie in the Water pals
Following a quick encore break and a 50/50 drawing for a good cause, Brad Hester would then take the stage by himself for a heartfelt, vocal’s only rendition of “Free (No Need for Forgiveness). About halfway through the number, the remainder of the band would emerge from backstage one at a time and slowly join in on the song as it seamlessly transitioned into “Sativa,” a special song about embracing life’s challenges, growing and learning from the unexpected struggles. Annie in the Water would finally bring things back full circle by closing out with “Free Again (reprise)” to bring the stellar performance to a close. Great music, great people, great collaborations and great times. Just a ‘grade A’ evening all around.
Up next, the band will release their next single “Sailing” on Friday, June 30th. In celebration, Annie in the Water will then be ON the water, finding their sea legs as part of a sold-out Boatcruise weekend on July 1st, 2023. Later this summer, the group plans to link up with long time friend, Hayley Jane, to recreate the classic Fleetwood Mac album, Rumors. That’s if their tour van can get them there. A blown transmission has recently sent them scrambling for a little help. A Gofundme page is expected to be announced shortly. You know what to do.
Annie in the Water | June 15, 2023 | Parish Public House | Albany, NY
Set 1: “Pleasure in Sin” > Jam *Ryan Dempsey Keys, Honeybee, Out of Phase *Mike Oehmen Sax, In the Sand > Jam *Joe Davis Guitar, Bloom, Genie in a Bottle (Christina Aguilera), The Real Slim Shady (Eminem)
Set 2: Mamunes the Fawn (Twiddle) *Ryan Dempsey keys, Syncopated Healing (Twiddle) *Ryan Dempsey keys, Mike Oehmen Saxophone, Michael Bafundo Trumpet, Feel That Pulse, *Scott Hannay keys, Mike Oehmen Saxophone, Michael Bafundo Trumpet, Seeds *Ryan Dempsey keys, Scott Hannay keys, Mike Oehmen Saxophone, Michael Bafundo Trumpet, Seaside Highway *Scott Hannay keys, Take Me to the River (Talking Heads) *Scott Hannay keys, Ryan Dempsey keys, Change My Mind, Balloons, Free Again > Sativa > Free Again (reprise)
Photo courtesy of Frank Cavone/Mirth FilmsPhoto courtesy of Frank Cavone/Mirth Films
On Thursday June 8th, Hawthorne Heights started Albany’s Alive at 5 concert Series with tribute to their roots as Emo artists. The show was moved to Albany’s rain location under I-787, but the skies were as clear as could be for the show.
James Woodruff of Hawthorne Heights – Photo by Jarron Childs
Alive at 5 is a free summer concert series that the city of Albany has been throwing on annually for over 30 years. The series host artists from from the local area to national scene to bring the capital region some music from their favorite genre. Each week has a different theme; this one being Emo Pride Night.
The show’s opener was the band Bad Luck from New York City. They had just come off a spring tour to play a 45 min set. Bad Luck set the tone for what was to come for the headliner.
Hawthorne Heights formed in Dayton, Ohio a little over 20 years ago in 2001. They sent out their first song, “Silver Bullet,” to hundreds of record labels until one stuck with Confined Records. By 2006, they had two gold albums and were opening for Fall Out Boy during their Black Clouds and Underdogs Tour. The first stop on that tour, in fact, was in Albany, at what is now MVP Arena.
Hawthorne Heights is currently on a traveling festival around the US called the “Is For Lovers” festival. It has lineups of some of the best emo and pop-punk bands that could have ever been assembled, all in one place.
Hawthorne Heights played a long 90 minutes set to start Albany’s Alive at 5 for 2023. Lead singer, James Woodruff, said this was the longest set they have ever played. Though he proclaimed early on that they would rock out the whole night, there were a lot of speeches in between songs. Fans grew restless towards the end of the set as it could be felt that he was trying to fill up their time slot. Though the speeches did give their songs more meaning, and young fans got to understand emo better, it could be felt that fans just wanted to rock out the night.
Hawthorne Heights did come through with their promise as fans got to mosh to some of their favorite songs. At least two mosh pits that broke out on top of, crowd surfing and the audio engineer jumping into the crowd. The crowd screamed the lyrics to “Niki FM” and helped to close out the show with “Ohio is for lovers.”
Hawthorne Heights will continue their “Is for Lovers” festival on June 24th in Stateline, NV. There are currently no NY shows scheduled, but hopefully NY fans will get new music from them soon.
Don’t miss this week’s Alive at 5 with Mihali with special guest Side B opening. NYS Music will be on site so stop down and check out what the NYS Music team has in store!
Hawthorne Heights Setlist: Pens and Needles, Constant Dread, This is Who We Are, Lucerne Valley, The Transition, Crimson Sand, Saying Sorry, Rescue Me, Spray Paint it Black, Silver Bullet, Hard to Breathe, Blue Burns Orange, Stab Myself, We Are So Last Year, Niki FM, Dandelions, Ohio Is For Lovers
Albany’s Alive at Five Summer Concert Series has announced its 2023 lineup, featuring a wide variety of artists and bands at Jennings Landing.
Photo provided by City of Albany Office of Cultural Affairs, credit to Andrzej Pilarczyk .
Alive at Five was created in 1990 with a performance by legendary folk artist Richie Havens and has since grown into a staple of the Capital Region. It is Albany’s signature free concert series, featuring eight weeks full of various artists, from big names to up-and-coming acts, and artists from the area. Concerts will take place on Thursdays from 4:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m., from June 8 to Aug. 3 (excluding June 29).
Alive at Five Lineup
June 8- Emo Pride Night with Hawthorne Heights and Bad Luck
Hawthorne Heights is a rock band from Dayton, OH formed in 2001. Their lineup currently consists of JT Woodruff, Matt Ridenour, Mark McMillon, and Chris Popadak. Their newest record The Rain Just Follows Me (2021) is out now. Bad Luck is a punk band from Brooklyn consisting of Dominick Fox, Joe Fox, Charlie Caruso, and Michael Sichel. They write music about life, with stories of heartache, growth, setbacks, and personal triumphs, as seen on their most recent album Summer of Pain, a 12-song collection that serves as a bridge between childhood ambition and adult realism.
Hawthorne Heights.Bad Luck. From left to right: Joseph Fox, Dominick Fox, Charlie Caruso & Michael Sichel.
June 15- Jam Night with Mihali and Side-B
Mihali is the frontman of Twiddle, who announced their hiatus last year, and a reggae singer/songwriter. He released his solo debut Breathe and Let Go, in 2020 to great acclaim. His most recent record Effection is out now. Born out of Albany, Side-B is an energetic four-piece alternative rock band that blends influences ranging from classic rock acts like Led Zeppelin and The Police to funk, blues, jazz, punk, folk, and modern alternative. The group has a few singles released, and is now working towards finishing their debut record.
Mihali.Side-B, from left-to-right: Dylan Travison, AJ Horton, Eric Mitchell, Ian Justino.
June 22- Country Night with Matt Stell and Skeeter Creek
Matt Stell has accumulated over 360 million streams across his catalog to date. He is adding to this tally with his newest single, “That Ain’t Me No More,” the follow-up to his back-to-back No. 1, Platinum-certified track “Prayed For You” and Gold-certified “Everywhere But On.” He was the first-ever artist to receive a virtual plaque from the RIAA for “Prayed For You,” one of NSAI’s 10 “Songs We Wish We’d Written,” and performed the National anthem for NASCAR and NFL events. Skeeter Creek is advertised as New York’s #1 Country Band. They were nominated for four awards at the 2005 Northeast Country Music Association awards: Bluegrass Band of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year, Instrumental Band of the Year, and the Sunrise Award, among many others since their creation.
Matt Stell.Skeeter Creek.
July 6- Rock Night with Plush and Super 400
Plush is an all-girl rock band with a mission to bring rock back to the forefront of the music industry. The band consists of lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist Moriah Formica, lead guitarist Bella Perron, bassist Ashley Suppa, and drummer Faith Powell. Their debut album featured the Billboard Top 40 charting singles “Hate” and “Better Off Alone.” Super 400 is made up of drummer Joe Daley, guitarist Kenny Hohman, and bassist Lori Friday. The Troy-based trio formed in 1996 and their self-titled debut was released on Island Records two years later. They have toured internationally, and Troy’s mayor even declared February 25 as “Super 400 Day.” They opened Troy Music Academy in 2011 and have scored music for many TV shows.
Plush.Super 400.
July 13- Classic Rock Night with Sweet and Sly Fox & The Hustlers
Sweet is a classic rock phenomenon, creating music that will make you want to get up and dance. Sly Fox & The Hustlers is a New York-based rock band formed in 2010. They have been named Best Original Blues Rock Band multiple times by Albany’s Metroland magazine and have released two full-length albums, a live EP, a Christmas cover of the Ray Charles classic “That Spirit of Christmas,” and are finishing up their new album.
Sly Fox & The Hustlers.
July 20- Regose Night with The Skatalites and Dr. Jah and the Love Prophets
The Skatalites were formed in 1964 in Kingston, Jamaica by key studio musicians Tommy McCook, Rolando Alphonso, Lloyd Brevett, Lloyd Knibb, Don Drummond, Jah Jerry Haynes, Jackie Mittoo, Johnny Moore, and Jackie Opel. Since then they have released eight studio albums, including the two Grammy-nominated albums, Hi-Bop Ska The 30th Anniversary Recording and Greetings from Skamania. Dr. Jah and the Love Prophets have been bringing the reggae heat for over 25 years. Their original blend of conscious reggae and jam-band sensibilities have entertained audiences around the globe.
The Skatalites.Dr. Jah and the Love Prophets.
July 27- Hip-Hop Night with Rakim, DJ J-Ronin, and Camtron 5000
Rakim is a rapper from Long Island, widely regarded as one of the most influential and most skilled MCs of all time. He is a solo artist and was one-half of the golden age hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim. DJ J-Ronin is a multitude of things, ranging from a mixtape DJ to a manager, born and raised in Flatbush. He is the founder of the All Elements Crew, an international hip-hop organization that has chapters around the world. Finally, Camtron 5000 is a rapper from Albany, making music that is an extension of who he is as a person.
Rakim, photo by Jill Greenberg.DJ J-Ronin, photo by Jammi York.Camtron 5000, seen left.
Aug. 3- RSB Night with Montell Jordan and DJ TGIF
Montell Jordan is a singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known for his 1995 single “This Is How We Do It,” and was the primary male solo artist on Def Jam’s Def Soul imprint until leaving the label in 2003. DJ TGIF aka Craig Earle, is one of Upstate New York’s most in-demand DJs, performing regularly to both late-night sold-out crowds and family-friendly events alike. He was recently awarded the honor of the Albany Business Review’s 40 Under 40.
Montell Jordan performs live on stage during the 2023 Freestyle Explosion Throw Back Jam at Watsco Center on March 11, 2023, in Coral Gables, Florida. (Photo by Johnny Louis/Getty Images)
For more information about Alive at Five 2023, visit here.
