Ziggy Marley is currently hitting 19 dates around the country with the Tedeschi Trucks Band. Reggae listeners know and love Ziggy, this listener included. His music was somewhat lost on the crowd at SPAC that evening. There were only sporadic dancers through the crowd grooving to Ziggy’s roots flavored reggae. Ziggy Marley and the Tedeschi Trucks Band continue their tour through August 13 with Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue as their special guest.
Photos by Derek Java
Setlist: Rebellion Rises, Beach in Hawaii, Dragonfly, The Lucky One, Be Free, Personal Revolution, Wild and Free, Circle of Peace, See Dem Fake Leaders, Justice / Get Up, Stand Up, We Are the People, Love Is My Religion, Is This Love
The Tedeschi Trucks band, featuring Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks, brought their gutsy, blues-oriented rock-n-roll to Saratoga Performing Arts Center. The crowd was eager to gobble up the throaty singing of Susan Tedeschi and the equally soulful guitar licks of Derek Trucks. It was a good crowd, and the band fully entertained their audience. TTB can be caught on tour this summer and even in Japan this fall!
Photo by Derek Java
Setlist: Woman to Woman (Joe Cocker), It Hurt So Bad (Susan Tedeschi), Fall In, Yes We Will, Take Me as I Am, Circles ‘Round the Sun, Pasaquan, Just Won’t Burn (Susan Tedeschi), Gin House Blues (Bessie Smith), Part of Me, Looking for Answers (Susan Tedeschi), I Wish I Knew (Billy Taylor), Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker) (The Rolling Stones), I Want More >, Beck’s Bolero (Jeff Beck)
Encore: Keep On Smilin’ (Wet Willie), Stand Back (The Allman Brothers Band)
Saratoga Springs welcomes dozens of bands each summer, with the biggest names making it to the stage of Saratoga Performing Arts Center. In 1990, one of the biggest names in rock n roll history, David Bowie, performed his one and only show at SPAC, with a Saturday night performance on July 7.
Wow, remember Record Town?
For the “Sound+Vision” Tour, Bowie opted for a smaller band and suggested he was looking for a smaller sound, saying in an interview with Q Magazine, “It’s a much smaller sound. It’s not quite as orchestrated as any of the other tours. The plus of that is that there is a certain kind of drive and tightness that you get with that embryonic line-up, where everybody is totally reliant on the other two or three guys, so everybody gives a lot more.” Read the full interview with Paul Du Noyer here.
Q magazine from April 1990
This tour was not in support of a new album, as the latest release from Bowie was 1987’s Never Let Me Down which launched the “Glass Spider” tour. This was instead billed as a greatest hits tour, with Bowie planning to retire his catalogue of hit songs from live performance, a move that would draw millions of fans worldwide to see him on the “Sound+Vision” tour. With two albums having flopped in the mid-80s (hello 1984’s Tonight), he was looking to give himself a creative and artistic boost, and shedding his old hits became the drive behind “Sound+Vision.”
Bowie was also playing with Tin Machine at this time, and told the band he was contractually obligated to embark on this greatest hits tour, inviting guitarist Reeves Gabrels to join him on the road. The Tin Machine guitarist declined, but suggested Adrian Belew, giving him a phone call and putting Bowie on the phone.
It’s time to put about 30 or 40 songs to bed and it’s my intention that this will be the last time I’ll ever do those songs completely, because if I want to make a break from what I’ve done up until now, I’ve got to make it concise and not have it as a habit to drop back into. It’s so easy to kind of keep going on and saying, well, you can rely on those songs, you can rely on that to have a career or something, and I’m not sure I want that.
David Bowie, interview with Music Express Magazine, March 1990
Bowie went on discussing his clean break from his past catalog, adding, “I’ve never done a show where I’ve just done songs that over the years have proved to be popular with the audience in that way. It’s always been about 50/50. I’ve done enough that they know to keep their attention on the show and the rest of the of it – I can do the stuff that I want to do in between – but I’ve never actually almost allowed them to choose the show for me, which is in fact, what we’re going to do.”
Music Express Magazine, March 1990
Thus, the personnel for Bowie’s 1990 tour were the Thin White Duke himself (guitar, saxophone, vocals) Adrian Belew (guitar, backing vocals and also serving as music director), Erdal Kızılçay (bass guitar, backing vocals), Rick Fox (keyboards, backing vocals) and Michael Hodges (drums.) Canadian dance choreographer Édouard Lock of the Québécois contemporary dance group La La La Human Steps co-conceived the tour with Bowie, and served as artistic director for this tour.
It had been reported there was tension among the band during the tour, as Kızılçay, who recalled that Bowie “wasn’t very happy“ and when they were in South America by the end of the tour, Bowie was not coming to soundchecks.
As noted in Chris O’Leary’s Ashes to Ashes The Songs of David Bowie 1976-2016, keyboardist Rick Fox was not invested in the Sound+Vision tour, going so far as to eat dinner on stage, and at least once turned off his own keyboards and played his own songs while sampled parts of Bowie’s songs were playing.
In total, Bowie spent seven months on the road at five continents, performing 108 times in 27 countries. Discover more about the Sound+Vision tour here.
So with a greatest hits tour and only so much drive in the tank after a pair of commercial failures, David Bowie gave it a go on a global tour, and his performance at SPAC was full of the hits he promised and a notable moment following “Young Americans” where he spoke out in defense of free speech and expression.
Fans recalled the venue was packed, as this sold out show had the SPAC lawn filled, even with KISS performing 30 minutes south in Albany at the Knickerbocker Arena that same night. One fan who was not a fan of Belew’s noted the difference, saying “Belew, while a great instrumentalist, did not have the style and flash or sound of Spiders from Mars guitarist Mick Ronson. Sure enough, after a few songs I knew I’d made the wrong choice! The comparatively subdued band to the Spiders couldn’t give any authentic glitter and sleeze to those songs and they fell flat for me. I stayed but wished I was at the KISS show seeing their over the top excess.”
Bootleg album cover art
A Times Union review of David Bowie at SPAC, written by Michael Eck, referred to the concert as “the most breathlessly awaited show of the summer” and called the show “one of the best things in life – the kind of performance that could breathe life into a tired soul.”
During the performance, Bowie utilized multiple screens and the best video effects of the early 90s to capture his movement, performance and engagement on stage. Watch below and you’ll be able to see Bowie singing duets with a 20-foot projection of himself, dancing with an androgynous look-alike, and thin screens housing projections of Bowie over the stage. Providing fans these visuals in conjunction with his greatest hits showed the tour name “Sound+Vision” was more than a song or box set, and allowed Bowie to find balance in this extensive tour. Bowie was, after all, going through the motions of playing these songs live for the final time, relieved for sure, and as the tour wore on, surely experiencing wistfulness of the occasion.
The show is a greatest hits show from one of the greatest musicians, and having listened to this show numerous times, its a crowd pleaser for any Bowie fan. Of note, and tied to the politics of the era, is Bowie’s aside during “Young Americans,” where Bowie took a moment to offer supportive commentary towards 2 Live Crew – whose album As Nasty As They Wanna Be was declared obscene by a judge and was the focus of ire against lyrics, particularly rap and hip-hop.
While stretching out “Young Americans” with a blues riff that Belew and Bowie smoked, Bowie said, “This is the unnecessary portion of the show,” and began to talk about growing up in London, listneing to American music, especially the blues. He mentioned listening to Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, and James Brown, and then shifted gears to authors he read: Kerouc and Ginsberg, who wrote about what they felt and were going through. And with a captive audience in a seemingly ‘off script’ moment, Bowie said:
“Do you know that they’re banning Hemingway in libraries these days? You don’t know do you? Does anybody here hear that they’re banning Hemingway? Fahrenheit 451 is now on the restricted borrowing at some libraries. You don’t care do you?”
David Bowie, to the SPAC audience, during “Young Americans”
Sensing the crowd was drifting away, Bowie reeled them back in, saying “That’s why I went out and bought my 2 Live Crew album” which was followed by enthusiastic applause from the audience. Bowie continued on, saying that “You don’t have to like the stuff but my god I support any right for anybody to write a song without going to jail for it, motherfuckers.”
Despite the injection of what some would call ‘politics’ in a rock concert (gasp!), David Bowie brought the SPAC audience full circle, revisiting the roots of one of his greatest hits, tying it to his youth and that of the crowd, then to present day, with a supportive pro-free speech statement.
As Michael Eck noted in his review, the reunion tours that took place in 1989-90 – the Rolling Stones “Steel Wheels” tour, The Who 25th anniversary tour, and Paul McCartney embarking on his first solo tour – it was Bowie who stood alone among them. “Saturday night Bowie took his past in his hands and gloriously threw it all away while we watched. Those other tours were history shaking with age, Saturday’s was history shaking with life. It was simply one of the greatest spectacles I have ever witnessed.”
David Bowie – Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) – Sound+Vision Tour – July 7, 1990
Setlist: Space Oddity, Rebel Rebel, Changes, Ashes to Ashes, Life on Mars?, Pretty Pink Rose (Adrian Belew cover), Stay, Blue Jean, Let’s Dance, Sound and Vision, Ziggy Stardust, China Girl, Station to Station, Young Americans, Suffragette City, Fame, Heroes Encore: White Light/White Heat, Baby What You Want Me to Do, The Jean Genie, I’m Waiting for the Man, Gloria
Live Nation has announced that the stage at Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) will now be named the Broadview Stage at SPAC, effective immediately.
Broadview Federal Credit Union and Live Nation have partnered to introduce the Broadview Stage name for all Live Nation concerts hosted at Saratoga Performing Arts Center. This collaboration signifies Broadview Federal Credit Union’s “dedication to connecting with, supporting, and investing in the vibrant Saratoga community through unforgettable live entertainment experiences.”
SPAC is one of America’s most prestigious outdoor amphitheaters, located in a 2,400-acre park preserve surrounded by hiking trails, geysers, and natural mineral springs. Lovers of arts, culture, and nature enjoy resident companies like the New York City Ballet, The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival, and concerts by Live Nation.
For more information about the new Broadview Stage, more info is available here.
Upcoming Events at Broadview Stage at SPAC
Tedeschi Trucks Band on July 1 Tears for Fears on July 2 Big Time Rush on July 3 Counting Crows with Dashboard Confessional on July 5 An Evening With Goose on July 7 Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and Garbage on July 8 KIDZ BOP on July 9 Dave Matthews Band on July 14 & 15 Jason Aldean on July 16 Gov’t Mule on July 28 Matchbox Twenty on July 30 Foreigner on Aug 1 The Chicks on August 6 Goo Goo Dolls on August 8 Zac Brown Band on August 13 Brit Floyd on August 22 Pentatonix on August 23 Eric Church on August 24 Phish on August 25+26 Guns N’ Roses on September 1 Noah Kahan on September 2 ZZ Top & Lynyrd Skynyrd on September 8 NE-YO on September 14 Outlaw Music Festival: Willie Nelson, Bobby Weir & more on September 15 Killer Queen on September 16
Saratoga Performing Arts Center played host to Sean Kingston, En Vogue, TLC and Shaggy on Friday June 16. SPAC stands head and shoulders above any outdoor venue in the Capital Region, and this evening, the venue lived up to its reputation as even the rain couldn’t stop a good time.
The way that thousands of people filed into SPAC in the name of R&B brought joy to my heart. It is wild how much we take basic necessities for granted until we lose access to them. Alas, a mix of live hip-hop, R&B, and dancehall always proves essential for the well-being of citizens.
R&B + Dancehall Concert in New York
Sean Kingston maximized his thirty-minute set with plenty of vibes. Dutty wine dancing, nostalgia, and vocal energy set the tone for the whole evening. Certainly, when “Beautiful Girls” blasted through the speakers, every person of age instantly reminisced about the era of ringback tones.
Next, En Vogue continued the theme of setting the tone with radiant energy. Not one drop of rain could stop their shine as they played renditions magnificently. Some people questioned the order of the setlist but nobody could debate the way En Vogue prepared the audience for the next act, TLC.
TLC-Waterfalls [06/19/23]
Now, TLC stole the spotlight if you ask me. It seemed as if the rain would subside during breaks and lesser-known songs. But when songs like “Red Light Special” and “Diggin On You” made their way through the airwaves the whole crowd started to feel the rhythm. Ironically, when the best songs came on the rain began to steadily flow.
Rain Washes Worries Away
This precipitation did not put a damper on things, whatsoever due to its light and misty nature. The beautiful woman by my side chose not to untie her rain jacket from around her waist as she embraced the evening elements. Altogether, the moment felt like it belonged in an R&B video.
The break between TLC and Shaggy proved to be well-deserved for the audience. After exiting the TLC trance, concertgoers gathered around for one last hurrah. Performers who emit strong stage presence tend to make you feel close to the stage no matter where you stand.
Toward the beginning of his set, Shaggy grew discontent with the energy level of the crowd. Calling an audible, he threw on “Red Red Wine” to lift the crowd to the level he desired. From there, not one person could resist swaying their hips to Mr. Wasn’t Me. While that song is the classic, “Boombastic” and “Guardian Angel” were the ones that really brought the house down.
Overall, this show at SPAC proved to be extremely worthwhile. Everyone needs an outlet and an opportunity to let loose. This dual-purpose event provided the chance to immerse within an incredible atmosphere and truly let any anxieties or worries dissipate for the entire evening.
The long strange trip is allegedly coming to an end, but not before one more Saturday night in Saratoga Springs. Kicking off Father’s Day weekend on a high note, the spirit of Jerry Garcia was alive and well as Dead & Company rolled into town for a pair of sold out shows at Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) on June 17th and 18th.
Billed as “The Final Tour,” concert goers from all over turned out in huge numbers, creating both a circus-like atmosphere, a bit of an over-crowded cluster, and oh yeah, one heck of a good time! While the weekend also marked the 40th anniversary of the Grateful Dead’s first-time playing in Saratoga, many fans were also quick to point out the last time Dead & Company were in town, the show never actually happened, as it was abruptly called off due to a family emergency within the band. It was never rescheduled, although this year, a second Dead & Company show was added for the first, and last time ever.
Discover Grateful Dead shows from over the years across New York State with our interactive map below
In typical Dead fashion, just getting inside the venue was an adventure in itself. Between massive traffic jams, Shakedown Street shenanigans and huge lines at the turnstiles, before the show even started the lawn overflow had spilled well into the food court area. The place was absolutely packed and the buzz in the air was tangible, friendly, and electric. Strangers were literally stopping strangers just to shake their hand. As Dead & Company took the stage to a rousing ovation, things would kick off with a well-received cover of Sam Cooke’s classic “Let the Good Times Roll,” a sure sign that both the band and the fans were on the same page.
Anchored by original Grateful Dead members Bob Weir (guitar/vocals) and Mickey Hart (drums), this incarnation of the group features cross-over pop superstar John Mayer on lead guitar and vocals, Oteil Burbridge (bass/vocals), Jeff Chimenti (keyboards/vocals), and Jay Lane (drums). Noodling their way into the familiar sounds of “Scarlet Begonias,” the 14 minute dance party would pick up even more steam as the band segued into the time tested sing-along of “Deal.” Weir would croon “Black-Throated Wind” for us next, before handing over vocal duties to Mayer for the always appreciated “Dire Wolf.”
The centerpiece of the set, and perhaps the whole night, came next in the form of “Bird Song.” As people slowly realized what it was, you could almost feel the collective sense of joy. The delicate and lush harmonies transporting you to a place of peace and tranquility, despite having the controlled chaos of some thirty thousand people all around you, all clamoring for a better view of the stage. John Mayer’s melodic guitar work played particularly well off Chimenti’s tasteful keyboards here, yielding the longest piece of improvisation of the night, clocking in at just under 19 minutes. A silky smooth transition into “Going Down the Road Feeling Bad” had the entire place feeling groovy and singing along once again with huge smiles on their faces as the opening set came to close.
After a brief break in the action, an up-tempo “70’s era” version of “They Love Each Other” kicked things back into gear to start the second half of the show. The popularity of Mayer was very noticeable here. Anytime he would sing a verse, a wave of female cheers would cascade through the audience, though Mayer, wearing noise canceling headphones, would never hear them. Instead focusing on interplay with Weir and settling into a fiery groove that would eventually lead the train to “Terrapin Station,” the captivated crowed swayed to the music in pure delight as the lengthy, complex composition was executed beautifully. Oteil Burbridge, who will headline the Rye Bread Music Festival not far from Saratoga next month, was particularly charismatic as “Terrapin” reached it’s final peak.
Like I told you, what I said / Steal your face right off your head
– “He’s Gone”
After that, there was nothin’ left to do, but smile, smile, smile as the song that gave birth to one of the most recognizable logos of all time, “He’s Gone,” gave the audience both a chance to sing and to reflect. The slow and bluesy groove would gradually build on itself, adding subtle layers of momentum until coming around again and finally revealing itself as “The Other One.”
About 13 minutes into it, things would get a little weird as Mickey Hart and Jay Lane would tag team on “Drums/Space,” which took on a decidedly darker, droning-type vibe that had at least one person near me slightly concerned for their apparent heart condition. Eventually the rest of Dead & Company would return to the stage and seamlessly pick up right where they left off, continuing with the second half of “The Other One.”
Next, Bobby would lead the band though the emotional high point of the evening with a heartfelt rendition of “Days Between,” a tribute to the enduring legacy of Jerry Garcia and a sentiment that resonated deeply with everyone in the audience. Picking up the pace now, the band would get everyone back on their feet and dancing once again for a set closing “Turn On Your Love Light.” With the audience still hollering for more, everyone knew exactly what was coming for the encore. And while fans were treated to a smokin’ yet obligatory “One More Saturday Night,” you couldn’t help but feel skeptical at the shows bittersweet ending.
With the band currently sounding as tight as ever and clearly still with significant drawing power, are we really to believe this is the end of the road for Dead & Company, or is this perhaps just the start of an exciting new chapter? With scores of imitators and Dead cover bands already ensuing the music never stops, one thing is for certain: whether this band tours again or not, The Grateful Dead will never die. After a few days of rest, “The Final Tour” will resume at Citi Field in Queens, NY before heading to Fenway Park in Boston this weekend.
Dead & Company | Saratoga Performing Arts Center | Saratoga Springs, NY | 6/17/23 Set 1: Good Times , Scarlet Begonias > Deal, Black-Throated Wind, Dire Wolf, Bird Song > Going Down the Road Feeling Bad Set 2: They Love Each Other > Terrapin Station, He’s Gone > The Other One (verse 1) > Drums > Space > ‘The Other One (verse 2) > Days Between, Turn On Your Love Light Encore: One More Saturday Night
Dead & Company | Saratoga Performing Arts Center | Saratoga Springs, NY | 6/18/23 Set 1: Hell in a Bucket, Sugaree, Mississippi Half-Step > Mr. Charlie, Friend of the Devil > Lost Sailor > Saint of Circumstance > Big Railroad Blues Set 2: Samson and Delilah, Playing in the Band > Help on the Way > Slipknot! > Franklin’s Tower > Drums > Space > Death Don’t Have No Mercy, Throwing Stones, Sugar Magnolia Encore: Werewolves of London > Playing Reprise
Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) has announced its Summer 2023 lineup, with performances from Dermot Kennedy to Guns N’ Roses. SPAC is a prestigious outdoor amphitheater, featuring live performances, arts education, culinary arts, literary arts, and visual arts across its campus. For over 50 years, SPAC has served as the summer home for New York City Ballet and The Philadelphia Orchestra.
In a recent meeting on May 18, the leadership and staff reflected on what they viewed as a “SPAC Transformed.” The scope and depth of SPAC’s programs has “exploded,” with the summer season including the celebration of literary, culinary, and visual arts on top of the 28 performances, 24 debuts, and 11 premieres. Over the past year, work has continued to revitalize the amphitheater’s backstage, and “The Performer’s Road” has been widened, regraded, and repaved.
The season will kick off with the Summer SPACtacular, a new fundraising event on Friday, June 2. With Live Music, DJ, Dancing, Cocktails, Culinary Delights, Fireworks and Festivities, it is divided into the sold-out “All Access Pass” and the still-available “Party Pass.”
Performing throughout the summer, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center hails from the largest performing arts complex in the world: the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Their showings in June include “From Classic to Modern” at 3:00 p.m. on June 11 and “Great Quintets” at 3:00 p.m. on June 18. For July, they are performing on July 16 at 3:00 p.m. for “From Vienna to Paris” and on July 23 at 3:00 p.m. for “The Miró Quartet.” They end their summer performances with two showings in Aug., “Spanish Journey” on Aug. 13 at 3:00 p.m. and “New Classics” on Aug. 20 at 3:00 p.m. for their final show.
Founded in 1948 by George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein, New York City Ballet is one of SPAC’s summer residents. They are performing in the second half of July. “NYCB On and Off Stage” on July 18 at 7:30 p.m. has a “behind the curtain” experience for audiences. On July 19 and 20 at 7:30 p.m. are the “SPAC Premieres,” which includes several pieces new to SPAC. “Peck & Copland” is on July 20 at 2:00 p.m. and July 22 at 7:30 p.m., and “Swan Lake, Fancy Free & Freebird” is on July 21 at 7:30 p.m. and July 22 at 2:00 p.m..
The Philadelphia Orchestra, another Summer resident of SPAC has a wide variety of performances in the month of August, starting with the “Festive Fireworks” at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 2.
Other events include: “Schubert’s ‘Great’ Symphony” on Aug. 3 at 7:30 p.m., “Pink Martini and The Philadelphia Orchestra featuring China Forbes” on Aug. 4 at 7:30 p.m., “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire™ In Concert” on Aug. 5 at 7:30 p.m., “Beethoven’s Seventh” on Aug. 9 at 7:30 p.m., “An Evening with Audra McDonald” on Aug. 10 at 7:30 p.m., “Rachmaninoff at 150” on Aug. 11 at 7:30 p.m., “Rite of Spring & Blessed Earth” on Aug. 12 at 7:30 p.m., “The Four Seasons with Gil Shaham” on Aug. 16 at 7:30 p.m., “Yo-Yo Ma plays Dvořák” on Aug. 17 at 7:30 p.m., “Earth: An HD Odyssey” on Aug. 18 at 7:30 p.m., and “Jurassic Park in Concert” on Aug. 19 at 7:30 p.m..
As a part of their Hot Summer Nights tour, TLC and Shaggy will be playing at SPAC. TLC is the best-selling American girl group of all time, they have earned 35 Major Awards, and are ranked as one of the greatest music trios. Shaggy is the only diamond-selling dancehall artist in music history, and has sold more than 40 million album units. They are also being joined by special guests En Vogue and Sean Kingston.
Formed in 2015, Dead & Company is having their final tour over Summer 2023, stopping in SPAC on both June 17 and June 18. They were created through the merging of Grateful Dead members Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, and Bob Weir with John Mayer, as well as Allman Brothers’ bassist Oteil Burbridge, and Fare Thee Well and RatDog keyboardist Jeff Chimenti. Dead & Company has completed seven tours since 2015, with 164 concerts.
Dermot Kennedy was nominated for the “Best International Male” BRIT Award in 2020, and has become a platinum-selling artist in over 12 countries through his debut album, the best-selling debut album in Ireland of this millennium. He is known for his unique ability to unify and heal through his music.
Tears for Fears is an English pop rock band that has sold over 30 million albums worldwide. They are touring with Cold War Kids as a part of their “The Tipping Point Tour Part II.” SPAC is one of the three locations for their tour in New York, with other locations including Madison Square Garden and the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts.
Big Time Rush is an American pop boy band, previously starring in “Big Time Rush,” a Nickelodeon-produced musical sitcom. It has four members: Kendall Schmidt, James Maslow, Logan Henderson, and Carlos PenaVega.
Nominated for both a Grammy and Academy award, Counting Crows is an alternative rock band that has performed for over two decades. Their multi-platinum breakout album was “August and Everything After,” with their most recent album being “Butter Miracle: Suite One,” released in May 2021. Also featured at the showing is guest star Dashboard Confessional.
The KIDZ BOP performance at SPAC is a part of their “Never Stop Live Tour,” with new songs, choreography, special effects, and the return of the Daddy Dance Off. KIDZ BOP is a family-friendly show, and the group has sold more than 23 million albums and had over 8 billion streams since 2001. The performance will feature songs from the recent “KIDZ BOP 2023” album as well as other pop hits.
Dave Matthews Band is an American rock band, originally formed in 1991. They will be performing songs from their new album “Walk Around the Moon.” Dave Matthews Band is visiting SPAC as a part of their U.S. summer tour. They are also using the tour to continue their work with The Nature Conservancy, with their partnership resulting in the planting one million trees this year.
Foreigner is known as one of the most popular rock bands in the world, with ten multi-platinum albums. Their visit to SPAC is a part of their “Farewell Tour,” with the band being joined by Loverboy, another hit-maker of the ’80s. The show promises more than 20 combined chart-topping songs.
The Chicks are the biggest-selling U.S. female band of all time and are the only female group to get multiple diamond selling releases. They have sold more than 30.5 million albums, with their last record-breaking studio album being “Taking the Long Way,” released in 2006. It received five Grammy awards, including “Album of the Year,” “Record of the Year,” and “Song of the Year.”
As a part of their “The Big Night Out Tour,” Goo Goo Dolls and O.A.R. have teamed up for a massive summer tour, including four stops across New York State. Goo Goo Dolls is a multi-platinum, four-time GRAMMY-nominated rock band. The band is partnering with “Joe Torre Safe At Home,” a nonprofit organization offering healing and education to youth who have been traumatized by exposure to violence.
Zac Brown Band, a multi-platinum and Grammy Award-winning American country band, is travelling to SPAC with their “From the Fire Tour.” This is their 10th North American tour, following the release of their “The Comeback (Deluxe)” album.
Eric Church is a country singer, winning AMC awards seven times, CMA awards four times, and being nominated for a Grammy Award ten times. The “Heart & Soul” triple album is his most recent project and has received critical acclaim. It is the result of a month-long marathon in rural North Carolina where he wrote and recorded a song per day. He is visiting SPAC as a part of his “Outsiders Revival Tour.”
Guns N’ Roses is one of the best-selling rock bands of all time, with their 1987 debut album, “Appetite For Destruction” being regarded as the best-selling U.S. debut album ever. Their 2023 tour is the band’s first North American tour since 2021’s “We’re F’N Back! Tour.”
Guns N’ Roses members, from left to right: Axl Rose, Richard Fortus, Duff McKagan Dizzy Reed, Slash, Melissa Reese, and Frank Ferer. Credit: Katarina Benzova.
The Festival of Young Artists is an annual free event that is meant to celebrate the Capital Region’s young actors, dancers, musicians, singers, poets, and visual artists. The event includes both individual displays and performances as well as large-scale productions.
The 46th Annual Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival features 21 artists over the course of the two-day festival. It includes genres from jazz to roots, funk, blues and beyond. It has been one of North America’s largest jazz festivals over the past 45 years.
The Outlaw Music Festival is the largest-ever Outlaw tour, with Willie Nelson & Family, Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros., featuring The Wolfpack, The String Cheese Incident, Los Lobos, and Particle Kid. The festival originally made its debut in 2016, where the festival was well-received and sold-out.
Live Nation has announced the return of its annual “Concert Week” promotion. The promotion offers fans a chance to purchase tickets to some of the hottest concerts happening this year for the decent price of $25. This year, concert week falls between May 10th to May 16th and you’ll find plenty of shows across New York State with this deal, including at SPAC, St. Joseph’s Amphitheatre, Artpark, KeyBank Center, Darien Lake, and more.
The limited-time ticket offer includes over 300 of today’s biggest acts across a wide variety of genres, including hip-hop, country, Latin, R&B, metal, pop, rock, K-pop, electronic, comedy and more.
Artists included in the Live Nation Concert Week range from 5 Seconds of Summer, Beck & Phoenix, Bebe Rexha, Big Time Rush, Don Toliver, Fall Out Boy, Janet Jackson, Kountry Wayne, Larry June, Maroon 5, Marca MP, Shania Twain, Snoop Dogg, VALLEY and many more. Concert Week features live events across all venue sizes – from clubs and theaters, to amphitheaters and arenas.
Fans can visit LiveNation.com/ConcertWeek to see the full list of participating events. Once they’ve selected a show, they should look for the ticket type labeled “Concert Week Promotion,” add the ticket(s) to their cart and proceed to checkout. Fans can filter their search on LiveNation.com/ConcertWeek by participating events, venues, or artists. While on the website, fans can also set the location to the closest city and the site will refresh to only include participating shows nearby.
The general on-sale for Live Nation Concert Week will begin on Wednesday, May 10th, at 10 AM ET through Thursday, May 16th, at 11:59 PM, or while supplies last at LiveNation.com/ConcertWeek.
Big Time Rush (Getty Images)
Participating shows at Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC)
TLC 06/16/2023
Dermot Kennedy 06/19/2023
Tedeschi Trucks Band 07/01/2023
Tears For Fears 07/02/2023
Big Time Rush 07/03/2023
Counting Crows 07/05/2023
Goose 07/07/2023
Garbage 07/08/2023
Kidz Bop Kids 07/09/2023
Jason Aldean 07/16/2023
Gov’t Mule 07/28/2023
Matchbox Twenty 07/30/2023
Foreigner 08/01/2023
The Chicks 08/06/2023
Goo Goo Dolls 08/08/2023
Zac Brown Band 8/13/2023
Brit Floyd 8/22/2023
Pentatonix 08/23/2023
Eric Church 08/24/2023
Lynyrd Skynyrd 09/08/2023
Outlaw Music Festival 09/15/2023
Killer Queen 09/16/2023
Participating artists celebrating Concert Week at JMA Wireless Dome
Elvis Costello & the Imposters 07/08/2023
Def Leppard & Mötley Crüe: The World Tour 08/05/2023
Participating artists celebrating Concert Week at Warsaw, Brooklyn
Lankum 07/28/2023
Participating artists celebrating Concert Week at Landmark Theatre
Encanto: The Sing-Along Film Concert 10/20/2023
Participating artists celebrating Concert Week at St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater
Luke Bryan 06/15/2023
Falling in Reverse 06/30/2023
Counting Crows 07/01/2023
Kidz Bop Kids 07/16/2023
Matchbox Twenty 07/29/2023
Mudvayne 08/01/2023
Godsmack 08/03/2023
Pantera 08/08/2023
Zac Brown Band 08/11/2023
Disturbed 08/12/2023
Goo Goo Dolls 08/16/2023
Yellowcard 08/17/2023
Ghost 08/18/2023
Parker McCollum 08/19/2023
Pentatonix 08/24/2023
Sam Hunt 08/25/2023
Foreigner 09/02/2023
Shinedown 09/13/2023
Participating shows in Western New York
Brooks & Dunn at KeyBank Center: May 13, 2023
Bryan Adams at KeyBank Center: June 13, 2023
Ben Folds at ARTPARK – Amphitheater : June 16, 2023
Luke Bryan at Darien Lake Amphitheater: June 16, 2023
Thomas Rhett at KeyBank Center: July 6, 2023
Kidz Bop Kids at Darien Lake Amphitheater: July 14, 2023
Sam Hunt at Darien Lake Amphitheater: July 15, 2023
Foreigner at Darien Lake Amphitheater: July 28, 2023
Culture Club at Darien Lake Amphitheater: July 29, 2023
Outlaw Music Festival at Darien Lake Amphitheater: July 30, 2023
Matchbox Twenty at Darien Lake Amphitheater: August 1, 2023
Regina Spektor at Kodak Center: August 1, 2023
Orville Peck at ARTPARK – Amphitheater: August 1, 2023
Jelly Roll at Darien Lake Amphitheater: August 3, 2023
Fall Out Boy at Darien Lake Amphitheater: August 04, 2023
Jason Isbell at ARTPARK – Amphitheater: August 5, 2023
Godsmack at Darien Lake Amphitheater: August 6, 2023
Pantera at Darien Lake Amphitheater: August 9, 2023
Nickelback at Darien Lake Amphitheater: August 16, 2023
Parker McCollum at ARTPARK – Amphitheater : August 17, 2023
The Offspring at Darien Lake Amphitheater: August 20, 2023
All American Rejects at Darien Lake Amphitheater: August 21, 2023
ODESZA at Darien Lake Amphitheater: September 1, 2023
Ray LaMontagne at Kodak Center: September 22, 2023
American Soul band St. Paul & The Broken Bones have announced their newest tour. The run of dates finds the southern octet playing SummerStage in Central Park, Port Chester’s Capitol Theatre, Saratoga Performing Arts Center and more.
The upcoming performances celebrate St. Paul & The Broken Bones’ acclaimed album Angels In Science Fiction, out now on ATO Records. Produced by Matt Ross-Spang (Jason Isbell, John Prine, Elvis Presley) and recorded at Sam Phillips Recording Studio in Memphis, Angels In Science Fiction was written in the span of a few weeks after bandleader Paul Janeway learned that his wife was pregnant with their daughter, Marigold. Following the examples set by greats like Aristotle, William James and John Steinbeck, Janeway penned the album as a series of letters to his then-unborn daughter.
Founded in Birmingham, Alabama in 2011, St. Paul & The Broken Bones consists of Paul Janeway (vocals), Jesse Phillips (bass), Browan Lollar (guitar), Kevin Leon (drums), Al Gamble (keyboards), Allen Branstetter (trumpet), Chad Fisher (trombone) and Amari Ansari (saxophone). The eight-piece ensemble burst into the world with their 2014 debutHalf the City, establishing a sound that quickly became a calling card and landing the band a slew of major festivals including Lollapalooza, Coachella and Glastonbury. Critical praise from The New York Times, Rolling Stone, SPIN and NPR followed, leading to shared stages with some of the world’s biggest artists—Elton John and The Rolling Stones among them—and launching an impressive run of headlining tours behind what Esquire touted as a “potent live show that knocks audiences on their ass.”
The group has continued to expand their sound with every record, branching out well beyond old-school soul into sleek summertime funk and classic disco on albums like 2018’s Young Sick Camellia. Their latest LP, Angels In Science Fiction, stretches their limbs further afield, building on the shadowy psychedelia and intricate, experimental R&B of 2022’s The Alien Coast. The new record finds Janeway at his very best. With Angels In Science Fiction, St. Paul & The Broken Bones have crafted their most moving, comprehensive work—spanning their entire sonic and emotional scope.
TOUR DATES
May 20-21—Knoxville, TN—Southern Skies Festival May 21—Greenville, SC—Peace Center Concert Hall May 23—Augusta, GA—Miller Theatre May 25—Wilmington, NC—Greenfield Lake Amphitheater May 25-28—Cumberland, MD—DelFest May 25-28—Martinsville, VA—Rooster Walk 13 June 10—New York, NY—SummerStage in Central Park June 17-18—Los Angeles, CA—Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival June 18—Napa, CA—Blue Note Summer Sessions June 23—Greenfield, MA—Green River Festival June 25—Saratoga Springs, NY—Saratoga Performing Arts Center July 8—Saskatoon, Canada—Sasktek Saskatchewan Jazz Festival July 9—Calgary, AB—Calgary Stampede July 23—Stuttgart, Germany—Jazz Open Stuttgart August 11—Telluride, CO—Telluride Jazz Festival 2023 August 17—Minneapolis, MN— Bauhaus Brew Labs August 25—Tisbury, MA—Beach Road Weekend September 23—Louisville, KY—Old Forester’s Paristown Hall September 24—Bloomington, IL—Castle Theatre September 26—Indianapolis, IN—Murat Theater September 27—Kalamazoo, MI—State Theater September 29—Chicago, IL—Riviera Theater September 30—Milwaukee, WI—Pabst Theater October 1—Detroit, MI—Royal Oak Music Theatre October 3—Toronto, ON—Queen Elizabeth Theatre October 5—Boston, MA—Emerson Colonial Theatre October 6—Montclair, NJ—Wellmont Theater October 7—Port Chester, NY—Capitol Theatre October 9—Huntington, NY—The Paramount October 10—Washington, D.C.—Warner Theatre October 11—Durham, NC—Carolina Theatre October 13—Charlotte, NC—Knight Theater October 14—Charleston, SC—Charleston Music Hall October 29—Pelham, TN—The Caverns October 30—Memphis, TN—Minglewood Hall October 31—Wichita, KS—Wave November 2—Dallas, TX—Majestic Theatre November 3—Austin, TX—Paramount Theatre November 4—Austin, TX—Paramount Theatre November 6—Tuscon, AZ—Fox Theatre November 8—San Diego, CA—The Magnolia November 10—San Luis Obispo, CA—Fremont Theater November 13—Portland, OR—Crystal Ballroom November 14—Vancouver, BC—Vogue Theatre November 15—Seattle, WA—Moore Theatre November 17—Salt Lake City, UT—Capitol Theater November 18—Denver, CO—Ellie Caulkens Opera House November 19—Aspen, CO—Belly Up Aspen November 20—Cheyenne, WY—Cheyenne Civic Center
Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) will host the sixth annual Adirondack Trust Company Festival of Young Artists on Sunday, June 4. Beginning at 2 p.m., this year’s festival will celebrate the creativity of more than 700 of the Capital Region’s brightest young dancers, musicians, singers, poets, and visual artists in support of SPAC’s mission to provide free access to enriching arts programs for local youth.
This free community festival will feature performances by the Empire State Youth Orchestra, Northeast Ballet Company, Capital District Youth Chorale, the SPAC School of the Arts, and local school ensembles.
The Sunday afternoon festival will feature individual performances and art displays, culminating in a large-scale, coordinated production on SPAC’s stage. SPAC additionally revealed the online student gallery, showcasing the accepted submissions for the upcoming festival. SPAC’s grounds will be transformed into a festive celebration and will feature pop-up performances throughout the afternoon plus free ice cream provided by Stewart’s Shops.
Elizabeth Sobol, President and CEO of Saratoga Performing Arts Center, said, “Our annual Festival of Young Artists embodies all that SPAC stands for in its commitment to the arts, nature, and the community. As stewards of the Earth and preservers of art, it is especially poignant that we gather this year to celebrate hundreds of local young artists while also honoring our planet and its awe-inspiring beauty. We are grateful to The Adirondack Trust Company for their continued support of this landmark event and the thousands of young artists that it has represented over the past six years.”
Nearly 300 student works were submitted for this year’s festival, and the collection of Earth-inspired pieces is an eye-opening representation of this generation’s deep admiration of our planet as well as their concern for its future. It is a breathtaking display that we hope will inspire other generations to take note and act.
Dennis Moench, VP of Education for SPAC
The Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC), located in the historic resort town of Saratoga Springs in upstate New York, is one of America’s most prestigious summer festivals. SPAC embraces an ever-expanding definition of the Arts, including not only performing arts but also visual arts, literary arts, culinary arts, healing arts, and beyond, featuring guest artists and speakers within a year-round calendar of events.
Each year, SPAC’s education programs reach more than 50,000 individuals, offer more than 1,500 classes, presentations, performances, and events, and partner with more than 115 schools and non-profit organizations across the greater Capital Region. SPAC’s flagship educational offerings include the in-school “Classical Kids” music and dance program; in-school dance residencies with SPAC teaching artists; “Summer Nights at SPAC” program which provides transportation, meals, and free performance tickets to families from under-resourced communities; and its annual signature event “The Adirondack Trust Company Festival of Young Artists,” which celebrates hundreds of student dancers, singers, musicians, poets and visual artists. In 2020, SPAC’s education program created free online content for students, families, and educators. The continuing virtual platforms include “The Festival of Young Artists Online Gallery” and “The SPAC Learning Library.” The SPAC School of the Arts operates out of the Lewis A. Swyer Studios on the National Museum of Dance campus.
The Sixth Annual Adirondack Trust Company Festival of Young Artists is free to the community, however, registration is required. Visit spacfoya.org for details.
