NYS Music 2024

Category: Capital Region

  • The Albany Symphony to Dazzle the Palace Theatre with “Magic of Christmas” Concert December 8

    The Albany Symphony plans to take the holiday season to new heights with their “Magic of Christmas” concert at The Palace Theatre this December.

    The award-winning Albany Symphony provides a whole lot of extra sparkle this holiday season in one of the Capital Region’s favorite holiday musical traditions. On Sunday, December 8, “The Magic of Christmas” fills The Palace Theatre with festive holiday music, family fun and special guests. The Albany Symphony and its sleigh-full of hometown talent will delight and entertain audiences of all ages with an afternoon of holiday musical favorites, a carol sing-along and a visit from the big man in the red suit.

    In keeping with the Albany Symphony’s longtime role as a collaborator, the orchestra is proud to be joined by community partners, including The Music Studio, Capital District Youth Chorale, Rince go Brach (formerly Boland) School of Irish Dance, Northeast Ballet, Saratoga Springs High School Choraliers, and Schalmont High School Concert Choir.

    Founded in 1930 in New York’s Capital Region, the Albany Symphony serves a diverse regional audience covering more than seven counties and parts of three states. In addition to an eight-concert subscription season, an annual multi-day American Music Festival including performances by the orchestra’s genre-bending ensemble Dogs of Desire, and a host of education and community outreach events, the Albany Symphony regularly serves as an ambassador for new music and Upstate innovation beyond the Capital Region. 

    “The Magic of Christmas” takes place from 3:00pm to 5:00pm on Sunday, December 8 at The Palace Theatre in downtown Albany. Conducted by David Alan Miller, prepare for an afternoon of festive family fun and cheer. Sponsored in part by Price Chopper and Market 32, the concert is jam-packed with holiday classics. Like everything the Albany Symphony does, the afternoon includes a medley of familiar and brand-new tunes, including “Joy to the World,” “Sing Noel,” “Santa’s Holly Jolly Little Christmas,” Nutcracker selections with dancers, and much more. In traditional joyful fanfare, audiences join in a Christmas sing-along to close the program. 

    For more information on “The Magic of Christmas” concert at The Palace Theatre on Dec 8 and to purchase tickets, click here.

  • SPAC Bans Personal Lawn Chairs for Live Nation Shows

    In a move that has drawn criticism from concertgoers on social media, Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) has announced that patrons to Live Nation shows will no longer be allowed to bring in outside chairs for lawn seating.

    Instead, patrons of Live Nation shows will have to pay $15 if they want to sit on SPAC’s expansive lawn.

    SPAC lawn chairs policy
    photo by Shawn LaChapelle

    While anger has been directed towards SPAC for this new policy, it should be noted that this policy exists at all venues that partner with Live Nation, and the new chair rule only affects shows put on by Live Nation at SPAC.

    Personal chairs will continue to be allowed for events produced by SPAC, such as Saratoga Jazz Festival, performances by the Philadelphia Orchestra, as well as the New York City Ballet.

    While deterring chairs could assist shows that are among the most packed (e.g. FarmAid and Dead and Company) some shows in recent years have seen the pathway at the back of the lawn nearly disappear in a sea of chairs with fans shuffling through dimly lit rows.

    FarmAid at SPAC – photo by Derek Java

    $15 not only represents the rental fee, but roughly the cost to buy a personal chair one may wish to bring into the venue. For some, the Live Nation chairs are not preferable, and SPAC has a long history of allowing blankets, chairs and other items that aid in the enjoyment of events at SPAC without having to pay additional costs beyond the ticket price. For reference, the rental chairs are 27.6” wide X 27.6” deep X 30.5” tall, per Live Nation.

    A pricetag of $15 is comparable to the price of a single alcoholic beverage sold at the concesssion stands at SPAC.

    FarmAid at SPAC – photo by Zak Radick

    Fans on social media sounded off on the change:

    “It’s over. Support local musicians and venues” said Dan Dearstyne, while Rose Brennan noted “Well, that is just unreasonable. If they cannot control ticket sales, they shouldn’t punish the patrons. Dumb decision, imho. Glad I saw Willie last year there.”

    Others focused on Live Nation’s role, calling the ban on personal chairs a “money grab,” and “corporate greed,” citing the monopoly that Live Nation has on concert venues like SPAC. Tim Jeavons echoed many sentiments, saying, “In terms of greed, Live Nation makes Big Pharma look like a charity.”

    Read the new rules for Live Nation shows at SPAC, as well as other events where outside chairs are still permitted.

  • Opera Saratoga Announces 64th Summer Season for May 20 – June 29

    Opera Saratoga based out of Saratoga Springs has announced their 64th Summer Season which runs from May 20 – June 29.

    Opera Saratoga summer

    Offenbach, Meilhac & Halévy’s sparkling, witty, and electric La Vie Parisienne takes us to the heart of the demi-monde in 1860s Paris where two bachelors play tour guide to a Swedish Baron and Baroness. They showcase the Paris of their imagination, complete with visits to dives that they claim are fancy palaces and meetings with friends who are disguised as aristocrats. La Vie Parisienne is social critique at its most hilarious. You will leave the theater humming catchy patter songs and raucous party numbers. This show includes four performances at Universal Preservation Hall on June 20, 26 & 28 at 7:30 pm and June 22 at 2:00 pm.

    Offenbach’s romp runs in repertory with Bock, Harnick & Masteroff’s jewel-box musical She Loves Me. Famous for tunes like “Vanilla Ice Cream”, “She Loves Me”, and “It’s Been Grand Knowing You”, this sweet story focuses on two employees in a Budapest parfumerie who are sworn enemies during the day but unsuspecting lonely hearts penpals at night. This show consists of five performances at Universal Preservation Hall June 21, 25, 27 at 7:30 pm and June 28 & 29 at 2:00 pm.

    Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs

    Earlier in the month, the company will produce a site-specific installation version of In a Grove composed by Chris Cerrone with libretto by Stephanie Fleischmann. This operatic adaptation of Akutagawa’s classic short story “In a Grove” which inspired the plot of Kurosawa’s renowned film Rashomon, offers a searing investigation into the impossibility and elusiveness of truth. This show takes flight with four performances at the Ferndell Pavilion in Saratoga Spa State Park on May 28 at 5:00 pm, 7:00 pm, and May 29 at 5:00 pm, 7:00 pm.

    Saratoga Spa State Park

    Finally, the company will present a work-in-progress showing of composer Emma O’Halloran and librettist Naomi O’Connell’s A Mass for Women in Bathrooms. This opera-theater work for three singers, an actress and electronic sound design by Alex Dowling reframes the structure of the Irish Catholic Mass to tell an intimate family story of three sisters and their mother. A story born from personal experience, A Mass for Women in Bathrooms examines themes of infertility, reproductive rights, and dementia, while reclaiming bodily autonomy for women in a historically violent space. This project is funded in part by the Arts Council of Ireland. This show airs with two work-in-progress performances at Universal Preservation Hall on June 22 at 7:30 pm and June 27 at 2:00 pm.

    For more information on the Opera Saratoga Summer Series and to purchase tickets click here.

  • Rod Stewart and Cheap Trick’s “One Last Time” To Stop at SPAC

    Sir Rod Stewart, the legendary two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inducted singer-songwriter, will reunite with fellow Hall of Famers, Cheap Trick, as his special guests for “One Last Time.” The 20-show tour of North America will start Mar. 7 and run through Aug. 15. The tour will Include a stop at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs on July 15.

    One Last Time

    The pair’s last outing, in 2022, was a critical success as well as a fan favorite. The setlist will include chart-topping hits spanning Stewart’s unparalleled career, with songs like, “You Wear It Well,” “Maggie May,” “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy,” “The First Cut is the Deepest,” “Tonight’s the Night,” “Every Picture Tells A Story,” “Infatuation,” “Forever Young,” “Ooh La La” ”Young Turks,” Have I Told You Lately That I Love You,” “Rhythm of My Heart,” “Forever Young,” and many more.

    In 2024 Rod Stewart released his 33rd studio album, Swing Fever, a collaboration with Jools Holland with his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra. He also toured Asia and Europe before wrapping his record-setting 13-year Las Vegas residency, Rod Stewart: The Hits. He will return to The Colosseum at Caesars Palace from March to June 2025, with “The Encore Shows” featuring his biggest hits, plus surprises from the songbook.

    Cheap Trick is Robin Zander (vocals, rhythm guitar), Rick Nielsen (lead guitar), Tom Petersson (bass guitar), and Daxx Nielsen (drums). Beloved around the globe since 1974, their instantly identifiable, and influential, brand of pop-rock has excited audiences and garnered praise. Cheap Trick are true pioneers with an unparalleled streak of certifiably classic tunes, from “He’s A Whore,” “California Man” and “Dream Police” to “Surrender” and “I Want You To Want Me.”

    Presale ticket sale begins Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 10 am. General on-sale begins Nov. 22 at 10 am. Learn more and Purchase tickets here.

    Rod Stewart’s “One Last Time” 2025 North American Tour

    3/07/2025 Austin, TX Moody Center ATX

    6/14/2025 Lake Tahoe, NV Outdoor Arena at Harveys*^

    6/15/2025 Paso Robles, CA Vina Robles Amp*^

    7/8/2025 Raleigh, NC Coastal Credit Union Music Park 

    7/11/2025 Gilford, NH BankNH Pavilion

    7/12/2025 Philadelphia, PA TD Pavilion at the Mann

    7/15/2025 Saratoga Springs NY Broadview Stage at SPAC

    7/19/2025 Columbia, MD Merriweather Post Pavilion

    7/22/2025 Toronto, ON Budweiser Stage

    7/25/2025 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena^

    7/26/2025 Mansfield, MA Xfinity Center

    7/29/2025 Charlotte, NC PNC Music Pavilion

    8/1/2025 Alpharetta, GA Ameris Bank Amphitheatre

    8/2/2025 Birmingham, AL Coca-Cola Amphitheater

    8/5/2025 Brandon, MS Brandon Amphitheater

    8/8/2025 Tinley Park, IL Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre

    8/9/2025 Noblesville, IN Ruoff Music Center

    8/12/2025 Clarkston, MI Pine Knob Music Theatre

    8/14/2025 Nashville, TN Ascend Amphitheater

    8/15/2025 St. Louis, MO Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre

    *Not A Live Nation Date | ^Cheap Trick not on these dates

  • Three-Event Celebration Planned for Cohoes Music Hall Sesquicentennial on Nov 23

    Cohoes Music Hall has announced their 150-year anniversary celebration which includes three major events on Nov 23.

    Cohoes Music Hall

    Saturday, November 23, 2024, marks 150 years since Cohoes Music Hall first opened its doors to the public, and the venue’s management entity, Playhouse Stage Company, will mark the momentous occasion with three public events throughout the day. Playhouse Stage Company has been producing free outdoor musicals at Albany’s Park Playhouse since 1989 and has been producing musical theatre at Cohoes Music Hall since 2016. The company has managed the Hall since August 2020. 

    From 10:00AM to 12:00PM, eventgoers can expect a free public event featuring music and activities for kids, including face painting, balloon animals, and live music from popular Capital Region children’s musician Andy the Music Man. Funny, quick-witted, warm, and tuneful, Andy Morse has been delighting young audiences for more than 27 years.

    Cohoes Music Hall
    One of the oldest music venues in the state, Cohoes Music Hall celebrates a sesquicentennial anniversary on November 23

    At 2:00PM, “London Assurance & A Toast to the Hall” begins. This special event will start with a champagne toast to Cohoes Music Hall’s 150-year history, followed by a staged reading of the play that first opened the Music Hall in 1874, and then reopened the building one hundred years later. London Assurance, adapted by Capital Region theatre artist Aaron Holbritter, will be co-presented by Creative License Theatre Collective and Playhouse Stage Company. The performance will feature Capital Region actors Ryan Palmer, Laura Darling, Amy Hausknect, Nick Martiniano, Jay Hunter, Ketih DuBois, Molly Kirby, Evan Jones, Chuck Kraus and Owen Smith.

    “Get Zep! performing The Song Remains the Same” begins at 8:00PM. Get Zep!, presented by Guthrie Bell Productions, is an upstate super group consisting of Troy’s fabled rock band Super 400 and dynamic Hudson Valley vocalist Sean Matthew Whiteford. The group has been touring the region and beyond with tributes to classic Led Zeppelin albums, selling out Cohoes Music Hall on four occasions. For this event, they’ll play “The Song Remains The Same” in its entirety, and other Zeppelin hits.

    Get Zep!

    For more information on Cohoes Music Hall’s upcoming sesquicentennial celebration and to purchase tickets for November 23, click here.

  • In Focus: Song City Concerts in a Circle at The Waiting Room in Troy

    On Monday, November 11, Song City held its monthly concert, a multi-genre songwriter showcase held at the Waiting Room in Troy.

    These concerts have a unique set up unlike any other. The artists are seated in a circle in the center with the audience around them. The singer/song writers then take turns sharing a song along with a bit of information about the songs story, or their writing process.

    November artists at The Waiting Room in Troy included Honeysuckle, Sofia Corts, Micheal Francis McCarthy, and Dom Romano (Scotchka). These artists are all Capital Region locals. However, they weren’t all of the same genre.

    Honeysuckle, based out of Saratoga Springs, consists of Holly McGarry and Chris Bloniarz. Honeysuckle has performed all across the country including many music festivals such as Lollapalooza and The Newport Folk Festival.

    Sofia Corts, an 18-year-old pop singer from Albany, is currently attending Berklee School of Music on a Full Scholarship, and also performed at the 2024 Tulip Festival.

    Micheal Francis McCarthy is an “American Roots” musician which blends delta blues, traditional folk, early country and more. He sang three songs, each one telling a personal story, including his young daughter’s curiosity, phone addiction, and a song that labeled hate as a cancer detrimental to society.

    Dom Romano, an artist from Clifton Park, is the lead singer in the Albany-based band Scotchka. Their style is considered surf rock and are compared to many popular bands like the Arctic Monkeys and The Killers.

    Overall, Song City creates a perfect atmosphere for new artists to share more than just their music. The intimacy of the venue allows them to feel closer to their audience and also connects them to their fellow artists. During the show we heard the artists discussing their different writing processes, complimenting each other’s styles, and even helping each other when there were microphone issues during a song.

    Be sure to follow Song City to see the upcoming artists and concerts to hear new artists the second Tuesday of every month.

  • In Focus: LaMP at Lark Hall

    LaMP – Russ Lawton, Scott Metzger, and Ray Paczkowski – performed at Lark Hall on Saturday, November 9 at Lark Hall in Albany with special guest Oobleck.

    LaMP at Lark Hall

    LaMP is the trio of drummer Russ Lawton, organist Ray Paczkowski, and guitarist Scott Metzger. Lawton and Paczkowski have been performing music together since the late 1990s, before joining together in Trey Anastasio Band. The sound of LaMP infuses Metzger’s telecaster melodies into the synergy of ‘Russ and Ray’ from Soule Monde, creating a funky night of music, every time.

    NYS Music photographer Conor McMahon was on hand to capture the evening of LaMP at Lark Hall. The band will be at the Towne Crier in Beacon on Friday, November 22, and Brooklyn Bowl the following night.

    LaMP at Lark Hall
    LaMP at Lark Hall
    LaMP at Lark Hall
    LaMP at Lark Hall
    LaMP at Lark Hall
    LaMP at Lark Hall
    LaMP at Lark Hall
    LaMP at Lark Hall
    LaMP at Lark Hall
    LaMP at Lark Hall
    LaMP at Lark Hall
    LaMP at Lark Hall
    LaMP at Lark Hall
    LaMP at Lark Hall
    LaMP at Lark Hall

  • Nanola Celebrates 11 Years of Live Music and Good Cookin

    Malta restaurant and live music venue Nanola has announced its celebration of 11 years of service. The venue celebrates the milestone the week of November 11 with a slew of exciting menu deals and various live musical performances.

    nanola

    Nanola operates as a bar and restaurant open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. They provide some of the area’s best burgers and wings as well as some Cajun and New Orlean’s specialties. Jambalaya and even fried alligator from time-to-time graces Nanola’s menu. The restaurant has also hosted many events from weddings to funerals. They have a stage with professional sound and have had many acts take the stage over the years.

    Local cover bands and solo acts tend to fill Nanola’s schedule these days, but they still pull out the big guns occasionally and have hosted acts such as White Denim, Rusted Root, Caroline Rose, Bob Moses, Tokyo Police Club, Dogs in a Pile. Owner Shane Spillenger has repeatedly kicked himself for turning down Goose on a random Wednesday one week. This week they will be hosting Shake Rattle and Roll Dueling Pianos and Saturday night 80’s cover band Aquanett.

    Nanola also hosts weekly trivia, and all your sports viewing events with the NFL package. They also have open mic monthly and karaoke sprinkled in. In the warmer months they have three beach volleyball courts that have leagues almost every day of the week. The volleyball leagues are run by Spillenger’s partner Matthew Wink. US Olympic players have used the courts for practice.

    To coincide with this week’s anniversary, they are refining the menu to Nanola’s tried and true favorites. For a limited time only Nanola will be bringing back its buy-one-get-one happy hour between 4 and 6pm seven days a week. They will also be offering 1-dollar wings for a limited time only.

    For more information on Nanola’s 11-year anniversary celebration and to check out upcoming shows and menu changes, click here.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6ZfRNHYLXI

  • Jam for Tots Shows Announced Across New York, Benefit Kids Most in Need

    The 2024 holiday season is upon us, and along with a spirit of giving and supporting those most in need in our local communities. Jam for Tots will once again be held at venues across New York State, bringing live music fans together for great shows while collecting toys to brighten the spirits of children statewide.

    jam for tots 2024

    For more than 10 years, Jam for Tots has been held across New York State and the Northeast, where fans are encouraged to bring along with an unwrapped toy for a child (under 13) to drop in the donation box. These toys will be brought to local charities within the venue’s community, to ensure that these toys brighten the day of children within the local area.

    Shows for the 2024 holiday season will be hosted by multiple venues, including Funk ‘n Waffles Syracuse, Lark Hall, Putnam Place, Stewart House, The Strand Theatre Hudson Falls, Bearsville Theatre, The Pub (Philmont), Hibernian Hall in Albany and The Waterhole. We gratefully thank these venues for their support of this worthy cause.

    Things kick off at Hibernian Hall in Albany on November 15 with One Heart Band. See below for the full lineup of 2024 Jam for Tots shows across New York State (chronological order).

    Friday, Nov. 15 – One Heart Band – Hibernian Hall, Albany

    Saturday, Nov. 16 – Barry Goudreau’s Engine Room – The Strand Theatre – Hudson Falls

    Thursday, Dec. 5 – Open Mic Jam hosted by John Pinder – The Stewart House, Athens

    Friday, Dec 6 – The Warped Tour Band – The Waterhole, Saranac Lake – Benefitting Saranac Lake Holiday Helpers

    Friday, Dec. 6 – Across the Pond (Beatles tribute) – The Strand Theatre, Hudson Falls

    Saturday, Dec. 7 – Lespecial – Lark Hall, Albany

    Wednesday, Dec. 11 – Luke Weiler and Josh Anderson – The Pub, Philmont

    Thursday, Dec. 12 – Mihali – Putnam Place, Saratoga Springs

    Saturday, Dec. 21 – Chris Maxwell, Amanda Parsley – Bearsville Theater, Woodstock

    Sunday, Dec. 15 through Dec 22 – Tato for Tots – Funk n Waffles, Syracuse

  • Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Bring the Funk to Empire Live with Kendall Street Company and Lee Ross

    Pigeons Playing Ping Pong returned to Albany on Friday, November 8 for a performance at Empire Live, which featured the second Albany performance by Richmond, VA outfit Kendall Street Company.

    On this blustery evening, Kendall Street Company brought the crowd to attention with a full band sound chocked with the influence of jam and alt rock from the late 1990s. A cover of ZZ Top’s “La Grange” was a key energy-driver, followed by an odd yet fun final song performed in the persona of a German band, Sauerkraut. Catch them at the Westcott Theatre on December 5 and Mercury Lounge December 21-22.

    After a 30 minute break, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong – singer/guitarist Greg Ormont, guitarist Jeremy Schon, bassist Ben Carrey, and drummer Alex Petropulos – took to the stage for an opening funk trio of tunes to start the night, “Henrietta,” “Live It Up,” and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Around The World.” The quartet who formed in 2007 at University of Maryland are workhorses pushing well into their 17th year with no signs of slowing down. Sustained funk jams were moderated by mixed improv that was anything but formulaic.

    A little something for Star Wars fans, “The Imperial March” was sandwiched inside “White Night,” and for giant ape fans, “King Kong” followed. A crowd ranging widely in ages from Gen X to Gen Z was dancing along to every song, grinning when the thumping rhythm section vibrated the floors of Empire Live.

    Frequent collaborator, saxophonist Lee Ross, joined the band for “J-Town” and stuck around as Jake Vanaman (Kendall Street Company) joined on sax for “F.U.” Driving rock peaks from “Feed the Fire” gave way to “Julia,” which while chill to start, embarked into a surprisingly complex jam to end the set. An encore of “Fun in Funk” was the last piece of the puzzle for Pigeons Playing Ping Pong this evening in Albany.

    Pigeons Playing Ping Pong – Empire Live, Albany – Friday, November 8, 2024

    Setlist: Henrietta > Live It Up > Around The World, White Night > The Imperial March > White Night, King Kong, My Own Way, Distant Times, J-Town* > F.U.*^, Feed The Fire, Julia
    Encore: Fun in Funk
    * w/ Lee Ross on alto saxophone
    ^ w/ Jake Vanaman (Kendall Street Company) on tenor saxophone

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