Gary Lucas (Jeff Buckley, Captain Beefheart) has released over 50 acclaimed albums as a leader or co-leader to date and toured in over 40 countries worldwide since cutting his teeth as a featured soloist and member of Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band. Gary may be best known for co-writing and playing on Jeff Buckley’s “Grace” album (Jeff thanked him in the liner notes for “magical guitarness”)— but those who have heard him live in whatever context he is playing in are still shaking their heads in amazement and trying to pick their jaws up from the floor!
In 1989, Lucas formed his longtime band GODS AND MONSTERS, featuring a revolving cast of stellar players orbiting Lucas’s incendiary guitar playing electric and acoustic. The December 22 performance at the Colony Woodstock will serve as the debut for the latest iteration of the band. In the words of the acclaimed guitarist, GODS AND MONSTERS is now “a psychedelic power trio” featuring the rock-steady propulsive bass of Ernie Brooks (Modern Lovers, Arthur Russell) and the exploding nebula of drummer extraordinaire Calvin Weston (James “Blood” Ulmer, Lounge Lizards).
Gary Lucas’ varied works have generated critical acclaim that is second to none in the world of guitaring. Rolling Stonecalls him “one of the best and most original guitarists in America” and his trio “a 21st Century Cream.” UK music bible Melody Maker labels him “a true axe god” while MOJO Magazineproclaims him “the psychedelic guitarist for the post-modern set.” The New York Times says Lucas “plays guitar like Salvador Dali paints…guitarist with a global beat.” His work has also received praise from many musicians, from Lou Reed and Bruce Springsteen to Nick Cave and Leonard Bernstein. You can stream Lucas’ extensive discography here on Spotify.
Show opener Spaghetti Eastern Music is the genre-leaping solo project of Woodstock-based guitarist/keyboardist and NYSMusic contributor Sal Cataldi. Spaghetti Eastern Music marries funky, acid jazz-fueled guitar instrumentals and ambient soundscapes with bare-bones acoustic ballads straight out of the Nick Drake school. Cataldi debuted the project with the critically acclaimed 2016 album, “Sketches of Spam,” followed by numerous singles and EPs.
The New York Times says Cataldi “has a beat unmistakably his own” while Time Out New York praises his “delicate guitar work and the hauntingly moody atmosphere he conjures.” His music has been called “beautiful and unique” by WFUV’s Mixed Bag and “charmingly melodic and off-center” by WFMU.Hudson Valley One has called Spaghetti Eastern “part Sergio Leone fever dream, part Ravi Shankar raga, a whirling dervish of musical creation… a must-see” while Chronogram Magazine calls his music “cool, melodic, inspired and transcendent, a wave of sonic warmth and light.” Look for his music here at Spotify
Colony Woodstock is located at 22 Rock City Road, Woodstock – for information and tickets to Gary Lucas and Gods and Monsters, visit here.
Maverick Concerts in Woodstock has announced their new Green Room Project as part of a multi-step fundraising project to revitalize and retain the historic hall.
Maverick Concerts is the oldest ongoing summer chamber music festival in the U.S., attracting the best musicians in the world for 100 years. In addition to classical music, Maverick features jazz, contemporary, folk and world music. Maverick Family Saturdays offers free music, demonstrations and discovery for the whole family. The mainstay of the festival, which runs from June to September, is to be found in the Sunday chamber music concerts performed by renowned soloists and ensembles. Jazz and Contemporary Music presentations have been given more prominence in recent seasons.
Maverick Concerts is located in Hurley on the outskirts of Woodstock, in Ulster County. TZHe barn-like, rectangular building with its gambrel roof was built by hand as part of the Maverick Colony in 1916 by the utopian writer and philosopher Hervey White.
With a roof of wood shingles and a frame of heavy timber, to which the walls—sheaths of wide planks—are nailed directly, the wooden construction and luminous acoustics create an environment perfectly suited to the intimacy of live chamber music. Maverick Concerts, a multi-starred destination by the National Register of Historic Places since 1999, was awarded for Excellence in Historic Preservation by the Preservation League of New York State.
This fall, the iconic venue plans to harbor new initiative in the creation of the new Green Room. Maverick Concerts has been awarded $457,000 in New York State grants for two capital projects vital to retaining the historic hall as an artistic home. The Green Room project starts this fall and as a first step in this multi-step fundraising project we are focusing on raising the full $257,000 of the New York State Council on the Arts matching grant.
The Green Room Project is an exciting new addition to the already fantastic venue. With the newly added Green Room, the Maverick Concert Hall expands their possibilities and capacity. $146,000 has been raised so far and with help they can raise the remaining $111,000 to better utilize the building for the expansion of musical legacy.
For more information on Maverick Concerts, upcoming events, and the Green Room Project, click here.
Singer-songwriter Mihali has announced the dates for his annual Mihalidaze tour spanning nine venues across the Northeast, including three nights around New York State.
Photo by Dave DeCrescente
Reggae artist Mihali Savoulidis has spent the past few years spreading his good vibes through sound and live performance. Formerly the frontman and founding member of rock band Twiddle, Mihali began his solo career formally in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, bringing in fans new and old with a series of singles and albums following in the following months and years.
Most recently, Mihali has been on a collaboration streak, making tunes with the likes of Andy Frasco, Coyote Island, and Collie Buddz, in addition to touring the country as a solo headliner and supporting musical acts G. Love & Special Sauce and The Movement on their recent tours.
Wrapping his incredibly successful year in an exciting bow, Mihali has announced the 2024 dates of his annual ‘Mihalidaze’ holiday themed tour, returning to some of his favorite venues including a few in Syracuse, Saratoga, and Woodstock with both his live band and his solo looping act.
Composed of Scott Hannay on keys, Adrian Tramontano on drums, Zdenek Gubb on bass, and Mihali himself on guitar and vocals, the band will kick off the tour in Massachusetts and make their way through the Northeast- including stops at the Westcott Theater on December 11, Putnam Place on December 12, and Bearsville Theater on December 14. A celebration of family, friends, and the holiday season, this tradition is not one to be missed.
“Every year, I get super excited to announce my Mihalidaze celebrations. The holidays are so important for friends and family to come together and celebrate life, and I can’t think of a better way to do that than with live music!”
– Mihali Savoulidis
Tickets to Mihali’s Mihalidaze tour are available now- for more information on how to attend, ticket purchasing, and Mihali’s other adventures, visit his website here.
Her famous dad may not have played the renowned festival, but Moon Unit Zappa certainly was a hit when she ventured to Woodstock to discuss Earth to Moon(Deyst/William Morrow Books), her acclaimed memoir of growing up in the unconventional household of her iconic musician dad, Frank Zappa.
The October 12 event was sponsored by The Golden Notebook, Woodstock’s premiere independent bookshop since 1978. The shop’s co-owners, Jacqueline Kellachan and James Conrad, have brought many outstanding writers to town for lively readings, including notable musicians like Blondie’s Chris Stein and Steve Earle. To accommodate the 100 attendees, the event was moved from The Golden Notebook’s cozy location on Tinker Street to the larger Mountain View Studios.
With wit, humor, and humility, Moon addressed the cost of being raised by her largely absent genius father (who she idolizes above all others) and controlling mother – a woman whose anger arose, in no small part, due to her father’s constant philandering. Moon also discussed her much-varied career as an MTV and VH-1 VJ, an actress, author and the founder of an upscale food concern, Moon Unit® Tea. She also conversed on her spiritual quest to rise above the challenges of her youth and become a better parent to her daughter, Mathilda. And, of course, there was plenty about her time in the spotlight helping to create what would become her father’s biggest hit, “Valley Girl.” For a more in-depth look, read our earlier review of the book here.
In true Zappa tradition, the event kicked off with an unannounced surprise. It was a high-energy performance of “Valley Girl” by Mona Freaka, a quintet of teenage girls from Woodstock who truly captured the punky and snarky spirit of Moon and Frank’s original recording.
Martha Frankel, the Executive Director of the annual Woodstock Bookfest, moderated the discussion with insight and humor that matched the tenor of Moon’s wonderfully rich memoir. Frankel began by saying that the Zappa household was “truly the epicenter of lax parenting.” She added what would’ve been her advice to Moon’s parents if she had known them – “If you’re going to be doing bad shit, you probably shouldn’t let your kids have diaries!” Moon credits her lifelong interest in writing to her parents in the book, who gave her a new leather-bound diary every year. These diaries provided much of the source material for her memoir.
In the Q&A with Frankel, Moon discussed the many challenges she faced in writing the book. It was a process that took place over four and a half years and several drafts. Due to the well-publicized squabbles between Moon and her three siblings generated by her mother’s uneven distribution of control of her father’s legacy in her will, she mentioned how her first go at the book was “a f*ck you draft that I ultimately decided to throw out.” Another thing she first left out of the early drafts of the book was the chapter on the whirlwind created by the unlikely success of “Valley Girl.” Unfortunately, this sudden fame came to her during her “awkward teenage phase.” The fact that this novelty tune was the massively productive Frank’s most significant commercial success was something he greeted with chagrin.
Midway through the event, Moon Zappa teared up reading the chapter where she and her brother Dweezil are invited into Frank’s most sacred space – the rehearsal hall. They each got their turn at the mic, as their father conducted the band with a wide smile.
Moon also shared some humorous and heartbreaking facts not covered in the book. These included her unlikely teenage crushes: the stern ABC newsman Sam Donaldson, humorist Spalding Gray and comedian Sam Kinison and how, though she was hugely impressed with it, she was “mortified by my father’s music … largely because it wasn’t lady friendly.” She also mentioned her idea of pursuing a documentary where she would interview the many women her father had affairs with over the years. She also observed that she and her siblings are all “serial monogamists” and very attentive parents, an oppositional reaction to their experiences with their parents.
Like the book itself, Moon’s discussions of her life with her parents are anything but a bitch fest. Even with their many faults, Moon’s love and admiration for both came through. Moderator Frankel would comment more than once during the event that Moon was “probably the most forgiving person on the planet.”
To hear more, check out the extensive interview with Moon on my podcast, “Reading Is Funktamental.”
On Friday, Oct. 18 at the Bearsville Theater, the documentary Left Behind will premiere as part of the 25 annual Woodstock Film Festival.
The feature documentary Left Behind follows a group of determined moms who band together to open NYC’s first public school for dyslexic students. The documentary depicts the long journey as the heroes face both institutional and personal hurdles as they try to upend a system for the city’s dyslexic youth.
The film gives insight into the ways that the public school system ignores the needs of students with learning disabilities and, in doing so, contributes to the school-to-prison pipeline. It examines the current public education system and evaluates it is not built to help students with learning disabilities succeed or thrive. This becomes especially a problem for lower income families as just about every single dyslexia-centered school in the country is privately owned. Anna Toomey’s gripping documentary chronicles a group of advocates in their struggle to start New York City’s first public school for dyslexia.
“Powerful…inspiring Left Behind is an urgent call to action to help dyslexic kids”
Anderson Cooper
Director, Anna Toomey, is an Emmy Award winner as a Producer for ABC News, Good Morning America, ABC News long-form unit, and Peter Jennings Reporting on projects including The Gun Fight, an inside look at the NRA, The Century, and more. Left Behind began in 2020 after her son was diagnosed with dyslexia and she realized the inadequate resources for millions of children across the country. Toomey created, developed and directed the film and it is her first feature length independent documentary. She owns her own production company, Sandy Dog Productions, where she works on independent film projects.
Following the screening on Oct. 18, Juju Chang, multiple Emmy Award-winning co-anchor of ABC News’ “Nightline,” will host a Q&A on the emotional impact of dyslexia within families and the global issue of the school to prison pipeline.
For the first of three weekend shows at the Bearsville Theatre, Jeff Tweedy performed unplugged highlights from his Wilco and solo catalog, along with three newly penned and unrecorded songs.
Tweedy’s hour and a half, sold-out concert in Woodstock on Friday, October 10, also marked the first of 15 relatively rare solo show dates that will wrap up in Menlo Park, CA at the end of the month.
Tweedy kicked things off with “Feel Free” and “Now and Then,” two new tunes that have yet to appear on an official release. The former has been in steady rotation for the good part of a year, and has playful lyrics and a positive message about individuality.
While Tweedy is used to his bandmates in Wilco backing him up, he seemed equally comfortable with his Bearsville backdrop — several small body vintage Martin guitars with his beloved dead string sound. Before he kicked into the crowd-pleaser “I Am Trying To Break Your Heart,” he traded one guitar for another that could have been its twin. Tweedy joked that the guitar looked exactly the same, sounded pretty much the same, but had a minor variation in serial number. Guitar nerd stuff for certain.
Solo Tweedy may well be the best Tweedy. He’s alternately the guitar collector, the Gen-X Bob Dylan, the troubadour, and more than a bit of a standup comedian. When the house lights went out momentarily after the second song of the night, Tweedy joked, “I don’t need full darkness ever, I carry that with me.” And he’s right – while his stage banter often elicits laughs from the audience, his solo material skews dark and his lyrical content has directly taken on the weighty themes of familial love and death. Tweedy called “Having Been Is No Way To Be,” “KC Rain,” and “Don’t Forget” his own “dead dad trilogy” and while he may have been leaning into the gallows humor, the songs themselves were confessional and poignant in this intimate setting.
Tweedy seemed almost relieved to have the opportunity to play whatever he wanted to a knowledgeable audience of fans. The diehards in attendance managed to make an obscure song like “Laminated Cat” off of the side project Loose Fur’s first album feel like a sing along to a Top 40 hit (the performance of “Laminated Cat” was probably my favorite moment of the evening, and full-disclosure, yes, I’m one of those mega-fans that owns the Yankee Hotel Foxtrot super deluxe box set on vinyl and obsesses over cutting room floor outtakes. But isn’t that like half of Wilco’s fan base at this point?). Many of the fans in the audience planned a whole weekend around these Bearsville shows and planned to attend all three nights. Tweedy hoped to play a lot of “solo songs or songs I’ve written for someone else. I’ll still play Wilco songs, but I really do play those songs a lot.”
And while the night did rely heavily on new songs, and tracks off of solo albums like Love is the King (“Gwendolyn”) and Warmer (“Family Ghost”, “Evergreen”) or even his Starship Casual newsletter (“Lou Reed Was My Babysitter”), Tweedy did dig out a number of Wilco “Greatest Hits”, which (maybe begrudgingly for Jeff) were still the undeniable highlights of the night. “Hummingbird”, with it’s delightful whistling outro, and a downtempo rendition of “Box Full of Letters” were both excellent. For “Via Chicago”, Tweedy replaced his bandmates with a harmonica necklace, and in turn became a one-man-band. Tweedy’s best analogues really are Bob Dylan and Neil Young, guys who are songwriters at their core. They can rock in an electric setting, but they also have the magnetism, confidence, charisma, and lyrics to hold the spotlight on their own, or to let the song take the spotlight by itself. And they all look cool as hell wearing their harmonicas while also strumming and singing.
Tweedy closed the night on a positive note, dedicating “I’m The Man Who Loves You” to his wife Susie Tweedy, whom he’d hoped would accompany him to Woodstock from their home in Chicago. Unfortunately, Susie Tweedy’s 92-year-old dad was in the hospital and she needed to stay close to him. To this remark, several audience members mentioned Mrs. Tweedy’s father by name, and Jeff chuckled at the parasocial relationship so many of his fans have with him. He’s shared a lot with his fans, but his fans are certainly prone to digging into the life of their favorite singer-songwriter. Tweedy may be creeping towards 60, but he is prolific as ever as a songwriter, a writer of terrific memoirs, and an internet presence in his newsletter. And let us not forget The Tweedy Show, a webcast that many Wilco fans embraced during the COVID lockdown as it drew back the curtain on Tweedy family life, making Susie, Jeff, and sons Spencer and Sammy, something of an indie Partridge Family.
While it might be easy to call Wilco super-fans overzealous, Tweedy’s remarkable songbook and magnetism are certainly worthy of deep study. A few tickets remain for the Sunday evening show — get them before someone else does.
Chicago-based songwriter Elizabeth Moen opened the show with a half hour set. Her excellent vocal stylings which were at times reminiscent of Stevie Nicks and Lucinda Williams were supported by the harmony vocals, bass, and guitar of Gus Martini. Moen’s bluesy and soulful originals like “Fields on Fire” and “The Empty Bottle” felt right at home in Woodstock, the home of classic laid-back rustic albums by the likes of Van Morrison and Bobby Charles. But it was the duo’s take on Bruce Springsteen’s classic “Darkness at the Edge of Town” that stood out the most for its fine performance and unique interpretation.
Jeff Tweedy – Bearsville Theatre, Woodstock – October 10, 2024
Setlist: Feel Free, Now and Then, I Am Trying to Break your Heart, Mine Forever, Via Chicago, Lifetime to Find, Evergreen, Gwendolyn, Having Been Is No Way To Be, KC Rain, Don’t Forget, Laminated Cat, Country Song Upside Down, Hummingbird, I Am My Mother, Lou Reed Was My Babysitter, Box Full of Letters, One Wing, Pecan Pie, Family Ghost, You’re Not Alone, I’m The Man Who Loves You
Folk unit and twin brothers Spillway have released their second single to date, titled “Indiana.”
Having found a way to communicate with the world through music together when they were young, twin brothers Aaron and Wyatt Mones have been Spillway since long before the moniker came to them. Named in reference to Spillway Road, the street that was home to the small garage they began their musical journey in, Spillway grew their professional musical skills by playing and producing for other artists for several years- eventually amassing a total of five million streams to their credit.
Now split geographically between New York and Los Angeles, the two singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalists bridge their physical distance with their mutually engrained passion for music and creating. Melding nostalgic folk pop sounds with whimsical and idiosyncratic lyrics, Spillway offers their poetically packaged belief that music communicates more than simple words ever could.
Spillway’s debut single “Are You Having Fun Yet?” was released earlier this summer and has amassed over 130,000 streams to date in the span of just three months. With achingly raw lyrics and an unapologetically human sonic touch, it’s no wonder why Spillway has seen such success so early in their professional career.
The duo’s newest release, “Indiana,” is rooted in its namesake. A snapshot of modern Midwestern life, “Indiana” encapsulates Spillway’s immediate impression and experience of the state after less than 24 hours spent in the flatlands of Southwestern Indiana that their label, Wally Opus Records, calls home. Channeling the stories and daily lives of the people they had just met, Spillway layers acoustic guitar, brushed drums, and gentle vocals to create a sonic encapsulation of warm, folksy routine.
In just shy of three minutes, the brothers paint the midwestern life in all of its shades so vibrantly that it brings the listener into their conversations being had with the locals around them. With such vivid sonic imagery, it’s no wonder why they’ve described “Indiana” to be their favorite piece to come out of at least the past two years of songwriting.
The official music video for “Indiana” coincides with the track’s release and reflects the listening experience perfectly. With frames of the duo in the Wally Opus recording studio spread throughout scenic, mellow moments in the nature of the midwest, the video’s warm tone and nostalgic attitude weave yet another layer into the deeply human moments Spillway seeks to capture.
“Indiana” is out now- listen here. To learn more about Spillway’s work and future plans, visit their website here.
New York City based Americana and roots-rock group Jamie McLean Band will be bringing their One Step Forward Tour, celebrating their upcoming release of the same name, to four venues across New York State.
A triple threat of New Orleans soul, middle Americana roots, and New York City dazzle, Jamie McLean Band create energetic and captivating live experiences each and every time they step on to the stage. Fronted by McLean himself with southern soul vocals, deft guitar skills, and heartfelt, profound songwriting, the band’s live performances are brought to life with the collaboration of drummer Brian Griffin, bassist Chris Anderson, and the return of Jamie McLean Band’s original keyboardist, Jon Solo.
Following six albums, several singles, and a handful of live releases, Jamie McClean band returns with One Step Forward, to be released on October 25. Featuring themes of life, loss, and love, the tracks of One Step Forward explore the bright lights that provide joy and motivation as well as the heavier experiences of loss and grieving.
Written after the loss of a dear friend to suicide, one of the most poignant tracks on the album “Don’t Leave Us Now” grapples with the tragedy and calls listeners to action- to help the ones they love around them, and to help themselves, as there is no shame in being the one in need.
The One Step Forward Tour, which began on August 22 in Pawling, coincides with their upcoming release and will continue throughout the country- including upcoming stops at the Falcon in Marlboro on October 4 and The 443 Social Club & Lounge in Syracuse on October 12, in addition to later dates at the Colony in Woodstock on November 8 and the Drom in New York City on November 22.
Tickets for the tour are on sale now. Visit Jamie McLean Band’s website here for further information and ticket purchasing.
The full list of upcoming tour dates is featured below.
Jam band God Street Wine has announced a series of five concerts in March, including a date in Woodstock that will be recorded for a live release.
Photo- Geoff Tischman
One of the most prominent acts of the early jam band scene, New York based God Street Wine has been jamming on and off for over twenty six years. Within their first decade as a unit, the group had released five albums and performed over 1,000 shows across the country.
After a nearly decades-long split, the band reunited in 2009 privately to honor the passing of an old friend and later performed a series of shows in New York City benefiting the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. With the band spread geographically, releases came sporadically throughout the next few years, including a 25th anniversary box set retrospective and the All The Way To Here documentary film.
Just off of the heels of eight shows in the Summer of 2019, the band faced an unexpectedly lengthy hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. After four years kept apart, God Street Wine was able to reunite in 2023 with two New York shows, this time in benefit of Mission Stadiums for Multiple Sclerosis.
Earlier this year, the group celebrated their first major-label release’s 30th anniversary with digital releases of once-lost tracks and pressed three of their albums on vinyl for the first time ever, punctuated with four sold-out shows in Woodstock, New York City, and Asbury Park in New Jersey.
With countless performances and releases behind them, God Street Wine has decided once more that what they’ve accomplished so far is not all that is in store for the group and their fans. The band has announced five concerts in March of 2025, including a date in New York.
Performing at the historic Bearsville Theater, God Street Wine will be making an appearance in Woodstock on March 15. This performance will wrap the mini-tour, and notably will be recorded for a future Live Release- it’s truly a show to not be missed. Tickets are on sale now- visit here to purchase and learn more.
The Town Supervisor of Woodstock will be presenting Todd Rundgren with Keys to the Town on October 23 following a two-day residency.
A pioneer of electronic and progressive rock music, the usage of computer software and online music delivery, and music videos as a whole, Todd Rundgren is nothing short of a music industry legend.
His experimental approach to creating has garnered widespread respect since his beginnings with psychedelic band Nazz, following solo career and subsequent group Utopia, and ventures into the tech world- Rundgren is to be thanked for one of the first music videos to be aired on MTV produced in addition to one of the first computer paint programs.
This insatiable desire to create and experiment is exactly what landed Rundgren in the limelight time and time again, as his work maintains personality and ingenuity regardless of medium or circumstance.
Some of his most notable work not directly tied to his name came out of his 1969 move to New York, in which he found himself in the Greenwich Village club scene mingling with Manhattan creatives.
After accepting a job offer from former Nazz assistant manager turned new founder of Ampex Records and correlated Bearsville Studios nestled next to Woodstock, Rundgren began his journey to becoming the highest-paid producer in the world, eventually giving him the push needed to kick-start his solo career.
Rundgren’s ties to the town continue in 2002, scoring the A Face to a Name film debuted at the Woodstock Film Festival, a piece made in and concerning the aftermath of the September 11 attacks of the previous year.
It’s no wonder why the town of Woodstock has decided to honor Rundgren in this way- the keys will be a testament to his importance to the cultural history of the area, music, and everything in between. In addition to the symbolic presenting of keys, the ceremony will also mark the installation and dedication of a plaque to his work at Utopia Video Studio, built for Rundgren by Albert Grossman in the 1980s- the origin point of his legendary MTV music video projects.
The ceremony runs parallel to Rundgren’s two-day set at Bearsville Theater on October 22 and 23. While the first of two dates is sold out, the second that will follow the key presenting ceremony still has tickets available- learn more and purchase tickets here.
