Spafford has just announced the first details of their 2025 Spring Tour which comes on the heels of an extensive winter run set to start later this week. The much anticipated run includes stops at iconic venues throughout the Northeast and will feature special guest The Jauntee on select dates. Spafford Spring Tour includes two New York dates as well. The second stop of the tour will be in Saratoga Springs on March 14 with a show at Putnam Place. Four days later the meteoric jam band will visit Buffalo Iron Works on March 18.
The tour also features a first time visit to the ski-mecca town of Killington, VT with a show at the Pickle Barrel. It later wraps up with a three-night residency at Soundcheck Studios in Pembroke, MA, from April 3-5.
Tickets go on sale Friday, December 6 at 10 AM local time through spafford.net where additional information can also be found.
Spafford Spring 2025 Tour Dates:
March 12-13: Broad Brook Opera House – Broad Brook, CT
March 14: Putnam Place – Saratoga Springs, NY
March 15: Aura – Portland, ME
March 16: Pickle Barrel – Killington, VT
March 18: Buffalo Iron Works – Buffalo, NY
March 19: Beachland Ballroom – Cleveland, OH*
March 20: Mr. Smalls – Millvale, PA*
March 21: Moontown Brewing Company – Whitestown, IN
Dogs In A Pile have announced a four-day run at Saratoga Springs’ Putnam Place from December 28-31 to ring in the New Year. These shows come in the aftermath of the band’s cross-country fall 2024 tour.
Art by Joe Winograd
Dogs In A Pile began in Asbury Park, at the heart of the Jersey Shore. Guitarist Jimmy Law and drummer Joe Babick teamed up with Berklee graduates Sam Lucid (bass), Jeremy Kaplan (keyboard), and Brian Murray (guitar). Together, the quintet has made a name for itself for their eclectic mix of funk, rock, and psychedelia. With live shows that build improvised psychedelic soundscapes, the band has amassed a large cult following, known as the Dog Pound.
2024 marks a monumental year for Dogs In A Pile. Throughout the Summer, the quintet has headlined multiple shows and concerts in Colorado, and toured with Andy Frasco & The U.N. and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. Following up these shows, the band announced a cross-country fall tour. The tour begins on October 25th in Philadelphia, before looping around the country for a November 22nd show in Atlanta.
To cap off this busy year of touring, Dogs In A Pile will play four nights at Putnam Place in Saratoga Springs. Located in Downtown Saratoga Springs, the 400+ person venue is a staple of Upstate New York tours. Over the years, the venue has hosted everyone from Ghostface Killah to Blues Traveler. Among Putnam Place’s many shows was a NYE 2023 show by Dogs In A Pile. The show was a display of the band’s musical ability, debuting four new songs, and playing a number of improvised psychedelic jams.
Dogs In A Pile at Putnam Place on December 31st, 2023. Photo by Nick Codina
Now, Dogs In A Pile will return to Putnam Place from December 28th to 31st. These shows will put their improvisational prowess to the test, and offer audiences the chance to see original tunes and fresh takes on loved covers. Ticket presale begins on Wednesday, August 14th at 12pm ET. General public sale will follow on Friday, August 16th at 12pm ET. In addition, concert-goers can purchase a 4-day pass including access to all shows. For more information, visit the Dogs In A Pile website here.
Dogs In A Pile Fall 2024 Dates
10/25 – Philadelphia, PA – Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia 10/26 – Philadelphia, PA – Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia 10/29 – St. Louis, MO – Atomic Cowboy 10/31 – Oklahoma City, OK – Beer City Music Hall 11/1 – Dallas, TX – Deep Ellum Art Co. 11/2 – Dallas, TX – Deep Ellum Art Co. 11/6 – Buena Vista, CO – Surf Hotel 11/8 – Fort Collins, CO – Aggie Theatre 11/9 – Boulder, CO – Fox Theatre
11/12 – Omaha, NE – Slowdown 11/13 – Minneapolis, MN – Fine Line 11/15 – Milwaukee, WI – Vivarium 11/16 – Chicago, IL – Chop Shop 11/17 – Grand Rapids, MI – The Stache 11/19 – Asheville, NC – Salvage Station 11/21 – Nashville, TN – Basement East 11/22 – Atlanta, GA – Terminal West 12/28 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Putnam Place 12/29 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Putnam Place 12/30 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Putnam Place 12/31 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Putnam Place
DJ and producer Ben Silver – best known for his work with Orchard Lounge, will play a solo set at Putnam Place this Friday, March 8, with B2B special guests SM INK and CAUZEE.
Presented by BRZY Studios and Putnam Place, the evening promises to immerse attendees in the deepest realms of house, techno, and downtempo sounds.
Supporting acts include SM INK, a rising talent from New York’s capital, and Cauzee, Albany’s own late night sound manipulator. Together, the pair will deliver back-to-back sets that blend minimal, deep tech, and house, guaranteed to keep the dancefloor energized.
Organizers of the show are also using the evening as a platform to help raise funds for Music Education. Working with the Ian McGuire Music Scholarship Fund (IMMSF), a raffle will be held, where participants have the chance to win a VIP package, which includes two passes for the event, two more for any future show at Putnam Place, plus a special “Spring Garden” vinyl record from IMMSF.
Proceeds will support music education, continuing the legacy of Philadelphia musician Ian McGuire. The Ian McGuire Music Scholarship Fund is dedicated to advancing music education for aspiring musicians. Established in memory of Ian McGuire, it aims to nurture the next generation of talent, reflecting Ianâs passion and dedication to music.
Doors open at 9:30 PM with the show starting at 10 PM. The 21+ event at Putnam Place showcases not only rising talent from Albany’s electronic scene, but also Ben Silver’s distinguished style, sets aiming to blend ethereal cosmic synths and refined rhythms, a craft perfected through years of national touring and club residencies.
The Listen Up Awards will be returning for its third installment on March 24, 2024. Hosted by Putnam Place, doors open at 2 p.m. for this unique Capital District awards event.
The Listen Up Awards have been successful for the past two years. Chosen by the people, the nominees are an accumulation of local favorites, with nearly 39,000 votes cast last year. Created by Mirth Films and Radio Radio X, the award show is different from others in that they don’t take themselves too seriously but they do seriously support the local music scene. Like a Nickelodeon Kid’s Choice Award, they promote fun.
The performers are all winners from the previous year but they do not allow musicians/bands/artists to be nominated two consecutive years in a row in the same category. This will give more chances to those who can be entered into nomination for future ceremonies. Performers this year include Sly Fox and The Hustlers, North Allen Duo, The E-Block, and Black Cat Elliot.
Every year the Listen Up Awards take the time to honor notable people from the local music scene who have made a real difference in the community. Last year they presented “Hero Awards” to Howard Glassman, Mother Judge, Scott Dorrance, and Josh Bloomfield. The 2024 Hero Award Recipient Class will be: Rudy Lu (Music Photographer), Jason Keller (WEQX DJ), Bill Milhizer (The Fleshtones Drummer), Ralph Spillenger (Bayou Cafe, Bijou, Jillian’s), Johnny Rabb (Rockabilly MusicianI, The Erotics (Hard Rock Band), and Charlene “Char” Shortsleeve (QE2, 288 Lark and Duck Soup).
Neighbor will make their way to Saratoga Springs for the first time on Friday, January 19, having grown a sizeable following in the Northeast over the past five years. They’ll also be at Levon Helm Studios the next night, January 20, for an intimate show, sure to be packed with diehard fans on what looks to be a frosty night.
Speaking with singer and keyboardist Richard James, one had to know – how did it take so long to come to Saratoga Springs?
“Every time we come to Putnam Place with Pink Talking Fish is a blast, and I wanted to make sure the first time we played there with Neighbor, it was a packed house and the date made sense. Having not played Saratoga Springs definitely has driven up interest in the show, and could be the start of something.”
Neighbor is the creation of childhood neighbors Richard James (vocals, keys) and Lyle Brewer (guitar), plus Dan Kelly (bass) and Dean “The Dux” Johnston (drums), together combining ambitious composition, soulful balladry, and a fearless approach to improvisations with intent, creating Neighbor’s “down home” sound.
While James was touring with Pink Talking Fish, Brewer went on to teach guitar at Berklee College of Music, and in 2018 they revisited playing music together. With no barriers, it was like they were back in middle school, writing songs and performing together. The two are now finding balance after five years, between songwriting and jamming on (mostly) original material each night.
photo by Chris Capaci
Having just celebrated their 5 year anniversary as a band earlier this month, but four years ago in early 2020, Neighbor was just getting warmed up when COVID hit, shutting down the live music industry. Thus, in the years that have followed, they have been strategic with their touring schedule.
“All members of the band have families and kids. Lyle is an instructor at Berklee College of Music, and Dean is drum chair at Milton Academy outside of Boston, so routing needs to work out among balanced schedules and family obligations”
This, while also trying to push as hard as they can without burning out or taking away from instruction at these music schools, maneuvering the the band’s direction deftly. The band, collectively, wants to make sure they are not overwhelmed by how much is going on – the number of shows, the time on the road and away from home.
As a band, Neighbor wants longevity, and they’ll defer to taking the slow road instead of rushing.
photo by Chris Capaci
Neighbor saw its genesis well before 2018, going back to when James was on the road with Pink Talking Fish. “I’ve been writing since I ever got into music. Once I got started with Pink Talking Fish, I toured for six or seven years straight, compiled all this original music, and it was eventually time to do something different,” said James. After spending a day in New Orleans with piano legend Jon Cleary and gaining clarity towards a vision for his music, he began a Tuesday night residency at Thunder Road in Somerville, recruiting childhood neighbor Lyle Brewer, hence the band name, Neighbor.
For Neighbor’s five year anniversary, they decided to go back to their roots and recently announced a five week residency, one week for each year as a band, to pay tribute to how things came to be what they are now. James recalls those early Neighbor shows. “There are so many weird, crazy antics we would do at Tuesday night residencies in the past, special guests, switching up instruments, keeping fans on their toes and coming back for more the next week.” They look to bring back this magic with their upcoming residency at Soundcheck Studios, starting February 20 through March 19, every Tuesday night. “A lot of people travel to see us, and although we play the songs differently each night to keep it fresh, to give it that extra factor (horns), keeping it interesting where fans won’t want to miss a show” said James.
There is also the Neighbor rock opera, Silver, which was recently performed with the “Neighbor Nine,” where five additional horns and back up singers join the Neighbor quartet for a surprise factor on any given night. The Neighbor Nine come together with the full band, plus Matt Wayne (saxophone), James Cronin (trumpet), Rob Krahn (trombone), with Renee DuPuis and Joanne Cassidy as backup vocalists. The band has custom baseball jerseys, and if four members are wearing them, you might see the three horns and two singers come out and join Neighbor for some or all of the show.
Performing Silver was hands down the show of the year. I was blown away by the musicianship of the other band members, and even with limited opportunities to practice in advance, we ran a bunch of music during soundcheck and it was all there, no one skipped a beat. To have that trust and perform at the level we did – including songs played that night for the first time – it was magical. Adding in the show was rescheduled from October when the shooting in Lewiston postponed many events, in this case until January – which meant practice during the holiday season, a tough call for family-centric band members, but they pulled it off.
Richard James
That rock opera is based on the whole idea behind Neighbor – “let’s go out and have fun,” as James puts it. “The moment this stops being fun, it’s time we should stop doing it. We thought it would be fun to write a rock odyssey. Lyle and Richard grew up on rock operas, and we gave it a go during COVID, escaping the division in the country while settling on a story: two guys plan to leave the planet, stumble upon a guy who has the answers, and take off on an interstellar adventure, spread out over 10 songs, ” “Magic Marble Crew,” “Magna Zero” and “We Need You” among them. The story unfolds as the pair discover different civilizations, steal a spaceship, all in the pursuit of finding a home where everyone looks out for each other – neighbors helping neighbors, if you will.”
Having just released 30 shows on Nugs.Net and a thorough collection of music on the Neighbor Bandcamp page, Neighbor’s diverse catalog of hundreds of songs makes them one of the most exciting and unpredictable live bands in the music scene today. Don’t miss them at Putnam Place on Friday, January 19, and Saturday, January 20 at Levon Helm Studios.
The Listen Up Awards, a peoples choice music award ceremony that celebrates local talent in the Capital Region, has released the slate of nominees for 2024.
photo by Frankie Cavone
Created by Mirth Films and Radio Radio X, the Listen Up Awards features multiple live performances, with the ceremony taking place on March 24th at Putnam Place in Saratoga Springs, at 2pm.
With the nominations now released, the voting process has begun for the 2024 Listen Up Awards and the awards are entirely determined through online voting.
The nomination process wraps up February 29th at 11:59pm ET. Vote for your favorite Capital Region bands/artists by visiting this link.
2024 Listen Up Awards Nominees
Favorite Solo/Duo: Sirsy
James Mullen Matty D Acoustic Inc.
Favorite Solo/Duo Covers: Acoustic Inc. Gus Unplugged Jason Irwin Matty D and Ky McClinton
Favorite Party Band: Hit-N-Run Lucid Street Off The Record The Refrigerators
Favorite Country Artist: Kristian Montgomery Tame the Rooster Skeeter Creek Grit and Whiskey
Favorite Rock Cover Band: Harmony Rocks Hit-N-Run Lucid Street Out of Office
Favorite Americana Artist:
Kristian Montgomery Northern Borne Little Saints James Mullen and the Strangers
Favorite Pop Artist: IRod and the Auxiliary Phil Orsini Sydney Worthley Shannon Roy
Favorite Rock/Hard Rock: The William Deuel Band Same Old Rat The Broken View The Hard Luck Souls
Favorite Alt/Indie Artist: Nickopotamus No Such Things as Ghosts Galene Anacortez
Favorite Folk/Bluegrass: Northern Borne Shannon Tehya Jim Gaudet Carolyn Shapiro
Favorite Jazz Artist: Billy Buono Joe Barna Keith Pray Ian MacDonald
Favorite Punk Garage: Feral Meryl The Erotics The Hauntings VinTri Hill
Favorite Metal/Hardcore/Extreme: Gozer Frozen Sun Brick By Brick Alloy Reign
Favorite Jam Band:
Dead Man’s Waltz Glass Pony Hilltop Ampevene
Favorite Blues Artist: Dealt The Blues Matt Mirabile Soul Sky Berkstar
Favorite RB/Soul/Funk: Oobleck Donna Tritico Band Aplo The Nolanauts
Favorite Electronica/Experimental Artist:
Portyl UnRendered I’m Getting The Skeleton Comfort Frequency
Favorite Performing/Recording DJ: DJ Goodlyfe DJ HOLLYW8D DJ John Brown DJ Irod
Favorite Reggae/World Artist: Mixed Roots Embe Esti Dr Jah & The Love Prophets Jordan Taylor Hill
Favorite Irish Artist: Get Up Jack Kilashandra Triskele Hair of the Dog
Cool Cool Cool has announced a winter/spring “Never Noticed Tour” that will find them hitting the Southeast, Northeast and Colorado, with shows in Syracuse, Buffalo and Saratoga Springs this March.
This first-ever headlining run for Cool Cool Cool features many former members of Turkuaz, building off the success of their debut single “Never Noticed,” Cool Cool Cool is bursting at the seams to bring their show to fans both new and old. The set will include new and original Cool Cool Cool material, songs from individual members’ solo projects, the band’s favorite hard-hitting covers, and many more surprises.
Cool Cool Cool blends the best of funk, house and R&B to create a truly unique sound. With dynamic female-led vocals, a tight horn section, swirling synths and a rhythm section that lays down a wicked groove, this band knows how to deliver an electrifying performance. When you see Cool Cool Cool in person, you’ll be swept up by the energy of their music and unforgettable live show.
We are thrilled about our very first headlining tour, and so excited to share our original music with all of our friends, fans and family in all of these cities and venues we love. It feels awesome and I’m so proud of us and what we’ve created together.
Sammi Garett
Cool Cool Cool showed what they are truly capable of in 2023, including sprawling tours with Rock & Roll Hall of Fame legends Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew on their ‘Remain In Light’ tour, as well as support for Andy Frasco’s ‘L’Optimist’ tour. In addition to traveling throughout the year on these endeavors, the band was able to headline festivals, perform Evening With concerts, play late-night dance parties, and collaborate for numerous writing and studio recording sessions.
Cool Cool Cool’s Never Noticed Tour will kick off the next chapter for the band with new shows and new music just waiting to be heard and grooved with.
This tour is special for us. Over the years we’ve all put our hearts, countless hours, and full dedication into our crafts. Coming together as a band to be creative and adventurous has been an amazing experience. All of the cities on this run are locations we love, places we have made friends and fans, and honestly, it feels like a coming home tour in many ways. From Turkuaz shows, solo projects, sit ins, and now Cool Cool Cool, these are venues I know we all can’t wait to reconnect with, and build new families from.
Greg Sanderson
Tickets for Cool Cool Cool’s “Never Noticed” Winter/Spring Tour are available here.
Cool Cool Cool “Never Noticed” Winter/Spring 2024 Tour Dates
2.23- Brooksville, FL- Whippersnap Festival 2.24- Miami, FL- Jam Cruise Pre-party 2.25- Miami, FL- Jam Cruise 20 3.05- Charleston, SC- Pour House 3.06- Raleigh, NC- Lincoln Theatre 3.07- Baltimore, MD- The 8×10 3.08- Ardmore, PA- Ardmore Music Hall 3.09- Hamden, CT- Space Ballroom 3.12- Portsmouth, NH- The Press Room 3.13- Brattleboro, VT- The Stone Church 3.15- Saratoga Springs, NY- Putnam Place 3.16- Syracuse, NY- Middle Ages Beer Hall 3.17- Buffalo, NY- Buffalo Iron Works 4.05- Steamboat Springs, CO- Old Town Pub 4.06- Denver, CO- Cervantes
