Be Here Now: The Van Dyck re-opens

Steve Barnes reports in the Times Union that the venerable Schenectady restaurant/music venue the Van Dyck is gearing up for a grand re-opening on Monday, June 29.

But you can get a sneak peek at the newly renovated night spot on Sunday, June 21, when the Van Dyck hosts a pair of preview performances by steel pan player Othello Molineaux at 4 and 7:30pm. Molineaux – one of the jazz world’s premier steel drum players and a featured performer at the Pan Jazz 2009 celebration at NYC’s Lincoln Center the day before he lands in Schenectady – will be joined by reedman Rich Lamanna, percussionist Manolo Badrena, drummer Andrew Atkinson and bassist Nicky Orta. Tickets are $25.

Other upcoming shows during the Van Dyck’s first welcome-back month include the irreverent comedian Philip Selman (Friday, July 10), 14-year-old jazz violinist Jonathan Russell with the Doc Scanlon Trio (Saturday, July 18) and the veteran roots-and-beyond multi-instrumentalist David Lindley (Thursday, July 23).

And with Lindley rolling into the Van Dyck, here’s something to consider:

Lindley’s old boss – Jackson Browne – is playing at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center the very next night. And after checking their tour schedules, we’ve discovered that Lindley has the night off after his Van Dyck gig, and Browne has the night off before his SPAC show, too.

Hmmmmm…