COMIN’ SOON: New Concert Announcements

By Greg Haymes

Forging ahead into the 21st century of New Orleans brass band culture, the Soul Rebels blow into Club Helsinki in Hudson at 8pm on Wednesday, February 24. Tickets are $22 in advance; $25 at the door. Also at Club Helsinki, the Pacific Northwest trio Joseph – featuring three sisters Natalie, Allison and Meegan Closner – bring their organic blend of folk-rock harmonies on Monday, April 25. Nashville singer-songwriter Liza Anne will warm up the crowd at 8pm. Tickets are $10.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Mountain Jam has announced the first round of band announcements for the 2016 festival at Hunter Mountain, including Beck, Wilco, Gov’t Mule, the Avett Brothers, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Umphrey’s McGee, Donna the Buffalo, Thievery Corporation, Brandi Carlile, Jason Isbell, Gary Clark Jr., the Chris Robinson Brotherhood, Courtney Barnett, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Lettuce, Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds, the New Mastersounds, Third World and lots more.

The Upstate Concert Hall has added a handful of new shows to its upcoming concert calendar, including the return of rapper Tech N9ne on Tuesday, April 19. Opening the show at 8pm will be support acts Krizz Kaliko, Rittz, !Mayday!, Stevie Stone, Cres Cru and K. Daver. Tickets are currently on sale, priced at $22.50 in advance; $25 at the door. Tickets also go on sale at 10am on Friday (January 15) for two additional upcoming UCH shows including up-and-coming R&B/hip-hop singer Tinashe in support of her RCA album debut Aquarius at 8pm on Tuesday March 8 ($25 in advance; $28 at the door); and the Concrete Confessional Tour featuring Hatebreed with Devil Driver and Act of Defiance at 8pm on Wednesday, June 8 ($18 in advance; $20 at the door).

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: The Eighth Step at Proctors in Schenectady announced its 2016 winter/spring concert schedule, including upcoming performances by Sally Rogers, CLaudia Schmidt, Kate Campbell, John Kirk, Cheryl Wheeler and John Gorka.

From Husker Du to Sugar, Bob Mould has been one of the most influential musicians of the alt-rock era. In support of Patch the Sky, his new album on Merge due for release in March, he brings the Bob Mould Band – also featuring bassist Jason Narducy and Superchunk drummer Jon Wurster – to Pearl Street in Northampton at 8pm on Saturday, April 30. Priced at $22.50 in advance; $25 at the door, tickets go on sale at 10am on Friday (January 15).

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: “Hot Blooded”? Or “Cold as Ice”? Whatever the temperature, Foreigner is headed into Proctors in Schenectady. Tickets go on sale at 10am on Thursday (January 14).

OPENERS: Bad Bad Hats have snagged the opening slot for Hey Marseilles at The Linda in Albany on Thursday, February 4… In support of her upcoming sixth album Surface Noise (slated for release 0n March 4), Jennifer O’Connor is headed into the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall on Saturday, March 5 to open for Neko Case.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Stand-up comedian and self-proclaimed New Jersey Bad Boy Mike Moreno is slated to step into the spotlight at The Egg’s Swyer Theatre.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Tig Notaro has been announced as the headliner for the upcoming High Mud Comedy Fest at MASS MoCA’s Hunter Center in North Adams. Also slated to perform are Ophira Eisenberg, Sean Patton, Dave Hill, Tom Attila Lewis, Seth Brown, Mark Jagiello and more.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: With his 7pm concert on Saturday, February 13 at The Egg’s Hart Theatre nearly sold out, stand-up comedian Sebastian Maniscalco has added a second show at 9:30pm.

Last week we announced that comedian David Cross was slated to step into the spotlight at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall on Sunday, March 20. Now it’s been announced that Cross’ “Making America Great Again!” tour will also be making a stop at the Calvin Theatre in Northampton. at 8pm on Thursday, March 31. Tickets are on sale now, priced at $25, $35 & $45. Also tickets go on sale at 10am on Friday (January 15) for another pair of new concerts – country music DJ and parody comedy band Bobby Bones & the Raging Idiots Concert Spectacular at 8pm on Friday, February 26 with Love and Theft opening ($25; $50 VIP with a pre-show meet-and-greet); and Grammy Award-winning singer-composer-bassist Esperanza Spalding with her new multimedia project Emily’s D+Evolution at 8pm on Saturday, April 9 ($36 & $46; tickets include a free download of the new album).

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Tommy Shaw and James “JY” Young lead veteran rockers Styx into the Palace Theatre in Albany. Tickets go on sale at 10am on Friday (January 15).

Comedian Paula Poundstone is slated for a return to the Bardavon in Poughkeepsie at 8pm on Friday, June 24. Tickets are on sale now, priced from $37-$57; $77 VIP meet-and-greet.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: The Ulster Performing Arts Center in Kingston has bolstered its concert calendar with newly announced shows by Meat Loaf and Boz Scaggs.

UPDATE: The Tim Olsen/Eric Walentowicz Duo has been added to the bill for the first night of the Bridge Jazz Festival at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. They’ll be sharing the stage with guitarist Pierre Bensusan and vocalist Nnenna Freelon at 7:30pm on Friday, February 26. Tickets are now on sale, priced at $28, $36 & $42.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: The People’s Music Network is holding its annual three-day Winter Gathering at Hackett Middle Middle School in Albany featuring performances and workshops by Joe Jencks, the Peace Poets, Taina Asili, Tom Porter, Ruth Pelham, Ben Grosscup and others.