COMIN’ SOON: New Concert Announcements

By Greg Haymes

Led by Allison Russell and JT Nero, Birds of Chicago wing their way into Club Helsinki at 8pm on Sunday, February 12, in support of their latest album, the Joe Henry-produced Real Midnight. Tickets are $15.

Newly announced February concerts for the recently renovated and re-opened Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs include throat-singing ensemble Alash (8pm Friday, February 3), Robinson & Rohe’s album release celebration (7pm on Wednesday, February 8), bluegrass faves the Gibson Brothers Trio (6:30 & 8:30pm on Thursday, February 9), jazz guitar duo Frank Vignola & Vinny Raniolo (8pm Saturday, February 18), Joziah Longo & Tink Lloyd of the Grand Slambovians (7pm Sunday, February 19) and lots more.

Putnam Den in Saratoga Springs will be welcoming Tim Reynolds for a solo show at 8pm on Sunday, February 12 ($30); Canadian heavy metal legends Anvil with Night Demon and Graveshadow at 9pm on Friday, March 3 ($15 in advance; $20 at the door); and Melvin Seals & JGB at 9pm on Saturday, March 11 ($20 in advance; $25 at the door).

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: What’s a summer at SPAC without a concert by Chicago? The pioneering horn-rock band has appeared regularly in Saratoga as one half of a classic-rock double-bill in recent years, and this year, they’ll be sharing the Saratoga Performing Arts Center stage with the Doobie Brothers. Tickets go on sale at 10am on Monday (January 9).

Dave Gutter – frontman for Rustic Overtones and Paranoid Social Club – is slated to play a rare solo acoustic show at Mean Max Brew Works in Glens Falls at 7:30pm on Thursday, February 23. Admission is free.

RE-SCHEDULED: The jazz vocal group New York Voices – featuring Loudonville native Kim Nazarian – had been slated to perform at The Egg on Saturday, May 13, but the concert has been moved up and re-scheduled to 8pm on Friday, April 7.

Additional info has been announced for the “Selected Shorts” performance at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall at 3pm on Sunday, February 12. Host Sonia Manzano (“Sesame Street”), Michael Cerveris (Fun Home) and Jim True-Frost (“The Wire”) will read stories concerning the theme, “Lovers & Strangers.”

RE-SCHEDULED: Pink Floyd tribute band The Machine was slated to play the Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park last Thursday (December 29), but the show was postponed due to the impending snowstorm. The show has now been re-scheduled for 8pm on Saturday, March 11.

OPENERS: Led by UK-based Ugandan singers Denis Mugagga & Dan Sewagudde, African fusion group the Ganda Boys will open for Livingston Taylor, Tom Chapin & EVA at the Cohoes Music Hall at 7:30pm on Saturday, January 28… Brothers McCann have been added to the bill with Martin Sexton at the Bearsville Theater in Woodstock at 8pm on Friday, February 17… Aaron Lee Tasjan will open for St. Paul & the Broken Bones at The Egg’s Hart Theatre at 8pm on Sunday, March 5.