COMIN’ SOON: New Concert Announcements

By Greg Haymes

In support of their latest album, The Name of the Band Is…, rambunctious drummer-frontman Fred LeBlanc leads the hot-wired New Orleans rockers Cowboy Mouth into King Neptune’s Pub in Lake George at 8pm on Friday, June 16. Tickets are on sale now, priced at $10.

OK, we didn’t see this one comin’… Hollywood sleaze-rockers Faster Pussycat pounce on Chrome in Waterford on Wednesday, July 26. The Erotics and Ike’s Wasted Life opening the show at 8pm. Priced at $15, tickets go on sale at 8am on Friday (May 26).

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe and Local 518 openers Let’s Be Leonard will kick off the 2017 season of Albany’s Alive at Five free concert series, which are back at the Corning Preserve’s Jennings Landing again this summer.

We previously announced two new concert series coming to Proctors – The Passport Series: Music Haven at Proctors and One Night Only: The Cabaret Series at Proctors, but the Schenectady theater complex has also announced quite a few additional concerts and performances for its 2017-2018 season. Upcoming at Proctors are the string quartet Well-Strung (September 16), the Sachal Jazz Ensemble (October 28), the King’s Singers (November 7), the Beach Boys (November 14), Gobsmacked! (November 17), the Birdland All-Stars featuring Tommy Igoe (February 16), the Chieftains (March 13) and Classic Albums Live: Pink Floyd Wall (April 12).

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: The Made in the Shade of The Egg outdoor concert series on the Empire State Plaza will spice up your lunch this summer with a baker’s dozen of free shows, including Joe Louis Walker, the Soul Rebels, the Sweetback Sisters, the New Breed Brass Band, Kat Wright & the Indomitable Soul Band, Roosevelt Dime, the Big Takeover and lots more.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Two of Greater Nippertown’s fave bands – Ramblin Jug Stompers and Mark Gamsjager & the Lustre Kings – have been tapped to play at the free DadFest in Albany’s Washington Park. Headliners TBA.

Playing the music of Billy Joel, the Lords of 52nd Street come to Jay Street in Schenectady for a free outdoor concert at 6pm on Thursday, June 1. But this is no ordinary Billy Joel tribute band – saxman Richie Cannata, drummer Liberty DeVitto and guitarist Russell Javors all toured and recorded with Joel during his biggest hit-making days.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: With more than 30 free concerts on tap this summer, the Freedom Park Concert Series in Scotia kicks off with Sawyer Fredericks and also features the Lustre Kings, the Dylan Perrillo Orchestra, the Hot Club of Saratoga, Sirsy, the Big Easy Playboys, Maria Zemantauski & Alegria, the Brian Patneaude Quintet and lots, lots more.

Texas rockers Whiskey Myers ride into the Hollow Bar + Kitchen at 9pm on Thursday, August 10 in support of their latest Dave Cobb-produced album, Mud. Tickets are on sale now, priced at $15 in advance; $17 at the door.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: The annual Old Songs Folk Festival of Traditional Music and Dance returns to Altamont Fairgrounds with a massive number of great acoustic musicians, including Atlantic Crossing, Pat Donohue, Scott Ainslie & Reggie Harris, GX3+, Alash, Anne Hills, Joe Jencks & Si Kahn, the Vododeeyos, the Down Hill Strugglers & John Cohen, Archie Fisher, Tom Lewis, John Roberts, Fennig’s All Stars and many more.

What would happen if “Inside Amy Schumer” and “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee” had a child and hired Bo Burnham as the manny? The answer is Katie Goodman’s Broad Comedy, which takes over the Bearsville Theater at 2pm on Sunday, June 4 in a benefit performance for Planned Parenthood.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: There’s a new free outdoor concert series coming to Troy – Brown’s Summer Sessions. The shows will be held on riverfront stage behind Brown’s Troy Taproom, and headliners for the six-concert series include Mondo Cozmo, Sir Sly, Eastbound Jesus, Rustic Overtones, Ron Gallo and Bleeker.

OPENERS: Nicole Atkins has been tapped to open for the Avett Brothers at Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown on Friday, June 2… Comedian Devon Stewart will open for Sinbad at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall at 8pm on Sunday, June 4.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: The schedule of bands for The Strange Creek Campout is comin’ up at Camp Kee-Wanee in Greenfield with dozens of performers, including The Machine, the Ryan Montbleau Band, Zach Deputy, the Eric Krasno Band, Pink Talking Fish, The Werks, Consider the Source, Badfish, David Gans & Pearly Baker’s Best, Hayley Jane & the Primates and, of course Max Creek. Lots more, too…