NEW CONCERT NEWS

By Greg Haymes

Rapidly rising contemporary country music star Morgan Wallen rambles into the Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park at 8pm on Friday, March 8. Priced at $17.50 in advance; $20 at the door, tickets go on sale to the general public at 10am on Friday (October 26). Also new on the UCH calendar is Lettuce, featuring drummer Adam Deitch, guitarist Adam Smirnoff, bassist Erick “Jesus” Coomes, keyboardist-vocalist Nigel Hall, saxophonist Ryan Zoidis and trumpeter Eric Bloom, who promise to funk up the room on Saturday, January 12. Kicking off the show at 8pm will be Ghost Note. Tickets go on sale at 10am Friday, priced at $26 in advance; $29 at the door.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: moePods? Oh yeah, moePods! The band featuring a mash-up of musicians from moe. and Ominous Seapods will be taking over the Cohoes Music Hall to revive the glory days of Greater Nippertown’s ’90s jam-band scene. Tickets are on sale now. Don’t dawdle on these tix…

Caffe Lena has a jam-packed schedule of concerts for November highlighted by bluegrass faves Mile Twelve at 7pm on Thursday, November 1 ($20 in advance); Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys at 7pm on Thursday, November 8 ($22 in advance); the return of Bobby Long at 7pm on Sunday, November 11 ($18 in advance); the Travelin’ McCourys at 3 & 7pm on Sunday, November 18 ($45 in advance); and The Wiyos at 7pm on Thursday, November 29 ($20 in advance).

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Led by vocalist Sameer Gadhia, Young the Giant are headed into the Palace Theatre in support of their brand new album, Mirror Master. Sure Sure opens the show. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10am on Friday (October 26).

Acclaimed jazz and Latin trumpeter Ray Vega will join Greater Nippertown jazz faves Michael Benedict & Bopitude in concert at the Van Dyck in Schenectady at 7:30pm on Saturday, November 17. Tickets are on sale now, priced at $20.

Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock plays host to “Playin’ up a Storm: A Tribute to Gregg Allman” at 8pm on Friday, December 7. The celebration will feature Eric Krasno, Bruce Katz, Bill Sims Jr., Jay Collins, Manuel Quintana, Chris Vitarello, Brandon Morrison and Moses Patrou. Tickets are on sale now, priced at $40 & $65. And the all-star gospel-folk band Ollabelle (featuring Amy Helm) is playing a reunion concert at 8pm on Saturday, December 22. Tickets go on sale at 10am on Friday (October 26), priced at $45 & $75.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: He’s been a regular at venues all across Greater Nippertown in recent years, but ranting comedian Lewis Black is now slated to make his the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall debut. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10am on Friday (October 26).

Felicia Collins – guitarslinger with the World’s Most Dangerous Band (aka, the house band for “The Late Show with David Letterman”) – leads her band The Hustle into Albany’s Upper Room at 9pm on Friday, December 14. Tickets are on sale now, priced at $15 in advance; $20 at the door.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Two new shows coming to The Egg are soul singer Marc Broussard and stand-up comedian Paul Reiser. Tickets for both shows go on sale to the general public at 11am on Friday (October 26).

And here’s one we never expected to hear – Zach Nugent & Disco Dead. Yes, the JGB guitarist has assembled a crew of musicians to play disco versions of songs from the vast Grateful Dead catalog. You can catch them in action at the Bearsville Theater in Woodstock on Sunday, November 11 with Waynard Scheller’s Rainbow Full of Sound & Jimmy Law kicking off the musical festivities at 7pm ($18 in advance; $20 at the door). Meanwhile, bassist-producer Scott Petito has assembled all-star tribute bands honoring Steely Dan and Traffic. Now he’s bringing the all-star The White Album: 50 Years to Bearsville at 8pm Saturday, December 1 ($TBA). Also coming up at Bearsville is Robbie Dupree & Friends with Peter Bunetta, Rick Chudacoff, Tony Pulizzi, Bette Sussman, Manuel Quintana, Cindy Cashdollar and Bill Harris at 8pm on Saturday, December 8 ($25 in advance; $30 at the door); Scott Sharrard & Friends’ third annual Festivus Jam at 8pm on Saturday, December 22 ($25 in advance; $30 at the door); and a celebration of the birthday and music of Rick Danko at 8pm on Saturday, December 29 featuring Professor Louie & The Crowmatix with the Woodstock Horns ($20 in advance; $25 at the door).

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Get your Irish on when Celtic Woman bring their Ancient Lands concert to Albany’s Palace Theatre in March. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 12noon today (Wednesday, October 24).

CANCELLED: Due to injury, the Watkins Glen Tribute concert featuring three bands – Live at The Fillmore, the Last Waltz Live and Dead On Live – that was slated to take over The Egg on Saturday, November 24 has been cancelled. Refunds are now available.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Singer-songwriter Joshua Radin is headed into The Egg, and tickets will go on sale to the general public at 11am on Friday (October 26).