LIVE: Hartley’s Encore @ Lark Hall, 6/5/2020
It’s not everywhere that you get to go to a great concert at 5 in the afternoon. Albany might be the exception. Not only do we have Alive at Five all summer long on Thursdays, when COVID isn’t messing up our concert plans. We now have Lark Hall‘s Window Sessions on Friday nights at 5. Only two weeks in and it is sparking some serious interest and drawing small crowds just outside their doors on the corner of Hudson and Lark.
This Friday, June 5th, was local favorite Hartley’s Encore‘s turn to take over the historic hall. Sure COVID rules were being followed; only 10 inside the venue including the band, masks were worn, everyone stayed 6 feet apart, and that was okay – it just left more room for dancing. And dancing wasn’t an option… when the beat dropped your body moved like an involuntary spasm of soul running up your spine and out the smiles on all our faces.
Bandleader, singer, keys, and a badass tambourine player Luke Malamood sweats funk out of every pore in his body. His charisma is fierce and his non-stop energy infectious. But Luke doesn’t do it alone. His best friend, Chris Oliver, is always only six feet away playing electic guitar like a banshee. Holding down the low end for Friday’s gig was Erik Pavel on drums and Dan Lawson premiering his skills on bass for the band. Another newcomer to Hartley’s Encore was Aimme Winzenread on backing vocals and last but not least on sax, the one and only Jeff Nania.
The concert was streamed by Mirth Films and had a decent viewership of more than 1000 people through the course of the two sets. It’s available to watch at Lark Hall’s Facebook page (below). Donations are still being accepted for Feed Albany at their website, as well.
We are looking forward to more Window Sessions as the summer rolls on and looking forward to this fall even more so, when Lark Hall can open its doors for live audience shows and all our friends can share the experience and dance the night away. Until then we make do with dancing in the streets.
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