New Tracks for September around Nippertown
Joshua Mirsky, best known as Mirk, has laid low while quietly planting seeds of musical brilliance that are beginning to bear fruit.Last weekend, music fans witnessed…
Author
98 posts 0 comments
The E-Block Mastering the Game of Music
Luke Pascarella’s boyhood heroes all wore numbers on their backs. Then he picked up a guitar.The present-day musician was born into a baseball family. He had…
New Releases: The August 2023 Edition
Songs released in the waning summer month of August help ease us up to our hot cups of pumpkin spice lattes before class.If you want to treat your friends back home…
Under the Overpass: Minimal Monday’s Rhythmic Revival in Albany’s Clinton Square
ALBANY — Connor Heid and Steve Mink, two area DJs just out to build a sense of community within the burgeoning Clinton Square neighborhood, are spinning an idea local…
Behind The Bars: B. Chaps
The results of Brian Chiappinelli’s side hustle are the envy of most musicians' main gigs.Chiappinelli’s main gig is playing drums for Bad Mothers. The popular rock band…
Josh Morris Goes Pop in Solo Debut
Poet A.E. Housman was “one-and-twenty” when he wrote of a wise man who advised him to hold fast to his heart. When Josh Morris speaks, now five-and-twenty, he says something…
Road to Nipperfest: Jocelyn & Chris
The 518 area code has its share of American Idols, Grammy Award-winners, and Billboard artists — including Jocelyn & Chris, who is ready to serve a little Sugar and Spice…
Road to Nipperfest: ShortWave RadioBand
Andy Scullin’s love for the local music scene is unquestioned, and the feeling is mutual. The ShortWave RadioBand’s frontman is in the middle of it all, whether it be on…
Road to Nipperfest: Camtron5000
SCHENECTADY - Camtron5000’s origin story takes us to an aspiring artist rapping bars in a friend's basement with a microphone dangling from the rafters. Where his story has…
Road to Nipperfest: Sofia Corts
SCHENECTADY - Sofia Corts’ voice on the mic emits a distinct Dove Cameron vibe. Like the former Disney star, she has that kind of range and carries herself with strikingly…
First Friday Albany: Dr. Jah & The Love Prophets @ Lark Hall
ALBANY — Lark Hall will feature a free show with Dr. Jah & The Love Prophets as part of Albany's First Friday festivities on June 2 at 6 p.m.Dr. Jah and the Love…
The 2023 American Music Festival: Convergence
TROY — You’re now about to witness the strength of street knowledge.This year marks 50 years of hip-hop, and the Albany Symphony's annual American Music Festival is…
SPAC to feature year-round lineup, to include Spa Little Theatre
SARATOGA SPRINGS – Saratoga Performing Arts Center is to expand its 2023 season into a year-round lineup of live theater, jazz, folk, global and classical music that includes…
First Friday Albany: Fashion and Exquisite Corpses
First Friday Albany continues with one featured stop as the Pine Hills Branch of the Albany Public Library presents its latest installment of Art at APL exhibition with “Tag,…
Alan Chartock, WAMC’s president and CEO, calls it a career
ALBANY — WAMC Northeast Public Radio President and CEO Dr. Alan Chartock announced his retirement yesterday after more than four decades at the station.The 81-year-old…
Palace Theatre to co-host Albany’s Renaissance Black Film Festival in June
ALBANY – The inaugural Renaissance Black Film Festival (RBFF) is coming to New York’s Capital Region for a four-day run shared between the historic Palace Theatre and the…
Nigra Arts Center to host Food, Art and Music Festival Saturday, June 3
GLOVERSVILLE – The Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts plans to launch its inaugural Food, Art and Music Festival on Saturday, June 3, 1-7 p.m.This family-fun event…
‘Wake Up’ at Ryan’s Wake on Wednesdays
TROY — Ryan’s Wake Public House is set to launch the return of its free, six-week outdoor evening concert series "Wake Up Wednesdays" with Hair of the Dog on May 17 at 5 p.m.…
Ben Folds to return to Troy Music Hall in September
TROY — Ben Folds is anticipated to make a return visit to the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall after announcing new tour dates to support his upcoming new album, "What Matters…
New Meadowlark Festival to celebrate American Roots, indie music announces lineup
STONE RIDGE — Meadowlark, a new music festival set to launch this September, is revealing a lineup that will blend Americana, indie rock, and experimental music with a roster…
Artist Ashton Guy to show The Power of Paper during Albany’s First Friday
Ashton Guy's art speaks of a person who's not afraid of open space.The merchandise on her online storefront reveals splashes of color against negative space. A minimal…
‘Drinks, Deception, and Death’ to christen new club at Armory Studios Saturday
SCHENECTADY — Audience members are encouraged to dress up as a 1940s gangster for “Drinks, Deception, and Death: Mystery at The Officers’ Club,” an improv dinner theatre…
Cohoes Music Hall hosts second ListenUp award ceremony
COHOES — Once Joe Barna leaves the Cohoes Music Hall stage after performing at the upcoming Listen Up Awards on Sunday, March 26, it’s assured there will be no…
moe.’s Chuck Garvey returns to The Palace Theatre stage
ALBANY — When moe. plays the Albany Palace Theatre this Friday and Saturday, Feb. 24 and 25, It’ll be the first time since Chuck Garvey’s return from a sudden stroke in…
LIVE: Scottish Chamber Orchestra @ Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, 10/13/2022
TROY — Attendees of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra heard one of the world’s best musicians play one of the finest instruments ever built as she performed at the Troy Savings…
LIVE: Albany Symphony Orchestra (Opening Night) @ Palace Theatre, 10/08/2022
ALBANY - To say Pytor Tchaikovsky lived a troubled life would understate his music. His 53 years on this earth were marred by depression. Though music historians debate…
Pearlpalooza Hits the Streets Tomorrow, Empire Underground to Host After-Party
ALBANY — A night of live music hardly goes by without a good after-party, and that’s what’s going to happen following Pearlpalooza tomorrow.The Luka State is to…
125 years for Troy Chromatic
By AMARIS FORDTROY — In a few weeks, history will be made again at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, as the Troy Chromatic Concerts opens its 125th season on Saturday,…
NYS Writers Institute’s Fall Season Starts August 26th
ALBANY – An eclectic series of events will bring award-winning authors, poets, journalists, newsmakers, and a Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist to the University at Albany…
Phantogram to headline Pearlpalooza on September 17th
Organizers of the city’s anticipated end-of-summer block party just announced who’ll be on their dance card when Pearlpalooza 2022 cuts loose on Saturday, Sept. 17.Last…
Mirth Films Announces Inaugural Wild in the Trees Music & Skate Festival
LAKE GEORGE — Mirth Films announced Annie in the Water and Glass Pony as headlining acts for its inaugural Wild in the Trees Music & Skate Festival at Lake George Skate…
LIVE: Sugar Hill Gang / Melle Mel @ Empire Plaza, 07/27/2022
To answer The Sugarhill Gang, Hip Hop was most definitely in the house as the trailblazing rap group performed to an Empire State Plaza crowd on Wednesday, July 27.The…
LIVE: MORGAN JAMES @ THE MANSION OF SARATOGA, 07/07/22
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Tackling the vocal gymnastics necessary to sing Mariah Carey’s “Emotions” is ambitious. Doing so while dodging an amorous June bug on stage mid-performance…
Empire State Plaza Concert Series welcomes moe. back home to Albany
ALBANY — It wasn’t too long ago when this city embraced a bacchanalian summer to celebrate its tricentennial, with The Sharks leading Capital City personalities through an…
Dad Fest is the perfect marriage of music and classic cars for Father’s Day
Dad Fest, the Capital City’s celebration of all the fantastic fathers and father figures out there, goes down this Sunday, June 19 at the Washington Park Parade Grounds, from…
LIVE: Dogs of Desire @ Cohoes Music Hall, 06/03/2022
COHOES — In his 30 years as Albany Symphony Music Director, David Alan Miller said he could not recall ever playing at Cohoes Music Hall while addressing the audience on the…
Albany Symphony’s 2022 American Music Festival starts today
ALBANY — David Alan Miller sits inside at home sipping his one cup of coffee as he “crams music into my head” in preparation for the Albany Symphony’s 2022 American Music…
Main Street Studio to open pop-up show for Charlton’s Founder’s Day
CHARLTON — Six miles down Swaggertown Road, one couple’s plan to convert a longtime volunteer firehouse into a workshop and art gallery has transformed into a showcase for…
Jocelyn and Chris Arndt set to drop latest album
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The night’s fan-fueled setlist forced Jocelyn Arndt to reflect upon a musical career that started in high school.“Such a crazy experience,” Jocelyn…
Albany names Sam Mills at Tulip Queen
Sam Mills, a 24-year-old resident of Albany, was named Tulip Queen on Saturday, May 7, representing the first non-binary person to be crowned as such in the city’s 74-year…
Nippertown’s All-Star Baseball Songs Lineup
The love for baseball has been captured in plenty of songs over the years. While some have paid tribute to specific ballplayers, others attempt to capture the emotional bond…
Jim Gaudet and the Railroad Boys Have a Sound of Their Own
SARATOGA SPRINGS — How does a self-proclaimed city boy like Jim Gaudet get himself into bluegrass?“Boy, that’s an age-old question,” he said as he chuckled.For…
Celtic Trad Trio Talisk to bring Energetic Vibe to Caffé Lena on Thursday
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Talisk’s Mohsen Amini plays the concertina like a mad man with the Devil in his hands.The sound of the squeezebox that otherwise conjures visions of…
Friedrich Gorenstein’s “Berdichev / The Family That Never Was” Comes to Schenectady
SCHENECTADY — Tanya Deptola shares concern over how her production of Friedrich Gorenstein’s play “Berdichev / The Family That Never Was” will be received by an American…
The Last Shift for The Late Shift
ALBANY — There are a few absolutes recognized here in the Capital District. Tulip Fest falls on Mother’s Day weekend. A box of Freihofer’s Chocolate Chip Cookies is to…
Shai Wosner’s Symbolic Debut to the Albany Symphony This Saturday
TROY — Shai Wosner just stepped outside his home in New York City when he received word that the Albany Symphony had postponed its show for what was then an emerging novel…
Legends of Rock to roll The Egg
ALBANY — The legends of music past will come back and welcome fans to enjoy the return of “the Sixties.”A Capital District ensemble of talent assembled by Gary…
Playing for a culture, ‘Kingfish’ Ingram has earned the respect of his elders to be called a true…
At 22 years old, Christone Ingram is too young to be a bluesman. At least, that’s what people say.“Anytime any young person gets into music that’s older than them,…
Music, history lies here at Pauly’s Hotel
ALBANY — When Kip Finck took over Pauly’s Hotel his first order of business was to renovate the storied venue.The Central Avenue pub has been an Albany institution dating…
The Egg to host ‘Kingfish’ November 4TH
ALBANY — Grammy-nominated blues sensation Christone “Kingfish” Ingram will celebrate the release of his dynamic second Alligator Records album, “662” with a performance at…
Hattie’s to fill a void in Downtown Albany
ALBANY — You take a story like Lombardo’s from a few years ago and ask yourself, what will it take to fill the space of such an iconic Capital City landmark? Well, now you’ve…
Jocelyn and Chris return to Albany to support Lodge’s Cash for Coats cause
ALBANY — Chris Arndt shuffles his feet down the corridor at White Lake Music & Post in a woolen poncho with a freshly poured cup of coffee in his hand. “Mmm. Coffee,” he…
Glass Pony latest music video is a trippy waltz through the park
Glass Pony has an album coming out soon, but no time has been set for its release just yet. Nonetheless, the four-piece psychedelic groove circus captured scenes in Greg…
Black 47’s Larry Kirwan puts his 9/11 experience into words
Larry Kirwan reflects upon a crush he once had on a girl who worked at the library he frequented as a boy. Context didn’t matter, not with the former Black 47 frontman's…
Wild Adriatic to play the Plaza, new album on the way
ALBANY — Wild Adriatic is a band that has been chomping at the bit to get back in front of live audiences, and has done so as of late, but not at the frequency in which they…
LIVE: Jocelyn & Chris @ Empire Live, 08/25/2021
ALBANY — At the end of the night, Ted Etoll was mingling among friends with his back to the bar watching over the expansive room of his new, downtown club.“It was…
Lightning strike sparks fire in Frank Palangi’s home, destroys home studio
QUEENSBURY — Music is a life, and for a musician, his instruments are his livelihood, so when you separate the artist from his tools it can be a heartbreaking experience.…
LIVE: YAM YAM, Hartley’s Encore @ Alive at Five, 07/21/2021
ALBANY — “How’d we sound,” asked Luke Malamood as his band cleared the stage following their Alive at Five set. The only appropriate answer was “good,” as I’ve often…
Erin Harkes and friends bring the laughter to ADCo
ALBANY — Comedian Erin Harkes mourned over the loss of jokes that came and went without an audience to share them with for 15 months but made up for it by unleashing a…
LIVE: Alex Torres & His Latin Orchestra @ Empire State Plaza
The Memorial Day Weekend weather left something to be desired for outdoor lovers in need of sun, fun and lively music, but that was resolved once the Empire State Plaza stage…
LIVE: HANZOLO AT LARK HALL, 5/15/2021
Hanzolo is no stranger to Albany. The funk band out of Cooperstown often makes the 90-minute trip to the Capital City to play before 518 crowds. Prior to the pandemic, the…
Two Buttons Deep partners up to bring live music back in 2021
Two Buttons Deep’s Jack Carpenter said he didn’t get the taste of Albany’s music scene he expected once moving into The Knick in late 2019.Carpenter hit a few shows at…
Matthew McCabe, store owner, musician and former city commish, dies from COVID
Matthew McCabe, the music store proprietor who touched countless local musicians with his advice and words of wisdom, died of complications from COVID-19 on Tuesday, Jan. 12.…
COVID sends music journalist back to his baseball cards
The lull in conversation that wanes as my wife sets up for her workday affords me the opportunity to scroll through eBay. It’s a routine that has developed over the months…
Albany Symphony drops new recordings
The Albany Symphony recently announced the release of its newest recording, featuring the orchestral works of internationally acclaimed composer Christopher Theofanidis.…
Playhouse Stage Company to manage Cohoes Music Hall
The city has named a new management company to take the reins of its storied music hall on Remsen Street.Playhouse Stage Company will now manage Cohoes Music Hall…
Moriah Formica signs with Surface Management
Moriah Formica notched a couple of items off her list last week: The local rock star recruited a marquee drummer for her all-female band, and she signed with a management…
Road Soda Pop covers the classics
LateShift frontman Scotty Somerville is attached to yet another project. In addition to The LateShift, and creating graphic art such as what you’ve seen with Hartley’s…
Off The Record Trio takes you back with ‘Time Capsule’
Off The Record is that cool kid in school you didn’t know was smart until she graduated with honors.The trio’s high-energy live act is plugged into Joanna Palladino’s…
Katy Ashe releases quarantine project, “Mother’s Isolation”
Katy Ashe has kept herself busy during the quarantine. The singer-songwriter is also a full-time music teacher and mom. On top of all those duties, she spent the past eight…
Frank Palangi drops fourth album “Bring on the Fear”
Palangi was already in the midst of releasing his fourth album “Bring on the Fear” when the COVID-19 pandemic started its spread. Despite the name, he insists the name is a…
Alex Hitrick releases new album “Apple Trees”
Alex Hitrick is no stranger to the local music scene. For seven years, he played parties and events as part of a three-piece band named Hitrick and Brooks. Most recently,…
New Music from JB!! aka Dirty Moses
Social unrest will push people into action, and they often turn to the tools of their trade. For John Brown, that tool is music.Best known as JB!! aka Dirty Moses, Brown…
C.K. and The Rising Tide release Stones cover “Under My Thumb”
Curtis K. Flach has drawn inspiration from, and has been compared to, different artists from the 60s including Lou Reed and Bob Dylan, but not The Rolling Stones; until now.
…
Local Pop Artist Vince Palmeri releases new video “Guilty Pleasure”
Vince Palmeri is bored in the house, and he’s in the house bored.Our resident pop artist has apparently lost his mind and is exhibiting unhealthy lifestyle choices in his…
518 Covid Quarantine Compilation
Creative people can’t sit idly by at home without producing something. It’s out of their nature. A recent compilation is a testament to that statement, and its available now…
The Age drops new single “Take A Dive”
When people speak of the breadth of musical talent in our area, Adrian Lewis is in every conversation.As The Age, Lewis is both a gifted guitarist and singer. With a…
The Erotics Release Single “Head of the Low Class”
The Erotics has been keeping it dirty with its stylings of “straightforward” rock and roll since 1997. That was when the Albany quartet dropped “Born to Destroy,” and they…
Belle-Skinner releases Video, New Album “Violets” Drops May 26th
Before the apocalypse overtook our lives, Belle-Skinner would split her time between performing here and in New York City.The latter is where we find Belle-Skinner…
Michael Daugherty, Dogs of Desire release Tribute to Woody Guthrie
Naxos Records recently released “This Land Sings: Inspired by the Life and Times of Woody Guthrie,” the world-premiere recording of multi-Grammy Award-winning composer…
Haunted Cat Drops Second Album “Third Degree Moonburns”
Haunted Cat is a four-piece, electro-glam proto-punk band out of the Capital District — and that’s a genre worthy of a listen.The quartet just dropped its second album,…
Dining out in business: Local eateries are adapting now to new world of social distancing
Some restaurateurs are changing their dining rooms as they anticipate new social norms once doors are allowed open again.Late last month, Gov. Andrew Cuomo unveiled his…
Ria Carval: On her own path
Listening to Maria Carvajal speak of her home in Colombia, it sounds like heaven.From her bedroom at her parent’s house in the city-state of Cali, the 19-year-old shares…
City Council voids Cohoes Music Hall, Park Playhouse contracts
City Council terminated contracts with both Cohoes Music Hall and Park Playhouse on Tuesday, April 28.The decision dealt a blow to an arts and music scene that used the…
Albany Center Gallery plans a show for no one — and everyone
Tony Iadicicco is preparing for a show no one will walk through.As with everywhere else in the world, the Albany Center Gallery has closed its doors under a social…
LIVE: Bendt releases new album at Lost and Found, 2/29/20
The name of Albany’s Lost and Found took on more of a biblical reference the Leap Day once Michael Gregg took the corner stage as the night’s master of ceremonies before…
JoAnn Falletta returns to the Albany Symphony for a Romantic evening at Proctors
Music is love.There are a bazillion songs written about love. Don’t bother looking that up. I made it up.I’m not even sure that a bazillion is an official metric…
Josh Casano Starts ‘Semester’ at Table 41 on January 3rd
By day, he’s a teacher at Schenectady High School, but in terms of the local music scene, you’ll find Josh Casano mastering his loops and acoustic guitar on stage.The…
Troy Savings Bank Music Hall Receives $1.1 M in State Funding
The Troy Savings Bank Music Hall Corporation was awarded a $1.1 million grant from Empire State Development through the Regional Economic Development Council.The Capital…
Album Review: Girl Blue’s ‘Home Movies’
Something telling of the local music scene revealed itself last year when EQX was hosting the final round of its annual Battle of the Bands at the then-Jupiter Hall. As bands…
LIVE: Third Eye Blind’s Stephan Jenkins – WEQX 35th Anniversary @ Albany Distilling Co.,…
A cold rain moved the performance from the Albany Distilling Company’s patio to a narrow chamber room. The setting enhanced the intimacy of the event. All 80 tickets were…
Paying Tribute to Sean & Henry McFerran at Chrome November 9th
Henry McFerran had a dream to play heavy metal, and that he did.For years, Henry and his brother Sean spent Makin’ Metal together with their band, China White, setting…
LIVE: Trigger Hippy @ Levon Helm Studios, Woodstock 11/2/2019
A night of conflicting experiences started once Yard Sale took the stage to open the evening for Trigger Hippy on Saturday, Nov. 3, at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock. The…
Barry Bostwick, and his briefs, will be at the Palace Theatre on October 21
Barry Bostwick is an acclaimed actor, having earned awards from his work on stage and in front of the camera, but there’s something about this time of year that will make a…
Historic Albany nightclub, once frequented featured the likes of Frank Sinatra, Cab Calloway and…
Inside the expansive back room in the northwest corner of the old Kenmore Hotel hangs a drab, grey curtain concealing the last piece of history tied to the space.The…
WMHT’s ‘Lena: A Life in Folk’ goes deep into the life of Lena Spencer
Saratoga represents many things to many people. To the late Lena Spencer and her then husband, it was the place to start their coffeehouse. A bustling college town in need of…
REVIEW: Girl Blue’s ‘Home Movies’
Something telling of the local music scene revealed itself last year when EQX was hosting the final round of its annual Battle of the Bands at the then-Jupiter Hall. As bands…
Creating a playlist is an intimate act of appreciation for music and people
There is a subtle science behind making a good mixtape, and I’m not talking about a musician’s collection of work captured on a flimsy metal strip of magnetized particles of…