MOVE Music Festival is BACK! April 29th 2023 Noon-Midnight in Center Square -By: Rob Smittix

Since 2012 Albany, New York has been the home of an important multi-venue music festival called MOVE but in 2018 it disappeared. The good news is that on April 29th 2023, the MOVE Music Festival is returning and this time the event will entirely take place in the Center Square neighborhood.

Today I am speaking with Ed Peters whom acquired the festival and his assistant Lo Baboulis about what we can expect from the new MOVE Music Festival later this month.

RRX: We’re excited to have MOVE back. My band Smittix played the first one (2012).

LB: Oh wow, okay. I worked with Bernie (Walters) on the last three or four.

RRX: Referring to 2012, It was really cool at first because we were scheduled for 9pm at McGeary’s and I’m thinking that it couldn’t get any better than that. But then they revamped the whole schedule and we ended up being placed at Red Square at Noon. So it wasn’t as good but… Paranoid Social Club headlined Red Square, so technically we opened up for them even though it was like ten hours prior. They’re one of my favorite bands.

LB: That still counts.

RRX: I think it counts. I asked Dave Gutter from PSC and he said it counts. But what you’re doing this year is going to be a little bit different from what we’ve experienced with MOVE in the past. Can you tell us a little bit about that?

EP: Absolutely. You said how at the first MOVE you ended up playing at a different time and a different venue. We’ve done a lot of hard work making sure that the artists ended up in the right spots. We’ve put together a really good line-up. When Bernie started MOVE he had originally talked about South By Southwest in Austin. We can’t do anything quite like that but we do have something similar to it going on, featuring solo artists on the MOVE down Madison and Lark.

RRX: I see that. Now MOVE down Madison and Lark, I’m really excited about because my homegirl Maddie Hogan is playing.

LB: Yes, she’s opening that section of it. She’s on at 3pm at Fresh n’ Pressed. They are very happy to have her and everybody is excited about it. I’m looking forward to hearing her play.

RRX: Yes, me too. I’ve never seen her play live in all of the years that I’ve known her.

EP: It’s one big music family, right Rob?

RRX: Exactly. So the MOVE down Madison and Lark are going to be outdoor performances?

LB: Some of them will be. Several performances will be taking place right outside of the establishments but others will be indoors. The restaurant or venue owners will be making a nice little day for the artists. So it’s both an indoor and outdoor event.

RRX: I’m letting Maddie borrow my PA system for her performance, so I’ll be helping out.

EP: Cool, I’ve done a lot of outdoor events over the years and we did pick places where if it’s necessary the artist could duck under inside.

LB: I mean I looked ahead at The Farmer’s Almanac, that’s just what I do.

(All Laugh)

LB: It’s looking like it’s going to be around 68 degrees and sunny. We’ll see how close to that it is on April 29th.

RRX: The farmer’s are always right. And then you have the main stages at Fuze Box and Lark Hall.

LB: Yes, Fuze Box has been wonderful with us. They have a show going on that night but they wanted to be involved and we wanted them involved. So from Noon-3pm, they are doing the daytime portion. We’ve got Trebled Youth, The Frozen Heads, Ike’s Wasted World and Black Belt Jones.

EP: Picture a punk rock matinee show to kick things off.

LB: And Trebled Youth is actually more of a thrash metal band than punk.

RRX: That’s what I’m loving about this. I actually really good friends with most of the bands you just mentioned and I was very happy to see them on there.

LB: And then for the night time portion we’ll be at Lark Hall. Doors open there at 7pm which is standard for the hall and the show is from 8pm until midnight. We’ve got The Sugar Hold, Embe Esti and Seize Atlantis. In the past with MOVE Bernie has always tried to have a panel or some interactive discussion with musicians about the industry itself. So this year John Olander and Michael Baish from the Sugar Hold are going to be speaking a little bit about their experiences before the show even starts.

RRX: That’s pretty cool, you’re giving them a look behind the curtain.

LB: Yes and they’ll be taking questions from people who may be looking to get into the industry or who are curious about the industry around here in any type of field.

EP: This goes all the way back for me. I was working with the School of Rock back when Joe Bonavita was still around. He had discussed buying MOVE Music Festival from Bernie. I’m doing this for my boy Joe! Even back then we talked about the future of the scene and helping young artists that are just getting involved. So hopefully people will listen to what John and Michael have to say about what their experiences in the scene have been.

RRX: I love it! Maybe next year I can talk about some of my experiences.

LB: Yes! I like it!

RRX: I like the whole set up. You’re talking about 12 hours of music here.

LB: 12 hours of straight music!

MOVE Music Festival 2023 Noon-Midnight April 29th

Noon-3pm: It all begins at Fuze Box – 12 Central Ave (Tickets Needed)

with Trebled Youth, The Frozen Heads, Ike’s Wasted World and Black Belt Jones and will be hosted by Doll E. DeVille.

3pm-7pm: MOVE Down Madison & Lark (FREE)

with Madeline Hogan (3-3:45pm) at Fresh n’ Pressed – 456 Madison Ave.
Kyla Silk (3:15-4pm) at Capital Wine – 348 State St
Bebhinn McDermott (3:45-4:30pm) Ben & Jerry’s – 467 Madison Ave
Niki Kaos (4-4:45pm) Alacrity – 215 Lark St
Tim Candlen (4:30-5:15pm) Lark Tavern – 453 Madison Ave
Ryan Leddick (5-5:45pm) The Local 217 Tap Room & Kitchen – 12 1/2 Delaware Ave
Sydney Worthley (5:30-6:15pm) Savoy Taproom – 301 Lark St
JB aka Dirty Moses (6:15-7pm) Pint-Sized – 250 Lark St

8pm-Midnight Lark Hall 351 Hudson Ave (Tickets Needed)

with The Sugar Hold, Embe Esti and Seize Atlantis, hosted by Alÿcia Bacon.

Get your TICKETS HERE!