Show Detective – Weekend Shows – April 28th-30th

Friday, April 28th

Free Beer and Hot Wings, Troy Music Hall, Troy, 8pm

The Free Beer & Hot Wings Show began as an afternoon show in Omaha, NE at non-commercial radio station KIWR in March of 1997. The Show, comprised of former Central Michigan University roommates Gregg Daniels and Chris Michels, eventually moved to mornings several months later where they remained until the summer of 2000. At that time, they moved on to WBON in Knoxville, TN. In June of 2002, The Show moved to New Jersey, where they were simulcast on WTHK in Trenton and WCHR on the Jersey Shore. The Free Beer & Hot Wings Show began full syndication in 2004 with the addition of WGRD in Grand Rapids, MI. Steve joined the show in 2009, followed by Kelly in 2019. The show is now heard on radio stations in 26 different states.

Carsie Blanton – Women’s Voices Concert Series, The Linda, Albany, 8pm – 10pm

with special guest Brittany Ann Tranbaugh. Hosted b Mary Panza.

CARSIE BLANTON WANTS TO MAKE US FEEL BETTER

“It’s been a long, weird couple of years”, says songwriter Carsie Blanton, “between the pandemic and other disasters, every day brings a new kind of anxiety. We need to find ways to remember who we are.”

After keeping her band afloat throughout lockdown with live-streamed ‘Rent Parties’, going viral with a song memorializing John Prine (Fishin with You), and releasing a critically acclaimed mid-pandemic album (2021’s Love and Rage, “fighting fascism with big hooks and an even bigger heart” according to American Songwriter), Blanton may be the person to help us do that.

“When you spend your time watching the news or social media, people seem cruel and stupid. But I think that by a wide margin, people are good, and want to take care of each other.”

Yet Blanton’s songs are far from saccharine. She doesn’t shy from vulgarity or politics, and at a recent live performance, the audience was laughing more often than crying. Songs like Shit List and Dealin’ with the Devil lampooned neo-Nazis and Democratic Senator Joe Manchin, respectively, while others bordered on the burlesque.

Blanton and her impeccably dressed “Handsome Band” demonstrated musical acumen betraying a long tenure as live performers. Accompanied by Joe Plowman on upright bass and Patrick Firth on Wurlitzer, her songs meandered from Americana and rock to cocktail jazz, Motown, and Elvis-Costello-esque pop punk. Three-part harmonies thickened the sound of the trio, while kazoos leavened it. Blanton’s years in New Orleans could be heard not just musically, but in her flair for the macabre. (Blanton grew up in Virginia and currently resides outside of Philadelphia.)

Mid-show, Blanton performed several songs solo, showcasing the stripped-down arrangements featured on her forthcoming album Body of Work (produced by Grammy-nominee Tyler Chester).

Despite some bawdy humor and a far-left political bent that some may find unsavory, the overwhelming message of Blanton’s live show was one of compassion and humanity. Her opening song, Be Good, invites us to be more like Christ and MLK, while her encore, All My Love, was dedicated to the healthcare workers, social workers, and teachers who pulled the rest of us through the pandemic (and who are invited to attend her 2022 shows for free).

“We make music because it makes us feel better”, she said near the top of the set. “We share it because we want to make you feel better, too.”

Found Footage Festival: Vol. 10, Proctor’s Theatre, Schenectady, 7pm

Colin & Brad: Scared Scriptless, Proctor’s Theatre, Schenectady, 7:30pm

Broadway Rave: The Musical Theatre Dance Party 18+ EVENT (MUST HAVE ID), Empire Underground, Albany, 9pm

ITS OUR KINK-A-VERSARY, Fuze Box, Albany, Fri 9pm – Sat 3am

Church of Lust: We’re rounding out our first year of kinky shenanigans with a big ol blast of a party!!!

We’re rounding out our first year of kinky shenanigans with a big ol blast of a party!!!

Drag AND Burlesque Performances

Special Demos

Special Offers

Come hang out in your kink wear (street legal please) and show off what you got on the dance floor.

Opening for 9pm

Special Invocation 10pm

Midnight Show

All for $10

Fuze Box

Super 400 & Sean Matthew Whiteford’s Revival of Led Zepplin II, Cohoes Music Hall, Cohoes, 8-10pm

The band will perform the legendary album from 1970 in its entirety, along with other classic Zeppelin songs. They return to Cohoes after their highly acclaimed performance of Zeppelin’s first album, which Nippertown ranked #3 Best Live Show of 2022.

Troy’s fabled rock trio, Super 400, is known far and wide for telekinetic jams and big love. Active since the mid 1990s, the band has released four studio albums and one live set. Tours both in the US and abroad started a chain of bootleg recordings that have been traded and coveted around the world. Their international following sold out over 20 shows across Europe on their last tour. Back home, the mayor of Troy gave Super 400 their own official holiday, ‘Super 400 Day’, to recognize the band’s musical achievements as well as the love and support the city has shown for them. Super 400 recorded their most recent full-length, ‘Sweet Fist’, at legendary Ardent Studios in Memphis, TN, and followed the release with their biggest US tour to date. They’ve appeared on national television in the US and abroad, written music for top-rated shows on American television, and continue to light stages with their love and intense passion for playing. The COVID pandemic prompted a fortification of the home studio, where the band has been writing, recording, mixing, making art, and launching these efforts to their online audience. Super 400 was inducted into the Capital Region Eddies Music Hall of Fame in 2022, as well as receiving the honor of Best Rock Band.

Sean Matthew Whiteford has been a prominent performer, producer and international vocal coach, based out of the Hudson Valley for over 15 years. Sean Matthew Whiteford & THE HOUSE PARTY BAND recently returned from Hawaii after making a splash at Colony Woodstock with their New Years Eve bash, as well as opening for 80s icon COREY FELDMAN last year. Sean is a featured vocalist with NYC’s powerhouse rock bands, PARTY ROCK & JESSIE’S GIRL, and with VIRTUAL JOURNEY BAND on YouTube, where his performances have been praised by several members of JOURNEY. Sean has also often worked with Asbury Park Music Award winner, REMEMBER JONES, on various shows and projects throughout the years. At 17 years old, he founded his rock and roll theatre company, Castaway Productions (est. 2005), that was born in Woodstock.

Vinyl Vault, Rustic Barn, Troy, 8pm-11pm

Vinyl Vault is a 6 piece cover/party band

Kendall Street Company wsg Boss Crowley, Lark Hall, Albany, 7pm

Virginia’s Kendall Street Company are no strangers to having a wild time. The genre-fluid, eclectic rock ensemble has drawn varied comparisons to the dynamic jams of Umphrey’s McGee and Widespread Panic, songwriting prowess of John Prine, experimental psychedelia of Pink Floyd, progressive jazz-infused rock of Frank Zappa, and off-color humor of Ween and They Might Be Giants. Including elements of crowd participation, off-the-cuff comedic bits, haphazard choreography, musical improvisation, and surprise musical guests, each Kendall Street Company concert is an experience unlike any other. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry. Just remember to stay hydrated.

In addition to their reputation as must-see live performers, the Company’s prolific immunity to writer’s block has led them to release over over 100 original songs between seven studio albums, two live albums, and four EPs in a period of just six years. 2023 will see the release of (at least) an additional two studio records, a handful of singles, and who knows what else! You can also enjoy a massive selection of live shows on nugs.net, which often include unreleased and improvised tracks, as well as covers ranging from the Grateful Dead to DEVO to Alanis Morisette to Soulja Boy.

Kendall Street Company is: Louis Smith [Rhythm Guitar/Lead Vox], Brian Roy [Bass], Ryan Wood [Drums], Ben Laderberg [Lead Guitar], and Jake Vanaman [Saxophone/Keys]. The five met at the University of Virginia, where they graduated between 2015 and 2020. For such a young band, their accomplishments are commendable. They have performed at festivals including Lockn’, Summer Camp, High Sierra, Resonance, Floydfest, Some Kind of Jam, and Rooster Walk. Featured guest musicians at their sets have included Keller Williams, Ron Holloway, Andy Frasco, and Andy Hall. The Company has also shared the stage with Goose, Umphrey’s McGee, Papadosio, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Leftover Salmon, the Infamous Stringdusters, Big Something and Melvin Seals & JGB. The outfit draws their name from late-night bonfires at the Kendall Street Beach on the Chesapeake Bay, and the good company who fueled the flames, the jams, and the conversation.

Boss Crowley is a rock ‘n roll band with a lil country twang and a lil synthy rang.

Described by some as a “party rock band,” by others as “a little weird, but cool,” and by all as “like nothing I’ve heard before!”

These Troy, NY boys – Nate Chumley (drums/keys/vocals), Tom Ferguson (bass/vocals), and Ben Gorman (banjo/keys/vocals) – sing songs about transportation, farm animals, drinking, thinking, Capitalism, and all things under the sun.

Boss Crowley has played dozens of gigs in the Capital Region since their first in April 2022 and they just don’t stop.”

Jimkata w/ Hanzolo, Putnam Place, Saratoga Springs, 9pm – 12:30am

Four years after going on hiatus, Jimkata is back with a renewed sense of purpose and an extraordinary new album. Recorded in Syracuse with producer Jason Randall, Bonfires finds the trio digging deep and stretching their boundaries with bold, intoxicating arrangements fueled by swirling synthesizers and anthemic hooks. The songs here are at once modern and classic, blurring the lines between the organic and the electronic as they reckon with doubt, struggle, and perseverance in a search for truth and meaning. Like much of Jimkata’s catalog, Bonfires delivers transcendence in tight, dancefloor-ready packages, but there’s a sense of freedom at play that pushes the trio’s performances to new emotional heights, a kind of liberation that can only come from learning to let go of expectation and embrace the moment.

“I think the time away brought us all more maturity, more patience, an ability to see the bigger picture,” says singer/guitarist Evan Friedell. “We all gained a lot of perspective on life and the value of being in a band together.”

Indeed, the heart and soul of Jimkata has always been the enduring bonds between Friedell and his longtime bandmates, guitarist/keyboardist Aaron Gorsch and drummer Packy Lunn. Pals since middle school, the three launched Jimkata in 2005 while attending Ithaca College, where they quickly found an audience for their relentlessly feel-good performances, which grew from local house parties to club, theater, and festival dates on the strength of a series of critically acclaimed albums. Popdose hailed the band’s “bubbly sweetness,” while American Songwriter praised their “organic chemistry,” and Relix raved that the trio’s sound “proves that rock-based music still has a place in the world of four-on-the-floor beats.”

Website: www.jimkata.com

LUNCHTIME LISTENING HOUR! Caffe Lena, Saratoga Springs, 12pm – 1pm

April Music Presented by Jack Reber. Theme: “sweet & sassy Ladies”

All are welcome to gather at Lena’s from Noon to 1 PM on the last Friday of each month to enjoy musical memories and new discoveries. The playlist is selected by a different community member each month from the Captain Fun Listening Library of vinyl records in Lena’s lobby.  Chuck “Rochmon” Vosganian spins the records and gets the conversation flowing. Bring a brown bag lunch. Coffee and tea are provided.

The Captain Fun Listening Library occupying the north wall in the Caffè Lena lobby is comprised of 1,516 vinyl albums and several hundred CDs selected from Al “Captain Fun” McKenney’s expertly curated collection. This treasure trove of folk, blues and jazz was left us in 2015 and we share it through our monthly listening hour, as Al wished. Enjoy the memories these records bring back, and dig deep into American roots music.

Melissa Ferrick with opener Molly Parden, Caffe Lena, Saratoga Springs, 7pm – 11pm

Ferrick took up guitar in college and got their big break in 1991, when they were invited to open for Morrissey in Boston. Although Ferrick was a total unknown outside the local club scene, Morrissey liked them so much he took Ferrick along for the rest of the tour, including a stop at New York’s Madison Square Garden, that had contract-toting label execs tripping over themselves to get backstage first.

Regarded in the industry and by their peers as one of the most prolific and hardworking artists in the business, Ferrick still tours regularly playing throughout North America. They have shared the stage with Joan Armatrading, Weezer, Tegan and Sara, Mark Cohen, Paul Westerberg, Bob Dylan, John Hiatt, Ani DiFranco, k.d.Lang, Suzanne Vega, Shawn Colvin, and many others. [Their] songs are pensive and rocking, direct and oblique (Trouser Press). Reviewing a show, The Arts Fuse said: “… it makes sense that [their] first encore was ‘Welcome to My Life,’ which lists the people who are especially welcome at [their] shows: ‘All the hippies, all the gypsies, all the queers and everyone who loves music.’ ” Ferrick of course has a foot in all those camps, but the surprise glimpse of their hippie side was especially welcome.”

For all its unapproachable beauty, the heart of Molly’s music is humble and profoundly human. They are songs that remind us that heartbreak isn’t simply another marketable human emotion, but is more like a familiar place – a sacred space within all of us. We are all born with a deep sense of loss, and great art has a way of articulating our personal tragedies – both the ones we’re born into, and the ones we write and direct ourselves. It makes listening to “Rosemary” feel like falling into a dream or a distant memory—a beautiful reminder of something we’ve known all along.

Stream this show live at caffelena.tv. Enjoy one week of access with your live stream ticket.

John Doe Folk Trio, Hangar on the Hudson, Troy, 8pm – 11pm

John Doe was born in 1977 when he arrived in Los Angeles. His previous life in Tennessee, Wisconsin & Baltimore was a great & fertile time but new music and social changes led him to events that created a life in art. He graduated from Antioch College in Baltimore in 1975, worked as a roofer, aluminum siding mechanic, and ran a poetry reading series. Ms. Meyers was his landlord in the rural black community of Simpsonville , MD. John met Exene Cervenka at the Venice poetry workshop Nov 1976 and he started working with Billy Zoom around the same time. When DJ Bonebrake joined X in mid-1977 the line up was complete. They released six studio records, five or six singles and one live record from 1978-1993. They appeared several times on American Bandstand, Solid Gold and David Letterman. As one of the last original punk rock bands standing, they continue to tour. In 1988 John started a family and lived in the Tehachapi Mountains, near the “Grapevine” of Highway 5, which separates southern and central California. He has recorded 8 solo records w/ numerous renowned singers and players, more recently including Patty Griffin, Dan Auerbach, Aimee Mann, Don Was, Kathleen Edwards and Greg Liesz. He has appeared in over 50 films and television productions, with some of his most notable roles in Road House, Georgia, Roadside Prophets, Great Balls of Fire, Pure Country and Roswell. Other musical side projects include work with the Knitters, Jill Sobule and The Sadies. He continues to write poetry and has even taught workshops from time to time. He currently lives north of San Francisco, California.

HELLSEEKER GOTH NIGHT, No Fun, Troy, 9pm – 11pm

The Spot, Tom’s House, Seize Atlantis, Pauly’s Hotel, Albany, 6pm

Saturday, April 29th

Martin Sexton & KT Tunstal, Troy Music Hall, Troy, 7:30pm

Acclaimed singers and songwriters Martin Sexton & KT Tunstall, each performing their own sets for an amazing night of music. Martin Sexton extends touring in support of his ninth studio release Mixtape of the Open Road. The Wall Street Journal and CMT premiered tracks from the album that since garnered much critical acclaim. “Outstanding taste in songwriting as well as a soul-marinated voice.” – Rollingstone. Sexton got his start singing in the streets and subways of Boston in the early 90’s. Still fiercely independent and headlining venues from The Fillmore to Carnegie Hall, he has influenced a generation of contemporary artists. His songs have appeared in television series such as Scrubs, Parenthood, Masters of Sex and in numerous films, though it’s his incendiary live show, honest lyrics, and vocal prowess that keep fans coming back for more. Since scoring a worldwide smash with her debut album ‘Eye To The Telescope’ in 2004, which went on to sell over 5 million copies, KT Tunstall has remained at the forefront of UK singer- songwriter talent. Over the next decade, three further critically acclaimed albums followed; ‘Drastic Fantastic’, ‘Tiger Suit’ and ‘Invisible Empire//Crescent Moon’ in 2007, 2010 and 2013 respectively, keeping the platinum sales rolling and cementing the Scottish singer-songwriter’s reputation as a major recording talent, as well as a mesmerizing live artist.

DRIPFEST, The Linda, Albany, 7pm – 9pm

A Night Of Poetry, Performance, Live Band and ART! Local/International/ National Poets/Artists for a Festive Night of Incredible Performances!

Sixties Spectacular, Proctor’s Theatre, Schenectady, 7pm

Pretty Much the Best Comedy Show – Dave Hill, Proctors Theatre, Schenectady, 8pm

Alexandra Kay – Backroad Therapy Tour, Empire Live, Albany, 8pm

WORLDSUCKS / Aulnes /Amani O+/ Dark Hippie / RBNX, Fuze Box, Albany, 7pm-11pm

WORLDSUCKS – worldsucks.bandcamp.com

The world sucks—but, it doesn’t have to. Standing for the liberation of all people everywhere. Bang the head that doesn’t think.

Aulnes – aulnes1.bandcamp.com

DOOM-SLUDGE MIX WITH GRIND-CORE / DEATH AND STONER EDGE…

Amani O+

amanipoet.bandcamp.com

Raptivist, spoken word artist & abolitionist, Amani O+ uplifts love, art & service as necessary rebellions against the sense of disconnection & hopelessness that threaten our collective peace & wellness.

Dark Hippie – darkhippie.bandcamp.com

3 piece psychedelic stoner sludge band from Hudson Valley NY. We don’t write songs, we write sounds!

RBNX – rbnx.bandcamp.com

We are a 3 piece Hardcore Punk Band from Poughkeepsie, NY

Zach Nugent’s Dead Set – New York Spring Thaw, Cohoes Music Hall, Cohoes, 8pm – 11pm

It usually only takes one show to understand why Zach Nugent is one of the most sought after guitarists in the live music scene. Since touring as de-facto Garcia expert with Melvin Seals & JGB, he continues to build his dedicated following, putting together and leading multifaceted groups for special runs and festival appearances.

Never one to shy away from new and challenging ideas, his performances promise intensity and beauty in the delivery of the music that he’s built a reputation with.

Zach has put together an all-star band for this voyage. Expect magic to happen. ZachNugent.Com

Get Up Jack, The Rustic Barn Pub. 7pm – 10pm

Award winning Celtic/Americana music!

Alien Trip Tour w/ Shlump & Tsimba, Putnam Place, Saratoga Springs, 8pm – 2am

Shlump grew up in California’s Bay Area, learning the guitar at age 9 and falling in love with music at first through the energy of metal and punk. Developing a taste for electronic music in high school via Apex Twin, Squarepusher, and Warp Records, he began to jump into music production, combining drum loops with recordings of his guitar. After being blown away by the sub bass in his intro to dubstep, Coki and Cluekid’s “Sensi Dub”, and experiencing his first west coast electronic music festivals, Michael’s love for bass music bloomed and he began to develop his signature sounds as he dedicated himself to his music career.

Infusing elements of classic dubstep with west coast flavor and otherwordly sound design, Shlump has pioneered his unique “Alien Bass” sound, creating a vibrant galaxy of bass, filled with forward thinking nuance and massive waves of low end. His live sets take audiences across the continent on a psychedelic spaceship ride through Shlump’s universe, visiting high energy devastating supernovas of bass and voyaging into depeer realms filled with the cosmic twinkle of sonic stardust.

Shlump has abducted the ears of a wide range of electronic music fans with releases on Wakaan, Deadbeats, Circus Records, Deep Dark & Dangerous, along with collaborations with and remixes for artists such as Liquid Stranger, LSDream, and Doctor P. He has showcased his Alien Bass sound at festival stages such as Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Shambhala, Bass Canyon, and many more.

Website: www.shlumpbass.com

HURT – A Mississippi Inspiration: Fundraiser for John Hurt Film Project, Caffe Lena, Saratoga Springs, 8pm

No blues singer ever presented a more gentle, genial image than Mississippi John Hurt – a guitarist with an extraordinarily lyrical and refined fingerpicking style, he also sang with a warmth unique in the field of blues. His gospel influence gave it a depth and reflective quality unusual in the field. (AllMusic). Hurt (July 3, 1893 – November 2, 1966) might have lived and died in obscurity, if it hadn’t been for the folk music revival of the late ’50s and early ’60s. A new generation of listeners and scholars suddenly expressed a deep interest in the music of America’s hinterlands, not only in listening to it but finding and preserving it. A scholar named Tom Hoskins discovered that Mississippi John Hurt, who hadn’t been heard from musically in over 35 years, was alive and living in Avalon, MS, and sought him out, following the trail laid down in Hurt’s song “Avalon Blues.” Their meeting was a fateful one; Hurt was in his 70s, and weary from a lifetime of backbreaking labor for pitifully small amounts of money, but his musical ability was intact, and he bore no ill-will against anyone who wanted to hear his music.

Hurt’s legacy at Caffe Lena dates to July 7-10, 1966. His mark on Saratoga Springs parallels his influence throughout the blues world. Countless guitar players started out by listening to and studying the fingerpicking style of John Hurt. This fundraiser features four duos playing the music by and inspired by Mississippi John Hurt. Monies raised will benefit the Mississippi John Hurt Foundation, established by Hurt’s granddaughter, Mary Frances Hurt. The Mississippi John Hurt Foundation is a non-profit organization devoted primarily to preserving the musical legacy and history of Mississippi John Hurt, while providing musical and educational opportunities to disadvantaged youth. Through the music of John Hurt, children and adult music fans alike are exposed to the rich oral, musical, and literary traditions of the Mississippi Delta and surrounding areas. Funds raised will also support a film, currently in production, about his life and legacy.

Performers for this extraordinary evening include the Piedmont Bluz Duo of Valerie and Benedict Turner, Annie & Jonny Rosen of Annie and the Hedonists, Erin Harpe & Jim Countryman and Mark Tolstrup & Jill Burnham of Mark & Jill. Truly a historic night of musical excellence and food for the soul.

Stream this show live at caffelena.tv. Enjoy one week of access with your live stream ticket.

Lizdelsie / Pencildive / Valerie Barbosa / Service Industry, No Fun, Troy, 8pm–11pm\

Vitruvia, Pauly’s Hotel, Albany, 8pm

Sunday, April 30th

Teresa Broadwell Quintet – The Brian Patneaude Quartet – Live at The Linda Live! The Linda, Albany, 7:30pm – 10pm

WAMC’s LIVE AT THE LINDA LIVE hosted by Peter Hughes broadcasts live on WAMC – Northeast Public Radio from our performing arts studio – “The Linda.” You can be in the live studio audience for our Jazz Spectacular featuring Teresa Broadwell and band & The Brian Patneaude Quartet.

The Brian Patneaude Quartet

Repeatedly cited as “Best Jazz” by Metroland magazine, Brian Patneaude is one of the busiest musicians in New York’s Capital District. In addition to leading his own quartet, the saxophonist maintains an active performance schedule with the award winning Empire Jazz Orchestra, the seventeen piece juggernaut Big Soul Ensemble and drummer Michael Benedict’s hard-bop quintet Bopitude. He has performed at the Montreal Jazz Festival, the Kingston International Jazz Festival, the Newport Jazz Festival Saratoga, the Albany Riverfront Jazz Festival, the Rochester International Jazz Festival and countless clubs and concert halls throughout the Northeast including an eight and a half year weekly residency at Albany’s premiere jazz club – Justin’s. Over the years he has performed with saxophonists Jimmy Heath, Lee Konitz, David “Fathead Newman”, Gary Smulyan, trombonists Curtis Fuller, Slide Hampton & Wycliffe Gordon, trumpeters Randy Brecker, Lew Soloff, Claudio Roditi & Byron Stripling, guitarist Mike Moreno, pianists Bruce Barth, Armen Donelian, Pete Levin, bassists Dave Holland & Rufus Reid, and vocal sensations The Four Freshmen.

Formed in 2002, the Brian Patneaude Quartet currently features pianist Dave Payette, bassist Mike DelPrete and drummer Danny Whelchel, Their music is an organic blend of modern jazz styles, featuring accessible melodies and harmonic textures that appeal to the casual listener and jazz aficionado alike. The group’s close-knit musical relationship and seamless interplay is a result of performances at numerous venues throughout the Northeast – including recent performances at the Kingston International Jazz Festival, Albany Riverfront Jazz Festival, Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Guilderland Performing Arts Center, WAMC Performing Arts Studio, A Place For Jazz Concert Series, Albany’s “Lark Fest”, Saratoga’s “Final Stretch Street Festival” and an eight and a half year weekly residency at one of the Capital District’s most highly acclaimed jazz venues – Justin’s. The quartet has been repeatedly cited as “Best Jazz Group” by the writers and readers of Metroland magazine and has gained increasing attention, both nationally and abroad. Tracks from the group’s CDs have been played on over 50 radio stations worldwide, including the nationally syndicated “Jazz After Hours” with Jim Wilke and “Listen Here!” hosted by Neil Tesser & Mark Ruffin.

Teresa Broadwell Quintet

Vocalist and jazz violinist Teresa Broadwell is formally trained, holding a BM from the Crane School of Music, and an MA in Jazz Studies from the College of St. Rose. Her vocal influences include: Lambert, Hendricks and Ross; Eddie Jefferson; King Pleasure; Sarah Vaughan; Betty Carter; Ella Fitzgerald; and Anita O’Day. On fiddle, she draws from Stuff Smith, Joe Venuti, Matt Glaser, and Stephan Grappelli.

Other past recordings include: “Sunny Side of the Street,” with the “New Moon Swing Band,” (a group that performed on Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion” radio show) and “Everything’s Jake,” featuring her swing band “Thrivin’ on A Riff.”

It’s Okay to Be Different – Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia, The Egg, Albany, 3pm

Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia brings three stories by Todd Parr to the stage with their innovative approach to puppetry and playful original music for which the company has earned worldwide praise. It’s Okay to Be Different cleverly delivers the important messages of acceptance, understanding, and self-confidence. Equally whimsical and heartfelt, The Earth Book, is a sweet homage to our beautiful planet inspiring readers of all ages to do their part to keep the Earth happy and healthy. This is My Hair is a funny exploration of how silly hair can be and that no matter how your hair looks, always feel good about yourself.

Support for the “Family Wonders” performance series is provided by Price Chopper

UAlbany Parkfest 2023, MVP Arena, Albany, Daytime

The Eddies Regional Music Awards 2023, Proctor’s Theatre, 6pm

Andy the Music Man: Concert for Families, Lark Hall, Albany, 11am

Join local children’s musician, Andy “The Music Man” for a rocking fun family engaging concert at the beautiful and spacious Lark Hall on Sunday, April 30th. Doors at 10:30 am; Show starts at 11:00am. Two ½ hr sets with a short break in between. They’ll be singing, dancing, snacks, drinks (for both adult and child) and special guests.

Children $15+fees/parents are free! Adult only ticket $7.50+fees. Bring a blanket to sit on.

Andy “The Music Man” Morse is a fulltime musician specializing in interactive music for families of young children. Renowned for the special way he connects with his audiences. Andy mingles traditional and original songs and novelty, delighting and involving kids through sing-a-longs, dancing, play-acting and storytelling.

Says musician Scott Bierko, “Andy off-stage is Andy on-stage: funny, quick-witted, warm and in-the-moment. He obviously has mastery of his planned set, but he riffs with the audience by listening, watching and reacting to what’s going on around him. He speaks to the audience of parents and kids with equal respect and weaves their ideas into his songs with ease.”

The “Music Man” as children dubbed him early on in 1995 has roots as a special-ed and daycare teacher. A creator of children’s activity tents at large rock festivals (Gathering of the Vibes, Langerado, Furtherfest, Nateva) and also leads the Grateful Dead and Beyond band, “The Wheel”.

Andy’s mission: “As a musician, a teacher, and a father, I am dedicated to bringing quality music and laughter into the lives of children and the adults who care for them.”

To learn more about Andy please visit www.andysings.com

Andy “The Music Man”

www.andysings.com

518-339-4454

The Wheel (Live Dead and Beyond)

www. thewheelband.com

518-339-4454

Kalos, Caffe Lena, Saratoga Springs, 7pm-9pm

Kalos is made up of three innovative interpreters and composers of Celtic roots music: Eric McDonald, Ryan McKasson and Jeremiah McLane. They are masters of tradition who purposefully explore the dark corners floating on its edges, delivering an alluring musical complexity full of spontaneity and joyful exuberance. They set the standard for traditional repertoire with an underlying drive and pulse charged with rhythmic electricity and integrity. Kalos’ music asks to be shared live, and performance is the band’s heart and forte. Their partnership stretches beyond the music, born of fast friendships formed at the band’s origin and exhibited in their playfulness on stage. Kalos forges a new musical path that draws on Celtic, Breton, American and other musical traditions on accordion, guitar, fiddle, and vocals. “This trio really shows how masterful musicians listen and play off each other.” — Devon Leger, Hearth Music.

Stream this show live at caffelena.tv. Enjoy one week of access with your $5 live stream ticket.

Elephant Jake / Sir Echo / Everybody That Loves You, No Fun, Troy, 7pm-11pm