Show Detective – Weekend Shows – Fri, June 23rd through Sun, June 25
Written by Staff on June 22, 2023
Show Detective
Friday, June 23rd, 2023
The Neil Diamond Experience starring Robert Neary, The Egg, Albany, 8pm
Part of the Guest Music Presentations Series
Broadway, Television, and Film star, Robert Neary, creates a one of a kind, cut above the rest, tribute to one of the greatest and most successful recording artists in history. You will swear you are watching the master, himself, as he tells the stories behind some of the classic songs and performs 20 of his greatest hits, with the incredible band, The Mystic. With an unforgettable finale that will blow your mind, The Neil Diamond Experience is guaranteed to leave you speechless.
Renaissance Black Film Festival, The Palace, Albany
The first annual Renaissance Black Film Festival (RBFF) is coming to New York’s Capital region, running June 22–25 at the historic Palace Theatre and the opulent Renaissance Hotel, both within walking distance from one another in Albany’s charming Downtown business district.
Platinum Moon and Under The Den, The Fuze Box, Albany, 7pm-10:30pm
Platinum Moon and Under The Den take on the Fuze Box with 3 hours of Rock and Roll that’ll make this a night you won’t want to miss!
Platinum Moon is a New York-based modern rock band whose raw mixture of original rock and pop music and thrilling live performances has captured the attention of audiences across the country. The band consists of: AvA Anduze – lead vocals, Anton Klettner – lead guitar, Joseph Klettner – keyboards/guitar, Toby Dorfman – Bass, and Ethan Grosman – drums. With two studio albums already out, the band is working on releasing a new EP.
Under The Den is a four piece rock band from Upstate New York. Formed in 2019, the band is composed of singer Madison Lewis, guitarist Ben “Ideas” Zoleski, Johnny Solo on bass and his twin brother Jason “Big JNo” Nowak on drums. A multitude of past experiences on indie and major labels from various members of the band have led to a creation of songs that range from punk, to funk, to ambient dance tracks. UTD is about the live show, and they are no doubt a live band. “Your favorite bartender’s favorite band”
Broken Arrow, Cohoes Music Hall, Cohoes, 8pm
Broken Arrow performs the music of Neil Young, featuring both the rockin’ electric Crazy Horse tunes and the more acoustic, pedal steel driven country rock material. The band delivers these classic songs faithfully while taking them out on some jamming excursions and tastefully tweaking some of the arrangements. Joe Mass nails the Neil vocals perfectly and the harmonies are spot on. They have audiences on their feet singing along and demanding encores at every show.
Billy Eli and The GutShot Angels, Rustic Barn Pub, Troy, 8pm-11pm
Country Rock Trio
RENT, Lark Hall, Albany, 8pm
CDAI Productions presents our immersive version of RENT— a rock opera set in Lower Manhattan’s Alphabet City amidst the HIV/AIDS crisis.
Based on Giacomo Puccini’s 1896 opera, La Bohéme, RENT is a rock opera with music, lyrics, and book by Jonathan Larson that tells the story of a group of impoverished, young artists struggling to survive and create a life in Lower Manhattan’s East Village. Set in the thriving days of the bohemian Alphabet City, under the shadow of the HIV/AIDS crisis.
The CDAI’s production of RENT will be staged in a completely immersive environment, where the actors will move in and around the audience.The show taking place in a live bar and concert space, rather than a traditional theatrical stage, highlights the shows innovative, bohemian energy and invites the audience to be a part of the “us” in the shows famous line, “There’s only us.”
Berkstar w/ Sunset Grin, Blackbelt Jones and more…, Putnam Place, Saratoga Springs, 7pm-2am
The Choas Collective presents BerkStar, Sunset Grin, Blackbelt Jones and The National Anthem, followed by an after-party featuring B. Austin and DJ Jackaay Parker.
John Clayton & Houston Person – Album Release Concert, Caffe Lena, Saratoga Springs, 5pm-7pm & 8pm-10pm
Legendary jazz masters perform as a unique duo, with a combined swinging sound that will find a place in any jazz afficianado’s heart
Kick off Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Fest at SPAC with Jazz legends John Clayton and Houston Person, who will perform two eagerly-antipated shows at Caffe Lena on the eve of the festival. John Clayton is a natural born multitasker. The multiple roles in which he excels – composer, arranger, conductor, producer, educator, and yes, extraordinary bassist – garner him a number of challenging assignments and commissions. With a GRAMMY on his shelf and nine additional nominations, artists such as Diana Krall, Paul McCartney, Regina Carter, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Gladys Knight, Queen Latifah, and Charles Aznavour have had spots on his crowded calendar. In 1985, Clayton co-founded the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra and rekindled The Clayton Brothers Quintet. In addition to individual clinics, workshops, and private students as schedule permits, Clayton also directs the educational components associated with the Centrum Jazz Festival and Workshop and Vail Jazz Workshop.
Career highlights include arranging the ‘Star Spangled Banner” for Whitney Houston’s performance at Super Bowl 1990 (the recording went platinum), playing bass on Paul McCartney’s album Kisses On The Bottom, arranging and playing bass with Yo-Yo Ma and Friends on Songs of Joy and Peace, and arranging playing and conducting on Charles Aznavour With the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, as well as numerous recordings with the Clayton Brothers, the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Milt Jackson, Monty Alexander and many others.
Tenor saxophone legend Houston Person is the natural heir to the Boss Tenor crown worn so long and so well by Gene Ammons. With his robust sound and swinging style Person has kept the hard bop and organ-soaked soul-jazz traditions alive. His first big break came while working as a sideman with organist Johnny Hammond and his group, co-led by Etta Jones. Person’s working relationship with Jones began in 1973 and lasted for thirty years. In the more than twenty-five years that he has been a working bandleader, Person has taken his music to most points on the globe. A travelling jazzman in an era that has found that particular species a veritable rara avis, Person does it all himself. He books his own tours, hunts up the new clubs, has the phone number of every major concert promoter on each continent and produces his own albums. He’s recorded more than 75 albums as a bandleader on Prestige, Westbound, Mercury, Savoy, and Muse, and he has most recently been recording on HighNote. Person has recorded with Charles Brown, Ron Carter, Bill Charlap, Charles Earland, Lena Horne, Etta Jones, Lou Rawls, Janis Siegel, Horace Silver, Dakota Staton, Cedar Walton, plus Billy Butler, Don Patterson, Grant Green, Sonny Phillips, Johnny “Hammond” Smith, Richard “Groove” Holmes and others.
Home Body / Architrave / Winkie, No Fun, Troy, 7pm-11pm
Home Body – https://home-body.bandcamp.com
Architrave – https://architrave.bandcamp.com
Winkie – https://winkie.bandcamp.com
Coopers Hawk, Gourd, Pauly’s Hotel, Albany, 8pm
Martin Barre Performs Jethro Tull, Strand Theatre, Hudson Falls, NY
Blue Moon Band, LG Beach Club, Lake George, NY
Ranky Tanky, Universal Preservation Hall, Saratoga Springs, NY
HANZOLO, Ommegang Brewery, Cooperstown, NY
Meredith Masony, Funny Bone, Albany, NY
id m theft able/Glockabelle/Bugger, The Avalon Lounge, Catskill, NY
Saturday, June 24th, 2023
Renaissance Black Film Festival, The Palace Theatre, Albany
Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival, SPAC, Saratoga Springs, 11am
Amphitheater
Join us for 2 days, 2 stages and 21 electrifying artists at the 46th Annual Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival! From jazz to roots, funk, blues and beyond, the festival will bring its signature blend of top-notch artists and ensembles, solidifying its place as an international destination and a ‘must-stop’ on the 2023 festival trail. Fans can also enjoy a host of amenities including a fine arts and crafts fair, artist CD signings, and new and diverse food offerings. Check back often for updates!
Sony music presents: JJ SAVAGE. Empire Underground, Albany, 6:30pm
w/s/g 3DB, Same Ole Rat, Grandstand Jockeys, and The Tradition
Local Flavor with Rilue / Vega / Dogtoy / Catnip / Sini, The Fuze Box, Albany, 9:30pm-2am
Banish the bland and relish the ripe sounds of some Local Flavor!
Hip Hop, House and Techno vibes all night long. Sample some tasty beats with Rilu and VEGA, then dig into some deep dance tunes with Sini, Dogtoy and Catnip!
Join us Saturday, June 24th at the fabulous Fuze Box in Albany, New York. Event starts at 9:30pm, musical acts groove on from 10pm to 2am.
Artist Links:
vegawins.bandcamp.com/album/vega
studyrilu.bandcamp.com/album/needing-to-escape
soundcloud.com/dogtoy
RENT, Lark Hall, Albany, 2pm & 6:15pm
ABYWST w/ Margo Macero, Putnam Place, Saratoga Springs, 8pm-11pm
Skidmore Summer Sendoff w/ DJ Jackaayparker, Putnm Place, Saratoga Springs, 11pm-3am
Come join us at Putnam Place on the first Saturday of summer for our Glow in the Dark Party! Good drinks and awesome people, right in the heart of Saratoga Springs. Free glow stick at the door for every party guest.
Jackie Parker is a purveyor of deep, infectious dance grooves and a feel-good atmosphere. Musician, producer, DJ, pianist, promoter, and music enthusiast alike, Jackie hails from Sunnyside, Queens NYC. Never afraid to go too deep, her emotive musical selections are her own therapy. When not performing, Jackie spends most of her time in the studio creating her own music. Though she appreciates playing in nightclubs, weddings, and special events, her love for music goes beyond the spectrum of mixing tunes. As a producer, pianist, and promoter, she has found plenty of ways to express herself musically.
Having spent many years playing at major nightclubs from Manhattan to Albany, to Newark , to Hartford and everywhere in between, as well as DJing special events and promoting her own shows, Jackie has had a lot of time to develop her sound. For her, it’s all about the mood and a deep, hypnotic groove… playing and mixing tracks that get you tapping your feet and nodding your head without even realizing it, regardless of genre, tempo, or style. LET THE MUSIC SPEAK FOR ITSELF.
Folk Heritage Series: Buskin and Batteau, Caffe Lena, Saratoga Springs, 8pm-10pm
Products of the folk era, Buskin and Batteau are the ultimate entertainers: musicians, comedians and showmen of the highest caliber
David Buskin & Robin Batteau have been performing their “irresistible amalgam of melodic, sensual pop, folkie grit and killer wit” (The Washington Post) for more than forty years. Their songs have been recorded by many great artists, including Judy Collins, Ladysmith Black Mombazo, The Oak Ridge Boys, Peter, Paul & Mary, Johnny Mathis, Tom Rush, Bette Midler, Astrud Gilberto, Anne Murray, Dixie Carter and Roberta Flack. Their Clio Award-winning jingles have been recorded by “everybody famous with a mouth.” But they are at their best live, dishing out what Stephen Holden of The New York Times called their “by turns acerbic, funny and plaintive” music and commentary. “We’re not from the Cambridge, came-over-on-the-Mayflower first wave of folkies (Joan Baez, Tom Rush, Eric Von Schmidt),” says Buskin, “but we’d like to think we’ve stolen many of their licks.”
Defining Buskin and Bateau’s musical style is not so simple as just saying they are folk or pop musicians. They are certainly products of the folk era, and they got their start playing with and writing for the mainstays of folk in the 1970s, but their ability as musicians alone would put them head and shoulders above most of their contemporaries in that genre. WFDU out of New Jersey comments: “Their harmonies and wonderful presence onstage are as captivating as ever,” while WFMT Chicago says: “They are something special. I think they levitated the audience. Terrific musicianship, memorable songs and just great-all-around entertainers.” Buskin & Batteau have a sense of humor that might well have qualified them as comedians, if it weren’t for their abilities as musicians (Driftwood magazine). This is definitely one group that the studio can’t capture the full essence of, as good as their recordings are – and they are superb – it’s simply because they are, first and foremost, showmen in every sense of the word.
The Folk Heritage Series is made possible by the Charlie Pickett & Kathleen Rehl Endowment Fund
Hypersaturation Issue 10 Release Party – Pride Issue, No Fun, Troy, 7pm-11pm
STAVO, Pauly’s Hotel, Albany, 8pm
Across The Pond (Beatles Tribute,) Strand Theatre, Hudson Falls, NY
Jukebox Rebellion, LG Beach Club, Lake George, NY
Eastbound Jesus/Buttonmen, Unihog, Hoosick Falls, NY
Glass Pony Album Release Party, Swifty’s, Delmar, NY
J. Lee and Chase, Slidin’ Dirty, Troy, NY
Mike Epps, Funny Bone, Albany, NY
Comedy Night, Lark St. Tavern, Albany, NY
Pride Vibes Music Fest, Single Cut, Clifton Park, NY
Sunday, June 25th, 2023
Live at The Linda Live! – Swing Dance All-Stars, The Linda, Albany, 7:30pm-10pm
For one night only we’re bringing our Wednesday Nite Swing Dance over to Sunday and broadcasting it LIVE ON THE AIR on WAMC Northeast Public Radio. Bring your dancing shoes and kick it up at The Linda as we broadcast with live performances by The Dylan Perrillo Quartet and Josh Failkoff and the Oddfellows.
Swing Dance pass holders can use their pre-paid weeks and tickets are also available through the link below or at the door.
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 the outstanding show we’re calling “SWING DANCING ON THE AIR”
Renaissance Black Film Festival, The Palace, Albany
Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival, SPAC, Saratoga Springs, 11:30am
Amphitheater
Join us for 2 days, 2 stages and 21 electrifying artists at the 46th Annual Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival! From jazz to roots, funk, blues and beyond, the festival will bring its signature blend of top-notch artists and ensembles, solidifying its place as an international destination and a ‘must-stop’ on the 2023 festival trail. Fans can also enjoy a host of amenities including a fine arts and crafts fair, artist CD signings, and new and diverse food offerings. Check back often for updates!
Dance Force Annual Recital, Proctors Theatre, Schenectady, 11am, 4am
Dance Force will have a variety of performances in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop and Gymnastics. Performers range from 3 years old to adult.
Kinky Paint & Sip, The Fuze Box, Albany, 4:30pm-8:30pm
Come in for our Pride Month Special Class of a colorful Paint and sip!
Come in for our Pride Month Special Class of a colorful Paint and sip. Thanks to some amazing donations Judas will be teaching you how to capture the sketch and paint all those pretty colors.
Supplies included with the class
$25 at the door.
4:30 doors & class starts at 5 pm
And of course there will be kinky models doing/wearing kinky things.
RENT, Lark Hall, Albany, 3pm
Bassel & The Supernaturals, Caffe Lena, Saratoga Springs, 7pm-9pm
Soul and funk-inspired rhythms are the backbone of Bassel & The Supernaturals’ jazz-infused sound, which aims to both entertain and educate
Syrian Heart. Midwest Soul. Deeply inspired by Otis Redding, Bassel & The Supernaturals combine soulful melodies and funk-inspired rhythms with captivating lyrics regarding love, loss, and the war in Syria, telling the story of Bassel Almadani’s experience as a first generation Syrian-American. In addition to performing at major festivals, performance halls, and clubs – the group works closely with organizations on events and residencies that build awareness and empathy for Syrian refugees. A substantial portion of their proceeds benefit the Karam Foundation, a non-profit group focused on building a better future for Syria.
The band’s 2017 release, Elements, led to their involvement in the SXSW showcase ContraBanned: #MusicUnites, featuring artists from the diaspora of countries targeted by the travel ban. They’ve since been featured on PRI, Al Jazeera, Reuters, Paste Magazine, Huffington Post, NowThis, and others. The album draws inspiration from artists such as Snarky Puppy, Jamiroquai, and Steely Dan’s Aja. The 2020 track “Stepping Back in Time” was featured on Spotify’s official “All Funked Up” playlist and recently surpassed 500,000 streams. Huffington Post commented: “With a powerful message, Bassel & The Supernaturals bring fans on a soulful journey that is brilliant in every way.”
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