Show Detective – Weekend Shows – Friday, August 25th – Sunday, August 27th

Show Detective.

Friday, August 25^th

Phish, SPAC, Saratoga Springs, 7:30pm

Phish will play two special shows at the Broadview Stage at SPAC (Saratoga Performing Arts Center) in Saratoga Springs, New York on August 25 and 26, 2023. The concerts will benefit Vermont and Upstate New York flood recovery efforts. Communities throughout the region were inundated earlier this month with historic levels of rain and major flooding.

Delaney with support from Tom’s House at Fuzebox, Albany, 7:30pm-10:30pm

Delaney will be performing live, with support from Tom’s House, at Fuzebox in Albany, NY!

Friends of the Devil (Phish After Party), Putnam Place, Saratoga Springs, 11pm

Friday Lunchtime Listening Hour! – Caffe Lena, Saratoga Springs, 12pm-1pm

August Guest: Franklyn Whitney
8-25-23

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.

About Al McKenney & his Library

Wearing his purple beret and making daily downtown rounds to share lively chats about politics, music and books, Alan “Captain Fun” McKenney was often called the Unofficial Mayor of Saratoga Springs. Born in 1944 he passed away in 2015, leaving behind his legendary collection of music and books.

Starting in his teens Al collected records, then cassettes and CDs, along with books about music. He amassed more than 10,000 recordings and he knew and loved them all. Al arrived in Saratoga in 1971 on St. Patrick’s Day, having hitchhiked from Massachusetts to join folksingers Utah Phillips, Rosalie Sorrels, Bill Vanaver, Andy Cohen and several others in forming Wildflowers, a musicians’ booking cooperative. The group lived communally in a big apartment on Grand Avenue. The meetings were held at Caffè Lena where Lena Spencer would welcome the hungry collective with hot lasagna dinners. By 1973, Wildflowers had broken up and Al found work road-managing concert tours, first for David Bromberg and later for Boys of the Lough, Clannad, Martin Bogan and the Armstrongs, and several other prominent bands. He traveled the globe as a tour manager for the U.S. State Department’s American Music Abroad program. Al served for many years as the stage manager and emcee of the Smithsonian’s National Folk Festival, Pete Seeger’s Great Hudson River Revival, The Philadelphia Folk Festival, and the Kent State Folk Festival. Every day Al would find out which musicians were celebrating their birthdays and would give their records a spin to celebrate. He could quote liner notes from decades of jazz, folk and blues albums and he provided a first class music education to anyone who expressed an interest. It was his oft-expressed dream that his collection would become publicly available after he passed. He would be delighted to share his music with you!

We thank Franklyn Whitney for stewarding the collection until Caffè Lena could take it in; Paul O’Donnell of Celtic Treasures for providing safe temporary storage and collecting donations to support the construction of shelves; Michael Eck for selecting the albums most relevant to Caffè Lena; to Suzanne Aiardo cataloging the entire collection; and to Skidmore College Retirees Fund for underwriting the monthly Captain Fun Lunchtime Listening Hour.

Wet Specimens / Unknown Liberty / Stutter / Leaking Head / School Drugs, No Fun, Troy, 7pm-11pm

Wet Specimens (Album Release!) – https://wetspecimens.bandcamp.com

Unknown Liberty – https://unknownliberty.bandcamp.com

Stutter – https://stutter.bandcamp.com

Leaking Head – https://leakinghead.bandcamp.com

School Drugs – https://schooldrugs.bandcamp.com

Shadow Estate – Shawn Shafran Shreds – Ian Lozs, Pauley’s Hotel, Albany, 8pm

A night of Prog, Classic Rock and Guitar Shred with Shadow Estate, Ian Lozs and Shawn Shafran live @ Pauly’s Hotel!

Friday, August 25th @ Pauly’s Hotel 337 Central Ave. Albany NY
A night of Prog, Classic Rock and Guitar Shred with Shadow Estate, Ian Lozs and Shawn Shafran live @ Pauly’s Hotel!
Shadow Estate Albany NY Prog Rock – new singles out now on Bandcamp – https://shadowestatemusic.bandcamp.com/
Shawn Shafran Shreds – Shawn Shafran will be in with a set highlighting his guitar virtuosity. If you like old school shred like Malmsteen, Satriani and Johnson, and can appreciate a newer take on Shred, you’ll appreciate his fresh, 8 stringed take on the genre.
Ian Lozs – This Albany scene veteran will be opening the nights with a set of Classic Rock and his original music.

Saturday, August 26^th

Matt Mirable Band and Albert Cummings, Powers Park, Troy, 3pm; 5:30pm

Jeanne O’Connor Quartet, Troy Music Hall, Troy, 6pm

The Summer Square Concert Series is a free, outdoor event at 6 PM Saturday nights July and August in the Music Hall Courtyard.

Jeanne O’Connor is a vocalist who has delved deep into the heart of the Great American Songbook with swing, subtlety, and deep musicality. She has also brought her clear, expressive alto voice to pop, Latin music, and R&B.  She is an experienced voice educator who teaches students in fundamental vocal skills as well as diverse singing styles: jazz, musical theater, pop, rock, folk, and choral.

Phish, SPAC, Saratoga Springs, 7:30pm

Phish will play two special shows at the Broadview Stage at SPAC (Saratoga Performing Arts Center) in Saratoga Springs, New York on August 25 and 26, 2023. The concerts will benefit Vermont and Upstate New York flood recovery efforts. Communities throughout the region were inundated earlier this month with historic levels of rain and major flooding.

The Emo Night Tour, Empire Live, Albany, 8pm

18+ with ID

Mars Invasion, Fuze Box, Albany, 7:30pm

A night of electrifying pop music with elements of goth and metal. You will see art films, fashion, and be liberated through love and magic.

By Mars Corvus Entertainment

Annie In the Water (Phish After-Party) 11pm, Putnam Place, Saratoga Springs, 11pm

Catherine Russell, Caffe Lena, Saratoga Springs, 5pm, 8pm

With a voice that effortlessly glides through octaves, Catherine Russell is celebrated for her profound mastery of jazz, blues, and swing

Saturday, August 26 · 5 – 7pm EDT. Doors at 4:30pm – 8pm-10pm

“At a moment when the world can seem out of balance, it’s still possible for a musician to project a groundedness and a joy … a strength, good humor and intelligence…” – The New York Times

Vocalist Catherine Russell is a native New Yorker, born into musical royalty. Her father, the late Luis Russell, was a legendary pianist/composer/bandleader, and Louis Armstrong’s long-time musical director. Her mother, the late Carline Ray, was a pioneering vocalist/guitarist/bassist who performed with International Sweethearts of Rhythm, Mary Lou Williams, and Sy Oliver. Russell’s professional life began early. After graduating with honors from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, she toured and recorded with Carrie Smith, Steely Dan, David Bowie, Cyndi Lauper, Paul Simon, Jackson Browne, Michael Feinstein, Levon Helm, Toshi Reagon and Rosanne Cash, among others, appearing on over 200 albums.

Russell’s talent resonates with both contemporary listeners and avid jazz enthusiasts alike. Her interpretative skills bring new life to classic standards while her original compositions showcase her creative brilliance and storytelling prowess. New York’s WBGO raves: “Catherine Russell is a rarity. She can sing a story like no one else.” With a velvety-smooth voice that effortlessly glides through octaves, Russell possesses a unique ability to captivate audiences with her soulful interpretations and impeccable vocal control. Her deep-rooted knowledge of jazz history and its various subgenres enables her to infuse authenticity and depth into every note she sings. Recognized with numerous accolades, including Grammy nominations, Russell continues to enchant audiences worldwide with her remarkable versatility, artistic integrity, and unwavering commitment to preserving and evolving the rich legacy of jazz music. NPR eloquently states that Russell has “ … a voice that wails like a horn and whispers like a snake in the Garden of Eden.” To see Catherine Russell in an intimate listening room is an opportunity no jazz aficionado should pass up.

Hysteria / Bummer Camp / Small Ghosts / Grief Group, No Fun, Troy, 7pm-11pm

Hysteria – https://hysteria-the-band.bandcamp.com

Bummer Camp – https://bummercamp.bandcamp.com

Small Ghosts – https://smallghosts.bandcamp.com

Grief Group – https://griefgroup.bandcamp.com

MBBWRLD Open Mic Event, Pauly’s Hotel, Albany, 8pm-1am

Join us for an exciting evening of music, poetry, and spoken word at the MBBWRLD “Open Mic” Event! Get ready to showcase your talent or simply enjoy the performances of local artists. Whether you’re a seasoned performer or new to the stage, this event is the perfect platform to express yourself and connect with fellow artists and build with the mbbwrld community fanbase

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to be part of a vibrant artistic community. Grab your friends and come on down to enjoy a night filled with creativity, inspiration, and good vibes. See you there!

Sunday, August 27^th

Live at The Linda Live! Meet the Folkers With Lost Radio Rounders and Carolyn Shapiro, 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 the outstanding show we’re calling “Meet The Folkers” with special guests The Lost Radio Rounders and Carolyn Shapiro.

Lost Radio Rounders

Since 2009 Albany’s Lost Radio Rounders have been one of upstate New York’s premiere Acoustic Americana duos, and in 2021 they welcomed banjo, guitar player and vocalist Paul Jossman to the fold. Jossman and Lost Radio Rounders co-founder Michael Eck are both members of the Capital Region Thomas Edison Music Hall of Fame.

Tom Lindsay and Michael Eck have been lauded for their work keeping the legacy of American folk music alive, with the Daily Gazette’s Michael Hochanadel calling them, “versatile and deep;” Times Union music blogger Andrew Gregory dubbing them, “absolute professionals with huge talent;” and Nippertown correspondent Cheryl Jenks stating, “Their knowledge, love and passion for old-time American music is evident in every part of their performance.”

Carolyn Shapiro

Original home-cooked banjo soul

Carolyn is an award-winning old-time banjo player and songwriter from Upstate NY whose sound is rooted in the old-songs of Appalachia. Trained in the clawhammer style of banjo, Carolyn blends tradition with her own unique sultry flavor to create music that feels both familiar yet entirely new. She sings songs inspired by the world around her with a commanding voice that will stop you in your tracks.

Winner of the 2022 Folk Artist of the Year for the Capital Region Music Awards, Carolyn released her debut album “Where I’m Supposed To Be,” on October 1st, 2021. Produced in collaboration with Jim Mastrianni featuring a number of talented 518 musicians, this compilation of songs come straight from the heart and showcase Carolyn’s songwriting and banjo prowess.

Deadlands, Empre Underground, Albany, 7pm