Show Detective – Weekend Shows – 12/8 – 12/10
Written by Staff on December 7, 2023
Show Detective.
Friday, December 8th
Melissa Ferrick, The Linda, Albany, 8pm-10pm
Melissa Ferrick is a Professor of the Practice at Northeastern University in the Music Department at the College of Arts Media and Design. Ferrick teaches courses on songwriting (focusing on lyric, melody, and intent), creative entrepreneurship, demo recording and production, live performance, the intersection of psychopathology and creativity, nonprofit arts management, and the music business. She’s released seventeen albums over the last twenty-five years and has won numerous awards for songwriting, production, and performance. From 2013 – to 2019, Melissa was an Associate Professor of Songwriting at Berklee College of Music. She holds an Ed.M from Harvard University.
Melissa is the named plaintiff of the class action lawsuit Ferrick v. Spotify for willful copyright infringement. Their publishing catalog is administered worldwide by the Raleigh Music Group.
Signed to Atlantic Records in 1992 at the age of 21, Melissa released her debut and sophomore albums on Atlantic after opening for Morrissey in the U.S. and UK. Melissa released three albums on W.A.R. Records from 1996 to 1999 and two on MPress Records from 2011 to 2014. In 2000, Melissa launched the nationally distributed independent record label Right On Records. Ferrick is currently working with the venerable Kill Rock Stars Records. Most recently, Ferrick started Drive Music Agency (D.M.A.), which offers musicians personal management and consulting services. D.M.A. currently represents Brennan Wedl and Joh Chase.
Regarded in the industry and by their peers as one of the most prolific and hardworking artists in the business, Ferrick is an active songwriter and performs throughout North America. She has shared the stage with Morrissey, 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.
Mendelssohn Holiday Concert, The Egg, Albany, 7:30pm
Part of the Guest Music Presentations Series
The Mendelssohn Club of Albany will be performing at The Egg on Friday Dec 8th starting at 7.30 p.m. The theme of the Holiday Concert is Favorite Holiday Songs. Guest artists will be Vocal Point from South Glens Falls High School and Carla Fisk, Soprano. The Mendelssohn Club is composed of men with a variety of occupations and interests who live in the greater Capital District. The Club is dedicated to preserving and presenting male choral music. Since its inception in 1909, this male chorus has become the longest continuously performing arts group in the Capital District.
Presented by The Mendelssohn ClubBottom of Form
Millington, Empire Underground, Albany, 7:30pm
Another One Down!
Everybody That Loves You
PANIC AT THE FUZE BOX! – Moody’s Emo Night w/DJ Hope, Fuze Box, Albany, 8pm-2am
Get ready to relive the angsty glory days of emo music at PANIC AT THE FUZE BOX! – Moody’s Emo Night with DJ Hope!
December 8 · 8pm – December 9 · 2am EST
ANIC AT THE FUZE BOX! – Moody’s Emo Night w/DJ Hope
Get ready to unleash your inner emo at the Fuze Box!
Join us for a night of pure nostalgia and emotional anthems. DJ Hope will be spinning all your favorite emo hits, from My Chemical Romance to Fall Out Boy.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Cohoes Music Hall, Cohoes
Get Ready for a not-so-silent night…
Can a cast of holy terrors be turned into little angels in time for the annual Christmas Pageant? Get ready for a musical holiday sensation like no other in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, featuring some of the Capital Region’s best young performers!. This hilarious and heart-warming crowd pleaser takes the classic childrens’ book tale of the Herdmans, the rough and rowdy kids who force their way into their town’s annual Christmas pageant, and transforms the story into a toe-tapping, tuneful extravaganza. With unforgettable songs that blend rock, pop, and traditional holiday melodies, the show will have you humming all through the holiday season. The Herdman kids’ unexpected journey from chaos to Christmas spirit promises an unforgettable holiday experience that will leave the whole family with a smile on their face and a song in their heart. Join us and celebrate the season in style with this laugh-out-loud, touching musical that’s destined to become a holiday tradition!
Dr.Jah and The Love Prophets, Rustic Barn Pub, Troy, 8pm-11:59pm
Capital Districts Favorite Reggae Party Band!
lespecial w/ Strange Machines, Putnam Place, Saratoga Springs, 8pm
lespecial is redefining the term “power trio”. The multi-instrumentalists from Connecticut continue to push the boundaries of what a three-piece band is capable of both live and in the studio ahead of their latest album, “Odd Times”. The band’s signature blend of “heavy future groove” combines headbanging metal riffage and surgical rhythmic precision with bone shaking 808s, sub synths and ethereal vocal stylings for a dance floor that welcomes moshing, dancing and hip swaying alike. Listeners are taken on a journey to the musical netherworld through esoteric soundscapes punctuated by raw, primal power.
Website: www.lespecial.net
Boston-born, New England based quartet Strange Machines has made a name for themselves in the East Coast jam scene over the past decade. A true melting pot of musical fusion with sounds catering to a multitude of genre’s and diving into the undefinable, all while stringing their music together seamlessly to create a fluid and captivating live performance. Their original songs are nuanced by creative composition, practiced precision, and a looseness that allows them to truly explore the music they create.
Website: https:strangemachinesband.com
The Figgs // Sarah Borges, Hangar on the Hudson, Troy, 8pm-11pm
The Figgs
35 years after forming in Saratoga Springs, New York, Mike Gent (guitar, vocals), Pete Donnelly (bass, vocals), and Pete Hayes (drums, vocals) are still going strong. There have been other fourth members, but the core three – PeteMikePete – have been inseparable for over 3 decades, exploring their ever-extending reach in the Rock and Roll idiom. From New Wave and Punk Rock to Power Pop, Folk Rock and Cool RnB, the Figgs craft endless songs that defy genres.
They signed with Imago in 1993, moved to Capitol in ‘95, and have since released a dozen more records on smaller labels or under the band’s own Stomper imprint. They’ve served as Graham Parker’s band for multiple tours & records, toured as the backing band for Tommy Stinson (The Replacements), and performed with a who’s who of the rock hall of fools! In 2021, they were inducted into the Capital Region Music Hall of Fame and 2022 saw the release of their 16th LP, Chemical Shake.
Sarah Borges
One way or another, Sarah Borges connects with casual mastery. Whether it’s with the comrades she’s collaborated with over nearly 20 sparkling years of music-making, or the vivid portraits of people’s lives – and occasionally her own – she’s sketched in scores of emotionally resonant songs. But most of all, Borges has built a loyal following by connecting, through her own charismatic, down-to-earth spirit, with her audience – whether they’re longtime fans from back when she broke through with her terrific “Silver City” debut in 2004, or newcomers just now joining the party.
Holiday Anime Rave – DJ Revy / DJ 2nd Child / Bitchin’ Betty, No Fun, Troy, 7pm-11pm
Lazy Bird, Galloway, Pauly’s Hotel, Albany, 8pm
Saturday, December 9th
Albany Symphony Orchestra | Yefim Bronfman Plays Brahms, Troy Music Hall, Troy, 7:30pm
Yefim Bronfman
Loren Loiacono
Johannes Brahms
Robert Schumann
DAVID ALAN MILLER, CONDUCTOR
YEFIM BRONFMAN, PIANO
Loren Loiacono: new work (world premiere)
Johannes Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2
Robert Schumann: Symphony No. 4
The Nutcracker – 1:30 PM Saturday – Albany Berkshire Ballet, The Egg, Albany, 1:30pm, 5:30pm
Part of the Guest Theatre Presentations Series
Albany FireWolves, MVP Arena, Albany, 7pm
Time for Three: Home for the Holidays, SPAC, Saratoga Springs, 7pm
Sounds of the Season Holiday Concert Series
Defying convention and boundaries, Time For Three stands at the busy intersection of Americana, modern pop, and classical music. In addition to their incredible arrangements of Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Led Zeppelin and others, the trio featuring Charles Yang (violin, vocals), Nicolas “Nick” Kendall (violin, vocals), and Ranaan Meyer (double bass, vocals), will present special arrangements of holiday favorites including The Christmas Song, Edelweiss, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, and a special Hanukah MashUP.
Suffocation, Empire Live, Albany, 7pm
Ringworm
Assault On The Living (Dead World Divide release)
Brick By Brick
Incontinence
Intrusive (Mortuary Of The Devil release)
Albany Twilight Market Afterparty : Go Go Gone Dark! Fuze Box, Albany, 8pm-11:30pm
Get ready to party at the Albany Twilight Market Afterparty: Go Go Gone Dark! Join us for a night of electrifying music, and dancing!
Join us for a night of electrifying fun at the Fuze Box! Get ready to dance, mingle, and let loose after you’ve explored Albany’s Twilight Market at the Washington Park Lake House!
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Cohoes Music Hall, Cohoes
Big Fez and The Surfmatics, Rustic Barn Pub, Troy, 7pm-10pm
Join us for our Surfin’ Christmas Party with Big Fez and The Surfmatics! Performing classic surf and beach music from the early 1960’s
Weird Phishes: Performing Radiohead’s “In Rainbows” in the style of Phish, Lark Hall, Albany, 8pm
Weird Phishes is excited to make their second appearance in Albany, this time including a fully reimagined album performance of Radiohead’s “In Rainbows.”
Weird Phishes is exactly what it sounds like – the iconic melancholy rock songs of Radiohead completely reborn as danceable, funky jams. With full-album performances, unexpected mashups, and gluey funk-driven improvisation, their jam-heavy take on alt-rock classics has sparked an unexpected energy in audiences across the northeast. Cleverly avoiding the “tribute” trope, Weird Phishes continues to push the envelope of what a mashup band can be, delivering performances that need to be experienced in order to believe.
A quick glance at the band’s social media gives a glimpse into why this unlikely mashup proves worthwhile. “Bought tickets on a whim because I love both bands, had wanted to check out the club, and thought it would be amusing. I was not expecting such incredible musicianship and thought that had gone into their set…it was one of the best shows I’ve seen in years.” Said one user. “Clean, creative mashups of a favorite album and great Phish selections. Great energy.” says another. “Impossibly excellent show.”
The band made its post-covid return with a headlining performance at the inaugural Safe and Soundz festival, sold-out shows at Boston’s Aeronaut Cannery, and a performance at the legendary Paradise Rock Club. In February 2023, the band trod new ground with full album performances spanning multiple cities, debuting their fully reimagined “Kid A” at Boston’s Crystal Ballroom, a performance of “Ok Computer” at Albany’s Lark Hall.
ARTIST WEBSITE/SOCIALS:
Website : https://www.weirdphishes.com/
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/weirdphishes
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/weirdphishes
Youtube : https://www.youtube.com/@WeirdPhishes
Ryan Montbleau Band w/ Hayley Jane, Putnam Place, Saratoga Springs, 8:30pm-12am
For as long as he can remember, Ryan Montbleau’s been a seeker. From the jungles of Peru to the volcanoes of Hawaii, from the beaches of Costa Rica to the streets of Brooklyn, from the backseat of a 16-passenger van to backstage at Carnegie Hall, the acclaimed singer/songwriter has spent much of his life crisscrossing the globe on a perpetual search for meaning, purpose, and understanding. It’s a quest that’s guided him both personally and professionally over the years, one that’s come to define not only his music, but his very sense of self. And yet, listening to Montbleau’s ambitious new multi-part album, Wood, Fire, Water, and Air, there is a profound sense of satisfaction in sitting still, a recognition that perhaps all those spiritual treasures he’s been chasing for so long were closer than he thought.
“My whole adult life has been this journey of trying to figure out where home is,” Montbleau reflects. “I think I’ve finally found it.”
Set to roll out across four distinct EPs, Wood, Fire, Water, and Air marks Montbleau’s first studio release since putting down permanent roots in Burlington, Vermont, where he recently purchased a house after more than two decades of living on the road. While much of the material here was written in fits and starts over the past several years, it’s clear that the desire for stability was very much on Montbleau’s mind even before he settled on the banks of Lake Champlain, and the songs reflect a maturity and self-awareness that can only come from the difficult work of rigorous self-examination. Montbleau is quick to credit therapy for his growth of late, but he sings about more than just himself here, mixing sly humor and deep revelations as he meditates on the ties that bind all of us perfectly imperfect humans together. Taken as a whole, it’s a broad, insightful collection balancing boisterous rock and roll energy with intimate folk introspection, a sprawling, magnetic record all about listening, letting go, and living life.
Reese Fulmer & the Carriage House Band // Hold On Honeys, Hangar on the Hudson, Troy, 8pm-11pm
Here Comes Success II – No Fun’s 2 Year Bday Party & David Bowie Cover, No Fun, Troy, 7pm-11pm
Celebrating our 2 year anniversary with a little help from our friends.David Bowie cover show. `15-20 bands to be announced covering 1-2 songs each. Tickets capped at 125 cause there will be approximately 75 musicians in house haha. Get your tickets before they sell out!
Listen to a recording of our 1 year anniversary Iggy Pop cover show HERE
Sunday, December 10th
Yefim Bronfman Plays Brahms | Matinee, Troy Music Hall, Troy, 3pm
Yefim Bronfman
Loren Loiacono
Johannes Brahms
Robert Schumann
DAVID ALAN MILLER, CONDUCTOR
YEFIM BRONFMAN, PIANO
Loren Loiacono: new work (world premiere)
Johannes Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2
Robert Schumann: Symphony No. 4
The Nutcracker – Sunday, 1:00 PM – Albany Berkshire Ballet, The Egg, Albany, 1pm
Part of the Guest Theatre Presentations Series
The Albany Berkshire Ballet present The Nutcracker. This is the Sunday, December 10th 1:00 PM performance.
Finding Christmas, The Palace Theater, Albany, 2pm
A Benefit for Building On Love
Building on Love, Inc. announced today that they will host “Finding Christmas” a holiday themed extravaganza on Sunday, December 10, 2023, at 2:00pm at the historic Palace Theatre in Albany, NY.
This event will celebrate local musicians, singers and artists including Angelina Valente and features the talented performers of Peak Music Studios including Derek Defreest, Julia Wocjik and many more. The event will be hosted by Greg Aidala and will include special performances by the School of the Albany Berkshire Ballet and The World of Dance. The complete list of performers will be announced in early November at the conclusion of open auditions.
Ticket prices are $27 for adults and $15 for children 12 and under. Honorary committee tickets are available for $65 each and the price includes an event CD and an invitation to a post event reception with the cast.
This event will benefit Building on Love’s Family Grant Program which provides funding to individuals/families facing a recent life-altering medical diagnosis. The program funds essential non-medical living expenses to approved grant recipients.
Mersiv, Empire Live, Albany, 7pm
Sippy
Heyz
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Cohoes Music Hall, Cohoes
Second Sunday Bluegrass Jam, Rustic Barn Pub, Troy, 5:30pm-9pm
Lark Hall Presents Andy the Music Man with special guest Singing Santa, Lark Hall, Albany, 11am-12:15pm
Join Andy “The Music Man” with special guest “Singing Santa” on Sunday, Dec 10th at 11am for an interactive concert for families.Andy kicks off this special interactive concert event at 11am playing a 1/2 hr set, a short break and then “Singing Santa” takes the stage at 11:45am! Drinks and light snacks for children and adults will be available. Bring a blanket, friends and family. We’d love to see you! Parents are free, children are $15 each. Doors at 10:30am and show is at 11am.www.andysings.com
Rockin’ The Reins Benefit for Things of My Very Own, Putnam Place, Saratoga Springs, 12pm
Come join us at Putnam Place for Rockin’ The Reins Benefit Concert, featuring Positively Half Step, Soul Sky, Josh Breden and The Goldman Boys. All proceeds from the door will be donated to Things of Our Very Own, a non-profit organization in Schenectady, New York. Things of My Very Own helps children who have been abused, neglected, abandoned or are in protective custody.
A spinoff of local legendary Grateful Dead tribute Half Step, Positively Half Step performs the music of the Grateful Dead and Bob Dylan, as well as Half Step originals. The group features, Juan Calzada (guitar), David Lawson (guitar), Bill Cormier (bass) and Jason Vazquez (drums).
Soul Sky is a dynamic, bluesy, jammy, rock band with excellent guitars and an awesome rhythm section. Music that will move your body and soul. Featuring the talents of Jeremy Walz, Tom Dolan, Jeff Prescott, Joe Mele and Mark Emanatian.
Band Website: www.facebook.com/soulskyband
The Goldman Boys take the catalog of rock and roll from the last 50 years and bring it into the next generation. We play everything from The Beatles to Rush to Weezer, not shying away from any musical challenge.
Led by a rhythm section of young men who play music at a level way beyond their years, and their old rocker dad, The Goldman Boys play hits and deep cuts to keep the audience rocking and rolling!
Josh Breden is a songwriter and folk rock performer out of Albany, NY. “JB” hosts “Third Thursday Open Mic” at Northern Barrell restaurant. His original music is available for streaming, but for this show he’ll be playing a set of live Grateful Dead.
Things of My Very Own, Inc. is a non-profit organization that provides crisis intervention services to children:
Impacted by extensive abuse and/or neglect
At-risk of a Child Protective Services intervention
Our goal is to keep children together with non-abusive family members and out of the foster care system, whenever possible.
The transition out of an abusive situation is often sudden and unexpected. Rarely is a child able to return home to retrieve belongings prior to their move. Things of My Very Own, Inc. recognizes the need for children to have basic necessities and things of their very own as soon as possible, so they can begin their healing process.
Accent, Caffe Lena, Saratoga Springs, 7pm-9pm
Innovative a cappella group Accent is recognized for their flawless harmonies, genre-spanning repertoire & masterful jazz vocal arrangements
“Accent is the most amazing young vocal group on the planet! Great arrangers and singers, they come up with the most gorgeous harmonies, impeccable swing, grooves, feeling and pitch.” – Jorge Calandrelli, Grammy Award-winning composer and arranger
In the increasingly popular world of a cappella singing groups, Accent has carved out its own niche. Inspired by the wizardly jazz harmonies of Take 6 and, before them, The Hi-Lo’s, the six singers of Accent, all of them accomplished arrangers and instrumentalists in their own right, are taking their love of close-harmony jazz singing – the denser and more intricate the better – as far as it can go. The Manhattan Transfer’s Alan Paul said, “You guys carry on the vocal group legacy.”
The improbable meeting of Jean-Baptiste (“JB”) Craipeau (France), Simon Åkesson (Sweden), Danny Fong (Canada), Andrew Kesler (Canada), James Rose (England), and Evan Sanders (USA), six self-described “jazz vocal nerds,” could have happened only in the age of social media. After becoming long-distance fans of each other’s multi-tracked videos on YouTube, they joined forces in 2011, collaborating online on songs and videos. Since then, they have released 5 albums, performed at the London A Cappella Festival, played dates across Europe, North America and Asia, and were featured in 2 sold-out Christmas shows at London’s Royal Albert Hall. Their singular blend and arrangements have been acclaimed by a cappella devotees and fellow musicians alike, including Cedric Dent of Take 6 and Clark Burroughs of The Hi-Lo’s. As an ensemble, their lush sound is embellished by their deep and innate musicality. There are no divas in the group. Accent’s work is a collective effort that focuses on their tight arrangements and concerted sonority.
Beesides Film Score: Fantastic Planet with Apostrophebeats / Griff / Russle The Leaf / Copernicus Club, No Fun, Troy, 7pm-11pm
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