Show Detective – Weekend Shows – 3/22 – 3/24

Show Detective.

Friday, March 22^nd

Nickel Creek, Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy, 8pm

with Special Guest Monica Martin

Nickel Creek is mandolinist Chris Thile, violinist Sara Watkins and guitarist Sean Watkins. Together a sum of more than their staggering parts, the trio revolutionized bluegrass and folk in the early 2000s and ushered in a new era of what we now recognize as Americana music. After a nine year absence, the Platinum-selling, Grammy Award-winning trio returned in 2023 with the highly-anticipated album,Celebrants—a bounty of 18 disparate but loosely connected songs written collectively during a creative retreat in Santa Barbara in early 2021. The result is perhaps the most audacious yet accessible release of the Grammy-winning trio’s 34-year career. The entire enterprise is, naturally, shot through with the trio’s virtuosic picking and shiver-inducing harmonies. The lyrics—addressing love, friendship, time, and the universal travails of travel—combine the poetic and plain-spoken, hitting a sweet spot of ethereal and relatable as bridges are built, crossed, burned, and rebuilt. In celebration of the release, the trio will return to the road including three sold-out shows at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium with more dates to be announced soon.

The Egg Presents: John Pizzarelli Trio, The Egg, Albany, 8pm

Guitarist and singer John Pizzarelli has been hailed by the Boston Globe for “reinvigorating the Great American Songbook and re-popularizing jazz.” Established as one of the prime contemporary interpreters of the Great American Songbook, Pizzarelli has expanded that repertoire by including the music of Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Tom Waits, Antônio Carlos Jobim and the Beatles. In addition to being a bandleader and solo performer, Pizzarelli has been a special guest on recordings for major pop names such as Natalie Cole, Kristin Chenoweth, Tom Wopat, Rickie Lee Jones and Dave Van Ronk, as well as leading jazz artists such as Rosemary Clooney, Ruby Braff, Johnny Frigo, Buddy DeFranco, Harry Allen and, of course, his father Bucky Pizzarelli. He won a Grammy Award in the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album category as co-producer of James Taylor’s American Standard in 2021.

Les Miserables, Proctors Theatre, Schenectady

STILL THE WORLD’S MOST POPULAR MUSICAL Cameron Mackintosh presents the acclaimed production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s Tony Award-winning musical phenomenon, Les Misérables. This brilliant staging has taken the world by storm and has been hailed as “Les Mis for the 21^st Century” (Huffington Post), “a reborn dream of a production” (Daily Telegraph) and “one of the greatest musicals ever created” (Chicago Tribune).

Set against the backdrop of 19^th century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption – a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. This epic and uplifting story has become one of the most celebrated musicals in theatrical history.  The magnificent score of Les Misérables includes the songs “I Dreamed a Dream,” “On My Own,” “Bring Him Home,” “One Day More,” “Master of the House” and many more.  Seen by over 130 million people worldwide in 53 countries and 22 languages, Les Misérables is undisputedly one of the world’s most popular musicals. Don’t forget to join us for a TheatreTalk following the Thursday performance of “Les Misérables.” TheatreTalks are FREE with your ticket. All talks will follow the Thursday matinee performance at approximately 4 p.m. in the GE Theatre, unless specified otherwise. Check out the full schedule of TheatreTalks here.  Our ASL performance for this show will be 2 p.m. Sunday, March 24. Contact the box office for specific seating. Recommended for ages 12 and up | Run time is 2 hours 55 minutes If you have a group of 15* or more, you can save on ticket prices!  Contact Group Sales at (518) 382-3884 ext. 139 or send an email to groupsales@proctors.org for more information.  *Some exclusions apply on Group Sales

Totally 80’s – Kids in America, Cohoes Music Hall, Cohoes, 8pm-10pm

Ready to be blasted into the past? Kids in America is a high-energy, power-packed, ultra fun, 6 piece band paying tribute to the totally awesome 1980s. Kids in America covers all genres from this timeless decade. From new wave, pop, dance, rock, hair metal, and sing along iconic ballads. Kids in America specializes in recreating the 80s visually and musically by delivering authentic sound with a vivid show for your favorite 80s hits. We encourage crowd participation so our fans have a fun experience at every event. We totally love this!

Four Sticks, Rustic Barn Pub, Troy, 8pm-11pm

Experience the raw live sound of Led Zeppelin’s early hits with Four Sticks.

Happy Hour at The Eleven with Joe and Mike of Neon Avenue (FREE SHOW), The Eleven, Albany, 7pm-11pm

Dopapod w/ Strange Machines, Putnam Place, Saratoga Springs, 9pm-1am

The quartet Dopapod—Eli Winderman [keys, vocals], Rob Compa [guitar, vocals], Chuck Jones [bass], and Neal “Fro” Evans [drums]—present albums as experiences meant to be shared out of your speakers and on stage. Traversing time travel, palindromic labyrinths, and binary pairs in a greater cohesive mystery, Dopapod’s latest self-titled album ties the conceptual ends of the group’s discography, while charting a path forward.

The North and South Dakotas / Reese Fulmer and the Carriage House Band, No Fun, Troy, 7pm-11pm

From “Bar People.”

Friday – 10PM at Tap & Barrel – *unknown

Friday – 5:30PM at Wheatfields – Dan Sherwin

Friday – 5PM at S&S Farm Brewery – Closet Classics

Friday – 5PM at Wishing Well – Rob Aronstein

Friday – 6:30PM at Artisanal Brew Works – Jo Henley

Friday – 6:30PM at Diamond Club – Garland Nelson

Friday – 6:30PM at Dock Browns – *unknown

Friday – 6:30PM at Other One Brewery – Amanda Case

Friday – 6:30PM at Tap & Barrel – *unknown

Friday – 6PM at 30 Park – Russ Kennedy

Friday – 6PM at 677 Prime – Dan Dekalb

Friday – 6PM at Carsons Woodside Tavern – Travis Rockenstire

Friday – 6PM at Cock & Bull – Keith Pray Trio

Friday – 6PM at Henry’s Tavern – Jeff Brisbin

Friday – 6PM at Inn at Saratoga – John Terleckey

Friday – 6PM at Panza’s – Christine Spero

Friday – 6PM at Powers Pub – Thom Powers

Friday – 6PM at Ravenswood – Steve Candlen

Friday – 6PM at Saratoga Winery – Up the River

Friday – 6PM at Schuylerville Canel Arts Center – Padraig Timoney & Tim O’Shea

Friday – 6PM at The Bunker – Frank Murray

Friday – 6PM at The Scarlet Knife – Tim Wechgelaer

Friday – 6PM at Thirsty Owl – Had the Radish

Friday – 7:30PM at Eden Caffe – Sergio Sericolo & Company

Friday – 7PM at Bourbon Room – Brendan Dailey

Friday – 7PM at Kraverie – 18 Strings of Trouble

Friday – 7PM at No Fun – Reese Fulmer & The Carriage House Band

Friday – 7PM at Norte Azul Cantina – Erin Harkes

Friday – 7PM at Peddlers Bar & Bistro – The Wreckless Duo

Friday – 7PM at Principessa Elana – Cate Stano Duo

Friday – 7PM at Quarters – Eric Kufs

Friday – 7PM at Seven Bistro – Joe Severino

Friday – 8PM at 9 Maple – Katalyst

Friday – 8PM at City Tavern – The Blackouts

Friday – 8PM at Ophelias on Broadway – The Wheel

Friday – 8PM at Parting Glass – Papa Rich & The Wayward Souls

Friday – 8PM at Rustic Barn Pub – Four Sticks

Friday – 9PM at Putnam Place – Dopapod & Strange Machines

Friday – 9PM at Van Slycks at Rivers Casino – The Accents

Friday – 9PM at Vapor – Funk Evolution

Saturday, March 23^rd

Harry Chapin’s Greatest Stories LIVE featuring The Chapin Family, Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy, 7:30pm

Harry Chapin’s Greatest Stories LIVE

A magical evening of Chapin Music,

presented by The Chapin Family

In the long rich history of Family Groups in American Roots Music, THE CHAPIN FAMILY has a special place. When these singers, songwriters and extraordinary live performers come together, magic happens. Tom Chapin, Steve Chapin, Jen Chapin, and The Chapin Sisters (Abigail Chapin and Lily Chapin) are all powerful musical artists who have active careers and multiple recordings, who just happen to be related, and who love making music together.

Tinsley Ellis – Naked Truth Tour, The Linda, Albany, 8pm-11pm

“An exciting, emotional guitarist and a strong, evocative songwriter…One of modern blues’ greatest performers.” –Vintage Guitar“

A legend of American blues music…An American music treasure…Ellis delivers a sermon on the power and glory of the blues.” –Premier Guitar

“Powerful, spine-tingling guitar and gritty, soulful vocals.” –Relix

According to Atlanta-based blues guitarist, singer and songwriter Tinsley Ellis, his new, first-ever solo acoustic album, Naked Truth, is both “a departure and an arrival.” Ellis has been recording and travelling the world for over four decades, delivering his feral, guitar-fueled, original electric blues-rock to ever-growing audiences at concert halls, festivals, and clubs. Naked Truth is steeped in the folk blues traditions of Muddy Waters, Skip James, Son House, Robert Johnson and even Leo Kottke. To the casual fan, this might seem to be a new direction, but for Ellis, it’s an extension of his music, as he taps into the raw essence of the blues. “This is a record I’ve always wanted to make, and one that my longtime fans have been asking for,” he says, noting he’s included an acoustic mini-set in his concert performances for years. In the last 12 months, Ellis has already performed over 100 solo shows, many as co-bills with his Alligator label-mate Marcia Ball. “I’m having so much fun playing these shows,” he says.

The Egg Presents: Tony Trischka’s Earljam, The Egg, Albany, 8pm

Tony Trischka will be honoring the music of Earl Scruggs, pioneer of the three-finger banjo style and one of the two most important musicians in bluegrass.

Trischka recently came into possession of extremely rare recordings of jam sessions with Scruggs and John Hartford, and he’ll be debuting Scruggs’s note-for-note solos from a few of these.

Together with his ace band—Michael Daves on vocals and guitar, bassist Jared Engel, fiddler Brittany Haas and sometimes Maddie Witler on mandolin — they will trace the story of Scruggs from his childhood to his final years.

“Earl is my North Star, a lifetime pathway. And I’m not alone,” says Trischka, a banjo innovator and educator who has influenced everyone from Béla Fleck to Steve Martin. “Through his music, this shy kid from Flint Hill, North Carolina went on to enrich countless thousands of lives. At the age of 13, when I first heard 16 notes of Scruggs style banjo playing, I put down my folk guitar and mercilessly pestered my parents to buy me a banjo. Once in my hands, that 5-string became my obsession and has been for close to 60 years.”

TISRA: Zakir Hussain, SPAC, Saratoga Springs, 7pm

The pre-eminent classical tabla virtuoso of our time, Zakir Hussain is appreciated both in the field of percussion and in the music world at large as an international phenomenon. Hussain will lead his ensemble TISRA (three) with two of India’s finest young musicians, Sabir Khan and Debopriya Chatterjee. Showcasing rich folk and classical traditions, this unique trio is comprised of tabla, sarangi, and bansuri (bamboo flute), a combination not often heard. This colorful mix, combined with Indian classical music and the rich rhythm repertoire of Punjab, makes for a compelling program.

Les Miserables, Proctors Theatre, Schenectady

Drake White – The Bridge Tour, Empire Live, Albany, 8pm

Adam Hood

A Night of Carole King, Cohoes Music Hall, 8pm-11pm

Come celebrate the music of one of America’s most beloved songwriters, Carole King, with some of the region’s best musicians on one stage. The evening will feature four of the Capital Region’s premier musical acts together for a special tribute to one of the most celebrated and iconic female singer/songwriters of all time, with performances by Angelina Valente, Caity & The Gallaghers, Hold on Honeys and Steve Hammond. Hosted by Zan Strumfeld.

Beg, Steal or Borrow w/s/g Northern Borne, Rustic Barn Pub, Troy, 7pm-11pm

Beg, Steal or Borrow is on a mission to resurrect the music of the iconic bluegrass band Old and In the Way. Known for their warm harmonies, virtuosic instrumentals, and tight musical interplay.

Annie in the Water: Road to Totality Tour with Mike Powell & The Echosound, Lark Hall, Albany, 8pm

Annie in the Water’s Americana Indie Rock found its roots in acoustic guitars without limits. Over time, their songwriting and ability to traverse across multiple genres offers the listener experiences in rock, funk, reggae, hip hop, soul, dancebeat and jam with pleasurable melodies led by guitars and synthesizers overtop a ground-shaking rhythm section. Because not one show is the same, experiencing the music of Annie in the Water live can be compared to paddling with a river.

This Must Be The Place: A Talking Heads Dance Party with Tad Cautious, Lark Hall, Albany, 11pm-2am

Tad Cautious is a DJ and musical curator who has performed at festivals such as Waking Windows in Vermont, Chicago’s Sacred Rose festival and Phish’s Riviera Maya festival in Cancun. He is the host of The Bunny, a weekly free-format show on SiriusXM based on the onsite station of the same name that he has helmed at Phish festivals since 1996. His sets range from international funk, psychedelic jazz and soul to muddled electronics, classic dub, and archival oddities, resulting in a pleasant disorientation.

C.L.U.E! Caffe Lena Ukulele Ensemble!, Caffe Lena, Saratoga Springs, 10:30am – 12pm

Elephant Stone / Evolfo / The Abyssmals, No Fun, Troy, 7pm-11pm

From “Bar People.”

Saturday – 10PM at Tap & Barrel – Ill Funk Ensemble

Saturday – 1PM at Lakeview Inn – Brian Kane

Saturday – 5:30PM at The Wishing Well – Christine Spero

Saturday – 5PM at Artisanal Brew Works – Juniper

Saturday – 5PM at S&S Farm Brewery – Mike McMann

Saturday – 5PM at Windy Hill Cidery – Art N Shawna

Saturday – 6:30PM at Diamond Club – Gary Vail

Saturday – 6:30PM at Other One Brewery – Stretch Duo

Saturday – 6:30PM at Panza’s – Azzaam Hameed

Saturday – 6:30PM at Tap & Barrel – *unknown

Saturday – 6PM at 30 Park – John Stack

Saturday – 6PM at 677 Prime – Chris Dollard

Saturday – 6PM at Carsons Woodside Tavern – Jeff Brisbin

Saturday – 6PM at Inn at Saratoga – Alyson Davis

Saturday – 6PM at Powers Pub – Matt Evans

Saturday – 6PM at Ravenswood – EJ Hopeck

Saturday – 6PM at Schenectady Distilling – Joe Severino

Saturday – 6PM at The Bunker – Diva & The Dirty Boys

Saturday – 6PM at The Bunker – Tracy C & Lisa Keys

Saturday – 6PM at The Scarlet Knife – Pat Decker

Saturday – 6PM at Wolf Hollow Brewing – Narrow North

Saturday – 7:30PM at Cohoes Music Hall – Night of Carole King

Saturday – 7PM at 17 Cherry Plain Square – Joe Adee & The Lug Nuts

Saturday – 7PM at Bourbon Room – Bennett Brothers

Saturday – 7PM at Kraverie – Completely Different

Saturday – 7PM at Parting Glass – Fenimore Blues

Saturday – 7PM at Quarters – Dazey Trio

Saturday – 7PM at Rustic Barn Pub – Beg Steal or Borrow

Saturday – 8PM at 9 Maple – John Savage Quartet

Saturday – 8PM at Seven Bistro – Upstate Vibe

Saturday – 8PM at The Linda – Tinsley Ellis

Saturday – 8PM at Twisted Fiddler – Off The Record

Saturday – 9PM at Centre St Pub – Rhythm Pilots

Saturday – 9PM at City Tavern – Up the River

Saturday – 9PM at Van Slycks at Rivers Casino – The Refrigerators

Saturday – 9PM at Vapor – Skeeter Creek

Sunday, March 24^th

Fall Out Boy, MVP Arena, Albany, 6:30pm

Due to overwhelming demand, GRAMMY Award-nominated and multi-platinum selling rock band Fall Out Boy’s worldwide So Much For (Tour) Dust tour will continue next year with the announcement of So Much For (2our) Dust, a 20+ date run across the United States.

So Much For (2our) Dust, presented by Live Nation, will stop at MVP Arena in Albany, NY on March 24, 2024 with special guests Jimmy Eat World, Hot Mulligan and Games We Play.

Les Miserables, Proctors Theatre, Schenectady

Wheeler Walker Jr – The Spread Eagle Tour, Empire Live, Albany, 8pm

Logan Halstead

Listen Up Awards, Putnam Place, Saratoga Springs, 3pm-6pm

Come join us at Putnam Place for the 2024 Listen-Up Awards, brought to you by Radio Radio X and Mirth-Films. Awards will be given out to a number of Capital Region acts in a variety of categories.  As always, its YOUR VOTE and YOUR CHOICE.

The Listen Up Awards is a peoples choice music award ceremony celebrating local talent in the Capital Region created by Mirth Films and Radio Radio X. Your Vote, Your Choice. The inaugural Listen Up Awards was hosted on June 17th, 2022 at Lark Hall in Albany, NY opening the doors to hundreds of fans and musicians. In 2023, The award ceremony was hosted at the Cohoes Music Hall in Cohoes, NY with over 38 thousand Capital Region music fans voting in support of the live music acts that make the Capital Region so special.

In addition to the awards, there will also be multiple live musical performances by Capital Region artists, including The E-Block, Sly Fox and the Hustlers, North Allen Duo and Black Cat Elliot.

Thank you for doing your part in helping nominate this year’s artists. The nomination process wraps up February 29th at 11:59pm ET. Learn more about the Listen Up Awards and vote for your favorite Capital Region bands/artists by clicking here.

A little bit about the people behind the Listen Up Awards:

Mirth Films is a music news/entertainment outlet that specializes in live music coverage, original video content and podcasting. We are based out of New York State with news coverage ranging across the whole United States. Head over to Mirth-Films.com to stay up to date with all things live music.  Our video content consists of live music videos, artist interviews, documentaries, podcasts, video/photo tips, sketch comedy and festival recaps and of course, original series. Our article content is more than just your standard news articles. We also have exclusive interviews, recaps of the latest concerts including high resolution photo galleries and much more.

RadioRadioX.com is an online radio station that has been around for 4 years now and has become the #1 favorite with the People’s Choice Awards for three consecutive years now. Xperience is a monthly print publication that focuses only on music, art and culture.

Nordlys Global Voices: Lena Jonsson Trio, Caffe Lena, 7pm-9pm

Sparkling joie de vivre and the charisma of a rock-star have made Swedish fiddler Lena Jonsson one Scandinavia’s most exciting musicians. She merges traditional Swedish dance music with rock, pop, funk and American old-time and bluegrass. She’s Sweden’s current Folk Artist of the Year, and is in heavy rotation on European folk radio. Joined by guitarist Erik Ronström and bassist Krydda Sundström, this is a virtuosic yet playful trio that is an exciting addition to our popular Nordlys Global Voices Series.

Bee Sides Live Film Score – Wes Anderson Double Feature: Fantastic Mr. Fox / The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, No Fun, Troy, 7pm-11pm

From “Bar People.”

Sunday – 10:30AM at Prime – Joe Sorrentio Jazz Trio

Sunday – 10:30AM at The Scarlet Knife – Jeff Brisbin

Sunday – 12PM at Dock Browns Tavern – Don Hoffman

Sunday – 3:30PM at Hank Hudson Brewing – Brian Kane

Sunday – 3PM at Artisanal Brew Works – Triple Trouble w/ Kyle Loucks

Sunday – 3PM at Carsons Woodside Tavern – Wreckless Duo

Sunday – 5:30PM at Panza’s – Sinatra & Friends

Sunday – 5PM at Charlton Tavern – Bobbie Van Detta