A Look Back: June 27

(Featured image: WAITING FOR THE DEAD – Grateful Dead fans wait to get into the SPAC grounds Thursday. The concert broke the attendance record as 40,231 “Deadheads” converged on SPAC. Photo by Bruce Squiers for the Saratogian.)

By Mike Stampalia.

40 years ago: The Grateful Dead brought – still, to this day – the biggest crowd in history to Saratoga Performing Arts Center (40,231)

The only surprise of the evening came after the Dead’s third song, “Little Red Rooster,” when Weir and bassist Lesh paused to ask people in the balcony to please not hang their feet over the edge. They literally stopped the show until their fans obliged.

– Jeremy Schiffres for the Saratogian

50 years ago: Olivia Newton-John and Jerry Reed played the Saratoga County Fair

10 years ago: Maze featuring Frankie Beverly / Cassandra Wilson celebrates Billie Holiday / Al DiMeola Electric Band / Christian McBride Big Band / The Pedrito Martinez Group / Monty Alexander’s Harlem-Kingston Express / Theo Croker / Mike LeDonne Groover Quartet / Duchess / Steve Wilson and Wilsonian’s Grain / Omer Avital Quartet @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center

The incomparable Cassandra Wilson filled the main stage with the grace and solemnity of her stage presence. Wilson’s wonderful arrangements and unique phrasing make her my favorite living jazz vocalist. (I still consider Joni Mitchell a pop vocalist…not that there’s anything wrong with that.) Her new CD “Coming Forth By Day” features the songs of Billie Holiday, and Wilson opened with “The Way You Look Tonight.” Other highlights included “Crazy He Calls Me,” “You Go to My Head,” “All of Me” and “Good Morning Heartache.” Like Karen O from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Wilson is someone hard to take your eyes off even when she’s not singing, and she delivered the goods and more during her time on stage.

– Steve Nover for Nippertown

1 year ago: Vanessa Carlton / Canella @ Alive at Five.

Canella at Alive at Five, 6/27/24 – photo by Timothy Reidy

Carlton brought a large crowd to Jennings Landing on Thursday night to share songs from her first to her most recent album. Along with her songs “White Houses” and “Ordinary Day” she sang a few covers such as “Dreams” by Stevie Nicks. Carlton’s music had the whole crowd old and young dancing and singing along. The Alive at 5 stage created a beautiful back drop of the Hudson River and the golden hour light lit up the stage.

– Keira Mulder for NYS Music

1 year ago: Mikaela Davis / Rich Ruth @ the Colony

After spending the last few years playing with legends like Bob Weir and Phil Lesh, it’s no surprise that Davis chooses to cover a Grateful Dead song at most of her shows. Characteristically, she ended the show with the Jerry Garcia tune “Bird Song.” This was an extremely successful way of uniting the room even more, by playing a song loved by everyone with such positive energy.

– Abby Littman for NYS Music

1 year ago: Matty Stecks @ Jazz on Jay

An hour and a half set of original compositions were performed. Matty showed his versatility playing the tenor sax, alto sax, soprano sax and flute. The pieces had Latin, funk and even exotic influences wih a ballad thrown in.

– Rudy Lu for Mirth Films

1 year ago: The E-Block / The Alec Lewis Group / Toriendofstory @ No Fun

Luke Pascarella of the E-Block @ No Fun, 6/27/24 – photo by Timothy Reidy

Visit onstagealbany.com to keep up with Capital District concert reviews, both old and new.