Jason Irwin – An Xperience Column

Jason Irwin – An Xperience Column – by Jason Irwin.

I don’t typically use words like “vibe.” Sure, it’s often used to describe a general mood or atmosphere, but I’ve always associated it with states of peace—something unfamiliar to my perpetually restless nature. As a verb, it can mean “relaxing” or “chilling.” There—two more terms not a part of my daily vocabulary. That changed for a few hours on Monday, June 9, when my wife Lisa and I entered a small, secret corner of Albany called the Jive Hive Live. We were invited by the night’s “headliner,” Shannon Tehya. The underground, invite-only element intrigued us. We weren’t sure what to expect—this is someone’s house, right? And the first thing I would normally do here is tell you where the venue is. But … I can’t. It’s kind of “hush-hush,” and the address is not shared publicly. All of this makes my decision to write about it here exist in its own world –and without lacking its own sense of irony.

So, it turns out that, yes—the Jive Hive Live is located at a private residence (bonus: we didn’t have to take off our shoes.)  But it’s really so much more than the “house party” we were expecting. The performance space is a separate building, tucked behind the main house, both owned by Tom O’Connor, Capital Region music aficionado and member of funk band the NolaNauts. The venue itself is an 1830s carriage house he renovated as a labor of love in the early 2000s for community events. After COVID, it evolved into a fully equipped recording studio and performance space with live-streaming capabilities, available to local artists free of charge. The aura is speakeasy-meets-listening room: intimate, exclusive, and welcoming.

Walking in, we saw several familiar faces—Frankie Cavone of Mirth Films, James Mullen from Seize Atlantis, local photographer Amy Modesti –and more. The room was buzzing with positive energy, and you could immediately tell something special was happening. I think (and I hope I’m right here) that that is kind of the point. The place is equipped too … a full stage, professional lighting and sound, and loads of audio/video gear, all making it clear that this wasn’t your average house show. Instinctively, I made my way to the “bar,” where I met “Mikey” Baish, the Hive’s Director of Communications and a member of surf-rock band the Sugar Hold. Despite the busy night, he gave us a warm welcome—and the rules: “Use a coaster and don’t be a d**k.” I love that. My mind: “You can do it!”

Later, I caught up with Mikey for more background. That coaster rule? Mr. Baish says that’s for the mahogany bar, which was salvaged from the historic Ten Eyck Hotel. “We just want to preserve that.” As for entry? “It’s pretty much invite-only. We don’t advertise. But once you’re in, you’re in. If you know someone we know, and you’re cool, you’re welcome anytime.” It’s a BYOB, all-volunteer setup. “We don’t sell or charge anything. We just do it because we love it,” he said. Performers don’t get paid, but they can use the audio and video recordings. It’s a fair trade-off. Shows also happen only on Mondays or Tuesdays—perfect for musicians who play weekends. The acts can range from full-band blowouts to small, intimate sets. “One of the best nights in Jive Hive history,” Mikey told me, “was a stripped-down show with [Adirondack folk artist] Josh Cleventine—just him, his guitar, and stories behind the songs.”

The night we attended was a “Tortured Poets Series,” organized by “No One You Know Presents,” a local promoter I’ll be keeping my eye on. Each act performed a few originals and a select cover.

Justin Charles (with his best friend Chris) kicked things off with a crowd-pleasing version of “Teenage Dirtbag.” Next was Sabrina Trueheart, who swapped her usual guitar for a rare ‘80s Omnichord—a retro electronic harp. Her original “Tiny Lantern” and a haunting take on Lana Del Rey’s “Video Games” were highlights for me. I must admit, though, her enchanting voice was the only thing stopping me from hopping on eBay right then to look for an Omnichord of my very own. Popular singer-songwriter Caity Gallagher followed with a strong set. I’d seen her before and always enjoyed her performances. Clearly, the rest of the room did too—they were singing along to her originals word-for-word. That’s awesome.

Shannon Tehya and her “Troupe” closed the official part of the night. Aside from an in-studio appearance on my 93WSC The Legend radio show, this was my first time seeing her live—and wow. The set blended singer-songwriter intimacy with lots of theatrical, vaudevillian flair. Originals were mixed with a high-energy cover of Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way.” At one point, the band played rock-paper-scissors on stage to decide who would sing the next verse. They are fun, weird, and totally entertaining. I wanted more. Based on the momentum she’s had lately, we’re going to get it.

We had to head out after the scheduled performances due to prior commitments, but as we left, I could tell the jam wasn’t over—musicians in the audience were gearing up to keep things going. That kind of camaraderie kind of urged me to stay and join in. I’m not great at “jamming,” due to my own style … but if someone had busted out a Ramones tune, I’d have been down if time allowed.

I spoke with Ms. Tehya later on, and reflecting on the night, she offered, “It was an incredible show. My band and I felt very lucky to share a bill with such talented performers in an intimate, community-focused setting.” I couldn’t have said it better. My takeaway was simple: I need to “vibe” more. When I’m feeling chill, I’ll be returning to the Hive—if invited. You’d be lucky to do the same. Check out the video from the show at jivehivelive.com. You might even catch me in the background—using a coaster and not being a d**k.

More from Jason Irwin…