B.o.B, Alia Chiar with DJ Hollyw8d, and DJ Bully @ Alive at Five, 6/18/2026

By Nate Black.

Mother Nature showed up looking to end the party early, but B.o.B. wasn’t about to let a little rain steal the spotlight.

The evening kicked off with DJ Bully, who wasted no time getting the crowd loose and moving. Aila Chiar, backed by DJ Hollyw8d, changed the pace with a set of original music that gave the audience a moment to breathe before turning the energy right back up. She also welcomed a local youth hip hop dance crew to the stage, reminding everyone that hip hop is just as much about community as it is the music.

Then it was time for the headliner.

B.o.B., aka Bobby Ray, hit the stage and immediately reminded everyone why he’s still a crowd favorite. Fans sang along to hits like “Strange Clouds” and “Airplanes, “while he bounced effortlessly between performing and entertaining. He borrowed a fan’s Ray Bans, signed shirts and inflatable beach balls, pointed out fans in the crowd, and even stepped off the stage to dance with concertgoers instead of expecting them to come to him.

Just when it looked like the weather might send everyone running for their cars, the skies eased up. Whether it was perfect timing or B.o.B. convincing Mother Nature to hang around for one more song, the crowd stuck it out and was rewarded with sunshine before the night was over.

Not bad for a free Thursday night in Albany. Good music, plenty of crowd interaction, and another reminder that the Alive at 5 Summer Concert Series continues to be one of the Capital Region’s best excuses to leave work on time.

Photography by Nate Black.

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