On December 7, 2025, the streets of Troy were packed for the 43rd annual Victorian Stroll! The weather was cooperative, the costumes were historically accurate down to detail, and people lined the streets and filled the bars, restaurants, and local businesses during the festivities. One such bar was Ryan’s Wake, where Off The Record treated everyone to an energetic, high-powered performance of crowd-pleasing favorites and Christmas classics.
Millstone Rounders – An Xperience Interview
Millstone Rounders – An Xperience Interview – by Liam Sweeny.
RRX: You sing and play acoustically around a single mic, for simplicity. But I’m curious if you all feel any difference in your sound or how you play when you have that mic in place. Does the single mic make a difference when you’re using it?
James Gascoyne: Yes, definitely. Playing around a single mic keeps us focused on the essence of the music, the blending of our instruments and voices. In addition to providing a very natural sound, it forces us to interact with each other by physically moving around on stage. We believe that this makes for the most compelling presentation for the audience, both visually and sonically.
Oona Grady: Exactly – I love saying that the audience listens with their eyes. So when one of us steps up to the center of the mic to play a solo, the audience gets a visual cue to help them follow what they are hearing. So I think it makes for a special experience for the audience. And it is so fun for us – really acting out our arrangements.
RRX: I’m thinking that a single mic, being as important as it is, is probably a mic with a history, or more than one mic that’s special for different types of performances? Tell us about that one mic(s).
JG: Oh, it’s not a specific microphone or brand that we use. Technically speaking, the type of microphone we use is a large diaphragm condenser, which, in the right conditions, can capture the sound of the entire group. There are many high-quality microphones out there. We’ve had great results with an Ear Trumpet Labs Delphina or an AKG 414. In our experience, the sound quality depends on the space we’re playing in and the setup of the PA system rather than the brand or model of microphone. It’s an ongoing experiment!
RRX: One of the sacred mysteries of music is how a number of people can come together with their ideas and just become one. Playing acoustic, you don’t have distortion and tricks; the unity has to be tight. How did you guys reach that level of unity? Was it on sight, or in fits and starts?
OG: I think it’s been really organic, a gradual process. James and I have been playing together in our duo Drank The Gold for over ten years – and in that band, we often perform on a single mic as well. I guess performing unplugged is really my comfort zone, having grown up playing acoustic music. The best time is when we crowd in close and can really hear each other and respond in real time.
JG: When Oona and I started playing with Matt Griffin (guitar /vocals), it felt right from the get-go. Our voices just seemed to fit together in three-part harmony without too much effort. Then getting Scott Hopkins (banjo/vocals) involved in the group was a game-changer- he’s a truly virtuosic player in the modern sense in addition to having a complete command of traditional bluegrass styles. Dylan Perrillo (upright bass/vocals), one of the most highly regarded players in the Capital Region, brings a deep swing, huge sound, and undeniable musicality to the band.
RRX: Tell us a little bit about Millstone Rounders. Where did you come up with the name? Where’s your “turf”?
JG: In the early days of our duo, Drank The Gold, Oona and I had a regular Monday night gig at a wonderful family-owned, farm-to-table restaurant in Saratoga Springs called Mouzon House. Our friend Chris Carey would often come sit in at the end of the night. These late-night jam sessions skewed more in the bluegrass and American roots music direction. The name came about from recording at Chris’s studio (Millstone Studios) … but it also evoked images of the old-time millstone, grinding wheat, card-playing gambling rounders, and the idea of songs and tunes coming “around” again. It really seemed to fit what we are trying to achieve musically.
OG: We’re a NYS Capital Region band – everyone lives in the area and we perform regionally (so far!).
RRX: When you look at country and bluegrass, you have to pick songs to play and sing that are going to resonate with an audience that might not be rooted in rural or mountain areas. What do you look for in the songs you play? Any originals?
OG: Well, one of the secrets of the Rounders is that we don’t really stick to playing just bluegrass and country. We love that stuff, and we have sort of a bluegrass presentation with our instrumentation, using the single mic, and our vocal harmonies. But we’re inspired by so many kinds of music that we keep pushing the boundaries for what material could work for the group. I try to trust, with all the music that I make, that if I like it, it will probably resonate with someone else, too. All the songs we sing, wherever they are from and the specific settings and details, are about human experiences that transcend your or my life – songs of missing home, of love lost and/or found, of going on an adventure … And yes – we’ve started incorporating originals. Last spring, we started performing our friend Dan Berggren’s song “The Whippoorwill Blues” – we actually got to perform it for him at the Eddie’s Hall of Fame ceremony when he was inducted! For next week’s show, we’ll be showing off some of the band’s originals. I won’t spill the beans on the details, but come to the show and you’ll hear ‘em. I think they’re really good!
RRX: You’re very involved in the Caffe Lena scene. What is the “Lena scene”?
OG: I think the Lena scene is probably different for each person who gets involved, whether by attending a show, playing at open mic, attending a class, or volunteering. While I had attended various shows and performed at Lena’s in a couple capacities, I got involved in my corner of the Lena scene in 2020 when Sarah Craig invited James and I to help with a variety of educational efforts the Caffe was launching as they developed their School of Music. James and I work with Dan Berggren to produce a free weekly show for preschoolers, plus James and I teach after-school youth ensemble classes to kids aged 7-14. Matt has worked with us as a youth teacher, and now is our boss as the director of the music school. But just looking at the schedule of the mainstage shows, there are so many concerts I’d love to go to. There is a whole crew of volunteers who help serve the food and drink at shows, design posters, and send out mailings. If you’re craving community and love music, it’s a great place to get involved and carve out your corner of the Lena scene.
Life on the Cutting Edge – Discoveries and Advancements
Life on the Cutting Edge – Discoveries and Advancements
Eye’s True Resolution Lower than 8K
https://www.zmescience.com/science/scientists-found-the-limit-of-human-vision-and-its-lower-than-8k/
MRI Watches Cells in Real Time
https://www.mpo-mag.com/breaking-news/advanced-mri-technology-to-track-cells-in-the-body/
Wireless Retinal Chip Restores Vision in Macular Degeneration
The Entire Earth – Thanks for Asking!
The Entire Earth – Thanks for Asking! – by Liam Sweeny.
RRX: Music genres are difficult for some artists. Some strictly adhere; others not so
much. What is your perspective on the genre you play, or the genres you hover around?
TEE: We like to think of ourselves at the intersection of punk, emo and post-hardcore…kind of tiptoeing our way in and out of all of those subgenres of heavy, fast and emotional rock.
RRX: Cover art is cool. It shows listeners what the artist thinks the album is all
about. Because music can be felt visually. If you had to give the public a visual image
that you think they would see and just “get” your groove right away, what would it be?
TEE: The album art for our debut EP “I’m not Scared” by Zachary Hobbs really encapsulates what we’re going for really well. It’s DIY, gritty and layered, literally. The artwork shows your classic Frankenstein, the tough guy, being hidden away. His face is covered by another man’s face, this guy wearing business attire and giving a half-smile. And his eyes are covered, too. It’s like we’re always masking ourselves, putting layer upon layer on top of the freaks we really because we’re afraid to let our freak flags fly.
RRX: We have to play somewhere, and sometimes those places have more going for
them than a stage and a power outlet. What is a memorable place you played, and bonus
points if it’s not a well-known place.
TEE: Shoutout to the East Williamsburg Econo Lodge in Brooklyn — we played there back in May with Sharkswimmer and Awful Din. It was just a killer lineup and a simple DIY underground space where everyone packed into the room, sipped on some beers and got into the music together. The wobbly waterlogged plywood floors added to the whole “whatever works” effect.
RRX: Tell me about your most recent song, album, or video (you pick.) Tell me a
story about what went into making it. Not a process, but a cool story that took place
within the process.
TEE: Our debut EP “I’m not Scared” came out in early 2025, and came together quickly. We tracked it live to tape at our friend Alex’s studio — shoutout to Basement Floods in upstate New York. It was cool to just make sure we got the takes we needed without getting too precious about it, so the sound we ended up capturing was more or less the raw sound we bring live. Doing the vocals was especially interesting. I didn’t have the time to flip out over getting every single note, or being too particularly about my takes. I was like, “Oh…so that’s it huh? We’re gonna run with that…warts and all. Cool cool.”
RRX: Let’s talk about your next project, your next few. Just not the ones you’re
working on now. The ones you have your eyes on for the future. What’s coming to us?
TEE: We’re writing a full-length now — about halfway there, with the intention of having enough songs to nix a few in the studio to keep our options open. We probably won’t go the straight-to-tape route this time, either. The idea is to make this one our best – showcase who we are and what we’ve built so far together in our nearly two years playing together. I’ve been super stoked on how all the new songs still sound like us and could easily slip into our debut EP without skipping a beat. It tells me we know who we are and what we sound like. I think this next LP will be a banger. (I’m aware of how much this answer oozes with “big things coming soon” vibes.)
RRX: How does practice go? Is the road practice enough, or do you have a practice
shack? If so, how does it look? What’s on the walls? What cool sh*t is in there?
TEE: We are lucky enough to be able to practice these days at a local venue near where we live up in the Hudson Valley. We used to rent a space nearby, but the owner sold the spot, and we’ve been kind of orphans ever since, over a year now. And yet…we have had a home at this venue, practicing on their off day when the doors are normally closed. One of our members works there sometimes running sound, too, so it feels very in-the-family. We practice right on the stage, the house lights on us, which makes gigging feel a lot more comfortable, too. I still love the way it smells when you walk in — that old bar/venue smell. The lights are dim. There are band stickers all over the walls. You can feel the ghosts of all the events that have occurred within the walls.
– Phil, drummer/vocalist for the entire earth
picture attached from left to right: mike (bass), sean (guitar), phil (drums/vox)
Strolling through the Victorian Stroll, Troy – 12/7
On Sunday, December 7th, the City of Troy held it’s 43rd Victorian Stroll in the downtown. The streets came alive with music, hot food, and unique vendors. Photography by Liam Sweeny.
The Cranberries Cement Their Legacy: Ashes and Diamonds Debut
The Cranberries Cement Their Legacy: Ashes and Diamonds Debut – by Tony Mastrianni.
The Cranberries “No Need To Argue” 30th Anniversary (2-LP) Deluxe Edition on Island Records:
Celebrating 30 years of their unforgettable, culture-changing second album, comes The Cranberries’ worldwide multi-platinum beloved masterpiece. This amazing artifact is now transformed and includes newly-mixed remastered audio from the original album’s renowned producer, Stephen Street, two brand new remixes from Chvrches’ Iain Cook, unreleased live music from Woodstock ’94, and the unearthed demo of fan favorite “Zombie,” in addition to the original recording—one of the band’s greatest video hits of the 1990s, simply seminal. They first played this celebrated song live in 1993 on their first European tour with Hothouse Flowers.
By all accounts, and evidenced by this package, the Cranberries, with the late Dolores O’Riordan at the vocal helm, were as good as any band in combining the elements of old classic rock, pre-new wave, seminal pop, and alternative rock, all so effortlessly, and with such great grace and precision. Defying categorization, this is one of the most intriguing collections from this era. Kudos to the band and the masterful playing throughout, especially by guitarist Noel Hogan, and the never-ending vocals by Dolores.
And that’s not all. The official release of their 1995 performance for MTV’s epochal, intimate performance series, “Unplugged,” is out now. The Cranberries’ songwriting was on full display, firmly underscoring the band’s top-of-the-class status in the annals of rock history. Never before available as a standalone release.
The setlist for “The Cranberries MTV Unplugged” includes selections from “No Need To Argue,” including “Dreaming My Dreams,” “Ode To My Family,” Empty,” “Zombie,” and the title track. The other tracks performed include the smash “Linger” (from their debut, ”Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?”), and “Free to Decide” and “I’m Still Remembering,” both of which were unreleased at the time but would subsequently appear the following year on their album ”To the Faithful Departed.” Originally recorded on February 14, 1995, the special nine-song performance made its broadcast debut on April 18th that year. Filmed at the Howard Gilman Opera House in Brooklyn, the episode aired during the sixth season of the acclaimed series that highlighted a stripped-down and acoustic setting by some of the most popular artists and musicians of the era. MTV was doing a series of recordings in this beautiful old theatre with curved seating. It was a perfectly relaxed atmosphere with the audience sitting on the floor! They were accompanied by Electra Strings, the string quartet that had accompanied the band on the UK program ”Later with Jools Holland” in 1994.
If all of this is not enough, Island Records has recently announced that the label will be reissuing more of the band’s out-of-print albums on vinyl in the coming months.
“Ashes and Diamonds Are Forever” (Cleopatra Records)
From the creative minds of Daniel Ash (Bauhaus/Love & Rockets/Tones On Tail), Bruce Smith (Public Image Ltd/The Pop Group), and Paul Spencer Denman (Sade/Sweetback) comes a darkly glittering new musical project that marks a huge evolutionary step in these storied musicians’ incredible careers! The album, recorded over the course of six years, contains sonically compelling, powerfully melodic music with mixing and engineering duties held by Robert Adam Stevenson (Queens of the Stone Age, Jane’s Addiction, The Kills)!
“ON,” the fourth single to be released from this groundbreaking debut, ”Ashes And Diamonds Are Forever” moves the band into a darker, more ambitious direction, demonstrating not only how diverse the band is genre-wise, but also how musically masterful and accomplished they are. With Smith and Denman as the solid rhythm section, the song allows Ash to have his guitar tones ringing loudly as his stirring and hushed vocals whisper superbly.
This new vinyl LP has been introduced in phases thanks to a digital marketing strategy built around several pre-release singles and full pro-shot videos, including the video for “On A Rocka,” directed by Jake Scott, son of legendary director Ridley Scott, who has directed videos for U2, Oasis, Radiohead, the Rolling Stones, and more! Ashes and Diamonds are ascending right from the start. “The reaction to this album has been very strong thanks to the videos and FM airplay of a string of singles. It’s one of the most auspicious debut albums in some time, with members having such accomplished backgrounds. Portions of the album sound Bowie-esque.”
Till next time …
More from Tony Mastrianni…
Brasi & The Mashups – Xperience History
Brasi & The Mashups – Xperience Fiction – by Rob Smittix.
Originally published April 2021.
Brasi & The Mashup is a new project led by Alex “Brasi” Hyatt but including an array of artists and musicians. The latest release End of the Party- The Story of the Codes is what Brasi and I will be discussing today.
RRX: So, this project is a combination of a full-length album of original music and a book to coincide. This must’ve been a lot of work. Did the story come to you first and then the music? Or did you write the story and the music simultaneously?
BH: I wrote the bass part and outline for (title track) “End of the Party” in 2016. I wasn’t in a band, I was down in the dumps, and I was already thinking a lot about sustainability and climate change as some kind of project seed. I was also getting into the Shooter Jennings band Hierophant, right around the same time, and their storyline album Black Ribbons inspired the formative theme. Every musician alive needs to hear that Black Ribbons record. You will thank me later.
As far as the book, I’ve been writing fiction my whole life, starting in third grade. After writing the title track “End of the Party” like I explained, I started considering if I could make a storyline album, and then combine it with other media in a new way. The idea for a “love rack” plot placed over a post-apocalyptic environment with a space travel component came to me over a couple of whiskeys.
So, I started writing the outline and recording the record in late 2018. About halfway through the album, I finished the short story, arranging for art, working new side jobs to pay for this and I started laying out the book.
This is truly a collaborative regional project, produced by regional people from A to Z. It’s even being printed at Snyder Printer in Troy. I’ve not taken on a bigger project in my life. I went all in on a few levels. I’m proud of it!
RRX: So, without giving too much away can you give us a rough synopsis of what this project is about?
BH: The book is a 32-page coffee table style piece, and along with it the storyline album, interweaves a full story about two people who are challenged by major events in their lives. Together, they do their best to deal with them. In the case of End of the Party, it’s a humanity-saving mission to another star system, a plan being opposed by wealthy billionaires who robbed the earth of its resources.
The book and album each stand on their own, but you’ll get the inside jokes if you take time to experience both. The album is 50 minutes long with 19 original tracks, and the book takes about 30 minutes to read. Not a bad deal for $25.
RRX: So obviously you had some help from others to achieve this wonderful final project. Who else was involved?
BH: The people that helped and supported my efforts made this possible and I could not have done it by myself. I am very grateful for the team. The album would not be nearly what it is without them, especially Tom Case and Katy Ashe. I am all about thanking everyone as much as possibly I can. My art is stronger when it’s collaborative. No doubt.
Collectively, we’re known as Brasi & The Mashup. Executive Producer: Brasi/SkyFlight Records Tom Case/Brasi Hyatt: Producers, Katy Ashe, Bill Frandino Co-Producers, Jeff Britton Engineer, drums, Dave Graham wrote and performed a song, Jason Irwin played some guitar and plays Jason Cash, Jesse (drums) and Jacob Hyatt (bass), Damian Parinello (bass, drums, guitar), and beatmakers AbSynapse and Oreox4 all contributed.
In couple cases, artists and I spoke about a theme, and they submitted a song, and we worked to hit on the themes I’d written for the record. Dave Graham’s “Love is Why” was so great I didn’t touch it except for some mix things, and we altered some lyrics. I didn’t even sing a verse, like we planned. Tom and I listened and were like “why would I mess with that?” It’s a great song. Thanks Dave!
RRX: I have listened to this album on repeat and I strongly advise others to listen all the way through the first time because a story is unraveling. What I enjoyed was how each and every song had their own unique styles but blended very well together.
BH: It’s a mix, a mashup of media and styles and people. We don’t commit to just one musical direction because there is no real music genre, that’s something record companies make up, and people involved all love a whole cross-section of what’s out there. Rock, reggae, rap, urban, country Americana as well as EDM, all show their faces on the record. It’s tribute to the spirit of the musicians involved, truly a team of all-stars.
RRX: I noticed you have a few videos put together already. Can you elaborate on the production that went into these visually stimulating videos and who else was involved?
BH: I am a multimedia/creative type in the real world. I write and direct the music videos for The Mashup. I’m big on production quality, and I know my own limitations, so lots of times I get my friends to chip in on the filming.
As a director, I had a great artist do some of the animation and illustration I planned for the record, her name is Angel Huang. She created about ten digital drawings for the book, and using digital trickery, we animated her work sessions. I wanted ships, sci-fi stylings, and space, and she delivered.
There are two posters in the book designed by space program students at CalTech, as part of a NASA grant they received. I got official permission to use the posters and those are great fun.
For the “Last Time I Saw Your Face” video featuring Katy Ashe, I wrote the script, but hired my buddy Jason Irwin to shoot the “big shot.” We directed and edited that video as a team.
RRX: So where do we go from here?
BH: Lots of new Mashup videos, and maybe an entry into a podcast or something to occupy my time now that this beast is releasing. I’ll have a lot more time on my hands.
Katy and I are talking about scheduling live Mashup shows, and the core of the group wants to do some, but we’re going to let COVID play out. I’m hoping for a regional theater show in September with rear projection in a big room, artsy vibe, and depending on that, we’ll see.
The next record is already underway, and it’s an EP tentatively titled More Songs to Whet Your Apathy. I have one song recorded – a cover by Middle Class Rut called “Busy Being Born.” And I just wrote a song last week called “New Song for Lovers.” My band Flakjacket is also recording a new album at some point.
RRX: Please let everyone know where they can pick up End of the Party- The Story of the Codes.
BH: Right now, the only way to listen to this album is to buy it from the band, or watch our videos on YouTube. I’m not in a hurry to put this up digitally on channels that don’t let me control the content I made. Those $42 annual royalty checks from Spotify aren’t cutting it.
Prog Digest – An Xperience Column
Prog Digest – An Xperience Column – by Klyde Kadiddlehumper.
Happy Thanksgiving, and welcome to a special edition of Prog Digest.
So, let’s get to the bad news first.
Klyde is bummed.
With all his efforts and planning and aligning cohorts to join in the fun at MSG – Klyde got shut out of the special early release chance to get tickets for Rush.
Demand for these has been huge, and additional shows added, and – yikes.
Ah – well, so it goes.
Just about right on the 15th anniversary of the passing of Neil Peart, Alex and Geddy will embark on a 50th (ish) anniversary Rush tour.
But who to replace Neil, and why are there so many people unhappy with all this?
OK, you simple-minded, unbending, afraid-of-change Neandertals – get your heads out of your collective butts and hear this.
Alex and Geddy love the music, finally decided they really missed playing for the fans, and didn’t just decide they would do this without thought. Neil’s widow and daughter are all in and happy they are doing it. So – all you “It’s not the band without fill-in-name-of-member-who-passed-or-left-or-was-kicked-out” – get over it.
I will admit that when Jerry passed, I didn’t have the heart to go to a Dead show. Not because they weren’t still awesome – but it was just a thing in my head for me, not about change.
Marillion after Fish – all in.
Van Halen after Diamond Dave – all in.
Dream Theater after Portnoy – all in.
Rush after Neil – all in.
Now, for the rest of you cretins who are grousing because they chose a female drummer you’ve never heard of … do some research and learn who she is and just how awesome a choice.
Anika Nilles is a German drummer who, in a very short time (15 years or so), has earned her stripes and is crazy talented, awarded, and a hell of a teacher. When there is a scholarly paper titled “An Analysis of the Drum Techniques of Anika Nilles – Focused on Odd Tuplets”, you quickly realize this is no 4-4 time drum machine.
Skeptical? Get yourself over to YouTube and check her out. There is a bunch of her own material. The killer is that she was the drummer on the last Jeff Beck tour. Yes – THAT Jeff Beck.
No fangirl of Rush – every drummer knows of Neil – but not a fan clambering to fill in. And certainly not the first time a (nearly) complete unknown has taken the reins for a late or ill band member.
Prior to heading out on a Utopia tour, the original keyboardist, Roger Powell had to withdraw. Enter replacement Ralph Schuckett, well known to Todd from “A Wizard, a True Star.” He took ill – and enter – Gil Assayas? Again – not a Todd/Utopia fanboy. Didn’t really even know the music at all. And he was brilliant (Constant Companion and I ought to know, we were at one of the shows in 2018).
Now, as those of you who wander your eyes past these particular words each month, you will know that Klyde is a something of a drum head (no pun intended). And the drummers I admire most have a sense of time that is not straightforward. Where the pocket in which they reside is alternately compact and wide, soft and hard, mildly breezy and a Cat 5 hurricane.
As is the norm, you, dear reader, sit asking the age-old question – just what the hell is this really about, Klyde?
Today’s lesson, children, is that sometimes we should simply be grateful for that which is presented to us. Don’t let CC hear me say that – she’d think I’d been possessed by some alien … wait … AL!!!!!!
Anyway, this time of year I like to remind folks to call your friends and family – and if you are one of the folks who thinks a text will do – well.
Look around at who actually really needs a little help and do what you can to assist. Remember those you’ve lost – as long as we remember, they are never really gone.
Finally, please take to heart among the most important words you will ever know – “First star to the right, and straight on ‘till morning.”
Until next time.
Klyde
OP Callaghan – Christmas
OP Callaghan – Christmas- by OP Callaghan.
I started playing drums before I had drums.
At the age of 7, I knew that I wanted to be a drummer, and began playing with a pair of mismatched sticks, procured from a concert at a neighbor’s graduation party. I beat the hell out of a couple of pillows, playing along to Deep Purple and David Bowie, as well as choice selections playing on PYX 106 and Q104. The following year, for Christmas, I got a snare drum. It was a Montgomery Ward “steel snare drum and stand”, which I immediately took to abusing while learning how to play “Wipe Out” from a “Music Minus One” record, which verbally taught a drum lesson by dropping out the drum part, allowing the student to fill in the blanks. My neighbor had given me an old cymbal, which I precariously perched upon a music stand, and was able to use my foot to throw off the snares for the tom-tom part. I would practice this and other songs daily, which certainly drove my family crazy. In my downtime, I would peruse the Montgomery Ward Catalog, looking at the drum sets and dreaming of rock stardom.
I grew up in a nice, affluent community, but my family was humble. My dad was a mechanic, my mother worked in a grocery store, and every year at Christmas, my folks would warn us that “It’s gonna be tight this year,” but somehow we always seemed to make out like bandits. I spent the previous year begging, pleading, and swearing that I would get straight A’s in school if I could simply have a drum set. My snare drum and cymbal setup was augmented with a couple of frisbees attached with duct tape, and an old bass drum without a foot pedal that I would literally kick with my right foot. To say that I was desperate and pathetic is an understatement.
Despite my pleas, my parents warned me that my wishes were too expensive. After all, we had just moved to a bigger house from our cramped bungalow, my mom had been laid off from the grocery store, and I had two younger brothers. Money was tight, and drums were expensive. I was beyond defeated. Christmas Eve, I hung my stocking over the back of the couch next to my brothers’ stockings, as we didn’t have a fireplace. I kissed my parents good night and raced up the stairs with my brothers, and eventually fell asleep. I dreamed of hockey skates, a distant second on my wish list. In the morning, I woke up, looked at my patchwork snare drum frisbee combo, and resisted the temptation to play a bit before breakfast and Christmas morning. My brothers had somehow awakened before me and were doing their best to contain their excitement on Christmas morning, while patiently waiting for me to wake up, by standing over my bed. After some good-natured ribbing, we rolled down the stairs to tear into our gifts.
Now, my parents had already warned us that “Christmas is not going to be huge this year,” which they did every year. But unbeknownst to me, they had conspired with my brothers weeks earlier. My two younger brothers had expressed to my folks that they thought that a drum set would be a good present for me, and they would be willing to get fewer presents if it meant that their older brother could get drums! Now, truth be told, I was not the sweet older brother. In fact, my younger brothers were already both bigger than me by the time I turned 9, and we spent the majority of our time beating the sh** out of each other, with yours truly getting the majority of the beatings. Despite our hooligan-like behaviour leading up to Christmas, my parents were touched by my brothers’ presentation, and managed to scrape together enough to get me a second-hand Gretsch drum set. As I turned the corner after descending the stairs, my brothers began to jump and shout, “Lookit that! You got drums!”
I was paralyzed and speechless. They were beautiful. Champagne sparkle, Gretsch jazz kit, in all of its sparkling glory, resting nicely in front of the Christmas tree. The tree lights and tinsel, reflecting off the sparkling metal flake of the drum shells and the chrome snare drum, were a stunning vision in my young eyes. I didn’t cry, but came real close as I sat down on the throne, to behold this majestic mountain of mahogany and maple … but my sticks were upstairs. I made a break and was quickly dragged back to the table for a glass of milk and a slice of my grandmother’s treacherous fruit roll (she made it every year, with that awful candied fruit and raisins. Nobody should ever eat that stuff.) I scarfed it down, ran upstairs to get my sticks, and began to play. My family put up with about three minutes of my foolishness before sternly requesting that we get to the rest of the gifts. I begrudgingly agreed and patiently waited for my brothers to open their football helmets, electronic football games, pajamas, socks, board games, and obligatory winter wear, while every few minutes, looking at me with a satisfied grin.
I had finally gotten my drums, but was unaware of the conspiracy until just a few years ago, when my Dad shared the story with me. My brothers had long forgotten, but my father had shared this story with me shortly before he passed away from lung cancer. He had taken ill a few months before, and we had increased the frequency of our phone calls. We would glaze over current events and instead spend more time talking about memories and family history. He loved to hear what was going on in my life and was thrilled that I still made time to play the drums. I’m still in awe of my brothers’ generosity, between kicking my ass and offering to sacrifice their Christmas for me. I had traded in those Gretsch drums for a set of Tamas when I was about 16, and had purchased a few other kits before nostalgia had gotten to me, and I began to try to find my old Gretsch kit. I was telling my Dad that I had called Drome Sound to try to track them down (nearly 25 years later, a futile effort), but had found a similar kit in the Midwest. Dad thought I was crazy to try to find that old kit, and even crazier to pay what I did for the replacement kit. But hey, my brothers thought it was cool, and all these years later, I still feel like the luckiest 10-year-old in the world. Thanks, Dad, Mom, Ollie, and Bruce.
I wish all of you, drummers and the rest, a very happy holiday season. See you next year.
Albany Civic Theater’s “Fuddy Meers” is a Theatrical Funhouse that Balances Chaos with Clarity
By Joanna Palladino.
Albany Civic Theater’s production of David Lindsay-Abaire’s “Fuddy Meers” is a theatrical funhouse, a world where memory fractures, language twists itself into knots, and truth arrives in unreliable bursts. The production embraces the play’s absurdity with discipline, heart, and a surprising amount of emotional insight. The result is a smart, tightly performed production that balances chaos with clarity—and large doses of comedy.
At the center is Claire, a woman who wakes each morning with complete amnesia. Her routine of rediscovering her life is upended when a limping, lisping stranger wearing a ski mask hauls her into what appears to be a frantic rescue mission. Surrounding her are a cast of characters who range from the sweetly bizarre to the dangerously unhinged: a puppet-wielding accomplice, a stroke survivor whose dialogue resembles linguistic origami, a teenage son drowning in dysfunction and despair, and a husband whose smile hides more than it reveals.
Despite the script’s surreal whiplash, ACT’s production remains on track and is cohesive, thanks in part to strong direction and a great production team.
Amanda Conlon is simply perfect as Claire. She brings sincerity and complexity to a role that could easily become a gimmick. Her portrayal is tender, humorous, and heartbreaking.
Gregor Wynnyczuk plays Richard, her husband, with earnestness, revealing Richard’s complex layers at just the right pace- and with the right amount of humor.
Kenny, the teenage son, is performed realistically by Dominic Tillou, who grounds the production with wry humor and emotional authenticity. He is sharp-tongued and unsettling but also loving and empathetic when the scene allows.
Eric-jon Tasker is spectacular as the Limping Man. Eric-jon balances menace and vulnerability with carefully controlled physicality. He masterfully wins the audience over with his dark humor and the perfect mix of charm and danger. His scenes with Claire, Gertie, and Millet are electric and have the audience questioning his motives at every twist and turn.
Gertie, the stroke survivor, played masterfully by Jackie DeGiorgis, steals scenes with her fractured language, turning muddled phrases into comedic gems. She embodies the realness of someone who has suffered a stroke, allowing the audience to see the impact of the stroke while maintaining her humanness and her strength.
Alex Headley is phenomenal as Millet and his puppet (yes, a puppet) and creates some of the show’s funniest—and strangest—moments. Alex’s Millet is undeniably human, fractured, childlike, and tender.
Isabelle McKeon is hilarious as Heidi and injects a blend of softness, edge, realness, and energy into every scene she is in.
The director, Teresa Storti, and stage manager Oona Newman maintain a tight grip on pacing, with staging that keeps the action crystal clear without sacrificing momentum. The minimalist set design by Jacob Bell and Peter Kantor allows characters—and their psychological distortions—to take center stage. The set construction and decoration team (Peter Kantor, Kat Fronheiser, Kevin McNamara, Isabelle McKeon, and Dominic Tillou) should be applauded for their work and also for adding childlike touches (like a sock monkey) that reflect the play’s major themes. Oona Newman’s lighting design helps the audience to travel from location to location and draws the eye to the action on stage. Dianne E. O’Neil’s costume design is spot on, and Libby Brennesholtz deserves kudos for the perfect puppet construction of Millet’s alter ego. Kimberly Martin’s fight scene coordination, coupled with Brian McBride Land’s special effects makeup, adds realism to the surrealism occurring on stage.
Of note is the sound design by Barry Streifert, done in coordination with Teresa Storti. At first listen, the show’s curated soundtrack felt like a jukebox chock full of quarters from an odd mix of barflies, but together, the selections chart Claire’s emotional orbit: the memories she longs for, the confusion she lives in, and the future unknown. The playlist ranges from mid-century bubble gum pop, 1970s introspection, and contemporary experimental sound. Streifert’s playlist included:
Pre-Show
- Crazy – Gnarls Barkley
- The Windmills of Your Mind – Mel Torme
- Dream Weaver – Gary Wright
- I Forgot to Remember to Forget
- Memory – Sugarcult
- Sentimental Journey – Doris Day
- Yesterday Once More – The Carpenters
- Pack Up Your Sorrows – Mimi and Richard Fariña
- Every Breath You Take – Police
- Always Something There to Remind Me – Peggy Lee
- Buttons and Bows – Dinah Shore
Act 1
- Everybody Loves a Lover – Doris Day
- Everybody’s Talkin’ – Harry Nilsson
Intermission
- If You Take Me Back – Kansas Joe McCoy
- Don’t You Forget About Me – Simple Minds
- Reminiscing – Little River Band
- One More Ride on the Merri-Go-Round – Peggy Lee
- Time After Time -Cyndi Lauper
- I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles – Doris Day with Jack Smith
- Photograph – Nickelback
- Remember Me I’m the One Who Loves You – Dean Martin
- Back in Your Own Back Yard – Peggy Lee
- One More Memory – Wayne Newton
- Yesterday’s Gone – Chad and Jeremy
- Comin’ Home Baby – Mel Torme
- Always Something There to Remind Me – Peggy Lee
Act 2
- Mooseburger Stomp – David Schwartz from the soundtrack of Northern Exposure
Finale
- Que Sera-Sera – Doris Day
- Unwritten – Natasha Bedingfield
The irony and naïveté of employing Doris Day’s “Everybody Loves a Lover” early serve as an ironic commentary on Claire’s fragile, uncertain morning optimism. The sugary tone underscores the artificial stability she clings to as she greets a life she can’t remember.
The preshow music had some gems that are also worth mentioning. The Carpenters’ “Yesterday Once More”, lush and nostalgic, highlights the tragedy of a woman unable to access her own past. The song’s yearning for memory contrasts sharply with Claire’s inability to hold onto hers, creating a moment that is both ironic and quietly devastating.
Seifert’s inclusion of “Pack Up Your Sorrows” by Mimi and Richard Fariña was unexpected. Where other songs emphasize disorientation or longing, this folk anthem introduces something different: compassion. Its gentle refrain—offering to help carry the burdens of another—echoes the play’s buried theme of mutual care amid dysfunction. Even in a world as chaotic as Claire’s, moments of kindness and connection shine through. The Fariñas’ warm, empathetic tone becomes a subtle reminder that healing is possible, even when memory is not.
The song provides an emotional counterbalance to the show’s darker reveals, suggesting that Claire’s fractured life still contains the potential for rebuilding. Its inclusion is understated but powerful—a whisper of hope in the middle of a psychological storm.
Harry Nilsson’s “Everybody’s Talkin” in Act 1 becomes a sonic reflection of the characters’ self-absorption and emotional isolation. The lyric “I don’t hear a word they’re sayin’” takes on new resonance and is perfectly placed in the scene.
In stark contrast to the nostalgic selections, during a scene change, the play employed the song “Chronoparalysis” on the album “Kitbashing” by ABADIR, which offered an auditory exploration of Claire’s internal fragmentation. Its glitchy textures, warped pulses, and looping structures feel like the sonic equivalent of a memory short-circuiting. For those of you unaware, ABADIR is an Egyptian artist based in Berlin who blends a large spectrum of musical styles, combining the cinematic with ambient and club music. The album “Kitbashing” is a collaboration alongside media artist Nicoló Cervello, where the two explore the impact of social media and data-extracting algorithms, and offers an escape. It’s amazing that Streifert stumbled upon this selection, especially since ABDIR was quoted in an interview with Shape+ in 2022 saying: “Broadly speaking there are very negative aspects of nostalgia, but we can’t totally avoid it, we are humans with memories and emotions, and the question is how to use nostalgia or engage with the past in a subversive way and without mourning.”
If the nostalgic songs represent the past Claire cannot grasp, and “Pack Up Your Sorrows” represents the emotional support she desperately needs, ABADIR’s track represents the present tense of her mind: unsteady, dislocated, and suspended between moments. It is a bold, modern inclusion that deepens the psychological dimension of the production.
Ending with Doris Day’s “Que Sera, Sera” feels like a lullaby of resignation. Its iconic refrain— “the future’s not ours to see”—echoes Claire’s central dilemma. The song lands with a bittersweet ache, reminding the audience that she moves blindly through a life everyone but her can recognize.
Albany Civic Theater’s “Fuddy Meers” is a vibrant, thoughtful, and emotionally layered production of a delightfully difficult play. Its ensemble work is strong, its pacing crisp, and its sound design rich—balancing nostalgia, confusion, and hope. This is a production that recognizes memory as a collage: bright pieces, broken pieces, and pieces we carry for one another.
Albany Civic Theater’s production of Fuddy Meers is a compelling and memorable night at the theater.
Tickets can be purchased by clicking here
Location:
Albany Civic Theater
235 Second Ave, Albany, NY 12209
Performance Dates:
December 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21 2025.
Fri & Sat 7:30, Sun 3:00
A talkback with the director and cast to follow the Sunday, December 14th performance
Images from Best Frame Forward.