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Blue Violin – An Xperience Interview

Interviews

Staff

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July 12, 2026

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By Rob Smittix.

BV: Thanks for setting this up.

RRX: I’m glad we got you. Blue Violin, and it’s Chris Vuk, pronounced?

BV: Vook

RRX: OK, so you can actually play the name game with your full name. Chris Vuk, banana fana fo Fook, you could do that.

BV: Yeah, we did it when I was a kid.

(Both Laugh)

RRX: Well, thanks for doing this. We love our beloved Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. Seeing that you were coming July 18th, I thought … it’d be really cool to use that as an excuse to talk to you, and here we are.

BV: Awesome.

RRX: I do see that the tour is the Thunderstruck tour, and that’s a classic rock tribute. Can you tell us a bit about what we would expect?

BV: Yeah, so I’ve been taking this tour all around the world for the last year and a half. We were at the Sydney Opera House a couple weeks ago. We were at the Iceland Harpa Concert Hall, Asia, and all throughout Europe. Actually, we’re just kicking off this weekend in Maine, and yeah, on July 18th, we’ll be at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. The concert is the classic rock show, and I have some of the best classic rock songs in this program. We’ve got “Thunderstruck,” of course, that’s the namesake of the show. We’ve got “Hotel California,” we’ve got some Led Zeppelin, “Stairway to Heaven,” “Kashmir.” Charlie Daniels’ “Devil Went Down to Georgia,” “Bohemian Rhapsody” … just great music. And when I’m putting together these programs, the show evolves over the years. I add in new pieces, but I’m always looking for classic rock songs that translate great on the violin and then have just epic guitar solos. So we’ve got “Free Bird” towards the end of the show, which of course is the greatest rock guitar solo of all time, and it’s so fun to perform and burn through that on the violin. Something that’s really unique about my performance is that I also use a loop pedal really heavily throughout the show. It’s not just me getting up there and playing one single violin line; I’m adding and creating these big … sometimes six to eight-layer lines that make this a larger production style performance.

RRX: I love the fact that you’re taking songs and giving them a whole new life. Some of the songs that you mentioned, I mean, those are classics, but to hear them played on an electric violin. I mean, that’s a whole new thing.

BV: Thanks. People love the music, and they’re familiar with the music, and hearing it on the violin is something completely new. I think a lot of people go into the show saying, I didn’t really know what to expect, but I loved it. It was so cool, so interesting, so exciting. I’m a pretty animated performer, I have a pretty cool instrument. It’s an Aquila Bridge electric violin. I kind of roam, run around stage, dance a little bit as I perform; it’s a lot of fun. I also engage with the audience throughout the show. This will actually be my second time performing at … oh boy, it’s been a long time, 15-20 years ago at The Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. So, it’s a return visit many, many years later. I’m excited to come back.

RRX: Wow, it’s a very historic theater, but with you traveling the world, there are many other places much more historical than America. I’m sure you probably played in some other historic places, too.

BV: Oh yeah, a couple of weeks ago, we were in the Esterházy Palace in Eisenstadt, Austria. That’s where Joseph Haydn worked in his heyday. It was amazing performing in these beautiful gilded halls. Some of the places throughout Europe were certainly incredible, but here in the States, we got our beautiful venues, and Troy Savings Bank Music Hall is a gorgeous place.

RRX: It sure is. Now, obviously, you’ve performed alongside some greats and well-knowns over the years. But delving into your bio, I saw Sesame Street on there. Did you do Sesame Street?

BV: I did, yeah, maybe, 15 years ago. I did a performance with Elmo.

RRX: That’s so cool. That means you’ve really made it, man! That’s saying something right there. That must have been quite the experience.

BV: It was pretty cool. It was a very unique and memorable experience.

RRX: Got any dirt on Elmo?

BV: Uh, he’s really tall …

RRX: In real life, yeah.

BV: When he stood up after he was done, I was like, Holy cow, he’s like 6′ 3″ or 6′ 4″.

RRX: I’m sure that was a unique highlight to your musical career, but you’ve obviously been doing it for a long time. Anything stand out over the years that you were like … man, that was really it for me? That made me feel like it was all worthwhile.

BV: Well, my career has kind of been in two halves. When I graduated from college back in 2006, I joined a group called the Boston String Quartet. I played with them for about a decade, we toured mainly nationally, just all around the United States. And then I had kids. I hung up my violin for quite a few years, and about three-and-a-half years ago, I did some soul searching during COVID. I picked the violin back up as a solo violin player and started touring, really just locally. I was living in Colorado at the time. That turned into national. For the last two years, I’ve been on the road, 9 to 10 months out of the year, touring all over the world. And I think some of the most special occasions I’ve had are just some of the collaborations that I’ve been able to have with people around the world, some of these beautiful halls, and just being able to play in these gorgeous places. We were in Bali a couple months ago, and I travel everywhere with my violin. When we see a beautiful place, I just pick up the violin, get my camera, and do a little TikTok video. Performing in some of the temples in Bali was such a neat experience being there. I think it was one of the most special and exotic experiences of my life being in a place like that. Music has allowed us to have the chance to travel as a family; we’ve been really lucky. We travel almost everywhere with all 6 of us: my wife, me, and our four kids. So that’s really a special thing that we get to experience. And my son, who is 12 years old, actually accompanies me for most all of my shows. We’ve got a special relationship performing together. So, I don’t know if it’s necessarily one thing. The lifestyle is just really enjoyable, and being able to do it together as a family is really special to us all.

RRX: You’re truly blessed. That’s basically about it, man. We’ll see you there, July 18th at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. Was there anything that you maybe wanted to say to people, encourage them to come out?

BV: Yeah, the show will be a lot of fun. The music, although it’s classic rock, we’ve got a lot of different types of variety within it. It is a family show, so I’d love to invite folks with kids: bring them along, they’ll have fun. It’s a very active, engaging show, and we’ve got a beautiful place to do it. So I appreciate the chance to be on the show, Rob, and look forward to seeing you and your listeners there in a couple of weeks.

RRX: Sounds amazing. And hey, I’ll bring my kids and grandkids.

Pony in the Pancake / The Greetings @ Pint Sized, 7/3/2026

Photos

Timothy Reidy

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July 10, 2026

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Pony in the Pancake / The Greetings @ Pint Sized, 7/3/2026

As part of First Friday, Pony in the Pancake and The Greetings played a free “Live at Dive” show at Pint Sized on Lark Street in Albany.

Photography by Timothy Reidy.

Steve Paige (of Hope for Now) – An Xperience Interview

Interviews

Staff

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July 10, 2026

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Steve Paige (of Hope for Now) – An Xperience Interview

By Rob Smittix.

RRX: So is it Steve or Steven? What do you go by?

SP: Whatever, you know? Every day is different. I respond to both, so …

RRX: I mean, it’s your call.

SP: Steve’s cool.

RRX: Alright, we’ll go with Steve. Thank you for taking the time to talk to me. It was suggested by Mike Valente of Empire Underground and various other things that we reach out and talk to you guys. And that doesn’t happen very often, just so you know. So I figured there must be a very good reason for that.

SP: I’m flattered and honored then.

RRX: Hope For Now is the band, and I agree with that. There is hope … for now. I know you got a big show coming up on July 18th at Empire Underground. Tell us about that show. Who’s playing with you, and what’s going on?

SP: It’s our first headlining show at Empire Underground. We’re playing with Oceans & Ghosts, Eyes of Apathy, Iced Over, and Nice Try Kid.

RRX: Nice Try Kid, that’s a cool band name. That’s fun.

SP: I played with them a couple times. They’re good dudes.

RRX: Nice. So, how would you describe your music?

SP: I mean, I always describe it as melodic metalcore. I grew up on Slipknot, Kill Switch Engage, and stuff like that. We all kind of come from different realms, but I describe it as melodic metalcore.

RRX: There are so many different subgenres of metal these days. God, I think there’s probably more subgenres in metal than there are in anything else. I can’t keep up. I just listen to what I listen to, and if it’s melodic, even better. Now, I’m looking at the flyer for the show, it’s kind of cool that I can read all of the band names. I like that.

SP: (Laughs) Yeaahhhhh! Who doesn’t appreciate a good death metal font?

RRX: Some of those flyers, you need the “They Live” glasses to read.

SP: It could be troubling at times. I mean … I was on a deathcore kick for like five years, so I kind of just grew accustomed to reading it, I guess.

RRX: So, as far as yourself and your bandmates, what do you do in the band? And who else do you got?

SP: I do vocals. I’m responsible for the yelling and the occasional singing. Evan Colon plays guitar, and he produces, mixes, and masters all of our music. Christian Colon, his brother, plays bass, and he also does all of our live sound engineering. He sets the tracks together, sets the click tracks and the backing tracks for the synthesizers, and stuff like that. He pretty much keeps us grounded and on task, and also kind of acts as a bit of a manager, which is very welcome. It takes a lot off everyone else’s plate; he manages it pretty well. Then we have Kyle Frechette, he plays drums and listens to Hinder, and that’s about what he does. And we have our band wife, Shelby Frechette; that’s our drummer’s wife. She does all of our merch. She does all of our designs and orders, stuff like that. It’s just a ragtag group of peeps.

RRX: Yeah, that’s such a great thing to have a band wife that’s actually involved. And this goes for guys, too, if it’s your wife’s band, you know? You gotta pull the weight a little bit and help out with the merch and all that stuff; it’s like an unwritten law. When we’re done, I need to make sure I have everyone’s name correct. I went to Albany High, I can’t spell for s***!

SP: Schenectady High graduate 2010, I feel it!

RRX: 2010 graduate?

SP: Oh yeah.

RRX: So, you’re obviously a young man. Is it the same age group for the rest of the band as well?

SP: Yeah, we’re all within three or four years of each other.

RRX: So yeah, roughly about the same age. Because I know some of those groups out there have that one old guy. It doesn’t sound like you do.

SP: Nope.

RRX: What music do you have out?

SP: We have our first EP on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, and everywhere that you get music. It’s got a bunch of oldies on it. We have a couple of singles out, and then we’re gearing up to release our first single as this lineup of members on July 18th or sooner to gear up for the headliner with a music video and all that.

RRX: Oh, nice. So basically, this show is also gonna be a release show for you.

SP: Yes. July 18th marks this new era of Hope For Now, and hopefully everyone likes it.

Michael Benedict Jazz Vibes Duo @ Albany City Hall, 7/2/2026

Photos

Timothy Reidy

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July 10, 2026

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Michael Benedict Jazz Vibes Duo @ Albany City Hall, 7/2/2026

On July 2, the Michael Benedict Jazz Vibes Duo helped the city of Albany celebrate the 250th anniversary of the country at City Hall.

Photography by Timothy Reidy.

Area Teacher Writes A Children’s Book Inspired By Widespread Panic

Stories

Staff

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July 9, 2026

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Area Teacher Writes A Children’s Book Inspired By Widespread Panic

Interview: Pete Mason
By: Rob Smittix

RRX: I know you got a book coming out, that’s what we need to talk about. I purposely don’t know much about it yet. I’d like to learn together. So you tell me what’s going on.

PM: Well, the new book is the first in a series of three that I have planned out. One for this year, one for 2028, and one for 2030. The first one being the Widespread Alphabet, which focuses on the music of Widespread Panic. Great band from the great town of Athens, Georgia, where the B-52s, REM and Drive-By Truckers all came from… and Panic, I would say that they have to be the biggest of the four. Their music and lyrics… ever since I’ve started listening to them, which is literally 26 years ago, the other day. Driving to Hartford to see Phish, my brother popped in ‘Light Fuse, Get Away’ and I was hooked. From there, I’ve just been seeing the band, listening to every single show that comes out, collecting tapes and CDs back in the day and trading them. Somewhere during COVID, I started working on a Widespread Panic kids’ book because I just finished my 2nd Phish one and Panic just seemed natural. It took a few years to track down the proper illustrator to work with me alongside this.

RRX: What a concept. I love that. It’s obviously for the kids and all that but also you’re pointing them in the direction of keeping it cool with the music. Does the band know about this? Because they should.

PM: They do, we reached out to them and it turned out they were somewhat interested in selling the book possibly. They wanted to see some of the pages and we shared them and we kinda got the okay, no notes and we moved forward. They were just at Red Rocks and they got a couple weeks on the road out west. I figure after that’s over, this Kickstarter should be over too and hopefully successful, so we can move ahead to tighten it up, get it published and get it out there. It’s gonna be a hit. This is a band that has a huge fan base stretching all across the South, up into the Midwest, big fan base in Colorado and other points west. They do have some children’s items but nothing beyond some clothing here and there. I didn’t go into this thinking, what’s the band’s void that I can fill? I just started working on it. We put it together and turned out they were interested in it, on top of all this. So they’re aware, it’s the first time we let the band know. We’re not using any anything copyrighted or trademarked on their end. It’s all inspired by the music, so it’s fun for the kids. It’ll be well received by kids and fans alike.

RRX: Absolutely, it’s almost like one of those things where no idea is too crazy. It’s definitely an original idea to take inspiration from a band that’s well known and then communicating it through a children’s book. I think you’re onto something here and that void that you’re talking about as far as merch for kids… with the exception of onesies and stuff like that, you really don’t see much out there for kids at concerts and stuff.

PM: Yeah, there’s small tchotchkes and things that could qualify as something for a kid and maybe they’re just getting a small poster or postcard or whatever, but actual kids’ items… especially something that is written by a teacher with literacy skills in mind, that’s kind of been the focus of it. It’s not like this is just a quick job, just to get it done. There’s, a lot of time and thought putting into it to make sure that the kids are gonna be able to read the words, pronounce the words and sound them out. Try not to put a word that’s too heavy in there for them and make sure that whoever’s reading to them can also read the words. The font had to be adjusted and make it all as accessible as any children’s book should be. Because if it’s not accessible, the kid’s not gonna go pull it off the shelf and say, read this to me. And that’s our target audience, kids that say I want this read to me.

RRX: That’s pretty cool and you’ve done this a couple of times before with Phish?

PM: Yeah, I wrote two. The first children’s book I wrote were in like 2016, ‘The Alphabet Book for Little Phans/From Antelope to Zero.’ And then I did a Grateful Dead book in between, ‘The Grateful Book of Letters.’ Then I went back to Phish and I did ‘Counting Down the Number Line’ and I took every numerical reference of Phish that I could find in their songs, I only use like one cover song, 2001. And just kind of went backwards from 2001 to 555 and went backwards down the number line, just like the song. All three books have been wildly successful and I’m selling on average at least one a day which is great.

RRX: No kidding, that is great.

PM: It’s going great and we stay away from all the trademark stuff or stuff they might complain about. I can even say with a bit of confidence that there was a show on October 28th, 2021 in Las Vegas for Phish and it opened up with 2001. They don’t do that very often, very rarely and then the second song was 1999 and I turned to my friend and I was like… you’ve gotta be kidding me. I think they’re gonna start going backwards here, aren’t they? And the next song was 5:55 and then 46 days and I was like wow, this is basically the book.

RRX: Right!

PM: If you look at the set list and you read the book… If you took out the covers that they threw in like “If 6 was 9” and a couple other songs you’d be like… yeah, this is entirely the book. The band didn’t confirm it and I don’t wanna hear yes or no either way but it’s kind of obvious because they have copies of it.

RRX: That’s right. Now, you said that the new book that you’re working on based on Widespread Panic… you mentioned that it’s gonna be the first of a series of 3. What are the other books in that series of 3 going to be about?

PM: The first one’s the ‘Widespread Alphabet.’ The second one is gonna be… I don’t have the title for it yet, but it’s gonna be a
Billy Strings centric story that also has the alphabet but it’s gonna have an added aspect to it where we follow the hero’s journey which is a literary style, you know? Pretty much like any Harry Potter or Percy Jackson hero’s journey, it’s cool. I actually learned it from a teacher in Green Island and so I’m having that Billy String story follow that because it’ll create a deeper story for kids and more than just at learning the alphabet ages. The third book is gonna be Grateful Dead geography.

RRX: Well they’ve been everywhere.

PM: I am very excited to see how that all unfolds, we got a lot of the pieces of that already done and we’re just looking to do the next step.

RRX: I love all of it! Anytime we can intermingle good music with education for kids, I’m all about it.

PM: If anyone wants to pick up the current books they can get them at my Etsy store, https://www.etsy.com/shop/phanart
They can pick up the any of the books there and for now if they wanna support the Widespread Alphabet, they should visit the Kickstarter https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/phanartpete/the-widespread-alphabet

If we can meet that goal and reach our printing goal this book will be printed and out within a month and available for kids of all ages. They’ll make a great gift and you get it for the ground floor price for the first printing. And then when we get to the next couple of books to follow, you’ll be the first to know if you support the Kickstarter for this one. I got my part done and then finally linked up with a really great artist Mark Serlo out in Pittsburgh, and we’re gonna crush this one. We just gotta get the funding together and that’s where music phans come in.

TESLA’S JEFF KEITH: STILL HAVING FUN 40 YEARS LATER

Stories

Staff

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July 9, 2026

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TESLA’S JEFF KEITH: STILL HAVING FUN 40 YEARS LATER
By Jason Irwin

With Tesla set to hit SPAC (with Mötley Crüe and Extreme) on July 29, I caught up with frontman Jeff Keith to talk about touring after four decades, classic songs, new music, and why the band’s success comes down to one simple thing: having fun.

RRX’s Jason Irwin: Hi Jeff, so great to be speaking with you. I’ve been a fan for a long time.
Tesla’s Jeff Keith: Awesome, well, thank you!

RRX: I was just on your website, and one of the first things it says is, “If you’re looking for the car, you’ve come to the wrong place.” I know why that’s there. But do people really think the band has something to do with the car company?

JK: These days, kind of. People see the cars everywhere. We named the band after the inventor back in 1986, and I think the car company did too. That’s why you’ve got to go to TeslaTheBand.com.

RRX: That’s where you go for an earful of great rock and roll, then?

JK: Yeah, absolutely!

RRX: What’s it like gearing up to go on tour after all these years?

JK: Forty years later, we’re still going strong and still having fun. That’s what it’s all about. The people are still coming out, and we’re very fortunate.

RRX: Are you seeing younger fans alongside the longtime fans?

JK: We do notice younger people in the audience, and that’s really cool. They’re checking the band out, and sometimes they’re singing all the words. It’s awesome that the songs have resonated for that long.

RRX: What’s something that hasn’t changed since the early days?

JK: Having fun and writing songs from the heart. We still love getting up on stage and making records. Songs can be timeless. You see people reliving moments from their lives when they hear certain songs, and we’re feeding off that energy while they’re feeding off ours.

RRX: What’s something that’s completely different now?

JK: Social media and the internet. Everything goes through phones now. We’re used to the older approach, and I don’t really do a lot of social media, but the rest of the guys stay on top of all that. So, it’s a little bit the same and a little bit different. It’s certainly different coming out as a band now. Again, though … just having fun.

RRX: Well, it sounds like having fun is still the key.

JK: It is. Let your hair down, forget about everything for a couple of hours, enjoy the music, and don’t think about all the crazy things going on in the world.

RRX: The big tour with Mötley Crüe and Extreme is on deck. Then it looks like not much of a break before Rock in Paradise with Styx and a bunch of other bands. You are busy!
JK: We are, and we are very fortunate and grateful for that.

RRX: Is there a favorite tour memory that stands out?

JK: So many great acts. We did the whole Hysteria tour with Def Leppard. We went out with Poison, Great White … a lot of memories. Going out with Mötley Crüe in 1989 was huge. That’s when we found the club that let us play an acoustic set, which ended up leading to some pretty cool things later on, including our live album.

RRX: You have a new album coming out. Tell me about it.

JK: It’s a covers album paying homage to a lot of the great singers and artists we grew up on. We also wrote an original song called “Never Alone” for it. We just wanted to have fun with it.

RRX: I just watched the video for the Queen classic, “Spread Your Wings.” Your voice still sounds great after all these years. What’s the secret?

JK: These days, I do some vocal warmups and things I never used to do. I don’t really know. As long as the voice is there, and I can sing the songs, the guys tell me we’re going out and playing. I’ve just been very blessed to have a voice that some people tend to like. Mostly, I just sing from the heart.

RRX: Why do you continue putting out new music when a lot of veteran bands don’t?

JK: We love writing songs. It’s fun. Maybe we don’t always have time to make a full album, but we’ve been putting out singles. We still love creating music and performing it live.

RRX: Will fans hear any of the new music on this tour?

JK: On the Mötley Crüe tour, probably not much. We only have so much time, so we’ve got to play the staple songs people know and love. And we absolutely embrace that. Putting together a set list is hard!

RRX: I’ve played in a band too, so I definitely understand that.

JK: Exactly!

RRX: Let’s talk about some classic songs. Does “Modern Day Cowboy” still hold up today? It seems to have a lot of metaphorical significance.

JK: We’re not really a political band, but I think it still holds up. That one went from cowboys with six-shooters, to gangsters in the ‘40s and ‘50s, to politicians with missiles. And it can be interpreted in different ways. Songs take people back to certain times in their lives. That’s the beautiful thing about music. It’s timeless.
RRX: I have a story about “Love Song.” My wife walked down the aisle to the acoustic intro at our wedding. We got married in Saratoga Springs, where you’ll be playing on our third wedding anniversary.

JK: Awesome, man. Glad to hear it – we are honored. Congratulations. Love always finds a way!

RRX: When did you realize how huge “Love Song” had become?

JK: We really didn’t know. One thing we got a kick out of was hearing Casey Kasem introduce it at Number 7 on the countdown and call us “a band of nobodies out of nowhere.” We thought it was great – because we were.

RRX: People interpret “Love Song” differently. Some hear a love song, some hear a breakup song, and others hear what they want to. What was your intention?

JK: That’s the beautiful thing about songs. You leave the lyrics open so people can apply them to their own lives. To me, it’s a healing song. Things work out. If something ends, something else will come along. But people can take it however they want.

RRX: You don’t mind different interpretations?

JK: Not at all. That’s what the music is for, in my opinion.

RRX: How do you feel about one of your biggest hits being a cover song like “Signs”?

JK: I love it. As I mentioned before, we started playing it acoustically while touring with Mötley Crüe. It was a song I remembered from when I lived in Oklahoma in the early ‘70s. I suggested it, and it was actually hard to track down a physical copy. Eventually, I found it on a 45, we learned it, we started performing it, and people embraced it. Long-haired freaky people man … and we’re still long-haired freaky people!

RRX: Did you have any idea that it would blow up to become such a big hit?

JK: No. You never know what’s going to hit and what’s going to miss. It just connected with people.

RRX: Fans still love “Little Suzi” too.

JK: That’s another one. You can take a cover and put your own stamp on it. People seem to enjoy that.

RRX: I asked fans if they had any questions. One wanted to know if there are plans for a box set or unreleased material.

JK: Brian Wheat or Frank Hannon would know better than I would. I don’t know of anything right now, but I think it would be cool if we did. We are seeing a lot of interest in vinyl these days, too.

RRX: Technology has certainly changed things. Sharing music is a lot easier now than hunting down cassette tapes.

JK: Absolutely. I’m old school, but I understand the new school way. Streaming and downloads can get music out to people quickly. If it helps people hear and enjoy the music, that’s great.

RRX: One last fan question. What was the inspiration behind “Heaven’s Trail (No Way Out)”?

JK: Ah. You know what? A lot of people think being in a rock band means you’re a star, and you’ve got no lows, you’ve got it made, and life is perfect. The truth is, we’re people just like everyone else. We have highs and lows. The song is about getting through life with the help of a higher power and realizing we’re all in this thing together.

RRX: Jeff, thanks so much for taking the time. I’ll be seeing you in Saratoga on July 29.

JK: Sounds good, Jason. I’ll look for you, buddy.

Sova – An Xperience Interview

Interviews

Sara Busone

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July 9, 2026

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The Wisdom Behind Sova

Acclaimed local pianist Sova (aka Sophia Subbayya Vastek) talks with Sara Busone about her new album, the meaning behind her chosen name, performing vs composing, and alleyways.

By Sara Busone.

RRX: I’ve noticed in some of your videos you seem to have a penchant for alleyways!

SV: Yeah! You know, I didn’t even really realize that. I mean, I’ve only really shot two videos in the alley, and it’s directly behind our house in Troy and … I don’t know, I just like the way it looks. It feels very connected to my home, and it’s right there, so it’s kind of easy. So, I don’t know … just kind of happened that way.

RRX: It looks like you did an announcement for the name Sova, which I understand is a mash-up of your first and last name. During your announcement in March, you said you’re “not turning away from who I am. Rather, it’s a conscious decision to choose who I am.” I was just wondering if you could elaborate on that.

SV: That’s a great question. I think, you know, obviously we’re born with names. I really love my full name … some of the stuff that I talked about when I announced that name change was just … how all of my names, they mean so much to me … they kind of hold different pieces of my heritage from my mom’s side and my dad’s side, and … all of that is like very dear and important. It also was kind of grandfathered in a way with my earlier musical career, and … my artistic practice has been changing a lot over the last several years, and I was just kind of getting to a point where my name just didn’t feel right for the music that I was making, and … I don’t know that I honestly have any other way of really explaining that. It was just kind of a gut feeling. And … I honestly hemmed and hawed for a long time. I had toyed with the idea of changing it before … you do things when you do things and when the time is right, and so I just kind of pushed myself to finally do it, and it feels really good. There’s definitely like a big, kind of confusing period. I mean, it’s been a while since I announced the name change, but … yeah … in the digital age it’s so hard to do something like that, but it does feel worth it; it feels really good.

RRX: I do remember when I looked you up on YouTube, you have music under your full name (Sophia Subbayya Vastek). I was curious about that. I think it’s a great name. I like Sova!

SV: Thank you. Yeah, and the other thing about it too is, I mean, I kind of had mashed it up, and I liked the way it sounded, and then I realized sort of after the fact … I mean, before I had announced it, but I realized that it was a word in Polish, and actually several other languages, that means owl. And my dad’s native language was Polish, so … my name Sophia means wisdom, which owls are also associated with. So there are all these … pathways that felt like they were leading me to Sova, right?

RRX: It looks like you and Sam Torres got awarded in May of last year at Troy Music Hall. You were given the Community Artist Award. That’s amazing. How did that feel?

SV: It felt really good. We have a really lovely relationship with the Troy Music Hall. They’ve just been incredible to us. We’ve collaborated with them for the last six years on the Lift series, and we just finished up the last show for our sixth season actually on Wednesday of this week. And yeah, it’s just, they’ve been so wonderful both to us and also to the local music community and the way that they welcome in the artists that we’re bringing to the Lift series. It’s just been really incredible, and that … it was a huge honor that they thought of us for that.

RRX: And it looks like you have an album coming out, “Alight!” And then you had “Histories.” Tell me a little bit about how you feel that your music has evolved. I’m just curious what you think about when you look back, like when you look back at your work, what you’ve noticed over the years.

SV: It’s changed pretty significantly. So, I came up as a classical musician. That’s my training. My first two albums …“Histories” and also my “Lili” album are, I would say, classical albums. I was very focused on contemporary classical music, but even so, I was playing music written by other people, and then, I forget exactly when, but there was … there had just been kind of a slow shift happening for a while where I would say that … I was feeling not settled as a musician. I just kind of felt like something was missing. I was not really happy with what I was doing musically, and it took me a while to kind of figure out what was missing … and then it sounds so … I feel like it’s kind of hard to explain if someone isn’t more familiar with the classical music world … but in classical music, the performers and composers or people who write music are often very separate tracks. So you get on either a performance track or you get on a composing track, and that’s kind of your lane … and so very early on I was on a performance track. I was playing piano. I was very good at it as a kid and … I was shuttled in that direction. I look back, and it’s really sad and kind of unfortunate that there was never a person or kind of a moment where I was encouraged to write my own music. So it took me quite a while into my kind of early adulthood for me to realize that that is what I had been missing in my own music making, which sounds so silly saying it out loud, but … that’s what it was. So eventually I just started writing my music and it just kind of came pouring out, and I would say that was … the big shift was focusing now on my own voice rather than interpreting other people’s music.

RRX: And I did notice that you had sheet music books that you published last year. They were limited edition, lay-flat, bespoke books. Tell me about that.

SV: That was a really fun project to work on. I still have a couple copies left. I think, again, kind of dealing with the baggage of classical music, I was really hesitant to notate my music. None of my music starts notated. It comes from an improvisational place. Whenever I’m playing or writing music, it’s all just … it’s truly in my head, or it’s recorded. And so I was hesitant to write it down because I think I was … I don’t know how to explain it … I was kind of becoming a composer with a capital C, which is something that I had sort of run away from, I would say, in classical music. But … I came around to it. I’ve had a few people ask me about it over the years … if I was ever gonna publish any sheet music. I just got to a point where I was ready, and I was ready to share the music in a way that allowed other people to play it. And when I realized that this was just another way of sharing music in community with people, that was when I was like, “OK, this is something I want to work on, and I want to make it really beautiful. I want collaborators that I care about to work on it, to design it, to print it … I don’t want to just have it be … a thing like … I want it to be beautiful and like kind of an art object on its own.” So, that is what I set out to do, and I’m really proud of how they came out. Another Troy person, Patrick Kiley at PS Hudson, did the printing, and I think they turned out really beautifully.

RRX: Is that something you’re going to do again someday, do you think?

SV: Maybe, yeah, we’ll see. They’re definitely expensive to produce, and I feel like I wanna kind of see how this next album does and if it seems like there’s some interest for sheet music, then I would definitely consider doing another one. I think I’m very, as a musician, especially … so much of our work is ephemeral and digital, and I’m just so taken with the idea that I want people to have objects in their hands that go with the music, whether it’s a vinyl record or a CD or a book or maybe even a zine. I’m kind of interested in making zines. I don’t know anything about it, but I’m interested in it. Just like … the ways that you can connect with listeners and community members and fans, for lack of a … exchanging a physical object of some kind is just really powerful. It sits in your house somewhere … I have records that are just really dear to me or other objects from musicians that I care about and then I pass by it and I see it and I think about them or I think about that music and maybe I go listen to it and that’s just like such a, I don’t know, it’s just a powerful thing that I think we can do.

RRX: Yeah, I get that. So I can’t wait for you to put out a zine. That would be cool. Is there anything else coming up on the horizon for you?

SV: I mean, I haven’t announced the full tour yet, but there will be a tour. I would love to shout out … I’m doing kind of launch show (for the album) on the release day at Troy Music Hall in their new music hub space. So that’s gonna be on September 4th, and I’m really excited to launch the album locally with like my friends and people that I care about, and I think that’s gonna be a lot of fun.

Prog Digest – An Xperience Column

Prog Digest

Klyde Kadiddlehumper

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July 9, 2026

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By Klyde Kadiddlehumper.

So many bits and pieces. So many rants. So many celebrations and so much sadness.

This month, for reasons that, to be honest, are not really essential to the vibe, I bring a little of almost everything.

Let’s start with the celebratory bits first – no need to be a downer from the start.

Rush’s first four shows, from the Kia Forum in LA, are in the books. And – hot damn – the sets were not simply everything we all know, but material that a great deal of the world doesn’t. As memory serves, this was the location of the last full tour-based Rush show before the untimely passing of Neil Peart. For those of you screaming “Get off my lawn” to Anika Nilles filling in, you have all been put in your places, and now look like a bunch of heads-in-the-sand naysayers. So there, I said it.

My good friends Steve and Michelle went. Not like they drove. Not like they went with friends. Oh no. They flew from LaGuardia to LAX, ‘cause Michelle is a huge proghead and used to be in the business, and Steve, well, he is always along for the ride. Oh, and they are going to see them at MSG. They only live about 20 blocks from there … if the weather is nice, they might walk.

Their report is – well – amazing. The setlist is crazy. Opened with “Xanadu” and “Limelight.” So many nuggets that you would think it was a gold rush! Opening night: three of the seven parts of “2112.” By the last night in LA – all 7 parts. And that is a serious bear to play.

The opening gigs also had a treat. Rush released “Time Stand Still” in 1987 with a female guest vocalist. On these four nights, they played this gem – with Aimee Mann doing her original vocal.

Oh man – Klyde couldn’t get tix here on the East Coast, let alone have the stones (did you hear they have a new album coming too?) to pony up the dope dealer monies to catch that gig.

Can’t wait for the video concert footage to be available ….

And this brings me to today’s rant. I feel like Lewis Black.

First, a statement.

If you are an AI bot sucking up everything available on the internet with the intent to monetize and steal our stuff, this is a formal notice that this is copyrighted material. Imperial Broadcasting owns the paper and website, and I, as the author, do not give you permission to steal my sh** for your stupid process.

For that matter, AI “writing” music is stealing money from artists who actually use thought and talent to write their material. If people like what you make with AI, more power to them. But, have the cajónes to be clear the author is not a person.

Lazy SOBs.

Rant over.

Now for the sad news (I heard today): the passing of Dee Palmer at 88. Palmer was significant to the early success and sound of Jethro Tull. In those days, (then known as David) Palmer did the quartet arrangements on “A Christmas Song,” orchestral versions for the Tull album “A Classic Case,” and major contributions to “Aqualung,” “War Child,” “Minstrel In The Gallery,” and” Too Old to Rock and Roll.” Klyde still claims to not be too old to rock and roll – but too young to die.

David transitioned to Dee in 2004, following the passing of his wife, with many psychological and medical consults and surgery. Dee is survived by four children.

Perhaps Rush had it right back in ’78 …