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Christine Bilé – An Xperience Interview

Sara Busone
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Christine Bilé – An Xperience Interview

By Sara Busone.

RRX: So you came from Pittsfield? 

Christine Bilé: All the way from Pittsfield, Mass.   

RRX: Now how far away is that? 

CB: I think an hour and four minutes. 

RRX: So tell me, was guitar something you gravitated to?  Singing, songwriting … I’m just curious about your origin story. 

CB:  That’s a great question.  I mean, I remember there’s a picture of me as a little girl, and I have a little microphone in my hand, and I’m pretty sure Michael Jackson is playing in the background … on TV.  My dad is a world musician … like he plays a lot of different instruments and things like that.  And I just kind of watched him. And I also have an aunt as well who’s a musician.  Her name’s Elise.  No one said “hey, like, pick up the guitar” or anything like that.  Just … it was lying around, and one day I was like, listen, I want to learn how to play.  So I literally picked it up … googled how do we like write a song and basic chords… (laughs). 

RRX:  That’s awesome.  So you’re self-taught.  Self-taught musicians have a unique way of telling stories and feeling what they’re playing.  When I watch your videos, I can tell you’re just locked in, and you’re focused… What inspires you when you write a song?  How does the process work for you? 

CB: For the most part, in the beginning, it was a lot like what’s going on in, like, 3D?  Like right around me.  And whether it’s relationship stuff or I’m feeling sad, I really try to write songs to empower myself because I feel like I’ll be honest. I don’t feel like I always got those messages as a kid … you know, hey you can do this … like, you can get through this … stuff like that.  So I wrote those for myself and in the end I feel like it also touched people who listen to it. Lately its been more socially conscious because of everything that’s going on. 

RRX: So are you from this area? Or did you go to school here? 

CB: I went to the school of Saint Rose.  I grew up in Pittsfield, Mass and I came here because it’s not too far away.  I still wanted to talk to my parents, or if they needed to bring me something, or if I needed to go see them, they were available. Saint Rose is closed now … rest in peace. But there was a big music scene there.  They had a great music program.  Not a part of that program – actually, that’s a lie; I minored in music business – but I wanted to graduate early.  So I said, “Alright, let’s lock into the social work and got my master’s and bachelor’s there.   

RRX: That’s really cool.  How has your experience been in that field?  Did you find it’s been what you thought it’d be or nothing like what you thought?

CB: Honestly, I think it’s been a great degree and great field.  I love to help people, like in general.  That’s just what I do.  So sure … whether it’s through the music or through talk therapy I do now … I think it was the right decision and there’s- I feel like there’s a lot of opportunities from– they talk about micro and macro.  There’s so many things you can do … so many places you can travel.  But people don’t always think of all those things when they think about social work. But it’s a lot … a lot that you can do. 

RRX:  So I saw you do televisits? 

CB: I do telehealth therapy.  I have a small private practice called Sea Blue Wellness and Therapy, and I support high performing or high achieving professionals and creatives.  So if you’re an artist out there and you’re like, “hey, I have some issues with performance anxiety,” or if you’re a doctor, nurse, you know … someone in management, you’re like “hey, I’m feeling burnt out but I need someone to talk to and work through these issues,” I’m your person!   

RRX:  So what else is going on with all things Christine Bilé? 

CB: So I have a lot of new accolades.  I’m going to talk about them because it’s a big deal, and I actually haven’t told too many people all the great news. 

RRX: Top secret, I respect. 

CB: So recently, my song “Lend A Hand” was #7 on the NACC charts, which is the North American College Charts.  So that’s really exciting.  Hey, listen … the music’s doing what it needs to do.  Also, it’s got some international radio play as well in Brussels … Belgium … France.  Also in a couple other places, a song I made in my bedroom – because I don’t just go to studios to make music … like, I’ve produced my own records – it’s called “Matriarchy Battle Song.”  It’s a five-minute a capella talking about … just a hope for a matriarchal world. And that got played in Switzerland, as well as Australia on the radio.  And this is all organic. And then … what else? My song “Chasing The Stars” … that got a Berlin Music Video Awards badge of honor.  So it was like one of the top entries out of all of them, which is a lot.  This is an International Festival.  So that’s a pretty big deal. 

RRX: That’s amazing! 

CB:  The shows … there’s a couple different shows that I have going on this year.  I’ll be playing at Food Trucks on the River.  It’s a little food truck festival in Connecticut.  That will be really fun.  There’s a suggested $5 donation, but there’s going to be a lot of great music acts.  It’s two days (May 29-30) and a lot of good food, and it’s family-friendly.  I’ll also be playing at the Supper Sessions in West Stockbridge. 

RRX:  What do you think about the accessibility that creative people have to make an album in their living room … make a movie on their phone? 

CB: I feel like it’s always been like … you’re right, you can just get apps, right?  I used GarageBand to make that “Matriarch” song.  Yeah, you can do that stuff at home and I think, like, take advantage of it, because you don’t necessarily need a big studio to get your music out there.  I mean, my music is overseas from my room. So, I mean, I really encourage people … and I want to empower you to know that you can do it at home. It’s OK.  And YouTube is your best friend if you want to learn basics of mixing and mastering.  Or, I support going to a local community college, too. Or hey, if you have a dream to go somewhere bigger … listen, go learn or go to your local venue and ask them “Hey, how do you mix and master a full band?” and I’m sure somebody will be willing to teach you.

Sara’s interview with Christine Bile is also on the latest episode of her show, Sara B Presents Live From the 518

Xperience History – Mike Skill, co-founder of the Romantics

Staff
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Xperience History – Mike Skill, co-founder of the Romantics

This interview originally ran on November 2, 2021.

By Richard Beach.

RRX: MIke Skill is one of the founders of The Romantics and has a brand new record coming out called “Skill……Mike Skill”

Mike: That’s right. I felt it was time to actually get my name out there and display what I’ve got. A lot of people call me “Skill” anyway.

RRX: And everybody calls me “Beach” so it’s okay.

Mike: Or hey dummy!

RRX: (Laughs) I’d like to kind of start at the very beginning of when you were doing music. As I understand it you had a band originally in Detroit called High Tide. 

Mike: Yeah, when I was about 16 years old.

RRX: Is there one thing about doing a gig at CBGB’s when you were a younger musician that really stuck out and made an impression?

Mike: You probably know as well I do, CBGB’S was hailed high at the time in magazines, Rock Scene magazine and a few other magazines coming out of New York. It was building up as a legendary place because poets were going there. So, we stuck it out and a lot of bands would do this… we continued to write and write and develop ourselves as writers. We were along those lines of that Detroit music energy. Like MC5, early, early Bob Segar when he was writing protest songs and The Stooges were one of our favorite bands. 

RRX: I’ve got a big word on my notepad and it says hook. I’ve listened to Romantics records and I’ve run through your “Skill” at least a half a dozen times here and it’s like… you really do have a thing for how a hook works. Where did that come from? 

Mike: It’s leaving yourself open to the creative side. You have to really open yourself up and tighten yourself down from getting stuck. You don’t want to get stuck and notate from this note to that note. It’s really just from inside but it’s also coming from hearing The Everly Brothers when I was a young kid, hearing Buddy Holly and getting into Motown too. When they went into a hook, the hooks that start the song are usually relative to the hooks that they sing in a song. When you leave a show, you want people to leave singing your songs to make it simple. 

RRX: Let’s get to sound and touch on Pearl Sound Studios. That appears to me to be one of the touchstones for people who really love recording what they do.

Mike: Yeah exactly, that’s profound. Yeah, that studio’s been going on, he’s been working in that studio since 13 years old. I grew up in Detroit, 10 years old. My Mom and Dad wanted to get out of Buffalo because of all of the snow, they were probably 35 or 40 years old. 

RRX: What about that studio is so… is it the room? Is it the people behind the console? What has changed? Has the sound changed in the studio since there is more digital than 2 inch tape? 

Mike: Well, you can use it all now but it’s going to cost you plenty. Tapes are going to run you 3,4,5 hundred dollars, somewhere in that area. You’re going to run 2 sets of tapes and have 2 sets of backup tapes. You’re going to end up buying 3 to 4 rolls of tape. These days digital is getting so close and so good and if you take the time to do it properly, you’ll have a great sound on digital. In my opinion, if you’re so precise in watching your grid, using a click track all of the time and you’re perfecting songs so perfectly, it’s going to sound cold. No mistakes, you want to keep the human feel. If there’s some form of… I don’t want to say mistakes but…

RRX: Mistake is not the word I’d use.

Mike: The human factor in it. You don’t want to take it out and make it so cold and tight that it’s rigid.

RRX: It’s like buying an Asian rug. When rugs are made, the artisans know they can do it perfectly but they always make certain that they have at least some kind of imperfection. 

Mike: Incredible.

RRX: I’ve seen in a number of photographs where you’re playing a Fender, maybe a Gretsch, a Rickenbacker but the one thing behind it that you have made a pretty big thing out of is all that Vox gear. 

Mike: Yeah, the AC30 is one of the best amps other than Bassman, other than the Marshall 50 watt amp, the Marshall plexi panel amp. You use a Vox amp for the rhythm because you want that chime.. They’re all tube amps. When I start, I’ll layer with a Vox but I might bring a Marshall in there and I might use a high watt in there to embellish it. But yeah, the Vox is a big part of the sound 

RRX: I’m going to ask a personal question before we get a little bit more into “Skill.” You posted on Facebook the proudest thing I have seen anyone say about their garden. 

Mike: (Laughs) 

RRX: I ask this because, let’s face it, the last year and a half sucked rocks. So, was gardening something you’ve always done because you always liked it or during the pandemic did you and the family say “hey, let’s have a victory garden?” 

Mike: Well, my Dad was a really good cook, Italian cook, great food and we always had a garden when I was a kid. We just enjoy growing great tomatoes and making good spaghetti and pasta. Good sauce, fresh jalapenos for our salsa. Yeah so, it’s something that we’ve always done.

RRX: This also goes back to the first Romantics record. Who the hell is Carrie? I will apologize if it happens to be a soft spot but… I’m like wait a minute. Wasn’t there a Tell it to Carrie on the first record and now there is Carrie Got Married?

Mike: Right and I have another one that’s gonna be hooked to that so…

RRX: It’s a trilogy!

Mike: I don’t want to get too much into it but I’ve got another one that seems like it’s going to fit into it. 

RRX: I still do want to know who Carrie is….. 

Mike: When we first started out Wally and this other guy were in a band called The Mutants were working at a magazine. They would go collect all of the magazines in the press stands and bring them back and then rip the covers off and then and then they get recycled or bought or they’d sell them. They had a lot of girly magazines, right? Not sure which one but a girly magazine had “Letters to Carrie” so it was one of those kinds of things.

RRX: I look forward to the day that the third song is put together and what you do is turn it into the Carrie Suite.

Mike: There you go. Well, yeah looks like it’s gonna fit, I’m hoping it’s gonna fit. I’m not necessarily going to use the title with Carrie but…

RRX: You never know. The other thing that jumped off the vinyl for me was 67′ Riot. 

Mike: Ah, yeah. 

RRX: We don’t do politics, we don’t do that. But I listened to it and a part of me wanted to ask first how did those riots affect you because that’s a really powerful song and then secondly because I know people who have been in the movement and I recall the riots in Watts and everything else. How do you feel that song pulls forward to 2021? 

Mike: It’s reflecting that not much has changed but actually the answer in that song… it tells you right in the song, you’ve got to dream your dreams and come together, got to get together. To me politics is in all art, even if you go back to Rembrandt. When you go back to all the French artists and all of that, they’re drawing a person that’s a working class person that’s on the farm, making their own living. In the street you’ll see it, they show the working class, that’s a political statement right there. Anyway, the song isn’t necessarily good or bad… It’s actually fueling what happened when I was 12 years old. When you had tanks, when you had Jeeps in the street with machine guns on them, when you had helicopters in the air. This is a white middle class neighborhood and right next door is a black neighborhood.

RRX: That’s a really powerful statement. 

Mike: It’s about coming together. So, let’s say it this way, from then to now, it’s getting better but not much has changed. 

RRX: The last thing I do for an interview, and it’s kind of a standard with me, I ask every artist, every person if you have a statement to make to the world, maybe those last words, the last thing you want people to remember about you or think about for the rest of the world. What would it be? 

Mike: Well, it’s probably the same thing that we do naturally with my son, show them the arts, take the time to listen to the arts. I mean listen to what you’re seeing in the arts and music and books, reading and poetry and the stuff around you, nature. I think that the most important thing that can bring us together is taking the time to hear the hum of the world and the music and the artists around you. That’s the thing that keeps the musical cord, keeps the soul cord going in the world, on Earth, on the planet and the universe. Just taking the time to sit and listen to yourself and the things around you. I think that’s what it is and we grow together from that.

RRX: Thus endeth the official interview

Song City (May 12, 2026)

Timothy Reidy
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Song City (May 12, 2026)

Another look at the season finale of Song City at the Waiting Room on May 12, featuring Zorbas Trio, Mundy, Ian Galipeau, and Amanda Case.

Photography by Timothy Reidy.

More coverage of the show here …

A conversation with Justin Rando

Joshua Scarselli
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A conversation with Justin Rando

By Joshua Scarselli.

We caught up with our friend Justin Rando after the latest XWA event in Pittsfield, MA. Rando suffered an upset that saw him lose the XWA Championship without even being pinned. He may have been knocked down, but is he out? Continue reading to find out!

RRX: You train at the Elite Pro Wrestling Training Center, which is a WWE ID center. How has that affected your training?

JR: I think not just because it is affiliated with WWE, but in general, my trainers Scott Reed and Mike Hollow have such a higher standard that they hold everyone to. It makes you hold your work to a higher standard. When most look at their work, if they get a few big pops for a couple of cool moves, they think they had a “great match.” When I look at my work, I look at things I could or need to improve on, or what I could have done differently. I’m always trying to improve or learn more because my work is a representation of their coaching. With that being said, I don’t shoot for it being “good enough.” It’s what do I need to work on and where can I improve. Since everything is being seen by the largest company in the world, are they seeing my growth, and do I listen, and am I coachable?

RRX: How is it being a local celebrity in Pittsfield?

JR: It’s actually pretty awesome.  I love it. Being asked to speak at schools or being booked for appearances at birthday parties, grand openings, or signings, my schedule is always full. Also, being places and having them come up to me and say, “Can you come say hi? My son, he’s a big fan and too nervous to come over and say hi.”  Probably at least a handful of times a week, I’m asked to sign something for a kid or take a picture with someone who’s going to show their husband they ran into me and they aren’t going to believe it. Which is odd because I do live here. I do go to grocery stores, restaurants, Walmart, or convenience stores. There’s a pretty good chance you’re going to see me.

I do have people come up to my table at restaurants and just want to say hi and tell me how great it is to have something their kids (and them) have something they look forward to going to together once every two months. I really feel the love from the fans for me and for XWA being here.  That’s another thing I’m grateful for: the fans here. And I personally love the fact that we were able to bring pro wrestling to Pittsfield six times a year.  Being attached to Elite Pro Wrestling Training Center, a lot of these younger guys that come through XWA, Pittsfield has seen young talent that are now under contract with WWE.  

RRX: You are extremely busy these days. Can you tell us about some upcoming matches?

JR: I just finished up three days in Vermont for World of Hurt (WOH) and XWA in Pittsfield. Last one until September. We will be doing some First Fridays in Pittsfield. Also, Leominster, Massachusetts, on Saturday, May 16, for WOH. I’m really looking forward to it because that’s for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

RRX: How’s it going with your projects outside of the ring?

JR: I’m collaborating with a local beer company for a Rando Brew coming out in the summer. A few autograph signings, and a few other partnerships in the works that will have to do with some big events in Pittsfield I’ve been asked to be part of.  It could be a very exciting time for Pittsfield and wrestling this summer! 

RRX: How do you feel about the way you lost the XWA title?

JR: It’s wrestling; sometimes the odds are against you. In a triple threat match, the champion doesn’t have to be pinned for the title to change hands. Unfortunately that’s what happened. Mikey (Cheese) hit me with his big move which had me laid out. It’s a big move coming from a big guy like Mikey. To get it that late in the match, I’m not getting up right away. Unfortunately, The Music Man took those brass knuckles he’s been carrying around lately (that he tried to get me to use) and landed one right on Cheese’s jaw and you know the rest. 

RRX: You made a Facebook post about possibly having left your boots in the ring. Is that something you really considered?

JR: I’m 45 years old. I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in. I’m doing things now that I never imagined I’d get to do (like my own beer, bottled with my picture and name on it, come on!). I don’t think it’s over yet. For a second, I was so upset with the way the match went.  I wasn’t even pinned, and I lost my title that I held for 606 days. For a split second, one little millisecond, I thought, what’s left? Then I said to myself, “This ain’t the end of it; I’m always going to be Pittsfield Champion.”

When I call it quits, it’s gonna be when it feels right, and Saturday didn’t feel right! 

RRX: What do you do now?

JR: What I always do. Get back up and win.

Kristian Montgomery – Thanks for Asking!

Sara Busone
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Kristian Montgomery – Thanks for Asking!

Image: Kristian Montgomery at the 2026 Listen Up Awards in Cohoes, N.Y. – photo by Frankie Cavone.

RRX: Every artist’s first song is a milestone. But so is the latest song. Describe the first song/album you recorded, and also the latest song/album you recorded; what are the differences?

Kristian Montgomery: My first album was “Small Cages.” I was the creative force behind the band Bone Dry System. We recorded it at Iguana Studios, just south of Boston, with producer Dave Lynch.  The players and the producer were close friends. I’d go as far as saying we were family. The band disbanded in the early 2000s. That record, I’m proud to say, is still thought of as one of the best to come out of that dirty city, back when it was still dirty. We all were slowly pushed out by rising rents. It’s very affluent now, and far from its glory days, but the savagery around making music there made me who I am. This was the single, “Prescription Smile,” from that record.

https://youtu.be/4iaiqy4TETQ?si=Efb_M5Cqxzp7dEuQ

My newest endeavor is “Soul Family.” 13 songs, to be released on June 21st, 2026. It’s a Kristian Montgomery and the Winterkill Band project which seems to evolve as I do. Different players and producers. It’s my sixth album in six years. It’s honestly my best/favorite record yet. Andrew Koss produced and played multiple instruments. Christian Schenk played bass (world-renowned session player) from upstate NY. This record was recorded during the miserable blizzard winter we just survived in the mountains.  I added some Danish (my 2nd language) to this album. My song, “Jeg Elsker Dig,” translated as “I love You,” is getting some hype in Scandinavia. Andrew and I co-wrote “Find Your Truth,” another song on the album. It was a great collaboration between three solid players and composers. Andrew challenges his clients to play better and think outside the norm. Each song has something memorable and distinct. I’ll be back with him again. Here’s a sneak peek of a song off the album:

https://youtu.be/PV-9dKov6ZM?si=OcmSBvV2SwqTGVLY

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?

KM: First … I honestly hate genres. They box you in. I love metal, and I love folk, Americana, and Rock. In between those genres, you’ll find me. I have songs that would fit well on Headbangers Ball, and others that would find a home on Americana Highways. I think that artists like Tom Petty, Prince, Peter Gabriel, and Johnny Cash are great examples of artists who could live between genres. That’s where I want to be. I tend to feel everything and put a sound to it. I get pissed and throw on some Lynch Mob or Pantera, and then when I come back to reason, it’s Steve Wilson or Tori Amos for a bit. I saw Bryan Adams at Tivoli in Copenhagen over the summer and Bruce Cockburn this past winter. Genres are a formula to sell merchandise and tickets, but not always satisfying for the artist behind it all.

RRX: It’s a lot of fun living in the present, but we all collect memories and give birth to dreams. We’re talking dreams here. Where do you see yourself next year? In the next five years?

KM: This album, there’s something about it. The front and back of the album are pictures by Frankie Cavone. He’s a creative juggernaut and just a great guy. By the time this comes out, I’ll probably be back from Europe. The radio and music scene overseas reminds me of the USA in the ’90s. Creative, savage, and raw. Still in its prime, and I’ve been blessed to be shoulder to shoulder with other Vikings in the mosh pits of Roskilde. Artists and fans supporting each other across genres, race, religion, etc. So in the next year, I hope I’m in the middle of that revival here in Upstate New York.

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?

KM: Me in a white V-neck T-shirt and fedora, in jeans, with my guitar in Nyhavn, Denmark, busking and showing off my tattoos from over the winter. I’d of course be back in shape like last summer, and have shed this lil’ pot belly. These winters are rough.

RRX: Artists, musicians, we immortalize. We set it in stone. Is there anyone who has passed that you feel you have immortalized in your work? If so, can you tell us a little about it?

KM: Prince … his melodies on top of melodies. He was a great songwriter and performer. He could change mid-song and take you somewhere else. He is in my Top 5 and immortal to me. He is still here in the hearts and heads of people lucky enough to have heard him. He’s one of just a few artists who can make me feel what they are feeling. The pure joy of it.

RRX: Love is a big part of music. We’re talking first loves here. Lots of cool stories about first loves and the things we do for those loves. Can you (or, in the case of a band, one member) talk about your first love, especially if you did something cool to express that love? (No names needed.)

KM: Ok, get ready. So my wife, April. You’ve met her. She was the first girl I ever kissed when I was 15. Her dad was a fisherman, and so was mine. I’d follow her around town on my skateboard. I got her to kiss me behind the library of the fishing village we lived in. Summers were hot, sandy, and prime stomping grounds for all the firsts. Well, that kiss got broken up by Aunt Judy, who feared becoming a great-aunt. April and I didn’t see each other for years. We ended up marrying (other people) who were obviously not our soulmates. We both had terrible marriages to abusive people with mental health issues. We ran into each other jogging, and both immediately said, “I’m divorced.” We were married less than a year later. It’s honestly like that summer kiss never ended. My song “Gypsy Girl” is about her. She’s Portuguese and has the olive skin and cheekbones. So I write a lot of love songs. She’s also very possessive, and so my eyes are always on her and only her. I have scars to prove it.

Shemekia Copeland Coming To The Egg on 5/22 Interview By: Rob Smittix

Staff
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Shemekia Copeland Coming To The Egg on 5/22 Interview By: Rob Smittix

Interview: Shemekia Copeland
By: Rob Smittix

Photo By: by Janet Mami Takayama

RRX: I’m excited to be talking with you today. First of all, I’m reaching out because you are coming to our area, pretty much around the corner. May 22nd at the Incredible Egg. I don’t know, have you ever been there before?

SC: I have been to the Egg. It’s so cool. I’m very excited to come back.

RRX: Excellent, yeah, it’s quite unique and it’s just been revamped, so it should be an enhanced experience this time around.

SC: Oh, that’ll be great. I’m looking forward to it.

RRX: Us too. So with the show coming up, what does Shemekia have in the bag for us? Any tricks? Anything up your sleeve?

SC: Well, I wouldn’t say I have any tricks but we always definitely come ready to have a good time. We’ve been having fun performing songs from the latest record, you know? Mixing things up a bit and just having a good time.

RRX: Excellent. Now, I also saw that you’re playing the America’s 250th Birthday at the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music at Monmouth University, which I didn’t even know existed until now.

SC: It’s just opening.

RRX: Oh! The more you know. That’s cool, that’s gonna be something.

SC: Yes, there’s so many amazing artists performing on that, so I feel like it’s gonna be a great hang. So, I’m definitely looking forward to that.

RRX: I don’t know if it’s sold out yet but I’m sure it will.

SC: Oh, it sold out within an hour ,I think.

RRX: That’s pretty cool, I thought that was the case. People were pretty quick to get those tickets and I don’t blame them.

SC: Mhm, yeah.

RRX: So, music wise, we have a blues show on our radio station and I mentioned to the host today, that I was gonna be talking to you and he was like… oh man, Shemekia’s a legend. You’ve been called that I’m sure quite a few time but how does that make you feel?

SC: It’s hilarious to me to be called that, I’m only 47, you know? To me that word’s for older people, but I appreciate people.

RRX: Right.

SC: But I really do appreciate people thinking of me in that way because I certainly and definitely want to make it there at some point, you know what I mean?

RRX: Well, I appreciate the humbleness but it looks like you earned it pretty quickly. But yes, you are still a very young woman. I was just 47 myself, just turned 48 and I don’t know about you but I’m definitely not rounding up to 50.

SC: You know? I’m looking forward to, it’s so funny to me because age is not a thing for me. But I’ll tell you, a weird thing happened… last November, my brother turned 50, my older brother and it was a weird experience because I was just like… oh my God, we’re grown-ups now, you know?

(Both Laugh)

SC: And it was just like… we’re grown ups. Oh my God, you know? But I didn’t think that at 30, I didn’t think that at 40 but we got right there at 50 and I’m like holy s***, we’re grown ups. We done grew up. And it was just a weird feeling but not like old, not sad about it, but just like, wow! We’re adults.

RRX: I get that. Being 48, I’m a very young grandfather. I got 3 grandkids because I started early. It’s kind of cool but I still never really felt like I was a man until I was 30. And then I’m like… alright, well I’m a man now but definitely hadn’t felt old yet. Yeah, let’s just embrace this thing!

SC: We gotta embrace it. Look, it’s a good thing. I actually have a grandbaby too, because of my husband, I have two stepdaughters, I adopted them. They’re my babies now too, but I have a little grandbaby because of them, I’m so excited about that too. So, yeah, it’s fun. But I also have a 9 year old, so…

RRX: Oh okay, so you’re still doing it. Yeah, my youngest is 18 and he’s giving us a run for our money.

SC: Yeah, they do that they do that.

RRX: He’s a senior and he’s been skipping school almost every day, my Mom literally said I will give him $1000 if he doesn’t skip for the rest of the year and he blew it already. Like, you can’t even offer the kid $1000 to do the bare minimum.

SC: Oh my gosh, he’s just like, I don’t wanna do this. I don’t wanna be bothered with this school thing.

RRX: It’s like bribery is not even working anymore. But having grandkids though is awesome, I didn’t know it was gonna be so cool. People told me they’re like… you’re gonna love them more than your own kids and I’m like, Nah. Now I’m like, maybe I do.

SC: Yeah, how is that possible? But it’s like, you know? You get to do all the cool stuff without any responsibility. That’s awesome, you know what I mean?

RRX: I do and when it gets tiring, well now you can have ’em back.

SC: Yeah, exactly.

RRX: Well, that’s awesome. Shemekia. I just wanted a chance to talk to you. We’re gonna push this show for you at the Egg and all of that. Was there anything that you wanted to say to people to encourage them to come out?

SC: The last time we were there, we had a time. It was really great. So come back out and see us again. Because we’re just gonna have a great time. It’s just as simple as that. If you wanna have a great time, come on out and hang out with us.

RRX: Amen to that. Well, I’ll be seeing you there for sure.

SC: That’s great.

The Egg Presents

Shemekia Copeland

Fri, May 22 at 08:00 PM EDT at The Egg – Swyer Theatre GET TICKETS HERE!

Emil Altschuler @ Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, 5/12/2026

Timothy Reidy
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Emil Altschuler @ Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, 5/12/2026

May’s edition of the Music at Noon series at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall featured violinist Emil Altschuler and included:

Partita No. 3 in E Major
Caprice No. 20
Ballade
Mediation from Thais
Tango Etude No. 3
Theme from “Schindler’s List”
Por Una Cabeza
An American in Paris

Photography by Timothy Reidy.

More from Troy Savings Bank Music Hall here …

Upbeat on the Roof returns July 9 with free Tang Concerts

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Upbeat on the Roof returns July 9 with free Tang Concerts

2026 Upbeat on the Roof Series Begins July 9

 Free summer concert series highlights regional musical talent

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY (May 15, 2026) — The Tang Museum at Skidmore College announces the 2026 Upbeat on the Roof concert series. The free outdoor concerts begin Thursday, July 9, at 6 pm and continue each Thursday evening through August 20.

The series highlights regional musical talent in an array of styles, including funk, pop-punk, R&B, folk, indie folk, indie pop, and Americana. Performances take place on the lawn outside the Tang and are free and open to the public.

 The Lineup

July 9: Oobleck
July 16: Paintbrush Charlie
July 23: The E-Block
July 30: Carolyn Shapiro
August 6: Little Saints
August 13: Nice Hockey
August 20: The Millstone Rounders

Before each concert, Tang Art Educators will offer Crafts on the Grass: art-making kits for kids starting at 5:30 pm. A different craft will be available each week. All projects are suitable for children ages 5 and older, with adult supervision recommended. Materials will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Upbeat concert series began in summer 2001 on the roof deck of the Tang building. The series became so popular, however, that the concerts came off the roof and onto the lawn. The Upbeat on the Roof name remains. Visitors are invited to bring blankets, camping chairs, food, and drink to picnic on the lawn; plenty of parking is available in the lot adjacent to the museum.

In the case of inclement weather, the art-making activities and concerts will be held inside the museum.

Admission is free. The Tang is on the campus of Skidmore College. The main entrance is at 815 N. Broadway in Saratoga Springs. For more information, please call the Visitors Services Desk at 518-580-8080 or visit tang.skidmore.edu.

 About the Performers

July 9: Oobleck

Oobleck is a high-octane, five-piece funk band that has performed around the Capital Region, Hudson Valley, and Vermont since 2008. The band plays grungy original horn funk inspired by the after-dark variety of New Orleans street music, with heavy drums and bass, chunky guitar riffs, and highly improvised, kinetic horns. The group’s sound is high-energy and dance-focused, moving among soul-funk, Afro-funk, and expansive improvisation.

July 16: Paintbrush Charlie

Paintbrush Charlie is a pop-punk-adjacent trio based in Troy, New York. Featuring Julia Alsarraf, Brendan Tompkins, and Katy Chau-Westfall, the band creates high-energy performances of punchy yet tender songs that hit straight in the feelings.

 July 23: The E-Block

The E-Block is a four-piece R&B band from upstate New York that blends the acoustic warmth of singer-songwriter music with an ice-cold rhythm section informed by modern R&B. With wide-ranging influences and a free-flowing style, The E-Block has earned a reputation as a distinctive live act in the New York scene and beyond.

 July 30: Carolyn Shapiro

Carolyn Shapiro, Skidmore class of 2015, is an award-winning old-time banjo player and songwriter from the Southern Adirondacks. Named Folk/Traditional Artist of 2026 by the Capital Region Thomas Edison Music Awards, Shapiro blends a soulful, contemporary edge with deep-rooted traditional style. Her songwriting pushes the boundaries of the banjo and explores the intimate complexities of being human. She returns to the Tang after her debut Upbeat on the Roof performance in 2022.

 August 6: Little Saints

Little Saints is an original band born in Saratoga Springs. The three-piece, genre-bending group features singer-songwriter Natalie Santini, guitarist Andy Arnold, and bassist Ian Dingman. Drawing on influences including Brandi Carlile, Stevie Wonder, and the Tedeschi Trucks Band, Little Saints blends Americana, indie folk, and modern soul.

 August 13: Nice Hockey

Nice Hockey is a donut-fueled indie-pop quartet from Schenectady, New York, featuring Skidmore Psychology professors Dom Vuvan and Harrison Schmitt. The power-pop band was started by Dom and Chad and completed by Harrison and Eric. Their songs are charming and big-hearted, with stories about friendship, everyday life, chameleonic vibes, and how to survive the impossible.

 August 20: The Millstone Rounders

The Millstone Rounders perform acoustic Americana that incorporates country, gospel, blues, trans-Atlantic fiddle breakdowns, and proto rock ’n’ roll. Performing on acoustic instruments around a single microphone, the group creates a sound that is both timelessly classic and thoroughly contemporary.

About Skidmore College

Founded in 1903, Skidmore College is a highly selective, private liberal arts college of about 2,700 students located in the dynamic town of Saratoga Springs, New York. Consistently ranked as a top liberal arts college by U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review, Forbes, and more, Skidmore has also been recognized for its innovation, value, and sustainability efforts. Skidmore fosters academic and personal excellence — all driven by a belief that Creative Thought Matters. Its comprehensive array of opportunities encompasses more than 40 bachelor’s degree programs, including popular offerings in business, psychology, and the creative and performing arts; competitive NCAA Division III athletics; world-class facilities; and hands-on civic engagement and career development resources.

About the Tang Teaching Museum

The Tang Teaching Museum at Skidmore College is a pioneer of interdisciplinary exploration and learning. A cultural anchor of New York’s Capital Region, the institution’s approach has become a model for university art museums across the country — with exhibition programs and series that bring together the visual and performing arts with fields of study as disparate as history, astronomy, and physics. The Tang has one of the most rigorous faculty-engagement initiatives in the nation, the Mellon Seminar, and robust publication and touring exhibition initiatives that extend the institution’s reach far beyond its walls. The Tang Teaching Museum’s building, designed by architect Antoine Predock, serves as a visual metaphor for the convergence of ideas and exchange the institution catalyzes. The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday, from noon to 5 pm, with extended hours until 9 pm Thursday. More information at http://tang.skidmore.edu.

Press Release: Five One ART Studio LIVE Saturday, May 17th

Staff
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Press Release: Five One ART Studio LIVE Saturday, May 17th
Hello Everyone!
We’re excited to extend a warm invitation to you for our inaugural Five One ART Studio LIVE!, happening this Saturday, May 17th at 3:00 p.m. at 344 2nd Street in Troy!
Under the talented guidance of Jackie Tangerone, get ready for an immersive art experience that promises to be both inspiring and enjoyable. To elevate the atmosphere, we’ll have a live DJ spinning tunes and setting the mood with vibrant lights!
Feel free to bring your favorite snacks, or indulge in our delightful selection of refreshments available for purchase.
Tickets are just $35, and we’d love for you to join us! We also encourage you to spread the word and invite your friends—let’s make this event a resounding success! Your support will help us create more opportunities for local artists and share the joy of art and music across the Capital Region.
To purchase tickets, simply scan the QR code on the flyer or click the link below:
We can’t wait to see you there!
In creative collaboration,
David Sutliff

Program Director/Event Coordinator

Peak Music and Dance Launches New Multidisciplinary Arts Center

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Peak Music and Dance Launches New Multidisciplinary Arts Center

Peak Music and Dance Launches New Multidisciplinary Arts Center
Following $500,000 Personal Investment by Founders

LATHAM, NY — After years of growth, community performances, and building one of the
Capital Region’s most distinctive music training programs, the founders of Peak Music
Studios are taking the next major step.
Crystal Moore and Jeff Moore have partnered with Jillian Ruddy to officially launch Peak

Music and Dance, a new multidisciplinary performing arts center in Latham designed to
integrate high-level music and dance training under one roof.
The expansion was fueled in part by a deeply personal decision. Crystal Moore invested the
bulk of her retirement savings into the project; savings she says began with her very first
paycheck as a community college professor at age 23.

“Instead of treating our savings as something to simply protect and grow from a distance,
we chose to reinvest it directly into the Capital Region and into a vision we believe can
genuinely change lives for the better,” said Crystal Moore, co-founder of Peak Music and
Dance. “We wanted to create a place where children, teens, and adults can become the
best artists they are capable of becoming while being surrounded by a supportive
community that values them for who they are.”
The new center represents the evolution of Peak Music Studios, which has operated since
2018 and built a reputation for structured music training, public performances, and
community-centered arts programming.

The vision for expansion accelerated through several converging forces: the rapid growth of
Peak Music Studios, the development of the multidisciplinary performance project Dark
Ballet, and a growing belief among the Crystal, Jeff, and Jillian that music and dance
training could be meaningfully integrated into a single artistic environment.
Joining Crystal and Jeff Moore as co-owner and investor is longtime dance educator Jillian
Ruddy, formerly of Spendwood School of Dance and Gymnastics. Ruddy says studio
ownership and the opportunity to help build a multidisciplinary arts center has been a
long-time professional dream.

“Peak Music and Dance is being built around the idea that the arts should challenge
people, support people, and bring people together,” said Ruddy. “Whether someone wants
to dance recreationally, sing professionally, perform competitively, or simply grow
creatively, they deserve high-quality instruction and a community that believes in them.”
Unlike many traditional arts programs that separate disciplines into isolated silos, Peak
Music and Dance was designed around integrated artistic development.

Students train through structured progression systems across disciplines while also
participating in collaborative performances that combine music, movement, stage
production, and storytelling.
The founders describe the approach as “real artistic development” rather than
disconnected lessons or casual participation.
“We believe students thrive when they are surrounded by other people who are genuinely
working to improve,” said Jeff Moore. “A recreational dancer deserves quality training just
as much as a future professional performer. We’re creating an environment where artistic
growth is taken seriously, but where kindness, encouragement, and community matter just
as much.”

Peak Music and Dance serves youth and adult students across music and dance

disciplines and emphasizes structured progression, performance opportunities, and long-
term artistic growth.

In addition to instruction, the organization has become known for community-centered
arts initiatives and charitable work, including support for Building on Love and Our Angels
Remembered through events such as Finding Christmas. The founders say giving back
through the arts has always been part of the studio’s culture.
The founders say the new facility is not simply about expansion, but about building a
stronger artistic home for the Capital Region.

“We believe the arts can transform confidence, discipline, emotional expression, and
human connection,” said Crystal Moore. “This investment was our way of putting our belief
into action.”

Peak Music and Dance is located at 920 Albany Shaker Road in the Town of Colonie and
will open on June 8th, 2026.

The new center is being developed in partnership with British American, another locally
based business, reinforcing the founders’ commitment to investing in the Capital Region
community.

For more information, visit: www.peakmusicanddance.com
Media Contact: Crystal Moore crystal@peakmusicanddance.com; 518-727-3401

Jeff Moore, Jillian Ruddy, and Crystal Moore
opening the Peak Music and Dance business
account at Pioneer Bank, one of many local
partnerships supporting the studio’s investment
in the Capital Region arts community.

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