Boston’s Bad Marriage opened up for Kuarantine with an energetic set at Cohoes Music Hall on Thursday night.
Photography by I Am Lorelei!.
Mike Porter – Capital Region Timekeepers
Mike Porter – Capital Region Timekeepers – by OP Callaghan.
Hello music fans, I have a confession to make. A close friend of mine recently implied that I would soon run out of local drummers to interview for this column, and it got me thinking. I know several folks who use online tools such as ChatGPT to answer questions and provide insightful answers. So, I confess. I went and googled “Best Drummer In Albany”. I was not disappointed.
AI overview immediately pulled up the name Mike Porter. But who was Mike Porter? I was not familiar with the man, but you bet your ass I am now! Mike has been a session and live drummer in the area for decades. He’s a great player, and a wonderful guy (according to ME, not AI), so please welcome Mike Porter!
RRX: Welcome, Mike, great to have you with us. Tell me how you got started playing drums.
Mike Porter: Thanks for having me, OP!
There were drums in my house as far back as I can remember. My older brother played a bit in high school, and had a drum set in his room when I was very little. I don’t remember playing it, but there are pictures of me as a baby sitting at the kit with sticks in hand!
RRX: Tell me about your first kit
MP: For Christmas, I believe in 7th grade, my parents surprised me with a Cannon 5-piece kit in a candy red wrap. I played that kit every single day after school for hours. I wish I still had it! Sadly, I traded it for a DW Pacific kit when I started playing shows. Sometimes I wonder where my first kit is today …
RRX: I will be on the lookout for a 5-piece cannon! Do you come from a musical family? Do you play any other instruments?
MP: My dad and uncles also played drums and percussion in high school. I remember always hearing music in the house growing up, and finding my parents’ stash of old cassettes and LPs. I was fascinated with them, and I would pull out the artwork and read the liner notes while listening to the Human League, Bob Seger, Fleetwood Mac, stuff like that. A lot of great ‘70s and ‘80s stuff.
Besides the drum kit, I play the cajon and other hand percussion and electronic percussion instruments. Lately, I’ve been playing around with an old acoustic guitar along with my daughter, who is 8. It’s fun to be a beginner at something again!
RRX: The next generation! Have you taken lessons or self-taught? Matched grip, or traditional?
MP: I was self-taught as a beginner, for better or worse. I’m a lefty who plays a right-handed kit setup, kind of like Ringo. I play open-handed, with a matched grip. I would mirror what I saw other right-handed players do, except that I lead with my left hand. Since I never had lessons, no one ever told me it was “wrong,” which was probably a blessing!
As an adult in my twenties, I realized I needed to go back and sort of start from scratch. I called up my friend Mike Bruce (another great area drummer), who I’ve known since I was in high school, and asked him for some private lessons. Best decision I could have made!
RRX: Tell me about your first gig.
MP: My first gig was with a band called “Dewpoint Blank.” I was about 17, the summer before my senior year of high school. We were a pop-punk band who wrote our own music. Our bass player had booked a tour of the East Coast, and this was our warm-up show. I had just joined the band, maybe two or three weeks before. The gig was at a friend’s house, in the garage. There must have been 50 other kids there, all piled into this little garage. Sweat was pouring off the ceiling. I remember a mosh pit and someone climbing up the loft and almost collapsing the whole thing on us while we played. Awesome show. Needless to say, I was hooked after that!
RRX: Occupational hazard! What are you playing for a kit now? Are you a collector?
MP: I’m not much of a collector. I have a few different kits and a few snare drums that each serve a different purpose. I have a beautiful PDP 4-piece maple kit with a big 24″ kick that I absolutely love. I also have a 5-piece Ludwig Made in the USA Birch kit in a blue sparkle finish that is, in my opinion, the most beautiful finish you could ever want on a kit. Those are the two kits I play most often.
RRX: Love a blue sparkle Luddy kit! Who are you playing with now?
MP: Most recently, I was playing with the Vinny Michaels Band (a country rock band). I also sub in with the Doc Orloff Blues Elixir band. I love those guys.
From 2021 to 2024, I played in Yacht Masters NY, which was my pet project. We were a ‘70s & ‘80s yacht rock tribute act. Sadly, we lost our frontman, Todd Sardella, to pancreatic cancer just over a year ago. He was one of the best musicians I’ve ever played with and an all-around great guy.
Prior to that, during the Covid lockdown, I was in two studio bands at the same time: one called Shadowlight and one called Red Light Rivals with my friend Steve Morehouse. Before that was a cover band called the Shakedown. Before that was a band called Saving Atlantis that wrote original music and played covers, and also a jazz/rock band called the Grand Design. Then, before that was a band called East Avenue. And that brings us back to the beginning. All of those bands featured a few core members who I’ve been playing with on and off for 20 years.
I’ve been able to play all around the Capital Region and up and down the East Coast. I’m very blessed.
RRX: Who are some of your early influences? Who influences you now?
MP: My earliest influence was Carter Beauford. Not long after, my high school music teacher and mentor, John Savage, turned me on to Dave Weckl and Dennis Chambers. He actually took me to see Dave Weckl play at the Van Dyck when I was about 16 or 17, which was mind-blowing at that point in my life. One of my earliest bandmates was a big Police fan, and he hipped me to Stewart Copeland, who remains one of my biggest influences. Then, of course, I discovered John Bonham, Neil Peart, and Phil Collins. I was also very much into the early 2000s emo/pop punk scene, and there were (and still are) a lot of cool drummers from that era.
These days, my influences change all the time. I find myself going back to the legendary session cats like Steve Gadd, Jeff Porcaro, Vinnie Colaiuta, and Jim Keltner for inspiration. Anyone who drummed on a Steely Dan record (Bernard Purdie, Jim Gordon, Keith Carlock, etc.) is a reference point. Ringo, of course, is on the list, as are Mick Fleetwood and Steve Smith. I’m still a big fan of Dave Weckl. Some contemporary guys like Nate Smith and Shannon Forrest blow my mind. Jimmy Chamberlin is incredible. Ash Soan, Griffin Goldsmith, and Aaron Sterling are all incredible. Benny Greb. Danny Carey from Tool. I’m excited to see Anika Nilles play with Rush. Questlove and the Roots made a record with Elvis Costello several years back, which has some incredible grooves all over that thing.
It goes on and on. And don’t even get me started on all the great Nashville drummers …
Most importantly, we have a ton of GREAT drummers in the Capital Region who inspire me probably as much, if not more than, the “big name” cats.
RRX: You are correct! There are a ton of great drummers in the Capital Region. Any gig horror stories?
MP: I’ve been pretty lucky to avoid most of the horror story cliches you hear about!
RRX: Tell me about a performance or recording that you are most proud of, thus far in your career.
MP: Live gigs:
The first would be opening for Ty Herndon last year at the Wood Theater in Glens Falls. It was an acoustic show. That is a beautiful theater, and playing in that setting is definitely something different and special.
Next would be playing one of the main stages at LarkFest in Albany way back in 2008. I met Tom Morello for like 10 seconds – ha!
Recordings:
I’m really proud of the majority of recordings I’ve been a part of, especially the original songs. Recordings are like a diary of where you are as a musician at that moment in time. We always worked really hard in the studio to get what we were after.
These four songs are from different records by different bands, all original songs, which I recorded either at Tim Lynch’s studio (The Recording Company) or in my home studio. I feel they represent my style and approach as a drummer pretty well. There’s other recordings I’m proud of too, but unfortunately, that stuff isn’t online!
- The Grand Design – “The Kansas City Shuffle” | The Grand Design https://share.google/C1H4ZDrf4T0jGnhjW
- Shadowlight – “Misery” – https://open.spotify.com/track/0Sfh2lhHajulsS8lEXfqdl?si=HbNMyQmMT7awNzOlg4leFQ
- Doc Orloff – “Johnny’s Mourning” – https://youtu.be/bunozDwxpkc?si=a1mHkO3XbNotj1aN
- Red Light Rivals – “There Ain’t Enough Time” – https://youtu.be/Ed9YBDNP04s?si=O-jLkPEOGg3VDNuu
Lastly, from 2013 to 2024, I helped produce an annual music festival in Gloversville, NY called “The Eddie.” The festival was held in memory of a local musician and friend named Ed Lakata. A “who’s who” of local acts played every year – sometimes as many as 20 acts across 2 stages. I’m really proud of being a part of this event and getting to play with some great musicians every year. The Eddie meant a lot to the community.
RRX: Anything else? Where can we see you play next?
MP: I’m taking some time off from gigging for a bit to spend more time with my family. My two girls are growing up fast, and it’s been a pleasure watching them find their own things that bring them joy! They definitely love music and enjoy watching their old man hit the drums, which makes me smile. They’re my inspiration for sure.
It’s kind of exciting to not know exactly what I’ll be doing next, but I know I’ll be back out playing again at some point soon. In the meantime I hope to do some more recording in my home studio.
Overall, I’m just very grateful to have been able to play music with my friends for over 20 years now. My advice to the people out there playing a ton of gigs would be: ttay humble, be kind, never stop learning. And, slow down and take it all in from time to time. Like Ferris Bueller said: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
Thank you, Mike! And thank you, Ferris.
Shannon Tehya and the Troupe – Single Release – Lost and Found
Shannon Tehya and the Troupe performed in celebration of the release of their new single “Human.” I was early as always, so I heard a few songs before my Irish goodbye. Shannon Tehya and the Troupe employ novelty in their sound, and in the way they promote themselves, with ideas that are designed to bring people together and engage them. This event didn’t disappoint.
They had a silent auction. I think it was a silent auction. There was no fast talker there. And one thing that I thought was cool was that Shannon had people sign her flyer, instead of her signing fliers. That was pretty nifty.
As I said, I was able to catch a couple of songs, and they really hit hard and hit sharp when it’s the right time to do it, and otherwise they lay out this very chill, clear, melodious space. And Shannon commands vocally and between songs she’s out there, engaging. It goes even beyond a novel promotional thing into a real community building technique which just so happens to be good promotion.
It was a good time. Next time Shannon and the Troupe play, prepare to engage.
Photography by Liam Sweeny.
The Belle Curves / Megan from Work / Haley Moley @ Albany’s Indoor Rockgym, 3/27/2026
Music at the Rockgym! Hopefully, more to come. The Belle Curves, Megan from Work, and Haley Moley at Albany’s Indoor Rockgym.
Photography by Timothy Reidy.
More from Timothy Reidy here …
Jukebox – Music News Cuts – 4/3
Jukebox.
Sturgill Simpson
Sturgill Simpson has announced a 2026 for Johnny Blue Skies, supporting the album Mutiny After Midnight. This is Simpson’s latest album. He will be joined on the tour by his band The Dark Clouds. The 29-date tour will begin in Austin on September 4th, and will stop in Los Angeles, Vancouver, Chicago, Nashville, New York, and other cities.
Tickets will go on sale April 10th.
Johnny Blue Skies & the Dark Clouds 2026 Tour Dates:
09/04 – Austin, TX @ Moody Center
09/06 – Rio Rancho, NM @ Rio Rancho Events Center
09/08 – Glendale, AZ @ Desert Diamond Arena
09/09 – Santa Barbara, CA @ Santa Barbara Bowl
09/11 – Los Angeles, CA @ Kia Forum
09/13 – San Diego, CA @ Viejas Arena
09/15 – Berkeley, CA @ The Greek Theatre
09/18 – Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena
09/19 – Vancouver, BC @ Pacific Coliseum
09/21 – Eugene, OR @ Matthew Knight Arena
09/23 – Denver, CO @ Ball Arena
09/26 – Kansas City, MO @ T-Mobile Center
09/27 – St. Paul, MN @ Grand Casino Arena
09/29 – Chicago, IL @ United Center
10/02 – Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena
10/03 – Indianapolis, IN @ Gainbridge Fieldhouse
10/06 – St. Louis, MO @ Enterprise Center
10/07 – Columbus, OH @ Nationwide Arena
10/09 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Petersen Events Center
10/10 – Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena
10/13 – Boston, MA @ TD Garden
10/15 – Philadelphia, PA @ Xfinity Mobile Arena
10/16 – Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center
10/18 – Washington, DC @ Capital One Arena
10/21 – Raleigh, NC @ Lenovo Center
10/23 – Charleston, SC @ Credit One Stadium
10/25 – Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena
10/27 – New Orleans, LA @ Lakefront Arena
10/30 – Lexington, KY @ Rupp Arena
Deep Purple
Legendary bands Deep Purple and Kansas will be joining forces for a summer 2026 tour. Jefferson Starship will also be supporting. The tour begins in Raleigh, North Carolina on August 4th and ending on September 12th in Sparks, Nevada, stopping in cities like Toronto, Detroit, and Las Vegas.
A general ticket sale began yesterday.
Deep Purple Tour Dates:
08/04 – Raleigh, NC @ Red Hat Amphitheater *
08/08 – Clearwater, FL @ The Daycare Sound ^
08/09 – Hollywood, FL @ Hard Rock Casino ^
08/12 – Wantagh, NY @ Jones Beach Theater ^
08/13 – Mansfield, MA @ Xfinity Center *
08/15 – Halifax, NS @ Scotiabank Centre *
08/17 – Laval, QC @ Bell Place *
08/18 – Toronto, ON @ RBC Amphitheatre *
08/19 – Ottawa, ON @ Canadian Tire Centre *
08/21 – Detroit, MI @ Pine Knob ^
08/22 – Salamanca, NY @ Seneca Allegany Casino ^
08/24 – Indianapolis, IN @ Everwise Amphitheatre ^
08/25 – Highland Park, IL @ Ravinia ^
08/27 – Prior Lake, MN @ Mystic Lake Casino ^
08/29 – Winnipeg, MB @ Canada Life Centre *
08/31 – Calgary, AB @ Scotiabank Saddledome *
09/02 – Abbotsford, BC @ Abbotsford Centre *
09/04 – Lincoln, CA @ Thunder Valley *
09/05 – Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre *
09/06 – Highland, CA @ Yaamava Theatre ^
09/08 – Chula Vista, CA @ North Island Credit Union Amp *
09/10 – Las Vegas, NV @ Planet Hollywood ^
09/11 – Long Beach, CA @ Long Beach Amphitheater ^
09/12 – Sparks, NV @ Nugget Event Center ^
^ = w/ Kansas
* = with Kansas and Jefferson Starship
Turnstile
The former Turnstil guitarist Brady Ebert is being charged with attempting to murder singer Brendan Yates’ father. The band had cut ties with Ebert in 2022.
The band released a statement.
“Turnstile cut ties with Brady Ebert in 2022 in response to a consistent pattern of harmful behavior affecting himself, the band, and the community. After exhausting every available resource to support his access to help and recovery, a boundary ultimately had to be set when healthy communication was no longer possible and he began threatening violence.
In the years since, his baseless tirades have continued in public. We never addressed it. We chose to protect his privacy and the circumstances around his departure, even when he did nothing to be deserving of that protection. Over the past few months, his threats only escalated further.
This past week, that violence led to a physical attack when Brady went to the house of Brendan’s parents and used his vehicle to run over Brendan’s father, causing severe physical trauma. We are grateful that Mr. Yates survived, has successfully undergone surgery, and we’re hoping for the best possible outcome in his recovery.
We have no language left for Brady.
Please respect our privacy in this time.”
Prison for Gold – The Weird Side of the Internet
Prison for Gold – The Weird Side of the Internet – by Liam Sweeny.
Gold. This brilliant, enduring metal, aside from being the economic bases of countries and kingdoms for millennia, has been at the heart of some of our culture’s favorite crime stories, and, if the devil in Georgia is to be believed, favorite fiddles. How many adventure stories involve a land or city of gold? What is it that dragons hoard? And every ring and every magic pendant, gold. People would do anything for ir.
But would they go to jail?
The obvious answer is yes. People would go to jail for it if they would kill for it, if they would get weird with a Klondike bar for it. But for 73 year-old treasure hunter Tommy Thompson, a prison sentence was worth holding on to a little missing gold – about $300 million dollars of it, in a week ago’s dollars; probably worth a couple mil today.
Three hundred mil of gold, and ten years in prison. And they asked, and they asked, and he knew what was up and just kept saying no. I bet he had one of two prison experiences; one, people believed him, and he was running a bank in there, living large, or nobody believed him, and he had to hunt for cigarettes for some much bigger dude named ‘Mo.’
He was a treasure hunter, so this was less like a dashing robbery, and more like a business dispute gone wrong. But I would definitely do ten years for that much gold.
Or would I?
You could get the gold at the end, sure, but you have to get to the end. And I’m sure I’d get people threatening me all over to tell them where it is. My fellow inmates wouldn’t admire my ssteadfastness. They’d sharpen the shanks.
So I’m not sure after all. Which is good, because I have no idea where any gold is.
Paul Menta (Conch Republic) – An Xperience Interview
Paul Menta (Conch Republic) – An Xperience Interview – by Liam Sweeny.
RRX: When I think of the Keys, I think of Jimmy Buffett and that laid-back feel, but is there a more nuanced musical scene in Key West? Is there a conch metal or a conch funk? Is there anything like that, or is it really just that laid back?
PM: They have a thing every year. It’s called the Iggy Awards. And it’s for musicians in Key West and the Keys. It’s kind of our Grammys. And I got to give the best rock and roll band. And it was funny because I said, “This is the best-kept secret in the world.” The music scene down here is unbelievable, and like the melting pot we are. You can see Buffett-style stuff, you can see metal-style stuff, you can see the influence from Nashville, New Orleans. I mean, it’s stunning to see people from all walks of life find music that they like down here. Any song is gonna include something about rum, something about being under a palm tree, being out on a sandbar, or just kind of kicking your feet up and relaxing, whether it could be metal, or it could be kind of a country, it doesn’t matter; it all blends in. And that’s what’s kind of cool about Key West, because you notice that musicians take their style, and then Key West kind of captivates them a little bit, and they blend a little bit of that in. So we end up with some really unique versions of music, original music as well, that gets transformed down here.
RRX: OK, so you are the Speaker of the House of the famed Conch Republic. I’ve known this story for a while now, but can you tell us the inside perspective of that? How did we get the Conch Republic?
PM: It’s actually really good because I just had Dennis Wardlow stop by, who is one of the key founders of the Conch Republic. He was our mayor in 1982. I actually have it. If I ever get it published … I got my outline and everything written … I have a book on this because I have been wanting to set the record straight for a long time. There’s a lot of confusion on the Conch Republic.
So … just to give you some quick backstory, we had the Navy pull out in the late ‘50s and in the ‘60s. So it really hurt the island, OK? It slowed down what was going on. You had tourism starting to perk up. And then we had about 350 shrimp boats down here, which really kept the island kind of functioning. And then you had the gas crisis in 1976. So what happened was, if you went out shrimping, the gas probably cost as much as the load that you went out to do. So then comes in the term square grouper. Do you know what a square grouper is?
RRX: No, no.
PM: So a square grouper is a bale of marijuana. It was easier to make the call out, and somebody says, “Yup, shrimping, yup, I’m coming in. I’ve been out getting square groupers.” And the fishermen were getting square groupers because they can make more money and not have to spend the time out. So that went on for a bit of time. But then, unfortunately, other drugs came into effect. Key West is not into that – scary people going on. So you have that happening. Another big lull in Key West income.
Then, I think it was 1980, you had the Mariel boat lift from Cuba, and the news reports, as they are, were like, “all the criminals are running loose in Key West.” So tourism just got blasted again. And everybody that came in off of that was immediately bused up to Miami. So it was a false thing. So they were at a tipping point. In 1980, 1982, when the border patrol had (this sounds familiar) put up a roadblock right at the edge of the 18 mile stretch, to check for drugs and illegal aliens. Coming down to the Keys, there was a line that was three hours long to get to the Keys. So people weren’t coming down here, and literally, it shut down the island. There was no tourism. So this led up to a tipping point where we’ve had enough. So the mayor, David Horan, and the lady from the Chamber of Commerce went up to have their day to go sue the federal government to get an injunction to stop it (David Horan being a lawyer down here in Key West). They went up to go do that in front of a federal judge, pleaded their case, and the federal judge said there wasn’t enough to make them go away. And they basically said, “Well, you know, how many people have you gotten?” And they had gotten a couple of German tourists that left their passports back at the hotel. They got about one ounce of weed, and they were like, “Well, of course,” because they’re checking for drugs; there was probably more drugs on the side of the road in this ten-mile backup than there was at the checkpoint.
When the news media asked, he just said this: if we’re gonna be treated like a foreign country, we’re gonna act like one. So tomorrow we will secede from the United States. And he pulled out a flag, which was our city flag. Our city flag, which is the Conch Republic flag, was made by Claude Valdez in 1969. So this wasn’t something new. We’ve already had these assets. And he won a contest for making the city flag. So he’s kind of our Betsy Ross; we call him of the Conch Republic. And he waved that flag and got down.
By the time he got to Key West, it was all over the radio, cause back then it was just radio and some news media saying Key West is seceding from the United States. And there were people that were calling for him to be charged for treason, ‘cause they thought they’re gonna take down the American flag and everything. This was all done in humor, and also to make a point. And so the next day, he got a call from the Coast Guard and the Navy, saying you cannot attack or bomb us. And he was like, “We don’t plan on attacking you,” and all this kind of stuff. It’s because a guy was going around who flew the aeroplanes and they were making conch fritters and bollos and I told everybody they’re gonna go drop them on the navy and stuff like that and you know, the navy was like, “look, we don’t want anything dropped on us,” and he’s like, “Yeah, you guys are gonna eat so much, you won’t be able to do anything.” I mean, this all wasn’t meant to be anything, but got taken very seriously. There were some protests. Dennis’ life was being threatened. And then, when they realized they were just raising the Conch Republic flag, they invited the Navy and the Coast Guard there. As soon as they seceded, they immediately surrendered and asked for diplomatic immunity and a million dollars. And as Dennis likes to say, they’re still waiting on the check. Eventually, because it made so much news and put so much pressure, probably about a month or so later, the checkpoint was removed.
RRX: Gordon Ramsay made his way to the Keys for his show “Uncharted.” Usually when it comes to shows, people are going to Ramsay. In the case of this show, he’s coming to you. He’s facing off against you, ultimately. What do you think he took away from the Keys, and what did you take away from your time on that show?
PM: I can tell you that’s part of the reason they sought me out. I always said to people they were looking for this Michelin-star, high-end chef that could do all this different stuff and had all these skills, and they’re like, “wow,” and I’m like, “yes.” He wasn’t available, so they picked me, but they sought me out. He really wanted to compete against me because of the multitude of things I do. Because I go in the water and I spear fish and go get my own lobster. I’ve cooked fine dining. I’ve cooked Conch Republic soul food, and when Gordon got here, that was part of my thing to the producers. If I can’t show them the 200 ft level that locals see here all the time, I don’t wanna do it. I don’t wanna show the typical things that everybody sees. So Gordon was transported to do everything we did by boat. So he got to see Key West like we did, and I’m telling you, man, his mind was blown.
I gotta tell you, like we’re sitting out on barrels, you know, ten miles offshore on a sandbar with the water lapping up, and he’s just like, “I just can’t. This is why they call it the backcountry or the back.” I’m like, “Yeah, this is our backyard, you know,” I’m like, “we have more ocean than we do land.” Every spot, everything we did, he just had a new love for the Keys. And when you see a guy like that, who travels around the world and everything, even the producers are like, “Hey, he wants to hang out here more, do this more,” And I believe he even stuck back to the Keys.
I think about six months later, I did some fishing with his family and was able to cause he was like, “I just can’t believe what you guys have here. Like, this is a secret. I just didn’t know.” And then he also got introduced … I introduced him to the food culture here, which nobody is aware of. For me, that was really where I got to feel like, wow, Key West is finally getting its due down here. Because we have Bohemian and Cuban, and this melting pot down here, and we have such a great food culture that people just don’t know about it. And once he got into it, he really got into it. So by the time we had our cook-off, he had an arsenal of stuff he was pulling out, so it was kind of cool. He didn’t really like standing in the water cooking, and then didn’t realize I was laughing because he’s like, ‘“Why are you in your bare feet?” I’m like, “you’ll find out.” And then the tide came in, and we were calf deep trying to cook, But I gotta tell you, the most shocking thing for me was, when I do interviews or talk to people, I say, “Listen, I’ve travelled around the world, and I’ve met thousands of amazing cooks, and I’ve only met six good chefs in my lifetime.” And now I will say that I’ve met seven good chefs, because that guy’s got skills. We were cooking, unscripted, out in the middle of nowhere, doing whatever, and that guy could just rally. He’s got skills, man. That’s what was impressive to me about him, that he came from kind of the same background I came from, working as a dishwasher to prep cook, to working his way up the line, and you could tell just by the way he could handle himself in any situation.
Joe Schaefer / Stylo Design Studio
I met with the extraordinary artist Joe Schaefer at his personal studio – Stylo Design Studio – in Voorheesville. He is getting ready for his next gallery installation at Curio Cabinet of the Hudson Valley in Poughkeepsie, beginning April 11th and running through May. He took some time out of his schedule to do an interview for an upcoming Sara B Presents From The 518 on No MSG TV.
Photography by Sara Busone.
Khary – An Xperience Interview
Khary – An Xperience Interview – by Rob Smittix.
KHARY: Let me get this burp out real quick. (burp) There we go. All right, should be good.
RRX: (Laughs) Sounds good. Hey man … one of my jobs here is to interview people, and a lot of times I’m assigned people to interview and that’s fine and everything, but I’m just an absolute fan. I’ve been digging everything I’m hearing, so I just wanted to chat with you. Thanks for doing this.
KHARY: No worries at all, man.
RRX: One of the things that I found interesting about your music is … you seem like you’re a young guy, but your hip hop seems a lot different than a lot of the new hip hop that’s being released, if that makes sense?
KHARY: Yeah, no, that makes sense. I get what you mean.
RRX: I grew up on hip hop. God, in the ‘80s, man, it was LL Cool J and all those guys … what do you think was the greatest era of hip hop?
KHARY: I’m a 34-year-old millennial … the era I came up in was probably like … a lot of my favorite artists are from the 2000s, like mid-2000s.
There’s this era of Double XL, I think it was their second freshman cover when they had Lupe Fiasco on the cover, Kid Cudi, Asher Roth … there’s a few other artists, but that was probably my favorite era. Older eras that not even influenced me but just got me really into hip hop was probably the A Tribe Called Quest era, I would say.
RRX: In my opinion, A Tribe Called Quest is the greatest rap group of all time.
KHARY: Hmm, I’m going Outkast, but I see the vision.
RRX: I could lean that way too, but I always had that New York thing going on. Most of my favorite rappers are from New York, but now one of my favorite rappers, I think, is from Providence, Rhode Island. Is that where you’re from?
KHARY: Yeah, that’s where I grew up from the age of 3.
RRX: So yeah, we’re branching out, we’re still East Coast, though.
KHARY: Something like that.
RRX: That’s cool. What was it like growing up in Providence? I’ve been through it a couple of times, but never really had the pleasure to chill out there.
KHARY: I mean … growing up there, you probably didn’t miss much. It’s a much cooler place now than it was back then. I mean, even now, it still kind of has its drawbacks, just being a very small city. It’s a lot more lively and cooler things going on now. But when I was growing up there … just small towns feel very confining. If anyone did music, within a couple of months, you knew who was doing certain things; it’s just that small. But the benefit of that, though, there were a lot of opportunities for me. Whereas I got my start really just being my brother’s hype man, and he would sneak me in clubs when I was under 18 and stuff, and I’d just be the hype man on stage. Through that, I met other people. When you’re in a smaller place, they see this young kid who’s really into hip hop and really into like studying it, you know? I was buying CDs every week from the ‘90s and ‘80s and just really brushing up on the history of it. There’s this promoter named Charles who started putting me on a lot of shows. Like I was opening up for Cannabis, Killer Priest, and random nineties rappers who would come to do a B market, or I guess Rhode Island’s probably like a C market … but being small, they provided me a lot of opportunities to get better.
RRX: No, that’s true. If you go back to the nineties, and I would say 1993 for me was like the golden year of hip hop. But if you weren’t in New York City or say LA at the time … there wasn’t much of a hip hop scene outside of that because it wasn’t getting put onto MTV. It wasn’t being played on the radio, so if it existed, the country didn’t know about it. The times have changed a little bit. With the little fish, big pond scenario, where now you don’t have to go anywhere. Even if you’re a country singer, you don’t have to go to Nashville anymore. It might do you better to stay in your small town or your small city so that you can shine there.
KHARY: Yeah, I mean … we’re definitely in a different era, in that regard.
RRX: Now, I’ve seen today a post that you put up, “fakey laser flips.” So you’re a skater as well?
KHARY: Yeah, that was actually what I was into before I started rapping. Granted, it was a short window of when I got into both. I started skating probably when I was 15 or 16. I actually stopped at some point cause I just got more into rapping. I’ll always do it on and off, just like a little bit throughout the years, but about three and a half years ago, I was like, damn … I don’t have any hobbies in life. I was just trying to reconnect with myself, and I’m really back into skating now. I’m better than I ever was. I definitely couldn’t do fakey laser flips when I was a kid.
RRX: Nice. Skating has been something that’s been near and dear to me for quite some time. Skaters used to listen to punk rock. They skated to punk rock, or they skated to underground hip hop music, basically anything that could’ve made the Tony Hawk soundtracks.
KHARY: (Laughs) yeah.
RRX: They’re literally perfect soundtracks, but these days I’m seeing these amazing skateboard videos, and they’re skating to Drake or something … I don’t know, man, it’s not really the same kind of vibe.
KHARY: This is one of the most amazing and bad things about skateboarding: it is one of the truest gate-kept countercultures that ever existed. To this day, selling out is still an important thing to people in the community. Like making sure people aren’t selling out, or posers, or X, Y, and Z. So you have this thing that allowed it to be cool for a long time, but it also doesn’t promote new skaters. Because of that, it also doesn’t allow skaters to make that much money because people are so anti-selling out. I say all that to say this … skateboarding is so counterculture that I think at this point it’s almost counterculture to skate to Drake in a weird ironic fashion, or some of these songs … they were really into like Chief Keef. They might still be into it, but there was an era where skaters were skating to drill music, like drill hip hop from like Chicago or Detroit. I could see people skating to like stuff just because at some point whatever was counter becomes the norm, so you either have to counter against the norm or find something new.
RRX: That was very well said, but it breaks my heart when I don’t think they even know that’s not skateboarding music. What I like about a lot of your songs is that it is skateboard music. Is it hip hop? Yeah, but you do have that alternative kind of punk feel to you as well, that’s got a mass appeal that you have to many different audiences.
KHARY: It’s been a big journey to that sound. Originally, I started off just completely hip hop into boom bap rap and stuff like that. I even got into the Drakes, I got into more sort of R&B stuff, the pop stuff … I like everything in some capacity. But almost tying it back to me getting back into skating – I got bored with straight-up rapping just because I’ve been doing it for 10+ years. Skating helped me figure out who I was again. It was happening at the same time that I really got into alternative rock, punk rock, and grunge. You mentioned the Tony Hawk soundtrack – that was my introduction to most rock because I grew up on hip hop. No one was listening to that s*** where I’m from, or just circles I was in, definitely not my family. Now that I’ve found myself through skating again, I got into this alternative rock, and it gave me a new way to express myself. I like to say it sounds familiar, but it’s also new through my own lens. I feel very comfortable where I’m at sonically right now.
RRX: Well, you are the “Big Man!”
To find out more about Khary’s Big Mania Tour or merch visit: www.weirdofmouth.com
Whassup in the 518? – Weekend Shows
Whassup in the 518?
Friday, April 3rd
Free Beer and Hot Wings, Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy. 7pm
The Free Beer and Hot Wings Show is heard on Q1057 and 1035, the Capital Region’s Classic Rock Station weekday mornings from 5a-10a. Hosted by Gregg “Free Beer” Daniels, Chris “Hot Wings” Michaels, Steve, and Kelly, the Free Beer & Hot Wings Morning Show brings you five hours of live entertainment each weekday and a “Best Of Free Beer and Hot Wings Show” Saturday mornings from 6a-10.
The Egg Presents: Geordie Greep, The Egg, Albany, 8pm
“Music can be so much more than learning to play the same as everybody else. It can be anything you want. With recording The New Sound, it was the first time I have had no one to answer to. Being in a band (black midi), we often have this ‘we can do everything’ feeling, but you are also kind of limited in that approach, and sometimes it’s good to do something else, to let go of things.”
Spread Eagle, Empire Underground, Albany, 7pm
Sploinky Rave, Empire Live, Albany, 8pm
Super ’70s Rock Show featuring Super Trans AM, Cohoes Music Hall, Cohoes, 8pm-10pm
Roll down your windows, crank up the radio, and take a ride in a Super Trans AM.
Super Trans Am is the most unique and innovative theme band on the market today, playing all of your favorite arena anthems and chart-topping radio hits of the 1970’s.
Combining unparalleled musicianship with artistic and inspired A/V production, you’ll enjoy revisiting classic singalongs from one of the most definable decades in American history. Performing masterworks from icons such as The Eagles, Hall & Oates, Queen, The Doobie Brothers, Paul McCartney & Wings, Peter Frampton, Foreigner, Kiss, Boston and Journey as well as “Yacht Rock” favorites such as “Still the One” by Orleans and Pilot’s “Magic”, your audience will fall in love with this epic decade of memorable music all over again
Maurizio Russomanno, Rustic Barn Pub, Troy, 6pm-9pm
Maurizio Russomanno, a singer-songwriter from Troy, NY. Don’t miss your chance to see him live at Rustic Barn Pub on April 3!
First Friday with Kilashandra at The Eleven, Lark Hall, Albany, 6pm-8pm
Join us at The Eleven at Lark Hall for a First Friday show with Kilashandra. 6pm/FREE
Night Zero with special guests Fungkshui, Lark Hall, Albany, 8pm-11:59pm
Join us in welcoming back Night Zero feat. Rob Compa,Gubb, Adrian Tramantano, Leon Campos, with Ashbury’s Fungkshui . Friday 4/3; 8pm.
The virtuosic, Vermont-based jam quartet features the musical stylings of Rob Compa (Guitar, Dopapod/Neighbor), Zdenek Gubb (Bass, Twiddle), Adrian Tramontano (Drums, Reprise/Twiddle/ Kung Fu) and Leon Campos (Keys, Dwight & Nicole.)
A Band of Brothers: The Ultimate Tribute to The Allman Brothers, Putnam Place, Saratoga, 8:30pm-11:45pm
“A Band Of Brothers” isn’t just an Allman Brothers tribute band; they’re a powerhouse, uniting the top-tier talent of the East Coast. The brainchild of ace Boston guitarists Ryan Taylor and Johnny Trama, this collective, more than a mere homage, harness the Allman Brothers tradition as a vehicle to bring a unique and exciting experience every night.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Caffe Lena, Saratoga, 5pm-7pm; 8pm-10pm
Ladysmith Black Mambazo, South Africa’s Grammy award-winning choral group melds indigenous Zulu songs and dances with South African isicathamiya. Considered to be an inspiring cultural force by Nelson Mandela, Black Mambazo was first introduced to the world via Paul Simon’s Graceland. Since then, they’ve sold millions of albums worldwide, collaborated with Stevie Wonder, Dolly Parton, and Emmylou Harris, and performed for the Queen of England and Pope John Paul II. It is a tremendous honor and joy to give our audience this rare opportunity to see this ensemble in such an intimate setting!
Shannon Tehya Release Party, Lost and Found, Albany, 8pm
Take Steps (Record Release) / Senior Living / Sunbloc / Scotchka, No Fun, Troy, 7pm-11pm
From “Bar People.”
4/3 5:00 PM Dan Sherwin- Frog Alley Brewing
4/3 6:00 PM Christine Spero- Panza’s
4/3 6:00 PM Eric Kufs- Thirsty Owl
4/3 6:00 PM Half Empty- Spa City Tap & Barrel
4/3 6:00 PM Jay Maloney- S&S farm Brewery
4/3 6:00 PM John Stack- Treehouse Brewery
4/3 6:00 PM Kris Day- Hank Hudson Brewing
4/3 6:00 PM Larry Gravett- The Scarlet Knife
4/3 6:00 PM Maurizio Russamanno- Rustic Barn
4/3 6:00 PM Mike Purcell- Wishing Well
4/3 6:00 PM Pepper Shakers- Carsons Woodside Tavern
4/3 6:00 PM Ragged Company- Inn at Saratoga
4/3 6:00 PM Shine On- Bound By Fate Brewing
4/3 6:00 PM Steve Candlen- Saratoga Winery
4/3 6:00 PM Thom Powers- Powers Pub
4/3 6:00 PM Tim Wechgelaer & Chris Carey- Cock & Bull
4/3 6:30 PM Pat Gioia- Other One Brewery
4/3 6:30 PM Rich Ortiz- Diamond Club at Embassy Suites
4/3 6:30 PM Toga Boys- Peddlers Bar & Bistro
4/3 6:30 PM Tooty & The Mother Pluckers- Artisanal Brew Works
4/3 7:00 PM Chris Dollard- Principessa Elena
4/3 7:00 PM Francine & The Scene- Kraverie
4/3 7:00 PM POGO- O’Slattery’s
4/3 7:00 PM The Schmooze & DJ Biz- Night Owl
4/3 8:00 PM DJ Vision- Misfit
4/3 8:00 PM Donna & The Buffalo- Revolution Hall
4/3 8:00 PM Ladysmith Black Mambazo- Caffe Lena
4/3 8:00 PM Matt O’Rourke- Bourbon Room
4/3 8:00 PM Ryan Clark- Cooperstown Distilling Saratoga
4/3 8:00 PM Ten Most Wanted- Van Slycks at Rivers Casino
4/3 8:30 PM Band Of Brothers- Putnam Place
4/3 8:30 PM Big Sky Country- Frog Alley Brewing
4/3 9:30 PM Coverups- Spa City Tap & Barrel
Saturday, April 4th
Family Circle: Jordan Taylor Hill, The Egg, Albany, 2pm
Join multidisciplinary artist Jordan Taylor Hill for an interactive, high-energy drumming and movement experience designed for all ages. Families will explore rhythm through call-and-response songs, body percussion, live drumming, and simple movement rooted in West African and Afro-Caribbean traditions.
No experience is needed—just a willingness to participate. Jordan will bring drums and percussion instruments, and participants are also welcome to use their voices, hands, and feet as instruments. This joyful circle centers connection, creativity, and the power of rhythm to bring people together across generations.
Wine & Crime LIVE! Proctors Theatre, Schenectady, 7pm
Join the Wine & Crime Gals for a night of true crime, wine, and of course a rip-roaring good time! VIP ticket holders get preferred seating, a free merch item, and access to our post-show Q&A!
Exhorder, Empire Underground, Albany, 6:30pm
ALY & AJ – Places to Run Tour 2026, Empire Live, Albany, 8pm
Toys In The Attic w/s/g Stones Alive, Cohoes Music Hall, Cohoes, 7:30pm-10:30pm
E1PRESENTS – #1 Tribute to Aerosmith TOYS IN THE ATTIC W/ S/G Stones Alive, Featuring the Hottest New Stones band on the East Coast starring Tommy Love.
Toys In The Attic is a renowned tribute band dedicated to capturing the essence and energy of the iconic rock band Aerosmith. Known for their dynamic performances, Toys In The Attic meticulously recreates the sound and atmosphere of Aerosmith’s legendary concerts, bringing the timeless classics to life for audiences of all ages. The band’s members are seasoned musicians who share a deep passion for Aerosmith’s music, ensuring that every note and riff resonates with authenticity. From electrifying renditions of hits like “Dream On” and “Walk This Way” to the soulful ballads that defined a generation, Toys In The Attic delivers an exhilarating experience that pays homage to the rock legends while creating unforgettable memories for fans.
Harmonic Duo, Rustic Barn Pub, Troy, 7pm-10pm
Experience the mesmerizing harmonies of the Harmonic Duo, with the sound of a full band!
Monkey & the Crowbar Duo at the Eleven, Lark Hall, Albany, 6pm-8pm
Join us on Saturday, 4/4 at The Eleven at Lark Hall for Monkey & the Crowbar. 6pm-8pm; FREE
Monkey and the Crowbar have been playing for years in the Mohawk Valley and Capital Region. Their acoustic vibe of originals and Grateful Dead adjacent tunes makes for a hoot of a time. Fronted by Todd Herringshaw(guitar, vocals), band members Tree Casullo(percussion, vocals), Joe Sinchak(fiddle, mandolin, vocals) and Sharon Charles(bass) give an old-timey spin to tunes we all know and love.
Hex Goth Night at Lark Hall, Albany, 9pm-1am
Peeps! Come dance your fuzzy tails off at the next installation of Hex Goth Night at Lark Hall on Saturday 4/4. 9-1am // $10
Attention all peeps! This year, before zombie Jesus, we are celebrating the underappreciated devil bunnies that lay all your easter eggs. Devil bunnies work hard and play hard, so have a drink in their honor. Dance your fuzzy tail off. Find where these bunnies hid their eggs and break them open for a surprise. All bunny
representations are welcome, playboy bunnies, darko bunnies, onesie bunnies, devil bunnies come in all fashions. Or you can just come as
your beautiful self.
Easter Eve SPB Jamboree, Putnam Place, Saratoga, 8:30pm-11:59pm
Join us for the Silly Pink Bunnies 35th Anniversary Party featuring performances by The Let Downs, Looking for Frogs, and Smogwitch.
Bright Series: Olive Klug, Caffe Lena, Saratoga, 8pm-10pm
While it’s been only a short time since Olive Klug fully embraced the nontraditional life of a touring, van-dwelling musician, they’ve already emerged as one of the most compelling storytellers in contemporary folk.
Klug’s sophomore album, Lost Dog, is a fearless and deeply personal exploration of love, loss, freedom, and what it means to keep choosing adventure—even when the road leads through uncertainty. With fingerpicked guitar, warm vocals, and vivid lyrical imagery, Klug writes with striking emotional honesty, addressing everything from unrequited love and modern breakups to neurodivergence, identity, and the quiet loneliness that can accompany independence.
Yes Yes A Thousand Times Yes / Calicuzns / ETLY / Low Measure, No Fun, Troy, 7pm-11pm
From “Bar People.”
4/4 10:00 AM Tune Folk- Saratoga Farmers Market at Wilton Mall
4/4 2:00 PM Take 2- Keuka Winery Tasting Room
4/4 5:00 PM Art n Shawna- Artisanal Brew Works
4/4 5:00 PM Dirt Cheap Duo- Dancing Grain Farm Brewery
4/4 5:00 PM James Kelly- Frog Alley Brewing
4/4 6:00 PM Christine Spero- The Wishing Well
4/4 6:00 PM George Krakat- Powers Pub
4/4 6:00 PM Had The Radish- Inn at Saratoga
4/4 6:00 PM Jay Yager- Henry’s Tavern
4/4 6:00 PM Jeffrey Halstead- Panza’s
4/4 6:00 PM Ryan Cahill & Megan Morse- Spa City Tap & Barrel
4/4 6:00 PM Stef Solo- The Scarlet Knife
4/4 6:00 PM Steve Candlen- Thirsty Owl
4/4 6:00 PM Tame The Rooster Lite- Carsons Woodside Tavern
4/4 6:00 PM Vinyl Evolution- The View at Brookhaven Golf Course
4/4 6:30 PM Pat Decker- Diamond Club at Embassy Suites
4/4 7:00 PM Accoustic Rodeo- Outpost 40
4/4 7:00 PM Chris Dollard- Principessa Elena
4/4 7:00 PM Harmonic Duo- Rustic Barn
4/4 7:00 PM Jeff Brisbin- Dukes Chophouse At Rivers Casino
4/4 7:00 PM Late Night Philosophers & DJ Biz- Night Owl
4/4 7:00 PM Nostalgia- Holy Moses
4/4 7:00 PM River Country- Cherry Plain Square #17
4/4 7:00 PM Rubi Rose & The MoFo’s- Kraverie
4/4 8:00 PM DJ Eric Whin- Misfit
4/4 8:00 PM Martin & Kelly- Van Slycks at Rivers Casino
4/4 8:30 PM Big Eyed Phish- Frog Alley Brewing
4/4 9:30 PM Tailspin- Spa City Tap & Barrel
Sunday, Aprill 5th
The Meteors / Blase Debris / The A.M.s, No Fun, Troy, 7pm-11pm
From “Bar People.”
4/5 3:00 PM Artie Mozeik- Panza’s
4/5 4:00 PM Chris Dollard & Nick Horace- Carsons Woodside Tavern
4/5 4:00 PM Triple Trouble wsg Jodi Lynn- Artisanal Brew Works
4/5 5:00 PM Bobbie Van Detta- Charlton Tavern