Metroland_Mar 2025

| meet the staff

| contents

staff

editor-in-chief & publisher

Erin Harkes

editor

TJ Foster

associate editors

Rory Graham, Dana Brady

director of art & photography

Kiki Vassilakis

music relations & content manager

Andy Scullin

graphic designer

Kevin Wisehart

contributors

Elissa Ebersold, James Mullen, Tom Miller, Patrick White, Natalie St. Denis, Becky Daniels, Jaye McBride, Dana Owens, Dan Savage, RM Engelhardt, Izzy Vassilakis, Ryan Shanahan, Debi Gustafson, Tyler Gandolfo, Michael Slayton, Corey Dempsey, Adem Jones and Stacie Leininger

Cover photo by Kiki Vassilakis

| from our editor

by Erin Harkes

Yes. I am on the cover. Who am I? Oprah? (I’m not)

Hear me out.

I was on the cover in March of 2005 for the first time, and again in March of 2015. So, I’m sorry–it’s March of 2025 and I feel like I have to. I promise I won’t ever do it again. And if you do see me on the cover again, it’ll likely be because I’ve died.

(I also thought it might be nice to introduce my team to you all in the form of mutually conducted Q&As. This is the best group of people I’ve ever worked with and I’m excited for you all to “meet” them. I didn’t do the Q&A like the rest of the staff–y’all know enough about me already.)

Here’s something you may NOT know. I get asked often why I decided to start this massive undertaking. I haven’t discussed this much publicly, but one of the reasons I wanted to start this publication is because some of the other ones didn’t feel like options for me anymore. Things have happened in the community that have made myself and other women feel unsafe. I wanted a space that was safer. Honestly, just having a woman in this position eliminates a lot of those problems. I’m not without flaws, but being a sexual predator is not on my CV and it’s a shame the bar has been set that low.

You’re welcome to disagree with me, but understand that means that you have just had a different experience than I have. (As a whole, we’d be a much more tolerant society if folks could recognize that, IMHO…) And I am happy for you; it means that no one aggressively tried to exploit you or assault you at a young age. It means you don’t blame yourself for allowing it to happen because of how badly you wanted the opportunity to showcase your talent or “make it” in your particular field.

When the #MeToo movement started, I know of several men who chimed in, lest we forget that it also happens to men. (The movement didn’t intentionally omit anyone, but…)

All I know is I have been in unsavory predicaments while:

• Getting the gig

• Getting TO the gig

• AT the gig

• Getting paid FOR the gig

• On my way HOME from the gig

• By bandmates

• By bookers

• By audience members

• By bouncers

• By bartenders

And more. Not to diminish any man’s similar experience, but suffice to say it MIGHT just affect women, those who identify as women, and femme presenting people a tad more.

The amount of shit I’ve had to “shake off” in my desire to “make it” is nauseating in hindsight. Still, I’ve learned a lot from experience and want to help others learn without having to go through it. There are so many beautiful rites of passages in this industry and if I can provide those for young artists (female, male, or other) I will. Especially if it helps show the difference between a solid opportunity and a potentially dangerous one.

No amount of fame is worth your self-respect. It’s time we start eliminating predators one at a time and do it loudly enough to dissuade anyone who thinks they might be able to ever get away with it moving forward. The first step in that is to create safe and viable options and opportunities that don’t come with a lascivious quid pro quo.

I don’t know if it was superstition or numerology or nostalgia that made me (gratuitously) put myself on the cover — believe me, I went back and forth on that — but fuck it. And if in ten years, we’re still kicking (who am I kidding - “WHEN”) maybe they’ll put me on the cover again. I’ll be long gone by then, hiding in a cave in Utah after stealing from everyone and the cover will be my wanted poster.

The woman on the cover has been through a lot in the past 20 years. Being on the cover the first time was such an integral part of my burgeoning career. I’ve had some amazing opportunities since and learned so much that I’m honestly running out of space in my brain.

To alleviate that pressure, I’m going to pass along some of those lessons to those around me and help elevate other artists as best I can. And I’m going to create the safest environment possible for my wonderful staff (who you’ll get to know a little more about in the coming pages).

I promise each letter from me will not be this heavy and I’m not going to turn this into an agenda. But if a little ‘activism’ ekes through, then so be it. If it makes you uncomfortable, I’m sorry. But I’ve been made uncomfortable before so you’ll survive it.

Besides, if (some) men can use their positions/platforms to be exploitative predators, I can use mine any way I want. I promise though, my intentions are all benevolent.

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Happy Women’s History Month!

Erin Harkes Editor-In-Chief & Publisher

YOUTH STAGE W/ HOST

ELLIE FRIDAY-HOHMAN

FEATURING

HARLEY REIGN, BELLA SANO AND MORE!

LATER…….

BLAZE YA DEAD HOMIE, EMPIRE UNDERGROUND (7PM) IT'S A 2000'S PARTY, EMPIRE LIVE (8PM) LEE ROSS AND MICHAEL WILBER OF MOON HOOCH, 8PM DOORS $20 CRACKED KARAOKE, THE DIVE (9PM)

ALSO COMING IN MARCH

Black Bag • The Alto Knights

COMING IN MARCH

Mickey 17 • The Alto Knights Novocaine • Disney Snow White The Woman in the Yard

| confessions from the underground

imposter syndrome

by TJ Foster

Doubt is pretty much my middle name. We musicians are full of it. It’s almost a prerequisite for such a profession, and I for one have been feeling it for as long as I can remember. Even here at Metroland, I sometimes think to myself, “What am I even doing? These writers are all so much better than me!” So when Deanna DeLuke reached out to me about her own battles with self-doubt, I knew what had to be done: a lengthy, deep-dive conversation, of course. That’s what you came here for, right?! Deanna and I go back more than a decade, when our former bands were playing shows together in the area. I have really fond memories of both that time and those bands, and so it was really exciting for me to learn that Deanna was gearing up to release some new solo music this year. Spoiler alert: it’s great. So – without further ado, here’s a conversation about imposter syndrome. I’m going to worry about whether I did a good enough job on it now..

Deanna DeLuke: Thank you for having me! I’m really happy about it. [This] column, with the different deep-dive topics, is one of my favorites.

TJ Foster: Oh, that means so much to me! Sometimes I do these and wonder, “is this just for me? Does anyone even read this?” (laughs) So I’m glad to hear that you enjoy it. Now, as you know, I usually come up with a topic and then blindside my guests with it, but you and I were talking recently and you mentioned experiencing some imposter syndrome, and I thought it was such a great topic for this column. So talk to me a little bit about that. Where does all this stem from for you?

DD: I think there’s a range, for sure. It can start with just some basic insecurities and anxieties, to maybe something more deeply rooted, where a person really has trouble recognizing how good they are, or how accomplished or talented or appreciated they are. I don’t think I’m off the deep end with it but, just to put it very basically, I definitely wonder sometimes, like, “Is this any good?” And I’ve had to shift my definition of what ‘good’ is, or what it means to me. And I’ve gotten, I think, to a place where, if I like it, then that’s good enough. And if someone else gets something out of it, even better. But yeah, instead of looking for external recognition, I’ve been trying to, I guess, ‘un-imposter syndrome’ my brain by just thinking about how I feel, and if it fulfills a need. How do you define it, though?

TF: Honestly, it’s very similar to you, but I feel like the older I get, the more top of

mind it is. It’s almost like, the longer you’ve been doing something and trying to do it well , the more it feels like you’re not. And I don’t know why. But what you just said was very relatable to me, because I’ve also been trying to do similar things and live by that old mantra, ‘don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.’ As musicians, I think we’re always chasing “perfection,” but it’s never gonna come, is it? Nothing’s perfect, and music especially shouldn’t be! When I’m making a song, I always end up in the same cycle. Right away, I might feel like it’s the best thing I’ve ever done. Then, I start actually recording it and think it absolutely sucks. It ebbs and flows. Eventually, I’ll get to a point of complacency, throw my hands up and decide to release it whether I’m fully satisfied or not. Which I’ve learned I never really will be.

DD: Well, I can confirm nothing you have put out sucks. I think your music is excellent. I really love your songwriting. I think your recordings sound great. I’m not just saying this, but as an unbiased external person, I can say that you are really good, I promise.

TF: Well geez, thank you. And right back at you! I mean, I’ve

loved your stuff forever, since we started playing shows together, in the early 2010s, I think it was.

DD: Right, yeah, with Lucky Jukebox [Brigade]. We got started in 2010, which is wild! So, yeah, I’m

Photo provided by artist

glad that we’re both still doing what we’re doing.

TF: So obviously you took a break for a bit from making music. When was the last time you put something out?

DD: I think it was around 2015 with the band. I’ve been writing on and off since then. The band just kind of dissolved, in a very amicable way. I think we’re all still best friends, but to not be making music together was really tough for me to adjust to, because I had wanted that band to be a career band, where we could go on tour and at least financially sustain ourselves for a while doing that. And it didn’t happen. I think for most bands it unfortunately doesn’t happen; it doesn’t really matter how talented you are, to some extent. So, I think I was kind of depressed about that for a couple years. I maybe had a more complicated relationship with making music at the time, because to some extent it made me sad to think, like, “Okay, I’m writing this song, but there’s no band…” It felt a little lonely. But at the same time, I didn’t really have the energy to invite other people in at that point.

All along, I’ve still been writing, especially within the past four years, and I think I really sped up my writing around like January of 2020, and that was because of anxiety I was feeling — imposter syndrome-esque — about something non-music related going on in my life. I want to touch on that later. But I was just a crazy bundle of feelings and unbalanced neurotransmitters and whatever else.

TF: It’s crazy to me to hear you say that about Lucky Jukebox because I was in the exact same position as you were at that time. I feel like our bands were kind of coming up together. And then it seemed like everything just fizzled really quickly. And tell me if this is true for you too, but for me, I think that really layered in a lot of this imposter syndrome feeling for longer than I even realized.

DD: I definitely feel that too, and it’s kind of comforting to hear that you also experienced that. It makes sense when you have a project that you kind of think is “endgame,” and it doesn’t pan out that way. I think it brought up a lot of those feelings of self-doubt, anxiety and even sadness or depression because it didn’t go where I wanted it to go, despite how hard we all worked for it. And same with you guys just being really talented, really pushing, but it just doesn’t… for whatever reasons, which I don’t think have anything to do with the music itself… happen. I think that definitely

put in a foundation of, I don’t know… “Was this ever any good?” or “Were we working hard enough?” or “Were we playing enough shows?”

TF: What other sorts of things, for you, trigger these doubts?

DD: For me, it’s definitely the recording process, especially because the music I’m working on now, it’s all DIY. I’m calling them bedroom recordings because I’m doing them here in my bedroom. But I’m not an engineer. I’m not a producer. That’s not my background at all. I’m just doing what I can with a home recording setup. So I’ve been very, I don’t know, doubtful of how good I can make a song sound with the skills and equipment that I have, or lack thereof. But then I was thinking, like you said, nothing’s ever perfect. You can always feel like something could be different.

I can think of recordings that we spent days on in the studio, and I’ll still go back and listen to them and find things that I don’t like. So knowing that — with the amazing producers that [Lucky Jukebox Brigade] worked with in the past, and the studios we worked in — I can still listen and not feel great about the way it came out, I might as well just do this because I’m enjoying it. I’m enjoying recording and mixing and mastering to the best of my ability, and learning more about how to do it as I go along. It’s definitely making me feel good creatively. So I guess that’s another question: where’s the line between selfdoubt and just being honest with yourself about your strengths and limitations? I know that my recordings aren’t going to come out sounding as objectively good as they would if I were in a studio with someone who does that for their passion and their work. At what point is imposter syndrome just being honest with yourself about the good and the bad?

TF: That’s a really good question. I think it’s almost important to identify… not what you are, but like, what’s the main thing you’re doing, right? Because at the end of the day, if you really think about it, you are tackling three – no, four – very different things. You’re writing a song, then you’re tracking the song, and now you’re also mixing and mastering the song. You have to wear all these different hats at once, and there’s very few people that I’ve found that can do all of those things perfectly! I look at you, and I look at your songs, and I’m like, “what an amazing songwriter.” At the end of the day, whatever it sounds like doesn’t really matter

because the songs themselves are good.

DD: Thank you.

TF: I love a good song. If it was recorded in a bedroom, or if it was recorded in a $500,000 studio, it doesn’t really matter. So yes, I feel like we do have to be honest with ourselves in some aspects. I contradict this all the time. Up until this last record [E.R.I.E.] just did, I was very passionate about doing things myself because I enjoyed it. It felt like having more control and doing it on my own terms was a net positive. But also, I found that I was putting a lot more pressure on myself, and that didn’t yield great results. So the way I’m hearing you describe this is, you’re learning as you go and accepting how it’s going to come out. And it’s coming out great!

DD: I guess in terms of being honest about the process, I do feel confident in my songwriting. If I’m at the point where I’m going to record a song and put it out, I already love the song. It’s just the technical stuff that I know I’m not as good at and that’s okay. I am choosing to do it this way, and I’m enjoying doing it this way. Maybe eventually I would want to re-record everything in a $500,000 studio, but for now I want to represent the songs as best I can with what I have. And I think just finding that place of acceptance –especially being a perfectionist as so many of us musicians and artists are – where it doesn’t have to be perfect in order for me to feel good about it? It’s kind of a revelation.

TF: Being in the middle of putting out new music, what things have really gotten you over that hump of self-doubt?

DD: I think just being able to get the songs to sound better than I thought I was capable of. They’re definitely not as good as any of the producers I’ve worked with in the past would make them sound but, as I’m working on them, most of the time I’m feeling okay [about them]. And I think, like you said, just focusing on the songwriting. Because I do agree; if a song is good, whether it’s recorded on a voice memo or in an amazing studio, it’s going to sound good. Listening to like, Taylor Swift for example – the voice memos of some of her songs, I still like them. It’s still a good song and you can hear that, even if it’s just something she sang into her phone!

TF: It’s funny you say that, because that’s like a whole other trip down imposter syndrome. Like, “This is way too good for a voice memo,

Photo credit: Ann Kielbasa

I give up.” (laughs)

DD: That’s right, that could be another whole conversation.

TF: I have had similar conversations with other musicians in the area, and that in itself is a revelation, just to hear how many others feel this sense of imposter syndrome. Have you encountered any of that along the way?

DD: Yeah, I definitely have. From people including you, who I think highly of and love their music and their songwriting; from my perspective, it feels like there’s no reason they should feel that way. But it’s not rational! I mean, it’s coming from a place that’s not grounded in reality. And sometimes I think it just helps to hear that from somebody else, and maybe talking about it helps – to say it out loud to someone they trust to give them an honest opinion. Because if someone comes back and says, “No, you’re crazy, this is fucking awesome! What are you talking about?” It kind of resets your mind about it a bit. But I was also doing some reading leading up to this and learned that some of the most talented people in history have struggled with this too. It’s something that Nina Simone talked about in interviews. So it’s definitely not unique to anyone in the artistic community, I don’t think.

TF: So, as we said earlier, we go back performing-wise to almost 15 years ago. When did you start making music?

DD: I first started in high school. That was my first… band? I’ll say we were a band. I think we had like three songs, and that’s fine. That’s when I started playing guitar, taking lessons, and I had two friends who I wrote with. We played some local high school shows and it was great. From there, I started writing solo stuff, maybe around age 18 or 19, and the very first songs I ever recorded were done exactly the way I’m doing them now: alone with a MacBook, a not-so-great microphone, and GarageBand. So it’s kind of interesting that I’ve come back around to that. I think I’m feeling, I don’t know, some of the same feelings I felt then in a good way: just doing this for me, more than what other people are going to say about it.

TF: I started making music when I was maybe 12. And I certainly don’t recall feeling like this back then. Like, we were all just kind of cocky kids, playing music because we wanted to impress people, and having fun. But at some point along the way, these imposter feelings start developing. So I wanted to ask you, at

what point in the journey do you think we start developing all that? When we’re young, we have these dreams of doing this thing forever, and then once we get to a certain age, it’s like, “Oh, shit. This isn’t going to happen, is it?” Do you think it’s an age thing?

DD: I mean, maybe. Or maybe as we age, we just develop more self-awareness in general. I think at some point, when I was first writing solo stuff,

maybe in my early 20s, I knew that some of what I was writing sucked. But I also kind of knew that I had to work through it and be okay with writing songs that either sucked or were mediocre at best, just to learn how to do it. I could’ve stopped because I didn’t like what I was making, or pushed through and learned how to write songs that I was proud of. And I think I was able to do that.

I think maybe where more of the imposter syn-

Photo provided by artist

drome questions came in — which you kind of identified for me actually, I hadn’t really thought too much about this — was Lucky Jukebox Brigade not working out. I really hadn’t thought much about myself as a musician outside of that band because I was just so all-in with that project.

TF: You said you wanted to come back to some more personal elements of this topic, so I’m curious how that plays into everything for you?

DD: I think what launched a lot of this [new] songwriting was something that’s probably relatable: when you’re in a new relationship or just falling madly in love with someone and you go a little crazy. It’s that feeling of, “Oh, I really want this to last. But what if it doesn’t last?” Just the way you can spiral, while you’re also wrapped up in the magic of having that new relationship, new love, whatever. And I think that could definitely be coming from a place of anxiety, self-doubt, insecurity, whatever. So for me, I felt insane. I guess I had to write some songs about it, because I didn’t know what else to do with it.

I remember sitting on the shag carpet in the apartment I lived in at the time – this purple shag carpet, loved that thing. I started a song [called “There Is a House”], and it wasn’t like I wrote the whole thing in one sitting, but as soon as I started it, I felt so much better. It was like this big lift, or an untangling of wires. Whenever I feel something that’s not serving me, I’ll try to somehow make something out of it that does serve me, if that makes sense.

TF: Yeah. And I think that’s incredibly healthy! Art almost has to come from that place of raw feeling. The best songs, I feel, are like the one you just described. They almost pour out of you.

DD: It did, but it probably also started as gibberish. (laughs) It came from a place of intense emotion, but it was still gibberish.

TF: So as you probably know, I like to wrap up like this, but for anyone out there grappling with these similar feelings, do you have any advice, or words of wisdom for how to work through them? Or maybe any best practices for the rest of us?

DD: I think it’s important to know that it’s not grounded completely in reality. And I think it helps, like I said, to talk to someone else who knows you well, and can sort of reset the way you’re looking

at yourself. Also, think about what you can do with these feelings that will maybe help to flip them into something better. That could just be like knowing that they’re not real, and moving on or letting them go. Or it can be turning it into a song or a piece of art or just a conversation. It’s a pretty universal experience. I was reading some stuff last night, and I think I read something that said 80% of people in creative worlds experience these feelings. And it was based on a study in… what was it? I don’t know. It was science. (laughs) I know it was science. But sometimes we can get so stuck in our heads and feel like not only are we having these emotions or thoughts about ourselves and our work, but we can feel really lonely in that, as if we’re the only people struggling with it.

TF: Yeah, once you put numbers to it, 80% is pretty much ‘normal.’

DD: And maybe it just comes from caring a lot about what we do. We want it to be good. We want it to be perfect, because we love it and we’re passionate about it. That, in itself, is not a bad

thing.

TF: That’s such a good point to make, right? At the end of the day, this is a very human thing! And just to add on a little bit to the advice portion, because I’ve been trying to be better about this myself, but it’s similar to when you’re feeling just physically rundown, right? It’s your body’s way of telling you that you need to rest. And I can’t speak for anyone but myself, but I am terrible at listening to that voice. I think it’s the same thing creatively! If you’re kind of feeling stuck in that mode of self-doubt more than not, then maybe it’s time to take a break and explore something else for a minute. I do find that helpful as well.

DD: I like that a lot too. And just be nice to yourself! I think that’s important. Try to push out any negative thoughts, and maybe take a break from whatever’s making you feel that way and do something that is completely unrelated, even just for a few minutes.

Photo provided by artist

|meet |the |staff

| q&a: kiki vassilakis

metroland staff interviews by

Erin Harkes

Erin Harkes: What is your favorite local venue?

Kiki Vassilakis: As a photographer I love shooting at No Fun and Empire Live/Underground – they have some of the best lighting for my personal aesthetic. Completely different from each other and set the tone of the venue.

EH: What are your first memories of taking pictures?

KV: My dad used to take a lot of photos and I was super attracted to it as a young kid. I took a bunch of photography classes in school and also college – mostly black and white film. Still some of my favorite pics to date. I should try and find the prints and/or negatives at my parents house.

EH: What are your other favorite subjects to photograph (besides music)?

KV: My wife and my kids. Cuz she’s hot and they’re adorable.

EH: What would you consider your “bragging rights” concert?

KV: From a photographer’s and fan girl’s perspective, being a part of the team for World Pride in NYC a few years back allowed me to take photos of Mel C and if you knew me as a youth, there was nothing I wouldn’t have done for the Spice Girls. I literally was hyperventilating shooting it. I’m not one to gush normally over people I’ve met, but I never thought I would ever see a Spice Girl as close IRL as I did.

Question though: would The Women’s March be considered a concert in some way? Because I got to see Madonna, Cher, Janelle Monet, Alicia Keys, and so many people I never thought I’d be near in my wildest dreams.

EH: What are your goals for the local arts scene?

KV: I used to have a lot more goals (touring, etc) but right now, documenting as much of it as my insane life will allow me to. There are a lot of amazing things going on right now and capturing it has been a true pleasure.

EH: Lastly, sum yourself up in five words or less.

KV: A panda is my patronus.

Photo credit: Debi Gustafson

| q&a: tj foster

metroland staff interviews by

Rory Graham

Rory Graham: I know you’ve been involved for years, not just in the Capital Region music scene but your own ventures, whether it was The Rodeo Mag, E.R.I.E., or Accents. What made you realize, “My life is going to always have music in it”?

TJ Foster: Growing up, my thing was baseball. I played spring, summer, fall…constantly. As I got older, everyone started eclipsing my abilities; I just couldn’t keep up. Once that happened, I knew it wasn’t for me anymore. I had just started taking guitar lessons and realized, “Oh, this is my thing.” A year or two later, I remember hearing— this is so ‘90s—”What’s My Age Again?” on TRL for the first time. I was like, “This is the music I want to make!” Now, even when I take a break from music, I feel weird. It’s like having that guitar, having songwriting in general, is this extra limb that feels severed when it’s not there.

RG: I was going to ask what’s your “bragging rights” concert, but for you, I’m interested to hear what takes the cake: was it a concert that you played, a concert that you saw, or an interview that you conducted?

TF: I have an answer for all three! My band in college, The Cast Before the Break, was selected to play this festival down in Jersey called Bamboozle. It was like a one-day Warped Tour at MetLife Stadium. We played on some side stage, but to say we were there is still wild to me. It’s a high that I’ve been chasing ever since.

For interviews, I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing a lot of artists I admire. Dave Baksh, the guitarist from Sum 41, stands out. Not only is he an amazing musician, but you wouldn’t have known he was this rock star that’s sold millions and millions of records. It was like having coffee with someone I’ve known forever. Such a down to earth dude.

Concert-wise, Death Cab for Cutie did this tour years ago where they played smaller rooms to try out some new songs. They played this 600-capacity room in Boston; it was incredible. I happened to know a guy there who had worked on Plans and also one of my old band’s records. After the show, he winked and said, “Stick around for a bit.” I was able to have an incredible hourlong conversation with their old guitarist, Chris Walla, who was an idol of mine. That’s another high that I’ve been chasing for a long time.

RG: That’s hard to top. Building on your musical idols, why is art important to you?

TF: It helped me process feelings that most teenagers go through. That’s how I fell in love with music, and it’s the overarching reason why it’s important to me today. Lately, I’ve found importance in collaboration. My writing has always been very isolated, but in recent years, being able to collaborate with so many awesome people from this area–Sydney Worthley is a great example. I’m such a huge fan of her music, and being able to work with her, and others, is incredibly inspiring.

the end of Metroland’s time, so I knew of its lore. I knew how important it was to people, but I never really experienced it firsthand. When the three of us first met, and discussed wanting to bring a new perspective to local media that represented more artforms and was a better resource for the community, Metroland wasn’t really part of the conversation. It didn’t even cross my mind. Four or five months later, I got on the phone [with Erin] and she told me, “I just acquired the rights to Metroland!” I had no idea that she was working on this at all.

RG: So that brings me to something similar: we know that Metroland sprang out of collaboration between you, Erin Harkes, and Andy Scullin. This is a big question for each of you. What does Metroland mean to you?

TJ: I’m a little unique in that I didn’t grow up around here; I grew up in Connecticut. I went to college in Oneonta and then I moved here near

Going back through old Metrolands to see what they did and how we can honor that has been really cool. Receiving feedback from the community about how much they’ve missed picking one up has too. I’ve honestly never felt this fulfilled in a professional environment. It means a hell of a lot. Between that and having such an awesome team that cares about what they’re doing, and is really fucking good at what they do, it’s awesome.

Photo credit: Kiki Vassilakis

| q&a: rory graham

metroland staff interviews by TJ Foster

TJ Foster: I know your Dad has played music here for ages. So I’m curious: growing up, what was your relationship like with music?

Rory Graham: It was everywhere. There’s many pictures of me either with my dad’s big headphones on, or with a little play microphone. I really started to get a feel for local music when we started doing the WILDWOODstock benefits, because I had never been to shows or anything before that. And it was all names that I’d heard around my house!

I think the moment when I was like, “Damn, I actually might like my parents’ music…” was, I remember having a song stuck in my head, and I didn’t know what it was, but I remembered some of the lyrics. I googled them on my iPod Touch, hoping it was something I’d heard on EQX, but it was “Old White Lincoln” by The Gaslight Anthem. And I remember thinking, “That’s one of my dad’s bands. You’re kidding me.” After that, I just kind of leaned in.

TF: It’s so funny because no one wants to like their parents’ music.

RG: I could never ask, “Have you heard of so and so?” because [my Dad] had heard of it all. And my mom covered everything pre-2000. She was a big ‘70s, ‘80s music fan. It makes me good at trivia!

TF: Besides WILDWOODstock, what was the first concert you attended?

RG: Like a real upstate kid, it was at SPAC, and it was Paramore and Fall Out Boy. I loved both of them, especially being in my middle school emo phase. Of course, who did I go with? Both my parents! And it was a great time.

TF: That’s a pretty epic first show! Why is art important to you?

RG: I’ve always been drawn to it, even when I went to college focusing on STEM. I took all those classes in high school and thought, “I’m gonna be a physical therapist. I’m going into the sciences.” But a year in, I hated it, and I loved all of my English classes. I loved literature and writing and music and I couldn’t leave that part of me out. So I went and majored in English.

When I do album or show reviews, I like writing about the lyrics. I’m an English teacher, so obviously I like the literary part of it, but seeing that window into other people’s minds – it makes you feel less alone. It feels cheesy to say but it does, and that’s a unique and special thing. You can’t find

that kind of thoughtful connection as easily in your daily life; you need art to get that.

TF: Art related or not, what is your favorite “hidden gem” in the Capital Region?

RG: I have to go with the one near and dear to my heart, Cupola Coffee in Burnt Hills. We’ve never had, at least as long as I’ve been growing up here, a small artistic space that’s also functional, where the art community could really gather. It’s cool as an adult to see that for our small… we’re not even a town, we’re a hamlet. Fun fact.

They’re going to start hosting poetry nights and live music and more interactive things which, now being a part of Metroland, I see the value in bringing that part of the community together. Being able to watch it start, have everybody rally around it, and then have it coalesce into this is really special.

TF: I will definitely check that out! So lastly, if you had to sum yourself up in five words, what would they be?

RG: I actually do this six-word memoir thing to start the school year so I’ve thought about this before. I’m gonna go with this: lots of room to grow. Because I am — both at Metroland and in the real world — comparatively young and inexperienced, with lots of room to grow. But it’s a good thing. I used to look at that and be like, “Oh my god. This is overwhelming.” Now I’m trying to look at it like, “This is cool. I have lots of good people in my corner that support me and show me what’s up, and I have lots of room to grow.”

TF: And now you’re nominated for an Eddie!

RG: Which is crazy. I called my mom on my lunch break, which I never do.

Photo credit: Kiki Vassilakis

| q&a: natalie st. denis

metroland staff interviews by

Dana Brady

Dana Brady: So Natalie, what was the experience that made you realize music journalism was going to be something you pursue?

Natalie St. Denis: Well, for me, I grew up with parents who were always bringing me to concerts and were really into music… I’ve always really loved writing, too. Right when I graduated college, I saw that Metroland started back up and my dad had always talked about Metroland as I was growing up. Even though I wasn’t alive when it started, I was like, this sounds pretty cool; I go to shows all the time so it just kind of made sense for me

always wanted to do. I think just the timing of it maybe was the experience in itself.

DB: Oh, that’s awesome. I have an older sister who also read Metroland back in the day. She also turned me onto a bunch of cool older bands and things like that. So when you do go to shows, what would you say is your biggest pet peeve?

NS: I’m like 5’2”, and so I’m used to having trouble seeing at shows and that’s just how it is. But for some reason it really bothers me when people are like, “Can you see?” and they make it a huge thing, because like, I’ll finagle my way up there. I

to write about the shows I go to. I don’t know if there’s a single kind of experience that shaped that, but I guess it definitely is something I’ve

might be short, but I have the advantage that I can scoot past everyone. For some reason it bothers me when people [deliberately] move out of the

way. I don’t know why, but it does.

DB: I’m also 5’2”! Alright, this next question is really hard: what are your five desert island artists?

NS: One — in no particular order — I would probably say is, The Strokes. Then this band called Momma, The 1975… ah, this is such a tough question, but probably Catfish and the Bottlemen and then probably Hippo Campus, actually, to switch up the indie vibe to a more poppy genre.

DB: Yeah, I feel like if it’s gonna be “desert island” you’ve really got to have a mix. Which filters in pretty well to this next question: what would you say was the best concert you’ve attended? Or, “bragging rights” concert, whatever that means to you.

NS: As far as super popular artists go, it’s pretty mainstream but I saw Billie Eilish before she was performing in arenas. I saw her in this tiny venue in Philly, I think it was, and I could actually see her. I don’t even know if it was sold out, she was just kind of starting out.

DB: Wow, what year was that?

NS: At least like, seven years ago maybe? I think Denzel Curry opened for her, which was really cool.

DB: …and to close us out, what is your favorite area hidden gem?

NS: I live in Burnt Hills so I’m really close to the Ballston Spa area and I feel like there’s a lot of cute shops. There’s one tiny strip down that way, so not a whole lot of music, but there’s small businesses and cute restaurants and stuff. My friends would always go there after high school. The Ballston Spa area always felt a little bit bigger than Burnt Hills because Burnt Hills is pretty small–it was kind of the closest area to actually do stuff out of my small town.

Photo credit: Kiki Vassilakis

| q&a: dana brady

metroland staff interviews by

Natalie St. Denis

Natalie St. Denis: What does Metroland mean to you?

Dana Brady : I actually interned at the original Metroland toward the end of their life cycle, so when I was like 19. And actually, I recently went through a bunch of old emails where, as a teenager, I had to get an internship and I was running out of places to look; I really, really wanted to write for Metroland. So I basically was begging the Associate Editor to take me on because I don’t think they, at the time, had the capacity or really wanted an intern. This went on for weeks, where I was just like ‘hey, I’ll send you my resume, I’ll send you whatever you need,’ and they did end up taking me on.

I remember when I was a freshman in college, all my friends moved away to out of state colleges, so I was kind of on my own and I would just mope around coffee shops and always picked up Metroland because it was free. I loved music magazines in general as a kid and I would go to bookstores and just buy up whatever, like i-D or Interview or Nylon, any of those kinds of magazines, and just tear through them. All that kind of stuff was really important to me as a kid and still is, so it’s kind of a full circle moment working for them now.

NS: I feel like a lot of people on the staff have a full circle kind of thing. When I told my dad, ‘I’m gonna message them and see if I can write,’ he was like, ‘that would be so cool,’ and he told all his friends from college and stuff.

NS: Why is art important to you?

DB: Having an older sister who is an artist, she exposed me to art galleries and different weird art from an early age, and I just feel like it’s so ingrained in us as people to gravitate toward art. I’ve never met someone that’s like ‘I hate art,’ or if they do, it’s because they feel like they can’t draw,

or they feel like they don’t have the permission to make art. So it’s important to me, because it’s just another way to express yourself.

NS: Cool. And then I also challenge you to the question of your five ‘deserted island’ artists?

DB: I would have to go with Elliott Smith. He’s like, very sad boy, but I’ve loved him ever since I was a teenager. I also really love Sonic Youth and MF Doom. And then maybe Angel Olsen and Wipers.

NS: That’s a good mix, I would say. My next question: sum yourself up in five words or less?

DB: That’s so hard to do. I would say I’m curious, silly, I’m indecisive for sure, adaptable, and then I think as I’ve gotten a little older, I’m a little bit more introverted. I kind of go between needing a lot of socialness, but then backing out of it and being like, ‘oh, maybe I’d rather just stay home.’

NS: Guilty pleasure artist or song?

DB : Oh, damn. So I kind of struggle with this question, because I always want to push back against “guilty pleasure,” because I’m just sort of like, ‘if you like it, just own it. Love it for what it is.’ But, I would have to say my guilty pleasure is probably Billy Joel.

NS: Classic.

DB: I just find him so funny because he’s just this wild, Long Island man and a lot of the music is very sentimental to me because my husband has a lot of Long Island relatives and so they all introduced him to Billy Joel and he introduced me. We’ve just listened to his records on a loop and it’s very sentimental to me.

| q&a: andy scullin

metroland staff interviews by

James Mullen

James Mullen: When we’re talking about the spotlight you shine on local music and everything with Unsigned518, what’s your inspiration? What moves you to do what you do?

Andy Scullin: I think, more than anything, it’s my need, or maybe not need but my desire to help people and use my enthusiasm to push not only myself, but to push others. I think a lot of people just getting started may not have the resources or the direction or the knowledge of what they want; if I can help guide someone towards a goal or check in with them, or have them check in with me and find out how their their musical journey is going, that’s what does it for me. The helping of other people, the whole community thing.

JM: What are your goals for the local arts scene? Where do you see this place ideally when you’re talking about elevating yourself and the people around you?

AS: I want it to be a hub where people can go wherever they want. You’ve got to understand that in a local music scene, not everybody wants to leave it. Some people are doing it like myself (with ShortWave RadioBand) for instance; I have no interest in touring or leaving the 518. I’m doing it as an artistic expression. It’s kind of selfish, you know – I’m doing it for myself. I’m not doing it for anybody else. But some people may want to take that next step, and regionally tour or become a national act and make the music thing their whole entire life. I want to see this community be able to nurture any of that. From the person that just wants to play acoustically in the corner of a brewery to the person that wants to play stadiums.

JM: How do you feel about the term “guilty pleasures”? Would you call anything you like that?

AS: I’m not guilty of any of the music or things

that I like, alright?! I don’t feel that way, I’ve never felt guilty for the music.

JM: More like guilt-less pleasures, am I right?

AS: Yeah, I love what I love. Everything from punk rock to, you know, Chappell Roan.

JM: So who would be your top five desert island artists?

AS: That would be Descendants, NOFX, Less than Jake, Rancid, and Deftones.

JM: Last up: Tell me your favorite local venue.

AS: My favorite local venue is SingleCut North in Clifton Park. They have an orange aesthetic, the team there kicks ass, and they’re very musiccentered. They play vinyl, and they pay attention to local music. They book local bands. They recently expanded their stage, which just goes to show you that they’re really paying attention. We do AndyPalooza there every year, and they are really cool about that and let us run with any ideas. They also take good care of the bands that play there. Shout out to Sweet T and Corey!

Photo credit: Kiki Vassilakis

| q&a: james mullen

metroland staff interviews

Andy Scullin: Sum yourself up in five words or less.

James Mullen: Just take your shot.

AS: Why is art important to you?

JM: Art is important to me because I think it’s a deeper and more spiritual way of getting to know somebody. Not to be too romantic about it, but when you see another artist perform their

by Andy Scullin

art, whether it’s reading poetry, creative writing, performing music, painting — especially live painting — you’re getting to see them in a very emotionally and spiritually raw state. I think that’s so beautiful and intimate and I’m seeing an experience that you could even have with strangers.

Just between that raw level of connection and the authenticity of expression that it allows, that’s what it means to me.

AS: What was the first concert you ever attended?

JM: My first concert with a big touring artist was Dave Matthews Band in 2010. But a few months before that, I saw Mayday Parade and Sing It Loud with a local band called Par Six from Clifton Park opening up at the old Northern Lights or Upstate Concert Hall. That was the first actual rock show that I ever went to. I was in high school; I think I was 17. So I had been to other local assorted shows before that with my high school band, Last Minute. We played shows at the Unitarian Church in town because we were all too young to play bars.

AS: What was the experience that made you realize that music was for you?

JM: I just grew up in a musical household. My

parents aren’t musicians themselves, but music was always on.

We were always listening to the radio. There were always music videos on TV, we were playing CDs, watching the Grammys, and talking about music, like classic rock and classic artists. It was the ‘90s at the time, so contemporary stuff like grunge music and remnants of new wave and all that. I just knew it was what I wanted to do, at least partially.

I used to be in the back of the class in third grade forming fake rock bands with my friends and talking about who would play what instrument. None of us had any kind of musical inclination at the time whatsoever. Ever since I was into consuming music, I would always say, “I’m gonna be in a band someday.”

AS: So speaking of bands, you’re in Seize Atlantis. What are your goals for Seize Atlantis? Is it to stay hyper-local, to expand regionally, or would you find yourself wanting to explore a national level?

JM: I think we’re open to growth however it comes. We would love to one day be a regional or national band. If we end up playing a lot locally in the 518 and doing that enough to make some extra money while being culturally relevant within our scene to the point where we’re both elevating ourselves and the people around us, that’d be good enough for us and everything else would be a bonus. We’re open to growth and we like playing the big shows. The bigger the show, the better. But we’re also down to play your private backyard party or your wedding or your local greasy spoon and have a good time doing it.

Photo credit: Kiki Vassilakis

| q&a: elissa ebersold

metroland staff interviews by Debi

Gustafson

Debi Gustafson: What was your most memorable con-cert experience?

Elissa Ebersold: My favorite musician of all time is Chris Daughtry and in 2021 I drove out to Ohio to see my friend’s band who was opening up for him. The most indelible moment that I will ever have is watching him perform his most famous song, acoustic, and seeing all of the lights from the audience while I’ve got these people that I’ve worked with singing along next to me, and I’m singing along with them to this song that I love.

DG: Do you have any favorite hidden gems in the area?

EE: I really like taking pictures of sunsets and in Frear Park in Troy; there’s a spot behind the golf course where you get a huge swath of sky and a huge swath of foreground. It’s a perfect place to watch the sunset.

DG: What are your goals or hopes for the local music and art scene?

EE: I actually wrote a whole op-ed piece about this. I think we as the Capital District need to lean really hard into being a music city, much like Nashville or Austin or any one of these cities that really leans into its music identity. We have a marketing problem. If we want to turn this into a destination where people come and look for things to do, we need to turn it into a music destination.

One thing I think we’ve missed is a venue size in between Empire Live and SPAC. We need ourselves a Terminal 5, pretty much. So that’s one thing I hope the local music industry gets at some point, is someone to come and fill that void we have. Where

it would be however, is an entirely separate problem.

DG: What does Metroland mean to you?

EE: I worked at this place in Slingerlands called Toll Gate and every week when you walked in the door they had a stack of Metrolands and we would always read them when nobody was in

there. Every Thursday, some guy would come in after they were dropped off and take one, buy an ice cream cone and then go. So it’s a very simple feeling about Metroland. When I was delivering them, people would just take them right out of my hands. To see that kind of reception for a publication that was around for so long and then gone for so long, is really special, and I’m really grateful that I get to be part of bringing back this local institution.

DG: How did you get into being a music photographer?

EE: In 2017, I was running across the street to catch a bus and I tripped and smashed my knee so hard that I dislocated it in three different ways. My life was forever changed that day and I was told that this was an injury I would have to live with for the rest of my life. I got very depressed after that. I needed something that got me moving and gave me something to look forward to, so about six months after my injury I had seen that Moriah Formica was doing some hometown shows at Jupiter Hall (RIP) and I emailed management to ask if I could photograph the concert. When I saw the pictures back after that first show, I knew that this was the type of photography that I wanted to do. It’s been a wild ride of learning to be not only a good photographer, but the best version of myself.

DG: How would you describe your work?

EE: I find that a lot of my work has this sense of isolation to it and it’s often this sense of being captured in a moment of their own. It’s a moment that they’re experiencing themselves as a performer, where it becomes all about them and their connection with the music.

Photo credit: Kiki Vassilakis

| q&a: debi gustafson

metroland staff interviews

Elissa Ebersold: What’s your most memorable concert experience?

Debi Gustafson: I was helping a friend out with an unofficial South by Southwest showcase. I decided to take photos just for fun, and it was before I was doing a lot of photography. One of the artists was a singer [Elizabeth Nistico] who I didn’t realize had been in a band that had gone viral and made it big; she was doing her own solo stuff as Revenge Wife. And for me, while it was a small event, I was still in shock. It was a celebrity that I got to take photos of and she was super nice. I got to talk to her, and that’s probably my favorite experience—it was unexpected and really cool to meet someone whose music I’d been listening to on repeat, and I never thought I’d meet her in real life.

Just seeing how she interacted with fans—it was nice to see how [...] humble and warm she was. You never want to meet someone and they’re kind of a dick—then you’re just disappointed and bummed.

EE: What are your thoughts on moving away from traditional photography? As in, do you think that photography students should be required to learn darkroom black and white photography?

DG: That’s a good question. I don’t see it as something that would be required, but I think it’s something that really ingrains the basics of photography into you. In a world where everything is digital and you don’t even have to think about [the basics], I’m so glad that I have the experience of a darkroom, and that I got to learn how to [make photos]. It’s very useful to learn how to actually shoot with film and how to develop it. It’s a skill that, while it probably won’t get lost entirely, less and less people will know how to do. I think it’s a very useful thing. It’s really cool to see the photo develop in front of you in the chemicals.

by Elissa Ebersold

EE: What are some other things you enjoy taking pictures of?

DG: I like doing portraits in general. I will just shoot a lot of photos of friends that just want to run around and take photos, outside or anywhere that’s fun for me. And it’s not just the idea of taking pretty pictures, but the feedback I get from the people I shoot. The way the photos make them feel—it means a lot to hear that.

EE: What is your favorite venue to photograph at?

DG: I honestly love No Fun [in Troy]. It’s my favorite venue in general, but I love the vibe and being able to be right up near the band and take their photo. I think the lights look cool. I love the disco ball. I’m also just really comfortable there because I’ve been going a lot since they opened. It’s my

I’m someone who doesn’t like getting my picture taken, and so I love getting to take theirs because it can be really awkward, nerve-wracking and uncomfortable—I love when people say they had so much fun taking the photos, and then just seeing what comes out of it. Sometimes the best photos are the ones you don’t really plan—I love how that happens. You say, “Oh my god, I’m so glad I took that shot that I thought wasn’t going to be anything!” and then it’s your favorite one.

favorite spot to see a band.

EE: How would you describe your work and style?

DG: A lot of my portrait work is dreamy and has a vintage vibe to it. With the bands, I feel like the style is hard to describe because it varies depending on what kind of band I’m shooting, but I’m always trying to go for this ethereal, dreamy vibe as much as I can.

Photo credit: Kiki Vassilakis

| q&a: patrick white

metroland staff interviews by Izzy Vassilakis

Izzy Vassilakis: Where do you find inspiration?

Patrick White: Playwrights. My favorites are Branden Jacobs Jenkins, Lucas Hnath, Bruce Norris & Bess Wohl. Harbinger has produced 14 Capital Region premieres since its founding in December of 2021.

I attended 290 plays this year. I love reading plays and witnessing new ideas that happen on stage. It excites me and I can’t wait to see something new.

IV: What makes a great play so great?

PW: It has to work on a number of different levels and move me spiritually, civically, and emotionally.

IV: What’s your bucket list play? The one you’re dying to see?

PW: The one that’s bugging me right now is Evita. They’re doing a production right now at the London Palladium — Jamie Lloyd is directing and I know it’s going to be brilliant. There’s also an eight-hour production of The Coast of Utopia by Tom Stoppard that was put on several years ago that I’m sorry to have missed!

IV: What’s your earliest memory around music or art?

PW: Oh my gosh, I had a big-ass tricycle as a kid. I had a boss tricycle and I remember being 4 or 5 years old pretending I was a cop and riding the tricycle up and down the driveway as if I was Beretta from Starsky and Hutch.

IV: What’s your guilty pleasure music wise?

PW: I like really dumb pop music. At home, today, I turned on ‘80s New Wave and Echo and the Bunnymen came on. “Bring on the Dancing Horses” is like candy to my ears.

Photo credit: Kiki Vassilakis

| q&a: izzy vassilakis

metroland staff interviews

Patrick White: How are you attached to Metroland?

Isavell Vassilakis: I’m writing the horoscope… Kiki’s my sister. They asked me to do it right at the beginning and it’s been really cool. I don’t really have a background in the arts – I mean, I do like the arts obviously but asking me about the music I make or the photography I take is not gonna get you far.

PW: How long have you been doing horoscopes?

IV: This is the first time I’m actually writing horoscopes but I’ve been doing astrology for eight years. I have been doing a lot of events around town. I was doing a weekly pop-up at 518 Craft in Troy and I am part of the Planetarium Party Crew. I don’t know if you’ve heard of that. It was a monthly astrology rave at No Fun in Troy that we just wrapped up. Now, we’re doing it quarterly because we are burnt out.

PW: What is an astrology rave?

IV: What we do is we take the themes of each zodiac sign and my partners, Syd & Mark (they’re DJs), they come up with the music that goes with that theme and we have a different costume theme each month. So, what we’re trying to do is give people a good time for their birthdays if they were born under that sign and dance out with the energy that we’re curating with the qualities of each sign. It’s kind of mystical, but mostly it’s just a really fun party where people can embody these parts of themselves.

by Patrick White

PW: If Metroland had an astrology sign what would it be?

IV: I would say Metroland is a Gemini. Geminis love information, they love social things. Metroland is about spreading cool information about our local area and the arts scene.

PW: What do you see in the future for our Gemini, Metroland?

IV: I see a thriving, centralized arts hub where folks can get trusted recommendations and reviews to cut through all the sponsored internet noise. A publication created by real members of the community that care about our arts scene.

Photo credit: Kiki Vassilakis

| q&a: corey dempsey

metroland staff interviews

Tom Miller: When did you first realize you wanted to be a musician or be in a band?

Corey Dempsey: First of all, I’d hesitate to call myself a musician. I’m not very good [laughing]. I’d say I wanted to be a performer and music was the chosen avenue ’cause I couldn’t do anything else. When I was 12 or 13 years old, I started going to punk rock shows at Winners and Valentine’s and all those other small clubs around here. I really enjoyed the atmosphere. I enjoyed the camaraderie of the live music experience and I knew I wanted to be part of that. I wanted to be on stage creating that experience. I’m not a very talented musician and I will never say that I am, but I do like performing and creating that camaraderie. I think that’s why I’ve always gravitated towards punk rock music because that feeling exists in quite a visceral way, sometimes a toxic way, but definitely a visceral way that some other music forms don’t have. Punk rock shows don’t exist without that “everybody” energy, screaming along to lyrics and vibing.

TM: Have you always been into the punk genre?

CD: I have. The first record I ever owned was Nirvana’s Nevermind. I was always into angry, alternative music. Then I also got into pop-punk like blink-182 and New Found Glory, and later some more aggressive, hardcore stuff which led to me being in a metal band in high school. So I would say I’ve always been into punk-adjacent music.

TM: What is your favorite local venue to play in?

CD: I don’t necessarily have a favorite ’cause the style of music that we play is more about the experience and less about the venue. We could be playing the shittiest venue in the world

but if the vibe is right and the energy is there, it becomes the most fun show ever. But I do have favorite shows.

TM: Can you give me an example?

CD: One was opening for E.R.I.E. at Albany Distilling Company. They have this outside patio and it’s kinda sunken where you’re performing down below and the people are up above you and all around. I remember it was a beautiful day in June, the vibe was great, everyone was singing along and it was one of those perfect shows.

Another time, a couple years back we did a Halloween cover show [at Empire Underground] where we dressed up and performed as Weezer. Everyone was there to party that night and it was a really great time.

TM: So, I’m curious. You obviously never know how a show is going to go and you said earlier that you feed off the crowd’s energy. If you don’t get that positive feedback, does that affect your performance?

CD: We’re lucky enough that I don’t think we’ve ever gotten a negative reaction. We’ve all been friends since high school. We’re just friends playing music together. So even if [the crowd’s] not into it, we enjoy ourselves and have fun. We’re going to do what we’ve always done – give it our all. I think that vibe translates to the audience and they can tell there’s a level of familiarity and camaraderie among us, and that energy usually transmits to the audience.

TM: It’s not like punk fans go out planning to have a bad time anyway [laughing].

CD: No! It’s never like, “I’m going to go out and scowl in the corner.” It’s more like, “I’m going to go out and scream some fucking music and headbang!” [laughing]

TM: My last question is how do you see the

by Tom Miller

return of Metroland helping our local music scene?

CD : Metroland gives me the vibe of those old school fanzines from the late ‘80s, ‘90s, and early 2000s that dug out those local artists and brought attention to them. I just think it’s something Albany has always been lacking. There’s always been such a great music scene; I loved going to shows here growing up. But to me it always felt like it was disconnected, like there was no unifying thing to bring it all together. Of course, Metroland existed back then but to me it was different; it wasn’t unifying like Metroland is now. I wanted to be part

of that in some way. I heard it was coming back and reached out to TJ [Foster] and said I’d like to contribute and be part of helping the scene. I’ve been part of it for the last 25 years and giving back to the music community is important to me.

Photo credit: Emily Seils

| q&a: tom miller

metroland staff interviews by Corey Dempsey

Corey Dempsey: What came first for you, the music or the photography?

Tom Miller: The music definitely came first for me, but the first show I ever remember shooting was a small, free, town concert in Guilderland. It was African style music and there was a handdrum player and I remember thinking that he was

the coolest guy. I took so many pictures of him and when I got home and was looking through them, I was hooked. He had sweat dripping down his face and he was just totally zoned in and I loved the feeling of being able to capture that.

CD: Was there a particular album that turned the lightbulb on?

TM: Don’t laugh at me, but Styx, Paradise Theatre, is the first album I ever owned. And I actually owned it twice, because I left the first copy on my car seat and it melted into a glob so I had to buy it again. I remember playing that thing to death.

CD: Is there any one particular concert where you’re just like “yeah, that’s the one?”

TM: Attending? The Phish Halloween show at Glens Falls Civic Center is the best show I’ve ever been to. Shooting? I think the most memorable photos I took were at a Lumineers show at Upstate Concert Hall. And this was obviously before they got big, because you can only fit a couple hundred people in that venue.

I’ve shot SPAC and I’ve shot MVP Arena and the pictures are so much better and the musicians are superstars. But shooting The Lumineers in that environment was just really special. My goal is to always shoot somebody before they make it. Either if I help or I don’t, just knowing that I recognized them as a potential superstar before they were is what I enjoy.

to be challenged. It’s usually really dark and typically the performers are moving all over the place, so you already have two strikes against you. So basically, you’re just shooting a ton of shots and trying to find that perfect storm. That one moment where the lighting is good and the performer is relatively still and everything comes together.

CD: So is it mostly about getting lucky?

TM: Initially, there was a lot of luck involved. It was just take as many shots as possible and then pick out the good ones. Now that I’m more experienced, there are different tricks that I’ve picked up that allow me to get really good shots. When you’re seeing a live show, you can start to sense when something good is going to happen and it’s just about anticipating that moment. Then, just shoot the hell out of it and hope that you get a really good one.

CD: Why shoot for Metroland?

TM: I think our goal here at Metroland is to focus on the little guy. The artists trying to make it or

“My goal is to always shoot somebody before they make it. Either if I help or I don’t, just knowing that I recognized them as a potential superstar before they were is what I enjoy.”

CD: What else do you like about photographing live shows?

TM: It presents a challenge and I’ve always liked

the bands that don’t have plans of ever making it and just do it as a lifestyle. The people that just do it because they love it, not for the fame or the money. A lot of these musicians are amazing and nobody will ever hear them and I really enjoy shooting, seeing and hearing those musicians and being able to show them to other people. And I like that we focus on those people at Metroland.

Photo credit: Kiki Vassilakis

| listen here

The Bitter Stars Red Feelings by Andy Scullin

“We are a recording project comprised of a couple of veteran musicians from the Albany music club scene. We are now The Bitter Stars and have put out four albums in the last few years,” read the submission email that was forwarded to me. Those couple of sentences were basically the only information I had to go on with this one. If my past reviews are any indication, this is just the way I like to approach an album review: with as little information of what I am about to hear as possible. That way you, as a reader, get to experience the music with me in real-time, without any outside influence.

Ok, I have already wasted enough words talking about my process. Let’s get into the music.

Opening track, “The War,” starts off with an isolated drum beat which is very quickly paired with a wailing siren that crescendos into the song. I’m not sure what I expected, but the almost calming groove that followed was probably not on my list. I was reminded of early 2000s NY club band, Interpol, almost immediately. Except there was something slightly more exotic happening here… and is that a sitar that I hear? The vocals on this track are set back a little and really feel like just another instrument in the mix, never stepping on any of the other elements, but also not in the background.

One thing that seemed apparent to me was that The Bitter Stars were not going to be predictable on this album. By the time the first track wrapped up, I had already heard surprising elements in the composition, including a cowbell heavy breakdown. I was ready to experience a similar formula as “The War” blended into “Preston”, but instead was given an instrumental track that deftly rode the line between prog and surf rock. The four-on-the-floor drums and driving bass line do the heavy lifting on this track, but the subtle arrangements heard throughout are not to be ignored.

Yet another curveball met me at track three. “You Took A Beat” has all the elements of a perfect adult-alternative rock song. Up-front lyrics, and a great verse/chorus/verse pattern that would feel right at home on pretty much any AAA radio station in the country. The very next song however, the nu-wave leaning “1984,” feels like it was time-warped here from, well, 1984 where it would have done very well on the charts.

Another one that feels very ‘80s inspired is “Espionage” which has a manic beat accompanied by spoken dialogue about WW1 spies, much like the anti-Vietnam War song “19” by Paul Hardcastle that was inescapable in the summer of 1985.

The album ends incredibly strong with “Faith Without Fear.” The only downside is that the song will leave you wanting more, so it may be a let down when you discover you have reached the end. But, as is the case with music, you can just go back to the beginning and take the journey again.

While the album definitely weaves between styles, it never once falls flat. Every track seems to have something that stands out as unique. Red Feelings can never be classified as a whole, but can rather easily fit into several genres and sub-genres. Shoegaze, adult alternative, pop, and even elements of jazz and hip-hop

sneakily pop up throughout Red Feelings and they are never unwelcome pairings.

So, while I still may not know anything about the musicians behind this project, I can say that I have confidence in their ability and will certainly be looking out for more releases from them in the future.

Red Feelings is now available on Bandcamp at https://thebitterstars.bandcamp.com

| listen here

Arrow Through Me Ephemera EP by TJ Foster

“It’s not a phase, mom!” has become a running joke amongst elder-millennials, revelling in the modern resurgence of emo and pop-punk. The genres of course had their glory days back in the early 2000s with bands like Fall Out Boy, Sum 41 and Paramore defining mix CDs and MySpace pages alike. Running joke or not, there is truth to it: look no further than the countless festivals and tribute nights that have popped up over the last few years dedicated to nothing but our precious little, mascara-smeared genre.

Here in the Capital Region, much like it was back in the early-aughts, it doesn’t really feel like the “cool” genre. You certainly don’t hear a lot about local bands making music in that realm, but I assure you they’re out there kickin’ ass. And mark my words, Arrow Through Me are about to become every local millennial’s favorite new local band.

Ephemera marks the quintet’s debut EP, and it packs so much “scene” nostalgia into just five songs, it’s honestly impressive as hell. Vocally, Grace Schifferdecker is a revelation. A lesser reviewer than myself would make an obvious comparison to a young Hayley Williams, but I’m

not going to do that. (I might’ve just done that) The way she carries her voice through each of these songs commands your attention in the best way; she’s an absolute star in the making.

Guitarists Daeron Bennett and Mikey Pace are also having a whole lot of fun throughout, weaving ambient riffs in and out of one another in an almost Circa Survive-esque manner. “Pretend” is especially striking, but there are intricate flairs happening in the background of every song guitar wise, you’re going to want to give them repeat listens in headphones for that alone.

That song in particular also has the strongest hook in the bunch: “What else can I do to make you stay?” If only AIM was still a thing, because if that’s not meant for a teenager’s away message, I don’t know what is. (Really showing my age with that reference…)

One of the most impressive things about Arrow Through Me is their ability to pull off powerful and emotive choruses without ever gratuitously increasing the volume. Sure, distortion pedals are clicked on, but it’s all done so tastefully, you’d think they’ve been making music together for ages.

“Mourning After” is a perfect example of this, with Schifferdecker’s vocal melodies gradually climbing in the verses before quite literally bending a note up into her higher range in order to try and seize control of the chorus. Spoiler alert: she does.

But the absolute knockout of the bunch is the song “Patterns”, which comes smack dab in the middle of the sequencing. “Breaking patterns is part of the prob-lem,” goes the chorus, and it’s a melody that begs for an audience to echo loud and proud. 10/10. No notes.

So, perhaps I’m beating a dead emo horse here, but if you’re of the ilk that longs for the days of screaming “Misery Business” into a hairbrush in front of your bedroom mirror, Arrow Through Me will become a staple in your musical rotation. With soaring melodies, intricate musicianship and hooks for days, Ephemera marks the beginning of what’s sure to be an exciting trajectory. Don’t sleep on this one.

Ephemera is available March 1st on all streaming platforms.

Photo credit: Robbie Lewis

| nonprofit spotlight

united way of the greater capital region by James Mullen

Many reading this have probably heard of United Way. One of the largest charities in the world, they have access to a robust global network that works to “mobilize the caring power of neighbors, businesses, and community partners to lead transformational change.” With branches all across the United States, and even around the world, I’m told that the organization’s true superpower is their ability to maintain that global presence while also remaining hyperlocal. It’s among the first things Peter Gannon, CEO of the United Way of the Greater Capital Region, emphasizes during our discussion.

“You maintain this sort of expertise and global network, but at the same time, you’re listening to local needs and remaining extremely agile in response to those. I’ve been around almost seven

years now and that’s what we’ve done, including getting us through the pandemic.”

Those global connections pay dividends when it comes to addressing local needs, which can be seen in the recent partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imaginary Library; Gannon says this will provide around 10,000 kids under the age of five with a brand new book every month in an effort to make childhood literacy easily accessible and get kids off to the best start possible. In addition to working with such heavy-hitter organizations, that hyperlocal aspect of the organization is exemplified in other recently announced initiatives that United Way of the Greater Capital Region are a part of.

In March, they will be launching a new program called Jubilant Birth Albany, a program aimed at improving maternal health and birth outcomes for underserved communities. The program will be flush with local partners like the Carl E. Touhey Foundation, Highmark Blue Shield of Northeastern New York, Hudson Valley Credit Union, and Albany County Executive Dan McCoy.

“It’s a pilot program,” Gannon clarifies, “to give a guaranteed income of $1,000 a month for 12 months to the highest density zip codes in Albany County. So, that’s going to be at least 28 families who are benefiting from that partnership… the hope is you can demonstrate through a program like that that it makes good policy sense to improve conditions for those families to be able to thrive.”

He emphasizes that even with these new programs, the tried and true United Way staples are all there as well. They still offer grant programs to other charities that work to improve conditions locally. He says that their Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program has never been bigger.

“We prepare income taxes for free for low and

moderate income family households across the nine-county service area. In fact, if folks want to get an appointment, there are still some left. They can go online and find a tax preparation site near them right here in the Capital Region.”

Gannon tells me that another thing they’ve been working on recently is ensuring access to nutritious food for kids; they achieved a major victory on this in the recent state budget, in which Governor Kathy Hochul included free school breakfast for every New York student. United Way fought for this for several years along with their community partners.

“That’s been born out of the coalition we led that really springs into action in the summer by providing free summer meals to kids at dozens and dozens of sites throughout the Capital Region. Through that coalition with many of our partners, including Boys and Girls Club, the Sycamore Collaborative in Schenectady and the Regional Food Bank, we have served over two million meals in the 11 years of its existence.”

Even the organization’s local headquarters, the Blake Annex, is technically a United Way project. The Annex provides a space for nonprofit tenants to come together to share services and ideas by creating a community where everyone can thrive. The space allows nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations to focus more on their mission by providing work space at rates below market value. It holds a particular place in Gannon’s heart.

“We thought there was a way we could bring nonprofits together under one roof, and enjoy the benefit of scale, right? That’s what the Blake is all about,” he says. “We have nice furniture. There’s a beautiful kitchen, the internet’s great. All these things that can typically hamstring the nonprofit sector, we take care of so you can just come in and focus on getting after the mission. We’ve had over 30 organizations be a part of the Blake since

Photo credit: UWGCR

we opened four years ago.”

The Blake Annex website also notes that many traditional nonprofit spaces are located in remote or suburban areas out of touch with the communities they serve, something Gannon had personal experience with.

“When I first started at United Way, we were occupying 14,000 square feet up at Crossgates Mall.” He tells me it took 15 minutes to drive to get a cup of coffee downtown. The Blake also remedies this, offering a location right in the heart of its intended community in downtown Albany.

While primarily dedicated to the Capital Region, Gannon reminds me that their base of operations extends throughout the 518 region and includes volunteers doing work in Albany, Columbia, Fulton, Greene, Montgomery, and Saratoga counties.

“Folks can always find out about volunteerism at unitedtovolunteer.org, which is our local volunteer connection site,” he explains. “There’s hundreds and hundreds of volunteer opportunities on there at any given time. Folks can go on, track their hours and their impact. We also do one big day of giving on 518 day.” (He tells me this year’s 518 day will actually take place on May 16th, due to the 18th falling on a Sunday.)

The day of giving is an event that United Way

of the Greater Capital Region has been putting on for close to a decade. It’s also an event that captures the essence of their organization. “We hope it’s a catalyst to get people to volunteer all year long and give back,” Gannon says. “If you can’t participate in something we’re doing

officially, then obviously you can help your neighbor. That kindness and spirit of coming together, that spirit of community – it’s what that weekend, and United Way, is all about.”

For more information on the United Way, visit www.unitedwaygcr.org.

Photo credit: Nathan Bogardus

Photo credit: Kiki Vassilakis

Photo credit: UWGCR

| venue spotlight

empire live by Natalie St. Denis

Nestled in the busy streets of Albany, on North Pearl, sits local music venue Empire Live. Its name is wellsuited, given the venue’s journey to become all that it encompasses today.

Before making its mark in downtown Albany, the venue was housed in Clifton Park, known first as Park West when it opened in 1996, then as

Northern Lights in 2009, when Ted Etoll, owner of concert-promotion firm Step Up Presents, took over before renaming it Upstate Concert Hall in 2012. After a nearly 25 year run tucked away in a strip plaza on Route 146, the COVID-19 pandemic forced its doors to close in March of 2020.

But their crew was far from deterred. In fact, the situation had its silver lining, as their lease at the Clifton Park location was up in December of 2020 anyways. When the opportunity to occupy the former space of Albany’s Capital Repertory Theatre presented itself, they jumped on it. In August of 2021, Empire Live opened at its new, revitalized location at 111 N. Pearl St. Their team persevered not only through the typical challenges that come with opening a business,

llenge. Empire Live didn’t receive its certificate of occupancy until seven days before the first scheduled event, which was a performance by indie rock band Cold War Kids. But the team successfully scrambled to make it to the finish line in time.

Not only was the Empire Live crew dedicated to providing the heart of Albany with their 1000 person capacity space, they also decided it was important to elevate the live performance experience even more by providing a more intimate space just downstairs, at Empire Underground.

“When we were based in Clifton Park, we always had the idea of creating an additional space because our room was big, and there was no place to develop smaller acts,” Operations Manager Jen Chura said.

“There’s still moments where you see somebody in the front row of the show, or even could be in the back of the room, and they’re just lost in the moment in the music, and it’s something that we all can really, truly relate to.”

but also through the uncertainty that came with navigating the music industry during a global pandemic.

“We had a full Fall schedule booked, kind of assuming the industry would come back in the Fall of ‘21, so we were kind of against the clock,” Managing Partner David Siewert said.

Siewert mentioned that construction during the pandemic also posed an unexpected cha-

Empire Underground, literally below the larger space, offers an energizing, rock, basement-show type of intimacy, without the typical dusty, dingy feel often associated with such a space. Capped at 350 people, the Underground gives smaller artists the chance to fill up the room and connect with showgoers. The venue has proved to be a valuable addition to the business, providing consistent revenue that they found themselves missing out on from smaller acts at Upstate Concert Hall.

“Being involved in those smaller shows helps our local music scene and helps piggyback into the bigger shows,” Siewert said.

Photo credit: Kiki Vassilakis

The local Albany scene has been a refreshing change of pace for the venue, in comparison to Clifton Park. Siewert mentioned that they feel more of a sense of community in Albany’s limelight, and their brand recognition has reaped the benefits too.

Empire Live proudly hosts events outside of just live music in their large space, like the “Rock Your Style” fashion show, benefiting the New York Oncology and Hematology Community Cancer Foundation, which saw its return to Empire Live this past Fall. Wrestling events, themed dance parties and even weddings have all been possible as well.

This level of growth and ability to offer events of all kinds to the downtown Albany community has been doable thanks to the team backing the glowing yellow and black emblem that graces North Pearl Street. Siewert recognizes that the team that Empire Live possesses works to set the venue apart with their vast industry experience and knowledge.

“It’s not an easy business to be in. Our desire and our love for the industry keeps us going as well,” he said.

Even with many years of experience paving the

way, their staff approach the industry as fans first, just like the rest of us, Siewert said.

“There’s still moments where you see somebody in the front row of the show, or even could be in the back of the room, and they’re just lost in the moment in the music, and it’s something that we all can really, truly relate to.”

As they progress forward and work to provide more of these special moments to fellow music lovers, Chura hopes to see longevity and further expansion for Empire Live and Empire Underground. Luckily for the heart of Albany, this crew’s heart is in it, making the sky the limit.

For more information on upcoming events, visit https://empirelivealbany.com/.

Photo credit: Kiki Vassilakis

Photo credit: Kiki Vassilakis

Photo credit: Kiki Vassilakis

| ask becky

by Becky Daniels

Becky Daniels is the Founder and Chief Romance Officer of Micropolitan Matchmakers, the first locally-based singles event and matchmaking company in the Capital Region. Each month, Becky tackles reader questions about dating and relationships. Submit your question to askbecky@themetroland.com

Q: I recently started dating again after my divorce (separated over a year, officially divorced 2 months ago) and I have been seeing a few different people from the apps. I am enjoying getting to know them, but I’m starting to feel guilty like I’m doing something wrong. Is it okay to date multiple people at once, or should I be focusing on one person at a time?

- Wondering in Watervliet

Dear Wondering:

I hear this question all the time! Sometimes people feel guilty, and other times they get shamed by others for going on dates with more than one person at a time. But what you’re doing is…what dating is! Seeing multiple people can help you to better understand what you’re looking for and who can best align with those things.

I want to literally shout from a rooftop that you don’t owe anyone exclusivity until you have a discussion and both agree to what that means. What you do owe anyone that you’re dating is Honesty. Look inward at your intentions - are you looking for something serious and honestly evaluating these people as potential partners? Or, are you just looking to have fun? Either option is OK - as long as you communicate with the people you’re dating openly. The other thing you owe them is protection. (Especially if you’re having a physical relationship with more than one person, you should be honest about

that and be using protection).

If you’re dating with the intention of finding a long term partnership, seeing multiple people can help you learn how you respond to different energies, lifestyles, communication styles and more - there is something to be learned from every relationship we have.

The best advice I can offer is to communicate openly. Don’t rub the details of other connections in anyone’s face, but share that you’re dating with the intention of finding an exclusive relationship and commit to being open about where you’re at. This is not about creating competition between people, it’s making sure you’re honest.

As you continue down the path, in my experience, usually one person naturally begins to evolve into what feels like a “best fit.” And that’s when you’d have a conversation with that person to see if you’re (hopefully!) on the same page. If so, this is when you’d gently let the others know that you’re going to focus on just one connection. THAT is the point where you should make sure your apps are deleted and you’re ending conversations and dates with anyone else.

Q: I’ve been with my partner for over a year now, and while things are generally good, I have this nagging feeling that something’s… off. We get along well, have fun together, and our friends and family really seem to all like

each other. But I’m starting to question if we’re truly compatible long-term. Is this my person? Is it normal to have these doubts after a year? How do you know if you’re with the right person, or if you should keep searching? I don’t want to waste either of our time if this isn’t going anywhere.

- Unsure in Uptown

Dear Uptown:

First of all - I want to validate that these thoughts are common. I’m not sure about your age, but based on the way your question is worded, it sounds like you’re on the verge of big decisions: marriage, starting a family, what life looks like long term, etc.. That can be really scary and overwhelming. Those fears are sometimes less about the person you’re with and more about “adulting” and getting older.

That said, sometimes that little voice in our head should be explored. While the advice I give here is general - I’d seek out a therapist or coach to help you work through these questions (friends and family can be wonderful, it’s best to find someone that can give you more objective support and guidance).

The things you really want to ask yourself in this situation are:

1. Do we have the same relationship goals (are we aligned on marriage? Kids?)

2. Can we agree on our approach to managing

finances and lifestyle (we may not always align exactly, but can we talk about things and come to agreement)?

3. Does this person make me feel safe to be myself?

4. Do I accept this person as they are right now?

We all evolve throughout our lives, but it’s important to love the person in front of you and not what you think their potential is, And to feel that love reciprocated as you are, too.

Even the best relationships are not easy - they all involve work. Love, chemistry and connection are important, but so much of each successful relationship is about the choices we make every day. To hear someone out with patience, to choose to communicate clearly through difficult or strong emotions, to trust someone else with your feelings and emotions, to support your partner at their lowest and darkest moments.

Only you can answer the question of whether or not you’re ready to choose this person over and over, but I can tell you that if you’re searching for complete and one hundred percent certainty (like what you’ve probably seen in a thousand movies throughout your life) - that is a myth. This is a decision that you’ll make over and over again each day as you choose (or not) to be with your partner.

Single events listed on the next page!

| march events

March

| february snapshots

a visual journey across the capital district

by Elissa Ebersold, Debi Gustafson, Kiki Vassilakis

| february snapshots

a visual journey across the capital district

by Elissa Ebersold, Debi Gustafson, Kiki Vassilakis

| live

girl love beckons listeners into her world at LUNA series by Rory Graham

On Monday, February 10th, audience

members inside Troy’s Mt. Ida Preservation Hall witnessed LUNA Series history: their first live album recording. Girl Love’s 90 minute set was designed with posterity in mind, enveloping different eras of Laura Beth Johnson’s artistry, as well as several special guests. Since much of Johnson’s music places queer love in the spotlight, LUNA organizer Natalie Seagriff began the show by addressing the thought on everyone’s minds—“The timing couldn’t be better given what’s happening in our world, our country. It’s become important for us to have these safe spaces.” With that in mind, a portion of the night’s

proceeds would be donated to the Trans Youth Equality Foundation.

LUNA exists inside an old church, candlelit to enhance the full moon shining in the windows. The crowd sits in pews as the performer stands atop the altar, an impactful space for Johnson, whose purpose with Girl Love is to create “folkish music affirming queer holiness.”

Her warm, legato style lent itself to the intimate setting, beckoning listeners to lean in and join the moment she was creating, a glimpse of an artist at work. Johnson was intent on reaching nearperfection for this recording, even re-starting songs to get the sound just right. In the midst of “The Doctor or The Priest,” she handled one of these moments wonderfully, gazing

into the audience and laughing, “Let’s take a breath together, shall we?” before beginning anew.

The curtain was pulled back further as she unveiled stories throughout the night, detailing the meanings of songs and introducing the audience to her family: her brother recorded the show and both sisters-in-law, Chelsea and Katie Johnson, joined her for several songs. Their three-part harmony in “Farm & Table” added richness and fluidity, with the sisters

flowing between singing runs in unity to adding soft “mms” and “oohs” as accompaniment.

While playing an older song, “Midwest,” she showcased a saccharine style of acoustic pop with soft falsettos and uncomplicated, yet enticing riffs. She explained that, while initially about “right person, wrong time,” it became a song she plays amidst an empty room each time she moves.

“It’s amazing how these songs travel and grow with you. They live

“The crowd sits in pews as the performer stands atop the altar, a space all the more impactful for Johnson, whose purpose with Girl Love is to create ‘folkish music affirming queer holiness.’”

and breathe and give me advice— there’s something mystical about songwriting, not to get woo-woo about it!”

Her final three songs of the night— “Etta,” “Altar” and “Stonewall”— were united thematically in their declaration of queer love. “Altar” originated as a poem written during the service of Holy Fire; Johnson had attended a Catholic mass as it was the only place to hear live music during the pandemic. “I’ve listened to a lot of old white men talk about The Bible…I’ve reached my quota,” she confessed, emitting whoops and chuckles from the crowd.

Thus, rather than listening, she wrote her own story: a raw, honest love song that she sang with strength and passion, opening up into powerful

Photo credit: Debi Gustafson

notes. Lines like “anoint me baby, anoint me harder,” created a fine line between holy and risque, illuminating a beautiful in-between.

The last song, “Stonewall,” was a protest song honoring the events of that fateful June 1969 day and the movement for acceptance that continues today. Before beginning, Johnson plucked none other than Sawyer Fredericks out of the

crowd to join her. Together, the two harmonized while leading the crowd in giant, percussive stomps and melodic chants of “enough, enough, enough; love is love is love”.

Once again, the LUNA Series was a space for a one-of-a-kind experience, full of raw emotion, community, and a certain kind of magic…not to get woo-woo about it!

Photo credit: Debi Gustafson

| live: the get up kids

25 years of something to write home about, live at empire live by Corey Dempsey

I was 14 years old when I first heard The Get Up Kids in the Fall of 2002. The record Something To Write Home About had come out three years prior but I was only 11 then so cut me some slack. My whole group of friends joined The Respect Club at school so that we could have a hand

in planning the monthly open mic nights in the library. That planning took all of ten minutes so during our weekly meetings we’d mostly goof off and listen to CDs on the boombox in the classroom.

Our club advisors, a husband and wife team that grew up during emo’s first wave, recognized our budding musical taste and decided to impart

their wisdom upon us. They began bringing in CDs from their era to share with the group. Staples like Sunny Day Real Estate and Texas Is The Reason were among the first to grace the boombox. Then they flexed on us with records from The Casket Lottery and Hurl, the latter of which doesn’t even have a Wikipedia page, so how about that for scene credentials! But the one that hit

different was Something To Write Home About. From the opening pick slide on “Holiday,” I was hooked.

22 and a half years later, The Get Up Kids are back in the Capital Region for the album’s anniversary tour and, in a full circle moment, I’m fortunate enough to attend the show with those same teachers that introduced me to them back in high school. Life

Photo credit: Elissa Ebersold

really is beautiful sometimes.

On a frigid Tuesday night in February, the venue was packed with 30 and 40 year olds who knew, for a fact, that it wasn’t just a phase. The Anniversary was up first. They opened with “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter” and everyone sang along whilst raising their ice cold PBR cans in the air. After, singer/keyboardist Adrianne Verhoeven broke out some maracas in a bedazzled top that wouldn’t quit. People clapped respectfully after each song before turning back to

their individual conversations. 35 minutes later they closed with “The D in Detroit”. The singing along and beer-raising resumed.

The anticipation made it feel like forever, but half an hour later The Get Up Kids took the stage to a rapturous reception from the eager crowd. Guitarist and backing vocalist, Jim Suptic, stepped up to the mic to greet everyone and then there was that epic pick slide from “Holiday” again. It felt like the first time I’d heard it all over again. Big ups to the band

and their sound engineer because it sounded like we were all listening to the record with a backing track of crowd vocals.

As has become customary with these anniversary shows, they proceeded to play the album in order. They went through the next three-song stretch – “Action & Action”, “Valentine”, and “Red Letter Day” – without a break and the energy from both the band and the crowd was relentless. For “Out of Reach”, lead singer and guitarist Matt Pryor broke out the acoustic guitar to lead the crowd in a campfire style singalong. During the first chorus,

on my way back home,” in unison. It didn’t stop there either. The crowd kept that same energy throughout the whole song and there wasn’t a moment where you could hear either of the band’s vocalists. The crowd took care of every single lyric.

The 12-track album came to a close with “I’ll Catch You” and when Pryor sang, “Don’t worry, I’ll catch you,” it felt like he was reassuring every single one of us. While the band came back out for an encore featuring hits like “Mass Pike” from The Red Letter Day EP and “Don’t Hate Me” from Four Minute Mile, it felt like a different show. The energy was not gone but

he didn’t even bother singing. You wouldn’t have heard him anyways, such was the volume of the crowd’s screaming every word.

While the crowd was loud throughout, their moment came during “I’m A Loner Dottie, A Rebel”. The band comes in for their 40 second, octave-laden intro and then everything else falls away except for Pryor’s guitar (an Epiphone electric this time). Pryor and Suptic stepped away from their mics and came to the front of the stage. The beer cans went up in the air and everyone screamed, “Come tomorrow, I’ll be

it had definitely shifted. The 30 and 40 somethings began to think about work or the screaming children that awaited them the next morning and a sense of middle-aged guilt about going so hard started to creep into the building.

Before departing, Suptic shared a heartfelt thank you with the crowd for rocking with them the past 25 years and said they’d be back in another quarter-century and I’m fully convinced every attendee that’s still kicking would be right back there screaming along.

Photo credit: Elissa Ebersold

Photo credit: Elissa Ebersold

Photo credit: Elissa Ebersold

retro | metro checks in with metroland staffers of yore

For this month’s Retro Metro, Erin sat with former Metroland Staffer Rick Marshall! This was actually taken from an interview earlier last year where Rick interviewed Erin for HIS podcast and then Erin interviewed Rick for HER podcast. BOTH episodes are available on The Mistress of None (EPI 26 & 27)

Rick Marshall is currently a digital producer at the Times Union, where he creates and edits engaging digital video features and articles. Prior to this role, he served as a digital producer for The Daily Gazette, where he hosted and produced the “Marshall Arts” podcast, which profiled artists from the Capital Region.

Marshall’s career in journalism began at Metroland, where he spent nearly three years in various roles, starting as an intern and progressing to freelance and staff writer. His work there earned him significant recognition, including the New York Press Association’s “Writer of the Year” award in 2005 for his coverage of the Republican National Convention in Manhattan the previous year, along with several other notable features. In addition to his writing

Erin Harkes: So Rick and I have known each other for over two decades now.

Rick Marshall: Wow.

EH: I know. The past few years have been tough in the realization department when it comes to how many years have passed since I have met and/or started something.

RM: And we were born in the 1900s, as my kids say.

EH: Well, your kids are brats . God. And that’s just so weird to me, too. That there were people that weren’t born in the 1900s around and they’re talking. I keep forgetting. I forgot what day it was. So I also can forget what year and era it is as well. But Rick and I have known each other for quite some time. He came out

by Erin Harkes

achievements, he participated in a rowing competition with fellow Metroland colleagues, winning the annual race among Capital Region media outlets. He still has the plaque with part of an oar on it, salvaged from the final Metroland office building thanks to the great Shawn Stone.

After his time at Metroland, Marshall moved south to broaden his horizons, taking on editing positions at Wizard Magazine and MTV News, where he worked alongside notable figures such as Kurt Loder. He also gained experience as an entertainment journalist and editor for a variety of outlets, including Movies.com, IFC, and Digital Trends. Most recently, he spent a year working part-time as a library clerk in Albany, a role he found fulfilling and highly recommended for anyone looking to reconnect with their humanity and engage with wonderful people, despite the modest financial compensation.

Looking ahead, Rick has several exciting projects lined up for the Times Union, as well as personal endeavors, including plans to launch a new podcast soon. For updates on his work, he can be followed at RickMarshall.com and on social media, where he is active on BlueSky as @RickMarshall.com and on Instagram as @That_RickMarshall.

to see me play quite a bit when I first started out here in the Capital Region singing blues at Savannahs at the Tuesday Night Blues Jam. And then beyond that -

RM: And following you around like a groupie.

EH: I love it. But beyond that, Rick has had a career in journalism, which took you down to New York and then back. So tell us a little bit about your experience in this field of journalism.

RM: Well, I started out here in the Capital Region for Metroland, which, as we have talked about, was not the reason why we became friends, which I feel very good about.

EH: Yes, I did make a joke about that, that normally that would have been on my radar, and

I would have been like, “Hi, Rick. Oh, I hear you write for Metroland!”

RM: We were friends before I was a journalist and yeah, I started out here as a journalist for Metroland, a staff writer up here, and then eventually moved down south to the Rockland County area to work for a magazine company that was launching there. They were launching a website and trying to make that transition from print to digital. And I helped them do that. Eventually, I landed down in New York City working for MTV News, which was a very trippy, surreal sort of experience working in Times Square for years and then eventually I found my way back here, as so many people do.

To hear the entire interview, visit The Mistress of None at themetroland. com/podcasts!

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just add water records & hey, greasy! presents: derv gordon (formerly of the equals) at no fun by Dana Brady

Don’t miss a chance to see Derv Gordon–lead singer, songwriter, and founding member of the late-60s UK rock band, The Equals–perform a set of original Equals songs as part of their North American “Slight Diversion” Tour on March 21st at No Fun in Troy. Gordon will be backed by the band So What from Oakland, California.

The Equals are recognized as the first major interracial rock group to come out of the UK in the 1960s. They are best known for the chart-topping success of their song “Baby, Come Back” as well as the influential “Police on My Back,” later covered by The Clash. The group’s cultural significance ripples into modern day with contemporary artists like Ty Segall covering their song “Diversion” off his 2016 album, Emotional Mugger.

Gordon and So What’s performance is a new interpretation of the songs he co-wrote along with his brother Lincoln and Eddy Grant during their time as a band with guitarist Pat Lloyd and drummer John Hall. So What describes themselves as “junkshop glam/bubblegum/ proto-punk insanity” making for a fun and fierce reimagination of the original pop, blues, ska and R&B inspired tracks.

Jason Duncan, vocalist and lead guitarist for So What and owner of independent label Just Add Water Records, met Gordon after reaching out to his agent roughly a decade ago. After arranging a meeting with Gordon, Duncan invited him to fly out to San Francisco for a visit. From there, they played a show together and the pair just hit it off. Gordon has since returned to the US several times to perform alongside So What.

Gordon says of his US fans and concert-goers: “...[the fans are] receptive, they know about the music… and I’ve had some great shows and met some great people.” The group heads to TV Eye in New York City the following night, so if you just can’t get enough Derv Gordon and So What, catch them there for the encore.

Tickets are on sale now at eventbrite.com. $20 in advance, $25 day of show. Derv Gordon will be backed by So What with supporting guests Flavour, DJ Kiersten Fink, DJ Avi Spivak, and DJ Tex.

We’re sorry that Tyler Gandolfo’s name wasn’t clearer in our last print issue, so we’re running it again with his name underneath. For more on Tyler Gandolfo go to www.tygandolfo.com

in your area february

Each month, we recap the hottest singles released by local artists on our site. Here’s a list of what the 518 delivered in February – be sure to scan that QR code to read more about – and stream! – each tune.

Arrow through Me - “Guilty”

New Monarchy - “HOSTAGE!”

Of the Atlas - “Time and Space”

E.R.I.E. - “May Your Heart Always Be Young”

ShortWave RadioBand - “Crash Site”

Sophia Subbayya Vastek (feat. Sam Torres) - “Hymn For Slowing (Live)”

The Paper Prince - “Under the Mud”

Tops of Trees - “Warmth”

GRRLTHING - “LOL EW NO!”

David Tyo - “Amen”

Canella - “Cortisol”

Anacortez - “Wrong Light”

Kick Out the Rouge - “You’re Cute (But You Give Me Anxiety)”

Simon Elijah - "Childhood Home (Single Version)"

Art by: Tyler Gandolfo

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kevin richards presents at wood theatre by Tom Miller

Upstate New York native Kevin Richards is an award-winning country music DJ, a country music promoter and, most importantly, an avid country music fan.

In 2023, Richards started the “Kevin Richards’ Country Concerts... Close Up” series with the goal of bringing legendary country music to New York’s North Country. These unique concerts offer country music fans the opportunity to see their favorite legendary country artists up close and personal in an intimate setting. In addition to listening to great music, fans even have the opportunity to interview the musicians live and on stage during an audience participation Q&A session!

Past performers of this popular series include Randy Travis, Crystal Gayle, Pam Tillis, and Kathy Mattea. Coming up in mid-march, Richards will welcome two more country legends to the series. On Sunday, March 16 at 3pm, country star Janie Fricke will perform at Wood Theater in Glens Falls, NY. On Monday, March 17 at 7pm, ‘90’s superstar Ty Herndon will take the stage, also at Wood Theater.

Janie Fricke is not only an award-winning country singer, but also a songwriter, record producer and clothing designer. Fricke has accumulated 17 Top 10 singles on the US Billboard Hot Country songs chart, eight of which reached the top spot of number one. She has also been nominated for four Grammy Awards and is the winner of both the 1982 and 1983 Female Vocalist of the Year by the Country Music Association.

Ty Herndon is a country music singer-songwriter and a founding member of the country band Diamond Rio. Herndon left Diamond Rio after only one year to pursue a solo career. Between 1995 and 2002, Herndon hit the

US Billboard Hot Country charts with 17 singles including three number ones. On the philanthropic side, Herndon is the founder of the Foundation for Love & Acceptance, an organization dedicated to help those suffering from mental health issues, addiction, and trauma recovery. Herndon has stated his goal is to build a more inclusive country music community.

Don’t miss this special opportunity to see one or both of these country music legends up close and personal. Audience interaction and the intimate setting of Wood Theater will definitely make for unforgettable shows. Tickets for both performances can be purchased online at www.woodtheater. org or by calling (518) 480-4878.

Flyers provided by: Kevin Richards

Angelina Valente

Marc Woodworth

| savage love

acid tongued

I’m a cis man in a monogamous relationship with a cis woman who is going through perimenopause. She was recently prescribed a boric acid suppository to help deal with some normal but persistent vaginal health issues. Her doctor and all the reliable online medical resources we’ve found said we should wait “24-48” hours after she uses a suppository before I give her oral sex, as the stuff can be toxic if ingested. That’s all well and good, but if she uses a suppository every time we have PIV — which is what her doctor recommended — that would leave very little opportunity for me to eat her out, which I love to do and she loves to receive. (We have PIV probably 3-4 times a week and I would go down on her all day every day if I could.) Her health and comfort obviously come first, and we enjoy lots of other ways of having sex, so this isn’t the end of the world. But I do feel like we would need to mourn the (hopefully temporary) loss of something we really enjoy. So, my question for you is this: exactly how toxic is this stuff really? Are we talking drop-dead-on-thespot toxic or more like risking-a-badtummy-ache toxic? And to my mind there’s a big difference between 24 and 48 hours in this regard, but that is as specific as the information we’ve been able to find. I don’t want to put my health at risk, of course, but I would like a better sense of just how careful we should be with this.

I’m Not Gobbling Extremely Serious Toxins

“The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) published a safety brief last year due to reports of multiple people unintentionally orally ingesting boric acid vaginal suppositories,” said Dr. Stacy DeLin, Associate Medical Director for Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic, New York. “But the National Capitol Poison Center, aka Poison Control, found that the small amount of boric acid in a single capsule would not be expected to cause harm — a person would likely have to ingeste large amounts of boric acid to result in issues like vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. And severe potential issues — things like kidney problems or death — have never been known to occur, according to Poison Control.”

So, while Dr. De-Lin and I believe you should follow the recommendations of your wife’s doctor, INGEST, the risks are low — and we’re talking tummy aches here and not an early death and we would both understand why you might, after doing your own risk/benefit analysis, conclude the risks are worth the rewards.

“INGEST could try it out” — you could try going down on your wife 24 hours after she’s used the suppository — “and see if any mild adverse effects occur,” said Dr. De-Lin. “Avoiding swallowing while performing oral sex may also help mitigate any potential GI issues.”

Dr. De-Lin had one other recommendation that she wanted you to pass along to the wife.

“If INGEST’s partner is taking boric acid suppositories to help with vaginal

health issues due to perimenopause,” said Dr. De-Lin, “it’s worth speaking to her gynecologist about hormone replacement therapy (HRT). When hormone levels change around menopause, vaginal atrophy is common, and this thinning of the vaginal lining can lead to discomfort and infections. Multiple studies have shown that HRT, both when applied topically to the vagina or when used systemically, can improve vaginal tissue elasticity, moisturize the vagina, and can have a substantial impact on improving vaginal microflora to decrease infections.”

Follow Dr. Stacy De-Lin on Instagram and Threads @stacydelin_md.

I’m in a poly partnership in which outside play was until recently confined to foursomes with other trusted couples. My partner recently broke a few rules with a couple of guys — via text — which would have been fine if I’d known they were happening. I was going through some work stress at the time, and I was much less open to communication than I should have been, so she didn’t talk to me about this. So, I share some small part of the blame. One of these sexting relationships, to my mind, is fine to continue because it was respectful, polite, and didn’t go too far emotionally. The other relationship, however, veered quickly into “I love you” territory, and included a whole bunch of short videos, some of which I think were risky and outside our normal rules — panty stuffing, for example — and I asked for that one to be terminated, and it has been. I have two questions:

by Dan Savage

1. I’ve been under the impression that panty stuffing is a risky behavior, with a possibility of toxic shock, so I’ve absolutely never asked a partner to do it. Am I correct in thinking this? Is this a myth?

2. The respectful guy, with whom we’ve both exchanged pics now, requested a playdate with my partner. I was open to a threesome or a playdate at our place where they could have time alone together while I was nearby, but that’s evolved into the idea of a solo playdate at his place. I think I’m fine to drive her over to his place for a few hours — not an overnight, protected sex only, no restraints used — but there’s an obvious fracture in our trust right now and that’s a problem. So, I’ve ordered a new day collar for my partner and said they can set a date when the collar arrives. Have I fucked this up?

Seeking To Understand Fraught Feelings

1. Toxic shock syndrome isn’t a myth it is very real — but I don’t think briefly stuffing someone’s panties in her vagina (or asking someone to stuff her own panties in her own vagina) presents a serious risk of illness or death. But I ran that part of your question past Dr. De-Lin while I had her on the line, STUFF, just to be sure.

“Any foreign body left in the vagina for a long period of time could potentially lead to toxic shock syndrome,” said Dr. De-Lin. “The introduction of any foreign material

into the vagina can lead to risks, primarily infection and irritation, risks which are dependent on factors like the material being absorbent or synthetic, which underwear is. But toxic shock syndrome is very rare and usually only develops due to extended insertion.”

So, if your partner isn’t leaving her panties in her vagina for hours or days at a time — which I can’t imagine she’s doing — panty stuffing isn’t going to kill her.

“When it comes to putting foreign material into the vagina, in order to reduce the risk of infection, it is generally recommended that the item is non-porous and able to be well-sanitized, like silicone or stainless steel,” said Dr. De-Lin. “An alternate recommended approach would be using fabrics externally, on the vulva, while using safer materials for insertion.”

In other words: wear panties, insert insertables — doctor’s orders.

2. You’re asking me for a guarantee, STUFF, which I can’t offer you. If nothing goes wrong — if your partner and this other guy honor the boundaries you’ve set and include you in some small way (collar stays on, pics get sent) and you don’t wind up having a meltdown — then you won’t feel like you fucked this up. But if something goes wrong if they do something wrong and you wind up having a meltdown or they do everything right and you still wind up having a meltdown (it happens) — then you’re going to feel like you fucked this up. You’re taking a risk, STUFF, and there’s no guarantee things will go perfectly and/or you won’t feel some big feelings, up to and including feelings of regret.

It’s not uncommon for someone in an open relationship — which is what yours is — to have a bit of a meltdown and/or experience intense or overwhelming feelings. Sometimes an after-the-fact

meltdown is a sign that it was a mistake, STUFF, and if you’re anticipating a meltdown, that might be a sign that it would be a mistake to take this step now. But sometimes a meltdown is a bid for attention — negative attention seeking — and if your partner knows she needs to lavish you with attention, affection, and gratitude after this meeting, you’re less likely to have the kind of meltdown you can’t come back from.

I am poly and have been in ENM relationships for the past decade. I recently visited a friend in another state and had a lovely, intimate weekend with them. During our weekend together they told me they have a girlfriend who doesn’t know they’re cheating — and not only with me. My friend is a professional athlete, semi-famous, and they don’t have other friends or examples of ethical non-monogamy in their life. For the nearly ten years that I’ve known them, it’s been clear to me that they’re more suited for ENM. I would say they’re MUD: monogamous under duress. Knowing what I know now, how do I ethically engage with this person? I don’t see them frequently it’s been more than a year since we last saw each other — but when we do hangout, I am glad to be their friend who can help them explore ENM, ask questions, and encourage them to move in a more ethical manner. I feel awful that their partner doesn’t know about the cheating, and I hate contributing to it. I also feel for my friend as I know this loverboy is not meant for monogamy.

Side Piece Under Duress

You left something off that list of things you’re “glad to be” when you hang out with your old friend: in addition to being glad to be his friend, his sounding board, and his ethically non-monogamous role model, SPUD, you’re also glad to be his fuck toy, right? Professional athletes have great bodies (curlers and dart players

excluded), they have tons of stamina, and they stay in nice hotels. So, as you reason your way through this moral conundrum, SPUD, you need to be on your guard against the kind of selfserving rationalizations — or the kind of clitful/dickful thinking — that can lead a person to do something (or keep doing something) that doesn’t align with their stated values. In your case, SPUD, you’ve very nearly convinced yourself that cheating with someone who’s “doing it right,” i.e. someone practicing ethical nonmonogamy and therefore isn’t cheating on their partner, might inspire your hot, semi-famous friend to stop “doing it wrong,” i.e. stop practicing unethical non-monogamy.

Now, it’s entirely possible your example will inspire this pro athlete to straighten up and cheat right; there are definitely people out there who’ve had the sense fucked into them. But let’s not kid ourselves: people who’ve cheated on their partners with people who weren’t cheating on their own — cheaters who were inspired to ask their partners for forgiveness (for fucking around) and permission (to keep fucking around) — are few and far between. And while I don’t doubt your pussy is magic (all pussies are), your pussy ain’t chemo and it’s not going to cure him.

All that said, SPUD, it’s not your job to police this man’s behavior; both his relationship with his girlfriend and the salvation of his immortal soul are his business. But if you don’t wanna contribute to cheating, you have no choice but to stop fucking this guy. If you keep fucking this guy, SPUD, you shouldn’t pretend you’re doing it for him. You’re doing it for you.

P.S. I would do and have done the same thing you’re doing, SPUD: fucked someone I was free to fuck who wasn’t free to fuck me. I also assuaged my own guilt by urging the person to make things right with their partner. So, I’m not judging you.

pounds during my three-year relationship with my ex. He ate a lot of shitty food — fried foods, fast foods — and would get angry and accuse me of food-shaming him if I didn’t eat what he did. He also liked to drink and insisted I match him beer-forbeer. (More like pitcher-for-pitcher.) If I went to the gym and he didn’t want to go — and he never wanted to go — he would accuse me of bodyshaming him. The only thing I feel shame about here is not breaking up with him myself. In the year since he dumped me, I’ve lost all the weight I gained and a little more. I feel so much better. Now he accuses me — via drunken, late-night DMs — of getting back to my previous weight to attract other “shallow” gay men like me and he tells our mutual friends that I gained weight while were together because I took him for granted. He even told one guy I was briefly seeing to watch out because I would get fat again if we got serious.

P.S. He was lovely in lots of other ways, and we had a really great sexual connection at first and he was a rare kink match for me.

Totally Obnoxious X Is Crazy

Block your ex on all platforms, drop mutuals who take his side, and get out in front of his bullshit by warning new boyfriends about your toxic ex before he can slide into their DMs. And never again let someone shame you into putting something in your mouth that you don’t wanna put in your mouth (greasy food, shitty dick) or shame you out of doing something you do wanna do — something like going to the gym — because they don’t wanna do it.

Got problems? Yes, you do! Email your question for the column to mailbox@savage.love!

Or record your question for the Savage Lovecast at savage.love/ askdan!

Podcasts, columns and more at Savage.Love

Short question I gained thirty

| theater are

you dead?

Last week, the New York Times ran a story by Jay Root on Governor Hochul’s allocation of $400 million to help Albany. The subheading was:

“Gov. Kathy Hochul has proposed to earmark $400 million to revitalize the capital of New York, where poverty rates are high and the downtown is moribund.” I looked up ‘moribund’. It means “at the point of death.”

I have felt at the point of death a couple of times in my life. One was when I moved back to Albany after 13 years living, working and growing in New York City. I moved down and took a studio apartment from a friend on East 99th Street in 1981 for $185 a month and attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts when I was 17 years old.

For the next 13 years I pursued the goal of making a living as an actor and I never made it. I worked all the time. I attended three years by invitation at the Academy, founded three theatre companies, always studied privately, performed in 50 showcases, scenes and regional plays and did dozens of days on soaps and films. But I never got an agent and I was always waiting on tables.

I moved home heartbroken, crushed. I thought my life was over. By many significant measures, it was. I could no longer fill my days with theatre as I had in Manhattan. I thought Albany was a cultural wasteland.

I spent the longest time offstage since I was 14 –two years. I finally found Albany Civic Theater and wandered into a production of All in the Timing directed by Bob Goepfert and my vista opened up. There was worthwhile theatre of a very high quality being produced, supported and attended in South Albany. I made Albany Civic Theater my artistic home where I have served on the board; I have since directed five and acted in 23

productions since 1997.

I felt moribund once again in the fall of 2008 after being fired from my retail job in the midst of the economic crash. I voted for the first time in my life and somehow clawed my way back. I was working overnight stocking shelves in a Price Chopper when theatre lifted me up again. Rebecca at Schenectady Civic Players brought me back to life and for the past 15 years I said yes to every opportunity that was mentioned, offered or that I could create.

Since then, in the Capital Region I have been able to act in 55 productions, direct 27, start a theatre company, start an acting class, teach 55 students for a semester at UAlbany, review over 100 productions for Nippertown, The Daily Gazette & Metroland, podcast 30 episodes of The Play That Changed My Life and attend 300 plays a year, take leading roles in The Night of the Iguana, Bill W & Dr. Bob, Moon for the Misbegotten, The Real Thing…all while living in Pine Hills. There is no way I could accomplish a fraction of this nor reach as many people as I have if I remained in Manhattan.

I posted the New York Times article on my 518 Theatre Artists Facebook page and everyone agrees that downtown Albany is in rough shape and there is a great deal of consensus on the principle culprits – 787 cutting off the river, Empire State Plaza bisecting the city like a marble scar and the absence of downtown workers post pandemic.

Part of Governor Hochul’s solution is to invest $150 million in the New York State Museum and now we also get word that The Egg is closing for 6 months for renovations. These two renovations and the decisions going back 60 years with the creation of the Plaza and the highway that can shuttle cars to parking garages underneath it enabling the commuter to never have to step on a city sidewalk are making the same mistakes.

by Patrick White

Again and again, city planners have prioritized cars from the suburbs over development and care of the city.

One response to my Facebook post looked at downtown and said there is a dearth in culture in the city. Anybody can say anything on social media but you are insulting the 100+ theatre companies in the Capital Region and a community that has produced and supported Once on This Island, The Pillowman, Falsettos, 100 Saints You Should Know and A Few Good Men just in the past month alone.

That is why we are building the Capital Region Festival of Theatre: a four day, region-wide, seven-venue celebration and promotion of one of the most extraordinary theatre communities in the country. There are over 100 theaters, 16 youth groups, 22 high schools that compete for the Jimmy Awards, eight colleges (five with theatre majors), 47 community theaters and 16 professional companies.

What do you do “at the point of death?” Well, you either bang and scream at the lid of your casket or you accept the dirt being shoveled on you.

| theater

heathers: the musical

High school has never been this dangerous! Heathers: The Musical is now taking over Cohoes Music Hall, blending dark comedy, high-energy performances, and a cutthroat look at teenage power plays. Running through March 9th, Playhouse Stage Company’s latest production unites its standout teen performers with top regional talent in a thrilling adaptation of the cult classic.

“While Heathers is undoubtedly funny and energetic, it also tackles issues that teens in high school still face to this day,” says Producing Artistic Director Owen Smith. “This story that concerns teen suicide, bullying, sexual assault, and gun violence is an ideal vehicle to challenge and develop our fantastic Playhouse Stage Academy advanced teen students.”

Based on the 1989 cult film, Heathers: The Musical brings the high-stakes world of Westerberg High to life, following Veronica Sawyer as she navigates the toxic elite of the Heathers and a dangerous

new romance with transfer student J.D.

by Adem Jones

With an electrifying, ‘80s-inspired score by Kevin Murphy and Laurence O’Keefe, the show balances satire with moments of raw intensity.

“As has become the core of our programming in recent seasons, these incredible teen performers will appear in age-appropriate roles alongside dynamite regional professional actors, with our top-notch design and creative team guiding them,” Smith adds.

The production is helmed by PSC Managing Director Chuck Kraus, with choreography and musical staging by Ashley Simone Kirchner and musical direction by Brandon Jones. The trio recently collaborated on Playhouse Stage’s acclaimed 2024 production of Spring Awakening.

The ensemble also features Playhouse veterans

Molly Rose McGrath, Nick Martiniano, and Lancelot Douglas in a variety of adult roles.

Playhouse Stage Company’s 37th season continues with Schoolhouse Rock Live! in March, available for school field trips with public performances on March 29 and 30. The summer lineup includes a developmental premiere of the new musical The Waiting, followed by Oklahoma! at Park Playhouse in July, and productions of The Little Mermaid and Moana Jr. at Cohoes Music Hall.

Leading the cast is Molly Kirby, now in her eighth year with Playhouse Stage Academy, as Veronica Sawyer. Keith DuBois takes on the role of J.D., with Nora Miller, Ava Papaleo, and Vandy Benson starring as the infamous Heathers.

Tickets for Heathers: The Musical are available now. Prices are $40 for adults, $30 for seniors (65+), and $20 for audience members under 18. Tickets can be purchased online at www. playhousestage.org, in person at 58 Remsen Street in Cohoes, or by calling 518-434-0776. Performances run at 7:30 PM Thursdays through Saturdays, with 2:00 PM matinées on Saturdays and Sundays.

Photo credit: Shawn Morgan

Photo credit: Shawn Morgan

| art murmur

corporeal daydreams: the art of emily lamb by Dana Brady

Candy-coated wastelands, tendrils of nipple hair, porcelain figurines, and bodily fluids. Emily Lamb’s paintings confront the clownish silliness and deep mystery of our human form.

Her work was recently on view at Troy’s new art gallery, Context Collective, run by owner and curator Mariah Kitner and co-founder and artist-in-residence, Ash King, throughout the month of February. Lamb’s work is a surreal dance between impish sexuality and the grotesque. Her palette of pinks and reds reflect the exposed membranes and tissues of the bodies she paints. This combination grounds the viewer in their own body while simultaneously sending them off to a far-flung dreamland.

Equally striking is the mix of realism and uncanniness that can be found in each painting’s subjects. Lamb’s skill for rendering some objects as inert figurines and fleshing out what is human–skin, hair, fluid, etc.–is particularly awe-inspiring.

Viewers were instantly drawn in by images of starkly naked bodies and blush toned nowhere-land planes of existence, but the more time spent with these works, the more you’ll be rewarded. Small and intricate details like the dolls and cat statuettes in Still-Life-InDeath (2021) or the texture of inner and outer organs and veins in A Place Meant to Hide (2023) begin to intensify and captivate. Viewers are left to fill in their own details about what these images might mean in the context of their own body and the hidden recesses of the imagination.

Several of Lamb’s paintings were framed in delicate doilies and ruffles, an arresting contrast between the blood reds and visceral imagery. Perceived femininity is intertwined with (maybe even inextricably linked to) bodily truths and discomforts. The serene expressions seen on many of the subjects against the strange and

otherworldly imagery creates an unsettling yet impossible-to-look-away-from scene.

In addition to the larger paintings on display, several zines by the artist were included in the show that also traffic in topics on mortality and the physical. Among these was a zine entitled Slither, which tells the story of a centipede that crawls inside the body of an unsuspecting woman. She is later harassed on the street by a man and, after rebuffing his catcalls, cuts eyes at him, turns her body, and… I won’t spoil the ending. There’s much beauty and ugliness at play in this short story: the repulsiveness of a bug finding its home within a living body, the cheap “flattery” of someone who instantly reveals himself to be hostile and threatening, and the way something perceived as creepy, gross, or uncomfortable can live alongside us.

Lamb’s work evokes the idea that our bodies contain multitudes. Our outsides are quickly perceived as desirable one minute, disgusting the next, and ultimately mysterious and somewhat unknowable to others and even ourselves. The last line of Lamb’s artist statement reads as follows: “Our relationship between our bodies and our various selves is sometimes so profound that our own existence can sometimes make our skin crawl.” Her art is a reminder that what we often seek to hide or tame about ourselves is, at times, an inescapable performance outside of our control.

Corporeal Daydreams was on view from January 31st through February 22nd, 2025 at Context Collective, located at 95 4th Street, Troy. For more information on Context Collective, visit www.contextclay.com

Photo credit: Debi Gustafson

Just two hours north of our Capital Region lies Lake Placid, home of the 1980 USA Hockey Team’s “Miracle On Ice”. Located on Main Street in the Olympic Village is the classic Devlin Hotel, a true gem that embodies Adirondack charm and hospitality. Offering unbeatable value and dog friendly accommodations, now is the perfect time to plan your winter getaway.

To learn more, visit TheDevlinNY.com

| comedy

this must be the different place by Ryan

Shanahan

In the last several weeks, I have spent a significant amount of time away from home. Not for any strange or nefarious reasons, mind you. I haven’t joined a militia or a book club. I haven’t started a new religion or joined a pretend one. I’m not on the lamb, nor am I on the hog. In fact, it’s been so long I don’t remember why I came here at all. I’m just.. Away. In a Different Place.

It’s dark here in the Different Place, even in the middle of the day. One time the townsfolk elected a sign language gorilla as mayor and he’s ruled over the land with an iron and eloquent fist ever since. Every hour, on the hour, you stand in a line by the abandoned Joann Fabric and hold your arms above your head. One by one he goes down the line and you have to let him punch you as hard as he can in the middle of the belly or else you go to jail, which is inside the not-abandoned Joann Fabric. It would be terrible if it weren’t for the fact that it’s the only way anyone can keep track of the time.

They don’t let you use your money when you try to buy something in the Different Place. Heck, they don’t even call it “buying something”. They call it “Doin’ A Yoinky” and the only guy you can “Doin’ A Yoinky” with is called Jed and he’s mean as hell. Not that there’s anything to buy. The whole of the local economy is driven by giving Jed your entire pants and in return, Jed flips you off with both middle fingers. Nobody likes Jed, but somehow the bills are paid.

Everything in the Different Place is onions. The clothes are onions. The water is onions. The hang gliding lessons are onions. The public works department is onions. The lady who runs the charity bake sale is onions. The 911 operators are onions. The geese are onions. Even the children are onions. The onions,

however, are apples, and everyone seems to think that’s just fine.

The history of the Different Place is unreliable at best. Some say it was founded in 1790, while other’s place the date closer to 1791. Everyone else gets irrationally mad when you suggest that the concept of “years” exist at all. If I had a Hunky Fireman calendar for every knife-point pressed to my neck whenever I said a number that sounded like a year I’d have enough “commie proper-gander” to put me away for the rest of my natural life.

For all I’ve learned of the Different Place still one question is left unresolved: Where in the heck am I even? Any memory of my travels and the last four of my social security number were

wiped away when the mayor missed my belly and landed a world-class haymaker to my skull. Basic navigation is out of the question because the street signs are either in Pig Latin or on fire – languages I haven’t been fluent in since fifth grade or ever, respectively. What about a map? Surely if I looked at a map I could figure out where I am! Wrong again. All the maps are onions. I might never know where the Different Place is for certain, but if I were to guess, I’d say it was Binghamton.

All this is to say, I miss my wife. Honey, if you’re reading this, tell my mom to come pick me up. I’m ready to come home.

Comic by: Danatoon

Up-CoMing

3/5: Women’s History as told by Comedians

The Van Dyck Music Club, 7pm, Schenectady, NY

3/5: Erin Harkes’ Women Aren’t Funny Showcase

Universal Preservation Hall, 7:30pm, Saratoga Springs, NY

3/6: Comedy at The Palazzo

The Palazzo Ristorante, 7pm, Schenectady, NY

3/8: Night at the Chateau Comedy Thriller Movie Premiere Madison Theatre, 6pm, Albany, NY

3/12: A Comedy Variety Show

Stella’s Pasta Bar, 7pm, Schenectady, NY

3/13: Sam Morril:The Errors Tour

The Egg, 7:30pm, Albany, NY

3/15: Goofballs Comedy Showcase

Moon and River Cafe, 7pm, Schenectady, NY

3/19: Women’s History as told by Comedians

The Van Dyck Music Club, 7pm, Schenectady, NY

3/22: Are You Afraid of the Dark Comedy III Son of Egg, 8pm, Rensselaer, NY

3/25: Beirgarten Bootleg Showcase

Wolff’s Beirgarten, 8pm, Albany, NY

3/29: March Mayhem

The Van Dyck Music Club, 7pm, Schenectady, NY

3/30: Joseph’s House Fundraiser

Lark St. Tavern, 7pm, Albany, NY @albanycomedy

Comic by: Jaye McBride

Comic by: Michael Slayton

| the metro poem

judith prest by Stacie Leininger

Judith Prest, a Duanesburg poet, uses her literary talents to inspire others to heal through creativity. Her decades-long love of helping others to find their poetic voices has grown from her own survival story, which inspired her poetry collection, After: one woman’s road map of recovering from trauma, published by Finishing Line Press.

Prest’s words and imagery flow on pages to create what she calls “word collages”.

These relatable poems give a voice to those who our society still dissuades from discussing their trauma, and assists those who seek to understand the trauma better. While many people shy away from sensitive topics, Prest’s sincerity sheds light on every aspect of those topics.

“I write because it keeps me sane and sober,” Prest explains. “I share my stories because they are helpful to show people that they too can come out the other side of a bad situation.”

Like many writers, she started writing poetry at a young age, around 12. Several years later, Prest stopped, then later in life, the desire to create became a force within itself and she returned to writing. In addition to being an avid reader, she studied her craft under multiple poets, and continues to hone her skills while guiding others on their own creative journeys.

Her first experience with running a writers’ workshop was in 1999, at

The College of Saint Rose’s Interfaith Sanctuary. Since then, she has run workshops through the International Women’s Writing Guild (IWWG), the now-disbanded Wo-man Words group that used to meet in the Capital District area, and at the Delaware prison, to name a few. She currently runs a poetry writing group that meets at the Schenectady Library.

Prest believes that, “Creativity is a part of human DNA,” a concept that shines through in the

workshops that she runs where she gently encourages people to express themselves. She has inspired many people struggling to break the silence forced on them by injustices. Her naturally gentle ways of teaching were further cultivated from having worked part-time at New Choices Recovery Center in Schenectady for fourteen years, and from working to earn certificates in Creative Coaching and Expressive Arts Therapy.

“I want to bring poetry to people who may not have access to it – to help them heal and give them an opportunity they may not otherwise have.” Prest encourages others to write their stories as she believes that, “Writing is an important part of the healing process.”

The message she has for anyone who has ever thought, “I’m not creative,” is just do it. You are creative. Writing poetry will help you get through the difficult times and help with your resilience.

Other poetry books by Judith Prest include Geography of Loss, Grafted Tree, Late Day Light, and Elemental Connections. At this point in her creative journey, Prest is now incorporating her photos into her poetry books.

Prest is a member of Hudson Valley Writers Guild, the International Women’s Writing Guild (IWWG), and also belongs to the Institute for Poetic Medicine. For information on her workshops and poetry books, you can visit Judith Prest’s website at spiritwindstudio.net

Photo credit: Ashley Holley, Wolf Mountain Productions

| crossword 518 FUN

“Finding this month's puzzle tricky? Here’s a hint - most answers can be found in the articles in this issue and/or our website – sorry! You gotta do the homework!"

1 He draws comic for us but if you scan the QR code IT’S FUCKIN ANIMATED, DUDE!

15 Everyone in the Capital Region doesn’t necessarily run on Dunkin thanks to this coffee place with locations in Albany and Troy!

9 Lead Singer of Plush 17 This well known, emo/hardcore record label was founded right here in Albany

11 _______ Live, formerly 20 Across in a strip mall in Clifton Park

20 Was once called Northern Lights in a strip mall in Clifton Park, before becoming 11 Down.

13 Local alcoholic podcast 23 Though an international chain, they are all individually owned and one of the best places to get ice cream in Albany!

ACROSS DOWN

2 The staff watched The Patroons practice here while shooting their cover.

3 Formerly Parish Public House

4 With five locations (Clifton Park, Glens Falls, Saratoga and TWO in Albany) maybe you’re more common than you think!

5 Formerly Red Square

6 A band called _____ or a great lake

7 Local singer/songwriter who won The Voice!

8 The nominees were just announced for this award show taking place April 27th.

10 Seems to be an Albany area choice for mozzarella sticks (for some reason)

12 Our favorite photographer identifies with this bear. (You’ll have to read the Q&As, sorry!)

13 Local concert promotion firm

14 Historic Schenectady district

16 Local non-alcoholic podcast

18 Summit Lake in Argyle was the primary filming location for this "campy" 80s horror movie

19 They’re having restaurant week right now! Why aren’t you there?

21 Just opened a brick and mortar on New Scotland Ave, his name basically MEANS flowers. In the Capital District, anyway!

22 Get your java at this assumed name in Albany or Troy

24 This dispensary is owned and operated by one of our favorite local musicians, Mirk!

25 Don’t cry, boys! You’ll be happy to know the guitarist for this iconic band lives right here in Troy

518 Fun - March!

26 Zan and _______

27 Named after Schenectady’s local baseball team for the swampy lands where they played

28 Former native to the Capital Region, this comic has gone on to open for Amy Schumer, write for her show, appear on Comedy Central, and work all the time at the prestigious Comedy Cellar in NYC. Oh and she submits a comic to us once a month, too! How lucky are we?

CROSSWORD ANSWER KEY can be found on page 62

| horoscope

by Isavella Vassilakis

Isavella Vassilakis is an astrologer based in the Capital District, the founder of First House Rising Astrology, and co-creator of Planetarium, a monthly astrology themed dance party. You can find Izzy on Instagram at @firsthouserisingastrology.

ARIES

March is a month of major reevaluation, but if you play it right, you could reset your entire approach to life. Amidst the isolation and exhaustion, the cosmos wants you to know that not only is healing possible, it’s necessary. Once Venus stations retrograde on the 2nd in your sign, it becomes clear that your relationships, creative expression, and even your health and appearance, need some very real, loving attention. This is happening in the most important part of your chart and will be much deeper than the standard “don’t text your ex” Venus rx experience! The super creative, spiritual vibe at that time will help you find meaning and healing. March also features a lot of thinking, communicating, learning, and tech themes — however, Mercury stations retrograde on the 15th so watch out for miscommunications or other snafus. Mercury joins forces with Venus on March 11th to drop special messages or important conversations with loved ones into your lap. This may tie in to how you feel the next day, as Saturn and the Sun show you exactly how important getting serious about your mental health is. Your physical health is also up for review once March 14th‘s Virgo Lunar eclipse ushers in a whole new cycle of taking care of yourself. This theme intensifies on the 17th through the 19 th , so dial in! Meanwhile, Aries season begins on March 20th — happy birthday! Remember that relationship refresh I mentioned? The 23rd and 24th are great days to seek clarity (especially re: relationships and your overall life path) as Venus, then Mercury, receive the illuminating rays of the Sun. Employ your soul-searching method of choice because on the 27th , Venus moves back into Pisces, reactivating your fears and echoing something that occurred at the beginning of February. But wait, there’s another eclipse on the 29th — this time in Aries. This is the very last Aries eclipse in a cycle that began on April 19th ,

2023. Congrats, you survived! How have you changed over the past 18 months? Take a minute to reflect and process because I bet it’s been insane. Meanwhile, the last days of March are vague, lazy, and confusing as Mercury swims back into Pisces, but something major does happen on the 30th: Neptune moves into Aries. The slow-moving planet of creativity, deception, healing, and spirituality has been in Pisces since 2011 — but will now grace your sign with these qualities until 2039. A new era of creativity is on the rise.

|teaser horoscopes

TAURUS

Find balance amidst the chaos this month because you’ll be super busy with friends and community. War is being waged on relationship fears and resentments. You’re a lover, nor a fighter, but this is a worthy battle.

GEMINI

You are who you surround yourself with, so weed out false friends and energy vampires. The saga of creating your perfect career continues. Messages abound this month, however!

CANCER

Expanding your worldview takes precedence right now. Your faith gets a boost of inspiration as Venus retrograde asks you to reevaluate your life’s work.

LEO

Travel, higher education, and accumulating experiences is on the rise. Your closest bonds feel the crunch; so does your wallet as eclipse season opens up a new money cycle.

VIRGO

The focus on your relationship intensifies once the topic of shared resources enters the chat. The

first Lunar eclipse in Virgo shows you perfection isn’t real, but if it is, it’s not found in the past.

LIBRA

Venus retrograde has you reviewing your closest relationships. Don’t be afraid to rock the boat — your needs matter too! Health and work updates are coming up.

SCORPIO

Echoes of a romantic interlude from early February plus a major reevaluation of work and health. Changes in your community and friendships are on deck.

SAGITTARIUS

Home and family intertwine with love and dating, especially during Venus and Mercury retrograde. It’s time to let go of old career aspirations.

CAPRICORN

Your siblings might be going through it; what can you do to help? A new horizon re: home and family awaits. So does releasing outdated personal philosophies.

AQUARIUS

This double retrograde will guide you towards solutions re: siblings, tech, and communication. Tie up any loose ends before the Aries eclipse on the 29th . The money theme revs up.

PISCES

Prioritize finding peace among the chaos of your life — but go out there and make some money, too. Solutions are on their way.

FOR MORE GO TO themetroland.com/horoscopes/

| night & day

|art

R Gallery at Arlene’s

10/4/24 - 8/30/25

Flat File Program at Arlene’s

Albany Library Pine Hills Branch

12/6/24 - 5/10/25

Repeat Play: The Art of Pattern (Art at APL in partnership with Opalka Gallery)

Opalka Gallery

1/24/25 - 3/1/25

Screenprint Biennial

Charles R. Wood Gallery

1/25/25 - 3/30/25

CUSP: Brian Dickerson, Melinda Stickney-Gibson, and Millicent Young

Feibes & Schmitt Gallery

1/25/25 - 5/11/25

Odili Donald Odita: A Survey of Context

University Art Museum

1/27/25 - 4/4/25

Vito Acconci: Under-History Lessons

Albany Center Gallery

1/28/25 - 2/28/25

Light Within Layers

R Gallery at Arlene’s

1/31/25 - 2/28/25 Sound Waves

Albany Institute of History & Art

2/1/25 - 7/20/25

Americans Who Tell the Truth

William K. Sanford Town Library

2/1/25 - 2/27/25

R Gallery at Arlene’s Fourth Annual Student Art Show

Albany Public Library Pine Hills Branch

3/3/25 -

Art After Dark: Charcoal

The Arts Center of the Capital Region

3/3/25 - 4/6/25

REALMS UNREAL: Artistic Experiments with Artificial Intelligence

3/3/25 - 4/6/25

Formative Expressions

R Gallery at Arlene’s

3/7/25 - 3/28/25

Forgone: Re-imagining the Figure

Albany Institute of History & Art

3/8/25 -

Art For All - Mixed media spring meadow inspired by the Hudson River School

3/8/25 -

Frida Kahlo and the Bravest Niña in El Mundo - Presented by Opera Saratoga

Bridge Street Theatre

3/7/25, 9:00 PM Bent Compass

3/14/25, 8:00 PM

HELP! I’M TRAPPED IN A ONE-WOMAN SHOW!

3/21/25, 7:00 PM O Time

3/28/25, 9:00 PM

Ghost Dance: Picture of a Madman

3/29/25, 6:30 PM

Ghost Dance: Picture of a Madman

3/30/25, 9:00 PM

Ghost Dance: Picture of a Madman

Caffé Lena

3/2/25, 7:00 PM Playwright’s Jam

Cap Rep

3/7/25, 10:00 PM The Lehman Trilogy

4/25/25, 7:00 PM

Rosie is Red And Everybody is Blue

7/11/25, 7:00 PM Once

Charles Wood Theater

3/14/25, 8:00 PM

24 Hour Play Fest

3/21/25, 7:30 PM Couples Therapy

Cohoes Music Hall

2/21/25, 6:00 PM Heathers The Musical

3/12/25, 9:30 PM

School House Rock Live!

Curtain Call Theater

2/27/25, 7:30 PM The Garbolgists

Iselin Family Studio @ Cap Rep

5/29/25, 9:30 PM Eclipsed (bttuny)

MOPCO

2/28/25, 7:00 PM TV Night

3/1/25, 7:00 PM Theatresports

3/7/25, 8:00 PM Maestro!

3/8/25, 7:00 PM Theatresports

3/14/25, 9:00 PM Longform Night

3/15/25, 1:00 PM Theatresports

3/22/25, 7:00 PM Theatresports

3/28/25, 7:00 PM TV Night

3/29/25, 10:00 PM Theatresports

Proctors

3/14/25, 6:30 PM

Come From Away

3/18/25, 6:00 PM Shucked

3/23/25, 7:00 PM

Word Plays: Silver Bullets

3/27/25, 9:00 PM

Colin Mochrie & Brad Sherwood: Asking for Trouble

3/29/25, 8:00 PM

Dog Man: the Musical

The Egg Performing Arts Center

3/22/25, 7:30 PM

Couples Therapy: The Theatrical Show

|poetry

Inquiring Minds Bookstore

2/27/25, 6:30 PM

Open Mic Poetry Night

Electric City Barn

2/28/25, 7:00 PM

Lucid Voices Open Mic

Caffé Lena

3/5/25, 6:30 PM

Poetry Open Mic Featuring Bunkong Tuon

Social Justice Center

3/20/25, 7:30 PM

Third Thursday Poetry Night Open Mic

Schuylerville Public Library

3/23/25, 7:30 PM Poetry Night

|comedy

Albany Indoor Rockgym

3/1/25, 8:00 PM

The Boy Who Live Laugh Loved: A Harry Potter Parody

Comedy Works Saratoga

2/28/25, 10:00 PM Open Mic

3/7/25, 8:00 PM

Ray Harrington & Guests

3/7/25, 10:00 PM Open Mic

3/8/25, 7:00 & 9:00 PM

Ray Harrington & Guests

3/14/25, 10:00 PM Open Mic

3/21/25, 8:00 PM

Moody Mccarthy & Guests

3/21/25, 10:00 PM

Open Mic

3/22/25, 7:00 & 9:00 PM

Moody Mccarthy & Guests

3/28/25, 10:00 PM

Open Mic

Common Roots Albany Outpost

2/28/25, 8:00 PM

Next Stop Comedy

Funny Bone

2/28/25, 7:00 PM Capone

2/28/25, 9:30 PM Capone

3/1/25, 6:30 & 9:00 PM Capone

3/2/25, 1:00 PM

Drag Me To Brunch

3/7/25, 7:00 & 9:30 PM Godfrey

3/8/25, 6:30 & 9:00 PM Godfrey

3/12/25, 7:00 PM

Karen Morgan

3/14/25, 7:00 PM Sam Jay

3/15/25, 7:00 & 9:30 PM DC Young Fly

3/16/25, 6:30 & 9:00 PM DC Young Fly

3/20 & 3/21/25, 7:00 PM

Hannah Berner - Working Out New Material

3/21/25, 9:30 PM

Hannah Berner - Working Out New Material

3/22/25, 6:30 PM

Hannah Berner - Working Out New Material

3/22/25, 9:00 PM

Hannah Berner - Working Out New Material

3/23/25, 6:30 PM

Lil Mo Mozzarella

3/26/25, 6:30 PM

Good For A Laugh Comedy Event

3/27/25, 7:00 PM

Aaron Belisle

3/28/25, 7:00 PM David Koechner

3/28/25, 9:30 PM “The Office Trivia” with Todd Packer

3/29/25, 6:30 & 9:00 PM David Koechner

Lark Street Tavern

2/27/25, 7:00 PM Open Mic

2/28/25, 8:00 PM

Actually Good Comedy Special

3/6/25, 7:00 PM Open Mic

3/13/25, 7:00 PM Open Mic

3/20/25, 7:00 PM Open Mic

3/27/25, 7:00 PM Open Mic

| night & day

|comedy (cont'd)

LG Lanes and Games

3/22/25, 7:30 PM Comedy Showcase

Madison theatre

3/8/25, 6:00 PM Night at the Chateau Comedy Thriller Movie Premiere

Mcaddy’s Pub

3/3/25, 6:00 PM Open Mic

3/10/25, 6:00 PM Open Mic

3/17/25, 6:00 PM Open Mic

3/24/25, 6:00 PM Open Mic

3/31/25, 6:00 PM Open Mic

Moon and River Cafe

3/15/25, 7:00 PM Goofballs Comedy Showcase

MVP Arena

3/30/25, 7:30 PM

Gabriel Iglesias: Don’t Worry Be Fluffy

Son of Egg

3/4/25, 7:30 PM Open Mic

3/11/25, 7:30 PM Open Mic

3/18/25, 7:30 PM Open Mic

3/23/25, 8:00 PM Afraid of the Dark 3

3/25/25, 7:30 PM Open Mic

3/5/25, 7:00 PM Open Mic

3/12/25, 7:00 PM Open Mic

3/19/25, 7:00 PM Open Mic

3/26/25, 7:00 PM Open Mic

Stella’s Pasta Bar

3/12/25, 7:00 PM

A Comedy Variety Show

The Egg

3/13/25, 7:30 PM

Sam Morrill: The Errors Tour

The Egg Performing Arts Center

3/29/25, 8:00 PM

Kathy Griffin

The Lark St Tavern

3/30/25, 7:00 PM

Joseph’s House Fundraiser

The Local 217

2/27/25, 9:00 PM

Open Mic

3/6/25, 9:00 PM

Open Mic

3/13/25, 9:00 PM

Open Mic

3/20/25, 9:00 PM Open Mic

3/27/25, 9:00 PM Open Mic

The Palazzo Ristorante

3/6/25, 7:00 PM Comedy at the Palazzo

Universal Preservation Hall

3/5/25, 7:30 PM

Erin Harkes Women Aren’t Funny Showcase

Van Dyck Music Club

3/5/25, 7:00 PM

Women’s History as told by Comedians

3/19/25, 7:00 PM

Women’s History as told by Comedians

3/26/25, 7:00 PM

Open Mic

3/29/25, 7:00 PM March Mayhem

|music

ADK Pub and Brewery

3/1/2025, 3:00 PM Tops of Trees

Arthur Zankel Music Center

2/27/2025, 7:30 PM

Laura Cetilia

3/1/2025, 8:00 PM

Melanie Charles + Make Jazz Trill Again: Trill 101 Premiere

3/2/2025, 4:00 PM

SURROUND: Cassandra Jenkins - Solo Performance

3/4/2025, 7:00 PM

Skidmore in Concert: Orchestra

3/6/2025, 6:00 PM

A Black Woman Speaks

3/21/2025, 7:30 PM

Sterne Virtuoso Series: Westhuizen Duo

3/28/2025, 7:30 PM

Timeless Tones, Modern Melodies: An Evening of Chinese Music Redefined

3/30/2025, 3:00 PM Voices of Ukraine

Avalon Lounge

2/27/2025, 8:00 PM

TJ Douglas / Katy Pinke / Will Stratton

3/2/2025, 7:00 PM

Upstate Composers Orchestra

3/4/2025, 8:00 PM

The Ladles / beccs

3/8/2025, 7:00 PM

Avalon Winter Gala with Elvis Perkins & Friends / Alexander Turnquist / RAGER / DJ Guy / DJ Lee J / Tollzar

3/12/2025, 8:00 PM

Joanna Mattrey / Wendy Eisenberg + Ryan Sawyer / Sad Sax feat. Lea Bertucci + Kyle Forester + Matt Bauder + Will Epstein

3/22/2025, 8:00 PM

Catskill Emo Night

3/27/2025, 8:00 PM

Molto Ohm / Michael Beharie feat Maeve Schallert / Widow

3/28/2025, 8:00 PM

Samuel Boat / Moontype / The Straps

3/29/2025, 9:00 PM Trance Party Vol. 1

Bridge Street Theatre

3/2/2025, 2:00 PM Muslim Girls DTF (Discuss Their Faith)

Brown School

3/2/2025, 7:00 PM

Empire State Youth Orchestra: Percussion Ensembles

BW Lounge

3/22/2025, 9:00 PM

Legacy Music Group

Caffe Lena

3/14/2025, 8:00 PM

Kevin McKrell w/ Arlin Greene and Frank Orsini

2/27/2025, 1:00 PM

Weekly Slow Jam - Folk, Bluegrass, Blues, and More!

2/27/2025, 7:00 PM Crys Matthews

2/28/2025, 8:00 PM

Carolyn Shapiro & Band

3/1/2025, 3:00 PM

Little Folks Series featuring FAB5

3/1/2025, 8:00 PM

Caleb Klauder + Reeb Willms Country Band

3/2/2025, 7:00 PM

The Mallett Brothers Trio

3/3/2025, 7:00 PM Open Mic Night

3/5/2025, 10:30 AM Folk Club Kids

3/5/2025, 11:30 AM

Irish Music Ensemble with Oona Brady and James Gascoyne

3/6/2025, 1:00 PM

Weekly Slow Jam - Folk, Bluegrass, Blues, and More!

3/6/2025, 7:00 PM

May Erlewine

3/7/2025, 8:00 PM

Aztec Two-Step 2.0 featuring Rex Fowler, Dodie Pettit & Friends

3/8/2025, 8:00 PM

65th Anniversary Folk Heritage Series: Chris Smither

3/9/2025, 7:00 PM

The Chatham Rabbits

3/10/2025, 10:00 AM

So You Want To Play The Mandolin with Alan Epstein

3/10/2025, 11:30 AM

Bluegrass Mandolin Solos with Alan Epstein

3/10/2025, 7:00 PM

Open Mic Night

3/11/2025, 7:00 PM

JAZZ at Caffè Lena: The Chuck Lamb Trio with Special Guest Cliff Lyons

3/12/2025, 10:30 AM

Folk Club Kids

3/12/2025, 11:30 AM

Irish Music Ensemble with Oona Brady and James Gascoyne

3/13/2025, 7:00 PM

Emily Scott Robinson

3/14/2025, 7:30 AM

DakhaBrakha

3/14/2025, 8:00 PM Kevin McKrell

3/15/2025, 8:00 PM

Bright Series: Liam Purcell & Cane Mill Road

3/16/2025, 7:00 PM

Old Blind Dogs

3/17/2025, 7:00 PM Open Mic Night

3/18/2025, 7:00 PM

Rochmon Record Club Listening Party : Joni Mitchell’s “Court & Spark”

3/19/2025, 12:00 PM

Irish Music Ensemble with Oona Brady and James Gascoyne

3/19/2025, 1:00 PM

Weekly Slow Jam - Folk, Bluegrass, Blues, and More!

3/19/2025, 7:00 PM Open Mic Night

3/20/2025, 7:00 PM Reverie Road

3/21/2025, 8:00 PM

Alice Howe & Freebo

3/22/2025, 10:00 AM

C.L.U.E! Caffe Lena Ukulele Ensemble led by Ron Gordon

3/22/2025, 4:30 PM

Momentum Series: Ladysmith Black Mambazo

3/22/2025, 8:00 PM

Momentum Series: Ladysmith Black Mambazo

3/23/2025, 4:00 PM

Adam Ezra Group

3/23/2025, 7:00 PM

Adam Ezra Group

3/25/2025, 7:00 PM

The Michael Mills Magic Show

| night & day

|music (cont'd)

3/26/2025, 7:30 PM

Lena Go Round - Songwriters Showcase hosted by Erin Harkes

3/27/2025, 7:00 PM

Peak Jazz Series: Giacomo Smith

3/28/2025, 9:30 AM

Music With Miss Deb

3/28/2025, 12:00 PM

Captain Fun Lunchtime Listening Hour

3/28/2025, 8:00 PM

Cliff Eberhardt

3/29/2025, 8:00 PM

Mark & Jill

3/30/2025, 5:00 PM

“A Joyful Noise!” Gospel Dinner with Soulist Garland Nelson & Friends

3/31/2025, 7:00 PM

Open Mic Night

Capital District Irish American Association (CDIAA)

3/6/2025, 7:00 PM

Derek Warfield and the Young Wolfe Tones

Carl B Taylor Auditorium, SUNY Schenectady

3/9/2025, 3:00 PM

Empire State Youth Orchestra: Wind Orchestra & Repertory Jazz

Carson’s Woodside Tavern

2/27/2025, 6:00 PM

Jay Jager & Chris Dollard

2/28/2025, 6:00 PM

Brian Kane

3/1/2025, 6:00 PM

Tame The Rooster Duo

3/2/2025, 6:00 PM

The Early Birds

3/6/2025, 6:00 PM

Jay Jager & Chris Dollard

3/7/2025, 6:00 PM

Travis Rockenstire

3/8/2025, 6:00 PM

Matt Finnigan

3/9/2025, 6:00 PM Grand Central Trio

3/13/2025, 6:00 PM

Jay Jager & Chris Dollard

3/14/2025, 6:00 PM

Jim McArdle

3/15/2025, 2:00 PM

10 Year Anniversary Show: Jukebox Rebellion / Keanan & Orion

3/16/2025, 6:00 PM

Tim Wechgelaer & Chris Carey

3/17/2025, 5:00 PM

St. Paddy’s Celebration: Rick Bolton & Friends / Mark Hines - Bagpipes

3/20/2025, 6:00 PM

Jay Jager & Chris Dollard

3/21/2025, 6:00 PM

John Eisenhart

3/22/2025, 6:00 PM

John Stack

3/23/2025, 6:00 PM

Lustre Kings Duo

3/27/2025, 6:00 PM

Jay Jager & Chris Dollard

3/28/2025, 6:00 PM

Tooty & The Motherplucker

3/30/2025, 6:00 PM

Duo

Charles Wood Theater

3/16/2025, 3:00 PM

JANIE FRICKE

3/17/2025, 7:00 PM

TY HERNDON ‘CLOSE UP’

3/22/2025, 7:30 PM

Run Rabbit Run - Pink Floyd Tribute

Cohoes Music Hall

3/13/2025, 8:00 PM

Eggy: Here & How Tour 2025 w/s/g hilltop

3/14/2025, 7:30 PM

Jefferson McDonald’s Great Balls Of Fire

3/15/2025, 8:00 PM

Annie in the Water w/ Special Guests Fungkshu

3/16/2025, 3:00 PM

Jefferson McDonald’s Great Balls Of Fire

3/21/2025, 7:30 PM

The Ultimate Journey Experience By LEGEND

3/22/2025, 8:00 PM

A Night of Simon & Garfunkel

Copper Crow

3/13/2025, 6:00 PM

Live Music w/ Caity Gallagher

Dance Fire Studio, Saratoga Springs

2/28/2025, 6:00 PM

Musicians of Ma’alwyck present Wine & Music Triptych: Wines of Romania

Emack & Bolio’s

3/2/2025, 2:00 PM

Kids Open Mic

3/7/2025, 7:00 PM

Dan Bernstein

3/8/2025, 7:00 PM

Scott Bravo

3/15/2025, 7:00 PM

Pearl

3/22/2025, 7:00 PM

Alen Goldberg

3/29/2025, 7:00 PM

Dave Hart

EMPAC Studio 2

3/14/2025, 6:00 PM

Tara Rodgers: Retrospective

Empire Live

3/1/2025, 7:00 PM

Septic Flesh

3/7/2025, 8:00 PM

It’s A 2000’s Party

3/8/2025, 9:00 PM

United We Dance -The Ultimate Rave Experience

3/9/2025, 11:00 AM

Punk Rock Flea Market

3/11/2025, 6:30 PM Cavalera - Third World Trilogy Tour

3/26/2025, 6:30 PM Paleface Swiss

3/28/2025, 9:00 PM Broadway Rave

3/29/2025, 8:00 PM

The Emo Night Tour - 10 Year Anniversary

Empire Underground

2/27/2025, 6:30 PM Aborted

2/28/2025, 6:30 PM

Internal Bleeding

3/2/2025, 6:30 PM

Somewhere To Call Home (Final Show)

3/7/2025, 7:00 PM

Blaze Ya Dead Homie

3/8/2025, 7:00 PM Torpedo Lane

3/15/2025, 7:30 PM

38 Spesh hosted by Timbo King

3/19/2025, 6:30 PM Heavy Trip

3/20/2025, 6:30 PM

Living Wreckage (members of Anthrax & Shadows Fall)

3/21/2025, 8:00 PM Chuck Ragan

3/22/2025, 6:30 PM A Little Overboard

3/27/2025, 7:00 PM Barely Alive

3/30/2025, 7:00 PM

The Brokes - A Tribute to The Strokes Frog Alley Brewing 3/1/2025, 5:00 PM Savage Dueling Pianos + The Refrigerators: A fundraiser for the Schenectady PBA

3/7/2025, 5:00 PM

That 80’s Band with Kevin & Josh

3/8/2025, 5:00 PM Brother S/D

3/14/2025, 5:00 PM

Saint Patrick’s Day with Black Mountain Symphony & The Too Nuts Trio

3/15/2025, 12:00 PM Get Up Jack with 2096 Trio

3/17/2025, 6:00 PM

Hair of the Dog: Live on St. Patrick’s Day!

3/21/2025, 5:00 PM

Aquanett with Gianna Robustiano

3/22/2025, 5:00 PM

Skeeter Creek with the Deraeled Duo

3/27/2025, 7:00 PM

Dr. Dirty Returns to Frog Alley!

3/28/2025, 5:00 PM

The Vinny Michaels Band with Chuck Ayers

GE Theatre @ Proctors

3/22/2025, 3:00 PM

Empire State Youth Orchestra: Youth Jazz Orchestra w/ Worcester Youth Jazz Ensemble

Hangar on the Hudson

3/9/2025, 8:00 PM

Eddie Spaghetti (Supersuckers) Solo w/s/g

Metal Marty Chandler

Henry’s Tavern

2/28/2025, 5:00 PM

Live Music with Jeff Brisbin

3/1/2025, 5:00 PM

Rotating Live Music Saturdays

3/7/2025, 5:00 PM

Live Music with Jeff Brisbin

3/8/2025, 5:00 PM

Rotating Live Music Saturdays

3/14/2025, 5:00 PM

Live Music with Jeff Brisbin

3/15/2025, 5:00 PM

Rotating Live Music Saturdays

3/21/2025, 5:00 PM

Live Music with Jeff Brisbin

3/22/2025, 5:00 PM

Rotating Live Music Saturdays

3/28/2025, 5:00 PM

Live Music with Jeff Brisbin

3/29/2025, 5:00 PM

Rotating Live Music Saturdays

Hubbard Hall

2/27/2025, 7:00 PM

Alla Boara - Italian folk-jazz Concert

3/8/2025, 7:00 PM

Story Songs of the 70’s with Tom DiMenna

3/14/2025, 7:00 PM

Maple Ridge Cabaret

Irish American Heritage Museum, 21 Quackenbush Square

3/7/2025, 7:00 PM

Concert to benefit The Irish American Heritage Museum mKevin McKrell

Lanie’s Cafe

2/27/2025, 5:30 PM

Nick Horace Duo

Lark Hall

3/5/2025, 6:00 PM

Happy Hour at The Eleven with Caity Gallagher (FREE Show)

| night & day

|music (cont'd)

3/14/2025, 6:00 PM

The Alec Lewis Group at The Eleven at Lark Hall (FREE show)

3/15/2025, 3:00 PM

Parade Day at The Eleven with Nickopotamus (FREE Show)

3/20/2025, 8:00 PM

TR3 featuring Tim Reynolds w/s/g Consider the Source

3/22/2025, 8:00 PM

Eastbound Jesus w/s/g Brule County Bad Boys

3/28/2025, 6:00 PM

Stella Rose @ The Eleven at Lark Hall (FREE Show)

3/29/2025, 8:00 PM

Live Dead & Brothers Perform The Music of Grateful Dead & Allman Bros

Lost & Found Bar & Kitchen

3/1/2025, 2:00 PM

Lost & Found’s Annual Mardis Gras Party

3/21/2025, 9:00 PM

Femininomenon Live Band Sing-a-Long with Shannon Tehya & Friends

Mcgeary’s Irish Pub

3/2/2025, 7:00 PM

Mcgeary’s Presents: Blues Jam

3/5/2025, 8:30 PM

Karaoke Wednesdays!

3/9/2025, 7:00 PM

Mcgeary’s Presents: Blues Jam

3/12/2025, 8:30 PM

Karaoke Wednesdays!

3/16/2025, 7:00 PM

Mcgeary’s Presents: Blues Jam

3/19/2025, 8:30 PM Karaoke Wednesdays!

3/23/2025, 7:00 PM

Mcgeary’s Presents: Blues Jam

3/26/2025, 8:30 PM Karaoke Wednesdays!

3/30/2025, 7:00 PM

Mcgeary’s Presents: Blues Jam

Methuselah Bar & Lounge

3/8/2025, 7:00 PM

The Insolent Willies

Moon & River Cafe

2/28/2025, 7:00 PM

Mike Campana & Friends

3/1/2025, 7:00 PM

Andy Araya

3/2/2025, 2:00 PM

Linda’s Fiddle Dance TunesPlayers Welcome

3/6/2025, 6:00 PM

Dave Kitchen Jazz & Friends

3/8/2025, 6:00 PM

Beatles Open Mic

3/9/2025, 12:00 PM

Buttercups - Great Oldies

3/13/2025, 6:00 PM

Dave Kitchen Jazz

3/14/2025, 6:00 PM

Tony King & The Sidekicks - Rock, Blues, and Country

3/14/2025, 7:00 PM FEARSOME FOURSOME - String Band

3/16/2025, 2:00 PM

Jazz Piano - Peter Van Keuren

3/17/2025, 6:00 PM

“Irishman” Jim Connelly St. Patrick Day

Open Mic

3/22/2025, 7:00 PM

Jon Boulett & Friends

3/24/2025, 6:00 PM

Pete’s Jam - Players Welcome

3/27/2025, 6:00 PM

Art Reception “Reckless Barb” w/ Dave Kitchen Jazz

3/28/2025, 7:00 PM

Tony, Rick, & Laurie

3/29/2025, 7:00 PM

Vicki’s SongWriter Showcase

2/27/2025, 6:00 PM

Dave Kitchen Jazz Trio

3/7/2025, 6:00 PM

Jazz Piano by Peter Van Keuren

Mount Ida Preservation Hall

2/28/2025, 7:00 PM

Titi’s Big Revue

3/4/2025, 6:30 PM

Mount Ida Open Mic

3/10/2025, 6:30 PM

LUNA Series Presents: Sabrina Trueheart

Murray’s Fools Distilling Co.

3/22/2025, 6:00 PM The Insolent Willies

MVP Arena

3/8/2025, 7:00 PM Blake Shelton

Nanola

2/28/2025, 8:00 PM JBG

3/7/2025, 8:00 PM Nolanauts

3/8/2025, 8:00 PM Southbound Renegade

3/15/2025, 8:00 PM 90s Noise

3/20/2025, 7:00 PM

Blues Open Mic

3/28/2025, 8:00 PM Deadbeats

No Fun

2/27/2025, 7:00 PM

Cinema Stare / Canella / Scotchka

2/28/2025, 8:00 PM

Hellseeker Goth Nite w/ Ghost Cop / Bloodx3 / Architrave

3/1/2025, 8:00 PM

Party Gras (Yort, Haunted Cat, Front Biz)

3/2/2025, 6:00 PM No Fun Dance Series Vol. 3 - Latin / Salsa Night w/ DJ Loco

3/5/2025, 8:00 PM No Fun Monthly Open Mic & Talent Show

3/8/2025, 8:00 PM

Bimbo Night w/ DJ Dental Work / DJ 2nd Ch!ld / P!nk P!xl

3/9/2025, 7:00 PM Hellseeker Presents: HIDE

3/12/2025, 8:00 PM NO FUN KARAOKE NIGHT

3/14/2025, 7:00 PM

Wizard Fest - Human Zoo / Anthill Annihilator / Haunted Cat

3/15/2025, 12:00 PM

Wizard Fest - Merciless Metal Market - Vintage Market

3/15/2025, 7:00 PM

Wizard Fest - Horse Grave / Carnwennan / Altar / Schenectavoidz

3/16/2025, 6:00 PM

Wizard Fest - Casket / Noir / Multiple Pieces / JudgeXJudy

3/19/2025, 8:00 PM

Satisfaction Guaranteed - Vinyl Night w/ DJ Tex & DJ K.Fink

3/21/2025, 7:00 PM

Derv Gordon of the Equals with So What (CA) / Flavour

3/22/2025, 8:00 PM Planetarium Party

3/27/2025, 7:00 PM

Queen of Swords / Abyssmals / Architrave

3/28/2025, 8:00 PM Hellseeker Goth Nite

Northway Brewing Co

2/28/2025, 5:30 PM

Rob Fleming

3/7/2025, 5:30 PM Brendan Dailey

3/14/2025, 5:30 PM

Sam Luke

3/23/2025, 1:00 PM

Caity Gallagher

3/29/2025, 2:00 PM Rob Fleming

O’Slatterys

2/28/2025, 7:00 PM The Bypass

Palace Theater

3/7/2025, 7:00 PM

Lords of The Sound: The Music of Hans Zimmer

3/15/2025, 8:00 PM

Charles Wesley Godwin

Paper Moon

3/1/2025, 6:00 PM

One-Year Anniversary Party w/ Bird Streets & Special Guests

Peddlers Bar & Bistro

2/27/2025, 6:30 PM Roseanna Grimaldi

2/28/2025, 6:30 PM Coverups Duo

3/5/2025, 6:30 PM Pat Decker

3/7/2025, 6:30 PM Harmonic Duo

3/12/2025, 6:30 PM POGO

3/13/2025, 6:30 PM Travis Rockenstire

3/14/2025, 6:30 PM BJ Fitzgerald

3/19/2025, 6:30 PM Debbie Gabrione

3/20/2025, 6:30 PM Chuck Kelsey

3/21/2025, 6:30 PM Titanics

3/26/2025, 6:30 PM

2 Broke Beths & Dave

3/27/2025, 6:30 PM Derrick Forget

3/28/2025, 6:30 PM Juniper & Chris Carey Proctors

3/29/2025, 7:00 PM

Capital Region Sunday Best Contest Rustic Barn Pub 2/27/2025, 6:00 PM Open Mic

3/6/2025, 6:00 PM Open Mic

3/9/2025, 5:30 PM Bluegrass Jam

3/13/2025, 6:00 PM Open Mic

3/20/2025, 6:00 PM Open Mic

3/27/2025, 6:00 PM Open Mic

Saratoga Winery

2/28/2025, 5:00 PM Dazey Duo

3/7/2025, 5:30 PM Chloe Noel

|music (cont'd)

3/14/2025, 6:00 PM

Little Saints Duo

3/21/2025, 6:00 PM

Stef Solo

3/28/2025, 6:00 PM

Up The River Duo

Schwalbacher Brewing

3/1/2025, 6:00 PM

Jack Kelle

3/8/2025, 6:00 PM

Ryan Spilken

3/15/2025, 6:00 PM

Marc Delgado

3/22/2025, 6:00 PM

Jeff Grippin

3/29/2025, 6:00 PM

Johnny Gonzoles

Singlecut North Taproom

3/1/2025, 5:00 PM

E.R.I.E. Album Release Party w/ Arrow Through Me

Spa Little Theater

3/8/2025, 7:00 PM

Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana

3/9/2025, 2:00 PM

Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana

3/29/2025, 3:00 PM

Schubert’s “Trout” Quintet

Stella Pasta Bar & Bistro

3/1/2025, 6:00 PM

Jenny Marie & The Crew

The Berlin

2/27/2025, 6:00 PM

The August DuClos Trio

3/6/2025, 6:00 PM

Matt Durfee

3/13/2025, 6:00 PM

Bernie Branch’s Irish Showcase

3/14/2025, 7:00 PM

Burlesque in The Berlin

3/20/2025, 6:00 PM

Serg & Venture

3/27/2025, 6:00 PM

Maurizio Russomanno

The Cock N’ Bull

2/27/2025, 7:00 PM

Peter Mulvey

2/28/2025, 6:00 PM

Keith Pray Trio

3/2/2025, 5:00 PM

Fat Sunday w/ Kidd Kyle and the Big Deal

3/7/2025, 6:00 PM

Tim Wechgelaer ‘n Chris Carey

3/12/2025, 7:00 PM

Ethan Setiawan & Fine Ground

3/14/2025, 6:00 PM

Mike O’Donnell

3/17/2025, 7:00 PM

Mick Flannery

3/20/2025, 7:00 PM

Jordan Tice w/ Patrick M’Gonigle

3/21/2025, 6:00 PM

Drank the Gold

3/25/2025, 6:30 PM

Keith Pray’s Big Soul Ensemble

3/28/2025, 6:00 PM Keith Pray Trio

The Egg Performing Arts Center

3/5/2025, 7:30 PM

The Egg Presents: Los Lobos (Disconnected)

3/8/2025, 8:00 PM

The Egg Presents: Preservation Hall Jazz Band

3/11/2025, 8:00 PM

The Egg Presents: The MC Taylor Goldsmith Show

3/13/2025, 7:30 PM

Sam Morril: The Errors Tour

3/15/2025, 7:00 PM

Kevin McKrell Saint Patrick’s Day Celebration

3/19/2025, 8:00 PM

The Egg Presents: Christian McBride & Ursa Major

3/27/2025, 7:30 PM

The Egg Presents:Avishai Cohen

3/30/2025, 11:00 AM

The Egg Presents: Laurie Berkner (Early Show)

3/30/2025, 3:00 PM

The Egg Presents: Laurie Berkner

3/30/2025, 7:30 PM

The Egg Presents: Ally The Piper

The Lark Street Tavern

3/1/2025, 10:00 PM Weekend Karaoke

3/2/2025, 2:00 PM

Local Band Sundays: The Bear Bones Project

3/2/2025, 10:00 PM Weekend Karaoke

3/4/2025, 7:00 PM

Live Jazz: Bobby Vandetta

3/5/2025, 6:30 PM Open Mic Night

3/8/2025, 10:00 PM Weekend Karaoke

3/9/2025, 2:00 PM

Local Band Sundays: Hammerhed Horns

3/9/2025, 10:00 PM Weekend Karaoke

3/11/2025, 7:00 PM

Live Jazz: Dylan Perrillo Secret Surprise

3/12/2025, 6:30 PM Open Mic Night

3/15/2025, 10:00 PM Weekend Karaoke

3/16/2025, 2:00 PM

Local Band Sundays: Todd Nelson with Kyle Esposito, Travis Shook, and Justin Tracy

3/16/2025, 10:00 PM Weekend Karaoke

3/18/2025, 7:00 PM

Live Jazz: Dave Solazzo Trio

3/19/2025, 6:30 PM Open Mic Night

3/22/2025, 10:00 PM Weekend Karaoke

3/23/2025, 2:00 PM

Local Band Sundays: Peter Anello Trio

3/23/2025, 10:00 PM Weekend Karaoke

3/25/2025, 7:00 PM

Live Jazz: Mary Heffner

3/26/2025, 6:30 PM Open Mic Night

3/29/2025, 10:00 PM Weekend Karaoke

3/30/2025, 10:00 PM Weekend Karaoke

The Park Theater

3/8/2025, 8:00 PM

Louise Bichan: Scottish Stories & Songs

3/9/2025, 1:00 PM

Ruth Bader Ginsberg: Performed by Sheryl Faye

3/15/2025, 8:00 PM

Reese Fulmer & The Carriage House Band

3/20/2025, 7:30 PM

Jazz Night w/ Matt Niedbalski ft. Joel Cotton

3/27/2025, 8:00 PM

Shamaar Allen: The Definition of New Orleans

3/28/2025, 8:00 PM Meghan Hanley

The Parting Glass 2/27/2025, 7:00 PM

The Takes w/ Man Must Explore

3/5/2025, 7:00 PM Celtic Session

3/8/2025, 7:00 PM Get Up Jack

The Strand Theatre 2/27/2025, 9:00 PM KALEB LIVE AT THE STRAND THEATER

2/28/2025, 7:30 PM

The Ultimate Journey Experience by LEGEND

3/1/2025, 8:00 PM

The Strand House Band Cabin Fever Spectacular

3/2/2025, 7:00 PM

Lynch Mob - The Final Ride Tour 2024-2025

3/3/2025, 7:00 PM

Lobby Concert: Elizabeth Conant, piano/vocal

3/7/2025, 8:00 PM

Back In Black

3/8/2025, 8:00 PM Aquanett

3/9/2025, 3:00 PM The Druids

3/10/2025, 7:00 PM

Lobby Concert: Acoustic Zeppelin with Megan and Jonathan

3/11/2025, 7:00 PM

Sunnyland Revisited

3/14/2025, 8:00 PM

Jesse Agan - The Music of Queen

3/15/2025, 7:30 PM

ANGEL - 50th Anniversary Tour, 1 Day only!

3/16/2025, 3:00 PM Kevin McKrell

3/17/2025, 7:00 PM

Lobby Concert: Keanen Stark and Orion Kribs wsg John Kribs and Eden Susi

3/21/2025, 8:00 PM

Gratefully Yours - Celebrating The Music of The Grateful Dead

3/22/2025, 8:00 PM

Country Legends: Tributes to Shania Twain and Garth Brooks

3/23/2025, 3:00 PM

Pete Best Band - The Original drummer of The Beatles

3/24/2025, 7:00 PM

Lobby Concert: Mark Delgado

3/26/2025, 8:00 PM

TR3 featuring Tim Reynolds

3/28/2025, 7:30 PM

Gold Rush: The Ultimate Neil Young Celebration

3/29/2025, 8:00 PM Ten Most Wanted

The Waiting Room - Troy NY

3/11/2025, 7:00 PM

Song City, with Matthew Klane, Areli, Head Sound, & Colin McCarthy

Troy Listening Room

3/9/2025, 6:00 PM

Jake Sherman Piano and Singing Tour

Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

3/5/2025, 6:00 PM

Lift Series: The Ladles

3/7/2025, 7:30 PM

Danú

3/9/2025, 3:00 PM

Considering Matthew Shepard

| night & day

|music (cont'd)

3/11/2025, 12:00 PM Toss The Feathers

3/15/2025, 7:30 PM Vanguard: Evening in Vienna

3/21/2025, 8:00 PM Free Beer & Hot Wings

3/22/2025, 8:00 PM Direct from Sweden: The Music Of Abba

3/23/2025, 3:00 PM Next Generation Festival

3/26/2025, 7:30 PM Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

3/27/2025, 11:00 AM

Frida Kahlo and the Bravest Niña in El Mundo

3/28/2025, 7:30 PM Gaelic Storm

3/30/2025, 3:00 PM

ESYO Symphony Orchestra presents Fluid Realities: An Orchestral Exploration featuring Symphonie Fantastique

Unihog

2/28/2025, TBD Dead Mans Waltz

3/8/2025, TBD Jatoba w/ Meat Chickens

3/9/2025, TBD American Name Band

3/15/2025, TBD Sugarhold / Shortwave Radio Band

3/22/2025, 5:00 PM Rock’n A Rescue

3/29/2025, TBD HARDCORE

3/30/2025, TBD Aurthur Bezo

Van Dyck Music Club

3/8/2025, 7:30 PM The Capital Region Vocal Jazz Vanguard

3/21/2025, 8:00 PM

THIRDSDAY NITE SHOW #005 - Matt Steckler & Friends

Van Slycks at Rivers

2/27/2025, 7:00 PM DJ Biz

2/28/2025, 8:00 PM

NINEDEEZNITE & DJ Mister Mo

3/1/2025, 8:00 PM Ill Funk Ensemble & DJ Mix It Up NY

3/2/2025, 7:00 PM

Latin Nights with Rafy Cabrera Band

3/5/2025, 2:00 PM Joe’s Boys

3/6/2025, 7:00 PM

Country Line Dancing with DJ Kevin Richards

3/7/2025, 8:00 PM

Country Weekends with Double Barreled & DJ Kevin Richards

3/8/2025, 8:00 PM

Country Nights With Martin and Kelly

3/12/2025, 2:00 PM Roxy and The Rollers

3/14/2025, 8:00 PM The Accents & DJ Young Wise

3/15/2025, 8:00 PM Downtown Horns & DJ Mister Mo

3/19/2025, 2:00 PM Roadhouse 60’s

3/20/2025, 8:00 PM DJ Mix It Up NY

3/21/2025, 8:00 PM New York Players & DJ Reel

3/22/2025, 8:00 PM

Wide Awake & DJ Nick Papa Giorgio

3/26/2025, 2:00 PM The Protones

3/27/2025, 8:00 PM DJ Biz

3/28/2025, 8:00 PM

Hark & DJ Nick Papa Giorgio

3/29/2025, 8:00 PM

Tommy V Live

Vapor Nightclub at Saratoga Casino

2/28/2025, 7:30 PM Funk Evolution

3/1/2025, 8:00 PM 80s & 90s Party with DJ NPG

3/7/2025, 7:30 PM Skeeter Creek

3/8/2025, 7:30 PM

Tommy V Live

3/14/2025, 7:30 PM Ten Most Wanted

3/15/2025, 8:00 PM

Totally 2000s with DJ NPG

3/21/2025, 7:30 PM The Remedy

3/22/2025, 7:30 PM Big Sky Country

3/28/2025, 7:30 PM The Refrigerators

3/29/2025, 7:30 PM

American Honey

Whiskey Pickle

3/14/2025, 7:00 PM Legacy Music Group

Wishing Well

2/28/2025, 6:00 PM

Rob Aronstein

3/1/2025, 6:00 PM

Christine Spero

3/7/2025, 6:00 PM

Rob Aronstein

3/8/2025, 6:00 PM

Christine Spero

3/14/2025, 6:00 PM

Christine Spero

3/15/2025, 6:00 PM

Christine Spero

3/21/2025, 6:00 PM

Rob Aronstein

3/22/2025, 6:00 PM

Christine Spero

3/28/2025, 6:00 PM Rob Aronstein

3/29/2025, 6:00 PM

Christine Spero

add your music events to our calendar

518

Fun - March!

CROSSWORD ANSWER KEY (from page 55)

February 24 - March 2

Enjoy a week of multi-course meals at participating Schenectady County restaurants for the special fixed price of $20 for a two-course lunch menu and $30 or $40 for a three-course dinner menu.

2+ Course Lunch

prix-fixe menus for $20

3+ Course Dinner

prix-fixe menus for $30 or $40

Thank

of Participating Restaurants:

Ambition Coffee & Eatery

The Bellevue Café

Blake 925 Deli

Canvas, Corks & Forks

Caribe Spanish Restaurant and Sports Bar

Centre Street Pub

Chez Nous

The City Squire

Cornells in Little Italy

Daley’s on Yates

Ember & Cork

Ferrari’s Ristorante

Gershon’s Deli

Gibby’s Diner

Grano Schenectady

Hometown Pub and Grub

Johnny’s Schenectady

Katie O’Byrne’s Irish Pub & Restaurant

The Local FFF • Fun, Funner, Funnest

MAC & RONI

Manhattan Exchange

Maria’s Café and Catering

Martel’s Grill at Town of Colonie Golf Course

Max410 at The Waters Edge

Meat and Company Nisky

Mian @ Rivers Casino & Resort

Schenectady

Milas Restaurant 518

Mohawk Taproom & Grill

MORE PERRECA’S

Pizza Works

Rosario’s Trattoria

Stella Pasta Bar & Bistro

Tequila Jalisco Authentic

Mexican

The Bunker at Mohawk Harbor

The Nest 518

Palazzo Ristorante

The Ritz on Union

Tops American Grill, Bakery & Bar

Tropics Restaurant & Bar

Turf Tavern

Unbeetable

Vice & Virtue

The Next-Generation of Heating & Cooling

Bosch IDS Ultra

Our new cold climate heat pump for all seasons, even in sub-zero temperatures

How Does the Bosch IDS ULTRA Work?

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Warm Up Efficiently in Frigid Temperatures

Introducing the Bosch IDS Ultra—a heat pump designed to keep you and your family warm even on the coldest nights. Powered by Bosch inverter technology, the Bosch IDS Ultra Heat Pump is the first Bosch air-to-air heat pump designed to provide reliable, energy efficient heating even in sub-zero temperatures. This cold climate heat pump can provide 100% heating down to an outdoor temperature of 5° F. and will continue to initiate heating even down to -13° F. The IDS Ultra also provides efficient cooling in the warmer months for ultimate home comfort all year long.

Features

 Operational down to -13° F

 100% heating capacity down to 5° F

 10-year residential limited warranty

 Fully modulating inverter drive, precisely matches the heating/cooling load

 Up to 55,000 BTU/hr

 Available up to 5 ton capacities

 Highly efficient: up to 19 SEER2 and up to 10 HSPF2 (Region IV), 8.5 HSPF2 (Region V)

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