EQX-Posure Live is a music series collaboration between Village Garage Distillery & EQX to bring the local artists to Bennington!
EQX-Posure introduces you to the band down the block, the one playing in the bar across town, the ones you maybe didn’t know were right under your nose, but you most definitely should be aware of. Listen on 102.7 Sundays from 7pm-9pm

Saturday October 28th it’s a free show with Ciarra Fragale from 7-9pm!

EQX-Posure Live is a music series collaboration between Village Garage Distillery & EQX to bring the local artists to Bennington!
EQX-Posure introduces you to the band down the block, the one playing in the bar across town, the ones you maybe didn’t know were right under your nose, but you most definitely should be aware of. Listen on 102.7 Sundays from 7pm-9pm

Saturday, March 23rd from 7-9pm it’s Wes Aldrich performing for free!

The second leg of Tyler Childers Mule Pull Tour brings him to the Broadview Stage at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, July 3rd.

An afternoon of music, food trucks, farm animals, autumn in Vermont, and good vibes. Catch The Mallet Brothers Band, Saints & Liars, Mary-Elaine Jenkins, and J.D. & Six Feet Deep at Taylor Farm in Londonderry, Vermont on Saturday, October 7th.

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR ONLY

Brian Fallon’s rockstar days are firmly behind him. And no one is more accepting of that fact than Brian Fallon.

Having recently turned 40, the New Jersey legend has left more than his youth in his rearview. His former outfit, The Gaslight Anthem, reunited for a string of reunion shows in 2018 but now only exists in that murky grey area known as “indefinite hiatus.” He released two well-received solo albums in the past four years, 2016’s Painkillers and 2018’s Sleepwalkers, but even those records dwell more in the rock genre than anywhere else. 

Now, with his new solo album, Local Honey, and a partnership for his own label with the venerated, artist-friendly outpost Thirty Tigers (Sturgill Simpson, Jason Isbell), Fallon has made the record he has always wanted to make and has put himself in a place to release it exactly as he pleases. Its acoustic-leaning, introspective, singer-songwriter artistry is a benchmark of a time and place, a heartfelt and grown-up sound that has been in his mind and in his heart for a long while. Unique amongst his output, Local Honey is a snapshot of Fallon’s current existence and a masterstroke from an artist whose songwriting talent is boiling over.

“I just want to tell stories and write songs that mean something to me. And if you’re aging the same way I am then hopefully they mean something to you, too.”

“I want people to see where I am now,” Fallon says. “I’m 40, I’ve got two kids, a wife, a house—that’s who I am. I’m not really trying to do any thing, I’m trying to step away from that. I just want to tell stories and write songs that mean something to me. And if you’re aging the same way I am then hopefully they mean something to you, too.”

Following the release of Sleepwalkers, Fallon spent the next year-plus demoing a series of stripped-back songs inspired by the simplicity and struggles of his day-to-day life. With a goal to write as truthfully as possible, he experienced a more difficult road than he had faced ever before in his career. Only when he tapped into the intimate feeling of connection he shares with a live audience was he able to reach his desired levels, and the resulting songs mirror that profound, earned intimacy.

“Being truthful in songs is so hard because you have so many insecurities that you want to cover up,” he says. “There are so many layers of self-manipulation, especially when you know you’re going to be examined. The only way I could find to deal was to place myself onstage, looking at an audience, and ask myself, OK, what are you gonna say? I know my audience and I trust them, and I think they trust me to deliver whatever this thing is that we share, and there’s a definite back-and-forth that happens. We’re comforted by each other. So I would close my eyes and see myself onstage and ask what I wanted to play next, and that’s how I wrote the album.”

Armed with the batch of his most introspective songs to date, Fallon sought to avoid an attempt to make “the classic Americana solo album” as so many other frontmen-turned-solo-artists before him have tried. Instead, he partnered with the producer Peter Katis (The National, Interpol, The War on Drugs) in an effort to challenge himself in a variety of new ways and to expand the songs’ sonic horizons. Together, the duo pushed the material to places Fallon would not have attempted on his own, pulling back when necessary but collaborating like a true production partnership. Katis injected the music with an overarching sense of “sadness” that lingers over the work like a blanket, a concept to which Fallon has always been drawn. “That was Peter’s bar—if it made you feel sad, then it was good. I totally relate to that; it’s what I love about all the music I like, in mood more than theme. I subscribed to that right away.”

While the eight songs on Local Honey are some of the most simple and direct of Fallon’s career, it would be a mistake to place them all in the same sonic box. While acoustic guitar and piano are the anchors around which the other tracks come and go, the only other constant remains the unmistakable rasp of Fallon’s voice. That refusal to be pinned down into “country” or “Americana” or even “folk” is apparent from the first listen, and distinct elements of multiple eras and styles drift in and out across the record. Fallon made a concerted effort to improve his own playing, and that care is illustrated in more ways than one. “For this record I put a real effort into being a good player and a good musician,” he says. “I tried to put together the best musicians, I took piano and guitar lessons and practiced to try to get to the level that’s worthy of where I’m trying to go with this. That’s being a grown-up, I guess. My family is the most important thing to me on the earth, but I really care more about my art and what I’m saying than financial success.”

The resulting record is warm and inviting while infused with a sense of space, and designed to be listened to in depth but not to dominate your day. Taking the album title from the signs advertising its namesake Fallon would drive past in the rural farmland near his home, he chose to invoke that same sense of familiar, grounding comfort with the tunes. Beginning with the line “In this life there will be trouble/but you shall overcome” on “When You’re Ready,” the optimistic and earnest tone is established while an enveloping sense of trust is established at once. Fallon says the song came to him in an instant, as he was simply making an effort to tell the truth rather than chasing anything more grand or exotic. The vulnerable tone continues with “21 Days,” a song about addiction and transformation that captures Fallon at his most sympathetic and powerful. Written in pieces, almost as a journaling technique, as Fallon fought to quit smoking cigarettes, the song grew from a placeholder for his thoughts into a full-on blockbuster that displays his songwriting chops.

“Now what? What’s my big statement? Turns out my big statement wasn’t very big at all, it was just: This is my life. This is what I do.”

Elsewhere, “I Don’t Mind (If I’m With You)” is a dreamy ballad about finding peace in love during difficult times of rejection and misunderstanding, “Horses” is a tender piece about how freedom and healing can be found through searching and the deepening of a relationship, and “Hard Feelings” is Fallon’s take on a classic wounded-love story in the style of Mark Knopfler covering Tom Petty. Local Honey ends with “You Have Stolen My Heart,” Fallon’s self-styled first direct attempt at a pure love song, with a calypso rhythm and lyrics inspired by The Smiths’s “Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want.” The process of distilling his emotions down to a highly concentrated drip was harrowing, but a journey that Fallon describes as inspiring. “I was sort of chicken to try a pure love song. I’d always have to make it poetic, tragic, or clever. But I think that Smiths song is one of the best songs ever written, and there’s nothing to it—he’s just saying, Come on, let me get this one time. I thought it would be great to write a song just about how you feel. That’s what everyone tells you to do—Sit down and write what you feel!—but it’s so much harder than that. I was peeling away what it was trying to be for my own protection. You always try to protect yourself from criticism when you’re writing; you’ll have this great idea for a song and then you’ll ruin it by trying to cover up what it really was.”

With Local Honey, Fallon has made a grand statement and is prepared to make yet another artistic leap, a form of destiny that remains fully under his own control and vision. Having finally navigated the turbulence of life-after-successful-rock-band, he is settling into his own as an artist and has learned that the best path for him is to simply go it alone on all levels.

“It’s been such a whirlwind of starting over and figuring out how to do this as a solo act,” he says. “The main thing an artist wants is to be defined as something they can live with. After all this searching—major labels, indies, the band, everything that I’ve been through—the one thing I’ve learned is that you have to define yourself. And so I decided I’m just gonna do this thing myself, and partner with someone who can help me get it out to the world. Once I had all that control, I said, Now what? What’s my big statement? Turns out my big statement wasn’t very big at all, it was just: This is my life. This is what I do.

“I think this record is about the process of growing up. I had spent so much time looking backwards and commenting on that life; a lot of older songs were written with rearview mirror commentary. And now that’s just become part of me, it’s made me who I am and now I’m commenting on the current. Every single song here is about right now; this record is 100 percent about the day-to-day. It’s not about these glorious dreams or miserable failures, it’s just about life and how I see it. And I have to think that if this is my life, this is probably a lot of other people’s lives, too.”

This event will be a phone-free experience. Use of cellphones, smart watches, smart accessories, cameras, or recording devices will not be permitted in the performance space. Upon arrival at the venue, all phones, smart watches, and accessories will be secured in Yondr pouches that will be opened at the end of the event. Guests maintain possession of their phones at all times, and can access their phones throughout the event at designated Phone Use Areas in the venue. All phones will be re-secured in Yondr pouches before returning to the event space.

Anyone seen using a phone during the performance will be escorted out of the venue. Guests are encouraged to bring a credit card for purchases inside the venue. We appreciate your cooperation in creating a phone-free viewing experience.

Entry requirements are subject to change. By purchasing tickets to this event you agree to abide by entry requirements in effect at the time of the event. Check leading up to the event for the latest protocols.

Live Nation refund policy:  Up to three days after purchase. 

John Mulaney is a two-time Emmy and WGA award-winning writer, actor, and comedian. 

Mulaney can be seen in his latest Netflix stand up special, BABY J. Released in April 2023, Mulaney converts his personal turmoil into comedic brilliance, which earned him 2023  Emmy nominations in Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) and Outstanding Writing For A Variety Special. On tour,  he has sold out massive venues around North America from Madison Square Garden multiple times to the Hollywood Bowl. His 2023 tour dates have included shows across US, Europe and Australia.  

In 2018, John Mulaney traveled the United States with sold out Kid Gorgeous tour, which was later released as a Netflix stand-up special and won the Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Variety Special; In 2015, he released The Comeback Kid, also a Netflix original, which The AV Club called the “best hour of his career;” In 2012, his Comedy Central special New In Town had Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly hailing him as “one of the best stand-up comics alive.” 

John Mulaney has been invited to host Saturday Night Live five times. He began writing for SNL in 2008 and created memorable characters such as ‘Stefon’ with Bill Hader and appeared as a “Weekend Update” correspondent. He has written for IFC’s Documentary Now! and Netflix’s Big Mouth, on which he voices the character of Andrew. In December 2019, the critically acclaimed and Emmy nominated musical variety special John Mulaney & The Sack Lunch Bunch debuted on Netflix.

He’s also starred on Broadway in the runaway hit written and performed alongside Nick Kroll in Oh, Hello On Broadway. The duo have since release a Netflix special of the same name, as well as Oh, Hello: The P’dcast, based off their characters Gil Faizon and George St. Geegland.   

WAMC’s LIVE AT THE LINDA LIVE hosted by Peter Hughes broadcasts live on WAMC – Northeast Public Radio from our performing arts studio – “The Linda.” You can be in the live studio audience for the outstanding show we’re calling “October Feels with special guests The Sea The Sea and Diana Jones.

The Sea The Sea, Chuck E. Costa and Mira Costa, is an Upstate New York based indie folk-pop duo featuring what Bob Boilen (NPR’s All Songs Considered) calls “excellent harmonies” & Huffington Post calls, “Two of the loveliest male-female voices you might ever hear this or any other year.”

Diana Jones

“Songs come in a flurry of inspiration. I don’t understand it but I’m grateful.” Award-winning American singer-songwriter Diana Jones has been called the “Emily Dickinson of song” and “the female Johnny Cash” in reviews and rightfully so. But a journey of adoption and reunion as mysterious as her songwriting led to the gritty, authentic, Americana storytelling that has become her life’s work and the essence of her live show.

Adopted as an infant and raised in Long Island, NY, the fact that Jones couldn’t get enough of her brother’s Johnny Cash records finally made sense when she found her birth family and musical roots in the Smoky Mountains of Eastern Tennessee. “Live At Folsom Prison blew my mind,” Jones recalls. “Whenever I heard anyone country…. like Johnny Cash or Dolly Parton, I wanted more but I just didn’t know where to find it.” Diana’s maternal grandfather, who had formed his first teenage band with a young Chet Atkins, was happy to pass on the culture and music that he loved to his granddaughter. Gradually Jones discovered an uncanny affinity for the Appalachian music of her ancestors and began claiming it as her own as she discovered her true artistic calling.

Blood , Sweat & Tears founding member Steve Katz plays The Linda in Albany.

Guitarist/singer/songwriter/storyteller Steve Katz has played on an enviable string of recordings during the 1960s and ’70s in acoustic folk, jazz, blues, R&B, hard rock, and almost every other popular genre that’s come along in America since the start of the 1960s.

Katz was born in Brooklyn, NY in 1945 and grew up in the upstate city of Schenectady. Already a gifted musician in his early teens, he was good enough to get hired for a local television program called Teenage Barn, doing his versions of pop hits of the late ’50s.

As he got older, Steve was drawn to folk music and blues. He studied traditional American guitar styles with Dave Van Ronk and the Rev. Gary Davis. Eventually, he became part of a circle of similarly minded folk and blues enthusiasts who formed the Even Dozen Jug Band, which also included John Sebastian, Maria Muldaur, David Grisman, and Stefan Grossman.

After moving to Greenwich Village, Steve Katz became an established part of the Village music scene, eventually joining The Blues Project, New York City’s first major home-grown contribution to bluesrock. The Blues Project had an impact on music that far exceeded their relatively modest record sales. Katz was part of the Blues Project lineup that played the Monterey Pop Festival.

Later that same year, with Blues Project bandmate, Al Kooper, Katz founded the original Blood Sweat & Tears. He recorded five albums with the band. Throughout the end of the 1960s and early 70s, Katz performed at countless historic venues including the Fillmore East, and several major rock festivals including Woodstock. Among a host of other awards, the band won three Grammies, including one for Album of the Year. Steve’s influence on BS&T resulted in several chart topping hits and millions of record sales worldwide.

Steve left BS&T to pursue the craft of record production. One of his first productions was the Lou Reed classic, Rock’nRoll Animal. He went on to work with Reed on two more albums before returning to his musician roots in the country-rock band, American Flyer, whose first album was produced by the Beatles’ George Martin.

Steve Katz has been performing and doing book talks all across the country to rave reviews and rapt audiences. He will take you back to a time we all remember and to the music we all grew up with. Spend a memorable evening with Steve Katz – one you will never forget.

We’re only in it for the money.

HAHAHAHA

Actually, we’re just a bunch of professional musicians with pretty diverse backgrounds who decided to take on a pretty big challenge and have some fun in the process.

Now, you might ask, “Oh yeah? ‘Professional’ musicians, eh? What makes you think you can play Frank’s music as well as [insert Zappa family member here]?”

Well…you might not have heard of us individually, but you have heard of the people we’ve spent our careers working with (and we don’t mean “I played a 10am slot at a festival once that was headlined by Famous Artist X”):

Yo Yo Ma, Mick Fleetwood, BB King, REM, Vinnie Colaiuta, Oasis, LA Philharmonic, Madison Symphony, Arthur Barrow, Munich Philharmonic, Bryan Beller, India Arie, Popa Chubby, Limelight: A Tribute To Rush, Pinetop Perkins, Chicago Lyric Opera, Arrested Development, Madison Opera, blah blah blah….you get the idea.

When it came to the music, Frank was constantly changing things, and he allowed his band members to bring their unique voices to the table. He also understood that his live performances were entertainment: it’s supposed to be a rock show, not a piano recital.

With that in mind, we don’t think playing Song X from Album Y note-for-note while staring at our shoes is the proper way to go about this.

The result of that approach (combined with a lot of homework) is a show that pays respect to Zappa’s legacy, but is also new and different and dangerous and FUN, with lots of eyebrows.

Kinda like Frank.

“If you like your bluegrass served with a little punch, attitude, grit and gravy, with that busking spirit that was so present and palpable in the early incarnations of Old Crow Medicine Show and made your realize that string band music could be so much more than fuddy-duddy reenactments by crusty ol’ relics, then the Damn Tall Buildings will slide in nice as a welcome addition to your listening rotation. Bluegrass at heart, but pulling from a wide range of influences including swing, ragtime, jazz, and even a hint of contemporary perspective in the songwriting, they offer virtually unmatched energy and enthusiasm, underpinned by intelligent songs that don’t skimp on the infectiousness…”

— Savingcountrymusic.com

The Coffee Bar in Bennington, Vermont welcomes The Clements Brothers to the TCB stage on Sunday, October 8th.

RAEL – The Music of Genesis is a New York and Northern New Jersey-based tribute band that recaptures the energy and originality of the “early years” live stage performances by Genesis. Catch them live at The Strand Theatre in Hudson Falls on Saturday, September 30th.

w/s/g Maya De Vitry

The Wood Brothers have learned to trust their hearts. For the better part of two decades, they’ve cemented their reputation as freethinking songwriters, road warriors, and community builders, creating a catalog of diverse music and a loyal audience who’ve grown alongside them through the years. That evolution continues with Heart is the Hero, the band’s eighth studio album. Recorded analog to 16-track tape, this latest effort finds its three creators embracing the chemistry of their acclaimed live shows by capturing their performances in real-time direct from the studio floor with nary a computer in sight. An acoustic-driven album that electrifies, Heart is the Hero is
stocked with songs that target not only the heart, but the head and hips, too.

“We love records that come from the era of less tracks and more care,” explains co-founder Oliver Wood. “When you use a computer during the tracking process, you have an infinite number of tracks at your disposal, which implies that nothing is permanent, and everything can be fixed. Tape gives you limitations that force you to be creative and intentional. You don’t look at the music on a screen; you listen to it, and you learn to focus on the feeling of the performance.”

Throughout Heart Is The Hero, those performances are matched by the visceral storytelling and songwriting chops that have turned The Wood Brothers into Grammy-nominated leaders of American roots music, even as their music reaches far beyond the genre’s borders. The stripped- down swagger of “Pilgrim” underscores Oliver’s reminder to slow down and experience each moment as an interactive observer, rather than a passive tourist. A similar theme anchors “Between the Beats,” where Oliver draws upon a meditation technique — maintaining one’s focus on the space between heartbeats — to reach a new level of presence. The gentle sway of country soul gem “Rollin’ On,” featuring horns by Matt Glassmeyer and Roy Agee, expounds on the time- honored tradition of love as the guiding light through darkness, while ”Mean Man World” finds Chris Wood singing about his responsibilities as a father whose young daughter is poised to inherit an uncertain future. “Line Those Pockets” is a universal call for mercy and understanding over materialism. “Everybody’s just trying to be happy, so put your money away; line those pockets with grace,” the band sings in three-part harmony during the song’s chorus, which emphasizes compassion over cash as the world’s true currency. Together, these songs offer a snapshot of a spirited, independent-minded group at the peak of its powers, always pushing forward and seeking to evolve beyond what’s come before.

“There’s still acoustic guitar, upright bass, and percussion on this album — things people use all the time — but we’re always thinking, ‘How can we make this sound like us, but not like something we’ve already done?'” Oliver says. “Sometimes, the only way to do that is to get weird.”

That sense of exploration pumps its way through Heart is the Hero like lifeblood. Arriving on the heels of 2019’s Live at The Fillmore, 2020’s Kingdom In My Mind, and Oliver Wood’s solo album Always Smilin’ — all of which were released on Honey Jar Records, the band’s independent label — Heart is the Hero is bold, bright, and singularly creative, a fully realized collective effort ultimately greater than the sum of its parts. Perhaps that’s to be expected from a group whose willingness to experiment has earned acclaim from Rolling Stone and NPR, as well as an annual touring schedule of sold-out music halls and theaters on both sides of the Atlantic. Ask The Wood Brothers, though, and they’ll tell you to expect the unexpected.

“We are never satisfied if we are not searching for new musical recipes,” says Jano Rix, nodding to the uncharted territory that Heart is the Hero covers. Chris Wood agrees, adding, “We are one of those bands that isn’t easily categorized. We know what our strengths are, but we can’t help but push the envelope, as well. It’s too much fun.”

The Wood Brothers have partnered with American Friends of Canadian Conservation so that $1 per ticket will support The Nature Trust of British Columbia (NTBC) in their efforts to conserve ecologically-rich wetlands and protect irreplaceable land from development. Every $1 donated will be matched by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with $2 so more endangered wetlands can be saved. If you’d like to learn more, please visit this link. 

No make up date has been announced yet.

SOFT MACHINE

JOHN ETHERIDGE guitar

THEO TRAVIS flute, sax, electric piano

FRED BAKER bass guitar

ASAF SIRKIS drums

Since their arrival on the music scene in the first wave of 1960s psychedelia, the name Soft Machine has become synonymous with musical experimentation, instrumental virtuosity, and inspired creativity all animated by a truly adventurous, progressive spirit. Although the personnel may have changed over the years, the commitment of those playing in Soft Machine today has remained consistent.

Some of the very brightest stars in the British jazz firmament have served in the ranks of this revered musical institution. Robert Wyatt, Mike Ratledge, Elton Dean, Hugh Hopper, Karl Jenkins, John Marshall, Roy Babbington, Allan Holdsworth, John Etheridge, Theo Travis, Kevin Ayers, Daevid Allen, Andy Summers, Jack Bruce, Gary Husband, and many others, have all focussed their own unique musicality to help shape the band’s sound and personality.

Just like those earlier configurations, since they began recording and working live in 2004 as Soft Machine Legacy and the arrival of Theo Travis in 2006, the current lineup continues to defy easy categorization For Theo Travis, there’s a rich combination of elements that combine to form what he believes to be Soft Machine’s appeal. “I like the freedom, I like the variety of colors, the band improvisation. The fact that it has such a strong catalog of music going back over 50 years from which we dip into and play. With a lot of jazz stuff, you do it and people come up and say ‘good gig’ or whatever, but it’s not like it means something in the same way as a band that has history and a cultural significance in the way that Soft Machine has. For me, it’s a suitable combination of rock, jazz, improv, melody, risk-taking, textures, and experimental looping. It’s pretty much all the things I like to play in.”

Their latest album, Other Doors, sees them move seamlessly between hardcore improvisation, pop-tinged ebullience, muscular rock, and visceral jazz along with shimmering electronica and ambient overtones. The album also signifies another change within the Softs’ roster, marking the first recording to feature new bassist Fred Baker, who had guested with the band on occasion dating back to 2008 but actually took over permanent live duties from Roy Babbington in 2021. Baker, a superb musician with connections to the whole of the extended Canterbury family tree that includes a long-established duo with Phil Miller and the band In Cahoots, has enjoyed touring with Soft Machine. “We recently played a large theatre in Istanbul and it was sold out. There were lots of young people and they were coming up after the gig wanting things signed which was fantastic.” Alongside the new compositions which Baker enjoys, is Soft Machine’s impressive back catalogue which is featured through their live shows. Giving people an opportunity to hear these compositions in a live setting is important, he believes. “My big thing with all this music is I see it like in a way that people used to look at, say classical music or early music. . . it’s keeping the music alive and in the present, enabling people to revisit music that they might only have heard on record. I’m so glad to be part of it.”

The release of Other Doors in 2023 is also the end of an era as the last studio session with the legendary John Marshall, who first joined the group in 1972 and at the age of 81 has decided to retire. Marshall’s place has been taken by another good friend of the band, drummer and composer Asaf Sirkis. Lauded by Robert Wyatt who says of Sirkis, “there’s nothing he can’t do when he puts his mind to it,” Asaf had previously played with Soft Machine when Marshall was unable to tour due to ill health. However, a fan of the group since he first heard Softs’ 1975 album, Bundles, featuring Allan Holdsworth, the music of the group has been incredibly influential on his whole outlook and career. “It’s very exciting for me especially because of my history. Obviously, I’m a relative latecomer compared to the others in Soft Machine but it’s the music I grew up listening to and not just Soft Machine, but the music of all the various people that have played in the band over the years. So, it’s really exciting, like the closing of a big, big circle for me.”

Marshall’s departure from recording and performing now leaves John Etheridge, who joined the group in 1975, as the last surviving member of the group with roots in Soft Machine’s 1970s heyday. A highly respected player, Etheridge has performed in a variety of settings across his long and distinguished career but, he says Soft Machine feels like his spiritual home. “I definitely feel when I pick up the guitar and play under the banner of Soft Machine, I feel different to any of my other gigs. It’s my favorite of all things I do by far. When I play with the Soft Machine, that is when I really feel like I’m contacting the player I want to be.”

Whilst the primary focus is on new work and improvisation their ability to call up almost any part of the back catalogue is something all members relish. The latest album, Other Doors, includes Joy Of A Toy, which was first heard on 1968’s debut, The Soft Machine. This much-loved number, written by Kevin Ayers, has been included in the band’s recent live set for a while now. Putting it on the album seemed very natural, says Etheridge. “Of course, it’s long before my time and it wasn’t something I knew but it’s a great piece. Fred Baker transcribed the original with Kevin Ayers’ charming bass playing. it’s got a sort of nice bounce about it. . . As a group, we are always, looking for variety, not for its own sake but to cover a broader territory. So, to be playing the second-ever Soft Machine single alongside brand-new compositions is something that’s a really good approach. There’s a degree of eccentricity about that’s very important to Soft Machine.”

This is Soft Machine – a living, breathing music that is as vital and relevant today as it ever was. Both long-time fans and new converts alike can take heart in the knowledge that the Soft Machine family tree — with its deep roots in the musical revolution of the ‘60s – continues to sprout healthy new limbs well into the new century, showing no signs of slowing. The legacy is in very good hands indeed. In 2018 Soft Machine released the album ‘Hidden Details’ which reached the Number 1 slot in the Amazon.co.uk Jazz Fusion chart. It also reached Number 1 for 8 weeks in the prestigious progressive radio chart from Philadelphia USA ‘Gagliarchives’ with Tom Gagliardi. Following the 50 date, 50th Anniversary World Tour, Soft Machine released a live album at the prestigious Los Angeles club the Baked Potato. – ‘Live at the Baked Potato’ was released in 2020 to great acclaim.

Sound + Vision: Music at The Movies presents the greatest in soundtrack-cinema. On the first Tuesday of every month, we curate a film screening where the music fuels the engine of the cinema experience, with a preshow moderated discussion on the film and music’s history and cultural impact.

Presented in Hi-def and 51. surround sound. Co-sponsored by WAMC, WEXT, and Rochmon Record Club.

The English heavy metal band Spinal Tap embarks on their biggest tour in the US to date to promote their new album “Smell The Glove”. The tour is so big that it’s attracted the attention of documentary filmmaker Marti DeBergi, who decides to make a movie about Spinal Tap’s trek across America. But as the documentary goes along, Spinal Tap sees their audiences dwindle from selling out huge arenas to going to play at charity benefits, and eventually playing private parties where no one pays attention to their music. Their new album drops and it’s decently reviewed by critics, but the record stores have a huge problem with the sexist overtones of the album’s cover, causing a loss in sales. However, a series of incidents that constantly shoot themselves in the foot – whether it’s a minuscule Stonehenge monument, a stage prop malfunction, or a simple two word review of an album – keep preventing the band from enjoying the success they deserve. But how long can they keep playing to 11? And will they find the audience that suits them?

WAMC’s LIVE AT THE LINDA LIVE hosted by Peter Hughes broadcasts live on WAMC – Northeast Public Radio from our performing arts studio – “The Linda.” You can be in the live studio audience for the outstanding show we’re calling “Rock the Fall” with special guests E.R.I.E. and Sydney Worthley.

E.R.I.E.

For a band that was dreamt up in a hospital bed, indie-rock quartet E.R.I.E. certainly has a lot of life in them. After emergency heart surgery in the Fall of 2018, TJ Foster spent the following year writing and recording Don’t Wanna Live, Don’t Wanna Die in an attempt to not only reflect on the harrowing ordeals that brought him to that hospital room, but also to get back to his roots as a songwriter.

And while that March 2020 debut effectively highlighted a greatly personal, existential struggle with both mental and physical health, second LP Suburban Mayhem arrives with grander scope and vision. The album, released April 7th via Mint 400 Records, turns its focus externally, commenting vividly on the outside forces burrowing into our brains on a daily basis. It’s a resplendent examination of the world around us, rife with equal parts cynicism, wit and hope. Featuring pitch-perfect collaborations with Brooklyn-based dream-pop trio ALMA, and fellow Albany, NY area songwriter Sydney Worthley, the record showcases a band not only finding their footing, but settling into a signature sound.

The four members of E.R.I.E. – guitarist Matt Delgado, drummer Chad Flewwelling and bassist Levi Jennes, alongside Foster – spent most of 2022 self-recording their sophomore full-length, yielding 12 nostalgia-tinged songs tailormade for turning the dial to 11. Suburban Mayhem further lends credence to the frequent comparisons to The Gaslight Anthem, Frank Turner and The Get Up Kids that the band has garnered, with “crunching guitars, catchy choruses and a down-to-earth, working-class vibe that recalls modern heartland punk rock…” (Daily Gazette).

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All the while, E.R.I.E. has solidified themselves as one of the most reliable and entertaining live acts in the Capital Region’s vibrant music scene. With every performance brimming with energy, vulnerability and appreciation, the band is “a class act with lots of passion and a great chemistry, making them very easy to cheer for…” (Nippertown). Recently, the band was voted “Favorite Alt/Indie Artist” at the 2023 Listen Up! Awards, and is currently nominated for “Best Rock/Pop Artist” at the 2023 Eddie’s. Let the mayhem commence.

Sydney Worthley

…is a singer-songwriter at heart but when she steps on stage all bets are off. Each song starts in a corner of a room, pulling inspiration from Phoebe Bridgers and Taylor Swift and ends on a stage, piecing alt-rock tunes from her 2020 EP with unreleased personal ballads. At 17 years old, Worthley released “Rose Colored Glasses” amongst an unforeseen pandemic. Coming of age, long lost connections, and learning from haunting mistakes are all themes of her 2020 project. Songwriting has always been a cathartic experience for Sydney and that has remained unwavering.

While in isolation, the singer/songwriter had time to overthink and agonize over unresolved plans and lack of creativity. The result? A slow-forming upcoming project. Starting in November of 2022, Sydney Worthley put out her lead single begging the question “How Soon Is Now?”. This song deals with heartache, the aftermath of changing who you are to fit someone else’s needs, losing all feeling, and grieving for a person who is still alive. The desolated lyrics are contrasted with an 80s synth pop production style similar to Maggie Rogers or The 1975. Worthley invites you to take a look into her mind filled with disco balls, dreamy synths, and glittery tears. When all the dust– or glitter– settles, it’ll leave you to wonder how soon is now?

Mere months after the release of “How Soon Is Now?”, Worthley releases her most honest song yet, “Heart Shaped Mess”. It seems that her 2023 resolution is to break down walls and introduce a more vulnerable version of herself. Visuals of burning down the past, trying to clean a stained version of herself, and a first date at the mall. The song grabs your attention with striking detail and an easy hook that will be hard to forget– almost mimicking the repetitive line, “how can I forgive you, when I can’t even forget you?” Throughout this track, Worthley expresses numbness, feminine rage, guilt, and every emotion that comes with the territory of heartbreak. “Heart Shaped Mess” encapsulates sad girl autumn…or winter.

This year, Worthley is setting goals to release several new singles in anticipation for an unannounced project. Prepare yourself for topics of growing pains, raising your standards, speculating about the one that got away, imposter syndrome, and so much more. Sydney Worthley is always allowing herself to grow and evolve, no matter how daunting it may be.

As the title of his critically acclaimed Atlantic Record CD suggests, Grammy Award and Handy Award Nominee, John Primer is truly “The Real Deal.” At eight years old, John borrowed his first guitar and started to strum. With the sounds of Jimmy Reed, Muddy Waters, Little Milton, Elmore James, B.B. & Albert King reverberating through his Grandmother Laura Nell’s tube radio, John was instantly hooked. He was fascinated with Blues music and set forth on a life long path of becoming a musical force. Early inspiration came from his family steeped in spiritual, gospel, and church, and went on to play at house parties and fish frys in and around his hometown of Camden, Mississippi.

At the age of eighteen, feeling restless and in search of further audiences, John followed the path of his mentors and migrated to Chicago in the fall of 1963. He quickly found work in the era when modern Electric Blues and the West and South Sides sounds were first taking shape. Forming his first band The Maintainers in 1964, John and his old Harmony guitar rocked such West Side clubs as The Place, The Bow Tie, and Lover’s Lounge. By 1968 John had left The Maintainers when the opportunity arouse to front the Soul and R&B group The Brotherhood. Jamming late into the night and practicing by day, John was forming his own unique style and expanding his repertoire. John’s success would lead him in 1974 to replace John Watkins in the house band at the world famous Theresa’s Lounge on the South Side. Over the course of the next five years, John would play with such originators as Sammy Lawhorn, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Smokey Smothers, Lonnie Brooks, and a host of other innovators sculpting the sound of the Chicago Blues scene.

It was during this part in John’s career that quite a few people were taking note of this outstanding performer. In 1979, master songwriter and bassist Willie Dixon persuaded him to join his band The Chicago All Stars. Traveling through the US, Mexico and Europe, John developed his skills as a rhythm guitarist, a lead slide player, and a powerful singer. Another Blues master who believed in John Primer was none other than the “Hoochie Coochie Man” himself, Muddy Waters. Muddy recruited John not only as a guitarist, but also as an opening act. As he did with so many other great musicians, Muddy served as a father to John, instilling in him an unrelenting passion for the music that gave birth to Rock and Roll. John stayed loyal to Muddy until his untimely death in 1983.

Fresh off the heels of his success with the Muddy Waters Band, John signed on with the legendary Magic Slim. For the next fourteen years, he toured with Magic Slim & The Teardrops, bringing tight, house rocking sounds to every corner of the planet. But John’s days as a sideman were numbered, and in 1995 the veteran Blues man released his major label debut “The Real Deal”. He has since toured extensively in support of his ten solo albums to date. With John Primer’s strong traditionalist Blues phrasing and lightning fast slide technique, few artists can match him. A master storyteller and songwriter, his catalog of songs is endless and his sound is unforgettable. John Primer & The Real Deal Blues Band continues to electrify audiences at clubs and festivals and remain a driving force in the world of Blues music today.

On Thursday September 21 Rochmon Record Club will converge at The Linda, WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio, 339 Central Ave., Albany, to listen to, and learn about David Bowie’s epic Glam Rock classic – “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars”. Tickets available at thelinda.org

In 1971 songs and ideas were flying out of Bowie faster than he could record them. Prior to finalizing recording of “Hunky Dory”, Bowie, and his newly christened band, started work on David’s 5th album “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars”. Bowie and The Spiders from Mars; guitarist Mick Ronson, bassist Trevor Bolder, and drummer Mick Woodmansey, experimented with sound and themes of light and dark, pushing the boundaries of music that at once is brave, self-aware, and teetering on the edge of chaos. Filled with Bowie classics such as “Five Years”, “Moonage Daydream”, “Starman”, fan favorite “Suffragette City” and 7 more, “The Rise and Fall Of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars” is a trip and a half. As is his way, Rochmon will have a few surprises in store!

Rochmon Record Club Listening Parties begin at 7 pm with a live audio & video presentation by Chuck Vosganian aka “Rochmon”. A Rochmon Record Club Listening Party is meant to inform and deepen our understanding of the history of the individual performers, the songs, and the stories that went into the making of this iconic album.
The Linda’s Bar will be open for snacks and drinks. Tickets are available online at thelinda.org. The Rochmon Record Club is held on the 3rd Tuesday of the month at Caffe’ Lena (caffelena.org) in Saratoga Springs, the 3rd Thursday of the month at The Linda, WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio in Albany, and the last Wednesday of the Month at The Park Theater (parktheatergf.com) in Glens Falls. Programming varies by location, please check websites for tickets, show dates, and times or go to Rochmon.com for more information.

https://www.ticketmaster.com/fall-out-boy-so-much-for-albany-new-york-03-24-2024/event/00005F26F2BA658AFall Out Boy Announces So Much For (2our) Dust

Worldwide Headline Tour Continues Across United States with 23 New Dates Beginning February 2024 Due to Overwhelming Demand  

General Tickets On Sale Starting Friday, September 15

So Much For (2our) Dust Admat: Download Here
Fall Out Boy press image (credit Pamela Littky): Download Here

So Much (For) Stardust Album Art: Download Here

September 7, 2023 – Due to overwhelming demand, GRAMMY Award-nominated and multi-platinum selling rock band Fall Out Boy’s worldwide So Much For (Tour) Dust tour will continue next year with the announcement of So Much For (2our) Dust, a 20+ date run across the United States.

So Much For (2our) Dust, presented by Live Nation, will kick off February 28, 2024 in Portland, OR and travel through cities including Seattle, Austin, Orlando, Baltimore, and Nashville before concluding April 6, 2024 in Minneapolis, MN. The trek also includes a stop at New York City’s famed Madison Square Garden on March 22, 2024.

Jimmy Eat World will join So Much For (2our) Dust on all dates as special guests; The Maine, Hot Mulligan, Daisy Grenade, Games We Play and CARR will join the tour on select shows throughout the run.

Ticket pre-sales for So Much For (2our) Dust begin Wednesday, September 13 at 9:30am local time. General tickets will be available beginning Friday, September 15 at 10am local time. For all dates and details, please visit www.falloutboy.com/tour.

The news follows the August 6 conclusion of So Much For (Tour) Dust’s initial North American run, which kicked off June 21 with a sold out, epic hometown show at Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL and was dubbed “the loudest concert Wrigley’s ever had” by the Chicago Sun-Times.

Each show also included the use of a Magic 8 Ball to surprise fans with a performance of a Fall Out Boy song that had never played live before, which became one of the most buzzed about topics of the summer, igniting fans across social media – and spawning a trend on TikTok, with hundreds of thousands of views – to determine what songs might be coming next.

So Much For (Tour) Dust has proven to be another career display of Fall Out Boy’s undeniable and renowned live performance prowess, featuring multiple sold-out dates; four stadiums shows (Fenway Park in Boston, Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, two nights at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles); special guests (Mikey Way in San Diego, Travie McCoy in Queens); unforgettable  production, visual effects and pyrotechnics; and widespread praise from fans and critics alike:

“In a dazzling concert packed with Fall Out Boy songs new and old, the band proved why they still have the hearts of pop-punk lovers of all ages.” – Tampa Bay Times

“At Fenway, Fall Out Boy bring the fireworks” – Boston Globe

“When they took the stage, Fall Out Boy immediately showed they’re in the upper echelon of modern rock performers alongside the likes of Weezer, Green Day and Foo Fighters.” – Exclaim!

“Fall Out Boy gave us more than we bargained for with a genre-defying, sensational show… The highlight of the evening came when the stage was stripped down, the backdrop dimmed and the lighting rigs lowered, creating the illusion of an intimate club reminiscent of the ones where Fall Out Boy played during their formative years. Fall Out Boy’s flawless performance of their timeless anthem, “Grand Theft Autumn,” reminded us of the lasting impact of their music.” – Dallas Observer

“Patrick Stump, Pete Wentz, Andy Hurley, and Joe Trohman let it all hang out on stage after going through their extensive catalog of tunes that helped shape a generation of millennials who grew up choosing to proudly showcase the pop rock genre on their thoughtfully curated Myspace profile pages. The sold out crowd flooded merchandise lines that stretched around the sunny field before the beginning of the event to show fierce loyalty and dedication to a group that continues to not only stand the test of time, but swiftly adapt in the ever changing scene known as the music industry.” – The Queens Gazette

“In addition to delivering a great set of music, Fall Out Boy lit up the night with a pyrotechnics display worthy of a July 4 celebration.” – Cleveland Plain-Dealer

“Fall Out Boy burn bright at Michigan’s Pine Knob Music Theatre… the pop-punk titans still have plenty of sway in the area…With the combination of classics and recent hits, sparks flew at the concert (literally and figuratively).” – Glide Magazine

“We’re all united in this moment. We’re here for the same reason: to forget the woes of the real world and to be transported through the decades of the storylines that Fall Out Boy has so graciously given us over the past 20 years.” – Cincinnati CityBeat

The UK and European leg of So Much For (Tour) Dust kicks off October 17 in Warsaw, Poland and concludes November 8 in Berlin, Germany, with multiple dates (Munich, Paris, Amsterdam, Leeds, Manchester, Cardiff) already sold out. The band will continue performing for fans around the world this year with a recently announced December 6 date in Bangkok as well as multiple cities (Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane) across Australia as part of the Good Things Festival from December 1-3. In August, the band performed at Summer Sonic in both Tokyo and Osaka.

So Much For (2our) Dust is in support of Fall Out Boy’s most recent, critically acclaimed 8^th studio album So Much (For) Stardust, which debuted as the No. 1 rock album upon its March 24 release on Fueled By Ramen/Elektra/DCD2 Records and features the global smash single “Love From The Other Side.”

The album has also garnered Fall Out Boy two current nominations for the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards – Best Alternative (“Hold Me Like A Grudge”) and Best Visual Effects (“Love From The Other Side”).

Additionally, the band currently stars in NBC Sports’ B1G Saturday Night show open this season. The show open – with a chorus of “Here Comes Saturday Night” – debuted on September 2 ahead of the season-opening West Virginia-Penn State game. Fall Out Boy also headlines the NBC Sports and Peacock Big Ten Football promotional campaign, appearing across NBCUniversal platforms throughout the summer and fall.

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Fall Out Boy – So Much For (2our) Dust – 2024 Dates

*Jimmy Eat World to support on all dates

Fall Out Boy – 2023 Live Dates