In the 1990s, 100 Acre Wood was a prominent local band that generated lots of college radio play and opened locally for big-name artists including Buffalo Tom, Matthew Sweet, Yo La Tengo and King Missile. “We were very ambitious in the early days of 100 Acre Wood, and we were lucky enough to have a good relationship with Howard Glassman at [Albany music venue] Bogie’s, and he really gave us some amazing shows there, where we opened for a lot of national acts. It was exciting,” said Clarke Hingeford, who formed 100 Acre Wood with his childhood friend, Kyle Pemrick. Hingeford and Pemrick both g ..read more

Hubby Jenkins might be best known as a member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, but he’ll play solo at Caffe Lena on Sunday. The Carolina Chocolate Drops made a giant splash as a leading roots music band that revived Black string-band traditions and famously launched Rhiannon Giddens on her superstar trajectory. The groundbreaking, old-timey band was a key stop on the Brooklyn-born Jenkins’ pilgrimage into half-forgotten antique musical styles in projects and achievements of his own. The band’s gradual fade freed Jenkins to continue reaching back into Black American roots music. Playing solo f ..read more

By Louise Hoffman Broach TROY — A.J. Croce said if there’s one thing he’s sure of, it’s that you can’t fight the acoustics in a 149-year-old theater. “The room will win every time,” he said after his sold-out show Saturday at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. Still, he managed to beautifully tame the venue for two hours with “Croce Plays Croce” in a space that he said was built “pre-microphone and not designed for electric guitars, electric bass or drum kits.” The son of the legendary Jim Croce, A.J. joyously and jubilantly performed many of his father’s songs as well as some of his own and those ..read more

Country music superstar Dierks Bentley is set to play SPAC in July, LiveNation announced Monday. Bentley is to appear with special guests Chase Rice and Mae Estes as part of his Gravel & Gold Tour. He is to play the Broadview Stage at SPAC July 18 at 7 p.m. Bentley is to also play Darien Lake July 20 and Syracuse Aug. 16. Tickets go on sale Friday at LiveNation.com The post Dierks Bentley announced for SPAC in July appeared first on Nippertown ..read more

After releasing his highly-lauded “where are we” album last year, saxophonist Joshua Redman built a new band to play live the place-specific tunes on the album, which he made with A-list jazz stars. Wednesday at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, he led three younger gents onstage, all four players in suits; plus a slim singer in a past-the-knee cocktail dress and how-does-she-walk-in-THOSE? red stilettos, a loose up-do piled taller than anyone else onstage. The five then expanded the album’s songlist and played everything with a harder-edged attack. While the slow tempos in the early going wo ..read more

George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” was published in January 100 years ago, something the Albany Symphony Orchestra is celebrating with a concert Saturday at Proctors. What makes featuring this work on the program even more special is that it will be the first time audiences will hear the piece as Gershwin actually wrote it. “I knew of the heavy editing of Gershwin’s orchestral works, so in 1979 I went to the Library of Congress and had three hours of access to his original manuscript,” said pianist Kevin Cole, who will play the piece on Saturday. “I did notice the piano part had extra measu ..read more

SARATOGA SPRINGS – Caffe Lena is set to host Crys Matthews Feb. 9. The activist/singer songwriter is a “drum major for justice,” tackling heavy topics with powerful lyrics and inspirational music. For those who wonder what happened to the folk song tradition that inspired union organizers, peace marches and the civil rights movement, you’ll want to check out this songwriter. Crys Matthews’ hope-fueled, love-filled album, “Changemakers,” shows her taking the torch from the greats of social justice music, such as Sweet Honey in the Rock and Holly Near. She’s a powerful lyricist who tackles ..read more

WEST LENOX, Mass. — The Boston Symphony Orchestra has announced its 2024 Tanglewood Music Center season, running from late June through Aug. 31. Tickets go on sale March 19. The season features BSO music director Andris Nelsons in a newly expanded role as head of conducting at Tanglewood. Nelson will lead 10 performances with the Boston Symphony and Tanglewood Music Center orchestras, including concerts celebrating Tanglewood founder Serge Koussevitzky’s 150th birth anniversary and 100 years since his appointment as BSO music director. Nelsons-led BSO programs in the Koussevitzky Music Shed s ..read more

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Stevie Nicks is set to play Albany’s MVP Arena in June, LiveNation announced Monday. She is to perform June 12 as part of her Live in Concert tour. The show is one of 12 new dates added to her tour due to high demand, LiveNation said. She is to also play Uncasville, Conn, June 9 and Hershey, Penn., June 15. Nicks is set to play her previously announced show at UBS Arena at Belmont Park Feb. 14. She played SPAC in 2011 and in Albany with Fleetwood Mac in 2019. Tickets for the Albany show go on sale Feb. 9 at 10 a.m. at LiveNation.com. The post Stevie Nicks announce ..read more

GLENS FALLS – Following up her debut release with “Take It Easy”, Carolyn Shapiro shows stunning improvement in her craft – one she was already well-versed in! From the arrangements, to the lyrics, and musicality, there’s a lot to enjoy on this EP. Featuring just six songs, each having a healthy dose of all things Americana, Shapiro has truly put out an endearing gem of a record. A plaintive, clawhammer banjo part soon opens up to a bigger production of bass, guitar, and violin on the album opener, “Red River Bound.” The interplay between these acoustic instruments is quite lovely to the ear ..read more