The title for this post comes from one of my favorite ever commercials. It’s an old BMW advertisement, released at least 20 years ago, and it never fails to make me laugh. Check it out here.
We’re fortunate enough to live in an area with so many musical venues that it would be understandable if a performer was at a loss to immediately know which particular one was theirs for the evening. And – I’m not even talking about the kind of confusion that might arise from, say, an arena that has been renamed with even more frequency than one encounters spring potholes on local roads. *cough, cough*
So, we may as well start with Albany’s own Knickerbocker Arena. Those who haven’t been in Albs for at least 20 years may not be aware of the circumstances surrounding the arena’s construction, the involved players or the contest originally held to name the building currently known as the MVP, (once unofficially dubbed in the press as Coyne’s Icebox) but, forever in my heart as The Knick.* Like many Albany stories, it’s filled with backroom deals and political leveraging.
In my opinion, as far as arenas go, this one is ok. It’s legitimately easy to get to with lots of pedestrian options. Folks come from all over, thanks to a location which makes it reachable from all directions, and I’ve talked to people who have traveled to catch a favorite performer from points south, north, east and west. The arena generally gets good shows and it seems a popular location for performers to open tours. Case in point, February’s tour opening visit from dreamy John Mayer. It was a great show.
The other big local spot, in both seating and popularity, is the Saratoga Performing Arts Center aka SPAC. This beautiful and special place has changed a lot in the 30+ years I’ve attended shows there, but it remains a seasonal favorite, especially when combined with an afternoon at Victoria Pool. Expanded food and beverage options in recent years are a welcome addition, but sadly the new food court area came at the cost of a large swath of the back lawn. I kind of miss that area of SPAC, where people used to toss frisbees and play hacky sack while being serenaded by whomever happened to be on stage.
Speaking of cost, while I’m happy for more bathrooms, I definitely feel that I’ve paid for them. The price of tickets, food and merchandise has become just ridiculous to the point that it feels exploitive to me. $8 waters? Really?
This season, Live Nation and Ticketmaster are offering demand pricing on tickets for at least some of the SPAC performances. If you’re unfamiliar with demand prices, here’s a definition for you. Nice, huh? By the way, Amtrak has a similar fiscal policy, so book your train seats early for the best price.
Here’s a tip for you when it comes to SPAC tickets – local not-for-profit radio station WEXT 97.7/106.1, offers a gift, often tickets for shows, as a thank you when you make a donation during their fundraising campaigns. I’ve learned to check their site for tickets to shows which I’m interested in seeing and twice have received show tickets at a price for which I was satisfied. Best part – none of my money went for convenience or service fees to a musical conglomerate.
Recently I made a $240 donation and was rewarded with two indoor tickets to see the Lumineers Memorial Day Weekend. Fair market value of the pair of seats $200. Seems reasonable to me. What do you think?
Now that we’ve gotten the biggies out of the way, let’s talk about a few smaller venues which offer some pretty unique programming. There are so many clubs, halls and cafes, featuring musical events, within an hour’s drive of Albany, that what follows won’t be comprehensive, but it will be an inventory of the venues I’ve attended in the past couple of weeks.
The Linda Auditorium on Central Avenue is a performance space owned by local public radio station WAMC. It holds a special place in my life as the place where I leapt out of my comfort zone to tell a story, a la the Moth, a few years back. More recently I attended my first Rochmon Record Club at this venue and had a great time. The record introduced, The Doors’ eponymous debut album, The Doors, is chock-full of hits and stories and the host of the show, Chuck Vosganian, did an excellent job of presenting both. I’ll be keeping an eye on the schedule for more of these events. As for the actual space, there’s parking, quality (often) local beverages and the knowledge that your ticket purchases benefit a local institution.
Another awesome, independent venue to which to pay attention is Lark Street’s own Lark Hall. The site of Eba Dance Studio for decades, this fairly new spot is booking shows and events that Center Square residents will somewhat begrudgingly allow the rest of us to attend. Coincidentally, my first live show there was with friends to see a Doors tribute band – and we had a great time. Last week, though, our minds were blown at an intimate show featuring Puss n Boots, a side project of sorts for Norah Jones, Sasha Dobson and Catherine Popper. The sold out crowd of 450 couldn’t stop smiling as they/we reveled in seeing three women playing music with an authenticity that isn’t always present in live performances. The enthusiasm and joy on display was absolutely intoxicating. Get yourselves to this divine, neighborhood venue for shows that will transport you to your own happy place.
Troy Savings Bank Music Hall might be the O.G. when it comes to these local performance spaces, but don’t mistakenly assume that means their bookings are stodgy. Although there was a time when I was a frequent attendee of concerts at this iconic venue, reputed to have near perfect acoustics, last week’s show was unlike any I’ve ever seen. Troy heroes, Super 400, performed as part of the Lift Concert Series “… presenting performances of new, independent music featuring regional performers, curated by local artists Sam Torres and Sophia Subbayya Vastek” and the audience was right on stage with the band, making for an intimate and rocking experience. Like going back to coach after being bumped up into first class, its going to be hard to just sit in front of that stage after the thrill of being up close and personal with a great local band, but Super 400 rocks the house wherever they play and I’m already thinking about catching them this summer in Woodstock.
Speaking of Woodstock, Levon Helm Studios, where all the cool kids have been going for years, has been hosting epic shows since 2004 and last weekend I finally got there myself. “The Barn, as folks call it, has grown from its beginning as a recording studio to become a venue where, often, big names come to play for small, appreciative audiences. Sunday night’s show, with M. Ward headlining, was a most fantastic introduction to this almost mythical performance space. The intimacy of the rustic room, combined with the good vibes of the barn’s employees, make for a comfortable and special atmosphere that is palpable to both audience members and performers. I can’t wait to go back.
There you have it – 6 venues where you can get your jam on, all within an hour of Albany. How many have you been to? What’s your favorite? Share with a comment – and rock on.
*Interested in Albany political history? Don’t miss this production! Read about my personal encounter with Polly Noonan here.
