Thousands gather on the SPAC lawn for the second night of Phish’s three-night run. Photo by Jonathon Norcross.
Phish 2025 summer tour poster via Live Nation.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Phish played three shows at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) last weekend, packing tens of thousands of spectators into the usually serene Spa State Park. According to Setlist.FM, a database that has catalogued nearly one million live shows, Phish has now played at SPAC 27 times, making them one of the most popular bands in the venue’s storied history.
The Vermont-based quartet made headlines when, on Sunday, they used “Tweezer Reprise” as a jumping-off point for a series of jams. Their setlists also included time-tested favorites, such as “Bathtub Gin,” “Birds of a Feather,” “Chalk Dust Torture,” “Run like an Antelope,” “Wading in the Velvet Sea,” “Down with Disease,” “Reba,” and “Tweezer.” Covers included “Loving Cup” by the Rolling Stones, “Rock & Roll” by the Velvet Underground, and “Boogie on Reggae Woman” by Stevie Wonder.
Some oddities and rarities during the three-night run: “Tweezer” was played as an encore for the first time; “N.I.B.” by Black Sabbath was teased several times in recognition of Ozzy Osbourne’s recent passing; and “Happy Birthday” was teased during “No Men in No Men’s Land”.
“Sharing in the Groove” cover image and author photo of Mike Ayers provided by the St. Martin’s Publishing Group.
“I’d seen hundreds of concerts [at SPAC]. And here I am on that stage for the first time, which was my dream when I was 16…I mean, I saw everybody there. And that was my dream to play on stage one day, and here I am playing on that stage with one of my idols. We did ‘That’s It for the Other One,’ which the Dead hadn’t played in years. Had my career gone no further than that day, I would have been fine. My dreams were realized.”
-Vinnie Amico, drummer for the jam band Moe, on performing alongside surviving members of the Grateful Dead at SPAC on July 6, 1997. [This quote appears in the book “Sharing in the Groove” by Mike Ayers].
SARATOGA SPRINGS — It wasn’t necessary to ask Mike Ayers, the author of a new book on ‘90s jam bands, just what exactly he was doing in Saratoga Springs last weekend.
Phish performed its 27th show at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) last Sunday, concluding their three-night stay in a city that continues to hold a special place in jam band history. Last weekend, the Dave Matthews Band played their 50th concert at SPAC. Last summer, rising jam band Goose played two headlining shows at the venue six years after being an opening act at Putnam Place. Also, that summer, Blues Traveler played at Belmont on Broadway, a free concert downtown. At the end of the year, up-and-coming jam group Dogs in a Pile played four straight shows at Putnam Place to celebrate New Year’s Eve. In 1985, the Grateful Dead famously drew the largest-ever SPAC crowd of more than 40,000 Deadheads. It was one of many times that various iterations of the Dead (both before and after Jerry Garcia’s death) took the SPAC stage.
The list of jam bands—ranging from obscure acts to all-time greats—that have played in Saratoga is an almost impossibly long one. But why does the Spa City hold such a prominent place in jam band lore? Saratoga TODAY spoke with Ayers—whose oral history book “Sharing in the Groove” chronicles the explosion of jam bands like Phish, Dave Matthews, and Blues Traveler—to help unravel this mystery.
“There’s definitely lineage around certain areas,” Ayers said. “Up here, near Woodstock, it has this aura that is left over from the 60s that probably just continues to permeate in ways.”
Ayers compared the Upstate jam scene with others that have sprung up around the country, in places like Georgia (where the Allman Brothers and Widespread Panic were based) and Colorado (home of the long-running Telluride Bluegrass Festival).
“It’s probably a case of you have these longstanding scenes and then you have young people coming up in them, taking influence from the past but putting their spin on it, whatever that may be,” Ayers said.
Young people, typically college kids, are a key ingredient in fostering a successful jam band scene. Many of the bands covered in Ayers’ book sprung up around college towns (such as Athens, Charlottesville, and Burlington) that had plenty of bars, fraternities, and other venues that could host and/or subsidize live music. And as the ‘90s progressed, college kids increasingly had access to internet connections, allowing them to network with other jam band fans. This gave rise to a fan base that was enthusiastic about sharing music with like-minded people. Ayers was one of those fans, mailing tapes to strangers across the country “all the time.”
But the jam band scene isn’t always so harmonious. In the ‘90s, following the death of guitarist Jerry Garcia and the official end of the Grateful Dead (though the surviving members would subsequently play together many times), some Deadheads didn’t enjoy the new crop of emerging jam bands—especially Phish—and seemed to resent Phish’s status as the jam scene’s new torchbearers. That dynamic is repeating itself today as some Phish fans resist the rising popularity of Goose. Ayers, however, (like most jam band fans, probably) doesn’t partake in these internal squabbles.
“I’m definitely more of an omnivore; I like a lot of things,” Ayers said. “But in the ‘90s with this jam culture movement, I remember if you were an indie kid or a punk rock kid, you did not want to listen to the jam stuff and vice versa. It was very divided. It was almost like a record store where here’s the punk section, here’s the rock section, here’s the classics.”
The divisiveness, however, is probably more of a vocal minority than an accurate representation of the entire scene. And despite some bad vibes, jam bands have continued to flourish well past the ‘90s glory days.
“It seems pretty healthy now, like it was in the ‘90s,” said Ayers. “You have multiple acts selling out arenas or large theaters. Goose, Billy Strings; those are prime examples. Phish is still doing it. Dave [Matthews] is still doing it. [Widespread] Panic does pretty sizable theaters still…It’s probably a bit of a perfect storm where you have a younger crowd that is super interested and you have an older crowd that can get away a little bit easier. There’s new acts, there’s old acts; there’s lots of stuff to check out.”
To see evidence of how the jam scene is still truckin’, simply stop by a Phish or Dave Matthews show at SPAC, and good luck finding a decent spot on the lawn if you don’t show up early enough.
“It’s not shocking that [these bands] are still going, it’s shocking that they’re still putting 25,000 people in Saratoga Springs for three straight nights,” Ayers said. “It’s great to see. So many people are still into it, especially here.”
“Sharing in the Groove” was released on July 22 and is currently available at booksellers nationwide.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Legendary comedian and sitcom star Jerry Seinfeld visited Saratoga Springs for the first time last week, performing a set of all-new material at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC).
The eponymous “Seinfeld” creator made a perhaps obligatory joke about horse racing before delving into a series of observations and commentaries on contemporary life. At one point, a heckler attempted to derail the set, but the audience was firmly on Jerry’s side.
Seinfeld’s latest cinematic project, “Unfrosted,” is currently available to stream on Netflix. The comedy chronicles the largely fictional origin story of Pop-Tarts.
Following his July 24 SPAC show, Seinfeld is scheduled to make three appearances in the New England area from Aug. 7 to 9.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The BurgerFi location in downtown Saratoga Springs will apparently be reopening soon, according to a notice posted to the restaurant’s storefront.
“Yes, we’re reopening soon,” the notice stated. “Your favorite burgers are coming back.”
The notice also included a QR code for those interested in employment opportunities.
The BurgerFi at 460 Broadway was “permanently” closed on Dec. 1, 2024 after a decade in business. BurgerFi International Inc. had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy several months prior to the closure.
Photos of Joe Gold, James Redick, Brad Curtis, and Matt Sgambati via the Amsterdam Mohawks.
AMSTERDAM — As the Amsterdam Mohawks near the end of their regular season, Saratoga County natives Joe Gold, James Redick, Brad Curtis, and Matt Sgambati have thrived in their mound appearances for the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League’s reigning champions.
Gold, a Ballston Spa native and Boston College sophomore, has allowed only 2 earned runs in 6 innings, while striking out a whopping 10 batters.
Redick, of Clifton Park and Fordham, has been a near-constant presence on the mound for Amsterdam, leading the team with 30.2 innings pitched. He’s allowed only 8 runs for an ERA of 2.35 while whiffing 33 hitters.
Curtis, a Clifton Park native committed to Siena, has an ERA of 3.60 across 10 innings. At the plate, he’s garnered a slash line of .226/.316/.355, and smashed a game-tying solo homer on July 11.
Sgambati hasn’t pitched much but held his opponents to only 1 earned run in 3.2 innings of work, while striking out 6.
The four ballplayers will have just a handful of opportunities to add to their summer highlights, as the Mohawks are scheduled to conclude their regular season on July 29.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Dave Matthews Band has played a whopping 212 shows in New York, starting with their first in-state performance in July of 1992. Of those concerts, 50 have now been played at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, starting with the jam band’s Spa City premiere on Sept. 3,1994 and continuing with shows 49 and 50 last weekend.
To celebrate the milestone, Matthews debuted a new original song, “Take All Day,” during his July 19 encore. The delicate ballad, which Matthews performed solo, was met with a rousing ovation from a crowd that filled nearly every inch of available lawn space.
Dedicated DMB fans might’ve also noted a couple other rarities: “The Best of What’s Around” closed out a set for the first time since 1993, and “The Stone” was played during an encore for the first time in over a decade. Matthews also tossed a variety of favorites (“What Would You Say,” “The Space Between,” “Idea of You,” “Cornbread,” “Tripping Billies,” “Everyday,” and “Jimi Thing”) and covers (Led Zeppelin’s “Fool in the Rain,” David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance,” and Cameo’s “Word Up!”) into his two Saratoga setlists.
The singer-songwriter, who is often vocal about his political beliefs, made a thinly-veiled jab at ICE arrests during his Friday show, before hoisting up signs that read “Stop Killing Children” and “Stop the Genocide” as the audience shuffled its way toward the exits.
The Dave Matthews Band is one of SPAC’s most popular acts, having played at the venue nearly every year since ‘94. Perhaps not to be outdone, Phish (who have taken the SPAC stage 24 times) will add three more shows to the record books this weekend.
Photo of author Mai Corland and cover art of “Three Shattered Souls” provided by Entangled Publishing/Red Tower Books.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — If you’ve ever visited the Saratoga Springs Public Library in search of the latest popular fiction title, don’t be surprised if the author of the book you’re borrowing is in line behind you.
“I love the library here in Saratoga,” said Mai Corland, a New York Times bestselling author and Saratoga resident. “From when my kids were very little, we would go to the library. During COVID, it was integral and it remains integral in our lives.”
Corland just released “Three Shattered Souls” earlier this month. It’s the final installment of her romantasy trilogy, “The Broken Blades,” which is primarily set in the fictional land of Yusan, but was written right here in the Spa City.
In an interview with Saratoga TODAY, Corland gushed about the city’s many literary institutions and events, from the Yaddo artists’ retreat to the Saratoga Book Festival to the Northshire Bookstore.
“There is a long history, especially in Saratoga, of supporting the arts,” Corland said. “For a small town, there is a great arts influence…It’s not as cookie-cutter as other places tend to be.”
The home of health, history, and horses served as inspiration for some of Corland’s prior work, especially the young adult novel “Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller,” which takes place partly in Saratoga and includes references to the horse racing industry. Another YA title, “Emma and the Love Spell” is set in a fictional town with a distinct Upstate New York feel. (Both books were released under the name Meredith Ireland.)
“The Broken Blades” trilogy, however, takes inspiration from Korean history and mythology. Corland was born in Seoul, adopted, and then moved with her new family to New York City, where she was raised. Sometime around the 9/11 terrorist attacks, her family decided to relocate. Corland’s sister was interested in Skidmore College, prompting her parents to make the move upstate when they fell in love with Saratoga. At age 22, when Corland was about to leave New York to attend law school in Miami, her life took an unexpected turn when she met her future husband here in New York. In other words, the author of romantic stories had her own life profoundly shaped by romance.
Of course, romance is only part of the romantasy genre. The “Broken Blades” trilogy opens with five deceptive assassins competing (and, at times, collaborating) to kill the king of Yusan. The final installment in the series, released on July 15, contains dark subject matter, such as death, violence, and genocide. These elements were influenced, in part, by real historic occurrences, such as the Jeju uprising/massacre, which caused the deaths of tens of thousands of people. The adult subject matter could appeal to fans of “A Song of Ice and Fire,” the fantasy series by George R.R. Martin that was adapted for television as “Game of Thrones.” But Corland’s incorporation of Korean history, as well as her feminist perspective, puts a distinct spin on familiar fantasy themes.
“Three Shattered Souls,” which Kirkus Reviews called “a compelling and skillfully written end to a thrilling fantasy series,” is now available via online and brick-and-mortar booksellers nationwide.
WILTON — In news that might make you want to “shout” (that’s a Buffalo Bills reference, for all the Giants fans out there), the Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant chain is aiming to open a new location in Wilton on Lowes Drive, the Albany Business Review first reported on Monday.
A proposal before the Wilton planning board would allow Wild Wings to create a 6,000-square-foot eatery, a 900-square-foot patio, and 128 parking spaces.
The new location, if approved, would be the second Wild Wings in Saratoga County and the fifth in the Capital Region.
Buffalo Wild Wings specializes in serving chicken wings in a sports bar-style atmosphere. The franchise was founded in Ohio in 1982 and currently has more than 1,300 restaurants scattered throughout the country.
A glimpse of Standard Fare’s interior, with artwork by Daniel Fairley.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Little is standard about Standard Fare, the new eatery from the duo behind Bocage Champagne Bar.
In an early visit to the nearly-finished restaurant at 21 Phila Street, one could see quirky but arresting artwork by Daniel Fairley that depicted, among other things, a pickle piloting a hamburger spaceship, and one goose surrounded by many ducks at a cartoonish Congress Park (see if you can find it, “Where’s Waldo” style).
Amidst the unique artwork was perhaps the most eye-popping item: a decadent milkshake called “Go Shawty, it’s Your Birthday,” made with vanilla ice cream, Fruity Pebbles, strawberry syrup, and a funfetti cupcake. The treat served as an apt representation of what Standard Fare is aiming for: elevated comfort food. Expect dishes like meatloaf, pork chops, Swedish meatballs, and mac & cheese—all with a gourmet approach.
“I always tell people, think about it as the Martha Stewart or the Ina Garten version of dishes you might find at a diner,” said Standard Fare co-owner Clark Gale.
Standard Fare aims to be the kind of place that would be appropriate for both a high school baseball team celebrating a state championship, and a couple in search of an evening date spot.
Preparing this type of laid-back but boujee environment required a complete gut overhaul of the existing property, which Gale and fellow owner Zac Denham have been supervising since last winter.
The Standard Fare team, from left to right: Executive Chef Connor DeMarco, Co-owner Zac Denham, General Manager Samantha Pierre, and Co-owner Clark Gale.
“I think that if people were familiar with the space previously, they’re going to be in for a nice surprise,” Gale said.
In addition to redesigning the space, Gale and Denham also wrangled together a team that includes Executive Chef Connor DeMarco and General Manager Samantha Pierre. DeMarco is a Saratoga Springs native who was previously an Executive Chef at The Merc, and has an extensive resume that includes stints with Cantina and Prime at Saratoga National. Pierre, in addition to her management role, also helped shape Standard Fare’s pastry program.
As if they weren’t busy enough running one restaurant and opening another, Gale and Denham also recently developed an exclusive beer with Whitman Brewing called the Phila Street Low Life. The hazy IPA will be served at both Bocage and Standard Fare. Its name is meant to compliment Miller High Life (also known as the “champagne of beers”), which, until the Whitman collab, was the only beer offered at Bocage.
The “Go Shawty, it’s Your Birthday” milkshake.All photos by Super Source Media.
Also brewing in the background is Gale and Denham’s participation in Variety magazine’s “America’s Favorite Couple” contest, which could net them a prize of $20,000 and an advertorial in the famed Hollywood trade publication.
With a lot on their to-do list, expect to see the duo bouncing back and forth this summer between Bocage and Standard Fare, which are essentially across the street from each other on Phila.
“I think we look at them as one operation, even though they’re two quite different concepts,” Gale said. “I think they’re going to work together in the same ecosystem.”
The ecosystem will come to fruition on Aug. 15, when Standard Fare is scheduled to celebrate its grand opening.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Designer Louis Mazza sold his wares at a special two-day trunk show at N. Fox Jewelers in downtown Saratoga Springs last week.
Louis is from the sixth generation of the Mazza family, who have been purveyors of fine gemstones since 1775, supplying famed New York retailers like Tiffany’s and Bergdorf Goodman. The American iteration of the business began in the early 1900s, when Louis’ great grandfather arrived in the USA. In the 1950s, Louis’ grandfather and great uncles expanded the operation when they started designing and manufacturing their own jewelry.
Some of Louis’ more unique pieces at N. Fox included a mother’s necklace that contains an ancient Roman coin, a Pope Leo VI necklace that features a Byzantine coin minted in 892 AD, and a necklace with Venetian glass depicting the gods Mars and Venus.
For more information, visit raymondmazzajewelry.com.
