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Acclaimed Organist Gail Archer at Round Lake Auditorium Sept. 15

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

ROUND LAKE —International concert organist, recording artist, choral conductor and lecturer Gail Archer will perform 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 15 at Round Lake Auditorium, 2 Wesley Ave. 

Archer is college organist at Vassar College, and director of the music program at Barnard College, Columbia University, where she conducts the Barnard-Columbia Chorus, and is a member of the faculty of the Harriman Institute, Columbia University. She serves as director of the artist and young organ artist recitals at historic Central Synagogue, New York City.

Her recordings include: September, 2017 CD A Russian Journey,  The Muse’s Voice, Franz Liszt:  A Hungarian Rhapsody, Bach: The Transcendent Genius, An American Idyll, A Mystic In the Making (Meyer Media), and The Orpheus of Amsterdam: Sweelinck and his Pupils (CALA Records).

Tickets are $15. To reserve or for more info, visit RoundLakeAuditorium.org or call 518-899-2800.

This Weekend’s Lake George Fest Postponed Due to Hurricane Debby

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

LAKE GEORGE — The “Rock The Lake” 80’s music festival slated to stage at Lake George this weekend has been postponed until September. 

“Because of approaching inclement weather due to Hurricane Debby and for the safety of our patrons, we have decided to postpone the Rock The Lake events until Sept. 14 & 15,” according to a statement released by festival promoter E1 Presents.  

The outdoor two-day concert event was scheduled to take place Aug. 11 & 12, and tickets already purchased for Rock The Lake will be honored for the new dates in September. 

More information regarding the Sept. 14-15 band lineup will be coming soon.

Palace Theatre’s Community Block Party Returns to Downtown Albany Aug. 10

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Community Block Party Saturday

ALBANY — The Palace Performing Arts Center presents the Palace Theatre Community Block Party. Saturday, Aug. 10, from noon to 4 p.m. in the the area around the Palace Theatre.

The event includes live music, family friendly activities, food trucks, vendors, community organizations, and more.
The Block Party will take place rain or shine, and in the case of inclement weather will take place inside of the Palace Theatre.

Live Music by Justin Henricks Funk All-Stars. A Kids Zone with Face Painting, Balloon Twisters, a Bounce House, Games and more. Free Hot Dogs & Hamburgers. This event is free and open to the public. 

The Strand Stages Marty Wendell’s 60th Anniversary Tour Aug. 18

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Marty Wendell’s 60th Anniversary Tour at The Strand.

HUDSON FALLS — The Strand Theatre will host Marty Wendell’s 60th Anniversary Tour at 7 p.m. Sunday Aug. 18. 

Wendell has made music for over 60 years with records, radio, TV and concert tours. He has recorded at Sun Studio, Memphis, Tennessee, and has shared the stage with numerous legendary artists. 

Wendell’s records cover an eclectic mix of influences from Folk and Country to Roots and Rockabilly.

Special guests: Heather Richards, plus The Bluebillies.

Tickets are $15 general admission and available at the Strand Box Office; cash or check only. For more information, go to www.mystrandtheatre.org. Doors open into the coffee shop, box office and lobby at 5:30pm. The Strand Theatre is located at 210 Main St, Hudson Falls. 

Adirondack Independence Music Festival Returns to Lake George Labor Day Weekend

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LAKE GEORGE — The Adirondack Independent Music Festival returns to Charles R. Wood Park in Lake George, for 3 nights over Labor Day weekend.  

Staging from Friday, Aug. 30 – Sunday, Sept. 1, the event will feature several premier touring bands currently on the festival circuit.

This year’s festival will feature headliners moe., who will once again be performing 4 sets over 2 nights, as well as newcomers, Melvin Seals & JGB (2 sets). Also performing this year over the three days are: Yonder Mountain String Band, Mihali (Live Band), Badfish: A Tribute to Sublime, Pink Talking Fish, Spafford, lespecial, Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country, Moon Hooch, RAQ, Cool Cool Cool, Lucid, Wild Adriatic, Hayley Jane Band, Bella’s Bartok, Yam Yam, Kendal Street Company, Strange Machines, The Frank White Experience: A Live Tribute to The Notorious B.I.G., Crooked Coast and One Time Weekend.

In addition to the music, the festival will feature a variety of food and craft vendors as well a great view of the Lake George fireworks Saturday evening.

There is also a special VIP option available, which includes admission to all three days of the festival, a meal each night, free snacks, heavily-discounted adult beverages, $2 water / soft drinks, a private viewing area, access to our VIP tent (with tables, chairs and a private bar) and access to VIP bathrooms.  

Music at the festival will begin at 1p.m. on Friday and noon on Saturday and Sunday and run continuously across two side-by-side stages until 11p.m. each night.  The event is open to attendees of all ages and children 12 and under are free (general admission).  

For tickets and more information, visit the festival website at www.adkmusicfest.com.

SPAC 2024-2025 Dance Season at Spa Little Theater – Modern Dance Troupes, A World Premiere

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Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana, a showcase of the world premiere of “Quinto Elemento” will be staged at Spa Little Theater. Photo: Christopher Duggan.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Performing Arts Center’s 2024-2025 dance season at Spa Little Theater features modern dance troupes A.I.M by Kyle Abraham (Nov.9 & 10) and Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana (March 8 & 9) for the world premiere of its new work “Quinto Elemento.” 

 “Our year-round home in Spa Little Theater has truly become a vibrant hub for all genres of music, dance, and theater. In addition to the presentation of and education in the arts, we are also proud of our role as a commissioner and incubator of new and exciting works,” Elizabeth Sobol, President and CEO of Saratoga Performing Arts Center, said in a statement. 

Kicking off the series is A.I.M by Kyle Abraham with two performances that feature the company’s signature tapestry of Black and Queer stories, intertwined with a sensual and provocative vocabulary and a strong emphasis on music, text, video, and visual art. The performances mark the SPAC debut of the company, following the success of Kyle Abraham’s two New York City Ballet works The Runaway and Love Letter (on shuffle), which held their SPAC debuts in 2019 and 2023, respectively. 

Also highlighting the season is SPAC debut of Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana, which will showcase the world premiere of its new evening-length work “Quinto Elemento” (Fifth Element) with this appearance. 

Set to an original score of live music and choreographed by Patricia Guerrero, internationally acclaimed flamenco dancer-choreographer, the new work explores the fifth element of the earth, ether, the essence that makes up the space around us. Guerrero embraces chaos through choreography, building from flamenco’s expressive movement language while venturing beyond its current aesthetic bounds.

 The news follows the announcement of SPAC’s inaugural McCormack Jazz Series in the Spa Little Theater and is part of SPAC’s mission to present year-round programming. Additional programming for the 2024-2025 Spa Little Theater season will be announced soon. 

The programming is as follows:  A.I.M by Kyle Abraham – Saturday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 10 at 2 p.m.; Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana – Saturday, March 8, 2025 at 7 p.m., and  Sunday, March 9 at 2 p.m.

For tickets and more information, visit spac.org.  

Big Top “Circus in the Park” Returns Aug. 10-17 in Troy

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

Keith Nelson of Bindlestiff Family Cirkus, will perform in Troy Aug. 10 -11. Photo: Maike Schulz.

TROY — The Contemporary Circus and Immersive Arts Center (CCIAC) is presenting eight days of circus events under a big top tent in Troy’s Prospect Park.

Contemporary circus does not feature performing animals, but instead puts the focus on the incredible capabilities of the human body demonstrated through acrobatics, aerial feats, juggling, and more. All activities occur under or beside a 34 foot-tall, 4,000 square-foot tent that holds 225 people. 

The tent will be raised a week before the Aug. 10-11 opening weekend.

This season’s offerings include a variety of local, regional, national and international circus acts, as well as educational programs. The schedule includes: three performances during opening weekend by Bindlestiff Family Cirkus based out of Brooklyn / Hudson; a youth circus camp and family picnic day with circus workshops for all ages with woman-owned Westchester Circus Arts; and an advanced circus student showcase with Latham-based Good Karma Studio. Thursday night will feature Montreal-based Cirque Kikasse performing their acclaimed act SANTÉ! which means Cheers! in French. They will be joined by special guest magician and ringmaster Jim Snack.

2024 Opening Weekend – Bindlestiff Family Cirkus. All Ages. Saturday, Aug. 10 — 1 p.m  & 7 p.m. (two shows)   and Sunday, Aug. 11 — 2 p.m.  Doors open 1 hour before showtime.

For tickets and information on the weeklong events, go to: https://www.cciac.us.  

Saratoga Automobile Museum Summer Auto Show on Saturday

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SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Automobile Museum announced its upcoming Summer Auto Show takes place Saturday Aug. 3.

The show will be held at the picturesque Saratoga Spa State Park Field, located adjacent to the museum. Attendees can look forward to a diverse array of vehicles, including exotic cars, classics, antique treasures, modern sports cars and more.

For those eager to participate, pre-registering your car, truck, or motorcycle offers two free general admission tickets – valued at $50 – to the Saratoga Motor Car Auction in September. 

In addition to the vehicle showcase, the event will feature a variety of attractions including a DJ, vendors, and an awards ceremony honoring standout vehicles from the show. Also visit Enzo Ferrari: An Obsession with Speed the Museum’s feature exhibition. 

The day’s activities will also include the Saratoga Motor Car Auction’s 3rd Drive and Consign Day, running from 9 a.m. to noon. 

For further details and to pre-register your vehicle, visit saratogaautomuseum.org or contact Megan Hennessey at 518-401-5185, megan@saratogaautomuseum.org. 

Philadelphia Orchestra Stages Return to SPAC –John Legend, Yo-Yo Ma Feature This Month 

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The Philadelphia Orchestra:
An Evening with John Legend stages at SPAC this week.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Philadelphia Orchestra returned to its summer home in Saratoga opening its three-week residency at Saratoga Performing Arts Center on July 31.

This weekend’s events include Angélique Kidjo with The Philadelphia Orchestra at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 2, and the Harry Potter Film Concert Series featuring Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in Concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3. 

An Evening with John Legend – A Night of Songs and Stories with The Philadelphia Orchestra will stage Wednesday, Aug. 7. The evening will feature intimate reimagining’s of Legend’s greatest hits (“All of Me,” “Ordinary People,” “Tonight”), unexpected stories from his life and career, and selections from his most recent release LEGEND (“Nervous,” “Wonder Woman”). 

Philadelphia Orchestra Music and Artistic Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin will return to the podium to lead a program exclusive to SPAC on Thursday, Aug. 8. 

The 2024 season will continue through Aug. 17 – returning by popular demand is an appearance by cellist Yo-Yo Ma on Aug. 16, and details about all upcoming performances may be found at: spac.org.

Robert Cray – Live at The Egg in October 

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Robert Cray Band comes to The Egg October 17. Photo provided. 

ALBANY— Blues icon. Soul man and rock and roller Robert Cray will perform with his band at The Egg Oct. 17. 

From forming a teenage garage band, through to striding the stage alongside several of the world’s greatest guitarists, Cray’s story of struggle and commitment led him to enjoying phenomenal success,  selling millions of albums and countless concert tickets and designing two signature model Fender guitars.

Cray’s Groovin’ for 50 Years Tour stages at The Egg in Albany on Thursday, Oct. 17 Tickets are $49.50, $39.50. Go to: theegg.org.