This Week in Live Music

Friday, May 30

7 p.m. — Halfstep @ Quarters Bar

Formed in 1991, Halfstep has performed all over the east coast steadily until 2002, recently reforming and performing due to popular demand. This will be the last show that Dave will be appearing in with Half Step after a 30-year run.

8 p.m. — Jenny Owen Youngs @ Caffe Lena

After a decade of co-writing smash singles like Panic! At The Disco’s “High Hopes” and Pitbull’s “Bad Man,” singer-songwriter Jenny returns to the stage with her first full-length solo album in ten years, Avalanche. Jenny’s writing has spanned genres and media, with her work appearing in Weeds, Fifty Shades Freed, and on the Grammy stage.

8 p.m. — Lucid Street @ The Ice House

Lucid Street recreates the cream of classic rock, playing songs that span multiple genres, including rock, disco, and pop. The band has close to 300 songs in its repertoire, including 10 originals.

9 p.m. — The Wheel: Live Dead & Beyond @ Putnam Place

The Capital Region-based Grateful Dead tribute band returns to Saratoga Springs to provide an “authentic” Dead experience.

9 p.m. — Brian Patneaude Quartet @ 9 Maple Ave

Formed in 2002, the Brian Patneaude Quartet’s music is an organic blend of modern jazz styles, featuring accessible melodies and harmonic textures that appeal to the casual listener and jazz aficionado alike. The group’s close-knit musical relationship and seamless interplay is a result of performances at numerous venues and festivals throughout the Northeast. The quartet has been repeatedly cited as “Best Jazz Group” by the writers and readers of Metroland magazine and has gained increasing attention, both nationally and abroad.

Saturday, May 31

6 p.m. — Grit N Whiskey @ Carson’s Woodside Tavern

Modern country with tight harmonies, searing dual guitars, and high energy.

8 p.m. — Annie & the Hedonists @ Caffe Lena

Annie & the Hedonists return to celebrate the release of their brand new album, Live at Caffè Lena, a collection of blues, vintage jazz, and Americana recorded at Lena’s and produced by Oscar-winning, seven-time Grammy-winning engineer Joel Moss. The Saratoga-based band blends the spirit of swing-era jazz with the storytelling traditions of folk and roots music.

9 p.m. — Jason Emmond Quartet @ 9 Maple Ave

Emmond is an upright and electric bass player and composer residing in upstate New York. After growing up in New Hampshire and obtaining his bachelor’s degree from the University of New Hampshire, Jason made the move to Kansas City to play jazz. Recently, he relocated to Albany, where he is continuing his music career.

Sunday, June 1

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. — Beekman Street Art Fair

A stacked lineup of free, live music presented by Caffe Lena includes Prakash Slim (at 1 p.m.), the Mostly Modern Ensemble (2 p.m.), Millstone Rounders (3 p.m.), and Reese Fulmer & The Carriage House Band (4 p.m.). The acts will perform under a tent on Beekman Street in Saratoga’s Arts District.

7 p.m. — Vanessa Collier @ Caffe Lena

A twelve-time Blues Music Award nominee and four-time winner — including B.B. King Entertainer of the Year and Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year — Vanessa Collier’s newest album, Do It My Own Way (out September 13), is a deeply personal collection inspired by the golden era of Memphis soul, with modern messages of empowerment and resilience.

Monday, June 2

8 p.m. — Family Tree @ Putnam Place

Family Tree features Steve Candlen, Kenny Hohman, Lori Friday, Chris Carey and Chad Ploss.  They will be joined by various guests from the regional music scene.

Wednesday, June 4

7 p.m. — Vampire Weekend @ SPAC

The iconic indie rock band, perhaps best known for their singles “A-Punk” and “Oxford Comma,” brings their newest album, Only God Was Above Us, to the SPAC stage. Vampire Weekend is a critically beloved group that has won two Grammy Awards for Best Alternative Music Album.

7 p.m. — Gin Blossoms & Uprooted @ Belmont on Broadway

Belmont on Broadway, a free concert that celebrates the start of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, will include performances by Gin Blossoms (a popular alternative rock band) and Uprooted on Broadway in downtown Saratoga Springs. Broadway will be closed from Van Dam to City Hall most likely all day Wednesday.

Thursday, June 5

7 p.m. — Carolyn Wonderland @ Caffe Lena

Hailed as “The Bluesman” by Aretha Franklin and praised by Bob Dylan for her songwriting, Wonderland is a guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter who has shared stages with Bonnie Raitt, Los Lobos, Levon Helm, Buddy Guy, and Johnny Winter. She’s been touring for over 25 years across the U.S., Europe, South America, and Japan with a discography that spans raw blues, gospel, country soul, and rebel rock.

7:30 p.m. — Steve Earle @ UPH

Earle’s songs have been recorded by Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Joan Baez, Emmylou Harris, The Pretenders, and countless others. 1986 saw the release of his record, “Guitar Town,” which shot to number one on the country charts and is now regarded as a classic of the Americana genre. Subsequent releases like “The Revolution Starts…Now” (2004), “Washington Square Serenade” (2007), and “TOWNES” (2009) received consecutive Grammy Awards.