All Over Albany

Bread and Jam to close

From a show in 2009. Bread and Jam always seemed like a warm place.

From a post this afternoon on the Facebook page for Bread and Jam, the coffehouse/cafe/performance space on Remsen Street in downtown Cohoes:

It is with the most profound sadness in my heart that we must announce to all of you that after two years of great food, drink, and music that Bread and Jam will be closing its doors permanently this Friday September 3rd. The past two years have been nothing short of a dream f...or me. Being a longtime musician, I always wanted to own my own music venue, and I was able to do that. I can never express in words what the friendships and experiences have meant to me here, and the fact that all of you got a chance to share that dream with me. My staff has always been there for me like family, going above and beyond anything I could expect from them. The musicians from all over the country have shared stories, and their great craft in our fine little space. But most of all there is no way I can ever thank our customers enough. Each of you believed in Bread and Jam enough to spend your hard earned money on a regular basis here, and make my dreams come true. Cohoes is a beautiful place with wonderful potential, and great people.

There's more at the page from owner Sal Prizio, who writes the cafe "finally ran into a financial wall that I just wasn't able to hurdle." Another message says the cafe's final day will be this Friday. "And yes, I will be hosting one more open mic this Thursday at 8pm."

Prizio was recently featured in the TU. When asked how the business was going, he replied:

We're hanging in there. It's a lot tougher than I thought it was going to be. I was under this perception that I was going to open this cool place, and everybody was just going to flock to it. And that's just not the reality.

We're sorry to see Bread and Jam go. It's a friendly, warm place and it had become a good spot for music.

Earlier on AOA: Remsen Street in Cohoes

(Thanks, Lou)

photo: Bryan Thomas

Restoration Festival photos

Sarah from Railbird

Above is one of Patrick's photos from the Restoration Festival this past weekend at St. Joseph's in Albany. His photostream includes a bunch of other good shots.

More photos! Jason's posted a set from Sunday. Matthew also has a few. And here's a nice phone pic by Bryan.

We saw a bunch of people taking photos there -- we'd love to see them.

Rest Fest was fun. We hear the organizers are already thinking about next year. We're looking forward to it.

photo: Patrick J. Dodson

My Exit: Leslie Stevenson

Every Monday night our friends at WEXT do this thing called My Exit -- local listeners get to come into the station and program an hour of music. So we thought it'd be fun to find out a little bit about these people and why they picked the songs on their play list.

Here's tonight's person:

(there's more)

LarkFest music lineup

The LarkFest organizers announced the music lineup for this year's festival.

In contrast to recent years when the lineup featured one or two bigger names, this year's slate features a range of somewhat lesser-known acts from different genres -- indie rock to neo-soul to Midwesterners who "sound like a drunkenly angry Tom Petty crawling out of a Florida swamp."

Some of them sound pretty good. The full lineup and the local acts -- selected in a contest from over 80 entries -- after the jump.

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EMPAC Fall 2010

The schedule for the upcoming fall season at EMPAC is out. And, as we've come to expect, it includes a bunch of interesting/odd/challenging shows.

Here are a few that caught our eye while scanning the list...

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Restoration Fest compilation

Check it out: the organizers of the upcoming Restoration Festival have posted a compilation with music from the bands appearing this weekend at St. Joseph's.

It's like an all-star mix tape of local music. The compilation is available as a download, or via song-by-song stream.

As you've probably noticed (look up, you might have to reload), AOA is one of the sponsors of the Rest Fest. It's exciting to see all these great local bands get together in one place -- and we're happy to help spread the word.

My Exit: J Hunter

My Exit D.J. J Hunter

Every Monday night our friends at WEXT do this thing called My Exit -- local listeners get to come into the station and program an hour of music. So we thought it'd be fun to find out a little bit about these people and why they picked the songs on their play list.

Here's tonight's person:

(there's more)

Local 518 podcast

Check it out: our friends over at WEXT have set up a podcast of their weekly interviews and performances by local musicians.

There are two shows posted right now -- Tern Rounders and Charlie Watts Riots.

You can also subscribe to the podcast through iTunes.

Solid Sound Festival recaps

The Solid Sound Festival -- the three days of music and art at MASS MoCA curated by Wilco -- was this past weekend.

And it sounds like it went well. So well that MASS MoCA and the band might give it another shot next summer.

(there's more)

My Exit: Kizzi Casale

Kizzi Casale's musical playground, tonight at 8 on WEXT.

Every Monday night our friends at WEXT do this thing called My Exit -- local listeners get to come into the station and program an hour of music. So we thought it'd be fun to find out a little bit about these people and why they picked the songs on their play list.

Here's tonight's person:

(there's more)

LarkFest silent disco

This could be fun/odd: this year's LarkFest will include a "silent disco." From one of the organizers:

We will be closing off Hudson [Ave] near Washington Park and throwing Albany's first Silent Disco.

Each patron will be given a wireless headset. 2 DJs will broadcast their music over the airwaves and the party goers will be able to choose which one they listen to.

Here's the Facebook event page.

Googling around a bit, it looks there have been such quiet get downs in a bunch of places (the UK, especially) and music festivals (including Camp Bisco).

[via @PatrickDodson]

Emmylou Harris coming to The Egg

Emmylou Harris will be playing The Egg November 14. Tickets are already on sale for Egg members. They'll be available to the general public August 17. They start at $54.50. (Egg box office: (518) 473-1845.)

Harris is, of course, an icon of American music -- and she's played with seemingly everyone.

photo: Eric Frommer (Flickr user armadilo60)

My Exit: Bobby Z & Nick

Every Monday night our friends at WEXT do this thing called My Exit -- local listeners get to come into the station and program an hour of music. So we thought it'd be fun to find out a little bit about these people and why they picked the songs on their play list.

Here's tonight's person:

(there's more)

My Exit: John Gleeson

Every Monday night our friends at WEXT do this thing called My Exit -- local listeners get to come into the station and program an hour of music. So we thought it'd be fun to find out a little bit about these people and why they picked the songs on their play list.

Here's tonight's person:

(there's more)

The Restoration Festival

The Capital Region has a lot of great local bands and musicians -- and there's a prime opportunity to check out a bunch of them coming up at the end of August.

The Restoration Festival will feature more than 15 great acts over two days at St. Joseph's in Albany. From the festival blurb:

The current lineup includes [in no particular order] Matthew Carefully and Swamp Baby [of Collar City Records], Aficionado [of No Sleep Records] Alta Mira [of Indian Ledge Records] the Mathematicians, Railbird, RESTYS, El Duke, The Red Lions, Grainbelt, Que Caro, and Barons In The Attic, Scientific Maps, We Are Jeneric, Beware! The Other Head of Science and Sgt. Dunbar & the Hobo Banned [of B3nson Records].

Musical and Visual interludes as well as after party will be exploded and controlled by Goodship. All of which are contributing equally to making this celebration a success.

It's like an all-star game of local music. We hear there's more to come -- you can stay updated by following the festival on Twitter and Facebook.

The Rest Fest will August 28 and 29. Early bird tickets are just $15 (includes both days) and $10 (includes one day). Twenty-five percent of the proceeds will go towards St. Joseph's restoration fund.

AOA is media a sponsor of the Restoration Festival

In the shower with Railbird

Ear Candy New York talks with locals Railbird at "some guy's house" -- in the kitchen, in the bedroom, in the shower:

Thankfully, the new album wasn't lost to outstanding parking tickets.

My Exit: Aaron Holbritter

Actor/director, and tonight's My Exit host,, Aaron Holbritter

Every Monday night our friends at WEXT do this thing called My Exit -- local listeners get to come into the station and program an hour of music. So we thought it'd be fun to find out a little bit about these people and why they picked the songs on their play list.

Here's tonight's person:

(there's more)

My Exit: DJ Nate Da Great

DJ Nate Da Great, tonight on WEXT's My Exit

Every Monday night our friends at WEXT do this thing called My Exit -- local listeners get to come into the station and program an hour of music. So we thought it'd be fun to find out a little bit about these people and why they picked the songs on their play list.

Here's tonight's person:

(there's more)

Rodrigo y Gabriela at The Egg

In what we're guessing will be a fun show, heavy metal Spanish acoustic guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela are coming to The Egg October 12.

If the "heavy metal Spanish acoustic guitar" thing sounds odd -- have a look at the video embedded above. They're totally unexpected and awesome. There are a bunch of clips of them on YouTube.

Tickets for the show go on sale July 23. They're $44.50 and $49.50. (The tickets are available pre-sale to Egg members and it looks you could probably get through the Rodrigo y Gabriela site.)

Also: Guitarist Bernie Williams -- the former center fielder for the Yankees -- is coming back to the Egg October 2 for "an evening of jazz and rock topped off with Latin rhythms." Tickets start at $24.50 and go on sale July 21.

[via Nippertown]

My Exit: Alex Muro

Sgt. Dunbar's Alex Muro is tonight's My Exit D.J.

Every Monday night our friends at WEXT do this thing called My Exit -- local listeners get to come into the station and program an hour of music. So we thought it'd be fun to find out a little bit about these people and why they picked the songs on their play list.

Here's tonight's person:

(there's more)

My Exit: Ted Potrikus

Every Monday night our friends at WEXT do this thing called My Exit -- local listeners get to come into the station and program an hour of music. So we thought it'd be fun to find out a little bit about these people and why they picked the songs on their play list.

Here's tonight's person:

(there's more)

My Exit: Mark DiMartino

Every Monday night our friends at WEXT do this thing called My Exit -- local listeners get to come into the station and program an hour of music. So we thought it'd be fun to find out a little bit about these people and why they picked the songs on their play list.

Here's tonight's person:

(there's more)

Hanging with Railbird

It's like hanging out in the studio with locals Railbird -- but, you know, virtually:

(Doesn't that question always come up in any important enterprise: eat now or later?)

Justin Cerone, one of the producers of the video, says he and production partner Adam Morrell have been following Railbird around as the band records its new album and plays live shows. He says the video will end up in a series of online clips -- and, maybe, a documentary.

Railbird's playing Art on Lark this weekend around 3 pm.

Bonus: Phantogram, in an interview with Filter, on some of their aspirations for the future: "It would be awesome to have our music paired with a film from Michel Gondry, David Lynch, Danny Boyle, Spike Jonze or Wes Anderson."

Solid Sound contest

The Solid Sound Festival, the three day festival at MASS MoCA "curated" by Wilco, is coming up the weekend of August 13. Tickets are $91 for all three days. But here's a way you might be able to score a free pass. From the promoters:

"Wilco has announced the return of their semi-regular photo contest. 1st round begins now through July 7 and is open to any quality photographs with the theme "Summer + throwing in a little Wilco can't hurt." A group of 15 finalists will be selected and posted on the Solid Sound website on July 11 for final round democratic voting, July 13-19. Winners will be announced shortly after voting closes. Prizes range from shirts & mugs to weekend Solid Sound Festival passes + hotel.

The lineup for Solid Sound includes Wilco (of course) and bunch of other musical acts, plus other performers such as comedian Kristen Schaal.

Diana Ross coming to the Palace

The Palace Theatre announced today that Diana Ross will make a stop there September 15. Tickets start at $59.50 -- they go on sale to the general public June 30.

Ross is now 66. Wrote the Chicago Sun-Times' Thomas Conner of a recent show by the Motown queen:

The current tour is a businesslike, 90-minute trot through 25 of her well-known, oversaturated hits. We've seen this before, more than a few times.

So why is the show so good?

She's also seems to have been exhibiting some rather interesting plumage recently.

photo via Palace Theatre