Newsletters
March 25 – 31
Recently selected by Rolling Stone for their Future 25, the magazine wrote: Get Ready To Be Blown Away by Lizzie No’s Songwriting. You can find out what the buzz is all about when Lizzie brings her songs back to our stage on Thursday. She has had a dizzying five years with the release of two albums that drew praise from the likes of Billboard and Rolling Stone – followed by appearances at AmericanaFest, the Newport Folk Festival, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, and SXSW, plus tours with Iron and Wine, Son Little, and Adia Victoria. Her writing is beautifully intricate, the personal and the political folding into each other. She’s an outspoken activist and civil rights advocate on a mission to “make revolution irresistible.”
March 18 – 24
“As a violinist, Lena Jonsson is hard to beat. She swings the bow like a magic wand.” Our Nordlys Global Voices Series continues this Sunday with the tradtional and contemporary music of Sweden’s Lena Jonnson Trio. Sparkling joie de vivre and the charisma of a rock-star have made Jonnson one Scandinavia’s most exciting musicians. She merges traditional Swedish dance music with rock, pop, funk and American old-time and bluegrass. She’s Sweden’s current Folk Artist of the Year, and is in heavy rotation on European folk radio. Joined by guitarist Erik Ronström and bassist Krydda Sundström.
March 11 – 17
Armed with a guitar, a deadpan sense of humor, killer songs, and a voice that makes tough guys cry, Lucy Wainwright Roche is the daughter of Suzzy Roche (The Roches) and multiple Grammy-winner Loudon Wainwright III. Her music is gentle, well-crafted contemporary folk that eases us in with flat-footed authenticity, and then lets loose with beauty and drama. For fans of Bon Iver and Sheryl Crow.
March 4 – 10
This Sunday, Steve Poltz (above) and Paul Thorn will give us a wild, joyful, poignant and brilliant night to remember! Singer-songwriter Thorn has jumped out of airplanes, boxed four-time world champion Roberto Duran on national TV, performed with Raitt, Knopfler, and Prine, and charted multiple times on the Billboard Top 100. Poltz co-wrote Jewel’s multiplatinum “You Were Meant For Me”and continues to work with her. “Part busker, part Iggy Pop and part Robin Williams, a freewheeling folkie with a quick wit and big heart.” (AP)
Feb 19 – 25
There are no words to describe the power of blues-rock-soul singer Alexis P. Suter’s artistry. She’s coming up from NYC with her 6-piece band on Friday to play our Momentum Series. Her mother was a backup vocalist for Mahalia Jackson, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Harry Belafonte, Mavis Staples and Dionne Warwick. Alexis is a vocalist with a gale force bass/baritone voice. She’s a fixture on the festival circuit with a repertoire ranging from old-time Delta blues (“John the Revelator”) to classic electric blues (“Got My Mojo Working”) to vintage soul (“Take Me to the River”).
February 12 – 18
While the major pop stars get the lion’s share of attention, there are many awards given out at the Grammys and Caffe Lena artists had some wins! The biggest stand-out is Allison Russell (two Grammys!) who first played our stage with Po’ Girl in 2008, and then several times with Birds of Chicago. We also congratulate Bela Fleck, Molly Tuttle and Bobby Rush. Larry Campbell (at Lena’s June 7 & June 8), who played violin for the best moment of the night: Tracy Chapman and Luke Comb’s performance of “Fast Car.” Combs’ 2023 cover resulted in Tracy Chapman being the first Black songwriter to win the Country Music Association’s Song of the Year.
Jan 29 – Feb 4
This is a great time of year to try new things. The weather has been dreary, the holidays are in the rearview, and most of us could use a little mood boost. Aleksi Campagne (Thursday) is a classically trained musician, son of one of Canada’s premier folksingers, and does incredible things with a looping pedal and a violin. His new bilingual album has critics raving. You’re probably not busy on Thursday, so come check him out.
And then there’s Joy Clark, with her contagious smile and an artistic practice focused on love and peace. After years of being mentored by Cyrille Neville, and accompanying Allison Russell and Rhiannon Giddens, she’s getting a barrage of gig offers across the country. You won’t want to miss her Capital Region debut this Friday.
January 22 – 28
Charming, eccentric showman Chandler Travis, longtime opening act for George Carlin, pairs two of his favorite new projects in this special split bill, both featuring Chandler. The Buttercups finds him getting noisy, nutty and electric with Legendary Casuals drummer Rikki Bates. Channy n Johnny shows us Chandler’s quiet, acoustic, dignified side in a duo with longtime string-bass partner John Clark. Tickets still available for Saturday’s show!
January 15 – 21
The Brother Brothers hook the audience from the first song with exquisite singing and playing. They return to our stage this Thursday. “Right at home between the Everly Brothers and The Beach Boys” — Wide Open Country With their close harmonies, bright wit and Simon & Garfunkel-esque songs, identical twins Adam and David Moss are instant crowd-pleasers. Their songs are streamed nearly a quarter-million times every month on Spotify because this is music everyone wants to hear!
January 8 – 15
Haitian guitarist and singer Wesli Louissaint built his first guitar at age 8 by stringing an oil can with nylon fishing line. He has become one of Haiti’s most inspiring and celebrated musical ambassadors, bringing gospel, reggae, Afrobeat, funk and the diverse roots music of Haiti to the world. Full band show!