Yo La Tengo with Dave Schramm (Troy Savings Bank)
Billed as an acoustic show, presumably to scare off those who expected 15 minute feedback solos, but Dave Schramm plugged in his informed guitar to make the evening exceptional.
Yosemite
Departed the operating system for the actual place. Week staying at Tioga Pass. Smoky for the first couple of days, it rained, we went to the valley, returned and it was clear the rest of the week. There was pie, rising up singing, stars and walks in the woods. The woods looked like they need a vacation too.
“Currently Listening” now a standalone page. Big whoop.
The monitors of this page may or may not care, but the real-time feed of ear input is now available as a standalone app-like web thingamabob. Available on the main blog Spew menu, but directly available here. Now you can avoid any of the nonsense on these pages and just keep a little tiny window updating on your preferred device… OK, I did this for myself as no one monitors this page, but stay tuned as it is a harbinger of usefulness to follow.
Ian Hunter and the Rant Band (Helsinki)
Do you like rock and roll? Then you would have enjoyed it.
Stork’s Nest to Colgate Lake via Dutcher’s Notch
Looking for a walk before waiting around in Hudson, decided to do the quickest (for me) entry to the Catskill Park via Stork’s Nest Rd. Instead of going up Blackhead or over to North Point, went straight down to the Colgate Lake parking area. Some decent hemlock stands and a nice views of Blackhead from the valley made the 13 mile round trip worth doing.
Dix Mountain
Dix Mountain (4857 ft) loop from Elk Lake up via the Lodge easement over a nice new bridge crossing Lillian Brook up to Hunter’s Pass down via Beckhorn. Trailhead parking area was full so a 2 mile walk on the road was necessary from Clear Pond overflow. 18.1 miles round trip.
Robbie Fulks and Redd Volkaert (Ale House)
Rallied to the Ale House after Grey Fox as this performance had a mandatory attendance requirement. It didn’t disappoint with Redd Volkaert demonstrating his Grammy winning Telecaster skills. Robbie Fulks sang his songs, covered Michael Jackson, Johnny Paycheck and accompanied Redd through a history of country music and Western Swing all the while flatpicking everyone’s face off. He also managed to double people over with an improvised song about Troy.
Thanks again to Mark Gamsjager for booking shows like this making the Capital District a better place.
Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival 2015
Another absurdly good year. Weather held except for a 10 minute derecho cutting off the Hillbenders’ performance of Tommy.
![The Hillbenders' Jim Rea and Chad "Gravy Boat" Graves on guitar and dobro](http://soundingstone.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/IMG_1096.jpg "Jim Rea and Chad "Gravy Boat" Graves")
Dale Watson (WAMC) / Brent Gorton and the Tender Breasts (The Low Beat)
It’s a good night when you can see Dale Watson anyway, but bonus goodness when you walk out the door, cross the street and catch Brent Gorton and the Tender Breasts. Lara Hope and the Ark-Tones opened for Mr. Watson and his Lone Stars.
New Pornographers (Bearsville Theater)
As with the winter show in Northampton, less people showed up than I would have expected. Good for those of us who did. Thao and the Get Down Stay Down opened quickly dragging skeptics out of the lobby. You have 5 days to see the Austin City Limits show here.
