Pete Mason

On the cusp of the 250th anniversary of America's independence from England, the mood in these United States isn't as patriotic as you'd expect for such a milestone event. Take your pick for why there's a lack of enthusiasm for the semiquincentennial - the state of the economy, the resident of The White House, generally...

On Saturday July 6, 1974, Rich Stadium in Orchard Park, NY held the first ever concert in its history. Eric Clapton and his band would serve as headliners, with The Band serving as a warm up for Slowhand. Tickets for the show were $8.50 each ($46 in 2021 dollars) and caught one of rock’s biggest...

I had never seen Goose at SPAC until this past weekend. Stars just didn't align yet - their first show at Saratoga Performing Arts Center was my wedding day (Happy Anniversary babe!) and the next time I was away at a friend's wedding, so with two shows a week after summer vacation started for me,...

On July 14, 2026, for the first time since 1970, The Guess Who performed at Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC). The co-founders of The Guess Who, Canadian musicians Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings, had faced an extended legal battle for the rights to their own band name, which was finally settled earlier this year. Suffice...

The Phish band from Vermont (a.k.a. Phish) are off and running with 'Phish in 5' at Madison Square Garden - five unique shows calling back to their 1990s era. With three shows down and two to go (Monday and Wednesday), there's a lot to look back at and plenty to look forward to, with photos...

The Empire State Development (ESD) announced on August 6 that construction is now underway by Proctors Collaborative to renovate the historic American Thea

56 years ago, Woodstock brought together more than 400,000 faithful music-loving hippies from all walks of life, for three days of peace and music. Some of the most notable moments of the festival are easily remembered - Joe Cocker belting out "With a Little Help From My Friends;" The Who performance of (most of) Tommy...

On Monday, November 18, the New York City Council passed a resolution designating every November 30 as "Shirley Chisholm Day," honoring the longtime Bedford-Stuyvesant resident, political pioneer, as well as the first Black woman elected to Congress and first woman to run for President. Chisholm speaking at the 1972 Decmocratic National Convention - photo via...

For three decades, New York Harvest Fest has stood as a cornerstone of our culture, activism, music, art, and community. What began as a gathering of passi

Labor Day weekend, a noteable bootleg and a weird ramble about women's rights. What connection do these three things have? They're all elements of the one and only time Frank Zappa performed at Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC), on Saturday, September 1, 1984. Zappa's lone performance at SPAC was the final show of the first...