Club Helsinki Hudson
405 Columbia Street
Hudson, NY 12534
(518) 828-4800
https://helsinkihudson.com
Great Barrington’s loss has been Hudson’s gain. When the owners of Club Helsinki decided to move from Massachusetts to New York, they found an enthusiastic audience in Hudson – one that allows the venue to feature music and restaurant fare just about every night of the week.
“We’ve been doing this for a long time,” said Club Helsinki co-owner Deborah McDowell. “We were in Great Barrington for 15 years, and in Hudson we’re hoping to add to the spirit of the community and the region. What Helsinki is and strives to be is a place that’s wildly user-friendly.”
One look at Club Helsinki’s calendar should indicate what they’re looking for in music.
“Our booking is eclectic,” McDowell said. “We have relationships with artists all over the world, and we try to book what we like and what we think other people will like.”
McDowell said that artists interested in performing at Club Helsinki should reach out through the booking page on the venue’s website. “We get a lot of requests every day,” she said.
The Chance/The Loft
6 Crannell Street
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
(845) 471-1966
www.thechancetheater.com
Celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, the Chance is still one of the area’s best bets for live music, with owner Frank Pallett looking to balance local music with acts from around the world. The Chance, which can hold 800 music fans at a time, has its own satellite club upstairs called the Loft, which holds 350. Both spaces are booked most nights with live music spanning a variety of genres.
“We look at obvious demand for different types of acts,” said Pallett, who has owned the Chance for the past 17 years. “If a band is on the radio, that’s good. The Chance is legendary, and I’m in contact with booking agencies across the country. Most bands want to play the room.”
Pallett does the majority of the booking for the Chance, while Killer Cool handles booking for the Loft. While the latter is generally more local-oriented, that doesn’t mean that a band from the area won’t have an opportunity to serve as a support act for more nationally known artists. “They’re able to play in front of a larger audience,” Pallett said. “The bands that hustle get the best shows.”
Artists interested in playing the Chance and the Loft should reach out through the official website.
The High Falls Café
12 Stone Dock Road
High Falls, NY 12440
(845) 687-2699
If good food and good music sounds like a perfect combination, look no further than the High Falls Café. Mixing one-off performances with regular events, the Café is an eclectic venue with a local flavor. “I prefer local original music,” said Buffy Gribbon, owner of the Café. “There are so many talented people that live in the Hudson Valley.”
Among the popular regular events on the calendar are Big Joe Fitz and the Lo-Fis: a blues party every first and third Tuesday of the month. Every Thursday, Kurt Henry hosts an evening of acoustic music. On any given night, the music is meant to evoke a certain vibe. “I want the music to lift everyone’s spirits,” said Gribbon. “We love people dancing.”
Gribbon rarely sits still for very long, so she asked that artists interested in performing at the High Falls Café reach out through e-mail at [email protected].
Market Market
1 Madeline Lane
Rosendale, NY 12472
(845) 658-3164
www.marketmarketcafe.com
Billed as a restaurant and micro-venue, Rosendale’s Market Market takes “an artistic approach to both our food and programming, walking the line between highbrow and lowbrow, fancy and casual, vegetarian and omnivorous, sophisticated and glib.”
If that ethos is there in the food, it’s also there in the music. “We are looking for originality, and we generally tend towards indie groups,” said Market Market co-owner Jen Constantine. It all comes together perfectly in a harmonious blend of seemingly disparate parts.
“Hopefully customers can experience bands in an intimate environment where things are relaxed but not lazy, interesting and beautiful,” said Constantine. “The room at Market Market sounds marvelous, and bands can often experience their music in a different light than they can in any other sticky-floored ‘rawk’ club.”
For bookings, contact [email protected].
New World Home Cooking
1411 Route 212
Saugerties, NY 12477
(845) 246-0900
https://ricorlando.com/nwhc
Foodies across the Hudson Valley have long recognized New World Home Cooking as an amazing place to sample unique flavors from around the world. New World’s popular live music offerings reflect a similar eclectic worldview.
“I look for performers with spirit,” said Sid Orlando, New World’s events manager. “When I listen to the music people send me, I want to feel them as people, be able to imagine their presence onstage. I also really appreciate a good lyricist. Of course, I try to pick music that will please the audience, and consider the sound dynamics in our space as well. This leads me to booking lots of solo singer/songwriters whose songs tell stories and whose voices are something special; they captivate the crowd.”
Orlando said that much of New World’s current focus is on its women’s music showcases. “For these events, the energy in the room is critical,” she said. “I try to create an environment of inclusion, respect and a kind of closeness between performers and the audience. It feels intimate, personal and warm. It should be an opportunity for new musicians to knock down their stage fright, for experienced performers to try something out of their comfort zones, for anyone to feel comfortable playing their most personal song, and for the audience to be privy to these amazing experiments in music.”
In addition to music, Orlando also books burlesque and drag shows for New World: further proof that spirit is the order of the day. For the full schedule, visit https://ricorlando.com/nwhc.
The Falcon
1348 Route 9W
Marlboro, NY 12452
(845) 236-7970
www.liveatthefalcon.com
Even in an area known for its music venues, the Falcon in Marlboro, a renovated button factory, stands out. A restaurant and intimate music venue with performances almost every night of the week, there’s no cover at the Falcon, allowing attendees to donate whatever they can to the performers. Tony Falco, the Falcon’s owner, has deep connections in the music industry and books with the best interests of his space and audience in mind.
“I have designed the Falcon to provide the audience with the best possible small-club listening experience,” Falco said. “The room has real nice acoustics; every seat in the house is comfortable and gives you a good view of the stage.”
Most nights, dinner begins at 5:30 p.m., with the music starting at 7 p.m. The menu is as worldly and eclectic as the music, and it all combines for a fulfilling experience. “The food and drink are excellent and reasonably priced, using the best fresh ingredients,” said Falco, adding that it pays to plan ahead. “We only seat 150 people, so dinner reservations are strongly recommended.”
For booking inquiries, visit the Falcon’s official website.
