The Bearsville Theater
291 Tinker Street, Woodstock
The Bearsville Theater needs no introduction beyond the iconic Elliot Landy photographs that grace its walls: portraits not just of Bob Dylan and the Band but of Dylan and the Band in Woodstock, in ’69, at the height of their creative powers (and their good looks). Welcome to Woodstock. But the Bearsville is not tyrannized by its own legacy. It is actually two venues in one: the theater proper, in which everyone from Bob Weir to Aimee Mann to Melanie to Matisyahu has played in the last year; and the lounge, a comfortably appointed, spacious and vibey club that hosts lots of the best local acts, as well as up-and-coming national performers. Courtesy of Robert Frazza and his excellent team of engineers, the sound is always topnotch in both spaces. Visit the Bearsville Theater at 291 Tinker Street in Woodstock. For more information, call (845) 679-4406 or visit https://bearsvilletheater.com.
The Rosendale Café
434 Main Street, Rosendale
The Rosendale Café set out with a clear musical and cultural agenda: to become a “listening space” venue for “national talent” with some limited provision for the local, such as Singer/Songwriter Tuesdays. Easier said than done, but they’ve done it. The space is thoughtfully treated for sound, and the booking philosophy plays to the strengths of the room: intimate solo and small-ensemble performances, with an emphasis on singer/songwriter and roots styles (alt/country artist Mary Gauthier is a frequent guest) and some surprisingly big-name swing, bluegrass and jazz (Ron Carter has played here, among others). Stop by the Café at 434 Main Street in Rosendale. For more information, call (845) 658-9048 or visit www.rosendalecafe.com.
Market Market
1 Madeleine Lane, Rosendale
Not many aspiring restaurateurs would have looked at the former Rosendale greengrocer and seen in it the spectral outline of a happening Brooklyn-style music venue, but Jenifer Constantine and Trippy Thompson did. And as a result we have Market Market, the venue so misnamed they had to misname it twice. It started with dinner music, but that didn’t last long. Next thing you knew, shoegaze, power pop, political punk, experimental sound collage and Brooklyn hootenanny were the order of the day. These days, the Hudson Valley has a number of stable venues that defy the region’s roots-rock default and cater to indie, hipster eccentricity and cabaret theatricality, but mark it well: Market Market was there first. Of special note is the Tributon series. Every sixth Saturday, or thereabouts, local luminaries gather to pay tribute to (and make fun of) a single famous artist or performer. On April 20, it is Fleetwood Mac on the examination table. For more information, call (845) 658-3164 or visit www.marketmarketcafe.com.
Two Boots Hudson Valley
4604 Route 9G, Red Hook
A New York City institution, the Two Boots pizza franchise has opened up a stylish branch right across from the main entrance to Bard College and has jumped into the music game full-stride. The Two Boots are Italy and Louisiana, but that’s a food thing. In terms of music, the aesthetic is still a work-in-progress: indie rock, world music, even a dose of avant-garde noise have all come into play early in this venue’s run, and the commitment to make it happen is evident. For more information, call (845) 758-0010 or visit www.facebook.com/tbhudsonvalley.
