SUMMERTIME ENTERTAINMENT
East Greenbush summer concert series brings community together
EAST GREENBUSH, N.Y. » The town’s “Music in the Park Summer Concert Series” is underway, and so far it’s off to a good start.
This past Tuesday was the second concert of the series, which will run weekly until the end of August.
The concerts are free to the public and take place at Hampton Manor’s Onderdonk Memorial Park across the street from the neighborhood pond, from 6-8 p.m.
This week’s concert was performed by The Lost Art Band, a group of five men all from the Rensselaer County area who have known each other for years. They are all good friends and have been playing together as a band for two and a half years.
“When I was a kid, I used to go to the Boys Club to watch Artie and Dave play. Now 45 years later, we’re playing together,” said drummer Phil Lanz.
The Lost Art Band is well-known in the East Greenbush and Rensselaer community. Many of the concert attendees were friends with the band.
Michelle Tonkin, of Postenkill, and Liz and Joe Farrell, of North Greenbush, came to the show specifically to support Lost
“When I was a kid, I used to go to the Boys Club to watch Artie and Dave play. Now 45 years later, we’re playing together.” — Drummer Phil Lanz
Art.
“We grew up with them, and went to high school with some of them,” said Tonkin. “Artie lived down the street from me.”
“We’re here to support our friends,” Liz Farrell added. “They sound good.”
Lost Art also has an album out, called “Callin.” The title track often plays on 106.1 FM, one of the Capital Region’s local radio stations.
“We do original music, and we do covers,” said bass guitarist Steve Barmash before the concert started. “We’re playing mostly covers tonight, and we’ll be doing the best of the best, songs the crowd will recognize. We’ll get into a good groove.”
When the show started, Lost Art did indeed deliver a “good groove.”
At the height of the 2-hour show, there were about 65 people in attendance, all enjoying what they were hearing. Hands were tapping, feet were bouncing, and heads were swaying to each song played. Despite the heat, which was tempered by a steady breeze, it was a good turnout for the concert.
In addition to the music, the Gormeli’s Taste food truck was there selling sandwiches and snacks.
“It’s nice to see people out and about,” acoustic guitarist Ed Meyer commented.
“I was worried about this heat,” added electric guitarist and lead vocalist Art Yonkers, “but this breeze is just wonderful. It’s really helping.”
It helped further that around 6:30 p.m., the sun went behind the clouds and the temperature dropped a few degrees. The cooler weather raised the audience’s energy level, and by about 7 p.m. kids were running and playing, and a few people got up to dance as Lost Art played through a wide variety of songs and styles.
Their rock ‘n’ roll, blues, and pop repertoire that evening included a selection of Beatles songs, a “rockabilly” (as described by the band themselves) version of “Blue Moon of Kentucky,” “Lay Down Sally” by Eric Clapton, “Rock This Town” by the Stray Cats, and “Folsom Prison Blues” by Johnny Cash, among many others.
“I asked my granddaughter if she’d heard of Johnny Cash, and she said ‘maybe,’” said Joanne Genovesi, of East Greenbush. She went to school with Art and knows most of the band, and when she heard they were playing at the park, she brought her whole family along to see them, including her two grandchildren.
“It sounds cool. I like it,” said Joanne’s granddaughter, Natalie Krisanda, 10, also of East Greenbush.
The weekly concert series has provided opportunities for residents to get out and enjoy the neighborhood, opportunities that one of East Greenbush’s newest families is glad to take advantage of.
“We just moved here a few months ago, and this is great,” said Amanda Gauvin of the concert series. “So far, so good.”
“We’re planning to come every Tuesday as long as the weather is nice,” added her husband Rich Gauvin.
Lost Art was also appreciative of the opportunity. “It’s a really accepting crowd,” said guitarist Dave Dlugolecki. “No pressure tonight.”
The show wrapped up just before 8 p.m., as the skies started to grow dark with an approaching storm. Lost Art thanked everyone for coming out to see them and wished everyone a good night.
The East Greenbush Music in the Park Summer Concert Series will run every Tuesday through Aug. 27. A different band will be featured every week.