OK, I’m not really gonna review this show because, well, I performed there with my band. And I sat at the door collecting admission money. And I sold raffle tix for the guitar donated to the cause by Saratoga Guitar. And Nippertown.com was a co-sponsor of the show. So I’m guessing that some folks might think that if I wrote a review, too, I’d be breaking some kind of journalist’s code of ethics.
But it was a great fun night. And we helped raise some much-needed money for Tess Collins and the staff of Tess’ Lark Tavern.
A guitar raffle has been added to “A Night at Tess’ Lark Tavern: A Benefit Celebration featuring the House Bands of the Lark Tavern,” slated for 7pm on Thursday (tomorrow) at The Linda in Albany.
When Saratoga Guitar owner Matt McCabe learned of last month’s devastating fire that put Tess Collins and the Lark Tavern out of business, he immediately offered to donate a Cort Earth Pack to help raise funds. As a business owner and a working musician, McCabe understands what a blow the Albany arts scene has taken with the loss of the Lark Tavern.
1. THE FIRST ALBUM I EVER BOUGHT WAS … AC/DC’s “Back in Black,” purchased at Caldor in Schenectady when I was in sixth grade. The stereo in my bedroom was only a budget Radio Shack system, but the roar of guitars that came through those little speakers when I put the needle down on Side 2 was gigantic and soul crushing.
VoX, the monthly open mic session for poets and musicians, takes over the Fuze Box in Albany at 8pm Friday. R.M. Engelhardt emcees the last-Friday-of-the-month outing.
Admission is $4, and all proceeds from Friday’s VoX session will be donated to help out Tess Collins and the staff of Tess’ Lark Tavern.
After the big benefit for Tess’ Lark Tavern at the Washington Park Lakehouse on Saturday, you can wander on down to the Marketplace Gallery for more awesome benefit-full-ness and snarf up some art while listening to live music and poetry, all to benefit the staff of Tess’ Lark Tavern.
Local artists have donated their works for a silent auction that runs from 6-9:30pm, but just the auction is silent; the joint itself will be, um, jumping. Here’s the schedule of performances:
Admission is $5, or free entry with paid entry to the Washington Park Lakehouse benefit. The Marketplace Gallery is at 40 Broadway (the Greenbush Tape and Label Building) in Albany. Here’s a map.
ROCKING TO REBUILD TESS’ LARK TAVERN
Where: Washington Park Lakehouse, Albany
When: 3-8pm Saturday, May 22
Donation: $25 includes beer and wine
Silent Auction: 4-7pm
By now, you probably already know about the fire that destroyed Tess’ Lark Tavern. And you probably already know about the many benefit events that are scheduled to help out owner Tess Collins and her staff in their time of need.
Keith Pray leading his ensemble at Tess' Lark Tavern (photo by Andrzej Pilarczyk)
The Tess’ Lark Tavern regular performers will gather together to present “A Night at Tess’ Lark Tavern: A Benefit Celebration featuring the House Bands of the Lark Tavern” at The Linda in Albany at 7pm on Thursday, June 10.
Tess’ Lark Tavern has been the home of Poets Speak Loud for more than five years. What started out in January, 2005 as a monthly open mic for poetry has become much more than that, it has become a family.
Now Poets Speak Loud is giving back and helping to rebuild Tess’ Lark Tavern with Poets Help Now, a special open mic session for poets which will be held upstairs at Valentine’s Music Hall in Albany on Monday, May 24.
Come on out to share your words, experiences and thoughts about Tess Collins, her staff and what Tess’ Lark Tavern means to you.
Sign-up for poets begins at 7pm, and the readings will start at 8pm.
A donation of $5 is requested at the door with all proceeds going directly to Tess and the staff of Tess’ Lark Tavern to use for the rebirth of the Tavern.
Bryan Thomas’s Babylon video, shot at Tess’ Lark Tavern. The song rocks and the video embodies the creative agony and ecstasy that any singer/songwriter has encountered. If you haven’t seen it before, and even if you have, make sure you play it through to the amazing shot at the end. Once you watch this, you’re going to also see the “making of” video, which you can watch on Bryan’s website.
“Rocking to Rebuild,” the big benefit bash for Tess’ Lark Tavern, is still being held at the Washington Park Lakehouse in Albany on Saturday, May 22, but it’s been scaled back a bit.
Here are some of the changes for the Lakehouse:
* Originally slated to run from 1-11pm, it will now take place from 3-8pm.
* The original admission charge of $10 has been bumped up to $25, although beer is now included with admission.
* The silent auction – originally scheduled from 1-5pm – will now take place from 4-7pm.
* The art auction will now be held later that same night at the Marketplace Gallery.
Comedian Greg Aidala, who has been hosting the monthly Brew Ha Ha comedy showcase at the Lark for some time now, has organized a fundrasier for Tess Collins and her staff in the wake of the fire that recently destroyed Tess’ Lark Tavern.
“Laughs for Lark Tavern” will take place at The Linda in Albany on Wednesday, June 2.
Aidala will host the benefit performance which will feature comic Bernadette Pauley (as seen on Comedy Central and VH1), comedic guitar duo the Knuckleheads and comic Dave Cox (as seen on “The Late Show with David Letterman” and “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”).
In addition, there will be special guest appearances by Benita Zahn (of WNYT News Channel 13) and Jason Keller (from Channel 103.1 FM’s “Mornings That Rock!”).
Tix are $15, sold at the door only. Doors open at 7pm; the show begins at 8pm.
There will also be a cash bar for beer, wine and soda.
Unless you're involved with thinking about what you're doing, you end up doing the same thing over and over, and that becomes tedious and, in the end, defeating.
A guitar raffle has been added to “A Night at Tess’ Lark Tavern: A Benefit Celebration featuring the House Bands of the Lark Tavern,” slated for 7pm on Thursday (tomorrow) at 
VoX, the monthly open mic session for poets and musicians, takes over 
After the big 
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