Compiled by Greg Haymes
Photograph by Andrzej Pilarczyk
On This Date in Nippertown Concert History. Check out our round-up of August 2 concerts through the years…
2017: Incendio @ Empire State Plaza, Albany and Shepard Park, Lake George
2016: Motion City Soundtrack, A Great Big Pile of Leaves, Rozwell Kid @ Upstate Concert Hall, Clifton Park
2015: Joey Alexander Trio, the Schenectady County Community College Jazz Combo @ Music Haven, Schenectady
2014: Bang on a Can Marathon featuring Glenn Kotche @ MASS MoCA, North Adams
2013: Bob Irwin & Friends @ Storm King, Coxsackie
2012: Alive at Five featuring Lee Brice, Wendy Owens & Renegade @ Riverfront Park, Albany
2011: Def Leppard, Heart @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs
2010: Counting Crows, Augustana @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs
2009: AC/DC @ the Times Union Center, Albany
2008: Demi Lovato, the Jonas Brothers, Avril Lavigne @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs
2007: Alive at Five featuring Beginnings, Mingo Fishtrap @ Riverfront Park, Albany
2006: Blue Oyster Cult, Ten Years After @ Empire State Plaza, Albany
2005: Dope, Mushroomhead @ Northern Lights, Clifton Park
2004: Los Lobos, Maria Zemantauski @ Washington Park, Albany
2003: Barrence Whitfield @ Siro’s, Saratoga Springs
2002: Jonatha Brooke, Bari Koral @ Bearsville Theater, Woodstock
2001: Alive at Five featuring Big Rude Jake, Dem Brooklyn Bums @ Tricentennial Park, Albany
2000: Val Haynes @ Positively Fourth Street, Troy
1999: Moby, Moa @ Northern Lights, Clifton Park
1998: H.O.R.D.E. featuring Blues Traveler, Barenaked Ladies, Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals, Alana Davis, Gov’t Mule, Paula Cole, Marcy Playground, Decadent Royals @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs
1997: Nicholas Payton @ the Van Dyck, Schenectady
1996: Greg Piccolo & Heavy Juice @ The Metro, Saratoga Springs
1995: Santana, Jeff Beck, Keb Mo @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs
1994: Lollapalooza featuring the Smashing Pumpkins, Beastie Boys, George Clinton & the P-Funk All Stars, The Breeders, A Tribe Called Quest, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, L7 @ Saratoga Raceway, Saratoga Springs
1993: Sharon, Lois & Bram @ Starlite Music Theatre, Latham
1992: Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Bonham @ the Palace Theatre, Albany
1991: Jimmie Dale Gilmore, doubtingthomas @ Pauly’s Hotel, Albany
1990: Tiny Lights, The Breathers @ QE2, Albany
1989: 24-7 Spyz @ QE2, Albany
1988: Bryan Ferry @ Mid-Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie
1987: Anita Baker @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs
1986: John Denver @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs
1985: Richard Thompson @ RPI’s McNeil Room, Troy
1984: Sheena Easton @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs
1980: Gordon Lightfoot @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs
1979: Billy Falcon’s Burning Rose @ JB Scott’s, Albany
1978: The Doobie Brothers @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs
1977: Preservation Hall Jazz Band @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs
1971: The Who @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs
During the Horde Festival at SPAC in 1998, I was lucky to run into Allen Woody of Gov’t Mule who was checking out the grounds. He told me to come to the tent on the lawn at a specific time, which I did. Inside were Gov’t Mule, the keyboard player for Barenaked Ladies and Chris Barron of The Spin Doctors, who blazed through a red-hot set of covers, including (if I remember correctly) “Silver Train” by the Stones and “Back In The USSR” by you know who. The audience might have been as big as ten people. Years later I asked Chris Barron (after a Lark Street performance) about the set. He said it was one of the highlights of his career. It’s doubtful, but does anyone have a recording?