Bardavon Presents

Born Troy Andrews, Trombone Shorty got his start (and nickname) earlier than most: at four, he made his first appearance at Jazz Fest performing with Bo Diddley; at six, he was leading his own brass band; and by his teenage years, he was hired by Lenny Kravitz to join the band he assembled for his Electric Church World Tour. Shorty’s proven he’s more than just a horn player, though. Catch a gig, open the pages of the New York Times or Vanity Fair, flip on any late-night or morning TV show and you’ll see an undeniable star with utterly magnetic charisma, a natural born showman who can command an audience with the best of them. With support from Southern Avenue — the GRAMMY-nominated, Memphis-born family band whose powerful blend of soul, blues, and gospel creates an electrifying live experience. Fronted by the dynamic Tierinii Jackson, Southern Avenue’s music radiates passion, unity, and timeless Memphis groove. Their high-energy performances and heartfelt songs have made them one of today’s most exciting and uplifting live acts.

The Ulster Dance Company’s annual performance of “A Christmas Carol” is an interpretation in ballet of the well-known Charles Dickens novel. It has been performed at UPAC for the past 26 years and continues to entertain and inspire audiences during the holiday season. It’s a must see ballet at UPAC.

The Ulster Dance Company’s annual performance of “A Christmas Carol” is an interpretation in ballet of the well-known Charles Dickens novel. It has been performed at UPAC for the past 26 years and continues to entertain and inspire audiences during the holiday season. It’s a must see ballet at UPAC.

For four decades, Catskill Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker has been a cherished part of the Hudson Valley’s holiday season, enchanting audiences of all ages with its timeless story, magical sets, and stunning choreography. This anniversary year promises to be a milestone celebration of artistry, tradition, and community. “We are thrilled to mark our 40th anniversary of The Nutcracker with such extraordinary talent gracing our stage,” said Melissa Bierstock, Artistic Director of the Catskill Ballet Theatre. “This production is not only a holiday tradition, but a reflection of the generations of dancers and families who have grown with us over the years.” Join us as we follow the enchanted adventures of young Clara from a lavish Christmas party, to a battle with an evil Queen Mouse, through a winter wonderland of snow and ice, and then to the magnificent Land of Sweets where she meets the Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier with entertainment from delightful dances from around the world!

For four decades, Catskill Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker has been a cherished part of the Hudson Valley’s holiday season, enchanting audiences of all ages with its timeless story, magical sets, and stunning choreography. This anniversary year promises to be a milestone celebration of artistry, tradition, and community. “We are thrilled to mark our 40th anniversary of The Nutcracker with such extraordinary talent gracing our stage,” said Melissa Bierstock, Artistic Director of the Catskill Ballet Theatre. “This production is not only a holiday tradition, but a reflection of the generations of dancers and families who have grown with us over the years.” Join us as we follow the enchanted adventures of young Clara from a lavish Christmas party, to a battle with an evil Queen Mouse, through a winter wonderland of snow and ice, and then to the magnificent Land of Sweets where she meets the Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier with entertainment from delightful dances from around the world!

Michael Blaustein is one of the fastest rising stand up comedians working today. His viral stand up comedy clips have amassed over 900 Million views across all social media platforms. He has sold out venues across the world, most recently closing out his successful 2024 tour year with over 72,000 tickets sold. When he’s not on the road, he’s co-hosting the chart topping hit comedy podcast Stiff Socks with Trevor Wallace, which has over 70 Million downloads. Michael has worked with brands such as Manscaped, Liquid Death, and BetterHelp.

Cat Power is celebrating the 20th anniversary of her milestone 2006 album, The Greatest, with Redux, a three-song EP arriving digitally and on 10” vinyl via Domino Recording Company on Friday, January 23, 2026.   Recorded by GRAMMY® Award-winning engineer and longtime collaborator Stuart Sikes (Loretta Lynn, The White Stripes) at Austin, TX’s Church House Studios with backing by  Dirty Delta Blues – the all-star supergroup assembled for the world tour that followed The Greatest comprising guitarist Judah Bauer (The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion), keyboardist Gregg Foreman (The Delta 72, Jesse Malin), bassist Erik Paparozzi (Lizard Music), and drummer Jim White (Dirty Three, Hard Quartet) – Redux includes a brand new re-recording of James Brown’s chart-topping classic, “Try Me,” premiering everywhere today. The track was among those first recorded by the singer-songwriter otherwise known as Chan Marshall during the original sessions that produced The Greatest but never completed.   Redux also includes a stunning rendition of Prince’s iconic “Nothing Compares 2 U,” recorded in tribute to the late, great guitarist Teenie Hodges, a legendary member of The Memphis Rhythm Band that backed Cat Power on The Greatest and with whom she formed a close bond before his passing in 2014. The EP also includes a re-imagined version of one of the many standout tracks on The Greatest, Marshall’s own “Could We,” newly recorded in the arrangement that was performed live on The Greatest Tour with Dirty Delta Blues.   Next year will see Cat Power perform The Greatest in its entirety with a very special series of 20th anniversary live shows beginning February 12, 2026, at Houston, TX’s White Oak Music Hall and then traveling North America, Europe, and the United Kingdom through early November.

To celebrate 20 years since their inception, the ground-breaking, Grammy Award-winning ensemble The Infamous Stringdusters—whose tone and swagger meld acoustic majesty with the energy of a full-blown rock show—mark this milestone with the release of 20/20. Twenty brand new songs, born from endless miles in pursuit of a dream. Formed in Nashville in the early 2000s while performing as side-men with stalwarts of the bluegrass community, the band members soaked up every influence like musical sponges. Their friendships, paired with a shared drive to create their own music and master their own destiny, inevitably led to the birth of The Infamous Stringdusters. Alongside Chris Pandolfi (banjo), Travis Book (double bass), Jeremy Garrett (fiddle), Andy Hall (dobro), and Andy Falco (guitar), the group continues to fearlessly blur the boundaries between bluegrass, Americana, country, and indie-folk. At its core, 20/20 represents a defining chapter for the Stringdusters, who embody sonic exploration and boundless curiosity while holding fast to musical tradition—whether under the bright stage lights or deep within the studio.

Mae Martin brings their new stand-up tour, “The Possum,” to Poughkeepsie!  Don’t miss the star of their Netflix stand-up special Sap, Netflix comedy series Feel Good and recent Netflix mini series Wayward. Mae is also a champion of UK hit Taskmaster, and one third of the hugely popular Handsome podcast (with Fortune Feimster and Tig Notaro).  VIP tickets get Meet & Greet with Mae, exclusive tour merchandise and best seats in the house. Please be advised: This event is for ages 14+

Melissa Etheridge stormed onto the American rock scene in 1988 with the release of her critically acclaimed self-titled debut album, which led to an appearance on the 1989 Grammy Awards show. For several years, her popularity grew around such memorable originals as “Bring Me Some Water,” “No Souvenirs” and “Ain’t It Heavy,” for which she won a Grammy in 1992. Etheridge hit her commercial and artistic stride with her fourth album, Yes I Am (1993). The collection featured the massive hits, “I’m the Only One” and “Come to My Window,” a searing song of longing that brought Etheridge her second Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Performance. In 1995, Etheridge issued her highest charting album, Your Little Secret, which was distinguished by the hit single, “I Want to Come Over.” Her astounding success that year led to Etheridge receiving the Songwriter of the Year honor at the ASCAP Pop Awards in 1996. Known for her confessional lyrics and raspy, smoky vocals, Etheridge has remained one of America’s favorite female singers for more than two decades. In February 2007, Melissa Etheridge celebrated a career milestone with a victory in the “Best Song” category at the Academy Awards for “I Need to Wake Up,” written for the Al Gore documentary on global warming, An Inconvenient Truth. As a performer and songwriter, Etheridge has shown herself to be an artist who has never allowed “inconvenient truths” to keep her down. Earlier in her recording career, Etheridge acknowledged her sexual orientation when it was considered less than prudent to do so. In October 2004, Etheridge was diagnosed with breast cancer, a health battle that, with her typical tenacity, she won. Despite losing her hair from chemotherapy, Etheridge appeared on the 2005 Grammy telecast to sing “Piece of My Heart” in tribute to Janis Joplin. By doing so she gave hope to many women afflicted with the disease. On October 7, 2016 Melissa Etheridge released Memphis Rock & Soul, her first album since 2014’s critically lauded This Is M.E. Recorded at Royal Studios in Memphis, the album received stellar reviews from the likes of Entertainment Weekly, Parade, Rolling Stone, American Songwriter and more. She followed that up with the release of The Medicine Show in April, 2019. For The Medicine Show, Melissa reunited with celebrated producer John Shanks and sounds as rousing as ever, bringing a new level of artistry to her 15th studio recording. In June of 2020, Etheridge launched The Etheridge Foundation to support groundbreaking scientific research into effective new treatments for opioid use disorder. The Foundation works towards advancing treatment approaches that address the root causes of opioid abuse and make available better, more effective solutions for people to truly heal their opioid use disorder. In 2021, Melissa returned with then album One Way Out. The 9-track album is a collection of songs Etheridge wrote in the late ’80s and early ’90s that never made the cut… .until now! The time was finally right, and fans finally got a deeper glimpse to who Melissa was then. October 2022 saw Melissa’s return to the theatre with her one woman show, My Window — A Journey Through Life. The critically acclaimed, sold-out run premiered at New World Stages on October 13 and opened at Circle In the Square Theatre on Broadway in September 2023. 2024 saw Melissa release Melissa Etheridge: I’m Not Broken, a two-part docuseries (Paramount+) and accompanying live album. Recorded live within the grounds of the Topeka Correctional facility the album and two-part docuseries follows her journey both penning and performing an original song inspired by her correspondence with residents of the TCF and features raw and rousing versions of specially curated fan favorites and original songs. Funds raised by the Bardavon Gala always help underwrite programs that cannot support themselves—especially all of our education programs and school residencies that bring artists and musicians to local schools and more. Gala guests will enjoy a PRE-SHOW cocktail party—Details to be announced soon! Sponsorship opportunities are available by contacting Bryan Zellmer at bzellmer@bardavon.org.

Joe Jackson was born on August 11 1954 in Burton-on-Trent, England, but grew up in the South Coast naval port city of Portsmouth. At age 16 Joe played his first paying gig, as pianist in a pub next door to a glue factory just outside of Portsmouth. This was followed by other pub gigs (in which he was often trying to entertain crowds of drunken, bottle-throwing sailors) and accompanying a bouzouki player in a Greek restaurant. At age 18 Joe won a scholarship to study Composition, Piano, and Percussion at London’s Royal Academy of Music. By 1978 Joe was living in London and hawking an album-length demo, with his own band (Graham Maby, Bass; Dave Houghton, Drums; Gary Sanford, Guitar) standing by. That demo – already called Look Sharp – eventually found its way to American producer David Kershenbaum, who was in London in the capacity of talent scout for A&M Records. Joe was immediately signed and Look Sharp more professionally re-recorded in August ’78. The Joe Jackson Band finally started to play regular gigs and the album was released in January 1979. – – – – – – – Joe Jackson’s story up to this point is much more fully, fascinatingly, and hilariously recounted in his book A CURE FOR GRAVITY. From here on, though, it becomes more a matter of public record. Look Sharp was followed within a year by the very similar I’m The Man, and in 1980 by the darker, more reggae-influenced Beat Crazy. At the end of 1980, drummer Houghton decided to quit, and Joe decided to dissolve the band and try something new. In 1981 Jackson recorded Jumpin’ Jive, a ‘musical vacation’ paying tribute to Swing and Jump Blues artists such as Louis Jordan and Cab Calloway. Returning to songwriting, Joe spent a large chunk of 1982 in New York. The result was Night and Day, a more sophisticated and melodic record built around keyboards and Latin percussion, rather than guitars. With a new guitar-less band, Jackson hit the road for a whole year, and the album became his biggest success, going platinum in the US. During the tour Joe also somehow found time to write his first film score, for James Bridges’Mike’s Murder. (He would go on to write several more, including most notably for Francis Ford Coppola’s Tucker in 1988). Jackson’s next album Body and Soul(1984) was in a similar vein to Night and Day but featured a horn section (which, along with the Blue Note-inspired cover art, led many people to wrongly assume he’d made a jazz record). For Big World (1986) Jackson stripped everything down to a 4-piece again, and recorded live, direct to 2-track master. In 1989 he went in the opposite direction with the majestic, semi-autobiographical Blaze of Glory, and toured with an 11-piece band. Laughter and Lust (1991) was more like a mainstream (though still idiosyncratic) rock record, but yet another lengthy world tour left Jackson exhausted and at a creative dead end. As he sees it, his workaholic phase – which also included several film scores, a live album (Live 1980-86), an instrumental album (Will Power, 1987), guest appearances with Suzanne Vega, Ruben Blades and Joan Armatrading, and endless touring – was over. The 1990s brought some of his most challenging and eclectic works: the gentle, soul-searching Night Music (1994), the ambitious and original song-cycle based on the Seven Deadly Sins, Heaven and Hell (1997), and the album Joe considers his best (and most underrated): Night and Day II (2000). The turn of the century saw a burst of creativity: Jackson won his first Grammy (Best Pop Instrumental Album for the non-traditional, non-orchestral Symphony No.1) and published his book A Cure For Gravity. – – – – – – – In 2003 Joe re formed the original Joe Jackson Band for a stunning new album, Volume 4, and a lengthy tour. The reunion was always intended as a one-off, but it also produced a live album, Afterlife, in 2004. By this time Jackson was living mostly back in London. He made quite a few solo appearances, including on an unusual triple-bill tour with Todd Rundgren and the string quartet Ethel. He sang and played piano on Rickie Lee Jones’ It’s Like That and William Shatner’s Has Been (produced, arranged and co-written by Ben Folds). He was also awarded a Fellowship by the Royal Academy of Music and an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Portsmouth. In 2006 Joe turned his attention back to pure songwriting and did a short Trio tour with Graham Maby and Dave Houghton. Having failed to happily re-establish himself in London, he moved to Berlin, where his next album Rain was recorded in 2007. Consisting of ten powerful, timeless new songs, Rain creates a surprisingly epic sound with just voices, piano, bass and drums. The trio toured for the next three years. A live album, Live Music, was released in 2011. – – – – – – In 2012 Joe released a tribute to one of his greatest musical heroes, Duke Ellington. The Duke is an often radical re-interpretation of fifteen Ellington classics, arranged into ten tracks, and featuring an eclectic roster of guest artists including Iggy Pop, Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson and other members of The Roots, Sharon Jones, Steve Vai, and jazz violin star Regina Carter, who joined Joe on the subsequent tour. In 2015, Jackson announced the completion of his follow-up to The Duke via his official website. The album’s title, Fast Forward, and track list were confirmed in addition to North American tour dates. The titular first single was released for streaming via his official SoundCloud page. On 18 January 2019, Jackson released the album Fool. Jackson said about the album on his website: “One of my inspirations for this album was the band I’ve been touring with on and off for the last 3 years. I’ve had many different line-ups but this one is special.” Jackson and the band performed “Fabulously Absolute” on Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show on 21 January 2019.[20] Fool debuted in the top 20 album charts in Holland, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland. In the US, it debuted at No. 25 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales Chart. In the UK, it entered the Indie Albums Chart at No. 13. After a Covid induced layoff Joe toured the US and Europe in 2022 for a tour named “Sing, You Sinners!” featuring songs from his catalog plus a few select covers. The tour featured his band Graham Maby on Bass, Teddy Kumpel on Guitar and Doug Yowell on Drums. Nov 24th 2023 saw the release of “Mr Joe Jackson Presents “What A Racket”: The Music Of Max Champion”, a collection of songs written by the long forgotten Music Hall performer Max Champion. Joe toured during 2024 touring both the US and Europe performing a 2 part set. First part featured solo performances from his catalog. The second part featured songs from the “What A Racket” album performed with a 9 piece band. April 2026 will see the release of a new album “Hope and Fury” and extensive touring of both the US and Europe featuring a full band. Jackson splits his time between New York, Portsmouth UK and Berlin.

STAYIN’ ALIVE offers to their audiences the songs and sights of a full Bee Gees playlist, singing blockbusters such as “Night Fever,” “Jive Talkin’,” “How Deep Is Your Love,” “You Should Be Dancing,” “Nights on Broadway” and “Stayin’ Alive.” In addition, they perform softer poetic ballads such as “I Started a Joke,” “Massachusetts,” “Fanny Be Tender,” “Words” and “To Love Somebody” among other great hits. STAYIN’ ALIVE is the largest and most definitive production of its kind, offering big screen video clips, photos and dazzling imagery. STAYIN’ ALIVE has played intimate settings as a six piece band and huge venues with a 62 piece orchestra. STAYIN’ ALIVE is the quintessential tribute band to the Bee Gees, capturing the excitement of live performance and the tender subtleties of the human voice!