Write a commentFolk legend Tom Rush takes to the Oswego Music Hall stage on Saturday, April 7. Accompanying Rush will be CNY native, Matt Nakoa. The venue is the McCrobie Civic Center, 41 Lake Street in Oswego. Show time is 7:30 pm; doors open at 7:00. The show is expected to sell out. Advance sale tickets are $30.
Tom Rush is a gifted musician and performer. His distinctive guitar style, wry humor and warm, expressive voice have made him both a legend and a lure to audiences around the world. His shows are filled with the rib-aching laughter of terrific story-telling, the sweet melancholy of ballads and the passion of gritty blues.
Rush’s impact on the American music scene has been profound. He helped shape the folk revival in the ’60s and the renaissance of the ’80s and ’90s, his music having left its stamp on generations of artists.
Rush has long championed emerging artists. His early recordings introduced the world to the work of Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, James Taylor, and now, Matt Nakoa, a young pianist from Smyrna, NY. Nakoa is a 2014 Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk Winner, and a multi-talented performer who has been described as “a hot-handed phenom” on piano.
Tom Rush began his musical career in the early ’60s playing the Boston-area clubs while a Harvard student. Rush displayed then, as he does today, an uncanny knack for finding wonderful songs, and writing his own – many of which have become classics re- interpreted by new generations. His songs have become folk hits, country hits, heavy metal and rap hits.
In the early ’70s, folk turned to folk-rock, and Rush toured tirelessly with a five man band traveling the country. In the ‘80s Rush created a musical forum at Symphony Hall with both established artists and newcomers sharing the stage which is now an annual event broadcast on PBS and NPR.
Today, Tom Rush lives in Massachusetts when he’s not touring. His voice has grown even richer and more melodic, and his music, like a fine wine, has matured and ripened in the blending of traditional and modern influences. He’s doing what he loves, and what audiences love him for: writing and playing ...passionately, tenderly...knitting together the musical traditions and talents of our times. For information visit his website at www.tomrush.com
The Oswego Music Hall sponsors three stages. Open Mic Fridays take place the same weekend as the National Stage shows, twic a month. Jim Shaffer will host the next Open Mic Friday on April 6. On the following weekend, Friday, April 13, the Hook songwriter series will feature Taylor Ricks, Jess Novak and Mike Shiel, sharing the stage and the songwriting process. All shows start at 7:30 pm; doors open at 7:00. For a complete performance schedule and ticket information, visit the website at http:// oswegomusichall.org/ or stop at the river’s end bookstore, 19 West Bridge Street in Oswego.
Atmosphere at the family-friendly Music Hall is intimate with candle-lit tables surrounding a small stage. Light snacks, desserts and beverages are available for purchase. Ticket prices for main stage shows varies and for Hook events are $12. Children 12 and under are half price; under 5 free. Open Mic Fridays are $2. Purchase tickets at any Hook or Saturday concert, on the web or at the river’s end bookstore., 19 W. Bridge St., Oswego.
The Music Hall is a non profit organization that has been run entirely by volunteers from its inception 40 years ago. Volunteers can earn admission to shows through various tasks— from running the sound board to making popcorn. Students can also earn credit for community service and so can RSVP volunteers. Find more information online at http:// oswegomusichall.org/ or email: OCPAoswego@gmail.com.
Concerts are made possible in part with funding by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.
2018 Spring Calendar / All Stages
FRI 4/6 Open Mic Friday - Guest Host Jim Shaffer $2 SAT 4/7 Tom Rush / Matt Nakoa opens $30-33
FRI 4/13 The Hook ~ Jess Novak, Taylor Rick, Mike Shiel $12
FRI 4/20 Open Mic Friday - Guest Hosts Donna Colton & Sam Paterelli $2 SAT 4/21 National Stage - Dady Bros. $13-15
FRI 5/4 Open Mic Friday - Guest Host Cam Caruso $2 SAT 5/5 National Stage - Ruddy Well Band $16-18
SAT 5/19 Season Finale at 4:30 w/ Kirsten Maxwell & Emerging Artist Showcase ~ $15 (Members Free) Dinner w/Sunset Reception $2
