In Focus: Mark Van Holmes and The Reunion Band at The Glove Theater

Singer, songwriter, musician and acclaimed recording artist Mark Van Holmes, along with the twelve-member ensemble known as The Reunion Band, graced the stage at the historic Glove Theater in Gloversville, NY on Saturday, June 14.

Van Holmes, a Gloversville native, has spent more than forty years in the record, film and television industries.  After years of living and working in the Los Angels area, Mark returned to the east coast in 2017 and has continued to foster his lifelong commitment to creating exceptional musical textures.

He reunited with musicians from LA, Nashville and the local Gloversville area at the Glove Theater to celebrate the release of his 25^th studio album, California Land.  He and the band played a mixture of his original works as well as covers of artists ranging from Neil Young and Bob Dylan to Led Zeppelin and the Spencer Davis Group.

Throughout the evening the stage backdrop at the Glove Theater displayed images from Mark and the band’s formative years, as well as artwork from Mark’s albums and those who’s songs he covered.  Between songs, Mark and his bandmates shared stories of their time in Gloversville to the delight of the hometown crowd. Mark reminisced about the baseball career of his grandfather and the development of his stage name, while Dominic “Donny” Priolo recounted the discovery of his real name and the teenage years he, and many others, spent at the Glove Theater.

The Reunion Band consisted of; Journey Blue Heaven, Bill Alberts, Matt Donnelly, John Donvito, Chuck Kavooras, Randy Pitkin, Dominic Priolo, Thom Retersdorf, Chris Simon, Jeff Smith, Lisa Orloff Staley & David Wong. Many of the local artists in the Reunion Band are associated with the local Caroga Arts Collective.

Set One: Walking Through the Streets, Waiting for You, More Than You’ll Ever Know, Goin’ to California, Free Once More, Cortez the Killer, Hollywood Nights, Time Won’t Let Me, Stop Dragging My Heart, This Modern Man, I Don’t Need No Doctor, One of Us, Never Make Your Move, Gypsy/Dreams I’ll Never, California Land

Set Two: Fields of Gold, Journey Song, Bottle of Red Wine, Fooled Around, Thank You, The Letter, Love Me Like a Man, Rocky Mountain Way, Venus, Like a Rolling Stone, Listen to the Music, Long Cool Woman, Green River, Gimmie Some Lovin’