Down in the Hollow: Fireside Collective and Airshow Ignite in Albany

Sooner or later, they say everything old is eventually new again. This seems particularly true when it comes to the surging revival of Americana/Bluegrass music and on Wednesday, January 24, concert fans in Albany found that out firsthand.  Sharing the stage at The Hollow for a co-headlining night of frantic finger pickin’ and foot stompin’ brilliance, Ashville, NC’s Fireside Collective and Nashville’s Airshow demonstrated beyond the shadow of a doubt why they are two of the hottest emerging forces in ‘Newgrass” music today.

Fireside Collective brought the heat to The Hollow on 1/24/24.

First on the docket put together by Guthrie Bell Productions was Airshow.  Originally formed in Reading, PA, it wasn’t until childhood best friends Steve Gallagher (guitar/vocal) and Cody Chelius (mandolin/vocals) met up with Bill Baker (bass/vocals) and John Rodrigue (drums/vocals) in Nashville that their high energy jams really started to soar. Two studio albums and a boatload of live recordings later, Airshow finally landed in Albany for the first time. 

Nashville’s Airshow made their Albany debut at The Hollow on 1/24/24.

After filling up their bellies at The Hollow’s adjoing restaurant, the guys quickly started burning off the calories by opening with “Burning the Hardwood Floor.” As tardy fans slowly filled in the room while the band worked their way through numbers like “Up Dog,” “On’ry and Mean” and “Up in the Clouds,” it wasn’t long before you could see what all the fuss was about.  More jammy and electric sounding than traditional Bluegrass, the Oysterhead shirt worn by Chelius gave the band instant street credit and signified they were students of improvisation by some of the best to ever do it.  

Through a bevy of effects pedals, guitarist Steve Gallagher effortlessly made his acoustic sound like a raunchy electric axe, which paid huge dividends on songs like the funky “Skydiver” and “Up on the Ridge.” After showcasing their chops and technicality on the high-octane barn burner called “Spider Bite,” Airshow would ignite the crowd even further by their hilarious synchronized dance moves on their final number, “Up On The Hill.”  An excellent set that surpassed my expectations, this certainly was not your father’s bluegrass I was expecting. It was better.   

Cody Chelius of Airshow performing at The Hollow on 1/24/24.

As the pouring rain outside The Hollow continued, things inside were just starting to heat up. Making their return to the Capital Region after wowing fans at last year’s Eastbound Throwdown and again at Cohoes Music Hall opening for Kitchen Dwellers, Fireside Collective have quickly earned a reputation for their ferocious and infectious live shows.  Consisting of Joe Cicero (guitar); Jesse Iaquinto (mandolin); Tommy Maher (resonator guitar) and Carson White (bass), this tour also marks the latest addition to Collective by way of drummer Mike Tillis. 

Fireside Collective
Fireside Collective performing in Albany on 1/24/24.

Kicking things into high gear with a “Devil’s On the Hillside” > “Choctaw Hayride” combo, the band was firing on all cylinders from the very start. Seamlessly trading vocal harmonies and instrumental leads at the drop of a hat, the band jelled together like a well-oiled machine. A tender, more, country styled vibe emerged on “Done Deal” from the bands 2020 album Elements, before a stellar re-imaged cover of “It’s All Over Now Baby Blue” endeared itself upon unsuspecting ears resulting in big time smiles both on stage and off.  

Fireside Collective
Fireside Collective performing at The Hollow on 1/24/24.

Shifting focus to songs from the latest Fireside Collective album Across the Divide, “Let it Ride” threw caution to the wind, while extended jams on “Your Song Goes On” and “When You Fall” showcased some of the hottest licks and best interplay of the night between Tommy Maher and Jesse Iaquinto. After “Don’t Stop Lovin’ Me” came a special treat for those in attendance at The Hollow. Announcing a brand-new song saved for this specific night, the band would debut “Down in the Hollow” in the most appropriate and satisfying way possible.  Check out fan shot footage of that exciting moment in the clip below.

Throwing it back to an oldie but a goodie from Larry Sparks and the Lonesome Ramblers on “These Old Blues,” Fireside Collective kept it classy while paying proper respect to the forefathers of the Americana/folk genre.  From the past to the present, the extended jam out of “And the Rain Came Down” felt like hearing a bit of the future.  This was Newgrass and the fun-loving crowd at The Hollow couldn’t get enough.  So much so that local promoter Greg Bell of Guthrie Bell Productions approached the stage and asked the boys to play one more.  Happy to oblige and perhaps pander to the obvious Deadheads in the audience, Fireside Collective spontaneously uncorked a 12-minute rendition of the Grateful Dead classic “Scarlet Begonias” to bring the already hot show to a scorching close.  Watch fan shot footage of that in the clip below.

Guthrie Bell Productions does it again, I mean what a show! Two great young bands with musical chops and maturity far beyond their years. I suppose I walked in expecting some sort of hump day hoedown, but what I got felt more akin to a Saturday night rock ‘n roll rager. With choice cover songs, original debuts and a gorgeous commemorative poster designed Chelsea Housand, Fireside Collective and Airshow at The Hollow was an absolute barn burner.

Fireside Collective | January 24, 2024 | The Hollow | Albany, NY

Setlist: Devils On the Hillside > Choctaw Hayride, Done Deal, It’s All Over Now Baby Blue, Let It Ride, Your Song Goes On, When You Fail > Jam, Don’t Stop Lovin’ Me, Down in the Hollow*, These Old Blues, And the Rain Came Down > Jam

Encore: Scarlet Begonias

*Original debut

Airshow | January 24, 2024 | The Hollow | Albany, NY

Setlist: Burning the Hardwood Floor, Up Dog, Lonesome On’ry and Mean, Up in the Clouds, Skydiver, Up on the Ridge, Greenway, Spider Bite, Up on the Hill.

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