Author

Michael Hallisey 156 posts 0 comments

Michael is a freelance journalist by trade, and a financial representative by profession. His reporting has covered a wide variety of topics including album reviews, sports, local history, climate change and Internet security. He has earned bylines with The Harlem Valley Times, The Spotlight, The Colonie Sports Tracker, 8Ball Music and Upstate Metal.

News

Historic Albany nightclub Rain-Bo Room, frequented by Sinatra, Calloway and Ellington, to reopen

Michael Hallisey Oct 7, 2019

Inside the expansive back room in the northwest corner of the old Kenmore Hotel hangs a drab, grey curtain concealing the last piece of history tied to the space. The curtain protects a mural called “The Court of Cleopatra,” painted on…

Features

Creating a playlist is an intimate act of appreciation for music and people

Michael Hallisey Sep 8, 2019

There is a subtle science behind making a good mixtape, and I’m not talking about a musician’s collection of work captured on a flimsy metal strip of magnetized particles of rust. Mixtapes were once ubiquitous to the teenaged way of life.…

Album Reviews

Hearing Aide: Jocelyn & Chris Arndt ‘The Fun in the Fight’

Michael Hallisey Apr 12, 2019

Jocelyn and Chris broke into Billboard’s Top 40 in the Adult Album Alternative chart with “Red Stops Traffic,” the third single off their 2017 release, “Go.” The album as a whole was Jocelyn and Chris’ most successful release. It peaked at…

Upcoming Shows

A reunion in Waterford’s Chrome Food and Spirits will welcome the memories of Saratoga Winners this…

Michael Hallisey Apr 4, 2019

It was 10 years ago this month that Saratoga Winners, one of the Capital District’s favorite live music venues, burned down in an early morning fire. This Saturday, a reunion is to be held to remember it and the people who made it special…

Album Reviews

Katie Louise Unleashes Debut EP

Michael Hallisey Mar 15, 2019

Capital District pop artist, Katie Louise, is releasing her first EP, celebrating with a no-holds-barred show at Jupiter Hall. Louise, 21, will release Unleash today, Friday, March 15. The seven-song EP will show its feathers later that…

Alternative/Indie

Hearing Aide: Mirk ‘Sense’

Michael Hallisey Oct 3, 2018

Mirk has been a part of the local scene since it first formed in 2009. Each of the band’s previous six releases has its own vibe, which makes it difficult for anyone to pigeonhole the band into a specific genre. The band’s sound is best…

Albany

Mark Anthony Manning: The story of a rising 20-year-old Albany singer

Michael Hallisey Sep 30, 2018

The 20-year-old man’s voice soared as he played the piano in a minuscule practice room, eyes shut as he swayed to the music and several veins appeared across his face and neck. The dim lighting and tight space made the experience feel more…

News

Coffee and Conversation: Learning about Yaddo Gardens

Michael Hallisey Sep 28, 2018

Locals got to learn more about the Yaddo Gardens, an artist community in Saratoga Springs, and its historical origins during the Friday, Sept. 14, installment of the Coffee and Conversation series at the Bethlehem Public Library. Lesley…

Rock

USPS remembers Beatles legend John Lennon with new stamp

Michael Hallisey Sep 28, 2018

Preceding the ceremony to unveil the new John Lennon stamp, his late-Beatles wife expressed gratitude for the throngs of fans who gathered at the Naumburg Bandshel in New York City’s Central Park for the event. “Even if it was five or ten…

Rock

Lark Fest to Pack a Punch this Weekend in Albany

Michael Hallisey Sep 20, 2018

When Adrian Lewis takes the stage at Lark Fest this Saturday, Sept. 22, he will complete an unofficial Triple Crown here in the Capital District. Better known as The Age, Lewis played Rockin’ on the River and Alive at Five this year. He…

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