PREVIEW: The Ooky Spooky Musical Showcase: Musical Retellings of Upstate Scares
10/24 @ The Capital Region Music Hub, Troy
Photo from 2024 event by Kiki Vassilakis
“There's a level of honor and thinking about these actual people through this event. This is a connection to where we live and breathe.”
On Saturday, October 24, hosts Zan Strumfeld and Michael Gregg, of the band Zan & The Winter Folk, are bringing the 4th Ooky Spooky Musical Showcase to the Capital Region Music Hub. The Ooky Spooky Musical Showcase spotlights the creative talents of scarily skilled local musicians, inspired by the Capital Region's eerie history. This year's edition of the showcase will debut 10 brand new songs derived from local true crime stories.
Nearly 10 years ago, the Albany Public Library hosted what would become the inspiration for today's edition of the Ooky Spooky Musical Showcase. After being invited to play at the event, Strumfeld felt, with the encouragement from her bandmate Gregg, inspired to continue this unique tradition.
“The Albany Public Library pulled out a bunch of articles about crimes, murders, or tragedies that have happened in the Albany area, and they asked me to write a song,” describes Strumfeld. “I wrote an eight-minute murder ballad and a few years later, Michael — who's my dear friend and plays banjo in my band — and I reached out to the library, got their blessing to do our own version, and we kicked off in 2019.”
For this showcase, local musicians are tasked with creating an original composition based on local crime stories. With little to no barriers, and complete creative control, this year's lineup of eight talented creators are sure to create the perfect Halloween soundtrack. Names such as Graham Tichy, Caity Gallagher, or The Belle Curves, are just a few of the artists chosen to perform at the new Capital Region Music Hub.
“The audience can expect a very intimate and unique show,” says Strumfeld. “Michael and I, who are hosting this, we've never heard the songs before; everybody is hearing these songs for the very first time. The last three shows we've done, they have gone beyond our expectations, and each song feels so different and the takeaways are incredible.”
The Ooky Spooky Musical Showcase has found the perfect way to mesh Halloween spirit with rich local history, sparking curiosity in both performers and listeners. As Strumfeld recalls, each year she has witnessed performing artists become extremely dedicated to this assignment, even reaching out to connect with local figures or authors to get a better understanding of the stories they’ve chosen to share.
This unique opportunity to express history and storytelling through the art of music is an exciting way to engage and connect with the more hidden tales of our towns.
“There's a level of honor and thinking about these actual people through this event,” says Strumfeld. “This is a connection to where we live and breathe.”
For more information on the Ooky Spooky Musical Showcase, and to purchase tickets visit: https://www.troymusichall.org/events/3070/the-4th-ooky-spooky-musical-showcase-/
