PREVIEW: PJ Ferguson & The Tennessee Strange Return to the Strand For a Sold Out Show
09/11 @ The Strand Theater, Hudson Falls
Artist Photo provided
“Last year, my favorite element of that show was walking out and having no idea who was going to be there…”
Whitehall, New York’s PJ Ferguson has been on a sort of odyssey as a musician. He’s gone from playing in local churches and bowling alleys as a young high schooler in his first rock band, Second Switch, to moving south and performing up to four nights a week on Broadway in Nashville while cutting his teeth as a working musician in the music capital of the US.
Last September, he and his backing band, The Tennessee Strange, had a successful homecoming at the Strand Theater in Hudson Falls, celebrating the release of their first studio album, Don’t Ya Know It’s All A Show, released in the summer of 2025. That record was produced by Rocco Guarino (of Scott Weiland/Velvet Revolver fame) who Ferguson has continued to work with along with Lincoln Parish, founding lead guitarist of Cage The Elephant. Ferguson has been co-producing new singles with the pair as a creative team, yielding a more alternative rock-style sound on singles like “Spaceman” which also saw Ferguson take his first-ever turn as music video director.
“We have been back in the studio, but last year we were definitely all in on doing the record, where this year it's been all in on performing live.” He noted that this likely means that he and the band will end up back in the studio next year working hard on another record. That’s the circle of life for us creatives.
PJ and the band are about to make their return as part of a Northeast tour which includes stops across New York and New England, gracing the stage at the Strand once more this Friday, September 11 in front of a sold-out crowd. This time around, he’ll be bringing a crew from PBS Nashville to film the performance to be featured on their series “Behind the Neon”, as well as recording the performance for a live album.
“We really focused this year on our live show and expanding where we're playing to get out to new audiences,” he told me. The band have also begun incorporating a laser light show into their live performances, a new element for any returning fans in attendance this Friday. He spoke more on what it’s like to be able to make it back to his home region again while out on tour.
Phoo by Stephanie J. Bartik
“After the first time, that feeling was so magical that I knew we were going to do it again for sure,” he said. “Last year, my favorite element of that show was walking out and having no idea who was going to be there.
“Looking out and seeing old elementary and high school teachers, people I met from playing in Lake George, people I haven't seen since I moved to Nashville — that feeling was really cool.” He emphasized that those who made the trip out to see the band this time would be in for another special evening with the eight-piece band using no backing tracks.
“It’s all live and raw and real,” he told me. On stage, PJ draws influence from the Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense, unafraid to incorporate some theatrical elements to make the performance truly memorable across the board.
“We’re not just going to get up there and play,” he told me. He pointed out that while the show won’t be KISS-level theatrical it will be a good, healthy mix of a show and a concert.
While the show at The Strand is sold out, you can find out where else PJ Ferguson is performing on his upcoming tour and purchase tickets to his shows at https://pjtnstrange.com/, where you can also find links to the band’s original music. If you’re lucky enough to be able to catch the band at the Strand on Friday, September 11, you’re going to be in for a true spectacle of an evening.
