ACE FEATURED

Clowning Around with CCIAC Executive Director Aaron Marquise

January 5, 2022 By Maureen Sager

Just when you thought you knew everything about the 518… did you know that we’re on the brink of becoming one of world’s great homes for Clowndom? Aaron Marquise has worked internationally as a performer and clown, and now he’s working to bring the world — and its clowns — to the Capital Region. Read on to hear what drives his amazing vision.

Where are you from?

I’m originally from Round Lake, Exit 11! I left to study play writing and musical theater in New York for a year and half. Then, I moved up to Montreal to study contemporary circus in Montreal for four years. After that, I had the amazing opportunity to work in Switzerland, France, Germany and other places, sharing my time between Europe and the United States. I’ve been back in the area for the past few years now.

What’s the name of your company, and what do you do?

The company is Contemporary Circus and Immersive Arts Center (CCIAC). We promote, produce and present contemporary circus. Our vision is to link this incredible art form with American audiences, who have such an interesting relationship with the term “circus.” We want to redevelop people’s relationship with circus.

CCIAC’s performance at Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs, a week before lockdown, 2020

How and when did you know that circus – and starting this company — was what you wanted to do?

Growing up, I’d been to Ringling Brothers, and saw Cirque du Soleil in Florida, and thought, “Gosh, this is incredible, I wish I could do this.” But I never knew I could do this for a living, until I went to Montreal. We want to help audiences here experience the amazement and wow of the things that I saw at school, standing in the chapeteau (the French term for circus tent). I want to bring that to our area. We are completely unfamiliar with it.

Aaron’s favorite photo of himself in clown, taken during a performance of his solo show A.Lone, 2017

Is this what you imagined doing for a living, when you were a child?

I’m blessed because I’ve been in the performing arts almost my entire life. I always thought I’d be an actor on Broadway, and I always knew performing was what I’d do. Even as a kid on the playground, I was organizing productions of Peter Pan. So I always had that skill set and desire, but the thought of being in circus — well, that part is new.

Was it hard, as a creative person, to learn how to run a business?

The business part of this was not something I ever saw myself doing. Creative producing has always been in my blood – that part is easy. But payroll and budgeting and marketing and strategic planning is new for me.

I find it so exciting, and I think I understand the long term vision of what we’re trying to do and how we’re going to do it. I’m learning every day. I’m not afraid to say what I don’t understand something, and when I need help.

I heard someone say that show business has two parts to it – it’s the show, and it’s the business. Yes, we can be really good artists, but we have to pay our bills.

What’s your “unique selling proposition”? What is CCIAC doing that no one else is?

No one was focusing on awards for just circus shows, like we see for the Tony Awards or the Oscars. Covid allowed us to do this economically, because the show could be presented digitally. We celebrated work from all around the world, without having to travel.

Clown Aaron Marquise — From CCIAC’s “Behind the Curtain” event in 2021

As a new dad, how do you balance your work and family obligations?

It’s not easy. But I’m a disciplined person, which I learned in school. I love getting up at 4:15 and working out and getting all of my emails done before my son wakes up. That’s where I thrive as a person.

That being said, not every day is like that. There are times where we’re having friends over, drinking a glass of wine, and I’m not into waking up early.

How did the “It’s All Circus” number come about?

I love the opening numbers for award shows, they’re my favorite. So when we were planning the digital ceremony, we thought, “Let’s write a great opening about what circus can be. We wanted to define what it can be, but right now, in contemporary circus, it can be really anything or anywhere. And we wanted a fun way to be able to talk about that.

Feeling the Music Go Through You – A Conversation with Sophia Subbayya Vastek

January 4, 2022 By Corey Aldrich

Memory is so unforgiving sometimes. As such, I don’t quite remember the first time I met Sophia Subbayya Vastek but I do remember somehow beginning to follow her on Instagram and WOW! She would post the most amazing performance snippets and honestly, I fell in love with her work. Then I find out she is deeply integrated into the music scene in Troy (specifically the Troy Music Hall) and that was enough for me, I just had to know more! As the interview unfolded, I realized I had found a kindred soul. Much of what she said resonated with me regarding mind set, performance spaces and shared experiences. So, lets get to it!

Sophia Vastek — Photo by **Kiki Vassilikas**

Please let us know a bit about your practice. Are you a full time performer? Do you have any other creative gigs you do to pay the bills?

I’m a musician (pianist and composer), educator, and producer/event organizer. And, I am a full-time musician. My days are all music-focused.

I’m glad you asked about paying the bills. I encounter a lot of resistance about discussing how creatives organize their finances. Ugh, there’s so much shame and baggage built up in the creative economy…. especially about money, which is a topic that I’ve been working to unpack for myself for years.

Before the pandemic, performing was a bigger part of my income. During the pandemic, my teaching studio grew to be a very important part of my life. This actually became a wonderful and liberating thing for me. I love teaching. Because of having a larger teaching studio, I’m now able to perform when I want, when it’s meaningful, and right. I spent so many years agonizing about whether I was performing enough and in the right venues. Fuck it. I realized that there are so many other aspects to my musicianship that I hadn’t been nurturing. I went full-tilt into exploring composing during the pandemic.

Can you talk a little about your approach to your own compositions and playing?

Playing the piano doesn’t mean a thing to me unless it’s part of a shared experience. Music is a truly magical thing that effects people both physically and ephemerally. It’s sound waves literally hitting your body! How magical is that? When I create music that gives voice to my own feelings, it will in turn give voice to something in someone else. The Gift by Lewis Hyde had a huge influence on my creativity. Seeing what we do as a gift is life-changing. When we put something out into the world, it’s no longer ours – it belongs to others – and that’s a very empowering and humbling concept.

Many people don’t realize that it takes painstaking time, work and care to create music and spaces that feel “right.” I look at what I do as engineering experiences. Whether it’s my own music and performing, or presenting another performance, I’m thinking about what that experience is going to be like for both the listener and performer. Like, how the sound system is going to interact with the acoustics in the space and how it’s going to reach a listener’s ear. You can have the most amazing performer or the most amazing music but if the experience isn’t right, it will fall flat. There are many variables that help create magical experiences beyond just the music itself.

Can you talk a little about what brought you to Troy (Upstate) and where you were before that?

Before we got married, my husband Sam and I lived in New York City and then Baltimore for a while. We were involved with an artist residency program in the Capital Region and had been coming to the area for a few years. Sam also did a residency at EMPAC. We really fell in love with Troy and decided to move here, because we wanted a more stable home base where we could put down roots. We love it here!

I see that in addition to being a composer and performer that you produce events for venues with musicians as well. Can you tell us more about that…is that your 501c3 Organ Colossal?

I’ve run various music series’ in other cities, organized concerts, etc. It was a natural next step to put structure around what I’ve already been doing for a while. I founded ‘Organ Colossal’ with Sam. We produce and present concerts around town like the ‘Lift Series’ in collaboration with the Troy Music Hall. We’re a young organization, but we’ve got big plans for this coming year. We have the most amazing board of directors. There is a lot of thought and care that must go in to bringing people together and creating spaces that are equitable and caring. I can’t imagine doing this work without a team of people that bring different perspectives to the vision.

With the current state of affairs, live music which was coming back strong seems not be totally out of the woods with our ongoing health crisis. Do you have plans on how to deal with that to keep the flame alive?

I’m very optimistic. I don’t think keeping the flame alive is ever going to be the issue. It’s become clear that live music is as important as ever. I have to come back to music as a magic thing – what happens when people experience live music together is totally irreplaceable. Sound waves moving through bodies – your own body and the bodies next to you – create a bond of shared experience. We need these experiences to give voice to the deepest things that we feel that go unprocessed.

My next album that is coming out mid-2022. It’s different from everything else that I’ve put out. It’s scary! This music represents a side of my creativity that I haven’t been able to give voice to until recently. I never gave myself the space to slow down and explore it. The new album is soft, intimate, and enveloping. It’s my own music, recorded on my piano with the best audio engineer in the state, my husband (I’m not biased!). Doing it in my home gave me the freedom to be as vulnerable as possible.

Organ Colossal is in the planning stages of some exciting new projects. We’re committed to creating accessible spaces for music, so we’re moving in a direction that involves more public, open-call work. The next concert on the Lift Series is coming up on on Feb. 23 is Warp Trio (a fantastic genre-bending chamber ensemble). After that, power trio Super 400 (regional superheros!) is slated for March 23. Follow our Instagram page or sign up to my mailing list to keep up to date on future shows and programming.

IG: @sophiavastek
WEB: www.sophiavastek.com

IG: Organ Colossal: @organcolossal

5 Film Industry Professionals To Watch in CapNY

April 7, 2021 By 518 Film Network

These 5 film industry professionals may not be famous (yet), but they’re making incredible work right here, right now, in the Capital Region.

The Capital Region is just three hours from New York City, a global hub for filmmaking. However, even though the Capital Region regularly hosts television shows and movies, we’re more often sought for cast and crews. This lack of understanding of our depth of talent has hurt our local filmmakers. Often, it drives us to work outside of the area, to New York City, Boston, and even Los Angeles.

Many local filmmakers have chosen to live in the Capital Region despite the challenges. These 5 film industry professionals may not be famous (yet), but they’re making incredible work right here, right now, in the Capital Region.

1. Lakota Ruby-Eck, Cinematographer

Leading off our list of 5 film industry professionals is Lakota Ruby-Eck, an Albany-based director of photography (DP) and assistant camera operator (AC). He became a filmmaker by accident, when he found himself in an advanced video class in high school. Then and there, he fell in love with cinema. After graduation, he attended school for broadcast communications, finding film school was too expensive. Lakota also worked at the Spectrum 8 Theatre in Albany. He would watch and study as many free movies as possible. There, he met other local filmmakers and eventually ended up working on their sets. “Being on set is my favorite thing ever,” he said. “It feels like a family.”

Video games often inspire Lakota’s cinematography. “Video games are now informed by film,” he said. “Even the lighting in games is heavily informed by cinema.” Lakota would love to work on a video game adaptation, especially System Shock of Bioshock. Advising new cinematographers, Lakota says, “Always be prepared to learn. There are so many different kinds of gear and every DP has certain things they like.”

You can contact Lakota and find his work on his website.

2. Victoria Diana, Writer/Director/Comedian

Victoria Diana is a writer, director, and stand-up comedian born and based in Schenectady, NY. She attended SUNY Oswego, planning to study archaeology. She ended up working at the university television station as an anchor and director. Victoria realized she didn’t like the news, but she loved news writing. Eventually, she directed tape sketches and interned in Los Angeles for a summer. There, she edited sizzle reels and did script coverage.

Her career brought her back to Schenectady after college where she worked as a PA on The Pretenders. Later, she found work in New York City, staying with friends or family during gigs. She hoped to move to NYC, until she realized that the high cost of living would keep her from creating her own content. Instead, she moved back to Schenectady and focused on her writing full-time, taking side jobs to pay the bills.

Victoria’s Prizes and Festivals

Victoria’s first film, The Cabinet, is a short horror film that made it into multiple festivals, including the Adirondack Film Festival in Glens Falls.

Recently, Victoria completed her second film, Devour, starring Kelli Barrett (Dickinson, Netflix’s The Punisher) and Andrea Morales (Prodigal Son, The Blacklist, Bull).

Victoria won $40,000 through the Innovation Group of CNY Art’s Short Film Competition Grant. Although the film had to be based in Syracuse, a significant portion of the crew were based in the Capital Region.

You can watch her latest film, The Cabinet, and see some of her comedy on TikTok.

3. Aden Suchak, Writer/Director/Educator

Aden Suchak is the Director of Education at Youth FX. He’s also an independent writer and director. Aden was a born storyteller. He adds, as a kid, “I had no interest in sitting down in one place.” Youth FX was originally a summer camp. There, Aden was given the freedom to make a lot of mistakes. “The thing that made me a filmmaker,” he said, “is the opportunity to do so. Just be a filmmaker, just do it. It should be normalized and have more support.” Aden regularly watches foreign films for inspiration. He explained that many classic films don’t tell modern stories. They don’t tell stories about women or people of color. His favorite filmmaker is Wong Kar-wai. He said, “We need a new visual history to replace the old ones.”

Aden’s Albany-based Filmmaking

Aden recently finished his short film, Driver, with collaborator Mohammed Al Shaneif. Driver centers around a Syrian driver who plans to meet his family in Toronto. The entire cast and crew of the film, other than one person, was based in the Albany area. Aden and Mohammed won a grant from the Scout Film Festival to complete the film. “[I want] to make films about the local community, both set in and also starring people from the area. I feel really connected to a lot of those stories and that’s where a lot of my writing comes from. This film came together through our friendship and our relationship.” Aden says that his first feature will also be shot in Albany.

You can follow Aden on Instagram and see his work on Vimeo.

4. Kenna Hynes, Director/Cinematographer

Kenna is a director and cinematographer who moved to Upstate New York 5 years ago. She originally studied orchestral music performance for the French horn, but later moved to Chicago to study cinematography at Columbia College. Her goal was to become a union camera operator. But, she met a group of musicians, leading her to make tour videos and tour documentaries. Since then, Kenna has joined a few bands and started working on music videos as well. After fatefully meeting members of Chromoscope Pictures at Little Pecks in Troy, Kenna has collaborated with them, directing music videos for local musician, Half Waif.

Many filmmakers say yes to every opportunity, but Kenna explained that being selective is okay. Her advice? “Only work on the projects you want to work on, with the people you want to work with. You don’t have to live in a big city to make amazing art or find people to make art with. Follow a path that works for you.” Kenna’s dream project is to create a narrative feature that’s impactful and uplifts marginalized voices.

You can find more information about Kenna on her website, follow her on Instagram, and see one of her latest videos.

5. Cameron S. Mitchell, Director/Cinematographer

Cameron grew up in Michigan and graduated from Temple University with a degree in film and visual anthropology. Now, he lives in Albany with his three cats, Mickey, Prince, and Nugget. Cameron started working professionally as a swing grip on the series Restaurant Impossible. From there, he worked as a rental technician in New Jersey, networking his way to working on other productions including Molly’s Game, Iron Fist, and The Romanovs.

Accessibility for Actors with Disabilities

Cameron felt naturally attracted to filmmaking. Both of his parents are documentary filmmakers. His interest in telling stories about people with disabilities arises from both his father and sister living with disabilities. His latest film, Co-Op, is about a grocery store robbery that doesn’t go as planned when the thief realizes that many of the shoppers are people with disabilities. Co-Op made it to over a dozen film festivals worldwide, including Slamdance. The film will stream on Hulu.

According to Cameron, casting people with disabilities is not as difficult as top casting directors make it out to be. Cameron often casts people who are non-actors. He says, “How can non-actors become part of a story about themselves?” When it comes to advice, Cameron also attests success to becoming comfortable with failure. “It took me 10 years of sitting back in the DP seat and observing other directors do the thing I wanted because I wanted it to be perfect when I did it.”

You can find out more about Cameron S. Mitchell on his website and watch the trailer for The Co-Op.

Written by: 518 Film Network

Local filmmakers Michelle Polacinski and Micah Khan began the 518 Film Network in the beginning of 2020. 518 Film Network’s mission is to empower and connect the local Capital Region filmmaking community in order to collaborate on new content and inspire outside productions to hire locals when they choose to film in our area. Find out more information on their facebook page.

5 Young Black Leaders: CapNY Influencers

February 24, 2021 By Naava Dae

For these five up and coming black leaders, leadership is more than just leading a group or organization. Each show their love for the community in the work they do. Their stories showcase the beauty and necessity that strong leadership provides.

Adaviah Ward: Guiding youth of a future to success!

Adaviah Ward, 26, is one of our young black leaders as a teacher at KIPP/ Albany Community Charter School. A native of the South End of Albany, she observed community problems like gun violence and drug use. These became powerful influences on her approach to leadership. She says, “These things made me want to impact change and do what I can for the young people in my area. I think Albany has endless good opportunities to offer.”

Adaviah’s love for young people led her to be a strong community leader. As a teacher she gets opportunities to impact her students. “My greatest accomplishment as a leader is being able to work with my students and watch them grow. I definitely pride myself in this each day,” she says.

She believes strong leadership starts with who you are as a person. “It’s important for people to be comfortable with you,” she said. “Be responsible and accountable, and remain open minded to growth and guidance from others.” Adaviah knows she exhibits these qualities when she leads, saying, “I am personal with my story. I am receptive and open to guidance. And I am consistently working to get better. I have the heart of a leader.”

Ignorance as an Opportunity for Growth

As a young black leader, Adaviah notices the assumptions that are made about the black community by people not of color. She says, “People who don’t look like us already having thoughts about us. They can be ignorant of our gifts and authentic selves.” But this doesn’t stop Adaviah; instead, it fuels her want to be better. She says, “When someone tells me I can’t, my goal is to prove them wrong. It becomes an opportunity for both of us. It teaches them not to label others and it helps me grow more into the leader I aspire to be.”

Adaviah’s inspirations comes from the community that she serves. She speaks on her family and how each of them play a huge role in her life: her mother’s strength, her father’s determination, her siblings’ encouragement, and her grandparents’/godmother’s religious support all helped shape her qualities as a leader. In addition to her family, Adaviah’s friends and coworkers keep her focused on her goal of continually making change in her community.

Deontae Guy is committing to positive leadership opportunities!

The next young black leader in this series is 19-year old Deontae Guy. A full-time student at Ithaca College, Deontae is involved with the school’s student government, and he will be running for student body president. He also is a member of the public safety department and the information technology department. In addition to his involvement at school, Deontae is a licensed youth and young adult minister, preaching sermons to inspire congregations to live a Christian life.

Deontae genuinely loves to lead. The qualities that he believes are necessary are being vocal, staying true to yourself, and being committed to your goal. He says, “Commitment is key because as leaders we stand for something greater than ourselves.” His three brothers/mentors, Michael Poindexter, Randy Stith, and Liam Staley, all offer him their support, giving him advice in his spiritual leadership as a minister, and how to balance Christianity in daily life outside of church. It was with their help Deontae was able to grow into a stronger leader.

Learning To Be a Young Black Man in a Predominently White Society

Deontae’s environment also encouraged him to develop strong leadership skills. He was born in Albany but lives in the Clifton Park area. He says, “There [Clifton Park] I had to learn to be a young black man in a predominantly white society.” He faced some racial discrimination, especially by administration at the all-white high school he attended. But Deontae wasn’t letting those difficulties hold him back. He says, “While I couldn’t do things the way I wanted then, I could take the experience of people using my blackness against me and pour it into my leadership. I could help bring solutions to those problems.”

Deontae receives his motivation through God. “I’ve tried hanging in the back, but I don’t think I can get away from [leadership]. I think being a leader is just who I am. When God gives you the talent, you can’t run from it. Leading is what I’ve been called to do!”

Theresa Ford is creating safe places for everyone to heal!

Theresa Ford, 26 is a licensed master social worker located in the Capital Region. Additionally, she is working on becoming a doula, and is a healing jeweler. Born in Harlem, NY, and living in NYC most of her life, Theresa noticed a big difference between her hometown and the Capital Region. But her ability to lead is something she can do anywhere, and she has chosen to do so in the Albany area.

To Theresa, leadership is all about honoring safety in yourself and your community, being responsible and sustainable, and valuing what your community looks like. “I do that every day. Encouraging other people to share by creating those safe spaces,” she says.

Healing Herself And Others

Through her leadership, Theresa is able to heal not only herself but others, and that motivates her to keep going. In addition to healing, she encourages others to unite and lead in their own lives. She takes an active role in many young people’s lives. “I am supporting them while they heal. And this is changing the dynamics of their lives and their household. Their world is becoming more positive because of my work.”

Theresa gets a large amount of motivation from her family including her late grandmother. “Even though she isn’t physically here with me, I have a strong connection with my grandmother. I think it is important to connect with your elders especially when leading,” she says. Theresa also receives support and strength from her mother and coworkers. Theresa’s biggest leadership achievement was continuing to work and inspire through 2020 despite all the challenges that it presented. She says, “I worked the whole year as a therapist and a jeweler. I kept true to myself in a moment of adversity. I’m proud of myself for that.”

Ozymandias Mercy Morris Jr. is inspiring through his connections!

Ozymandias Mercy Morris Jr., 27, is a direct support member for the company Lexington Arc, where he supports people with disabilities. He also has a successful art platform on Instagram where he shares his music and love for positive mental wellness. All of these roles in Ozymandias’ life demand strong leadership skills. And Ozymandias definitely possess them!

Using Connections As Community

As a young black leader, Ozymandias builds connections with the people around him. “I’ve lived in Albany my whole life. I lived uptown and downtown; I’ve had friends from different hoods and suburbs. All of these environments gave me new perspectives as I navigated different communities and social systems. That is important to leadership.” He emphasizes learning from people around you, which can only happen when you’re actively seeking connections. “Being there for each other is necessary. Especially for the younger generation, because they need that guidance,” he says.

Ozymandias’ greatest accomplishment is the development of a music program for kids at the Albany Public Library. Impacting young lives for the better is extremely rewarding for him. He says, “Leadership is being able to produce, connect and inspire. I was able to inspire and connect with the kids over my music program. I am happy I was able to do that for them.”

Arielle V. King is prioritizing healthy communities for all!

Having integrity. Using really good listening skills. Knowing how to problem solve in a group effectively. Being confident in yourself and your team. Staying loyal to the groups you lead. These are some of the qualities that make good leadership in the eyes of 22-year old Arielle V. King.

Arielle is a law student located in the DMV area in Washington DC. Her main focus is her environmental justice career path, which will help her advocate for cleaner and healthier communities. She also pushes herself to make other impacts, too. She owns her own small business, Writing Wrongs LLC, that focuses on helping organizations foster communities of anti-racism and safe spaces for students. Additionally, she helped found the club E.L.E.V.A.T.E 518, an all-female club in the Capital Region that is designed to bring women together and bring more visibility to political issues that concern them.

Strong Role Models in the South End

Growing up in the South End of Albany, Arielle always had strong leaders to look up to. She says, “I felt so loved and supported growing up because of the networks I’ve made. Seeing people that look like you in roles that you want is so empowering.” Among the people she admired growing up is her mother, who continues to inspiration Arielle in how she leads today. She also receives support from other black leaders in Albany as well as black women in her career field. She says, “There have been so many men and women who have supported me. They know who they are, and I am grateful for each of them.”

Though Arielle is doing various forms of leadership in her life right now, she believes the biggest accomplishment she made was during elementary school. She says, “In the winter during fourth grade I noticed other kids walking to school without a hat or scarfs. I knew that wasn’t right, and I went to my mom to figure out how I could help.” Arielle began raising awareness of the issue and asking her community to donate winter gear so that she could distribute it to schools for kids who need them. Her initiative provided hundreds of children with coats and winter gear. This coat drive is something that the Capital Region is still doing today. She says, “I think my greatest achievement is still yet to come, but being able to make an impact at such a young age was really amazing!”

This is just a peek into the lives of these young black leaders as they continue their work to making the world a better place. I cannot wait to see what they achieve in 2021 and beyond.

Written by: Naava Dae

Naava Dae is a writer and content creator from the Capital Region. She created her self-titled brand, The Naava Dae in 2017 and uses it to inspire people who encounter her work on multiple platforms. For more content by Naava Dae, visit www.thenaavadae.com and check her out on Instagram @realnaavadae.

LIVING ONLINE Series: Liam Singer, Composer | Musician | Venue Owner

February 22, 2021 By Corey Aldrich

In the spirit of collaboration and best practice sharing, I thought it would be interesting to share perspectives from our fellow creatives to see how folks are getting along as we all craft new ways to practice our craft. This week I interviewed composer, musician and venue owner Liam Singer. He tells us how he has been holding up, and how he has adapted to the restrictions on gatherings and live music. For more on my LIVING ONLINE series, click here.

You are unique. You represent as a creative, and as someone who holds space for the creative community with your coffee shop HiLo and restaurant / performance venue The Avalon Lounge. How are you finding a balance in all those roles right now?

My wife and I opened HiLo in 2017, and Avalon in 2019, so during all those years there wasn’t much of a balance; my creative life was on hold, save for the creative force we were putting into the businesses. It sort of became a “water water everywhere” scenario for me, because I was surrounded by my dream community of musicians who were ready to collaborate and play, and I had zero time or energy!

This past year, due to some downtime from the pandemic, I did manage to get a small album made which felt great. But now my wife and I are going to have a kid. So I’m ready to say bye-bye to creative time for a little while again (which I am completely at peace with).

How has the pandemic affected your businesses and community?

Our community has been pretty resilient through all this – most businesses in Catskill have found a way to stay open. I’d say the biggest auxiliary challenge our community has faced is rising home and rent prices. This is directly due to the newfound popularity of this area. In terms of our own businesses, beyond the financial stress, the biggest bummer has been that they were both conceived of as extremely social spaces. So, we can’t really fulfill their intended purpose right now. Even though we’re keeping them alive, it sort of feels like an extended act of limping along.

The bar at Avalon Lounge. Photo by Alon Koppel.

How is this affecting your venues financially?

HiLo, our cafe, has returned to near pre-pandemic levels in terms of daily coffee sales. A lot of new people have moved to Catskill and are more are visiting on the weekends. This has offset lost sales from those of our regulars who aren’t comfortable coming out right now. Evening sales at HiLo are way down for many reasons, including the current NY state laws that prohibit selling alcoholic drinks without food.

At Avalon, we have just been functioning as a takeout joint through all of this. That space is too daunting to try and operate under the covid-era legal standards of NY. And, too, the standards by which we would personally feel safe and responsible. We would basically need to hire someone to monitor each room, which wouldn’t make any sense. And the place was really made as a performance venue, which it just can’t be right now. So that’s been a big financial hit. The silver lining has been that a lot of people who didn’t really know about our food now realize that we run a dope Korean kitchen in addition to being a performance space.

Overall we’ve survived thanks to two PPP loans and a loan from the SBA. Thankfully, we had the understanding of our landlords and The Bank of Greene County during the early months of the pandemic. Otherwise we’d be toast right now.

Have you been able to find progress over the last year in your own creative endeavors? Explain.

Yes, as I mentioned, I did manage to make a record last year called “The Ocean.” It was a collection of songs I’d sketched out over previous years but hadn’t had time to complete. I kept the production modest – It’s mostly piano-based, with some string and vocal overdubs – so I was able to approach recording in a covid-safe way. I made it with a local engineer, Tyler Wood, who recorded, mixed, and mastered the whole thing. We tracked piano at Scott Petito’s studio, NRS Recording, and the rest at Tyler’s home studio.

I funded the project with a Kickstarter and self-released it… I really wanted to get it made and I’m very proud of it. But I’m past the point of needing or expecting a press push around my stuff – I’m just glad that the people who find it do. It’s very much an ensemble piece with several guest vocalists making appearances. I really look forward to the day I can play the whole thing live.

How are you coping with the whole thing in general?

I’m as susceptible as anyone else to the free-floating anxiety and weirdness that’s out there right now. But I’ve had some good things to focus on in my own life. First, making the album and then getting ready to have our baby has kept me in my own little dream world. It has been frustrating – or I guess I’d say exhausting – as business owners to be put in the position by NY state of being daily safety enforcers re: masks, etc. I’m not sure what a better option would be. But that aspect of things, as well as having to sort of reinvent our businesses every few months, has been tiring.

What’s your plan for 2021?

Babies, dancing outside, who can say? Basically planning 2 months ahead at this point, no more.

What advice would you give to other venue owners and/or musicians struggling with the same challenge right now?

I have little in the way of inspiration or advice there. I will say this: we hosted a couple of shows at Avalon last fall where bands played on our roof, and the audience stood out on the sidewalk below. Really wonderful musicians. All were local players who — pre pandemic — an audience might have come out for and enjoyed. OR, they might have stayed at home and thought “I’ll catch them next month.” In this case, the audience definitely showed up. Their level of attention/emotional involvement in the performance was extremely intense, bordering on spiritual. It was beautiful to see.

The general scarcity of live performance definitely brought home the fact that they were actually witnessing something amazing. Any small venue owner/promoter who is in it because they truly love music knows the struggle of booking a great band and then wanting to scream into the void when you can’t get an audience out to see them. And I have no idea how long it will take. But, when live music is a thing again, I do see a new era in which performance is truly valued by the audience, and not taken for granted. I’m looking forward to that.

MORE ON COREY ALDRICH

A longtime ACE Contributor, Corey works out of Troy, New York. He runs a freelance consultancy for all aspects of brand development and business process management / development. Current projects include cash flow analysis, strategic market planning, 3rd party project oversight, public relations, event planning and front end visual brand design / design-build projects. He has a focus in not-for-profit arts and mission oriented organizations. In his free time he works on honing his craft as a photographer and guitarist. (corey@2440designstudio.com)