SCHENECTADY — Stockade Music Live! a new series at Proctors, shines a light on native Schenectady talent, focusing on three intertwined acts at the cutting edge of the region’s music scene. Stockade Music Live! will veer from chamber pop to rap to rock/hip-hop/jazz fusion and back again.
Justin Friello kicks off the series Aug. 19, with the debut of a new EP and short film, both titled Jack & Jill.
The film, which features a number of city landmarks, was shot entirely in Schenectady by Pennsylvania director/cinematographer Jess Walsh. It fictionalizes the writing process of the record, showing how art bleeds into the creative life.
Friello, who played most of the instruments on the record—his first solo project in four years—will be accompanied by the Jack & Jill Orchestra, a large ensemble featuring strings, horns, guitars, keyboards, vocals and percussion, and created specifically for Stockade Music Live!
Scottie Monaco follows Friello on Nov. 4 with the Scottie’s Back Tour. Monaco and special guests, including vocalist Alexandra, will mix voices and beats, showcasing Monaco’s sophomore release, Jackie, a song cycle dedicated to the performer’s recently deceased mother.
The series concludes Jan. 20 with Stockade Kids’ Only for a Moment. The popular band of Schenectady High School graduates (which includes Friello and Monaco) has toured across the state; opened for acts like Gin Blossoms and Village People; and took top honors in the 2014 Schenectady County Battle of the Bands.
Only for a Moment will find the group offering new material in preparation for an EP of its own.
All performances take place 7:30 p.m. Fridays at the GE Theatre at Proctors, 432 State Street, Schenectady. Tickets, $15, are available at the Box Office at Proctors; by phone at (518) 346-6204; and online at proctors.org.