Doors 6pm, Music 7pm

With A Little Help from My Friends…

The Last Tuesday of Every Month

“The Beatles Unplugged!

Featuring Don Christiano & Walt O’Brien

A couple of hours of great Beatles’ tunes, performed by two of Rochester’s best musicians.

See ya on Liberty Pole Way!

https://www.facebook.com/donchristiano

https://www.facebook.com/walt.obrien.5

Suggested minimum cover charge: $5

Doors 4pm, Music 7pm

Indie/Alt-Folk Rock Singer-Songwriter Night

Featuring….

Jason Being
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0pEoq8emZVkFGn2nRrJSnT...

Ryan Sutherland
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5zwM8SEQEHurnVA1Co1WT5...

Jeremy Button (Growl Bear)
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3t97iPEH10DkeJbV1rKPoa...

Cover: $10

Doors 4pm, Music 5:30pm

Cultivator

With their new double CD release, “ Another day in the country”, Cultivator brings their rocking Americana show to Rochester’s favorite music mecca, Abeline, for a mix of original country-esc tunes with themes that range from loving the smell of your tractor to current social commentary. Deadheads love the unscripted improv as well as the story telling yarns. Singer songwriter Bob Bunce leads the band with his beat supporting bass work and is the main vocalist. Rochester favorite Herb Heins weaving guitar work and pro percussionist Jim Patric are the backbone of the lively sets.

https://bobbunce.com/

Cover: $5

Doors 4pm, Music 9pm

Scott Miller

Recently inducted to the East Tennessee Writers Hall of Fame, fiery roots-rock singer/songwriter Scott Miller returned to his native Virginia to tend the family farm while continuing to release and perform new music informed by that rural area, history, and Appalachia. “Miller combines the emotional honesty and intelligence of a singer/songwriter with the swagger and enthusiasm of a rock & roller... a gifted and eclectic solo artist.” (AllMusic.com) Recently on tour with Patty Griffin, Robbie Fulks, Paul Thorn, Robin & Linda Williams, and American Aquarium.

Scott is currently in a Virginia studio working on a new album. Raised on a cattle farm in the Old Dominion, and well versed in topics ranging from Greek mythology to modernist poetry, Miller’s smart songwriting has long been admired by his peers. A founding member of Knoxville based band, the V-Roys, Miller’s raucous style influenced the newer generation of Alt-Country revelry and what’s now known as Americana.

https://thescottmiller.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ScottMillerCommonwealther/

Tickets: $15 advance, $20 day of show and on sale now online at https://abilene.showare.com and at the bar

Doors 7pm, Music 8pm

Travis Prinzi’s “Bob Dylan Extravaganza

Travis Prinzi's Bob Dylan Extravaganza features an all-star cast of Rochester area musicians paying tribute to some of the greatest songwriting of the past 60 years. Oliver Burdo, Lauren Faggiano, Rick Constantino, Abbey Gebel, Ken Schumacher, and Brad Prinzi will play both well-known songs and deep cut tracks that will satisfy the most dedicated Dylan fans. 

Dylan's classic album, Blood on the Tracks, was released 50 years ago. Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" put it at number 9 overall, the highest ranked of any Dylan album.  For a very limited time this year, the Dylan Extravaganza show will feature the entirety of the Blood on the Tracks album during the second set of the show. 

Come for the hits and deep cuts in the first half, and stay for a creative yet faithful take on Blood on the Tracks, from "Tangled Up in Blue" through "Buckets of Rain." 

Tickets: $10 advance, $20 day of show and on sale now at https://abilene.showare.com and at the bar

Doors 6pm, Music 8pm

NIKKI HILL!

Nikki Hill is one of our absolute favorites !!!

Nikki Hill is sweet seduction, sweeter threat, and smoldering energy. An original force in American music, she is tender and tough, flamboyant, witty and dangerous. To put it plainly, Hill brings daggers back to the stage and studio. Overlapping soulful, sensual and bold vocal tones with powerful chrome-plated riffs and swagger, her voice finds a home in it - a soul singing, bar rocking, roots 
revivalist, that writes with frank self-reflection at a dancing tempo.

Hailing from Durham, North Carolina, Nikki Hill enjoyed R&B, soul, pop and hip hop at home. In addition, she sang gospel in the church choir from childhood through her early teenage years. Gradually, she developed her ears for garage rock, rock n' roll, blues and roots, while also picking up influence from living along the legendary Mississippi River - in St. Louis, Missouri, New 
Orleans, Louisiana, and currently Memphis, Tennessee. In Nikki’s mind, a fertile mix of all the different types of music she had heard arose, and gradually these merged into something quite special, as she found her own voice, which the world was gradually introduced to on her many constant tours, where she took more and more audiences by storm with her distinctive vocals and 
energetic stage performance.

After self-releasing and producing her debut album, Here’s Nikki Hill, her musical contributions continued, with her song “Struttin’” released on Deke Dickerson and The Bo-Keys Soul Meets Country EP, produced by Scott Bomar in Memphis, TN. The momentum continued through the release of her second album, Heavy Hearts Hard Fists, recorded at Fort Horton Studios in Wyldwood, TX. The acclaimed album was accompanied by a worldwide tour in the US, Europe, Australia, India and Morocco, and over 30 festivals, including Montreux Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, and Byron 
Bay Blues Festival, receiving praise for uplifting the new songs with an erupting live performance. 

“Think Tina Turner fronting AC/DC and you’ll have half of the picture. She’s a machine…you’ve got no excuse if you miss seeing her… Nikki Hill is a revelation, her band masters of rocket-fueled bluesy swing, her voice the beacon which calls you home… a vocal powerhouse who don’t mess around.” 
(Rolling Stone). Hill’s current touring band is Matt Hill (guitar), Laura Chavez (guitar), Nick Gaitan (bass), and Marty Dodson (drums).
On Nikki Hill's third self-produced and self-released album, Feline Roots, she lets her soul rip. Nikki and her band take a muscular groove — celebrating and wailing over love, transgressions, the hard times, and wild freedom — and inject it with timeless effect, giving Nikki a foundation on which to 
build.

It's her version of rock n' roll that can only come from her stories. Nikki Hill has never been afraid to take the road less traveled, and it's clear with "Feline Roots" that she's living every word.

https://nikkihillrocks.com/

Tickets: $35 advance, $40 day of show and on sale now online at https://abilene.showare.com and at the bar

Doors 7pm, Music 7:30pm

Night & Day

Don’t miss the Abilene debut of NIght & Day, as they spread their love of music and art with the community. Their range of musical inspiration includes Ella Fitzgerald, Bob Dylan, Nina Simone, and many more artists!

Night & Day features….

Tony Valle - Guitar

Tony Suchman - Hammer Dulcimer

Rodney O’Connor - Bass

Steve Humphrey - Percussion

Candice O’Connor - Lead Vocals

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574806410456

Katie Haverly

Katie Haverly is a singer-songwriter “alt-rock polymath” who creates a joyous mesh of soulful pop, jazz, folk, and rock in her passionate live performances. Her music pierces the veil between 1960s and 70s Laurel Canyon ingenuity and modern-day indie magic, twisting and turning between Fleetwood Mac, Joni Mitchell, and The War on Drugs in equal measure. After living in such diverse locales as Colorado, Chicago, North Carolina, Albany, Tucson, and now Rochester, Katie's music displays a wealth of passion, living and maturity. Her songs map the human heart with an understated, but undeniable intensity topped with Katie's languid, yet fierce vocal ability and an impressive lyrical facility.

https://www.katiehaverly.com/

Cover: $8

Door 4pm, Music 5:30pm

Piranha Loco

Piranha Loco members all bring a diverse set of experiences to the band, including international jazz festivals to sold out shows in New York City and throughout the Northeast. The music is considered Americana / a blend of rock, country, jazz , blues and funk.  The songs are originals and covers. The covers are songs from artists such as John Hiatt , Flying Burrito Brothers, James Taylor, Bob Dylan , Grateful Dead, and more..with the originals mostly influenced by the above artists.

The BAND MEMBERS

Gary Spinelli Guitar/vocals. “I was 9 years old on February 9th,1964, sitting in front of a black and white 15 inch TV anxiously waiting to see the first performance of the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show. Two summers and about 100 lawn cuttings later, I had enough money saved up to buy my first guitar and amp. Since then I've had the privilege of playing with a lot of great local musicians and also got to play in a few bands here and there. I took time off for many years to raise a family and now I have been given the opportunity to be part of a great band of fantastic musicians. The best of both worlds. My influences include The Beatles, Eric Clapton, Robben Ford, George Harrison, Lowell George, Derek Trucks, Jeff Beck, Sonny Landreth and many more.”

John Nau Bass / Vocals “My learning curve included time spent with jazz, fusion, country, and rock groups, most notably with Tom Passamonte in” Malibu” and with my bandmates Doug and Dave in “Rockforce/Curfew”. When my two beautiful daughters entered my life, I changed hats for awhile and played in a number of party/wedding groups. As my girls hit high school age, I was again able to return to more creative pursuits, performing with jam band “Jupiter 4H Project”, a number of classic rock bands, alt country band “Carol and the Impalas”, R&B group “The Scoundrels”, and girl pop group, “Left On Red”, with whom I did some short tours.”

Van Sanzotta Drums “On my eleventh Birthday I got my first full drum set, began practicing and never looked back. I joined one band after another and another… Road Work, The Starlords, Kelly Roberts, Platinum, Westside Drive, Doc Kavanagh, Full House, Scarecrow, The Tweeners, Betty Mangold, Freight Train, Cosmic Debris, Debbie Kendrick, Cactus Soul, The Jerks, Black Caddy Band and The Tom Cats. Along the way I worked with some very talented and inspiring drummers in the area that helped me develop my skills and push me to the next level. After its all said and done, it all boils down to feeding this passion that I have for making good music with good friends, and making it sound as good as we possibly can.”

Scott Schipper Guitar / vocals Scott like many others were influenced by the Beatles first appearance on the Ed Sullivan show. He was so impressed he started bugging his parents for a guitar the day afterwards.. that didn’t work so he bought an old arch top guitar off of a friend for five dollars , it only had three strings to start out with . He played in a couple of high school bands and took some time off to raise a family, started to do some recording and met some other musicians in the 80s, performed in a band called Willpower then Medicine Man in the early 90s and then joined the Dave Matthews Band tribute, Tripping Billies. After Tripping Billies, Scott formed the original music jam band Jupiter 4H Project. Scott was also in the Americana band, The Angle.

James Ellison Guitar / vocals James came from a musical family, all his siblings were expected to take up an instrument. His interest in guitar was sparked by the British Invasion of the 60’s. The Beatles , Stones, Kinks, and later the Byrds, Dylan, and The Band. Along the way the influence of the old blues music of John Hurt And Blind Blake along with Irish pub music from the Dubliners, Clancy Brothers and Planxty. Starting as a bass guitarist with the Dady Brothers and the Emigrants evolved into guitar accompanist for several of Rochester’s folk musicians . In 1998 he formed the Irish band Wildgeese with Emon McCormack. He went on to play with the Irish band 1916, and the Americana band, The Angle.

https://piranhaloco.com

Ben Bruton

BJL Bruton is an American roots musician, singer, and songwriter whose music resonates with authenticity, emotion, and soul. His sound is deeply personal and draws inspiration from the rich traditions of folk, blues, country, and rock.

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573087148489

Cover: $5

Doors 7pm, Music 7:30pm

Candy Does Dolly: A Tribute to Dolly Parton.

 Join us for a one-night-only celebration of the legendary Dolly Parton! Hosted by Candy and featuring her band of rock-n-rollers as the house band for the evening, this tribute show will spotlight a lineup of incredible guest singers from some of your favorite local acts, including Kara Maillie, Ali Lindsey, Katie Haverly, Carly Kraft from Coral Moons, Kristen Herford from Cheap Kids, Ignatius Marino from Public Water Supply.

Whether you're a die-hard Dolly fan or just in it for the rhinestones and twang, this event promises high energy, heartfelt performances, and a joyous tribute to one of country music’s most iconic artists. So grab your boots, bring your friends, and get ready to sing and dance all night!

https://www.facebook.com/candyscountry/

Tickets: $15 advance, $20 day of show and on sale now online at https://abilene.showare.com and at the bar

Doors 6pm, Music 7pm

Roc City Pro Jam

Featuring Chris “Hollywood” English, Herb Heins, Lou Spezio, Tom Sylvester, Paul “Jr.” Spezio.

We’re back! Started by Chris English & Herb Heins in the early 2000’s, the RCPJ became the premiere ‘go to’ musicians mixer. Providing a complete back line, special guest artists, and the best players from multiple genres and music communities, the Pro Jam helped artists connect to start new bands and projects while making lasting friendships. This special edition show at Abilene will celebrate the local music scene and all who have dedicated themselves to making Rochester a first class music town. The format is simple. All musicians wishing to jam will sign up. The house band and guests open, then they assemble a group of musicians, who may or may not know each other, to do an improv jam for 15-20 minutes,

Cover: Free to Musicians, $5 for all others

Doors 4pm, Music 7pm

Chaz and the Dazzlers

Chaz & The Dazzlers are a merry band of melodic mischief-makers overflowing with talent and whimsy. From intricate acoustic numbers to over the top rock anthems, they sing thoughtful melodies with lush harmonies and a barely restrained enthusiasm. For fans of The Arcade Fire, Boy Genius, or Fleet Foxes; Roc City Magazine calls their sound "Directly descended from the psychedelic indie rock, and neo-folk revival of the last 20 years." They released the album Upside Down in May 2025, which NYS Music described as one that “captivates listeners while bringing innate joy and comfort.”

https://www.chazandthedazzlers.com/

http://www.chazhearne.com/

https://www.facebook.com/chazhearnemusic

http://chazhearne.bandcamp.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NgLmi2ZgJs

Pluck

Pluck is a living experiment that proves the collective love of music shared by childhood friends can and will continue to bring light into the lives of friends, family, and strangers alike. Influenced by the songwriting of local bands, vintage records, and a constant stream of indie, alternative, shoegaze, bluegrass, folk, and the almighty Led Zeppelin, we have taken an unspoken oath to create music as a collaborative effort that connects with our feelings and collective life experiences. Fearlessly pushing ourselves to grow as musicians, Pluck has found a space free of expectations, rules, and genre boundaries. We live for the hook and the ability to communicate the contents of our hearts.

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100047335881380

Cover: $10

Doors 4pm, Music 8pm

​Austin Hollow

Austin Hollow makes their second Abilene appearance, performing songs from their debut release "The Fisherman" along with classic and contemporary selections from the band's influences and heroes.

 Austin Hollow is a four piece Roots-Americana Rock band hailing from Rochester, N.Y. 

 Assembled in 2018, Austin Hollow is led by founder, guitarist, singer, and songwriter Scott Austin.

 Scott's vision of writing and recording guitar driven songs reflecting his love of Americana, Jam, Blue Grass, and Classic Rock has come to fruition in 2023 with their debut full length effort entitled "The Fisherman."

 With a deep passion for real life storytelling, Scott touches on lyrical themes such as dysfunctional human interactions, love/ hate situations, social issues, spiritual strife, and the observations of life's abundant beauty and chaos. Musically, Austin Hollow quickly switches gears between guitar riff driven rock, soft acoustic ballads, soulful blues with hints of improvised jam, and blue grass that pepper the band's smart songwriting.

 The Austin Hollow lineup includes fellow singer, songwriter, and keyboard player Mel Muscarella. Mel's blues and rock influence shine, and her soulful, powerful voice is immediately felt when first heard. With a vocal intensity and passion reminiscent of greats like Janis Joplin and Ann Wilson, Mel's playing and singing provide power and swing to the band's songwriting.

 Jona Chartrand, the former founding member of the prolific Rochester Alt Americana group Hinkley, rounds out Austin Hollow's songwriting and alternative rock leanings both in the studio and live.

https://austinhollow.com/

https://www.facebook.com/austinhollowband/

Cover: $10

Doors 4pm, Music 7:30pm

Delilah Jones

All Dead - All The Time!
Delilah Jones is a high energy improvisational jam band from Rochester NY - playing the music of the Grateful Dead.

Delilah Jones is Jack Moore - Guitar/vocals, Mike Bowers - drums , Jason “Smiley” Engleson - keys/vocals, John Bloom - Guitar/vocals, Joe Worden - Bass/vocals

https://www.facebook.com/DelilahJonesBand

Cover: $10

Doors 7pm, Music 8pm

Max Gomez & Shannon McNally

Max Gomez

Singer/Songwriter Max Gomez grew up in Taos, New Mexico, where he fell under the influence of country blues early on and developed a songwriting style that was uniquely his. As a budding performer, Max apprenticed in the rarefied musical micro-climate of northern New Mexico, where troubadours like Michael Martin Murphey and Ray Wylie Hubbard helped foster a Western folk sound both cosmic and country.

He received critical acclaim upon the release of his debut album Rule The World (2013, New West Records); and his subsequent EP, Me and Joe (2017, Brigadoon Records), contained a freshly minted classic, “Make It Me.” 

He has shared billing on hundreds of stages with stalwarts of the genre like James McMurtry, Buddy Miller, John Hiatt, Patty Griffin, Tommy James & The Shondells, Jeff Beck, and Johnny Depp. Judging by the company he keeps, Gomez is poised to emerge as a prominent voice of Americana’s next generation.  The forthcoming album, Memory Mountain, is set to be released in August 2025.

https://www.facebook.com/maxgomezmusic/

maxgomezmusic.com

Shannon McNally

Grammy nominee Shannon McNally’s live music career began on the jam band circuit of the 1990s with bands like Derek Trucks and Railroad Earth. Since then, her catalog has grown to span the whole of the Americana music spectrum, both writing original songs as well as interpreting the songs of others. She brings a soul-stirring musicality to her craft. Her honest and, at times, elegant voice immediately grabs one by the heartstrings. Not to mention as it turns out, she is also an exceptional electric guitar player.

McNally has fourteen albums to her name and a string of single self-releases on her personal label, Queen Maeve Records. Her latest album, “Live At Dee’s,” is a career retrospective song list captured over four nights in September of 2022 with a revolving band of Nashville musicians. Showcasing McNally’s wonderful storytelling and sense of wry humor, the 18-song disc captures her at her most relaxed in her natural habitat of neighborhood Honky Tonk. 

For those who have followed McNally’s twenty-plus-year career, the thing that sticks with listeners the most about her is the timeless effortlessness she brings to all she does. With an impressive catalog and extensive list of collaborators with whom she has written, recorded, and toured; McNally continues to turn out great music across wide-flung ends of the spectrum, defying genre-fication. At home on any stage, from Lincoln Center to the juke joints of Mississippi—she always brings the house down.

shannonmcnally.com

Tickets: $20 advance, $25 day of show and on sale now online at https://abilene.showare.com and at the bar

Doors 4pm, Music 7:30pm

Sarah Borges Band

Feat. Eric Ambel

One way or another, Sarah Borges connects with casual mastery. Whether it’s with the comrades she’s collaborated with over nearly 20 sparkling years of music-making, or the vivid portraits of people’s lives – and occasionally her own – she’s sketched in scores of emotionally resonant songs.  But most of all, Borges has built a loyal following by connecting, through her own charismatic, down-to-earth spirit, with her audience – whether they’re longtime fans from back when she broke through with her terrific “Silver City” debut in 2004, or newcomers just now joining the party.

Fast forward to the early months of 2020, when the life-altering global pandemic hit populations hard. Closer to home, the crisis not only suddenly, jarringly halted performers touring or playing shows large or small, but also quashed the creative chemistry that comes from musicians getting together and jamming in the same room. As an artist whose lifeblood flowed from these real-life exchanges of camaraderie and community, the Boston-based Borges was faced with perhaps the most daunting question of her professional career: How to connect and continue as a vital and viable working artist amid a frightfully uncertain future fraught with unknowns.

That’s where the aptly named brand new album, “Together Alone,” comes in. In a true-life twist on the old saying, “when life gives you lemons …”, a homebound Borges did the one thing she knew how to do better than almost anything else. She picked up her guitar and started writing songs such as “Wasting My Time,” which serves as a thematic linchpin of sorts for the new album. Set to a measured, ruminative gait and carried on dark currents of electric guitar and Hammond organ, the lyrics feel like a gathering storm.  “It’s been awhile now since I’ve seen my friends / Don’t know when I’m gonna see ‘em again,” Borges sings with the kind of pensive ache her twang and torch-lit voice was born for. “Without them around / It’s harder to pretend that I know where I’m going.” With the new normal being an isolating life in lockdown limbo, the song seems to wonder whether time, in this context, is actually wasting us, rather than the other way around.

It was, for Borges, a scary proposition. But the solitary confinement that necessitated writing alone also felt liberating.  “I think my self-editing tool is always fierce, and it’s what prevents me from being more prolific,” Sarah says. “I feel like I’m always writing in blood, like I have to stick to what I wrote the first time. But when you’re home alone, and it’s a pandemic, and you don’t know if anyone will ever even hear the songs, all bets are off. You can write what you want and feel free to cross it out as many times as you want.” Even the job Borges took as an airport courier during the pandemic to keep the bills paid and home hearth burning proved creatively useful. The temporary gig translated into a boisterous new track, namely the lighthearted rave-up, “She’s A Trucker,” based on the multi-Boston Music Award winner’s four-wheeling across state lines, carrying occasionally strange cargo. Recently, “I drove to Albany to deliver an airplane engine piece, and another day it was ocular tissue – totally weird, random stuff,” she says with a laugh. “But all that time, I was thinking about my music. With anything you love to do, you always have to find a way forward if you can.” Besides, she adds, “there aren’t many lady truck driver songs, so I thought I’d try my hand at one.”

Speaking of hands, Sarah received a huge one in the person of her longtime mentor Eric “Roscoe” Ambel, the venerable producer and guitarist who’s played with everyone from Joan Jett & The Blackhearts to Steve Earle and The Dukes. More recently, Ambel’s been Sarah’s band mate and co-conspirator in addition to his usual job running his Cowboy Technical Services Recording Rig studio in Brooklyn, NY.  “Sarah and I had just come back from an incredible musical experience on the ‘Outlaw Country Cruise,’ in February [2020], ” recalls Ambel of the traveling multi-artist, fan-filled  getaway. But as the pandemic permeated life and gigs were canceled, the water-bound jaunt started to feel like it was the last good time anybody was going to have for a very long time. To get a sense of just how good a time was had, check out the rollicking new tribute to the cruise, “You Got Me On The Boat,” a sunny slice of hedonistic escapism co-written with Sarah’s boyfriend, Bottle Rockets bassist Keith Voegele, who contributes bass and vocals across several of the album’s tracks.

That all changed when the state’s powers-that-be locked down the studio. With the pandemic scuttling any chance of  working live at CTS, the two were forced to brainstorm what Ambel amusingly refers to as the “MacGyver Method” of recording songs,  referencing the hit ‘80s TV series. Except that the idea involved a hell of a lot more than a rubber band, stick of gum, and strategically employed paper clip to escape the clutches of the villainous COVID-19.  Here’s how it worked: One by one, Borges would send along her home-recorded guitar and vocal demos – with Sarah singing into her iPhone, and utilizing her clothes closet as a vocal isolation booth – to Ambel’s home recording setup. He’d listen carefully to the rudimentary tracks, and then sort out who in his musical Rolodex might play what, where, when, and how.  The tricky part, Ambel says, was that “I had to think of not only great players, but great players that could do a very good job recording themselves at home.”

Among those ready, willing, and able was Voegele, residing in Springfield, Illinois. Another was Keith Christopher, Ambel’s longtime Yayhoos band mate currently playing bass with Lynyrd Skynyrd, and living in upstate New York. A talented trio of drummers scattered from New York to Nashville also sent in dispatches. To ensure a rapport between far-flung musicians that felt organic, “I got songs to them in a very specific building order. Basically, we all went back to the ‘70s in recording style, working on one song at a time until it was complete. Time and geography didn’t really matter,” says Ambel. “It was exciting to be on the virtual receiving end of all these great songs and performances.” One unforseen benefit to recording remotely? “I’ve gotten a lot more confident playing solo through writing this record,” says Borges. “Because I wrote on acoustic guitar, the songs had to be able to stand on their own enough to make a demo. Plus, my callouses have gotten much better!”

Given the circumstances, it’s all the more remarkable that roughed-up romps like “Lucky Day” (a metaphorical love song about how the search for true romance can prove as elusive as a winning lottery ticket), have the bracing, flesh-and-blood feel of like-minded musicians in sync. The chemistry doesn’t sound remote at all. Paramount to the entire enterprise, of course, were the fresh ideas Borges put to paper and the spirited music she envisioned in the first place. “Sarah’s a fearless writer and performer,” says Ambel, “and she’s a very good musician.”  “It feels like me,” says Borges, who calls making the record nothing short of  “a lifeline.” “The record feels really comfortable, like a second skin already. It’s a good representation of who I am, both musically and personally.”

In fact, contemplative tracks such as “Something To Do” and “13th Floor” are candid reflections that cut to the marrow of who she was, and who she’s always becoming.  “On ‘13th Floor,’ I was thinking about risk,” says Borges, “I’m still trying to sort out what six years alcohol-free means to me, and I still draw on some of those feelings from ‘drunk-town’ for songs. And ‘Something To Do’ – recorded almost entirely during lockdown – harkens back to those days when calling a random number on a bar wall might have seemed like a good idea.” Ironically, to find inspiration for the album’s final song, “Together Alone,” that had no lyrics or music attached to its title, Borges and her band hit the road for a few select, socially distanced dates in the Midwest this autumn. The shows, her first in over a year, proved challenging amid varying statewide vaccine or mask mandates (or lack thereof). But she didn’t return home empty-handed.  

“Together Alone,” written across, and about, dividing distances on the road, is a bittersweet lament of loss, memory, and separation rendered in waltz time. “It’s the little things I’m missing / Now that they’re gone,” Borges muses over a mournful melody. “Lines across faces, and photos from places / Our shadows growing long.”  But as anyone familiar with Sarah’s songs knows, genuinely soulful music that connects with us — and connects us to each other — can simultaneously steal, and heal, hearts. Ultimately, if  “Together Alone” carries any message or lesson, it’s about finding the courage to face the hard times head on and not give in or up. And it’s about caring enough to bring the things that you miss, and that matter, back to life. –Jonathan Perry

https://sarahborges.com/

Tickets: $18 advance, $22 day of show and on sale now online at https://abilene.showare.com and at the bar

Doors 4pm, Music 8pm

The Cactus Blossoms

At its best, harmony duo singing can transform simple math into a magic trick. One plus one, instead of equaling two, suddenly yields an unexpected third thing. An upper-case ONE. A universal hum. A deep vibration that encompasses two different points of view. On their latest release, Every Time I Think About You, brothers Jack Torrey and Page Burkum, aka The Cactus Blossoms, once again prove themselves to be among the most adept – and distinctive – modern practitioners of that magic. But like any great magician, The Cactus Blossoms can’t – or won’t – fully explain the illusion they create.

“Harmonies are a big part of our sound, but in some ways they’re the part we focus on the least,” says Burkum. “We put most of our attention and energy into the songs themselves and then the harmonies just happen.”

There’s all kinds of magic happening on Every Time I Think About You, a record that sounds more like a band than any other in the Cactus Blossoms discography, thanks to contributions from Jeremy Hanson (drums), Jacob Hanson (guitar) and Phillip Hicks (bass). “There She Goes” casts its romantic regret against a danceable bop beat, and the title track is a heart-wrencher about loss and letting go.

“Even if you don’t set out to write songs with a theme in mind it seems like one usually presents itself,” says Torrey. “This record keeps returning to the idea of ‘moving on’ — from one place to another, from people and situations that bring you down, from loss and grief.”

http://thecactusblossoms.com/

Tickets: $25 advance, $30 day of show and on sale now online at https://abilene.showare.com and at the bar

Special thanks to our good friend (and huge supporter of live music), Doug Camp

Doors 7pm, Music 8pm

Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys

Since forming in 1988 in Southern California, Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys have become one of the world’s most beloved Americana/Roots acts, drawing from the deep musical waters that flow just beneath the surface of Rock & Roll’s fertile soil. A childhood passion for Country, Doo-Wop, and Rhythm & Blues 45s led Sandy (born Robert Williams) to pursue a singing career as a teenager, beginning a life in music that continues decades later. And as his personal record collection continues to grow (75,000 and counting), so does the depth of the musical influences that stream through his songwriting and singing style A critically acclaimed tribute to Tex-Mex hero Freddy Fender, released at the beginning of the 2020 lockdown, points the way forward for Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys as they continue on a path of musical growth. After nearly 35 years on the road, and more than two dozen releases to their credit, they remain key figures on the ever-changing Americana circuit, both on record and in live appearances.

https://www.bigsandy.net/

Tickets: $25 advance, $30 day of show and on sale right now online at https://abilene.showare.com and at the bar

Doors 7pm, Music 8pm

Ali McGuirk and Band

Ali McGuirk has never been a church mouse. In fact, these days, she’s standing at the pulpit. “I feel like I'm writing lyrics that are preaching,” McGuirk said with a laugh, realizing in real time how much her voice as an artist has evolved while writing and arranging her latest album, Watertop. “I’m actually delivering a message, not necessarily processing my feelings, but delivering my thoughts on the matter. That felt like a different role to embody as a songwriter.” 

Par for the course, McGuirk has made an exceptional album. Her 2022 release, Til It’s Gone, was widely acclaimed and praised as earthy, tender, and introspective. The atmospheric songs earned her adoration and accolades, including being selected as one of The Boston Globe’s Top 50 Albums of the Year. 

This time around, she leans into creating experimental soundscapes filled with her soulful, smoldering sound and aims right for the heart with her songwriting. Altogether, the songs are a microscopic look at our societal values. McGuirk shies away from nothing, exploring the meaning of things like God, empathy, love, and greed.  

It’s hard to pinpoint one exact moment that led to the freedom you hear in McGuirk’s songwriting on Watertop. Perhaps the most important of them all, though, was treating social activism—and her care for others—as a spiritual practice. This transformation gave Watertop its raison d’etre, which comes at you quickly with the opening song: a shimmering, soul-forward track called Love Goes First. In it, McGuirk sings, “We’re trying to hold on to what we cannot hold on to / But it’s love / Love is what we need,” over a drum machine and a synth-infused groove. McGuirk’s harmonies were sung by Cilla Bonnie, whose buttery vocals set the stage for the spirit of this opening track.

“Thematically and conceptually, it's definitely a thesis to the record,” McGuirk said of “Love Goes First.” Lyrically, it sets the stage for the album. Although Watertop dances through a range of emotions, McGuirk asserts that there’s nothing more essential than love.

The supporting band across Watertop is one McGuirk is deeply bonded with. They began playing together in 2017 when McGuirk released her first record, Slow Burn. Since then, the band, which McGuirk lovingly calls her polyamorous musical life partners, has only expanded, now including guitarist Sebastian Falvo. On Watertop, the band is tight and cohesive—despite experimentations with genres and tones—in the way only long-time collaborators can be. D’Vibes, (King Fish, Marcus King) an accomplished multi-genre musician in his own right, plays keys throughout the record. His thoughtfully chosen tones marry classic funk to McGuirk's rootsy sound. Watertop, grounded in the R&B tradition, pushes McGuirk’s sound forward without fully walking away from the essence of her voice. 

Across the album's eight songs, most of which were recorded at VT Music Lab and all of which were produced by McGuirk and Ezra Oklan, McGuirk’s jazz background readily emerges through her delightfully surprising vocals. However, in crafting Watertop, McGuirk expanded on her traditional songwriting method, making the album her most technically complex release to date. Fueled by the playful and experimental nature of sound engineer Jeremy Mendicino and co-producer Oklan, McGuirk pushes her songs into full-blown soundscapes through ambitiously crafted arrangements. 

“A lesson I learned from this one is to trust myself, my ears, and my opinions. I want to keep going in this direction for at least another record—learning more about sound engineering and learning that language,” McGuirk said, describing the power she felt in playing such a technical role in the production of the album.

"The most powerful political songs transcend didacticism, channeling poetry into righteousness. Ali McGuirk, a powerhouse vocalist based in Vermont, understands this instinctively...there’s a moral clarity to McGuirk’s conviction."   - WBUR 

"filtering both vintage 60's soul and 90's R&B into a sound that's fully 2025... McGuirk has written a great song that should inspire you to think."  - If It’s Too Loud

“A spellbinding work of timeless soul beauty.” -Under the Radar Magazine

"In just a few deft strokes, McGuirk paints a devastating and deeply human picture.. voice resonating with all that can't be expressed in words alone." -WGBH

“A wealth of sonic enjoyment.” -PopMatters

“‘All Back’ feels like it could exist somewhere outside of space and time — it could be on a record in the background of a party in a 1970s bungalow… it’s a great listen.” -CONSEQUENCE OF SOUND

https://ali-mcguirk.squarespace.com/

Tickets: $20 advance, $25 day of show and on sale now online at https://abilene.showare.com and at the bar

Doors 6:30pm, Music 7:30pm

Live at the Temple Theater, 50 Liberty Pole Way, Rochester, NY 14604

Los Straitjackets

Los Straitjackets are masters of the 'combo sound-' the two guitar, bass and drums lineuppioneered and popularized by the early Beatles. Using the music of the Ventures, TheShadows, Link Wray and Dick Dale as a jumping off point, the band has takentheir unique, highenergy brand of instrumental rock & roll around the world. Wearing their trademark Lucha LibreMexican wrestling masks, Los Straitjackets have also served as the backing band for Nick Lowesince 2016. Their latest release, Somos Los Straitjackets demonstrates why Los Straitjacketshave reigned as the kings of modern instrumental rock for over thirty years with shimmeringtremolo, relentless drum grooves, and hooks so catchy they don’t need lyrics to get stuck inyour head

https://losstraitjackets.com/

Tickets: $35 advance, $40 day of show and on sale now online at https://abilene.showare.com and at Abilene Bar and Lounge

Doors 4pm, Music 8pm

Jason Ringenberg

(Of the famed Jason and the Scorchers)

Americana Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award-winning punk roots singer-songwriter, performer, and barnstorming force of nature... “The Godfather of Americana" - Mojo

Renowned music critic Peter Cooper once said, “Jason Ringenberg is Nashville’s greatest 20th-century rock ‘n’ roll frontman.” With statements like that, you would think Jason might rest on his laurels now that he is in his 60s. Not so. His new record Rhinestoned once again sets Ringenberg on a collision course with people’s souls. It reaffirms the claim that not only is he one of rock ‘n’ roll's greatest frontmen but also one of the preeminent singer-songwriters of his generation. His journey started in the 1960s Midwest, a place straight out of Norman Rockwell's America. He was born and raised on an Illinois hog farm that bordered the Rock Island Line Railroad. At an early age he heard classic country artists on his dad’s truck radio but also was exposed to the 1960s singer-songwriters like Bob Dylan and Neil Young by his older siblings. He attended college at Southern Illinois University, studying history and music. He played banjo in a bluegrass band called Gary, Jason, and Chico. After seeing The Ramones in a dorm basement cafeteria, he immediately quit the bluegrass band and formed his own punk rock group, Shakespeare’s Riot, gaining notoriety around Southern Illinois as one of the first regional bands to combine classic country with raw punk rock. By 1981 he realized he had taken that musical journey as far as he could in Southern Illinois. On July 4 he loaded up his ‘71 Econoline van and headed to that musical Mecca of all Meccas: Nashville, Tennessee. He didn’t know a soul nor had ever even set boots in the town. He jumped in feet first, jamming at every dive or party that would let him have the mic. Within a few weeks he formed Jason and the Nashville Scorchers and never looked back. Widely considered one of most influential Americana/Outlaw country bands in history, Jason and the Scorchers tore up stages across the planet. One UK journalist called their 1984 show at the Marquee “one of the Top Five gigs of all time.” By the late 80s their legendary luster began to dim, although they continued to tour and make records. In 1991 Ringenberg snagged a record contract with Capitol Nashville. He began to build his solo brand, touring as a solo artist and eventually releasing a series of critically acclaimed records. In 2002 he launched a children’s music character called Farmer Jason, winning an Emmy Award in 2009 for his PBS music video program. He would often perform a Farmer Jason show in the daytime and then a solo Jason Ringenberg concert that night in the same city. From 2000 to 2015 he performed an average of 200 shows a year all over Europe and North America. In 2017 he saw yet another renaissance in his career. The U.S. National Park Service approached him to be their Artist-in-Residence at the Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park. He spent a month hiking those pristine mountains, doing concerts in the campgrounds, and writing songs. He experienced an explosion of creative energy not seen since his salad days with Jason and the Scorchers. The resulting songs form the basis for two defining records: Stand Tall, released in 2018, and now Rhinestoned. Rhinestoned is heavily influenced by the ethos and energy of mid-1960s Nashville. The record is populated by forgotten ghosts and old souls. There is a song about one of Crazy Horse’s close Lakota friends and another about the Freedom Riders. He even tackles a love affair gone wrong in World War I Flanders. He covers Hank Williams, The Carter Family, and the classic Easter hymn Christ the Lord Is Risen Today, all the while making each track sound uniquely his own. The record was recorded by George Bradfute, whose studio is located in the basement of the 1950’s country superstar Jim Reeves. The old tile floor and pine paneling are still there, conjuring up old memories and soaking up new ones. So his journey winds on. As Ringenberg says in Rhinestoned: “A song can be a lover or a true best friend and it will not forsake you when you reach the end...”

Tickets: $15 advance, $20 day of show and on sale now online at https://abilene.showare.com and at the bar