Nona Hendryx destroys Schenectady

28 Jul

Nona Hendryx graciously poses for a photo moments after blowing me off the stage. (Courtesy Rudy Lu)

Thanks to everyone who came out, thanks to Nona and her band for a great night of music and special thanks to Sara Hill and Michael Eck for inviting me to join in the fun. Be sure to check out the photos from  Matt Mac Haffie and Hidden City.

Here are the reviews.

Mike Hochanadel in the Daily Gazette:

When a boy jumped up to dance, during his solo opener [for funk rocker Nona Hendryx], soul-rock troubadour Bryan Thomas challenged, “What you got?” and danced himself, all this is a deep, politically sophisticated song about race and sex that everybody got at their own level. He sang about Schenectady’s underworld, gender, hope and despair. Hope won, but it was close.

In a betrayal lament, he sang, “You can tell him I said that” with such towering force that everybody applauded, even if its message zoomed past some. Later, he warned about “the boomerang of history,” advised “keep a steel helmet handy” and consoled “truth is light.” His “Babylon” had the apocalyptic punch Rastas give the term, and he made the political personal and vice versa with tremendous grace and aplomb through his too-short set.”

And then Nona and her band took the stage and blew it up.

Here’s Greg Haymes in the Times Union:

Delmar singer-songwriter Bryan Thomas boldly opened the show armed only with an acoustic guitar, but he quickly won over the crowd with an all-too-short, six-song set that included gems from his latest album, “One Three Six Nine Lights.” And he left the crowd wanting more when he wrapped it all up with “Jennifer” from his ‘02 album, “Ones and Zeros,” singing, “You think you’re too big for Schenectady? You ain’t big enough.”

And then Nona and her band took the stage and blew it up.

Photos: Matt Mac Haffie | Hidden City

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