About 5 years ago I found my self up in the north country, visiting up near Plattsburgh, waaaaaaay up North.
On the way home I stopped in Saratoga to spend the night. One of my favorite places to visit- A great used record store, a legendary guitar store, a few good book stores (alas the Borders there bit the dust, it wasn't the best book store in town , but it had a great central location "meet me at Borders" and a clean rest room) lot's of great restaurants and a lot of live music at night. What's not to love?
After dinner, I'm wandering around and I see a poster for a band called "Sirsy" , Playing tonight right around the corner. A two person band- a guitar player and a drummer/ singer/ flute player. Oh, this I have to see.
So , I did.
And from that night on I became a fan. Rich Libutti and Melanie Kramer- Sirsy. That night they played a mix of interesting covers and a ton of originals. The crowd was filled with fans who sang along with every song. With just guitar and a small drum set (which Melanie plays standing up) they filled the room with a ton of sound.
Great between song banter, funny and smart. Wonderful command of the crowd. A good collection of original songs, but most important, That Voice! Melanie has the ability to purr and roar from one verse to the next- a bunch of times I had chills (.. they were multiplying)
They had a few Cd's for sale, I bought 'em'. They were playing locally for the next two nights, I went. And each night they just got better.
Since then I have seen then A half dozen times- mostly upstate (they are based in Albany) but they do get down to NYC a few times a year.
I keep waiting for them to break big.
Their songs have been used on TV shows, in a movie or two, they play over 200 live gigs a year, for about six years running they have been voted Albany's Best Band (something like that) They were recently signed to a national label. They are now playing down South , out in the Midwest, all over.
But, I saw them the other night in a little bar in Lake George (Christies on the Lake) about 20 people were there. But, A few days later they were playing at the race track- big crowds at the race track.
It's a tough life, that rock and roll life.
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