Peter Aaron
Verified
THE CHROME CRANKS
Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Peter Aaron
A Vermont Summer of Their Own
At Camp Sangamon, a camper can head to the woodshop, spend some time building a birdhouse, then decide halfway through a period that the weaving studio is calling. A quick cleanup, and they’re off to the next great thing. For director Jed Byrom, that small moment captures a larger philosophy: give children room to make decisions, and fulfillment will follow.
Synacure to Perform at the Parlour
Overview: The New York producer and electronica musician will appear at the new Kingston cocktail bar on November 7. We love it when new nightlife options are added to the scene here in the Hudson Valley, and Kingston got a groovy one recently with the opening of the Parlour. Located at the corner of Main and Clinton streets, the softly lit cocktail bistro provides a promising contrast to the rowdier bars in the in the Stockade District.
Woodstock Guitar Maker Joe Veillette Builds Custom Instruments for Music Legends
The smell of freshly cut lumber fills your nostrils. Woodworking machinery, work tables, waiting raw materials, and projects in progress make the room a labyrinth beneath the slabs and forms that hang from the walls and pack the shelves that line the space. And there’s sawdust everywhere. Sawdust on the tabletops. Sawdust on the papers, catalogs, and other publications stacked upon them. Sawdust on the computer keyboard on the corner desk.
Hudson Valley Concerts November 2026: Ani DiFranco, Yungchen Lhamo & More
Yungchen Lhamo November 7 at the Old Dutch Church in Kingston The renowned and transcendent expatriate Tibetan singer—and Kingston resident—returns to her preferred sonically and appropriately sacred hometown venue. The rare concert of the ARIA Award-winning vocalist’s deep original and traditional songs will benefit her One Drop of Kindness Foundation, which focuses on bringing compassion, support, and healing to distressed and suffering communities. 3pm. $20.
Big Head Todd and the Monsters Play Peekskill After 40 Years of Rock and the Road
Boulder, Colorado-born band Big Head Todd and the Monsters have done something very few rock ’n’ roll outfits have done: stay together for over 40 years with their original core lineup intact. The group, which struck platinum with the 1993 album Sister Sweetly and will revisit our region this month, still includes founding members singer and guitarist Todd Park Mohr, bassist Rob Squires, and drummer Brian Nevin; keyboardist Jeremy Lawton joined in 2004.
Sound Check: Tom Krueger of Kingston’s Tempo on Fiddle Music and Live Performance
When people ask me what kind of music I’m into, I usually respond, “Well, I’m into music from the ’80s—the 1880s!” I play the violin, or I guess you could more accurately call it a “fiddle,” and I just end up playing a lot of old, traditional music. Mostly Cajun stuff, but lots of Django Reinhardt swing, or old-time music, and I’m currently going through a deep dive into Scandinavian music. My favorite bands include the Red Stick Ramblers, from Louisiana, who play Cajun swing like no one else.
Get Out the Vote Night Concert in Woodstock
Overview: The event will feature performances by the Michael Veitch Band, the BlueBirds, and Big Deep. With the threat of all-out authoritarianism and the loss of decades of social progress staring us straight in the face, the importance of voting in the November 3 midterm election (early voting is open now through November 1) can’t be overstated.
Upstate Itinerary Fall/Winter 2026
Winter in the Hudson Valley and neighboring Berkshires rewards travelers who leave a little room for improvisation. Spend the morning snowshoeing or making maple syrup at Frost Valley, then settle beside a meticulously poured Guinness at Garvan’s. Browse farm-fresh provisions and catch a pancake brunch at Woodlife Farm Market, or make Peach Grove House your base for exploring Warwick’s wineries, orchards, restaurants, and village shops.
Ed Butler Memorial Event in Kingston
Overview: The beloved fixture of the Stockade arts scene will be remembered with a processional and jam session. Long-time Kingston resident Ed Butler, a beloved member of the town’s arts and music community, passed away in July at age 73 after a lengthy battle with cancer. To honor his memory, a memorial event will take place at the Old Dutch Church in the Uptown neighborhood that Butler called home on October 24.
Synthesizer Pioneer Robert Margouleff in Saugerties
Overview: The Grammy-winning producer will discuss his new autobiography on October 18. You may not know Robert Margouleff’s name, but he’s shaped much of the music you do know. In fact, Shaping Sounds is the title of the Grammy-winning producer’s new autobiography, which he’ll discuss in an intimate multi-media event at Applehead Recording Woodstock studios on October 18.
Snail Mail and Soccer Mommy Rock the Egg
Overview: The two female-led indie projects will hit Albany on October 6. Iconic Capital Region venue the Egg has been picking up the pace with its ongoing artistic revitalization, bringing in more up-and-coming artists alongside the legacy performers it regularly hosts. One example: the double bill of indie acts Snail Mail and Soccer Mommy, who share the bill on October 6. Snail Mail is the musical project of Maryland-born actor and singer-songwriter Lindsey Jordan.
17 Fall Concerts in the Hudson Valley
“The Surreal Housewives of Woodstock” at the Byrdcliffe Theater October 3 in Woodstock A quirky collaboration between esteemed locals Ed Sanders and Jules Shear, this new “unique, poetic 15-song production…simultaneously celebrates and satirizes the legendary bohemian culture of Woodstock, New York.” The town will never be the same. Or maybe it will. Find out! O+ Festival October 9-11 in Kingston The long-running summit centering on the exchange of art, music, and wellness is back.
October 2026
15 Fall Events in the Hudson Valley and Berkshires: 2026 Explore 15 fall events in the Hudson Valley and Berkshires for 2026, from Field + Supply and Sheep and Wool to craft fairs, comedy, and author talks.
Hudson Valley Fall Theater Guide 2026: 10 Picks
A father meets three versions of his son in “A Number” at Ancram Center for the Arts; a long-married couple upends their children’s assumptions in “Grand Horizons” at the Ghent Playhouse. Fall theater also heads underground for “Ghost Stories of the Hudson Valley” at Widow Jane Mine and spills across Newburgh for the Fringe Festival. In Garrison, “The Glorious Death of Comrade What’s-His-Name” turns Stalin-era desperation into musical farce.
Dance Round-up
This fall’s dance calendar moves from intimate improvisation to grand spectacle. At the Stissing Center, Rachna Nivas builds “Unedited” in real time with tabla and sitar players, while Ballet Hispánico’s BH2 brings Latino stories and music to the Ridgefield Playhouse. Trisha Brown Dance Company revives “Present Tense” at Catskill Art Space after nearly two decades offstage.
The 2026 UnCaged Toy Piano Festival
Called “the queen of toy piano” by the New York Times, Margaret Leng Tan will be among the performers at the UnCaged Toy Piano Festival, which will take place this month at three Ulster County venues.
15 Fall Events in the Hudson Valley and Berkshires: 2026
Verbatim Expo October 3-4 at the Sugar Maples Center for the Arts in Maplecrest Described as “a small press/record label fair during which each publishing entity curates a performance” by cofounder Evan Lindorff-Ellery of local avant-garde label Notice Recordings, this DIY event corrals reps from 25 indie publishers and approximately 15 live experimental acts.
CD Review: Chimera
Chimera (Urlicht AudioVisual Records) Area avant-all-stars Chimera—violinist and vocalist Iva Bittova, guitarist and vocalist Timothy Hill, bassist Michael Bisio, and bansuri flutist and clarinetist Steve Gorn—stake their claim on the forward-leaning landscape with this enthralling eponymous debut.
Everclear, Smithereens Top the Bill at Sleepy Hollow Music Festival
Overview: The 1990s and 1980s hitmakers will be among the performers at the family-friendly event. It’s almost October, and Halloween is nigh. That means it’s about to be prime time in Sleepy Hollow, the site of Washington Irving’s spooky 1820 tale of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman. To celebrate the season, the Sleepy Hollow Music Festival will light up the village on October 3 with performances by Everclear, the Smithereens with Marshall Crenshaw, and others.
Hudson Valley Portfolio Day Connects Young Artists with Top Art Schools
For aspiring artists, choosing a college can be about much more than comparing programs online. At Hudson Valley Regional Portfolio Day, students can meet face-to-face with admissions representatives from more than 40 art schools and colleges. Through one-on-one portfolio reviews, students receive individual feedback on their work and have the opportunity to discover programs they may not have considered before. Hosted by The Art Effect for more than 25 years, the free event returns to the Majed J.
How Quatrefoil’s Design-Build Model Keeps Projects on Track
A homeowner can spend months working with an architect, finish a set of drawings, send the project out for bids—and discover that the house they designed is beyond their budget. Then come the revisions, more estimates, and the search for an available contractor. Quatrefoil’s design-build practice is structured to avoid that costly detour.
The Beths Bring the Rock to Basilica Hudson
Overview: The popular New Zealand indie band will play the venue on September 24. Basilica Hudson’s autumn season will arrive in fine style when cherished indie rockers the Beths take the stage on September 24.
David Liebe Hart in Kingston
Overview: The outsider comedian and puppeteer will bring his oddball songs and show to Unicorn Bar on September 17. In a rare area small-club event, outsider artist, puppeteer, musician, and actor David Liebe Hart, most known for his roles on the Adult Swim network’s “Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!,” will bring his brand of offbeat comedy to Unicorn Bar on September 17.
Kelli Cain and Anthony Chase Sculpt Time at Bushel Collective in Delhi
To say that the pieces in “One Dreams Up Another,” Kelli Cain and Anthony Chase’s two-person show at Bushel Collective in Delhi through September 13, are organic in nature is perhaps too obvious a statement. Cain’s stoneware sculpture-objects and Chase’s paintings in Italian lime plaster pulse with textures reminiscent of snake scales, trilobite fossils, petrified wood; their forms suggest coral reefs or the stray vertebrae of species long extinct.
Déjà Vu: Graham Nash Returns to Bethel Woods
Overview: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member will perform on September 27 and 28. And we’ve got to get ourselves Back to the garden —“Woodstock,” Joni Mitchell via Crosby Stills, Nash & Young, 1970 Back to the garden, indeed.
American Dance Legend Brenda Bufalino is the Subject of a New Documentary
“It’s just so funny that tap dance had its renaissance in the country when we think of it as being such an urban form,” says Brenda Bufalino in a scene from The Woodpecker, an in-progress documentary about her life and art.
Guthrie’s Ghost and Guy Davis in Beacon
Overview: The Hudson Valley folk super group and the Grammy-nominated bluesman will play the Towne Crier on September 4. Befitting the band’s name, Guthrie’s Ghost is a regional folk super group, and their annual show at the Pete Seeger’s hometown venue, the Towne Crier—this year on September 4, where they’ll share the bill with folk blues great Guy Davis—is always a much-anticipated event.
6 Hudson Valley Concerts in September 2026
Rebirth Brass Band September 3 at Infinity Hall in Norfolk, Connecticut The Grammy-winning Rebirth Brass Band began in 1983 in their native New Orleans neighborhood of Treme—the group appeared in the so-named HBO series—and has been blasting their butt-shakin’ blend of traditional jazz with funk flavor ever since. There’s even a local NOLA beer named for the ensemble, which is famed for its 25-year residency at the Maple Leaf Bar and even counts President Barack Obama as a fan.
Antietam on The Counting Game and Dromfest 2026
Billed by sponsors Dromedary Records as “a celebration of indie rock by its great practitioners,” Dromfest, which will return for its third year in Catskill on Labor Day weekend, lives squarely up to that descriptor.
13 Hudson Valley Events to Check Out in September 2026
Hudson Valley Hot-Air Balloon Festival September 4–6 at Tymor Park More than 120 balloon flights are scheduled across five mass ascensions at the Hudson Valley Hot-Air Balloon Festival. Early risers can watch dawn launches and practice sunrise yoga, while evening crowds get balloon illuminations and fireworks. Tethered and full-flight rides are available, alongside live music, food trucks, artisan vendors, children’s activities, and a craft beer and wine tent.
“All the President’s Men” Screening and Panel in Chatham
Overview: The Academy Award-winning 1976 film about the Watergate scandal will be followed by a discussion moderated by WAMC's Joe Donohue. With the current White House occupant’s popularity hovering at basically the same percentage level that Richard Nixon had at the height of the Watergate scandal—63 percent disapproval—it seems like a good time to revisit director Alan J. Pakula’s 1976 political thriller All the President’s Men.
B-Side Sessions at the Bearsville Theater
Overview: Sponsored by fan-to-artist platform Tipify, the evening will feature several rising indie performers. On August 23 the direct fans-to-artists digital support platform Tipify is bringing its B-Side Sessions to the Bearsville Theater with a lineup spanning acclaimed, rising independent singer-songwriters voices Welsh Wolf, Amber Rubarth, Dave Doobinin, Keenan O’Meara, Gracie Coates, Rose Stoller, Johnny Irion, and Kait Hickey.
Documentary Looks at Woodstock Festival Audio Engineer
Overview: The film tells the story of Bill Hanley and how he revolutionized live concert sound. From the audience members to the organizers, the onlookers, and, of course, the performers, the original Woodstock Festival was awash with interesting, creative personalities, many of whose stories remain overshadowed by those of the larger-than-life artists who graced the stage that fateful weekend at Max Yasgur’s Farm.
Allman Brothers Band’s Jaimoe to Jam at the Colony
Overview: The legendary rock 'n' roll drummer will perform on August 15. Rock royalty will hit the region on August 15, when original Allman Brothers Band drummer Jaimoe brings his all-star band to the Colony. Also known as Jai Johnny Johansen, Jaimoe was born Johanny Johanson in Mississippi and worked with soul greats Otis Redding and Sam and Dave before meeting guitarist Duane Allman through the legendary FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.
13 Hudson Valley Events to Check Out in August 2026
August 6 on Bannerman Island Modern Silent Shorts transforms Bannerman Island into an open-air cinema with a program of contemporary dialogue-free films accompanied by a live musical score. After a scenic boat ride from Beacon, audiences will watch a curated selection of new dramas, comedies, and horror shorts projected against the castle ruins overlooking the Hudson Highlands.
Live Music Events in the Hudson Valley This August
August 6 at the Falcon in Marlboro One of the most memorable pioneers of dancehall reggae is Yellowman AKA King Yellowman. Born Winston Foster in 1956, the Jamaican singer and DJ lit up the 1980s reggae charts with his fluid toasting on buoyant tracks like “Zungguzungguguzungguzeng,” “Sinsemilla,” and “Nobody Move Nobody Get Hurt.” This small-venue date will be a rare treat. (Lala Tamar featuring Yacouba Sissoko dazzles August 13; Jeff Coffin jams August 22.) 7:30pm. Donation requested.
“Drive-In 4×4” Combines Music with Avant Garde Film on August 23 in Coxsackie
The concept of musicians performing live scores for films dates almost to the advent of cinema itself, with house pianists commonly providing incidental music for movies during the silent movie era.
August 2026 Hudson Valley Shopping Guide
With so many independent creators and curators across the Hudson Valley, Catskills, and Berkshires, it’s never been easier to buy bespoke—from specialty clothing shops to artisan jewelry to handmade goods that delight. Ecobags.com ECOBAGS was started on Earth Day in New York City and has always meant business about sustainability.
Your Backyard Resort: For Locals, The Emerson is a Catskills Escape Close to Home
For many Hudson Valley residents, The Emerson Resort & Spa has long been associated with weekend getaways and visitors exploring the Catskills. But tucked along Route 28 in Mount Tremper, the property offers something closer to a community retreat: a place where locals can spend an afternoon by the Esopus Creek, walk the trails, browse the shops, visit the spa, enjoy a meal, and head home refreshed—no overnight bag required.
John Sebastian Celebrates Legacy of Happy Traum in City Winery in the Hudson Valley
At the dawn of the 1960s, Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village was the place to be. The 9.75-acre plot and the blocks around it were the crucible of the folk music revival that would reshape the course of popular culture, and many of the young musical figures who sprang from the scene at the park’s celebrated Sunday hootenanny sessions would later beat a path north to the Woodstock area. Two who did were Lovin’ Spoonful leader John Sebastian and folk icon Happy Traum.
Snapper Magee’s to Host Benefit Show for Punk Singer
Overview: Featuring seven live bands, the August 23 event will help offset expenses for Frenchy and the Punk's Samantha Stephenson, who is undergoing treatments for breast cancer. One of the Hudson Valley’s most tireless musical ensembles is Frenchy and the Punk, the postpunk duo of Samantha “Frenchy” Stephenson and Scott “the Punk” Helland.
HOT TRACK Column Will Highlight Local Songs
Overview: First up is the debut single by a new local duo. Welcome to a new feature. In today’s short-attention-span world, many artists are focused on releasing and promoting individual songs, rather than traditional full albums or EPs. In light of this trend, Chronogram is launching HOT TRACK, an occasional (at this point) web-only column spotlighting a lone, recently released song by a local band or solo artist.
Across the Great Divide: Ownership Dispute Roils Levon Helm Studios
Overview: In a shakeup over controlling interests, Amy Helm has been forced out of her partnership in her late father's legendary music venue. Earlier this week Amy Helm broke some news via social media. “I have been informed that the August 1st & 2nd Helm Family Midnight Rambles have been ‘postponed,’” wrote the singer-songwriter and daughter of Levon Helm, the late drummer and vocalist of The Band.
Litchfield Jazz Festival Stars Top Names
Overview: The 31st annual event will feature Don Braden, Paul Bollenback, and others. This month, the Litchfield Jazz Festival is celebrating its 31st year, as well as the 30th year of its Litchfield Jazz Camp program and the 45th year of its parent nonprofit, the Litchfield Performing Arts organization. The event will take place July 24-26 at the Thomas Perakos Arts and Community Center and promises some of the music’s leading artists.
Lili Taylor Book Signing in Chatham
Overview: The indie film star will discuss her new collection of essays about birdwatching. Actor Lili Taylor is a three-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee. She’s also a devoted birdwatcher and is now an author: Combining the latter two activities, Taylor recently published her first book, Turning to Birds, which she’ll celebrate with an event at the Crandell Theatre on July 14. Taylor initially gained notoriety via supporting roles in Mystic Pizza (1988) and Say Anything… (1989).
2026 People Winners
Artist 1. Daniela Charter 2. Zoe Keller 3. Monica Krajcovic Author 1. Robert Gram 2. Holly George-Warren 3. Dorian J. Sinnott Auto Mechanic 1. East Chester Auto Group Inc. 2. Prestige Toyota Service 3. TRC Auto Repair -The Right Choice Chef 1. Chef Mark Suszczynski, Harvest Real Food Catering 2. Wilson Costa, Misto 3. Brian Gribbon, High Falls Cafe Furniture Maker 1. Sawkille Co. 2. Reliquary Studio 3. Found & Fixed Hudson Valley Hairstylist/Colorist 1. Cece Brill JEM Hair Studio 2. Beck Hart, Hair with Hart 3.
Lunar Figurine Debuts Live at Unicorn Bar with Family Band and “Cracked in Two” Album Release
The 1970s TV sitcom “The Partridge Family,” about a family rock band led by maternal keyboardist Shirley Partridge (played by Shirley Jones), was inspired by contemporary hitmakers the Cowsills, who featured the sibling Cowsill musicians’ mother, singer Barbara Cowsill. Both the fictional and real-life familial acts were commercially successful, but to many of that era’s hip, “don’t trust anyone over 30” demographic, few things were more uncool than having your mom in your band.
CD Review: Four Fold builds on Birdsong to Create Moody Melodies
With the aim of assembling a quartet to improvise on the transcriptions of birdsong that Olivier Messiaen had integrated into many of his works, Woodstock pianist Crispell, Norwegian Hardanger fiddler Maurseth, and Beacon clarinetist Rothenberg began working together at a 2018 Paris residency.
2026 Family Fun Winners
Sign up for our newsletter! Want to always have the latest intel on new restaurants, bars, shops, and things to do? We’ll be your cheat sheet. Hudson Valley food, culture, news, and real estate delivered straight to your inbox, 5 times weekly.
July Live Music Events to Check Out in the Hudson Valley
July 1 at the Bearsville Theater in Bearsville Although its making was fraught with friction between the band and their producers, 1988’s Starfish, with the haunting hit “Under the Milky Way,”was The Church’s most successful US album by far. Bassist and singer Steve Kilbey remains the only original member of the Australian neo-psychedelic group, whose draw on influences ranging from the Byrds to Television. (Ted Leo and the Pharmacists rock July 30; Babe Rainbow shines July 31.) 7pm.
Show More
loading
Actions
Get in touch with Peter
Contact Peter, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack