OSWEGO – The Oswego Music Hall is proud to present Peter Mulvey, with Mark Wahl opening, on Saturday, October 19. The venue is the McCrobie Civic Center, 41 Lake Street in Oswego. Show begins at 7:30 PM; doors open at 7.
The season continues on October 19 when Peter Mulvey performs with Mark Wahl opening. “Peter Mulvey is one of my favorite performers. He’s not only a great singer songwriter but he’s also an excellent storyteller and an even better human being,” Tom Lambert, Oswego Music Hall Artistic Director. Mulvey has been a songwriter, road-dog, raconteur and almost-poet since before he can remember. Raised working-class Catholic on the Northwest side of Milwaukee, he took a semester in Ireland, and immediately began cutting classes to busk on Grafton Street in Dublin and hitchhike through the country, finding whatever gigs he could. Back stateside, he spent a couple years gigging in the Midwest before lighting out for Boston, where he returned to busking (this time in the subway) and coffeehouses. Small shows led to larger shows, which eventually led to regional and then national and international touring. The wheels have not stopped since.
Nineteen records, an illustrated book, thousands of live performances, a TEDx talk, a decades-long association with the National Youth Science Camp, opening for luminaries such as Ani DiFranco, Emmylou Harris, and Chuck Prophet, appearances on NPR, an annual autumn tour by bicycle, emceeing festivals, hosting his own boutique festival (the Lamplighter Sessions, in Boston and Wisconsin)… Mulvey never stops. He has built his life’s work on collaboration and an instinct for the eclectic and the vital. He folds everything he encounters into his work: poetry, social justice, scientific literacy, & a deeply abiding humanism are all on plain display in his art.
In late January 2019, Mulvey and his band, SistaStrings (Chauntee & Monique Ross) with Nathan Kilen on drums, decamped to their home turf, the Cafe Carpe, in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, where they spent just five days making two records in the tiny back room. The live record, “Peter Mulvey with SistaStrings Live at the Cafe Carpe” is out now on Righteous Babe Records. It’s a celebration of a world that is temporarily on hold: a small folk club, packed with listeners, and a band shoulder-to-shoulder, playing and singing with intimacy and abandon. “Peter Mulvey folds everything he encounters into his work: poetry, social justice, scientific literacy, and a deeply abiding humanism”, Music & Musicians. Further information and videos are found at https://www.petermulvey.com/, or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiqJ7gMABcI.
Mark Wahl is a singer-songwriter, guitarist, and luthier. He has been around the local acoustic music scene for decades and is known by many as the former director of the Ontario Center for Performing Arts (the Oswego Music Hall). A graduate of the State University of New York College at Oswego, Mark retired from his business in design and general contracting to direct his full energies to his music, the Oswego Music Hall, and his luthierie shop where he produces and repairs fine acoustic instruments.
Mark’s songs are often poignant vignettes with powerful use of metaphor and simple, compelling melodies. Mark’s 2018 CD release “Circadia” was nominated for best Album in the “Americana” category of the SAMMYs (Syracuse Area Music Awards). Mark’s popular 2013 CD “Everything Returns” was recorded with his trio “Canvas Moon”. Visit https://www.markwahlguitars.com/music for further information.
Shows start at 7:30 PM and doors open at 7:00 for all National Stage concerts. For a complete performance schedule and ticket information, visit the website at https://www.oswegomusichall.org/ or stop at the river’s end bookstore, 19 West Bridge Street in Oswego.
The season continues on November 2 when Carsie Blanton performs. Blanton is a songwriter with hooks, chutzpah, and revolutionary optimism. Inspired by artist-activists including Nina Simone and Woody Guthrie, her catalog careens through American popular song from folk and swing to pop-punk protest anthems.
With her unique mix of humor, soul, and political wit, and fifteen-plus years on the road, Blanton has amassed a dedicated fan base and a small menagerie of viral hits (Rich People, Fishin’ With You). Her most recent album After the Revolution, produced by Grammy-winner Tyler Chester, was released in March, 2024.
Blanton is that rare artist who knows how to combine savvy stagecraft and airtight songs with a revolutionary spirit. Take her latest hit, “Rich People,” which swept TikTok by storm with over 3 million views and, true to its name, laid bare wealth inequality in the process.
Despite the struggles she readily acknowledges, Blanton retains a sense of hope, which shines through in her songs and performances. “When you spend your time watching the news or social media, people seem cruel and stupid,” she says. “But I think that by a wide margin, people are good, and want to take care of each other.” Her songs “Be Good” and “Lovin’ is Easy” are steeped in that spirit, inviting us to “love everybody alive.”
The galvanizing spirit of her work is backed up by expertise. Blanton and her impeccably dressed “Handsome Band” bring skills betraying their long tenure as live musicians. Accompanied by Joe Plowman on bass, Patrick Firth on keys, and Sean Trischka on drums, their performances are a rich musical gumbo of genres, meandering from Americana and rock to cocktail jazz, Motown, and pop punk. With three-part harmonies thickening their sound, and kazoos leavening it, her dynamic sets range from slapstick jokes to call-and-response protest songs, making Blanton and her band “a festival presenter’s secret weapon, guaranteed to win over the crowd”, Promoter Roger Menell. Further information and videos are found at https://www.carsieblanton.com or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16kNBkDIa9Q.
Tickets are on sale online now at https://www.oswegomusichall.org/ ($17-$22), or at the rivers end Bookstore, 19 W. Bridge St., Oswego, although you may be able to get tickets at the door if it is not sold out. The community is encouraged to buy tickets early to ensure a seat.
Ticket prices for the National Stage range from a low of $17 to $30 at the door. Children 16 and under are half price and under 5 are free. Purchase tickets at any concert, online or at the river’s end bookstore. Tickets are cash or check only at the door.
The wheelchair accessible venue is located in the McCrobie Civic Center, on 41 Lake Street in Oswego. It is adjacent to Breitbeck Park and overlooks Lake Ontario and the Oswego Harbor. The atmosphere is intimate with candle-lit tables surrounding a small stage. Light refreshments will be available at reasonable prices.
Oswego Music Hall is a family-friendly, non-profit organization that has been run entirely by volunteers since its inception in 1977. Volunteers can earn admission to shows through various tasks — from event support to making popcorn. Students can also earn credit for community service. To volunteer, email Volunteer Coordinator Michael Moss at [email protected].
Find more information online at https://www.oswegomusichall.org/, on Facebook, Instagram, or email [email protected].
Concerts are made possible in part with funding by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the governor and New York Legislature. Other major supporters are the City of Oswego and Shineman Foundation.
2024 Music Hall Events Calendar
Fall Season
National Stage 47th Season
Oct 19 Peter Mulvey w/ Mark Wahl opening
Nov. 2 Carsie Blanton
16 Abbie Gardner w/Ryan David Green (from Ryanhood) opening
Dec. 7 The McKrells
Open Mic Friday
Oct. 18 Steve Watson
Nov. 1 Bob Raymonda
Nov. 15 Rich Hart
Dec. 6 Marc Warner
Guest Curator Jazz-by-the-Lake
Oct. 26 Opus Black Strings (Jazz-by-the-Lake)
Nov. 23 Taj (Jazz-by-the-Lake)
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