Concerts Celebrates Tang’s 25 Anniversary with Returning Acts

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (June 3, 2025) — The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College announces the 2025 Upbeat on the Roof concert series. To mark the museum’s twenty-fifth anniversary year, some of the favorite acts from previous years will return. The concerts begin Thursday, July 10, at 6 pm and continue each week through August 21.

The Lineup

July 10: Alex Torres & His Latin Orchestra
July 17: Joan Kelsey
July 24: The Heavenly Echoes Gospel Band
July 31: The Pine Hills Band
August 7: Annie and the Hedonists
August 14: Girl Blue
August 21: Hot Club of Saratoga

Before each concert, Tang Museum educators will offer Crafts on the Grass: art-making kits for kids starting at 5:30 pm. A different kit with a craft project will be available each week. All projects are suitable for children ages 5 and up, with adult supervision. Materials will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Upbeat concert series began in summer 2001 on the roof deck of the Tang building. The series became so popular, however, that the concerts came off the roof and onto the lawn. The Upbeat on the Roof name remains. Visitors are invited to bring blankets, camping chairs, food, and drink to picnic on the lawn; plenty of parking is available in the lot adjacent to the museum.

The Tang galleries will be open before and after the concerts. In the case of inclement weather, the art-making activities and concerts will be held inside the museum.

Admission is free. The Tang is on the campus of Skidmore College. The main entrance is at 815 N. Broadway in Saratoga Springs. For more information, please call the Visitors Services Desk at 518-580-8080 or visit https://tang.skidmore.edu/visit.

About the Performers

July 10: Alex Torres & His Latin Orchestra Formed October 1980 in Amsterdam, New York, this 12-piece orchestra is led by Bronx-native Alex Torres. Known for an original blend of Afro-Caribbean rhythms such as Salsa, Merengue, Cha-cha, Bomba, Plena, and Latin Jazz, Alex Torres & His Latin Orchestra bring the sounds of the Caribbean to the Capital Region. The Orchestra has received numerous awards, including the New England Cultural Arts Preservation Award, the New York State Music Achievement Award, the Schenectady League of Arts Award, the Governor’s Excellence in Arts Award, the NAACP Albany Chapter Award, and three NY Capital District Original Music Awards. The group is also registered with the Arts-in-Education program of New York State, bringing the orchestra into New York schools. The group’s music has been used in numerous commercials, TV shows, and films, including “Ugly Betty,” “Blacklist,” and “Shameless,” among others. Alex Torres & His Latin Orchestra performed Upbeat on the Roof in 2015, 2017, and 2023.

July 17: Joan Kelsey
Joan Kelsey is a New York City-based artist known for their folksy melodies and rich storytelling. Their songwriting practice began as an effort to marry their interests in poetry and composition, resulting in a lyrically and sonically complex body of work. Kelsey’s songs discuss God, loss, failure, friendship, and refracted memories. Joan Kelsey performed Upbeat on the Roof in 2019.

July 24: The Heavenly Echoes Gospel Band
The Heavenly Echoes Gospel Band was originally founded in Albany, New York, by the late Deacon James Edmonds out of the Sweet Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church in 1965. The Band performs in the storied tradition of Southern-style gospel music with spirituals, hymns, traditional contemporary gospel, and originals. Songs include well-known traditional works (Precious Lord, Take My Hand, for example); covers of songs that crossed over into pop music (such as the Staple Singers’ I’ll Take You There); and contemporary quartet-style songs that are gospel standards in the church community. The Heavenly Echoes Gospel Band performed Upbeat on the Roof in 2016, 2021, and 2022.

July 31: The Pine Hills Band
The Pine Hills Band formed in Albany through a meeting of musical neighbors. Borrowing mandolin and banjo from bluegrass, and percussion and electric bass from rock ’n’ roll, The Pine Hills Band creates originals and deep-cut covers perfect for foot tappin’ and singing along. The Pine Hills Band performed Upbeat on the Roof in 2022.

August 7: Annie and the Hedonists
Annie and the Hedonists interpret the sounds of the great female blues artists of the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, such as Bessie Smith, Memphis Minnie, and Billie Holiday, among many others. Featuring musicians Annie Rosen, Jonny Rosen, Peter Davis, Don Young, and Jerry Marotta, Annie and the Hedonists covers an eclectic mix of blues, jazz, swing, and folk roots Americana. Recent projects include a 2024 cover album in collaboration with the legendary Saratoga folk coffeehouse Caffè Lena. Additionally, the band was recently named the 2025 Thomas Edison Music Awards Capital Region Blues Artist of the Year. Annie and the Hedonists also performed Upbeat on the Roof in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2019.

August 14: Girl Blue
Girl Blue, aka Arielle Woodul, is known for her lyrical storytelling, deeply emotional songs, singable hooks, and soft vocals. Having been featured on top Spotify playlists (New Music Friday), and charts (No. 2 on US Viral Charts), in national commercials, and on top blogs like the Huffington Post. She has received seven Thomas Edison Music Awards, twice receiving Songwriter of the Year and Solo Act of the Year. It’s been said “she…has the kind of spark that makes stars” (The Alt) and, most especially as a live performer, she has an authenticity that regularly moves her audience to tears. Girl Blue performed Upbeat on the Roof in 2018.

August 21: Hot Club of Saratoga
Hot Club of Saratoga, Upstate New York’s premier gypsy swing ensemble, specializes in the timeless sounds of Django Reinhardt and the vibrant atmosphere of 1930s Paris. Their music brings the magic of hot swing to life, and they are known for their captivating performances. Whether you’re a fan of gypsy jazz or simply looking to experience something unique and delightful, the Hot Club of Saratoga is sure to deliver an unforgettable musical experience. Hot Club of Saratoga also performed Upbeat on the Roof in 2014, 2016, and 2023.

About Skidmore College

Founded in 1903, Skidmore College is a highly selective, private liberal arts college of about 2,700 students located in the dynamic town of Saratoga Springs, New York. Consistently ranked as a top liberal arts college by U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review, Forbes, and more, Skidmore has also been recognized for its innovation, value, and sustainability efforts. Skidmore fosters academic and personal excellence — all driven by a belief that Creative Thought Matters. Its comprehensive array of opportunities encompasses more than 40 bachelor’s degree programs, including popular offerings in business, psychology, and the creative and performing arts; competitive NCAA Division III athletics; world-class facilities; and hands-on civic engagement and career development resources.

About the Tang Teaching Museum

The Tang Teaching Museum at Skidmore College is a pioneer of interdisciplinary exploration and learning. A cultural anchor of New York’s Capital Region, the Tang’s approach has become a model for college and university art museums across the country—with exhibition programs that bring together visual and performing arts with interdisciplinary ideas from history, economics, biology, dance, and physics, to name just a few. The Tang has one of the most rigorous faculty-engagement initiatives in the nation, and a robust publication and touring exhibition program that extends the museum’s reach far beyond its walls. The Tang Teaching Museum’s award-winning building, designed by architect Antoine Predock, serves as a visual metaphor for the convergence of art and ideas. The Museum is open to the public Tuesday–Sunday, noon–5 pm, with extended hours until 9 pm Thursday. https://tang.skidmore.edu