(gentle music) - [Matt] Learn about the Lift Series at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall.

- This acoustic is so special.

I have to perform here.

I have to do things here.

- [Matt] And catch a performance from Kildashandra.

It's all ahead on this episode of "AHA."

♪ You won't open up my letters ♪ - [Announcer] Funding for "AHA" has been provided by your contribution and by contributions to the WMHT Venture Fund.

Contributors include the Leo Cox Beach Philanthropic Foundation, Chet and Karen Opalka, Robert and Doris Fischer Malesardi, and the Robison Family Foundation.

(upbeat music) - Hi, I'm Matt Rogowicz and this is "AHA" A House For Arts, a place for all things creative.

The Lift Series at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall presents performances of new independent music featuring regional performers all curated by local artists, Sam Torres and Sophia Subbaya Vastek.

(upbeat music) - My name is Sophia Vastek and I am one of the co-curators of the Lift Series at the music hall.

- And I'm Sam Torres and I'm the other co-curator of the Lift Series at the music hall.

♪ Well I told the moon and every little star ♪ ♪ That shines above ♪ - So, the Lift Series is a short run concert series.

Usually for concerts.

And they primarily showcase local and regional artists.

A big part of it is that it takes place on the stage of the music hall so both the artists and the audience are seated onstage so it's a very kind of intimate experience, just a different way of experiencing music in the music hall.

(upbeat music) (audience clapping) Well the first concert I went to at the music hall I believe was an Estonian choir and the thing that just blew my mind was they did an encore that I believe was an Estonian folk tune.

Just very... - A lullaby.

- Or lullaby, very simple, beautiful, and it repeated over and over again and each repetition it got softer and softer and until finally it was whisper soft and there was not, you could have heard anything in that hall.

Everyone was so still, so quiet, so locked on and I was just like, oh my god.

You know, I think I was very close to tears in that moment.

It was so beautiful.

So, after that I was just like, this acoustic is so special.

I have to perform here, I have to do things here.

(gentle music) - Well, we originally got the idea for this from a couple of concerts that they ended up having the audience seated onstage with the artists and that happened while I was working there as a stage hand.

I told Sophia about what an amazing experience it was and how into it the audience was and we thought, what if we make this a series focused on local musicians and pitched it to John and Stacey at the music hall and they liked the idea and that was kinda how it started.

(gentle music) - It's just been a great partnership.

These are performances that wouldn't necessarily work as a traditional presentation here in this space but it's really been quite well received and we can work with some really unusual avant garde artists and the audiences just love it.

(gentle music) - You enter and instead of going into the seating area you're ushered into the backstage area and onto the stage which is such an exciting experience for anyone who has ever been there or even, even if it's their first time at the music hall, getting to stand on that stage and look out into the house is a really special experience and sonically you can feel it too.

You can feel the change from going in the back hallway, stepping through the door, walking out onto the stage is like an amazing experience.

(gentle music) Well, it always has been a series that's trying to expand both who gets to play in that space and also bring in different audiences.

(gentle music) - It's hard to have access to venues with really high production value and that lifts up musicians in such a significant way.

To be able to perform in a space like that.

We're just very lucky here in Troy in the region to have the music hall specifically that they're so open to engaging local and regional artists.

I think that's actually quite rare for institutions of that size and caliber.

♪ She'll be coming round the mountain ♪ ♪ She'll be coming round the mountain ♪ ♪ She'll be coming round the mountain when she comes ♪ ♪ We'll all be having chicken dumplings when she comes ♪ ♪ When she comes ♪ ♪ We'll have chicken and dumplings when she comes ♪ ♪ When she comes ♪ ♪ We'll have chicken, we'll have dumplings ♪ ♪ We'll have something ♪ ♪ Everybody we'll have something when she comes ♪ ♪ When she comes ♪ (upbeat music) - The audience that has been built around it, that we didn't necessarily expect to see, that's been one of the most rewarding parts of running the series I would say.

(upbeat music) (audience applauding) - Please welcome Kilashandra.

(gentle guitar music) (gentle guitar music continues) ♪ This morning you ran out of my bedroom ♪ ♪ You didn't even say goodbye ♪ ♪ How can you be so cruel and so heartless ♪ ♪ Doesn't it hurt to see me cry?

♪ ♪ You won't answer my phone calls ♪ ♪ You won't open up my letters ♪ ♪ You won't look out on your doorstep ♪ ♪ You don't love me anymore ♪ (gentle guitar music) (gentle guitar music continues) ♪ I saw you walking with your new boyfriend ♪ ♪ You didn't even look my way ♪ ♪ Does he want you the same way I do?

♪ ♪ Does he need you everyday?

♪ ♪ You won't answer my phone calls ♪ ♪ You won't open up my letters ♪ ♪ You won't look out on your doorstep ♪ ♪ You don't love me anymore ♪ (gentle guitar music) (gentle guitar music continues) ♪ I went to the place I first met you ♪ ♪ I just thought you might be there ♪ ♪ How could I be so broken ♪ ♪ Why would I think you even cared?

♪ ♪ You won't answer my phone calls ♪ ♪ You won't open up my letters ♪ ♪ You won't look out on your doorstep ♪ ♪ You won't answer my phone calls ♪ ♪ No, no, no, no, no ♪ ♪ You won't look at all my letters ♪ ♪ You won't look out on your doorstep ♪ (gentle guitar music) (gentle guitar music continues) ♪ You won't answer my phone calls ♪ ♪ You won't open up my letters ♪ ♪ You won't look out on your doorstep ♪ ♪ "Cause you don't love me anymore ♪ ♪ Why don't you love me anymore?

♪ (gentle guitar music) (gentle guitar music continues) ♪ I dreamed the moon dancer in your prison cell ♪ ♪ I dreamed the ocean in the air ♪ ♪ I dreamed the full green fields of Ireland ♪ ♪ Without the British jack boats there ♪ ♪ I dreamed your momma calling you ♪ ♪ To the breakfast table ♪ ♪ For your morning spot of tea ♪ ♪ I dreamed the bells ringing ♪ ♪ Down St.

Agnes church ♪ ♪ You're saying rosary's on your knees ♪ ♪ And you were praying ♪ ♪ This will never be their land ♪ ♪ God damn England, god damn ♪ ♪ What's the measure of a man?

♪ ♪ I remember Bobby says ♪ ♪ I dreamed you're drinking down at Holligans ♪ ♪ I dreamed you playing your guitar ♪ ♪ I dreamed you're arrested by the RUC ♪ ♪ Them planting evidence in your car ♪ ♪ But, this will never be their land ♪ ♪ God damn England, god damn ♪ (gentle guitar music) ♪ What's the measure of a man?

♪ ♪ I remember Bobby says ♪ (gentle guitar music) (gentle guitar music continues) (gentle guitar music continues) ♪ I dreamed your H Block prison hell ♪ ♪ I dreamed your torments and your poles ♪ ♪ I dreamed you're slipping off ♪ ♪ To your final sleep ♪ ♪ While you're dreaming of your home ♪ ♪ Your home, your home, your home ♪ ♪ This will never their land ♪ ♪ God damn England, god damn ♪ (gentle guitar music) ♪ What's the measure of a man?

♪ ♪ I remember Bobby says ♪ (gentle guitar music) ♪ And this will never be their land ♪ ♪ God damn England, god damn ♪ ♪ What's the measure of a man?

♪ ♪ A man, a man, a man, ♪ ♪ I remember Bobby says ♪ (gentle guitar music) ♪ I remember Bobby says ♪ (upbeat guitar music) (upbeat guitar music continues) (upbeat guitar music continues) (gentle guitar music) (gentle guitar music) (gentle guitar music continues) ♪ Here I'm standing on the side of the road ♪ ♪ It ain't raining but damn I'm cold ♪ ♪ Don't see no headlights ♪ ♪ That's okay ♪ ♪ I aint' got no place to go ♪ ♪ Don't need no highway ♪ ♪ I'll take it slow ♪ ♪ Follow the skyway ♪ ♪ Til I get home ♪ ♪ Don't need no money ♪ ♪ I just want time ♪ ♪ Chasing your fortune, I got mine ♪ ♪ I hear you calling, I can't see you ♪ ♪ I know you're near me, I can feel you ♪ ♪ I'll keep on searching til I find you ♪ ♪ Just shine your light bright ♪ ♪ I'll be there real soon ♪ (gentle guitar music) (gentle guitar music continues) ♪ Here I'm standing ♪ ♪ On the side of the road ♪ ♪ It ain't raining, but damn I'm cold ♪ ♪ I don't see no headlights ♪ ♪ That's okay ♪ ♪ I ain't got no place to go ♪ ♪ Don't need no highway ♪ ♪ I'll take it slow ♪ ♪ Follow the skyway ♪ ♪ Til I get home ♪ ♪ Don't need no money ♪ ♪ I just want time ♪ ♪ Chasing your fortune, I got mine ♪ ♪ I hear you calling, I can't see you ♪ ♪ I know you're near me, I can feel you ♪ ♪ I'll keep on searching til I find you ♪ ♪ Just shine your light bright ♪ ♪ I'll be there real soon ♪ (gentle guitar music) (gentle guitar music continues) ♪ Just shine your light bright ♪ ♪ I'll be there real soon ♪ (gentle guitar music) ♪ Watch me now ♪ (gentle guitar music) ♪ Just shine your light bright ♪ ♪ I'll be there real soon ♪ (gentle guitar music) (gentle music) - Thanks for joining us.

For more arts visit WMHT.ORG/AHA and be sure to connect with us on social.

I'm Matt Rogowicz, thanks for watching.

(gentle music) - [Announcer] Funding for "AHA" has been provided by your contribution and by contributions to the WMHT Venture Fund.

Contributors include the Leo Cox Beach Philanthropic Foundation, Chet and Karen Opalka, Robert and Doris Fischer Malesardi, and the Robison Family Foundation.