(upbeat music) - [Matt] Take a walk with photographer, David McIntyre.

Local musicians foster creativity with Jive Hive Live.

And catch a performance from the NoLaNauts.

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

A House for Arts".

- [Narrator] 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.

- At M&T Bank, we understand that the vitality of our communities is crucial to our continued success.

That's why we take an active role in our community.

M&T Bank is pleased to support WMHT programming that highlights the arts and we invite you to do the same.

(upbeat music) - Hi, I'm Matt Rogowicz, and this is AHA!

A House for Arts, a place for all things creative.

Time to put your hiking boots on.

Today we're taking a walk in the beautiful Hudson Valley with photographer David McIntyre to discuss the work featured in his solo exhibition at Hudson Hall.

- Hudson Hall at the historic Hudson Opera House is a multidisciplinary performing arts organization and visual arts gallery.

We are sitting here in New York state's oldest surviving theater.

The building was built in 1855 and it was originally built as Hudson City Hall.

The theater upstairs was a town hall.

Susan B. Anthony spoke here three times and Teddy Roosevelt gave a lecture about his adventures in Africa.

The Hudson River School painters showed their work here and many, many more.

Hudson Hall is now a multidisciplinary arts venue, so much more than a theater.

We host a year-round schedule of performing arts but also we have a first floor gallery space and we run free community workshops for youth and adults throughout the year.

So we are thrilled to have photographer David McIntyre's solo exhibition, Walking, in the gallery.

It is a beautiful, engaging, fascinating exhibition of photographs taken in and around Columbia county.

When you experience the photographs, you're not just seeing something beautiful, but you're really taken into nature and share that experience of stopping and pausing.

(mellow music) - Walking at Hudson Hall is inspired by the writings of Henry Thoreau.

He's a phenomenal force, way ahead of his time, and the things he was speaking about 200 years ago, well, 150 years ago about the environment especially are so relevant to the climate crisis we're facing right now.

Nature and essentially plants, they've been around for half a billion years, 500 million years, they turned this rock of a planet into a a place we can inhabit, made the atmosphere, made the soil.

So there's gotta be a sort of inherent intelligence collectively with all that history.

Now, we are very smart, we are very clever.

The things, our innovations are amazing, but I wonder if we've become a little detached from that body of knowledge.

And that's what I've tried to tap into.

(gentle music) They're often about what I thought I saw rather than was actually there.

So we were walking along the rail tracks earlier and if you looked out down the embankment, I noticed a lot of purple flowers.

And in my mind, I saw a lot of purple but it was probably 95% green.

And so a lot of the time what I'm doing is just bringing out that color and amplifying it, and making a solid block of color.

I think one of the ways of explaining it is in the body of work there's 26 pictures, and you're actually looking at thousands of photographs.

There's various processes I've used, most of them designed to sort of get outta my own way to sort of have a chance come into the equation, to lose control as it were.

So sometimes they're layering many, many images up and down as well as in depth.

But I've also done things with, in Photoshop, taking an individual petal and making it into a brush head so you can kind of paint with it and you can change its size.

The one picture that's made with crocuses, I think it's only made with about five or six different crocuses and yet it looks like an entire cosmos of crocuses.

(mellow music) My work in this field has traditionally been a lot darker, and coming from more of an impasse, more in sensing an impasse.

And so in a strange way, I feel that I must have had a little bit of a breakthrough because they are joyful, they are hopeful and I think people are picking up on that.

And it's really not been a thing I've done with my work is bring happiness, but it's kind of nice.

I'm not shying away from it.

(mellow music) Other people have said that they feel quiet.

There's a calming sense to them.

And I think I certainly sense that in making the work.

And I think I mentioned in the first press release that I wrote about the work was it was in counter to the distraction industry that we have right now with our phones, with media.

Well, it's just endless.

I mean, you can't even begin to describe it.

And back in Thoreau's day he talks about being bodily in the woods but his mind is in the village.

And so that was the distraction, thinking about life in the village.

Can you imagine if all we had to worry about was a village, we'd be peaceful beings.

- Jive Hive Live is an intimate, state-of-the-art private studio space for musicians in Albany, New York.

Built for live recording and video livestream production, Jive Hive Live is a labor of love for its owner, Tom O'Connor, and his operating partners, Mikey Baish and Alec Lewis.

I spoke with Mikey and Alec to learn more.

So what is Jive Hive Live?

- So Jive Hive Live is a state-of-the-art recording studio and broadcast studio in Albany, New York.

We specialize in live performances.

So basically a band comes in, they do a live set.

We have five cameras around the room that are all hooked up to, you know, remote control and switchers in the back.

32 track recording studio.

Bands leave with every, like all the feeds from each of the cameras and then all the stems from the recording in addition to a live cut video and the live mix audio.

And we do that all for free.

- You do it for free?

- Mm-hmm.

- Why free?

- Well, I think Tom's original vision is for it to be kind of art for art's sake.

Tom being the owner, founder and fearless leader of the Jive Hive, Tom O'Connor, member of the NoLaNauts and all around jivey guy.

- Yeah, absolutely.

- Tom, I should let the audience know, we offered to interview Tom, but Tom said, oh, I have to have you interview my assistants that help out at Jive Hive Live.

And you are gonna be hearing Tom's band the NoLaNauts in a little bit.

But first I want to ask you guys if you have a little bit of information about why Tom started this and how it came to be.

- So it first started as a place for his bands to rehearse, you know?

And then I think during the pandemic he saw all this live streaming stuff going on.

He said, well that's, you know, that's the future.

We can, you know, we're not gonna be playing shows at Lark Hall, you know, but we maybe can play a show at the Jive Hive and anyone in the world can watch it.

- Yeah.

- And he's just so like, very like a philanthropic spirit and he just like really gives himself to others.

And I think like that, this kind of idea and something along these lines to allow him to kind of put himself out there and welcome so many people.

It's just like a very, it's very much Tom.

- And you guys got hooked and you're still there?

- I mean, yeah.

- You walk in and you almost can't walk out.

- Yeah.

- Kind of thing.

- Because there's a lot going on there and Tom knows how to do everything there.

Lights, sound, video, whatever it might be.

But he needed people to help, you know, do the other stuff.

- Can't be in two places at once.

- Yeah, exactly.

- Right, right.

- So I came in, I helped with the website, social media, booking.

I do some video as well.

And then we've also been able to bring people in to help us.

- So it's a recording studio, a video live streaming.

Why is this needed?

What advantage does this give to artists in the area?

- Going back to the free, why is it free art for art's sake kind of thing?

Like bands in this area, and I think Tom's original vision of it was for it to be kind of an incubation place for up and coming bands, his own band to, obviously his own band to rehearse and whatnot.

But he wanted it to be like a growing platform for bands, for bands to A, be able to afford it, so check.

And B, for it to be like a really great professional space that's free of like the kind of professional expectations of, you know, time and professionalism.

Not that we aren't professional in our own way, but that was kind of like this, you know, this idea of just like, let's make art.

Let's not put any pressure on people.

Let's have them come in, do whatever the heck they want.

Because while we are, you know, we have the video and the audio, but we don't make them do a live performance.

We don't make them live stream.

We don't really make them do anything.

They come in with an idea of kind of what they wanna do with their night at the Jive Hive.

And sometimes it gets wild.

We do green screen stuff sometimes, some people take the video aspect of it really seriously.

Some people do like a really tight closed session, more formal recording session.

And just the idea of it being attainable I think, for any band that wants to do it whether they're new or not so new.

- Anyone who approaches us really.

If you're, if you're, you know- - If you make noise, we'll let you in.

- Yeah, yeah.

- And you have to be cool, that's also (indistinct).

- Have to be cool, okay.

- Cool, yeah.

- You guys have your own bands that you're in, you have day jobs.

How often are you guys at the Jive Hive and why do you keep on coming back?

- Well, so we do about a show a week.

Occasionally we'll do more if there's something special going on.

And we usually keep those to Monday and Tuesday nights.

That's because we are in bands, we have other things going on.

We don't wanna miss a paying gig.

We don't want the band to miss a paying gig.

Everybody's doing it for free.

We're working for free, they're working for free.

Why I come back, I really like, I love having those established acts come in, you know, Reese Fulmer's come in and he put some of the stuff on his new live album is from the Jive Hive.

Or like, you know, we have Girl Blue who's gonna be coming in later in the fall.

- Angelina.

- Angelina Valente.

- Just there.

- Yeah, she was, yeah, incredible, world class.

But I really, I really get the fulfillment from like those up and coming bands.

There was a band early on called Boss Crowley that came in and they released a live EP from there.

And who knows when Boss Crowley would've been able to get into a studio and put out something but now they have stuff and people are requesting "Duck on a Rock" at the end of their set, you know?

And it's just awesome to be a part of that.

That's what keeps me coming back for sure.

- Awesome, what about you?

- I think it would be kind of like meeting all these new people, like making all these new friends.

Like I didn't know Mikey two years ago.

I didn't know Tom two years ago and now they're like two of my best friends.

And depending on who you ask, I might spend too much time there, but it's like I said, it's hard to leave sometimes.

It's hard to walk away and you always like, when am I coming back?

- Yeah, yeah.

- Awesome.

Well, I understand that there might be an upcoming event or two or three or four?

- [Mike] Yeah.

- I think you guys are gonna be breaking outta the Hive?

- Yeah, the Jive Hive comes alive.

We're gonna be going to Cohoes Music Hall.

Tom had a meeting with the Music Hall.

He wanted to rent it out and do a Jive Hive show there.

And when they found out, you know, what was going on at the Hive, they said, ah, I love it.

And they said that they wanted to partner on a series for a year long series.

So we're doing four shows starting October 7th at Cohoes Music Hall featuring, they're all different styles of music.

The first one is The Great Swarm and that's got the NoLaNauts.

- All acts that have been at the Hive before.

Or I think one or two might have like have acts booked and by the time the show is at Cohoes, they will have been at the Hive, so it's like- - Yeah, I think actually all of them are, all of them are, yeah.

So like bringing Arc Network elsewhere and you know, it's not just about your exposure at The Hive and what you can do at the Hive, but we can, you know, the community of the Hive can continue to give and support local music in different ways in different places.

- And we're also bringing the whole video set up.

- Yeah, we're gonna- - So the whole video you'll get, and so you'll get the whole audio and video set up at the live show, hopefully a packed Cohoes Music Hall, you know?

- Awesome.

That sounds great.

We are out of time.

Please check out those concerts coming up.

Thank you very much for joining me on AHA!

- No problem.

Thank you.

- Thank you.

- Please welcome the NoLaNauts.

(funky instrumental music) ♪ Now there's loud clouds blowing down on Saturday morning ♪ ♪ Pink sky after dawn ♪ ♪ You got an early warning ♪ ♪ No fat cats ♪ ♪ Just the rats they're running for cover ♪ ♪ Higher ground can't be found ♪ ♪ And all hopes are smothered ♪ ♪ 'Cause you got early warning ♪ ♪ Running for cover ♪ ♪ Early warning ♪ ♪ Running for cover ♪ ♪ Early warning ♪ ♪ Running for cover ♪ ♪ Early warning ♪ ♪ Searching for the high ground ♪ (funky instrumental music) ♪ As the storm begins to swell ♪ ♪ Feels like you're stuck in hell ♪ ♪ It's the devil's weather ♪ ♪ We've all been here before ♪ ♪ Got the T-shirt on the tour ♪ ♪ Gotta keep it together ♪ ♪ Is it thoughts or is it prayers ♪ ♪ Or a second flight of stairs ♪ ♪ Your salvation ♪ ♪ When the water starts to rise ♪ ♪ You realize we prize elevation ♪ ♪ 'Cause you've got early warning ♪ ♪ Run for cover ♪ ♪ Early warning ♪ ♪ Running for cover ♪ ♪ Early warning ♪ ♪ Running for cover ♪ ♪ Early warning ♪ ♪ Searching for the high ground ♪ (funky instrumental music) ♪ Pack your bags snatch your kids ♪ ♪ This hole ain't got a lid ♪ ♪ Overexposure ♪ ♪ Snatch your mama from the home ♪ ♪ You know she's all alone ♪ ♪ Keep your composure ♪ ♪ Find a raft steal a boat ♪ ♪ Anything that floats on the river ♪ ♪ Yeah we've all been here before ♪ ♪ And the devil's keeping score ♪ ♪ Buck up deliver ♪ ♪ 'Cause you've got early warning ♪ ♪ Running for cover ♪ ♪ Early warning ♪ ♪ Running for cover ♪ ♪ Early warning ♪ ♪ Running for cover ♪ ♪ Early morning ♪ ♪ Searching for the high ground ♪ (funky instrumental music) (funky instrumental music continues) ♪ 'Cause you've got early warning ♪ ♪ Running for cover ♪ ♪ Early warning ♪ ♪ Running for cover ♪ ♪ Early warning ♪ ♪ Running for cover ♪ ♪ Early warning ♪ ♪ Running for cover ♪ ♪ Early warning ♪ ♪ Running for cover ♪ ♪ Early warning ♪ ♪ Running for cover ♪ ♪ Early warning ♪ ♪ Running for cover ♪ ♪ Early warning ♪ (drumsticks tapping) (whistle blowing) (drums tapping) (whistle blowing) (drums tapping) (lively instrumental music) (whistle blowing) (lively instrumental music) ♪ Well I cracked my day in the back of town ♪ ♪ Buddy Crow was coming around ♪ ♪ Said baby what you wanna do ♪ ♪ I felt in charge on the avenue ♪ (whistle blows) (lively instrumental music) ♪ Pick on up to the neutral ground ♪ ♪ A million freaks zig zagging around ♪ ♪ Get up folks (indistinct) ♪ ♪ Broker to the beats St Augustine ♪ (lively instrumental music) ♪ Party on neutral ground (indistinct) the avenue ♪ ♪ (indistinct) neutral ground (indistinct) ♪ ♪ Out on neutral ground watching the parade ♪ ♪ Party party party ♪ (man singing) ♪ Bring a little waddle on the neutral ground ♪ ♪ Party on neutral ground (indistinct) ♪ ♪ (indistinct) neutral ground (indistinct) ♪ ♪ (indistinct) neutral ground watching the parade ♪ ♪ Party party party party ♪ (lively instrumental music) ♪ Party on neutral ground ♪ ♪ Party on neutral ground ♪ ♪ Party on neutral ground ♪ ♪ Party on neutral ground ♪ (lively instrumental music) (whistle blowing) (lively instrumental music) (whistle blowing) (lively instrumental music) (man singing) ♪ Down and down on the (indistinct) ♪ (man singing) ♪ The (indistinct) it never gets old ♪ ♪ Party on neutral ground (indistinct) the avenue ♪ ♪ (indistinct) neutral ground (indistinct) ♪ ♪ (indistinct) neutral ground watching the parade ♪ ♪ Party party party ♪ ♪ Party on neutral ground (indistinct) the avenue ♪ ♪ (indistinct) neutral ground (indistinct) ♪ ♪ (indistinct) neutral ground watching the parade ♪ ♪ Party party party party ♪ (lively instrumental music) - Thanks for joining us.

For more arts, visit wmht.org/aha and be sure to connect with us on social media.

I'm Matt Rogowicz, thank you for watching.

(mellow music) - 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 Fisher Malesardi, and the Robison Family Foundation.

- At M&T Bank, we understand that the vitality of our communities is crucial to our continued success.

That's why we take an active role in our community.

M&T Bank is pleased to support WMHT programming that highlights the arts and we invite you to do the same.