Roy’s Hall in Blairstown is gearing up for a dynamic Fall season of performances, presenting bands and duos in a variety of genres including Celtic, Bluegrass, Blues and more.
Originally built as a livery, the concrete structure at 30 Main Street was fashioned into a movie theatre and community hall in 1913 by early film exhibitors, Robert Roy and Raymond Smith, showing silent films and later talkies.
Today, Roy’s Hall is operated by Blairstown Live-Arts, Inc., a NJ (501(c)(3) non-profit cultural institution with the goal of promoting a broad appreciation of the interplay between culture and artistic expression. The venue acts as a forum for artists who best exemplify world traditions, reflect contemporary trends and explore artistic frontiers, as Roy’s Hall nurtures the artistic and cultural life of its own community in and around the Skylands region of New Jersey.
Kicking off the fall season on August 18 at 8 p.m. is Socks in the Frying Pan, a multi-award winning trio from County Clare on the west coast of Ireland. Their dynamic vocal harmonies, virtuosic musical ability and their onstage wit has captivated audiences the world around. A blend of Irish traditional melodies and their own personal flair, Socks in the Frying Pan is comprised of Aodán Coyne on guitar and vocals and the accomplished Hayes brothers, Shane Hayes on accordion and Fiachra Hayes on fiddle & banjo.
This youthful trio has gained critical acclaim and accolades including ‘New Band of the Year’ by the Irish Music Association. The group has been embraced in the United States, having been booked by every major Irish festival and praised for their modern traditional style and energetic approach to music. They have a clear love for live performance, which only complements the traditional essence in their shows and makes for a truly unique form of entertainment.
Also coming up this fall at Roy’s Hall:
The Chuck Wood Group, performing 8 p.m. Saturday, September 30, is led a multi-percussionist, guitarist and vocalist from northwest New Jersey. Chuck Wood is a composer, recording artist and live performer who has toured the US extensively with his own projects and many other artists. The percussion instruments he plays are West African in nature, including the djembe, doun doun and shekeree; while some are rooted in the South American culture such as the congas and berimbau. Recently, Wood has not only been playing percussion, but he is also performing and recording songs on the electric guitar with his four-piece band. This performance will feature inspired original compositions consisting of vocals, guitars, saxophone and various world percussion instruments. The band’s Worldbeat sound is a fusion of Western pop and rock music with international indigenous instruments and influences. Chuck’s duo Ghandharva, which features percussionist Arjun Bruggeman, will open the show with their eclectic take on percussion driven instrumental music.
Performing October 7 at 8 p.m., Serene Green honors the deep rooted traditions of Bluegrass music while demonstrating a unique contemporary vision, having been on the Bluegrass scene since 2017 and have played in over 20 of the United States. Members included Pennsylvania natives Quentin Fisher, Michael Johnson, Steve Leonard, Shane McGeehan, and Maryland-born state champion fiddler, Katelynn Casper.
Switching gears from music to movies and back to its 1913 roots, Roy’s Hall will feature their traditional Friday the 13th film screening with two showings. Every Friday the 13th hundreds of horror fans make a ritual pilgrimage to Blairstown, NJ in honor of the Mother-Of-All-Modern-Slasher-Films, which was filmed in the Blairstown area and released in 1980. In fact, Roy’s Hall shows up in an early scene! See how many northern Warren County landmarks you can spot in the movie!
Live on October 19 at 8 p.m., The Furious Bongos perform a Zappa project, paying tribute to Frank Zappa’s legacy with new and diverse lineup of seasoned musicians who have played alongside heavyweights like Frank Zappa, BB King, Mick Fleetwood, Vinnie Colaiuta, Googoosh, Dweezil Zappa, LA Philharmonic, Arthur Barrow and Munich Philharmonic to name a few.
A rock & roll lifer, James Maddock is welcomed back to Roy’s Hall on November 4 at 8 p.m. Maddock has been carving his unique path since the 1980s, when the British-born singer/songwriter kicked off his career with a raw, soulful voice, a storyteller’s sense of narrative, and the ability to blur the lines between folk, classic pop, and rock.
Named “Best Group/Duo” in the International Acoustic Music Awards, acoustic-duo Ryanhood will perform November 11 at 8 p.m. Their first break came as street performers at Boston’s Quincy Market and they’ve performed more than a 1,000 shows in 47 states over the past decade, sharing the stage with Jason Mraz, Matt Nathanson, Train, and many more.
Roy’s Hall welcomes Airshow November 17 at 8 p.m. This high-flying jamband is comprised of Vince Herman, of Leftover Salmon, Steve Gallagher (guitar/vocals) and Cody Chelius (mandolin/vocals), Bill Baker (bass/vocals), and John Rodrigue (drums/vocals).
On December 16 at 8 p.m., Roy’s Hall features Dustin Douglas and The Electric Gentlemen’s dynamic, heavy, swagger-injected, sexy & dirty, blues-influenced rock n’ roll brings a vintage sound and vibe to modern ears. Fronted by the transcendent lead guitarist/singer/songwriter Dustin Douglas, The Electric Gentlemen – rounded out by drummer Tommy Smallcomb and bassist Matt “The Dane” Gabriel – command the stage with virtuosic musicianship and classic-rock spirit mixed with punk rock attitude that leaves even the most discerning music fans falling in love with their style at the end of any live show.
Performing their annual Roy’s Hall tradition of Christmas songs with a twist, a sprinkling of original holiday tunes, and a generous helping of non-traditional musical fare, The Slambovian Circus of Dreams brings you “A Very Slambovian Christmas” on Dec. 22 at 8 p.m. This band, also known as The Grand Slambovians, has pioneered the alt-folk/Americana genre, staying on the fringes of the music industry and under the radar while producing several critically acclaimed studio albums
Check out Roy’s Hall for more information and tickets.
Socks in the Frying Pan @ Roy's Hall
Get your Irish on! This youthful trio blend Irish traditional melodies with their own personal flair which has gained them critical acclaim and accolades including ‘New Band of the Year’ by the Irish Music Association.
Worldbeat Concert with Chuck Wood Group and Ghandharva @ Roy's Hall
“Worldbeat” is a fusion of western pop and rock music with international indigenous instruments and influences. Chuck’s duo Ghandharva, which features percussionist Arjun Bruggeman, will open the show with their eclectic take on percussion driven instrumental music.