Each month we ask a member of the community to tell us what music they’ve been digging.
We have such a great music scene here in the Hudson Valley and I go to lots of shows. Recent standouts are Femi Kuti at Assembly, Orchestre Tout Puissant Marcel Duchamp at Opus 40 (a great place for outdoor shows on a summer evening), Mabe Fratti (a revelation for me) at Unicorn Bar, my dear friends the Feelies at the Bearsville Theater, Geese at Tubby’s, and the Jayhawks at the Bearsville Theater.
Being part of the Rosendale Theatre Music Fan Series, I get to see each new music documentary at the theater. I also stream a lot of music documentaries and as of late have really enjoyed Love in Bright Landscapes: The Story of David McComb of the Triffids; From Straight to Bizarre: Zappa, Beefheart, Alice Cooper, LA’s Lunatic Fringe; Squaring the Circle: The Story of Hipgnosis; and Have You Got It Yet?: The Story of Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd.
I am also active with my band the Bongos, who put out two albums this summer: The Shroud of Touring: Live in 1985 and the 31-track 40th-anniversary edition of Beat Hotel. Last, but not least, there’s Bibi and Rob, my duo with my long-time collaborator, singer and guitarist Bibi Farber. We just released our second single, “Smile Transmitter,” to celebrate Bibi’s years as a stilt-walking entertainer!
This article appears in September 2025.
Love this article! This is the music fanatic Rob Norris that we need back on his feet! I can’t wait to make music with him as soon as he’s able. Rob is healing after a serious cardiac arrest that happened on August 18th. Read more here and support the Meal Train if you can!
https://americansongwriter.com/rob-norris-the-bongos-bassist-on-the-mend-following-heart-attack-charity-campaign-launched-to-aid-in-his-recovery/