AMPLIFIED: Music Notes from the Hudson Valley | April 2026

A Jack-of-all-trades need not be a master of just one when there’s equal passion for each project. That’s the case for multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter, producer, and engineer David A Chapman. One day you’ll see him performing a Dr. John tune while fronting his soul-funk ensemble Big Easy Krewe, the next night he’ll be crooning Celtic classics while plucking a mandolin in bluegrass-roots outfit Rivergrass Revival, and yet the next evening he could be offstage behind a soundboard filling the atmosphere with another band’s songs. This sonic shapeshifting has led to opportunities and collaborations around the globe, while inspiring his own genre-bending solo project for which he, of course, sings and plays guitar, lap steel bass, mandolin, and percussion in a blend of rock, alt-country, and indie-folk grooves.

Local Artist Spotlight: David A Chapman

From crowd-riling vocals to captivating improvisation, Americana to funk-armada, Chapman maintains authenticity through meticulous reverence of the sound he crafts.

“Stepping into a persona may be the best way to describe it,” he says. “I have spent a significant amount of time sitting with different genres, studying the nuance that defines the subtle or overt components of each genre or micro-genre. Approaching it from different instruments allows me a different rhythmic or melodic voice to approach each song.”

A lifelong Ulster County resident, Chapman’s love for performance was cultivated as a child singing in church and playing in school bands, and then as an enraptured part of the MTV generation. “As a kid, I was also always amazed and excited going to the fairgrounds to see live acts like Roy Clark, Chuck Berry, or Huey Lewis and the News, coupled with being glued to MTV when it first came out,” he explains. He developed a palate for a wide range of sounds from Tortoise to Tom Waits, Grateful Dead to Rage Against the Machine, and a healthy dose of Motown. This expansive exploration continues to inspire his performances today. “My path has been driven by continuously falling in love with the diversity of sonic landscapes you can enter, guided by similar core principles of listening, feeling the pocket, and saying more with less. When a band has these locked in, we can really fly together,” he says. “I have also been very fortunate to be a part of the rich and diverse group of pros in the Hudson Valley musical community. This has really provided a lifetime of inspiration.”

On the production side, Chapman has worked globally at top venues and festivals; locally, he’s been known to provide sound engineering at popular hotspots like Levon Helm Studio, Bearsville Theater, The Lemon Squeeze, Colony Woodstock, UPAC + Bardavon and more. He also recently accompanied a team of audio engineers and station managers from Red Hook-based radio station WKZE on a journey to Cape Town, South Africa, to collaborate with local radio stations hosted by Bush Radio. The team participated in production workshops, spoke as guests on the One World Radio series, and visited other community stations in the region for a shared learning experience. “It was remarkable,” he says. “The energy and the landscape in Cape Town are palpable, whether it’s coming from being surrounded by the 250 million-year-old Table Mountain, or the spirit of community driven by their relatively recent freedom from apartheid.”

What’s next? Chapman will open for Laura Leigh at The Lemon Squeeze in New Paltz NY on April 10, then celebrate the release of a third solo album in June, in addition to upcoming performances TBA throughout the region.  

“The Hudson Valley is unique for how many different areas it encompasses, its proximity to the greater metropolitan area, and as a crossroads to other larger cities in the Northeast,” he says. “It’s always been a place for artists in different media, but it is really emerging as a hotbed of talent with world-class recording studios, venues, and artists who call this beautiful place home.”

Where can you catch a performance and with which project? Follow David Chapman for updates @davidchapmanmusic 

Feature photo courtesy of David Chapman 

Stage + Scene: The Lemon Squeeze

While there’s been no shortage of bars, restaurants, and sidewalks to hear live music ringing around New Paltz, the town had gone too long without a dedicated music venue; that was one of the major motivations behind former-restaurant The Lemon Squeeze changing its business model from an eatery and cocktail bar that offered live music to a live music venue with craft cocktails and small bites. This isn’t the brand’s first evolution; it originally started as a piano bar-restaurant in 2022 before evolving into its current state in January this year. But it has proven to be an effective and appreciated move among concertgoers seeking a range of music not geared toward any one genre or age group; reggae, rock, folk, jazz, and DJ nights featuring both beloved local artists and national acts touring the country draw a diverse and engaged audience. Find upcoming events on The Lemon Squeeze website or on Instagram @thelemonsqueezenewpaltz. The Lemon Squeeze is located at 107 Main St. in New Paltz, NY.

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April Upcoming Music Events

Spring is here, and concert calendars are abundantly full! There’s music everywhere; here’s a look at upcoming shows this month.

Friday, April 3

Big Yellow Taxi — The Music of Joni Mitchell with Carl Mateo
Colony | Woodstock NY

Antibalas
Levon Helm Studios | Woodstock NY

Ari Hest with Harrison Nir
Park Theater | Hudson NY

Dylan Doyle Acoustic
RMV Cellars | West Park NY

Saturday, April 4

Disco Dance Party — Gentleman Brawlers
The Local | Saugerties NY 

Coyote Island with Opener Mr. Mota
The Lemon Squeeze | New Paltz NY

John Gullo’s — BOWIE, IGGY & LOU Show
Colony | Woodstock NY

BOREAL — Bossa Nova Dinner Show
Pearl Moon | Woodstock NY

Sunday, April 5

Let the Words Be Yours: A Tribute to Bobby Weir
Colony | Woodstock NY

Luna
Assembly | Kingston NY

Kath Bloom — Wednesday Knudsen
The Avalon Lounge | Catskill NY

Stephen Johnson — Easter Bossa Nova Brunch
Pearl Moon | Woodstock NY

Tuesday, April 7

Whitney
Assembly | Kingston

Wednesday, April 8

Local Waves: Will Stratton | Meg Lui
The Local | Saugerties NY 

Subwoofer Duo |  Kite |  Wing
The Avalon Lounge | Catskill NY

Thursday, April 9

Blonde Sabbath: Female-fronted Black Sabbath Tribute
Colony | Woodstock NY

Friday, April 10

The Mallett Brothers Band with Pressing Strings
Colony | Woodstock NY

Trixie Whitley
The Falcon | Marlboro NY

Talkdemonic | Vandiver | Alexander Turnquist
The Avalon Lounge | Catskill NY

Alessandra Gonzalez — Latin Fusion Dinner Show
Pearl Moon | Woodstock NY

Laura Leigh Album Release with opener David Chapman
The Lemon Squeeze | New Paltz NY

Saturday, April 11

Two-day Event: Mystical Arts of Tibet: Sacred Music, Sacred Chants for Peace & Healing
The Local | Saugerties NY 

Vinyl Biscuit Band
The Lemon Squeeze | New Paltz NY

Chris Knight (Acoustic) with Jacob Paul Allen
Colony | Woodstock NY

Jay Collins & Northern Resistance | Album release show!
The Falcon | Marlboro NY

An Evening of Jazz with Sean Schulich
Kleinert James Gallery | Woodstock NY

Masters of the Telecaster
Bearsville Theater | Woodstock NY

Sunday, April 12

Two-day Event: Mystical Arts of Tibet: Puja Ceremony
The Local | Saugerties NY 

Melissa Etheridge
Bardavon | Poughkeepsie NY

Upstate Composers Orchestra
The Avalon Lounge | Catskill NY

Monday, April 13

Tatsuya Nakatani
The Avalon Lounge | Catskill NY

Wednesday, April 15

The Bob Cats
Colony | Woodstock NY

Beatles Vs Stones: A Musical Showdown
Bardavon | Poughkeepsie NY

Brett Newski | The Riverboat Gamblers
The Avalon Lounge | Catskill NY

Thursday, April 16

Ryan Montbleau Band with Brooks Forsyth
The Lemon Squeeze | New Paltz NY

Punk Night with Nightmares For a Week | Stacked Like Pancakes | Mona Freaka
Colony | Woodstock NY

Friday, April 17

Ukrainian Folk Ritual: Yagódy
The Local | Saugerties NY 

Emanuel Casablanca
Park Theater | Hudson NY

The Slambovian Circus of Dreams
The Falcon | Marlboro NY

Two Nights with They Might Be Giants  (SOLD OUT)
Bearsville Theater | Woodstock NY

Andrea Maddox & The Hey Y’alls
Pearl Moon | Woodstock NY

Saturday, April 18

LUMBERJVCK
The Lemon Squeeze | New Paltz NY

Peter Tosh Tribute with Ianbassa Roots Rock Reality Band
Colony | Woodstock NY

Two Nights with They Might Be Giants (SOLD OUT)
Bearsville Theater | Woodstock NY

Sunday, April 19

Jazz Double-Bill — Joel Harrison Guitar Choir: Joel Harrison, Steve Cardenas, Gregg Belisle-Chi & Max Light | Ben Allison, Steve Cardenas & Ted Nash Trio
The Local | Saugerties NY 

Haley Heynderickx & Max García Conover
Assembly | Kingston NY

Neil Alexander & NAIL
The Falcon | Marlboro NY

Thursday, April 23

Club d’Elf ft. John Medeski and Jonny G. (of Lespecial)
Colony | Woodstock NY

The Sinseers and The Altons
Assembly | Kingston NY

Friday, April 24

Music of the Arab World: Oud Virtuoso Simon Shaheen
The Local | Saugerties NY 

Glass Pony
The Lemon Squeeze | New Paltz NY

Conan with Geezer
Assembly | Kingston NY

The BEATLE Project — Sgt Pepper & Magical Mystery Tour (ft. Joey Eppar, ‍Adam Widoff, ‍Danny Blume, ‍Jeff Mercel, Will Bryant, ‍Leslie Ritte, ‍Scott Petito)
The Falcon | Marlboro NY

The 3rd Annual Avalon Gala with Cassandra Jenkins & friends | Camp Saint Helene | DJs TBA
The Avalon Lounge | Catskill NY

Saturday, April 25

An Evening with Chris Smither
Levon Helm Studios | Woodstock NY

Glori Wilder | Michael Lesko
Park Theater | Hudson NY

The Afghan Whigs 40th Anniversary Tour With Mercury Rev
Bearsville Theater | Woodstock NY

Sunday, April 26

Camille Thurman with the Darrell Green Quartet
The Falcon | Marlboro NY

Thursday, April 30

“Women in Music” Featuring: Jennifer Maidman & Marianne Osiel
Colony | Woodstock NY

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Visit our curated Event Calendar, your guide to the special moments and happenings in the Catskills and Hudson Valley—from art openings and live music to festivals and family-friendly fun.
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