Disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links. Upstate Concerts may earn a commission on ticket purchases at no additional cost to you.
The North Country doesn’t get a lot of shows like this — so when Cruel Summer brings their full live-band tribute to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour to Waterhole Music Lounge on Saturday, May 16, it’s worth paying attention. Doors are at 7:30 PM, the night runs until 11:30, and this one is 21+.
About Cruel Summer
Cruel Summer isn’t a karaoke night or a DJ set. This is a full live band — professional musicians — performing the music of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour as a proper show. Fronted by Alyssa Coco, whose original music has been featured on The CW’s Batwoman, Netflix’s Selling Sunset, and ABC’s black-ish, the group brings real stage credentials to material that already demands a lot from a performer.
The band has built a following across the Northeast, including performances at Rochester’s Lilac Festival and Party in the Park — two events that know their audiences well and book accordingly. If you’ve been watching tribute acts roll through the region and waiting for one that actually earns the comparison, this is a reasonable place to start.
The Eras Tour angle matters here. This isn’t just a setlist of hits shuffled together — it’s a structured tribute to one of the most ambitious concert productions in recent memory, broken into eras and performed with the kind of intention that format deserves. For anyone who didn’t make it to the actual tour, or who wants to relive it in a room where you can actually see the stage, that distinction counts for something.
Venue Info
Waterhole Music Lounge sits at 48 Main Street in Saranac Lake — which, if you haven’t been, is exactly the kind of Adirondacks town that makes you want to stay longer than you planned. The Waterhole is a genuine North Country music institution: a dive-done-right that books real acts and draws a loyal crowd from across the region. The room is intimate, the bar is solid, and the vibe is the opposite of a corporate venue. Nights here tend to feel like they mean something. This is a 21+ show. More at saranaclakewaterhole.com.
Tickets & Info
Tickets for Cruel Summer at Waterhole Music Lounge on May 16 have not yet gone on sale as of this writing. Check saranaclakewaterhole.com for updates on availability and pricing. Given the room size and the draw of this kind of show in a market that doesn’t see it often, don’t wait until the last minute once they do go live.