There is a reason Glass Pony describes themselves as a “psychedelic groove circus.” The Albany four-piece builds every set around improvisation and setlists that change from show to show, blending jam rock, funk, post-punk, and post-rock into a sound that moves differently each night. The Times Union called them “a glorious mix of Phish-indebted jam rock, funk, psych-rock, jazz and indie rock.” They bring that approach to Funk ’n Waffles in Syracuse on Thursday, September 17.
About the Show
Glass Pony — Eddie Hotaling (guitar/vocals), Greg Pittz (lead guitar), Chanda Dewey (drums/vocals), and Jeff Picarazzi (bass) — formed in Albany in 2017 and have since built a reputation as one of the more exciting acts in the New York jam scene. Nippertown described them as “a powerhouse of a band with blazing guitar riffs, tight jams, and a melodic groove that is guaranteed to make the people dance,” and a 2026 NYSMusic review called the chemistry between members “telepathic.”
Their catalog runs to three records: a 2019 debut, Nowhere Daydream (2022), and their most recent release, Washed Away. Live, Glass Pony places a premium on improvisation: no two setlists repeat, and nearly all of their performances are recorded and uploaded to Bandcamp, making it easy to do your homework before Thursday. A 2025 NYSMusic review of a New Paltz show documented a single jam that stretched 28 minutes, which gives you a sense of how much room this band will take when the night is going right. They most recently opened for The Allman Betts Band on New Year’s Eve 2025 in Saratoga Springs. The band also travels with on-stage mascots, Beebah and Twinkie, described in press coverage as “pupa-like.”
Opening the night is After Hours, a five-piece Syracuse cover band formed in October 2023 that works through rock, funk, and pop material with what they describe as “killer harmonies and groovy instrumentation.”
Venue & Logistics
Funk ’n Waffles, at 307 S Clinton St in Syracuse, is a bar, restaurant, and music room that holds 200. For a band whose frontman has been documented wading into the crowd mid-performance, that size is a feature, not a footnote. It is the kind of room where the music and the audience share the same air. Doors open at 7:00 p.m., show at 8:00 p.m. This is an 18+ event.
Tickets
Tickets start at $13.07. Buy tickets