Martin Sexton started earning his audience in the Boston subway, where no one stops out of politeness and every coin in the case is a real vote. That schooling shapes everything that came after — the independent label, the decades on the road, the reputation that outlasted any radio moment. Twenty-five years after he captured what those lessons sound like on Live Wide Open (two hours recorded live across America on his own label, KTR), Sexton brings the anniversary tour to Caffè Lena in Saratoga Springs, a folk club where a voice like his has room to do what it actually does.
About the Show
The Live Wide Open Tour 2026 marks the 25th anniversary of that double album, mixed by John Alagia, whose production credits include Dave Matthews Band and John Mayer. The show draws from the album’s fan favorites, with tracks like “In the Journey,” “Angeline,” “Freedom of the Road,” and “Amazing Grace” in the mix, along with new material and surprise covers. Sexton is a Syracuse native who has built a performing career that spans The Fillmore and Carnegie Hall while staying fiercely independent. Rolling Stone described his voice as “soul-marinated.” Acoustic Guitar zeroed in on the technique: “master of dynamics, reducing a room to silence with his blustering baritone, then teasing that silence with a fluttering falsetto.” John Mayer, who has played his share of large rooms, called Sexton “the best live performer I’ve ever seen.” His songs have placed in Scrubs, Parenthood, and Masters of Sex, though those credits are beside the point on a night like this.
Venue & Logistics
Caffè Lena is a folk club and listening room at 47 Phila Street in Saratoga Springs, in upstate New York’s Capital Region. At 110 seats, it is sized for the kind of performance Sexton has spent three decades building — close enough to hear fingers on strings, quiet enough that a baritone does not have to perform its way to the back wall. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. for a 5:00 p.m. show running through 7:00 p.m. For those who cannot be in the room, the performance will be available via Caffè Lena TV, with two weeks of streaming access included with ticket purchase.
Tickets
Tickets are $65.07 for members, $70.49 general admission, and $35.25 for children and students, all fees included. Buy tickets