NeeNee Rushie does not need a full production to hold a room. The Jamaican-born vocalist fronts The Big Takeover, a seven-piece ensemble from the Hudson Valley playing roots reggae, rocksteady, and ska. Their frame of reference is not the pop-punk of American ska but the first wave of Jamaican pop: Desmond Dekker filtered through the polished energy of Motown and modern retro soul. They have been doing this since 2008, with more than 500 East Coast shows behind them. Colony Woodstock gets them on Friday, Nov. 27.
About the Show
At the center of the band’s sound are two horns: trombone (Andrew Vogt) and saxophone (Chas Montrose), alongside a full rhythm section, all anchored by Rushie, described by Chronogram as a “powerhouse performer” with “deceptively subtle songwriting.” Critics have called the overall result a “horn-powered global blend” that “reveals deep fluency in reggae and world music, hints of soul and Motown, and their own infectious brand of pop classicism.” The band has released four full-length albums; their most recent, Spilling Water, was documented in a live Audiotree session and performed at Paste Studio NYC. The official music video for “Shy” offers a preview of what the band looks like at work. The earlier single “Rainboots” earned NPR radio rotation and a slot on NPR’s Sugarshack Sessions. Chronogram has described them as the only band in the Mid-Hudson Valley welcomed at all the region’s major national-circuit rooms: BSP in Kingston, the Falcon in Marlboro, and the Bearsville Theater in Woodstock. In 2018, they completed a 12-state tour, played to 10,000 at Omaha’s Jazz on the Green festival, and were named Hudson Valley’s Best Band. This show is presented by Upstate Reggae.
Venue & Logistics
Colony is at 22 Rock City Road in Woodstock, a 150-capacity room in the Hudson Valley where The Big Takeover plays regularly (they were here in March 2025 and at the Bearsville Theater down the road in July 2024). A band that has drawn festival audiences of 10,000 coming back to 150 people in a bar is a particular kind of show: closer range, more horn, no buffer between the rhythm section and the room. Doors open at 6 p.m.; the show runs 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Under-18 is admitted with a parent or legal guardian.
Tickets
Tickets are $29–$35. Buy tickets.