The Brighton Beat draws from three different wells — Afrobeat rooted in Fela Kuti, contemporary NYC jazz, and New Orleans brass band funk — and somehow makes all three feel like one irresistible current. On Saturday, December 5, the NYC ensemble returns to The Falcon in Marlboro for what has become a recurring December tradition at one of the Hudson Valley’s most intimate live rooms.
About the Show
The Brighton Beat is built around a full horn section and the drum-led direction of Sammy Wags, who has been guiding the band through East Coast rooms since 2010. Along the way they have played the Blue Note, Brooklyn Bowl, Joe’s Pub, and Rockwood Music Hall in New York City, and shared stages with Femi Kuti, Roy Hargrove, Mike Stern, and The Soul Rebels. Band members include faculty from Berklee, the New England Conservatory, and NYU alongside Broadway pit musicians, which goes some distance toward explaining why the horn arrangements hit the way they do.
Their most recent album, Victory At Last, is also the band’s first vinyl release. It starts in recognizable Brighton Beat territory, groove-first and horn-driven, before taking deliberate detours into funk, dub, psychedelics, and more meditative terrain. Live, shows typically pull audiences in directly: guest vocalists, call-and-response moments, group sing-alongs, and, if past Falcon appearances are any guide, the occasional circus act. NY Music Daily said it plainly: “The sheer joy of this NYC ensemble is contagious.”
This is a band that clearly has a relationship with this room; they have played The Falcon in December before, and December 5 marks another return.
Venue & Logistics
The Falcon sits at 1348 Route 9W in Marlboro, right alongside Marlboro Falls, and operates Thursday through Sunday on a near-total donation model: nearly all shows send 100% of proceeds directly to the performers. Dining is available from 5:30 to 9 p.m., with music beginning at 7:30 p.m. At 150 capacity, there is no bad spot in the room. If you want a table before the set, plan ahead and leave a little extra time for the Route 9W drive in December. The Falcon is an anchor on the Hudson Valley live music map and a good excuse to spend a Saturday night in Marlboro.
Tickets
Entry is donation-based; there is no set ticket price for this show. All contributions go directly to The Brighton Beat. Buy tickets