What? has been earning its reputation show by show: more than 300 performances since a 2021 Fall Tour, an all-time attendance record at their New Paltz hometown venue, a center-field set for 5,000 at Dutchess Stadium. On Thursday, September 17, the Hudson Valley funk fusion sextet brings the horn section to The Falcon in Marlboro.
About the Show
What? is six musicians, a lot of brass, and a setlist built on spontaneity. Ryan Perrone and Dan Steen co-founded the band in 2016 while studying music at SUNY New Paltz; the full lineup solidified after they graduated in 2020, and the band has been touring hard ever since. Their sound bridges funk, jazz fusion, and improvisational jam, drawing from Catskills-region influences including The Band and Donald Fagen, with comparisons to Steely Dan, Vulfpeck, Snarky Puppy, Tower of Power, and Phish. Live, they’re known for “high-energy, soulful grooves” anchored by a power-house horn section, and a commitment to setlist variety that showed up most vividly in a January 2024 four-night residency where they played 85 unique songs without a repeat. They released their debut album, Lavender Lounge, in June 2022, with a second record currently being finalized. Their collaborators include members of Vulfpeck and Goose, The Wailers, and saxophonist Karl Denson. Hudson Valley One called them “a horn-filled, fun and funk band from New Paltz that has proven itself a reliable draw at local venues” — the kind of regional act that regularly out-draws national touring acts, with a sold-out Woodstock show with Dogs in a Pile on their resume.
The lineup: Ryan Perrone (trombone, trumpet, keyboards, lead vocals), Dan Steen (guitar, keyboards), Jared Nelson (guitar, keyboards), Jeremiah Joseph Mahoney VI (bass, harmonica), Alex Endres (drums), and Owen Moore (tenor and baritone saxophone).
Venue & Logistics
The Falcon is a 150-capacity jazz and blues club on Route 9W in Marlboro, in the Hudson Valley. For a band whose sound fills rooms well beyond that size, the intimacy is the draw. This is a donation-driven show, with 100 percent of proceeds going directly to the performers. Dining is available starting at 5:30 p.m.; music starts at 7:30 p.m. No reservations required, though bar seating and table wait-list are available. Call 845-236-7970 or use the online reservation form at liveatthefalcon.com to secure a spot.
Tickets
Admission is donation-based, with 100 percent of the evening’s proceeds going directly to the performers. Buy tickets