A Very Retro Holiday - Off the Record on Friday, 12/4

Make plans to join us on Friday, December 4, from 8:00 - 10:00 pm as we welcome back one of our favorite bands, Off The Record! OTR is Albany’s own rock n’ roll lounge band that helps to transform the Club’s Grille Room into a swinging cocktail party! The Futurist Trio performs songs from the 60s as well as modern tunes influenced by that memorable era – and this month, they’ll include some of your favorite holiday songs as well!

• Joanna Palladino uses her background in theatre to deliver memorable performances. She breathes life into each song, letting the song tell its own story. She spends hours before each show to transform herself into a 1960s gal! 
• Bob Resnick lays down a solid beat using the djembe while adding textures from his customized drum setup. Bob is a mainstay of the local music scene, playing roots rock with The Backburners, funk rock with the Rumdummies, and percussion with a number of other bands. 
• Lou Sansivero brings diverse influences to his guitar sound, including Rock n’Roll, Blues, Soul, Funk and Country. He has played and recorded with a number of local bands, including Group Therapy, Blues Shaker, The Kleins, and Big Blue Dot.

Dinner will be served until 9:00 p.m., please call 518-463-1151 for reservations. The performance is free and open to the public as part of the University Club’s participation in 1st Friday, the downtown arts walk that showcases the lively art scene in downtown Albany.

“Divided” – An Interactive Production from Creative License Theater Collective - Friday 1/1/16

The University Club will kick off 2016 by hosting an interactive New Year’s Day production from Albany-based theater collective Creative License. The event will be held on Friday, January 1, 2016, at the National Register-listed University Club of Albany, 141 Washington Avenue. One need not be a member to attend.

Creative License is a different kind of theater company, focused on acting and the page, innovative staging and unique venues for a discerning audience. Divided features 3 original short plays penned by local writers that, much like those classic Choose Your Own Adventure books of the 1980s and 90s, allow the audience to vote to determine how the action unfolds.

The evening begins with a reception with light fare and cash bar at 6:00 p.m., and the performance commences at 7:00 p.m. Intermission will feature a dessert reception, sparkling wine, and the chance for audience members to cast their ballots to determine how the final act will play out.

The cost for the performance and reception is $40 per ticket or two for $70, and reservations are required. Reservations for the New Year’s Day performance are required by Tuesday, December 29 and may be made by calling the Club at 518-463-1151; by sending an email to ellen@universityclubalbany.com; or online with a credit card or PayPal.

Creative License was founded by local theater artists Aaron Holbritter and Casey Polomaine in March of 2014. Over a plate of chicken parm and a slice of tomato pie, Holbritter and Polomaine discussed the need for a theatrical group in the Capital Region that would break down the barriers between the artistic world and the general public. They focus on the written word and the honest, rich performances of its actors, and have already enjoyed critical acclaim for A Steady Rain and Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead, both presented at The Albany Barn.

This event is presented by the University Club Foundation, a 501c3 corporation, and the Terri Boor Cultural Programming Fund, established to support the social, cultural and historic preservation programs of the University Club Foundation, including maintenance of the University Club as a venue for visual and performing arts.

For more information about the University Club please visit www.universityclubalbany.com .

Gettysburg - 152 Years Later ~ Thu. 11/19

Lunch with JJ Jennings of Civil War Roundtable 

New York State History Month was established by an act of the Legislature in 1997. But for many years, people lamented the lack of programming to mark History Month. In 2014, the University Club hosted a series of events celebrating the history of New York State, and continues the tradition in 2015. 

The University Club will continue its celebration of New York State History Month with a luncheon with JJ Jennings, past president of the Capital District Civil War Roundtable, who will discuss New York’s contributions to the Civil War on the 152nd anniversary of the delivery of the Gettysburg Address. The event will be held on Thursday, November 19, at the National Register-listed University Club of Albany, 141 Washington Avenue.

The luncheon is one of a series of events comprising a Celebration of New York State History Month in November, 2015. Presented by the University Club of Albany Foundation, a 501c3 corporation, the events will be open to the public. New York State History Month at the University Club is sponsored by AT&T, which has long supported the Foundation’s educational programming, with additional support from the William J. Pomeroy Foundation of Syracuse.

JJ Jennings is a Marine Corps Veteran of Vietnam, a retired Federal Employee and a passionate student of the American Civil War. He graduated from the State University of New York at Fredonia with a Bachelors Degree in History and a Concentration in American Studies. He has been a long-time member of the Capital District Civil War Roundtable. He is a Color Bearer and member of the Civil War Trust, member of the Friends of Gettysburg and Friends of Vicksburg as well as The Battle of Franklin Trust.

The cost for the luncheon is $25 and reservations are required. The University Club will serve a hot and cold buffet from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m., with the program commencing at 12:30. Reservations for the November 19 luncheon are required by Tuesday, November 17 and may be made by calling the Club at 518-463-1151; by sending an email to ellen@universityclubalbany.com; or online with a credit card or PayPal.

Guests are encouraged to share the warmth of the season with our neighbors in need by making a contribution to the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York. The University Club will have a large collection box on display in the lobby, and will accept donations of non-perishable food items and checks made payable to “Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York” throughout the month of November. For every $1 donated, the Regional Food Bank can distribute $10 worth of food.

New York State History Month programming is presented by the University Club of Albany Foundation, a 501c3 corporation. The Foundation was formed in 2009 to recognize and maintain the unique historic and architectural significance of the National Register-listed University Club building, its historic neighborhood and the city of Albany, where it has been located since its inception in 1901.

For more information about the University Club’s celebration of New York State History Month, including program updates, please visit www.universityclubalbany.com .

Mother Judge & Friends - 1st Friday Nov. 6!

Celebrate New York State History Month with Americana alt-folk diva Caroline MotherJudge and friends as we welcome them back to the U. Club! Here's what Mother Judge had to say about a previous appearance...

"Join us in one of our favorite rooms for Songs to Make you Want to Sing & Dance. Great food & fellowship at historic University Club, the jewel in the midtown Albany crown. Support First Friday! Get out, get some culture, see old friends and kcik off the holiday season with something a bit more relaxing. See you there!"

On the first Friday of each month, the University Club celebrates the arts and culture in Albany by serving as a 1st Friday venue, with free live music from 8 - 10 p.m. One need not be a member to enjoy music, dinner and dancing in the Grille Room, dress is casual, and cash and major credit cards are accepted. Call 518-463-1151 to reserve a table for dinner, served until 9 p.m.

Guests are encouraged to share the warmth of the season with our neighbors in need by making a contribution to the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York. The University Club will have a large collection box on display in the lobby, and will accept donations of non-perishable food items and checks made payable to “Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York” throughout the month of November. For every $1 donated, the Regional Food Bank can distribute $10 worth of food.