Recap: Macy Gray and the California Jet Club/Buggy Jive at Troy Music Hall 9/29/2023

Recap by: Rob Smittix Photos by: Tim Reidy 

Ever since the Macy Gray concert was announced for September 29th at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, I (Rob Smittix) was all about it! I immediately contacted the venue to get in touch with Macy’s management to request an interview. I thought to myself, some of her most recent interviews were on the Today Show and Piers Morgan, so I’m sure she may decline an interview with yours truly a punk kid from the South End of Albany but that was not the case. Macy agreed to the interview and you can check out our conversation HERE.

Literally a day or two before the show, Troy Music Hall made the announcement “We are thrilled to announce Buggy Jive has been added as the opener to the Macy Gray performance …” I couldn’t think of a better fit, than Buggy Jive (Bryan Thomas) to open up for Macy. Now I’m even more stoked than I was before about this event and I know I am not the only one.

A funny sidenote was when Buggy Jive was asked if he was available September 29th, he already had second row tickets to see Macy Gray in concert. So he was going to be there anyway.
When Buggy came to the stage he immediately hit us with some thought provoking lyrics from the song “Law of Averages.” “It’s a term of endearment, It’s a term of solidarity, It’s a term of sincerity, It’s a term of hilarity, It’s a word of warning, It’s a word of caution, It’s a talisman of mourning and of our collective exhaustion, I ain’t your average American…”

For me one of the most memorable songs from Buggy’s performance was “She Wants to Party While the World Burns,” another track from the late 2022 release ‘The Ghost of Alexander.’
There was a real connection to the audience, at one point he joked “I’m Buggy Jive, my friends call Me Bryan and my enemies call me Bryan.” A highlight for many was Buggy’s rendition of War pigs that seamlessly segued into singing spoken word. As he closed his set he reminded us the sun will rise again.

After a brief intermission it was finally time for Macy Gray and the California Jet Club. The band took their positions and as the applause grew louder Macy came out to grace the stage. What a presence she has and even though I was in Row G, I felt as if she was right in front of me. This was the moment we’ve been waiting for.

The California Jet Club band consists Joshua Conerly (Percussion), Steve Stewart (Drummer), Alex Kyhn (Bass) and Justin Clemons (Keyboards).

The band is incredibly talented. Macy Gray had many highlights to the evening including her covers of “Stuck in the Middle With You” and “Sunny” but for me I really enjoyed the music from her recent album ‘The Reset’ the most.

It may have been a coincidence or perhaps it was fate that I was seated next to my friend and comrade Evan Conway of the band TV Doctors. I mention this because there was a point in the show that Macy asked us to turn to the person next to us and proclaim that “I am sexy.” Well Evan I am sexy and you are too! Another fun moment was when Macy asked “all the crazy bitches say whooo!” and “all those sitting next to crazy bitches say whooo! You’re gonna be in trouble when you get home.”

Towards the middle of Macy Gray’s performance the audience could no longer stay in our seats, we had to get up and dance. We all sang along to Macy’s biggest hit “I Try” and we left the night singing the message “let’s come to together, let’s make it better.”

Thank you again to The Troy Savings Bank Music Hall for bringing us some of the greatest shows to hit the Capital Region, thank you to Buggy Jive for being the real deal and thank you to Macy Gray and the California Jet Club for coming “all the way from Los Angeles, California” to entertain us.