SARATOGA SPRINGS – Putnam Place is one of many music fixtures in Saratoga Springs which continues to book a wide range of events for concert goers and the wider community. Jarrett Hartstone, who assists with marketing at the music venue, knows more than a thing or two about booking fun, entertaining events.
Hartstone has been an avid music fan and a concert-goer from the start of the early 2000’s and before his involvement with Putnam Place, starting in 2004, he began booking shows in Saratoga Springs first at E.O’Dwyer’s (that closed a year later) and at the Parting Glass.
In 2009, Hartstone began booking shows when Putnam Place at the time was branded as Putnam Den, and has never looked back since. He knew that there was a need in booking entertainment in the Spa City.
“I felt that people up here shouldn’t always have to drive to Albany or beyond to see nationally touring club-size bands and so I started bringing touring bands to Saratoga as a way to contribute to the local music scene and local community as a whole.” Hartstone said.
Jarrett loves working at Putnam Place with the staff and management team, including general manager Gary “Sly” Fox, whom he has become good friends with over the years, and loves being in Saratoga Springs due to its thriving downtown, its awesome community of music lovers, and the city being a great destination to see live music, he said.
Most of the bands that he books at Putnam Place are national touring bands. Recently, Jarett booked Massachusetts-based band Neighbor and Connecticut-based band Creamery Station for a January 19 show and last Friday, had Mystic Bowie’s Talking Dreads perform their reggae-Talking Heads inspired songs at the venue.
Cliffside Push: A Phish Experience
For February, Hartstone has booked Cliffside Push: A Phish Experience, a fairly new Phish tribute band from Connecticut that is starting to gain a buzz around the Northeast. This will be Hartstone’s only show in the upcoming month, with the show to be held on Saturday, February 3, 9 p.m.
Jarrett has remained good friends with the band’s drummer, Suman Mitra, for over 20 years. Jarett previously met Mitra in the late 90’s in a business class at Skidmore College and Jarrett was his introductory business class coach, he said.
Jarrett is also a Phish fan and believes that music fans of the band will have a fun night attending the upcoming Phish tribute.
Hartstone’s Upcoming Events
Although Hartstone will have Cliffside Push: A Phish Experience booked for February, he has three shows currently scheduled for March and may book at least one more show within that month. Shows that he currently has booked for March include Cool Cool Cool featuring former members of Tukuraz) with Sophistafunk on March 15, Pink Talking Fish on March 16, and Dopapod with Strange Machines on March 22.
He will also announce his upcoming April shows at Putnam Place soon.
This story was featured on page 6 of the January 31, 2024 print edition of The Spot518.