Hello and welcome to this post on everything about music in Albany. There is obviously a lot to discuss on this topic and we will do our best to cover the full local scene for you today.
To get us going we will list the best musical instrument stores in Albany. There will also be lists for where to buy guitars in your area as well as the top drum shops in town.
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Expect there to be some crossover in those sections as some stores will have the leading guitar brands for sale like Gibson, Fender, or Keisel as well as all the keyboards, synthesizers, pedals, amps, or pretty much any supplies you may need.
Then we will fill you in on where to go for quality instrument repair near you. Whether you need a piano tuned, a guitar repaired, or work done on other band instruments there is somebody out there that can help.
Up next we will talk about where to get the best music lessons for kids or adults. Local stores for music lovers with vintage CD’s and records will have their own section also.
Following that we will list the best concert halls and live music venues near you. Plus we will also discuss the best bars and restaurants that have live music around the city.
And our last section will talk about the best festivals on the Albany music calendar. At the end there will even be a map to help you figure out where the wide variety of stores and venues we are discussing are located. You may also want to click this link to read more of our local guides for other cities in the Northeast.
Musical Instrument Stores In Albany
Most would agree that these are the best musical instrument stores in Albany:
- Hilton Music Center at 440 Colonie Center
- John Keal Music Company at 819 Livingston Ave
- Hermie’s Music Store at 432 State St
- Drome Sound Music Store at 1875 State St
Hilton Music Center is one of the capital region’s oldest and most experienced names in the industry. Since 1939 they have been in the business of creating local musicians by serving their customers with quality products, knowledgeable sales representatives, and instruction.
Drome Sound offers a wide assortment of new and used musical instruments for the professional, hobbyist, or beginner at competitive prices. Their expert and courteous staff will assist you with a full line of guitars, keyboards, drums, professional audio, recording, software, and stage lighting.
Where To Buy Guitars
If you are specifically trying to buy a guitar or guitar accessories head to:
- Guitar Center at 145 Wolf Rd
- Kokotele Guitar Works at 115 S Main Ave
- Collar City Guitars at 199 4th St
- Parkway Music at 1777 U.S. 9
Experience world-class music education in your area with beginner-to-advanced instructions on guitar, bass, keyboards, drums, and recording lessons on the most popular software. Their state-of-the-art rehearsal studios provide a place for you to learn, practice, and record. Kokotele Guitar Works is an expert guitar repair shop specializing in setups and precision fretwork.
We mentioned Hilton Music Center, Hermie’s Music Store, and Drome Sound Music Store in the music stores list but they are also a great place to buy guitars.
Drum Shops Near You
And the best drum shops in your area would be:
- Chbo Drums at 11 Water St, New Paltz
- Native American Drums at 863 Maple Hill Rd
- Precision Drum Company at 2012 US-44
CHBO Drums was started by drummer, designer, and studio builder Chris Bowman to focus on drums for the discerning player. They offer their own line of new professional drums, percussion instruments, sticks, a large selection of refurbished vintage instruments, and an extensive cymbal and gong collection.
Since 1961 Precision Drum Company has the experience, product lines, and reputation to serve all your drumming needs. High quality custom drums and building supplies including recovering wraps, hardware, and Keller shells as well as drum repair services are just some of their offerings.
Instrument Repair
We mentioned John Keal Music Company, Hermie’s Music, and Parkway Music in the local music stores list but they are also a great place for instrument repair in your area as well.
Music Lessons
When you want to improve your skills you can take music lessons at:
- Guilderland Music Academy at 1823 Western Ave
- Miss Peggy’s Music Room at Manning Blvd
- School of Rock Albany at 592 New Loudon Rd
- Troy Music Academy at 9 3rd St
At School of Rock they offer beginner guitar lessons for kids with instructors who will guide your child from start to finish with private instruction and weekly group band rehearsals. All of their music programs for kids, teens, and adults are designed to help students gain amazing proficiency.
Troy Music Academy is currently offering lessons with some of the area’s best instructors on voice, guitar, piano, drums, saxophone, clarinet, flute, ukulele, banjo, steel guitar, bass, violin, viola and upright bass.
Another place that we have mentioned before and that is also a great place to take music lessons is Hilton Music Center.
CD & Record Stores
Some of the best local stores for music lovers with lots of vintage CD’s and records are:
- Last Vestige Music Shop at 173 Quail St
- River Street Beat Shop at 197 River St
Last Vestige Music Shop buys, sells, and trades records, CDs, DVDs, and more. They also carry Grado phono cartridges, LP poly bags and protective sleeves, paper inner sleeves, headphones, record cleaning supplies and kits, phono pre-amps, and used turntables. The River Street Beat Shop buys, sells and trades vinyl records, CDs, music DVDs, and other music memorabilia near you.
Albany Live Music Venues
If you are itching to see a concert or performance these Albany live music venues are where to go:
- The Low Beat at 335 Central Ave
- Massry Center for the Arts at 1002 Madison Ave
The Massry Center for the Arts is a showcase for music and the visual arts at The College of Saint Rose. It is the primary venue for concerts and exhibitions by the College’s students and faculty each year and a performance and exhibition space for talented artists, musicians, vocalists and orchestras from around the world.
Restaurants With Live Music
Want to be entertained while you eat? You will be at these restaurants with live music in your area:
- Parish Public House at 388 Broadway
- McGeary’s at 4 Clinton Square
- Savoy Taproom at 301 Lark St
- Grappa ’72 at 818 Central Ave
Parish Public House is a Louisiana eatery, drinkery, and live music venue in your downtown area. Through food, drinks, music, and camaraderie their goal is to invoke the spirit found at a Cajun Fais Do-Do each and every night.
McGeary’s is an old school comfortable pub atmosphere welcoming old and new friends every day. Savoy Taproom is an approachable upscale cocktail bar, local music venue, and restaurant.
With a menu filled with Italian regional specialties Grappa ’72 is an Italian restaurant providing fine dining in a casual setting at affordable prices.
Bars With Live Music
And for bars that play live music try out:
Fuze Box is one of Albany’s premier live music venues and nightclubs. Speakeasy 518 has craft cocktails and food offered in a cozy and sophisticated throwback space with dim lighting and live jazz music.
Music Festivals
Some of the top music festivals near you are:
- Taste of Country Music Festival at 64 Klein Ave
- Oldtone Music & Dance Festival at 1011 Co Rd 21
Taste of Country has 3 stages with past acts including Keith Urban and Rascal Flatts. The Oldtone Roots Music Festival is on a mission to preserve American Roots music and dance. The event is an intimate and hands on experience where audience members have opportunities to engage directly with the artists.
By the way we have also written about these towns in the past:
- Everything About Music In New York City
- Everything About Music In Buffalo
- Everything About Music In Syracuse
- Everything About Music In Newark
Enjoy The Albany Local Music Scene
Well guys, we did our best to cover the scene as well as we could. We listed the best musical instrument stores, drum and guitar shops, instrument repair services, where to go for lessons, vintage CD & record stores, concert halls and other live music venues like bars and restaurants, plus the best festivals near you.
Anyone that is still around might just know a little bit about the local music scene themselves. If so feel free to tell us if we got anything incorrect, if we left any cool spots out, or just share your own thoughts in the comments at the end of the post. No matter if you are trying to buy a new instrument, wanted some live entertainment, needed a vintage CD and record, or just wanted to learn more about the Albany music scene we hope you enjoy yourself.
