PREVIEW: PJ Ferguson to perform a Sold-Out Concert at The Strand Theatre Friday
- amymodesti5
- Sep 2
- 4 min read
HUDSON FALLS - Singer, songwriter and guitarist PJ Ferguson is returning home to the Capital Region for a special, one-night-only concert alongside his band, The Tennessee Strange, on Friday, September 5 at The Strand Theatre in Hudson Falls.
The former Whitehall native, now residing in Nashville, TN, will bring his band to The Strand for what is expected to be a packed house, as the show is officially sold out.
This will be Ferguson's first time performing at the Hudson Falls venue, where he and his band will perform songs off their new, debut album, "Don't Ya Know, It's All A Show", produced by Rocco Guarino (Velvet Revolver/Scott Weiland).
Ferguson said that the Strand show has been "years in the making" and is being made possible of Strand Theatre executive and artistic director, Jonathan Newell.
"It's been something I want to do for a long time," Ferguson said. "This will be my first at-home ticketed show. It's much different than just playing in a bar and playing covers."
For the Strand concert, the band will perform songs from the new record, plus several original songs that Ferguson has released over the years and several cover tunes that are dear to him. Plus, this will mark Ferguson's first-ever theater concert.
Back in 2018, Ferguson held a CD release party and show at Putnam Place in Saratoga Springs with his former band. The Putnam Place show, at the time, was the closest thing that Ferguson did prior to this Strand show, he said.
In addition to the Strand concert, PJ Ferguson & Tennessee Strange will perform at City Winery Boston in Boston, MA, Wednesday, Sept. 3, and at the Smoked & Stoked Fest at Jesse Camille's in Naugatuck, CT, Saturday, Sept. 6.
About "Don't Ya Know, It's All A Show"
"Don't Ya Know, It's All A Show" was released Aug. 13. It's the first album on over five years that Ferguson has released since moving to Nashville - and it's also the first album with this band, Tennessee Strange.
The 10-song record features band members Tommy Leland (guitar), Brandon Cantwell (bass), and John Rodrigue (drums). Other contributing musicians include co-writer and guitarist Ivan Pulley for the song, "Roll You Up a Reason", and Lincoln Parish of Cage The Elephant, who co-wrote and played guitar on "Burnout".
Ferguson, who began Tennessee Strange two years ago, wrote most of the songs for the album during that time span.
Songs on the album include "I'll Be Me", a blues piece with a '70s electronic vibe reminiscent of Blondie and Talking Heads; "Leap of Faith", a fast, upbeat rock song; the ethereal ballad, "Evergreen", and "Burnout", an alt-rock heater.
"Don't Ya Know, It's All a Show" is available on CD and vinyl, and can be streamed on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, and the band's website at www.pjtnstrange.com.
The music Ferguson has written for the album is eclectic rock and roll - but rock and roll at its heart, he said.
"I'm influenced by so much." Ferguson explained. "I love Tom Petty, The Doors, Stone Temple Pilots, Neil Diamond and Johnny Cash. There's a little bit of all of that in there somewhere because you're just influenced by everything you love."
Ferguson dedicates this album to his fiancée, Lauren Sheridan, who has been by his side for five years and has been his muse for both his music and his life. He also dedicates the album to anyone who's allowed him to be a musician.
About PJ Ferguson
From a young age, Ferguson always wanted to do music. Around 11 or 12 years old, he begged his parents to purchase a guitar for him. For six months, he took guitar lessons from Alan Petty of Fair Haven, VT and learned chords from him.
Ferguson's first music gig was performing at Big G's, a former Whitehall bar, every Wednesday night during wing night.
He was also influenced by his father, a wedding DJ, his grandfather, who picked him up from school and loved Conway Twitty and Johnny Cash, and his brother, who had folders full of burned CDs of all kinds of music.
A Whitehall High School graduate, Ferguson later attended the College of Saint Rose in Albany, majoring in public relations and advertising. He is also a former journalist who began writing in the third grade, creating fiction stories and writing his own books.
Before moving to Nashville, Ferguson performed full-time in several bands, including PJ Duo, a local act that performed covers throughout Lake George, Saratoga Springs, Clifton Park, Troy, Glens Falls, and Rutland, VT, as well as the band, Citizen's Treasure.
"I always wanted to move to Nashville." Ferguson said. "I was in college but then COVID hit and then it was kind of just like all life circumstances made it a no-brainer to try something different."
What to expect on Friday
As for what concert goers can expect to see on Friday, Ferguson says that he and his band are "really going to come up and put on a show." They are putting a lot of work into the Strand show and hopes that people really enjoy it and talk about it.
"I'm very excited for it." Ferguson concluded.
For More Information
For more information about PJ Ferguson & The Tennessee Strange and where to purchase the new album, go to http://www.pjtnstrange.com, or the band's Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok pages.
NYVT Media's InPlay Capital Region is a one-stop source for any theater lover and features a comprehensive calendar with showtimes, ticket information, and more for over 50 local theater groups at www.inplaycapitalregion.com.
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