Hudson Journey: Audiobook Expedition, Day 5 with Tom
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The 10th anniversary of Willie Nelson's Outlaw Music Festival took place on August 2, 2025, at the Broadview Stage at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) in Saratoga Springs, New York. This milestone event was part of the festival's expansive 2025 tour, which featured 35 dates across 22 states celebrating a decade of outlaw country and roots music culture.
The lineup was star-studded, headlined by Willie Nelson & Family and Bob Dylan, co-headliner for the tour. Other notable performers at the SPAC show included Wilco, Lucinda Williams, and Waylon Payne, making it one of the most impressive gatherings of folk, rock, and outlaw country artists in recent memory.
The festival celebrated not just the music but the spirit of American storytelling and rebellion that has defined the "outlaw" genre. The SPAC venue, set in the scenic landscape of Upstate New York, provided a fitting backdrop for an evening described as a "musical paradise" with "raw storytelling, timeless hits, and electric performances."
Notable moments highlighted the longevity and resilience of Willie Nelson, who was celebrating his 92nd birthday that year and continued to perform despite health concerns. The festival's 10th anniversary was both a tribute to Nelson’s enduring influence and a celebration of the wider outlaw music community he helped pioneer.
In addition to the Outlaw Music Festival, the weekend also saw the New York Stage and Film organization's summer-long series taking place at Marist University. The play None by Heather Christian, an emerging talent, was part of the series and featured 16 Marist students as the choir. The New York Stage and Film organization, in its 40th year, is an incubator for plays, with hundreds of submissions and a few selected for retreats.
The following night, there was a sneak peek of a Broadway play at Marist University. The writer's friend Joanne Zola, who is also an Executive Vice President at Marist University, has declared the SPAC as a favourite venue. Geoffrey Brackett, another friend and godfather to the writer's daughter, was largely responsible for the transfer of the New York Stage and Film organization's summer-long series to Marist University during the pandemic.
As the four-day journey ended at the Gateway Diner in Highland, New York, it was clear that the 10th anniversary Outlaw Music Festival at SPAC was a landmark event in the world of American music, showcasing the ongoing popularity and impact of the outlaw music movement.
References:
- Outlaw Music Festival 2025 Tour
- Willie Nelson's 92nd Birthday: A Look Back at His Career and Influence
- Outlaw Music Festival at SPAC: A Night to Remember
- Wilco, Lucinda Williams, and Waylon Payne: Special Guests at Outlaw Music Festival
In the midst of the Outlaw Music Festival 2025 Tour, the anniversary celebration took place at the Broadview Stage at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC), where festival-goers were treated to a musical paradise with performances featuring headphones-wearing musicians, showcasing a blend of audio from folk, rock, and outlaw country genres. During the intermission, attendees were entertained by a choir performing in the play None by Heather Christian, an emerging talent, witnessed as part of the New York Stage and Film organization's summer-long series, held at the same venue.
