Playing Live in 2025
The year in shows I loved.
Light Up Schmaltz is back, just in time for schmaltz season. Tis the season of misty eyed retrospectives, and making sense of another (chaotic) year in the wide world. For me, 2025 has consisted of being disoriented, getting grounded, then disoriented and grounded again. And again. Maybe that’s every year, but this one felt more intense. Anyone else?
I’d like to get more active again here on Light Up Schmaltz, and I hope to have more to share before December is out. Things got pretty busy this fall (I have a few half written posts in my drafts folder that may or may not see the light of day soon). In the meantime though, I’m going full Year End Mode: behold! a my favorite shows I played from 2025! I’m doing roughly one from each month. Making music in public has been a really grounding force for me this year. Looking back on the calendar, that makes sense. There were a lot of special, one of a kind shows.
So, below is a month by month highlight from January to December 2025. These aren’t necessarily “the best” shows in any objective sense, but they meant a lot for whatever reason. Despite everything, it’s been a year with a lot of deep and fun moments of making music and I’m really grateful for it. Alright, here we go.
January 18th: Adeline Hotel with Fran and Dave Vettraino at the Hideout for TNKfest
I’ve been playing music with Dan since the beginning (of 7th grade), so it’s maybe no wonder that his music has remained resonant for me the entire time. Or maybe it’s even more wondrous? Dan is expansive and prolific as a writer and composer, but despite his refusal to be boxed into a single sound, his songs seem to consistently hold this delicate complexity while remaining open and roomy to play in. That is, they are heady, evocative and fun. This Hideout set was no exception. Also Fran played a gorgeous set. And, my dear bud Dave Vettraino had a rare and super excellent live trio set to open with Macie Stewart and Lia Kohl . A really special and deep night.
February 21st: Sima Cunningham with V.V. Lightbody & Minor Moon at Robert’s Westside
I love Sima’s songs so much. I helped out with the rollout of her last record via Ruination Record Co., and have developed a really deep relationship with these songs. I’d gotten to sub in on bass with her in NYC in September ’24, and I loved hopping back in on the low end of Sima’s world of masterful songcraft. The music is tight, well considered, and there’s always enough room to groove.
Viv and I also really started to hone in on our duo set around this time, reprising a format we first did at Evanston Folk Fest in 2024. Look out for more of that early next year! I really enjoy the flow of playing two sets of music on a bill in different roles.
March 28th: John Prine set with Sidepieces at Hungry Brain
Sidepieces is Chicago’s favorite country outfit that isn’t allowed to rehearse. When jordan Martins , founder and bandleader of the group (and whose artwork has populated this newsletter since the beginning), asked if I wanted to lead and curate a set, I immediately knew I wanted to do all John Prine. For me, JP’s music is total alchemy. His songs don’t just want to be listened to, they want to be sung. They tap into a voice that hits the deeply-familiar-yet-constantly-surprising sweet spot and you gotta join in and make it your own. The tunes aren’t technically difficult, but they have deceptive bits and pieces that keep you on your toes. For a band like Sidepieces that doesn’t practice, it’s enough deviation from standard song forms to keep it exciting (and maybe on the verge of falling apart). Also, I caught a cold earlier that week and lost my voice the day or two before this show. As I was growling my way through, I had to be totally present for every word if I was gonna eke anything musical out at all, like I’d just rolled in pile of 2010’s era Prine gravel. Memorable.
April 26th: Minor Moon at Thawed Out Festival
Some of the loosest, comfiest playing I can remember on a brisk Chicago April afternoon. Took me a minute to (literally) warm up into the set, but once we got goin, we were flying. With everyone’s deep ‘n vibrant musical and personal lives shifting over the past couple of years, getting the full Light Up Waltz album band (Jason Ashworth, Max Subar, Sam Subar, Chet Zenor) together is a rare treat these days. Thawed Out presented a really open and warm (and chilly) space for us to play these tunes all together again. I really hope it returns in 2026. Magically, Richard Hayes, the Milwaukee Taper, was on the scene and got a great rip of the set. Stay tuned for more on that live recording.
May 16: Half Gringa’s Cosmovisión Record Release show with Gabacho at Schubas
In the deepest, coldest part of January 2024 I got to record guitar for Izzy’s latest batch of songs at Narwhal Studios. During those full band live tracking sessions Brian Deck was on the knobs & faders; Izzy on vocals, guitar and bandleadership; Quin Kirchner on drums; Victoria Park on bass; Brenden Cabrera on keys. We’d gotten to play a few shows since then, but the record release show in May of the following year felt like a raucous and warm return to music we’d etched in another, frostier world. Also, I got to play in real time with Ivan Pyzow on trumpet and percussion and Lucy Little on violin: the full shebang. I remember this show as deeply cathartic, dynamic and fun. Shred town.
June 14: Andrew Sa at Michigan City Pride Fest
I love making music with Andrew, and I’m grateful we’ve gotten to do a lot of it over the past few years. We’ve recently done a lot of duo performances, which have become their own kind of challenge and joy for me as an accompanist, but this Michigan City, Indiana Pride Fest show had a great power trio backing band bringing in Sarah Weddle on drums & Lyn Rye on bass. It was a clear and warm June day, and we performed on a bandshell stage in a beautiful park by the lake. With a PA that seemed like it may have seen its fair share of mid-2000’s house shows, the feeling on stage was very “live.” We played through a set of emotive country-leaning songs to a receptive and idiosyncratic crowd: young folks out at their first ever Pride celebrations, openly patriotic anti-Trump vets, new age crystal vendors and swaying wooks.
Now, I don’t want to over emphasize the whole red state blue state thing. Play a DIY show in any smaller city or town in the country on any given day of the year and you will see that the world is clearly a lot more complicated and vibrant than that reductive outlook. But differences in the predominant local politics and culture of a place definitely matter for people’s lives and safety, particularly on issues of gender, sexuality and reproductive freedom. That’s all to say, in a year where crass bigotry on the national stage has had its biggest megaphone in my lifetime, it felt especially meaningful this year to play a non-corporate Pride celebration in a small city in northern Indiana.
July 11th: Minor Moon at Square Roots Festival in Chicago
I think Square Roots is my favorite Chicago street festival. It’s put on by The Old Town School of Folk Music in Lincoln Square. I have worked at OTS since I moved to Chicago in early 2016. I started with Wiggleworms, got into Kids piano, guitar, ensembles, family jams. These days I still work with OTS through their School Partnerships program, working as a part-time teaching artist in Chicago Public Schools during the spring semester. I am very fond of that place and the musical community that is braided into the festival weekend. And I always have a blast playing at the fest. It is totally wild that it’s a free / donation based street festival with that lineup every year. Highly recommend making it over there in 2026.
August 2nd: Cassandra Jenkins (and “The Crickets”) at Postock
I have thought for a long time that Cassandra is one of the great songwriters of our generation, no exaggeration. It was a real honor to get to be a part of the pickup band for her performance at Postock this year. (If you don’t know about Postock, it’s a small Chicago-centric music festival in Albany, Wisconsin — and probably my favorite weekend of the year). I got to peek under the hood to interpret some really dope Adam Brisbin guitar work form the records, and then just had an absolute blast working with the rest of the band: Macie Stewart on keys and violin, V.V. Lightbody on bass and Matt Carrol on drums. The August crickets provided the added atmosphere we didn’t know we needed we named our one-time band after them.
August 13th: Minor Moon supporting Fruit Bats at Higher Ground in Burlington, VT
Oops, I’m picking two for August. Minor Moon went on a full band tour supporting Fruit Bats with shows in the midwest and northeast. It was an incredible run, and the biggest tour I have done with this band. Our band consisted of Sam Genualdi, Meredith Nesbitt and me. The shows were great. Fruit Bats fans were really kind, friendly and receptive. And Eric and the FB team are a bunch of true mensches and I’m so grateful to them for having us. We felt welcome and ready to play every night. I’m picking the the Higher Ground show in Burlington as the highlight because the vibe was strong, I remember feeling particularly good about our set, the catering was great, we got to see Adam Schatz (Landlady, Japanese Breakfast) sit in with FB on sax and Ryan Miller (Guster) guest sing on When U Love Somebody. Also, I just really love Burlington.1
September 5th: Jessica Risker album release show with VV Lightbody
I’ve been a Jessica Risker fan for a loong time. We used play more shows together in ye olden days around 2018 (the I See You Among the Stars) era and her most recent release, Calendar Year, is a really excellent record that you should go listen to right now. I recorded some guitar on a couple of the songs and got to sit in during the live set which was a blast. This music is dreamy and ethereal with sudden unexpected harmonic shifts. It’s relaxing and disorienting at the same time. That’s a crazy combo to achieve and Jessica achieves it in an otherworldly way that is all her own.
The show also included a full band V.V. Lightbody set, with Fiona Palensky on drums, Emma Hospelhorn on keys and flute, and I played bass and guitar. Excited to play lots more V.V. in 2026 (and if you missed it, V.V. Lightbody has a new single out this week — go listen!)
October 30th: Gillian & Dave Night III at Hungry Brain
This may have been my favorite live music experience of 2025. This is the third night of Gillian and Dave songs that I’ve curated over the years (I wrote about the last one in an earlier post), and it was my favorite one, I think. We played two sets, 20 songs, to a sold out Hungry Brain, raising money for families from Gaza (we raised more than $2000 that night).
The format for the show is a house backing band with a different singer for each song. The core band consisted of me, Sam Genualdi, Fiona Palensky and Meredith Nesbitt — an incredible crew. We got to really lean into harmonies, we were forced to make quick creative arrangement decisions and roll with our arrangements for each tune without getting too precious. There was a lot of trust, care and every single guest singer brought the heat. If you missed it, fear not, I’ll definitely put another one of these together again!
Honorable mention: MM&VV opened for Fruit Bats (solo) at the Old Town School earlier in the month. Sold out Mauer Hall. Maybe my favorite room in the city. It was a really special for us. And good lord Eric D. Johnson can bring down a house with a band or without one. Go see Fruit Bats.
November 8th: MM solo set at Judson & Moore supporting Nylon Boiz.
I’ve grown to love playing solo sets. They used to feel more exhausting and nerve-racking, but over the last couple of years I have gotten more comfy with it and have come to really appreciate the open canvass, the looseness and spontaneity they afford. I always like trying to find new surprises in the dynamics & groove of well worn songs, and in a solo set those slight variations have a bigger effect on the whole thing.
This show with Nylon Boiz (which consists of klark sound and Tony Aparo of the very dope Atlanta based band Improvement Movement) was a total surprise, I was filling in for another act that had to drop off the bill, so the whole thing felt like a treat. Also, Judson & Moore is a great place for songwriter stuff, and they make the best whiskey in Chicago.
This month I’m looking forward to Andrew Sa’s Lonesome Holiday on Dec. 11, 12, 18 & 19 at the Hideout
This is the third in-person Lonesome Holiday and it’s become a really deep tradition! It’s a beautiful and unpredictable show, and I am always introduced to new music when learning the set. Most of it is not specifically “holiday” music, but somehow it all works together. I’m especially excited to play tunes this year by Donny Hathaway, Tammy Wynette and Gene Sikora. As of this writing there are a few tickets left for Thursday 12/11. The rest of the run is sold out, so grab em quick for the 11th if you want to come.
This month’s track is a rehearsal recording from 10/25 ahead of the Gillian & Dave show. You’ll hear Ava Brennan singing and playing guitar on ‘Dear Someone’ from Time (The Revelator). I’m in there attempting to channel some Dave Rawlings-style picking alongside. It’s a really nice moment, I think. Recorded in my living room in Logan Square.
Thanks for tuning in to another installment of Light Up Schmaltz. I’ll be back soon!
-Sam
The entire tour was special though. Hamden, CT at Space with FB was probably my favorite Minor Moon performance of the tour, plus I had a bunch of family there which was very sweet; there was Bell’s Brewing in Kalamazoo on the outdoor stage with a big crowd, beautiful weather, first show energy; the Pittsburgh show at Thunderbird the next day had our band really locking in, the crowd was really present and attentive for our set and I love PGH; Lizard Lounge in Cambridge with Rich Hinman and his band of Kevin Barry on lap steel, Zachariah Hickman on bass and John Sands on drums, was a reaaal treat, plus Rich sat in with us on a couple of songs (!); and Charlton, MA at Tree House brewing also had lots of family in the crowd and that space is totally magical. Dang, I really could go on and talk about each of these shows but I will leave it there.
YAY SAM!!!!!! So grateful for the bills and shows i get to share with you
dude! an honor to shred with you always 💗