The fierce fight for Albany's nightlife

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Happy Thursday, Capital District! Today, we’re taking you to Lark Street, ground zero in the fierce fight over Albany’s nightlife. Plus, First Friday Albany kicks off a packed fall weekend!

Get ready to get down 💃🕺 

—Phat X. Chiem & Karley Sullivan

Lark Street is ground zero for the battle over Albany’s nightlife

Nick Warchol is fighting the good fight—and he’s not about to let some cranky NIMBY neighbors stop him.

The co-owner of the Larkin Hi-Fi, a vinyl listening lounge in Albany, recently found himself in the middle of an ongoing dispute over the city’s cabaret law. In what Nick calls a “raid,” city code officials and Albany police shut down his business one Friday night (Sept. 20) and issued him a citation for having a DJ play music without a cabaret license.

But if you read the letter of the law, it says you don’t need a license if the music is played over a central sound system and not with an amplifier. The Larkin was using a central sound system. But the code enforcers didn’t care what the law says; they just wanted Nick to stop the music.

“The city wants a sit-and-drink culture,” Nick says, in an interview with The 518. “You're just gonna sit there and you're gonna have a drink, but there's no action… I want people to be able to get up and come with their friends, have a good time and dance.”

In recent years, he’s seen how the nightlife has gotten quieter and quieter on Lark Street and other places. He blames the city’s onerous cabaret law and “a group of 10 or 12 people in the neighborhood associations who want to ruin it for everyone and don’t want any commotion.”

“They want to gatekeep what happens around here,” says Nick, who also owns the Herbie’s Burgers location on Lark Street. “They would totally support a bar—if it was dead silent, if no customers came to it, if it didn't bring any traffic to the street.”

Albany’s cabaret law requires sign-off from no fewer than 7 different agencies before a restaurant or bar can host live entertainment. But the law is vague enough that it seems to give city officials room to selectively enforce it. This story in the Times Union suggests that places that attract Black patrons have been especially targeted.

Fortunately, several Common Council members are pushing to repeal the law. The council could take up the debate this month and approve a new law by the end of the year. Meanwhile, Nick is exploring legal action against the city.

We think the law could not be repealed any sooner. We need more awesome businesses like the Larkin to thrive. We need Lark Street and Peal Street to thrive.

“I went to see Nate Bargatze’s comedy show at the MVP,” Nick recalls. “There was a joke that was, like, ‘Albany seems like a nice place. When does it open?’ Which is funny, but we have these national narratives about the city that need to be changed.”

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🍕 Restaurant Roundup: Sadly, Tatu Tacos & Tequila in Troy is closing. Vintage Cafe in Johnstown reopens with new ownership. Wild Horse opens in Saratoga after $1.5 million in renovations. And have you tried the new Blu pizza concept at City Beer Hall? It’s so good 😋 

🏀 The MVP will not be hosting March Madness again 😥 The city will surely miss the excitement of the Sweet 16 and Elite 8, which brought big crowds and a boost to the local economy. Fortunately, the NCAA Division I Men's ice hockey championship will return in 2026, and the arena plans to bid for future events.

💰️ Say hello to the new 6-figure jobs in the Capital Region. The post-pandemic recovery sparked a surge in salaries that elevated these 11 occupations in the Albany area to over $100K. [Albany Business Review]

🥐 HEY, IT’S HENRY THE TOURISM GNOME!

This week, Henry the Tourism Gnome, our partner and tireless Capital Region ambassador, visited the Flour Bender Bakeshop, on 15 2nd Street in Troy.

Henry says: “The Flour Bender is downtown Troy's newest hotspot for coffee, tea and desserts. The bakeshop will feature a daily assortment of cookies, pastries, breads and cakes. For the soft opening this past week, it was heartwarming to see the owner's friends come from as far away as Maine to help set up and serve customers. The staff of the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall stopped by for food and drinks, plus a fellow ambassador from the Capital Region Chamber of Commerce dropped in for a delicious snack. The community showed up in a big way to support owner and head baker Luis Medina, a first-time entrepreneur, see his dream come true. Troy knows it takes a village!”

Follow Henry’s adventures around the Capital District on his socials: Facebook & Instagram. Visit Flour Bender for their grand opening this Saturday at 9 am!

⭐️ First Friday Albany on Lark Street | 5-7p, free. Several businesses along the walkable Lark Street corridor are joining First Friday this month. Personally, we plan to start with a “Dark Side of Center Square” tour, then take a stroll down Lark for all the pop-ups, and finish with a cocktail at Larkin Hi-Fi.

Also happening on First Friday: Live music at Opalka Gallery, art openings at Common Roots Brewing Co. and Lark Hall, a Harvest Festival in the Warehouse District, free admission at the Albany Institute of History & Art, and so much more! Check out the full lineup here.

⭐️ Capitol Hauntings Tour | 5:30p, free, Friday. Meet the dead presidents, eccentric artists, secret demons and other ghosts that haunt the halls of power at the State Capitol. The tour takes about an hour, but the creepy tales might haunt you forever. Reservations are not required for First Friday.

⭐️ Saratoga Hard Cider & Donut Festival | Sat, 2-8p, $30-43. Imagine a bar hop with 6 venues and fresh donuts to boot. Get your hard cider, hard seltzer, beer, shot specials and 1,000 donuts!

⭐️ Warrensburg Garage Sale | Thu-Sun, free. The Largest Garage Sale in the World is this weekend, and there will be plenty of treasures to be found.

⭐️ Fall Foliage Walk at Thacher Park | 1-2p, free, Sat. Enjoy the fall colors and stunning views of the Hudson Valley on this guided hike. And don’t miss our guide to incredible ways to see the fall foliage, which is nearing peak season.

🍁 MORE NOTABLE EVENTS

TODAY

“Seared” at theREP is a play centered around a hot-headed chef grappling with the age-old tension between art and commerce. Features live cooking on stage! The show ends on Sunday. Don’t miss our guide to theREP’s new season.

FRIDAY

It’s all about First Friday Albany. Check out the packed schedule of events here.

🐎 Silo Ridge Masters | All weekend, $10. Elite show jumping with international competition featuring Olympic level athletes and National classes for top juniors and amateur riders.

📚️ Saratoga Book Festival | All weekend, free. Tons of events for book-loving kids and adults.

SATURDAY

🍻 Hops on the Hill | 4-8p, $30. A fundraiser for the Bethlehem Area YMCA, the fest features tastings from local breweries and distilleries.

🧇 FunCycled Fall Festival | 10a-2p, free. Come down for waffles, crafts, lawn games and house tours. Free but tickets required.

🍁 Upstate NY Queer Fall Festival | 4-10p, Sat. Tix: $10 in advance, $15 at the door. It’s a big queer family fest with live bluegrass, hayrides, kids crafts, and drag story hour. Even your pups are welcome so long as they’re leashed.

🖼️ The Campus + The Brooklyn Rail Panel Discussion | 2:30-4:30p, free. If you missed the opening of The Campus, the very hip gallery fashioned out of an old high school in Hudson, this art talk is an excellent excuse to head down for the day.

🍺 Oktoberfest continues with events at Druthers in Clifton Park, Real McCoy Beer in Ballston Spa, and Elktoberfest at Clifton Park Elks Lodge.

SUNDAY

🥦 Albany VegFest | 11a-5p, donations accepted. Join fellow vegetarians and vegans to taste all manner of meatless goodies.

🎙️Graham Nash of Crosby, Stills and Nash takes the stage at The Egg for stories and music. Tix are still available.

🥁 LIVE MUSIC & MORE

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