On the surface, Palenville seems a tiny, sleepy rural town, but it used to be a hotspot of rural badassery. There were seedy bars, recording studios, drug-fueled party spots, an underground scene of musicians and artists, and a run-down strip club colloquially referred to as ‘Ace of Chubs’.
Most of that is gone now, but the kings of the area’s music scene are making their triumphant return after a nearly decade-long hibernation. Voodelic returns to the stage at Keegan Ales this Saturday, bringing with them a gumbo of blues-tinged hard rock, funky R&B and a generous dose of psychedelia.
Voodelic is a cultural artifact of Palenville circa 2003, a sister band of sorts to Spin Cycle Lava, another theatrical psychedelic hard rock act from the area. Frontman Little Earl (also known for his work in the more metallic Shadow Witch), will writhe on stage like a bearded, barefoot hard rock messiah from a cult deep in the Catskills as an all-star lineup of longtime locals pound loud, danceable grooves to shake the dance floor. The band is composed of musical veterans who continue to bring youthful energy to their performances. Nothing less will do for the ‘Voo.