Wild Wild Redgate

Nancy Dunkle and Ancient Spaceship rock Redgate’s penultimate show

Words by Sarah Dorval / Graphic by Lily Greco

On April 12, a crowd adorned in flannels, cowboy hats, and denim poured through the doors of Redgate for the beloved music venue’s second-to-last show. Though, ironically, no country music artists were in the building Friday night, Redgate’s increasingly hot temperatures transported the audience from the cold rains of Syracuse to the Wild West. Stellar performances from singer-songwriter Nancy Dunkle and band Ancient Spaceship made for a night that will not soon be forgotten – even after Redgate’s doors have closed for the final time.

Kicking off the night was Nancy Dunkle, indie artist and SU music student. In 2022, Dunkle released her first single “Poster Child,” which gained over 5,000 streams. It’s no surprise that her sound, similar to that of Lizzy McAlpine or Clairo, has garnered a number of fans. Her smooth vocals and intense emotions combine to give Dunkle an undeniable spark, especially on stage.

At this show, Dunkle was joined by a live performance band as well as backup singer Catherine Cosenza. Cosenza’s vocals were the perfect complement to Dunkle, with her harmonies adding depth to the performance. As the first-song jitters wore off, Dunkle got lost in the music and transported the crowd along with her. Her performance of “Poster Child” had the crowd jumping, dancing, and yelling the lyrics along with her. Even those who did not know the words couldn’t help but get lost in the energy of both Dunkle’s song and the crowd. A highlight of Dunkle’s set was her rendition of “Creep” by Radiohead. A contrasting style and sound to the rest of her song choices, “Creep” was a showstopper that earned deafening cheers from the audience.

Following Dunkle was psychedelic rock band Ancient Spaceship, giving the crowd a taste of a completely different genre. The Buffalo, New York band consists of Stone Camillo on bass and vocals, Dale Wesolowski on lead guitar, Patrick Santora on drums/percussion, and John Webster on rhythm guitar. Ancient Spaceship began releasing music in 2020 and they have not stopped since, with their new album Words For Fun debuting just one day after their Redgate performance.

Ancient Spaceship’s earworm tune “Lets Dance” was a favorite of the night, giving the unknowing crowd a teaser of their album to come. While Camillo’s vocals were impressive, even more impressive was the band’s ability to engage the audience even without the use of lyrics. At times during their set, Ancient Spaceship would step away from the constraints of their songs and just jam together. There was an unspoken yet unmistakable flow between each member of the band, and the crowd could not get enough of their sound.

Though each performance had opposing styles, both Nancy Dunkle and Ancient Spaceship kept the crowd singing and dancing all night long. Redgate’s time may be over, but this show was a definite wild, wild send off.