Every area has its own type of music scene, and its own type of venues to go with it. For the past decade or so, I’ve been living just south of the Adirondack state park, and here, we’re blessed with a wonderful variety of music spots, from bars to listening rooms to outdoor events in the warm summer months. But one of my favorite places I’ve played in the area is The Depot taproom for Argyle Brewing Company in Cambridge, New York. And alas, as of this month, they’ve unfortunately shuttered the location.
Ask anyone who’s played The Depot stage, and they’ll likely have some story about why it was such an enjoyable experience. The thing about The Depot — and David Van Pelt, the guy who turned it into such a hopping music spot over the years — is that it was a welcome venue not just for local music, but for original local music. One of the few in the area where you were more likely to get eyes glazing over if you played a typical bar cover set than if you played some weird, experimental, interesting music that came straight from the heart.
I don’t know the details for why The Depot closed down. But I do know that I’ll miss it. And, last month, I was lucky enough to play one last show there on the winter solstice, along with two other amazing acts: Northern Borne and Shannon Tehya & the Troupe. And man…it was a blast.
The vibe at that show was amazing — you could just tell that everyone who was there was there to celebrate the venue, the acts, and the wonderful times we’ve all shared at the Depot. I’m extremely grateful that David reached out to me to come back to the stage there one last time before they closed their doors for good.
I have a lot of fond memories of the Depot. I first played there back in early 2019, and have returned many times in almost five years since. On account of it being such a welcoming space for interesting, eclectic music, I’ve debuted several new originals on the stage there. It’s also the first venue where I tried my hand at performing some of the tunes by the late, great Michael Hedges. And beyond the musicians, it was also always wonderful to see some of the regulars who made it a point to come to the shows there — even some who made it a point to come to my shows there, specifically. I treasure getting to meet them and talk with them at the Depot. As I said, lots of fond memories.
So I wanted to take a minute here on the blog to raise a proverbial glass to the Depot and to David. It’s a shame to see a venue which was such a huge part of the local community shutter, and I hope that one day, it finds some way to return.
The show on the solstice was also the first time I’ve performed out live since my vocal injury, which I talked about in last week’s blog post. I had a really great time there, playing some old originals, some new originals, and some covers by the likes of Hedges, Andy McKee, and Amos Lee. If you’re curious what the set was like, the Toolbelt Jedis published a really wonderful review of the show. Here’s a bit about my set to whet the appetite:
“First off, his vocals are spot on. From low to high in a nano-second and with full control chirruping like a bird or growling like a wolf. Flashing impeccable coordination and fretboard mastery, he played several imaginative instrumentals with his hands all over the neck; string tapping, harmonics, slides, sweeps, hammering, glass slide, body banging, plectrum, finger picking, strumming, and he deployed just about every tuning strategy there is – by ear. That might not have been noticeable to everyone but Shows sure got it and appreciated it. You might think he had a looper going, but no, this was all practice and determination. He fits in the category of one man band but with just one instrument.”
Pretty damn nice! And in addition to reviewing local gigs, Shows of the Toolbelt Jedis is also a mean bass player. That night he performed with Northern Borne, and it was a pleasure to listen to him hold down the rhythm and walk the fretboard during the bluegrass band’s set.
The final gig at the Depot was one for the books. I’m glad to have taken part in it, and as we roll into 2025, I’m thinking a lot about the venues I’ve spent time at over the years — and those I’d still like to visit. Here’s to all those good times spent at the Depot, and all those still ahead. See you on the road. — D
Dan DeVita 
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