By: Penny Piper

There are nights you go to a show… and then there are nights where something a little bigger sneaks in. Last Friday, May 1st at Slidin’ Dirty was one of those nights.

It was billed simply as “Ryan Dempsey and Friends”. Casual. Understated. Almost suspiciously so. Because the “friends” turned out to be none other than Twiddle—together again on a stage in the 518 for the first time since their hiatus in late 2023. Yeah… that kind of surprise.

Ryan Dempsey, Mihali, Zdenek Gubb, with Kito Bovenschulte and Adrian Tramontano sharing the drums—standing there like no time had passed at all. You could feel it instantly. The room was lit!

The first thing I noticed wasn’t even the music. It was the smiles. Real ones. Everywhere. People hugging, dancing, locking eyes like “can you believe this is happening?” It hit me right there—this band makes people happy. That’s their whole thing. No overthinking it.

And on stage? Same deal. The way they were vibing with each other… it wasn’t forced, it wasn’t nostalgic—it was alive, it was magic. They looked like they belonged there. Like they missed it. Like they’ve known each other over lifetimes.

I’m still relatively new to Twiddle, but I get it now. Fully. There’s something in their sound that leans into what I can only call a kind of radical optimism. Yeah, maybe even a little “toxic positivity” if you want to joke about it—but honestly? We could all use some of that right now. Especially when it comes wrapped in lyrics that don’t ignore the hard stuff. Mihali has that thing—he meets you in the mess and then gently pulls you out of it. I’ve heard fans say “Mihali saved my life,” and after feeling that energy in the room… I’m not questioning it.

The night opened in the most unexpected way possible—with a full-on reading of the children’s book, Goodnight Moon. I’m standing there nearly in tears, because I used to read that to my son every night. Mihali holding the book, Ryan absolutely performing it (yes, there was a blow dryer involved)… it was weird, nostalgic, hilarious, and somehow perfect.

From there, it just kept building. The setlist? Dialed. Like someone saw my car playlist and reached right in and said, “yeah, we got you.” Radiohead, Pixies, Tracy Chapman, Phish, Grateful Dead, and TWIDDLE! 

When Emma Derhak hit the stage—everything shifted again. She owned it. “Give Me One Reason”? Nailed. “Creep”? Chills. The way she moves, the way she delivers—it’s effortless and powerful at the same time. You couldn’t look away. She’s the daughter of Moe’s very own, Rob Derhak, and yeah… that lineage checks out. He’s gotta be proud. Big time.

And just when I thought I had emotionally peaked… those opening notes of Harry Hood rang out.

Game over.

As a self-proclaimed “Phish kid”, I lost it. The entire place did. Instant eruption. Full get-down. One of those moments where the crowd becomes the band for a minute.

And the encore? Shakedown Street.

Come on.

If you were looking for signs… yeah, it felt like one. Is Twiddle back? I’m not here to confirm anything officially—but I’ll say this: it felt like something was happening.

Before all of that magic, the night kicked off with Shannon Roy and the Boys—and I need to talk about this.

Darryl Kniffen on drums, Tony Califano on keys, Matt Steckler on sax, Jeremy Waltz on guitar, Stevie Dillard on bass… locked in. Tight, expressive, dialed. But Shannon? She’s the gravitational pull.

This was my first time seeing her live and I was completely locked in from the first note. She doesn’t just perform—she commands the room. There’s this intoxicating energy she carries that pulls you right in and holds you there. And then you find out she’s a military veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and it all clicks—there’s depth there, grit, presence. She’s the real deal.

Her originals are captivating, her covers lean into something darker, more haunting—and then she closes it out with Killing in the Name Of. Absolute chaos in the best way. The whole place was in it.

And all of this went down at one of Troy’s newest spots, Slidin’ Dirty, owned by Tim Taney and Shane Spellinger. Restaurant by day, full-on music venue by night—and they’re doing it right.

The space is big, open, and somehow still feels intimate. Food available all night at the walk-up counter, two bars running smooth, packed house with zero chaos. No lines, no stress—just flow. The staff was on point across the board.

It’s not easy to create a space that feels both exciting and welcoming, but they nailed it.

And that’s the thing about this whole night—it just worked. The music, the people, the surprises, the energy. One of those rare, electric combinations that reminds you exactly why you show up in the first place.

If you were there, you know.

If you weren’t… well, keep your eyes open. Something tells me this wasn’t a one-off.

Ryan Dempsey & Friends (feat. Twiddle)
with Shannon Roy & The Boys
Slidin’ Dirty — Troy, NY
May 1, 2026

Shannon Roy & The Boys

Set:
Jack, Little By Little, River’s Edge, Welcome Home, In the Pines*, Devil Sent You Down, 2AM, White Rabbit**, Whipping Post***, After Midnight****

Encore:
Killing in the Name Of*****

* Traditional (popularized by Lead Belly / Nirvana)
** Jefferson Airplane cover
*** The Allman Brothers Band cover
**** J.J. Cale cover
***** Rage Against the Machine cover

Ryan Dempsey & Friends (feat. Twiddle)

Set 1:
Piano Goodnight Moon, Syncopated Healing, The Harder They Come*, Give Me One Reason**, Where Is My Mind***, Imagine****, Every Soul, Every Last Leaf

Set 2:
Matrix, Mamunes the Fawn, Cabbage Face, Creep^, Smells Like Teen Spirit^^, Jamflowman^^^, Harry Hood^^^^, Lost in the Cold^^^

Encore:
Shakedown Street^^^^^

* Jimmy Cliff cover
** Tracy Chapman cover; w/ Emma Dashek
*** Pixies cover
**** John Lennon cover
^ Radiohead cover; w/ Emma Dashek
^^ Nirvana cover
^^^ w/ Adrian Tramontano
^^^^ Phish cover; w/ Adrian Tramontano
^^^^^ Grateful Dead cover