Article Contributed by Jamie Huenefeld
Published on 2026-09-28
Capitol Theatre 100th Anniversary | September 19, 2026 | Photos by Jamie Huenefeld/Killahwave and videos by Vinny Vallely
The 100th anniversary party at the The Capitol Theatre started on the sidewalk before a single note was played on Saturday, September 19, 2026. Located in Port Chester, NY, Mayor Luis Marino and Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins read two special proclamations honoring the occasion and named the day "Capitol Theatre Day." Nearly every performer on the bill came out front for the ceremony. The moment felt genuinely special, and the gathering set the tone for an evening where the building was the guest of honor.
The Cap opened in 1926 as a vaudeville and movie palace. By the early '70s, the theater had become one of the great rock rooms in the country, and Peter Shapiro brought the venue roaring back to life in 2012.
Inside, after the proclamation, Marc Brownstein of The Disco Biscuits spun records in Garcia's as DJ Brownie while the crowd filtered in.
The first band on the main stage had arguably the deepest claim to the room. BERTHA: Grateful Drag is a Nashville collective billed as the world's first all-drag Grateful Dead tribute. The group came together after Tennessee lawmakers moved against public drag performances, and every show since has doubled as a benefit for LGBTQ+ causes. That mission sits at the heart of the project, and this band did not lean on wigs and sequins to carry the set. Incidentally, they all have cute stage names that reference Bertha.
BERTHA opened with "Help on the Way" > "Slipknot!" > "Franklin's Tower." Our videographer Vinny Vallely filmed a short of "Franklin's Tower" that truly captured the energy. From the first notes, the band showed that this was something beyond a regular Grateful Dead cover band. Rather than simply recreating the Dead's versions, the septet explored inside the songs and made them their own.
Their namesake "Bertha" followed, which carried real weight in this room. The Grateful Dead debuted the song at The Capitol Theatre on February 18, 1971, which opened the first night of a six-show run. The Dead also premiered "Wharf Rat," "Playing in the Band," "Loser," and "Greatest Story Ever Told" that same night. More than fifty-five years later, a band named after the song played "Bertha" on the very stage where the tune was born.
The vocals were on point the entire set. Melody Walker aka Daddy Bertha and Caitlin Doyle aka Mommy Bertha are both seriously strong singers, with the former having won a Grammy alongside Sierra Ferrell. The band's signature stacked harmonies gave "Samson and Delilah" and "It's All Over Now" real muscle. Check out the video clip above of "Samson and Deliah" by the talented Vallely. "That's It for the Other One" opened up the most adventurous stretch of the set before settling into "Wharf Rat," the second song of the night with a Cap birth certificate. Guitarist Mike Wheeler aka Baby Bertha truly shined on the ballad.
The closer, "Turn On Your Love Light," brought the theatrics fully into play. Mama Bertha and Daddy Bertha both wore lights around their waists that beamed straight into the crowd. A clip of this creative sequence by Vallely is featured above. The song's title became a stage direction, and the front rows turned into a sea of lit-up faces. When the last chorus faded, the verdict was easy. This band found deep grooves and tasty pockets with ease, coupled with stellar vocals. Their costumes were playfully colorful and their attitudes were equally as fun. They are truly an absolute must-see for any fan of the Grateful Dead.
Between sets, Shapiro returned to the stage alongside former owner Marvin Ravikoff. The two shared stories as a birthday cake glowed with candles. The Cap's giant squirrel mascot made an appearance for good measure. Seeing the theater's past and present stewards side by side was one of the special highlights of a very fun night.
Pink Talking Fish followed and brought a wild set two. They built a strong musical career by combining Pink Floyd, Talking Heads, and Phish. For this night, the band set that formula aside to play songs drawn from artists who had previously played the Capitol Theatre. The core lineup featured Eric Gould on bass, Cal Kehoe on guitar, Richard James and Stephen Learson on keys, and Zack Burwick on drums. The Gotham Horns joined for much of the night, with Matt Wayne and Greg Sanderson on saxophone and Gershon Rosen on trumpet. Vocalists Sammi Garett and Kanika Moore rounded out the ensemble. Beyond that core, the lineup changed from song to song.
The set began with "The Star-Spangled Banner," the first music ever played in the building when the doors opened in 1926. The core band and the Gotham Horns handled the anthem as confetti rained over the crowd. A breakneck medley of Yes's "I've Seen All Good People," The James Gang's "Funk #49," Chicago's "25 or 6 to 4," and The Kinks' "Lola" followed. Cotter Ellis of Goose, Vinnie Amico of moe., and Alex Petropulos of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong joined on percussion. Garett and Moore sang backup, and the horns stepped in on "Funk #49."
Andy Frasco grabbed the mic next for KISS's "Rock and Roll All Nite" and Three Dog Night's "Never Been to Spain." The horns, the three percussionists, Garett, and Moore backed him on both songs. Frasco rewrote the "Spain" lyrics to sing about The Capitol Theatre. The same lineup, minus Frasco, moved into "Space Captain," a Joe Cocker and Mad Dogs & Englishmen staple. A chorus of "Feelin' Alright" found a way into the song before the end.
Moore took lead vocals on Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit," with Learson alone on keys. Santana's "Soul Sacrifice" became a percussion summit. Ellis sat behind a second drum kit, Amico and Petropulos added percussion, and James handled keys on his own. The stage then cleared for Garett, who sang Janis Joplin's "Mercedes-Benz" solo. Incidentally, Joplin performed the song on this same stage in August 1970.
Jeremy Kaplan of Dogs In A Pile took lead vocals and flute on a mashup of Jethro Tull's "Locomotive Breath" and Pink Floyd's "Interstellar Overdrive." His flute work proved just how talented he is. Kaplan stayed on flute for Frank Zappa's "Peaches en Regalia," and was joined by the horns and Ellis on percussion.
Al Schnier of moe. and Robert Randolph arrived on guitar and pedal steel for The Allman Brothers Band's "Whipping Post." Amico played a second drum kit, while Ellis and Petropulos covered percussion. Schnier and Randolph stayed for a ravishing version of Derek and the Dominos' "Layla," with Amico on the second kit, Ellis on percussion, and Garett and Moore on backing vocals. Comedian Mike Finoia followed on an empty stage with a stand-up routine that doubled as a tribute to George Carlin, another longtime Cap regular, and served as the set break.
The back half reached further into the venue's modern era. Bob Dylan christened the renovated room in 2012, and the band answered with "Like a Rolling Stone." Kehoe played harmonica, Frasco moved to keys, the horns returned, and Garett added tambourine. Greg Ormont of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong stepped out front on guitar and lead vocals for The Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter." View the clip above of this iconic sequence recorded by Vallely. Petropulos took over the drums from Burwick, while Amico and Karina Rykman played percussion and the horns filled out the arrangement. Moore delivered the song's famous vocal break, with Garett singing backup.
Ormont and Petropulos stayed for Blues Traveler's "100 Years," a fitting choice for the occasion. Kehoe switched to acoustic guitar, Amico played percussion, Wayne played saxophone, and Learson handled keys alone. Garett and Moore sang backup. A second medley opened with Steely Dan's "Bodhisattva," featuring the horns, Kaplan on trombone, Petropulos on percussion, and Garett and Moore on backing vocals. The same crew rolled into Funkadelic's "Standing on the Verge of Getting It On," this time with Moore on lead vocals. The B-52s' "Love Shack" closed out the medley with the horns, Kaplan on trombone, and Garett and Moore on vocals.
During Herbie Hancock's "Rockit," James and Learson came out from behind their rigs to battle on keytar front and center. Petropulos added percussion, and a "Pop Goes the Weasel" tease snuck into the jam. Kehoe followed alone on acoustic guitar for "Black Hole Sun," which was an inspiring nod to Chris Cornell. Kehoe crushed the song and vocals, seen here in this emotional video by Vallely.
Brendan Bayliss of Umphrey's McGee made his entrance on acoustic guitar for the Indigo Girls' "Closer to Fine." The stripped-down lineup featured only Rykman on bass, Amico on tambourine, and Garett and Moore on vocals. Phish's "Divided Sky" delivered the night's biggest spectacle, where once again Kehoe absolutely slayed. View the video below shot perfectly by Vallely. Ormont introduced the song as a ringmaster, speaking in verse over the melody of "Esther." Aerialist Brenna Bradbury then twisted on silks above the band while James played keys alone.
Schnier took guitar and lead vocals on Wilco's "I'm the Man Who Loves You," with Bayliss on acoustic guitar, the horns, and James alone on keys. Bayliss moved to electric guitar and lead vocals for My Morning Jacket's "I'm Amazed." Rykman played bass, Ellis replaced Burwick on drums, Petropulos added percussion, and Garett and Moore sang backup.
Jane's Addiction's "Mountain Song" brought the biggest lineup shuffle of the night. Garett took lead vocals, and Brownstein stepped in for Gould on bass alongside Rykman. Kaplan replaced James and Learson on keys, while Bayliss played guitar and Petropulos added percussion. A "War Pigs" tease slipped into the jam.
Ormont was the star of the show. His turn as Ziggy Stardust with Frasco during David Bowie's "All the Young Dudes" was the most memorable moment of the night. Both singers came out in full Ziggy makeup, backed by the horns along with Garett and Moore on backing vocals. The room went wild. REO Speedwagon's "Roll with the Changes" closed the marathon set with Bayliss on guitar, the horns, Kaplan on trombone, Amico and Petropulos on percussion, and Garett and Moore on vocals.
The encore opened with Traffic's "Dear Mr. Fantasy," featuring nearly every guest of the night. Amico played a second drum kit, while Ellis, Petropulos, and Frasco handled percussion. Schnier and Bayliss played acoustic guitars, Randolph returned on pedal steel, and Rykman played bass. The horns and Kaplan on trombone filled out the sound, with Moore on vocals and Garett on backup. The song gave way to a "Hey Jude" outro. Balloons dropped from the ceiling as the full cast, including three members of BERTHA, crowded the stage for one last singalong.
BERTHA will take a short break before getting back on the road. The band will head east to open an October run at the 9:30 Club in Washington, DC (Oct. 8). A pair of Brooklyn Bowl nights will follow, first at Brooklyn Bowl in Brooklyn, NY (Oct. 10) and then at Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia in Philadelphia, PA (Oct. 11). True to the project's mission, most stops will double as benefits, supporting partners from Twin Cities Pride in Minneapolis to SMYAL in Washington.
From there, the fall run will wind through New England with stops in Norwalk, CT (Oct. 13), Providence, RI (Oct. 15), Boston, MA (Oct. 16), and Portland, ME (Oct. 17). November will bring the band south to Chattanooga, TN (Nov. 5) and a hometown celebration, BERTHA's Big Ass Barn Dance, at Eastside Bowl in Madison, TN (Nov. 7). The gang will then travel to California for Solana Beach, CA (Nov. 18), Los Angeles, CA (Nov. 19), and San Francisco, CA (Nov. 21), where the band will take over the Castro Theatre. Two nights at Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom in Denver, CO (Dec. 4-5) will close out the year. Looking ahead to 2027, a Pacific Northwest leg is already on the books, with stops in Medford, OR (March 17), Portland, OR (March 19), and Seattle, WA (March 20). Hop on over to BERTHA's tour page for more details about these dates and more.
Check out more photos from BERTHA: Grateful Drag and Capitol Theatre 100th Anniversary.
Location: Port Chester, NY
Venue: The Capitol Theatre
Date: September 19, 2026
Band: BERTHA: Grateful Drag
Set One: Help on the Way > Slipknot! > Franklin's Tower, Bertha[1], Samson and Delilah, It's All Over Now, That's It for the Other One > Wharf Rat > Turn On Your Love Light
Band: Pink Talking Fish as The Centennial Band
Set One: The Star-Spangled Banner[1], I've Seen All Good People > Funk #49 > 25 or 6 to 4, Lola > Rock and Roll All Nite[2], Never Been to Spain[2], Space Captain[3], White Rabbit[4], Soul Sacrifice[5], Mercedes-Benz[6], Locomotive Breath/Interstellar Overdrive[7], Peaches en Regalia, Whipping Post[8], Layla[8], Like a Rolling Stone, Gimme Shelter[9], 100 Years[9], Bodhisattva > Standing on the Verge of Getting It On[4] > Love Shack, Rockit[10], Black Hole Sun[11], Closer to Fine[12], Divided Sky[13], I'm the Man Who Loves You[14], I'm Amazed[15], Mountain Song[16], All the Young Dudes[17], Roll with the Changes[15]
Encore: Dear Mr. Fantasy > Hey Jude (outro)[18]
Notes:
The Gotham Horns (Matt Wayne, Greg Sanderson, Gershon Rosen) and vocalists Sammi Garett and Kanika Moore appeared for much of the set.
[1] Confetti drop
[2] with Andy Frasco on lead vocals; "Never Been to Spain" lyrics changed to The Capitol Theatre
[3] Joe Cocker/Mad Dogs & Englishmen; with "Feelin' Alright" lyrics
[4] Kanika Moore on lead vocals
[5] with Cotter Ellis on second drum kit and Vinnie Amico and Alex Petropulos on percussion
[6] Sammi Garett solo
[7] with Jeremy Kaplan on lead vocals and flute
[8] with Al Schnier on guitar and Robert Randolph on pedal steel
[9] with Greg Ormont on guitar and lead vocals
[10] Richard James and Stephen Learson on keytars; "Pop Goes the Weasel" tease
[11] Cal Kehoe solo on acoustic guitar
[12] Brendan Bayliss, Karina Rykman, Vinnie Amico, Sammi Garett, and Kanika Moore only
[13] with Greg Ormont as ringmaster and aerialist Brenna Bradbury
[14] with Al Schnier on guitar and vocals and Brendan Bayliss on acoustic guitar
[15] with Brendan Bayliss on guitar (lead vocals on "I'm Amazed")
[16] Sammi Garett on lead vocals; Marc Brownstein and Karina Rykman on bass; "War Pigs" tease
[17] with Andy Frasco and Greg Ormont on vocals, both in Ziggy Stardust makeup
[18] Full ensemble with Robert Randolph on pedal steel; three members of BERTHA joined on vocals; balloon drop
