This week we celebrate one of the true icons in the jazz world on his 100th birthday. Make plans to join us this Wednesday, September 23 starting at 4pm for an evening of John Coltrane during our first edition of WAX: essential albums played in full hifi. Coltrane's work permanently reshaped the language, ambition, and purpose of music. We will spin select vinyl albums from his legendary catalogue as one long thread with the needle dropping when our doors open at 4pm until we close. ALBUM SELECTIONS : A Love Supreme - The Complete Masters (Stereo) - 50th Anniversary Edition - Original remastered album plus The Quartet Session and The Sextet Sessions Blue Train - The Complete Masters (Stereo) - Blue Note Tone Poet Stereo Edition - Cut from the original analogue master tape by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio - Includes seven alternate and incomplete takes Giant Steps - (Stereo) - Cut from the flat master tape Soultrane - (Mono) - Cut from the original analogue masters by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio Miles Davis & John Coltrane The Final Tour: Paris, March 21, 1960 - Mastered from the Producers’ Archives by Mark Wilder at Battery Studios ABOUT THIS EXPERIENCE - Seating for this listening session will be available starting at 4pm. - Albums will be played back-to-back as one long thread from open to close. - Coltrane inspired cocktail menu. - “Get Happy” Hour 4:00p-6:00p with nicely priced cocktails, wine by the glass and draft beer selections. - Alla Spina is a designed space with attention to detail when it comes to sound quality and listening experiences. Our room was stripped down to brick and concrete and then rebuilt with sound in mind utilizing specialized audio acoustical insulation, ceiling tiles, wall panels, and bass traps. Our pro audio HIFi system delivers crystal-clear audiofile-quality sound from a considered system that cares for every aspect of sound reproduced from the live performances by artists, musicians, and vinyl DJs.
UPDATE: TONIGHT'S PERFORMANCE WILL BE HELD INDOORS IN ALLA SPINA AT HIWAY DUE TO AIR QUALITY ALERT. Join us for an evening drippin’ in rich harmony vocals with acoustic powerhouse Honey Pie! PLEASE NOTE - FOR THIS EXPERIENCE PURCHASE THE NUMBER OF TICKETS FOR THE TOTAL NUMBER OF GUESTS YOU WISH TO SIT WITH. TABLE AVAILABILITY AND SEATING ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE BASED ON YOUR TOTAL TICKET PURCHASE. WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SEAT TWO SEPARATE TICKET PURCHASES TOGETHER AT THE SAME TABLE. ABOUT HONEY PIE Honey Pie is a spirited acoustic trio from State College, PA, blending rock, pop, Americana, and roots music into a harmony-rich, high-energy sound. The trio is comprised of singer Molly Countermine (keyboard, vocals), Rene Witzke (bass, vocals), and Sam Christensen (guitar, vocals). ABOUT THIS EXPERIENCE Show time is 7pm. Seating for this show will be available starting at 4pm. PLEASE NOTE In the event of inclement weather, this evening’s performance will move inside to Alla Spina at HiWay. One ticket purchase is valid for one guest only entrance. Check in is located at the entrance Alla Spina at HiWay. Day-of tickets can be purchased online up to 1 hours prior to the event. After that tickets may be available at the door if not sold out prior. Walk-ins are welcome as long as the event is not sold out prior. Some seats have partial views. Sorry, bambini - this is a 21+ only event. All guests planning to consume alcohol must present a valid government-issued ID to verify they are 21 or older. For any questions, please contact us at hiway@dantesinc.com.
From $12 / person
Catch a mean case of the blues on PSU Homecoming Saturday, September 26th when State College legends Triple A Blues band returns to our listening lounge here in Alla Spina at HiWay. It’s gonna sound fantastic! ABOUT TRIPLE A BLUES Chicago, Swing, Delta, Jug-Band, Jazz and Soul are some of the many styles that The Triple A Blues Band brings to each performance. Named in honor of the many minor-league baseball teams that barnstorm the country, the band continues that tradition, playing not for glory or wealth, but for the love of the game. Anchored by guitarist Andy Tolins' mastery of the fretboard and deep vocals, Triple A has been slamming home runs with original and eclectic Blues since 1991. Featuring Bill Besecker on vocals, JT Thompson on keyboards, Tom "Mugsy" Gallagher on Alto Saxophone, Robert Gardner on bass , and Stubby on drums. The Triple A Blues Band's first CD, Highwater, won first prize in the Billboard/Musician Magazines' "Best Unsigned Band Competition" for best song writing and musicianship. The band is in top form as it winds its way through a world of blues styles, from the brooding "Highwater" to the jugband-blues sound of "Biscuits." They perform swing, old folk blues, electric blues, and blues standards. Triple A's second release, Pork Chop Money, displays more of the band's unique sound and songs. The title track, Pork Chop Money, is a story of a billiards tournament and the characters in the world of pool hustling. “High Water was always going to be a hard act to follow, but Pork Chop Money manages to maintain the streak" says Gordon Baxter from Blues On Stage. They opened in larger venues for blues mainstays such as Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown, the late Johnny 'Clyde' Copeland, Buddy Guy, Tinsley Ellis, Derek Trucks, and Luther "Guitar Jr." Johnson. They perform with national acts and at regional festivals and clubs throughout Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, and New Jersey.
From $12 / person
O'zapft is! Oktoberfest season is in full swing here at Alla Spina and we’re trilled to welcome our pals The Bavarian Stompers to help us celebrate! We’ll have over a dozen festbiers on tap. You know we got the OG historic breweries on as well as some highlighted American craft standouts. We’ll also showcase a few different style variations inside of the festbier style family. ABOUT THE BAVARIAN STOMPERS We put the Oom, and the Pah, and more, into parties! We are an 8-piece band that plays authentic music just like in the big tents at Oktoberest in Munich! From traditional to pop tunes, we play it all. Based in State College for over 35 years.
From $7 / person
JJazz returns to Alla Spina at HiWay when we welcome back the Rich Hirsch 3 for another entertaining performance in our listening lounge on Saturday, October 3rd at 7:00pm. Rick Hirsch and Bob Hart will be joined be special guest pianist Kirk Reese. Elizabethtown-based Kirk Reese is one of the top piano players in Pennsylvania. His musical resources are vast, he's got a great sense of humor, and is always swinging. ABOUT RICK HIRSCH 3Rick Hirsch is an artistic leader in Central Pennsylvania, highly regarded regionally and nationwide as a saxophonist, composer, arranger, conductor and jazz educator. Hirsch has performed with dozens of legendary musicians including Tito Puente, Max Roach, Phil Woods, Clark Terry, Jeff Coffin, Louie Bellson, Paquito D’Rivera, both Dorsey bands, the Temptations and the Four Tops. He has written over 800 compositions and arrangements for Yusef Lateef, the Yellowjackets, Eddie Henderson, BlueNote vocalist Jackie Allen, the Penn State Blue Band (25 years of halftime shows and counting!) and countless others worldwide. Finally, Hirsch is a beloved saxophone teacher and the founding director of the Fraser Street Saxes, a State College-based ensemble for high school and middle school saxophonists.Bassist Bob Hart has toured and recorded with Kat Edmondson, Debbie Harry, Van Dyke Parks, and many others. On the local scene he’s a member of the Zeropoint Big Band, Pure Cane Sugar, and is musical director of Orchestra Mi Amor. Kirk Reese began his formal musical training at the age of five. He has studied with pianists Cedar Walton and former John Cage protege Ron Thomas, jazz guitarists and theorists Pat Martino and Steve Giordano. He attended Elizabethtown College and Global University/Berean School of the Bible. Mr. Reese has served on the faculty at Elizabethtown College and has performed clinics and seminars at Swarthmore College, Albright College, Gettysburg,York, and Elizabethtown Colleges to name a few. His involvement in Arts in Education earned him national recognition in 1996, through the Leonard Bernstein Center, as an innovator in arts infusion education. He has performed with such notables as legendary saxophonist Phil Woods, Blues Brothers saxophonist Lou Marini, and German violinist Jorg Widmoser. He has performed with the Harrisburg Symphony and has composed works ranging from solo piano to symphony orchestra pieces. Mr. Reese has played on countless recordings including "The Reese Project: Blue Etude",which received a Grammy nomination in 2002. ABOUT THIS EXPERIENCE Show time is 7pm. Seating for this show will be available starting at 4pm.
From $10 / person
Get schooled on some tasty whiskey and bourbon selections during this installment of our Study Hall series. This evening we’ll explore a few expressions from Wild Turkey Distillery. Guests will receive a crash course on whiskey & bourbon as well as learning Wild Turkey’s story and history. Delve into the craftsmanship behind each and every expression from this legendary brand, all while savoring up to 5 distinct Wild Turkey selections. The flight will be complimented by a hand-crafted welcome cocktail. This Study Hall will be lead by Alla Spina’s JP Mills; Doug Seng, Area Manager (Western PA) Paramount Division for Southern Wine & Spirits; and Ryan Rotell from Southern Wine & Spirits. ABOUT THIS EXPERIENCE Ticket/Reservation fee includes welcome cocktail and 3-pour Wild Turkey Featured Flight. Featured Flight - Wild Turkey Bourbon, Wild Turkey Rare Breed, Wild Turkey 101 Rye Extra Credit Pour(s) - Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit, Wild Turkey Jimmy Russell Diamond Anniversary (“extra credit” pours are optional add-on purchases). Flight will be a guided tutored tasting lead by hosts for the evening. Pay-as you-go cocktail menu available for the evening featuring Wild Turkey.
From $30 / person
Thursday, October 8th brings some good ole Pennsylvania alternative folk and a little Americana vibes to our listening lounge here at Alla Spina. We welcome Nate “Quickdraw” Cutshall and Coltt Winter Lepley to the stage. ABOUT NATE CUTSHALL Nate Cutshall is a harmonica-slinger, guitar-picker, and songsmith from central Pennsylvania. He has been racking up miles on the odometer chasing the next gig as an independent musician for more than a decade with nothing more than a do-it-yourself ethos and a stubbornly optimistic outlook. This perspective informs his stories of struggle, failure, love, redemption, triumph, and an ever-present sense of good humor—lit at the core by a glimmer of hope that can be found even in life’s bleakest moments. He has been a longtime member of the country-junk supergiant Ma’aM, and the leader of the homespun alt-folk band The Scrapplers. As a hired gun harmonica player, he has played and toured nationally with folks like Olivia-Ellen Lloyd and Red McAdam. He also builds and repairs harmonicas in his downtime, informed by an apprenticeship with global harmonica tech legend Richard Sleigh. ABOUT COLTT WINTER LEPLEY Coltt Winter Lepley is an Appalachian folksinger/songwriter from Bedford, Pennsylvania. Coltt’s a published poet, author, folklorist, and former racecar driver who has taken his stories on the road as a touring musician. His highly anticipated and long-awaited recording debut released in July 2025, a self-titled EP, “Coltt Winter Lepley.” The project was produced by Al Torrence at Music Garden Studios north of Pittsburgh, PA. Al Torrence, and other members from The Allegheny High (the band that plays on Charles Wesley Godwin’s albums and live efforts) including Amico Demuzio, Nate Catanzarite, Joe Pinchotti III, as well as Pittsburgh musicians Justin Long and Alan Getto, helped to form the sound around Coltt’s storytelling in his first studio effort. He opens show with: “Hello, folks. Coltt Winter Lepley here. Coltt like the horse but with two t’s. Winter like the season. Lepley like myself.” Referred to as “Bedford’s poet laureate,” Coltt’s songs weave traditional folk elements with the literary storytelling to form an amalgamation of something akin to “Sam Stone” meets Wuthering Heights. Coltt averages nearly 200 shows year across the country from Wyoming to Massachusetts to Tennessee. Armed with his comedic crowd work and songs of cowboys, sailors, prostitutes, and preachers, as well as his own life, Coltt has travelled the country carving out a cult-like following. From these efforts, Coltt has played Americanafest, SXSW, Club Passim, Sweetwater, Club Cafe, The Knickerbocker, Waynestock, Bottlerocket, Rose Arts Fest Connecticut, and a variety of America’s premier small stages and festivals. In 2025, he’s slated to make his debut at South By Southwest in Austin, Texas. Coltt’s career and accomplishments have been built upon his reputation for storytelling and infamous live show and all without ever having a song on streaming services until now. With shades of artists like John Prine, Townes Van Zandt, Woody Guthrie, Jason Isbell, and Gregory Alan Isakov, Coltt acknowledges the bar and creates a sound all his own. Officially one of Pennsylvania’s worst-kept secrets is finally set to be released upon the masses. Look for his self-titled debut EP this year, “Coltt Winter Lepley” wherever you listen to music.
From $9 / person
Get your weekend on with us at Alla Spina with a live performance from the crazy fun duo Anchor&Arrow! ABOUT ANCHOR&ARROW Anchor&Arrow is the musical collaboration of husband and wife, Matt Dashem and Jennifer Henry-Dashem. Their unique sound is an upbeat mix of soul, funk, rock, and jazz: a culmination of many years of their individual musical styles and experience. The pair has been deemed Happy Valley’s FUNked-Up duo: A two person band with a whole lotta sound! Jenn’s moving voice fused with Matt’s seasoned guitar can be enjoyed by music lovers of all kinds, but especially those fond of having a good time. Jenn and Matt combine their decades of experience and styles into this wildly fun project. They never take themselves too seriously, while packing high energy and a banging good time into their live performances. The duo is known for putting their own twists on familiar tunes; blending styles and swapping genres with ease and originality. While they cover feel good music from the ‘70s to modern day songs that make you wanna move, their first love is creating their own music. Anchor&Arrow’s all-original EP, Jumble, can be streamed on Spotify and most other streaming platforms.
From $10 / person
Live, improvisational, and adventurous rock and funky goodness from a group comprised of four talented friends who have played individually all over the country for most of their lives. We are thrilled for the return of lowbeam back to our listening lounge for another fantastic show! Think Scary Pockets, think Wolfpeck vibes. Tight, in-the-pocket, groove-based interpretations of fantastic melodic cover songs mixed with originals all played for you live… just a few feet in front of you in our pristine sounding room and sound system. Immaculate vibes galore! Covering tasty jams from the likes of Goose, Phish, Grateful Dead, Steely Dan, Talking Heads, Radio Head and other funky covers of pop songs. These guys are crazy good! ABOUT LOWBEAM Lowbeam loves major 7th chords. They play groovy funk and rock with a healthy dose of dynamic improvisation. Based in central PA, This four-piece group are veterans of bands from across the country. Devin (vocals, bass) hails from Buffalo and most recently was known around these parts for his incredible intricate solo looping performances. Adam (vocals, keys) is in every band around here for good reason, but I like to think we're his favorite. Galen (drums) has triumphantly returned home from decades in the Bay Area where he established himself as a nasty jazz drummer, but is busting out his funky rock chops. Ryan (guitar) played depressing drones in NYC for over 20 years and is happy to be back in the Susquehanna Valley playing optimistic arpeggios.
From $12 / person