Moondog's Lounge Live Music Schedule

Show Times
All shows from April 1 through October 31 are 8-11 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
All shows from November 1 through March 31 are 7-10 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

If you would like a table or bar seat(s) for the evening, a reservation is suggested. Reservations can be made by texting or calling and leaving a message for Lynn: 315.406.7455.

All seats are $10 apiece, which helps pay the cost of the musicians. Walk-ins are also welcome and encouraged to make a $5 donation toward the music.

MAY 2025 (All shows 8-11, unless otherwise noted)

5/2 - Los Blancos

5/3 - Jim V. & The Healers

5/7 - Open Mic Night, with a special Grateful Dead tribute by Kim Draheim  (7-10)

5/9 - Count Blastula

5/10 - The Ripcords

5/16 - The Lunch Ladies

5/17 - No Filter

5/21 - Open Mic Night,  (7-10)

5/23 - Psychedelic  Sushi,  (10-12)

5/24 - Joe Whiting Band

5/29 - Ashley Cox & Jess Novak  (7-9)

5/30 - Ron Spencer Band

5/31 - CLOSED

JUNE 2025 (All shows 8-11, unless otherwise noted)

6/4 - Blue Avenue, featuring Mark Doyle and Joanna Nix  (8-9:15)

       - This is a rare ticketed event. Please text Lynn at 315-406-7455 for details

6/6 - A Cast of Thousands

6/7 - Bad JuJu

6/11 - Open Mic Night  (7-10)

6/13 - Count Blastula  (10-12)

6/14 - Modafferi

6/18 - Open Mic Night  (7-10)

6/20 - Qu4tro

6/21 - Mark Doyle & The Maniacs

6/26 - Ashley Cox & Jess Novak  (7-9)

6/27 - Infrared Radiation Orchestra

6/28 - MOONSTOCK - Moondog's 10th Anniversary!

          - featuring Fattenin' Frogs, Honky Tonk Hindooz, Uptown, and The Lunch Ladies

Ashley Cox and Jess Novak Bring New Series to Moondog’s in Auburn

Starting on Thursday, January 30, two powerhouse Syracuse musicians will start a monthly series at Moondog’s Lounge, 24 State St., Auburn. Every final Thursday of the month, Ashley Cox and Jess Novak will perform from 7-9 p.m. in celebration of Ladies Night. In addition to the duo’s energetic performance where both artists trade instruments and harmonies, audiences can expect special guests to grace the stage each show.

Cox and Novak first performed together years ago, but the duo didn’t start taking root until 2022 when Novak established her all-female festival. The F.I.R.E. (females inspire, rock, empower) Festival fills rooms around New York with female creators, musicians, singers, songwriters, artists, dancers, writers and more. Since starting the festival, Cox and Novak have been playing more regularly and established this monthly series after a show at Moondog’s in November 2024 to a packed room.

“I love our show because I don’t think I’ve ever seen a duo comfortably move around the stage the way we do,” Novak says. “We trade songs and instruments so much it’s like we’re operating as one person. It’s not a guitar player and a pianist. It’s two musicians who have a lot of fun swapping instruments around the stage. And because WE have so much fun, I think the audience does too.”

The duo brings covers and originals spanning decades and genres to the show and a variety of instruments to the stage. Cajon, piano, guitar and electric violin are all played and both musicians share lead and harmony vocals. Cover songs hit everything from Chris Cornell and Foo Fighters to Alicia Keys and Brandi Carlile and both musicians feature their own original material. Though both Cox and Novak have effortless fun on stage, they also bring a long history of musical accomplishments with them.

Cox won the Syracuse Area Music Award for Best New Artist in 1997. From there, she’s played college circuits, toured the East Coast, performed at premiere clubs in New York City and released studio albums both solo and with her band, Professional Victims. Every collaborative event she’s part of, from David Bowie tributes to female showcases, she steals the show with her charisma, voice and unbelievable stage presence. She is currently working on a new album and will release the first single, “Hindsight” on January 25, 2025.

Novak started as a music journalist and turned full-time musician in 2013. Since then, she’s released 13 albums with her last, WOMAN, released on December 20, 2024 and her next due out this year. She’s toured the United States from Key West, FL to San Diego, CA and performs solo, duo and with her group, The Jess Novak Band. Novak also created the F.I.R.E. Festival which happens annually with smaller events throughout the year. The next annual event will take over ONCO Fermentations in Tully, NY on Sunday, March 9 at 2 p.m. with more than 30 female participants.

“There is a certain vibe at Moondogs that can’t be found anywhere else,” Cox says. “When we’re on stage, there’s a flurry of instruments and a friendship that spans over a decade fueled by our mutual adoration of each other and love of music. I think it makes people feel, sing and stomp along and the energy is high and powerful every time. Good luck trying not to smile.”

The goal of the duo is not simply to bring live music to Moondog’s, a venue they find to be an incredible ally in supporting all musicians, and especially women in music. The real goal is to inspire audiences and encourage them to follow their own dreams and feel the emotion both bring.

“Playing music isn’t just about sharing a song,” Novak says. “It’s about sharing ourselves.”

Dates include (all Thursdays, 7-9 p.m.):

- January 30

- February 27

- March 27

- April 24

- May 29

- June 26

- July 31

- August 28

- September 25

- October 30

- November 20 (to avoid Thanksgiving)

- December 18 (to avoid Christmas)