Musical Celebration to Benefit
Warm Up the Winter Fuel Crisis 2024
No One Should Be Cold
Benefit Concert Featuring:
Berkshire Children’s Chorus
The Wanda Houston Band
Billy Keane
Matt Cusson
Natalia Bernal and Jason Innes
Jackson Whalan
HARVEST & RUST-A Neil Young Experience From Crazy Horse to all of your acoustic favorites.
It’s hard to represent the wide-array of Neil Young’s influential material in one show, but that’s exactly what the band HARVEST & RUST does. Based in Western Massachusetts, the core members of HARVEST & RUST often augment their show with other well-known local musicians to reproduce every era of Neil Young’s music. Be it the chart-topping HARVEST material (including Old Man, Heart of Gold, etc.) to the electric explorations of RUST NEVER SLEEPS (Hey Hey My My, etc.), as well as songs from Neil’s time in Crosby Stills Nash & Young and Buffalo Springfield, you’re in for a night of “complete Neil”.
HARVEST & RUST members are Matt Cahill, Andy Gordon, John Kiernan, Garrett Lechowski and Jim Reynolds.
Jill Sobule has released a dozen of albums spanning three decades of recording, tackling such topics as the death penalty, anorexia nervosa, shoplifting, reproduction, the French Resistance, adolescent malaise, LGBTQ issues, and the Christian Right, to name a few - with her trademark wit and aplomb.
The Denver-born songwriter/guitarist/singer's work is at once deeply personal and socially conscious, seriously funny and derisively tragic. While her songs cover expansive thematic ground, they benefit greatly from Jill’s subtle intelligence and skillful light-handedness. No sloganeering flag-and-fist waving here, but rather portrait-&-story songs about human beings, real and imagined, which allow us to step back from the issues they tackle, be they individual or societal, and to relate to them as we would to a close friend.
On stage, she entertains, amuses, provokes, and more often than not, takes her audiences on an emotional roller coaster, from comedy to pathos in a few bars of music, often within the same song.
For her most recent album, the Ben Lee-produced Nostalgia Kills, Sobule turned her warm wit and laser-focused poet’s eye on herself more than ever before. For all its graceful, funny, and heartbreaking explorations of awkward youth and grown-up regrets, Nostalgia Kills is as of-the-moment as anything in Jill Sobule’s catalog. Through her own experiences, she explores issues our society still collectively struggles with (LGBTQ rights, teen mental health, our unhealthy obsession with staying forever young) and gently skewers our tendency to dwell on the past at the expense of addressing the present.
Sobule has performed with Neil Young, Billy Bragg, Steve Earle, Cyndi Lauper, Tom Morello, Warren Zevon, and John Doe. She inducted Neil Diamond into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame. She has shared billing with Don Henley, Joe Jackson, Warren Zevon, the influential LA punk band X, and Lloyd Cole & The Negatives. She regularly co-stars with comedian/actress/author/SNL alumni Julia Sweeney in their Jill & Julia Show, an unusual and mesmerizing combination of song and storytelling. A road warrior, she plays more than 100 shows a year.
Ellis Paul’s songs have appeared in several blockbuster films (Me, Myself, and Irene; Shallow Hal, Hall Pass) and have been covered by award winning country artists (Sugarland, Kristian Bush, Jack Ingram). Through a steady succession of albums of his own – a remarkable 23 releases so far – and a constant touring presence around the world, Paul’s audience has grown into a loyal legion of fans. Along the way, he has picked up an impressive number of awards including the prestigious Kerrville New Folk Award, 15 Boston Music Awards, An Honorary Doctorate from the University of Maine, the 2019 International Acoustic Music Awards Artist of the Year and most recently his album, The Storyteller’s Suitcase, was named the 2019 NERFA Album of the Year.
This 123123 is going to be a blast!! Two rocking good bands!! The Picky Bastards and Jordan Weller and The Feathers combine forces! For three sets of greatness!! With Champagne (or NA Champagne) toast!
Celebrate the night BEFORE New Years with a bang! With one of the best around! The BTU’s! Featuring legends Bobby Macveety, Steve Ide and Rob Putnam!
The Lucky 5 is a hard-swinging jazz band that blends 30’s and 40’s style swing with gypsy and Parisian flavors to create a unique blend of music that stands by itself. Combining originals and creative reworks of old standards, The Lucky 5 continues to be a favorite among music lovers young and old alike.
The band is comprised of highly seasoned touring musicians, having been part of The Hunger Mountain Boys, Lauren Ambrose & The Leisure Class, and traveled, performed and recorded with artists such as Neko Case, Iris Dement, Bobby Previte, Del McCoury, Jim Lauderdale, just to name a few.
The Lucky 5 brings verve, high energy, and an unpredictable impulse to the tradition of jazz from the 20's, 30's and 40's, grooving deeply, and keeping feet moving on the dance floor.
If you spend some time with Maisyn’s music you’ll know more about her heart and yours, too. The Los Angeles-based indie pop-rocker is an emotional force, weaving her way “into the alternative mainstream, particularly the new generation of female rock stars [such as] Julia Jacklin, Camp Cope and Phoebe Bridgers [Floated Magazine].”
Born and raised in the Hudson Valley, Maisyn started tapping into the scene at a young age. Playing at venues like Rockwood Music Hall and DIY touring across the east coast, she gained confidence as a musician and performer. Maisyn set roots in L.A. after graduating from the Popular Music Program at the Thornton School of Music in 2019.
Now working with Grammy-nominated engineer / producer Joey Messina-Doerning (HAIM, Women in Music Pt. III), Maisyn matches introspective lyrics with pop candy melodies. Thoughtful yet unapologetic, she explores themes of identity, coming of age, and longing with fearless poise.
Her debut “Cool Grl,” released in January 2021, reflects on the performance of likability. As Earmilk put it, Maisyn's "Cool Grl" “rejects the concept of conditional love while showing us the inherent value of vulnerability." The song was also praised by 1883 Magazine and Bust and was featured on Spotify's Fresh Finds and Fresh Finds: Pop playlists.
The Soundry Music Studio performs the classic Ventures Christmas Album top to bottom plus other select unique holiday tunes.
Wes Buckley - Guitar Jon LaDeau - Guitar Miles Lally - Bass Brian Kantor - Drums The Soundry Carolers will sing a set of Christmas Carols and other special guests will join in the festivities 🎄
Come see what everyone is talking about! The Magic of the best Beatles tribute! The Eggmen!
Join us for an intimate night with hip hop artist, Berkshire’s own Jackson Whalan. Jackson, diverse and unique is definitely one to watch and has been a fixture in the hip hop world and his art is only getting more and more widely known, so catch him while you still can, in an intimate venue.
Featuring Tim Morrison on Drums.
Featuring opener, Qwill, the solo project of Salem MA based singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Jesse Joseph. His music primarily draws from folk, soul, and blues, often weaving electronic elements and lush textures into his sound to create music with a heartbeat.
Join us for our annual Holiday Spectravaganza! Sooo fun! and Festive! And filled with the best local artists around! Featuring The BTU’s! Wanda Houston! Billy Keane! Kip and Caroline From Lucky 5, Jackson Whalan and so many more!!! Line up TBA
A self-described wanderer, Berkshires-based indie-folk singer-songwriter Billy Keane has cultivated more than his share of lived-in experience. Australia-born and Connecticut-raised, he began singing in church, with an early draw towards any instrument he could get his hands on. “I’m a person who feels most authentic relative to other people when I’m communicating through music,” he says. Over the last two years as a solo artist, Keane has paved his way as one of the most exciting new acts in the indie-folk genre through extensive touring with his backing band The Waking Dream, adding an open-format and psychedelic footprint to Keane’s catalog, supporting acts such as Molly Tuttle & The Golden Highway, The Gin Blossoms and Town Mountain, receiving regular play across Sirius XM’s The Spectrum and critical acclaim in American Songwriter, No Depression, Under The Radar and Relix Magazine.
Eking his way out of high school, Keane traveled, spending time in Brooklyn, Africa, Seattle, and working as a commercial deep sea diver in Louisiana. Years spent globetrotting honed his experiential observations, a trait deeply infused in his music.
Keane is constantly sifting through the details, searching for a better understanding—of himself; of meaning, broadly; of the world at large. His sophomore album, Oh, These Days, (Out September 8, 2023) is a collection he describes as the most authentic capture of the sound that he hears resonating within his own heart: sonically, ushered into being by the production of James Wallace (Skyway Man), this translates to an amalgam of guitar, piano, synth, organ and harmonica weaving through his smooth, country-tinged vocals as he wanders through open-ended transition, reflection and contemplation. His superpower as a songwriter and storyteller is identifying the threads of connection between us all—whether the experience of simply observing the beauty of fresh flowers in a vase, finding a deeper understanding of unconditional love, or saying goodbye with admiration. “It’s an infectious folk rock rave-up, pushing forward with irrepressible energy and sincere charm,” shared Under The Radar Magazine about the collection of songs.
Now settled in Massachusetts, Keane gained notoriety touring with The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow prior to his solo project. The five-person collective of songwriters garnered acclaim for their live shows melding Americana, rock and folk music and touring along both coasts, earning slots at acclaimed festivals and receiving critical praise from Rolling Stone and Paste among others. Over the years, Keane has performed at venues and festivals around the US, in many formats, from Nateva in Maine, FreshGrass at Mass MoCA to SXSW in Austin. Among many other co-writes, Billy has been invited to participate in several residencies, including the Freshgrass festival’s Fresh Songs organization in partnership with the House Of Songs. He has shared stages with such notable names as James Taylor, Yo Yo Ma, The Gin Blossoms, Blues Traveler and many more.
For more information and the latest news on Billy Keane you can visit www.billykeane.com
Get ready for the best of Zydeco!! Going to be a hoot with Zoot!!
Join us at The Barn for wonderful night of music with four special artists.
The music of Jenna Nicholls has been turning heads since she arrived on the door step of the Lower East Side of NYC. Whether she’s belting out a New Orleans style dirge, plucking her 1920’s style original ballads on her Ukulele, or singing a cowboy tune, she’s giving a vintage genre a new spin with her own lush nostalgic style and melodic sensibility.
Recently, Jenna has toured with Ingrid Michaelson, shared the stage with Oscar Winner Glen Hansard, Amanda Palmer, Lucius, Joan as Policewoman. She’s performed in venues all over the world including the Beacon Theater NYC, and Carnegie Hall.
“Jon LaDeau has a knack for hitting the sweet spot with a punctuating sound built on melody and narrative commentary. The economic sounds of Todd Snider & Hayes Carll sneak up on LaDeau’s presentation, earning him legit nods in both the Americana and Folk realms.”
Jefferson Hamer is a guitarist, singer, and songwriter from Brooklyn, New York. He has toured and recorded albums with Anais Mitchell (Child Ballads, winner of a BBC2 Folk Award), Sarah Jarosz (as guitarist and harmony singer on her Grammy-nominated Blue Heron Suite), and Session Americana. The Murphy Beds, his long-running traditional folk duo with Eamon O’Leary, has released two self-produced albums, about which the Huffington Post wrote, “[the album] bears repeated listening from start to finish, with ten beautiful, crystalline songs.” His original songs and lead guitar work are featured on Alameda, an acoustic and electric collaboration with bassist Jeff Picker and drummer John Fatum, featuring special guests from the NYC folk community and beyond.
Don’t miss the amazing Katie Herbst open the show!
A versatile indie singer-songwriter from Berkshire, MA, Evan Lanoue discovered his musical passion through The Beatles and later incorporated influences from John Mayer and Chris Stapleton. With a soulful and introspective approach, Lanoue showcases his musical prowess, effortlessly shifting between electric and acoustic guitars, and the vibrant keys of the piano. His ability to seamlessly navigate these instruments adds depth to his performances, creating a captivating sonic journey that resonates deeply with listeners.
Lanoue is also an integral part of a trio with G. Winnard (drums) and Dan Esko (bass), contributing to a collaborative musical synergy that subtly enhances the overall experience. Together, they craft a dynamic fusion, enriching the sonic landscape of Evan Lanoue's musical narrative."
Mamma’s Marmalade started in a UMass dorm room when Sexton (fiddle) and Mitch Bordage (mandolin) bonded over bluegrass. In 2016, the pair were participating at an open mic when a tall young man named Sean Davis asked to join them on stage for a tune. Davis’s tenacious flatpicking caught their attention immediately. “The guitar is an incredibly integral part of any band, but within bluegrass, a guitarist has to fill so many roles,” says Sexton. “They have to be rhythmic magicians, and sometimes you get lucky with the rare player who can take leads as well.” With his expansive understanding of the fretboard, improvisational skill, and exquisite timing, Davis was the full package. “I was in school for mathematics when I met them, but I was miserable with it,” says Davis. “I wanted to be a musician, I just didn't know it completely. They helped me recognize my true calling and I quickly adopted the mindset that I had to do music full-time.” He joined later that year and the band released their debut album Goodbye, Black Velvet, the following summer. In 2019 the band released their sophomore LP Rockabee Fields.
With songs as sweet and biting as the nectar and venom in her voice, Rachel Sumner has been captivating audiences throughout the northeast with her exciting new band Traveling Light. While their instrumentation and textures show roots deep in bluegrass and traditional folk music, Sumner's lyric-forward writing and penchant for snaking chord progressions demand something beyond folk conventions, highlighting the acrobatic range of her brilliant bandmates Kat Wallace (fiddle/harmonies) and Mike Siegel (upright bass). Sumner is no stranger to the stage. She spent her early career on the bluegrass circuit, singing and writing with the genre-bending Boston group Twisted Pine. Since setting out on her own, Sumner's songs have been critically acclaimed, winning the Lennon Award in the folk category of the 2021 John Lennon Songwriting Contest for her song "Radium Girls (Curie Eleison);" earning her a spot in the Kerrville New Folk Competition; and being chosen three consecutive years by WBUR/NPR as one of the top Massachusetts entries in the Tiny Desk Competition . Rachel Sumner & Traveling Light released their debut LP in the summer of 2022 to acclaim; Americana Highways says, "Rachel Sumner & Traveling Light shine bright on new album."
When music is given the benefit of instinct, imagination and inspiration, the results are guaranteed to be good. So it ought to come as no surprise that the critically-acclaimed Annapolis Maryland-based trio, appropriately dubbed Pressing Strings, has infused those elements within their musical mantra the beginning. The band —Jordan Sokel (Guitar/Vocals), Nick Welker (Bass, Vocals), and Justin Kruger (Drums, Vocals) can trace its origins to Sokel’s initial fascination with some iconic influences, among them, the usual suspects — Dylan, Marley, Simon, Withers, Al Green, Marvin Gaye, Led Zeppelin, etc., as well as some more under the radar artists like Taj Mahal, R.L. Burnside, Junior Kimbrough, and Nick Drake.
Fascination became fulfillment once he picked up the guitar and started writing songs. That’s when his course became clear. After growing up in New Jersey and Arizona, he eventually moved to Arnold, Maryland to attend high school and eventually university at Salisbury University. However once there, he found he began having doubts about his career choice. That’s when he made it his mission to pursue his musical muse. Still in college, he formed Pressing Strings with one of his buddies. Those early efforts, beginning in 2006, found Sokel’s desire and determination taking hold, eventually coalescing into a career that now spans six albums — Where We Are (2008), Episodes (2010), Pressing Strings (2012), Life of a Tree (2013), Owe the Source (2015), Settle In (2020) — and two EPs — Most of Us (2016) and Morning Takes (2021).
Join us for a perfect night of music featuring the wonderful Joy Askew and Lauren Balthrop.
Joy Askew has enjoyed an embellished career playing alongside music icons such as Peter Gabriel, Laurie Anderson, Joe Jackson, Rodney Crowell, Jack Bruce and Quincy Jones. She has performed with her own band on stages from NYC’s CBGBs to festivals in UK, USA, Japan and Europe and opened for David Bowie and David Byrne among others.
Now as a re-invented musical poet she has been a dedicated songwriter since the late nineties and her ninth album as an artist, Everything Is Different, was released in May 2022.
She also sings in a choir that was featured on a Sufjan Stevens EP, collaborated with a British brass band and released a downtempo jazz electronica album along the way.
Lauren Balthrop is a folk-pop singer/songwriter in the lineage of Carly Simon, Joni Mitchell, and Carole King, Lauren Balthrop makes captivating, candid music propelled by her crystalline voice. Her second album, Things Will Be Different, is a dynamic folk-pop collection of 11 songs that examines nostalgia in all its brutal and benignly beautiful forms. The album was released on August 12, 2022 via Nashville’s newly minted Olivia Records. Lauren has found her voice in these recordings. The album was produced by Nick Kinsey (Waxahatchee, Kevin Morby) and features musicians Ellen Kempner (Palehound), David Lizmi, James Paul Mitchell, Matt Combs, Jared Samuel (Invisible Familiars), Matthew Douglas (Mountain Goats), Kevin Copeland, Steven Bernstein and Maya DeVitry.
Prior to moving to Nashville, Lauren lived in Brooklyn for over a decade and was a member of numerous bands (Balthrop, Alabama / The Bandana Splits / Elizabeth & the Catapult / and Dear Georgiana). She sang on notable records by Bob Weir, Kevin Morby, Benjamin Booker, Elizabeth and the Catapult, amongst others. She has also toured and performed with Kevin Morby, Lucius, Sara Bareilles, Bob Weir, Benjamin Booker and Michaela Anne over the last few years.
The Lucky 5 is a hard-swinging jazz band that blends 30’s and 40’s style swing with gypsy and Parisian flavors to create a unique blend of music that stands by itself. Combining originals and creative reworks of old standards, The Lucky 5 continues to be a favorite among music lovers young and old alike.
It takes a mix of skill and luck to tend a garden well, but it’s impossible without a certain amount of kindness tended. While the cyclical nature of gardening seems inherent, in some ways, Heynderickx is just beginning. Her debut album, named I Need to Start a Garden out of a search for calm through these waves of uncertainty and upheaval, is out now via Mama Bird Recording Co.
For the empathetic singer/songwriter, the reasons for seeking such acceptance and understanding stem from a life of paradoxes. Heynderickx grew up in a religious household in Oregon, closely identifying with her Filipino roots, but also straddling multiple cultural identities. Now residing in Portland, her faith is not overt, but her introspection and continued struggle for self-actualization are easily accessible and relatable.
Likewise, the tracks on I Need to Start a Garden reflect these seemingly disparate elements. Through soft acoustic guitar picking and deftly accented trombone sighs, Heynderickx’s music immediately recalls folk music of the ‘60s and ‘70s mixed with a love of jazz radio. But Heynderickx’s singing—her vocals that range from sultry to operatic—belie a tenacity in her soul.
It’s a balance then, between exposing and protecting herself on I Need to Start a Garden. Heynderickx vacillates between powerlessness (opener “No Face”) and empowerment (lead single “Oom Sha La La”). But her generosity of spirit remains the constant throughout the whole album.
You can hear that exceptional care in “Jo”, as she whispers, “You tended your garden like heaven and hell / and you built the birds houses to see if it helped at all.” Aware of the birds, the garden, and anyone listening acutely, Heynderickx’s music serves as an invitation for all to join her. Because the beauty of a garden is that, while it’s often started for deeply personal reasons, its bounty is best consumed and shared with others.
I Need to Start a Garden was produced, engineered and mixed by Zak Kimball at Nomah Studios in Portland, Oregon. Haley Heynderickx co-produced the album. It was mastered by Timothy Stollenwerk at Stereophonic Mastering in Portland. The record features Lily Breshears (Bass, Keys, Backing Vocals), Denzel Mendoza (Trombone, Backing Vocals), Phillip Rogers (Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals) and Tim Sweeney (Upright Bass).
Max García Conover is a songwriter based in Maine. His latest collection of songs comes out on February 21, 2023.
The Best Karaoke in the world! Hosted by the one and only Hannah Bracken. Come be your own star!
The P/Js (Putnam and Jaffe) are a flash mob band consisting of Ben Jaffe, Asher Putnam, Rob Putnam, Jesse Putnam, Connor Meehan, and a host of their Berkshire County friends. Eclecticism is their stock in trade arising from the diverse musical backgrounds and eras from which they emerged. Ben has established a career through his work with honeyhoney, solo projects, and currently with Kacey Musgraves. Asher is the frontman for Bella's Bartok and Heavy Meadow. Jesse too played with Bella's Bartok and various solo projects. Connor Mehan is everyone's go-to drummer. Rob Putnam is a journeyman who has been playing music in the Berkshires for over 50 years. The musical offerings will span decades and genres.
