The Town and the City Festival is Fast Approaching

This is a wonderful small festival that has been growing since its inception a few years ago. This year the lineup is fabulous and I know I am going to have some hard choices to make! Join me in Lowell, Massachusetts on April 28 and 29 for a great weekend! Note that it is possible to buy individual tickets to specific shows, but you will get the most value from buying a weekend pass ($58).

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Musician Chrissy Metz Embarks on Her First Tour

I am sure most of my readers know Chrissy Metz from her years as Kate on This Is Us but she is also a talented singer-songwriter who began her first tour last night at City Winery in Washington D.C. She graciously spent some time on the phone with me to talk about her tour and her music, which was a thrill for me.

Photo by Dean Foreman

That first show was awesome, Chrissy said. She loved sharing the stories about why she wrote the songs, and is so grateful that people are spending their hard-earned money to go to her shows. “If I touch even one person, it means the world to me.”

The Town and the City Festival Celebrates Kerouac and Lowell

There is a wonderful festival in Lowell, Massachusetts this weekend that celebrates music and Jack Kerouac in the city where he was born and buried. Many local musicians as well as national touring artists are featured. I have some favorites who are appearing – Jon Langford, Damn Tall Buildings, and Will Dailey to name a few – but I am excited to see artists who are new to me! See you there!

The Town and The City Festival announced its venue by venue schedule for the two-day music and arts festival on Friday, April 8th and Saturday, April 9th in downtown Lowell, Massachusetts. Two-Day Passes and Advanced Individual Day Passes are on sale now at www.thetownandthecityfestival.com

Recent additions to The Town And The City Festival lineup include Saturniids, Sinnet, Naomi Westwater, Layzi, ODB Project, and SAVAK.  In addition, Gail Greenwood will join Tanya Donnelly and The Parkington Sisters as a special guest. Festival representatives also announced that due to renovation delays at Christ Church United, the church unfortunately won’t be used this year as a venue.  Subsequently two new venues have been added to the festival for 2022, Taffeta at the Western Avenue Studios and 5th Floor at Mill No. 5 (both newly developed venues).

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What a Great Way to Celebrate International Women’s Day!

When I chose to see Allison Russell with Kyshona opening at The Sinclair this week, I did not know it was International Women’s Day. How fortuitous, though, to see a show where the musicians are incredibly passionate about women’s rights.

Allison Russell
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First Week of 2022 Newport Folk Festival Lineup Announcements!

The lineup announcements by the Newport Folk Festival have just started and I am already wowed by them! Of course this is what I have come to expect but that does not lessen the impact of the addition of some favorite artists as well as ones I have never seen but want to see! There are usually around 26-28 artists each day.

Newport Folk Festival Logo
Newport Folk Festival Trademarked Logo
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George Wein, Festivals Guru, Has Died At 95

George T. Wein
October 3, 1925 – September 13, 2021

“Impresario, promoter, pianist, art collector and philanthropist George T. Wein, co-founder and creator of the Newport Jazz Festival® and the Newport Folk Festival®, who for seven decades, was the most influential presenter of music around the globe, died peacefully in his sleep on Monday, September 13, 2021. He was 95. 
wein-machine-photobyNinaWestervelt.jpg
George Wein (Photo Credit: Nina Westervelt)
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Reimagining The Band’s Stage Fright at 50!

I know I am dating myself when I say that The Band was one of the bands I followed closely when I was in my teens. While Stage Fright may not be the album that many people choose as their favorite, it was (as the press release below states) a trendsetting album that contains many songs fans think of as quintessentially The Band.

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Great Southern Soul/Rock Was In Da House!

The Lowell Summer Music Series hosted JJ Grey & Mofro several nights ago for a joy-filled return engagement, seven years almost to the day since the band’s debut appearance at the Series!

JJ GREY
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Six Days of Unfettered Joy

While I’m not sure I have fully processed the six days that was Newport Folk Presents Folk On, I do know that the joy that I and every one of the 6,000 or so attendees felt was palpable and immeasurable.

2021 Newport Folk Presents, FOLK ON! | Fort Adams State Park, Newport, RI |  July 23 to July 28

This was not the Newport Folk Festival as we know it, which is why the name was changed for this year. What was the same was the vibe – although the vibe may have been even more intensely joyous than in the past because of the pandemic.

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Another Show Added To Lowell Summer Music Series Schedule

On Friday, July 30th, join us for an evening of live music by Classic Albums Live, presenting The Eagles’ Hotel California note for note, cut for cut, followed by many of the Eagles’ greatest hits!

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