Author Archives: suze72
Another Excellent Lowell Summer Music Series Announcement
Here’s another wonderful announcement from the Lowell Summer Music Series!
Singer-songwriter Neko Case will be performing at the Series on Saturday, June 28! I have never seen Neko perform but she’s been on my wish list, and now my wish has been granted.
Neko Case Official Photo
According to her press release, “Equally well-regarded in the indie rock and alt-country worlds, Neko Case has built a career defined by both strong will and musical versatility. Her chief attribute is her astonishing, siren-like voice, which she applies to songs that are simultaneously rugged and heartbreaking.”
Tickets for this show are priced at $35 in advance (fee-free!), $40 on the day of the show, and children 12 and under are always free courtesy of Eastern Bank. There are also premium seats – beach chairs are provided by the series – set in two rows directly in front of the stage for $135. Tickets go on sale on Wednesday, March 5 through Lowell Summer Music Series.
For those of you who are unaware of the Series, or if you are aware of it but have never attended a show there, it is an outdoor (weather permitting) concert series held on National Park Service grounds in Lowell, Massachusetts. The Series is not-for-profit, which helps keep the ticket prices reasonable.
Surrounding Boarding House Park are old mill buildings which you can tour if you arrive early enough. They provide an unusual setting for an evening of great music and ambiance.
The Series generally runs from late June to early September.
This Series is dear to my heart. I have been a season pass holder since 2007 and it is one of the highlights of the year (and of summer in particular) for me. Many lasting friendships have been made there. I expect this will be an especially excellent year since they are celebrating their 25th season!
I will post additional announcements for the Series as they are made.
Week 3 of Newport Folk Festival Lineup Announcements
Newport Folk Festival Logo
This week of Newport Folk Festival announcements started with an excellent one! So far, there are a couple of bands that I’ve wanted to see for a while but have missed either due to conflicts or selling out before I bought a ticket. Now I’ll have my chance!
This week’s additions to the lineup are:
The Devil Makes Three – an Americana band based in California
Shakey Graves – an Austin native singer-songwriter
Thao & The Get Down Stay Down – folk-rockers based in San Francisco (I will admit to not being excited about this band – I saw them a year ago and would have left early but I was driving and the friend I was with did not want to leave – but I’m open-minded and might give them another chance depending on who else is playing on another stage at the sme time)
The lineup, so far, includes:
Friday: The Devil Makes Three, Band of Horses, Death Vessel, Jenny Lewis
Saturday: Shakey Graves, The Oh Hellos, Benjamin Booker, Nickel Creek, Shovels and Rope, Houndmouht
Sunday: Hurray for the Riff Raff, Mavis Staples, Thao & The Get Down Stay Down
I Was A Deadhead Again, For A Night
I admit it, I love jam bands.
The Bob Weir & RatDog show at the House of Blues brought me right back to the early 1970s when I first saw the Grateful Dead perform.
RatDog
I don’t call myself a Deadhead, but I loved them back in their heyday (and possibly my heyday as well!). Every once in a while, I need a fix from RatDog or Further (and some of the other iterations as well) and I got that on Monday evening. Read the rest of this entry
A Wonderful Show By An Ambassador For African Girls
Angélique Kidjo is not merely a musician; she speaks, through her music, in support of education for African girls – and for girls throughout the world.
Angelique Kidjo
What a terrific show Angélique gave us at the Somerville Theatre last Sunday night! Her passion shone through every note she sang and every dance step she took.
Thrilling Announcement From The Lowell Summer Music Series
The Lowell Summer Music Series has announced its second show of the upcoming 25th season and it’s a doozy!
Trombone Shorty (official photo)
Trombone Shorty, an amazing young (28 years old) musician from New Orleans, will be performing at the Series on Thursday, July 10 at 7:30 p.m. and I’m thrilled beyond belief!
I have been asking for Trombone Shorty (given name, Troy Andrews) to be added to the schedule for the past four years. His style is funky jazz, or jazzy funk, with some soul added for good measure. His shows are very high energy and the quality of the music superb. I saw him perform at the 2013 Newport Folk Festival, the Boston House of Blues last month, and in New York three times.
His press release states, “Andrews has made quite an impression on the critics. ‘Trombone Shorty is so ready for his close-up,’ The New York Times reviewer Nate Chinen wrote, describing the young virtuoso as ‘a native prodigy destined for breakout success.’ The San Francisco Chronicle’s Joel Selvin hailed him as ‘New Orleans’ brightest new star in a generation.’ And the Washington Post’s Mike Joyce described one live performance as ‘a near-deafening, funk-charged blast of percussion, brass, reeds and guitar distortion that might have knocked the crowd sideways had there been any room to move.’
I cannot think of a venue in which I’d rather see Trombone Shorty perform!
Tickets for this show are priced at $31 in advance (fee-free!), $35 on the day of the show, and children 12 and under are always free courtesy of Eastern Bank. There are also premium seats – beach chairs are provided by the series – set in two rows directly in front of the stage for $131. Tickets go on sale on Friday, February 28 through Lowell Summer Music Series.
For those of you who are unaware of the Series, or if you are aware of it but have never attended a show there, it is an outdoor (weather permitting) concert series held on National Park Service grounds in Lowell, Massachusetts. The Series is not-for-profit, which helps keep the ticket prices reasonable.
Surrounding Boarding House Park are old mill buildings which you can tour if you arrive early enough. They provide an unusual setting for an evening of great music and ambiance.
The Series generally runs from late June to early September.
This Series is dear to my heart. I have been a season pass holder since 2007 and it is one of the highlights of the year (and of summer in particular) for me. Many lasting friendships have been made there. I expect this will be an especially excellent year since they are celebrating their 25th season!
I will post additional announcements for the Series as they are made.
Jazz Doesn’t Get Much Better Than This
Stanley Clarke is one of my favorite jazz musicians, and the opportunity to see him at Tupelo Music Hall could not be overlooked.
Stanley Clarke
We had no idea what band Stanley would have with him that night, but it did not matter – Stanley is fabulous in any iteration!
Beka Gochiashvili, Stanley, and Mike Mitchell (l to r)
Blues Legend Johnny Winter Performs
As much as I wanted to see Johnny Winter perform, I was a bit apprehensive about seeing this show; I was worried that his reported health issues would prevent this from being a quality show. I’m pleased to report that my fears went unfounded – Johnny is still very much a master!
Johnny Winter
Johnny is touring to celebrate his 70th birthday, which is February 23rd. He may look his age, but the way his fingers move across the guitar strings proves he is ageless! Read the rest of this entry
Vapors of Morphine – Finally!!!
Vapors of Morphine is an act – formerly known as Members of Morphine and also Ever Expanding Elastic Waste Band- that I’ve wanted to see for several years.
Vapors of Morphine
Morphine was one of my favorite bands of the 90s, but they split up when Mark Sandman died. I’d known for a while that the surviving members have a standing gig at Atwood’s Tavern, and finally made it there. Read the rest of this entry
Each Club d’Elf Show is Unique
There are not a lot of bands that I want to see repeatedly, regardless of how excellent their shows are. Club d’Elf is an exception for me, in great part due to their rotating cast of characters.
Mike Rivard (sintir) and Mat Manieri (viola)
They have a regular bi-weekly gig at Lizard Lounge in Cambridge, and the only constant seems to be Mike Rivard who plays bass and sintir. Read the rest of this entry
Concert Announcement Friday!
I’ve been a bit remiss about posting announcements of concerts – I think I’ve been more focused on the Newport Folk Festival and the Lowell Summer Music Series. I am posting the acts announced for those in separate announcements.
Here are some of the shows announced over the past two weeks:
Sugar Ray and the Bluetones at Johnny D’s – Friday, April 18
Joan Osborne at The Narrows Center for the Arts – Thursday, April 24
Ari Hest at The Sinclair – Wednesday, April 30
Rodney Crowell at The Sinclair – Wednesday, May 7
Jay Farrar at The Narrows Center for the Arts – Friday, May 9
John Sebastian at Tupelo Music Hall – Saturday, May 10
The Old 97’s at The Sinclair – Monday, June 2
Morrissey at the Boston Opera House – Saturday, June 7
Lisa Marie Presley at The Narrows Center for the Arts – Friday, June 20
Pat Benatar at Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom – Wednesday, July 2
One Direction at Gillette Stadium – Sunday, August 9 (3 shows at a stadium with a seating capacity of 68,000+/-??? I don’t get it.)
Tommy Emmanuel at The Narrows Center for the Arts – Thursday, August 14
suze reviews the blues 