Blog Archives
Pink Martini? I’ll Take One!
My love for Pink Martini started almost twenty years ago when they released their first album, Sympathique. I did not see them perform until two years ago in a show that was in my top ten of 2013. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to see them again this week at The Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Providence.
Storm Large
This band (or is it truly a small orchestra?) is one of the most entertaining acts to see live. The two shows I have seen were quite different but equally wonderful.
A Crazy Great Jazz Show
I am a huge fan of the jazz guitar great Mike Stern. Even though I had seen him perform a number of times, I had never seen him with his own band until last weekend when I attended the last of his four sold-out (or nearly sold-out) shows at Regattabar.
Mike Stern
Mike is an incredible performer in terms of both his talent and his performance style.
Tom Russell Performs His Ballad Of The West
See No Depression for my review of this terrific show by Tom Russell at Club Passim.
Tom Russell
Thad Beckman
Tom Russell
Tom Russell and Thad Beckman
Tom Russell
Thad Beckman
Tom Russell and Thad Beckman
Tom Russell
Thad Beckman
Tom Russell
Tom Russell and Thad Beckman
Tom Russell
Tom Russell
Tom Russell
Tom Russell
An Evening of Folky-Rootsy Love Songs
For my review of this fine performance at Club Passim by Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem, click here.
Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem
Rani Arbo
Scott Kessel
Andrew Kinsey
Anand Nayak
Rani Arbo
Scott Kessel
Andrew Kinsey
Anand Nayak
Scott Kissel
Andrew Kinsey
Anand Nayak
Rani Arbo and Anand Nayak
Scott Kessell
Andrew Kinsey
Anand Nayak
Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem
Rani Arbo
Anand Nayak
Scott Kessel and his repurposed percussion instruments
Rani Arbo
Scott Kessel
Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem
Anand Nayak and Rani Arbo
Up-And-Coming Retro Majestic Indie Rock Act Delivers A Solid Performance
I may be a bit biased when it comes to Laney Jones and the Spirits because they are friends, but I watched the reaction of the audience at the Extended Play Sessions where they performed on Friday night and saw that everyone in the room was as enthralled with this band as I am. Phew!
Laney Jones
You may wonder what ‘retro majestic indie rock’ (Laney’s self-description) is; my answer to that is that you should listen to the band’s new music which is not yet out on an album. Here’s a video of one of the songs performed at this Session.
In Spite Of The Devil, Spuyten Duyvil Is Heavenly
For my review of this marvelous Spuyten Duyvil show at Club Passim, with Laney Jones and the Spirits opening, click here.
John Neidhart, James Meigs, Beth Jamie Kaufman and Mark Miller of Spuyten Duyvil
Beth Jamie Kaufman and Mark Miller of Spuyten Duyvil
Ric Mercaldi of Spuyten Duyvil
James Meigs of Spuyten Duyvil
Ric Mercaldi of Spuyten Duyvil
John Neidhart of Spuyten Duyvil
of Spuyten DuyvilJagoda
Beth Jamie Kaufman and Mark Miller of Spuyten Duyvil
Beth Jamie Kaufman, Mark Miller and Ric Mercaldi of Spuyten Duyvil
Mark Miller of Spuyten Duyvil
James Meigs, Beth Jamie Kaufman and Mark Miller of Spuyten Duyvil
Beth Jamie Kaufman and Mark Miller of Spuyten Duyvil
Laney Jones and the Spirits
Beth Jamie Kaufman and Mark Miller of Spuyten Duyvil
Ric Mercaldi of Spuyten Duyvil
James Meigs, Beth Jamie Kaufman and Mark Miller of Spuyten Duyvil
Mark Miller of Spuyten Duyvil
Mark Miller and Ric Mercaldi of Spuyten Duyvil
Beth Jamie Kaufman and Mark Miller of Spuyten Duyvil
Beth Jamie Kaufman of Spuyten Duyvil
Beth Jamie Kaufman and Mark Miller of Spuyten Duyvil
Beth Jamie Kaufman and Mark Miller of Spuyten Duyvil
Beth Jamie Kaufman and Mark Miller of Spuyten Duyvil
James Meigs of Spuyten Duyvil
James Meigs, Beth Jamie Kaufman and Mark Miller of Spuyten Duyvil
Laney Jones
Matt Tonner of Laney Jones and the Spirits
Curtis Seligson of Laney Jones and the Spirits
Alex Shames of Laney Jones and the Spirits
Laney Jones
Laney Jones and the Spirits
Laney Jones
Laney Jones
Hitch Your Ride To These Rising Stars
If you have been reading this website for a while, you might recall that a year ago I fell in love with the hip-hop bluegrass group Gangstagrass. Our love affair continued over the weekend at Johnny D’s where they appeared in support of their latest release, American Music.
Gangstagrass
Nobody was more surprised than the band when the album debuted at #5 on the Billboard bluegrass chart! They deserve to be known for more than the theme song for the television show Justified, and maybe now they will be!
Rench
Rhiannon Giddens’ Powerful Voice Must Be Experienced
Rhiannon Giddens embarked on her first solo tour several months ago. She achieved much success as a co-founder of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, but her reputation exploded through a couple of projects in which she participated over the last two years: the Another Day, Another Time concert, a celebration of the music that inspired the film Inside Llewyn Davis, and The New Basement Tapes, a collaboration that set newly found Bob Dylan lyrics to music.
Rhiannon Giddens
Rhiannon mentioned that this show at the Somerville Theatre was originally billed as a Carolina Chocolate Drops show; I would have seen the show either way, but I am glad it was her show.
Jamie Dick, Malcolm Partson, Jason Sypher, Rhiannon Giddens, Hubby Jenkins, Rowan Corbett
Entertaining Singer-Songwriter Evening
A New York friend strongly suggested I see Willy Porter perform, going so far as checking on his local dates for me. Accommodating person that I am, since I had a hole in my schedule I decided to see him at Tupelo Music Hall, one of my favorite venues because the audiences are usually extremely respectful of the music.
Willy Porter
I am glad I did. Willy is an entertaining performer, an excellent guitarist, and someone who obviously loves what he does.
Indie Folk Is Alive And Well
I first saw Gregory Alan Isakov perform at the Newport Folk Festival last summer, and a friend and I have been anxiously awaiting his return to Boston so we could see him in a headlining show. Our patience was rewarded this week at the second of two sold-out shows at The Sinclair!
Gregory Alan Isakov
Sometimes when an artist wows me at a festival I am slightly disappointed when I see them in a headlining show; this could not be further from the truth with Greg! What a fabulous show (and one of the most respectful audiences I have ever witnessed at a standing venue)!
Part of the stage tableau
suze reviews the blues 