Blog Archives
My Top Ten Shows of 2016
I saw 242 shows last year, which made choosing my top ten shows particularly difficult. While there were some shows I did not love, there were far more incredible shows.
As always, I do not include sets from festivals because the energy at a festival adds so much to an artist’s performance that it is unfair to compare festival sets to ‘regular’ shows.
New Year’s Day Shows!
I started 2017 with a couple of excellent shows. Boston’s First Night celebration continued into First Day at Copley Square with Bradley Bartlett-Roche, also known as Boston’s Piano Kid. He was followed by Shun Ng and the Shunettes and then by Ruby Rose Fox. Then I meandered to The Plough and Stars to see Sarah Levecque. What a great start to my concert adventures version 2017!
Shun Ng
2016 By The Numbers
Several years ago, a friend suggested I put together some statistics about my year in music. I am continuing the tradition this year, since I saw more shows than ever! At the beginning of the year I said I was going to slow down my concert-going – you can see what happened to that! Eighteen more shows this year than last year and many more sets (mostly due to attending Club Passim’s Campfire Festivals, each of which has close to 80 different performers over the weekend)…
Go out and hear live music! The musicians will be most appreciative! Your mental health will thank you too…
New Taj Mahal Album Out Today!
TWO-TIME GRAMMY WINNER, BLUES HALL OF FAMER & AMERICANA MUSIC LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNER TAJ MAHAL’S STRIPPED DOWN ALBUM LABOR OF LOVE OUT DECEMBER 16 ON ACOUSTIC SOUNDS
FIRST RELEASE IN FOUR YEARS SET FOR LP, FEATURES SOLO FAVORITES FROM 1998 PLUS COLLABORATIONS WITH MUSIC MAKER RELIEF FOUNDATION ARTISTS
Go See Front Country!
I have seen Front Country only once, but that was enough to make me a fan. They have a unique take on bluegrass that, which traditional, is progressive and all their own. I am seeing them this weekend and you should see them at a show near you.
Live Streaming By The Extended Play Sessions!
Tonight! It’s the first live-stream from your friends at The Extended Play Sessions Fallout Shelter! Click here to join the event, starting at approximately 6:50 pm.
This show features The Silks and you’re going to love them!
The Silks Official Poster
The Silks Are Bringing Their New Album To The Fallout Shelter
Rhode Island based The Silks are making their début at The Fallout Shelter at The Extended Play Sessions in support of their new album, Turn Me On.
The Silks at Thunder Road March 4, 2016
I have had the privilege of seeing this band several times and enjoy them more each time.
Kingsley Flood Will Rock You
I have been a fan of Kingsley Flood since I first saw them perform at the Lowell Summer Music Series at least six years ago, and the love continues.
Another Other
They recently released a new album – Another Other – which is their most personal album to date, and it will be featured at their upcoming show at The Sinclair on Friday, November 18th. Tickets are still available here and you need to be at the show! Both openers – Leland Sundries and Jenny Dee and the Deelinquents – are killer and you should catch them too.
A Night Of Entrancing Music
Seeing Trixie Whitley perform has been on my radar since a friend introduced me to her music three years ago, and my wish was finally granted over the weekend at The Red Room at Café 939 (a Berklee College of Music venue).
Trixie Whitley
Americana/Roots Rocker You Want To Know
I was lucky enough to see The Texas Gentlemen and Friends at Newport Folk Festival this year; they delivered one of my favorite sets of the Festival. The Gentlemen are a collaborative of Texas musicians, one of whom is guitarist Kirby Brown.
Kirby Brown (photo by Alex Justice)
I spoke with Kirby later that day and then ran into him and several other Gentlemen at the Americana Music Association Festival and Conference a couple of months later. I am now the lucky recipient of his new EP Out of Exile 1 and I love it!
suze reviews the blues 