Celebrate the Christmas season with a joyous evening of Bluegrass Gospel and Holiday favorites at Hopedale Unitarian Parish! Wonderful home baked holiday goodies during intermission. Not to be missed!
The New York based Progressive Americana group Nefesh Mountain Band has been hailed as one of the formative boundary-pushing ensembles in roots music. The band's creators and dynamic husband and wife team of Eric Lindberg and Doni Zasloff have created a world and sound all their own; blurring the lines between Americana, Bluegrass, Folk, Jazz and Blues with a masterful hand as songwriters, instrumentalists and composers alike.
7-9:30 pm every 4th Thursday at Backbeat Brewing in Beverly, MA. Join us the 4th Thursday of every month to listen or play! All levels welcome. Our first jam in May was a big success with over twenty players jamming in the restaurant and out on the patio. Lively bluegrass filled the air and judging by the hearty applause, everyone loved it! The Backbeat menu feature two dozen delicious beers on tap, and the kitchen cooks up tasty thin-crust pizzas (including a gluten-free option) and various appetizers. Backbeat is located at 31 Park St (just off Rantoul), directly across the street from the Beverly Depot train station. There is plenty of on-street parking. Check Facebook for updates to the schedule.
Southern Rail's concerts are joyous and engaging with stunning harmonies, irrepressible good humor and sparkling banjo, guitar and mandolin. Their repertoire is fresh and diverse, featuring lots of originals plus a kaleidoscope of covers. Two of the band's founding members (guitarist Jim Muller and bassist Sharon Horovitch) were recently inducted into the RIBA Hall of Fame. Tix in advance and at the door. Doors open at 7. Great refreshments during intermission.
Two legends of the folk/roots world—Grammy-nominated fiddler extraordinaire Bruce Molsky and banjo master Tony Trischka— return to Meadow Hall for an evening of old time string band wizardry. The two will trade songs from their broad and beloved catalogs as well as the deep well of American traditional folk tunes, both well-known and recently unearthed. Groton Hill Music Center
Mardis Gras Night featuring a Southern style home cooked dinner and a the high energy exuberance of Southern Rail! Snow date will be Sunday Feb. 9. Appetizers at 4:30. Dinner 5-6. Cash bar. Concert 6-8. A limited number of concert only tickets will be available. Last year was a complete sell-out, so reservations highly recommended. Free parking is available at First Parish's Meetinghouse, 327 Concord Road, Sudbury, or across the street, behind Sudbury Town Hall
A century of forgetfulness and erasure has led to diminished public awareness of the Black string band tradition – and equally diminished numbers of Black string bands. Once numerous, these ensembles have grown few and far between. In recent decades, only one Black string band has emerged per generation. The 1980’s saw the birth of the Ebony Hillbillies. Nearly three decades later, the Carolina Chocolate Drops formed and took the tradition to new heights. As of 2023, a new Black string band has emerged to carry the torch: New Dangerfield. New Dangerfield was originally conceptualized by award-winning bluegrass banjoist Tray Wellington, who enlisted three other acclaimed Black roots musicians: multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Kaïa Kater, bassist Nelson Williams (Chris Jones & the Night Drivers), and fiddler and singer Jake Blount. Irrepressible and adventurous from the start, the band is musically versatile and charismatic. Groton Hill Music Center
Sierra Hull is widely regarded to be a as a master of her instrument; A two-time Grammy Nominated artist and songwriter, recognized for both her most recent projects, 25 Trips (2020) and Weighted Mind (2016), she is also the 4x recipient of IBMA’s Mandolin Player of the Year, the first woman to ever receive this distinction. A pioneer for acoustic music throughout her already impressive multi-decade career, she has graced the country’s most iconic stages, including Carnegie Hall, the Grand Ole Opry, and the White House. Groton Hill Music Center $45-65