Upcoming Bluegrass Related Events

Elephant Revival http://www.elephantrevival.com/ https://twitter.com/elephantrevival w/ Parsonsfield & Nora Jane Struthers with Joe Overton 18+ / Doors 8pm / $15 advance / $17 day of show ELEPHANT REVIVAL: FOLK INFLUENCES AND SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS CHURN UP ‘A UNIQUE OLIO’ OF JOYFUL NOISE “Where words fail … music speaks.” That simple line atop Elephant Revival’s Facebook page contains only five words, but reveals volumes about the band’s reason for being. Music unites us in ways that no other medium can. Even when we don’t understand one another’s languages — we can be moved by a rhythm, soothed by a song. Brought together by a unified sense of purpose — the spirit of five souls working as one, in harmony, creating sounds they could never produce alone. The five souls in Elephant Revival are Bonnie Paine (washboard, djembe, musical saw, stompbox); Bridget Law (fiddle, octave fiddle); Charlie Rose (banjo, pedal steel, guitar, horns, cello, double bass); Dango Rose (double bass, mandolin, banjo); and Daniel Rodriguez (guitar, banjo, double bass). This Nederland, Colo., quintet are, needless to say, quite a sound to be experienced — especially when they fall into the pocket of a groove containing elements of gypsy, Celtic, Americana, and folk. The Indie Acoustic Music Project simply labeled their sound “progressive edge.” At least, that’s the category in which it placed the band when it gave their Ruff Shod/Nettwerk Records release, BREAK IN THE CLOUDS, a best CD of 2011 award. Elephant Revival’s later THESE CHANGING SKIES (Thirty Tigers) release went on to win best CD of 2013 in the same category. It’s as good a label as any to convey what Dango Rose has described as their mission: “to close the gap of separation between us through … Read More »

Next Stage Arts Project, in collaboration with Twilight Music, Popolo and WOOL91.5, presents contemporary folk singer/songwriter Antje Duvekot and newgrass trio The Stockwell Brothers at The Windham Ballroom on Saturday, November 14 at 8:00 pm. Antje Duvekot is a German-born, American-raised singer/songwriter whose songs have been critically praised for their hard-won wisdom, dark-eyed realism and street-smart romanticism.  Her bicultural upbringing and relative newness to English have helped shape her unique way with a song, giving her a startlingly original poetic palette.  They are the keys to the powerful, even revolutionary, empathy that informs everything she writes.  She has won some of the top songwriting awards including the Grand Prize in the John Lennon Songwriting Competition, the Kerrville Folk Festival Best New Folk Award and the Boston Music Award for Outstanding Folk Act. Since the release of her debut studio CD “Big Dream Boulevard,” which was voted #1 Folk Release of 2006 by the Boston Globe and was named to the Top 10 Releases of the Year by National Public Radio's Folk Alley, Antje has been touring  extensively, criss-crossing the US and Europe.  She is a compelling live performer and has played at major festivals, including Newport, Mountain Stage, Philadelphia, Falcon Ridge, Great Waters and Kerrville.  Her second CD “The Near Demise of the High Wire Dancer” was voted top album of 2009 by lauded folk station WUMB 91.9 FM in Boston. “She creates an entire, detailed world in verse, and takes you there with beautiful and understated melody.  Her songs are stunning paintings of color and shade and always generate the heat and light that real art should.” - Neil Dorfsman, producer of Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Dire Straits Bruce, Barry and Alan Stockwell's … Read More »

In a most exceptional pairing, master multi-instrumentalists Ry Cooder and Ricky Skaggs come alive on stage to deliver a revelatory program of blues, gospel, and bluegrass. They are joined by Sharon White, one of the purest voices in Country music, Joachim Cooder on drums, and Mark Fain on bass with occasional guest performances by Buck White.

On Friday, November 27th at 7:30 p.m. (the day after Thanksgiving) the Blue Moon Coffeehouse features a special night of music with Cat and the Moon.   If you've heard the well known bluegrass band Twisted Pine, you've heard some of Cat and the Moon. The banjo player, Ricky Mier, and the fiddle player, the Kathleen Parks, are major driving forces in Cat and the Moon.  Cat and the Moon describes themselves as  a dynamic acoustic roots band with strong Celtic/bluegrass influences. They met at Boston's Berklee College of Music where two members are currently continuing their studies. They have quickly become a much sought-after group in Boston's world class Irish music scene, recently taking part in both the 2014 Boston Celtic Music Fest and The Boston Irish Festival and after parties for the St. Pats Celtic Sojourn Concert and The Boston Irish Film Festival. The band's members have won coveted awards such as Berklee's North American Tour Scholarship (a four year full scholarship) and the NH Bass Solo Competition.  Ricky Mier was the winner of the 2014 Fresh Grass Banjo Competition.  Between sets by the band, there will be an open mike.   Tickets are $10 at the door; children 12 and under are free.  The address is Channing Church, 45 Webster St. Rockland, MA. For more information, visit the website (https://sites.google.com/site/thebluemooncoffeehouse/) or the Facebook page.  You can listen to the band's new CD at www.catandthemoon.com.

A night of acoustic styled Christmas music featuring Blackstone Valley Bluegrass - Dave Dick, Dan Nowlan, Ken Taylor and Bob Dick along with Amy Gallatin, Karen Wilber, Roger Williams, Rick Lang, and Kristine Dick.  Traditional Christmas carols, modern and western flavored songs, and original songs penned by Rick Lang will fill the evening with the warmth, happiness and joy of the holiday season, and there will be lots of fun too!  This group of musicians have been performing together for many years, and there is a wonderful chemistry between them.  The concerts began as CD release parties for Bob Dick of Blackstone Valley Bluegrass and Rick Lang who in 2000 and 2003 respectively released Christmas albums.  Recently Rick Lang has released another CD of original Christmas music entitled "That's What I Love about Christmas".