Local concert series For the Sake of the Song has assembled an all-star cast of local folk and roots musicians to perform Neil Young's Harvest in its entirety at the Middle East Upstairs on Wednesday, May 18th. In addition to providing new takes on classics like "Heart of Gold" and "Old Man," proceeds will benefit New England non-profit Music Drives Us. Doors open at 8:00pm (show at 8:30pm) and tickets are $10 at the door.
Following the success of For the Sake of the Song’s inaugural Blood on the Tracksperformance—which raised money for the New England chapter of the National MS Society–founder Patrick Coman realized the opportunity to give back to the local community while raising the profile of Boston’s burgeoning Americana scene. “Musicians don’t always have much to give in terms of money, but artists here are really eager to use their abilities to support a good cause. I knew that we’d have to make these events a regular thing because not only are they a blast, but there are just so many great local organizations that we’d love to support,” says Coman.
The beneficiary of choice, Music Drives Us, supplies grants for music programming to affect positive change for people in need. The foundation seeks out organizations and individuals that use music as a tool for all segments of society and for all age groups.
After two years on CyberStationUSA, Citywide Blackout has moved to a new home, UNRegular Radio. This locally owned and operated station features a variety of programming, including The Boston Local Music Show, I'm Just Sayin' The Early Show and The Dating Marketplace, with a strong, Boston-based audience. Producers and hosts Max Bowen and Rumel Mahmood went through a long process before decided to move the show to this station.
With this new location comes a whole new look for the show. For the past two years, Citywide Blackout has featured a wide array of Boston-based musicians. Now, that lens has been widened to include local entertainment, including movies, comedy and much, much more.
During the first episode, Bowen and Mahmood spoke to the organizers of Queer Women in Music, the cast and crew of the hit dark comedy The Joneses and the band Brief Awakening. Expect much more on Citywide Blackout, which now airs live every Saturday from 6-8 p.m.
Three days later and I’m still reeling from the awesomeness that was this year’s New England Americana Festival (yes, I said awesomness, I’m the head writer).
This year’s fest showcased 35 Americana performers from all over, some familiar faces, and others that are new to this great organization. For three days (March 31-April 2) bands like John Colvert and the Great Brighton Fire, Highway Ghosts, Treat Her Right and The Rationales played to a packed house at Church. The fans showed their love each day, not leaving until the last set was done.
The NEAF got it’s start last year at the same club with a similarly-packed festival. Since then, founders John Colvert and Noel Coakley have been hard at work giving the local Americana scene a place to call home, and the opportunity to network with other musicians. Along with the fests, they also help put together smaller shows throughout the year under the NEAF banner, showing one and all that this is a movement that is here to stay.
I was only able to catch two out of the three days, but the bands I saw blew me away. Check out the 250+ photos I've got on the Citywide Blackout Facebook page. It’d take me forever and a day to reap all the action, so here are just a few of the highlights:
John Colvert and the Great Brighton Fire: It’s my hope that the work Colvert and Coakley have done in bringing the city’s Americana artists together will hopefully resonate for years to come. He played a power-packed and soulful set, and towards the end, Jeff Byrd (Jeff Byrd and the Dirty Finch), Coakley, Dave Deluca (Highway Ghosts) and Jason Basiner (This Way) took the stage for an all-star song.
The Rationales: I first heard this band at last year’s NEAF, so I was happy to see they were making a second appearance. David Mirabella’s got great stage presence, and the band brings a classic rock with a dose of country to the night.
Big East: One of the last acts of Saturday night, these guys brought a boatload of energy to the somewhat inebriated audience. Lead singer Jeff Vachon was barely contained during the set, and the intensity of this blues/rock fivesome was impossible to ignore.
This Way: Headed by Basiner, this band has a whole new look, lineup and style. Simply put, they ripped the club apart during their set. Every member of the band moved to the music, and crowd quickly followed suit. I’ll be damned if I miss their CD release show on May 14.
Dennis Brennan: An familiar face in the local scene, this guys plays with all the chops of a seasoned veteran. The music is a mix of all the best ingredients of country and rock, and though his set came a little late in the evening, even the T-bound audience stayed put.
Sequin vests and hats: Nope, not on the bill for the fest, but a little added fun for us in the audience. Check the pics on mine, Deluca’s and a few other Facebook pages for more.And be sure to keep checking the NEAF site for more info on this amazing movement.
John Colvert and the Great Brighton Fire
