“Powerfully expressive, Les Sampou has been tested in the trenches of life and survived brilliantly. Her new album, “Lonesomeville,” is a personal Top Ten favorite of the year. She invests many songs with the emotional honesty of Lucinda Williams, probing love in all of its complexity while belting the heck out of the music. She has a passionate, rockabilly-blues edge that lifts your spirits high, followed by ballads that dig into your soul like few artists can.”
STEVE MORSE Boston Globe Correspondent & Contributor to Billboard and Rolling Stone
In 2005 Marina Evans moved to New York City, where she taught herself guitar and began writing songs that combined her background as a jazz vocalist with traditional folk and a rock edge. Within a year, she was performing as a solo acoustic act around New York and her home state of Massachusetts. Since that time Marina has recorded three original EPs and a full length album, and has taken her music from Rockport, MA all across the United States: from Portland to Nashville, New Orleans to Los Angeles, and everywhere in between. Marina has also made her way over to Europe, performing in London and touring across Italy every spring since 2011.
In 2012 Marina released two original EPs, Dogtown and The Tuscan Sessions. Dogtown, released first, was written and recorded with Marina’s band in Gloucester, MA; The Tuscan Sessions was written and recorded while touring abroad in Italy. “The EPs are really two sides of the same coin,” Marina says. “While complementary, they reflect this sort of bi-continental, rambling life I’ve been leading with my music.” Dogtown rocks – described as “raucous” and “anthemic” in The Noise Magazine – and “swellingly beautiful” Tuscan takes a distinctly European perspective on folk americana.
In the spring of 2013, Marina launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the recording of her debut full-length album, Unbound. Through overwhelming support from across the globe, she reached her funding goal and recorded the album abroad in Florence, Italy with producer Bernardo Baglioni. With clever lyricism and unusual melodies, Unbound deftly combines various styles, genres, and instrumentation – from sweet ballads to folk anthems to straight up rock and roll – and paints a picture of a versatile and passionate artist.
A benefit concert for Folk New England
Rhythm of the Saints: A Tribute to Paul Simon
Mile Marker One Restaurant, Bar and Function Hall
75 Essex Ave
Gloucester, MA 01930
Sunday June 7th, 6pm
What a way to enjoy a perfect Summer evening, in the outside tent at the beautiful Mile Marker One restaurant in Gloucester MA.
Gary Backstrom and friends present, Rhythm of the Saints: a tribute to Paul Simon. Featuring members of Jiggle the Handle, Max Creek, Heavy Metal Horns and The Grass Gypsys – Rhythm of the Saints present 2 sets of material spanning Simon’s eclectic career.
The Gary Backstrom Band is a high energy, innovative original act featuring the infectious licks and songwriting of nationally recognized guitarist Gary Backstrom.
The American Folk Festival on the Bangor Waterfront brings the world to Bangor.
Mark you calendars for the 2015 AFF – August 28-30.
The American Folk Festival is a large-scale, three-day event. Held each year at the end of August in downtown Bangor, Maine, the Festival presents the music and dance from the many cultures that make up America today.
Here’s what awaits you at the American Folk Festival:
- the nation’s finest performing groups sharing the traditional arts of their region, culture and heritage
- 4 stages of music and dance
- traditional craft demonstrations and exhibits
- a children’s area with activities for the whole family
- dozens of food vendors offering ethnic food, regional specialties and traditional festival favorites
- a Marketplace offering unique, handcrafted items and “Taste of Maine” treats for sale
Paul Simon is, without a doubt, one of music’s most important voices.
He wrote some of the most significant, generation-defining songs of the ‘60s (“Mrs. Robinson,” “The Boxer,” “The Sound of Silence”), he filled the world with some of its most infectious melodies in the ‘70s (“50 Ways to Leave Your Lover,” “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard”), he redefined the sound of popular music in the ‘80s (“Graceland,” “You Can Call Me Al,” “The Obvious Child”) and has remained a compelling and important musical presence to this day.
Now Gary Backstrom (of rock band Jiggle the Handle) and Rhythm of the Saints—a talented seven-piece band—will perform a tribute concert featuring a career-spanning catalogue of Paul Simon’s timeless songs. Gary Backstrom and friends… present, Rhythm of the Saints: A tribute to Paul Simon. featuring members of Jiggle the Handle, Max Creek, Heavy Metal Horns and The Grass Gyp
A Tribute to Todd Rundgren, Gary Backstrom’s Road to Utopia, comes to the Regent Theatre, 7 Medford Street, Arlington, MA on Friday, June 7, at 8 pm. Tickets here.
Todd Rundgren
Considered by many to be the “Ultimate Rock Cult Hero” Todd Rundgren has maintained a legion of fans through four decades. Todd’s searing guitar work reached a nationwide audience in his role as lead guitarist for the blues-psychedelic band Nazz. He wrote and arranged almost all of the work that went into the three albums the group produced.
His first big solo success was in 1971 with “We Gotta Get You a Woman” and in 1973 from the double album “Something/Anything?” He scored big on the charts with “I Saw the Light” and a revision of a Nazz song, “Hello, It’s Me.”
Rundgren has scored huge as a music producer, most notably on Meat Loaf’s “Bat Out of Hell” opus. In the late 1970s and through the 1980s Todd formed the group Utopia, each member an accomplished musician and vocalist. He has also been called on by films and TV for his musical scores and sometimes tours with Ringo Starr as a member of his All-Star Band.
Gary Backstrom
Gary is the founder and frontman of the acclaimed Jam Band “Jiggle The Handle.” The Gary Backstrom Band is a Boston-based Band that mixes Soul, R&B, Funk, Rock and Latin grooves blended into a unique sound. Their sound features exciting, unpredictable improvisation that can only be heard in the best live acts on the scene today. Gary is considered “one of the most underrated, fluid, and melodic players in the Northeast.”
Some of the proceeds from this concert will go to
The project brings personalized iPods to people living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, helping them reconnect with the world through the music they love.
This will be a quite the night for a great cause.
80’s Tribute St80um to perform at Xfinity Center, Mansfield, MA, September 27 for a special funder for the Concil for Children.
This will be a special Fundraiser for The Council for Children. The Council is a local all-volunteer non-profit with programs benefiting nearly 2000 local children every year. The programs include Christmas is for Kids, a gift drive filling Christmas wishes of new toys and clothes to 1000 local children; Nicky O Foundation which gives scholarships to students interested in the arts; day care scholarships; 100 backpacks given to local park and rec departments each summer for children who need towels, sunscreen and water bottles; 75 back-to-school backpacks with supplies; a summer lunch food drive which collects 10,000 servings of food plus cash to help feed children on local playgrounds all summer who would otherwise go without a healthy meal.
St80um
Yes… Pronounced, Stadium
An 80s Tribute band of the best stadium style, 1980’s Rock and Roll. Journey, Foreigner, Styx, Boston, Bon Jovi, etc bringing you a full concert experience show using the original instrument sounds.
Guitar – Ted Solgot
Keyboards – Nate Goulet
Bass – “Smokin” Joe Tommasiello
Drums – Greg Vartanian
Lead Vocals – Amy Hansen
Gary Backstrom, founder, and frontman of the legendary Boston-based Jiggle The Handle, brings you Rhythm Of The Saints – an all-star tribute to Paul Simon. This seven-piece band featuring members of Jiggle The Handle, Max Creek, and The Heavy Metal Horns flawlessly navigate the musical library of Paul Simon’s solo carrier. The show features all the hits you would hope to hear, including “50 Ways To Leave Your Lover”, “Still Crazy After All These Years,” “Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes,” and so many more!
Gary Backstrom’s The Rhythm of the Saints A Tribute To Paul Simon
Gary Backstrom, founder, and frontman of the legendary Boston-based Jiggle The Handle, brings you Rhythm Of The Saints – an all-star tribute to Paul Simon. This seven-piece band featuring members of Jiggle The Handle, Max Creek, and The Heavy Metal Horns flawlessly navigate the musical library of Paul Simon’s solo carrier. The show features all the hits you would hope to hear, including “50 Ways To Leave Your Lover”, “Still Crazy After All These Years,” “Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes,” and so many more!
GARY BACKSTROM Singer/guitarist Gary Backstrom has been a staple of the northeast music scene for nearly a quarter-century. He is co-founder of the legendary Jiggle The Handle and has enjoyed a long post Jiggle solo career fronting The Gary Backstrom Band and many other projects. Gary has been called “One of the most underrated, fluid and melodic players in the North East
Paul Simon is undoubtedly one of the greatest singer/songwriters of all time. After his initial success with Simon and Garfunkel, he emerged in the ’70s as a solo artist with such hits as “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard,” “Still Crazy After All These Years,” and “50 Ways To Lose Your Lover”. Ever-evolving musically, Simon had great success in the ’80s with his South African influenced “Graceland” album that featured the hits “You Can Call Me Al” and “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes.” The 1990s brought the Latin influenced “Rhythm of the Saints” and “Songs from The Capeman” that features doo-wop, rock ‘n’ roll, and Puerto Rican rhythms. Simon continues to record and perform today.
About the Courthouse Center for the Arts
The Courthouse Center for the Arts is the perfect venue for weddings, corporate events and parties, fundraising events, networking, social events, and more. We offer music from all genres, a traveling chorus to entertain you, summer day camps for local schools, senior day centers, and groups, which include an art or music class, and a tour of our historic building.
For more Last Dance Productions events, click here.
James Montgomery is coming to the Mass Arts Center for the first time to perform under the tent outdoors on Sunday, August 20, at 3 pm. Montgomery has rocked the blues scene for over four decades with his harmonica and vocals, earning a Grammy nomination along the way. He has collaborated with stars like Johnny Winter, Aerosmith, Bonnie Raitt, and Bruce Springsteen, and he is recognized as one of the finest blues performers in the country. He will be joined by his band, which features some of the best musicians in New England. Don’t miss this chance to enjoy a fantastic blues show under the tent at the Mass Arts Center next to the beautiful Norton Reservoir. Reserved tickets under the tent are $50, and VIP seating is available in the first two rows for $75, including a 2 p.m. meet-and-greet with James. General lawn seating is also available (bring your chairs and blankets) for $35.
For more Last Dance Productions events, click here.
