Sep
28
Sat
A Healing Garden Benefit Concert Featuring Mile Twelve @ The Regent Theatre
Sep 28 @ 7:30 pm – 10:00 pm
A Healing Garden Benefit Concert Featuring Mile Twelve @ The Regent Theatre

Patio Records presents The Healing Garden Concert, a live celebration to raise funds for the creation of a magnificent Healing Garden at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, MA. Featuring Mile Twelve, J.P. Cormier w/ Bill Elliott and introducing Kelly Hill w/ Scott Neubert.

Mile Twelve

Although their sound is rooted in traditional bluegrass, Mile Twelve surveys a broader landscape on their newest album, City on a Hill. All five band members bring their own influences and observations into the music, resulting in a project that feels contemporary, thoughtfully crafted, and relevant. Produced by Bryan Sutton and engineered by Ben Surratt, City on a Hill follows significant recognition from the bluegrass community, including three IBMA Momentum Awards. With members based in Boston and Nashville, the lineup includes David Benedict (mandolin), Catherine “BB” Bowness (banjo), Bronwyn Keith-Hynes (fiddle), Evan Murphy (acoustic guitar, lead vocals), and Nate Sabat (bass, lead vocals).

J.P. Cormier

At the age of 5, JP began teaching himself to play the guitar. At 9, he won his first guitar competition against 30 other players 4 times his age. By his mid teens, he was playing a variety of stringed instruments, including the fiddle, mandolin and banjo. He recorded his first album of bluegrass instrumentals at 16, which led to 10 years of living and performing in the US. His time there included many memorable nights at the Grand Ole Opry with artists such as Waylon Jennings, Marty Stuart, Earl Scruggs, Bill Monroe, Charlie Louvin and Vince Gill.

Since returning to Canada, JP has released over a dozen award-winning albums. His impressive body of work has earned him a loyal fan base and multiple award nominations and wins. He continues to dazzle and delight audiences while performing 250 shows a year

Kelly Hill

Kelly Hill was born and raised in Waltham, Massachusetts.  She began performing at an early age and continued to hone her acting skill throughout her high school and college years graduating from Brandeis University with a degree in Theater Arts.

After taking a break from performing for a number of years and raising two amazing boys, Kelly began thinking about the next chapter in her life.  Her good friend Terry Eagan suggested they do an album together.  Terry introduced her to Scott Neubert and the three of them embarked on her first album.

Tickets here.

Info on the Healing Garden

Find out about more great shows here.

 

 

Oct
19
Sat
An Evening with Danielle Miraglia, Jenee Halstead & Lisa Bastoni @ Congregational church
Oct 19 @ 8:00 pm – 10:30 pm
An Evening with Danielle Miraglia, Jenee Halstead & Lisa Bastoni @ Congregational church

Danielle Miraglia, Jenee Halstead and Lisa Bastoni bring their amazing vocal and instrumental talents and will share our stage!

Danielle Miraglia comes armed with a strong steady thumb on an old Gibson, an infectious stomp-box rhythm and harmonica with tunes ranging from heart-felt to socially conscious that will move both your heart and hips. Her latest “All My Heroes Are Ghosts,” released with her band, Danielle M and The Glory Junkies, touches on a lot of what might be on your mind these days – from the loss of so many musical heroes to our collective anxieties on “All On Fire,” and more. The music itself blends influences of some of Miraglia’s own musical heroes – The Rolling Stones, Prince, Janis Joplin along with Danielle’s lyrical ability to explore human nature at its best and worst. Danielle M and The Glory Junkies are nominated for a 2018 Boston Music Award for “Blues Artist of the Year” and Danielle was nominated for a 2015 Boston Music Award for Singer-Songwriter of the Year.

“Straddling the line where folk/roots meets rock/blues, Miraglia has a voice that can go from a raspy come-hither purr to an Etta James-esque powerhouse belt, although she may be best known for her lead thumb — a heavy, thumping strike on her Gibson that’s backdrop percussion in itself.” – Lauren Daley, The Boston Globe

If you detect something expansive and mysterious in the music of Jenee Halstead, a freedom that owes no debt to place and time — or even genre — you understand where she’s coming from. And where she’s headed … deeper into the essence of song. Her evolution from folk singer to ethereal rocker mirrors her journey from the West Coast to the East. As a youngster in Spokane, Washington, Jenee followed the lead of hippie parents and explored music freely. She heard something in it all — from medieval choral works, to Led Zeppelin to Dolly Parton — and it tugged at her, even as she earned her degree at Gonzaga. To build on her personal, almost-secret songwriting, Jenee moved to Boston, where the seeds for many of her influences were planted. While Berklee College of Music was part of the allure, the academic approach turned her off, and away. “They make everybody use a laptop,” Jenee says, lamenting that mechanical method. “I thought, ‘Bob Dylan didn’t write “Blowin’ in the Wind” on a laptop! I don’t need this.’” Her latest release, “Edge of the World,” adds to the indefinable soundscape in which her soft and supple voice floats so exquisitely that the Boston Herald felt it “like sorceress music, rings of smoke through the trees and the bells of Rhymney,” while comparing Jenee’s working relationship with new producer Sean McLaughlin to that of Emmylou Harris and Daniel Lanois for the way it “embedded a tremendous voice in an otherworldly, shadowy soundscape.”

Lisa Bastoni is a Northampton, Massachusetts-based singer-songwriter. Following a 10-year break from music, her album “The Wishing Hour” (2017), recorded in the kids’ playroom in the wee hours of the night, debuted as #1 most-played on Boston’s WUMB and led to a number of songwriting awards and an active performance schedule. Lisa is a 2019 Kerrville New Folk Finalist. Her upcoming album “How We Want to Live” will be released in Sept. 2019. The album was produced by Sean Staples, and features guest performances by Mark Erelli, Rose Cousins, Lula Wiles and more.

“Americana of the highest order…along the lines of Gretchen Peters or Patty Griffin.” (Maverick-UK)

Feb
5
Sat
On A Winter’s Night @ The Regent Theatre
Feb 5 @ 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm
On A Winter's Night @ The Regent Theatre

“On A Winter’s Night” from veteran singer-songwriters Christine Lavin, John Gorka, Patty Larkin, Cheryl Wheeler and, Cliff Eberhardt. These are among the brightest stars of the singer/songwriter movement for the past three decades.

CHRISTINE LAVIN
The New Yorker calls her, “wildly entertaining.” The Orlando Sentinel calls her, “a folkZinger.” She’s working on her 24th solo album. ASCAP awarded her book, Cold Pizza For Breakfast, the 43rd Annual Deems Taylor Award. Broadway stars Betty Buckley and Sutton Foster sing her songs. In April 2019 she’s inducted into the Rochester NY Music Hall Of Fame. When not making music, she makes videos. When not making videos, she bakes bread. But most of all she loves touring with musicians whose work she adores.

JOHN GORKA
Hailed by Rolling Stone as “the leading singer/songwriter of the New Folk movement,” John Gorka is perhaps the quintessential singer-songwriter of the 90’s folk scene. Originally from New Jersey, John served an apprenticeship at Godfrey Daniels coffeehouse in Bethlehem, PA, then the Greenwich Village Fast Folk scene. Winning the prestigious New Folk award at the Kerrville Folk Festival, in 1984, he was then signed to Red House Records on which he released his landmark first of 17 recordings, I Know. Boston Globe penned Gorka “for the sophisticated intelligence and the provocative originality of his songs.” Recent accolades include 2016’s Indie Acoustic Project’s Best Singer/Songwriter CD of the Year for Before Beginning (Red House Records). 2018 brought his latest release, and 14th of his career, True In Time (Compass Records).

CHERYL WHEELER
Brilliant, hysterical performances and beautifully crafted songs, Cheryl Wheeler truly needs to be seen to be appreciated. Nothing you read in print, nor nothing you hear on her albums prepares you for how good a performer she is. You may not be familiar with Cheryl, but you have probably heard her music. Highly respected as a songwriter by her peers, Wheeler’s songs have been covered by artists like Dan Seals, Peter Paul and Mary, Kenny Loggins, Garth Brooks, Suzy Boggus, Melanie, Bette Midler, Maura O’Connell, Sylvia, Kathy Mattea, and Holly Near. “Strong poetry, complex melodies, clever wit.” (Singout!)

PATTY LARKIN
She redefines the boundaries of folk-urban pop music with her inventive guitar wizardry and uncompromising lyrics and vocals. Acoustic Guitar Magazine hails her, “soundscape experiments” while Rolling Stone praises her, “evocative and sonic shading.” She has been described as, “riveting” (Chicago Tribune), “hypnotic” (Entertainment Weekly), and a “drop-dead brilliant” performer (Performing Songwriter). Recently an Artist-in-Residence at Berklee College of Music – and now on the faculty at Fine Arts Work Center – Larkin reflects, “I have been energized by the poets, writers and artists I have met while teaching, and find myself on a journey to break down some of the predictable pathways that songs can travel.” Her 14th CD, Bird In A Cage, is currently in production.

CLIFF EBERHARDT
One of the most original songsmiths currently on tour, Eberhardt is a highly intelligent, articulate artist whose penetrating and profound lyrics are sometimes overshadowed by his extraordinary guitar playing. Upon close listening, the Philadelphia-born singer’s gift for the English language is abundantly clear. The words that tumble from his mouth are framed by a raspy yet deeply elegant voice. Like John Hammond and Richie Havens, Eberhardt continues to carry the torch for traditional and contemporary folk music through his strong live shows. Whether he’s out on tour solo or with a small band, Eberhardt’s guitar playing, singing, and original folk songs and blues make for a compelling, thought-filled, emotional roller coaster of a concert.

Jul
9
Sat
New Bedford Folk Festival @ New Bedford
Jul 9 @ 11:00 am – Jul 10 @ 9:00 pm
New Bedford Folk Festival @ New Bedford

THE BARGAIN of the Summer!

The New Bedford Folk Festival offers an impressive line-up of the best in contemporary, Americana, traditional, blues and Celtic folk music with more than 75 performances on seven stages over two days. At the heart of the festival are the workshops, themed jam sessions with multiple artists, many playing together for the first time, for a unique, never-to-be-seen-again show.

Sep
17
Sat
Paul Rishel and Annie Raines In Concert at The Rose Garden @ Rose Garden Coffeehouse
Sep 17 @ 8:00 pm – 10:30 pm
Paul Rishel and Annie Raines In Concert at The Rose Garden @ Rose Garden Coffeehouse

For 29 years Paul Rishell & Annie Raines have been hailed as one of the world’s best blues duos. They have recorded 6 albums together including the W.C. Handy Award-winning Moving to the Country (2000), and received numerous award nominations from the Blues Foundation. They have performed and recorded with John Sebastian, Susan Tedeschi, Pinetop Perkins and Rory Block. They have opened for Ray Charles, Dr. John, and Little Feat, and performed on international radio and TV shows including Late Night with Conan O’Brien and A Prairie Home Companion. They continue to perform American roots music and their own compositions at festivals, concert halls, and clubs all over the world. As a working team, Paul and Annie have racked up hundreds of thousands of miles on the road in the U.S. and Europe, collaborated on original songs, and released the Blues Foundation Award nominated TALKING GUITAR I WANT YOU TO KNOW (Tone-Cool/Artemis 1996), MOVING TO THE COUNTRY (2000), the W.C. Handy Award winner for Acoustic Blues Album of the Year, and GOIN’ HOME (2004), which was nominated for two Handy Awards.

Paul Rishell and Annie Raines’s sixth project together, TALKING GUITAR was released in 2012 and received 2 Nominations for the Blues Foundation’s Blues Music Awards. It features Paul returning to the bare essence of country blues, with stunning solo performances of gems by Lead Belly, Blind Boy Fuller, Skip James and others, with Annie joining in on a few tunes. It is stark, stripped down and intimate. Their previous album, the live recording “A NIGHT IN WOODSTOCK” was released in 2008 as a CD and in 2009 as a DVD on their own Mojo Rodeo label, and distributed internationally by Burnside Distribution, each release earning multiple Blues Music Award nominations. The live concert features special guests John Sebastian, Bruce Katz, and Paul and Annie’s own backing band joining the duo for an eclectic, high-energy set of acoustic and electric originals and classic blues songs. The DVD includes extra features such as artist biographies, video guitar lessons and audio commentary by Rishell, Raines and Sebastian.

 

Paul and Annie are equally passionate about their craft and devoted to the study and performance of a wide range of blues styles, from the syncopated acoustic guitar wizardry of Blind Lemon Jefferson and Son House to Chicagoan “Little” Walter Jacob’s swinging amplified harmonica. Paul has reached what Boston Phoenix writer Ted Drozdowski called “a place deep and resonant as Robert Johnson’s crossroads, where authenticity, soul, and a sense of purpose and commitment ring out in every note he sings and plays.” Annie has added vocals, mandolin, piano, and other instruments to her musical arsenal, while being recognized by top professionals and fans worldwide as the “queen of the blues harmonica.” Says blues legend Pinetop Perkins, “She plays so good it hurts!”

Touring internationally at festivals, clubs, and concert halls, and teaching workshops and seminars, Paul Rishell & Annie Raines have earned loyal fans around the globe. Paul and Annie are featured in the new jug band music documentary, Chasin’ Gus’ Ghost, which debuted at the San Francisco Film Festival in August 2007. They have performed on diverse radio and TV shows including A Prairie Home Companion, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, and PBS’s Arthur. They have performed and recorded with Susan Tedeschi, John Sebastian, Pinetop Perkins, and Rory Block. Susan Tedeschi recorded an “unplugged” version of Paul’s Blues on a Holiday with Paul and Annie for her 2003 release, Wait For Me.

Annie Raines was born in 1969 in Boston and grew up in the suburb of Newton, Massachusetts. She picked up the blues harp at 17 and made her stage debut at the 1369 Jazz Club in Cambridge a few months before her high school graduation. Enthralled by the recordings of Muddy Waters, Little Walter Jacobs, Big Walter Horton and Sonny Boy Williamson, she became a fixture at Boston area blues jams. She briefly attended Antioch College and 1988 interned with Washington, DC homeless rights activist Mitch Snyder, who persuaded her to drop out of school to pursue her musical career. One of the few female blues harmonica players in the country, Annie played the New England club circuit with local bands, and traveled to Chicago where she met and played with many of her musical idols including Pinetop Perkins, Louis Myers, and James Cotton. She also enjoyed yearlong stints with the Tarbox Ramblers and the Susan Tedeschi Band, going on to perform on Susan’s first three albums. She lives in Boston with her number one musical hero, Paul Rishell.

Paul Rishell was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1950, descended from a long line of Methodist preachers and Norwegian painters. At the age of ten, he discovered that he could keep time on the drums, though his feet didn’t reach the pedals. He started a band a few years later, playing surf music and rock ‘n roll, until a friend turned him on to the country blues records of Son House, Robert Johnson, Charley Patton, and Blind Lemon Jefferson. He immediately took up the guitar and in the early 70’s Paul moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts and had the chance to play with many of the first and second generation of blues masters — including Son House, Johnny Shines, Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee, and Howlin’ Wolf. Paul Rishell’s debut recording, BLUES ON A HOLIDAY (Tone-Cool) was released in 1990 to resounding critical acclaim. The album was half acoustic, half electric, and established Paul as a masterful, versatile blues player and as well as a deeply soulful singer and songwriter. He followed that with SWEAR TO TELL THE TRUTH in 1993, which featured heart-stopping solo performances as well as guest artists Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters and “Little”Annie Raines. Paul’s original music has been used in plays, films, and countless television shows including Friends, Oprah, and A&E’s Biography. He has built up a stellar reputation over 40 years as a performer, teacher, and torchbearer of the country blues tradition. His former students include Susan Tedeschi and Michael Tarbox. Dirt Road Blues, Paul’s instructional video/CD-Rom for Truefire.com, was released in 2008 with detailed demonstrations and transcriptions of his original songs and songs by Scrapper Blackwell, Blind Boy Fuller, and many others. He is currently serving as a visiting artist at Berklee College of Music in Boston.

For more Last Dance Productions events click here.

Sep
24
Sat
Barry Goudreau’s Engine Room Live At Hill’s Tavern @ Hill's Tavern
Sep 24 @ 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Barry Goudreau’s Engine Room Live At Hill's Tavern @ Hill's Tavern

Barry Goudreau’s Engine Room perform at Hill’s Tavern

Saturday, September 24, 2022   Tickets: Call (401) 349-5512

Barry Goudreau’s Engine Room

As a former member of the multi-platinum selling band Boston, Barry played on their first two albums, Boston, and Don’t Look Back. When released, Boston, was the fastest selling debut album of all time. Both albums landed on the top of the, Billboard POP Charts, with Boston, reaching #3 and Don’t Look Back, reaching #1. Barry’s musical career continued after BOSTON, going on to form Orion the Hunter, RTZ, and releasing two records with Brad Delp.

Goudreau recently announced the release of his new CD, “The Road,” from his band Barry Goudreau’s Engine Room. Barry’s blues/rock ensemble includes his former RTZ bandmates Brian Maes on lead vocals and keyboards and Tim Archibald on bass. Both Maes and Archibald were members of Peter Wolf’s House Party Five, playing on two of his records and touring the world extensively. Also in the band is “Old” Tony DePietro on drums and Mary Beth Maes, Terri O’Soro, and Joanie Cicatelli on background vocals. Expect some favorites like “Smokin” and “Long Time” in their live set, alongside songs from the new CD as well as tracks from “Full Steam Ahead,” the 2017 release from Barry Goudreau’s Engine Room.

Saturday, September 24, 2022   Tickets: Call (401) 349-5512

For more concerts by Last Dance Productions, click here.

See you at a show soon.

Live Music Is Better!

Gary Backstrom The Rhythm of the Saints: A Tribute to Paul Simon @ The Courthouse Center for the Arts
Sep 24 @ 8:00 pm – 10:30 pm
Gary Backstrom The Rhythm of the Saints: A Tribute to Paul Simon @ The Courthouse Center for the Arts

Gary Backstrom’s The Rhythm of the Saints A Tribute To Paul Simon

TICKETS HERE

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.

Feb
18
Sat
On A Winter’s Night @ Regent Theatre
Feb 18 @ 8:00 pm – 10:30 pm
On A Winter's Night @ Regent Theatre

Patty Larkin, John Gorka, Cliff Eberhardt, Lucy Kaplansky

Presenting the Reunion Tour of “On A Winter’s Night” from veteran singer-songwriters that remain among the brightest stars of the singer/songwriter movement for the past three decades. In 1994 Christine Lavin gathered them together, along with folk and Americana artists to showcase music of the Winter Season on the now-classic On A Winter’s Night CD, followed by several years of touring collaborations. These artists have released dozens of recordings and toured steadily through the decades, with fond memories of their touring days together. The winter season is again celebrated by these unique and popular performers, back together by popular demand.

Apr
29
Sat
Patty Larkin In Concert w/ Crys Matthews @ Maxwell Auditorium
Apr 29 @ 7:30 pm – 10:30 pm
Patty Larkin In Concert w/ Crys Matthews @ Maxwell Auditorium
Patty Larkin in concert to benefit the Healing Garden at Mass General Waltham, MA.
PATTY LARKIN is a visionary of sound and wonder, a real deal version of artistry made of equal parts guitar wizardry, vocals shot through with soul and inventive lyrics that ripple across the terrain of the heart. Described as riveting (Chicago Tribune), hypnotic (Entertainment Weekly), and a drop-dead brilliant performer (Performing Songwriter), Patty has captured audiences for over 30 years with an imagination, enchantment, and technical artistry that has redefined the boundaries of the guitar driven singer songwriter.
Already being hailed as the next Woody Guthrie, Crys Matthews is among the brightest stars of the new generation of social justice music-makers. A powerful lyricist whose songs of compassionate dissent reflect her lived experience as what she lightheartedly calls “the poster-child for intersectionality,” Justin Hiltner of Bluegrass Situation called Matthews gift “a reminder of what beauty can occur when we bridge those divides.”
For more Last Dance Productions Events, click here.
Sep
23
Sat
A Healing Garden Benefit: Jamie Walker & Friends with The Gravel Project featuring Jen Kearney @ Regent Theatre
Sep 23 @ 7:30 pm – 10:15 pm
A Healing Garden Benefit: Jamie Walker & Friends with The Gravel Project featuring Jen Kearney @ Regent Theatre
A Healing Garden Benefit
Presented by Patio Records
Proceeds will go towards caring for the Pratt Family Healing Garden at Mount Auburn Hospital.
JAMIE WALKER and Friends
Jamie Walker is the guitarist and vocalist for the legendary Swinging Steaks and has been the lead guitar player and vocalist with Susan Cattaneo. As another young kid inspired by the Beatles’ appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show, Jamie Walker started writing songs on the school bus in 2nd grade. What do you do when you are obsessed with songs and the guitar in particular? You learn how to play and find some friends to play with!
Jamie fronted and fueled several Boston bands with his songs in the 1980s; the Lines, the Drive (V66 and MTV Basement Tapes), and finally, Swinging Steaks (Capricorn Records 1990 to present). A few of his songs became Boston radio staples on WBCN, WCOZ, WZLX, and WAAF in Worcester and have appeared in Hollywood movies and on tv. Jamie has made some friends over the years and has some old friends along too. So this is about more than just the music.
On this particular evening will be a veritable all-star cast, including:
Laurie Young (vocals, trumpet) brings the role of the goddess to the forefront and co-fronts the band
Joe Donnelly (drums) of the Del Fuegos, Swinging Steaks, and Wall of Grass
Pat Dreier (Keyboards, vocals) of the Lines and the Drive
Dave Weden (guitar/banjo) and Clayton Young (bass, vocals) of John Cate and the Van Gough Brothers
Dennis Semprebon (drums and percussion) of Craig Carter and the Hurricanes
Brad Kohl (saxophone) of Hot Acoustics and Group Therapy
They play roots rock music, that is, songs wrapped in elements of rock, pop, country, soul, R&B, and blues.
The Gravel Project featuring Jen Kearney
Initially created by Andrew Gravel (vocals, guitar), The Gravel Project is an all-star band of Boston music veterans, including brother, Jordan Gravel (organ, keys), Dave Fox (drums), and Eguie Castrillo (percussion). The Gravel Project’s live show blends rock, world music, and jazz with power and soul. Carrying the tradition of 70’s blues and psychedelic rock music, The Gravel Project embodies the spirit of Santana combined with the classic raw energy and moving songwriting of The Allman Brothers and Tedeschi Trucks Band. With three studio albums, a live album, and countless past performances, the future is bright for Boston’s The Gravel Project, and as the title of their 2022 studio album suggests, there are “Many Miles Ahead.”
For more Last Dance Productions, click here.