HeatherFest22 was a day of beautiful vibes and especially good blues
Escaping the rains that plagued last year’s event, HeatherFest22 went off with out a hitch last Sunday afternoon. With Racky Thomas again serving as Master Of Ceremonies and leading the side stage action, HF22 moved forward with a fantastic mix of blues, R&B, soul, and funk. The lineup of outstanding bands performed during that day of positive vibes that sprang from charitable giving and patriotic reflections on the anniversary of September 11 as well as from a stirring speech from a local police sergeant. HeatherFest, essentially, is a backyard barbeque with a stage set up for blues bands with representatives from local charities on hand to donate to.
Gay Barboza proved her worth during Pepperoncini’s gig last Friday night
Gay Barboza is the Attleboro area’s best kept secret. Possessing a particularly strong voice and all the subtle nuances that go along with it, she’s also a singer-songwriter with an ear for the right sound and a mind for all the perceptions and expressions to bring them to life. This had made her a sort of crown jewel in her local music scene in that area between Milford, Massachusetts and northern Rhode Island. While Barboza isn’t as well known outside her local scene, she has all the bells and whistles of someone who could play out in the greater-New England singer-songwriter circuit.
Lovewhip inspired dancing at recent Fury’s Publick House appearance
Lovewhip has been playing out for almost two decades now. They’ve also been playing at Fury’s Publick House in Dover, New Hampshire for several years too. The combination of Lovewhip and a New Hampshire seacoast venue with a clientele open to original music worked out well for both last Saturday night. Pulling in a good amount of fans on a holiday weekend, Lovewhip kept people dancing, bobbing their heads, and applauding all night long.
Esthema intrigue the ear and imagination with gripping third album Long Goodbye
Esthema might be a hard band to categorize or label but their music is easy to enjoy. This six piece band from Boston are highly skilled musicians who perform and record exotic, explorative instrumental music. Each of their compositions is inspired by a story from real life and they take their listener through a journey, creating their sonic landscape with Mac Ritchey on electric and acoustic oud and bouzouki, Naseem Alatrash on cello, and Onur Dilisen on violin as much as with Andy Milas on guitar, Tom Martin on bass, and George Lernis on drums and percussion. Their third CD, Long Goodbye, offers the listener many pleasant and some dark but always exciting and intriguing journeys into sound.
Lauren Passarelli, Kate Chadbourne, Bird Mancini coming to Bull Run in Shirley Sept 15
BillCopelandMusicNews.com just received the following press release from Lauren Passarelli. Passarelli will be sharing the stage at The Bull Run Restaurant in Shirley, Massachusetts with Kate Chadbourne, and Bird Mancini. The special night of original music will take place in two weeks, on September 15, 2016, beginning at 7:30 p.m. and ending at 10:30 p.m. For more information, please read below:
Day two of North River Blues Festival was a slice of heaven last Sunday
Day two of the North River Blues Festival at Marshfield Fair was a well managed event. It was also one that gave an idea what heaven might be like when we get there: several hours of outstanding blues bands all in a row. Paul Speidel Band, Tony Soul Band, Neal And The Vipers, Kenny Neal, and Sugaray Rayford along with side stage band Basic Black featuring Cheryl Arena treated a huge turnout to fine renditions of standards as well as some of their own original material.
Adam Ezra Group, other artists rocked the seventh annual Ramble at Salisbury Beach
Adam Ezra Group whipped up some exciting music at their seventh Ramble on Salisbury Beach last Saturday night. An event which raises funds for veterans related matters, AEG headlines it each year after organizing those who support the cause and a bunch of other bands who play on either of two stages set up for the event. Adam Ezra and his band mates, with special guests made up of those musicians who played earlier, created plenty of sparks with their solid songs.
Rockin’ Ed Thomas turns vocal, lyrical quirks into wonderful fun on Not My Job album
Rockin’ Ed Thomas has finally released his slightly edgy, fun flavored Not My Job album, ten years in the making. Thomas brings a quirky world view and sense of humor to his lyrics. He takes things seriously but he knows enough to look at life with a grain of salt. His sense of fun fills each song with a sunny disposition and likeable personality. Thomas also has backing vocalists Lee Villaire and Maia Cataldo along for his joy ride while bass players Brent Godin and Spencer Wright keep the bottom running smooth.
Steven Pelland releases beauty of an album with These Days
Steven Pelland’s new These Days CD is chockfull of beautiful vocals, an album that will long be remembered for the quality of the voice. These songs also make an impression through the way Pelland uses his acoustic guitar melodies to conjure emotions and contemplations. This singer makes one feel like he’s conversing with you, not just singing his lyrics over sparse accompaniment. His personality shines through in each track, making one feel the man behind the song.
Last Saturday’s Blues N’ Brews Festival was a blast
Last Saturday’s Blues N’ Brews Festival at Nashoba Valley Ski Area found blues fans and beer fans braving an unexpected 40 minute rain fall before resuming the festivities. It takes more than a little rain to keep people away from good blues and good beer. Saturday, being the first day of a two day BluesNBrews Fest, had something special for each person. WZLX’s Carter Allan was a perfect host for the day. His knowledge of blues and his gentile personality went over well with the demanding blues crowd that patiently awaited each act.
