Bill Copeland
Holiday gift suggestions for fans of the New England music scene; buy these CDs right away
It’s that time of year where you’re scrambling to find gifts for the ones you love. If your loved ones are fans of the local New England music scene, you may wish to purchase CDs by their or your favorite local artists to stuff inside their Christmas stockings. Being one of New England’s more prolific music journalists, I happen to know of many bands whose CDs might make great gift ideas. Here are a few:
Dave Bailin & The Bailouts shine on debut studio album
Dave Bailin And The Bailouts have documented their musical and vocal prowess on their self-titled debut studio CD. This is tight, disciplined rock and roll and free wheeling soul music all in one album. Bailin and lead guitarist Eric Reardon play bristling electric guitars while Bailin blows feisty harmonica lines. Drummer Steve Peabody keeps a beat like nobody’s business while adding the hippest smacks in the most unlikely of places. Tight ensemble work is the order of the day. This is a unit that shines as much during their ensemble portions as they do during guitar and harmonica phrases and hip grooving.
A Ton Of Blues continue their successful run at Hot Shotz in Leominster MA
A Ton Of Blues continue their successful run as the host of the Sunday afternoon blues jam at Hot Shotz in Leominster, Massachusetts. Yesterday’s jam was a great example why A Ton Of Blues and Hot Shotz is a marriage made in heaven. Not only did A Ton Of Blues showcase their own inimitable style and brandish a few new songs, they showcased the talent from their metro west area in a way that let the individual talents shine. Former Massachusetts musician and southern New Hampshire stalwart Arthur James showed up to also play an exciting set.
The Duke Robillard Band respect the genre on Calling All Blues album
The Duke Robillard Band’s latest CD is another set of fine blues music from the mind of a guitarist-singer-songwriter who knows how to mine the depths of the genre to come up with a fresh batch of fine, fun music. Calling All Blues is a very appropriate album title as this recording documents Robillard delving headlong into many different shades of this genre and respects its power as the progenitor of all modern American music.
Otis And The Elevators serve up righteous blues at Wantu Blues Jam
Otis And The Elevators played an exciting set of righteous blues and roots music at yesterday’s Wantu Blues Jam at the Village Trestle in Goffstown, New Hampshire. Beginning their set after the first hour of jammers did their thing, Otis Doncaster lead his five piece through tasty Americana music.
Porch Party Mamas offer much artistic beauty on new debut album
Porch Party Mamas have released their roots-folk debut album, and it’s loaded with the organic instrumentation and pristine vocals the band has made their mark with. Acoustic guitars, banjo, fiddle, ukelele, and exotic percussion instruments pepper and punctuate dreamy, floating vocal melodies in the best possible way. These mamas borrow from folk, Celtic, rock and […]
Love Dogs, Jilly Martin & Ryan Brooks Kelly, and Sugarbabies Band play Boston’s treelighting ceremonty
Thankfully, the weather was cooperative with yesterday’s tree lighting ceremony at Faneuil Hall in Boston yesterday. Hosted by Mix 104.1 FM, the musical acts featured The Love Dogs, Jilly Martin with Ryan Brooks Kelly, and the Sugarbabies Band, all of which brought their own special sounds to the event. The Love Dogs were sponsored by Sculler’s Jazz Club and the Martin-Kelly duo were sponsored by the Hard Rock Café.
An open letter to officials at the Boston Music Awards
This is an open letter to the officials at the Boston Music Awards. I initiated a lot of discussion about whether your nominating process is conducted fairly and honestly and whether your organization is truly inclusive or whether you’re somewhat cliquey in your categories and in your nomination choices Many applauded me for rooting out […]
Hey bands! Copperfield’s Bar would like to invite you to play their Downstairs Pub!
Copperfield’s Bar, near Fenway Park, has a 200 person capacity downstairs pub room available for promoters and bands on Friday and Saturday nights.
Chick Singer Night shined at the Burren’s Back Room yesterday evening
Headlined by Robin Lane, Last Sunday’s presentation of Chick Singer Night at The Burren went off with hardly a glitch. Joining forces with the Burren’s Sunday night music program was a smashing success. Turnout and enthusiasm was high at the Burren’s backroom last night. Beautiful voices and lovely melodies rang out in a roomful of receptive ears. If that wasn’t enough, the show was a benefit for Lane’s organization Songbirdsings.org, a group that supports victims of trauma by teaching them songwriting.
