Category: Folk/Americana

Kitchen Dwellers Announce ‘Wise River’ Release Date and Supporting Tour With NY Shows

The Bozeman, Montana-based band Kitchen Dwellers have a lot in store for 2022. In addition to dropping their latest single “Wise River” this month, their tour has begun and will make stops at New York CIty’s Mercury Lounge and Buffalo Iron Works. The neo-bluegrass band have also announced their third full-length album, also titled Wise River, which will drop on April 29.

Kitchen Dwellers create their own spin of bluegrass, folk, and rock through a perspective of the American West. The quartet, including mandolin player Shawn Swain, Torrin Daniels on the banjo, Joe Funk on the upright bass, and acoustic guitarist Max Davies, combine forces to turn homegrown stories, rich mythology, and psychedelic hues into music. With producer Cory Wong, the Kitchen Dwellers are ready to release their new album.

Considering all band members are from Montana, their album correlates to how life has been through their eyes lately. Wise River is known to be one of Montana’s natural wonders, considering its 30-mile stream that flows down the southwestern region of the state, from the mountains into the Big Hole River.

The town of Wise River is basically a forgotten spot on the map. It used to be a thriving place with many prosperous mines, but now it’s practically dried up. There’s a hell of a lot of melancholy. In our mind, it symbolizes the overall feeling of being in slowed-down Montana life.
Shawn Swain

Kitchen Dwellers are known for selling out shows, receiving credibility from well-known publications like the Huffington Post, and surpassing five million plus streams. Therefore, there is no doubt that their current tour will be a success and boost their status within the music industry.

Earlier this month, the quartet released the official music video of their newest single Wise River, along with their behind-the-scenes trailer, which can be viewed here.

In addition to going on tour in New York, Kitchen Dwellers will travel across the country, making stops along the Pacific Northwest to the Southeast. Furthermore, there will be numerous festival appearances including the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, WinterWonderGrass, Sweetwater 420 Fest, Tuck Fest, Bear Shadow, Domefest, Summer Camp Music Festival, Peach Fest, Electric Forest, Northwest String Summit, FloydFest, RiverWonderGrass, and many more to be announced.

All tickets are available for purchase on the Kitchen Dwellers website.

Kitchen Dwellers 2022 Tour Dates

Apr 1-3 @ WinterWonderGrass Tahoe | Olympic Valley, CA

Apr 7 @ The Mint | Los Angeles, CA

Apr 8 @ WINSTONS | San Diego, CA

Apr 28 @ Charleston Pour House | Charleston, SC

Apr 29 @ Tuck Fest | Charlotte, NC

Apr 30 @ Sweetwater 420 Fest | Atlanta, GA

May 1 @ Bear Shadow | Highlands, NC

May 4 @ Richmond Music Hall | Richmond, VA

May 5 @ Virginia Arts Festival | Norfolk, VA

May 7 @ Pearl Street Warehouse | Washington, DC

May 10 @ Gateway City Arts | Holyoke, MA

May 11 @ Stageone | Fairfield, CT

May 12 @ Wonder Bar | Asbury Park, NJ

May 13 @ Mercury Lounge | New York, NY

May 14 @ XL Live | Harrisburg, PA

May 17 @ Thunderbird Cafe and Music Hall | Pittsburgh, PA

May 18 @ Buffalo Iron Works | Buffalo, NY

May 19 @ Domefest | Thornville, OHMay 20 @ The Clay Center | Charleston, WV

May 21 @ Hi-Fi | Indianapolis, IN

May 26 @ Otus Supply – Parliament Room | Ferndale, MI

May 27 @ Rivers Edge Amphitheater | Hamilton, OH

May 28 @ The Livery | Benton Harbor, MI

May 29 @ Summer Camp Music Festival | Chillicothe, IL

June 2-4 @ Pine Creek Lodge | Livingston, MT

June 15-19 @ Telluride Bluegrass Festival | Telluride, CO

June 23-26 @ Electric Forest Festival | Rothbury, MI

June 30-July 1 @ Peach Fest | Scranton, PA

July 15-16 @ The Boogiedown Music Festival | Yuba, WI

July 21-24 @ Northwest String Summit | North Plains, OR

July 27-31 @ FloydFest | Floyd, VA

Aug 1-4 @ RiverWonderGrass | Jensen, UT

February 20, 2022
Noel Paul Stookey of Peter, Paul, and Mary to Release New Album “FAZZ:NOW&THEN”

Peter, Paul, and Mary were an iconic 60’s folk group formed in New York City. The trio was composed of Peter Yarrow, Mary Travers, and most notably Noel Paul Stookey. Amidst the revival of American folk music, they were incredibly popular in the era that they performed.

Noel Paul Stookey in studio, Photo by Sally Far

The group was initially formed in 1961 after each individual member was cast for their talents. They went on to perform in The Bitter End in Manhattan and quickly gained notoriety and attention. So much so, the group caught the attention of Warner Brothers. After recording, the group released their first self-titled debut album through the media giant and went on to lead successful careers.

Each of us is searching for our own authenticity and the more honest we are, the less we have to hide. My attempt to infuse folk music with what might be considered unusual chord structures has always focused on fulfilling what I see as the promise of a lyric’s emotional content.
Noel Paul Stookey

Six decades later, and at 84 years of age, Stookey is still recording solo albums. The icon’s upcoming release, FAZZ:NOW&THEN, is a twenty-track collection that seeks to infuse traditional American folk with jazzier and more colorful chords. Stookey speaks on the album.

The album will be available on Stookey’s website for a limited time from February, 22nd 2022 to March 22nd, 2022. For that limited period of time, pre-release purchasers will receive autographed copies of the new CD. They will also receive a link to access a private repository of unreleased Noel Paul Stookey songs and performances. After which, the album will be available on streaming services. For more information visit noelpaulstookey.com.

February 18, 2022
The Dead Unleash A ‘Beautiful’ Array Of Debuts At The Cap: February 18, 1971

Today marks the anniversary of the start of The Grateful Dead’s fourth and final residency at the Capitol Theater in Port Chester. Affectionately known as “The Cap,” this small theater certainly helped build the legacy of The Dead in New York and beyond. The first show here in 1971 may well be a leading cause of this. Not only does it offer a host of songs from the recently released and acclaimed American Beauty album, it also features a wealth of brand new songs that made their live debut this evening and would become concert regulars in the years to come. Throw in one of the most “beautiful” pieces of collective improvisation that the band has ever played and you’ve got a show for the ages right here.

This legendary run at The Cap starts off with a new song that’s soon to become a Grateful Dead staple, a rip-roaring “Bertha.” It’s only the third one ever played after two live performances in December of 1970 and the first time it’s ever opened a show. It seems a little quicker than its customary tempo, with Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir nailing the harmonized vocals. After a presumable audience request for “Casey Jones,” Jerry Garcia notes the next song “isn’t driving a train, but it’s almost as good” before the Dead launch into “Truckin’.” This American Beauty tune has a little more experience under its belt in the live setting and an extremely crisp and cohesive version ensues, with a short bluesy jam spearheaded by Garcia on the tail end. Batting in the third spot this evening is Pigpen, who steps up to the plate, harmonica in tow, and maintains the early blues vibe with a classic rendition of “It Hurts Me Too.”

After some more post-song extended tuning, a tradition Weir notes is “older than music itself,” Garcia jumps back on the mic and leads the band through another new number. This time it’s “Loser,” the first one ever performed live. It’s a well honed version that’s again a little faster than its successors but played beautifully (a sign of things to come) with a hair-raising guitar solo thrown in by Garcia. A chatty Bob Weir then begs for indulgence from the audience for another brand new song to follow that winds up being “Greatest Story Ever Told.” It’s a quick take that fizzles out shortly but instead of more post-song tuning, the Dead keep it going and immediately segue into a cover of Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode.”

Weir maintains his presence on lead vocals for the cautionary tale of “Mama Tried” that follows before handing the baton back to Pigpen for his signature cover of Otis Redding’s “Hard To Handle.” This yields another significant blues-inspired jam with drummers Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart helping set the pace. What follows this may be one of the most awe inspiring and notable sequences of Grateful Dead music in their storied history. It’s a “Wharf Rat” sandwich with two mesmerizing slices of “Dark Star” serving as the bread. “Dark Star” starts off extremely patient and melodic before Garcia comes in with the opening verse. After petering out into full ambience, Garcia seems to hit the opening note of “St. Stephen,” which often followed “Dark Star” in this era, but instead the Dead collectively turn on a dime and unleash another newcomer with the heartfelt and poignant first ever “Wharf Rat.” As it comes to end, the second serving of “Dark Star” emerges. But before it truly begins, the Dead continue to noodle around and steer the music into a joyous, euphoric piece of improv that’s simply known as the “Beautiful Jam.” This serves as the vessel that carries the music back into “Dark Star,” which completes this awe inspiring section of music that’s included on the Dead’s five-disc So Many Roads the celebrates the band’s entire career.

Many years later, bassist Phil Lesh seems to be brought almost to tears after listening to this heralded piece of music from The Cap thanks to Dead historian David Gans.

Somehow this doesn’t even complete the first set this evening. The Dead throw in a “Me And My Uncle” to close it out and earn themselves a well-deserved set break. The band emerges from this clearly in high spirits, giving some recommendations for the house light settings before starting the second set with an energized “Casey Jones” aka “that train driving” song. This sets the stage for yet another live Dead debut at The Cap that would go on to be an integral part of their history: “Playing In The Band.” It stays pretty close to the vest and doesn’t produce a drawn out, show-defining psychedelic jam like future ones will, but all the signs of a live show staple for years to come are there.

Photo by Peter Corrigan

Weir stays on lead vocals for the cover of “Me And Bobby McGee” that comes next before Garcia takes over for another number from American Beauty with a vintage rendition of “Candyman” that even includes harpsichord-like fills from Pigpen along with some more soulful vocal harmonies.

Pig then gets to take lead one last time and rips through another blues cover, this time it’s Jimmy Reed’s “Big Boss Man.” Then the last Beauty song of the evening emerges in “Sugar Magnolia.” It’s another fairly short yet explosive take that sees Garcia using the wah-effect on electric guitar to its full capabilities. This gets a warm reception from the Cap crowd, surpassed only by the one that the beginning notes of the “Saint Stephen” that follows receives. With the “William Tell Bridge” shelved as of 1969, instead Kreutzmann and Hart lead the percussive-heavy charge into “Not Fade Away” as the second set’s closing sequence begins to unfold.

The Dead offer up one final sandwich to The Cap with a “Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad,” replete with Weir’s wailing vocals, that feeds right back into “Not Fade Away.” And to cap things off (no pun intended), the music then immediately flows into a show closing “Uncle John’s Band” that’s played to perfection. Although there would be another five shows still to come in Port Chester, this one serves as the end of an era of sorts, with drummer Mickey Hart leaving the band the following day for his three-year self-imposed hiatus.

Grateful Dead Capitol Theater – Port Chester, NY 2/18/71

Set 1: Bertha, Truckin’, It Hurts Me Too, Loser, Greatest Story Ever Told > Johnny B. Goode, Mama Tried, Hard To Handle, Dark Star > Wharf Rat > Dark Star > Me And My Uncle

Set 2: Casey Jones, Playing In The Band, Me And Bobby McGee, Candyman, Big Boss Man, Sugar Magnolia, Saint Stephen > Not Fade Away >Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad > Not Fade Away > Uncle John’s Band

The entire show can also be found on YouTube.

February 18, 2022
Greg Bell Celebrates 30 Years of Music Promotion with 3 Shows Spanning Career

In mid-March 1992, Greg Bell and Dale Metzger set up the first of many shows at Victory Café in downtown Albany with a band that would soon name themselves MotherJudge and the Urban Holiness Society. No one remembers the exact date of that show, but a few weeks later Bell and Metzger, calling themselves “Two Fools Present,“ put on another show at the Masons Hall on lower Madison Ave. on April 2, 1992.

Greg Bell

The bands that performed that night were The Sharks, Hard Times, MotherJudge, and Brian Kenny and Friends. Those two shows kicked off a career in music promotion that has now entered its 30^th year. In 1993, Bell joined forces with Jeff Guthrie and formed Guthrie/Bell Productions. Guthrie left the business after a few years but Bell continues to use the name today. As of January 2022, Bell took on Kim Neaton as his partner.

Three shows announced this week feature a range of acts that have been important to both Greg Bell and the local music scene over the last three decades.

Eastbound Jesus

March 25th

Three bands that encapsulate the greater Albany jam sound features ‘Northern Rock‘ group Eastbound Jesus, rising jam band Glass Pony, and jam rock band Wreckloose – The Cohoes Music Hall – Doors at 7pm, Music at 7:30pm

April 9th

For the first time in 33 years, The Sharks will reunite with 6 of the 7 original members (Tom D’Ambrose passed away in 2019) and the first time in 21 years since the remaining 5 members played together for a show. Johnny Rabb and The Jailhouse Rockers with special guests will open the show.

The Sharks w/ Johnny Rabb and the Jailhouse Rockers – The Hollow – Doors at 7pm, Music at 8pm .

Vinnie Amico, Rob Derhak, Al Schnier

April 23rd

On this night fans will be treated to a show they might have stumbled across at Valentine’s in the early-mid 90s. DAS Trio (featuring Rob Derhak, Vinnie Amico, and Al Schnier), The Seapods, Conehead Buddha, Dr. Jah and the Love Prophets – Empire Live – Doors at 6:30pm, Music at 7pm

February 18, 2022
The Lumineers Announce 2022 World Tour, With Stops at SPAC, CMAC and Forest Hills

The Lumineers have returned with their “BRIGHTSIDE” 2022 World Tour. The extensive tour begins May 18th and features special guests James Bay, Caamp, Gregory Alan Isakov and Daniel Rodriguez.

The tour follows the release of the band’s fourth studio album of the same name, available now on all streaming platforms. The Grammy nominated album was produced by longtime collaborator Simone Felice and engineered by David Baron during winter and spring of 2021 at Sun Mountain Studios.

The band was credited with creating the world’s first climate positive tour back in 2020 and have continued this trend by collaborating with the environmental non profit REVERB to make the BRIGHTSIDE tour climate positive as well. The nonprofit has collaborated with a number of artists and bands to reduce environmental impact including Harry Styles, Billie Eilish, Dave Matthews Band and Tame Impala.

General ticket sales start on 2/18 at 10 AM. Advanced ticket purchasing starts 2/14 for select club and Citi card members. Ticket bundles and premium packages are also available. For complete ticket information, visit The Lumineers website.

The Lumineers 2022 Tour Dates

5/18 – Jacksonville, FL – Daily’s Place

5/20 – West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheater

5/21 – Charleston, SC – Credit One Stadium

5/24 – Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park

5/25 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion

5/27 – Canandaigua, NY – CMAC

5/28 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center

5/29 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Saratoga Performing Arts Center

6/1 – Gilford, NH – Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion

6/3 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center

6/4 – Camden, NJ – Waterfront Music Pavilion

6/7 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center

6/8 – Maryland Heights, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre

6/10 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre

6/11 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage

6/14 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center

6/15 – Burgettstown, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake

6/17 – Forest Hills, NY – Forest Hills Stadium

7/9 – Cleveland, OH – WonderStruck Music Festival

7/12 – Boise, ID – ExtraMile Arena

7/14 – Portland, OR – Moda Center

7/16 – Quincy, WA – The Gorge

7/17 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena

7/20 – Salt Lake City, UT – Maverik Center

7/22 – Denver, CO – Coors Field

7/24 – Las Vegas, NV – MGM Grand Garden Arena

7/26 – Glendale, AZ – Gila River Arena

7/27 – San Diego, CA – Pechanga Arena San Diego

7/29 – Los Angeles, CA – crypto.com Arena

8/2 – Sacramento, CA – Golden1 Center

8/3 – San Francisco, CA – Chase Center

8/6 – Calgary, AB – Scotiabank Saddledome

8/7 – Edmonton , AB – Rogers Place

8/9 – Saskatoon, SK – Sasktel Centre

8/10 – Winnipeg, MB – Canada Life Centre

8/12 – St. Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center

8/13 – Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center

8/16 – Omaha, NE – CHI Health Center

8/17 – Tulsa, OK – BOK Center

8/19 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center

8/20 – Austin, TX – Moody Center

8/26 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena

8/27 – Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center

8/31 – Louisville, KY – KFC Yum! Center

9/1 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena

9/3 – Chicago, IL – Wrigley Field

9/6 – Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena

9/24-9/25 – Bridgeport, CT – Sound On Sound Music Festival

February 11, 2022
Kristian Montgomery Is An Ordinary Guy, It’s His Life That’s Extraordinary

Kristian Montgomery is a regular guy. Except, the more you fill in the details of his life what should be ordinary starts to become extraordinary. Like a cubist painting, that starts to look less recognizable the more you identify the individual pieces in it, Kristian’s life is at once familiar and wholly his own.

His career has ups and downs, he goes on trips with his friends. All relatable experiences unless you’re Kristian Montgomery. His job isn’t a boring, nine-to-five. He’s a former metal vocalist turned country singer; whose career highs included being nominated for a Boston Music Award for Country Artist of the Year in 2021. But who’s lows included having to write an album in jail after contacting the judge in his child support case outside of court. And that trip he took with a friend? It was with his bassist and “blood brother,” Roberto Talleria, to his homeland of Managua, Nicaragua to perform on the local version of MTV.

Montgomery in Managua, Nicaragua.

Montgomery’s own origins have taken him beyond the Boston music scene he came up in. His father is from Denmark which he now considers “home.” His time in Boston was tumultuous, if successful. It was a milieu in which he often felt, if not, overtly excluded, at least, like an odd man out in what he considered “a very upper-class music scene.” Even though he received critical success, in the form of his Boston Music Award nomination, he felt his peers never reciprocated. Which while not the raison d’etre for his art; stung, nonetheless.

The unique word choice he regularly employs hints at a sensitive person with an affinity for dramatic, verbal pictures. He uses turns of phrase that only an artistic spirit would consider. His relatives from Denmark are “across the sea.” When detailing the emotions of a song dedicated to his wife, he explains that he “throws his love at her.” He finds everyday experiences inspiring and “has made a living painting those stories into his songs.”

Ordinarily, such ornamental language, if used in casual conversation, would seem overwrought were it not for the fact that Montgomery is such a poised and deep thinker about art and, specifically, his art. He seems to be constantly reflecting on who his music represents. About the people it will connect with. It is music that is, as he says, “made for people on the Periphery.”

Now that he’s released a new album, he can say he did just that. Montgomery’s unpretentious, new album, “Heaven for Heretics”, released under the moniker Kristian Montgomery and the Winterkill Band, is a vintage singer-songwriter effort. It’s apparent the music comes from a single creative source, giving the album an unmistakable cohesion. Of course, as with all singer-songwriters if the message doesn’t resonate or the music is flat then listening becomes tedious, repetitive. That isn’t the case here. Montgomery is able to stretch himself to the limits of artistic expanse. He’s able to provide enough variety, both sonic and thematic, to keep the album propulsive.

From the contemplatively existentialist “Come Carry Weight with Me” to the bouncy country bop “Peach” Montgomery’s unorthodox, appealing voice and trademark mix of country music clichés mixed with profound turns of phrase, all showcase a musician who, if nothing else, cared about making something personal. And that counts for a lot.

February 11, 2022
Rachael Sage Announces New Single And Tour With 9 NY Dates

NYC-based artist Rachael Sage is coming out with her new single “Revelation Ground” and tour, with nine shows across New York State.

Rachael Sage. photo by Blue Roses.

Sage has been touring for decades among the likes of Judy Collins, Eric Burdon, and Ani DiFranco and a six-time Independent Music Awards winner who founded her record label, MPress Records two decades ago. She has been described as “The Carole King of her generation…” by Blurt Magazine, and by artist Judy Collins herself as “A great gift…of incredible talent and beauty.”

Rachael Sage is going on tour and will have support from Howard Jones at the select show. She will perform songs from her recent Billboard Charting album Character, along with select pieces across her discography of 14 albums and her new collaborative side-project, Poetica. Tickets to the tour can be found here.

Rachel Sage Tour Dates
2/10/22 – Beacon, NY – The Dogwood (Winter Residency)
2/11/22 – Ithaca, NY – Hangar Theatre*
2/12/22 – Saratoga, NY – Universal Preservation Hall*
2/14/22 – Boston, MA – City Winery*
2/15/22 – Norwalk, CT – Wall Street Theater*
2/17/22 – Pawling, NY – Daryl’s House*
2/18/22 – Huntington, NY – The Paramount*
2/19/22 – New York, NY – Sony Hall*
2/20/22 – Sellersville, PA – Sellersville Theater*
2/21/22 – Alexandria, VA – The Birchmere*
2/22/22 – Richmond, VA – The Tin Pan*
3/1/22 – New York, NY – Joe’s Pub (Single Release Show)
3/4/22 – Beacon, NY – The Dogwood (Winter Residency)
4/9/22 – Binghamton, NY – Atomic Tom’s
* appearing with Howard Jones

February 9, 2022
In Focus: Tom Rush and Matt Nakoa at Caffe Lena

On Sunday, February 6, Tom Rush made his way down from Vermont to Saratoga Springs to perform at Caffe Lena with Matt Nakoa. The relatively warm weather brought out a packed crowd for the duo’s first of two shows on Sunday. Tom took the stage by himself to open the show with “Best of a Bad Situation’, and he set the tone for what was to come. The show was filled with masterful finger-picking on guitar, witty lyrics, and personal storytelling. And all of that was seamlessly accompanied by Matt Nakoa on the piano.

Rush and Nakoa were operating at exactly the same wavelength all night long. Intricate finger-picking on guitar was combined with beautifully delicate runs on piano. Neither musician stepped on the other’s toes, instead their parts danced in perfect unison. This chemistry was nothing new though, as was pointed out by Tom when he told a story about one of their first shows together. In the story, Tom and Matt arrived at a venue much later than anticipated, and were left with no time to rehearse. Despite this, Matt took the stage and accompanied Tom as though he had been playing his songs for years.

After a few songs, including covers of songs by Joni Mitchell and Sleepy John Estes, Tom left the stage while Matt took over for a few songs by himself. The lefty picked up a guitar and showcased his ability to play and sing beyond his role on piano. Nakoa, standing somewhere well above 6’3″, was exceptionally dexterous, fretting chords using all five fingers with total ease, a task which would cripple most guitarists.

Shortly after leaving the stage, Tom returned and performed his “big hit on YouTube” as he put it: ‘Remember Song.’ As the set drew to a close, the energy rose while Tom and Matt lost themselves in the music. The duo would end the night with songs including ‘Train Song’ by Murray Mclauchlan and Rush’s ‘River Song.’ ‘River Song’ was played as a part of the show’s encore, an encore which was not preceded by a stage exit. Only when you have been performing over the span of seven decades like Tom Rush has, do you get to decide whether or not an encore break is necessary. As the encore drew to a close, and the musicians’ final notes rang out, the crowd rose to their feet to applaud in a standing ovation.

Both Tom and Matt will be traveling the country and performing live in the coming months. You can find Tom’s upcoming shows, accompanied by Matt, on his website here. For Matt’s solo shows, you can find them listed on his own site. The two will be all over the Northeast mostly, with a two show trip out west to California. Be sure to check out their websites to stay up-to-date on all their happenings. And for future shows at Caffe Lena, check out the their website.

February 8, 2022
Anaïs Mitchell and Bonny Light Horseman Will Entertain Kingston This February

Tony and Grammy award-winning creator of the Broadway musical Hadestown, Anaïs Mitchell will head back on stage with folklore music group Bonny Light Horseman, on February 20th at Old Dutch Church in Kingston.

Bonny Light Horseman is a trio group consisting of singer and songwriter, Anaïs Mitchell; Eric D. Johnson who is best known for his project Fruit Bats and stints with The Shins, and Josh Kaufman an instrumentalist and producer known for his work with Hiss Golden Messenger, Bob Weir, The National. This trio centers their focus on blending traditional folklore music with more contemporary melodies. Their two time Grammy nominated album Bonny Light Horseman, is suitable for a vast audience.

When the three met and decided to sketch musical ideas together, they formed an instant artistic bond. While they experimented for the upcoming 2018 Eaux Claires festival at the time, the trio seized the opportunity to form a band.

“The conversation about starting the group and figuring out the type of music we’d play happened very quickly. It’s like a love story: a really big fire, and the shared ideas of what we wanted the music to feel like. We wanted openness and for it to feel emotional and personal.”
Josh Kaufman

During their live performance later this month, the trio will perform songs from Bonny Light Horseman. Subsequently, Mitchell will take to the stage to share her new 10 track solo album named after herself, in addition to some more fan favorites. This album represents her resilience to music after producing her previous solo album almost a decade ago, to focus on other music related commitments on Broadway and within her band. NPR, supports Mitchell as “one of the greatest songwriters of her generation.”

Anaïs Mitchell is a personal album from real life events, in which she exposes a variety of emotions of hers, not daring to hold back using metaphors, but is rather blunt about her feelings. Ultimately, this album is intimate, real and relatable.

For Anaïs Mitchell’s & Bonny Light Horseman’s upcoming performance, general admission seats are $34 and for Gold Circle seats, within the first 5 rows, tickets are $48. To buy tickets for February’s show visit ticketmaster.

February 7, 2022
Nora Brown, Rising Bluegrass Talent, To Play at Caffe Lena

Nora Brown is not a regular teenager. The 16-year-old is quickly rising to stardom using her talent of one unorthodox instrument: the banjo. “It’s kind of a unique instrument compared to other stringed instruments,” she says in an interview with Brooklyn Magazine, “it has a very unique sound that I was drawn to.

Nora Brown

Unlike most teenagers her age, Brown finds musical enjoyment in traditional bluegrass music and her musicianship on the banjo pays homage to the greats before her. Moreover, the Brooklyn native was mentored by the late New York native and legendary Renaissance man John Cohen, and his mentorship shines through on the rising talent’s strings.

In her swift rise through the world of bluegrass, Brown has already collected a considerable amount of accolades. Her 2019 debut album, Cinnamon Tree, peaked at #7 on the Billboard Bluegrass Charts. Moreover, her second record, Sidetrack My Engine, was released last year and debuted at #6 on the Billboard Bluegrass Charts. Amazingly, the record was recorded in an underground brick arched cave under Brooklyn on an Ampex tape machine. The 16-year-old also has a Tiny Desk Concert on NPR Music, which is linked below.

The rising bluegrass talent has an exciting career ahead of her. She will be playing at Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs on Saturday, Feb 12th from 8 PM to 10 PM. Tickets are available here.

February 3, 2022