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- Written by Bluebird
March 25, 2013
Club Passim, Cambridge, MA.
Kevin Bowe is a busy man - always has been. Driven by independence and creativity, he blazes his own paths, and there are many. With a full career of songwriting for great artists including; Jonny Lang, Etta James, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Tommy Castro, John Mayall, and Lynyrd Skynyrd, his experience in both recorded and live music stands alone. He is also loyal to the
contemporary folk collective, collaborating with Alison Scott, Lissie Wright and Freedy Johnston.
Bowe's history includes backing Replacements front man and solo artist, Paul Westerberg. He was recently invited to join Westerberg and Tommy Stinson to cut a tribute LP for Replacements' guitarist, Slim Dunlap. Once the vinyl was cut, instead of riding the 'will The Replacements reunite?' wave, Bowe packed up his guitars, harmonica, and headed out on a national tour with Okemah Prophets, Peter Anderson and Steve Price.
We reviewed The Prophets 2012 release, Natchez Trace. The album has already entered our lyrical memories and become a reference point to compare other works. It reflects extensive experience with multiple styles of music. Rock, folk, blues, and punk, all blend together in timing and proficiency. Kevin Bowe and The Okemah Prophets are individually talented in their own right, but after six years of playing together, when they team up on stage, something entirely new is created. So when their nationwide tour came through New England to Club Passim, in Cambridge, MA, they were not to be missed.
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- Written by Bluebird
April 6th, 2013
Amherst, Massachusetts.
Stories Don't End.
And that's a good thing.
Los Angeles rock band, Dawes, had the honor of opening for the legendary, Bob Dylan. Dawes introduced themselves expecting that the audience didn't know their music. This surprised me, because the last time I saw Dawes, they ruled the Fort Stage at the 2012 Newport Folk Fest. Thousands of fans were gathered to see this exciting set of vibrant artists, step right in to the shoes and eventually share the spotlight, with Jackson Browne, Jim James, Tom Morello, and Sarah Watkins. We knew who they were, and I suspect many in the audience tonight did too.
Read more: Dawes with Bob Dylan at The Mullins Center, April 6th, 2013
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Jason Anderson and The Best, at the Iron Horse Music Hall, Northampton, MA.
November 16, 2012
Live show review and photos by Bluebird.
With many thanks to GTO for the lifetime of music.
Are you hearing soul riffs of James Brown, soliloquies of Van Morrison, sax, stories and energy of Bruce Springsteen? What about slow core, contemporary indie styles, like Nick Drake? Ray Lamontagne? Are you having connected Leonard Cohen experiences of life, in poetry? Within the same song? Well, then, sweet listener, you must be at a Jason Anderson show.
Did you rise from your seat, join the community of music dwellers and engage in moments you will never forget? Life changing moments that created the space for your thoughts to be freely validated, while your soul was fed by joyful sound? Well, then, wise person, you must have gone to a Jason Anderson show - and stayed ... until the end.
Read more: Jason Anderson and The Best, Nov 16, 2012 at the Iron Horse
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- Written by Bluebird
Mike Gent at Club Passim, March 25, 2013.
In support of Kevin Bowe and The Okemah Prophets - Read that review here.
What do The Figgs, Graham Parker and (the) Candy Butchers have in common? Mike Gent. A fabulous guitarist, who hates technical errors, because "reverb makes him nervous." Everything he played at Club Passim was clear as a bell. Vocally, Gent is focused, with a sound as warm and dreamy as Joe Jackson, and a timeless rebel spirit, as funky as Elvis Costello. His recorded guitar work can wail like a metal shredder, but there is a lot of acoustic finger picking too. This live show was one surprise after another. A surprise to Gent as well, was his set list. Changing it mid-stream, self effacing when the lyrics trailed off, he created an atmosphere that included everyone in the room. He delighted Club Passim on a Monday night with original songs, covers and all out requests.
Read more: Mike Gent of The Figgs at Club Passim, Cambridge, MA 2013
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The TD Garden arena in Boston hummed. It was quiet, as the fans filed into the stadium to wait for Peter Gabriel to commence the performance. Mumbled voices and music fans of all ages were present. There was a positive tension, an anticipation, as if we were waiting for the unveiling of an art piece. We were.
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"Love is a country that won't be overcome ..."
Northampton, Massachusetts area rock fans are patient and serious about their music. Just ask Jakob Dylan. "We've waited a long time to be here," he said, as he addressed the full house Calvin Theatre on Dec. 28, 2012. The Wallflowers concert was rescheduled from a November date. Touring with their new album, Glad All Over, The Wallflowers have had a non-stop run of great shows throughout the country, since their return to the music scene. Several songs on the set lists for these performances have been from this new record. Glad All Overhas some soon to be classic tunes on it, and fans are quickly being hooked. The band also mixed favorites into their live set list (Three Marlenas, 6th Avenue Heartache, One Headlight, The Difference), along with some hidden gems that were in a word - 'stunning.'
Read more: The Wallflowers with Trapper Schoepp and The Shades
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Meet June & the Bee: 
Lead photo and this biography were submitted directly from the musicians. Please contact us for reprints.
June & the Bee are a brother sister group hailing from Amherst, MA. Their first original musical arrangement was comprised of Eli on the beloved red kazoo and Emma June on the frying pans, respectively. Since then Eli (the Bee) has taught himself guitar and Emma June has taught herself the ukulele. June & the Bee credit their folk influence to their father, who would vivaciously sing his own renditions of "The Star Spangled Banner" and play the harmonica, when they were younger. Emma June and Eli gained much of their musical inspiration from their upbringing in the arts based pedagogy of Waldorf education.
Emma June is 20 years old and enrolled at The University of Massachusetts, Amherst as a sophomore, with a self-designed major in Arts and Education. In her spare time she is avidly creating devised immersive theatre. Eli is 17 years old, and a senior at Amherst Regional High School. In his free time he is a member of the Central Rock Climbing Team.
Emma June and Eli started performing their music in 2011, in the cozy venue of their home kitchen. After many raucous dances by their mother and many encores from their dog Sofia, they were fortunate enough to land their first gig (out of the kitchen) on to the stage of The Iron Horse where they opened for Gentlemen Hall. They are currently in the process of mastering their first EP, June & the Bee. They hope to continue to share their tunes with the world.
Read more: June & the Bee at The Iron Horse Music Hall, September 22, 2012