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- Written by: Bluebird
Get ready. Langhorne Slim, Jeff Ratner, Malachi DeLorenzo, David Moore and the visiting Sam Duffy, are coming to a theatre near you. Their mission? To get you out of your seat. Langhorne invited this Word by Word crowd to get up and dance and the literal group politely sat in their leather Colonial seats, waiting. Someone yelled from their corner, "Make Me!" Langhorne, always the gentleman, shouted back, "That woman is fair, that's fair!" He committed to the process, "We have a job to do." By the end of the show, people were dancing on the stage ...twirling in royal blue evening wear and sparkly hippie tunics. With the guitar, upright bass, banjo, fiddle, drums, and Langhorne's rich voice, it was certainly a festival of words in color and sound ...well done and thank you.
The band opened their set with "Be Set Free" the title track of their latest album. It rolled over the scene like a reassuring summer breeze. "Restless" from the self titled second album was true to its recording and a solid foundational song to encapsulate the genre range of what to anticipate. "Say Yes," the upbeat indie anthem, pulled in the crowd and had them yelling, "Yes, Yes!" in response.
Read more: Langhorne Slim at the Colonial Theatre, Pittsfield, MA, August 28, 2010
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- Written by: Bluebird
I was not only lucky to have seen BJ Thomas perform live, but had the privilege of meeting him after the show. His Southern hospitality warmed the Springfield Symphony Hall, with award winning favorites such as Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song, Raindrops, The Most Beautiful Girl and many more. The show opened with a spectacular performance by the Springfield Symphony Orchestra. The direction by Kevin Rhodes was energetic and inclusive. Thomas' voice was warm and rich with impeccable form as he exchanged songs and stories with the audience. Collaborating with humor and mastery, Thomas and Rhodes shared the stage with Thomas' band and orchestra accompaniment. They all looked like they were having a blast !
Read more: BJ Thomas at Springfield Symphony Hall, March 27th, 2010
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- Written by: Bluebird
Colby Dix, singer songwriter from Dover, Vermont is worth a good listen if you're in that region. An independent agent of many talents, he is often found doing solo gigs at local venues. He is a graduate of Berklee College of Music in Boston, with studio experience throughout the Northeast. He has a broad range of experience with which to draw, while entertaining you in the spontaneous spaces you may find him.
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- Written by: Bluebird
Put on your blue lipstick and I'll put on my Venus boots,
It's raining in Northampton, but it might as well be the moon.
Langhorne Slim with Ha Ha Tonka rocked The Iron Horse on July 19th, 2010.
The audience reaction of this under the radar artist needs to be heard:
"The world is not large enough for Langhorne Slim. The way that he treats his audience and his music with such respect, he's going to be around for a long time."
"...drove an hour and a half to see him because I heard his song on the radio and somehow I knew he'd be great ... and he was!"
"What genre is he? Bluegrass? Rock? Folk? Gospel? His music is folk and country with a rock edge, but something in his lyrics are like gospel." "He's not like anyone else I've ever heard."
"Smart- so clever, and the way he worked the audience was really great."
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- Written by: Bluebird
Shokazoba and Superswank at the Elevens, June 11th, 2010, Northampton, MA.
Shokazoba is a ten piece Afrobeat ensemble that blends jazz and old school funk, with a West African beat that sets the foundation for a great community vibe. Their website describes their roots from Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti and our favorite Godfather of funk, James Brown. They have won several regional music awards and one visit to their show last night demonstrated that these were well deserved.
This ensemble was among the hardest working bands I've seen in a long time.
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- Written by: Melissa Sacco
Mary J. Blige, March 20, 2010, Miami Gardens
Attended by Melissa Sacco and Amanda Bilancione. Great show !
Review By Melissa Sacco.
I had the pleasure of seeing the one and only Mary J.Blige on March 20, 2010 in Miami Gardens, Florida. Mary was the headliner for the annual Jazz in the Gardens Festival that salutes Jazz and R&B musicians for an entire weekend of music, food, and fun.
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- Written by: Bluebird
The Calvin Theatre in Northampton is an historic venue. The antique decor and close quarters with the artists make it an intimate show. The stage set for YES was simple. There was a collection of white canvases flying over the stage like birds. The only YES logo was on the drum set. Vintage. Perfect.
The crowd, for a Monday night, were lively. Well seasoned rockers, true blue hippies, starched shirts and the Valley's finest artists were there. The intergenerational presence was striking. Parents with teenage kids sporting mod haircuts and grunge wear were common.
Read more: YES at the Calvin Theatre, Northampton, MA - February 8th, 2010