Springtide is: Willy Clemetson on fiddle and foot percussion, Elsie Gawler on cello and fiddle, and Ethan Tischler on guitar. We are musicians, songwriters, and central figures in the Mid-Coast Maine fiddling scene. We combine a love of high energy traditional Celtic and Scandinavian fiddle music, heartfelt original tunes and songs, and spacious creative improvisation to produce our unique trio: Springtide. We aim to lift audiences with the music of the landscapes we come from, drawing inspiration from the tidal rhythms and creative energies of the coastal land we’re grateful to call home.

$17 advance | $22 day-of | $10 student

*fees not included ($2 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

MetaBeat is a project created by life-long Beatles fans Les Harris, Jr (Drums) and Mark Shilansky (Keyboards), to explore the music of the Beatles and their contemporaries in an improvisational and historically interesting context. The repertoire includes songs recorded and written by the Beatles, as well as Beatles solo material and collaborations, and music which was inspiring to the Beatles.

The "Meta" aspect of the band comes in the arrangements, as an early Beatles tune will be rendered in a late-period style, or vice-versa, and in medleys and "mashups" in the style of the Giles and George Martin remix project "Love." This band should appeal to die hard Beatles fans, who will revel in the musical references and attention to detail, as well as fans of jazzy, improvised music and groove.

Band Leader Mark Shilansky says, “I call the Beatles band "The Meta-Beat," because we play "meta" versions of Beatles tunes... jazzified, or combined into interesting medleys and mash-ups, or tunes that the Beatles wrote with other people.”

The current lineup:

Taylor O’Donnell (Berklee, Phillips Exeter faculty) on vocals; 

Chris Klaxton (UNH faculty) on trumpet, guitar and vocals;

Mark Shilansky (Berklee, UNH faculty) on piano and vocals;

Les Harris Jr.(UNH, USM, Phillips Exeter faculty) on drums and vocals;

Eric Byers (Berklee faculty) on guitar and vocals;

Mark Poniatowski (Berklee Faculty) on bass

$17 advance | $22 day-of

*fees not included ($2 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

THIS IS A DANCE PARTY!

Together for nearly 40 years, Truffle are passionate players and entertainers who are in it for the long haul; it’s what they do and who they are! Their travels have taken them to all but ten states in the US; and now tour the New England region constantly.

The ongoing list of international acts they have supported is huge: Dave Matthews Band, Little Feat, Phish, The Band, Blues Traveler, The Radiators, Buckwheat Zydeco, Spin Doctors, Arlo Guthrie, Merl Saunders, Baba Ulatundje, New Riders Widespread Panic and Toots and the Maytalls. They have released five full length albums, as well as numerous compilations. Their latest is a studio release “That’s Right:” Roots, and Soul music with strong songwriting makes for truly unique Truffle sound all their own. 

$17 advance | $22 day-of | $10 student

*fees not included ($2 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

Multi-instrumentalist, producer, step dancer and host of the TradCafe podcast, Neil Pearlman is a vital and distinctive voice in contemporary folk music. Described as “a tremendous pianist” on BBC Radio Scotland and “a force to be reckoned with” by WGBH’s Brian O’Donovan, Neil is best known for his groundbreaking approach to the piano in Celtic music. Motivated by a deep musical curiosity and a love of collaboration, his playing is continually evolving and spontaneous without losing its roots in the traditional piano styles of Atlantic Canada, New England and Scotland. He has appeared internationally at major festivals such as the Newport Folk Festival, Celtic Connections in Glasgow, Celtic Colours in Cape Breton and the Orkney Folk Festival and has recorded or performed with luminaries of traditional folk music including Natalie MacMaster, Darol Anger, Seamus Egan and Alasdair Fraser. 

Neil’s deep love of the Gaelic music traditions has seen him welcomed into spaces that few other Americans have been. He was selected for the 2025 Shannon Residency at Beinn Mhabu in Cape Breton and has performed and guest lectured at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at University of Limerick, Ireland and the National Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music in Plockton, Scotland. His first solo piano album Refractions features frequently on BBC Radio nan Gàidheal and BBC Radio Scotland and his 2020 release with Shetland fiddler Kevin Henderson received 5 stars from Scotland’s national newspaper The Scotsman. 

In addition to touring regularly with Kevin Henderson, the Pine Tree Flyers, and as a solo pianist, Neil teaches at festivals throughout North America and Europe and has guest lectured at Berklee College of Music, Northeastern University and the aforementioned University of Limerick. He co-directs an annual St. Patrick’s Day concert with Katie McNally at Groton Hill Music Center and releases podcasts and video collaborations with musicians from around the world through his production company TradCafe.

$17 advance | $22 day-of | $10 Student

Based out of Southern Maine, Old Hat fuses tight vocal harmonies with a driving acoustic rhythm section. With a sound draws from folk, old time, bluegrass, and country traditions, the band is comprised of Whitney Roy (Guitar, Vocals), Steve Roy (Mandolin, Fiddle, Vocals), and Amanda Kowalski (Bass) and special guest Julie Metcalf (Fiddle). 

Whitney’s lilting vocals provide the backbone of the vocal blend, while her solid rhythm guitar anchors the band’s pulse. Steve is a veteran of New England’s acoustic music scene, and has performed and toured with many of the acoustic world’s top acts. Amanda is one of the more sought after bass players in the worlds of bluegrass and old time music, and her rhythmic drive and energy on stage are second to none. Their debut album was released in 2022 and features 10 original compositions by Steve and Whitney Roy.

Old Hat has performed on world class stages such as Prescott Park Arts Festival, Ossipee Valley Music Festival, Portsmouth Music Hall, Stone Mountain Arts Center and Wind Gap Bluegrass Festival.

$17 advance | $22 day-of | $10 student
*fees not included ($2 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

Arts & Drafts Spring Craft Market comes to Kittery!

There will be an assortment of local vendors specializing in everything from ceramics, jewelry & leatherwork, to fine art, prints, handmade accessories and more! With beer from Tributary Brewing on tap and snacks by donation from Chubby Oven NH, we're gearing up for an all-around great time.  

Entry is free and open to all!

THIS IS A DANCE PARTY!

We are a creative, inspiring collaboration of Rafa Moreno (singer and song writer) and Stephen E. Whitney (a longtime professional percussionist).

Rafael Moreno is a Panamanian singer-songwriter, arranger, producer, and educator. He started his professional career in 2000 and has recorded three studio albums; he was lead singer, songwriter, and producer for Orquesta Sociedad Anόnima from 2011 to 2019 and was an actor and TV host from 2010 to 2019 in Panama.

Stephen is a band leader who started Vibra Tropical as the house band for La Fabrica Central in Cambridge MA in 2017. Rafa and Stephen started working together in 2021. Vibra Tropical is an engaging 10 to 12 piece, international, intergenerational salsa band whose members are Berklee students and graduates plus professional musicians from all over New England. We perform Rafa’s original compositions and his arrangements of classic salsa standards and get audiences dancing!

Brad Smith – piano

Eduardo Ramirez - bass

Kristalis Sotomayer - flute

Yibran Aponte - trumpet

Mark Hamilton - trombone

Sam Padua - trombone

Luis Portalatin - baritone

Pedro Sanjur - timbal

Stephen E. Whitney - conga

$17 advance | $22 day-of | $10 student

*fees not included ($2 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

Join PMAC for the Spring 2025 Teen Rock, Blues, and Jazz Show, featuring *SEVEN* amazing teen ensembles! Come be amazed by sets from three Teen Rock Band groups, two Rock 101 groups, and two Teen Jazz Ensembles.

About PMAC:
Portsmouth Music and Arts Center (PMAC) is a 501c3 nonprofit community music and arts school serving the Seacoast. PMAC’s mission is to build community through the arts by providing all people with the opportunity to achieve their full creative potential, regardless of their age, ability, or economic status. We accomplish this through high quality music and visual arts education programs and by creating ensemble, performance, and exhibition opportunities for students, professionals, and audiences. 

PMAC's Teen Ensemble program covers a variety of genres, instruments and is open to a variety of playing levels. For more information about PMAC’s teen ensemble opportunities and more, please visit pmaconline.org.

$10 general admission (children 12 and under free)
*fees not included ($2 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

Kat Wallace is a Boston-based multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter. Her affinity for original music has her working and recording with a myriad of touring bands, most notably as the fiddle player in Rachel Sumner and Traveling Light. Her debut solo album, Grand Design, set to be released early in the year of 2025, captures Wallace’s musings on world's ending, sailing across the western ocean, and moving on. Her timeless lyrics and virtuosic guitar playing are the foundation of this record and grounded in traditional Celtic and American folk repertoire.

High Horse is a progressive-acoustic boy band based in Boston, known for their unique blend of Bluegrass, Old-time, and Celtic music infused with the energy of alternative rock. They draw from their varied musical backgrounds to explore and perform original compositions as well as tunes from diverse folk traditions. Their music is a captivating fusion of genres, showcasing their technical and compositional skill and their passion for pushing musical boundaries. Comprised of four friends, three bows, and one pick, High Horse delivers a rollicking romp of great vibes, virtuosic chops, and tight vocals.

$17 advance | $22 day-of | $10 student

*fees not included ($2 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

The Dance Hall presents Havana Libre as the next installment of it's burgeoning film series, "inFocus film".

FILM SYNOPSIS

In Cuba, where people fled en masse from Fidel Castro’s regime, surfing and other water activities have been banned for decades. Today, surfing exists in a murky legal gray area and is viewed with suspicion by the Cuban authorities. 

Despite these challenges, a group of passionate Cuban surfers is determined to carve out a place for surfing in the country's culture of athletic excellence. Frank is one of the most established surfers and to many the best surfer on the island. Yaya is a community leader and surfer who has made it her mission to ensure that the next generation can surf freely. When surfing is announced as an official sport for the Tokyo Olympics, they see their chance to bring their sport out of the shadows and on to the world stage. What follows is a tale of underground surfers building their own boards from scratch, dodging the authorities as they travel the island looking for the perfect wave, and attempting to legitimize their passion by persuading the Cuban authorities to field an Olympic team. 

When Frank is invited to participate in a qualifier event out of the country, he must decide whether to compete, which would mean embarking on an illegal journey and risking permanent separation from his wife and newborn baby. Yaya is similarly torn when she is invited to participate in a surf symposium in Hawaii. Havana Libre is a story of people following their passion at great danger to themselves and ultimately begs the question: what would you risk to chase your dreams?

run time: 84min

Plus Q+A with the filmmaker!

$15 General Admission

*fees not included ($2 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

Join PMAC for the Spring 2025 Jazz Institute Show, featuring the Jazz Pioneers, Brewery Lane Big Band, Wednesday Teen Jazz Ensemble, and Saturday Teen Jazz Ensemble.

About PMAC:
Portsmouth Music and Arts Center is a 501c3 nonprofit community music and arts school serving the Seacoast. PMAC’s mission is to build community through the arts by providing all people with the opportunity to achieve their full creative potential, regardless of their age, ability, or economic status. We accomplish this through high quality music and visual arts education programs and by creating ensemble, performance, and exhibition opportunities for students, professionals, and audiences. 

PMAC's Adult Ensemble program covers a variety of genres, instruments and is open to a variety of playing levels. For more information about PMAC’s adult ensemble opportunities and more, please visit pmaconline.org.

$10 general admission (children 12 and under free)
*fees not included ($2 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

Foxglove is a 5-piece indie folk/soul band from southern Maine, led by singer/songwriter Laura Fox, who writes about love, the lack thereof, and the in-between. Her songs and her voice are soothing and soulful—if you’ve ever loved someone, you’ll surely connect with her heartfelt lyrics. 

She’s joined by seasoned players:

Whitney Roy, vocals + acoustic guitar (Old Hat Stringband, Fox + Roy, The Hazel Project)

Jim Dozet, electric guitar (Tourist Attraction, Crown Jules, Press Project)

Roland "Lefox" Nicol, upright bass (Rhye, Rusty Boys, Jon Nolan & Good Co)

Rick Habib, drums (The Kate Redgate Band, Jon Nolan & Good Co, North Village)

Cilla Bonnie is a working bass player, singer and songwriter. Over the past 20 years she’s played, toured and recorded in numerous projects from Maine to Los Angeles. In 2020 she released her fourth recording project, ‘August’ with her bandmates Emmett Harrity (keys) and John Suntken (drums). Cilla Bonnie’s music is a blend of R&B-inspired groove and structutal rock. In addition to her solo project, Cilla currently plays bass for the 2022 NPR Tiny Desk Contest Winner, Alisa Amador and Boston-based soul artist Ali McGuirk.

$17 advance | $22 door | $10 Student

*fees not included ($2 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

Join PMAC for the Spring 2025 Adult Rock and Blues Show, featuring the Classic Rock Band, Alt Rock Band, Roots Rock Blues and Beyond I, and Roots Rock Blues and Beyond II bands.

About PMAC:
Portsmouth Music and Arts Center is a 501c3 nonprofit community music and arts school serving the Seacoast. PMAC’s mission is to build community through the arts by providing all people with the opportunity to achieve their full creative potential, regardless of their age, ability, or economic status. We accomplish this through high quality music and visual arts education programs and by creating ensemble, performance, and exhibition opportunities for students, professionals, and audiences. 

PMAC's Adult Ensemble program covers a variety of genres, instruments and is open to a variety of playing levels. For more information about PMAC’s adult ensemble opportunities and more, please visit pmaconline.org.

$10 general admission (children 12 and under free)
*fees not included ($2 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

THIS IS A DANCE PARTY!

Club d'Elf has been helping audiences lose track of time for twenty five years with its mesmerizing synthesis of Moroccan traditional music and electronic, dubbed-out funk. Circling about bassist/composer Mike Rivard and drummer Dean Johnston, each Club d'Elf performance features a different line-up, drawn from a constellation of some of the most creative improvisers from the jazz, DJ, rock & world music scenes of Boston, NYC and beyond.

The band's music draws from a startlingly wide spectrum of styles, including jazz, hip hop, electronica, avant garde, prog-rock and dub. Under the tutelage of member Brahim Fribgane (who hails from Casablanca) the band has absorbed Moroccan trance music, which is now an essential part of the mix. Diverse audiences are drawn to Fribgane’s mesmerizing oud stylings, and Rivard’s commanding playing of the Moroccan sintir. Trance forms the central core of the Club d’Elf aesthetic, weaving together the band’s various influences.

In April 2022 the band released its latest album, 'You Never Know', which rose to #2 on the Relix chart. The record unfurls upon kaleidoscopic clouds of spiced smoke, shifting from chopped dub-jazz through trance epics that reimagine Boston as a city of bazaars. Club d’Elf pay tribute to the music and musicians who have been primary influences, with half the album being covers of gnawa, Miles Davis, Joe Zawinul, Moroccan band Nass el-Ghiwane, and Frank Zappa. The other half consists of original music inspired by Rivard's personal journey into darkness following a near death experience in the remote jungle of the Peruvian Amazon.

"You Never Know is a wide ranging romp, full of serenity, chaos, longing, improvisation and peerless musicianship inspired by music from India and Morocco as well as the maverick jazz of Miles Davis and Frank Zappa." - Banning Eyre, Afropop Worldwide

$20 advance | $25 day-of | $15 student

*fees not included ($2 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

Fiddle, guitar, and bass—it’s a combination as old as the hills.  But follow Jason Anick, Max O’Rourke and Greg Loughman into those hills, and you’ll find yourself taking unexpected turns and discovering vistas you never knew were out there.  It’s a new brand of acoustic music they make—traditional instrumentation spinning ear-catching melodies, channeling the wit and spontaneity of three irrepressible musical storytellers.

Virtuoso fiddler, Jason Anick, grew up listening-in on his Dad’s bluegrass rehearsals and competing in fiddle contests around his native New England.  Jason went on to study jazz at the Hartt School of Music, where he was recruited by Grammy winning guitarist, John Jorgenson, to join his renowned, world-touring quintet.  Through the John Jorgenson Quintet, as well as his own subsequent projects, Jason rose to the top ranks of jazz violinists, earning himself a position at Boston’s prestigious Berklee School of Music.  But all along, he kept an ear out for the right opportunity to apply his formidable improvisational and compositional chops to the roots music of his youth. His long time musical collaborator, Greg Loughman, a top-call Boston bassist with an affection for both jazz and international folk music, was an obvious choice. Berklee student at the time, Max O’Rourke—a guitarist and composer with an insatiable harmonic curiosity—made an impression on Jason and Greg while playing together in the Rhythm Future Quartet. They recognized they had a chemistry well-suited to the artistic freedom afforded by the trio format, allowing them to explore and pull from multiple genres to create an exciting and sophisticated musical conversation that has been wowing audiences since 2017. 

$20 advance | $25 day-of | $12 student

*fees not included ($2 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

Let's dream ourselves forward together into The Dance Hall’s bright future! 

We hope you'll swing through any time between 3:00 - 5:00PM for complimentary light snacks provided by Neighborhood Business Partners Black Birch, Blue Mermaid, and Pepperrell Cove; creative engagement stations offering the opportunity to share your ideas and excitement for this special place; and a hosted conversation starting at 3:30PM when we'll dream ourselves forward together into The Dance Hall’s bright future!

Guiding questions for the day will include:

• What is your favorite thing about The Dance Hall?

• What would you like The Dance Hall to stop, start, and/or continue doing?

• In a dream world, what kind of space would you like The Dance Hall to be?

We'll also be sharing some hot-off-the-press news regarding new initiatives happening at The Dance Hall this year that we know you won't want to miss!

*Light snacks and non-alcoholic drinks provided at no cost. Beer, wine, and cider available for purchase.

FREE - OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Year-round Metal Enjoyment explores the New England origins of North American freight train graffiti, tracing the narratives of several members of the prolific YME and Circle T crews, and giving unparalleled access into the fastest growing subculture in the graffiti movement. Both snapshot of a fading history and love-letter to the trains themselves, Year-round Metal Enjoyment captures the voices, faces and thoughts of artists, railfans and train-workers alike, while showcasing the unlikely beauty of the trains in their environment. runtime 96min

Director/Cinematographer: Jeff Griecci

Writers/Co-Producers: Ian Carlsen, Jeff Griecci

$15 general admission | $10 student

*fees not included ($2 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

Jazzputin

(a very 4/20 Easter)

Jazzputin is an uncanny and at times diabolical combination of genius half wits, raised in families of jazz, hillbilly music, old timey this and thats, and a good chunk o' church music. And sometimes Cindi Lauper. And Primus. And Cypress Hill. And FRRRREEEEEEEE IMPROVISATION????!

We hope Jazzputin appeals to the sentimental (semi-mental), freewheeling, tune whistling hobo in all of us.

We can't think of a better way to celebrate a 4/20 Easter.

Steve Roy - Bass, voice

Nick Mainella - Tenor sax

Jimmy Dority - Guitar

Chris Klaxton - Trumpet

Mike Effenberger - Accordion

Jim Rudolf - Drums

$15 advance | $420 day-of

*fees not included ($2 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

THIS IS A DANCE PARTY!

Lookie Lookie is an eight piece band devoted to Latin Bugalu, a style pioneered by Puerto Rican musicians in New York in the 1960s. Fusing rhythm and blues and American pop into the Afro-Caribbean music matrix, such artists as Pete Rodriguez, Joe Cuba and Richie Ray topped the Latin charts in the US and Latin America. Joe Cuba even scored on the pop charts with “Bang Bang” and “Sock It To Me Baby.” Bugalú is the mother lode of fun, and Lookie Lookie has been wowing club and festival crowds all over New England with it.

The members of Lookie Lookie have distinguished pedigrees in the Boston and international music scenes. Leader, saxophonist and vocalist Russ Gershon has performed at the Sanctuary previously with his Grammy-nominated jazz group the Either/Orchestra; E/O conguero and vocalist Vicente Lebron, who has played with the greats from Celia Cruz on down leads the rhythm section; timbales player Rick Barry toured for years in Bim Skala Bim, an essential band on the 1980s US ska scene; percussionist Ken Winokur founded the internationally recognized silent film accompaniment group the Alloy Orchestra; bassist Gregory Ryan has played with jazz great Billy Harper and Harold Mabern; vocalist/percusionist Jorge Arce is has been a force in Puerto Rico and Boston for forty years; saxophonist/flutist Ted DeColo has toured with Mighty Sam McLean; the group is rounded out by trumpeter Eric Ortiz.

On top of all the instruments are the voices. In the tradition of folk musics like Puerto Rican Bomba and even garage rock, which was an ingredient in the original bugalú, all the members of Lookie Lookie sing, in chorus (“coro” in Spanish) and by passing lead vocals around, in Spanish and English. Fun is the heartbeat of Lookie Lookie – the musicians delight in conjuring the psychedelic vibe of the 1960s while anchoring it in heavy Latin grooves at tempos that everybody can dance to. You don't need salsa chops or double jointed hips to get out on the floor and bugalu, and if you don't feel like dancing – there's plenty of musical substance for your ears.

$17 advance | $22 day-of + fees

Erica Brown and The Bluegrass Connection is a five-piece band featuring some of the finest musicians in New England. The band features award winning fiddler and singer Erica Brown, Matt Shipman on mandolin, Lincoln Meyers on guitar, Eli Gilbert on banjo and Kris Day on bass. A fun and energetic band, they incorporate a unique and diverse blend of original and traditional music from their Bluegrass, Folk and Country influences. As a band of renowned and respected musicians in their own right, together they form a bluegrass powerhouse of vocal and instrumental expertise that have delighted audiences all over the Northeast and Canada.

Their latest album “Blue Pine Moon” has been well received by fans, critics and musicians alike. The album contains thoughtful, original songs from both Shipman and Brown and other carefully chosen songs from the Bluegrass tradition. Grammy award winning bluegrass songwriter Rick Lang says it is a “...must have for any lover of good Bluegrass music!”

“... a stellar band featuring some of the finest pickers you could hope to find.”- Joe K. Walsh 

$20 advance | $25 day-of | $10 Student

*fees not included ($2 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

Sound Suggestions is the soul child of Seacoast music veterans Tim Webb and Thom Keith. This collective explores the off-Main-Street jazz borne of the late 60s-to early 80s. Featuring a repertoire from composers like Stanley Cowell, Dick Griffin, Billy Harper and Bobby Hutcherson, Sound Suggestions offers creative music that excites, touches the soul, and often grooves like hell. 

With Terry Beaulieu on trumpet, Thom Keith on saxophones, Mark Lyons on piano, Tim Webb on bass, and Zac Hansen on drums, the band offers an energetic and synergistic approach to this music.

$15 advance | $18 day-of | $10 student

*fees not included ($2 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

THIS IS A DANCE PARTY!

From the front-lines at Standing Rock to the archaic streets of Jerusalem, the Sahel Desert to Carnegie Hall, music has been the source of strength for Billy Wylder. The band features Avi Salloway (Bombino/Hey Mama/Avi & Celia) joined by an inspired cast of singular artists who have performed across six continents including concerts at Coachella, Newport Folk Festival, New Orleans Jazz Fest, Montreal Jazz Fest, Carnegie Hall, and Lincoln Center.

The music weaves together American folk and rock with sensibilities from the Sahara Desert, exploring new musical space akin to Devendra Banhart, Beck, and Tinariwen. Billy Wylder’s new recordings evoke musical evolutions built on grooves informed by ancient African rhythms, art-rock textures, expansive guitars, violins, synths, and drum machines. Salloway’s lyrics flow with inspiration from mythical songwriting hero Leonard Cohen, while threading together more abstract imagery reminiscent of Thom Yorke.

Billy Wylder has performed and collaborated with renowned artists including Jack Johnson, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Bombino, The Low Anthem, and Pete Seeger. 

“Art rock band Billy Wylder carry the torch of the niche dug out by Talking Heads and their groundbreaking album "Remain in Light." -WBUR

Opening the show is the NH’s own Skye Darling. Skye is a young professional violinist and singer-songwriter based in Boston, Massachusetts with a passion for improvisation and exploring new ideas. Currently, Skye is freelancing, recording her own album, studying jazz and maqam, directing a children’s choir, and teaching private lessons all while pursuing her Masters in Violin Performance at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee.

$17 advance | $22 day-of | $12 Student + fees

Väsen

Mikael Marin and Olov Johansson have, after 37 years of interaction and touring, refined their sound and their stage presence to the extent that today they are unique in their kind. With their playful and perfect interplay, they seem to defy the laws of physics in what appears to be a telepathic communication.

The music is intense and full of humour. They create their very own musical language which in its appeal is as modern as it is ancient. With the foundation firmly rooted in the traditional music of Uppland, they have always looked curiously at new musical goals.

Olov & Micke have played together since 1983 when they met at Oktoberstämman in Uppsala and discovered that they had a large common repertoire and a similar way of playing. It turned out that Micke had learned from Ivar Tallroth in Uppsala and Olov had learned from Curt Tallroth in Harbo. They had been introduced to the rich Bohlin / Tallroth tradition by the two brothers. Olov & Micke started playing intensively together and released their first recording, "Det rister i Örat," in 1985. They have played an incredible amount together over the years in Väsen. Now they go on adventures among old fine musicians, stories and trad tunes and at the same time they continue to break new ground. They perform on a variety of stringed instruments, including a silverbasharpa, oktavharpa, three-rowed Nyckelharpa, violoncello da spalla and a blue electric viola.

$30 advance | $38 day-of | $20 student

*fees not included ($2 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

Multidisciplinary percussionist Brian Shankar Adler and the Rasa String Quartet present: Redefining Home, a concert that celebrates each artists’ musical roots. Spanning from evocative Indian ragas and mysterious Argentine tangos to spirited Celtic fiddle tunes, this collaboration evokes the feelings of home and comfort inherent in our earliest musical memories, while also exploring the rhythmic connection across a wide array of genres. The program includes works by Kala Ramnath, Maura Shawn Scanlin, Astor Piazzolla, James Scott Skinner, and culminates in the world premiere of a new work for string quartet and percussion by Brian Shankar Adler, inspired by this unique collaboration.

Rasa String Quartet explores the musical space where classical and folk traditions intersect and influence one another. Formed in 2019, the Boston-based ensemble consists of violinists Emma Powell and Maura Shawn Scanlin, violist Kiyoshi Hayashi, and cellist Mina Kim, who are graduates of the New England Conservatory, the Shepherd School of Music, and Yale University.

Rasa String Quartet are winners of the 2022 Associazione Europea Di Musica E Comunicazione International Chamber Music Competition (Italy,) the 2021 Music Teachers National Association Chamber Music Competition (ATL,) the 2020 Chamber Music Yellow Springs Competition (OH,) and were the 2022-23 ensemble in residence at Phillips Exeter Academy.

They’ve collaborated with renowned folk musicians like celtic harpist, Maeve Gilchrist, Irish Fiddler, Liz Carroll, and singer-songwriter, Judy Collins, performed their own programs at various venues and festivals around the country, including the 2023 Osaka International Chamber Music Competition, Celebrity Series, Rockport Music, WGBH, WBUR, and the Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music Festival, and have taught educational residencies at a variety of institutions like Walnut Hill School for the Arts, UMass Dartmouth, and Boston Music Project. 

By exploring the connection between music and storytelling at the heart of folk traditions, Rasa String Quartet delivers engaging and accessible programs that showcase works from a variety of cultures and highlight unknown composers. They seek to educate their audiences by contextualizing the genres, styles, and composers they present, inviting their listeners to approach both familiar and unfamiliar sounds with an open and curious mind.

In sanskrit, the term ‘RASA’ refers to the indescribable power of any art form to inspire strong emotions in the reader or listener. Learn more at: www.rasastringquartet.com

Brian Shankar Adler is an interdisciplinary percussionist and composer. Described as "a polyrhythmic force… New York City gritty yet still somehow capable of evoking the delicacy of a summer breeze…” (JazzTimes), his work transcends the terrain between genre and geographic region, asking: how can we find connection through rhythm? 

Adler has performed in caves, forests and adjacent glacial ice fields as well as Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center and The Stone. He has been recorded on over fifty albums including his solo works: For a Gallery on the Moon (Chant Records), Fourth Dimension (Chant Records), and his recent collaboration: Air Space: Cricket Cipher (Adhyâropa Records). With an equal focus on improvisational and compositional practices, he uses rhythm as a tool for collaboration.

$25 advance | $32 day-of | $15 student

*fees not included ($2 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

THIS IS A DANCE PARTY!                           

The Po Boys formed in 2012 to shake the walls of a local club on a Fat Tuesday but have honed their sound and become more than a Mardi Gras centerpiece. Exploring the vast musical traditions of New Orleans and expanding their repertoire to look beyond NOLA jazz, the band includes traditional Caribbean tunes (it’s been said that New Orleans is the northernmost city in the Caribbean), as well as Meters funk, soul, and brass band / street beat music. “...These guys have done their homework, worked it out on the bandstand and put in the hours in the studio. It all adds up to a party you can bring with you when you want to treat your friends to a real good time.” -Ben Schenck of New Orleans’ Panorama Jazz Band”.

​

Shaina Schwartz - Lead Vocals

Jim Dozet - Vocals / Guitar

Eric Klaxton- Clarinet/Sop. Sax

Josh Gagnon - Trombone

Nick Mainella- Tenor Sax

Mike Effenberger- Piano

Brian Waterhouse- Drums

Scott Kiefner- Bass

$17 adv | $22 day-of | $10 Student + fees

Max Wareham is a banjo player, songwriter, and author from Boston, MA. He is a member of the Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band and was featured on the Grammy-nominated album “Calling You From My Mountain.” After two years of touring nationally with Peter, Max recorded his own album, Dagommit! (due out later this year). The album features Chris Eldridge on guitar (Punch Brothers, Mighty Poplar), Laura Orshaw on fiddle (Po’ Ramblin’ Boys), Chris Henry on mandolin (Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band), Mike Bub on bass (Loretta Lynn, Billy Strings, Del McCoury), Larry Atamanuik on snare drum (Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss), and guest singer and producer Peter Rowan.

He is currently touring with Max Wareham & the National Bluegrass Team, featuring international mandolin prodigy Jean Baptiste Cardineau, Jack Holland on Guitar, and Emma Turoff on bass.

Max is also the author of Rudy Lyle: The Unsung Hero of the Five-String Banjo, and is currently working on a book about Jerry Garcia’s banjo playing.

$17 advance | $22 day-of | $10 Student

*fees not included ($2 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

Reverie Road

Reverie Road is a genre-defying Celtic powerhouse ensemble, uniting founding Solas members Winifred Horan (fiddle) and John Williams (accordion) with former Gaelic Storm fiddler Katie Grennan and Steinway Artist Jazz and Raga pianist Utsav Lal. Together, these four exceptional musicians are celebrated as some of today’s most accomplished traditional and virtuosic folk artists, captivating audiences worldwide from stages to studios for over three decades.

Reverie Road takes the rich tapestry of Irish music and weaves it into a cinematic experience, full of expressivity and sophistication. Their performances push the boundaries of tradition, offering stunningly innovative interpretations that retain the heart of the genre while embracing a modern twist.

With a sound that masterfully blends Irish roots with fresh departures, their repertoire includes distilled airs, continental waltzes, and high-energy reels and jigs. The band chemistry of two accomplished classically-trained fiddlers who share a common history as award winning Irish dancers along with two instrumentalists who have sought to redefine traditional accompaniment and rhythm sections amount to a compelling concert experience. 

Whether you're a lover of traditional music or curious about its modern evolution, Reverie Road delivers an exhilarating, boundary-pushing performance that will leave your heart soaring and your toes tapping.

$28 advance | $35 day-of | $20 student

*fees not included ($2 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

This event has been POSTPONED. We are working with the artists to find a new date, which we'll follow up with as soon as it is decided!

Darlin’ Corey features the singing and playing of three well known musicians of the thriving music scene of Portland, ME. Award winning and accomplished fiddler and singer Erica Brown on fiddle, guitar, vocals, notable songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Matt Shipman on guitar, vocals, mandolin, bouzouki, banjo and Portland’s favorite bass player, Kris Day.

Their music is a unique blend of folk with influences from bluegrass and old time music. Together they create an engaging performance of thoughtful originals, traditional songs and songs that influenced them along the way.

With recent highlights including performances at prestigious venues and festivals like Stone Mountain Arts Center, Ossipee Valley and collaborations with The Bangor Symphony Orchestra, they continue to captivate audiences across the Northeast and Canada.

High Range is a New Hampshire-based band playing both original and cover songs featuring fiddle, guitar, mandolin, banjo, upright bass and drums. Making music together since 1999.

"HIGH RANGE has forged a tight, compelling ensemble sound that is highly musical and thoroughly entertaining."

--David McCarty, Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine

Todd Jones – acoustic and electric guitar, banjo and vocals

Rob Kneeland – mandolin, drums and vocals

Ellen Carlson – fiddle and vocals

Steve Roy – mandolin and bass

Brendan Dowd – bass

Zac Francis – bass

Modern Fools has a sound that is best described as "Cosmic Americana" with songs that blend the country rock of Gram Parsons with the song-craft and harmonies of Dr. Dog. The group's members have been making music with each other for upwards of 16 years. This iteration of Modern Fools took shape in 2019 and has continued to hone their particular brand of "dream country".

For fans of: The Band, Commander Cody, Bob Dylan, Dr. John, Neil Young

Coyote Smoke is a dynamic six-piece band hailing from New Hampshire, seamlessly blending the rich influences of blues rock, country, Americana, and outlaw tunes to forge a distinct and powerful sound. Inspired by artists such as Chris Stapleton, Sierra Ferrell, Nathaniel Rateliff, Shakey Graves, and Red Clay Strays, the band delivers a raw, soulful, and electrifying musical experience.

$15 advance | $20 day-of | $10 student

*fees not included ($2 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

Guitarist Paolo Angeli is a musical conjurer, an artist whose imaginative leaps defy gravity. A composer, ethnomusicologist and instrument builder who draws on his deep knowledge of traditional Sardinian music, he inhabits a timeless zone as a soil-rooted master and brash experimentalist. While suffused with Mediterranean cadences, Angeli’s original pieces encompass flamenco, jazz, Baroque, post-rock and new music. He plays a prepared Sardinian guitar of his own invention, a fantastical 18-string hybrid combining elements of guitar, cello and drums.

A feast for the eyes as well as the ears, Angeli in full flight is an astounding sight, as he bows, strikes, hammers, plucks and strums an instrument with strings going in all directions and foot-pedal-controlled motorized propellers. With sympathetic strings creating shimmering drones, he adjusts tunings on the fly to create exquisitely lapidary, orchestral music using electronic effects in real time (he eschews loopers, creating every sound in the moment).

It’s not surprising that this singular musician has improvised and collaborated with masters such as Pat Metheny, Fred Frith, Evan Parker, Zeena Parkins, and Phillip Greenlief, and has sold out a concert at Carnegie Hall (New York) as well as two nights at SFJazz in Los Angeles. Angeli’s music may be unclassifiable, but it takes no expertise to recognize its strange and extravagant beauty.

$20 advance | $25 day-of | $15 Student

*fees not included ($2 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)