Snow blanketed the Berkshires this past week, ushering in the winter holiday season and setting the stage for a festive lineup of live music. This week brings 28 performances to the county, featuring jazz, rock, pop, folk, Americana, and a variety of holiday shows and benefit concerts supporting local nonprofits. Below are some highlights for the week ahead, followed by our comprehensive show rundown.
Classical and Opera
We have no classical performances this week, but there are several holiday concerts described under our Something Else Category that may appeal to classical music lovers.
Jazz
We have six jazz performances this week. Wednesday evening, the Chad McLoughlin Trio performs at The Lion’s Den in Stockbridge. Thursday, The Lucky Three are at the Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn in Lenox. Friday evening, you can catch the Holiday Walk Weekend Concert: The Wanda Houston Project at The Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, performing a mix of jazz and R&B. Wanda will perform again Saturday night with the Wanda Houston Project at The Egremont Barn.
Also, on Saturday night, you won’t want to miss Bitches Brew Re-Alchemized at Race Brook Lodge in Sheffield. This is the first of a three-concert residency featuring Bobby Previte (pictured above) and his ensemble, which will explore and improvise on Miles Davis’ iconic album Bitches Brew. On Sunday night, you’ll find Michael Junkins and Friends at The Lion’s Den. This week, Michael features Philip Skaller on piano.
Popular (Rock, Pop, Folk, Blues, etc.)
The popular music category dominates our calendar this week, with nearly 20 performances. We can’t highlight them all, but we will mention a few (see our calendar or show rundown below for all the performances).
The music starts Thursday with Camelia performing at The Egremont Barn. Camelia is an indie folk duo featuring Hannah Bracken and Taylor Slonaker. Over at The Lion’s Den in Stockbridge, you’ll find Matthew Thorton.
Friday night, you can catch the folk-American band Rounders Revival at the Shaw Pond Club in Becket while local favorites The BTU’s, featuring Steve Ide, Bob MacVeety, Rob Putnam, and Conor Meehan, perform at Firefly Gastropub in Lenox. Michelle Willis, a Canadian pop and folk singer, songwriter, and keyboard player, now based in Edinburgh, Scotland, is at The Lion’s Den and Led Zeppelin tribute band, Four Sticks, featuring Tom Major, Chris Merenda, Glenn Douglass Jubilee, and Nate Thorn performs at The Egremont Barn.
Saturday night, catch Amhert’s South Pleasant Revival at The Lion’s Den. Hot Plate Brewing in Pittsfield is hosting a Mr. Doubtfire Benefit Show to raise funds for the Hearth & Home campaign to help the less fortunate heat their homes this winter. Chris Merenda, who performs with The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow, Four Sticks, and Picky Bastards, will perform at the Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn.
Sunday morning, catch the Domingo Brunch featuring Christine Bile at Dottie’s and Dorothy’s in Pittsfield. On the Sunday afternoon “winery and brewery circuit,” you’ll find Sky Full of Dippers at Balderdash Cellars in Richmond and Nate Martel at Antimony Brewing in Lenox. Sunday evening, catch the Farmstead For Farmers Benefit Concert at The Egremont Barn. Wanda Houston and Bennie Kohn will open for Steve Ide and Rob Putnam of the BTUs to benefit the Final Acre Campaign for River Run Farm.
Something Else
We have four performances in our Something Else category. Thursday night, you can attend Live Music with Clara Guatta Cesuni at Wander in Pittsfield, a new venue we just started tracking. Clara will perform Latin music inspired by her Argentinian heritage.
We have three holiday performances. On Saturday early evening, you’ll find The Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas Holiday Concert at the First Congregational Church of Stockbridge. The Berkshire Bach Players present a program of holiday favorites, Baroque style, plus an audience sing-along. On Sunday afternoon, catch Christmas at Trinity at Trinity Episcopal Church in Lenox. The concert will include well-known, beloved music for Christmas by J.S. Bach, Anton Bruckner, William Walton, Gregg Smith, and Ola Gjeilo’s settings of traditional carols, “The Holly and the Ivy”, “The First Nowell,” and “Coventry Carol.” Also on Sunday afternoon, you’ll find the “Season of Light” Free Family Concert at the West Stockbridge Congregational Church.
You can read about all of these performances and more in our day-by-day show rundown below or jump right to our music calendar. Please note that our deadline for inclusion in the weekly narrative above and the day-by-day listing below is Wednesday at noon. Check our music calendar for shows we’ve added after our weekly publication deadline. Use the subscribe button below to receive this free weekly rundown of upcoming performances in your inbox each Monday. And if I missed a performance, please contact me, and I’ll add it to the calendar.
Monday
No Performances.
Tuesday
No Performances.
Wednesday
6:30 pm – 9:30 pm Chad McLoughlin Trio @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Rees Shad Trio @ Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn, Lenox.
Thursday
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm The Lucky Three @ Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn, Lenox.
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm LIVE MUSIC with Clara Guatta Cesuni @ Wander, Pittsfield.
7:00 pm Rounder’s Revival @ Route 8 Pub, Becket.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Matthew Thorton @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
7:30 pm – 10:00 pm Camelia @ Egremont Barn, South Egremont.
8:00 pm – 10:00 pm DCSC: Phillip Roebuck @ Race Brook Lodge, Sheffield.
Friday
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Holiday Walk Weekend Concert: The Wanda Houston Project @ The Clark Art Institute, Williamstown.
7:00 pm Rounders Revival @ Shaw Pond Club, Becket.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm The BTU’s @ Firefly Gastropub, Lenox.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Mark Franklin @ Antimony Brewing, Lenox.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Michelle Willis @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
7:30 pm – 10:30 pm Four Sticks @ Egremont Barn, South Egremont.
8:00 pm – 11:00 pm Aquanett @ Proprietor's Lodge, Pittsfield.
Saturday
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm Jack Waldheim @ Balderdash Cellars, Richmond.
5:00 pm The Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas Holiday Concert @ First Congregational Church of Stockbridge, Stockbridge.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm The Decoys @ Antimony Brewing, Lenox.
7:00 pm Laura Leigh @ Methuselah Bar & Lounge, Pittsfield.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Bondhu Bandstand: Benjii, Stan, & Karl from 5 Pound Horse! @ Bondhu, New Ashford.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm South Pleasant Revival @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
7:00 pm Mr. Doubtfire Benefit Show @ Hot Plate Brewing Co, Pittsfield.
7:00 pm Mike Cobb @ Route 8 Pub, Becket.
7:30 pm – 10:30 pm The Wanda Houston project @ Egremont Barn, South Egremont.
8:00 pm Rusted Chains @ Knox Trail Inn, East Otis.
8:00 pm – 11:00 pm Bitches Brew Re-Alchemized @ Race Brook Lodge, Sheffield.
8:30 pm – 10:30 pm Chris Merenda @ Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn, Lenox.
Sunday
10:00 am – 12:00 pm Domingo Brunch featuring Christine Bile @ Dottie's and Dorothy's, Pittsfield.
12:00 pm – 3:00 pm Jazz Brunch with Orson Handel @ Race Brook Lodge, Sheffield.
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm Pete Boyd @ portaVia, Dalton.
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm Sky Full of Dippers @ Balderdash Cellars, Richmond.
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm “Season of Light” Free Family Concert @ West Stockbridge Congregational Church, West Stockbridge.
3:00 pm Christmas at Trinity @ Trinity Episcopal Church, Lenox.
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm Nate Martel @ Antimony Brewing, Lenox.
6:30 pm – 9:30 pm Michael Junkins and Friends @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Farmstead For Farmers Benefit Concert @ Egremont Barn, South Egremont.
Please get out and support your local musicians and venues!
— Mark @ Music in the Berkshires