As the calendar shifts to February this week, the Berkshire music scene is buzzing with performances by many local favorites, two national touring artists, and the opening of a new music venue! We have 31 performances on the calendar this week, spanning the genres of rock, pop, folk, soul, blues, jazz, classical, and Broadway show tunes. Below are a few highlights, followed by our full show rundown.
Before we proceed, we’d like to emphasize the importance of supporting our local musicians and venues. The vibrant live music scene in our community is a treasure, but it’s vital that we recognize and actively contribute to its sustenance. In rural areas like The Berkshires, musicians and venue operators depend on our support, especially during the winter months when travel wanes, and residents tend to hunker down. As we move through winter, let’s make it a priority to show our support for the Berkshire Music scene. Venture out to your favorite music venue—invite friends to join you, have some tasty food and beverages, pick up some merch as gifts, and do what you can to support the Berkshire music scene. It’s a fun investment you’ll be glad you made.
Jazz
We have five jazz performances, starting Thursday with Music in the Berkshires featured musician Andy Wrba & Friends at The Lion’s Den in Stockbridge. Andy has a month-long Thursday residency at The Lion’s Den, featuring different musicians each week. This week, Andy features Kris Allen, Peter McEachern, Luke Franco, and Conor Meehan. Saturday night, you can catch the David Bartley Quartet at Dorothy’s Estaminet in Pittsfield – the new sister restaurant to Dottie’s Coffee Lounge – read our piece on this new venue here. David performs again Sunday morning with Pete Toigo at Dottie’s. Michael Junkins performs twice on Sunday. First, he plays the jazz brunch at noon at Race Brook Lodge in Sheffield, then heads north and performs again at The Lion’s Den in Stockbridge, where Adythia Vidyan will join him on Saxophone.
Classical
Classical music is back, with three great performances this week! Friday evening, you can listen to the Williams Chamber Players at Williams College performing works by Mozart, Samuel Barber, Mélanie (Mel) Bonis, and Mendelssohn. Saturday afternoon, catch pianist Umi Garrett (pictured above) at The Clark Art Institute in Williamstown. Umi performs works by J. S. Bach, Franz Schubert, Clara Schumann, and Williamstown resident and established classical composer Stephen Dankner. Sunday afternoon, you can see Crescendo: Optime Pastor at St. James Place in Great Barrington, featuring early Polyphony for Low Voices from Ockeghem to Palestrina.
Popular (Rock, Pop, Folk, Blues, etc.)
We have approximately 20 performances in the popular music category – we can’t list them all, but we will mention a few highlights (see our calendar or show rundown below for all the performances). Live music is back at Egremont Barn in February after their January break, and they are kicking the year off strong with Jill Sobule & Ellis Paul on Thursday night. Jill has a number of hits, including “I Kissed a Girl,” which Katy Perry famously covered, and “Super Model,” which has over 6M Spotify streams. Folk singer Ellis Paul has won numerous Boston Music Awards and was hugely influenced by Woody Guthrie. He and Billy Bragg headlined the first-ever Woody Guthrie Folk Festival. You can catch them together at The Barn.
Friday night features several local favorites. Music in the Berkshires featured musician Misty Blues is playing opening night at Dorothy’s Estaminet, the new sister restaurant to Dottie’s Coffee Lounge in Pittsfield. The Wanda Houston Band performs at the Great Barrington VFW, while Brother Sal Blues Band is at The Lion’s Den (replacing Evan Lanoue – a last-minute change). Over at Egremont Barn, you can catch Chantell Featuring Diego Mongue Band.
Saturday afternoon, Jack Waldheim performs at Balderdash Cellars in Richmond. Saturday evening has several great shows, including Sam Brown at The Lion’s Den and Rev Tor’s Annual Dead of Winter Jam, honoring 59 years of Grateful Dead music, at the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield. The BTUs perform at Egremont Barn, and rock, country, blues, and pop band Tame The Rooster plays at Proprietor’s Lodge in Pittsfield.
Sunday afternoon, local favorite Melissa Brinton is at Balderdash Cellars, while Nate Martel plays at Antimony Brewing in Lenox. Sunday night, Lucky Bucket plays the Italian-American Club in Pittsfield.
Something Else
In this week’s Something Else category, we have several performances, beginning Tuesday with the Beat the Winter Blues Concert at Berkshire South Regional Community Center in Great Barrington. This concert features the Berkshire Ukulele Band and Berkshire Sings. Saturday night or Sunday afternoon, catch one of two performances of Broadway Goes to the Movies! at Dewey Hall in Sheffield. Proceeds from these shows will go to benefit the many outreach programs of Christ Trinity Church.
You can read about all of these performances and more in our weekly show rundown below or jump right to our music calendar. 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
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm Beat the Winter Blues Concert @ Berkshire South Regional Community Center, Great Barrington. Featuring the Berkshire Ukulele Band and Berkshire Sings.
Wednesday
No performances.
Thursday
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Andy Wrba & Friends @ The Lion’s Den, Stockbridge. Jazz. Learn more about Andy here. Read our interview with Andy here.
7:30 pm – 10:00 pm Jill Sobule & Ellis Paul @ Egremont Barn, South Egremont. Rock, Folk. Learn more and listen to Jill here. Learn more and listen to Ellis here.
Friday
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm Misty Blues @ Dorothy’s Estaminet, Pittsfield. Blues. Learn more and listen here. Read our Featured Musician interview with Misty Blues’ Gina Coleman.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Mr. Doubtfire @ Firefly Gastropub, Lenox. Rock.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Wanda Houston Band @ Great Barrington VFW, Great Barrington. R&B, Jazz, American Songbook. Learn more and listen here.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Brother Sal Blues Band @ The Lion’s Den, Stockbridge. Blues. Learn more and listen here.
7:30 pm Williams Chamber Players @ Williams College, Williamstown. Performing works by Mozart, Samuel Barber, Mélanie (Mel) Bonis, and Mendelssohn.
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm Riverbend Orchestra @ Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort, Hancock.
7:30 pm – 10:30 pm Chantell Featuring Diego Mongue Band @ Egremont Barn, South Egremont.Blues. Learn more and listen here.
8:30 pm – 11:00 pm The Ray Gifford Band @ North Adams VFW, North Adams. Country, Rock, Blues, Pop. Learn more and listen here.
Saturday
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm Concert: Umi Garrett @ The Clark Art Institute, Williamstown. Umi performs works by J. S. Bach, Franz Schubert, Clara Schumann, and Williamstown resident and established classical composer, Stephen Dankner.
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm Jack Waldheim @ Balderdash Cellars, Richmond. Rock, Folk.
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm David Bartley Quartet @ Dorothy’s Estaminet, Pittsfield. Jazz. Learn more and listen to David here.
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Broadway Goes to the Movies! @ Dewey Hall, Sheffield.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Canna Provisions Presents Live Music at The Locker Room Featuring Lindsay Anne @ Locker Room Sports Pub, Lee.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Jim Witherell @ Antimony Brewing, Lenox.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Sam Brown @ The Lion’s Den, Stockbridge. Rock, Pop, Folk. Learn more and listen here.
7:30 pm Rev Tor’s Annual Dead of Winter Jam @ Colonial Theatre, Pittsfield. Honoring 59 years of Grateful Dead music.
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm Brave Brothers @ Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort, Hancock.
7:30 pm – 10:30 pm The BTU’s @ Egremont Barn, South Egremont. Rock.
8:00 pm Generation X Rock @ Knox Trail Inn, East Otis. Rock.
8:00 pm – 11:00 pm Tame The Rooster @ Proprietor’s Lodge, Pittsfield. Rock, Country, Blues, Pop. Learn more and listen here.
Sunday
10:00 am – 12:00 pm Domingo Brunch featuring duo David Bartley and Pete Toigo @ Dottie’s Coffee Lounge, Pittsfield. Learn more and listen to David here.
12:00 pm – 3:00 pm Jazz Brunch with Michael Junkins @ Race Brook Lodge, Sheffield.Jazz. Learn more and listen here.
2:00 pm Melissa Brinton @ Balderdash Cellars, Richmond. Folk, Pop, Rock. Learn more and listen here.
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm Broadway Goes to the Movies! @ Dewey Hall, Sheffield.
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm Nate Martel @ Antimony Brewing, Lenox. Rock, Folk. Learn more and listen here.
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm Crescendo: Optime Pastor @ St. James Place, Great Barrington. Early Polyphony for Low Voices from Ockeghem to Palestrina.
6:30 pm – 9:30 pm Michael Junkins and Friends @ The Lion’s Den, Stockbridge. Jazz. Learn more and listen here.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Lucky Bucket @ Italian-American Club, Pittsfield.
Please get out and support your local musicians and venues!
— Mark @ Music in the Berkshires