Music in the Berkshires: Week of January 15

Our third week of 2024 starts with the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, and we are fortunate to have several performances in The Berkshires that honor Dr. King and his work for civil rights. The region has a rich Black history, as highlighted in our interview with The Black Legacy Project (pictured above), performing at The Stationery Factory this Saturday. We have 31 performances on the calendar this week, spanning the genres of rock, pop, folk, soul, Americana, blues, and jazz. Below are a few highlights, followed by the 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

This week we have four jazz performances, starting on Monday’s holiday with an MLK Day Community Poetry Slam Brunch With The Tarik Shah Trio at Race Brook Lodge in Sheffield. Saturday night in North Adams, you can catch BAAMS’ Presents Live At Studio 9: Boulger Blake Boente & Lewis. Sunday offers two performances, starting midday with Jazz Brunch with Bobby MacVeety at Race Brook Lodge. In the evening, you can finish the week with Michael Junkins and Friends at The Lion’s Den in Stockbridge. Joining Michael this week will be Will Hudgins on Vibes.

Classical

There are no classical performances this week. 😪

Popular (Rock, Pop, Folk, Blues, etc.)

We have approximately 27 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). On Tuesday, Uncle Stash (pronounced Stosh) is performing at Methuselah Bar and Lounge in Pittsfield. On Thursday night, catch local favorite Michael Aaron at The Lion’s Den in Stockbridge or emo artist Bully Maguire w/special guests at Hot Plate Brewing Co in Pittsfield. 

Friday starts with another show at Hot Plate Brewing: garage rock, psych, and folk band Sugar Death Whistle perform. Over at The Lion’s Den, you’ll find local favorite Wanda Houston. And just up the road in Lenox, the Amy Ryan Band performs country, blues, and rock at Firefly Gastropub in Lenox. 

Saturday has many great choices, including several national and regional touring musicians. We’ll be up at The Stationery Factory to see this week’s featured musician, the Black Legacy Project. Another great choice is Lizzie No: Album Release Show at MASS MoCA in North Adams. A folk-Americana artist, Lizzie’s bio states “that as a Queer, Black woman, her entire existence is a living, breathing, singing protest against a genre and a country that, on their best days, are reluctant to reckon with the very foundations upon which they were built.”

On Sunday morning, you can head over to Dottie’s Coffee Lounge in Pittsfield to catch rock, pop, and folk artist Jake Manzi. Then, head up to North Adams for the afternoon and evening to see two performances: RJ McCarty at Bright Ideas Brewing and Lisa Bastoni and Naomi Sommers sing Bob Dylan’s Planet Waves at Tourists.

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.

12:00 pm – 3:00 pm MLK Day Community Poetry Slam Brunch With The Tarik Shah Trio @ Race Brook Lodge, Sheffield. Jazz. Learn more and listen here.

7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Uncle Stash @ Methuselah Bar & Lounge, Pittsfield. Rock.

No performances.

7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Michael Aaron @ The Lion’s Den, Stockbridge. Rock, Folk, Pop. Learn more and listen here.

7:00 pm BULLY MAGUIRE w/SPECIAL GUESTS @ Hot Plate Brewing Co, Pittsfield. Emo. Listen to Bully Maguire here.

6:30 pm – 9:00 pm Code Blue Duo @ Shire Beer Company, Dalton. Rock, Blues.

7:00 pm Sugar Death Whistle @ Hot Plate Brewing Co, Pittsfield. Garage rock, psych, folk. Learn more and listen here.

7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Wanda Houston @ The Lion’s Den, Stockbridge. R&B, Jazz, American Songbook. Learn more and listen here.

7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Ari + Jeff Lynch @ Antimony Brewing, Lenox.

7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Amy Ryan Band @ Firefly Gastropub, Lenox. Country, Blues, Rock. Learn more and listen here.

7:30 pm – 9:30 pm Billy Gilbert @ Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort, Hancock. Blues, Rock, Country.

2:00 pm – 5:00 pm All Ten & John @ Balderdash Cellars, Richmond.

7:00 pm Dolly Parton Cover Show w/Alenka and Friends @ Hot Plate Brewing Co, Pittsfield.

7:00 pm – 9:00 pm BAAMS’ Presents Live At Studio 9: Boulger Blake Boente & Lewis @ Studio 9, North Adams. Jazz. 

7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Feedback @ Shire Beer Company, Dalton. Rock.

7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Mike and Mike @ Firehouse Cafe & Bistro, Adams. 60’s Rock.

7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Vaguely Pagan @ The Lion’s Den, Stockbridge. Rock, Folk, Psych. Learn more here.

7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Pug and John @ Antimony Brewing, Lenox.

7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Canna Provisions Presents Live Music at The Locker Room Featuring Jon Berman @ Locker Room Sports Pub, Lee. Rock. Listen more and listen here.

7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Trevor Wheelock @ Methuselah Bar & Lounge, Pittsfield. Rock, Pop, Jazz, American Songbook. Learn more and listen here.

7:30 pm – 9:30 pm The Black Legacy Project @ The Stationery Factory, Dalton. Rock, Soul, R&B. See our Featured Musician interview with The Black Legacy Project here. Learn more and listen here.

7:30 pm – 9:30 pm Riverbend Orchestra @ Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort, Hancock. Folk, Americana.

8:00 pm Lizzie No: Album Release Show @ MASS MoCA, North Adams. Indie, Americana. Learn more and listen here.

8:00 pm – 11:00 pm The Monday Project Band @ Knox Trail Inn, East Otis.

10:00 am – 12:00 pm Domingo Brunch featuring Jake Manzi @ Dottie’s Coffee Lounge, Pittsfield. Rock, Pop, Folk. Learn more and listen here.

12:00 pm – 3:00 pm Jazz Brunch with Bobby MacVeety @ Race Brook Lodge, Sheffield. Learn more and listen here.

2:00 pm Hilltown Blues Jam @ Knox Trail Inn, East Otis.

2:00 pm – 5:00 pm Paul Zarvis @ Balderdash Cellars, Richmond.

4:00 pm – 6:00 pm Taproom Music: RJ McCarty @ Bright Ideas Brewing, North Adams. Folk, Americana. Learn more and listen here.

6:30 pm – 9:30 pm Michael Junkins and Friends @ The Lion’s Den, Stockbridge. Jazz. Learn more and listen here.

8:00 pm Lisa Bastoni and Naomi Sommers sing Bob Dylan’s Planet Waves @ Tourists, North Adams. Learn more and listen to Lisa here.

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Enjoy the holiday week – and please support your local musicians and venues in 2024!

— Mark @ Music in the Berkshires