The Berkshire music scene continues full steam as we enter the final full week of July. Our music calendar has over 82 performances this week (another new record) featuring multiple styles and genres, including classical, jazz, rock, Americana, pop, folk, and blues. Here are a few highlights, followed by the complete show rundown.
The Bang on a Can: Loud Weekend takes place at MASS MoCA, running from Thursday through Saturday. It features an eclectic mix of creative, experimental, and unusual music, featuring the Kronos Quartet, Love in Exile, and many more performers.
We have several national touring musicians in the region this week. Boston’s Chance Emerson plays at Tourists in North Adams on Monday night. The Blues Beatles, a blues band that mixes the melodies of the Beatles with traditional blues arrangements, performs at The Stationery Factory Thursday night. Arleigh Rose of Sister Sparrow performs Saturday night at The Stationery Factory, and also on Saturday, internationally acclaimed guitarist Jesse Cook performs at the Mahaiwe.
The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow had two performances in Berkshire County this past week. This week two of the band members have solo shows here. Chris Merenda is performing with The Picky Bastards and Chewy Jr. on Friday night, and Billy Keane (pictured above) is performing Saturday night – both shows are at the Egremont Barn. Another Berkshire favorite, Johnny Irion, has performances Wednesday with his band US Elevator and Saturday with Lisa Michelle Anderson – both shows are at the Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn.
Classical music lovers will find 13 performances at Tanglewood this week across its multiple venues. Other classical performances include a Boston University Tanglewood Institute Concert to benefit the Literacy Network, which takes place Monday at the Stockbridge Library, while the Close Encounters with Music Berkshire High Peaks Music Festival continues with four more concerts at the Berkshire School.
Jazz lovers can catch Benny Kohn Monday night at The Barn Kitchen & Bar in Williamstown, and over at Pizzeria Boema in Lenox, you can listen to Wanda Houston, Andy Wrba, Georg Oldziey, and Will Carroll. You’ll also find jazz at The Gateways Inn Thursday through Saturday and at The Lion’s Den on Wednesday and Sunday. Race Brook Lodge also hosts a Jazz Brunch on Sunday morning. Finally, Chesterwood is hosting The World Jazz Collective Heard on Saturday evening.
You can read about all of these performances and more in our weekly show rundown below, our jump right to our music calendar. Use the subscribe button below to receive this weekly rundown of upcoming performances in your inbox.
Monday
5:00 pm – 8:00 pm Benny Kohn at The Barn Kitchen & Bar, Williamstown. Classical Jazz
5:30 pm – 7:30 pm Brother Sal Blues Band at Berkshire Botanical Garden, Stockbridge. Learn more and listen here.
5:30 pm – 7:30 pm Boston University Tanglewood Institute Concert with LitNet at Stockbridge Library, Stockbridge.
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm Monday Night Jazz at Pizzeria Boema, Lenox. Featuring Wanda Houston, Andy Wrba, Georg Oldziey, and Will Carroll.
7:00 pm Yoni Gordon at Greylock Works, North Adams. Rock. Learn more and listen here.
8:00 pm – 9:30 pm Chance Emerson at Tourists, North Adams. Folk, rock. Learn more and listen here.
Tuesday
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm The Lucky Bucket Band at Great Barrington VFW, Great Barrington.
6:30 pm – 8:00 pm HB Funk at Adams Visitor Center, Adams.
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Moonlight Sonatas Concert III at Berkshire School, Sheffield.
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Pete Francoeur at Firehouse Cafe & Bistro, Adams.
Wednesday
1:30 pm Open Harp Workshop with Jessica Zhou at Tanglewood, Lenox.
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm Live Rock and Jazz Music at The Purple Pub at Purple Pub, Williamstown.
5:30 pm – 7:15 pm Railroad Street Dreamers at Great Barrington Town Hall, Great Barrington.
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Generation X Rock at Onota Lake Pittsfield.
6:30 pm Wanda Houston and the HBH Band at Lilac Park, Lenox. Learn more and listen here.
6:30 pm The Riverbenders at Windsor Lake, North Adams.
6:30 pm – 8:00 pm Eagle Band at Dalton CRA, Dalton.
6:30 pm – 9:30 pm Ed Orgill Trio at The Lions Den, Stockbridge. Jazz.
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Johnny Irion and US Elevator at Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn, Lenox. Rock. Folk. Learn more and listen to Johnny here.
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Moonlight Sonatas Concert IV at Berkshire School, Sheffield.
8:00 pm Boston Symphony Chamber Players at Tanglewood, Lenox. Yehudi Wyner Into the Evening Air, Sofia Gubaidulina Sonata for double bass and piano, Shulamit Rand Lyre of Orpheus, Schumann Piano Quintet in E-flat, Op. 44.
Thursday
July 27 – July 29 Bang on a Can Loud Weekend at MASS MoCA, North Adams.
5:30 pm – 7:15 pm Aimee Van Dyne Band at Great Barrington Town Hall, Great Barrington. Rock, folk. Learn more and listen here.
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Cold Chocolate at Naumkeag, Stockbridge. Americana, Folk, Bluegrass. Learn more and listen here.
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Summer Concert Series at First Street Common, Pittsfield. Chantell & The Kashmir Souls featuring Susan Davis.
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm Robin Gerson Wong at Gateways Inn, Lenox. Jazz.
7:00 pm Tim Nielson at 413 Bistro & Taproom, North Adams. Rock, Pop.
7:00 pm Stefanie Clark Harris & Vince Dewald at Berkshire Palate, Pittsfield. Americana.
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Brother Sal Blues Band at Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn, Lenox. Learn more and listen here.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Lara Tupper & Bobby Sweet at The Lions Den, Stockbridge.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm GypZbilly Two: Special guest Carolyn Dufraine at Antimony Brewing, Lenox.
7:30 pm – 9:00 pm Rees Shad & The Conversations at Dream Away Lodge, Becket. Learn more and listen here.
7:30 pm – 10:30 pm Grateful Dread at Egremont Barn, South Egremont.
7:30 pm – 10:30 pm Blues Beatles wsg Sample the Cat at The Stationery Factory, Dalton. Learn more and listen here.
8:00 pm TMC Festival of Contemporary Music at Tanglewood, Lenox. Gabriela Lena Frank Sonata Serrana No. 1, Gabriela Lena Frank Las Sombras de los Apus, Bartok Contrasts, Gabriela Lena Frank Milagros.
Friday
July 27 – July 29 Bang on a Can Loud Weekend at MASS MoCA, North Adams.
2:30 pm TMC Festival of Contemporary Music at Tanglewood, Lenox. Anna Thorvaldsdottir Reminiscence, Anna Thorvaldsdottir Spectra, György Kurtag 12 Microludes, Anna Thorvaldsdottir Hrim, Anna Thorvaldsdottir Aequilibria, György Kurtag Six Moments Musicaux, Anna Thorvaldsdottir Ró.
4:30 pm – 8:00 pm Hedtrip at Catamount, South Egremont.
5:30 pm – 7:15 pm The BTU’S at Great Barrington Town Hall, Great Barrington. Rock, Soul.
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm Tim Gallagher at Bousquet, Pittsfield.
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm Karen Tchougourian at Gateways Inn, Lenox. Jazz.
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Berkshire Busk in Downtown Great Barrington, Great Barrington. Music performances include Sheepish and the Hen, Robin OHerin Blues & Gospel, Daymen, Karen and David, and Fraser Andras.
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Moonlight Sonatas Concert V at Berkshire School, Sheffield.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Vaguely Pagan at The Lions Den, Stockbridge.
7:30 pm – 10:30 pm The Picky Bastards & Chewy Jr. at Egremont Barn, South Egremont. Bluegrass, Folk.
8:00 pm Giancarlo Guerrero conducts Mahler and Wolfe featuring the Lorelei Ensemble at Tanglewood, Lenox. Julia Wolfe Her Story (BSO co-commission), Mahler Symphony No. 1.
8:00 pm – 9:30 pm Stefanie Clark Harris and Vince DeWald at Dream Away Lodge, Becket. Americana.
8:00 pm – 11:00 pm Pug & John at Antimony Brewing, Lenox.
Saturday
July 27 – July 29 Bang on a Can Loud Weekend at MASS MoCA, North Adams.
10:30 am Open Rehearsal: Anna Rakitina conducts Paganini, Reid, and Prokofiev featuring Joshua Bell, violin at Tanglewood, Lenox.
1:30 pm Boston University Tanglewood Institute Young Artists Orchestra at Tanglewood, Lenox.
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm Berkshire Busk in Downtown Great Barrington. Music performances include Naomi at Berkshire Mountain Distillers and Zane Sylvester at Robin’s Candy.
4:00 pm TLI Presents: A Curated Concert by Reena Esmail at Tanglewood 297 West Street, Lenox.
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm World Jazz Collective Heard at Chesterwood, Stockbridge.
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm Melissa Brinton at Bousquet, Pittsfield. Learn more and listen here.
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm Pamela Knowles at Gateways Inn, Lenox. Jazz.
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Berkshire Busk in Downtown Great Barrington. Music performances include Berkshire Hills Chorus, The Decoys, and David Reed.
6:30 pm – 10:00 pm Berkshire Busk in Downtown Great Barrington. Main Stage music performances include The Juckets.
7:00 pm Mr. Doubtfire – 90s Night! at Hot Plate Brewing Co, Pittsfield. Rock.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Simon McTeigue at The Lions Den, Stockbridge.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Puggy & John at Rusty Anchor Pub, Pittsfield.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Sample the Cat at Firehouse Cafe & Bistro, Adams. Soulful Rock. Learn more and listen here.
7:30 pm – 10:30 pm An Evening with Billy Keane w/opener Lisa Bastoni at Egremont Barn, South Egremont. Americana. Learn more and listen here.
7:30 pm – 10:30 pm An evening with Arleigh Rose (Sister Sparrow) at The Stationery Factory, Dalton. Learn more and listen here.
8:00 pm Dima Slobodeniouk conducts Messiaen, Ravel and Zubel at Tanglewood, Lenox. Messiaen Les Offrandes oublieés, Berlioz Les Nuits d’été, Agata Zubel In the Shade of an Unshed Tear, Ravel Daphnis et Chloé, Suite No. 2.
8:00 pm Don White with Special Guests Chris & Meredith Thompson at Guthrie Center, Great Barrington. Folk. Learn more and listen here.
8:00 pm Jesse Cook at Mahaiwe, Great Barrington. Internationally acclaimed guitarist. Learn more and listen here.
8:00 pm – 10:00 pm Johnny Irion with special guest Lisa Michelle Anderson at Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn, Lenox. Learn more and listen to Johnny here. Learn more and listen to Lisa here.
8:00 pm – 11:00 pm The Gist at Knox Trail Inn, East Otis.
8:00 pm – 11:00 pm Wanda Houston at Antimony Brewing, Lenox. Learn more and listen here.
Sunday
10:00 am TMC Chamber Music at Tanglewood, Lenox. Tebogo Monnakgotla It is the Lark that Sings, Malin Bang Arching, Tebogo Monnakgotla Five Pieces for String Trio, Andile Khumalo Schaufe[r]nster II, Tebogo Monnakgotla Le dormeur du val, Bent Sorensen The Lady of Shalott, Tebogo Monnakgotla Toys (or The Wonderful World of Clara), Tebogo Monnakgotla Companion.
10:00 am – 12:00 pm Domingo Brunch featuring Lexi Weege at Dottie’s Coffee Lounge, Pittsfield. Classic Country, Motown, and Soul. Learn more and listen here.
12:00 pm – 3:00 pm Jazz Brunch with Michael Junkins at Race Brook Lodge, Sheffield.
12:30 pm – 2:30 pm Fanny Pack & LeFever at First Congregational Church of Lee, Lee.
1:30 pm BU Tanglewood Institute Young Artists Wind Ensemble at Tanglewood, Lenox.
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm Dave Brown at Antimony Brewing, Lenox.
2:30 pm Anna Rakitina conducts Paganini, Reid, and Prokofiev featuring Joshua Bell, violin at Tanglewood, Lenox. Ellen Reid When the World as You’ve Known It Doesn’t Exist, Paganini Violin Concerto No. 1, Prokofiev Suite from Romeo and Juliet.
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm Tashi and Milarepa Dorji and Marie Carroll at The Clark Art Institute, Williamstown.
3:00 pm – 6:00 pm Bone Collectors A to Z at The Foundry, West Stockbridge. Family fun!
4:00 pm – 5:30 pm Melissa Brinton at Dalton CRA, Dalton. Learn more and listen here.
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm Patrick Collins at Bright Ideas Brewing, North Adams.
6:30 pm – 9:30 pm Micheal Junkins & Friends at The Lions Den, Stockbridge. Jazz.
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Moonlight Sonatas Farewell Concert at Berkshire School, Sheffield.
8:00 pm Silent Film Music by TMC Composition Fellows at Tanglewood, Lenox.
That’s our performance rundown for the week of July 24. Get out of the house and enjoy the Berkshire live music scene!
— Mark @ Music in the Berkshires