With the fall weather comes a natural slowdown to life, live music included. We have 38 shows on the calendar this week – the fewest since the end of May. I’m certain a few more will be added during the week since a few venues have not posted their October calendars as of this writing. The performances range across many genres, including jazz, ragtime, rock, pop, hip-hop, folk, blues, classical, the American songbook, and Broadway show tunes. Below are a few highlights, followed by the full show rundown. But before moving on, if you’ve not already done so, please subscribe to our free weekly Show Rundown to receive this content in your inbox each Monday – plus, you’ll receive exclusive information not found on our website or social media pages about recently announced shows and hot tickets. Subscribing also shows our supporters how much you value Music in the Berkshires.
It’s another fantastic week of jazz in The Berkshires. Music in the Berkshires Featured Musician Andy Wrba (pictured above) is launching his month-long Thursday night residency at The Lion’s Den in Stockbridge. Read our interview to learn about Andy’s new single, “Bluie,” dropping this Tuesday, October 2, the residency, and his musical journey including time with the national touring band Barefoot Truth. Backing up to Wednesday, you’ll find the Michael Junkins Trio, also at The Lion’s Den. Mixing jazz with ragtime, Lovestruck Balladeers performs at Egremont Barn on Friday night. Saturday, you find Jazz at the Ballroom Presents: Accentuate the Positive at Mahaiwe in Great Barrington, a program that includes jazz and the American songbook. Sunday, you can catch the Jazz Brunch with Bobby MacVeety at Race Brook Lodge in Sheffield and cap off your weekend with Michael Junkins and Friends at The Lion’s Den. Note that Gateways Inn, which features jazz, has not yet posted its October calendar as of this writing.
In the popular music category, Thursday is a busy night, starting with Housatonic hip-hop and rap artist Jackson Whalan hosting a night at Egremont Barn called “The Sesh.” Jackson shared that this evening is inspired by jam sessions he’s attended in New York City, with a core group of musicians plus others invited up to join in (Jackson invites local musicians to come and be ready to join). It will be an evening for local musicians to solidify, unite, and build momentum for the local hip-hop, “jazz-hop,” and experimental music scene. Also on Thursday, Rees Shad is hosting a special Six Strings & A Story album release party at Dream Away Lodge in Becket, while in North Adams, Jake Manzi performs at Tourists as part of their “Sing for your Slumber” program. Jake performs again Saturday night at The Lion’s Den.
At the Lion’s Den on Friday night, you’ll find Johnny Irion with his rock band U.S. Elevator, while Stomp Box Trio brings their blend of rock, blues, soul, and R&B to the Dream Away Lodge in Becket. Also on Friday, the R.O.P.E. (Rites of Passage and Empowerment) Fall Fundraiser takes place at Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield. Gaye Todd Adegbalola and Gina Coleman (Misty Blues) will hit the stage, one after the other, and perform a selection of their music.
Among the many great performances on Saturday night, you’ll find the rock and folk band Session Americana at Egremont Barn and Roomful of Blues at The Stationery Factory in Dalton.
Sunday morning, catch singer-songwriter Tyra Nurmi at Dottie’s Coffee Lounge in Pittsfield. In the evening, you’ll find folk and blues artist Woodford Way at Antimony Brewing in Lenox and genre-defying Chandler Travis at Dream Away Lodge in Becket.
For classical lovers, we’ve got two performances on our calendar this week: On Saturday, you can listen to “unconventional chamber music” when the 65th Street Ensemble performs at The Foundry in West Stockbridge. On Sunday afternoon, you’ll find Wu Han, piano; David Finckel, cello; Paul Huang, violin; Paul Neubauer, viola at South Mountain Concert Hall in Pittsfield. Their performance will include the music of Beethoven, Saint-Saëns, and Brahms.
Finally, outside of jazz, popular, and classical, you’ll find Karen Curlee at Studio 9 in North Adams on Thursday night performing music from the songbook of Cole Porter and on Sunday afternoon, you can listen to the Berkshire Hills Chorus, Sweet Adelines at Lilac Park in Lenox.
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
No performances.
Wednesday
5:15 pm – 9:00 pm Kyle Love at Oasis Bar and Grill, Lee.
6:30 pm – 9:30 pm Michael Junkins Trio at The Lions Den, Stockbridge. Jazz. Learn more and listen here.
Thursday
7:00 pm Wry Observations at Hot Plate Brewing Co, Pittsfield.
5:15 pm – 9:00 pm David Reed at Oasis Bar and Grill, Lee. Folk, Americana. Learn more and listen here.
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Thomas Corrigan at Firehouse Cafe & Bistro, Adams. Rock.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Brave Brothers at Antimony Brewing, Lenox.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Andy Wrba and Friends at The Lions Den, Stockbridge. Jazz. See our Featured Musician Interview with Andy Wrba.
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm Rees Shad Six Strings & A Story album release party at Dream Away Lodge, Becket. Jazz, Folk, Americana. Learn more and listen here.
7:30 pm – 10:00 pm The Sesh at Egremont Barn, South Egremont. Hip-hop and improvised jam session, hosted by musician Jackson Whelan, featuring local and regional musicians.
8:00 pm Karen Curlee at Studio 9, North Adams. Songbook of Cole Porter.
8:00 pm Jake Manzi at Tourists, North Adams. Rock, Pop, Folk. Learn more and listen here.
Friday
5:15 pm – 9:00 pm The Beaks at Oasis Bar and Grill, Lee.
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm R.O.P.E. Fall Fundraiser at Berkshire Community College, Pittsfield. Will include performances by Gaye Todd Adegbalola and Gina Coleman (Misty Blues).
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm U.S. Elevator at The Lions Den, Stockbridge. Rock. Learn more and listen here.
7:30 pm Whiskey City Band at Adams Theatre, Adams.
7:30 pm – 10:30 pm Lovestruck Balladeers at Egremont Barn, South Egremont. Ragtime, Jazz. Learn more and listen here.
8:00 pm – 9:30 pm Stomp Box Trio at Dream Away Lodge, Becket. Rock, Blues, Soul, R&B. Learn more and listen here.
8:00 pm – 11:00 pm Pug + John at Antimony Brewing, Lenox.
Saturday
5:15 pm – 9:00 pm David Reed at Oasis Bar and Grill, Lee. Folk, Americana. Learn more and listen here.
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm Livio Gravini at Mt. Greylock Campsite Park, Lanesborough. Rock, Blues. Learn more and listen here.
7:00 pm Jazz at the Ballroom Presents: Accentuate the Positive at Mahaiwe, Great Barrington. Jazz, American Songbook.
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Hotshot Hillbillies at Firehouse Cafe & Bistro, Adams.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm at Jake Manzi at The Lions Den, Stockbridge. Rock, Pop, Folk. Learn more and listen here.
7:00 pm – 11:30 pm RockSoberFest! Cloudbelly/Jake Wardwell/Grammerhorn Wren/Jeb Colwell – 7, 8, 9 & 10PM at Dream Away Lodge, Becket.
7:30 pm 65th Street Ensemble at The Foundry, West Stockbridge. Unconventional Chamber.
7:30 pm – 10:00 pm Session Americana at Egremont Barn, South Egremont. Rock, Folk. Learn more and listen here.
7:30 pm – 10:00 pm Roomful of Blues at The Stationery Factory, Dalton. Blues. Learn more and listen here.
8:00 pm Rattletones at Knox Trail Inn, East Otis. Rock, Country, Blues.
8:00 pm – 11:00 pm Melissa Brinton at Antimony Brewing, Lenox. Learn more and listen here.
Sunday
10:00 am – 12:00 pm Domingo Brunch featuring Tyra Nurmi at Dottie’s Coffee Lounge, Pittsfield. Rock, Pop, Folk. Listen here.
12:00 pm – 3:00 pm Jazz Brunch with Bobby MacVeety at Race Brook Lodge, Sheffield.
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm Hec Vito at Antimony Brewing, Lenox.
3:00 pm Wu Han, piano; David Finckel, cello; Paul Huang, violin; Paul Neubauer, viola at South Mountain Concert Hall, Pittsfield. Performance to include Beethoven – Violin Sonata No. 8 in G Major, Op. 30, No. 3, Saint-Saëns – Piano Trio No. 1 in F Major, Op. 18, Brahms – Piano Quartet No 2 in A Major, Op. 26.
3:30 pm Berkshire Hills Chorus, Sweet Adelines at Lilac Park, Lenox.
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm Taproom Music: Dave Brown at Bright Ideas Brewing, North Adams.
6:30 pm – 9:30 pm Michael Junkins and Friends at The Lions Den, Stockbridge. Jazz. Learn more and listen here.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Woodford Way at Antimony Brewing, Lenox. Folk, Blues, Soul. Learn more and listen here.
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm Chandler Travis at Dream Away Lodge, Becket. Learn more and listen here.
That’s our performance rundown for the week of October 2. Get off the couch and enjoy it!
— Mark @ Music in the Berkshires