As the holiday season approaches in full swing, live music provides the perfect opportunity to pause, unwind, and embrace the festive spirit. This week in Berkshire County, you can enjoy 37 vibrant performances featuring an array of holiday-themed events alongside an eclectic mix of jazz, rock, folk, blues, big band, and Celtic music. Below are some highlights for the week ahead, followed by our comprehensive show rundown.
Holiday
We have six holiday performances in the county this week, spanning several musical genres. On Monday night, catch A Very Very Cassie and Maggie Christmas at The Foundry in West Stockbridge. The internationally acclaimed folk sister duo will perform, including songs from their album A Very Very Cassie and Maggie Christmas.
Thursday evening, you won’t want to miss the Andy Wrba Super Group at The Lion’s Den in Stockbridge. Andy will be joined by Wanda Houston, Jeff Stevens, Benny Kohn, and Conor Meehan and will perform unique arrangements of holiday favorites infused with jazz, funk, and blues. Andy told us, “This performance promises surprises and smiles at every turn—expect the unexpected!”
On Saturday afternoon, you’ll find The Very Best Time of the Year at the First Congregational Church of Stockbridge. The Berkshire Lyric presents a concert of traditional and contemporary carols, plus a special visit by Santa himself. To celebrate a different winter holiday, the winter solstice, you can also catch afternoon and evening performances of the Paul Winter Consort: Winter Solstice Celebration at St. James Place in Great Barrington. For a truly rockin’ holiday celebration, you’ll want to see The Wizards of Winter at the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, featuring former members of The Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Def Leppard, Rainbow, Alice Cooper, and Blue Öyster Cult, this 11-member ensemble “weaves a rich, heartwarming story that evokes cherished holiday memories and emotions.”
Classical and Opera
We have no classical or opera performances on the calendar this week.
Jazz
We have five jazz performances this week besides the one listed under our holiday section. Wednesday evening, the Benny Kohn Trio performs at The Lion’s Den in Stockbridge. Thursday, The Lucky Three Gypsy Jazz is at the Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn in Lenox, followed by Tristan Geary on Keyboard on Friday night at the Ostrich Room.
Sunday morning, head on over to Dottie’s in Pittsfield for the Domingo Brunch with Redshift. Redshift is Lonny Jarrett on guitar, Jeff Link on bass, Darryl Kniffen on drums, and Zev Jarrett on saxophone. On Sunday night, you’ll find Michael Junkins and Friends at The Lion’s Den. This week, Michael features “Junk” with Will Hudgins on vibraphone.
Popular (Rock, Pop, Folk, Blues, etc.)
The popular music category dominates our calendar this week, with over 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 Tuesday with local favorite Melissa Brinton at Methuselah in Pittsfield. Wednesday night, catch local favorites Colby Lewis & Steve Ide at the Ostrich Room at the Apple Tree Inn in Lenox – they perform again Saturday night at Antimony Brewing in Lenox. Thursday night, head over to The Egremont Barn to see The Beatles tribute band The Eggmen.
Friday night, catch An Evening with Billy Keane at The Egremont Barn. Billy has moved to North Carolina, so this may be your last chance for a while to see him perform. Vaguely Pagan, comprised of Brian Kantor, Wes Buckley, and Miles Lally, performs a cool blend of psych rock at The Lion’s Den in Stockbridge. You can help fund a local band competing in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in January by attending the Diego Mongue Band Memphis Send Off Fundraiser at the Zion Lutheran Church in Pittsfield. Also in Pittsfield, you’ll find the Code Blue Duo Friday Supper Club at Dottie’s and Dorothy’s, and just down the street, Chris Murphy performs on his violin at Methuselah Bar & Lounge. He’ll perform again Saturday night at the Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn. In Lenox, you’ll find the Amy Ryan Band at Firefly Gastropub.
Saturday night, catch country rock band Los Neon Moons at The Lion’s Den or put on your ugliest sweater and head to the Misty Blues Ugly Holiday Sweater Party at 328 North in North Adams. Up in the Hill Towns, you’ll find the Celtic rock band Kilashandra at the Route 8 Pub in Becket, Melissa Brinton at Shaw Pond Club in Becket, and Pick-Up Line at the Knox Trail Inn in East Otis.
On the Sunday afternoon “winery and brewery circuit,” you can see Paul Zarvis at Balderdash Cellars in Richmond or Livio Gravini at Antimony Brewing in Lenox. Meanwhile, Pug and John perform at portaVia in Dalton.
Something Else
In our Something Else category is the John Pizzarelli Big Band – Dear Mr. Sinatra at Mahaiwe in Great Barrington on Saturday night. Pizzarelli salutes Frank Sinatra, performing with a 17-piece big band.
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. 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
7:30 pm A Very Very Cassie and Maggie Christmas @ The Foundry, West Stockbridge.
Tuesday
7:00 pm Melissa Brinton @ Methuselah Bar & Lounge, Pittsfield.
Wednesday
6:30 pm – 9:30 pm Benny Kohn Trio @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Colby Lewis & Steve Ide @ Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn, Lenox.
Thursday
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm The Lucky Three Gypsy Jazz @ Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn, Lenox.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Andy Wrba Super Group @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
7:30 pm – 10:00 pm The Eggmen @ Egremont Barn, South Egremont.
Friday
5:00 pm – 8:00 pm Michael Fabrizio @ Balderdash Cellars, Richmond.
6:00 pm – 10:00 pm Code Blue Duo Friday Supper Club @ Dottie's and Dorothy's, Pittsfield.
6:30 pm – 9:30 pm Tristan Geary on Keyboard @ Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn, Lenox.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Amy Ryan Band @ Firefly Gastropub, Lenox.
7:00 pm Chris Murphy @ Methuselah Bar & Lounge, Pittsfield.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Brian Kantor and Friends @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
7:00 pm Otan Vargas @ Knox Trail Inn, East Otis.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Pug & John @ Antimony Brewing, Lenox.
7:30 pm – 10:00 pm An evening with Billy Keane @ Egremont Barn, South Egremont.
7:30 pm Diego Mongue Band Memphis Send Off Fundraiser @ Zion Lutheran Church, Pittsfield.
Saturday
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm Dani Stevens Acoustic Duo @ Knox Trail Inn, East Otis.
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm Frank Manzi @ Balderdash Cellars, Richmond.
3:00 pm – 5:00 pm The Very Best Time of the Year @ First Congregational Church of Stockbridge, Stockbridge.
3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Paul Winter Consort: Winter Solstice Celebration @ St. James Place, Great Barrington.
5:00 pm Holiday Sing-A-Long @ Becket Arts Center, Becket.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Los Neon Moons @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
7:00 pm Misty Blues Ugly Holiday Sweater Party @ 328 North, North Adams.
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Paul Winter Consort: Winter Solstice Celebration @ St. James Place, Great Barrington.
7:00 pm Kilashandra @ Route 8 Pub, Becket.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Colby Lewis & Steve Ide @ Antimony Brewing, Lenox.
7:30 pm – 10:30 pm CANCELED: The Star-Studded 3rd Annual Soundry Xmas Revue @ Egremont Barn, South Egremont.
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm The Wizards of Winter @ Colonial Theatre, Pittsfield.
8:00 pm Pick-Up Line @ Knox Trail Inn, East Otis.
8:00 pm John Pizzarelli Big Band – Dear Mr. Sinatra @ Mahaiwe, Great Barrington.
8:00 pm Melissa Brinton @ Shaw Pond Club, Becket.
8:30 pm – 10:30 pm Chris Murphy @ Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn, Lenox.
Sunday
10:00 am – 12:00 pm Domingo Brunch with Redshift @ Dottie's and Dorothy's, Pittsfield.
12:00 pm – 3:00 pm Jazz Brunch with Michael Junkins @ Race Brook Lodge, Sheffield.
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm Pug and John @ portaVia, Dalton.
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm Paul Zarvis @ Balderdash Cellars, Richmond.
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm Livio Gravini @ Antimony Brewing, Lenox.
6:30 pm – 9:30 pm Michael Junkins and Friends @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
Please get out and support your local musicians and venues!
— Mark @ Music in the Berkshires