“Beautiful music is the art of the prophets that can calm the agitations of the soul; it is one of the most magnificent and delightful presents God has given us.” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
As we approach the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, the Berkshire County music scene is coming alive with 38 performances spanning genres from classical and jazz to rock, pop, and country, plus a special MLK celebration concert to cap off the week. Below are some highlights for the week ahead, followed by our comprehensive show rundown.
Classical and Opera
We have two classical performances this week, both on Sunday afternoon. In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, you’ll find the MLK Celebration Concert at Trinity Episcopal Church in Lenox. The Cantilena Chamber Choir and the Urban Choral Arts Society of Baltimore, with conductor Ronald McFadden, will feature the extended work “I Will Lift Thine Eyes” by Adolphus Hailstork, spirituals by Roland Carter and Moses Hogan, and a spirituals sing-along. You can also enjoy the West Stockbridge Chamber Players Winter Concert at the West Stockbridge Old Town Hall. The program will include music by Franz Liszt, Amy Beach, Jesse Montgomery, and Bernard Herrmann.
Jazz
We have seven jazz performances this week. To start the week off, catch Monday Night Jazz: George Schuller at Methuselah Bar & Lounge in Pittsfield. Wednesday evening, the Dave Solazzo Trio is at The Lion’s Den in Stockbridge. Friday night, Bitches Brew Re-Alchemized returns to Race Brook Lodge in Sheffield. Bobby Previte and his ensemble explore and improvise on Miles Davis’ iconic album. You can catch the Friday Supper Club featuring Lonny Jarrett and Friends at Dottie’s and Dorothy’s in Pittsfield or The Lucky 5 Quartet at the Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn in Lenox. They will perform again Saturday night at The Lion’s Den. On Sunday night, you’ll find Michael Junkins and Friends at The Lion’s Den. This week, Michael features Matt Steckler on saxophone.
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 Thursday night with local favorite Wanda Houston performing at The Lion’s Den in Stockbridge. The Rees Shad Trio is at the Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn in Lenox, and Rounder’s Revival is at Route 8 Pub in Becket.
Friday night, fans of Jackson Browne will want to head to The Stationery Factory in Dalton to hear Running On Jackson. Cristine Bile is at Appetito in Lee – a new venue for music in the Berkshires, located where Timothy’s used to be. Michael Aaron is at The Lion’s Den, while the Amy Ryan Band plays country, blues, and rock at Firefly Gastropub in Lenox.
Saturday night, catch some après-ski music with James Blonde in the Catamount Lodge in South Egremont. Hannah Bracken is at the Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn, followed by The Wolves (members of Eavesdrop Band). The Blush Hollow Band is at the Shaw Pond Club in Becket. Lovers of 70’s music from artists such as Cat Stevens, Gordon Lightfoot, and Harry Chapin will want to be at The Stationery Factory for Story Songs of the 70s.
Sunday morning, enjoy some great bluegrass music at the Domingo Brunch featuring Midnight Choir at Dottie’s in Pittsfield. In the afternoon, support a great cause by attending The Jake Hescock Win the Day Foundation Fundraiser at The Stationery Factory. The bands performing include Full Burn, Live Wire, HB Funk & Co, Generation X Rock, and Liquid Courage. On the Sunday afternoon “winery and brewery circuit,” you can see Wanda Houston at Balderdash Cellars in Richmond or Jack Waldheim at Antimony Brewing in Lenox. Meanwhile, the TomKat Trio performs at portaVia in Dalton. Monday is a holiday, so there is no excuse to stay in on Sunday night – you can catch Awake at the Wheel at Route 8 Pub in Becket or RJ McCarty in the Catamount Lodge.
Something Else
We have four performances in our Something Else category. The three-day I/O Festival 2025 – The Music of Now starts on Friday evening at Williams College. Performances are also on Saturday and Sunday, the latter being at the Clark Art Institute on Sunday afternoon.
On Saturday night in North Adams, you can catch Studio 9 Presents Luca Ciarla Mediterramìa & Special Guest Jeremy Harman. Carla (pictured above) is a violinist who transcends traditional and contemporary genres. He has performed around the world in jazz, classical, and world music festivals.
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
7:00 pm Monday Night Jazz: George Schuller @ Methuselah Bar & Lounge, Pittsfield.
Tuesday
No Performances.
Wednesday
6:30 pm – 9:30 pm Dave Solazzo Trio @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
Thursday
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Rees Shad Trio @ Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn, Lenox.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Wanda Houston @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
7:00 pm Rounder’s Revival @ Route 8 Pub, Becket.
Friday
6:00 pm – 10:00 pm Friday Supper Club featuring Lonny Jarrett and Friends @ Dottie's and Dorothy's, Pittsfield.
6:30 pm – 9:30 pm The Lucky 5 Quartet @ Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn, Lenox.
6:30 pm – 8:00 pm Cristine Bile @ Appetito, Lee.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Michael Aaron @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm All Over the Map @ Knox Trail Inn, East Otis.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Tom Savoy @ Antimony Brewing, Lenox.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Amy Ryan Band @ Firefly Gastropub, Lenox.
7:00 pm All of Us @ Methuselah Bar & Lounge, Pittsfield.
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm Jack Waldheim @ Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort, Hancock.
7:30 pm – 9:00 pm I/O Festival 2025 – The Music of Now – 3 Day Program @ Williams College, Williamstown.
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm Running On Jackson @ The Stationery Factory, Dalton.
8:00 pm – 11:00 pm Bitches Brew Re-Alchemized @ Race Brook Lodge, Sheffield.
Saturday
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm Dan Gingras @ Balderdash Cellars, Richmond.
2:00 pm – 6:00 pm James Blonde in the Catamount Lodge @ Catamount, South Egremont.
5:30 pm – 7:00 pm Hannah Bracken @ Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn, Lenox.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Tim Gallagher @ Antimony Brewing, Lenox.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm The Lucky 5 @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
7:00 pm Blush Hollow Band @ Shaw Pond Club, Becket.
7:00 pm Studio 9 Presents Luca Ciarla Mediterramìa & Special Guest Jeremy Harman @ Studio 9, North Adams.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Fire Pitt @ Locker Room Sports Pub, Lee.
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm Story Songs of the 70s @ The Stationery Factory, Dalton.
7:30 pm I/O Festival 2025 – I/O Ensemble @ Williams College, Williamstown.
7:30 pm – 10:00 pm The Wolves (Members of Eavesdrob Band) @ Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn, Lenox.
Sunday
10:00 am – 12:00 pm Domingo Brunch featuring Midnight Choir @ Dottie's and Dorothy's, Pittsfield.
1:00 pm – 8:00 pm The Jake Hescock Win the Day Foundation Fundraiser @ The Stationery Factory, Dalton.
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm TomKat Trio @ portaVia, Dalton.
2:00 pm – 6:00 pm RJ McCarty in the Catamount Lodge @ Catamount, South Egremont.
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm Wanda Houston @ Balderdash Cellars, Richmond.
3:00 pm – 5:00 pm MLK Celebration Concert @ Trinity Episcopal Church, Lenox.
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm I/O Fest 2025: Gamelan Yowana Sari with I/O Ensemble @ The Clark Art Institute, Williamstown.
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm West Stockbridge Chamber Players Winter Concert @ West Stockbridge Old Town Hall, West Stockbridge.
5:00 pm – 8:00 pm Awake at the Wheel @ Route 8 Pub, Becket.
5:00 pm – 8:00 pm Jack Waldheim @ 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