“Jazz speaks for life. The blues tell the story of life’s difficulties, and if you think for a moment, you will realize that they take the hardest realities of life and put them into music, only to come out with some new hope or sense of triumph. This is triumphant music.” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
This week marks the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday and a presidential inauguration, followed by a plunge in temperatures—a trifecta of reasons to cozy up with some live music and reflect on King’s enduring legacy and the year ahead. While it’s a quieter week on the music calendar, there are still 27 performances to choose from, featuring jazz, rock, pop, and even the vibrant sounds of Calabrian folk music. Below are some highlights for the week ahead, followed by our comprehensive show rundown.
Classical and Opera
We have one classical performance this week – just added to our calendar after our Sunday night publication deadline: Lich Gate Winter Concert at the First Congregational Church of Sheffield on Saturday afternoon. See the calendar entry for more details.
Jazz
We have four jazz performances this week. The jazz week starts Wednesday night with the Kris Allen Trio at The Lion’s Den in Stockbridge. Friday night, catch local favorite the Andy Wrba Trio at the Ostrich Room at the Apple Tree Inn in Lenox. Sunday morning, enjoy a wonderful blend of jazz and Latin music at Domingo Brunch w/Jason Ennis & Natalia Bernal at Dottie’s and Dorothy’s in Pittsfield. 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 night with Nate Martel performing at Methuselah Bar and Lounge in Pittsfield. Thursday night has two shows: the Rees Shad Trio at Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn in Lenox and local favorites Hot Sauce at The Lion’s Den in Stockbridge.
Friday night, visit Dottie’s in Pittsfield to catch Rounders Revival Friday Supper Club. Up at Shaw Pond Club in Becket, you’ll find The Adams Brothers, while local favorite Wanda Houston is at Firefly Gastropub in Lenox. Another incredible local favorite, Katherine Winston, is back at The Lion’s Den.
Saturday night, Anthony Bonneville starts things off at the Ostrich Room, followed by Chantell feat. Diego Mongue Band (pictured above). Chantell, Diego, and the band are just back from competing in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. Diva & The Dirty Boys are back at The Lion’s Den. Up in North Adams, folk-Americana artist Griffin William Sherry makes a visit to Tourists as part of their Sing for Your Slumber series.
On the Sunday afternoon “winery and brewery circuit,” you can see Sky Full of Dippers at Balderdash Cellars in Richmond or Lindsey Anne at Antimony Brewing in Lenox. Meanwhile, Nate Martel performs at portaVia in Dalton. Jack Waldheim wraps up the week at the Route 8 Pub in Becket.
Something Else
In our Something Else category this week, head up to North Adams on Saturday to enjoy Italian folk music when Studio 9 Presents Peppe Voltarelli & Guest Luca Ciarla Mediterramìa. Voltarelli is a Calabrian singer, songwriter, actor, and writer who leads Il Parto delle Nuvole Pesanti, a cult Italian new folk 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
No Performances.
Tuesday
7:00 pm Nate Martel @ Methuselah Bar & Lounge, Pittsfield.
Wednesday
6:30 pm – 9:30 pm Kris Allen Trio @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
Thursday
6:00 pm TomKat Acoustic @ Dalton American Legion, Dalton.
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Rees Shad Trio @ Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn, Lenox.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Hot Sauce @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
Friday
6:30 pm – 9:30 pm Andy Wrba Trio @ Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn, Lenox.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Paper Prince – Sean Jones @ Antimony Brewing, Lenox.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Wanda Houston @ Firefly Gastropub, Lenox.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Friday Supper Club w/Rounders Revival and Guest Chef Core Kitchen @ Dottie's and Dorothy's, Pittsfield.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm All Over the Map @ Knox Trail Inn, East Otis.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Katherine Winston @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
7:00 pm The Adams Brothers @ Shaw Pond Club, Becket.
7:00 pm Razztime @ Route 8 Pub, Becket.
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm Jason & Trev @ Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort, Hancock.
Saturday
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm Zarvis & Pug @ Balderdash Cellars, Richmond.
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm Lich Gate Winter Concert @ First Congregational Church of Sheffield, Sheffield.
5:30 pm – 7:00 pm Anthony Bonneville @ Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn, Lenox.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Diva & The Dirty Boys @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
7:00 pm Studio 9 Presents Peppe Voltarelli & Guest Luca Ciarla Mediterramìa @ Studio 9, North Adams.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Livio Gravini @ Antimony Brewing, Lenox.
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm Michael McCarthy @ Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort, Hancock.
7:30 pm – 10:00 pm Chantell feat. Diego Mongue Band @ Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn, Lenox.
8:00 pm Griffin William Sherry @ Tourists, North Adams.
8:00 pm Time Stretchers @ Knox Trail Inn, East Otis.
Sunday
10:00 am – 12:00 pm Domingo Brunch w/Jason Ennis & Natalia Bernal @ Dottie's and Dorothy's, Pittsfield.
12:00 pm – 3:00 pm Lindsey Anne @ Antimony Brewing, Lenox.
12:00 pm – 3:00 pm Jazz Brunch with Bobby MacVeety @ Race Brook Lodge, Sheffield.
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm Nate Martel @ portaVia, Dalton.
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm Sky Full of Dippers @ Balderdash Cellars, Richmond.
5:00 pm – 8:00 pm Jack Waldheim @ Route 8 Pub, Becket.
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