There’s nothing quite like the 4th of July in the Berkshires. From the iconic James Taylor at Tanglewood to the official kickoff of the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s summer season, it’s a week packed with unforgettable music and culture. This week brings 58 performances across the county, spanning classical, jazz, rock, pop, folk—and even a one-of-a-kind show blending Shakespeare with live music. Dive into this week’s highlights, and be sure to check out the full lineup to plan your musical adventures.
- Music Monday: The Rejuvenators with Wanda Houston at Berkshire Botanical Garden. Catch a local favorite with a fabulous band for the season opener on the beautiful grounds of the Botanical Garden.
- Lillias White: Divine Sass, A Tribute to The Divine One — Sarah Vaughan at Barrington Stage Company on Monday and Tuesday. Tony award-winner White takes you on a journey through the life, times, and music of “the Divine One,” Sarah Vaughan.
- Shake It Up: A Shakespeare Cabaret at Shakespeare & Company on Tuesday through Sunday. We saw this incredible show last year, which blends Shakespeare’s work with popular music, and we will see it again this week. Co-created by Allyn Burrows and Jacob Ming-Trent, it features great local musicians including Johnny Irion, Benny Kohn, and Conor Meehan.
- Summer Concert: Balla Kouyaté at The Clark Art Institute on Wednesday. Balla Kouyaté keeps alive and celebrates the history of the Mandé people of West Africa through his masterful performance on the balafon, a West African antecedent of the xylophone.
- Pure Prairie League at Mahaiwe on Thursday. Catch the country rock band with six Top 40 LPs in the 1970s and 1980s, with big hits like “Amie” and “Falling In And Out Of Love.”
- James Taylor at Tanglewood on Thursday and Friday. Taylor, Tanglewood, and the 4th of July go together like chocolate, peanut butter, and more chocolate. Friday is sold out; Thursday has some limited availability.
- Tom Chapin at The Guthrie Center on Saturday. The three-time GRAMMY winner is back again at The Guthrie for another sold-out show.
- All-Rachmaninoff Program with Daniil Trifonov at Tanglewood on Saturday. Catch the BSO’s season opener featuring the piano virtuoso as they perform Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 and Symphonic Dances.
- Beethoven Symphony No. 5 & Piano Concerto No. 3 with Yefim Bronfman at Tanglewood on Sunday. Enjoy these two Beethoven classics and his Leonore Overture No. 2 in the first Sunday afternoon performance of the season at the Shed.
And don’t miss all the incredible local musicians playing around the county this week, including Andy Wrba & Friends, Rounders Revival, Katherine Winston, The Wolves, and Fannie Pack.
You can learn more about all of these performances in our day-by-day 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.
Monday
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Emily Kalish (violin); En-Ting Hsu (viola); Charles Tsui (piano) @ Saint Johns Episcopal Church, Williamstown.
5:30 pm – 7:30 pm Music Monday: The Rejuvenators with Wanda Houston @ Berkshire Botanical Garden, Stockbridge.
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm Monday Night Jazz with Andy Wrba & Friends @ Pizzeria Boema, Lenox.
8:00 pm Lillias White Divine Sass, A Tribute to The Divine One — Sarah Vaughan @ Barrington Stage Company, Pittsfield.
Tuesday
2:30 pm TMC Opening Exercises @ Tanglewood, Lenox.
5:30 pm – 7:30 pm Sounds of Summer Free Jazz Series | Standard Edition @ The Mount, Lenox.
7:00 pm Shake It Up: A Shakespeare Cabaret @ Shakespeare & Company, Lenox.
8:00 pm Lillias White Divine Sass, A Tribute to The Divine One — Sarah Vaughan @ Barrington Stage Company, Pittsfield.
Wednesday
1:30 pm TLI Open Workshops: Thomas Rolfs, trumpet @ Tanglewood, Lenox.
5:30 pm The Adams Brothers – FREE CONCERT! @ Great Barrington Town Hall, Great Barrington.
6:00 pm The Wanda Houston Project @ Lilac Park, Lenox.
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Summer Concert: Balla Kouyaté @ The Clark Art Institute, Williamstown.
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm Colby Lewis & Steve Ide @ Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn, Lenox.
6:30 pm – 9:30 pm Michael Junkins Trio @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
7:00 pm Shake It Up: A Shakespeare Cabaret @ Shakespeare & Company, Lenox.
8:00 pm BSC Musical Theatre Conservatory Cabaret: A Musical Introduction @ Barrington Stage Company, Pittsfield.
Thursday
3:30 pm – 6:30 pm Melissa Brinton @ Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn, Lenox.
6:00 pm Razztime @ Route 8 Pub, Becket.
7:00 pm Shake It Up: A Shakespeare Cabaret @ Shakespeare & Company, Lenox.
7:00 pm RUBY LOU @ Hot Plate Brewing Co, Pittsfield.
7:30 pm Tom Truss as Tipsy McBoozle in “She-Bang” Sing-A-Long @ The Foundry, West Stockbridge.
7:30 pm – 10:00 pm Miss Paula & The Twangbusters @ Egremont Barn, South Egremont.
8:00 pm – 11:00 pm Rounders Revival @ Dream Away Lodge, Becket.
8:00 pm – 11:00 pm Gruppo Mondo @ Bounti-Fare, Adams.
8:00 pm Pure Prairie League @ Mahaiwe, Great Barrington.
8:00 pm James Taylor @ Tanglewood, Lenox.
8:00 pm – 9:15 pm Tiano @ Barrington Stage Company, Pittsfield.
Friday
3:30 pm – 6:30 pm Riverbend @ Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn, Lenox.
3:30 pm Shake It Up: A Shakespeare Cabaret @ Shakespeare & Company, Lenox.
6:30 pm – 9:15 pm Berkshire Busk @ Downtown Great Barrington, Great Barrington.
7:00 pm B J Korona Duo @ Knox Trail Inn, East Otis.
7:00 pm Kilashandra @ Methuselah Bar & Lounge, Pittsfield.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Rounders Revival @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
7:30 pm – 10:30 pm Rollin’ Rust @ Egremont Barn, South Egremont.
8:00 pm James Taylor @ Tanglewood, Lenox.
Saturday
9:30 am Eric Reinhardt – David Grover tribute @ Great Barrington Town Hall, Great Barrington.
10:30 am Saturday Open Rehearsal @ Tanglewood, Lenox.
12:00 pm – 3:00 pm Dan Hamilton @ Balderdash Cellars, Richmond.
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm Berkshire Busk @ Downtown Great Barrington, Great Barrington.
4:00 pm – 7:00 pm Hot Vox Trio @ Balderdash Cellars, Richmond.
4:00 pm – 7:00 pm Live Music from Faculty Lounge @ Big Elm Brewery & Taproom, Sheffield.
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm Music featuring Lucia Dostal @ Dottie's Coffee Lounge, Pittsfield.
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm Karen Tchougourian @ Gateways Inn, Lenox.
6:00 pm Prelude Concert @ Tanglewood, Lenox.
6:30 pm – 9:15 pm Berkshire Busk @ Downtown Great Barrington, Great Barrington.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Katherine Winston @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Evan Lanoue @ Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn, Lenox.
7:30 pm – 10:30 pm The Wolves @ Egremont Barn, South Egremont.
8:00 pm – 10:00 pm Tom Chapin Live at The Guthrie Center @ Guthrie Center, Great Barrington.
8:00 pm All-Rachmaninoff Program with Daniil Trifonov @ Tanglewood, Lenox.
8:00 pm – 11:00 pm Dust Bowl Faeries @ Dream Away Lodge, Becket.
8:00 pm Rock 201 @ Knox Trail Inn, East Otis.
8:00 pm Shake It Up: A Shakespeare Cabaret @ Shakespeare & Company, Lenox.
Sunday
10:00 am TMC Chamber Music @ Tanglewood, Lenox.
10:00 am – 12:00 pm Domingo Brunch featuring duo David Bartley and Pete Toigo @ Dottie's Coffee Lounge, Pittsfield.
10:30 am TLI for Families: I Spy an Adventure! @ Tanglewood, Lenox.
12:00 pm – 3:00 pm Jazz Brunch with Bobby MacVeety @ Race Brook Lodge, Sheffield.
12:30 pm – 1:20 pm Rounders Revival @ First Congregational Church of Lee, Lee.
1:30 pm – 2:30 pm Fannie Pack @ First Congregational Church of Lee, Lee.
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm Frank Manzi @ Balderdash Cellars, Richmond.
2:30 pm Beethoven Symphony No. 5 & Piano Concerto No. 3 with Yefim Bronfman @ Tanglewood, Lenox.
3:00 pm – 6:00 pm Early Sunday Show with Hannah Bracken and Barbara Stein @ Egremont Barn, South Egremont.
3:00 pm – 6:00 pm Jay Slatterly – Stuck in the 70’s @ Shaw Pond Club, Becket.
5:00 pm The Adams Brothers @ Route 8 Pub, Becket.
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm Music by Duo Eamon @ Bascom Lodge, Adams.
6:30 pm – 9:30 pm Michael Junkins and Friends @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
7:00 pm TMC Vocal Music @ Tanglewood, Lenox.
7:00 pm Shake It Up: A Shakespeare Cabaret @ Shakespeare & Company, Lenox.
Please get out and support your local musicians and venues!
— Mark @ Music in the Berkshires