“Music is the best means we have of digesting time” — W. H. Auden
If you’re feeling a bit off after the switch to daylight savings time, the Berkshire live music scene has just the remedy. This week brings 37 performances spanning jazz, rock, folk, blues, and Broadway, along with a few unexpected gems in our Something Else category. Below are some highlights for the week ahead, followed by our comprehensive show rundown.
Classical and Opera
We have no classical performances this week. Classical lovers may enjoy Medusa, which is listed under our Something Else category.
Jazz
We have seven jazz performances this week. The week kicks off on Monday night with the George Schuller Trio at Methuselah in Pittsfield. On Wednesday, you can choose between the Jazz Jam featuring Wanda Houston at Dewey Hall in Sheffield or the Pamela Knowles Trio at The Lion’s Den in Stockbridge. Andy Wrba and Friends will perform at The Lion’s Den on Thursday night. Friday night presents the third and final installment of the Bitches Brew Re-Alchemized at Race Brook Lodge in Sheffield, where Bobby Previte and his ensemble will explore and improvise on Miles Davis’ iconic album. Enjoy the Jazz Brunch with Bobby MacVeety at Race Brook Lodge on Sunday at midday, and on Sunday night, catch Michael Junkins and Friends at The Lion’s Den. This week, Michael features Charlie Tokarz 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 Wednesday with the Sons of Town Hall at Studio 9 in North Adams. The folk duo consists of American songwriter/author David Berkeley and British songwriter/producer Ben Parker. They play the roles of “19th-century vagabonds who travel the world in a hand-built boat to escape troubled pasts and search for adventure and love.” Also on Thursday, you can catch Chris Merenda of The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow and Picky Bastards at The Stationery Factory in Dalton. On Thursday night, you’ll find Dan Gingras at the Dalton American Legion.
On Friday night, American blues legend Bobby Rush performs at the new Indigo Room at the Mahaiwe. Rounders Revival brings their Americana and bluegrass music back to the Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn in Lenox. Elsewhere in Lenox, Mr. Doubtfire is at Firefly Gastropub, and just down the road at The Lion’s Den, local folk favorites Bobby Sweet & Lara Tupper perform. Lexi Weege & JJ Slater perform at Hot Plate Brewing Company in Pittsfield, and just down the street, TomKat is at Methuselah Bar & Lounge. The JP Murphy Band at Studio 9 in North Adams. The father-son duo will be performing your favorite Irish songs and will be joined by the Scoil Rince Bréifne Ó Ruairc Irish Step Dance School from Pittsfield.
As we gear up for Saint Patrick’s Day, the Irish theme continues Saturday with the Boston Blackthorne Band performing Celtic and Americana music at The Lion’s Den. Music in the Berkshires Featured Musician Gina Coleman and her band Misty Blues are at the Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn. The Picky Bastards, featuring Chris Merenda and Rob Sanzone, bring their mix of bluegrass, rock, and reggae to the Route 8 Pub in Becket. Nearby, in East Otis, hear Full Burn at The Knox Trail Inn. Lovers of 50’s rock and roll and doo-wop will want to see The Drifters, The Platters & Cornell Gunter’s Coasters at the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield. The Slambovian Circus of Dreams, known for its dedicated fan base, performs folk and Americana music at The Stationery Factory in Dalton.
Sunday morning, catch the Domingo Brunch featuring Traveling Musical Storyteller Eli Elkus at Dottie’s in Pittsfield. On the Sunday afternoon “winery and brewery circuit,” you can enjoy local favorite Melissa Brinton at Balderdash Cellars in Richmond and Matthew Thornton at Antimony Brewing in Lenox. Sean Connor and Friends perform in the early evening at Route 8 Pub in Becket.
Something Else
We have five performances in our Something Else category this week. Thursday evening, you can enjoy Timothy Sonder in the Down County Social Club at Race Brook Lodge in Sheffield. Sonder’s instrumental guitar works explore the space between classical, global folk, and minimalist genres. On Saturday afternoon, Broadway lovers will enjoy Berkshire Lyric Presents: Genius on Broadway at the Lenox Town Hall. It’s the Lyric’s annual “Kick The Winter Blues” concert featuring the music of Richard Rodgers, Stephen Sondheim, and Stephen Schwartz. The performance repeats on Sunday afternoon. Saturday night, Medusa performs at The Foundry in West Stockbridge. Medusa draws on the sounds of Middle Eastern, Scandinavian, Celtic, Appalachian, and Eastern European music. Also on Saturday, Camila Celin performs at the Down County Social Club at Race Brook Lodge. Celine plays the sarod and guitar and has studied Indian classical music for decades.
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 George Schuller Trio @ Methuselah Bar & Lounge, Pittsfield.
Tuesday
No Performances.No Performances.
Wednesday
6:30 pm – 9:30 pm Pamela Knowles Trio @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
7:00 pm Studio 9 Presents Sons of Town Hall @ Studio 9, North Adams.
7:00 pm Chris Merenda & Friends @ The Stationery Factory, Dalton.
7:00 pm Jazz Jam featuring Wanda Houston @ Dewey Hall, Sheffield.
Thursday
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm Dan Gingras @ Dalton American Legion, Dalton.
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm The Lucky Three @ Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn, Lenox.
7:00 pm Andy Wrba & Friends @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
8:00 pm – 10:00 pm DCSC: Timothy Sonder @ Race Brook Lodge, Sheffield.
Friday
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Rounders Revival @ Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn, Lenox.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Wanda Houston @ Firefly Gastropub, Lenox.
7:00 pm Bobby Sweet & Lara Tupper @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Pug & Zarvis @ Antimony Brewing, Lenox.
7:00 pm TomKat @ Methuselah Bar & Lounge, Pittsfield.
7:00 pm Lexi Weege & JJ Slater @ Hot Plate Brewing Co, Pittsfield.
7:30 pm Railway Cafe & Studio 9 present The JP Murphy Band @ Studio 9, North Adams.
8:00 pm – 11:00 pm Bitches Brew Re-Alchemized @ Race Brook Lodge, Sheffield.
8:00 pm Bobby Rush: An Intimate Night of Stories & Songs @ Mahaiwe, Great Barrington.
Saturday
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm Mike Duffy @ Balderdash Cellars, Richmond.
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm Berkshire Lyric Presents: Genius on Broadway @ Lenox Town Hall, Lenox.
4:00 pm – 6:30 pm Peak Music Series – Joe Adee & the Lug Nuts @ Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort, Hancock.
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm Saturday Nite Core Kitchen Dinner; Bill Chapman Trio live music @ Dottie's Coffee Lounge, Pittsfield.
7:00 pm Boston Blackthorne Band @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Misty Blues (Gina Coleman) @ Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn, Lenox.
7:00 pm Picky Bastards @ Route 8 Pub, Becket.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Greg Caproni @ Antimony Brewing, Lenox.
7:30 pm The Drifters, The Platters & Cornell Gunter’s Coasters @ Colonial Theatre, Pittsfield.
7:30 pm – 10:00 pm The Slambovian Circus of Dreams @ The Stationery Factory, Dalton.
7:30 pm Medusa @ The Foundry, West Stockbridge.
8:00 pm Full Burn @ Knox Trail Inn, East Otis.
8:00 pm – 10:00 pm DCSC: Camila Celin @ Race Brook Lodge, Sheffield.
Sunday
10:00 am – 12:00 pm Domingo Brunch featuring Traveling Musical Storyteller, Eli Elkus @ Dottie's Coffee Lounge, Pittsfield.
12:00 pm – 3:00 pm Jazz Brunch with Bobby MacVeety @ Race Brook Lodge, Sheffield.
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm Kilashandra @ portaVia, Dalton.
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm Melissa Brinton @ Balderdash Cellars, Richmond.
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm Berkshire Lyric Presents: Genius on Broadway @ Lenox Town Hall, Lenox.
3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Peak Music Series – Pug & John Show @ Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort, Hancock.
5:00 pm – 8:00 pm Matthew Thornton @ Antimony Brewing, Lenox.
5:00 pm – 8:00 pm Sean Connor and Friends @ 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