This weekend’s Berkshire music scene comes alive with Halloween and Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations, as eleven of the county’s 42 live performances embrace the holiday spirit. Beyond the festivities, the lineup features two sold-out shows by the legendary Natalie Merchant, plus an eclectic mix of classical, jazz, Scandinavian folk, soul, funk, and classic rock. Explore some highlights below—and don’t forget to check the full schedule to plan your next night out.
- Andrew Yee at Tourists on Wednesday. The Grammy® Award-winning cellist is currently in residence at Tourists, working on a new album of solo cello compositions by Bach and American cellist and composer Arthur Russell.
- Skye Consort & Emma Björling at The Foundry on Wednesday. Collectively, the band performs a variety of whirling polskas, groovy reels, passionate love songs, breathtaking hymns, and original compositions from Sweden, Norway, Ireland, Scotland, England, Québec, Acadia, and the USA.
- The Nth Power with special opening set by Jackson Whalan at Egremont Barn on Thursday. Featuring female powerhouse Nikki Glaspie, who was Beyoncé’s world-touring drummer, the band delivers gospel-style vocals with soul, jazz, funk, and world-beat riffs. Opening is local favorite Jackson Whalan.
- Natalie Merchant with Erik Della Penna: Autumn Acoustic Tour at Mahaiwe on Friday and Saturday. The magical Merchant (pictured above) is performing two sold-out shows this weekend in Great Barrington. You’re lucky if you got tickets—both shows sold out during pre-sales, as are all of her East Coast tour dates. And if you have extra tickets, I’d happily take them off your hands since I missed out on buying them before they vanished😁.
- Samora Pinderhughes – I Hope This Finds You Well at MASS MoCA on Saturday. I Hope This Finds You Well is a new, in-progress multidisciplinary work by Pinderhughes that responds to the testimonials of those harmed by incarceration, policing, and detention.
- TLI Presents: Raphaël Feuillâtre, guitar at Tanglewood on Saturday. Hailed as the new face of classical guitar worldwide, Feuillâtre won the prestigious Guitar Foundation of America competition in 2018.
- Splendid Torch at Egremont Barn on Saturday. The band’s previous incarnation was Mamma’s Marmalade, a progressive bluegrass group that toured for a decade. After a lineup and genre shift in 2024, band members reformed as Splendid Torch, performing Americana, country, and indie music.
- Story Songs of the 70s: Jim Croce, John Prine, Leonard Cohen, and more! at The Stationery Factory on Sunday. Don’t miss this Sunday matinee opportunity to hear the songs of three legendary songwriters, including my personal favorite, John Prine.
- Fauré Requiem at Trinity Episcopal Church on Sunday. Trinity’s annual Requiem service in observance of All Souls Day, featuring a performance of Faure’s Requiem, one of his most beloved works, with choir, organ, violin, and soloists.
- Close Encounters With Music: “The Golem” – A Vision in Sound and Cinema with the Avalon String Quartet at Mahaiwe on Sunday. A haunting blend of film and live music, Der Golem pairs Paul Wegener’s 1920 German expressionist classic with Israeli composer Betty Olivero’s klezmer-infused score—performed by the Avalon String Quartet.
- Sound Asylum: Dandi at Studio 9 on Sunday. Dandi, who has performed worldwide and served as a backing vocalist and keyboardist for Shakira, is a genre-blending singer-songwriter whose music blends jazz, neo-soul, folk, and world music.
🎃 Halloween and Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) shows include:
- Halloween II w/ Sean Connors and Fiendish at Route 8 Pub on Friday.
- Tom Truss as Tipsy McBoozle in “Hallow-Scream-Along” Sing-Along at The Foundry on Friday.
- Halloween Bash with the Wild Weeeds at Egremont Barn on Friday.
- Midnight 30 Halloween Party at Knox Trail Inn on Friday.
- ZINKYS HALLOWEEN BASH ROCK N ROLL at Zinky’s Pub on Friday.
- Halloween: moby dick’s drag ball at Dream Away Lodge on Friday.
- Venomous Verses in the Gloaming: Supernatural Ballads with Shinbone Alley at Race Brook Lodge on Friday.
- Annual Halloween Party at Shire Tavern on Friday.
- Dia de los Muertos: The Final Fandango at Race Brook Lodge on Saturday.
- Day of the Dead Show with Lexi Weege & Emma Oakley at Hot Plate Brewing Co on Saturday.
- ROCK 201 All Hallows Party! at Knox Trail Inn on Saturday.
In addition to these highlights and Halloween shows, check out local favorites including Colby Lewis & Steve Ide (Wed), Whistle and The Stack (Wed and Sunday), Rounders Revival (Thu), and Katherine Winston (Fri). And finally, Andy Wrba & Friends will perform on Saturday at The Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn. It’s the inn’s last show before closing for renovations for the next several months.
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
8:00 pm TROY MILLETTE & SURPRISE GUESTS @ Tourists, North Adams.
Tuesday
No Performances.Wednesday
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Whistle and The Stack @ portaVia, Dalton.
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm Colby Lewis & Steve Ide @ Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn, Lenox.
6:30 pm – 9:30 pm Fumi Tomita Quartet @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
7:30 pm Skye Consort & Emma Björling @ The Foundry, West Stockbridge.
8:00 pm ANDREW YEE @ Tourists, North Adams.
Thursday
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm Barbara Stein & Weird Birds @ Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn, Lenox.
7:30 pm – 10:00 pm CANCELED: The Nth Power with special opening set by Jackson Whalan @ Egremont Barn, South Egremont.
8:00 pm – 10:00 pm Jason & Trev @ Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort, Hancock.
8:00 pm – 10:00 pm Rounders Revival @ Dream Away Lodge, Becket.
Friday
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Katherine Winston @ Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn, Lenox.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Wanda Houston @ Firefly Gastropub, Lenox.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Halloween II w/ Sean Connors and Fiendish @ Route 8 Pub, Becket.
7:30 pm – 10:00 pm Halloween Bash with the Wild Weeeds @ Egremont Barn, South Egremont.
7:30 pm Tom Truss as Tipsy McBoozle in “Hallow-Scream-Along” Sing-Along @ The Foundry, West Stockbridge.
8:00 pm – 11:00 pm ZINKYS HALLOWEEN BASH ROCK N ROLL @ Zinky's Pub, Dalton.
8:00 pm – 11:50 pm AV Club @ Adams Theatre, Adams.
8:00 pm – 11:00 pm halloween: moby dick’s drag ball @ Dream Away Lodge, Becket.
8:00 pm Natalie Merchant with Erik Della Penna: Autumn Acoustic Tour @ Mahaiwe, Great Barrington.
8:00 pm Midnight 30 Halloween Party @ Knox Trail Inn, East Otis.
8:00 pm – 10:00 pm John Nalepa Duo @ Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort, Hancock.
9:00 pm – 11:00 pm Venomous Verses in the Gloaming: Supernatural Ballads with Shinbone Alley @ Race Brook Lodge, Sheffield.
9:00 pm – 11:59 pm Annual Halloween Party @ Shire Tavern, Dalton.
Saturday
2:00 pm BECKET DAY WITH ROUNDER’S REVIVAL @ Route 8 Pub, Becket.
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm Mike Duffy @ Balderdash Cellars, Richmond.
3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Michael Aaron @ Berkshire Mountain Distillers, Sheffield.
5:30 pm – 11:30 pm Dia de los Muertos: The Final Fandango @ Race Brook Lodge, Sheffield.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Andy Wrba & Friends @ Ostrich Room at Apple Tree Inn, Lenox.
7:00 pm TLI Presents: Raphaël Feuillâtre, guitar @ Tanglewood, Lenox.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Kollin Kozlowski @ Antimony Brewing, Lenox.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Maya Shaw & Fiends featuring Cate Byrne @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
7:00 pm Day of the Dead Show with Lexi Weege & Emma Oakley @ Hot Plate Brewing Co, Pittsfield.
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Moon hollow @ Dream Away Lodge, Becket.
7:00 pm Samora Pinderhughes I Hope This Finds You Well @ MASS MoCA, North Adams.
7:30 pm – 10:00 pm KISSTORY @ The Stationery Factory, Dalton.
7:30 pm Green River: The Ultimate Creedence Clearwater Revival Tribute Show @ Colonial Theatre, Pittsfield.
7:30 pm – 10:00 pm Splendid Torch @ Egremont Barn, South Egremont.
8:00 pm ROCK 201 All Hallows Party! @ Knox Trail Inn, East Otis.
8:00 pm Natalie Merchant with Erik Della Penna: Autumn Acoustic Tour @ Mahaiwe, Great Barrington.
Sunday
12:00 pm – 3:00 pm Jazz Brunch with the Wanda Houston Project @ Race Brook Lodge, Sheffield.
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm Les Chrostowski @ Balderdash Cellars, Richmond.
3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Story Songs of the 70s: Jim Croce, John Prine, Leonard Cohen, and more! @ The Stationery Factory, Dalton.
3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Fauré Requiem @ Trinity Episcopal Church, Lenox.
4:00 pm Close Encounters With Music: “The Golem” – A Vision in Sound and Cinema with the Avalon String Quartet @ Mahaiwe, Great Barrington.
5:00 pm Dave Brown @ Route 8 Pub, Becket.
5:00 pm – 8:00 pm JT Horne @ Antimony Brewing, Lenox.
6:30 pm – 9:30 pm Michael Junkins Trio @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
7:00 pm Sound Asylum: Dandi @ Studio 9, North Adams.
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm Whistle and The Stack @ Dream Away Lodge, Becket.
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm Sunday Sisters Songwriters Circle @ Egremont Barn, South Egremont.
8:00 pm NICO SOFFIATO & KIM ANDERSON @ Tourists, North Adams.
Please get out and support your local musicians and venues!
— Mark @ Music in the Berkshires