Thursday, September 29, 2011

Rainy Thursday Cures

Ladies and gentlemen, set your DVRs and get out of the house this fine rainy September evening!

Several amazing local musicians have shows tonight all over Massachusetts:
  • 7 pm in Groton (free) - The Rafters will be playing at the Main Street Cafe. Head on over for the sounds of Dave & Miki's original songs & covers while you settle down to the cafe's homemade soups & stews, fresh sandwiches and desserts. And feel free to BYOB.
  • 8 pm in Norwood (free) - Kristin Cifelli is performing at Perks Coffeehouse. She will be playing songs form all across her catalog, including many from her new album, "Middle of Nowhere". So come for the coffee and stay for the music. And if you can't make it tonight, catch her at Berklee's Cafe 939 on October 4th (next week)! For a preview of her sound head over to Kristin's Bandcamp page to hear the fantastic songs "Not Supposed To" and "Better".
  • 9 pm in Jamaica Plain ($7) - Abbie Barrett and her band, The Last Date, will be part of a triple bill at the Milky Way Lounge. You'll get to enjoy their unique sound, as well as the added bonuses of the quirky & frenetic Lauren DeRose, and the original songs and covers of Vanessa Wheeler.
So if you're feeling restless this evening and want to be entertained by high-quality music from some of your talented neighbors, pick one of these places (or another) and support local music. It's always a good thing!

Friday, September 16, 2011

Sunny Seventeenth

If you are looking for a reason to get into the car and go for a sunny drive this Saturday (it's supposed to be a beautiful autumn day), may I suggest two musical options:
  1. The Rafters will be performing their particular blend of poppy folk at the Pepperell Farmers Market starting at 10 am. Enjoy fresh New England produce and even fresher music with your coffee. And if you can't make it to their show today, you can catch them at the Main Street Cafe in Groton on the 29th...
  2. Christopher Anthony Cote (of Almanac Mountain fame) will be utilizing his decades of guitar skill to bring down the house at Master McGrath's in Seabrook. They will be hosting their annual "Half Way to St. Paddy's Day Celebration", and Christopher will be supplying the traditional Irish music beginning at 7 pm. Why not spend the afternoon at Hampton or Salisbury Beach, and then have an old fashioned Irish evening afterward?
And if for some reason you do not have music on the brain 24/7 (as some of us do), then at least go out and visit your local apple orchard, winery or brewpub. Spend local, and take home a bag of apples, a bottle or two of wine, or a growler of ale. Or go to a state park and hike with friends or family. These sunny, dry and cool days won't be around long, and you'll thank yourself for the memories later!