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!

Minor Tweak

Due to many other time-consuming activities, we will not be posting very often.

That being said, the live calendar will continue to be updated on a weekly basis, so always look here first for all of your favorite local musicians and Wyman's Pond Music Fest news!

2nd Annual Wyman's Pond Music Fest

What a day! The sun was out, and it was sunny and pretty dry, with temperatures in the 80's. This year we had about 20 more people than last year's 70, but instead of staying all day, there were early departures and late arrivals, which gave the day a busier feel.

Two big changes from last year were: a) power for microphones (and other things, as you will soon discover), and b) I let the musicians announce themselves. Also, since there were so many more in attendance than last year, the children spent more time in the water and playing games in the upper field, and less time glued to the front of the stage area.

• Elizabeth Lorrey began the day, and surprise #1 old high school chum (and local musical wunderkind) Kris Lucander plugged in his bass and accompanied her for her entire set. She ran through songs both old and new, plus a cover or two, and Kris sang Joe Jackson's "Is She Really Going Out With Him?". Also, Pete Rathier (another old friend from high school) sat in on djembe for a few songs.
• Next up, married duo The Rafters cruised through an energetic set of their original material and a few covers (U2 and others). And in addition to their organist Glenn Compagnone, they had Elizabeth, Kris and Pete all come up at various times to fill out their crowd-pleasing sound.
• In between sets by the pros there was a short "Amateur Hour" wherein several of the girls in attendance (and a couple of the youngest boys) took turns singing at the mic for the crowd. One girl covered Taylor Swift's "Love Story", and later she accompanied one of the twins on an original song. In between, the other twin followed with an original of her own, and the crowd cheered all three of them for their efforts.
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A Week of Great Live Music

"And lo, the sun burst forth from behind the mountain, and the songs of angels danced in mine ears..."

This week has several great chances for you to get out and hear some fantastic local musicians:

• Wed 7-27: Abbie Barrett will be at Bloc 11 (Union Square, Somerville). A solo show at 7 pm featuring songs both old and new!
• Thu 7-28: Elizabeth Lorrey can be found at the Main Street Cafe in Groton, MA with old pal Kris Lucander sitting in on bass! They will be onstage from 7 - 9 pm.
• Sat 7-30: This is the big one! The 2nd Annual Wyman's Pond Music Fest will be sending out soundwaves from 5 New England bands in a day-long extravaganza that should surpass last year's inaugural event. Catch lakeside sets by both Abbie and Elizabeth, plus Almanac Mountain, The Rafters and Vanessa Kafka (her only live show in 2011). Definitely a day not to be missed!

So find your way to one (or all) of these great music venues and enjoy the sounds and company of your local talents - you won't regret it!

Wachusett Green Monsta IPA

Well, I had a couple of the new Wachusett Green Monsta IPAs down at the lake today, and I have to say I was very disappointed. I am a HUGE fan of India pale ales, and unfortunately this one is just average. It wasn't as hoppy as I expected and I am betting the combination of whatever the "Cascade, Amarillo and Centennial" ingredients are (I've always said I am not an expert, I just know what I like and what I don't like) is responsible.

It's unfortunate, because I am a big fan of my hometown brewery, and I have never had a flavor complaint before. That itself speaks volumes. So I think I will stick with Wachusett's regular IPA (and all of the other fine beers of that type from other microbreweries). However, as I always try to give an unsatisfactory beer a second chance, if I find it on tap somewhere I will definitely give it a another try.