Arthur James Band rocked Boondocks Tavern; more popular than Jesus Christ?
Arthur James Band played the “after party” for Barnfull Of Blues at Boondocks Tavern last night. Performing outside in the cool evening air, James and his rhythm section delivered some smoking blues and called others from the festival up to jam with them. The two year old Weare, New Hampshire Boondocks Tavern is located not […]
Royalty Of Rock show blew the roof off, Erick Preston returns to the stage
The Rock Royalty Tour show at the Stadium Theatre in Woonsocket Rhode Island last night was a blast of classic rock from tribute bands that knew what they were doing. There isn’t a bad seat at the Stadium. The sound system was totally professional and John “Johnny Light Boy” Normington presented great visuals that made […]
Great acts at Smoken’ Joe’s Sixth Anniversary Party
During a busy weekend in the Boston music scene, I caught part of the action at Smoken’ Joe’s BBQ & Blues Sixth Anniversary Party And Pig Roast last week. I got their just in time to catch a lengthy set by saxophonist Nat Simpkins, guitarist Joe Pappas, and keyboardist James Ventola. The trio were playing a […]
Common Ground Band shine at weekly Blues In The Village presentation, Gretchen Bostrom & Dick Lourie featured at Birch Street Bistro
Bill Walsh’s Common Ground Band has been presenting its Blues In The Village for almost seven years at the Birch Street Bistro in Roslindale. Last night’s Blues In The Village invitation jam ran smoothly and offered many great blues classics performed by some top notch players. Featured last night were vocalist Gretchen Bostrom and saxophonist […]
Alizon Lissance Presents keeps bringing the best to Smoken’ Joe’s
Alizon Lissance Presents has been a weekly staple at Smoken’ Joe’s BBQ& Blues in Boston for some time now. The Wednesday night feature allows Lissance, keyboardist from The Love Dogs and Berklee College Of Music professor, to present different musicians and singers each week. Joining her last night was Brandon Santini and his band from […]
Ed Scheer’s Tuesday Night All Stars continues its mission, Ron Levy & Jack Ward featured last night
Ed Scheer’s Tuesday Night All Stars has been a fixture in the Smoken’ Joe’s BBQ & Blues venue for some time now. It will likely remain so, especially if Scheer keeps bringing in players like he did last night. Guitarist-vocalist Big Jack Ward and organist Ron Levy filled the small room with their wild, over […]
Jennifer Truesdale pens Get Paid To Sing, guidebook for singers seeking work
Jennifer Truesdale has made many achievements over the course of her 20 year singing career. Aside from the standard club gigs, Truesdale has composed songs for film and television, performed at resorts, colleges, convention centers, and owns a voice training business. For her latest venture, Truesdale has written a book called Get Paid To Sing, a manual […]
Charlie Farren shows world class talent on Tuesday
Charlie Farren’s rocking sound has matured and grown more sophisticated since the 1980s. While cuts from Farren’s latest album, Tuesday, could have been played on Boston’s rock stations back in the day, some of these songs could find a home on today’s Adult Contemporary stations. The edge is still there, but it’s been smoothed out […]
Ian James continues his clever originality on Human Casualty
Ian James’s latest release Human Casualty is one fun album. Loaded with things that appeal to the ear, Human Casualty has fun in its own way, not copying or imitating any known genres or idioms. Granted, James uses guitar, low end, and drums or drum programming. He just utilizes them in a different way. As […]
Beyond Blonde deliver another fine album with Purpe Rose
Beyond Blonde just dropped another kicking rock album Purple Rose. The Rhode Island band just keeps getting better with each successive album. Lead singer Lisa Markovich has written even more sharply defined lyrics this time around and her arrangements have plenty of the usual Beyond Blonde aggressive adventurousness. Lead by Lisa Markovich the band jumps […]