Tag: Concerts in Gloucester

Rare chance to see Dennis Brennan (one of Boston’s best rockers) with Dave Sag @ Rhumb Line tonight

Posted on by Vickie & Peter
Dennis Brennan @ gimmesound GiveBack Benefit
TT The Bears, October 2009

The fact that Dennis Brennan isn’t a huge star proves that music business executives are clueless.  Dennis was one of the first Boston area artists to make a gimmesound profile when we launched 4 years ago this month (see it here).  The first song he uploaded was Sugar Falls (listen here) and when we heard it, the whole office jumped up and danced and all agreed,  “He’s gotta be in our very first benefit show!”  (still producing benefits)

The next October, we produced our first GiveBack benefit show at TT’s in Cambridge featuring Dennis Brennan and other Boston stars.  Here’s what James Buhrendorf had to say about Dennis at that show, “Dennis Brennan was the cool driving force of the night. Fedora, coat, black jeans and boots, slinging an upside down lefty acoustic sluiced through a Fender amp…after 40 years on the Boston/Cambridge music scene, Young Mr. Brennan still tears it up. We’re talking genuine gritty alt-roots rockers, and tear out your heart sweetness and sorrows.  … ” (see the full article here).

Here’s a short video featuring all the performers that night: Elle Gallo, Dennis Brennan, Sarah Rabdau and the Elastic Waste Band (members of Morphine with Jeremy Lyons):

Don’t miss your chance to see Dennis Brennan tonight at Rhumb Line with Dave Sag, Matt Stubbs and Chris Rivelli.  Show starts at 8pm.

Cool stuff reminders and a rising star video

Posted on by Vickie & Peter

Amid the flood of info that washes over us every day, it’s often refreshing to get a reminder of some cool stuff we might have missed.  Here goes:

  • Espressos has jumped into the live music scene.  Check out their lineup.
  • Live music starts at 6 tonight and 11:30 am tomorrow (see schedule here).  Plenty of good shows you can take your kids to all over Cape Ann.
  • Seasonal wine and beer licenses kick in on Monday (April Fools Day — seems fitting somehow).  So The Cave, which is usually closed Mondays is having a wine tasting 4-6pm (more about that here).
  • You can help support Cressy Beach Restoration at the CPA meeting on Tuesday (4/2) 6pm at City Hall First Floor Council Conference Room (more on that here).

Here’s a very good music video by rising star Brendan James.  You can see him at Crowell Chapel tonight with guests Brian Jarvis, Charlee Bianchini & Dave Brown.  Tickets & details here.

TICKET UPDATE: Big Band Sold Out, Few left for Chelsea Berry, David Maxwell, Brendan James, Henri Smith & Charles Neville, Livingston Taylor

Posted on by Vickie & Peter

The season is heating up and you just can’t wait until the last minute to get tickets any more.  Here’s the scoop.

Cape Ann Big Band’s Friday concert @ Shalin Liu is already sold out, but you can still get tickets to see Blues piano man David Maxwell next Saturday and also Livingston Taylor on 4/13.

There are also a few tickets left for two excellent Crowell Chapel shows this week: Chelsea Berry and Dawn Mitchele tomorrow (WED) and Brendan James with Brian Jarvis, Charlee Bianchini & David Brown on Saturday.

Tickets and a limited number VIP Packages are still available for Henri Smith featuring Charles Neville – next Saturday’s benefit for the fourth Y Teens Rebuild New Orleans trip.

Check the complete live music schedule for all live music on Cape Ann.

New TV Show on Good Harbor Beach Erosion Premieres Tonight

Posted on by Vickie & Peter

Gloucester’s Bob Quinn, who has been going to Good Harbor for the past 80 years, tours the dunes of Good Harbor Beach and comments on the poundin’ it took this winter.

Here is a clip from the half –hour show that airs all  week on Cape Ann TV Channel 12.

Show airs: Monday (tonight) at 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday at 6:00 p.m.; Wednesday at 9:30 p.m.; Thursday at 8:30 p.m.; Friday at 12:30 p.m. and Saturday at 5:00 p.m.  See Channel Listings for more Cape Ann TV Shows.

Even though there’s still snow on the ground, it’s not too early to be thinking about swimming at Good Harbor.  So, to get you in the mood, here’s a very up-beat song Allen Estes wrote last Summer and performed on Local Music Seen.

Speaking of Allen, he’s appearing at Giuseppe’s this Thursday for the second week of the Singer Songwriter Shuffle along with his son Dylan and other local favorites Inge Berge, Steve Caraway, Marina Evans, Jon Waterman and Joe Wilkins.

But don’t wait until Thursday.  Lots of live music on Cape Ann all week long.  See here!

First Spring weekend and over 2 dozen live shows on Cape Ann ~ Clickity Clack!

Posted on by Vickie & Peter

You know the season is upon us when there are 26 live shows over the weekend and most of the summer-only venues aren’t even open yet.  (If you’re a summer business, stop what ever you’re doing, take Paul & RD’s advice and let him know when you open: see here).

And just in case you’ve missed my incessant plugs for taking kids to live music, here we go again … shows start as early as 7pm tonight and tomorrow.  Then on Sunday it’s 8 different start-times in 8 1/2 hours:  11am, 2pm, 3, 5, 5:30, 6, 7 and 7:30.  See the complete weekend live music schedule here.

One of this weekend’s shows features Noise publisher/editor T Max, who’s got a new CD out soon.  And on that CD, is a new song Clickity Clack, which was inspired by a spontaneous burst of creativity from over a year ago, when we filmed his walk through Gloucester’s music scene (see the video series here).  Now he’s turned it into a clever romantic tragedy with an edge (see lyrics and chords here).

Here’s the original spontaneous creative burst from February 2012

Here’s the new version a year later performed by T Max with Bird Mancini

More Gloucester Blues Festival Lineup ~ Tickets go on sale April 10

Posted on by Vickie & Peter

This just in from Bob Hastings, co-producer of the Gloucester Blues Festival.  Excellent lineup for August 10.  And this isn’t even everybody.  There will be at least one more performer, so stay tuned.  Tickets will be available April 10 on the Blues Fest website.

B.B. King Entertainer of the Year, Tommy Castro headlines:

Ana Popovic – how does she play in that dress?

Soulful Johnny Rawls

Biscuit Miller – with a name like Biscuit, you gotta be funky

Anthony Gomes – Smokin!  You saw him yesterday.  Here he is with Ana Popovic – again I ask, how does she play in that dress?

First Blues Fest Performer Announced — and he’s HOT!

Posted on by Vickie & Peter

Bob Hastings sent me an email last night announcing the first act to be booked for this year’s Gloucester Blues Festival.  His name is Anthony Gomes and he’s a smokin’ guitar player as you can see by the video below.

Here’s the thing: He’s not even the headliner … Whew!  This will be a spectacular Blues Festival.

You can’t get tickets yet, but you can save the date, which is August 10 at Stage Fort Park.  Remember, you heard it here on GMG first and you can trust GMG to let you know the minute tickets  go on sale.  In case you’re one of the unfortunates who missed last year’s Blues Fest,  see some videos here.

No, you don’t want to miss this year, do you?

Gary Backstrom Band with Michael Thomas Doyle on Drums tonight @ Rhumb Line

Posted on by Vickie & Peter

There’s so much going on tonight (see schedule here) that even if you go out early and stay out late, you won’t be able to catch everything.  I guess you could call that good news for Cape Ann’s music scene.  More good news that Dan King is back in town playing with KBMG tonight at Dog Bar.

It’s also good news is that if you play your cards right, you can get to a lot of shows because they start at 6, 7, 8, 9 and the Gary Backstrom Band at 9:30 at the Rhumb Line.

Dancing to the Gary Backstrom Band would be a perfect way to end an excellent night of music.  Tonight Gary’s got Michael Thomas Doyle on drums.  Hopefully you’ve seen Doyle on guitar with Chelsea Berry (check out this video).  He’s just as good on drums.  See him in the Gary Backstrom Band video below at Harbor Loop last summer.

Oohh, I can’t wait for Harbor Loop concerts to start up again … I once asked Doyle which instrument he likes better.  He replied, “Do you have kids?”
“Yes.”
“Which one do you like best?”

Point taken!

Bach, Mozart, Hendrix, Prince & Elvis – all by one virtuoso guitarist on Sunday @ Shalin Liu

Posted on by Vickie & Peter

Benjamin Verdery does it all.  When Karen Herlitz from Rockport Music sent me the program for Sunday’s concert with Ben Verdery, I said, Really?  Bach & Hendrix in the same concert?  Mozart & Prince?  Elivs? Actually he’ll play Don’t Be Cruel
written by Otis Blackwell, who also wrote Elvis hits All Shook Up & Return to Sender, along with Great Balls of Fire & Breathless for Jerry Lee Lewis.  But it’s Fever, which he co-wrote with Eddie Cooley, that makes Otis Blackwell one of my favorite songwriters.  You can listen to Ella Fitzgerald sing Fever here (my favorite version for a lot of reasons) … But I digress …

How can anybody play such a diverse repertoire in a single concert without losing the audience in a swirl of confusion.  Well, just listen to this:

Now don’t you want to hear what he does with Bach, Mozart, Prince and Otis Blackwell?  Well you can on Sunday in one of the most acoustically perfect places on Earth.  Aren’t you glad you live nearby? There are still good seats left.  Get them here.

Just for fun, here’s Hendrix’s version of the song live in 1970.

Inspired?  Now check out this weekend’s spectacular live music schedule with 35 live shows on Cape Ann starting tonight.

Follow John Rockwell around town tonight

Posted on by Vickie & Peter

This could be a record: you can see a the same local artist in 3 different venues in one night.  So John Rockwell fans are in for a treat.  And if you’re not already a fan, you don’t know what you’re missing.  It’ll be a nice night, so take this perfect opportunity and go see him.

If you bought an Irish Sweepstakes ticket, you’ll see John singing Irish songs at Gloucester House tonight starting at 5pm.

Then you can bop on over to Alchemy and catch his set with Robert Erinn Brown at 7.

And off you go to Rhumb Line to see him (and Robert) as Fly Amero’s special guest just after 9pm.  If you’re not familiar with John’s full, smooth, robust voice (Vickie says it has sex appeal), check out the video of John with another of our favorite voices, Sarah Slifer, nicely shot by FOB Joanne Silva.

Going out tonight is a perfect way to gear up for a great weekend of music starting tomorrow and to prepare for Friday, when you’re just gonna have to choose from among Cape Ann’s best musicians all playing on the same night.  Check the Friday schedule here and start planning now.

Local singer/songwriter Steve Caraway featured on TV this week

Posted on by Vickie & Peter

Steve Caraway is Allen’s guest on Local Music Seen with Allen Estes this week, with his new show premiering tomorrow (WED) at 6:3o pm on Cape Ann TV Channel 12.

Steve talks about how he got started in the music business and reveals some songwriting secrets during a lively conversation with Allen.  It’s not easy making a living as a musician and Steve will give you some tips on how to do it well.  Plus you’ll get to hear one of Allen’s most popular sad songs and three gems from Steve Caraway.  Here’s one of them:

You can catch both Allen & Steve tonight (TUESDAY).  Allen is at Jalepenos at 7 with Brown, Mattacks & Ginandes, and Steve hosts the open mic at the Dog Bar at 9.

It’s an excellent week to see lots of live shows with start times from 6 to 9.  Plus Seaport Grille has music all mid-week as part of their 4th Anniversary Celebration.  Check the complete live music schedule here.

OOPS Wrong Day: Gordon Bok is really on Friday 7:30, Debbie & Friends on Saturday 10:30 AM all at Old Sloop

Posted on by Vickie & Peter

This has been a bad week for me.  First I leave my card in the ATM (see this post).  Then I  get Gordon Bok’s Old Sloop Concert day wrong: It’s FRIDAY not SATURDAY (see corrected post).

On Saturday, Old Sloop presents Grammy-winning Debbie & Friends for a special children’s show at 10:30 AM (better check the poster below to see if I’m right).

poster-130309-crop-for-gmgA whole lotta music today and tonight (it’s already started).  Check the lineup here.

Folk legend Gordon Bok with local favorites Three Sheets to the Wind @ Old Sloop next FRIDAY [CORRECTED]

Posted on by Vickie & Peter

This will be a one-of-a-kind experience.  Get tickets here.

poster-130308-crop-for-gmgTonight it tough.  Excellent music all over Cape Ann.  Too many good shows overlapping, so you will just have to choose. Here’s some help with that.  Usually we take John with us, and tonight there are plenty of good shows starting early enough to take the kids.  But we’re going to stay out late and party, so we’ll be kid-less tonight.  For us it’s Chelsea Berry at Shalin Liu.  Even though it had previously sold out, right now there seem to be about 6 tickets left on-line from people who couldn’t swap their Feb 9 tickets.  You can try to get them here or you call 978.546.7391.

Then we’ll try to get to Minglewood in time to catch the Toasters’ last set.  Carlos says they should be rockin’ the house until about 12:30.

Their loss is your gain – but only if you act quickly

Posted on by Vickie & Peter

Take a minute to feel a smidge of sympathy for those unlucky music lovers who couldn’t swap their tickets to Chelsea Berry’s sold out show at Shalin Liu from Saturday 2/9 to this Saturday.

OK, that’s enough.  Now go and get those tickets for yourself (they were just made available on-line today click here) and feel bad no more.  There aren’t very many of these gems left, so don’t think you can wait until the last minute to snatch ’em up.

If you’ve already got plans for Saturday (maybe you’re going to see the Toasters at Minglewood) or you don’t act quickly enough to get Saturday tickets, there are also a few left for tomorrow (FRIDAY get them here).  What ever day you go, you don’t want to miss what could be one of your last chances to see Chelsea with her new band in an intimate venue close to home for a reasonable price.  Next time tickets could cost a hundred bucks for seats farther away from the stage than the last row of Shalin Liu, plus expensive parking, a long drive and big lines.  If you’re not sure why, check out the video below (more Chelsea Berry Videos here).

Now, to get yourself psyched for a great weekend of music, check out tonight’s lineup here. (Dave Sag hosts Evan Goodreau @ Rhumb Line, which promises to be a great show.)

Celebrating Gloucester’s Gabriel, Sylvester “Hooley” Ahola in March

Posted on by Vickie & Peter

Check out this news release sent by Sara Wester about two very fun looking events :

Celebrating Gloucester’s Gabriel, Sylvester “Hooley” Ahola
In March, Gloucester will be celebrating the life and music of our own world famous trumpeter.  Two events will be held at the LanesvilleCommunity Center, located at 8 Vulcan St. and once the Ahola family’s dairy barn.

  • Sunday March 10,  1:30 – 4:00,  “Hooley’s Place in Jazz History”
    Come listen to his wonderful music, and stories by people who knew and played with him, and enjoy photos, displays and some of his home movies from the 30’s.  The event is free and open to the public, donations welcomed.  Join us for coffee and nisu.
  • Saturday, March 23, from 8-11,  dance and stomp to Hooley’s  music played live by the 7 piece jazz and swing band The Seacoast Stompers. Beer and wine will be on sale.  Tickets are $10 in advance and available at Gloucester Music and the Plum Cove Grind in Lanesville,  or $12 at the door.
  • And, during the month of March, the Cape Ann Museum at 27 Pleasant St. will be celebrating Hooley with an exhibit from their archives.

For more information, directions, and other events at the LCC,  go their website.

Reminder from Natalia: Fly Amero & Bob Kramer @ Cafe Shalom Saturday, March 2

Posted on by Vickie & Peter

Temple Ahavat Achim (86 Middle St. in Gloucester, MA) continues to bring back its popular coffeehouse to sell out audiences, Café Shalom, on Saturday, March 2nd, from 7:00 to 10:00 PM, with an evening of contemporary acoustic music.

Café Shalom will serve hot beverages and snacks. All are welcome; there is no dress or age requirement and families are welcome.  Refreshments will be available. Admission is $10 at the door, doors open at 6:30 PM.

CafeShalomFlyAmeroBobbyKramer

The featured performer will be recording artist Fly Amero. Left-handed, upside-down guitarist/singer/journeyman Dennis “Fly” Amero finds his musical roots deep within the vast genres of the ’60’s pop revolution.  Fly moved to New York City, joining in on musical projects with members of the pop/rock bands, Foreigner and Meatloaf. In the early 1980’s, Fly struck upon the start of what would become a lifelong friendship with the classic pop singer, Larry Hoppen of “Orleans”. He joined, toured and recorded with the famed group for the better part of 3 years before returning Gloucester to focus on his own writing.  His remarkable versatility led to the writing and co-producing of Atlantic’s holiday comedy album classic, Twisted Christmas, which quickly became certified gold in 1995.  Fly is currently touring as a member of “Orleans” and fronts the thrilling rock/blues act known as “The Big Strum”.

The opening performer will be Bob Kramer with Al Foucault on bass.
The duo plays a blend of acoustic rock/blues/jazz creating ‘rootsy, rockin’ & blue’ sound that echoes from the Delta to the urban landscape with its unique arrangement of cover songs and original songs.  Bob and Al have opened for The Pete Best Band (original Beatles drummer), recording blues artists Paul Rishell and Annie Raines and host the open mic at the Grog in Newburyport.  Bob has produced two CDs, a solo CD, Honorable mention in the Billboard Songwriting Contest and has performed at the Terra Blues Club in the Village in New York City.

Gillian isn’t sick, she’s a dancer!

Posted on by Vickie & Peter

Joey’s choice to post Benjamin’s Carson brilliant speech (see this post) reminded me of how much I love a good speech.  It’s like a good song.  Here’s one of my favorites — an equally brilliant speech by Ken Robinson, who asks, at TED conference, “Do schools kill creativity?”  His answer is “We are educated out of creativity.”  This one will make you laugh & wonder just like Dr. Carson’s speech does.  So as we did yesterday, we urge you to watch it to the end — and we urge every parent, student, teacher and most especially the School Committee, Jason Grow & Peter Dolan to watch.  If you really think you don’t have 20 minutes, at least catch his story about world renowned coreographer Gillain Lynne (Cats, Phantom of the Opera, etc.).  It starts at 15:15

After you watch the video, take Sir Ken’s advice and let your kids enjoy some of Cape Ann’s most creative people tonight.  Lots of excellent choices with many of our favorites — all starting early enough to take the kids.  See the complete live music schedule here.

How to catch up on everything you missed — or thought you missed

Posted on by Vickie & Peter

For all of you who missed recent TV & Radio premieres and shows, here’s how you can catch up:
HenleyDouglasBand
Henley Douglas premiered on Meg Griffin’s Sirius Radio show last Friday (see details in this post).  Catch it again tomorrow (Sat) at 9pm.  Then again Sun, Mar 3 @ 5pm and Mon, Mar 25 @ 4pm.

Charlie Farren premiered on Local Music Seen with Allen Estes on Wednesday (see details in this post)  Catch him again on Sunday 2/24 @ 6pm.  Then again on Wed 2/27 @6:30pm, Fri 3/1 @ 1:30pm and Sun 3/3 @ 6pm.

chelseaChelsea Berry’s shows at Shalin Liu, originally scheduled for February 8 & 9 have been rescheduled to next weekend (Fri 3/1 and Sat 3/2).  Saturday is sold out, but you can still get seats to Friday 3/1 here.

The Henri Smith / Charles Nevile benefit for Y Teens Rebuild New Orleans originally scheduled for Feb 8 has been rescheduled to Saturday, April 6.  You can still get tickets and VIP Packages here.

Last, but certainly not least, this weekend you can choose from 2 dozen live shows all over Cape Ann — and plenty of them with start times early enough to bring the kids.  See the complete weekend live music schedule here.

Weekend starts earlier tonight

Posted on by Vickie & Peter

Well maybe all our talk about taking kids out to hear great music didn’t fall on deaf ears (pun intended).  Plus there’s another bonus: the fact that some shows start early means you can get to more shows in one evening.

Weekend starts tonight with Just Like Newman at 7pm at Shea’s Riverside in Essex.

Dave Sag has been starting his Rhumb Line Blues Party at 8 instead of 9 for a couple of weeks now.  This week he’s got Steve Chagaris & Justin Quinn Band.  Check out this video from a few years ago:

Plus there are three excellent 9pm shows.  See the complete live music schedule here.