photo by Geoff Wilbur

Sado-Domestics

Sanctuary Bar & Lounge, Maynard, MA

January 24, 2026

I had been looking forward to this performance. It was an early afternoon gig at the intimate bar at Sanctuary in Maynard, MA – a cool room for acoustic and soft electric music. Of course, this was the day before the big snowstorm, so I arrived a little late (30 minutes) after squeezing all of my weekend errands into Saturday. The afternoon’s Sado-Domestics line-up was a 3-piece, scaled-down version of the typically-six-piece band, featuring the singer-songwriter duo at the core of the band (Chris Gleason and Lucy Martinez), and the most in-demand, versatile mandolinist in the Boston area, Jimmy Ryan.

The first full song I heard was “Autumn Glow,” with Jimmy’s mandolin picking standing out in the 3 piece acoustic setting, in great support of Chris and Lucy’s vocal harmonies.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Next was “Move On” steadily thumping along with a relatively long, cool mandolin solo, followed by a soft and smooth version of “Tip of My Tongue.”

One of the fun things about the Sado-Domestics (and Boston’s other top Americana bands) is that, when they pull out a cover tune, it’s a good one. Of course, Americana isn’t a core genre for me when it comes to my personal music knowledge, so I’m never sure if I’m hearing a well-known genre favorite or a deep cut. (Blues, too, is another style I enjoy but don’t have deep roots in.) Anyway, the choice of Golden Smog’s “Radio King” was well-received and enjoyable, well-suited to the band.

The trio followed with a new song that is probably entitled “Let Go of It.” It’s a cool number, with a little bit of pace (within the context of a Sado-Domestics-tempod Americana set), a great addition to the catalog, and features a lyric that stands out, “let go of it/how much time has she spent/living in your head rent-free.”

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Next up was “Wolf,” one of the band’s faster-paced songs. It’s one of my favorites – a cool, knee-tapper. After that, I sat back a little, stopped taking notes, and just enjoyed the rest of the first set. I did do a little googling, though, when Chris pulled out his bouzouki. Now, I’m not super-knowledgeable about less commonly-played stringed instruments, so I read a little about it while the band played… including how to spell it.

As expected, the band lost no steam in the second set. Personal favorites included “Get in the Wind,” Chancer,” and “Winter Coating.” Additionally, “Shale,” which includes one of my favorite lyrical phrases in a Sado-Domestics song, “dead-eyed American.”

photo by Geoff Wilbur

A couple Jimmy Ryan songs were featured in the second set, as well. “Hard Time” is driven by some energetic picking and a gruff, bluesy-Americana vibe, befitting Jimmy’s vox. And the band closed with Jimmy’s “John Brown,” softly and sincerely.

It was a great way to enjoy an early afternoon as the storm approached. The Sado-Domestics are one of the Boston area’s most highly-regarded Americana outfits, and there’s a reason for that. It was a great opportunity for those of us in the outer suburbs to catch a performance. That, of course, is one of the benefits of having a venue like Sanctuary out this way – moreso than any other venue this far out from the city, Sanctuary attracts a lot of top talent that you’d usually have to travel to Boston, Cambridge, or Somerville for.

To catch the Sado-Domestics, check out the calendar on the band’s website. And to see who’s on Sanctuary’s concert calendar, check out the venue’s website.