Category Archives: Live Reviews

Live Review: Corey McLane at Lost Shoe Brewing Company

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photo by Geoff Wilbur

Corey McLane

Lost Shoe Brewing Company, Marlborough, MA

February 6, 2026

Last night, I caught Corey McLane’s first set of the evening at the Lost Shoe Brewing Company. Now, it had been several years since I last heard Corey sing live (way too long, but at least a couple of those years don’t count ‘causa the pandemic, right?), and I had never been to an evening performance at Lost Shoe, though I’ve enjoyed coffee and bagels there several mornings in recent years. During all those visits, though, I had never wandered over into the other room, where this evening’s performance was. Gotta say, it’s a very cool space.

Of course, one of the reasons I enjoy Corey’s acoustic solo gigs is because the dude’s a rock singer, and he sounds every bit of it. I still haven’t seen Corey perform electric with his band Exhale, which is something I’d like to remedy one day, but the band’s album Audio Dreams is a great introduction to Corey’s electric voice with is electric band.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

The songs Corey performs at his solo gigs are songs you rarely hear in an acoustic cover setting, and yet most of the songs he performs would be easily recognized by just about anyone with any exposure to music, life, or mainstream culture (not necessarily even rock music culture). His playlist spans a few decades of rock ‘n roll, though, and is an endless list of “hey, I know that song!” with a smattering of huge hits and more obscure tracks thrown in for good measure. Plus, Corey has mastered the ability to sound rockin’ and vocally powerful while singing “in his indoor voice,” ideal for the sorts of settings that tend to book acoustic music. There’s a reason Corey’s in demand.

I was running a little late last night – hey, it was a 6:00 start time, and I work ’til 5:30! – but I don’t think I missed more than one song. I walked in during Marcy Playground’s “Sex and Candy,” and Corey put a rock n roll growl on this acoustic guitar cover. He followed with Eagle-Eye Cherry’s “Save Tonight,” carrying the gruff acoustic rockingness forward, and the Steve Miller Band “The Joker,” delivering a little classic rock vocal finesse and different guitar style.

Collective Soul’s “December” required another little change to the guitar picking and strumming. Still heavy af, especially for an acoustic number, but it offered some more musical variety. Then Corey utilized a nice anguished vocal approach on Guns N’ Roses’ “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.” In particular, he took this one really slowly, emphasizing all the vocals creaks and breaks, kind of raw yet smooth, ’cause he’s got a really good voice. Coming next was Train’s “Meet Virginia,” delivered with rockin’ vox, even as Corey held back, knowing that in this setting he was trying not to overpower the conversations, providing some of the kickassingest background music you’re likely to hear in a low-volume, acoustic venue setting.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

I sat back and enjoyed the rest of the evening, noting songs like Third Eye Blind’s “Semi-Charmed Life,” Tom Petty’s “Mary Jane’s Last Dance,” the timeless R&B/soul/blues-rock classic that fits into any set, any style, Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine.” Corey threw in Nirvana’s “The Man Who Sold the World,” Rob Thomas’ “Lonely No More,” Santana’s “Smooth,” Tom Petty’s “You Don’t Know How It Feels,” the Gin Blossoms’ “Hey Jealousy,” Blind Melon’s “No Rain” (“oh, oh, oh, oh”), Bad Company’s “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” Sublime’s “What I Got,” and a couple more songs I missed because I was enjoying myself and forgot to take notes.

At this point, I had reach the hour I had planned to stick around, but I couldn’t pry myself away, so I stuck around. The next song, Pearl Jam’s “Black,” like so many grunge songs, when done slowly and acoustically, some of the groans and howls make you wonder if the singer’s going into labor… if he’s doing a good job, anyway. But alas, when Corey reached to the “do do do do do do do” lyrics at the end, I was pretty sure he wasn’t.

He followed that with a great rendition “Turn the Page.” Glad I stuck around for that; as a Michigander, I love me some Bob Seger, especially when done well. I’m almost embarrassed to say that it took me to this point in the step to realize another thing I like about Corey’s sets – he just goes from one song to the next. No chatter, just music. I’m there to hear music. I don’t need the between-song chatter.

Corey closed the first set with strong, sonically varied renditions of the Cranberries’ “Zombie” and Van Morrison’s “Wild Night,” wrapping up a set full of rock and roll for all ages, but one that Gen X and Millennials, in particular, would know backwards, forward, and inside-out.

I’ve meant to get out to my second Corey McLane performance several times in the last few years. It’s hard to believe it took me this long; I hope to catch one of his sets again much sooner next time. Now, if you haven’t seen him sing, you’re missing out. And like I said, he doesn’t overpower you, so you can probably get some friends who don’t usually go out to hear live music to join you; I’m guessing they’ll be pleased, as well. Corey regularly posts his upcoming calendar to his Instagram and Facebook accounts, so follow him on social media to keep track of where you can catch a performance.

Live Review: Tommy Feeley at Tackle Box Brewing Company

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photo by Geoff Wilbur

Tommy Feeley

Tackle Box Brewing Company, Marlborough, MA

January 30, 2026

Last night, I caught a 30-minute acoustic set from Tommy Feeley at Tackle Box Brewing Company, opening for popular Dave Matthews Tribute Band So Lucky. Prior to planning to catch Tommy live, I sampled some of his music online, enough to realize his voice was going to translate to a great live performance. Also, that some actively-produced studio time is likely to produce some great, broad-appeal recordings. So did last night’s performance prove me right? Oh, yeah!

photo by Geoff Wilbur

First, though, I want to mention the venue. I had never stepped inside, and I’ve gotta say, it’s a great room. There’s a stage at one end, with room in front of it, presumably for dancing, which I’m sure happens given the line-up of bands they book. A bar in the back for beer-grabbing. Many games to enjoy and big multi-purpose event space off in the back. Anyway, so glad I got to see this venue. Looks like a fun place to grab a beer, whether there’s a band there or not.

Feeley’s eight-song set began with “Sunrise Over Cheryl,” which seemed kinda Mellencamp-y, served up with John Cougar-ish earnestness befitting the nostalgic song. Next up, “Where I Feel Alive” sported a little more energetic strum, which bent toward a bit more of a Bruce Springsteen feel. With lyrics about “leaving for the West Coast” and “land where the ocean meets the sunrise,” both the tempo and the lyrics are ideal for a travelin’ song.

“Incendiarism” sported a little more ’90s alt-rock vibe. Not that the songs vary that much, they’re all tightly within a stylistic window, which is exactly what you want if you want to become a fan of a musical artist, but you also want variety, which Feeley has shown – already by the third song – that he’s capable delivering. It’s a feat that’s even more impressive when you consider the difficulty of providing various as one guy with an acoustic guitar. As for “Incendiarism,” it’s a coolly anguished number, sporting the lyric “she’ll burn this whole house down.” Yikes!

photo by Geoff Wilbur

“Feelgood Fiasco” is a fun story-song that adds to the energy. In it, you’ll lots of Vegas hotels get a mention, so you may hear where you stayed  if and when you visited. For me, I recognized the Hilton Star Trek bar, which I visited back in the late ’90s. Snagged a drinking glass there, which I still have. And I know it’s a song about Vegas, but it’s still not very often you hear Star Trek references in a kickass acoustic rock song.

“Tape Deck” is a song ’80s music fans will dig, with references to a lot of favorites from that era – Poison, Motley Crue, Warrant, Tesla, Bon Jovi. Great, edgy vocals helped drive the song. Next up, “One Man’s Ocean,” with the lyric “one man’s ocean is another man’s wave,” continued the trend of both the singing and the intensity amping up over the course of the set.

The final original of the set, “Choosing Clarity,” was an intense song delivered with a rolling strum. Vocally, it’s another song in which Feeley really leaned into a style that elicits Mellencamp/Springsteen comps.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

For his closing number, Feeley was joined on stage by So Lucky’s lead singer Justin Languirand. Together, they performed a top-shelf cover of the Allman Brothers’ “Soulshine.” With the verses going back and forth between the singers, and load-sharing throughout the song, Feeley really let his voice roll rich and kinda gruff (a little Seger-ish), while Languirand’s vox were higher, sweeter, and somewhat more precise, making for a great combo.

In the end, it was a fun performance. Feeley’s songs were varied and well-written. I kind of wonder what they’d sound like with a full band lineup in a top studio. For sure, they’d rock. As for the atmosphere, I love when acoustic music is performed with rock n roll intensity. If that’s your vibe, too, you’ll dig a Feeley set. The crowd in attendance really dug it, too, with plenty of applause following each song. That alone is definitely not bad for an un-advertised opening act.

To catch Tommy Feeley live, scroll down the main page of his website to the “Upcoming Shows” section. He has upcoming 2026 shows scheduled in every New England state except Connecticut, plus a June jaunt that includes one performance each in Wisconsin and Minnesota. More shows, of course, will be added as they’re booked.

Live Review: Sado-Domestics at Sanctuary

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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.

Live Review: 1964 The Tribute at the Stadium Theatre

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photo by Luca DePalo

by Luca DePalo, Contributing Blogger

1964 The Tribute

Stadium Theatre, Woonsocket, RI

January 16, 2026

Friday night at the Stadium Theatre in Woonsocket, Rhode Island was a night like no other. The Beatles tribute band “1964 The Tribute” performed a 30-track set of nonstop hits by the early era of one of the world’s most legendary groups.

Walking into the old timey venue, the chill of the January air faded almost instantly. The Stadium Theatre’s vintage architecture, bright marquee, and packed lobby set the tone. This wasn’t just a concert, it felt like stepping through a time portal. Fans of all ages filled the seats, from longtime Beatles diehards to younger listeners experiencing these songs live for the first time, all buzzing with the same anticipation.

photo by Luca DePalo

As the lights dimmed and the band members took their places, the transformation was complete. Late night host Ed Sullivan appeared on the screen, introducing the band just as he had decades ago during February of 1964. The familiar announcement drew cheers and laughter, through old advertisements for companies, setting the stage for what felt less like a tribute show and more like a recreation of a historic television moment.

From there, 1964 The Tribute burst into action, performing the single “I Saw Her Standing There.” Instantly, the sold out audience was captured by the sound, look, and youthful energy of The Beatles at the height of Beatlemania. Dressed in matching suits and armed with period-correct instruments, they embodied the early years of the Fab Four like no other act around.

photo by Luca DePalo

Throughout the first half of the night, the band performed iconic hits such as “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” the harmonica-filled “Please Please Me,” the unique “All My Loving,” and the vibrant “I Should Have Known Better.” And not only did they play the part, but they acted like the part. Each member would fool around like the young boys they once were, and crack jokes back and forth!

The Beatles just have that iconic sound… almost like blues yet rock and also a form of folk at times. And throughout every single track, every instrument sounded like you were listening to the album in the early ’60s. There are many Beatles tribute acts out there, but nobody can do it as well. 1964 The Tribute has been touring the world since 1984 and frontman Mark Benson (who played as John Lennon) can still perform at top!

And with each member having their unique talent, some surprises throughout the night included the George Harrison-fronted “Do You Want To Know a Secret,” the Ringo Starr-fronted “Boys,” and the screeching John Lennon vocals on “Twist and Shout.”

photo by Luca DePalo

Track after track flew by in a flood of hits, each one met with cheers, claps, and spontaneous sing-alongs. The crowd swayed, smiled, and sang along to every familiar lyric, proving that more than sixty years later, this music still connects generations.

After a short intermission, the band returned back onto the stage, performing “Day Tripper,” “Help,” “She Loves You,” and 20 more classic tracks!

Each song was vibrant and energetic; however, the night slowed down as Mac Ruffing (who played Paul McCartney) walked up to the front of the stage, introducing the 1965 hit “In My Life.” Right then and there, the Stadium Theatre lit up in a display of the audience’s phone lights… almost as a remembrance of John Lennon and George Harrison’s legacy. The song was definitely my favorite of the night.

By the end of the evening, the Stadium felt less like a historic venue in Woonsocket and more like a roaring 1960s concert hall, leaving the audience warmed, nostalgic, and reminded why The Beatles’ legacy continues to endure.

What a great night!

photo by Luca DePalo

Looking Ahead

1964 The Tribute has upcoming concerts scheduled in Arizona, California, Florida, Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Dakota, Maryland, Ohio, and Tennessee. See the “Shows” page of the band’s website for dates, locations, and ticket links for those shows and others, as they’re added.

Live Review: The 2025 New England Music Awards

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photo by Geoff Wilbur

The 2025 New England Music Awards

Six String Grille & Stage, Foxborough, MA

November 16, 2025

The New England Music Awards are one of the regional music scene’s big annual events. A bunch of the area’s top musicians turn out, often dressed to the nines – or at least really cool – and enjoy the camaraderie of their peers, all while hoping, of course, to come out on top for the awards. I know it’s a cliché, but with all the talent in New England, it really is an honor to be nominated.

This year’s NEMA featured nine performances while handing out 28 awards. I was a little more active connecting with artists I knew (and meeting some new, talented folks) at this year’s NEMA than I was last time I made it to the event, a couple years ago, so my notes aren’t as detailed, but I’ll still be sure to mention every single performer. Indeed, there wasn’t a single weak link in the line-up, something that was apparent even though my attention wasn’t always focused toward the stage. Honestly, if you get a chance to catch any of the evening’s performers live, do what you can to get to the show. The award winners are listed on the NEMA website, but I’ll also mention them in this review, though I’ll focus more on the live performances, including photos from each of the live sets.

Lila Wilde; photo by Geoff Wilbur

The night’s program began with a performance from the impressive Lila Wilde, who served up great, dynamic, high, pop-friendly vocals. Lila was also able to slow things down well, too, showing of her versatility. One song I specifically noted during her performance was “Jezebel,” which sported a little funkier pop rhythm and landed right in Lila’s vocal sweet spot. This was a great set to kick things off. An interesting thing about NEMA is that the attendees tend to show up on time, so the first performance slot is a great one for being noticed, and this talented artist absolutely turned some heads.

Lila Wilde; photo by Joanna Gleason; photo courtesy of New England Music Awards

Wilde’s set was followed by the entrance of the evening’s emcees, Adam Lopez and Annie Brobst, who kept things moving along nicely throughout the show. During this short break, also, Amanda Morneault of The Harbor Agency presented the evening’s first trio of awards, the Rising Star Awards for Maine (Bella Ann), New Hampshire (Fun City Fan Club), and Rhode Island (Olivia Dolphin).

Gold Hoax; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Following the evening’s first awards, Gold Hoax, winners of 2025’s Last Band Standing competition, took the stage. The Boston-based band delivered some edgy, raucous, energetic alt-rock. I also noted a little rockin’ jangle. This outfit has a sound that’ll perform well both in a club setting and on a recording, so this was a cool introduction to Gold Hoax for me.

Gold Hoax; photo by Joanna Gleason; photo courtesy of New England Music Awards

After the Gold Hoax set, of course, it was time for some more award presentations. Bek Mahoney of BizMarketing and Design, LLC announced the next three award winners, presenting the Rising Star Awards for Vermont (Lily Seabird), Massachusetts (Dred Buffalo) and Connecticut (The Moonrise Cartel).

The Fatal Flaw; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Up next was The Fatal Flaw, performing straight-up rock that pops! The band delivered a fun set of ’90s/’00s-style alt-rock with catchy hooks and ragged punk overtones.

The Fatal Flaw; photo by Joanna Gleason; photo courtesy of New England Music Awards

Following The Fatal Flaw’s set, Gerg Anidem of Indie Scene Radio announced the next three award winners, for Rock (John Fox), Punk (Megan From Work), and Hard Rock/Metal (Bad Marriage) Act of the Year.

Joey Batts & Greg Rivers; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Brandie Blaze; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Next up were back-to-back hip-hop performances, starting with Joey Batts with Greg Rivers, followed by Brandie Blaze. Both performances were impressive, with different delivery styles. Joey Batts relied a lot on a more spoken, conversational approach, whereas Brandie Blaze was a little more vocally dynamic. Both artists are locally renowned for their lyrical skills, as well. They were a pair of absolutely top-shelf performances, with Batts representing the Hartford scene and Blaze the Boston scene.

Joey Batts & Greg Rivers; photo by Joanna Gleason; photo courtesy of New England Music Awards

Brandie Blaze; photo by Joanna Gleason; photo courtesy of New England Music Awards

John Shea, host of Almost Famous on 95.9 WATD, presented next three awards, for Pop (Lainey Dionne), Jazz (Soggy Po’ Boys), and Blues (The Gravel Project) Act of the Year.

Jason Ingriselli and the Miles North; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Jason Ingriselli and the Miles North took the stage next and served up a fun, stage-rocking, well-received set of rollicking, guitar-driven country music.

Jason Ingriselli and the Miles North; photo by Joanna Gleason; photo courtesy of New England Music Awards

After their set, Adam Greenberg named the winners of the Soul/R&B (Ruby Shabazz) and Hip Hop (SeeFour) Act of the Year awards. Then Jim Belisle of Boots & Whiskey announced the winners in the Roots (Adam Frates), Country (Ward Hayden & the Outliers), and Americana (Nate Ramos Band) Act of the Year categories.

Nicolas Emden; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Nicolas Emden followed with a cool, Spanish-language, pop-friendly rock set that ranged from energetic rockers to a soaring, mellow pop-rock ballad, carrying a cool vibe throughout the range of tempos featured in the performance.

Nicolas Emden; photo by Joanna Gleason; photo courtesy of New England Music Awards

Three more awards were awarded following Emden’s set by David Avery of Powderfinger Promotions – World (FM Collective), Live (The Far Out), and New (Vanna Pacella) Act of the Year.

JVK; photo by Geoff Wilbur

JVK took the stage next, and this is a band that knows all about the “show” part of a stage show. JVK delivered a set that was largely glam-pop/guitar rock with a theatrical delivery, while some songs showed off a little edgier style with a more raucous, punk-meets-glam edge. (The band was nominated for Punk Rock Act of the Year, after all, so that was no surprise.) Overall, JVK’s mix of talented, flamboyant, and edgy are ideal for a great live concert performance, as exhibited by this evening’s short set.

JVK; photo by Joanna Gleason; photo courtesy of New England Music Awards

Mike LaChance, host of Wave Radio Boston’s The Takeover, followed, announcing the winners of NEMA’s Songwriter of the Year (Hayley Reardon) and Producer of the Year (Vic Steffens of Horizon Music Group) awards.

Nate Ramos Band; photo by Geoff Wilbur

The Nate Ramos Band then delivered a crowdpleasing, energetic, rootsy Americana set. One of the band’s songs, in particular, was a cool, echoey, slower-tempoed number that’s slightly chill-inducing (in a good way). Of course, the Nate Ramos Band’s talent is no secret, as the band had already received a NEMA earlier in the evening.

Nate Ramos Band; photo by Joanna Gleason; photo courtesy of New England Music Awards

Next up, Rick Fleck, host of Wave Radio Boston’s Rick’s Rock Shop, announced the Song of the Year (Nikki and the Barn Boys’ “Strawberry Hill”) and Video of the Year (The Far Out’s “Laurel,” directed by Nick DeSimone) award winners.

The John Fox Band; photo by Geoff Wilbur

The final performance of the evening came from another 2025 NEMA award-winning band, the John Fox Band. The John Fox Band is a medium-fast tempoed guitar rock band with the ability to soar both vocally and axe-ingly – you know, with some kickass shredding. The sound is not heavy, so these guys can reach broad appeal, though the style is also reminiscent of harder-rocking bands, expanding the band’s potential fan base to fans of music that’s a bit heavier, too. ’80s rockers will recognize and like the core of this sound, but it’s also updated enough to appeal to modern audiences.

The John Fox Band; photo by Joanna Gleason; photo courtesy of New England Music Awards

Four awards remained, and they were announced by Wave Radio Boston co-founder Pete Hudson. NEMA handed out two Performer of the Year Awards this year, to Aldous Collins and Ward Hayden and the Outliers. Frank Viele’s The Trouble with Desire earned Album of the Year. And the final award of the year went out to Crooked Coast for Act of the Year.

Thus concluded this annual gathering of some of the many talented artists in New England’s music community. Every year, I get to see some of my favorite artists honored with nominations and, occasionally, awards, while the nomination list and the award show’s performances introduce me some talented musicians I hadn’t previously known about. I’m already looking forward to next year!

Live Review: Ayla Brown at Solomon Pond Mall

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photo by Geoff Wilbur

Ayla Brown

Solomon Pond Mall, Marlborough, MA

August 16, 2025

You may know Ayla Brown any number of ways. Here at the blog a few years ago, I reviewed Ayla’s performance at the 2019 Local CountryFest as half of a duo with talented singer-songwriter (and, for a few years now, her husband) Rob Bellamy. Prior to that, you may know Ayla as an American Idol competitor during Taylor Hicks’ season. (Though I recalled Ayla’s Idol stint, I didn’t remember the specific season until Ayla mentioned it during her between-song banter.)

In recent years, Ayla has been a prominent local country music radio personality. She currently appears on The Flyover Podcast, serves as spokesperson for Solomon Pond Mall and the Wachusett Brewing Company, and has other entrepreneurial ventures. Of course, within my world as a music journalist, as far as I’m concerned, she’s a singer-songwriter, and in that role, she’s one of New England’s best. Ayla frequently performs with Rob Bellamy, though this Solomon Pond Mall show, for the mall’s Pond Fest ’25 event, was a solo performance. Rob was there on Saturday, and he got involved a little, but this was an Ayla Brown solo gig.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Ayla’s set was the centerpiece of Saturday’s Pond Fest, a family-friendly event with food trucks, sponsor tents, and a “touch a truck” event featuring Marlborough’s fire and police departments. Ayla’s 12:00-2:30 set was flanked, before and after, by music from the day’s emcee, DJ Craig Sutton. I knew going in that I was only going to be able to catch the first half of Ayla’s performance, but it was such an engaging performance, I wish I had been able to stay ’til the end.

Ayla kicked her set off energetically with Lady A’s “Downtown.” Her voice has the rich power to capably drive songs like this one. It also has the sweet tunefulness to make you take notice when she croons, as she did on Shania Twain’s “Still the One,” her second song of the day, while also hitting of that song’s big notes.

After those two openers, Ayla went even bigger with the third song of the day, a special request for the kids in attendance, a Disney detour that’ll test lesser vocalists, “Let It Go.” And though it’s not part of Ayla’s regular repertoire, she still, of course, nailed the big notes.

After belting out “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and unleashing a booming, dynamic performance of Natasha Bedingfield’s “Unwritten,” Ayla turned to a few originals. First, “Country Found Me,” a largely autobiographical tune that catchily kinda swoops and sways. Then the cool, attitude-filled, anthemic “Beat By a Girl.” Next up was a booming, heartfelt performance of “Pride of America,” from Ayla’s patriotic Heroes & Hometowns album. She followed it with “Let Love In,” a soaring uptempo number.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Rob Bellamy joined Ayla and her guitarist for the day, Sean Compton, on stage for the next several songs. First, “Jolene,” which is the kind of power-country tune well suited to Ayla’s voice. Then the softer touch – but still soaring – “Hooked on a Feeling.” Next, Rob performed a song without Ayla, a cover of John Mellencamp’s “Pink Houses” he delivered vocally smooth and gruff with a slight twang.

Next up was a neat moment, as Ayla yielded the microphone to a talented young singer, 11-year-old Zoey, giving her an opportunity to sing before the crowd.

Then Rob and Ayla followed with a duet, a love song, “I Keep Running Back to You,” before breaking for a raffle drawing. It reminded me of what’s special about an Ayla and Rob combo performance, as Rob’s low end blends well with Ayla’s during duets.

Ayla came out of the very brief raffle break soaring and booming, with a crowd-pleasing rendition of “Don’t Stop Believin’,” followed by her outstanding original, “I Just Wanna Be Your Baby,” then a fun performance of “Heads Carolina, Tails California.” And with that, I had stayed 15 minutes longer than I had originally planned, so I slipped out to get to my next errand, but it’s clear those able to stay for the entire show were gonna be treated to an excellent 2-and-a-half hour concert performance.

Looking Ahead

A good way to keep current with Ayla Brown’s goings-on is via her Facebook and Instagram pages. Also, for a schedule of Ayla’s upcoming performances, you can check the “Tour” page of her website.

Live Review: Jennifer Tefft & the Strange at Framingham Centre Common

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photo by Geoff Wilbur

Jennifer Tefft and the Strange

Framingham Centre Common, Framingham, MA

August 8, 2025

Last weekend, on Friday night, award-winning local band Jennifer Tefft & the Strange rocked the latest installment of Framingham’s Friday Night Concert Series. The band, whose most recent album Strange Beginnings was named Album of the Year at the 2024 New England Music Awards, lived up to its pedigree on this particular evening, rocking into the night (well, OK, rocking for a couple hours around dinnertime) to kick off the weekend before a large, appreciative crowd.

The band opened with “Going Out,” Doing that edgy JT&tS rock thing, followed by one of the few covers of the night, a rockin’ rendition of KT Tunstall’s “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree.” The only other covers of the first set were an energetic performance of the Cranberries’ “Zombie” and a hauntingly-delivered set-closing production of the Lumineers’ “Salt and the Sea.”

First-set originals spanned decades, including “Enemy,” noisy alt-rock “My Own,” and haunting “Undone,” showcasing the depth of Tefft’s catalog. Particular pre-intermission standouts included “Paper Cut,” whose opening chords grab the listener before the song pounds along powerfully to the more finesse-y chorus, and jangly, hooky, guitar driven alt-rock “Cooler than You,” a song that might make a good personal theme song. Right?

photo by Geoff Wilbur

After a short break, the second set kicked off by rockin’ hard with “Rollercoaster” from 2017’s Cutting for Stone release. I found myself digging the nifty axework on this number, something the was sort of a theme in the second set. I’m not sure if John Parillo’s axemanship was featured more in the second set or if I just took notice, but for me, it was a recurring theme.It was followed by another power rocker, “Too Late,” and then one of the kickass newer songs, “Down on My Knees,” that showcased that trademark Tefft howl.

“Lullaby,” next, was another song that featured some top-notch axework and anguished vocals, delivering a sound that filled the outdoor concert venue, like so many of this band’s songs. A version of the Doors’ “People are Strange,” which featured a low-key opening before slowly amping up the song’s psychedelic coolness, helped build the raw energy that led into edgy, emphatic heavy alt-rocker “Shoulda Known Better,” whose performance culminated in some guitar hero-caliber shredding in the late song bridge.

“Control Freak,” next, sported some heavy distortion. It was followed by a Cover of Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance,” which added some funkiness to the rock guitar, and then hard rocker “Love and War,” a song with a unique aural vibe.

As the show neared its closing time, Jennifer Tefft & the Strange rolled out a new song “Silver,” noting it was the first time they’ve ever played the song live and that it’s scheduled to be recorded in September, a nice treat for those who had stayed to the end (basically, almost the entire crowd, which steadily grew throughout the performance). The song has a modern mainstream rock vocal style and rhythm. “Silver” shows that, creatively, this is still the same, cool raucous rockin’ band, but the song has a new twist in the vibe that’ll keep things interesting. It’s a great live song, but also I can’t wait to hear the studio release!

The evening closed with “Caffeine,” a hit single from Strange Beginnings, featuring the mix that drives many of Jennifer Tefft and the Strange’s best songs: great power vocals from Jenn and a kickass guitar hook. A great sendoff for a fun two-hour outdoor concert.

 

Live Review: Lee Biddle at Chopps

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photo by Geoff Wilbur

Lee Biddle

Chopps Italian Steakhouse & Bar, Burlington, MA

July 5, 2025

Tonight, I popped into Chopps – the restaurant in the Boston Marriott Burlington – for a quick bite to eat and caught the last hour or so of Lee Biddle’s performance. In the past, back in 2016 and 2017, I wrote about a couple Chopps performances and noted that whoever books Chopps knows their music. I had thought perhaps live music at Chopps was a thing of the past, since it’s not mentioned at all on the restaurant’s website anymore. However, as I discovered tonight while taking notes for this review, you will occasionally find it mentioned on the restaurant’s Facebook and Instagram pages. I can’t find July’s artists mentioned anywhere online yet, though, so I had to walk up and get a close look at Lee’s merch – his CD cover – to make sure I got his name right. As for the quality of the restaurant’s musical line-up, a glimpse at June’s live music line-up suggests Chopps is still booking reliably excellent performers, so it’s a reliable musical destination on Friday and Saturday nights if you’re looking for an evening of covers from some of the area’s high-quality vocalists.

Enough about the venue; let’s talk about the artist I caught tonight, Lee Biddle. Lee’s rich, controlled voice is an idea fit for the wide range of music he selected this evening. I’m sure the playlist reflected the audience at a place like Chopps, hotel guests and restaurant guests only a few of whom are paying super-close attention to the musician. The crowd is likely to skew older, not likely to know anything obscure, and most wouldn’t be too interested in originals. Fortunately, Lee’s vocal talents allow him a broad range of songs befitting such an audience. Lee’s voice and vocal delivery lend themselves well to mid-tempo timeless rock and country. The country songs seem more pop-rock than country, based on Lee’s delivery, especially when guided by his straightforward acoustic guitarwork. But man, they sound good.

Some of the country songs I heard Lee perform this evening were very old country like “Folsom Prison Blues,” ten-year-old country like “Wagon Wheel” and Ryan Bingham’s “Nobody Knows My Trouble,” and newer country like Tyler Childers’ “All Your’n,” Chris Stapleton’s “Starting Over.” Lee equally deftly tackled classic rockers like “Have You Ever Seen the Rain” and “Brown Eyed Girl.” And he closed out the evening with a neat pairing. First, clearly knowing his audience, he delivered a solid rendition of “Margaritaville,” and then he closed with a song that had me scrambling – I knew the song; heck, I reviewed the album way back when it came out. It was Blind Melon’s “No Rain.” In all, it was a nice mix of styles and, though all the songs were easily recognized, there were several less-frequently-covered yet well-known songs that kept the performance interesting.

Tonight’s live music attendance was unplanned, but it was a pleasant surprise. I’ll be following Lee on Facebook and Instagram, as well as checking out his originals on Spotify. I can’t imagine his original music being anything short of enjoyable given his strong voice and song delivery talents.

Live Review: New England Americana Festival 2025

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New England Americana Festival (closing number); photo by Geoff Wilbur

New England Americana Festival

Bellforge Arts Center

Medfield, MA

June 29, 2025

I arrived at the Bellforge Arts Center when the eighth band was on-stage, just past the halfway point of the fourteen-artist docket for this year’s New England Americana Festival. With two stages side by side, the festival kept things moving with barely a moment of dead air.

Though I didn’t catch their sets, the first seven acts of the day obviously contributed to the lively atmosphere I saw as I arrived, as the joyousness was in full swing by the event’s midpoint. Those first seven performers, worth mentioning in acknowledgement of their contributions to the day, were Sam Reid & the Riot Act, Comanchero, FauxMenco, Jimmy Ryan’s Wooden Leg, Zion Rodman, Molly Pinto Madigan, and Sunfisher.

Damian & the Displayers; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Damian & the Displayers

Damian & the Displayers were the band on-stage when I arrived, stirring the crowd with an energetic brand of Americana. Of course, by the time I got settled in and started taking notes, the festival had moved on to the next act.

Elisa Smith; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Elisa Smith
Start with song-driven Americana, add a fiddle and the accordant bit of country (not bluegrass) flavor, and you have the central core of Elisa Smith’s musical style, at least during this performance. A couple notable songs from the set were the catchy “Daddy Hates These Red Boots” and “Nashville Won’t Forget Me,” which has a very ’70s countryish flavor. I also noted that Elisa’s music hints sonically at Patsy Cline, in spots. Such variety, from more modernly raucous genre-bending (at least as much as is possible in duo form of acoustic guitar and violin) to Opry-worthy classic country, this Elisa Smith set hints at an artist with the talents and variety of skills to keep things interesting. I look forward to exploring her recordings.

Nate Perry & Ragged Company; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Nate Perry & Ragged Company

The modern, explosive, rockin’ country sound of Nate Perry & Ragged Company caused a bit of excitement to ripple through the crowd as they took the stage. Or, rather, as they started to play. To be fair, as a full, electric band following a couple of acoustic duos, the stage was set for an energy uplift. However, this band delivered such a tight, powerful set that, even without the primed runway, it would have taken the crowd’s energy airborne.

The band performed most of the songs from The Otherside of Everything, the exceptional EP I reviewed a couple months ago. In addition, there was an energetic, heartfelt performance of “Between the Lines,” plus the band’s most recent two post-EP singles, “Count on You” and “Tonight.” Notably, the band closed its set with “Preacher,” one of the tracks from the EP, a bluesy song that comes across with a bit of a classic rock jam-band blues rocker live, ending the band’s performance with an electric wail befitting an arena show.

Wayward Vine; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Wayward Vine

Wayward Vine was up next. The band delivered a great set of more laid-back and folkier, song-driven Americana, supporting its performance with a rich full-band sound. Notable was album-opener, “Dancing on Your Basement Floor.” I also noted “The Fall” had a more distinctive piano flavor than the previous songs, giving it its own unique, sort-of-’80s-ish, tuneful soft rock vibe. And “History” stood out for what I initially noted as a “devil violin part,” though it was, in fact, probably more dark and ominous. Still, even if not entirely demonic, quite cool. The rest of the songs had their own unique angles, as the song seemed to move much faster than possible during the allotted time-slot. “Narcissist’s Disguise,” “Implode,” and “Hannah” were the remaining songs performed. No disrespect, as I recall “Hannah” in particular brought the set to a nifty close; but I don’t have any notes beyond the song titles, so check ’em out for yourselves.

Other Brother Darryl; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Other Brother Darryl

First of all, if you’re too young to recognize the reference in this band’s name, find a couple episodes of Newhart to watch and get back to me. With that out of the way, Other Brother Darryl is a band whose music is, largely, very Americana with a twang. An especially popular local act – winners of the Country Artist of the Year category at the Boston Music Awards in 2024 – this band brought the goods at this year’s festival. You might also describe the band’s sound as old-school Americana with gravelly vocals. My final note from OBD’s set was about the band’s third song, a jangly tune with somewhat psychedelic organ-work and a jam-bandish vibe, extending a truly groovy feeling to the early evening.

Dirt Road Souls; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Dirt Road Souls

Next up were Dirt Road Souls, a rockin’ Americana three-piece. The first stand-up bass I caught during my portion of the festival, which is mostly notable just to point out that, while the entire festival was Americana music, different instrumentation with the bands’ line-ups in addition to the artists’ varying influences afforded the event plenty of musical variety. This, of course, would be an example of different instrumentation.

I took notes about a few of the interesting songs during the band’s set. “Bright light white heat” thumps along like a dive bar hillbilly rock twanger. The band’s uptempo cover of Willie Nelson’s “Whiskey River” did a good job of keeping things moving. And “Roar” was an energetically twangy, very cool crowd pleaser.

Kier Byrnes & the Kettle Burners; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Kier Byrnes & the Kettle Burners

Kier Byrnes & the Kettle Burners closed the festival with their own uniquely original, raucous style of Americana, as I noted in my review of the band’s Before the Fall EP a few weeks ago. The band opened its set with big-time energy with the song “Gypsy Moon.” “Don’t Let Perfect” followed, with a little more finesse and a beat that kind of chunks along. Next up was the more intensely fun “Living By the Second Hand,” followed by “Ballad of Springfield, Massachusetts (Pictures on Her Cellphone),” introduced by Kier simply as “Pictures,” with a very raucous alt/college rock energy appended to an otherwise very country/Americana rocker. “Trains off the Rails,” from the Before the Fall EP, well… you just had to know this one would play well live with its very almost polka/oompah rhythm propelling a song that just accelerates. “Quarter Life Crisis” followed, with its blues soul and raucous college rock energy (You know, I’m not sure how I failed to note the blues vibe in my review of the recording a few weeks ago.) Finally, the band closed its set with its most insanely original tune, “White Russian,” churning through its cool, original energy, from the accordion style, the guitar tempo, and the wild, increasingly out of control (seemingly, at least) vocal delivery, and then, of course the Russian folk energy that makes you want to kick-dance. It was a crowd-pleasing end to the final band’s set.

Of course, the evening wasn’t quite over. Kier and band invited the day’s other performers to join them on the stage for a great, rockalong/singalong rendition of “The Weight,” a not-uncommon song for situations like this, bringing the day’s festivities to a fun close.

This year’s New England Americana Festival was a fun, well-attended event at a great outdoor venue. Here’s hoping this year’s successful event leads to another similarly fun gathering for the region’s Americana community next year, too.

Live Review: Debo Ray at Sanctuary

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photo by Geoff Wilbur

Debo Ray

Sanctuary (Barside), Maynard, MA

June 13, 2025

As I’ve mentioned before, so many early evening shows at Sanctuary’s bar feature the Boston area’s best musicians, many of whom you rarely see this far out in the suburbs, offering a cool chance to see the top talent of the region without having to travel into the big city. Singer Debo Ray was joined by Scott Tarulli on guitar on this particular evening at Sanctuary.

Debo Ray’s vocal talents cover a broad range, from soft and smooth to powerful, with the ability to adeptly handle the soaring notes and the nearly-spoken ones, working the full gamut of emotions into her performance. Debo included a varied mix of originals and covers into the evening’s performance. As is usually the case, the originals were very well-suited to Debo’s skills, while the covers she selected for the evening were equally good at showing off the range of her vocal talent.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

One of the other standout features of Debo Ray’s performance during the evening was her between-songs banter – a skill that doesn’t come easily, if at all, to a lot of top musicians of her caliber. She had great stories to tell and connected very well with the crowd, something particularly important in an intimate setting like the small bar at Sanctuary. The banter added to the appreciation of the songs and left the audience feeling as if they were getting to know Debo a bit over the course of the evening. Not only does this make an evening’s performance enjoyable, but it’s a great way to get fans coming back again and again.

Early in the first set, the audience was treated to the grooving, soulful original “Time With You.” Debo followed it up with her rendition of Corinna Bailey Rae’s “Closer,” a very heartfelt performance with just the lightest instrumentation helping keep the focus on her powerful vocals.

Next up were a pair of originals. The first, “Tell Me What You Want,” delivered a variation of tempos and rhythm, showcasing a fair bit of Debo Ray’s vocal range, from soaring to nearly spoken. The next, “Filly,” serves up funky rhythm with vocal power at times, nuance at others. By design, there’s not a lot of soft subtlety on this song, but Debo’s vocal power remains strong even when nuanced.

Sanctuary; photo by Geoff Wilbur

A pair of covers followed. Debo Ray delivered a very soulful rendition of Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” serving up vocals with range, power, and personality. That was followed by a cool cover of Emily King’s “Distance,” which featured lots of vocal runs – something heard not just here but frequently elsewhere in other songs, as well, the sort of thing that plays exceptionally well for a skilled vocalist in a live performance.

Debo closed the set with an original and another cover. On the original, “Now You’re Here,” the opening vocals hit oh, so sweet! It’s a smooth, swaying song, with a lyrical rhythm in the verses that’s next-level, particularly the way she delivers it. Next up was a rendition of Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly” that Debo kinda absolutely nailed.

The second song of set number two returned to Roberta Flack, this time with “Fell Like Makin’ Love,” in which Debo worked a bunch of vocal gymnastics.

It was followed by an original, “Gaslight,” that is next-level when performed live. There was something almost theatrical in Debo Ray’s delivery, so intense and pretty raw.

She followed that with a couple of covers. First, to cleanse the palate with smoothness following the raw emotion of “Gaslight,” Debo served up Alicia Keys’ “If I Ain’t Got You,” proving she’s fully able to deliver the vocal richness necessary to sing an Alicia Keys number. Then she dealt the fun, with a warm, rich, full-vocalled, emotionally-voiced performance of Chris Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whiskey.”

photo by Geoff Wilbur

With the show nearing a close, original “Take That” was next. It’s a really powerful, self-empowered proclamation-driven song, very much a song for people psyching themselves up to take control of their lives. Just wow, the emotional strength in the vocals of this powerful ballad!

Next up, Debo turned to Aretha. Specifically, Aretha Franklin’s “(You Make Me Feel Like a) Natural Woman,” an to be honest, I had considered making an Aretha comparison earlier, but, well, after I heard Debo’s strong performance of this song, if I had any doubts before (which I didn’t), she erased them by proving she has a voice capable of being mentioned favorably in the same sentence with Aretha.

Debo closed the night with another original, “Cope.” Penned during pandemic, it’s a thoughtful, jazzy number.

And that brought to an end yet another Sanctuary bar show, as the venue continues to bring Boston’s top talent out to Maynard, close enough that I can easily get in to hear them perform… and to let you know that you shouldn’t miss them.

Looking Ahead

I know that, among those of you in the Boston area who read this blog, many of you are much closer to the city than I am. Well, good news for you. According to the “shows” page on Debo Ray’s website, she has a bunch of shows coming up. From now through the end of the year, in addition to several Boston shows, she’ll be in Medford, Malden, Somerville, and North Andover. And there’s a February 28, 2026 concert booked for the big stage at Sanctuary in Maynard. Debo Ray’s vocal talent with a full band? It’s a double-bill with The ABeez. If your schedule permits, that’ll be a must-see event for those of us in the outer burbs… or for folks travelling out from the city. So many good restaurants in Maynard to make an evening of it. Just sayin’.