Live Review: Lee Biddle at Chopps

Posted on July 5, 2025 by Geoff Wilbur

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

Posted on July 2, 2025 by Geoff Wilbur

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

Posted on June 14, 2025 by Geoff Wilbur

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’.

Live Review: Danielle Miraglia and Cheryl Arena at Sanctuary

Posted on June 6, 2025 by Geoff Wilbur

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Danielle Miraglia and Cheryl Arena

Sanctuary (Barside), Maynard, MA

June 5, 2025

As I noted when I reviewed Dennis Brennan’s Sanctuary gig a couple weeks ago, this is the show I expected to be the first to get my out to this Maynard nightspot. The first Thursday of every month at 5:30pm is a Danielle Miraglia “Drinks with Friends” performance, and I’ve had every first Thursday this year circled but only just finally got to one last night. Danielle is one of Boston’s best blues artists, regularly a finalist or winner at local and regional music awards, and she is joined each month by another top area musician. On this particular month, she was joined by Cheryl Arena, one of the best blues harmonica players you’ll ever hear. (I’ll let her bio do the bragging.)

Of course, you’ve read both of these artists here before. We’ve reviewed three of Danielle’s album and five – now six – live performances, though this is our first live review since my 2019 review. I’ve only covered Cheryl once before, when I caught her 2016 concert at The Backyard.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Given the caliber of the evening’s performers, it’s no surprise the bar at Sanctuary was pretty full.

The first set covered a range of blues styles. I walked in during what I think was a Bob Dylan cover. It was followed a folky “advice” song, “Shave That Stubble Off.”

Danielle’s vocals can range from soft and introspective to booming and powerful, and she broke out her full-on powerful blues voice on her version of “C.C. Rider,” which appeared on Danielle’s Bright Shining Stars album. One thing, too, was apparent on this song, as it was throughout the night. Everything sounds better with Cheryl Arena on harmonica.

The two shifted lead vocal responsibilities back and forth this set and throughout the night. Cheryl’s vocals are a little more on the rougher-edged end of the blues. She led the way on “Temptation” and employed a very rough and ragged blues vocal on “Big Road.”

Danielle took the lead were a new original she tentatively calls “Mess in Your Room,” a song about the mess the next generation will inherit with the prominent vocal “Children don’t bother…”

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Danielle closed the first set with a Little Walter tune, “Can’t Hold Out Much Longer.”

After a break, Danielle and Cheryl continued to wow the crowd with a broad variety of mostly-blues. Cheryl took the lead with a cool rendition of “Can’t Let Go.” Danielle followed by belting out her original “Monster”, from her All My Heroes Are Ghosts album. For fans who don’t remember song titles, it’s the “make your own news” song, and it uses a majority of Danielle’s stylistic range while sporting a funky rhythm.

Cheryl took over the lead vocals again on the next song, an energetic “Con Man” that brought a bit more energy to the audience that I’d seen at any other point in the night. From a crowd-energy standpoint, it was probably the evening’s highlight.

Next up, Danielle turned to a Bruce Springsteen song. She gave a nice, tuneful delivery on an engaging acoustic rendition of “Hungry Heart,” with Cheryl adding an inspired guitar solo. When harmonies were called for, they were noticeably good, as well, and not just because Kevin So, who was in the audience and who will be Danielle’s “Drinks with Friends” guest at Sanctuary later this year, accepted Danielle’s invitation to step up to a microphone and join the duo.

The night’s two closing numbers were standouts, too. Danielle always makes her cover of Tom Waits’ “2:19” here own, and last night was no exception; as always, she delivered with that identifiable mostly-sincere-but-slightly-smirky vocal inflection that’s hers and hers alone.

And Cheryl took the lead on the evening final number, “Nobody Knows When You’re Down and Out,” a soulful, slow blues lament with a nifty harmonica part.

As is always the case when Sanctuary brings Boston’s best musicians out to this small bar space, the performance had an intimate feel you usually can’t find this far out in the burbs.

Live Review: Martin and Kelly at Kimball Farm

Posted on May 31, 2025 by Geoff Wilbur

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Martin and Kelly

Kimball Farm, Westford, MA

May 30, 2025

The Backstory

It’s hard to believe it’s been 8 years since I last saw and reviewed Martin and Kelly, one of the area’s most talented country bands. Well, many areas, actually. In addition to New England, Martin and Kelly spend a lot of time touring (here’s their 2025 concert schedule), frequently trekking out to the Mountain Time Zone (Colorado, Wyoming), occasionally hitting the Plains (there were Iowa gigs this year), and otherwise touring up and down the east coast from New England to Florida. But when they’re in New England, I’ve been keeping an eye on their gigs hoping to catch one. Two weeks ago, if the Watertown Porchfest had been a rainout, a Martin and Kelly show was my backup plan for that day. Well, last night the rain held off, so I headed up to Kimball Farm and was thoroughly entertained, as expected.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

The Review

Jilly Martin is an impressive singer with a broad range. She can hit the ideal pitch and tone for old-school country songs and, though she does it less often, can keep pace with new country, as well. Ryan Kelly has a voice that’s well-attuned to classic country, particularly when there’s a rougher edge called for. Together, their voice blend exceptionally well into impressive harmonies. And Ryan can throw down some mean guitarwork from time to time, too. As a duo, Martin and Kelly are a big draw across several geographies in the U.S. And they’re able to draw a pretty good crowd to an atypical venue like Kimball Farm, as they kicked off the Kimball Farm summer concert series last night.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

The duo kept the crowd engaged for the entire two-hour show, encompassing two entertaining sets.

An early highlight was a patriotic Martin and Kelly original, “Stood Their Ground.” Early on, the duo also delivered a “picking and grinning” rendition of “Eastbound and Down” and a version of “Tulsa Time” that sounds so sweet when Jilly sings it.

“Chattahoochie” featured a patented Martin and Kelly vocal blend with great harmonies and some lively pickin’ from Ryan on guitar. (OK, they both play guitar, so “guitar on the right.”)

Remember how I said modern country was within Jilly’s wheelhouse, too? I suppose it’s a mix of modern and classic, but she delivered the goods on a cover of the Carrie Underwood version of Randy Travis’ “I Told You So.”

After a rousing performance of “9 to 5,” they performed the Randy Travis-penned “If She Means That Much to You,” with great sweet soft country vocals from Jilly, a song well-fitting her voice and in which she sports just a hint of where the country twang might go if a singer had one. Plus, she delivers a great burst of power vocals at the song’s end.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Other first-set highlights were a nice a capella “King of the Road” led by Jilly, with Ryan joining for harmony on the song’s back half, and an energetic version of John Anderson’s/LeAnn Rimes’ “Swingin’,” which featured a notably festive guitar-picking run from Ryan.

Early second set crowdpleasers included a rousing rendition of Shania Twain’s “Whose Be Have Your Boots Been Under.” And then a cool Jilly Martin vocal-led cover of “Ring of Fire.”

A second set highlight was the new “I Can’t Stop This Wanting You Feeling.” With nice harmonies, a catchy hook, and a nifty little guitar bit in the middle of song, this seems like a sure-fire future crowd favorite. I also think the little “woo-hoo-oo-oo” bits add to the song’s memorableness. (A recording of this one coming soon, maybe?)

The duo dropped a little treat for any non-country fans in the audience. A version of “Waterfalls” with as-usual spot-on vox from Jilly, a clever strumming pattern and little picking runs from Ryan, and an excellent what-the-hell-is-that?, wow-that’s-really-good! stretch of rapping from Jilly in the middle.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Jilly then showcased her yodeling skills before the duo followed with a nice “Country Roads” duet. It features a nice powerful, Rondstadtty vocal from Jilly and serves as a great send-off number, a fun way to close the show.

A Martin and Kelly show is always a dependably outstanding performance. According to the Kimball Farm Music Series schedule, you can catch the duo back in Westford on August 16th. According to Martin and Kelly’s concert calendar, between now and then, they’ll be performing in 12 different states across the country, as far west as Wyoming and Colorado and as far south as North Carolina, including several shows in four New England states.

Live Review: Dennis Brennan at Sanctuary

Posted on May 26, 2025 by Geoff Wilbur

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Dennis Brennan Trio (Dennis Brennan, Jim Haggerty & Andrew Stern)

Sanctuary (Barside), Maynard, MA

May 25, 2025

The Backstory

Sanctuary Arts Center, in a cool, repurposed church in Maynard, Massachusetts, was launched in 2019… just in time for the pandemic. I think I recall hearing about it at the time, but it really came into my consciousness earlier this year when I learned Blog favorite Danielle Miraglia had a regular monthly gig there the first Thursday of each month. I haven’t made it out to one of Danielle’s shows yet, but I did finally have an opportunity to get to a Sanctuary gig yesterday.

Often, there are afternoon shows in the bar (“barside”) and evening performance or events in the main concert room, which I walked through as the evening’s band was setting up. Very impressive space! I can’t wait to get to a concert in the big room. However, this late afternoon/early evening gig was in the cozy bar, which was pretty full because, well, let’s face it, it was a Dennis Brennan show.

That’s the other thing I’ve noticed about Sanctuary. A lot of the artists who perform there, notably two or three of the early “barside” events most weeks, are artists you’d usually have to drive in to Boston, Cambridge, or Somerville to see. They don’t play the outer suburbs very often, so it’s a great opportunity for outer western suburbanites (like me) to catch the Boston area’s best artists without having to drive into (and park in) the city.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

The Review

That brings us to tonight’s gig. Dennis Brennan is a well-known, veteran talent in the Boston area. On this particular night, he showed off his range, from Americana to ’50s-influenced rock to blues. It’s a package of musical styles likely to appeal to a broad range of fans, and the crowd at Sanctuary, spanning a few decades in age, represented the breadth of Dennis’ appeal.

During the first set, Dennis was without his guitar, so he manned the harmonica, and the band focused primarily on the blues. It was an excellent showcase of this part of his repertoire. Dennis’ gravelly vocals are versatile, and he showcased his ability to hit the full range of styles – pained, thoughtful, lively – surprising no one who has heard him before, of course.

By the time I settled in, it was time for song number two, a rendition of Walter Jacbos’ “Blues with a Feeling” that featured thumping bass, a sweet guitar groove with the occasional blues wail, and some fancy-ass harmonica work. The band followed that with Mose Allison’s “Foolkiller,” which called for a little livelier and funkier delivery.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Dennis manned the tambourine on Sanford Clark’s “Still as the Night,” which featured some nifty southwestern style blues guitar driving this slow song with a feeling like wide open spaces. Dennis was back on the harmonica for a funky, bluesy version of Chuck Berry’s “Don’t You Lie to Me,” providing earnest and heartfelt vox, as well. And the band closed the first set with a Charles Brown song, “Fool’s Paradise,” one of those slow, talkin through it slow blues songs that feels particularly like it’s telling it like it is.

Now, my notes for the second set are a little sparse, as I realized an old friend, the organizer of the Backyard concert series, had made it out to the suburbs for this gig. However, it’s worth noting that Dennis had his guitar for the second set, so the second set differed a little in style. There was plenty of blues, which sported a little more of a guitar-driven blues groove, in part, I’m sure, due to the absence of harmonica. But some Americana, as well as some ’50s-’60s style rock ‘n roll were also represented in the set. Featured were a rollicking performance of “Oh, Lonesome Me,” a cool rendition of the Hollies’ “You Better Move,” and an old-style swinging rock song I must admit I didn’t recognize.

In the end, it was a great evening of music from one of the area’s undeniable talents, Dennis Brennan, in trio format with a pair of Boston’s in-demand bandmates. And out in the outer suburbs, which is lucky to have a venue like the Sanctuary bringing top Boston talent close to an intimate venue an hour outside the city.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Looking Ahead

For future Sanctuary concerts, check out the “Concerts” page on the venue’s website. If you’re like me and like to let Facebook remind you of upcoming shows, you can find many of the upcoming Sanctuary shows on the venue’s “events” tab. Go ahead and click “interested” on the shows that interest you, as I do, so you’ll be reminded as the dates approach.

Live Review: Watertown Porchfest 2025

Posted on May 18, 2025 by Geoff Wilbur

Tokyo Tramps; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Watertown Porchfest

Watertown, MA

May 17, 2025

Every year, many of Boston’s suburbs hold “porchfest” events, where the towns’ porches are filled with musical performances and, armed with a schedule of planned performances, music fans can wander from house to house from 12:00 to 6:00 to hear a variety of area musicians, hosted by the people whose porches serve as performance spaces.

I had only attended one porchfest before yesterday, in part because they tend not to be held in the outer suburbs where I live. In 2017, I attended Arlington’s Porchfest. Yesterday, I drove in to attend Watertown’s. If there was one notable difference, it was that Watertown’s performances were much more often in driveways than on porches, whereas all of the Arlington performances I saw eight years ago were on actual porches. It didn’t matter. Many of the performers yesterday performed under portable tents, in part I suppose due to the rain threat – all week, rain was predicted, but there was just one light 10-minute shower. Still, a good idea for equipment to be covered, something a porch – but not a driveway performance – would provide.

Slip Resistant Soul; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Slip Resistant Soul

My first stop was to hear Slip Resistant Soul. Slip Resistant Soul is self-billed as NOLA-centric soul and blues, that’s an apt description for this old-school, rockin’ blues band. Indeed, led by a thumping bassline, funky sax, and grizzled blues vocals, I could have stayed and listened to these guys all day. Or, at least, to the end of their set, if I hadn’t also wanted to catch a couple more bands during their 2-hour time slot.

A couple of the songs I enjoyed at this backyard-deck venue were “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” with echoey psychedelic guitar work, nifty axe solo, an almost reggae rhythm creeping in from time to time, and Ray Charles’ “I Don’t Need No Doctor,” which SRS delivered with ideally gruff vox, a groovy, funky rhythm, and excellent riffing off the rhythm section’s steady beat.

It was obvious why the backyard venue was packed with an appreciative audience, as Slip Resistant Soul is clearly a top shelf band!

Three Weeks Notice; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Three Weeks Notice

Next up, I headed over to catch Three Weeks Notice. Stylistically, based on my limited sampling of the band’s offerings yesterday, I’d guess the music is centered somewhere around Americana or roots rock, though the styles from song to song were varied enough – though still within the band’s cohesive sound – that “centered” is the key word. Three Weeks Notice delivers a rich, full sound, with violinwork adding a neat flavor. I only stayed for four songs, but during the second song the guitarist delivered some engaging wailing vocals that are unusual among similarly styled bands. The third song was a violin-driven instrumental that took an attention-maintaining journey. And song four was a classic, psychedelic rock influenced instrumental that benefited from some cool violin effects and, eventually, increasingly distorted guitarwork.

In all, my four-song sample was a varied song grouping from a clearly talented, interesting band.

Hot Lunch; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Hot Lunch

It was a pleasure to next hear Hot Lunch, a rockin’ pop-rock cover band. From great between song banter in addition to high quality renditions of favorites, this is a band I’d definitely head out to hear for a night of cover-song fun with friends! The five songs I could covered a bit of pop-rock range – Katy Perry’s “Hot N Cold,” Sheryl Crow’s “Real Gone” (which sported a little well-suited extra edge on the vocals), Franz Ferdinand’s “Take Me Out,” Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone,” and the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Dani California.” The Chili Peppers’ cover sported some nifty howls and, while being the one of the five songs led vocally primarily by the bass player, did feature some nice dual back-and-forth vocal sharing. There was a deservedly large, engaged crowd for Hot Lunch while I was there, with music fans of all ages thoroughly enjoying themselves.

Tokyo Tramps; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Tokyo Tramps

One of the highlights of the event for me was the opportunity to catch Tokyo Tramps, whose last two released I’ve reviewed – their I’m a Tiger EP in 2021 and their Fearless Heart album in 2023. In fact, I grabbed my copy of Fearless Heart to play in my car’s CD player during the drive to Watertown to get into the mood for this set. This was my first chance to catch the Tramps live, and they delivered a fun set. As is often the case, this was a Tokyo Tramps duo performance, featuring core members Satoru Nakagawa (guitar) and Yukiko Fujii (bass), though, of course, on their albums, the Tramps record with a full band.

This performance was at one of the more interesting venues on the porchfest calendar. The bands were set up on the porch of the Gore Place farmhouse. Gore Place is a 50-acre estate showcasing an early 19th century mansion, farmhouse, and farm and sits along the border between Waltham and Watertown. There seem to be a lot of family-friendly events at the site, as well wedding and private events hosting opportunities, so it’s worth checking out the events calendar. There was a plant sale going on alongside the live music yesterday, in fact. But I digress…

I arrived at the venue a couple minutes early; fortunately so, because the Tokyo Tramps must have started a little early – porchfest schedules are a little fluid sometimes. The first song after I get settled in was the fun number “Baby Let’s Clean the House.” (You can find a prior live performance of this song on YouTube, if you’re curious. More than one, in fact.)

Throughout the performance, the duo performs well together, each able to carry a solo, as a good jammin’ blues number often calls for. Guitar fans will be particularly enamored with Nakagawa’s soulful axework, as his classic gritty blues rock/rockin’ blues axeslinging style can carry solo after solo all night long. Or all mid-afternoon long, in the case of a porchfest.

Other standouts of the day’s performance included numbers like “Jeffrey Jive,” with its “who dat? who dat?” singalong, “Empty Pocket,” because every musician is convincing when singing about empty pockets, and decades-old Tokyo Tramps original “Bound for Glory,” a rollickin’ number which appeared on the Tokyo Tramps’ 2003 album of the same name.

The Tokyo Tramps closed their set with “Young Lion,” a personal favorite track from the band’s 2023 album, Fearless Heart. I love the energy of this song, and it translates to a live performance, even as a duo. Its great blues rockin’ energy was an ideal conclusion to a tight set of blues and blues rock music.

Scott Damgaard; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Scott Damgaard

After checking out a couple less impressive performances – and a 10-minute rain delay – I progressed to my next reviewable spot, where I caught the last two songs of Scott Damgaard’s thumping, rocking set. I was treated to two songs from Damgaard’s 2007 The Bells of San Miguel album. On the first, “For You,” Damgaard growls like a classic rocker, adds a little classic rock guitar, some kickin’ distortion, and a steadily upbeat, forward-moving energy. Then he closed this set with “The Bells of San Miguel,” a song flavored with a little southwestern style, which is mostly Scott’s strumming pattern. Both songs deliver a great barroom or concert stage energy! I admit, two songs ain’t much to go on, but in this case, it was enough for me to know that I’ll be back for more!

That’s Ben Gardner’s Boat; photo by Geoff Wilbur

That’s Ben Gardner’s Boat

That’s Ben Gardner’s Boat – TBGB, for short – was next, delivering old-school, kickin’, bluesy rock. I had time for four songs before heading off to grab a bite to eat, hoping to make it back in time for a little bit of Scott Matalon‘s set. (I failed, but the last minute of Scott’s set sounded awesome as I drove up and on the walk over from the car.)

Back to TBGB, you’ll recognize all four of the songs I caught. All very classic hard rock, exceptionally performed. First up, “Deep Ellum Blues” rocked the… yard? The driveway? Well, whatever, it rocked it! Next up the band delivered a big sound with a great jangly, classic rock vibe with its rendition of John Stewart’s “Gold.” (Here’s a video of TBGB performing the song, but when I caught them live yesterday, the vocals weren’t buried in the mix like they are in this recording. Still, you get an idea about how tight the band is and how rich their sound is.)

Next up were a couple of multi-media crowdpleasers. First, TBGB delivered a rich-sounding cover of the Hawaii Five-O theme song. It was followed by a rollicking version of “Westbound and Down” (from Smokey and the Bandit). TBGB covered a lot of ground, all of it classic rock-centered. And this four-song snippet is enough to know they’re a reliably fun band to catch live in a live setting, from a bar to an outdoor concert.

Linda Viens/Girl with a Hawk: photo by Geoff Wilbur

Girl with a Hawk

As noted, I made it back in time to catch the last few seconds of Scott Matalon’s set, which was the lead-in to my last set of the Watertown Porchfest, Girl with a Hawk. Now, I just reviewed a few Girl with a Hawk singles a few days ago, so it was kismet I was able to catch a set so soon thereafter. In fact, when I first checked the porchfest schedule, I didn’t see this location’s lineup listed. Whether it was a last-minute addition to the calendar or just something I missed, I don’t know. (I suppose I could have asked.)

In any case, technically, this spot was listed as Linda Viens spot. Linda’s the lead singer of Girl with a Hawk. (I suppose that makes her the girl with the hawk.) In this case, she was joined by two of GWAH’s four other band members, guitarist Daniel Coughlin and keyboardist Richard Lamphear (who played acoustic guitar in lieu of keys).

Viens’ sports an original vocal style that’s old school rock with a kind of a punk energy but with a little more delicate precision than you’d maybe expect from that description, including an ability to go really soft-touch, which can add an Americana-ish vibe to some songs.

The band played recent release “Share It All” with the 2 acoustics and an electric giving it a soft yet rockin’ vibe. There’s a nifty guitar solo in this one, too. Performed this way, the song has kind of an “I’d like to teach the world to sing” vibe, for those of us old enough to remember those classic Coca-Cola commercials. (Yeah, I know it was a pop hit, too, but we all know it from the Coke commercials.)

Other highlights included a couple of new songs. One (recently recorded, though I missed the song title), is a smooth, swaying number. The other, “Two Souls,” sports a very original sound. It’s the sort of song that sounds broadly familiar, but you know you haven’t heard it before because it has a very quickly identifiable Girl with a Hawk sound.

The band’s set also included a strong performance of the most recent Girl with a Hawk single, “No One Like You.” And a new one, entitled “The Fighter,” I believe. I can already imagine how, with full production, it’ll end up with multiple listening threads, just based on the lead guitar line’s relationship with the melody in its stripped-down form. I look forward to hearing the full studio workup!

The Girl with a Hawk trio closed out their set – and my Watertown Porchfest day – with an “I’m in Love With My Friends” singalong, a satisfying end to a full day of music, in which I was able to hear live performances from a couple acts whose recordings I already knew, while discovering a slew full of new, talented bands. Indeed, that’s what porchfests are all about.

I’ll be looking forward to next year’s Watertown version. And, of course, I hope I’ll find time to get out to one of the areas many other porchfests that dot the calendar this spring and summer!

Live Review: The Santana Project at the Sterling Coffeehouse

Posted on March 23, 2025 by detroitwriter1

The Santana Project live performance photo

photo by Eric Harabadian

by Eric Harabadian, Contributing Blogger

The Santana Project

Sterling Coffeehouse, Sterling Heights, MI

February 20, 2025

The Sterling Coffeehouse at the Sterling Heights Community Center recently hosted an event featuring, arguably, one of the premier Santana tribute bands in the country. The Santana Project is a Detroit-based ensemble that uncannily and dutifully recreates the sound and feel of the original Santana band in all its incarnations.

photo by Eric Harabadian

The Santana Project consists of T.J. McGloughlin (lead vocals), Monte Porenta (keyboards), Bill Hanna and Greg Gdaniec (guitars/backing vocals), Henry “Hank” Tomlinson (bass), Ernesto Villarreal (percussion), Enrique “Kito” Pardo (percussion), and Gino Maisano (drums).

The band accurately captures that infectious spirit of classic rock that is timeless and spans many generations. In addition to the Santana catalog, the octet also delves into related jam-oriented fare like Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love,” “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” by The Allman Brothers, and The Zombies’ “She’s Not There.” They kicked off the night with one of the early Santana hits, “Everybody’s Everything.” It’s a rousing song, steeped in R&B, and filled out nicely by Porenta’s horn-like keyboard embellishments.

It was an evening featuring two sets that gave the audience more than they could ask for. Songs like “Evil Ways,” “No One to Depend On,” and “Smooth” were real crowd-pleasers. “Europa”( Earth’s Cry Heaven’s Smile)” and “All I Ever Wanted” really showcased both guitarists and ran the gamut from pensive and somewhat jazzy to raucous abandon.

photo by Eric Harabadian

Each member of The Santana Project is a committed and accomplished pro. Porenta creates an orchestral mix within the band via his bank of modified organs and pianos. His ability to add specific textures on a dime to support a guitar tone, in particular, is very tasteful. And now that TSP has two lead and rhythm guitarists on the front line they can cover all the nuances of the Santana studio recordings to a tee. Lead vocalist McGloughlin has a substantial range and really shined on standards like “Black Magic Woman” and latter day gems like “Stand Up.” And, let’s face it, you’ve got to bring it if you’re a member of the percussion and rhythm section. This unit did not disappoint! Pardo manned a number of timbales and congas, along with Villarreal, who handled conga and shakers. These guys provided the platform on which many of the tunes were built. The drums and bass ebbed and flowed within that foundation, and that’s the secret sauce that, along with the twin guitar attack, makes them one of Michigan’s – if not the nation’s – finest tribute bands on the current scene.

photo by Eric Harabadian

For more information on upcoming gigs and events please go to www.facebook.com/thesantanaproject/.

Live Review: The 2023 New England Music Awards

Posted on November 19, 2023 by Geoff Wilbur

New England Music Awards at Six String Grille & Stage

photo by Geoff Wilbur

The 2023 New England Music Awards

Six String Grille & Stage, Foxborough, MA

November 12, 2023

Muddy Ruckus; photo by Geoff Wilbur

The New England Music Awards are the big regional music awards in New England. This year’s NEMA ceremony was held at the Six String Grille & Stage in Foxborough, MA. The room was filled for this year’s big event.

Winners were announced in 28 categories, plus a “decade” award was awarded. Interspersed among the 29 awards were ten live performances. The award winners are listed on the NEMA website. I’ll also mention them in this review, but I’ll focus more on the live performances. In particular, I’ve included a photo from each of the live sets. My notes from the evening are a little sparse, though, so the music reviews will be more of the quick-hit variety than the longer-form reviews you’ve come to expect from the Blog.

Adam Lopez and Annie Brobst; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Almost all of the evening’s performers were on the ballot this year, with several of them winning. The sets covered a broad range of genres, with talent representative of the best of the New England music scene.

The musical program kicked off with a set from two-piece power duo Muddy Ruckus, whose set was a heavy rockin’ jam. 20 minutes of thumping groove. An auspicious start to the evening!

Adam Lopez and Annie Brobst; photo courtesy of New England Music Awards

Following the opening musical set, the evening’s co-hosts, Adam Lopez and Annie Brobst, took the stage to welcome the roomful of many of the region’s talented musicians, some music industry representatives, and music fans and supporters.

Before the next live performers took the stage, Amanda Morneault of The Harbor Agency presented the initial awards of the evening, the Rising Star Awards for Maine (Tyler Levs) and New Hampshire (Robotic Hawks). Then Kara Kharmah of PRIA Marketing presented the Rising Star Awards for Vermont (All Night Boogie Band) and Rhode Island (Jackson Cafferty).

Mary McAvoy; photo by Geoff Wilbur

With the first few artists finally in possession of their awards, the next performer to hit the stage was Mary McAvoy. Oh, what a voice! Mary is a kickass, soulful, pop-friendly singer with a big, powerful voice. Big enough to grab the attention of a music industry crowd that seemingly stopped what they were doing, briefly, and took notice when she started to sing.

Mary’s performance was followed by WaveRadio Boston‘s Rick Fleck’s presentation of the Rising Star Awards for Massachusetts (American Ink) and Connecticut (The Midnight Anthem).

In Memoriam performances: Fee the Evolutionist, Ruby Shabazz, DJ Myth (not pictured), and Vicky Lynch

Vicky Lynch, Ruby Shabazz, and Fee the Evolutionist; photos by Geoff Wilbur

Next up was the New England Music Awards’ “in memoriam” tribute to artists we lost this past year. For this performance, 2022 NEMA winner (for New Hampshire rising star) Fee the Evolutionist was joined by Ruby Shabazz, DJ Myth, and Vicky Lynch with her band. Artist tributes included Sinead O’Conner, Tina Turner, and I thought I heard some Biz Markie. I was psyched to hear Fee perform because I remembered sampling his music when voting for the 2022 awards. I had been looking forward to hearing him perform, and he is definitely impressive and engaging, but man, the singing talent joining him for the tributes was powerful – that exact word, “powerful,” resides in my brief notes for both Vicky and Ruby. Vicky’s performance of “Nothing Compares 2 U,” in particular, caught my ear as something quite special.

That compelling performance segment was followed by the announcement, by Gerg Anidem of Indie Scene Radio, of the Rock Act of the Year (Moxie) and Hard Rock/Metal Act of the Year (Sepsiss) award winners.

Dakota Smart; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Dakota Smart; photo courtesy of New England Music Awards

Cool pop singer-songwriter Dakota Smart took the stage next, treating the audience to his talent via guitar, keyboard, and very nice vocals. This dude’s talent features tempo and style changes… and a hint of a country feel at times, which is a very good thing for a pop singer-songwriter these days.

After Dakota’s set, John Shea of 95.9 WATD presented the next awards, for Pop (The Side Chick Syndicate) and Punk (Shame Penguin) Act of the Year.

John also presented the “Decade Award” to Jay Psaros.

Air Traffic Controller; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Air Traffic Controller; photos courtesy of New England Music Awards

The next band to take the stage was one of New England’s more celebrated local acts. Indeed, Air Traffic Controller has been on my radar for a while now, whether from reading about the band’s accomplishments or simply enjoying their music when it shows up on playlists. The band’s performance of catchy, poppy rock music is big-stage caliber, and their NEMA performance was nothing short of a brief big-stage concert.

After Air Traffic Controller’s performance, I presented the awards for Blues (The Name Droppers) and Jazz Act of the Year (Smug Honey).

12/OC; photo by Geoff Wilbur

12/OC followed, bringing some big-twang country to the evening, though it was their kickass, growling rock cover of “In the Air Tonight” (yes, really!) that brought the house down.

Following 12/OC, David Avery of Powderfinger Promotions presented the Soul/R&B (Miranda Rae), Hip-Hop (Chase Stebbins & The Only Known), and World Act of the Year (Nicolás Emden) awards.

American Ink; photo by Geoff Wilbur

American Ink; photo courtesy of New England Music Awards

Then American Ink, who had won the Rising Star: Massachusetts award earlier in the evening, took the stage. Simply put, these dudes are a really good rock band. They’re tuneful rockers with an edge and a hint of punk swagger.

After American Ink’s set, Jim Belisle of Boots & Whiskey announced the winners in the Roots (The Gravel Project), Country (April Cushman), and Americana (Adam Ezra Group) Act of the Year categories.

Mutu4l; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Mutu4l; photo courtesy of New England Music Awards

The next performers were Mutu4l, pairing Rising Star: Maine winner Tyler Levs with Joliet4. The duo delivered an enjoyable set packed with strumming and harmonies. Light and airy, with a pleasant vibe, for the most part, though the song “My Curse,” notably, was much heavier, showcasing the pair’s versatility.

Following Mutu4l’s set, Munk Duane announced the winners of Live Act of the Year (The Q-Tip Bandits) and Producer of the Year (Mel Go Hard).

The Midnight Anthem; photo by Geoff Wilbur

The Midnight Anthem; photo courtesy of New England Music Awards

The next performers were The Midnight Anthem, the trio of singer-songwriter cousins who won the Rising Star: Connecticut award earlier in the evening. They delivered a performance full of catchy pop-country with great harmonies. They closed their set with a very cool, countrified version of Guns N’ Roses’ “Sweet Child O’ Mine.”

Their performance was followed by a trio of award presentations. Jeff Rosen of Cherrywood Records presented the Male Performer (Nick Casey), Female Performer (Annie Brobst), and Songwriter (Lainey Dionne) of the Year awards.

Mel Go Hard with Amandi Music, SING, Atikin Rose, Hakim Hakim, EXITFAME, Dutch ReBelle, an OG Domo (DJ)

Mel Go Hard’s showcase; photos by Geoff Wilbur

Mel Go Hard’s showcase; photo courtesy of New England Music Awards

The last performer of the evening was this year’s Producer of the Year, Mel Go Hard. As a producer, Mel works with a wide range of Boston’s talented R&B artists, so her set showcased of several of those artists, some of whom perform with Mel on her After the Storm album. Mel was joined on stage by and/or yielded the stage to Amandi Music, SING, Atikin Rose, Hakim Hakim, EXITFAME, Dutch ReBelle, and DJ OG Domo. I didn’t take notes on the individual artists during the set, but suffice it to say, I was continually (sequentially?) impressed by the excellent vocal talent featured in Mel Go Hard’s set. The crowd was into each and every one of these artists; I’d go see any of them perform in a heartbeat. I’ve hotlinked the artists’ names to their web pages, as I usually do, so if you’re looking to discover new artists in this genre, start here!

Thus ended the “performance segment” of the program, with a few big awards remaining to be announced.

Adam Greenberg of Rockwood Music Hall announced the winners of the New Act (ToriTori), Song (12/OC’s “Shoot You Down”), and Video (Eddie Japan’s “Time Machine” feat. Greg Hawkes) of the Year category.

ToriTori; photo courtesy of New England Music Awards

The final awards presented were for Album of the Year (Air Traffic Controller’s Dash) and Artist of the Year (Frank Viele).

Frank Viele; photo by Geoff Wilbur

The evening concluded with Artist of the Year Frank Viele’s acceptance speech, in which he announced his intention to launch a record label, Bigger Beast Records. Frank shared what he remembered from his speech and a little bit about the new record label in a message on his Facebook page.

Thus concluded a fun evening at an event celebrating New England’s music scene. Obviously, the awards themselves are of importance to those nominated. I’ll add that this year’s nominee list was so talented I found it difficult to fill out my ballot, so for those who didn’t win, it really was an honor just to be nominated. (And I know most of the musicians realize that.) For music fans – tickets were available to the general public – I can confirm that it’s cool being there when people win their awards, but even setting that aside, the performances alone are worth the cost of admission. I look forward to seeing everyone there again next year!

Live Review: 3nd Annual Local CountryFest

Posted on January 1, 2020 by Geoff Wilbur

Mychael David; photo by Geoff Wilbur

3rd Annual Local CountryFest

Indian Ranch, Webster, MA

September 29, 2019

This popular annual event draws more fans every year while presenting the very best local country music. Organized and promoted, as always, by Octo Rock Cinema Productions, this year’s 3rd Annual Local CountryFest lived up to the high expectations attendees now have of it.

I’ve reviewed this event every year so far (see my reviews of 2017’s 1st annual and 2018’s 2nd annual), and I look forward to next year’s year number four, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. This year, Backyard Swagger performed on the Corral Stage as the gates opened. Then the performances moved to the main stage, featuring short sets by Meghan Lynch, Ayla Brown and Rob Bellamy, Taylor O’Connor, Tim Buono, and Matt York and full-length, full-band sets by Lyssa Coulter, the Jake Ash Band, Mychael David, the Darren Bessette Band, Annie Brobst, and No Shoes Nation.

Magician Steve Charette at Local CountryFest

Steve Charette; photo by Geoff Wilbur

But first I’d like to talk about the venue. Indian Ranch is very cool. It’s big enough for a big stage show but small enough that every seat feels intimate, definitely compared to most other decent-sized outdoor concert locations. The venue is also home to The Indian Princess, a riverboat that gives tours of the lake, a campground, the very nice Samuel Slater’s Restaurant, and a banquet hall/function facility. Yes, I’ve only ever attended concerts at the amphitheater, but the entire grounds seem well worthy of future visits.

With so many artists performing, I’ll keep each review quick, drop in a band photo, and move on to the next, especially since the posting of this review has been so delayed that I have to lean almost strictly upon my notes. Hopefully it’ll be enough to give you a sense of each band’s performance.

I arrived a little late, but I did catch the last couple of songs of Backyard Swagger’s Corral Stage set. Ayla Brown and Rob Bellamy then performed the national anthem on the main stage before yielding the stage to Lyssa Coulter’s full band performance.

And on the grounds, attendees were treated to the magic stylings of Steve Charette, who was as impressive this year as he had been when I first saw him perform during the 1st Annual Local CountryFest.

Backyard Swagger; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Backyard Swagger

Before the national anthem, Backyard Swagger kicked off the day’s music with a performance at the Corral Stage as fans filed in. Their fun rendition of “Man I Feel Like a Woman” was being performed as I approached. The group also delivered a lively rendition of “Little White Church” with kick and punch, a version of Maren Morris’ “Rich” sporting a fun, funky rhythm, and a performance of “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” that showcased Miriam Smith’s blistering fiddlework. Backyard Swagger closed its set with “Any Man of Mine,” a tune ideal for Diane Ferullo’s voice, driven home by the band’s booming rhythm section.

Lyssa Coulter; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Lyssa Coulter

After Ayla and Rob delivered “The Star-Spangled Banner” to kick things off on the main stage, the Lyssa Coulter Band launched into its set. Lyssa Coulter has been a mainstay at Local CountryFest, moving up the performer food chain each year. This year, she finally landed a main stage, full-band, full-set performance, and she not only owned the stage this year with her full-band, eight-song, main-stage performance, but she delivered with some serious charisma and vocal talent, leaving no doubt that she’s a bona fide front-line New England country act.

Lyssa kicked things off with “Whiskey in the Twilight,” a tune that showcases her best vocal qualities, those that are most identifiable, a great opening song choice. Lyssa’s sensitive vocal quaver worked well on the heartfelt “Maybe Tonight.” Her “Should’ve Said No” cover was energetic. “By Myself” sported an emotional, moving wail. Indeed, Lyssa’s originals are always the songs best-suited to her voice, as if they’ve been written with her unique strengths in mind.

And, speaking of originals that utilize Lyssa’s vocal skills, she closed the set with “Curisin’,” her summer single. This is one of those upbeat, catchy, teen-movie-friendly numbers. And this one, in particular, has a catchy, playful guitar line. Lyssa has established herself as a marquee local talent in her lane. I really dug this set.

Meghan Lynch; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Meghan Lynch

Pop-country singer Meghan Lynch – from Boston but now based in Nashville – followed with an acoustic set. I wish my notes were more detailed, but the short set was fun. She kicked things off with “Wild Guess,” sung with a heartfelt vibe. She followed it with original “My Greatest Mistakes.” Meghan closed her set with an energetic, bubblegum, pop-country, fun number “Party Girl.” The quick four-song set was over too quickly. Here’s hoping Meghan will be back again next year.

The Jake Ash Band; photo by Geoff Wilbur

The Jake Ash Band

I was psyched for this. I’ve been following The Jake Ash Band for a while, and this was my first chance to catch them live. They did not disappoint. They kicked off with “Five Star Dive Bar,” complete with driving guitar, great storytelling, and reminiscing vocals. Catchy, this song sounds like it’ll grow on you. Next up, on “Easy on the Eyes (Hard on the Heart),” I really liked the way the piano line prominently drove this song. My notes even tripled use of this word for this song: catchy, catchy, catchy. “Sweet Babies” had a raucous energy with a great use of vocal pause-and-punch. The band’s October 4th release, “Tequila Season,” followed. Then catchy, hooky, fun, guitar-crunching “Wedding Ring Money.”

After a powerful, edgy, bluesy-rocking country numbers (whose title I didn’t glean), the JAB launched into “Devil Went Down to Georgia” and “Mountain Music” before closing with original “25 Again,” a powerful song, “on 11” from beginning to end, followed by a frantic close. It’s obvious why it’s a fan favorite, a terrific way to close a set, leaving the crowd buzzing.

Ayla Brown and Rob Bellamy; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Ayla Brown and Rob Bellamy

The next acoustic set featured this exceptionally well-matched duo. On set-opener “Always Have a Home,” as throughout the set, Rob’s deep textured voice was complemented by Ayla’s softer, sweeter tone. The “white space” was as musically important as the guitar, at least in this acoustic arrangement. Next up was a cover of A Star is Born‘s “Shallow.” On this powerful ballad, Rob’s rich voice kicked things off, followed by Ayla’s warm, also-rich voice. “Built That Way” was about the purest country song there is, about praying, patriotism, and working hard; it was delivered powerfully and sincerely, as they have the requisite vocal chops for this song to hit home the way it was intended. Ayla and Rob closed their set with “The Honeymoon Phase,” a fun, clever, light-yet-lyrically-interesting, catchy tune.

Mychael David; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Mychael David

The marquee old-school country voice of Central Massachusetts for quite some time, a singer with an impressive national pedigree, Mychael David took the stage next for a long set with his full band. Sporting a deep, powerful, timeless country voice and endless talent and surrounded by some of the region’s best musicians, a Mychael David full-band concert event is always a treat.

The band opened with “Even the Man in the Moon is Crying,” followed by “Folsom Prison Blues” – so much axe talent in the band, they totally rocked this! In fact, it’s such a great fit, the band included “Folsom Prison Blues” on Mychael’s most recent album, Heroes & Honkytonks.

Next up was “Smoke and Ash.” As here, Mychael’s old-school, rich country voice can carry a set. Always. Anywhere. But Howie Swett’s wailing riffs put this song over the top.

After a cover of “Country Roads” that nailed that pluckin’ country energy, the band rolled on to “Some Gave All.” This ballad “to veterans and to those who never made it back” is always a misty moment during a Michael David set. This swaying, sad ballad was punctuated by Mychael walking through the crowd shaking as many veterans’ hands as possible. A true, sincere, patriotic mid-set moment.

After uptempo “That Ain’t My Truck,” the band closed its set with “Goodbye is Still Goodbye,” a country rocker driven by an energetic guitar line and subtle hooks, complementing Mychael’s rich vocals.

Taylor O’Connor; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Taylor O’Connor

Taylor O’Connor’s short acoustic set was next. Showcasing serious twang for a Grafton girl, Taylor delivered a solid cover of Luke Combs’ “When It Rains It Pours,” featuring vocal tempo and pace changes. Next up was “Reset Button,” an original that highlighted Taylor’s nice, tuneful voice. Finally, Taylor’s performance of “Wine Again” impressed; there was a bit of an emotional warble on this song that really delivered the goods.

Darren Bessette Band; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Darren Bessette Band

The Darren Bessette Band followed, opening with “It’s a Long Way Down,” a song that prompted me to note “rockin’ country, tight band, great vox.” That about sums it up for this crowd-pleasing assemblage of consummate country music pros.

I was particularly impressed by original “Tail Lights,” an old-school country music hall type of song. It sported a steady rhythm, but the guitar line was active, giving the soundbed character to complement Darren’s expressive vocals.

Cover songs ranged from Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” to Eddie Rabbitt’s “Driving My Life Away,” delivered flawless and timeless. And the set closed with “I Love This Life.” A great set of crowd favorites, showcasing this talented band.

Tim Buono; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Tim Buono

Tim Buono’s short set was next. He opened with a laid-back country song (whose title I missed). My favorite song of Tim’s set was his original “Anyway,” with soulful emotion dripping from every syllable – an absolute must-hear! And he closed his set with a cover of Brad Paisley’s “Little Moments,” again featuring emotional vocals, almost seeming like they the words themselves were about to crack. Whew!

Annie Brobst Band; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Annie Brobst

The Annie Brobst Band was next. As has been the case every time I’ve seen this world-class outfit, they owned the big stage, delivering a big concert performance. They kicked things off with energy via “You Either Love Me Or You Don’t.” Next up: “Still Water,” a song whose dancing rhythm guitar live added character and motion to this catchy, mid-range number. Oh, and the cool vocal bridge added even more character.

After “Change of Heart,” Annie and band went whiskey – original “Whiskey Colors,” a dynamic personal favorite delivered with a catchy use of stop-starts and a funky bass bridge and “Whiskey Glass,” which featured crowd engagement. Then went wine. New original “Red Wine On My Mind” sounds like a real crowd-pleaser, a singalong-able tune that builds to power and even features a little guitar shredding. Well done.

Then, after “Love You More,” Annie delivered “Ghost,” a smooth, rich, full song to close the set.

Matt York; photo by Geoff Wilbur

Matt York

The last acoustic mini-set of the day belonged to Matt York. He opened with an energetic, fast-strumming, country story-song growler, then a strummer with a deep growl. He closed with a cover of Billy Joe Shaver’s “Fit to Kill and Going Out in Style,” delivered engagingly with that all-knowing, smirky vocal edge. Exceptionally well done.

No Shoes Nation; photo by Geoff Wilbur

No Shoes Nation

Local CountryFest closed with a set from No Shoes Nation, the Kenny Chesney tribute band that’s a huge local draw with its tight musicianship and near-flawless delivery of Chesney’s hits.

The band opened with “Reality” and closed with “Beer in Mexico.” Highlights in between included “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright,” which had the crowd swaying, and “Boston,” an obvious local favorite. Also, my personal favorite Kenny Chesney tune, “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy.” Across a set that spanned more than a dozen songs, No Shoes Nation wrapped up a day of great local country music with an energetic, funny, very true-to-Chesney set.

No Shoes Nation; photo by Geoff Wilbur

I’m already looking forward to next year’s Local CountryFest – this concert has quickly become a must-attend annual event on the local music calendar.

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