On Saturday, I attended a Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore show held at the Shea Theater in Turners Falls. The duo, who were backed by Alvin’s killer band, The Guilty Ones, tore through its new album “Downey to Lubbock,” treating the packed house to an amazing night of country, blues and rootsy rock music. It was truly a night to remember, and what was even more special was that it was happening right here in Franklin County.
There was a time in the not so distant past when, if you wanted to see artists like Alvin or Gilmore, it was a given that you had to travel to, at the very least, Northampton. Sure we have had nationally touring artists play the coffeehouses that have been in and out of Greenfield over the years, and, of course, at the festivals that take place here, but that was about it.
Now with the arrival of the Shea Theater, The Root Cellar and Hawks & Reed Performing Arts Center, Franklin County is becoming a stop for nationally known musicians on tour. In the past couple of months, the Shea hosted a sold out show with Lake Street Dive, and Hawks & Reed brought in reggae acts like the Wailers, and rap stars KRS-One and Ghostface Killah. Meanwhile, The Root Cellar has put a lot of focus on independent rock acts from all over, including Speedy Ortiz who was just chosen along with Dinosaur Jr. as opening acts for the upcoming Foo Fighters tour.
And there’s so much more on the horizon. Patty Griffin will be at the Shea on July 21; former Sonic Youth member, Kim Gordon will bring her new band, Body/Head to The Root Cellar on July 22. Hawk & Reed is adding to its schedule all the time and already have shows lined up with Dom Flemons on Sept. 1, Donna the Buffalo on Oct.19 and experimental hip-hop artist RJD2 on Oct. 27. Tickets for all of these shows are on sale now.
Take a look at what’s happening in the area this weekend and you’ll see what I’m talking about.
Friday night, Grammy-nominated guitarist, singer and songwriter Bill Kirchen who is known as “The Titan of the Telecaster,” will take the stage at The Root Cellar, 10 Fiske Ave. in Greenfield, at 7 p.m. Kirchen is perhaps best known for his work with Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen and the classic hit, “Hot Rod Lincoln.”
But Kirchen’s work goes beyond that band. He’s had an incredible solo career releasing multiple albums and working with artists ranging from Nick Lowe to Elvis Costello. His music draws from blues, bluegrass, western swing and honky-tonk, making him one of the original practitioners of what we now call Americana music. His most recent album, “Word to the Wise,” is a collection of duets with many of the artists he’s worked with over the years including Costello, Lowe, Maria Muldaur and Dan Hicks.
Kirchen’s been a frequent visitor to the Pioneer Valley, often playing the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton including holiday shows where he’d play songs of his “Honky Tonk Holiday” album. But now you don’t have to travel to see him; he’ll be right here in town. Opening the show will be local country band, Dez Roy, featuring Zak Dagger and Neil Saboi. Look for a new CD from Dez Roy later this summer.
Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at: rootcellarbar.com. The show is for attendees 18 and up.
The annual Sunday in the Park concert series at Greenfield Energy Park kicks off this weekend when Will Evans and Rising Tide take the station stage at 6 p.m. Evans is known as the lead vocalist, songwriter and drummer for the popular band Barefoot Truth (the group also features local musician John Waynelovich from Turners Falls). That band went on hiatus in 2012 and only gets together for the occasional special show like the one it played at the Shea in December. Since the break from Barefoot Truth, Evans has focused on his solo career.
Evans plays a brand of folk rock sound that includes traces of reggae, soul and even gospel, while his lyrics are uplifting and deal with themes of unity, love and social activism. His laid-back feel-good music is made to be heard in a beautiful, outdoor setting like the Energy Park.
He has released two studio albums and a live album. Evans has shared the stage with many top artists including Crosby and Nash, Grace Potter, Bruce Hornsby, Railroad Earth and members of Dispatch. And in December, he landed in the top five out of tens of thousands of entries in the neXt2rock songwriting contest. Evans has been on tour opening shows for Trevor Hall, but now he’s gathering his band together for some shows including this one at the Energy Park. Evans said this show will be a mix of his solo and Barefoot Truth material.
The Sunday in the Park series continues with Greenfield resident Tracy Grammer and Jim Henry on July 22, and Kris Delmhorst on Aug. 12. These concerts all begin at 6 p.m.
So gather up your lawn chairs and blanket, pack a picnic and head to the Energy Park at 50 Miles St. A $15 donation is suggested for the Will Evans Show.
There will be a Franklin County Pride celebration in Greenfield on Saturday, and Hawks & Reed at 289 Main St. is presenting a series of events to help celebrate the day. You especially don’t want to miss guitar great Kaki King, who will perform at 7 p.m. as part of a lineup that also includes singer-songwriter Pamela Means and classically trained singer Treya Lam. King arrived on the scene in the early 2000s and blew everyone away with her virtuosic guitar playing. Women guitarists are frequently overlooked, but King made Rolling Stone’s “New Guitar Gods” list in 2006, the first woman to ever do so.
Her career has been a varied and ambitious one as she’s dabbled in jazz and other styles, played lap steel, and moved on from being a solo instrumentalist to singing and working with a backing band. She’s also contributed to various television and movie soundtracks. King’s live shows are always exciting and inventive. She’s an artist who is not to be missed!
Tickets are $28 in advance and are available at: hawksandreed.com.
Sheryl Hunter is a music writer who lives in Easthampton. Her work has appeared in various regional and national magazines. You can contact her at soundslocal@yahoo.com.