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The Staves / Escondido / DJ Carbo
Monday, May 20, 2013, 8:00 pm939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
The StavesEstablished in Boston in 2004, the Fenway Recordings Sessions is a regular concert series featuring a mix of established acts and the best new and developing indie artists playing the city's clubs along with occasional special guest DJs.
The Staves include Emily, Jessica, and Camilla Staveley-Taylor, who have been making music together since they were children in Watford, England. Brought up in a house that echoed the sounds of Simon and Garfunkel, the Beatles, and Crosby, Stills & Nash, the sisters easily learned to sing in perfect three-part harmony. After gigging in local pubs and cafes, the Staves are now captivating audiences on much bigger staged, earning rapturous encores with their exquisite songs and jaw-dropping performances. In 2012, the Staves supported the Civil Wars across the U.S., followed by a U.K. support tour with Michael Kiwanuka. In March, the band's SXSW debut to sold-out rooms. In May and June, the band will be supporting Bon Iver across his North American tour, with appearances at both Sasquatch and Bonnaroo. The Staves have recorded two EPs, Mexico and The Motherlode. Their debut LP, Dead and Born and Grown, produced by Glyn and Ethan Johns, was released in 2012.
Escondido is comprised of Nashville-based artists Jessica Maros and Tyler James. Recorded live in a single day, their 10-song debut album, The Ghost of Escondido, was released this February. Their sound is a washed-out desert landscape steeped in American roots music. Escondido’s songs range from the Tom Petty- and Fleetwood Mac-influenced pop numbers “Cold October” and “Bad Without You," to the lovelorn country ballads “Special Enough” and “Willow Tree." Escondido is a band whose songs are a tale of love lost across the western sky.
DJ Carbo, a.k.a. Mark Kates, was a resident at one of L.A's. electronica clubs, Atmosphere at The Viper Room, and at the legendary pirate station KBLT. He now hosts the Fenway Recordings Sessions in Boston.
$14, general admission -
Seryn / Nathan Reich / Clara Berry and Wooldog
Wednesday, May 22, 2013, 8:00 pm939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
SerynSeryn hails from Denton, Texas, one of the most artistically creative music communities, called Best Music Scene of ‘08 by Paste Magazine. Call it fate if you will, but it’s obvious that the stars aligned to bring this group of young musicians together. Having only played together since March of ‘09, Seryn has created something truly special in their short existence. Using a variety of instruments, including guitar, ukulele, kalimba, accordion, bass, drums, viola, percussion and more, Seryn’s understanding of dynamics shines brightly and has earned them a sound that is not easily defined, but proven triumphant.
After Nathan Reich graduated from Berklee in 2009, his musical pursuits have gone through unexpected changes. Although originally studying jazz guitar, he graduated instead with a collection of hauntingly sad, bruised folk songs. Upon graduation Reich self-released his first full-length record, Arms around a Ghost. Since then he has tirelessly played house shows and folk clubs all over the country, and now resides in Nashville. In 2012, he put his guitar player hat to use and joined the band Foreign Fields. Together they went on to open and tour with Counting Crows and other notable indie bands all over the United States. Reich released his latest solo record, All Night Pharmacy, in March 2013.
Clara Berry and Wooldog is a duo between Clara Berry and Joe O’Neill (Wooldog). Berry and O'Neill grew up on the coast, in Southern Maine and on Boston's South Shore, respectively. They met while studying music in the skeletal remains of America's industrial revolution and found that their styles complemented each other’s perfectly. Henceforth they began to play, delving into newer and stranger sounds with Berry's feather-like vocals atop O'Neill's precise punctuation. They started with Berry's songs but it would soon be unveiled that O'Neill was also a great songwriter.
$10 in advance, $12 day of show, general admission -
Fairhaven / Jillian Jensen / The Fontaine Brothers
Friday, May 24, 2013, 8:00 pm939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
FairhavenFairhaven has been described as “a band whose talent matches the moneymakers that are tucked away in our respective iTunes playlists” by WBRU. It has emerged as one of the strongest up-and-coming bands in pop music today. Combining intricate and melodic vocals with driving piano and guitar, its live show is a must-see spectacle. Opening up for bands such as Dashboard Confessional, Jack’s Mannequin, Neon Trees, OK Go, Guster, and We the Kings, just to name a few, its fan base grows larger every day. With a debut album out, radio play on major stations in the Northeast, and an upcoming tour schedule, Fairhaven only looks to take its music and career to the next level.
Jillian Jensen is a 20-year-old singer-songwriter from Massachusetts. What sets Jensen apart is the fact that she does not only sing and compose her works, she also plays multiple instruments. She says this is because her love for music is so great that she wishes to expand her knowledge of it as much as possible. She currently plays guitar, piano, saxophone, violin, drums, bass, and ukulele. She has released two albums of original songs and has created more than 100 compositions.
The Fontaine Brothers began their music collaboration at a very young age. The twin brothers, Ike and Luke, mastered a captivating acoustic sound, with rustic harmonies. In 2010, the Fontaine Brothers released a small EP and music video, which garnered attention from an independent music label. Soon after, they were signed to a multi-album deal under the Mad River Productions label.
Can't make it to the show? This event will stream live on Concert Window.
$10 in advance, $12 day of show, general admission -
Louden Swain / Naughty Water
Saturday, May 25, 2013, 8:00 pm939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Louden SwainLouden Swain is a four-piece Los Angeles indie group that has been described as a combo platter of classic, alternative, and hard rock. Fronted by lead singer and actor Rob Benedict, Louden Swain also includes bassist Mike Borja, lead guitarist Billy Moran, and drummer Stephen Norton. In 2012, the band released its fourth full-length recording Eskimo on their own 3 Car Wreckords label. Each album has arrived to a lot of early buzz, “The LA pop rock band has a polished sound reminiscent of Marvelous 3,” says Kayley Thomas of Pop Matters, “one that crackles and sparks with wit, humor, and a powerful mix of intellectual and musical playfulness and maturity. Bursting with energy and whimsy.”
Naughty Water is a full-tilt country-flavored rock band. Dreamt by the mind of guitarist/singer Phil Stanley, the thunderous sounds of this quartet will have you stomping your foot and thirsty for more.
$12, general admission -
Hear Cape Cod
Tuesday, May 28, 2013, 7:00 pm939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
With the help of the Newbury Comics Fellowship and the Berklee community, percussion professor Steve Wilkes has spent nearly three years recording aural snapshots of Cape Cod for the Hear Cape Cod project. Wilkes collaborated with vocalist Ginny Fordham and some of the finest contemporary ambient/experimental/electronic musicians. He has created three new albums of music, inspired by and incorporating his field recordings from the Cape: Sound Signals, a two-CD set, and a compilation of new songs titled Upstream.
In this podcast, Wilkes discusses his work on the Hear Cape Cod project.
Free -
EMEFE / Noble Savage
Friday, May 31, 2013, 8:00 pm939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
EMEFEMiles Arntzen, drummer for Antibalas and Superhuman Happiness, created EMEFE in 2009. Arntzen was inspired by the music of Fela, who used his music as an escape from confrontation against the Nigerian authorities. The band’s motto, “Music Frees All," birthed the name EMEFE, who use their music to fight the inner authorities we put upon ourselves. EMEFE’s sound consists of a four-piece horn section, a drummer, a bassist, two guitarists, two percussionists, and a keyboardist. Dubbed “one of the Big Apple’s best live acts” by SarasotaDay.com, EMEFE has been called to support Passion Pit, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Antibalas, Rusted Root, and more. Members of EMEFE have played with artists such as Antibalas, the Fela! Musical, J.D. McPherson, Charles Bradley, Asphalt Orchestra, Budos Band, Lenny Pickett, Medeski Martin and Wood, Superhuman Happiness, Grace Weber, and many more.
Noble Savage is a mash up of virtuoso musicians from Boston-based jam bands. Different members of Noble Savage are also members of Spiritual Rez, Effective Dose, Rapplesauce, and Philly-based dub/rock trio Among Criminals. Noble Savage plans to leave its mark on Boston's thriving local music scene.
$10 in advance, $12 day of show, general admission -
Dave Mackay Group / Emily Peal / Here We Just Dream
Saturday, June 1, 2013, 8:00 pm939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Dave MacKay GroupThe Dave MacKay Group (DMG) began as an experiment in sound, an attempt at combining very different musical ingredients in a big pot with the hope of making some tasty musical soup. The powerhouse quartet of Berklee students includes Dave MacKay, Aman Khosla, Antoine Katz, and JP Bouvet. Over the past few years, the band's sound has evolved into a unique style of instrumental music that lives somewhere between the worlds of alternative rock, fusion, and film soundtracks.
Emily Peal is a redheaded singer-songwriter who is backed by a "band of skinny men." The team of four collaborated on her recent album release Fine Fur Coat, which was a major success on all accounts. Boston Band Crush says, “Emily Peal’s complex songwriting draws us in like a siren song, but like one where we don’t die once we get there. Backed by her Band of Skinny Men, her powerful and menacing rock belies her cutesy, singer-songwriter appearance."
Here We Just Dream was founded in 2012 by three original members of Pride of the Atlantic, an indie/progressive outlet that played together from 2009 to 2011. Since January of 2012, they have been working on their self-titled debut EP. The Boston-based band anticipates a string of summer dates immediately following its EP release.
$5, general admission -
A Great Big World / Julia Nunes
Thursday, June 6, 2013, 8:00 pm939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
A Great Big World is the new incarnation of Ian Axel and Chad Vaccarino. Axel is known for 2011’s viral hit "This Is the New Year,” which solidified him as an indie-pop presence with staggering YouTube views and numerous songs on film and television. “This Is the New Year” premiered on the fourth season of Glee and is now available on iTunes. Teaming up with longtime collaborator Vaccarino, he's expanding his horizons immensely into A Great Big World.
Julia Nunes, pronounced Noonz, is a native of upstate New York. Nunes is a talented singer-songwriter, guitarist, and ukulele player who started writing songs at the age of 13 when she was in a ska band. She was requested to open four times for her idol, Ben Folds, after she posted a cover of one of his songs. Nunes was recently featured on YouTube’s homepage. Her video performance of “Into the Sunshine” has nearly one million views and continues to grow. Before the video was featured on YouTube, she was the winner of the Bushman World Ukulele Contest. Her first album, Left Right Wrong, has sold throughout the U.S. and Europe, and her second album, I Wrote These, was released in 2008. In 2012, she made her television debut performing “Stay Awake” on Late Night with Conan O’Brien.
$10 in advance, $13 day of show, general admission -
Bernhoft / Sun Rai
Friday, June 7, 2013, 8:00 pm939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
BernhoftSince releasing his sophomore album, Solidarity Breaks, in early 2011, Norwegian retro soul singer and multi-instrumentalist Bernhoft has thrilled crowds around the world with his stripped-down yet amped-up one-man-band act.
Largely on the strength of his looping-enhanced and wonder-inspiring live show, Bernhoft racked up 250,000 sales of Solidarity Breaks. He also earned more than 3 million views for "C'mon Talk," a beatbox-infused, acoustic guitar-laced single that Bernhoft performed during his 2011 appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. To expand his sound on Solidarity Breaks, Bernhoft teamed up with multiplatinum-selling producer Fred Ball (Pleasure, Brett Anderson) and songwriting collaborators Ed Harcourt (Paloma Faith, Jamie Cullum) and Jimmy Hogarth (Amy Winehouse, Duffy, Beverly Knight). The final touches by Steve Fitzmaurice (U2, Depeche Mode, Kylie Minogue) were made to the mix of the album. With his irresistible of-the-moment approach to classic R&B and soul, Bernhoft also nabbed the Best Artist and Best Male Artist of the Year awards at the 2012 Spellemannprisen, which is equivalent to the Grammy Awards in Norway.
Sun Rai has been singing and playing piano since age four. Originally from Australia, Rai came to America to further pursue his music career. Inspired by performances by Prince and Donny Hathaway, Rai conveys a soulful groove as a one-man band by combining his piano skills and voice on a loop pedal.
$20, general admission -
Wake Owl / DJ Carbo
Monday, June 10, 2013, 8:00 pm939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Wake OwlSinger-songwriter Colyn Cameron of Wake Owl has been immersed in the world of music for the past 10 years. Now based in Vancouver, British Columbia and Portland, Oregon, Cameron was originally born and raised in southern California. After graduation, Cameron trained in organic agriculture at Emerson College in England; worked on different farms throughout the U.K., Germany, Chile, and Canada; and traveled the world. Cameron found his journeys to be a catalyst for writing songs. Upon returning to Vancouver, Cameron spent some time playing in bands before deciding to record the songs he had written after his journey, and thus began the Wild Country EP. The result is a five-song EP that harvests raw, honest, emotion through Cameron’s words and melodies.
DJ Carbo, a.k.a. Mark Kates, was a resident at one of L.A's. electronica clubs, Atmosphere at the Viper Room, as well as the legendary pirate station KBLT. He now hosts the Fenway Recordings Sessions in Boston. Established in Boston in 2004, the Fenway Recordings Sessions is a regular concert series featuring a mix of established acts and the best new and developing indie artists playing the city's clubs, along with occasional special guest DJs.
$10, general admission -
Mike Dillon Band / Evan Marien x Dana Hawkins
Thursday, June 13, 2013, 8:00 pm939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Mike DillonMike Dillon is one of the most dynamic and multifaceted percussionists in the country, best known for his unforgettable live performances, unorthodox percussion rig, and distinct original sound. Over the last 27 years, his creative songwriting and the range of artists he has worked with on tour, stage, or in the studio reveal his eclectic musical inspiration and skillful versatility. Such artists include: Ani DiFranco, Brave Combo, Galactic, Karl Denson, and James Singleton, among many others. On stage, Dillon is a powerful force, with boundless energy that hails a punk rock/hardcore edge and the seamless ability to play multiple percussive instruments at once. Taking a brief hiatus from solo projects, Dillon is performing with his latest quartet, the Mike Dillon Band, which features Mike Dillon on vibraphone, percussion, and lead vocals.
Hailing from Baltimore and Illinois, Evan Marien x Dana Hawkins came together in New York City when Evan Marien brought his solo bass and electronic compositions to virtuoso drummer Dana Hawkins. Each artist has worked with Grammy Award winners and nominees, including Jack DeJohnette, Stanley Clarke, Meshell Ndegeocello, and Esperanza Spalding. The duo has also been featured in Modern Drummer and Bass Player Magazine. The band recently released its album Collections in early 2013, featuring live recordings and video mixes.
$10 in advance, $12 day of show, general admission -
Adam Kronowski / Beyond the Sun / Nile Alexander
Friday, June 14, 2013, 8:00 pm939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Adam KronowskiAdam Kronowski is a 20-year-old musician originally from Augusta, Georgia. With passions ranging from drums to piano, writing to producing, and recording to performing, Kronowski has a musical voice that brings together a multitude of genres and influences, and combines them into a powerful musical experience. This Berklee student fronts his band by singing and playing piano, and he drums for many artists in the Boston area, including Animal Flag. His first album is currently in production.
Raised in Ontario, Canada, Beyond the Sun is a pop/rock trio that is defined by their youthful, energetic, and clever approach to telling universal stories. Comprised of brothers Phil, Dalton and Colin Radu, the band’s recordings and performances reflect the members’ commitment to ongoing musical study and the varied strengths of their greatest influences, which include Creed, Train, and The Fray.
Nile Alexander is a Boston-based soul/R&B singer-songwriter who attends Berklee College of Music. Alexander is backed by his three-piece band, consisting of Kevin McGowan on drums, Alex Labrie on guitar, and Casey Andersen, who also attend Berklee. They are influenced by the likes of John Legend, Frank Ocean, Erykah Badu, and Marvin Gaye.
$10, general admission -
Saul Williams / DJ Carbo
Saturday, June 15, 2013, 8:00 pm939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Saul WilliamsSaul Williams’s early success as a poet has led to collaborations with the likes of Erykah Badu, Nas, the Roots and Zack De La Rocha, and descended as much from KRS One and Public Enemy as from Allen Ginsberg and Amiri Baraka. Raised in Newburgh, New York, by a preacher and a schoolteacher, Williams learned early what it meant to have a calling. He started a journal on a heart-healing trip to Africa with his mother, and continued it while studying acting at New York University. His studies gave way to the more personal verse that would eventually evolve into his Nuyorican repertoire. He has read published poetry, accompanied by full orchestras, in opera houses and has contributed to The New York Times. In 2011, Williams released his fourth studio album, Volcanic Sunlight. Throughout all these ventures, Williams has been an uncompromising voice determined to tap the adrenaline center of his existence with any tool he can get his hands on.
DJ Carbo, a.k.a. Mark Kates, was a resident at one of L.A's. electronica clubs, Atmosphere at The Viper Room, as well as the legendary pirate station KBLT. He now hosts the Fenway Recordings Sessions in Boston. Established in Boston in 2004, the Fenway Recordings Sessions is a regular concert series featuring a mix of established acts and the best new and developing indie artists playing the city's clubs, along with occasional special guest DJs.
$20, general admission -
Diego Garcia / DJ Carbo
Wednesday, June 19, 2013, 8:00 pm939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Diego GarciaEstablished in Boston in 2004, the Fenway Recordings Sessions is a regular concert series featuring a mix of established acts and the best new and developing indie artists playing the city's clubs along with occasional special guest DJs.
Born in Detroit to Argentine parents, Diego Garcia traces his diverse roots on his debut solo album, Laura. Garcia was inspired by the loss of love and the classic troubadour movement. Billboard magazine praised Garcia for his "melodic pop sensibility" and "stellar solo debut." The new album quickly shot up the charts, breaking into the iTunes Alternative Top 15 albums. With lush string arrangements, delicate Spanish guitars, and distinctly Latin flavor, the new album is worlds apart from Garcia's former band Elefant, a post-punk rock band that entered the music scene alongside The Strokes and Interpol.
DJ Carbo a.k.a. Mark Kates was a resident at one of L.A's. electronica clubs, Atmosphere at The Viper Room, as well as on the legendary pirate station KBLT. He now hosts the Fenway Recordings Sessions in Boston.
$10 in advance, $12 day of show, general admission -
Trails and Ways
Thursday, June 20, 2013, 8:00 pm939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Trails and WaysTrails and Ways have a bossa nova-dream pop sound. The two female and two male members of the band all sing, braiding their voices down landscapes of tight percussion, reverbed guitar hooks, and tidal synthesizers. Their lyrics are political graffiti and lovers’ unsaid conversations, crossing at the borders between Spanish, Portuguese, and English.
$10, general admission -
Rajdulari Barnes
Saturday, June 22, 2013, 8:00 pm939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Take Ella Fitzgerald's clear vocal tone, Jill Scott's spunk, and Chaka Khan's funk and you have new jazz vocalist Rajdulari Barnes. The New York-based singer, formerly of Boston, inspires an engaging listening experience for music lovers. At age 17, she was offered her first gig at Ryles Jazz Club in Cambridge, and later shared the stage with Bobby McFerrin while attending Berklee. In 2010, Barnes moved to New York City and started a solo project. In 2011, her ensemble won Best Jazz Band at the New England Urban Music Awards. Their debut release, Honeywine, has remained in Amazon’s Top 100 Most Downloaded mp3s. In 2012, Barnes was selected by Visions Beauty Distributors to write and perform the theme song for their first annual Natural Hair and Health Expo. The single, entitled “Natural,” is featured on her sophomore album, Journey Of A Woman.
$20, general admission -
Amanda Mair
Thursday, June 27, 2013, 8:00 pm939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Amanda MairAmanda Mair is a female singer-songwriter/pianist from Stockholm, Sweden and has become one of the most talked about artists of her country. She was discovered by Club 8's Johan Angergård while only 15 years old after he heard some demos she had recorded with Club 8's touring drummer. She was promptly signed to Angergård's label, Labrador, and started recording tracks with the Mary Onettes, with Philip Ekström at the producer's desk. She released her first single, “House,” in June 2011. The Washington Post says, “The 16-year-old Mair sounds more like Kate Bush than Kate Bush does on her gorgeous, grown-up debut track." In the end of 2011, a survey was conducted throughout Sweden’s music industry to find the “big breakthrough of 2012." Mair won and became Sweden’s most talked about new artist. In 2012, Mair’s self-titled album debuted in Sweden and was by far the most successful release in the official sales charts at the time, which peaked at no. 16.
$10 in advance, $12 day of show, general admission -
Brendan James / Jesse Ruben
Friday, June 28, 2013, 8:00 pm939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Brendan JamesBrendan James is a singer-songwriter who accompanies himself on piano, called “a songwriter on the rise” by Entertainment Weekly. He constructed an 18-month tour in support of his debut album, The Day Is Brave, which was released by Decca Records in 2008 and placed in the Top 10 on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart. James and his producer Warren Huart (Augustana, the Fray, Howie Day) pushed the envelope in 2010 in terms of tempo and production. They emerged with a second album that kept the spotlight on James’s emotionally resonant voice and expressive piano playing. The self-titled album, Brendan James, had several songs featured on various television shows, including Private Practice, Bones, So You Think You Can Dance, and Army Wives. James has launched a successful Kickstarter campaign to raise money to promote his new album in addition to opening for Tyrone Wells for his U.S. tour during March and April of 2013.
Jesse Ruben is a Philly-bred singer-songwriter currently living in Brooklyn, New York. He has independently sold over 10,000 albums, has had song placements on TV shows such as One Tree Hill, Degrassi, and Teen Mom and toured with some amazing artists including Jewel, KT Tunstall, Rick Springfield, and Hanson. His song "We Can" is in regular rotation on the XM/Sirius Coffeehouse channel, which called him “the next generation of singer-songwriter.”
$12, general admission -
Berklee in the Round
Tuesday, July 23, 2013, 7:00 pm939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Berkee in the Round Tuesdays are free acoustic performances showcasing Berklee students, faculty, alumni, and special guests. Inspired by the world-famous Bluebird Café rounds in Nashville, Tennessee, Berkee-in-the-Round Tuesdays are held on the last Tuesday of each month during the semester. The writers are seated in the center of the room and perform their original songs round-robin fashion, creating an intimate listening-room vibe, as if the audience were joining the writers in their living rooms.
A special chair is reserved in the round for a “mystery” guest. This person could be an established artist who is visiting the college or touring in the area or a hit songwriter, for example. You never know who might show up for a few songs or join in for the whole round.
Can't make it to the show? This event will stream live on Concert Window.
Free -
Rosco Bandana / von Grey / Petrina Foley
Wednesday, July 24, 2013, 8:00 pm939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Rosco Bandana is a Gulfport, Mississippi-based band blending a blues/Americana style with modern folk and a hint of Gypsy fanfare. The septet is the product of teenage rebellion and its consequences: lost love, false starts, and, above all, lasting friendship. The band is comprised of members who took a chance on a long shot that paid off against all odds. Rosco Bandana began—spiritually, if not specifically—when principal songwriter Jason Sanford began acting in open defiance of his strict Christian upbringing. This newly formed band has been shaking up the local music scene ever since with its energetic live performances. Whether loud and rowdy or quiet and contemplative, when Rosco Bandana plays live, you can see the joy of music on their faces, as you can see here:
With their soulful four-part harmonies, poetic lyrics and indelible melodies, it’s easy to see why the Atlanta Journal Constitution would hail von Grey as “nothing short of stunning.” The four sisters that comprise von Grey have been playing music nearly their entire lives. Classically trained from an early age, the Atlanta-based quartet – Kathryn, Annika, Fiona, and Petra von Grey – have built on that foundation by performing upwards of 200 shows in the past two years. With recurring residency tours at intimate venues throughout the U.S., they have performed in a supporting role for such artists as Sarah McLachlan and Company of Thieves. Guitar World called von Grey “an Americana masterpiece” that is “just pure talent that has been honed and worked on and molded into something special.” See why here:
Boston singer-songwriter Petrina Foley offers a unique blend of soul-infused, fiery rock ‘n’ roll arrangements and well thought-out lyrics that evoke vivid imagery. Since the release of her album Proper Goodbye in October of 2008, Foley has been focusing her efforts on her songwriting and defining her direction and vision for her future as a solo artist. Foley has recently released her new single, “For You,” along with its sister track, “Just Can’t Take It.”
$10, general admission -
Lucy Wainwright Roche / Suzzy Roche
Thursday, July 25, 2013, 8:00 pm939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Lucy Wainwright RocheAccording to NPR, Lucy Wainwright Roche has been compared to Joni Mitchell and Patty Griffin. The New York native was born into an influential musical family. She rebelled against the family business by teaching elementary school for several years before getting involved in music. Since 2007, Roche has released two EPs and a studio album entitled Lucy (2010), toured the U.S., Canada, and Europe, and has performed with a number of musicians including the Indigo Girls, Neko Case, and Over the Rhine. She is known for her crystal clear voice and straightforward, funny stage presence.
Suzzy Roche, originally from Park Ridge, New Jersey, is best known for her work with the female vocal group the Roches, alongside sisters Maggie and Terre. Suzzy is the youngest of the three, and joined the act in 1977. After performing with the group professionally for more than thirty years, Roche released a few solo works including Holy Smokes and Songs from an Unmarried Housewife and Mother, Greenwich Village, USA.
$17 in advance, $20 day of show, general admission -
Grownup Noise / Krief
Saturday, August 17, 2013, 8:00 pm939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Grownup NoiseGrownup Noise has evolved into a rousing and innovative pop-music outfit, bridging the gap between Americana and indie. Since releasing their self-titled debut in 2007, they have shared stages with performers from comedian Patton Oswalt to fellow avant-baroque musicians like Dresden Doll Amanda Palmer and acclaimed Canadian barnstormers Rock Plaza Central. The band is finally gearing up for its playful, poignant new LP, This Time with Feeling. Described by the Portland Press Herald (Maine) as a combination of "smart lyrics with keen vocals" with songs that are "doses of melodic sunshine.” The Grownup Noise has maintained and built its fan base during the intervening years through a savvy combination of eccentric pop songs, natural talent, and determination.
Writing intensely personal music is nothing new for Montreal's Patrick Krief, either as a solo artist or as the longtime guitarist for the Dears. Upon completing his recent release, Hundred Thousand Pieces, Krief had to step away from the project for nearly six months. The self-produced, self-mixed Hundred Thousand Pieces was his first concerted attempt to create music that was strongly evocative and inspired by his work scoring films.
$10 in advance, $12 day of show, general admission -
The Rosebuds Perform Sadies Love Deluxe
Friday, September 13, 2013, 8:00 pm939 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
The RosebudsIn 2009, the Rosebuds released its fourth album, Life Like, on Merge Records. Kelly and Ivan Howard started the band in North Carolina the week they got married. But the marriage had been failing for two albums, maybe longer, and it was time to call the relationship off. Ivan and Kelly were done, and the buoyant pop-rock couple that youthfully named their first album The Rosebuds Make Out was in limbo. Loud Planes Fly Low, the Rosebuds' fifth and most inventive album to date, is a sad-eyed and bright new start for Kelly and Ivan, beautifully born of the struggle to define their relationship as bandmates and, more importantly, friends outside of the context of marriage. Ten songs, written together in the back room of the house they used to call home, relive their pain and worry. Loud Planes Fly Low is the most honest record since Ivan and Kelly debuted in 2003. It is the start of the Rosebuds' second chance—not as a couple, but as songwriters with, at last, a fascinating truth to tell.
DJ Carbo, a.k.a. Mark Kates, was a resident at one of L.A's. electronica clubs, Atmosphere at The Viper Room, as well as at the legendary pirate station KBLT. He now hosts the Fenway Recordings Sessions in Boston. Established in Boston in 2004, the Fenway Recordings Sessions is a regular concert series featuring a mix of established acts and the best new and developing indie artists playing the city's clubs, along with occasional special guest DJs.
$12 in advance, $14 day of show, general admission