Women’s history told through clothing: Shelburne Falls Area Women’s Club to host ‘Real Clothes, Real Lives: 200 Years of What Women Wore’ author, April 9
By MADISON SCHOFIELD Staff Writer The Shelburne Falls Area Women’s Club is celebrating its 100th birthday this spring, and will kick off its centennial speaker series with a talk on the history of women’s clothing with Northampton author Kiki Smith on April 9 at the...
‘His notes will linger forever’: Remembering Young@Heart accordionist and Springfield College professor Chris Haynes
By CAROLYN BROWN Staff Writer Chris Haynes, longtime accordionist for the Young@Heart Chorus and associate professor emeritus of music at Springfield College, died on Wednesday, March 12. “Chris was somebody who really cared about people, really made sure they were...
Macbeth, up close and personal: Second annual Montague Shakespeare Festival puts a new spin on the ‘psychological dark power drama’
By CAROLYN BROWN Staff Writer By the pricking of my thumbs, “Macbeth” to Franklin County comes! Montague Shakespeare Festival’s production of “Macbeth” will run the weekends of March 28 to 30 and April 4 to 6 at Shea Theater in Turners Falls. The famous Shakespeare...
She’s every woman: Meet the western Mass chapter of the International Order of Mrs. Ropers
By CAROLYN BROWN Staff Writer A character from the 1970s/1980s sitcom “Three’s Company” is bringing people in western Mass (and beyond) together for fun and good vibes. The sitcom, which ran on ABC from 1977 to 1984, was about three roommates (Janet, Chrissy and Jack)...
What is possible when you get to the root?: The peer-run Wildflower Alliance redefines mental health care, leaves the system in the dust
By Melissa Karen Sances For the Valley Advocate Her phone pinged and a grey bubble rose to the surface: “Are you ready to come back?” The answer was supposed to be yes. She should return and recover. All she had to do was find the right cocktail, her doctor had said,...
Theater Matters with Jarice Hanson: Finding comfort in being together: Local productions inspire hope and unity
By Jarice Hanson For the Valley Advocate If we’ve learned anything since the Inauguration of the current President, it’s that chaos can make you feel hopeless and helpless. But in such trying times, theater and the ability to join together for a common goal can be...
Monte Belmonte Wines: Cheers to DEI: Must-try wines from Black winemakers, both at home and abroad
By Monte Belmonte For the Valley Advocate Diversity. Equity. Inclusion. The leader of the free world is working diligently to rid the USA of DEI. And many organizations, large and small, public and private, are either obediently heeding our leader’s directives, or...
Vinyl addict since 1984: A review of two vinyls: J Prozac’s “Obsession” and Oh He Dead’s “Ugly”
By Jennifer Levesque For the Valley Advocate After a show in Rhode Island, I once told Thom Yorke (Radiohead, The Smile) that he was my antidepressant. “Good. I’m easier to come off on,” he said, then paused and smirked, “Oh that didn’t come out good, if you know what...
Passionate on and off the bandstand: Jazz community mourns the loss of bassist George Kaye
By CAROLYN BROWN Staff Writer Jazz bassist George Kaye, longtime member of the Valley’s Green Street Trio, died on Monday, Feb. 10, at the age of 73 after a period of failing health. “He was a very deeply caring person,” said Ruth Griggs, president of the Northampton...
Video killed the streaming subscription: Visions Video opening next month in Northampton with thousands of titles to rent
By CAROLYN BROWN Staff Writer A new video store is coming to downtown Northampton. That’s right — a video store, in 2025! Visions Video is slated to open at 183 Main St. (in the former location of Spill The Tea Sis Apothecary) in mid-March. The volunteer-run store...
Lights, camera, Eastworks: Photographer and model couple open a new studio in Easthampton
By ALEXA LEWIS Staff Writer The story of David Heisler and Crystal Truehart Heisler is something straight out of Hollywood: A model and a photographer meet on the set of “The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency” reality TV show, fall in love and spend years building...
Sessions
Check out our most recent performances in the playlist below, or click here to dig into interviews and related material!
Let smoke shops sell weed legally: An argument from your resident cannabis economist
By Robin Goldstein For the Valley Advocate When voters vote to legalize weed, their intent is to legalize weed. And yet, in states across America, devils lurk in the details of how weed is regulated. Some of these devils have turned out to be so monstrous that they...
‘His notes will linger forever’: Remembering Young@Heart accordionist and Springfield College professor Chris Haynes
By CAROLYN BROWN Staff Writer Chris Haynes, longtime accordionist for the Young@Heart Chorus and associate professor emeritus of music at Springfield College, died on Wednesday, March 12. “Chris was somebody who really cared about people, really made sure they were...
The V-Spot with Yana Tallon-Hicks: How do I transfer my solo orgasms to partnered sex?
Hi Yana, I have no problem with giving myself an orgasm with a vibrator on my clit, but I’ve never managed to orgasm with a partner. I’m OK with that — I’ve greatly enjoy partnered sex without orgasm, but I’d love to broaden my orgasmic horizons. Even bringing the...
Summer of loves: Polyamory in the Valley isn’t what you think
By Melissa Karen Sances For the Valley Advocate “You know what goes on behind closed doors in a polyamorous household?” Fox asks, and I lean in closer. We’re on the phone and he is 800 miles away, so I am leaning toward — nothing. I am on the precipice of something, I...
The Beerhunter: Local Breweries Adapt to a New, Locked-Down World
This article was supposed to be about gathering in large groups.
Stagestruck: Putting Down My Pen
I filed my first article for the Advocate in May 1986. This one is my last. After some 2,000 reviews, previews and features, I’m giving up my ticket to the critic’s proverbial aisle seat and taking my place in line at the box office.
