When people talk about what made Northampton kind of “pop” onto the map, one thing often mentioned is the Iron Horse Music Hall. Rightly so: this funky little space—even before it expanded to be a bigger, less funky space—has a certain wonderful character, the kind that makes you understand if you didn’t live here, you might just dream of going to see music in that legendary Iron Horse place in that cool New England town. It’s the feeling I’ve gotten hearing about certain clubs in other places.
One reason the Iron Horse made its name was that it gambled on artists not so well known—artists who then remained loyal to the Horse even after they could sell out numerous shows at the bigger club—and they nurtured local talent, too. As a young adult going out to hear a bunch of music, I think it was a place that helped me appreciate something critical about this Valley: how it’s a place that values all it’s able to attract while so often paying close attention to local talents.
I think that reverence for near and far still hold around the region. Last week, I went onto the radio to talk to Bill Scher and Traci Olsen for their Liberal Oasis Radio Show and we talked about just that, in the form of the arts night out phenomenon (in Northampton, Second Fridays; in Pittsfield, Third Thursdays; in your town or city, find out when!). Supporting local arts—artists, craftspeople, and performers—that’s one way to get more familiar with your community and to appreciate its cultural riches. Supporting the local arts scene doesn’t always/only mean you’re seeing or hearing local artists.
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And these days, it’s not only local art that draws folks. How about the lure of local produce? Going to farmers’ markets, for many of us, is a pleasurable activity. One friend, new to town, told me last summer that he was making the rounds to as many markets as he could as a feature of his summer vacation mode. Another friend has invited me to check out the Brattleboro Farmers’ Market, which sounds like a weekly festival of everything.
Just this week in my sweet town, nationally acclaimed but very much local talent comes to my favorite Tuesday Market (sorry other markets, I’m just biased at this point; not only is this market a dreamy little oasis downtown on Tuesdays, I pretty much can count on a chance to meet up with one of my most favorite babies, so…) when the Nields throw a big party (with help from friends–A Child’s Garden, Impish and Cornucopia Foods) to celebrate the release of their new DVD, aptly, for this conversation, entitled Organic Farm. I’ll just add that I’ve loved the Nields for a long time and their expansion into the world of kids’ music means for me more opportunities to enjoy them and share them (that’s to say, it’s all good!). And believe me, their music has been a go-to kids’ gift for a while now.
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While I’m at it with this near and far theme, I’m going to add that in terms of music—specifically that nutty Indie Music for Kids—I am really moved by how Bill Childs of Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child took his near and far reach and his good heart and is releasing a terrific (sounding) CD entitled Many Hands (national release, August 10; locals, big celebratory concert, September 26) in order to raise funds for Haiti. I’ll be writing about this more; for now, check out the list of musicians and be wowed (They Might Be Giants, my teenager’s idolized Jonathan Coulton, to name a couple of super cool ones). Spare the Rock began at Valley Free Radio (still airs there, taped and housed at our local WRSI) and Bill’s brought a torrent of great, live music our way, not just on the radio machine.
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One last thing: Saturday, at the Berkshire Museum, Wrapped: Search for the Essential Mummy opens, its big summer show and the opening has a kind of incredible blockbuster-in-the-Berkshires quality. Start with the fact that the Berkshire Museum has a mummy. My favorite fact is this: the mummy went to Berkshire Medical Center for MRI’s this spring and museum-goers will benefit from this quirky use of modern technology on an ancient object. I guess it’s near, far and past, present all at play. What’s more on Saturday to mark the opening, there will be snake charmers and most importantly, CAMELS on the lawn in front of the museum. Somehow, the chance to see camels in Pittsfield alone seems worth the trip. I’ve spoken to the Berkshire Museum’s director, Stuart Chase, though, and so I have been thoroughly convinced that I will be even more amazed when I go inside the museum and learn more about mummies.
