You name it, The Reverend Tor Band is celebrating it this weekend — s seventh CD, a first DVD, and then there’s the 20-year milestone of cranking out some of the most consistent groove-oriented rock in the area.
“It’s been an amazing journey, and I’m really happy about the new tunes and can’t wait for everyone to hear them,” band mouthpiece/namesake Tor Krautter says of Live At The Unicorn, the disc and companion DVD recorded in March of this year during a sold-out performance in Stockbridge. “It’s kind of a departure for us, too, with the songs a little less jam-oriented — more refined and mature — and lyrical subject matter that dives deep into family and relationships.”
The core Tor configuration of Krautter, bassist Dan Broad, percussionist Andy Crawford and pianist Ben Kohn is joined by a horn section on Unicorn — Peter McEachern on trombone, Jamie Finegan on trumpet, and Charlie Tokarz on sax and clarinet. Berkshire-based singer/songwriter Mary Verdi also lends her voice to several tracks to great effect.
Admission to the anniversary/CD/DVD release party at The Gypsy Joint in Great Barrington July 11 is free. Show starts at 8 p.m.
In other cents-less acts of audio, the Holyoke Rotary Foundations Summer Concert Series kicked off this Wednesday, July 8 at Heritage State Park on Appleton Street. Local rockers Out of the Blue got the opening honors, passing the torch to scene stalwarts Brass Attack (July 15) and The Franny O Show (July 22) before Holyoke’s homegrown Irish duo Ireland Parish closes things out July 29. All shows run 6-8 p.m. and in the event of rain, all shows will be automatically rescheduled to the Thursday of the same week. Food and drinks will be available for purchase at the Rotary Grill and parking is free after 5 p.m. at the Proulx Garage on Dwight Street.
Also in the Paper City, veteran Valley rocker Ray Mason kicked off the Holyoke Lodge of Elks #902 Outside Music Series Independence Day weekend. This series continues on Saturdays throughout the month with Leather & Lace on July 11, Sweet Daddy Cool Breeze July 18, and Janet Ryan with Straight Up July 25. All concerts occur at the Elks Lodge on Whitney Avenue rain or shine, 6-9 p.m. Bring a lawn chair or blanket, but no pets or coolers.
Last, but not least, the powers that be at Enfield, Connecticut’s Fourth Of July celebration committee have once again determined that the further they have their actual event from the Fourth, the bigger the names they are able to secure. The 2015 installment proves no exception with no less than the likes of Darik & The Fun Bags, John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band, Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes, Max Creek, The Weight, and Junior Marvin’s Wailers confirmed for July 10-12 on the Enfield Town Green. For specific time slots and other celebration information, kindly point your browser to enfieldcelebration.org.•
Send correspondence to Nightcrawler, P.O. box 427, Somers, CT 06071; fax to (860) 394-4262 or email garycarra@aol.com.
