Nationally touring string troupe Rani Arbo & Daisy Mayhem showcases Mass appeal with back-to-back shows in the Bay State this weekend.
The first, the 2012 Hilltown Spring Festival slated for the Cummington Fairgrounds on May 12, sees the seasoned performers releasing their inner children—performing songs from the award-winning family CD Ranky Tanky!
The following evening, May 13, Arbo and her accomplices in well-crafted, roots-based Americana celebrate the release of their first adult-oriented studio effort in half a decade at Shelburne’s Memorial Hall.
Recorded almost completely live, the disc, titled Some Bright Morning, is a mix of traditional songs, originals and covers that the band says was as fun to make as it clearly is to listen to.
In addition to Arbo’s assorted audio mayhem, the Hilltown fest also features performances by percussionist Tony Vacca, the N’Orleans-inspired Primate Fiasco, folk fave Lui Collins, the Hilltown Charter School Choir and an afternoon of Maypole dancing, puppet shows and more.
Tickets for the Hilltown Spring Festival are $8 for adults (children 12 and under free) and available at hilltowncdc.org; Memorial Hall, $20 in advance, $23 at the door $10 for children 10 and under and available at signaturesounds.com. For more, point your browser to raniarbo.com.
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Meanwhile, down in the Nutmeg State, it appears that the organizers of one of the area’s largest golf tourneys—The Travelers Championship (travelerschapmionship.com)—are making a fore-ay into the music world this season.
“With the support of Powerstation Events, we are excited to announce significant musical acts coming to our 2012 tournament,” Director Nathan Grube said of the recently announced appearances by Connecticut native Javier Colon (June 20) and party-pop favorites KC & The Sunshine Band (June 23). “As with all of our events, these concerts will not only provide entertainment, but will help raise additional funds for our charities.”
Concerts at the Travelers Golf Championship are free with admission to the tournament proper and will begin at approximately 7 p.m. (or right after the last golfer finishes) at the Fan Zone, center course.
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In other news, some good news for those who thought they were S.O.L. when indie rock darlings O.A.R. cancelled their show scheduled for April 26 at The Calvin due to a family medical emergency. A replacement date has now been inked for 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 7. All original tickets will be automatically honored for the new show. Those who cannot attend should contact the Northampton Box Office (nbotickets.com) for refunds by June 1.
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Speaking of make-ups, the Simone Dinnerstein performance originally slated for October 2011 finally comes to fruition Wednesday, May 16 at Smith College (musicindeerfield.org).
Dinnerstein’s current album, Something Almost Being Said, ranked number two on the Billboard Classical Chart and made Billboard Top Current Albums in all genres during its first week in sale.
“[The title] was taken from the poem ‘The Trees,'” the prolific pianist proclaims. “Bach and Schubert, to my ears, share a distinctive quality in that their non-vocal music has a powerful narrative. They sound like something almost being said.”
Tix are $32 for the general public, $10 for students and $5 adults.
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Last but not least, the Summit View Banquet House (summitviewbanquethouse.com) in Holyoke kicks off its annual Pavilion Summer Concert Series this Friday, May 11, starting at 6:30 p.m. Southern rockers Bear Mountain get the opening nod, followed by sonic turns by ’70s rockers Moose & The High Tops (May 18), Top 40 favorite Floyd Patterson (June 15 and Sept. 21) and many more local notables clear into the October 5 finale with The Lynyrd Skynyrd Experience. All shows occur rain or shine and, while there is no admission charge for the music, all drinks and food must be purchased on the premises.
Send correspondence to Nightcrawler, P.O. Box 427, Somers, CT 06071; fax to (860) 394-4262 or email garycarra@aol.com.
