As publicist Michael Nix recalls, Co-op Concerts started out with great intentions and the simplest of mission statements.
"We are a community of musicians and music lovers who share creativity through live performances while promoting Franklin County as a hub of live music," he explains.
In 2004, that goal was achieved almost exclusively by free concerts at Greenfield's Energy Park. In the years that followed, however, the energy—and positive feedback—from those productions spurred a series of offshoot endeavors including educational programs, a winter concert and a collaboration with a number of Franklin County entities including Greenfield Community College and the Old Deerfield Summer Craft Fair.
Now, with a core membership of some 18 groups/members, the Franklin County Musician's Cooperative is set to release its first compilation CD to the masses—a situation they plan to celebrate this Saturday, March 21 at the All Souls Unitarian Church in Greenfield with a concert that will include Nix, Pat and Tex LaMountain, Katie Clark, Jenny McEvoy and a host of others featured on the recorded effort (which, they add, was largely made possible via the efforts of Barry Higgins and his White Crow Audio Studio).
"Hopefully, the disc will be a creative way to bring in revenue to support our concerts," adds Kathy Chapman, a Co-op coordinator. "We have to pay for the space, sound equipment and the like, and this is obviously a labor of love for all involved. In fact, none of our musicians make any money at their performances… they even pay $40 to join!"
For more information on the organization, the disc or the local show, kindly point your browser to coopconerts.org.
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In other altruistic audio news, no less than the likes of Grateful Dead-duplicators Lobsterz From Marz, The Kings and Aaron Fay will lend their considerable talents to a commendable cause on Saturday, March 21 at the Springfield Turnverein in Agawam.
That's the date and location for the Benefit For Emayley Mellum, a local four-year-old who suffered serious burns over more than 50 percent of her body in an accidental fire in her home Dec. 22. She is now recovering at the Shriners Hospital in Boston, and the funds raised from this event will help defray the costs. For more info on the show or how to donate, check out lobsterzfrommarz.com/emayley.htm.
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In other news, St. Paddy's Day proper may have passed, but as the luck o' the Irish has it, there is still at least one more chance to celebrate the holiday with a few of the Emerald Isle's favorite sons. Folk-rock faves The Saw Doctors are slated to visit Noho's Calvin Theater this Friday, March 20. The local show comes on the heels of the band's just released DVD, Clare Island To Cape Cod: The Saw Doctors In Concert—a documentary film that features extensive footage from the band's August 2008 Cape Cod Melody Tent concert in Hyannis.
Speaking of Irish pride, some 900 U2 fans found what they were looking for on March 11—tickets to the supergroup's top secret Somerville Theater show. Although thousands of others were not as fortunate, many were able to at least catch a glimpse of the multi-platinum, multi-decade music moguls, with Bono reportedly waving, signing autographs and even planting a couple of kisses and holding a baby before heading into the venue.
The band begins its official trek in support of its latest, No Line On The Horizon, across the pond in June and will not return stateside until fall, checking in for a Gillette Stadium engagement planned for Boston on Sept. 20.
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Lastly, Wednesday, March 11 also marked an auspicious occasion in Springfield, as it was the opening night for The Rock Café (myspace.com/springfieldrockcafe), a new venue at 280 Worthington St., housed in the former Pour House facility. While the inaugural evening boasted an open mic format, future plans call for an eclectic mix of originals, metal nights and some heavy-duty tributes including Badmagick, the Godsmack show, this Friday, March 20.
Send correspondence to Nightcrawler, P.O. Box 427, Somers, CT 06071; fax to (860) 698-9373 or email Garycarra@aol.com.
