by Gary Carra | May 20, 2015 | Arts, Columns, Music, Nightcrawler
Last year, local musician/promoter Thomas Kielbania Jr. believed there was enough interest to resurrect the fabled “Kielbasa Fest” in his hometown of Chicopee after it lay dormant for nearly two decades. Gate totals of nearly 20,000 meat-seekers at the city’s Szot...
by Gary Carra | May 6, 2015 | Articles, Arts, Columns, Featured, Music, Nightcrawler
Just when you thought it was safe to put your wallet away, out trots another apple product. But with more than two dozen bands cranking out more than 32 hours of music Aug. 21-23, Gary Phelps’ Apple Jam Roots Music Festival is a relative bargain, with three-day...
by Gary Carra | Apr 28, 2015 | Columns, Music, Nightcrawler
Normally, when looking to tinker with the formula on a time-tested venture, feasibility studies are conducted. Will the target population support the change? Do current trends indicate the potential for growth? In the case of the 29th annual Green River Festival and...
by Gary Carra | Apr 21, 2015 | Arts, Columns, Living By The Stars, Music, Nightcrawler
In its earliest form back in Ireland and Scotland circa the 15th century, the distilled spirit we now call whiskey was commonly referred to as “aqua vitae.” Curiously, the word “vitae” means “blameless in life; innocent.” But as history has well chronicled, aqua vitae...
by Gary Carra | Apr 14, 2015 | Arts, Columns, Music, Nightcrawler
There’s certainly nobody waiting in line any given Tuesday to grab the latest CD from their favorite group at the local record store. Heck, there are barely any local record stores left. (Except for in the Valley, it seems.) The exit of record stores has seen the...