Newsletter
Pick of the Day 6/28: The Road to Mecca
Silverthorne Theater opens its production The Road to Mecca this evening. Helen is a South African widow and has been working on a sculpture garden, which is a dream trip to “Mecca.” Her pastor is urging her to move into a senior retirement home, but a...
Local Calendar: Thursday 6/28 – Sunday 7/1
THURSDAY 6/28 MUSIC Children of the Falls: 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. Join us the patio for an evening of classic rock hits performed by Children of the Falls. 6 to 10 pm. All Ages. No Cover. Free. Luxe Burger Bar, 1200 West Columbus...
O Cannabis: From stigmatized weed pipe maker to artisanal marijuana glass blower
Chris Hubbard has been crafting artisanal glass pipes for marijuana smokers with his Florence-based business Akame Glass for more than a decade and thinks the stigma against weed-related glassblowing is shifting, and his industry is starting to be legitimized by the...
Bizarro Briefs: Keep your eyes off the road
A county coroner in Kentucky has been accused of working with at least two others — a retired police colonel and a current state police trooper — of illegally transporting a number of items. The most serious appeared to be $40,000 worth of illegally obtained weapons...
Pioneer Valley Project and Stop & Shop union partner to host job fair for Puerto Rican families displaced by hurricanes
A partnership between grassroots activism group, the Pioneer Valley Project, and UFCW Local 1459, a union that represents workers with regional grocery chain Stop & Shop, yielded potential job opportunities for local Puerto Rican families displaced by Hurricane...
Pick of the Day 6/27: The Naked + Famous
The New Zealand indie electronic band Naked and Famous just played a sold out show in DC and they’re bringing their Stripped tour to town tonight at the Iron Horse. The band has been around since 2007 and has produced three albums. Tonight they’ll strip...
VIDEO: Asia Mei on Valley Advocate Sessions Friday
Asia Mei is a Northampton-based singer-songwriter with virtuoso piano and a dash of 1990s alternative rock. Check out a teaser video for her Advocate Sessions video, which will be released this Friday.
The V-Spot: I’m The Other Woman
Hi Yana, I want to avoid having an emotional (or sexual) affair without ending a friendship. I have a friend who I really like, and am attracted to, but he’s married. I’ve known him for a couple of years, and we always hang out with his wife, who I...
Monte Belmonte Wines: The potential of Massachusetts wine
Massachusetts is no Bordeaux. It’s no Napa. Perhaps with global warming, someday it will rival the great wine regions of the world, which is why I keep a tire fire burning in my backyard at all times. But given the limitations of our climate, are our burgeoning...
Pick of the Day 6/26: Won’t you be my neighbor?
When I was at the University of Pittsburgh, I worked part-time at WQED Pittsburgh Public Television. During fund drives, they would move Mr. Rogers props into the first floor hallway so telephone operations could be set up. Even up close there was no demystifying the...
Valley Advocate Q&A with Klezperanto – klezmer, surf, funk, Columbia big band music, and cop show themes all in one
Klezmer music is by its nature a joyous high energy form of music, but what do you get when you add in Mediterranean melodies, Romanian surf tunes, covers of cop show theme songs, and a funk groove? You get Boston-based band Klezperanto. They’re set to play...
Stagestruck: At a Crossroads on “The Road to Mecca”
Silverthorne Theater Company has come a long way since its founding five summers ago. Struggling at first with difficult venues and miniscule audiences, the company, under the leadership of Lucinda Kidder, is now celebrating the half-decade mark with a permanent home...
Podcast: Undocumented immigrant Eduardo Samaniego discusses family separations
Eduardo Samaniego is an undocumented Hampshire College student turned immigrant rights activist at the Pioneer Valley Workers Center. Having arrived in Georgia at the age of 16, he graduated high school as student president, but was precluded from attending the...
Cinemadope: Animated summer fare in the Valley
It’s finally getting into the full swing of summer here in the Valley — the asparagus festival has come and gone, the colleges have mostly emptied out, and keeping up with the yard work is beginning to turn downright Sisyphean. If you find yourself longing for a...
Local Calendar: Monday 6/25 – Thursday 6/28
MONDAY 6/25 MUSIC A Very Intimate Acoustic Evening with Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo: June 25, 8 p.m. $71 – $141. Experience special arrangements from two rock and roll icons during A Very Intimate Acoustic Evening with Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo. Mahaiwe...
Pick of the Day 6/25: Summer Concert in Turner’s Falls
Let’s dance! That’s what the Montague Community Band wants you to do tonight. A concert on the lawn at Peskeomuscut Park in Turner’s Falls will give you a dose of summer in New England. This week’s theme is, indeed, “Let’s...
Free Will Astrology: Even cigarette butts can be useful, Aquarius
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Your best ideas and soundest decisions will materialize as if by magic while you’re lounging around doing nothing in a worry-free environment. So please make sure you have an abundance of relaxed slack and unhurried grace. Treat...
Stagestruck: A lawyer walks into a rabbi’s office…
Bar Mitzvah Boy is a comedy that looks seriously at faith, community, and loss. Its premise contains the seeds of sitcom: A middle-aged Jewish lawyer who hasn’t set foot in a synagogue since he was a boy is suddenly in a rush to have his way-overdue becoming-a-man...
In bid for seventh term, Mass. Secretary of State William Galvin clarifies his history of support for same-day and automatic voting
Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin, who is running for his seventh term in office after serving in the position for more than two decades, is facing a challenge from Boston City Councilor and Democratic opponent Josh Zakim, pushed back on the notion that...
Pick of the Day 6/24: A Voice for ALS Fundraiser
Here’s a worthy cause: A Voice for ALS features NBC Voice star Terry McDermott. Although the concert is free, contributions to the ALS Association are encouraged. For many with ALS losing their voice is connected with the loss of identity; here’s a great...
Pick of the Day 6/23: American Animals
Oh boy, there’s nothing more delightful than amateur criminal movies, and this is the unbelievable but true story of four college guys who attempt to an extraordinary art heist at Kentucky’s Transylvania University. The film centers around two friends, Spencer...
Dark and Light: Duality at the Hosmer Gallery
The Forbes Library is a handsome structure abutting the Smith College Campus at 20 West St. in Northampton. It’s stately and grand and at one time it was known as “the castle on the hill.” The grounds are perfectly manicured and the circular drive allows for easy...
Valley Show Girl: Rock Like It’s 1794
For my last column, I wrote about The Stone Church in Vermont, a church renovated into a performance venue. What are the chances I happen to find another one of those without knowing it until I show up? Well, I did. Enter the 1794 Meetinghouse in the center of the...
Lucio Perez, himself separated from his family, to call for humanity at the border with Congressman McGovern
Congressman James McGovern, D-Worcester, and undocumented immigrant Lucio Perez, who is taking sanctuary at the First Congressional Church in Amherst, will make a joint call to end inhumane practices at the U.S.-Mexico border on Saturday. “President Trump’s...
Haymarket owner, who raised pay, ended tipping in 2015, praises minimum wage legislation
While the Legislature was debating raising the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour in a ‘grand bargain’ bill passed by the House and Senate on Wednesday, Haymarket Cafe owner Peter Simpson was increasing his lowest paid workers wages to $15.50....
VIDEO: Mamma’s Marmalade on Valley Advocate Sessions Friday
Mamma’s Marmalade is a a jammy bluegrass group with plenty of old timey cheer. Check out a teaser video of the band’s Advocate Sessions, which will be released this Friday.
Local Calendar: Thursday 6/21- Sunday 6/24
THURSDAY 6/21 MUSIC British Dance Invasion: 7 p.m. Academy of Music Theatre, 274 Main St., Northampton. Colorway Album Release with Easy Weasel, Featuring Chris Collingwood: 7:30 p.m. – 10 p.m. $10 advance, $12 at the door. Colorway has been keeping the spirit...
Pick of the Day 6/22: Christopher Bekriges at the Bing
Got a personal note from Christopher Bakriges. He and whole bunch of heavyweights are in Forest Park tonight at the Bing. I’ll let him speak for himself: Pianist/composer Chris Bakriges will be “joined by his mentor at Wesleyan University, Jay Hoggard...
Pick of the Day 6/21: Vilray at the Parlor Room
There’s a lot going on tonight: Junior Reid at Hawks and Reed and Liz Longley at the Iron Horse. But I thought I’d let Vilray (pronounce Vil-ree) give his own shout out for today’s pick. He posted this back on 6/11. You can see him up close and...
‘Grand bargain’ $15 minimum wage bill passed by Legislature
The Massachusetts House has unveiled and quickly passed a long-awaited “grand bargain” bill aimed at keeping citizen petitions off the ballot this year, including measures supporting a $15 minimum wage, paid family and medical leave, and sales tax adjustments. Later...
Stagestruck: “Tight Pants” and strong bonds
A six-week workshop for first-time playwrights taught by the Majestic Theater’s Danny Eaton has borne unexpected fruit. It has not only brought forth a full-length play, but has inspired Eaton to establish an annual “new works” week at the theater. Betel Arnold’s...
Staycation 2018: Food, fun, hiking and a whole lot of summer fun in the Pioneer Valley
Welcome to summer, the season for much needed respite from the tiresome routines of daily life. Planning an elaborate vacation, however, can be just as stressful as a day on the job. So why not slow your roll and keep it local? Staycations are all the rage and there’s...
Bizarro Briefs: Keep Your Eyes Off The Road
Keep your eyes off the road A county coroner in Kentucky has been accused of working with at least two others — a retired police colonel and a current state police trooper — of illegally transporting a number of items. The most serious appeared to be $40,000 worth of...
Pick of the Day 6/20: Junior Brown at the Iron Horse
Okay, honestly, I can’t stand new country music; it’s a horrible thing. I absolutely despise it. So when somebody like Junior Brown blows into town, it’s an opportunity to hear country music done right. Junior Brown’s a country guitarist...
Fresh off Democratic endorsement, Secretary of State challenger Josh Zakim visits Northampton
Josh Zakim, a Boston City Councilor and a Democratic candidate for Massachusetts Secretary of State, visited the Northampton farmers’ market this afternoon alongside Mayor David Narkewicz, speaking with customers and vendors about how he plans to implement...
Massachusetts high court quashes democracy in decision on Fair Share Amendment
The state’s Supreme Judicial Court did an extreme disservice to voters this week, taking away the potential to vote on the popular “Fair Share Amendment,” which would have created a 4 percent tax on the wealthy and used the money for education and transportation...
Can Legal Marijuana Snuff Out the Black Market?
The long-awaited moment is nearly here: marijuana will be legal to sell in the state of Massachusetts as of July 1 — with a license. But a question that has arisen for many long-term users of marijuana is: what is going to happen to the unlicensed, illegal marijuana...
Letters to the editor: Tiny houses? How about tiny families.
Editor’s Note: Welcome to our letters to the editor page. Here you’ll find reader comments on Advocate articles and other news. We collect readers’ opinions from emails, letters, Facebook comments, and comments to valleyadvocate.com. Want to get in on this? Email...
Editorial: Zero tolerance for U.S. ‘zero tolerance’ immigration policy
I’m angry these days. I try to hide it as best I can, but the piling up of atrocities committed by the Trump administration is taking its toll, and I doubt I’m the only one concealing a bubbling rage as I go about my day. But the recently-implemented “zero tolerance”...
Pick of the Day 6/19: Mutlu at the Iron Horse
After last night’s wild and woolly weather, you need a de-stressor. Check out the smoothness of Mutlu at the Iron Horse tonight. He’s a real deal, a soulful singer-songwriter from Philly and a proud first-generation American of Turkish descent. He’s...
Stagestruck: A Crisis of Faith, with Laughs
Church & State is the funniest play about a serious issue I have ever seen. The issue is gun violence, specifically mass shootings, and the humor is threaded into the storyline so organically that, far from cheapening the theme, it lends to it a richer, more...
Podcast: Beerhunter Hunter Styles and Beer Week co-founder Sally Noble talk beer
Advocate alumnus Hunter Styles, who still writes our Beerhunter column, and Sally Noble, co-founder of Western Mass Beer Week, tell us about the embarrassment of riches of beer we have in the Valley. Hear about Sally’s beer beginnings and the start of Western...
The V-Spot: How Do I Move Past Old Heartbreak?
Hi Yana, I’m a dude in my mid-thirties struggling to recover from a sort of recent break-up (over a year ago). We were together for seven years. The last three of those years were spent in couples therapy and the last year of our relationship was spent trying to be...
Free Will Astrology: Scorpio, Go play outside for a while!
ARIES (March 21-April 19): According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you have cosmic permission to enjoy extra helpings of waffles, crepes, pancakes, and blintzes. Eating additional pastries and doughnuts is also encouraged. Why? Because it’s high time...
Cinemadope: A great time for film lovers to check out Forbes Library
Something I’ve come to love about Father’s Day weekend is my own dad’s profound disinterest in the world of the internet. He doesn’t give a fig for Facebook, has no email address, and if he were ever involved with something viral it would be cause for a trip to the...
Local Calendar: Monday 6/18 – Thursday 6/21
MONDAY 6/18 MUSIC AMHERST JAZZ ORCHESTRA: 7:30 p.m. – 10 p.m. Free. With vocalist Ethel Lee. No cover, free parking and great food. Union Station Grand Ballroom, 125A Pleasant St., Northampton. 413-253-1607. info@amherstjazzorchestra.com. STAGE/FILM/DANCE On...
Pick of the Day 6/18: The Seagull
Who doesn’t love a little Russian tragicomedy? Chekhov did. No, not Chekhov from Star Trek, I’m talking about Anton. The movie The Seagull is an adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s play by the same name. Here’s the scoop: Friends and family gather...
Basemental: Wendy Eisenberg just wants to be a good person and make very complicated music
Wendy Eisenberg has made a name for herself in the amalgamated DIY, jazz, and improvisation scenes in New England and beyond. Coming via Rochester and then Boston, Eisenberg now lives in Amherst. Eisenberg has a variety of tactics in her artist’s toolbox. Among them...
Pick of the Day 6/17: Brooke Annibale at the Parlor Room
It makes my job easy when my picks make their own plugs! Singer songwriter Brooke Annibale posted this on Twitter Friday afternoon: “Playin in Northampton, MA this Sunday night@ParlorRoomMusic with Ben Jaffe! Everybody bring your dads cause it’s Father’s Day and...
Pick of the Day 6/16: Kevin Morby at Gateway City Arts
Kevin Morby rose to fame as bassist in the folk rock band Woods and as the co-founder of The Babies. It’s the one year anniversary of his fourth studio album City Music; it was released on June 16, 2017. He describes the album as a “listless...
New mixed use building at North Square coming to Amherst Mill District next year
By the summer of 2019, Amherst will have a new mixed-use development of 130 low to moderate income apartments and eight to 10 new spaces for businesses at North Square in the community’s Mill District. A groundbreaking ceremony for the development took place with...
Northampton resident and lifelong activist Rose ‘Arky’ Markham dies at 102
Some sad community and activism news — longtime political activist Rose “Arky” Markham passed away earlier this week. Sad in that she passed away, but among the things she has left behind are the results of a life well-spent, as can be seen in her...
Students ask the questions at Northampton High School event for state rep and senate candidates
“I am consistently inspired by the youth activists in this community,” said Lindsay Sabadosa of Northampton in front of a room full of students, teachers, parents, and community members at the Northampton High School auditorium on June 13. Sabadosa, a candidate for...
Pick of the Day 6/15: Hot Club of Cowtown at the Iron Horse
The Hot Club of Cowtown is at the Iron Horse, swinging and twanging and doing their thing tonight. They’re celebrating their 20th anniversary by releasing their first-ever CD format of their very first recording, Western Clambake. Western Clambake has only been...
Pick of the Day 6/14: Albert Lee at the Iron Horse
English guitarist Albert Lee is at the Iron Horse tonight. Lee is known for his fingerstyle and hybrid picking technique. A Grammy winner, Eric Clapton says Lee is “the ultimate virtuoso. His skill is extraordinary, his ear is extraordinary and he’s gifted on just...
Local Calendar: Thursday 6/14- Sunday 6/17
THURSDAY 6/14 MUSIC Albert Lee: 7 p.m. Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St., Northampton. Drop-in Traditional Music Sessions: 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. $5 at the door. Friendly traditional music sessions. Moderate swingy pace. Adults and teens of all skill levels...
Stagestruck: At Shakespeare & Company, the Show Must, and Did, Go On
A theater story: For three years in the mid-’70s, Anthony Perkins starred in the long-running Broadway production of Equus, playing the psychiatrist Dr. Dysart (pause for Psycho jokes). Just before one matinee came an announcement: “Anthony Perkins will not be...
North, South, East, West: More rail coming to Springfield
Tuesday afternoon at Union Station in Springfield, Gov. Charlie Baker announced increased rail connectivity in the city’s future. Going north and south, there will be a pilot program beginning in 2019 for passenger rail service that would run twice a day from...
Staff Picks: Pub Sing, Mutlu, and Deus Ex Machina
Pub sing at McNeill’s // Saturday, June 16 There isn’t enough singing in our pubs around here. But McNeill’s in Brattleboro is working to fix that. Led by Tony Barrand and Amanda Witman, the bar is open for sea shanties, work songs, pub songs, and all the rest. Open...E-Edition
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