Theater Matters: Curtains up: A guide to the Valley’s unmissable summer theater season
By Jarice Hansen For the Valley Advocate Have you ever attended a reading of a play or story that went on to live in your mind? Play readings are becoming more popular than ever, thanks in part to the types of radio programs and podcasts that stimulate your auditory...
‘Love is not a fact; it’s faith’: Local band Pretty Killer follows a singer’s journey from addiction to recovery
Editor's note: The following piece includes candid depictions of substance use and addiction that may be triggering for some readers. Reader discretion is advised. By Melissa Karen Sances For the Valley Advocate In the spring of 2013 at an empty sober house in Boston,...
‘It was a surreal experience’: Documentary made about Greenfield man recording at Abbey Road Studios after contest win
By Domenic Poli Staff Writer A dream came true last year for Jamie Manning when he spent two days recording an original song in England after winning a competition that garnered 5,500 entries from — one could say — here, there and everywhere. The Greenfield resident...
‘The imagination is endless’: New exhibit at Forbes Library showcases creativity through fiber arts
By Carolyn Brown Staff Writer It is rare to encounter a gigantic stuffed snake in a library, but a new exhibition makes it possible, showcasing the creature alongside other works crafted from scraps and repurposed fiber materials. The Fiberistas’ exhibition, “Bits and...
Monte Belmonte Wines: Rosé by any other name
“That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” I’ll take some poetic license with ol’ Will Shakespeare: “That which we call a rosé by any other name would smell as sweet.” But here’s the thing: rosés aren’t always sweet, either in smell or in...
Academy of Music launches accessibility initiatives, fundraising campaign
By Carolyn Brown For the Valley Advocate The Academy of Music recently launched two initiatives to make performances more accessible to guests with disabilities: a capital campaign to raise money for an assisted listening system, and a partnership with Valley Eye...
Connecting on a different level: Playfighting class in Florence helps participants shed inhibitions and build strength
By Carolyn Brown For the Valley Advocate On a recent Saturday morning in Florence, two friends were arguing over who would be the first to hug the other. “I’m gonna hug you, bro!” said Aaron Cantor. “I’m gonna hug you, bro!” said Joseph Goldin. The friends were...
Director shares how travel restrictions are impacting Green River Festival lineup
By Sheryl Hunter For the Valley Advocate The lineup of the 2026 Green River Festival is evolving in the wake of international travel restrictions implemented by the Trump administration. DSP Shows recently announced that Nigerien band Etran de L’Aïr and Colombian...
‘Like a little side trip to Fantasyland’: Folk-blues singer-songwriter Chris Smither celebrates Oscar win with cast and crew of ‘The Singers’
By Carolyn Brown For the Valley Advocate Acclaimed folk-blues singer-songwriter Chris Smither, who lives in Amherst, never expected to be cast in a Netflix movie — and he certainly never expected to be part of a project that won an Oscar. “It’s pretty special, all the...
‘I have to be my own role model’: Indë Francis launches new album, which explores identity and self-discovery
By Carolyn Brown For the Valley Advocate Growing up in western Massachusetts, local musician and “artivist” Indë Francis, who performs mononymously as Indë, lacked role models who could help them understand their identities. Now, with their new album, they’re honoring...
Back Porch Festival returns with 60-plus performers at 12 Northampton venues
By Carolyn Brown For the Valley Advocate The roots music festival Back Porch Festival will return for its 12th year from Friday, March 27, to Sunday, March 29, with more than 60 performers at 12 venues throughout downtown Northampton. Two of those venues — Haze and...
Sessions
Check out our most recent performances in the playlist below, or click here to dig into interviews and related material!
O Cannabis: Bedtime weed to treat insomnia and sleep apnea
Some say it works, and research is being done on connections between weed and sleep.
Mixtape: Time to make the music: Local icons, Donut Kings celebrate 40 years of making music
By Jennifer Levesque For the Valley Advocate Celebrating a 40th anniversary of any kind is a huge milestone in life. When it comes to an artistic form, there’s typically a slew of work to look back on and enjoy. For the Donut Kings, they have over 10 studio albums, a...
The V-Spot with Yana Tallon-Hicks: What actually makes for good sex
After over a decade of doing this work, I firmly believe that everybody who is interested in having sex wants to be good at it. Or, at the very least, they want to have sex that is good rather than sex that is not. Meaning, we are motivated to experience good...
Emily Nagoski has done the research: It’s ok to love your body
By Melissa Karen Sances For the Valley Advocate "Emily’s mission in life is to teach women to live with confidence and joy inside their bodies." This sentence mesmerized me. It’s an assured statement about a complicated topic: body image and sexuality, and it is the...
The Beerhunter: 2020 Brew Years Resolutions
Across America, the craft beer scene is fizzing with activity. Food and drink options have expanded at taprooms, many of which are finding ways of attracting a daytime crowd by showcasing new skills like coffee roasting.
Stagestruck: Wit and Wile on the Riviera
As winter approaches, National Theatre Live serves up a summertime tonic (as in, gin and). The live-capture of “Much Ado About Nothing,” Shakespeare’s comedy of wit and wile, screens twice this month at Amherst Cinema, the Valley’s indispensable film house.
