‘If you can hit one note and hit it hard’: Western Mass Sacred Harp singers ready for biggest annual event
By CAROLYN BROWN Staff Writer On Saturday, March 8, and Sunday, March 9, the Western Massachusetts Sacred Harp Community (WMSHC) will host their biggest annual event, the Western Massachusetts Sacred Harp Convention, at Bombyx Center for Arts & Equity in Florence...
New life for Iron Horse: Parlor Room buys longtime entertainment venue, plans to reopen early next year
By ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL Staff Writer At long last, the Iron Horse Music Hall has a new owner, and music could be emanating from the venerable Center Street location as soon as February. The Parlor Room, a nearby music venue run by a nonprofit, announced last month...
Saying ‘I do’ at school: Couple who met at UMass Amherst win a wedding sponsored and hosted by their alma mater
By EMILY THURLOW For the Advocate As the largest public research institution in New England, the University of Massachusetts Amherst holds an international reputation for its more than 200 academic programs serving over 28,000 students. The university has received...
Mixtape: Music for the people, by the people: New arts cooperative, THCC, seeks home for member-run music venue
By JENNIFER LEVESQUE For the Advocate We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: The music scene just hasn’t been the same post-COVID. Many venues remain vacant and are quite literally decaying. Some opened for a short period of time, then closed indefinitely....
Monte Belmonte Wines: A toast to 50 years of the Valley Advocate
By MONTE BELMONTE For the Advocate The 50 year anniversary edition of the Valley Advocate? Wow. I’m honored to be in it! My first recollection of picking up the Advocate was back in 2002, when this future wine columnist was only three years into his (legal) drinking...
Theater Matters with Jarice Hanson: The best of the Berkshires: Two plays with two different styles give audiences Broadway-quality productions, plus what’s on stage for spooky season
By JARICE HANSON For the Advocate With the summer season winding down and “transition time” — both in terms of the seasons and the local theater offerings — ramping up, two plays stand out as “the best of the best.” Donald Margulies’ newest (and perhaps his best)...
From deviant to decriminalized: The surprising progressive roots of the War on Drugs
By ROBIN GOLDSTEIN For the Advocate Since the birth of the progressive era, western Massachusetts has been a hotbed of progressive activism. But some of that activist history might surprise you. Progressivism was a Protestant social reform movement that swept America...
On the big stage: UMass Amherst Fine Arts Center offers music, dance, theater and more in new season
By STEVE PFARRER Staff Writer Like so many other arts venues, the Fine Arts Center at the University of Massachusetts had to resort to online productions during the worst of the pandemic. As FAC Director Jamilla Deria told the Gazette at the time, planning for the...
An exhibit that flows like water: “Boundless” at Amherst College showcases over three centuries of Native American art and writing
By STEVE PFARRER Staff Writer From the pages of a 17th century Algonquin-language Bible, to a 2021 painting that celebrates the majesty of whales, a new exhibit at the Mead Art Museum at Amherst College devoted to Native American art is built around the theme of...
Book Bag: ‘A Fool’s Journey: To the Beach Boys & Beyond’ by Carli Muñoz; ‘A Boston Love Story’ by Lawrence B. Siddall
By STEVE PFARRER Staff Writer A Fool’s Journey: To the Beach Boys & Beyond By Carli Muñoz Interlink Publishing Jazz pianist Carli Muñoz has had a long and successful career in music, both as a jazz and blues player but also logging time with rock and pop bands,...
Music with a message: Northampton Jazz Festival takes over downtown next weekend with a celebration of music and civil rights
By STEVE PFARRER Staff Writer Max Roach is celebrated as one of the most influential drummers in jazz history, a pioneer of Bebop who led groundbreaking ensembles in every decade of his long career. As a drummer and a composer, he’s credited with making drums a more...
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Valley Show Girl: ‘Soulfly! … Fly High! … Soulfly! … Fly Free!’
Arizona-based metal band Soulfly are coming back to our local music scene here in the Valley on their latest tour.
The V-Spot: How Do I Amp Up Masturbation?
If you’re looking to create your masturbation practice as your main mode of sexual expression, you’ve got to put in the effort.
Get Out With Staff Picks: First Night Music, Rubblebucket, Weeds, and Home Alone
2018 First Night Northampton // SUNDAY Checking out all the great local bands while meandering through the chilly streets of downtown Northampton is a tradition for me on New Year's Eve, and this year is no exception. There's a plethora of amazing acts performing...
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Stagestruck: Bridging the Social Distance
With campuses closed and classrooms empty, teachers of acting, directing, and other hands-on theater skills are challenged with applying long-distance work-arounds to complete their spring courses. Forget “intimacy training” — how can you do scene work when your actors have only screens to touch?











