JOHN GORKA |
Friday, June, 1st, 2012
8:00 PM | $22 adv/$25 door
Rising from a milieu of lovelorn singer-songwriters, John Gorka illuminates instead with his trademark wordplay, twisting, turning and tying words and phrases in the way a balloon artist creates complex creatures from simple balloons. Few contemporary songwriters coax language as deftly as Gorka.
For over two decades, Gorka's keen ear has picked up the stories of those along his path, folding them into poetry and song. His keen perceptiveness inspires people from all over the world to share their stories. By involving those tales in his music, he escapes the trap of introspection that hobbles less gifted singer-songwriters.
John Gorka flies below the pop culture radar with an almost cult-like following that never fails to fill concerts. Speak with any of his fans and one instantly feels their enthusiasm and genuine affection. His shy, almost self-effacing stage presence rightfully focuses attention on the songs. His versatility on guitar and piano keeps his sets musically interesting, while his rich baritone effortlessly executes his bidding. And he's never short of the sly comment or clever joke that invariably ignites the audience.
Artist Website: www.johngorka.com
DAR WILLIAMS TWO SHOWS! |
Saturday, June, 2nd, 2012
6:30 PM & 9:30 PM | $35 adv | $38 door
Dar's new CD, "In the Time of Gods" draws on the crazy, turbulent, and often very human lives of the Gods as depicted in ancient mythology. One of the most acclaimed singer-songwriters of her generation, Dar Williams has been engaging audiences with her musical artistry since the early 1990s when she rose from the Northeast coffeehouse circuit to the national spotlight. A native of New York's Hudson Valley, where she still resides, Williams maintains in her life and music a strong system of values, idealism and community involvement.
Throughout her career, Williams has toured with artists such as Joan Baez, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Ani DiFranco, Shawn Colvin, etc. Few performers create a bond from the stage with an audience like Williams does. Because her songs succeed with storytelling "intimate, honest and whimsical travails and triumphs" listeners lean forward to catch the details, which are copious and meaningful.
Artist Website: www.rachelefron.com
Artist Website: www.darwilliams.com
Kids' Open Mic |
Sunday, June 3rd, 2012
3 pm - 6 pm $5 at the door
A monthly open mic for kids 10 - 18 years old. Hosted by Portland musicians Liam Swift and Sadie Grant. All levels of experience welcome. Sign-ups begin at 3 pm. For more information, call 761-7099.
Music Movie Mondays: Woodstock Diary |
Monday, June 4th, 7pm |
($7 or ($25 series pass - phone orders only.)
Woodstock Diary" Monday, June 4, 7 pm
We close out our Music Movie Mondays series with the greatest rock festival of all time, Woodstock! This is the second of the 2 Woodstock films that were released, the one you probably didn't see. A little documentary at the beginning helps remind us of the event (wow, what an event!), then it's mostly all music. Richie Havens, Sly & the Family Stone, Janis Joplin, the Who, Jimi Hendrix; nothing more needs be said except "don't miss it, and get your tickets early!" Executive Producer: Alan Douglas.
Max Garcia Conover and Jaw Gems | Wednesday, June, 6th, 2012
8:00 PM | $8 adv/$10 door
Chosen by the NPR Mountain Stage Newsong Contest as one of the best new songwriters in the northeast, Max García Conover invites his audiences to enter into overgrown landscapes and vibrant scenes, to join him as he bushwhacks through life with songs.
Now based happily out of Portland, Maine, Max has jumped around the globe for the last few years. He's lived in Puerto Rico, Spain, Western New York, Coastal Maine, and Taiwan, and has been writing songs throughout. After returning to Maine, he put out his first EP in July 2011 and a second, entitled Birches Lo, in February 2012.
The genre-defying Jaw Gems have been bringing crowds to Local 188 every Tuesday night for months. The group consists of DJ Moore, Andrew Scherzer, Ahmad Hassan Muhammad, and Tyler Quist, and their dynamic sound is a blend of hip hop, soul, jazz, and a whole lot of other things.
Max Garcia Conover and the Jaw Gems have both recently been nominated for awards from The Portland Phoenix -- Max for Best New Act and the Jaw Gems for Best Jazz Group.
Artist Website: www.maxgarciaconover.com
Artist Website: www.jawgems.bandcamp.com
ADAM EZRA GROUP |
Thursday, June, 7th, 2012
8:00 PM | $10 adv/$10 door | Dance Floor show! Seats in Balcony only
On 11/11/11 the Boston based, Adam Ezra Group, officially released their much anticipated album, "Ragtop Angel." The CD is their debut on Royal Avenue Records and was produced by multiplatinum producer Aaron Johnson, best known for his work with The Fray. Upon it's release, "Ragtop Angel" shot to the top of the Amazon charts (peaking at #4 behind John Mayer and Sarah Bareilles) and was featured on iTunes "New and Noteworthy Rock Albums" in December of 2011. Soon after, Ragtop Angel won "Album of the Year" and "Takin' Off" won "Song of the Year" at the New England Music Awards. The group's live performances, sweaty, passionate affairs that have been compared to those of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, attracted the attention of Royal Avenue Records in 2010. Ezra immediately signed with Royal Avenue and began working on the album that eventually became Ragtop Angel. Royal Avenue paired the group with producer Aaron Johnson who has helped hone Adam's ramblings into finely tuned pop songs that still retain the power and conviction developed from Ezra's years of "do it yourself," grassroots work ethic.
Having toured with Rusted Root, The Avett Brothers, Jason Mraz, Corey Smith, Deer Tick, The Goo Goo Dolls, Blues Traveler, Los Lobos, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Dwight Yoakam, and many more, the Adam Ezra Group has graduated from the local Boston scene to the national level with a momentum that is catapulting them towards being one of the country's most talked about bands.
Artist Website: www.adamezra.com
RAY BONNEVILLE |
Friday, June, 8th, 2012
8:00 PM | $15 adv/$18 door
Canadian Ray Bonneville has quickly become a fixture in the Americana scene since moving to Texas, becoming one of the go-to session players for artists like Ray Wylie Hubbard, Mary Gauthier and Eliza Gilkyson. Noted for having one of "the sexiest guitar styles around" (Acoustic Guitar magazine), Ray is a unique player who has performed with B.B. King, Muddy Waters, and Robert Cray.
His Red House release Goin' By Feel was named one of the best CD's of 2008 by DownBeat Magazine and featured the Americana hit "I Am the Big Easy," which was #1 most played song on folk radio that year and won the Folk Alliance Award for Song of the Year. The tune was a powerful tribute to the resilience of New Orleans, where Ray lived for half a decade and picked up his take your time attitude toward music.
Honing his songwriting craft for the last 35 years, Ray's gritty storytelling and deep-grooving blues style has won him much critical attention. In 1999, Ray won the prestigious Juno Award (Canadian Grammy) for his third album Gust of Wind. His fourth release, Rough Luck, was also nominated for the coveted award. With his 2004 Red House debut Roll It Down, Ray made himself a name for himself in the US, garnering rave reviews from DownBeat and No Depression. Since then, his star has been on the rise, with his award-winning release Goin' By Feel, his folk-charting cover of Bob Dylan's song "It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry" (featured on A Nod to Bob 2: An Artists Tribute to Bob Dylan on His 70th Birthday) and now, with his new album Bad Man's Blood.
Artist Website: www.raybonneville.com
ROSA NOREEN'S 4TH ANNUAL SOLSTICE SPECTACULAR | Saturday, June, 9th, 2012
8:00 PM | $15 adv/$18 door
Rosa Noreen's 4th annual Solstice Spectacular variety show! Belly dance, blues, hip hop, aerial arts and more by top entertainers from Portland and beyond! The last three years have sold out, so get your tickets early!! - Ruby Beh. Turkish style belly dancer all the way from California! - Samuel James. Our favorite emcee and acoustic roots musician - Rosa Noreen. Show host and favorite leading belly dancer - Miss Bliss. Aerial artist from Boston! - Cinder Conk. Enchanting Balkan music duo - Cait Capaldi. Fusion belly dancer extraordinaire - Zafirah of Montreal. International belly dancer beloved of Mainers! - Sontiago. Portland's own hip hop legend, accompanied by the PHS step team!
CHRISTIAN CUFF BAND |
Monday, June 11th, 2012
8:00 PM | $10 adv/$10 door
Christian Cuff celebrates the official 2011 release of his album Chalkboard with a European tour this Spring, alongside band members Joey Pierog (upright bass), Johnny Venom (guitars and keys), and Dan Boyden (drums). Cuff will bring his energetic and engaging live performances to venues in England, Italy, Holland, France, Belgium, Sweden, and Germany.
Chalkboard was recorded in the woods of New Hampshire with Rocking Horse Studio and released in the United States in May, 2010. The album was produced by Brian Coombes and features the work of twenty-three musicians, including members of the New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra. Following upon the critical success of his 2008 debut album Silo, Cuff's second album marks an artful transition from a mellow, smoky acoustic sound towards a fuller, richer and more diverse musical range.
Christian Cuff is renowned for live performances that deftly blend light-spirited banter with powerhouse pieces that are at times dark, brooding and aggressive. His music draws its roots in the rugged coastline of Maine and the gritty streets of New York City, and these backgrounds are reflected in the honesty, raw emotion, and quick wit inherent in Cuff's work. Haunting and evocative, Cuff's lyrics tell narratives of grace and despair, rendered through moments of biting humor and irony. His music drives and pushes forward, combining entrancing harmonies, eclectic instrumentation and intricate rhythms into complex pieces that buzz with energy.
Artist Website: www.christiancuff.com
AOIFE O'DONOVAN with John Fullbright |
Wednesday, June 13th, 2012
8:00 PM | $20 adv/$25 door
Aoife (pronounced EEF-ah) grew up in a musical family, immersed in folk music. She went on to study contemporary improvisation at the New England Conservatory of Music in her hometown of Boston. Since her first professional engagement singing lead for the folk group The Wayfaring Strangers, she has maintained a wide variety of side projects and collaborations, working with numerous other artists including Ollabelle, Sometymes Why, Karan Casey and Seamus Egan, Jerry Douglas, Jim Lauderdale, Darol Anger, Sarah Jarosz, Sara Watkins, Christina Courtin, Noam Pikelny and Chris Thile (The Punch Brothers). Most recently she has recorded and performed with Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Stuart Duncan and Chris Thile as a guest vocalist on The Goat Rodeo Sessions (Sony Masterworks Oct 2011).
For the past 10 years, Aoife has been fronting the alt-bluegrass/string band Crooked Still, which she formed when she was 18. Despite her young age, Aoife has toured in ten different countries, performed with the Boston Pops and the Utah Symphony Orchestra and has appeared on countless radio and television programs.
Her natural talent for songwriting recently came to the attention of Alison Krauss, who recorded Aoife's song Lay My Burden Down, which is included on Alison's album Paper Airplane (2011 Rounder Records) and can also be heard in the film Get Low (2010 Sony Pictures). Aoife's crystalline voice has also been heard on True Blood (HBO) and Private Practice (ABC).
In June 2010, Aoife released her first solo recording in the form of a limited edition 7" vinyl. Featuring two original tracks, it garnered rave reviews from audiophiles worldwide. Aoife is currently on tour with Crooked Still, with plans to record a full length album due for release in 2012.
Three years ago John Fullbright burst upon the Southwest music scene with a stellar live album recorded at the famous Blue Door in Oklahoma City. From his home in Okemah, Oklahoma, also the home of Woody Guthrie, John honed his songwriting and playing skills to such a degree that before he was out of high school he was a favorite at festival campgrounds. The past three years have seen John share the stage with Jimmy Webb, Michael Fracasso, Joe Ely, Steve Poltz and many others from Oklahoma to Europe and back.
Artist Website: www.aoifeodonovan.com
Artist Website: www.johnfullbrightmusic.com
HEATHER MALONEY and OLD SOUL with SOFIA TALVIK | Thursday, June 14th, 2012
7:30 PM | $10 adv/$12 door
Since her head-first dive into the indie music world in November of 2009, Heather has co-written with Grammy-nominated composer Hui Cox (Richie Havens, Baba Olatunji, Liza Minelli), played more than 200 shows, and shared the stage with many celebrated acts like Meg Hutchinson, The David Wax Museum, Guy Davis, Caravan of Thieves, Carsie Blanton, Mike & Ruthy, Jill Sobule, and The Stone Coyotes.
Heather Maloney's April Fools Day release "Time & Pocket Change" is an album rich with quirks and passion. Rooted in indie-pop, T&PC is a play between the coffeehouse intimacy of folk and the dramatic narrative of opera. Unfettered vocals and guitar lines move through daring arrangements and enforce her "stop-you-dead" lyrics. (Rochester City News)
Sofia Talvik is the next rising star from Sweden. She has emerged like a lady of the forest, bringing a new interesting side to folk music. Where other artists surrender to the mainstream, Sofia makes her own paths through the musical underbrush of today. Her soft and airy music has been recognized by music lovers and critics all over the world, allowing her tour the US several times. In 2008, she became the first Swedish female singer to play the Lollapalooza festival. Having released four full-length albums since 2005, Sofia is embarking on an extensive tour in the US, starting in December 2011. Leaving her backing band at home, she is performing instead with video art that brings her stories and the mystical world of Scandinavia to life.
Artist Website: www.heathermaloney.com
Artist Website: www.sofiatalvik.com
Artist Website: www.facebook.com/oldsoulmusic
ANNI CLARK AND DAN MERRILL |
Wednesday, June 20th, 2012
7:00 PM | $12 adv/$15 door
Anni Clark was recently nominated for "Female Vocalist of the Year" in the Texas Music Awards, based on her newest CD Anni Clark LIVE. Recorded at the rustic and intimate Deertrees Theatre in Harrison ME one hot summer's eve, the disc showcases 15 of Anni's most requested songs. With over two decades of full time touring and seven successful recordings under her belt, this Maine native's passion for communication through music continues to build a widespread and loyal audience. Anni supports her strong melodic vocals with both six and twelve string guitars to create infectious performances that blend "folk, pop, & blues with a dash of Maine hue-mah."
Dan Merrill is an award winning Maine singer, performer and songwriter. A winner of the "Newfolk" Songwriters' award at the Kerrville Folk Festival in Texas, Dan ranks among the best Maine has to offer. Intimate, honest lyrics and soaring vocals set to acoustic rock, folk and singer-songwriter styles. His most recent release is "Tomorrow to Yesterday."
Artist Website: www.anniclark.com
Artist Website: www.cdbaby.com/cd/danmerrill2
THE PORTLAND JAZZ ORCHESTRA |
Thursday, June 21st, 2012
8:00 PM | $5 students, seniors, and advance. $9 door
Dr. Chris Oberholtzer and his 18 piece ensemble perform an evening of big band swing!
Artist Website: www.myspace.com/pjomaine
POUSETTE DART BAND |
Friday, June 22nd, 2012
Due to circumstances beyond our control the Pousette Dart Band show has been cancelled. There is no reschedule date at this time.
THE PORTLAND FESTIVAL Presents:
GUITAR MASTER CLASS |
Thursday, June 28th, 2012
3:00 PM | Free and open to the public
(email info@portlandfestival.org for a reservation)
Guitar Master Class, featuring visiting artists Sharon Isbin and Doug Wamble in teaching session with Maine guitarists. Sharon Isbin is an internationally-acclaimed classical guitarist. A former student of Andres Segovia and the head of the guitar departments at both the Juilliard School of Music and the Aspen Music Institute, she is regarded as one of the pre-eminent classical guitarists of her generation. Doug Wamble, a Memphis native, has recorded on the MarsalisMusic/Rounder label and performed with Branford and Wynton Marslis, Cassandra Wilson, and Madeline Peyroux, among others. His scores have gained acclaim in Ken Burns' documentary films and he is a sought-after teacher of jazz and blues guitar in New York and a regular at the Montreal Guitar Festival.
ALEXIS P. SUTER BAND | Friday, June 29th, 2012
8:00 PM | $17 adv/$20 door
When the great Bluesman B.B. King first heard Alexis P. Suter sing a few years ago, he was visibly impressed - and said so after her opening set. Shaking his head in wonder in his characteristic way, he remarked: "It's a rare thing to share the stage with great talent like that young lady." Considering the caliber of performers who appear on the same bill as King, that's a heady compliment. And she has earned similar accolades from other well-known musicians and performers, including Levon Helm of The Band and Dan Akroyd, better known in the Blues world as Elwood Blues, who called her "America's number one contender for the new Queen of the Blues."
A true vocal phenomenon, bass/baritone powerhouse Suter and her band began wowing audiences in the northeast 6 years ago as regular performers at Levon Helm's Midnight Ramble Sessions in Woodstock, NY. "She is one of those wonderful spirits, she's got her arms around you, you can feel that," Helm has said.
Since then, they have been in demand at North American festivals including, just in the past summer: The Toronto Waterfront Blues Festival, The Cincinnati Blues Festival, Floydfest in Floyd, VA, The Kitchener Blues Festival in Kitchener, Ontario, The Vermont Blues Festival, The Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival in Salmon Arm, British Columbia and The Columbia Blues Festival in Columbia, SC. During the fall of 2009, the band toured Italy as part of Blues Al Femminile. In 2009, the band was showcased at New York City's River and Blues concert series and at the New York State Blues Festival, where Dan Aykroyd joined them onstage for "Got My Mojo Workin'."
Along with Levon Helm's band, the Alexis P. Suter Band has played sold-outs shows at the Beacon Theater in New York City, Bethel Woods Center For The Arts and Central Park Summerstage. The band has also appeared on Imus in the Morning. At Floydfest this summer, where they played on the same day as the Levon Helm Band, Suter was invited up to sing on The Weight, which usually closes Helm's show.
Artist Website: www.alexispsuter.com
SLAID CLEAVES with Rod Picott |
Saturday, June 30th, 2012
8:00 PM | $20 adv/$23 door
Slaid Cleaves. Grew up in Maine. Lives in Texas. Writes songs. Makes Records. Travels around. Tries to be good.
Granted, there's a whole lot of history and detail that could be shoehorned into that most minimal of bios to flesh out Cleaves' story. But all that's really called for, from time to time, is a footnote or two to bring folks up to speed on his latest batch of literate, sepia-toned Americana songcraft.
, 20 years after his Southwest migration, he's releasing his first live album - a double disc, no less, titled Sorrow & Smoke: Live at the Horseshoe Lounge, on Music Road Records.
When he first contemplated a live album, Slaid turned to the massive collection of performance recordings he's acquired during his decades as a wandering troubadour, traveling from stage to stage and entrancing audiences with tales of lost souls. But he couldn't bring himself to sort through it all, and decided to do fresh versions.
"I thought, 'How can I make a live record special?'" Slaid explains. 'Well, it has to be in a special place.'" It makes perfect sense; so many of his songs reference watering holes anyway. Sorrow & Smoke fully conveys the spirit of an intimate yet jovial crowd: Clinking beer bottles. Laughter. Sing-alongs. Good-natured heckling. "The give and take, this sort of conversation I have with the audience," he says. And of course, the self-deprecating humor that leavens the singer's stories of people struggling to make sense of their lives.
"That's a big part of the show and I wanted to capture that as much as possible," he says, adding, "I also wanted to give an honest depiction of what my show is like these days."
From the northern mill towns of New England is Rod Picott. A South Berwick native who transplanted to Nashville in 1994, Rod has since collaborated with legendary artists including Allison Krauss, Gillian Welch, and Slaid Cleaves.
Artist Website: www.slaidcleaves.com
Artist Website: www.rodpicott.com
The THE BAND Band:
A Celebration of the music of Levon Helm |
Friday, July 6th, 2012
8:00 PM | $20 adv/$23 door
We at OLS are deeply saddened by the passing of Levon Helm, one of the greatest American Rock and Roll artists of all time. We wanted to do something special to mark the occasion and it only seems fitting to bring back our favorite tribute band for a show that focuses on Levon's life and music. The Band band has given us many excellent performances over the years already, always treating their chosen subject matter with taste, respect and love ,and we expect this to be the best yet as we gather to celebrate the life of a true music legend.
The mission of The THE BAND Band is to present the music of The Band in a manner true to its original style and form, evoking the sound and the spirit of their live performances!
Artist Website: www.thethebandband.com
(207)761-1757 - PH
(207)842-0703 - FAX
www.onelongfellowsquare.com
promotion@onelongfellowsquare.com
Office:
181 State St. Suite 201
Portland, ME 04101
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