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 May 17 (Saturday): Tracy Grammer & Mark Erelli  click
for show details- Two Great Folk Singers, One Great Show ---
Tracy Grammer:
... One of the finest pure musicians anywhere in folkdom. The Boston Globe
... I was honored and humbled by the invitation to sing on this record. Mary Chapin Carpenter ---
Mark Erelli:
... Erelli’s gentle vocal inflections and starkly beautiful fingerpicking especially capture the mood...with hushed tones and excellent musicality, Erelli’s solo performances will surely appeal to any fan of stripped-down, genuinely heart-felt folk music. Northeast Performer
May 18 (Sunday): David Bromberg Quartet click
for show details- Back again for an encore performance. Bromberg’s live show remains as unique as ever. Concerts by David and his band are extraordinary events, and performances follow no set pattern of selection. Give and take between performer is complete, spontaneous, and totally sincere. As the NY Times noted “He has such control of his audience that he can, at one moment, hold it in his hand with a tender, touching yet funny anecdotal song, and then set it romping and stomping with a raucous bit of raunch. He is electrifying.”
May 24 (Saturday): Wine, Dine and a Diva "4" click
for show details- A wine dinner with a musical twist! Featuring performances between courses by Carol Noonan, and guitarists Duke Levine and Kevin Barry. Not to mention some terrific wine descriptions by the lovable lush, Mario Abandanza, celebrity wine critic to the stars. (AKA our own Tim Ostendorf from the Stone Mountain LIVE crew).
June 6 (Friday): Iris Dement click
for show details- One of the most celebrated country-folk performers of our day, singer/songwriter Iris Dement is a gem among the folk circuit. She wears her politics on her sleeve as well as in her songs. I don't believe she has been around these parts in many years. Don't miss her.
June 8 (Sunday): Comedian Julia Sweeney click
for show details- ......once a member of the the Saturday Night LIVE crew..You may remember her as the character "Pat". While she has retired that persona, she has resurrected a one woman show that is heard often in part on National Public Radio's This American Life, as well as other NPR programming. Letting Go of God...her third one woman monologue Julia discusses her Catholic upbringing, early religious ideology, and the life events and internal search that led her to believe that the universe can function on its own without a deity to preside over it. Not everyone's view, but she is endearing and funny while she gives you hers.
June 10 (Tuesday):Ben Hammond Record Release Show click
for details- ..yes one of our own is coming back to celebrate the release of his new album. A graduate of Fryeburg Academy, now touring his new album, and stopping here to play for his family and friends and of course inviting some new fans a long the way. Accompanying Ben's acoustic guitar and beatboxing for this show will be two other fantastic Fryeburg Academy alums; long time collaborators and friends Danny Berglund on drums and Kelly Muse on Bass.
June 13 (Friday): Judith Owen click
for show details- Yeaghhhhhhhhh....anyone who saw Richard Thompson last month was equally wowed by the dramatic song stylings of Judith Owen. I would say she is a cross between Julie London, Dusty Springfield, and Renee Fleming!!?? She is so great. We all fell head of heels for her, and we are really happy she is coming to do a show of her own. An engaging singer and pianist who we couldn't get enough of......The New York Times loves her too:
..."the kind of wailing folk-jazz voice that slices away surfaces to touch vulnerable emotional nerve endings and leave you quivering"
June 14 (Saturday): Mistah SMAC 2008 click
for show details- A Masculine Pageant To Benefit the Brownfield Library
Yes, you read right. Some of SMAC's finest patrons and crew will be competing for the crown and the title of "Mistah SMAC 2008". We have hand picked the contestants and they will not disappoint you, as they show you their talents, their strengths, their intellect, and well, their stuff! (sorry...no nudity). It's for a great cause, and the guys who are willing to do this, are most likely your neighbors and friends. They will really need your support and of course so does will library!!!!! C'mon out for the fun ot it.
June 15 (Sunday): Mavis Staples click
for show details- I am honored, privileged and so excited to tell you that this powerful vocal gem of our musical history is back again to literally "grace" our humble place. If you talked to anyone who saw this show last year, they will tell you that the show was like going to church....only no kneeling!!! I mean she was amazing...the band was amazing....I cannot say enough...ask someone who was there....and listen, I tell you all the shows are great, I tell you all the shows are not to be missed....but its not often I tell you that you will regret it if you don't see it....I reserve that for some special shows and this is one of them. I want everyone I love to see this show, everyone I might love someday!! Her latest album is still the best album I have heard in years.....we play it all the time....come see why.
June 20 (Friday): The Second City Comedy Troupe click
for show details- Since 1959, The Second City has established itself as a Chicago landmark and a national treasure. The theatre that launched the careers of such comic greats as John Belushi, Mike Myers, Bill Murray, Gilda Radner. The Second City Touring Company takes its act on the road throughout the year to venues all over the world. The four touring companies from the United States and the one from Canada perform "Best of Second City" revues featuring some of the greatest scenes, songs, and improvisations from the vast archives of The Second City. Lotsa Laughs!!! (definitely adult humor)
June 21 (Saturday): The Roches click
for show details- An acclaimed female vocal group of three songwriting sisters known for their unusual and rich harmonies, quirky lyrics and casually comedic stage performances. They have delighted audiences for over twenty year, and a ticket in Brownfield will be no exception.
June 22 (Sunday): Big Bad Voo Doo Daddy click
for show details- Okay...this is the show I have been trying to book since we opened! To say this band is swingin', is understating like we had "some" snow this year. These guys pay tribute to an era of zuit suits and swing music...putting their own spin on it at the same time. Click for show details then visit their website to watch a video....you can see and hear a sample of what we think will be one of the funnest nights we have had yet up here on the hill, Go Daddy-e-o!!
June 26 (Thursday): Dan Tyminski Band click
for show details- He is a featured member of the band Alison Krauss and Union Station, but he is likely best known for the song "Man of Constant Sorrow," which was featured in the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? and won the 2001 CMA award for best single as well as a Grammy Award for best Country Collaboration with Vocals (along with Harley Allen and Pat Enright, filling out the vocals for the movie's Soggy Bottom Boys). In total, he has won 10 Grammy awards for solo and collaborative projects. He and his high lonesome sound will be appropriately up here in the Mountains with his top notch bluegrass band...don't miss it.
June 29 (Sunday): Martin Sexton click
for show details- Singer songwriter...emphasis on the singer!!!! Geez, what a voice from pop to soul this guy glides easily. He doesn't tour a whole lot in Maine, so don't miss him. "Martin Sexton is ripe with ... raw, expansive talent. His voice comes in a hundred impossible shades. His songs are sweet and spirited and soulful. His repertoire is like a cross-country tour of the American musical vernacular." Boston Globe
June 30 (Monday): Richard Thompson click
for show details- Richard Thomspon just like you love him! Just the man, the guitar, and his witty musings that we have all missed on the big shows. Member when you saw him in that small room with a couple of hundred other Richard Thompson heads? Well now you can. This show will sell fast.
July 3 & 4 (Thursday & Friday): Judy Collins click
for show details- You read it right..not Joan, not Susan,..I mean THE Miss Judy Collins. Up close and personal for two shows. How great will she sound in our humble barn? Well I would humbly say wicked great, And by the way, you'll actually get to see those amazing eyes of hers!
July 5 (Saturday): An Evening with Livingston Taylor click
for show details- to benefit Mountain Top Music Program
- Folk singing star Livingston Taylor is back for an encore performance to benefit the Mountain Top Music program. The Mountain Top mission is to enrich lives and build community by providing inspiring music education and by offering performance and listening opportunities throughout the area and they are the only significant music lesson program established in our neck of the woods. It's a really important program especially for our young budding musicians and I hope you will come support them and see a great night of music at the same time.
July 6 (Sunday): Dar Williams click
for show details- Dar was one of the first acts booked at SMAC, so we have a special place in our hearts for this gal. She is an acclaimed singer-songwriters for 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.
July 10 (Thursday): Bob Marley click
for show details- He just sold out 8 performances at the Merrill Auditorium in Portland. Come see why. Hailing from Maine, but now a national success, he is one of the few comics to do the complete late-night TV circuit: “The Late Show” with David Letterman, “The Tonight Show” with Jay Leno, “Late Night” with Conan O’Brien and “The Late Late Show” with Craig Ferguson and Craig Kilborn. His material heavily features all that is Maine and New England, and literally hits home. It'll be a buncha fun...and c'mon we could all use that!!!
Some adult material. PG 13 - This show originally scheduled for July 18th.
July 12 & 13 (Saturday & Sunday):
- Stone Mountain LIVE with female singing sensations - The Wailin Jennys
- Maine's hottest new variety show hosted by Carol Noonan along with the Stone Mountain Boys featuring guitarists Duke Levine and Kevin Barry and the rest of the Stone Mountain LIVE crew.
July 16 (Wednesday): Ollabelle click
for show details- Drawing both inspiration and materials from a deep well of rural American roots music--including gospel, blues, bluegrass, and country--Ollabelle reimagines these sounds for contemporary audiences, honoring the spirit and substance of the original sources while allowing this music to live and flourish in a post-modern era. This band has been compared to "The Band", and of course having the daughter of Levon Helm, Amy Helm as one of the two strong female vocalists, can't hurt that comparison either.They are really terrific, and that's why they are back. Comes highly SMAC recommended.
July 17 (Thursday): Bob Marley click
for show details- He just sold out 8 performances at the Merrill Auditorium in Portland. Come see why. Hailing from Maine, but now a national success, he is one of the few comics to do the complete late-night TV circuit: “The Late Show” with David Letterman, “The Tonight Show” with Jay Leno, “Late Night” with Conan O’Brien and “The Late Late Show” with Craig Ferguson and Craig Kilborn. His material heavily features all that is Maine and New England, and literally hits home. It'll be a buncha fun...and c'mon we could all use that!!!
Some adult material. PG 13
July 18 (Friday): Aztec Two Step click
for show details- ...there was Aztec Two-Step, performing with an unrefined sweetness and verve that was folk-rock, pure and simple...Here was music that was honest, that spoke from the heart and soul without quilt or guile, that sang of hope, love and peace without any trace of irony. It was music that had it's priorities straight." ~ The Hartford Courant
Can't say it any better than that!
July 19 (Saturday): Nanci Griffith click
for show details- Up close and personal! Whether performing her own poetically evocative material or the compositions of her influences, friends, and peers, grammy award winning Nanci Griffith possesses a powerful gift for inhabiting the songs she sings - for communicating unspoken intimacy and heartache through her tender voice and lilting, delicate phrasing.
July 20 (Sunday): Crooked Still click
for show details- Rock energy coexists with old-time mountain soul. Spooky backwoods melodies combine with hip hard-hitting beats. Raw, searing blues riffs intermingle with high heavenly vocals. Sound good? Here's the catch: No electricity. No drums. Fresh out of the studio with a new album!
Meet Crooked Still, the hot young alternative bluegrass group on a mission to bend the boundaries of traditional music. The unlikely combination of banjo, cello, and double-bass drives this low lonesome band, whose captivating vocals and high-wire solos have enraptured audiences all over North America and Ireland since 2001.
July 23 (Wednesday): Jimmie Dale Gilmore click
for show details- What's the next big thing to getting the Flatlanders? How bout one of the three titans of the group. Texas born Jimmy Dale has a voice that sounds like the old west. He is a songwriter, an actor a producer. He is the real country deal. Jimmy Dale is a personal favorite of my husband Jeff's...and it doesn't hurt that he had a cameo in his favorite movie, the Big Labowski. A very special show, not to be missed.
July 24 (Thursday): Laurel Massé click
for show details- Founding singer of the Manhatten Transfer.
A great song stylist, singing anything from standards to jazz. With her trusty trio including, "Tex" Arnold on piano, this is a return visit we will look forward to!
July 25 & 26 (Friday & Saturday):Paula Poundstone click
for show details- omedian Paula Pundstone is back again for lots of laughs and to point out the painfully obvious withher quick wit, spontaneous ad libs and hilarious stories....yes, and no doubt she will make fun of my barn again! Don't miss her, she is like family to us now.
July 31 & August 1 (Thursday & Friday): Cowboy Junkies click
for details- It was worth the wait,but they are back again!! Their album Trinity Session is
perhaps their best known album, recorded live in a single day on a single
microphone in a church in Toronto. We would humbly say, seeing them here is a taste of that. I think a band like that fits right in here in our church like space. They are moody, beautiful, cool and exceptionally talented. Yup it's another honor.
August 2 (Saturday): Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience details- This Grammy award winning "Zydeco Master" and native Creole of Louisiana is already a legend in his genre after nearly two decades as a professional touring and recording artist. He has consistently diversified and shaped his beloved zydeco music into a sound uniquely his own.
There will be limited dinner seating and room for dancing.
August 3 (Sunday): Tom Rush click
for show details- He has a lot of great songs to sing and some equally great stories to tell. This folk favorite is back for what we hope is an "annual encore" performance!
August 13 (Wednesday): BeauSoleils avec Michel Doucet click
for details- Since forming in 1975, Grammy winners BeauSoleil have claimed their undisputed role as the most esteemed Cajun group in music. BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet take the rich Cajun traditions of Louisiana and artfully blend elements of zydeco, New Orleans jazz, Tex-Mex, country, blues and more into a satisfying musical recipe. From The Grand Ole Opry to Newport Folk, from concert hall to dance floor, the music of BeauSoleil continues to captivate audiences the world over.
Limited dinner seating available to make room for a small dance floor. Come listen or dance or both!!!
August 15 (Friday): Bill Morrissey click
for details- Singer songwriter who now calls New Hampshire his home, Bill Morrissey's astute lyrical gifts and graceful, understated melodies have put him on festival stages across the world; into theatres, concert halls, and coffeehouses; garnered him critical acclaim from magazines, authors, and music peers; and have earned him two Grammy nominations. A great story teller, and all around nice guy!
August 21 (Thursday):- Stone Mountain Arts Center Under One Roof Folk Festival
- An evening with five great songwriters performing in a round robin style: Catie Cutis, Ellis Paul, Vance Gilbert, Lucy Kaplansky, and Carol Noonan.
Backed by guitarits Duke Levine and Kevin Barry.
Hosted by Carol Noonan.
August 26 (Tuesday): John Hiatt and the Ageless Beauties click
for details- Probably one of the most important songwriters of the last two decades. He will be up close and personal with his band....a big show for a little barn. Just one show....don't wait too long!
August 27 (Wednesday): The Pine Leaf Boys click
for show details- Nominated for a Grammy, the Pine Leaf Boys are one of the hottest young Cajun bands in Louisianna today. Their music punches a little harder than most Cajun bands, but still keeps true to the traditional music of their ancestors. Featuring Cedric Watson (fiddler extraordinaire) and Wilson Savoy (brilliant - accordion, vocals, and fiddle), this band of twenty somethings live and breathe this music......a mix of Cajun, Creole, and Xydeco. This is positively a dance show...a wild ride of a dance show...SMAC will turn into a dance hall for the night. No tables or chairs on the floor, but there is some limited balcony seating available...if ya wanna git one, ya better come early!
August 29 (Friday): Marcia Ball click
for show details- Singer/pianist Marcia Ball knows how to raise roofs and tear down walls with her infectious, intelligent and deeply emotional brand of southern boogie, rollicking, roadhouse blues and heartfelt ballads. Over the course of her three-decade career, Ball has earned a huge and intensely loyal following all over the world. Her exquisite piano playing and passionate, playful vocals fuse New Orleans and Gulf Coast R&B with Austin's deep songwriting tradition into a sound. She has been described as "a little rock, a lot of roll, a pinch of rhythm and a handful of blues." For us, she is a whole lotta love amd we're so glad she's back!
August 30 (Saturday): Marc Cohn click
for show details- A grammy award winning singer songwriter best known for his song, "Walking in Memphis".
Marc Cohn is a beautiful piano player and outstanding singer and performer. He has a band that accompanies him perfectly, featuring guitar great Shane Fontayne. A really nice show to end up the summer with.
August 31 (Sunday): Waybacks click
for show details- They draw freely from the old school and the old world, but The Waybacks are no throwback. They've been erroneously pigeonholed as a bluegrass band and celebrated as purveyors of "acoustic mayhem." They are as uninhibited and unpredictable as the eclectic San Francisco Bay area that claims them, and for nearly a decade, their experiments have always proven sharp-witted and musically dazzling.
September 12 (Friday): Harry Manx click
for show details- He's back!!! Harry is considered a blues guy I guess, but to put him in that limited category is grossly understating him. Yes, he plays the blues.....but on the sitar, six string banjo, and with his feet? His music has heavy Indian influences, making even his traditional blues slide guitar gift really unique.
Mmmmm and his voice...it is so warm and soulful. The first time Harry came, he was not that well known here...I told people they had to see him, and on the way out they thanked me!? This is the third time he will be here, and now you will have to fight to get a ticket. For good reason...he is amazing. One of my top ten.
September 13 (Saturday): "Longing for Eliza" - John Gorka, Eliza Gilkyson & Cliff Eberhardt click
for show details
- These three singer songwriters have put together a show that they perform in the round called Longing for Eliza.....a developing piece, kind of the misadventures/missteps of John & Cliff vying for the attention of Eliza...of which she is oblivious....very fun and funny.....Mostly it is the three of them them in the round doing songs...but..there is that central theme that they are developing into a bit of theatre performance that makes this unlike any other night of folk music.
September 20 (Saturday):Rani Arbo and Daisy Mahem click
for details- Fiddler and singer Rani Arbo and Daisy Mahem are part of a wave of old-fashioned string bands who blend traditional tunes with contemporary songwriting. Daisy is, at its core, a string band, driven by fiddle and guitar and upright bass. But rhythmically, the band strays far from the boom-chick of bluegrass and old-time music. Lots of fun and beautiful music.
September 25 (Thursday): Gaelic Storm click
for details- A wild Irish ride.....you saw this band in the blockbuster film the "Titantic" That raucous dance scene that featured them playing up an Irish frenzy, catapulted them into popularity where they have remained since 1997. Since their inception Gaelic Storm continues to broaden the musical horizons of the Celtic music genre by creating compelling originals and fresh arrangements steeped in Irish traditional melody and acoustic instrumentation combined with their unique blend of world rhythms.
September 27 (Saturday): Maura O'Connell click
for details- Back for an encore performance, Maura and her trio put on a great show to a sold out audience.
She is a terrific song stylist, doing anything from folk to country. They are terrific!!!!
Maura was previously booked for a concert scheduled for February 1st.
October 12 (Sunday): Kathy Mattea click
for details- There is a reason that Kathy is back here for the third time....we love her!!! This county singer and multi-styled songstress is a grammy award winner, singing her own brand of country and bluegrass..and will even throw in a little celtic flair to sweeten the night. Whether you are a country fan or not, she is a delight and puts on an awesome show...comes very highly SMAC recommended!
October 17 & 18 (Friday & Saturday):- Marty Stuart and the Fabulous Superlatives click
for details
- Yes, we are still saying he is our favorite act. The first time we had him he was amazing, and the second time he topped it. Marty is just not a young country legend....he is a renaissance man who with this top notch band can appeal to anyone. He has scored six top-ten hits, one platinum and five gold albums, and four Grammy Awards. He has made lasting music as a guitar and mandolin playing front man and in collaboration with virtually every major roots music figure of his era, from Lester Flatt to Bob Dylan to of course Johnny Cash. It is one of those nights you never want to end. If you feel that way too...heck, come both nights!!!!!
October 24 (Friday): Peter Mulvey click
for details- Singer songwriter Peter Mulvey has graced our stage three times. Twice opening up for Chris Smither....people loved him. He is a smart songwriter, with an almost Leonard Cohen vocal approach. He tells great stories, quotes from great books, and has an Irish wit that makes for a really entertaining night of music. One of my faves, and I have to say I always enjoy tipping back a Jameson's with him a the end of the night.
October 31 & November 1 (Friday & Saturday):- Stone Mountain Arts Center Presents Los Straitjackets' Spectacular Haunted Halloween Wild-Guitar Weekend! click
for details
- Yes, our favorite surfin' beat rockers are going to help us celebrate All Saints Day Los Straitjackets style! Choose from a number of "Jackets" events from a Halloween Costume Bash Concert to a workshop to dinner with the band, another concert and much more! (like special guests Duke Levine on guitar and Chris Cote on vocals). Choose from the Los Straitjackets A la Carte Menu of events or go for the whole shebang and do the "Los Straitjackets' Spectacular Haunted HalloweenWild-Guitar Weekend GetAway" at the nearby Inn at Crystal Lake!
Sorry, no discounts may apply.
November
3 & 4 (Monday & Tuesday): Taj Mahal click
for details- We had Taj this past winter..right when we needed him. It sold out in a week, so this time we added another show. Grammy award winning Taj Mahal, blends various musical sources: blues, reggae, Cajun, gospel, bluegrass, Hawaiian, African and Caribbean musical traditions. It was one of the funnest nights we have had here..a great guy and a great entertainer.
November
6 & 7 (Thursday & Friday): Capitol
Steps click
for details- The musical cast of this politically satirical
group will be back for an election week appearance and have you rolling in the aisles! Put this on
your calendar for the next ten years!! Our beloved Capitol Steps
will now be an annual stop here at SMAC, and I have requested the
same cast... They were the best!
November 12 & 13 (Wednesday & Thursday): Arlo Guthrie click
for details- Yes, the man who put the folk in folk music is coming to our little barn with a great group of musicians... one of whom is his son. Also, backing him and gracing the stage will be the Burns Sisters... a terrific trio of gal singers in equally terrific harmony. The legendary Mr. Guthrie is most famous for the Thanksgiving anthem, Alice's Restaurant... now you don't have to be in a turkey coma to hear it!
November 21 (Friday):Jay Ungar & Molly Mason Family Band details- Featuring daughter Ruth Ungar Merenda & Mike Merenda of the Mammals. Wow what a great show this will be. Lots of tradtional , folk, Americana music, to suit anyones pallet from this hugely talented family. Jay and Molly times two!!
November
28 & 29 (Friday & Saturday): Richie Havens click
for details- Richie sold out quick with his most recent visit in December..... and for
good reason. He is part of our history......a folk icon who changed many
people's lives at Woodstock that day, and now in his late sixties he is
still moving mountains with his voice and guitar. When he finished his
performance I said that seeing him was like going to church, only without
the guilt. Four standing ovations worth of fans agreed. Don't miss this
chance to see someone who will remind you that the world is a really good
place because we have eachother. Here comes the sun....doo, doo, doo, doo.
December 2 & 3 (Tuesday & Wednesday): Smothers Brothers details- Oh my Gawd!!! A show my mother and I will both like! We grew up seeing this funny and musically endearing duo on TV every week on their comedy based variety show. Come see and remember when.......
December 4 (Thursday): Cherish the Ladies for Christmas click
for details- Back again for what we hope will be an annual visit from the Irish ladies of this joyous celtic group. They do a grand mix of Irish traditional and Christmas music, featuring Joannie Madden on the flute who's sense of humor is as outstanding as her virtuostic flute playing. They did a beautiful show last year, and after it sold out, we had a waiting list a mile long.....come see why.
December 14 (Sunday): Bela Fleck and the Flecktones click
for details- Yes, the Flecktones will not be on tour this year....EXCEPT...for a few hip towns like Brownfield who were lucky enough to get them for their selected Christmas tour! We heard them rehearsing for this new Christmas album when they were here last summer...it was Yule Cool!
Two shows..one a matineee and one a dinner show.
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