We are so excited to be bringing the amazing, Ethiopian-born singer Meklit to The Music Hall Loft on Friday, January 17. Her unique sound has been likened to that of Nina Simone, Joan Armatrading and Tracy Chapman. This January she will be touring the East Coast en route from NYC, where she has been invited by the Association of Performing Arts Presenters (one of the country’s biggest performing arts conferences) to perform several shows around the city including Joe’s Pub and Winterjazzfest.Read More
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I’ve been a fan of Jocie Adams ever since I first heard her sing nearly four years ago, late one night in Austin, Texas. My brother-in-law had been raving about her former band, The Low Anthem—this was just before their sold out performance as part of Lincoln Center’s The American Songbook Series and their appearance on “Late Night with Letterman”— so I gave it a shot. The music I heard that evening was mesmerizing- layered harmonies, guitar, clarinet, keyboards, acoustic bass, and drums. Jocie’s voice has a beautiful, strange, and playful child-like quality that instantly draws you in to her orbit.
After following her career since that night in Austin, I can’t wait to hear Jocie again when she performs a special concert at The Music Hall Loft in Portsmouth, NH on Friday, December 6 as part of the Martingale Wharf Singer Songwriter Series. She’ll be in town showcasing her latest creative endeavor- Arc Iris.
With Arc Iris, Jocie’s musical landscape is layered with mariachi horns, acoustic bass, guitars, keyboard, and clarinet— a much more adventurous terrain from that of her Low Anthem fame. I caught up with her recently to talk about her music, her memories, and her new band.Read More
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Chris Thile’s newest creation- Punch Brothers, a five-person band founded in 2006, was most recently nominated by the Americana Music Awards for best band. Thile, the former mandolinist in the critically acclaimed band Nickel Creek, was also nominated as best instrumentalist along with Dave Rawlings and Buddy Miller. Thile released his first five solo albums when he was just 13, and by the time he was twenty he was attracting a following among pop, country, and alternative-rock audiences.Read More
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Sollee first caught our attention four years ago when he was hailed by NPR’s Morning Edition as one of the “Top Ten Great Unknown Artists” of the year. Not long after, All Things Considered called his debut “an inspired collection of acoustic, folk and jazz flavored songs, filled with hope and the earnest belief that the world is good.” One of the things that sets him apart from other singer songwriters of his generation is that he performs and writes much of his music on the cello. His music incorporates a unique mix of his Appalachian roots and R&B. His vocal stylings and penchant for intricate arrangements have earned him comparisons to Sufjan Stevens.Read More
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The Sweetback Sisters have a sound that carries with it hints of the past with influences ranging from Patsy Kline to Jimmie Rodgers. They’re a terrific sextet of multi-talented musicians: Emily Miller, Zara Bode, Jesse Milnes, Ross Bellenoit, Stefan Amidon, and Peter Bitenc. If you like old timey, spirited country music that is able to rock a little harder than usual, this band is sure to put you in a good mood. This year they have been on the festival circuit performing to diverse audiences at SXSW music festival and opening up shows for giants like k.d.lang. They’re heading to Green River Festival in Greenfield, MA this summer, following their performance at The Music Hall Loft on Friday July 13 at 7pm & 9pm. You don’t want to miss this self-described “renegade retro band”—and if you love yodeling as much as I do, you’re in for a treat. I recently talked with Emily Miller about the band’s background, musical roots, and creative songwriting process.Read More
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By Thérèse LaGamma
I’ve been listening to Billy Bragg’s music—especially his Mr. Love & Justice and Mermaid Avenue recordings—and I can’t tell you how excited I am to hear his performance at The Music Hall’s Historic Theater on Saturday, June 30 at 8pm. Arguably the U.K.’s most famous activist singer-songwriter of modern times, Billy’s first set celebrates Woody Guthrie’s 100th birthday by exploring and expanding the Guthrie songbook—he was one of a handful of musicians who had access to the Guthrie archives. His second set will be pure Billy. I recently talked with the London-based star about his music, his politics, and his connection to Woody’s legacy. Read on for a fascinating conversation.Read More
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The legendary singer songwriter, who catapulted to stardom in the 1970s with his hit, “Okie From Muskogee” and went on to win every imaginable country music award, makes his Music Hall debut on April 20. Haggard and his band, The Strangers, will launch the first Portsmouth Singer Songwriter Festival. Deputy Director of Programming/Curator Thérèse LaGamma interviewed him to get the backstory on his colorful past, what continues to inspire his music, and why his messages are more relevant than ever. Read on to discover why Haggard is arguably the coolest superstar of Americana music.Read More
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From Laugh-In to The Music Hall stage, Lily Tomlin has had audiences in stitches for more than 30 years. Our Deputy Programming Director/Curator Therese LaGamma caught up with her recently to get the backstory on her illustrious career and talk about what makes Lily, Lily.Read More
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