Local Rhythms – The only thing better than local music is – food

Want to do something for the environment that’s fun, easy and delicious?
Go to a local farmer’s market and buy some food that’s so fresh, you’ll have to brush off the soil.
“Dirt is a beautiful thing,” says Rocky Saccento, the point man for the Newport Farmer’s Market, which begins June 12 on the town common. “You [...]

Natalie MacMaster @ Claremont Opera House 28 May 09

When Natalie MacMaster walks on stage, anything can happen.
As she and husband Donnell Leahy neared the end of their TED Conference segment a few years back, the chirpy host announced a delay.
“We have ten more minutes,” he reported, almost giddy with excitement.
MacMaster, momentarily flustered, flashed a nervous smile and responded with a phrase that fans [...]

Local Rhythms – What Rock and Roll Lifestyle?

Whenever my small contribution to the local scene receives a compliment, I’m quick to defer to a more worthy subject.
Dedicated musicians make this column possible.
It’s a constant source of amazement what they’re forced to endure.  Nonchalant diners talk through sets, soused patrons insist on Skynyrd covers and pay to play schemes turn their rock and [...]

Local Rhythms – Summer festivals closer

Perhaps it’s the long run of warm weather.
May is barely in the double digits, and I’m already thinking about June, and the start of the summer festival season.
This, to my mind, lasts from Memorial Day to Labor Day
That’s not an exact calendar fit, but it matches the Jackson Gore Music Series perfectly.
The run of free [...]

Local Rhythms – Twitter for music? I’m in.

I’ve come around to Twitter.
For the longest time, it just seemed frivolous.  So you’re stuck in the airport, or navigating the Starbucks latte line.  Who cares?
Then I learned how to use blip.fm to Tweet music to my peeps.
For the uninitiated, a tweet is Twitter’s hybrid of a Facebook status update and [...]

At 90, Pete Seeger isn’t slowing down

As a beaming Pete Seeger bounded across the star-studded Madison Square Garden stage midway through his 90th birthday celebration Sunday night, Thom Wolke looked on in amazement.
“Man,” he thought, “I’d like this much energy when I turn 50!”
Wolke watched from backstage as Guy Davis, the blues man he’s managed for [...]