This gallery contains 18 photos.
On September 18 I went to a concert by Stromae, the Belgian rapper and singer/songwriter at the House of Blues in Boston. Stromae is a consummate performer, drawing on a variety of musical influences to put on an amazing show. … Continue reading
This gallery contains 8 photos.
Hayes Carll, whose song “Hard Out Here” inspired the title of this site, played a great show at Club Passim, one of my favorite venues in the area, on July 16. The sold out show was his second in the … Continue reading
This gallery contains 18 photos.
I’m a huge fan of the Steel Wheels, and not just because they hail from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, my home state. In fact, it was an article about their tour on bicycles that made me check out … Continue reading
This gallery contains 9 photos.
Guitarist Jay Nash and drummer Josh Day are The Contenders, and they have recently released their debut EP. It’s a fantastic collection of original Americana songs with strong, evocative lyrics, that are set to tunes that are both soulful and … Continue reading
This gallery contains 39 photos.
It’s no secret I think Ryan Bingham is one of the most exciting artists touring today. I said as much 4 years ago in a post on my Random Thoughts and Ideas blog, and many of you agreed. That post was … Continue reading
This gallery contains 32 photos.
Almost a month ago I caught the last night of a three night series of Lucero shows at the Sinclair in Cambridge, MA. The band played an acoustic set followed by an electric set. At one point front man Ben … Continue reading
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On November 13th I had the pleasure of seeing Rosanne Cash at the Sanders Theater in Cambridge. The Sanders is a great venue for a concert. The acoustics are wonderful, and nearly every seat has a decent view of the … Continue reading
This gallery contains 51 photos.
I’ve been eagerly waiting for a new album from Paolo Nutini, and for a chance to see him in concert for a while. He’s released a few live recordings and they’re just great! He teased us in the States a … Continue reading
This gallery contains 35 photos.
When the folk-rock quartet Raining Jane opened for Jason Mraz at a show at the University of Redlands in Southern California, he was so impressed with their act that he suggested they work together. They accepted, of course, and a … Continue reading
This gallery contains 11 photos.
Plus a gallery from a great concert with unexpected audience participation! Narrative songwriting is a staple of American music, but it’s not easy to do well. The charts are full of derivative, clichéd, sentimental songs that do sell well enough, … Continue reading