Community Calendar

Next Stage Arts and Twilight Music present an evening of Celtic and Old-time Appalachian roots music from Quebec and Ireland by Kavaz and I Draw Slow.

Hailing from Dublin, Ireland, and led by sibling songwriters Dave and Louise Holden, award-winning quintet I Draw Slow has consistently redefined the boundaries of acoustic roots music over the past decade. Their distinctive blend of Irish and Appalachian roots music and dynamic, immersive performances captivate audiences with exquisite balladry, then bring them to their feet with high energy trad tunes. Their evocative music has been featured in film, TV, and advertising, and their fifth and most recent album "Turn Your Face To The Sun" on Nashville-based Compass Records soared to #1 on the Irish charts. Touring extensively across North America since 2013, I Draw Slow has firmly established itself in the US and Canada's acoustic music scenes, appearing regularly at some of the biggest and most iconic roots festivals including Pickathon, MerleFest, Grey Fox, Wintergrass, RockyGrass, Edmonton Folk Fest, and Mountain Stage.

Kavaz is a traditional music trio featuring Isaac Beaudet Lefebvre (violin), Everest Witman (guitar), and François-Xavier Dueymes (flutes). While united by a deep passion for Irish music, each musician brings a distinct cultural voice to the group - drawing from the rich musical traditions of Quebec, Vermont, and Brittany. Their name Kavaz is borrowed from the Breton language and means “fork in the road” or “junction,” a fitting metaphor for the trio’s convergence of diverse musical paths to a vibrant and distinctive sound.

The Lee Cultural Council will present Sundays in the Park July 6 - August 10 in the park in front of the First Congregational Church in downtown Lee. Each week, there will be one to two musical performances taking place from 12:30 to 2:30P and will be held sprinkle or shine. The audience is encouraged to bring their own chairs and to bring a picnic or order takeout from any of Lee’s fine restaurants. If final concert cancelled, rain date will be Sunday, August 17.

The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum continues the 44th season of the Wednesday Folk Traditions concert series on Wednesday, July 9th, 2025, with Rebelle. ReBelle’s powerful vocals energize eloquent compositions of pulsing rhythms and multi-instrumental arrangements, which combine Rasta, soul, folk, and poetry. Concerts are held Wednesday evenings at 6:30 pm, outside in the Sunken Garden at the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum, 130 River Drive, Route 47, Hadley MA 01035. Admission is $12, $2 for children 16 and under. Cash only please. Picnickers are welcome on the museum’s grounds starting at 5:00 pm. The museum and its grounds are a smoke-free site. For further information please call (413) 584-4699 or view www.pphmuseum.org.

A troubadour of truth, Nashville-based Crys Matthews is among the brightest stars of the new generation of social justice music-makers. An award-winning, prolific lyricist and composer, Matthews blends country, Americana, folk, blues, and bluegrass into a bold, complex performance steeped in traditional melodies punctuated by honest, original lyrics. On a mission to "amplify the voices of the unheard, to shed light on the unseen, and to be a steadfast reminder that hope and love are the truest pathways to equity and justice," Crys is made for these times.

A daughter of the South by way of Nashville now and North Carolina forever, and the self-proclaimed poster child of intersectionality, Crys embraces the concept of tradition with boldness and clarity on her new album "Reclamation." As a preacher’s kid, a black woman, a butch lesbian, and a proud southerner, she is not only reclaiming space for black artists in country and Americana, for LGBTQ voices in faith communities, and for women’s autonomy over their bodies, but she is also reclaiming the south that raised her.

Sam Robbins is often described as an "old soul singer/songwriter"- a storyteller troubadour with a modern, upbeat edge. Touring across the US with a new acclaimed album “So Much I Still Don’t See," named one of Atwood Magazine’s 2025 “Artists to Watch," leading songwriting workshops, and performing a Jim Croce song on "The Voice," Sam has gained a reputation as one of the brightest rising stars in the national folk music community. "So Much I Don't See" is a testament to a singer/songwriter’s journey through his 20’s, and the culmination of firsthand experiences gathered through hard travel and big adventures. Sam has shared the stage with artists like Jason Mraz and Liz Longley, and performed at major festivals including Kerrville, Falcon Ridge, and Wheatland.

Twilight Music and Next Stage Arts continue the 22nd Twilight On The Tavern Lawn series of bluegrass, Americana, world, swing, and pop music summer concerts on Sunday, July 13 with Celtic roots music trio Kalos. The seven concert series continues every other Sunday through August 24. All concerts begin at 6:00 pm in downtown Putney on the Putney Tavern lawn (bring a lawn chair or blanket) or at Next Stage at 15 Kimball Hill in case of rain. The series is sponsored by Next Stage, the Town of Putney, Rod's, and many Putney area businesses and organizations. The concerts are free to the public (donations are accepted) and food will be available.

Inspired by the maritime traditions of North America, Scotland, Ireland, and Scandinavia, Eric McDonald (guitar,mandolin, vocals), Ryan McKasson, (fiddle, viola, vocals), and Jeremiah McLane (accordion, piano, vocals) are innovative interpreters and composers of Celtic roots music. They draw on years of experience performing with the likes of Cantrip, Nightingale, The Clayfoot Strutters, and Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas to forge a new musical path as Kalos. Their individual artistry springs from strong traditional roots, and as a trio they move beyond this foundation. They are masters of tradition who purposefully explore the dark corners floating on its edges, delivering an alluring musical complexity full of spontaneity and joyful exuberance. Kalos’ underlying drive and pulse, rhythmic electricity, and swirling intensity transform traditional repertoire into a vital, elemental, genre-transcending sound appealing to music lovers of all stripes. Their music asks to be shared live, and performance is the band’s heart and forte.

Sway Wild’s infectious sound explores the corners of rock, pop, funk, and folk, but at its nucleus it is undeniably a music full of joy. Mandy and Dave’s gorgeous harmonies paired with moving lyrics serve to both process and share their jubilation, grief, and frustration with a complex and deeply imperfect society. And Mandy’s electric guitar pyrotechnics and chordal rhythms challenge the listener to comprehend how she manages to extract so much feeling from six strings and an amplifier.

The name Sway Wild evokes a specific feeling. From the beginning, Mandy and Dave intended this band to reflect what the endeavor felt like to them - a pathway to the uninhibited unfiltered core that we all possess. The words themselves are an invitation, if not a command, to seek out this untainted part of ourselves. In many ways, Sway Wild’s music is the product of truly wild places, and, like ribbons of light piercing a dark green canopy overhead, it can help us find the wildness that is unquestionably still within us.

Since releasing their debut album in 2019, Mandy and Dave have toured the US and Europe, performing alongside the likes of Mandolin Orange, Lake Street Dive, Iron & Wine, and Charlie Hunter Trio. Mandy also tours as the lead guitarist for Amos Lee and Allison Russell, and has recently performed with Brandi Carlile.

Opener Jake Klar is a singer/songwriter and visual artist whose music blends Americana, rock, pop, and folk sensibilities, often exploring themes of story-telling and emotional connection.

The Lee Cultural Council will present Sundays in the Park July 6 - August 10 in the park in front of the First Congregational Church in downtown Lee. Each week, there will be one to two musical performances taking place from 12:30 to 2:30P and will be held sprinkle or shine. The audience is encouraged to bring their own chairs and to bring a picnic or order takeout from any of Lee’s fine restaurants. If final concert cancelled, rain date will be Sunday, August 17.

The Lee Cultural Council will present Sundays in the Park July 6 - August 10 in the park in front of the First Congregational Church in downtown Lee. Each week, there will be one to two musical performances taking place from 12:30 to 2:30P and will be held sprinkle or shine. The audience is encouraged to bring their own chairs and to bring a picnic or order takeout from any of Lee’s fine restaurants. If final concert cancelled, rain date will be Sunday, August 17.

The Lee Cultural Council will present Sundays in the Park July 6 - August 10 in the park in front of the First Congregational Church in downtown Lee. Each week, there will be one to two musical performances taking place from 12:30 to 2:30P and will be held sprinkle or shine. The audience is encouraged to bring their own chairs and to bring a picnic or order takeout from any of Lee’s fine restaurants. If final concert cancelled, rain date will be Sunday, August 17.

The Lee Cultural Council will present Sundays in the Park July 6 - August 10 in the park in front of the First Congregational Church in downtown Lee. Each week, there will be one to two musical performances taking place from 12:30 to 2:30P and will be held sprinkle or shine. The audience is encouraged to bring their own chairs and to bring a picnic or order takeout from any of Lee’s fine restaurants. If final concert cancelled, rain date will be Sunday, August 17.