5 Live Music Musts - April 24, 2015
Ken Abrams, GoLocalProv Music Critic
5 Live Music Musts - April 24, 2015
Duke Robillard Trio At Providence Public Library
A new concert series begins tonight at the Providence Public Library and admission is free of charge. Tonight, it’s the Duke Robillard Trio, featuring Rhode Island’s greatest guitar player. The series is part of a program called “Don’t Stop the Music” and continues most Fridays until mid-June. All shows run from 8-11PM - Click here for further details. Did we mention, the shows are Free - No overdue charges either! Future shows include RI artists Natural Element, Chris Daltry and Roz and the Rice Cakes. That’s right, this is no longer your grandmother’s library.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTGerry Gibbs Trio at Narrows Center
A couple of living Jazz legends will be swinging into the Narrows Center for the Arts this weekend when the Gerry Gibbs Dream Thrasher Trio plays tomorrow night. The piano based trio, Gibbs on Drums, Kenny Barron on Keyboards and Ron Carter on Bass, will feature jazz standards as well as some classic soul and R&B hits from artists like Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. Between the three of them, they’ve played with every big name in Jazz including Miles Davis, Stan Getz and Wynton Marsalis. Even cooler, it’s the first ever live gig for this talented supergroup, so be prepared for a little Jazz history in the making. The show starts at 8 PM, tickets are $50 in advance, $55 at the door.
The Wombats at the Met
RI Music Hall of Fame Induction at The Met
We’re looking forward to Sunday’s 4th annual Induction ceremony and concert at the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame. Several artists are being inducted – among them Brenda Bennett, Georgie Porgie and the Crybabies, The Ascots, The Others, and The Schemers, along with Mark Cutler’s other group The Raindogs. The 2015 ceremonies begin at 2PM Sunday April 26 at The Met, the concert starts around 3PM. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Check GoLocal next week for complete coverage of the event.
Richard Thompson at the Met
Music writers are prone to hyperbole when it comes to enthusiasm for their subject. But when we tell you that Richard Thompson is the world’s greatest living guitarist, we’re not exaggerating. OK, we’ll amend that to world’s greatest living “acoustic guitarist” as to not start any major arguments. The esteemed British folk-rock artist, founder of Fairport Convention, will be playing a solo acoustic show Tuesday April 28 at The Met. He recently put out an album of Acoustic Classics, a collection of 14 of his best songs. Guitar fans really don’t want to miss this one. Doors at 6:30, show starts promptly at 7:30 PM. Tickets are $50.
Got suggestions for “5 Live?” E-mail Ken Abrams here.
Top 5 Spring Concerts
John Mellencamp at PPAC
John Mellencamp is playing the Providence Performing Arts Center April 16th on the final leg of his “Plain Spoken" tour of over 80 cities. Reviews from the tour have been spectacular, with critics noting the singer sounds better than ever. The “Voice of the Heartland” has some great stories to tell. His latest mostly acoustic album, Plain Spoken, has an Americana bent, and has been compared to Bob Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks. Special guest Carlene Carter opens for Mellencamp.
Lisa Fischer at Park
Grammy winner Lisa Fischer will be playing the Park Theatre in Cranston on April 4. You may not know her name, but you definitely know her voice; she’s been a background singer for artists as varied as Luther Vandross, Sting, and most notably, the Rolling Stones, who she’s toured with since the late 80’s. Her vocals on “Gimme Shelter” propelled her career, and landed her a central role on the Oscar winning film “20 Feet From Stardom,” a documentary about background singers (which by the way, we highly recommend). Fischer will be in town leading her top notch R&B/Jazz band Grand Baton.
Kacey Musgraves at Lupos
Country singer-songwriter Kacey Musgraves will be at Lupos Friday March 27. Musgraves is a sassy upstart who made a splash with her hit “Follow Your Arrow,” a song that has become an anthem for many young country fans. The tune comes from her album Same Trailer, Different Park, which debuted at #1 on the Country charts in 2013. The album won a Grammy in 2013 for Best Country Album and Best Country Song in 2014 for “Follow Your Arrow.” Not too shabby a way to start a career!
David Lindley at Lilypads
One of the greatest sidemen in Rock and Roll history will be at Lilypads in Peacedale on May 16. David Lindley is well known for his work with Warren Zevon, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt and numerous others, live and in the studio. He’s always done his own thing as well, touring with just about every instrument ever fitted with strings. You’ve heard his voice before too, singing falsetto on “Stay” from the classic Jackson Brown album, Running on Empty.
Sandywoods Folk Festival
A new Memorial Day Weekend tradition begins this year with the Sandywoods Folk Festival. The first annual event with headliners like Antje Duvekot and Christine Lavin will be held “in the fields” at Sandywoods, an arts community in Tiverton. There’s a wide variety of talent scheduled over two days and the Festival jabs Newport with its “Pay What You Can” policy. (Not to mention, bottled water for only $1 a bottle!) All the details can be found here – be sure to get out and support some great local and national artists!
Honorable Mention - Rock
A whole bunch of rock shows are coming to town over the next couple of months. Lupos has Neutral Milk Hotel April 19, Scott Bradley's Post Modern Jukebox on May 1 and Of Monsters and Men on May 9. Twin River has shows with Sugar Ray and The Gin Blossons March 20, The Beach Boys April 17, and Steve Miller June 19. The Met has indie-rock supergroup Diamond Rugs on March 28 and legendary guitarist Richard Thompson April 19.
Mellow Rock in Kingston
The Courthouse Center for the Arts in Kingston has an impressive line-up of 70’s rockers this Spring starting this Saturday night March 21 with folk singer Melanie. Follow that on March 27 with the Pousette-Dart Band, Jonathan Edwards on April 18, and Pure Prairie League on May 2. John Ford Coley closes things out on May 30. And in between, the Center has RI’s top tribute band, Forever Young, interpreting the tunes of Neil Young on April 25, and the highly regarding Bluegrass Gospel Project on May 23. The soft rock beat continues into the summer with Livingston Taylor on June 27.
The Coffee House Scene
The local Coffee House scene remains busy until the annual summer break. Common Fence Music in Portsmouth has modern Bluegrass band Lindsay Lou and the Flatbellys on March 28 and The Gnomes on April 18. Head to Stone Soup in Pawticket March 21 for Antje Duvekot and return on April 11 for Gordon Bok. Also, check out the Zoetical Festival with Rhode Island's own Arc Iris in residence at Aurora in Providence every Friday in April. Lots happening!
Rock, Folk, Jazz and More
The Narrows Center has Rock, Folk, Blue and Jazz royalty passing through this Spring. The Fall River venue has original Buffalo Springfield member Richie Furray leading his band on March 19, New Age pianist George Winston April 4, and Paul Barrere, Fred Tackett and the New Orleans Suspects on April 9. Suzzy Bogguss is there April 17 and Bruce Coburn visits May 11. A major Jazz show featuring the Gerry Gibbs Thrasher Dream Trio with Kenny Barron and Ron Carter is scheduled for April 25.
