 August 31 ( Tuesday): Richard Thompson  click
for details- Yippee......My all time favorite!!! Master guitarist and singer songwriter Richard Thompson, has in recent years lost his cult following status, and music fans all over the world have finally discovered one of the most virtuostic and poetic artists of our time. The first time I saw him was in a 200 seat club, and since then large halls and theaters are his mainstay. But for one night up here on the hill we will see him the way we used to see him...the best way to see him...up close and personal here at SMAC.
A quick sell out!
September 2 (Thursday): Rhonda Vincent and the Rage click for details- Finally!!!!! We have been waiting for her for three years.....
Seven times named Female Vocalist of the Year at the International Bluegrass Music Awards, Rhonda Vincent has turned her group The Rage into a bluegrass institution. It is one of the tightest bluegrass shows around. Known as the Mandolin Mama, she has forged ahead musically where other female grassers dared not go. A beauty queen with leather pants and all, Rhonda plays the heart out of the bluegrass tradition, while bringing something fresh and exciting to her feverish audience.
A Quick Sell Out
September 4 (Saturday): Carol Noonan Presents...- Stone Mountain LIVE (Show # 24)
featuring comedian Bob Marley
Event Series Sponsor: Quisisana Resort on Lake Kezar
Carol and her band the Stone Mountain Boys headed up by guitartists Duke Levine and Kevin Barry host a night of their usual brand of great music with some added laughs from comedian Bob Marley.
Carol Noonan and her band host this monthly star studded concert featuring special musical guests, and a variety of amazing music. With a house band to give the Tonight Show some competition, this unique concert is fast becoming one of Maine's most treasured traditions. Tickets are available with Dinner included or General Admission.
September 5 (Sunday): Riders In The Sky click for details- They are a real honest to goodness Singing Cowboys! For thirty years gramy award winning Riders In The Sky have been keepers of the flame passed on by the Sons of the Pioneers, Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, reviving and revitalizing the of the singing cowboy. And while remaining true to the integrity of Western music, they have themselves become modern-day icons by branding the genre with their own legendary wacky humor and way-out Western wit, and all along encouraging buckaroos and buckarettes to live life "The Cowboy Way!" But the animated character that history will most certainly link to Riders In The Sky is the loveable cowboy Woody, as Riders performed "Woody's Round Up" in "Toy Story 2," with the album of the same name garnering Riders their first Grammy Award in 2001 for "Best Musical Album for Children. The ponies are rested and watered, and America's Favorite Cowboys are ready to saddle up and ride up the hill to Stone Mountain Arts Center....Happy Trails!!!
September 9 (Thursday): The Heather Masse Band click for details- One of the amazing singers from the Wailin Jennys, Heather is also a gal who grew up right in the neighborhood! She has a terriic solo band and they'll perform songs from Heather's latest album Bird Song - Jazz-inspired folk tunes with a touch of country, pop and blues with her band ( Jed Wilson-piano, Joel Arnow-drums, Bridget Kearny-Bass ) An intimate and energizing night of soulful songs and singing.
September 16 (Thursday): Nanci Griffith click for details- This show has been rescheduled to Monday, December 6.
If you have tickets to this show they will be automatically transferred to the new date as ordered. If you have a problem with the new date, please contact us. Nanci's management sends the below message and we here at SMAC send her big love and wish her well, and look forward to seeing her in December and telling her in person.......she is one of our favorites!
“Nanci regretfully announces the postponement of the September leg of her fall tour due to medical reasons. She extends her deepest apologies to the fans and plans to reschedule these shows and return to the stage as soon as possible.”
September 19 (Sunday): Imagined: The John Lennon Song Project click for details- featuring Rex Fowler (Aztec Two Step) Tom Dean (Devonsquare) with special guests Devonsquare
- Along with several prominent studio musicians, Rex and Tom have teamed up in this labor of love to celebrate the genius and artistry of John Lennon. As a gift to John for his 70th birthday on October 9, 2010, they have re-imagined exquisite acoustic renditions of Lennon’s legendary Beatles songs - inspired in part by Sir George Martin and Cirque du Soleil’s masterpiece, LOVE. Besides a smattering of tasteful percussion and Rex and Tom’s distinctive acoustic guitar and vocal stylings, featured instrumentation include cello, violin, mandolin, mandola, bass, slide guitar, accordion and chromatic harmonica. Happy Birthday John!
September 20 (Monday): John Hiatt Up Close and Personal click
for details
Rolling Stone critic Ira Robbins said of Hiatt: ``heartland rock, Philly soul, stately folk, and countrified swing,'' I could not have said it better myself, but I would add one more thing....HE IS FLIPPIN' AWESOME!!!! His solo stage show will never disappoint, and Hiatt singing those songs of his, touches anyone and everyone. A big star coming up to our little place for the second time.
September 24 (Friday): Luka Bloom click for details- An Irish singer songwriter and acoustic guitarist - a brother of the
Irish folksinger Christy Moore - He arrived in the States and gathered a
reputation of his own for his electrifying live shows, sang backup on
the Indigo Girls' "Closer to Fine" and honed a unique brand of
contemporary Celtic soul. He sings of love and tragedy and especdially
about tragic love.....and isn't that just like an Irishman. "As much
Leonard Cohen as Woody Guthrie, however, Bloom is a decidedly artful
musician." - Rolling Stone
Back for a seconmd time..we love him!!!
September 25 (Saturday): Tim O'Brien click
for details
Tim is what I like to call an American folkie. That conjures up a lot of styles, and that is Tim. His songs tell stories like a good folk singer should, but his sound is pure "Americana". Somewhere between bluegrass and country with a little old time mountain music thrown in between, this grammy award winning singer song writer is a musician's musician. Oh, and did I tell ya that he plays guitar, fiddle, mandolin, bouzouki and mandocello!!!?? A sold out show last time...come see why!
September 28 (Tuesday): Ani DiFranco Up Close and Personal click for details- Since Ani bucked the major label system in the early-‘90s, opting to release her music on her own terms, the self-described Little Folksinger has been the subject of all kinds of hyperbole. She’s been called “fiercely independent” (Rolling Stone), “inspirational” (All Music Guide), “the ultimate do-it-yourself songwriter” (The New York Times), etc. As the cracks in the music industry get larger and more big-name artists follow Ani’s lead – Radiohead, Madonna and Nine Inch Nails among them – maybe people will just start calling her “smart.” We will call us lucky for getting see here in our small little hall.
Ani represents the rare few who think out of the box when it comes to the music industry, and it is that spirit that infects others to do things like putting up an arts center in the middle of nowhere! We are honored to present this special show....
October 8 ( Friday): Dave Mallett click
for details- Maine's own singer songwriter Dave Mallett has written songs for the
likes of John Denver, Arlo Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and Peter, Paul & Mary.
But no one quite sings his songs the way he does. In his own words. " I
like to keep in touch with the past because to me, music is
timeless......I try to write songs that would have meant something to
those who have gone before us as well as those yet to come." And he does
just that. He is a great story teller through his songs as well as his
voice, and he is one of Maine's most proud traditions.
October 9 (Saturday): Uncle Earl click
for details- The five members of Uncle Earl write and perform original songs in old-time styles. Founding member KC Groves plays mandolin and guitar, and is joined by Abigail Washburn (also a member of The Sparrow Quartet) on claw-hammer banjo, Kristin Andreassen on guitar and harmonica, second-generation player Rayna Gellart on old-time fiddle and Mary Lucey on bass. They are thoroughly entertaining with their old time sound, girlish charm, and even some clogging thrown in for that real Appalachian feel.
October 10 ( Sunday): Shemekia Copeland click
for details- At a young age, Shemekia Copeland is already a force to be reckoned with in the blues. While still in her 20s, she’s opened for the Rolling Stones, headlined at the Chicago Blues Festival and numerous festivals around the world, scored critics choice awards on both sides of the Atlantic (The New York Times and The Times of London) and shared the stage with such luminaries as Buddy Guy, B.B. King, Taj Mahal and John Mayer. Heir to the rich tradition of soul-drenched divas like Ruth Brown, Etta James and Koko Taylor, Copeland’s shot at the eventual title of Queen of the Blues is pretty clear. By some standards, she may already be there. She will rock the house with her hot band........we can't wait!!! Comes highly SMAC Recommended.
October 15 (Friday): Son de Madera click
for details- WooHoo...I am so happy to finally get this group here!
Taking its name from the mountainous region of northwestern Mexico, Son de Madera specializes in Son Jarocho, a musical style based on the traditions of Veracruz, Mexico. Son de Madera strives to incorporate new sounds into this traditional style to create a unique cultural and musical experience.
Including some captivating dancing, you'll hear the rhythmic stepping of Rubi Oseguera in the zapateado style, along with lively bass, guitar and percussion accompaniment. A beautiful night of traditional music from one rural region to another!
Comes Highly SMAC recomended
October 23 (Saturday): Carol Noonan and friends present a Great Night of Music: - Stone Mountain LIVE! (Show #25) click
for details
Event Series Sponsor: Quisisana Resort on Lake Kezar Featuring Special Guests: Austin and Maine-bred Singer Songwriter Slaid Cleaves
Slaid's smooth brand of roots songwriting will only be enhanced by the even smoother back up from the Stone Mountain Boys featuring guitarists Duke Levine and Kevin Barry. Lots of other musical offerings to satify anyone and everyone, make this show one of the best shows to see at SMAC. It will be a really fun night of music and as always, Stone Mountain LIVE tickets are available as general admission or with a big family style dinner before the show.
October 29 (Friday): Tim Sample details- Tim is widely acknowledged to be New England's premier native humorist. Novelist Stephen King has likened Sample's work to that of Mark Twain, and Charles Kuralt called him "Maine's humorist laureate." Tim's books, albums, and videos (including four albums and a video for the Bert and I company) have sold well over a million copies. For eleven years he was a correspondent for CBS
News and a regular essayist on the Emmy award winning television show CBS News Sunday Morning.
He is the ultimate downeast story teller and took over where Marshall Dodge left off with the famous Bert and I series..."Can't get the-ah from he-ah"...sure you can!
November 1 (Monday):An Evening with Joan Baez click for details
Up Close and Personal... Well, we have been trying to get this amazing woman for a long time....and finally she will be gracing our stage...emphasis on the grace! She was one of the strongest and most beautiful voices of the civil rights movement, but her music and creative voice have been constant over decades of legendery folk music. Earning the Grammy Life Time Achievement Award and celebrating over fifty years of performing, this will be one of the most special shows of our season. A quick sell out.
November 6 (Saturday): Capitol Steps ONE SHOW ONLY ... click
for details- The musical cast of this politically satirical group is back for their annual visit on election week 2010. Their appearance will have you rolling in the aisles! Don't take your politics so seriously...or at least for this one night! Our beloved Capitol Steps are usually here two nights, but this year you only have once chance to see them...don't wait too long...a quick sell out.
November 7 ( Sunday): The New Christy Minstrels with special guest Barry McGuire details- Wow...Green Green, Follow the Drinkin' Gourd, Hi Jolly.....these are the songs I grew up listening to over and over..and now this folk icon of a group are touring again with the signature voice of Barry McGuire added to this nostaligic mix. The Grammy award winning "Minstrels" are visiting a few places this fall..and we are one of them! Don't miss this rare appearance.
November 12 (Friday):The Gibson Brothers click
for details- Oh, I love these guys!!! These young brothers of bluegrass, write really amazing songs, have beautiful voices and are great on stage. We had them here last Christmas and they brought the house down. They have an ole timey feel that you can't fake...they are the real deal....its like they grew up in a country band decades ago, when the divisions of country music were not so defined. But they are every bit of here for 2010. A personal favorite of mine....Come highly SMAC recommended.
November 13 (Saturday):Savoy Family Cajun Band click
for details- The sweetest little cajun band north of Louisianna..but don't get me wrong...this family band will have you out on the dance floor in no time. They pay great tribuite to the tradtional music that is the blood to their musical hearts. Additionally great songs written and sung sweetly by Ann Savoy and great songs to dance to played by this terrific band of cajun musicians, and you have got one magical night of music. Dinner seating will be limited to make room for dancing so make your reservations early!
November 16 (Tuesday): Mary Black Up Close and Personal click for details
Finally! We almost had her, we had her, we lost her...well now she is finally coming!
We are so honored that this beautiful Irish Singer is on a long overdue tour...and we are one of the stops!
Mary Black has the gift of being able to sing traditional and contemporary music with equal grace. And grace is a perfect word to describe her.
Don't miss this sure sell out
November 17 (Wednesday): Arlo Guthrie Band click for details
Yes, the man who put the folk in folk music is coming to our little barn with a great group of musicians... one of whom is his son. Also, backing him and gracing the stage will be the Burns Sisters... a terrific trio of gal singers in equally terrific harmony. The legendary Mr. Guthrie is most famous for the Thanksgiving anthem, Alice's Restaurant... now you don't have to be in a turkey coma to hear it!
November 19 (Friday): Asleep at the Wheel click
for details- The multiple Grammy Award-winning Country/Western Swing band formed headed up by one tall Texan, Ray Benson. Altogether, they have won nine Grammy Awards since their inception in 1970. In their career, they have released more than twenty studio albums, and have charted more than twenty singles on the Billboard country charts. They are one hard workin' band, and we are so psyched they are coming back. Comes highly SMAC recommended!!
November 21 (Sunday): Waltzings for Dreamers New Music for FREE Series click
for details Featured Artist: Sierra Hull ... A Young Mandolin Wiz!!!
A rising star as a teenager, Sierra Hull is slated to be the next Alison Krauss, and in fact here’s a quote from the “Queen of Bluegrass” herself: "Sierra is a remarkably talented, beautiful human being. Success could not come to a more worthy person. I adore her." I think that endorsement alone should get ya here, but if you need others, ask Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Dan Tyminksi, she has played with the who's' who of bluegrass royalty and she is well on her way to becoming one of the elite herself. Tickets are free admission by reservation only. -
December 5 (Sunday): Stone Mountain Arts Center's Annual Open House & Craft Fair- As part of the Annual Mountain to Mountain Christmas Shopping Spree! (see below)
Deck the Hall! This beautiful hall will be decked out all right!! Its the prettiest Christmas room in the Valley. Our second annual Stone Mountain Craft Fair (Crafters TBA) will feature the best of the area's artisans, neighborhood carriage rides with Donna the Wonder Horse, and of course Santa will be there too serving up our famous "Just Good Chili" and other savories and of course some Christmas cheer.
This is our contribution to the Mountain to Mountain Shopping Spree, that features businesses right here in Brownfield. Get everything you need right here in a little town that might surprize you!
Check out this great day of Christmas shopping offerings:
December 5 Mountain to Mountain Shopping Spree from *10:00 to 4:00 *
From Stone Mountain to Frost Mountain and everything in between!! Come to Brownfield. Yes, you read it right, come to Brownfield Maine and get everything you need for the holidays! Remember when you said there could never be an arts center in Brownfield?
December 6 (Monday): Nanci Griffith click for details- Up close and personal! Whether performing her own poetically evocative material or the compositions of her influences, friends, and peers, grammy award winning Nanci Griffith possesses a powerful gift for inhabiting the songs she sings - for communicating unspoken intimacy and heartache through her tender voice and lilting, delicate phrasing. A SMAC favorite back for the third time. Sold out quick last year.
December 8 (Wednesday): Charo Up Close and Personal click
for details- Okay, forget just the nostalgia of Charo...the dancing...the cuchi, cuchi....the broken english.....The real Charro plays flamenco guitar like an athlete on steroids. It was her major in college and those of us in the music business know that what is hidden under the big hair and charming stage banter is an incredible musician. Her ballads are as heartfelt as you can get, and she was doing the Shakira thing way before Shakira! We may seem like an unlikely venue to present her...we are not exactly Vegas up here in the willy wags, but I want a glimpse of the real Charo, and there is no place better do do that than here at SMAC.....Come taste a little Vegas for an evening and be wowed by this legendery performer.
One for the SMAC History Books!
December 10, 11, 17 & 18 (Fridays & Saturdays):- Stone Mountain LIVE Annual Evening Christmas Shows click
for details
- Hosted by Carol Noonan and the Stone Mountain Boys
with special guests and good friends, bluegrass greats The Gibson Brothers!
You don't have to go to Portland for the "Magic" anymore. This a great Christmas show for you, your office, your family, and friends. Make you holiday plans early with us!
Tickets are available as general admission or with a fun dinner inluded before the show!
- December 12 (Sunday): Stone Mountain LIVE Annual Christmas Show Matinee details
- Hosted by Carol Noonan and the Stone Mountain Boys
No special guests....just Carol and the "Boys", doing a shorter, stripped down version of our annual evening shows. A one set wonder that will have you home in time for suppah! No meal served at this show.
December 20 Monday): Christmas with AARON NEVILLE Up Close & Personal details- With His QUINTET Featuring Charles Neville for One Show ONLY
Wow....this is a very special show. No one could make Christmas as soulful as Aaron Neville. I am stating the obvious when I say, his voice will fill you with Christmas cheer enough for ten holidays.
And for me, if all he did was drive his bus up Dugway Road and sing Oh Holy Night in our barn, well that would be enough for me. With brother Charlie and a terrific band, this show is not to be missed.
Wet your Christmas whistle with this big little chestnut of a show! What a great way to say Merry Christmas.
|
- January 21 (Friday): Waltzings for Dreamers New Music for FREE Series click
for details
- Featured Artist: Session Americana ... a Round Table Jamboree!!
What began as an informal gathering has blossomed into one of Americana’s most impressive musical collectives. The six core rootsy members of Session Americana gather around a single table with an ambient mics. The set-up lends itself to a free-form and relaxed feel that lets the group swap instruments as easily as they swap songs. They have all been part of the who's who of the Boston music scene over the years, so they bring a huge variety of styles to the table literally....folk and bluegrass, American and Celtic traditional, alternative country, acoustic rock...you name it. But it is the relationship between them that will draw you in...and that table!! Don't miss this rare setting for some great music.Tickets are free admission by reservation only.
January 22 (Saturday): Lori McKenna click
for details- The sweetest singer songwriter you are ever gonna meet! She is critically acclaimed for her work as a song writer, and heavy hitters like country star Faith Hill have recorded a pile of her songs. Faith is great, but no one sings Lori's songs like Lori.....come see why we love her!
February 4 (Friday): Eric Bibb and Harry Manx click
for details- Just for you Suzie!!!
This is a killer double bill. What I like about both these guys, is that for the most part you will find them in the blues circles, but they are by no means your average three chord warriors. They are two of my favorite singer/guitar players, who's styles are all their own:
Harry: What can I say about Harry,we have had him every year that we have been open....for a reason. Canadian Harry Manx known as the “Mysticssippi” blues man has been called an “essential link” between the music of East and West, creating musical short stories that wed the tradition of the Blues with the depth of classical Indian ragas. He has created a unique sound that is hard to forget and deliciously addictive to listen to. We are obviously hooked on Harry too.
Eric: A performance by Eric Bibb is an enriching experience – both musically and spiritually. Purveying a beautifully realised and deftly accomplished, soulful and gospel infused, folk- blues, Eric has no problem melding a traditional rootsy American style with a subtle contemporary sensibility. As one critic wrote ... "Eric is one of the new, young singers that has appeared on the scene that, much to my delight, has a great voice, is an excellent performer and has a great knowledge about the roots of this music" - Taj Mahal
February 19 (Saturday): Catie Curtis click
for details- She is amazingly funny, endearing, heartfelt and gracious, and that's why she keeps coming back. She writes about life, love and has an unflinching dedication to social issues that has long characterized her strongest work as a song writer. When Catie sing her own songs, there is no one better.... and it doesn't hurt that she grew up in Maine neither!
March 4 (Friday): Waltzings for Dreamers New Music for FREE Series click
for details- Featured Artists: Maeve Gilchrist and Sarah Jarosz ... Two great acts together!!!
Sarah the mandolinist, clawhammer banjo player, and singer-songwriter has been traveling the bluegrass festival circuit since the tender age of 12. Her break out album "Song Up in Her Head" was a 2009 favorite by critics including Rolling Stone and USA Today. She is awesome!
Maeve is a Scottish singer songwriter and phenomenal harpist mixing celtic traditions with afro-inspired rhythms, making ther harp almost a Kora-like instrument for part of her transcending set.
Tickets are free admission by reservation only.
March 24 (Thursday): Mavis Staples and Billy Bragg click
for details- THE HOPE, LOVE, & JUSTICE TOUR
Oh my gosh......if I could pick a dream double bill this would be it!!!
Two artists hailing from different sides of the Atlantic but both bound by the spirit of social justice and activism come together for a special celebration of music.
*Soul and Gospel legend, Mavis Staples is history, plain and simple. As a member of the equally legendary Staple singers she is part of a rich past of socially conscious music and spirit. The Lifetime Grammy Award winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee was honored as one of Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Singers of all time. She has blessed us by being here three times and each time she and sister Yvonne visit they feel more and more like one of the family. In September she will release an album she has done with Wilco's Jeff Tweedy.....we can't wait!!!
*Billy Bragg has been described by The Times in London as a "national treasure." Finding inspiration in the socially conscious folk tradition of Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan, Bragg has spent over two decades making an indelible mark on the conscience of British music that has carried over to the US and Canada. He has released consistently celebrated solo records as well as two Grammy nominated albums with Wilco - Mermaid Avenue (1998) and Mermaid Avenue, Volume II (2000). Bragg's most recent CD Mr. Love and Justice (2008) blends social justice with the power of personal relationships.
* On a personal note,this is a very special show that we're very lucky to get....we like to think Mavis had something to do with it!!
April 2 (Saturday): Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas click
for details- We cannot get enough of this master Scottish fiddler and his beautuful cellist sidekick. They sell out everytime....the show is fun, beautiful and Alasdair is a presence who just makes you feel great. A toe tapping night of fiddle music and Scottish story telling. This is SMAC at its best when these two are here.
April 7 (Thursday): Tom Rush click
for details- Tom Rush is a gifted musician and performer, whose shows offer a musical celebration...a journey into the tradition and spectrum of what music has been, can be, and will become. His distinctive guitar style, wry humor and warm, expressive voice have made him both a legend and a lure to audiences around the world. His shows are filled with the rib-aching laughter of terrific story-telling, the sweet melancholy of ballads and the passion of gritty blues. This folk icon is back for yet another "encore performance" ...come see why he always sells out!
April 9 (Saturday): John Hammond click
for details- He is a grammy winning folk/country/bluesman, guitar player, producer, performer, side man, songwriter....you name it...but I think T-Bone says it best.....
"John Hammond is a master... He is a virtuoso. A Conjurer... A Modernist... John is in a very small circle of men with a guitar and a harmonica. Jimmy Reed, Howlin' Wolf, Bob Dylan. The guitar is an orchestra. He's sending messages. Storytelling. All mystery. Protection. The language goes out through the night... The Big Boom. Boom the room." - T Bone Burnett
April 29 (Friday): Enter the Haggis click
for details- After I saw these guys, I thought if the Celtic super group Altan and rock legend Rush were to have a baby band, it would be Enter the Haggis !!! They are a high energy collision of celtic, rock and world styles. A Canadian world Celtic rock band based in Toronto, ETH as they're known to their fans, could lay claim to possibly 18 different genres of music. With fiddle, bagpipes, electric guitar, bass and drums, these guys have made their band success one fan, one town, one region at a time, and SMAC is yet another stop for this fun group.....and just in time for spring fever!!!
April 30 (Saturday): Susan Werner click
for details-
Susan is a SMAC favorite. She is a great singer, songwriter, pianist, and thoroughly entertaining. We are so happy she is back... she really brings our little piano to life! "Susan Werner, a clever songwriter and an engaging performer, brings literacy and wit back to popular song." -The New Yorker ---
Comes SMAC Highly Recommended
May 13 ( Friday): April Verch click
for details-
April whips crowds into a fury with her high-speed footwork, angelic voice and stunning musicianship This Canadian fiddler mixes fine fiddling, aggressive country dancing and great band, makes for a thoroughly entertaining show. She is one hard working little musician...a jewel from the North, and comes highly SMAC recommended.
|
"Waltzings for Dreamers" New Music for FREE Series
Look for this 'no charge' symbol for shows in our Waltzings for Dreamers New Music for FREE Series.
click for a