 September 22, 2023 (Friday): The Harlem Gospel Travelers  click
for details
We are so excited to have this new to SMAC band. There is a lot to read about them, but I think watch them before you do anything. What voices!
Things are looking up for The Harlem Gospel Travelers, here with a new album, produced by Eli Paperboy Reed, Look Up! marks the group’s first full-length release as a trio, as well as their first collection of totally original material, and it couldn’t have come at a more vital moment. The music still draws deeply on the gospel quartet tradition of the ’50s and ’60s, of course, but there’s a distinctly modern edge to the record, an unmistakable reflection of the tumultuous past few years of pandemic anxiety, political chaos, and social unrest. The songs are bold and resilient, facing down doubt and despair with faith and perseverance, and the performances are explosive and ecstatic, fueled by dazzling vocal arrangements punctuated with gritty bursts of guitar and crunchy rhythm breaks.
Born out of an non-profit music education program led by Reed, The Harlem Gospel Travelers—singers Thomas Gatling, George Marage, and Dennis Bailey—released their debut LP, He’s On Time, to rave reviews in 2019, with Pop Matters hailing the album’s “musical transcendence” and AllMusic praising it as “dreamlike and joyous.” The record charted on Billboard, earned the Travelers high profile fans like Elton John (who invited them to appear on his Rocket Hour radio show on Apple Music), and landed them festival slots everywhere from Pilgrimage to Telluride Jazz.
September 29, 2023 (Friday): Griffin William Sherry click
for details
Living somewhere in-between modern catharsis and American myth, Griffin William Sherry’s roots continue to grow strong in the ever-evolving genres of Folk, Americana, and Rock & Roll. Griffin’s music is inspired by his New England rural roots. As such, he brings together an inimitable signature style, visceral and heartfelt, loud and passionate, each song taking on a voice of its own.
In 2011, He co-founded the band The Ghost of Paul Revere, capturing the hearts and minds of countless fans with a series of acclaimed releases and sold-out shows everywhere. He helped establish his own music festival, performed on national television, and garnered millions of streams. In 2019, his song The Ballad of the 20th Maine became the official Maine State Ballad, securing The Ghost of Paul Revere’s place in Maine music history. After writing music for seventeen years, Griffin’s begun work on his first solo record, taking exciting steps in a new direction both creatively and sonically.
He is here with his band and we could not be happier!
September 30, 2023 (Saturday): Duke Robillard Band click
for details
Guitar master, Duke Robillard puts new emphasis on the Blues. His resume is decorated with Grammy nominations, Handy Awards and Blues Music Awards, and other honors for his artistry, recordings and productions within the United States and internationally. On his latest release, "Duke Robillard and his Dames of Rhythm" on M.C. Records, he wields an acoustic archtop and joins six thrushes for evocative and enjoyable renditions of 1920s and 1930s swing tunes; it's a worthy successor to his 2016 BMA-winning "The Acoustic Blues And Roots Of Duke Robillard.” With a killer band including that amazing singer, Chris Cote.
Don’t miss this great night of guitar driven blues, Duke Robillard style!
October 6, 2023 (Friday): SMAC & Queen Post Cafe will be CLOSED.
October 7, 2023 (Saturday): Alison Brown click for details
“Like James Taylor’s voice or B.B. King’s guitar, Alison Brown’s banjo is an instrument possessed of a unique sonic signature and an inescapable beauty….an artist who never ceases to delight.” —Billboard Magazine
One of the most multi-faceted minds in roots music, Alison Brown is a GRAMMY-winning musician, GRAMMY-nominated producer, former investment banker (with an AB from Harvard and an MBA from UCLA), and co-founder of The Compass Records Group which is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2023. Although Alison began her musical career as a teenager in the Southern California bluegrass scene, she has built a reputation as one of today’s most forward thinking and innovative banjo players. She is known for taking the instrument far beyond its Appalachian roots by blending bluegrass and jazz influences into a sonic tapestry that has earned praise and recognition from a variety of national tastemakers including The Wall Street Journal, CBS Sunday Morning, NPR, and USA Today. On her new release, aptly titled On Banjo, Alison continues her musical explorations on a set of original compositions that explore the range of the banjo. The album features an eclectic cast of collaborators including Steve Martin, Kronos Quartet, Sharon Isbin, Anat Cohen, Sierra Hull, Stuart Duncan and members of the Alison Brown Quintet.
Alison is the recipient of the USA Artists Fellowship in Music and the Distinguished Achievement Award from the International Bluegrass Music Association. In 2019, she was inducted into the American Banjo Museum Hall of Fame. Alison serves on the Board of Governors of the Recording Academy and as co-chair of the Steve Martin Banjo Prize.
“Banjo music is seldom thought of as ‘mellow’ or, dare we say ‘pretty,’ but Alison Brown makes it so in the jazz-classical-pop-folk-Latin mix of the Alison Brown Quartet. As a true ground-breaker, [she’s] opening up whole new vistas for an instrument once solely associated with pickin’ ‘n’ grinnin’.” —USA Today
So many accolades ..I hope we are deserved of her... for the first time on our stage. Check her out. Always with a great group of players.
October 10, 2023 (Tuesday): Blind Boys of Alabama click
details
The Blind Boys of Alabama are recognized worldwide as living legends of gospel music. They have reached the highest levels of achievement in a career that spans more than 70 years: the Blind Boys have received lifetime achievement awards from the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, have been inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, and have won five Grammy Awards. The Blind Boys cross multiple musical boundaries with their remarkable interpretations of everything from traditional gospel favorites to contemporary spiritual material by songwriters such as Eric Clapton, Prince, and Tom Waits.
In the seven decades since the Blind Boys of Alabama first began singing together, America has witnessed a World War, the civil rights movement, and the Summer of Love; the moon landing, Vietnam, and the fall of the Berlin Wall; JFK, MLK, and Malcolm X; the invention of the jukebox, the atomic bomb, and the internet. Through it all, the Blind Boys' music has not only endured, but thrived, helping both to distinguish the sound of the American south and to push it forward through the 20th century and well on into the 21st. Consisting of Jimmy “Jimster” Carter, Ricky McKinnie, Paul Beasley, Rev. Julius Love, newest addition Sterling Glass, and led by Music Director and lead guitarist Joey Williams, the group has the rare distinction of being recognized around the world as both living legends and modern-day innovators. They are not just gospel singers borrowing from old traditions; the group helped to define those traditions in the 20th century and almost single-handedly created a new gospel sound for the 21st. Since the original members first sang together as kids at the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind in the late 1930s (including Jimmy Carter, who leads the group today), the band has persevered through seven decades to become one of the most recognized and decorated roots music groups in the world.
Touring throughout the South during the Jim Crow era of the 1940s and 1950s, the Blind Boys flourished thanks to their unique sound, which blended the close harmonies of early jubilee gospel with the more fervent improvisations of hard gospel. Since they released their debut single, "I Can See Everybody’s Mother But Mine," on the iconic Veejay label in 1948, the Blind Boys have been hailed as "gospel titans" by Rolling Stone Magazine.
October 6, 2023 (Friday): SMAC & Queen Post Café will be CLOSED.
October 13, 2023 (Friday): SMAC & Queen Post Café will be CLOSED.
October 14, 2023 (Saturday): SMAC & Queen Post Café will be CLOSED.
October 19, 2023 (Thursday): Comedian Bob Marley click
for details
I don't know any other person who worked harder to keep us entertained during 2020 and beyond than comedian Bob Marley. His daily videos were a comic relief from the world's challenges, and there have been many. Bob has a gift and a way of finding the hilarity in the obvious and the seemingly common occurrences in our sometimes mundane lives. In fact, he would make fun of me for saying all this!!. I can just hear him mocking me now!
On a personal note, Bob kept my staff from going crazy! We appreciate him for being one of the artists that was willing to do shows in whatever way he could to make venues and people laugh..whether it was a small capacity show or a drive in…he did it all. Nothing can stop the Bob Marley train and we love him for that. And yes, I said artist!!
Bob is not just our Maine comedian, he is one of the funniest people in the current world of comedy. His viral videos have thrust him into further popularity as one of the hottest and most sought after comedians in the country. But we are lucky he will still come to us! You know'em, you love'm...more than 15 years as a stand-up comic, Maine's own Bob Marley has been featured in his own special on Comedy Central, and is one of the few comics to do the complete late night TV circuit: The Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan O'Brien and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and Craig Kilborn. But all those accolades aside, he is just one of us, and we can't get enough of him. And geesh don't we all need to laugh right now. Always a quick sell out!
October 20, 2023 (Friday): Kathy Mattea click
for details
Hailed by The Washington Post as “one of Nashville’s finest song interpreters,” Kathy Mattea has enjoyed much success and acclaim during her 35-year career in Country, Bluegrass and Folk music, including 2 Grammy wins, 4 CMA Awards, 4 #1 country singles, and five gold albums (plus a platinum Greatest Hits collection). In addition to creating and recording music and performing live on tour, Kathy is increasingly involved with public broadcasting, consulting and contributing on screen in Ken Burns’ 2019 documentary for PBS Country Music, and recently replacing founder Larry Groce as the host of the long-running NPR show Mountain Stage.
We welcome Kathy back to the Mountain, and remind her that the snow won’t be here yet. (ask her about the night she spent in the bus, on a hill in Brownfield after a snowstorm : >) She is one of us!
October 21, 2023 (Saturday): Lonesome Ace Stringband click
for details
SMAC Recommended
Ya know we get more than our share of string band pitched to us these days. But with all the rebooting and reinventions of bluegrass and old timey music, every once in while something more pure comes through.
Case in point from from Canada , the Lonesome Ace Stringband is an old-time band with bluegrass chops that play some righteous folk and country music. There's a depth of groove and sense of space not often heard in bluegrass today, a level of instrumental interplay and vocal blend uncommon in old-time, and an on-stage rapport that transcends all of this. Here is a sweet ballad video to watch.
But no worries they can S&@t kick it with the rest of them!
October 25, 2023 (Wednesday): Comedian Bob Marley click
for details
I don't know any other person who worked harder to keep us entertained during 2020 and beyond than comedian Bob Marley. His daily videos were a comic relief from the world's challenges, and there have been many. Bob has a gift and a way of finding the hilarity in the obvious and the seemingly common occurrences in our sometimes mundane lives. In fact, he would make fun of me for saying all this!!. I can just hear him mocking me now!
On a personal note, Bob kept my staff from going crazy! We appreciate him for being one of the artists that was willing to do shows in whatever way he could to make venues and people laugh..whether it was a small capacity show or a drive in…he did it all. Nothing can stop the Bob Marley train and we love him for that. And yes, I said artist!!
Bob is not just our Maine comedian, he is one of the funniest people in the current world of comedy. His viral videos have thrust him into further popularity as one of the hottest and most sought after comedians in the country. But we are lucky he will still come to us! You know'em, you love'm...more than 15 years as a stand-up comic, Maine's own Bob Marley has been featured in his own special on Comedy Central, and is one of the few comics to do the complete late night TV circuit: The Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan O'Brien and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and Craig Kilborn. But all those accolades aside, he is just one of us, and we can't get enough of him. And geesh don't we all need to laugh right now. Always a quick sell out!
October 27, 2023 (Friday): The Tannahill Weavers click
for details
FROM SCOTLAND"An especially eloquent mixture of the old and the new." - New York Times
Born of a session in Paisley, Scotland, and named for the town's historic weaving industry and local poet laureate Robert Tannahill, the Tannahill Weavers have made an international name for their special brand of Celtic music, blending the beauty of traditional melodies with the power of modern rhythms. As one of the world's premier traditional Celtic bands, their diverse repertoire spans the centuries with fire-driven instrumentals, topical songs, original ballads and lullabies, and humorous tales of life in Scotland.
In 2021 they have been joined by exciting piper and fiddle player Iain MacGillivray, who is also Scotland's youngest Clan leader. Iain, a fluent Gaelic speaker, has worked on such exciting productions as Outlander and Men in Kilts, and has performed for a huge list of stars and dignitaries in recent years. As the band celebrate the nomination of their 18th recording, Ňrach (“Golden” in Gaelic) as album of the year, and themselves as band of the year, they are firmly established as one of the premier groups on the concert stage. From reflective ballads to footstomping reels and jigs, the variety and range of the material they perform is matched only by their enthusiasm and lively Celtic spirits.
October 28, 2023 (Saturday): Sam Bush click
for details
Grammy Award winning multi-instrumentalist Sam Bush doesn't seem old enough to be a musical legend, but that is just what he is. Considered the originator of the Newgrass style, he is "the" mandolin player of out generation. Bush has helped to expand the horizons of bluegrass music, fusing it with jazz, rock, blues, funk and other styles. He's the co-founder of the genre-bending New Grass Revival and an in-demand musician who has played with everyone from Emmylou Harris and Bela Fleck to Charlie Haden, Lyle Lovett and Garth Brooks. And though Bush is best known for jaw-dropping skills on the mandolin, he is also a three time national junior fiddle champion and Grammy award winning vocalist. We are honored to be a stop on Sam’s tour p.s And always with a killer band!
November 4, 2023 (Saturday): Secret Sisters click for details
Grammy nominated Lydia and Laura Rogers are recognizable as sisters the minute they open their mouths. They float, twist and trade harmonies in ways only siblings can. Hailing from small-town Alabama, the pair started practicing parts as girls in church, and two decades later, their music can be hymn-like: plain but powerful, heartsick and hopeful. They also throw back to secular songs: those of the Everly Brothers, bluegrass creator Bill Monroe and country godfather Hank Williams. In fact, all but two songs on The Secret Sisters' first (self-titled) album were covers of traditionals or traditional country songs. Later albums would show their own songwriting talents, a little darker but still as sweet…one new being a Grammy nominated record, produced by Brandi Carlile and the Twins. if that is not a seal of approval, I don't know what is! With their latest, Saturn Return, The Secret Sisters have truly come into their own as artists, songwriters, and singers. Very happy to finally get them back!!! Check them out for yerslef on YouTube.
November 2, 2023 (Thursday): Cowboy Junkies click for details
Sometimes revolutions begin quietly.
In 1988, Cowboy Junkies proved that there was an audience waiting for something quiet, beautiful and reflective. The Trinity Session was like a whisper that cut through the noise -- and it was compelling. It stood out in the midst of the flash and bombast that came to define the late 80's. The now classic recording combined folk, blues and rock in a way that had never been heard before and went on to sell more than a million copies.
Formed in Toronto in 1985 with siblings Michael Timmins on guitar, Margo Timmins on vocals, Peter Timmins on drums, and Michael’s lifelong friend Alan Anton on bass, the band has sparkled over the course of 26 albums. “I’ve known Alan longer than I’ve known Pete,” says Michael. “We were friends before Pete was born.”
Unlike most long-lasting groups, Cowboy Junkies have never had a break up or taken a sanity-saving hiatus. There’s an appreciation of each other that keeps them constantly working. “It’s that intimacy and understanding of what each one of us brings to the table,” says Michael. Cowboy Junkies’ will be performing a career-spanning show, including their new album, ‘Such Ferocious Beauty’, which was released worldwide on June 2, 2023 to universal critical acclaim.
"...Margo Timmins's voice is as melancholy and enchanting as ever."
- The New York Times
"Cowboy Junkies break new ground with 'Such Ferocious Beauty'...The Timmins siblings plus Alan Anton may be 38 years into their career as a band, but with their latest album, they sound as if they’re starting all over…'Such Ferocious Beauty' unfurls as a pitch-perfect sequence and late-career classic."
- No Depression
"Such Ferocious Beauty offers some of the most intense, electrifying and aggressive sonic rock soundscapes in the Cowboy Junkies canon."
- The Toronto Star
Check out Sweet Jane LIVE .
November 3, 2023 (Friday): Cowboy Junkies click for details
Sometimes revolutions begin quietly.
In 1988, Cowboy Junkies proved that there was an audience waiting for something quiet, beautiful and reflective. The Trinity Session was like a whisper that cut through the noise -- and it was compelling. It stood out in the midst of the flash and bombast that came to define the late 80's. The now classic recording combined folk, blues and rock in a way that had never been heard before and went on to sell more than a million copies.
Formed in Toronto in 1985 with siblings Michael Timmins on guitar, Margo Timmins on vocals, Peter Timmins on drums, and Michael’s lifelong friend Alan Anton on bass, the band has sparkled over the course of 26 albums. “I’ve known Alan longer than I’ve known Pete,” says Michael. “We were friends before Pete was born.”
Unlike most long-lasting groups, Cowboy Junkies have never had a break up or taken a sanity-saving hiatus. There’s an appreciation of each other that keeps them constantly working. “It’s that intimacy and understanding of what each one of us brings to the table,” says Michael. Cowboy Junkies’ will be performing a career-spanning show, including their new album, ‘Such Ferocious Beauty’, which was released worldwide on June 2, 2023 to universal critical acclaim.
"...Margo Timmins's voice is as melancholy and enchanting as ever."
- The New York Times
"Cowboy Junkies break new ground with 'Such Ferocious Beauty'...The Timmins siblings plus Alan Anton may be 38 years into their career as a band, but with their latest album, they sound as if they’re starting all over…'Such Ferocious Beauty' unfurls as a pitch-perfect sequence and late-career classic."
- No Depression
"Such Ferocious Beauty offers some of the most intense, electrifying and aggressive sonic rock soundscapes in the Cowboy Junkies canon."
- The Toronto Star
Check out Sweet Jane LIVE .
November 10, 2023 (Friday): Ward Hayden & the Outliers click for details
A Celebration of Hank Williams
A
We love that we get to see many sides of this great band…one is rockin' and one is just pure roots and another is definitely country. So this album and show is just the right fit for Ward and the Boys. NEW album "A Celebration of Hank Williams LIVE” is available on CD & Vinyl. So get your ticket and get your album and enjoy some great music from this great band.
Are you new to this band? If Chris Isaac, Buddy Holly and Buck Owens started a band, it might sound like these guys! The twangy country open rock and roll sounds of this fun band, is fronted by SMAC’s favorite crooner Ward Hayden . A smooth, authentic honky tonk/early rock & roll vibe with some country-folk thrown in there too...it is hard to peg these guys....but that's a good thing! An eclectic blend of musical styles that's reminiscent of Johnny Cash one minute, CCR the next, the all-male quintet mixes catchy melodies with cowboy vocals and creative percussion, hurling grit (sometimes grits) and heart into every tune. Come celebrate this new album!
November 16, 2023 (Thursday): Della Mae click
for details
These gals put on one of the most "wowing" shows we have ever seen here, when last they visited. Everyone has wanted them back...so your wish is our command! Born from a yearning for a traditional bluegrass sound in the heart of New England.
Born from a yearning for a traditional bluegrass sound in the heart of New England. When the band started, there was not a single all-women bluegrass band on the national touring scene. One of the main goals of grammy nominated Della Mae from the start, was to showcase strong women in bluegrass. Their musical style seamlessly blends years of experience with traditional mountain music and modern singer-songwriter sensibilities. Della Mae has toured throughout the U.S., playing festivals, music clubs, house concerts, churches, and conducting workshops. These ladies draw from a well of influences to create vibrantly original music that conveys their expansive musical vision with timeless lyrical truths and a contemporary sensibility all their own. Happy to have them back!!
November 17, 2023 (Friday): Marc Cohn click
for details
The Grammy award winning singer songwriter is back finally..it's been way too long!! Best known for his song "Walking in Memphis", Marc Cohn is a beautiful piano player and outstanding singer songwriter and performer. His stage banter is equally as entertaining as his songs, and last time lots of people missed him because of the quick sell out...don't be left out.
We LOVE him...comes highly SMAC recommended.
November 18, 2023 (Saturday): Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives
Helps Support our Local Food Pantry
On my birthday!! No better gift than having Marty and the guys on my birthday and having our food pantry supported too! Two things close to my heart! And with Thanksgiving right around the corner!
Yipeeeeee!!!! We have said many times that Marty and the Superlatives were one of the reasons we opened this place. Dozing off while watching a Late Night Conan O'Brien show, we came to, just in time, to see this amazing band. Our dreamy idea of SMAC became a reality after seeing them and then picturing them on our own stage.
The first time they simply blew us away. Since then, the only disappointment in having Marty and the boys back is when it's over. I always say, when they come its like the wedding we never had! Marty and the guys, have been special guesting heavily for the last few years with the whos who of national tours, so we are so lucky to have them for one show.. A country Renaissance man, Marty is the consummate performer...mixing a blend of bluegrass, old time country, and his own brand of traditional style originals. He is a country music historian, when not playing is preserving as much of the rich country history as possible. He is a true artist in every way.
The band is crazy good. Kenny Vaughan, Harry Stinson on drums, and Chris Scruggs on bass. Their playing is of course top notch, but their live vocals steal the show. That live thrill on stage, and on records has also been seen regularly by TV viewers on RFD-TV's The Marty Stuart Show. Marty has played with everyone from Johnny Cash, Travis Tritt, and Dolly Parton to Bela Fleck...he is a musicians' musician, but for this night we call him our own. We are so happy he is coming back to us!!!!
Welcome Back Marty and the Superlatives…
December 6, 2023 (Wednesday): Taste of Christmas Rooster Luncheon click
(This event is Recommended for our Seniors)
Can't get out to see us at night? Here is a little taste of a night out at SMAC for Christmas in the day time!!! A home cooked meal served with love to be followed by a short Christmas Carol concert given by owner Carol Noonan all beginning at noon.
*Lunch includes salad, chicken entree, dessert, coffee and tea and dessert in our Maine Hall. Extra beverages not included and a tip is always welcomed for our hardworking staff
December 8, 2023 (Friday): Dana Cunningham & Carol Noonan details
Annual Christmas Concert at the Little White Church in Eaton, NH
ONE SHOW ONLY
Dana the composer and pianist, and Carol the singer songwriter together form a really beautiful and fun Christmas show that they play annually at this special place on Crystal Lake in the quaint village of Eaton NH.
Join Dana and Carol for a very special holiday memory at the Little White Church. in Eaton NH
* Doors open at 7:00 pm - Show begins at 7:30pm
Again, this concert is held at the Little White Church in Eaton NH (not at SMAC)
* Tickets may only be purchased through the Stone Mountain Arts Center Box Office.
* Please Note:
This is not a SMAC produced show, so SMAC memberships or credits do not apply.
December 9, 2023 (Saturday): Martin Sexton click
for details
So excited to have Martin here!. Plain and simple....he is one of the best singers I have heard in my lifetime. I was lucky enough to have him sing on one of my albums when he was kicking around Boston, many, many years ago. Little did I know how big a star he would become, and we most humbly welcome him for another visit to Stone Mountain."His outstanding taste in songwriting as well as a soul marinated voice that can easily be compared to the likes of a young Steve Winwood or Van Morrison."- Rolling Stone "The best live performer I've ever seen."- John Mayer. We couldn't agree more…
December 13, 2023 (Wednesday): Comedian Bob Marley click
for details
I don't know any other person who worked harder to keep us entertained during 2020 and beyond than comedian Bob Marley. His daily videos were a comic relief from the world's challenges, and there have been many. Bob has a gift and a way of finding the hilarity in the obvious and the seemingly common occurrences in our sometimes mundane lives. In fact, he would make fun of me for saying all this!!. I can just hear him mocking me now!
On a personal note, Bob kept my staff from going crazy! We appreciate him for being one of the artists that was willing to do shows in whatever way he could to make venues and people laugh..whether it was a small capacity show or a drive in…he did it all. Nothing can stop the Bob Marley train and we love him for that. And yes, I said artist!!
Bob is not just our Maine comedian, he is one of the funniest people in the current world of comedy. His viral videos have thrust him into further popularity as one of the hottest and most sought after comedians in the country. But we are lucky he will still come to us! You know'em, you love'm...more than 15 years as a stand-up comic, Maine's own Bob Marley has been featured in his own special on Comedy Central, and is one of the few comics to do the complete late night TV circuit: The Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan O'Brien and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and Craig Kilborn. But all those accolades aside, he is just one of us, and we can't get enough of him. And geesh don't we all need to laugh right now. Always a quick sell out!
December 15, 2023 (Friday): Stone Mountain LIVE for Christmas details
Hosted by Carol Noonan and the Stone Mountain Boys
featuring
Duke Levine, Kevin Barry and very special guest Guitar God Bill Kirchen FINALLY!
There is simply no better place to celebrate the holidays than at Stone Mountain Arts Center! With the lights all strung and garlands galore, Stone Mountain LIVE at Christmas is the whole "Experience"... it takes all the best aspects of this special place on the hill and packs it into one fun festive night! Stone Mountain's owner, Carol Noonan, who hosts this unique revue style show with her house band the Stone Mountain Boys ... featuring guitarists Duke Levine and Kevin Barry. Featuring special guest, the one and only Bill Kirchen...famed of his Commander Cody days and his version of Hot Rod Lincoln, well if we could have a a favorite Uncle for SMAC, it would be him!!
December 16, 2023 ( Saturday): Stone Mountain LIVE for Christmas details
Hosted by Carol Noonan and the Stone Mountain Boys
featuring Duke Levine, Kevin Barry and very special guest Guitar God Bill Kirchen FINALLY!
There is simply no better place to celebrate the holidays than at Stone Mountain Arts Center! With the lights all strung and garlands galore, Stone Mountain LIVE at Christmas is the whole "Experience"... it takes all the best aspects of this special place on the hill and packs it into one fun festive night! Stone Mountain's owner, Carol Noonan, who hosts this unique revue style show with her house band the Stone Mountain Boys ... featuring guitarists Duke Levine and Kevin Barry. Featuring special guest, the one and only Bill Kirchen...famed of his Commander Cody days and his version of Hot Rod Lincoln, well if we could have a a favorite Uncle for SMAC, it would be him!!
December 29, 2023 (Friday): Tricky Britches click
for details
The RETURN of one of our favorite bands. It’s been too long. Some bluegrass , some country, some folk…some all of that! Tricky Britches formed in 2009, when four friends in Portland, Maine, took their fiddle tunes and country songs on the road across the US. Since then they have released three albums of original material: Comin’ in Hot (2016), Good Company (2013), and Hard Fought Day(2011). They have played on stages big and small across the US, Hawaii, and Europe. But Tricky on our stage is just the most special.
|
January 25, 2024 (Thursday): On A Winter's Night click
for details
Featuring John Gorka, Patty Larkin, Lucy Kaplansky, and Cliff Everhardt
Presenting the Reunion Tour of “On A Winter’s Night” from veteran singer-songwriters that remain among the brightest stars of the singer/songwriter movement for the past three decades. In 1994 musicians gathered together, to showcase music of the Winter Season on the now-classic On A Winter’s Night CD, followed by several years of touring collaborations. As soloists, these artists have released dozens of recordings and toured steadily through the decades, with fond memories of their touring days together. The winter season is again celebrated by these unique and popular performers, back together by popular demand.
February 17, 2024 (Saturday): Glen Phillips and Shawn Mullins click
for details
Wow…two of our absolute favs!!! Comes SMAC Highly Recommended
Glen Phillips ...
We just love this guy! The singer and songwriter of the alt rock group Toad the Wet Sprocket. has been splitting time between Toad and an inspired solo career. Many solo albums and collaborations later, he constantly reinventing and creating. Those collaborations continue with a super pairing with another folk rocking singer song writer, Shawn Mullins
Shawn Mullins:
We just love this guy too! Grammy nominated Shawn Mullins' critical breakthrough came when his song "Lullaby", from the album Soul's Core, became a radio and video hit. Another familiar hit, "All in My Head", was featured on the hit television sitcom "Scrubs". But since then, he continues to write amazing songs and do amazing shows. This is one of those performers who people thank me for bringing to SMAC after he plays.
Don't miss this great combo of talent!
February 24, 2023 (Saturday): Soggy Po' Boys click
for details
The Soggy Po Boys, native to New England, have quickly become an institution. They are spreading the good news of New Orleans music across the northeast and beyond, playing at concert halls and street corners; music festivals and burlesque festivals; bars and libraries; wherever the party requires. Part of the beauty of New Orleans music is that it's celebrated and appreciated wherever it goes, from the street to the theater.?
The Po Boys formed in 2012 to shake the walls of a local club on a Fat Tuesday but have honed their sound and become more than a Mardi Gras centerpiece. Exploring the vast musical traditions of New Orleans and expanding their repertoire to look beyond NOLA jazz, the band includes traditional Caribbean tunes (it’s been said that New Orleans is the northernmost city in the Caribbean), as well as Meters funk, soul, and brass band / street beat music.
“...These guys have done their homework, worked it out on the bandstand and put in the hours in the studio. It all adds up to a party you can bring with you when you want to treat your friends to a real good time.” -Ben Schenck of New Orleans’ Panorama Jazz Band.
There are a myriad of traditions that flow into New Orleans culture just as there are tributaries that feed the Mississippi, and the Po Boys are eager to explore what makes the music of New Orleans so damn special. You’ll hear the heavy influence of the New Orleans sound across the band and in the stories told by their original tunes. Despite the scope of its sound, the outfit is only seven people, and thrives on the interplay and group dynamics that bring this music to life.
March 9, 2024 (Saturday): Missy Raines & Allegheny click
for details
Iconic bluegrass instrumentalist and award winning Missy Raines is coming to us with her own band, Missy Raines & Allegheny. A bluegrass ensemble featuring banjo, fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and bass.they will give more than a nod to Missy’s deep bluegrass roots. Allegheny offers Missy fertile ground to bring a together a lifetime of traditional inspiration along with her unique approach to string band music
GRAMMY® nominated Missy Raines was named 2021 International Bluegrass Music Association Bass Player of the Year, for the 10th time, more than any other bass player in the history of the organization. She has proven herself without doubt as an iconic bluegrass instrumentalist. But with the success of her latest release, Royal Traveller, Raines has stepped into the spotlight as a songwriter and singer as well. Royal Traveller was nominated for a GRAMMY® in 2020 and was produced by Compass Records co-founder and renowned banjoist. In 1998, Raines became the first woman to win IBMA's Bass Player of the Year award. Her album, Royal Traveller, highlights this particular piece of Raines' history with the stand out track “Swept Away”, which features the first 5 women to win IBMA instrumentalist awards, Raines, Brown, Sierra Hull, Becky Buller, and Molly Tuttle. “Swept Away” was named 2018 IBMA Recorded Event of the Year. Missy’s version of the iconic Flatt & Scruggs “Darlin Pal(s) of Mine”, (from the same album), was named 2019 Instrumental Recording of the Year by the IBMA. In 2020, Missy received the IBMA Song of the Year award along with co-writers, Becky Buller and Alison Brown for “Chicago Barn Dance”, a song written specifically for the Chicago-based band, Special Consensus.
Well if that’s not enough accolades to get ya here…here's from me…she is super great and had been recommended to me by many great bluegrass performers…..and they otta know!!
March 23, 2024 (Saturday): Altan click
for details
Wow, it’s been too long since we have seen these dear musical friends. With a career in Irish music for 35 years, Altan has achieved legendary status in a genre that has been equally shaped by the band's influence and genius. Audiences from Ireland to Japan to Australia to Europe have embraced their heartwarming, dynamic live performances and their exquisitely produced, award-winning recordings. Over a dozen releases to date, ranging from the most touching old Irish songs to hard-hitting reels and jigs. Chicago Weekly, said, "Thought by many to be the finest traditional Irish combo working today, Altan seamlessly blend dazzling instrumental prowess and the gorgeously delicate vocals of Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh" I would whole heartedly agree. They have not been here for many years and we have missed them. The real deal of Irish bands...don't miss their welcome return.
April 13, 2024 (Saturday): The Jacob Jolliff Band click for details
“Jacob is a serious player…he is a mandolinist to watch.” — Béla Fleck. Need we say more!! As part of Béla Fleck’s Bluegrass Heart tour you may have seen this super player here at SMAC. Mandolinist Jacob Jolliff a former member of two massively popular progressive bluegrass bands, Joy Kills Sorrow and the Yonder Mountain String Band, Jolliff remains one of the country’s premier contemporary mandolinists.
A fixture of the national bluegrass community, he has collaborated and shared the stage with Darol Anger, Sam Bush, Ronnie McCoury, Michael Daves, Tony Trischka, and David Grisman to name a few. When Joy Kills Sorrow disbanded in 2014, Jolliff got the call to join Yonder Mountain String Band and toured full time with them until the end of 2019.
Now with his own band, Jacob’s main focus is The Jacob Jolliff Band. This ensemble is a group of virtuosic pickers that play Jacob’s original instrumentals, as well as showcase his singing. They tour nationally in the US and have also travelled to Scotland and Australia to perform. The group has released two albums, “Instrumentals Vol. 1” in 2018 and “The Jacob Jolliff Band” in 2022. A new act for SMAC, and like I always say they are the gems you don’t want to miss. If it’s good enough for Béla well its good enough for you! Check him out!
April 19, 2024 (Friday): Chris Smither click
for details
Simply one of those shows that you walk away ,
blown away after the show. Honing a synthesis of folk and blues for over 50 years, Chris Smither is truly an American original. Having distilled his own signature sound of blues and folk for over 40 years, Chris Smither is one of the best to ever hit our stage. With profound songs, dazzling guitar skills and his distinct gravelly voice he casts a spell over the audience one song at a time.
Says the Chicago Sun Times - "Chris Smither has traveled countless miles with his careworn blend of folk and acoustic blues. His hallmarks include the fingers of an effortless musician, a voice as craggy and deep as the earth, the soul of a philosopher and master poet, and the foot-tapping percussion of a restless wanderer..."
Couldn't have said it better myself. I hope he never retires!!!
May 4, 2024 (Saturday): Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas click
for details
This Celtic duo is a musical partnership between Alasdair, long regarded as Scotland's premier fiddle ambassador, and the sizzlingly-talented California cellist Natalie Haas. A toe tapping night of fiddle music and Scottish stories...SMAC at its best when they are here.
May 10, 2024 (Friday): Le Vent du Nord click
for details
Simply one of the best bands that comes to SMAC and if this band doesn't make you happy well you need happy therapy!!! Simply joyous is how I would describe an evening with this band. Heavily influenced by Celtic music, these guys are better every time w see them. Le Vent du Nord is one of the premier folk bands coming out of Canada today winning multiple awards and accolades from our friends up north. They have a huge and exciting sound using traditional instruments and foot stomping rhythms.....and they even play the hurdi gurdi!! They put on a whale of a show and you will leave here smiling and wanting more, like we always do. Take a minute to watch this video.
May 31, 2024 (Friday): John Gorka click
for details
Since his 1987 Red House release, I Know, introduced renowned artist John Gorka to the public, the Minnesota-via-New Jersey guitarist and songwriter's wit and honesty has made him one of the most respected, beloved songwriters currently carrying on the folk tradition. Many well known artists have recorded and/or performed John Gorka songs, including Mary Chapin Carpenter, Nanci Griffith, Mary Black and Maura O'Connell. John has graced the stage of Austin City Limits, Mountain Stage, etown and has appeared on CNN. His song "Where No Monuments Stand" is featured in the upcoming documentary Every War Has Two Losers, about activist Poet Laureate William Stafford (1914-1993).
On a personal note... He is just wicked funny and I am always sad when his show is over. Come see one of the most honest and endearing performers I know. Here is a song of his that I love. It's sad and beautiful. But that's John...makes you feel when you should.
June 22, 2024 (Saturday): Paula Cole click for details
Simply one of the best female singers I have ever heard. Songs like "Where have all the Cowboys Gone" and "I Don't Want to Wait" put her on the list of chart busters. But the first time I heard her she was singing back up for Peter Gabriel. When he featured her, it was clear by the hush and then roar of the crowd that she was headed for bigger and better things. Of course her star rose quickly and now we are lucky to be able to present her in our humble hall. Her emotionally charged voice singing her own songs of life, love and a philosophy and intense artistic presence is not to be missed.As creative and powerful as ever…that is Paula Cole.
Need to be reminded?
Paul Cole and Peter G : A Throwback Video
|
Thanks
for checking out our schedule... Tickets are on sale Online or at the Arts Center Box Office.