Enjoy the sights of Boston from the eyes of The Hush Now as they offer you tidings of the season in this video featuring "Wishing you a Happy Christmas". You can download the song HERE for free.

— The Deli Staff

There are some really great shows going on this weekend.

WERS 88.9FM Presents Will Dailey’s Festival Holidad at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston MA tonight. Four bands will be celebrating the season with rock, pop and CD releases galore.

Here’s the line up:

BRENDAN BOOGIE & THE BEST INTENTIONS (releasing their brand new CD!)

VIOLET NINE

THE LUXURY (2009 Rumble Winners, Nominated for Best Rock Act in the 2009 BMA’s)

WILL DAILEY & THE RIVALS (Winner of Songwriter of the Year at the Boston Music Awards)

Also, Avi and Celia’s new project Hey Mama will be celebrating their Boston CD release at the Lizard Lounge tonight and tomorrow. Tonight they will have Qwill (I like them a lot.) supporting and tomorrow it’s Mia Dyson.

Session Americana‘s annual holiday extravaganza is at Club Passim with special guests (of course) Melissa Ferrick, Rose Polenzani, Sarah Borges, Merrie Amsterberg, and Peter Linton. Two shows for that 7 & 10.

As for Vermont tonight, country rockers Lowell Thompson and Crown Pilot at Red Square and The Day’s Weight (who kicked ass at the launch party) play Manhattan’s (man, I want some of that pizza and beer right now.)

So, you guys have no excuse not to do anything this weekend.

–The Deli Staff

Business for Pleasure released their new album White Collar Ryhmes at the Middle East Downstairs 12.3.

The members of Boston’s Business For Pleasure don’t feel obliged to hide their influences – in fact, a quick sleeve-check showed, during a live set at the Middle East Downstairs last Friday, a range of 90s rap inspirations from Snoop & Dre to A Tribe Called Quest to the Notorious BIG to the Beastie Boys. Though I’m not typically one to judge a music group by the sources that they cite (left that shit back in high school), I do feel inclined to point out how Business for Pleasure’s only real flaw is that they seem to be stuck in a time that can not be recovered. Unfortunately, for these fine music makers there’s no way to sample the nineties.

Short of that, BFP kept it pretty damn real. What appeared at first to be a funk/rock/rap outfit warranting a comparison to a certain band who wrote a song about a Yoruba religion (hint: it’s not Lucumi) became a fairly danceable piece of musicianship in front of my very eyes. Every member of the group was involved in the performance and appeared to be loving it – from MC Jed Lewis letting out his particular brand of complex lyricism to keyboardist Tim Tsang singing a beautiful falsetto harmony over a song about halfway through the set (I couldn’t catch the name…forgive me). Throughout the whole set guitarist Cory Kwan’s catchy hooks and riffs reverberated throughout the basement of the Cambridge venue. It made me wonder: might this kind of musician-centric hip-hop still have a place in the music world beyond the kids bumpin’ The Roots on their headphones?

In all likelihood, no. But a part of me, for the sake of a group as nice-soundin’ as Business For Pleasure, really hopes that I’m wrong.

—Daniel Schneider 

Mark Kaye is the founder of Hear Now Live, a Boston based company that provides additional revenue sources for local bands. Hear Now Live promotes shows at several local Boston area clubs. According to their website, "[Hear Now Live is] a one stop shop for a local band or an up and coming national band. On top of offering Bands the opportunity to play a HNL concert that will be promoted correctly and be band friendly, our shows attract true music fans, and the vibe created by HNL is unmatched."

The Deli: Tell me about Hear Now Live. How long has it been going on?

Mark Kaye: I have been in and out of the music industry for 20 years but I started HNL 3 years ago. It started as a way to get local music out to people faster by recording the shows and burning them on the spot. It turned into a full service Promotions and booking agency shortly after that. We try to create a community of music fans and have them always want to come back for more. We ask the musicians to believe in the each show and to help us create a positive environment so that there friends and fans will be happy and want to see them again or come to another Hear Now Live event.

Read more…

Tony Lovell Photo by : David Owczarek

One could make a strong case that the Cambridge and Boston area is filled with a diversity of talented musicians and songwriters…and that there are too few venues in which that talent can find a home. Tony Lovell, a talented singer/songwriter himself, is waging active war against that notion. He has been organizing acoustic showcases featuring some of that talent in rooms that don’t usually see such fare. At first, the dance club Middlesex became a forum for Cambridge singer/songwriters to strut their stuff. Now, he has brought that vibe and vision to The Enormous Room in Central Square. This Sunday evening, beginning at 6PM, a group of local songwriters will perform free of charge in a space that is usually reserved for DJs and electronic music.

Sunday’s lineup will feature a diversity of acts such as the ever-hilarious Joe Kowan, the heartfelt duo of Jeremy Ross and Cilla Bonnie, and yours truly. David Owczarek and Tony Lovell himself will round out the bill. Come join us for an evening of original songs in an original space.

Sunday, December 6, 2009, 6-9PM| 569 Massachusetts Ave.| Central Square, Cambridge, MA

— James Houlahan
 

It’s always sad to realize that a venue cares more about making loot than the music it is featuring. Such is the case of Pearl Street Nightclub in Northampton, MA. Sadly, Pearl Street is one of the largest venues in Western Massachusetts. It is part of the Iron Horse Entertainment Group which is a conglomeration of the Calivin Theater, Iron Horse, and Mountain Park all owned by Eric Suher who has already seen a fair share of legal trouble in his short 40 years.

I went to see Jesse Dee and Ryan Montbleau. Both are acts I have seen before. I’ve seen Jesse close to a billion times and Ryan once in Vermont. Both phenomenal acts and they put on a great show Friday night. Too bad it had to be at the Pearl Street Nightclub.

As soon as I walked into the venue I was greeted by many warnings. If I used a camera the venue had a right to confiscate my equipment. When you read further, I can understand why they wouldn’t want people using cameras. The place was riddled with fire code no-nos. I don’t think I’ve ever planned my escape route during a show before. If I bought drinks for a minor I would be hog-tied and executed. Understandable.

The venue was dark, cold and loud. The first band, who’s name I couldn’t find anywhere, sounded like they could have been a good band, although the audio was so fucked up all you could hear was the drums. There were NO lights on except for five crappy stage lights. I am not exaggerating. THERE WERE NO LIGHTS ON (are you reading this Northampton fire department?) You couldn’t see the floor let alone your hand in front of your face. I decided to get a beer and was surprised to find out a bottle of Harpoon is over 6 dollars. I can understand high prices in a higher class venue but this place didn’t even have locks in the girl’s bathroom. When we bought a beer we had to ask the bartender for our change back for two beers (we gave him a 20, do the math). He laughed in our faces and said he thought it was “gratuity”. The fucked up thing is that he was serious. In all my many, many years of going to bars around the world NEVER, EVER have I witnessed such rudeness from venue staff. He wouldn’t sell us three beers at a time. Even though my friend was treating me and another friend who were all present in front of this man. His name was Jack according to the other bartender. Ugh. The bartenders were wearing sport jackets, you know like the Starter kind, because I don’t think the heat was on. The only security I saw was a teenager sitting on the risers texting on his phone all night.

Let’s talk about the music. Jesse Dee is one of my favorite acts in New England. He starts off his shows with a Sam Cooke-esque musical announcement of what is going to happen and the crowd always nestles near and starts to dance immediately. His music is classic soul. I love it. If you haven’t seen him yet, and I don’t know why you wouldn’t, please do. He tours all over the place.

Ryan Montbleau is a larger act and has quite a national following. He sits down like Tim Gearan and has a different guitar for every song it seems. I like that Montbleau has such a variety of content in his shows. His songs vary from folk-rock, to blues, to jam band style, uh, jams. The crowd loves this kid. He’s a cutie patootie and is always smiling. I noticed that both bands seemed disconnected from the audience. It’s my guess that they couldn’t see them in the soul-engulfing darkness of the club.

I left half-way through Montbleau’s set, honestly because I couldn’t take how disgusting Pearl Street was anymore. A small bottle of water is 3.50 by the way. Does this place think its Woodstock 99 or something? (I went to the hell on Earth that was Woodstock 99 and it was a far better experience compared to this dump.) I asked for a glass of tap and he gave me a plastic cup and told me to fill it up in the bathroom. I asked him if he had a sink behind the bar and the bartender said it was full of water. I probably need a tetanus shot.

I went next door to Bishop’s Lounge which is probably my favorite venue in the area, and was pleasantly surprised to see that Avi and Celia’s new project, Hey Mama, was playing. Sweet. They were amazing. I was not disappointed, and didn’t think I was going to be. Bluesy rock at its best. They actually kind of reminded me of Led Zeppelin for some reason, which is a blessed and enlightening feeling I’ve never experienced before. Bishop’s is a cozy venue with a great porch for smoking and hanging out. And you can hear the music on the porch. They have a dancing area and the staff is nice. It was a great relief to experience Hey Mama at Bishop’s after getting my wallet raped at Pearl Street.

Don’t get me wrong. Jesse Dee and Ryan Montbleau are some of the greatest musicians out of the area right now. I just felt like I was watching them on TV. Let this be a warning to you touring musicians and fans. Stay far, far away from Pearl Street Nightclub. In all my years in music and journalism I can say honestly, it is the WORST venue I have ever been to in my life. I don’t care if God resurrects Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin and Kurt Cobain for some “Club 27 Revival Tour” and the only show they play is the Pearl Street Nightclub. I wouldn’t go back. Now excuse me, I have to take a shower and then get tested for Chlamydia.

On a lighter note, Hey Mama is playing Nectar’s in Burlington tonight. Now that’s an awesome venue. Get a Ridge Runner on tap for me.

— Meghan Chiampa

WERS 88.9FM Presents Will Dailey’s Festival Holidad at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston MA on 12.11. Four bands will be celebrating the season with rock, pop and CD releases galore.

Here’s the line up:

BRENDAN BOOGIE & THE BEST INTENTIONS (releasing their brand new CD!)

VIOLET NINE

THE LUXURY (2009 Rumble Winners, Nominated for Best Rock Act in the 2009 BMA’s)

WILL DAILEY & THE RIVALS (Winner of Songwriter of the Year at the Boston Music Awards)

Should be a kick-ass show! The best thing about it is that Will Dailey and pals have been posting funny little youtube videos to promote the show.The videos feature people getting punched in the face (gasp!) and Dailey in light-up musical novelty antlers (aw!). The video at the top was my favorite one. Check out their Festival Holidad channel HERE.

TICKETS HERE +18 $12 adv. – $15 day of show

–The Deli Staff

 Perhaps Burlington’s most well renknowed indie rock band, The Cush, are having an early CD release party for their upcoming album, Between the Leaves. The album won’t be officially released until April of ’10, but the group is giving their hometown fans an early look. Also joining the festivities are Tapis Bleu and Nose Bleed Island. Doors open at 9pm at the Monkey.

Monkey House
30 Main St.
Winooski, VT 05404

—The Deli Staff