Author |
Topic: Steel in Boston? |
Ken Pippus
From: Langford, BC, Canada
|
Posted 7 Oct 2008 6:44 pm
|
|
I'm there for the weekend, and though it doesn't seem the most promising destination, I wondered if there were any "don't miss" items.
Does Worcester ever cross your mind?
KP |
|
|
|
Matthew Prouty
From: Warsaw, Poland
|
Posted 8 Oct 2008 3:39 am
|
|
Ken,
I get to go there once every three years or so for work, with an extended stay in the Worcester area. I can tell you it will be really hard to find much of anything steel related. There is a country bar in Worcester, but when I went there was some high cover charge so I did not get past the door.
Maybe Doug B. can tell you where to go to see something in Western Mass.
I normally bring my guitar with me when I go there and set it up in the hotel and use the time to woodshed. |
|
|
|
Eric Gearhart
From: Bellingham, Massachusetts, USA
|
Posted 8 Oct 2008 5:19 am steel in Boston
|
|
There's a steel guitar show in Waltham, MA. each year in October. Not sure of the exact date this year. |
|
|
|
Ken Pippus
From: Langford, BC, Canada
|
Posted 8 Oct 2008 5:47 am
|
|
Actually, the Worcester reference was a bad attempt at a "not steel guitar country" joke, I'll be at the convention centre downtown.
Anybody know anything about the dates in Waltham?
The "hole up in the hotel and woodshed" suggestion is one near and dear to me: I have a Melobar 8 string lap which has seen a lot of hotel room mileage through various headphone amps. No hassle from "Mama" regardless how late you play, and really, how important is it to stay awake through meeting the next day?
KP |
|
|
|
Eddie Cunningham
From: Massachusetts, USA
|
Posted 8 Oct 2008 5:55 am Mike Ihde ,@ Berklee = Steel ???
|
|
Ken , You might check with Mike Ihde at Berklee Music College . He teaches steel there and may have knowledge of something happening in Boston ?? There used to be a dozen clubs in Boston doing Country music all with steel but now hard to find anything locally !! I don't know if Frankie is running his Waltham steel show this year ??? |
|
|
|
Dave Mudgett
From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
|
Posted 8 Oct 2008 7:45 am
|
|
I found no pedal steel in Boston in July when I was there, and I'm in Copley Square for the week, starting tonight. So far, I've seen nothing pedal steel oriented for this week, but I'll get a better chance to check it out when I get into town this afternoon.
But - I think it's well worth checking out Duke Levine at the Lizard Lounge at 1667 Mass Ave in Cambridge tonight, Wed 10/8. It's a few blocks north of Harvard Square. Duke is one of the premier Tele players in the country, has played for a pretty long time with Mary Chapin Carpenter, and often has Kevin Barry playing on lap steel. I don't know exactly what the lineup is tonight, but it's listed with Dennis Brennan, who fronts a roots-rock-blues oriented band. I'm planning to go.
Duke's myspace is here: http://www.myspace.com/dukelevine
You can probably get more info at the club - http://www.lizardloungeclub.com/main.html |
|
|
|
P Gleespen
From: Toledo, OH USA
|
Posted 8 Oct 2008 8:01 am
|
|
edit: Whoops, got the date wrong...nevermind.
...on the other hand, Lucinda Williams is at the Orpheum tonight. (still not much help for you Ken, sorry, but maybe Dave can go see her...) _________________ Patrick |
|
|
|
Doug Beaumier
From: Northampton, MA
|
|
|
|
Eddie Cunningham
From: Massachusetts, USA
|
Posted 8 Oct 2008 2:32 pm Worcester = Where it's at !!
|
|
Way to go Doug !!! There is steel alive & well in Worcester !!! Go get em , Doug !!! Will be well worth the trip to see this band !! Eddie "C" (the old non-pedal , no reverb , out of work geezer ) |
|
|
|
Chris Caruso
From: Merrimack, NH USA
|
Posted 8 Oct 2008 2:44 pm
|
|
Sorry to say, but there won't be a steel guitar show in Waltham this October. Frank says, maybe in the spring or early summer. _________________ www.facebook.com/chris.carusosr |
|
|
|
Joe Casey
From: Weeki Wachee .Springs FL (population.9)
|
Posted 9 Oct 2008 3:25 am
|
|
The AM Vets club in CHICOPEE (35 miles from Worcester exit 6 off the PIKE)Has Country w/Steel every Friday night..The place usually packs in and holds a large crowd,there is a 5.OO cover...Steeler Jim Roule usually is there...The place books in a variety of area bands...Chris Its too bad Franks show is off this year..This has been one of the great times for steel and Country music for many years.. |
|
|
|
Dave Mudgett
From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
|
Posted 9 Oct 2008 10:07 am
|
|
Did make it down to the Lizard Lounge last night. As usual, Duke and Kevin played great. Had a good chance to talk with both of them on set breaks.
The Dennis Brennan band is apparently the usual unit down there on Wednesdays. Excellent, and they have a wide range. At one point, they went from a rockin' perfect version of "Hungry" by Paul Revere and the Raiders directly into a sequence of several stone-cold country tunes from a very Killer-influenced and great "What Made Milwaukee Famous" to a nice take on "My Rough and Rowdy Ways". They also did quite a bit of solid Americana style tunes. OK, some of you absolute country purists might find it too rockin' at times, but these guys are great and there's a lot there for roots music fans.
The club is also cool - small, intimate, good sound, and no-smoking. Check it out on Wednesdays if you're in Boston. |
|
|
|
P Gleespen
From: Toledo, OH USA
|
Posted 9 Oct 2008 12:48 pm
|
|
Another great thing about the Lizard Lounge is that it's right across the street from the Forest Cafe which is (or was 6 years ago) one of the best Mexican joints in the Boston area.
Also worth looking into is the very cool but teeny tiny place called Toad in Porter Sq. Sometimes they've got some really nice music going on, but if there's a drummer in the band it can loud quick. _________________ Patrick |
|
|
|
Phil Halton
From: Holyoke, Massachusetts, USA
|
Posted 9 Oct 2008 2:06 pm
|
|
[quote="Joe Casey"]The AM Vets club in CHICOPEE (35 miles from Worcester exit 6 off the PIKE)Has Country w/Steel every Friday night..The place usually packs in and holds a large crowd,there is a 5.OO cover...Steeler Jim Roule usually is there...The place books in a variety of area bands....[/quote]
Joe, could you give the exact name and perhaps address of this club? I'm across the river in Holyoke, and would like to check this out. The "AM vets" doesn't ring a bell. Would that be an American Legion Post, or a VFW club? Got a street address?
Thanks |
|
|
|
Doug Beaumier
From: Northampton, MA
|
|
|
|
Joe Casey
From: Weeki Wachee .Springs FL (population.9)
|
Posted 10 Oct 2008 4:42 am
|
|
Doug,I was wondering if the format was changed..Jimmy told me when he did Frankies show with me that Dick King was starting to bring in other bands and using his band less.He seemed to be Driving his Rig on the road more and playing less..That place use to be a solid two nighter for many years..I sat in last year with a pretty good band,Female singer and Steel Guitar..I don't remember the name, Smiley and I were making the rounds and we did a few rounds.. The Steel player was pretty good from Connecticut I believe..Place was packed and still Country...I'll probably pop in later this month.... |
|
|
|
Malcolm McMaster
From: Beith Ayrshire Scotland
|
Posted 10 Oct 2008 5:10 am
|
|
Doug, I am over in the Boston area (Nantasket Beach),arriving Saturday evening, leaving Friday evening, is there anything on in that area that you know of.Malcolm |
|
|
|
Doug Beaumier
From: Northampton, MA
|
|
|
|
Dave Mudgett
From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
|
Posted 10 Oct 2008 1:42 pm
|
|
The only thing I see tonight remotely "country" actually close to Boston, and probably alt-country at that, is at Sally O'Brien's in Somerville tonight (Friday) - http://www.sallyobriensbar.com/ - the bands are Radioactive Rustler (no website found) and the Dave Sammarco Band - http://www.davesammarcoband.com/ - which lists itself as alt-country, bluegrass, rock, acoustic, blues, rockabilly, and pop. They list a fiddle, pedal steel, mandolin, banjo player named Steve Latt, no idea if he'll be with them tonight.
Myself, tonight I'm down on Landsdowne St. at a bar watching the game (of course, you know which one, right?) |
|
|
|
Malcolm McMaster
From: Beith Ayrshire Scotland
|
Posted 11 Oct 2008 12:05 am
|
|
Thanks guys, check it out when I get there.Just leaving to catch flight. |
|
|
|