John Sayles in Person
Odyssey Bookshop, South Hadley
Thursday, Jan. 30 at 7 p.m.
Film director, screenwriter, actor, and novelist John Sayles is coming to South Hadley to talk about his new work of historical fiction, To Save the Man. It sheds light on an American tragedy: the Wounded Knee Massacre, and the ‘cultural genocide’ experienced by the Native American children at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School where the motto is, “To save the man, we must kill the Indian.” As young students navigate surviving the school, they begin to hear rumors of a “ghost dance” amongst the tribes of the west — a ceremonial dance aimed at restoring the Native People to power.
LAVA’s 5th Birthday Party
The LAVA Center, Greenfield
Friday, Jan. 31 – Sunday, Feb. 2
I see announcements about things going on at the LAVA Center with a very high degree of frequency. They always have something new happening. The acronym, LAVA, stands for Local Access to Valley Arts, and they believe that where ideas erupt, and creativity flows, community grows. Go to their 5th birthday party to learn all about it, hear lots of music, make art, do some comedy improv, celebrate a book launch, participate in an open mic session, and more.
Wallace Field + High Tea
Iron Horse, Northampton
Friday, Jan. 31 at 7 p.m.
From the metaphorical ashes of a breakup to the literal ashes of a house fire, folk-rocker Wallace Field is rising like a phoenix with her debut album “All Costs.” She grew up in western Massachusetts and has performed in venues like Cambridge’s Club Passim, The Parlor Room in Northampton and Holyoke’s Race Street Live. High Tea is an indie folk-rock duo hailing from all corners of Massachusetts, that performs sweepingly soulful harmonies, guitar riffs to knock your socks off, and a refreshing blend of old blues and new pop. You can hear High Tea on Thursday’s Fabulous 413.
Heather Maloney Exploding Star Album Release (Night 1)
Iron Horse, Northampton
Friday, Feb. 7 at 7 p.m.
This show is next week. Night 2 is sold out and Night 1 may sell out after Heather Maloney visits The Fabulous 413 on Friday. Hence the advance notice. Her new album, Exploding Star, was never intended to be released. Written after the death of her father, the songs were the most vulnerable body of work ever created by Maloney, meant only for her. Luckily for us, her closest friends and family convinced her otherwise. Maloney was able to track for two days in her childhood home — recording songs, backing vocals, the crickets in the yard and even percussion played directly on the walls and floors of the house itself.
Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp: Celebrating 30 Years of Friendship and Music
Bowker Auditorium, UMass
Friday, Jan. 31 at 8 p.m.
Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp, original stars of RENT, bring their friendship and history together for an unforgettable night of music, stories and fun. Expect songs from throughout their careers, including some iconic hits from RENT, as well as music that has influenced and inspired Pascal and Rapp on stage and in life. Post-RENT, Pascal is known for his leading roles in Broadway shows including Memphis, Something Rotten!, Disaster! and Aida. Rapp’s original show Without You had an acclaimed Off-Broadway run. You may know him as Commander Paul Stamets in the TV series Star Trek: Discovery.
Art & Wine Walk
Eastworks, Easthampton
Saturday, Feb. 1 from 4 – 7 p.m.
This celebration of art, community, culture and wine will showcase five galleries and artists nestled within the historic Eastworks buliding. Each gallery will offer a curated wine selection from Tip Top Wine Shop. You’ll have the opportunity to engage with art and artists, and savor wines that complement the atmosphere of each exhibit. The galleries are Moonlit Sea Prints, Invisible Fountain, 50 Arrow Gallery, Amanda Barrow, and the Alchemy Fiber Mill.
Ohan Breiding: Belly of a Glacier
MASS MoCA, North Adams
Open Saturday, Feb. 1
In 2019, Iceland constructed the first memorial to mark the death of its Okjökull glacier. Since then, funerals have been held around the world to mark the melting of glacier bodies. These rituals of collective grief amplify the current state of climate emergency while expressing the intimate entanglement of human and environmental well-being. Co-organized with the Williams College Museum of Art, Ohan Breiding’s Belly of a Glacier features an experimental documentary film and a photographic installation that connect this act of mourning to ongoing practices of care that strive to preserve ice.
Big Yellow Taxi: The Music & Genius of Joni Mitchell
52 Sumner, Springfield on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 6:30 p.m.
The Colonial Theatre, Pittsfield on Saturday, Feb. 8 at 7:30 p.m.
Big Yellow Taxi is a talented ensemble that delivers a powerful and heartfelt tribute to Joni Mitchell — one of the most influential singer-songwriters of all time. From the soaring vocals of Teresa Lorenço to the intricate, dynamic arrangements of the full band, Big Yellow Taxi recreates the magic of Joni Mitchell's music. With a deep respect for Mitchell's artistry, the band delves into her diverse catalog, exploring early folk masterpieces, pop anthems, and jazz-influenced compositions.
Pablo Giménez Chamber Flamenco
Bombyx, Florence
Saturday, Feb. 1 at 7 p.m.
In Pablo Giménez Spanish Ensemble’s production Flamenco de Cámara (Chamber Flamenco) a quartet combines the essence of flamenco with the instrumental framework of chamber music. The sentimental, tragic and melancholic music typical of Romanticism is tempered by the flamenco tradition, contrasting with flamenco’s marked rhythms. Pablo Gimenez strums austere flamenco melodies on his guitar, while violinist Luis Barbero exalts the classical aspects of Gimenez’s original compositions. The quartet is completed by cellist Álvaro Peregrina and dancer Miguel Ángel Rodriguez.
Springfield Symphony Orchestra: Gershwin, Berlin & Friends
Springfield Symphony Hall
Saturday, February 1 at 7:30 p.m.
This program, conducted by Byron Stripling, shines the spotlight on songs of great early 20th century composers, including George Gershwin (Fascinating Rhythm), Irving Berlin (Alexander’s Ragtime Band), and Isham Jones (It Had To Be You). Joined by the great vocalist Sydney McSweeney, Byron creates an inspiring musical portrait of how these songs shaped the Great American Songbook, and continue to lift our spirits today.
Chamber @ The Drake: Matt Haimovitz
The Drake, Amherst
Sunday, Feb. 2 at 4 p.m.
Renowned as a musical pioneer, multi-Grammy-nominated cellist Matt Haimovitz is praised by The New York Times as a “ferociously talented cellist who brings his megawatt sound and uncommon expressive gifts to a vast variety of styles.” The program includes works by J. S. Bach, Missy Mazzoli, Shulamit Ran, Layale Chaker, Luna Pearl Woolf, David Sanford and a world premiere of a piece by jazz pianist Bill Evans called "Peace Piece."
National Theatre Live: Prima Facie
Amherst Cinema
Monday, Feb. 3 at 7 p.m.
It’s the same concept as the Live in HD performances from the Metropolitan Opera. National Theater Live gives us the chance to experience fabulous British theater in a local cinema. Prima Facie, the most-watched NT Live production of all time, captured live from the intimate Harold Pinter Theatre in London’s West End, is coming to the Amherst Cinema. Jodie Comer stars as a young, brilliant barrister. She has worked her way up from working class origins to the top of her game; defending; cross examining and winning. An unexpected event forces her to confront the lines where the patriarchal power of the law, burden of proof and morals diverge.
Tuesday Morning Music Club
Trinity United Methodist Church, Springfield
Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 10:30 a.m.
For TMMC’s first concert of 2025, violist Charlotte Malin Collins and pianist Monica Jakuc Leverett present Rebecca Clarke’s Sonata for Viola and Piano, which premiered in 1919 after winning the acclaim of the judges in the second annual Berkshire Music Festival in Pittsfield. The second half of the program features vocalist Justina Golden and pianist Clifton “Jerry” Noble putting their own stamp on tunes ranging from heart-of-the repertoire classics like Amarilli, mia bella and Caro mio ben, traditional songs such as the Loch Tay Boat Song and Dark-Eyed Molly, and contemporary favorites including Moonlight in Vermont.