Keep on Moving: Blunt Narratives: Rock photographer makes it look like child’s play

Richard’s Rock & Roll Alphabet

Like most good and bad ideas, the genesis of the new book Richard’s Rock & Roll Alphabet happened in a bar — Patrick’s Pub to be exact. It was there that Robert Blunt asked renowned photographer Richard McCaffrey if he had photographs of musicians that spanned the entire alphabet Blunt’s idea was to use the photographs as a teaching tool for his young niece, Isabelle, to learn the alphabet and associate letters with amazing artists. One drink led to another photograph and the next thing you know, Blunt and McCaffrey had the ingredients to compile a pretty sweet book. Blunt designed and wrote the descriptions while McCaffrey unearthed the goods taken from his years freelancing for Rolling Stone, Billboard, Creem and others outlets in the 1970s and ’80s. The photos appear alphabetically in the book with a few different artists for each letter. Some of my favorite photos in the book are Stevie Nicks in 1976, B.B. King at San Quentin Prison with a guard patrolling the prison wall in the background, The Kinks in 1976, Thin Lizzy in 1977, Sly Stone at the then Palace Theater (now Providence Performing Arts Center) in 1973 and the Ramones in 1978. There are some serious gems here, and the music historian in me appreciates Blunt’s narratives.

The book is out now as a limited edition release. Blunt and McCaffrey are having a couple of book signings where you can get your signed copy and ask McCaffrey what it was like seeing Aerosmith in Newport in 1973 or about the last “ever get the feeling you’ve been cheated” Sex Pistols show at Winterland in 1978. Here are those deets!

July 8: Muldowney’s Pub, 121 Empire St, PVD. 7 – 9pm

July 9: Patrick’s Pub, 381 Smith St, PVD. 7 – 9pm

July 10: Round Again Records, 278 Wickenden St, PVD. 2 – 4pm

July 10: POP Emporium of Popular Culture, 219 W Park St, PVD. 5 – 7pm

Healing Arts in the Park: Making Music with Mark Cutler

Rhode Island Music Hall of Famer Mark Cutler is hosting a free collaborative songwriting project throughout July and August at 7pm. Much like Cutler’s The Same Thing Project, this is open to all. People are encouraged to bring instruments, but it is by no means required. The July sessions will take place on Thursdays at Roger Williams National Memorial, 282 N. Main St, in downtown Providence. Register by emailing [email protected] or visit www.thesamethingproject.com for more information. In August the sessions will remain on Thursdays at 7pm, but will move to Slater Mill, 67 Roosevelt Ave, in Pawtucket. I’m excited to give this a try!

Upcoming Rockers:

The Autocrats bring the funk-fueled dance party every Wednesday till the apocalypse and/or the next plague at Askew in Providence.

The McGunks Album Release Show at Alchemy featuring sets by The McGunks, Stubborn Hearts, COB and The Paraplegics on July 9. Doors are at 8pm, post-plague new location is 171 Chestnut St, PVD.

Electric Six, Volk, & The Smoke Breaks will rock Alchemy on July 15 — holy shit it’s like a second Bastille Day! Doors are at 7pm.

Deer Tick and Ravi Shavi will rock the Ocean Mist on July 16 & 17. Doors are at 8pm.

Scurvy Dog Mega Parking Lot Mega Show will take place (shockingly) in the parking lot of the Scurvy Dog in PVD on July 18. The fun kicks off at 1pm and runs until all 11 bands play or the cops shut it down. Some of the acts I’m stoked to see on this bill include Pony Boy, Midnight Creeps, Gamma Rage and The David Tessier All-Star Stars (A.S.S.).

Record Review Mailbag:

Kris Hansen’s Viking Jesus — Before The Mutation

It may have taken 15 years or so of reviewing Kris Hansen’s releases, but I finally found one that I love! That’s not to say the previous ones sucked, there were cool songs sprinkled here and there. I just never felt like the rawness of Hansen’s best live performances was ever captured. Before The Mutation showcases the rock, funk, folk and electro atoms that Viking Jesus fuse together to construct their wall of sound. “Hideaway Boxes” reminds me of The Police with the harmonies of the early Pixies as Hansen duets with his wife Tara Hansen. Tara takes the lead vocal on “For A Dying Scene,” which just floats into a sphere of haunted wistfulness. “Same Killer,” on the other hand, kicks somewhere between post-punk and mid-’90s rock ‘n’ roll. I’m guessing “Boston Marathon ” is about the bombing in 2013, but I don’t have the lyric sheets. What I do know is the way the song goes from the jazzy funk of the verse to the roll in the chorus is just damn hypnotizing. Before The Mutation is available now! It’s on the internet, kid!

Bill Bartholomew — Bats

What I like about this three song EP is the imagery of bats on the highway in the title track because it reminds me of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. I also dig the spacey parts on “(A Lot To Be) Free For,” but the rest of it is annoying as the title. The musicianship is certainly competent and I like the lo-fi clarity in the production, but I have no desire to ever listen to this again. Maybe that’s just me, though, so check it out on the streaming service of your choice.

Email music news, records, and night swimming spots to [email protected]

Kevin’s Culture Picks: What kept our culture expert busy in May?

© 2021 Disney

Every week, I’ve been doing a deep dive into cultural issues, usually theater-related, that are bothering me or that deserve a second look. But who needs another thinkpiece, right? I host two weekly programs on my theater company’s Faceboook page (Facebook.com/EpicTheatreCo) where I ask guests what has been keeping them creatively engaged or excited, and I thought I could put together some of the movies, television shows, books and music we discuss. I’ll do this at the beginning of every month (until we’re out of … this), and hopefully it’ll keep you busy as we start to see a light at the end of the tunnel.

So, here’s what I enjoyed in the month of May:

Movies

The Mitchells vs. The Machines (Streaming on Netflix) Shiva Baby (On Demand) Together, Together (On Demand) WeWork (Streaming on Hulu) Cruella (Streaming on Disney+ and in Theaters)

Television

“The Real World Homecoming: New York” (Streaming on Paramount+) “Last Chance U: Basketball” (Streaming on Netflix) “Girls5Eva” (Streaming on Peacock) “Mare of Easttown” (Streaming on HBO Max)

Books

The Plot, by Jean Hanff Korelitz Olympus, Texas, by Stacey Swann Yes, Daddy, by Jonathan Parks-Ramage

Music

Rosegold, Ashley Monroe Outside Child, Allison Russell Sour, Olivia Rodrigo The Monster Who Hated Pennsylvania, Damien Jurado The Marfa Tapes, Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall

Rhode Islanders You Should Know: Taki Brano Alex Mazzuchelli, aka Taki Brano, is one of my favorite Rhode Islanders. Born, bred and raised in Providence, he’s a true Rhode Islander who has chased his dreams of being a musician, a mixing engineer and a sound engineer.

“I always loved music. I started piano lessons at 7 or 8, and I was kind of forced to do it, and ‘cause of that I hated it. I hated playing piano, and lessons, but as I got older, especially in high school, I started to realize that bands are pretty cool and that translated into: I play piano, maybe I can apply that to a band.” It sparked Alex’s journey as a musician. Now, his career has spanned over 20 years; he’s been a music producer for nearly 10. Apart from those piano lessons, Alex is completely self-taught, with no professional training, and just “locking myself away and continuing to try and try and try.”

Alex has had multiple bands — two noteworthy names are She’s a Robot and The Funk Underground. With She’s a Robot, Alex was put on a mini-tour and got to go to Ohio, where his band recorded with Johnny Franck from Attack! Attack!, and that sparked love of production. It was during that recording session where Alex realized that he wasn’t far off from being a music producer himself. “Johnny had, like, one thing I didn’t with his set-up, and it was only, like, $100, so I knew I had to dive in.” Alex also discovered a love of hip-hop and became a music journalist, even traveling to South by Southwest in 2019 as he covered all things music, including up-and-coming hip-hop artists. “I cannot credit hip-hop enough for everything I learned and experienced.”

Now Alex works under the name Taki Brano. He has been taking on clients for mixing music and will be getting people into his studio more as the COVID-19 pandemic winds down. He’s also currently signed to a publishing contract with Steady Grind Entertainment, a partner of Sony’s music label, so if there are call-outs for apps, games, movies or TV shows, Alex is asked to send samples to this publisher and then they give it to major artists on their parent label. Alex reflects on how funny it is: “You either hear ‘you got it,’ or you never hear from them again.” He also spends time collaborating with people all around the world, with current collaborations happening in India, Iran, Sweden, and of course, Rhode Island. He also works with a production company, In-House Studios, as a music publisher. Though, he says he doesn’t get to work with his production company as much and laughs saying, “With COVID, we’re kind of all on our own journeys.” Alex even left his full-time job just before the pandemic began in 2020 to produce music full-time in his at-home music studio, and to raise his son as a stay-at-home dad, while his wife, Kait Mazzuchelli, works full-time. He says, “The only reason I get to do what I do is because my wife is so dope. She works full-time and she’s an amazing mom. She makes everything possible, she believes in me, she helps me, and I don’t believe in the gender formalities of behind every man there being a good woman, but behind every good person, there’s another good person. She’s my good person.”

Alex has taken to social media to put a lot of his music out there. He offers free samples for his followers and is constantly posting about what he’s up to. His most prevalent platform is Instagram, and he says that he spent a lot of time trying to figure out what people want from his social media and appeal to the masses, but now he focuses on adding value to people’s lives. He uses social media as a way to share music, not promote his brand, which is a pretty rare philosophy.

As for his biggest success, Alex says, “I think it’s finding myself through music. I’ve really, especially in the past year or two, grown, and it goes hand in hand with my songs, realizing how much self-work can be reflected in what you’re putting out into the world. I think my biggest success is finding myself through music.” As for his biggest failures? Alex sees them as learning opportunities. “I don’t know why, but I never felt like set-backs were failures, but that might be because I’ve been blessed enough for so long to know exactly what I want to do. I’d be doing this either way. I learn from everything I do, even if it’s a mistake.”

And his ultimate goal? “I love the creative process and want to earn a comfortable enough living to do more of it,” but he also is focused on what music means to all of us individually. “It’s a big reason why I do what I do, and why I put my stuff out. It’s a positive and light way to make my stuff inspire people and to know that that comes across. I have people DM me who say, ‘I haven’t produced, and I saw your video and it inspired me and now I’ve made songs for three days.’” Alex says that’s what keeps him inspired: his love of music and the thought of bringing it to others.

Alex, aka Taki Brano, can be found across social media @takibrano. His website is takibrano.com. His latest album, Blue Clouds, with Tokari, was released by Tsunami Records and can be found on Spotify.

Have a Rhode Islander in mind that you think everyone should know? Please reach out to our author on Instagram @caitlinmoments.

The Frame: Local artist John Phelps directs chilling concept video John Phelps

After the successful release of his debut alt-pop EP John last fall (with his first single “Rumors” at almost 30k streams), John Phelps is back at it — this time, with a cinematic concept video for one of his catchiest R&B-inspired songs. “The Frame” explores the aftermath of a long-term relationship, depicting what happens when only one person feels truly sick from the fallout. There’s also the possible interpretation of this emotional sickness being transferred to future relationships, repeating the cycle of pain. There are so many ways to read the narrative of this song, and I loved the way the video presents it like an old-Hollywood glam horror movie. Imaginative aerial drone shots of a city at night collide with close-ups of a couple eating dinner in a dark room. It’s typical enough – until things get a little crazy. You’ll have to watch the video to see what I mean (see it here: https://youtu.be/cMq_nFSic0g).

The song opens with the lyrics, “You just pushed me out of the frame / and I’m having trouble saying it ain’t my fault / four years down the drain / thought I earned more than just a phone call.” It’s relatable for anyone who’s experienced a breakup, and the memory of pulling yourself back together after being mercilessly broken hits hard. There are also subtle tones of anger at the other person for the time it takes to heal. John Phelps offered some input on how he views the song, and his overall vision for this self-directed music video:

“The concept of the song was simple enough: that feeling of being choked up. I just thought about that feeling and compared it to a physical ailment. It’s dramatic, but that’s a good place to start. I wanted the music video to be a continuation of that metaphor — how heartbroken people might want others to feel their pain, to empathize. I have always loved horror movies and practical effects; I feel like this music video is a nod to that,” he said.

Phelps didn’t work alone on this project and wishes to thank his many collaborators, including James Pilkington, Matthew Sullivan and Aneeva Erban, as well as actors Justin Ferris and Jill Rosati.

I heard this song from his EP last fall, and as much as I liked it then, this video adds so much to it. It’s got some sci-fi-inspired sound effects layered against continuous electrified percussion. Dreamy guitar licks and Phelps’ smooth vocals bring a nostalgic, desperate quality to the strong bass lines and intense emotions inspired by the provocative lyrics (read my review of the EP here: motifri.com/latest-from- electro-pop-artist-john-phelps-was-written-in-lockdown-this-collection-of-songs-is-as-raw-as-it-gets).

If you’re itching to see some new live content from John Phelps, he’s going to be livestreaming a set and recording a podcast interview at The Parlour on July 15. Tune in for that on Motif‘s podcast “Between The Notes.” In the meantime, you can watch and listen to the music video for “The Frame” on itsjohnphelps.com – and let it heal the pieces of yourself that you’re still trying to glue back together. He’s also got a new EP in the works, with the next single coming soon.

Stream more music by John Phelps on Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/537ngPyyn8WNF3Patu35BX?si=_SFRTEv4SqabfGn8XWhSyA; Catch John Phelps’ As220 Livestream on Facebook: fb.me/e/11HSevxge; The Between The Notes podcast and set will be available on the Parlour Facebook page after July 15: facebook.com/ParlourRI/

Standard Summer: Local jazz greats are warming up their chops

There hasn’t been a whole lot to report on over the past few months in regards to the Rhode Island jazz scene, but all that is changing. Here is a quick list of few confirmed dates of gigs happening around town.

The fantastic local singer Tish Adams has a couple concerts lined up — with more dates to be announced soon –for her “Tish Adams Presents…” series. On Sunday, June 13, Shawnn Monteiro will be with Mike Renzi, Paul Del Nero and Steve Langone at the Music Mansion in Providence.

On Sunday, June 20, the Tom White Trio will be playing at Pump House in South Kingstown. Steve Smith and the Nakeds is back at it as gigs start to fill in, and this year they will be celebrating 48 years! Find all their dates at thenakeds.com. The Kickin Brass Band also has a few coming up, including some 4th of July parades. Find more information and dates at facebook.com/kickinbrassband.

For those who haven’t been obsessively checking in every day to see whether the Newport Jazz Fest is coming back this year, you’ll be delighted to know that it will be taking place July 30 – August 1! However, the festivities are going to look a bit different this year. Per Newport Jazz’s website, “Newport Jazz will be focusing on creating three intimate days of amazing jazz performances and surprise collaborations at Fort Adams.” They’ll release access to the events in phases, so head to newportjazz.org for more information and tickets when they become available.

There are also a few weekly gigs that are making their way back around town. Saxophonist Leland Baker is bringing jazz back to the Eddy (PVD) on Wednesdays and Courtland Club (PVD) on Sundays. Also, catch vocalist and pianist Alexus Lee at CAV (PVD) every Wednesday 6:30-8:30pm, L’Artisan Cafe & Bakery every Friday 6-8pm, and rotating between Gulfstream Bar and Grille and Blue Anchor Grill in Portsmouth most Saturdays and Sundays.

Lastly, Copperfield’s in Johnston is offering two great weekly jams. Drummer Ben Ricci runs the Sunday Blues Jam from 5-8pm every Sunday, while on Mondays from 7-11pm you can sit in on The Ju$t Or@nge Jam featuring Jake Heady, Michael Christman, Zachary Rochester and Devon Austrie.

Make sure to follow the musicians listed here wherever you find them online, and keep checking Motif’s listings for all the best shows coming up.

Optimism Rising: Modern folk to usher in a post-pandemic summer

I write this as I’m about to head off to a concert, hopefully the first of many this summer, and it finally feels like the pandemic cloud is lifting. This month, I take a look at two compelling takes on modern folk.

Will Orchard — I Reached My Hand Out

It’s been over three years since my profile of Will Orchard, then performing under the moniker LittleBoyBigHeadonBike. We spoke about his releasing music on Bandcamp at a furious pace, at times putting out songs every few days.

Now based in Boston, he hasn’t slowed down much, making music under his own name. His sophomore release, I Reached My Hand Out, combines hi-fi production, experimental song structures, and Orchard’s frank, observational honesty.

Orchard’s website reads: “I Reached My Hand Out documents the process of walking away from shame, learning to criticize yourself and the world with empathy, and then walking right back again.”

Elements of dream pop and psychedelia pair well with themes of loneliness and evocative, slice-of-life lyrics. The chorus of voices behind “Alone” bolster a kind of a half spoken word song that reads like poetry:

“Driving through perfect little towns/on the edge of New Hampshire, I start to speed/The moon just sat there unmoving above me/And the headlights in the jeep trailing behind, uneasily.”

I Reached My Hand Out was released by Better Company Records and produced by San Fermin’s Allen Tate, which makes sense given that band’s penchant for lush production. The album provides many sonic textures to unpack, including clarinet, piano, banjo, and choruses of layered background vocals, which at times remind me of a mix between the Killers and Bon Iver.

While the album does feature some of the expected stripped-down fingerpicking (“Hair Salon”), it goes in plenty of bold new directions. “October Hallways” and “Smoke Alarm” feature a cool take on the neo folk electronica sound perfected by Sufjan Stevens.

After a hazy intro, “Come Into My Fog” evolves into something so upbeat and poppy to the point of being Deadlike. The song narrates profound moments of minutiae from his life:

“I walked out of my foggy head/And got a cup of coffee downstairs/There was a cornucopia/On the kitchen table ringed with flowers.”

“Rita,” with its evocative lyrics (“Throwing darts at the wall/With a blindfold around my heart”) and a memorable melody, is a highlight. The album’s opus is “Over Blue Highways,” which sounds like alt- country-era Ryan Adams interspersed with the earnest acoustics of Phosphorescent.

I commend Will on this well-thought-out record. All those Bandcamp releases were leading him to some pretty ambitious, interesting material.

Find streaming info, lyrics, and more at willorchard.net.

Andrew Victor — Here, honey

On Here, honey, Westerly-based songwriter Andrew Victor mines the rich harmony in subtlety, with a sense of spacious noise and pathos. Adding to an impressive back catalogue of DIY releases, Victor wrote, performed and recorded everything on the album, and you can sense the homespun quality.

The acoustic “Westerly” incorporates elements that are both sad and pastoral, with haunting harmonies underneath. “Meant to Be” features sparse, moody synths.

The album features more traditional songs mixed in with more sporadic instrumental interludes. “Quilcene” has an eerily familiar piano pattern, and “South Prairie” reminds me of Vangelis’s Chariots of Fire score.

“Give Me The Open Field Now” is a futuristic groove set over a hazy whir. Though it’s not super electric, he’s got a David Gilmouresque “master of effects” thing going on throughout.

Call me a normie, but I definitely could’ve used a few more verse-chorus-verse tunes among the drony instrumentals. But all in all, worth checking out.

Purchase Andrew Victor’s Here, honey at Bandcamp. Back To Life, Back To Reality: Clubs are booking? Shut up and take my money!

As social distancing restrictions ease up, concert announcements for national acts have started to trickle in, just really not here. Outside of Tiffany in June and Electric Six in July, I can’t find anything in terms of summer concerts with national acts in Rhode Island or southern New England that I’d want to attend. Some might contend that with those two acts, you don’t need anything else, to which I say, “Touche.” In Massachusetts shows have been going on sale pretty steadily, and I did get a bit loco in the initial wave of announcements. The first week I secured tickets to Tommy Stinson, Bob Mould, Guided By Voices and Wilco. I don’t even like Wilco.

Till that purchase, I didn’t think the pandemic had much of an effect on me. Local music has been going strong for a couple of weeks in venues like Askew and Dusk in Providence. The Parlour is now joining them in allowing a limited capacity seated crowd. Right now all shows are pretty much on weekends but I’d look for that to expand as things evolve. I also noticed the Greenwich Odeum and the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River also are starting to have events with a limited capacity.

The Return of the Newport Festivals

The cancellation of the Newport Folk and Newport Jazz festivals last year just made summer feel incomplete. Certainly that could be said about a lot of things in 2020, but thankfully both festivals will be returning this summer! Normally in our Summer Guide I’d rip through a few acts performing at each festival to check out, but as of this writing, not a single act has been announced. This hasn’t stopped the Newport Folk Festival from being completely sold out per usual. Right now both festivals are operating under the assumption that they will be at 50% capacity. The Newport Folk Festival, for the first time in its storied history, will be a six-day event with two separate three-day passes (July 23 thru the 25th and July 26 thru the 28th) for maximum inclusiveness. The Newport Jazz Festival will kick off July 30 and run through August 1. Even though the Folk Festival is sold out, they have partnered with Lyte to do a fan-to-fan ticket exchange to counteract scalping. There will no doubt be plenty of ticket movement with two different sets of three-days passes and no info available yet on who is playing what day, so check out newportfolk.org for more info.

Newport Folk Fest will run from July 23 – 28 at Fort Adams State Park in Newport. Newport Jazz Festival will run from July 30 – August 1 at Fort Adams State Park.

Summer Jams

These are 11 of my all-time favorite jams to crank in the summer. I stayed away from the Beach Boys and The Lovin’ Spoonful (even though that stuff is great) because everybody already knows it.

The Undertones, “Here Comes The Summer”

Palmdale, “Here Comes The Summer” (completely different song than The Undertones) Helen Love, “Long Hot Summer” (both parts one and two!)

The Hold Steady, “Constructive Summer”

The Go-Go’s, “Vacation”

Jesse Malin, “Black Hair Girl”

Cracker, “Big Dipper”

Queens of the Stone Age, “I Sat By The Ocean”

Elvis Costello, “The Other Side of Summer”

Neutral Nation, “bad music beach”

Superchunk, “Learned to Surf”

Upcoming Shows:

Mark Cutler and the Men of Great Courage.

The Men of Great Courage is Mark Cutler’s more roots-based Americana-style vehicle for music. Cutler has livestreamed solo performances throughout the pandemic on Facebook, but it’s great to hear that he’ll be back on stage in front of an audience where he belongs.

Mark Cutler and the Men of Great Courage will busk out the jams for a limited capacity at The Narrows Center For The Arts in Fall River on June 4. The event will also be livestreamed; check out The Narrows pages for more information.

Pony Boy and Hope Anchor

Pony Boy has a wide palette that draws from everything from The Stooges to The Beatles. Hope Anchor packs a post-punk punch with goth highlights around the edge. This show will rock like a Nor’easter!

Pony Boy and Hope Anchor rock at Askew on June 11.

Tiffany

I’m kind of amazed that someone who started out as a teenager covering “I Think We’re Alone Now” in malls 34 years ago still has a career for nothing else. Power to Tiffany, gotta respect the hustle. It is also great that the Greenwich Odeum is back hosting live music.

Tiffany will be at the Greenwich Odeum in East Greenwich on June 25.

Electric Six

This show is so big that Alchemy had to pack up and move around the corner to the former Art Bar on Chestnut St. just to accommodate it. That’s right, Alchemy has moved — no more long stairs to avoid falling down. Alchemy has not re-opened yet, but they will be hosting the hottest show of the summer! As I’ve said in these pages before, Electric Six combines the groove of the Talking Heads with the hard rock of KISS to forge ahead into the next frontier of rock ‘n’ roll. Electric Six at Alchemy at the Art Bar just sounds like more fun than could possibly be legal. See you there!

Electric Six rocks the new Alchemy in Providence on July 15.

Email music news to [email protected]

Rockin’ in the Free World: Welcome back to the folking music

Rhythm and Roots Festival, 2019; photo by Phil Stewart

Okee dokee folks… This summer should be dubbed the “Summer of Laxity.” Mask restrictions have been lifted or loosened and some folks are living life “like someone left the gate open” already. I am not ready for this.

A few months ago I designed a t-shirt that read “All Vaxxed Up And Nowhere To Go” and put it for sale in my Etsy store, but I might have been a little late to launch because there are plenty of places to go. I have started scheduling shows, and my first show in more than a year will be this weekend in NH. “Live Free Or Die”? Well, hopefully not. Anyway, music is mostly happening again, but even though things are returning to normal, my band has a show that was just postponed once again until July 22. This was the sixth date change since spring 2020, so who knows for sure about the concreteness of any schedule. In the meantime, read on to find out what is what at this point in time…

Common Fence Music has paired up with the Norman Bird Sanctuary in Middletown to present a series of outdoor concerts over the next few months. Dick Lynn, the new program coordinator at CFM, says, “I had crafted putting together an outdoor series in April while doing spring Facebook live series for CFM and while COVID was still a major issue. I approached Kaity at Norman Bird Sanctuary and she immediately and enthusiastically said yes. I put together the series and Kaity is putting together a wonderful setting for the shows.” For the series lineup, flap over to commonfencemusic.org or NormanBirdSanctuary.org.

The Town of Westerly presents another summer of Tunes on the Dunes at the Westerly Town Beach. This series happens from 6 – 8pm with Monday Night Jams and Wednesday Night Blues on the Beach. Highlights include a couple of my favorite acts — Aztec Two-Step 2.0 and David Tessier’s All-Star Stars, as well as Beaver Brown, Dave Howard and the High Rollers, Roomful of Blues, Greg Piccolo and many more. For the complete schedule, drift over to TunesontheDunesRI.com

The Rhode Island Folk Festival (formerly The Providence Folk Fest) will be happening on August 29 at Larissa Park in East Providence. This year’s line-up includes the Lisa Couto Trio, How’s About Charlie, Michelle Cruz and many others. This community event needs lots of hands to make it work and is recruiting volunteers. If you would like to help, please contact [email protected]. For more info, get the folk over to RhodeIslandFolkFestival.com.

The 2021 Rhythm and Roots Festival is something to look forward to this year. Labor Day weekend, the 23rd R&R Fest will once again bring the best musical party and Motif award winning festival to Ninigret Park. Some of the performers for this edition of the weekend gathering are Rhiannon Giddens & Francesco Turrisi, John Hiatt, Uprooted featuring Michael Glabicki of Rusted Root and more. Festival organizer Chuck Wentworth says, “Live music eases our minds in troubled times. After the year we’ve just had, the 2021 festival will be a real celebration, but a safe one.” The Labor Day weekend festival brings together music fans, dancers, campers and families for dozens of performances, food of every variety, artisan’s handmade wares, and a reunion-like vibe that’s been described as “chill but lively at the same time.” Health and safety mandates require smaller crowds than in the past so tickets are limited. For more, zy-de-go-go to RhythmAndRoots.com

Catch the Vox Hunters and Atwater Donnelly on June 4 at the Bristol Maritime Center in Bristol. The Empire Revue presents The Directions Show live at Prospect Terrace Park on June 27. Providence’s premier sketch showcase will happen socially distanced and safe, out in the wilds of Providence! Space is limited so advanced ticket purchase is required, and masks are mandatory (fb.com/EmpireRevueProvidence). The Spindle City Fest in Fall River, presented in part by the Narrows, will feature 20 art vendors, two great bands, activities for the kids and food trucks on June 5 from 11am – 4pm. Admission is free. The Narrows also has a lot of great indoor shows coming up as well. Check out their lineup at narrowscenter.org. And the Greenwich Odeum also is hosting some indoor shows. Check out their lineup at greenwichodeum.com. Your favorite Dive Bar, Nick-A-Nee’s, has the Bluegrass Throedown on Wednesdays and lots of outdoor live music all summer (fb.com/nickanees). So far Bold Point Park in East Providence only has one show on the schedule for this summer, The Brothers Osborne on August 1, but check back from time to time at waterfrontconcerts.com/venue/bold-point-park.

Anyway, I am typing this column with blurry vision. I managed to have a metal splinter lodge in my eye while grinding metal for a new RI Folk Festival stage. Yes, I had safety glasses on, but it breached those. It took me a week to decide go to the eye doctor and have it removed. Did I ever mentioned that I am VERY stubborn, in addition to my get-off-my-lawn personality? On another note, my band, Forever Young, has a live, in-person show at the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River on July 16! Yippee! Time to start “Rockin’ In The Free World” again! That’s it for now, thanks for reading. JohnFuzek.com

Locals Only: New England artists showcased at Troop every Thursday

I recently caught up with local hip-hop legend Lord Gremithy of Dirty Durdie over brunch at Troop in Providence to talk about the “Locals Only” showcase that takes place at the restaurant every Thursday night. For the showcase, Gremithy put together playlists filled with hundreds of tracks from New England artists, and through these playlists, he connect artists with fans who may have never known how much talent exists in our own area. Hakeem Kushimo (Motif): Could you tell me a little bit about Locals Only, what it’s about, and how it started?

Lord Gremithy: Locals Only is a homage to the local hip-hop and r&b scene. It really started during the pandemic, around July of 2020. I asked one of the co-owners of Troop, Christopher Simonelli, if he would be willing to let me do this idea where we basically put this playlist together on Spotify. So he helped me get it started and me and him selected a few people to feature on the playlist, and we just advertised it as a place where people can come, and while eating lunch they could also listen to, and discover local music. From there it became a segment on Real Rap Radio on 90.3FM with DJ Nook.

HK: What is your direct involvement with Locals Only?

LG: I make the playlist, which you can find on Spotify under “Locals Only Movement,” and that playlist is played during the night. I also gather special guest DJs, such as DJ Nook who play 100% New England hip-hop. We are working on potentially having live performances with an open mic where Local artists can come out and do their thing.

HK: Is this something that you want to build off of for bigger things to come?

LG: Absolutely, I think this is definitely something to build off of. Anywhere and everywhere in the country when referring to hip-hop, you think of the local scenes. For years the word local has had a bad taste to it. Now this is starting to turn around to where people are now encouraged and excited to support something local. The end goal is to be able to have a Locals Only in L.A, a Locals Only in Atlanta, a Locals Only in Chicago. The point is to take the brand, and be able to inspire people everywhere.

HK: What’s been in the works for Dirty Durdie as a group?

LG: Oh man, we have been collaborating with a lot of artists, my partner Demmene, and Unk11 and Supa just dropped a new song and video called “Melted Butter.” But right now we have just been collaborating with a few selected artists and we are expected to drop an EP by the end of this year, and again myself and my partner Demmene Syronn will be working on our solo project and our solo ventures. Dirty Durdie isn’t going anywhere and we are always working together and are always connected.

HK: How about for yourself? Do you have any personal goals? Is there anything you are trying to do as Gremithy yourself?

LG: Absolutely, first and foremost being the best dad I can possibly be, finding a place where with or without the music I can live comfortably and somewhat develop generational wealth for my lineage. That’s kind of what the whole persona of Lord Gremithy is. It gives a feel of royalty, and I want people to know that we are kings and queens, I want us to live in that realm. But again, more music and tours, performances out of state, and overseas, more everything honestly.

HK: As a veteran artist in the city, what is the one thing you think the city needs to do to make it to the next level in terms of music?

LG: First of all thank you for considering me a veteran, I don’t really feel like I am yet because there is still so much I want to accomplish, but in some ways I kind of do feel like a veteran based on how long I’ve been doing this. But nonetheless I think for the scene the one thing we have always lacked was unity. There is a lot of isolation in the New England area alone. Why aren’t more artists from Masscahusetts collaborating with Rhode Island artists? Why is everyone in their own separate pockets? If locally people could really and truly start supporting each other aside from the invisible pat on the back, things would really start to turn around.

Locals Only Movement takes place Mondays 3-6pm on 90.3fm WRIU (Kingstown, RI); Locals Only @ Troop takes place Thursday’s 5pm-1am; Follow @LocalsOnlyMovement and @lord_gremithy. To submit instrumentals or music, please send clean, radio edited mp3 to [email protected]. For more info, go to www.lordgremithy.com.

Between the Notes: Kat Kiley at The Parlour Kat Kiley

Kat Kiley, with a soulful tone similar to artists like Jewel or Miranda Lambert, recently brought her own brand of alternative music to The Parlour as part of Motif’s Between the Notes podcast. Kiley’s skilled acoustic guitar playing is accompanied by lyrics that are equal parts relatable and poetic, and her emotions shine through the darkness that haunts everyone sometimes. In this interview excerpt, she shares a bit about her musical journey both as an artist and as a member of her band the Young Guns, and talks about what it’s like being a part of the music scene in Block Island and Providence.

Skylar Batz (Motif): You and I have known each other for a quite a while, and this is going all the way back to Girls Rock – or, Riot, now. It’s been a while, and I’m standing over there singing your songs. And I’ve heard this song at least 150 times – at least! How does that make you feel when people are singing your words? KK: It’s crazy! I hope to hear it more. Like the feedback on my first EP was amazing, and I didn’t expect anyone to listen to it at all. My aunt was saying she was listening to it in the car with her husband, and he was like, “Who’s singing this song? It sounds really good.” And she was like, “This is Kat.” And he was like, “Oh my god, what?” And it was crazy that I come up on people’s Spotify discover – it’s so wild to see.

SB: Yeah, I love when you’re walking down the street and people are like “Oh, you did that thing!” And you’re like “Yeah – that one. I did that one.”

KK: I’ve been working and singing with a band on Block Island during the summer ever since I was 14, and I get that a lot there while I’m waiting tables – because I work so many jobs out there. I’ll be in a big rush and they’ll be like, “Aren’t you the girl that sings down the street? Are you old enough to be working here?” And I’ll be like, “Yes, I can assure you.”

SB: Is it different playing at shows here than on Block Island?

KK: Yes, I feel like on Block Island, people come and wanna hear the kinds of songs they want to hear. The kind of people are usually there for only a week, so it’s kind of part of their ritual for staying on Block Island. But I think when I play out in Providence on the mainland, people aren’t coming expecting to hear something from me. So I have more freedom to play whatever I want.

SB: How do you find your creative aspect? Like “No Man’s Land,” where did that come from?

KK: “No Man’s Land” is the first song I ever wrote – ever. I was in high school, and my friends were in a big fight, and I was at the same time, learning about World War I. And I felt like I was in the middle of the fight, and I was watching a documentary about World War I (because I had to), and they were talking about how No Man’s Land is the part that’s in between the two sides of fighting, and it got totally decimated. It’s the part that was the worst – like nothing grows there anymore. And that’s kind of how it feels to be in the middle of a fight between any two groups of people. It was like “I love you both, and I don’t want to hurt either of you. And I know you don’t want to hurt me, but this is hurting me so much.” And for me, even though it’s kind of a small, childish situation, it lent itself to be more in the way that I think about it. It can apply to a relationship – or lots of other things.

Listen to music by Kat Kiley on Spotify HERE: https://open.spotify.com/artist/78a4OFsFIPR47QWKv9WItm?si=Gxu0l6jRRli5CyOVJlBFug. Find Behind the Music on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.