Lizard Lounge Club

Michael Tarbox Band with special guest Frank Morey!
2024-06-15 21:00 - 23:30 (America/New_York) | Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
Michael Tarbox and his Band at the Lizard Lounge with special guest Frank Morey!

Event is 21+
$18/$22 Door

“At the heart of Tarbox’s music is his guitar, as raw as it is charismatic. It creates an electricity that courses through every song.” – Twangville
Michael Tarbox writes songs anchored in rock ‘n’ roll, backwater blues, and hillbilly music. The Chicago Reader calls Tarbox’s singing “ageless.” His gospel-tinged electric guitar playing, tough as Texas barbed-wire, brings it all together.
Tarbox grew up in a mill town just west of Boston. He credits a cool babysitter with introducing him to the music that led him to become a musician. “She was the older sister I never had,” says Tarbox, “She and her art-room friends would come over and play these incredible rock ‘n’ roll records. They were also listening to Leadbelly and Robert Johnson. It was a window into another world, and it changed everything for me.”
Tarbox began his career with The Tarbox Ramblers, a hard-hitting quartet that released well-received albums on Rounder and played countless shows throughout the US and Canada. The group featured both Tarbox’s own songs and his unusual arrangements of old blues and string-band music. The Washington Post called The Tarbox Ramblers “a force of nature.” Robert Plant saw the band play and recruited them, on the spot, to open a string of concert dates.
These days Tarbox is, for the most part, playing solo shows. His new songs are rough-hewn, and imbued with a sense of hard-won perspective. They sound lived in. “My inspirations are from a world that’s vanished,” says Tarbox. “I let them guide me, but my goal is to create something new.”

https://www.michaeltarbox.com/

“Singer/songwriter Frank Morey has never been accused of having a sweet, pretty, angelic sort of voice. The Lowell, MA, native is known for a rough, rugged, throaty style of singing, and his voice is perfect for his very earthy, blues-minded folk-rock and roots rock — Morey’s expressive vocals are as gritty as they are soulful. The New Englander, who plays acoustic guitar and harmonica, brings a variety of influences to the table. He has often been compared to early Tom Waits, and his other influences range from Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen to the late Chicago blues giant Howlin’ Wolf. In the northeastern part of the United States, Morey has tended to fare well among fans of anti-folk — a gutsy, punk-minded, in-your-face form of folk-rock that is associated with artists like Lach, Lenny Molotov, and the Philadelphia-based Adam Brodsky (among others). Morey isn’t anti-folk per se — he has a more classic type of sound — but like the anti-folk crowd, he likes his folk-rock with a tough, hard edge and a lot of guts. And he shares many of anti-folk’s influences, especially the seminal Bob Dylan.”-Alex Henderson

Willie J Laws/Cheryl Arena & Mike Dibari
2024-06-14 21:00 - 2024-06-15 00:00
Willie J Laws, The Last Pophet of the Funky Texas Blues, returns to the Lizard Lounge with Cheryl Arena & Mike Dibari

EVENT IS 21+
$18/$22 DOOR

Willie J Laws is truly the last prophet of the “Funky Texas Blues” balancing technical perfection with remaining immensely entertaining, enlightening, thought provoking and inspiring. Willie brings a rare combination of world class talent mixed with lovable down to earth personality that causes audiences to fall in love with him everywhere he plays. The Willie J Laws Band just released a new album entitled “Too Much Blues” which is receiving International attention and critical acclaim.
Along with Willie, the band is bringing Lenny Bradford on bass, Osi Brathwaite on drums, Bruce Mattson on keys.
Willie J Laws

Cheryl sizzles with excitement as she mesmerizes audiences with her sultry voice and powerhouse energy. She is a triple threat- a great songwriter, vocalist and blows harp like there’s no tomorrow…Hailing from Boston, Massachusetts, she began playing harmonica and immersing herself into the Blues in 1987. Boston was an inspiring place to be as she was surrounded by so many talented harmonica and horn players. Her earliest childhood memories relating to music were listening and singing along with her mother’s Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday records. Her true passion though was in learning to play an instrument so at age 8 her grandmother set her up with accordion lessons..not exactly what she had in mind, but it was a start and lead to playing other instruments like guitar and bass guitar, and eventually finding the one instrument that truly resonated with her…the harmonica.
Cheryl has been touring regionally, nationally & abroad. In her 30+ year career she has shared the stage with many well known Blues artists such as Jr. Wells, RL Burnside, Honey Boy Edwards, Charlie Musselwhite, James Cotten, Duke Robillard, Louisiana Red, Lazy Lester, Candye Kane, Johnny Clyde Copeland, Smokin Joe Kubek & Bnois King, Sonny Rhodes, Pinetop Perkins, Luther “Guitar Jr.” Johnson, Johnny Rawls, Big Jack Johnson, Kenny Neal, Bob Margolin, Ronnie Earl, Buddy Miles, Janiva Magness, Ann Rabson, Jr. Watson, Big Bill Morganfield, Anson Funderburgh and Sam Myers and more…
https://cherylarena.com/elementor-8/

The Reckoning Crew
2024-06-13 20:00 - 23:00
The Reckoning Crew pay tribute to the acoustic music of the Grateful Dead

MUST BE 21+

The Reckoning Crew brings together stalwart members of the Boston Grateful Dead scene to present an authentic emulation of the Dead’s iconic acoustic performances captured on the “Reckoning” album. Not limited to just this period of the Dead’s career, The Reckoning Crew, featuring David Rubin & Ian Brenckle from Diamond Blues, Gordon Fromm from Skull and Roses, Mike Verge from Torn and Frayed and Ben DeUrso of Citizens’ Dead, has a deep love for all of the material of the storied songbook, and showcases that along with a fierce focus on improvisation & communication for a real good time!
The Reckoning Crew

The Coulibaly Trio w/Shane Dylan
2024-06-12 20:00 - 23:00
Imad Coulibaly Trio with Shane Dylan live at the Lizard Lounge!

Event is 21+$12/$15 door
Imad Coulibaly is an independent artist hailing from Boston, Massachusetts. He started playing drums at the age of 4 years old. Being surrounded by music at home and in church, Imad became passionate about music. He kick started his music career after winning the Umass Amherst Jazz Festival for “ Best Jazz Trio” and opening for the Chris Potter Quartet. Imad Coulibaly currently plays in his jazz/fusion hip hop group Soul Space. He is also a live/session and touring drummer working with artists such as Rugawd, Martin Gonzalez, David Mrakpor, King Chino, Dave Powell, Rob Araujo and Vooo. Imad’s primary focus is on live/session and touring gigs as well as education in music to inspire drummers of all ages and backgrounds.

Poetry Jam-Kristina Saliba
2024-06-09 19:00 - 23:00
Poetry Jam with featured poet Kristina Saliba

Event is 21+
Kristina Saliba is writer, poet, and overthinker. She is 100% Lebanese and, therefore, 20% olive oil. She hasn’t published anything (yet) but everything she writes her mum really loves. Once President of Boston University’s only Spoken Word group, Speak for Yourself, Kristina now spends her time as an Associate Creative Director making award-winning, nationally-recognized work for her clients. Kristina has not, however, beaten her dad in a tennis match. This remains to be her sole ambition. If you need her in 20 years, Kristina can be found on a small island somewhere in the Mediterranean. She’ll be the one swinging a broom at the youths for being too loud.

Jill McCracken/Baxter Hall
2024-06-08 21:00 - 2024-06-09 00:00
Jill McCracken returns to the Lizard Lounge with Baxter Hall!

Event is 21+
$15/$20 Door
8pm doors/9 start
As one of Boston’s leading singer-songwriters, Jill McCracken paints with strokes of compassion and warmth, using her long-standing love of songcraft to grip listeners to the soft spots of her heart. Her ears are trained to translate tenderness into works of art — and so is her eye for sentimental visuals, thanks in part to her BFA in Fine Art Photography.

Originally from western New York, McCracken’s obsession with strong songs began at just eight years old, long before she began tinkering on the guitar and drums as a preteen. It wasn’t until she was 19 that the world got to hear her strongest instrument – her voice – but she’s been using it to embrace crowds ever since. Now rooted at the core of the Boston music community, McCracken’s passion for writing, arranging, and producing music remains front and center in her career, although her knack for pivoting between sparse solo sets and boisterous big band performances is just as impressive.

McCracken’s outreach has clearly resonated with the Boston scene. Following her win for “Soul/R&B Act of the Year” from the New England Music Awards, the Boston songwriter scored nominations for “Female Performer of the Year” (NEMA) as well as “Singer/Songwriter of the Year” and “Vocalist of the Year” (Boston Music Awards).

https://www.jillmccracken.com/

It takes a true explorer to simultaneously traverse a familiar path and the road less traveled, but Baxter Hall is nothing if not a musical multi-tasker. With one boot planted in his family’s path of professional musicianship, and another kicking up dirt in the realm of roots rock, the Boston singer-songwriter wields a carefree rock ‘n’ roll spirit fortified by a lifetime of discipline and dedication to his craft. Hall’s hard-earned chops have established him as an old soul offering modern wisdom against an inviting backdrop of shape-shifting rock.
It’s no exaggeration to say that Hall has honed his sound for most of his life. Music was a way of life in Hall’s childhood home, where he was surrounded by multiple generations of professional classical musicians. Symphony Hall would serve as his childhood playground, where he was weaned on the wonders of live music while his father performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops. Peeking at performances from backstage, he learned the meaning of world-class musicianship at a young age, as he watched legendary instrumentalists like Yo-Yo Ma take the stage. But another sound spoke to him as well – a rugged fusion of folk, roots, and rock from visiting acts like James Taylor and Warren Haynes.

https://baxterhallmusic.com/

Boston Soul Collective Presents the Music of Sly Stone feat Nephrok
2024-06-07 21:00 - 23:45
Boston Soul Collective pays tribute to Soul legend Sly Stone of Sly and the Family Stone!

Event is 21+$20/$25 Door
The Boston Soul Collective returns to the Lizard Lounge with an all star tribute to the Legendary Sly Stone!
The Lineup includes:
Nephrok – vocals
Ryan Taylor – guitar
Jesse Williams – bass
Bruce Bears – hammond organ, piano
Mark Texeira – drums
John Aruda – saxophones
Scott Aruda – trumpet
Sonya Rae Taylor-special guest vocalist

Baker Thomas Band w/ Special Guest Samantha Farrell
2024-06-06 20:00 - 23:30
A longtime TOAD favorite, the Baker Thomas Band live at the Lizard Lounge!

Whether it’s the infectious grooves, hooks, horns, heartbreakers or anthemic rock finale’s, Baker Thomas Band invokes a spectrum of high spirits and feeds the soul like a night out with good friends should.

Beginning on stage at TOAD in Cambridge, MA in 2009, BTB is an eclectic collection of musicians and good friends getting together to make great music and have a blast!

“After years of being a singer/songwriter/solo bassist, the one thing I missed the most was the raw energy and power of a band. All my roots are from rock and roll…. being a soloist was a serious departure from that,” Tom says. Baker Thomas Band or “BTB” was not intended to be as big as it is now. The original line up was drums, bass, guitar, keyboard and trombone. From that humble 5 we’ve grown and now the band is rarely less than 9 or 10 artists with a full horn section and percussion section as well.” BTB has been a blast and hearing my songs interpreted through so many talented artists is a dream come true!” – Tom “The Baker” Bianchi
Baker Thomas Band

Samantha Farrell is a Boston-based musician and vocalist whose sound is a gorgeously moody fusion of jazz, alt R&B and pop. Once described as “the best singer-songwriter you’ve never heard of,” by NBC Los Angeles, Farrell has always been understated in her approach to her music career – but, those who are in the know, have been quietly dazzled with her unique voice, rhythmic subtleties and tonal nuance for years.
Samantha started her career in Los Angeles where she released her first album “Spiritus.” In 2008, she caught the ear of LeRoi Moore, the saxophonist of the Dave Matthews Band, who was in the midst of producing and developing her next album in Charlottesville, VA when he suddenly passed away, and in October 2009, “Luminous” was independently released. Through word of mouth alone, the album charted No. 7 on the national pop iTunes charts. She has since followed that up with two EPs, “In Between Stories” (2010) and “Softly Swooning World” (2013), with her latest album, “September Sun” (2016) being voted as one of WUMB radio’s Top 10 albums of 2016.
Her music has been featured on various major network television shows such as NBC’s “Shark,” CW’s “Ringer,” “Privileged,” “Nikita,” “One Tree Hill” & “The Tomorrow People.”
https://www.samanthafarrell.com/

The Duppy Conquerors
2024-06-05 20:00 - 23:00
The Duppy Conquerors bring their celebration of the music of Bob Marley to the Lizard Lounge

EVENT IS 21+
$12/$15 DOOR
The quintessential Bob Marley tribute band – the Duppy Conquerors – is a rich collection of high-caliber musicians playing in tribute to the music of Bob Marley. Nominated for a Boston Music Award, this 10-piece ensemble of veteran musicians embodies a soulful authenticity that honors the artist and his timeless collection. With nearly 80% of Marley’s repertoire under their belts, the Duppy Conquerors are equipped to provide hours of entertainment and positive vibrations.
https://duppyconquerors.band/
https://www.instagram.com/duppy.conquerors/

Poetry Jam-Jamarhl Crawford and Friends
2024-06-02 19:00 - 23:00
Poetry Jam/Jamarhl Crawford and Friends

Event is 21+
Jamarhl Crawford comes from a legacy four generations deep in Boston, Massachusetts. Born and raised in an artistic family in the section known as Roxbury, he was exposed at an early age to all forms of music and live talent. His grandmother “Wini” was a renowned tap dancer having performed with the likes of Lena Horne, Diahann Carroll, Jimmy Slyde, Redd Foxx, and a young Gregory and Maurice Hines throughout her travels throughout the US and Canada.Jamarhl was exposed to a rich history in the area and his was the first Black family on the street when his grandparents purchased their home on “H-Block” in 1948. Young Jamarhl attended the esteemed Elma Lewis School of Fine Arts, which, in the 1970s, was the Black Boston version of Fame, learning dance, drama, singing, music, sewing, history, and more. It was here that he first became inspired and started poetry and rhyming at the early age of ten. In the mid-late 80’s he took the name “UNO The Prophet” and was heavily influenced by Public Enemy, Rakim, X-Clan, and Poor Righteous Teachers, and later by The Last Poets, Bob Marley, Jacob Miller, and Peter Tosh, among others.
Over the past three decades, Jamarhl has featured at hundreds of poetry & hip-hop shows and performed with and opened for The Last Poets, Poor Righteous Teachers, Public Enemy, Dead Prez, Sonia Sanchez, Amiri Baraka, and more. He has toured with Les Nubians, performing at BB King’s, Smithsonian Museum, Atlanta Black Arts Festival, and the 2000 Transmusicales Festival in Rennes, France. In 2002, Jamarhl opened the JAM’N 94.5 Summer Jam in Boston for a crowd of 20,000 people.

MC Kabir Sen with Krush Factory Monthly Residency
2024-06-01 21:00 - 2024-06-02 00:00, 2024-05-04 21:00 - 2024-05-05 00:00
MC Kabir Sen continues his monthly residency at the Lizard Lounge with the Krush Factory

Express Checkout with Matt Trainor, Jimmy Treez and Friends
2024-05-31 21:00 - 2024-06-01 00:00
Express Checkout with Matt Trainor and Jimmy Treez and Friends

MUST BE 21+

Express checkout is a 3 piece pub rock n roll band comprised of singer-songwriter Dave Wells, the multi-styling Dylan Sullivan on Bass, and the percussive scene veteran Dave Sardella on the kit. Expect a wave of a set which dips down to slower sentimental songs and crashes with sing-a-long sweaty rock hooks.

Express Checkout

Jimmy Treez( Jimmy Trapella) has been playing live music in Boston since 1994. He started as a singer songwriter playing weekly at the Burren. He has spearheaded many groups such as THE WELL, LOW STAR, The Dub Down crew , radio destroyer, KRUSH FACTORY ( with kabir Sen & Akira) & his latest project …” Jimmy Treez and the Bosstown heavy. Jimmy has been a staple in the Reggae seen since 2000. He’s held residencies at Matt Murphy.‘s, the Lizard Lounge (for over 17 years), Bull McCabe’s, and many more. he’s only played music for one reason and that is to spread love to the community.

There’s truly nothing Matt Trainor can’t do. He’s an accomplished solo artist whose gravel tones are somehow also dulcet. He’s a powerhouse drummer who sits behind the kit for hardcore punkers, Loser’s Circle. He’s a cat dad. He keeps the pocket on time and delivers the fills to make you quake.

TINKERTOWN (Record Release!), Devotion and special guest Tanya Donelly.
2024-05-30 20:00 - 2024-05-31 00:00
TINKERTOWN celebrate their latest release with Devotion and special guest Tanya Donelly!

Led by Boston rock veteran Dean Fisher and vocalist Gabriella Lawrence, TINKERTOWN plays original rock with nods to several different styles of Americana. Featuring local luminaries Russell Chudnofsky, Elizabeth Steen, Joe McMahon and Chris Anzalone. Members of TINKERTOWN have played with such artists as: Natalie Merchant, Tanya Donelly, Juliana Hatfield, Will Dailey, Lori McKenna, Billy Bragg, Tim Gearan, Jimmy Ryan, and Roomful of Blues.

Many phrases are bestowed upon Andrea Gillis and Marc Pinansky power couple, rock royalty – but despite their loud legacies with Andrea Gillis Band and Family Township, when they perform as DEVOTION they are loved as a nostalgia-tinged duo akin to Kenny & Dolly, Sonny & Cher, and a dash of Stiller & Meara. Drawing from their vast catalog of cherry-picked covers and originals, DEVOTION plays all your musical heart strings. Delivering with sweet harmonies, hilarious banter, and inescapable charm, their intimate sets feel timeless, classic, and never scripted. Fall in love with DEVOTION.

https://www.facebook.com/werdevotion

Tanya Donelly is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist based in New England. She came to prominence as a co-founder of the band Throwing Muses with her step-sister Kristin Hersh. Donelly went on to co-form the alternative rock band The Breeders alongside Kim Deal in 1989, before leaving to front her own band Belly in 1991. By the late 1990s, she settled into a solo recording career, working largely with musicians connected to the Boston music scene.
Donelly is best known for her Grammy-nominated work in the mid-1990s as lead vocalist and songwriter for Belly, when she scored a national radio and music television hit with her composition “Feed the Tree“. Belly recorded on Sire/Reprise Records and 4AD Records; Donelly’s solo works have been released on Warner Bros. Records and 4AD.

Poetry Jam-Lucci
2024-05-26 19:00 - 23:00
Poetry Jam featured Poet Lucci

Event is 21+
Adopted for a better life the day he was born, LUCCI, aka Light Wolf, was a Sicilian raised by a Scandinavian Father and a Scots-Irish Cherokee Mother. Before moving to Boston in 2010, he lived in Metro Detroit Michigan, rural Tennessee and rural Georgia. He is a poet, actor and comedian in that order, aka, a Pactormedian. He’s been a poet since Mother’s Day 1996, an actor and comedian since imitating TV and movies as a child into adulthood.
He has performed with the creative exchange group, “BeHeard.world”, for almost ten years. He was casted in projects like the Elijah Starr film, “Supa Dupa”, and season three of the multiple award winning show, “Unconditional Love The Series”. He is the creator of the creative network, “A.W.E. – Art Without Ego” with the purpose of sharing, uplifting and empowering local artistic voices; he hosts Instagram Lives weekly with various local artists. Collaboration in variation with projects like, “The Amazing Blue Rose Showcase” and many local community events have always fulfilled his heart.
Unofficially on the spectrum of autism, LUCCI is a human being first and foremost, a spiritual lover of life and love, and also a Gothic, Hip-Hoppin’ Hippie Punk. His goal is to spread peace, love and harmony throughout the world in every breath he has left on this earth, even in his many lives to come.

CA McNeill Vinyl Release Featuring Special Guest Tim Gearan
2024-05-25 21:00 - 2024-05-26 00:00
CA McNeill celebrates the vinyl release of his latest record One Last Night on Day Street with special guest Tim Gearan

Irish Singer Songwriter CA McNeill Celebrates the vinyl release of his latest effort “One Last Night on Day Street” with special guest Tim Gearan doing a solo set and a band consisting of
Jesse Williams-Bass
Tom Arey -Drums
Kevin Barry-Guitar
Paul Schultheis-Keys
Sarah Seminski-Vocals
Jimmy Ryan-Mandolin

CA McNeill Vinyl Release Featuring Special Guest Jesse Dee
2024-05-24 21:00 - 2024-05-25 00:00
CA McNeill celebrates the vinyl release of his latest record One Last Night on Day Street with special guest Jesse Dee

Irish Singer Songwriter CA McNeill Celebrates the vinyl release of his latest effort “One Last Night on Day Street” with special guest Jesse Dee doing a solo set and a band consisting of
Mike Rivard-Bass
Peter Maclean-Drums
Kevin Barry-Guitar
Paul Schultheis-Keys
Sarah Seminski-Vocals
Jimmy Ryan-Mandolin

Rich Hinman vs Adam Levy-Record Release!
2024-05-23 20:00 - 23:00
Rich Hinman vs Adam Levy celebrate their latest release live at the Lizard Lounge!

Event is 21+
$15/$20 at the door

Rich Hinman vs Adam Levy is an instrumental quartet featuring Rich Hinman on pedal steel and lap steel and Adam Levy on guitar. They have played together on and off for almost 30 years and share a common improvisatory language as well as a wide repertoire of jazz, blues, country and soul tunes, standard to obscure to original. The vibe is both funky and atmospheric, festive and sombre. The (truly great) New York-based rhythm section is Chris Morrissey on bass and Dan Rieser on drums. Collectively, these four musicians have worked with kd lang, Norah Jones, Mark Guiliana, Tracy Chapman, Rosanne Cash, Sara Bareilles and many many others. They released a record in 2019 called “VS,” available only on Bandcamp. Their second record, entitled “Fan Favorites,” comes out May 17.

The Mail, Love Crumbs and Noble Dust
2024-05-22 20:00 - 23:00
Big night of music as The Mail, Love Crumbs and Noble Dust converge on the Lizard Lounge stage on May 22nd!

Event is 21+
$15/$18 door
The Mail emerged from the vibrant music scene of Boston in 2016, born out of a shared passion for sonic experimentation and storytelling. Composed of members Jeremy Van Cleave, Joe Campbell, Nathaniel Diamond-Jones, Matt Hines, and Curtis Hartshorn, this ensemble quickly made waves with their distinct blend of folk rock and alternative influences.
Driven by a mutual desire to carve out their own musical niche, The Mail’s sound is characterized by Jeremy’s introspective lyrics, Curtis’s unique drumming, Matt’s creative chord voicings, Joe’s deep bass pocket, and Nathaniel’s distinctive approach to fiddle. Together, they create a sonic landscape that is both emotive and immersive, weaving together layers of sound to evoke a range of emotions.
Since their formation, The Mail has been a fixture in Boston’s music scene, captivating audiences with their electrifying live performances and dynamic stage presence. Their debut album, “Lights On,” released in 2018, received widespread acclaim for its poignant lyricism and infectious melodies.
With each release, The Mail continues to push the boundaries of alternative music, exploring new sonic territories while staying true to their roots. As they embark on their musical journey, The Mail invites listeners to join them on a voyage of self-discovery and sonic exploration.

Love Crumbs is a folk-rock and indie group known for blending poignant lyrics with smashing female vocals. This group has shared a bill with The Lumineers, Tyler Childers, Trey Anastasio, The War on Drugs, Suzanne Vega, Lake Street Dive, Father John Misty, Waxahachie, and Lori McKenna. They have recently signed with Gala Records and thrilled to be presenting some of their newest material. “There are great singers, and then there are great voices. Voices that grab you from the jump and make you go “Who *is* this?”… Love Crumbs falls into the latter category” – Postcard Elba. “There are some artists so fizzing with potential that their success seems predestined” – Keep Walking Music They have “energy and talent to spare” and have “wowed the audience with their talent, energy, and enthusiasm…leaving the crowd in awe.” – Glide Magazine

Noble Dust creates dynamic, lyrically-driven folk pop, blending ethereal vocal harmonies with intricate horn and string melodies. Since the release of their debut album ‘And The Tide Rises’ in 2018 funded by Club Passim’s Iguana Grant, they have shared stages big and small across the country (a sold-out Club Passim, The Parlor Room, Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, City Winery Boston MainStage, The Grey Eagle, The Royal Room, Folk Alliance International). They released their second LP ‘A Picture for a Frame’ recorded at Dimension Sound Studios with producer Dan Cardinal (Darlingside, The Ballroom Thieves) in August 2023 to critical acclaim from NPR and Bandcamp among others. The group is a 2023 New England Music Award Nominee for Americana Band of the Year, 2023 Falcon Ridge Grassy Hill Emerging Artist and received Club Passim’s inaugural Gecko Award for creative narrative works in 2023.

Poetry jam Joyce Cunha
2024-05-19 19:00 - 23:00
Poetry Jam with featured poet Joyce Cunha

Event is 21+

Joyce Cunha is an educator, activist, and poet who grew up in Somerville and spent most of her adult life living in Dorchester. She is currently the Coordinator of Special Education (COSE) at the Dever Elementary School in the Boston Public School (BPS) system. She was a special education teacher in BPS for the 12 years prior to becoming a COSE, which has been her position the past 10 years.Before becoming a teacher, she was an accomplished community and political organizer, most notably as a key leader in the pro-choice movement. She has also done organizing for tenants’ rights, welfare rights, women’s rights, and to elect various progressive candidates. She helped elect the first Latino to the Massachusetts State Legislature. She received her undergraduate degree from Harvard-Radcliffe College and a Masters of Education (Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities K-8) at Curry College, where she taught reading to prospective educators for many years.She is also a poet and occasional co-host of the Lizard Lounge Poetry Slam where she is affectionately known as SlamMama. She has dedicated her life to the struggle for social, economic, and racial justice.

Soggy Po Boys w/The Acoustic Nomads
2024-05-18 21:00 - 2024-05-19 00:00
Soggy Po Boys bring the patty back to the Lizard with the Acoustic Nomads

Although New Hampshire isn’t the most obvious home for a group so devoted to the culture of The Big Easy, the Soggy Po’ Boys seem genuine in their ambition to spread the word about jazz New Orleans style, and they’re creating an accessible and fun way into this world.”
-London Jazz News
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.
https://www.soggypoboys.com/

Born in the heart of New England, Acoustic Nomads is a band of rising stars that embark on a musical odyssey that transcends genres, weaving together jazz, newgrass, and folkloric traditions from the rich tapestry of the Americas. Their music expresses all the colors and flavors of the Pan-American experience, and their unique sound is a result of the players harnessing their varied musical interests and joyously exploring uncharted musical territory together.
Their performances maintain the truest spirit of folkloric music whilst delving into modern jazz improvisation and sophisticated chamber music arrangements. Acoustic Nomads are artistic ambassadors on a mission to exhibit the beauty and unity within the vast array of American musical traditions, creating curious, compassionate, and open-minded music fans the world over.
https://www.acousticnomadsband.com/

Girl With a Hawk/Magen Tracy/Exit 18
2024-05-17 21:00 - 2024-05-18 00:00
Girl With a Hawk return to the Lizard Lounge with Magen Tracy and Exit 18

MUST BE 21+

Girl with a Hawk is an American band formed in 2021. Fronted by singer/songwriter Linda Viens, the band includes Boston rock legends Richard Lamphear on keys, Dan Coughlin on guitar, Nancy Delaney on drums, and Daniel Bernfeld on bass. Described as “gorgeously emotive indie rock with Americana, garage, and punk roots, the band channels influences such as Tom Petty, The Pretenders, Wilco and the Velvet Underground into a sound all their own: melodic, rich and 100% rock.” The band’s latest single, The Romantic, put out on the seminal label Red on Red Records, has held steady in the #1,2, and 3 spot on Indie Radio Stations across the US and the UK since its release on May 12. Stay tuned: Girl with a Hawk releases their first five song EP on December 8, 2023!
Girl with a Hawk

With a catalog that ranges from pop effervescence to alt-country grit—with plenty of rock in between—Magen Tracy & the Missed Connections are a Boston-area favorite known for earworm, melodies, sharp lyrical play, and fun, often mischievous live shows. Led by songwriter Tracy, a three-time Boston Music Award nominee, the band’s piano-driven songs, tight harmonies, and feminist edge take inspiration from acts like Jenny Lewis, Brandi Carlile, and Fleetwood Mac—all backed by a top-notch band that includes Stud Green on violin and guitar, Tamora Gooding on drums, Mike Oram on guitar, and Sam Spencer on bass. Tracy (keys, guitar) has also played in other notable acts, including Letters to Cleo, Kay Hanley, Juliana Hatfield, and Band of Their Own. Her latest single, “At My Age,” is garnering rave reviews, with Tanya Donelly (Belly, Throwing Muses) calling it “powerful and brave.”https://www.magentracy.com/

The Blue Ribbons/Wishbone Zoe
2024-05-16 20:00 - 23:00
The Blue Ribbons return to the Lizard Lounge with Wishbone Zoe!

In the realm of human achievement, a lot of important, ridiculous, wonderful, and terrible things have happened on May 16.The Blue Ribbons at the Lizard Lounge THIS MAY 16 promises to be another one of those things. Maybe not as cool as lasers, magnetic tape, root beer, being the first woman to summit Mt. Everest, or rocket sleds in New Mexico, but stranger things have happened. One thing is certain, they will most definitely be a much better night out than the Cultural Revolution.
Speaking of wonderful human achievement, Wishbone Zoe will begin the evening’s festivities. An alchemist who can transform sonic space into adventurous, atmospheric, and extremely affecting songs.

Glenn Yoder and the Western States/Dan Blakeslee
2024-05-15 20:00 - 23:00
Glenn Yoder and the Western States return to the Lizard Lounge with Dan Blakeslee!

MUST BE 21+
$15/20 door

It’s been six years since we released the last Glenn Yoder & The Western States album. Suffice to say, much has happened.

Love, marriage, had a kid, pandemic, moved far away, settled in, had another kid, moved even farther away. Through it all, the unsettling sense that the world is on fire or on the verge of it, at least.

So I wrote about it, about this bizarre, transformative block of time — the overwhelming joy of love and children, of course, but also the anxieties and adjustments that come with those precious responsibilities, particularly in this climate. About giving up one version of ourselves in order to become another.

There were many moments when I sincerely doubted that this record would ever be completed, that I’d ever finish writing it or we’d ever get to recording it, but I also think that that additional time made this perhaps our most considered record to date. It’s a document of our conversations and hopes and concerns and feelings that I may have otherwise lost to time, so I’m glad that I have it at least. I hope you get something out of it too.

As always, my love and appreciation to my beloved band: Jeff, JMC, Chris, Brooks and our unofficial sixth member, Dave. I am so fortunate to have had them play and work on my songs for all these years. It was also important to me to have Cilla’s beautiful voice return for this album, and I am so happy we made it happen. This record really reflects my strongest musical bonds — put simply: it sounds like us.

Thank you for listening, and I hope you enjoy it!!

While attending art school in Baltimore Maryland in the early 90’s Dan Blakeslee, a Maine native discovered that he had an equal and deeply rooted connection to music. He would sneak into the galleries to play his guitar through the late hours of the evening surrounded by easels and oil paintings. After four years in “Charm City,” he returned to his childhood home in the Tatnic Woods of South Berwick, ME. That summer he played street corners in New Hampshire and Maine while working at a lobster restaurant. His employer urged him to sever ties to manual labor for one of a more musical nature. A phone call from a friend offering him a room in Somerville, MA began his journey south in 1995. While settling into this artful community he began to practice his craft in the smoke-laden subways of Boston. He now has been making music and art in the New England region ever since, leading him to tour the U.S. He has performed with Langhorne Slim, Josh Ritter, David Wax Museum, Lydia Loveless, The Lumineers, Deer Tick, The Low Anthem, Brown Bird, Sean Rowe, Jonah Tolchin, Old 97’s, Death Vessel, Kimya Dawson among others. In 2015 his dream of playing Newport Folk Festival became a reality, where Bob Dylan went electric 50 years earlier.
The hills and highways are made for wandering, this is forever rooted in Dan Blakeslee who performs an average of 160+ shows per year. In a gymnasium at Laconia Prison (NH) in 2005, a crowd of 150 inmates became hushed after hearing Blakeslee’s songs of hardship, hope, and true grit later released as a live album. In the late winter of 2006 brought him a string of 27 shows with Tiger Saw (Dylan Metrano, Alan Bull, Angel Deradoorian (Dirty Projectors)) to the southern US and straight up the Mississippi River igniting his passion to continue on this path for the years to come. In June of 2012 upon returning from the 120-mile journey by foot on the Massachusetts Walking Tour Blakeslee mapped out a tour of a different shape slated for the fall of that year. This venture spanned 7 states, with Blakeslee performing 31 shows in 25 days as his Halloween alter ego “Doctor Gasp” making a connect the dots Jack-O-Lantern face on a map of New England. 2013 brought him to Austin, TX in March for SXSW followed by a tour with his band “The Calabash Club” in late June of that year.
Blakeslee has released ten full-length albums to date. Two of them were recorded by long-time art school friend Ron Harrity (Peapod Recordings) the first “Lincoln Street Roughs” was recorded in a warehouse called The Map Room in Portland, Maine in 2007. The next was “Tatnic Tales” released on May 10, 2011. It is a collection of Blakeslee’s country folk songs most stemming from real life experiences. This album features his band The Calabash Club who formed in a Dover, NH basement in October of 2008. The members: Mike Effenberger – piano, Nick Phaneuf – bass, and Jim Rudolf – drums; are the essential ingredients in this acoustic folk outfit. “Tatnic Tales” was recorded in Dean Ludington’s barn in North Berwick, ME by the railroad as the friendship between the members of the band bloomed. “Tatnic Tales” is the first full-length album the band has recorded together to date. Blakeslee’s following album “Owed To The Tanglin’ Wind” was recorded at the Columbus Theatre in Providence, RI by Ben Knox Miller and Jeffrey Prystowsky (The Low Anthem). It was released on August 19th, 2014 with which Blakeslee did extensive touring in 2015. This album received “Album Of The Year” from Red Line Roots. Blakeslee was also awarded 2014 “Folk Artist Of The Year” at the Boston Music Awards, and “Male Performer of The Year” at the 2015 New England Music Awards. After a pause between full-band records his long awaited album “The Alley Walker” recorded by studio wizard Chris Chase (The Noise Floor) featuring his band The Calabash Club came out in 2017 to much acclaim. After touring the US a couple of times and much journeying it was time to get back in the studio. Blakeslee had been dreaming of making a full-length Christmas album for over a decade inspired by his retro music collection. So on a cold winter night in 2019 Blakeslee stepped into the studio for the first session of “Christmasland Jubilee”. This full-length album by Dan Blakeslee and the Calabash Club was revealed on December 1, 2020, and is their third release together.
https://danblakeslee.com/

Poetry Jam-Rohan Nijhawan
2024-05-12 19:00 - 22:30
Poetry Jam feartured poet Rohan Nijhawan

Rohan Nijhawan is a 33-year-old Cambridge born poet and activist. Born with a one of a kind unknown disease, Rohan has experienced the ups and downs in life. Although he has a disability, Rohan does not let that disability define him. He has been skydiving twice in California, mountain biking in Colorado, snorkeling in Jamaica and most recently, meeting His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. He is a self-described life of the party as many of his friends can attest to.Rohan gave his friends and family a challenge: describe his poetry in one word. Some of the words that came up were: revolutionary, smooth-truths, insightful and introspective. Rohan tells a powerful story through his poetry and activism. His biggest influence in his poetry, and, for that matter, his life is The Legend himself, Robert Nesta Marley.Rohan just published his first book titled Tick Tock Tempestuous: Poems of Love, Death, Angst & Humanity in the fall of 2023.

Andrea Gillis/Eric Salt and the Electric City
2024-05-11 21:00 - 2024-05-12 00:00
Andrea Gillis and Eric Salt and the Electric City at the Lizard Lounge!

EVENT IS 21+
$15/$20 door

“Hailing from South Boston, Andrea Gillis is the real deal – a Northeast legend of rock & soul…” “She has been blessed with the pipes of Etta James and with the boozy swagger of Jim Morrison.” – The Boston Globehttps://www.facebook.com/andreagillisband

Eric Salt is a Boston-based songwriter known for his jangly, eclectic rock sound and memorable, well-crafted tunes.

Salt has been a respected staple in the Boston rock scene since he helped found the legendary Abbey Lounge music scene in 1997. Salt has released three records with one of his bands, Eric Salt & The Electric City, all produced by award-winning producer Ed Valauskas at famed Q Division Studios in Somerville, MA. His debut LP “The Hail Mary,” was met with high praise, and “Please Say Yes,” his sophomore album , and a playful nod to one of his biggest influences, Billy Squier (“Don’t Say No”), helped earn him a place in the acclaimed 2016 Boston Rock & Roll Rumble in which he was a semi-finalist. https://www.ericsalt.com/bio

Lydia Luce with Special Guest Lake Saint Daniel
2024-05-10 21:00 - 2024-05-11 00:00
Lydia Luce live at the Lizard Lounge with special guest Lake Saint Daniel!

EVENT IS 21+$15/$18 door
On her new album Florida Girl, Lydia Luce offers up a body of work graced with all the transformative beauty of watercolor, at turns delicate, dreamlike, and instantly potent in its emotional realism. The second full-length from the Fort Lauderdale-born singer/songwriter, Florida Girl matches its luminous form of indie-folk with an in-depth examination of Luce’s inner life, exploring everything from mortality to body image to the ineffable intricacy of human connection. As she bares her soul and unburdens her heart, Luce slowly embraces her own infinite complexity—ultimately arriving at the self-possessed state of mind that inspired the album’s title.
For follow-up to her 2021 acclaimed debut Dark River, Luce joined forces with her longtime friends and bandmates Anthony da Costa (Joy Williams and Michaela Anne) and Aaron Steele (Joy Oladokun, Portugal. The Man) to deliver her most intuitively realized and imaginatively composed work to date.
Luce grew up in a strict musical household where her mother was a professional conductor and did not present learning the violin as a choice. After graduating from Berklee College of Music, she briefly worked at world-music label Smithsonian Folkways Records, before relocating to Nashville and establishing herself as an in-demand session musician playing viola/violin for legends like Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson and hip-hop superstar Eminem. Luce also founded Lockeland Strings—a community arts organization and showcase of local artists (which included country superstar Kacey Musgraves) accompanied by string quartet arrangements.
https://www.lydialuce.com/

Lake Saint Daniel is the project of artist/producer Daniel Radin (Future Teens). Growing up in Massachusetts, his dad would play James Taylor every night while making dinner and Daniel couldn’t stand it. However after years of making emo-influenced power pop with his band Future Teens, Daniel’s inherited love of gentle melodies began to peak through the cracks of his work. This eventually led to Good Things, Lake Saint Daniel’s debut, a record about nostalgia, sentimentality and reckoning with growing older.
Lake Saint Daniel

Goodwin/Melvern Taylor and His Fabulous Meltones
2024-05-09 20:00 - 23:00
Goodwin and Melvern Taylor and His Fabulous Meltones Live at the Lizard Lounge!

Come celebrate the release of Goodwin’s new single: “Needs”

Comprised of vocalist Emily Campagna, guitarist Jason Fletcher, vocalist and guitarist Michael E Goodwin and drummer Matt Lydon, Boston-based band Goodwin spills forth ebullient grooves that spark the imagination and inspire the body to move! At the Lizard Lounge, Goodwin will be joined by bassist Ethan Stewart and cellist Celia Sieckert. The band recorded their first album – “The Hunt” – in June of 2023 at Halo Studio in Windham, Maine with engineer and co-producer Jon Wyman and bassist Chris Sartori of Twisted Pine. Goodwin was also joined by pedal steel sensation Ben Lester of Bon Iver and S. Carey on “Tetons.” After releasing a handful of singles in the summer of 2023, “The Hunt” was released on vinyl and on all streaming platforms in October of 2023. The band recently emerged from the studio once again in the winter of 2024 with two new singles in hand, “New England Man” and “Needs.” Goodwin will be back at Halo Studio in June to record their second full-length album.

Come check them out and be part of what is becoming an integral and inspired feature of the contemporary sonic landscape!
https://www.goodwintunes.com/

A story teller and a constant music man, Melvern Taylor has an unhealthy obsession with penning tunes He described as; “happy songs about miserable people.”
Along with His Fabulous Meltones, Melvern and the boys entertain to the umph degree with a genre bending sound and style all their own. With His Uke in hand Melvern shares his stories through music and tells the jokes in a way that can only be labeled as unique. A modern day showman with a retro vibe – Melvern Taylor and His Fabulous Meltones is post-modern parlor music.
https://www.facebook.com/p/Melvern-Taylor-100052319903255/

Lizard Lounge Open Mic Challenge
2024-05-08 20:00 - 23:00
Lizard Lounge Open Mic Challenge hosted by Danny Moffat! Two performer slots will be held at the door.

EVENT IS 21+
Lizard Lounge Monthly Open Mic returns hosted by Dan Moffat with this month’s judges JJ Gonson and Josh Friedman!
Dan Moffat is a Cambridge based audio engineer and musician in the band The Collect Pond. You can usually find him teaching audio engineering lessons with Boston Audio School, which he teaches out of The Record Co., or writing and taking pictures for music blog Allston Pudding.

$8 performers/$10 audience
we will be holding two slots at the door
performers will be given a code for online purchase
sign up below!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E44ABAF22A6FCCE9-48401728-wed?useFullSite=true#/

Poetry Jam-Jane Spokenword and Albey onBass present Word Jammin Live
2024-05-05 19:00 - 23:00
Jane Spokenword and Albey onBass Present Word Jammin’!

Event is 21+
Jane Spokenword and Albey onBass…present Word Jamin’ LiveThere is a space and place in time that connects us to a dimension that eclipses our fears…pure poetic soul.
4 poets 2 basses…no time limit…poets trading bars.
Albey ‘onBass’ Balgochian’s roots run the full spectrum of music genres, from the house bassist for the original “House of Blues” in Cambridge, MA., and a longtime member of Paul Rishell Band (2 time Handy Award winner) to the Cecil Taylor Trio & Big Band (All About Jazz Best of ’05, ’09, ’16.)
A poet of the street Jane ‘SpokenWord’ Grenier’s notable performances and collaborations include; Avant-Garde Maestro Cecil Taylor (AAJ best of 2016,) Nuyorican Poet Miguel Algarin, Beat poet/political activist John Sinclair, and HipHop musician/producer DJ Nastee.“Like those of the Jazz poets, the Beats, The Last Poets, Gil Scott-Heron and others Grenier’s poetry is accompanied by Albey’s moaning, groaning, and rumbling contrabass – adding double the gut-punch to her words.” Raoul Jazz daGama
ABOUT Word Jam’inWord Jam’in is a space where 4 featured poets trade bars and share their love of poetry and the spoken word. It is not a competition; it is an inspiration. It is not a slam, there are no time restrictions…no pressure. No list as to who comes next, when the spirit moves you…it’s your turn.
