Lizard Lounge Club

Poetry Jam- Lexi Pelle
2024-06-30 19:00 - 23:00 (America/New_York) | Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
The Poetrt Jam with featured poet Lexi Pelle!

Event is 21+
Lexi Pelle was the winner of the 2022 Jack McCarthy Book prize. Her work has appeared in Rattle, Ninth Letter, The Shore, and SWWIM. She is the author of Let Go With The Lights On (Write Bloody Publishing).

Jen Kearney
2024-06-29 21:00 - 2024-06-30 00:00
Get ready to groove with the soulful tunes of Jen Kearney at the Lizard Lounge

MUST BE 21+
$18/22 door

Originally from Boston, Massachusetts, Jen Kearney has spent some time seasoning her particular style of original music. Her sound is truly an amalgamation of musical styles including Soul, R&B, Funk, Rock, and Latin. Kearney’s music and attention to lyrics and has met critical acclaim nationally and internationally.

Kearney is set to release an EP entitled “Atlantic” in March of 2022 and a full-length LP later in the year. She has recorded and released six studio albums and has done session work on many other projects.

Kearney tours both as a solo act and with a full band. She spent 2018-2020 living in London touring the UK/ Europe with her own act and with the legendary Snowboy & the Latin Section. She has shared the stage with the likes of Maceo Parker, Los Lobos, Daryl Hall, Mavis Staples, John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, The Derek Trucks Band and more.
Jen Kearney

Express Checkout with Jason Bennett and Tyler James
2024-06-28 21:00 - 23:30
Express Checkout with special guests Jason Bennett and Tyler James!

MUST BE 21+
$15/$20
Doors at 8pm

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

Tyler James Is a Boston area based independent artist, playing a blend of psychedelic folk & shoe gaze.

Jason Bennett is a Boston-based songwriter and lead singer of Jason Bennett & the Resistance.
JB&tR’s three seven-song EPs all have been met with enthusiasm from fans and critical success.
Bennett fronted the band Suspect Device from 1998 to 2003 and started JB&tR in 2006.
They hit the ground running, their first record- 2008’s Hope Dies Last- was nominated for awards by both the Boston Music Awards’ committee, as well as the Boston Phoenix’s Best Music Poll.
After touring nationally for Hope the band followed up with “2:59 to Salvation”. 2:59 is as indebted to a folk tradition in the vein of Woody Guthrie and Billy Bragg as it is to Bennett’s punk rock roots in the music of The Clash and The Bad Brains. 2:59, produced by Paul Q. Kolderie at Camp Street Studios, earned JB&R Boston Phoenix Best Music Poll Nomination in Spring 2011.
In the fall of 2016 the band released Heavy Weather. On this EP the music departs from earlier recordings by incorporating the influence of Elvis Costello-like melodies and harmonies withBennett’s renowned Strummer-sounding vocals.
Jason continues to play with both JB&TR and solo, touring regionally and the midwest and south and is working on an album of new mateial.

Captain Sunbeam/Lady Lupine
2024-06-27 20:00 - 23:00
Captain Sunbeam returns to the Lizard Lounge with Lady Lupine!

Event is 21+
$12/$15 door
Welcome to the world of Captain Sunbeam. The brainchild of brothers Malachy and Conor Duffy, they released their debut album, Captain Sunbeam, Act I: The Compass of Ra, in early 2020. A space-opera set in the galaxy of the Seven Jewels, their songs capture the heart-rending correspondence between enigmatic Captain Sunbeam and space lumberjack Julian Afterjoy.
The music: Raw, galactic, space-opera energy, massive choruses, an intricate web of storytelling and lyrical prowess. Drawing inspiration from Coheed and Cambria, Meat Loaf, and Andrew W.K., their music encompasses prog, pop, punk, and hard rock. Their newest single, Overlight Anthem, was released in December 2023 and will be followed by a new EP, Songs of Orion, recorded at Zippah Studios in Boston. Captain Sunbeam has sold out local shows throughout the Boston area.
The story: The Afterjoy Sequence, a YA fiction trilogy about Julian & Sunbeam’s exploits, is currently in production. In book one, Captain Sunbeam & The Compass of Ra, you will join forces with Julian Afterjoy, Kimmy Starfossil, the Three Dolphin Princes of Taz-Abalone, and Luther Overlight to uncover the reason behind the Lifesun’s demise. You will trek across the entirety of the Seven Jewels, perhaps even venturing into Deep Space to solve the mystery of the disappearance of Captain Sunbeam and his infamous ship – the Lovestar.

To find out more, visit www.captainsunbeamuniverse.com.

Lady Lupine is a Boston based heavy soul band that delivers high energy performances of unique original material. The band creates an engaging live experience by cultivating visceral connections through sound. Fronted by vocalist Christina Lacoste, Lady Lupine draws inspiration from the soul of Amy Winehouse, and the sonic eclecticism of Portishead. Traces of Vulfpeck’s tight, technical funk, and Jimi Hendrix’s fuzz rock grooves can be heard in the band’s sound as well. Christina, guitarist Fran McConville Jr, drummer Josh Cuadra and Bassist Jon Dusoe met in 2010 while performing in a band called The Elements. The four were drawn together by their compatibility as performers, and continued to play music on and off throughout the years.
In 2017, Lady Lupine was formed and began developing material that combines the respective members’ loves of classic soul and more modern, heavy rock. Jon and Josh provide a driving and edgy underlying layer that supports Christina and Fran’s soulful leads. Lady Lupine released their debut EP Trust in October 2019 followed by Extended Plays released in 2021.
https://ladylupine.com/

Matt Michienzie Band
2024-06-26 20:00 - 23:00
Matt Michienzie live at the Lizard Lounge June 26th!

Event is 21+$15/$20 door
Matt Michienzie originally hails from Foxboro, MA. For the past five years, Matt has resided in Los Angeles, where he plays with his countrified, bluesified, and grassified band. His passion as a songwriter is vividly clear: Matt sings from his heart and gives it his all in everything he plays. Whether fronting a bluegrass group, jam band, or country band, Matt is able to combine his influential and eclectic music curiosities in a very tasteful and unique way.
Not unlike many California grass bands, MMB is a progressive bluegrass project. The roots of the band are in bluegrass…although they have a keen interest in incorporating other genres into their sound, such as jam, soul, or traditional country. The band currently consists of fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and bass. In December 2022, Matt Michienzie Band flew back east to Matt’s neck of the woods to open for Tim Reynolds and TR3 at the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River, MA. This would begin their travels as a band.
In summer 2022, the band made their Grass Valley debut at the Father’s Day Festival, hosted by the California Bluegrass Association.
Just recently, the band won 1st Place Band at the Topanga Banjo and Fiddle Contest – one of the longest running contests of it’s type. In October 2023, the band competed in the Battle of the Bands at Huck Finn Jubilee in SoCal and took home first place.
The band has most recently opened for the Kitchen Dwellers, AJ Lee and Blue Summit, Water Tower Band, etc…
On their 2024 slate, the band will be playing at the Long Beach Bluegrass Festival, Topanga Banjo Fiddle Contest, Rambling Peaks Festival, The Western Swingout Festival and more…
https://www.mattmichienzie.com/

Poetry Jam-Yunus Quddus
2024-06-23 19:00 - 23:00
Poetry Jam with featured poet Yunus Quddus

At the age of 19, Yunus went public with his poetry, for the first time, at Brave New World in Philadelphia.He has set a lifelong goal to be heard globally. While at Johnson & Wales he founded The Underground Poetry Club, which brought together artistic minds to share their ideas. Yunus has appeared on Brown University Radio and WDAJ A.M., The Drive with Angelo Marinoch. Overtime, he set another goal to create music that can bring in all ethnic cultures and backgrounds. In 2005, he opened for Philadelphia’s legendary poet Ursula Rucker and HBO Def Jam Iyeoka Ivie Okoawo at Sound Session. He also had the honor of opening for Slick Rick. Yunus has been a finalist in poetry slams at the Lizard Lounge, Boston and AS220 in Providence. He has also taught poetry and acting at the Met Technical Center, Johnson & Wales Poetry Club and CCRI.
Rumored as the “hardest working and well-loved poet in Providence”. Yunus has been invited to and performed at every college and university in Rhode Island and surrounding areas, such as, Rhode Island College, University of Rhode Island, Brown University, Salve Regina University, and Bryant College, Boston College, Roger Williams University, UCLA, LA Film School and more.
Yunus is working on publishing a children’s book, as well as completing a brand new CD project.He has a self-published chapbook entitled Lost Poets consisting of pieces he has memorizedover the past 20 years.
Currently, Yunus is producing workshops for Providence Community Libraries.
He also conducts poetry workshops in schools including Qualters Middle School and Community Preparatory School. He challenges the student to create limitless possibilities using words as a means of self-expression. Additionally, he is embarking on the new venture of storytelling to children. Yunus hosts open mic nights and poetry slams at The Spot Underground and Got Poetry Live. He is, also, the residential poet at Roots Cafe. He performs his own compositions, as well as, the writings of classical poets such as Robert Frost, Alfred Lord Tennyson, and Sylvia Plath.

Macrotones Record Release with Flying Vipers!
2024-06-22 21:00 - 2024-06-23 00:00
The Macrotones return to the Lizard Lounge to celebrate their latest release with Flying Vipers!

Event is 21+$15/20 door
Established in Boston in 2007, The Macrotones are a 10-piece unit steeped in off-beat funk & soul rhythms from all over the globe. Blazing horns meet mighty hooks for a progressive mix fit to fill any dancefloor.The band’s tightly-honed grooves and infectious sound has shared the stage with like-minded practitioners such as Lee Fields & the Expressions, Durand Jones & the Indications, the Budos Band, Grupo Fantasma, Orgone, Ikebe Shakedown, and Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars. Since typical genre descriptions fail to fully capture the scope of the Macrotones sound, new monikers need exploration: imperial funk, astrobeat, or even “a soundtrack for spies” all fit.After self-recording their first record, 2008’s Wayne Manor, the Macrotones followed up with two studio albums: First Signs of Danger, released on Young Cub Records in 2010 and produced by Craig Welsh (John Brown’s Body, 10 Ft. Ganja Plant), and Darvaza, released on Music ADD Records in 2012 and produced by Sean Slade (Radiohead, Morphine).2016 saw the release of Macro’s third full-length, Unknown Outpost, with Boston Music Award-wInner and Grammy-nominated engineer/producer Benny Grotto at the helm. The LP was also their first to feature guest vocalists on a number of songs, including emerging star Iyeoka. Several members of the band toured internationally with Iyeoka, performing some of their original tunes to large crowds across Europe. In the fall of 2017, the band released two back-to-back EPs; The Prisoner Flees & The Shark Eats on Music ADD Records. The first was tracked at Converse Rubber Tracks Boston studio and mixed by Dan Cardinal, while the second was done with Benny Grotto at Mad Oak Studios in Allston MA.A new era for the band began in 2019 when friend and occasional guest vocalist Phil Desisto joined full time. Phil’s commanding and gritty vocals, drawing comparisons to Bobby Womack, saw the band embrace more classic soul sounds from the ‘6os and ’70s, while retaining their edgy funk. Just before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, they tracked the 4-song EP Bloody Hands and released it on Music ADD in May 2020.

Flying Vipers emerged from a basement lair outside Boston MA in 2015, but their sound is of another time and place. Looking first to the Jamaican dub engineers of the ’70s, the Vipers lay down steady drum & bass driven rhythms, adding in modal jazz, soul and post-punk sensibilities. Their debut LP, Cuttings, was called “one of the top reggae records of the year” by Flea Market Funk, and the band plans to release their next LP summer/fall 2024. Their 7-piece live unit features Kellee Webb on vocals, an ace horn section, and the rock solid trio of twin brothers Marc & John on drum & bass, and Zack Brines on keys.

Pierre & The Extraordinaires/Pop Into the Chemist
2024-06-21 21:00 - 23:30
We welcome Pierre & The Extraordinaires to the Lizard Lounge stage with Pop Into the Chemist June 21st!

Event is 21+
$15/$18

“Pierre & the extraordinaires – a Massachusetts trio born out of love for 1960’s organ groups features Pierre Aleksi (ghosts of Jupiter) on guitar, Darby Wolf (band of killers) on organ, and Dave Fox (the gravel project) on drums.
After playing together for over a decade in various formats, Pierre and Darby decided to invite the incomparable Dave Fox to join what would become the extraordinaires. While this group can certainly hone in on those 1960’s organ trio grooves, they are often intertwining carefully curated modern covers twisted and arranged to fit their format. A definite vibe all their own.”

Pop Into The Chemist is a Boston based trio that performs unique original compositions as well as transcendental cover versions of classic Pop, Rock, Jazz, Funk, Soul and Reggae music. Our signature sound takes first time listeners by surprise and keeps our faithful fans coming back show after show.
https://popintothechemist.com/

Troy Mercy/Tyler Bejoian
2024-06-20 20:00 - 23:00
Troy Mercy Guitarist on two Grammy Nominated albums and Tyler Bejoian live at the Lizard Lounge!

Event is 21+
$12/$15 door

Here is the stripped-down sound of 21st century blues musicâ€¦ Behold! The sound of the Brave New Blues.
For his debut solo effort, Troy Mercy has chosen an elegant Rock & Roll delivery system: Himself on electric guitar/vocal/harmonica with native Chicagoan and newcomer herself Hadley Lloyd on drums/percussion/vocal.
*Gasp* Just two pieces?
Yes. It’s simple. But simple is not easy, folks.
Beware…The powerful soundwaves these two conjure up during one of their energetic live shows bend the very laws of physics. Truly larger than the sum of its parts…
Troy Mercy is a genuine guitar-star; highly respected by his peers such as Kirk Fletcher and GA-20. He also has the rare gift of a soaring & soulful voice that would feel right at home in the grooves of an Atlantic or Stax R&B 45. Troy’s brand of blues places the song at center stage. His use of artful tune construction, hooks & melody extend the tradition of the genre.
Mr. Mercy’s resume as a guitarist includes Booker T., The Fabulous Thunderbirds, and countless blues legends such as Pinetop Perkins, James Cotton, and Hubert Sumlin. He has toured this Earth and played on two Grammy nominated albums.“Troy pushes the boundaries of blues with a fearless approach to composition and performanceâ€¦
With Troy’s stunning vocal delivery at its peak the atmospheric and engaging duo brings an incredible amount of flavor and texture that must be witnessed in person.” –MeetBoston.com

Tyler Bejoian is a Cambridge, Mass based artist who has released three studio albums with his band Tyler and the Names. With a style reminiscent of the Modern Lovers and Bob Dylan, his music is not to be missed.

Lizard Lounge Open Mic Challenge
2024-06-19 20:00 - 23:00
Lizard Lounge Open Mic Challenge hosted by Danny Moffat! We’re holding some performer slots at the door, first come first serve!

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#/

Lizard Lounge Open Mic Challenge
2024-06-19 - 2024-06-20
***NEW SIGNUP LINK***
Link for 6/19 below…

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E44ABAF22A6FCCE9-50022348-open

Poetry Jam-Christopher Johnson
2024-06-16 19:00 - 23:00
Poetry Jam with featured poet Christopher Johnson.

Event is 21+
Christopher Johnson is an artist and educator based in Providence, RI. His passion for performance art began with winning numerous awards as a Slam Poet. Christopher’s spoken word poetry has been influenced by artists such as Yusuf Komunyakaa, Amiri Baraka, Sonya Sanchez, Nikki DeGeovanni, William Burroughs, Allen Ginsburg, Jack Kerouac, and Charles Bukowski. Over the years, his performances have grown to include storytelling, music, and dance. They have become theatrical experiences exploring issues such as race, incarceration, and mental illness. Most recently, Christopher was a collaborator in the creation and performance of Freedom Project, a devised performance focusing on the effects of mass incarceration. His current project, New and Dangerous Ideas, tackles race and police. New and Dangerous Ideas is in development, with the goal to put everyone on the level of human.In other words, Christopher seeks to decriminalize race and humanize the police. Community building and education are at the center of all of Christopher’s work. Expression is his activism.

Michael Tarbox Band with special guest Frank Morey!
2024-06-15 21:00 - 23:30
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
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.
