Lizard Lounge Open Mic Challenge
2024-04-17 - 2024-04-18 | Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
Lizard Lounge Open Mic Challenge, April edition, Sign up link will be posted two weeks before open mic date.

Kotoko Brass with Special Guest Boubacar Diabate
2024-04-18 20:00 - 23:00 (America/New_York)
Kotoko Brass brings the party back to the Lizard Lounge with Boubacar Diabate!

EVENT IS 21+
$18/22

Kotoko Brass melds the beautifully complex traditional drumming of Central Ghana, the sturdy bass and keyboards of the Caribbean, and the joyous horns of New Orleans to forge a sound the Boston Globe has described as “propulsive, infectious party music.” The band began when brothers Ben, a performer, scholar, and educator of Ghanaian drumming, and Brian Paulding, a longtime trombone player in Boston’s reggae scene, joined forces. Ben fortified the percussion section with Attah Poku and Kwame Ofori, two master percussionists from Ghana. The rhythm section of M’talewa Thomas (bass), Dillon Zahner (guitar), Yusaku Yoshimura (keyboards), and saxophonist Andy Bergman, fill out veteran rhythm and horn sections.

Coming together as Kotoko Brass feels like a superpower. When the traditional Ghanaian percussion and driving drum set grooves meet the steady rhythm section and jubilant horn melodies, we can’t help but dance. Now, after over a year of sharing our sound and energy with audiences across New England, we have seen just how infectious this energy is.

While each member plays an equal and vital role in Kotoko Brass, the drums are at the heart of the band. The tradition of Asante drumming is intimately intertwined with dance in West Africa, and our audiences experience that first-hand. That instinctual link between drumming and dancing exists in nearly all indigenous traditions, and it informs the harmony and melody in all of our music.

At its core, our music is a celebration of tradition, diversity, and unity. While our compositions are influenced by and emerge from the rich culture and heritage of the Asante Kingdom of central Ghana, they are brought to life by a group that spans age, ethnicity, and nationality. The wealth of our varied musical experience serves not only as an endless well of inspiration, but as a vital opportunity to broaden the depths of our communication as humans.Kotoko Brass

Griot singer, guitarist, drummer, songwriter and storyteller Boubacar Diabate from Bamako, Mali comes from the Mande lineage and has combined traditional rhythms with modern influences to create his own style of contemporary Malian Griot music presenting his own compositions and arrangements. Singing in Bambara and Manding, Boubacar Diabate creates a performance that spans the full spectrum of Traditional to Contemporary Malian music from West Africa combined with Blues, Jazz, Reggae and Bluegrass – Bouba sings of our common shared experience of love, life and humanity, giving all an opportunity to hear the age-old West African tradition of Griot storytelling through song.

The Collect Pond/Perennial/Battlemode
2024-04-19 21:00 - 2024-04-20 00:00
The Collect Pond and Perennial get together to rock the Lizard Lounge

The Collect Pond is a Boston group led by Bellingham, Washington native Danny Moffat. Underwater Features is the second Collect Pond album, but the first Moffat has made with a full-time band (bassist/keyboardist Roger Maranan, drummer Rob Carrington, and guitarist/bassist Ben Bonadies). Moffat is a clear aficionado of underground and lo-fi indie rock of many eras: 2023 album Underwater Features is clearly influenced by 90s indie underdog popsters like Guided by Voices and Sebadoh (putting them in line with modern groups like Connections, Mythical Motors, and Smug Brothers), while also retaining a post-punk edge in places and a haziness evoking a few Flying Nun and Xpressway groups. – Rosy Overdrive, 2023
https://candlepinrecords.bandcamp.com/album/underwater-features

Perennial is an art punk three-piece from New England.
The band’s sound – built from the sharp minimalism of electric organ, guitar & drums – is a kinetic collage of mod pop, 90s post-hardcore, post-bop jazz, 60s soul, and British Invasion garage rock. Their live sets are quick, angular, and ferocious: 20 minute bursts of wild energy.

Dub Apocalypse
2024-04-20 21:00 - 2024-04-21 00:00
Dub Apocolypse returns to the Lizard Lounge!

Dub Apocalypse is an instrumental dub reggae band from Boston, MA. Band members are Tommy Benedetti-drums,Van Martin-guitar,Johnny Trama-guitar,Aaron Bellamy-bass,and Timo Shanko-sax/bass. The band came together in 2007, led by drummer Tommy Benedetti and guitarist, Johnny Trama.Tommy Benedetti is one of the founding members of American Reggae Pioneers,John Brown’s Body. He brings a wealth of experience from the reggae/dub scene to the table,having recorded albums for the legendary Shanachie Label,John Zorn’s Tzadik Label (mixed by Bill Laswell),and is currently with John Brown’s Body on Easy Star Records. This history is combined with almost 2 decades of International touring,as well as backing some of the giants of Jamaican music,including The Meditations and Justin Hinds.
Guitarist Johnny Trama adds a soulful blues touch to the Dub Apocalypse signature sound.Trama has spent time on the road with the great Ron Levy, BB King’s organ player, as well as many other regional rock and soul/r&b acts. Not long after Dub Apocalypse came together, longtime friend Timo Shanko entered the fold.A dual threat on both bass and saxophone,Shanko is a veteran of the blues and free jazz scene.He spent many years on the road with Blues legend, Eddie Kirkland, as well as with G. Love and Special Sauce. Shanko is also a prolific composer,and his improvisational stylings are an integral part of the Dub Apocalypse sound. Although DA started out as more of a collective,in the past few years the lineup has solidified with the addition of bassist Aaron Bellamy and guitarist Van Martin. Bellamy is a longtime fixture in the Boston funk scene,and in combination with Benedetti ,they form the deep,militant sound at the core of Dub Apocalypse.
Originally hailing from Chicago,Van Martin rounds out the lineup on guitar. Martin has much touring experience as well, including appearances with Bernie Worrell and Big Daddy Kane. His sonic textures,adventurous playing and songwriting have helped Dub Apocalypse take their sound to a new level. The DA sound is an evolving mix of original compositions and their own interpretations of classic Jamaican and UK songs and dub plates. Heavy hitting drum and bass grooves set the table. A twin guitar attack, with Trama’s rhythmic anchor,and Martin’s dub sonics, swirl in and out in tandem. These pieces, combined with Timo Shanko’s Coltrane inspired sax approach, give Dub Apocalypse a

Lizard Lounge Poetry Jam Slam Team Final
2024-04-21 19:00 - 23:00
Lizard Lounge Poetry Jam Slam Team Final

Event is 21+
2024 Slam Team Final
This is the culmination of our yearly “slam-off” to select the 2024 Lizard Lounge Poetry Jam Slam Team. The eight finalists (the top four finishers from each of our two previous semi-final slams) competing in tonight’s slam are Art, Brother D., Christopher, Kayla, Kwene, Mahesh, Silent E., and Will C.The slam team will represent Lizard Lounge at local and regional events throughout the year.This event, featuring the best of the best, often sells out -reserve your spot now!

Four Piece Suit/Fran McConville Trio with special guest Christina Lacoste
2024-04-24 20:00 - 2024-04-25 00:00
Four Piece Suit, Fran McConville and Christina Lacoste converge for a show at the Lizard Lounge!

Four Piece Suit is “a highball of sea-foam-soaked guitar and squalling tenor sax, shaken—not stirred—with surf tangos, Battista-era mambos, beach blanket boppers, spy music, crime jazz, and movie themes.” The predominantly instrumental group brings humor, romance and a pulsing rhythm to the category-defying range musical styles they reinvent. Heard on soundtracks for Sex and the City and Dexter, Four Piece Suit puts on a sizzling live show.
The band is: Milt Reder on guitar, John Aruda on sax, Dean Cassell on bass and Seth Pappas on drums. For more on 4PS, please visit www.fourpiecesuit.com. Truly beyond category, their eclectic instrumental, sometimes jazz, sometimes rock style, brings forth a unique blend of long forgotten musical influences and often suggests a certain film noir feeling.
The sexy, sophisticated, yet tongue-in-cheek music of FOUR PIECE SUIT is frequently featured on the highly acclaimed HBO series Sex and the City, Telemundo, NBC’s Ed, Dexter on CBS, and cable shows such as Keeping Up with the Kardashians, America’s Top Model, Run’s House, and many others. Film work includes Our Lips are Sealed (Olsen Twins), In the Weeds (Molly Ringwald), Stag (HBO films), Psycho Beach Party, Along Came Polly (Jennifer Aniston), and others.
The band has also been heard in many independent films, including Sundance Festival Winner Blue Vinyl. They have also done a full score for an HBO claymation film, Real Men Wear Hawaiian Shirts, an award winner at the San Francisco Film Festival.
Like many of the greatest bands, only at a live show can one really “get” what FOUR PIECE SUIT is all about…
https://fourpiecesuitband.com

The Fran McConville Trio plays an eclectic, cosmic blend of instrumental rock, groove & reggae music. We like to get weird and play in odd time signatures, go to outer space, and come back again. Members of the FMT have played with Lions At The Gate, Lady Lupine, Ethan Rossiter Band, Sonya Rae Taylor, and others!

Some artists that have had a big influence are The Beatles, Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix, John Scofield, Jeff Beck, Jerry Garcia, Bela Fleck, & MMW.

Christopher Paul Stelling with Special Guest Youth in a Roman Field
2024-04-25 20:00 - 23:00
Christopher Paul Stelling returns to the Lizard Lounge with Youth in a Roman Field!

Even before 2020 slid historically off the rails, Christopher Paul Stelling confronted an essential exercise in acceptance and gratitude. In December 2019, Stelling started another cross-country sprint from California to Florida, where the songwriter who has long called western North Carolina home was raised. Aside from recording his fifth album, Best of Luck, he had toured much of that year, making relentless laps around North America. He wanted to make it home not only for Christmas but also to see Emma, his 92-year-old grandmother. He didn’t; she passed just days before he arrived. Recorded alone in her modest white ranch house in Daytona Beach, Forgiving It All—Stelling’s wisest, most intimate, and most settled record yet, and his first self-released LP in eight years—feels like a final tribute to her and to everything he and we have lost or gained.

Last year seemed to brim with transformational potential for Stelling. For the better part of a decade, he had been a feverish and itinerant troubadour, spilling guts and blood and sweat in soul-scraping solo sets. He’d lived up the lifestyle, too, hydrating for the stage with booze. But at the end of 2017, he’d gone sober after recognizing that chunks of his life had disappeared. Recorded a year later, Best of Luck—his third album for Anti- and the first he’d cut with a producer, Ben Harper—seemed poised to push him to new audiences, its mix of wistful acoustic ballads and stomp-around-the-room rock somehow both polished and primal. The shows were piling up, so much so that Stelling planned to have barely one day off in all of 2020.

And then, of course, all that was scrapped. The news closed in around him as he toured north along the West Coast. He turned east and got as far as Colorado, then had a panic attack in a Kansas truck stop, wrestling with existential and professional despair as the world wobbled on its axis. Stelling came home and, like many of us, worked to shape a new routine in a world that was instantly alien. So for the first time in years, he spent days on end with his partner, Julia, and their bounding young dog, Ida. He hiked, read, and watched endless television to placate overwhelming anxiety as best he could. Having fulfilled his label contract (and convinced he didn’t want a new one, anyway), Stelling launched a crowdfunding campaign, asking if fans felt compelled to invest in his songs. They said yes—he sold more records in those first 48 hours than he’d ever sold in advance before.

Stelling began at last to unpack a decade into which he had packed so much. What had music taught him that life had not, and vice versa? What did he have to sing about all that he had seen? The spellbinding 10 tracks of Forgiving It All represent the profound distillates of that reflection. Committed to tape in Emma’s home a year after Stelling cut his intended never-ending tour short, these songs are the lessons of a once-wild kid looking at (not quite) 40, expressing acceptance for the struggles and joys of life and singing out his gratitude for still being here. Opener “Die To Know” is a tender ode to innocence, a remembrance of simple joy and sincerity before experience and age dulled our enthusiasms. “Wildfire,” which moves with the ineffable grace of ripples on some idyllic pond, stares down accreted adult fears and begs for the mercy of rebirth.

“WWYLLYD” presents an exercise in radical empathy, apt for our universally troubled times. “Remember, everyone is suffering/not just you,” Stelling pleas over strummed chords that rush like blood. The title is an acronym for “When What You Love Lets You Down.” We’re all starving artists, it suggests, but that’s what keeps us going, interested, and, if we’re lucky, alive.

To some extent, these songs are about letting yourself off the hook, about accepting your imperfections even as you deal with them. But title track “Forgiving It All,” as mesmerizing and motivational as a religious mantra, admits that we don’t bear responsibility for all of our baggage, that others have played a part. If we’re going to reckon with ourselves, Stelling says, we have to encourage others to do the same, to share in this catharsis. “Let the doubtful confide in you,” he sings near the start, opening what may feel like the most candid therapy session you’ve ever encountered. Stelling—truth be told, a marquee fingerpicker who’s never been content to make purely wordless music—pauses for the gorgeous instrumental “For Your Drive,” then ends with a hymn of his own, “They’ll All Proclaim.” It is a gracious, gorgeous aubade for what comes after—tomorrow, post-pandemic, whenever.

We will wrestle for our lifetimes with what happened in 2020 and what may follow. Forgiving It All is an instinctual and honest response to trying to make the best of it: sorting through the past and using the present to prepare for an unwritten future. These songs remind us we’re lucky to be here, no matter what or who it is we have to forgive.
$20/25at the door

Youth in a Roman Field is the surrealist folk project of artist, teacher, and activist Claire Wellin. The band’s progressive sound (described as a combination of ‘Appalachia, cayenne pepper, and ghosts’ and ‘like Radiohead but also folk music’) is reflected in their inventive recordings and endearing live performances. Weaving string loops with soaring violin melodies and dynamic vocals, Claire’s solo show is part singer-songwriter, part one-woman orchestra, offering an intimate translation of their unique songs. Their latest album, ‘Get Caught Trying,’ was released November 2023 via Better Company Records and explores self-worth, power, loss of faith, care, and collective healing.

https://www.youthinaromanfield.com/

Express Checkout feat Steve Neary with Union Rail and Shilo
2024-04-26 21:00 - 2024-04-27 00:00
Express Checkout featuring Steve Neary with Union Rail and Shilo

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

Since 2011, Union Rail has created a sound mixing country, bluegrass and other Americana traditional music blended with their original rootsy edge. These Connecticut natives have taken their music around the Nation and continue to create and record while always delivering an exciting and crowd involved live show.

https://www.facebook.com/unionrailband/

Old Jack Presents: The songs that made Dave sing- a celebration.
2024-04-27 19:00 - 23:00
Old Jack Presents a celebration of the life and music of David Mirabella with help from The Rationales and Friends and Other Brother Daryl.

When we gather to celebrate the Songs and Sounds that made Dave sing, that’s how long it will have been since he left us. So, we thought it fitting we should get together and play some songs. We thought it more fitting that we should make it a benefit with all proceeds going to Xander. We thought Dave would like this. We will also have some special merch available for purchase to commemorate the show.

Members of the Rationales are dusting off the cobwebs to bring forth some of their hits and loved songs. With friends, and most fittingly Mikey, taking on the roll of singing Daves wonderful words. This set will be one to remember and we can say from the practices both emotional and therapeutic. Be ready to sing along.

Lizard Lounge Poetry Jam- Vernon C Robinson
2024-04-28 19:00 - 23:00
Lizard Lounge Poetry Jam with featured poet Vernon C Robinson

Event is 21+
VCR (Vernon C. Robinson) is a Dorchester native born and raised in Boston. He has been writing, reciting and performing poetry/spoken word for over 20 years and has performed at several local spots as a feature and participant. He has poetically graced the same stage and opened up for such acts as Dead Prez, S.O.S. Band, Amiri Baraka, The Last Poets, Les Nubians, Saul Williams, Jessica Care Moore, Michel’le and other well-known artists. Besides Massachusetts, he has taken his poetry at cities and states such as New York (including the famous Nuyorican Poets Café), Atlanta, Chicago, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Dallas, Cleveland, New Hampshire, Baltimore, Los Angeles, Denver and surprisingly Cuba in front of the legendary Assata Shakur.VCR is also the founder and cultural event organizer of BloodSkinLand Productions. From that umbrella, he has created many annual gatherings which includes Afro-Cinema, Young Gifted & Black and the popular ongoing gathering called VerBaLizAtiOn, which is currently the longest-running open mic spot in the Boston area of nearly two decades.VCR released his debut CD entitled “Poetic Insanity” in 2003. In 2011, he became one of many awardees of the NAACP Image Awards of the Boston chapter. In 2014, VCR was awarded the Ralph F. Browne Jr. Juneteenth Incentive Award by the Boston Juneteenth Committee and the National Center of Afro-American Artists for creating and sustaining VerBaLizAtiOn.Finally, his spoken word piece “Kangaroo Joy” is the official poem for Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley’s annual event “Jump Into Peace”. In addition to that, he has also performed at the Congresswoman’s cultural arts swearing-in fundraiser with a poem entitled “Change Can’t Wait” – named after the slogan used by Pressley during her campaign.In 2022, VCR released his long-awaited poetry book called “Obsoletes & Upgrades”.

The Duppy Conquerors
2024-05-01 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/

Dwayne Haggins/Gregg Perry and the Strange Berries
2024-05-02 20:00 - 2024-05-03 00:00
Dwayne Haggins returns to the Lizard with Gregg Perry and the Strange Berries!

EVENT IS 21+
$15/$18 door
He’s been described as “the love child of Otis Redding and Doc Watson.” “The John Legend of rockabilly.” And recently, “a ‘what-took-you-so-long’ fusion of Elvis and Marvin Gaye.” But he is Dwayne Haggins, and his voice is his own.
For Dwayne, every performance is a mission of discovery – of self and of song. Whether on the stage of a metropolitan concert hall or the makeshift bandstand of a neighborhood dive, you will find him exploring uncharted musical territories, listening for new ways to stir his influences into this night’s expression of his unique sound – strangely familiar, naturally mysterious, unmistakably his own.
Haggins, a Massachusetts native, cut his teeth playing locally and a chance encounter at an open mic led to an introduction that would seal his fate. Bruce Marshall, a local music legend formally of the Toy Caldwell Band, was so impressed with Haggins’ that he took the young musician under his wing, introducing him to a local promoter who in turn booked Haggins at higher profile venues.
https://verdictmusic.com/artists/dwayne-haggins/#:~:text=He’s%20been%20described%20as%20%E2%80%9Cthe,his%20voice%20is%20his%20own.

Gregg Perry, a Boston area musician, has been playing guitar since a teenager and has shared the stage with some legendary musicians over the years such as The Nighthawks, Bob Margolin, Jimmy Thackery and Canned Heat among others. Ranked 3rd best blues guitarist for 17 & 18 year olds from New England in 2001 Almost Famous Guitar Competition. Completed 6 semesters at Berklee School of Music. Formed The Strange Berries, a classic psychedelic rock and blues power trio in 2018, with Bob Abruzese on bass and Garik Bagdagyulyan on drums. has embraced these traditions while establishing a few of their own since first embarking on a career as a professional Musician in 2000. In the time that they have been in the music industry, Gregg Perry and The Strange Berries has managed to capture the hearts of fans all over the nation, and roll out some truly amazing tunes. Take a look around the site, and explore what the gift of music truly is.
https://www.strangeberries.com/

Job Creators with Lady Lupine and Hall Monitor
2024-05-03 21:00 - 2024-05-04 00:00
Job Creators with Lady Lupine and Hall Monitor

MUST BE 21+
$15/$20 door

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.
Lady Lupine

Job Creators is a psychedelic math rock duo based out of Brooklyn/Boston. The dynamic pair consists of Blaise Lucey on bass guitar and audio samples and Tim Winslow on drums and synthesizer. For 10 years they have been plying their own high-energy improvisational take on music across the Northeast. Releasing their 2nd full LP, Love Monster, in October of 2023 has made big waves for the band. Venerable online music magazine Fecking Bahamas has said they are, “Embedding new-wave texture and groove with math rock, indie, and psychedelic prog, it’s a ship on a current all its own.” Catch Job Creators on tour throughout 2024.
https://jobcreatorsband.com/

Hall Monitor is sad sometimes. A one woman show lamenting the experiences of one’s 20s and 30s with the help of a solitary electric guitar. Introspective emo with a post-hardcore angle. All songs are flight tested to chase the tear-jerk response. Hall Monitor hopes to offer something to anyone going through something weird.
https://linktr.ee/hallmonitor

MC Kabir Sen with Krush Factory Monthly Residency
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

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.

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#/

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/

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

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

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.

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/

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.

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/

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/

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.
