Lizard Lounge Club

Tröegs Beer Dinner at Cambridge Common Restaurant
2024-03-26 18:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Cambridge Common Restaurant, 1667 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
Join us for a delicious evening of craft beer paired with a mouthwatering dinner menu – it’s gonna be a hoppy good time!

BEER Dinner
Come join us for a night of delicious food paired with fantastic beers at Cambridge Common Restaurant! We are thrilled to welcome our friends from Troegs Independent Brewing and to showcase two of their brand new releases. This event is perfect for beer enthusiasts and foodies alike. Grab your friends and make it a night to remember!

We start the evening with Tröeg’s brand new release,”Little Nator Springtime Lager“. For the Starter course, we are in for a treat with the limited release Perpetual IPA. Entrées will feature Nugget Nectar, available just once a year, and yet another new release, Graffiti Highway. Save room for dessert, paired with Trogenator Doublebock. Paired with the brews are 4 mouth-watering courses (check out the full menu).In short, it’s shaping up to be an irresistible event!

Courses:
Welcome Brew & Snack
Crostini with mozzarella, basil & olive oil paired with Little Nator Springtime Lager 5.5% abv
Starter
Goat Cheese and Arugula Salad paired with Perpetual IPA 7.5% abv
Entree Choices
Short Rib with whipped potatoes and sauteed kale paired with Nugget Nectar Imperial Amber 7.5% abv or…
Parmesean Crusted Cod with roasted potatoes, French green beans, and baby carrots paired with Graffiti Highway 6% abv or…
Mushroom Risotto with roasted cherry tomatoes and asparagus paired with Graffiti Highway 6% abv
Dessert
Homeade Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding with vanilla bean ice creampaired with Troegenator Double Bock 8.2% abv

Quadrapeg with The Arcanauts
2024-03-28 20:00 - 23:00 | Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
Quadrapeg returns to the Lizard Lounge with The Arcanauts!

MUST BE 21+

Three things bind this quartet together: friendship, a love of jazz and funk, and a shared sense of humor. In the 2010s, Bassist Jameson Stewart, organist Ben Blanchard, drummer Patrick Dalton, and guitarist Sam Crawford formed a close personal and musical rapport working together as sidemen in various styles. It wouldn’t be long until they tried playing their own instrumental music as a quartet. Today, QuadraPeg brings joy and vitality to their compositions and improvisations, always with a solid groove, camaraderie, and a touch of the absurd.
Quadrapeg

The Arcanauts is an original jazz band, drawing heavily from jazz and other African diaspora musical styles from the early 60’s – early 80’s. The band was founded by composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist David Andrew Moore.
In 2019, the band released their first EP, Initiation. Informed by symbolism and numerology from the Western Mystery Tradition, Initiation laid the tracks for the musical direction that The Arcanauts would take over the next couple years; original jazz heavily influenced by post bop, early fusion and the psychedelia informed jazz of the late 60’s.
On the band’s second release, The Hermit, the Arcanauts’ musical pallet expanded to include rhythms and forms more closely associated with funk, disco and the post-disco era. The EP featured several special guest including vocalist Robbie Pate, and legendary Motown session guitarist Wali Ali.
https://thearcanauts.com/

Organically Good Trio
2024-03-29 21:00 - 2024-03-30 00:00 | Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
Organically Good Trio is a Hammond organ driven roots instrumental group out of Boston.

Sometimes the band has a sound reminiscent of the great soul jazz organ trio albums of the late 60’s and at other times sounds like a Jacki Mittoo album with a heavy dose of roots reggae and dub.

Members
Paul Wolstencroft – Hammond Organ
Van Martin – Guitar
Tommy Benedetti – Drums

Lizard Lounge is a 21+ club.

Proof of vaccination is required.

Jeremy Moses Curtis/Hayley Thompson King
2024-03-30 21:00 - 2024-03-31 00:00 | Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
Jeremy Moses Curtis and Hayley Thompson King live at the Lizard Lounge!

“A voice that could do anything,” declares Americana UK.
Hayley Thompson-King has been recognized internationally for her songwriting, stage performance, and “explosive display of vocal prowess” (PopMatters) since she emerged onto the rock scene fronting Banditas in 2012. Her debut solo album, Psychotic Melancholia, was praised by Paste Magazine as “a positively jaw-dropping exposition that celebrates the entire canon of rock ‘n’ roll’s energy, and should be considered an upping of the ante on the gritty sonic real estate of garage, punk, country, and Americana, into some amalgam altogether more apt of Thompson-King’s wondrous artistic aptitudes.”
In its review of her latest album, Sororicide, Newsweek observes, “in the vein of alt-classical song cycles and rock concept albums, her new work layers wide-reaching sonics with palpable psychodrama. At its core is the battle between an artist and the voice inside her head.” Produced by 90’s rock architect, Sean Slade (Radiohead, Hole, Lou Reed), Sororicide takes the listener on “a wild stylistic ride,” according to Billboard, as Thompson-King “accommodates country, rock and opera.”
Her diverse sonic influences ranging from garage rock to Americana to art music have earned Thompson-King radio play on Sirius XM’s Outlaw Country and Underground Garage stations, as well as opportunities to tour internationally appearing at Stockholm Americana Festival in Stockholm, Sweden, NPR’s Modern Love Live, The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, MA, Americana Fest in Nashville, TN, SXSW, and Frank Turner’s Lost Evenings Fest at The House of Blues Boston.
https://linktr.ee/hayleythompsonking

“An in-demand bassist for artists like Booker T., Kris Delmhorst and Jeffrey Foucault, Jeremy Moses Curtis shifts from sideman to spotlight to proffer songwriting so strong, you’ll wonder why he hasn’t stood center stage all along.”
“So worn out, so beautiful, like something between ‘Nashville Skyline’ and ‘Blood on the Tracks,’ an old Wilco ballad and Jason Isbell on NyQuil Extra Strength,” writes Jed Gottlieb of the Boston Herald.

https://www.jeremymosescurtis.com/

Poetry Jam-M'shairi
2024-03-31 19:00 - 2024-04-01 00:00 | Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
The Lizard Lounge Poetry Jam with featured poet M’shairi

M’shairi The God is a master of bending language to her will in an enchanting way that leaves all listeners on the edge of their seats as they hang on to her every word. She is the voice of sensual, raw expression delivered in various ways that grabs the heart and minds of audiences, everywhere. The pen has been her longest companion and most reliable instrument as a storyteller and poet. You never know where she will take you next. M’shairi The God is an experience not to be missed.

The Duppy Conquerors
2024-04-03 20:00 - 23:00, 2024-05-01 20:00 - 23:00 | Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
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/

The Baker Thomas Band
2024-04-04 20:00 - 2024-04-05 00:00 | Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
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

The 5th Wheel
2024-04-05 21:00 - 2024-04-06 00:00 | Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
The A-Beez team up with Ryan and Sonya Rae Taylor and Pete MacLean to become the 5th Wheel at the Lizard Lounge

The A-Beez is Boston based music collective with its roots in soul, funk, and R&B. At its core are keyboardist Amy Bellamy and bassist Aaron Bellamy. The two began their musical collaboration in the early 2000’s as members of the Sam Kininger band (BMG Japan recording artists). This relationship would blossom, as they would go on to work as sidemen and studio/session musicians, backing up numerous artists including Chaka Khan, Terri Lyne Carrington, G Love and the Juice, Res, Nth Power, Club D’elf, Martin Luther, Cody Chesnutt and more.

In addition to touring nationally and internationally, Amy and Aaron are staples of the local Boston scene, hosting a long-standing (over 16 years and still running) residency at Boston’s renowned Wally’s Café and performing in clubs and venues throughout New England and the East coast. In the years to come they would co-write and compile a catalog of original material that would eventually culminate in the release of their debut album “Never Going Back” which was released in April 2015. They released their second studio album “Say Goodbye” in March of 2018. Their 3rd studio album release “Reclamation” is set to debut in November of 2021.

Though it can be loosely classified as “soul” The A-Beez have an eclectic and original sound which draws from the traditions of funk and R&B, and is heavily influenced by jazz as well as hip hop. You may detect hints of rock, country, and even classical if you listen closely. The lyrics are deeply personal and honest, the music grooves while remaining melodically elegant and full of subtle complexity. The production is pure and simple without the gloss and fakeness all too prevalent these days.

The A-Beez

Boston-born Sonya Rae Taylor is not only a tour de force on the blues-rock and soul/funk stage but a true musician’s musician. With her roots firmly planted in the rich musical landscapes of Austin and Nashville, she’s woven rare a tapestry of experience. This rising star seamlessly marries her soaring vocals, electrifying guitar prowess, and astute songwriting, creating a blend that has earned her comparisons to the likes of Warren Haynes, Bonnie Raitt, and Amy Winehouse.
While Sonya’s radiant onstage presence draws immediate attention, her credentials behind the scenes are equally commendable. She has shared her guitar mastery as a side player for renowned artists and, during her tenure in Nashville, honed her craft as a staff writer for Sony BMG Chrysalis.
Always surrounded by a stellar ensemble, including the remarkable guitarist Ryan Taylor (husband), Sonya and her band are becoming are building a reputation up and down the east coast. At the heart of Sonya’s artistry lies the rare combination of being a master musician and a uniquely gifted songwriter.
https://www.sonyaraetaylor.com/

MC Kabir Sen with Krush Factory Monthly Residency
2024-04-06 21:00 - 2024-04-07 00:00, 2024-05-04 21:00 - 2024-05-05 00:00 | Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
MC Kabir Sen continues his monthly residency at the Lizard Lounge with the Krush Factory

Poetry Jam Slam Team Semifinal #1
2024-04-07 19:00 - 23:00 | Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
Lizard Lounge Poetry Jam Slam Team Semifinal #1

Event is 21+
2024 Slam Team Semifinal #1
Our first of two semi-final slams for the 2024 Lizard Lounge Poetry Jam Slam Team features eight wonderful poets: Ben, Brittany, Christopher, Finn, Kayla, Kwene, Mike, & Silent E.
These slams are always well-attended and showcase the extraordinary spoken word talent we are so lucky to have at Lizard Lounge Poetry Jam.
The top four poets from tonight and the top four from the second semifinal will move on to the finals on 4/21/24.

Bridget Kearney with Special Guests Deerlady
2024-04-10 20:00 - 23:30 | Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
Come see Bridget Kearney and Deerlady live in concert, it’s gonna be a night to remember!

Empires rise and fall every day in the human heart, and riding these cycles — — stories with no beginning or end, only transformation — — churns us through the reckless, ridiculous, rueful, redemptive.
A founding member of Lake Street Dive and writer of some of their most enduring songs, Iowa-born and Brooklyn-based Bridget Kearney is known for writing smart, unexpected lyrics and melodies built for a heart-baring dance or an introspective drive. Kearney writes music as if filtered through a camera lens. Her stories, steeped in nostalgia and joy, construct a bittersweet framework around the memories that make us human, and shape who we are. As the absurdity of life abounds, Kearney can hold these fragile snapshots and rolling reruns with evident notes of levity, and compassion for a past self. On her new album Comeback Kid, produced by Dan Molad (Lucius, Buck Meek), there are reminders to cherish the moments that make up the collage of what we see in the mirror, but to also plant our feet firmly in the present, for those are the times that will come to form the future.
The tracks hop through time, from the relentless, obsessive romanticization of the past, to unrestrained lust for a different future, all inherit the spirit of resilience needed for any move forward, whether it’s to dive back in, walk away, or wrestle with the memory itself. In moments, our Comeback Kid wishes to encase a night in amber to revive it at will, like the old man in Jurassic Park, but ultimately is hip to the bittersweet truth that it will never be the same when you return.
Kearney began making Comeback Kid back in 2021, in between her work with Lake Street Dive, and a new position as a songwriting teacher at Princeton University. During the process of Comeback Kid, Kearney took inspiration from her Princeton students, as well as her peers when she embarked on a song-a-day workshop. As she found herself surrounded by the thoughts and processes of others, she was able to pinpoint what it is about songwriting that she truly cherishes: namely, the textures and flourishes that come to form the mood of each creation.
Comeback Kid is soaked in vintage synths, Kearney’s soughing vocals and delicate-yet-driving percussion that ushers in a bright and serene tenor. “If you’re driving, baby I wanna go,” she soothes on opener “If You’re Driving,” welcoming us to the LP with windows down, eyes closed, air rushing through our fingers. It’s a celebration of staying in the moment, of saying “yes,” even though you know it won’t last forever.
With references to real psychological games, like Rorschach tests and the phenomenon of Ironic Process Theory, they help build the theme of the mind-bending nature of obsession, memory, and perspective. Just like the acrobatic brain games we play in relationships, Kearney plays with language and references, with multiple meanings of “comebacks and coming back,” and nods that run the gamut from Samuel Barber’s mid-20th century masterpiece Adagio for Strings to Jerry Seinfeld’s late-20th century masterpiece Seinfeld.
The single “Security Camera” captures the carefree liminal space of reminiscence, as Kearney collects those significant, special moments of a past love. There is no animosity or even sorrow here but rather a warm, propulsive rush of gratitude and awe. “You have these really wonderful, blissful times in your life that are fleeting,” she explains. “It’s an attempt to keep loving the moments in your past, to carry them with you.” These moments are carried with care throughout Comeback Kid, but with an eye on the farcicality of simply existing. Kearney is both sincere and silly, somber yet spirited, expertly gathering the iridescent spectrum of what it means to be alive.

https://www.bridgetkearney.com/

The punk rock attitude will save you. Mali Obomsawin and Magdalena Abrego are two improvising artists equally comfortable in free jazz and indie rock, bonded in the language of experimentation. Their upcoming duo album Greatest Hits is a journey through songs penned by Obomsawin that explore decay and delicate moments – cradled by Abrego’s worldbuilding and evocative guitar playing.
Mali Obomsawin is a bassist, singer, and composer from Odanak First Nation and one of GRAMMY.com’s top ten emerging jazz artists to watch this year. Her debut album Sweet Tooth (Out of Your Head Records, 2022) garnered international acclaim and was named in ‘best of the year’ lists from The Guardian, NPR, and JazzTimes upon its release. Evocative and thunderous, Sweet Tooth delivers a gripping and dynamic performance, seamlessly melding chorale-like spirituals, folk melodies, and post-Albert Ayler free jazz. Obomsawin’s ensemble occupies a musical universe completely their own, bringing skronk and reverence to every stage.
Magdalena Abrego is a New York-based guitarist, composer, and teaching artist. Utilizing the languages of free jazz and experimental rock, Magdalena’s music confronts issues of musical tradition through genre-bending improvisation. Magdalena presently serves as a faculty member in the Contemporary Musical Arts program at the New England Conservatory. Her expertise has garnered invitations to deliver guest lectures and provide guidance to ensembles at esteemed music institutions throughout the Northeast, including Berklee College of Music and Dartmouth College.
https://www.instagram.com/deerladyband/

The Hi-Jivers/Troy Mercy
2024-04-11 20:00 - 23:00 | Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
The Hi-Jivers from Nashville blast the Lizard stage with Troy Mercy!

EVENT IS 21+$18/23
The Hi-Jivers are a 4 piece Rock n’ Roll/ Rhythm and Blues band that play music inspired by the 50’s and 60’s but modernize with their passionate and wild originals. The vocalist, Dawna Zahn is a powerhouse soulful singer who has the dynamic ability to resurrect her favorite blues artists like Howlin’ Wolf and Big Mama Thornton with ease. She is accompanied by her husband, Austin John whose guitar arsenal has the maturity of a well seasoned blues guitarist, but with the sting of an explosive rock n’ roller. They’ve already had the pleasure of performing all over the world including many cities in the U.S. and many countries in Europe.
​
The band won an Ameripolitan Music Award in 2023 and have been featured in Vintage Guitar Magazine, Vintage Rock Magazine and Blue Suede News magazine. They’ve been compared to modern artists such as JD Mcpherson, Nikki Hill, GA-20, Imelda May, Delta Bombers, Big Sandy & Fly-Rite Boys etc.
​
Austin John & Dawna Zahn moved to Nashville from Central New York in September 2014 with one intention: toform a band inspired by their favorite Rhythm & Blues and Rock N’ Roll artists of the 1950s and 1960s. By the beginning of 2015, they met upright bass player Hank Miles and drummer Aaron Mlasko who had recently moved to Nashville from Seattle, WA. The group bonded over their love of American roots icons such as Wynonie Harris, Big Mama Thornton, Howlin’ Wolf, Little Richard, and Etta James.
https://www.thehijivers.com/

*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 performance…
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

The Gravel Project featuring Jen Kearney with The Freight
2024-04-12 21:00 - 2024-04-13 00:00 | Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
The Gravel Project returns to the Lizard Lounge with special guests The Freight

M UST BE 21+
$15/20 door

Originally created by Andrew Gravel (vocals, guitar), The Gravel Project is an all star band of Boston music veterans including brother, Jordan Gravel (organ, keys), Dave Fox (drums), and Eguie Castrillo (percussion). The Gravel Project’s live show blends rock, world music and jazz with power and soul. Carrying the tradition of 70’s blues and psychedelic rock music, The Gravel Project embodies the spirit of Santana combined with the classic raw energy and moving songwriting of The Allman Brothers and Tedeschi Trucks Band. With three studio albums, a live album and countless past performances, the future is bright for Boston’s The Gravel Project, and as the title of their 2022 studio album suggests, there are “Many Miles Ahead.”
The Gravel Project

The Freight are an upbeat fusion of Rock N’ Roll, Blues Rock, Soul and Jam mixed with a contemporary Modern Rock edge. The Freight embrace every avenue of Rock. From classic vintage sounds that started it all to 80’s and 90’s rock revolutions. Hailing from Boston Ma, their influences include a wide variety of artists including; The Stones, Zeppelin, The Beatles, The Cars, The Police, White Denim, The Black Keys and Gov’t Mule to name a few.
https://www.thefreightband.com/

Muddy Ruckus/Fancy Trash w special guest Barry Rothman
2024-04-13 21:00 - 2024-04-14 00:00 | Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
Muddy Ruckus and Fancy Trash share the stage at the Lizard Lounge with special guest Barry Rothman on the turntables.

EVENT IS 21+
$15/$20 door
Muddy Ruckus is a “darkly inventive” rock duo according to the New York Music Daily. Guitarist Ryan Flaherty and drummer Erika Stahl of Portland, Maine play a grungy style of railroad indie punk blues. This stripped-down power-duo blends rootsy guitar and edgy percussion on a suitcase drum kit, and is known for a full rock band sound.
https://www.muddyruckus.com/

Fancy Trash, an indie folk band, has been at the forefront of the thriving music scene in Northampton, Massachusetts for over two decades. The band is driven by singer and songwriter Dave Houghton’s dynamic blend of folk and indie rock influences, characterized by his soulful vocals and expressive guitar work, which have earned them critical acclaim and a devoted following. The band released The Pushkin Sessions in November 2023 — a collection of 15 songs recorded live-in-the-studio in 2007 and lost in a storage bin for 16 years. Since their formation in 2002, Fancy Trash has toured extensively and shared the stage with notable acts such as The Jayhawks, Deer Tick, DeVotchKa, Langhorne Slim, and Jesse Malin. However, it’s the band’s electrifying live shows and raw, emotional songwriting that make them stand out in a crowded indie scene. With a dedicated fanbase and a reputation for delivering unforgettable live shows, Fancy Trash continues to push the boundaries of what folk music can be with their unique sound and performances. Learn more atwww.fancytrash.com

Poetry Jam Slam Team Semifinal #2
2024-04-14 19:00 - 23:00 | Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
Poetry Jam Slam Team Final#2

Event is 21+

2024 Slam Team Semifinal #2 Our second semi-final slam for the 2024 Lizard Lounge Poetry Jam Slam Team will feature eight extraordinary poets: Art, Brother D, Lindsey, Mahesh, Meghan, Navah, Toni, & Will C.These slams are super-popular and always showcase phenomenal spoken word talent.The top four poets from tonight and the top four from the first semifinal will move on to the finals on 4/21/24.

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 | Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
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 | Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
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 | Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
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, 1667 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
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 | Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
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 | Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
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 | Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
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 | Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
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, 1667 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
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”.

Dwayne Haggins/Gregg Perry and the Strange Berries
2024-05-02 20:00 - 2024-05-03 00:00 | Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
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 | Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
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

Poetry Jam-Jane Spokenword and Albey onBass present Word Jammin Live
2024-05-05 19:00 - 23:00 | Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
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.
