Bits & Bytes: Grain Thief at the Egremont Barn; ‘Concerto delle Donne’; Mastheads reading

The Egremont Barn to welcome Grain Thief

South Egremont — The Barn at the Egremont Village Inn will welcome Americana string band Grain Thief Saturday, Feb. 16, at 8 p.m. Terrible Mountain String Band will open the show.

Comprised of Patrick Mulroy on guitar and vocals, Zach Meyer on mandolin and vocals, Michael Harmon on bass and vocals, Tom Farrell on lead guitar, and Alex Barstow on fiddle, the Boston-based Grain Thief released their debut EP “Animal” in November 2015, which showcased the band’s roots in folk, bluegrass and old-time music. The band’s first full-length record, “Stardust Lodge,” is ​propelled by M​ulroy’s lyrical approach, met equally with songs of loss and regret, and the struggles of the everyday working person with a satirical twist​. “Stardust Lodge”​ explores the boundaries of the Americana genre adding drums, pedal steel and electric guitars to the band’s core, acoustic-roots sound.

Tickets are $10. For tickets and information, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or contact the Egremont Barn at (413) 528-1570 or info@theegremontbarn.com.

–E.E.

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Crescendo to present ‘Concerto delle Donne: The Consort of Ladies’

Catherine Hancock. Photo: Lisa Marie Mazzucco

Lakeville, Conn. — Crescendo has announced that it will present its winter concert, “Concerto delle Donne: The Consort of Ladies,” Saturday, Feb. 16, at Saint James Place in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, and Sunday, Feb. 17, at Trinity Lime Rock.

In 1580, in Ferrara, Italy, the Concerto delle Donne performed formal concerts for members of the inner circle of the Ferrara court as well as important visitors. The singers were renowned for their technical and artistic virtuosity. Most likely the first of their gender as women performing together, they revolutionized the role of women in professional music.

Honoring the innovative artistry of the 16th century Concerto delle Donne will be sopranos Catherine Hancock, Rebecca Palmer and Jennifer Tyo, who will perform works by the Ferrara court composer Luzzascho Luzzaschi, as well as Italian Baroque arias and duets by Monteverdi, Barbara Strozzi and others who followed this tradition in the early 17th century. Accompanying the singers will be Crescendo’s artistic director Christine Gevert on organ and harpsichord, and Hideki Yamaya on theorbo. Gevert will also conduct.

Tickets are $35 general seating, $60 premium and $10 students. Snow dates are Friday, Feb. 22, for Great Barrington Sunday, and Feb. 24, for Lakeville. For tickets and more information, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or contact Crescendo at (860) 435-4866 or crescendo@worldclassmusic.org.

–E.E.

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The Mastheads to celebrate Pittsfield’s literary history

Pittsfield — As part of the 10×10 Upstreet Arts Festival and in celebration of Pittsfield’s literary history, the Mastheads will present 10 local writers reading one short piece by a historic Berkshire author alongside one short piece of their own Saturday, Feb. 16, at Methuselah Bar and Lounge.

Readers include Peter Bergman, Cassandra Cleghorn, Akilah Edgerton, Hannah Fries, Frances Jones-Sneed, Brendan Mathews, Matthew Zanoni Müller, Chris Parkinson, Rev. Charles E. Pratt and Hannah Van Sickle. The represented historic authors will be James Weldon Johnson, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Herman Melville, Edith Wharton and others.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Mastheads at info@themeastheads.org.

–E.E.