Berkshire Theatre Group announces spring outdoor concert series
PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Theatre Group recently announced its Colonial Concert Series will offer events each Saturday from May 1 through June 12, 2021. Held outdoors, under a tent, the series’ lineup will include singer-songwriter-guitarist Ryan Montbleau, regional favorites The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow, multiple Grammy Award winner Chris Thile, folk-rock legend Tom Rush, and urban folk and jazz musician KJ Denhert. Each act will perform two Saturday shows, at 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Maguire says, “Just as we did in 2020, we are going to create safe and dynamic performance spaces at both our Pittsfield and Stockbridge campuses this coming year. We saw first-hand last year how moved people were to be in the presence of live performances.”
Tickets are on sale now and range from $25–$100. Purchase tickets online or by calling the ticket office at (413) 997-4444 Monday–Saturday from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. On performance days, the ticket office will be open from 10 a.m. until curtain. Tickets for frontline workers are 50 percent off.
Saturday, May 1: Harvest & Rust
Tickets: $25
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Neil Young’s most widely acclaimed album, “Harvest.” Western Massachusetts-based band Harvest & Rust cover everything Neil Young, from Harvest material including “Old Man” and “Heart of Gold,” to the more electric explorations of the album “Rust Never Sleeps” like “Hey Hey, My My.” They also perform songs from Young’s time in Crosby Stills Nash & Young and Buffalo Springfield.
Saturday, May 8: Ryan Montbleau (solo)
Tickets: $25
Folk musician Ryan Montbleau delivers intimate, heartfelt performances. His live shows were recognized in 2012 when he was nominated for Best Concert Experience at the MTV Music Awards. From the relaxed groove of “The Boat Song” to the upbeat “75 and Sunny,” Montbleau traverses diverse musical and emotional terrain.
Saturday, May 15: The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow
Tickets: $39
Whiskey Treaty is a collaborative band of five Massachusetts singer-songwriters — Tory Hanna, Billy Keane, David Tanklefsky, Greg Smith, and Chris Merenda — in the vein of Americana, rock and roots-folk music. The band has been dubbed “the Eagles of the Berkshires” and bring a foot-stomping party wherever they go.
Saturday, May 22: Takin’ It to the Streets: Doobie Brothers Tribute
Tickets: $25
Takin’ It to the Streets features all of The Doobie’s greatest hits, including “Long Train Runnin’,” “China Grove,” “Listen To The Music,” “What A Fool Believes,” “Rockin’ Down The Highway,” “Black Water,” and more.
Saturday, May 29: An Evening with Chris Thile
Tickets: $100
Multiple Grammy Award winner and MacArthur Fellow Chris Thile, a member of Punch Brothers and Nickel Creek, and former host of NPR’s Live from Here, is a mandolin virtuoso, composer, and vocalist. In 2013, Thile won a Grammy for his work on “The Goat Rodeo Sessions” with Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, and Stuart Duncan. In 2014, Thile and Meyer won the Grammy for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for “Bass + Mandolin.”
Saturday, June 5: Tom Rush
Tickets: $75
Tom Rush helped shape the folk revival of the ’60s, the folk-rock movement of the ’70s, and the renaissance of the ’80s and ’90s. James Taylor, Emmylou Harris, Tom Petty and Garth Brooks have cited Tom as a major influence. His distinctive guitar style, wry humour and warm, expressive voice have made him both a legend.
Saturday, June 12: KJ Denhert
Tickets: $25
Denhert is a NYC-based, award-winning songwriter, guitarist, vocalist, and bandleader who has shared stages with Alicia Keys, Roberta Flack, Robert Cray, and more. Denhert’s career in urban folk and jazz spans 40 years and numerous albums.
Irish Comedy Tour Update: Due to limits on indoor entertainment, The Irish Comedy Tour slated for Thursday, March 12 has been postponed until March 18, 2022. All patrons with tickets will be contacted to make arrangements.
—A.K.
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Unmasking COVID-19 virtual panel discussion and Q&A for communities of color
BERKSHIRE COUNTY — Former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, Dr. Eden-Reneé Hayes, Dr. Adrian Elliot, and Rosa Tabango, LPN will hold an online conversation about the COVID-19 vaccine, Unmasking COVID, on Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 5:30 p.m. Spanish and ASL interpretation will be available. Registration is required.
Coronavirus is disproportionately affecting communities of color; longstanding structural health and social inequities have increased the risks of sickness and death for these communities. These issues, coupled with the historic maltreatment of Black and Brown communities, have created an environment of mistrust with the vaccine process. The latest report by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health shows only 3.3 percent of Hispanic/Latinx, 2.8 percent of Asian American/Pacific Islander, and 2.6 percent of Black residents in the Commonwealth have been vaccinated.
To help build vaccine trust, which is critical to protecting lives and ending the pandemic, several organizations have joined together to provide this event for communities of color to learn, ask questions, and share concerns about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines. The event is co-sponsored by the NAACP Berkshire County Branch, Berkshire Health Systems, Berkshire Immigrant Center, Berkshire Pride, and Community Health Programs.
—A.K.
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Williams College Faculty Lecture Series kicks off with “The Food Network”
WILLIAMSTOWN — Matt Carter, associate professor of biology, will present the first of six talks in the 2021 Faculty Lecture Series at Williams College. Titled “The Food Network: How your brain makes you feel hungry and full,” Carter will explore how neural populations and neural networks in the brain play an important role in maintaining homeostasis, and how their activity affects animal physiology and behavior. The talk, which is free and open to the public, will be presented online via Zoom on Thursday, Feb. 25, at 4:15 p.m.
The Faculty Lecture Series was founded in 1911 by Catherine Mariotti Pratt, the spouse of a faculty member who wanted to “relieve the tedium of long New England winters with an opportunity to hear Williams professors talk about issues that really mattered to them.” The aim of the series is to present big ideas beyond disciplinary boundaries. The next lectures in the series will be offered on March 4, 11, 18, 25, and April 1, all beginning at 4:15 p.m. All lectures are free and open to the public.
—A.K.
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GBPD appoints Community Outreach Team to build grassroots connections
GREAT BARRINGTON — The Great Barrington Police Department has named a five-member Community Outreach Team to serve as a liaison with community groups and underrepresented citizens.
“This team’s emphasis is building trust, understanding, and transparency through two-way conversations so we can learn from each other, as education is our top priority,” said Police Chief Paul Storti, who has pledged a focus on expanding community outreach since his appointment in January.
The department intended to appoint a single officer to the position, but interest was so great among officers that four members of the department have been appointed: Officers Andres Huertas, Olivia Cobb, Kris Balestro and his comfort dog Beko, and GBPD Executive Assistant Cara Becker.
The team will focus first on identifying issues around youth and young adults, homelessness, aging, race and ethnicity. As the program evolves, outreach team members hope to partner with anyone whose voices may have previously been underrepresented.
The GBPD has taken steps to broaden its options for handling emergencies or calls involving addiction and mental health challenges. A part-time mental health professional is on staff and, last year, the department added “Officer Beko,” a comfort dog whose presence at calls can aid in calming those involved in a stressful encounter. This month, the GBPD announced the addition of “recovery coaches” to its community resources.
Storti said members of the Community Outreach Team will be proactively connecting with local groups and organizations, but the team also welcomes invitations initiated from the community.
—A.K.
