Okee dokee folks… It’s pumpkin spice season. Not that I am a fan but I am at least glad that the summer is over. I saw a meme that read “pumpkin spice vaccines available”. If it was real maybe more folks would get it. Here I am eager to get vaccine #3 and there are folks out there still unvaxxed. We are still in the midst of a pandemic and people are still getting sick and dying though you might not know it by some folk’s behavior. I applaud those venues who are requiring vaccines to attend shows. I hope that more and more do it until the unvaxxed have nowhere to go. These are the folks who are prolonging the pandemic. Hopefully they realize this sooner than later but I won’t hold my breath, well, maybe if I am in their presence I would. Bring your vaccination card with you everywhere, it’s like a VIP membership! Read on…
The man with a cape and keyboards is headed to Fall River on October 19. Legendary Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman hits the Narrows Center for the Arts with his Even Grumpier Old Rock Star show. I spoke with Rick from his UK home last week via a Zoom call. Read that interview here: MotifRI.com For more about the show “Roundabout” to: NarrowsCenter.org Also coming up at the Narrows: Rodney Crowell, Leo Kottke, Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives, Suzanne Vega, Samantha Fish and much more!
At the Knickerbocker in Westerly, Christine Ohlman headlines the Women’s Voices 4 show on Sunday October 10. Ohlman is the long-running vocalist for the Saturday Night Live Band and is known as “The Beehive Queen” for her towering blonde hairdo. Appearing with the Christine are Rebel Montez members: Cliff Goodwin, Lorne Entress, and Wolf Ginandes. The show begins at 2 pm and also features The CarLeans, Kala Farnham & Co., and Midnight Anthem. This show benefits the Rock and Roll Camp For Girls at the Institute For The Musical Arts (ima.org). For more, Muscle Shoals to KnickMusic.com
Smithfield’s superstar Sarah Potenza returns to Rhode Island for a homecoming concert at The Met on October 23rd. Joining her for this show will be the Smithfield High School Chorus as well as Voice contestant Katie Kadan. Potenza was featured on The Voice and most recently America’s Got Talent. She has a big voice that will wow you every time! See what the buzz is all about. Also at the Met, on Sunday October 31 award-winning blues guitarist/singer Sue Foley will be playing songs from her newest release, Pinky’s Blues. For more, hit the “Road to Rome” to: TheMetRI.com
Hiroya Tsukamoto is headed to Tiverton for an October 24th afternoon show. A guitarist and composer originally from Kyoto, Japan, Tsukamoto blends world music, jazz and folk that is described as “eclectic, immersive and mesmerizing”. Hiroya received a scholarship to Berklee College of Music and came to the United States in 2000. He has since released three solo albums: Solo, Heartland, and Places. Hiroya has been performing internationally including several appearances at Blue Note(NYC), United Nations and Japanese National Television(NHK). This concert will take place on the Meeting House grounds located at 3850 Main Road. They ask that you please bring your own lawn chairs. For more, take the “Gemini Bridge” to: FourCornersArts.org
Common Fence Music has two shows this month! Jake Blount will open Common Fence Music’s Fall 2021 series, at The CFP Arts, Wellness and Community Center in Portsmouth on Saturday, October 16th at 8pm. Blount is an award-winning banjoist, fiddler, singer and scholar based in Providence. He is half of the internationally touring duo Tui, a 2020 recipient of the Steve Martin Banjo Prize, and a board member of Bluegrass Pride. He is a two-time winner and many-time finalist of the Appalachian String Band Music Festival (better known as Clifftop). Although he is proficient in multiple performance styles, he specializes in the music of Black and indigenous communities in the southeastern United States, and in the regional style of Ithaca, New York. He released his debut solo album, Spider Tales, in May 2020.
S.G. Goodman follows on Saturday, October 30th. Goodman performed at this summer’s Newport Folk Festival!. She was listed as one of Rolling Stone‘s “Artists to Watch”, describing her as “Kentucky farmer’s daughter writes songs so the world can hear what life is like where she grew up” Her bio goes on to add, “The singer’s music confronts the more painful parts of life in a farming community, much of which is governed by big business or political mechanisms that seek more to turn a profit than to value and support the lives of its employees.” For more about these and other shows this season, hop over to: CommonFenceMusic.org
The Collaborative, a nonprofit arts organization in Warren, will present Folk at the Farm, a free music concert featuring four Rhode Island-based music groups, on Sunday, October 17th from 2-6pm at Frerichs Farm, 43 Kinnicutt Ave. There will be performances by the award-winning and internationally acclaimed folk duo Atwater-Donnelly, Irish-influenced duo Bank of Ireland, the soulful, tropical sounds of Caribbean Jam Duo and high energy two steps and sultry waltzes from New England’s hometown Cajun band, Magnolia. The Collaborative suggests bringing chairs and blankets as no seating will be provided. The Collaborative suggests bringing chairs and blankets as no seating will be provided. For more, get eh folk on over to: TheCollaborative02885.org/FolkAtTheFarm
That’s it for now, thanks for reading. www.JohnFuzek.com
