I guess today it’s so easy to find new music with the proliferation of streaming music like Pandora, Spotify, Rdio, and others.  But until you see a band live in concert, you haven’t really experienced them.  I remember years ago talking to a friend who was one of these people who won’t go see the opening act.  He was a big reggae music fan and also liked rock and jamband stuff.  He was going to see the band moe. And I told him to check out the opening act, John Brown’s Body because they were an awesome reggae band that I thought he’d really enjoy.  He was already going to the show; all he had to do was show up a little early and check out some of their set.  Of course he didn’t see them that night.  Years later, John Brown’s Body was headlining a show somewhere and he went to go see them. He loved the show and was really bummed that he missed out on two years of getting to experience the band live.

One of my earlier, memories of going to see an unknown band was a show at this little bar in upstate NY called the Rhinecliff Hotel with a buddy of mine to just see whoever was playing that night.  We didn’t know the name of the band, where they were from, what they sounded like.  We just went because.  The Rhinecliff was an old hotel (only a couple of rooms) that kind of became a boarding house of sorts.  There was a bar on the ground floor, a room with a pool table in it and a back room that had a concrete floor, one brick wall and three other concrete walls.  There was no stage, no pa, and lighting for the room consisted of a single light bulb in the center of the ceiling.

The band that night was a band from NYC called Marmalade.  It was something like an 8 or 9 piece funk band with a rippin’ female lead guitarist (who later went on to play lead guitar for Natalie Merchant).  They played some of the funkiest, sweatiest, nastiest funk I’ve ever heard.  It was unbelievable.  I grooved for hours.  We took a complete risk, driving out to the bar and paying the cover for a band we knew nothing about and it turned out to be one of the best musical nights I had ever experienced.

Since coming to Boston (approximately 20 years ago now) I’ve had countless nights of seeing great new music.  Every time a new (to me) band blows me away, it takes me back to that night at the Rhinecliff, getting down to the funk of Marmalade.  So go see some live music.  Take a chance and see someone you’ve never heard of, get there early and check out the opener, you never know when you might come across your new favorite band.

Having teamed up with the band for charity work before, Stratton will be performing with Chicago as a way to raise awareness about the band’s American Cancer Society fundraising efforts.

“In the past when I worked with them, they were very giving, welcoming and generous individuals, from the management down to the musicians. I was happy to be brought back together with them for this event.”

Back in March we asked you to vote for the Music Circus in South Shore Living’s Best Of South Shore search. We won for Best Performing Arts Venue in 2008 and 2010 (the online archives of the Best Of 2009 doesn’t have a Performing Arts category, does anyone have an old copy of the magazine lying around?) and we did it again this year thanks to you!

The Music Circus is celebrating 60 years this summer and we’ll do our best to keep bringign top-notch entertainment to the South Shore for another 60!

- JS

This season we have a house photographer, Bryan Donovan. Bryan has been coming to most of the Music Circus shows (and even hitting a few of the Cape Cod Melody Tent shows). Each week you can catch the latest shots from the weekend, and if there’s a weekday show you get a little something extra.

So far, Bryan has taken amazing photos of Kenny Rogers, Siobhan Magnus, Darius Rucker, k.d. lang, Trace Adkins, Beauty & The Beast, Stephen Marley, Happy Together Tour, Bowzer’s Ultimate Doo Wop, Huey Lewis, and The Wiggles! Here’s a few of our favorite shots so far…

You can expect to see Bryan at the Toots & The Maytals show tonight and he’ll be at the Melody Tent this weekend chronicling Alison Krauss’ visit. If you spot him, make sure you tell him you like his work!

Follow us on facebook if you want to see the rest of Bryan’s work from the 2011 seasons!

- JS

Clearly having a blast with her band and her material …, lang fed off of each’s palpable and playful energy, stalking and strutting the stage-in-the-round, mugging, and hip-swiveling like Vegas-era Elvis, and even roaming into the crowd with her self-described “chick magnet’’ (that would be a banjo)…
- Jonathon Perry, The Boston Globe

Perry gives a nice song-by-song recount of the night, including the awe-inspring silence in the crowded tent when k.d. performed her poignant cover of “Hallelujah.”

Here’s a clip from the show … and make sure you check out the rest of the clips in the Music Circus TV section!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqYy4UPk53k&feature=channel_video_title

- JS

The way she elongates the word “I’’ on the refrain [of "A Sleep With No Dreaming"], letting it glide over the band like a helium balloon she’s suddenly released . . . well, it sends shivers down the spine.

If you get a chance pick up a copy of the Boston Globe, the spread gives you a lot of photos and extra information to soak in that you aren’t able to get online. If you can’t find the paper, check out the main article here!

And be sure to come see k.d. lang with her new band The Siss Boom Bang THIS Saturday. With such a varied background and a range of vocal accomplishments it will be a treat to see what she sings for us! 

And to keep the ball rolling on a great weekend of music here at the Music Circus, check out Scott Reedy’s article on Trace Adkins (including details about Adkins’ recent home fire), who will be here on Sunday, July 10.

And if you want to relive the fun, take a look at this video and the other clips on our Music Circus TV page!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsAvi9UKlLo

There’s also a clip of opener Mallory Hope, who was great! Keep an eye on her, she might just be the next big thing in country music!

- JS

This time around new-ish wine shop Local Vines and Gourmet (just off Rt. 3A in the new plaza with the gym) gets the highlight. Stephen Meuse stopped in because a local vintor told him it’s the best place to get a New England wine.

I made the trip to get a peek at what Truro Vineyards owner Dave Roberts assured me was one of the best selections of New England wine he knew of.

Stephen and Local Vines owner Debbie Hardey share a passion for New England-made wines and are doing their best to spread the word. Stephen will be running a column on the concept in the Globe next Wednesday (more details in the article) and Debbie regularly hosts wine tastings, many of which feature local wineries (sign up for the Local Vines newsletter to stay up-to-date on the tasting schedule)!

- JS

Kenny Rogers
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHsMrWkET8c

Gary Morris
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ctVsbFfOT0

Keep an eye on Music Circus TV to see all the latest videos!

It’s that time of year again … Music Circus opening weekend!

Our 2011, 60th Anniverary season kicks off with Kenny Rogers on Friday, June 17 ! With a career spanning decades and genres, Kenny embodies the long-lived and still vibrant spirit of the Music Circus. Want to learn more about Kenny’s career and how he got started in music? Check out Scott Reedy’s article in The Patriot Ledger!

 I learned very early on that the guys in the groups got all the girls and I wasn’t about to miss my chance.

Kenny also promised Scott that he’ll perform some of his 35 hits along with his newer material. So come on down to the Music Circus tonight and help us make our 60th year our best year!

- JS