When it comes to influential 60s bands, legendary British Invasion innovators The Zombies are right at the top with The Beatles and The Beach Boys. Now, 52 years after their formation, The Zombies, featuring original members Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent, are making their debut appearance at the Narrows Center for the Arts with a special full band performance on August 6th at 8 p.m.
Founded by Blunstone and Argent in 1962, The Zombies scored hits in the U.S. with “She’s Not There,” “Tell Her No,” and “Time of the Season.” Their 1968 album, “Odessey and Oracle,” is considered one of rock’s greatest albums, ranking 80 on “Rolling Stone” magazine’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
The Zombies are also cited as being one of the most influential UK pop/rock bands of all time. Billy Joel, Paul Weller, and the band Badly Drawn Boy are just some of the artists that have been influenced by The Zombies. Their songs are covered regularly by artists such as Beck and Belle and Sebastian and have been used in numerous film and TV shows, including “The Conjuring” and “The Simpsons.” Aside from The Beatles and perhaps The Beach Boys, no mid-’60s rock group wrote melodies as gorgeous as those of The Zombies.
For this special performance, The Zombies will be performing almost every single gem from “Odessey and Oracle,” fan favorites, and hits from Blunstone and Argent’s solo careers, including the top 5 U.S. and U.K. hit “Hold Your Head Up.” This is a concert not to be missed.
Tickets to The Zombies can be purchased online at http://www.narrowscenter.org or by calling the box office at 508-324-1926. A limited number of VIP tickets that includes a meet and greet, photo op, and signing with Blunstone and Argent are also on-sale for an additional fee. Box office hours are Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. and during show times.
People travel from all over the world to visit Plymouth, Massachusetts. Whether it’s a trip to Plimoth Plantation to experience a period of American history or a day at the beach to enjoy the calm sea breeze, there’s something for everyone in Plymouth.
This Memorial Day weekend, Saturday, May 24th through Monday, May 26th, there will be another reason to visit the gorgeous coastal town, as the Spire Center for Performing Arts, located at 25 ½ Court Street, will present Plymouth’s first-ever Plymouth Rock Assurance Jazz Festival at their intimate 225-seat venue. The three-day event features an exciting lineup of regionally and internationally recognized jazz musicians, making it an unforgettable weekend for concertgoers and jazz aficionados.
“The premiere of Plymouth Rock Assurance Jazz Festival is a landmark event for Spire Center for Performing Arts, as much as it is for Plymouth,” said Michelle McGrath, who is handling public relations for the event. “The community is abuzz with a growing arts community, much of which stems from magnificent music offerings around town. This will mark the first ever jazz festival for Plymouth and the surrounding communities. The festival promises to draw a more eclectic, diverse visitor scene to the area, boosting the historic downtown district to cultural epicenter status in Plymouth’s hometown.”
Local jazz musician Johnny Souza, a member of The Spire’s music committee, organized the event and recruited musicians for the festival. He said he tried to include a variety of jazz stylings for each day when he booked the acts.
“As a performing jazz artist in New England, I was either familiar with or had performed with many of the musicians on the bill for the Plymouth Rock Assurance Jazz Festival,” he said. “I selected not only ‘top name performing artists,’ but also acts that I knew would draw an audience. In addition, I tried to select acts that would provide a variety of jazz stylings across each day.”
The festival kicks off on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. The world renowned Rebecca Parris and her trio will headline the night. Other performers include The Bebop Guitars, a nine-piece jazz group consisting of faculty members from Berklee College of Music, and The Johnny Souza Quintet.
Commonly referred to as the “First Lady of Boston Jazz,” Parris has performed around the world and in festivals from Oslo to Monterey. She’s appeared with such musicians as Dizzy Gillespie, Gary Burton, Buddy Rich, David “Fathead” Newman and Red Mitchell. She counts the late great singers Carmen McRae, Shirley Horn and Sarah Vaughan as friends and mentors.
“Along with being one of the leading jazz vocalists in the land, Rebecca is also a storyteller,” said Souza. “I’ve never witnessed a performance of hers where she’s failed to captivate her audience.”
The fun continues on Sunday with a matinees show beginning at 2 p.m. The roster includes the Amanda Carr Quintet, who will headline the day, the Greg Abata Quartet, and the Yasko Kubota Power Jazz Unit.
“Amanda is a world-class jazz vocalist and her performances are always very entertaining,” said Souza.
The festival concludes on Monday at 2 p.m. with a unique event called the Jazz Open Jam Session. For this concert, local and aspiring musicians are welcome to take the stage with the house band and perform. Use of a drum set, digital piano, bass amp, vocal microphones and the house sound system will be available to all performers.
“We all thought that this would be a great addition to the jazz festival programming,” said Souza. “There are many jazz musicians working throughout New England and we thought this would be a great opportunity to develop an annual ‘jazz jam’ where musicians could hang out and perform jazz in a setting where there was no pressure to perform commercial or popular music. This is a great opportunity for not only working jazz musicians to ‘sit in,’ but also for budding musicians to perform with a world-class rhythm section.”
McGrath agreed, saying it gives local musicians an opportunity to celebrate jazz music.
“The Jazz Jam Session allows local musicians the camaraderie and casual opportunity to play together or for each other, while celebrating one of America’s favorite music genres,” she said. “Attendees can either sign up to be a performer as a walk-in at the door or just sit back and enjoy the spontaneous music during a three-hour session. What better way could there be to wrap up a holiday weekend Jazz Festival than with musicians completely in a spontaneous jazz element?”
While there are a number of activities taking place in the area on Memorial Day Weekend, Souza said the jazz festival is definitely the one to attend.
“This is certainly an event that will appeal to a large cross section of people, but there is no other event in the area over Memorial Day weekend that will have as much to offer jazz fans…and all under one roof,” he said.
Tickets for the Plymouth Rock Assurance Jazz Festival are $25 per day for Saturday and Sunday’s performances. Tickets for the Jazz Open Jam Session on Monday are $10 for audience members or performers. Advance ticket purchases are recommended as seating is limited due to capacity. The Spire is handicap accessible. Free parking is available street side and in public lots in close proximity.
For more information about this event, to order tickets, or to learn more about The Spire, visit their website at http://www.spirecenter.org, call 508-746-4488, or follow the Spire Center for Performing Arts on Facebook.
(This story originally appeared in the June edition of The Clipper).
The original movie “Friday the 13th” was released on May 9, 1980 and today is the 34th anniversary of its release. Last month, we ventured to Blairstown, NJ, and a few other nearby towns where the movie was filmed to see what everything looks like today. Below is our photos from the trip. The top photo is a screen shot taken from the movie. The photo underneath it is what the area looks like today.
All photos taken by Jay Kenney for Limelight Magazine.
Before the Spire Center for Performing Arts began drawing people to downtown Plymouth, Mass., the large spire atop the building was used to guide ships into Plymouth Harbor. Now, audiences and artists alike are sailing their way into The Spire for music, theater, dance and other performing arts activities.
After three years and countless hours of work, The Spire received an overwhelming response to their opening night gala in early April with a sold out crowd.
“From the very beginning, the community was behind this,” said Robert Hollis, president of the performing arts center’s board of directors.
The Spire’s goal is right in its name: to inspire and aspire.
“Opening weekend was just amazing,” Hollis said. “It suddenly hit me how great it was.”
The Spire has already been a draw for talented musicians, bringing in The Sea The Sea on opening night and Plymouth native and musician, Hayley Sabella, on April 18 for her CD release party.
“It was an honor to have my CD release party there, and I have a difficult time imagining a more perfect place for folk music and performance art to take place” Sabella said.
Along with playing regional, national, and local acts, The Spire will host theater about a third of the time.
“Our goal is to treat performers how they should be treated,” said Hollis “They put a lot of themselves in what they do and we owe it back to them.”
The intimate setting is also a unique aspect of the venue that musicians find appealing, Hollis added.
“The acoustics are incredible, the ambiance is haunting, and overall structure makes it a captivating listening room,” Sabella said. “It wouldn’t surprise me if the venue eventually gains national attention.”
As a long time musician and member of the arts community himself, Hollis is greatly invested in the arts in Plymouth. Over the last four years, Hollis has easily worked 80 to 100 hours a week to make The Spire what it is today, he said.
From renovations to generous donations, The Spire has come a long way and will continue to improve, Hollis said, adding that they will continue to put profits towards improvements to the sound system and outside renovations, such as repairs to the roof and steeple.
Since the beginning, it has been a project for the community, Hollis explained. After receiving $360,000 from the town, $285,000 for renovations, Hollis and the members of the Plymouth Performing Arts Center raised an additional $120,000 for a state of the art sound system, bar, and expansive stage. They were able to expand the building three times its original size.
Currently in the works is adding the ability to record the live performances for the musicians who play. This would give musicians the opportunity to sell live performance CDs of their concerts at The Spire.
A performing arts school is in the works, as well. The goal for the performing arts school is to have a place where people can learn musical theater, acting, and most importantly how to apply what they are learning, Hollis said.
The Spire is also proving itself as an economic draw for Plymouth by encouraging nearby communities to see shows in Plymouth and by encouraging Plymouth natives to spend more time in the center.
As the former Beth Jacob Community Center, The Spire is more than an arts center and an economic draw for the town it is a historical preservation.
“If the town didn’t take it then it would be apartments or condos,” Hollis said. “This way we preserve the building in the form it is now.”
The venue currently has performances booked through June, including a diverse line-up of pop, folk, jazz and theater productions.
For more information about The Spire or to purchase tickets to upcoming events, visit http://www.spirecenter.org.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Our publisher will present folk icon Tom Rush at The Spire on Friday, June 6, 2014, at 8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased HERE.
Not a lot of bands travel between gigs and high school, but the 21st Century Fugitives do.
Vocalist John Lucas, 15, guitar player Jimmy Bezreh, 15, bass player Jaden Mendola, 16, keyboardist Jackson Kehoe, 15, and drummer Gavin Burke, 14, make up the Boston based band known as the 21st Century Fugitives.
Since their start in 2011, the boys have grown, quite literally. At the time of the band’s creation, the oldest member was only 13 years-old. Now, all the bandmates are in their teens and continuing to prove that age doesn’t matter when it comes to playing pure rock and roll.
For the Fugitives, the difficult balancing act between music and school hasn’t hindered their success. Just in the last month the 21st Century Fugitives opened for the Dropkick Murphys at the House of Blues in Boston and won “Young Performer of the Year” at the 6th Annual Limelight Magazine Music Awards held on March 22 at South Shore Music Hall in Quincy, Mass.
Playing their music at the House of Blues in Boston for the Dropkick Murphys concert was an experience Lucas described as “unreal.” The band also had the opportunity to meet the lead singer of the Dropkick Murphys, Ken Casey, and even used some of the band’s equipment.
“I actually got to use [Casey’s] monitor pack” Lucas said. “I remember thinking to myself, I’m using Ken Casey’s monitor pack at the House of Blues, how can this get any more weird.”
Along with their performance at the House of Blues the 21st Century Fugitives were surprised and elated to win “Young Performer of the Year” on March 22nd.
“Some of the other people nominated were also really good,” Mendola said. “We were the youngest band, so we had that going against us.”
When they won, Lucas said, they didn’t even realize their name was called.
“When they pointed to us that was really a shock,” Lucas said.
Earlier this year, the Fugitives also released a new album aptly titled Regret Nothing. The album, which consists of seven tracks, was released on December 2013 with the help of Taylor Barefoot of Boston, who recorded the album with the Fugitives.
“Recording the album was really fun,” Lucas said. “[Barefoot] let us mess around a bit and experiment.”
Some of their experimentation for the album included playing a 12 string guitar in one of their songs and it seems their experimentation and passion paid off by gaining them national attention for some of their original songs including “Balls to the Wall” and “Epic Fail.”
The Fugitives already plan on releasing a new album sometime around September 2014, Lucas said. In the meantime, they’re spending their free time writing and practicing at their band space in Wakefield, Mass., with their manager and mentor Billy Jenks. The writing process for each song is collaborative and each member brings something unique to the band’s sound. Influenced by each of their individual music tastes, the boys are able to incorporate the best of hard rock, classics, and even the blues.
Bezreh’s inspirations include Stevie Ray Vaughn, Slash, and blues guitar, while Mendola is influenced by the opposite.
“I try to bring an old school vibe and a heaviness to the band,” Mendola said.
Other influences they listed include The Beatles, Lenny Kravitz, and Eddie Vedder.
PLYMOUTH – Legendary folk singer/songwriter Tom Rush is coming to the Spire Center for the Performing Arts on Friday, June 6, at 8 p.m. for an intimate performance at Plymouth’s new performance hall.
Mr. Rush’s impact on the American music scene has been profound. He helped shape the folk revival in the ’60s and the renaissance of the ’80s and ’90s, his music having left its stamp on generations of artists. James Taylor told Rolling Stone, “Tom was not only one of my early heroes, but also one of my main influences.” Country music star Garth Brooks has credited Rush with being one of his top five musical influences. Mr. Rush has long championed emerging artists. His early recordings introduced the world to the work of Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne and James Taylor, and in more recent years his Club 47 concerts have brought artists such as Nanci Griffith and Shawn Colvin to wider audiences when they were just beginning to build their own reputations.
Mr. Rush began his musical career in the early ’60s playing the Boston-area clubs while a Harvard student. The Club 47 was the flagship of the coffee house fleet, and he was soon holding down a weekly spot there, learning from the legendary artists who came to play, honing his skills and growing into his talent. He had released two albums by the time he graduated.
Today, Mr. Rush lives in New Hampshire when he’s not touring. His voice has grown even richer and more melodic with training, and his music, like a fine wine, has matured and ripened in the blending of traditional and modern influences. He’s doing what he loves, and what audiences love him for: writing and playing…passionately, tenderly…knitting together the musical traditions and talents of our times.
The Spire is located at 25 ½ Court Street in Plymouth. The venue features superior acoustics, custom state of the art lighting and sound systems and original period architectural details, offering patrons an exceptional performing arts experience.
Advance tickets for the Tom Rush show are only available online through brownpapertickets.com by clicking HERE. Tickets will also be available on the day of the show at the venue. A limited number of VIP tickets that includes a private meet and greet, photo op and signing with Mr. Rush are also available.
It was a fun time at South Shore Music Hall in Quincy, Mass., last night! Once again, we increased our attendance over the previous year, making it the most attended music awards show ever! If you weren’t there, you missed some really cool performances from Krista Baroni, Brian Carroll and Ian Fitzgerald, Brianna Grace, Jilly Martin, Jay Psaros, Ten Foot Polecats, 21st Century Fugitives, and Weld Square. We’d like to thank all of the nominees, the staff of South Shore Music Hall, the radio DJs who helped promote the event, and everyone who attended. We’d also like to offer an extra special thanks to Theresa Andrewski and Matthew Almquist, of Beautiful Tuesday, for co-hosting the awards ceremony. You are two amazing people! It means so much to us that you took time out of your schedules to make it such a special night for everyone!
~ Jay & Katie, Co-Owners, Limelight Magazine/JKB Entertainment Group
Theresa Andrewski and Matt Almquist of Beautiful Tuesday
Here’s the final run down of all the nominees, including the winners and runner ups. Congratulations to everyone listed on this ballot!
Legend Award
EXTREME
Statement from Gary Cherone:
“On behalf of EXTREME, we are honored to receive the Legend Award from Limelight Magazine. We are a bunch of local boys who slugged it out in the clubs, doing what we loved doing. When we started out, the labels were focusing on bands from L.A. but Boston had their own special scene going on with a lot of great bands that got overlooked. It took a while to make some noise but the labels finally came knocking. The rest is history. It’s been years of hard work and dedication, but the most important thing has always been the fans for us. We are so lucky and fortunate to do what we love doing and being recognized for our efforts really makes it all worthwhile. Thanks again to Limelight Magazine for recognizing our efforts and for bestowing this honor for us.”
Extreme
Unsung Hero Award
Ayla Brown
Ayla Brown (center) with Jay and Katie
Service Award
Jessica Botelho
Jessica Botelho
Young Performer of the Year
Jessie Chris
Closer Than We Appear
Four Noble Truths
Emily Hodges (Runner Up)
Nolan Leite
Esmeree Skye
21st Century Fugitives (Winner)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tribute Band of the Year
All Heart (Heart)
The American Who Sensation (The Who)
Beatles for Sale (The Beatles) (Runner Up)
Clock Strikes Ten (Cheap Trick)
Fire Lake (Bob Seger)
Forever Young (Neil Young) (Winner)
Power of Love (Huey Lewis & the News)
Young Rust (Neil Young)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Live Act of the Year
The Aldous Collins Band (Runner Up)
Bigtalkahh (Winner)
Daddie Long Legs
Patrick DeCoste
Freevolt
Richard James and The Name Changers
A Simple Complex
Weld Square
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Female Vocalist of the Year
Susan Cattaneo
Brianna Grace (Winner)
Dorian Havers
Lisa Markovich
Amanda McCarthy
Ilene Springer (Runner Up – tie)
Natalie Turgeon (Runner Up – tie)
Eva Walsh
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Male Vocalist of the Year
Daniel Byrnes
Jeff Conley
Greg Lato (Runner Up)
Joe Merrick (Winner)
Sean O’Loughlin
Andrew Smith
Jonah Tolchin
Kevin Williams
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Song of the Year
Dalton and the Sheriffs – “Cheap Guitars”
Shaun England – “Tied to the Tracks”
Kiley Evans & Joe Merrick – “We’d Be Lying” (Winner)
The McGunks – “Working On A Hangover”
Christian McNeill & Sea Monsters – “If You Need Some (Come and Get Some)” (Runner Up)
Fil Pacino – “Death By Lions”
Jessica Prouty Band – “Set Me Free”
Brian Sances Band – “Driving Home”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Album of the Year (Group)
Sam Bowen and Blue Cat Groove – Self-Titled
Beyond Blonde – Purple Rose (Winner)
The Cranks – Orange (Runner Up)
Elcodrive – The Long Way Home
For The Love of Sloane – Curses, Spells & Charms
Propergander – Wide Open
21st Century Fugitives – Regret Nothing
Glenn Yoder & the Western States – Javelina
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Album of the Year (Solo)
Rich Antonelli – Voiceless
Sarah Blacker – Precious Little Things
Lisa Couto – Not Going Under (Runner Up)
Julie Dougherty – In This Place
Ian Fitzgerald – No Time To Be Tender
Jamie Lynn Hart – Live At Tupelo (Winner)
Adam Jensen – Behold the Man
Ashley Jordan – Nothing In Doubt
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hard Rock, Metal, Hardcore Act of the Year
Along Came the Flood
BlackLight SunRise (Runner Up)
Centerlink
Carnivora
Hellspeak (Winner)
Matalon
Red Equals Meltdown
We Stand In Awe
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Country Artist of the Year
Houseton Bernard
Country Mile Band
Brianna Grace
Britt Hill (Winner)
Shanna Jackman
Erin Ollis and the Whiskey Rye Band (Runner Up)
Joe Macey
Jilly Martin
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Breakthrough Artist of the Year
Blocks of Seven
Sam Bowen and Blue Cat Groove
Closer Than We Appear (Winner)
Empire Street (Runner Up)
Jesse Hanson
House On Cliff
One Time Mountain
Michael Spaulding
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Video of the Year (Group)
Aurora – “Little Traps”
Blocks of Seven – “I Can’t Take It Anymore”
Centerlink – “Distant Voices”
Mostly Commons – “Let It Go By”
The Devil’s Twins – “Love and War” (Winner)
Paryah – “Stay Away” (Runner Up)
Red Equals Meltdown – “What is Dead May Never Die”
WOONSOCKET, R.I. – Legendary vocalist Jon Anderson, singer/songwriter of progressive rock band YES for 35 years, along with Vangelis, Kitaro, and Milton Nascimento, will be performing at Stadium Theatre on April 22at 8 p.m.
The show promises to deliver an exciting mixture of material from Anderson’s prolific career, including classic YES songs and collaborations with Vangelis, along with new compositions, highlighted by humorous and enlightening stories told by Anderson.
As the former lead vocalist and creative force behind YES, Anderson was the author and a major creative influence behind the ground-breaking album Fragile as well as the series of epic, complex pieces such as “Awaken,” “Gates of Delirium” and especially “Close to the Edge” which were central to the band’s success. Additionally, Anderson co-authored the group’s biggest hits, including “I’ve Seen All Good People,” “Roundabout,” and “Owner Of A Lonely Heart.” In addition, Anderson had great success with a series of albums he did with Vangelis, and most recently released the critically-acclaimed solo album entitled Survival and Other Stories.
Stadium Theatre is located at 28 Monument Square in Woonsocket. Tickets are $45 and $40. They can be purchased online at http://www.stadiumtheatre.com/Event/377, by telephone at 401-762-4545, or in person at the box office.
Limelight Magazine is pleased to announce that Extreme will receive the Legend Award at this year’s sixth annual Limelight Magazine Music Awards ceremony that will take place at South Shore Music Hall in Quincy, Mass, on Saturday, March 22, 2014.
Founded in Malden, Mass., in 1985, Extreme has released five groundbreaking studio albums and have sold over 10 million albums worldwide. The band had their greatest success with their 1990 album Pornograffitti, which peaked at number 10 on the Billboard 200, and was certified multi-platinum. The album featured the acoustic ballad “More Than Words” that reached #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 in the United States. The subsequent single, “Hole Hearted”, another acoustic track, was also successful, rising to #4 on the same popular music chart.
The band’s current lineup consists of lead vocalist Gary Cherone, guitarist Nuno Bettencourt, bassist Pat Badger, and drummer Kevin Figueiredo. They released their latest studio album, Saudades de Rock, in 2008. They are currently gearing up for a tour of Europe where they will play Pornograffitti in its entirety plus some of their biggest hits.
“We’re very pleased to present this award to Extreme this year,” said Jay Kenney, who co-founded Limelight Magazine in October 2006. “Their music isn’t easy to classify since it transcends genres, but that’s what makes them such a groundbreaking band. They have definitely left their mark on the New England music scene and beyond.”
The Legend Award is presented annually to a band or musician from New England who has been around for at least 25 years and is still going strong today. Past recipients of this award include BOSTON (2013), The Fools (2012) and MASS (2011).
The Limelight Magazine Music Awards honors bands and musicians from New England who were selected by readers of the magazine in an online poll. This year’s event will be hosted by Matthew Almquist and Theresa Andrewski of the Cape Cod-based band Beautiful Tuesday. Performers scheduled to appear include Krista Baroni, Brian Carroll, Brianna Grace, Jilly Martin, Jay Psaros, Ten Foot Polecats, 21st Century Fugitives, and Weld Square.
South Shore Music Hall is located at 1515 Hancock Street in Quincy. The venue has a full bar with a limited food menu. Parking is free.
Limelight Magazine started out as a quarterly print publication, but has since moved its operations online, with the exception of an annual summer issue. Visit their website at www.limelightmagazine.com. You can also like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/limelightmagazine.
Limelight Magazine is pleased to announce that singer-songwriter, Ayla Brown, will receive the Unsung Hero Award at this year’s sixth annual Limelight Magazine Music Awards Ceremony that will take place at South Shore Music Hall in Quincy, MA, on March 22nd.
Brown, who placed among the top 16 finalists on season five of American Idol, has supported a number of charitable causes over the years. Most recently, she released a country music, patriotic-inspired solo album titled, “Heroes & Hometowns,” and donated a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the first 2,000 CD’s sold to a military non-profit based out of Massachusetts called, Hugs for Heroes, Inc. This past Veteran’s Day, Brown presented Hugs for Heroes, Inc. with $5,000.00 live on FOX25. Still to this day, it is the largest one-time donation made to the organization.
Furthermore, Brown has appeared in concert at Fenway Park on multiple occasions to help the Boston Red Sox and the players with their charitable endeavors including “Life Is Good At Fenway,” “Hot Stove, Cool Music,” “Jimmy Fund” with WEEI radio, and the “Beckett Bowl.” She also offers her vocal talents and time to the organization, “Songs of Love,” where she is currently a spokesperson, as well as singing and recording songs for ill-stricken children.
The Unsung Hero award is given to a musician from New England who has made a significant contribution to the lives of others without asking for anything in return. Brown is the second recipient of this award. Last year, it was presented to Lisa Guyer who founded the Lisa Guyer Music Empowerment Program.
Katie Botelho, co-owner of Limelight Magazine, said it’s an honor to present this award to Brown this year.
“If anyone deserves this award it’s her,” said Botelho. “Her generosity and kindness is something that shouldn’t go unnoticed.”
The Limelight Magazine Music Awards honors bands and musicians from New England who were selected by readers of the magazine in an online poll. This year’s event will be hosted by Matthew Almquist and Theresa Andreski of the Cape Cod-based band Beautiful Tuesday. Performers scheduled to appear include Krista Baroni, Brian Carroll, Brianna Grace, Jilly Martin, Jay Psaros, Ten Foot Polecats, 21st Century Fugitives, and Weld Square.
South Shore Music Hall is located at 1515 Hancock Street in Quincy. The venue has a full bar with a limited food menu. Parking is free.
Limelight Magazine started out as a quarterly print publication, but has since moved its operations online, with the exception of an annual summer issue. Visit their website at www.limelightmagazine.com. You can also like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/limelightmagazine.
The complete list of nominees:
Young Performer of the Year
Jessie Chris
Closer Than We Appear
Four Noble Truths
Emily Hodges
Nolan Leite
Esmeree Skye
21st Century Fugitives
Tribute Band of the Year
All Heart: Tribute to Heart
The American Who Sensation: Tribute to The Who
Beatles for Sale: Tribute to The Beatles
Clock Strikes Ten: Tribute to Cheap Trick
Fire Lake: Tribute to Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band
Forever Young: Tribute to Neil Young
Power of Love: Tribute to Huey Lewis & the News
Young Rust: Tribute to Neil Young
Live Act of the Year
The Aldous Collins Band
Bigtalkahh
Daddie Long Legs
Patrick DeCoste
Freevolt
Richard James and The Name Changers
A Simple Complex
Weld Square
Female Vocalist of the Year
Susan Cattaneo
Brianna Grace
Dorian Havers
Lisa Markovich
Amanda McCarthy
Ilene Springer
Natalie Turgeon
Eva Walsh
Male Vocalist of the Year
Daniel Byrnes
Jeff Conley
Greg Lato
Joe Merrick
Sean O’Loughlin
Andrew Smith
Jonah Tolchin
Kevin Williams
Song of the Year
Dalton and the Sheriffs – “Cheap Guitars”
Shaun England – “Tied to the Tracks”
Kiley Evans & Joe Merrick – “We’d Be Lying”
The McGunks – “Working On A Hangover”
Christian McNeill & Sea Monsters – “If You Need Some (Come and Get Some)”
Fil Pacino – “Death By Lions”
Jessica Prouty Band – “Set Me Free”
Brian Sances Band – “Driving Home”
Album of the Year (Group)
Sam Bowen and Blue Cat Groove – Self-Titled
Beyond Blonde – Purple Rose
The Cranks – Orange
Elcodrive – The Long Way Home
For The Love of Sloane – Curses, Spells & Charms
Propergander – Wide Open
21st Century Fugitives – Regret Nothing
Glenn Yoder & the Western States – Javelina
Album of the Year (Solo)
Rich Antonelli – Voiceless
Sarah Blacker – Precious Little Things
Lisa Couto – Not Going Under
Julie Dougherty – In This Place
Ian Fitzgerald – No Time To Be Tender
Jamie Lynn Hart – Live At Tupelo
Adam Jensen – Behold the Man
Ashley Jordan – Nothing In Doubt
Hard Rock, Metal, Hardcore Act of the Year
Along Came the Flood
BlackLight SunRise
Centerlink
Carnivora
Hellspeak
Matalon
Red Equals Meltdown
We Stand in Awe
Country Artist of the Year
Houston Bernard
Country Mile Band
Brianna Grace
Britt Hill
Shanna Jackman
Erin Ollis and the Whiskey Rye Band
Joe Macey
Jilly Martin
Breakthrough Artist of the Year
Blocks of Seven
Sam Bowen and Blue Cat Groove
Closer Than We Appear
Empire Street
Jesse Hanson
House On Cliff
One Time Mountain
Michael Spaulding
Video of the Year (Group)
Aurora – “Little Traps”
Blocks of Seven – “I Can’t Take It Anymore”
Centerlink – “Distant Voices”
Mostly Commons – “Let It Go By”
The Devil’s Twins – “Love and War”
Paryah – “Stay Away”
Red Equals Meltdown – “What is Dead May Never Die”
Stay Seventeen – “On My Mind”
Video of the Year (Solo)
Krista Angelucci – “Like You”
Tiffani Dawn – “Fever”
Katlyn Evans – “Royals”
Jamie Lynn Hart – “Down”
Ashley Jordan – “If I Had You”
Jilly Martin – “I’m Getting There”
Jay Psaros – “The Orphan”
Will Evans – “Wishin’ Well”
Singer-Songwriter of the Year
Krista Baroni
Brian Carroll
Jesse Hanson
Adam Jensen
Alastair Moock
Kevin G. Moore
Dietrich Strause
Joe Young
Band of the Year
The Can’t Nots
The Field Effect
Mean Creek
Grace Morrison and the RSO
Nemes
A Simple Complex
The Ten Foot Polecats
Torn Shorts
Bringing great entertainment to New England since 2011!
Limelight Magazine 