12/02/2024
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A MESSAGE FROM BILL HURLEY
This is from the "If You Know, You Know" section...Roberto Morbioli is a total badass guitar player! If you've seen Roberto in person...well, you know. He's one of the most incendiary guitarists on the contemporary blues scene possessing an uncanny ability to channel Stevie Ray Vaughan to Freddie King to Jimi Hendrix to Otis Rush and back again...sometimes in the same solo! We've hosted Roberto at the Fallout Shelter every year for the past 10 years and it's ALWAYS a blistering night of blues mayhem. This time will be different than ALL the other times...this time Roberto is bringing a horn section, The Boomer Horns AND a Hammond B3 "ace-up-the-sleeve," the great Bruce Bears! Roberto alone is enough to rip your eyes out of the sockets but a horn section and an organ master?!?! This is gonna burn down the house. Get ready for this people...this is gonna smoke!
And then...there's NEXT weekend. She's won more awards and received more accolades from press and radio and word of mouth than any female artist to come out of this region since probably Aimee Mann or the phenomenon of Susan Tedeschi. Ali McGuirk has also received a TON of accolades outside this region making her one of New England's most viable exports. Her music defies description as it hovers throughout scapes of introspection, deep human connection and other worldly tenderness. Her grasp of the human condition is present in everything she sings while wielding the power to silence a room with a few words from a majestic voice. We have not seen Ali in many years and we're stoked to have her back again on Friday December 13.
Saturday December 14 is the Annual Fallout Shelter Holiday Extravaganza!!! Our lone "catered" event of the year, the Extravaganza is our way of saying "THANKS" for another great year and this year we're gonna have a blast!!! The Memphis Soul Spectacular Orchestra will be bringing a night of great 60's and 70's Memphis Soul classic hits including some Holiday hits we all listened to as kids and probably still today. Join us for dinner and a show next Saturday night, December 14th!!
The year is winding down but we're packing some late 2024 punches that will knock ya out!! Roberto Morbioli, CA McNeill and Friends, Ali McGuirk Band, The Holiday Extravaganza, Connacht's Irish Christmas Special, Johnny A and our Annual Last Saturday of the Year with the Brian Thomas BT ALL-STARS!!!
See You There!!
Much love!
Bill Hurley
THE GRCPAC
2024 YEAR END FUNDRAISER!
Tomorrow, Tuesday December 3 is "GIVING TUESDAY" and it's a perfect time to remind everyone about the Grass Roots Cultural and Performing Arts Center 2024 Year End Fundraiser. The GRCPAC is a Registered 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation dedicated to music, art and community. Your donation is tax deductible and, more importantly, much appreciated. Please consider donating to the 2024 Year End Fundraiser...we can't do this alone! Click here for ALL THE DETAILS!
FRIDAY DECEMBER 6 7:00PM
ROBERTO MORBIOLI AND THE BOOMER HORNS
We've hosted the Italian "Cyclone" Roberto Morbioli numerous times with numerous configurations and the incendiary blues master is one of our favorite guitarists and performers. We've NEVER had Roberto Morbioli with a horn section and the thought of it is exciting and heavily anticipated. Adding a horn section opens up the already expansive repertoire for a performer that's basically a walking encyclopedia of blues history already. Roberto Morbioli is a master blues artist. His guitar skills are second to none combined with his complete mastery of Chicago, Texas and Delta blues styles. His shows are non-stop power from the first lick to the last...leaving it all on the stage every time he takes a stage. When he comes to the U.S. two or three times a year we always welcome him with open arms and he never fails to surround himself with top shelf musicians and never fails to blow the roof off of the Fallout Shelter. His band for this upcoming event is STELLAR including John Medeiros on drums, Steven Bigelow on bass and backing vocals, the great Bruce Bears on Hammond organ and piano, Rob Lee on saxophones and Don Chanonhouse on trumpet. The blues will be blaring on this night!!
TICKETS HERE:
SATURDAY DECEMBER 7 7:00PM
CA McNEILL AND FRIENDS
Every time Christian McNeill takes the stage at The Fallout Shelter an adventure unfolds. It's a journey through the experiences that shape the brilliant songwriter's impressive body of work. CA (AKA Christian) McNeill grew up in Northern Ireland during the most tumultuous times for the country, their neighbors to the south and the UK in the east. Those times shaped him as a songwriter and a story teller. His voice is both mesmerizing and intimidating, his lyrics are poignant snapshots of life and the common struggles, emotions and moments of beauty that make life's journey worthwhile. His band is simply one of the best around and features some of Boston's most accomplished and powerful players including Tim Gearan on guitar, Paul Schultheis on Hammond organ, Jesse Williams on bass and Chris Anzalone on drums. A night filled with WOW moments and unforgettable music. These shows are an emotional rollercoaster filled with high points and inspirational, thought provoking lows. It is, in a word, fulfilling.
TICKETS HERE:
FRIDAY DECEMBER 13 7:00PM
ALI McGUIRK BAND
with Special Guest Opener SPORTING!
This will be one of the most anticipated shows of the year.
“A spellbinding work of timeless soul beauty.”
— UNDER THE RADAR MAGAZINE
"In just a few deft strokes, McGuirk paints a devastating and deeply human picture.. voice resonating with all that can't be expressed in words alone."
— WGBH
“A wealth of sonic enjoyment.”
— POPMATTERS
“‘All Back’ feels like it could exist somewhere outside of space and time — it could be on a record in the background of a party in a 1970s bungalow… it’s a great listen.”
— CONSEQUENCE OF SOUND
“2022’s 50 Best Albums of the Year“— “Ms. Ali gets it. And she can play that damn guitar, too. There’s a history scattered through soul music, and blues, that speaks to this aesthetic. Boston and New England last saw this combination with a gal named Sue [Tedeschi] a couple of decades ago.”
— BOSTON GLOBE
“Powerfully stunning vocals… the most outstanding performance of the day.”
— GLIDE MAGAZINE
“With all the hooks of Lake Street Dive but more earthy tenderness and smart introspection, McGuirk will be the Bay State’s next big export.”
– BOSTON HERALD
Blending classic soul power with a folk songwriter lyricism, New England’s Ali McGuirk has the rare ability to silence a room with just a few words of a song. With a voice that is raw and sultry and a style rooted in improvisation, her sets are a hypnotic and intimate journey.
On her Signature Sounds Recordings debut ’Til It’s Gone, McGuirk delivers a sublime set of songs that pairs her trademark soul sound with rootsy turns and raw rock ‘n’ roll detours. The album landed on the Boston Globe’s Top 50 Albums list for 2022. Consequence of Sound raved, “‘All Back’ feels like it could exist somewhere outside of space and time– it could be on a record in the background of a party in a 1970s bungalow, or it could be on your Discover Weekly playlist on Spotify. Either way, it’s a great listen.”
McGuirk co-produced ‘Til It’s Gone with Jonah Tolchin (a star singer-songwriter in his own right) and a set of session legends: Little Feat guitarist/mandolinist Fred Tackett, organist Larry Goldings (James Taylor, Norah Jones), singer Valerie Pinkston (Ray Charles, Luther Vandross), percussionist Lenny Castro (Stevie Nicks, Stevie Wonder). They provided the astounding chops, but the true magic of the album comes from McGuirk’s singular voice as both singer and songwriter. The nine tracks run from intimate introspection to wider meditations on oppression and justice, from tough r&b and tender soul to big rock guitar and twangy folk. And McGuirk's voice – bold, buttery, spellbinding – carries each song to the next til they’re gone.
McGuirk currently divides her time between touring North America and Europe and crafting new compositions in her lakeside Vermont cottage . She has performed spellbinding sets at Boston Calling, Merlefest, Americanafest, and NPR’s Mountain Stage.
TICKETS HERE:
SATURDAY DECEMBER 14 7:00PM
ALI McGUIRK BAND
JOIN US FOR OUR 10TH HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA!
Celebrate the holidays in style, great food, great music and great community!! We're catering this one once again so bring your appetite and your dancing shoes cuz this year we're going all 60's soul music with the Memphis Soul Orchestra!
This will be a night to remember for a LOOONG time. A romping, stomping tribute to the Southern Soul Sound that ruled the Earth in the 1960's. During that time the cities of Detroit, Memphis, Macon and Muscle Shoals were home to the sounds that made the whole world dance! These cities were the wellsprings of Sam & Dave, Otis Redding, Al Green, Wilson Pickett, Percy Sledge, Solomon Burke, The Staples Singers, Booker T and The MG's and so, so many more. Featuring the dynamite vocals of Rob Jockel, a relentless rhythm section and a horn section led by some of New England's most accomplished players, the Memphis Soul Spectacular is an 8 piece orchestra that's gonna blow your mind and take you back to the time when this music was king of the airwaves.
TICKETS HERE:
THE GRASS ROOTS CULTURAL AND PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
RELIES ON YOUR SUPPORT.
WE ARE A 501(c)3 NONPROFIT AND
YOUR SUPPORT IS TAX DEDUCTIBLE
The Grass Roots community is just that, a community built over the last 9 years.
We are a community of people who gather around music, art, and friendship.
Our place, the always evolving Fallout Shelter, is a destination, a listening room where the audience is present to hear stories and songs and to watch the production of our program, The Extended Play Sessions. The Fallout Shelter continues to offer a unique experience: the opportunity to see world class live music with a sense of connection.
In 2024, beyond our amazing performance schedule, we will continue to host Open Mic Nights to showcase local musicians and give them access to much needed professional content to help them build their careers. Perhaps the best story of the year for 2023 came from our "Listen Local" program.
A local group, unknown outside of their own limited circle named CONNACHT showed up for a Listen Local show we did in February. They are a traditional Irish band made up of extremely accomplished musicians but had no material to promote themselves with other than word of mouth. We delivered an hour of top quality video with incredible sound to them...it's what we do here! One of those videos went viral in Dublin, Ireland and began to spread among the Irish music community here, in the US. From that video CONNACHT was signed to an agency in NYC and are now scheduled to co-headline on the main stage at the biggest Irish music festival in the US next August in Buffalo, NY. They also have a major tour coming up in 2024 in Ireland. ALL from the video we produce at The Fallout Shelter and give to our artists to level the playing field giving them opportunity they wouldn't have.
There's much to do and we can't do it without your support!
In appreciation,
Bill Hurley - Executive Director
on behalf of the GRCPAC Board of Directors -
Maribeth Arena - Board President
Leo Waters - Board Vice President
Paula Barta - Board Treasurer
Ellen Snyder - Board Secretary
Eric Nordstrom - Board member
Johnny Erickson - Board member
Cheryl Gaetani - Board member
Stephen Dill - Board member
Abigail Marsters - Board member
The Fallout Shelter is an all ages performance venue welcoming worldwide, world class music in an intimate setting. We are fully ADA Compliant with wheelchair access to the studio and handicapped parking next to the front doors. Our studio audience attends to watch the creation and production of our music television series The Extended Play Sessions. The Fallout Shelter events are immersive experiences for both audience and performers alike...a live music experience like no other.We have a wide selection of beer and wine for your adult beverage pleasures and each show comes with a free commemorative event poster.
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