Artist Spotlight

“Self,” digital painting KIRA HOUSTON/ARTSWORCESTER

Kira Houston

Kira Houston Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

Kira Houston is a student at Clark University double majoring in Art History and Spanish while minoring in Creative Writing. He works for the Safe Schools Program for LGBTQ+ Students as a transgender advocate. In his free time (in addition to writing and acting) he creates digital and traditional character illustrations. Kira creates artwork with LGBTQ+ themes, highlighting the relationship between whimsical fantasies and Queer realities. To see more of Kira’s work, visit his website, https:// kiyye.com/.

This Artist Spotlight is presented by Worcester Magazine in partnership with ArtsWorcester. Since 1979, ArtsWorcester has exhibited and advanced the work of this region’s contemporary artists. Its exhibitions and educational events are open and free to all. Learn more at www.artsworcester.org.

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Devil Love SUBMITTED

Devil Love offers rich, haunting ‘Broken Things’

Victor Infante

Columnist Worcester Telegram & Gazette USA TODAY NETWORK

One of the first things that leaps out at the listener about Devil Love's recent album, “Broken Things,” is how – aside from the first thrash of rock in the opening number, “Everywhere Leads the Sound” – everything feels so impermanent and fleeting. Love and joy are not boundless things here, but rather things to treasure because they could dissipate at any moment. Sometimes they already have by the time a song ends.

The band – which comprises Peter Buzzelle on vocals and guitar, Ken Rothman on guitar, Jason Raffi on bass, Chuck Ferreira on percussion, and Josh Cohen on keyboards and guitar – creates a rock sound that feels immediate and vibrant, and that's important, because there's no denying that, for all its indie rock flair, this feels like an immensely personal project.

The aforementioned “Everywhere Leads the Sound” is a flat-out rocker, and between the thunder of Ferreira's drums, Buzzelle delivers what seems to be the album's thesis: “In giving we get/ Be thankful/For what you have/It won’t last/It won’t last.” The song blisters with heat, especially at the guitar solo bridge, and somehow the contrast with the subsequent song – the lower-key “We Can Leave Tonight” – makes the latter feel more intimate. There's a sort of deliberate deceleration happening from the album's outset: “Everywhere” has a frenetic feel, while “Leave Tonight” has a sense of desperation. It's a call to action: “Doesn’t matter where we go, as long as you’re with me/Anywhere is better than here.” When that leads into the lushly textured “Gold Currency,” about a more enduring relationship – one that's survived the test of time –the fire that the first two songs had stoked seems to be replaced by a sort of enveloping warmth. It feels more permanent than the wildfire passion before it, but even here, there's something ineffably delicate, something perishable.

“Gold Currency” gives way to the low bass thump of the title song, where Buzzelle sings, “We’re broken things/

Hoppin’

er. The business officially opened the season on May 1. Despite the pandemic, the winery is in “good shape,” according to Samek, who said his wines are sold at the winery and in 200 stores across the state from Cape Cod to the Berkshires. “We’re very grateful for a loyal customer base,” said Samek. “It helped to keep us in business during COVID.”

The introduction of a new wine, Hardwick Honey, brings excitement to the winery’s reopening, according to Samek, who described it as “not a mead wine but a grape wine made with a touch of local honey.” Another addition to the winery’s brand will occur during strawberry season beginning in June, said Samek. And, wine slushies are back!

Valley Asparagus, a blended-semidry white wine with locally grown asparagus is one of its kind, said Janice Dunham, Hardwick winery coordinator. Check the website for a list of awardwinning wines, in addition to info about a Mother’s Day Gift Bag.

The winery currently offers a limited menu that includes sandwich options. Note: Wineries are included in businesses that currently are required to serve food with alcohol. Friday through Sunday, local food trucks, such as Tony’s Happy Valley Pizza of Palmer are at the winery. Rooster’s Roaming Cantina of Three Rivers will participate on Mother’s Day.

The winery is interested in adding more food trucks this season. Call (413) 967-7763 for more info.

Limited seating on two floors of the winery. The first floor opens to the deck and front porch. Picnic tables, some of which have built-in troughs for ice, are available throughout the property.

Note: Food and wine (wine flights available) are brought to outside tables by servers. Curbside service is available. Check website for live music scheduled on weekends.

There’s lots of history at Nashoba Valley Winery, 100 Wattaquadock Hill Road, Bolton (www.nashobawinery.com), which operates a retail shop, Vintner’s Knoll Restaurant (an outside food and beverage service area) and J’s Restaurant.

Mother’s Day, May 9, J’s Restaurant is sold out, and the Vintner’s Tasting Knoll also was expected to sell out earlier this week.

Justin Pelletier, Nashoba’s Chief Operating Officer and Quality Control Manager, said “things are still being worked out” at the family-owned business as state mandates change. Currently, reservations are required at J’s Restaurant and highly recommended for the Vintner’s Tasting Knoll. The winery is working with limited staff, he said, and is in the process of hiring part- and full-time employees. “Like other businesses, we’re adapting,” said Pelletier. “Things continue to change sometimes on a daily basis.”

The award-winning winery is the state’s leading fruit wine producer. Nashoba also operates Bolton Beer Works and Nashoba Valley Spirits, LTD, both located on the Wattaquadock Hill Road property. Visit Nashoba Winery website for more details about Pelletier family ownership, plus more.

This season, Nashoba Valley Winery/ Bolton Beer Works introduced Opening Day Rose IPA, an American beer, and the winery looks forward to the return of special events, according to Pelletier.

The outside food and beverage service area (The Vintner’s Tasting Knoll) is a popular spot for food, wine, beer and other items that are delivered directly to your table, said Pelletier. Orders are placed by scanning a QR code on your phone. QR technology, or on-premise mobile ordering, improves the guest experience because there’s no wait line, he said.

Reservations are not required at Vintner’s Tasting Knoll during the week, but strongly recommended on weekends, said Pelletier. Note: Visitors currently can enjoy a glass or bottle of wine, wine flights and beer with the purchase of food.

The winery’s retail shop is open daily to customers who want to buy wines to take home. Also, wines can be delivered to home or office in three days or more. Free shipping and 10% off on 12 bottles or more. Retail shop hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Call (978) 779-5521.

J’s Restaurant offers curbside pickup for evening meals and wine, up to three days in advance. The service is available

Hardwick Vineyard and Winery is introducing a new wine at its reopening. ASHLEY GREEN/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

Greater Good and 90 + Cellars have created a new Frozé (frozen rosé), which will be available at a Mother’s Day event that will also include the