Worcester Magazine September 17 - 23, 2021 by Worcester Magazine

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2021 | CULTURE § ARTS § DINING § VOICES

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WORCESTER MAGAZINE

WORCESTER

101

AN INTRODUCTION FOR NEWCOMERS TO NEW ENGLAND’S 2ND BIGGEST CITY PAGE 7

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IN THIS ISSUE

Worcester Magazine 100 Front St., Fifth Floor Worcester, MA 01608 worcestermag.com Editorial (508) 767.9535 WMeditor@gatehousemedia.com Sales (508) 767.9530 WMSales@gatehousemedia.com VP, Sales & Strategy Andrew Chernoff Executive Editor David Nordman Editor Nancy Campbell Content Editor Victor D. Infante Reporters Richard Duckett, Veer Mudambi Contributing Writers Stephanie Campbell, Sarah Connell Sanders, Gari De Ramos, Robert Duguay, Liz Fay, Jason Greenough, Janice Harvey, Barbara Houle, Jim Keogh, Jim Perry, Craig S. Semon, Matthew Tota Multi Media Sales Executives Deirdre Baldwin, Debbie Bilodeau, Kate Carr, Diane Galipeau, Sammi Iacovone, Kathy Puffer, Jody Ryan, Regina Stillings Sales Support Jackie Buck, Yanet Ramirez Senior Operations Manager Gary Barth Operations Manager John Cofske Worcester Magazine is a news weekly covering Central Massachusetts. We accept no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts. The Publisher has the right to refuse any advertisement. Legals/Public Notices please call 888-254-3466, email classifieds@gatehousemedia.com, or mail to Central Mass Classifieds, 100 Front St., 5th Floor, Worcester, MA 01608 Distribution Worcester Magazine is inserted into the Telegram & Gazette on Thursdays and is also available for free at more than 400 locations in the Worcester area. Unauthorized bulk removal of Worcester Magazine from any public location, or any other tampering with Worcester Magazine’s distribution including unauthorized inserts, is a criminal offense and may be prosecuted under the law. Subscriptions First class mail, $156 for one year. Send orders and subscription correspondence to GateHouse Media, 100 Front St., Worcester, MA 01608. Advertising To place an order for display advertising or to inquire, please call (508) 767.9530. Worcester Magazine (ISSN 0191-4960) is a weekly publication of Gannett. All contents copyright 2021 by Gannett. All rights reserved. Worcester Magazine is not liable for typographical errors in advertisements.

Cover Story.........................................................................7 City Voices ........................................................................13 Featured ............................................................................15 Artist Spotlight ...............................................................20 Next Draft .........................................................................22 New on DVD .....................................................................25 Adoption Option.............................................................27 Classiﬁ eds ........................................................................29 Games................................................................................30 Last Call .............................................................................31

On the cover Worcester has a lot of great places for newcomers to discover. PHOTO BY VEER MUDAMBI

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COVER STORY

WORCESTER 101

An introduction for newcomers to New England’s 2nd largest city A newcomer’s guide to New England’s second largest city Veer Mudambi Worcester Magazine | USA TODAY NETWORK

efore joining Worcester Magazine a little more than a year ago, I’d never really visited Worcester. The couple of times that I was in the city — once on a college tour where I didn’t leave campus, another when I went to a concert that a friend and his band were playing at the Palladium — were quite business-like, a quick in and out with no distractions. See INTRO, Page 8 The Smile mural on Salem Street by Greg Mike. VEER MUDAMBI

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A memorial to Major Taylor, Worcester native and one of the very ﬁ rst world class Black athletes, outside the Worcester Public Library. VEER MUDAMBI PHOTOS

The Downtown Dog Park that I have not quite mustered up the courage to use yet, despite being located a convenient 5-10 minute walk from where I live. Situated at the intersection of Franklin Street, Foster Street and Francis J. McGrath Blvd, it would be an easy jump for my dog, over the fence and onto a busy road.

Intro Continued from Page 7

When I started writing about New England’s second largest city, I was actually curious to explore a new place, but the pandemic was in full-swing, so like everyone else, I worked remotely. Learning about the city from talking to its people, I was excited to see it for myself. After a while, reporting on Worcester from a distance simply wasn’t enough and I took the ﬁ rst opportunity to move here for some proper boots on the ground journalism. After moving in on the July 4th weekend, the city had a strange feeling to it — a certain familiarity mixed with frank curiosity. I passed places like the Worcester Public Library and the museums that I had been writing about regularly but never been to and met for the ﬁ rst time people whom I had been speaking with almost every week.

Long, beautiful summer days called for strolls with my dog, Tara — a lab-collie mix. She is skittish and I was apprehensive of how she would do coming from the bucolic small town of Wayland. But she took to Worcester just as I did, except that she doesn’t care for the dog park, located as it is at the intersection of several busy streets. And you know what — while this won’t be news to most of my readers living here, Worcester may be the coolest place that you have never visited. However, incoming college students and young professionals coming here for school and work may ﬁ nd this helpful as advice from a fellow newcomer. I grew up hearing it was an old mill town and factory city with a drab collection of shopping centers, and while that may have been the case once, from where I’m standing, there’s a neverending list of things to explore and do. The See INTRO, Page 9

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This portrait by Sydney James was painted on the side of the YWCA for the 2018 POW! WOW! Worcester. VEER MUDAMBI PHOTOS

Intro Continued from Page 8

world has certainly noticed Worcester, or Wormtown to many of locals, a name coined in the ‘80s by local DJ L.B. Worm, meant to represent the city’s booming punk rock scene. Though I admit, that particular moniker had me hesitant at ﬁ rst, before I learned where it came from. It’s also sometimes called Wortown by the hip-hop scene. Just don’t call it Wor-Chester. That’ll get you an earful.

One of the ﬁ rst questions I asked upon moving here was “what’s with all the hearts?” There were hearts on every single street sign, like someone had given a 5-year-old several suitcases of heart-shaped stickers and said “go nuts.” I asked my neighbor (who is essentially a human Google for all things Worcester) and he told me they reference Worcester’s title of “The Heart of the Commonwealth” — literally, the city is geographically in the center of the state. This was something I was surprised I didn’t know before, but then See INTRO, Page 10

Aerosmith and other famous artists grace the side of the Raven Music Hall on Pleasant Street.

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Intro Continued from Page 9

Like many cities of a certain age, you get a strange clash of the old and new side by side. This church surrounded by gleaming office buildings made this point perfectly. VEER MUDAMBI PHOTOS

again, maybe not, seeing as until recently, Worcester was always somewhere you passed through on the way to somewhere else. With the growing arts and culture scene however, it looks like it won’t be ignored any longer and is stepping out of the shadow of major cities such as Boston and tourist destinations such as Providence. Even though I’m not much of a baseball fan, I was intrigued by the arrival of the Worcester Red Sox and had been following the drama around Polar Park. On one hand, it would bring in revenue and business to the city, on the other it would aff ect people living nearby. While I can’t offi cially take a position here, I will say I did not love the nightly fi reworks on the long July 4th weekend which made Tara jump out of her skin on our

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fi rst weekend in town. Though Boston is the ultimate New England college town, Worcester can also make a claim to the title with a cluster of 12 institutions of higher education. A generation ago, the tired downtown area was an obstacle to attracting students — it certainly didn’t endear Worcester to me when I toured Clark. Worcester still holds on to its manufacturing roots but today shoppers, offi ce workers and students fi ll the sidewalks. Showing a resilient economy and increasingly cosmopolitan setting, it is vibrant and diverse. I was told it was hit hard by the Great Recession but because of that, it has room to grow. I can personally attest to the resilience of local businesses, following their struggles and successes over the last year during the pandemic. Like with the recession, entrepreneurs found opportunity for growth, taking advantage of the available real estate to start up new businesses. Tara and I have become particular fans of the boutique dog supply store, Crate and Howl. Every few days, Tara and I like to make our way through the Canal District surrounding the new ballpark — it is an eminently walkable and bikeable

neighborhood just about 10 minutes from our place in the Grid District. It is pleasantly busy in the afternoons and evenings as people choose among shops and restaurants — an area that really started out developing organically, with small businesses gathering to become a cool urban neighborhood. When a friend from Boston visited me, we stopped by the extensive Worcester Public Market in a stretch of historic mill buildings. I surprised myself when I felt a bit of pride as he commented that it was “way nicer” than he remembered. Worcester has a multicultural dining and entertainment scene and is fast becoming a destination for foodies, with popular regional chefs opening restaurants and master brewers making their magic potions that can make the world go away — if only for a short time. The city has plenty of former factories and mill buildings just waiting to be rehabbed and reopened in another guise. Even the apartment complex where I live used to be a motor vehicle warehouse. Or maybe a garage. I’m not really sure. Cultural entertainment isn’t hard to come by either and I See INTRO, Page 11

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Union Station was crumbling for most of the '80s and '90s, before being renovated in 2000. It was recently featured in Conde Nast Traveler Magazine as one of the prettiest stations in the country.

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�� A panoramic shot of the controversial Polar Park stadium - a long running project completed around the time I arrived. Fireworks are set off at every Friday home game.

Intro

Fall is sitting by a lake, with a spiced drink in one hand and a comfort meal in the other...nothing better!

Continued from Page 10

was delighted to try out Shakespeare on the Common with a group of friends. Unfortunately, the heavens opened up and I beat a hasty retreat but not before promising myself there would be a next time. For more conventional theater, I plan to go to the 110-yearold, 2,300-seat Hanover Theater, renovated in 2008 at a cost of $32 million, all of it raised in a private, communitywide capital campaign. The newer Jean McDonough Arts Center, the home of the Worcester Pop-up and BrickBox Theater is also a major part of the Worcester arts scene. Worcester is a very explorerfriendly city with ethnic restaurants and watering holes, cute coﬀ ee shops, a performing arts theater, biotech research facilities, oﬃ ce space for startup companies, and renovated parks. Add outdoor musical concerts and you’re all set for a big city experience but with a small town feeling that should keep you from feeling overwhelmed. As far as visual public art goes, Worcester dominates in that space. Years of the POW! WOW! Worcester have resulted in 140 works of public art — mostly murals, 50 of which cover schools — all over the city. I see something new in the

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A stylish alphabet mural on the side of the Worcester Public Library. VEER MUDAMBI PHOTOS

murals each time I see them. The paintings are almost completely random but that’s a big part of their charm — poetry on the wall, Aerosmith’s Steve Tyler singing his heart out, an Xray couple gazing into each other’s eyes, historical ﬁ gures and ... the Loch Ness Monster? I guess? Well, it’s my favorite so I’m not questioning it. They reﬂ ect artistic and cultural diversity and in my opinion, any place that makes space legally usable for murals has to be doing something right. It is a unique, family-friendly and photo-worthy outdoor activity and I think of it as an entryway to artists who may not have the opportunities othSee INTRO, Page 12

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A mural by Spencer Keeton Cunningham, painted for the 2016 POW! WOW! Worcester Arts Festival on the side of the restaurant Lock 50. According to Cunningham, “This mural is response to current attempts to build an oil pipeline that will pollute the drinking water and life source for the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation and the countless millions of people downstream from the pipeline.” VEER MUDAMBI PHOTOS

Intro Continued from Page 11

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er artists do — like people of color or ones without any training. Most of Worcester’s murals are painted by local, national, and world renowned artists and they lend an enormous amount of character to the neighborhoods where they are located. People make day trips to Worcester speciﬁ cally to see the public art — it’s a regional destination in Central Massachusetts. For my part, the larger than life murals make for an enhanced pedestrian experience. Walking past a brick wall is just more pleasant with a giant sea monster painted on it. One installation even comes with a large-scale pair of 3-D glasses that sit in front of the Xray bones couple mural on Federal Street. The installation works with the mural’s blue and red tones to create a threedimensional eﬀ ect. As a writer and an artist, I have to admit I have been inspired by the history, the archi-

Greek artist Insane51 painted this mural for the 2018 POW! WOW! Worcester on the side of the Hanover Theatre. However, the large 3D glasses are a new addition from April 2021, allowing viewers to see both aspects of the image separately.

tectural contrasts between old and new, the kinds of people I see on the streets, as well as the curious mix of urban and traditional. To my fellow new Worcesterites, I say give it a chance. The city is rapidly growing out from the shadow of Boston and has an identity all its own. I look forward to trying out restaurants, meeting people, making friends and generally, being part of the Woo.

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CITY VOICES WORCESTERIA

No stART on the Street for two years in a row Victor D. Infante Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

It’s September in Worcester, and it feels weird that, for the second year in a row, there won’t be a stART on the Street festival on Park Avenue. The festival, which usually draws in excess of 50,000 people, is easily the largest outdoor arts festival in the region, but more than that, it’s really the centerpiece of the city’s arts scene and festival season. More than 300 artists and crafters hawk their wares, numerous local musicians play on one of three stages, and people line up to sample foods from various local restaurants and food trucks. It’s enormous, inclusive, immensely social and probably the most inherently “Worcester” of all Worcester’s many festivals. It feels wrong that it won’t be hap-

pening for the second time in a row, but that’s a sign of the times we’re currently living through. “We had to think long-term about public safety and artist and crafters’ investment,” says stART co-director Tina Zlody, explaining in a phone conversation that stART isn’t just a matter of putting up some tents and tables. It’s an enormous event that takes a great deal of planning from the organizers and even the artists themselves, who spend months after being accepted to the festival crafting work to sell. “To understand our process,” says Zlody, “we put our applications out in January and close them in April. When we were looking at what the Powers that Be were saying at the beginning of the year, including Dr. (Anthony) Fauci, we were looking probably at booster shots See START, Page 14

LANDGREN STERLING FAIR CANCELED TWO YEARS IN A ROW

Huge crowds line Park Avenue Sept. 15 , 2019, for stART on the Street, Central Massachusetts’ largest arts, music and performance festival. CHRISTINE PETERSON/ T&G

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

He’s come to bury ‘Caesar’ Joseph Gustafson Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

The politically correct seem to poison everything they touch, and that includes William Shakespeare. The Hanover has produced some good things, but “Julius Caesar” isn’t one of them. I can’t wait for their next production when Juliet is played by a man. Let’s not carry gender equality to absurd levels. Mark Antony as a woman would have the Bard laughing in his grave. Joseph Gustafson lives in Leicester A scene from “Julius Caesar” from the Aug. 18 performance. ASHLEY GREEN/T&G

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FIRST PERSON

Red Rose Tea’s tea box menagerie, Wade Whimsies David Macpherson Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

I don’t know why I was ignorant about these critters, but I had no idea about the Red Rose Tea Figurines. My family drank Lipton Tea. We were not Red Rose folk. When I asked some people in the Library Braintrust what I should write about next, several of them mentioned the Red Rose Animals. Red Rose Animals? I asked my wife about them. “Did you know that there are little animals in the boxes of tea? I guess it’s a thing.” My wife gave me one of those exasperated, husbands are the dumbest creatures, looked at my sorry face and said, “We have them all over the house. My grandma loved them. I keep them for her. I mean, I have some right there.” She pointed to a bookcase, and right on top was a tiny ceramic polar bear. There was a bison. There was a capuchin monkey. (Actually, I have no idea if it is a capuchin monkey, but I am feeling kind of dumb right now, so I fi gured being specifi c about what type of monkey will improve my standing.) On another bookcase, I was greeted with a proud, but wee, lion. “How did I not know that these fi gures were here?” My wife sighed audibly and left for

stART Continued from Page 13

in September.” In making the decision whether or not to hold the festival this year, Zlody and her colleagues had to ask themselves, “How comfortable would people be coming down to a street festival,” she said, “and if we’re telling people they’re accepted in March or April and they start making artwork, and we either cancel or people aren’t comfortable coming, then they lose all their money.” The same is true for the festival’s winter spinoﬀ , stART at the Station, a holiday gift-themed aﬀ air held at Union Station. “We aren’t comfortable putting

Red Rose Tea continues to make Wade Whimsies to this day. RED ROSE TEA

the downstairs, where there were, no doubt, more Red Rose beasties waiting upon her entrance. My house is a preserve of tiny ﬁ gurine creatures. I live amongst the wild beasts. I just wish I knew about it. I am curious what other things I haven’t noticed. Husbands are stupid. But I am a writer of disposable art, so I did my research. Thank you Internet! The little ﬁ gures are called Wade Whimsies. They started hanging out in boxes of Red Rose Tea in 1967 in Canada.

115 vendors in a space in December in fl u season. If we do all this work and new mask mandates pop up, or occupancy limits … it just seemed to us that it would be risky on any level, and we should just make sure that everyone is safe.” Still, it’s continued absence is a defi nite pang in the city’s heart. The festival has always been among the fi rst things the city points to when it discusses the vibrancy of its arts scene, and the hole it leaves in the cultural calendar is defi nitely a sign that all’s not well yet, and it’s very missed. “I think that for the people of Worcester and the surrounding areas,“stART has been very important …,” says Zlody. See START, Page 17

We in America were not graced with such joy until 1983. There are not just animals. You might be blessed with a popular landmark in tiny glory. There are some that are just weird like one of the heads from Easter Island. A polar bear in your tea is charming and worth keeping. An ancient totem from a Paciﬁ c Island? Yeah. That’s a tosser. My wife has them because they remind her of her grandmother. She bought them at thrift stores and antique marts for a couple bucks each. This is an

aff ordable way to keep memories alive. We are always trying to bring back those who are missing. If you can do that with a wee snow leopard that you got for less than a king sized candy bar, then you are living your best life. But most people who have them got them from the Red Rose Tea box. I don’t know if people bought the tea just for the fi gures, but it’s a nice thing to fi nd in with something you were going to have anyway. I like tea. I like small ceramic fi gurines. There is nothing wrong with getting something for nothing. And that something is easy to place on a shelf. They are so small and unobtrusive. You can be like me, living with them for years unaware. I lived with animals? I did? But that is the joy of little things. Now I am aware of them. Now I walk around the house and see the things I didn’t know were there. The other life forms. Maybe I will be more aware of things in general. Maybe I will not trip over my winter boots. Maybe I will fi nally fi nd those spare keys I have been looking for. No doubt, the little Yorkie fi gurine took them and hid them away in his miniature lair. Maybe that’s where all the socks went too. Blame the Wade Whimsies. They are everywhere. David Macpherson is a poet and humorist living in the Worcester area.

Sometimes, you need a lift to get around stART on the Street. CHRISTINE PETERSON/ T&G

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FEATURED

Los Lobos will perform Sept. 18 at Indian Ranch. PHOTO COURTESY PIERO F. GIUNTI

Los Lobos laude California’s ‘native sons’ at Indian Ranch show Richard Duckett Worcester Magazine | USA TODAY NETWORK

The legendary and seemingly ageless rock band Los Lobos describes its latest album, “Native Sons,” as “our ode to Los Angeles.” See LOS LOBOS, Page 16

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Los Lobos

If You Go

Continued from Page 15

When: 1 p.m. Sept. 18 (doors 11:30 a.m.)

An album of covers of songs written and recorded during the formative years in East Los Angeles of most of the band’s members, “Native Sons” includes the Beach Boys’ “Sail On, Sailor,” Jackson Browne’s “Jamaica Say You Will,” War’s “The World Is a Ghetto,” Thee Midniters’ “Love Special Delivery,” The Blasters’ “Flat Top Joint,” Don and Dewey’s “Farmer John,” deep cuts many of us might not even recognize as covers of originals, and one original, “Native Son.” To put it another way, the album’s great. Los Lobos (which translates in English to The Wolves), notwithstanding that it was formed in 1973, sound terriﬁ c. A number like “Sail Away” pays tribute to the Beach Boys but isn’t a Beach Boys sound- alike,

Los Lobos

Where: Indian Ranch, 200 Gore St., Webster How much: Tickets: $16 to $65. www.indianranch.com

being evocative, almost haunting, in its own right. But band member Steve Berlin (saxophone, percussion, ﬂ ute, midsax, harmonica, melodica) said “Native Sons,” which was released July 30, did not make him feel nostalgic. “I couldn’t say that. By and large these are just records that were awesomely cool,” Berlin said. And now the band is back on the road making music again. That’s pretty cool for Los Lobos as well. “It’s hard to complain,” Berlin said.

Los Lobos returns to Indian Ranch in Webster for a show at 1 p.m. Sept. 18. “It’s kind of a delightful gig. I’m looking forward to it. Especially being outside,” Berlin said. Los Lobos has always been known as a touring band. With the pandemic, “We’ve done a few things here and there,” Berlin said, but Aug. 1 was “more or less oﬃ cial” in terms of doing live in-person shows again. But COVID-19, particularly the Delta variant, has been putting up a ﬁ ght which has led to some disagreements between Los Lobos and some venues, mostly in the South. Los Lobos, especially for indoor shows, is insisting that show attendees provide proof of vaccination or the results of a negative COVID test done within 48 hours. Berlin, during a recent telephone interview, said two shows had been canceled in Nashville over the matter.

“If the venues don’t agree with that, then, frankly, they don’t deserve a show,” Berlin said. “Some places in the South think the virus is over.” On the contrary, the Delta variant is “very scary. I’ve had two close friends fully vaccinated get infections. So it’s no joke,” Berlin said. “Native Sons” seems like it could have been a pandemic project. Indeed, “it turned into one but didn’t start out that way,” Berlin said. “We started talking late fall, 2019. We hadn’t had a record in a while. We weren’t that concerned about it (because) we tour.” To record a new album Los Lobos usually “will take two months out of our touring plans … (For) 2020 had a very busy year planned.” Still, a record of covers could be done in “small batches” because “we didn’t have to write all the material,” Berlin said. “A week here a week there, that’s why we decided we were going to do a record of covers (while touring). That year 2020 proved to be a lot less busy as life went into lockdown. “When COVID hit, it was the same idea of doing it (’Native Sons’) in bits and pieces. That’s more or less how we came to fi nish this record. It was kind of weird at fi rst. The recording studio was really big, plenty of room to distance. We were tested for each session.” For the song selection, “Everyone brought in a song they wanted to do,” Berlin said. There is a signifi cance to the album’s opening number, “Love Special Delivery” by Thee Midniters. “Thee Midniters, they were like the Los Lobos of their day,” Berlin said. His selection was “Never, No More” by rhythm-and-blues singer and songwriter Percy Mayfi eld, who was originally from Louisiana and moved to Los Angeles. “I’m a huge Percy Mayfi eld fan,” Berlin said. “Native Sons” was recorded

at a studio in East Los Angeles, “very, very close to where the guys all grew up. That made it extra cool, extra emotion. Someone would talk about a house they drove by.” But not Berlin, who is not a native son of East Los Angeles. “I’m a Jewish kid from Philadelphia. Growing up Chicano was not part of my life,” he said. Berlin came on board in 1984. He had moved to Los Angles a few years earlier and played in bands including Top Jimmy & the Rhythm Pigs, the Blasters, and the Flesh Eaters.[ Joining Los Lobos, “The guys really went out of their way to make me not feel like a stranger,” Berlin said. “Musically, we shared a lot of the same infl uences. That was the shared bond, and we built our relationship out of that. It was meant to be, obviously,” he said. Los Lobos has been described as “the progenitors of Chicano rock ‘n’ roll, the fi rst band that had the boldness, and some might even say the naiveté, to fuse punk rock with Mexican folk tunes.” It put accordion, a saxophone and bajo sexto alongside drums and Fender Stratocaster guitars and then “blasted a ranchera-fl avored folk tune or a Conjunto inspired melody through double reverb amps at about twice the volume you’d normally expect to hear.” Over the next fi ve decades, the band explored an enormous diversity of genres such as rock-and-roll and R&B, surf music and soul, mariachi and música norteña, punk rock and country while building a bold unpredictable sound all their own. Their music is multilingual, with some songs sung in Spanish. Los Lobos’ cover of “La Bamba” for the soundtrack of the Richie Valens biopic became a hit in 1987, making the band international stars who are enduringly popular in Europe. Los Lobos has won several Grammy awards and continues exSee LOS LOBOS, Page 17

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Los Lobos Continued from Page 16

PETERSON/T&G

stART Continued from Page 14

“I was talking to someone the other day and they pointed out that, after 16 years, there are kids who were born here who have never known Worcester without stART on the Street.” And unlike some other crowd-drawing events in the city, the people who stream into town for stART don’t just leave when they’re done, as anyone who’s tried to get a table at a West Side restaurant during the run of the thing can attest. The event clearly has an economic impact beyond its value to the arts, and indeed, if it’s been this successful, it’s because of the full year of work Zlody and her collaborators put into making it work. “We love what we do and we love to volunteer and make stART happen,” says Zlody. “We love seeing people there, we love creating the event, and we love seeing that the city loves it.” The festival itself is entirely volunteer run: “Everyone works a full-time job, is a parent, is taking care of an elderly loved one,” says Zlody, and yet, for those volunteers, the festi-

val is eﬀ ectively a second job, from logistics having to be planned out down to the square foot, to permits having to be pulled. The event itself is selffunded, with nominal funding from the city. Artist and food vendor fees pay for the performers, insurance, ASCAP licenses so a singer can sing a Beatles song, outhouses, police details, and on, and on, and on. That it runs at all is amazing. That it runs so consistently well is nothing short of miraculous, and a testament to the stART team’s eﬀ orts. So, yes. Its absence again this year is tragic, but Zlody feels it’s the responsible choice. “There’s so much uncertainty with this disease, and no festival is worth anyone’s life,” says Zlody. “We can’t put people at risk if we don’t know what’s happening with COVID. We can’t put our artists’ resources at risk. Let’s hope when we regroup it’ll be better than ever. Maybe stepping back for a couple of years, we have an opportunity to come back to stART with a fresh eye, maybe come up with crazy new ideas.” Indeed. I think we’re all looking forward to a fresh stART.

arate,” Berlin said. “Everybody has the space to live outside of the band. We give each other space. We never stay out of town for more than three weeks. You can do a countdown. It keeps a lid on everything. We’re fully aware if we stay out too long, bad things happen. Not just to us, but for our family and kids,” he said. Another trip back to the recording studio may be in the cards for “a new non-covers” album to be “released some time next year. That seems like a reasonable approach,” Berlin said. As for any thoughts of retirement, “No. It’s still working,” Berlin said. “We made a new record and people seem to like it. I guess the world will tell us when it’s time to quit. But it seems to be going OK. We get to make music for a living. How many people get to do that?”

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perimenting, even releasing Disney and holiday albums before now returning to basics with “Native Sons.” The reviews of “Native Sons” have been appreciative and admiring. “Even when they’re playing songs from other artists, Los Lobos sound like no other band,” said Pitchfork. Americana UK noted that Los Lobos’ “heartfelt tribute to their own hometown and inﬂ uences is a great rocking party record that celebrates the signature sound of Los Lobos through a variety of genres and songs and helps shine a light on how Los Lobos developed their unique sound. If you are new to Los Lobos this would be a good introduction to their unique sound, and if you are already a fan then this is a

must-listen.” The current lineup is David Hidalgo, vocals, guitars; Louie Pérez Jr., vocals, guitars; Cesar Rosas, vocals, guitars, bass, Hammond B3 organ; Conrad Lozano, vocals, bass; and Berlin. Amazingly, Hidalgo, Perez and Rosas have been members since 1973, while Lozano joined in 1974. Could any of the members have envisioned Los Lobos still performing 48 years after being founded? “No. Flat out no,” Berlin said. “We’re still the same band … “We were just having fun, making music, touring the world. Life was very simple. Even now we just plow ahead and don’t look back, ever. We don’t live in the past.” So safe to say a break-up at this point isn’t likely. “I would say I think at this point we’re aware the thing we would make together is bigger than the thing we would make sep-

18 | SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

‘Who Do You Love?’: George Thorogood and The Destroyers at Indian Ranch Robert Duguay Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

Since hitting the club and bar circuit during the ‘70s, George Thorogood & The Destroyers have been putting their own spin on electric blues rock. People defi nitely know Thorogood from his hits “Bad To The Bone,” “I Drink Alone,” his rendition of John Lee Hooker’s “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer” and his version of Bo Diddley’s “Who Do You Love?” which are still being played on the radio today. He and his band are also known for their energetic and engaging live shows along with touring on a consistent basis, which they’ve been doing since live concerts opened back up earlier this summer. Listening to Thorogood play is like reading a blues encyclopedia, each song in his repertoire can educate somebody about the art form he abides by. At 1 p.m. Sept. 19, Thorogood & The Destroyers will be getting amplifi ed at Indian Ranch on 200 Gore Road in Webster. A lot can change in more than 45 years of performing and touring, and it’s certainly been the case for Thorogood and his band. Change can be good and he’s recognized that while also acknowledging the community that embraced him and his sound when he and The Destroyers fi rst started out. “I think what’s really happened with our band, like a lot of bands, is that we’ve evolved to what is being classifi ed as ‘classic rock,’” he says. “As time has gone on, we’ve just kept playing and playing and playing and we’ve evolved into what we are now. Everyone who starts off playing blues thinks that’s going to be your thing forever, but the more you play, the more things happen with your guitar and your energy. All sorts of stuff changes, so to tell you the truth, when we fi rst hit in ‘77 with our fi rst record we went straight to the rock world and they embraced us more than anything, way more than the blues scene did. We went straight to FM, straight to MTV, straight to classic rock radio and that was the direction we were getting pulled into.”

George Thorogood and the Destroyers will perform at Indian Ranch Sept. 19. PHOTO COURTESY MITCHELL GLOTZER

“I got no problem being the poor man’s Steve Miller, believe me,” Thorogood comically adds. “Or even better, the middle-class Steve Miller.” When it comes to playing live, Thorogood knows that his audience is getting older, but says the energy has always been consistent. He also has high praise for the people that have come to see him

and The Destroyers play Indian Ranch in the past. “Let’s face it, most of our crowd are older people now, and they still boogie in their own way but they don’t do it for every song,” he says. “They do it at the Indian Ranch though, when we hit that place there’s always some wonderful shocks and surprises. I’m not real big on

playing in the daytime, as a matter of fact, I don’t even like being out in the daytime, but one of the exceptions to the rule is that venue. When it comes to the whole live music spectrum, the PAs are better, the stages are better and everything is much more organized. “We’re glad that we could hang in there all of these years and it’s perfect for the people because a lot of places we played during the ‘70s and early ‘80s had things that were left to be desired,” Thorogood adds. “There wouldn’t be a bathroom for the ladies, the PA system might not be adequate or the hotels wouldn’t even be that nice. Since then, a few things have changed while putting a little extra spark into our band.” Ever since the dawn of the 2000s, blues music has played a major role in popular rock, with acts like The Black Keys, Jack White, Gary Clark Jr. and many others fostering a new generation of blues fans. While Thorogood can be too busy at times with his own music, when something he hasn’t heard before grabs ahold of him he certainly appreciates it. “I go through waves of things and if something turns me on, I’ll ask who the artist is and sometimes they’ve been around for 20 years,” he says. “I’m so busy doing what I do that I haven’t really had any chance to pay any attention. In the last year, I discovered Amy Winehouse and I knew nothing about her before. When I started listening to her I was unbelievably knocked out and I hadn’t heard anything like this since I heard Robert Johnson for the fi rst time. It wasn’t something I was looking for, I kind of stumbled upon it. When I fi rst saw Gary Clark Jr. perform, I said to myself, ‘This guy is gonna go all the way,’ and if he wants to stay with the blues then that’s his business.” “If he wants to bring it up a notch, he can go as far as Buddy Guy and maybe even farther,” Thorogood adds. “I don’t go looking for things, they fi nd me on occasion and sometimes I’ll go, ‘What’s that? I’ve never heard anything like that before!’ The same goes for Jack White, and I think he’s fantastic. But if it’s something that’s not very good then nothing is going to turn me on to it.”

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2021 | 19

Coheed & Cambria is set to perform Sept. 18 at the Palladium. PHOTO COURTESY JIMMY FONTAINE

Coheed & Cambria set to perform on Palladium’s outdoor stage Robert Duguay Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

Coheed & Cambria are one of those bands you have to see live. The Nyack, New York, act has a thunderously progressive style that echoes late ‘70s and early ‘80s arena rock while going by a comic book narrative created by vocalist and guitarist Claudio Sanchez. They’re for both the rock purists and the weirdo nerds. Not a lot of bands can say that. These days the quartet of Sanchez, guitarist Travis Stever, drummer Josh Eppard and bassist Zach Cooper have a lot going on. They have their own coﬀ ee brand, a new music video out and they’re currently in the middle of a tour

with The Used, Meet Me At The Altar and Carolesdaughter that’ll be making a stop at The Palladium’s outdoor stage on 261 Main St. Worcester at 5 p.m. on Sept. 18. On Aug. 9th, the band released a new single titled “Shoulders” along with a music video for it. The track, which is supposed to be off of the band’s upcoming 10th album that has yet to be offi cially announced, exhibits a synthy tone from both Stever’s and Sanchez’s guitars. “I think that as far as ‘Shoulders’ is concerned, it was really about picking the tones that work for the song,” Stever says. “Zakk Cervini, who produced the song, defi nitely had a hand in creating those sounds. It was more or less thickening, as you can tell by the song itself

there’s a lot of guitars doing the riff and it was more about making that riff as thick and vicious as possible. Doubling the riff , for me, was diff erent in a sense that maybe I would be playing a diff erent melody a lot of the time but on this particular song I just doubled a lot of the stuff that Claudio was playing on the riff . It gave both Zakk and us a chance to really add a lot of dynamics to it because the whole hook, especially in the verses, is that riff coming in and out.” Earlier this year, the band launched its own line of coff ee under the brand Coheed Roasters. So far there are three blends, The Inferno, The Knowledge and The Beast, with Stever and his household having an affi nity for the latter. “We all are coff ee drinkers, especially

Claudio and Zach,” he says on how the coff ee brand started. “I’m not much of a coff ee afi cionado but my wife is so I was surprised by how much she loves The Beast blend, and I do as well. We have a lot of it in our household but a lot went into creating it because we do love coffee the way we do and everybody was able to center in on it. It’s just like if you love beer, you’re going to put a beer out there which we did through Coney Island Brewery a couple years ago. When we did that, we all took it pretty seriously to make sure that it was an IPA that we would actually want to drink.” “It goes the same with the coff ee. We didn’t just throw our name on it, and it’s been tasted, approved and we really stand by it,” Stever adds. “Being that it was during the middle of the pandemic, what better time to release something like this because we weren’t going out and doing shows? We centered on creating something that we could still interact with our fans and discuss with. We didn’t want to sit still and being that we love coff ee it made total sense.” While being completely mum on the status of the next Coheed & Cambria album, Stever is really excited to perform live in front of fans after such a long time. He’s also excited to come back to Massachusetts after spending a lot of time here during the COVID-19 pandemic last year. “We’ve been working on this live set that has a lot of special surprises,” he says. “I can’t give a lot away with the upcoming album, but I will tell you that it’s pretty far along. There is no set release date and there is a title but I can’t release that information yet. It’s so exciting to have something ready and have numerous things ready to be able to give to the people who have been so dedicated to us as a band, and it’ll all happen in due time. What I’m excited about more than anything is this super special live set because it’s been almost two years since we’ve been able to do this. “I have a new love for Massachusetts now because my family decided to head to Cape Cod during the pandemic when so many things were closed down and there was so much price gouging at the places we would usually go to,” Stever adds. “I used to go there when I was a kid and we wound up going to Manomet Beach in Plymouth and staying there for the summer. I literally fell in love with that area, I’ve met people that I’m hoping will be coming to the show at The Palladium and I can’t wait to come back and play.”

20 | SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

CITY LIVING

Paxton’s Ten West Market focuses on local products, hometown hospitality Barbara M. Houle Special to Worcester Telegram & Gazette USA TODAY NETWORK

“Bell Pond Series: Paul Showing Tattoo,” Worcester, 1983 STEPHEN DIRADO PHOTOS

Photographer Stephen DiRado’s ‘With Dad’ to air on GBH Stephen DiRado Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

A professor in the Studio Art Program at Clark University, Stephen DiRado has more than 40 years of experience in the ﬁ eld of documentary photography, ﬁ lmmaking and conceptual art. He is a recipient of a John Simon Guggenheim in 2012 for his decades of documentary work on the island of Martha’s Vineyard. In 2018 he received a Bob and Diane Fund Award for “With Dad,” which documents more than 20 years of his father succumbing to Alzheimer’s. DiRado also was a recipient of four Massachusetts Cultural Council awards, and three from the Massachusetts Artist Foundation. DiRado’s photographs can be found in museum collections from the MFA, Boston to the MFA, Houston; published nationally in a variety of publications including The New York Times, Washington Post, National Geographic, Black and White Magazine; internationally, Geo Wissen

One of the things you notice before you even open the door at Ten West Market in Paxton are the business signs on both sides of the building. Everything from pasta to coff ee and everything in between — names of locally sourced products sold inside. When Darlene and Thomas Walsh of Paxton bought the business three years ago from Jeff and Dr. Bethann Cormier, Darlene Walsh said the couple would maintain the same spirit of the market and at the same time put the couple’s own spin on it. She has succeeded in customizing space inside the small building near the Town Hall (once the police station) to a widely popular neighborhood market and deli. But more than that, Walsh has introduced customers to a number of local food specialties only off ered at farmers markets and small retail outlets. Ten West is more than a shopping

experience, said Walsh, who described Ten West as a little country store that brings people together and gives back to community. “I love that customers help support other local businesses,” she said. “One of my goals from the very beginning was to see that everyone gets a piece of the pie, from the mailman who sells us his maple syrup to businesses like Red Barn Cookies in Princeton and Moeshmallows in Holden. We buy from incredible small batch food producers.” Walsh previously had rented space at Tatnuck Marketplace on Pleasant Street in Worcester before it closed. She said she ﬁ rst fell in love with cooking watching her grandmother who cooked for a living. In high school, Walsh recalled she made “roll ups” for the Italian Festival in Worcester. “Tommy and I were so lucky to have the former owners of Ten West ask us if we had any interest in taking over the business,” said Walsh. “When we reopened the store, I said, ‘Thank you, See MARKET, Page 21

“During Virus Time Series: Brittany and Eric,” Boylston, Jan. 3

Magazine, Vice Magazine, UK DailyMail and Royal Photographic Society Journal. DiRado’s book “With Dad,” published by Davis Publications in 2019, illustrates a loving and changing relationship between father and son as Stephen’s father succumbs to Alzheimer’s. The documentary ﬁ lm “With Dad,” directed by Soren Sorensen in 2020, has won no less than seven national awards and will air on WGBH beginning at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 21. Presently, DiRado is documenting the societal impact of COVID-19 under the title, “During Virus Time.”

Darlene Walsh, owner of Ten West Market in Paxton. ASHLEY GREEN/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2021 | 21

Market Continued from Page 20

God.’ This is my dream job.” The owners live in Paxton where Thomas Walsh has been a lifelong resident. A member of the Paxton Lions Club, Darlene Walsh grew up a “South Worcester gal” and at one time was an emergency room secretary at St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester. She and her husband volunteer at the South Worcester Neighborhood Center during the busy holiday season. Ten West Market donates food to local agencies, including the Paxton Senior Center, and the owners help out in community “whenever and wherever” needed. The market donated bag lunches for military participants at an interfaith tribute for the 20th anniversary of 9/11 held last Saturday at Anna Maria College in Paxton. Food donations also have been made to the neighboring First Congregational Church of Paxton. Walsh works full time in the business with her two sons, Matthew and Justin Cooper. “I was a single mom before I met Tommy,” said Walsh, “and I know how diffi cult it can be for busy families to prepare a homecooked meal every day. At Ten West we sell grab and go meals in containers that can go right into the oven or microwave. No prep, barely any cleanup. It’s all about fresh food and convenience.” The market gets seafood deliveries daily, except Sundays. Customers can choose from baked stuff ed haddock, shrimp, pistachio crusted Scottish salmon, salmon burgers and more. The market sells Dom’s meats (marinated steak tips, sausages, etc.) and recently brought on Boar’s Head for its deli meats and cheeses. There’s defi nitely variety in the refrigerated food cases, including Tatnuck Italian sandwiches (customer favorite) French pork pie based on Walsh’s

Darlene Walsh, owner of Ten West Market. ASHLEY GREEN/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

grandmother’s recipe, chicken pot pie, mac ‘n cheese, homemade soups, stuff ed shells and Walsh’s handmade meatballs. “Half-pan helpers” of shepherd’s pie, chicken Parmesan over penne or chicken broccoli, served with garlic bread and salad, are among the super tasty tailgate food, said Walsh, who needs 24-hour notice to prepare. A breakfast sandwich, $4.85, and a cup of Brilla coff ee is a morning special. Brilla Coffee Roasters in Holden is Ten West’s coff ee provider. Browsing shelves at the market, you’ll fi nd labels that bear names such as Pastaland in Leominster; Brooks Baked Goodies in Brookfi eld; Skip’s Jelly (pepper varieties) in Athol; Auntie Dalie’s Artisan Dried Pasta in Hopedale; Helen’s Bakery in Worcester. Fresh produce, fl ower bouquets, assorted breads, gluten-free items and much more. Ten West Market, at 10 West St., Paxton, is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Telephone: (508) 755-7547. Catering is available. Two picnic tables with umbrellas are outside. Parking is in front and back of the building. “I’m so lucky to get to do what I love every day in the town that I love,” said Walsh. “The location is great, and we know almost everyone who comes through the door. I’ve always said that if you off er a

good product that customers will stick with you, whether it’s a pandemic or not.” I recently received an email from a Worcester Magazine reader who sent a tip about Ten West being a hidden gem. “The market has fresh meats and ﬁ sh, but also serves awesome breakfast items, panini, grinders, soups, salads, prepared meals, homemade desserts, et

al. The staﬀ is friendly and amazing. I’m there at least twice a week.” On social media, there are more postivite reviews: “Darlene is a charm.” “For a tiny shop this store has just what you need.” My take meeting Darlene Walsh for the ﬁ rst time is that she’s a dedicated and charismatic store owner. She got a little teary during this interview when she told me how much she loves the business and townspeople. I think customers may appreciate her even more.

Saw Dust oppening second location Peter Champagne, owner of Saw Dust Coﬀ ee House & Dessert Bar in Sturbridge, is opening a second location. Champagne in a Facebook posting said he’s buying Victoria Station in Putnam, Conn., with plans to open Nov. 1. “I’ve been extremely lucky & blessed

with the changes in life and the opening of this business,” wrote Champagne. Putnam is another opportunity, he said, adding that he’s grateful for the owners, “good friends and extremely helpful in this endeavor.” His posting also is on Victoria Station Café’s Facebook page. The Sturbridge business opened February 2020.

Leicester Harvest Fair Sept. 18 Leicester’s Harvest Fair 2021 will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 18, rain or shine, on the Leicester Common. The family event celebrates its 21st anniversary. Crafts, food, music and more. Check out the food, ﬂ oral and agricultural exhibits in the town hall. I look forward to joining other judges in tasting and voting food categories before the fair opens. Enjoy!

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22 | SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Central Mass. breweries again celebrating Oktoberfest in-person Matthew Tota Guest Columnist

Perhaps too hopeful for these times, Shawn Rich booked a plane ticket to Germany months ago for this year’s Oktoberfest, lost in daydreams about what would be his 18th time attending the legendary folk festival. Rich, co-founder of Bay State Brewing Co. in Worcester, would emerge from the gloom of 2020, arriving in Munich this weekend ready for the rowdy, but jovial crowds fueled by stein after stein of world-class lager. “The whole atmosphere is wild, but in a way that involves young and old,” Rich said of Oktoberfest in Munich, held in the roughly 100 acres of open space near the city center known as “Theresienwiese.” “You get the

whole European experience, the communal atmosphere. Everything that isn’t life in COVID.” But in May, Bavarian Prime Minster Markus Söder and Munich's Lord Mayor Dieter Reiter announced Oktoberfest, scheduled to start this Saturday, had been canceled for a second straight year because of COVID-19. Although disappointed, Rich will still celebrate the 187-yearold festival — ﬁ rst held in 1810 to recognize the marriage of Bavaria’s crown prince — albeit in Worcester’s Canal District. After last year saw most if not all brewers alter or nix their regular Oktoberfest plans, Bay State is among a handful of breweries looking forward to celebrating the festival this fall

with larger in-person events. There’s not a beer festival I look forward to more than Oktoberfest, which is saying something because I’ve never been to Munich. It’s not an exaggeration to describe celebrating once again after a year off as a life-affi rming experience. I will no doubt need a chaperone to monitor my imbibing and keep me from shoveling down an ungodly amount of golden-hued Märzen and plump bratwurst. Much like the historic Oktoberfest in Germany, Bay State’s festival will run for two weeks starting 6:30 p.m. Sept. 15 at the brewery, 112 Harding St., and closing the fi rst weekend of October. Munich’s mayor traditionally begins the proceedings by

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Mayor Joseph Petty taps the ﬁ rst keg at Bay State Brewing's Oktoberfest Sept. 16, 2020. He'll return again to do the honors for this year's expanded festival. ASHLEY GREEN/T&G

tapping the fi rst barrel of Oktoberfest. Bay State has invited Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty to tap its fi rst keg of its fest lager, “BeckToberfest.” Petty tapped last year’s keg, too, at a smaller, socially-distanced kick-off . Bay State’s taproom will have an Oktoberfest menu available — including beef goulash and chicken schnitzel — for the length of its festival. And each weekend the brewery has games planned, such as a stein housing competition, a classic Bavarian strength challenge. Most importantly, you’ll have the chance to buy “das boot,” a glass in the shape of a boot that can hold a liter of beer. “Anyone who comes in dressed in Oktoberfest garb will get a free appetizer,” Rich noted. For more than a decade, The Gardner Ale House, 74 Park St., Gardner, has been quenching its city’s thirst for German lagers. The restaurant’s brewery, Moon Hill Brewing Co., also hosts one of the region’s largest Oktoberfest gatherings. The party in the streets returns Sept. 25 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. in front of the ale house, where you’re likely to see more than one person dressed in lederhosen. Marlborough is another city that loves its Oktoberfest celebrations. For more than 20 years, an Oktoberfest was always the highlight of the Marl-

borough Regional Chamber of Commerce’s annual Heritage Festival. In recent years, the city’s three breweries — Tackle Box Brewing Co., Flying Dreams Brewing Co. and Lost Shoe Brewing and Roasting Co. — have taken up the mantle, hosting a combined Oktoberfest. The Marlborough Brewers Association Oktoberfest will run from noon to 10 p.m. Sept. 25, outside Flying Dreams, 277 Main St. There is a $10 entry fee, which also buys you a commemorative half-liter stein. By far my favorite Oktoberfest in the state takes place on Clinton Street in Framingham, inside the Jack’s Abby beer hall. I deeply missed last year’s edition, but am overjoyed to see it return Oct. 1 through Oct. 3 at the brewery, 100 Clinton St. The festivities begin at 5 p.m. that Friday with the tapping of a special gravity cask of Copper Legend. On Saturday, the brewery will host a keg toss competition starting at 4 p.m., then tap a gravity cask of its Munich Fest lager. The ﬁ nal day starts at 2 p.m. Sunday with another gravity cask of Copper Legend. Throughout the weekend, Jack’s Abby will be alive with German music and food. Check social media for more information on the upcoming Oktoberfest celebrations planned at Bay State Brewing Co., The Gardner Ale House, Flying Dreams and Jack’s Abby.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2021 | 23

Blue Light Bandits oﬀ er groove with light touch on in ‘Honestly’ Victor D. Infante

Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

There's a sort of eff ortlessness to “Honestly Glad it Happened,” the recent album from Worcester-born groove rock band, Blue Light Bandits. Even in its more serious-minded moments, the album has a remarkably light touch, grabbing the listener and gently guiding them from one song to the next, each transition seeming natural, almost inevitable. The band – which currently comprises founding member Dan DeCristofaro on keys and vocals and Ethan Bates on bass and vocals, along with drummer Simon Adamsson and guitarist-vocalist Jay Faires – knows the vibe it wants to create, and knows how to evoke it: through gently lulling guitar lines; beautiful, three-part harmonies; and a percussion that can at times fall as softly as rain. There are moments where the band lets loose, certainly, but it's in its moments of restraint that it fi nds its power. The album begins with the the infectiously vivacious “Hot Wax,” featuring Boston rapper Oompa. It's really hard not to get caught up in the groove, from the band's opening lyrics, “This just might be shaping up how we like, we’re heating up in the light and we’re moving,” which frames a rap by Oompa, where amid numerous fun rhymes – “I’m cute and, she cute and, we T'd up, we booming/Hot wax, on wax, Miyagi, we students, no worries here it’s lava, lil mama we can cool it” – she also takes a moment to introduce the band, one by one, giving each a moment to solo, as though we were near the end of a live show. It's unorthodox, but it lets each musician strut their stuff , and honestly, they're all such good players that the instrumentation is the album's biggest draw. Things smooth out a bit as the band lulls into the light blues of “Every Day is a Holiday,” which was copenned by former band member and “Voice” fi nalist Ricky Duran. The song rolls with a sort of breeziness, lyrics such as “You know me, every day is a holiday, baby,” rolling into an arresting keyboard line and guitar solo. There's a slight tone change with the smoky, romantic “Without You,” also co-written by Duran, which has a sort of early '70s AM dial feel, especially in the bite of emotion on the chorus, the way the declaration, “I'm fi ne without you” feels a bit like denial. Indeed, the transition from that song to “Sweet & Easy,” and its opening lines of “Why’d it take me so long to write you a love song,” it feels, in the wake of what's come before, like a confession. “I just had to let you know,” they sing, “That loving you is easy, and I been known to make it complicated, overthought, underappreciated.” It's a spare-seeming song, but it all fi ts together so tightly that it's impossible to fi nd any fl aw in its construction. These are, in a lot of ways, extraordinatally lean songs, ones which leave the band nowhere to hide. The listener fl ows casually from “Sweet & Easy” to the soulful “After Rain,” and really, there's not a place on the album where the tonal shift is abrupt enough to shake the lis-

Blue Light Bandits' newest album is “Honestly Glad it Happened.” PROMOTIONAL PHOTO

tener out of reverie until one gets to “Cold Wayne,” a spare take on a dangerous-seeming character, in the tradition of Jim Croce's “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown.” It's a slower-paced funk song, each part delivered with skill and feeling, and as enjoyable as it is, it's clear the persona has moved on to a diﬀ erent place here: “Cold cold Wayne,” they sing, “his wrist is made of diamonds, feathertop you better not ask him what the time is.” One imagines the character is badder than old King Kong, and meaner than a junkyard dog. The song transitions the listener into a weightier section of the album, one marked by a heavier tone, especially with “Tell Me Where to Go,” which mulls on the idea of trying to fulﬁ ll dreams while time is passing you by. “They spoke of a time,” they sing, “time that I’d need, to learn and to grow into what I could be/Well I’ve learned and I’ve waited so patiently, now time is aging me.” It's delivered casually, but the listener can still feel the gut punch. Here, the band puts the focus on the heaviness of the past, the weight of “Tell Me Where to Go” fueling the nostalgia-laden, pop-friendly “How We Used to Love,” another one co-penned by Duran. That weight gives the soaring quality to the song's chorus some emotional depth. “Would it be too much if I called you up, would you meet me at the place where we found each other,” they sing, “One more night, maybe we can work it out, can’t stop thinking 'bout how we used to love.” There's a particular bit of funk to the bassline between verses that

counterpoints the song's poppier elements, a little bit of grit that subtly grounds the song. It's a nice song, and the sort of quiet musical detail that makes this album so compelling. The album winds down with the penultimate song, the regret-fi lled “Punk Rock Dreams,” about someone who tries and fails to lose themselves in a the whirlwind of a wild musical. “How were you ever going to know that going back up wasn’t gonna bring you back somewhere,” they sing. “When did you lose control, turning your punk rock dreams into nightmares?” The song takes a heavier tone than most of the album, bass thumping, guitars squealing and percussion suggesting a touch of reggae with a syncopated rhythm. Still, it defi nitely feels like the persona looking back at wilder times, not someone trying to relive them, and that feels like a much more honest tack. Duran himself actually joins the band on the fi nal track, “She's Not the One,” a compelling drift of a song about loneliness. “She's not the one but she's somebody,” they sing, and there's something indelibly sad and empty about the aff air. Like most of the album, it's beautifully crafted, and it simmers at the edge, but at the album's end, it brings a sort of melancholy that makes one listen to what's come before diff erently, returning to the beginning to fi nd pockets of sadness in the more joyous and boisterous songs, and look: They were there all along, something indelibly human and vulnerable pulsing underneath the joyous melody.

24 | SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

CONNELL SANDERS

Fall trend spotting at Brimﬁ eld Flea Market Sarah Connell Sanders

gia to hawk her vintage “Bootitude” boots and I could not resist. Follow her on Instagram at @bootitude_. Sleek, structured boots are in for fall and overthe-knee slouchy boots are sitting this round out.

Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

America’s oldest outdoor antique fl ea market wrapped up another run in Brimfi eld on Sunday, and let me tell you, the people-watching was out of sight. I didn’t encounter any celebrities, although I wouldn’t be surprised to read an Architectural Digest listicle in the near feature detailing who made the trip. Past attendees have included greats like comedian Ali Wentworth and even the elusive Olsen twins. Dylan Lauren — you know, daughter of Ralph — is also a frequent fl yer. The eclectic mix of elite New Yorkers, fl ea market fl ippers, and small town locals is what makes Brimfi eld Flea Market prime for trendspotting. Here are a few of the most memorable fall looks I witnessed while walking around the fi elds. My recommendations are just observations; you should wear what you love with confi dence regardless of seasonal trends.

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Cowgirl Boots I can remember meeting my college roommate for the fi rst time in August of 2005. She pulled off a pair of sleek western boots all semester long, pairing them with everything from a leopard print dress to vintage track shorts. I borrowed them frequently, but never quite found her fi nesse.

Flash forward to this summer’s Newport Folk Festival, where one of my favorite women about Worcester, Krysta Kowal, rocked a white pair of cowgirl boots all weekend long. She got compliments at every stage and I knew I had to have a pair of my own. Oughts accessories are back in a big way. At Brimﬁ eld, I got my wish. Christy Solomon made the trek from Geor-

Sweater vests. Tailored vests. Quilted vests. Hack oﬀ your sleeves and be free. Vests are the perfect transitional piece for fall because you can layer them based on the weather. Vests are also a cute way to dress up old graphic tees, which come with the Brimﬁ eld territory. I was especially fond of Camille Kennedy repping an “Eat, Sleep, Worcester, Repeat” shirt at deadhorse hill’s taco truck.

'90s Bootcut Jeans Slim bootcut jeans were everywhere at Brimﬁ eld, including Bloom and Barter Vintage where proprietor Emily Briggs wore the perfect pair while working her tent in Central Park Field. Briggs is a ﬁ xture of Worcester’s secondhand scene, participating in sidewalk sales and vintage markets throughout the year. Follow her on Instagram at @bloomandbarter.

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I went to a hot new restaurant in Williamsburg two weeks ago called Aldama. Looking around at the chic twenty-somethings shoveling plates of house-made tortillas late into the night, I noticed the women all had one thing in common. They wore ﬂ oral prairie-style dresses with carefree messy buns, and pristine white sneakers. This look was prevalent at Brimﬁ eld as well, despite the occasional mud puddle.

Shaggy Locks I cannot express the joy I felt to see Worcester native Jessica Gillin featured in the pages of last week’s New York Times. Gillin was a senior on the Doherty cross country team while I was a freshman. Aside from admiring her eﬀ ortless fashion sense, I looked up to her as a mentor. Gillin is credited with popularizing the shaggy mullet and curtain bangs that I saw everywhere at Brimﬁ eld. According to the article, she and salon owner Jenna Perry tend to a long list of celebrity clients, including: Jennifer Lawrence, Bella Hadid, Emily Ratajkowski, Dua Lipa and Millie Bobby Brown. Follow Gillin on Instagram at @jessica_gillin.

Bloomers When Worcester’s seminal stylist AJ “Sweet Jane” Setaro informed me she had begun wearing bloomers this summer, I thought she was out of her mind. Not only did she make them look like high fashion, but I began seeing them all over my social media feed from fashion’s top infl uencers. Dainty ruffl es were on full display at Brimfi eld, proving once again that Setaro is a brilliant trend forecaster with super psychic powers. Follow her shop on Instagram at @shopsweetjanes.

Dark Academia By far, the most surprising aesthetic I saw at Brimﬁ eld was the number of dark academians wandering the main drag. What is dark academia? Think Hermione Granger meets goth girl. Doc Martens, chunky chains, grommets and spiky belts added some ﬂ avor to this year’s market. Did I miss any of your fall favorites? Let’s chat. DM me on Instagram at @sarah_connell.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2021 | 25

NEW ON DVD

Avenger confronts her past in ‘Black Widow’ Fresh on the heels of the latest Marvel movie’s theatrical release, the long-awaited standalone feature of a diff erent MCU character tops the DVD releases for the week of Sept. 14. “Black Widow”: Scarlett Johansson reprises her Avengers role as superspy Natasha Romanoff , this time taking center stage as the fi lm explores her character’s mysterious origins. Picking up after the events of “Captain America: Civil War,” the fi lm “has the look and feel of a globe-trotting spy thriller, and it isn’t afraid to puncture some of the ‘Avengers’ mythology, including grappling with what it means to be a ‘hero,’” writes Tribune News Service critic Katie Walsh in her review. Johansson’s Black Widow discovers she has another family, “led by Yelena (Florence Pugh), Natasha’s long-lost sister, a fi erce, sprightly deprogrammed Widow who is willing to throw a few punches and more than a few wisecracks at her older sister,” Walsh writes. “Pugh’s presence is one of the most exciting MCU introductions in a long time, and her elevation of the material is thrilling. The same can be said for David Harbour and Rachel Weisz, who play Yelena and Natasha’s former parental fi gures, Alexei and Melina.” ALSO NEW ON DVD “The Boss Baby: Family Business”: Now well into adulthood, brothers Ted and Tim have grown apart, and in Ted’s case started a family. But the brothers are called back into service when it turns out Ted’s youngest child works for BabyCorp, which has a new deaging formula and mission for the duo. “Zola”: Based on an unforgettable 148-tweet thread, this

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26 | SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

5 THINGS TO DO

Robin Lane at Shawna Shea Film Festival and more ... Richard Duckett Worcester Magazine | USA TODAY NETWORK

‘Local Voices, Global Songs’ launches

Musician Robin Lane will perform following a screening of the documentary, “When Things Go Wrong: The Robin Lane Story,” at the 2021 Shawna Shea Film Festival. T&G FILE

Shawna Shea Film Fest returns The 2021 Shawna Shea Film Festival will screen over 160 independent feature and short fi lms from around the world and locally Sept. 21- 25 in Sturbridge. There was no fi lm festival last year because of the pandemic (although a Shawna Shea Spring Shorts Festival was held) so for 2021 a “massive fi ve-day event” has been promised.” SSFF describes itself as “a fringe independent international fi lm festival. We love quirky and experimental fi lms as much as we love straight narratives. All are welcome.” Among the festival highlights, rock singer and songwriter Robin Lane will perform at 8:30 p.m. Sept. 24 following the screening of her biopic documentary “When Things Go Wrong: The Robin Lane Story” by Tim Jackson. The festival honors the memory of Uxbridge High School student Shawna Shea, a creative and artistic young woman who died at 16 in a 1999 automobile accident, and benefi ts the Shawna Shea Memorial Foundation Inc. For the full schedule, movie programming and tickets, visit www.shawnasheaff.org. What: 2021 Shawna Shea Film Festival When: Sept. 21-25 Where: The Sturbridge Host Hotel and Conference Center, 366 Main St., Sturbridge

A new concert series “Local Voices, Global Songs” debuts at Sept. 19 in the BrickBox Theater at the Jean McDonough Arts Center, 20 Franklin St., Worcester. The ﬁ rst program features tenor Travis Benoit presenting a recital of works for voice and piano from Great Britain, including Gerald Finzi’s “A Young Man’s Exhortation” (Opus 14) with pianist Mark Mummert. “Local Voices, Global Songs” will be a showcase for singers from Central Massachusetts presented by Mummert. Soprano Christine Petkus will perform a program of French songs on Nov. 21.

What: “Local Voices, Global Songs” — Travis Benoit When: 4 p.m. Sept. 19 Where: BrickBox Theater at the Jean MacDough Art Center, 20 Franklin St., Worcester. All attendees must present proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test result with 48-hours of the performance. All attendees must wear facemasks. How much: $16.50; students and seniors $15. https:// tockify.com/livtestcal/ detail/78/1632081600000. For more information, visit

Brimfi eld Winery hosts benefi t for children The Brookfi eld-based Supporting Orphans Nationally & Globally (S.O.N.G. Inc.) will present “S.O.N.G.STOCK 2021” Sept. 18 at the Brimfi eld Winery & Cidery, 35 Main Street, Brimfi eld. The family-friendly event features live music all day by Secret Sage, The Otters, The Lisa Martin Band, Paul Sticca & AcousticcA, and Peter J. Newland & RadioX. There will also be an open mic (time slots will be awarded to the fi rst-come, fi rst-completed registrations). Other activities include a pie-eating contest, sack races, bounce house, face painting, a silent auction (with sports memorabilia, collectibles, original paintings, and more) a “Rooski Raffle,” food by Hanna Devine’s in Ware, locally crafted wine from Brimfi eld Winery, as well as locally crafted beer. The goal of S.O.N.G. is to benefi t orphaned children by providing them with access to clean water, proper nourishment, educational and skill development opportunities; 100% of the proceeds from the festival will go to benefi t the children. What: “S.O.N.G.STOCK 2021” Lisa Martin will perform at "S.O.N.G.STOCK 2021" Sept. 18 at When: 11:30 am. to 7 p.m. Sept. 18 the Brimfi eld Winery & Cidery. SUBMITTED Where: Brimfi eld Winery & Cidery, 35 Main St., Brimfi eld How much: $15 day of event; $10 in advance. Tickets can be obtained by emailing info@supportingorphans.org, by calling (413) 813-8100, or at www.eventbrite.com/d/ma--worcester/songstock.

Studio Theatre Worcester to present ‘Doubt’

Members of the cast of "Doubt: A Parable." PROMOTIONAL IMAGE

John Patrick Shanley’s Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning play “Doubt: A Parable” doesn’t have any easy answers. The title itself, including the word “Parable” — a moral or spiritual lesson drawn from a story - suggests that is the author’s intent. In the play set in the Bronx in 1964, the moral behavior of a popular young Catholic priest with progressive views, Father Flynn, is questioned by the principal of St. Nicholas Church School, Sister Aloysius, a rigid conservative traditionalist. Studio Theatre Worcester’s plans to stage the play See TO DO, Page 27

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2021 | 27

ADOPTION OPTION

Meet Douglas Chuck & Mud and The Hole in the Dam Band will perform Sept. 18 at Mill Park in Spencer. SUBMITTED

To do Continued from Page 26

Douglas PHOTO COURTESY SARA MCCLURE

continues to evolve, we want to share with you some changes we have implemented so that we can continue to serve the pets and people of our community while keeping our team protected. • ADOPTIONS: At this time, adoptions are being held BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. If you are interested in adoption, please visit our website worcesterarl.org/ adopt/ to learn more about our available animals then call us at (508) 853-0030 ext.0 or email us at info@worcesterarl. org to schedule an appointment. • CASUAL VISITS TO THE SHELTER are prohibited. We will strictly enforce this in order to keep our animal care team protected while still maintaining the most essential function of our operation ... ﬁ nding homes for animals in need. • ANIMAL SURRENDERS: Our business practice for surrendering a pet remains the same. All pet owners must contact WARL in advance of surrendering a pet. Please call (508) 853-0030. • SPAY/NEUTER CLINICS: All scheduled appointments will be honored. If you have a scheduled appointment, we will be contacting you to dis-

cuss changes to our drop oﬀ / pick up procedures. • DONATIONS ACCEPTED except for open bags of food. • Pet food, cat litter, and other shelter supplies will be essential in continuing to provide for our animals and to assist community members in need. To avoid unnecessary travel and exposure, items can be purchased online from our Amazon Wishlist — https:// www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/3AX342JIL73M0 • Weekly training classes are going on for adopters. • The WARL Volunteer Program is temporarily suspended. All regular volunteer shifts are on hold. We look forward to welcoming you back as soon as we can. We have many animals in our care who depend on us to stay healthy and well. The above measures help to protect our staﬀ and community from the spread of COVID - 19 by minimizing face-toface interactions while continuing to operate only core essential services. Please continue to follow our Facebook page for additional updates. Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact the shelter at (508) 853-0030 or info@ worcesterarl.org.

in March 2020 were thwarted at the last minute by the onset of the pandemic. But the theater company and the production is back, with performances scheduled for Sept. 24-Oct. 3. What: “Doubt: A Parable” — Studio Theatre Worcester When: 7:30 p.m. Sept 24 and 25 and Oct. 1 and 2; and 2 p.m. Sept. 26 and Oct. 3. Post-show conversations following performances on 9/ 24, 9/26, 10/2 Where: Salem Covenant Church, 215 East Mountain St., Worcester How much: “Pay-What-YouCan.” for more information visit www.studiotheatreworcester.org.

Chuck & Mud and friends in Spencer The Spencer Parks & Recreation Commission’s 2021 Summer Concert Series at Powder Mill Park has been extended with a performance scheduled from 2 to 5 p.m. Sept. 18 by the ever-popular Chuck & Mud and The Hole in the Dam Band. Spencer’s own Chuck & Mud Demers will front a sixpiece band featuring Walter Crockett, Peter Allard and others. What: Chuck & Mud and The

Hole in the Dam Band When: 2 p.m. Sept. 18 Where: Powder Mill Park, corner Smithville and Meadow roads, Spencer. How much: Free

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Welcome to Adoption Option, a partnership with the Worcester Animal Rescue League highlighting their adoptable pets. Check this space often to meet all of the great pets at WARL in need of homes. WARL is open seven days a week, noon-4 p.m., 139 Holden St. Check them out online at Worcesterarl.org, or call at (508) 853-0030. This handsome guy is Douglas. Douglas is a short, strong and playful fella looking for love. He came to WARL as a stray. Not claimed by an owner, Douglas is now seeking an experienced dog owner who can show him love, while also giving him the routine and training he missed out on as a puppy. When he gets in his playful moods he is very puppy-like and he is a high energy dog. He likes to jump and uses his mouth to play. What Douglas doesn’t realize is that he is a big strong boy and sometimes it hurts. His new family will need to provide exercise and training to ensure Douglas learns the proper skills he needs to control his puppy-like behaviors. This silly boy loves to play with toys and will sit very nicely for treats. He likes to meet new people, but prefers you are calm and gentle with him at ﬁ rst so you can get to know one another. He hasn’t met a lot of other dogs while at the shelter, but he is extremely rough and intense. This behavior is very intimidating to other dogs. Right now Douglas needs a home with no other animals or children. If you would like more information about Douglas or you would like to make an appointment to meet him, contact the shelter today. WARL COVID-19 Procedures As of Nov. 9, 2020 As the COVID-19 pandemic

28 | SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

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J O N E S I N’

Enjoy Fun By The Numbers puzzles? Then you’ll love sudoku. This mind-bending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your sudoku savvy to the test! Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

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Across 1 Submarine acronym 6 Batting game for little kids 11 Cousin in 2021’s “The Addams Family 2” 14 “Fingers crossed” 15 Vietnamese capital 16 Pasture grazer 17 Replaces, as with a charged battery 19 Local response to “Want some Irn-Bru?”, perhaps 20 Android alternative for smartphones 21 Doctor who’s a playable character in “Overwatch” 22 Choir member 24 “Let’s get together sometime” 29 “That’s the one” 30 Was on the radio 31 Actress Menzel of “Wicked” 34 Not well 36 Singer Rita 39 More than enough at the buffet 43 Come-___ (enticements) 44 Princess in L. Frank Baum books 45 Bug persistently 46 Like TV’s “Batman” 49 Buffoon 50 They may involve blue material 56 Not fully upright 57 Org. for Pelicans and Hawks 58 Losing tic-tac-toe line 60 Seafood restaurant freebie 61 Major book publishing company (or what the circled squares contain) 66 Easy “Card Sharks” card to play from 67 “The Beverly Hillbillies” star Buddy 68 Poe’s middle name 69 “Totally tubular” 70 Causing jumpiness, maybe 71 Ibsen heroine Gabler Down 1 Emphatic exclamation, in Ecuador 2 “Incredible!” 3 Static, e.g. 4 Fitting

“Home Repairs”-visiting some unusual places. by Matt Jones

5 “Parks and ___” 6 What’s exited in Brexit, for short 7 Herb used in Thai cuisine 8 “Can I take that as ___?” 9 Grant played by the late Ed Asner 10 Roadside rubbish 11 Plaint that may prompt words of encouragement 12 “Happy Birthday ___” 13 Annoying sibling, maybe 18 Some insurance groups, for short 23 Letters on a wide wedge, maybe 25 “Auld Lang ___” 26 Pick up aurally 27 Country cottage, in Russia 28 M as in NATO? 31 “Where did ___ wrong?” 32 Home refuge 33 Put a message on, as jewelry 34 Hostess snack cake 35 Philosophy suffix 37 “Messenger” material 38 Competition hosted by Terry Crews, for short 40 Faux pas comment 41 Grateful Dead bass guitarist Phil

42 El ___, TX 47 Word before hours or fours 48 Units to measure London’s Shard, e.g. 49 “___ I!” (“Same here!”) 50 Title elephant of children’s lit 51 City on the Mohawk River 52 Preposition with mistletoe? 53 John H. Johnson’s magazine 54 “What ___ it take?” 55 “A pity” 59 TV’s “Warrior Princess” 62 “Supermarket Sweep” network 63 Codebreaking org. 64 “Likely story!” 65 Stadium chant for Marta, e.g.

Last week's solution

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2021 | 31

LAST CALL

Nick Noble, host of WICN’s Folk Revival Veer Mudambi Worcester Magazine | USA TODAY NETWORK

Nick Noble, WICN’s authority on folk music, will be hosting his 700th installment of “Folk Revival” from 7 to 10 p.m. Sept. 23. Noble offi cially became the show’s host in November 2007, and since then has strived to share the greatest hits of the folk revival period, as well as educate listeners on the sheer breadth and diversity of the genre. For his milestone show, which coincides with the end of WICN’s Fall Fund Drive, Noble has lined up 10 local folk artists to perform live at the station’s Studio 50 recording space. Noble sat down with Last Call to talk about the show, folk music and the genre’s enduring quality. How does reaching 700 feel? It feels wonderful. I’ve got three missions with that show — the fi rst is to share music from the classic folk revival period (roughly 1950-1970) when they were No. 1 on the charts. On every show I do, I play at least 3-5 tracks from that era, if not more. The second is to support local contemporary acoustic artists and you can see some of those come on the 700th show. My third objective is education — to share the range of folk music. You can have protest music — very liberal — to gospel, which could be very conservative. I’m a big tent guy, that’s why almost all my shows are themed shows. I like that WICN gives me the freedom to curate my own shows. The only rules are FCC regs —- that’s the nice thing about being part of this public radio station. How did you choose the lineup for the 700 show? I went through all my old playlists (about 85-90% of my shows are saved) and looked for who are the artists who have been on my show the most. The fewest is 12 times and the most is 22. A lot of them play songs from the old days as well as original work so that’s a lot of fun. At least three of the acts are from the greater Worcester area. (The lineup is Colette O’Connor; P.E. James; Beth DeSombre; Mark Mandeville & Raianne Richards; The Lied To’s (Doug Kwartler and Susan Levine); Dan & Faith Senie; and Ari Charbonneau) Turns out that the date of my 700 show is the end of the WICN fundraising drive. So they asked if I could be the dramatic conclusion, sort of. They wanted a wild fi nish so instead of having two or three of these folks come in and play their guitar into the microphone at the studio, we decided to do a live show and audience. The only thing worse than nobody clapping is one person clapping — you need at least 5-6 clapping to make it sound good on the radio. What is your musical background personally? I’ve always loved all kinds of music. I was a choir boy in New York City. I’ve always sung all my life. I’m a vocalist, not an instrumentalist, but mostly I’m a radio host who talks so much. Folk songs from that period when I was growing up were one of the things I loved. I

Nick Noble NICK NOBLE

still sing — actually co-wrote a song with Beth DeSombre — she and I may perform that together but not sure. How did you get involved in folk music? Started with a connection with the band Highwaymen from the 1960s — my uncle actually went to college with them. They did the No. 1 hit, “Michael Row the Boat Ashore.” I got interested in writing about music and chose this band as my lens. Do you ever dig deep into the archives of the revival period that aren’t as well known? Absolutely. I’ve done shows on entire groups and artists talking about their tracks that weren’t always heard — the more obscure, lesser known albums. That’s the nice thing about themed shows — you can ﬁ nd a certain song that people don’t always know. About a couple times a year, I’ll do a show called “Singing in Tongues” playing tracks of famous artists singing songs in languages other than English. That’s just one though — I also do “Women Folk,” to highlight women artists. Why do you think they had a non-English track? Folk music is really international — you can ﬁ nd it everywhere and these people wanted to show this. Pete Seeger wanted African folk songs so he recorded the English version of what became “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” It was originally an African song. A lot of these artists were very much committed to showing the breadth of folk music. Oftentimes, they surprised themselves with how famous they became — nobody knew Bob Dylan when they recorded “Blowing in the Wind,” but then it shot to No. 2 in the charts. Folk music from those people, very rarely did they go out to record a hit and when they did, it wasn’t the hit on that album. Back then, they were putting tracks on their albums because they loved the music.

A lot of folk music is very focused on the times they were written. How do you pick songs relevant today? What people are beginning to realize is that the messages of these songs are pretty universal. The fact is that “Blowing in the Wind,” lyric for lyric, could apply today as it could back in the ‘60s. “If I Had a Hammer,” with its message of peace, brotherhood and sisterhood, could apply today as much in the ‘40s when Pete Seeger and Lee Hayes wrote it. That resonates today as much as it did then — an anti-war song is an anti-war song — same for an anti-racist song. You have to listen to it though — one of the issues I have with contemporary music is that the words don’t matter. With folk music, the words matter. Pete Seeger once said you can adapt words to any era. You can decide what you want to do with those words and that tune to make it work today. Do you think that certain times in history give rise to folk music more than others? Yes, I think you’re probably right. You didn’t hear a lot of folk music during the era of disco. Diff erent times and diff erent eras give rise to people willing to listen to other voices. Since 2009 anyways, the Newport Folk Festival has been selling out less than a day of tickets going on sale. To me, that’s really indicative that in the last dozen years, the oldest continuing folk festival has sold out to younger and younger crowds as soon as tickets go on sale. The thing is that folk and acoustic music is that it’s always been there — it had its trendy period but it never went away. You don’t hear many disco bands anymore but I could go out to any city in the country and fi nd two or three acoustic bands. Partially because it’s easy to get into — you pick up a guitar and can be an acoustic performer. You don’t need an amp set-up. Anything to add? It is a community tied together by a half dozen festivals and concerts and common interest in music. It’s not hard to sustain a community on Facebook when there’s a common interest — it was much harder back in the day when you had to write letters. I have a very loyal listener base who I converse with via Facebook and email all over the world. I think you’re right, the times do bring a new commitment. Less than a year during COVID, all of a sudden sea shanties became a thing on YouTube and TikTok. It was something you could harmonize with. It’s something I love doing and hope to keep doing it. And I hope people tune in on the 23rd to hear some amazing artists. They’re veterans of the tiny little venue but they’ve also played bigger stages and festivals. They really exemplify the spirit of local contemporary folk music. Folk Revival airs on WICN every Thursday from 7 to 10 p.m.

32 | SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

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Worcester Magazine September 17 - 23, 2021

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