Culture

Last week’s band, the Buzzcocks barely made it out of the Punk explosion alive.

This week’s band got a late start (1979, when the punk movement was turning into the more polished New Wave), but hit the ground running with a smash single (Brass in Pocket) and hugely successful eponymous first album.

That album was produced by Chris Thomas and Bill Price who gave the Sex Pistol’s one studio effort its great sound and the duo gives the Pretenders a wonderful aggressive vibe here too.

The Arts Block in downtown Greenfield, MA, announces a new musical series, the “Songwriter’s Roundtable.” 

The first show in the series takes place on Friday, March 29, at 8pm, and features guest stars Lisa McCormick and John Sheldon. 

The music will be presented in a “song circle” format where the artists trade songs during the sets. There will also be time for questions and open discussions about the songs and the process of songwriting and performing. 

Twilight Music presents The Lonely Heartstring Band, a dynamic new quintet of Berklee College of Music students who share a love of bluegrass and acoustic music, as well as the music of the Beatles, at Hooker-Dunham Theater & Gallery on Saturday, March 23 at 7:30 pm.

George Clements, Matt Witler, Gabe Hirshfeld and Louis Fram play traditional and original songs as well as the songs of the Beatles, which they play as close to the original arrangements as possible, while adding their own influences. They create a new and unique sound using the standard bluegrass lineup of instruments – guitar, mandolin, fiddle, banjo and acoustic bass.

On Sunday, March 24 at 3 pm, the Windham Orchestra, under the direction of Hugh Keelan, continues its commitment to offering extraordinary opportunities for young artists and music lovers with “Pathways to Imagination & Performance” at the Latchis Theater in Brattleboro, VT.

Anchoring Sunday’s performance is Dmitri Shostakovich’s 1945 Symphony No. 9. Although originally intended to be a celebration of the Russian victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

From masterwork to the local works of our community’s young composers, the Windham Orchestra performs a medley of original compositions by elementary and middle school students. This unique opportunity creates a pathway for bringing the artistry and imagination of young composers into reality.