The Meanies will be the featured performers for the Tolland Cultural Council’s Music in the Hills program on Saturday. May 17. The Meanies are (from left) Julie Schwager, Jeff Clark, Dan Zukergood, and Daniel Kunstler.
Reminder Publishing submitted photo
TOLLAND — The Cultural Council’s Music in the Hills program continues on Saturday, May 17 and will feature The Meanies.
“This will get the town of Tolland hopping,” said the council’s Lise LeTellier about the band’s performance which is funded in part by a grant from the Tolland Cultural Council, a local agency, with is supported by the Mass Cultural Council.
Performing in New England since 2020, The Meanies — for those old enough to remember, the Blue Meanies were cartoon characters in the Beatles’ animated movies “The Yellow Submarine” — is a folk duo featuring Dan Zukergood, vocals and guitar, and Julie Schwager, who also sings and plays guitar.
They hail from Northampton, and have added Jeff Clark on bass to add some groove to the music, and Daniel Kunstler on violin and mandolin for soaring solos and tasteful fills.
With the addition of Clark and Kunstler, The Meanies’ sound is “fuller and meaner,” according to the band’s website.
The Meanies are known for their tight harmonies, diverse song choices and rapport with their audience.
With a wide selection of material to tune to different audiences, they have tapped the repertoire of great song writers such as Steve Earle, Bob Dylan, Kasey Chambers, The Waifs, Nanci Griffith, Della Mae, John Prine, Richard Thompson, CSNY, Brandi Carlisle, The Band, Tom Petty, Grateful Dead, Steve Miller, Green Day and more. Plus, they mix in their original songs.
“Many people know Dan through Johnny and the Flashbacks, a classic rock dance band that has been playing since 2009. He is also the leader of Dan Zukergood and the Mostly Happy Band, featuring an assortment of great local players, according to the band’s website.
In contrast to Zukergood’s classic rock style, Schwager favors sweet-sounding folk songs, but is up for any song that’s fun to sing and uses her rich alto tones.
Kunstler, who recently relocated from California and Amherst, grew up listening to classical music, and since moving has also joined The Fogburners String Band.
Playing for bass for 30 years, Clark has performed with various groups and semi-professional bands in the Boston area and New Hampshire, including Nightly Broadcast and Kronos Blue Band. He has played a wide range of styles that complement folk, rock, and blues genres, according to the band’s website.
The performances are mostly coffeehouse-style events with light refreshments like coffee, tea, cookies, cracker and cheese on most nights but during the summer it may include ice cream.
This performance kicks off at 6:30 p.m. and will last about an hour and a half and will take place in the old Church adjacent to the Town Green. June 14, July 19, Aug. 2, Sept. 14, and Oct. 4. Each musician or band will be featured in the Pennysaver prior to their performance.
For more information, email CulturalCouncil@Tolland-MA.com.
