Bands on Brewsters returns to downtown Northampton on June 5

NORTHAMPTON — Another summer of free live music in the heart of downtown Northampton is set.

The iconic Bands on Brewster summer concert series kicks off on Thursday, June 4, and will continue every Thursday until Aug. 27.

Presented by the city of Northampton and Northampton Brewery, the beloved outdoor concert series is set in Brewster Court, the walkway connecting the E.J. Gare Parking Garage to the Northampton Brewery. The return of the series on the open-air stage will continue the city’s summer tradition that features a curated mix of blues, indie rock and folk music from the region’s most compelling artists.

“It’s lasted so long because its birth is at the roots of Northampton. When I first came to Northampton in the early [19]90s, it already had this rich history of being a town where people appreciated original music. And when I say original music, I mean you’re listening to a song, written by its author, homegrown, right here in Western Mass. That’s important, and people appreciate that here,” Northampton Arts Council Events Producer Steve Sanderson told Reminder Publishing. “We have generations of musicians now. Just being someone who works with the high school so much and works with young musicians, I’ve seen it. I’ve seen musicians learn music in middle school and in high school and then form bands, and now they are popular bands, touring the world, going to college in Nashville.”

According to organizers, the series continues to serve as the heartbeat of Thursday nights in the city and one of the best current showcases for local talent. From 6-8 p.m. each Thursday, residents and visitors are invited to experience the “acoustic sweet spot” downtown where community and creativity collide, organizers say. Opening night will feature Dust Witch and Stella Kola. The series dates and performances are listed below.

• June 11: Folly of Three + Sunny D and the Tangy Originals
• June 18: The Hendersons Blues Band
• June 25: Free Range Cats
• July 2: No concert – Holiday Week
• July 9: Hot Dirt + Goldsetter
• July 16: King Radio, Simply Friend & more
• July 23: Floyd Mercantile (Featuring Peter Mulvey and Jenna Nichols)
• July 30: Stoner Will and the Narks + Original Cowards
• August 6: The Fawns + Gentle Hen
• August 13: Indë
• August 20: Christa Joy and the Honey Bees
• August 27: Summer Finale, to be announced

The shows are casual, family-friendly and free, according to organizers, and attendees can grab a seat at the brewery or post up inside the court’s standing room section. In the event of rain, look for the “Show/No-Show” announcement on the Northampton Arts Council Instagram (@nohoarts) by 10 a.m. on the day of each event.

“I’m not against people going to see cover bands, I’m not against people listening to the same old song they’ve been listening to for 20 years. That’s great, I do it too, but if you really want to support art, and you really want to support your local scene, you’ll go see a band you’ve never heard of,” said Sanderson of the series.

Sanderson said the live music venues and community within the city are always what appeal to him. He reflected on memories of attending the multiple venues that used to exist in Northampton and the process of finding gigs or other opportunities throughout the city. Now, as things have changed over time, the idea behind Bands on Brewster is to recapture that experience and give local and up-and-coming artists the platform and opportunity to perform live, despite the changing scenery.

“Now Northampton doesn’t have that a lot anymore. Thank God we got the Iron Horse back, but still, you need to be able to draw to play the Iron Horse. How do you build a band [today]? House concerts? Neighbor calls and shuts it down, cops come and say you can’t play anymore. That doesn’t work,” said Sanderson. “Where are the clubs now that are the incubators to the music scene? If you want to die out and become condo nation, fine. But if you don’t, you need an incubator to develop your art. You need a music scene. Northampton was built on a music scene, and if you want to continue it, you need places for young people to come and play.”

This series is made possible through the collaboration of the city’s Economic Development Department, Northampton Brewery, Northampton Arts Inc. and the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Sanderson credited Northampton Brewery founder and owner Janet Egelston for her partnership and support of the local music scene that goes as far back as the 1990s.

“Janet has cared about original music and putting music on since the 90s, so the brewery has a long history of supporting these local, amazing artists,” Sanderson said. “The city stepped up to back us financially. Thank you to City Hall for following up and making sure this happens. It wouldn’t have happened without the Northampton Brewery and the city of Northampton.”

More information on this year’s series can be found at www.northamptonartscouncil.org.