Archive: Category: past

One of the first public performances of “You, Me, & Harry”, a celebration of Harry Chapin’s music by  Lou Antonucci, on Sunday, August 6, 2023 in a 3:00 PM matinee at Stage 33 Live, 33 Bridge Street in Bellows Falls VT. Steeply discounted $5 advance tickets for this preview event, or $10 at the door — or free with a minimum donation of non-perishable food items, personal-care items, or cash for Our Place Drop-In Center. See details below. Limited seating; the event will be recorded and filmed. Read the press release.

Lou Antonucci: “You, Me, & Harry” — a celebration of Harry Chapin’s music at Stage 33 Live

BELLOWS FALLS — In a departure from Stage 33 Live’s ‘No Covers’ rule, Lou Antonucci will perform “You, Me, & Harry”, his newly developed celebration of the story-songs of Harry Chapin — Cat’s in the Cradle, Taxi, Story of a Life, W.O.L.D., A Better Place to Be, and many more — on Sunday, August 6, 2023 in a 3:00 PM matinee at Stage 33 Live, 33 Bridge Street in Bellows Falls VT. There will be limited seating for this show, and the event will be recorded and filmed.

With a musical career spanning several decades, Antonucci has always been inspired by Chapin’s music and spirit. He created “You, Me, & Harry” with the permission of Harry Chapin Music, and this will be one of the first public run-throughs of the program before booking into larger venues.

In response to Lou’s original song A Message From Harry, Vincent J. Kelly — staff writer at Stallman Records, songwriter, and author (Northern Oz, Beyond the Yellow Brick Road) — said, “I wrote with Harry Chapin the last two years of his life and you did an excellent, and I mean superb, job of making Harry proud.”

Advance-sale tickets for this preview event are a steeply discounted $5 through stage33live.com. Tickets will be $10 at the door. Alternately, admission will be free by donating five non-perishable food items, or three personal-care items, or $10 cash for Our Place Drop-In Center at the door on show day. Our Place offers community meals, a food pantry, and social service resources for the Bellows Falls area. Harry Chapin held a fundamental belief that access to nutritious food is a human right and that hunger is a solvable problem in a world of abundance. He co-founded the global nonprofit WhyHunger in 1975 to support social movements and grassroots innovations to change the systems, policies, and institutions that perpetuate hunger and poverty in the world.

Masks continue to be optional but welcome at Stage 33 Live events. A pair of high-capacity air purifiers will be running during shows.

Stage 33 Live is a casual and intimate industrial-rustic listening room in a former factory hosting local, regional, and national performances and presentations of original material. No bar or kitchen, the stage is the mission; coffee / soda / juice / water and a variety of snacks are available by donation. More info about the nonprofit, all-volunteer project, and this and other upcoming events, online at stage33live.com

Stage 33 Live gratefully acknowledges the help of so many individuals without whom none of this would be happening, and institutional support this season from The Island Corporation, the Vermont Arts Council, the Bellows Falls Opera House, the Rockingham Arts & Museum Project, and WOOL-FM that helped fund improvements and maintenance, and generally smooth out a lot of the rough edges. Stage 33 Live is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, and all donations are deductible to the fullest extent. Volunteers run the thing from stem to stern.

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Performer website: louantonuccimusic.com
Venue website: stage33live.com
Event webpage: stage33live.com/2023/08/you-me-and-harry/

Multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter Olivia Nied and musician-poet-performer Doctora Xingona Diana Alvarez will co-headline a 3:00 matinee at Stage 33 Live, 33 Bridge Street in Bellows Falls VT on Sunday, August 27, 2023. LGBTQIA+ and allies friendly. Masks are required at this event — one of the performers is immuno-compromised. The venue will have disposable masks available. Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door. Limited seating; the event will be recorded and filmed. Read the press release.

Diana Alvarez and Olivia Nied to Co-Headline Stage 33 Live

BELLOWS FALLS — Multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter Olivia Nied has been performing since she was nine years old as a soloist, ensemble leader, and side person in styles ranging from edgy pop to jazz fusion to hip hop and straight up rock and roll. Her solo performances often utilize looping and multiple instruments. As a Transgender/Queer musician, Olivia often incorporates LGBTQ+ lyrical themes in her work and believes in creating safe spaces at her shows for gender diverse individuals. She was awarded a merit scholarship to Berklee College of Music’s Summer Jazz Program, where she received honors. She has also studied at the Vermont Jazz Center, and studied music and film at Hampshire College in Amherst, MA, graduating with a BA in 2020. While at Hampshire College, Olivia studied music at Goldsmiths University in London and filmmaking in Paris.

Doctora Xingona Diana Alvarez‘s ancestors bloom in her/their voice, roaring an otherworldly fire against oppression, exalting queer love and liberation, and creating a gripping atmosphere for healing in poetic songs that live in-between, where borders are a myth. An expansive multimedia artist and educator, Doctora Xingona’s music, poetry, performances, films, and gatherings center transcendence, kinship, and the co-liberation and nourishment of queer and trans artists of color. Doctora Xingona is the composer and filmmaker behind the award-winning Quiero Volver: A Xicanx Ritual Opera, a multimedia performance altar for queer and trans BIPOC artists to convene and manifest futures, described in the press as an “acoustically stunning performance.” Doctora Xingona’s new album, Ser Artista, is a roaring, genderqueer, extraterrestrial, Xicanx collection. Dr. Alvarez earned her PhD in Electronic Arts at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, mentored by groundbreaking composer Pauline Oliveros, and is an invited performer, guest lecturer, workshop facilitator, and keynote speaker at venues and schools across the US and worldwide.

Diana Alvarez and Olivia Nied will co-headline Stage 33 Live, 33 Bridge Street in Bellows Falls VT on Sunday, August 27, 2023, in a 3:00 PM matinee. Tickets for this special co-bill are $10 in advance through stage33live.com or $15 at the door. Limited seating; the event will be recorded and filmed.

Masks are required at this event, as one of the performers is immuno-compromised. The venue will have disposable masks available. The performers will remove their masks while performing. A pair of high-capacity air purifiers will be placed between the stage and the audience. All seating will be a minimum of ten feet from the stage. Please do not attend if feeling ill.

Stage 33 Live is a casual and intimate industrial-rustic listening room in a former factory hosting local, regional, and national performances and presentations of original material. No bar or kitchen, the stage is the mission; coffee / soda / juice / water and a variety of snacks are available by donation. More info about the nonprofit, all-volunteer project, and this and other upcoming events, online at stage33live.com

Stage 33 Live gratefully acknowledges the help of so many individuals without whom none of this would be happening, and institutional support this season from The Island Corporation, the Vermont Arts Council, the Bellows Falls Opera House, the Rockingham Arts & Museum Project, and WOOL-FM that helped fund improvements and maintenance, and generally smooth out a lot of the rough edges. Stage 33 Live is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, and all donations are deductible to the fullest extent. Volunteers run the thing from stem to stern.

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www.olivianied.com
www.diana-alvarez.com

Touring acts Robert Kuhn and Jaded Ravins will co-headline Stage 33 Live, 33 Bridge Street in Bellows Falls VT on Sunday, September 17, 2023, at 7:00 PM. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door. Limited seating; the event will be recorded and filmed. Read the press release.

Robert Kuhn and Jaded Ravins Co-Headline Stage 33 Live

BELLOWS FALLS — Robert Kuhn and Jaded Ravins will co-headline at Stage 33 Live, 33 Bridge Street in Bellows Falls VT on Sunday, September 17, 2023, at 7:00 PM.

Robert Kuhn was born in Houston, Texas, then bounced around from New York to Pennsylvania, Australia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua for a dozen years before coming back home. He’s been everything from an Academic All-American linebacker to a vagabond fisherman farmer writing critically acclaimed songs. Broken hearts, broken backs, failed marriages, violence, riches, drugs, labor, poverty, music, poetry, dirt, and salt. He finished his latest album, Persevere, after a nearly fatal van wreck in Colorado while on tour. His 2014 debut album Everybody Knows was recognized as one of Houston’s Top Releases of the year.

Jaded Ravins are Kelly Ravin and Halle Jade, bringing original soulful americana and country rock to the stage with tasty harmonies and an engaging presence. After Halle joined Kelly in the recording of his fifth acclaimed album, Engine, they began performing together. Ravin is the lean and tattooed former lead singer and guitarist of Waylon Speed. Kelly and Halle pour their hearts out in backcountry bars and big city clubs from New England to Nashville.

Tickets for this 7:00 PM co-bill are $15 in advance through stage33live.com or $20 at the door. Limited seating; the event will be recorded and filmed.

Stage 33 Live is a casual and intimate industrial-rustic listening room in a former factory hosting local, regional, and national performances and presentations of original material. No bar or kitchen, the stage is the mission; coffee / soda / juice / water and a variety of snacks are available by donation. More info about the nonprofit, all-volunteer project, and this and other upcoming events, online at stage33live.com

Stage 33 Live gratefully acknowledges the help of so many individuals without whom none of this would be happening, and institutional support this season from The Island Corporation, the Vermont Arts Council, the Bellows Falls Opera House, the Rockingham Arts & Museum Project, and WOOL-FM to help fund improvements and maintenance, and generally smooth out a lot of the rough edges. Stage 33 Live is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, and all donations are deductible to the fullest extent. Volunteers run the thing from stem to stern.

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www.robertkuhnmusic.com
www.jadedravinsmusic.com

Dylan Patrick Ward and the Loveable Losers will headline Stage 33 Live, 33 Bridge Street in Bellows Falls VT on Sunday, October 1, 2023, in a 3:00 matinee with OH DAD opening. California touring artist John Elliott had been scheduled to headline this show but is tackling his first bout of Covid-19 instead. Tickets are $15 or $10 or $20, your choice. 100% goes to the performers. Limited seating; the event will be recorded and filmed. Read the press release.

Dylan Patrick Ward and the Loveable Losers with OH DAD at Stage 33 Live

BELLOWS FALLS — Dylan Patrick Ward is a folk misfit for our absurd times. Equal parts compassionate and irreverent, his songs use catchy melodies and blunt, storytelling lyricism to weave tales of outcasts, oddballs, and people on the brink. His blend of folk-balladry and raucous indie-rock have earned him comparisons to the Mountain Goats, John Prine, Paul Baribeau, and Loudon Wainwright. Since arriving on the scene he’s become increasingly respected in the worlds of both folk and indie music, sharing the stage with renowned acts like Bill Callahan, Peter Mulvey, Jeffrey Lewis, Guy Davis, Michael Jumpshot Touchdown Pass, and others. Dylan has lately teamed up with multi-instrumentalists Nate Goyette and Johnny Gifford to form “Dylan Patrick Ward and the Loveable Losers”. Nate and Johnny trade off between drums, bass, keys, saxophone, and trombone, taking Dylan’s sweet and sardonic songs to the next level, creating a mess of sonic delights. Dylan has two albums slated for release in 2024. One with the Loveable Losers called The Porch Collapses, produced by Johnny Gifford, and a solo-effort called Ne’er-Do-Wells, produced by Ian Galipeau.

OH DAD, the alias of a sad boi from Springfield, will open. He makes the type of music for rainy days and riding your moped into the sunset. A little punk, a little folk — but not both.

Tickets for this Sunday, October 1, 2023, 3:00 PM matinee are $15 suggested, or $10 accepted, or $20 for a halo… 100% goes to the performers. Limited seating; the event will be recorded and filmed. Stage 33 Live is at 33 Bridge Street in Bellows Falls, Vermont.

Extra points for you if you noticed that the venue typo’d the word “Loveable” on the poster art.

Stage 33 Live is a casual and intimate industrial-rustic listening room in a former factory hosting local, regional, and national performances and presentations of original material. No bar or kitchen, the stage is the mission; coffee / soda / juice / water and a variety of snacks are available by donation. More info about the nonprofit, all-volunteer project, and this and other upcoming events, online at stage33live.com

Stage 33 Live gratefully acknowledges the help of so many individuals without whom none of this would be happening, and institutional support this season from The Island Corporation, the Vermont Arts Council, the Bellows Falls Opera House, the Rockingham Arts & Museum Project, and WOOL-FM to help fund improvements and maintenance, and generally smooth out a lot of the rough edges. Stage 33 Live is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, and all donations are deductible to the fullest extent. Volunteers run the thing from stem to stern.

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www.dylanpatrickward.com

Internationally traveling modern-folk troubadours Friction Farm and longtime singer-songwriter Eric Phelps will co-headline Stage 33 Live, 33 Bridge Street in Bellows Falls VT on Sunday, October 29, 2023, in a 3:00 PM matinee. Tickets are deeply discounted — $10 in advance through stage33live.com or $15 at the door. Limited seating; the event will be recorded and filmed. Read the press release.

Friction Farm and Eric Phelps co-headline Stage 33 Live

BELLOWS FALLS — Modern-folk duo Friction Farm are internationally traveling troubadours based in South Carolina. Aidan Quinn and Christine Stay combine storytelling, social commentary, and humor to create songs of everyday life, local heroes, and quirky observations filled with harmony and hope. Lyrically rich, harmony-driven songs have made them Kerrville New Folk Finalists and Falcon Ridge Emerging Artists. They’re also winners of the South Florida Folk Festival songwriter competition and have performed as official showcase artists at Regional Folk Alliance Conferences. He’s originally from Berkeley CA, she came from Woodstock NY… they used to have careers their parents could brag about.

Eric Phelps is a singer-songwriter from Western Massachusetts who has been making music for more than 35 years, playing throughout the USA, and with performances in the UK and Mexico. His most recent album, Let It Rain, features Joe Fitzpatrick (Gaslight Tinkers), Paul Kochanski (Lori McKenna, Stompbox Trio), Seth Glier, Signature Sounds artist Rani Arbo, and more.

Tickets are deeply discounted — $10 in advance through stage33live.com or $15 at the door. This show is a 3:00 PM matinee on Sunday, October 29, 2023. Stage 33 Live is located at 33 Bridge Street in Bellows Falls VT. Limited seating; the event will be recorded and filmed.

 
Stage 33 Live is a casual and intimate industrial-rustic listening room in a former factory hosting local, regional, and national performances and presentations of original material. No bar or kitchen, the stage is the mission; coffee / soda / juice / water and weird snacks available by donation. More info about the nonprofit, all-volunteer project, and this and other upcoming events, online at stage33live.com

Stage 33 Live gratefully acknowledges the help of so many individuals without whom none of this would be happening, and institutional support this season from The Island Corporation, the Vermont Arts Council, the Bellows Falls Opera House, the Rockingham Arts & Museum Project, and WOOL-FM to help fund improvements and maintenance, and generally smooth out a lot of the rough edges. Stage 33 Live is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, and all donations are deductible to the fullest extent. Volunteers run the thing from stem to stern.

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Sam Robbins and Derek Sensale will co-headline Stage 33 Live, 33 Bridge Street in Bellows Falls VT on Sunday, November 19, 2023, at 7:00 PM. Sandy Bailey was forced to drop out due to a case of Covid. Tickets are $20. Advance tickets through stage33live.com guarantee entry. Limited seating; the event will be recorded and filmed. Read the press release.

Sam Robbins and Derek Sensale at Stage 33 Live

BELLOWS FALLS — Nashville-based Sam Robbins’ music nods to classic ’70s singer-songwriters like James Taylor and Neil Young while giving it a modern, upbeat edge. He was a winner in the Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk competition, one of the largest and most prestigious songwriting competitions in the country. A full time troubadour, he plays over 150 shows a year across the country including the Kerrville Folk Festival main stage, Dripping Springs Songwriter’s Festival, and Falcon Ridge Folk Festival where he was voted one of the “Most Wanted to Return” artists. A graduate of Berklee College of Music’s songwriting department, Sam has hosted songwriting workshops and masterclasses, including at the Harvard Music Department.

“He writes of subjects that others don’t explore, touching that special place Leonard Cohen went. Brilliance.” — Americana Highways

Unfortunately, Sandy Bailey is unable to do the show… Covid. Our care is bigger than our disappointment, and we wish her the speediest possible recovery.

But there’s also good news: Derek Sensale — you may remember him from the popular newgrass band Pinedrop — is going to share the bill with Sam instead. Great smooth voice, a strong and emotive writer who is also unafraid to get just a little lyrically weird sometimes, and a super-friendly relaxed stage demeanor. Songs rooted in tradition and generously dusted with Vermont soil. Maybe you were lucky enough to catch his set here in front of Jake Swamp and the Pine. If not, here’s your second chance.

Here’s a taste.

 
Soul/folk singer-songwriter Sandy Bailey has been compared to Norah Jones, Patsy Cline, Susan Tedeschi, and Patti Smith — but has a sound all her own incorporating elements of gospel blues, soul, and classic Americana. A biracial woman and single mother, she left behind her Pentecostal upbringing in favor of a life of making art and music. Mentored by Gretchen Peters and Mary Gauthier, she was chosen as one of 11 songwriters to attend Club Passim’s 2022 Hilltop Songwriting Residency. She’s shared stages with artists like Lucy Kaplansky, Eilen Jewel, Christine Lavin, and Heather Maloney. Her new album, Daughter of Abraham, includes performances by guitarist Ryan Hommel (Amos Lee), bassist and engineer Marc Seedorf (Dinosaur JR, Lou Barlow), and drummer Don McAulay (The Rolling Stones, Neil Young).

“A sound maybe best characterized as early Muscle Shoals.” — Twangville

Sam Robbins and Derek Sensale will co-headline Stage 33 Live, 33 Bridge Street in Bellows Falls VT on Sunday, November 19, 2023, at 7:00 PM. Tickets are $20. Advance tickets through stage33live.com guarantee entry. Limited seating; the event will be recorded and filmed.

Stage 33 Live is a casual and intimate industrial-rustic listening room in a former factory hosting local, regional, and national performances and presentations of original material. No bar or kitchen, the stage is the mission; coffee / soda / juice / water and weird snacks available by donation. More info about the nonprofit, all-volunteer project, and this and other upcoming events, online at stage33live.com

Stage 33 Live gratefully acknowledges the help of so many individuals without whom none of this would be happening, and institutional support this season from The Island Corporation, the Vermont Arts Council, the Bellows Falls Opera House, the Rockingham Arts & Museum Project, and WOOL-FM to help fund improvements and maintenance, and generally smooth out a lot of the rough edges. Stage 33 Live is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, and all donations are deductible to the fullest extent. Volunteers run the thing from stem to stern.

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Castlebay weaves the history, legend, and experience of New England and the Celtic lands in story and song in a 3:00 PM matinee on December 3 at Stage 33 Live, 33 Bridge Street in Bellows Falls, Vermont. Tickets are steeply discounted to $10 in advance through stage33live.com or just $12 at the door. Seating is limited. The performance will be recorded and filmed. Read the press release.

Castlebay at Stage 33 Live

BELLOWS FALLS — Castlebay weaves the heritage of New England and the Celtic lands in story and song, blending history, legend, and experience into engaging performance featuring Celtic harp, 12-string guitar, fiddle, tin whistle, strings, and woodwinds. Julia Lane and Fred Gosbee play poignant ballads interspersed with joyous dance tunes, with Lane’s ethereal soprano and Gosbee’s rich baritone giving life to the evocative imagery, beautiful melodies, and salty humor of the history and characters of life close to the elemental beauty of the sea and shore.

Castlebay has released over three dozen albums and has toured the United States, Ireland, England, and Scotland, including five appearances at International Festivals of the Sea in the UK. Julia Lane is a past winner of the International Folk Harp Competition. Fred Gosbee is a musical instrument maker whose family worked as lumbermen in the forests of New Brunswick and Maine. They have loved, researched, and performed traditional music for most of their lives, and their original compositions — which have been heralded, sung, and recorded by other artists — will surely become part of that canon.

Castlebay played nearly annually at the Stone Church Arts world music concert series in Bellows Falls until the demise of that venue in 2017. Stage 33 Live is pleased and honored to host their return to the area.

This is a 3:00 PM matinee on Sunday, December 3, 2023, at Stage 33 Live, 33 Bridge Street in Bellows Falls, Vermont. Tickets are $10 in advance through stage33live.com or $12 at the door — half what a ticket to see them typically costs. All proceeds benefit the performers. Seating is limited. The performance will be recorded and filmed.

 
Stage 33 Live is a casual and intimate industrial-rustic listening room in a former factory hosting local, regional, and national performances and presentations of original material. No bar or kitchen, the stage is the mission; coffee / soda / juice / water and weird snacks available by donation. More info about the nonprofit, all-volunteer project, and this and other upcoming events, online at stage33live.com

Stage 33 Live gratefully acknowledges the help of so many individuals without whom none of this would be happening, and institutional support this season from The Island Corporation, the Vermont Arts Council, WOOL-FM, the Rockingham Arts & Museum Project, and Chroma Technology to help fund improvements and maintenance, and generally smooth out a lot of the rough edges. Stage 33 Live is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, and all donations are deductible to the fullest extent. Volunteers run the thing from stem to stern.

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Internationally acclaimed fingerstyle guitarist Hiroya Tsukamoto will lead an informal masterclass for players of all levels of ability and accomplishment at 11:00 AM on December 17, 2023, at Stage 33 Live, 33 Bridge Street in Bellows Falls, Vermont, in advance of his 2:00 concert. Limited to ten participants. Fingerstyle techniques, chords and theory, tone and rhythm, scales, thumb placement, tunings, improvisation, practice routines, and more presented with kindness, patience, and easy laughter by one of the best fingerstyle players in the world. Questions will be warmly received. Bring your instrument. Read the press release.

Fingerstyle Guitar Masterclass with Hiroya Tsukamoto

BELLOWS FALLS — Internationally acclaimed fingerstyle guitarist Hiroya Tsukamoto will lead a comfortable, informal masterclass for players of all levels of ability and accomplishment at 11:00 AM on December 17, 2023, at Stage 33 Live, 33 Bridge Street in Bellows Falls, Vermont, in advance of his 2:00 concert. This workshop is strictly limited to ten participants, advance registration through the stage33live.com website is strongly recommended. Walk-ups will only be accepted if there’s still room.

Wisdom on scales, thumb placement, tunings, improvisation, and more to help players improve and expand their talents will be presented with kindness and patience and easy laughter by one of the best fingerstyle players in the world. Hiroya will demonstrate fingerstyle techniques, including chords and basic theory, breaking down elements such as tone and rhythm, explaining how to apply them to a practice routine. Questions will be warmly received.

The workshop starts at 11:00 AM on Sunday, December 17, and the cost is $30. Bring your instrument. A discounted class-plus-concert bundle is $40. This workshop is strictly limited to ten participants, so advance registration through the stage33live.com website is strongly recommended. Walk-ups will only be accepted if there’s still room.

Feel free to bring a lunch to eat after the class, or to pop out to a local restaurant before the concert.

Born and raised in Kyoto, Japan, Hiroya Tsukamoto received a scholarship to Berklee College of Music and came to the US. Since then he has been performing internationally including at the United Nations, the Blue Note in New York, and on Japanese National Television. He has released seven albums. In 2022, he won second place in the International Finger Style Guitar Championship. He is a dizzyingly agile fingerpicker who always chooses beauty over bombast. His concert performances are an eclectic, immersive, and mesmerizing impressionistic journey filled with earthy, organic soundscapes rich in subtle detail.

“Delicate, fluid, and beautifully detailed.” — Acoustic Guitar Magazine

Stage 33 Live is a casual and intimate industrial-rustic listening room in a former factory hosting local, regional, and national performances and presentations of original material. No bar or kitchen, the stage is the mission; coffee / soda / juice / water and weird snacks available by donation. More info about the nonprofit, all-volunteer project, and this and other upcoming events, online at stage33live.com

Stage 33 Live gratefully acknowledges the help of so many individuals without whom none of this would be happening, and institutional support this season from The Island Corporation, the Vermont Arts Council, WOOL-FM, the Rockingham Arts & Museum Project, and Chroma Technology to help fund improvements and maintenance, and generally smooth out a lot of the rough edges. Stage 33 Live is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, and all donations are deductible to the fullest extent. Volunteers run the thing from stem to stern.

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Stage 33 Live welcomes Hiroya Tsukamoto back to the room for the first time since 2021 in a 2:00 matinee on December 17, 2023. Tickets are a discounted $15 in advance through stage33live.com or $20 at the door. Seating is limited. The performance will be recorded and filmed.

Hiroya will also provide an opportunity of special interest to fingerstyle players of all levels of ability and accomplishment — an informal masterclass beginning at 11:00 AM, preceding his matinee concert.

Hiroya Tsukamoto to perform at Stage 33 Live

BELLOWS FALLS — Stage 33 Live welcomes Hiroya Tsukamoto back to the room for the first time since 2021 in a 2:00 matinee on December 17, 2023. Tickets are a discounted $15 in advance through stage33live.com or $20 at the door.

Hiroya is a one-of-a-kind musician and composer — an eclectic, immersive, and mesmerizing internationally acclaimed guitarist who takes audiences on an innovative, impressionistic journey filled with earthy, organic soundscapes rich in subtle detail. A dizzyingly agile fingerpicker who always chooses beauty over bombast, his soulful and transcendent performances combine instrumental guitar work with lyrical performance and spoken stories.

Born and raised in Kyoto, Japan, he received a scholarship to Berklee College of Music and came to the US. Since then he has been performing internationally including at the United Nations, the Blue Note in New York, and on Japanese National Television. He has released seven albums. In 2022, he won second place in the International Finger Style Guitar Championship.

“Delicate, fluid, and beautifully detailed.” — Acoustic Guitar Magazine

Tickets are a discounted $15 in advance through stage33live.com or $20 at the door. Hiroya will be pleased to meet and greet with the audience after the performance. Stage 33 Live is located at 33 Bridge Street in Bellows Falls, Vermont. Seating is limited. The performance will be recorded and filmed.

Hiroya will also provide an opportunity of special interest to fingerstyle players of all levels of ability and accomplishment — an informal masterclass beginning at 11:00 AM, preceding his matinee concert. Wisdom on scales, thumb placement, tunings, improvisation, and more to help players improve and expand their talents, presented with kindness and patience and easy laughter by one of the best fingerstyle players in the world. Hiroya will demonstrate fingerstyle techniques, including chords and basic theory, breaking down elements such as tone and rhythm, explaining how to apply them to a practice routine. Questions will be warmly received. This workshop is strictly limited to ten participants, so advance registration through the stage33live.com website is strongly recommended. Walk-ups will only be accepted if there’s still room. The workshop starts at 11:00 AM on Sunday, December 17, and the cost is $30. A discounted class-plus-concert bundle is $40. This masterclass will take place at 33 Bridge Street in Bellows Falls. Feel free to bring a lunch to eat after the class, or to pop out to a local restaurant before the concert.

Stage 33 Live is a casual and intimate industrial-rustic listening room in a former factory hosting local, regional, and national performances and presentations of original material. No bar or kitchen, the stage is the mission; coffee / soda / juice / water and weird snacks available by donation. More info about the nonprofit, all-volunteer project, and this and other upcoming events, online at stage33live.com

Stage 33 Live gratefully acknowledges the help of so many individuals without whom none of this would be happening, and institutional support this season from The Island Corporation, the Vermont Arts Council, the Bellows Falls Opera House, the Rockingham Arts & Museum Project, and WOOL-FM that helped fund improvements and maintenance, and generally smooth out a lot of the rough edges. Stage 33 Live is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, and all donations are deductible to the fullest extent. Volunteers run the thing from stem to stern.

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