Don't Miss This! Amazing Singer Songwriter Lani Nash Comes to Thirsty Mind Fri. Aug 16th

“Really, independent artists don't get much better than this. And Ms. Nash doesn't need to; she's perfect the way she is.”—from Amazon Review

“[She has] the heart and soul of Lucinda Williams (think ‘Car Wheels on a Gravel Road’), and the timbre and phrasing of Jennifer Nettles (think Sugarland’s ‘Stay’)”—Got Folk.com

Lani Nash’s most recent album is called “I’m Only Here for the Music,” and the emotional power of what she achieves on recording and in peformance suggest someone who never says less than exactly what she means.

Lani Nash's always honest delivery and thought provoking, and often entertainingly clever songwriting of both ballads and up tempo folk repertoire has an appeal that cuts across genres. The combination of her songwriting and her ability to convey emotion make for electrifying performance.

Nash’s voice and subject matter unmistakably reflect her Nashville and southern roots, and her recordings feature some of the cream of Nashville session instrumentalists and vocalists including Delaney and Bonnie's daughter,  Bekka Bramlett.  Nash herself comes from a musical lineage. Her grandfather, Connie Crunk (known in 1950s and 60s as Connie Conway), a noted musician, singer, songwriter, music teacher, and producer who worked with producer Lee Hazelwood (known for his 60s hits with Nancy Sinatra.) Her mother and her aunt, who were musical prodigies like Nash, grew up singing and recorded early as “The Three Teens” and The Crunk Sisters.

Currently on an East Coast tour this summer, Lani Nash comes to the Valley August 16^th to play a show at the Thirsty Mind Café in South Hadley, which has become a mecca for area singer-songwriters with its Thursday night Open Mics.

Nash will perform songs from her most recent album:

“I’m Only Here for the Music” and more at the Thirsty Mind Café and Wine Bar

Friday, August 16^th  @ 7 p.m.

for more information:

https://www.facebook.com/thirstymindcafe

LANI NASH WEB LINKS:

www.reverbnation.com/laninash

www.laninash.com

www.facebook.com/laninashmusic

Lani Nash - VIDEO:  A Tribute to the affected parents of Newtown... "Like You Taught Me To":  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgnqn0HUs0k

LANI NASH YOUTUBE CHANNEL

www.youtube.com/user/LaniNashMusic

Thirsty Mind Extended Play Upcoming Schedule


The Thirsty Mind's Thursday popular night open mic has extended itself into a Friday Night showcase called, "Thirsty Mind Extended Play" which features some of the Thursday night luminaries in an extended concert format. The April 26th show of The Varlets (& Friends) was over-the-top great.

We're happy to announce the upcoming scheduled performers for April and May:

Fri. May 3

7-8 p.m.  Songwriter, guitarist, recording artist   Bill Burke

8-9 p.m.  Alt. Down-home Folk music by YouTube's "Cadwalladee" Scott Cadwallader

Fri.  May 10

7 p.m. The Singing Lords--a spectacularly talented multi-generational family of musicians and singers

                                          Photo by Scott Cadwallader

8 p.m. Jesse French and the Young Tricksters--the only joke will be on those who miss miss these rising 20-something groove masters

                                          Photo by Lily Chau

And of course, you can always come to play on Thursday nights 7-10 p.m.

     End of night jam Photo by Robbie Lloyd Henderson, courtesy S. Cadwallader.

Friday Extended Play Nights at the Thirsty Mind

If an Open Mic is an entry point for emerging performers.  Extended Play is the next step--a one hour performance spot in front of a live audience for Open Mic veterans who are ready for more than 2 songs/ten minutes and out.

Extended Play began Feb 22, and has been by all accounts, a tremendous success:

                                           Songwriters Chris Goudreaux and Dan Daniels
                                           shared a triple bill . . .

                                           . . .with Susanna Holstrom in the Thirsty Mind's 

                                           annual "Ides of March Spectacular."

The schedule so far will appear below. The way this works is that one person each night will have primary responsibility for setting up the mics, and p.a. and making sure things are put away properly at the end of the night (If you want to use the house equipment). It is also possible that you could play with your own

gear or no gear at all. A number of people are trained already, but if you need to know more, ask Scott or whatever non-uniformed personnel look like they know what they're doing.

Some things to keep in mind:

1. One person per night will be designated as set-up/take-down person. Their role is to make sure things are set up by 7 and that things get put away at the end of the night.

2. An important responsibility to our hosts (Thirsty Mind staff:  Nick, Sarah, Jessica, Lauryn,) is that we end the night in a timely manner (starting to wind down by 9:45 so we can send everyone out the door happy by 10:00). Also, make sure to acknowledge and thank them because they are working hard on behalf of the Thirsty Mind to make a pleasant experience for everyone in the place.

3. Since you have advance notice, make an effort to get the word out about your performance--invite friends, family, co-workers astrologers, ex-wives, thesis advisers, and parole officers, personal trainers, plow guys, and of course Yellow Sofa friends. Our goal is to build something that supports you in your growth as an artist, and that helps the Thirsty Mind be even more of a community hub.

One final note--bringing friends helps stack the deck in your favor. There will always be people coming in, but if they didn't come for the music, they are students and people using computers, or people who came to talk, maybe loudly, and maybe during your set. There's a lot to learn just by being on stage for an extended period of time. One thing you may learn quickly, is how to stay focused and confident when there is a lot of noise in the background, and when you are playing in front of people who don't know they are at your very special concert. This is a good thing to know how to do, but if you want to save yourself the some of the rigorousness of this experience, plan to bring at least 3-5 people and be ready to stay for all three sets to support and enjoy the other performances. This will mean that there will be a solid rooting section near the stage to minimize existential questioning of all sorts during the hour of your performance.

Feb. 22

7-8 p.m    Nikia Camp

8-9 p.m.   Christopher Griffin 

9-10 p.m. Jack Dwyer

March 1

7-8 p.m    "Tony"

8-9 p.m.   Felix Harvey

9-10 p.m.  Jackie D'Agustino

                                            Felix Harvey rocks the 'Mind

March 8

7-8 p.m     Jim Eagan  guitarist, songwriter, interpreter of classic alt. country

8-9 p.m.    Ben Grosscup  singer/songwriter member of People's Music Network, activist

9-10 p.m.  Dave Stern  rock and roller, Beatles maven, songwriter, author

March 15

7-8 p.m     Christopher Goudreaux

8-9 p.m.    Dan Daniels

 Dan Daniels--Interdimentional Man of Mystery seen sloughing off Higgs-Boson particles during his set.

9-10 p.m.  Susana Holmstrom

         
March 22

          7-8 p.m     Rob Douglas

          8-9 p.m.    Jeremy Kent

          9-10 p.m.   Michael Silverstone 

March 29 

April 5
7-8 p.m. Calvin Bentancourt  singer/songwriter
8-9 p.m. Laura Mustard   singer song/writer

                                                                                                                 
April 12

         7-10 p.m The Varlets & friends

          May 10
           7- 8 p.m.Singing Lords
                         
[check the yellow sofa website:  http://yellowsofaopenmic.blogspot.com for additional bookings as they emerge]

Extended Play Benefit Concert for Christa's Mom, Nov 16th

It was a great night of music at the Thirsty Mind Friday Nov, 16th. The occasion was a benefit concert for Jen Henderson, the mom of the Yellow Sofa's very favorite Kindergarten Teacher/Singer Songwriter,  angel-voiced Christa Joy Henderson.

Christa Joy and Jeremy Kent Headlined a special benefit concert at the Yellow Sofa Extended Play on November 16th at the Thirsty Mind Cafe and Wine Bar.

The concert was also dedicated to celebrating the culmination of a fundraising campaign that Christa and her partner Jeremy Kent initiated on Jen's behalf. More information is available here.  

A sampling of some of the many highlights of the evening:

                                          Singer-songwriter, Felix Harvey rocks out and on.

                        

  

                                        Gifted songwriter, musician and open mic pilot

                                        Scott Cadwallader, enjoying the evening

                                        from behind the mixing board somehow reminiscent 

                                        of Mark Twain in some way caption writers wish

                                        they could actually articulate.

                                        Gloriously sweet family music with Jenny, Esme and Ethan featuring autoharp and mandolin/banjo.

Don't miss this!

Kind and funny, sometimes gently absurd and touching songs byJeremy Kent-- 

                                  exuding the attitude you might tend to anticipate from someone wearing a bow tie and cabbie's hat with a red robot sticker on his guitar on a day other than March 17th.                                                      

(Not pictured:  Valley country music legend Eddie Riehl Sr., percussionist Eddie Riehl, Jr., Soulful Jack Dwyer, Tony, Don, Conga Bob)

Also contributing to the program were the SilverTone5 who are seen here in this archival footage from an early concert they did at the Star Club in Hamburg, West Germany in 1966 when they were still relative unknowns.

The SilverTone5 in Hamburg, featuring Robbie Lloyd Henderson on bass, 
David Waldfogel on lead guitar, and Michael Silverstone on rhythm guitar. (November 1966)

For links to just discovered video, see:

Early SilverTone5 Live in Hamburg

and for a longer sample see this clip:

Longer Sample from the SilverTone5's 56th Anniversary North American Tour

Please note: The Yellow Sofa Open mic and Extended Play will be taking the week of Nov 22nd &-23rd off to celebrate the conquest of the North American continent by an ignorant civilization that has almost completely ruined it. See you on Nov. 29th.

Extended Play !! Bonus Fridays at the Thirsty Mind's Yellow Sofa Open Mic

                                                              --Yellow Sofa Graphic by Scott Cadwallader

     "It's going really well. . ."--Robbie Lloyd Henderson

     Every Thursday night this Fall, the Yellow Sofa Open mic has rocked the Thirsty Mind Coffee and Wine Bar most righteously with 15 to 20 of the Valley's most sofatatious open mic-rons.

    So, now thanks to our good hosts at the great Thirsty Mind we enter a new era. . .

    Beginning, like now--man--Friday evening becomes an Extended Play opportunity for the cream of Thursday night's crop.

    To be eligible for an Extended Play slot Friday, simply participate in the Thursday night open mic, and let the hosts know that you are making plans to return for Friday. That's all you need to do.

    Available time will be apportioned at 6:30 on Friday evening for the 7 - 10 p.m. slots and the schedule will be determined then.

    On Oct. 26th the opening night bill featured perfomances by:

                              Tony
                           Bill Burke
                          Jack Dwyer
                                and
                    Michael Silverstone

Each did a spectacular 30-minute set. At the peak of the evening, the rumor is that Tony (or, some say, Bill--accounts differ) did James Brown splits and was led off the stage by handlers, who wrapped him in his own ermine cape and mopped his brow with a mixture of smelling salts, ammonia and wasabi to revive him on the spot after he momentarily collapsed after giving all, then more, in on stage exertions.  Sorry if you missed it, as it is not to be repeated, but if the Giants don't the World Series this week, there is a rumor circulating that we may see Willie Mays playing the Walbash Cannonball on Harmonica with holograms of Stan Musual and Tupac Shakur--but this remains unconfirmed. As on Thursdays, the number of performers will be capped, but like Thursdays on steroids, far fewer performers will play for a much more generous time.

    This Friday, barring unforeseen interruptions from the Frankenstorm, the the bill could include--you, dear reader. Hope to see you this Thursday for the Valley's most happening open mic, or Friday for Extended Play.

With best regards,

The Yellow Sofa Open Mic Executive Steering Committee, LLC


P.S. Also, please note, this Thursday. . .

South Hadley, MA. --- As part of their course, the students of
 “Environmental Justice and American Literature” at Mount Holyoke
 College are inviting the public to participate in an Open Mic event
 centered around Environmental Justice issues. Members of the class
 will be reciting poetry and presenting other creative work to express
 their passion for Environmental Justice. We invite the public to
 participate and explore the intersections and tensions between the
 environment, various identities, and communities through any medium
 you desire.  The event will occur in the first hour of the regularly
 scheduled Open Mic night on November 1, 2012, from 7pm-8pm in Thirsty
 Mind Coffee and Wine Bar located at 23 College St., South Hadley, MA.

 The Environmental Justice and American Literature class has studied
 many aspects of Environmental Justice, through academic articles,
 short stories, poetry, and literature from a variety of American
 writers. Topics covered in the class include racism, classism, and
 sexism, as they relate to the field of Environmental Justice.



 

Thursday's Are Fine at the Thirsty Mind

Come to The Open Mic
at the Thirsty Mind at the Village Commons
in South Hadley  7-9 p.m.
(Sign-ups at 6:30)

  Things are going really well. Each night we've had a full house, and a full night of performers. We've had (initially) nervous novices who left happy, experienced performers, regulars and first timers. It's a great cozy space, and we have the best audience of attentive, unconditionally supportive and appreciative listeners in any live music venue you will ever see in a commercial establishment.
     The beverage selection, by the way is extensive. The staff is friendly, and summer sunlight floods the window on the stage. It's pretty heavenly. Come join us and tell friends.


  This Could Be on YouTube
 but We Spent Way Too Much Time Already  
Writing It

We took a chance when we moved

That to continue behooved

The Yellow Sofa and now

We've started on our way

Noho locations are great

for ones who live out of state

and students taking the bus

'cause lines go by that way

But now, crowds are holdin',
Filled rooms, talent showin'
Good nights, people knowin'
It's going really well now, baby. . .

Hey we kept it going,

Guess we weren't crazy,

Here comes Thursday,
So come by, maybe?

Some people stay home,
with bowls of Wavy Gravy,
That their option,
But come by, maybe

Sign-up's 6:30,
and it it fills like crazy,
It's just two hours,
Come early, maybe?

All the guitarists,
That aren't too lazy ,
Schlep your cases

and come by maybe, maybe?

We'll take our time in the fall,
When Mt. Holyoke's re-installed

It won't be tricky at all

To get the girls to play

We may be postering gates
Facebooking musical dates

But we don't think that the wait's

Gonna be too long

New songs/muse awoken',
Mic stand is sometimes broken
Hot night, but breezes blowin'
Gonna be a special evening

Sign-up's 6:30,

and it it fills like crazy,

It's just two hours,

Come early, maybe?

Two song's aren't many

but that's the story

and there's spoken word too

so its not boring

Before we came to Thirsty Mind,
We missed this so bad
We missed this so bad
We missed this so, so bad

And lots of open mics,

can get depressing,
But here they listening,
Its such a blessing

Before we came to Thirsty Mind,
We missed this so bad
We missed this so bad
We missed this so, so bad

Before we came to Thirsty Mind
We missed this so bad
We know you're out there

So come by, maybe?

Travelling Yellow Sofa Open Mic TONIGHT (Satruday, June 30th 7-10 p.m.) in Northampton

Dear Sofa-teers,

Happy summer. Please celebrate with us tonight by performing around the cool indoor eletronic display campfire.

                                         (artist's rendering, no actual fires will be lit in the
                                           Frances Crowe Community Room)

Now, no one is saying you have to do this, but there will be prizes tonight for best Summer-themed performance, best Beach Boys cover song and gaudiest summer casual outfit. If you want to go for the triple crown here is the gold standard in all three categories. What will the prizes be? Fun, fun, fun ones, we promise:

Hope to see you tonight: 

6:30 sign-ups
7:00 performances begin
The Frances Crowe Community Room is at 60 Masonic St., Northampton at the Old Firehouse which houses the Woodstar Cafe.
Please forward this to a friend.

Sincerely,

The Travelling Yellow Sofa, LLC Executive Steering Committee

P.S. For Open Mic Enthusiasts, bear in mind that when its bun feet and boot heels are done a' wandering, The Travelling Yellow Sofa Open Mic sofa-tates each Thusrday 7-9 p.m. in the friendly confines of its new permanent Thursday night home at the Thirsty Mind Coffee and Wine Bar in South Hadley, in the Village Commons opposite Mt. Holyoke College (via  Rt 116., Rt. 47 ).