The Recorder – Sounds Local: Good old music stomping around at Hilltown Hoedown

By SHERYL HUNTER

The Hilltown Hoedown is back and ready to bring a splash of twang to the Shutesbury Athletic Club on Saturday, October 23 at 4 p.m. This music will be provided by The Green Sisters, Eric Lee & Co., The Pistoleros and Wild Bill and The Flying Sparks.These talented local musicians will provide a full evening of country, rockabilly, bluegrass, honky tonk and more. And on top of all the great music, the Hoedown, now in its third year, will feature food cooked by the North Village Smokehouse.The Hoedown is presented by the Valley Twang Cooperative, a group of musicians who have joined forces to support and promote roots music. One of the ways they do this is to organize an event like this where a group of bands that play the same type of music play together under one roof.The lineup was put together by musicians Peter Sikowitz and Josh LeVangie, both of whom are co-op members and will also perform at this year’s hoedown. All members of the 2021 lineup are alumni of previous Hoedowns.There will be a lot of good old fashioned foot music at the hoedown, so let’s take a closer look at what exactly you’ll hear. The Green Sisters – Mel, Bets, Brie and Beck of Hubberston – play music that draws inspiration from all of the aforementioned genres. Their sound is marked by their sweet fraternal harmonies and their talents as a multi-instrumentalist. Their most recent album, “Blink of an Eye” also shows their ability to create a memorable melody and write punchy lyrics.Eric Lee is a talented multi-instrumentalist and songwriter who is best known for playing the violin. One of his most recent accomplishments is that he received the Grand Campion award in a violin competition at Berks Fiddle Fest in Pennsylvania last summer. He has supported many local musicians like Tracy Grammer and has also worked with various groups including bluegrass group Poor Monroe with whom he currently performs. He also has a solo career where he performs his own material. He released his first full album “Heartache Town” in 2018.Wild Bill and the Northampton Flying Sparks are a good bunch of old-school honkytonk, from their cowboy hats to their pedal steel player, these guys are the real deal. If you are looking for classic country and American roots music, this group is for you. The group is also known for slipping some Cajun, swamp rock and Americana music into their sets. Wild Bill and the boys who released eponymous EP in 2020, know how to get the crowd moving on the dance floorThe Pistoleros led by Josh LeVangie, who takes care of vocals and guitar, complete the package. The group specializes in outlawed country music that they mix it with and are dedicated to keeping the spirit of real country music alive. The band performs music from Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Hank Williams Sr., Hank Williams III, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and many more. Like Wild Bill, the Pistoleros are known to inspire serious dancing.And you can also expect some of the members of the participating bands to come together for a celebrity jam.So grab your dancing shoes and meet at the Shutesbury Athletic Club. Advance tickets can be purchased at the club for $ 15 or you can purchase them at the door for $ 17. The Shutesbury Athletic Club is located at 282 Wendell Road.At Hawks and Reed

AlouetteBatteau and his band will take the stage at Hawks and Reed in Greenfield on Friday evening at 10 p.m.

Batteau, a Shelburne Falls resident who is in her second year at Vassar College assembled this indie rock band while she was in school as a vehicle to perform her solo work. While quarantined at home in 2020 due to COVID, she wrote and recorded a collection of songs that she eventually released on two EPs, “Extra Vacation Days” and “Turn Me Honest.” When she returned to school, she started a band and started playing shows at school. As we know, making music during times of COVID is a challenge, which is why this show at Hawks and Reed is the band’s first off-campus concert.

Batteau, who is a member of the Kalliope Jones trio has performed at Hawks and Reed on several occasions, even making his debut with his new group, The Subletters, which features his Kalliope Jones mate Isabella DeHerdt on location last August.

According to his press release, Batteau’s words “juxtapose the bittersweet of the forties and the witchcraft and seriousness of the young adult. His raw emotion and empathy provide a snowball tossed about with crushing trapped butterflies, Impostor Syndrome and Melted Wax Wings Expect to hear material from both of her EPs as well as new songs on this show.

The show will feature Spud Cannon, another band that made their debut in Vassar, and are now starting to take off. Spud Cannon was formed in 2016 and only the drummer remains a student as his band members graduated. The group released “Good Kids Make Bad Apples”, the very energetic pop pop sound that generates very good reviews.

Once both groups have played, DJs will be on hand to keep the party going.

Ten ahead

Rubblebucket fans may want to head to Ten Forward in Greenfield on Saturday night to check out Kalbells, the solo project of the band’s lead singer, Kalmia Traver.

Kalbells is an all-female quartet that performs a sort of irresistible trippy indie pop and much less funky than the music of Rubblebucket. This show will give fans a chance to experience another side of Traver’s musical personality that his fans are sure to appreciate.

Also on the program is singer-songwriter Ruth Garbus of Brattleboro.

Tickets cost $ 20 and advance tickets are recommended. The show time is 8 p.m. Ten Forward is located at 10 Fiske Ave.

Sheryl Hunter is a musical composer who lives in Easthampton. His work has been published in various regional and national magazines. You can contact her at [email protected]