Berkshire Theatre Group Announces 7 Weekend Spring Colonial Concert Series Outside Under the Tent

Following the success of last year's Bobbie's Summer and Fall Series, Berkshire Theatre Group has announced the Colonial Concert Series, introducing 2 shows each Saturday from May 1 through June 12. The outdoor concert series includes the dynamic singer-songwriter-guitarist Ryan Montbleau, Massachusetts favorite Whiskey Treaty Roadshow, multiple Grammy Award winner Chris Thile, folk-rock music legend Tom Rush, and urban folk & jazz musician KJ Denhert. The Colonial Concert Series is generously sponsored by KJ Nosh, Massachusetts Cultural Council & The Shubert Foundation.

Maguire says, "Just as we did in 2020, we are going to create safe and dynamic performance spaces at both our Pittsfield and Stockbridge campuses this coming year. We saw first-hand last year how moved people were to be in the presence of live performances, and so yet again, we will present wonderful artists, fabulous productions and an environment to celebrate all that the arts mean to us. In this first announcement of work to come, Tor Krautter brings together an eclectic and energetic musical lineup."

BTG Programmer Tor Krautter continued, "It feels great to be programming music on the grounds of the Colonial for our community again. Programming safe concerts during a pandemic presents new and unique challenges. We learned a lot from our productions last year and it's exciting to help draw the map that leads us back to what we do best. It's a lineup of artists that are diverse and eclectic with a little something for everyone in the community."

Tickets will go on sale Friday, February 19 and range in price from $25 to $100. Tickets may be purchased online at www.BerkshireTheatreGroup.org, or by calling the ticket office at (413) 997-4444 Monday-Saturday from 10am-2pm. On performance days, the ticket office will be open from 10am until curtain. Tickets for all front line workers are 50% off.

COLONIAL CONCERT SERIES SCHEDULE (IN DATE ORDER)

Harvest & Rust

Colonial Concert Series

Outside Under the Tent

at The Colonial Parking Lot

Saturday, May 1, 2021 at 5:30pm and 8pm

Tickets: $25

This year marks the 50th Anniversary of Neil Young's most widely acclaimed album, Harvest. Western Massachusetts-based band Harvest & Rust cover everything Neil Young, from the chart-topping Harvest material including "Old Man," and "Heart of Gold," to the more electric explorations of Rust Never Sleeps like "Hey Hey, My My." They also perform songs from Young's time in Crosby Stills Nash & Young and Buffalo Springfield.

"Harvest & Rust is comprised of a smattering of beloved Western Massachusetts-based musicians: Seth Fleischmann (from Misty Blues), Andy Gordon (from Spurs USA), John Kiernan (from Who Are You: A Tribute to The Who), Garrett Lechowski (from Who Are You: A Tribute to The Who, Into The Floyd-The International Pink Floyd Experience and Canadian songwriter Carl Dixon) and Jim Reynolds (from Wild Card and Wishful Thinking)."

Ryan Montbleau (Solo)

Colonial Concert Series
Outside Under the Tent

at The Colonial Parking Lot

Saturday, May 8, 2021 at 5:30pm and 8pm

Tickets: $25

Whether he's playing an acoustic solo set or busting out tunes with his backing band, folk crooner Ryan Montbleau consistently delivers intimate, heartfelt performances. His stellar live shows were recognized in 2012 when he was nominated for Best Concert Experience at the MTV Music Awards, and his concerts have only gotten more impressive since then. From the relaxed, emotional groove of "The Boat Song" to the upbeat strut of "75 and Sunny," Montbleau masterfully traverses diverse musical and emotional terrain at his concerts, delivering a dynamic and moving experience fans won't soon forget.

Montbleau's been pouring his heart out in song since the early 2000s, when he first began performing around his native Massachusetts. He'd go on to collaborate with Martin Sexton, Trombone Shorty, and Galactic among others, and share bills and stages with artists as diverse as Tedeschi Trucks Band, Ani DiFranco, The Wood Brothers, Rodrigo y Gabriela and Mavis Staples, but it was Montbleau's ecstatic headline shows-often more than 200 of them a year-that solidified his reputation as a live powerhouse and an inexorable road warrior. NPR's Mountain Stage compared his "eloquent, soulful songwriting" to Bill Withers and James Taylor.

The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow

Colonial Concert Series
Outside Under the Tent

at The Colonial Parking Lot

Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 5:30pm and 8pm

Tickets: $39

The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow is a collaborative band that brings together five Massachusetts singer-songwriters: Tory Hanna, Billy Keane, David Tanklefsky, Greg Smith and Chris Merenda in the vein of Americana, rock and roots-folk music. The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow, a live tour de force, has been dubbed "the Eagles of the Berkshires" and proven they can bring a foot stomping party to whatever lineup they grace and pump up the energy of any room.

Takin' It To The Streets: The Doobie Brothers Tribute Show

Colonial Concert Series
Outside Under the Tent
at The Colonial Parking Lot

Saturday, May 22, 2021 at 5:30pm and 8pm

Tickets: $25

Takin' It To The Streets is the ultimate Doobie Brothers tribute show, featuring all of The Doobie's greatest hits and more, with stunning accuracy. Audiences can look forward to hearing amazing vocals and top notch musicianship with iconic hits such as, "Long Train Runnin'," "China Grove," "Listen To The Music," "Takin' It To The Streets," "What A Fool Believes," "Rockin' Down The Highway," "Minute By Minute," "Black Water" and many more!

An Evening with Chris Thile

Colonial Concert Series
Outside Under the Tent

at The Colonial Parking Lot

Saturday, May 29, 2021 at 5:30pm and 8pm

Tickets: $100

Multiple Grammy Award winner and MacArthur Fellow Chris Thile, a member of Punch Brothers and Nickel Creek, and former host of the radio program, Live from Here, is a mandolin virtuoso, composer and vocalist. With his broad outlook, Thile transcends the borders of conventionally circumscribed genres, creating a distinctly American canon and a new musical aesthetic for performers and audiences alike.

A child prodigy, Thile first rose to fame as a member of Grammy Award-winning trio Nickel Creek, with whom he released four albums and sold over two million records.

In February 2013, Thile won a Grammy for his work on The Goat Rodeo Sessions, collaborating with Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, and Stuart Duncan. In September 2014, Thile and Meyer released their latest album collaboration, Bass + Mandolin, which won the Grammy for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album.

Punch Brothers released their latest album, the Grammy-winning All Ashore, in July 2018 with the Pop Matters describing the album as "a call to savor, to pay attention, to step back from the hustle and bustle and remember the importance of being calm."

Tom Rush

Colonial Concert Series
Outside Under the Tent

at The Colonial Parking Lot
Saturday, June 5, 2021 at 5:30pm and 8pm

Tickets: $75

Tom Rush's impact on the American music scene has been profound. He helped shape the folk revival in the '60s, the folk-rock movement of the '70s, and then the renaissance of the '80s and '90s. James Taylor, Emmylou Harris, Tom Petty and Garth Brooks have cited Tom as a major influence. Rush displayed then, as he does today, an uncanny knack for finding wonderful songs and writing his own. His distinctive guitar style, wry humour and warm, expressive voice have made him both a legend and a lure to audiences around the world. His shows are filled with the rib-aching laughter of terrific story-telling, the sweet melancholy of ballads and the passion of gritty blues.

As vital and engaging as ever, his voice has grown even richer and more melodic, and his music, like a fine wine, has matured and ripened in the blending of traditional and modern influences.

KJ Denhert

Colonial Concert Series
Outside Under the Tent

at The Colonial Parking Lot

Saturday, June 12, 2021 at 5:30pm and 8pm

Tickets: $25

KJ Denhert is an NYC-based, award-winning songwriter, guitarist, vocalist and bandleader who has shared stages with artists ranging from Alicia Keys, Roberta Flack, Robert Cray and more. An internationally touring artist, KJ's career spans 40 years, numerous albums and legions of devoted fans worldwide. A child of the '60s, KJ's music is both a rich tapestry of urban folk & jazz and a reflection of the fiery time of cultural upheaval in which she lived. Her soulful and smoky vocal stylings are earthy and elegant. Echoes of James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Laura Nyro and Steely Dan's combine with KJ's own unique musical voice to create music that is both unique and relevant for today.

Irish Comedy Tour Update

Due to limits on indoor entertainment, The Irish Comedy Tour that was slated to perform at The Colonial Theatre on Thursday, March 12, 2021 has been postponed until March 18, 2022. All patrons with tickets will be contacted to make arrangements.

SAFETY MEASURES

BTG has outlined procedures and protocols in a manner that is consistent with state and local mandated health and safety guidelines. Temperature scans and contactless ticket scanning will be done for patrons at their point of entry. Free-standing hand sanitizer stations will be placed at various locations throughout the space. Patrons will be required to wear masks. One way traffic patterns will be enforced. Additional safeguards will also be in place.

CALENDAR BREAKDOWN

Harvest & Rust, Saturday, May 1, 2021 at 5:30pm and 8pm

Ryan Montbleau (Solo), Saturday, May 8, 2021 at 5:30pm and 8pm

The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow, Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 5:30pm and 8pm

Takin' It To The Streets: The Doobie Brothers Tribute Show, Saturday, May 22, 2021 at 5:30pm and 8pm

An Evening with Chris Thile, Saturday, May 29, 2021 at 5:30pm and 8pm

Tom Rush, Saturday, June 5, 2021 at 5:30pm and 8pm

KJ Denhert, Saturday, June 12, 2021 at 5:30pm and 8pm

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