The Martha’s Vineyard Concert Series closes out June and enters July with three extraordinary performances.
On Thursday, June 27 at the Old Whaling Church in Edgartown, Richard Thompson takes the stage at 8 p.m.
Thompson is a legendary figure in British rock-and-roll. A show-stopping guitarist, an accomplished songwriter, and a mesmerizing vocalist, the LA Times called Thompson “the best rock songwriter after Dylan and the best guitarist since Hendrix.”
His music is natural. The way he sings is like sunshine, rain, breezes, and tempests. Thompson began his career in the late 1960s as a member of Fairport Convention, whose mixture of traditional British folk songs, Dylan obscurities, and evocative original compositions launched British folk rock. He left Fairport Convention in 1971 for a solo career, which quickly became a partnership with his then wife, Linda Thompson.
Over his illustrious career, Thompson has worked on numerous side projects with a vast variety of musicians, including Elvis Costello, Henry Kaiser, David Thomas of Pere Ubu, and David Byrne. In 2006, Thompson was presented with the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards lifetime achievement award.
“The music we’re doing now works well in quiet places like theaters and performing art centers,” Thompson told This Week on MV. “We still don’t use a program or a set list, so we don’t know what we’ll do until we do it.”
Thompson continued, “Please do not expect old songs. Many singers my age do a retrospective. This show is not like that. It’s mostly stuff made up in the last three and four years. Some of the songs presented might be in different languages. This is not to be esoteric or clever, because the different languages help me express different feelings sometimes.”
While Thompson has been to Martha’s Vineyard before, he has never played for the island. Thus, this is a sort of debut for him.
As an afterthought, Thompson added, “My idea of a good show has nothing to do with applause. It’s about if all the songs I sang that night were ones that I felt.”
On Sunday, June 30, Black Violin returns to the Vineyard with an 8 p.m. performance at The Tabernacle in Oak Bluffs.
Black Violin is the intermingling of classical, hip-hop, rock, R&B, and jazz music. When performing live, they are accompanied by their fantastic band. In 2013, Black Violin was named one of the hottest bands at SXSW.
They have played their music for the troops in Iraq, for the official President’s Inaugural Ball, and the Kids Inaugural in Washington, DC, where Barack Obama himself gave each a whole-hearted hand-shake.
Individually and together, Black Violin has collaborated with P. Diddy, Kanye West, 50 Cent, Tom Petty, Aerosmith, Aretha Franklin and The Eagles.
When Black Violin performs, you don’t just hear music. If you close your eyes you see it, and you definitely feel it.
“We are excited to come back to Martha’s Vineyard and rock out!,” Black Violin told This Week on MV via email. “Fans can expect a high energy, get out of your seat atmosphere that is family friendly and challenges everyone to think differently. Entertaining, uplifting, and Inspiring!”
On Tuesday, July 2, Jonathan Richman, with Tommy Larkin featured on the drums, will perform at the Union Chapel in Oak Bluffs at 7:30 p.m.
Richman has been playing music, recording, and touring since his early teens.
A Natick, Massachusetts native, Richman launched as a nascent primitive proto-punk bandleader under the influence of the Velvet Underground. He grew into a skilled acoustic balladeer with believable and sincere lyrics.
Known for his wide-eyed, unaffected and childlike outlook, accompanied by music rooted in rock and roll, but influenced from the world over, Richman’s cadence and musical approach make you feel like you know that whatever the reason for your sadness, he would sympathize with you. And if you could sit down and have a drink with him in a crowded bar, Richman would say that it would be all right, hand you a cocktail napkin to wipe your teary eyes, and order another round.
For additional details and ticket information visit: www.mvconcertseries.com
