Live Music: Looking Ahead

Take a look ahead at the amazing musical guests coming to The Loft!
Get your tickets early, they sell out fast!

 
 

APRIL

Ebb and Flow of the Deer Creek Chorale

Saturday, April 5, 7-9PM

The Ebb and Flow is an a cappella ensemble which formed during the pandemic as a way to gather outside in a small group and enjoy singing together. The group was originally the Ladies Six and has evolved into a 12 member choir with a new name. The theme for the 2024–2025 concert season is Rise, my Soul. The performance will include music from many genres, including sacred music from various countries and styles, art songs with lyrics by Shakespeare to William Blake, and American and English folk music.
WEBSITE

Of Good Nature
with an opening performance by ELI LEV

Thursday, April 10, 7:30-9:30PM

OF GOOD NATURE
On the outskirts of Charlotte, North Carolina, in a secluded studio surrounded by towering trees, Of Good Nature crafts vibrant, soul-affirming music designed to bring joy to listeners. Their genre-blending sound fuses alternative, soul, folk, world, and rock into a refreshingly innovative whole, highlighted by powerful vocals, intricate drumming, and brass harmonies.  

Led by Cam Brown, whose soulful, articulate vocals pair with his acoustic-centered songwriting, and drummer David Hamilton Jr. known for his rhythmic brilliance across gospel, Latin, jazz, and hip-hop styles, OGN produces music that feels both polished and alive.  
WEBSITE

ELI LEV
Global citizen and singer songwriter Eli Lev is making the world a smaller place, one song at a time. Eli pens hymns for everyday enlightenment—songs that resonate because they’re heartfelt, earthy, and offer wisdom culled from self-discovery and adventure.
WEBSITE

Brotherhood of Trees and Mike Errico

Saturday, April 12, 7:30-9:30PM

Brotherhood of Trees
Songwriting duo Jay Livingston and Danny-O planted the Brotherhood of Trees in 2014 on a cold winter night in a rural Maryland studio under the watchful gaze of a giant pine grove.

The following years harvested a catalog of music rooted firmly in Americana, Country, Rock, and Folk. On a lark, Jay and Danny connected with R.E.M. and Widespread Panic producer John Keane. A friendship ensued and a first trip to record at Keane’s studio in Athens, GA commenced in December 2018. Over the next four years the lyrics and melodies of the Brotherhood germinated into a fresh new Americana Roots sound.
WEBSITE

Mike Errico
New York-based recording artist, writer, and lecturing professor Mike Errico has built his name on the strength of critically acclaimed releases and extensive composition for film and TV.

He teaches songwriting at universities including Yale, Wesleyan, the New School, and NYU’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. He was nominated for 2019’s David Payne-Carter Award for Excellence in Teaching, and taught the 2022 GRAMMY® Museum’s inaugural Summer Sessions in New York City.
WEBSITE

FALL FOLLIES: COMEDY IN SONG

Sunday, April 13, 3-5PM

Annie Gill, Katherine Merryman and Andrew Stewart return to Manor Mill with a broad array of comical songs and scenes that will leave you laughing for more. Come enjoy Fall Follies: Comedy in Song!
LISTEN – Katherine Merryman
LISTEN – Annie Gill
LISTEN – Andrew Stewart

Blue Cactus

Friday, April 18, 7:30-9:30PM

Led by songwriters Steph Stewart and Mario Arnez, Blue Cactus got their start among the active honky-tonk circuit of North Carolina, developing an electrified twang that now branches out effortlessly into folk, alt-country, and psychedelic-tinged rock. Having released two records to critical acclaim, they have grown a cult following in the South and beyond, their introspective lyricism and blistering guitar techniques making the band potent in the studio and on stage. Praised by No Depression for their ability to paint “beautiful pictures of limitless possibility” in roots music, Blue Cactus firmly bear the flag for a new generation of country and Americana.
WEBSITE

Lisa Bastoni and Letitia VanSant

Saturday, April 19, 7-9PM

Lisa Bastoni
Lisa Bastoni (Northampton, MA) is a 2022 & 2023 New England Music Award nominee (Roots), 2020 & 2019 Boston Music Award Nominee (Folk) and winner of 2019 New Folk at the esteemed Kerrville Folk Festival. In addition to her work in music, Lisa Bastoni is a visual artist and teacher, and mother to two young children. Lisa Bastoni has opened for/performed with Lori McKenna, Dar Williams, Regina Spektor, The Secret Sisters, Teddy Thompson, and many others.
WEBSITE

Letitia VanSant
Letitia VanSant’s lyrics trace questions about why the world is the way it is into the human soul. With sparse indie folk arrangements fortifying a distinctly intimate vocal style, her stage presence is down-to-earth and immediate.
Letitia is one half of Golden Aster, a vocal harmony-focused duo with Laura Wortman of the Honey Dewdrops, and lead vocalist for classic country band Rusty Sal.
WEBSITE

Jamie McLean Band

Thursday, April 24, 7:30-9:30PM

Jamie McLean Band creates a musical gumbo that incorporates New Orleans soul, middle Americana roots, Delta blues and New York City swagger. Jamie McLean Band is a triple threat. The group’s energetic and captivating live show is undeniable. McLean’s fiery guitar has joined the ranks of Derek Trucks, Gregg Allman, Aaron Neville, Dr. John and more on stages from from Madison Square Garden to Japan’s Fuji Rock. His blue eyed southern soul vocals ooze real emotion.
WEBSITE

 

May

Summer Dean

Thursday, May 1, 7:30-9:30PM

Summer Dean is a rising star in the Texas music scene. With a captivating stage presence and raw, honest songwriting, she's quickly making a name for herself. Her live shows are a blend of confidence and vulnerability, showcasing her talent as both a performer and storyteller.

Dean's recently released album, "The Biggest Life," captures her most powerful work yet. Produced by Texas legend Bruce Robison, the album features tracks like "Big Ol Truck" and the poignant "Lonely Girl's Lament," showcasing her ability to connect with listeners through relatable experiences.
WEBSITE

Grace Pettis

Friday, May 2, 7:30-9:30PM

“Grace has a melodic way of writing that not only stays in your head but reads what’s sitting in your soul. She writes what I’ve always wanted to say.” - Ruthie Foster (Grammy-nominated blues artist

Grace Pettis’ much-anticipated sophomore MPress Records release, Down To The Letter, captures the Nashville-based (formerly Austin-based) singer-songwriter at the peak of her song writing powers. Chronicling the end of a marriage and the reclamation of self after betrayal, codependency, and loss with heartbreaking detail, the lyrics deftly toe the line between personal pain and universal catharsis. 
WEBSITE

Roy Book Binder

Saturday, May 3, 7:30-9:30PM

Who can say they were friends with Rev. Gary Davis, Pink Anderson, and Robert Lockwood? And toured with Bonnie Raitt, JJ Cale, and Hot Tuna? Roy can. He has the stories, the licks, and the timeless music in his fingers. Featured on PBS, "Fresh Air" with Terry Gross, Roy Book Binder is keeping the tradition of American blues alive and growing. We are privileged to have Roy at Manor Mill for the third time! Please join us in welcoming this legendary musician and storyteller.
WEBSITE

Walter Salas-Humara of the Silos
and Freedy Johnston

Thursday, May 8, 7:30-9:30PM

Walter Salas-Humara
Walter’s musical career started with The Silos, the still-kicking band Salas-Humara co-founded in New York’s post-punk ‘80s scene. Playing alt-country before anyone called it that, they were named Best New Artist in the 1987 Rolling Stone Critics Poll. Throughout Salas-Humara’s career his voice has remained textured like a walnut; meanwhile, his narratives focus not on interior, abstract weaves of doubts and anxieties but on storytelling. He renders small incidents in granular detail that take on the weight of attentive, convincing poetry and wry wordplay. Each tune is marked by such humanity, which offers much refuge in a convulsive time.
WEBSITE

Freedy Johnston
Freedy Johnston, critically acclaimed singer-songwriter, returns with his ninth album, "Back on the Road to You," a melodic journey filled with wit, humor, and poignant storytelling. His songwriting prowess, once hailed by Rolling Stone in 1994 when they named him ‘Songwriter of the Year’, shines through on this new release. They described him as "a master storyteller, (who) sketches out full-blown tragedies in a few taut poetic lines," adding that "he joins that elite cadre of songwriters—Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Elvis Costello—whose brilliant pop compositions turn magical with the addition of a defiantly idiosyncratic singing voice."
WEBSITE

Pat Byrne

Friday, May 9, 7-9PM

Following his 2021 Into The Light album, Byrne delivered strong new works in 2022. His unmistakable voice and cinematic lyrics continue to touch our universal humanity. Supported by legendary musicians from Emmylou Harris’s band he presents another gem with “Only a Man”. Recorded at The Next Waltz with Bruce Robison and band, “Until it Isn’t” is a gorgeous rendition wistfully recalling lost love. Byrne’s December 2022 release, “Feels Like Living”, makes palpable the working musician’s struggle and uncertainty, underpinned by a nostalgic arrangement of strings and harmonium.

“The results — Irish Americana, by turns rollicking and resonating, that’s driven by his gruff growl of a voice — suggest that he’s one to keep an eye on.” - Stuart Munro, The Boston Globe
WEBSITE

Beatles Tribute: Saving Sergeant Pepper

Sunday, May 11, 3-5PM

Saving Sgt. Pepper is a Beatle cover band from the Maryland area. The band is made up of individuals that grew up with the Fab-4 as the musical soundtrack of their youth. Buzzy, Earl Joe and Keith enjoy performing this music that all ages know and love. While the band does not wear the iconic clothes, speak in a Scouse accent or model their equipment after the lads, they perform the music as true to the recordings as possible.
A wonderful time is guaranteed for all!
WEBSITE

Mark Hummel & The Blues Survivors

Thursday, May 15, 7:30-9:30PM

Grammy nominated singer and harmonica master Mark Hummel and guitarist Anson Funderburgh have a century of seasoning between them and it shows. They combine for one of the best electric Blues shows touring today. Mark Hummel s known for recruiting notable ensembles and this version with the unquestionably influential Texas guitarist Anson Funderburgh is not to be missed. This is a rare opportunity to hear and see them in such an intimate setting.
WEBSITE

Enslow

Friday, May 16, 7:30-9:30PM

Hailing from Baltimore’s vibrant music scene, Enslow is a dynamic singer-songwriter whose commanding vocals and captivating performances have established her as a standout in modern pop music. Seamlessly blending elements of electronic pop with hints of the 1970s and an indie sensibility, Enslow's music offers a refreshing take on the contemporary pop scene. Her debut album, Hello, released in 2024, is a testament to her authentic artistry.
WEBSITE

BLANK PAGE

Saturday, May 17, 7-9PM

Born and raised in MD, high school seniors, Blank Page, write and perform original country music with versatile influences. Their harmonies and lyrics will have you leaving the show remembering your love for music.
Listen to their debut single!

Rachel Ana Dobken and Lauren Calve

Friday, May 23, 8-10PM

Rachel Ana Dobken
Rachel Ana Dobken is a powerhouse musician (drums, guitar, piano, vocals, producer) with a knack for blending heavy, indie-rock & soul. Described as “My Morning Jacket meets Amy Winehouse,” she’s been featured by Relix Magazine, Guitar Girl Magazine, the New York Times, & more. She worked closely with famed music photographer Danny Clinch as Music Director of his Transparent Gallery in Asbury Park, NJ and has sat in with Mike McCready, G. Love, Robert Randolph, Rayland Baxter, Brian Fallon (Gaslight Anthem), Grahame Lesh, Nicole Atkins, Blind Melon, Tash Neal & more.

Dobken’s recent release“Acceptance” was produced by Dobken in conjunction with Erik Romero (The Front Bottoms) and Paul Ritchie (The Parlor Mob).The record features Dobken on drums, guitar, keys and vocals, along with a whole slew of special guests (members of Blind Melon, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, The Parlor Mob & more).
WEBSITE

Lauren Calve
Lauren Calve has been undergoing a metamorphosis in her life, a massive shift. You can hear it seeping through every song, oozing out of every lyric, and feel the shedding of her skin with every note on her first full-length album Shift. The subtle and understated yearning in her voice, the intonation in her haunting vocals and delivery, Calve is longing for something more. Through the ten-track collection of songs, she invites the listener to come along on her journey of self-discovery and change, demonstrating a musical masterclass in the art of emotional storytelling.
WEBSITE

Sock Hop with DJ ERIK

Saturday, May 31, 7:30-10PM

Hey there, cool cats! Get ready to cut a rug and do the stroll at our rockin’ Sock Hop with DJ Erik!

Grease up your hair, grab your best gal or guy, and head on up to the Loft on April 18th from 7:30 to 10:00 PM. We’ll be spinning doo-wop and all the hottest hits from Elvis, Chuck Berry, and Buddy Holly – guaranteed to get you boppin’ and jivin’ all night long!

Don’t be a square! Come show off your coolest dance moves, sip on some soda pop, and have a blast from the past. See you there, hep cats!

 

JUNE

The Flying Vees

Sunday, June 1, 3-5PM

The Flying Vees is a bonafide supergroup composed of four seasoned musicians of varied backgrounds. Brechyn Chace (vocals), Shannon Vasile (vocals), Caitlin Ramsey (keys), and Hannah Taylor (guitar/vocals) joined forces in 2020 to create their unique brand of wry, gothic, harmony-heavy Americana. Lovers of punk, country, folk, and maudlin, sad-girl caterwauling will be equally at home at a The Flying Vees show. In short, they are just four mighty Vees attempting the daring and death-defying feat of trying to sing and swear their way through life and into your heart.
WEBSITE

Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen

Sunday, June 8, 3-5PM

Multi-Grammy nominated Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen is a torrent of mind-blowing bluegrass. Known for their meaty pile-driving rhythms and Frank’s dynamic and bold vocals, the band’s last two albums have both received a Grammy nomination for Best Bluegrass Album. They have twice been named IBMA Instrumental Group of the Year and earned numerous other IBMA noms including Male Vocalist of the Year, Mandolin Player of the Year, and in 2013, received Banjo Player of the Year. heir massive sound and show stealing performances command the most prestigious stages in the country and abroad; from The Grand Ole Opry to the biggest international festivals across Europe, South America and Australia. The band has performed at the most renowned bluegrass festivals including Telluride, MerleFest, Grey Fox, RockyGrass, Delfest, Strawberry Music Festival, Pickin’ in the Pines, ROMP, and countless more. Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen is among the most respected and sought-after bands in the business.
WEBSITE

Anthony Frijia and Skribe

Friday, June 13, 8-10PM

Anthony Frija:
Anthony Frijia has mastered the art of creating live shows that feel more like intimate conversations than performances. Recently voted “Baltimore’s Best Local Artist” in the Baltimore Reader’s Poll, he knows it’s these intimate conversations to which he owes all of his success as an artist.

Fusing folk, blues, and country influences, Frijia’s lyrically-driven songwriting has captivated audiences in the Mid-Atlantic, and across the country as a touring artist, drawing comparisons to Bob Dylan, Tyler Childers, and John Mayer. His knack for storytelling and a great lyric have never been more evident than on his most-recent studio release, “The Artifacts of Letting Go”, an 11-track Nomadic Americana record streaming everywhere and now available on vinyl.
WEBSITE

Skribe:
Annapolis based songwriter Skribe is back at the Mill! “Skribe plays an oil can called a canjo-zookie. It’s an eight-string guitar with a biting, blues-y rasp. Skribe’s got the voice (and the old-school Cadillac) to match. Accompanying himself on the suitcase-kick and hi-hat, Skribe’s “M.I.Y.” is a barn-burning roots number. ”
– Ben Naddaff-Hafrey NPR

Buffalo Nichols

Thursday, June 26, 8-10pm

Nichols' debut, released in October 2021 via Fat Possum Records, has ascended him to the national stage, earning praise and support from NPR Music ('Tiny Desk (Home) Concert; All Songs Considered 'Best of October') to Rolling Stone ('The Fight to Reclaim the Blues' feature; 'Song You Need To Know'), Bandcamp Daily ('October Shortlist') to Guitar WorldTexas Monthly to Uncut (UK), among many others. 

His live show and energy is amazing, bringing a wonderful message and culturally relevant experience to every performance.
WEBSITE

Watch Buffalo’s performance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert!

Mike Compton and Joe Newberry

Friday, June 27, 8-10PM

Mike Compton and Joe Newberry collaborate with a vision that is both modern and ageless, digging deep into early country music, blues, and other heartbeat sounds of traditional music. Their performances at home and abroad, from venues large and small, showcase soul-stirring instrumentals, numbers from the great American song bag, as well as newly composed songs and tunes that are already taking their rightful place in the new tradition.
WEBSITE

 

AUGUST

Ani Mari and DT Huber

Thursday, August 7, 8-10PM

Singer-songwriter Ani Mari’s debut solo album, girlfriend, explores the ambiguities of coming of age in a beautifully precarious world. Across ten warmly combative tracks, her songs fight for grace and connection amidst the anxieties, desires, heartbreaks, and oftentimes wearying joie de vivre of being young in America’s heartland.

Though just 21-years-old, Ani Mari has been performing solo, with her backing band, and with her folk duo, Ani & Kora, around her home state of Michigan for almost a decade, along the way sharing stages with The Accidentals, Lindsay Lou, May Erlewine, and Joshua Davis, among many others. On tracks like “whitefish bay” and “the prettiest things,” listeners will hear echoes of the forests and waters of the Upper Peninsula where she was raised, and the bluegrass and folk musical influences she grew up around
ANI MARI WEBSITE

Jacob Jolliff

Saturday, August 9, 8-10PM

Jacob Jolliff is one of the world’s premier contemporary mandolinists. In 2011, he graduated from Berklee College of Music, having studied there on a full scholarship. The following year, in 2012, he won the USA’s National Mandolin Championship in Winfield, KS. A fixture of the bluegrass scene, he has performed and collaborated with Béla Fleck, Tony Trischka, Michael Daves, Grant Gordy, Wes Corbett, and Alex Hargreaves, to name a few. Additionally, throughout his 20s, he toured as a member of the groups Joy Kills Sorrow and Yonder Mountain String Band. Currently, his focus is on his own ensemble, The Jacob Jolliff Band—one of the most cutting-edge progressive bluegrass groups on the scene today. They’ve released three albums, the most recent of which, “Instrumentals, Vol. 2: Mandolin Mysteries,” dropped in May 2024. The band plays a combination of complex original instrumental music and vocal repertoire that spans from trad bluegrass to unlikely pop covers.
WEBSITE

Ragged Union

Friday, August 15, 8-10PM

Ragged Union's signature bluegrass-and-beyond sound has appeared at festivals, concert series and events all across the USA, England, and China, since 2013. Past performances include IBMA Wide Open Bluegrass, John Hartford Memorial Festival, Northwest String Summit, Durango Meltdown, Shrewsbury Folk Festival (England), and the Qingdao International Beer Festival (China), to name a few. The band’s recipe for tasty contemporary bluegrass contains three main ingredients: ‘Outsider Songwriting’ - poetic lyrics that stretch beyond the ‘normal’ country themes, ‘Timeless Melodies’ that are new, yet sound familiar and classic, and ‘Unexpected Arrangements', rich compositional ideas, changes in feel and tempo, and an overall songwriting approach that isn’t trying to conform to what everyone else is doing. All of these concepts come together in an impressively exciting and memorable live performance.
WEBSITE

Goldpine

Saturday, August 23, 8-10PM

From Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion and the Kansas City Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium to listening rooms throughout the United States, husband-wife duo Goldpine has been offering their own brand of bold harmony-driven Americana to audiences large and small. Winner of the 2022 Rocky Mountain Songwriter Contest, their distinctive harmonies are clearly a channel for their sometimes-raucous, sometimes-reminiscent compositions. With an incredible collection of stories about life, love, and purpose, their live performance is a powerful projection of everything Goldpine is about: striking vocals, bold harmony, and introspection into the human experience.
WEBSITE

 

September

The Nighthawks

Saturday, September 20, 4:00-6:00PM

"On this landmark anniversary, founder, lead singer and harpmaster Mark Wenner is still at the helm, while drummer Mark Stutso, guitarist Dan Hovey and bassist Paul Pisciotta all share vocals and songwriting, making this lineup one of the strongest. Decades of gigs and rabid fans have earned them the name “The Best Bar Band In The World.” More than a bar band or blues band, as they’re frequently labeled, this is a band that played with Carl Perkins in addition to Muddy Waters."
- Vizztone, 2022
WEBSITE

 

october

Lucy Kaplansky

Friday, October 3, 7-9PM

Lucy Kaplansky is an acclaimed singer-songwriter of rare talent, “a truly gifted performer with a bag full of enchanting songs” (The New Yorker) and “the troubadour laureate of modern city folk” (The Boston Globe).

She has released nine critically acclaimed CDs, two of which were awarded Best Pop Album of the year by the Association for Independent Music. National Public Radio described her 2012 album Reunion as “a master class in making the personal universal,” and National Public Radio’s Scott Simon called her new album Last Days of Summer, released in June 2022, “Absolutely wonderful....utterly beautiful and affecting... Lucy sings songs from her life with resonance in ours.”
WEBSITE

Old Part of Town

Friday, October 17, 7:30-9:30PM

After a sold-out show here nearly two years ago, The Old Part of Town return with another special acoustic performance, bringing with them their eclectic blend of roots-Americana, folk-rock, country-blues, and bluegrass. Showcasing tight harmonies, tasteful musicianship, and an infectious on-stage camaraderie, the band features singer-songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Matt Douglass and Sam Nitzberg, Upright Dave Frieman on bass, Steve Raskin on drums, and Lynn Kasdorf on pedal steel.
WEBSITE

Todd Albright

Saturday, October 18, 7:30-9:30PM

Todd Albright is a country blues, twelve-string guitar player and vocalist based in Detroit, Michigan. Grounded in the pre-war era of the blues tradition (1880-1939), Todd is a mindful purveyor of blues history. His repertoire upholds musical pillars such as Blind Willie McTell, George Carter, Blind Lemon Jefferson and Leadbelly. His life’s work continues the distinguished tradition of the very roots of American music as told by the African American musicians who created it.
WEBSITE

Hammer Creek Bluegrass

Friday, October 24, 7-9PM

Hammer Creek Bluegrass stays true to their name and keeps the tempo hopping with a wide variety of bluegrass music from classic groups like Flatt and Scruggs, The Stanley Brothers and Bill Monroe to name a few. The band has put a creative bluegrass twist of their own on some timeless country and other genres from artists like Steve Earl, Townes Van Zandt and Dwight Yoakam. Enjoy a great time as they entertain with a variety of music that is sure to keep you asking for more.