The Wood Brothers have partnered with American Friends of Canadian Conservation so that $1 per ticket will support The Nature Trust of British Columbia (NTBC) in their efforts to conserve ecologically-rich wetlands and protect irreplaceable land from development. Every $1 donated will be matched by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with $2 so more endangered wetlands can be saved. If you’d like to learn more, please visit this link.
For more information on Summer Stage concerts, please visit our FAQ page.
On-site Parking Passes are available for purchase. Free parking with shuttle service is available at Yankee Candle Village.
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Join us outdoors at Tree House Brewing Company Western Mass for an incredible performance with...
The Wood Brothers
The Wood Brothers have learned to trust their hearts. For the better part of two decades, they'vecemented their reputation as freethinking songwriters, road warriors, and community builders,creating a catalog of diverse music and a loyal audience who’ve grown alongside them throughthe years. That evolution continues with Heart is the Hero, the band's eighth studio album.Recorded analog to 16-track tape, this latest effort finds its three creators embracing the chemistryof their acclaimed live shows by capturing their performances in real-time direct from the studiofloor with nary a computer in sight. An acoustic-driven album that electrifies, Heart is the Hero isstocked with songs that target not only the heart, but the head and hips, too."We love records that come from the era of less tracks and more care," explains co-founder OliverWood. "When you use a computer during the tracking process, you have an infinite number oftracks at your disposal, which implies that nothing is permanent, and everything can be fixed.Tape gives you limitations that force you to be creative and intentional. You don't look at the musicon a screen; you listen to it, and you learn to focus on the feeling of the performance."Throughout Heart Is The Hero, those performances are matched by the visceral storytelling andsongwriting chops that have turned The Wood Brothers into Grammy-nominated leaders ofAmerican roots music, even as their music reaches far beyond the genre's borders. The stripped-down swagger of "Pilgrim" underscores Oliver's reminder to slow down and experience eachmoment as an interactive observer, rather than a passive tourist. A similar theme anchors"Between the Beats," where Oliver draws upon a meditation technique — maintaining one's focuson the space between heartbeats — to reach a new level of presence. The gentle sway of countrysoul gem “Rollin’ On,” featuring horns by Matt Glassmeyer and Roy Agee, expounds on the time-honored tradition of love as the guiding light through darkness, while ”Mean Man World" findsChris Wood singing about his responsibilities as a father whose young daughter is poised to inheritan uncertain future. "Line Those Pockets" is a universal call for mercy and understanding overmaterialism. "Everybody's just trying to be happy, so put your money away; line those pocketswith grace," the band sings in three-part harmony during the song's chorus, which emphasizescompassion over cash as the world's true currency. Together, these songs offer a snapshot of aspirited, independent-minded group at the peak of its powers, always pushing forward andseeking to evolve beyond what’s come before."There's still acoustic guitar, upright bass, and percussion on this album — things people use allthe time — but we're always thinking, 'How can we make this sound like us, but not like somethingwe've already done?'" Oliver says. "Sometimes, the only way to do that is to get weird."That sense of exploration pumps its way through Heart is the Hero like lifeblood. Arriving on theheels of 2019's Live at The Fillmore, 2020's Kingdom In My Mind, and Oliver Wood's solo albumAlways Smilin'— all of which were released on Honey Jar Records, the band's independent label— Heart is the Hero is bold, bright, and singularly creative, a fully realized collective effortultimately greater than the sum of its parts. Perhaps that's to be expected from a group whosewillingness to experiment has earned acclaim from Rolling Stone and NPR, as well as an annualtouring schedule of sold-out music halls and theaters on both sides of the Atlantic. Ask The WoodBrothers, though, and they'll tell you to expect the unexpected."We are never satisfied if we are not searching for new musical recipes," says Jano Rix, noddingto the uncharted territory that Heart is the Hero covers. Chris Wood agrees, adding, "We are oneof those bands that isn't easily categorized. We know what our strengths are, but we can’t helpbut push the envelope, as well. It’s too much fun."
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Mason Via
Mason Via’s new single, “Wide Open.” Co-written by Mason Via and Zach John King , this track paints vivid pictures of campfires, screen doors, and sunsets over pastures, while also capturing the essence of young heartbreak. Raised in Patrick Springs, VA, Mason drew on his childhood experiences growing up in the hills, hollers, and backwoods of southern Virginia to inspire this incredible new song. Via says, “The song chronicles the singer’s emotional state as he reaches back into his memory to recall how much he loved the girl who has left him, and how much her absence has cut him to the core.” This song evokes a similiar emotion that Mason conveyed in Daughter of the Highlands (his stand out vocal on the Grammy nominated album Jubilee.) The track features Mason Via on lead vocals and guitar; Aaron Ramsey on mandolin; Jason Davis on banjo; Jim Vancleve on fiddle; Jeff Partin on bass and resophonic guitar; Kyser George on second guitar; Brooks Forsyth on harmony vocals; and Nick Goad on harmony vocals. This track sounds like Old Crow Medicine Show, Tyler Childers , Zach Bryan, Flatland Cavalry, Turnpike Troubadours, and Mountain Heart.