School Closing Conte Middle School in North Adams will be closed Friday, December 5, as the investigation into a mercury spill continues.
Light'em Up! North Adams kicks off the holiday season with its annual treelighting on Thursday, Dec. 4, at 5:30 p.m.
Pittsfield lights its tree on Friday, Dec. 5, at 6 at Park Square.
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By Lyndsay DeBord - August 15, 2008 Special to iBerkshires
PITTSFIELD — Heavy-metal band Sifer will trade their electric guitars for acoustic ones for a "Berkshire Unplugged" performance at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts in Pittsfield on Friday.
The doors open at the 28 Renne Ave. arts center at 8 p.m., with the performance set to start at 9. The cover charge is $5 cover, and the all-ages concert has time available before the show and between sets for open mike.
Sifer singer Aimee Gelinas said she wants to encourage original rock music. She added that most of the bars in the area focus heavily on cover bands.
"We're not a cover band," she stressed. "We never will be."
The metal band, based in Windsor, will have to modify their music for tonight's acoustic performance. But the lead singer admits it won't be completely unplugged.
"It's been a little tricky," Gelinas said about altering their loud sound.
The vocalist said t she will have to pull back and explore the subtleties in her voice. Sifer's drummer, Evan Bates, will also use hand percussion, but Gelinas insists that the format and feeling of their songs will stay the same.
"It's still very powerful, but it's a different kind of power," she said.
The band, which has influences from rock, metal and grunge, considers its original music as dark but not negative. Gelinas, who wrote most of their songs, described her lyrics as a search for answers.
"Travel really inspires me to write," she said.
The song "Need to Live" relates to her experiences in Africa, and "Darfur" examines the genocide in the region. The lyricist believes the band's music is "a positive creation out of something that's dark."
Their traditionally metal songs can be heard on the band's MySpace page, along with the more acoustic "Coma." Sifer will have their recently completed first CD, "Divinity or Demise," available for purchase at the show.
Along with exploring a different way to play their music, Sifer is trying out a new audience. Gelinas described the alcohol-free show as a great venue for people who don't want to go to a bar to listen to music.
Also at the show will be guest percussionist Stephanie Weber, who will perform with Sifer, and Pittsfield hard-rock band A Sign Before.
Sifer will go back to their metal roots for a performance on Saturday, Aug. 23, at the GEAA to benefit the family of late Angelo Rossi, a friend of the band.
Aspiring rockers can sign up tonight at the door to reserve an open mike slot or by contacting Gelinas at aimee@gaiaroots.com.
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North Adams kicks off the holiday season with its annual treelighting on 
Passionate about local sports? Into the environment? Obsessive about local meetings?
