North Adams - Commonly compared to Tom Waits, Cowboy Junkies, and Billie Holiday, Shivaree (taken from a word meaning ‘drunken serenade’) will perform in an Alternative Cabaret concert in MASS MoCA’s popular Club B-10 on Saturday, October 8, at 8 P.M. Fronted by twisted torch singer Ambrosia Parsley, this trio is known for brooding, poignant tales of Americana storytelling. “Parsley sounds like a goddess from a faraway land,†according to Vanity Fair.
As Pure Music put it: “It is quite fitting that Kill Bill II ends with Uma Thurman driving off to the strains of ‘Goodbye Moon’ from Shivaree's debut (I Oughtta Give You A Shot In The Head For Making Me Live In This Dump--a Tarantino-esque moniker if there ever was one), as the band's music mirrors the director's expertise at mixing and matching the eccentricities of American culture.
Shivaree’s music might easily include torch, tango, twang, musique concrete, marching band, and metal--and that is just in one tune. Even though ‘Goodbye Moon’ became a semi-hit on triple A radio, Capitol unwisely refused to issue their second record, Rough Dreams, in America. (Do yourself a favor and find it!)â€
Ambrosia Parsley left home at age 13 to pursue her love of music. While recording tracks in a studio she met guitarist Duke McVinnie, who had worked with Johnny Otis, JJ Cale, and Exene Cervenka. After touring with Tom Waits, keyboardist Danny McGough heard their music at a party and introduced himself, eventually rounding out the trio.
They began with the name Junebug but changed it when Parsley came across “Shivaree in a Jesse James biography. Joe Henry produced their debut, I Oughtta Give You a Shot in the Head for Making Me Live in This Dump, which they recorded in Henry’s backyard. The group toured extensively, including Europe, drawing crowds so large Parsley had to overcome bouts of stage fright. Spurred on by enthusiastic praise they released Rough Dreams on Capitol records in 2002, and EP in 2004, and a full-length album, Who’s Got Trouble, later that year.
Full dinners, snacks, and sweets are available for purchase from Lickety Split in Club B-10 at all Alternative Cabaret events. The MASS MoCA Bar serves beer, wine, and liquor as well.
MASS MoCA’s Becoming Animal performing arts programming is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Tickets for Shivaree are $14 in advance or $17 the day of the concert. MASS MoCA members receive a 10% discount. Tickets are available through the MASS MoCA Box Office located off Marshall Street in North Adams, open from 11 A.M. to 5 P.M. Wednesday through Monday (July 1 through September 6, from 10 A.M. until 6 P.M. daily).
Tickets can also be charged by phone by calling 413.662.2111 during Box Office hours or purchased on line at www.massmoca.org .
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Lanesborough Town Meeting to Vote Budget, Bylaws & Vehicle Purchases
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Tuesday's annual town meeting includes a $14 million operating budget, new short-term rentals, accessory dwelling units and sign bylaws, and free cash article appropriations.
Voters will gather at Lanesborough Elementary School on June 9 at 6 p.m. to decide on 20 warrant articles.
The fiscal 2027 budget is up a little over 10 percent. Some of the main increases are the Mount Greylock Regional School District and McCann Technical School: the McCann assessment is up more than 30 percent based on factors including enrollment and the school renovation project, and Mount Greylock's is up 11 percent.
Article 11 is for the town to vote to approve from free cash the sum of $16,298.48 for the McCann Technical School roof and window replacement project so as not to impact the budget. Article 3 is appropriate $7,586,284 for Mount Greylock Regional School assessment.
Another notable increase was in life and health insurance, showing an increase of about 26 percent.
Ambulance Director Jen Weber is planning 24-hour coverage, which means more staff and a hike in her budget. One of the articles asks the town to appropriate $234,100 to operate the Ambulance Enterprise Fund for salaries and expenses.
Many town departments are looking for new vehicles. The Fire Department is looking to replace its outdated 1996 fire engine. There are two articles related to the truck at a total of $813,366. Article 12 would transfer $225,000 from free cash into the Fire Truck Stabilization Fund; Article 13 would transfer $605,000 from the fund and authorize the borrowing of $208,366.08.
The total includes a $100,000 contingency cost to cover any additional costs if a 2026 model-year chassis cannot be secured before new emissions standards go into effect in 2027.
The board at its last meeting moved the $225,000 transfer to come before the borrowing article, changing the stabilization number. If the $225,000 is not voted on, then they will amend the next article's number on the floor, subtracting the $225,000. This shows the borrowing number significantly lower.
Article 17 asks for the transfer of $80,000 from free cash to replace a police cruiser.
Police Chief Rob Derksen's aim is to replace one vehicle every other year, meaning the oldest vehicle gets replaced about every 10 years.
He stressed that if delayed this year, the town may have to double up in a future year to get back on schedule, and that paying later usually costs more. The article will ask for $80,000 from free cash, the vehicles used to be funded by the BHRD.
Lastly, the Highway Department is looking to replace a 2014 International dump truck that will be a total of $330,000 and will take two to three years to receive.
Money will be used from last year's approval of $250,000 from free cash for the replacement of a 2012 highway front-end loader that was underspent $49,261. Town meeting is being asked to approve a transfer of $53,274.85 from free cash and the use of $227,464 from funds from the Sale of Town Real Estate to fund the balance.
Other free cash proposals include $1,200 to purchase software to support tracking and ongoing maintenance schedules of town-owned vehicles; $42,000 for the replacement of the Highway Department's storage shed roof, $200,000 to reduce the tax levy.
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