Anne's Show Picks of the Week (June 19)

By Anne Castellano

On Friday night, Music in the Meadow returns with another show at the Connecticut College Arboretum in New London. The bands will be The Rivergods, The 3-Pack, and The Meadows Brothers. They made their debut at the Hygienic Art Park for a recent Live Lunch Break show, but this will only be the second show for the Rivergods' new 6-piece lineup. Core members Ben and Nancy Parent are joined by Dana Takaki on violin, Craig Johnson on bass, Chris DeBiasi on drums, and Bill Groth on keyboards and backing vocals. The band won "Best Country Rock Act" at the recent Whalie Awards, and they have a busy summer full of shows planned. Their most recent EP, Never Grow Old, was released in January. The only show to date that the 3-Pack have played was back in the fall, at the now-defunct Six String Cafe. You will  remember Hugh, Peter, and Tom from the Reducers, but Peter is now playing bass and they have been working on all new material for quite some time. Expect a mix of new originals with a few really cool covers to round things out. I shouldn't have to tell you that they will sound great. The Meadows Brothers are teenage brothers Ian and Dustin Meadows, talented  roots/bluegrass/country duo from the lower CT River valley. These guys have been playing in bands together since they were in middle school, and they released their self-titled debut album in 2012. The Meadows Brothers have toured extensively and have even opened for Don McLean. Bring an blanket, bug spray, a picnic supper, and a cooler. If you'd rather someone else do the cooking, Munchies Food Truck will also be at the Arboretum entrance. Gates open at 6 pm, and tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. The Arboretum is located on Williams Street, directly across from the back entrance to Connecticut College.

On Saturday night, the Stan Martin Band will return to Sneekers Cafe in Groton. Stan Martin is a great songwriter and guitar player, originally from Boston. He just released a brand new album (his fifth) called Whiskey Morning, which was recorded in Nashville with Dave Roe, who worked with Johnny Cash and Dwight Yoakam. I saw these guys the last time they were in town and can strongly recommend this show if you are a fan of good guitar playing and country/Americana music. This is a great band, and Stan is the real deal. The show starts at 8:30 pm and there is no cover.

Also on Saturday night, the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center (The Kate) in Old Saybrook has a special show with Brother Sun and The Boxcar Lilies. The Boxcar Lilies are a trio of female folk/Americana singer/songwriters from western Massachusetts who specialize in three part harmonies. They first got together in 2009 and released their first album the following year. The follow-up, Sugar Shack, was released in 2013 and was highlighted by CMJ in their roundup of exciting new releases. Brother Sun is also a trio (with three part harmonies), and the band members originate from Boston, Chicago, and New York. They also have two full length CDs out, and members Joe Jenks, Greg Greenway, and Pat Wictor all have solo albums as well. Both bands have done a lot of touring, playing festivals and other shows, and have earned great reviews from critics and media people as well as fans. The bands will each play one short set, and will then combine to form a “giant folk super-group”. Perhaps six part harmonies? You never know. Tickets are $25 and the show starts at 8 pm.


LOVE & PRESS

"I just wanted to thank you for all you do for the local music community. I have tonight off so I went to the wailing city site to see who was playing. It’s amazing all the work you put in for all the local musicians and venues and I just wanted to thank you."
- Phil Smith (musician)

"...my new best friend Meghan Killimade, who's site Wailing City, lets me find all the latest local bands -- where they are playing and the times -- has suddenly been a big help in letting me find some events outside of my usual box!"
- Stephanie Shawn "Bar Fly Journals"
(Sound Waves Magazine)
Published December 2024

"Wailing City is this absolutely fantastic local music blog here in CT. They've been the place to go to find out what's happening, what's new and why you should care for well over a decade. Graciously, they interviewed us about the new album, the book, the film and all that. While touring throughout the years, we've sometimes felt like 'one foot in, one foot out' with the local scene, but they've always made us feel right at home. Thanks Wailing City."
- Pocket Vinyl (band)

"There are a staggering 64 documented live music performances in my home of New London county, CT today alone! The population of this county is only 268,805 and it is only 772 square miles. That is an incredible saturation of venues hosting live music and is a stark contrast to places I've lived in the past! You would be hard pressed to find anywhere else in the country that has so much live music. Amazing really! Thank you for the hard work documenting and promoting Wailing City!"
-Travis Hyll (musician)

"Wailing City appreciation post: true champions of the New London county music scene. Follow them!"
-Dirt Pile (band)

"We wanna take a minute to shout out our friends over at Wailing City for always helping to spread the word about our shows. They've been curating the most comprehensive live music calendar for SECT since 2006. If you don't already, give them a follow."
- 33 Golden Street (venue)

"Wailing City should be your first check in for all local music schedules. Thank you so much for all your efforts in promoting the scene!!
- David Schena (musician)

"Wailing City has been keeping the calendar up to date since I first started going to shows 20 years ago. We’re lucky to have Meghan volunteer her time to help keep the scene going!"
-James Burke (musician)

"With a little footwork and a short drive I managed to visit three live music shows on Bank Street last night... New London ROCKS...and all made possible searching out local music on Wailing City... thanks Meghan."
- Don Diederich (musician / local music fan)

"If you don't have ears, then it's possible you're not aware that southeastern Connecticut - specifically New London County - has an incredibly vibrant music scene. Over the years, it's gone from a hotbed of indie rock to an area of musicians, fans and venues that support a complex and varied number of artistic styles. The wailingcity.com web site - newly and lovingly redesigned - is a tremendous resource. A labor of affection and devotion conceptualized in 2006, wailingcity.com boasts artist bios, reviews and interviews, a club and band data base and calendars, videos, audio streaming, and cross-referenced links on all of the above - as well as lists of music services such as instrument instruction, record and retail stores, related media and periodicals, festival information, and so on. It's the brainchild of musician/artist Meghan Killimade, (and contributors), and they do a terrific job."
- RICK KOSTER (The Day) Published April 03. 2014

“Wailing City, is, as of now, probably the most successfully comprehensive listing on local and area shows in Southeastern Connecticut on the Internet; the folks at Wailing City are doing an excellent job of making sounds from the underground.”
-Ben Johnson (The Day) Published July 27, 2006