Friday is the big day — the inauguration of the 45th president of the United States. Many will choose not to spend Jan. 20 huddled around the television set watching this ceremony. For them, the advent of the Trump presidency is not a time of celebration, but rather the signaling of dark days ahead — a time when our environment, health care, women, minority and immigrant rights are perhaps at great risk.
Musician Daniel Hales of Greenfield is one of these people.
“I was feeling kind of helpless and depressed about the inauguration and wasn’t able to make it to any protest or anything,” Hales said. “I was trying to imagine what I would do with myself on the 20th. Was I going to come home from work, crawl up in a fetal position and moan all day? I knew I had to do something, so I pulled a show together.”
Hales has put together an “anti-inauguration show” that will take place Friday night at 9:30 p.m. at the Rendezvous in Turners Falls. The event will feature four bands with all proceeds benefiting the American Civil Liberties Union.
Hales, who is a poet, singer, songwriter and guitarist, will perform at the show with his own indie-rock band The frost heaves and hales. The group, which also features James Lowe on bass and Dan Mickus on guitar, has played a variety of shows throughout Pioneer Valley. Some of their performances include tribute shows and even special movie-themed shows when serving as the opening act at Pothole Pictures in Shelburne Falls. The group has released three albums and are currently working on a fourth which they hope to release later this year.
Also performing at this show will be the Greenfield-based group High and Tite, which Hales described as playing “dreamy, instrumental music.” Tiki Twins, a garage pop band out of Boston, and New Parents, an experimental bluesy pop group from Northampton, will also be performing.
It’s going to be a packed night of music, but more than that, it’s a chance for people to come together and attempt to deal with the myriad of feelings they are experiencing on this day.
“I think music can play an important role,” said Hales about the show. “It can be a way to gather people and create a space for people who feel strongly about this. It’s a place to go where you can gather with like-minded people.”
From the start, Hales knew that he wanted this show to benefit an important cause. As the nation’s premier defenders of freedom and justice, the ACLU seemed to Hales to be the perfect choice.
“Once I decided that the show was going to be a benefit, my band mates had an extra sense of urgency about this show,” Hales said. “We feel have to play a great set because we are doing this for a cause we feel strongly about.”
Admission is free but donations will be encouraged for the ACLU. The Rendezvous is located at 78 3rd St. in Turners Falls.
The day after the inauguration is the Women’s March on Washington — an event expected to draw thousands of women to the city who, according to organizers, are coming together to “promote the advancement of equality and human rights for all women, minorities, and immigrants, and to send a clear message to the incoming cabinet that we are watching.”
Sister events are being held throughout the country, including the Standing Our Ground rally which will take place here in Greenfield. Protestors will gather on the Town Common at 12:30 and 1 p.m. All participants will join with groups across the country in observing a minute of silence for equality.
The Arts Block in Greenfield is putting their full support behind this protest by hosting the Rock Your Rights! Concert on Saturday, Jan. 21. Women musicians from the valley representing all types of genres will come together to sing in an act of solidarity with their sisters. The music will begin at 2 p.m. and each artist will perform a 25-minute set.
Performers include Katherine Adler, (poetry readings; Mariam Massaro and Special Guests; Esperanza Friel; Casey Opal; Janet Ryan; Carson O’Keeffe; Lexi Weege; Caity Simpson; Brideau Brittany; Kelsey Birk; Anna Joy and more.
“Many of us would love to travel to Washington, D.C., for the march, but working locally to raise awareness, and to directly benefit local Planned Parenthood chapters, is critical for local women and families,” said blues rocker Janet Ryan, who will be participating in the show. “As a musician, in playing together with local talent, I hope to add to the sense of community and support that we all need.”
Prior to the show, The Arts Block will open its doors from noon to 2 p.m. to provide a place for those participating in the Woman Standing Our Ground rally to come in for a warm drink and relax. Once the concert starts, the venue’s full bar and food services will be available for those in attendance. The Arts Block will also be live-streaming the march from Washington.
“This is going to be an amazing show. I say it a lot, but this one really matters,” said Jeremy Goldsher, the event organizer on his Facebook page. “The fight for equality is all too real, and has gone on long enough. Come hear some bad-ass women sing their hearts out and raise some cash for the cause!”
Suggested admission is $5 to $10. All money raised will be donated to women’s rights — half will go to the local organization Tapestry and the other half to Planned Parenthood.
If you can not attend this event but are interested in donating, you can do so by visiting the Art Block’s website at www.theartsblock.com.
We’d be remiss here at Sounds Local if we didn’t bid a formal farewell to local bluesman Art Steele who passed away last Thursday in a car accident in Sunderland.
A respected musician and soundman who had a strong presence on the local music scene since the 1970s, Steele must have played at every venue this area ever had. I never had the privilege of interviewing him, but was fortunate to see him play many times over the years. I remember in 2012, after Steele was sidelined with some serious injuries sustained in an automobile accident, a host of local musicians came together to hold a benefit for Steele at the Harp in Amherst. This was a testament to the respect his peers had for him.
Anyone who ever saw him play will remember the passion and intensity he brought to the stage and the emotion he was able to express with that wailing guitar. Art Steele, you will be truly missed.
Sheryl Hunter is a music writer who lives in Easthampton. Her work has appeared in various regional and national magazines.
You can contact her at
soundslocal@yahoo.com.