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Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
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Live Wire: Ware River Club celebrates 25th anniversary of second album
There's a cliché that says bands' second albums are never as good as their first because they had all the time in the world to create the first one but often rush to release their sophomore efforts. Ware River Club certainly didn't adhere to any of that conventional wisdom. First, the group took three years to record its second record, 'Don't Take It Easy,' and the results were deemed every bit as good as the inaugural album, 'The Bad Side of Otis Ave.' The band will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of 'Don't Take It Easy' with a show at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton on Aug. 8 at 7 p.m. Lead singer and songwriter Matt Hebert talked about the album in a recent interview with The Republican. Q: 'The Bad Side of Otis Ave.' featured a wide array of players, including local legend Ray Mason and renowned drummer Keith Leverault, but by the time of the second album, the band had changed and coalesced into a more permanent unit. How did that solidifying of the lineup happen? A: After we made 'Bad Side,' we started playing locally and had a few shows in New York and Boston with the original lineup. We felt like we had something we wanted to take a little further and start doing some touring and started to travel down to SXSW and the Carolinas. Ray and Keith were both incredibly busy musicians. We needed to find a rhythm section that could commit to a lot of shows per year. Don McAulay had just auditioned for Cheri Knight's band and she introduced us. Matt Sharff was tight with Don and playing with the Johnson Boys, who we knew. We all got along well and liked a lot of the same music. It clicked. Q: How do you think that solidified lineup affected the sound and mood of 'Don't Take It Easy'? A: The rhythm section changed, but myself, Matt Cullen and Bob Hennessy were still writing in a very similar style as 'Bad Side.' I guess the biggest change is that we played a bunch of shows before going into the studio. 'Don't Take It Easy' is a natural follow-up to 'Bad Side.' It's really not that different in style or vibe. There may be a tiny bit more Replacements in there. Q: Did the new lineup change your approach to arranging the songs or what you wanted to hear musically? A: It didn't. It was more about us all catching our groove as a band. I think we had it with 'Bad Side,' and I think we found it with 'Don't Take It Easy.' We're talking about Ray Mason and Keith Leverault as a rhythm section and Don McAulay and Matt Sharff as rhythm section. Everyone involved are such solid players. Q: What made that album particularly memorable to you? A: I think this album has some of our best songs, and it was scrappy in all the best ways. Bob and Matty both brought bangers to the table. There are four songs on this record that I consider among my best, and I still perform regularly. 'Bed' is probably the song I'm most proud of. Q: Looking back to 25 years ago, has your songwriting changed much since those days, and if so, how? A: My process is so different now. It's way more regimented and organized. In my 20s, I threw everything at the wall. I'm a bit more thoughtful these days. I write on a schedule. I put time aside daily to write and edit. It sounds precious but it keeps me focused. Q: Your third album, 'Cathedral,' came out just a few years later and was the band's swan song. Any thoughts of recording as a band again in the future? A: Ummm. That might happen that day after the Iron Horse! (Hebert then makes an imaginary aside comment to the co-owner of Northampton's SpiritHouse Music recording studio): You have everything wired up Danny Bernini? Read the original article on MassLive. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Politics
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Candidate, kin marked dead on Mass. Dem database, seemingly by his rival, state Rep. Puppolo
WILBRAHAM — The man set to run against state Rep. Angelo Puppolo, D-Springfield, claimed last week the incumbent marked him 'deceased' on his party's campaign-building website. The problem has been fixed since then, though, and candidate Michael Lachenmeyer is back among the living. Lachenmeyer, 26, said Puppolo marked him and other members of his family as dead on VoteBuilder, a website used for campaigning, on June 18 — two days after Lachenmeyer publicly announced his run for Puppolo's seat in the 12th Hampden District, which includes all of Wilbraham and portions of Springfield, Monson and East Longmeadow. 'I feel angry and upset,' said Lachenmeyer last week. He told The Republican he was anxious and concerned that the action might've been politically motivated. The Republican viewed a screenshot of Lachenmeyer's VoteBuilder account, in which there are six options for eliminating names from distribution lists. Multiple options are visible, including 'Do not walk (no home visits),' 'Do not call,' and 'Do not text,' but a final option, 'Deceased,' can be seen marked by 'Puppolo Jr., A. on 6/18/25,' the screenshot shows. According to top state Democratic officials, the problem is not as nefarious as it seems. 'While we are not aware of the specific reasoning for this instance, campaigns for both parties remove opposing candidates and their supporters from contact lists, so they do not receive mail, phone calls, etc.,' Adam Roof, executive director of Massachusetts Democrats, said in an emailed statement. He explained that there are other 'effective methods' to remove people from contact lists, and the state Democratic party does not 'train or advocate' for marking someone as deceased to remove them from receiving messaging. Puppolo did not immediately respond to a phone or emailed request for comment on the matter. Steve Kerrigan, chair of the state Democratic Party, said in an emailed statement that VoteBuilder is not an 'official voter list' but rather a database political campaigns used to make contact with voters. 'Any changes to a voter's status does not impact any official voter registry. In this instance, the status was corrected,' he said. When reached for comment Monday, Lachenmeyer said he was feeling better about the situation. He said he has not spoken with Puppolo about it yet. 'I'm hopeful this won't be an issue going forward or for others like me who challenge incumbents,' he said. The Democratic primary is in September. Better angels must release US from Trump's Dark Ages (The Republican Editorials) PD: Road closure in Chicopee because of structure fire Springfield police arrest man accused of setting house on fire Largest federal grant in Mass Audubon history terminated by Trump admin Why we need a new Congress – and how to get one (Viewpoint) Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Politics
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Chicopee Councilor Tim Wagner resigns, moving to Boston area
CHICOPEE — Tim Wagner, the Chicopee at-large city councilor who previously said he would not seek reelection, announced he would leave before the end of his term. Wagner, who sat on the Chicopee City Council since January 2024, told The Republican Wednesday he's moving to the greater Boston area for a new job opportunity and 'to be closer to the people I care about.' He said he had submitted his resignation with the City Clerk's Office, and is looking at ways to donate his pay from July and August. He will officially leave the council by the end of August, he said. 'I don't think it's fair to take the full pay if I am unable to fully help my constituents,' he said. Wagner said he would donate two months of his pay to Lorraine's Soup Kitchen and Pantry, the Boys and Girls Club and the senior center. In a social media post on June 19, Wagner asked residents to contact other city councilors for assistance, but 'I will still do my best to assist those who reach out,' he wrote, adding that he planned to continue to attend City Council meetings. Earlier this year, Wagner announced he would not be running for re-election come November. The 22-year-old directed that decision at having 'a lot of life left to live.' Wagner was elected to the council in the 2023 municipal election. Before that, he served on the School Committee representing Ward 1. The young politician said he was proud of a lot of the work he has done while on the council, including restoring an economic development position to the city, adopting a 'long needed' master plan for Chicopee and proposing significant reforms. 'These were substantial efforts, but there is still more to do,' he said in a statement at a January council meeting. Wagner is asking constituents to reach out to the other at-large councilors, Frank LaFlamme and Jerry Roy, or to their ward representatives for any assistance. 'I'm grateful to the residents for this opportunity to serve on the council,' Wagner said. When reached by phone Wednesday, LaFlamme, who is also council president, said Wagner 'always did what he believed was right as an at-large councilor.' 'Sometimes we agreed and sometimes we disagreed, but he always did what he thought was right,' LaFlamme said. The council president said he heard the news about Wagner wanting to resign over the weekend. The young at-large councilor will continue to serve until the end of August, LaFlamme said. After that, LaFlamme will put a question about filling the vacancy to a vote with the other councilors, he said. In March, after Robert Zygarowski, who was vice president of the council, died, the council voted not to fill his vacant position. Judge: Case for Pittsfield woman suing car repo company can move to trial Red, white and blue: The Republican's top movie recommendations for the Fourth of July New Valley Bank sues Springfield after eminent domain taking at DPW's landlocked warehouse Cyanobacteria bloom prompts warning about this Western Mass. pond Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Holy cow! CowParade comes to Old Sturbridge Village
STURBRIDGE — Things might look a little different at Old Sturbridge Village this summer as life-size cow sculptures are installed on the historic grounds. 'It's a summer of cows,' said Jim Donahue, president and CEO of Old Sturbridge Village, in an interview with The Republican. The sculptures — more than two dozen in total — are on display as part of CowParade, an internationally renowned public art experience that has previously been on display as far away as London, Tokyo and Istanbul. 'It's an opportunity for us to display public art from the region,' Donahue said. 'We reinterpret New England history from the early 1800s, and we're excited to be able to bring some 21st century artists to the Village.' CowParade originated out of a workshop in West Hartford, Connecticut more than 20 years ago — its inaugural event was staged in Chicago in 1999. Since that time, more than 250 million people across six continents and 32 countries have seen CowParade, according to its website. In March, more than 130 artists from New England submitted 261 one-of-a-kind cow designs for consideration in CowParade. The cows chosen to go 'on parade' at Old Sturbridge Village aren't all necessarily designed by professional artists, but all the artists do come from New England. 'These are folks who might have had other jobs. These are folks who weren't necessarily always professional artists. I think the opportunity for us has been to have community members — some who are professional artists, some are not — come up with these really interesting designs,' Donahue said. Some of the cow sculptures are inspired by the Village, Donahue explained. Jenessa Burks, a mural artist from Worcester, took patterns from the Village's wallpaper collection and reproduced them onto her cow, 'Small House, Big Hooves.' Employees of Sturbridge Town Hall designed another cow, 'Mootilda,' that documents the history of Sturbridge. Peter O. Zierlein, of Northampton, an art professor at Springfield Technical Community College, is bringing his design, 'Holy Cow,' to the parade. 'I named it 'Holy Cow' because at first, I was going to have the colors on the cow reversed,' Zierlein said. 'I was going to have the flames be black and the top of the cow be gold to symbolize a biblical story about a golden calf.' While the organizers liked his design, they asked if he'd be willing to swap the colors — making the cow black and the flames gold. 'All around Sturbridge Village, there's fire. Every hearth has fire in it, and the blacksmith shop, so I thought that it would be a good thing,' he said. 'So now the 'Holy Cow' is for the fire that is all around Old Sturbridge Village.' Zierlein worked on his cow in a studio at STCC, where he was able to get his students involved with the process. 'I made an event out of it where students could learn how to score public art projects,' he said. 'The cow was a nice prop in the studio there, and they could see every day how progress grows.' 'Holy Cow' is now on display near the blacksmith's shop, where it will remain for the entirety of the exhibition. 'We've tried to position each cow in the right location based on the design that the artist chose,' Donahue said. 'And our costumed historians are going to be able to connect for folks why that cow is in that location and what its connection is to the village.' Cows have long played an important role in New England. Back in 1855, more than 148,000 dairy cows called Massachusetts home, according Old Sturbridge Village. Today, Massachusetts dairy farms maintain 113,600 acres of land in the state and produces 200 million pounds of milk annually, according to the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources. Old Sturbridge Village, which aims to educate guests about life in New England in the 1800s, is home to several heritage breeds of cows and oxen. The CowParade event will provide an additional opportunity for guests to learn more about the role cattle played in early 19th century New England. 'We tell the story of that period in New England history when we were transitioning from an agrarian economy to a manufacturing economy,' Donahue said. 'The farm program is a centerpiece of the museum, and cows in particular were integral to life in the 1830s.' Old Sturbridge Village will invite guests to 'churn back time' this summer on July 19 and 20 for Dairy Discovery Days. There, guests can learn about some of the historical significance behind cattle — including cheese-making and milking demonstrations. Dairy Days will also offer guests the opportunity to visit heritage breed cattle and their calves up close in the barn, and chat with costumed artisans about some of the tools necessary for dairying, like buckets and milk pans. Dairy Discovery Days is included with standard daytime admission or Village membership. CowParade will wind down in September before officially ending on Sept. 28. As the exhibit nears its end, the cows on display will be put up for auction, with proceeds to benefit Old Sturbridge Village and its educational programming. 'Since the cows started to arrive and some of the designs have gone up, there are people saying, 'I want that cow.' And it's funny that the designs speak to people,' Donahue said. Donahue has already been asked several times if he has a favorite cow, and the answer, he said, is complicated. 'These cows are so unique from one another that it's hard for me to pick one favorite cow because each of them has characteristics and a flavor and a design that is just so cool,' he said. CowParade is included with standard daytime admission or OSV membership. One-day tickets start at $30 for adults, $28 for seniors 55 and older, $15 for ages 4 to 17 and college students with valid ID, and free for children 3 and under. While tickets can be purchased at the gate on the day of your visit, online ticket purchases receive a $3 discount per person. Old Sturbridge Village is open Wednesday through Sunday, plus Labor Day, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. For the most up-to-date information, visit the Village's website, email visitorcenter@ or call 508-347-0290. Business Monday ETC: June 23, 2025 People in Business: June 23, 2025 Holyoke residents worry volleyball complex could devastate local forest 'What do businesses hate?': Mass. employers navigating uncertainty and fear Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Walter Gunn resigns from Longmeadow Planning Board amid town tensions
LONGMEADOW — After he was recently accused of making racist remarks to Longmeadow residents and trespassing in their backyard, Walter Gunn resigned from his Planning Board position. Gunn notified the town's Select Board of his immediate resignation on Tuesday, according to a Facebook post from Vineeth Hemavathi, the chair of the Select Board. The Republican could not immediately reach Gunn by phone Tuesday evening. The resignation comes after months of tensions in the town. In March, residents Fabricio and Jill Ochoa filed a complaint with the town, claiming Gunn entered their property unannounced in January while on a bike ride through the neighborhood. During the 24-minute interaction, which Fabricio Ochoa recorded and The Republican reviewed, Gunn asked Ochoa if he 'even speaks English,' after they had been talking for a minute. He also asked Ochoa if he was a resident in Longmeadow, the video shows. The Planning Board made an official statement denouncing Gunn's actions at a May 9 meeting. Later that month, the Select Board followed suit and called for his resignation. 'The encounter with Walter was both humiliating and disheartening,' Fabricio Ochoa said in his complaint. In comments after the May 9 Planning Board meeting, Gunn, a longtime member, said he 'was very apologetic with what transpired that night' and 'can't explain' why he acted the way he did on that January night. At a Planning Board meeting in early June, Gunn said he had no intention of resigning and insinuated that he may take legal action against the town. In his post Tuesday, Hemavathi thanked people for speaking up and supporting the Ochoas over the last few months. 'Sometimes, it can be hard to stand up for what is right, but so many of you did. I'm proud of how Longmeadow responded to this,' Hemavathi wrote. An upcoming special meeting on July 15 will discuss changing the town charter to make the Planning Board an appointed body instead of an elected one. Commission OK's more casino mitigation money, but the well may be running dry Most claims against AG's office in wrongful termination suit to move forward Celebrating Latino heritage: Pedro Veras leads mural project in Springfield Springfield police confiscate 11 guns, arrest 8 in 3 operations over 2 days Read the original article on MassLive.
