Viva Fall River

Teen Game Night
2029-08-02 08:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Fall River Public Library, 104 North Main St, Fall River, MA, 02720
Gamers unite for Teen Game Night!!!

Every first Thursday of the month, teens are invited to the Fall River Public Library to play all sorts of collaborative and competitive multiplayer video games on the library projector. Show off your skills, learn about games new and old, and most importantly… have a blast!!

For teens ages 13 – 18.

English Conversation Group
2029-08-01 18:00 | Fall River Public Library, 104 North Main St, Fall River, MA, 02720
Learning to speak English can be a challenge. Come practice with us in the Nagle Room. Join our English Conversation Club and practice your speaking and listening skills. Beginners are welcome to join!

Magic: The Gathering Meetup
2027-09-29 17:00 - 19:00 | Fall River Public Library, 104 North Main St, Fall River, MA, 02720
Our monthly Magic: the Gathering group meets on the last Wednesday of each month.* Come play a few games in the world’s most popular trading card game! Participants are invited to bring their own decks or build their own with a selection of the hundreds of cards we have at the library. Don’t know how to play? We’ll be glad to show you how!

This program is intended for teens ages 12 to 18. No prior experience with the game is required to participate. We’ll be meeting in the Fell Reading Room in the library.

*If the last Wednesday of the month falls on a holiday, the meetup will be rescheduled, probably to the week before. Please check our calendar to be sure.

Half Priced Food (weekly)
2026-12-29 16:00 - 21:00 | Canned Heat Craft Beer Co., 52 Ferry Street, Fall River, MA, 02724, United States
Some say it’s the best bar pie in the area! Come see for yourself! Wings? We got those too!…and some extra bites for snacking while you enjoy Delicious Craft beer brewed right on site!

Sunday Funday with Neal McCarthy Band and Mark Russell on Fiddle
2026-12-27 17:00 - 20:00 | Canned Heat Craft Beer Co., 52 Ferry Street, Fall River, MA, 02724, United States
mark your calendars and welcome the Neal McCarthy Band back at Canned Heat for Sunday Funday! Once a month all of 2026! Rotating band mates and Fiddle performances from Mark Russell!

Other musician appearances from Kyle Spark, Mark Purrington and MORE!

Chris Smither
2026-12-03 20:00 - 22:00 | Narrows Center for the Arts, 16 Anawan St., Fall River, MA
Thursday, December 3, 2026
$49 Advance | $51 Day of Show
[all-in pricing, no additional fees]
Doors 7pm | Show 8pm

Born in Miami, during World War II, Chris Smither grew up in New Orleans where he first started playing music as a child. The son of a Tulane University professor, he was taught the rudiments of instrumentation by his uncle on his mother’s ukulele. “Uncle Howard,” Smither says, “showed me that if you knew three chords, you could play a lot of the songs you heard on the radio. And if you knew four chords, you could pretty much rule the world.” With that bit of knowledge under his belt, he was hooked. “I’d loved acoustic music – specifically the blues – ever since I first heard Lightnin’ Hopkins’ Blues In My Bottle album. I couldn’t believe the sound Hopkins got. At first I thought it was two guys playing guitar. My style, to a degree, came out of trying to imitate that sound I heard.”
In his early twenties, Smither turned his back on his anthropology studies and headed to Boston at the urging of legendary folk singer Eric von Schmidt. It was the mid-’60s and acoustic music thrived in the streets and coffeehouses there. Smither forged lifelong friendships with many musicians, including Bonnie Raitt who went on to record his songs, “Love You Like A Man” and “I Feel the Same. (Their friendship has endured as their career paths intertwined over the years.) What quickly evolved from his New Orleans and Cambridge musical experiences is his enduring, singular guitar sound – a beat-driven finger-picking, strongly influenced by the playing of Mississippi John Hurt and Lightnin’ Hopkins, layered over the ever-present backbeat of his rhythmic, tapping feet (always mic’d in performance).
Smither’s first albums, I’m A Stranger, Too! (1971) and Don’t It Drag On (1972) were released on Poppy Records, home of kindred spirit Townes Van Zandt. By the time Smither recorded his third album, Honeysuckle Dog with Lowell George and Dr. John helping out, United Artists had absorbed Poppy and ultimately dropped much of their roster, including Smither. Smither made his next record in 1985, when the spare It Ain’t Easy on Adelphi Records marked his return to the studio.
By the early ’90s, Smither’s steady nationwide touring and regular release of consistently acclaimed albums cemented his reputation as one of the finest acoustic musicians in the country. His 1991 album, Another Way to Find You, was recorded live in front of an in-studio audience with no overdubs or second takes. This would be the first of two albums with Flying Fish Records. His next recording, Happier Blue, was embraced by Triple A radio and received the NAIRD (now AFIM) award as Best Folk Recording of 1993. Up On The Lowdown (1995) marked the first of a trio of albums to be recorded with producer Stephen Bruton at The Hit Shack in Austin and his first of five albums with roots label HighTone Records. Up On the Lowdown rode the crest of the newly formed Americana radio format wave and sparked considerable interest abroad. A tour of Australia with Dave Alvin and extensive solo touring in Europe led to an expanding global interest in Smither. His song, “I Am the Ride,” from this album inspired the independent film, The Ride, for which Smither also composed the original score.
In early 1997 Smither released Small Revelations. It climbed the Americana and Triple A radio charts and led to concert dates with B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, Nanci Griffith, and the hugely successful, original Monsters of Folk’ tour with Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Dave Alvin and Tom Russell. Small Revelations also generated several film projects for Smither. Emmylou Harris recorded his song, “Slow Surprise,” for the The Horse Whisperer soundtrack on MCA. And his recording of “Hold On” was used in the indie feature film Love From Ground Zero. Smither also shared insight into his guitar style and technique on two instructional DVDs, available from Homespun Video.
His CD, Drive You Home Again (1999), garnered four-stars from Rolling Stone. And with it, Smither continued to tour world-wide. Shortly after, in 2000, Smither released his one-man-tour-de-force, Live As I’ll Ever Be. Recorded in-concert at various clubs and concert halls in California, Dublin, Galway, Boston, and Washington DC, it has proven to be a fan favorite, capturing Smither at what he loves to do: performing in front of an audience.
Train Home (2003) was Smither’s last record for HighTone and his first with producer David Goodrich. Over a six-week period, basic tracks for Train Home were recorded in the relaxed environment of Smither’s home near Boston. Working with new session musicians, the record is simultaneously sparse and assured. Bonnie Raitt graciously provided backing vocals and slide guitar on Smither’s cover of Bob Dylan’s “Desolation Row.” And Smither’s “Seems So Real” from the CD earned a Folk Alliance Award as “Song of the Year.”
In 2005, jazz great Diana Krall covered “Love Me Like A Man,” introducing what is now a blues standard to a whole world of jazz fans. Shortly after, Smither’s song “Slow Surprise” was included in the independent film, Brother’s Shadow. In addition, Smither narrated a two-CD audio book recording of “Will Rogers’ Greatest Hits.” Continuing to expand his creative horizon, Smither was invited to contribute an essay to Sixty Things to Do When You Turn Sixty, a 2006 collection of essays by American luminaries on reaching that milestone. In 2009, Melville House published Amplified, a book featuring 16 short stories by notable American performing songwriters. Smither’s story Leroy Purcell about a touring musician’s encounter with a Texas State Patrolman leads off the collection.
With the release of his 12th recording Leave The Light On (2006) on his own imprint, Mighty Albert, Smither began a new label relationship with the renowned acoustic and modern folk label, Signature Sounds. For the recording, Smither reunited with producer David Goodrich and session musicians Mike Piehl, Lou Ulrich and Anita Suhanin. As an added treat, Smither invited good friend and Grammy Award-winning multi- instrumentalist, Tim O’Brien, along with rising American roots stars, Ollabelle, to add their distinctive talents on several tracks. Smither followed this with Time Stands Still (2009), his most stripped down recording in some time, working with just two accompanists after the same trio had played a rare band performance – a non-solo setup required in order to play a Netherlands festival.
About the recording Smither says, “We’re the only three guys on this record, and most of the songs only have three parts going on. We had a freewheeling feeling at that festival gig, and we managed to make a lot of that same feeling happen in this record.” In 2011 Smither put out two fan projects: a collection of live tracks from newly discovered concert recordings from the 1980s-1990s titled Lost and Found and the rollicking EP, What I Learned in School, on which Smither covered six classic rock and roll songs.
Smither followed these fan-projects with Hundred Dollar Valentine (2012), a ★★★★★ (MOJO) studio record of all Smither-penned songs. With longtime producer David “Goody” Goodrich at the helm, this collection sported Smither’s trademark acoustic guitar sound and evocative sonic textures meshed with spare, brilliant songs, delivered in a bone-wise, hard-won voice.
In 2014 Smither released Still on the Levee (2014) – a double-CD retrospective. Recorded in New Orleans at the Music Shed, this career-spanning project features fresh new takes on 24 iconic songs from his vast career and some very special guests including the legendary Allen Toussaint and Loudon Wainwright III.
The coffee table style book Chris Smither Lyrics 1966-2012 and Signature Sounds’ Link of Chain – an all-star tribute record including a stellar list of artists offering their takes on some Smither favorites including Josh Ritter, Bonnie Raitt, Loudon Wainwright III, Dave Alvin, Peter Case, Tim O’Brien, Patty Larkin, and many others were fan-favorite accompaniments to the retrospective CD .
In March 2018, Smither released his eighteenth record, Call Me Lucky (Signature Sounds/Mighty Albert) once again teaming up with producer and multi-instrumentalist David Goodrich. Also joined by Billy Conway (Morphine) and Matt Lorenz (The Suitcase Junket), Smither recorded eight new originals along with some very special and surprising covers at the Blue Rock studios in the Texas hills in June 2017.
In October 2020, More From The Levee, the followup to the 50-year career retrospective Still on the Levee, was released. Said Acoustic Guitar: Smither sings about “the big things – life, love, loss – in a penetrating and poetic yet unpretentious way.”
The 20th release, All About the Bones (release date: May 3, 2024 on Signature Sounds/Mighty Albert, distributed by Redeye) is as elemental as the inky black shadows cast by a shockingly bright moon. Featuring eight brand new Chris Smither songs and Smither renditions of Eliza Gilkyson’s “Calm Before the Storm” and also Tom Petty’s “Time to Move On”, the listener is welcomed into some gothic mansion on an imaginary New Orleans street, and there in the lamplit parlor confronts the band, a minimalist skeleton crew: Smither’s inimitable propulsive guitar and rumbling baritone are joined seamlessly to producer David Goodrich’s carpetbag of instruments, Zak Trojano’s rock-steady, primal drumming, BettySoo’s diaphanous harmony vocals, and the flat, mournful flood of Jazz legend Chris Cheek’s saxophone. Recorded at Sonelab Studios in Easthampton MA by Justin Pizzoferrato All About the Bones has a feel that is somehow baroque and austere at once.

Blind Draw Double Elimination Cornhole (weekly)
2026-11-18 18:00 - 21:00 | Canned Heat Craft Beer Co., 52 Ferry Street, Fall River, MA, 02724, United States
Every Wednesday sign up and join our Social Cornhole games!

Blind Draw, Double Elimination tournament! $10 on site to enter. Sign up on Scoreholio app and look up “Canned Heat Social Cornhole”

Bags start flying at 6pm!

Kid's Art Workshop with artist, Susan Drayton
2026-09-26 15:00 - 16:00 | SoCo Art Labs, 418 Quequechan St. 2nd floor, Fall River, MA, 02721
Join local artist, Susan Drayton for a free monthly children’s workshop. These workshops are free of charge due to a generous grant from the Fall River Cultural Council and the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Each month will feature a different workshop.

MORE INFO

Josh Blue - Narrows Comedy Series
2026-09-17 20:00 - 22:00 | Narrows Center for the Arts, 16 Anawan St., Fall River, MA
Narrows Comedy Series
Thursday, September 17, 2026
$43 Advance | $45 Day of show
[all-in pricing, no additional fees]
Doors 7pm | Show 8pm
After his groundbreaking win on Last Comic Standing in 2006, Josh Blue has risen through the ranks to become a well-established headliner at venues throughout the world. In 2018, Josh crushed his set on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. In the same year, he was honored with a performance at the William H. Macy Gala at the prestigious Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal, Canada. He wrapped up 2018 by recording his fifth hour special, Broccoli, at his home club, Comedy Works in Denver, CO. In 2021, following his 3rd place finish on NBC’s America’s Got Talent, Josh Blue hit the road with his As NOT Seen on TV Tour. Josh does over 200 shows a year, continuing to spread laughter and break down stereotypes of people with disabilities. His stand-up routine is in a constant state of evolution and his off-the-cuff improvisational skills guarantee that no two shows are alike.
Josh represented the United States in 8 countries as a member of the US Paralympic Soccer Team. Josh and his team were thoroughly disgraced in the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece by not scoring a single goal. He is a single father living in Denver, CO with his son and daughter. Don’t miss Josh as he travels to a city near you in 2026!

Check out more at www.joshblue.com

Social Club Karaoke w/ DJ Dan Mac (weekly)
2026-08-28 21:00 | Canned Heat Craft Beer Co., 52 Ferry Street, Fall River, MA, 02724, United States
Join DJ Dan Mac with Mac Attack Entertainment every Friday night. It’s always a good time, it’s always a party! Everyone sings at Social Club Karaoke!

John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band
2026-08-15 20:00 - 22:00 | Narrows Center for the Arts, 16 Anawan St., Fall River, MA
Saturday, August 15, 2026
$48 Advance | $50 Day of Show
[all-in pricing, no additional fees]
Doors 7pm | Show 8pm
The legendary Rhode Island multi-platinum rock’n’roll group JOHN CAFFERTY & THE BEAVER BROWN BAND began their career in 1973 and achieved mainstream success in the 1980s with the “Eddie & The Cruisers – Motion Picture Soundtrack”. The hit single “ON THE DARK SIDE” held the “#1” position on the Billboard Rock charts and the MTV video charts for five consecutive weeks. The album sold over 3 million copies and was certified triple Platinum by the RIAA.

The title track from the group’s 1985 follow-up album “TOUGH ALL OVER” became their second “#1” single on the Billboard Rock charts and the song “C-I-T-Y” reached the Billboard Top 20. John Cafferty’s solo track “HEARTS ON FIRE” was featured in Sylvester Stallone’s film “ROCKY IV” and he received his second double Platinum two million selling soundtrack award. Over the years John has placed 35 songs in major motion pictures.
Today John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band continue to tour and bring their exciting live shows to fans around the world. In 2012 they were inducted into the Rhode Island Music Hall Of Fame. 2022 marked the release of JOHN CAFFERTY & THE BEAVER BROWN BAND’S GREATEST HITS on Iconoclassic Records. A comprehensive collection of all “original recordings” from their hit albums and movie soundtracks. In the Spring of 2025 in celebration of their 50+ years together JOHN CAFFERTY & THE BEAVER BROWN BAND released “SOUND OF WAVES” a long awaited and critcally acclaimed album of brand new songs. The pre-released single “DAY IN THE SUN” has received 5 star reviews and is climbing the national classic rock radio and streaming charts. And following in the band’s decades long movie soundtrack legacy it is featured in the 2024 Peter Farrelly film “Ricky Stanicky” starring Zac Efron and John Cena. In 2026 SONY MUSIC released a digital version of JCBBB’s GREATEST HITS available on all major streaming platforms.

Jontavious Willis
2026-08-14 20:00 - 22:00 | Narrows Center for the Arts, 16 Anawan St., Fall River, MA
Friday, August 14, 2024
$30 Advance | $32 Day of Show
[all-in pricing, no additional fees]
Doors 7pm | Show 8pm
Jontavious Willis is resolved in his mission: to reinvigorate today’s Blues with the spirit of the past. Inspired by a time when the Blues were plentiful and rhythm reigned supreme, Jontavious leverages his unique sound—a synthesis of his Georgia heritage and reverence for traditional Blues—to get the world dancing again. A Grammy-nominated musician and songwriter, Jontavious performs original, toe-tapping tunes in the style of Delta, Piedmont, Texas, and Gospel Blues. Dynamic vocals, technical prowess, and an abundance of Southern charm keep Jontavious sending jolts of vitality through the Blues community.
Jontavious was born and raised in rural Georgia, an environment with deep cultural roots that provides the inspiration he has continuously drawn upon to create his unique sound. He spent much of his childhood singing Gospel music at the Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church with his grandfather, which provided him his first setting to perform for an audience. An early phenom, his passion for the Blues was sparked at age 14 when he came across a YouTube video of Muddy Waters playing “Hoochie Coochie Man.” He achieved widespread acclaim when living legend Taj Mahal invited Jontavious to accompany him onstage in 2015, with Taj describing him as his “Wonderboy.” Jontavious was invited to open for Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’ during their joint TajMo tour in 2018, giving him an opportunity to present his work on a national stage.
Blue Metamorphosis, his acoustic debut album released in 2016, garnered rave reviews in Living Blues and Blues & Rhythm and won the Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge 2018 Award for Best Self-Produced CD. His Grammy-nominated sophomore album, Spectacular Class, sees Jontavious survey an array of Blues styles with lively ensemble performances.
His upcoming album, signed with Strolling Bones Records, is a testament to his love for songwriting. With solo tracks as well as duo, trio, and full band works, he articulates a totally original take on traditional Blues.
Jontavious features prominently in shows and festivals across the world, sharing his unique blend of time-honored yet modern, intellectual yet danceable Blues with all.

The James Hunter Six
2026-08-07 20:00 - 22:00 | Narrows Center for the Arts, 16 Anawan St., Fall River, MA
Friday, August 7, 2026
$54 Advance | $56 Day of Show
[all-in pricing, no additional fees]
Doors 7pm | Show 8pm
The James Hunter Six returns with their first album on Easy Eye Sound, delivering another dose of timeless rhythm & soul. British singer, songwriter and GRAMMY-nominated James Hunter has been a legendary fixture in the scene for over three decades with his gritty voice and sharp songwriting earning him acclaim around the world. This new record features a rare duet with longtime collaborator Van Morrison (‘Ain’t That A Trip’), marking a full-circle moment for the artist hailed by MOJO magazine as “The United Kingdom’s Greatest Soul Singer.”
Hunter and his six-piece band have toured the world for decades from tiny clubs to large festivals, with Hunter also sharing the stage to support legends including Mavis Staples, Aretha Franklin, BB King, Etta James, Bonnie Raitt, and Van Morrison. Whether belting out up-tempo R&B or crafting candle-lit ballads, James Hunter is a must-see artist who effortlessly draws from the depths of his musical well, leaving audiences captivated and craving more.
Set for release January 16th, ‘Off The Fence’ is a landmark album for James Hunter himself for a number of different reasons. In many ways it represents his past, his present and his future. The new album is the perfect amalgam of everything that is great about James Hunter’s songwriting, delivery and outlook. It also marks a fresh start. His first release on Dan Auerbach’s (The Black Keys) Easy Eye Sound label, 2026 is going to be a big year for Hunter, striking the world with music that matters. Get ready to ride with The James Hunter Six.

Assembly of Dust
2026-08-06 20:00 - 22:00 | Narrows Center for the Arts, 16 Anawan St., Fall River, MA
Thursday, August 6, 2026
$43 Advance | $45 Day of Show
[all-in pricing, no additional fees]
Doors 7pm | Show 8pm
Reid Genauer, widely regarded as one of the most iconic and influential songwriters of his generation, leads Assembly of Dust, a band that embodies the spirit of American roots music. As a founding member of Strangefolk, Genauer’s career spans over two decades, with a distinctive voice and masterful storytelling that have drawn comparisons to legendary artists like Neil Young, Willie Nelson, and Paul Simon. Genauer’s songwriting is infused with poetic depth and emotional resonance, earning him a reputation as a songwriter’s songwriter. His lyrics are both deeply personal and universally relatable, making him a beloved figure in the music world. Assembly of Dust’s sound is rooted in the classic rock and folk traditions of the 1970s, with influences from legendary acts like the Grateful Dead, The Band, Little Feat, and Bob Dylan. They share a live energy with contemporary jambands like Phish, Widespread Panic, and Dave Matthews Band, and their focus on songcraft draws comparisons to acclaimed Americana artists like Tyler Childers, Sturgill Simpson, Chris Stapleton, and Jason Isbell. With their unique blend of rock, folk, and country, Assembly of Dust is a great fit for fans of Wilco, My Morning Jacket, and The Avett Brothers.

The California Honeydrops
2026-08-05 20:00 - 22:00 | Narrows Center for the Arts, 16 Anawan St., Fall River, MA
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
$65 Advance | $67 Day of Show
[all-in pricing, no additional fees]
Doors 7pm | Show 8pm
“The California Honeydrops…evoke the greasy rumble of Booker T and channel the spiritual ecstasy of Sly and the Family Stone.” –Rolling Stone
Formed in the subway systems of Oakland, retro-soul outfit The California Honeydrops are an electrifying group that defy convention at every turn. They’ve become a mainstay at festivals including Byron Bay Bluesfest (Australia), Outside Lands, Monterey Jazz, Lightning In A Bottle, and touring with B.B. King, Dr. John, Bonnie Raitt, Buddy Guy, and Allen Toussaint. Led by the enigmatic and energetic frontman, Lech Wierzynski, and percussionist Benjamin Malament, each member of the band is a virtuoso in their own rite — Yanos “Johnny Bones” Lustig on saxophone, Lorenzo Loera on keyboards/guitar, Beaumont Beaullieu on drums, Miles Blackwell on bass, and regularly accompanied by Oliver Tuttle on trombone, Leon Cotter on saxophone/clarinet, and Miles Lyons on trombone/sousaphone — navigating through a vast repertoire of original songs and timeless classics every night. But what truly sets them apart is their unwavering commitment to the art of improvisation – a skill so finely honed that they have completely abandoned the use of set lists and no two shows are ever the same. Off stage, their music has been streamed more than 200 million times, and placed in a variety of TV and films, including “Dead To Me,” “Alaska Daily,” “Black-ish” and more. Their new album Redwood Highway was released August 8, 2025.

Los Lobos
2026-07-25 20:00 - 22:00 | Narrows Center for the Arts, 16 Anawan St., Fall River, MA
Saturday, July 25, 2026
$90 Advance | $92 Day of Show
[all-in pricing, no additional fees]
Doors 7pm | Show 8pm
It’s a matter of time. 50 years to be exact. And in that time Los Lobos have created an unprecedented body of work, a legacy of greatness. The numbers are staggering: 100+ gigs a year for five decades running, crossing millions of miles to rock millions of fans. And that’s just at the live shows. In between they’ve recorded 17 studio albums, 7 live LPs, 3 compilations, 2 EPs, 2 DVDs, and contributed 40+ guest appearances on their friends’ recordings—all garnering 4 Grammys, an Austin City Limits Hall of Fame induction, the ALMA Ritchie Valens Pioneer Award, NEA and Hispanic Heritage Foundation Honors, Congressional recognitions, plus countless “Keys to the City” and “Los Lobos Day” celebrations. And those are just a few of the highlights. But beyond all the hoopla and applause (and the source of it all, really) is the tremendous heart. Rather, hearts. Cinco corazones. Five blood brothers who have dedicated their off-stage time to helping others, working for peace and justice, penning some of the most literate and important music of their time, transforming the hard cries from the East L.A. barrio into songs of hope, tales of common folk finding ways to endure. The young wolves were weaned on late-night radio’s soul, R&B, and doo-wop. Were cured through the African-American currents of the blues, jazz, and rock ‘n’ roll. An amalgam. As proud Chicanos, their songs have always glistened with the distillation from their Mexican and Latin American roots—nourished by Norteña and rancheras, buoyed by bolero and cumbias, soaring on the rhythms of son huasteco and son jarocho. Los Lobos have helped spread the rich diversity of cultures across every continent, throughout the global community. Kids in Antwerp now know about Aztlán. Residents of Luxor and Ghana are crooning Lalo Guerrero. People from Laos and Bulgaria are belting “La Bamba”—all thanks to The Wolves as cultural ambassadors. Talk about a living legacy. Talk about a productive half century. And in the true rebel spirit, they did it all on their own terms, against formula. For the ages. To our delight. Quite simply, they are one of the tightest, one of the best, one of the most prolific bands ever. And, amazingly, with the original founding members as the pack the entire time. Unprecedented. As their liner notes put it, quite simply: “Los Lobos still are David Hidalgo, Louie Pérez, Jr., Cesar Rosas, Conrad Lozano, Steve Berlin.”

Big Richard
2026-07-23 20:00 - 22:00 | Narrows Center for the Arts, 16 Anawan St., Fall River, MA
Thursday, July 23 2026
$28 Advance | $31 Day of Show
[all-in pricing, no additional fees]
Doors 7pm | Show 8pm
Opener: Eric Royer
Bluegrass band Big Richard makes music for the 21st century’s twisted cultural unease. Their latest album Pet, is a fierce, provocative, rejoinder to what troubles them and the world right now, which was recorded live to tape in order to capture the fervor of their live shows.
“Big Richard is so much about our energetic delivery, and so I think it’s been really important for us as a group to figure out how to do that for a record,” says mandolin and guitar player Bonnie Sims.
“We made the album all on tape and did it all in these single-shot performances,” cellist Joy Adams adds. “The collection of songs, we wanted to take our most hard driving, heavy hitting songs, we wanted to craft a banger set list. Like, if we had a 30-minute set, what would we put on there that says the most, and makes people feel the broadest bunch of feelings? And it was all these songs.”
Adams and Sims both studied music and toured and played extensively before (and outside of) joining Big Richard, as did the other members of the band: Adams has three degrees in cello, toured with Darol Anger and Nathaniel Rateliff, and has recorded for television and film (including the Queen’s Gambit); Sims, who grew up playing music with her family, has a degree in commercial music, with a vocal specialization in yodeling, toured and recorded extensively with her husband, Taylor Sims (including a platinum-certified record); fiddler Eve Panning, who also grew up playing with her family, studied violin performance and music education, taught orchestra, and played in bluegrass bands, including touring widely with classical group Barrage; and bassist Hazel Royer started out playing music with her dad Eric Royer in the Boston, MA folk and rock music scene, and studied at the Berklee College of Music.
Pet, the band’s sophomore studio album, was engineered by Mark Anderson and produced by the Big Richard members, will be released February 5, 2026 on Signature Sounds. Anchored by staples from the band’s live sets, the album includes their urgent, vociferous version of Dave Olney’s anti-capitalist anthem, “Millionaire,” and an equally-vehement rendition of the anti-gun violence treatise, “Red Fox Run,” written by Cecelia and Andy Thorn (of Leftover Salmon). Both songs are emotionally potent at shows, and the audience’s anger often palpable; feeling it together as they play is cathartic, Sims says.
Big Richard opens Pet full force, with a blistering medley of Sims’ song, “It’s Gonna Fall” and the Bill Monroe fiddle tune, “Old Daingerfield”: “Our air has turned to poison and our water catches flame / You know we’re blowing out the ground under our beds in which we lay / And we’re digging holes we’ll never fill, the ground shakes to protest / But we just close our minds and eyes and ears, there ain’t no stopping progress,” Sims sings about her despair at the destruction of the natural world through fire and flood, and the fracking wells she sees springing up in Colorado. (At shows, the band also jibs at Monroe’s infamous habit of claiming credit for all songs written by his band members, by joking that Sims wrote both tunes.)
“A lot of the time in our sets, we like to follow a heavy-hitting song with an instrumental that meets that energy,” Panning says of tacking “Old Daingerfield” onto the end of “It’s Gonna Fall.” “It feels good to reflect on something for a moment, or keep going with it, and keep that energy somewhere.”
The band applied the same pressure release system on Pet, which features two entirely instrumental tracks written by Panning. Comparatively gentle, “K’s March,” inspired by a musical phrase Panning’s roommate used to sing around the house, follows “Millionaire” with a wholesome old-time jam track that lets audiences blow off steam after being wound tight; and later in the album, “Circus Jerk” (double entendre intended), hints at the band’s raunchy stage banter and bluegrass music’s reputation for showoff solos (by giving each band member her moment to rip).
“We’re in the most musically locked spot we’ve been in thus far, since I’ve been in the band, and this album feels like a really good reflection of that,” says Royer, who joined in 2023.
Unapologetically outrageous and provocative, the band’s name is a wink to the ‘big dick’ energy Big Richard is reclaiming from male bluegrass bands. They’re intent on making audiences laugh and feel a little uncomfortable, for the sake of making them think, as well. To that end, the album’s cover portrays the band dressed in deranged clown outfits and crouching on railroad tracks in front of an oil refinery. And its title track “Pet,” delivered like a slightly demented circus sound track and written by Adams, is a rich paean for the people society too often lets fall through the cracks.
“I wrote it thinking about people who are stuck in circumstances outside of their control, whether they were born into it or not. That might be childhood trauma or poverty or a chronic health problem, or something that they didn’t choose, and they’re just hauling it around with them,” Adams says. “I think in a deeper sense, the song is reflective of how many people get lost in the big turning of the world right now.” It’s a sentiment and a sound she doubles down on later on the album with the spooky music box track, “Holy Holy,” about religious/childhood trauma and growing up with an addict in the house.
Big Richard’s power to deliver emotionally evocative music derives in part from their rare make up. Though the album also employs toy piano, banjo, and octave mandolin, the band primarily performs on bass, mandolin and guitar, fiddle, and with Adams on cello, which adds an extra sonic dimension for bluegrass (though Adams, who wrote her doctoral dissertation on the history of cello in fiddle music, says the cello actually predates the bass in string bands).
Still, among the strife and intensity, Pet leaves room for a little sweetness. First with “Alaska,” a yearning love-song Royer wrote about a crush when she was 16, and then with a cover of Hank Cochran’s “Make the World Go Away,” which concludes the album, and often their live show, too. At concerts, the band’s four members descend from the stage, and play the song clustered together in a clearing in the crowd, a final act of gathering after an intense show.
“Our live performances are so raw and so gritty, and I think that our sound never really flourished in that digital landscape.” Adams says. “[Recording live to tape] we were all in the same room together, very close together, with a lot of mic bleed, etc. And the energy was insane. It felt so good to record this way. Even on the first day, we were like ‘wow, this sounds like our band.’ And to do something that’s very real and gritty and has little mistakes in it just feels alive and human.”
About the Opener: Eric Royer
Eric Royer has performed as Royer’s One-Man Band since 1993. After building his one-of-a-kind, self-made mechanical contraption—The Guitar Machine—in Tucson, AZ, he has recorded and toured extensively. The device allows him to play acoustic guitar, bass, and drums with his feet while picking banjo with his hands, singing, and playing harmonica. No looping or digital effects involved.
Royer won a Boston Music Award for Best Roots Act as the banjo player in his band The Resophonics, and he has played and recorded with many local bluegrass bands.

Bluebird Improv
2026-07-16 20:00 - 22:00 | Narrows Center For The Arts Fall River Massachusetts, Narrows Center For The Arts Fall River Massachusetts, Fall River, 02720
Narrows Comedy Series
Thursday, July 16, 2026
$52 Advance | $54 Day of Show
[all-in pricing, no additional fees]
Doors 7pm | Show 8pm
Get ready for a night of spontaneous comedy with Bluebird Improv. Over the past several years, Bluebird Improv has built a reputation you can trust – if you go to one of their shows, you know you’ll see high-caliber comedians and experience something hilarious, unpredictable, and completely original. Past performances have included Rachel Dratch (SNL) and Matt Walsh (Veep), and this year’s lineup promises to be just as exciting.
Each show begins with a quick chat with the audience, sparking entirely improvised scenes that you’ll only see that night. We’re not revealing the full cast yet, but no matter who takes the stage, this Bluebird show will be a night full of laughs, surprises, and unforgettable moments.

Lit Summer 2026 - FREE Community Event and Vendor Market
2026-07-11 14:00 - 18:00 | Bernardo’s Event Center, 403 Anawan St, Fall River, 02721
Pull up with the family and enjoy a full afternoon of FREE fun, local vendors, food, and live entertainment!
We’re bringing the community together for a daytime summer experience focused on kids, families, and supporting local businesses.

🛍️ What to Expect
• 30+ Local Vendors
• Food, Drinks & Desserts
• Live Performances
• Family-Friendly Atmosphere

🎨 FREE Kids Activities
• Free Haircuts for Kids
• Digital Art Lessons (iPads Provided)
• Kids Dance Games & Live Instructor
• Face Painting
• Free Raffles & Giveaways

This is your chance to bring the kids out, shop local, and enjoy a positive community event right here in the city.
Whether you’re coming to support vendors, grab some food, or let the kids have a blast There’s something here for everyone.

👉 FREE ENTRY | ALL AGES WELCOME
Tag your friends, share this out, bring the family, and don’t miss it.

** The only contact person for this event is the host

Noise Pollution - The Music of AC/DC - Falls Church
2026-07-09 20:00 - 22:00 | State Theatre, 220 N Washington St, Falls Church, 22046
Falls Church, get ready to crank it up—Noise Pollution – The Music of AC/DC is bringing the thunder to State Theatre – VA for a night that feels like a hometown tradition in the heart of the city. Don’t miss **Noise Pollution – The Music of AC/DC – Falls Church Falls Church** live on Thu, Jul 9, 2026 at 8:00 PM.
This isn’t a casual tribute: expect razor-tight riffs, spot-on vocals, and the kind of swagger that makes every chorus hit like a singalong anthem.
State Theatre – VA delivers an intimate, high-energy room with great sightlines, easy access, and a prime Falls Church location for a seamless night out.
Grab your crew and lock in your seats—**Noise Pollution – The Music of AC/DC – Falls Church State Theatre – VA** is calling. Book tickets now and let it rock.

Spilling the Tea: A Victorian Tea Party
2026-07-05 16:30 | The Lizzie Borden House, 230 Second Street, Fall River, MA, 02721, United States
TICKETS

Join us at the Lizzie Borden House for an exclusive Victorian tea party that blends proper tea party etiquette, delectable eats, and juicy true crime gossip.

Reserve your spot(s) today!

Guests will savor tea sandwiches, scones, pastries and Borden signature tea while learning about the evolution of this time-honored event, and the rules designed to keep it classy.

Retreat to the dining room, raise a pinky — and perhaps an eyebrow — while hearing intriguing details surrounding the 1892 “Crime of the Century.”

Tab Benoit
2026-07-03 20:00 - 22:00 | Narrows Center for the Arts, 16 Anawan St., Fall River, MA
Friday, July 3, 2026
$71 Advance | $73 Day of Show
[all-in pricing, no additional fees]
Doors 7pm | Show 8pm
Opener: The Cold Stares
Tab Benoit is a 4x Grammy nominated singer, songwriter and guitarist who has built a remarkable 30+ year career on the foundation of his gritty and soulful Delta swamp blues, acquiring a devoted legion of fans along the way, as well as 5 Blues Music Awards, including BB King Entertainer of the Year (twice) and an induction into The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.
After a 13-year hiatus, Tab is back with his latest effort, I Hear Thunder, on his own label, Whiskey Bayou Records. The new album was his first #1 in the Billboard charts in over 30 years. Benoit’s 2013 release, Medicine, was co-produced with Anders Osborne for Concord International, and garnered three Blues Music Awards. Following this notable success, Benoit took a step away from music, taking a 13-year sabbatical from recording and entering a period of creative exile.
Tab’s accomplishments as a musician are matched only by his devotion to the environmental health of his native Louisiana wetlands. The notoriety achieved by his success provided him with a mouthpiece to promote his growing concern for the Louisiana Wetlands and coastal erosion from the region he calls home. Benoit is the founder and driving force behind Voice of the Wetlands, an organization working to preserve the coastal waters of his home state. In 2010, he received the Governor’s Award for Conservationist of the Year from the Louisiana Wildlife Federation. Benoit has also starred in the iMax motion picture Hurricane on the Bayou, a documentary of Hurricane Katrina’s effects and a call to protect and restore the Wetlands.
Benoit has recorded and/or performed with Junior Wells, George Porter Jr, Dr. John, Willie Nelson, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Billy Joe Shaver, Maria Muldaur, James Cotton, Cyril Neville, Kenny Aronoff, Allen Toussaint, Kim Wilson, Jimmy Thackery, Charlie Musslewhite, Kenny Neal, Chris Layton, Ivan Neville, Jimmy Hall, Jim Lauderdale, Anders Osborne, and Alvin Youngblood Hart to name a few.

Tab Benoit - Fall River
2026-07-03 20:00 - 22:00 | Narrows Center for the Arts, 16 Anawan St., Fall River, MA
Welcome to the Narrows Center For The Arts in Fall River, Massachusetts! Get ready for an unforgettable evening with the one and only Tab Benoit on July 3, 2026, at 8:00 PM. Known for his electrifying performances and soulful blues music, Tab Benoit is sure to captivate the audience with his raw talent and infectious energy.
The Narrows Center For The Arts provides an intimate setting where you can truly connect with the music and the artist. Located in the heart of Fall River, the venue offers easy access and a cozy atmosphere that will make you feel right at home. Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to Tab Benoit’s music, this show is not to be missed.
Don’t miss your chance to experience Tab Benoit live in concert at the Narrows Center For The Arts. Grab your tickets now and get ready for a night of incredible music and unforgettable memories. We can’t wait to see you there! Grab your tickets now and get ready for a night of incredible music and unforgettable memories. We can’t wait to see you there!

$5 Cheese Pizza Fridays
2026-06-26 12:00 - 16:00 | Canned Heat Craft Beer Co., 52 Ferry Street, Fall River, MA, 02724, United States
Join us for lunch every Friday! From 12-4pm we offer $5 cheese pizza!! Our full menu is also available and ready to order! Pair your favorite bar style pizza with your favorite craft beer!

Juneteenth Brunch
2026-06-19 12:00 - 15:00 | Duke’s Bakery & Cafe, 1082 Davol Street, Fall River
Join us for a vibrant and meaningful Juneteenth experience that brings together food, storytelling, and creative expression.

Chair Yoga @ First Congregational Church of Fall River
2026-06-18 09:30 - 22:30 | First Congregational Church of Fall River, 282 Rock St, Fall River, MA, 02720
Chair Yoga 9:30 AM @ First Congregational Church of Fall River
282 Rock St

Rick Estrin and The Nightcats
2026-06-13 20:00 - 22:00 | Narrows Center for the Arts, 16 Anawan St., Fall River, MA
Saturday, June 13 2026
$35 Advance | $37 Day of Show
[all-in pricing, no additional fees]
Doors 7pm | Show 8pm
Blues vocalist, harmonica master and songwriting legend Rick Estrin, leader of the musically fearless, wildly entertaining, award-winning band Rick Estrin & The Nightcats, doesn’t like to talk much about his own musical superpowers. But ask him about the Nightcats—multi-instrumentalist/musical mastermind/producer Christoffer “Kid” Andersen, keyboardist/organ wizard/bass player Lorenzo Farrell and endlessly creative drummer Derrick “D’Mar” Martin—and he’ll be happy to sing their praises. “This band is killer. I’m enjoying this all more than ever,” says the man who’s been performing and recording professionally since the early 1970s. “It’s a blessing—there’s so much energy, so much collaboration. The band is just so good right now. And the live show is better than ever.” Living Blues calls Rick Estrin & The Nightcats “a terrific blues band with a real character for a front man,” continuing, “Clever, well-crafted songs framed by first-flight musicianship…hugely entertaining, intelligently conceived and executed roots rock with a wickedly cool and otherworldly twist on tradition. Estrin’s harp work is masterful.”

Rick Estrin & The Nightcats’ new album and the band’s sixth release, The Hits Keep Coming, packs a powerful punch, with phenomenal musicianship and lyrics—both serious and humorous. Produced by Andersen at his legendary Greaseland USA studio in San Jose, California, the record captures the band’s chemistry and magic in what is certainly among their strongest, most urgent and most cohesive releases so far. The Hits Keep Coming is modern blues at its most potent, intense and fun in all the right places, as Rick Estrin & The Nightcats deliver twelve groove-heavy, hard-hitting songs, including ten written or co-written by Estrin and two surprising covers (one obscurity from Muddy Waters, one from Leonard Cohen that Estrin would have liked to have written). From the foot-stomping opener Somewhere Else, to the harsh reality of the title track (with backing vocals by The Sons Of The Soul Revivers), to the musically infectious, lyrically harrowing song about addiction, The Circus Is Still In Town, The Hits Keep Coming is a lyrical and musical tour-de-force.
In addition to Estrin’s celebrated songwriting and peerless blues harmonica playing, he and the band are among the most entertaining and colorful showmen around. Estrin’s signature streetwise vocals and hipster-cool look, Andersen’s eye-popping, off-the-cuff guitar pyrotechnics, Farrell’s mighty organ, piano and bass work and D’Mar’s dynamic, acrobatic drumming make every one of their live performances a must-see event. “People don’t go out to see people who look like themselves,” says Estrin. “They want to see something special. I was schooled in this business to be a showman, and that’s what you get when you come to see us perform. We know how to put on a show. I feel sorry for anyone who has to follow us.”
Estrin was schooled by some of the very best blues musicians on the West Coast. While still a teen, he was tutored by San Francisco’s famed musician (and pimp) Fillmore Slim. He was mentored by San Francisco’s legendary Rodger Collins and gigged with blues stars Lowell Fulson and Z.Z. Hill. Estrin moved to Chicago when he was 19 to work with Windy City bluesmen Johnny Young, Eddie Taylor, Sam Lay and John Littlejohn, and even jammed with Muddy Waters. He returned to California and continued to hone his craft. By the time he joined forces with jaw-dropping guitarist Little Charlie Baty and formed Little Charlie & The Nightcats in 1976—a band he would front for the next 30 years—Estrin was a seasoned performer with plenty of talent and a gift for writing killer original songs.
Upon Baty’s retirement from touring in 2008, Estrin, together with Farrell (a Nightcat since 2003), recruited high-flying guitar wunderkind Christoffer “Kid” Andersen and formed Rick Estrin & The Nightcats. With Kid onboard, the band quickly became a worldwide favorite with blues fans as well as with critics and radio programmers. “Kid’s fearless on the guitar,” says Estrin. “He’s really the only guy who could fit in with us.” With an uninhibited style that perfectly meshed with Estrin’s wildly imaginative songs, the new band charged out of the gate with Twisted in 2009, following up with One Wrong Turn in 2012, You Asked For It—Live! in 2014, Groovin’ In Greaseland in 2016 and Contemporary in 2019. Each album is its own treasure chest full of memorable songs and white-hot playing. According to the UK’s Blues & Rhythm, “Rick Estrin & The Nightcats have crafted an instantly identifiable sound. They serve up insightful, original blues combined with tough rock ’n’ roll. This band is superb.”
Rick Estrin & The Nightcats have performed at festivals and concert stages from San Francisco to Chicago to New York, and everywhere in between, and have toured the United Kingdom, Norway, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Poland, Australia, Israel and even Estonia and Russia. The band has twice won the coveted Blues Music Award for Band Of The Year. Additionally, Estrin has won Blues Music Awards for Song Of The Year, Traditional Male Blues Artist and for Instrumentalist—Harmonica.
The Chicago Sun-Times declares, “These are serious musicians having a hotter than hot good time. It’s tough to stay in your seat when Estrin and his musical cohorts get cooking.” As No Depression says, “This is a band that always delivers the goods.”

Kick-Off to Summer
2026-06-13 11:00 - 15:00 | Ruggles Park, 756 Locust Street, Fall River, MA, 02720, United States

Cracker - Falls Church
2026-06-12 20:30 - 23:30 | State Theatre, 220 N Washington St, Falls Church, 22046
Falls Church, get ready—Cracker is rolling into the State Theatre – VA for a night that locals know is always worth stepping out for. Join your neighbors in the heart of the city for an alternative concert that feels like a hometown celebration.
Cracker’s set thrives on sharp storytelling, wry humor, and those instantly recognizable hooks that turn a roomful of strangers into a singalong crew. Expect deep cuts, fan favorites, and plenty of grit.
The State Theatre – VA keeps it intimate and energetic, with an easy-to-reach Falls Church location and a layout that keeps you close to the action—perfect for Cracker – Falls Church State Theatre – VA.
Mark Friday, June 12, 2026 at 8:30 PM and make Cracker – Falls Church Falls Church your next great night out—grab tickets and come be part of it.

Charlie Ballantine
2026-06-12 20:00 - 22:00 | Narrows Center for the Arts, 16 Anawan St., Fall River, MA
Friday, June 12, 2026
$31 Advance | $33 Day of Show
[all-in pricing, no additional fees]
Doors 7pm | Show 8pm
Named as one of the top 200 living guitarists by All About Jazz Magazine, Charlie Ballantine is acclaimed as one of the finest and most versatile young guitarists on the scene today. JAZZ TIMES MAGAZINE hails his playing as “teeming with intricate grooves and maniacal precision his guitar work is both beautiful and complex” and VINTAGE GUITAR MAGAZINE described his style by stating “Jazz, rock, and folk music peacefully coexist in Charlie Ballantine’s world”.
Equipped with an impressive body of original compositions on albums like “Vonnegut” and “Cold Coffee”, Ballantine also displays a great reverence for the jazz tradition through the inclusion of standards like ‘My One and Only Love’, ‘East of the Sun’ and an entire double album dedicated to the music of Thelonious Monk released September 2021. “In the vein of fellow guitarists like John Scofield, Bill Frisell and Julian Lage, Ballantine reconciles his educational background in jazz with the stylistic background of his instrument. He approaches the gratifying tonal and harmonic language of rock/roots with the groove, ambition and improvisational focus of a jazz musician” – (JAZZIZ MAGAZINE)
Although primarily a front man for his own projects with tours and frequent appearances throughout the US and Canada at venues and festivals such as the Indianapolis Jazz Festival, The Winnipeg International Jazz Festival and The Elkhart Jazz Festival, Ballantine also has an extensive list of side man credits having performed with names like Nicole Henry, Walter Smith III, Emmett Cohen, Dave King, John Raymond, Russell Hall, Frank Glover, Steve Alee, and Rahsaan Barber helping to further solidify him as a creative force and put him in the highest of ranks as a performer.
“Befitting a guitarist from America’s heartland, Charlie Ballantine mixes jazz, folk-rock, surf/instro, blues, pop, and country into a simmering pot of guitar sound and style.” – Vintage Guitar Magazine
