Get ready to swing with the Vintage Vocal Quartet!

They’re coming to fill your ears and your heart with the sweet swinging harmonies of the Swing Era, when jazz music and pop music were one and the same. It was a time when every radio blared out music that was danceable yet sophisticated.

The Vintage Vocal Quartet sings while providing their own accompaniment on piano, guitar, bass, and trombone/drums, dialed in to the sound of groups like Glenn Miller’s Modernaires, the Nat King Cole Trio, the Andrews Sisters, and Tommy Dorsey’s Pied Pipers, as well as singers like Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, and Ella Fitzgerald. They’ve been delighting concert audiences and lindy hoppers all over New England.  

When founder David Thorne Scott did a tour performing with the legendary Four Freshmen, he saw that vintage music — sassy and sweet, danceable and sophisticated — hits the spot for 21st century audiences. He came home to Boston and called up guitarist Paul Pampinella of the groundbreaking a cappella group Vox One and pianist Taylor O’Donnell, whose versatile voice can deliver jazz to funk with a whisper to a wail. Add trombonist and swing drummer Chris Humphrey and you’ve got yourself a four piece harmony machine.

• Sanctuary, 82 Main Street, Maynard

• Doors open: 7pm • Performance: 8pm

• Full bar. You're welcome to bring snacks and/or take-out.

• Tickets: $20/Advance, $25/door

Swing dance is alive and well at Sanctuary in Maynard. Though Fugitive and Sanctuary have hosted countless events that have spotlighted some of the area’s great swing players, now it’s official. This one is for both experienced dancers and swing dance wannabes. Sanctuary, a recently converted church, features a full stage, an enormous dance floor, and one of the best bars west of Boston.

INSTRUCTORS TONY & AURELIE TYE

The first hour will feature instruction by two of the area’s finest performer/instructors. Tony and Aurelie Tye met as beginner dancers in Boston in 1990, first experienced Lindy Hop in 1992 and have been hooked ever since! They have taught at workshops and dance events throughout the East Coast from Maine to Florida. With their own “Hop to the Beat Dance Studio,” much of their energy has focused on their local scene. Regularly teaching classes since 1995, they’re as passionate about sharing the joy of dancing as when they first began. They’ve hosted the monthly “Uptown Swing Dance” for over 20 years, as well as special weekend events with international instructors. Since 1997 they’ve run the annual week-long “Beantown Camp,” bringing together Lindy Hoppers from around the world.

EDDIE SCHEER’S SWINGING ALL STARS

Chameleon Eddie Scheer is a Sanctuary favorite, gracing us with his vocal and drumming talents with a variety of groups and styles. He has been a fixture on the New England swing scene for more than 25 years. Whether with his jump blues band The Love Dogs, the 20-piece Compaq Big Band, or various smaller ensembles, his big voice and solid drumming have kept hearts beating and feet moving wherever he plays. The Swinging All Stars is a new unit featuring some of the best musicians in Boston — leaning toward the lighter, jazzy side of swing, but still with a deep connection to and reverence for the blues. 

• Sanctuary, 82 Main Street, Maynard

• Doors open: 6:30pm • Dance instruction: 7–8pm

• Full bar. You’re welcome to bring snacks and/or take-out.

• Tickets: $20/Advance, $25/door

Fugitive Comedy hosts some of the best and brightest comics working in the Boston area and nationally. The comedians who have joined us have appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Conan, David Letterman, Late Night with Seth Meyers, Last Comic Standing, America’s Got Talent, Comedy Central, The Jim Jeffries Show, Comedy Bang! Bang! Live! Podcast, NPR’s Commonwealth Journal, Lifetime’s Girls Night Out — and have opened for numerous well-known comedians in clubs around the nation.

Emily Ruskowski (Headliner)
Emily is a one-woman charm offensive. With a style that's totally approachable and instantly impressive, Emily is equally comfortable diving into personal insecurities or workplace nonsense. With an irrepressibly cheerful demeanor, she commands attention and delivers stories loaded with punchline after punchline. Emily brings a genuine sense of fun to material that ranges from a career in social work to a passion for boy bands. She has been featured in the Washington Post and Boston Globe, and has appeared on the popular 2 Dope Queens Podcast and Laughs TV on Fox.  

Jason Cordova (Host)
Jason is a Boston-based comedian who, as a kid, would secretly write jokes in his notebook. After his first time in stage, he was hooked. Jason made a name for himself on the national scene when he appeared on HBO’s “PAUSE with Sam Jay.” He has performed at many legendary clubs including Gotham, The Stand, The Comedy Connection, and Foxwoods Casino, and has opened for many national headliners.

Katie Arroyo
Katie is a comedian who has performed throughout New England and has been featured in clubs in New York and Boston. She's performed at the Rogue Island Comedy Festival and on Sirius XM. With an aggressive, good natured act, her varied life experiences have given her the ability to connect with any audience.

Alan Moreau
Alan first honed his comedic chops riding the bench for his college basketball team and has since parlayed his quick wit into a career with his trademark brand of unfiltered standup. Audiences never experience the same set twice when the R.I. native is on stage, as he is able to turn a standard show into a one-of-a-kind conversation. Alan has been a featured performer at the Rogue Island Comedy Festival, Mutiny Radio Comedy Festival, and Whale City Comedy Festival and has recently opened for several national acts.

• Doors open at 7pm • Performance starts at 8pm

• Full bar • You’re welcome to bring snacks and/or take-out.

• Tickets: $15/advance, $20/door

This exciting 19-piece band returns with a dance night, featuring swing, but including a number of styles. Or just pull up a chair, make yourself comfortable, and settle in with a drink.

The Compaq Big Band has a strong connection to Maynard, having started out as the DECbigband at Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC).  In the last two decades they’ve risen to prominence as one of the most accomplished full-size big bands in the area, featuring a cookin’ rhythm section and 14 horns that achieve an ultra-tight sound, with terrific instrumental soloists

Tonight’s featured vocalist, Rebecca Holtz, is on her second stint in the Compaq Big Band’s rotation of stellar New England jazz vocalists. Born and raised in New Hampshire, Rebecca first joined the band while earning her undergraduate degree at Smith College. After putting in a few more years with us, and then fronting the Keene Jazz Orchestra, she relocated for a time to Oakland, California, where she flourished performing a capella jazz, and kept her big band chops in shape appearing with the San Francisco Jazz Orchestra. She returned to New England for a few years back, and we’re very fortunate she’s back in front of the and with her one and only energy and dynamic style!

• Doors Open: 7pm • Performance: 8pm

• Full bar • You're welcome to bring snacks and/or take-out.

• Tickets: $25/advance, $30/door

The Lola Sweet Band is a dynamic roots, rock, blues, and R&B band performing throughout the Metrowest area — from Boston to Worcester to the Cape — and beyond. They add their own special sauce to the songs you know and love from the 60s to the present, including tunes by The Beatles, Bonnie Raitt, Al Green, Tom Petty, Traffic, Stevie Wonder, Queen, Grace Potter, Ben Harper, and many more. You’ll listen. You’ll dance. You’ll smile.

Lori Zuroff (lead vocals), Charlie Berman (guitars), Jim Medvedeff (keyboard/vocals); Jon Golden (drums/vocals), Al Garay (bass/vocals)

Lori Zuroff
Lori — the band’s leader and manager — has been singing with various rock, blues, R&B, and jazz bands for more 25 years. She has performed with both small and large bands in venues in Greater Boston including the Chick Singer Night at Johnny D’s and the Burren in Somerville, and The Mad Monkfish in Cambridge. She also leads The Lori Z Jazz Quintet with whom she recorded her premiere jazz CD, “Ladybug.” Lori studied jazz vocals for several years with Boston’s own jazz divas, Rebecca Parris and Dominique Eade, and with Sheila Jordan and Jay Clayton in New York.

Charlie Berman
As a guitarist and composer in Boston, New York, and New Orleans, Charlie has performed with artists including the late Mac Rebenack (Dr. John), Bobby Rush, James Andrews, Rockin' Doopsie Jr, The Cadillacs, Hey Dave, and Dave Herlihy and Friends. His 2004 CD “Poinciana Revisited” is available on most streaming services.

Jon Golden
Jon had five years of piano and two of clarinet under his belt when, at age 13, he saw a rock drummer performing “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.” He bought a pair of drum sticks and never looked back. Progressive rock, jazz, world music — and especially originals — are what keeps his heart, and hands, keeping the beat.

Jim Medvedeff
Jim (aka Santiago) plays keyboard and provides lead and backup vocals. He also serves as the
 band’s musical director. Classically trained on piano and organ from childhood through college, his later
 influences include Latin music, Gulf Coast R&B, funk, rock, and jazz. Discography includes “Afinen” and
 other singles by Grupo Maria (DECA records, 1974–75) and “Gangsters” by the Chicago Gangsters (HEAT
records, 1979)

Al Garay
Al is a seasoned bass player with over 35 years of experience. His intro to music began with early classical piano lessons which later shifted to guitar and bass as he entered his teenage years. Al has performed in a variety of bands which made him the truly versatile player he is today. 

• Sanctuary, 82 Main Street, Maynard

• Doors open: 7pm • Performance: 8pm

• Full bar. You’re welcome to bring snacks and/or take-out.

• Tickets: $20/advance, $25/door

Tonight's performance is sold out, but if you get on the waiting list, ya never know. And we promise to have them back soon!

Get ready! Some of the finest, funkiest musicians from across New England have banded together to play the groovy tunes from the ’70s. These timeless disco, funk songs will have you shakin' what yo' mama gave ya! And the heat these players/singers bring is guaranteed to knock you off your feet! If there's a hole in your life, if your dancing shoes are staring at you woefully from the back of the closet, or if you just love to dance, then you need to spend some time in the Vortex. Renew your spirit, get your groove on, and experience the power of Booty Vortex!

Goldfingah (James Tootle) — Keys and Vocals
Mama Jama (Erin Frawley) — Vocals
Baby Gold (Sharlene Lamont) — Vocals
PiXi StiX (Maureen Medeiros) — Percussion
Minty Fresh (Dave Burnett) — Bass Guitar
Supasonic (Jeff Buckridge) — Guitar
Meat Hammer (Seth Botos) — Drums
Huggy Bear (Jeremy Valadez) — Saxophone
Ham Hands (Brian Paulding) — Trombone
Brass Tornado (Mark Coronado) — Trumpet

• Doors open: 7pm • Performance: 8pm

• Full bar. You're welcome to bring snacks and/or take-out.

• Tickets: $25/Advance • $30/door

• Last spring, the room sold out quickly. We recommend getting your tickets early.

• Since this will be a get-up-and-dance kind of event, we’ll be offering a larger dance floor and fewer tables and chairs. We can’t guarantee seats for all in attendance so come early if that is important to you. There will be many high-top tables around the room at which you can “hang” and additional seating around the edge of the room

The Shadow Riders is a six-piece band from the New England area, performing the music of the original Marshall Tucker Band. Fronted by singer, guitarist Bruce Marshall, who has assembled an all-star lineup of musicians to faithfully create this timeless music.

Of particular note is the fact that Bruce Marshall played with Toy Caldwell, the lead guitarist, primary songwriter and co-founder of the Marshall Tucker Band. This gives the Shadow Riders a unique insight as to how this music was played, arranged and sold to the public. 

The Shadow Riders is a name Toy Caldwell used for his backing group with Marshall in ’89 and ’90 and is the title for one of his songs.

This stellar ensemble performs hits like “Can’t You See,” “Take the Highway,” “Fire on the Mountain,” and other popular tunes from their heyday like “Heard it in a Love Song,” “Blue Ridge Mountain Sky.” and “This ‘Ol Cowboy” in addition to some “deep cuts” as well. 

Marshall Tucker was known for their innovative melding of Country Blues, Southern Rock, Western Swing, and Jazz. The Shadow Riders enthusiasm for this music is infectious and the stage show is engaging as they tribute to this iconic American Group.

Bruce Marshall, Lead vocals, Guitars (Toy Caldwell, James Montgomery)
John Vanderpool, Sax, Flute, Vocals. (Extreme, Heavy Metal Horns)
Tim Archibald, Bass (Peter Wolf Band, RTZ)
Jarrod Taylor, Lead Guitar (Mike Levine, The Shuffle)
Jessica Ramsay, Vocals (Jon Butcher, Carolyn Ramsay Band)
Pete Premo, Drums (James Montgomery Band, BMG)

• Doors open: 7pm • Performance: 8pm

• Full bar. You're welcome to bring snacks and/or take-out.

• Tickets: $20/online, $25/door

Fugitive Stories and Old Frog Pond Farm in Harvard are partnering again for four afternoons on the farm. May’s theme is “Weeding.”

Hearing a true story in a live performance is fun, moving, and transformative. Every event brings surprises. As always, Fugitive’s featured tellers include Moth and Massmouth Story Slam Winners and Champions, theater professionals, comedians, authors, podcast producers, teachers, and university professors. Several folks from the local community will also be telling their tales, some for the first time.

• $15/online • $20/door • Purchase tickets here

• Online sales end at noon on the event date. Plenty of tickets at the door.

• Seating starts at 2:30pm. Storytelling starts at 3pm. We recommend purchasing tickets in advance. This is an outdoor event (weather permitting).

If the weather is extreme, arrangements will be made for an indoor venue (TBD). If light rain is forecast, we’ll all stay nice and dry under a number of canopies. Please visit this calendar listing by noon for updates.

Please put Old Frog Pond Farm, Harvard, in your GPS. (The street address sometimes take you to the other side of the woods.)

ABOUT OUR CO-HOST, OLD FROG POND FARM
Old Frog Pond Farm is a 25-acre farm in Harvard and one of the few Certified Organic Orchards in Massachusetts. In the fall they open for pick your own apples and raspberries. Every year, the farm hosts an Annual Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit and gathers for Plein Air Poetry.

Visitors to the farm can purchase a ticket to take a self-guided tour around the pond and through the woods discovering the sculpture, native plants, and abundant wildlife that’s makes their home here. The self-serve farm stand is filled with fresh certified organic produce. fruit@oldfrogpondfarm.com

FEATURED FUGITIVE TELLERS
In addition to several local, hand-picked tellers, Fugitive brings four regional, award-winning storytellers.

Matthew Dicks
Matthew is a record 56-time Moth StorySLAM champion and 9-time GrandSLAM champion whose stories have been featured on their nationally syndicated Moth Radio Hour and their weekly podcast. His stories have also appeared on PBS’s Stories From the Stage. He is an elementary school teacher and the internationally bestselling author of the novels Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend, Something Missing, Unexpectedly, Milo, and The Perfect Comeback of Caroline Jacobs. He is the founder and Creative Director of “Speak Up,” a Hartford-based storytelling organization. Matt loves ice cream cake, golf, tickling his children, staring at his wife, and not sleeping.

Paul Doncaster 
Paul is a published author, the father of two outstanding young women (and a bluetick beagle), and has been telling stories since 2016.  He has told at events throughout New England, performed in two Moth GrandSLAMs, and been featured on the World Channel's “Stories from the Stage.” By day, he is a user experience design professional, listening to the stories of others and using their words to create more user-friendly online experiences.

Robin Schoenthaler
Robin has been a storyteller for about a decade and has been with Fugitive since 2018. In 2019 she won a Moth Grand Slam Championship and she is never going to stop talking about it — ever. She is also an award-winning essayist — mostly about love, loss, life, death, and Covid. Robin’s day job for 28 years was as a cancer doctor with MGH at Emerson Hospital in their Department of Radiation Oncology. She now helps people with second opinions about their cancers while she travels the world. Learn more about Robin at www.DrRobin.org. 

Rachel Gans-Boriskin
Rachel Gans-Boriskin is a partner at NOVL, a strategic management consulting firm specializing in workforce development. A former Communications Professor, she has performed at many storytelling venues in the Boston area including GBH’s “Stories from the Stage.” She lives in Central Mass with her husband, two children, seven chickens, two cats, and two neurotic Pomeranians. 

The Nightflies began this journey as musicians who got together for the love and challenge of playing the intricate arrangements of Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen and Walter Becker. Their name is a tip-of-the-hat to the 1982 standard-bearer Donald Fagen’s 1981 solo album, The Nightfly. Ultimately, this led to performances at regional venues and festivals.

They take you on a journey through the 70s and 80s, performing sonic gems from the albums Gaucho, Aja, The Royal Scam, Katy Lied, Countdown to Ecstasy, Pretzel Logic, and Can't Buy A Thrill. Their 10-piece band offers an ambitious medley of those recognizable, danceable, foot-tapping Becker/Fagen hits — and a few deep cuts too.  Dance, sing along, and enjoy. 

Tonight, they are thrilled have the fabulous guest guitarist Eric Byers on stage with them.

Chris Hurren (Keyboards/Vocals)
Gary Jenkins (Bass/Vocals)
Lori Zuroff (Vocals)
Tess Ferraiolo (Vocals)
Marcia J. Macres (Vocals)
Eric Byers (Guitars)
Mickey Roache (Guitars)
Bob Adams (Saxophone)
Mark Seibel (Saxophone)
Jon Golden (Drums/Percussion)

• Doors open: 7pm • Performance: 8pm

• Full bar. You're welcome to bring snacks and/or take-out.

• Tickets: $20/Advance, $25/door