Bill Staines and Red Molly
 by Kathy S-B  ·  21 April 2007

As 99.9 percent of me & thee “fans” know — Bill Staines has appeared on our stage more than any other performer in the history of the coffeehouse. We love the fact that Bill has seen us through our good seasons and our rocky seasons and he’s always been there for us and it’s always a delight to hear his songs and his tales of life on the road. As this quote from the New England Folk Almanac says: “His gentle lilting voice, spacious melodies and common-chord lyrics give his songs a homespun grace that often belies his mastery of the folk form. He is such a pure pleasure too, people forget to notice how damn good at the job of singer-songwritering he really is.” Yes, Bill Staines transforms songwriting into a brand new active verb form: songwritering. That’s what Bill did on our stage last night. His natural and easy style put a smile on everyone’s face and in their hearts as well.

In addition to having Bill “in the house” last night, we were pleased to introduce Red Molly, WUMB’s Best Act of 2006, to our stage. This red hot trio: Laurie MacAllister, Abbie Gardner, and Carolann Solebello is a must-see act for many different reasons. Their crystal clear harmonies soar as they gather around a high-tech yet old-fashioned-like condenser microphone. MacAllister’s a pro at banjo, as is Gardner on dobro and Solebello on acoustic bass guitar. Nothing but sweet, sweet sounds. Scott Alarik of The Boston Globe refers to these young women as the Dixie Chicks of the Coffeehouse crowd.

What was especially satisfying about last night’s show was that the many long-time Bill Staines fans who came through the door and had no idea who Red Molly was went home with a great new musical find and the Red Molly enthusiasts who came experienced the opportunity to witness one of the true folk heroes of our time. As I see it, it was a real win-win situation for everyone!

Photos taken by Kathy S-B during soundcheck

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