Janet Bates - Singer, Songwriter, Activist

House Concerts Schedule

Our "House Concert" series is an attempt to provide musicians who are trying to make a difference in the world, a place to perform. It is also a chance for our locals to have a chance to hear these musicians perform in an intimate setting.

House Concerts begin at 6 pm, with a potluck dinner. People can bring a dish, or not. There is always an abundance of food. The House Band (Janet and Ken) play at 6:30. Featured Band/Artist plays at 7 pm.

There is a suggested 15 dollar donation and most of the Artists usually bring their own CD's to sell.

For more information about House Concerts, e-mail Janet at info@JanetBates.com

June 14th - Kate Power and Steve Einhorn

QualityFolk.com

Kate Power & Steve Einhorn are quality folk: musicians, writers, artists, community builders, Guinness World Record setters and songwriters. Power & Einhorn harmonize with the blessing of Pete Seeger and the Music to Life grand prize for "Travis John" from Kerrville, Texas. Anchors for legendary folk music center, Artichoke Music (1981-2006) in Portland, Oregon, Kate & Steve bring unique gifts to the table of Great Northwest folk.

"Brick & Mortar" is available now at cdbaby and live concerts! Download the whole album right into your ipod. Order a CD for delivery after June 1. "Brick & Mortar" is the seventh release from this pair of irrepressible musicians from the Pacific Northwest. All original, all live. From the cowboy saddle of "Wallowa" to the flirty romance of "Crush", the solitary sound of one man's voice in "Travis John (The Return)" to the compelling singalong of two thousand bicyclists riding Cycle Oregon "Under the Moon", "Brick & Mortar" bears an exquisite bunch of one dozen songs in their natural state as Kate & Steve harmonize them home, warm and live on ukuleles, banjos and guitars. "Brick & Mortar" was recorded in the studio over a few short days with legendary engineer, Bob Stark at the board at Kung Fu Bakery in Portland, Oregon.

July 25th - Rod MacDonald

Rod MacDonald's My Space

"An original Greenwich Village icon - a pivotal folk singer who uses his background in law and journalism to ask the important questions of our time..."

~ The Boston Folk Festival

"A brilliant folk singer and composer. His melodic songs possess words that go straight into your heart and soul."

~ Atlantic City Press

'Solid Wood In A Formica World'

"A Tale of Two Americas examines our divided culture like no one has since Dylan. But, he does not protest so much as he probes and pierces our illusions about our culture.... you get the feeling this is the genuine article... solid wood in a Formica world".

~ The Oracle (Arizona)

August 5th - Chris Chandler

ChrisChandler.org

The Chris Chandler Story

Few musicians can claim "on-the roadisms" the way Chris Chandler can. He is a true veteran of the road, traveling across The United States of Generica for many years. His anthology of road tales transforms into a flock of doves beneath the musical high-wire act. He has worked with everyone from Allen Ginsberg to Ani DiFranco and Pete Seeger to Mojo Nixon. Utah Phillips says, "Chris Chandler is the best performance poet I have ever seen."

Originally from Stone Mountain, Georgia, the son of a Baptist minister, Chris has been on or around the stage his whole life. As a teen-ager he was in the bars and on the road working as a roadie for bands like the Georgia Satellites. He graduated from the North Carolina School of the Performing Arts in 1988. That summer — which was supposed to be a "summer away from college", he hit the road as a street performer to fund his way to audition as a lighting designer in Theaters across America. He actually landed a job on Broadway no-less but turned it down to become a performer in his own right. He has been on the road ever since.

For the first few years he was living in his car and stopping in every town from Bangor to San Ysidro where he opened his guitar case and waxed the manifesto electric sporting a sign that read "Stranded Musician Needs Gas Out of Town." Eventually he hooked up with a group of performers busking in Harvard Square where he joined a commune of other traveling street musicians. These nomadic experiences naturally fed him into the world of activism. Since then he has performed at thousands of festivals, colleges, and bar rooms across the US and Canada.

You can often find him at demonstrations and protests - large and small, across the US and Canada. Recently, he was seen protesting the FTAA in Miami, the G-8 in Calgary and the Iraq war (both of them) in Washington, DC to name a few. His experience as a street performer and rabble rouser shine through every performance making him a welcome addition to festivals, carnivals, hay rides and riots, or where ever the rabble need to be roused.

This is not performance art - like the clichés of Hollywood would imply. No one pours chocolate on the wings of a sparrow. This is steeped in the centuries of tradition that define theater. At one time in human history bards roamed outside the castle wall carrying tales from village to village. Today, gritty road warriors do the same - outside the castle walls of corporate America. Between the frequencies of Clear Channel, still exists the forgotten art form of storytelling.

Other concerts are booked. Check back later for more info, dates and places.

September 7th - Anne Feeney

AnneFeeney.com

October 25th - George Mann

GeorgeMann.home.att.net

November (TBA) Paul Kamm and Eleanore MacDonald

KamMac.com