As December begins, the Berkshires ease into a lighter music week with 32 performances—but there’s still plenty to get excited about, from beloved local favorites to standout national acts spanning classical, jazz, rock, pop, folk, bluegrass, and more. Explore the highlights below, and be sure to browse the full calendar to plan your next night out.
This week’s music scene is full of local favorites, so we kick off our show rundown with them. Wednesday you’ll find the Jason Ennis Trio at The Lion’s Den. Wanda Houston has a busy week, with three performances: Friday at The Lion’s Den, Saturday afternoon at Balderdash Cellars with Benny Kohn, and Saturday night at Buttonball Barn. The BTU’s perform at Firefly Gastropub on Friday night. Sunday evening, as usual, you’ll find Michael Junkins & Friends at The Lion’s Den.
In addition to these local favorites, you’ll find these highlighted performances:
- Alice Peacock at Buttonball Barn on Wednesday. The singer-songwriter is a nationally recognized Americana and folk-pop artist known for her soulful vocals, heartfelt songwriting, and a career that includes major-label releases, national touring, and widespread film and television placements.
- The Outcrops at Buttonball Barn on Thursday. We saw this band out of northern New Jersey a few years back at The Lion’s Den and were blown away by lead singer Cassidy Rains and her powerful vocals.
- Isaiah J. Thompson Quartet: A Guaraldi Holiday at Mahaiwe on Friday (two performances). Enjoy the music of the legendary Vince Guaraldi performed by Thompson, the winner of the 2023 American Pianists Awards and the Cole Porter Fellowship in Jazz of the American Pianists Association.
- Berkshire Music School Benefit Concert at Adams Theatre on Friday. Come on out to this fundraiser to support the school, featuring Samirah Evans and Nate Martel, along with Berkshire Music School students and faculty.
- The Lily Vakili Band with opener Hannah Bracken at Buttonball Barn on Friday. Vakili is a dynamic indie rock singer-songwriter known for her powerful stage presence, fearless lyricism, and high-energy performances that blend rock, punk, and Americana influences.
- The Bach Experience–Choral Music for the Spirit at St. James Place on Saturday. The Crescendo Chorus presents Bach’s Christmas Cantata “Sweet Comfort“ BWV 151, his Mass in G minor BWV 235, and festive 16th-century double choir motets.
- The Picky Bastards at Barrington Hall on Saturday. The Picky B’s, featuring local favorite Chris Merenda and Rob Sansome, don’t perform in the Berkshires that often since Sansome moved to Maine, so when they do, you gotta go and enjoy their unique blend of bluegrass, reggae, and punk.
- ARKAI (pictured above) at Mahaiwe on Saturday. ARKAI is a genre-defying string duo from Juilliard that blends classical virtuosity with global, electronic, and contemporary influences to create innovative, electrifying performances.
- Close Encounters With Music: Vivace Chamber Orchestra – Mozart, Mendelssohn, Britten, Bruch at Mahaiwe on Sunday. The event title says it all – don’t miss the New York-based chamber group performing great classical works.
- THE SPEED OF SOUND at Tourists on Sunday. This is a great opportunity to catch this newly formed band featuring Spencer Albee, a Portland-based singer, songwriter, and producer known for his hook-filled indie pop and rock, as well as for a long career that includes leading the band Rustic Overtones and collaborating with artists like David Bowie and John Stirratt of Wilco.
You can learn more about all of these performances in our day-by-day show rundown below, or jump right to our music calendar. Use the subscribe button below to receive this free weekly rundown of upcoming performances in your inbox each Monday.
Monday
No Performances.Tuesday
7:30 pm Brass Ensemble Studio Recital @ Williams College, Williamstown.
Wednesday
6:30 pm – 9:30 pm Jason Ennis Trio @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm POSTPONED: Alice Peacock @ Buttonball Barn, South Egremont.
Thursday
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Arthur Terembula @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
7:30 pm – 10:30 pm The Outcrops @ Buttonball Barn, South Egremont.
Friday
5:30 pm – 7:30 pm Isaiah J. Thompson Quartet: A Guaraldi Holiday @ Mahaiwe, Great Barrington.
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Holiday Walk Weekend Concert: Jenny Herzog @ The Clark Art Institute, Williamstown.
6:00 pm Berkshire Music School Benefit Concert @ Adams Theatre, Adams.
6:00 pm Mike Parrott Acoustic @ Knox Trail Inn, East Otis.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm The BTU*s @ Firefly Gastropub, Lenox.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Kollin Kozlowski @ Antimony Brewing, Lenox.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Wanda Houston @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
7:00 pm GREG HALL @ Hot Plate Brewing Co, Pittsfield.
7:00 pm Awake at the Wheel @ Route 8 Pub, Becket.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm The Lovely and Talented Amy Attias and Benny Kohn at Methuselah! @ Methuselah Bar & Lounge, Pittsfield.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm The Lily Vakili Band with opener Hannah Bracken @ Buttonball Barn, South Egremont.
7:30 pm WERQshires presents: A DRAG Christmas Story! @ The Foundry, West Stockbridge.
8:00 pm STEPHEN CLAIR @ Tourists, North Adams.
8:30 pm – 10:30 pm Isaiah J. Thompson Quartet: A Guaraldi Holiday @ Mahaiwe, Great Barrington.
Saturday
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm Wanda Houston & Benny Kohn @ Balderdash Cellars, Richmond.
3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Garrin Benfield @ Berkshire Mountain Distillers, Sheffield.
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm The Bach Experience–Choral Music for the Spirit @ St. James Place, Great Barrington.
7:00 pm – 11:00 pm The Picky Bastards @ Barrington Hall, Great Barrington.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Buddy McEarns @ Antimony Brewing, Lenox.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm The Hawthorne’s @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Acoustic Bandwidth Back at Knox Train Inn @ Knox Trail Inn, East Otis.
7:30 pm – 10:30 pm Wanda Houston Project @ Buttonball Barn, South Egremont.
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm River of Dreams – the music of Billy Joel @ The Stationery Factory, Dalton.
8:00 pm Arkai @ Mahaiwe, Great Barrington.
Sunday
12:00 pm – 3:00 pm Mike Duffy @ Antimony Brewing, Lenox.
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm Greg Caprioni @ portaVia, Dalton.
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm Tom Corrigan @ Balderdash Cellars, Richmond.
3:00 pm CHRISTMAS AT TRINITY Music for Choir and Handbells @ Trinity Episcopal Church, Lenox.
4:00 pm Close Encounters With Music: Vivace Chamber Orchestra – Mozart, Mendelssohn, Britten, Bruch @ Mahaiwe, Great Barrington.
6:30 pm – 9:30 pm Michael Junkins & Friends @ The Lion's Den, Stockbridge.
7:00 pm – 9:30 pm Sunday Sisters Songwriters Circle @ Buttonball Barn, South Egremont.
8:00 pm THE SPEED OF SOUND @ Tourists, North Adams.
Please get out and support your local musicians and venues!
— Mark @ Music in the Berkshires