It’s hard to believe that it’s already 2025, but before we can fully embrace the new year, let’s look back at some of the highs and lows of our local music scene in 2024.

The area’s biggest live music event is the Green River Festival, which is now held at the Franklin County Fairgrounds every June. This year was a big first for the festival, as concert promoter DSP Shows took over the ownership of the festival from Signature Sounds Presents of Northampton.

This was a major change in that Signature Sounds had been running the festival since 2013 and its president, Jim Olsen, has been booking the music for the event since its inception in 1986. Festival attendees were concerned that big changes were in store, but they had nothing to worry about. Headlining acts like Cake and Fleet Foxes were more ‘indie rock’ than previous headliners had been, but the biggest change were the improved stages within the fairgrounds. (The most commonly heard complaint was the lack of local beer.)

Of course Mother Nature presented the most significant challenge to this year’s festival. Storms delayed the event on Friday night and Saturday afternoon, and a tornado warning loomed over Sunday’s events. But through it all the show went on and will continue this year when the Green River Festival takes place on June 21-23.

In other concert news, the long-running Charlemont Reggae Festival grew from one day to two days with camping made available for attendees. Hawks & Reed brought free live music to downtown Greenfield every month during the summer with their Off the Common series, and the Summer Series at Tree House Brewing in South Deerfield brought a series of sold-out or near-sold-out shows by acts like Michael Franti, and Gary Clark Jr. But as fall rolled in, so did noise complaints from neighbors, and it’s unclear how that issue will be resolved.

Other live music high-points included the 30th Anniversary of the Berkshire Brewing Company who put on a great show at the Fairgrounds. And let’s not forget the fantastic lineup that played the Energy Park during the town’s Pride Day celebration. How lucky were we to see Thus Love for free at this event?

On the downside, we lost the venue 10 Forward, which closed its doors in the fall. Hitchcock Brewery, another popular spot to hear local music, will also be missed as they closed their doors in late August.

The good news on that front is that Incandescent Brewery are moving into the former Hitchcock location and have indicated they will be showcasing local talent.

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There were many great recordings released last year, and while it’s impossible to name them all or even compile a best-of list, there are a few that I would list among my among my favorites of 2024. One of these is “All Pleasure” by Brattleboro’s post-punk band Thus Love. “All Pleasure” is an album that lives up to its name with its melodic hooks, sharp guitar, and the charismatic lead vocals of Echo Mars. A recent feature in Rolling Stone and a U.S. and European tour indicate that this band is going places.

“Civilized Show-Off,” the debut from Greenfield’s Rocking Puppies, is another great album to rock out to. The band is made up of Michael Crigler and his 9-year-old daughter Pema on vocals. But don’t be put off by Pema’s age. This duo is the real deal, creating punk music that is fast, fun and feisty.

Last year also saw the return of LuxDeluxe of Northampton, who after a seven-year absence, returned with a with a self-titled album that’s a collection of infectious hip-shaking songs meant to be played loud and danced to.

On the subject of absence, after living in Austin, Texas for 15 years, Matt Hebert of the Ware River Club and Haunt returned to the area last year. He released two albums in 2024: “Causeways” with his band Hidden Skyline, which features some members of the Ware River Club, and “It’s a Lot Baby,” on which he is joined by the Lonesome Brothers. Both albums are slices of Americana enhanced by his raspy voice and honest lyrics. Of course the album featuring the Lonesome Brothers has more of a country edge to it.

It would be a disservice not to mention the incredible album “i know i know i know” by Montague-based band Cloudbelly. Led by Corey Laitman, the group addresses the themes of loss and healing, a journey Laitman embarked on after the loss of two significant relationships. Their sophomore release showcases their versatility, with a range of songs that span from indie rock to experimental pop to light folk, providing a memorable listening experience.

Loss was also a big theme of “The Universal Fire,” the latest release from Jeffrey Foucault of Shelburne Falls. Foucault thematically employs the noted 2008 fire at Universal Studios in California which destroyed the original recordings of so many musical legends, as well as contemplating the death of his longtime drummer and best friend, Billy Conway. “The Universal Fire” is a beautiful album that finds Foucault delivering some of his deepest and moving writing. Oh, and some of these songs really rock.

2024 was a year that will be remembered for the continued rise of tribute bands. The Shea Theater was a hub for these bands, offering performances of musical acts that covered music from Kiss to Johnny Cash – and the audiences could not get enough. Dark Star Orchestra, known for recreating specific concerts of the Grateful Dead, played two unforgettable nights at Tree House Brewing Company this past September and local bands also joined the trend, with acts like Big Yellow Taxi who performed Joni Mitchell’s “Court and Spark” in its entirety. The Secret Chord, a musical tribute to the music of Leonard Cohen, also made their debut, and as we enter 2025 the popularity of these cover or tribute bands shows no sign of slowing down.

Some of the musicians we lost in 2o24 include guitarist Chris Dixon, who played in bands like Birds of Flame and also did sound at the Charlemont Reggae Festival for many years. (This year’s Reggae Fest was dedicated to his memory.) Dixon passed away in January.

Bassist Glenn Douglass Jubilee of Chesterfield, who played with various bands in the area including Masala Jazz and Rebel Alliance, passed away in December.

We also lost singer-songwriter Leah Kunkle in November, who had a varied career outside of music as well. In addition to being a solo artist, she was a member of the Coyote Sisters and sang on albums by James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Art Garfunkel, and others. She was a lawyer who worked closely with many local musicians, Signature Sounds and the Institute of Musical Arts.

Sheryl Hunter is a freelance writer who resides in Easthampton. Her work has appeared in various regional and national publications. She can be reached at Soundslocal@yahoo.com.