Seven-time Grammy nominee Joan Osborne is the latest addition to a jam packed Martha’s Vineyard Concert Series. Osborne is one of six new acts added to the live entertainment series at The Loft. The other performances include Pink Talking Fish, Neighbor, Marble Eyes, Entrain, and The New Motiff. The shows will start on July 21 with a week of music leading up to the Beach Road Weekend Music Festival in Vineyard Haven. Tickets for the latest round of Martha’s Vineyard Concert Series shows go on sale Friday, June 18 at MVConcertSeries.com.
The shows are presented thanks to a partnership between MV Concert Series and The Loft. The Loft will undergo a six-figure renovation of the sound and lighting systems funded by the Martha’s Vineyard Concert Series, bringing a theatre experience to one of Oak Bluffs’ best hangouts. Sound engineers will map out the room and create a system specifically designed to bring professional concerts to the Loft. While much of the interior will look the same, the venue will have a new professional sound that transforms the entire experience.
Neighbor (9:00 PM Wednesday, July 21):
With a diverse catalog of hundreds of songs, Neighbor is an exciting and unpredictable live band. Grown in large part by the passion and devotion of the fans called Neighbors, their symbiotic relationship inspires and touches every performance. Neighbor combines ambitious composition, soulful balladry, and a fearless approach to their lengthy improvisations.
Pink Talking Fish (9:00 PM Thursday, July 22):
Pink Talking Fish is a Hybrid Tribute Fusion Act that takes the music from three of the world's most beloved bands and creates a special treat for fans of the music. Pink Floyd, Talking Heads and Phish are all more than just bands, they are Phenomenons. Their creations have artistically inspired people and their mindblowing live performances have brought people together to form a special sense of community around the love for their favorite band. Pink Talking Fish features Eric Gould on bass, Richard James on keyboards, Zack Burwick on drums and Cal Kehoe on guitar. This is a band created by musicians who love the music of these acts. It's purpose is to heighten people's passion for this music by creating something fresh and exciting for fans.
Marble Eyes (10:00 PM Friday, July 23):
Marble Eyes is a soulful, energetic rock band based out of the New Hampshire Seacoast. This group has multiple lead singers and vocal harmonies in the same spirit as The Band and Traveling Wilburys. The feel good, larger than life sound has been dubbed by its fanbase as “Rock & Roll For The Soul”. Marble Eyes formed amidst the pandemic and features players from national touring acts such as Pink Talking Fish, Kung Fu, The Indobox and more. All four band members have contributed songs to the Marble Eyes repertoire. Each character is defined and, together, they have created something positive and exciting in the midst of one of the most challenging times of this century.
Entrain (8:00 PM Friday, August 6):
Drummer extraordinaire Tom Major had been keeping the beat for national acts Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes and classic rocker Bo Diddley before founding this six piece Martha’s Vineyard funky jam band. Started by Major in 1993 while off for a summer from touring with Bo Diddley, the band’s first gig was at the Atlantic Connection in Vineyard Haven. They played their percussion driven, blues, rock, calypso and ska sound every Thursday to sell out crowds of five hundred dancers inside and one hundred more people waiting outside in line. From the beginning, Entrain was a great dance band playing winsome, energetic and propulsive music. The group then went full time later that year and their live shows became legendary. Their songs are characterized by long extended instrumental breaks as they keep their audiences in motion. They have released eight CDs on Dolphin Safe Records and have been playing steadily for twenty-six years in the U.S. Canada, Germany and China.
Joan Osborne (5:00 & 8:00 PM Saturday, August 7):
Since she broke through 25 years ago with the multi-platinum Relish and its touchstone mega-smash “One of Us,” the seven-time Grammy nominee Joan Osborne has never played it safe. She has followed her restless musical heart, exploring a diverse range of genres: pop rock, soul, R&B, blues, roots rock, gospel, funk, and country – all of which can be heard on her latest album, Trouble and Strife, along with the Western side of C&W and a touch of glam and disco. “For a lot of the record, we were going for a ‘70s AM radio vibe,” says Osborne. As for the lyrics, the songs“are the most political I’ve ever written,”she conveys of her first album of originals since 2014’s confessional Love and Hate. Osborne also produced Trouble and Strife, primarily recorded in her basement studio in Brooklyn and released on the label she founded in 1991, Womanly Hips.
The New Motiff (8:00 PM Friday, August 27):
The New Motif is an eclectic funk rock jam band, infusing deep psychedelic grooves with masterful improvisational techniques. Since the band launched onto the scene in 2017 they quickly became known for their deep grooves, intricate composition and precise execution. The ambitiously crafted keyboard mastery, expressive saxophone and melodic, exploratory guitar meld into a soulful dynamic fusion, held down by funky bass and deep drum grooves. Come experience the high energy exchange between band and crowd, coined by fans as the “Reciprocal Boogie” and understand why TNM has become one of New England’s most premier jam bands.
MV Concert Series at The Loft include Neighbor (7/21), Pink Talking Fish (7/22), Marble Eyes (7/23), Crooked Coast (7/31), Luna (8/2), RIPE (8/5), Entrain (8/6), Joan Osborne (8/7), G. Love & Chuck Treece (8/24), Sammy Rae and The Friends (8/25), New Motiff (8/27), and Livingston Taylor (8/28).
Tickets for all shows will be on sale Friday, June 18 at MVConcertSeries.com. Stay up to date on all concert announcements by following the MV Concert Series on Facebook and Instagram.
About the Loft:
Built in 1900, the Loft is a historic venue located in the heart of Oak Bluffs. The recently renovated space at 9 Oak Bluffs Avenue is just steps from the ferry docks, shopping and hotels. The Loft is the Island's hottest lounge, open year round and serving some of the best Neapolitan style Pizza from Pizza di Napoli!. The high gabled ceilings, clean white walls, sweeping views of Oak Bluffs, make this a can’t miss spot for locals and tourists alike. As part of the partnership with MV Concert Series, the Loft will undergo a six-figure renovation to improve the stage and install a state-of-the-art sound and lighting system.
About the Martha’s Vineyard Concert Series:
Created by groundbreaking live events company Innovation Arts and Entertainment, the company behind Martha’s Vineyard’s music festival Beach Road Weekend, The MV Concert Series brings artists and entertainers to intimate settings on the Island. Launched in 2016, the series presents dozens of shows a year across Martha’s Vineyard and the Cape.
