BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. – Roots music legends Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore are bringing their soulful blend of country, blues, folk, and guitar-bashing rock ‘n’ roll to the Bellows Falls Opera House on Saturday, May 9.
A few years back, Grammy-winning Alvin and multiple-Grammy-nominee Gilmore decided to join forces and play some music together. Although Texas-born Gilmore was twice named Country Artist of the Year by Rolling Stone, and California native Alvin first came to fame in the hard-rocking rhythm and blues band The Blasters, they discovered that their musical roots in old blues and folk music were exactly the same. Naturally enough, that led to collaboration, and the duo have recorded two critically acclaimed albums, “TexiCali” and “Downey to Lubbock,” and have toured behind both, rocking the stage with a full band.
As they hit the road in 2026, this time they are billing themselves as the Almost Acoustic Duo. Friends for more than 30 years, their lively shows feature songs from the duo’s albums, as well as classic original compositions from their individual albums, while swapping songs, telling stories, and sharing their life experiences on stage.
“Jimmie and I have been extremely blessed,” muses Alvin. “People will go with us through a lot of our musical moods, because a good song can be done a million different ways.”
Joining the duo will be, as Alvin recently put it, “rock and roll legend, guitarist, writer, songwriter, garage DJ, Patti Smith bandleader, and all-round solid cat” Lenny Kaye. Kaye, at age 78, has just released his debut album, and was recently the subject of a long feature in “Rolling Stone.”
So, what should audiences expect? Alvin reports from the road,“Mr. Kaye joined us on guitar for more than a few songs, and we had a good ol’ rocking and rolling blast. Afterwards, he happily exclaimed, ‘I guess we’re a band now!’ You never know, Mr Kaye. Stranger things have happened.”
Both Gilmore and Alvin have played Bellows Falls before; Gilmore as part of the Green Mountain Express music train and Alvin as headliner at the late, great Roots on the River music festival. This show is being presented by Ray’s the Roof Productions.
The Bellows Falls Opera House is located at 7 Village Square, Bellows Falls, Vt. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and showtime is 7:30 p.m. To purchase tickets, or for more information, visit www.bellowsfallsoperahouse.com.