BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. – One of the great joys of concert-going is discovering great new music. Established names may sell tickets, but sometimes the opening act brings down the house on their own. That’s the idea behind the “Catch the Rising Stars” concert at the Bellows Falls Opera House on Nov. 16 – three acts that wowed Bellows Falls audiences are returning for a co-headlining triple bill that is sure to pack a wallop.
Crys Matthews, Peter Mulvey, and BettySoo are three immeasurably talented – and very different – acts. Matthews was unknown to most of the audience when she took the stage at the very first Ray Massucco Concert Series show in February of this year. She left to a standing ovation.
She jokes that she is “the poster-child for intersectionality,” but her songs of compassionate dissent are, as Justin Hiltner of Bluegrass Situation put it, “a reminder of what beauty can occur when we bridge those divides.” She is made for these times. “By wrapping honest emotions around her socially conscious messages and dynamically delivering them with a warm heart and a strong voice, she lifts our spirits just when we need it most,” says American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers creative director Eric Philbrook.
“I’m so incredibly excited to be returning to the Bellows Falls Opera House,” says Matthews. “Getting to open for Dar Williams there was one of the highlights of that tour, and the community made me feel so welcome and at home. I’m looking forward to singing for and with you all again.”
Peter Mulvey has played Bellows Falls numerous times over the last two decades, and his opening set for The Steel Wheels in April was a tour-de-force. Moving assuredly from his own stunning compositions to songs from the American songbook, to spoken-word pieces, to dazzling, understated guitar work, Mulvey riveted the capacity audience.
“As a young songwriter, without quite knowing it, I did my best to stand up for human decency, and the surest path there: pluralistic democracy. As usual in life, these days I find myself learning from those younger than me,” says Mulvey, who, although in his 50s, recently became a father. “And I’m delighted to get to learn from BettySoo and Chrys, onstage and in real time.”
BettySoo, the “Asian-Americana queen of Austin,” appeared at the 2018 Roots on the River stage as one third of vocal trio Nobody’s Girl. Fresh off a summer tour with Texas songwriter James McMurtry, she made national news this year when, during encores in Tennessee and Texas – states that have recently passed laws restricting drag performers – the two cross-dressed for the final song of the night. “We were just doing our little bit for humanity,” explained the laconic McMurtry.
“I’m so looking forward to sharing the night with Crys and Peter,” says BettySoo. “They are not only masters of their craft, but they are also vocal champions for justice and compassion.”
Ezra Veitch of Ray’s the Roof Productions is excited for the show. “Ray loved to discover new music, he liked progressive politics, and he would absolutely love this lineup,” says Veitch. Massucco, a beloved local lawyer and music promoter, passed away suddenly last September. The final Ray’s the Roof show of the year will be Karla Bonoff and Livingston Taylor’s “Home For The Holidays” concert on Dec. 16. Media sponsor for all shows is Great Eastern Radio.
The Bellows Falls Opera House is located at 7 Village Square, Bellows Falls, Vt. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., showtime is 7:30 p.m. Tickets and information can be found at www.bellowsfallsoperahouse.com.