At a press conference held earlier today, Park Theatre staff and local officials announced the re-opening of the historic Cranston venue. Officials also shared the first round of concerts, including five events scheduled for the fall, with more to be added soon. Media and community members welcomed Brandon Caron, Chief Operating Officer of Lexington, MA-based […]
Ken Abrams
Lifestyle Editor Ken Abrams writes about music, the arts and more for What'sUpNewp. He is also an Editor and Writer for Hey Rhody Media. Ken DJ's "The Kingston Coffeehouse," a roots/folk/rock radio show every Tuesday, 6-9 PM on WRIU 90.3 FM. He is a former educator in the Scituate, RI school system where he taught Social Studies for over 30 years.
He is on the board of the Rhode Island Folk Festival and Newport Live (formerly Common Fence Music), a non-profit that brings diverse musical acts to the Newport area.
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
What’s Up Interview: Tommy Gardner, aka Tommy Buoy of Yachtley Crew, playing PPAC July 27
Yacht Rock enthusiasts, prepare “sail away” with Yachtley Crew, a band guaranteed to “make your dreams come true.” The band cruises on into the Providence Performing Arts Center where they’d “really like to see you tonight,” (well, July 27), and even better, you don’t have to be a “Rich Girl” or boy to attend. Appearing […]
Posted inThings To Do
What’s Up Interview: Katrina Fortier of Lady & the Lovers, playing One Pelham East on Sunday, July 14
A rising star on the music scene who got her start on stage in Newport is returning to town this weekend for a show Sunday night at One Pelham East. Katrina Fortier leads her band Lady and the Lovers to the area for her first visit back since relocating in 2021. “I went to Salve […]
Posted inNews
Cranston’s Park Theatre re-opening soon – We speak to new manager Sara Shevlin
You may have already heard that Cranston’s historic Park Theatre is scheduled to re-open this Fall. The venue, which has served theater-goers since 1924, has struggled in recent years, partially as a result of recent flooding as well as a slowdown in the live entertainment industry as it recovered from the pandemic. Spectacle Live, a […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Breweries of the Month: Ravenous and Phanton Farms leading the way in Northern RI
With two brewhouses in town, Cumberland is fast becoming the beer capital of northern Rhode Island. For June’s “Brewery of the Month,” we decided to check out both Ravenous Brewing and Phantom Farms Brewing, two breweries that call Cumberland home. First stop, Ravenous Brewing Company, the first Latino-owned brewery in the state, headquartered in a […]
Posted inSports
International Tennis Hall of Fame announces major renovation plan
The International Tennis Hall of Fame is about to get a facelift. Plans for significant renovations at the historic facility were announced at a press conference on Tuesday, June 25. As part of the project, exhibit space will increase and the visitor experience will be improved. “The new space more than doubles the existing exhibit […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
What’s Up Interview: Nels Cline of Wilco, playing Solid Sound Festival June 28-30
The weekend of June 28-30 welcomes the return of the Solid Sound Festival to the lively village of North Adams, in western Massachusetts. The festival takes place every other summer at Mass MOCA, the celebrated modern art museum in the Berkshires. The event is organized and curated by members of the seminal alt-rock band Wilco, […]
Posted inArts & Culture
What’s Up Interview: RI music legend John Cafferty, playing PPAC on July 13
In a little over a week, the Providence Performing Arts Center will come alive with the sounds of “Cool Summer Nights,” a series of concerts at the downtown theater featuring ticket prices as low as $10. Kicking off the series on June 22 is the world’s #1 Bruce Springsteen tribute band, Bruce in the USA. […]
Posted inNews
A Night at the Ballgame – Summer tradition alive and well at Cardines Field
Monday evening June 10, was a perfect night for a ball game at Cardines Field in Newport, where the Newport Gulls faced the visiting Mystic Schooners. The two seaside clubs fought hard in a close game, with the Gulls pulling out a 7-6 victory on a walk-off hit in the bottom of the ninth. But […]
Posted inArts & Culture
What’s Up Interview: Dan Hassett, founder of the Levitate Music and Arts Festival
One of the more popular music festivals in the region returns to Marshfield, MA, the weekend of July 5-7 with a stacked lineup. The Levitate Music and Arts Festival celebrates its 11th year at the Marshfield fairgrounds with headliners Sublime, Lake Street Dive, and Mt. Joy. The story is certainly about a great weekend of […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Providence Brewery named a finalist for the Sam Adams “Brewing the American Dream” award
A Rhode Island brewery has been nominated for the highly prestigious “Brewing the American Dream” experience, a program sponsored by Sam Adams Brewery that provides mentorship and capital to food and beverage entrepreneurs. Providence Brewing Co., located in the Farm Fresh RI building on Sims Street in Providence, has been selected as a finalist for […]
Posted inArts & Culture
What’s Up Interview: James Montgomery headlining concert at Jane Pickens Friday, May 24
The historic Jane Pickens Film and Events Center is hosting a special concert this Friday, May 24, a benefit show for two local causes with headliner and hometown hero James Montgomery. The concert benefits Newport’s Broadway Streer Fair as well as Operation Stand Down RI, an organization dedicated to supporting local veterans. The singer/harmonica player […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Newport Oyster & Chowder Festival returns to Bowen’s Wharf
The 8th annual Newport Oyster & Chowder Festival returned to Bowen’s Wharf on Saturday, May 18. Despite a little rain from time to time, large crowds gathered at the historic site in Newport Harbor for a day of delicious food and drink. With dozens of area restaurants and oyster farms participating, the menu featured the […]
Posted inThings To Do
Newport-themed MONOPOLY unveiled at Audrain Auto Museum
Move over Atlantic City – there’s a new board game in town. If you’ve ever wanted to buy a hotel on Bellevue Ave., we got you covered – as long as you do it on family game night. MONOPOLY: Newport Edition was introduced today in a brief ceremony at Audrain Auto Museum, an event that […]
Posted inNews
2024 New England Summer Music Festival Guide
Outdoor music festivals featuring some of the top names in the music business are back and better than ever this summer. From Ed Sheeran at Boston Calling to Joan Baez at Newport Folk, here’s our round-up of festivals in New England through Labor Day Weekend. We’ll update the list throughout festival season, so check back […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Brewery of the Month: Newport Craft offers a premier experience in expansive new space
Newport’s newest tasting room houses one of its original micro-breweries. Newport Craft Brewing and Distilling has built one of the top taprooms in the region, with an expansive new indoor space and an inviting outdoor patio with views of the Pell Bridge certain to be a busy spot all summer long and beyond. The facility […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
What’s Up Interview: Brad Roberts of Crash Test Dummies, band playing Newport May 9
Although the weather is not quite keeping pace, the concert season in Newport is certainly heating up. Next up at Jane Pickens Film and Events Center – iconic 90s band Crash Test Dummies roar into town on May 9. Click here for tickets. Tagged as adult-contemporary act in the early/mid 1990s, the band was also […]
Posted inStyle & Shop
Independent Bookstore Day returns Saturday, April 27 with specials and events at local bookstores
Bookstore fans – your day is almost here! Saturday, April 27th is Independent Bookstore Day, a day to celebrate and shop at your local independently-owned bookstore. IBD is a one-day national party that takes place at indie bookstores across the country every year. Bookstores large and small around the region have special events planned for […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Rhythm and Roots announces 2024 lineup for Labor Day Weekend festival
The Rhythm and Roots Festival announced its 2024 lineup today. The festival, which takes place annually at Ninigret Park in Charlestown, includes an impressive lineup of headliners Emmylou Harris, Larkin Poe, Drive-By Truckers, and Old Crow Medicine Show. Also on the bill are Ruthie Foster, Shemekia Copeland, Will Evans, Julia Pratt, and Daniel Donato’s Cosmic […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Photo Gallery: 2024 Newport Beer Festival at Fort Adams
Dozens of local and regional craft brewers were on hand to share their brews and more, welcoming hundreds of beer lovers to Newport on Saturday, April 20. The rain stopped just in time for the cannon-fire opening of the 2024 Newport Beer Festival and the sun even peeked out at Fort Adams State Park just […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Concert Preview: Jefferson Starship playing Twin River May 3, we speak to lead vocalist Cathy Richardson
You know the hits, staples of classic rock radio, and soundtrack to many out-of-body experiences. Jefferson Starship, child of Jefferson Airplane, was a top-grossing band in the 1970s and 80s, and continues to tour to adoring fans today. You’ll have a chance to be one of those fans when the band plays a May 3 […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Brewery of the Month: Tower Hill Brewing Company opens in South Kingstown
The Rhode Island craft brewery scene continues to evolve, with several new breweries opening over the past six months. That means it’s time to resurrect our column “Brewery of the Month,” which has been on hiatus for a bit. I visited the brand spanking new Tower Hill Brewery tasting room last weekend, located off Route […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
What’s Up Interview: Newport Classical’s Gillian Friedman Fox on the 2024 Newport Classical Music Festival
Summers in Newport are widely known for world-class musical events. Historic festivals like Newport Jazz and Newport Folk certainly attract massive crowds over a pair of mid-summer weekends. However, the festival with the largest number of concerts is the Newport Classical Music Festival, which this year runs from July 4th to July 21. The annual […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Concert Review and Photos: Indigo Girls and Rhode Island Philharmonic outstanding at PPAC
Amy Ray and Emily Saliers, the duo better known as the Indigo Girls, are often mentioned in the same breath as Simon and Garfunkel, Hall and Oates, and the Everly Brothers. Ranked among the best musical duos of all time, their songs have charted on the Billboard Top 40 in every decade since the 1980s. […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Concert Photos: Micky Dolenz of The Monkees charms the Greenwich Odeum crowd with songs and stories
Iconic 60s hitmaker Micky Dolenz of the legendary band The Monkees made a stop at the Greenwich Odeum in East Greenwich on Sunday, March 24, with rare stories about the band along with classic tunes, thrilling the near-sell-out crowd. Backed by a stellar band, and featuring his sister Coco Dolenz on vocals, the former teen […]