Photo: Rafi Sofer
poster by: Jon Sulkow PROD DESIGN
REVIEW of the upcoming show in THE ARTS FUSE by Ed Symkus
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WITH THESE INCREDIBLE MUSICIANS/ARTISTS/FRIENDS opening up the night:
SHEBOOM (post-menopausal women who drum n rap)
BRIAN KING (What Time Is It Mr. Fox?, Jinxland)
MATT YORK (author, songwriter)
BRIAN & DAVID CHARLES (The Sheila Divine, Rare Signals Studio, produced WTF!?)
MERRIE AMSTERBERG (sang the National anthem countless times at Fenway Park)
THE FRANC GRAHAM BAND
DAVID CHAMPAGNE (Treat Her Right, Agnostic Gospel, new record ADULT FICTION)
THALIA ZEDEK
DANA COLLEY (Morphine, Vapors of Morphine) & LAURIE SARGENT (Face To Face, Vapors of Morphine, The Billy Conway Artist Fund)
SAM DUDLEY (my nephew, 11 years in the Nickel & Dime Band, now playing trombone with Dispatch)
ROBIN LANE & ADAM SHERMAN
ELIZA JONES (Buried Beds,War On Drugs), BRANDON BEAVER (Buried Beds, Me Without You) & JEFF CHASSE (poet/songwriter)
RYAN H WALSH (author, Hallelujah The Hills)
WILLIE ‘LOCO’ ALEXANDER
MIKE MANGINI (RBTMovie, Rome Is Burning, Dream Theater), JANE MANGINI (Berlin Airlift, RBTMovie, The Cha Cha Club, The Trans-Siberian Orchestra), TOM SHEPHERD (RBTMovie), DARREN RAY (The Bluer Man Group)
Guest MC’s:
PAUL BUCKLEY (The Sheila Divine, Orbit, LUNCH RECORDS - also stage manager)
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Closing the night: The Nickel & Dime Band:
Savannah Marshall (kit, percussion, back up vox) - Matt Bailin (guitar, sax, backup vox) - Ricky McLean (guitar, backup vox, lead vocal - WALKIN’ MY DOG) - David Goodchild (bass) - Jane Mangini (all keys) - Rick Berlin (lead vocals, songwriter)
who will perform WTF!? in full with these tremendous additional players:
The Four Quarters: Jay Souweine (trumpet) - Jack Panora (tuba) - Matt Bailin (sax, horn arrangements) - Andy Collins (trombone) - Lucas Paquette (sax)
Back up vocals: THE THREE PENNIES
Zoe-Rose DePaz (Troll2 & many other art outlets), Steve McNulty and Brian King
BNN Jamaica Plain is going to 3-camera video the night for posterity and will post the link after 4/19
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THE IDEA (as introduced by Paul Buckley - LUNCH RECORDS):
There are not many people who say they love making and playing music more than Rick Berlin. Sure you may like playing music in your teens and 20s - but something special has to be there once you’re still playing in your 30s, 40s and (gulp) 50’s!
Well, I got news for you. Rick’s got you beat. Berlin has been playing music for 50+ years!
Born in the Silent Generation – Rick has been far from it Starting with the 70’s art/punk scene with Orchestra Luna and Luna, to his 80s rock bands Berlin Airlift and Rick Berlin: THE MOVIE, on to 90’s projects Rome is Burning and The Shelly Winters Project and along long-standing residency playing solo cabaret at Jacques, to ultimately creating his longest musical venture with The Nickel & Dime Band (14 years).
He has tirelessly written songs, assembled musicians, formed bands, ran recordings sessions, booked shows, promoted events, lugged amps and poured his heart out on stage every night. He’s been the captain, the creator, the confidant and the cheerleader in all of his endeavors.
So what’s up with Rick today?
Glad you asked. Mr. Berlin is turning 80 years old in 2025 - and shows no signs of slowing down. The Nickel & Dime Band will be releasing their best work to date - recorded at Rare Signals with Brian Charles (producer/engineer - alongside Annie Hoffman).
So we’re going to soak up some of his music longevity vibes and on his actual birthday - April 19th, 2025 - and celebrate the band’s new album, WTF!? (which I’m releasing on Lunch Records).
A night of guest performers representing various moments/decades throughout his career – either through song, story, or presence at the show.
BERLIN@80 (A Rock n Roll Romance)
Rick Berlin’s 80th Birthday Bonanza
The Nickel & Dime Band CD Release of WTF!?
plus special guests (see above)
Brighton Music Hall
Sat, April 19, 2025
Will you come celebrate Berlin’s 80th with us?
- Paul Buckley - Lunch Records
“My feeling is that Rick is the definition of a true artist-- someone who lives and breathes for what he creates and puts everything he's learned and felt into his songwriting. The sheer range of styles he's worked in and personalized attests to everything good about the Boston scene.” - Brett Milano