April 2019
Photo by Gillian Jones, Berkshire Eagle
On the cusp of something great
Heltai returns to North Adams with Passim-backed CD in tow
By Benjamin Cassidy, The Berkshire Eagle
"As an artist, it's very hard to accumulate a good sense of self-worth because you're being knocked down a lot of the time consistently," he said, "and I've always had a very tumultuous relationship with my mental health, too. It goes in waves, and a lot of this record is dealing with your relationship, and often negative relationship, to yourself affecting the way you show up for other people." - Izzy Heltai
September 2017
Quincy Band performs a Labor Day show at The Chalet at MASS MoCA September 2017
Photo by Mark Girouard
Common Folk lights up North Adams’ nightlife
By Benjamin Cassidy, The Berkshire Eagle
"The advantage we have is that we're an artist collective, so we can sort of explore different genres and vibes and environments ... " said Jessica Sweeney, Director of Common Folk.
Common Folk began holding weekly meetings, but it had no money to support its varied ideas. Then, "out of nowhere," Sweeney said, the group booked Moon Hooch, a popular New York City-based band that blends jazz, funk and electronic dance elements, in 2015.
"[That] made us figure out that we could do some big things," Sweeney said. "We were like, 'Wow, we can put on a concert, and there aren't a lot of concerts that are outside of Mass MoCA, and there's not really a nightlife in North Adams, so maybe that's what we do.'"