Bobby Thompson needs no introduction to the old-faithful Fallout Shelter audience. Prior to 2018 Bobby was a regular at the Shelter always bringing an incredible band, his immense guitar skill and his brilliant brand of blues-rock. He has played The Extended Play Sessions 5 times to SOLD OUT audiences and this is his first return visit since August of 2018. The brand new reincarnation of mid-Atlantic rockers Revelator Hill features master guitarist and founder Bobby Thompson and the fiery vocals of Rachel Ann Morgan. Rounding out the line-up is the solid one-two punch rhythm section of scene vets bassist Gina Cocco and drummer Ben Tufts. Hailing from Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland and D.C., the band meets in the middle, with a heart full of blues, and a mind on the song. Everybody sings, everybody shines. Come shine with them!

The Blues Giant makes his Fallout Shelter Debut! This will ROCK! Popa Chubby, born Ted Horowitz, has been hard rocking the blues in his fierce and soulful way for more than 30 years. Over the course of a career that dates back to 1994, he has been a force of nature to be reckoned with on the guitar, and his tempestuous, soulful playing has never been more powerful. An imposing figure with a shaven head, tattooed arms, a goatee and a performance style he describes as “the Stooges meets Buddy Guy, Motörhead meets Muddy Waters, and Jimi Hendrix meets Robert Johnson," Popa Chubby is an endearing character who is one of the genre’s most popular figures.

Our fourth installment of the wildly popular Listen Local Series features two outstanding bands from Eastern Massachusetts The Danny Gallagher Band and Electric Button. The Danny Gallagher Band is as diverse and eclectic as it is talented. Comprised of members of the local bands Driving Sideways, Soulbox, The Movers, and Superfly, the band brings together musical influences from across a large variety of genres. At any given show you may hear DGB flow seamlessly from their own unique arrangements of rock classics into blues, soul, pop, and even traditional music. As one critic put it, they play everything "From Sinatra to Springsteen.” Their passion and commitment to the music and their sheer joy of performing with each other on stage is clearly evident in their live performances. This band is truly a rising presence on the local music scene and a must see live!! Electric Button is an ever-changing cast of characters that has numbered from 4 to 8 members in its different conglomerations. The core members all hail from Norwood & Walpole, MA and have played in a number of musical situations before and since the band formed over 10 years ago. They could best be described as a psychedelic folk/rock band with a focus on originality, drawing from an eclectic selection of material. The group has always made good times and camaraderie a priority and this spirit is infectious. Always searching for the next great musical moment, Electric Button has become tight knit while remaining a welcoming group of friends, sit-ins with the Button are frequent. Whether playing a benefit in a local hall, a bar, covers or originals, Electric Button is always a fun journey with music ranging from Rocky Horror Picture Show to Steely Dan and original material.

This was one of, if not THE, surprise shows of 2022. Afton showed up with a band of absolutely mesmerizing players and a bunch of songs that were so well written, so well performed that most of the small but very vocal crowd was left slack jawed. I cannot recommend a show MORE highly than this show. The man is the consummate performer as is everyone in his band. Afton Wolfe is best classified simply as...Mississippi. Born in McComb, and growing up in Meridian, Hattiesburg, and Greenville, Mississippi, the roots of American music are in his DNA. Mississippi is the birthplace of at least three American art forms: country music, blues music, and rock and roll. Meridian is the birthplace of Jimmie Rodgers, while the Mississippi Delta is the birthplace of the blues, and the first rock n’ roll notes ever played according to intelligent music historians, came from Hattiesburg. Additionally, Afton spent his musically formative years in and around New Orleans, where the humidity of the Mississippi combined with the Cajun seasonings, the jazz, zydeco, creole, and gospel music and his Mississippi roots coalesce to add resonance and depth to his blues/country/rock influences. All of these experiences, places, people and cultures are prevalent in his writing - his songs are snippets of life all around us, all the time. The good, the bad, the ugly and the beautiful moments that resound throughout the day are what move Afton Wolfe to construct the songs that represent life in America.

In Part 3 of the 4 Part Kemp Harris Residency Tour, Kemp takes us in depth about his writing, his WGBH Special "Stories from the Stage," his work with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and much more. Kemp's original composition "If Loneliness Were Black" was performed by the legendary ballet star Desmond Richardson at The Kremlin Palace in Moscow in 2013 to a host of world leaders at The Kremlin Gala. We may get a peak at that performance and many other performances Kemp will be bringing with musicians in a very stripped down, artistic presentation. Kemp is a gift to the music community and an incredible performer, writer and singer but most importantly he is a beautiful human being. We are very fortunate to call him a friend at The Fallout Shelter. A Kemp Harris show is more than a "show." It's more of an event - a spiritual gathering of like minded souls around the performance and genius of one of the Fallout Shelter's most treasured friends and guests. We do not give out "residency" status to just anyone. It has to be a performer with a significant body of work in a mix of styles and the ability to transfix an audience over a four month period. It's not easy, but it is rewarding for the artist, the audience and the Fallout Shelter alike.

Some artists document their lives through their music. Others chronicle their times. It’s a rare artist who can do both, telling their own story through songs that also encapsulate the essence of people and places who have helped define their era overall. Though some may refer to him as a folk singer, Ellis Paul is more, for lack of a better word, a singular storyteller, a musician whose words reach out from inside and yet also express the feelings, thoughts and sensibilities that most people can relate to in one way or another, regardless of age or upbringing. The exhilaration of the open road. A celebration of heroes. The hope for redemption. Descriptions of those things that are both near and dear. The sharing of love - intimate, passionate and enduring. Joining Ellis on stage is long time friend and master musician, the great Radoslav Lorković. Drawing from a multitude of influences ranging from elegant classical and jazz styles to the rawest, most basic blues, country and soul, Radoslav Lorković has taken on an unusually broad musical spectrum and refined it into his distinctive piano style. It is a rarity that we have a legitimate headliner opening a show of this stature but we have the magnificent Martyn Joseph in the house opening up. Martyn Joseph is a completely unique and mind blowing artist.

Every year we host a number of Fundraising Events for great causes. Metavivor has been one we have focused on for the last few years. 100% of the money raised by Metavivor goes to research, treatment and support for women with metastatic breast cancer. It's a great non-profit that is run by professionals, not career non-profit executives that garner big paychecks. Breast cancer has touched the lives of far too many people and it's time to eradicate this horrible disease. This year we've assembled an ALL-STAR cast of musicians to help us raise money for Metavivor. ALL of the proceeds from ticket sales and in-house auctions during the event will go directly to Metavivor. We have a cast this year that will absolutely blow you away. Vance Gilbert, Kerri Powers, Sarah Levecque, Chuck McDermott with a house band made up of rock stars Marco Giovino on drums, Troy Mercy on guitar, Richard Gates on bass and Darby Wolf on keys. Vance Gilbert - “If Joni Mitchell and Richie Havens had a love child, with Rodney Dangerfield as the midwife, the results might have been something close to the great Vance Gilbert." Vance makes incredibly unique music, as evidenced by the 13 albums he’s released so far, as well as the mark he’s made on the folk and acoustic music scenes in general. Over the course of a prolific career that extends back to the early ’90s, he’s recorded with his good friend Ellis Paul and shared stages worldwide with Aretha Franklin, Shawn Colvin, Arlo Guthrie, the Milk Carton Kids, George Carlin (150+ shows), Anita Baker, the Subdudes, Paul Reiser and any number of others. He’s also made a prominent presence at some of the world’s most prestigious gatherings, among them the Newport, Winnipeg, Rocky Mountain, Calgary, Ottawa, and Falcon Ridge folk festivals, the Kate Wolf Music Festival, and Australia’s Woodford Folk Festival and Mullum Music Festival. Kerri Powers - In her teens Kerri Powers began performing in local coffeehouses throughout New England. Standing ovations, encores and significant press became the norm and led to invitational performances at the Boston Folk Festival, the Philadelphia Folk Festival and the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. All indications pointed to her firmly being on her way to establishing a legitimate career. However, amidst her ascent, cupid’s arrow struck, she fell in love, got married and had a child. Unfortunately her partner was less than supportive when it came to her continuing to pursue her music and, as tensions mounted, Kerri was pretty much forced to put her career aside. Fast forward a few years after raising her son and overcoming the hardship of a difficult divorce, Kerri embraced her passion and returned to making music. As a result, she released a self-titled EP in 2014 and started playing out again. Unbelievable as it seems, and with zero promotion or publicity assistance, radio reacted and the CD landed the #1 spot on the Roots Radio Chart and many critics’ list of “Top 50 Folk Albums of 2014.” Sarah Levecque - Sarah Levecque is a songwriter and guitarist who moves easily between the sturdy roots of American music, influenced in equal parts by early blues, country, folk, and rock music. Sarah's voice and songwriting approach will stop you in your tracks. She's got this smoky, ethereal delivery that makes you hang on to every word. She is an introspective artist who writes from the heart and puts a lot of emotional weight into her songs. Perhaps her greatest gift is her ability to clearly articulate the human experience and share her passion, vulnerability, and strength with the listener. Chuck McDermott - Over the last 40 years, Chuck McDermott has left his musical mark on audiences on both coasts of the United States. In the 70s, after a restless two years at Yale University, Chuck arrived in Boston and formed an influential country group, Chuck McDermott and Wheatstraw. Chuck won over audiences and music critics with strong original songwriting and exciting live performances. Chuck's two albums with the band, Last Straw and Follow the Music, drew critical praise from Rolling Stone, the Village Voice, the New York Times, Billboard, Variety and others and broadened Chuck's reach well beyond the Boston area. Chuck started touring from everywhere from Montreal to New Orleans, headlining venues like New York's Lone Star Café and opening for major rock and country acts. In recognition of those years, Chuck was a 2015 inductee into the Massachusetts Country Music Hall of Fame. Chuck McDermott's new album reflects a mature, open-hearted comeback by one of the more fascinating, under-the-radar singers of his generation. Chuck cut his teeth in the country-rock field, but left music for a real job for many years and has since enjoyed a creative rebirth full of incredible music.

Returning for the first time in 8 years, The Adam Ezra Group is the best Boston has to offer! Working outside the confines of the traditional music industry, Adam Ezra and his bandmates – Corinna Smith (fiddle), Alex Martin (drums), Poche Ponce (bass) - built a community of fans through sheer grit and determination, regularly performing hundreds of shows a year for the past two decades without any major label or mainstream radio support. Fusing folk intimacy and rock energy with soul power and pop charm, the band first emerged from Boston in the early 2000s and quickly garnered widespread acclaim for their bold, insightful songwriting and interactive, euphoric performances. From hole in the wall bars and house concerts to sold-out headline shows and dates with the likes of Little Big Town, The Wallflowers, Gavin DeGraw, Train, and The Wailers, Ezra and his bandmates treated every single gig like their last, attracting a die-hard following that believed not just in the music, but in their commitment to activism and social change, as well. After their tour was cancelled at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ezra brought the show online to continue this commitment and created The Gathering Series which to-date has reached a cumulative audience of 15 million viewers. The bands ongoing daily livestreams since March of 2020 stands as a testament not only to Ezra’s artistic endurance, but also his ability to connect with viewers and provide an accepting and supportive space for newcomers to join his tight-knit community of fans. In addition to The Gathering Series, they created their own homegrown festival, The Ramble, hosted by RallySound. The Ramble raises money and marshals resources to help homeless veterans find safe and dignified housing for the last ten years. While the band was unable to bring the festival to fans live in the year of COVID, they instead incorporated it into The Gathering Series and hosted a 24-hour, nonstop livestream where they raised enough money to help house 64 veterans. As if all of this wasn’t enough to keep them busy, the band also embarked on an ambitious new recording series dubbed ‘The Album Project’ which will see the band releasing at least 19 new singles over the next few years. What comes next for the Adam Ezra Group? The future is anyone’s guess right now, and the only thing the Adam Ezra Group knows for sure, is they’ll be out there making music however and whenever they can.

Come enjoy another unique event where we pair a documentary film presentation with a live band performance. On this rare occasion, the band is also the film's subject! “The Dogmatics: A Dogumentary” shares the untold story of The Dogmatics, a band that unwittingly pioneered and became emblematic of the Garage Rock genre, taking over the Boston music scene in the early 80s. The documentary is a four-year effort by family and friends, crafted as a tribute to the Dogmatics’ late co-founder and bassist Paul O’Halloran. It takes you back to the origins of The Dogmatics, recorded on long-forgotten 8mm film reels, giving you a glimpse into the dilapidated loft in Boston’s rundown South End, where the band lived along with many other talented musicians. “The Dogmatics: A Dogumentary is a vibrant and alive blast filled to the brim with kick-ass garage rock, a rock n’ roll spirit, and an emotional core that keeps you rooting for these guys from beginning to end.” – The Independent Critic The Dogmatics will play live after the screening. Formed in 1981 and still writing and performing new music today, The Dogmatics is a Boston-based band known for their pioneering garage punk/rockabilly sound. They released two albums in the 1980s and toured with renowned acts such as The Bangles, The Fleshtones, The Replacements, and Beastie Boys. After the tragic loss of bassist Peter O’Halloran in 1986, they disbanded for quite some time. They never lost their friendship or love for playing together and would occasionally regroup for charity events in the following years. In 2019, they teamed up with Rum Bar Records to record their first new material in over 30 years with the release of their EP “She’s The One.” The new tracks delighted long-time fans and newcomers alike. Despite the disruption of the pandemic, they kept up their momentum and released their latest EP, “Drop That Needle,” in 2022. Jerry Lehane is a founding member of The Dogmatics, playing guitar and contributing as a singer-songwriter. His lead vocals and catchy song structures are a crucial ingredient to the band’s garage-rock-meets-pop sound. Peter O’Halloran, also a founding member, plays guitar and contributes as a singer-songwriter, adding his signature growling vocals and a furious punk sound to The Dogmatics. Tommy Long has been drummer in The Dogmatics since 1982, providing a jazz-inspired genre-bending beat that is the foundation of the band’s unique sound. Jimmy O’Halloran, who joined The Dogmatics in 1986, plays bass in memory of his late brother Paul. He brings a dynamic, hard rock-influenced sound to the band. James Young joined The Dogmatics in 2019 as a singer-songwriter and mandolin player, offering backup vocal harmonies with a hint of American roots music energy. Get your tickets now because this WILL sell out!