Since 2005: More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.
The latest news from Natick, Mass.:
Natick volunteers thirsty for historic water fountain on Common
Backers to seek Community Preservation Act funding in ’26.
(Photo courtesy of Natick Historical Commission
Natick High boys and girls soccer teams in state final four
Both Redhawks teams play in Woburn on Nov. 18 for a shot at making the title game.
TCAN preview: ‘Guitar fanatic’ James Mastro to make Natick debut
James Mastro to open for Marshall Crenshaw.
The latest Natick, Mass., news from Natick Report.
Fall Annual Meeting recap: CPA funds flow to 5 Auburn; Get ready for more downtown signs
Natick doles out its first Community Preservation Act funds and more.
The Haunted House of Bacon Brook (A new look at the land beneath Natick Community Organic Farm)
The Natick Farmers Market has officially moved inside to the Common Street Spiritual Center for the fall and winter.
At one point during fresh Irish folk trio Amble‘s show at Boston’s Royale on Sept. 5, mandolin-plus player Ross McNerney told the sell-out crowd that he’s been in Boston more than home in Ireland this year. While an exaggeration for sure, this did mark Amble’s fourth appearance in Boston since the end of May, and that included opening for Hozier twice at Fenway Park over the summer.
Amble has been topping the charts in Ireland, but it has certainly found a second home in Boston, and the band is getting more and more comfortable here as it goes along. Lead singer Robbie Cunningham could be seen pointing to familiar faces in the crowd, and mention was made of one band member’s family hopping the pond to attend.
I first saw Amble outdoors at Boston Calling in May, where lead vocalist Robbie Cunningham, guitarist Oisín McCaffrey, and McNerney played a stripped down mid-afternoon set on the outlier blue stage without a backing band. The crowd was receptive, but most flocked to the festival no doubt to see headliners like Fall Out Boy and Avril Lavigne.
This time around, at what they referred to as their largest headlining show—Royale’s capacity exceeds 1,000 people—everyone was there to see Amble (I earned myself a Guinness after I gifted an extra ticket to an Irish lad standing by named McGonigle, who said he was nearing the end of his work visa in the U.S.). As was the case at Amble’s Fenway show, the band had backing musicians who amped up the sound.
When I told a relative the next day I’d just seen an Irish band in Boston she asked: “The Pogues?” While the post- Shane MacGowan Pogues actually also were playing in Boston that weekend, no, Amble is not the Pogues… nor U2…nor any of the more rocking bands Ireland might bring to mind. Rather, Amble charms with mostly original tunes in traditional Irish style, rich lyrics and memorable stories, sweet harmonies, and yes, some sing-along parts— that started with the set’s second song, the reflective “Little White Chapel,” and the line “Why walk when we can run.”
Amble’s members, who share songwriting credits, lead with acoustic guitar. Though McNerney frequently wields a banjo, mandolin or bouzouki (a member of the mandolin family), and once he gets ripping, the crowd eagerly whoops.
That was the case with “Of Land and Sea” and “Tonnta,” two of the grabbier tracks from the band’s debut album, “Reverie,” released in May. His banjo really kicked in on “One Man’s Love” between choruses of “I have fallen for another lady/I’ve been searching through the rubble lately/We’re no ordinary lovers, baby,” and McNerney’s frantic picking brought the song to its end, too.
While Cunningham led most songs with his powerful and sometimes spiritual tenor, the band emphasized the instruments at the start or end of certain numbers. This allowed Amble to change pace and share a wide expanse of moods, from forlorn to amorous.
On “Sam Hall,” a classic chimney sweep ballad, Cunningham, McCaffrey, and McNerney slowed things down under sparse white lights and barely strummed their instruments at times,; the backing musicians took that one off.
While many fans came to celebrate music of the old country, Amble also worked in some country music, as in “Jersey Giant” from Kentucky’s Tyler Childers.
Amble’s catalog is small given that the band has only been around for a few years. But the crowd got an early listen of music from an EP called “Hand Me Downs” slated for release later this month. Cracking the setlist were the title track, an ode to the power of passing down stories, plus another newcomer called “Like the Piper” in which Cunningham sings “I’m amazed by your distraction/But you’re not amazed by me.”
Despite the big crowd, the concert had an intimate feel. The focus was on the timeless music, but short stories and anecdotes were woven in between songs by the three lead performers. We learned that they ditched their day jobs about a year ago to go all in on Amble.
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The concert’s high point may have been mid-way through when Amble played nostalgic “Schoolyard Days” and “Mary’s Pub” back to back, with the opening chords of the former eliciting the loudest cheers of the night. “Mary’s Pub,” with its chorus of “And we watched time go by/Well I told her ask me anything/She asked me how to cry,” was sung full throttle by the crowd in sync with Cunningham.
Before the night was over, ahead of the encore, it seemed like a football (yes, that kind of football) game had broken out, with chants of “Olé, Olé, Olé” encouraging Amble back to the stage for two more songs before heading out.
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The latest Natick MA news:
Cochituate Rail Trail detour removed
A section of the trail that had been closed has been reopened now that the deficient Loker Street Bridge has been removed.
Fall Annual Town Meeting warrant posted
Includes zoning to allow for new development in West Natick, plus a funding request related to a possible renovated or new Memorial Elementary School
Purple and red flags fly in Natick Center
Flags recall those lost to opioids.
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Looking to do something in Boston we’d never done before, we recently headed to Belle Isle Marsh Reservation, Boston’s only remaining salt marsh. It’s located in East Boston, about a 40-minute drive from Wellesley Square depending upon when you go (we went on a July Saturday morning).
Parking in the lot is free, and you’re immediately directly to the sub-1-mile loop trail by a large sign. A dirt path brings you through a marshy area with a variety of vegetation including reeds, sumac, and beach roses. You’ll cross a wooden bridge that is home to dozens of swallows that flitter back and forth under the structure.
Keep walking and you hit a wooden tower marked with a mix of graffiti including the assertion that “Birds are not real.” We could swear those swallows were, though.
So did the big birds zipping to and from nearby Logan Airport. The jets got so close we almost felt like we needed to duck.
Though we saved most of our ducking for the biting flies that swarmed us on the way back to our car. Wear bug spray and long pants if you go.
After the flies had their meal, we looked for one ourselves, and happened upon nearby Belle Isle Seafood in Winthrop. It’s an old-timey restaurant with great food, reasonable prices, and nice views of the harbor. We had delicious swordfish sandwiches while trying to tear our eyes from the informercials on TV. A big scuba diver and a hovering shark added to the ambiance at this strip mall restaurant that’s not to be overlooked if you’re in the area.
From there we looked to further explore so headed toward a waterfront area we were familiar with at Piers Park. On the way we noticed a community garden near the East Boston Library and decided to check it out. We found on-street parking at Bremen Street. The garden was closed, but we stumbled upon about the mid-way point of the 3.3-mile Mary Ellen Welch Greenway rail trail, which took us to the waterfront. The trail features a handful of nice playgrounds and splash pads, plus public art, including an impressive bust of shipbuilder Donald McKay. The trail was busy but not overcrowded with walkers, runners, cyclists, and in-line skaters. Note that the trail is set for major reconstruction expected to last from fall 2025 until the end of 2026.
Once we hit the waterfront we noticed a stream of people heading toward some sort of destination at the pier. Turns out it was the Tall Ship floating oyster bar and adult playground, with a band on stage, Wimbledon on a huge screen, and lots of corn hole and other games. Sipping a beer on the ship, we had great views of the harbor, filled with vessels of all types. A couple of weeks later while on a schooner ride in the harbor we saw the Tall Ship bar lit up and looking even more lively at night.
By that point the biting flies were long forgotten, and we headed back along the trail for about a mile to get into our car and head home.
This year’s Levitate Music & Arts Festval in Marshfield was a true celebration of summer. Against a backdrop of non-stop sunny weather, the music was feel-good, the fashions were colorful, and the gathering felt like one big friends and family group when we attended on Saturday among thousands of others.
Indeed family and friends were on hand to support plenty of the musicians, as Levitate has a special place in its heart for those with local roots. Headliner Stick Figure hails from Duxbury, Marshfield’s Elovators played both Saturday and Sunday, and renowned live band Ripe’s members got their start years ago while attending Berklee College of Music. We met people from Marshfield and beyond, including a car salesman who used to work in Wellesley.
Among the up-and-coming local bands on the bill was Fai Laci, which performed one of Saturday’s first sets, with a crew of girlfriends and other supporters pressed against the barrier up front. As we learned in a post-show interview on the festival groups with lead singer Luke Faillaci, the Northeastern mechanical engineering grad ditched a job in that field to go all-in on music, and most of the band members are making a full-time go of it as well. The band was something of an outlier at Levitate, not the typical jam or reggae band, but rather a rock n’ roll group with influences such as Led Zeppelin, The Doors, and most definitely Cage the Elephant. Fai Laci played mostly originals from its EPs and singles, plus unreleased material that may appear on an upcoming album being recorded in Nashville. By the end of the set, Faillaci was shirtless as he bounded back and forth across the stage, sometimes just with a mic, other times with a guitar.
The most dramatic performance came from Ripe, whose members were recently involved in a series golf cart accident at Hampton Beach. Lead singer Robbie Wulfsohn is still feeling effects of a concussion and let the crowd know early on that he’d need to forego his usual head banging on the advice of doctors. “This S— almost didn’t happen,” he said, referring to the show. “So go as hard as you can.” The band even featured a titling golf cart image on the screen behind it as a nod to its recent traumatic experience.
The band played hits like “Goon Squad” and “Little Lighter,” covered The Kinks’s “Lola” (with a Dave Matthews intro), and teased a new album with “Try Not to Look.” While Wulfsohn at whatever percent he was at is equal to many a singer at 100%, his band’s strong rhythm section and sax ensure Ripe’s set kept people dancing. (See our interview with drummer Sampson Hellerman.)
Hometown heroes Stick Figure justified their headlining slot, drawing a huge crowd young and old for an energetic 2-hour set illuminated by spectacular lighting that highlighted the frontmen, including singer Scott Woodruff and keyboardist KBong, not to mention Woodruff’s pup Cocoa, an Australian Shepherd celebrating a birthday. Stick figure shirts, hats, and you-name-it could be seen everywhere across the festival grounds.
One of our favorite things about Levitate is that the artists generally seem to want to be there. There’s a camaraderie that’s on full display, as performers regularly guest star during each other’s sets. KBong brought the “happy energy,” as one fan put it, during Mihali’s set. Jamaica’s Protoje, who performed new and classic songs at on the Style Stage early in the afternoon, returned to sing with Stick Figure in the nightcap. Even Cocoa the dog made an appearance during the Elovators’ smoky set, which featured a group peace sign toast.
While local acts bring special flavor to Levitate—and this was true on the Levitate Foundation’s new sun-shaped Songwriter Stage that put the spotlight on new acts with fresh access to funding to record—the festival also attracted artists from afar.
This included influential reggae artist Protoje, bookmarked by two female singers who transported attendees to the Carribbean with songs like “Who Knows,” a song that has registered over 100 million listens on Spotify. When Protoje asked how many in the crowd had been to Jamaica, quite a few raised their hands and hollered, leading to him to conclude that many would be familiar with the next song, “Rasta Love.”
One of the day’s best performances was turned in by The Revivalists from New Orleans. They of course played their big hit, “Wish I Knew You,” but had plenty of material dating back 15 years to draw from for their engaging set. Lead singer David Shaw is a certified rock star, leading the band, though not to be overlooked were Ed Williams on pedal steel guitar and Rob Ingraham on sax as part of a 7-member lineup.
Beyond the music Levitate features local artisans, including some who were painting on fish canvasses, plus bunches of food trucks and booths.
Finally, what would a Levitate recap be without a little fashion recap, featuring hats and more (and lots of Levitate brand gear).
The Levitate brand was founded in 2003 as a community focused surf and skate shop, and 1% of all revenue from the organization’s endeavors go towards the Levitate Foundation, which promotes access to music, art and the outdoors.hanks
We thank Levitate for inviting us to cover the festival as press.
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The tagline for upcoming Boston-based band Fai Laci is “Making music we want to hear.” Based on the group’s set during the Levitate Music & Arts Festival this weekend in Marshfield, that music includes lots of original songs influenced by classic rock from the likes of Led Zeppelin and newer rock from bands such as Cage the Elephant.
We sat down for a chat with Luke Faillaci, the band’s dynamic lead singer and guitarist, following the group’s set (and yes, the band’s name derives from his last name). Faillaci expends lots of energy on stage, and midway through Fai Laci’s Levitate set he’d ditched his shirt under the scorching sun.
Faillaci, a 2023 Northeastern University graduate who studied mechanical engineering was working in that field until a couple of years ago when he decided he really wanted to give music a shot as a career (“I loved my job, but I love music way more…”).
How did his parents feel about that move?
“They love it, they’ve been the most supportive of it,” he says, adding that they were at Levitate as they are at so many of Fai Laci’s shows.
Faillaci had been writing and producing music on his computer for years, and really wanted to perform live. So he rounded up friends from the local music scene and formed a 5-member band that has been making the rounds at venues such as The Sinclair, Sonia and Middle East, with Levitate being their biggest showcase to date.
Fai Laci was an outlier on the Levitate lineup, which tends toward jam bands and reggae music. But the band was able to give the festival an early boost of energy as patrons were still streaming in. “One of the things people like about our music is the accessibility of it. We’ve played in a lot of different venues, before old and young, and everybody seems excited about it,” he said.
The bands songs feature driving guitar, strong rhythm, and lyrics that range from angsty to catchy.
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While the band is really only starting to crank up its online presence, Faillaci says Fai Laci’s Spotify streams are paying for his rent and food.
“The algorithm works really well for us based on what people listen to and what Spotify recommends,” he says.
Meanwhile, like any grassroots outfit, Fai Laci is doing the little things as well, even producing merch with a backyard press.
The band is working on its first album (it has a couple of EPs and a smattering of singles), and has been recording in Nashville with Easy Eye Sound and producer Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. The people around the studio, the equipment, and the whole scene has been inspiring, Faillaci says.
“To go to a different place and have the pressure to record puts you in a different state,” he said.
Where does Faillaci see the band in five years?
“We want to tour as much as we possibly can and play in front of as many people as we possibly can,” he says. “I want to make a record that people still want to listen to in 20 or 30 years. I want to make stuff that’s genuinely unique that people want to listen to forever.”
Thanks to Mark Washburn for his assistance on this post.
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Ripe, pretty much the funkiest band around, nearly had to scrap its appearance at the Levitate Music & Arts Festival this weekend following a gnary golf cart accident in New Hampshire in late June that resulted in a concussion for lead singer Robbie Wulfsohn and other injuries to bandmates. The band did have to postpone its Hampton Beach show, and headed into Levitate with strict medical orders for Wulfsohn to forego his usual “head banging,” which as he told the Levitate crowd would be next to impossible (in more colorful language than that…).
Drummer Sampson Hellerman escaped the accident physically unscathed. Though as Hellerman told us in a pre-set interview, he also was the only one to remember the incident vividly, leaving an emotional toll on him.
With his bandmates on the mend, we tried to focus on more positive developments, including Ripe’s return to Levitate, which it has played numerous times. “It feels like coming home for us, not just geographically, but musically as well,” says Hellerman, who praised the festival’s band curation.
Last year, Wulfsohn made a cameo appearance during a set by Cory Wong at Levitate and the band popped up for a set in the VIP section. If you don’t know Ripe or haven’t seen them, they’re an ultimately danceable and rhythm-propelled band formed in 2011 by Berklee College of Music students and now based in Los Angeles.
Ripe’s got a busy tour schedule ahead, including a Nov. 21 date at Boston’s MGM Music Hall (where in the past it has played with Wellesley favorite Couch). By the time that show takes place, Ripe will have rolled out a new album in tandem with accomplished producer Joe Chiccarelli. A few songs have been released, and the bank offered a sneak peek during its Levitate show.
New songs like “Cheap Seats” and “Try Not to Look” are undeniably catchy. Ripe broke through years ago when a video for “Goon Squad” went viral. Could one of these new songs, or the forthcoming “Play the Game” album bring the band wider attention?
“This helps me sleep at night. There’s almost little rhyme or reason in today’s world as to what pops off and becomes a hit,” says Hellerman, who in addition to performing in the band is a painter. “If you go too far down that rabbit hole you can lose your mind. For us, we just make the best music we can make and keep every line in the water… tour, write, record, make TikToks…if something bites, it’s great.”
Ripe was feeling “a level of gratitude and relief” heading into the Levitate show given the recent accident and uncertainty until a few days ago about whether the band would be able to perform, Hellerman says. Lead singer Robbie Wulfson indeed made several references to the accident during the set, and pointed out that the screen behind the band even featured an image of a tilting golf cart.
I tried to pay extra attention to the drum parts in Ripe’s songs ahead of our interview, and asked Hellerman about his style. “My drumming style is all about serving the song,” he says. On “First Time Feeling,” Hellerman says he does about as little as you can possibly do on a drum set while still providing rhythm, whereas on “Settling” there’s a lot of things going on across the drum set.
His first lesson in drumming was that “drumming exists to accompany dancing,” and so Hellerman’s approach is to consider whether he wants people to sway or tap their toes or just listen to they lyrics. In a similar vein, I asked Hellerman how he would approach writing a music review, and he says he’d focus on how the concert made him feel. “It has to be about the personal experience… it’s a moment in time that can’t be relived,” he says.
Hellerman really got into music after his dad exposed him to the Grateful Dead and the related band Furthur, and he attended their concerts as a young teen. “I’d be crying because I’d never seen this beautiful thing that brings people together and makes them feel all these things,” he says.
Hellerman began drumming at the age of 10. He had expressed an intention to play music, and the night before his 10th birthday his dad asked him what instrument he wanted and to sleep on it. “In the morning I said drums,” he says, believing that girls liked drummers.
Years later as Ripe’s drummer, Hellerman says “I’m certainly not complaining about my gig” given that the drumming is step one for so many of the band’s songs.
As Ripe’s drummer, Hellerman says he has found his own combination of what gear works for him somewhere in between John Bonham (Led Zeppelin) and Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters).
“So I have your rock kick drum, a 22-inch drum, and I’ve downgraded my amount of toms to 10-, 12-, and 16-inch ones… I used to have a lot more, but at least for now I don’t need all those toys around me,” he says. “In the future, this could change based on the music. If we have a song that needs a cowbell, I’ll go get a… cowbell.”
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