The Fabulous 413

In a brand new collection from Restless Books , it’s made apparent that we as a country have been trying to figure out our relationship with the divine for centuries. A Nation Wrestles with God: American Prophets, Philosophers and Firebrands is a collection of writings from before this was a western recognized nation to to present day and we speak with editor Ilan Stavans and contributor Reza Asla...

It’s that time again.  The time every other year that fans of a very specific Chicago band head east to North Adams Solid Sound 9 is happening this weekend in the Berkshires, and today we’re at Mass MoCA to capture it. So as we ready to hear Mermaid Avenue for the first time ever live in concert with both Wilco and Billy Bragg , we’ll talk to some of the multi-hyphenate members of that band about...

A rewind to last weekend at the Green River Festival where we’ll hear the warm bass tones of the Amherst based bassist Deja Carr better known to the world as Mal Devisa . We’ll get a glimpse into Deja’s creative process and revel in her performance under the Grandstands at the Franklin County Fairgrounds And US Congressman Jim McGovern gives us his take on what went on with Trump’s alleged temper-...

We are getting people together for artistic endeavors no matter how harrowing it may be.  Off to Westhampton, where one of the many studios that is part of the pottery collective the Hilltown 6 lays nestled by a waterfall. The artists who make up the group are hosting a workshop at Easthampton Clay this weekend and opening up their respective workplaces for a tour later in July. Potters Sam Taylor...

We head north, to Northfield where a farm segued into beer-making, while supplying a much needed crop for the northeast. Four Star Farm has been growing hops of various varieties well before they conjured up their own brewery and we chat with brewer Chris Sellers about his journey from Poli-Sci to agricultural and local product advocate among the hop bines.  Speaking of growing things, young artis...

We head to a new exhibit in Holyoke that’s helping newer artists explore their craft, and the anniversary of this nation with more experienced artists in the area. Valley Arts Mentors branched out of Piti Theater, but has grown to encompass many ways that we all tell stories including visual arts. This year’s cohort of mentors and mentees have recently opened an exhibit Revolutionary Artstories: L...

Today is a day to celebrate freedom and music, because it’s Juneteenth, but it’s also the first day of the Green River Festival So we’re combining those two things for a live broadcast straight from the mainstage at the Franklin County Fairgrounds In addition to a celebration of freedom for all, we’ll hear insights and music from some of the amazing artists performing as part of the this year’s li...

,We're looking at freedom and our relationship with it, because freedom’s legacy in this country has had a fraught relationship with the black community. Clark University Professor Ousmane Power-Greene in continuing to examine the nation's 250th birthday brings forward the case of Crispus Attucks, one of the victims of the Boston Massacre, now intrinsically tied to the story of this nation’s indep...

Today is all about circles of life. For instance in East Longmeadow, which used to contain more agricultural enterprises, a third generation farmer is still growing vegetables for the area, while looking at ways to make sure that land is available for future generations to grow on. Neil Pomeroy shows us around Pomeroy’s Vegetable Farm , and gives us insight to its history and what’s coming up righ...

We are getting the bands together, because it’s the 25th anniversary for the Florence Community Band, which has grown from the idea of one woman seeking musical community, to having over 50 members or more finding their instruments, dusting them off, and joining in the sound. We speak with director Priscilla Ross and members Linda Davis-Delano and Yop Molenaar  about their upcoming concert on June...

We love new books, and the first in a brand new series from Jedidiah Berry comes out tomorrow. Kill All Wizards is a blend of 19th century gentility and classic sword and sorcery fiction of the early 20th century with homage to Roy Thomas and Robert E Howard and we chat with the author about the new novella and the release party at Vision Video in Northampton on June 16th where he’ll be in convers...

Today has a lotta music, and a little international flair Tanglewood is getting a visit from folx who play some of the smoothest music around. The Yacht Rock Revue started in Georgia on a whim, but now brings the sounds of the late 70s and early eighties to stages worldwide, even to their original tunes. We speak with Nicholas Niespodziani frontman and multi instrumentalist for the band about the...

It’s 413 Gives Day So of course the fabulous 413 is going to double down on the goodwill of our neighbors coming together to support other organizations who also lost their federal funding just like we did by speaking with one more non-profit from the Berkshires who you may help.  So we speak with the executive director of the Elizabeth Freeman Center , Divya Chaturvedi. The organization have been...

We celebrate freedom for all with a Juneteenth event that brings all of the community together. Arise for Social Justice has been honoring the holiday with a free celebration connecting folx of all walks of Springfield life with music food and services they may need and more. Executive Director Tanisha Arena joins us to talk about the party they’re throwing, and her journey to this work.  We’re al...

Festivities are coming to downtown Greenfield for Franklin County Pride this weekend. This ninth iteration is bringing even more folx, music, and organizations together to celebrate the rainbow of identities present. We speak with Heather, Fritz, and Tolja about this year’s festivities and the impact that political climate has on their efforts to make sure the community stays safe and seen.  We co...

Today is all about communication and immigration, which, let’s not forget, does include the founding fathers. And the founding itself might not have happened if an intrepid young bookseller hadn’t taken some initiative to bring a veritable pile of weapons to Boston from a conquered fort in New York to chase away the British.  Local historians have gathered together to map out more of Henry Knox’s...

We head into the weekend with a little music, a little beverage, and some extra care for our community.  The Green River Festival begins in just 2 weeks bringing artists from all over the globe to Greenfield for three days of incredible sounds and community. Oh and we’ll be there too. We speak with John Sanders of DSP shows and organizer of the whole affair about some of the musicians headed to Fr...

Sadly, a wide array of local organizations and non-profits that provide an equally wide amount of services to the people of Western Mass and beyond have lost grants and programs just like we did, and this is our chance to help them like you our listeners have helped us. 413 Gives is a one day four county wide effort to help fill the gap made for many organizations by recissions in federal funding,...

This Sunday you’ve got an opportunity to see a new film by a Hampshire alum that explores a very American problem in a very unique way. Our Hero, Balthazar addresses issues of control, connection, class inequities and the endemic of school shootings through the eyes of two young men with very different backgrounds and takes on those issues and we’ll speak with screenwriter Ricky Camelleri about th...

The Tumble Science Podcast for Kids is hosting their Joke-Ha-Thon fundraiser after a difficult year facing the repercussions of federal funding rescissions. This year’s chuckle marathon competition will lead into a new pivot for Tumble’s creative team and we talk with Marshall Escamilla and Lindsay Patterson about this change and how well Monte will do against the other competitors It’s the nation...

We’re exploring some of the hidden aspects of our communities.  Novelist Tom Perrotta ’s latest book Ghost Town is a look at the summer in a New Jersey town where the family of one young resident is forever changed, and how those experiences shape his future. We get into the specters and suburban spectacle within these pages before you can meet the author himself at Odyssey Bookshop Tuesday Night,...

It's a house party this weekend, y'all.  For the house, we have a conversation with newly appointed leader of the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities , secretary Juana Matias in the midst of her whirlwind Western Mass Tour, and get to ask about the ways the Baystate is helping it’s westernmost parts to weather the storm of our current housing crisis while learning how the office pi...

It’s the last days of Foster Care Awareness Month and right at the base of Mt. Tom there’s an innovative model that’s introducing a neighborhood of care for folx of all ages. The Treehouse Foundation has built a community in Easthampton that seeks to blend the lives of seniors, children in foster care, and their families in one vision of support and growth. We head to their community center to tal...

This weekend is the 20th anniversary of the Berkshire International Film Festival, celebrating on screens across the southern Berkshires and bringing filmmakers of all ages and from all over the globe to present their work over 4 days of showings, meetups and conversations. We speak with festival ex. director Kelly Vickery about the festival’s origins, and how it’s blossomed into this year’s lineu...

Today has double book action to fill up your bookshelves. And with interesting connections.  Storytelling as Healing is a presentation at the Northampton Center for the Arts that seeks to  center the power of storytelling, connection, and community in the movement to end domestic violence and support survivors. Featuring authors and readers of work that examines these experiences and situations, t...