November 2nd, 2020 (Cambridge, MA) Harvard Square is known for many things: ivy laden halls of higher learning, sites of historical importance dating back to the earliest settlers in New England, beloved restaurants featuring delicacies from all over the world and esteemed museums and concert halls, to name a few. In addition, the Square has long been an epicenter of critical thinking and social and political reform and nowhere was it more prevalent than in the folk music scene that had its inception in the late 1950s at Club 47. For the past 14 years, The Harvard Square Business Association, in partnership with FOLK New England and Passim, has been celebrating Folk Music month in Harvard Square.
Created by Byron Linardos
Located at 47 Mount Auburn Street, and later at 47 Palmer Street, Club 47 was a coffeehouse where students and residents first heard important socially conscious folk stars such as Joan Baez, Tom Rush, and Bob Dylan. In 1970, the 47 Palmer Street coffeehouse, now called Passim, was lauded as the most important venue in the post-revival folk world.
Photo by John Cooke
Music has a way of bringing people together during times of adversity. While we are unable to experience the legacy and future of Folk Music Month the way we traditionally do, we encourage you to learn more about Folk New England and its archives recently donated to the University of Massachusetts Amherst; take in a virtual Passim performance; and peruse some of the photographs and ephemera collected over the years.
Passim Emergency Artist Relief (PEAR) Fund
The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted the lives of independent musicians through canceled gigs and lost revenue from in-person music lessons. In response, Passim has set up the PEAR (Passim Emergency Artist Relief) Fund and has raised over $143,000 since March. To donate and learn more about the PEAR Fund, click here.
Passim’s November 2020 Virtual Calendar
Hot off the heels of their 60th Anniversary Celebration, Passim has continued their history of live music nearly every evening in the beloved club. While the pandemic has sidelined these intimate performances for the time being, music lovers can attend 15 virtual concerts during November.
Sunday 11/1 – Bach for Democracy
Mike Block and Barry Rothman reimagine the Bach Cello Suites for cello and phonographs
They will be live streaming on Youtube at 7pm ET | Suggested Donation: $25
Tuesday 11/3 – Virtual Open Mic
Passim will be live streaming on Facebook and YouTube at 7pm ET
Variety | Suggested donation: $10 | Sign Up & More Info
Thursday 11/5 – Molly Pinto Madigan
Molly will be live streaming on Facebook and YouTube at 8pm ET
Singer/Songwriter | Suggested donation: $20 | More Info
Sunday 11/8 – Chris & Meredith Thompson with Duquette & Dancer
Both acts will be live streaming on Facebook and YouTube at 7pm ET
Neo-Folk | Suggested donation: $20 | More Info
Tuesday 11/10 – ALL BANJO Virtual Open Mic
Passim will be live streaming on Facebook and YouTube at 7pm ET
Variety | Suggested donation: $10 | Sign Up & More Info
Wednesday 11/11 – Nic Gareiss
Nic will be live streaming on Facebook and YouTube at 7pm ET
Dance, Folk | Suggested donation: $20 | More Info
Friday 11/13 – John McCutcheon
John will be live streaming on Mandolin at 7:30pm ET
Folk | Tix: $5-$30 (please note: this is a ticketed event) | More Info & Tix
Sunday 11/15 – Stash Wyslouch
Stash will be live streaming on Facebook and YouTube at 7pm ET
Acoustic Metal, Bluegrass | Suggested donation: $20 | More Info
Tuesday 11/17 – Virtual Open Mic
Passim will be live streaming on Facebook and YouTube at 7pm ET
Variety | Suggested donation: $10 | Sign Up & More Info
Wednesday 11/18 – Tribute Night: Songs of 2010
Passim will be live streaming on Facebook and YouTube at 7pm ET
Variety, Tribute | Suggested donation: $15 | More Info Soon
Thursday 11/19 – Izzy Heltai live from Club Passim
Izzy will be live streaming on Facebook and YouTube at 8pm ET
Folk, Singer/Songwriter | Suggested donation: $18 | More Info Soon
Saturday 11/21 – Alastair Moock’s Pastures of Plenty
Alastair will be live streaming on Facebook and YouTube at 7:30pm ET
Folk, Roots | Suggested donation: $25 | More Info
Monday 11/23 – Global Roots Series: Veronica Robles
Veronica will be live streaming on Facebook and YouTube at 7pm ET
Trad Mexican, Mariachi | Suggested donation: $15 | More Info Soon
Tuesday 11/24 – Virtual Open Mic
Passim will be live streaming on Facebook and YouTube at 7pm ET
Variety | Suggested donation: $10 | Sign Up & More Info
Sunday 11/29 – Sawaari live from Club Passim
Sawaari will be live streaming on Facebook and YouTube at 7pm ET
Global Roots, Mediterranean | Suggested donation: $15 | More Info Soon
Folk Music Icon Spotlight
Betsy Siggins
Founder, Folk New England
Passim Executive Director Jim Wooster, Siggins and Former Cambridge Mayor Marc McGovern in 2019
Betsy Siggins has been a central figure in the Cambridge folk music community since she happened upon the local coffeehouse scene as a college freshman in 1958. Betsy was a founding member of Club 47, the legendary venue where musicians such as Joan Baez, Jim Kweskin, and Eric von Schmidt helped to launch the folk revival. Club 47 remained the center of activity in folk music for nearly a decade. Betsy witnessed firsthand the infamous evening concert at Newport 1965, where her friend Bob Dylan âwent electric.â She was there when photographer Dick Waterman rediscovered and brought to the North blues performers Son House and Mississippi John Hurt. Music journalist Robert Shelton corresponded frequently with Betsy in order to write New York updates on the Cambridge scene.
Bob Dylan and Betsy Siggins
Photo by Dick Waterman
When Club 47 closed in 1968, Betsy went on to work with many nonprofits. In Washington , D.C. , she aided Ralph Rinzler with the Festival of American Folklife, patterned after the earlier festivals at Newport . During 20 years in New York , she founded programs for homeless people with AIDS and worked at various soup kitchens and food pantries, and also earned a B.S. degree in community development, focusing on women in poverty. Throughout this time, she was always able to call on folk friends to perform at benefit concerts. Betsy was one of the first people to connect social problems requiring money and awareness with artists who shared her concerns.
In 1997 Betsy returned to Club 47’s successor, Club Passim and for 12 years served as executive director, creating nonprofit programs such as Culture for Kids, an after-school program for underserved Cambridge students, the Passim School of Music, and the Passim Archives. Now, a founder of the New England Folk Music Archives/Folk New England, she turns her energies to establishing a permanent home for the legacy of the folk music community in New England.
In November of 2019, Siggins was bestowed the Passim Lifetime Achievement Award by friend Joan Baez at Passim’s 60th Anniversary Concert held at the Boch Center Shubert Theatre.
Betsy Siggins and Joan Baez
Photo by Rob Stegman