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James Montgomery wants you to know how much he and the James Montgomery Blues Band look forward to what has become a tradition of sorts – playing in Plymouth on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The band will perform on Nov. 29, at 8 p.m. at the Spire, and once the guys step off the stage, they’ll arrange a contract for next year – the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
“It’s absolutely 100 percent one of the shows that we look forward to more than any other show we do,” the veteran bluesman said. Performing for Plymouth audiences feels like playing for family, he said.
Montgomery plays the harp (harmonica) and sings, as he’s been doing for decades. He started with a jug band in high school near Detroit, where he was able to see blues greats at the city’s many clubs.
And he’s played with many of them over the years.
“Everybody that I dreamed about – you know, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy … I ended up playing with,” he said.
The list goes on – he’s also played with Paul Butterfield, James Cotton, Greg Allman, Marshall Tucker, Bruce Springsteen, and Bonnie Raitt, among others.
Right out of college at Boston University, he and his band got a record contract through the Allman Brothers Band and their label.
“I’ve been really fortunate,” he said. At 76, he still brings energy to his performances, and his voice remains remarkably powerful.
“My voice and harmonica playing is something that is always evolving,” he said. “I do think I’m getting to be a better singer than I was a while ago.”
He added that the band members – Marty Richards on drums, George McCann on guitar, and Plymouth resident David Hull on bass – are all “superstars.”
“So it makes it easier for me to get up and sing because I have the confidence of those guys behind me.”
As to whether the band ever diverges from playing the blues, Montgomery said some of songs may veer toward rock, funk, country, or even ballads.
“We’re not what I call a ‘blues Nazi’ band, who insist that blues should be played only in certain parameters,” he said.
But the blues, he said, provide the foundation for other forms of music.
“It’s basically the building block on which almost all the music that people hear on a day-to-day basis is built,” he said
He joked that his band usually plays in the “Bermuda Triangle section of rock ‘n roll – from Burlington, Vermont, to New York City, to Provincetown, to Bangor, Maine.”
Montgomery did his share of touring around the nation and in Europe. Now with a touring schedule mostly in the New England area, he and the guys can usually drive home after a gig.
Tickets for the show are $35.50 and $39, and you can get them here.
Monday, November 24
The musical “Wicked: For Good,” the sequel to “Wicked,” screens at the Plimoth Cinema at Plimoth Patuxet Museums, 137 Warren Ave. Starring Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Ephaba, the film delves further into their evolving relationship, picking up where the story left off. Also screening is “Family Rental,” starring Brendan Fraser as a lonely American actor living in Japan who works for a rental family service, playing stand-in roles in other people’s lives. Film times are 4:30 and 7 p.m. Tickets are $12.50, $11 with a club card, $10 for seniors or members, and $8.50 for seniors with a club card.
Singer-songwriter Sarah McQuaid will perform in the Fehlow Meeting Room at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St., from 4 to 5:30 p.m. McQuaid, who lives in rural England, plays acoustic and electric guitars, piano, and drums. Registration is required, and you can do so here.
Thursday, November 27
The annual Running of the Pilgrims 5K race starts at 7:30 a.m. at Plymouth Rock, 75 Water St. Walkers are also welcome, but no dogs, please. Registration is $35 for adults 19 and older, $30 for students ages 11 to 18, and $25 for seniors, as well as children 10 and younger. Registration is online-only, and you can do so here. Bib pickup and registration will close by 7:20 a.m. on the day of the race.
The annual Thanksgiving Day Pilgrim Progress reenactment of the Pilgrims’ sabbath procession will take place at 10 a.m., starting at the Mayflower Society House, 4 Winslow St. It features costumed participants representing the 51 survivors of the Pilgrims’ first harsh winter of 1621.They will assemble to the beat of a drum and proceed down North Street, along the waterfront past Plymouth Rock, up Leyden Street to the top of Burial Hill. There will be a short Pilgrim worship service at the site of the original fort/meetinghouse. After the service, the procession will continue down Burial Hill and through town on Main Street, ending at the Mayflower Society House via North Street. “Friends of Pilgrim Progress” is thankful for its sponsors: the Plymouth Rock Foundation and the General Society of Mayflower Descendants. The event is also funded in part by through the town’s promotions fund.
The United American Indians of New England will recognize the National Day of Mourning from 12 to 3 p.m. on Coles Hill, above Plymouth Rock. Many Indigenous people view Thanksgiving as a symbol of the beginnings of racism and oppression. They gather to honor their ancestors and native resilience. There will be rallies and a march through Plymouth’s historic district. For those who can’t attend in person, the event will be livestreamed here.
Saturday, November 29
Magical Mystery Doors – Beatles, Zeppelin, Doors, a tribute band that blends the music of three legendary bands, will perform at Memorial Hall at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35, $45.25, $56, and $78, and you can buy them here.
The Family Puzzle Race takes off from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Fehlow Meeting Room at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St. Families with children age 8 or older can participate in teams of two to four people to see who can finish their puzzle first. The competition is limited to 10 teams, and there must be at least two people on a team. Everyone wins, because all teams get to take their puzzle home. Registration is required, and you can do so here.
The James Montgomery Blues Band will perform at the Spire at 8 p.m. See the lead story in this column for more details.
Sunday, November 30
“The Irish Tenors: A Family Christmas” will perform at Memorial Hall at 8 p.m., bringing the group’s Celtic sound with a focus on Christmas. Since they appeared in a special that was broadcast on PBS in 1998, they have performed all over the world, including at Carnegie Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. Tickets are $56, $78, $89, $111, and $144, and you can buy them here.
Celebrate local children’s book authors and enjoy story time at a free “Book Love Kid Lit Fest,” from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Book Love, 7 Village Green South, in the Pinehills. This will be a day of stories, crafts, and cocoa with five local children’s authors: Josh Funk, Jannie Ho, Renee Kurilla, Scott Magoon, and AJ Smith. The event is free, but reservations are available here.
Tuesday, December 2
The Local History Book Club will meet in the History Room at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St. from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The club celebrates the rich history of the region by reading and discussing books about the South Shore. The group meets quarterly on the first Tuesday evening of March, June, September, and December. The books discussed are available for checkout at the circulation desk four weeks before the meeting. Registration is required, and you can do that here.
Thursday, December 4
State Representative Michelle Badger will hold community office hours from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Manomet Room at the Plymouth Public Library’s Manomet Branch, 12 Strand Ave. Stop in to share what’s on your mind, find out what’s happening on Beacon Hill, or just to have a friendly chat.
Friday, December 5
The Plymouth Garden Club will hold its Holiday Green Sale from 1 to 4 p.m. in the FehlowMeeting Room at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St. Check it out for seasonal finds, including decorated live wreaths, porch and gravesite baskets, door swags, and baked goods. There will also be large and small arrangements to choose from. The sale will continue on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Americana Theatre Company, Plymouth’s professional theater company, will present its holiday season biennial tradition, “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play,” at 7 p.m. at Plymouth Center for the Arts, 11 North St. The radio play adaptation by Joe Landry tells the familiar story of George Bailey from the movie “It’s a Wonderful Live,” but the story takes place in a radio studio with a small ensemble cast playing multiple roles and creating sound effects. Tickets are $45 for adults, $40 for students and seniors. To purchase tickets, go here, or call 508-591-0282.
Saturday, December 6
The Plymouth Antiquarian Society invites the public to its free monthly Burial Hill Tour at 1 p.m. This month the theme is “Home for the Holidays,” and the one-hour tour’s leader will be food historian Paula Marcoux, author of “Cooking with Fire.” Be sure to dress appropriately for the weather and be prepared to walk on some slopes that may be slippery. Participants should meet at the top of Burial Hill.
The Plymouth Garden Club’s Holiday Green Sale will continue from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Fehlow Meeting Room at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St.
The Pilgrim Festival Chorus will present “Rejoice! Festive Music for the Festive Season,” from 7:30 to 9 p.m., at the Church of the Pilgrimage, 8 Town Square. The concert will present two sets of carols, both arranged for organ and orchestra – Alice Parker’s “Seven Carols for Christmas,” and Shawn Kirchner’s “Behold New Joy: Ancient Carols for Christmas.” If you can’t make Saturday’s performance, a second concert will take place on Sunday, Dec. 7, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Tickets are$25 general admission, $20 for seniors and students over 18. Card to Culture attendees and children age 18 and under are admitted for free. You can get tickets here.
The public is invited to a “Frosty Village Craft Fair” at West Elementary School, 170 Plympton Road, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event is a West Plymouth holiday tradition, with
More than 70 local vendors, photos with Santa, raffle prizes, and a bake sale with holiday-themed treats. The proceeds will benefit the school’s enrichment programs. It’s free to attend, and photos with Santa are free from 12 to 2 p.m.
Pilgrim Hall Museum is holding its 17th Annual Holiday House Tour, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The tour offers the chance to visit private homes decorated for the holidays, from North Plymouth to Chiltonville, Ellisville, and Cedarville. You’ll receive a program describing the houses on view and the treats to be served along the way. The exact locations of the houses remain confidential until just before the event. The booklet and map with house locations will serve as the admission ticket, and must be picked up at the Pilgrim Hall Museum, 75 Court St., between 3 and 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 5, or between 9:30 a.m. and 12 noon on Saturday, Dec. 6. Reservations are required. Tickets are $55 each, and $50 for members. You can buy tickets here or by calling 508-746-1620, ext. 3. Proceeds from the tour will go toward supporting the museum’s early American historical collections and its educational mission.