Come raise a glass to the environment the third Tuesday of the month.

“Overall, it was a bit of a treat to find intelligent
conversations at a bar. So if you like a bit of brainy banter with your beverage, then Green Drinks might be a worthwhile occasion for you,” - Jenn Smith, The Berkshire Eagle

The Center for Ecological Technology invites anyone and everyone to come out at learn a little something about what you can do to “green” your lifestyle. This is not a lecture, this is an informal gathering where people munch on tapas, enjoy a glass or wine or a beer and make a new acquaintance or two.

Things get started about 5 PM, the third Tuesday of the month. You can contact Jaime Cahillane,  jamiec (at) cetonline.org, at CET for additional information.

Richmond native Benny “Fingers” Kohn last appeared in The Window in February with Pam Rich and Laurie Schiff for our Valentine’s Day Cabaret, which sold out! Wednesday night Benny will return for a series of solo sets. No cover.

The New England Americana Festival brings the area’s best in deep rooted American folk music and, thanks to Narragansett Beer, it is coming to The Window. The summer dates of NEAF were born out of a widely successful 3 day happening back in February and thanks to our friends at ‘gansett there is NO COVER for this special concert!

Advance reservations are recommended. Email us - missionbarandtapas (at) gmail.com

Russ Barnett, of the Boomerangs, and his pal Lewis Weeks take The Window for this rare double bill.  Their tunes are Americana to the core.

No Cover. Show starts at 8 PM

Andy Wrba and Noah Weiss met in the fall of 2009 at a jam session at our fine establishment.

While they both have their own full time bands (Wrba with
Barefoot Truth and Weiss with Billy Keane and the Misdemeanor
Outlaws), they wanted to have another project where they could play
some new music.  Wrba (bass) and Weiss (saxophone) will feature
a rotating cast of musicians on a weekly basis including members of
BFT and BKMO as well as local and regional friends.  Playing anything
from jazz to the rock, this group is sure to entertain.

They’ll take The Window weekly, on Monday nights.  No cover.

Meanwhile, you can learn more about Andy and Noah, courtesy of MySpace.

WAMC Northeast Public Radio took its Rountable program on the road to the Berkshire Museum and we were there with food, wine and lively conversation!!

Owner Jim Benson, chef James Burden, and Caitlin Harrison, our woman of the wines, were guests of the Roundtable’s Joe Donahue, Sarah LaDuke and Alan Chartock.  The group chatted about traditional Spanish food, wine and … well heck, give a listen for yourself. And take a look at Caitlin teaching Joe how to use a Porron to taste a bit of our Cava Brut.

Everyone deals with nervous excitement in their own way. Here’s James and Caitlin just minutes before the LIVE broadcast on WAMC.

Join us Sundays, beginning at noon, for brunch — Mission style. Chef James has created a fantastic menu. Be among the first to experience it!

(Want to get up close and personal with the menu? Just give it a click…)

Whether you are hungry for lunch or looking for a late-night bite, indoors or outdoors, Mission Bar is the place to be seven days a week.

In addition to our tasty tapas,  Chef James Burden consistently prepares fantastic specials for both lunch and dinner. And for those of you still hungry for a bit more, Mission now also serves entrees.

Find us on FB to learn more details about the specials Chef James is cooking up.

(Oh, by the way, you can click on either menu to make it larger)

The BFG is bringing his booty focused groove to The Window. No cover.

BTW, BFG got his name at Fatty’s Cafe in Astoria, Queens, where the sandwich board announcing his first gig read “Big Fat Gabriel spinning tonight!” An alum of NYC’s Scratch Academy, BFG combines an old-school aesthetic with new-jack beats for a seamless, genre-hopping approach to dance music.

At the opening of her latest single - “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” Michelle Lewis coos, “An Irish Pub in January…”. This time the setting will be a Spanish Tapas Bar in June.
Join us June 12 when our favorite ‘Gansett Girl returns to The Window.

Local favorite Chris Vecchia, of Mission Open Mic fame, opens.  He’ll start tickling the ivories at 8. $5 cover.

The neighborhood that plays together stays together, which is why Mission is a proud sponsor of the 2nd Annual Green Mile Road Race. The race steps off in front of Berkshire Bank at 6 P.M. One lucky runner will win $100 just for participating in the race. Check-out the details.

Proceeds from the event benefit the Morningside and West Side Initiatives.

And Each 3rd THURSDAY from May to October 2010 in downtown Pittsfield the streets come alive with musicians, artists, activities, sidewalk dining, after hours shopping and much more. The City of Pittsfield’s monthly celebration of arts, culture, and food kicks-off once again in May.

Mission will mark the occasion by hosting Billy Keane and (those feisty) Misdemeanor Outlaws. This is a picture of Billy and his partner in crime Noah Weiss:

The whole crew, which includes Dave Brown and Jay Schulteis get things started in The Window at 8 PM. No cover. Oh, you can give a listen here, first if you’d like.

Jason returns to The Window with tunes off of his new album, The Flame You Follow. It’s gonna be a rockin’ time, as always!

Take a look:

With the official start of summer just around the corner, who isn’t ready for a little fun? Jason Myles Goss is a great way to gear up for a super summer season.

Jason was last in The Window in December. The show was one of our favorite holiday gifts. If you missed that show, or you need a little reminder of his the Goss sound, you can give a listen here.

Local singer-songwriter Chris Vecchia, also known as Mission’s Open Mic host extraordinaire, will open for Jason.

Show starts at 8 P.M. $5 at the door.

Can one be both Americana and Outlaw at the same time, asks Bold Life Magazine of Johnson’s Crossroad.

Taking their love of the old time mountain music, bluegrass, and the Texas singer/songwriters of the 1970’s, the Ashville, North Carolina four-some puts its own stamp on the Americana genre.

“… A sound that’s part blues, part old-school country and part bluegrass — I guess that makes them Americana, but for some reason that label just doesn’t seem to fit. If this album was a few decades old, I’d swear these guys came up with Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings.” - Bold Life Magazine.

Now, to that question about Americana and Outlaw… Be sure to catch their debut in The Window so you can answer it for yourself.

Meanwhile, give a listen here.

Chef James is preparing an amazing menu for this event, which shines a spotlight on local growers. Come to Mission to enjoy food from Farm Girl Farms, Equinox Farms and other Berkshire-based locales.

Available May 20-22. Three courses. Thirty-five dollars. (Tax and gratuity extra.)

Jenne Halstead is fresh off of her tour of the Netherlands. And the Mission crew is pumped to welcome her back to The Window.

If you haven’t heard her yet, Halstead draws from the haunting melodies of the Depression Era, patiently distilling folk, americana and bluegrass. The EP Hollow Bones is Boston-based Halstead’s sophomore release, following her debut full-length The River Grace.

Read more about the new EP. Then put May 8 on your calendar. It’s going to be a fantastic show!

We’re taking 50 percent off of the price of our awesome Tapas on Wednesday’s. What’s the catch? Weeeell you have to be a card-carrying member of the Berkshire Young Professionals to qualify. So, gather a group of friends, make sure your BYP card is in your wallet, and get to Mission early.

• Tapas and treats provided by Mission Bar + Tapas and the Market.
• Learn about the PMP program and the process.
• Sneak peek of scenes from this year’s PMP productions.

BSC’s Stage 2
36 Linden Street, Pittsfield
2:00pm - 4:00pm

TICKETS
Reception $50
$25 for educators

PLUS a chance to win a cooking demonstration by renowned local chef, Thierry Breard, and owner, Aurelien Telle of Alta Wine Bar, followed by a dinner party with up to 10 guests, hosted in the home of Bob and Karen Youdelman.

RSVP by March 17th to Bethany Pelletier, 413-997-6115 or bpelletier@barringtonstageco.org

Two full sets from two fantastic artists in one evening! $5 cover.

Eric Schmider of The One Smith will make his debut in The Window playing tunes from his new EP.
Formerly known as Mollycoddle, The One Smith plays original songs rooted in the classic pop songwriting traditions of The Beatles and The Brill Building Sound and have been compared to George Harrison, Michael Penn, and Matthew Sweet. Give a listen to here.

Heather Maloney kicks off the double bill evening and we’re happy to have this vocally and musically diverse singer/songwriter back in The Window.

In case you missed her performance we’ll let you nab a preview:

Vermont-born singer/songwriter, Caitlin Canty lives in NYC, dreams in green, escaped the cubicle, and sounds like maple sugar on snow.
…If you can’t quite wrap your ears around what that may sound like check out this video in which she is playing with Darlingside:

Elegantly crafted cello-violin duets, soaring harmonies, catchy hooks and compelling beats are all part of Darlingside’s evolving sound. After spending their first few months as a band writing tunes holed up in their house, these five are amped to begin touring Western MA and New England.

Here’s what our friend and veteran singer/songwriter Bernice Lewis says about them, “As individuals, each member of Darlingside could easily be a top notch solo artist. Together, they are a powerhouse of vocal, instrumental, songwriting, and performing talent. Their energy is contagious, their sound is unpredictable, and their songs are unforgettable. They are definitely one of today’s bands to watch out for.”

Whether you’re a fan of great songwriting or power-house live performance, Jason Spooner is an emerging songwriter you won’t want to miss. For his latest performance at Mission he will share The Window with Rose Cousins, of whom the Boston Globe has called, “an object of audience affection.” $5 cover.

Check out Jason and Rose performing (separately) below:

Baltimore-based Paul Masson is an American singer songwriter who is country at his core and carries with him hints of soul, blues, and folk as well. With a voice older then his years, Masson is a man who has been to the edge and fought his way back to share his tribulations.  Come hear his debut in The Window. If you want to check him out before, you can do that here.

“Masson’s debut and independently financed and produced EP is a fine slice of alt.country that captures the colours of life’s dreamy moments and applies them to a canvas of hurt and regret.The performances here have been recorded live with few overdubs, making an intimate listening experience. Masson’s vocals are full of heartfelt warmth, a little whiskey-soaked around the edges, and a sincerity that major-label financing often kills.”
~ High Noon Saloon

Raina has been called, “a shining light in the up and coming folk scene.” She’ll sparkle in The Window along with AJ Roach.

AJ Roach’s dry and cutting wit between songs has become nearly as celebrated as his performance of the songs themselves.  Lend your ear here.

This is Mieka, as photographed by Ogden Gigli, during last years’ WxW.

Oh, and here’s her latest music video:

But you should come check out her live show - $5 at the door.

Billy Keane on vocals and guitar, Dave Brown on guitar and bass, Jay Schulteis on drums, and Noah Weiss on saxophones and keyboards.

We aren’t privy to the lesser criminal acts that the “outlaws” behind this rock-reggae-folk quartet may or may not have committed.
They keep their noses clean and play some great tunes when in The Window and that’s all we need to know.

Give em’ a listen now

An evening of love songs sung by Pam Rich and Laurie Schiff and featuring the smooth sounds of Benny “fingers” Kohn and Dave Cristopolis.

$35, per person. Dinner & Performance.

The (tug at your heart strings) Menu:

Amuse - Truffled Polenta & wild mushroom ragout

Salad - Arugula served w/ roast beets, crispy goat cheese, shaved red onion. Tossed in a honey balsamic vinaigrette.

Entree - Choice of Grilled Beef Tenderloin, whipped parsnips, and peppercorn gastrique OR Seared scallops, fennel risotto, and vanilla beurre blanc.

Dessert - Mission Flan, topped with fig compote and ginger whipped cream.

THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT. HOWEVER, WE ARE HAPPY TO ADD YOU TO OUR WAITING LIST - email: missionbarandtapas(at)gmail.com

“Southern charm and gypsy blood. Wistful musings and joie de vivre. Poise and self-effacement. A live performance not to be missed. Come a stranger, leave a disciple,” says Last.FM of Rebecca Loebe.

RocknReel Magazine won’t be surprised when Abi Tapia gets snapped up by a major record label:
“(Tapia’s) new album, The Beauty in The Ruin, a mature collection exploring themes of sadness and frustration, is full of planes, trains, automobiles and Greyhound buses - travellin’ light, travellin’ hard. Difficult to believe she hasn’t been picked up by on of Nashville’s majors.”

Rebecca Loebe and Abi Tapia will take The Window starting at 8 PM.

Catch them while you can at our quaint venue.
Five bucks at the door.

Wid-Minter Ding Winner Dish & Dine
(Also known as the Mid-Winter Wing Dinner)
February 1, beginning at 6:30 PM, $50, plus tax and gratuity.

Who will be dishing? Mission Chef James Burden and Patrick Paulick of Brooklyn Brewery.

What’s that you say, you want the dining details as well? Ok… It is a wing dinner so we’ll have chicken wings, but it wouldn’t be a Mission event without there being something a little tweaked about it.

Now your mission is two-fold:
1 - Check out Chef James’ adventurous menu (which Patrick has been so kind as to pair with some killer brews.)
2 - E-mail us your reservation, missionbarandtapas(at)gmail.com, so we can save you a seat at this special event.

Amuse –
Crispy traditional buffalo Chicken Wing
Gorgonzola Dipping Sauce

Wash it down with: Brooklyn Pilsner

1st Course –
Grilled Sesame Glazed Chicken Wings
Served w/Daikon Salad dressed in Ginger Vinaigrette

Wash it down with: Brooklyn EIPA

2nd Course -
Celery Flatbread, De-boned Chicken Wing
Served w/ Molten Bleu Cheese over Arugula salad.

Wash it down with: Brooklyn Lager

3rd Course –
Brooklyn Battered, Panfried Fried Skate Wing
Served w/ Sweet Potato Chips and Horseradish Cocktail & Celeriac Tartar sauces.

Wash it down with: Brooklyn Local 1

4th Course –
Sausage stuffed Chicken Wings
Served w/ Celery Farce, Blue Cheese Croquette and Truffle Demi Glace.

Wash it down with: Brooklyn Brown Ale

Dessert –
Churros and Spicy Chipotle Chocolate
Wash it down with: Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout

Come on out!

7 - Camping it Up with Berkshire Creative

The Mission, Inc. team drew a standing-room-only crowd during Berkshire Creative’s November Bar Camp at the Berkshire Museum. The topic: “Dr. Minc Love OR How We Learned To Stop Sucking and Love the Berkshires.” The presentation centered on how nurturing creativity has grown our four businesses and could do the same for other businesses.

6 - James Burden becomes chef of Mission

While he can’t lay claim to the recipe for those sex-on-a-stick bacon wrapped dates, he has cooked up some seriously seductive soups, stews, and other Spanish surprises since he joined the team in October. Plus, he looks pretty darn saucy in this picture, don’t you think?

5 - Transom window revealed at The Market

Early in the renovation of our soon-to-be open corner store Jazu Stine decided to pry off the plywood atop the spaces’ façade. He discovered a few hundred pieces of individually framed corrugated glass, covered in multiple layers of paint. Now, instead of tapping the plywood back into place and running for the hills, Jazu, and Bart Dery, removed, cleaned and re-framed each piece of glass. To say the process was tedious may be the understatement of the year but the end result is the striking, sparkling transom on the corner of Bradford and North — 391 North to be exact. We hope to see you there often in the New Year.

4 - Minc House is Born

Minc House hit the Upper North scene in January and has cranked out stupendous designs – be it apparel, products for the home, or strictly graphic. Mission buddies and Word X Word headliner The Low Anthem didn’t waste any time tapping Jay Hallstein to design T-shirts for its Oh My God, Charlie Darwin album. The house of Minc has since printed more than 1,000 tees for the band, which are being sold at its U.S. and European tour venues as well as online.

3 - Mia Dyson send-off show

The start of the coming decade will see the Aussie native relocating from eastern Massachusetts to Southern California. In December, Mia played the Mission Window to a sell-out crowd. We wish her all the best, and suggest you properly archive the Mia merch you scored at Mission NOW.

2 - WordXWord Roof Top Rager

(Photo By Ogden Gigli)

In August, Jim Benson and crew launched the first annual Word X Word Festival in downtown Pittsfield. More than 40 poets, playwrights, and spoken word artists flocked to the heart of the Berkshires for six days that were devoted to words written, spoken, and sung. It all began with a steamy party on the roof of the Greystone Building.

1 - Getting to Know Our Neighbors

As much as we dig our 6 Maplewood Avenue office we’ve really enjoyed getting out of it to interact in the community, visiting our friends at Blue Q, selling products at the Live and Let’s Give, the Handmade Holiday Festival, and the Holiday Farmers Market or meeting with Downtown Inc. to name a few instances. In 2010, we’re looking forward to forging more partnerships, so don’t be surprised if we show up at your doorstep and feel free to knock on ours. We’re open to ideas – let’s collaborate.

Snap, Crackle, but they don’t play Pop. The thing is, even the members of the band aren’t keen ascribing a “sound” to themselves.  But you can come up with your own assessment … Give a Listen.

Nominated for  “Best Folk Act” at the 2009 Boston Music Awards, Audrey Ryan, perhaps tongue-in-cheek, describes her sound as “baby-making music.”

Among the instruments she’ll have in the Mission Window to create this  — an electric Japanese axe or a vintage Gibson acoustic, a retro 80’s era Casio keyboard, and an accordion.

Go ahead, you can put yourself in the mood in advance of the show.

Also appearing with Audrey is Richard Julian who Entertainment Weekly describes as a New Yorker who “tosses off self-addressed put-downs with the ease of the young Springsteen during his acoustic Jersey-boy period.”

Seth Rogovoy, author of “Bob Dylan: Prophet, Mystic, Poet” and editor of Berkshire Living magazine, will be the first to divulge details.

Spoken word, video, digital photography, as well as recorded music and live music are all a part of Rogovoy’s multi-media presentation that explores the correspondences between the torah of Bob Dylan
and the Torah of Moses, and reveals how from his earliest days as a Greenwich Village folksinger to his most recent albums, Dylan has walked in the footsteps of the ancient Prophets.

Mission Chef, James Burden has prepared quite a tasty menu:

First: Wild Boar Belly served over braised swiss chard with golden raisins & pine nuts served on a bed of roasted tomato salad.

Second: Arugula Salad with roast beets and shaved carrots, crispy fried blue cheese & sherry vinaigrette.

Third: Horseradish crusted beef tenderloin with parsnip gratin & red wine Jus.

Dessert: Mission Fig Compote topped Flan. Served with almond cookie & Ginger Whipped Cream.

Tickets are $35 and advanced reservations are required for this special event.

Questions? Want reservations? E-mail missionbarandtapas(at)gmail.com.

“Bob Dylan: Prophet, Mystic, Poet,” will be available for purchase that evening courtesy of Chapters Bookstore.

You can give a listen to him here.

Come catch him, $5 at the door.

As always, there will wine, many fine beers, and lots and lots of good cheer.

$5 cover.

Jay and Jordan are crashing The Emporium, 431 North Street in Pittsfield, where they will be selling the very latest from the House of Minc.

Ask the Mincettes about screen printing, where they get their design inspiration, and how to get to the North Pole. (Ok, so they will definitely have the answers to two out of three of those questions.)

The sale is on from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. There will be complimentary sweets and treats to help you power through your shopping…just in case you’ve put it off ’til the last minute like we have.

Oh, and many of our neighbors on Upper North will be open late that evening too.

(Berkshire Museum members mention your affiliation and we’ll donate 10 percent of our sales that day to the museum.)

Join us for Dinner and music from Justin Allen.

We’ll have music and a $50 four course meal - seatings at 6:30 PM and 8:30 PM - which includes a glass of our sparkling Cava Brut.

We are also serving our regular menu — until midnight, as usual!!

(Seating is limited, so advanced reservations are strongly suggested. E-mail missionbarandtapas (at) gmail.com for reservations. )

Join us after dinner –  say around 10:30 –  if you are looking for a cool place to hang and to ring in the next decade.

Samantha Farrell opening - 8 P.M. - $8 in advance, e-mail missionbarandtapas (at) gmail.com or stop by Mission. $10 at the door.

ADVANCED TICKETS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED FOR THIS SHOW.

Over the past year, Mia Dyson - the BluesRock singer/songwriter goddess from down under - and Mission have become great pals.

We were among the first rooms she played in the United States after rocking for crowds like this in Australia.

Mia is moving to L.A. come February.
Would you really want to miss what could be her last show in The Mission Window? Yeah, we didn’t think so.

She’ll likely start hammering out tunes — with her band!! — around 9. But the show starts with Samantha Farrell.

Samantha - who sound is blues/folk rock/soul - is a sparkling young singer-songwriter who combines raw and emotional melodies with poetic lyrics.

Give a listen

Be sure to join us, there’s no cover for this special Thursday evening debut.

In the meantime, let them make sweet music to your ears.

Latin rhythms, call-and-response hollering, and donkey jawbone rattling will likely have you on your feet when the David Wax Museum makes its debut in The Mission Window.

The quartet brings with it a lively fusion of traditional Mexican and American folk music as well as heart-wrenching harmonies, poignant lyrics, and a rooted Americana sound.

Bring your dancing shoes and $5.

Give a look-see or a listen.

Heather Maloney warms things up for the Museum crew.

On Cozy Razor’s Edge, her latest release, Heather integrates music and awareness, creativity and presence; the intention to dance along the line between sound and silence.
She’ll be in The Window beginning at 8 PM.

Jake Hill starts things off @ 8 p.m. http://www.myspace.com/jakehillsings

$5 cover.

The Marketplace is two full days of locally produced goods, you’re sure to find something for everyone on your shopping list. There are special discounts at HARDWARE all weekend too!

For those unfamiliar “the meatballs,” — officially known as Albondigas — consist of spicy balls of meat served in a peppercorn cream sauce.

As if that weren’t scrumptious enough, we then top the dish with fried onions.

(When I say fried onions I don’t mean the kind that some folks serve from a vacuum-sealed can and place atop green bean casserole. … Don’t ask me how I am privy to this information about certain fried onions. Let’s just say I am and leave it at that, OK?)

Our fried onions are so good patrons have asked we give them their own slot on the menu and at least one has said we should charge a buck an O.

FYI - Craig, we are taking that into consideration.

Now then, when we posted the query seeking your top tapas those of us here at Mission Inc. guessed the answer would be our bacon-wrapped dates. After all, the sweet and savory wonders have been referred to as “sex on a stick.”

Believe me our dates taste even hotter than that phrase sounds. But I digress … Meatballs. We are talking about our spicy meat-a-balls.

I’ll have you know we appreciate that you took the time to share your thoughts. So, we thought it would be nice to share with you too.

Sharing is good. Everyone likes sharing.

Ok, maybe not everyone as I did need to wrassle the recipe away from chef James Burden. Being that I’m not much of a wrassler I surmised catching him off guard was a better bet for scoring the step-by-step instructions for the Albondigas.

Let me set the scene:

I waited until James was engrossed in pan-smoking croutons for our mushroom stew. You see, there is a fine line between smoked and scorched and I knew he wouldn’t be able to abandon his post at the stove.

I tapped his left shoulder. He reflexively responded to the tap, gazing back in that direction. I dodged right. (Uh-huh, I used the classic tap-and-dodge. A bit predictable but it works.) Then I nabbed the nearby recipe book …

Wait, that is a total lie.

James likes sharing, too. He forked the recipe over willingly.

Here it is:

—

Meatballs

5 lbs ground beef

3 lbs ground pork

1 onion finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped garlic

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1 tbsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp cumin

1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs

2 tbsp ground pepper

2 eggs

Combine beef, pork and all seasonings in large bowl

Cover breadcrumb with milk and allow to absorb completely

Add eggs and breadcrumbs/milk to meat

Mix until uniform

Add salt to taste, about 3 tbsp

Form into 3/4 oz balls on sheet pan with wax paper

Bake for 15 minutes

Peppercorn Cream Sauce

1 small beef tenderloin chopped

1 tsp oil

2 tbsp butter

1 1/4 cup white wine

1 cup shallots

3 cups beef stock

1 cup of cream

1 cup Blue cheese

Brown pan and deglaze with butter and 1/4 cup white wine

Add one cup of shallots and a cup of white wine

Reduce and add beef stock

Reduce again slowly and add cream while stirring

Simmer

Put ingredients in food processor and add 1 blue cheese.

Top meatballs with cream sauce and savor the smoke and spice of the dish.

—

Invite cute friends over. Serve our Albondigas. See what happens.Maybe you’ll get so good at making them friends will want to wrassle you for the recipe.

Post on our FB page and fill us in, won’t you?

Get your green on, with Barefoot Truth as the one-time dorm room acoustic duo brings its now five-piece rock band into the Mission Window.

The BFT rocks with the help of a Weissenborn lap guitar, upright bass, lead harmonica and didgeridoo, keyboards, plus a drummer who sings lead vocals for its environmentally themed songs.

BFT is releasing its new EP “Threads” in February. Hear some of their new tracks waaaay before that –

November, 25 at 8 p.m., to be exact. $8 at the door.
And, as a primer, you can give a listen here.

Bella’s like to describe themselves this way: With the subtle rage of a caged beast, cruel Bartok made most with what was least, decided upon two quarter swirls, he haunted the tripping scenster girls, so light in movement, yet heavy at heart, his baven soul would but gleam in dark, by the grotto of Scandanavian name, unto the world, primeval Bartok came. Too Obsure?

Check this out:

The picture atop this blog is the view from my desk at Mission Inc. Go ahead, blink twice; you’re seeing just what it appears to be — an oversized, dirty, sweat sock. It’s a work by local artist Brent Whitney. (More on that in a bit.)

I updated the Facebook community on Monday that I was embarking on a new endeavor as Director of Communications at Mission Inc.
It’s a great feeling to have been wished well and congratulated by so many people. My sincerest thanks!
At the same time, some folks commented with questions:
“What or who is Mission Inc.?”
“Where is it? Is it a catering company?”
“Details!?!”

Having spent the majority of my career asking the questions – first as a newspaper journalist and then a bureau chief for WAMC – a local NPR affiliate – it’s odd answering questions. I’ll also admit up until this point I have balked at the concept of blogging. It seemed to me the equivalent of offering up my diary for the world to read.
By the way, “the world” herein is defined as the handful of people I intend to bribe to follow this blog.
Anyway, I used to keep my diary locked and tucked between my mattress and box spring. (I’ve since relocated it. And no, I’m not telling you to where.)
Given my highly guarded nature, why the heck would I willingly disclose my innermost, deep, meaningful and top-secret thoughts to the masses?
Completely absurd!
And yet here I am, two days on the job, willingly – yup WILLINGLY – blogging.

Those disclosures made, I believe I can commence:

I’m writing from high atop what we like to call The Tower of Minc, formally known as the Greystone Building – 6 Maplewood Avenue, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Suite 46.
Mission Inc. – Minc - is a working title for four businesses. And in my humble opinion they are really cool business. But the reason I signed on to this gig was the creative team attached to those businesses.

It began just over a year ago with Mission Bar and Tapas. Incidentally, the tapas part of the name occasionally prompts scuttlebutt about a “topless” bar on North Street. Let me dispel that rumor by saying our bar most certainly has a top.

Now then, owner Jim Benson’s hip nightspot – one of just a handful of places in the Berkshires that serves food until midnight - has quickly become home-away-from-home for a number of up-and-coming musicians.

Enter designer extraordinaire Jocelyn “Jay” Hallstein. She created a logo for Mission followed by hand silk-screened t-shirts. And before she knew it she was heading up Minc House Designs.

Next, lemme tell you about Jazu Stine. The former Mission Bar and Topless, er, I mean Tapas chef is hard at work on The Market. The Market is a soon-to-be open corner store that will specialize in high quality food and convenience goods that won’t break the bank.

And then there is the WordXWord Festival, which is Jim’s brainchild and the result of the summer’s hottest roof party. Seriously. It was 90-plus degrees the day the festival opened and we danced and made merry on the top of the Greystone building ushering in a week of events in August devoted to words written, spoken and sung.
The festival is how I first came into the picture, as Jim asked me to program the theater portion.

That’s our story – seriously over-simplified – but it’s merely an introduction.
There are a few more folks on our team. I’m eager to tell you about them and more from here on out.

In the meantime, back to the view from my desk. Let’s talk about that glorious sweat sock, shall we? Sure, it looks stinky, however, this joint — Mission Inc. is anything but.

- Dir Com
a.k.a Carrie Saldo

Jay and Jordan of MincHouse have designed, printed, stitched, and stuffed loads of speciality items for the upcoming Live and Let’s Give charity event, which benefits Charley’s Fund.

The sale will feature top artists selling quality hand-knits, jewelry, ceramics, paintings, photographs, candles, clothing, pillows, throws, furniture, linens, leather, cosmetics and more.

Just in time for the holidays, the boutique-style artisan fair will be an eclectic shopping experience for the community with the added goal of giving back. A portion of the proceeds from the sale, and all of the opening night ticket sales, will be donated to Charley’s Fund.
Charley’s Fund is a non-profit organization located in the Berkshires that supports finding a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Who: You and all your civic-minded friends!
What: Live and Let’s Give
Where: Lichtenstein Center for the Arts
28 Renne Avenue
Pittsfield, MA
When: Nov. 6 Opening Reception & Boutique-style Sale
Nov. 7-8 Boutique-style Sale
Cost: Friday Night, $25 opening night reception, with specialty cocktails and yummies.
Saturday and Sunday, free
Tickets: Point and Click Here

Brown Bird is a five piece Country, Blues and Eastern European folk influenced Americana group. The group has developed into a miniature orchestra of harmonized voices and instruments carrying founder David Lamb’

s haunting lyrics on surging waves of Appalachian, gypsy, and shanty music. The group hails from Rhode Island and Maine and pulls from the talents of each member to create a diverse folk music that swells into high-spirited, foot-stomping madness.
Be among the first to hear tunes from its upcoming album - “The Devil Dancing.”

South China was born in 2002 as a marriage, musically and literally, of Jeremy and Jerusha Robinson. Their individual backgrounds in experimental rock and classical music produce a sound that feels sparse and improvised, evoking a slightly dark and dream-like state, like trying to recall something that is just beyond the edges of memory. They draw listeners into their intimate world of Maine winters, bittersweet moments, subtle humor, and the bizarre dream imagery.
Listen here

Michael’s music has appeared on numerous radio stations throughout the country as well as on Fox sports. His songs have also taken top prizes in many of the top songwriting contests in the country. Michael is currently writing with some of Nashville’s top songwriters such as Del Gray of Little Texas, Zak Turner (“Watermelon Crawl” –Tracy Byrd), Tommy Sims (“Change the World” –Eric Clapton) and continues to play regularly across the northeast and south, more tour dates will be announced shortly. Michael has had success with all types of listeners, young to old, coast to coast. His music has brought people together to raise money for cancer, during his relay for life tour in 2004, as well as his show in Central Park in New York City for Children with Disabilities in 2005. Michael Joseph is a musician that truly loves music and most importantly loves performing for people. Michael’s song “She Will Never Know” was recently recognized in Billboard Magazines Songwriting Contest as one of the top songs from around the world. “We as musicians have a lot of power to make a change in this world, we perform to thousands of people and our messages combined can lead to great change and great possibility for a better future. Thank you for believing –MJ”

Saturday November 28 8PM

One of Missions favorites ,The Justin Allen Trio, will be at Mission Thursday November 14! Music starts at 8pm, come by have a beer, sit down and listen to some great music. You know you’ll love it!

Surprise secret announcement gig- Jocie Adams of The Low Anthem, jumps out of the van, and runs to Pittsfield to play a gig at Mission, before Ben and Jeff notice she’s gone. 8pm, no cover, oath of secrecy required.

They say a good writer writes what he knows. Some people spend years on the road collecting tales and trading licks enough to give their words weight and their music depth, but Luke need not look further than to his own family for inspiration and for all the notes to tell the tales. He is a master of stories because he knows all the good ones like the back of his hand. His palm is his family tree, and his fingers, spread wide as a web, are the means for his storytelling. Nothing gets past this hand. Between pen and paper, nylon or steel strings, it will be written, remembered, repeated. And it will sound better than anything you’ve ever heard.

Check out Luke’s Video for “Free”

Monday November 9, Music Starts 8pm Full Menu Available

Lubbock-born gem Amanda Pearl Shires steps into the spotlight with the release of her new album, West Cross Timbers. Her clever songs glitter with a tinge of the Western swing she honed so expertly as a side woman for Tommy Allsup and the legendary Texas Playboys, with whom she began work at age 16. Though Shires hasn’t left the band she co-founded, raucous Texas indie rockers The Thrift Store Cowboys, she’s shifted her focus to her solo work for the time being.

“I’ve worked gigs for Billy Joe Shaver, Buzz Cason, Will Kimbrough, Justin Earle, Rod Picott, and lots of other folks. I enjoyed that life but now it’s time to write and play my own music,” says Shires. “For me that took moving away from where I was comfortable. It took waiting tables, being scared, getting lost—it took turning gigs down and staying home versus fiddlin’ on the road. And it took going at it with all my intention and all my heart.”

Friday November 6, 8pm No Cover!

Bring your appetites this third thusday down to mission for our second annual slider eating contest! 

Independent singer songwriter Tony Lee Thomas from Berkshire County, MA blending folk, rock, funk, blues, jam and jazz.Tony began guitar at seven years old with acoustic folk under Alice Spatz and was soon learning American Appalachian traditionals, and the music of popular artists from the 60’s including the Beatles, Joni Mitchell, and James Taylor. He took up the double bass at age 12 hauling the sizeable upright to the third floor of the Pittsfield music school for weekly lessons, also with Alice. As an adult, he has spent the last ten years getting his chops together on the electric guitar.

Third Thursday October 15 music starts at 6pm

Mission will be closed on Sundays and Mondays starting September 14. Tuesday through Saturday tapas from 5 till midnight, last call at 12:30! Open Mic will continue on Tuesday nights with host Justin Allen at 8pm.

Original photo uploaded by skyobserver

The Accident That Led Me To The World is an all-acoustic, non-percussive chamber folk trio from Massachusetts. The name was derived from a song that band member Mark Mandeville (guitar, banjo, vocals) wrote called “The Accident That Led Me To The World,” which he then elaborated into the concept of an allegorical narrative involving a boy who sails away to an island to be alone. From this concept sprung an entire album’s worth of songs, and Mandeville incorporated Raianne Richards (guitar, clarinet, vocals) and Zack Ciras (upright bass) to flesh out the material.

The result was the eponymous 2006 debut released on Nobody’s Favorite Records, an angular, concise mixture of bluegrass picking, sea chantey sing-a-longs, and folk singer-songwriting. This release was followed by 2008’s The Island Gospel, more expansive, more focused, and more lyrical than its predecessor, and which also travels a more country-driven direction. The Island Gospel also continues the allegorical narrative concept that was begun on the first album, and both albums feature artwork which illustrates the narrative.

Saturday September 26/8pm

Check out the new Mission t.shirts on sale now at the restaurant! ($15) They are hand-printed and hand-dyed right here in Pittsfield by a small company called minchouse. You can check out their website www.minchouse.com and see other tees there too!

EVERY TUESDAY - NO COVER

2009 Word X Word Festival performer Chris Vecchia hosts Mission’s weekly showing of local musicians and poets. Don’t be shy, come and try out your new material or your new-found talent. Vec invites you to “Rock out with your socks out.” No cover.