Each May the Me&Thee offers a free concert to the folk community at large. “We see this is a gift to those who have supported us throughout the year and a way to invite new folks in the door so they can discover what’s so special about the Me&Thee coffeehouse,” says Kathy Sands-Boehmer, one of the many volunteers at the coffeehouse. “We are interested in promoting acts that might not otherwise have a chance to be booked at the coffeehouse. We get so many CDs sent to us for consideration. It’s very difficult to make a decision about who gets to play and who doesn’t so it’s a real pleasure to be able to present this year’s chosen few:  Dan Gonzalez, Judy C, Five Day Weekend, and Tripping Lily.”

Five-Day Weekend is a talented North Shore trio consisting of Eric Colville and Jamie and Paula Gaull. Very tight harmony-driven acoustic music is what makes this band stand out above others. Eric Colville writes insightful lyrics set to catchy beats.

Count on his great voice and smart lyrics, a good groove, and some first-rate musicianship and production. Colville’s songs range from playful pop to torchy blues to dark ballads to in-your-face rock. He recently won honorable mention for the song “35 and Thinking” at the 2006 Singer-Songwriter Awards, and his song “Picture Us Together” won a USA Songwriting Award as well. Jamie and Paula round out the trio, supplying crystalline vocals and lead guitar and percussion of all kinds.

Another award-winning artist is one of the Fresh Voices this year. Dan Gonzalez won Honorable Mention at this year’s Singer-Songwriter Awards and recently won a song contest at the well-respected Lizard Lounge in Cambridge. A recent review of Dan’s CD “Public Square” that appeared in Performing Songwriter magazine says this of his style: “The sound is so lovely that you may be tempted to focus solely on the music, letting words slip by. But that would be a crime. The Boston-based artist’s intelligent lyrics focus on everything from the campaign against terror, to the irony of celebrating Columbus Day, to the plight of rich, bored, housewives.” This Berklee College of Music grad is “the future of the singer-songwriter” according to a review on CD Baby.

Judy C. is a veteran of the San Francisco and Boston singer-songwriter circuits. This bi-coastal artist draws on a wealth of inspirations from Led Zeppelin to Crosby, Stills and Nash, blending them into her own ethereal sound which suggests Celtic balladry and eastern modality. Judy now calls Ipswich her home. She has been making her mark on the North Shore music world and has actively been playing gigs all over, including some songs-in-the-round at the Front Street Coffeehouse in Salem that have been webcast. Judy is currently working on a recording of her latest material, where she explores the ethereal harmonics of open tunings, a sensation which recalls her early experiences with Indian music.

Tripping Lily’s acoustic folk pop sounds were formed long before they made their move from Nashville to Boston. Their sound is edgy and unique. A group of musicians who draw their inspiration from within, with Demetrius Becrelis (guitar/mandolin/vocals), brother Alex Becrelis (guitar/mandolin/vocals), Monica Rizzio (fiddle/vocals), and Laird Boles (upright bass), Tripping Lily blends a unique sound of traditional and contemporary genres. Touted as fresh, energetic, and alive, Tripping Lily’s pop-rock groundwork is cross-fertilized with folk music and cutting edge vocal harmonies. The band’s unique ability to absorb traditional music while speaking to the here and now is proof of their versatility as contemporary musicians. Tripping Lily seeks to exploit the empty space of the canvas. They unravel everything they’ve known and in turn, end up in a better place. Their CD “The Couch Sessions” has been getting a lot of radio airplay on Folk Radio WUMB.

 
Five Day Weekend

Five Day Weekend

DanGonzalez

Judy C.

Judy C.

Tripping Lily