When Peter Mulvey takes the stage at Bass Hall for the first Peterborough Folk Music concert of 2020, it will show just how far the series has come since it began more than 24 years ago.
On that Jan. 10, 1996 night, Mulvey was the very first opener for series founder and president Deb McWethy, who only started PFM because The Folkway had decided to close its doors for good. The go to spot for folk music in the area had a long tradition of bringing the best musicians to the area for many years, but when it was learned that Jan. 1, 1996 would be its last night in operation, McWethy just couldn’t imagine the music coming to an end.
“We had to keep the music going,” McWethy said.
McWethy thinks of Mulvey as the very first Peterborough Folk Music musician. After receiving one of his tapes, she invited him to open for Dar Williams at the Peterborough Unitarian Universalist Church.
In 2021, Peterborough Folk Music will celebrate 25, but before the festivities to honor the milestone can begin, McWethy has quite the lineup planned for the rest of 2020.
Mulvey also performed for one of McWethy’s famous house concerts in her Harrisville living room, but hasn’t been back for a number of years. This time, Mulvey will play for a bigger audience in Bass Hall on Feb. 1.
“For me it’s experiencing the music, it’s supporting the musicians,” McWethy said.
It was two years ago that McWethy felt they needed another venue to hold shows. Her living room is great, but it’s a more intimate setting and geared toward those up and coming artists. The Peterborough Players has been home to the series since 1998, but it’s a big venue with seating for about 250, so it was hard to find a spot for those blossoming acts that just weren’t ready for the main stage. Especially considering that a lot of those musicians that played in her home needed more seats to accommodate their following. Bass Hall was the perfect place.
Dala follows three weeks later in Bass Hall on Feb. 22. McWethy said Dala, the 2010 Canadian Folk Music Award winner for Vocal Group of the Year made up of Amanda Walther and Sheila Carabine, has been a sought after return to the series.
“A lot of the people we’ve been bringing in we’ve been working with for years,” McWethy said.
Kenny White performs at Bass Hall on March 7, before Birds of Chicago makes the first series appearance of the new decade at the Peterborough Players on March 28. Birds of Chicago is another previous performer, having played at Bass Hall in November of 2017.
“They’re just becoming huge,” McWethy said.
The remainder of the schedule through the end of May, sees Aztec-Two-Step and Friends (April 4), Slaid Cleaves (May 15) and Joe Crookston (May 31) perform at Bass Hall. Crookston is another one that performed in McWethy’s living room as part of Deb’s House Concerts.
“The people that used to play in my living room are maxing it out,” she said.
As part of the schedule, there will be two concerts in McWethy’s living room, Pierre Bensusan on April 11 and Dave Gunning on May 3. Over the last two-plus decades, McWethy said the popularity of the house concerts has probably been the biggest surprise.
“People love the house concerts,” she said.
It’s a limited ticket show with a pot luck prior to the music.
“People bring their best food,” McWethy said.
McWethy knows the crowds that show up aren’t the youngest and folk isn’t the most popular genre, but at the same time just wants people to see what it’s all about.
“I just think people need to come out and take a chance,” she said.
McWethy said she is putting together about the same amount of concerts as in the beginning, but it’s just different. With some of the musicians coming back to play bigger venues and more and more up and coming artists making their way to the area, it’s been quite the evolution to witness for close to 25 years.
“It’s absolutely a labor of love,” McWethy said. “I’ve never made a dime.”
For more information and to buy tickets, visit www.pfmsconcerts.org or call (603) 827-2905.