Besides bringing us Rishell and Raines, Passim will host a CD-release party for the Arlington-based Celtic duo Matt and Shannon Heaton, who are two of the principals behind Boston’s annual Celtic Music Festival, on Thursday March 16. On the 19th, former Knots and Crosses singer Carol Noonan returns accompanied by guitar stars Duke Levine and Kevin Barry. Former Bonnie Raitt bassist Freebo teams with singer-songwriter Wendy Waldman on March 24, pop tunesmith Jules Shear appears on April 2, ’60s Cambridge folk-scene sparkplug GeoffMuldaur plays on April 15, Western songsmith Tom Russell arrives on April 21, and Duke Levine brings in his own band on April 22, followed by JohnGorka on the 23rd.
Farther up Mass Ave past Cambridge Common, the Lizard Lounge (1667 Mass Ave; 617.547.0759), under the Cambridge Common Restaurant, will feature local roots all-stars Session Americana on the third weekend of every month, and the Dennis Brennan Band will continue their Wednesday-night residency. Upcoming rockin’ singer-songwriter Sarah Borges plays the Lizard May 20. A bit further along Mass Ave, in Porter Square, Toad (1912 Mass Ave; 617.497.4950) hosts mandolin virtuoso Jimmy Ryan on Tuesdays in March, and in May Buffalo Tom frontman Bill Janovitz and his group CrownVictoria will perform every Thursday.
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On the Web:
First Encounter Coffeehouse: //www.firstencounter.org
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