Common Ground Coffeehouse,

the monthly concert series held in Hastings-on-Hudson NY
that also supports local, national and international charities, is proud to announce its September 2008-June 2009 Season Schedule
and to offer 20-25% savings for Season Sponsors.

Above: Poster for September-December '08 Calendar

We’re thriiled to announce below our full schedule for our upcoming 7th year at Common Ground Coffeehouse, the monthly music series held at the First Unitarian Society in Hastings-on-Hudson NY. We think you’ll find it to be one of our most exciting ever. In addition to nationally-touring artists like Chris Smither, Sloan Wainwright, Nerissa and Katyrna Nields and Kimya Dawson (of the Moldy Peaches and Juno soundtrack fame), we also have some really wonderful artists coming who you should know about, such as Canada's Great Lake Swimmers,the classical-Latin-jazz hybrid Sweet Plantain, the bluesy New Orleans marching band sound of NYC's the Woes, Westchester's award-winning folksinging phenom Anthony da Costa, and more.

Common Ground is an all-volunteer organization that relies on ticket sales to support our mission of 1) presenting the diverse array of world-class artists who play our small, family-friendly venue; 2) raising funds for local, national and regional charities and social justice causes; and 3) building an intimate, supportive community of music lovers who seek out music from many genres. All profits from our concerts are donated to charitable causes, and our expenses are limited. But to do this requires a group effort, not just from our committed volunteers, but from you as well.

That's why we are offering Season Sponsorships that get you up to 25 percent off on all 10 Common Ground shows, plus your choice of a fair trade, organic cotton Common Ground t-shirt or a Common Ground coffee mug with our logo that you can use for free coffee refills at each of our shows!

The first four concerts of the year are listed on the poster above. Here's the full line-up, through June '09:

On Saturday, September 27, 2008 at 7:30, Common Ground opens its seventh year with the haunting, heartfelt folk-pop of Ontario, Canada’s Great Lake Swimmers. The show will be opened by alternative folksinger-songwriter Patrick Porter.

On October 25th, we welcome Sweet Plantain, a string quartet from the Bronx that specializes in genre-blurring, contemporary works by Latin American composers as well as original compositions and arrangements. Its unique style fuses Latin, classical, jazz, and improvisational forms.

November 22nd brings folk-blues songwriter Chris Smither, who, according to Rolling Stone, “delivers one of the most riveting live shows you’re ever likely to see.” While he is a fine interpreter of musical heroes like Lightnin’ Hopkins and Mississippi John Hurt and contemporaries like Bob Dylan, Smither is best known as one of the foremost songwriters of his generation. His work draws deeply from traditional folk and blues as well as modern poetry and philosophy. Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris, Diana Krall, and many others have all covered his music.

On December 27th, Common Ground holds its annual benefit concert for Midnight Run, the Dobbs Ferry organization that serves NYC's homeless men and women. Headlining this year’s concert will be singer-songwriter Kimya Dawson, a native of Bedford Hills, NY. Dawson’s music was heavily featured in the 2008 Academy Award winning film Juno. Joining her will be several other Westchester-raised young artists — Anthony da Costa, Emilyn Brodsky and Griffin & the True Believers. Also appearing will be Brooklyn-based Dave End, New Jersey's BB Sunshine and Pennsylvania’s Hop Along, Queen Ansleis.

On January 24th, 2009 Nerissa and Katryna Nields join us at Common Ground. Nerissa and Katryna have been the darlings of the coffeehouse/festival scene since 1991, with tunes ranging from off-the-hook idiosyncratic to kicking to heartbreaking. Sister Hollar, their latest release, is a “roots album,” but with a difference. Rather than simply reinterpret or re-record the music what brung ‘em, the sisters have retooled, assimilated and flat out burgled the music they grew up with to create something new. The result is a delightful oxymoron of songs simultaneously familiar and surprising.

February 28th marks the return to Common Ground of the Sloan Wainwright Band. Sloan's last appearance at Common Ground was a joyous, full-house celebration. Sloan comes from one of the first families of folk, as her family tree includes older brother Loudon Wainwright III, nephew Rufus Wainwright and nieces Martha Wainwright and Lucy Wainwright Roche. Joining Sloan will be yet another talented member of the family, her son, Sam McTavey.

On March 28th, we'll host the Grateful Dead Revival Show, a celebration of the music of the Grateful Dead, that will feature both acoustic and electric sets, performed by guitarist Robert Politzer and a stellar band.

April 25th brings New York City's The Woes. The music of The Woes is a stew of Delta blues and early Country, of bluegrass and New Orleans marching band music, dished out by banjo, harmonica, accordion, French Horn and organ. The five piece hails from New York City.

May (TENTATIVE: exact dates and artists TBA) Falcon Ridge Folk Festival Preview. For the past five years, Common Ground has hosted the annual Falcon Ridge Folk Festival Preview Tour, which highlights the emerging artists selected by the festival audience as "Most Wanted" for a return the following year. While the exact date for annual May return of the Falcon Ridge tour to Common Ground is not yet confirmed, be sure to check our website for updates.

We end the regular Common Ground season on June 6th with the a celebratory joint show featuring a set of po standards with vocalist Ralph Gunderman, followed by sets by Common Ground's two "house bands," the First U Rock & Soul Revue and the Great American Song (GAS) Company. Rock and Soul specializes in the Memphis and New Orleans soul sound, while the GAS Company showcases some of the other great songwriters of the 1960s and 70s, like Joni Mitchell, Robbie Robertson, Crosby, Stills Nash and Young and others.

Common Ground is located at the First Unitarian Society of Westchester in Hastings-on-Hudson. During its first six years of operation, Common Ground has raised nearly $17,000 for local organizations, national and international organizations. For more information on our charitable mission, please click here.

Again, Common Ground is an all-volunteer organization that relies on community support. All profits from our concerts are donated to charitable causes, and our expenses are limited. Our primary means of publicizing our shows continues to be word-of-mouth. If you support our mission, we hope you will consider becoming a sponsor of our '08-'09 Season. As a sponsor, you'll receive up to 25 percent off tickets for all 10 Common Ground shows, plus your choice of a fair trade, organic cotton Common Ground t-shirt or a Common Ground coffee mug with our logo that you can use for free coffee refills at each of our shows!

To become a sponsor:

1) Simply click the "Respond Here" button below, and then select from the Family, Adult, or Senior/Student options above.

2) Once you've received a sponsorship confirmation email, simply email us at commongroundfusw@aol.com to tell us if you'd like a Common Ground t-shirt (please specify size) OR a Common Ground coffee mug! We'll have it waiting for you when you arrive for your first concert on September 27th.

Simple as that! Many thanks for time and for your support, and we'll see you soon!