Born in Lowell, MA, singer/songwriter Charlie Chronopoulos got his start performing as a guitarist in regional lounges and ballrooms, sharing the stage as a teen with classic acts such as Grand funk railroad, Cheap Trick, and the Doobie Brothers. His songs substantially developed over the years, playing out like short stories reflecting and centering around the stories of family and friends struggling with addiction in central Massachusetts. While the subject matter is often heavy, Chronopoulos writes with empathy, and a type of war humor that serves to counter the narrative of backwardness and poverty.
His first album, Dead End, was nominated for Album of the Year by the New England Music Awards. His latest release “Don’t Say a Thing” propelled his original work from a few hundred monthly listeners on spotify, to over 45k in a month.
In addition to writing and producing his own work, he serves as a session guitarist for several multi-platinum and Grammy winning artists including Serj Tankian(System of a Down), Shirley Manson(Garbage), Jelly Roll, and Joyner Lucas. In addition to studio and touring, Charlie has performed on several Broadway and Off-Broadway productions under Tony winning director Diane Paulus when he served as the lead guitarist for the American Repertory Theater at Harvard University. Chronopoulos credits this time with re- invigorating his love of storytelling and performance art.
With songs as sweet and biting as the nectar and venom in her voice, Rachel Sumner has been captivating audiences throughout the northeast with her exciting new band Traveling Light. While their instrumentation and textures show roots deep in bluegrass and traditional folk music, Sumner’s lyric-forward writing and penchant for snaking chord progressions demand something beyond folk conventions, highlighting the acrobatic range of her brilliant bandmates Kat Wallace (fiddle/harmonies) and Mike Siegel (upright bass).
Sumner is no stranger to the stage. She spent her early career on the bluegrass circuit, singing and writing with the genre-bending Boston group Twisted Pine. Since setting out on her own, Sumner’s songs have been critically acclaimed, winning the Lennon Award in the folk category of the 2021 John Lennon Songwriting Contest for her song “Radium Girls (Curie Eleison)” earning her a spot in the Kerrville New Folk Competition; and being chosen three consecutive years by WBUR/NPR as one of the top Massachusetts entries in the Tiny Desk Competition. Rachel Sumner & Traveling Light released their debut LP in the summer of 2022 to acclaim; Americana Highways says, “Rachel Sumner & Traveling Light shine bright on new album.”
Originally a classical flutist from the dusty Mojave desert, Sumner relocated from California to Boston a decade ago intending to study Composition and Film Scoring at Berklee College of Music. While at school, she found herself in the orbit of roots musicians like Molly Tuttle, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, and John Mailander who introduced her to a trove of traditional music, started her off with a few chords on the guitar, and encouraged her to write her own songs. In the short time since, Rachel has become one of the most vital voices in Boston’s thriving roots music scene.
DOORS ARE AT 7PM AND MUSIC BEGINS AT 8PM. The show is all ages and seating is first come first served.