MARBLEHEAD — The me&thee coffeehouse is celebrating its 51st anniversary in September by continuing its legacy of producing concerts by celebrated musicians of all kinds. The me&thee will present virtual shows until it’s safe to open its doors to the public.
When the COVID virus impacted and disrupted the acoustic music room’s banner 50th-year celebration, the me&thee closed down and canceled its spring season. The first musician who was impacted by the closure was Marblehead’s Hayley Reardon, who will be opening the fall season on Friday, Sept. 4.
Reardon has performed on the me&thee stage since she was in junior high school. We have enjoyed watching her musical career blossom and grow over the years. Her honest lyrics as highlighted on her latest recording, Where I Know You, are reminiscent of such noted songwriters as Tracy Chapman, Lucinda Williams and Patty Griffin. This show will be broadcast on YouTube Live and Facebook. To reserve a ticket, please go to [email protected]
September 11 marks the me&thee debut of TV/movie actor and gifted singer-songwriter, Jeff Daniels, who has starred in films Terms of Endearment, Pleasantville, Gettysburg, and Dumb and Dumber. He won an Emmy Award for his performance on HBO’s The Newsroom. More recently, he appeared as Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird on Broadway. Daniels’ guitar has been by his side and he has toured the country since 2000, often with his son, Ben. He has shared the stage with Lyle Lovett, Keb Mo, Cheryl Wheeler, Guy Clark, and John Hiatt. Tickets for this show are available via Crowdcast on the Jeff Daniels concert page at www.meandthee.org. When you purchase a ticket, Crowdcast will send you a link to the show and then remind you of that link 10 minutes before showtime.
Another virtual highlight in September will be a special appearance by Tom Paxton and the DonJuans. After 56 years of performing around the world, Paxton has joined his friends and songwriting colleagues Jon Vezner and Don Henry –– known collectively as The DonJuans –– in a writing and performing experience calculated to keep them too busy to get into trouble. Collectively, their songs have been covered by: Harry Belafonte, John Mellencamp, Miranda Lambert, Neil Diamond, Ray Charles, Nancy Griffith, Judy Collins, Pete Seeger, Janis Ian, Kathy Mattea, John Denver, Faith Hill, B.J. Thomas, Blake Shelton, Peter, Paul & Mary and Bob Dylan … to name a few! It’s been many years since Paxton has been to Marblehead, so the me&thee is delighted to have the opportunity to present him and his friends virtually on Sept. 25. This show will also be broadcast via Crowdcast. Information about how to purchase tickets and watch the show are on the Tom Paxton concert page on www.meandthee.org
The me&thee is one of the oldest continually running acoustic listening rooms in New England, and probably the country. It has been and will always be a volunteer, non-profit organization sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Marblehead, located at 28 Mugford St. For more information, go to www.meandthee.org.