Roomful of Blues at the Shea

#GETTOTHESHEA on Friday, April 24th 2026 for a night with legendary musicians Roomful of Blues at the Shea Theater Arts Center in Turners Falls MA

The Shea Presents:

Roomful of Blues

WHEN: Friday, April 24th, 2026 at 8pm

WHERE: Shea Theater Arts Center, 71 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA

TICKETS: $28 in advance/ $40 at the door

Accessibility Notice: Our theater and first-floor gender-neutral restroom are wheelchair accessible. There will be alcohol on-site for this event.

ABOUT ROOMFUL OF BLUES

“Brawny shuffles, swinging horns, searing guitar, passionate vocals and balls-to-the-wall enthusiasm” –Living Blues

“High-voltage swingin’ jump blues and R&B” –USA Today

“Jubilant, jazzy R&B...boisterous, horn-propelled magnificence...infectiously joyous spirit” –Blues Music Magazine

Roomful of Blues, the world-renowned, horn-powered, houserocking blues band, has been delighting audiences for over 55 years. Blues Music Magazine calls them “the best little big band in the blues.” On record and on stage, Roomful of Blues—led by master guitarist Chris Vachon for the past 25 years—continues to deliver its bone-shaking mix of original songs and carefully chosen covers ranging from jump, swing and proto rock ‘n’

roll to funky, contemporary blues. Their impeccable musicianship and larger-than-lifevocals have earned Roomful of Blues five GRAMMY Award nominations and a slew of other accolades, including seven Blues Music Awards. Twice, the prestigious DownBeat International Critics’ Poll has selected them as Best Blues Band. And now, even after 18 previous releases and thousands of live shows, Roomful of Blues continues to evolve. Roomful of Blues, according to DownBeat magazine, “are in a class by themselves.”

With their masterful combination of jumping, horn-heavy, hard-edged blues and R&B, it’s no wonder why the great Count Basie called them “the hottest blues band I’ve ever heard.” With a non-stop performance schedule for over 55 years, Roomful of Blues has earned critical, popular and radio success and a legion of fans around the globe. Roomful of Blues guitarist and bandleader Chris Vachon first joined in 1990 and has been leading the band since 1998. Guitar Player says Vachon’s guitar playing “burns with explosive solos and a delightfully greasy sense of rhythm.” The band has maintained its signature sound through great musicianship and a stellar horn section— featuring tenor and alto saxophonist Rich Lataille, who first joined the band in 1970. Lataille’s masterful playing can evoke either the fat-toned, honking sax of the glory days of early rock or the cool elegance of big band swing jazz.

Along with Vachon and Lataille, Roomful of Blues now includes new lead vocalist D.D. Bastos, new keyboardist Jeff Ceasrine, baritone and tenor saxophonist Craig Thomas, trumpeter Christopher Pratt, bassist Lou Bocciarelli and drummer Mike Coffey. The band has never sounded fresher or stronger, with Bastos bringing her sweet and soulful vocals and adding another bright new dimension to Roomful of Blues’ jazzy, jump-blues musical roots. Their winning combination of jump, swing, blues, R&B and soul remains their calling card, as does their ability to fill the dance floor.

The long and winding road which leads to the Roomful of Blues of today can be followed all the way back to 1967 when a group of southern Rhode Island teenagers with a shared passion for the blues formed a straight-ahead Chicago-style electric blues band to explore the music of their heroes. They added a horn section (including Rich Lataille) in 1970 and released their self-titled debut album in 1977 on Island Records (reissued on Hyena Records), which brought them to the attention of fans and critics from coast to coast.

ABOUT THE SHEA THEATER

The Shea provides performance space for a variety of attractions designed to appeal to the widest range of tastes. Musical offerings include folk, pop, rock, swing, jazz, country and traditional. Theatrical productions encompass musical comedy, drama, comedy, and political satire. In addition, audiences can take advantage of magic shows, children's shows and silent film revivals.

The Shea, with the help of a wonderful corps of volunteers, has been attracting a growing audience and as a result is bringing people into Turners Falls from an ever larger geographical area. This growth has put the Shea on a firmer financial footing, providing the basis for expectations of an even more exciting future for this vital community asset.

https://sheatheater.org/

TICKETS

All ages

$28 adv/$38 day of show

#gettotheshea