NJ-based Ortolan will take the stage at 8:15pm August 14. They're hot off rave reviews at SXSW and a European tour.

First off, I must say congratulations to the newly-engaged Scott McEwen and Erin Hollenbeck. Scott founded the concerts and Brewster Productions with Harry and me several years back, and Erin is always helping out with the shows and being all around awesome. We’re all very happy for the two lovebirds, and you should be too.

Now onto the big FREE music festival we’re putting on this Saturday. When I say big, I mean real big. We’ve got 9 bands. The headliner Ortolan just finished their first European tour, and is hot of rave reviews at South By Southwest in Austin, TX this year. The eight local bands sharing the stage with them are an incredible bunch themselves, including: Emma Ate the Lion, Doug Ratner & the Watchmen, Boston & Bosco, The Okay Win, BarRoom Heroes, Pride of the Atlantic (with guys from the Widescreen Edition), One Way Karma, and The Hiding Spot. Go to the Schoolhouse Rock page for all the links and even more info: http://brewsterproductions.com/concertseries/schedule/schoolhouse-rock/

If the incredible amount of awesome independent music from cool young local bands wasn’t enough, there’s going to be a GUITAR RAFFLE! Yes, we’ll be raffling off a Takamine acoustic guitar, and 4 weeks of free guitar lessons, both courtesy of Thunderbolt Music. Buy your tickets for $1 early and often from our table – the more you buy the better chance you have to win.

You will also have an opportunity to donate to a great cause, Vh1 Save the Music. This foundation helps support music education programs throughout the county’s public schools.

A huge huge thank you goes out to our co-presenter this year, Tranzmission, the indie music blog by Ryan Wood. He’s helped us out a ton in bringing Ortolan to the show and putting the whole thing together. Also thank you to Thunderbolt Music on Main St. in Plymouth for donating a guitar and lessons.

See you at the festival! (don’t forget, it’s FREE!)

- Jon

Amy Mercier performs at Hedge House Lawn tonight 7/30. Show starts at 6pm.

Howdy everyone,

We’ve had quite the hectic July, putting on 3 big main stage shows and running all over creation to make them happen, and now we’re back at the good ol’ Hedge House Lawn for the rest of the summer, except 1 show (the HUGE Schoolhouse Rock Music Festival at the main stage 8/14).

Molly Pope will open up the show tonight 7/30 at 6pm.

To welcome all of our loyal audience members back to the 200-year-old house’s lawn, we’ve got the talented pianist/singer Amy Mercier and singer/songwriter Molly Pope taking the stage tonight. Click on the links to take a listen to them, and then come on down to the show! I suggest grabbing some food, a blanket, and/or some lawn chairs and have a nice relaxing night of music and food. For free. Well, beside the food, unless it was a gift.

Also, since we like to be pretty open about how we run things around here, we have to be totally honest and say this past month has run us pretty dry as far as funds go. If you can, please come to the show and make a donation – it will help us make the last shows of the summer awesome.

Thanks for all the support and for coming out to the shows! See you tonight!

Jon & the School’s Out crew

3rd Left rocks the main stage at the very first School's Out concert series show, July 11, 2008.

We’ve been at this concert series thing for 3 years now, but we had yet to have a show on Plymouth’s (in)famous 2nd-biggest holiday, the Third of July….until now. Well folks, this is the year. And it’s a show of 3s, as luck would have it: This will be the 3rd year in a row we’ve had the big 3rd Left, Jake Hill, EHB show to kick off our stint at the main stage, and it happens to be on the 3rd of July. Crazy, huh? Let’s get to the details.

First off on this big weekend coming up is an incredible guy by the name of Sean P. Rogan on Friday 7/2 at the Hedge House. Up until a short time ago, he played guitar for Big D and the Kids Table (he also filled in on guitar for Streetlight Manifesto at last year’s Warped Tour, for those who think that’s the coolest thing ever). You’ve probably heard of them if you’re under the age of 30, and certainly if you’re from the Boston area. They’re a pretty popular nationally touring ska/punk band for those who don’t know them. Sean played a show with us at Sweetwater Cafe in Boston this past spring and he was incredible – you can download ALL of his songs for free (seriously!) at his web site: seanprogan.com.

Then of course, we have the big show on the 3rd of July, Plymouth’s lesser-known second-biggest holiday, ranking just behind the one with the big turkey dinner. 3rd Left, Jake Hill, The Eagle Hill Band, and Nate Cristofori will take the stage starting at 5pm at the Main Stage. Not much else to say except this is going to be a big, huge, fun, rockin’ show, and you would be very sad for the rest of the summer if you missed it.

See you at the shows, and don’t forget your dancin’ shoes!

- Jon & the School’s Out Crew