Society Hall  "where community celebrates!"

Society Hall, the performance space, concert hall and community gathering place at 400 Ross Ave. in Alamosa, is thrilled to welcome back renowned guitarist Michael Mandrell and powerhouse singer-songwriter Jenny Bird in concert Friday February 13th, at 7:00 PM. Doors will open at 6:00 pm. Tickets are $20 and are available at the Green Spot in Alamosa or at the link below. The concert will also stream live on the Society Hall Facebook page.

Michael Mandrell and Jenny Bird have been sharing stages and transfixing audiences for decades, both together as a duo, and each on their own as solo performers and with other ensembles. Their powerful, moving, and intricate songs, vocal stylings and virtuosic guitar work have enchanted audiences around the world.

Guitarist Michael Mandrell is a passionate, contemporary fingerstyle guitarist and singer/songwriter with an ear for the World Fusion genre, whose style employs tinges of folk, jazz and an infusion of Celtic overtones. He is one of those rare artists who has a strong sense of his Western musical roots, yet can make beautiful and sophisticated forays into the music of the East. His intricate fretboard work and technique is known for its seductively smooth quality.

He has produced and collaborated on numerous CDs of original music, several featuring exotic instruments from around the world. Two of his releases with Benjy Wertheimer (Anjali and Notes from Celtistan have received heavy airplay on Public Radio International’s syndicated radio broadcast Echoes with host John Diliberto. His ambient Cascadia CD with David Michael has been a favorite with healing arts practitioners internationally. His tunes have been used in numerous productions and videos, as well as the documentary film Stone Reader.

Jenny Bird has brought her powerful and passionate music to audiences across the country and around the world since first beginning her career in Europe in the 1970's. She is currently working on her 20th solo CD project of original music. Jenny's powerful and inventive guitar work supports her seemingly effortless and virtually limitless vocal range, all in service to her songs of growth, beauty, mystery and wonder.

Here's some of what reviewers across the country have said about Jenny and her music - ‘Bird’s melodies are always strong, the lyrics heartfelt, passionate and affirmative.’ -Dirty Linen. ‘An amazingly powerful performer’. -The Austin Chronicle. ‘Spine chilling in her power. Jenny sings her marvelously penned songs with passion and sensitivity.’ -Heartsong Review. ‘Bird delivered (her songs) with high intensity guitar innovations and more passion than all those alternative folk-rock-icon gals combined.’ -Dwight Loop, Berkeley Express.

And who and what is High Horse, you might ask? Four friends, three bows, and one pick: High Horse is a progressive acoustic string band blending Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Celtic influences with the energy of alternative rock. The band is comprised of fiddler Carson McHaney, cellist Karl Henry, guitarist/banjoist G Rockwell, and bassist Noah Harrington.

The members each draw from their varied musical backgrounds to explore and perform original compositions and tunes from diverse folk traditions. Hailing from Boston, MA, High Horse delivers a rollicking romp of great vibes, virtuosic chops, and tight vocals. Their music is a captivating fusion of genres, showcasing their technical and compositional skill and their passion for pushing musical boundaries.

The members of High Horse have honed their skills and artistry through their education at the prestigious Berklee College of Music, Oberlin Conservatory, and the New England Conservatory. Their training has equipped them with the technical proficiency and creative vision to craft captivating and innovative music.

Society Hall, the performance space, concert hall and community gathering place at 400 Ross Ave. in Alamosa, is excited to welcome the popular Creede based group Rivertown Folk to the stage on Saturday February 28th, at 7:00 PM. Opening the show will be Jenni Mansfield Peal, another popular singer-songwriter based in the western San Luis Valley. Doors will open at 6:00 pm. Tickets are $20 and are available at the Green Spot in Alamosa or at the link below. The concert will also stream live on the Society Hall Facebook page and You-Tube channel.

Rivertown Folk has been charming audiences around the San Luis Valley for several years now, playing festivals, events and celebrations around the area, collecting fans everywhere they go. Society Hall board member and Alamosa record producer Don Richmond says, “The Rifters have been fortunate to share the stage with Beth and Janet several times now, and we have certainly fallen in love with them and their music. They make you remember why you started playing music in the first place – there is a great freshness and vitality to what they are doing”

He continues, “We at Society Hall had been talking about inviting them to do a concert for months, but when we heard that they lost everything in a house fire on Christmas Day, we felt that the time to do that is now.” Donation jars will be set out for all those who wish to contribute to helping them recover their lives from this loss.

Rivertown Folk is Beth Morris and Janet Reynolds, both contributing guitar and vocals. They will be joined by their guitarist friend Rod Meecham for the Society Hall show. Their sound? Imagine if the San Juan Mountains picked up a guitar and started reminiscing. It’s folk music, sure, but with enough grit and grace to make your spine straighten a little and your drink taste better. These aren’t just songs; they’re campfire confessions dressed up with harmonies and hometown soul.

Jenni Mansfield Peal is a songwriter and singer, guitarist, accordionist, and mountain dulcimist. Her experience includes two tours of Northern Ireland including The Queens University Festival in Belfast, main stage at the Kerrville Folk Festival, numerous original productions and ensembles, and fiveindependent albums. The Mr. Peppermint Show, a children’s television show produced at WFAA in Dallas, TX, featured Jenni’s songs on multiple episodes that were syndicated world-wide for years starting in 1991. In 1990, Jenni won the Poor David’s Pub B.W. Stevenson Songwriting Contest in Dallas. Jenni was named The Best Folk Song Writer in North Texas by CBS DFW, among four, in October 2010. From October 2012 until February 2014, Jenni created and hosted the broadcast radio show “Everybody’s Folk” for KNON 89.3 FM in Dallas.

Since moving to the San Luis Valley of Southern Colorado in 2015, Jenni has produced events including seven seasons of Ancient Valley Open Mic, the annual campout music event A Jam In The Rockies, and the Together SLV Fundraiser for La Puente. She has performed in ensembles and solo appearances around the SLV and was Artist in Residence for the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad for the 2019 season.