Best Monte Belmonte Podcasts (2024)

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July 18, 2024: Apolitical Chalet 50:01

1d ago50:01

50:01

We're digging into the political sphere today. Folk punk author and humanist Billy Bragg joins us to talk about US and UK Politics, the rise of populism, and the evolution of his own work and views over his 40+ years of making music as he prepares to play at the Academy of Music in Northampton this coming Tuesday, July 23rd. Our weekly chat with co…

1
July 17, 2024: Sweet Stonehouse Feelings 49:17

1d ago49:17

49:17

Today is all about sweetness. It's in the bounty at Yellow Stonehouse Farm in Westfield. As the only certified organic farm for produce in Hampden county, and a CSA program that meets more needs than many, owners Connie Adams and John Kelch have side-stepped back into agriculture providing healthy options for folx, a safe haven for ecologies to blo…

1
July 16, 2024: Tick Talk 49:54

1h ago49:54

49:54

Today on the Fabulous 413 is a first for us because we’re pointing all of our focus on one tiny organism and making a big show about it. We're taking the time to focus on a very tiny arachnid can make a really big impact on our health and the whole laboratory in Amherst that studies them Director of Education at Tick Report Paul Killinger gives us …

1
July 15, 2024: An intermeditately heavy Jupiter 50:16

1d ago50:16

50:16

It may be Monday, but we're still thinking up good ways to get down in the area. Take for instance a chance to hear a veritable ton of heavy music heading to the woods of Millers Falls. RPM Fest takes place during Labor Day weekend bringing metal, rock and punk bands from all over the Bay State and beyond to western Mass. to elevate the volume for …

1
July 12, 2024: Roots and porches return 50:31

3d ago50:31

50:31

Summer brings wicked fun festivals with it, and this weekend brings the return of two extra fun ones. There's Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival, the main portion of which happens July 12 & 13th. The free music celebration has been going on for 10 years, driven and created by the Blues to Green non-profit, and has been getting bigger and better ever…

1
BONUS EPISODE: Deep Water 42:40

1d ago42:40

42:40

Our guest Juliana Merullo created for senior capstone project at Brown University, a long-form audio piece looking at the impact of the July floods on Western Mass farmers, the recovery efforts (including state and community support), and these farmers' fears moving into the next growing season. We felt that everyone should have a chance to listen …

1
July 11, 2024: When the creek does rise 50:13

4d ago50:13

50:13

It's the anniversary of one of the worst agricultural disasters western Massachusetts has seen in years, so we look back at the floods of July 2023, and their aftermath with Piyush Labhsetwar, Farm and Land Stewardship Manager for Grow Food Northampton, who we interviewed immediately after the waters rose, and reporter Juliana Merullo who created a…

1
July 10, 2024: Cuckoo's film collaborative of the day. 50:36

3d ago50:36

50:36

We head to Great Barrington to check out the Berkshire Film & Media Collective and it's executive director Diane Pearlman, who has made her own moves through the film and effects industry and is hoping to teach more folx to do the same with their initiative for Kemble St Studios. We also hunker down with a gritty, visceral, multi-faceted horror nov…

1
July 9, 2024: New art for new spaces 50:12

4d ago50:12

50:12

Today is about reemergences. One of those is with Hannah Mohan, formerly of the band And The Kids and Topsy, who is on the verge of releasing her first truly solo album. "Time is a Walnut" comes out on July 12th and will be celebrated with a concert at the Iron Horse on July 12th, so we bring the ingenue into the studio to talk about the evolution …

1
July 8, 2024:To build a stage 48:05

6d ago48:05

48:05

And in the summer, all of western Massachusetts a stage. We have the opportunity to meet a few of the thespians creating and developing works in the area. There's a single performer show written and performed by Jay Sefton, that deals with a difficult subject with humanity and humor. "Unreconciled" The play chronicles a survivor’s journey as he con…

1
July 4, 2024: Cheer the Champion 49:25

10d ago49:25

49:25

A holiday bonus revamp of all the EXTRA stuff we did at solid sound, including a chat with Mark Greenberg, studio manager of The Loft- Wilco's Chicago recording studio, extra songs from Americana/roots harpist Mikaela Davis, and a quick glimpse at the future director Kristy Edmunds has pictured for Mass MoCA and its place in the arts in the Norther…

1
July 3, 2024: Blue ink moves 50:24

14d ago50:24

50:24

We speak with journalist, teacher, and author G. Mike Dobbs about his memoir "What They Didn’t Teach You in Journalism School: The Memoir of an Ink Stained Wretch", hear from Ex. Director Brian Boyles and board member Aaron Vega about Mass Humanities and the organization's recent move to Holyoke, and stuff our faces full of the blueberry bounty at …

1
July 2, 2024: Traveling through pages 50:25

12d ago50:25

50:25

It's summer reading season, so we speak with two local authors about their recent works: Rachel Lyon's re-imagining of the Persephone myth with "Fruit of the Dead" , and astronaut Cady Coleman's memoir "Sharing Space". We also sit with NEPM Reporter Jill Kauffman to explore her contribution to the New England News Collaborative's series on fun summ…

1
July 1, 2024: Welcome newcomers! 50:43

16d ago50:43

50:43

America's birthday is this week, so we speak with someone about to become one of us, Rosa Cuevas Ortiz, Naturalization and Immigration paralegal Harleen Kaur Multani who helps with the process, and director Laurie Millman who's organizing their annual naturalization ceremony in Northampton this July 4th, we corner our musical hero Nick Lowe at Soli…

1
June 28, 2024: Live from Solid Sound 2024!!! 1:06:47

19d ago1:06:47

1:06:47

We head to North Adams to speak with the folx behind the biyearly festival at MASS MoCa, Solid Sound! In this eighth iteration, we hear from Wilco founder Jeff Tweedy, his sons Spencer and Sam, Wilco Drummer Glenn Kotche and his band mate from the freeform Saccato Quartet Darin Gray. We also chat with podcaster/musician Hrishikesh Hirway of Song Ex…

1
June 27, 2024: Holding up Fernet in India 50:00

20d ago50:00

50:00

We speak with Emerson professor Bob Nesson, whose film "Holding Up the Sky", a documentary about the post prison evolutions of two ex-cons in Boston, is showing in Orange this weekend, check in with Rep. Jim McGovern about his visit with the Dalai Lama, tonight's debate, Julian Assange and more. And our favorite itinerant bartender, Sean Billson, s…

1
June 26, 2024: Wondla's Funner Cabaret 49:41

21d ago49:41

49:41

Local author and illustrator Tony DiTerlizzi stops by to talk about the latest tv adaptation of one of his novels: Apple TV+ series "Wondla", we sit with writer/comedian/podcaster John Hodgman to discuss his New England connections, and the fellow funnymakers that will join him in the Comedy Cabaret at Solid Sound this weekend, and Word Nerd Emily …

1
June 25, 2024: Myriad communes 50:08

22d ago50:08

50:08

We speak with singer-songwriter Mon Rovia about their work and past at the Green River Festival, Antenna Cloud Farm director and curator Michi Wiancko walks us through their plans for the 2024 season which opens this weekend, and Benjamin Bland of Mass in Motion Springfield shows us how many groups can come together to make better food and physical…

1
June 24, 2024: Roberto's Snacktime is far away 51:19

23d ago51:19

51:19

Pizza Quest VIII lands at Roberto's Pizza in Sheffield, we share our tiny but mighty pop-up with Philadelphia band Snacktime from this past weekend's Green River Festival, and Mr. Universe, Hampshire College's Salman Hameed breaks down universe contraction and expansion through the furthest galaxy from us that has ever been observed.…

1
June 21, 2024: Live from Green River Festival 2024 53:01

26d ago53:01

53:01

It's our live show from the Green River Festival Roundhouse! We're joined by new festival director, John Sanders, and two of the acts performing Friday sets at the Festival: Twisted Pine, and The Nude Party's Patton Magee.By Monte Belmonte & Kaliis Smith

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June 20, 2024: Little Changes 49:59

27d ago49:59

49:59

We check in with the 5th graders and one of their teachers, Tim Austin, at Fort River School in Amherst to discover their civic engagement class which has them interacting with issues affecting folx in the Bay State and beyond, head to Florence to talk with Clara Li about the downshift from Great Wall restaurant to her family's new restaurant, Litt…

1
June 18, 2024: Sustainability is all around 50:52

29d ago50:52

50:52

We take a tour of the many sustainable and innovative happenings at the Hitchcock Center for the Environment, and learn about a thirst quenching fundraiser they'll have on the 20th, continue our journey at Mumbet Freedom Farm in Sheffield, and check in on the high spirits of NEPM reporter and Celtics Fan Kari Njiiri as team clinched the title this …

1
June 17, 2024: A History of Pride Novas 50:12

1M ago50:12

50:12

Mr. Universe returns from Pakistan on Eid to tell us about the difference between novas and super novas, we chat with David Blood and Alex Torres of Fame Lounge and Eatery in Holyoke about their Pride Block Party happening in tandem with Holyoke Pride, and we head up to Memorial Hall Museum to check out an exhibit about the history of the Green Riv…

1
June 14, 2024: Wistful Woodworking 49:03

1M ago49:03

49:03

We head to the hilltowns to hang out in a woodshop with two black woodworkers in Franklin County, Sam French and Charles Thompson, and hear about their experiences in western Mass, sit on the bestest couch ever at Wistariahurst Museum in Holyoke while we chat with executive director Megan Seiler about their Wisty Wednesday series and it's extra spe…

1
June 13, 2024: Juneteeth in history and song 49:32

1M ago49:32

49:32

We speak with musicians and educators Patrick Dailey and Tim Eriksen about "Jubilee: A Juneteenth Concert of Early American Music" happening at Historic Deerfield, and Clark University professor Ousmane Power-Greene wades us into the murky historical context of Juneteenth and the many ways freedom used to be celebrated.…

1
June 12, 2024: Restoring Pride, alright 51:36

1M ago51:36

51:36

We hear from the team embarking on a mission to restore a third Nelson Stevens mural to Springfield's Mason Square: Napoleon Jones Henderson of Afri-Cobra, and Britt Ruhe and Springfield artist SELF of Commonwealth Murals, sit with the Franklin County Pride organizers to hear about their celebrations this weekend, and Word Nerd Emily Brewster is to…

1
June 11, 2024: Strawberry Pride Game 50:24

1M ago50:24

50:24

Carrie Ferguson takes a small break from their Grumpytime Club to throw a Pride Kickoff party at Hawks and Reed this Friday that will also celebrate the release of their new single "The Many I Am", we chat with writer/director/producer Julian Lowenthal about the Franklin County shot and conceived movie "Money Game" which will have a week long resid…

1
June 10, 2024: Freedom Found 50:33

1M ago50:33

50:33

We speak with author and Greenfield native Essie Chambers who'll be coming to Odyssey Books to celebrate her debut novel "Swift River" on June 13th, get ready to party with the LGBTQIA2+ youths at queer prom in Holyoke, and get a tour of what's growing at Mumbet Freedom Farm in Sheffield with its lead stewards: Sunder Ashni and Adrian Seneca Bello.…

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June 7, 2024: Suitcase Queen and extra friends 50:03

1M ago50:03

50:03

We speak with Jo Clifford, author and performer of "The Gospel According to Jesus, Queen of Heaven" who'll be be making her US premier of the work in Northampton this weekend, Live Music Friday brings multi-wreckage player Suitcase junket to the studio just before his show at the Iron Horse on June 8th, and drink beachy coastal white wine with our …

1
June 6, 2024: Reminiscing buffalo 49:31

1M ago49:31

49:31

We hang out with Buffalo Tom, whose UMass Amherst origins brought them back to the area to celebrate their latest album Jump Rope, and dig into their longevity, day jobs, and the incestuous natures of local music scenes, and Congressman Jim McGovern gets into those felonies a little more and all the other fallout since that Capitol Hill has endured…

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June 5, 2024: Silent house Painter 50:04

1M ago50:04

50:04

We hear from Damany Gordon of Genuine Culture LLC about their upcoming event on House Music which will center two of the genres pioneers, chat with the illustrious and multi hyphenated Dr Nell Irvin Painter who will be speaking at Bombyx this weekend about her latest collection of essays and her ongoing work on the life of Sojourner Truth, and Word…

1
June 4, 2024: Trustees and Municipal Markets 50:19

1M ago50:19

50:19

We speak with the organizing force behind Chicopee's only Farmers Market: Center Fresh Farmers’ Market, meet with the CEO of Trustees of Reservations Katie Theoharities and discover the many ways that group is preserving important cultural and ecological sites for us all to enjoy, and hear a little asparagus science with the duo behind Tumble Scien…

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June 3, 2024: Freedom Spears 50:17

1M ago50:17

50:17

We talk with SSO President Paul Lambert and jazz legend and NEPM Host of Jazz a la Mode Avery Sharpe about the upcoming Springfield Symphony Orchestra program for Juneteenth, and revisit some of our adventures this past weekend at the NEPM Asparagus Festival in Hadley with State Senator JO Comerford, MDAR Commissioner Ashley Randle, and a whole lot…

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May 31, 2024: Chili winter sparkle for science 50:13

2M ago50:13

50:13

It's nearly the NEPM Asparagus festival! So we chat with Supicha and Phil Hillenbrand of Thai Chili Food Truck about the growth of their business and what they'll be bringing to the Hadley Common this weekend, hear from Winterpills for Live Music Friday just before their sold out show at the Iron Horse tonight, delve into a bubbly reds thunderdome …

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May 30, 2024: Puerto 'sparago 50:17

2M ago50:17

50:17

We get into the Hadley side of the area's asparagus rivalry with Wally Czajkowski of Plainville Farm, preview a series of new works on the broader idea of Puerto Rico with MIFA Victory Player's upcoming program "Puerto Abierto", and congressman Jim McGovern ventures into Trump verdict speculations, agricultural committee openings, flag burnings, fo…

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May 29, 2024: Describing a more fluid farmland 50:06

2M ago50:06

50:06

Eggtooth Productions joins us in studio to talk about bringing Virgina Woolf to the stage with their gender fluid, time bending production of "Orlando", Word Nerd Emily Brewster trips our tongues and minds with the descriptive tools of metonomy and synecdoche, and we chat with NEPM reporter Alden Bourne who recently produced a duet of stories about…

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May 28, 2024: The speech of proud spears 50:06

2M ago50:06

50:06

Local historian and linguist Wren Wood gives us a glimpse into the speech patterns of Herman Melville, Springfield Pride Parade founder and organizer Taurean Bethea divulges the evolution of the event as they gear up for its third iteration, and we get ready for the NEPM Asparagus festival by visiting the Smiarowski Farm in Hatfield, where that veg…

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May 24, 2024: Diving deeply 50:24

2M ago50:24

50:24

Legendary fingerpicker and all around amazing musician Chris Smither joins us in the studio for Live Music Friday, we start our exploration of the origins of the Memorial Day Holiday and Black military history with Clark University Professor Ousmane Power Greene, and Table and Vine Ambassador Michael Quinlan brings three wines from his latest fixat…

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May 23, 2024: Friendship, Odenong, and hubbubs 50:20

2M ago50:20

50:20

We talk with organizer and founder of the Odenong Pow Wow, Justin Beatty, delve into the pages of a tri-literate children's book seeking to bridge cultural divides with translator Eliezer Nowodworsky and publisher Ilan Stavans, and our weekly chat with congressman Jim McGovern barely scratches the surface of the very publicly busy week he's had.…

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Bonus Fab 413: The Undeniable Podcast 23:11

2M ago23:11

23:11

Our intern Cenai Collins spent his time with us working on a podcast idea. By the end of his tenure, he'd finished the first episode, and so we're sharing that episode with all of you! Congrats, Cenai, on your graduation from AIC!By Monte Belmonte & Kaliis Smith

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May 22, 2024: Fermenting the change we walk across 38:43

2M ago38:43

38:43

We say goodbye to our intern Cenai Collins by chatting about his experiences with us, head to Colrain to chat with Justin and Katie Korby who have each won Good Food awards this year for their work in fermentation, and Word Nerd Emily Brewster drives us through the origins of words pertaining to traffic. OH YEAH, and it's our 300th show. Go us!…

1
May 21, 2024: Milk Academe 39:05

2M ago39:05

39:05

We hang out with the bovine brood at Mapleline Farm in Hadley and hear how the sister team of Jessica Dizek and Jennifer Zima are stewarding the location's 120th year of operation, then cross the mountains to Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams to chat with president James Birge about the ecologies of higher education, especially a…

1
May 20, 2024: Reconnect and ride 38:53

2M ago38:53

38:53

Mr. Universe goes to a UAP convention and tells us all the unclassified details he can, we take a walk around the corner to see how the folx at RAD's volunteer bike shop ar helping the community ride better, and talk about the real effects the Mass Reconnect program has had on community colleges with Springfield Techinicall Community College presid…

1
May 18, 2024: Sunday Sunday Sunday 40:37

2M ago40:37

40:37

So much stuff was happening we had to do a whole extra episode about it! We'll chat with the folx from Rachael's Table about their Outrun Hunger event in Forest Park, celebrate our families and ourselves with a new book from Leslea Newman getting a launch party in Northampton, and head to the Shea Theater in Turners Falls to celebrate some of the n…

1
May 17, 2024: Spouses-O 41:03

2M ago41:03

41:03

Erin McKeown and Spouse come in for Live Music Friday just ahead of their sold out show at the Iron Horse, we celebrate 20 years of universal marriage with a couple that was part of the lawsuit that made it happen, and head to Northampton to taste through Mary Taylor's catalog of wines in a thunderdome at Bottle-O.…

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May 16, 2024: The Usual Suspects 39:48

2M ago39:48

39:48

We check out the only commercial poultry processing plant in western Massachusetts with the folx behind Reed's Farm in Sunderland, Word Nerd Emily Brewster zhuzhes up our vocab, and Congressman Jim McGovern talks about humanitarian developments, commencements in a time of wide protests, and more.By Monte Belmonte & Kaliis Smith

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May 15, 2024: LIVE from the new and improved Iron Horse Music Hall 46:08

2M ago46:08

46:08

We broadcast live from the opening show at the newly re-vamped and much improved Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton. We're joined by the performers from the first official show, Rachael and Vilray, their opener Taylor Ashton, Parlor Room Collective Executive Director Chris Freeman, and General Manager Neal Robinson to celebrate the occasion, disc…

1
May 14, 2024: All Iron Guthries 50:10

2M ago50:10

50:10

We delve into the history of the iconic Iron Horse on the eve of its official opening with a wide swath of folx who've watched its evolution, head to great Barrington to take a tour of a facility built by an icon at the Guthrie Center, and check in with the Americorps workers of the organization All Love, who are throwing a community Field Day this…

1
May 13, 2024: The wings of the workforce 50:03

2M ago50:03

50:03

We chat with Mark Melnik of the UMass Donahue Institute about workforce disparity in western Massachusetts as the NEPM newsroom launches into a week-long exploration of the subject, local author and professor Naila Moreira celebrates the release of her new book "The Monarchs of Winghaven", and Mr. Universe draws parallels between the recent appeara…

1
May 10, 2024: Vertical Legacies 50:17

2M ago50:17

50:17

We bring the Bay State's own bluegrass legend Peter Rowan to the studio for Live Music Friday, explore one of the oldest running quiz shows in american with Beth Ward host of As Schools Match Wits, enjoy a vertical wine thunderdome at State Street Deli Wine & Spirits, and delve into the work of the late Steve Albini with Time Eriksen and Peter Irvi…

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Monte Belmonte Podcasts

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