Roomful of Blues will play at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton on November 25 at 7 p.m. In a positive review, Down Beat magazine, which has been published every month since 1934, said Roomful of Blues is “in a class by itself.” The band will play concerts next month in Washington, DC and in California in April. You can hear their music at www.roomful.com.

Band leader and guitar player Chris Vachon spoke with the Valley Post on October 4. He works part-time as an electrician. “Playing music is a lot more fun than crawling around wiring houses,” Vachon said. The band will drive vans from Rhode Island -- their home state -- to North Carolina for their concerts there. “We all take turns driving,” he said.

Roomful of Blues began before the internet existed, although most of the members of the band have joined the band since that time, as other members retired. “People downloading music for free has had a big impact on us,” Vachon said. “Thankfully, some people still buy our CDs.”

With excellent sound quality, and its small size, the Iron Horse is the Valley's best live music venue. Roomful of Blues has played there many times. “We have gotten to know some of our fans in Northampton over the years,” Vachon said. “I look forward to seeing them.”