Live Music Review //
Allysen Callery / Hugh Blumenfeld / Courtney Danieluk,
@ Willimantic Records,
Willimantic CT,
April 26th 2025
Additional photos taken at the show can be found in an album on Facebook by clicking here :::
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Going to Willimantic Records for live music always feels like such a treat, but then when the BLiSS Market Place has their events happening around as well you never quite know what you're going to experience. We got down to Willimantic a little bit before noon and everything was moved inside because of the weather. George Hakkila was also sick and unable to play, which pushed the show back to a 1pm start time. But we did not worry because there was a taco truck outside and as such we used that time to go eat some tacos before everything was to start.
Courtney Danieluk would start the day off with music, playing some covers of songs by Mitski and Big Thief, among others. There were a few original songs in here as well, so this felt like a good way to have someone get out and play in front of people even if they weren't ready to do an entire set of their own songs. And throughout the covers no one really had any problem with singing along either.
The way that the next set started would be to say that Hugh Blumenfeld was not there but these would be the songs of "History" or sometimes "Mr History". The songs not only touched upon subjects that could be related to globally but even so went so far as to directly sing about Willimantic in one song. It was quite personal. As songs came out about what's wrong with the political climate of this world right now and how Jesus most likely would not agree with modern day Republicans, I couldn't help but wonder why there was an electric guitar also set up that wasn't used.
When Allysen Callery came on I think everyone was finally settled and the door had been left open to let those on the outside hear what was happening and come in to experience it for themselves. These acoustics just rang through in reverberation as the voice of Allysen Callery came out like a ghost, forever haunting your house but since it's music you're okay with it. At one point Allysen said that if you're into Halloween then she's your girl and this was the way that the vibe of the set felt.
While I understand that music is often best compared with other music, I think of the sound of Allysen Callery as being like the section at a bookstore which offers up titles such as "Haunted New England" and "Scary Places to Visit in New England". But that also just makes me think of campfires and how while you can feel safe around the fire, listening to music or telling stories, you're never really sure what lurks outside of that bubble, out in the darkness.
Even if you just happened to stop by to see some of the crafts that were out there for the day- and many people had such things as jewelry for sale- I just really enjoyed how much this entire event spotlighted the community. If you were out here buying things or taking in the music, you were doing it locally, with small businesses and the people who make up your neighborhood. We really need more of this in cities not just throughout Connecticut but everywhere in this country, to bring its people together.
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I am unsure how to find Courtney Danieluk on the internet.
Hugh Blumenfeld can be found on Spotify here :::
Allysen Callery can be on the web here :::
Willimantic Records can be found on Facebook here :::
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