Signature Sounds Presents

09/24/2025

A wealth of sonic enjoyment.” -PopMatters

Ali McGuirk returns to Northampton for a show at The Iron Horse THIS Thursday, September 25th at 7pm. Canyon Lights opens the show. Don’t miss it! Grab your tickets at ironhorse.org.

Ali McGuirk has never been a church mouse. Her 2022 album, Til It’s Gone, was met with widespread acclaim and praised for its “earthy tenderness and smart introspection” (Boston Herald). She now returns with a new album, Watertop, that elevates her signature soulful and smoldering sound to new heights—this time, the production is richer, and the message is unflinching.

It’s hard to pinpoint the exact moment that led to the freedom in McGuirk’s songwriting on “Watertop.” Perhaps it was when she began treating social activism—and her care for others—as a spiritual practice. This transformation gave Watertop its raison d’etre, which comes at you quickly with the opening track, “Love Goes First.” With Watertop McGuirk takes a magnifying glass to the complexities of human and societal value, unraveling the meanings of care, empathy, love, and even greed. At first listen, her words aren't always what they seem. But the richness of McGuirk’s voice, the lucidity of her production, and the power of her delivery guide you to the truth.

09/03/2025

The Back Porch Songwriter night returns to for the songs of the great Tracy Chapman on Thursday, October 23rd with , , , , & The Deep River Ramblers. Tickets available this Friday at ironhorse.org 🎟️

08/28/2025

Hard to believe that was almost a week ago ✨ We are still coming down from such an incredible 7th year of the festival.

Who would you love to see on the 2026 line up?

Photos by Dave Molnar

08/25/2025

Another incredible Back Porch Songwriter Series show in the books! This past Friday Night an all-star cast of musicians brought the songs of Bob Dylan and The Bands’ The Basement Tapes to life at ✨ Thanks to all the artists, The Deep River Ramblers house band, The Academy, , and of course YOU for a stellar kick off to our Arcadia weekend!

Photos by Dave Molnar 📸

08/23/2025

Gates at 10am!

08/22/2025

The 7th Annual Arcadia Folk Festival brings the community together around music in the heart of the Valley to celebrate and support the work at Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary and to model a sustainable community event. We LOVE our sponsors that help us make this festival happen!

Grab your tickets at arcadiafolkfest.com 🎟️ prices go up tmrw

Dean's Beans Organic Coffee Company
Northeast Solar
Abandoned Building Brewery
River Valley Co-op
Gateway Fiber
New England Public Media
Greenfield Savings Bank

08/13/2025

The countdown is on!
Grab your tickets at arcadiafolkfest.com 🎟️

08/08/2025

Steve Poltz has fun on stage. Steve Poltz has fun off stage. Every show has its own vibe. Raucous, joyous, improvisational and always strange. Stellar guitar work and songs that will have you smiling one minute and crying the next. Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada, raised in Southern California and now living in Nashville, Steve Poltz tours nonstop and is the surprise sleeper hit of any festival.

Glide Magazine applauded how, “He takes chances like few others and seems to be increasingly more unconventional as he embraces Americana.”

Catch at Arcadia Folk Fest on Saturday, August 23rd. Tickets are available now at arcadiafolkfest.com.

Here's a clip of Steve Poltz's "Wrong Town." ⭐

08/07/2025

Arcadia Folk Festival is a certified 3 Leaf Musicians For Sustainability Festival. 🌿

What’s Musicians for Sustainability all about? Concert goers in the US produce over 116 millions pounds of waste each year and emit 400,000 tons of carbon emissions.

Musicians for Sustainability (MFS) is a way for artists and festivals to change that. MFS encourages festivals to implement three of six eco-friendly solutions.

Reusable Solutions, the founder of this program, works with venues to make this happen. Reusable Solutions' mission is to eradicate single use plastic and break free from fossil fuels. In support of this goal, they put together programs such as Musicians for Sustainability. Learn more at musiciansforsustainability.com🌲

Grab your tickets for Arcadia Folk Fest on August 23rd at arcadiafolkfest.com NOW!

08/06/2025

The In The Woods Stage is one of the most magical parts of the festival, immersing the audience in the beauty of Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary while. Attendees gather at a clearing for stripped back performances surrounded by nature and music. 🌿

Arcadia Folk Fest shows how a music festival cannot only implement sustainable practices, but actually have a positive impact on the planet! Our event is solar powered, zero waste, and carbon neutral while providing amazing music, delicious food, and an unforgettable experience to our visitors. To learn more about sustainability at AFF, visit arcadiafolkfest.com/sustainability 🌻

The In The Woods Stage is sponsored by Northeast Solar 🌞

📸 Photos 1-2 by & photo 3 by .mccarthy.photography

08/04/2025

Based out of Southern Maine, Old Hat fuses tight vocal harmonies with a driving acoustic rhythm section. With a sound draws from folk, old time, bluegrass, and country traditions, the band is comprised of Whitney Roy (Guitar, Vocals), Steve Roy (Mandolin, Fiddle, Vocals), Amanda Kowalski (Bass) and special guest Julie Metcalf (Fiddle).

Their debut album was released in 2022 and features 10 original compositions by Steve and Whitney Roy. Whitney’s lilting vocals provide the backbone of the vocal blend, while her solid rhythm guitar anchors the band’s pulse. Steve is a veteran of New England’s acoustic music scene, and has performed and toured with many of the acoustic world’s top acts. Amanda is one of the more sought after bass players in the worlds of bluegrass and old time music, and her rhythmic drive and energy on stage are second to none. Julie hails from the Boston area and brings an infectious joy to all of her performances.

Old Hat has performed on world class stages such as Prescott Park Arts Festival, Ossipee Valley Music Festival, Portsmouth Music Hall, Stone Mountain Arts Center and Wind Gap Bluegrass Festival.

We are so excited to have Old Hat at this year's Arcadia Folk Festival on Saturday, August 23. Tickets are available now at arcadiafolkfest.com.

Watch Old Hat Stringband's "Let's Get Out" here!

Here's a live sneak peak of one of our new tunes that will be on our upcoming album 'POWERLINES'- to be released August 12, 2022.Whitney Roy - guitarSteve Ro...

08/04/2025

Arcadia Folk Festival isn’t just about music—it’s about protecting the planet we call home. 🌱🎶

Held at the beautiful , the festival directly supports ‘s vital work for wildlife, land conservation, and climate action. AFF is proudly solar-powered, zero waste, and carbon neutral—modeling what a sustainable event can be.

🚨 Right now, organizations like Mass Audubon need our support more than ever. A historic $25 million federal grant—meant to protect 10,000 acres, restore wetlands, and drive bold conservation—was recently terminated. As Mass Audubon put it, “This loss was more than a funding cut. It was a blow to the bold, science-driven conservation solutions our communities and climate desperately need.”

You can help by joining us at Arcadia Folk Festival on September 23, 2025. 🦆 Every ticket supports the mission and goes towards their action fund. Learn more and grab yours at arcadiafolkfest.com.

📸 .mccarthy.photography