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KNOCK ON WOOD

Acoustic folk-rock duo

"They are highly accomplished musicians with a sound that is dynamic and delightful. As people, they are warm and genuine."                                   

                      Marilynn Rea Beyer

                                      Former on-air host, WUMB-FM, Boston Currently at WMFT-FM, Chicago

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Howie and Dave Talmage

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Howie and Josh Berlin

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Howie and Joe Kessler

KNOCK ON WOOD

Knock on Wood is a high-energy acoustic folk-rock duo, featuring singer-songwriter Howie Newman on guitar, lead vocals and harmonica.

 

Howie is joined by Joe Kessler, Dave Talmage or Josh Berlin, three of the top fiddlers in the area. They also sing backup vocals. Joe and Dave play the mandolin.

The duo performs Classic Rock covers (list below) and funny original songs (suitable for all ages). It's a very lively show with great musicianship, nice vocal harmonies and a little humor here and there.

 

When appropriate, they play a few children's songs and music for senior citizens.

About Howie Newman
www.howienewman.com

One of the most engaging performers on the local music circuit, Howie combines music, comedy and audience participation to provide a truly unique entertainment experience.

His amusing compositions are up-tempo and catchy, and he keeps things lively with funny between-songs banter and short comedy bits.

Howie has opened for Tom Paxton, Vance Gilbert, Brewer & Shipley, Pure Prairie League, Bill Staines, Lui Collins, Don White, Modern Man and many others.

He has released six CDs, receiving national airplay on National Public Radio and the Midnight Special as well as dozens of other North American outlets. His music has also been aired in Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

About Joe Kessler

Joe Kessler, who plays fiddle and mandolin, has an energetic improvisational style that includes folk, rock, jazz and bluegrass. He is also an outstanding backup vocalist.

Joe has toured extensively throughout the United States and Canada as well as eight other countries. He has performed with Morphine, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, the Boogaloo Swamis and many others.

Joe has played in bands that headlined at the Montreal Jazz Festival and Winnipeg Folk Festival.

 

Locally, he has appeared at the Paradise Rock Club and the New England Americana Festival.

About Dave Talmage

Dave Talmage is a talented and versatile performer who plays fiddle, mandolin, banjo, guitar and a host of other instruments.

 

He is also a fine lead and backup vocalist.

 

Well-versed in many types of music, Dave lends his unique style to country, folk, rock, Irish, blues and jazz.

 

He was the long-running host of the Stone Church Bluegrass Jam and Lonesome Lunch, weekly events that were community hot spots and musical gems.

 

Dave is a past winner of the Tennessee Songwriters Competition and runner-up in New England Banjo Championship.

About Josh Berlin

Josh Berlin, an outstanding fiddle player and vocalist, has been entertaining audiences in the Boston area for more than 20 years.

 

With a sound ranging from country and Americana to folk-rock and blues, Josh brings passion, energy and spontaneity to his playing.

 

A longtime member of the Americana band Loose Change, Josh has also toured with the Matt Michienzie Band.

 

He currently plays with the Innocents and Buddy V's Black Wing Revue. Josh’s varied performances  include many iconic local venues such The Middle East, as well as clubs in New York City.

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SAMPLE SONGS

Tracks from Howie's last two CDs, featuring Joe Kessler on fiddle and mandolin

CLICK HERE

2024 CONCERTS

MORE TO COME!

Monday, March 4, 6-7 p.m.

Richard Sugden Library

8 Pleasant St., Spencer

Monday, March 11, 7-8 p.m.

Goodnow Library

21 Concord Rd., Sudbury 

Friday, March 15, 10-11 a.m.

Cole-Yeaton Senior Center

10 Wally Krueger Way, Bridgewater

Sunday, March 24, 2-3:30 p.m.

Morrill Library

33 Walpole St., Norwood

Tuesday, March 26, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Georgetown Peabody Library

2 Maple St., Georgetown

Friday, April 5, 7-8 p.m.

Old Town Hall

1111 Somerset Ave., Dighton

Sponsored by:

Dighton Public Library

Monday, April 22, 1-2 p.m.

North Attleboro Senior Center

204 Elm St.

Wednesday, April 24, 6-7 p.m.

Hamilton-Wenham Public Library

14 Union St., South Hamilton

Friday, April 26, 12-1 p.m.

Mansfield Senior Center

255 Hope St.

Monday, April 29, 9:30-10:30 a.m.

Beverly Public Library

32 Essex  St.

 

Wednesday, May 8, 3:30-4:30 p.m.

Private performance

Monday, May 13, 1-2 p.m.

Brookline Senior Center

93 Winchester St.

Monday, May 20, 1-2 p.m.

Northbridge Senior Center

20 Highland St., Whitinsville

Wednesday, June 12, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Lafayette Park

9 Storer St., Kennebunk, Maine 

Sunday, June 23, 6-7:30 p.m.

First Baptist Church of Melrose

561 Main St. (outdoors)

PANTRY OF HOPE BENEFIT

RAIN OR SHINE

Concert will be held inside

the church if it rains

 

Monday, June 24, 1-2 p.m.

Ingram Senior Center

1 Sally Sweets Way, Salem, N.H.

Tuesday, June 25, 5:30-7 p.m.

Nesmith Library

8 Fellows Rd., Windham, N.H.

Wednesday, June 26, 3:30-6:30 p.m.

Little River Park

39 North River Rd., Lee, N.H.

Monday, July 1, 3-4:30 p.m.

Newton Housing Authority

22 Brookside Ave., Newtonville

Tuesday, July 2, 3-4:30 p.m.

Newton Housing Authority

237 Watertown St., Newton

Wednesday, July 10, 6-8 p.m.

Plaistow (N.H.) Town Green

145 Main St.

Thursday, July 11, 6-7:30 p.m.

Whitman Town Park

Whitman Ave.

Wednesday, July 31, 6-8 p.m.

Codman Pool 

6 Ballfield Rd., Lincoln

Tuesday, Aug. 6, 6:30-8 p.m.

Stoddard Park

880 Stoddard Park Rd., Holliston

Wednesday, Aug. 7, 6-7 p.m.

Bedford (N.H.) Town Common

15 Bell Hill Rd.

Thursday, Aug. 8, 6-7:30 p.m.

Castle Canyon Playground

67 South Franklin St., Holbrook

Wednesday, Aug. 14, 6-7:30 p.m.

Fisher Hill Park

78-144 Fisher Ave., Brookline

Sunday, Aug. 18, 5-7 p.m.

Hopkinton Town Common

6 Hayden Rowe St.

Thursday, Aug. 22, 6-7:30 p.m.

Ames Free Library

53 Main St., Easton

Thursday, Aug. 29, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Ellis Park gazebo

Ocean & Railroad Aves., York, Me.

Sunday, Sept. 15, 12:30-2:30 p.m.

Appleton Farms

219 County Rd., Ipswich ($20 per car)

Sunday, Sept. 22, 2-4 p.m.

House concert, Woburn, $20

Email for more information

Monday, Oct. 21, 3-4 p.m.

Private event, Brighton 

“What a delightful show! Their engaging performance had our feet tapping and our youngsters dancing. From covers of early rock ‘n roll favorites to humorous and touching original works, they had something for everyone.”

Peter Imse

Chair, Bow (N.H.) Rotary Concert Committee

“They are very talented and entertaining. And they really engage the audience, which makes the event even more fun.”

Cristi Collari

Outreach Director

Open Sky Community Services, Whitinsville

2023 CONCERTS

We performed 25 concerts in 2023. To see where we played, click HERE.

2022 CONCERTS

To see our 34 2022 concert dates and venues, click HERE.

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Amesbury

Andover

Ashburnham

Bedford

Bedford, N.H.

Billerica

Canton

Chelmsford

Charlestown

Clinton

Concord

Everett

Holliston

Hampstead, N.H.

Hanover

Holbrook

Hooksett, N.H.

Hopkinton

Hudson

Ipswich

Kennebunk, Me.

Lancaster

Lee, N.H.

Lexington

Lincoln

Litchfield, N.H.

Lowell

Malden

Mansfield

Marshfield

Melrose

Mendon

Milford, N.H.

Millbury

Millis

New Boston, N.H.

Ogunquit, Me.

Plaistow, N.H.

Plymouth

Quincy

Raymond, N.H.

Revere

Rochester, N.H.

Salem, N.H.

Sharon

Sherborn

Southboro

South Hamilton

Southbridge

Stow

Sudbury

Swampscott

Topsfield

Walpole

Watertown

Wells, Maine

Weston

West Newbury

Weymouth

Whitinsville

Whitman

Wilmington

Windham, N.H.

York, Maine

FARMS

Appleton Farms

Ipswich

Kimball Farm

Westford

Atkinson, N.H.

Amesbury

Beverly

Braintree

Brockton

Brookline

Concord

Clinton

Dighton

Easton

Foxboro

Dighton

Durham, N.H.

Duxbury

Exeter, N.H.

Fitchburg

Georgetown

Gloucester

Hamilton-Wenham

Haverhill

Hopkinton

Hudson

Kingston, N.H.

Kittery, Me.

Lynn

Lynnfield

Lunenburg

Manchester, N.H.

COFFEEHOUSES

Marshfield

Mansfield

Middleboro

Milford

Millis

Milton

Byfield

Northboro

Norwell

Norwood

Pembroke

Randolph

Reading

Shrewsbury

Salem, N.H.

Southbridge

Spencer

Stoneham

Sudbury

Sutton

Taunton

Tewksbury

Walpole

West Roxbury

Wilmington

Windham, N.H.

NEW YEAR'S EVE

First Night Worcester

2016

Rockport NYE

2017, 2018, 2019

Cat in the Cradle

Byfield

Arts on the Green

Shrewsbury

Open Road Coffeehouse

Rockland

SENIOR/COMMUNITY CENTERS    Click HERE for a list

LIBRARIES

OUTDOOR SUMMER CONCERTS 

HERE'S WHERE WE'VE PLAYED

We play a wide array of songs and styles. Here's a sample of some cover songs:

Barenaked Ladies

If I Had $1 Million

Beatles

When I'm 64

Bob Seger

Old Time Rock 'n' Roll

Buffalo Springfield

For What It's Worth​

Dion
Runaround Sue


Dire Straits

Sultans of Swing

Walk of Life


Dropkick Murphys

Shipping up to Boston


Eagles

Heartache Tonight

Hotel California

The Long Run


Elvis Presley

Don't Be Cruel

Eric Clapton

Lay Down Sally

Everly Brothers

Wake Up Little Susie


Fats Waller

It's a Sin to Tell a Lie


Frank Sinatra

New York, New York


Grateful Dead

Friend of the Devil


Guess Who

No Time

Hank Williams

Jambalaya

Huey Lewis & the News

If This Is It


Johnny Cash

I Walk the Line

Ring of Fire


Kinks
Sunny Afternoon

Lola

Little River Band

Cool Change

Mary Chapin Carpenter

He Thinks He'll Keep Her

How Do

The Bug

Pure Prairie League

Amie


R.E.M.

Man on the Moon


Rolling Stones

Jumpin' Jack Flash

Sympathy for the Devil


Steely Dan

My Old School


Stray Cats

Rock This Town

The Cars

Just What I Needed


Tom Petty

Runnin' Down a Dream

I Won't Back Down

Yer So Bad


The Who

Won't Get Fooled Again

PLUS ... Original tunes, children's songs, music for senior citizens and more (as appropriate).

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