Citywide Blackout

02/09/2024

In our newest “Five by Five” interview, author C.L. Kelley shares how her vampire fandom inspired her debut book, “Corpus,” and putting her own mark on the genre. C.L. shares how the vast world of vampires helped (or hindered) the writing process.

By Max Bowen As the old saying goes, write what you know. C.L. Kelley is a longtime fan of vampires and in her debut book, “Corpus,” (Torrid...

28/08/2024

The Quaboag Vibe played an amazing set at Luthier’s Co-op over the weekend!

13/08/2024

Well, that was a nice break, but it’s time to get back at it!

The newest Five By Five interview with .berman goes into her debut novel, “The Die,” which came about following the 2016 presidential election. In the interview, we look at the development of the story and characters and the hopes she has for its impact.

By Max Bowen Author Jude Berman’s debut novel, “The Die,” saw its roots following the results of the 2016 presidential election, and in 202...

02/08/2024

Hey everyone. Citywide Blackout is taking a break to rest and recharge but we’ll be back the week of August 12 with new episodes and interviews with some of the best artists around.

29/07/2024

Bonnie Jo Pearson’s journey to writing her first book began, where else, at her local library. There, she read countless books before penning her first novel, “What Happens in Idaho,” through Rising Action Publishing.

In this Five by Five interview, Pearson talks about the choice to write her first book and how her many association helped shape the final story. She also goes into the lessons learned during the writing process.

Bonnie Jo Pearson By Max Bowen Bonnie Jo Pearson’s journey to writing her first book began, where else, at her local library. There, she ...

24/07/2024

As they say, the show must go on.

When the COVID-19 pandemic brought live shows to a halt, the cast and crew of 19: A Musical About Women Winning the Right to Vote (March 2024, Through the 4th Wall) found themselves with a choice: how they would proceed with their musical theater performance when such things couldn’t happen.

The answer? Make a musical audiobook. In our newest Five by Five interview, co-creator Jennifer Schwed talks about the show’s origin, how they moved from live musical to musical audiobook and lessons learned along the way. Books Forward

By Max Bowen As they say, the show must go on. When the COVID-19 pandemic brought live shows to a halt, the cast and crew of “19: The Music...

19/07/2024

In our newest “Five by Five” interview, author Jamal Hodge goes into “The Dark Between the Twilight.” The book, which was created from the challenges of 2020, is a mirror of sorts that told Hodge he had a message to share with the world. In this article, we look at that message, the different poems collected in this book, and the amazing cover work. Crystal Lake Entertainment

By Max Bowen Jamal Hodge’s new book, “The Dark Between the Twilight,” (Crystal Lake Entertainment) encompasses “a heart’s journey from dark...

15/07/2024

In a recent interview, I chatted with Ken Vaughn of NecronomiCon Providence to provide a top-to-bottom preview of an event dedicated to the world of weird fiction. We talk about all the great things you can expect, from panels and speakers to guests of honor and special attractions.

Who here likes weird fiction? Wow, that’s a lot of hands. Ok then, listen up, because NecronomiCon Providence is the place for you! In this episode of Citywide Bytes, Ken Vaughn, director of core programming for this bi-annual showcase, talks about the panels, guest speakers, special events and mu...

01/07/2024

In our interview with poet Lauren Martin for her new book, “Night of the Hawk” we look at the shamanistic journey she has been on most of her life, the central message of her work and what she hopes that readers take from it. She Writes Press Books Forward

By Max Bowen “Five By Five” is the name for our series of written Q&A interviews with writers and musicians. The name actually refers to aud...

01/07/2024

On Friday we got the chance to see Jon Batiste live at Tanglewood Music Festival. it was my first time seeing him on stage, and the show was one to remember. Jon has an amazing energy and his ability to connect with a crowd is second to none.

26/06/2024

We’ve got a brand new episode out, the audio version of last Saturday’s Citywide Bytes interview with Abijah Perry. Learn all about how this musician got her start, the influence from her family and how she defines her style. Plus, there’s a couple of her songs included!

View CitywideMax’s Linktree. Listen to their music on YouTube, Spotify here.

25/06/2024

We’re learning about the collaborative process of The Midnight Wrens

24/06/2024

There’s a brand new episode to check out with Tom Powley of The Midnight Wrens! Curtis, Tom and I talk about the band’s formation in 2017 and how the style has evolved over the years. We talk about the new EP, “The Songbird Collection,” the different kinds of stories contained within and go into our favorite tracks. Plus, the band’s got a big show happening in July paired with an IPA release!
Big thanks go to Sarah Blacker Music for making the introductions that led to this interview.

It was in 2017 when the original six members of The Midnight Wrens came together, and since that time, they’ve made some amazing music in the New England area. In this episode, band songwriter/guitarist Tom Powley joins us to talk about how the Wrens came together and their journey over the years....

20/06/2024

Our newest Five By Five interview is with author J. Boyce Gleason for his “The Carolingian Chronicles” trilogy and how he explores the “why” in people’s choices. Books Fluent

By Max Bowen “Five By Five” is the name for our series of written Q&A interviews with writers and musicians. The name actually refers to au...

18/06/2024

Matthew Thornton played such a great set at Luthier’s Co-op on Friday. A blend of covers and original music, played with amazing cello skills!