Posts tagged gary smith
Juliana at Fort Nights - A Celebration of Gary Smith, March 16, 2024
Juliana at Fort Nights - A Celebration of Gary Smith, March 16, 2024

Last weekend saw the ‘Fort Nights’ celebration of Gary Smith’s life in Boston with events featuring many of artists who recorded at his Fort Apache studios. Juliana performed on Saturday night on a bill featuring Billy Bragg, Kristin Hersh, and many others.

Paul Robicheau has a review for The Arts Fuse:

If Hersh was a tough act to follow, rocker Hatfield benefited from the night’s introduction of the fine Fort Nights house band of drummer Chris Anzalone, bassist Ed Valauskas, guitarist Mike Oram, and keyboardist Elizabeth Steen.

Juliana’s set list:

  • Everybody Loves Me But You

  • Hole In My Life

  • I See You

  • Please Mister Please

  • Telephone Line

  • Sweet Is The Night

  • Out There

  • My Sister


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Upcoming Appearance - March 16, 2024 - Fort Nights - A Celebration of Gary Smith & The Music of Fort Apache Studios
Upcoming Appearance - March 16, 2024 - Fort Nights - A Celebration of Gary Smith & The Music of Fort Apache Studios

Somerville Theatre:

The Gary P. Smith Trust will bring together artists from Boston and beyond to celebrate the legacy of producer, manager and friend Gary Smith, and the music of Fort Apache Studios. 

The Fort Nights benefit will take place at the Somerville Theater on Friday, March 15 and Saturday, March 16th. Throughout his career, Gary Smith worked with an array of artists from the local and national music scene, with a keen ear for discovering and cultivating talent. He was an early advocate for artists such as The Blake Babies, Pixies, Throwing Muses, Polara, Bill Bragg and many others. And his Fort Apache Studios, also known as The Fort, was the location of seminal recordings from Radiohead, Weezer, Superdrag, Uncle Tupelo, Dinosaur Jr, Lemonheads, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Morphine, Buffalo Tom and more.

The first night, Friday March 15th, is an intimate evening at the Crystal Ballroom with performances from Fuzzy, Tanya Donelly, Buffalo Tom and special guests.

The second night, Saturday, March 16th, will be an evening of celebration at the Somerville Theatre featuring music from artists and friends including Bill Janovitz and Tanya Donelly duo, Kristin Hersh, Arc Iris, Billy Bragg and very special guests.


Juliana is confirmed as one of the very special guests for the Somerville Theatre show taking place this weekend on Saturday March 16, 2024.

https://www.somervilletheatre.com/production/fort-nights/

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Tributes to Gary Smith
Tributes to Gary Smith

If you missed the sad news last month, the music world has lost Gary Smith after a long illness.

As Fort Apache studio owner, producer, and manager, Gary had a huge role in Juliana’s career as well as working with Pixies, Throwing Muses, and more.

There’s an obituary and condolences page at legacy.com

John P. Strohm posted on Facebook:

If anyone ever really ”discovered” a band, Gary discovered Blake Babies. We were struggling when we met Gary. We’d made an album, but had no idea what to do with it. Months after getting 1,000 LPs delivered to our apartment, we still had about 900 copies and no clue what to do with them. It was a struggle.

Gary came to our show one night at The Rat, strode right up to us when we came offstage and said, ”I love your band. I own a studio. Would you like to make a record?” Storybook stuff. We went to Fort Apache that night, and it instantly became our favorite place on earth.

Read John’s full words below:

Billy Bragg, also on Facebook:

The Fort was an amazing place where young bands making challenging music could find in Gary a sympathetic ear and a lot of good advice. He produced the Accident Waiting To Happen single which I recorded there with the Red Stars, as well the b-side 'Sulk' which was written during the session.

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