Michael McDermott and Matthew Ryan

Michael McDermott’s brand of rock 'n’ roll brims with the kind of well-honed style and wisdom that can only come from a career on the road and a pedigree in the studio. Effortlessly blending natural folk sensibility, pop hooks, and honest rock, McDermott’s music is as much for the outcast as it is for the congregation. If you are a fan of Springsteen, Van Morrison, John Steinbeck, or Patti Smith, McDermott’s inspirational rock is in your wheelhouse, with a guitar, spare smokes, and stories of the American heart.

With a career that spans nearly two decades, Matthew Ryan has refined the poetry of his songwriting, creating his own aesthetic where beauty and darkness often trade punches from line to line. Along the way, he has built a group of ardent supporters, including the American treasure Lucinda Williams as well as authors Michael Koryta and Jim Shepard, to name a few. Last winter, Ryan set up shop at Applehead Studios in Woodstock, New York, with a small team of friends: producer and multi-instrumentalist Kevin Salem, The Gaslight Anthem’s Brian Fallon on guitar, longtime Ryan collaborator Brian Bequette on bass, Joe Magistro (The Black Crowes) on drums, Tracy Bonham on violin, and Ryan himself on vocals and guitars. They hunkered down to do the work of making a loud and beautiful rock 'n' roll album. From the silvery burst of feedback that opens the album, to the dissolving vérité of the last notes of the closing track, BOXERS offers a rare rock 'n' roll that never relents.

Admission: $15 general admission (standing room only)

https://www.berklee.edu/events/michael-mcdermott-and-matthew-ryan?ss=210161