music
Music at Your Fingertips
B y A n a s t a s i a S t a n m e y e r
OLD MILL ROAD ACQUIRES MUSIC IN THE BERKSHIRES AND EXPANDS COVERAGE
IN THE HOLIDAY 2023 ISSUE , our publisher , Dr . Joshua Sherman , promised that 2024 would include “ more music .” He wasn ’ t kidding .
Moving forward , each issue of Berkshire Magazine ( and all of its sister publications ) will feature a designated music section . In addition , we are thrilled to announce that Berkshire Magazine ’ s parent company , Old Mill Road , has acquired the definitive Music in the Berkshires digital publication .
The heart of Music in the Berkshires ’ platform is its music calendar , where you can find nearly every live music performance in Berkshire County — year round ! The site was founded by Mark Greenlaw in the spring of 2023 . Since its inception , the site has already listed more than 2,500 performances at upwards of 140 indoor and outdoor venues .
Who is Mark Greenlaw ?
Mark worked for 30 years in information technology , and for the last 10 years in youth-oriented K – 12 nonprofits . With their three children grown up and living out West , Mark retired from the full-time working world in 2022 and moved from the Boston suburbs to West Stockbridge with his wife , Melissa .
Mark and Melissa are passionate about music . As they approached their first winter in the Berkshires , Mark was concerned about getting cabin fever and amped up their patronage of The Egremont Barn , The Stationery Factory , The Lion ’ s Den , and many other venues . In planning for the weekend ahead , Mark would search websites for a calendar that provided a complete listing of live music in the region . He wasn ’ t satisfied .
“ I started putting together a spreadsheet of all the shows that my wife and I wanted to go see through the winter , and then a friend said , ‘ Hey , would you share that spreadsheet with me ?’ A lightbulb went off , and as I was winding down some consulting work , I decided for fun to build
10 // BERKSHIRE MAGAZINE Spring 2024 the site . I started to show it to people . They said , ‘ Wow , this is great ! We really need this .’” From there , the website was launched in April of 2023 and started growing virally . Mark subsequently created a weekly newsletter and built up an impressive following on Facebook and Instagram .
“ Many people are surprised to discover how extensive and diverse the live music scene in the Berkshires is ,” says Mark . “ In several peak weeks last July and August , we had 94 live music shows — each week !” Those shows ranged from classical to jazz , rock , folk , blues , bluegrass , hip-hop , and many other genres .
Mark scours the internet and reaches out to venues to find these performances . He then summarizes each week ' s upcoming concerts in his Show Rundown blog and weekly newsletter . Venues and musicians also submit performances , which he gladly adds to the calendar . He also conducts monthly in-depth interviews with local and visiting musicians , such as Billy Keane , members of The Black Legacy Project , Milton , Gina Coleman of Misty Blues , and others .
“ It ' s been a lot of fun . It was really a passion project ,” says Mark , who is an avid cyclist and recently picked up pickleball .
Mill Town Foundation ’ s Andy Wrba suggested that Mark and I connect about the website , and we met for coffee at Six Depot in West Stockbridge . That ’ s when the wheels started turning , and Berkshire Magazine publisher Dr . Joshua Sherman stepped in . Joshua talked with Mark about his passion for live music and his plans for increased coverage in that realm . Mark and Melissa made a visit to Old Mill Road ’ s recording studio in East Arlington , Vermont , and there was no looking back .
“ We said , ‘ Wow , this is a great fit for us ,’” says Mark . “ It ’ s been a one-man show — with great input from my wife , our three kids , and enthusiastic readers . I ’ m used to collaborating with larger teams , so I ’ m really looking forward to joining the crew at Old Mill Road . In my role as Content Director for Music in the Berkshires , I ’ ll continue doing what I ’ ve been doing — collating the calendar , managing the site , and interviewing musicians . From the beginning , my goal has been to give music lovers a chance to easily find the music they love and to lift up the venues and artists in our region . Being a part of the Old Mill Road family will make this goal a reality .” We think so , too . It couldn ’ t be a better match . ■
To sign up for the weekly Music in the Berkshires eblast , go to musicintheberkshires . com or scan the QR code provided here :