River Events Calendar

Guest curated by Guy Capecelatro III, this special evening will showcase the talents of four immensely talented songwriters.

GUY CAPECELATRO III

Guy picked up the guitar when he was 10 years old, allegedly “never getting any better at it” after 20-something years of playing. Between 1988 and the birth of his record label Two Ton Santa, Guy was in the bands Fancy Pants, Toast, Size of Guam, The Driveways, Up-a-Tree, Beekeeper, The Pants, Bob & Guy, and The Crotch Wax Menace. With his ingenious talents spanning the flowerbeds and the nervously approached stage, one might never guess this songwriter/performer/landscaper also has a mean forehand in Ultimate Frisbee, once raced Motorcross bikes, and was on the wrestling team in high school. Between all that, running Two Ton Santa Records, and cameos at The Friendly Toast in Portsmouth, NH, he continues to write his mostly abbreviated songs, which he lovingly describes as “little story vehicles” – “like a paper boat. Sliding into the ocean. On fire.”

MARY LOU LORD

Playing her way from the subways and streets of London and Boston, guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Mary Lou Lord broke into the indie rock scene in 1994 on the Kill Rock Stars label. After appearing on a KRS compilation, Lord released a self-titled EP in 1995 and a second EP, Martian Saints, in early 1997. Got No Shadow, her major-label debut with Sony Music’s WORK Group, was released in 1998.

Lord’s interest in music started as a teenager when she worked as a DJ for a college radio station in the Boston area. When the station changed format, she decided to concentrate on making her own music. After a stint at Boston’s Berklee School of Music, she moved to London and learned the art of busking in the subway. She moved back to Boston and continued to play mostly acoustic covers on city sidewalks and in subways. In eight years of busking, she refined her talent and determined what music she liked to play. A KRS executive heard her and eventually signed her to the label.

MARK SCHWABER

Mark is a professional musician (of nearly 25 years) who has toured 19 countries and worked in studios with Lloyd Cole, Shadows Fall, Lou Barlow, Fred Maher, Joan Wasser, Matthew Sweet, and Mary Lou Lord. Mark has also released music under the monikers Hospital and Home, as well as two eponymous releases “Two Years and Thirty Minutes” in 2004, and “The Killing Card” in 2006. He has also been an editorial writer for numerous media outlets, and currently works as a tireless advocate for addiction survival and recovery.

DREW O’DOHERTY

Drew O’Doherty (formerly a member of Ted Leo and the Pharmacists) has a solo project with a handful of musicians that accompany him on some shows. However, Drew also plays by himself. He has an album called ‘Starts’ (2006) available on his Bandcamp.

Portsmouth Singer Songwriter Festival

The excitement returns for a fourth year as one unforgettable Spring weekend showcases a packed three-day festival in downtown Portsmouth, NH.