going out in the 413

Western Massachusetts doesn't advertise itself very well. That's part of the appeal.

The Pioneer Valley runs roughly from Northampton north to Greenfield, east to Amherst, south to Holyoke — a cluster of small cities and towns along the Connecticut River that has no business having the arts scene it does. Five colleges, a century of folk music tradition, a queer community that's been here longer than the current generation knows, and a DIY ethos that makes the shows feel different from what you get in Boston or New York.