Happy New Year! Join us February 22 for Marc Douglas Berardo with Special Guest Heather Aubrey Lloyd!

Let me ask you all a question: Does anyone out there NOT know Marc Douglas Berardo? MDB as he's often known? Raise your hand! Hmmm... nope, as I suspected, no hands are up. I have no idea when I first met or even heard Marc. I recall shows with Marc way back with David Glaser at 49 West. I remember shows with Marc at Susie's House Concerts. Or at two or three other house concerts. And other intimate venues and listening rooms. In my more than twenty years of following Indie singer-songwriters, Marc was just always there, performing great shows, telling his own brand of jokes (that's a good thing!), and playing along with whomever was with him. His name popped up at venue after venue, festival after festival, and concert after concert.

You might be thinking to yourself, "Why has Marc never performed on Bonnie Branch?" That is a good question. If I've known him so long, and he's been all over the place, then why not here? The best answer I can give is because... he's been performing so long and all over the place! Why would he come to my house when he's already playing a couple towns over? Why would he come here when he'll already be in the area 3 or 4 times this year?

Well, I've finally decided it was time to change all that and host Marc. And I am excited!

Because you all know Marc and have heard him perform multiple times, do I really need to write much about him? For instance, do I need to mention some of the many bands and musicians he's opened for or performed with, such as The Doobie Brothers, Martin Sexton, 10,000 Maniacs, John Hiatt, Buffalo Springfield, Kevin Welch, Lucy Kaplansky, Red Molly, Kim Richey, Will Kimbrough, Walt Wilkins, Ari Hest, Kenny White and Livingston Taylor? Do I need to mention his touring with brother Chris in The DesBerardos Band? Or that the band has played shows with great Classic Rock bands like Little Feat, The Marshall Tucker Band, Foreigner, Badfinger, and America? I'm sure you already know that Marc has toured from right coast to left coast, and from top border to bottom border and coastline. And of course, you all recall him winning the 2013 Rams Head Onstage Rammie for Best Show of the Year with fellow musician, Bob Sima! That was a great show!

I'm relieved to know I don't need to mention any of that, all just to get you come to this show at my little house on Bonnie Branch. That would be a lot of typing. But I will say, Marc released his latest album, The Beauty of This Now, late last spring, 2024. If you don't yet have it, you'll be able to pick it up at the concert. He has a wonderful sound, which is a blend of folk-rock and Americana. His songs weave tapestries that are detailed and often surprising. The stories relate his personal experiences and those of people he's met on his travels. Be ready to see the world through the eyes of a wide range of others as you hear him perform.

As I mentioned, I'm very excited to host Marc for the first time. I hope you are too and will make your reservation immediately. The link to do so is at the top of this page and a bit farther down. You will not be disappointed! Make your reservation now!

As an additional treat, Heather Aubrey Lloyd, a local musical great and a member of the Baltimore-based band ilyAIMY that has appeared twice on Bonnie Branch, is appearing as a special guest opening for Marc.

Heather is in the process of wrapping up production of her upcoming album A Panic Room With A View and I've asked her to join us to give us a preview of what to look forward to. Heather is an amazing singer-songwriter with expedience on both the small stage and large.

Heather has two recordings out, A Message in the Mess and Samples, both of which show off her "sing-me-the-phone-book" voice, as Pat Wictor says. She's won a lot of awards, such as the Falcon Ridge Folk Fest Most-Wanted Artist, and she the 2019 Grand Prize of the prestigious Bernard Ebb Songwriting Award. And I can't forget the Paul Loyd Just-This-Guy Songwriting Contest. There is an intensity to both her singing and songwriting that will leave you everything from awestruck to tearful to laughing. And be careful to watch her perform, because you'll get as much from her expressions as her singing. Intensity.

Just a note, Heather is appearing under a special arrangement and therefore, all donations will go to Marc. The plan is that Heather will return later in the year after the release of A Panic Room With A View. I'm excited about hosting Heather at her own concert!

You can find all the details for the evening below as well as the link to make a reservation. You must make a reservation. This is a concert in my home and I want to know everyone attending. I hope that will be You!