Leyla McCalla

Born in New York City to Haitian emigrants and activists, Leyla McCalla finds inspiration from her past and present– her music vibrates with three centuries of history and influences from around the globe. McCalla possesses a stunning mastery of the cello, tenor banjo and guitar and, as a multilingual singer and songwriter, has risen to produce a distinctive sound that reflects the union of her roots and experience. In addition to her solo work, McCalla is a founding member of Our Native Daughters (with Rhiannon Giddens, Amythyst Kiah and Allison Russell) and alumna of Grammy award-winning Black string band The Carolina Chocolate Drops.

McCalla’s new album and fifth studio recording, Sun Without the Heat (ANTI, April 12), is playful and full of joy while holding the pain and tension of transformation. Throughout Sun Without the Heat’s ten tracks, McCalla achieves a balance of heaviness and light with melodies and rhythms derived from various forms of Afro-diasporic music including Afrobeat, Ethiopian modalities, Brazilian Tropicalismo, and American folk and blues.

Her 2022 album, Breaking the Thermometer (ANTI-), is the album companion to a multidisciplinary music, dance and theatre work commissioned by Duke Performances. Through the story of the brave journalists at Radio Haiti who risked their lives to report news in Haitian Kreyol, Breaking the Thermometer identifies the critical importance of a free and independent press to promote self and societal liberation. Breaking the Thermometer was named one of the Best Albums of the year by The Guardian, Variety, Mojo and NPR Music, and her song “Dodinin” made Barack Obama’s short list of favorites. McCalla was awarded the 2022 People’s Voice Award by Folk Alliance International, an award given to artists who unabashedly embrace social change in their creative work.

While conceiving her next project, McCalla expanded her musical palate and revisited her longstanding creative influences. “I like when music feels urgent,” McCalla says, “but I also wanted the new album to be playful and fun. I wanted that levity to come through.”

On Sun Without the Heat, McCalla draws lyrical inspiration from the writings of Black feminist Afrofuturist thinkers including Octavia Butler, Alexis Pauline Gumbs, and adrienne maree brown. Like these authors, McCalla looks to songwriting as a way to increase faith and hope, encourage community thinking, and catalyze personal transformation. “Songwriting is a modality to tell the stories that need to be told,” she explains. “Sometimes these are painful stories to tell.”

This is especially vivid in the album's title track, which pulls from Frederick Douglass’s 1857 speech to a largely white crowd of abolitionists six years before the Emancipation Proclamation. His words echo in the song: “You want the crops without the plow / You want the rain without the thunder / You want the ocean without the roar of its waters.” Douglass’s point — which McCalla weaves into the song's central message —is that liberation and equity are not possible without committing to transformative action.

“We all want the warmth of the sun but not everybody wants to feel the heat,” McCalla explains. “You have to have both.”

Moved by this speech, and by Susan Raffo’s 2022 book Liberated to the Bone, McCalla asserts this idea fully by adding the lyric: “Can’t have the sun without the heat.” This song serves as a reminder of the continued work for social change and the struggle that we still bear. “These wounds,” McCalla reminds us, “are so old.”

Sun Without the Heat was recorded in an intense nine-day session at Dockside Studies in New Orleans. Produced by Maryam Qudus, McCalla was joined by longtime bandmates and collaborators Shawn Myers on percussion and drums, Pete Olynciw on electric bass and piano, and Nahum Zdybel on guitars. Qudus is featured on synthesizers, organs and backing vocals.

“Usually, I go into the studio and have the songs and the framework already in mind,” says McCalla. “But with this album, we built the frame in real time. It was an intimidating process, but it also helped me realize how held I am by the musicians I work with.”

The result is a transcendent collection of songs that hold the personal and universal, carrying grief and joy at once. Through this album, McCalla explores the elements of transformation and the heat necessary to move from darkness toward light.

Sun Without the Heat will be released via ANTI- Records. McCalla is also currently the Artist in Residence at the University of Richmond.

Policy For All Shows:

All sales are final -- there are no refunds. Doors open 30 minutes before the show, which begins promptly at 7:30pm.

By visiting Outpost In The Burbs patrons voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to any infectious disease, including but not limited to COVID-19. Masks are not required, but always encouraged. The Outpost reserves the right to change policies at any time. Please refer to this show-specific event page or Outpostintheburbs.org for any changes.

James Maddock

James Maddock’s status as a fixture on the Folk and Americana scene is confirmed with every listen of any song in his prodigious catalog. Relix Magazine put it this way: “James Maddock possesses the kind of lived-in craggy voice that would sound authoritative if he were singing the sports pages. Fortunately, he doesn't need to do that because his compositional skills are a match for his delivery."

After fronting the Columbia Records band Wood, whose debut Songs From Stamford Hill was featured prominently on TV shows such as “Dawson’s Creek,” Maddock moved from England to New York City in 2003. His 2009 album Sunrise On Avenue C won a New York Music Award for Best Americana Album, while the follow-up Wake Up And Dream ranked among the top albums of 2011 in WFUV's (NYC) Listener Poll. With the release of Another Life (2013) and The Green (2015) Maddock continued to demonstrate why many consider him to be one of the best singer/songwriters working today. He has performed with Bruce Springsteen, Willie Nile, Aaron Comess (Spin Doctors) and David Immergluck (Counting Crows). According to radio legend Vin Scelsa, Maddock's "heartbreakingly beautiful and exquisitely crafted" music "touches the soul." As a songwriter, James recently had three songs co-written with Mike Scott on the new Waterboys album Modern Blues (which appeared in the Top 50 on the UKAlbums Chart), a co-write with Gary Barlow (“Actress”) on Barlow’s new album (2X Platinum), as well as a cut (“Fragile”) on the Dirt On My Tongue album by emerging UK artist Jo Harman. Songs from Another Life have been featured on NBC’s Parenthood and ABC Family’s Switched at Birth. Maddock is a constant live presence in the U.S. and in Europe. He recently completed a 25 show run with Counting Crows in the UK and Europe.

Maddock’s latest release Forever June on the Master disk label is out now where music is consumed

Policy For All Shows:

All sales are final -- there are no refunds. Doors open 30 minutes before the show, which begins promptly at 7:30pm.

By visiting Outpost In The Burbs patrons voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to any infectious disease, including but not limited to COVID-19. Masks are not required, but always encouraged. The Outpost reserves the right to change policies at any time. Please refer to this show-specific event page or Outpostintheburbs.org for any changes.

Suzanne Vega - Flying With Angels

Suzanne Vega will perform a career-spanning show including favorites like “Tom’s Diner”, “Luka”, “Marlene On The Wall”, and many more, plus songs from her latest album, Flying with Angels, which was released in May 2025 to critical acclaim. She will be joined on stage by her longtime guitarist, Gerry Leonard (of David Bowie fame), and cellist Stephanie Winters. [Video Trailer]

FLYING WITH ANGELS REVIEWS 

"Suzanne Vega retains her knack for lucid reflections and crisp music to match... Her voice remains both knowing and observant.” - Rolling Stone

"Veteran Alt-rocker Suzanne Vega is still making great music... It's not an exaggeration to call her a straight-up legend." - Stereogum 

LIVE REVIEWS 2025 

"Vega’s performance was nothing short of mesmerizing, weaving tales through her soulful songs in a cozy setting that allowed for a deep connection with the audience." - Finding Connecticut 

"Suzanne Vega wove a spell of light and shadow, blending classics and new material with intimate stories for a memorable night.” - Patch 

Widely regarded as one of the foremost songwriters of her generation, Suzanne Vega emerged as a leading figure of the folk revival of the early 1980s. Accompanying herself on acoustic guitar, Vega sang what has been called contemporary folk or neo-folk songs of her own creation in Greenwich Village clubs. Since the release of her self-titled, critically acclaimed 1985 debut album, she has given sold-out concerts in many of the world’s best-known venues. Known for performances that convey deep emotion, Vega’s distinctive, “clear, unwavering voice” (Rolling Stone) has been described as “a cool, dry sandpaper-brushed near-whisper” by The Washington Post, with NPR Music noting that she “has been making vital, inventive music” throughout the course of her decades-long career. Bearing the stamp of a masterful storyteller who “observes the world with a clinically poetic eye” (The New York Times), Vega’s songs have tended to focus on city life, ordinary people and real-world subjects. Notably succinct and understated, her work is immediately recognizable—as utterly distinct and thoughtful as it was when her voice was first heard on the radio over 40 years ago.

In addition to standard admission tickets, a VIP Package is available for sale while limited supplies last

Policy For All Shows:

All sales are final -- there are no refunds. Doors open 60 minutes before the show, which begins promptly at 8:00pm.

By visiting Outpost In The Burbs patrons voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to any infectious disease, including but not limited to COVID-19. Masks are not required, but always encouraged. The Outpost reserves the right to change policies at any time. Please refer to this show-specific event page or Outpostintheburbs.org for any changes.

Choir! Choir! Choir!

Hallelujah”: An EPIC Anthems Sing-Along!

“Why see a show when you can BE the show!”

Choir! Choir! Choir! is the fully interactive, participatory show that turns audience into performer! So get ready to laugh, dance and SING! your hearts out with hundreds of other music-lovers just like you. It’s like a big birthday party for the greatest songs of all time and you’re invited!

So grab a friend (or ten), and come out ready to GIVE IT ALL YOU’VE GOT! - all voices welcome, no experience necessary. They Teach, You Sing! Everyone Wins!

This time, Choir! Choir! Choir! Presents: “Hallelujah”: An EPIC Anthems Sing-Along!

EPIC anthems unite the world and are the soundtrack to our lives. And there is none more EPIC than Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” When a room, filled with hundreds (thousands?!) of strangers, starts to harmonize, you’ll feel it deep in your soul. And that’s not all! Get ready to sing your way through the greatest songs of all-time; from Leonard and Joni, to Whitney and Shania, you’ll wanna SING them all!

Since 2011, Choir! Choir! Choir! directors Daveed Goldman + Nobu Adilman have blurred the lines between performer and audience, traveling the world to create harmony with strangers and friends alike. They’ve collaborated with renowned artists like Patti Smith, David Byrne, Brandi Carlile, Rick Astley, Rufus Wainwright, and even Kermit The Frog at New York’s Lincoln Center, creating memorable videos that have garnered views in the millions. Now it’s your turn to SING!, so grab your friends, get your tickets and we’ll C! you there! #NeverStopSinging

Policy For All Shows:

All sales are final -- there are no refunds. Doors open 30 minutes before the show, which begins promptly at 8:00pm.

By visiting Outpost In The Burbs patrons voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to any infectious disease, including but not limited to COVID-19. Masks are not required, but always encouraged. The Outpost reserves the right to change policies at any time. Please refer to this show-specific event page or Outpostintheburbs.org for any changes.

Outpost in the Burbs’ Concert for Toni’s Kitchen, featuring Richard Thompson with Zara Phillips

Richard Thompson’s musical influence cannot be overstated. Having co-founded the groundbreaking group Fairport Convention as a teenager in the ‘60s, he and his bandmates invented the distinctive strain of British Folk Rock. He left the group by the age of 21 which was followed by a decade long musical partnership with his then-wife Linda, to over 30 years as a highly successful solo artist. In 2011, Thompson received an OBE (Order of the British Empire) personally bestowed upon him by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.

The Los Angeles Times called him “the finest rock songwriter after Dylan and the best electric guitarist since Hendrix” and

Rolling Stone has named him one of the Top 100 Guitarists of All Time. He has received lifetime achievement awards for songwriting from the BBC Radio 2 Awards, the Americana Music Association, and was awarded the prestigious Ivor Novello Award. His song “1952 Vincent Black Lightning” was named one of TIME Magazine’s “100 Greatest Songs

Since 1923.” A wide range of musicians have recorded Thompson’s songs including Robert Plant, Elvis Costello, R.E.M., Sleater-Kinney, Del McCoury, Bonnie Raitt, Tom Jones, David Byrne, Don Henley, Los Lobos, and many more.

His massive body of work includes many Grammy nominated albums as well as numerous soundtracks, including Werner Herzog’s Grizzly Man and 2019’s The Cold Blue. His genre defying mastery of both acoustic and electric guitar along with engaging energy and onstage wit continue to earn him new fans and a place as one of the most distinctive virtuosos and writers in Folk Rock history. On May 31, 2024 Richard Thompson released the anticipated Ship To Shore, his first studio album in six years.

About Zara Phillips

Zara Phillips is a singer and songwriter, actor, author, and activist. As an adoptee herself, much of her work is centered around the adoption world and is focused on improving

understanding the lifelong impact of adoption. She is a mother of three and tours with her husband, musician Richard Thompson. She divides her time between London and New

Jersey. Zara was raised in Totteridge, North London, and was adopted as a baby. She found her birth mother at 24 and after a lifelong search, her birth father at 51. She was always singing and writing as a child, which led to her becoming a harmony singer in the 80s, with acts like Bob Geldof, Matt Bianco, David Essex, and Nick Kamen.

After a spell of addiction, she became sober at age 22, and devoted more of her time to her own music, writing and activism. Her 2006 CD 'When The Rain Stops’ and ‘You me and us' 2011. were produced by Ted Perlman. Her 2008 Film ‘Roots Unknown’ won Best Homegrown Documentary at the NJ Garden State Film Festival. Her 2008 book, ‘Mother

Me’ describes the unfolding as an adoptee raises a family of her own. Her song ‘I’m Legit’, cowritten with Darryl McDaniel’s of DMC, has been a huge hit in the adoption world

and beyond. ‘Beneath My Father’s Sky’, a one woman show that Zara wrote and performed, was the winner of Best Direction at NYC United Solo festival in 2014, and was also performed in LA, San Francisco, Connecticut, and in London in 2016. She was presented with an ‘Angel in Adoption’ award 2015.

Zara’s book ‘Somebody’s Daughter’ published by John Blake/Bonnier Publishers, was released February 2018 in the UK and August 2018 in the USA. Zara has written and performed a play with the same title in England and the US in 2022. A production of a film version of the play is now available on Amazon Prime UK and USA.

Zara tours with her husband Richard Thompson performing as a harmony singer.

About Toni’s Kitchen

Toni’s Kitchen is a food ministry of St. Luke’s Church in Montclair, NJ. Their goal is to ensure reliable access to healthy food for residents of Montclair, Bloomfield, and West Orange. Toni’s Kitchen provides food to our neighbors in need in ways that respect their dignity, improve health and foster independence. They use a community partner model to enhance access and connections to programs and resources that encourage healthy, independent lives. Toni’s Kitchen, which is named after its first cook, Antoinette “Toni” Green, has been in continuous operation as a non-profit, charitable entity under St. Luke’s Church since its founding in 1982. The kitchen is staffed by volunteers of all faiths from throughout the community. Much of the food is donated by local organizations, business establishments and individuals, and serving is done by volunteers.

Policy For All Shows:

All sales are final -- there are no refunds. Doors open 60 minutes before the show, which begins promptly at 8:00pm.

No backpacks please

By visiting Outpost In The Burbs patrons voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to any infectious disease, including but not limited to COVID-19. Masks are not required, but always encouraged. The Outpost reserves the right to change policies at any time. Please refer to this show-specific event page or Outpostintheburbs.org for any changes.