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Spotlight Series

Arts at the Armory Spotlight Series

The Center for Arts at the Armory curates and produces the Spotlight Series to celebrate the diversity and culture of our community by bringing world-renowned performers, always paired with a local opening act, into our historic and intimate setting. We put the spotlight on local, national and international artists from diverse communities, and provide platforms that amplify these voices.

In its first two seasons, the series has focused on music but there are plans to include dance and comedy, as well as keynote speakers, to create immersive experiences sparking joy, inspiration, reflection, and intercultural learning. Past Spotlight Series artists have included Sweet Honey in the Rock, Blind Boys of Alabama, The Soul Rebels, John Scofield, iLe, Bill Frisell, Lakou Mizik, Tracy Kidder & Jim O’Connell, Bitch, Ryan Montbleau Band, Wesli, Chris Pureka, David Wax Museum, Riders in the Sky, Fabiola Méndez, and Acoustic Nomads.

Upcoming Spotlight Series Events


Ravi Coltrane featuring Gadi Lehavi and Ele Howell

June 22, 2024

An exquisite evening featuring the critically acclaimed Grammy nominated saxophonist, bandleader, and composer, Ravi Coltrane, featuring Gadi Lehavi and Ele Howell. With a career spanning over two decades, Ravi has captivated audiences worldwide with his mesmerizing performances and innovative compositions.


Dobet Gnahoré

June 27, 2024

Afropop sensation, GRAMMY-winning artist Dobet Gnahoré, takes the stage on June 27th with her beautiful voice, fierce dance moves, magnetic stage presence, and colorful sense of style. Gnahoré will offer a free dance workshop on Monday, June 24 in the Performance Hall.


Lady Lamb

September 6, 2024

Lady Lamb’s music resonates with authenticity and raw emotion. She has crafted a sound that transcends genres, weaving together poetic confessionals with empowering anthems that speak to the human experience.


Meshell Ndegeocello

September 20, 2024

Ndegeocello is a virtuosic creative as a multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter. Her storied career has included songs topping Billboard charts, most notably her original “If That’s Your Boyfriend (He Wasn’t Last Night)” in 1994.


BALA BILA featuring Balla Kouyate and Matchume Zango

October 11, 2024

BALA-BILA brings together two African master musicians–Balla Kouyate on balafon, calabash, bass guitar and voice, and Matchume Zango on timbila, mbira, percussion and voice–through a live concert framed as an intercultural musical conversation between the two artists.


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10:00 AM - Rick & Friends
Sun. Jan. 28, 2024    
11:00 am - 1:00 pm
ROOTED Armory Café is the place to be with our new SUNDAY BRUNCH! French toast, pancakes, frittata, pulled pork tacos, mimosas, espresso drinks and much [...]
Sun. Jan. 28, 2024    
11:30 am - 9:00 pm
School of Rock Watertown is back for our Fall '23 Season Shows, featuring student performances in a wide range of contemporary genres including classic rock, [...]
Thu. Feb. 01, 2024    
7:30 pm
Atomic Comedy at The Armory Cafe An independently-produced, monthly improv show featuring new and veteran local talent. Come see what’s blowing up! 7:30-9:30pm Reserve tickets [...]
Sat. Feb. 03, 2024    
9:30 am - 1:30 pm
The Center for the Arts at the Armory is proud to offer a weekly winter market with 71+ local food vendors with the best locally [...]
Sat. Feb. 03, 2024    
10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Jazz vocalist (and flute player) Rick Silberg holds a weekly residency in the Armory Cafe.   Stop by throughout the morning; a varied line-up will play [...]
Sat. Feb. 03, 2024    
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Join us for a reception with artist Michael Talbot at ROOTED Cafe. Growing up in Jamaica, Michael had always had a strong desire to inspire [...]
Sat. Feb. 03, 2024    
7:00 pm
Arts at the Armory's Spotlight Series is thrilled to bring Peter Mulvey to our historic stage with Lyle Brewer as the tour opener. Peter Mulvey [...]
Sat. Feb. 03, 2024    
7:30 pm
The Somerville Songwriter Sessions at the Armory Cafe present a live, in-person concert with featured singer/songwriters. The concert will include a solo set by each [...]
Sat. Feb. 03, 2024    
7:30 pm
Somerville Songwriter Sessions at the Armory Cafe present a live, in-person concert with Alex Fam, Tom Smith, and Jack Byrne. The evening will begin at [...]
Sun. Feb. 04, 2024    
11:00 am - 1:00 pm
ROOTED Armory Café is the place to be for SUNDAY BRUNCH in February! French toast, pancakes, frittata, pulled pork tacos, mimosas, espresso drinks and much [...]
Tue. Feb. 06, 2024    
8:00 am - 10:00 am
First Tuesday of every month.  Somerville-Cambridge Elder services (SCES) along with the Greater Boston Food Bank, provide older people and younger people with disabilities living [...]
Tue. Feb. 06, 2024    
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
What's a SMUT SLAM? I'm so glad you asked! It's a fast-paced storytelling open mic based on REAL life, REAL lust, REAL sex. Consenting Slammers [...]
Wed. Feb. 07, 2024    
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
1st & 3rd Wednesdays at ROOTED Cafe at 7 PM Four songwriters take the stage, seated in a comfortable semi-circle. They take turns playing songs, [...]
Thu. Feb. 08, 2024    
7:00 pm
Join in with chorus songs that are easy to learn and fun to sing
Sat. Feb. 10, 2024    
9:30 am - 1:30 pm
The Center for the Arts at the Armory is proud to offer a weekly winter market with 71+ local food vendors with the best locally [...]
Sat. Feb. 10, 2024    
10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Jazz vocalist (and flute player) Rick Silberg holds a weekly residency in the Armory Cafe.   Stop by throughout the morning; a varied line-up will play [...]
Sat. Feb. 10, 2024    
7:00 pm
Join Aster and friends for an evening of drag! Pay what you can $5 - $25! 7PM Doors 8PM Show 18+ to Enter 21+ to [...]
Sun. Feb. 11, 2024    
11:00 am - 1:00 pm
ROOTED Armory Café is the place to be for SUNDAY BRUNCH in February! French toast, pancakes, frittata, pulled pork tacos, mimosas, espresso drinks and much [...]
Sun. Feb. 11, 2024    
2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Laura Sanchez Flamenco Presents: Paper Crafts: Community Art to Support Mothers Join us on Feb 11th at Arts at the Armory, in Somerville, to move [...]
Sun. Feb. 11, 2024    
3:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Join us for a discussion and performance of music by Smetana and Price, whose flowing melodies invoke the rivers central to their homelands. Get tickets [...]
Wed. Feb. 14, 2024    
7:00 pm
Monthly Coffee House with Open Mike for the mental health recovery community and the general public, as well.
Thu. Feb. 15, 2024    
12:00 am
Details TBA
Fri. Feb. 16, 2024    
7:00 pm
Sumac with Scarcity and Forbes Graham Get tickets now! Doors open at 7:00PM. Show begins at 8:00PM. Sumac is an American/Canadian post-metal supergroup that formed [...]
Fri. Feb. 16, 2024    
8:00 pm
I make my comedy friends show me their bits and I got follow up questions! Standup! Characters! Sketch! Rhett! Alcohol! Come! Exclamations! Comedian Jonathan Anderson [...]
Sat. Feb. 17, 2024    
9:30 am - 1:30 pm
The Center for the Arts at the Armory is proud to offer a weekly winter market with 71+ local food vendors with the best locally [...]
Sat. Feb. 17, 2024    
10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Jazz vocalist (and flute player) Rick Silberg holds a weekly residency in the Armory Cafe.   Stop by throughout the morning; a varied line-up will play [...]
Sat. Feb. 17, 2024    
7:00 pm
Details TBA
Sun. Feb. 18, 2024    
11:00 am - 1:00 pm
ROOTED Armory Café is the place to be for SUNDAY BRUNCH in February! French toast, pancakes, frittata, pulled pork tacos, mimosas, espresso drinks and much [...]
Wed. Feb. 21, 2024    
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
1st & 3rd Wednesdays at ROOTED Cafe at 7 PM Four songwriters take the stage, seated in a comfortable semi-circle. They take turns playing songs, [...]
Fri. Feb. 23, 2024    
7:30 pm
Come celebrate International Commedia dell'Arte Day with i Sebastiani! Ten years ago, tragedy struck two families whose lives became intertwined. All this time later, can [...]
Sat. Feb. 24, 2024    
9:30 am - 1:30 pm
The Center for the Arts at the Armory is proud to offer a weekly winter market with 71+ local food vendors with the best locally [...]
Sat. Feb. 24, 2024    
10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Jazz vocalist (and flute player) Rick Silberg holds a weekly residency in the Armory Cafe.   Stop by throughout the morning; a varied line-up will play [...]
Sat. Feb. 24, 2024    
2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Please join the Belarusian community of Boston to celebrate International Mother Language Day! The number of seats is limited, so please register for the event. [...]
Sat. Feb. 24, 2024    
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Cafe Raqs is a place for New England's belly dancers of all styles and levels to perform in a fun, professional, and supportive environment! The [...]
Sun. Feb. 25, 2024    
11:00 am - 1:00 pm
ROOTED Armory Café is the place to be for SUNDAY BRUNCH in February! French toast, pancakes, frittata, pulled pork tacos, mimosas, espresso drinks and much [...]
Sun. Feb. 25, 2024    
3:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Come celebrate International Commedia dell'Arte Day with i Sebastiani! Ten years ago, tragedy struck two families whose lives became intertwined. All this time later, can [...]
Tue. Feb. 27, 2024    
6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Join us the fourth Tuesday of each month for the Boston Moth StorySLAM! This community-focused, open-mic storytelling competition is open to anyone can share a [...]
Wed. Feb. 28, 2024    
6:30 pm - 9:00 pm
The Strummerville Ukulele Club is a fun-loving, ukulele-strumming, singing and humming group of amateur musicians who love the ukulele almost as much as we love [...]
Sat. Mar. 02, 2024    
9:30 am - 1:30 pm
The Center for the Arts at the Armory is proud to offer a weekly winter market with 71+ local food vendors with the best locally [...]
Sat. Mar. 02, 2024    
10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Jazz vocalist (and flute player) Rick Silberg holds a weekly residency in the Armory Cafe.   Stop by throughout the morning; a varied line-up will play [...]
Sat. Mar. 02, 2024    
2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Kev G Mor THIS EVENT HS BEEN CANCELLED
Sat. Mar. 02, 2024    
6:00 pm
This is the Kit w/opener Sam Amidon Get tickets now! Doors open at 7:00 PM Show begins at 8:00 PM In today's fast-paced mid-apocalyptic world [...]
Sat. Mar. 02, 2024    
7:30 pm
The Somerville Songwriter Sessions at the Armory Cafe present a live, in-person concert with featured singer/songwriters. The concert will include a solo set by each [...]
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Events on Tue. Feb. 27, 2024
Events on Wed. Feb. 28, 2024

Upcoming Events

The Moth: Boston StorySLAM - BACKFIRED

The Moth: Boston StorySLAM - BACKFIRED

Tue. May. 21, 2024, 6:30 PM
POP Presents: Somerville Youth Peace Conference

POP Presents: Somerville Youth Peace Conference

Wed. May. 22, 2024, 6:00 PM
The Center for the Arts at the Armory