6 Key Features To Look For in a Brewery Point of Sale
Are you getting everything you need out of your point of sale? Are your guests receiving the top-notch experience they want with all the bells and whistles they need to feel comfortable? Does your current system allow you to adjust service at a moment's notice with all the data to back-up your decisions?
If not, or even if you’re unsure, we put together this handy list of point of sale must-have features—features that are especially useful in a time when service methods are evolving daily.
1. Extensive Reporting Capabilities
As a business owner or manager, you already know how necessary good data is! Are you getting the right insights? Immediate access to data specific to your business’ operational needs is not only important, it’s critical for maximum efficiency. A comprehensive system gives decision-makers access to data on the fly, providing immediate insight to sales numbers and labor costs. These insights will help you make the smartest staffing, service, and event decisions to optimize efficiency, revenue, and guest experience—whether it’s a slow, snowy Monday or a hopping, blistering Saturday.
2. Contactless Payments
Seek out a point of sale that allows your guests to pay in a way they feel comfortable—whether in an app, online or with tap and pay technology (either via Credit Card or with Apple, Google and Samsung pay). By doing so you are Investing in your customers’ happiness by giving them the flexibility to control their experience. Payment apps like Arryved’s that directly integrate with your point of sale allows your guests to open and close tabs from the safety of their own phone while keeping all transactions in one place—meaning comprehensive reporting across all your sales channels.
3. Online Webstore
As winter fast approaches and your patio comfort is at the whim of your climate, an online webstore could be the saving grace in offering additional revenue streams for your business. Make it easy for your fans to grab swag and to-go items by ordering ahead online. With an integrated system all your inventory syncs from the same place, eliminating the need to update menus in multiple systems; all orders, online or on premise, print to a centralized printer, so staff can monitor orders in one place; all sales reports aggregate on the same dashboard, providing a comprehensive view of your business.
4. Card on File
No customer likes the feeling of reaching for their wallet and realizing they left their credit card (and their open tab) at the last taproom; no business wants the liability of hanging onto their guests’ credit cards in a Rolodex. The ability to keep a card on file without holding onto the physical card changes the game. Guests feel confident because their card never leaves their sight; businesses gain a safety net in case a guest forgets to close out without the liability of holding onto their card.
5. No Extra Charges for Additional Features
Features that are critical to running a successful business shouldn’t be “pay to play”. Features such as digital menu board, gift cards, online ordering, time tracking, as many mobile devices as you need or a customer loyalty program are core to delivering a top-notch guest experience. Premium features shouldn’t require a premium price tag. Choose a point of sale that adapts with you as you grow so you can put your guests first.
6. Free and Fast Support Services
Your point of sale is central to your business and if you need help, you need help quickly and from a friendly and knowledgeable partner. Fast and reliable support services are essential for keeping your business (and brews) flowing without interruption. Reaching the support service for your point of sale should never be a hassle and should never incur added cost. Excellent support will understand where you’re coming from and use their knowledge to make sure a) your problem gets resolved b) you’re set up for future success and c) you hang up with a smile on your face!
Omega Yeast Launches Propper Seltzer, Yeast Nutrient for Brewing Hard Seltzers
Custom Formulated, Geared Toward Quick and Easy Fermentation
Omega Yeast®, known for custom propped liquid yeast pitches, announces the November release of Propper Seltzer™, a yeast nutrient for non-malt, sugar-based fermentation. Propper Seltzer nutrient is compatible with any strain of yeast including beer yeast, champagne yeast, wine yeast, and distillers yeast, and was designed to make things easier for brewers looking to create their own hard seltzer.
"We set out to specifically formulate a blend for hard seltzer that allows our yeast to really be successful," according to Laura Burns, PhD, Director of Research and Development for Omega Yeast. Hard seltzer fermentation differs from standard beer brewing because 100% sugar fermentations do not contain the essential nutrients that malt naturally does. So, in order to propel thorough fermentation, the yeast needs precise measurements of specific elements and nutrients. This led Omega Yeast’s R&D crew to collect data and designed this proprietary nutrient blend that allows brewers to brew a hard seltzer with just a single dose.
"Hard seltzer is here to stay. Now let's make it craft." said Burns.
Although you can use any yeast strain, Propper Seltzer is particularly speedy with kveiks because of how quickly kveik strains ferment. Norwegian kveik yeast was first made commercially available to U.S. brewers by Omega Yeast in 2015. Kveiks are known for their versatile fermentation temperature threshold, allowing brewers to ferment anywhere between 65-95°F (18-35°C) while still producing pleasing flavors. Omega partnered up with Stephen Bossu, Co-Founder and Head Brewer of Hopewell Brewing Co., for a commercial test run featuring Propper Seltzer with Omega’s exclusive Lutra™ Kveik, which is known for its very clean flavor profile.
"Part of the reason we're working with Omega and specifically this Lutra™ Kveik strain is that it's a super-quick, super-clean fermenter so that we know that we're not going to be tying up extra tank space which allows us to continue brewing our year-round IPA and year-round pilsner," mentioned Bossu. “Seltzers for us are just another avenue to play around with some of those fruits that we find interesting and just have a great presentation, and this Propper Seltzer allows us to do that.”
Propper Seltzer is now available in multiple sizes for both probrewers and homebrewers. Homebrewers can order through the brand’s online shop propperbrew.com, local homebrew shops, or online retailers. Professional brewers can order directly from Omega Yeast.
Small Brewery Sunday to Give Breweries a Boost on Nov. 29
As small businesses face uncertainties, call for support comes at a crucial juncture
Boulder, Colo. • Nov. 11, 2020—Small Brewery Sunday will return for a second year on Nov. 29. The national beer holiday, created by the Brewers Association (BA)—the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American craft brewers—encourages beer lovers to celebrate on the Sunday after Thanksgiving and support local breweries, brewpubs, and taprooms throughout the holiday season and beyond.
This year’s holiday is especially significant, given the insecure and uncertain futures of small businesses impacted by the pandemic and by further restrictions in operations.
The premise of the holiday is simple: beer lovers support small and independent craft breweries by visiting or supporting taprooms and brewpubs—businesses that are critical to local communities and economies nationwide. More than two-thirds of Americans live within 10 miles of a brewery, and in 2019 the craft brewing industry contributed $82.9 billion to the U.S. economy, employed more than 580,000 Americans, and provided charitable contributions worth more than $80 million. Amid the global pandemic and economic crisis, however, many breweries have experienced declining sales—down about 22% in the third quarter of 2020, according to a recent survey of Brewers Association members. The survey also reported that approximately two-thirds of at-the- brewery sales during the third quarter of the year occurred outdoors, indicating that winter will be the make it or break it season as colder temperatures arrive, outdoor service moves indoors, and many small brewers struggle to withstand the lasting effects of the pandemic.
“This has been a devastating year for craft brewers, as they’ve faced shutdowns, decreased sales, layoffs, and an aluminum can shortage. Our most recent member survey revealed only 78% of small breweries are confident that they’ll still be open at this time next year,” said Bob Pease, president and CEO, Brewers Association. “As shoppers support local independent businesses, what better place than your local craft brewery? Six packs, gift cards, or merchandise all make great gifts and every little bit helps. It’s crucial for beer lovers to support their local brewery, taproom, or brewpub throughout these next few critical months and beyond.”
“Nothing goes better with a holiday meal than independent craft beer,” said Ann Obenchain, marketing director, Brewers Association. “Whether you are able to safely visit a brewery, taproom, or brewpub, or opt for curbside pickup or at-home delivery, one of the best ways to support your local economy and brewery during the holiday season is by giving the gift of craft beer and serving craft beer at the dinner table.”
Beer lovers are encouraged to share their Small Brewery Sunday experiences on social media with the hashtags #SmallBrewerySunday and #SeekTheSeal.
To locate a small and independent brewery and learn more about Small Brewery Sunday, visit SmallBrewerySunday.com.
About the Brewers Association
The Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. The BA represents 5,400-plus U.S. breweries. The BA’s independent craft brewer seal is a widely adopted symbol that differentiates beers by small and independent craft brewers. The BA organizes events including the World Beer Cup®, Great American Beer Festival®, Craft Brewers Conference® & BrewExpo America®, SAVORTM: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience, Homebrew ConTM, National Homebrew Competition and American Craft Beer Week®. The BA publishes The New Brewer® magazine, and Brewers Publications® is the leading publisher of brewing literature in the U.S. Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com® and about homebrewing via the BA’s American Homebrewers Association® and the free Brew Guru® mobile app. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The Brewers Association is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital/familial status. The BA complies with provisions of Executive Order 11246 and the rules, regulations, and relevant orders of the Secretary of Labor.
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You Need A Point Of Service Not A Point Of Sale
By: Nicole Chamberlain
Director of Sales and Marketing at Arryved
When you envision the ideal experience for your brewery guests, point of sale probably isn’t at the top of your list—it’s the impersonal, transactional finale to the craft adventure. What you want is a Point of Service, intuitive technology that connects the nuts and bolts of dining out with the hospitality craft drinkers have come to expect.
A Point of Service opens the door for a flexible, welcoming, memorable experience. It creates “contagious loyalists”—the individuals who will spread the good word and invite their friends and family to join in their loyalty.
So here’s the ultimate question: what makes a Point of Service?
An Ecosystem of Possibilities
2020 and its shifting requirements have cemented the need to be flexible and adaptable as a business owner—there’s no telling what each day at the brewery will bring. Will people be able to come inside? How many people can be inside? Is food a requirement? How will guests close out while remaining distant? A Point of Service gives you the flexibility and confidence to take on any new rule while masterfully adapting to the unique needs of every person that enters your space.
Digital menu boards, online solutions for ordering and payment, and your mobile POS are all connected within a Point of Service, making it easy for your guests to get their hands on your beer. All your inventory syncs from the same place, eliminating the need to update menus in multiple systems—saving you SO MUCH TIME. It even gives guests the luxury of safe, secure, and adaptable contactless transactions.
All The Data You Could Ever Need
Data matters—a lot—and if your finger isn’t on the pulse of your business at any given time, you could be missing out on maximum efficiency. A comprehensive system gives decision-makers access to data on the fly, providing immediate insight to sales numbers and labor costs. These insights will help you make the smartest staffing, service and event decisions to optimize efficiency, revenue and guest experience whether it’s a slow, snowy Monday or a hopping, blistering Saturday.
Scale And Grow
You want a flexible system that will adapt as you grow, give you the tools to do so, and provide the data you need to make informed decisions about that growth.
A mobile Point of Service keeps every tab on every POS device, giving managers the ability to add or remove devices at any point since nothing is hard wired, and there’s no additional cost to do so. It even allows your staff to flex through different roles, from bar to floor, minimizing bodies and labor costs while maximizing guest experience.
Educate and WOW
Imagine a guest sitting at a table, talking to their server about your beer selection, and while still talking, the server enters a few tasters into the mobile POS in their hand. The order prints at the bar and within minutes a runner quietly drops them at the table. The conversation continues, uninterrupted, and your guest gets to taste and learn, a full-sensory experience. Your server had the opportunity to be the educated and product-focused person you hired.
That’s the beauty of a Point of Service!
Nicole Chamberlin is the Director of Sales and Marketing at Arryved where she dedicates her time helping breweries, taprooms, brewpubs, cideries, and other craft destinations become more efficient with Arryved’s Point-of-Service. With 8+ years in sales, marketing, and management, she has a deep love of the hospitality industry and the community of craft makers she works with. Nicole has been known to enjoy a whiskey barrel-aged beer, but will never turn down a good ol’ Coors.
WACHUSETT BREWING COMPANY LAUNCHES NEW BEER FOR THE HOLIDAYS TO SUPPORT TREES FOR SOLDIERS PROJECT
“Holiday” Double IPA features 2020 Veterans Hop Blend by Yakima Chief Hops
Just in time for its release on Veteran’s Day, Wachusett Brewing Company is launching a special new beer for a very special cause. “Holiday” Double IPA features a limited-edition hop blend by Yakima Chief Hops that raises money annually for veteran causes. To help add to the holiday spirit, Wachusett has partnered with Trees for Soldiers out of Leominster, MA that donates Christmas trees to veterans and military families in need.
“We are so honored to be a part of this project”, said Valerie Brock, Director of Fermentation at Wachusett Brewing Company and a former Sargent in the Army National Guard. “The 2020 blend features five different hops from the Pacific Northwest including Idaho 7, HBC 692, Sabra, Mosaic, and HBC 630 that will give this Double IPA great tropical fruit aromatics and a wonderful citrus profile”.
“Since 2010, it has been our privilege to show our support toward our local US Servicemen, women, and their families by providing Christmas trees at no charge, and to be a conduit for others in our community to show their appreciation as well, for our hero’s. We are honored to have been chosen to participate in the roll out of the Wachusett Brewing Company’s new IPA, and grateful for their support toward our program. We could not ask for a better way to kick off our 10th year of giving!” said Joe Firmani, Operation Service Director.”
Holiday Double IPA will be released the week of November 9th on tap at all 3 Wachusett Brew Yards in Westminster, Worcester, and the newly opened Cambridge location and in 16oz cans in Westminster only. A portion of the proceeds at every location will go directly to the Trees For Soldiers Project.
For more information about Wachusett Brewing Company, visit www.wachusettbrew.com
About Wachusett Brewing Company
WBC produces a diverse, award-winning line of beers ranging from their best-selling Blueberry Ale to their highly-rated Wally New England IPA series.
Bull Spit Brewing Company Announces Growth
Brewery announces New Hire and Expansion Plans
Lancaster— November 9, 2020 — Today, Bull Spit Brewing Company owner Keith P. Kopley announced plans to open a production facility in a new community by the fall of 2021. Expansion plans come as the Brewery completed their first year with great success, even amidst a national pandemic.
“We have had great success in year one. Our initial startup brewing system has done its job but now we need something to help sustain current accounts and foster future growth” said Kopley, President at Bull Spit Brewing Company on Kalon Farm.
Bull Spit Brewing Company opened its doors to customers in June of 2019 through its various events held on the Kalon Farm property in Lancaster. Kalon Farm is the parent company to both Bull Spit Brewing Company and Hillside Cellars, Kopley’s wine line. Then in 2020 the pandemic hit and shut down the breweries in house operations. “We made the decision to aggressively self-distribute our product to interested businesses within a 20-mile radius of the Brewery. We wanted to maintain the local, back yard feel to our potential accounts” said Kopley. “We were surprised at the support we got from local businesses.” Kopley continues. Kopley along with brewery leadership approached and partnered with local restaurants to offer a to go beer option with food, sort of a one stop shop for people getting meals to go from local restaurants.
In July, the brewery decided to dive into all of the guidelines coming down from the state in order to open up their outdoor area. “We purchased a Food Truck so we could prepare and serve a basic yet satisfying menu classifying us in the restaurant category so we could open back up to our customers” Comments Becca Higgins, General Manager of Bull Spit Brewing Company and Kalon Farm. “Our goal was to cross promote our country store and the brewery and our menu was the perfect place to do that” continued Higgins. Following all local and State guidelines for reopening the brewery started welcoming guests back into their outdoor hospitality space. “It was a slow start as people were cautious about getting back out, but once word got around that we had a relaxed, safe and socially distanced space that was family friendly our customer base grew significantly” says Higgins. “It was a learning curve for the staff on the most efficient way to execute all of the safety guidelines, but we came up with a system that we felt was most efficient” continues Higgins.
With the newfound success of the outdoor space and continuously growing outside sales accounts the 7 barrel start up brewing system was starting to feel the stress. Head Brewer, Chris Fontaine formerly of Berkshire Brewing and Lefty’s, states that they had to start contracting out some batches of beer in order to fill demands. “We don’t have enough tank space to meet all of the needs currently. We have 8 full time beers plus rotating seasonals and specials. We had nochoice but to look into contract brewing some of our beer at other breweries” says Fontaine.
With all of the scrambling to meet needs Kopley decided it was time to start looking for another property to put a bigger brew system in. With a new building and a bigger brewing system comes the addition of staffing. “We were lucky to get such an experienced brewer to start us off. It actually took a lot of stress off of us as we knew the quality of product Fontaine put out, and obviously our accounts and customers felt the same” says Kopley. “The question at hand now was who are we going to get to brew in our new facility” continued Kopley. “It all came down to timing” said Dave Higgins. Higgins was looking for a move after a successful 17 year run as Lead Brewer at local Regional Brewery Wachusett Brewing Co. “My passion is brewing. I love the process of creating new recipes, the brewing of the beer and eventually watching people enjoy a product I created” says Higgins. “I believe my time with Wachusett set me up to be where I am today, I look forward to helping Bull Spit Brewing reach the next level in an overly saturated market, Challenge Accepted” exclaims Higgins. “Bull Spit has seen impressive growth in a tough first year of business, I’m excited to be a part of their continued success” continued Higgins.
Currently Kopley is in negotiations for land and existing buildings in a neighboring community. “We see great potential in this community” said Kopley. “We are excited at the potential the land and buildings hold for us and to date the community has been very welcoming with our conceptual ideas” continued Kopley. Bull Spit Brewing has a very aggressive timeframe with this new production facility. Their goal is to have the production side of the expansion operating by late spring and have already been talking to other breweries on ways they can help them see the same success they saw.
For more information on the brewery you can visit their website bullspitbrewing.com or like them on most social media outlets. They have a product locater map on their website that lists all of the places you can find their beer, they also sell retail to go beer and growlers right out of the brewery in Lancaster located right on Rt. 117.
Bull Spit Brewing Company on Kalon Farm
For more information, press only:
PR Contact Name: Jim Hunt; VP Business Affairs Phone number: 978-870-7533
Email: jim@bullspitbrewing.com
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For more information on Product:
Website: bullspitbrewing.com
Boston Stream Party highlights local music with Halloweekend double feature
Boston Stream Party is a live, online music festival highlighting local bands. After two successful single day festivals, BSP is adding a second night to the festivities. For this iteration they have crafted two socially distanced evenings of music, fun, and a little bit of Halloween spirit. The full list of artists, dates, and times for the show are listed at the bottom.
“This is a collaboration with many local bands we think are extremely talented. This communal digital space gives acts a chance to connect with their fans while fostering an atmosphere to discover new music. We see this as an opportunity to bring curated live music to the public en masse virtually, while still cultivating fan and artist interaction. Beyond this, it is a way for local bands to expand their reach beyond the local audience to cities and towns across the world. All of this is free, fully live, and brought directly to the viewers via social media.” - BSP producers
The first Boston Stream Party Music Festival was held on May 23rd on Sound of Boston’s Instagram and featured Mallika Vie, Meiwei, Slow Dress, Alec Hutson, Gentle Temper, Nico Rivers, Walter Sickert, Sun Parade, Bryan McPherson, and Courtney Swain of Bent Knee. Boston Stream Party was able to bring together bands to perform, bridge the digital divide with their fanbases, and tell stories during a time when artistic connection feels more distant than ever, all while still maintaining healthy social distancing.
For the second festival they teamed up with Avidia Bank to bring 7 acts to Exhibit ‘A’ Brewing Company’s Facebook and Instagram on July 18th. The show featured an eclectic mix with Air Traffic Controller, Avanti Nagral, We Demand Parachutes, Elisa Smith, Amir Rivera (of Los Elk), Carissa Johnson, and Amber Ais performing.
For this special 2-day edition of Boston Stream Party, playfully called “Boston Scream Party” the team is bringing back the delightfully spooky Walter Sickert, to join headliners Ashley Jordan, and Planet Mercury, as well as local favorites Jason Ebbs, Eva Davenport, and The Q-Tip Bandits. There’s bound to be some spooky treats and surprises.
BSP is made up of Mike O’Donnell and Sean Kelly. Both longtime veterans of the Boston music scene, they have come together to try their hand at bringing local music global with online music festivals and a digital venue, “Boston Stream Party”. A venue “jack of all trades” and an old radio guy, with over 20 years of combined experience in the music, festival, and events industries, the timing seemed just right to bring what they love to an online audience. Their hope is to increase the presence of local acts, and make clear to the world what they know to be true: great music starts at the local level. The BSP motto is, “Play local, listen global.”
The first performance starts at 7pm on Halloween night, Saturday, October 31st. Headliner Ashley Jordan will close out the night. The following evening kicks off again at 7pm, with a costume contest taking place before the headliner Planet Mercury hits the stage. Both evenings are live on the Exhibit ‘A’ Brewing Company Instagram and Facebook accounts. (@exhibitabrewing)
SHOW SCHEDULE
Saturday, 10/31, 7:00pm, Jason Ebbs, Surfer Rock
Saturday, 10/31, 7:30pm, Eva Davenport, R&B Soul
Saturday, 10/31, 8:00pm, Ashley Jordan, Country Rock
Sunday, 11/1/2020, 7:00pm, Walter Sickert & The Army of Broken Toys, Folk Rock
Sunday, 11/1/2020, 7:30pm, The Q-Tip Bandits, Rock, R&B, and Funk
Sunday, 11/1/2020, 8:00pm, Planet Mercury, Pop Punk
Jason Ebbs, 10/31, 7:00pm
Jason Ebbs is a 22 year old independent artist from Boston creating a blend of alternative, garage, and beach rock. His first EP 'Familiar Villains' was released in May of 2018 and the debut album 'Superego' in June 2019. With the help of band members Johnny Dalton, Patrick Dalton, and Eli Olson, Ebbs and company have had the privilege of spreading their sunny Summer vibrations throughout the Boston area for the past few years and always strive to create beachy bliss for anyone listening.
Eva Davenport, 10/31, 7:30pm
Boston Music Awards Nominated Vocalist and R&B Artist of 2020: Eva Davenport, is a shining star to look out for. Through soulful vocals, inspirational lyrics and powerful stage presence Eva constantly inspires her listeners to follow their passions and higher life purpose.
‘A voice that not only gains your attention, but soothes your soul’ – BNN’s Fahrenheit TV.
Go to Evadavenportmusic.com to listen and learn more!
Ashley Jordan, 10/31, 8pm
Country music might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Boston, but Harvard Square busker turned rising goddess of twang Ashley Jordan might be out to prove you wrong. –The Boston Globe
When it comes to writing slice of life songs and then singing them from the heart, Ashley Jordan is in a league of her own. Born and raised in Harvard, MA, Ashley spent her summers in the Ozark Mountains listening to and singing country music. At only 13, she convinced her parents to allow her to travel to iconic Harvard Square in Cambridge where she and her guitar set up shop on a street corner. The shy girl came to life in front of an audience and Ashley found her calling. By the time she was 16, Ashley was touring New England with her first album of original songs. Four albums later, she is a seasoned live performer who has played to crowds as large as 40,000 opening for everyone from Trace Adkins to The Beach Boys to Billboard Chart hit-maker Jimmie Allen, to the legendary Charlie Daniels Band. Driven to succeed in a business she loves, Ashley has scored major market airplay, a first-round Grammy nomination, two unprecedented back-to-back Country Artist of the Year wins at the Boston Music Awards and was twice named a top 10 finalist on Nash Next. With the upcoming release of her fifth album, Ashley Jordan is perched at the edge of stardom.
Newest Release - “Gone Girl”
My song Gone Girl has been in the works for many years. It’s one of those songs that I tossed around in my head for a while, put it away, and then approached it again years later. I started by telling the story of someone who was basically falling apart from a failed relationship – but then it morphed into something more personal about how easy I felt it is to walk the line of insanity when you feel your life is falling apart over love-gone-bad. It happens all the time – we put everything we have into loving someone and when it doesn’t work out, the fallout is devastating. But it was important for me to share this song because I wanted to address the fact that we humans often try to hide our pain and devastation behind a smile - and I wanted to acknowledge that sometimes the end of a relationship can literally push someone over the edge. The music video for Gone Girl was directed by the incredible Paul Travers of Big Picture Media, and visually/creatively captures the essence of my newest single release!
Walter Sickert & The Army of Broken Toys, 11/1, 7pm
Walter Alice Sickert & The Army of Broken Toys an apocalyptic party in space that starts on Earth and jettisons out through surrealist multiverses into rabbit black holes straight through the psychedelic maw!
The Q-Tip Bandits, 11/1, 7:30pm
The Q-Tip Bandits are like your favorite pair of socks. They wrap you up, hold you tight, and help you walk a little bit lighter.
Since their inception in early 2018, The Q-Tip Bandits have emerged into the Boston music scene as an energetic and vibrant act that continues to touch the audience's hearts while getting them up on their feet. Their smooth yet powerful sound is backed by the raw energy of rock and the coolness and colors of R&B and funk - with grooves coated with savory, soul-inspired riffs, anthemic horns and meaningful lyrics. With their songs, The Q-Tip Bandits aim to capture the freedom and joy that are found on the other side of hardship, and to show that happiness is not a light that is void of darkness, but a balance of the two.
Planet Mercury, 11/1, 8:00pm
Planet Mercury gets around. Since their start in 2017, they have brought driving riffs coupled with sarcastic-yet-melodic hooks up and down the East Coast. This caffeine-infused outfit from Worcester, MA made its bones blasting their take on modern punk rock anywhere from beer-stained basements with local bands to the Mansfield MA Xfinity center with blink-182. Their newest single “Honest,” pulls out all the stops and draws inspiration from the likes of The All American Rejects, Green Day, and other rock greats of the checkered wristband generation. With their debut LP on the way, Planet Mercury continues to push the limits of the punk rock genre without forgetting to live loudly.