WHICH SIDE Protest Music Series to Return to The Burren in Somerville
Damon & Naomi, The Hazel Project and other acts join house band The Paid Protesters at the Somerville venue.
Which Side?: A Protest Music Teach-Out will return with another powerful night of music, storytelling, and solidarity on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at The Burren Backroom. What began as an experiment in blending protest songs with conversation has evolved into a vital monthly gathering — a place where artists and audiences come together to listen, reflect, and organize through music.
Inspired by Which Side Are You On?: 20th Century American History in 100 Protest Songs by journalist and author James Sullivan, the series uses historic protest music as a launch point for live performance and dialogue about the role of songs in movements for justice, resistance, and social change. Each month, participating musicians perform one song drawn from Sullivan's book alongside an original or contemporary protest song, drawing direct lines between past struggles and the present moment.
The August show will include performances by Damon & Naomi, The Hazel Project, The Croaks, Dom the Composer, Eric Martin (The Neats), and Emily Marvosh. All performers will be backed by the talented house band The Paid Protesters.
Produced by Joyce Linehan, Jon Lupfer, and Sullivan, the 90-minute program combines live performance, commentary, and audience participation, creating a space that's equal parts concert, teach-in, and community meeting. Now in its second year, the series celebrated its anniversary in July with a special performance sponsored by the ACLU of Massachusetts.
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Golden Girls The Laughs Continue Academy of Music Theatre (11/18-11/18) |
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Chris Stapleton Fenway Park (8/15-8/15) |
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Lovesong The Unicorn Theatre (7/22-8/23) |
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HAIRSPRAY The Cape Playhouse (7/15-8/08) |
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Summer, 1976 The Unicorn Theatre (10/07-10/31) |
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Therapy Gecko Live Arts at the Armory (8/30-8/30) |
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Beetlejuice Jr. The Company Theatre (11/06-11/08) |
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Meet the Cartozians Boston Center for the Arts (2/18-3/21) |
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Wicked Boston Opera House (9/23-11/15) |
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The Who's Tommy Emerson Colonial Theatre (5/04-5/16) |