Whoah! Now that's what I call a winter!

Started off mild enough though, eh? And then just like Ralph Kramden; POW! RIGHT IN THE KISSER!!! Hurricanes, Noreasters and Blizzards- Oh my! Well- you know what they say about the weather in New England!

But enough small talk- this news update is NOT all fun and games. I must begin by paying my respects and debts of gratitude to an establishment that was pivotal in my gaining a foothold in the 413. Of course I'm speaking of the legendary Headquarters Bar and Grill (Agawam, MA). HQ's was my headquarters for the past year and a half. We shot my first show there which became part of the "413" music video. The rest is history. And now unfortunately, so is Headquarters. Much love to Joe and the gang. Thanks for the memories and see you all on down the road...

It's not all bad news this time around though. We did manage to squeeze in one last show at HQ's where Gene Simmons of KISS sat in on bass for "413". A career highlight if ever there was one.

And then we released the music video, "(I'm from) Western Mass" to rave reviews and another blast of virility. This time we delved deeper into the dark heart of the 413 hitting up the far reaches of the Berkshires and beyond. But the shoot wasn't without its difficulties. We found ourselves WAY over budget with only half of the footage we needed in the can. Luckily, we ran into an enterprising artist on the streets of Northampton who agreed to help us leverage some of my assets and turn around some quick cash by unloading a collection of my prize pipes. I hated to see them go but....what price art, eh?

Anyways- the fall "Leaf Peapin' Tour" was a smashing success with standout shows abounding. New fans in Burlington VT, Providence RI, and Boston made all those long, weary hours on the road worthwhile. And we wrapped it all up with the homecoming gig to end all tours on New Year's Eve at the scene of the crime- the Hu Ke Lau. Sonny and the gang treated DJ Hot Mess and I like the royalty we are and in return we rocked the hizzy and possibly terrified some nice folks who thought they were there for the Polynesian Show.

So just when I thought the new year couldn't get any better the Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau reached out to me about producing a video for them. It seems as though this whole "internet thing" has caught on and people are using it to advertise. So they thought it would be cool for me to produce a minute and a half long music video about all of the great places to eat, drink and party in and around the Greater Springfield area. I immersed myself in the studio, produced a track and then teamed back up with my man behind the lens, Trevor Holden, to shoot the footage. What we turned in would make Don Draper shit his pants. It's really an amazing example of regional advertising at its best.

I'm teaming with the GSCVB to release the video on April 12 (that's 4/13 eve- get it? 4/13? 4-1-3?). We'll be hosting a little cocktail party at the Delaney House that evening from 5:30-7pm to celebrate the video's release so please come get tipsy with us. I'll be on hand to present the video, rock a photo op or two and press the flesh. After that, we'll all hop in the limo and head up to Bishop's Lounge in Northampton where DJ Hot Mess and I are going to rock the microphone til the break of dawn. Or at least until just after last call.

Almost forgot! I whipped up some dope new tracks over the winter which I've added to the live show. Constantly upping my game is just how I do so you know these next jams gonna boogie woogie all over yo' brain! Whoop whoop!! I've already dropped the dance floor anthem, "Smoke Some Weed" (all my tracks are available for free download just visit my Soundcloud page). There are four others but I'm gonna make ya sweat the titles. They'll be available soon. Don't getcha knickas in a twist.

And yes! I'm working on making another music video. This next one's going to have nothing to do with Western Massachusetts though so- fair warning. And it may take a while. So hold your breath. Or... don't.

Other than that, I'm happy to be back at Bishop's (as stated) on April 12th at 10pm. Also super stoked to be rocking another show at the Ocean Mist on April 19th. This time I'll be joined by my Block Island amigos, "The Shades" for a magical evening of oysters, unicorns and hip hop. And I'm very happy to announce a show at my new venue of choice in the Greater Springfield area, Maximum Capacity on April 27th. These will be the last shows in the area before I shuffle off to Block Island for the summer. I'll be hanging out at my favorite beach shack, Captain Nick's Rock N' Roll Bar rocking a couple of shows. Very excited to have been invited back to perform at the Block Island Music Festival on June 15! Well- that about does it for now. Until next time- keep it green'

- Dr. Westchesterson

What up Y'all?

First off- a big thank you to all who came out and made the Labor Day Weekend show at Captain Nick's on Block Island off the chain. The energy in the room was unbelievable and for a minute I thought the roof was going to blow off the joint. Check out my keytarded version of the Star Spangled Banner from that night.

As summer winds down and fall settles over New England big things are afoot here in the Dr.'s office. I'm already back in the studio laying down tracks. Of course the follow up to "413" is in the works. The working title is, "I'm from Western Mass". Straight and to the point, no? I'll be rolling around W. Mass later this month shooting footage for the sequel music video. Keep an eye out for me- I'll be cruising around in a pimpin' ride which will be hard to miss. If you happen to be at the Big E on Wednesday September 26th, you may just catch me ridin' dirty in the parade! Whoop whoop!

We're planning to release the music video for "I'm From Western Mass" on Friday October 19th. That's a week before the big fall tour starts. Since the last tour ended at Headquarter's in Agawam before "413" went viral, we figured we'd start things off there this time around on October 27th. This Headquarter's show is also a Halloween costume party so get your Dr. Westchesterson costumes ready for the big Dr. W look-alike contest. Prizes will be awarded to those who rep the Doc most successfully so go big or go home. Prizes include t-shirts, autographed limited edition posters and more. The 1st place winner gets a private smoke sesh behind the dumpster where the Dr.'s pipe will be packed and shared- a rare honor and privilege.

The fall 2012 "Leaf Peepin' Tour" once again features DJ Hot Mess manning the wheels of steel and includes a stop at the Bing Arts Center in Springfield on November 9th plus the Dr.'s first ever performance in the Berkshires at Chameleon's in Pittsfield on November 24th. We'll also be revisiting our other favorite venues such as Nectar's in Burlington VT, Bishop's in Northampton MA and the Spot Underground in Providence RI. Due to popular demand, a second Agawam show has been added on Friday November 23rd for all the townies kickin' it family-style for the Thanksgiving Day Weekend. Any excuse to break away from Mom and Dad's house and get freaky- know what I'm sayin'?

We're working on putting together a big New Year's Eve show somewhere around the greater Springfield, MA area so stay tuned for details. In the meantime if we aren't friends on Facebook yet make sure to hit me up. And if you're in need of fresh Dr. W schwag the online store is always up and running. Until then, keep it real and don't forget to stop and smell the cheeba.

- Dr. Westchesterson

Greetings everyone.

With over 155,000 views on "413" and all of the media attention that's surrounded it, I've decided to lay low for the summer and plan my next move carefully. Since the story appeared on Portland, OR's FOX affiliate I thought it best to find a secluded spot to spend the summer. That spot is Block Island. I'll be playing the Block Island Music Festival here on June 15th and a special end of summer show on Sunday September 2nd. Both shows will be at Captain Nick's Rock n' Roll Bar. My manager owns the joint. Between now and then, I'll be working on writing new tracks including the follow up to "413" and planning out the music video.

After Labor Day, I'll be heading back into the studio for a couple of months to bring the new tracks to life. Starting in late October I'll be embarking on a small tour of Western Massachusetts and maybe a few other spots as well. We'll keep updating the tour dates page so check back frequently.

Oh- I almost forgot. To make a little extra pocket change, I landed a bartending gig at Captain Nick's (Block Island's coolest nightclub) outdoor bar on Monday afternoons. There's a DJ on the deck and I'll have a wireless mic behind the bar so you never know what's going to happen. I'll be spitting a few rhymes in between slinging drinks though- that's for sure. And just so you know, it's not my first time behind a bar. Back at Amherst, I was my fraternity's number one mixologist. My favorite cocktails are the ones with the little umbrellas in them.

In the meantime, merchandise is still available to don't forget to visit the online store. And please- remember to follow my blog so you can keep up to date with all of my summer adventures. Enjoy the summer everyone and remember to keep it green!

- Dr. Westchesterson