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Juliana Hatfield Three to play first live show in 20 years at Saturday’s Hot Stove Cool Music


There’s a pretty hearty lineup for this Saturday’s 15th annual Hot Stove Cool Music show at the Paradise, but one tidbit among the dozens or so performers stands out the most: the reunited Juliana Hatfield Three will return to the stage for their first live gig in roughly two decades. We say roughly, because no one seems to remember when the ’90s indie rock trio’s last gig actually was.

“It will be our first show together in about 20 years, I think,” Hatfield wrote on Facebook last month. “Does anyone know when/where/how our last show was? I don’t remember.”

The best answer seems to be February 19, 1994 at the Palace in Los Angeles, California, making this weekend’s mini-set an appearance just under 21 years in the making, and a nice re-introduction to a band that has a new record, Whatever, My Love, out next month.

It’s the lead note for the 15th edition of Hot Stove Cool Music — the bi-annual charity event that has since 2000 raised $7 million for the Jimmy Fund and the Foundation To Be Named Later — but not the only note.

Joining Hatfield and company onstage Saturday will be the reunited the Cavedogs, Craig Finn of the Hold Steady, Al Kooper, Chadwick Stokes of State Radio and Dispatch, and Tanya Donelly and Gail Greenwood of Belly. Chicago Cubs President of Baseball Operations and former Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein and Hall of Fame baseball journalist Peter Gammons host the event and also perform with the Hot Stove All-Stars, featuring Bill Janovitz (Buffalo Tom), Mike Gent (The Figgs), Kay Hanley (Letters To Cleo), Eli “Paperboy” Reed, the Gravel Pit, Will Dailey, Jen Trynin, Phil Aiken, and Cubs broadcaster Len Kasper. Hot Stove is hosted by comedian Mike O’Malley.

“Organizing the Hot Stove All-Stars gets more challenging every year because of the amount of amazing musicians who volunteer to take part,” says HSCM’s Music Director Ed Valauskas in a presser. “I think it’s a testament to the energy and camaraderie of the event that so many want to join us year after year. Inevitably, at the end of the night, most of them say to me, ‘Sign me up for next year.’ I guess it’s a little like the Mafia… once you’re in, you’re in.”

HOT STOVE COOL MUSIC :: Saturday, January 10 @ the Paradise Rock Club, 969 Commonwealth Ave., Boston :: 7 p.m., 18-plus, $40 :: Advance tickets :: Do617 event page