Touring Artist: 118-Date Schedule Concludes in West Hartford

Sarah McQuaid will close a grueling 2026 tour with a performance in West Hartford on Saturday, Nov. 7. The singer-songwriter has scheduled 118 shows between mid-January and the end of the month, a pace she describes as a marathon.

The concert runs from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at The Universalist Church of West Hartford, located at 433 Fern St. It is part of The Sounding Board Coffeehouse, a nonprofit folk music organization founded in the 1970s that hosts events at local venues. Tickets are currently on sale.

McQuaid is born in Spain, raised in Chicago, and based in Cornwall, England. Her stage performances feature live looping and multiple instruments. She moves between acoustic and electric setups, incorporating layered vocals and percussion while frequently inviting audience participation.

The demanding schedule has forced a change in her creative process. Instead of recording new songs in isolation, McQuaid is testing them live. She said this approach allows the compositions to evolve before they are finalized.

"Pretty much every song has changed and developed along the way, so that'll make our task a lot easier when we finally do get started on the next album," McQuaid said. She added that the live feedback has been fantastic for trying out new material.

Her manager and producer, Martin Stansbury, has accompanied her on tour for nearly 17 years. He produced her latest album, The St Buryan Sessions, and is currently recording a series of performances called "Garage Sessions" at her new studio in Cornwall. McQuaid uses the rehearsal space to refine complex arrangements that involve multiple instruments.

One new composition begins with unaccompanied vocals before adding acoustic guitar, percussion, keyboards, electric guitar, and vocal harmonies. McQuaid noted that this specific piece required extensive rehearsing but is now working well. The West Hartford show will be her final performance of the 2026 season.