About Dave
A boy and his guitar
Dave Herlihy has one of the clearest and most expressive voices the Boston rock scene has ever produced. He was most famously the singer of O Positive, a band that dared to be dramatic, even when rocking out.
O Positive stopped performing in 1995, and it wasn’t until the COVID-19 Pandemic, that Dave began writing and recording new music again, and he released his first new music in thirty years in 2023, with an EP "Postcards From Kindergarten, Vol. 1"
Dave has been steadily releasing music throughout 2025 and will continue to do so in the new year as part of his collection of music which he's calling “now”. All the songs on “now” focus on the experience being in the moment amid the transience of everything.
Dave’s latest release, "Good Trouble"”, landed a spot in WERS’s "Top 88 of 2025".
Good Trouble borrows its title—and a little chutzpah--from civil rights icon John Lewis. His famous phrase, "good trouble," is a call to action and a guiding principle for engaging in peaceful disruption to address injustice and inspire meaningful change. It encourages individuals to challenge the status quo and speak out against things that are not right, not fair, or not just.
Dave’s song is an anthem--its rallying cry, “Not Going Down Without a Fight” is an appeal to our better angels.
Dave will be releasing a “Good Trouble” music video on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day to honor King’s fight for racial equality, justice, and nonviolent protest.
As part of Newton's 58th Annual Celebration of Dr. King, Dave will be performing “Good Trouble” on MLK, Jr. Day, at the First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton, 1326 Washington Street, with the Newton All City Troubadours, a select chorus made up of Newton's best 7th, 8th and 9th grade singers who sang along with Dave in the studio for "Good Trouble".
Professor Dave
Dave is a Full Teaching Professor at Northeastern University in the College of Arts, Media & Design, and a Professor at Northeastern University School of Law. He is Coordinator of Northeastern University’s Music Industry Program, Faculty Advisor for Green Line Records, the University’s student-run record label, and founder of Good Dog Licensing, Northeastern University's student-run music licensing platform.
Herlihy Law
Since 1993, Dave has maintained Herlihy Law, an entertainment law practice in Newton, Massachusetts.
Dave provides transactional and consultation services pertaining to intellectual property, emerging technologies, business model development, and entertainment law, with a focus on the music industries.
What's New
Dave’s latest release, "Good Trouble", landed a spot in WERS’s "Top 88 of 2025".
Good Trouble borrows its title—and a little chutzpah--from civil right icon John Lewis.
Dave will be releasing a “Good Trouble” music video on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day to honor King’s fight for racial equality, justice, and nonviolent protest. The video is an homage to John Lewis, whose famous “good trouble” is a call to action and a guiding principle for engaging in peaceful disruption to address injustice and inspire meaningful change. Lewis encouraged individuals to challenge the status quo and speak out against things that are not right, not fair, or not just.
The “Good Trouble” video was produced by Boston-based video artist Zach Lanoue in collaboration with Silence Dogood, Boston Magazine's 2025 award winner for Guerrilla Art for their work blending revolutionary spirit with modern protest. Silence Dogood takes its name from Benjamin Franklin’s original pseudonym, and they tackle contemporary issues like immigration with calls for liberty and resistance.
As part of Newton's 58th Annual Celebration of Dr. King, Dave will be performing “Good Trouble” on MLK, Jr. Day, at the First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton, 1326 Washington Street, with the Newton All City Troubadours, a select chorus made up of Newton's best 7th, 8th and 9th grade singers who performed on the studio recording for "Good Trouble".
Dave & Friends with Special Guest Laurie Sargent will be performing together at Club Passim on Friday January 23.
Reserved seats have sold out, but GA seats are available here and the show will also be livestreamed. We hope you can join us for a night of good friends and warm music.
Photo Credit: Matt Lambert