By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
Siri Undlin
On January 10, Humbird, which is the music project of Siri Undlin, released its latest EP – “Astrovan: The Love Song Vignettes.” The EP featured 11 songs in 14 minutes and 12 seconds.
Last year, Undlin performed at Ardmore Music Hall twice – in June and again in November — in support of her most recent full-length album, “Right On,”
Now, Humbird is returning to the area for a pair of shows – June 10 in Exton and June 11 in Philadelphia.
On June 10, Humbird will headline “Eagleview Concerts on the Square” (Eagleview Town Center, Wharton Boulevard, Exton, www.ineagleview.com). The following night, the band will be the headline act at MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, 215- 925-6455, www.milkboyphilly.com).
“We really love the city of Philadelphia,” said Undlin, during a phone interview Wednesday night from her home in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. “Early on, we’d come and play D.I.Y. house shows in Philly.
“With Philly, I’ve always been blown away by how many porches there are there. People really interface – talk to you from their porch. It’s great.”
Humbird’s last LP (long player) was released on April 12, 2024.
“I write a lot,” said Undlin. “Most of the songs on ‘Right On’ were written a few months before we recorded them.
“I write all the time. Songwriting can happen in a lot of ways for me – however the idea hits me. It could start with a melody, a story idea, a hook – whatever happens.
“We made ‘Right On’ in Eau Claire. Because we were recording to tape, we only did a few takes for each song. When we record digitally, we will re-track things.
“We also recorded ‘Astrovan’ in Eau Claire. It was a weird experiment.
“I was experiencing writer’s block. A friend suggested that I keep the songs short and sweet and that I not think too much. I don’t think he meant one-minute love songs. But that’s what I did, and people seem to like them.”
Undlin grew up steeped in church choirs and traditional Irish ensembles, which eventually led to conducting extensive folklore and musical research around the world as a Watson Fellow. That work inspired years of DIY touring around North America.
“I grew up playing music,” said Undlin, who is of Norwegian descent. “My mother was a Lutheran pastor, and I sang in church. I also grew up listening to Irish music.
“I was writing songs when I was young. I used to bang away on our piano when I was really young, so my parents got me piano lessons. But I never pursued keyboards. My main instrument is my voice – and guitar.
“I listened to a lot of traditional Irish music. I liked it because of its storytelling. I also listened a lot to 90s female confessional songwriters like Michelle Branch and Liz Phair.”
Undlin continues to expand and experiment as a writer and bandleader in a way that is fluid with each season and oddly suited for this particular moment.
Following the surprise success of the self-released debut album “Pharmakon” and the pensive reflections of 2021’s “Still Life,” “Right On” is the next iteration in her process of witnessing the world in all its complexity and responding with candid consideration.
Humbird is more than a band name for her solo work.
“I always called it a project,” said Undlin. “It can be me or a band. It’s been a rock trio the last few years. The lineup now features Pat Keen on bass and Nate LeBron on drums.
“Our live set is a smattering from all my albums. Songs from ‘Right On’ make up half the set and the rest are favorites from the other albums.”
Since October 2011, Undlin has had to share her name with Apple’s “Siri.”
Siri is a digital assistant included within Apple devices’ operating system. Siri was named after the shortened version of the Norwegian name Sigrid by co-creator, Dag Kittlaus. It also means “Speech Interpretation and Recognition Interface.”
If an Apple phone is on when someone asks Undlin a question, there are frequently two replies to “Hey Siri” – one from Undlin and one from the phone.
“I have to deal with (Apple’s) Siri about a hundred times a day,” said Undlin. “I’ve gotten used to it.”
Video link for Humbird – https://youtu.be/flXokhP9c_I.
The show on June 10 in Eagleview, which has Eliza Edens as the opening act, will start at 7 p.m.
The family-friendly show is free.
The Eagleview Town Center will host its Summer Concert Series every Tuesday now through August 26.
This series, which is in its 24th year, features a variety of performances, including Rockafilly on June 17 and Roberta Faceplant on June 24.
On August 8, the twin bill features a national act – Cracker – and a local favorite — Cliff Hillis.
The show on June 11 at MilkBoy Philly, which has Eliza Edens as the opening act, will start at 8 p.m.
Tickets are $21.06.
Other upcoming shows at MilkBoy Philly are Tone Bandit & Friends on June 5, Young Widows on June 6, The Tisburys on June 7, Luke Santana & Teamarrr on June 8, John Wiese and Lana Del Rabies on June 9 and Fer De Lance + Wild Beyond on June 10.
On June 8, the Colonial Theater (227 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, thecolonialtheatre.com/events) will host “The Theatre Organ Society of the Delaware Valley Presents Master of the Mighty Wurlitzer: Ben Forsthoffer Commands the Colonial.”
Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295, http://www.kennettflash.org) is hosting Seth Walker on June 5, The Honey Badgers on June 7 and Open Mic Night with Mike McDevitt on June 8.
Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center (226 North High Street, West Chester, www.uptownwestchester.org) will host “That’s Life Concert” with Tony Sands on June 6 and Whammer Jammer on June 7.
Jamey’s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, 215-477-9985, www.jameyshouseofmusic.com) will have Pamela Renee and Friends on June 5, Lizanne Knott with Ciara Grace opening on June 6, the Kelli Baker Band on June 6 and the Girke-Davis Project on June 8.
Elkton Music Hall (107 North Street, Elkton, Maryland, www.elktonmusichall.com) will present Cowboy Mouth on June 6 and Crack the Sky on June 7
Ardmore Music Hall (23 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, www.ardmoremusic.com) will have Boathouse Row on June 7 and Save Ferris on June 8.
The Grand (818 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware, www.thegrandwilmington.org) will present “Fearless: The Taylor Swift Experience” on June 7.
