{"id":21150,"date":"2016-09-12T09:27:17","date_gmt":"2016-09-12T13:27:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/?p=21150"},"modified":"2016-09-12T09:27:42","modified_gmt":"2016-09-12T13:27:42","slug":"on-stage-extra-joe-prudy-rocks-the-keswick-tonight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/?p=21150","title":{"rendered":"On Stage (Extra): Joe Purdy rocks The Keswick tonight"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>,\u00a0<\/span>Staff Writer, The Times<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\"joe-purdy\"Joe Purdy is a singer-songwriter\/folk musician who has been making top-shelf music since the turn of the century. Purdy\u2019s music is powerful. His lyrics are poignant and his recorded output is prolific.<\/span><\/p>\n

Purdy released his first album \u201cJoe Purdy\u201d in 2001 and has recorded 14 albums over the last 16 years. His most recent full-length was \u201cWho Will Be Next,\u201d which was just released in June.<\/span><\/p>\n

The talented singer is now touring in support of his new disc — a tour that brings him to the area for a show September 12 at the Keswick Theater (291 N. Keswick Avenue, Glenside, 215-572-7650,\u00a0www.keswicktheatre.com<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWho Will Be Next\u201d is an album that stimulates listeners musically and philosophically.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNew Year\u2019s Eve\u201d\u00a0is a call for hope, for unity and peace after a very bad year — with a music track that is reminiscent of the music recorded at Muscle Shoals Studios in the 1960\u2019s.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The tune \u201cWho Will Be Next\u201d features Scarlet Rivera\u2019s haunting violin over a minor waltz while Purdy laments the song\u2019s title.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cChildren of Privilege\u201d has thematic bonds to Creedence Clearwater Revival\u2019s \u201cFortunate Son\u201d and has the spirit of early Bob Dylan in its DNA.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCairo Walls\u201d is not about Egypt, but about the Midwest, and specifically the ghost town Cairo, Illinois. Cairo, a city where the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers meet, was crushed by racism in the 1960\u2019s when stubborn business owners closed their doors and left town rather than segregate.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI had never written a social justice record before,\u201d said Purdy, during a phone interview Tuesday afternoon from his home in East Los Angeles..\u00a0 \u201cIt was always country or love songs. But, I can have a silver tongue when I want to write a record. I wrote the album pretty much in its entirety at the end of last year.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen, I went home for the holidays and my mom gave me this talking-to. She started telling me that if I wanted to make a record that would make a positive difference in people\u2019s lives that I had to stop preaching to the choir. She told me to take the anger out and see things through more compassionate eyes. So, I went back to California and rewrote the whole record.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t want to be considered to be another hardcore lefty activist who didn\u2019t see both sides. I wanted to hit people on a more human side. So, I came up with a few different messages. I even did some of the songs in first person.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Purdy also kept it very down-to-earth with the recording process.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI recorded the album earlier this year over a couple month span at my studio in California,\u201d said Purdy. \u201cIt\u2019s all analog — 16-track reel-to-reel mixed down to a rare one-inch machine. Usually, it\u2019s a one-half-inch or one-quarter-inch machine. This was a rare one-inch machine that we borrowed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI built a tube console to mix it on. When you\u2019re working with tape — $300 a reel which buys you 30 minutes — you can\u2019t fool around. We usually don\u2019t do any song more than two or three times.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRecording live to tape does help in a way because it keeps you more focused. It\u2019s definitely a pain in the ass in many ways. But, when you hear it back, it\u2019s magic. The real magic is that there is a voice coming out of the speaker when there are no computers involved. With recording on tape, it\u2019s a physical process.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Joe Purdy — https:\/\/youtu.be\/jLdcQrYWlrs<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at the Keswick, which also features Glen Hansard, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35 and $45.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"The

The Dirty Nil<\/p><\/div>\n

The Dirty Nil will bring the band\u2019s new music to Philly for a show on September 13 at the Foundry at Fillmore Philadelphia (1100 Canal Street, Philadelphia, 215-309-0150, www.thefillmorephilly.com<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

Hailing from Dundas, a suburb of Hamilton, Ontario, The Dirty Nil is a hard-rocking trio featuring Luke Bentham (guitar\/vocals), Kyle Fisher (drums) and Dave Nardi (bass\/vocals).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cWe just got back from Toronto and we have a show in Hamilton tonight,\u201d said Bentham, during a phone interview Friday afternoon from his home in Dundas. \u201cThere is a pretty good music scene in Hamilton — a lot of different kinds of bands.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not as crowded as the music scene in Toronto. The forest isn\u2019t as dense so the lower shrubs get more light. It\u2019s a good place for a band to grow up. But, Toronto has also been important to us.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe band got started 10 years ago. We were all just learning our instruments and looking for something to do. We went to high school together in this little town called Dundas. We were making strides toward being a real band back then.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe made an EP or two but the first real major step was in 2010 when we made a 7-inch called \u2018F***in\u2019 Up Young\u2019 with \u2018Verona Lung\u2019 on the B-side. That was the fruit of five years labor. We pressed the single ourselves and toured around Ontario. It wasn\u2019t until late 2103 that we did our first show in the United States.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Dirty Nil kept plugging away — moving toward the making of the band\u2019s debut album.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe material for the album was finalized in late 2014,\u201d said Bentham. \u201cWhen we decided to make the album, we wanted to make sure it was something we were proud of — and something that people were excited to hear.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe went to Toronto to record it at Candle Studio with our friend Shehzaad Jiwani. We mixed the album in the summer of 2015 and it came out in the beginning of 2016. All the basic tracking went pretty smoothly. Most of the songs we had hardened from live playing. But, a few were a little looser right up until we recorded them.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGetting the album out was a long, drawn-out process. When we started making the album, we didn\u2019t have a label. It took awhile to get everything into play. Now, we\u2019ve been touring the album all this year. We\u2019re a road band. That\u2019s what we do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for The Dirty Nil — https:\/\/youtu.be\/hCKQJlWstJw<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

The show at the Foundry, which also features Billy Talent and Badflower, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $16.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"porter-block\"Porter Block is back.<\/span><\/p>\n

The New York-based power-pop duo returns with its first new album in six years, \u201cHard See Beautiful,\u201d which was just released on new label Team Mensch. Formed in 2005, Porter Block is Peter Block and Caleb Sherman.<\/span><\/p>\n

Porter Block will have two shows in the area this week. The band will perform on September 13at the World Caf\u00e9 Live (3025 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, 215-222-1400, www.worldcafelive.com<\/span><\/a>) and then head to Chester County for a show September 14 at Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295,\u00a0http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

The six-year delay between Porter Block records was the result of a serious illness during which time Block helped create the non-profit Music and Medicine program at Weill Cornell Medical College. The program encourages medical students to continue to pursue musical study and performance while studying medicine.<\/span><\/p>\n

In April 2010, Block was diagnosed with a neurological viral condition called Parsonage-Turner Syndrome, which partially-paralyzed his arms and hands.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t move my hands, my arms or my shoulders,\u201d said Block, during a phone interview Thursday from his home inner York City. \u201cIt took me four-and-a-half years to beat it. It wasn\u2019t easy but I did it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The 10-track album was co-produced and co-written by Mike Viola (Candy Butchers, Ryan Adams, Jenny Lewis) and recorded digitally in Nashville by Caleb and on analog in Los Angeles, by Sheldon Gomberg <\/b>(Ben Harper, Warpaint, Joseph Arthur).<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Block, \u201cI\u2019m really proud of \u2018Hard To See Beautiful.\u2019 It\u2019s the first time I made an album with two different producers, Mike and Caleb, and also in two different cities. The songs all come from a personal place, yet there are a lot of hooks and sing-along moments.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The band on the new album features Viola, who in addition to co-producing and co-writing also plays acoustic guitar and sings back-ups; Steven Elliot (guitar), Terry Radigan (guitar); Larry Goldings (keyboards);\u00a0 Brandon Barnes (drums); Davey Faragher (bass) and Pete Thomas (drums).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEven though it was recorded in two locations and recorded very differently art each, it still came out sounding consistent,\u201d said Block. \u201cI re-mastered it and it was remarkably consistent. It\u2019s got a lot of musical diversity and good-sounding, jangly lyrics. I think it\u2019s a pretty great record.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur live show is just the two of us and it\u2019s not rock show. It\u2019s more of an acoustic show. We have the harmonies and we put some atmospherics into it — a few beats here and there. It\u2019s us playing and singing with the addition of some low-end synthesizers for moods and keys.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Porter Block — https:\/\/youtu.be\/FajH418wulk<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at the World Caf\u00e9 Live, which also features Tim Easton, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at Kennett Flash, which also features Tim Easton and Kalai King, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance and $18 day of show.<\/span><\/p>\n

On September 14, the World Caf\u00e9 Live will host shows featuring Thirdstory in the Downstairs venue and the Saint Johns in the Upstairs room.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Thirdstory\"

Thirdstory<\/p><\/div>\n

Thirdstory is a modern vocal pop trio featuring Ben Lusher, Richard Saunders and Elliott Skinner. They sing soul music for the modern era — love songs with timeless themes. The New York-based threesome has just begun its first-ever U.S. headlining tour. The 13-day run brings the band to several major markets including Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Washington D.C.<\/span><\/p>\n

The young group delivers pop songs that mix crisp three-part harmonies and live instrumentation with hip hop-influenced production.\u00a0The Village Voice\u00a0noted the trio\u2019s \u201cinventive vocal arrangements and R&B-inspired approach to pop.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThirdstory has been around two years now,\u201d said Saunders, during a phone interview Friday afternoon as the band travelled to a show in Washington, D.C. \u201cElliott and I met at a performance at Rockwood Music Hall here in New York. We each had sets singing in the show — mostly acoustic. And, we liked each other\u2019s sets. It\u2019s kind of cool that one of the first shows we did as Thirdstory was at Rockwood.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWith Ben, I was his R.A. for an arts program that we both did in Miami. High school students come down and do masters classes. I was the R.A. and he was the singer. I invited him to come to New York. That was a couple years before the group formed — before me and Elliott started working together.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Thirdstory was the successful integration of three distinct personalities with different backgrounds.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m from Connecticut,\u201d said Saunders. \u201cElliott is from Dallas and Ben is from Bermuda. Our first gig as Thirdstory was at the Cutting Room in New York. A big turning point was when we put out a video of us singing Sam Smith\u2019s song \u2018I\u2019m Not the only One.\u2019 That got things moving. Soon, we had a sold-out show at Rockwood and then moved to bigger rooms like the Bowery Ballroom.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Thirdstory\u2019s debut EP,\u00a0\u201cSearching,\u201d is a prelude for the forthcoming LP, due in early 2017 on Verve\/Universal Music Group. Lead single \u201cG Train,\u201d a nod to the band\u2019s NY roots, is a creative metaphor for lovesickness. The funk-infused track\u00a0premiered on\u00a0Billboard<\/span><\/a>, which cited the track\u2019s \u201cstrong harmonies layered over handclaps and guitars.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Thirdstory\u2019s clever usage of social media has already earned them millions of views on YouTube and a devoted following in the States, as well as abroad. Just last month, the band sold out their very first show in the U.K.<\/span><\/p>\n

The band is currently writing new material for their forthcoming LP, with help from Grammy-winning producer Malay (Zayn, Frank Ocean). The anticipated release will feature all original material and showcase the band’s powerful vocals and varied influences.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cThe original vision was three singer-songwriters coming together,\u201d said Saunders. \u201cWe made the EP in 2105 and put it out when we were on tour with Tori Kelly. All three songs on the EP were songs that we wrote.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been in the studio working on the album — hard at work making an album of originals. We hope to have it pout early next year. We\u2019re 80 per cent there with the album and Malay has been a key player. He\u2019s been amazing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Thirdstory — https:\/\/youtu.be\/3Y7Vq9749s8<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at World Caf\u00e9 Live, which also features Lolo, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"The

The Saint Johns<\/p><\/div>\n

When the Saint Johns\u00a0performed in Philadelphia late last year, they offered fans a preview of material from their highly-anticipated full-length debut which was still several months away from being released.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, the Saint Johns — Louis Johnson and Jordan Meredith — are back on the road. The talented duo is touring in support of their album \u201cDead of Night,\u201d which was officially released on March 4 on\u00a0Kemosabe Records.<\/span><\/p>\n

The band was recently reminded that things doin\u2019t always go as planned.<\/span><\/p>\n

On September 7, the band posted this message on its Facebook page — \u201c2 days ago our good friend (and kickass lead guitar player) Jamie had a family emergency. Sadly, he won’t be able to join us for this tour. We will miss him dearly but we fully support his decision to stay home with his family. <\/span><\/p>\n

Over the next month of shows we will be creating a new set and learning new parts all while hangin\u2019 on stage in front of you.<\/span><\/p>\n

So thank you in advance for being supportive of what we do and for having fun with us along the way!<\/span><\/p>\n

If you know Jamie or have had him rock your face, please send him and the rest of his family some love right now.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe had a family emergency and we told him — you need to stay home,\u201d said Meredith, during a phone interview Thursday afternoon from a tour stop in Birmingham, Alabama. \u201cIt did put some challenges in front of us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Actually, the whole band will be sort of \u201clearning on the job.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018We didn\u2019t get our drummer and bassist for the tour until two weeks ago,\u201d said Johnson. \u201cThen, we lost our guitarist two days ago.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe looked at our set list and figured out what songs we could do without a designated lead guitar. It\u2019s definitely more of a rock-and-roll show when everything isn\u2019t planed out. But, we just did the first show of the tour in Birmingham and it was great.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The 12-track album was written by Johnson and Meredith and recorded at New York\u2019s Avatar Studios with Grammy Award-winning producer, David Kahne, who has worked with acts such as Paul McCartney and the Strokes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Since debuting with their\u00a0\u201cOpen Water\u201d EP in 2013, The Saint Johns have enjoyed widespread notice, including a booking on the \u201cLate Show with David Letterman.\u201d Additionally, their music has been featured on The CW\u2019s \u201cReign,\u201d ABC\u2019s \u201cBlood & Oil,\u201d FX\u2019s \u201cSons of Anarchy,\u201d ABC\u2019s \u201cNashville\u201d and Fox\u2019s \u201cSo You Think You Can Dance.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe signed with Kemosabe and then went to New York to record the album,\u201d said Meredith. \u201cWe recorded it in February and March at Avatar Studio with David Kahne.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cWe used to live in New York so it was fun because we were back in our old stomping grounds. We\u2019ve been sitting on the album for about a year — mixing, mastering and waiting for the record label to find the right time to release it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Johnson said, \u201cWe have a five-song EP that\u2019s been out for two years. We started working on songs for the album right after that. We\u2019ve spent the last two years writing and getting our team together. With our label, we\u2019re happy to have their support and help.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Saint Johns have consistently made music that is fresh — music that is smart, lively and a treat for the ears.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard for us to say what kind of music we play,\u201d said Meredith. \u201cI guess you could call it Indie-Americana.\u00a0 It\u2019s got boy-girl vocals — like Fleetwood Mac. Still, it\u2019s hard to find a genre to put it in.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Johnson said, \u201cWe don\u2019t feel like we\u2019re similar to anyone.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Johnson and Meredith now live in Nashville but their roots are in northern Florida.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe met in St. Augustine,\u201d said Meredith. \u201cWe were both in college and we met through mutual friends at a \u2018Taco Tuesday Party\u2019 in 2008.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Johnson said, \u201cI was going to Flagler College and Jordan was at another school. Once we started playing songs with each other, we thought we worked together pretty well. At first, we were doing a lot of covers. Then, we started writing together. It was cool.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSince then, we revised our sound a good bit. When we moved to Nashville, we were still trying to find our sound. We\u2019ll do as pop song and then an acoustic song. Then, we started focusing on our harmonies and playing a combination of indie rock and Americana.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Meredith said, \u201cWe moved to Nashville because there was nothing there for us musically in Saint Augustine. Actually, we moved to New York first, stayed there for a year and ended up being broke.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe got invited to a songwriter party in Nashville and, within a month, we were living there. We played a lot of clubs around Nashville. We were trying to get heard. We made our first EP in Nashville two years ago.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for The Saint Johns — https:\/\/youtu.be\/V9QOylF41uk<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at the World Caf\u00e9 Live\u2019s Upstairs Room, which also features Birdtalker, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $12.<\/span><\/p>\n

The World Caf\u00e9 Live at the Queen (500 North Market Street, Wilmington, 302- 994-1400,\u00a0www.queen.worldcafelive.com<\/span><\/a>) will also be rocking on September 13 when Marcia Ball brings her New Orleans-influenced piano sound to Delaware. She will also be performing on September 14 at the Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808,\u00a0www.st94.com<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Marcia

Marcia Ball<\/p><\/div>\n

Over the years, there have been a number of stellar piano players from Louisiana who have made the region\u2019s blend of blues, soul and swamp boogie famous around the world. The list is mostly male-dominated — Fats Domino, Huey \u201cPiano\u201d Smith, Dr. John, Allen Toussaint, Professor Longhair — but also includes Marcia Ball.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ball is touring in support of her latest album \u201cThe Tattooed Lady And The Alligator Man.\u201d The album is her sixth release for Alligator Records. Four of her previous five releases received Grammy Award nominations.<\/span><\/p>\n

The release mixes Ball\u2019s Gulf Coast blues, New Orleans R&B, swampy Louisiana ballads, and jumping, Tex-\u00ad<\/span>\u2010<\/span>Mex flavored zydeco into a one\u00ad<\/span>\u2010<\/span>of\u00ad<\/span>\u2010<\/span>a\u00ad<\/span>\u2010<\/span>kind musical gumbo — a sound she has been perfecting over the course of her legendary career.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ball received the 2014 Blues Music Award (BMA) for the Pinetop Perkins Piano Player Of The Year. She has now won a total of 10 BMAs and has received a whopping 44 nominations. Ball recently received a 2015 Living Blues <\/i>Readers’ Poll Award for Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard) and now holds nine Living Blues <\/i>Awards in all. She was inducted into the Gulf Coast Hall of Fame in 2010 and into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2012.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI haven\u2019t been in the studio for awhile,\u201d said Ball, during a phone interview Tuesday from her home in Austin, Texas. \u201cEver since I released the new album, I\u2019ve been touring and traveling and playing these songs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have been doing some writing though. I have four originals. And, I have a couple covers that I\u2019d like to record — obscure covers of old New Orleans stuff. Obviously, I\u2019m not in a rush.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In 1970, Ball put together a\u00a0modern blues band called Freda and the Firedogs and released her first album in 1972. Her career is still going full-tilt 46 years later and her popularity continues to grow.<\/span><\/p>\n

It was back in the early 1970s when <\/span>she immersed herself in the music of the great New Orleans piano players — especially Professor Longhair. Her solo album debut was a country-rock album called \u201cCircuit Queen\u201d that was released in 1978 on Capitol Records.<\/span><\/p>\n

Before long, Ball developed her own sound which was much more in line with the sweat-drenched music played in clubs in the Texas-Louisiana border region than with traditional country music. She released six critically-acclaimed albums on the Rounder label during the 1980s and 1990s.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Louisiana vibe became more pronounced when she moved to Alligator Records in 2001. She has recorded seven albums for Alligator, including \u201cRoadside Attractions\u201d, which received a <\/span>2011 Grammy Award nomination in the Best Blues Album category.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m still a little studio shy — and I don\u2019t write that much,\u201d said Ball. \u201cI make a lot of notes, hum songs into my cell phone and then finally sit at a piano at home. I\u2019m busy and it\u2019s hard to find time to write with so much going on.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Even though Ball has been recording and touring for more than four decades, the spirited veteran is showing no signs of slowing down.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m playing about 125 shows a year and most of them are nowhere near close to my home,\u201d said Ball. \u201cI play clubs and theaters and do a few festivals each year. I never get tired of being on the road because home is where the homework is. My band is what it is — a five-piece with bass, drums, guitar, sax and me on keyboards and vocals.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ball and her band members all have roots in the Louisiana\/Texas music scene.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI grew up in Louisiana,\u201d said Ball. \u201cI was listening to New Orleans music, Fats Domino, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis. I also listened to a lot of blues musicians who did gigs in Baton Rouge. I have a lot of R&B in my background along with the great legacy of Delta music.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Marcia Ball — https:\/\/youtu.be\/J5-2WDzJTvo<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at the Queen will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25. The show in Sellerville, which starts at 8 p.m., has tickets priced at $29.50 and $40.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Arc-Iris\"

Arc-Iris<\/p><\/div>\n

Arc Iris will bring its distinct style of rock music to the area on September 14 for a show at Boot and Saddle (1131 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, 215-639-4528, www.bootandsaddlephilly.com<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

Arc Iris is comprised of lead singer and lyricist\u00a0Jocie Adams, keyboardist Zach Tenorio-Miller and drummer\u00a0Ray Belli. Adams previously spent eight years as a key member of\u00a0The Low Anthem, effortlessly zipping from hammer dulcimer to clarinet to bass to vocals.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMe, Zach and Ray — it\u2019s just the three of us on tour,\u201d said Adams, during a phone interview Tuesday morning from her home in Providence, Rhode Island.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cWe use sampling on the keyboards. A lot of the filling-in is done by Zach. He\u2019s pretty amazing with the sounds he can get. He can create al the bass lines — and all the textures.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Arc Iris broke musical ground with the release of its self-titled debut in 2014. The Providence, Rhode Island-based band quickly won over audiences in the US and Europe, supporting artists such as St. Vincent, Jeff Tweedy, and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. The group performed at the London Palladium and festivals including Bonnaroo, End of the Road and the Rolling Stone Weekender.<\/span><\/p>\n

The album, which was released on Bella Union in Europe and ANTI Records in the US, received favorable reviews both here and abroad. \u201cMoon Saloon\u201d is a natural progression from the first album\u2019s whimsical explorations and energetic diversity.<\/span><\/p>\n

Produced by the group and mixed by electronica producer David Wrench of FKA Twigs and Jamie xx fame, the album showcases beat-heavy melodies and textural, groove-riding rhythms. It developed from the band\u2019s distillations of musical influences, combining traditional elements with percussive structures and dense, beguiling harmonies.<\/span><\/p>\n

In many ways this second album captures Arc Iris\u2019 musical odyssey as a band. \u201cIt has a heavier sound, more intense,\u201d says Arc Iris keyboardist Zach Tenorio-Miller, who makes liberal use of sampling in many of the songs. The group matches an unusual array of organic acoustic instruments with layered electronic sounds.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adams\u2019 2011 solo debut, \u201cBed of Notions,\u201d sparked a musical beginning that became Arc Iris. Joining Adams on Bed of Notions was cellist Robin Ryczek, a conservatory-trained musician who toured with Jethro Tull and founded a rock school in Afghanistan.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0To help launch Arc Iris in 2012, Adams teamed with Ryczek and Tenorio-Miller, an established indie-rock keyboardist for well-known talents from Gene Ween to the New Pornographers\u2019 A.C Newman. Later that year, Tenorio-Miller brought in his longtime friend Belli. The two toured with Jon Anderson of Yes when they were just 16.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe first Arc Iris album had some songs I had played as Jocie Adams,\u201d said Adams. \u201cWhen we decided we were going to record an album, it was a 10-day process. We went through the songs and brushed them up. It was during that time that it became clear that hat record was something different than a Jocie project. It was more of a band.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI had never had a drummer in my other bands. The growth of the rhythm section is the most important influence on the change of our sound. The difference between the two albums is that the use of our rhythm section has grown significantly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRay is a melodic drummer. We even started some of the arrangements with drumming ideas. Drums became more integral without talking away from the musicality. Most music that is drum heavy gets too compressed but that is not the case with our band.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Arc Iris — https:\/\/youtu.be\/zUWVSMwEf_U<\/i><\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at Boot and Saddle, which also features Superhuman Happiness and Birdie Busch, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff,\u00a0Staff Writer, The Times\u00a0 Joe Purdy is a singer-songwriter\/folk musician who has been making top-shelf music since the turn of the century. Purdy\u2019s music is powerful. His lyrics are poignant and his recorded output is prolific. Purdy released his first album \u201cJoe Purdy\u201d in 2001 and has recorded 14 albums over the last […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":21152,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7529],"tags":[7928,6518,7926,7927,7925,7929,7252,7387],"class_list":["post-21150","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-arc-iris","tag-featured","tag-joe-purdy","tag-marcia-ball","tag-porter-block","tag-the-dirty-nil","tag-the-saint-johns","tag-thirdstory"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21150","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=21150"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21150\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21153,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21150\/revisions\/21153"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/21152"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=21150"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=21150"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=21150"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}