The Irish Times calls Peter Mulvey “a joy to see” and “a phenomenal performer with huge energy, a quick-fire, quirky take on life, and an extraordinary guitar style.” The Washington Post praises “the subtle power of his voice, a husky, hushed baritone,” and calls it “at once sophisticated and intimate.” Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin after stints in Dublin and Boston, Peter has released 16 albums, including his latest, Silver Ladder, which Lonesome Road Review calls “a roots rock album of the highest order.” Peter writes lucid originals that startle and amaze. “In the middle of a lifetime / the road gets a little squirrelly / You might lose your sense of humor for a year or two,” he sings on the song “You Don’t Have To Tell Me.” He also reinterprets songs by other great artists, from Duke Ellington to Tom Waits, Willie Nelson to Thelonius Monk. Listen to Peter share what he knows and what he doesn’t know, in a performance filled with wit, passion, and wonder.
Heather Maloney returns to the Freight with her album, Making Me Break, that Bluegrass Situation calls “an intoxicating blend that captures the sonic texture of indie rock, the humanity of folk, and the spirituality of a Rumi poem.” She started writing songs after living and working for three years in a silent-retreat meditation center in central Massachusetts. “It really gave me a sense of purpose in my writing,” she says. “If I didn’t write songs, I’d be covered in tattoos, because every song I write is something I want to remember really badly.”
Singout! calls her music “a glorious mix of old and new,” and praises her “passion and talent.” Her pure, crystalline voice calls to mind Joni Mitchell, which is why, when she played a house concert with Darlingside at the home of a New York Times music critic, she and the band were urged to record Joni’s song “Woodstock.” The video of that recording went viral. “Hipster detachment is so not me,” Heather says. “I’m a raw person, sensitive to a fault.” That sensitivity and deep immersion in the music is apparent in every note she sings. The Huffington Post praises her “lyrics that cut to the chase,” and DigBoston declares that she “deserves the type of cult following that has brought success to the likes of Aimee Mann and Ani DiFranco.” Here is a talented young performer who lays it all on the line. The results are stunning
CALENDAR SPONSORED IN PART BY THE CONSULATE GENERAL OF IRELAND, SAN FRANCISCO